Foreign
French President Macron Appoints Michel Barnier As New Prime Minister
The EU’s former chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, has become France’s new prime minister, the French president’s office says, which ends two months of stalemate after inconclusive parliamentary elections.
In a statement on Thursday, the Élysée Palace said: “The President of the Republic has appointed Michel Barnier as Prime Minister. He has to form a united government to serve the country and the French people.”
The statement added that Barnier’s appointment comes after “an unprecedented cycle of consultations” in order to ensure a stable government.
The 73-year-old staunch Europhile, is a member of the Republicans party which represents the traditional right. He is best known on the international stage for his mediating role for the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union.
Barnier has held various ministerial positions in France, including roles as foreign, agriculture and environment ministers. He served twice as a European commissioner as well as an adviser to President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. In 2021, Barnier announced his bid for presidential elections but failed to garner enough support within his party. He has served in French and European politics
Macron accepted the resignation of former Prime Minister Gabriel Attal and his government in July, after his centrist party was defeated in the second round of France’s snap parliamentary election. The president has since faced calls from across the political sectors to appoint a new PM. Last week, Macron told journalists during a trip to Serbia he was “making all the necessary efforts” to finalize a name.
“I will have the opportunity in a few days, in just a few weeks, to state the major legislative priorities and proposals on behalf of the new government before parliament. It will be a question of responding, as much as we can, to the challenges, to the anger, as you mentioned, to the suffering, to the feeling of abandonment, of injustice that runs through our cities, our neighborhoods and our countryside far too much,” Barnier said, speaking alongside Attal during the transfer of power at Hotel Matignon, the prime minister’s office in Paris.
Attal congratulated Barnier in presence of family members and lawmakers.
“The French know you. They know that you are a great local elected official,” said Attal, praising Barnier’s “almost unmatched experience of serving the state in various international and European functions.”
But he did not hide his frustration that his tenure came to such an abrupt end.
“Eight months is too short,” Attal said, warning that the country’s politics is suffering, “but recovery is possible.”
Barnier’s prospects for forming a stable government are unclear. Currently, France’s far-right National Rally (RN) is one of the largest parties in parliament following the election in early July. It has previously suggested it could be open to working with Barnier and would not immediately veto him.
Still, RN politician Laurent Jacobelli spoke disparagingly of Barnier, telling French television network TF1: “They are taking out of mothballs those who have governed France for 40 years.”
Barnier served as the chief negotiator during the UK’s exit from the European Union. The lengthy talks between London and Brussels ran from 2016 to 2021 and he is known among Brexiteers in the UK for driving a hard bargain.
Barnier was born in January 1951 in a suburb of the Alpine city of Grenoble, he was first elected to parliament at the age of 27.
The leaders of France’s main far-right and far-left political parties had condemned the appointment of Barnier following the announcement on Thursday.
Foreign
Ukraine alleges N’Korea is sending troops to Russia
He was speaking days after visiting several European capitals to press his case for more military and financial help in the war against invading Russian forces.
“We see an increasing alliance between Russia and regimes like in North Korea,” Zelensky said in his evening address.
“It is no longer just about transferring weapons. It is actually about the transfer of people from North Korea to the occupier’s military forces.
“Obviously, in such circumstances, our relations with our partners need to be developed. The frontline needs more support,” he said.
Zelensky completed a whirlwind two-day tour of European capitals last week including Berlin, London and Paris to ask for sustained military aid as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine grinds on through its third year.
“When we talk about more long-range capability for Ukraine and more decisive supplies for our forces, it is not just a list of military equipment,” Zelensky said.
“It is about increasing the pressure on the aggressor, which will be stronger for Russia than they can withstand. And it is about preventing a bigger war.”
AFP.
Foreign
Kenyan Governor Detained Over Violent Clan Disputes
A regional governor in Kenya has been taken into custody due to his involvement in clan violence in the Tana River County, where multiple fatalities have occurred.
Dhadho Godhana, along with a local legislator, were arrested separately for failing to comply with summonses regarding the clashes, as stated by the police on Saturday. The accused individuals have not publicly addressed the allegations.
The clashes in southeast Kenya have resulted in the deaths of at least 14 people, leading the authorities to declare two areas in the county as hazardous and insecure for the next 30 days.
According to an official notice from the Interior Ministry, security measures have been intensified in these areas, and residents are prohibited from carrying weapons.
DCI chief Mohamed Amin confirmed that Godhana presented himself at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters in Nairobi on Saturday morning and is being interrogated about the clashes.
Five politicians from Tana River County have been summoned to appear before the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) on Monday for questioning regarding allegations of instigating conflict between two communities.
Tana River has previously experienced ethnic clashes over disputes about grazing rights, resulting in numerous fatalities.
Foreign
North Korea Removed as Observer from Regional Anti-Money Laundering Group
North Korea has lost its observer status in a regional group that fights money laundering. This decision was announced on Monday by the South Korean foreign ministry. The reason for this action is North Korea’s lack of involvement and its failure to fulfill its responsibilities to the group.
The decision was made unanimously at the 26th general assembly of the Asia Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG), which convened last Tuesday in the United Arab Emirates.
The South Korean ministry released a statement explaining the outcome.
Established in 1997, the APG is an intergovernmental body dedicated to enforcing international standards against money laundering and combatting terrorism financing, including preventing the spread of weapons of mass destruction.
The group currently consists of 42 member states, including key global powers such as the United States, Japan, China, and South Korea, which joined in 1998.
North Korea gained observer status in the APG in July 2014. However, it was warned by the group that its continued lack of engagement would lead to disqualification. The North failed to meet even the minimal requirements to retain its status, prompting the members to endorse the revocation.
To maintain its observer status, a country is required to permit visits from APG delegations, facilitate information exchange, and cooperate with the group in publishing regular reports on the nation’s anti-money laundering efforts. The APG found that North Korea had not participated in the group’s activities for six consecutive years, nor had it responded to any of the group’s attempts to establish contact.
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In response, North Korea issued a statement through its state-run Chosun Central News Agency on October 3rd, protesting the APG’s decision. The regime claimed the APG had become a “puppet group” serving the interests of the United States and suggested the move was a result of America’s continued “hostile policy” towards the country.
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