Nieuws volgens datum: 11 Jan, 2025

Chef veiligheid van Zuid-Koreaanse president afgetreden

SEOUL – Park Chong-jun, de chef van de veiligheidsdienst van de Zuid-Koreaanse president Yoon Suk-yeol, is afgetreden. Er loopt een onderzoek tegen Park omdat de dienst de aanhouding van Yoon Suk-yeol belemmert. Park heeft gewaarschuwd dat “pogingen Yoon aan te houden niet mogen uitmonden in bloedvergieten”.

De taken van de omstreden president worden waargenomen door Choi Sang-mok. Hij is sinds 27 december waarnemend president en premier. Hij zei vrijdag dat een nieuwe manier gevonden moet worden om de impasse te doorbreken die de beveiligers van de president in het onderzoek naar Yoon veroorzaken.

Yoon kondigde 3 december onverwacht de noodtoestand af, omdat volgens hem krachten het functioneren van de staat ondermijnden. Velen zien dit echter als onwettige actie tegen de oppositie. Onder druk van het parlement trok Yoon de noodtoestand snel weer in. Nu loopt er een strafrechtelijk onderzoek tegen Yoon. Hij heeft zich verschanst in de presidentiële residentie, beveiligd door de presidentiële veiligheidsdienst. (De Telegraaf/ANP)

Two more lynx spotted on the loose in Highlands

CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK  –  Police say two more lynx have been spotted in the same area where a pair of the wild cats were captured last Thursday. They were seen near Kingussie in the Cairngorms National Park. Police Scotland have warned members of the public not to approach the animals and said officers are working with specially-trained personnel to capture them. The force said inquiries suggested that the sighting was connected with the release of the two lynx which were captured last Thursday. Police have urged people not to visit the area to try and see the cats.

Insp Craig Johnstone said: “Members of the public are asked not to approach the animals for their own safety and the safety of the lynx. “Officers are working with specially trained personnel to capture them safely and humanely. “Although it may be tempting to try to find them, take pictures or set up cameras, we are asking people not to travel into the area, particularly in the current winter weather conditions.” The latest lynx, believed to be larger than the other two cats, were spotted at about 07:10 on Friday. Experts from Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) along with police and Cairngorms National Park rangers are trying to capture the wild cats. RZSS chief executive David Field said: “Two more lynx have been sighted in the same Cairngorms location where we successfully captured a pair last Thursday. “Further traps are being baited in the area and the hope is that these animals will be safely and humanely captured before being taken to Edinburgh Zoo to join the two captured yesterday in quarantine.”

Police Scotland and Cairngorm National Park Authority Rangers are also in attendance. The public are being asked to steer clear of the area as a build-up of people could disturb the animals and hamper efforts on the ground. A Cairngorms Mountain Rescue Team drone is being used in the search. RZSS condemns the illegal release of wild animals in the strongest possible term

The two animals trapped earlier this week have been taken into the care of the RZSS. They are now at Edinburgh Zoo. The RZSS has condemned the illegal release of the animals as “highly irresponsible”. Experts from the charity worked with police to humanely trap the first two cats, which are now being cared for in quarantine facilities at Highland Wildlife Park before being transferred to Edinburgh Zoo. Some conservation groups have been campaigning to have the wild cats reintroduced to Scotland.

Those who support the idea include the Mammal Society, which has suggested rogue rewilders could be behind the releases. The organisation said it would love to see a stable and healthy population of wild lynx thriving in the UK, and that the reintroduction of the species could “redress ecosystem imbalance and restore biodiversity to our depleted landscapes”. The society said it understood the “frustration” which could lead to illegal releases, but that there were “no shortcuts” to achieving its goal. “Illegal releases are irresponsible and not the answer,” it said. The Cairngorms National Park Authority has appealed to the public to stay away from the search area. (BBC/Getty Images)

Brandweer Nickerie zes onderofficieren rijker

NICKERIE – De brandweer Nickerie is zes onderofficieren rijker. Dit is een bijzondere mijlpaal voor de brandweer Nickerie. Deze zes personen hebben eerst een tweejarige opleiding gevolgd, voordat zij zijn bevorderd. Dit hebben zij in Paramaribo gedaan en zij moesten het combineren met hun werk. Het is volgens de leiding van de brandweer een heel bijzondere prestatie en inzet geweest van deze manschappen die de opleiding met succes hebben afgerond. Het gaat om Mohamed Bakas, Marino Jodiwongso, Glenn Jairam, Rischard Waidoe, R. Leysner en G. Singoastro.

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Avondklok in door bosbranden getroffen gebieden Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES – Door branden in Los Angeles zijn inmiddels honderden huizen verwoest. Zeker tien doden zijn gevallen. Zo’n 180 duizend mensen hebben het bevel gekregen te evacueren. Villa’s van talloze beroemdheden zijn afgebrand. Er zijn plunderingen uitgebroken en de Amerikaanse National Guard is opgeroepen om de situatie onder controle te krijgen. De sheriff van Los Angeles heeft een avondklok ingesteld voor gebieden die zijn getroffen door de grote natuurbranden van de afgelopen dagen. Volgens sheriff Robert Luna moeten daarmee “overvallen en plunderingen” worden voorkomen.

“We doen dit om de gebouwen en woningen te beschermen die mensen hebben verlaten, omdat wij ze hebben opgedragen te vertrekken”, zei Luna. De afgelopen dagen zijn er berichten geweest over plunderingen in de luxe wijken die geëvacueerd zijn. Sommige inwoners hebben zelf een straatpatrouille georganiseerd om hun huizen te bewaken.

De avondklok geldt tussen 18.00 uur ‘s avonds en 06.00 uur ‘s ochtends in de wijken Pacific Palisades en Eaton. Mensen die niet bevoegd zijn en toch in het getroffen gebied komen, zullen worden opgepakt en riskeren een celstraf. “We maken hier geen grappen over”, aldus de sheriff. (De Telegraaf)

EPA updates EIA scope for Exxon’s 7th project after citizens file legal action

GEORGETOWN – The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), announced that it has amended the Terms and Scope for ExxonMobil’s seventh project – Hammerhead –  following a legal suit filed by two Guyanese on the matter. It said the Terms and Scope (T&S) was updated to specifically include Scope 3 emissions, following further feedback from stakeholders.  In December 2024, Kaieteur News reported that two citizens filed legal action against the EPA for failing to ensure the impacts from the planned development is properly assessed.

Attorneys-at-law Melinda Janki, Tim Prudhoe, Anna-Kay Brown and Suzanne Bullen are representing the plaintiffs, Wintress Morris and Joy Marcus. In a statement, the citizens explained that the EPA issued a Terms of Reference (TOR) for the Hammerhead Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) which does not take into account the impact of greenhouse gas pollution from burning the associated oil and gas from the proposed development. They pointed out that the oil/gas will be burned from the project. To this end, the EPA has a duty to assess the impacts of that pollution in line with the requirements of the Environmental Protection Act. If this is not done, a proper decision could not be made about Hammerhead.

The citizens argued: “As citizens of Guyana, every one of us has a right to know how this Hammerhead pollution will affect us and our families. What harm will pollution do to our children? What harm will it do to our fisherfolk?  What harm will pollution do to the elderly and the vulnerable in our society? What will it do to the climate and the ocean? We demand answers.” According to Morris and Marcus, their lawyer, Melinda Janki had written several letters to the Executive Director of the Agency, Kemraj Parsram, reminding him that the TOR for the Hammerhead EIA must identify, describe and evaluate the direct and indirect effects of the project. They noted their disappointment that the Executive Director ignored their lawyer’s letters and did not correct the terms of reference for the EIA.

In its statement last Thursday however, the EPA explained that the T&S had previously included direct and indirect impacts to be considered in the conduct of the EIA, which intended to cover all plausible potential impacts, not limited to Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. “However, following feedback from stakeholders and further examination by EPAs technical staff, Scope 3 emissions are now specifically included to provide greater clarity. This is with respect to the application by Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited for environmental authorisation for the Hammerhead project, situated in the Stabroek Block, Offshore Guyana,” the agency said. Kaieteur News understands that the citizens will be proceeding with the legal challenge. (Kaieteur News)

Photo: Executive Director of the EPA, Kemraj Parsram. (Kaieteur News)