ECOWAS approves intervention in Niger, what security in Wintzenheim and tragedy in Hawaii

2023-08-11 07:55:26

Did you miss the news this early morning? We’ve put together a recap to help you see things more clearly.

ECOWAS has, on Thursday, further refined the thread holding the sword of Damocles above the putschists in Niamey. The Economic Community of West African States has indeed validated the military option to end the coup in Niger. According to Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara, the threat of intervention is even more than serious and the operation can “start as soon as possible”. If the sound of arms were to be heard, ECOWAS knows that it will have the consent of Paris. France expressed full support for the Community on Thursday evening. On the other hand, the head of American diplomacy Antony Blinken has once again made known his preference for the diplomatic channel.

The investigation is underway to understand the drama of Wintzenheim which left eleven dead. The first elements show that the holiday cottage, which accommodated people with disabilities, was neither declared to the town hall nor complied with safety standards. The burned building, an old barn renovated a few years ago, had “no authorization” for its activity, declared Thursday the deputy mayor of the small town of Haut-Rhin, Daniel Leroy. For her part, Nathalie Kielwasser, deputy prosecutor of the Republic of Colmar, stressed that the structure had not received a visit from the security commission. As for the possible criminal liability of the owner of the gîte, who gave the alert and is in a state of shock, this is something that “cannot be said at all” for the moment, he said. -she insists.

The numbers for the ongoing tragedy in Hawaii are dire. The toll of the devastating fires which have almost razed a tourist town in the archipelago has now reached at least 53 dead and is likely to increase, according to the authorities. “This is the biggest natural disaster in the history of the state of Hawaii,” Governor Josh Green said Thursday. All the victims found so far died in a fire that practically reduced Lahaina, a major tourist destination on the island of Maui, to ashes. The island of Hawaii was also affected by smaller fires, which are now under control. President Joe Biden has signed a natural disaster declaration, which will unlock significant federal aid to fund relief, emergency shelter and reconstruction efforts.