Abducted Australian girl found safe
After 18 days missing, four-year-old Cleo Smith was found safe and sound in Carnarvon, Australia. Smith was abducted from a campsite, within a reasonable distance from where she was found, on Oct. 16. The search lasted nearly three weeks, with police receiving a tip that led them to Carnarvon. The Police Commissioner of Western Australia, Chris Dawson, said that “I know the nation is rejoicing over the fact that we have been able to conduct this operation and we never gave up hope, and I know that Cleo’s parents never gave up hope.” A 36-year-old man named Terence Darrell Kelly was arrested in connection with the kidnapping and charged with forcibly or fraudulently taking or enticing a child under 16.
Ireland’s government publishes climate plan
Irish Prime Minister Michael Martin announced a Climate Action Plan on Nov. 4. The plan, which will cost around $123 billion USD, hopes to lower gas emissions by 51% before the year 2030. The more than 200-page plan also hopes to cut electricity emissions as well. The Irish Parliament anticipates that it will decrease anywhere from 62% to 81%. “In terms of our public health and our overall quality of life, the plan we are publishing today has the potential to be transformational,” said Martin.
African National Congress posts lowest vote percentage in history
For the first time in its democratic history, Nelson Mandela’s African National Congress has received less than 50% of votes. Their direct competition, Democratic Alliance, received 22% of the vote. The next closest was the Economic Freedom Fighters who had 10% of the vote. Zulu Inkatha Freedom Party received 6% of the vote, and both the Afrikaner party Freedom Front Plus and ActionSA received 2% of votes. There is no merger in place for any of the parties, with the DA ruling out a partnership with the EFF. The two merging would account for 32% of the vote, making an ANC exit a real possibility.
UK approves COVID-19 pill
The United Kingdom has approved Merck’s antiviral oral medication that combats COVID-19. The pill was created and developed by Ridgeback Biotherapeutics and Merck and is called molnupavir. The UK’s studies indicated that the pill reduced the risk of death and hospitalization by about 50%. British Health and Social Care Secretary, Sajid Javid, said that “today is a historic day for our country, as the U.K. is the first country in the world to approve an antiviral that can be taken at home for COVID-19.”
