Humza Yousaf elected by MSPs as Scotland’s new first minister
Humza Yousaf has been officially elected as Scotland’s new first minister after he was backed by a majority of MSPs.
Following his victory in the SNP leadership race on Monday, the 37-year-old faced a vote at Holyrood to confirm him as Nicola Sturgeon’s successor.
Opposition parties were able to put themselves forward in the process, but with the backing of the Greens – as well as his own SNP members – Mr Yousaf successfully saw off challenges from Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sawar and Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton.
It means Mr Yousaf’s name will now be submitted to the King, with a formal session to swear him in expected at the Court of Session in Edinburgh on Wednesday.
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Making his pitch to MSPs, the new SNP leader said: “I will never shy away from tackling the big issues our country faces. I will lead a government that listens carefully and respects the views of all MSPs.
“My starting point will always be that we all want the best for Scotland and the people that we are so privileged to represent, and I will stand up unequivocally for this parliament and against any attempts to undermine devolution.
“I will work every hour of every day to harness the potential of Scotland and every single person in it. I will place no limits on the ambitions that we have collectively for ourselves, for our country or, indeed, for the world that we live in.”
Mr Sarwar has called for Mr Yousaf to go to the country in a Holyrood election, claiming he does not have a mandate to lead the country.
But Stephen Flynn, the SNP leader in Westminster and a backer of Mr Yousaf, played down the likelihood of a snap election, telling Sky News: “The big difference between Scottish parliament and Westminster is that over the road their [in the House of Commons] MPs don’t get to vote for who the prime minister is.
“That’s in complete contrast to Holyrood, where MSPs, opposition parties, today will get to put forward their candidate to be first minister.”
Mr Yousaf triumphed over leadership rivals Kate Forbes and Ash Regan in the at times explosive contest for the party’s top job.
Following Ms Sturgeon’s shock resignation last month, the race to replace her featured rows over religious beliefs, arguments about the recollection of past events, and widespread criticism of secrecy surrounding the vote.
As well as uniting the party, the new first minister now faces a number of difficult challenges as he takes office.
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Humza Yousaf has narrowly won the SNP leadership contest and now faces a number of difficult challenges as he takes office.
Key priorities will include defining a clear plan for independence, how to progress with the controversial gender recognition reforms, tackling the country’s drug deaths, alleviating the cost of living crisis, and turning the NHS around.
After his victory, Mr Yousaf said: “I feel like the luckiest man in the world to be standing here as leader of the SNP. A party I joined almost 20 years ago and that I love so dearly.”
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has directly called on his US and Chinese counterparts to join his latest summit for peace in Ukraine.
Speaking from Kharkiv in northeastern Ukraine on Friday, Mr Zelenskyy announced a “global peace summit”, co-hosted by Switzerland, starting on 15 June.
He claimed 80 countries have already confirmed their attendance.
But he said: “I am appealing to the global leaders of the world who are still outside the global efforts of the global peace summit.
“To President Biden, the leader of the United States, and to President Xi, the leader of China, we do not want the UN charter to be burned.
“Please show your leadership in advancing the peace.”
Residents evacuated from a building hit by strikes in Kharkiv on Saturday. Pic: Reuters
He added that it must be “real peace – not just a pause in the strikes” after various ceasefire breaches by the Russians.
Finally, he urged: “The efforts of the global majority are the best guarantee that all commitments will be fulfilled.”
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Shopping mall hit by strike in Kharkiv on Saturday. Pic: Reuters
Printworks and shopping centre targeted this week
Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second city, with a pre-war population of 1.5 million people, is close to the frontline, and has been consistently targeted since the initial invasion in February 2022.
On Thursday, its ‘Vivat’ printworks, which is the country’s largest, was hit by missiles, killing seven people, and destroying an estimated 50,000 books. A further 21 people were injured, Ukrainian officials said.
On Saturday, a strike on a shopping centre killed six people, injured 40, and left a further 16 unaccounted for, local authorities said.
Elsewhere in the city, an additional 11 people were injured as a result of strikes, including a 13-year-old boy.
Just over the border, in Russia’s Belgorod region, the regional governor there said four residents died as a result of Ukrainian attacks on Saturday.
Aftermath of Russian strike on Kharkiv on Saturday. Pic: Reuters
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Mr Zelenskyy warned a new Russian offensive is being planned northwest of Kharkiv.
Ukrainians and military analysts have repeatedly warned of depleting weapon supplies on the frontline.
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Earlier this month the US agreed to a further $2bn (£1.6bn) in military support for Ukraine.
It has consistently resisted calls to send US troops there, in line with NATO’s refusal for direct involvement in the conflict.
China has resisted calls by NATO and its member states to take a direct stance against Russia in support of Ukraine.
President Xi hosted Russian leader Vladimir Putin in a show of “friendship” earlier this month.
Hamas has launched rocket attacks on Israel from Gaza for the first time in months.
The barrage of rockets set off air raid sirens in cities as far away as Tel Aviv.
There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage in what appeared to be the first long-range rocket attack from Gaza since January, although Palestinian militants have continued to sporadically fire rockets and mortar rounds at communities along the Gaza border since then.
Hamas’s military wing claimed responsibility for the attack.
The Israeli military said eight projectiles crossed into Israel after being launched from the area of the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where Israeli forces recently launched an incursion.
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At least six newborn babies have died after a fire broke out at a children’s hospital in India, according to reports.
Firefighters said they carried 12 newborns out of the centre in the Vivek Vihar district of east New Delhi late on Saturday night, but five of them died due to smoke inhalation.
Two other infants are believed to have already died, according to local media. There are differing reports as to whether six or seven infants have been killed so far.
Another five survived and are being treated in a nearby hospital, Delhi fire department chief Atul Garg said.
The blaze, which broke out on the first floor of the hospital, was put out after about an hour.
Burnt registration cards lie on the floor of the hospital. Pic: AP
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Mr Garg told the ANI news agency that an oxygen cylinder blast was the likely cause of the fire, but there has been no official confirmation.
“It was a very tough operation,” he was quoted as saying by India Today.
“We made two teams. One team started firefighting because there was a blast of cylinders. We can say it was a chain of blasts of cylinders.
“We had to save ourselves also. We started rescue operations for babies as well. Unfortunately, we could not save all the children… That is a regrettable incident.”
The owner of the baby hospital has fled, according to Delhi police.
Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi’s chief minister, called the fire “heartbreaking”, adding that the “causes of the incident are being investigated and whoever is responsible for this negligence will not be spared”.
Machines move debris after a fire in Rajkot. Pic: Reuters
Earlier on Saturday, at least 27 people were killed in a fire at a crowded amusement park in the city of Rajkot in Gujarat state in western India.
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