‘Major breakthrough’ in UN effort to salvage oil tanker in Yemen and prevent environmental disaster

Update The Safer contains 1.1 million barrels of oil — four times as much as that spilled in the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster, one of the world’s worst ecological catastrophes. (File/AFP)
The Safer contains 1.1 million barrels of oil — four times as much as that spilled in the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster, one of the world’s worst ecological catastrophes. (File/AFP)
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Updated 10 March 2023

‘Major breakthrough’ in UN effort to salvage oil tanker in Yemen and prevent environmental disaster

The Safer contains 1.1 million barrels of oil — four times as much as that spilled in the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster.
  • UN Development Program chief told Arab News it cost “a painful” $55m to buy a vessel to hold the 48m gallons of oil; renews appeal for cash to fund rest of the operation 
  • The new ship is in dry dock for regular maintenance and is expected to set sail for Yemen within a month; ship-to-ship transfer of oil could begin as early as May

NEW YORK CITY: The UN on Thursday announced it has signed an agreement with Belgian shipping company Euronav for the purchase of a Very Large Crude Carrier to use in its salvage operation to remove more than a million barrels of oil from the Safer, a derelict storage vessel moored in the Red Sea off the Yemeni coast, and avoid a massive environmental disaster.

The 47-year-old Safer has had little or no maintenance since the war in Yemen began in 2015 and has deteriorated to the point where experts warn it is in danger of springing a leak, exploding or catching fire.

It contains about 48 million gallons of oil, and the UN has warned that a spill could be four times bigger than the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster off the coast of Alaska, which is considered the world’s worst oil spill in terms of environmental damage. 

Achim Steiner, administrator of the UN Development Program, told Arab News that the vessel purchased by the UN cost “a painful $55 million,” after the agency searched in vain for a donated vessel or one that could be leased.

“The market clearly is so hot that, in the end, we had to conclude that the only way that we could advance rather than wait for someone’s generosity was to take the decision to not just charter the vessel but actually purchase it,” he said.

Experts estimate a major leak from the Safer could severely damage Red Sea ecosystems upon which about 30 million people depend for a living, including 1.6 million Yemenis, according to the UN. It would, for example, devastate fisheries along Yemen’s west coast and destroy livelihoods in fishing communities, many of which are already dependent on humanitarian aid to survive because of the war. If a fire broke out, more than 8.4 million people could be exposed to toxic pollutants.

A spill could also disrupt commercial shipping on the Red Sea, one of the world’s busiest waterways, which accounts for 10 percent of all global trade. It could also adversely affect littoral countries such as Saudi Arabia, Djibouti and Eritrea.

Steiner said the 15-year-old vessel purchased by the UN is in dry dock for regular maintenance and will sail within the next month to Yemen. Ship-to-ship transfer of oil could begin as soon as May.

The UNDP, which is organizing the operation as part of a UN-coordinated initiative, has contracted marine salvage company Smit to safely remove the oil and prepare the Safer for towing to a green salvage yard.

The salvage operation has been split into two phases: The oil will be transferred to the new vessel and then moved to a permanent storage facility until the political situation in Yemen allows for it to be sold or moved elsewhere.

David Gressly, the UN’s resident coordinator for Yemen, told Arab News that the original plan was to lease a salvage vessel but no supplier was willing to venture into an area that is “still in the midst of a civil war, even though the situation has calmed down considerably over the last year. That’s the primary reason. We had no choice, frankly, but to buy a vessel.”

The estimated cost of the salvage operation is $129 million, of which $75million has been secured so far.

Gressly made an urgent appeal for donors to provide the remaining cash.

“We’ve got almost all of the pieces together,” he said. “Let us have the last bit of funding and save hundreds of thousands of communities from the harm that this vessel could ultimately cause us.”


Israel tensions ease as Netanyahu pauses judicial overhaul

Israel tensions ease as Netanyahu pauses judicial overhaul
Updated 9 min 54 sec ago

Israel tensions ease as Netanyahu pauses judicial overhaul

Israel tensions ease as Netanyahu pauses judicial overhaul
  • Embattled leader acknowledges divisions roiling the nation, announces delay for the legislation
  • Critics say the legislative package would hobble the country’s system of checks and balances

TEL AVIV: Israel’s political factions opposed to embattled Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu began setting up negotiating teams Tuesday after he paused a controversial judicial overhaul plan that had set off unprecedented street protests and a spiraling domestic crisis.
But compromise seemed elusive as the standoff remains over the fundamental issue of what kind of country Israel should be — and positions only appear to have hardened. Three months of demonstrations against the overhaul plan intensified this week and Israel’s main trade union declared a general strike, leading to chaos that shut down much of the country and threatened to paralyze the economy.
Netanyahu in a prime-time speech on Monday night acknowledged the divisions roiling the nation and announced a monthlong delay for the legislation.
He said he wanted “to avoid civil war” and would seek a compromise with political opponents. Netanyahu spoke after tens of thousands of people demonstrated outside the parliament building in Jerusalem.
His announcement appeared to calm some of the tensions that have fueled months of unrest. But it failed to address the underlying issues that have polarized Israelis. Netanyahu leads the most right-wing government in Israeli history and and his allies have vowed to enact the legislation.
A flurry of phone calls between rival opposition leaders followed Netanyahu’s announcement and lasted into Tuesday morning, with several working groups named as the protests subsided and Israel’s largest labor union called off its general strike.
“When there’s an opportunity to avoid civil war through dialogue, I, as prime minister, am taking a timeout for dialogue,” Netanyahu said in his speech. He vowed to reach a “broad consensus” during the summer session of parliament, which begins on April 30.
The country’s figurehead president, Isaac Herzog, said pausing the legislative blitz was “the right thing” and offered to oversee the negotiating teams. He spoke in separate phone calls with Netanyahu, opposition leader Yair Lapid and National Union Party Chairman Benny Gantz, his office said.
“This is the time for frank, serious and responsible discussion that will lead urgently to calming spirits and lowering the flames,” Herzog said.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, an ultranationalist who has pushed for quick passage of the package, said it ““will pass,” though he would respect the delay. “No one will scare us,” he tweeted.
Critics say the legislative package would hobble the country’s system of checks and balances. Protesters vowed to intensify their demonstrations.
The overhaul would give Netanyahu, who is on trial on corruption charges, and his allies the final say in appointing the nation’s judges. It would also give parliament, which is controlled by his allies, authority to overturn Supreme Court decisions and limit the court’s ability to review laws.
Netanyahu has argued that the overhaul is needed to rein in a liberal and overly interventionist court of unelected judges. But his opponents say the package would concentrate too much power in the hands of Netanyahu’s allies. They also say that he has a conflict of interest as a criminal defendant.
Large swaths of Israeli society and governments around the world condemned the overhaul. Business leaders, top economists and former security chiefs have all come out against the plan, saying it is pushing the country toward an autocracy. Fighter pilots and military reservists have threatened not to report for duty, and the country’s currency, the shekel, has tumbled in value.
Tens of thousands of people, largely secular, middle-class Israelis, have regularly joined mass protests against it.
The situation escalated on Sunday night after Netanyahu abruptly fired Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who had urged him to put his plan on hold, citing concerns about damage to the Israeli military.
Chanting “the country is on fire,” furious protesters lit bonfires on Tel Aviv’s main highway, closing the thoroughfare and many others throughout the country for hours. Demonstrators continued Monday outside the Knesset, or parliament, turning the streets surrounding the building and the Supreme Court into a roiling sea of blue-and-white Israeli flags dotted with rainbow Pride banners.
Departing flights from the main international airport were grounded, stranding tens of thousands of travelers. Large mall chains and universities closed their doors, and the union called for its 800,000 members to stop work in health care, transit, banking and other fields.
Israel’s Palestinian citizens have largely sat out the protests. Many say Israel’s democracy is tarnished by its military rule over their brethren in the West Bank and the discrimination they themselves face.
Even with the big issues standing, officials inside and outside Israel signaled relief that the pause had bought some time.
“I had a nice night of sleep last night, thank God,” US Ambassador Tom Nides said Tuesday on Israel Army Radio. “This morning I’m optimistic and I applaud the move.”


Photographer Platon and UN produce film to humanize refugees and shed light on their plight

Photographer Platon and UN produce film to humanize refugees and shed light on their plight
Updated 28 March 2023

Photographer Platon and UN produce film to humanize refugees and shed light on their plight

Photographer Platon and UN produce film to humanize refugees and shed light on their plight
  • The 18-minute movie, ‘Portrait of a Stranger,’ features interviews with more than 20 refugees who fled conflicts and persecution in various parts of the world
  • It premiered at the Movies That Matter International Human Rights Film Festival, which is taking place this week in The Hague

THE HAGUE: British photographer and storyteller Platon and the UN Refugee Agency have unveiled a collaborative film and multimedia project that explores the plight of refugees.

“Portrait of a Stranger,” an 18-minute film that features interviews with more than 20 refugees who fled conflicts and persecution around the world, premiered at the Movies That Matter International Human Rights Film Festival, which is taking place this week in The Hague, the Emirates News Agency reported.

Its creators said it seeks to reframe the narratives surrounding people who are forced to flee their homes, while also examining the universal desire to be free, safe, respected and valued, and to belong.

The refugees who appear in the film represent a diverse range of ages, nationalities, ethnicities and personal circumstances. Audiences are asked to look beyond the differences between people and instead focus on what we have in common.

“Living in exile may be their life circumstance but it is not what defines them,” said Platon. “I hope the images and voices of the refugees in this film will help audiences focus on the shared humanity that unites us, rather than the barriers that divide us — not only for these particular refugees but for all people forced to flee around the world.”

In 2022, more than 100 million people were displaced, globally.

“This film and these images are powerful reminders of who refugees really are,” said UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi. “They are people like your neighbor, your friend, your colleague, like you and me, each with our own personality, our hopes, our dreams.

“By amplifying the voices of refugees, the film offers an important reality check to counter the negative public discourse we often hear about people forced to flee.”


US will not back off Syria mission despite deadly attacks – White House

US will not back off Syria mission despite deadly attacks – White House
Updated 28 March 2023

US will not back off Syria mission despite deadly attacks – White House

US will not back off Syria mission despite deadly attacks – White House
  • Syria’s foreign ministry on Sunday condemned the US air strikes
  • ‘There’s been no change in the US footprint in Syria as a result of what happened the last few days’

WASHINGTON: The United States will not back away from its nearly eight-year-old deployment to Syria, where it is battling the remnants of Daesh, despite attacks on US forces there last week by Iran-backed militia, the White House said on Monday.
A one-way attack drone struck a US base in Syria on March 23, killing an American contractor, injuring another and wounding five US troops.
That triggered US retaliatory air strikes and exchanges of fire that a Syrian war monitoring group said killed three Syrian troops, 11 Syrian fighters in pro-government militias and five non-Syrian fighters who were aligned with the government.
White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said he was not aware of any additional attacks over the past 36 hours but cautioned, “We’re going to stay vigilant.”
Kirby also referred to President Joe Biden’s remarks on Friday, in which Biden warned Iran that the United States would act forcefully to protect Americans.
“There’s been no change in the US footprint in Syria as a result of what happened the last few days,” Kirby said, adding the mission against Daesh would continue.
“We’re not going to be deterred ... by these attacks from these militant groups.”
Syria’s foreign ministry on Sunday condemned US strikes, saying Washington had lied about what was targeted and pledging to “end the American occupation” of its territory.
Iran’s foreign ministry also condemned the strikes, accusing US forces of targeting “civilian sites.”
US forces first deployed into Syria during the Obama administration’s campaign against Daesh, partnering with a Kurdish-led group called the Syrian Democratic Forces. There are about 900 US troops in Syria, most of them in the east.
Prior to the latest spate of attacks, US troops in Syria had been attacked by Iranian-backed groups about 78 times since the beginning of 2021, according to the US military.
Iran has been a major backer of Syrian President Bashar Assad during Syria’s 12-year conflict.
Iran’s proxy militias, including the Lebanese group Hezbollah and pro-Tehran Iraqi groups, hold sway in swathes of eastern, southern and northern Syria and in suburbs around the capital, Damascus.

 


Yemeni leaders vow to resist renewed Houthi assault 

Yemeni leaders vow to resist renewed Houthi assault 
Updated 28 March 2023

Yemeni leaders vow to resist renewed Houthi assault 

Yemeni leaders vow to resist renewed Houthi assault 
  • International envoys criticize militia attacks and call for de-escalation

AL-MUKALLA, Yemen: Yemen’s presidential council has promised to confront the “terrorist” Houthis and called for resistance as international envoys criticized the militia’s renewed assault.

The council, chaired by Rashad Al-Alimi, said the latest Houthi attacks, primarily in Marib and Shabwa, demonstrated that the militia had no wish to end the war. It promised to thwart their advances and said it would help people in Houthi-controlled areas to resist their domination.

“The council urged the international community to recognize the gravity of this terrorist escalation, with the continuous smuggling of additional Iranian weaponry to militias, and the disastrous consequences for world peace and security,” the council was quoted by the SABA news agency as saying.

It did not specify how it would respond but pledged to “take all steps necessary to protect public interests and deter terrorist groups.”

The eight-man presidential council has faced increasing public pressure to launch counter-strikes since the militia attacked oil installations in Hadramout and Shabwa provinces last year.

The Houthis have made minor advances in Shabwa and Marib since early last week, targeting government forces with heavy weaponry and explosive drones.

The Houthis seized some villages in Marib’s Hareb and Shabwa’s Merkhah Al-Ulya districts before government troops received reinforcements and pushed them back.

The militia also attempted to assassinate Taiz Governor Nabeil Shamsan, targeting his car with artillery and missiles on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Western ambassadors in Yemen have condemned the renewed attacks and urged the Houthis to de-escalate and comply with efforts to end the war.

Richard Oppenheim, the British ambassador, said the militia must “cease their provocative actions and show genuine commitment to peace in Yemen.”

Steven Fagin, the US ambassador, said: “We condemn the recent Houthi escalation in Taiz and Marib, which led to fatalities, and express our condolences to the victims' families. 

“The Houthis must stop exacerbating Yemenis’ suffering and support a peaceful resolution to the conflict.”

Yemeni government officials say that the Houthi escalation coincided with the eighth anniversary of the Arab coalition’s military intervention to show that they had not been defeated.

“The Houthis took advantage of the anniversary of Decisive Storm and Ramadan to demonstrate their might,” a Yemeni government official, who wished to remain anonymous, told Arab News.


2,000 mummified ram heads uncovered in Egypt’s Abydos

2,000 mummified ram heads uncovered in Egypt’s Abydos
Updated 28 March 2023

2,000 mummified ram heads uncovered in Egypt’s Abydos

2,000 mummified ram heads uncovered in Egypt’s Abydos
  • New light shed on King Ramesses II and Ptolemaic era from 332 B.C. to 30 B.C.
  • These and other animals found may have been sacrificed to the gods

CAIRO: The American archaeological mission affiliated with New York University, working in the area of ​​the temple of King Ramesses II in Abydos, southern Egypt, has uncovered more than 2,000 mummified ram heads dating back to the Ptolemaic era (332 B.C. to 30 B.C.), in addition to a huge building from the Sixth Dynasty.

Mostafa Waziri, secretary-general of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, an institution entrusted with the protection of Egyptian heritage, said the find was important because it reveals more details about the history of the Temple of King Ramesses II in Abydos Sohag governorate and the surrounding area.

He said the mission also uncovered a number of mummified animals next to the heads of the rams, including ewes, dogs, wild goats, cows, deer and mongooses. They were found in one of the newly discovered storage rooms inside the northern area of the temple.

Sameh Iskandar, the head of the mission, said the mummified rams are thought to have been used as votive offerings in Abydos during the Ptolemaic period.

Meanwhile, the huge uncovered building, which dates back to the era of the Sixth Dynasty, is characterized by a unique architectural design. It is distinguished by huge, thick walls, which are about five meters wide.

Iskandar said the study of this building would contribute to the research being undertaken about the activities and architecture of the Old Kingdom in Abydos.

Mohamed Abdel Badei, head of the central department of Upper Egypt Antiquities at the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said the mission also succeeded in uncovering parts of the northern wall of the edifice surrounding the temple and its appurtenances.

The team also uncovered fragments of statues, papyri, remains of ancient trees, clothing and leather shoes.

Abydos is one of the oldest ancient cities in Upper Egypt, and contains many important structures, including the Temple of Seti I and the Temple of Ramses II.