Philippines seeks UAE organization’s help to clean world’s most polluting river

First Lady Liza Marcos welcomes the delegation from Abu Dhabi-based Clean Rivers on Aug. 7, 2024. (Liza Marcos)
First Lady Liza Marcos welcomes the delegation from Abu Dhabi-based Clean Rivers on Aug. 7, 2024. (Liza Marcos)
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Updated 13 August 2024
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Philippines seeks UAE organization’s help to clean world’s most polluting river

Philippines seeks UAE organization’s help to clean world’s most polluting river
  • Pasig River emits about 63,000 metric tons of plastic waste annually, study shows
  • President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is on a campaign to clean, revive the vital waterway

MANILA: Philippine officials are hoping for closer cooperation with an Abu Dhabi-based organization to clear the Pasig waterway — the world’s most polluting river — following a delegation visit from the UAE to Manila last week. 

The Pasig River, which runs through the heart of the Philippine capital, was ranked as the most polluting river out of over 1,600 others around the world in a 2021 study published in the Science Advances journal. 

The Philippines is also the largest contributor of plastic waste that ends up in the world’s oceans, emitting more than 356,000 metric tons annually — around 63,000 of which came from the Pasig River. 

Clean Rivers, a UAE-based nonprofit working on tackling plastic pollution, was in Manila last week to meet officials working on the Pasig River Urban Development project, which was established in 2023 to clear and revive the vital waterway. 

“I think we need more assistance, more help in cleaning the river, because it’s embarrassing,” Michael Gisod, director of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, told Arab News. 

“Statistically speaking, we are one of the contributors to the plastic in the open waters … We will be minimizing the trash that goes to the Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean and it will affect greatly the marine ecosystem … because apparently, our marine resources like the fish are found to have traces of microplastic and we have to address that.” 

Gisod is hopeful of partnering with Clean Rivers to achieve PRUD’s goal, adding that the organization can provide support for Philippine authorities across different aspects. 

“They can provide sewerage treatment plans. They can provide funding for dredging activities. They can provide water technology equipment, they can provide solid waste management activities, maybe soft or hard infrastructure. There’s a lot they can do to help us,” he said. 

The Clean Rivers delegation also met with First Lady Liza Marcos during their trip, as officials gave them a tour of the Pasig River to get an overview of its issues and challenges. 

The visit is a “big boost” to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s ongoing campaign to clean and revive the Pasig River, said Kathryn Yu-Pimentel, special envoy to the UAE for trade and investment. 

“We need to get as many organizations as possible on board to help us in the Pasig River Urban Development. I am hopeful that UAE-based Clean Rivers will help us in this endeavor,” Yu-Pimentel said in a statement. 

She said Clean Rivers has been “instrumental” in initiating and supporting global river rehabilitation projects, as the Philippines also looks to other success stories as inspiration, including the rehabilitation of France’s Seine River and Thailand’s Chao Phraya River. 

“These success stories and the global initiatives led by Clean Rivers are an inspiration to the Marcos administration,” she said. “It gives us hope that even the most polluted rivers can be revived. We have been longing to see the Pasig River thriving once more.”


ICC pursues arrest warrants for key figures

ICC pursues arrest warrants for key figures
Updated 22 min 33 sec ago
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ICC pursues arrest warrants for key figures

ICC pursues arrest warrants for key figures
  • When asked by NPR (National Public Radio) if he agreed with this assessment, Khan responded: “No is the short answer”

NEW YORK: In May, the International Criminal Court sought arrest warrants for several key Palestinian and Israeli figures.

These were: Hamas leader Yehya Sinwar, the architect of the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel; Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri, commonly known as Deif, commander-in-chief of Hamas’s military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades; Ismail Haniyeh, the former head of the Hamas Political Bureau, assassinated by Israel in July; Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu; and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

Karim Khan, the chief ICC prosecutor, accused these leaders of bearing criminal responsibility for a range of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Regarding the Hamas leaders, Khan said that there were reasonable grounds to believe they were criminally responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Israeli civilians during the Oct. 7 attacks and for the abduction of at least 245 hostages. “We submit that these crimes could not have been committed without their actions,” Khan said in a statement.

Khan further asserted that Netanyahu and Gallant are criminally responsible for war crimes, including the starvation of civilians as a method of warfare, wilfully causing great suffering or serious injury, intentionally directing attacks against a civilian population, extermination and/or murder, persecution and other inhumane acts.

Last week, Israel’s foreign ministry filed a petition to appeal against the warrant, stating that the ICC failed to “provide Israel with the opportunity to exercise its right to investigate the claims raised by the prosecutor before proceeding.”

Karim Khan, prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, speaks during a meeting of the UN Security Council. (Shutterstock)

When asked by NPR (National Public Radio) if he agreed with this assessment, Khan responded: “No is the short answer.” He reiterated that his office is investigating crimes alleged against Hamas and Israeli leaders, noting: “There were no applications by Israel since 2021 until today. But we’ll deal with the filings in the normal way. It would only be right to respond first to the judges.”

US President Joe Biden criticized Khan’s move as “outrageous,” asserting that the application for warrants against Israeli leaders implies an equivalence between Hamas and Israel. Some US legislators condemned the ICC, with certain Republicans threatening to impose “consequences” against the tribunal. Republican Senator Tom Cotton labeled Khan’s move as “a farce.”

Khan in response said: “As an officer of the court, the umbrella of the law should apply equally. And I have just as much compassion for Kfir Bibas, who was a 10-month-old snatched from a kibbutz that I visited and taken by Hamas, as I do for children 10 months old or younger or older that have also died in Gaza.”

When asked by Arab News if he supports arrest warrants against Sinwar and Netanyahu, UN chief Antonio Guterres was unequivocal: “I support all the decisions of the ICC.”

Pascale Baeriswyl, the Swiss UN ambassador and president of the Security Council for October, also expressed her country’s support for the ICC.

She told Arab News: “We do support the ICC. We have been strong supporters for many years,” she said, adding that they await the pre-trial chamber’s decisions before proceeding further.

Baeriswyl responded to concerns about US politicians attacking the international court, stating that Switzerland has “been one of the very active ICC member states in the past, trying to protect the court.” She emphasized that the court must be able to fulfill its mandate without intimidation and called for protection of the court’s work.

Khan had asserted: “Let us today be clear on one core issue: if we do not demonstrate our willingness to apply the law equally, if it is seen as being applied selectively, we will be creating the conditions for its collapse. In doing so, we will be loosening the remaining bonds that hold us together, the stabilizing connections between all communities and individuals, the safety net to which all victims look in times of suffering. This is the true risk we face in this moment.

“Now, more than ever, we must collectively demonstrate that international humanitarian law, the foundational baseline for human conduct during conflict, applies to all individuals and applies equally across the situations addressed by my office and the court. This is how we will prove, tangibly, that the lives of all human beings have equal value.”

 

 


Has the UN failed the Gaza test?

Has the UN failed the Gaza test?
Updated 06 October 2024
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Has the UN failed the Gaza test?

Has the UN failed the Gaza test?
  • UN chief defends group’s actions against accusation it is not doing enough for Palestine

NEW YORK: As the war in Gaza continues unchecked, many across the Middle East and the world believe the UN has failed the Gaza test.

They feel that fear of confronting the US and Israel has led the organization to retreat from the very international laws it was created to uphold, undermining its own credibility.

However, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres insists that “there is no fear in the UN Secretariat building to confront anybody.”

In an interview with Arab News on the sidelines of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, Guterres stated: “If I can be proud of anything, it is that my voice has been loud and clear in defense of the UN Charter, in defense of international law, in defense of international humanitarian law, and in defense of the right to self-determination of peoples, particularly the Palestinian people.

We have no real power, let’s be honest. The body of the UN that holds some power is the Security Council, and that body is paralyzed.

Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary-General

“I don’t think the UN can be accused of not being very clear in all these aspects, just as we have been clear in Ukraine and many other situations around the world.”

Guterres argues that blaming the UN for the failure to end the war in Gaza distracts from the real culprits: “Let’s be clear. The responsibility for the war lies with those who wage it.

“Could the UN have done more? I genuinely never felt we had the opportunity to do more than what we have done from the very beginning.

“We have called for a ceasefire, the release of hostages, and effective humanitarian aid since the start. Our voice has been loud and clear.

Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary-General

“We have pressured all parties, especially those with direct influence over Israel. But let’s be honest: It’s impossible to convince those who do not want to be convinced.”

Guterres further emphasized: “We have no real power, let’s be honest. The body of the UN that holds some power is the Security Council, and that body is paralyzed.”

The primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security lies with the Security Council.

However, the dynamics and composition of this 15-member body reflect the historical context in which the UN was established in 1945, following the Second World War.

The veto power was granted to the victorious nations, which now include China, the UK, Russia, France, and the UK.

Tarek Al-Banai, Kuwait’s permanent representative to the UN, who has led negotiations for Security Council reforms alongside his Austrian counterpart for the past two years, highlighted the troubling reality that a single veto-wielding permanent member can obstruct action, even when a majority supports a motion.

He told Arab News: “The use or misuse of the veto has been a central focus for member states.

“Unfortunately, one member or a combination of members with that ability can halt the international community’s movement toward addressing critical issues, such as the genocide currently happening in Gaza.”

This unconditional US military and diplomatic support for Israel has been especially evident during the current war in Gaza, exacerbating internal divisions within the Security Council and severely impacting its ability to act. Since Oct. 7 of last year, the US has exercised its veto power four times against resolutions calling for ceasefires or humanitarian pauses in Gaza.

Despite this, the Security Council did manage to pass three resolutions — two concerning the entry of aid and one calling for a ceasefire during Ramadan.

However, even when the US abstained on Resolution 2728, allowing it to pass, Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield undermined it by claiming it was non-binding, further weakening the Security Council and deepening divisions, reinforcing what many have described as US and Western “double standards.”

Nonetheless, the Security Council is just one institution among many within the UN system.

While these entities are interconnected, their responsibilities and approaches to conflict vary significantly.

These include the secretary-general, the General Assembly, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, the World Health Organization, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the Human Rights Council, the International Court of Justice, and UNICEF.

Guterres, who identifies as a humanitarian, expressed to Arab News that he has been “deeply saddened” by his inability to do more for Gaza, where the humanitarian crisis has reached catastrophic levels and the specter of famine looms over the embattled enclave.

“There have consistently been a series of obstacles — many caused directly by the Israeli authorities, as well as by insecurity in the area, where law and order have completely broken down,” he said.

“The proof that we are not doing more due to these obstacles is evident in the vaccination efforts for polio. When these obstacles are removed, humanitarian action becomes possible.

“It’s not that the UN isn’t capable of doing more; it’s that we have not been allowed to. When we are permitted to act, we do and we deliver, as evidenced by our past actions.

“However, I always say there is no humanitarian solution to humanitarian problems; the solution is always political.

“That is why we need to stop the war. We must create a clear roadmap for a two-state solution, one that aligns with the international community’s previous deliberations and allows Israelis and Palestinians to live together in peace and security.”

 


A massive blast outside Karachi Airport in Pakistan kills 2 and injures at least 8

A vehicle is seen on fire at the site of an explosion that caused injures and destroyed vehicles outside Karachi airport.
A vehicle is seen on fire at the site of an explosion that caused injures and destroyed vehicles outside Karachi airport.
Updated 31 min 44 sec ago
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A massive blast outside Karachi Airport in Pakistan kills 2 and injures at least 8

A vehicle is seen on fire at the site of an explosion that caused injures and destroyed vehicles outside Karachi airport.
  • Police and the provincial government said a tanker exploded outside the airport, which is Pakistan’s biggest

KARACHI: A massive blast outside Karachi Airport in Pakistan on Sunday killed two people and injured at least eight, officials said.
Police and the provincial government said a tanker exploded outside the airport, which is Pakistan’s biggest.
But the provincial home minister, Zia Ul Hassan, told local TV station Geo that it was an attack targeting foreigners.
A Home Ministry official told The Associated Press that it was an attack on Chinese nationals, one of whom was injured. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media.
Thousands of Chinese workers are in Pakistan, most of them involved in Beijing’s multibillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative that connects south and central Asia with the Chinese capital.
Videos showed flames engulfing cars and a thick column of smoke rising from the scene. There was a heavy military deployment at the site, which was cordoned off.
Deputy Inspector General East Azfar Mahesar told media that it seemed like it was an oil tanker explosion.
“We are determining the nature and reasons for the blast. It takes time.” Police officers were among the injured, he added.
The home minister and inspector general also visited the blast site, but they did not talk to the press.
Rahat Hussain, who works in the civil aviation department, said the blast was so big that it shook the airport’s buildings.


Carrying pro-Hezbollah signs at Gaza and Lebanon protests a ‘criminal act,’ says British minister

Carrying pro-Hezbollah signs at Gaza and Lebanon protests a ‘criminal act,’ says British minister
Updated 06 October 2024
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Carrying pro-Hezbollah signs at Gaza and Lebanon protests a ‘criminal act,’ says British minister

Carrying pro-Hezbollah signs at Gaza and Lebanon protests a ‘criminal act,’ says British minister
  • The Metropolitan Police made at least 17 arrests during the protests, including two individuals suspected of supporting banned organizations

LONDON: A British government minister warned on Sunday that displaying support for Hezbollah constituted a “criminal act.”

Science Secretary Peter Kyle said any show of support for the group, a proscribed terrorist group in the UK, should be punished after signs with pro-Hezbollah slogans were seen during a pro-Palestine demonstration in central London over the weekend.

The Metropolitan Police made at least 17 arrests during the protests, including two individuals suspected of supporting banned organizations, Sky News reported.

The force said it was “aware” of social media posts showing people “holding placards with messages of support for Hezbollah,” adding that the footage had been passed to specialized officers.

Kyle appeared on the Sky News program “Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips” and stated law enforcement agencies had “the full support” of the home secretary, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and the government “in doing what they need to do to make sure that criminal acts like that are tackled.”

The protests come amid rising tensions in the Middle East, with Israel conducting targeted raids against Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iran launching missiles into Israel.

The Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip in the aftermath of the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks has led to more than 2,600 protests in the UK over the past year, resulting in 550 arrests.

UK political and faith leaders, including Starmer, have called for calm and rejected any incitement of hate, urging communities to unite ahead of the first anniversary of the Hamas attack that has seen around 42,000 people killed, according to Gaza health authorities.

The prime minister, writing in The Sunday Times, said the “flames from this deadly conflict now threaten to consume the region,” adding “the sparks light touchpapers in our own communities here at home.”

He continued: “During difficult times, our differences and diversity should bind us together more strongly, not drive us apart. But there are always some who would use conflict abroad to stoke conflict here.

“Since Oct. 7, we have watched vile hatred against Jews and Muslims rise in our communities. Any attack on a minority is an attack on our proud values of tolerance and respect. We will not stand for it.”


Nearly 1,000 migrants cross Channel into UK on same day as 4 killed

Firefighters provide assistance to an injured migrant after a vessel carrying dozens trying to cross the Channel to England sank
Firefighters provide assistance to an injured migrant after a vessel carrying dozens trying to cross the Channel to England sank
Updated 06 October 2024
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Nearly 1,000 migrants cross Channel into UK on same day as 4 killed

Firefighters provide assistance to an injured migrant after a vessel carrying dozens trying to cross the Channel to England sank
  • Figure for Saturday is the highest single-day number of migrants making the cross-Channel journey this year
  • On same day, a boy and three adults died after overloaded boats got into trouble during the crossing

LONDON: A record 973 migrants crossed the Channel on small boats on the same day in which four died while attempting the journey from France to England, UK Home Office figures showed Sunday.
The figure for Saturday is the highest single-day number of migrants making the cross-Channel journey this year, surpassing the previous high of 882 set on June 18.
On the same day, a two-year-old boy and three adults died after overloaded boats got into trouble during the dangerous crossing attempted by several thousand every year.
The tragedies bring the number of migrants killed attempting Channel crossings this year to 51, according to Jacques Billant, France’s prefect for the Pas-de-Calais region.
Over 26,600 migrants have crossed the Channel on small boats in 2024 according to UK Home Office figures.
The deaths on Saturday were likely caused due to the victims being crushed in overloaded dinghies, according to authorities and prosecutors.
UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said on Saturday that it was “appalling that more lives have been lost in the Channel.”
“Criminal smuggler gangs continue to organize these dangerous boat crossings,” she wrote on X.
“The gangs do not care if people live or die — this is a terrible trade in lives.”
Keir Starmer’s new Labour government has been at pains to reduce cross-Channel arrivals in small boats, a key issue in this year’s general election in July.
The government has repeatedly pledged to “smash the gangs” of people smugglers who organize the perilous journeys.