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Play the psy-war game: Young activists try to crack the case of disappearances
The two cases that can change the game in endemic disappearances have one thing in common: victims used effective psy-war tactics.....»»
Kyrgyzstan: Activist Held for Opposing Flag Change
(Berlin, December 22, 2023) - Kyrgyz authorities have brought a criminal case against an activist and blogger, Aftandil Jorobekov, after he publicly opposed and called for protests against the government's proposal to alter the country's flag, Human Rights Watch said today. The charges, which include calling for mass unrest, violate his freedom of express.....»»
UN report warns of catastrophic risks to Earth systems
Melting glaciers, unbearable heat and space junk: a month before crunch climate talks in the United Arab Emirates, a UN report published Wednesday warns about irreversible impacts to the planet without drastic changes to connected social and physical systems. The Interconnected Disaster Risks Report identifies thresholds it calls "risk tipping points," defined as "the moment at which a given socioecological system is no longer able to buffer risks and provide its expected function" -- after which the risk of catastrophe increases significantly. It focuses on six areas that connect the physical and natural world with human society: accelerating extinctions, groundwater depletion, mountain glacial melt, space debris, unbearable heat and an "uninsurable" future. "As we indiscriminately extract our water resources, damage nature and biodiversity, and pollute both Earth and space, we are moving dangerously close to the brink of multiple risk tipping points that could destroy the very systems that our life depends on," said Zita Sebesvari, the report's lead author. For example: Underground water reservoirs represent an essential freshwater resource around the world and today mitigate half of the losses of agriculture caused by droughts, which are being exacerbated by climate change. But aquifers themselves are now depleting faster than they can be naturally replenished: Saudi Arabia has already crossed the groundwater risk tipping point while India isn't far behind. In the case of accelerating extinctions, the report highlights the cascading effects of extinctions throughout food chains. "The gopher tortoise, which is threatened with extinction, digs burrows that are used by more than 350 other species for breeding, feeding, protection from predators and avoiding extreme temperatures," the report said. If the gopher tortoise goes extinct, the gopher frog that helps control insect populations will likely follow, triggering effects throughout the entire forest ecosystem of the southeastern United States. Mountain glaciers that store vast amounts of freshwater meanwhile are melting twice as fast as they did in the past two decades. "Peak water" -- the point when a glacier produces its maximum amount of water runoff due to melting -- has been reached or is expected to be reached within the next ten years across small glaciers in Central Europe, Western Canada and South America. "The 90,000+ glaciers of the Himalayas, Karakoram and Hindu Kush mountains are at risk, and so are the nearly 870 million people that rely on them," the report said. In the case of space junk, the report warns Earth's orbit is in danger of becoming so full of debris that a collision triggers a chain reaction that threatens humanity's ability to operate satellites -- including those that provide vital early warning monitoring against disasters. The report finds most solutions currently being implemented focus on delaying problems rather than genuinely addressing the root causes. "We need to understand the difference between adapting to risk tipping points and avoiding them, and between actions that delay looming risks and those that move us towards transformation," it said. The post UN report warns of catastrophic risks to Earth systems appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Attack on Phl would elicit U.S. response — State Dep’t
The United States warned on Monday that any armed attack on Philippine armed forces and Philippine Coast Guard civilian vessels could trigger its 72-year-old Mutual Defense Treaty with the Philippines. “The United States reaffirms that Article IV of the 1951 US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty extends to armed attacks on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, and aircraft — including those of its Coast Guard — anywhere in the South China Sea,” the US Department of State said in a statement. The statement came a day after a China Coast Guard ship collided with a Philippine resupply vessel that was conducting a routine resupply mission at Ayungin Shoal. During the same resupply mission, a Chinese maritime militia vessel also bumped the BRP Cabra, one of the PCG ships that were escorting the boat contracted by the AFP. Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. said the collisions, which President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered investigated by the PCG, were “intentional.” For its part, the Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs said further study is needed to invoke the MDT due to the incident. “The matter of filing another case is something that is still being studied by the government. But, of course, all incidents like these will actually bolster the case that it is not the Philippines that is the aggressor but the other party, which is China,” DFA spokesperson Teresita Daza said. “It’s a provocation on the side of China but at this point, whether it will constitute an armed attack that would allow the invoking of the MDT is something that needs to be studied,” she added. The Philippines and the US agreed under the MDT, signed in 1951, that an armed attack on either of the parties would be considered an attack on the other, necessitating common or joint actions. Ambassador summoned The Philippines on Monday summoned China’s Ambassador to the Philippines, Huang Xilian, to explain the “blocking maneuvers” conducted by its vessels. China has insisted on its territorial rights over the Ayungin Shoal, also known as Second Thomas Shoal, which is in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. Swarms of CCG ships and Chinese maritime militia vessels had been monitored in the WPS, which Philippine officials said was a blatant disrespect of the 2016 Arbitral Award on the South China Sea. In July 2016, the Philippines won the arbitral case it lodged against China in the Permanent Court of Arbitration. The US said it stands with the Philippines in the face of China’s “dangerous and unlawful actions obstructing” a 22 October resupply mission to Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea. “By conducting dangerous maneuvers that caused collisions with Philippine resupply and Coast Guard ships, the PRC Coast Guard and maritime militia violated international law by intentionally interfering with the Philippine vessels’ exercise of high seas freedom of navigation,” the US State Department said. “The PRC’s (People’s Republic of China) conduct jeopardized the Filipino crew members’ safety and impeded critically needed supplies from reaching service members stationed on the BRP Sierra Madre. Obstructing supply lines to this longstanding outpost and interfering with lawful Philippine maritime operations undermines regional stability,” it added. Citing the 2016 arbitral ruling on the South China Sea, the US noted that China’s territorial claims to Ayungin Shoal, a low-tide elevation outside the territorial sea of another high tide feature, were unfounded. Unsafe moves “The unsafe maneuvers on 22 October and the PRC water cannoning of a Philippine vessel on 5 August are the latest examples of provocative PRC measures in the South China Sea to enforce its expansive and unlawful maritime claims, reflecting disregard for other states lawfully operating in the region,” the State Department stressed. Aside from the US, Japan, France, Canada, Australia and Germany also condemned China’s aggressive actions in the West Philippine Sea. In a separate statement, Canada condemned what it described as “unlawful and dangerous conduct” of the People’s Republic of China in the WPS, which “provoked two collisions with Philippine vessels engaged in routine operations inside the Philippine exclusive economic zone, in the vicinity of Ayungin Shoal.” “The PRC’s actions are unjustified. China has no lawful claim to the West Philippine Sea. Its actions are incompatible with the obligations of a signatory to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea,” the Canadian Embassy in Manila said. “Continuing acts of intimidation and coercion undermine safety, stability, and security across the region, and increase the risk of miscalculation,” it added. France, Japan, Germany, too France expressed its “deep concern” over the dangerous maneuvers of the CCG against Philippine vessels “engaged in the Philippine exclusive economic zone.” “France calls for respect of the freedom of navigation guaranteed by international law and recalls its attachment to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the decision rendered by the Arbitral Court on 12 July 2016,” the Embassy of France to the Philippines said. Japan, likewise, stressed that it was “seriously concerned” and “alarmed” about the collision of Chinese vessels with Philippine vessels. “Seriously concerned about and alarmed by the collision between Chinese and Philippines vessels,” Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koshikawa Kazuhiko said in a tweet. Koshikawa said Japan “strongly opposes any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion.” “Germany is very concerned about recent confrontations in the SCS involving Chinese coast guard ships and maritime militia vessels in the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines,” German Ambassador to the Philippines Andreas Pfaffernoschke said in a separate tweet. The post Attack on Phl would elicit U.S. response — State Dep’t appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
DFA: 6 Pinoys unaccounted, 2 injured, 1 allegedly taken hostage in Israel
At least six Filipinos are confirmed missing, two were injured, and one was allegedly taken hostage by the Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist Hamas in Israel, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Monday. Citing a verified report from the Philippine Embassy in Israel, DFA spokesperson Teresita Daza said the six Filipino nationals remain unaccounted for after being unable to contact them through their mobile numbers and social media accounts. “The Embassy is working non-stop with Israeli security authorities and community contacts to ascertain their condition. We continue to await feedback from them,” Daza told reporters in a WhatsApp message. She reported that both of the two hurt Filipinos were being treated in medical facilities. During the rescue, one of them had minor injuries, and the other one received treatment for smoke inhalation. “Both have been visited by our Labor Attaché and Welfare Officer who provided assistance and essential supplies,” she said. She noted that the two injured Filipinos belong to the 18 others who have been rescued and transferred to safer areas. ‘Hostage’ According to Daza, the DFA is verifying if one of the hostages taken by Hamas in Gaza is a Filipino. She noted that this was after a Filipina woman in the country reached out to the Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv to report that her husband was taken hostage by Hamas in one of the viral videos on social media. Daza said the Philippine Embassy in Israel had already relayed the report to the Israeli military authorities. “Post cannot independently verify his identity based on the video alone but considers the report of the wife as important. We are also working with community contacts on his case,” she said. ‘Repatriation’ Meanwhile, Daza said at least 25 Filipinos have expressed their intent to be repatriated from Gaza. “Numbers may change as some are still undecided, but as of date, 25 who have signified their intention, informed Post they want to leave Gaza,” she said. There are a total of 137 Filipinos in Gaza. The DFA previously said that there are almost 30,000 Filipinos who consider Israel their second home. Most of them work in the caregiving, hospitality, engineering, and healthcare industries. The post DFA: 6 Pinoys unaccounted, 2 injured, 1 allegedly taken hostage in Israel appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Musk’s X strips headlines from news links
Elon Musk's social media platform X has stripped headlines from news articles shared by users, in a move likely to further worsen relations with media groups. The tycoon has long railed against the "legacy media" and claims X, formerly Twitter, is a better source of information. However, he said the latest change was for "aesthetic" reasons -- news and other links now appear only as pictures with no accompanying text. Musk took over Twitter last year in a $44 billion deal and has since renamed it X, sacked thousands of staff and drawn criticism for allowing banned conspiracy theorists and extremists back on the platform, sending advertisers fleeing. He has also banned -- and reinstated -- various journalists with mainstream outlets including the Washington Post and CNN, as well as appearing to delay posts from accounts including the New York Times. "I almost never read legacy news anymore," Musk posted on Tuesday. "What's the point of reading 1,000 words about something that was already posted on X several days ago?" Souring relations Some media groups have stopped posting to X altogether because of the rise in hate speech and the behavior of Musk. AFP and other French news outlets launched a legal case in early August accusing X of copyright breaches. When the changes to links were first mooted in August, Musk posted: "This is coming from me directly. Will greatly improve the esthetics." The changes appear to have been introduced gradually this week. Instead of seeing a headline along with a picture, users now see only a picture with a small watermark. The changes brought a good deal of criticism, journalist Tom Warren of The Verge website posting on X: "It's the latest in a long line of dumb changes on this platform." Some users have already commented that it is now difficult to distinguish between news and other kinds of information, which is likely to raise questions about the trustworthiness of the site. In September, the European Commission said X had a higher ratio of misinformation and disinformation than any other social media. The souring relationship between media and tech companies is not limited to X. Both Google and Meta have pushed back against laws forcing them to pay media companies to show stories. The changes are having a real-world effect, with Axios news site reporting on Tuesday that referrals to media websites from X and Meta's Facebook had collapsed in the past three years. Ads 'decimated' Musk said in July the platform had lost roughly half its advertising revenue, though a month earlier he had claimed that almost all advertisers had returned and that 90 percent of bots had been removed. According to a Media Matters report released Wednesday, most of the top 100 advertisers at Twitter in the weeks prior to Musk's takeover are spending dramatically less at the platform. "Media Matters found that the company's ad revenue is still decimated," the report stated. Since Musk purchased the company, it has earned 42 percent less ad revenue than before his tenure, according to Media Matters. Market tracker Insider Intelligence estimates that X's share of the worldwide digital ad market has fallen nearly 28 percent to about a half a percent in the past year. Musk has suggested charging all users of X, which would be the biggest shake-up since he took over the site, but experts say he might struggle to get most users on board. The post Musk’s X strips headlines from news links appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Biden fears US chaos could hit Ukraine aid
President Joe Biden admitted Wednesday he was worried that political turmoil in Washington could threaten US aid to Ukraine, urging Republicans to stop their infighting and back "critically important" assistance for Kyiv. Biden added that he would soon be giving a major speech on the need to support Ukraine's fight against the Russian invasion after the chaos in Washington alarmed US allies. "It does worry me," Biden told reporters when asked whether the ousting of Republican House speaker Kevin McCarthy by hardliners in his own party could derail more funds for Ukraine's war effort. "But I know there are a majority of members of the House and Senate of both parties who have said that they support funding Ukraine." A last-gasp deal in Congress to avoid a US government shutdown at the weekend contained no fresh funding for Ukraine, and hopes for a quick solution have been further complicated by McCarthy's exit on Tuesday. The contenders to replace him hold a range of views but among them is hard-right Republican Jim Jordan, who has been notably skeptical on funding Ukraine. The timing is critical, with the White House warning that aid could run out within months just as Ukraine tries to push forward its slow-moving offensive against Russia before winter sets in. Biden indicated there was "another means by which we may be able to find funding" without congressional approval, but would not give further details. The president will get a briefing on Ukraine from his national security team on Thursday, the first to feature the new top US military officer, General Charles "CQ" Brown, the White House added. 'Keep our commitment' The president's comments reflected a change of tone, as Biden had told allies in a call on Tuesday that he was "confident" of getting fresh aid passed, according to the White House. The US president said he would now make the case for the importance of helping Ukraine as it battles the full-scale invasion launched by Russia in February 2022. "I'm going to be announcing very shortly a major speech I'm going to make on this issue, and why it's critically important for the United States and our allies that we keep our commitment," Biden said. Biden declined to say when he would make the speech. Russia has said that the questions over the future of US aid reflect growing fatigue in the West over its support for Ukraine. But the White House insisted that there were no cracks in the alliance when Biden spoke to the leaders of key European allies and others on Tuesday. "None of them brought up that they were concerned," Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters. "They have their own domestic political issues that they have to deal with as well." German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who was among those who spoke with Biden, said on Wednesday he was "convinced" of continued US support for Ukraine. The United States is by far the biggest supporter of Kyiv, committing more than $43 billion in military assistance to Kyiv so far, while Congress has approved a total of $113 billion in aid including humanitarian help. Without new aid being approved, the funding could run out in a "couple of months," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said. In a statement Wednesday, the US military said it had given Ukraine's armed forces more than 1 million rounds of seized Iranian ammunition. But the White House's Jean-Pierre said she "wouldn't connect" this with concerns over the future of US aid. The post Biden fears US chaos could hit Ukraine aid appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Data not compromised on PhilHealth cyberattack
The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation or PhilHealth on Wednesday maintained its claim that its members’ data was not compromised by the recent cyberattack on its system. In an interview with the DAILY TRIBUNE, PhilHealth spokesperson and senior vice president for Health Finance Policy Israel Pargas reiterated that their database remained “intact.” He, however, admitted that hackers behind the cyberattack accessed the data that were stored in the servers affected by the hacking. “We cannot verify that. It can be a possibility because again, checking our database, it is still intact. If we check the database, it appears that no data was compromised or leaked,” he said. “However, since our employees are also working with regard to our members and all, it could be true that there may be data stolen by these hackers. It is uncertain whether any data was stolen or not,” he added. On Tuesday night, the Department of Information and Communications Technology confirmed that the hackers have already started publishing PhilHealth employees’ data on the dark web. DICT Undersecretary Jeffrey Dy said the stolen data includes details on employees’ identification cards, memorandum, directives and hospital bills. The development came a day after the self-imposed deadline of the hackers on the government to pay a $300,000 ransom for the data expired. Dy said the information posted on the dark web could just be a “teaser” of what the hackers have stolen from the state-run health insurer’s system. At the same time, in an advisory, PhilHealth confirmed that some members’ personal information including names, addresses, dates of birth, sex, phone numbers, and PhilHealth identification numbers were compromised. The corporation said it is “working to notify all affected individuals directly.” The state-run health insurer also urged its members to take precautionary measures in light of the cyberattack on its system. “Monitor your credit reports for any unauthorized activity,” it said. Members were also encouraged to place a fraud alert on their credit reports and change their passwords for their online accounts, especially their financial accounts. Members were also advised to be wary of phishing emails and smishing text messages. No numbers Asked how many members were affected by the incident, Pargas said PhilHealth has yet to know the quantity of the data stolen by the hackers. “There might have been data that were compromised but we don’t have any numbers yet,” he said. In case PhilHealth members receive suspicious calls about their data, they may report it through phic.actioncenter2023@gmail.com or phic.dpo@gmail.com, he said. Online Meanwhile, the state-run health insurer said its website, member portal, e-claims, HCI portal, Electronic Premium Remittance System, and electronic PhilHealth Acknowledgment Receipt can now be accessed by the public and their partners. On 22 September, PhilHealth temporarily shut down its website and membership portal due to an “information security incident.” The post Data not compromised on PhilHealth cyberattack appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PhilHealth insists ‘no data was compromised’ amid cyberattack
The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation or PhilHealth on Wednesday maintained its claim that its members' data was not compromised by the recent cyberattack on its system. In an interview with Daily Tribune, PhilHealth spokesperson and Senior Vice President for Health Finance Policy Israel Pargas reiterated that their database remained “intact”. He, however, admitted that hackers behind the cyberattack accessed the data that were stored in the servers affected by the hacking. “We cannot verify that. It can be a possibility because again, checking our database, it is still intact. If we check the database, it appears that no data was compromised or leaked,” he said. “However, since our employees are also working with regard to our members and all, it could be true that there may be data stolen by these hackers. It is uncertain whether any data was stolen or not,” he added. On Tuesday night, the Department of Information and Technology confirmed that the hackers have already started publishing PhilHealth employees’ data on the dark web. DICT Undersecretary Jeffrey Dy said the stolen data includes details on employees' identification cards, memorandum, directives, and hospital bills. The development came a day after the self-imposed deadline of the hackers on the government to pay a $300,000 ransom for the data expired. Dy said the information posted on the dark web could just be a “teaser” of what the hackers have stolen from the state-run health insurer’s system. At the same time, in an advisory, PhilHealth confirmed that some members' personal information including names, addresses, dates of birth, sex, phone numbers, and PhilHealth identification numbers were compromised. The corporation said it is “working to notify all affected individuals directly.” The state-run health insurer also urged its members to take precautionary measures in light of the cyberattack on its system. “Monitor your credit reports for any unauthorized activity,” it said. Members were also encouraged to place a fraud alert on their credit reports and change their passwords for their online accounts, especially their financial accounts. Members were also advised to be wary of phishing emails and smishing text messages. No numbers Asked how many members were affected by the incident, Pargas said PhilHealth has yet to know the quantity of the data stolen by the hackers. “There might have been data that were compromised but we don’t have any numbers yet,” he said. In case PhilHealth members receive suspicious calls about their data, they may report it through phic.actioncenter2023@gmail.com or phic.dpo@gmail.com, he said. Online Meanwhile, the state-run health insurer said its website, member portal, e-claims, HCI portal, Electronic Premium Remittance System, and electronic PhilHealth Acknowledgment Receipt can now be accessed by the public and their partners. On September 22, PhilHealth temporarily shut down its website and membership portal due to an "information security incident." The post PhilHealth insists ‘no data was compromised’ amid cyberattack appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Former gang leader charged with rapper Tupac Shakur’s 1996 murder
A quarter of a century after Tupac Shakur was gunned down in a gang feud in Las Vegas, a man was charged Friday with his murder, a killing that came to symbolize the violence of gangsta rap as it surged into the mainstream. Duane "Keffe D" Davis, 60, had long acknowledged his involvement in the slaying, boasting he was the "on-site commander" in the effort to kill Shakur and Death Row Records boss Marion "Suge" Knight in revenge for his nephew's assault. Davis' early morning arrest Friday followed 27 years of investigations by police, who had been frustrated by an apparent lack of useable evidence, and came two months after they raided his home in Henderson, just outside Las Vegas. "The presumption is great that he is responsible for the murder of Tupac Shakur, and he will be found guilty of murder with the use of a deadly weapon," prosecutor Marc DiGiacomo told a court in Nevada. Shakur, the best-selling hip-hop artist behind hits such as "California Love," "Changes," and "Dear Mama," was already a huge star in the world of rap when he was gunned down in Las Vegas on 7 September 1996. He was just 25. He was signed to Death Row Records, an outfit associated at the time with Los Angeles street gang Mob Piru, which had a long-standing beef with the Southside Compton Crips. DiGiacomo said on the day of the murder, Shakur and Death Row Records co-founder Knight were in Las Vegas to watch Mike Tyson fight. In a hotel elevator lobby, they set upon Crips member Orlando Anderson, the nephew of Davis. "(Davis) formulated a plan to exact revenge upon Mr Knight and Mr Shakur" for this beating, DiGiacomo said. "He acquired a 40-caliber Glock firearm from a drug associate. "He gets into (a light-colored) Cadillac and he provides the 40-caliber Glock firearm to one of the two individuals in the back seat," and the group set off to find their intended victims. The two rap moguls were spotted in a car on a Las Vegas street. "They pulled up next to the vehicle and the rear passenger fired a number of rounds out of that vehicle striking Mr Knight in the head and Mr Shakur several times," DiGiacomo said. Shakur died in a hospital several days later. Knight survived. The prosecutor said what happened that night had been largely understood by investigators for many years, but they had not had sufficient admissible evidence to advance the case. That began to change when Davis, reportedly the only person in the car that night still alive, published an autobiography and spoke about the crime for a TV show. "He admitted to being the front right passenger in the light Cadillac and that he was the on-ground, on-site commander of the effort to kill Tupac Shakur and Suge Knight." A court hearing in the case was scheduled for next week. Rivalry Shakur had a brief but stratospheric career, rapidly rising from backup dancer to self-styled gangsta rapper and one of the most influential figures in hip-hop, selling 75 million records. He became a key figure in a vaunted rivalry, egged on by promoters, between East Coast and West Coast hip-hop. Though born in New York, Shakur moved as a teenager with his family to California, becoming one of the most identifiable figures in the West Coast scene. Shakur's murder was followed six months later by the shooting death in Los Angeles of his rival, East Coast rapper Christopher "The Notorious BIG" Wallace. The investigation's slow progress led to accusations police were not trying hard enough to find the killers of young Black men. Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Sheriff Kevin McMahill on Friday said that was not true. "I know there have been many people who did not believe that the murder of Tupac Shakur was important to this police department," he told reporters. "I'm here to tell you, that was simply not the case. It was not the case back then. And it is not the case today. "Our goal... has always been to hold those accountable and responsible for Tupac's violent murder accountable." The post Former gang leader charged with rapper Tupac Shakur’s 1996 murder appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘Total lawfare’: Ukraine’s other front in the war
On 26 February 2022, while Russian tanks were barrelling towards Kyiv, Ukrainian lawyers were fighting on a different front, submitting a case against Moscow at the International Court of Justice. The gilded halls of the Peace Palace in The Hague, where the court sits, are a world away from the trenches of Donbas but Ukraine believes its legal attacks on Russia are a critical part of the fight. What cases are open in Ukraine's campaign of all-out "lawfare" against Moscow and, with little chance of Russian compliance, what's the point? Where are the legal front lines? The Hague, Strasbourg, and Hamburg. Ukraine has dragged Russia before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which rules on disputes between nations, arguing that President Vladimir Putin abused the UN Genocide Convention when he used an alleged "genocide" in eastern Ukraine as a pretext for invasion. The final arguments in this case will be heard later Wednesday. Also in The Hague, the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant for Putin, accusing him of unlawfully deporting Ukrainian children, a war crime. Neither of these courts, however, can try Russian leaders, including Putin, for the crime of "aggression", defined as an attack on one state by another in breach of the UN charter. So a special group of prosecutors from Ukraine, the EU, the United States, and the ICC has been set up in The Hague with a view to establishing a special tribunal to bring senior Russians to trial. Ukraine also has cases open at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg over alleged Russian human rights abuses. Finally, Ukraine also brought cases to the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea in Hamburg over what it says is Russia's disregard for international maritime law. Will Russia comply? It seems unlikely that Russia would comply with any ruling from an international court -- for example, in March 2022, the ICJ ordered Moscow to immediately halt its invasion. Russia didn't even turn up to the hearings in that case. But it's far from an academic exercise, said Cecily Rose, assistant professor of public international law at Leiden University. "There are examples of cases in which Russia has complied at least partially with an adverse ruling by an international court," Rose told AFP, citing a 2015 verdict in which Moscow reportedly stumped up half the cash it was ordered to. "It shows that non-compliance cannot be cynically assumed. Most of the time, states do comply with awards and judgments rendered by international courts and tribunals." What's the point? Even if Russia doesn't comply, Kyiv and most legal experts think the international community needs to draw a line in the sand. "Some countries do not comply with the law, including Russia. However, it is still important to call them out and to bring a case against them when they do breach the law," said Melanie O'Brien, assistant professor at the University of Western Australia Law School. "The case demonstrates that other countries do not view Russia's conduct as acceptable -- but rather, as unlawful," O'Brien told AFP. A ruling from the ICJ against Russia would be a further element in isolating Moscow and confirming it broke international law, she said. "It is also an important acknowledgment for victims of human rights abuses and international crimes such as war crimes that what happened to them and their loved ones was not lawful," she added. Proving that Russia's actions were in contravention of international law could also be key in future peace negotiations, including over potential reparations, noted Rose. How long will it take? The wheels of justice grind slowly. The ICJ "genocide" case is only about whether the court even has jurisdiction. A special tribunal is politically sensitive and will take a long time to establish. But the wheels of justice also grind exceedingly fine. "Just because Putin won't comply with a ruling now, he won't be in power forever," said O'Brien. "At some point, a change of regime will occur and may lead to compliance with international law." The post ‘Total lawfare’: Ukraine’s other front in the war appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
DOJ’s new tack: certainty of conviction
The Department of Justice (DOJ) is currently working hard on its reformation to further enhance its function and make "certainty of convictions" the norm when filing a case. This is one of the reforms being introduced by Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, who is increasing the level of evidence required for a case to be filed in court by the prosecutor. This was disclosed by DOJ Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Atty. Mico Clavano when he guested on Daily Tribune’s "Straight Talk" on Wednesday, 20 September." When asked about the reforms being initiated at the DOJ, Clavano said, "There are several reforms being made by the DOJ right now. One of them is what you mentioned, iyung pagtaas noong level of evidence needed for a case to be filed in court by the prosecutor,” said Clavano. He said that instead of probable cause, which basically means that there’s some evidence to suggest that a suspect probably committed the crime, the threshold is now higher: there must be a certainty of conviction. Clavano mentioned that it would require more evidence to show that a suspect most probably committed the crime, such as pictures or CCTV footage, or an admission of the evidence being investigated by prosecutors. This aligns with another program of the DOJ, which is the case build-up rule, he continued. The case build-up rule requires prosecutors and the police to collaborate closely in the field. This differs from the previous process in which prosecutors, relying on preliminary investigations under Rule 112 of the Rules of Court, merely received complaints from the PNP and assessed whether a case could be filed or not. Now, the process involves prosecutors making a resolution to either file or dismiss the case. Secretary Remulla's order requires prosecutors to accompany the police to the scene of the crime, meaning they are now involved in fieldwork." “Yes, there is fieldwork. So that is the challenge now to prosecutors. Of course, it’s a big change but we appeal to them to understand where the administration is coming from. It will be good for everybody if they, who have interest in the conviction of the person, are there from the very start,” said Clavano. In the past, the police would file the case, and it would be assigned to the prosecutors. This was often considered an accomplishment, but there was a lack of interest in securing the conviction of the person they were trying to prosecute. “The prosecutor wants the person to be convicted because that is the measure of his success. So for him to be there at the very start of the investigation, he can already pick and choose the evidence that is needed to form a strong case. So and then when it comes to his assessment or the prosecutor’s assessment, the level is now higher,” said Clavano. This leads to a reasonable certainty of conviction because the evidence they gather from the ground is now stronger compared to the past when they only received complaints.“ So iyun po iyung magiging dynamics natin ngayon. And it’s very exciting. We’re doing a caravan now around the country explaining the new forms to the police and to the prosecutors, alike; to have a very good collaboration and synergy between the police and prosecutors,” Clavano said. The post DOJ’s new tack: certainty of conviction appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Belmonte calls for reforms in BFP-QCFD
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte on Monday called on the Bureau of Fire Protection to undertake reforms in the BFP - Quezon City Fire District (QCFD). Belmonte made the call as results of the probe conducted by the city government and the Quezon City Council revealed lax inspection, backlog in the examination of businesses, and other lapses in the performance of the BFP-QCFD. "The BFP should look into how the BFP-QCFD fulfilled its mandate in the light of tragic loss of lives and properties due to recent fires in the city. Were the BFP-QCFD leadership remiss in their duties? They should hold their personnel accountable if proven guilty of inefficiency," she said. Belmonte earlier sought the relief of two officials from the BFP-QCFD following a review of the performance of the agency prompted by the tragic loss of lives caused by the fire last 31 August in Tandang Sora. An evaluation conducted by the city government of each fire incident that occurred this year showed on average, more damage, injury, and death compared to the previous year. “The capability and effectiveness of the BFP-QCFD in responding to these fires have lessened significantly. The city government recognizes that each fire has its own distinct volatile circumstances. Nonetheless, the severity of this year's incidents necessitates a call for a change in the leadership of the agency. A change is needed for the welfare of our citizens. We look forward to a better performance from the BFP," Belmonte said. The two officials were identified as BFP-QCFD fire marshall, Fire Senior Superintendent Aristotle Bañaga, and the chief of the QCFD Fire Prevention Branch, Fire Chief Inspector Dominic Salvacion. Data from the BFP revealed that from January to August 2023, there were 153 fires recorded in the city, while there were only 219 fires from January to December 2022. With a third of the year left, there have already been eight firefighters and 63 civilians injured compared to only two firefighters and 60 civilians for the entirety of last year. Moreover, there were already 24 deaths in the first eight months of this year while there were 30 from January to December 2022. There were 8,362 individuals or 2,380 families affected by the fires up to August this year, higher than the whole of last year’s record of 7,295 individuals or 2,005 families. “For this reason and to protect the people of Quezon City, I am calling upon the national leadership of the Bureau of Fire Protection to assign to us a new fire marshall for the QCFD and a new inspection head,” Belmonte added. Belmonte also called on the BFP to be more transparent in their own investigation of the Tandang Sora fire. “The BFP has failed to reciprocate the city government’s efforts to exercise transparency. They resisted our calls to be apprised of the progress of their own probe, or to our requests for coordination. We therefore ask the BFP to cooperate fully with the city government as mandated by law, to ensure full transparency and clarity in these investigations. Our people demand more, and the victims and their families deserve nothing less,” Belmonte said. Belmonte earlier ordered the City Legal Department to form a Special Panel of Investigators to probe the incident and if warranted by evidence, to file the appropriate case(s) against pertinent and surviving officers of the business establishment involved in the deadly fire in Tandang Sora. Local government personnel found to be liable after the conduct of the investigation will likewise face administrative and criminal charges. “The city government continues to thoroughly investigate the devastating fire of August 31. It has coordinated with and interviewed its departments, the barangay, the homeowners association, the relatives of the victims, and the survivors, to ascertain the circumstances that brought about this tragedy. We will leave no stone unturned, and we will not spare even our own officials and personnel,” the mayor added. The mayor assured the residents that the city government will continue to beef up the city’s fire prevention measures and efforts. On 14 September, Mayor Belmonte extended financial assistance to the families of the fire victims. Earlier, the city government helped arrange for the cremation of the remains of the victims, among others. The post Belmonte calls for reforms in BFP-QCFD appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
California sues oil giants, alleging climate risks deception
The US state of California sued five of the world's largest oil companies on Friday, alleging the firms caused billions of dollars in damages and misled the public by minimizing the risks from fossil fuels, according to a court filing. It follows numerous other cases brought by US cities, counties, and states against fossil fuel interests over the impact of climate change as well as alleged disinformation campaigns spanning decades. The civil case was filed in a superior court in San Francisco against ExxonMobil, Shell, BP, ConocoPhillips, and Chevron, which is headquartered in California. The American Petroleum Institute, an industry group, is also a defendant in the case. "Oil and gas company executives have known for decades that reliance on fossil fuels would cause these catastrophic results, but they suppressed that information from the public and policymakers by actively pushing out disinformation on the topic," the 135-page complaint read. "Their deception caused a delayed societal response to global warming. And their misconduct has resulted in tremendous costs to people, property, and natural resources, which continue to unfold each day." The suit seeks the creation of an abatement fund to pay for future damages caused by climate disasters in California, which is on the front lines of climate change-fueled wildfires, flooding and other extreme weather phenomena. "By downplaying the scientific consensus on climate change and emphasizing uncertainty, Defendants hoped to delay any regulatory action that might seek to reduce or control (greenhouse gas) emissions, thereby threatening the industry's profits," the complaint added. Representatives of the defendants did not immediately reply to requests for comment from AFP. "For more than 50 years, Big Oil has been lying to us -- covering up the fact that they've long known how dangerous the fossil fuels they produce are for our planet," California Governor Gavin Newsom said in a statement on Friday. "California is taking action to hold big polluters accountable," he added. Since the current wave of environmental litigation against fossil fuel firms began around 2017, the industry has sought to avoid state trials on procedural grounds. That effort received a major blow in May when the US Supreme Court declined to consider an appeal in two cases, meaning they could proceed. The lawsuits are modeled on successful cases against Big Tobacco as well as against the pharmaceutical industry over the proliferation of opioids. The post California sues oil giants, alleging climate risks deception appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
California sues oil giants, alleging climate risks deception
The US state of California sued five of the world's largest oil companies on Friday, alleging the firms caused billions of dollars in damages and misled the public by minimizing the risks from fossil fuels, The New York Times reported. It follows numerous other cases brought by US cities, counties and states against fossil fuel interests over the impact of climate change as well as alleged disinformation campaigns spanning decades. The civil case was filed in superior court in San Francisco against Exxon Mobil, Shell, BP, ConocoPhillips and Chevron, which is headquartered in California. The American Petroleum Institute, an industry group, is also a defendant in the case, The New York Times said. The companies and their allies "intentionally downplayed the risks posed by fossil fuels to the public, even though they understood that their products were likely to lead to significant global warming," dating back to the 1950s, the suit alleged, according to the newspaper. Representatives of the defendants did not immediately reply to requests for comment, it added. The California case seeks the creation of an abatement fund to pay for future damages caused by climate disasters in the state, which is on the front lines of climate change-fueled wildfires, flooding and other extreme weather phenomena. "Oil and gas company executives have known for decades that reliance on fossil fuels would cause these catastrophic results, but they suppressed that information from the public and policymakers by actively pushing out disinformation on the topic," the 135-page complaint reads, according to the Times. "Their deception caused a delayed societal response to global warming. And their misconduct has resulted in tremendous costs to people, property, and natural resources, which continue to unfold each day." Since the current wave of environmental litigation against fossil fuel firms began around 2017, the industry has sought to avoid state trials on procedural grounds. That effort received a major blow in May when the US Supreme Court declined to consider an appeal in two cases, meaning they could proceed. The lawsuits are modeled on successful cases against Big Tobacco as well as against the pharmaceutical industry over the proliferation of opioids. The post California sues oil giants, alleging climate risks deception appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Rice price spike offers preview of climate food disruption
A 15-year high in rice prices, prompted by top exporter India's restrictions on overseas sales, should be a wake-up call on how climate change can disrupt food supplies, experts say. Rice prices jumped 9.8 percent in August, bucking decreases in other staples, the Food and Agriculture Organization said last week. That followed the July decision by India, which accounts for 40 percent of global rice exports, to ban the overseas sale of non-basmati rice. The government cited soaring domestic prices for the staple, caused by geopolitics, the El Nino weather pattern and "extreme climatic conditions." This year is expected to be the hottest in human history, and the impacts of the seasonal El Nino weather pattern could make conditions even harsher. Despite severe flooding in parts of northern India, this August was the country's hottest and driest on record. The monsoon season that brings up to 80 percent of the country's annual rain has been far below normal levels. India's July restrictions followed a decision last September to ban exports of another variety of rice that is a staple in parts of Africa. Up to eight percent of global rice exports for 2023/24 could now be taken out of the market, according to analysis by BMI, Fitch Group's research arm. - Drought fears - For now, the crisis offers an opportunity for India's rivals, including number two and three exporters, Thailand and Vietnam. Both have increased exports this year, with Nguyen Nhu Cuong, an official with Vietnam's agriculture and rural development ministry, touting a "bumper crop" and plans to increase planting. But the dry conditions that tend to accompany El Nino mean smooth sailing ahead is unlikely, warned Elyssa Kaur Ludher, from the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute's Climate Change in Southeast Asia program. "My question is whether they can continue to do this once El Nino comes into force towards the end of this year, when water becomes more scarce," she told AFP. "I think the end of this year and especially the beginning of next year will be very, very tough," she added. A naturally occurring weather phenomenon, El Nino typically lasts nine to 12 months and is expected to strengthen late this year. Even before India's latest restrictions, its effects were boosting rice export prices, according to BMI. And in Thailand, national rainfall levels are currently 18 percent lower than expected for the time of year, the Office of National Water Resources said this month. Late rains could still make up the difference, but the agency said it is "concerned about a drought caused by El Nino." - 'New normal' - The consequence is one of price rather than supply, said Charles Hart, agricultural commodities analyst at Fitch Solutions. "This is not a running out of rice moment," he stressed, noting India's restrictions have not been followed by other exporters. Instead, the situation is likely to force the drawdown of stocks rebuilt after pandemic-era depletions, and prompt importers to seek new deals and impose local limits. Top importer the Philippines this month signed a deal with Vietnam to help stabilize supply, days after announcing a national price cap. For some though, unaffordable prices amount to the same as a lack of supply: less food. "It's not just a food availability issue, but it's also a social stability issue, it's a political issue," said Ludher. The current disruptions should be a wake-up call for policy-makers, she added, with more attention needed to the plight of farmers across various sectors. Climate change can affect productivity, with lower crop yields as temperatures rise, but also increases the likelihood of extreme events like the 2022 Pakistan floods. "Global grain export markets are relatively concentrated, so that kind of extreme weather risk accumulates in a few markets," Hart added. In India, policymakers need to develop better early-warning systems and new planting patterns, said Avantika Goswami, a climate change researcher at the Centre for Science and Environment. "Erratic weather patterns are the new normal," she told AFP. "Now, it's a case of early adaptation. In the long-term, global emissions have to come down." burs-sah/ssy © Agence France-Presse The post Rice price spike offers preview of climate food disruption appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Climate change ‘dystopian future already here’: UN rights chief
Climate change is sparking human rights emergencies in numerous countries, the UN rights chief said Monday, stressing the need to fight the impunity of those who "plunder our environment". Speaking before the United Nations Human Rights Council, Volker Turk pointed to recent examples of the "environmental horror that is our global planetary crisis". He described visiting Basra, Iraq, where date palms once lined canals, but now "drought, searing heat, extreme pollution and fast-depleting supplies of fresh water are creating barren landscapes of rubble and dust". "This spiraling damage is a human rights emergency for Iraq, and many other countries," he said in his address opening the 54th council session in Geneva. "Climate change is pushing millions of people into famine. It is destroying hopes, opportunities, homes and lives. In recent months, urgent warnings have become lethal realities again and again all around the world," Turk said. "We do not need more warnings. The dystopian future is already here. We need urgent action now." Turk was speaking after the G20 at the weekend failed to commit to a phase-out of fossil fuels, something he said was desperately needed. - 'Nonchalance' at migrant deaths - At a time when the ravages of climate change are forcing more and more people to leave their homes, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said he was "shocked by the nonchalance" seen towards surging numbers of migrant deaths. "It is evident that far more migrants and refugees are dying, unnoticed," he said, pointing to the more than "2,300 people reported dead or missing in the Mediterranean this year, including the loss of more than 600 lives in a single shipwreck off Greece in June." He also highlighted migrant deaths in the English Channel, the Bay of Bengal, in the Caribbean, along the US-Mexican border, and at the Saudi border, where he said his "office is seeking urgent clarification about allegations of killings and mistreatment". The UN rights chief also highlighted a wide range of other concerning situations around the world, including in Russia, Pakistan and the Palestinian territory. On China, he reiterated concerns raised in a report by his office a year ago about the situation in the far-western Xinjiang region, which cited possible crimes against humanity against Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities. "As my Office highlighted a year ago, the concerns in the Xinjiang ... requires strong remedial action by the authorities," Turk said Monday, also voicing concern at "continued detention of human rights advocates". - 'Ecocide' - Turk also spoke about the situation in Lebanon, decrying a total lack of accountability for the 2020 Beirut port blast, that killed more than 220 people, urging "an international fact-finding mission to look into human rights violations related to this tragedy." And he mentioned the situation in Iran, one year after the death of Mahsa Amini in custody after her arrest for allegedly breaching the strict dress code for women. Turk voiced concern at a bill that would impose harsher penalties for breaching the dress code, and "renewed deployment of the morality police." Climate change and environmental degradation played a role in a number of the rights situations he mentioned, including in Africa's Sahel region. Turk insisted on the need to "counter the impunity of people and businesses who severely plunder our environment", welcoming a proposal to recognize "ecocide" as an international crime. Amid the towering problems facing the world, Turk decried "politics of deception". "Helped by new technologies, lies and disinformation are mass-produced to sow chaos, to confuse, and ultimately to deny reality and ensure no action will be taken that could endanger the interests of entrenched elites," he said. "The most apparent case of this is climate change." nl/apo/yad © Agence France-Presse The post Climate change ‘dystopian future already here’: UN rights chief appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Small islands take ocean protection case to UN court
Leaders of small island states turned to the UN maritime court on Monday to seek protection of the world's oceans from catastrophic climate change which threaten the very existence of entire countries. The nine island states are asking the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) to determine if carbon dioxide emissions absorbed by the oceans can be considered pollution, and if so, what obligations countries have to prevent it. "This is the opening chapter in the struggle to change the conduct of the international community by clarifying the obligation of states to protect the marine environment," said the prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne. "The time has come to speak in terms of legally binding obligations rather than empty promises that go unfulfilled," he said, addressing the court in Hamburg, Germany. Ocean ecosystems create half the oxygen humans breathe and limit global warming by absorbing much of the carbon dioxide emitted by human activities. But increasing emissions can warm and acidify seawaters, harming marine life. At the heart of the case is the international treaty UNCLOS that binds countries to preventing pollution of the oceans. The UN treaty defines pollution as the introduction by humans of "substances or energy into the marine environment" that leads to harm to marine life. But it does not spell out carbon emissions as a specific pollutant, and the plaintiffs argue that these emissions qualify. Marine heatwave The push for climate justice won a big boost when the UN General Assembly in March adopted a resolution calling on the International Court of Justice to lay out nations' obligations on protecting Earth's climate and the legal consequences they face if they fail to do so. The ICJ's advice is still pending but the action has opened up a new front to bind countries to pledges on reducing emissions. The move at the UN had been led by Vanuatu, which also counts among the islands that had brought Monday's case before the ITLOS. Small islands like Vanuatu are particularly exposed to the impact of global warming, with seawater rises threatening to submerge entire countries. "Just a few years -- this is all we have before the ocean consumes everything my people built across centuries," Tuvalu's Prime Minister Kausea Natano told the court. "If international law has nothing to say about an entire country going underwater... then what purpose does it serve?" he asked, pleading for a clear direction from the court. Across the two-thirds of the planet covered by seas, nearly 60 percent of ocean surface waters experienced at least one marine heatwave in 2022, according to the annual State of the Climate report led by scientists from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This is 50 percent more than pre-industrial levels and "the highest in the modern atmospheric record and in paleoclimate records dating back as far as 800,000 years", the report published this month noted. The world's oceans also set a new temperature record in August. Average sea surface temperatures reached an unprecedented 21 degrees Celsius (69.8 degrees Fahrenheit) for over a week, according to the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service, after months of unusually high temperatures. Other island states joining the ITLOS case include The Bahamas, Niue, Palau, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia as well as St Vincent and the Grenadines. Thirty-four other state parties will also participate in the court hearing, with sessions scheduled through to 25 September. The post Small islands take ocean protection case to UN court appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Hong Kong flooded by heaviest rainfall in 140 years
Hong Kong was flooded by the heaviest rainfall in nearly 140 years on Friday, leaving the city's streets and some subway stations under water and forcing its schools to close. Just across the border, authorities in China's tech hub Shenzhen recorded the heaviest rains since records began in 1952. Climate change has increased the intensity of tropical storms, experts say, with more rain and stronger gusts leading to flash floods and coastal damage. The heavy rains in Hong Kong started on Thursday and in the hour leading up to midnight, the city's weather observatory recorded hourly rainfall of 158.1 millimeters at its headquarters, the highest since records began in 1884. On Friday afternoon, the Hospital Authority said at least 110 people were hospitalized due to injuries, with four in serious condition. A man was found unconscious off the shore of western Hong Kong Island and declared dead at the hospital, though authorities were still investigating if the death was flood-related. The city's highest rainstorm warning level, "black", was hoisted for a record-breaking 16 hours before being lowered at 3:40 pm Friday, with rainfall mostly easing by late afternoon. "It's absolutely shocking," said Jacky, 52, who lives in the Wong Tai Sin district with his elderly parents. "I don't remember floods ever being this bad in our district." "The bottom floor of the mall is completely flooded, the water level is higher than the storefronts... it's turned our day into chaos," he added. Authorities issued flash flood warnings, with emergency services conducting rescue operations in parts of the territory. "Residents living in close proximity to rivers should stay alert to weather conditions and should consider evacuation" if their homes are flooded, the observatory said. It also warned of potential landslips, telling motorists to "keep away from steep slopes or retaining walls". Hong Kong's stock exchange cancelled all trading sessions on Friday. 'Once in a century' Hong Kong Chief Secretary Eric Chan described the deluge as "a once-in-a-century heavy rainstorm", adding that extreme conditions would continue until midnight local time (1600 GMT). "It's like putting four bathtubs of water into one bathtub... it will spill," Chan said at a press conference, when asked if the government had done enough to prevent flooding. The Hong Kong Observatory said it recorded more than 600 millimeters of rainfall at its headquarters over 24 hours -- roughly a quarter of the city's annual average. Earlier in the day, taxis struggled through flooded roads as commuters attempted to make their way to work, with some cars stranded in the deluge. "It felt like the whole neighborhood was isolated by the floodwater. One of the underground car parks is totally under water," Olivia Lam, who lives on the eastern side of Hong Kong Island, told AFP. "The water was almost waist-deep outside my building, and that's not the worst (case) in the neighborhood." An AFP reporter saw boulders and mud from a landslide block off a two-lane road in the Shau Kei Wan district, with mud also spilling over into a nearby basketball court. Residents of a public housing block just 30 meters from the landslide lined up with buckets to collect fresh water after the building's supply was disrupted. Roads were also flooded on the island of Lantau, where rivers swelled over their banks. Southern China was hit the previous weekend by two typhoons in quick succession -- Saola and Haikui -- though Hong Kong avoided a feared direct hit. Tens of millions of people in the densely populated coastal areas of southern China had sheltered indoors ahead of those storms. Hong Kong's weather observatory said the latest torrential rain was brought by the "trough of low pressure associated with (the) remnant of Haikui". Authorities suspended schools and cargo clearance services on the city's border with Shenzhen were paused. The border disruption came hours after Hong Kong authorities announced that Shenzhen was preparing to discharge water from its reservoir, which they said could lead to flooding in northern parts of the city. Hong Kong's subway operator said there was a service disruption on one of its lines after a station in the Wong Tai Sin district was flooded. A handful of other stations were also affected by the rain. Footage posted on social media showed a subway train not stopping at Wong Tai Sin station, which had floodwater on its platform. The flooding could cost Hong Kong at least $100 million, according to a Bloomberg Intelligence estimate, compared to $470 million in damage when the city was hit by typhoon Mangkhut in 2018. The post Hong Kong flooded by heaviest rainfall in 140 years appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Deforestation in Brazil Amazon falls, more Indigenous reserves approved
Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon fell by 66 percent in August versus the same month last year, the government said Tuesday, while also announcing the demarcation of two new Indigenous reserves. "In August, we had a reduction of 66.11 percent in deforestation" in Brazil's share of the world's biggest rainforest, Environment Minister Marina Silva told a ceremony marking Amazon Day. That followed a similar year-on-year drop of 66 percent in July -- both crucial months in the Amazon, where deforestation typically surges this time of year with the onset of drier weather. According to satellite monitoring by Brazil's space research institute, INPE, deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon wiped out 1,661 square kilometers (641 square miles) in August 2022, the last year of far-right Jair Bolsonaro's term. Bolsonaro (2019-2022), an ally of the powerful agribusiness industry blamed for driving the destruction, presided over a sharp increase in deforestation in the Amazon. "These results show the determination of the Lula administration to break the cycle of abandonment and regression seen under the previous government," Silva said. "If we don't protect the forest and its people, we'll condemn the world to a brutal increase of CO2 emissions and, as a result, accelerating climate change." New indigenous reserves Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who previously led Brazil from 2003 to 2010, returned to office in January vowing to protect the threatened Amazon, whose carbon-absorbing trees are a vital buffer against global warming. Key to that pledge, researchers say, are Indigenous reserves, considered bulwarks against deforestation. "If there is no future for the Amazon and its people, there will be no future for the planet either," Lula said in his announcement of the two new reserves. His government in April already issued decrees recognizing six new Indigenous territories, authorizing Indigenous peoples to occupy the land and have exclusive use of its resources. Another six could be demarcated by the end of the year, the government said Tuesday. The country has some 800 reserves, but around a third of them have not been officially demarcated, according to Brazil's Indigenous Affairs agency. No new reserves had been demarcated under Bolsonaro. The demarcations -- of the 187,000-hectare (462,000-acre) Rio Gregorio reserve and the 18,000-hectare (44,000-acre) Acapuri de Cima reserve -- come as the country awaits a key Supreme Court decision that could derail or enshrine Indigenous gains. The law currently only recognizes ancestral territories that were occupied by Indigenous communities at the time Brazil's constitution was promulgated in 1988. But Indigenous leaders say certain territories were no longer occupied at that point because communities had been expelled from them, particularly during the military dictatorship from the 1960s to the 1980s. The case will either validate or invalidate the 1988 cut-off. So far, six of 11 judges have voted -- four against the cut-off, and two in favor. Voting is set to resume on 20 September. Indigenous reserves occupy 13.75 percent of Brazil's territory, with most -- like the two approved Tuesday -- in the Amazon. The post Deforestation in Brazil Amazon falls, more Indigenous reserves approved appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»