World's highest ski resort a Bolivian memory
Agence France-Presse
November 04, 2021

Rising 5,300-meters above sea level, Chacaltaya was a popular family weekend retreat for inhabitants of La Paz, just 30 kilometers away

 AIZAR RALDES AFP

Bernardo Guarachi's eyes light up as he reminisces about the glory days of Chacaltaya -- once the highest ski resort in the world but now a crumbling relic to climate change in the Bolivian Andes

"Today, it's a cemetery," said Guarachi, pointing to the rusted poles and cables from the old chair lifts.

His eyes scan the 400-meter slope he once shot down at speed on a blanket of snow, now covered only in rocks.

"It used to be full of skiers on Saturdays and Sundays," said the mountaineer.

Rising 5,300-meters above sea level, Chacaltaya was a popular family weekend retreat for inhabitants of La Paz, just 30 kilometers away.

By 1998, the Chacaltaya glacier had been reduced to just seven percent of its size in 1940, while it disappeared entirely in 2009.

Bolivia has lost around half of its glaciers in the last 50 years and experts say things will get worse as global warming continues.

According to the Andean Glaciers and Waters Atlas, published in 2018 by UNESCO and the Norwegian foundation GRID-Arendal, "the expected warming will provoke the loss of 95 percent of the permafrost in Bolivia by 2050," including the loss of almost all its glaciers.
Disappearing glaciers

It is a familiar theme for Edson Ramirez, a glaciologist at the Mayor de San Andres University who conducted a comprehensive study on the impact of climate change on the Bolivian Andes.

He was also the first person to conduct an inventory of Bolivia's glaciers, including documenting their disappearance.

"All the similar glaciers to Chacaltaya ... are suffering the same process of melting, of death," said Ramirez.

At the end of the 1990s Ramirez and other scientists measured the thickest part of the glacier: 15 meters.

"We knew it could disappear in the next 15 years," he said.

It took only 11 years.

The glaciers are fed by an accumulation of snow but "the planet's temperature has risen to a point where we already cannot have snow in these places any more," said Ramirez.

According to some predictions, the temperature in the Andes could rise by two to five degrees Celsius by the end of the 21st century.

"We need to take urgent action between all countries to lower the planet's temperature," said Ramirez, whose challenge is to preserve what remains of Bolivia's glaciers.
Money over nature

Guarachi, 67, looks off into the distance towards El Alto, the large satellite town overlooking La Paz, and the cloud of smog hanging over both.

"Man has changed a lot for one aim, which is to earn money, lots of money, and he has forgotten about nature (and) the mountains," said Guarachi.

Bolivia is 80th out of 181 countries in terms of CO2 emissions.

Earlier this year, the South American country of 11 million submitted a proposal to the United Nations that would see the worst offenders increase by "five to 10 times" their financing for the worst affected countries, as well as greater efforts to reduce carbon emissions.

But Ramirez says that his country cannot be excused of blame, pointing to the forest fires that every year devastate thousands of hectares of the Amazon basin to clear the land for agriculture.

"The effects of the fires also influence the state of the glaciers," said Ramirez, explaining that the carbon produced is deposited on the ice and accelerates the melting process by reducing the ability of snow and ice to reflect sunlight.

Water threat

The disappearance of the glaciers could impact the water supply for millions of Bolivians.

During periods of drought, the ice melt would provide up to 85 percent of La Paz's water needs. Several times in the last five years its residents have been forced to ration water.


Farmers on the Altiplano, above La Paz, have also felt the effects.

Offerings and prayers to Mother Earth -- a traditional deity -- have surged.

Unaffected by the altitude, Guarachi strolls around the ruins of the Chacaltaya resort that was built in the 1930s.

"We have to change our mentality ... because I'd rather have water than a lot of money. You could have a lot of money but you won't be able to buy water if the glaciers disappear," he said.

For biologist Karina Apaza, the environment used to be seen as "an impediment to economic growth, but if you impact it, who are you impacting? Yourself."

© 2021 AFP

'Sad sight': Astronaut reports back on Earth's climate disaster
Agence France-Presse
November 04, 2021

Astronaut Thomas Pesquet (AFP)

A French astronaut reported back on Earth's climate change damage as seen from space on Thursday, calling it a "sad sight" in a conversation with President Emmanuel Macron.

Thomas Pesquet, on his second tour at the International Space Station (ISS) orbiting the planet, told Macron by video link that the destructive impact of human activity was becoming more and more visible, even from 400 kilometres (250 miles) away.

"Unfortunately that is the case, Mister President," Pesquet said. "Through the portholes of the space station, we distinctly see Earth's fragility," he said. "We see the damaging effects of human activity, pollution of rivers and air pollution."

He said the astronauts at the station had observed "entire regions burning, like in Canada. We saw California covered in a cloud of smoke, we saw the flames with our naked eyes," he said.

Similar devastation could be seen in Greece and southern France, the pilot said, also describing "the sad sight of repeated tropical storms".

Asked by Macron whether things had changed since Pesquet's first mission in 2016, the astronaut said: "Yes, the weather phenomena are accelerating at an alarming rate."

Visibly struck by that observation, Macron remained silent for a moment, and then said: "We must speed up our commitments and their implementation much more. That is the objective of the COP26," he said, referring to the ongoing UN-sponsored climate conference.

Pesquet, an astronaut for the European Space Agency, is the current ISS commander.

He is to return to Earth in the coming days following a second six-month stint at the station, five years after his first ISS tour.

© 2021 AFP

Child fossil find in South Africa sheds light on enigmatic hominids

Agence France-Presse
November 04, 2021

Professor Lee Berger shows off a full-scale reproduction of the skull of a hominid named Leti 

LUCA SOLA AFP

Fossils found deep in a South African cave formed part of a hominid child's skull, apparently left on an alcove by fellow members of her species 250,000 years ago, scientists said on Thursday.

The latest find adds to the riddle surrounding Homo naledi -- a species of Stone Age hominids discovered less than a decade ago in a region called the Cradle of Humankind, named after the stunning fossils unearthed there.

"The real mystery about this child is why she was found where she was," said Lee Berger, the scientist who led the project.

"Something amazing was going on in this cave 200,000-300,000 years ago.

Although the researchers refer to the child as "her", they have not yet determined whether it was a boy or girl.

Researchers rarely find fossilized remains of children, because their bones are too thin and fragile to survive over aeons.

The child was probably only four to six years old when it died, with baby teeth intact and adult teeth starting to emerge.

Nearly 2,000 fossils have been found in the caves, which scientists have pieced together into partial skeletons of more than two dozen individuals.

The initial discovery revealed in 2015 helped complicate our understanding of human evolution, by showing that Homo sapiens probably lived alongside other species of hominin -- the name for hominids that include anatomically modern man.

The newly found 28 skull fragments and six teeth were found even deeper in the cave complex, 12 metres (40 feet) away from the main find, through tiny crevices that required the explorers to literally squeeze between the rocky walls.


- 'Superman crawl' -

Parts of the passage are only 10 centimeters wide.

One section required explorers lie flat and pull themselves through with their hands stretched out ahead in a "Superman crawl", and then climb over a ridge dubbed the Dragon's Back, caver Mathabela Tsikoane told AFP.


"For a person that doesn't cave, it's very, very difficult," he said. "You have to literally push yourself through."

Because of its distance from the other finds, the investigators nicknamed the child Leti, after a seTswana word "letimela" meaning "the lost one."

But for Homo naledi, the journey into the cave might have been much easier, as they were smaller than modern humans.


Their bodies also appeared well adapted to climbing, said Tebego Makhubela, one of the scientists on the project.

"Homo naledi were just better climbers than us," he said. "What is difficult for us, might not necessarily have been difficult for them."

These remains are the first of a child's skull. No other bones were found, not even a jawbone, and the skull showed no signs of damage -- as from a carnivore's attack.


Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999, the self-proclaimed Cradle of Humankind consists of a complex of limestone caves about 50 kilometers (30 miles) northwest of Johannesburg. The latest find was made about 30 meters (100 feet) below ground).
Death ritual?

The researchers speculate that other members of the species may have set the skull there, for reasons that could be linked to rituals around the dead, Berger said.

He has proposed such a line of thinking for explaining the entire Homo naledi site, as a site for ritual burials.

If further evidence supports that theory, it would mark a dramatic rethinking about the human odyssey.

Until now, the earliest known hominid rituals associated with death date back to 50,000-100,000 years ago, he said.


But the latest find could push evidence for this behaviour -- a token of grief and possibly belief -- back to a quarter of a million years ago.

The discovery was published in two papers in the journal PaleoAnthropology, with 21 researchers from South Africa's University of the Witwatersrand and 13 other institutions around the world.

© 2021 AFP

'Useless Specks of Dust' Turn Out to Be Building Blocks of All Vertebrate Genomes

Tiny microchromosomes under the microscope amongst larger chromosomes.

 (Shayer Alam)
NATURE

DAVID NIELD
3 NOVEMBER 2021

Originally, they were thought to be just specks of dust on a microscope slide.

Now, a new study suggests that microchromosomes – a type of tiny chromosome found in birds and reptiles – have a longer history, and a bigger role to play in mammals than we ever suspected.

By lining up the DNA sequence of microchromosomes across many different species, researchers have been able to show the consistency of these DNA molecules across bird and reptile families, a consistency that stretches back hundreds of millions of years.

What's more, the team found that these bits of genetic code have been scrambled and placed on larger chromosomes in marsupial and placental mammals, including humans. In other words, the human genome isn't quite as 'normal' as previously supposed.

"We lined up these sequences from birds, turtles, snakes and lizards, platypus and humans and compared them," says geneticist Jenny Graves, from La Trobe University in Australia. "Astonishingly, the microchromosomes were the same across all bird and reptile species.

"Even more astonishingly, they were the same as the tiny chromosomes of Amphioxus – a little fish-like animal with no backbone that last shared a common ancestor with vertebrates 684 million years ago."

By tracing these microchromosomes back to the ancient Amphioxus, the scientists were able to establish genetic links to all of its descendants. These tiny 'specks of dust' are actually important building blocks for vertebrates, not just abnormal extras.

It seems that most mammals have absorbed and jumbled up their microchromosomes as they've evolved, making them seem like normal pieces of DNA. The exception is the platypus, which has several chromosome sections line up with microchromosomes, suggesting that this method may well have acted as a 'stepping stone' for other mammals in this regard, according to the researchers.

Microchromosomes are consistent in birds and reptiles, but mixed up in larger chromosomes in mammals. (Paul Waters)

The study also revealed that as well as being similar across numerous species, the microchromosomes were also located in the same place inside cells.

"Not only are they the same in each species, but they crowd together in the center of the nucleus where they physically interact with each other, suggesting functional coherence," says biologist Paul Waters, from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Australia.

"This strange behavior is not true of the large chromosomes in our genomes."

The researchers credit recent advancements in DNA sequencing technology for the ability to sequence microchromosomes end-to-end, and to better establish where these DNA fragments came from and what their purpose might be.

It's not clear whether there's an evolutionary benefit to coding DNA in larger chromosomes or in microchromosomes, and the findings outlined in this paper might help scientists put that particular debate to rest – although a lot of questions remain.

The study suggests that the large chromosome approach that has evolved in mammals isn't actually the normal state, and might be a disadvantage: genes are packed together much more tightly in microchromosomes, for example.

"Rather than being 'normal', chromosomes of humans and other mammals were puffed up with lots of 'junk DNA' and scrambled in many different ways," says Graves.

"The new knowledge helps explain why there is such a large range of mammals with vastly different genomes inhabiting every corner of our planet."

The research has been published in PNAS.

Great Pacific Garbage Patch: What we know about the trash vortex in the middle of the ocean

Two large vortexes in the Pacific Ocean have collected trash over several decades. Here's where it's coming from.

Katie Teague
Nov. 3, 2021 

Ocean trash is affecting marine life

.Ahmed Areef/EyeEm/GettyImages

Two floating islands of trash, together known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, are taking up a large chunk of real estate in the Pacific Ocean. The Patch is separated into two whirlpools of human detritus -- the Western Garbage Patch (closer to Japan) and the Eastern Garbage Patch (closer to California and Mexico).

The vortexes are primarily composed of land trash, like plastic bottles and straws, that's found its way into the ocean, but they also contain fishing gear that's been discarded into the sea. Although it's not as noticeable as you might think, the pervasive clumps of human-made garbage damage marine life, as well as the environment, and can even exacerbate human-caused climate change.

The trash extends for hundreds of miles, and in August the environmental nonprofit Ocean Cleanup deployed Jenny, its first large-scale cleaning system, which has since removed more than 63,000 pounds of trash. In October, Ocean Cleanup called that work the "beginning of the end of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch."

This news comes just in time for COP26, the United Nations Climate Change Conference, which lasts through Nov. 12. At the summit, roughly 200 nations are meeting in Glasgow, Scotland, to negotiate an updated agreement of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in an attempt to keep temperatures from rising 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

Plastic pollution and microplastics have been shown to contribute to climate change, since heat can cause them to release greenhouse gases. Addressing the climate crisis requires reducing pollution in the oceans, which collect 8 million tons of plastic yearly.

Here's everything we know about the island of trash in the Pacific Ocean and how you can help.

The Ocean Cleanup's goals include eliminating the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Here is the outcome of one haul this fall.

The Ocean Cleanup

What is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch?

The garbage patch is two vortexes filled with trash in the Pacific Ocean. They're also known as gyres, which is when two ocean currents come together and create a hurricane-like current, Nancy Wallace, director of the Marine Debris Program at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, told CNET. Materials then get caught in the gyres.

While you may think the patches are solid masses of tangled plastic, they're actually dispersed across hundreds of miles of the Pacific. You could sail through the patches without even noticing you're in them. This is because as much as 70% of the trash eventually sinks to the bottom of the ocean, Wallace said.
How large is the garbage patch?

The Ocean Cleanup estimates that the Great Pacific Garbage Patch occupies 1.6 million square kilometers, about twice the size of Texas, or three times the size of France.

However, the actual size of the island of trash is unknown due to a number of factors. For starters, not all of the trash sits on top of the water. It's estimated to span hundreds of miles, Wallace said, and it's a moving target due to waves and wind. It does, however, stay within a specific area due to ocean currents.
How much trash is in the garbage patch?

As of 2015, there was an estimated 8 million metric tons of plastic waste in the garbage patches, according to Wallace, although it's uncertain the exact amount going into the Pacific Ocean. That's the weight equivalent of roughly 57,000 blue whales, according to Conservation.org, which also projects that by 2050, the mass of ocean trash from plastic will outweigh its fish.

The Ocean Cleanup said it found more than 1.8 trillion pieces of plastic in the patch that weigh an estimated 80,000 tons.

At least 8 million tons of plastic enter all the oceans each year, and it's expected to double by 2030, according to the World Wildlife Fund organization.

Where did the trash come from?

Most of the trash comes from land in North America and Asia, while 20% comes from boats or ships that discard debris into the ocean, including lost fishing gear, according to the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation.

Trash can also eventually make its way into the ocean from land-based sources, such as rivers, storm water and littering.
How is the garbage affecting marine life?

A western gull wades along the Pacific coast in California. Animals can mistake plastics in the ocean for food.

Stephen Shankland/CNET

You've likely seen photos of sea turtles with fishing nets tangled around their bodies and shells. This is just one terrible effect that human-generated debris has on marine life. Animals in the ocean can also ingest the plastic debris, which can harm them and make them feel as though they're full, Wallace said. This results in the animals not eating the food they need to survive. The plastic could also lacerate their organs.

Plastic can choke and smother marine animals and their habitats and can take hundreds of years to break down, according to the WWF.
Microplastics also have a negative effect

Microplastics are less than 5 millimeters long and come from larger debris that breaks down into smaller pieces, so they're much harder to filter out. These small plastics can pose a threat to aquatic animals as they can ingest the debris.

But can eating fish that have consumed these microplastics hurt humans? Ocean Cleanup says when animals eat the plastics containing chemicals, there's a possibility the chemicals could eventually make their way up the food chain to people.

However, more studies are needed to determine the impacts of microplastics, according to the NOAA.

Is ocean trash contributing to climate change?

In short, yes. Chemical components and legacy pollutants absorb into the plastic the marine animals are eating, Wallace said. Then sunlight and heat cause the plastic to release powerful greenhouse gases. The WWF says as the planet gets hotter, the plastic breaks down into methane and ethylene, which increases the rate of climate change.

Ocean plastic damages air quality, pollutes the atmosphere and contributes to global warming, according to Iberdrola, a multinational electric utility.
Is anything being done to clean up the ocean trash?

Yes. Groups are working to prevent more trash from ending up in the garbage patches by reducing the number of single-use products, such as bottles and straws. There are also people working on cleanup and removal of debris on or near the shore because it's easier to get land trash picked up.

Other groups are looking at doing open ocean cleanup to collect debris like fishing gear and other smaller pieces that are floating around, but there are some challenges since the Pacific Ocean is so big and deep.

Reusable bottles can help prevent more plastic bottles from going into the ocean.

Alina Bradford/CNET

What can I do to help clean up ocean trash?
Businesses and individuals should avoid adding to the problem. For instance, stop littering and start using reusable water bottles instead of single-serve plastic bottles that can easily wind up in waterways.
If you live near an ocean, volunteer to clean the shoreline to help remove debris on shores.
If you don't live near an ocean, you can help clean up parks or local neighborhoods, as trash in those areas can eventually end up in marine environments.
Donate to different organizations that support removing the trash, such as Ocean Conservancy and Oceana.
Shop at companies that are working toward sustainability. They'll typically have this info listed on their website -- for instance, Amazon has a sustainability page with its goals.
Attend COP26's Green Zone event (in person or virtually) to learn more about how the ocean plays a role in our climate.
Support people in all levels of the government who advocate policies addressing climate change.

For more information, read about how COP26 is the "world's best last chance" for climate action and why it's important. Also, scientists estimate 85% of the world's population is affected by climate change.

First published on Nov. 2, 2021 

Yahoo pulls plug on services in China: Report

Yahoo has reportedly cited 'increasingly challenging' environment for its exit out of China.

By Aimee Chanthadavong | November 2, 2021 | Topic: Security


Global tech giant Yahoo has pulled the plug on its services from China, blaming "increasingly challenging" operating environment.

"In recognition of the increasingly challenging business and legal environment in China, Yahoo's suite of services will no longer be accessible from mainland China as of November 1," the company said in a statement, according to Wall Street Journal.

The company added it "remains committed to the rights of our users and a free and open internet".

The move by Yahoo follows Microsoft last month announcing it was shutting down LinkedIn in China. It too cited challenges of keeping up with the country's compliance demand for its reason for leaving the market.

"While we've found success in helping Chinese members find jobs and economic opportunity, we have not found that same level of success in the more social aspects of sharing and staying informed," said LinkedIn senior vice president of engineering Mohak Shroff, in a company blog post.

"We're also facing a significantly more challenging operating environment and greater compliance requirements in China," wrote Shroff. "Given this, we've made the decision to sunset the current localized version of LinkedIn, which is how people in China access LinkedIn's global social media platform later this year."

This, however, is not the first attempt by Yahoo to leave China. Over the years, it has been slowly pulling out services, such as its email services and its Beijing research and development centre.

The departures from China comes as the country reportedly warned local companies in July it would tighten oversight of data security.

The country's Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL) came into effect on Monday. It lays out ground rules around how data is collected, used, and stored. It also outlines data processing requirements for companies based outside of China, including passing a security assessment conducted by state authorities.

Multinational corporations that move personal information out of the country also will have to obtain certification on data protection from professional institutions, according to the PIPL.

The PIPL also applies to foreign organisations that process personal data overseas for the purpose of, amongst others, providing products and services to Chinese consumers as well as analysing the behaviours of Chinese consumers.

The Chinese government previously said the new law was necessary to address the "chaos" data had created, with online platforms over-collecting personal data.

ECOCIDE

“Water is a weapon of war” against Kurdish-controlled areas in northern Syria

On Nov 4, 2021

Factions loyal to Turkey in northern Syria are using the waters of the Khabur River as a weapon of war to put pressure on the areas controlled by the Kurdish Autonomous Administration, according to a report by the Dutch peace-building organization Pax.

The report found that the so-called “Syrian National Army”, in which the pro-Ankara factions are affiliated, created dams on the Khabur River, which passes through several villages in northeastern Syria before continuing to the south and pouring into the Euphrates River in Deir ez-Zor Governorate (east).These factions, with the support of Turkish forces, control large border areas in northern Syria after military attacks targeting mainly the Kurdish People’s Protection Units, the backbone of the Syrian Democratic Forces, which Ankara considers a terrorist organization.

The PAX report, which relied on field work and satellite imagery, found that these species placing berms on a main river at a time when the region faced the driest summer is “an unequivocal example of the use of water as a weapon of war.”

The report showed that the three dams exacerbated the repercussions of the severe drought in the region.
“The effect of the intense heat has been amplified by limited amounts of rain, which means that farming communities have less water than ever before and when they need it most,” he added.Pictures published by Pax showed the three dams, and the first dam was built on May 22 this year.

The Khabur River stretches for 320 kilometers and is a tributary of the Euphrates. It originates in Turkey and passes through Al-Hasakah Governorate, which is the food basket of Syria.

According to the report, thousands of families were deprived of access to water due to the construction of dams, in a clear violation of international humanitarian law.

The report states, “This could be a deliberate measure used by the ‘Syrian National Army’ (factions) with the aim of starving the civilian population and/or causing its forced displacement as a method of warfare.”

In its recommendations, the organization urges the international community to urge Turkey to ensure that all civilians have access to the Khabur waters.

SOURCE: Middle East.in-24

Killing the Khabur: How Turkish-backed armed groups blocked northeast Syria’s water lifeline

On Nov 4, 2021

The suffering of rural communities across northeast Syria controlled by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) is being amplified by Turkish-backed armed groups. Already struggling with severe climate change-linked drought, these areas have experienced even more severe water shortages since May, when  the Syrian National Army (SNA) built three earth dams in areas under their control, cutting off the vital Khabur river 80 kilometers northwest of Hasakah city. New research by PAX, conducted through interviews on the ground and satellite imagery, has shown the depth and consequences of the dam construction on the lives and livelihoods of Syrian farmers.

The summer of 2021 was one of the hottest ever recorded in northeast Syria. The impact of the extreme heat was magnified by very limited rainfall, which meant agricultural communities had less water than ever at their time of greatest need. According to humanitarian agencies, over 12 million Syrians currently face dire consequences from lack of rain and water in the Euphrates River.

For farmers in and near the Khabur valley, the impact of these shortages was further compounded by the blockage of the river, the Euphrates’ largest tributary and a historically non-seasonal waterway. During fieldwork carried out along the M4 highway in September 2021, PAX interviewed farmers and pastoralists around Tel Tamer, many of whom were struggling with intense water scarcity. The cutting of the river’s flow came at a time of severe drought and high diesel prices, which are preventing many farmers from operating their pumps. With no irrigation, vast tracts of agricultural land are being left fallow. 

This is the latest instance in which water has been used as a weapon of war during the conflict in Syria, adding a new unpredictable challenge to farmers’ lives. Since the incursion in parts of northeast Syria by Turkish forces and Turkish-backed armed groups, populations in the area face serious challenges around access to water. Starting in October 2019, the SNA disrupted the water flow from the Alouk Water Station to Tel Tamer and Hasakah on over 20 occasions, leaving close to a million people without access. The lack of rain in Spring 2021 also resulted in lower water levels, as Turkey limited the release of water from its dams into the Euphrates River at the border, with a recorded 70% decrease in water levels in Syria, that has severe consequences for communities depending on it. 

Talking with Abu Gabriel, a 70 year old Assyrian farmer who has been living his whole life in the village of Tall Maghas on the Khabur River, he tells us that most of the people have left the village in recent years. Artillery shelling from the SNA against villages and positions along the M4 is ongoing, driving farmers away from their land. When asked about the water situation, the farmer then mentioned how in May, the SNA blocked the river by building dams.  The increase in rainfall from previous years had boosted agricultural production, but soon crop fires, partly from the shelling, destroyed large parts of the harvest in 2019-2020. This put Abu Gabriel in a precarious position, spending most of his savings planting seeds last year. However, nothing grew as the expected rain never came. “There is no year that we don’t have fear because of the fires and the war. The land will be a desert”, he explained with desperation in his voice. Behind his farm, we walked to the dried out Khabur, a testament to the aforementioned story. 

As of October 2021, the area north and west of Tel Tamer forms part of the frontline between the US-backed SDF, which control most of the northeast, and the Turkish-backed SNA, who have held a swathe of northern Syria since 2019. But the SNA continues to try to make in-roads into the northeast. Local civilians see the blocking of the river as part of a wider strategy to destabilize the Kurdish-dominated Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES).

PAX acquired high-resolution satellite imagery from Airbus and Planet, showing three dams being constructed along the Khabur river in SNA-controlled territory, and a third one in mid-October in an SDF-held area. The first dam was built on May 22nd, south of the village of Tall al Assafir. It was followed on May 27th by a dam 8 km north of the town of As Safih. A third was constructed only a few hundred meters north of the first dam at the town of Al Manajeer on June 1st.  

From late May to early October 2021, the water flow was halted in the river. Downstream from the southernmost dam, 60 communities along the river bank and over 20 more nearby (up to 4 km) depend on its water. Ongoing monitoring showed that on October 6th, the dams were broken and water flowed southward, but it was stopped in the SDF-controlled area at the town Tal Kharita.  

Dam(n)ing the Khabur River

With lower rainfall and less influx of water, all agricultural areas along the Khabur faced water shortages, be it in SNA- or SDF-controlled areas. This was likely a main driver to start blocking the rivers in SNA areas in order to retain water for irrigation. The building of the southernmost dam in late May 2021 at Tall Al Assafir resulted in roughly 80km of river being blocked and communities downstream lacking access to water from the Khabur. A dam constructed later at As Safir added another 20km of blockage with limited flow towards the southern dam, further adding up to 110km of blocked water flows. In total, 53.7% of the Khabur water flow between Turkey and Hasakah City was dammed.

From the southernmost dam at Tall Al Assafir to the Hasakah Lake, the river is estimated to be 95.3 km long. From Tall Al Assafir to Hasakah City along the Khabur River, it is 78.8 km. The estimated area of the Khabur River floodplain from Hasakah City up to the Turkish border is 143 km2. Forty-seven percent of this area was benefited by retaining water while the other 52.6% of the floodplain up to Hasakah City had less water availability. On average the floodplain is around 2 km wide. Floodplain irrigation happens within this area seasonally and depends on water pulses.

Based on Openstreetmap data, within the study area there are 138 populated areas corresponding to towns, villages and hamlets.Of these locations, 46 (33%) are located upstream from the southernmost dam – considered the ‘benefited’ area of the floodplain, while the other 84 locations (66%) are in the section of the river where there was less water availability due to the blackages upstream. Looking just at the populated areas within the floodplain, 31 (53%) lie where water was available, while 58 (65%) lie where water was not running and/or not present in the river bed. At the moment there is no clear population data in these villages. However, there is at least anecdotal evidence that some small villages were abandoned after the 2019 incursion and following ongoing shelling that posed direct risks to farmers. The majority of the villages further downstream are still populated by farmers and livestock keepers. 

The most compelling evidence of the lack of water is the dry river bed. Using the NDWI index (Normalized Difference Water Index) also helps to identify soil moisture distribution in a scene. In the NDWI image below , higher moisture is detected around the blocked river, highlighting the river floodplain upstream from the dams. This is opposite to the natural behaviour described by Beven & Kirbi (1979), where higher moisture is downstream, accumulating at flatter and lower terrains. Though the vegetation growth in these areas seems to be normal in this area compared with previous years, this could be a starting point to further investigate the consequences of the water blockade. 

A more detailed analysis could include a time series approach on NDVI or even soil moisture maps or measurements. This would show where vegetation changes in relation to moisture along the river and influence-area. It is important to clearly identify the extent of land that is actually irrigated or ‘benefited’ by the river water. That would define the influence area and the study area to monitor. Surveys with farmers on well levels or ground water monitoring stations could also give more detail on the relation of groundwater recharge in relation to river levels and interventions, such as blocking its flow and storing water temporarily. A yield survey in both the dry and wet floodplain for this year should also show the impact of water availability in the area. Further surveys could also study how productivity and water availability have differed in the past.

The Khabur, a source of fertility

With historic mentions by ancient Greek writers and the Bible, the Khabur river and its valley have been an important water source in the region. While starting in Turkey, the 320 kilometer long river gets its main source of water from the springs at the border town of Ras-al Ain and flows towards Al Hasakah, where it flows towards the Euphrates in Deir ez Zor. The Khabur and its main branches from the border with Turkey to the Hasakah lake is 206 kilometers. Traditionally, the floodplains along the river were used for cultivation of various crops through irrigation from the river. The resulting plentiful agriculture in the area made this region an important part of Syria’s breadbasket. 

The type of agricultural practices have changed over the last fifty years due to newly built dams and irrigation projects. Low rainfall in Spring 2021 indicated that heavy drought was coming, as outlined by Immap in their May 2021 Crop Monitoring and Food Security Update. It included satellite analysis of vegetation growth in the north-east of Syria, as seen here: 

Source: @Immap, May 2021 

The lack of rainfall linked with the climate crisis is also predicted by the Food and Agriculture Organisation’s recent publication on precipitation analysis in Syria to have severe consequences, putting the country on a trajectory to become a climate-security hotspot. Future droughts will increase in frequency and become more severe, creating more problems for agriculture and communities as water levels decline, both in rivers and groundwater sources. 

A small break-through

In late September, satellite imagery showed an increase in bodies of water north of the dams at Tall al Asafir, indicating that more water was coming in from either the sources at Ras al Ain or more upstream in Turkey. In early October 2021, a rupture was seen at the dam and water started flowing again into SDF-controlled areas. At the time of writing, it is not known what caused this dam break. The river started filling again all the way south of Tel Tamer, but stopped at the town of Quraytah and has not progressed since. This still leaves 34 kilometers of the river and 23 communities towards Hasakah without direct access to the Khabur’s water, further compounding the humanitarian and livelihood problems of thousands of people in that area.

A violation of international humanitarian law? 

The blockade of the Khabur River’s water flow by the Turkish-backed SNA during a period considered to be Syria’s most dry summer in history will have serious consequences for the population downstream.Taking into account both climatic conditions and further limitations of water coming in from the shutdown of Alouk water station, as well as limited flow into the Euphrates, the Khabur is an indispensable source for the survival of the civilian population. With over 84 towns and villages lacking access to water, there would likely be thousands of households struggling with water access caused by the deliberate building of dams stopping the flow of water essential for household and agricultural use. Thus, the blockade is an extreme measure that resulted in denying the civilian population of their sustenance. Under International Humanitarian Law, included in the Geneva Conventions Additional Protocol I (Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts), attacks on ‘objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population’, (including water infrastructure), is prohibited. These concerns were further expanded in the Geneva List of Principles on the Protection of Water Infrastructure under Principle 12 and in Rule 10 of  the ICRC’s Guidelines on Protection of the Environment in Armed Conflict. Both documents outline how ‘‘rendering useless’’ water infrastructure — in this case the blockade of water in a river — would fall under this category. Similarly, the 2004 Berlin Rules on Water Resources of the International Law Association under Article 51 provides that “in no event shall combatants attack, destroy, remove, or render useless waters and water installations indispensable for the health and survival of the civilian population if such actions may be expected to leave the civilian population with such inadequate water as to cause its death from lack of water or force its movement”. The scope of this provision covers the construction of water installations such as dams that block access to water indispensable for the survival of the civilian population.

In the case at hand, a non-state armed group, SNA, which controls an area, is cutting off essential water supplies to the civilian population. This could be a calculated measure employed by the SNA with the intention of starving the civilian population and/or bringing about their forced displacement as a method of warfare. These methods of warfare constitute violation of the rules of international humanitarian law. In this regard, customary International Humanitarian law prohibits: ‘‘the use of starvation of the civilian population as a method of warfare’’ (Rule 53) and ‘‘attacking, destroying, removing or rendering useless objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population’’ (Rule 54).

It should be mentioned that Turkey has a military presence in Northern Syria and collaborates with the SNA. This would invoke Turkey’s obligation to ensure respect for international humanitarian law. Thus, Turkey must exert its influence, to the degree possible, to stop such violations by the SNA and any armed group with which it collaborates.

Moreover, this case also raises issues related to the violation of fundamental human rights such as the right to water, the right to food and the right to life. The blockade of the Khabur River has extensive negative impacts on the human rights of the civilian population of north-east Syria. These human rights complement the prohibition of rendering useless water indispensable to the survival of the civilian population under international humanitarian law. SNA arguably has such obligations under human rights law towards the civilian population in the areas it has established de facto control and has replaced the national authority.

Recommendations

Blocking a main river that a whole region depends on during the most dry summer ever recorded in the region will undoubtedly have severe humanitarian and socio-economic consequences. This type of action is a clear-cut example of using water as weapon of war, violating international humanitarian law and international human rights law, exacerbating already existing climate-linked impacts. Tens-of-thousands of people require access to water for personal use and to sustain their livelihoods as farmers or keeping livestock. Current forecasts on climate-linked environmental changes paint a bleak picture on future rainfall patterns that will likely see more frequent and severe droughts in the region. Water scarcity is already resulting in a drop in groundwater levels from (illegal) well-digging and this is expected to increase. 

We call upon the responsible parties, including the Syrian National Army and the Turkish government to:

• Immediately remove all dams in the Khabur River halting the blockade of water downstream.
• Respect international legal obligations on protection of civilian infrastructure, as protected under the Geneva Conventions Additional Protocol I.
• Commit to peaceful dialogue over solutions relating to climate-linked degrading natural resources.

We call upon the the international community to:

• Proactively engage with Turkey to ensure civilians have access to the river’s water.
• Develop a strategy for the region on cross-boundary water challenges linked climate-change linked developments that affect surface and groundwater, soil and vegetation growth.
• Call upon the Human Rights Council and the Commission of Inquiry to include the blockages of rivers in their situation monitoring and systematically include violations of access to water in their reporting and raise this with relevant authorities.
• Call upon the UN Security Council should ensure it is briefed regularly on the water insecurity impacts facing civilians in Syria and other conflict-affected areas  during its monthly briefings on the humanitarian situation, and ensure the participation of civil society organisations in the briefings and reporting mechanisms.

 

 

SOURCE: PAX

SOHR: Israel launches missile attack near Syria’s Damascus

Attack reportedly resulted in some material damage but there were no immediate reports of casualties.

On Nov 3, 202

Israel has launched an aerial attack with a number of missiles targeting an area on the outskirts of the Syrian capital of Damascus, Syrian state TV said early on Wednesday, citing a military source.

Syrian state news agency SANA confirmed the raids and said they caused only material damage.

“The Israeli enemy launched an aerial aggression with a number of missiles,” the news agency quoted a military source as saying, naming the targeted area as Zakia.

There was no immediate comment from Israeli officials.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the targets were army positions and arms depots belonging to Iran-backed fighters.

Last Saturday, Israeli also fired missiles towards the suburbs of the Syrian capital, although they were intercepted by Syria’s air defences.

On October 14, an Israeli air raid on Iranian positions in central Syria also killed nine fighters allied to the Syrian government.

The attacks came days after Syria accused Israel of carrying out an attack in the country’s south.

Israel, alarmed by Iran’s growing regional influence and military presence in Syria, has launched hundreds of attacks in Syria over the years but rarely acknowledges or discusses such operations.

The attacks on Syria usually happen during the night.

Israel has acknowledged it is targeting bases, weapon convoys and facilities linked to Iran-allied militias, such as the powerful Lebanese Hezbollah group.

It is also targeting arms shipments believed to be bound for the group.

Hezbollah is fighting on the side of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces in the civil war.

Democrat Ed Gainey Declares Victory, Becoming Pittsburgh’s First Black Mayor

Gainey declared victory over Republican Tony Moreno, saying, "This is our city. This is our time."

By Jessica GuayNovember 3, 2021 at 8:00 am


By: KDKA-TV News Staff

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Democrat Ed Gainey has declared victory as Pittsburgh’s next mayor

Gainey gave a speech with family and supporters by his side, making history as the city’s first Black mayor. At that time, 67.66% of precincts were reporting with 38,151 votes for Gainey and 15,207 votes for Moreno.

Republican Tony Moreno conceded shortly after.

“Look at the image that we are showing our children. I want our children to see what a city for all looks like. I want our children to see that we don’t separate by divided lines, but we as one community, we as one city are here for them,” Gainey said.

He said that Pittsburgh could be safe and affordable, and he promised police-community relations that “don’t erode or divide, but unifies and multiplies.”

He ended by saying, “When Pittsburgh show up, we blow up.”

Mayor Bill Peduto congratulated Ed Gainey. “I look forward to working with you and your team on a progressive transition for the betterment of all of Pittsburgh. Here’s to the next chapter. Do great things!” Peduto tweeted.

In an upset, Gainey defeated incumbent Peduto in May.

Both Pittsburgh mayoral candidates cast their ballots Tuesday morning. As their campaigns came to a close, both tried to convince last-minute voters to buy into their campaigns.

It was still dark as Moreno cast his ballot at Destiny of Faith Church in Brighton Heights. A couple of hours later, Gainey cast his ballot at the Paulson Recreation Center in Lincoln-Lemington.

After both voted, they went to polling locations to drum up support.

If Moreno would have won, he would have also made history as the city’s first Republican mayor since the 1930s.

COP26 | We’ll lead even if you don’t, Indian schoolgirl tells world leaders
PTI
GLASGOW, NOVEMBER 03, 2021 

Earthshot Prize finalist Vinisha Umashankar speaks during the World Leaders' Summit "Accelerating Clean Technology Innovation and Deployment", at the COP26 Summit, in Glasgow, Scotland, Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021.The U.N. climate summit in Glasgow gathers leaders from around the world, in Scotland's biggest city, to lay out their vision for addressing the common challenge of global warming. | Photo Credit: AP

Vinisha Umashankar from Tamil Nadu was part of the “Accelerating Clean Technology Innovation and Deployment” session attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

A 15-year-old Indian schoolgirl, whose solar-powered ironing cart project was the finalist of Prince William’s inaugural Earthshot Prize, addressed the World Leaders’ Summit of the COP26 conference in Glasgow with a clarion call for them to act and save the planet.

Vinisha Umashankar, who is from Tamil Nadu, was part of the “Accelerating Clean Technology Innovation and Deployment” session attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi just before he left for New Delhi on Tuesday evening.

She invited world leaders, international organisations, civil society, and business leaders to stand with her generation and back the innovations, solutions and projects working to repair the planet and join the next generation in taking action.

“We, the Earthshot Prize Winners and finalists, are proof that the greatest challenge in the history of our Earth is also the greatest opportunity. We lead the greatest wave of innovation humanity has ever known,” said Umashankar.

“We chose not to complain, but take actions that will make us wealthier and healthier. We chose to do these things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard. Rising to these challenges will shape a new generation. A generation that will build a better world for all of us and generations to come,” she said.

“We won’t wait for you to act. We will lead even if you don’t. We’ll build the future, even if you are stuck in the past. Please accept my invite. I assure you won’t regret it,” she added.

Umashankar had made the shortlist cut of the 1 million pounds Earthshot Prize within the “Clean Our Air” category with her concept of a solar-powered clean alternative to the charcoal-powered street irons that press clothes for millions of Indians each day.

Earlier, she joined the Indian winner in the category, Vidyut Mohan, for a meeting with Prime Minister Modi.

“It was such an honour meeting the Prime Minister, who was very curious about my winning agricultural waste recycling project and had some very encouraging words about scaling this up to help farmers all over India,” said Mohan, the co-founder of Takachar which was named the winner of the prize last month for its cheap, small-scale, portable technology that converts crop residues into sellable bio-products.

“The prize means a lot as it gives the project a global scale and also offers us access to crucial support and funding,” said Mohan, with reference to his 1mn pounds win.

Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, joined the winners and finalists at the World Leaders’ Summit, hosted by UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson where Heads of State and Government leaders assembled over Monday and Tuesday to deliver national plans to tackle climate change.

“Our Finalists are bursting with energy, ideas and ambition, so please expect many of them to come knocking on your doors! Their ingenuity is amazing. Their potential is off the charts. It’s my pleasure to introduce you to the real superstars in this room today,” Prince William said in his address to the summit.

Earlier on Tuesday, Global Advisor to the Earthshot Prize Winners, Michael R. Bloomberg, hosted an Earthshot Prize Global Alliance Assembly reception in the Green Zone of COP26.

This was the first time the finalists met with some of the Global Alliance, an unprecedented network of philanthropists, NGOs and some of the world’s biggest companies and brands representing 3.6 million employees globally that together will help support and scale the innovative and ground-breaking solutions developed by all 15 finalists.

On Wednesday, the winners participated in an interactive event for local Scottish school students, to be interviewed by young climate champions representing Generation Earthshot, an educational initiative at the COP26 climate summit.

With the conclusion of the World Leaders’ Summit segment of the 26th Conference of Parties (COP26) at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the focus now shifts to the nearly 200 countries’ negotiating teams to thrash out a global agreement by the end of the summit on November 12.