FBI says it has disabled 20-year Russian malware spying operation

Photo by Sergei Ilnitsky/EPA-EFE

May 9 (UPI) -- The Justice Department Tuesday said it has now dismantled a global malware operation backed by Russia's security service that had been operating clandestinely for almost 20 years.

Russia's FSB used the malware named "Snake" to steal state secrets from the United States and at least 50 NATO member countries over the years, the Justice Department said in a statement.

Court documents refer to the FSB unit as "Turla," while the operation, itself, was dubbed one of the most in-depth ever launched by Russia.

The unit was reportedly operating out of a known FSB facility, conducting daily operations in Ryazan, Russia.

"Through a high-tech operation that turned Russian malware against itself, U.S. law enforcement has neutralized one of Russia's most sophisticated cyber-espionage tools, used for two decades to advance Russia's authoritarian objectives," Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said in a statement Tuesday.

Authorities believe the malware infected hundreds of computers, including those of government workers and journalists.

U.S. officials launched a counter operation, allowing them to access infected computers remotely.

"The FBI developed the capability to decrypt and decode Snake communications," the Justice Department said in its statement.

"With information gleaned from monitoring the Snake network and analyzing Snake malware, the FBI developed a tool named PERSEUS which establishes communication sessions with the Snake malware implant on a particular computer, and issues commands that causes the Snake implant to disable itself without affecting the host computer or legitimate applications on the computer."

The operation to disable Snake did not patch vulnerabilities or remove any additional malware, the Justice Department cautioned, adding anyone with an infected computer should take appropriate protective measures.

The department sent a joint cybersecurity alert along with the other four members of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing group; Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Britain.

Victory Parade on Red Square


President of Russia – Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Federation Armed Forces Vladimir Putin attended a military parade marking the 78th anniversary of Victory in the 1941–1945 Great Patriotic War.

May 9, 2023

LEADERS OF GREAT NATIONS

Alongside with the President of Russia on the stand were Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov, President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov and President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Before the parade, Vladimir Putin welcomed the heads of foreign states who had arrived in Moscow for the celebrations, in the Heraldic Hall of the Kremlin.

The parade began with the national flag of Russia and the Banner of Victory carried into Red Square. The parade was led by Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Ground Forces Army General Oleg Salyukov and reviewed by Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu.

The marching column on Red Square included 30 ceremonial regiments of over 8,000 service personnel, among them 530 troops taking part in the special military operation.

The motorised column was headed by the legendary “Victory tank” T-34–85. Tigr-M and BTR-82A armoured personnel carriers, Bumerang infantry fighting vehicles, Iskander-M operational tactical missile systems, S-400 Triumf air defence launchers and Yars mobile ground-based missile systems drove through Red Square. The newest Spartak and 3-STS Akhmat armoured vehicles were presented at the parade for the first time.

The music accompaniment was provided by the combined military orchestra.

* * *

Speech by the President of Russia at the military parade

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Citizens of Russia,

Dear veterans,

Comrade soldiers and sailors, sergeants and warrant officers, midshipmen and sergeant majors,

Comrade officers, generals and admirals,

Soldiers and commanders participating in the special military operation,

Happy Victory Day!

Happy holiday that commemorates the honour of our fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers who glorified and immortalised their names by defending our Fatherland. They saved the humankind from Nazism through immeasurable courage and immense sacrifice.

Today, our civilisation is at a crucial turning point. A real war is being waged against our country again but we have countered international terrorism and will defend the people of Donbass and safeguard our security.

For us, for Russia, there are no unfriendly or hostile nations either in the west or in the east. Just like the vast majority of people on the planet, we want to see a peaceful, free and stable future.

We believe that any ideology of superiority is abhorrent, criminal and deadly by its nature. However, the Western globalist elites keep speaking about their exceptionalism, pit nations against each other and split societies, provoke bloody conflicts and coups, sow hatred, Russophobia, aggressive nationalism, destroy family and traditional values which make us human. They do all that so as to keep dictating and imposing their will, their rights and rules on peoples, which in reality is a system of plundering, violence and suppression.

They seem to have forgotten what the Nazis’ insane claims of global dominance led to. They forgot who destroyed that monstrous, total evil, who stood up for their native land and did not spare their lives to liberate the peoples of Europe.

We see how in certain countries they ruthlessly and cold-bloodedly destroy memorials to Soviet soldiers, demolish monuments to great commanders, create a real cult of the Nazis and their proxies, erase and demonise the memory of true heroes. Such profanation of the feat and sacrifices of the victorious generation is also a crime, an outright revanchism on the part of those who were cynically and blatantly preparing a new march on Russia and who brought together neo-Nazi scum from around the world for this.

Their goal – and there is nothing new about it – is to break apart and destroy our country, to make null and void the outcomes of World War II, to completely break down the system of global security and international law, to choke off any sovereign centres of development.

Boundless ambition, arrogance and impunity inevitably lead to tragedies. This is the reason for the catastrophe the Ukrainian people are going through. They have become hostage to the coup d’état and the resulting criminal regime of its Western masters, collateral damage in the implementation of their cruel and self-serving plans.

The memory of defenders of the Fatherland is sacred for us in Russia, and we cherish it in our hearts. We give credit to members of the Resistance who bravely fought Nazism as well as the troops of the allied armies of the United States, Great Britain and other countries. We remember and honour the feat of Chinese soldiers in the fight against Japanese militarism.

I strongly believe that the experience of solidarity and partnership during the years of fighting a common threat is our invaluable heritage and a secure foothold now when the unstoppable movement is gaining momentum towards a more just multipolar world, a world based on the principles of trust and indivisible security, of equal opportunities for a genuine and free development of all nations and peoples.

It is crucial that leaders of the Commonwealth of Independent States have gathered here in Moscow today. I see it as appreciation of the feat of our ancestors: they fought and won together since all the peoples of the USSR contributed to our common Victory.

We will always remember that. We bow our heads in cherished memory of those who lost their lives during the war, the memory of sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, grandfathers, husbands, wives, sisters and friends.

I declare a minute of silence.

(A minute of silence.)

Citizens of Russia,

The battles that were decisive for our Motherland always became patriotic, national and sacred. We are faithful to our ancestors’ legacy and have a deep and clear awareness of what it means to be up to the mark of their military, labour and moral achievements.

We take pride in the participants in the special military operation, all those fighting on the frontlines, those who deliver supplies to the front and save the wounded under fire. Your combat activities now are of paramount importance. The country’s security depends on you today as does the future of our statehood and our people. You commendably perform your combat duty fighting for Russia. Your families, children and friends stand behind you. They are waiting for you. I am sure you can feel their unfailing love.

The entire country has united to support our heroes. Everyone is ready to help, everyone prays for you.

Comrades, friends, dear veterans,

Today, every family in our country honours Great Patriotic War participants, remembers their family members and their heroes, and lays flowers to military memorials.

We are standing on Red Square, a place which remembers retainers of Yury Dolgoruky and Dmitry Donskoy, the people’s militia of Minin and Pozharsky, soldiers of Peter the Great and Kutuzov, the military parades of 1941 and 1945.

Today we have here participants in the special military operation – regular servicemen and those who joined the army ranks during the partial mobilisation, troops of the Lugansk and Donetsk corps, many volunteer units, personnel of the National Guard, Interior Ministry, Federal Security Service, Emergencies Ministry and other security agencies and services.

My greetings to all of you, friends. My greetings to everyone who is fighting for Russia in the battlefield, who is now in the line of duty.

Our heroic ancestors proved during the Great Patriotic War that nothing can beat our strong, powerful and reliable unity. There is nothing stronger than our love for the Motherland.

For Russia! For our glorious Armed Forces! For Victory!

Hooray!

British police express 'regret' over 6 anti-monarchists arrested in coronation protests

it's easier to ask forgiveness than to get permission

Republic CEO Graham Smith, who is demanding an inquiry into how he and five colleagues were arrested, said the right to protest peacefully in Britain no longer existed, only a "freedom to protest that is contingent on political decisions made by ministers and senior police."

 File photo by Andy Rain/EPA-EFE

May 9 (UPI) -- London's Metropolitan Police have apologized to a group of anti-monarchists who were wrongfully arrested and detained on the morning of the coronation of King Charles III after being assured their protest was legal.

The six people, all from the group Republic including its CEO Graham Smith, have had their bail canceled and no further action will be taken following an internal investigation, the Met said in a news release.

"We regret that those six people arrested were unable to join the wider group of protesters in Trafalgar Square and elsewhere on the procession route.

"It was not clear at the time that at least one of the group stopped had been engaging with police Protest Liaison Team officers ahead of the event. The Protest Liaison Team were not the arresting officers nor were they present in St Martin's Lane at the time of the arrest."

The Met said the six were arrested on suspicion of going equipped for a new offense of "locking on" [shackling or gluing oneself to street furniture such as railings to avoid being removed] because they were in possession of straps when their vehicle was stopped.

Smith said police were informed that it was not "physically possible to 'lock on'" with luggage straps and that they were told that the straps were support braces to help demonstrators keep hefty placards aloft.

Smith said he had rejected a personal apology from a chief inspector and two other officers at his home in Reading on Monday evening, saying what had happened was a "disgraceful episode," that required a "full inquiry" into how the arrests were authorized.

"The speed with which they did this demonstrates they were very quickly aware they had made a very serious error of judgment and there will be action taken again," said Smith. "I'm obviously relieved they dropped it so quickly but very angry they even went down this road, robbing people of their liberty for absolutely no reason.

"There was no evidence of any ability or intent to commit any offense and they simply decided to arrest us and that is outrageous."

Smith, who said Republic was considering legal action against the Met, was among 64 people arrested Saturday during the coronation, 32 of whom were charged with conspiracy to cause a public nuisance and released on bail, while another 14 arrested for breach of peace have also been bailed.

Police said one person was charged with "a religiously aggravated offense," while two others were charged with possession of a class A drug.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak backed the new policing powers that were used to arrest protestors contained in the controversial Public Order Bill passed last week and was emphatic that police operated independently of government.

"Of course, people have the right to protest freely but peacefully, but it is also right that people have the ability to go about their day-to-day lives without facing serious disruption," said Sunak. 

THE POINT OF PROTEST IS TO DISRUPT

UK police under fire over coronation protester arrests

By JILL LAWLESS

AP

yesterday

Members of the anti-monarchist group Republic stage a protest along the route of the procession ahead of the coronation of King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort, in London, Saturday, May 6, 2023.

 (Sebastien Bozon/Pool via AP)

LONDON (AP) — An anti-monarchy group says it plans to take legal action against London’s Metropolitan Police after several of its members were arrested as they prepared to protest the coronation of King Charles III.

Civil liberties groups are accusing the police, and Britain’s Conservative government, of stifling the right to protest with new powers to clamp down on peaceful but disruptive demonstrations.

The police force expressed “regret” late Monday that the activists were prevented from protesting, but defended its handling of the coronation, which drew hundreds of thousands of people into the streets of London — hundreds of protesters among them.

Police arrested 64 people around Saturday’s coronation, most for allegedly planning to disrupt the ceremonies. Four have been charged, while most were released on bail. Six members of anti-monarchist group Republic were let go and told they would not face any charges.

Republic chief executive Graham Smith said three senior police officers came to his house and apologized in person for the arrest that saw him held in custody for 16 hours.

“I said for the record I won’t accept the apology,” Smith said, adding that the group “will be taking action.”

The U.K.’s recently passed Public Order Act, introduced in response to civil disobedience by environmental groups, allows police to search demonstrators for items including locks and glue and imposes penalties of up to 12 months in prison for protesters who block roads or interfere with “national infrastructure.”

Police said the Republic members had items that could be used to “lock on” to infrastructure. Republic said the items were ties for their placards and police acknowledged its “investigation has been unable to prove intent to use them to lock on and disrupt the event.”

“We regret that those six people arrested were unable to join the wider group of protesters in Trafalgar Square and elsewhere on the procession route,” police said.

London police chief Mark Rowley defended his officers’ actions.

“Much of the ill-informed commentary on the day is wholly inaccurate. For example, protest was not banned,” Rowley wrote in the Evening Standard newspaper. “I want to be absolutely clear: our activity was targeted at those we believed were intent on causing serious disruption and criminality. Serious and reliable intelligence told us that the risks were very real.”

A royal supporter applauds as Police move in to crowd to detain 'Just Stop Oil' protestors before the King's Procession in London, Saturday, May 6, 2023. 

(Ian McIlgorm/Mail on Sunday via AP, Pool)

The Conservative government also defended the way police handled the protests.

“This was the context: a once-in-a-generation national moment, facing specific intelligence threats about multiple, well-organized plots to disrupt it,” Policing Minister Chris Philp said.

“We had specific intelligence that people planned to disrupt the coronation by creating a stampede of horses and covering the ceremonial procession in paint,” he said.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan, a member of the opposition Labour Party, requested “further clarity” from the force. He said the right to peaceful protest is an integral part of democracy.

Conservative lawmaker David Davis said the new powers of arrest were too broad.

“No one wants a day ruined, but the right to put up placards is virtually absolute in British democracy,” he told the BBC on Tuesday.

The Metropolitan Police force was already under intense pressure after a series of scandals involving its treatment of women and minorities. Confidence in the force plummeted after a serving officer raped and killed a young woman in London in 2020.

An independent review commissioned after the murder of marketing executive Sarah Everard said the force was riddled with racism, misogyny and homophobia. This year, another officer pleaded guilty to 48 rapes and dozens of other serious crimes committed over a 17-year period. ___

Rights group says Myanmar used thermobaric weapon against civilians


Human Rights Watch says Myanmar's military (pictured, 2022) committed "an apparent war crime" when aircraft dropped a thermobaric munition into an area that was crowded with civilians recently. File Photo by EPA-EFE



May 9 (UPI) -- Myanmar's military committed an "apparent war crime" in April when it dropped a thermobaric munition on a building in opposition-controlled territory, according to Human Rights Watch.

"About 300 residents from Kantbalu township gathered on April 11, ahead of the Buddhist new year to open an opposition-controlled administrative office in Pa Zi Gyi," the organization said in a press release Tuesday. "Two witnesses told Human Rights Watch that at about 7:30 a.m., a military jet flew overhead and dropped at least one munition, which exploded amid the crowd gathered around the building."

Human Rights Watch examined video and photographic evidence from the scene and concluded the blast was caused by an "enhanced-blast" or "thermobaric" munition.

Thermobaric munitions, also known as fuel air bombs, work by dispersing an explosive substance in vapor form, which uses oxygen in the air as fuel as it explodes, increasing the explosive force. Thermobaric munitions typically produce large powerful blasts.

"Within minutes, a witness said, a helicopter gunship followed and fired cannons, grenades, and rockets into the crowd as people tried to flee," the group said.

More than 160 people, including children, were killed in the blast and the subsequent attack by helicopter gunships, Human Rights Watch officials said.

The opposition National Unity Government displayed fragments they say came from the strikes at a press conference. Human Rights Watch officials say they were able to identify some of the fragments as belonging to munitions typically launched from Mi-24 helicopters, which the government uses.

Myanmar has been ruled by a military junta since a 2021 coup that removed the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi from power.

In January, the United States Treasury Department designated the head of Myanmar's air force, Htun Aung, as a target of sanctions.

"Burma [Myanmar]'s military regime has used its military aircraft to conduct aerial bombings and other attacks against pro-democracy forces, killing and displacing countless civilians," the Treasury Department said in a press release at the time.

HUMAN RIGHTS - TURKEY

Turkish activist Osman Kavala: Exclusive interview from jail

The Turkish human rights activist has been imprisoned in Turkey since 2017. Erdogan's government considers Kavala an enemy of the state. DW was able to contact him and learned why he still has hope in spite of it all.

Linda Vierecke
DW

May 8, 2023

Three years ago, when DW visited Osman Kavala in prison, he was still certain he would soon be released. But things turned out differently.

Kavala spent four years behind bars awaiting a verdict in his case.

Then in April 2022, an Istanbul court sentenced him to life in prison. The global outcry was enormous, with Germany one of the world governments to condemn the verdict.

Kavala, an entrepreneur, civil rights activist, and philanthropist, is accused of organizing and financing the 2013 Gezi protests, which were initially directed in opposition to the construction of a shopping center, and then later against the government of president Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

For the DW documentary "Osman Kavala: A Voice from Prison," DW reporter Linda Vierecke was once again able to interview him — this time in writing.

DW: Why is the government so worried to see you free?

Osman Kavala: My extended imprisonment helps to sustain the perception that the

bogus charges against me have validity. The president stated several times that my guilt is the reason for my imprisonment. This message can also be understood as 'my imprisonment is the indicator of my guilt.' If I were to be released, it would become clear that the charges against me were of a bogus nature and Gezi was a show trial.

How were you involved in the Gezi Park protests 10 years ago?

When I first learned about the government's plan to build a shopping mall that would totally destroy the park, I joined my colleagues in a campaign to convince the government and the public that this was a terrible idea.

My office is almost adjacent to the park. This made it possible for me to observe the young people gathering in the park, and talk with them. I was impressed by their determination to protect the park, their strong sense of justice, and the spirit of solidarity among them. The majority of them had no ties with an organization and probably it was their first time participating in such an action. During the protests, I brought a loudspeaker and a plastic table to the park. These, in addition to some cookies, constitute the evidence, the only evidence, provided in the indictment in support of the allegation that I had funded the protests.

A sit-in protest at Gezi Park in May 2013, before riot police used tear gas and pressurized water to disperse the crowd

AP Photo/picture alliance

What do you think about that accusation of the government that you were behind the Gezi protests — which they have never proven?

Nowadays in Turkey, as long as the government considers someone guilty, making serious attempts to identify and determine the criminal act and to search concrete evidence in support of the alleged crime no longer constitutes an imperative in putting someone behind bars.

In my case, Mr. Erdogan started making grave accusations against me even before the indictment was prepared. I think neither the government nor the prosecutors who had prepared the indictment actually believe in the absurd allegation that I planned and organized the protests in collaboration with George Soros (Kavala was among the founders of the Turkish branch of US philanthropist George Soros' Open Society Foundation, which promotes democratic movements but suspended its activities in Turkey in 2018 — ed.). It was clear from the very beginning that the protests developed spontaneously and had no central command structure.

Do you agree with the argument that the government is trying to send a message to the western world by punishing you?

I think several messages were given by my persecution, and they were mostly directed at the domestic audience. As also stated in the ECHR (European Court of Human Rights — ed.) decision of 2019 regarding my case, my arrest conveys a message to the civil society activists, warning them not to be involved in activities seen as disruptive by the government.

The narrative of foreign powers organizing a conspiracy against the government was prepared to criminalize the Gezi events and it was also used to stigmatize other street demonstrations.

Creative forms of demonstrations also characterized the Gezi Park protests in 2013

Marco Longari/AFP/Getty Images

Moreover, this trial sets an example for the judiciary, guiding them on how to act and decide in accordance with the government's perception and priorities.

The ultimate message here is that if the president, as the sovereign authority, considers someone guilty, domestic or international law cannot prevent his or her persecution.

You supported so much work in Diyarbakir — especially in the Kurdish community. Why was that important for you? Did you ever see that as a dangerous involvement?

I had the opportunity to visit Diyarbakir and the other southeastern cities at a young age. This experience made me realize that this region of my country is very different. My conversations with Kurdish friends helped me to better understand how they feel in the face of the repressive and discriminatory policies the Kurdish citizens are subjected to, as well as the different political environment in the region.

I thought that promoting personal contacts, communication, and collaboration between the artists, writers, and intellectuals from Istanbul and Diyarbakir would contribute to the development of mutual understanding, hence trust, which is necessary to feel ourselves as members of the same community. According to my experience, art and artistic programs considerably contribute to building mental and emotional bridges; they enable contemplation and discussion of issues of political content in a non-antagonistic atmosphere.

Kurdish-majority city Diyarbakir was also highly affected by the devastating earthquakes earlier this year

 Mahmut Bozarslan/AP Photo/picture alliance

Why do you think you have become one of the main targets of the government?

In the indictment prepared against me it is written that I have worked with minority groups in order to incite them against the government, and these activities were carried out behind the veil of cultural programs. We have been working in southeastern Turkey for the last 20 years, and it is the first time such a bogus accusation was made by an official authority. I think this shows the rise of an authoritarian mentality with an anti-minority edge in the political domain.

Knowing that it is dangerous to get involved in such issues, why did you choose to enter this "minefield?" You could have simply focused on earning money, like many others.

Earning money is fine. But I think that to live in a society where people of different faiths and ethnicities feel as equal citizens, and where poor and rich enjoy similar public services, is a great privilege, and believing that your work contributes to the advent of such a society also gives a feeling of enrichment, despite some risks it entails.

VIDEO Kavala gets life in prison: DW's Dorian Jones  04:15

Tell us about your daily routine in prison: What do you do with your time?

I don't have much to complain about the conditions and treatment here. I think this is one of the better managed prisons in Turkey. I am staying in a single room. I spend my time mostly reading, especially fiction, a vital activity for me to maintain my mental health. I watch the news on independent TV channels; I also get papers daily in my room. During the day, I have the opportunity to use my small courtyard to walk.

In summer, I feed the sparrows that have their nests up above the walls. I catch glimpses of seagulls flying over in the direction of the sea. I also enjoy watching the clouds, their shapes and movements. These make me feel closer to nature.

I receive letters from friends and often from people whom I did not know before. I try to write them back. I can talk with my wife by phone with a glass panel between us for an hour each week; once a month without the screen. There is no time limit to meeting with lawyers.

If the verdict of an aggravated life sentence is confirmed by the Court of Cassation (the last instance for reviewing verdicts given by courts of criminal and civil justice in Turkey — ed.), the conditions will be much worse.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has called on the Turkish government to release Osman Kavala

Annette Riedl/dpa/picture alliance

What was your first reaction to the aggravated life sentence? How do you feel now?

I was expecting to be sentenced to several years of imprisonment, as it was needed to justify my long and arbitrary detention. But I did not imagine that they would sentence me to life imprisonment using the same evidence that the European Court of Human Rights found insufficient even for my arrest.

In the earlier hearings, extension of my detention without proper reasoning used to trigger a strong feeling of injustice in me. When I heard the verdict, what I felt was deep sorrow for the state of the judiciary and the judges in my country.

There are many prisoners who are detained or sentenced by means of arbitrary decisions, and quite a number of them have been behind bars longer than myself. However, I think the different phases of this political trial, the use of different charges to extend my detention, and finally this verdict made very clear the manipulation involved in the judicial processes in Turkey and the abuse of the Turkish penal system. I try to preserve my tranquility of mind and wait for a political change in my country.

The election is coming up soon. What hopes and fears do you have?

The fact that six opposition parties from different parts of the political spectrum have made an alliance and that they have prepared a detailed program outlining how they would govern Turkey together is very promising.

The program prioritizes restoration of rights and liberties, return to the parliamentary regime, and securing the independence of the judiciary. I think the deteriorating economic situation and the experience of the earthquake, which fostered the feeling that the government was not able to save the lives of its citizens, have strengthened popular demands for change.

Kemal Kilicdaroglu is the presidential candidate from the Turkish opposition's six-party alliance

ADEM ALTAN/AFP/Getty Images

It is very likely that the ruling block of AKP and MHP, the nationalist party, may lose their majority seats in the Parliament and Mr. Kemal Kilicdaroglu could win the presidency. The pro-Kurdish HDP, though not part of this six-party alliance, would probably support him.

I am hopeful about the future of Turkey. We have a strong political opposition with a deeply rooted tradition and organizational network. The opposition won almost all mayorships of important metropolitan cities in the last local elections. There is space for democratic political and civil activity which cannot be stifled, and which would prevent a shift into a close authoritarian system even if the opposition may not win in the forthcoming elections.

Edited by: Petra Lambeck, Tanya Ott

Lebanon: Soaring inflation turns olive oil into a luxury

INFLATION IS PRICE GOUGING 
Lebanese olive oil has become unaffordable for many in the crisis-ridden country. As inflation bites and the US dollar reigns supreme, poorer people are forced to part with their traditional local diet.

Dario Sabaghi

 Beirut, Lebanon

DW

May 8, 2023


Imad Waresbi is a 43-year-old resident of Tripoli in northern Lebanon who produces and trades olive oil for a living. He sells his oil for a wholesale price of $5 (€4.50) per liter, which is a fairly reasonable price for the product, he said.

In the shops, however, a liter nowadays costs around $10 or even more, he told DW. "People buy olive oil from me so they can profit from it or save some money or because people are looking for cheap olive oil today."

Lebanon has a rich history of both producing and consuming olive oil. Not only is it a crucial component in many traditional Lebanese dishes, such as Tabbouleh, Fattoush, and Mujadara Hamra, but the olive tree itself is deeply ingrained in Lebanese culture.

Furthermore, as a country that relies heavily on imports, olive oil is one of the few commodities that Lebanon can export.

High prices for top-quality olive oil make pooerer people turn to less healthy yet cheaper cooking oils

Dario Sabaghi/DW

Olive growers squeezed by inflation and crisis

The ongoing economic crisis in Lebanon, including currency woes that saw the US dollar become the preferred legal tender, has pushed millions into poverty. It has significantly impacted the purchasing power, particularly of those who continue to earn in local currency instead of dollars.

Waresbi said that despite selling olive oil to dozens of clients, he only earns around $500 per month. With the cost of living in Lebanon worsening day by day, he sometimes struggles to afford olive oil for himself and is forced to use cheaper cooking oil instead.

"What I earn is not enough as I have to pay bills, rent, food, and other expenses," he said.

The latest inflation figures published by Lebanon's Central Administration of Statistics show the annual inflation rate for food and nonalcoholic beverages has surpassed 350%. In March, the rate surged by 264% over the year, despite the official decision in February to devalue the Lebanese pound by 90%.

The official exchange rate now pays 15,000 Lebanese pounds for a US dollar — significantly higher than the previous rate of just over 1,500. However, the parallel market exchange rate currently stands at around 96,000 Lebanese pounds at the time of writing.

Retail markets in Lebanon sell olive oil for prices ranging from $7 to $11 per liter, or even higher, depending on the quality of the product. This equates to between 672,000 and 1,056,000 Lebanese pounds, well beyond the means of many given a national minimum wage for private employees of 9 million Lebanese pounds per month — equivalent to approximately $93 or €84.

Lebanon's economic crisis has made many food staples unaffordable for poorer people

Image: Dario Sabaghi/DW

The wholesale market of olive oil

Those who cannot afford to buy olive oil in shops use other cooking oil, such as sunflower oil, or buy olive oil at the wholesale market.

The price of wholesale olive oil varies from $65 per 16-kilo (35-pound) tin to more than $100.

Olive oil vendors advertise their products on Facebook groups and other social media platforms and deliver olive oil across the country. They may also be known through word-of-mouth recommendations.

People who have land for olive trees, especially those living in small villages, often take their olives to the mills to be pressed into oil for their own personal use. However, the cost of transportation and maintenance of the land means this is not a cheap option.

Wine production becomes a beacon of hope in Lebanon

02:29 Medal-winning olive oil

Although the price of olive oil has increased, Lebanese people have not relinquished their historic attachment to it, continuing to take pride in the excellence of the country's traditional ingredients.

In April, a Lebanese brand named Darmmess, based out of the village of Deir Mimas and founded by Rose Bechara, won a gold medal at the NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition, the largest and most prestigious olive oil quality contest in the world. Bechara told DW that Lebanese olive oils are not well-known globally.

"This has been a challenge because one of our missions is to build a territorial branding for Lebanese olive oils. So, it has been quite hard to tell the whole world that we can have outstanding olive oil," she said.

Bechara attributes the success of Darmmess phenolic extra virgin olive oil to the centenarian and millenarian olive trees, the collaboration with local farmers who use organic agriculture and early harvesting to ensure top-quality olives, and the unique soil and altitude of Deir Mimas, which has earned it the nickname of the "Bordeaux of Olive Oils."

Darmmess olive oil is sold domestically and internationally, priced at $15 per 500 ml in Lebanon and between $20 and $30 abroad.

Lebanon's olive oil is among the best in the world 

Colourbox/expressiovisual

Lebanese olive oil industry struggles

The success story of Darmmess, however, did not come without challenges.

Bechara's socially oriented enterprise lost money when the economic crisis began because the funds in its bank account were frozen. Additionally, it encountered various production-related issues.

Fuels have become much more expensive after the government lifted subsidies, and Bechara faced a shortage of glass for bottling, which is imported. Additionally, Bechara said she struggled to find a qualified workforce in the village, as many people had left the country or become less interested in agriculture.

Another problem is the frequent electricity cuts. "Power shortages frustrated me as people of my village cannot afford a 24-hour working generator, and we had to organize the work according to power availability, focusing on the organization rather than product quality," she said.

Bechara says the primary reason for higher olive oil prices in Lebanon is soaring inflation, both in Lebanon and internationally. At the same time, she warns against using cheaper seed oils for cooking because "it is refined during its processing and kills all the nutrients."

"If you want to take care of your lands, you have to consider that the price of fertilizers and fuel have increased. It happened simultaneously when the purchasing power of Lebanese citizens decreased. So, if people used to afford three or four tins of olive oil a year, now they can barely afford one, which is not enough for a family," she said.

Edited by: Uwe Hessler

Barge to house migrants arrives off UK coast

ARAB NEWS
May 09, 202314:33

Bibby Stockholm to host up to 500 male asylum-seekers at daily cost of £20,000

LONDON: A giant offshore barge has arrived in the UK to be used to house asylum-seekers.

The 222-bedroom Bibby Stockholm vessel is currently on its way to the port of Falmouth to be repurposed and updated to accommodate up to 500 male migrants.

It will be used over the next 18 months as part of efforts to improve the UK’s asylum-seeker processing measures, providing “basic” shelter, food, healthcare, and security at “significantly cheaper” rates than the current system of hotels, the British Home Office said.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak previously suggested the UK was spending around £6 million ($7.57 million) a day on mainland accommodation for tens of thousands of asylum-seekers.

The cost of maintaining and running the three-storey barge, which will be situated off Portland Port, will come to approximately £20,000 per day, when staffing, facilities, and renting the area are taken into account.

The plans have drawn criticism in the UK, including from human rights campaigners and local Conservative MP Richard Drax, who told Sky News the “floatel” had been “dumped on our door” without consultation with local residents or the council.

Drax previously warned the site of the barge was a “very, very restricted area” and that the local police force was “very small,” and would struggle to fulfil its duties with such a large number of incoming people.

He warned that the local tourism economy could be affected by the presence of the barge, describing the area as a “summer resort dependent almost entirely on visitors and tourists.”

The barge was previously used to house asylum-seekers in the Netherlands, who described it as an “oppressive environment,” but its operator, Bibby Marine Ltd., said it had been refurbished since then.

Portland Port Chief Executive Officer Bill Reeves said: “We encourage everyone in the community to approach this with an open mind and help us show other areas just how successful this type of initiative can be, both for the migrants and the local community.”

The UK has so far received around 6,000 people who crossed the English Channel illegally in small boats claiming asylum. Last year, at least 45,755 made the trip from northern France.

Boris Johnson, King Charles reportedly clashed over Rwanda deportation policy

The clash between UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Prince Charles reportedly took place in Rwanda in June last year amid a summit of the Commonwealth countries. (AFP)


ARAB NEWS
May 09, 2023

Future king was ‘appalled’ at scheme to deport migrants to African country

LONDON: Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson reportedly clashed with Prince Charles last year over the government’s Rwanda deportation policy, MailOnline reported.

Charles, who was crowned king last week, was said to have been “appalled” at the scheme, which involves the removal of migrants who cross the English Channel in small vessels to the African country.

The 15-minute clash reportedly took place in Rwanda in June amid a summit of the Commonwealth countries.

Johnson is said to have warned Charles to avoid interfering in national politics as well as to cancel a plan to deliver a speech on slavery over fears that it could catalyze demands for reparations.

However, the government denied the reports of a row at the time, while associates of Johnson described them as “inaccurate.”

But Guto Harri, former director of communications for Downing Street, claimed on the “Unprecedented” podcast that the former PM “went in quite hard” on Charles over the Rwanda matter.

Harri also wrote in the Mail: “Boris briefed that the two had ‘a good old chinwag’ and had ‘covered a lot of ground.’

“What actually happened was less amicable. ‘I went in quite hard,’ he told me at the time, essentially squaring up to the prince and confronting him about what he — as unelected royalty — had said about the actions of a democratically elected government.

“Prince Charles was busted. He had obviously expressed some criticism, and though he tried to play it down, Boris pointed out the obvious, (saying): “If you didn’t say it, we both know your people could ring the newspapers and kill the story. The fact they haven’t done that says it all’.”

The former communications director added that Johnson’s relationship with the prince had been strained for years as a result of the former London mayor showing up late for a meeting.

But the Rwanda argument proved to be the final straw, Harri said, adding: “Relations never fully recovered and Charles will be relieved that Boris had left No. 10 before he ascended to the throne.”

Charles had long faced controversy over accusations that he was actively interfering in government affairs.

His comments on the Rwanda policy reportedly left government ministers “infuriated,” the Mail reported.

Sources close to Johnson also told the newspaper that Harri’s account of the conversation with Charles was inaccurate: “This account is simply inaccurate and does not reflect the conversation that took place.

“Boris Johnson has had nothing to do with this podcast, had no knowledge of it and deplores any attempt to report such conversations in public.”

Rwanda floods, landslides fueled by climate change

Stuart Braun
DW

As severe flooding and landslides again inflict heavy fatalities and displacement in Rwanda, one of the most climate-impacted nations on Earth struggles to adapt to global heating.

At least 130 people died amid severe flooding and landslides in Rwanda in early May, while thousands were displaced as entire villages were engulfed. Beyond the 5,000 homes, 17 roads and 26 bridges destroyed, a whole hospital was lost amid torrential rain that followed an extended drought.

The small, mountainous, landlocked African nation — often called the "land of a thousand hills" — is one of the most densely-populated countries in the region, note researchers.

More and more usable land is being eroded and degraded to service a growing agricultural-based economy that employs 65% of the population, reported the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). As a result, its inherent vulnerability to climate shocks is increasing.

Climate the likely culprit

Globally, there has been a 134% increase in climate-fueled, flood-related disasters between 2000-2023, according to the UNDP. And Rwanda, which is naturally vulnerable to floods, has become a flashpoint.

"The whole region looks like a tornado went through," Simone Schlindwein, a journalist located in the Ugandan capital of Kampala, told DW in early May. "Literally whole villages were washed away. It is quite a dire, disastrous situation."

Richard Munang, deputy regional director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Africa office, believes that temperature rise is increasing the frequency of extreme weather events.

While the globe has warmed to 1.1C, he notes that Africa is "warming up at twice the global average," and that "extreme events" will only get worse.

"East Africa has seen temperature increases of up to 1.7C," Munang said. "This means the consequences of a warming globe, that includes such as extreme precipitation will continue to escalate."

Flooding impact on agriculture could lead to famine

In 2021, Rwandan president Paul Kagame promised to respond to worsening extreme weather — devastating rains and windstorms later that year also sparked mudslides.

"In Rwanda, the changing climate is already making itself felt in unusually heavy rainfall and flooding," Kagame said. "Changing weather patterns also affect agriculture. We are responding by investing in water resources management, restoring catchment areas and wetlands."

Reforestation and forest conservation are important means to combat the rapid soil erosion and landslides that follow heavy rain, according to Damascene Gashumba, the country director of Rwandan environment NGO, the Rural Environment and Development Organisation (REDO).

Flooding and landslides not only destroy the built environment and biodiversity but also badly erode the soil that sustains crops. Nearly 600 million tons of soil is lost annually in Rwanda as a result of torrential rain, with sloping croplands losing the most, noted the UNDP.

The loss of harvest due to heavy rains means communities could "experience a famine," said Gashumba.

"The Rwandan government has focused strongly on adaptation and resilience to climate change, but this is not enough," Gashumba said, pointing out that developed countries are the primary source climate-inducing emissions and beyond their own climate mitigation must help Rwanda improve resilience.

A woman gathers crops from a flooded field in Musanze district in northern Rwanda

Rachid Bugirinfura/AP Photo/picture alliance

Working together to build resilience

The Green Gicumbi Project in the highlands of Northern Rwanda is working to make hilltop farming both flood and drought resistant.

Much of the land was so eroded that it has been left fallow. But the building of terraces and run off channels along with water storage for irrigation during the dry months is rapidly transforming the landscape.

"The harvest that we are expecting this season is a miracle," said Jacqueline Nyirabikari, a Green Gicumbi Project farmer. "This land was no longer usable. But since the arrival of Green Gicumbi, climate change is no longer stopping us from growing crops."

The transformation of an arid wasteland into a productive and climate resilient agricultural region was mostly funded by the Green Climate Fund that emerged out of the Paris climate agreement, and has been implemented by the Rwandan government.

Will it be enough?

UNEP's Munang notes that cities and towns in Rwanda and across the region continue to encroach on "natural drainage areas such as swamps and wetlands that surround cities."

But while priority needs to be given to preserving wetlands and forests, and to increase the efficiency of these drainage areas to limit flood damage, the other benefit will be to retain biodiversity and store more climate-killing carbon.

"We are positive for the future," said Gashumba. "We have hope."

Another dimension of this climate adaptation will also be to simply relocate vulnerable communities to safer, less flood prone areas, he added. But the solution is not ideal.

"When you shift from your home you lose everything."

Edited by: Sarah Steffen

Germany sees record number of politically motivated crimes

Politically motivated crimes in Germany increased by 7% to a new high, according to the police. Offenses connected with the coronavirus pandemic and the war in Ukraine were not the only reasons for the jump.

Germany recorded 58,916 cases of politically motivated crime in 2022, an increase of some 7% compared with the previous year, according to figures released on Tuesday.

Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said right-wing extremism remained the greatest threat to German democracy, with Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the COVID-19 pandemic also cited as important factors for the rise in politically motivated crime.

A significant increase was also recorded in crimes and acts of violence by the far-right Reichsbürger (citizens of the Reich) movement.

What the report said on Ukraine and COVID

Germany recorded 5,510 politically motivated crimes in connection with the Russian war in Ukraine. This was accompanied by a soaring number of "foreign ideology" cases, totaling 3,886 — a rise of 237%.

The war of aggression by Russian President Vladimir Putin, which is in violation of international law, "was a turning point for internal security in Germany," Faeser said.

Braving the pandemic of conspiracy theories  02:06

There was also a significant increase in cases linked with the coronavirus pandemic — a jump of 52% to 13,988.

However, Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) President Holger Münch emphasized that the high point of these cases was at the beginning of 2022. They then "continuously decreased with the lifting of state restrictions."

Rise in Reichsbürger cases

The criminal offenses of Reichsbürger and Selbstverwalter (Sovereign Citizen) movements increased by around 40% to 1865 cases.

Both terms describe a loose grouping of people who do not recognize the authority of Germany's current system of government and many of them refuse to pay taxes or fines. The Reichsbürger insist that the laws of both the German Empire and Nazi Germany still apply today.

While these crimes mainly involved coercion, threats, and insults, the number of violent crimes in this area also increased by 40% to 333.

Germany: Fresh raids on Reichsbürger group 01:34

Faeser said the state would continue to act "with all severity against the Reichsbürger," referring to a major raid at the end of last year against an alleged attempted coup from the scene.

Faeser said care should be taken when it came to the availability of weapons, with some 400 Reichsbürger adherents having at least one gun permit.
Right-wing threat lingers

Faeser and Münch emphasized that overall right-wing extremism continued to be the greatest threat to democracy. The number of such cases rose by 7% to 23,493. While the number of acts of violence in the left-wing extremist area fell significantly, they increased in the right-wing spectrum by more than 12% to 1,042.

The number of acts of violence across the board rose by 4% to 4,043. There were 2,386 cases of physical injury.

In the area of climate and environmental protection, 1,716 politically motivated crimes were registered, including street and other infrastructure blockades attributed to the Last Generation protest group. This was 72% more than in the previous year.

The minister said she had "not the slightest understanding" of such crimes, adding that the climate crisis must be "democratically fought."

rc/sms (dpa, KNA, AFP)