SOUTH AFRICA
Roads closed as 'public violence', taxi strike leave commuters stranded in Cape Town


03 August 2023 BY KIM SWARTZ

Taxis in the CBD when drivers clashed with police earlier this week in Cape Town.
Image: Gallo Images/ER Lombard

Commuters scrambled to find alternative transport as a taxi strike got under way in Cape Town on Thursday, two buses were set alight and a minibus go-slow caused traffic snarl-ups on freeways exiting the CBD.

“Traffic officers are attending to incidents of public violence on the city's freeways and major routes,” said traffic spokesperson Kevin Jacobs.

Golden Arrow Bus Services (GABS) confirmed two of its buses were set alight at Nyanga.

Taxi associations resolved at a mass meeting earlier on Thursday to withdraw their vehicles from service in protest at law enforcement operations which have seen up to 1,000 taxis impounded a month for various transgressions.

The South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) said it was resolved at the meeting:

• There will be a provincial taxi stayaway with immediate effect until August 9.
• During this time, there will be no marches or any form of protest. “All operations will stop and we have urged our operators to refrain from acts of violence and threatening behaviour”.
• Normal taxi operations will resume on August 10 and an announcement will be made on the way forward.

GABS said in an afternoon alert to commuters at 3.30pm: “There are serious incidents of violence and vandalism taking place across Cape Town. We are doing our best to maintain operations but the situation is volatile.

“Traffic is also backed up on major routes. As a result we cannot provide exact information regarding our services, but we are trying our best to get everyone home. Affected services include:

• Mfuleni is inaccessible and we can only operate from the outskirts.
• We are trying to operate Nyanga services from Borcherds Quarry but the N2 is blocked on both sides.
• Langa is inaccessible.
• All Epping services will be severely delayed.
• Khayelitsha is inaccessible and we are only able to operate from the outskirts.”

 

The city denied accusations it was unfairly targeting taxi operators.

‘It is regretful that Santaco has resolved to pull their vehicles from minibus taxi ranks from this afternoon [Thursday],” said urban mobility MMC Rob Quintas.

“We are aware of violent protests near the Khayelitsha taxi rank, a bus has been set alight in Nyanga, MyCiTi bus passengers are being forced off buses, two law enforcement vehicles have been stoned in Khayelitsha and the N2 outbound is blocked by slow moving minibus taxis.

“This is no longer a peaceful protest and we condemn these actions. There is no need to endanger human lives nor for interference with other vehicles on the road.”

On the N2 opposite the Langa off-ramp in Cape Town a bus was burnt down @TimesLIVE pic.twitter.com/jbBhy0HoJE

— Kim Swartz (@KimTracySwartz) August 3, 2023

Education MEC David Maynier said: “We are deeply concerned about the affect the strike will have on schools, especially given the sudden announcement which may leave teachers and learners in the lurch this afternoon [Thursday].”

Afternoon road closures flagged by the city due to incidents of public violence included:

• Jakes Gerwel Drive closed at Bluegum in a northerly direction;
• the N2 outbound closed at the M5; and
• the N2 incoming closed at Jakes Gerwel Drive.

Traffic services said in an update the N2 inbound and outbound was closed at Jakes Gerwel Drive. The N2 outbound was closed at the M5. Motorists travelling on the N2 were being diverted onto the M5 southbound.

TimesLIVE

SA
President Ramaphosa takes on Banyana Banyana’s 'equal pay' fight


03 August 2023 - 
Amanda Khoza

Presidency reporter

President Cyril Ramaphosa and Banyana Banyana captain Refiloe Jane hold the 2022 Women's Africa Cup of Nations trophy at the Union Buildings in Pretoria last year.
Image: Lefty Shivambu.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for equal pay for equal work in football and other sports.  

“The president calls on the leadership of the sport and those associated with the game to ensure the equal pay for equal work principle is adhered to in football and in all women’s sport,” Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said on Thursday.  

Briefing the media at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, Magwenya congratulated the national women's football team for their heroic and dramatic 3-2 group G win against Italy in Wellington Regional Stadium on Wednesday. The South Africans have made history by reaching the 2023 Women's World Cup last 16. 

Magwenya said the win was a fitting tribute as South Africa observes Women’s Month, adding the country has witnessed “the boldness of the Banyana Banyana team, who without a professional league and big sponsors, have conquered the continent and are now making their mark on the world stage”. 

South Africa has a semi-professional women’s league and only four Premier Soccer League clubs have women's teams. Before their departure for their second consecutive World Cup appearance, Banyana were involved in a standoff with the South African Football Association over pay.

UK

OPINION - The incredible shrinking Sunak — how the world now sees Rishi


Ben Judah
Thu, 3 August 2023 

Rishi Sunak lacks passion (PA Wire)

Something deeply unfortunate is happening to the Prime Minister on the world stage. Instead of growing and accumulating gravitas nine months into the job, Rishi Sunak is shrinking in political stature. From global warming to Ukraine, one after the other on issues his predecessor carved out a big place for Britain, the Prime Minister has deliberately shrunk himself and the country’s role. He has frittered away a good hand.

This is disappointing for the Conservative Party because Sunak really did spark a lot of interest internationally when he was first appointed premier. Boris Johnson, with the lingering bruises and bitterness from Brexit, was deeply disliked in certain European capitals and a few pockets of the White House.

Sunak seemed like a breath of fresh air, a solid manager and a respectable and respectful captain for a Britain that appeared to them adrift.

This gave him a real opportunity to make something internationally of the two areas Johnson’s premiership had been a success: global climate talks, which Britain hosted at COP26 in Glasgow in 2021, and Ukraine, where championing President Volodymyr Zelensky and daring to send the right stuff at the right time had made him a national hero to millions of Ukrainians. Even better, Sunak had one thing that Johnson — whose much delayed visit to India was marred by partygate — never had. Both a South Asian heritage and high-powered billionaire Indian family who could help him reset Britain’s relationship with New Delhi for the 21st century and unlock long frustrated potential.

The PM initially seemed like a breath of fresh air, a respectable captain for Britain

Unfortunately nothing has happened with India. Nobody, I can confirm, talks much about Sunak in Kyiv. The Prime Minister has not followed his predecessor in attempting to loudly lead the pack when it comes to arms transfers. The impression in foreign ministries across the alliance is that he simply isn’t much interested and they would be right.

The Prime Minister lacks a passion for Ukraine’s fight — which means he is less likely than his predecessor to challenge Western allies to give more. Overall, he calls, visits and pushes to speak on the issue with international partners less.

This is disappointing because over the current frontlines, the questions of arming a new offensive, security ties, reconstruction and Ukraine’s ties to Nato are all up for grabs.

The second Sunak retreat is when it comes to climate change. Johnson made his commitment to net zero and the environment a signature part of his international politics. He viewed the UK’s handling of COP26 as a major achievement and grasped that net zero was not just the international equivalent of a painful but necessary weight loss target — which is how Sunak talks about it — but a new industrial revolution. The results of which would decide which countries dominate the supply chains of the vehicles and energy of tomorrow.

The Prime Minister’s failure to grasp the centrality of this agenda caused the first major U-turn of his time in office, when he initially did not even want to attend the follow-on COP. Recent green-bashing by the Prime Minister — he has not deviated from net zero — is one. Worse is that he has failed to launch an industrial policy response to President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) or the EU’s Green Deal Industrial Plan (GDIP.) He will arrive at the next COP in the United Arab Emirates a smaller figure than he could have been.

The only real success Sunak has had on foreign policy is the Windsor Framework deal over the Brexit loose ends in Northern Ireland with the EU. However, he has failed to capitalise on that in any meaningful way in seeking the serious changes to the trade, mobility, financial or foreign policy co-ordination aspects to Johnson’s botched deal with the bloc that the UK needs.

European leaders want, especially when it comes to foreign policy and security, as recently voiced by Michel Barnier, to sign a new foreign policy treaty with the UK, which would in no way impact British sovereignty and turn a new leaf for mutual ties.

But those same leaders, sadly, think that Sunak has shrunk in authority as national polls point to defeat. They have little expectation of any new deals and nor do they think he will be around for long.

It is a shame that Britain, at such a frightening moment in geopolitics, has a vacant Prime Minister interested in making announcements about chess instead of shaping world events. The loser of this kind of myopia, from Ukraine to the climate — is British influence.

Ben Judah is the author of This Is Europe: The Way We Live Now out now with Picador

Sunak’s Approval Rating on Environment Falls to Record Low


Public approval of the UK government's handling of the environment has reached a new low after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was accused of backsliding on the climate emergency and clean air.

The prime minister on Wednesday said his record on green issues had been "fantastic" but a poll by YouGov released the same day shows his government now has a net approval rating of -37 on the issue – a new low, The Independent reported.

It comes after Sunak said he would green-light more than 100 oil and gas drilling licences and signalled that policies like low traffic neighbourhoods and 20mph speed limits could be in danger.

Right-wing conservatives have also dominated headlines this week with calls to ditch or delay net zero pledges like a ban on new gas boilers and petrol cars.

The YouGov survey conducted between 29 and 31 July shows that now just 27 per cent of people think the government is handling the environment well, with 63 per cent saying badly and 10 per cent saying they don't know.

"Following a week of trying to row back on green policies, the government’s handling of the environment has received its lowest rating since tracking began in mid-2019, a net score of -37," YouGov's head of data journalism Matthew Smith said.

Responding on Wednesday to implied criticism from the UN climate bodies over the direction of government's policy, Sunak told LBC radio, "We should not take any lectures from anybody about our record. Our record is fantastic. It's better than everyone else's."

Sunak told the broadcaster that he cared about Britain reaching the target of net zero by 2050, and that he wanted to leave the environment and the climate in a better state for his children.

But more than 50 green groups including the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the National Trust, the Green Alliance and WWF UK this week warned the government against “backsliding”, adding, “We will not stand by whilst politicians use the environment as a political football.”

Energy secretary Grant Shapps on Wednesday also defended the government’s record told broadcaster GB News that the Government has been “moving very fast” on renewable energy.

“Everyone supports this country's transition to net zero, but you cannot get there by telling people we're simply going to stop using oil and gas," he told the broadcaster.

“The only way to do that would be to tell people don't put your gas boiler on, don't drive a petrol car, and do that almost instantaneously," he continued, adding, “Unless you do that, what you're really saying is, we're not going to dig our own oil and gas, we'll import it instead and that's basically Labour's policy on this.”

'Sack Sunak?'

Sam Blewett

 

| 3rd August 2023 | 

PA

Luca Marino / Greenpeace / PA

One of Rishi Sunak's houses is targeted by Greenpeace protesters to 'drive home the dangerous consequences' of new oil and gas licences.

Greenpeace activists have said they have scaled Rishi Sunak’s mansion in protest at his new drilling “frenzy”.

The campaigners said they had draped the British prime minister’s manor house in North Yorkshire with an oily-black fabric to “drive home the dangerous consequences”.

They took the action on Thursday, 3 August 2023 as Mr Sunak and his family are away on holiday in California.

Scaling

Mr Sunak, the MP for Richmond in North Yorkshire, has said he plans to “max out” the UK’s oil and gas reserves by granting more than 100 new licences for extraction in the North Sea.

He has also hinted that the UK’s largest untapped oil field, Rosebank, to the west of Shetland, could be approved despite fierce opposition from environmental campaigners.

Climate-conscious Conservatives have joined campaigners to warn against the move, amid concerns it will hinder efforts to reach net-zero by 2050.

Windfall

After scaling the house, the four activists held up a banner demanding “no new oil”.

Greenpeace UK climate campaigner Philip Evans said: “We desperately need our prime minister to be a climate leader, not a climate arsonist.

“Just as wildfires and floods wreck homes and lives around the world, Sunak is committing to a massive expansion of oil and gas drilling.

“He seems quite happy to hold a blowtorch to the planet if he can score a few political points by sowing division around climate in this country. This is cynical beyond belief.

Homes

“More North Sea drilling will only benefit oil giants who stand to make even more billions from it, partly thanks to a giant loophole in Sunak’s own windfall tax.”

A No 10 source said “police are in attendance” before defending Mr Sunak’s climate policies. “We make no apology," they said.

Alicia Kearns, the senior Tory who chairs the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, said the action was “unacceptable”.

“Politicians live in the public eye and rightly receive intense scrutiny, but their family homes should not be under assault,” she said. “Before long police will need to be stationed outside the home of every MP.”

This Author

Sam Blewett is the PA deputy political editor.

UPDATE

First pictures as police called to Rishi Sunak's home after protestors mount roof

HOW COME THE PM HOUSE HAD NO SECURITY?

ASKING FOR A FRIEND

Daniel Hordon

NORTHERN ECHO
Thu, 3 August 2023 

Protestors on the roof of Rishi Sunak's North Yorkshire manor house. (Image: NNP)

Police have been called to the North Yorkshire home of PM Rishi Sunak after protestors climbed onto the roof.

Four Greenpeace protesters with ladders and ropes scaled Sunak’s £2m manor house early on Thursday (August 3) morning.

The PM is currently away with his family on holiday in California and was not home at the time.


Read more: Ambulance service got daughter's date of death wrong in apology letter to mum

North Yorkshire police said it was responding to “reports of protest activity” and officers closed roads at the scene near Sunak’s family home in Kirby Sigston, near Northallerton

The Northern Echo: Four protestors seen on the roof of Rishi Sunak's home.

Four protestors seen on the roof of Rishi Sunak's home. (Image: NNP)

A force spokesperson said: “At 8.06am this morning (August 3, 2023) we were made aware a number of protesters climbing onto the roof of the Prime Minister's home in Kirby Sigston.

“We have contained the area and no one has entered the building.

The Northern Echo: Police descended on the area.

Police descended on the area. (Image: NNP)

“At present there are four protesters on the roof of the property.

“The PM and his family are not at home.”

The Northern Echo: Protestors draped oil-black cloth down the side of the £2m mansion.

Protestors draped oil-black cloth down the side of the £2m mansion. (Image: NNP)

The demonstrators said they had draped the Prime Minister’s manor house in North Yorkshire with an oil-black fabric to “drive home the dangerous consequences” of his new policy on oil and gas.

The PM said earlier this week he would “max out” the UK’s oil and gas reserves and grant more than 100 new licences for extraction in the North Sea.

Read next:

Hotel near Darlington sparks fury as alcohol licence extended until 2am


Metrocentre restaurant closed just nine months after it first opened its doors


Restaurant tipped in Michelin guide announces shock closure as it thanks loyal diners

Get more from The Northern Echo now for just £6 for 6 months with a Premium Plus digital subscription. Click here

Greenpeace UK climate campaigner Philip Evans said: “We desperately need our prime minister to be a climate leader, not a climate arsonist.

“Just as wildfires and floods wreck homes and lives around the world, Sunak is committing to a massive expansion of oil and gas drilling.

The Northern Echo: Police at Rishi Sunak's home after a Greenpeace protest.

Police at Rishi Sunak's home after a Greenpeace protest. (Image: NNP)

“He seems quite happy to hold a blowtorch to the planet if he can score a few political points by sowing division around climate in this country. This is cynical beyond belief.

“More North Sea drilling will only benefit oil giants who stand to make even more billions from it, partly thanks to a giant loophole in Sunak’s own windfall tax.”

The Northern Echo: Protestors seen on the roof.

Protestors seen on the roof. (Image: NNP)

Muslim Council of Britain calls for review into 'arbitrary' closing of Muslim accounts

In an open letter to the UK Prime Minister, the Muslim Council of Britain called for a review of what it has identified as the widespread practice of banks arbitrarily closing the accounts of British Muslims and Muslim-led organisations.

The New Arab Staff
London
03 August, 2023

Zara Mohammed is the Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain [Getty]

The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) has urged UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to call for a review over the alleged arbitrary closure of bank accounts belonging to Muslim individuals and organisations.

An open letter published Tuesday and authored by the MCB’s Secretary General Zara Mohammed asks Sunak to act over "the many law-abiding Muslim individuals and Muslim-led organisations that have been gravely impacted by the arbitrary withdrawal of banking services."

Mohammed contrasts Sunak’s recent "decisive intervention" in calling for the NatWest Group to reinstate services to former UK Independence Party (UKIP) leader and far-right figurehead Nigel Farage with his silence on the "unhindered" practice of banks doing the same to Muslims and Muslim-oriented organisations.

The MCB letter claims that many high-profile Muslim individuals and charities have been targeted, but, unlike Farage, have not had the platform to protest and speak about their cases to banks, the media or the government, which is why a review is necessary.

Calling for the review, Mohamed wrote: "We urge you to ensure that any review … examines why British Muslims and Muslim-led organisations appear to be systematically singled out, and disproportionately impacted, by this practice."

'Silencing' of activists?

Farage’s case involved Coutts, an exclusive private lender, closing his account due to, as was quoted in the bank’s own internal documentation, a fear of reputational damage over Farage’s alleged "promotion of xenophobic, chauvinistic and racist views".

The bank walked back its decision after a campaign of outrage by the UK's right-wing media and interventions from Sunak and Home Secretary Suella Braverman.

The incident led to questions on whether the targeting of Muslims had anything to do with their political views on Israel and Palestine, or other areas where they might go against the UK political consensus.

Most recently, Anas Altikriti, the CEO and founder of The Cordoba Foundation, which is a Muslim advisory and research group, took to social media to condemn Barclays bank for arbitrarily placing his bank accounts under "review", making him £500,000 overdrawn.

In a series of tweets, Altikriti documented the bizarre occurrences with his account, which he said had left him "locked out of my means to move around and purchase essentials for myself and my family."

Two days before Barclays froze his account, he had written an op-ed criticising banks for targeting him and other Muslim activists and organisations in the past, as well as the media hypocrisy in not covering it in the way they did with Farage.

Responding to speculation by some on Twitter that the freezes may have come down to other reasons, the think tank CEO said he has had six closed accounts over the years and he does not believe this pattern is a coincidence.

One of these closures involved the controversial 2015 case of HSBC closing the accounts of individuals allegedly linked to the Muslim Brotherhood, based on the fact the UAE had deemed the group to be "terrorists", despite no such designation in the UK.

It is not yet known why Barclays has suspended Altikriti’s accounts, or whether or not he is being targeted for his political views.

However, the Iraqi-born activist, who advocates for Palestinian resistance and has supported the 'Islamic democracy' of the Muslim Brotherhood, clearly believes this to be the case, tweeting: "It is clear that I’m being silenced and the banks realise that I don’t have the means available to someone like Nigel Farage nor the media access he does."

When contacted, a spokesperson for Barclays told The New Arab that while they cannot comment on any individual account, "we comply with our legal and regulatory obligations. We would only withdraw banking services from an individual or business in exceptional circumstances".

"We support the government’s initiatives to standardise the approach across banks, including non-exclusion on the basis of political views or beliefs,", they added.

Nigel Farage row: As a Muslim who's had accounts closed, can I expect the same response?

If Farage can get an explanation and an apology from his bank, and see resignations and investigations, then I and my family deserve no less. But I won't hold my breath

Anas Altikriti
1 August 2023 

An HSBC bank branch in central London on 26 April 2022 (AFP)

Nine years ago, my life was irreversibly affected by several letters which fell onto my doormat.

Out of the blue and without any warning, HSBC, which I had chosen as my personal bank back in August 1985 as a 16-year-old A-level student, was telling me without explanation that it was closing down my bank accounts, personal and business.

Other letters were addressed to my then-wife, and to my sons, who were only 15 and 12 at the time.

The tone of the letters was abrupt and unforgiving. I was not to inquire about the reasons behind the decision, nor was I to seek to open any account with them or any of their associate banks in the future.

Despite a long-running campaign to try to get HSBC to offer some sort of explanation, and sterling efforts from Peter Oborne to expose what had happened and why, we were met with not only complete silence from the bank but also from the mainstream media.

Stay informed with MEE's newsletters
Sign up to get the latest alerts, insights and analysis, starting with Turkey Unpacked

In fact, I faced a campaign from political adversaries - including those aligned with the numerous authoritarian regimes in the Middle East that I vehemently oppose and relentlessly criticise - who utilised this opportunity to question my reputation and integrity.

One of them commented on a BBC radio phone-in that bank accounts "usually close down accounts of terrorists, drug dealers or money launderers", with the presenter failing to qualify that I was suspected of none of those crimes. In fact, I was and remain suspected of no crime whatsoever.

Since then, I have had numerous accounts closed down by a litany of high street banks, including NatWest, the Royal Bank of Scotland, Lloyds and Santander, and countless applications for personal and business accounts rejected.

As we speak, Wise online bank is claiming to continue to "verify" my details despite applying for an account back in May.
Unchecked power

Banking facilities are an essential part of life. Without a bank account, employment, receiving wages, paying bills, paying taxes, travelling, renting or buying a property and many other everyday activities become literally impossible.

As such, having a bank account is as essential as having a water supply or electricity. It's a basic need - and denying it to anyone constitutes an infringement of their human rights.

However, in our capitalist system, it's clear that banks are demigods who command a great amount of unchecked power. One only needs to look at the number of times governments have bailed out banks to the tune of hundreds of billions, while millions face poverty and risk having their children go without food.

Nigel Farage row: When Muslims have their bank accounts closed, nobody cares

Read More »

Despite the billions received in bailouts, it appears that our elected officials are either unable or unwilling to reduce the outsized and undemocratic power of the banking sector.

While concerning, this should not come as a surprise when one starts to understand that many politicians and officials are intrinsically tied to the banks and the financial sector in one way or another.

But my case is not unique. Over the years, hundreds of individuals, businesses and charities have seen their bank accounts closed. This has not only cost tens of millions in lost donations and legal fees, but also cost in terms of reputation, confidence and the ability to continue functioning. Notably, the overwhelming majority of those closures were accounts held by Muslims.

When a few weeks ago, the story of Coutts Bank closing down Nigel Farage's bank account broke, one would've been forgiven in assuming that it was the first time that a British bank had behaved in such a way and that all parties concerned had admirably jumped into action to address a terrible wrong.

My disdain for Farage does not omit my disgust that his bank had chosen to behave in this way and go even further and lie about the reasons behind it.
Seminal moment

I'm glad that the NatWest boss, Alison Rose, has been forced to step down, and it would not aggrieve me if Farage got his way and the entire NatWest Board were dismissed.

However, what enrages me and countless others are the double standards this story exposes. Where was the mainstream media when I and dozens of others, including charities, had their banking services closed down?

Where was the investigation then? Why were questions not asked when people like myself were forced to explain to their children why they were addressed by banks in a manner that would shake adults to the core?

What of the impacts on lives, including mine, where immense pressure was brought on by these decisions, leading to family breakdowns, mental health issues and more?

What of the impacts on lives, including mine, where immense pressure was brought on by these decisions, leading to family breakdowns, mental health issues and more?

Why did no one question why financial institutions were making - and had the power to make - decisions based on reasons that had nothing to do with financial considerations? Would anyone find it acceptable if energy companies withdrew their services from a household based on their political or ideological affiliations?

Fortunately, and in my case after nine long and extremely difficult years, this story has finally gained top billing on every news outlet, albeit not for the right reasons.

I, and many of my colleagues, friends and associates, intend to pursue this to the very end. If Farage can get an explanation, get the prime minister to intervene, and obtain an apology from the bank, followed by a resignation and a call for a public investigation into the behaviour of banks, then I and my family deserve no less.

While years of experience have taught me not to hold my breath when it comes to authorities doing the right thing against financial or material interests, this moment is undoubtedly a seminal one.

To use this opportunity to push back against the domineering authority of banks would be of immense benefit to all concerned and a boost to our democracy and fair distribution of power.

It's an opportunity we must not waste.

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Eye.

Anas Altikriti is the CEO & Founder of The Cordoba Foundation, UK. He tweets @anasaltikriti

Syrians' Deportation from Türkiye: Murky Process of Disastrous Consequences

Fayez Sara

Thursday - 3 August 2023

 Turkiye continues to deport Syrians to the Turkish-controlled regions in Northwestern Syria. These areas are governed by groups affiliated with Türkiye, the most prominent of which include the Syrian Interim Government formed by the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, and Syrian National Army factions. Alongside them are Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (which is led by Al-Qaeda's Abu Mohammad al-Jolani) and its Syrian Salvation Government.

Tens of thousands of Syrians have been deported over the past three months. Turkish government sources put the number at around 36,000, the majority of whom are young people who had been seized by police patrols on the street, in public squares, or during raids on Syrians’ homes and Turkish or Syrian owned establishments that employ Syrians. The authorities justify these deportations with claims that the individuals forced out of the country had violated residency regulations, either because they did not have proper documentation or did not have these documents on hand. The arrests are usually terrifying, with intense duress and intimidation commonplace, particularly if the detained individual does not speak Turkish.

Moreover, the process is fraught with uncontestable misconduct. First and foremost, these deportations violate international law, which prohibits the repatriation of refugees (regardless how they had entered) to anywhere other than the place they came from or to unsafe locations. The Turkish authorities are well aware that most of the deported individuals had not fled from regions in Northwestern Syria that they are being sent to, and that Northwestern Syria is far from safe. Indeed, it is brimming with corrupt warlords and militias affiliated with Al-Qaeda like Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which is led by Jolani. With assassinations, bombings, and forced disappearances rampant, residents cannot meet their basic needs, let alone those who are forcibly relocated.

The second grave failing of the deportation process is its disregard for legal procedures despite Türkiye generally adhering to the rule of law. The law should be applied equally to everyone within its borders, be they citizens, residents, visitors, or residents without legal status. Deportation, particularly when it is abrupt and discretionary, demands a keen examination of requisites and implications, including an assessment of the destination’s appropriateness. The judiciary should be tasked with determining the legality of such operations and whether the measures harm the individual, others, or the Turkish state itself. These procedures should not be left, as they currently are, solely to the discretion of the police, yet this is precisely what is happening.

The most consequential problem engendered by these deportations harms Syrians and Turks alike. Indeed, the way these deportations are carried out has created a climate of fear among the Syrian community, undermining the sense of security and stability they had painstakingly built during their years in Türkiye. Many started from nothing after arriving as refugees, and have since built homes, gained meaningful employment, learned Turkish, and sent their children into schools and universities. The abrupt and arbitrary deportations, particularly when the family's breadwinner and children are forcibly expelled from the country, put everything they had meticulously built with their blood, sweat, and tears in jeopardy, pushing many Syrians to reconsider their future in Türkiye and to contemplate limited and challenging alternatives.

The repercussions that this misconduct creates are far less dangerous than the social media posts depicting them, which are often accompanied by images and narratives that fuel bitterness, animosity, and even racism against Turks. Indeed, this is deeply concerning at a time when both Syrians and Turks should be nurturing sentiments of goodwill, kinship, and collaboration. The fact that these are deeply connected neighboring nations makes this all the more pressing. Furthermore, 3.5 million Syrians currently reside in Türkiye, making the need for empathy and understanding between the two communities an urgent priority.

The manner in which the deportations are being conducted thus genuinely adversely impact Turks as well as Syrians, as it reflects negatively on Türkiye's image. It exposes Türkiye’s violation of its obligations to international law and shed doubt on its status as a just country of laws. These actions have no acceptable justification, even as Turkish authorities constantly reiterate their commitment to ensuring that Syrian refugees can live normally.

There is another way in which these actions negatively affect the Turks. They fuel racist attitudes against Syrians and Arabs in general, which have gotten worse in recent years; besides damaging the Turks' image, then, these actions undermine Türkiye's ties to Arab countries. This comes at a time when the Turkish government is striving to resolve its problems and restore its relationships with the Arabs, including the countries with which it has had fraught relations for years.

To sum up, there is an urgent need to address this issue. It must be placed in a framework that goes beyond the current circumstances in Syria. The deportations must be informed by the broader perspective of neighborly relations and the fraternal ties between these two peoples, as well the opportunities for the two countries to cooperate in the future. Greater scrutiny is needed to understand the context, and the deportations must be carried out within a legal framework that accounts for both humanitarian and Turkish law. Taking these measures would help contain the negative repercussions on both Arabs and Turks, and it would stop Turkish-Syrian relations from declining further, both now and in the future.

SCI-FI-TEK

What is Nuclear Fusion?

Nuclear Explained

Matteo Barbarino,

 IAEA Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications

Nuclear fusion is the process by which two light atomic nuclei combine to form a single heavier one while releasing massive amounts of energy.

Fusion reactions take place in a state of matter called plasma — a hot, charged gas made of positive ions and free-moving electrons with unique properties distinct from solids, liquids or gases.

The sun, along with all other stars, is powered by this reaction. To fuse in our sun, nuclei need to collide with each other at extremely high temperatures, around ten million degrees Celsius. The high temperature provides them with enough energy to overcome their mutual electrical repulsion. Once the nuclei come within a very close range of each other, the attractive nuclear force between them will outweigh the electrical repulsion and allow them to fuse. For this to happen, the nuclei must be confined within a small space to increase the chances of collision. In the sun, the extreme pressure produced by its immense gravity creates the conditions for fusion.

Why are the scientists studying fusion energy?

Ever since the theory of nuclear fusion was understood in the 1930s, scientists — and increasingly also engineers — have been on a quest to recreate and harness it. That is because if nuclear fusion can be replicated on earth at an industrial scale, it could provide virtually limitless clean, safe, and affordable energy to meet the world’s demand.

Fusion could generate four times more energy per kilogram of fuel than fission (used in nuclear power plants) and nearly four million times more energy than burning oil or coal.

Most of the fusion reactor concepts under development will use a mixture of deuterium and tritium — hydrogen atoms that contain extra neutrons. In theory, with just a few grams of these reactants, it is possible to produce a terajoule of energy, which is approximately the energy one person in a developed country needs over sixty years.

Fusion fuel is plentiful and easily accessible: deuterium can be extracted inexpensively from seawater, and tritium can potentially be produced from the reaction of fusion generated neutrons with naturally abundant lithium. These fuel supplies would last for millions of years. Future fusion reactors are also intrinsically safe and are not expected to produce high activity or long-lived nuclear waste. Furthermore, as the fusion process is difficult to start and maintain, there is no risk of a runaway reaction and meltdown; fusion can only occur under strict operational conditions, outside of which (in the case of an accident or system failure, for example), the plasma will naturally terminate, lose its energy very quickly and extinguish before any sustained damage is done to the reactor.

Importantly, nuclear fusion — just like fission — does not emit carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, so it could be a long-term source of low-carbon electricity from the second half of this century onwards.

Hotter than the sun

While the sun’s massive gravitational force naturally induces fusion, without that force a temperature even higher than in the sun is needed for the reaction to take place. On Earth, we need temperatures of over 100 million degrees Celsius to make deuterium and tritium fuse, while regulating pressure and magnetic forces at the same time, for a stable confinement of the plasma and to maintain the fusion reaction long enough to produce more energy than what was required to start the reaction.

While conditions that are very close to those required in a fusion reactor are now routinely achieved in experiments, improved confinement properties and stability of the plasma are still needed to maintain the reaction and produce energy in a sustained manner. Scientists and engineers from all over the world continue to develop and test new materials and design new technologies to achieve net fusion energy.

See more information in the following video:




The Future of Fusion Energy

Providing energy from nuclear fusion is widely regarded as the grand engineering challenge of the twenty-first century. What needs to be done to make fusion power commercially viable?

Where do we stand on fusion technology development?



Nuclear fusion and plasma physics research are carried out in more than 50 countries, and fusion reactions have been successfully produced in many experiments, albeit without so far generating more energy than what was required to start the reaction process. Experts have come up with different designs and magnet-based machines in which fusion takes place, like stellarators and tokamaks, but also approaches that rely on lasers, linear devices and advanced fuels.

How long it will take for fusion energy to be successfully rolled out will depend on mobilizing resources through global partnerships and collaboration, and on how fast the industry will be able to develop, validate and qualify emerging fusion technologies. Another important issue is to develop in parallel the necessary nuclear infrastructure, such as the requirements, standards, and good practices, relevant to the realisation of this future energy source.

Following 10 years of component design, site preparation, and manufacturing across the world, the assembly of ITER in France, the world’s largest international fusion facility, commenced in 2020. ITER is an international project that aims to demonstrate the scientific and technological feasibility of fusion energy production and prove technology and concepts for future electricity-producing demonstration fusion power plants, called DEMOs. ITER will start conducting its first experiments in the second half of this decade and full-power experiments are planned to commence in 2036.

DEMO timelines vary in different countries, but the consensus among experts is that an electricity-producing fusion power plant could be built and operating by 2050. In parallel, numerous privately funded commercial enterprises are also making strides in developing concepts for fusion power plants, drawing on the know-how generated over years of publicly funded research and development, and proposing fusion power even sooner.

What is the role of the IAEA?

The IAEA has a long history of being at the core of international fusion research and development, and recently started supporting early technology development and deploymentThe IAEA launched the Nuclear Fusion journal in 1960 to exchange information about advances in nuclear fusion. The journal is now considered the leading periodical in the field. The IAEA also regularly publishes TECDOCs and outreach and educational material on fusion.
The first international IAEA Fusion Energy Conference was held in 1961 and, since 1974, the IAEA convenes a conference every two years to foster discussion on developments and achievements in the field. See a short film about the history of this conference series
Since 1971, the IAEA International Fusion Research Council has served as a catalyst for establishing improved international collaboration in fusion research.
The ITER Agreement is deposited with the IAEA Director General. Collaboration between the IAEA and the ITER Organization is formalized through a cooperation agreement in 2008, which was expanded and deepened in 2019.
The IAEA facilitates international cooperation and coordination on DEMO programme activities around the world.
The IAEA implements a series of technical meetings and coordinated research activities on topics relevant to fusion science and technology development and deployment, and organizes and supports education and training activities on fusion.
The IAEA maintains numerical databases of fundamental data for fusion energy research, as well as the Fusion Device Information System (FusDIS), which compiles information on fusion devices operating, under construction or being planned around the world.
The IAEA is carrying out a project on synergies in technology development between nuclear fission and fusion for energy production, and on the long-term sustainability – including the handling of radioactive waste – and legal and institutional issues for fusion facilities.
The IAEA is investigating key safety aspects covering the whole lifecycle of fusion facilities, where guidelines and specific reference documents are needed.
The IAEA is supporting a pre-feasibility study of a generic fusion demonstration plant.

Search-and-rescue operations did not appear to drive migrant crossing attempts in the central Mediterranean: Study

by Nature Publishing Group

Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Search-and-rescue operations of boats carrying migrants across the central Mediterranean Sea did not appear to affect the rate of crossing attempts between 2011 and 2020, according to a modeling study published in Scientific Reports.

The findings appear to contradict previous claims that search-and-rescue operations led to an increase in crossing attempts and a higher risk of death for migrants.

The stretch of the Mediterranean Sea between North Africa and Italy is one of the routes most frequently used by migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers attempting to reach Europe by sea. Alejandra Rodríguez Sánchez and colleagues modeled changes in the number of attempted crossings across the central Mediterranean Sea between 2011 and 2020 using data on the number of crossing attempts, boats returned to Tunisia and Libya, and documented migrant deaths.

Data was taken from the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX), the Tunisian and Libyan Coast Guards, the International Organization for Migration and UNITED for Intercultural Action.

The authors then performed simulations using their model to identify the factors that best predicted variations in the number of crossings observed during this period. The factors assessed included the number of state and private-led search-and-rescue operations, currency exchange rates, international commodity prices, unemployment rates, conflicts, violence, the flow of air traffic between African, Middle Eastern and European countries, and weather conditions.

The authors found that changes in the number of sea crossings did not appear to be driven by state-led and private-led search-and-rescue operations, indicating that they may not incentivize further crossing attempts. However, the number of border crossings did appear to be driven by some changes in conflict intensity, commodity prices and natural disasters, as well as weather conditions, currency exchanges and air traffic between North African and Middle Eastern countries and the EU.

In contrast, increases in the involvement of the Libyan Coast Guard in intercepting and returning boats to Libya after 2017 appeared to drive a reduction in crossing attempts and may have deterred migration. While boat interceptions and returns may have reduced the number of crossing attempts, the authors note that this coincided with reports of a deterioration in the human rights situation of prospective migrants in Libya during boat interceptions and returns, as well as in detention centers.

Together, the findings indicate that migration across the central Mediterranean Sea between 2011 and 2020 may have been driven by factors such as conflict or economic or environmental conditions, rather than search-and-rescue operations. The authors suggest that future research is needed to investigate the potential impacts of search-and-rescue operations on the decision-making processes of individual migrants and the smugglers that coordinate crossing attempts.

More information: Alejandra Rodríguez Sánchez, Search-and-rescue in the Central Mediterranean Route does not induce migration: Predictive modeling to answer causal queries in migration research, Scientific Reports (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-38119-4. www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-38119-4

Journal information: Scientific Reports 

Provided by Nature Publishing Group 

Illegal immigration: Cracking down on smuggling makes gangs more organized, and costs migrant lives

DANGER EV FIRES

Hyundai and Kia Recall Nearly 92,000 Vehicles and Tell Owners to Park Them Outside Due to Fire Risk

By The Associated Press
August 3, 2023

A line of 2022 Santa Fe SUV's sit outside a Hyundai dealership in Littleton, Colo.

(David Zalubowski/AP Photo)

DETROIT—Hyundai and Kia are telling the owners of nearly 92,000 vehicles in the U.S. to park them outside because an electronic controller in an oil pump can overheat and cause fires.

The affiliated Korean automakers are recalling the vehicles and also are telling owners to park them away from structures until repairs are made.

The recalls cover certain 2023 and 2024 Hyundai Palisades, as well some 2023 Tucson, Sonata, Elantra, and Kona vehicles. Affected Kias include the 2023 Soul and Sportage as well as some 2023 and 2024 Seltos vehicles.

The companies say in documents posted Thursday by U.S. safety regulators that a capacitor on a circuit board in the oil pump assembly for the transmission may have been damaged by the supplier during manufacturing. That can cause a short-circuit and increase the risk of a fire.

Kia says it has six reports of melting components but no fires or injuries. Hyundai says it has confirmed four “thermal incidents” and no injuries.

Dealers will inspect and replace the oil pump controller if necessary. Hyundai owners will be notified by letter on Sept. 25. Kia will notify owners starting Sept. 28.

Mexican official says US refuses to cooperate on GM corn studies

“Their science is the Word of God. That is not science, that is ideology,” 


Mexico has repeatedly called on the US to work together on scientific studies amid a conflict over the Latin American country’s plans to limit the use of GM corn. Mexico buys about US$5 billion (RM22.8 billion) worth of corn from its trade partner annually, most of which is GM yellow corn used for livestock feed. — AFP pic

Thursday, 03 Aug 2023 

MEXICO CITY, Aug 3 — The United States has denied a request by Mexico to jointly conduct scientific research on the health impact of genetically-modified corn, a Mexican government official said, a sign the two sides could be inching closer to a formal trade dispute.

Mexico has repeatedly called on the US to work together on scientific studies amid a conflict over the Latin American country’s plans to limit the use of GM corn. Mexico buys about US$5 billion (RM22.8 billion) worth of corn from its trade partner annually, most of which is GM yellow corn used for livestock feed.

The US, however, denied this request and made it clear it will not participate in new scientific studies with Mexico, Mexican Deputy Agriculture Minister Victor Suarez said in an interview with Reuters.

The two countries discussed Mexico’s request, including during a visit by US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, but the US will not oblige, Suarez said.

“They did not want to establish a period in which the two parties agree to carry out impact studies on animal health and human health,” Suarez said at his office on Wednesday.

“Their science is the Word of God. That is not science, that is ideology,” he added.

When asked to comment on what Suarez said, the US Department of Agriculture referred Reuters to previous remarks by Vilsack stating that the US “fundamentally disagrees” with Mexico’s position on biotechnology.

Mexico wants to ban GM corn for human consumption in the food staple tortilla, which is mostly made of white corn, and eventually replace GM yellow corn used for livestock feed, arguing that biotech corn harms native varieties and may have adverse health effects.

The US has argued that Mexico’s plan is not based on science and will hurt US farmers.

In June, Washington requested a new round of trade dispute settlement consultations with Mexico under the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which are underway. If the two sides cannot resolve the conflict within 75 days, which falls on Aug. 16, the US can request a dispute settlement panel to decide the case. Canada also joined the consultations.

Suarez said the US does not have the evidence to support its argument in a panel, but that Mexico would be ready.

“If they establish the panel, we will defend ourselves. And if we defend ourselves, we think we are going to win,” Suarez said, adding that Mexico’s policy has no commercial impact on the United States.

Suarez estimated that between 10 per cent and 15 per cent of foreign corn purchases could be substituted by domestic production by the end of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s mandate in 2024.

The government is buying 1.5 million metric tons of white corn from producers in Sinaloa state at 6,965 pesos per ton ($409) after the country saw major unrest in the sector prompted by a drop in international grains prices. The state government will also buy half a million metric tons at that price.

Suarez said the price is based on a calculation of production costs and seeks to revalue the Mexican white grain and separate it from the “commodity” price of yellow corn on the Chicago grains exchange.

“This breaks the price link with Chicago,” Suarez said, adding that the program would soon expand to other states. — Reuters