It’s possible that I shall make an ass of myself. But in that case one can always get out of it with a little dialectic. I have, of course, so worded my proposition as to be right either way (K.Marx, Letter to F.Engels on the Indian Mutiny)
Friday, December 08, 2023
GOP billionaires using dark money groups to 'distance themselves from their own extremism': report
Billionaire conservative megadonors Dick and Liz Uihlein, Image via screengrab/NYT.
The #1 funder of Republican-aligned causes in the United States is now channeling his money through a series of dark money groups, according to a new report.
On Thursday, the Daily Beast found that billionaire Richard "Dick" Uihlein, of the Illinois-based Uline shipping company, is still funding far-right causes across the US, but is instead doing it through various nonprofit organizations he has connections to in an effort to circumvent disclosure rules. Caroline Ciccone, who is president of the anti-corruption group Accountable.US, said both Uihlein and his wife, Liz Uihlein, are redirecting their largesse to pull the wool over the eyes of Americans
"For years, billionaire conservative megadonors Dick and Liz Uihlein bankrolled the anti-democratic extremist groups that brought us the Jan. 6 insurrection. Now, they’re dumping millions into groups working to abolish abortion access across the country and appear to be purposefully funneling even more through a separate nonprofit to distance themselves from their own extremism," Ciccone said. "But the truth is clear: the Uihleins’ continued funding of the far-right’s most extreme causes is nothing more than a desperate attempt to force an unpopular, radical agenda on Americans everywhere."
According to campaign finance data compiled by OpenSecrets, Uihlein was the #1 donor to GOP-related politicians and causes in the United States in the 2022 election cycle, spending roughly $90 million (billionaire George Soros was the #1 donor to Democratic causes). The Beast reported that in the 2022 midterms, Uihlein actively donated to groups that promulgated conspiracy theories about the 2020 election, and to groups that sought to challenge the results of the election in the legal system. Many of those donations came from the Ed Uihlein Family Foundation, which spent tens of millions of dollars directly contributed by Dick Uihlein himself.
However, Uihlein has changed his strategy ahead of the 2024 elections. The Beast reported that a dark money group Uihlein is connected to — Restoration of America, and its associated 501(c)(4) political arm, Restoration Action — "hit the gas" in 2022 and raised more than $30 million, an increase of roughly $10 million from 2021. It also increased its spending by roughly $10 million. One of the recipients of Restoration's funding spree was Tea Party Patriots Action, which played a role in the organizing of the initial January 6, 2021 rally. Roughly $22 million of that $30 million came from one anonymous donor, which the Beast reported was "almost certainly" Uihlein.
Uihlein is also reportedly joining forces with conservative megadonors Leonard Leo of the Federalist Society (recently subpoenaed by the Senate Judiciary Committee as part of its investigation into Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas' significant undisclosed gifts) and Jeff Yass, an investor who also ranked among the top 5 biggest donors to GOP causes in 2022.
"These grants show how the Uihlein-backed group continues to finance election fraud conspiracy theories," Brendan Fischer, deputy director of the watchdog group Documented, told the Beast.
INDIA
Government admits to have bypassed environment impact assessments for Chardham project
Project was divided into 53 parts each less than 100 kilometres long, because of which it didn't need environmental impact assessment, says Nitin Gadka
The Chardham Mahamarg Vikas Pariyojayana, under which the Silkyara tunnel where 40 workers were trapped for 17 days was being constructed, was passed without necessary evaluation, as revealed by the Centre’s response to a parliamentary query recently.
Nitin Gadkari, Union minister of road transport and highways, admitted to have bypassed the environmental impact assessment norms for the civil works comprising improvement of five existing national highways from Tanakpur to Pithoragarh section of Kailas-Mansarovar yatra stretching over a length of 825 kilometres.
The project was divided into 53 independent parts, each having a length less than 100 kilometres with distinct start and end points.
As per the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), expansion of National Highways more than 100 km involving additional right of way or land acquisition greater than 40 m on existing alignments and 60 m on re-alignments or by-passes require prior environment clearances (EC).
“There was no requirement for Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) for these projects,” he said.
Gadkari was answering a parliamentary query raised by Rashtriya Janata Dal MP AD Singh, who asked whether the road project was approved without conducting environmental impact assessment.
The highway minister added that according to the directives of the Supreme Court of India, the MoEFCC has constituted a High Powered Committee (HPC) consisting of representatives from institutes such as Physical Research Laboratory, Wildlife Institute of India, Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Central Soil Conservation Research Institute, National Institute of Disaster Management, Forest Research Institute, MoEFCC officials and others.
The aim is to understand the cumulative and independent impact of Chardham Projects on the entire Himalayan valleys and accordingly issue directions to conduct EIA or Rapid EIA, Gadkari said.
Gadkari further explained that on the intervention of application filed by the Union Ministry of Defence, the Supreme Court on December 14, 2021 permitted widening of the three strategically important National Highways, namely Rishikesh-Mana, Rishikesh-Gangotri and Tanakpur-Pithoragarh under Chardham Pariyojana and make it two-laned with a 10 m wide pavement.
The Supreme Court, he added, has set up an “Oversight Committee” to ensure the implementation of the recommendations given in the report of HPC.
“The HPC continues to oversee the implementation of its recommendations in the remaining stretches of Chardham Pariyojana,” he stated.
In whose interest? Close to 2,500 fossil fuel lobbyists present at COP28 climate talks, reveals analysis
Lobbyists outnumber official indigenous representatives by over seven times, says coalition Kick Big Polluters Out
By Seema Prasad Published: Wednesday 06 December 2023
Alarmingly, there are more than seven times the number of fossil fuel lobbyists permitted entry to the Dubai talks than official indigenous representatives, the analysis said. Photo: UNclimatechange / Flickr
A new analysis has presented a conflict of interest at the ongoing 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Dubai, United Arab Emirates — there’s a record attendance of fossil fuel lobbyists at the climate summit.
At least 2,456 fossil fuel lobbyists were on the list of provisional participants on the UNFCCC website, found climate movement Kick Big Polluters Out’s in-depth study. The coalition of 450 organisations across the globe called on governments to establish a UNFCCC Accountability Framework to protect against undue influence of polluting interests.
Last year, 636 fossil fuel lobbyists were at COP27, up from 503 at COP26.
Despite 2023 being the hottest year on record and communities on the frontline bearing the brunt, the lobbyists received more passes than ten countries most affected by climate change combined (1,509), the study found.
The most climate-vulnerable nations include Somalia (366), Chad (554), Niger (135), Guinea-Bissau (43), Micronesia (26), Tonga (79), Eritrea (7), Sudan (46), Liberia (197), Solomon Islands (56).
Alarmingly, there are more than seven times the number of fossil fuel lobbyists permitted entry to the Dubai talks than official indigenous representatives, the analysis said.
The number of lobbyists was only surpassed by the number of delegates brought by Brazil and the UAE — 3,081 and 4,409 people, respectively.
One key way that representatives of fossil fuel companies gain access to COP is through trade associations, most of which belong to the Global North. Based in Geneva, the International Emissions Trading Association brought the most number of lobbyists (116), including oil and gas companies such as Shell, TotalEnergies and Equinor.
Some of the other trade associations are the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (54), Carbon Capture and Storage Association (28), Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America (27), Carbon Market Institute Limited (23) and BusinessEurope (18).
Certain countries, too, did not shy away from including fossil fuel giants in their delegation. For instance, TotalEnergies and EDF were brought by France and employees of BP, ENI and ExxonMobil were brought by the European Union.
Condemning this in a statement, Ogunlade Olamide Martins, programme manager of Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, said: “To share seats with the Big Polluters in climate change conversations is to dine with the devil. This unholy matrimony will only endorse ‘conflict of interest’ and further facilitate the silence of honest agitation.”
Martins added, “COP’s conclusions must be independent of industries’ parasitic influences and must only address the concerns of the vulnerable masses.”
In August 2022, a joint statement by civil society was drafted and submitted to recommend a framework that sets the rules of engagement for Big Oil companies at UN climate Talks. It suggested the following:
Setting a definition of what constitutes a ‘conflict of interest’
Setting protocols that comprise the Accountability Framework, including i) determining criteria for distinguished types of representatives and non-party stakeholders; ii) establishing rules of engagement; iii) guiding handling of potential conflict of interest cases across existing representatives or new applicants.
Establishing conflict-of-interest accountability mechanisms to enforce and monitor the accountability framework.
Moreover, the climate pledges of Big Oil companies fall short significantly, according to a 2023 assessment of TotalEnergies, Eni and Equinor’s climate plans by Oil Change International, a research and advocacy organisation.
In 2023, companies Total, Eni and Equinor announced record profits of $36.2 billion, $14 billion and $28.7 billion, respectively. None of the profits were diverted towards developing renewable energy and were used to primarily increase fossil fuel investment.
It demonstrated they were not meeting the bare minimum requirements of the Paris Agreement, therefore, making their presence at COP28 questionable.
Indigenous people play critical role as 'early warning system' on climate change, says Manitoban at COP28
UN climate summit held day of talks on role of Indigenous peoples in the fight against climate change
University of Manitoba associate professor Myrle Ballard, right, at a COP28 panel in Dubai. Ballard says it's time Indigenous voices are heard when it comes to finding solutions to climate change. (Kyle Bakx/CBC)
Indigenous Manitobans attending the United Nations' climate summit in Dubai say it's about time their voices were heard.
The COP28 climate mega-conference held a full day of talks this week on the role of Indigenous peoples from around the world in the fight against climate change.
Several dozen Indigenous representatives from all across Canada were at the summit, talking about how a warming planet is impacting their communities.
Myrle Ballard, an associate professor with University of Manitoba's faculty of science, participated in a panel on loss and damage caused by the changing climate.
"It's Indigenous people's observations that are really critical because … they're the predictors of what's happening in real time, what's happening on the land. They're the early warning system," said Ballard, who is also chief advisor for Indigenous science with Environment and Climate Change Canada.
People are silhouetted against a logo for the COP28 UN climate summit in Dubai. More than 70,000 delegates from all across the world are at the summit, which wraps up next week. (Rafiq Maqbool/The Associated Press)
"A lot of the decisions [on climate change] are based on reactions. So we need to be more preventative and learn from Indigenous peoples with their early warning system. That way, we can prepare for the changes that happen."
Ballard said it's important for all different players, including all levels of government, communities and non-governmental organizations, to listen to and learn from each other to find a climate solution.
She hopes Indigenous people are also at the table for those conversations.
"They just dedicated [a day at COP28] to what Indigenous people have to say," she said.
"Having Indigenous people there, I think it's very significant. I would assume and hope that they are being listened to."
'Momentum' to act on climate: Métis Federation
The Red River Métis also sent a group of people to COP28, in partnership with the Canadian delegation. The team is led by JoAnne Remillard, the Manitoba Métis Federation's energy and climate minister.
The Manitoba Métis Federation's Will Goodon has participated in every COP since 2017, except for this year's. He says based on what he's hearing, there seems to be real momentum for a change at this year's conference. (Submitted by Will Goodon)
He said based on what he's seeing, there seems to be real momentum toward finding a climate solution this time around.
"Sometimes when you go to these things, they are either a lot of talk about things that we should be doing or we could be doing or we might be doing," he said.
But from what he's heard, "there's a couple of other … big issues that there was actually decisions being made early in the week, rather than at the 11th hour."
Goodon said there's "a little more seriousness involved" to proceedings this year, including some important discussions on capping greenhouse gas emissions.
More than 70,000 delegates from all across the world are in Dubai for the summit, which wraps up next week.
Advocates for action on the environment have criticized the choice to hold the summit in one of the world's largest oil producers, and voiced concerns about a rise in the number of fossil fuel lobbyists present.
Goodon said he understands those criticisms, but said the people responsible for the most emissions must also be part of the climate discussion.
"If the … industries that are perpetuating the emissions and the changes that we see aren't at the table, then it's really hard to do, you know, enforcement," he said.
"It's a little bit of a catch-22, and you're walking a fine line.… It's hard to say what's the best way forward."
COP28 is scheduled to continue until Dec. 12.
German unions call for education reforms after shocking PISA report
2023/12/05
Anja Bensinger-Stolze, Chairwoman of GEW Hamburg, speaks at a rally at Dammtor station. German trade unions and associations have called for changes in education policy following the 2022 international PISA performance assessment that showed the country's worst results yet.
Georg Wendt/dpa
German trade unions and associations have called for changes in education policy following the 2022 international PISA performance assessment that showed the country's worst results yet.
"Individualized support for pupils must be improved without ifs and buts," Anja Bensinger-Stolze from the executive board of the German Education and Science Union (GEW) told the Funke Mediengruppe newspapers.
"The efforts of the federal states to effectively combat the shortage of teachers and specialists must finally be significantly increased," she added.
The report shows the "alarming results of education policy," according to the head of the German Employers' Associations, Rainer Dulger.
Stefan Düll, head of the German Teachers' Association, called for mandatory pre-school language proficiency tests and smaller classes and learning groups, among other things.
In reading, mathematics and science, last year's results show the lowest scores ever measured for Germany, according to the report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
Afghan education for boys also at risk under Taliban rule 2023/12/06
Mortaza, 8 years old, looks out of the window of a classroom after attending a lesson with other boys who divide their time between school and labour. Due to curriculum changes, corporal punishment and the dismissal of female teachers, education for boys in Afghanistan is at risk in the long term under the Taliban rule, a report published on Wednesday by Human Rights Watch (HRW) showed.
Oliver Weiken/dpa
Due to curriculum changes, corporal punishment and the dismissal of female teachers, education for boys in Afghanistan is at risk in the long term under the Taliban rule, a report published on Wednesday by Human Rights Watch (HRW) showed.
Since the Taliban regained power in August 2021, they have been criticized above all for their severe curtailment of women's education.
While female teachers have been dismissed and replaced by unqualified teachers or no teacher at all, schools from the seventh grade and universities are entirely closed to girls and women.
So far, less attention has been paid to the damage caused to the education system for boys, HRW said. The report is based on accounts from pupils from the eighth grade and parents.
According to HRW, lessons such as sport, art and English have often been removed from the curriculum or are no longer taught due to a lack of teachers.
A rise in corporal punishment is said to have been triggered by things such as a bad haircuts or possession of a mobile phone for example, the report said.
Due to the precarious economic situation in the country, financial hardship in families means boys often have to work instead of going to school.
The changes in the schools have led to many boys becoming increasingly afraid of attending school, and their hopes for the future are dwindling.
"The Taliban are doing irreversible damage to the Afghan education system for both boys and girls," said Sahar Fetrat, deputy women's rights researcher at HRW.
"By damaging the country's entire education system, they risk creating a lost generation that will be deprived of quality education," she continued.
Carmakers have been granted a three-year delay to “rules of origin” tariffs for electric vehicles (EVs) being sent from and to the UK from the European Union.
Following Brexit, carmakers had a deadline of 2024 to source 45% of a car from within the UK or EU and 60% of EV battery components or face a 10% export tariff.
European carmakers have been fierce critics of the rules, which are aimed at Chinese-sourced vehicles and products, saying it would damage their EV sales more.
Sources quoted in the Financial Times stated that Brexit commissioner Maros Sefcovic had an eleventh-hour change of heart about the proposal and decided instead on a delay.
Most EV batteries currently come from China and politicians in both the EU and Britain are concerned about the prospect of a flood of cheap Chinese EVs that would stifle the industry here before it had a chance to develop properly.
Mike Hawes, chief executive of UK car industry body the SMMT, said of the EU's proposal: "Such an extension would avoid damaging tariffs on the very vehicles we need consumers to buy, allow UK and EU manufacturers to compete with the rest of the world and, crucially, give the European battery industry time to catch up.”
Both Jaguar Land Rover and Nissan have announced major investments in battery factories in the UK recently.
Morgan’s XP-1 hints at future electric sports car 2023/12/07
British sports car firm Morgan, known for its long-bonneted, bug-eyed nostalgic cars with lively handling, has its sights on retro-electric mobility. Morgan/dpa
British sports car firm Morgan has revealed a new prototype that shows its "ongoing development" of electric cars.
Produced over 12 months, the XP-1, standing for "experimental prototype" is based on Morgan’s Super 3 three-wheeler, and has been produced in-house at the firm’s factory in Malvern, Worcestershire.
Morgan’s first venture into electric cars came in 2016, when the firm revealed an "EV3" concept car at the Geneva Motor Show, but no production car ever materialised and it has remained very quiet about the topic of electrification.
However, Morgan is now signalling its intent to produce electric cars with the new prototype. The firm says that it’s "not intended for production," but rather is being used as a test bed to develop the driving characteristics and powertrains of electric Morgans. It will also be used to help train the firm’s employees on electric cars.
The XP1 also uses Morgan’s first in-house powertrain of any type, with the firm previously using engines from the likes of Ford and BMW to power its cars.
Morgan says lightness is a "key requirement" of this new EV, and that the XP-1’s weight is "comparable" to that of the petrol Super 3 this car is based on, which weighs just 635 kg. A small 33kWh battery is used, with reports suggesting the XP-1 could manage around 241 km of range from a charge.
"We are immensely proud to be sharing XP-1 with the world and showcasing some of the first-class engineering that takes place behind the scenes at Morgan," Matt Hole, chief technical officer of the Morgan Motor Company, said.
"As we embark on our electric journey, this prototype will become a focal point of the engineering and design process, providing a wealth of insight and helping to build up our in-house EV capability."
The firm says that updates about the progress with the XP-1 will be announced over the "coming months".
The XP1 uses Morgan’s first in-house powertrain of any type, with the firm previously using engines from the likes of Ford and BMW to power its cars. Morgan/dpa
A small 33kWh battery is used in the XP-1 prototype, with reports suggesting the XP-1 could manage around 241 km of range from a charge. Morgan/dpa
Fiat revives the 500e with a new version to be sold across the US
TESLA VS THE ITALIAN JOB 2023/12/06
Fiat is selling its new 500e as "a modern, tech-forward take on a beloved classic" and believes it has what it takes to bring small European electric mobility to the US.
Stellantis/dpa
Stellantis NV's first battery-electric vehicle available for retail customers across North America goes on sale in the first quarter of 2024 with a starting price of $32,500 plus a $1,595 destination fee.
It's the Fiat 500e, a previous version of which was sold in California and Oregon last decade, and this time the company actually wants customers to buy it.
The iconic minicar built in Italy returns to the US market after the automaker ended production of the Fiat 500 and its electric version in 2019 in Mexico. Former Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV CEO Sergio Marchionne famously asked customers not to buy the previous 500e, "because every time I sell one it costs me $14,000."
But now, EVs are being produced at larger rates in Europe, even if they're still in the early adopter phase in the United States. Their sales growth here is slowing, prompting a pullback in EV investments in the industry. Fiat's goal isn't volume here, its CEO Olivier François previously said, but to target wealthy, urban buyers mostly on the coasts with a zero-emission, fun-to-drive car.
The focus will be on online sales, such as through metaverse showrooms. The brand is employing alternative retail models like subscriptions and rentals like through Stellantis' Free2move car-sharing platform. Sneaker drop-like buzz cars will seek to maintain appeal with limited editions. Plus, sales will help offset emissions created by volume gas-powered SUVs and trucks.
“The 2024 500e is a modern, tech-forward take on a beloved classic, delivering a host of new safety features, while remaining fun to drive and true to its roots," François said in a statement. "Try not to smile when you drive this car.”
Fiat has been down to just one vehicle in its U.S. lineup: the 500X subcompact SUV. US sales are down 46% year-over-year in the first nine months of 2023 with just 144 of the crossovers being sold in the third quarter. The 500e returns initially with the 2024 Fiat (500e) RED, a collaboration with the (RED) project from U2 frontman Bono and activist Bobby Shriver in conjunction with The ONE Campaign, a nonprofit focused on eradicating extreme poverty and preventable diseases. Stellantis in 2021 announced a partnership to offer special-edition Jeeps and Fiats to help fund more than $4 million for pandemic relief efforts over three years. World AIDS Day was Friday.
A sale of this red exterior edition of the two-door, four-seater 500e will trigger a donation to the Global Fund to support prevention, treatment, counseling, testing education and care services to communities in need.
The vehicle has an estimated range of 149 miles from a 42 kilowatt-hour battery. A Level 2 charger can bring it up to a full battery in 4 hours and 15 minutes, while a DC charger can do the job in 35 minutes.
Unlike the previous 500e that had a range of 84 miles, the new model was built on an EV-dedicated platform. It's also wider and longer. It produces 118 horsepower, 162 pound-feet of torque and can reach 60 mph in 8.5 seconds.
There are three driving modes: normal, range that actives one-pedal driving for the best regenerative braking performance and sherpa that maximizes energy efficiency such as by limiting the top speed to 50 mph.
Inside is a red dashboard with an insert, rounded 7-inch digital cluster and two-spoke steering wheel that pays homage to the original 1957 Fiat 500. The vehicle has a 10.25-inch center screen with Uconnect 5. Seats are made from recycled materials.
Each vehicle will come with a home charger box system or charge credits through Stellantis' EV charging network, Free2move Charge. Fiat fans also will be able to buy a Fiat Pass membership to secure their vehicle, be in the know about future product and access the brand's blockchain-powered Web3 community.
Volkswagen's auditors find no sign of forced labour at Chinese plant 2023/12/05
A switch with the inscription 'Emergency Stop' can be seen at the train station in the morning in front of a logo at the Volkswagen headquarters.
Moritz Frankenberg/dpa
Auditors hired by German auto giant Volkswagen say they have found no evidence of forced labour at a controversial plant in the Chinese province of Xinjiang.
"We could not find any indications or evidence of forced labour among the employees," said Markus Löning from the consulting firm Löning Human Rights & Responsible Business on Tuesday in Wolfsburg when presenting a summary of his report.
Löning's company was commissioned by VW in the summer to investigate the working conditions at the site for possible human rights violations. Löning, a former politician, previously served as the German government's human rights commissioner.
The plant in Ürümqi, which opened in 2013, has been criticized for possible human rights violations in the province, which is largely inhabited by Uighurs.
According to VW, the site now only has around 197 employees, who only prepare vehicles for delivery. Car production has been discontinued at the site and the number of employees has been reduced from 650.
In order to check the working conditions, the employment contracts of all employees from the last three years and other documents were examined on site, said Löning. In addition, interviews were held with 40 employees selected by the company itself.
Two Chinese lawyers were on site to provide support, according to Löning.
"The results of the audit of the plant in Ürümqi show that no evidence of forced labour was found within the site," stated Manfred Döss, VW's chief legal officer.
"We will continue to take any indications of human rights violations very seriously in the future. If there are any suspicions or indications, we will investigate them," Döss said.
Löning, however, acknowledged that there are particular challenges for such independent investigations in China, although he said auditors were able to freely move about the site.
"The situation in China and Xinjiang and the challenges involved in collecting data for audits are well known," he said, which is why the audit was limited to working conditions within the plant itself.
"Our mandate was limited to the 197 employees of the Shanghai Volkswagen (Xinjiang) Automotive Company in Ürümqi."
Of the 197 employees, about three-quarters are Han Chinese, while 47 belong to various minorities, most of them Uighurs, according to the report.
Following public pressure, VW Group chief executive Oliver Blume announced in June that the plant would be subject to an independent audit.
The US-based investment advisory firm MSCI had previously warned VW about the site. Human rights activists have long criticized VW maintaining the plant, whose contract runs until at least 2029.
Right groups accuse the central government in Beijing of persecuting the Muslim Uighur minority. Several Western countries have imposed sanctions over the alleged abuses.
Volkswagen has denied that there could be human rights violations or forced labour at the site.
Key fish supplier Thailand again faces questions over industry abuses
2023/12/05
Tuna from Thailand is currently not an ethical choice, according to activists, as fishing industry workers, some held against their will, continue to endure abuse.
Franziska Gabbert/dpa
Ethically-minded shoppers might want to think carefully about what tuna or shrimp they put on their shopping lists.
According to Justice for Fishers, a campaign run by the International Transport Workers' Federation, there remains a lack of "robust evidence" that Thailand's seafood is free of "forced labour" and other forms of exploitation.
The South-east Asian nation is one of the world’s main sources of frozen shrimp and canned tuna. But the massive Thai fishing industry, worth around $5-6 billion in exports each year, has for decades been blighted by accusations that workers, particularly foreign sailors, suffer abuses, even being held as slaves or captives, and of murder at sea.
The industry has in recent years made efforts to clean up in the wake of some of the more lurid revelations, with the European Union at one point issuing the government in Bangkok an "ultimatum" to do something about abuses on boats and to rein in captains who fish illegally in other countries’ waters.
As part of its reforms, Thailand’s government in 2019 signed the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 188, which covers fishing work.
But Justice for Fishers believes Thai officials have struggled to "effectively enforce" inspection provisions and said the ILO, a United Nations body, faces "critical questions" about its willingness to hold countries accountable.
There are hundreds of thousands of fishers around the world who experience "exploitation and the abuse of their fundamental rights," according to the campaign group.
Ex-German hard-left leader Wagenknecht tight-lipped on EU alliances 2023/12/06
Sahra Wagenknecht stands in the newsroom of Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa after an interview with the news agency. former leading light in Germany's hard-left Die Linke (The Left) party who left to form her own political movement, has not yet decided which alliance she would call home if successful in European Parliament elections.
Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa
Sahra Wagenknecht, a former leading light in Germany's hard-left Die Linke (The Left) party who left to form her own political movement, has not yet decided which alliance she would call home if successful in European Parliament elections.
"There is currently no decision on this," Wagenknecht, the former leader of Die Linke's parliamentary group in the Bundestag, replied to an enquiry from dpa.
Wagenknecht left Die Linke in October and is looking to found her own party in January. It is currently known as the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) until a formal name is chosen. She told dpa in November that she hopes to achieve a double-digit result in next year's European elections.
Before leaving Die Linke, Wagenknecht clashed with its leadership over her anti-immigration stance, scepticism over vaccine mandates and other political positions.
Several Die Linke members of the Bundestag have joined her, leading to the party losing its status in the German lower house.
The allocation of her new party to a European party alliance could be an indication of whether the new party leans more to the left or more to the right, although Wagenknecht now rejects those labels.
Wagenknecht recently said in an interview with Sunday's edition of German newspaper Die Welt that most people no longer see themselves in terms left and right. However, if she wants to have political influence in the European Parliament, she will probably have to choose a political camp, she said at the time.
SOCIALIST BANKER Nadia Calviño to become new president of the European Investment Bank 2023/12/08
Spanish Economy Minister Nadia Calvino rings a bell during the economic and financial affairs council. The finance ministers of the 27 European Union states agreed on the appointment of Calvino as president of the European Investment Bank (EIB), Belgian Finance Minister Vincent Van Peteghem said on 08 December.
Alexandros Michailidis/EU Council/dpa
Spanish Economy Minister Nadia Calviño is to become the new president of the European Investment Bank (EIB).
The finance ministers of the 27 European Union states agreed on the appointment, Belgian Finance Minister Vincent Van Peteghem said on Friday in Brussels.
Calviño, who has served as Spain's economy minister since 2018, is credited with having steered her country's economy successfully through the battering inflicted by the Covid-19 crisis. Spain has one of the lowest inflation rates in the eurozone.
Calviño is the first woman to head the EIB, which is based in Luxembourg.
The EIB is the EU institution in charge of long-term financing and is owned by the bloc's member states.
The bank's role is to finance investments that contribute to EU policy objectives, like more sustainable national economies.
In 2022, the bank signed a total of €65.1 billion ($70.8 billion) in financing.
Source: @pushkardhami / X (formerly Twitter)
