Bulker Fends Off Pirates While Houthis Launch New Salvo in Red Sea

US and EU forces reported stopping an increase in launches by the Houthi over the Red Sea (Aspides file photo)

PUBLISHED JUN 7, 2024 11:39 AM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

 

The situation in the Red Sea region remains very volatile with several new reports. The EU monitoring group is warning of at least three pirate groups being active with two attempted assaults in the past week, while the Houthis conducted an increased level of activity however with no successful attacks.

The latest attempted boarding took place today on a merchant vessel sailing near Somalia. It happened as EU NAVFOR Atalanta increased its estimations in an update issued yesterday saying that it now believes at least three or more Pirate Action Groups (PAGs) could be sailing off the Somali coast, at the area around Socotra and off the coast of Garacad.

A merchant ship sailing 355 nautical miles east of Mogadiscio, Somalia is the latest to report an approach. A skiff was reportedly launched from a mother ship approximately five nautical miles from the vessel and came within 400 meters. EOS Risk Group is reporting that security guards on the vessel fired nine warning shots at the approaching skiff which UKMTO reports contained six armed individuals. The skiff broke off the approach at that point and the vessel was able to proceed without a further incident.

Neptune P2P Group is reporting the vessel involved in today’s incident is the Marshall Island-flagged bulk carrier Pacific Honor (58,900 dwt). It is a Japanese-managed bulker. Neptune notes that the location of this incident is “close to where the cargo ship MV Basilisk was boarded by suspected pirates on May 23,” speculating it could be the same group.

A week ago, a Cook Island-flagged crude oil tanker, Arabesca (105,000 dwt) also reported being approached but it was to the north of the Horn of Africa heading into the Red Sea bound for the Suez Canal. In that situation, the master of the tanker reported spotting two dhows each towing three skiffs that were approaching but they were able to elude them without incident.

Atalanta warns that six to seven dhows that have been taken remain unaccounted for and possibly still in the hands of their captors. In the past 30 days, they received reports of five approaches and three vessels being attacked.

Several hours earlier, the UK Maritime Trade Organizations also received a report of two explosions near a vessel 27 nautical miles south of Al Mukha, Yemen near the Bab el-Mandeb. The unnamed ship reported no damage and said it was proceeding.

The Houthis spokesperson late on Friday cited two further attacks without specifics. Yahya Saree said they continued to target ships of companies calling in Israel citing a Malta-registered Greek containership Elbella (23,400 dwt). He also cited the AAL Genoa (25,733 dwt). The cargo ship is registered in Cyprus and managed by Columbia Shipmanagement.

U.S. Central Command is also reporting a very active 24-hour period. CENTCOM said forces destroyed eight Houthi uncrewed aerial systems and two Houthi uncrewed surface vessels in the Red Sea. The Houthis also launched one anti-ship ballistic missile over the Red Sea.

The Italian frigate Virginio Fasan, on assignment to the EU NAVFOR Aspides, also engaged with the Houthis while protecting a merchant vessel in the Red Sea. The frigate repelled a UAV attack.

 

Study: Tanker Sector's Profits Could Fall by a Third Due to Climate Action

iStock

PUBLISHED JUN 5, 2024 4:52 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

 

In a new report, researchers at University College London and the Kuhne Foundation predict that the tanker and gas carrier segments will see their profits drop by as much as $200 billion over the next 25 years if the global economy achieves the Paris climate targets - even if all newbuild orders end. This amounts to a third of the profits that tanker companies could earn over the same period under a business-as-usual climate action scenario.  

The research team set out to look at the ownership structure, asset value and transport capacity of the global tanker fleet, and how well utilized it would be under future climate scenarios. In particular, they sought to determine how much overcapacity there might be if the global economy reduces fossil fuel consumption, and the resulting impact on tanker owners' profits and asset values. 

The team found that LNG, LPG and crude tankers may be oversupplied in decades ahead if the global economy cuts fuel consumption enough to meet the Paris Agreement's 1.5 degree Celcius warming trajectory. The cumulative lost profits (compared to a scenario in which the global economy does not decarbonize) could amount to up to $214 billion by 2050, even if there are no more newbuild orders. If more tankers and gas carriers continue to be ordered and built, lost profits could rise to as much as $286 billion by 2050. 

"The results are quite chilling for oil and gas tankers," explains Marie Fricaudet, who led the research at UCL. "In a scenario where newbuilding of ships continues until 2030, about 37 percent of their expected profits would fail to materialize."

If demand and day rates drop, the book loss from falling vessel asset values could amount to as much as $108 billion by 2030, or as much as $147 billion if the orderbook continues to grow. 

Simultaneously, this decline in tanker activity would cut the cumulative CO2 emissions of the maritime industry by 1.3-2.0 billion tonnes by 2050. This would help keep shipping within the 12 billion tonne carbon budget the industry would need to meet if it wants to achieve a 1.5 degree Celcius trajectory. 

Other demand-side factors in the changing energy market - like regionalized production and reduced shipping distances - could further reduce tanker activity. On the other hand, there is also the possibility that more these vessels will keep sailing if they find a way to switch cargoes. Coal-carrying bulkers could readily switch to other dry bulk commodities, the authors noted. Tankers may also be convertible to new liquid fuels, subject to technical limitations, and these adaptations to a new green-fuel landscape might offset the lost profits of a decline in the traditional wet bulk trades. 

"Our forecast, even if only indicative, should prompt investors and shipping actors to evaluate their climate risks and redirect investments. The transport sector must play a role in transitioning to a low-carbon society, with capital shifting to sectors aiding this transformation," said Stefanie Sohm of the Kuhn Climate Center. 

 

Calls for Oversight as More Ships Fail Inspections as Fire Risks Increase

More ships are being detained with fire safety issues often being the cause (file photo)

PUBLISHED JUN 7, 2024 5:42 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

The dangers of fire at sea persist and are growing as new cargoes including lithium-ion batteries, and alternative fuels, begin to become more prevalent. Survival Technology provider Survitec is highlighting the results of a new analysis that shows an “alarming increase” in fire-safety-related deficiencies found during Port State Control Inspections and subsequent ship detentions while calling for better oversight.

Despite fire continuing to be a leading cause of major shipping incidents, accounting for over 20 percent of total losses, and the most expensive cause of marine insurance claims, Survitec highlights the increase in failed inspections and detentions. The Paris MoU in 2022 recorded the highest level of fire safety deficiencies in a decade. Similarly, the Tokyo MoU also reported an increase in detentions, with a staggering 15,562 deficiencies reported in 2023, often involving fire safety concerns. Similar concerns have been voiced by both the U.S. Coast Guard and insurer Allianz which cited a dramatic increase in the number of fires at sea.

“Analysts report a 17 percent year-on-year rise in shipboard fires, which correlates with an increasing number of reports and testimonies from our network of certified service technicians and engineers that document serious faults requiring immediate corrective measures,” says Metkel Yohannes, Director of Service & Rental Solutions at Survitec.

Among the issues they point to are the impact of the economic downturn and the emphasis on cost reduction post-COVID which they believe have negatively impacted fire safety. Survitec reports that some shipowners and operators are maintaining and inspecting safety equipment themselves in an attempt to save costs.

Among the examples they cite is a fire on a bulk carrier. The vessel had completed a fire safety inspection and received full certification from a local service provider. However, shortly after leaving port, a fire broke out in the engine room. Over half of the cylinders failed to activate despite the CO2 system having been inspected and approved. While the fire was eventually extinguished, it caused significant damage to the vessel, resulting in off-hire and repair costs estimated between $2-3 million.

“We’re finding basic errors and oversights that do not become apparent until either the ship fails an inspection and is detained – or there is a fire,” says Yohannes.

In another example, they report the company was called in for an inspection only after a ship had suffered an engine room fire. The crew had managed to extinguish the fire but suspected there was a fault with their high-expansion foam firefighting system. The inspectors probing the system discovered the crew had installed a new foam pump and forgotten to remove one of the protective caps from the inlet.

“We see evidence of a slip in standards regarding basic safety practices but also a wide disparity in service quality between service providers,” says Yohannes. “Approval stamps are being applied to fire systems and appliances that would or should not pass inspection. Some issues are self-evident; for example, rust on a valve or fire extinguisher is clear to see, but other issues are less obvious and can have catastrophic consequences.” 

For example, in CO2 firefighting systems, hydraulic hoses are often mistaken for high-pressure hoses but they are not designed for CO2 applications and may burst under pressure.

Survitec is calling for a review of current practice and as an industry to determine if more oversight, governance, and quality control procedures are required.

Ukraine to receive Mirage 2000 jets after year-long speculation

By Boyko Nikolov 

 Jun 7, 2024

BulgarianMilitary.com

Just under a year ago, BulgarianMilitary.com reported that Ukraine was set to receive Dassault Mirage 2000 fighters from France, based on French sources. This speculation turned into reality on June 6 when French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed the transfer. He announced that France will be providing Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets to Ukraine, manufactured by Dassault, and will also take on the training of Ukrainian pilots in France.

Macron’s announcement highlights an important chapter in recent history. We knew that Kyiv and Paris were engaged in discussions about French aircraft, with detailed negotiations reported as early as September after Kyiv’s official request to Paris.

Additionally, nearly six months before the French parliament debated providing fighter jets to Ukraine, French publication La Figaro broke significant news. They reported that approximately 30 Ukrainian pilots received expedited training to operate the Mirage 2000 fighters. This training was conducted at two French air bases: Mont-de-Marsan and Nancy.

Photo credit: The Print

The beginning

The buzz around the potential delivery of Mirage 2000 fighter jets to Ukraine started well before the discussions took off in September. Back in March 2023, Intelligence Online [IO] conducted an investigation, revealing that Ukraine hopes to receive at least 40 Mirage 2000 jets. According to the report, the potential suppliers include the United Arab Emirates [UAE], Indonesia, and Greece.

At that point, the topic of providing F-16s to Ukraine was still off-limits. It was during this period that France signaled its readiness to donate Mirage 2000 fighters. However, three main criteria needed to be evaluated first: the utility and effectiveness of these jets for Ukraine’s military, the risk of escalation, and the potential impact on France’s own defense capabilities.

Photo credit: Reddit

According to BulgarianMilitary.com, French President Emmanuel Macron had already directed the Ministry of Defense to assess the feasibility of providing combat aircraft to Ukraine at the start of 2023. It was officially confirmed by Paris that Kyiv had submitted a request for these fighter jets.

The signals from Kyiv

Earlier this year, General Mykola Oleschuk, head of the Ukrainian Air Force, suggested the Mirage 2000D could potentially be transferred to Ukraine.

Photo credit: Pravda.com.ua

In a related discussion with Libération, General Kirilo Budanov, head of intelligence, highlighted his desire for France to aid Ukraine with air support. He remarked, “I hope that France will provide us with the air support we urgently need. Ukrainian pilots are among the best in the world due to their extensive combat experience. They will have no trouble adapting to this new technology. I am optimistic that the French Republic will supply us with these aircraft” [Mirage 2000D, editor’s note].

Meanwhile, Francois Le Monde argues that Ukraine might encounter challenges operating multiple types of combat aircraft. He contends that Ukraine should focus on the F-16, as the Mirage 2000D comes with additional hurdles like maintaining operational status and building the necessary infrastructure. Moreover, rigorous pilot training could take six to eight months and require support from navigators and maintenance personnel.
From Paris to Athens

Photo credit: JasonM

Reports suggest that the UAE and Indonesia may be donating Mirage 2000 jets to Ukraine. Yet, it’s Greece that catches the eye. After French President Macron’s June 6 speech, it’s worth noting Greece’s move back in February. Greece is actively seeking funds to acquire at least six more Dassault Rafale fighters and is willing to sell its Mirage 2000 jets to raise money.

Greek newspaper I Kathimeriní shared that Athens plans to sell these retired aircraft to India. The Indian Air Force [IAF], which has been looking to bolster its Mirage 2000 fleet for the past four years, expressed interest in acquiring an additional 24 units in 2021.

Right now, Athens finds itself in a favorable position. India emerges as a potential buyer for the Greek Mirages, and Macron’s speech has opened the door for a possible barter deal with an extra payment from Greece to secure the needed Rafales.

Photo credit: Dassault Aviation

The Mirage

The Dassault Mirage 2000 is a jet fighter made by the French company Dassault Aviation. It’s a fourth-generation plane with one engine that can perform many roles. The plane is around 14.36 meters long, has a wingspan of 9.13 meters, and stands 5.2 meters tall. Its wing area is about 41 square meters, which helps it perform well in various combat situations.

The Mirage 2000 uses a single SNECMA M53-P2 turbofan engine. This engine can produce up to 95.1 kN of thrust with an afterburner, allowing the plane to fly at speeds up to Mach 2.2

.
Photo credit: CNA

The plane’s delta-wing design gives it great lift and maneuverability. It can take off with a maximum weight of 17,000 kilograms and has a combat radius of about 1,550 kilometers with extra fuel tanks. Its fly-by-wire control system makes it stable and easy to handle, even during difficult maneuvers.


Inside Mirage 2000

The Mirage 2000 is packed with high-tech systems to boost its combat performance. It has the Thales RDY-2 radar for tracking and engaging multiple targets and the SAGEM Sigma 95N for navigation. You’ll also find a heads-up display [HUD], multifunction displays [MFDs], and an advanced electronic warfare suite to protect the aircraft.
Photo: Savvas Savvaidis

The systems on the Mirage 2000 use advanced technology. This includes the ICMS Mk2 system for electronic countermeasures [ECM] and radar warnings. It also has the DAMOCLES pod for precision bombing and the Litening pod for better targeting and reconnaissance.


The Mirage 2000 is armed with many weapons to handle different missions. It can carry air-to-air missiles like the MBDA MICA and Magic II and air-to-ground bombs like the GBU-12 Paveway II and AS-30L missiles. It also has a 30mm twin-barrel cannon for close combat and ground attacks.

Air superiority missions

Photo credit: Pixabay

The Mirage 2000 is highly effective in air superiority missions. Its advanced avionics, agility, and powerful radar make it an excellent choice for gaining control of the skies. This capability is crucial for establishing air dominance in contested environments.

In addition to air superiority, the Mirage 2000 excels in precision strike missions. Equipped with a variety of guided munitions, it can accurately target and destroy enemy infrastructure, command centers, and other high-value assets, minimizing collateral damage.

The aircraft is also well-suited for close air support operations. Its ability to deliver precise firepower in support of ground troops makes it invaluable in scenarios where friendly forces are engaged with enemy combatants, providing critical support to ensure mission success.

***

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Ukraine Hits Russian Patrol Boats & Petroleum Tanks in Black Sea

A Ukrainian Magura V5 drone boat detonates against the hull of a Tuna-class Russian patrol vessel (GUR)

PUBLISHED JUN 3, 2024 6:03 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

Satellite imagery and video footage appear to confirm reports of two separate Ukrainian attacks on Russian assets in the Black Sea last week: a drone boat strike in western Crimea, and a missile strike on a petroleum facility at the port of Kavkaz. 

On Thursday, Ukraine's General Staff claimed credit for an ATACMS missile strike on the port of Kavkaz. According to pro-Ukraine accounts, residents of Kavkaz reported up to 10 explosions in a row overnight Wednesday; bystander imagery appeared to corroborate a series of explosions and fires at the facility, but the authenticity of the footage could not be immediately confirmed. 

Satellite imagery obtained by Radio Free Liberty (a U.S. government-funded news outlet) appears to show limited damage to a tank farm at the port. 

The Ukrainian military also claims to have damaged two vessels that were used for Russian military logistics. The satellite imagery appears to show that two vessels that were present at the pier in Kavkaz before the date of the alleged attack have now departed. 

Kavkaz is Russia's fifth-busiest port in cargo turnover, and the second-busiest Russian port in the Black Sea area (after Novorossiysk). It is also home to an unusual nine-car rail ferry crossing, connecting to Russian-occupied Crimea on the opposite side of the Kerch Strait. 

   

Separately, Ukraine's defense ministry claimed another successful drone strike on the Black Sea Fleet, this time in the northwestern Black Sea. The targets this time were smaller in scale - two Tuna-class patrol boats - but the outcome appeared to favor Ukrainian forces. Footage released by Ukrainian intelligence shows the drones approaching the Russian patrol vessels under fire, dodging tracers on their way to making contact with the vessels' hulls. Ukraine's "Group 13" drone boat task force claimed to have damaged two of the patrol vessels and destroyed two more. 

 

After damage or destruction of at least 15 full-size Russian warships, the once-powerful Black Sea Fleet has retreated to the relative safety of Novorossiysk, a Russian harbor in the northeastern Black Sea. The small Tuna-class patrol craft are among the few targets left on the west side of Crimea, where Ukraine has concentrated its efforts. 

THE LAST COLONY VIVA INDEPENDENCE

EU Elections, Olympics Overshadow New Caledonia Crisis

Friday, 7 June 2024, 7:32 pm
Article: RNZ

Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific Journalist

People in New Caledonia are disappointed that the riots last month are now being overshadowed by the Parliament elections and the Olympic Games.

New Caledonia's High Commissioner Louis Le Franc said the European elections on Sunday will take place, despite some local municipalities indicating that they are experiencing difficulties.

He said additional security will be deployed for the elections, La Première reported.

Local journalist Coralie Cochin said French media have stopped reporting on the territory.

"They used to do it maybe three weeks ago, but now [people in New Caledonia] feel abandoned because nobody talks about what is happening here anymore," Cochin said.

She said it was because of the upcoming EU elections and Paris Olympics, but also because "the French government tried to overshadow the subject".

"They really want to show a very positive image of [Emmanuel Macron's] action in New Caledonia."

Cochin said people are feeling angry, discouraged and tired from the riots that broke out on 13 May.

RIP

French artist Ben dies aged 88, hours after his wife’s death

By Joseph Ataman and Rosa Rahimi, CNN
 Thu June 6, 2024

The artist Ben at his home in Nice, September 2009. Manuel Lagos Cid/Paris Match/Getty Images

(CNN) — Ben, the French artist best known for his irreverent approach to modern art, has died aged 88, taking his own life hours after the death of his wife, his family said in a statement Wednesday.

Annie Vautier, Ben’s wife, died at 3 a.m. on Wednesday, having suffered a stroke on Monday, the Vautier family said in a statement posted to the Facebook page of the family gallery

“Unwilling and unable to live without her, Ben killed himself a few hours later at their home,” in the south of France, the artist’s family announced.

“Geniuses never stay alone,” his family added.

The couple married in the 1960s and are survived by two children, Eva and Francois.

Ben, born Benjamin Vautier in 1935, was known for his light-hearted black-on-white slogans, written in a childlike hand.

He gained notoriety for his performative art, including signing everyday objects and other artists’ work.

He spent his early childhood in Italy, Switzerland, Turkey and Egypt, until arriving in Nice in 1949, where he spent the rest of his life.

A self-taught artist, Ben’s foray into the art world started in the late 1950s, when he opened a store in Nice that became an exhibition space and meeting place for artists.

He was associated with the Fluxus movement of the 1960s, known for its playful and experimental approach, intended to break down the boundaries between art and daily life.

Ben poses next to one of his art works during his exhibition 'Strip-tease integral' at the Museum of Modern Art in March 2010. The sentence reads "I am at war with myself." Robert Pratta/Reuters

The Elysee Palace paid tribute to “one of France’s most popular artists.”

“On our children’s pencil cases, on so many everyday objects and even in our imaginations, Ben left his mark, made of freedom and poetry, of apparent lightness and overwhelming depth,” the Elysee statement said.

His works have been exhibited around the world, from the Museum of Modern Art in New York to the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney.

A recreation of his old shop, made of its dismantled remains, are on display at the Centre Pompidou in Paris and covered in his iconic handwriting.

French artist, performer and linguistic inventor Ben Vautier poses at the exhibition "Ben Vautier. Is Everything Art?" in the Museum Tinguely in Basel, Switzerland, on Oct. 20, 2015. Ben died Wednesday at his home in Nice hours after his wife died of a stroke. Photo by Georgios Kefalas/EPA

Irish, Czech citizens head to polls for European elections

Millions across EU voting on June 6-9 for their representatives in EP, bloc’s only directly elected body and world’s only directly elected transnational legislature

Burak Bir, Nur Asena Ertürk |07.06.2024 -



LONDON

Irish and Czech citizens on Friday began voting to elect their representatives in the 720-seat European Parliament (EP) for a five-year term.

Voters in Ireland are heading to the polls for the local elections, the European elections, and the Limerick mayor election.

A total of 73 candidates have declared for the European elections across the three constituencies of Ireland South, Midlands-North-West, and Dublin as Ireland will elect a total of 14 MEPs, accounting for 2% of the 720-seat chamber.

Voters will also fill 949 city and county council seats in 31 local government authorities, as well as choosing a mayor for Limerick.

A high number of far-right candidates are on the ballot as polls show that nearly two-thirds of voters want tougher controls on immigration amid housing shortage and criticism against immigrants and refugees, according to reports.

Polling stations opened at 7 a.m. local time (0625GMT) and will close at 10 p.m. (2100GMT).

The counting in the European elections will begin on Sunday morning, but no counts will be declared until after 10 p.m. (2100GMT) Sunday.

In the Czech Republic, citizens will determine their 21 members of the European Parliament, while the ANO centrist opposition party is polling at 23.1%, slightly ahead of ruling parties, according to the Czech polling agency STEM.

Speaking to the German DPA news agency, STEM analyst Martin Kratochvil said the forecast reflected “typically low” Czech turnout in EU elections.

Estonians were the first to go to the polls on June 3, with voting open until June 9.

The Dutch followed on Thursday, while Malta, Latvia, Slovakia, and Italy are set to vote on June 8, with Italy having two days to vote.

The rest of Europe -- Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, the Greek Cypriot administration, Hungary, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Portugal, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden -- will head to the polls on June 9.

Millions across the EU have been set to vote on June 6-9 for their representatives in the EP, the bloc’s only directly elected body and the world’s only directly elected transnational legislature.

A total of 720 lawmakers, or MEPs, will be elected to a five-year term, who then choose an EP president, a post currently held by Roberta Metsola.





*Nur Asena Erturk in Ankara contributed to this report

Meloni backs creation of ‘alternative’ right-wing EU coalition

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni wants a new Europe, ruled by right-wing forces. 

7 June 2024
Carl Deconinck

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has called for the creation of an “alternative” right-wing alliance in Brussels.

The project — which echoes calls by Marine Le Pen for the creation of a right-wing “supergroup” in the European parliament following the June elections — would reportedly be aimed at marginalizing the political left.

“My goal is to create an alternative majority to the current one in Europe, finally sending leftists of all colours into opposition,” the Italian leader said in an interview with online news outlet Il Secolo d’Italia.

“I assure you that Italy will do its full part so that the next legislature will go down in history as the beginning of the new Century: that of political Europe, of the people.”

She contrasted her vision of a Europe of Nations, “which has always been celebrated in the squares and in songs”, with the Europe of the Left, which she claimed “until a few decades ago, praised real Socialism” and the Russian “Soviet regime that suffocated peoples and national spirits”.

Meloni said she wanted the European Union to return to its roots of “sovereignty and subsidiarity”, adding her party, Fratelli d’Italia, was working on an “Italian model” for this end.

She said the ongoing European Parliament elections were seen as a contest between a Europe that wanted to continue to be a “regulator” of citizens’ lives and a Europe that, instead, wanted to recover the vision of the Founding Fathers — start again from co-operation between sovereign nations and invest in its own strategic autonomy.

“We want a Europe that deals with a few but important things, such as the common foreign and security policy, leaving everything else to the freedom and sovereignty of nations,” Meloni said.

“The Europe that we have in our minds and hearts must be able to rediscover its most precious asset: Pride in its history, its identity and its roots.

“We want a Europe that knows how to rediscover its soul, which has made it a beacon of civilisation for millennia,” she said.

“Because we must not forget that Europe is the land in which faith, reason and humanism have found that perfect synthesis, where the welfare state was born, a society was formed that puts the defence of life and the family at the centre and takes care of the most vulnerable.”

“We have the task of awakening this Europe from the slumber into which it has fallen and defending it from relativism and creeping Islamisation,” she added.

Meloni also said she was comfortable with herself, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the de facto leader of France’s National Rally, Marine Le Pen, being seen by many as the leading ladies in Europe.

“We are three centre-right women, albeit from three different political families,” adding that she now wanted to work together with these “families” to create her alternative majority.

“We want to do exactly what we did in Italy a year and a half ago, and export this model for the leadership of the future Europe.”



Meloni is leading the list of her party in the European Parliament elections, which conclude on June 9.

24 Muslim lawmakers elected to India's lower house of parliament

As many as 78 candiates contested elections in 2024 election for Lok Sabha, against 115 in 2019

Ahmad Adil |07.06.2024 - 



NEW DELHI

As many as 24 Muslim contestants have made it to India's Lok Sabha, the lower house of parliament, in the 2024 general elections, against 26 in 2019.

The seven phased, marathon polls, which began on April 19, ended on June 1 and the results were declared on June 4.

According to final results announced by election commission, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 240 seats in the 543-member house, while the main opposition Indian National Congress got 99 seats. The BJP, however, remained short of the 272-seat majority on its own and is now set to return to power with the help of alliance partners.

Muslims are the largest minority in India and have a population of 183 million, 14% of 1.4 billion people. But their share in parliament has remained below 5%.

In this year's polls, political parties fielded as many as 78 Muslim candidates across the country, against 115 in 2019.

In the first election held in independent India in 1952, only 11 Muslims were elected.

The number peaked at 49 in 1980, but has been falling steadily since then, and the community is said to be suffering from rising Hindu nationalism in the officially secular country.

Who are these Muslim lawmakers?

The winning Muslim lawmakers are not from any party in the ruling alliance, and represent either the opposition alliance or have won as independents.

Seven of these MPs are members of the Congress party, five belong to the All India Trinamool Congress, and four to the regional Samajwadi Party, which delivered a shock to the BJP by winning 37 of 80 seats in the northern Uttar Pradesh state.

The Indian Union Muslim League in southern India also won three seats, while Jammu and Kashmir's National Conference grabbed two and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen one. Two Muslims entered the parliament as independents.

These legislators represent the West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala, Bihar, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Lakskwadeep and Ladakh states.

Among the prominent Muslim faces in the new legislature include Asaduddin Owaisi, president of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen who won from the Southern Indian city of Hyderabad for the fifth time.

Another known face is former Indian cricketer Yusuf Pathan, who won from West Bengal’s Baharampur seat by defeating a Congress candidate.

In Uttar Pradesh, Iqra Choudhary, 29, from Samajwadi Party, beat Hindu nationalist BJP’s candidate by nearly 70,000 votes.

One of the surprising wins was by Sheikh Abdul Rashid alias Engineer Rashid, who is in jail since 2019.

Rashid won the election from Baramulla in Kashmir, defeating former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah by a huge margin.

Awareness, education has a role

Although the number of Muslim representatives has dwindled compared to previous elections, experts say greater awareness and education has allowed "more people" from the community to come forward.

Niaz Farooqui, secretary of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, India's largest socio-religious Muslim organization, told Anadolu that the percentage of Muslims winning in comparison with the number of those who contested had increased this time, "which is positive."

​​​​​​​Around 31% of contestants among the Muslim candidates won this time, versus 23% in 2019.

He said given the Muslim population, the number of representatives should be more, even though historically it has remained between 3% and 5%.

Of the 24 elected lawmakers, two are women. “In parliament, Muslim women are less in number, as compared to the other communities. But with awareness and education, it is slowly changing and women are coming forward to contest and they are winning as well,” he said.

SAD PANDA
Petition re-emerges in South Korea for China to send back panda Fu Bao amid well-being concerns

Fu Bao, a panda born in South Korea to pandas on loan from China, was sent to China in April, according to an agreement. PHOTO: AFP

MAY 31, 2024

SEOUL – A petition calling for the return of a giant panda, which was sent to China after being born and raised in South Korea, has resurfaced in South Korea amid lingering concerns over the beloved bear’s well-being in China.

The petition, titled Return Fu Bao To Korea and submitted by a petitioner surnamed Koh, emerged on May 29 on the South Korean National Assembly’s online petition platform.

It has met the initial requirement of gathering 100 instances of consent and now awaits a review for it to be made public, allowing everyone to view its content and potentially support it.

Fu Bao, a female panda born in 2020 to pandas on loan from China, was sent to China in April according to the loan agreement between the two countries. She is now being kept at a breeding park inside the Shenshuping giant panda base in Wolong National Nature Reserve in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province in China.

This is the second time a petition has been made over Fu Bao, who is South Korea’s first naturally bred panda and has enjoyed massive popularity ever since she was born.

Early in April, a Seoul citizen proposed through the city government’s petition platform that the city should push for another loan agreement with China and accommodate the star bear at the city-run Seoul Grand Park. The city government responded by saying that the panda will “adapt well to the environment in China”.

But whether Fu Bao is adapting well is a top concern for many fans in South Korea, with some raising suspicions over maltreatment.

Recently, unverified photos circulating on social media showed some dark spots on Fu Bao’s neck, which worried South Korean fans. Some even suggested that the dark spots may be from the panda being chained.

On May 28, the China Conservation and Research Centre for the Giant Panda released video clips and photos of Fu Bao via its official social media account as proof of the panda’s sound conditions. It said the bear will be available for public viewing starting from June. 

THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK