AQUACULTURE

In Cuba, raising fish in plant-filtered ponds to tackle food shortage

END THE US EMBARGO


Rigoberto DIAZ
Mon, 23 October 2023 

Fish farming is critical for addressing Cuba's food shortage (YAMIL LAGE)

Over the last two years, Cuban entrepreneurs Jose Martinez and Joel Lopez have used an innovative technique to raise 24 tons of tilapia -- a critical source of food for an island nation surrounded by water but not enough fish.

The pair, lawyers both aged 35, rely on a symbiotic method called aquaponics in which waste from the captive fish feeds plants grown not in soil but in pond water filtered through their roots to be reused for the tanks.

Two years ago, Martinez and Lopez started their business in Barbosa, a suburb of the capital Havana, with a government loan and some private savings.


They built 12 ponds of 20 cubic meters each.

In their ponds, the tilapia need six months to grow to the required size of 400 grams (14 ounces) for human consumption.

"We sell them (the fish) here in the community as we are a local development project, but part of the production will be sold in the tourism sector so that we can earn the money we need to continue" with the project, said Martinez, co-owner of the enterprise called JoJo Aquaponico.

When they have completed building their three greenhouses, the pair also hopes to be able to grow 36 tons of vegetables at a time.

- 'Viable and sustainable ' -

Projects like these are increasingly important for feeding Cuba's 11 million inhabitants, under US sanctions for the last six decades.

The communist nation is experiencing its worst economic crisis in three decades, with shortages of food, medicine and fuel.

"Our idea is to bring this knowledge ... to everyone who wants to ... produce fish," said Lopez. "It is a viable and sustainable solution."

Before the economic crisis of the 1990s brought on by the disintegration of the Soviet Union, an important ally, Cuba had a fleet that captured some 100,000 tons of fish in international waters every year -- most of it sold at home at subsidized prices.

Its own coast is shallow and low in nutrients, according to experts, and overfishing has further diminished stocks around the island.

Another hurdle is a growing shortage of engines and fuel for fishing boats, Food Industry Minister Manuel Sobrino said on local television recently.

For the last three years, Cuba has taken in less than 12,000 tons of fish per year.

Last year, the country sold seafood worth some $54 million to clients abroad as it desperately needs foreign currency.

- Raise your own fish -

Fish cultivation has also taken a hit.

Official figures show that between 2018 and 2022, production of catfish -- another freshwater species raised in captivity -- dropped from 6,286 to 1,355 tons.

Agriculture yields in general fell by as much as 35 percent from 2019 to 2023 in Cuba.

In July, deputy prime minister Jorge Luis Tapia proposed that Cubans start cultivating their own fish at home -- a practice that was widespread in the desperate times of the 1990s. The suggestion was met with incredulity.

As the government scrambles to address the food shortage, it approved a law in 2019 to allow fishermen to sell their catches directly, without state intervention.

Small businesses have increasingly been buying fish from individual fishermen but with the mark-up, ordinary Cubans cannot afford to buy it from them either.

rd/ltl/mlr/tjj

AIR CANADA SCREWS UP, AGAIN

UK MP prevented from boarding flight 'because his name was Mohammed'

Sky News
Mon, 23 October 2023 



An MP was prevented from boarding a flight to Canada "because his name was Mohammad", the Commons has been told.

Mohammad Yasin, the Labour MP for Bedford, was due to fly to Canada last week with a group of other MPs from the Commons Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee when he was held back for extra questioning.

Officials from Air Canada asked the MP if he was carrying a knife or any other weapon as well as his place of birth.

The incident was raised by the Labour chair of the committee, Clive Betts, who said he would write to the Canadian high commissioner in the UK about the "racist and Islamophobic nature" of what happened.

Mr Betts told the Commons: "When the committee checked in for their flights at Heathrow, all members got through with the exception of the member for Bedford, who was delayed for questioning for a considerable period.

"He was told it was because his name was Mohammad."

Mr Betts added: "He was also asked whether he was carrying a knife, or other offensive weapons, he was also asked where he was born.

"The questioning was undertaken by officials from Air Canada and we believe the Canadian government, and despite him already having been given a visa to enter Canada.

"After proving he was an MP with the help of my committee clerk, he was eventually allowed through."

Mr Betts said "the same issues" were raised by Canadian immigration at Montreal airport.

"On return at Toronto airport on the way back, he was again challenged and got on his flight with the assistance of my consul general, who was very helpful," he said.

Mr Betts went on: "He has received apologies from the parliamentary secretary to the Canadian minister for immigration and Air Canada, however, given the racist and Islamophobic nature of these challenges, I believe that it is worth writing to the Canadian high commissioner, which I will do.

"I believe it is important to put these concerns on the parliamentary record. It was completely unacceptable for a member of this house to be treated in this way.

"But because he was an MP he was allowed on his flight. If, however, he had been one of our constituents who had been so challenged, he might have been refused.

Sir Roger Gale, the deputy speaker replied: "I am sure that the whole House will share the dismay at the treatment of the Member for Bedford.

"It is wholly unacceptable under any circumstances.

"But it is particularly concerning, occurring as it did, in the course of official travel on parliamentary business."

Sir Roger said he was sure ministers "will also have noticed his comments".

Canada's chief accessibility officer 'furious' after Air Canada forgets her wheelchair

Iceland's Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir will join women on strike over equal pay

Sky News
Updated Mon, 23 October 2023 



Iceland's prime minister is expected to join tens of thousands of women in a strike for equal pay on Tuesday, labour unions in the country have said.

Katrín Jakobsdóttir told Icelandic media that she plans to take part in the industrial action, organised under the slogan 'Do you call this equality?', and not come to work.

She told the mbl.is website: "I will not work this day, as I expect all the women [in cabinet] will do as well.


"I have decided not to have a cabinet meeting tomorrow and in Alþingi [Iceland's parliament] only male ministers will answer impromptu questions. We show solidarity in this way."

Organisers said on the campaign's official website: "On 24 October, all women in Iceland, including immigrant women, are encouraged to stop work, both paid and unpaid [including household chores].

"For the whole day, women (and non-binary people) will strike, to demonstrate the importance of their contribution to society."

The strike, which is known as the "Kvennafrí" or "Women's Day Off", hopes to raise awareness about "systemic" pay discrimination and gender-based violence.

Iceland is seen as one of the most progressive in the world in terms of gender equality and has topped the World Economic Forum's gender gap index 14 years in a row.

No nation has achieved full gender equality, according to the index, but Iceland has closed at least 91% of its gap and is the only country to have passed 90%.

However, women in some jobs there earn at least 20% less than their male colleagues, Statistics Iceland has said.

And a study by the University of Iceland found 40% of Icelandic women experience gender-based and sexual violence in their lifetime.

Strike organiser Freyja Steingrímsdóttir, of the Icelandic Federation for Public Workers, said: "We're seeking to bring attention to the fact that we're called an equality paradise, but there are still gender disparities and urgent need for action.

"Female-led professions such as healthcare services and childcare are still undervalued and much lower paid."

Industries where women make up the majority of workers, like healthcare and education, will be especially affected.

The first Women's Day Off took place on 24 October, 1975 , when 90% of Icelandic women stopped work to protest gender inequality and it has been repeated in 1985, 2005, 2010, 2016 and 2018.

Iceland’s Women Strike: A New Flame of Defiance Against Gender Inequality

By Ravichandran Devendran•BNN


Iceland's Women Strike: A New Flame of Defiance Against Gender Inequality

In the land of fire and ice, a new flame of defiance is igniting. Women in Iceland are planning a one-day strike, a show of solidarity against gender inequality that harks back to the historic women’s strike of 1975. Their action, supported by the country’s Prime Minister, Katrín Jakobsdóttir, sends a powerful message that reverberates far beyond the island’s volcanic shores.

The Landscape of Gender Equality in Iceland

The World Economic Forum frequently lauds Iceland as a global pioneer in gender equality. But beneath the surface, fault lines persist. Icelandic women in certain professions earn 21% less than their male counterparts. Over 40% have experienced gender-based or sexual violence. These disparities fuel the fire of discontent that’s culminating in the strike.

The Strike: A Demand for Change

The strike, orchestrated by around 40 organizations, is a demand for change on multiple fronts. The protesters are calling for transparency in wages across female-dominated professions and for robust action against gender-based violence. They’re also advocating for the recognition and proper remuneration of work traditionally associated with women.

Participants range from healthcare workers to educators, financiers to energy sector employees, all planning to halt both paid and unpaid work for the day. The Prime Minister herself, a symbol of the country’s strive for gender equality, will join the protest.

From the Past to the Present: The Echo of 1975

The upcoming strike echoes the historic ‘kvennafrí’ or ‘women’s day off’ in 1975 when 90% of Icelandic women refused to work, cook, or look after their children for a day. That strike led to significant changes, including the election of the world’s first female president.

However, the organizers of the current strike argue that the core demand for valuing women’s work remains unmet almost half a century later. The strike aims to bring societal functions to a standstill, to underscore the vital role women play in maintaining the social fabric.

Equality Paradise: An Unfulfilled Promise?

The strike is a stark reminder that even in ‘equality paradise’ Iceland, gender disparities persist. The 21% wage gap and high incidence of gender-based violence stand in stark contrast to the image of equality the country projects.

But the women of Iceland refuse to be silenced. By laying down their tools, by striking, they are challenging societal norms and expectations. For one day, the smooth running of society will not be their burden to bear.

The women’s strike in Iceland is a powerful testament to the country’s commitment to gender equality. It underscores the ongoing struggle for equal rights and the necessity of continued effort and action. It’s a reminder that even in the world’s most gender-equal country, the journey towards true equality is far from over.

TRUMPISTA
Radical populist attacks Argentina’s ‘criminal’ government before presidential run-off

Harriet Barber
Mon, 23 October 2023 


Mr Milei has appealed to voters with an anti-establishment platform highly critical of the country's current political class - MATIAS BAGLIETTO/REUTERS

Javier Milei, the radical populist running for Argentine president, labelled the current government “criminals” after he was beaten in the first round of voting by the country’s finance minister in shock results.

Mr Milei, who won 30 per cent of the vote, was unexpectedly defeated by Left-wing Sergio Massa, who took 36 per cent. As neither candidate reached the 45 per cent threshold needed to win outright, they now face a run-off on Nov 19.

“If we do not want to lose the country in the hands of this government of criminals, it is essential that all of us who want change work together,” Mr Milei said.


The anti-establishment libertarian has promised to radically cut public spending if elected and has focused his campaign on attacking the entire political system, which he labels a “political caste”.

Sergio Massa speaks outside his campaign headquarters after the general election in Buenos Aires - AP

Mr Massa’s victory was considered a shock against the backdrop of Argentina’s dire economic crisis. As the economy minister, Mr Massa has faced blame for inflation rates of 138 per cent that have pushed four in 10 people into poverty.

“Two thirds of Argentinians voted for a change, for an alternative to this government of criminals that have mortgaged our future to remain in power,” Mr Milei said to his disappointed supporters outside his election night headquarters.

His supporters are now crying election fraud, echoing comments made by Mr Milei after the primary vote in August.

“It feels wrong. All the polls were indicating Milei would win. They’ve stolen our votes. They own the system, so maybe we just can’t win, maybe it’s impossible,” said Guilherme, aged 28, standing despondently on the sidelines.

“There is so much corruption here. They have stolen our votes and ballots,” said Juan, aged 54.

Supporters of Mr Milei wave flags outside his party headquarters - AFP

There has been no evidence that fraud has been committed in this election, although accusations of corruption have become a key feature of Argentine politics in recent years.

On Monday, Mr Massa played a different hand, declaring the nation’s steep political rift – “la grieta” – was over and calling for national unity.

“I am going to embrace every Argentine man and woman, no matter how they think, no matter their religion, no matter their social condition,” he said.

Supporters of Sergio Massa reach out for a jersey at his campaign headquarters - AP

Tapping into public frustration about the country’s finances, Mr Milei pledged to halve the country’s ministries, “burn down” the central bank, and replace the country’s local currency with the US dollar if he wins. At rallies, he wielded a chainsaw to indicate the cuts he was going to make, an image which has come to symbolise his campaign.

But his more extreme social plans – such as revoking abortion access and loosening gun restrictions – appeared to have scared huge swathes of the population.

“I’m voting Massa because the others are worse. I won’t be happy if Massa wins either, but at least he isn’t psychotic,” said Lisa, aged 59, as she cast her vote. “Milei is talking about having arms at home and saying you should be able to sell your organs. He’s bad news.”

Both candidates will now attempt to win over the 23 per cent of voters who supported centre-Right candidate Patricia Bullrich, the 26 per cent of citizens who spoiled their ballots or did not vote and the 10 per cent who voted for other Left-wing candidates.

A major upset and uncertainty: Argentina heads to run-off

Fran BLANDY and Nina NEGRON
Mon, 23 October 2023 

Argentine Economy Minister Sergio Massa came first with almost 37 percent ahead of Milei with around 30 percent of the vote (Emiliano Lasalvia)

Despite overseeing record inflation and poverty levels, Argentina's Economy Minister Sergio Massa confounded expectations by scoring the most votes in Sunday's first-round election.

He goes to a run-off against his polar opposite: the wild-haired, libertarian Javier Milei, who has vowed to take a chainsaw to Argentina's notorious public spending and dollarize the economy.

AFP takes a look at what happened and what we can expect next.


- Why the surprise? -

Massa and the ruling Peronist movement were seen as the underdogs amid the economic shambles that has seen Argentina hit by inflation of almost 140 percent, with 40 percent of the population living in poverty.

In line with an anti-establishment trend in the region, many analysts saw fertile ground for Milei, whose slick TikTok campaign and rock-star style rallies captivated the youth.

However, Massa came first with almost 37 percent ahead of Milei with about 30 percent of the vote.

"Against all predictions," "Surprise," headlined major media, scrambling to understand how Massa pulled it off.

- How did Massa pull it off? -

According to analysts, Massa's performance is due to a mixture of fear of Milei, an enduring affection for Argentina's Peronist social movement, and his spending spree to lure voters.

Massa handed out bonuses to workers and the unemployed and slashed income tax for much of the population, all while highlighting what Milei's plans to cut subsidies would mean for people's pockets.

Many economists, and the International Monetary Fund which has bailed Argentina out 22 times, agree the country needs to stop spending more than it earns.

Milei appeared at rallies with a powered-up chainsaw, vowing to cut spending by 15 percent, ditch about 10 ministries, privatize state entities and "dynamite" the central bank.

And while voters are keen for change, Milei's proposals likely spooked many.

"A lot of Argentines have a lot to lose from the dismantling of the social welfare state," which millions depend upon, said Benjamin Gedan, director of the Argentina Project at the Washington-based Wilson Center.

Milei's "chainsaw is coming straight at family budgets," he added.

Massa, meanwhile, took "a series of economic measures that, even if they have a very serious fiscal cost in the future, benefited many in the immediate," noted political scientist Sergio Morresi of the University of Buenos Aires.

- Where else did Milei falter? -

Milei, an admirer of former US president Donald Trump -- and who had a son of former Brazilian leader Jair Bolsonaro supporting him in his bunker on election night -- has introduced ideas that do not sit well with many Argentines, analysts say.

He is against abortion, has proposed making it easier to own guns and sell organs, believes mankind's burning of fossil fuels is not the cause of climate change, and said Argentine Pope Francis represents "evil on Earth."

A female lawmaker candidate from his party -- who won her seat -- has proposed allowing men to renounce paternity if they did not want their child.

"A lot of these views are out of sync with Argentine society," said Gedan.

"If you think Milei's success is a sign that Argentine society has become very conservative, then you're misreading Argentine politics and society. What has made him popular is his anti-establishment rhetoric," said Gedan.

- What can we expect from the run-off? -

Milei and Massa will contest the presidency on November 19, bringing weeks of more uncertainty, especially for the economy.

Analysts highlighted that Milei still managed a historic feat by coming from nowhere to claim second place in the first round.

"Milei, once seen as the frontrunner, now has an uphill battle to regain the momentum and stave off a defeat," said Nicolas Saldias, senior analyst with the Economist Intelligence Unit.

He will have to shift to the center to shore up votes, and reach out to the Juntos por El Cambio (Together for Change) coalition which came third with almost 24 percent, after insulting its leaders throughout his campaign.

Massa, who has vowed to form a "unity government" if he wins, is presenting himself as the democratic, stable hand to lead the country, but will have to win over millions of disenchanted voters.

"The campaign promises to be extremely polarizing as both candidates will appeal to fear to get voters to back their candidacies," said Saldias.

Morresi said that if the runoff is seen as a battle between authoritarianism and democracy, "the chances of the ruling party winning are very high."

"If the economic situation deteriorates... the opposition, even with a radicalized stance, have the possibility of triumphing."

bur-fb/mlr/ft

Massa Gains Upper Hand on Milei as Argentina Heads to Runoff

Manuela Tobias and Scott Squires
Mon, 23 October 2023

(Bloomberg) -- Argentina’s election will be settled in a presidential runoff between Economy Minister Sergio Massa, who defied expectations to snatch the lead in Sunday’s election, and libertarian outsider Javier Milei. It’s a politically polarizing scenario that investors had feared most.

With the votes nearly all counted, Massa secured 37% while Milei received 30%, leaving both below the necessary thresholds to win outright. Massa, 51, and Milei, 53, will face each other in a second round. The results mark a reversal of fortunes for Massa, whose ruling coalition came third in August primaries.

Patricia Bullrich, the establishment pro-business candidate, came third with 24% of votes. Her exit raises concerns about the future of a center-right coalition that until recently was seen as the most likely to supplant the ruling Peronist alliance. Her votes are now up for grabs, and both Massa and Milei lost no time in making overtures in their speeches.

Next month’s runoff will finally settle the drawn-out question of who will be saddled with the impossible task of saving a once-rich country on the verge of collapse. It pits two candidates with diametrically opposed views.

The veteran from the Peronist movement — which has governed Argentina for most of last 20 years and refuses to die despite its disastrous economic legacy — will have to fight it out against the radical libertarian with no government experience who wants to dollarize the economy to kill inflation galloping above 138%.

Check the official results: Argentina Presidential Election Live Results 2023

Until then, Argentina will have to endure another month of volatility as Massa and Milei scramble to win the votes needed to clinch the top job. In his double role as economic czar and presidential candidate, Massa has deployed all his political cunning in past weeks to cut taxes and increase social spending to drum up popular support — even at the cost of accelerating an economic crisis for the IMF’s biggest borrower.

His first round lead indicates that this strategy worked and it was straight out of the playbook that Brazil’s Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva gave him. “Stop accumulating dollars, it’s time to gather votes” — that was the advise given by the leftist leader next door and there’s no incentive for Massa to change course with the presidency tantalizingly within reach.

South America’s second-largest economy reached the vote with heightened anxiety as a range of businesses suspended sales, savers withdrew dollars from the bank and brokerages halted taking new orders on certain investments. To stay competitive in the race Massa will likely try to avoid devaluing the currency, which he did the day after the primary vote, even if that risks depleting international reserves even further.

Market Worries

The Massa-Milei final was the outcome that bond investors worried about because it prolongs the uncertainty at a time Argentina desperately needs policy changes. Most of its international notes have lingered below 30 cents on the dollar in recent weeks, with surging yields that signal a 10th default is looming as major debt repayments resume next year. Unsurprisingly, the bonds collapsed further on Monday morning after the result, leading declines among emerging markets.

What Bloomberg Economics Say

“Massa first, Milei second is possibly the worst-case scenario for markets. It prolongs already-high uncertainty for another four weeks, with neither likely to provide granular detail on their policy plans. Massa could now double down on his populist approach of an artificially strong peso, interventionism and fiscally costly measures.”

— Adriana Dupita, Argentina’s economist

— Click here for the full report

Read More: Argentina’s Bonds Slump After Massa Comeback Forces Runoff

The country is facing its sixth recession in a decade and saw inflation spike to the highest level since the nation exited hyperinflation in the early 1990s. The continued slide of the Argentine peso has led to the gap between the official and parallel rates surging past 170%.

The fate of Argentina’s $43 billion program with the International Monetary Fund awaits either Massa or Milei when a new government takes office Dec. 10.

The program is way off track and Massa hasn’t complied with any of the key targets that are usually crucial for the IMF to continue disbursing money, which is Argentina’s only major source of international finance. IMF officials have called on the next government to swiftly reset the economy, emphasizing there’s no time for gradual policies.

Next Moves

In their post-election speeches, Massa and Milei tried to appeal to the third of the votes that didn’t support them. Massa promises to stabilize the economy, offering Argentines a false sense that what ails the economy can be fixed without painful measures. It became clear that while many want change, just as many weren’t willing to jump into the unknown.

That is what Milei represents, with his pledge to replace the peso with the US dollar as Argentina’s currency and to close the central bank. By dropping into second place, the risk for him is that voters will reject the kind of extreme policy medicine he wants to prescribe and live off a bit longer on the state’s largesse even with 40% of the population in poverty.

It was Milei’s birthday and he was thanking the crowds at his post-election rally for all the gifts — even if the greatest present of all eluded him. Given all the momentum he’d picked up, there had been some predicting he could win outright tonight. He fell well short of that.

Yet his energy levels were undiminished and given both August and October yielded suprising results, the runoff has all the makings of a cliffhanger.

“I’m willing to do tabula rasa, deal the cards again,” Milei said to an energized crowd in Buenos Aires amid chants of “Long live freedom, dammit!”

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

The mighty Mississippi, America's water highway, is dangerously low


Ulysse BELLIER
Mon, 23 October 2023

Dredging vessels like this one operated by the US Army Corps of Engineers are working to keep the Mississippi River navigable (ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS)

In the middle of the shrunken Mississippi, a barge drags a giant metal-edged suction head along the riverbed to remove sediment from shipping lanes.

The crew of the dustpan dredge Hurley has been working around-the-clock for months to deepen the channels so boats and barges can pass through.

"We've worked almost nonstop since last fall, everywhere from New Orleans up to St. Louis" in Missouri, said the vessel's captain Adrian Pirani, standing on the bridge.


For the second straight year, water levels in North America's biggest river have dropped to record lows amid a lengthy drought. Locals say they've never seen it this bad.

From the Great Lakes in the north to Louisiana in the south, the majestic Mississippi is a shadow of its former self.

Plants have taken over newly exposed banks. Salt water is pushing in from the Gulf of Mexico. And farmers dependent on the river to ship their products have watched with frustration as traffic has seized up.

Authorities are doing what they can to ensure the river remains navigable, and that's where the Hurley, operated by the US Army Corps of Engineers, comes in.

The dredge is currently digging at the same spot near Memphis, Tennessee for the third time. The dredge scrapes and sucks up mud from the river bottom and spews it onto the bank.

Pirani said he works long hours, first of all, "to make sure that commerce does not stop."

But the job hits closer to home.

"I come from a farming family right here across the river. So it is kind of personal for me... I will do all I can do to keep the river going," he told AFP.

- Unusable docks -

For farmers in the vast US Midwest, the Mississippi is an indispensable part of their transportation network.

But drought has left the river narrower and shallower, limiting shipping capabilities.

The bottleneck is ill-timed: early autumn is when farmers are working flat out to harvest soybeans and corn. With river shipping limited, they scramble to deal with massive buildups of stocks.

On the river in Osceola, Arkansas, Jeff Worsham manages an agricultural port. But two of its three docks are unusable due to the low water.

A barge is tied up at the only accessible dock as soybeans are shot from a huge metal spout into its hold.

The vessel's capacity equals that of roughly 80 trucks -- but for now, it can only be filled to 50 or 60 percent capacity so the craft does not run the risk of getting stuck in the mud.

To ensure operations at all three docks next year, Worsham says, "we have made plans to do some dredging next year."

- 'Extreme weather' -

The overriding fear is that the water crisis will become the new normal.

Last year, a record that had stood since 1988 was broken. It was broken again this September, and yet again in October.

A drought that began last year in the Mississippi's vast watershed (covering 40 percent of the continental United States) "lingered into this year, and it's gotten worse," Anna Wolverton, a National Weather Service specialist, told AFP.

"It's not normal for us to see this in back-to-back years."

The river's flow has grown so weak that in southern Louisiana, salt water from the Gulf of Mexico has been encroaching, contaminating drinking water in some towns and forcing inhabitants to rely on bottled water.

Around Memphis, gauges that monitor the Mississippi's depth have been left high and dry by the receding waters, explained Sarah Girdner, a hydrologist with the Army Corps of Engineers.

"Over the past 10 to 15 years, we've seen extreme weather on both spectrums," she told AFP aboard the Hurley. "We've seen more historic floods, and we've seen more historic droughts."

When asked what explained the conditions, she said: "We don't necessarily use the term 'climate change,' because causality is attached to that, but we do know that weather patterns are changing."

- 'Frightening' -

In 50 years working around the Mississippi, Pete Ciaramitaro has seen the changes.

But what Ciaramitaro, director of river operations for the Southern Devall shipping company, has not seen is two consecutive autumns with so little water.

While droughts used to occur roughly once every 25 years, he said, "It looks like it's going to be an annual thing to me. And that's frightening."

Of the dozen professionals interviewed by AFP, Ciaramitaro was the only one to link the drought explicitly to climate change -- a politically sensitive term in the United States.

"If somebody else has got a better explanation for it, I'd love to hear it," he said. "But it's the only one I can come up with -- climate change."

ube/bbk/sst

Drought-hit farmers in US heartland hope Mississippi 'comes back'

Ulysse BELLIER
Mon, 23 October 2023 

With the Mississippi River at historic lows, barge traffic has been upended -- and with it, the livelihoods of US farmers

 (ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS)

Jonathan Driver, an Arkansas farmer with blackened hands and a thick southern drawl, doesn't have a minute to spare.

He's been working 16 or 17 hours a day to finish harvesting his crops and -- an added stress this year -- to find someplace to store tons of excess soybeans.

"Getting it out of that field is very crucial," Driver said as he stepped out of his white pick-up truck.


But for a second straight year, dangerously low water levels in the Mississippi River have drastically curtailed river transport, and that means added costs and complications for the farmers of the American heartland.

Driver, who sports a light beard and a gray baseball cap, also grows rice, which he stores in three squat corrugated-steel silos.

But the soybean harvest isn't done, and the barges that in normal years would take his product downriver are in terribly short supply, slowing grain shipments to the Gulf of Mexico and points beyond, eventually to feed livestock around the world.

So Driver plans to sell his rice as quickly as possible -- even if it's not for "the price I want" -- to make room for soybeans.

The need is pressing. For in his soybean fields, little yellow pods are already popping open and hitting the ground -- crops that will be lost.

It's a race against the clock.

- Low world prices -

"Every day you see pods popping, you're losing $3,000 a day," Driver said, before glumly adding, "I don't have $3,000 left to lose."

In the barn behind him, two men are busy repairing a massive combine harvester.

Driver's father was in the fields operating another harvester, and his wife was out working as well.

With storage in desperately short supply, the Drivers are employing grain bags -- enormous, long, tube-shaped plastic bags that, in proper conditions, can keep cereals good for some time, hopefully until traffic picks up again on the Mississippi.

"There is a possible scenario that you got to go into long-term storage" using the bags, Driver said, even "into sometime next year."

But this alternative storage method is a risky one, and not just because of possible bad weather.

After record global harvests this year, soybean and corn prices are depressed, and the buildup of grain reserves on US farms due to the problems on the Mississippi could keep prices low for some time.

- 'Going to come back up' -

There are alternatives to river transport -- mainly rail and truck -- but they cost more and emit more carbon dioxide.

Plus, local farmers feel a real attachment to the Mississippi.

Jimmy Moody works on riverfront land inherited from his grandfather in Tennessee, across the river from Driver's land in northern Arkansas.

For as long as he remembers, he said, grain "all gets shipped on a river to the Gulf. You know, if we can't unload on the river, then we've got to go east."

"So we're very dependent on the river," he adds.

The volume of grain shipped on the Mississippi has dropped by half from the average of the past three years, according to the US Department of Agriculture.

Like Driver, Moody is storing excess soybeans in the huge sausage-shaped bags, despite the inherent risks. He is hoping to get better prices for his crops once the Mississippi is again easily navigable.

"I don't have any worry about it," he said. "You know, the river's going to come back up."

At 71, Moody has seen hard times come and go.

"We'll still be shipping grain to the Gulf long after I'm gone," he said.

ube/bbk/sst

In Louisiana, salt water in the Mississippi... and faucets

Andrew CABALLERO-REYNOLDS
Mon, 23 October 2023 

Byron Marinovich, owner of the Black Velvet Oyster Bar & Grill, checks on his restaurant's supply of bottled water in Buras, Louisiana -- he needs it to cook anything

 (ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS)

In southern Louisiana, where most things are surrounded by water, residents are being forced to buy bottled water to drink, bathe and even give to their pets.

Salt water is creeping up the drought-hit Mississippi River from the Gulf of Mexico, and residents of the delta basin are feeling forgotten.

"Our water started having a very funny taste" in May, explains 68-year-old Cathy Vodopija.


"When you wash your clothes, it’s like bleached whatever you were washing -- without putting bleach in it."

For the second straight year, water levels in the mighty river that cuts the United States in two have hit new lows -- and the fresh water cannot prevent the salt water from flowing into the river.

Byron Marinovich, who owns the Black Velvet Oyster Bar and Grill in Buras, had to disable the restaurant's ice machine. The salt was making the cubes white, "which is very pretty" -- but unappetizing for customers.

At home, after taking a shower in the salty water, Marinovich finishes the daily ritual with bottled water.

"You pour it on your head and you rinse all off with it; if not, you're going to be sticky all day," he warns.

For Vodopija, authorities "didn't care about what was going on with us" until the problem was detected farther upriver.

On September 20, a special barrier built on the river to limit the influx of salt water was overtopped, heightening fears for the safety of drinking water in the greater New Orleans area, which is home to 1.2 million people.

The US Army Corps of Engineers, which is tasked with ensuring navigation on the waterway, decided to erect the underwater sill, while also infusing drinking water supplies with fresh water in the southern part of the river delta basin.

Desalinization units have been set up.

After those efforts, Marinovich says, "the water is getting better," but he still couldn't use it at the restaurant to prepare anything -- his chefs are making gumbo, the local specialty, with bottled water.

Some residents say they have little faith in the water tests done by authorities.

That distrust was evident last week at a spirited public meeting with local officials about the situation, at which it was announced that restrictions on drinking water would be lifted.

"It got really ugly for a while," Marinovich said.

Gaynel Bayham, a pastor and teacher who has organized bottled water distribution at her church for months, said she was frustrated.

"We get left behind," she said. "We have to fight for everything to be able to ... survive down here with certain basic needs."

acr-ube/sst/tjj

New Orleans 'super fog' leaves at least two dead and dozens injured in multiple pile-ups

Sky News
Mon, 23 October 2023 


At least two people are dead and 30 injured after so-called "super fog" caused more than two dozen traffic pile-ups on a US highway.

Around 25 collisions happened on the I-55 west of New Orleans in southeastern Louisiana, St John the Baptist Parish Sheriff Mike Tregre, told CNN.

A mixture of dense fog and smoke from marsh fires combined to create the "super fog", which descended on Monday morning's rush hour, drastically lowering visibility for drivers.

Two people died, Sheriff Tregre confirmed on Monday afternoon, while fires broke out in both the northbound and southbound carriageways between Ruddock and Manchac and traffic backed up for miles in both directions.

In the northbound lanes, about three 18-wheel trucks collided and were fully engulfed in flames, Mr Tregre told TV station, WVUE.

In the southbound lanes, there were two reported multi-car pile-ups, one of which also caused a fire.

Videos taken by people on the highway showed how it had become a narrow junkyard of mangled cars and trucks, some of them burning.

One driver survived after his vehicle left an elevated section of the road, landing upside down in several feet of water below, WVUE said.

Mr Tregre said all first responders arrived on foot because the crashes left the area "completely gridlocked".

Rescue efforts, he said, "will take a while".

Parts of Interstates 55 and 10 west of New Orleans remained closed late Monday morning and the 24-mile-long causeway over Lake Pontchartrain near New Orleans was closed at times.

The National Weather Service said on social media there were several wetland fires in the region and smoke from the fires mixed with fog to create a "super fog".

Visibility was expected to improve as the fog lifted, but it was unclear how long the marsh fires, smoke from which could be seen and smelled in the New Orleans area over the weekend, would continue to affect traffic.

Several local schools cancelled classes, the Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate said.

The Blood Centre of New Orleans asked for blood donors in the wake of the accidents.

'Super fog' causes deadly 158-car pileup in Louisiana


Tony Diver
Mon, 23 October 2023 

A portion of the road caught fire and totaled a tanker truck carrying 'hazardous liquid' - Reuters

Seven people have been killed and dozens more injured after a “super fog” descended on a Louisiana highway, causing a 158-car pileup.

The fog, which is created when smoke from smouldering undergrowth mixes with cooler air and water vapour, covered Interstate 55 near New Orleans on Monday morning, reducing visibility to near zero.

State police said a major crash of more than 158 vehicles had caused a portion of the road to catch fire and totaled a tanker truck carrying “hazardous liquid”.


Seven deaths have been confirmed but police said more casualties may be discovered as emergency services comb through the wreckage. More than 25 people have been taken to hospital.

The crash took place in St John the Baptist Parish, northwest of New Orleans, on an interstate next to Lake Pontchartrain, the second largest inland saltwater body in the United States.

The road runs through a swap where smouldering material is understood to have produced smoke and water vapour, which mixed with colder air to create the “super fog”.

More than four fifths of Louisiana is currently experiencing extreme drought, which has caused dry marshland to catch fire.

According to the US National Weather Service (NWS), the smoke can be produced from “organic material such as brush, leaves and trees”, and reduces visibility to less than ten feet (three metres) when it becomes fog.

“Under light wind conditions, super fog meanders through low terrain areas such as creek beds or drainage ditches,” the NWS said.

“Super fog can be very dangerous when present over highways, and has been the cause of several large, multi-vehicle pileups.”

The service released a dense fog warning for much of southeast Louisiana, including the area between Baton Rouge and New Orleans where the crash took place.

A police spokesman said that first responders “continue to search for victims of the crash”.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that at least 158 vehicles were involved in this morning’s crash,” the spokesman said.

“That total is from both north and southbound lanes. Seven fatalities have been confirmed.

“Over 25 individuals were transported to area hospitals with varying degrees of injuries from critical to minor. Many victims sought medical assistance on their own.”

“It is possible that additional fatalities could be located.”

John Bel Edwards, the Louisiana governor, said: “The combination of wildfire smoke and dense fog is dangerous, and I want to encourage all Louisianans in affected areas to take extreme caution when travelling.”

Hope, heartbreak after Hong Kong court decision on LGBTQ partnerships


Holmes CHAN
Tue, 24 October 2023 

Wedding photos of Henry Li and Edgar Ng show the couple holding hands, surrounded by friends -- the freeze-frame of joy a contrast to the men's struggle for LGBTQ rights 

(ISAAC LAWRENCE)

Wedding photos of Henry Li and Edgar Ng show the couple holding hands, surrounded by beaming friends -- the freeze-frame of joy a contrast to the two men's struggle in Hong Kong for LGBTQ rights.

Ng had launched legal bids in 2019 demanding equal treatment for same-sex couples on public housing and inheritance -- a fight continued by his husband after Ng's suicide a year later.

The LGBTQ community has seen incremental legal victories in finance hub Hong Kong since the mid-2000s, winning in the Chinese city's courts on targeted issues ranging from visas to taxes.

But same-sex marriage remains out of reach -- a painful jolt of reality for Li when the Hong Kong morgue refused to let him identify Ng's body.

"They were telling me that my husband was not my husband and that I was nobody," Li, 37, told AFP. "I couldn't react. I froze."

In a decision in September, Hong Kong's top court ordered the government to create an "alternative framework" within two years that recognises same-sex couples' legal rights.

However, the judges also unanimously declared marriage "confined to opposite-sex couples".

The decision was met with guarded optimism and an undercurrent of grief in the former British colony, according to eight people who spoke to AFP.

Li said he was "a bit disappointed", but hopes Hong Kong comes up with a framework that covers "growing up, growing old, illness and death".

Showing photos in his home, Li said after their 2017 London wedding, Ng had insisted they hold a Hong Kong ceremony -- even convincing a church to let them walk down the aisle.

"He was a brave person... He rightly said our marriage was open and aboveboard," Li told AFP. "More members of Hong Kong's LGBTQ community are waiting for their rights and identity to be respected."

- 'Needs of the minority' -

Semi-autonomous Hong Kong has seen increasing support for same-sex marriage, a stark contrast to mainland China where stigma is widespread and the LGBTQ community has alleged a growing crackdown.

In the case decided in September, prominent activist Jimmy Sham had argued the city's ban on same-sex marriage violated his right to equality.

"So many people, including Jimmy Sham, have been pushing forward (LGBTQ rights) to where we are today," said Annie Chau, co-founder of "Butterfly", a social network for the lesbian community in Hong Kong.

Hong Kongers are now more open about their sexual orientation "in their workplaces and families", she told AFP, adding that Butterfly's forum topics used to revolve around unpleasant experiences, but recent users talk about marriage, starting families and retirement.

"I think (September's court decision) is a big improvement," Chau said.

But the community is not immune to the changing political climate -- rights advocacy has partly gone underground since Beijing imposed a national security law on Hong Kong in 2020, following huge and sometimes violent pro-democracy protests.

"It's tougher for the public to see the needs of the minority," she said, noting the relative lack of media coverage of Sham's case.

Also a pro-democracy activist, Sham has been behind bars since 2021 pending trial for alleged national security crimes. He declined to comment.

Angus Leung, who in 2015 challenged the city's restrictive policies on spousal medical and tax benefits, said he felt Sham's lawsuit "came too soon".

"Of course after he filed it, we hoped he would win. But in the end you could see same-sex marriage was dismissed."

Leung's case had a happier ending -- the highest court in 2019 ruled that denying spousal benefits to same-sex couples breached Hong Kong's anti-discrimination laws.

But the court process was stressful for the couple, who now live abroad.

"We knew that if the outcome was negative, I would become a tool for the government to dismiss future cases," Leung told AFP.

- Double lives -

Hong Kong officials have declined to comment on next steps after September's ruling, while the Department of Justice has asked the court for flexibility on the two-year timeline, a legal source told AFP.

Ben, 53 -- who has been with his partner since the 1990s -- said he had little confidence Hong Kong's pro-Beijing legislature would come up with a "reasonable" framework.

"Hong Kong still has a long road ahead," said Ben, using a pseudonym.

For some, progress has come too late.

"There's no point in coming out now, I'll keep on pretending. After all, I'll die soon," said Pat, a 76-year-old retiree who has hidden his two-decade-long relationship from his family.

Thirty years ago, he might have longed for marriage, he said.

"But now I've walked such a long road, I've adjusted to my life."

hol/dhc/sco

Do ‘emergent’ abilities hint AI is about to become smarter than humans?

Rob Waugh
·Contributor
Mon, 23 October 2023 

Are emergent AI abilities a sign AI will soon be smarter than us? (Getty) (imaginima via Getty Images)

One of the aspects of artificial intelligence which has excited experts is so-called ‘emergent abilities’, where large AI models suddenly gain skills they are not supposed to have.

These skills can range from doing multiplication to doing common-sense reasoning to being able to guess a movie title from a series of emojis.

None of these are things the AI has been designed to do, and some experts have suggested this could lead to the emergence of greater levels of ability in AI systems - or even the arrival of an AGI (an Artificial General Intelligence, capable of human-like reasoning).

Microsoft researchers suggested that OpenAI’s’ GPT-4 showed ‘sparks of artificial general intelligence’ and claimed that the AI could ‘solve novel and difficult tasks…without needing any special prompting’.

Emergent abilities appear only in large models (such as GPT-4, the model behind the paid version of ChatGPT) and have fascinated researchers.

But do these abilities mean that an artificial general intelligence is around the corner, with all that might mean for the human race?

What are emergent abilities?

Yahoo News spoke to AI expert Caroline Carruthers, Chief Executive at Carruthers and Jackson and a former Chief Data Officer for Network Rail.

Carruthers said: "An emergent capability is something we didn't expect from one of the AI models.

"We might have trained it for a particular model to solve a particular problem. And it can suddenly and unexpectedly solve a different problem that we didn't expect it to be able to."
Why are people interested?

People are fascinated by emergent abilities because we still know relatively little about how models like ChatGPT arrive at the answers they do, Carruthers says.

"Our understanding is still pretty imperfect," Carruthers says.

She said, "Depending on how complex your question is, it can be a little bit like a ‘black box’ where we don’t understand how it got to the answer.

"The more complex the question, the harder it is to figure out. That’s why I don’t recommend using Generative AI for anything you have to explain."
Is this a sign of human-like intelligence?

But the emergent abilities of AI are not a sign that the software has started to think or evolve under its own steam, Carruthers says.

"Personally, I think it’s a little like human instinct," Carruthers says. "In the same way as my instincts can take over when I have done something similar before, it’s just a pattern that is recognised.

Does OpenAI's GPT-4 show 'sparks' of human-like intelligence? (Getty Images) (SOPA Images via Getty Images)

"I think emergent AI is similar: somewhere in there, we have given it a capability: there’s something familiar enough for it to develop that skill. At the moment, we still don’t understand how it’s doing everything."

Research by Stanford experts earlier this year suggested that ‘emergent’ abilities were a ‘mirage’ and that their appearance depended on how performance was measured.

But Carruthers says that the more we understand about how emergent models arrive at their conclusions, the more we will be able to get out of them.

"At the moment, we are being limited by our own imagination,’ she says. ‘It is pushing our understanding as much as we are pushing it. It is an incredible time for our development, as well as the development of AI."

UK
Labour's Lisa Nandy responds to backlash over Keir Starmer's comments on Israel's siege of Gaza

Ellen Manning
Updated Sun, 22 October 2023 

Lisa Nandy said she understands why the Labour party has faced a backlash from Muslim members over Sir Keir Starmer’s comments on Israel. (Getty) (Ian Forsyth via Getty Images)

Labour shadow minister Lisa Nandy has spoken out in the wake of the backlash from Muslim members over Sir Keir Starmer’s comments on Israel.

Labour councillors have quit and the party has faced criticism after Starmer appeared to suggest in an LBC interview that "Israel does have that right" to cut off power and water to Gaza.

Amid the backlash, he later clarified that he was referring to Israel’s right to defend itself.


On Sunday, shadow international development minister Lisa Nandy was asked if she understood why some Muslim Labour members felt alienated by Starmer's comments, telling the BBC: "I completely understand why people in the Muslim community are in extraordinary amounts of pain right now and heard those words and felt very concerned, and I’m glad that we’ve clarified that, I’m glad that we’ve been consistent about that."

Asked if the Labour leader would apologise, she said: “We can’t apologise for holding a position that we’ve never held.”

She repeatedly declined to say whether she believed Israel had broken international law by laying siege to Gaza.

What did Keir Starmer say?

Keir Starmer grilled on the UK's support for Israel by LBC's Nick Ferrari at the party's conference in Liverpool.

During the interview, the Labour leader was asked if "cutting off power, cutting off water" was appropriate as a response to attacks by Hamas.

Sir Keir replied: "I think that Israel does have that right... It is an ongoing situation. Obviously, everything should be done within international law."

Several Labour councillors quit over his remarks - including Amna Abdullatif, the first Arab Muslim woman elected to Manchester City Council, Russell Whiting in Colwick, Nottinghamshire, and Mona Ahmed, a Labour councillor in Kensington and Chelsea.



Oxford City councillors Imogen Thomas, Edward Mundy, Paula Dunne, Duncan Hall, Dr Hosnieh Djafari-Marbini and Jabu Nala-Hartley quit the party on Friday

The councillors said in a statement: "At a time when it’s been crucial to call for an immediate ceasefire and a de-escalation, and to insist Israel abides by international law, Keir Starmer and the shadow foreign secretary (David Lammy) have instead endorsed collective punishment, blockade, siege and mass civilian casualties.

"As Starmer has said ‘Israel has that right’ to continue deadly attacks on Gazans. This is complicity in war crimes."

The Labour leader has insisted that he did not mean to imply that Israel would be justified to cut off power and water to Gaza.
Antisemitism in the Labour Party

The Labour Party has faced ongoing criticism about antisemitism in the party, but Starmer has been found to have taken steps to rid the party of it.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission launched a formal investigation in 2019 into the party - which was then led by Jeremy Corbyn - to determine whether it had discriminated against, harassed or victimized people because they are Jewish.

In October 2020, it served the Labour Party with an unlawful act notice, after its investigation found the party responsible for unlawful acts of harassment and discrimination, which meant it was obliged to produce an action plan to prevent similar acts happening again.

In February this year, the equalities watchdog found that the party had made sufficient changes to rid its ranks of anti-Semitism.

At the time, Starmer said: "Today is an important moment in the history of the Labour Party. It has taken many, many months of hard work and humility to get here."

"We can say firmly, proudly, confidently: The Labour Party has changed ... Under my leadership there will be zero tolerance of anti-Semitism, of racism, of discrimination of any kind."

The Labour leader also said his predecessor - who was suspended from Labour in 2020 - would not stand for re-election as a Labour Party candidate, telling reporters: "Jeremy Corbyn will not stand for Labour ... What I said about the party changing, I meant we are not going back."

Greta Thunberg removed from Israeli curriculum over Gaza support


Jorg Luyken
Mon, 23 October 2023

Greta Thunberg, right, calls for 'justice and freedom for Palestinians and all civilians'

Israel has announced that it will remove all references to Greta Thunberg from its school curriculum, after the Swedish climate activist expressed support for Gaza.

The Israeli education ministry said Ms Thunberg had disqualified herself from “being an educational role model” after she was photographed last week holding up a sign that read “stand with Gaza”.

“Hamas is a terrorist organisation responsible for the murder of 1,400 innocent Israelis, including children, women, and the elderly, and it has abducted over 200 people to Gaza,” said the ministry.

“This stance disqualifies her from being an educational and moral role model, and she is no longer eligible to serve as an inspiration and educator for Israeli students.”

On Friday, Ms Thunberg, 20, posted a photo of herself and three other activists on Twitter, with all but one holding pro-Palestine signs.

Her remarks sparked a swift backlash from Israeli climate activists, who accused Ms Thunberg of damaging their movement.

In an open letter to Ms Thunberg published over the weekend, more than 100 Israeli activists said they were “deeply hurt, shocked and disappointed” at her “appallingly one-sided, ill-informed, superficial” understanding of the conflict.

Spearheaded by Rony Bruell, founder of the Israeli Forum of Women in the Environment, the letter bemoaned the fact that her stance on Israel comes in “complete contrast to your ability to deep dive into details and get to the bottom of complex issues”.

In an apparent response to the outcry, on Saturday Ms Thunberg moved to denounce Hamas’s attack.

“It goes without saying – or so I thought – that I’m against the horrific attacks by Hamas,” she said.

The controversy came after the Friday’s for Future movement, kick-started by Ms Thunberg’s school strikes in 2018, was criticised at the start of this year when its official Twitter account called for an end to Israel’s “apartheid,” saying “Yalla intifada!”

“We as Fridays for Future, as an anti-colonial, internationalist climate justice movement, stand united on the side of Palestinians and the Palestinian Resistance against these inhumane crimes,” said the movement.