EVERYONE WILL VOTE YES

Kazakhstan to hold referendum on nuclear power plant construction on Oct. 6

President Tokayev emphasizes need for public support on crucial energy decision

2/09/2024 Monday
AA


Kazakhstan will hold a national referendum on October 6 to decide on the construction of a nuclear power plant, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced on Monday. The decision reflects the government's push to address the country's growing energy needs amid a global energy deficit.

“I support the government's proposal. The national referendum on the construction of the nuclear power plant will be held on Oct. 6 of this year, and today I will sign the relevant decree,” Tokayev stated during an address to the nation.

Tokayev underscored the importance of nuclear energy as a solution to meet Kazakhstan's increasing energy demands. He highlighted that any decision on this significant national issue must be made with the people's backing. "Every important step for the life of the country must be made with the support of the people. It should be the same with the referendum on the nuclear power plant,” he added.

The proposal for the referendum was first floated by Tokayev in September last year. He described the decision to build or not build a nuclear power plant as a critical issue for Kazakhstan's future, noting that opinions in the country are divided, with safety concerns being a significant factor.

These concerns stem from the tragic legacy of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site, located in northeastern Kazakhstan, where more than 450 nuclear tests were conducted during the Soviet era. The site was closed in 1991, but the memory of its impact remains strong among the population.

As Kazakhstan weighs its energy future, the upcoming referendum will be a pivotal moment in determining whether the country moves forward with nuclear power.​​​​​​​

Kazakhstan's president stresses need for advanced environmental technologies

Just five percent of the country is covered by woods

Green Economy Materials 2 September 2024 

Photo: Akorda

ASTANA, Kazakhstan, September 2. One of the major tasks is to improve the ecological situation in the country and cultivate a careful attitude toward the environment, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said while delivering his annual message to the nation at a joint session of the Chambers of Parliament, Trend reports.

“Our citizens must be safeguarded from environmental hazards. Businesses should take nature protection seriously. The government and Atameken Chamber should act. The most advanced technologies in this field must be widely introduced and a contemporary pollution monitoring system established.

The preservation of Kazakhstan's unique flora and fauna will remain the focus of our attention. The state will take all necessary measures to protect forests and steppes from fires,” he said.

Even though Kazakhstan is home to a wide variety of plant and animal species, the president pointed out that just five percent of the country is covered by woods.

“Forest reproduction is of decisive importance for the preservation of ecological balance and further sustainable socio-economic progress of the country. Since the first days of my presidency, I have been paying special attention to this issue.

The idea of increasing forest areas should become truly popular. Serious awareness-raising work among citizens should be organized on this topic,” the head of state added.

General strike in Israel over hostages reflects political divisions

2 September 2024

APTOPIX Israel Palestinians. Picture: PA

Hundreds of thousands of Israelis had demonstrated on the streets on Sunday after six hostages were found dead in Gaza.

A rare call for a general strike in Israel to protest against the government’s failure to return hostages held in Gaza has led to closures and other disruptions around the country, including at its main international airport.

However, the call was ignored in some areas, reflecting deep political divisions in the country.

Hundreds of thousands of Israelis had poured into the streets late on Sunday in a show of grief and anger after six hostages were found dead in Gaza.

The families and much of the public blamed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying they could have been returned alive in a deal with Hamas to end the nearly 11-month-old war.

Outgoing flights at Ben-Gurion airport were halted for two hours on Monday morning as part of a general strike (AP)

But others support Mr Netanyahu’s strategy of maintaining relentless military pressure on Hamas, whose October 7 attack into Israel triggered the war.

They say it will eventually force the militants to give in to Israeli demands, potentially lead to more successful rescues and ultimately annihilate the group.

Israel’s largest trade union, the Histadrut, called for a general strike for Monday, the first since the start of the war.

It aims to shut down or disrupt major sectors of the economy, including banking, healthcare and the country’s main airport.

The hostages’ deaths sparked grief and anger across the world (AP)

Airlines at Israel’s main international airport Ben-Gurion were halting outgoing flights between 8am and 10am local time (6am and 8am BST).

Those flights either departed early or were slightly delayed, and travellers were seen lining up at check-in counters despite the limited disruption. Arriving flights were continuing as usual during that time, according to the Israel Airports Authority.

Banks, some large malls and government offices were all closed due to the strike and public transit was limited.

Municipalities in Israel’s populated central area, including Tel Aviv, were participating in the strike, leading to shortened school hours and cancellations for public daycares and kindergartens.

Many municipalities, however, including Jerusalem, were not participating in the strike. Israeli media reported that the state appealed to a labour court to cancel the strike, saying it was politically motivated.

Protesters called for a deal for the immediate release of hostages held in the Gaza Strip (AP)

The demonstrations on Sunday appeared to be the largest since the start of the war, with organisers estimating that up to 500,000 people joined nationwide events and the main rally held in Tel Aviv. Israeli media estimated that 200,000 to 400,000 took part.

They are calling for Mr Netanyahu to reach a deal to return the remaining roughly 100 hostages held in Gaza, a third of whom are believed to be dead, even if it means leaving a battered Hamas intact and withdrawing from the territory.

Many Israelis support this position, but others prioritise the destruction of the militant group over freedom for the hostages.

Mr Netanyahu has pledged “total victory” over Hamas and blames it for the failure of the negotiations, which have dragged on for much of this year.

Alexander Lobanov was among the hostages killed in Hamas captivity in the Gaza Strip (AP)

Israel said Hamas killed all six hostages shortly before Israeli forces arrived in the tunnel where they were being held.

Three of them, including an Israeli-American, were reportedly scheduled to be released in the first phase of a ceasefire proposal discussed in July. The Israeli health ministry said post-mortem tests had determined the hostages were shot at close range and died on Thursday or Friday.

Mr Netanyahu blamed Hamas, saying “whoever murders hostages doesn’t want a deal”.

Hamas blamed their deaths on Israel and the United States, accusing them of dragging out the talks by issuing new demands, including for lasting Israeli control over two strategic corridors in Gaza.

The group has offered to release the hostages in return for an end to the war, the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces and the release of a large number of Palestinian prisoners, including high-profile militants.

The protest marked deep divisions in Israel over the situation in Gaza (AP)

One of the six hostages was Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23, a native of Berkeley, California, who lost part of his left arm to a grenade in the attack. In April, Hamas issued a video that showed him alive, sparking protests in Israel.

He was one of the best-known hostages, and his parents had led a high-profile campaign for the captives’ release, meeting with US President Joe Biden, Pope Francis, and addressing the Democratic National Convention last month.

Mr Biden said he was “devastated and outraged” by the killings. The White House said he had spoken with Mr Goldberg-Polin’s parents and offered condolences.

Some 250 hostages were taken on October 7. Israel now believes about 100 remain in captivity, including 35 who are thought to be dead. More than 100 were freed during a ceasefire in November in exchange for the release of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.

Eight have been rescued by Israeli forces. Israeli troops mistakenly killed three Israelis who escaped captivity in December.

Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, when they stormed into southern Israel on October 7.

Israel’s retaliatory offensive in Gaza has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, who do not say how many were militants.

The war has displaced the vast majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million people, often multiple times, and plunged the besieged territory into a humanitarian catastrophe.

By Press Association

Israel: ITUC backs general strike

photo: AFP JACK GUEZ

The ITUC stands in solidarity with the people of Israel during their general strike which demands that the Netanyahu government reaches an agreement to secure the release of hostages held in Gaza.

PRESS RELEASE 
02-09-2024

ITUC affiliate Histadrut has also called for the action to oppose the economic policies of the government which threaten the quality of public services and significantly impact the daily lives of working people. The strike follows demands Histadrut made earlier this year in which it called for new elections, an end to the war in Gaza and the release of all hostages.

The general strike follows the discovery of six hostages who were found dead having been killed a few days earlier. It is thought that approximately 100 people are still being held hostage in Gaza.

ITUC General Secretary Luc Triangle said: “The ITUC fully supports this general strike in Israel. A conclusion to this crisis can only be reached through negotiation. The Netanyahu government must listen to Histadrut and the working people of Israel. And Israelis are demanding new elections. The current government must therefore present itself to the Israeli people to be held accountable for its recent policies.

“Along with the release of the hostages, the current negotiations must include an immediate ceasefire in the region, the safe return of all workers trapped by the conflict and an urgent increase in humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza.

“We must see a permanent end to the war along with a plan for the reconstruction and recovery of Gaza, the implementation on the ground of the two-state solution with security guarantees and responsibilities for both sides. A sustainable peace can only be founded on the principles of human rights, common security, respect, freedom, and democracy.

“The cycle of violence only empowers extremists on both sides; it must end and must be replaced by dialogue that is grounded in equal rights, dignity, and respect for both Israelis and Palestinians. Aggression must be replaced by justice and common security in accordance with international law.”

Israelis protest, go on strike to pressure Netanyahu into accepting truce deal

Crowds estimated by Israeli media to be up to 500,000-strong demonstrated in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and other cities, demanding that Netanyahu do more to bring home the remaining hostages.

Monday 02/09/2024

Protesters use megaphones to chant slogans during an anti-government rally, in Tel Aviv on September 1, 2024. AFP

Jerusalem

 

Movement in Israel’s Ben Gurion airport came to a halt on Monday amid a nationwide strike called by the main unions to ramp up pressure on Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to seek a truce deal with Hamas that would secure the release of the remaining hostages in Gaza.

The call by Israel’s Histadrut union to paralyse the economy followed a night of massive demonstrations, with tens of thousands of protesters taking to the streets in an outpouring of grief and fury over six hostages killed in the Gaza Strip.

Crowds estimated by Israeli media to be up to 500,000 strong demonstrated in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and other cities, demanding that Netanyahu do more to bring home the remaining 101 hostages, about of a third of whom Israeli officials estimate have died.

Israeli soldiers recovered the bodies of the six “from an underground tunnel in the Rafah area” of southern Gaza on Saturday, the military said.

Relatives and demonstrators accused the government of not doing enough to bring them back alive, and called for an immediate ceasefire to rescue the dozens still captive.

“We must stop the abandonment of the hostages … I have come to the conclusion that only our intervention can shake those who need to be shaken,” said Histadrut union chair Arnon Bar-David.

“Starting tomorrow (Monday) at six in the morning, the entire Israeli economy will go on complete strike.”

Scores were released during a one-week truce in November, with campaigners and family members believing another deal is the best option to ensure the rest return.

US President Joe Biden said he was “devastated and outraged” by the death of 23-year-old Israeli American Goldberg-Polin and the other hostages.

“Hamas leaders will pay for these crimes. And we will keep working around the clock for a deal to secure the release of the remaining hostages,” he said in a statement.

Speaking to reporters in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, he said he was “still optimistic” about a ceasefire deal.

Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, who has clashed frequently with Netanyahu, also called for an agreement, and opposition leader and former Prime Minister Yair Lapid urged people to join the demonstration in Tel Aviv.

In a last-ditch bid to stop the demonstrations, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a hardline member of Israel’s security cabinet, asked the attorney general to prohibit the strike.

Critics have accused Netanyahu of prolonging the war for political gain.

“Were it not for the delays, sabotage and excuses” in months of mediation efforts, the six hostages “would likely still be alive”, campaign group the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said in a statement.

During protests that convulsed Tel Aviv on Sunday night, demonstrators marched past six symbolic coffins draped with the Israeli flag and carried pictures of the deceased hostages.

A handful of protesters clashed with police while some burned tyres on a blocked highway where they defied water cannon.

The six hostages were identified as Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Almog Sarusi, Ori Danino, US-Israeli Hersh Goldberg-Polin and Russian-Israeli Alexander Lobanov.

Military spokesman Daniel Hagari said all six “were abducted alive on the morning of October 7” and “brutally murdered by Hamas terrorists shortly before we reached them”.

Qatar-based Hamas official Izzat al-Rishq said they were “killed by Zionist (Israeli) bombing”, an accusation the military denied.

Israeli health ministry spokeswoman Shira Solomon said the hostages were “murdered by Hamas terrorists with several close-range gunshots”. Autopsies showed the killings had taken place about 48-72 hours earlier.

The Biden administration has been leading mediation efforts along with Qatar and Egypt.

Months of stop-start negotiations mediated by the United States, Qatar and Egypt have so far failed to secure a deal, despite increased US pressure and repeated trips by top officials to the region.

Hamas chief negotiator Khalil Al-Hayya, based in Qatar, on Sunday reaffirmed the group would not sign an agreement unless Israel fully withdrew from Gaza Strip, including the Philadelphi and Netzarim corridors, issues that have been sticking points in the talks.

Israel’s assault on Gaza began after Hamas and other militants killed about 1,200 people and took about 250 hostages in attacks on Israel on October 7, according to Israeli tallies.

Since then, Israel’s offensive has levelled much of the enclave of 2.3 million people, and the Gaza health ministry says at least 40,738 Palestinians have been killed. Displaced people are living in dire conditions with inadequate shelter and a hunger and health crisis.

Israelis begin labour strikes as anger over hostages builds

It is their strongest push yet to force govt to accept truce, secure release of hostages

Published: September 02, 2024 

Bloomberg

Passengers wait for flights at the Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv during a nationwide strike on September 2, 2024.Image Credit: AFP

Jerusalem: Israelis began large labour strikes on Monday and took to the streets again in their strongest push yet to force Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to accept a ceasefire with Hamas and secure the release of hostages held in Gaza.

Civil servants at several ministries stayed at home or went out to protest, while many post offices and bank branches were closed, and university lectures cancelled. Ben Gurion, the country’s main airport, suspended take offs between 8am and 10am local time.-

The government is taking legal action to try to stop the strikes spreading.

Anger is rising in Israel after the bodies of six hostages were found in a tunnel in the Gaza Strip. Each was shot repeatedly from short range, not long before being discovered, medical examiners said.

Hundreds of thousands of Israelis demonstrated in cities around the nation on Sunday, in what appeared to be the largest protests since the October 7 attacks by Hamas that triggered the war in Gaza.

Both the protests and strikes reflect deep anger at Netanyahu, who critics say is prolonging the war - and thus reducing the chances of early elections - rather than prioritising the safe return of the roughly 100 remaining hostages in Gaza. The military conflict has already spread to the West Bank and to neighboring Lebanon, threatening to engulf the region in a wider war.

Netanyahu has “been driven primarily by a desire to retain power with a narrow, very radical messianic coalition in the Israeli government,” said Jonathan Dekel-Chen, father of hostage Sagui Dekel-Chen, a 36-year-old Israeli-American.

“He’s preferred that, at least to date, over the well-being of all the hostages,” Dekel-Chen said Sunday on CBS’s Face the Nation.

Despite the pressure, there was no sign Netanyahu was prepared to shift course.

“Those who murder hostages do not want a deal,” he said in a statement on Sunday. “We will pursue you, we will find you and we will settle accounts with you.”

A Security Cabinet meeting ended Sunday evening without action on a proposal from Defense Minister Yoav Gallant to drop Netanyahu’s insistence that Israeli troops remain in the Philadelphi corridor between Gaza and Egypt - a key sticking point in talks with Hamas, two officials told Bloomberg.

Warning

Gallant had warned in a cabinet meeting last week that not dropping the demand would amount to the execution of hostages.

Netanyahu has defended his stance as necessary to ensure that Hamas doesn’t use a truce to rearm, regroup and weather the Israeli campaign to destroy it. Should Hamas endure, government officials have warned, that would spell more hostage-taking in the future.

US President Joe Biden said on Saturday that he believed “we’re on the verge of having an agreement,” though the last active talks broke up inconclusively in Cairo last weekend.

A protest in Tel Aviv on Sunday.Image Credit: Bloomberg

Flights resume at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport after 2-hour hiatus amid nationwide strike

Nationwide strike called to pressure Israeli government to reach prisoner swap deal with Palestinians

Mohammad Sio |02.09.2024 - TRT/AA



ISTANBUL

Flights resumed at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport on Monday after a two-hour suspension amid a nationwide strike to pressure the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reach an immediate cease-fire and prisoner exchange deal with Palestinians.

The strike was called by Israel’s largest labor union Histadrut following the recovery of the bodies of six Israeli hostages from southern Gaza on Sunday.

During the strike, all landings and departures were halted at the airport for two hours.

The Israeli government has petitioned the country’s Supreme Court to suspend the strike.

Israel estimates that more than 100 hostages are still being held by the Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza, some of whom are believed to have been already killed.

For months, the US, Qatar, and Egypt have been trying to reach an agreement between Israel and Hamas to ensure a prisoner exchange and a cease-fire and allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza. But mediation efforts have been stalled due to Netanyahu’s refusal to meet Hamas’ demands to stop the war.

Israel’s ongoing war on the Gaza Strip has killed more than 40,700 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured over 94,100 others, according to local health authorities.

An ongoing blockade of the enclave has led to severe shortages of food, clean water and medicine, leaving much of the region in ruins.

Israel faces accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which has ordered a halt to military operations in the southern city of Rafah, where over one million Palestinians had sought refuge before the area was invaded on May 6.

Israel faces general strike after night of protests

Robert Plummer
BBC News

Reuters
Some protesters wore Benjamin Netanyahu masks to show their opposition to the prime minister

Israel is braced for a general strike as protests continue over what is seen as the government's failure to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas.

Tensions have been running high since the bodies of six hostages were recovered by soldiers on Saturday, causing national outrage.

On Sunday, tens of thousands of people rallied across Israel accusing PM Benjamin Netanyahu and his government of not doing enough to reach a deal over the remaining hostages taken by Hamas during the 7 October attack.

The call for a one-day strike on Monday was issued by Israel's biggest labour union, Histadrut, whose leader, Arnon Bar-David, said the country was getting "body bags instead of a deal".

The government has reacted angrily to the union's action, with far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich accusing it of playing into the hands of Hamas.

It is unclear how widely the stoppage will be observed, after several cities and municipalities announced they would not take part.

However, the call for a nationwide strike is the latest sign that public anger at the latest hostage killings is not about to subside.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said earlier that the six bodies were found on Saturday in an underground tunnel in the Rafah area of southern Gaza.

The hostages were identified as Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi and Master Sgt Ori Danino.

The IDF said they had been killed shortly before its troops reached them on Saturday.

This triggered the demonstrations on Sunday, with crowds accusing the government and Mr Netanyahu personally of failing to save the remaining hostages.

Sunday's protests were largely peaceful - but crowds broke through police lines, blocking a major highway in Tel Aviv.

Some people scaled buses and bins to gain a vantage point over the march, while others surrounded someone wearing a mask of Mr Netanyahu, chanting: “Alive, alive, we want them alive.”

One demonstrator held a sign which read: "You are the head. You are to blame".

Protesters - many clad in Israeli flags - also descended on Jerusalem and other Israeli cities.

The demonstrations have overshadowed humanitarian efforts in Gaza, where the UN said on Sunday that the first full day of a campaign to vaccinate 640,000 children against polio had been successful.

The rollout relies on a series of localised pauses in fighting between Israeli forces and Hamas fighters, and the first three-day window began on Sunday.


It is not clear how many hostages remain in Gaza. Hamas kidnapped 251 people and killed 1,200 others during its attack in southern Israel on 7 October 2023.

The Israeli military responded by launching a ground and air offensive in Gaza to destroy Hamas.

More than 40,738 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.

Israel’s Smotrich asks attorney general to submit request to courts to block strike

Israel’s largest labor union calls for general strike to pressure Netanyahu’s government to reach hostage swap deal with Palestinian factions

Said Amori |02.09.2024 


JERUSALEM

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich filed an urgent request with the attorney general to halt a planned nationwide strike by the country’s largest labor union, Histadrut, scheduled for Monday.

In his letter to Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, “Smotrich argued that a strike had no legal basis since it aimed to improperly influence significant policy decisions of politicians on issues related to state security,” Israel’s Yedioth Ahronoth daily reported.

He also said that “a broad strike - which would shut the country, including outgoing flights -- has significant economic consequences which would cause unnecessary economic damage in wartime.”

Earlier in the day, Histadrut called for a general strike on Monday to pressure the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reach a prisoner swap deal with Palestinian factions.

The call came hours after the Israeli army said it had recovered the bodies of six Israeli hostages from the southern Gaza Strip.


The action is planned to start at 6 a.m. (0300GMT) and is currently planned as a single-day strike, with Histadrut Labor Federation chief Arnon Bar-David saying decisions beyond Monday will be made later, said The Times of Israel newspaper.

According to Israeli media, several sectors in Israel support the strike, including aviation, banks, postal services, schools and transportation, which could potentially lead to a complete shutdown of the Israeli economy.

Netanyahu denied responsibility for the deaths of the six hostages, claiming that the Palestinian group Hamas was the one refusing to participate in “genuine negotiations.”

Hamas said the six hostages were killed as a result of ongoing Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip.

Israel’s Haaretz daily, citing an Israeli source, said three of the six hostages were supposed to be released in the first stage of a prisoner swap deal currently being negotiated.

"They appeared in the lists given over at the beginning of July. It was possible to bring them back alive," the source said.

Israel estimates that more than 100 hostages are still being held by Hamas in Gaza, some of whom are believed to have been already killed.

For months, the US, Qatar and Egypt have been trying to reach an agreement between Israel and Hamas to ensure a prisoner exchange and cease-fire and allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza. But mediation efforts have been stalled due to Netanyahu’s refusal to meet Hamas’s demands to stop the war.

Israel’s ongoing offensive on the Gaza Strip has killed more than 40,700 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured over 94,100 others, according to local health authorities.

An ongoing blockade of the enclave has led to severe shortages of food, clean water and medicine, leaving much of the region in ruins.

Israel faces accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which has ordered a halt to military operations in the southern city of Rafah, where over one million Palestinians had sought refuge before the area was invaded on May 6.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala

WAIT, WHAT?!

PAKISTAN

Conversion of power plants to Thar coal: Govt likely to ask local banks for financing

Mushtaq Ghumman Published September 2, 2024

ISLAMABAD: The government is likely to ask local banks to finance conversion of imported coal projects to Thar coal and expansion of mines, well informed sources in PPIB told Business Recorder.

This idea was recently discussed in an interaction of 17 individuals including officials of Pakistan, Chinese experts and senior officials of Chinese embassy in Islamabad, the sources added.

These discussions were held a couple of weeks before the constitution of a formal committee by Minister for Power Sardar Awais Leghari.

Conversion of IPPs to Thar coal: PD sets up advisory panel

During the course of discussion, Pakistani side led by the Additional Secretary Power Division-1, Khushhal Khan highlighted that coal conversion is critical to improve generation capacity and reduce fuel payments per unit, and enable scaling up Thar coalfields, reducing cost of coal per ton, while enhancing energy security.

Initial study was conducted by M/s Fichtner of Germany which supported conversion of plants from imported coal to local Thar coal.

According to sources, Pakistani team indicated that CAPEX for conversion of power plants and expansion of mines can be financed by local banks and will not affect status of Chinese/ current lenders exposure. It was further said that Railway line for transportation of coal from Thar is already under construction and will be ready before conversion of projects on local coal.

“Conversion to local coal will improve dispatch, increase revenue for power plants, while reducing tariff for the consumers from Rs 16.4 per unit to Rs 7.03, Rs11.40 per unit for CHHGC, Port Qasim and Sahiwal, respectively,” the sources quoted Pakistani officials as saying.

The government estimates also suggest that forex savings up to $892 million will be available for IPPs dividend repatriation and debt repayments and resolve liquidity problems to a certain extent; besides conversion will help make Pakistan’s power sector financially sustainable.

Chinese side was of the view that conversion of imported coal-based power plants to local coal; i.e., Thar was thoroughly discussed in the eighth EPEP meeting held on May 15-17, 2024. They argued that while conversion is quite meaningful and can fix a number of relevant issues including Forex savings and reduction in tariff but it also involves many aspects including technical adaptation. Chinese side offered the following remarks “conversion has posed many concerns to the Chinese entities as Thar coal may impose problems to the equipment of Chinese existing plants.”

Chinese side feels that there is huge gap between estimates given by Fichtner (consultant) and the estimates worked out by the project sponsors. Chinese enterprises will have to adopt appropriate technology to use Thar coal and get approvals from China side stakeholders as it would be a complex process.

The sources said, Chinese side further stated that it had raised concerns in 2017, during second EPEP meeting, with respect to coal transportation and transmission line, etc. China side stated that though they have raised many questions on coal conversion, yet they hope that it will go successfully.

The leader of the Chinese delegation stated that he would like to suggest National Energy Administration (NEA) to accommodate the concerns of both sides in this regard.

It was suggested that Chinese enterprises together with their Pakistani counterparts should conduct a joint feasibility study about coal transport, origin, quality, security etc. before taking decision on the conversion.

China side also suggested discussing it further at the expert level and work out further promotion of the Pakistani proposal about coal conversion. Chinese side extended cooperation and stated that Chinese experts are open to discussion anytime. Chinese are open to an invite to German Consultant Fichtner for dialogue during joint study as well.

According to sources, there was consensus that implementation of proposal on coal conversion should accommodate concerns of both sides.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

WWIII

China urges EU to be ‘objective and fair’ on South China Sea issue

China urged the European Union to be “objective and fair” and careful with words and actions on issues in the South China Sea, after the bloc remarked on an incident that occurred over the weekend.

China said it was “strongly dissatisfied” with the European Union’s “accusations” against it on the issue, a statement by the Chinese mission to the EU showed.

“The European Union is not a party to the South China Sea issue and has no right to point fingers on the issue,” it said.

It also said the EU’s repeated “hyping up” on the freedom of navigation issue “has no benefits to the EU’s own interests and international credibility”.

China and the Philippines exchanged accusations of intentionally ramming coast guard vessels in disputed waters of the South China Sea on Saturday, the latest in an escalating series of clashes.

The collision near the Sabina Shoal was their fifth maritime confrontation in a month in a longstanding rivalry over the vital waterway.

The EU said in a Sunday statement that it condemned the “dangerous actions by China Coast Guard vessels against lawful Philippine maritime operations” in the sea.

In the statement, the European Union External Action Service said the recent incidents between Chinese and Philippines authorities “endanger the safety of life at sea, and violate the right to freedom of navigation and overflight to which all nations are entitled under international law.”

(Reuters)

One of the world’s most hardworking countries wants a four-day workweek

The working age population is expected to decline 40% to 45 million people in 2065

Yuri Kageyama
THE INDEPENDENT

09/02/2029

Local workers arrange fish during a morning auction at Hisanohama Port (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

A nation so hardworking its language has a term for literally working oneself to death, is trying to convince more people and companies to adopt four-day workweeks.

The Japanese government first expressed support for a shorter working week in 2021, after lawmakers endorsed the idea. The concept has been slow to catch on, however; about 8% of companies in Japan allow employees to take three or more days off per week, while 7% give their workers the legally mandated one day off, according to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.

Hoping to produce more takers, especially among small and medium-sized businesses, the government launched a “work style reform” campaign that promotes shorter hours and other flexible arrangements along with overtime limits and paid annual leave. The labor ministry recently started offering free consulting, grants and a growing library of success stories as further motivation.

“By realizing a society in which workers can choose from a variety of working styles based on their circumstances, we aim to create a virtuous cycle of growth and distribution and enable each and every worker to have a better outlook for the future,” states a ministry website about the “hatarakikata kaikaku” campaign, which translates to “innovating how we work.”

The department overseeing the new support services for businesses says only three companies have come forward so far to request advice on making changes, relevant regulations and available subsidies, illustrating the challenges the initiative faces.

Commuters walk in a passageway during a rush hour at Shinagawa Station, Feb. 14, 2024, in Tokyo (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Perhaps more telling: of the 63,000 Panasonic Holdings Corp. employees who are eligible for four-day schedules at the electronics maker and its group companies in Japan, only 150 employees have opted to take them, according to Yohei Mori, who oversees the initiative at one Panasonic company.

The government's official backing of a better work-life balance represents a marked change in Japan, a country whose reputed culture of workaholic stoicism often got credited for the national recovery and stellar economic growth after World War II.

Conformist pressures to sacrifice for one's company are intense. Citizens typically take vacations at the same time of year as their colleagues — during the Bon holidays in the summer and around New Year’s — so co-workers can't accuse them of being neglectful or uncaring.

Long hours are the norm. Although 85% of employers report giving their workers two days off a week and there are legal restrictions on overtime hours, which are negotiated with labor unions and detailed in contracts. But some Japanese do “service overtime,” meaning it’s unreported and performed without compensation.

A recent government white paper on “karoshi,” the Japanese term that in English means "death from overwork, said Japan has at least 54 such fatalities a year, including from heart attacks.

A Nissan Motor Co. factory worker checks an engine on an assembly line at its plant in Yokohama, near Tokyo (Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Japan’s “serious, conscientious and hard-working” people tend to value their relationships with their colleagues and form a bond with their companies, and Japanese TV shows and manga comics often focus on the workplace, said Tim Craig, the author of a book called “Cool Japan: Case Studies from Japan’s Cultural and Creative Industries.”


“Work is a big deal here. It’s not just a way to make money, although it is that, too,” said Craig, who previously taught at Doshisha Business School and founded editing and translation firm BlueSky Academic Services.

Some officials consider changing that mindset as crucial to maintaining a viable workforce amid Japan's nosediving birth rate. At the current rate, which is partly attributed to the country's job-focused culture, the working age population is expected to decline 40% to 45 million people in 2065, from the current 74 million, according to government data.

Proponents of the three-days-off model say it encourages people raising children, those caring for older relatives, retirees living on pensions and others looking for flexibility or additional income to remain in the workforce for longer.

Akiko Yokohama, who works at Spelldata, a small Tokyo-based technology company that allows employees to work a four-day schedule, takes Wednesdays off along with Saturdays and Sundays. The extra day off allows her to get her hair done, attend other appointments or go shopping.

“It’s hard when you aren’t feeling well to keep going for five days in a row. The rest allows you to recover or go see the doctor. Emotionally, it’s less stressful,” Yokohama said.

Her husband, a real estate broker, also gets Wednesdays off but works weekends, which is common in his industry. Yokohama said that allows the couple to go on midweek family outings with their elementary-school age child.

Fast Retailing Co., the Japanese company that owns Uniqlo, Theory, J Brand and other clothing brands, pharmaceutical company Shionogi & Co., and electronics companies Ricoh Co. and Hitachi also began offering a four-day workweek in recent years.

The trend even has gained traction in the notoriously consuming finance industry. Brokerage SMBC Nikko Securities Inc. started letting workers put in four days a week in 2020. Banking giant Mizuho Financial Group offers a three-day schedule option.

Critics of the government's push say that in practice, people put on four-day schedules often end up working just as hard for less pay.

But there are signs of change.

A annual Gallup survey that measures employee engagement ranked Japan as having among the least engaged workers of all nationalities surveyed; in the most recent survey, only 6% of the Japanese respondents described themselves as engaged at work compared to the global average of 23%.

That means relatively few Japanese workers felt highly involved in their workplace and enthusiastic about their work, while most were putting in their hours without investing passion or energy.

Kanako Ogino, president of Tokyo-based NS Group, thinks offering flexible hours is a must for filling jobs in the service industry, where women comprise most of the work force. The company, which operates karaoke venues and hotels, offers 30 different scheduling patterns, including a four-day workweek, but also taking long periods off in between work.

To ensure none of the NS Group's workers feel penalized for choosing an alternative schedule, Ogino asks each of her 4,000 employees twice a year how they want to work. Asserting individual needs can be frowned upon in Japan, where you are expected to sacrifice for the common good.

“The view in Japan was: You are cool the more hours you work, putting in free overtime,” Ogino said with a laugh. “But there is no dream in such a life.”

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