Russian man arrested for allegedly running LGBTQ+ travel agency found dead in custody



By Associated Press - Sunday, December 29, 2024

A Russian man arrested for allegedly running a travel agency for gay customers was found dead in custody in Moscow, rights group OVD-Info reported Sunday, amid a crackdown on LGBTQ+ rights in Russia.

According to OVD-Info, which tracks political arrests, Andrei Kotov - director of the “Men Travel” agency - faced charges of “organizing extremist activity and participating in it.”

OVD-Info said an investigator told Kotov’s lawyer that her client had died by suicide early Sunday while in pretrial detention and was found dead in his cell.

Prior to Kotov’s death, independent media outlet Mediazona reported earlier this month that Kotov had rejected the charges and said in court that law enforcement officers beat him and administered electric shocks during the arrest, even though he didn’t resist.

Just over a year ago, Russia’s Supreme Court effectively outlawed any LGBTQ+ activism in a ruling that designated “the international LGBT movement” as extremist. The move exposed anyone in the community or connected to it to criminal prosecution and prison, ushering in an atmosphere of fear and intimidation.

The LGBTQ+ community in Russia has been under legal and public pressure for over a decade but especially since the Kremlin sent troops to Ukraine in 2022. Russian leader Vladimir Putin has argued that the war is a proxy battle with the West, which he says aims to destroy Russia and its “traditional family values” by pushing for LGBTQ+ rights.

GENDER APARTHEID

Taliban letter tells NGOs in Afghanistan to stop employing women or face closure

It is the Taliban’s latest attempt to control or intervene in NGO activity.

Taliban fighters stand guard in Kabul, Afghanistan 

(Ebrahim Noroozi/AP) (Ebrahim Noroozi/AP)

By AP Reporter

December 30, 2024

The Taliban have said they will close all national and foreign non-governmental groups (NGOs) in Afghanistan employing women.

It comes two years after they told NGOs to suspend the employment of Afghan women, allegedly because they did not wear the Islamic headscarf correctly.

In a letter published on social media platform X on Sunday night, the Economy Ministry warned that failure to comply with the latest order would lead to NGOs losing their licence to operate in Afghanistan.

The ministry said it was responsible for the registration, co-ordination, leadership and supervision of all activities carried out by national and foreign organisations.

The government was once again ordering the stoppage of all female work in institutions not controlled by the Taliban, according to the letter.

It is the Taliban’s latest attempt to control or intervene in NGO activity.

Earlier this month, the UN Security Council heard that an increasing proportion of female Afghan humanitarian workers were prevented from doing their work even though relief work remains essential.

According to Tom Fletcher, a senior UN official, the proportion of humanitarian organisations reporting that their female or male staff were stopped by the Taliban’s morality police has also increased.

The Taliban deny they are stopping aid agencies from carrying out their work or interfering with their activities.

They have already barred women from many jobs and most public spaces, and also excluded them from education beyond sixth grade.

In another development, Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada has ordered that buildings should not have windows looking into places where a woman might sit or stand.

According to a four-clause decree posted on X late Saturday, the order applies to new buildings as well as existing ones.

 

NGO responds to Taliban work ban with guidelines to protect female staff in health, education sectors

• by Siyar Sirat
  30/12/2024

AMU TV

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A hospital in Afghanistan. File photo.

KABUL, Afghanistan — In response to the Taliban’s renewed enforcement of a ban on women working in non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the Agency Coordinating Body for Afghan Relief and Development (ACBAR) issued a set of detailed recommendations on Sunday to ensure female staff in health and education sectors can continue working under the restrictions.

The organization’s Immediate Response Team emphasized compliance measures, including full hijab requirements, separate facilities for female employees, and documented justification for their presence in offices.

The letter, dated December 26, 2024, reaffirmed the Taliban’s enforcement of a December 2022 directive and warned that non-compliance could result in the suspension of operations or revocation of licenses for NGOs.

In response, ACBAR held a meeting with the Taliban-run Ministry of Economy on Sunday, December 29, to address the implications of the directive and to clarify how NGOs can comply while maintaining critical operations.

Exemptions and updated guidelines

ACBAR emphasized that while the general ban remains in effect, specific exemptions apply to women working in health and education sectors. Additionally, the Taliban provided updated rules that NGOs employing female staff must follow:

Remote Work: Women working remotely (online) may continue their roles.

Travel Requirements: Female staff commuting to fieldwork or workplaces must be accompanied by a male guardian (mahram).

Hijab Enforcement: Women must observe full hijab at all times, including in transit and within the office.

Separate Facilities: NGOs must provide female staff with designated entrances, rest areas, and prayer spaces.

Workplace Justification: The presence of female employees in offices must be documented and justified, particularly in health and education roles.

ACBAR’s recommendations for NGOs

ACBAR’s Immediate Response Team issued further recommendations to help NGOs navigate the restrictions:

Compliance and Sensitization: All staff, especially female employees, must be briefed on the new regulations, and organizations should be prepared for inspections by Taliban officials.

Facility Adjustments: Separate facilities for female staff must be implemented where possible.

Incident Reporting: NGOs are encouraged to report any challenges or irregularities caused by the restrictions to ACBAR for further action and advocacy.

The organization also advised NGOs to adapt quickly to the guidelines to mitigate their operational impact while continuing to serve Afghanistan’s most vulnerable populations.

Impact on female workers

Although women in health and education sectors are allowed to work under these conditions, the restrictions pose significant logistical challenges for other female employees. Requiring a male guardian and strict dress codes, even within offices, limits mobility and complicates daily operations.

ACBAR acknowledged these challenges but emphasized its commitment to supporting female staff and ensuring critical humanitarian operations continue uninterrupted.

A Pattern of increasing restrictions

Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban have imposed progressively stricter limitations on women’s participation in public life, including education and employment. The initial NGO work ban in 2022 faced widespread international condemnation. The latest letter reaffirms that ban, while introducing detailed conditions under which women can still work in specific roles.

Afghanistan remains one of the world’s most acute humanitarian crises, with millions dependent on aid delivered by NGOs. Many of these organizations rely on female workers to provide essential services, particularly in maternal health and education, areas where male staff often cannot operate due to cultural barriers

Taliban's Latest Restriction Against Women Comes As A Way To 'Stop Obscene Acts' 

 War Against Women

As per the spokesperson of the Taliban government, new residential buildings will not have windows which overlook the courtyard, kitchen, neighbouring wells and other places usually used by women."

Outlook Web Desk

30 December 2024 

The Taliban has now banned the construction of windows in residential buildings. 

Continuing the suppression of women in Afghanistan, the Taliban has now banned the construction of windows in residential buildings. As per the announcement from the extremist regime, any windows overlooking areas frequently used by women will no longer be constructed.

As per the spokesperson of the Taliban government, new residential buildings will not have windows which overlook the courtyard, kitchen, neighbouring wells and other places usually used by women."

READ | Afghanistan: A Battle-Scarred Nation At War With Its Women | Never-Ending Wars

Taking to X, Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesperson for the Taliban government stated that this ban comes as seeing women in their houses can "lead to obscene acts."

"Seeing women working in kitchens, in courtyards or collecting water from wells can lead to obscene acts," he wrote on X.

The announcement further added that municipal authorities and other departments under the Taliban government would have to monitor construction sites and ensure that the view to the neighbouring houses in blocked.

As reported by AFP, in houses where such windows exist, owners would be asked to build a wall or obscure the view using other methods in order to avoid "nuisances caused to neighbours".

Since taking over Afghanistan in 2021, the Taliban has carried out the complete suppression of women's rights.

Starting with a ban on their education, under the Taliban government, Afghan women are not allowed education beyond the sixth grade.

As the extremist regime continues, women have slowly been erased from public spaces, including places of employment.

Women are also not allowed to step out in public unless they are covered from head to toe in a burqa and are accompanied by a male family member.

The most recent restriction from the Taliban included prohibiting women from singing or reciting in public and to "veil" their voices outside their homes.

The government was once again ordering the stoppage of all female work in institutions not controlled by the Taliban, according to the letter.

It is the Taliban’s latest attempt to control or intervene in NGO activity.

Earlier this month, the UN Security Council heard that an increasing proportion of female Afghan humanitarian workers were prevented from doing their work even though relief work remains essential.

According to Tom Fletcher, a senior UN official, the proportion of humanitarian organisations reporting that their female or male staff were stopped by the Taliban’s morality police has also increased.

The Taliban deny they are stopping aid agencies from carrying out their work or interfering with their activities.

They have already barred women from many jobs and most public spaces, and also excluded them from education beyond sixth grade.

In another development, Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada has ordered that buildings should not have windows looking into places where a woman might sit or stand.

According to a four-clause decree posted on X late Saturday, the order applies to new buildings as well as existing ones.

In Bosnia-Herzegovina, the war may have ended 30 years ago, but the ethnic tensions present in the country continue to divide. 

A Bosnian muslim woman mourns next grave of her relative, victim of the Srebrenica genocide, in Memorial Centre in Potocarı, Bosnia, Tuesday, July 11, 2023 | Photo: AP


OUTLOOK

30/12/2024
Click here to find Outlook's 11 January 2025 issue 'War and Peace.'

In Bosnia-Herzegovina, the war may have ended 30 years ago, but the ethnic tensions present in the country continue to divide. From 1992 to 1995, an active effort was made to ethnically cleanse Bosnia as a result of which non-Serbs in the state were subject to genocide.

The Bosnian War resulted in the deaths of around 100,000 people and some of the worst violence Europe has seen since the Second World War.

Thirty years since the war ended and the horrific genocide in Srebrenica, ethnic tensions continue to divide the Balkan country. The deep divide between Muslim Bosniaks, Orthodox Serbs, and Catholic Croats continues to this day. These tensions have also caused the division of the state into two political entities based on the ethnic populations.

What Was The Bosnian War

The Breakup Of Yugoslavia And Rise In Ethnic Tensions

The breakup of Yugoslavia led to the creation of Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia. Prior to 1980, these six republics formed the Socialist Federation of Yugoslavia and were ruled by Marshal Josip Tito.

Following Tito's death, there was a rise in ethnic nationalism across Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia and Macedonia and from 1991 onwards, the country began to disintegrate based on their ethnicity resulting in the formation of five independent republics.


In February 1992, Bosnia-Herzegovina conducted a referendum and with 99.7 percent of the vote, it emerged as an independent state.

After the international recognition of Bosnia in April 1992, violent clashes erupted between Bosniaks and Serbs in the nation.


Over the next three years, fighting between Serbs and the combined forces of Croats and Bosniaks erupted.


Sarajevo Seized


With help from Yugoslavian forces, Serb forces moved to the capital of Sarajevo and seized the city. This seizure led to four years of full-scale hostilities, terror, persecution and the worst ethnic cleansing campaign Europe witnessed since the Holocaust.


Bosnian-Serbs, who stayed loyal to Republika Srpska and Serbia, set out to ethnically cleanse Bosnia and heavily targeted Bosniak-Muslims.


Despite the declaration of Sarajevo, Goradze, Srebrenica as safe zones for the Bosniak-Muslim population by the UNSC in 1993 and the deployment of the UN peacekeeping force, the Serbs continued their goal to cleanse Bosnia, and force Muslims out of the country.



The war continued to escalate with NATO strikes in 1994 and ultimately led to the largest massacre in Europe since 1945.

Main Factions Involved

Bosnia-Herzegovina has been a multi-ethnic state since it was a part of the federation of Yugoslavia. The Balkan state was mainly inhabited by Muslim Bosniaks, Orthodox Serbs and Catholic Croats.


In the Bosnian war, all three factions played a key role.


Bosniaks were considered to be mainly ethnically Bosnians, who were loyal to the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. During the war, Bosniaks were organised into the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina and were supported by the Croats.



Croats were those people who were loyal to the Croatian Republic of Herzeg-Bosnia and Croatia. At the beginning of the war, Croat forces supported both Bosniaks and Serbs. However, as the war went on, the Croatian Army engaged against Serbian forces.


Serbs were those people who expressed their loyalty to Republika Srpska - the Serbian-populated portion of Bosnia. Following the breakup of Yugoslavia, Serbs did not wish to break away and were mobilised towards the creation of a "greater Serbia" or another federation of Yugoslavia.


Srebrenica Genocide

From 1995 onwards, after Bosnian-Serbs were ordered by Radovan Karadžić to eliminate the Muslim enclaves of Srebrenica and Žepa, Bosniak-Muslims faced one the worst massacres in European history.


On July 11, Serb forces marched in Srebrenica and carried out the largest massacre Europe had seen since the Holocaust during WW2.


Led by military commander Ratka Mladic, Bosnian Serb forces stormed into Srebrenica, which was a UNSC declared safe zone guarded by UN peacekeeping forces, to carry out their goal of eliminating the Muslim population.


Serb forces detained all Bosniak-Muslim men of "battle age" and slaughtered them. Around 8,000 men were killed by the Serb forces. Along with this, over 23,000 women and children were pushed onto buses and forced out of the enclave. 30 years later, the mortal remains of around 1,000 people killed in the Srebrenica massacre are yet to be found.


Dayton Peace Accords And End Of War

Following the Srebrenica genocide and the sharp rise in the ethnic cleansing of Bosniaks, the US, Russia and other world powers gathered and called for an end to the war.


Brokered by the US, UK, France, Germany, Russia and the EU, the Dayton Peace Accords were signed, calling for the established of a single sovereign state - comprised of two parts - Serb-populated Republika Srpska and the Croat-Bosniak-populated Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.


With the signing of these accords, the Bosnian war came to an end.


Ethnic Conflict Continues To Divide Bosnia-Herzegovina


Memories of the war and the deep ethnic divide continue to haunt Bosnia-Herzegovina. Speaking to the Centre for European Policy Analysis, Saravejo journalist Leila Bičakčić says that tensions remain "as bad as they were in the 1990s."


Following the end of the war, Bosnia-Herzegovina was recognised as a state of two entities - Serbian Republika Srpska, and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.


In 2020, the Balkan state was also declared "most vulnerable" as per NATO's permeability index". "The deep divisions between Republika Srpska and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (the two constituent entities) is evident in the lack of clarity over the country’s strategic orientation," the report said.


Over in Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, the current president and a Putin ally, has been accused of sparking tensions. Many fear his links with Russia and ultra-nationalist ideology may just lead to the collapse of the 1995 peace accords and a reignition of the war.


Since the end of the war, Dodik has remained a key political figure in Bosnia, especially amongst the Serbs. The Serbian president has also publicly discussed the idea of joining and creating a greater Serbia.


Furthermore, Russia's invasion of Ukraine also stirred up the rise of separatist sentiment, especially across the western Balkans. As per experts, this sentiment continues to spread due to the support from Belgrade, Moscow and China.


The Federation of Bosnia, on the other hand, remains engaged with the European Union for membership. The regional bloc, which is currently at a crossroads with Russia, opened accession talks for Bosnia-Herzegovina in March 2024.


Another point of contention between the two entities is the denial of the genocide by Serbs and Serbian politicians, despite worldwide condemnatio

Vote counting underway in Chad's elections, 36% turnout reported

Election observers in capital N'Djamena and other regions report peaceful voting process with no major incidents, but note lack of voter enthusiasm

Byobe Malenga |30.12.2024 - TRT/AA

KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo

Vote counting for Chad's general elections, boycotted by the main opposition party, continued on Monday, with the electoral authority reporting a turnout of just over 36% in Sunday's poll.

Despite Chadian President Marshal Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno's appeal to encourage people to vote for members of a new parliament, provincial assemblies, and local councils, the National Agency for the Management of Elections (ANGE) reported a low turnout of 36.22%.

Over 8 million voters were registered at 26,617 polling stations across the country. Ballot counting is currently underway, and provisional results are expected by January 15.

Election observers in the capital N'Djamena and other regions reported a peaceful voting process with no major incidents, but they also noted a lack of enthusiasm among voters.

The opposition Les Transformateurs party, led by former Prime Minister Succes Masra, boycotted the elections, claiming that the results were pre-determined.

"The outcome is already predetermined," Masra said in a Facebook live broadcast on Monday, adding, "We refuse to be part of a facade and urge Chadians to stay at home."

He criticized, what he called, a “system built on lies and electoral fraud” and emphasized the need for “real change” to uplift one of the world's poorest nations.

However, the military and nomadic people had significantly higher participation in Sunday’s general elections.

The ANGE reported that 72% of military personnel and 54% of nomadic voters voted on Saturday for logistical reasons.

These elections took place against the backdrop of Chad's political, economic, and security challenges. They are viewed as critical in shaping the nation's future.

Chad, a predominantly desert Sahelian country, has been led by Marshal Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, 40, since 2021, when his father, Idriss Deby Itno, died.

He won a five-year term in a contentious May 2024 election that the opposition labeled fraudulent.

These general elections are a critical step for Deby to consolidate his authority, secure a parliamentary majority, and strengthen his control over local governance structures.

Chad’s parliamentary elections marked by low turnout and opposition boycotts

Copyright AP Photo/Louise Delmotte, File
By Oman Al Yahyai
Published on 30/12/2024 - 

Critics have dismissed the vote as a ploy to allow junta leader Mahamat Idriss Deby to entrench his power.

Chadians cast their votes on Sunday in parliamentary and regional elections marked by low turnout.

These elections are set to conclude a three-year transitional period of military rule, though they were overshadowed by a boycott from the main opposition, which has accused the authorities of failing to ensure a credible electoral process.

The parliamentary election, Chad's first in over a decade, comes in the wake of junta leader Mahamat Idriss Deby's contentious victory in a presidential poll intended to restore democratic governance.

Deby assumed leadership in 2021 after the death of his father, Idriss Deby Itno, who ruled the country for 30 years.


Polling closed late on Monday, but the official results are not expected for another two weeks.

Speaking on the significance of the election, Deby remarked that it would “pave the way for the era of decentralisation so long awaited and desired by the Chadian people".

Chad, an oil-exporting nation of 18 million people and among the poorest in Africa, has not experienced a free and fair transfer of power since its independence from France in 1960.


Around 8 million voters were registered to elect 188 legislators for a new National Assembly, as well as representatives at provincial and municipal levels.

However, voter turnout appeared minimal in the capital, N’Djamena, with scant participation recorded at several polling stations.

“We hope that the people we voted for do a good job for a better Chad, a Chad with a future," said Mahamat Issa Hissein, who voted in N’Djamena.

Over 10 opposition parties, including the leading Transformers party, boycotted the elections. The Transformers party's candidate, Succes Masra, secured second place in the presidential race.

RelatedChad ends defence pact with France nixing its military presence

The party criticised both the parliamentary and presidential elections, dismissed by many as a “charade” and a strategy for Deby to consolidate power and maintain a "dynasty".

Masra, who briefly served as prime minister earlier this year before stepping down to contest the presidency, accused the authorities on Saturday of planning to rig the results, and told voters that “It is better to stay at home”.

The election comes at a pivotal time for Chad, which faces mounting security challenges, including Boko Haram insurgent attacks in the Lake Chad region and a breakdown in long standing military cooperation with France, its key ally.

Additional sources • AP

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Latin America urged to boost tax take and private investment to close development gap

Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries need vast financial resources to achieve sustainable development, the latest OECD - UN/ECLAC report says. / bne IntelliNews

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By bne IntelliNews December 12, 2024

Latin American and Caribbean nations must radically strengthen tax collection and private sector involvement to bridge a $99bn annual sustainable financing gap, according to a comprehensive new report from leading international organisations.

The 2024 Latin American Economic Outlook, jointly produced by the OECD, UN-ECLAC, CAF-Development Bank and European Commission, calls for sweeping reforms across the region's fiscal and financial systems at a time when many countries are struggling with tight monetary policy and reduced fiscal space following the COVID-19 pandemic.

The report paints a sobering picture of the region's economic foundations. Labour productivity remains severely depressed at just 33 percent of OECD levels in 2023. While poverty has reached its lowest level in two decades at 27.3 percent, extreme poverty continues to affect one in ten people across the region, highlighting persistent inequality despite progress.

Most Latin American economies collect far less in tax than developed nations, with revenue averaging just 21.5 percent of GDP in 2022 compared to 34 percent in OECD countries. This substantial shortfall, combined with inefficient public spending heavily weighted toward short-term expenditure, has left governments with little room for policies to support growth and social development in the post-pandemic era.

The region's debt burden has grown increasingly onerous over the past decade, with debt service payments climbing from 9.8 percent of tax revenue in 2012 to 12.2 percent in 2022. In several countries, interest payments have reached alarming levels, amounting to up to twice education budgets, three times healthcare expenditure, and four times capital investment.

Financial markets across the region remain significantly underdeveloped, with domestic credit to the private sector reaching only 50 percent of GDP. The debt market is overwhelmingly dominated by public sector issuance, which accounted for 81 percent of local offerings between 2015 and 2023. This concentration hampers private sector growth and innovation, according to the report.

Access to financial services remains deeply uneven, particularly affecting informal workers and vulnerable groups. The report notes that while nearly 15 percent of formal households had access to housing loans in 2020, this figure plummeted to just 2.3 percent for informal households, highlighting the deep-rooted financial exclusion in the region.

However, sustainable finance presents a notable bright spot, with green, social and sustainability-linked bonds growing dramatically from 9.3 percent of total international issuance in 2020 to nearly 35 percent in 2023. The report advocates expanding such instruments, alongside catastrophe bonds and debt-for-nature swaps, while establishing robust frameworks to prevent greenwashing.

Development finance institutions are highlighted as crucial players in the region's developing financial landscape, though only 19 percent of their instruments currently target key priorities like green transition, gender equality and digital transformation. The report emphasises the importance of international cooperation initiatives, including the EU-LAC Global Gateway Investment Agenda, which aims to mobilise funding for infrastructure development while promoting local value creation and social cohesion.

To address these challenges, the report recommends a comprehensive reform agenda including updating regulatory frameworks, improving financial literacy, and strengthening regional integration. It calls for policies to expand institutional investor participation and enhance capital market liquidity, while also improving public spending efficiency and debt management through robust fiscal frameworks.

The region's nations are urged to coordinate their approach ahead of the UN's Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, scheduled for mid-2025 in Seville, where they will have the opportunity to present a unified vision for sustainable development financing. This coordination will be crucial as the region seeks to overcome its significant financing challenges and move towards more sustainable and inclusive economic growth.

“The conference will enable the design of reforms to promote development financing in key areas, such as improving liquidity, measuring risk, mobilising private finance, and enhancing co‑ordination among development providers,” the OECD press release stated.

 

IEA: Access to energy improving worldwide, driven by renewables

Access to power is not universal but it is getting better, says the IEA. The green revolution has helped as solar power becomes the cheapest source of energy and is rapidly being rolled out in Emerging Markets. / bne IntelliNews

By IEA Energy Snapshot December 19, 2024

Having a reliable electricity supply is something many of us take for granted – including for sending and reading emails like this one. But hundreds of millions of people around the world today don’t have access to even the most essential electricity services like basic lighting.

For most of this century, the number of people lacking access to electricity worldwide declined at a healthy clip as hundreds of millions of people – mostly in Asia but also in Africa and Latin America – were connected to the grid. But as a result of the pandemic, progress stalled. And in 2022, the number of people globally without access to electricity actually increased for the first time in decades amid soaring inflation and the energy crisis.

This reversal raised concerns about continued progress on this critical issue. Under the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the world is aiming for all people to have electricity access by 2030.

Our latest data and analysis shows that in 2023, the number of people without electricity globally began to decline again, though at a considerably slower rate than before 2020. Another modest improvement is expected this year.

 

One recent success story has been among emerging and developing economies in Asia. More than half a billion people in this region have gained access to electricity in the past decade.

India and Indonesia both reached universal access between 2021 and 2022, and Bangladesh hit the milestone in 2023. More than 70% of countries in the region have achieved access rates above 90%.

​Still, delivering universal electricity access remains a global challenge. The most severe gap is in sub-Saharan Africa where, despite progress before the Covid pandemic, nearly 600mn people currently live without electricity. That is 80% of the global total.

After three years of regression, new electricity connections in sub-Saharan Africa accelerated again in 2023. One important contributor was the surge in home solar-based systems, which accounted for more than a third of the region’s new connections in 2023. Just a decade ago, installation of these systems was negligible. The pace of new grid connections also rebounded, approaching the levels seen before the pandemic.​

Globally, policies on access to electricity are improving – as are measures to expand access to clean cooking solutions, which more than 2bn people currently lack around the world. According to IEA analysis, policies have recently improved in countries that represent more than 30% of the population without electricity or clean cooking access.

More details on the latest IEA data and analysis on energy access can be found in our flagship World Energy Outlook 2024 report. You can also learn more about the IEA’s work and findings in this area on our dedicated webpage. Additionally, we and other several international organisations are the joint global custodians of UN Sustainable Development Goal 7, which looks to “ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all”. Together, we publish an annual report on progress towards achieving the goal. You can explore the latest edition here.

 

 

This article first appeared in the IEA’s Energy Snapshot newsletter. Sign up here.

KURDISTAN

Turkey announces $14 billion regional development plan for Kurdish southeast

Turkish Industry Minister Fatih Kacir told reporters the government would spend almost 500 billion lira on 198 projects across the region.

The New Arab Staff & Agencies
29 December, 2024


The announcement comes amid increased hopes for an end to a decades-long insurgency waged by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party in southeast Turkey [GETTY]

Turkey announced on Sunday a $14 billion regional development plan that aims to reduce the economic gap between its mainly Kurdish southeast region and the rest of the country.

The announcement comes amid increased hopes for an end to a decades-long insurgency waged by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in southeast Turkey, as well as the advent of a new leadership in neighbouring Syria with cordial ties to Ankara.

Turkey's eastern and southeastern provinces have long lagged behind other regions of the country in most economic indicators, including gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, partly due to the insurgency.

Turkish Industry Minister Fatih Kacir told reporters in the southeastern city of Sanliurfa that the government would spend a total of 496.2 billion lira ($14.15 billion) on 198 projects across the region in the period to 2028.

"With the implementation of the projects, we anticipate an additional 49,000 lira ($1,400) increase in annual income per capita in the region," he added.

According to 2023 data, the per capita income of Sanliurfa stood at $4,971, well below the national average of $13,243.

Regarding the prospects for peace in southeast Turkey, two Turkish lawmakers met the PKK's jailed leader Abdullah Ocalan on Saturday, the first such visit in nearly a decade, and they quoted him as indicating he might be ready to call on the group's militants to lay down their weapons.

The visit followed a call by a close ally of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Ocalan to end the PKK's 40-year insurgency, in which more than 40,000 people have been killed.

The conflict between the Turkish state and PKK now centred on northern Iraq, was mainly focused on southeast Turkey in the past.

"Terrorism has caused great harm to eastern and southeastern regions of the country... A terror-free Turkey will create great benefits for the region," Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz said on Sunday at the event in Sanliurfa.

Turkey and Western countries classify the PKK as a terrorist organisation.

Yilmaz also referred to recent developments in Syria, where rebels backed by Turkey took power this month after the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad and his flight to Russia.

"The opportunities that will come with the new era in Syria will increase the welfare of our entire country. Our southeastern region will benefit more from these developments," Yilmaz said.

(Reuters)

A fourth infant dies of the winter cold in Gaza as families share blankets in seaside tents


Imam Islam Abu Suaied prays over the bodies of two babies Sunday before their burial at the Al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al Balah, central Gaza Strip. One baby died at birth, while the other, 20-day-old Jomaa al-Batran, succumbed to hypothermia.
(Abdel Kareem Hana / Associated Press)

By Wafaa Shurafa and Majdi Mohammed

Dec. 29, 2024 

DEIR AL BALAH, Gaza Strip — A fourth infant has died of hypothermia in the Gaza Strip, where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians displaced by nearly 15 months of war huddle in tents along the rainy, windswept coast as winter arrives.

Jomaa al-Batran, 20 days old, was found with his head as “cold as ice” early Sunday, his father, Yehia, said. The baby’s twin brother, Ali, was moved to intensive care at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital.

Their father said they were born one month premature and spent just a day in the nursery at the hospital, which like other Gaza health centers is overwhelmed and only partially functioning.
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He said medics told their mother to keep the newborns warm, but it was impossible because they live in a tent and temperatures regularly drop below 50 degrees Fahrenheit at night.

“We are eight people, and we only have four blankets,” Al-Batran said as he cradled his son’s pale body. He described drops of dew seeping through the tent overnight. “Look at his color because [of] the cold. Do you see how frozen he is?”

Children, some of them barefoot, stood outdoors and watched him mourn. The shrouded infant was laid at the feet of an imam for prayers. Then the imam took off his ankle-length coat and wrapped it around the father.

“Feel warm, my brother,” he said.

At least three other babies have died from the cold in recent weeks, according to local health officials.

Israeli report details abuse of hostages

The Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Hamas militants that sparked the war killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted around 250, including women, children and older adults. Around 100 are still inside Gaza, at least a third believed to be dead.

Israel’s Health Ministry released a report late Saturday detailing what it called widespread physical, psychological and sexual abuse of people who had been held.

The report, based on findings of doctors who treated some of the over 100 hostages released during a cease-fire last year, said the captives — including children — had been subjected to “severe physical and sexual abuse such as beatings, isolation, deprivation of food and water, branding, hair-pulling and sexual assault.”

The report said one hostage described being sexually assaulted at gunpoint by a Hamas militant, and that some women reported being sexually assaulted by captors. It added: “On several occasions, captors forced women of all ages to undress while others, including the captors, watched.”

The findings, which will be sent to the United Nations, could increase pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree to a cease-fire and hostage release with Hamas. Families of hostages and supporters have held mass demonstrations for months, and diplomats have reported progress in the indirect talks.

A Palestinian woman is killed in West Bank

A Palestinian woman was shot and killed in her home in the volatile West Bank town of Jenin, where the Palestinian Authority this month launched a rare campaign against militants.

The family of Shatha al-Sabbagh, a 22-year-old journalism student, said she was killed by a sniper with the Palestinian security forces late Saturday while she was with her mother and two children. They said there were no militants in the area at the time.

A Palestinian security forces statement said she was shot by “outlaws” — the term it uses for local militants battling Israeli forces. The security forces condemned the shooting and vowed to investigate it.

The Western-backed Palestinian Authority exercises limited self-rule in parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank. It is unpopular among Palestinians, largely because it cooperates with Israel on security matters, even as Israel accuses it of incitement and of generally turning a blind eye to militancy.

In a statement, the Al-Sabbagh family accused the Palestinian security forces of being “repressive tools that practice terrorism against their own people instead of protecting their dignity and standing up to the [Israeli] occupation.”

Hamas blamed the security forces and noted that Al-Sabbagh was the sister of one of its fighters who was killed fighting with Israeli troops last year.

Later Sunday, hundreds of people demonstrated in support of the Palestinian security forces, organized by the Fatah party that dominates the Palestinian Authority.

Violence has flared in the West Bank since the war in Gaza began. Israel captured the West Bank, along with Gaza and East Jerusalem, in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians want all three territories for a future state.

Strike on a hospital in Gaza City kills 7

An Israeli strike on Wafa Hospital in Gaza City on Sunday killed at least seven people and wounded several others, according to the Civil Defense, first responders affiliated with the Hamas-run government. Israel’s military said it struck a Hamas control center inside the building, which it said no longer served as a hospital.

A strike near Nuseirat in central Gaza killed eight and wounded more than 15, according to Al-Awda Hospital officials.

Meanwhile, Israel’s military said militants launched five projectiles from northern Gaza into Israel, the second time in two days, saying two were intercepted and the rest likely fell in open areas. The Sderot municipality said three people were lightly injured on their way to shelters. Rockets from northern Gaza had been rare in recent months as Israel’s military increased operations there.

Israel’s offensive has killed over 45,000 Palestinians, according to local health authorities. They say women and children make up more than half the deaths but do not distinguish between militants and civilians in their count. Israel says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence.

Israel’s bombardment and ground operations have displaced some 90% of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million, often multiple times. Vast areas are in ruins, and critical infrastructure is destroyed.

Israeli restrictions, fighting and the breakdown of law and order have hindered humanitarian aid delivery, raising fears of famine, while hunger leaves people at greater risk of disease and death.

Shurafa and Mohammed write for the Associated Press. Mohammed reported from Jenin, West Bank. The AP’s Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv contributed to this report.

Diabetics in Malaysia face medicine shortage as slimming craze thins supply of Ozempic

Ozempic is a semaglutide, which is an injectable medication that helps adults with Type 2 diabetes manage their blood sugar levels.

 Dec 30, 2024

PETALING JAYA – The global craze over Ozempic as a weight-loss solution has hit Malaysia, with pharmacies experiencing a surge in demand for the diabetes medication, resulting in a shortage.

Malaysian Pharmacists Society president Amrahi Buang confirmed the shortage, attributing it to increased demand from non-diabetic individuals for its weight loss effects.

“There are many who are interested only in the drug’s weight loss potency, creating a huge demand and a shortage in the market,” he said.

Mr Amrahi noted that Ozempic, while requiring a prescription, is somehow being accessed by non-diabetics.

“This is supported by many reports of Ozempic being misused by non-diabetic individuals for weight loss, although it is not approved for that purpose in Malaysia.”

Mr Amrahi warned against using drugs for unapproved purposes without medical supervision, emphasising that potential side effects of Ozempic include hypoglycaemia or low blood sugar, which could be life-threatening.


“The public should always consult pharmacists on the proper use of medication to prevent unintended consequences,” he said.


Ozempic is a semaglutide, which is an injectable medication that helps adults with Type 2 diabetes manage their blood sugar levels.

Checks also showed that Ozempic-based weight loss packages are being promoted by aesthetic clinics.


According to Malaysian Community Pharmacy Guild honorary secretary Rachel Gan, demand for the drug has increased, with some individuals self-prescribing or sourcing it online.

“This is definitely not safe. They should consult a doctor before using any medication,” Ms Gan cautioned.

She added that distributors have even started rationing supplies, limiting bulk orders to ensure broader access.

Dr Wong Teck Wee, a consultant interventional cardiologist at iHEAL Medical Centre, highlighted the immediate side effects of Ozempic and other semaglutide, citing a 2021 New England Journal Of Medicine study.

He said: “Between 44 per cent and 47 per cent of participants taking semaglutide for weight loss experienced nausea, while 30 per cent to 35 per cent reported having diarrhoea.

“Another 24 per cent to 30 per cent of participants also had constipation and vomiting, although these were mild to moderate, with the symptoms diminishing with continued use.”

Dr Wong also noted anecdotal reports of psychological effects such as mood changes, anxiety and stress.

More severe cases involved dehydration, which could harm kidney function, particularly in those with pre-existing kidney conditions.

“A 2022 meta-analysis published in Diabetes Care also found a low but notable risk of renal complications, primarily related to dehydration,” he said.

Regarding long-term effects, Dr Wong pointed out that they remain unclear since Ozempic was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) only in 2017.

But he cited a 2021 The Lancet study that found that 1.4 per cent of semaglutide users experienced gallbladder-related issues, compared with 0.4 per cent in a placebo group.

“This is likely due to the body breaking down fat too quickly as Ozempic can cause rapid weight loss of up to 10kg a month, leading to bile imbalances,” he explained.

Dr Wong said rare but serious side effects, such as acute pancreatitis, have also been reported, although causality has not been definitively established.

Dr Lim Chong Wei, an endocrinology, diabetes and internal medicine specialist at Sunway Medical Centre, clarified that semaglutide was originally approved as a weekly injection for Type 2 diabetes, typically combined with the right diet and exercise.

“Later, a higher-dose formulation received FDA approval for chronic weight management, making it one of the first medications specifically cleared for this purpose,” he said.

Dr Lim emphasised that semaglutide should be used alongside lifestyle and dietary changes, where these modifications alone often lead to minimal weight loss.

“I prescribe it to patients with obesity-related conditions such as diabetes, prediabetes, hypertension or sleep apnea, where the benefits outweigh the risks,” he added.

Common side effects include nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea, he said, while serious complications such as pancreatitis are rare.

“Individuals with a personal or family history of thyroid cancer should consult their healthcare provider before starting the medication,” Dr Lim said. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK

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