VENICE, Italy: After Venice suffered the second-worst flood in its history in November 2019, it was inundated with four more exceptional tides within six weeks, shocking Venetians and triggering fears about the worsening impact of climate change.
The repeated invasion of brackish lagoon water into St. Mark’s Basilica this summer is a quiet reminder that the threat hasn’t receded.
“I can only say that in August, a month when this never used to happen, we had tides over a meter five times. I am talking about the month of August, when we are quiet,” St. Mark’s chief caretaker, Carlo Alberto Tesserin, told The Associated Press.
Venice’s unique topography, built on log piles among canals, has made it particularly vulnerable to climate change. Rising sea levels are increasing the frequency of high tides that inundate the 1,600-year-old Italian lagoon city, which is also gradually sinking.
It is the fate of coastal cities like Venice that will be on the minds of climate scientists and global leaders meeting in Glasgow, Scotland, at a UN climate conference that begins Oct. 31.
Venice’s worse-case scenario for sea level rise by the end of the century is a startling 120 centimeters (3 feet, 11 inches), according to a new study published by the European Geosciences Union. That is 50 percent higher than the worse-case global sea-rise average of 80 centimeters (2 feet, 7 1/2 inches) forecast by the UN science panel.
The city’s interplay of canals and architecture, of natural habitat and human ingenuity, also has earned it recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage site for its outstanding universal value, a designation put at risk of late because of the impact of over-tourism and cruise ship traffic. It escaped the endangered list after Italy banned cruise ships from passing through St. Mark’s Basin, but alarm bells are still ringing.
Sitting at Venice’s lowest spot, St. Mark’s Basilica offers a unique position to monitor the impact of rising seas on the city. The piazza outside floods at 80 centimeters (around 30 inches), and water passes the narthex into the church at 88 centimeters (34.5 inches), which has been reinforced up from a previous 65 centimeters (25.5 inches).
“Conditions are continuing to worsen since the flooding of November 2019. We therefore have the certainty that in these months, flooding is no longer an occasional phenomenon. It is an everyday occurrence,” said Tesserin, whose honorific, First Procurator of St. Mark’s, dates back to the ninth century.
In the last two decades, there have been nearly as many inundations in Venice over 1.1 meters — the official level for “acqua alta,” or “high water,” provoked by tides, winds and lunar cycles — as during the previous 100 years: 163 vs. 166, according to city data.
Exceptional floods over 140 centimeters (4 feet, 7 inches) also are accelerating. That mark has been hit 25 times since Venice starting keeping such records in 1872. Two-thirds of those have been registered in the last 20 years, with five, or one-fifth of the total, from Nov. 12-Dec. 23, 2019.
“What is happening now is on the continuum for Venetians, who have always lived with periodic flooding,” said Jane Da Mosto, executive director of We Are Here Venice. “We are living with flooding that has become increasingly frequent, so my concern is that people haven’t really realized we are in a climate crisis. We are already living it now. It is not a question of plans to deal with it in the future. We need to have solutions ready for today.”
Venice’s defense has been entrusted to the Moses system of moveable underwater barriers, a project costing around 6 billion euros (nearly $7 billion) and which, after decades of cost overruns, delays and a bribery scandal, is still officially in the testing phase.
Following the devastation of the 2019 floods, the Rome government put the project under ministry control to speed its completion, and last year start activating the barriers when floods of 1.3 meters (4 feet, 3 inches) are imminent.
The barriers have been raised 20 times since October 2020, sparing the city a season of serious flooding but not from the lower-level tides that are becoming more frequent.
The extraordinary commissioner, Elisabetta Spitz, stands by the soundness of the undersea barriers, despite concerns by scientists and experts that their usefulness may be outstripped within decades because of climate change. The project has been delayed yet again, until 2023, with another 500 million euros ($580 million) in spending, for “improvements” that Spitz said will ensure its long-term efficiency.
“We can say that the effective life of the Moses is 100 years, taking into account the necessary maintenance and interventions that will be implemented,’’ Spitz said.
Paolo Vielmo, an engineer who has written expert reports on the project, points out that the sea level rise was projected at 22 centimeters (8 1/2 inches) when the Moses was first proposed more than 30 years ago, far below the UN scientists’ current worse-case scenario of 80 centimeters.
“That puts the Moses out of contention,” he said.
According to current plans, the Moses barriers won’t be raised for floods of 1.1 meters (3 feet, 7 inches) until the project receives final approval. That leaves St. Mark’s exposed.
Tesserin is overseeing work to protect the Basilica by installing a glass wall around its base, which eventually will protect marshy lagoon water from seeping inside, where it deposits salt that eats away at marble columns, wall cladding and stone mosaics. The project, which continues to be interrupted by high tides, was supposed to be finished by Christmas. Now Tesserin says they will be lucky to have it finished by Easter.
Regular high tides elicit a blase response from Venetians, who are accustomed to lugging around rubber boots at every flood warning, and delight from tourists, fascinated by the sight of St. Mark’s golden mosaics and domes reflected in rising waters. But businesses along St. Mark’s Square increasingly see themselves at ground zero of the climate crisis.
“We need to help this city. It was a light for the world, but now it needs the whole world to understand it,’’ said Annapaola Lavena, speaking from behind metal barriers that kept waters reaching 1.05 meters (3 feet, 5 inches) from invading her marble-floored cafe.
“The acqua alta is getting worse, and it completely blocks business. Venice lives thanks to its artisans and tourism. If there is no more tourism, Venice dies,” she explained. “We have a great responsibility in trying to save it, but we are suffering a lot.”
Flooding in Venice worsens off-season amid climate change
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Flooding in Venice worsens off-season amid climate change
- Venice’s worse-case scenario for sea level rise by the end of the century is a startling 120 centimeters
Regulator orders inspection of Boeing 787s
- The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner with 242 people on board bound for Britain’s Gatwick Airport began losing height seconds after take-off on Thursday and erupted in a fireball as it hit buildings below, in what has been the world’s worst aviation disaster in a
AHMEDABAD: India’s aviation regulator has ordered all Boeing 787s being operated by local carriers to be inspected after an Air India crash killed 270 people this week, the aviation minister said on Saturday, adding the authorities were investigating all possible causes.
The aviation regulator on Friday ordered Air India to conduct additional maintenance checks on its Boeing 787-8/9 aircraft equipped with GEnx engines, including assessments of certain take-off parameters, electronic engine control tests, and engine fuel-related checks.
“We have also given the order to do the extended surveillance of the 787 planes. There are 34 in our Indian fleet,” Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu told a media briefing in New Delhi.
“Eight have already been inspected, and with immediate urgency, all of them are going to be done.”
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner with 242 people on board bound for Britain’s Gatwick Airport began losing height seconds after take-off on Thursday and erupted in a fireball as it hit buildings below, in what has been the world’s worst aviation disaster in a decade.
Air India operates 33 Boeing 787s, while rival airline IndiGo has one, according to data from Flightradar24.
In a statement, Air India said it is currently completing the one-time safety checks directed by the Indian regulator, adding that “some of these checks could lead to higher turnaround time and potential delays on certain long-haul routes.”
The planes, however, have not been grounded, but a source on Friday said the Indian government was considering that as an option.
Naidu also said the government will look at all possible theories of what led to the crash.
Air India and the Indian government were looking at several aspects of the crash, including issues linked to its engine thrust, flaps, and why the landing gear remained open as the plane took off and then came down, Reuters has reported.
At least 270 bodies have been recovered from the site of the crash, said Dhaval Gameti, president of the Junior Doctors Association at B.J. Medical College.
Only one of the 242 passengers and crew on board survived, while others were killed as the plane struck the medical college’s hostel as it came down.
The crisis has cast a shadow on Air India, which has for years struggled to rebuild its reputation and revamp its fleet after the Tata Group took over the airline from the Indian government in 2022. Tata’s chairman said on Friday the group wants to understand what happened, but “we don’t know right now.”
Naidu said a government panel was investigating the crash and will issue a report within three months.
“We are going to improve every necessary thing that is going to come our way, to improve the safety,” he said at the briefing, declining questions from journalists.
Dozens of anxious family members have been waiting outside an Ahmedabad hospital to collect the bodies of loved ones killed in the crash, as doctors were working overtime to gather dental samples from the deceased to run identification checks and DNA profiling.
Rafiq Abdul Hafiz Memon, who lost four relatives in the incident, said he was not getting any answers from authorities and was “very hassled.”
“We have lost our children ... we are not understanding anything. Please help us get information about our children. Tell us when they are going to release their bodies,” Memon said.
Another father was upset about not being able to get the body of his son, Harshad Patel, saying he was told by authorities it would take 72 hours for DNA profiling.
“The authorities are trying to help, but our patience is running out,” he said.
Most bodies in the crash were badly charred, and authorities are using dental samples to run identification checks.
Jaishankar Pillai, a forensic dentist, told reporters on Friday that they had the dental records of 135 charred victims, which can then be matched through reference to victims’ prior dental charts, radiographs, or other records.
Even for doctors, things are getting difficult, as the plane struck a hostel building of the B.J. Medical College, where many of the dead are undergoing identification checks.
“Most of us are struggling with our emotions and are mentally disturbed because of the loss of friends and colleagues,” said one doctor who did not wish to be named.
“The loss of so many colleagues and friends in this incident is difficult.”
Zelensky says Ukraine halted Russian troop advance in Sumy region
- Ukrainian forces are now battling to regain control along the border with Russia, President Volodymyr Zelensky says
KYIV: Ukrainian forces have stopped Russian troops advancing in the northeastern Sumy region and are now battling to regain control along the border with Russia, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
In remarks released for publication by his office on Saturday, Zelensky said that Moscow has amassed about 53,000 troops in the direction of Sumy.
“We are leveling the position. The fighting there is along the border. You should understand that the enemy has been stopped there. And the maximum depth at which the fighting takes place is 7 km from the border,” Zelensky said.
Meanwhile, Ukraine and Russia conducted another POW swap — the fourth one in a week — the warring sides said on Saturday, under agreements reached in Istanbul earlier this month.
“We continue to take our people out of Russian captivity. This is the fourth exchange in a week,” President Zelensky wrote on social media.
“In accordance with the Russian-Ukrainian agreements ... another group of Russian servicemen was returned from the territory controlled by the Kyiv regime,” Russia’s Defense Ministry said on Telegram.
Kyiv also said it had received another batch of 1,200 unidentified bodies from Russia, which it said Russia claimed “belong to Ukrainian citizens, including military personnel,” as part of the Istanbul agreements as well.
Ukraine did not say whether it returned any bodies to Russia.
Some were injured, others disembarked from buses and hugged those welcoming them, or were seen calling someone by phone, sometimes covering their faces or smiling.
Moscow’s Defense Ministry released its own video showing men in uniforms holding Russian flags, clapping and chanting “Russia, Russia,” “glory to Russia” and “hooray,” some raising their fists in the air.
Indian opposition, civil society call out government’s silence on Israel’s war on Gaza
- India among 19 countries to abstain from backing UN resolution on Gaza ceasefire
- Indian government has, in recent years, moved away from historical support for Palestine
NEW DELHI: India’s main opposition party and civil society members are demanding the government break its silence on Israel’s war crimes against Palestinians, after New Delhi abstained from voting on a UN resolution demanding a ceasefire in Gaza.
While 149 countries at the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly backed the resolution demanding aid access and an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in the besieged enclave on Thursday, India was among 19 countries that abstained, with 12 others voting against it.
India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Parvathaneni Harish said the abstention was based on “the belief that there is no other way to resolve conflicts but through dialogue and diplomacy,” adding that “a joint effort should be directed towards bringing the two sides closer.”
The government’s vote sparked an outcry in India, as politicians and members of civil society urged the government to return to its traditional foreign policy of supporting Palestine.
“This is a tragic reversal of our anti-colonial legacy. How can we, as a nation, just abandon the principles of our constitution, and the values of our freedom struggle that led the way for an international arena based on peace and humanity?” Priyanka Gandhi, MP and senior leader of the Congress Party, told Arab News on Saturday.
The move to abstain on the UN resolution was “shameful and disappointing,” she said, adding: “There is no justification for this. True global leadership demands the courage to defend justice, India has shown this courage unfailingly in the past.”
Many years before the establishment of Israel, Mahatma Gandhi, the leader of India’s liberation movement against British rule, had opposed a Jewish nation-state in Palestine, deeming it “inhumane.” For decades, other Indian leaders also viewed Palestinian statehood as part of the country’s foreign policy.
That support has only waned recently, with the current government forging partnerships with Tel Aviv and largely remaining silent in the wake of Israel’s deadly siege on Gaza. More than 55,000 Palestinians have been killed in the ongoing onslaught that began in October 2023, while more than 128,000 others have been injured and scores of others put in danger of starvation by Israel’s daily attacks and aid blockades.
“A humanitarian catastrophe is unfolding. Has India abandoned its principled stand against war, against genocide, and for justice?” KC Venugopal, MP and general secretary of the Congress party, told Arab News.
“India has long been a principled voice for ceasefire, peace, and dialogue in the Middle East. Rooted in our legacy of non-alignment and moral diplomacy, India has historically championed the cause of justice and humanitarian values in global conflicts,” he said.
“At a time when the region is witnessing unspeakable violence, humanitarian collapse, and growing instability, India cannot afford to remain silent or passive.”
Apoorvanand Jha, a professor at the University of Delhi, said that India “has chosen to stand behind bullies” by choosing to abstain from the UN vote.
“It’s very clear that India has lost its moral standing … I definitely demand the government continue with traditional Indian foreign policy, which was to stand with Palestine, stand against aggression in any form, and that should lead it to oppose Israel’s aggressive stance in the matter of Palestine,” Jha told Arab News.
“It has to tell Israel. It has to take a definite stand in the UN and elsewhere that it doesn’t support Israel (and) Israel’s aggression.”
Philippines recognized as rising Muslim-friendly destination at halal travel summit
- Developing halal travel has been key part of the Philippines’ tourism strategy
- Muslim travel market expected to reach 245 million international arrivals by 2030
MANILA:The Philippines has been recognized as a rising Muslim-friendly destination at this year’s Halal in Travel Global Summit, where one of the country’s officials and a Filipino hotel chain were also honored for their work in promoting halal tourism.
The Philippines stands among three other countries — Thailand, Ireland and Spain — in the Rising Muslim-friendly non-Organization of Islamic Cooperation Destinations in the latest edition of the Mastercard-CrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index.
The index is an annual report benchmarking destinations in the Muslim travel market.
At the summit in Singapore earlier this week, Philippine Tourism Undersecretary Myra Paz Abubakar was named Halal Travel Personality of the Year, while the country’s largest hotel operator, Megaworld Hotels and Resorts, won the Muslim-friendly Hotel Chain of The Year Award.
“This means that the DOT (Department of Tourism) is on the right track with our programs for Muslim-friendly and halal tourism. We have already done a lot but there is still so much to be done,” Abubakar, who was recognized for her “instrumental role” in advancing Muslim-friendly tourism in the Philippines, told Arab News on Saturday.
The archipelagic country, known for its white-sand beaches, diving spots and rich culture, has in recent years stepped up efforts to cater to Muslim tourists by ensuring that they have access to halal products and services.
“We have to continue moving forward and upward as the Muslim Market is a big market waiting to be tapped,” Abubakar said.
The Muslim travel market is on the rise, with international Muslim arrivals reaching 176 million people in 2024, according to the GMTI. The report estimates that the market will grow to 245 million arrivals by 2030, with their travel expenditure reaching $235 billion.
The index has noted the Philippines’ efforts to become a Muslim-friendly destination since 2021, and awarded the country the Emerging Muslim-friendly Destination accolade at the halal travel summit in 2023.
While the category has been removed for the 2025 edition, the GMTI covered the Philippines and its efforts to promote halal tourism, such as establishing more Muslim-friendly airports, to create a more inclusive travel experience.
The predominantly Catholic country — where Muslims constitute about 10 percent of the almost 120 million population — also launched last year a beach dedicated to Muslim women travelers in Boracay, the country’s top resort island and one of the world’s most popular.
Those efforts, part of the Philippines’ move to diversify its economy away from dependency on the declining Chinese market, have led to a recent surge in international tourism arrivals from countries in the Middle East and the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Pope Leo appeals for ‘reason’ amid Israel-Iran airstrikes, calls for dialogue
- Pontiff tells audience in St. Peter’s Basilica he is following the situation with “great concern”
VATICAN CITY: Pope Leo appealed on Saturday for authorities in Iran and Israel to act with “reason” after airstrikes between the two countries killed dozens and sent civilians into shelters, and called on the nations to pursue dialogue.
Leo, in one of the strongest peace appeals yet of his five-week papacy, told an audience in St. Peter’s Basilica he was following the situation with “great concern.”
“In such a delicate moment, I strongly wish to renew an appeal to responsibility and to reason,” said the pope.
“The commitment to building a safer world free from the nuclear threat must be pursued through respectful encounters and sincere dialogue to build a lasting peace, founded on justice, fraternity, and the common good,” he said.
“No one should ever threaten the existence of another,” said Leo. “It is the duty of all countries to support the cause of peace, initiating paths of reconciliation and promoting solutions that guarantee security and dignity for all.”
Leo was elected on May 8 to replace the late Pope Francis and is the first pope from the United States. Unlike Francis, who often spoke off the cuff at public events, Leo is more cautious with words and almost always speaks from a prepared text.
The pope read aloud his appeal on Saturday in Italian from a piece of paper.
Israel launched a large-scale attack on Iran early on Friday, targeting commanders, military targets and nuclear sites in what it called a “preemptive strike” to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapons program.
Iran, which denies that its uranium enrichment activities are part of a secret weapons program, retaliated by launching waves of missiles at Israel, killing at least two people and injuring dozens.
