US warns of environmental disaster from cargo ship hit by Houthi rebels
US warns of environmental disaster from cargo ship hit by Houthi rebels/node/2465686/middle-east
US warns of environmental disaster from cargo ship hit by Houthi rebels
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In this satellite image provided by Planet Labs, the Belize-flagged bulk carrier Rubymar is seen in the southern Red Sea near the Bay Al-Mandab Strait leaking oil after an attack by Yemen's Houthi militia on Feb. 20, 2024. (Planet Labs PBC via AP)
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In this satellite image provided by Planet Labs, the Belize-flagged bulk carrier Rubymar is seen in the southern Red Sea near the Bay Al-Mandab Strait leaking oil after an attack by Yemen's Houthi militia on Feb. 20, 2024. (Planet Labs PBC via AP)
US warns of environmental disaster from cargo ship hit by Houthi rebels
The Belize-flagged Rubymar was damaged Sunday by a missile strike claimed by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels
It was transporting 41,000 tons of fertilizer when it was attacked, says Roy Khoury, the CEO of Blue Fleet CEO
Updated 24 February 2024
AFP
WASHINGTON: A cargo ship abandoned in the Gulf of Aden after an attack by Yemeni rebels is taking on water and has left a huge oil slick, in an environmental disaster that US Central Command said Friday could get worse.
Rubymar, a Belize-flagged, British-registered and Lebanese-operated cargo ship carrying combustible fertilizer, was damaged in a Sunday missile strike claimed by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels.
Its crew was evacuated to Djibouti after one missile hit the side of the ship, causing water to enter the engine room and its stern to sag, said its operator, the Blue Fleet Group.
A second missile hit the vessel’s deck without causing major damage, Blue Fleet CEO Roy Khoury told AFP.
CENTCOM said the ship is anchored but slowly taking on water and has left an 18 mile oil slick.
“The M/V Rubymar was transporting over 41,000 tons of fertilizer when it was attacked, which could spill into the Red Sea and worsen this environmental disaster,” it said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
The ship’s operator said Thursday the ship could be towed to Djibouti this week.
Khoury said the ship was still afloat and shared an image captured on Wednesday that showed its stern low in the water.
When asked about the possibility of it sinking, Khoury had said there was “no risk for now, but always a possibility.”
The attack on the Rubymar represents the most significant damage yet to be inflicted on a commercial ship since the Houthis started firing on vessels in November — a campaign they say is in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza during the Israel-Hamas war.
The Houthi attacks have prompted some shipping companies to detour around southern Africa to avoid the Red Sea, which normally carries about 12 percent of global maritime trade.
The UN Conference on Trade and Development warned late last month that the volume of commercial traffic passing through the Suez Canal had fallen more than 40 percent in the previous two months.
Palestinian president Abbas ‘ready to work’ with Trump on two-state solution
Updated 48 sec ago
RAMALLAH: Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas congratulated US President Donald Trump on his inauguration on Monday and said he was ready to work for peace with Israel based on a two-state solution. “We are ready to work with you to achieve peace during your term, based on a two-state solution,” Abbas said in a statement published by the official Wafa news agency. Abbas said it would mean “the State of Palestine and the State of Israel living side-by-side in security and peace, ensuring security and stability in our region and the world.” In his first presidential term, from 2017 to 2021, Trump’s administration put together a peace proposal which would have involved Israel annexing much of the occupied West Bank while handing over some territory to a future Palestinian state in return. The Palestinians strongly rejected the proposal, and Israel abandoned its annexation plans when some Gulf Arab states normalized ties with it under US-brokered agreements. Trump has taken credit for securing a ceasefire deal in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, with his Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff taking part in negotiations that finally produced an agreement that came into effect on Sunday. A two-state solution has been the basis for the peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians going back decades, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly refused to countenance an independent Palestinian state. He has also rejected any role for the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority, which Abbas leads, in a post-war Gaza Strip. On Friday, Abbas had said the PA was ready to assume “full responsibility” for Gaza. Jordan’s King Abdullah II also congratulated Trump, saying: “We greatly value our partnership with the United States and are committed to working with you toward a more prosperous and peaceful world.”
Melania Trump brings steely fashion game back to Washington
American first ladies don’t get much of a voice — but their sartorial choices are broadcast to the world and scrutinized for subtext and statements
Updated 6 min 41 sec ago
AFP
WASHINGTON: Where in the world is Melania Trump? Back in Washington in a sharply tailored outfit that exudes international woman of mystery as her husband once again becomes president of the United States.
Wearing a long navy coat and matching wide-brimmed hat — which shielded her eyes in most photos and hindered her commander-in-chief husband’s attempts to give her a peck before his swearing-in — Melania’s fit drew snark on social media and a flurry of comparisons to a 1980s video game character.
“Where in the world is Carmen Sandiego?” quipped the Internet, referring to the franchise that spun off into a popular 1990s geography game show for kids, and featured a criminal mastermind dressed in a long, carmine trench coat and eye-obscuring fedora.
Melania Trump’s coat and skirt were silk wool Adam Lippes, an independent American designer based in New York, an ensemble paired with an ivory blouse tightly wrapped at the Slovenian-born former model’s neck.
“The tradition of the presidential inauguration embodies the beauty of American democracy and today we had the honor to dress our first lady, Mrs. Melania Trump,” said Lippes in a statement that emphasized American manufacturing over political ideology.
“Mrs. Trump’s outfit was created by some of America’s finest craftsmen and I take great pride in showing such work to the world.”
The hat was by New York milliner Eric Javits.
“She cut the figure of a mafia widow or high-ranking member of an obscure religious order, and a bit of ‘My Fair Lady,’ wrote Rachel Tashjian, style critic for The Washington Post.
American first ladies don’t get much of a voice — but their sartorial choices are broadcast to the world and scrutinized for subtext and statements.
The late Rosalynn Carter, for example, drew strong reactions by wearing a dress she had already worn — gasp! — when her husband Jimmy was inaugurated in 1977.
The point was to show empathy for the economic struggles of Americans — but sometimes what the people really want is aspirational glamor.
In recent years first ladies have routinely turned to independent designers for inaugural events: in 2021, Jill Biden wore a sparkling blue coat-and-dress combo by Markarian, a small brand in New York.
Michelle Obama made waves in 2009 in a lemon-colored outfit by Isabel Toledo, wearing Thom Browne at her husband’s second swearing-in. She wore gowns by Jason Wu to both series of inaugural balls.
Melania Trump, for her part, channeled Jackie Kennedy to kick off her first turn in the White House, wearing Ralph Lauren — a heritage-brand favorite on both sides of the political aisle — to the daytime events in 2017.
She swapped her powder-blue cashmere dress and matching asymmetrical bolero jacket with opera gloves for a silk crepe gown by Herve Pierre that year, both looks that signaled a sense of buoyancy as she began her new role as a political wife.
Her shadowy-chic 2025 look marks a sharp departure as she enters tenure two.
“For her second round as first lady, the fashion game — the tool she brandishes most often and most forcefully, even if the public sometimes struggles to divine her sartorial messages — is likely to be one of steely, precise armor, of clothes with brash and exacting tailoring,” wrote the Post’s Tashjian.
“For the past year, she has worn a wardrobe of mostly black, but this does not seem intended to make her disappear into the background.”
Relatives of freed Gaza hostages call for release of remaining captives
Mandy Damari, the mother of British-Israeli Emily Damari, said her daughter was “in high spirits.”
Updated 9 min 1 sec ago
AFP
RAMAT GAN, Israel: The relatives of the three Israeli hostages released from Gaza by Palestinian militants Hamas called on Monday for all those remaining in the territory to be freed.
Speaking at a press conference at the Sheba hospital where the three women are being treated, they gave no details on the conditions in which their relatives had been held for 471 days or on their health.
Romi Gonen, Emily Damari and Doron Steinbrecher were released on Sunday as part of the first round of exchanges that also saw around 90 Palestinian prisoners freed from Israeli jails.
Meirav Leshem Gonen, the mother of Romi Gonen, said: “We got our Romi back, but all families deserve the same outcome, both the living and the dead. Our hearts go out to the other families.”
“We are a people who desire peace but are ready for war when needed,” she added.
Yamit Ashkenazi meanwhile passed on a message from her sister Doron Steinbrecher.
“Everyone needs to return, until the last hostage comes home. Just as I was fortunate to return to my family, so must everyone else.”
Mandy Damari, the mother of British-Israeli Emily Damari, said her daughter was “in high spirits.”
She called for all the hostages to be released and for humanitarian aid that was going into the Gaza Strip to also go to the remaining captives.
Of the 251 hostages taken during Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, 91 remain in Gaza, including 34 the military has said are dead.
A further two hostages who are presumed alive have been held in Gaza since 2014 and 2015 respectively, as has the body of a soldier killed in the 2014 Gaza war. The three are also due to be released as part of the deal.
Before the press conference, the Israeli military released new footage of the moment the three freed hostages were reunited with their mothers at an Israeli military base.
In the footage, the three women are seen embracing their mothers tightly as they meet for the first time after their release.
Hamas says next hostages will be released on Saturday as scheduled
Militant group said that the next group of hostages would next be released on Saturday in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and detainees who are held by Israel
Accord outlines a six-week initial ceasefire phase and includes the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip
Updated 2 min 56 sec ago
Reuters
CAIRO/TEL AVIV: Hamas said on Monday it would next release hostages held in Gaza on Saturday, after an official with the Palestinian militant group had said they would be released a day later than expected.
Hamas is set to release the more than 90 hostages over the coming weeks as part of a complex ceasefire deal reached with Israel this month that could end the 15-month war in Gaza.
The militant group said in a statement that the next group of hostages would next be released on Saturday in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and detainees who are held by Israel.
Earlier, Nahed Al-Fakhouri, head of the Hamas prisoners’ media office, had said the hostages would be released on Sunday. Hamas had been expected to release four Israeli hostages on Saturday, seven days after the ceasefire came into effect.
A senior Israeli official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, reacted to Al-Fakhouri’s statement by telling Reuters the deadline for the hostages to be released was Saturday.
This month, Israel and Hamas agreed to a three-phase ceasefire that could bring an end to the 15-month war in Gaza. The ceasefire came into effect on Sunday with Hamas releasing three Israeli hostages. Israel also released Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
The ceasefire accord outlines a six-week initial ceasefire phase and includes the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip and release of hostages taken by Hamas in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
Saudi Arabia committed to embracing sustainability-driven growth in tourism sector, minister says at WEF
Ahmed Al-Khateeb spoke in Davos ahead of launch of briefing paper on the future of travel and tourism sector
He said Saudi Arabia continues to place a strong emphasis on supporting SMEs and entrepreneurs
Updated 11 min 47 sec ago
DANIEL FOUNTAIN
DAVOS: The tourism sector in Saudi Arabia, which has undergone a transformative shift in recent years, must continue to grow with sustainable practices front and center, according to the country’s tourism minister.
Speaking at a media briefing on Monday attended by Arab News at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos, Ahmed Al-Khateeb said it was vital the tourism industry embraced a sustainable agenda if it was to continue its upward trajectory without impacting natural environments and the communities living in them.
The Kingdom has been working with major global organizations, including the WEF, UN Tourism, and the World Travel and Tourism Council in order to achieve this, the minister said.
Al-Khateeb was speaking ahead of the launch of a WEF briefing paper on the future of the travel and tourism sector, as well as a new whitepaper from the Ministry of Tourism on investments in the sector, which showcases Saudi Arabia’s position as one of the fastest-growing tourism destinations globally.
He emphasized that the Kingdom was approaching sustainability from three key perspectives: environmental, economic and social. He added that focusing on the environment alone would not garner satisfactory results.
Saudi Tourism Minister Ahmed Al-Khateeb spoke at a media briefing on Monday, attended by Arab News, at the Saudi House on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos. (SPA)
He said: “People travel to explore other peoples and cultures and to enjoy nature and the environment. If we don’t protect the environment, presented by nature, people will not travel. We need to ensure sustainability across all sectors — environmentally, economically, and socially.
“In 2019 we commissioned a study with the WTTC and Oxford Intelligence to analyze the sustainability of our industry, which revealed that our sector contributes to about 8 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.
“While this isn’t as high as initially feared, it’s still a concern. If we don’t come up with the right tools to reduce this in the best-case scenario, or at least maintain this, with the very high and fast growth of our industry in the next decade, we’re afraid this number will double to 15 or 16 percent in the worst-case scenario.”
The Kingdom has already begun addressing these concerns by launching campaigns to reduce food and water waste, in conjunction with hospitality chains like Hilton and Marriott. And in 2023 it spearheaded initiatives such as the Sustainable Tourism Global Center, working with international organizations like the UN and the WTTC to promote responsible tourism practices worldwide.
Mist covers the sky at an elevation 2800 metres above sea level, at the Jabal Marir (Mount Marir) park in Al-Namas in Saudi Arabia's Asir Province, on August 16, 2022. (AFP)
From the economic perspective, Al-Khateeb highlighted how important small and medium-size enterprises were to the sector, making up 80 percent of the global tourism industry.
Ensuring the viability of these SMEs was crucial as the sector grows, especially thanks to their job-creation potential, he said. This was increasingly the case for women, including in Saudi Arabia where a milestone 25 percent of tourism sector jobs in 2023 were held by females, he added.
Saudi Arabia continues to place a strong emphasis on supporting SMEs and entrepreneurs, which includes initiatives to train and support the next generation of tourism leaders, with 100,000 Saudis being trained annually through a partnership with UN Tourism, Al-Khateeb said.
This picture shows a view of the ancient town of Hegra in Saudi Arabia’s AlUla desert on January 27, 2024. (AFP)
He added: “We’ve funded over 1,500 small businesses through the Saudi Tourism Development Fund over the past two years, and we continue to make the sector more attractive as a viable business opportunity for entrepreneurs.
“I am very optimistic. We want to further promote the sector, for it to prosper and to grow. We want to make this sector more important in Saudi Arabia, and we took a decision to invest in the sector to open it up.”
With the value of the global tourism industry expected to grow to $11 trillion by 2030, Al-Khateeb said that Saudi Arabia recognized the importance of both government and private sector collaboration, adding: “(Governments) design, but (the private sector) implement, they invest, they take the risk.”
He added: “The private sector is very important in our industry: It’s run by the private sector and we believe and we know in Saudi Arabia how important it is. That’s why we invited the private sector for the first time to join the G20 meetings held in Riyadh, and since then they have been joining all of them.”
