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Al Arabiya
6 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
US recalls shrimp sold in Walmart over potential radioactivity scare
US health authorities announced Tuesday a recall of frozen shrimp potentially contaminated with radioactivity. The seafood imported from a company in Indonesia has been marketed in 13 states by retail giant Walmart, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said on its website. The recall follows the detection of the radioactive isotope Cesium 137 in shrimp imported through the company called PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati, the advisory said. The level of radioactivity detected was minimal and the product would not pose 'an acute hazard' to consumers, the FDA said. No shrimp imported by the company and stocked for sale in US stores has tested positive for radioactivity, the agency said. But shrimp from the firm 'appears to have been prepared, packed, or held under insanitary conditions whereby it may have become contaminated with Cs-137 and may pose a safety concern.' Over the long term, even low-dose Cesium exposure is linked to an elevated risk of cancer, it added. The FDA asked Walmart to stage a recall of the shrimp and urged people who already bought the product to throw it away.
Arab News
2 days ago
- Arab News
Myanmar's torture must not be ignored
The latest report from UN investigators on Myanmar is one of the most harrowing yet. It documents the systematic use of torture by the junta's security forces in prisons and interrogation centers across the country. What is especially horrifying is that children are among the victims. Some are targeted with electric shocks and sexual violence. Others are arrested as proxies for their parents, brutalized to extract information or as a warning to entire communities. This is not just another story of a repressive regime. These are gross violations of international law and, in some cases, they amount to crimes against humanity. Torture of detainees has long been a feature of authoritarian rule, but what is happening in Myanmar is now widespread, coordinated and openly documented. It is meant to terrorize the population into submission at a time when the junta is losing control of much of the country to armed resistance. The first key questions that arise from this report are simple: what exactly does it reveal and why does it matter? Investigators gathered testimonies from survivors and defectors, detailing practices including electric shocks to the genitals, burning with heated metal rods, the pulling out of fingernails and prolonged beatings. Victims described being forced to kneel for hours on sharp objects or having plastic bags tied over their heads until they nearly suffocated. The accounts also show that women and girls are subjected to sexual assault in detention as a method of humiliation and coercion. Children are perhaps the most shocking victims. Some were detained in place of missing parents who were wanted for their political activity. Others were swept up in mass arrests after protests. The psychological scars inflicted on these young people will endure long after Myanmar's conflict ends. The UN investigators concluded that this torture is not the result of rogue soldiers acting on their own initiative. Rather, it is a deliberate policy, orchestrated at the highest levels of the junta's security apparatus. It is systematic, organized and designed to suppress dissent through fear. That makes it more than just a human rights violation. It is a crime under international law. It is meant to terrorize the population into submission at a time when the junta is losing control of much of the country. Dr. Azeem Ibrahim The next, more difficult, question is: what can be done about it? Myanmar's generals have faced international condemnation before, most notably after the campaign of ethnic cleansing and genocide against the Rohingya Muslims in 2017. That episode drove hundreds of thousands of Rohingya into Bangladesh, where they remain in refugee camps today. And yet, despite widespread recognition of the atrocity, not a single senior general has been held accountable. The International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court have ongoing cases, but justice moves slowly while the victims continue to suffer. This impunity has emboldened the junta. They know the global community has limited tools and even less political will to enforce accountability. Statements of concern are issued and sanctions are applied piecemeal, but no concerted international strategy has ever emerged to hold Myanmar's military leaders to account. What should happen now is clear. First, governments must use the UN report as a basis for renewed action at the Security Council and the Human Rights Council. Even if China or Russia block binding resolutions, the evidence should be referred directly to international courts and prosecutors. There is already a case at The Hague brought by Gambia on behalf of the Rohingya. This new evidence should be added to strengthen charges of crimes against humanity. Second, sanctions must be targeted not only at senior military figures but also at the networks of companies and cronies who fund the junta's repression. Arms sales, aviation fuel and access to foreign currency are all lifelines that allow the generals to maintain their grip. Cutting these off is essential. Third, regional actors, especially Association of Southeast Asian Nations members, must break their silence. For too long, the region's states have treated Myanmar's crisis as an internal affair. But the torture of children and widespread atrocities cannot be brushed aside as domestic politics. It undermines the entire region's credibility and stability. Neighboring countries must push harder for humanitarian access and begin exploring options for accountability. Finally, civil society and diaspora groups must be empowered to document, advocate and sustain pressure. The voices of survivors should be amplified, not silenced. International media and human rights organizations need to ensure that these stories do not fade into obscurity. The stakes are far greater than Myanmar's domestic politics. When the world tolerates torture of children and systematic abuse by a military regime, it signals to other authoritarian leaders that they can act with impunity. It corrodes the entire international system that is meant to protect basic human dignity. The people of Myanmar have shown remarkable courage in resisting the junta's brutality. Despite massacres, airstrikes and torture, the opposition movement has not been extinguished. That resilience deserves more than sympathy. It demands action. The UN's new report has given us the evidence. The question is whether the international community has the resolve to act. Failure to respond will not just betray Myanmar's children, it will erode the credibility of international law everywhere. As we watch this tragedy unfold, we should remember that silence is complicity. The torture chambers of Myanmar are not hidden. They are open for the world to see. The only question is whether the world will choose to look away. • Dr. Azeem Ibrahim is the director of special initiatives at the Newlines Institute for Strategy and Policy in Washington, DC. X: @AzeemIbrahim
Arab News
2 days ago
- Arab News
Philippine regulator resists online gambling ban amid pressure to criminalize industry
MANILA: The Philippine gaming regulator on Monday opposed a proposed ban on online gambling, despite mounting nationwide calls to criminalize it over soaring numbers of addiction, debt and mental health cases. The online gambling sector in the Philippines has been growing exponentially, with gross revenues jumping from $140 million in 2022 to $2.4 billion in 2024, according to Senate Committee on Games and Amusement data. The committee held a hearing last week, highlighting the human cost of the industry, with its members demanding to outlaw it, saying the country was facing a full-blown public health and social crisis. Sen. Erwin Tulfo, who led the hearing on online gambling, warned that 'as long as online gambling exists, we are breeding the next generation of addicts, debtors, and broken families.' He called for a ban and to 'prosecute not only the operators, but also the enablers — in the government and in the private sector — who profit from this misery.' The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. — a government-owned and -controlled corporation, which is both an operator and regulator, and was present during the hearing — sent Arab News a statement saying it 'is not in favor of a total ban and instead advocates for stricter regulation.' The corporation said illegal operators were the real problem. 'Unfortunately, many of these unregulated online operators are based overseas who target Filipinos, most of whom do not realize that the sites they are playing on are not licensed by PAGCOR. This is where problems arise, especially regarding age restrictions.' But a survey cited by senators indicates that age was not the main issue. It indicated that 66 percent of Filipinos aged 18 to 40, and 57 percent of those aged 41 to 55 were engaged in online gambling. Nearly a third bet multiple times a week, some wagering up to $53 per session. Majority Leader Joel Villanueva warned that online gambling was a 'growing national crisis' in the Philippines. 'People are not just risking their hard-earned money. They are putting their futures, families, and lives on the line. The lure of instant wealth has already led many down a path of addiction, debt, and despair,' he said. 'Online gambling is not just a matter of financial loss. It is strongly associated with serious mental and physical health issues, broken relationships, family conflict, increased cases of domestic violence and suicide, crime against persons and property, and ultimately, the erosion of opportunities and dignity in the lives of many Filipinos.' Bridges of Hope, a prominent addiction treatment and rehabilitation organization in the Philippines, reports that currently seven out of 10 of its clients are now treated for online gambling addiction. The support group Recovering Gamblers of the Philippines says that the proportion of online gamblers among its members has increased from 60 to 90 percent in just the past two years. Dr. Tony Leachon, a physician and commentator on public health, said that online gambling addiction has turned into a 'silent epidemic that corrodes mental health, destabilizes families, and fractures communities.' He warned that PAGCOR's 'dual role as regulator and operator creates a conflict of interest that undermines protective measures' in the Philippines, where financial vulnerability is widespread. Leachon told Arab News: 'Addiction drives people to borrow from loan sharks, sell possessions, or neglect basic needs like food and education. This is not merely a behavioral issue. 'It is a public health crisis that demands systemic intervention, just as we would respond to substance abuse or infectious disease.' 'Without decisive action, we risk institutionalizing addiction as a cultural norm,' he added.
