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Straits Times
6 days ago
- Straits Times
Plastic pollution treaty talks in disarray
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox The latest draft of a treaty on combating plastic pollution - presented by chairman of the International Negotiating Committee Luis Vayas Valdivieso - was rejected by dozens of countries. GENEVA - Attempts to secure a landmark treaty combating plastic pollution descended into disarray on the penultimate day of talks on Aug 13 as dozens of countries rejected the latest draft text, leaving the talks in limbo. With time running out to seal a deal among the 184 countries gathered at the United Nations in Geneva, several countries slammed a proposed compromise text put forward by talks chair Luis Vayas Valdivieso of Ecuador. A larger bloc of countries seeking more ambitious actions blasted what they consider a dearth of legally binding action, saying the draft text was the lowest common denominator and would reduce the treaty to a toothless waste-management agreement. But oil-producing states said the text went too far for their liking, crossing their red lines too and not doing enough in paring down the scope of the treaty. The talks towards striking a legally binding instrument on tackling plastic pollution opened on Aug 5. Five previous rounds of talks over the past two and a half years failed to seal an agreement, including a supposedly final round in South Korea in 2024. But countries seem no closer on a consensus on what to do about the ever-growing tide of plastic rubbish polluting land, sea and human health. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore 2 dead after fire in Jalan Bukit Merah flat, about 60 evacuated Singapore TB screenings at two pre-schools after staff member diagnosed in July Singapore HSA seeks Kpod investigators to arrest abusers, conduct anti-trafficking ops Opinion The 30s are heavy: Understanding suicide among Singapore's young adults Singapore Lawyer who sent misleading letters to 22 doctors fails in bid to quash $18,000 penalty Business Haidilao to close Clarke Quay outlet on Aug 31; exit follows 3 earlier outlet closures Singapore Jail, caning for recalcitrant drug offender who assaulted 2 cops with stun device Singapore SG60: Many hands behind Singapore's success story With a day left to go, Mr Vayas presented a new draft but the discussions quickly unravelled as the text was savaged from all quarters. 'Without ambition entirely' Panama said the goal was to end plastic pollution, not simply to reach an agreement. 'It is not ambition: it is surrender,' their negotiator said. The European Union said the proposal was 'not acceptable' and lacked 'clear, robust and actionable measures', while Kenya said there were 'no global binding obligations on anything'. Tuvalu, speaking for 14 Pacific island developing states, said the draft risked producing a treaty 'that fails to protect our people, culture and ecosystem from the existential threat of plastic pollution'. Britain called it a text that drives countries 'towards the lowest common denominator', and Norway said 'It's not delivering on our promise... to end plastic pollution.' Bangladesh said the draft 'fundamentally fails' to reflect the 'urgency of the crisis', saying that it did not address the full life cycle of plastic items, nor their toxic chemical ingredients and their health impacts. 'This is, as such, without ambition entirely,' it said. 'Not worth signing' A cluster of mostly oil-producing states calling themselves the Like-Minded Group – including Saudi Arabia, Russia and Iran – want the treaty to focus primarily on waste management. Kuwait, speaking for the club, said the text had 'gone beyond our red lines', adding that 'Without consensus, there is no treaty worth signing.' 'This is not about lowering ambition: it's about making ambition possible for all,' it said. Saudi Arabia said there were 'many red lines crossed for the Arab Group' and reiterated calls for the scope of the treaty to be defined 'once and for all'. A cluster of mostly oil-producing states want the treaty to focus primarily on waste management. PHOTO: EPA The United Arab Emirates said the draft 'goes beyond the mandate' for the talks, while Qatar said that without a clear definition of scope, 'we don't understand what obligations we are entering into'. India, while backing Kuwait, saw the draft as 'a good enough starting point ' to go forward on finalising the text. 'Betrayal of humanity' Environmental non-governmental organisations also blasted the draft. The proposed text 'is a gift to the petrochemical industry and a betrayal of humanity', said Greenpeace delegation chief Graham Forbes. The World Wide Fund for Nature called the draft text a 'devastating blow' to people suffering from the impact of plastic pollution. The Centre for International Environmental Law delegation chief David Azoulay said it 'all but ensures that nothing will change' and would 'damn future generations'. More than 400 million tonnes of plastic are produced globally each year, half of which is for single-use items. While 15 per cent of plastic waste is collected for recycling, only 9 per cent is actually recycled. Nearly half, or 46 per cent, ends up in landfills, while 17 per cent is incinerated and 22 per cent is mismanaged and becomes litter. AFP
Straits Times
7 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Inside the mine that feeds the tech world - and funds Congo's rebels
A labourer carries a shovel as he walks at the Rubaya coltan mine, in the town of Rubaya, which is controlled by M23 rebels, in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo March 24, 2025. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra RUBAYA, Democratic Republic of Congo - Under the watchful eye of M23 rebels in the hills around the Congolese town of Rubaya, a line of men in rubber boots ferry sacks full of crushed rocks up winding paths cut into the slopes. The laborers are hauling coltan ore, a mineral that powers the modern world. The ore will be loaded onto motorbikes and eventually shipped thousands of kilometers away to Asia. There it's processed into tantalum, a heat-resistant metal that fetches more than $300 a kilogram and is in high demand by makers of mobile phones, computers, aerospace components and gas turbines. Rubaya produces around 15% of the world's coltan, all dug manually by impoverished locals who earn a few dollars per day. Control of this mine is the biggest prize in a long-running conflict in this central African nation. The area was seized in April 2024 by M23, a rebel group the United Nations says has plundered Rubaya's riches to help fund its insurgency, backed by the government of neighboring Rwanda. The heavily-armed rebels, whose stated aim is to overthrow the government in Kinshasa and ensure the safety of the Congolese Tutsi minority, captured even more mineral-rich territory in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) this year. The region and its mineral wealth are in the spotlight as M23 and the DRC have pledged to sign a peace deal at a ceremony in Qatar's capital, Doha, this month. The United States is mediating parallel talks between Congo and Rwanda, dangling potentially billions of dollars in investment if hostilities cease. The United States Treasury on Tuesday sanctioned other alleged participants in minerals smuggling in Congo, including PARECO-FF, a pro-government Congolese militia that the U.S. said controlled the Rubaya mining site from 2022 to early 2024, prior to M23's takeover. PARECO-FF could not be reached for comment. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore NEL, SPLRT disruption: Electricity surge shut down backup power switchboard, says LTA Singapore HSA seeks Kpod investigators to arrest abusers, conduct anti-trafficking ops Opinion The 30s are heavy: Understanding suicide in Singapore's young adults Singapore Jail for man who scammed at least 5 people over illegal cross-border taxi services Singapore Lawyer who sent misleading letters to 22 doctors fails in bid to quash $18,000 penalty Singapore 4 taken to hospital after accident near Sports Hub, including 2 rescued with hydraulic tools Asia Malaysia's anti-graft agency busts arms smuggling ring masterminded by senior military officers Singapore SG60: Many hands behind Singapore's success story Asked at a press briefing why Washington was targeting PARECO-FF rather than M23, a senior U.S. government official noted that M23 has been under U.S. sanctions since 2013 for fueling conflict in the region. 'The Treasury Department will not hesitate to take action against groups that deny the United States and our allies access to the critical minerals vital for our national defense,' John K. Hurley, undersecretary of the Treasury for terrorism and financial intelligence, said in a separate statement. Jason Stearns, a former U.N. investigator in Congo, said the fact that M23 was not targeted by the new mining-related sanctions was surprising, adding the move might be aimed at keeping the Doha talks on track. M23's advance poses the most serious threat to the Kinshasa government in at least two decades of conflict rooted in Rwanda's 1994 genocide, which saw around 1 million of Rwanda's Tutsi ethnic group killed by Hutu militias. Rwanda's government has long denied that it traffics in coltan looted from its neighbor or that it backs M23. But Rwanda's ruling party, mainly headed by Tutsis, shares the same concerns as the Tutsi-dominated M23 insurgents over the purported threat posed by rival Hutu groups operating in eastern Congo. A July 3 U.N. report, reviewed by Reuters, says that as of April, Rwanda had placed at least 1,000 to 1,500 troops in Congo's rebel-controlled areas. M23 now controls two key Congolese cities – Goma and Bukavu – on the border with Rwanda. U.N. investigators say that it is through these cities that Congolese minerals are illegally trucked to Rwanda, often at night, where the ore is mixed with Rwandan coltan production in a bid to disguise its provenance before export. M23 and the Rwandan and Congolese governments did not respond to requests for comment. Congolese officials have repeatedly accused Rwanda of fomenting the conflict to plunder Congo's mineral wealth. According to a December U.N. report, the scale of the trade reached new heights after the capture of Rubaya by M23. The rebels went on to establish a parallel administration controlling mining activities, trade, transport and the taxation of the minerals produced there, the U.N. reported. Reuters reporters visited Rubaya in March this year and were told by M23 officials that the rebels had imposed a tax on mineral traders of 15% on the value of coltan they purchase from the informal miners who work the area. M23 was taking in $800,000 monthly from levies collected from coltan mining in eastern Congo, according to the December U.N. report. MUD AND MOTORBIKES Simply reaching Rubaya's sprawling, beehive-like maze of pits is a major undertaking. Reuters journalists who visited the mining sites in March had to abandon their four-wheel-drive Land Cruisers after the vehicles became stuck on the muddy road from Goma. They walked 5 kilometers (3 miles) to reach the town and then hopped on the back of motorcycles with rebel officials to reach the pits. Activity in Rubaya begins before dawn, when thousands of miners descend on the pits cut into the rolling hills of Congo's North Kivu province, where many toil in 12-hour shifts. The tunnels can be as deep as 15 meters (49 feet) underground. Once fragments of ore are dislodged, porters carry sacks of the rubble to the surface where laborers have dug shallow basins that are filled with water. There, other workers, including women and children, wash the ore and separate it from sand and other debris before laying it into the sun to dry. The journalists were supervised by unarmed M23 personnel throughout their visit to the mining area. A reporter saw a rebel official jotting down in a notebook how many sacks each porter – covered in a fine white dust – carted to each collection point. Once the ore is dry, it is stacked on the backs of motorbikes that carry it to one of several depots in the nearby town of Rubaya, where it is sold to traders. With a M23 chaperone listening, Pascal Mugisha Nsabimana, a 32-year-old miner, told Reuters that working under rebel occupation was preferable to toiling under the supervision of Congo's military and its allies, who fled when M23 moved in on the area last year. Previously 'there was too much harassment, there were many different taxes, and often we, the diggers, were not paid. And even if we got something, it was poorly paid,' the miner said. He added that his current day rate had at least tripled to 15,000 Congolese francs ($5.15) with M23 in charge. In the early months following M23's takeover of Rubaya in April 2024, smugglers used motorcycles to sneak the ore into Rwanda via backroads to avoid scrutiny by Congolese forces remaining along the border, according to more than a dozen people familiar with the situation, including current and former smugglers, miners and local businessmen. The journey could take an entire day, according to two ex-smugglers who transported coltan this way until last year. They said they loaded their bikes each trip with three 50-kilogram bags and were paid about $34 for delivering it to coltan traders. But alterations implemented by M23 have proven a game changer in terms of efficiency, nine of those people said. Motorcycles are no longer the primary means of transport and are used only to ferry the coltan from the mine to the town of Rubaya. From there, the ore is loaded into four-wheel drive SUVs, pickups and other vehicles capable of hauling anywhere from two tons to 20 tons each, according to the people and the July U.N report. The system is faster, too. Since M23 drove Congolese troops from Goma and took control of that border city, coltan trucks can now pass freely through it on paved roads into Rwanda, slashing transport times, the people said. U.N. experts and human rights activists have long warned that profits from illegal mining are funding conflict. They say the trade has brought little wealth to local people and that child labor is common. Reuters witnessed at least a dozen children working at the Rubaya mine: Young boys entered the shafts to haul out ore and carry it to the basins where girls worked alongside adults washing and drying the coltan. Gregory Mthembu-Salter, a former U.N. expert on Congo who now does consulting on conflict minerals, said broad efforts by the mining industry, U.N. agencies and non-government organizations that began around 2010 to clean up the region's supply chain and prevent human rights abuses have largely failed. 'Here we are, 15 years later, (and) the same thing is happening,' said Mthembu-Salter, director of Phuzumoya Consulting. U.S. INVESTORS EYE RUBAYA'S RICHES Some U.S. entrepreneurs have also set their sights on Rubaya's coltan treasure as President Donald Trump seeks to broker a peace deal to end the conflict and promote development of the region's mineral wealth. In Congo, those riches include huge reserves of cobalt, gold, copper, lithium and diamonds in addition to coltan. The country's formal mining sector at present is dominated by Chinese companies. Texas hedge fund manager Gentry Beach, who is chairman of investment firm America First Global and helped raise funds for Trump's election campaign in 2016, was part of a consortium looking to negotiate rights to the Rubaya mine, according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter. The Financial Times earlier reported Gentry's interest in Congo's coltan. The source told Reuters that Beach's group had proposed to the Congolese government taking a majority stake in the mine, with Kinshasa retaining a 30% interest. Beach confirmed his interest in the project to Reuters but declined to provide additional details. Some U.S. lawmakers are pushing back. In an Aug. 8 letter to Trump and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, more than 50 Democratic congress members criticized what they said was the administration's lack of transparency in its negotiations with the DRC. They also raised concerns about a potential conflict of interest in a Trump ally angling for rights to develop the Rubaya mine. White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly said in an Aug. 5 emailed statement that the agreement between Congo and Rwanda arranged by Trump has the potential to lead to lasting peace and stability in the region. The president's vision is a 'win-win outcome where all parties benefit—economically and politically—through cooperation and shared prosperity,' the statement said. She did not respond to a follow-up query about the letter from congressional Democrats. The U.S. State Department did not comment. On Aug. 1, the State Department said in a statement that it was committed to supporting efforts being made by Rwanda and Congo to advance security and economic cooperation. Heads of state would soon be invited to Washington for a summit, according to the statement, which did not elaborate. The U.S.-backed accord does not include M23. The rebel group is part of a separate, parallel mediation led by Qatar that seeks to end hostilities. The success of those talks in Doha is key to any lasting peace – and in making Rubaya safe for investment and development by Western mining interests. Some diplomats and analysts are dubious about the prospects for a speedy resolution. Congo and M23 rebels pledged in Doha to reach a peace deal by August 18. But progress has been jeopardized by the killing of at least 319 civilians in eastern Congo last month, according to the U.N., which says the attacks were carried out by M23. Reuters could not independently confirm those killings. M23 leader Bertrand Bisimwa told the news agency last month that it would investigate, but he said reports of atrocities could be a 'smear campaign' against the insurgent group. Meanwhile, the U.S.-brokered deal calls for Rwandan troops to pull out of Congo. But Rwandan President Paul Kagame said last month he was not sure the agreement would hold. Kagame said Congo first must live up to its promises to subdue the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), an eastern Congo-based ethnic Hutu militia linked to the Rwandan genocide, which Kigali sees as an existential threat. Josaphat Musamba, a Congolese researcher and Ph.D student at Ghent University in Belgium, said suppressing the militia would be a tall order for the DRC's military, which is no longer present in large swathes of M23-controlled territory. 'It's difficult to neutralize the FDLR as long as M23 are there and the Congolese army has not redeployed,' Musamba said. He described both peace initiatives as 'piecemeal' efforts that aren't dealing with 'the reality on the ground.' Another formidable undertaking would be transforming Rubaya's current crude system of coltan extraction into a modern operation, said a senior diplomat who is closely following events. 'No one talks about the feasibility of giving out these mining concessions and running these concessions, especially since the whole mine is artisanal mining,' done almost entirely by hand, the diplomat said. REUTERS
Straits Times
7 days ago
- Straits Times
Chinese fighter ‘intercepts' Philippine plane over disputed shoal, Manila says
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox OVER THE SCARBOROUGH SHOAL, South China Sea - A Chinese jet fighter 'intercepted' a Philippine aircraft carrying journalists during a patrol flight over the Scarborough Shoal on Aug 13, the Manila government said, days after two Chinese vessels collided in the area while allegedly trying to block a Philippine supply mission. A Reuters journalist aboard the Philippine Coast Guard flight watched as the Chinese fighter closed in on the small Cessna Caravan turboprop. At one point the Chinese fighter came within about 61m as it manoeuvred behind, above, and alongside the plane, PCG spokesperson Jay Tarriela said. It was the latest sign of the persistent tensions between the two nations in the disputed South China Sea atoll. 'While they were conducting the flight, they were intercepted by a Chinese fighter jet,' Mr Tarriela told a press conference held afterwards. The encounter lasted 20 minutes, during which radio demands from one of two Chinese navy ships spotted below ordering the Philippine plane to 'leave immediately' could be heard from the cockpit. The same day, two US warships - littoral combat ship USS Cincinnati and the destroyer USS Higgins - were spotted about 30 nautical miles away from the shoal, Mr Tarriela said. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore NEL, SPLRT disruption: Electricity surge shut down backup power switchboard, says LTA Singapore HSA seeks Kpod investigators to arrest abusers, conduct anti-trafficking ops Opinion The 30s are heavy: Understanding suicide among Singapore's young adults Singapore Jail for man who scammed at least 5 people over illegal cross-border taxi services Singapore Lawyer who sent misleading letters to 22 doctors fails in bid to quash $18,000 penalty Singapore 4 taken to hospital after accident near Sports Hub, including 2 rescued with hydraulic tools Asia Malaysia's anti-graft agency busts arms smuggling ring masterminded by senior military officers Singapore SG60: Many hands behind Singapore's success story China's military claimed it 'drove away' the US destroyer after it entered the area without permission, but Washington said its ships were conducting lawful freedom of navigation operations. Located 200km off the Philippines and inside its exclusive economic zone, Scarborough Shoal is valued for its rich fishing grounds and sheltered lagoon. On Aug 11, the PCG sent three vessels to carry supplies to dozens of Filipino fishermen in the atoll. It said Chinese vessels then intervened to carry out what it called a 'hazardous' attempt to prevent the delivery, leading to the first known collision between two Chinese ships in the area. China has not confirmed if any crew were injured, and ignored Manila's offer of medical and rescue aid. Neither China's defence ministry nor its embassy in Manila has commented on the incident. On Aug 11, China's coast guard said it took necessary measures to expel Philippine vessels from waters around the shoal. The United States also condemned Beijing's 'reckless' actions. China claims almost the entire South China Sea via a U-shaped 'nine-dash line', a claim invalidated by a 2016 arbitration ruling that also found China's blockade of the Scarborough shoal unlawful. Sovereignty over the shoal remains unresolved, but China, which rejects the ruling, has maintained a constant presence at the reef since seizing it in 2012, deploying coastguard vessels and 'maritime militia'. At least four Chinese coast guard vessels, and several ships identified by the PCG as 'maritime militia', were visible in the area during Aug 13's patrol flight. REUTERS
Straits Times
7 days ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Australia boss says tests could send nations 'bankrupt'
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox FILE PHOTO: Cricket - Ashes - Fifth Test - England v Australia - The Oval, London, Britain - July 31, 2023 England's Zak Crawley takes a catch to dismiss Australia's Marnus Labuschagne off the bowling of Mark Wood Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs/File Photo MELBOURNE - Cricket Australia boss Todd Greenberg says the traditional test format could push some cricket nations into financial ruin and the sport may be better off with fewer five-day matches. Greenberg, who replaced Nick Hockley as CEO in March, said the future of test cricket may involve fewer nations and more investment in marquee series like the Ashes. "I don't think everyone in world cricket needs to aspire to play test cricket, and that might be OK," Greenberg told reporters on Wednesday, marking 100 days before Australia host England in the Ashes. "We're literally trying to send countries bankrupt if we force them to try to play test cricket." Greenberg, the former head of the sport's players' union, said cricket boards needed to prioritise meaningful contests over volume. "Scarcity in test cricket is our friend, not our foe," he said. "We need to make sure we invest in the right spaces to play test cricket where it means something and has jeopardy. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore NEL, SPLRT disruption: Electricity surge shut down backup power switchboard, says LTA Singapore HSA seeks Kpod investigators to arrest abusers, conduct anti-trafficking ops Opinion The 30s are heavy: Understanding suicide in Singapore's young adults Singapore Jail for man who scammed at least 5 people over illegal cross-border taxi services Singapore Lawyer who sent misleading letters to 22 doctors fails in bid to quash $18,000 penalty Singapore 4 taken to hospital after accident near Sports Hub, including 2 rescued with hydraulic tools Asia Malaysia's anti-graft agency busts arms smuggling ring masterminded by senior military officers Singapore SG60: Many hands behind Singapore's success story "That's why the Ashes will be as enormous and profitable as it is — because it means something." While the five-test Ashes series starting in Perth in late-November has seen record demand for tickets, the longest format is under siege from T20 cricket. Mushrooming T20 franchise leagues offering lucrative player contracts are crowding out the global calendar and have prompted a slew of top players to give up tests and one-day internationals. Though Australia maintains a bumper schedule of tests every home summer, it was also one of the earlier movers in T20, with the Big Bash League (BBL) set for its 15th season in December. CA has resisted allowing private investment in BBL teams but Greenberg signalled the policy could be coming to an end following a review by Boston Consulting Group. "It would be completely naive of us sitting here in Australia to not explore (privatisation)," he said. "I'm not suggesting there's been a decision made, and ultimately it won't just be my decision or Cricket Australia's decision. "It will be the whole of leadership of Australian cricket and it has to be beneficial for everyone." REUTERS
Straits Times
7 days ago
- Straits Times
Wildfires scorch Greece for a second day, thousands evacuated
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Nearly 5,000 firefighters assisted by 33 aircraft were deployed to contain the flames stoked by winds and hot, dry conditions near Patras. PATRAS, Greece - Firefighters battled multiple wildfires across Greece on Aug 13, including blazes threatening villages and towns near the western city of Patras and on two tourist islands. Fires have burned houses, farms and factories and prompted the evacuation of thousands of residents and tourists since Aug 12. Dozens of people have been taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation since then, public broadcaster ERT reported. Some 13 firefighters have been treated for burns and other injuries, fire brigade spokesman Vassilis Vathrakogiannis told a televised briefing on Aug 13. Nearly 5,000 firefighters assisted by 33 aircraft were deployed from dawn to contain the flames stoked by winds and hot, dry conditions near Patras, on the tourist islands of Chios and Zakynthos and in at least three inland spots. "Today, it will be another very difficult day, as the wildfire risk for most of the country's regions will be very high," Mr Vathrakogiannis said. Temperatures were forecast to reach 34 deg C in some places. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Business Singapore banks face headwinds in rest of 2025, but DBS is pulling ahead: Analysts Singapore Yishun man admits to making etomidate-laced pods for vaporisers; first Kpod case conviction Singapore HSA seeks Kpod investigators to arrest abusers, conduct anti-trafficking ops Asia Malaysia's anti-graft agency busts arms smuggling ring masterminded by senior military officers Asia Mixed reactions among Malaysia drivers on S'pore move to clamp down on illegal ride-hailing services Singapore 4 taken to hospital after accident near Sports Hub, including 2 rescued with hydraulic tools Business Singapore life insurance sales surges in first half, led by boost in investment-linked plans Singapore SG60: Many hands behind Singapore's success story Flames and dark smoke billowed over a cement factory that was set alight by a wildfire that swept through olive groves and forests and disrupted rail traffic near Patras on Aug 13. "What it looks like? It looks like doomsday. We came from Athens with our volunteer association Kleisthenis, we can't do anything more. May God help us and help people here,' said volunteer firefighter Giorgos Karavanis, who was working on the fire near Patras. The authorities ordered residents of a town of about 7,700 people near Patras to evacuate on Aug 12 and issued new alerts on Aug 13, advising residents of two nearby villages to leave their homes. On the island of Chios, the coast guard used boats to take people to safety on Aug 12 as flames reached the shores. Spain, Portugal, Turkey and the Balkans have also battled wildfires in recent days as a heatwave pushed temperatures over 40 deg C across parts of Europe. In Albania and Montenegro, wildfires have destroyed houses and possessions since last week. REUTERS
