logo
China Begins Construction on World's Largest Hydropower Dam

China Begins Construction on World's Largest Hydropower Dam

Israa Farhan
China has officially begun construction on what is set to become the world's largest hydropower dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo River, located on the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau.
Premier Li Qiang
announced
a high-profile ceremony on Saturday, as reported by Chinese state media.
The multi-billion-dollar project, estimated at $170 billion, will feature five cascading hydropower stations capable of generating 300 billion kilowatt hours of electricity annually.
This output is comparable to the total electricity consumed by the UK in a single year. China has positioned the project as part of its efforts to expand renewable energy, lower carbon emissions, and stimulate economic growth in Tibet.
Electricity generated by the dam will be distributed to other regions while also meeting the energy needs of local Tibetan communities, according to official statements.
The Yarlung Tsangpo, a 2,900-kilometre river that originates in the Himalayas, descends dramatically through what is considered the world's deepest land-based canyon. As it flows into India and Bangladesh, the river becomes the Brahmaputra, a crucial water source for millions of people across the two countries.
The project has sparked serious concerns among Indian and Bangladeshi authorities, as well as environmental NGOs. Critics argue the dam could pose severe risks to the region's ecological balance and the livelihoods of those dependent on the river downstream.
India's Foreign Ministry has publicly voiced its apprehension, stating it will monitor developments closely and take necessary steps to safeguard national interests. New Delhi has also urged Beijing to ensure that downstream nations are not adversely affected by upstream activities.
Environmental organizations have warned of the irreversible damage that could be caused to the fragile Tibetan Plateau, which is already under pressure from climate change. NGOs have also raised concerns about the lack of transparency regarding how many communities may be displaced due to the project.
read more
Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685
NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria
Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO
Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided
News
Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks
News
Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank
News
Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region
News
One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid
News
Israeli-Linked Hadassah Clinic in Moscow Treats Wounded Iranian IRGC Fighters
Arts & Culture
"Jurassic World Rebirth" Gets Streaming Date
News
China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier
Videos & Features
Tragedy Overshadows MC Alger Championship Celebration: One Fan Dead, 11 Injured After Stadium Fall
Lifestyle
Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt
Arts & Culture
South Korean Actress Kang Seo-ha Dies at 31 after Cancer Battle
Business
Egyptian Pound Undervalued by 30%, Says Goldman Sachs
News
"Tensions Escalate: Iran Probes Allegations of Indian Tech Collaboration with Israeli Intelligence"
Sports
Get to Know 2025 WWE Evolution Results
News
Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

World must unite to isolate Israel or Gaza genocide will continue: UN's Albanese to Al-Masry Al-Youm - War on Gaza
World must unite to isolate Israel or Gaza genocide will continue: UN's Albanese to Al-Masry Al-Youm - War on Gaza

Al-Ahram Weekly

time5 minutes ago

  • Al-Ahram Weekly

World must unite to isolate Israel or Gaza genocide will continue: UN's Albanese to Al-Masry Al-Youm - War on Gaza

Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, called on the international community to unite in isolating Israel diplomatically and economically as the only effective way to halt the genocide and starvation campaign being carried out in Gaza. In an interview with the Egyptian media outlet Albanese Al-Masry Al-Youm, published on Thursday, the UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories remained defiant, continuing her bold campaign to expose Israel's crimes of repression, forced displacement, and apartheid in the occupied Palestinian territories despite being targeted by Israel and sanctioned by the US. Albanese, an Italian legal scholar and expert on human rights who has served as the UN special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories since 1 May 2022, was among the first international voices to label Israel's actions in Gaza as genocide, challenging dominant Western and pro-Israel narratives. When Israel banned her from entering its territory in 2024, Albanese described the move as a diversion tactic aimed at deflecting attention from the atrocities being committed in Gaza. Speaking to the Egyptian news outlet Al-Masry Al-Youm, Albanese emphasized that what is happening in Gaza today did not begin last month or even last year. 'Gaza has never been a normal place to live. Since 1948, it has been a ghetto for Palestinian refugees, and today it has turned into a full-scale prison camp,' she said. 'People there are being exterminated, starved, bombed, burned alive, and tortured by every means imaginable. This is not just a humanitarian crisis — it is an ongoing crime against an entire people,' she said. Albanese urged UN member states to impose sanctions on Israel as an essential first step, halting arms exports to Israel and banning the import of its weapons and surveillance technologies. 'This includes Arab states as well,' she said, 'which must end all forms of trade with Israel.' She called on Arab countries to return to their historic tradition of collective action against a state that systematically violates international law. 'Major Arab states are not doing enough to stop this genocide. I'm not even sure if they officially recognize what's happening in Gaza as genocide, which is a question that must be asked clearly,' she said. Albanese also indicated that she understands the harsh situation facing Egypt. "If the crossing is opened and aid is allowed in, Israel may bomb it. This is the harsh equation," she explained. She added that regional powers like Saudi Arabia and the UAE must use their influence to send a clear ultimatum to Israel: "Stop the bombing now, or we will sever all ties with you and with the United States. That is the only stance that can bring about real change.' 'Today, Israel and the United States are actively undermining the international legal order while committing genocide against Palestinians. Sadly, I see no real collective action from Arab or Western states to stop this madness,' she stated. Albanese warned that no country in the region is safe from Israeli violations. 'Israel has bombed Syria and expanded its presence there. It has bombed Lebanon and pushed further in. Anyone who thinks Egypt is safe just because it's not currently being targeted is mistaken. Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Yemen—no one is immune when there's a state so brazenly violating international law.' End the occupation Albanese demanded the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from all occupied Palestinian territories, stressing that Israel has no legal right to be in Gaza, the West Bank, or East Jerusalem. 'That should be the starting point for any political action. All states — especially powerful Arab countries — must bear responsibility. You hold immense leverage, but it is not being used to end the occupation, apartheid, and genocide being inflicted on Palestinians,' she expressed. She also underscored that ending the suffering of the Palestinian people will not happen through statements of condemnation, but through bold political decisions that dismantle the occupation and stop the crimes. 'People must understand: there's no such thing as a 'good Israel' versus a 'bad Israel in the settlements.' The Israeli state, through all its institutions, is committing crimes and must be held accountable. Now is the critical moment — otherwise, the killing and ethnic cleansing will continue,' she continued. Albanese also urged individuals to take part in collective pressure campaigns. 'This isn't just about statements. It's about examining our own homes — seeing what supports the killing, and boycotting it. It's about cutting financial ties with companies that profit from this war and saying, collectively: enough.' Mass death Albanese issued a stark warning: 'If the situation continues as it is, the people of Gaza will die — individually and collectively. What's happening is the systematic destruction of human life, physically and psychologically.' 'Palestinians are incredibly resilient — what continues to astonish us all is their endurance amid this ongoing hell. But what's being done to them surpasses human limits.' 'We are witnessing a genocide unfold before our eyes, and the world remains silent. The moral wound this silence will leave cannot be healed — not for the people watching, nor for the institutions failing to act.' 'In the end, nothing will make sense, and nothing will be justified, so long as the genocide continues. Whatever responsibility or humanity we have must be dedicated now to stopping this crime — otherwise, history will record that the world saw and turned away,' she warned. Ending genocide is non-negotiable! Albanese told Al-Masry Al-Youm she believes Israel is exploiting the ongoing Gaza ceasefire talks to entrench the status quo rather than change it. 'Israel is negotiating in bad faith — this is nothing new. For over 35 years, it has claimed to engage in peace talks while simultaneously committing war crimes and crimes against humanity. From forced displacement and population transfers to annexation of land, all this has now culminated in genocide,' she said. Albanese stressed that genocide cannot be addressed through negotiations. 'You cannot equate the oppressor and the oppressed at the negotiation table while bombing and starvation continue.' 'What's needed is an immediate end to the genocide, not talks about the terms of its continuation. These negotiations, while crimes persist, serve only as a delaying tactic that enables more killing and the slow death of Palestinians — whether under bombs or through hunger and disease,' she added. She called on the international community to take serious action: 'If the world truly wants to stop this catastrophe, it must isolate Israel diplomatically and economically. There is no other effective option.' Albanese also affirmed that all captives should return home — a universally recognized human right. 'But let us not forget that nearly 10,000 Palestinians are currently imprisoned, around half without charges or trial, held in inhumane conditions. Justice cannot be selective, and negotiations must not serve as a cover for impunity.' Palestinians deserve Nobel Commenting on campaigns to nominate her for the Nobel Peace Prize, UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese said she feels deeply uncomfortable with the attention directed at her rather than the Palestinian people, who are being "bombed, besieged, and starved." "Still, I understand why some see a glimmer of hope in me at a time when most leaders — even at the United Nations — lack the courage to call what's happening a genocide, just as they failed in Rwanda and Bosnia, where the UN was present but protected no one," Albanese said. She emphasized that if anyone truly deserves the Nobel Peace Prize, it is the people of Gaza. "They are resisting amid an unimaginable humanitarian catastrophe. And if anyone must be honored, it should be the doctors and journalists there, for their sacrifices in the name of peace and human rights," she concluded. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:

AL chief Aboul-Gheit condemns Knesset vote on bill imposing 'Israeli sovereignty' over West Bank - Foreign Affairs
AL chief Aboul-Gheit condemns Knesset vote on bill imposing 'Israeli sovereignty' over West Bank - Foreign Affairs

Al-Ahram Weekly

time35 minutes ago

  • Al-Ahram Weekly

AL chief Aboul-Gheit condemns Knesset vote on bill imposing 'Israeli sovereignty' over West Bank - Foreign Affairs

​Ahmed Aboul-Gheit, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, condemned in the strongest terms the Knesset's vote yesterday on a bill imposing Israeli control over the West Bank, occupied in 1967. He stated that the bill represents a link in an ongoing plan to impose a fait accompli by perpetuating the occupation and annexing the occupied Palestinian territory. Jamal Rushdi, the Secretary-General's official spokesman, quoted Aboul Gheit as affirming that the occupation's attempts to change the legal status of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, are unacceptable and have no legal basis. The West Bank is occupied territory under international law as recognized by the United Nations, and Knesset laws will not change this fact, said Aboul-Gheit. Aboul Gheit called on the international community to firmly confront such legally invalid and morally reprehensible measures, stressing the need to adhere to Security Council resolutions, most notably Resolutions 242 (1967) and 2234 (2016), as a basis for ending the occupation, in the face of Israel's plans to normalize the legal status of occupation by annexing the West Bank. He added that extremist settlements and religious movements within Israel would lead the entire region to catastrophic religious confrontations if they are not confronted and their obsessive ambitions are not challenged. Earlier on Thursday, Egypt, along with a group of Arab and Islamic nations, strongly condemned the Israeli Knesset's approval of the declaration calling for the imposition of the so-called 'Israeli sovereignty' over the occupied West Bank. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:

FM Abdelatty inaugurates Egypt-Mali Business Forum in Bamako - Foreign Affairs
FM Abdelatty inaugurates Egypt-Mali Business Forum in Bamako - Foreign Affairs

Al-Ahram Weekly

time35 minutes ago

  • Al-Ahram Weekly

FM Abdelatty inaugurates Egypt-Mali Business Forum in Bamako - Foreign Affairs

Minister of Foreign Affairs Badr Abdelatty inaugurated the Egypt-Mali Business Forum on Thursday in Bamako, Mali's capital, according to a statement from the Egyptian Foreign Ministry. The forum featured broad participation from senior business leaders and representatives of both the public and private sectors from Egypt and Mali. In his opening speech, Abdelatty stated that the forum represents a new and important milestone in strengthening economic and trade partnerships between Egypt and Mali. He noted that Egyptian-Malian relations are currently witnessing unprecedented momentum. Egypt's FM emphasised that the forum opens unprecedented opportunities for the private sectors in both countries to develop partnerships based on integration and mutual trust, reflecting the two countries ' deep historical ties and economic potential. He praised the forum as a practical first step toward institutional cooperation, especially in light of the joint efforts that led to the establishment of an economic working group between the two countries. He also highlighted the ongoing efforts to create an Egypt-Mali Business Council to activate cooperation opportunities across various sectors. Furthermore, Abdelatty expressed Egypt's genuine desire to expand its investments in Mali, particularly in the textile, wood, and pharmaceutical sectors. He also explained that the Egyptian economy, being one of the largest in Africa, has promising investment opportunities. Egyptian companies, Abdelatty added, have ample experience in implementing strategic projects in infrastructure, agriculture, energy, dams, pharmaceuticals, and telecommunications. According to the statement, the Egyptian FM reaffirmed Egypt's continued support of Mali's efforts to achieve security and stability and to counter terrorism. He stressed the importance of adopting a comprehensive approach that links security and development. In return, Moussa Al-Hassan Diallo, Mali's Minister of Industry and Trade, emphasised the high importance the Malian government places on enhancing cooperation with Egypt. He also praised Egypt's expertise in supporting development in Africa. Moreover, Diallo stated that the forum reflects the shared political will to raise the level of economic and investment cooperation between the two countries and represents a qualitative step toward establishing a sustainable partnership. Abdelatty's visit to Mali is the fourth destination on his five-leg African tour. Having already visited Niger, Mali, Nigeria, and Burkina Faso, he has yet to visit Senegal. This regional tour follows Egypt's engagement in the 47th Ordinary Session of the African Union's Executive Council held earlier in July. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store