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The National
11-07-2025
- Politics
- The National
Did we learn anything from Srebrenica?
It has been 30 years since those terrible, hot summer days during which a genocide began a former silver-mining town in eastern Bosnia called Srebrenica. From July 11, 1995, when the area fell into the hands of the Bosnian Serb army, more than 8,000 Muslim men and boys were slaughtered in and around the town. Since the start of the Bosnian War in 1992, Srebrenica had endured numerous mortar and rocket attacks as well as a crippling siege, despite being a UN-protected area. But the Bosnian Serbs had greater plans for Srebrenica – they wanted it completely emptied of Muslims. Today, Srebrenica – once a place known for its healing waters – has become a haunted memory and a symbol of international failure. The mistakes made there should remind us why we must not be silent – or complicit – in the ethnic cleansing and destruction taking place in Gaza. The Srebrenica genocide could have easily been prevented but for a series of fatal blunders and miscommunications that started in the UN's headquarters in New York and its Department of Peacekeeping Operations, led by Kofi Annan – who would go on to become UN secretary general in 1997. These errors then trickled down the chain of command, eventually reaching the hapless battalion of Dutch peacekeepers on duty in Srebrenica itself. These mistakes, accompanied by a lack of judgement and moral leadership, led to the murder of those 8,000 helpless people, many of whom were cowering in the surrounding forest or in factories outside the town when they died. A vandalised mural in Belgrade depicting former Bosnian Serb military chief Ratko Mladic. The general was arrested in 2011 and later convicted of war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity. EPA In the subsequent months and years, political earthquakes rocked the world of peacekeeping and conflict resolution. Blame was cast around but this would not bring back the dead. Several investigations were launched and there was widespread condemnation of the inaction and failure displayed by the UN and the Dutch soldiers. The entire Dutch cabinet resigned in shame in 2002. On the fifth anniversary of the atrocity, Mr Annan said the tragedy of Srebrenica 'will forever haunt the history of the United Nations'. Nevertheless, Mr Annan remained in his position. In fact, no UN official resigned over Srebrenica. Srebrenica did, however, lead to the Dayton Accords in November 1995, a peace agreement that ended the war in Bosnia. In 2013, Serbia's president at the time, Tomislav Nikolic, issued an apology on behalf of his country but did not use the word 'genocide'. To this day, many Bosnian Serb politicians continue to deny that the events of July 1995 were a genocide. Regarding accountability, Gen Ratko Mladic – the leader of the Serb forces at Srebrenica and who was dubbed 'the Butcher of Bosnia' – was arrested in 2011. He was later convicted of war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia at The Hague, and sentenced to life in prison. Also prosecuted was Radovan Karadzic, president of Republika Srpska, the Bosnian Serb state. Slobodan Milosevic, the architect of all the Yugoslav wars, died in custody in 2006, thereby avoiding justice. Having been a reporter throughout the Bosnian War – and deeply influenced by the crimes I witnessed there – I will never forget those days, nor will I forget the survivors and the families who were left behind. This is why I often use Srebrenica for a reference point when referring to the current death and destruction taking place in front of our eyes in Gaza. We can learn from what happened in that haunted place – and try to save what is left of Gaza. Most of all, we must protect the children who did nothing to start a war, and whose innocence is forever shattered If we must focus on one thing in Gaza, let it be the mass murder of its children, the future generation. The victims of Srebrenica were largely men of fighting age, although boys as young as 13 were taken away and killed. The youngest known victim of those brutal days of mayhem was Fatima Muhic, who was two days old when she was murdered. She was born inside the UN base in the village of Potocari, where thousands of Bosnians had taken shelter. Her pregnant mother fled there, believing she would be safe from harm. But the infant was slaughtered almost immediately after her mother gave birth. In Gaza, the most innocent victims are children. Unicef, the UN's agency for children, estimates that 50,000 minors have been killed or injured since the war started. Since the ceasefire broken by Israel in March, thousands more have been killed or injured. UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, has cited Unicef figures that say more than 100 children have been killed or injured every day since March 18. Worse is the relentless hunger. Israeli soldiers have admitted they have been told to shoot at civilians struggling to get food from so-called aid distribution points. Then there is Gaza's dying health service. Owing to a lack of clean water and medical supplies, children are dying of illnesses such as diarrhoea and polio that could have been treated easily. The numbers of amputees are increasing and Gaza is now home to more child amputees than anywhere else in the world, with a September 2024 World Health Report estimating that between 3,105 and 4,050 limb amputations have been carried out since October 2023. As a mother, it is impossible for me to fathom that even this extreme-right Israeli government can do this to other human beings. The development of hundreds of thousands of children has been halted. According to a Unicef estimate, there are nearly 17,000 orphans in the enclave as well as 'unaccompanied and separated' children, roaming the camps and the rubble searching for food or comfort. School has been completely disrupted. Then there is profound trauma. According to the International Rescue Committee, because of their exposure to violence, up to 88 per cent of children in Gaza experience nightmares and agoraphobia, the fear of being in situations from where it might be difficult to escape There will be deep-rooted trauma for generations to come and the IRC describes these desperate children as a 'lost generation'. Perhaps the most heart-breaking thing I have heard is that the highest number of children killed are in the 5-9 age bracket. This is because parents pick up the babies and toddlers, but these slightly older children are too young to outrun the bombs and too big to be carried. Every day there is fresh misery from Gaza, and yet there is no reprieve. The last UN Security Council resolution to call for a permanent ceasefire was vetoed by the US. Unlike in Israel during a rocket attack, there's nowhere for Gazans to hide. There is no justification that cites Israel's right to self-defence when it comes to the rights of the child – the right to live without fear, without hunger, without trauma. And with education, a home and a safe space. Every year on July 11, I look back carefully on my notes and my interviews from Srebrenica. I will never forget my years in Bosnia, the war on civilians that culminated in a genocide. We can learn from what happened in that haunted place – and try to save what is left of Gaza. Most of all, we must protect the children who did nothing to start a war, and whose innocence is forever shattered. MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman Director: Jesse Armstrong Rating: 3.5/5 Pupils in Abu Dhabi are learning the importance of being active, eating well and leading a healthy lifestyle now and throughout adulthood, thanks to a newly launched programme 'Healthy Lifestyle'. As part of the Healthy Lifestyle programme, specially trained coaches from City Football Schools, along with Healthpoint physicians have visited schools throughout Abu Dhabi to give fun and interactive lessons on working out regularly, making the right food choices, getting enough sleep and staying hydrated, just like their favourite footballers. Organised by Manchester City FC and Healthpoint, Manchester City FC's regional healthcare partner and part of Mubadala's healthcare network, the 'Healthy Lifestyle' programme will visit 15 schools, meeting around 1,000 youngsters over the next five months. Designed to give pupils all the information they need to improve their diet and fitness habits at home, at school and as they grow up, coaches from City Football Schools will work alongside teachers to lead the youngsters through a series of fun, creative and educational classes as well as activities, including playing football and other games. Dr Mai Ahmed Al Jaber, head of public health at Healthpoint, said: 'The programme has different aspects - diet, exercise, sleep and mental well-being. By having a focus on each of those and delivering information in a way that children can absorb easily it can help to address childhood obesity." Results Female 49kg: Mayssa Bastos (BRA) bt Thamires Aquino (BRA); points 0-0 (advantage points points 1-0). Female 55kg: Bianca Basilio (BRA) bt Amal Amjahid (BEL); points 4-2. Female 62kg: Beatriz Mesquita (BRA) v Ffion Davies (GBR); 10-2. Female 70kg: Thamara Silva (BRA) bt Alessandra Moss (AUS); submission. Female 90kg: Gabreili Passanha (BRA) bt Claire-France Thevenon (FRA); submission. Male 56kg: Hiago George (BRA) bt Carlos Alberto da Silva (BRA); 2-2 (2-0) Male 62kg: Gabriel de Sousa (BRA) bt Joao Miyao (BRA); 2-2 (2-1) Male 69kg: Paulo Miyao (BRA) bt Isaac Doederlein (USA); 2-2 (2-2) Ref decision. Male 77kg: Tommy Langarkar (NOR) by Oliver Lovell (GBR); submission. Male 85kg: Rudson Mateus Teles (BRA) bt Faisal Al Ketbi (UAE); 2-2 (1-1) Ref decision. Male 94kg: Kaynan Duarte (BRA) bt Adam Wardzinski (POL); submission. Male 110kg: Joao Rocha (BRA) bt Yahia Mansoor Al Hammadi (UAE); submission. F1 The Movie Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem Director: Joseph Kosinski Rating: 4/5 ANDROID%20VERSION%20NAMES%2C%20IN%20ORDER %3Cp%3EAndroid%20Alpha%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAndroid%20Beta%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAndroid%20Cupcake%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAndroid%20Donut%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAndroid%20Eclair%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAndroid%20Froyo%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAndroid%20Gingerbread%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAndroid%20Honeycomb%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAndroid%20Ice%20Cream%20Sandwich%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAndroid%20Jelly%20Bean%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAndroid%20KitKat%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAndroid%20Lollipop%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAndroid%20Marshmallow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAndroid%20Nougat%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAndroid%20Oreo%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAndroid%20Pie%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAndroid%2010%20(Quince%20Tart*)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAndroid%2011%20(Red%20Velvet%20Cake*)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAndroid%2012%20(Snow%20Cone*)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAndroid%2013%20(Tiramisu*)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAndroid%2014%20(Upside%20Down%20Cake*)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAndroid%2015%20(Vanilla%20Ice%20Cream*)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cem%3E*%20internal%20codenames%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The Wire
04-07-2025
- Business
- The Wire
Yingfa Ruineng Joins UN Global Compact, Aiming to Lead Photovoltaic Sector Through Sustainability
YIBIN, China, July 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Sichuan Yingfa Ruineng Technology Co., Ltd. ("Yingfa Ruineng") has recently announced its formal accession to the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC). This move underscores Yingfa Ruineng's firm commitment to sustainability, integrating it into the company's business strategy and driving innovation to accelerate the photovoltaic industry toward greater efficiency and lower carbon emissions. Fulfilling a Global Commitment and Advancing Sustainable Goals Established in 2000 by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, the UN Global Compact is the world's most influential platform for corporate sustainability. It calls on businesses to align operations with ten principles covering human rights, labor standards, environmental protection, and anti-corruption, while supporting the broader UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set for 2030. Today, the initiative includes tens of thousands of companies and organizations across more than 160 countries. By joining the UNGC and pledging support for its principles, Yingfa Ruineng has demonstrated its strong commitment to making Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) values a core strategic priority. Looking ahead, the company plans to deepen its ESG efforts across all operational areas and contribute to the transition toward a more efficient and low-carbon PV supply chain. Driving Clean Energy Adoption Through Technology As a key player in China's photovoltaic industry chain, Yingfa Ruineng focuses on the R&D and mass production of high-efficiency solar cells. These solutions serve a broad range of applications, including utility-scale solar farms, and commercial, industrial and residential distributed PV systems. Drawing on leading-edge technologies such as PERC, TOPCon, and back-contact (BC) cell technology, alongside Czochralski monocrystalline silicon ingot technology, the company continues to improve conversion efficiency and lower the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE). In response to global efforts around carbon neutrality, and in alignment with China's "dual carbon" targets, Yingfa Ruineng is continuously advancing technological innovation and smart manufacturing to reduce energy consumption and emissions throughout its production process. Through its partnership with the UNGC, the company will further accelerate the optimization of its sustainable supply chain management practices and deepen its exploration of renewable energy applications. Executive Perspective: Sustainability Sets the Course Forward "Joining the UNGC marks an important milestone in Yingfa Ruineng's path toward globalization," said Yingfa Ruineng President Zhang Min. "We recognize that long-term success lies not only in outstanding business performance, but also in the positive impact a company makes on the environment and society. Moving forward, we will continue to raise our internal standards and integrate sustainability into every facet of our operations." Outlook: Powering a Net-Zero Energy Future As the global energy landscape undergoes rapid transformation, Yingfa Ruineng sees its participation in the UNGC as a new starting point. The company will further enhance its technological capabilities and ESG performance while collaborating with international partners to help accelerate the shift toward a greener, low-carbon, and sustainable energy future—one that aims to share the benefits of clean energy development with all. Photo - Logo - (Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with PRNewswire and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.).
Malaysian Reserve
04-07-2025
- Business
- Malaysian Reserve
Yingfa Ruineng Joins UN Global Compact, Aiming to Lead Photovoltaic Sector Through Sustainability
YIBIN, China, July 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Sichuan Yingfa Ruineng Technology Co., Ltd. ('Yingfa Ruineng') has recently announced its formal accession to the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC). This move underscores Yingfa Ruineng's firm commitment to sustainability, integrating it into the company's business strategy and driving innovation to accelerate the photovoltaic industry toward greater efficiency and lower carbon emissions. Fulfilling a Global Commitment and Advancing Sustainable Goals Established in 2000 by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, the UN Global Compact is the world's most influential platform for corporate sustainability. It calls on businesses to align operations with ten principles covering human rights, labor standards, environmental protection, and anti-corruption, while supporting the broader UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set for 2030. Today, the initiative includes tens of thousands of companies and organizations across more than 160 countries. By joining the UNGC and pledging support for its principles, Yingfa Ruineng has demonstrated its strong commitment to making Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) values a core strategic priority. Looking ahead, the company plans to deepen its ESG efforts across all operational areas and contribute to the transition toward a more efficient and low-carbon PV supply chain. Driving Clean Energy Adoption Through Technology As a key player in China's photovoltaic industry chain, Yingfa Ruineng focuses on the R&D and mass production of high-efficiency solar cells. These solutions serve a broad range of applications, including utility-scale solar farms, and commercial, industrial and residential distributed PV systems. Drawing on leading-edge technologies such as PERC, TOPCon, and back-contact (BC) cell technology, alongside Czochralski monocrystalline silicon ingot technology, the company continues to improve conversion efficiency and lower the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE). In response to global efforts around carbon neutrality, and in alignment with China's 'dual carbon' targets, Yingfa Ruineng is continuously advancing technological innovation and smart manufacturing to reduce energy consumption and emissions throughout its production process. Through its partnership with the UNGC, the company will further accelerate the optimization of its sustainable supply chain management practices and deepen its exploration of renewable energy applications. Executive Perspective: Sustainability Sets the Course Forward 'Joining the UNGC marks an important milestone in Yingfa Ruineng's path toward globalization,' said Yingfa Ruineng President Zhang Min. 'We recognize that long-term success lies not only in outstanding business performance, but also in the positive impact a company makes on the environment and society. Moving forward, we will continue to raise our internal standards and integrate sustainability into every facet of our operations.' Outlook: Powering a Net-Zero Energy Future As the global energy landscape undergoes rapid transformation, Yingfa Ruineng sees its participation in the UNGC as a new starting point. The company will further enhance its technological capabilities and ESG performance while collaborating with international partners to help accelerate the shift toward a greener, low-carbon, and sustainable energy future—one that aims to share the benefits of clean energy development with all.
Straits Times
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
SG60 and the visual arts: Artist Ong Kim Seng looks back at turbulent ‘SG25' commissions for SG60
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Renowned Singaporean watercolourist Ong Kim Seng looks back at a pivotal newspaper commission from 1984 at his solo exhibition Miracles at Confluence Art Space. SINGAPORE – Watercolourist Ong Kim Seng counts former United Nations chief Kofi Annan among his collectors and his commissions can go for five figures today. But he recalls how his first big commission in 1984 came in at just $120 a piece. 'You paint, but nobody buys. So, you've got to depend on illustrations,' says the 80-year-old self-taught artist.
India Today
23-06-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Chokepoints and crises: Strait of Hormuz and the age of water wars
This isn't new. Water has been at the heart of treaties, territorial disputes, and even regional conflicts. It doesn't come as a surprise to us that predictions of the next world war could be triggered by water scarcity as the global climate crisis intensifies and freshwater resources oil has traditionally dominated strategic calculations in the Middle East, the growing weaponisation of water and the vulnerability of critical maritime chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz are now central to discussions about future WATER WARS PREDICTIONS: LOOMING GLOBAL THREATFor decades, world leaders and experts have warned that water, not oil, may be the flashpoint for the next major global conflict. Three successive UN Secretary Generals have sounded the alarm, with Kofi Annan famously stating in 2001, 'Fierce competition for fresh water may well become a source of conflict and wars in the future.'Recent World Bank and UN reports confirm that water scarcity, exacerbated by climate change and population growth, is already fuelling regional instability, migration, and violence across the now estimate a 75-95% chance of water wars in the next 50 to 100 years, with nearly 300 potential conflict hotspots identified violence has surged in the 21st century, with combatants increasingly targeting water infrastructure and using access to water as a tool of war, as seen in conflicts in Iraq, Syria, Ukraine, and Gaza. THE WEAPONISATION OF WATER AND THE STRAIT OF HORMUZadvertisementThe Strait of Hormuz is best known as the world's most vital oil chokepoint, with roughly a fifth of global oil and petroleum products and a significant share of liquefied natural gas (LNG) passing through its narrow waters daily. However, its strategic importance extends beyond hydrocarbons. The strait is also a critical maritime link for the Gulf region's limited freshwater resources, which are heavily reliant on energy-intensive desalination plants scattered along the Persian Gulf waterway has long served as a critical chokepoint in global trade, especially for oil and gas. Control over such passages gives regional powers significant leverage to influence not only military outcomes but also global economic stability. In the aftermath of recent escalations, Iran has threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz, underscoring how water access is now being used as a direct bargaining chip in international conflict and India also used the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) as a strategic tool during and after Operation Sindoor to exert pressure on Pakistan. Following the terrorist attack in Pahalgam in April 2025, India launched Operation Sindoor, a series of missile strikes on terror infrastructure in another recent conflict, Israel has restricted access to water infrastructure in Gaza, including freshwater and water-treatment plants, as a means of exerting pressure. Water access and control have become central to the humanitarian situation and are used strategically in the ongoing conflict. HOW REAL IS THE THREAT?advertisementWhile Iran has never fully blocked the Strait of Hormuz, it has repeatedly threatened to do so in response to Western pressure and military action. The current escalation, following US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, has renewed fears that Iran might use the strait as leverage, not just to disrupt oil flows but also possibly as a pressure point in the broader context of water and energy warn that any prolonged closure or disruption would have catastrophic consequences for both energy and water supplies in the Gulf, with ripple effects across Europe, Asia, and beyond. The vulnerability of the strait underscores how closely intertwined water and energy security have become—and how easily a conflict over one can trigger a crisis in the IN FUTURE WATER WARSThe prediction that World War III could be fought over water is no longer a distant climate change accelerates and water scarcity intensifies, critical chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz are at the intersection of energy and water security, and thus at the heart of potential future vulnerability highlights the urgent need for global cooperation on water management and conflict prevention, lest the world's next great war be fought not for oil, but for the very water that sustains life.
