MANILA: The Philippines blamed Chinese fishermen on Monday for a massive loss of giant clams in a disputed shoal controlled by China’s coast guard in the South China Sea and urged an international inquiry into the amount of environmental damage in the area.
The Philippine coast guard presented surveillance photographs of Chinese fishermen harvesting large numbers of giant clams for a number of years in a lagoon at Scarborough Shoal, but said signs of such activities stopped in March 2019.
Parts of the surrounding coral appeared to be badly scarred, in what the coast guard said was apparently a futile search by the Chinese for more clams. The lagoon is a prominent fishing area which Filipinos call Bajo de Masinloc and the Chinese calll Huangyan Dao off the northwestern Philippines.
“Those were the last remaining giant clams that we saw in Bajo de Masinloc,” Philippine coast guard spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela said at a news conference.
“We are alarmed and worried about the situation that’s happening there,” National Security Council Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya said. He said China should allow an independent inquiry by experts from the United Nations and environmental groups.
The Chinese Embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Beijing has repeatedly asserted its sovereignty over much of the busy South China Sea. The territorial disputes involve China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan. The Indonesian navy has also been involved in skirmishes with the Chinese coast guard and fishing vessels in the Natuna waters in the margins of the South China Sea.
The Philippines has adopted a policy of publicizing China’s increasingly assertive actions in the contested waters to gain international support, and the news conference was its latest effort to condemn China’s stewardship of Scarborough Shoal.
China effectively seized the shoal in 2012 after a standoff that ended when Philippine government ships withdrew based on what Manila said was a deal brokered by American officials to ease the dangerous confrontation. China reneged on its promise to remove its ships and has since surrounded the shoal with coast guard and suspected militia ships, according to Philippine officials.
Since then, the Chinese coast guard has had a series of skirmishes with Philippine patrol ships and fishing boats, which have been prevented from entering the lagoon, ringed by mostly submerged coral outcrops. Three weeks ago, Chinese ships fired powerful water cannons that damaged Philippine coast guard and fisheries vessels.
“They’re preventing us from getting into the lagoon,” Malaya said. “We can ask third-party environmental groups or even the United Nations to do a fact-finding mission to determine the environmental situation.”
The Philippines has brought its territorial disputes with China to international arbitration and largely won. The 2016 ruling invalidated China’s expansive claims to much of the South China Sea, a key global trade route, on historical grounds and cited Chinese government actions that resulted in environmental damage in the offshore region.
China refused to participate in the arbitration, rejected its ruling and continues to defy it.
The territorial hostilities have sparked fears of a larger conflict that could involve the US, which has warned that it’s obligated to defend the Philippines, its long-time treaty ally, if Filipino forces, ships and aircraft come under an armed attack, including in the South China Sea.
Philippines blames China for loss of giant clams in disputed shoal and urges environmental inquiry
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Philippines blames China for loss of giant clams in disputed shoal and urges environmental inquiry
- Philippines has blamed Chinese fishermen for a massive loss of giant clams in a disputed shoal controlled by China’s coast guard
- There was no immediate response from China
Niger withdraws from Lake Chad military force fighting terrorist groups
- The ensuing conflict, which has drawn in other extremist groups, has killed over 40,000 people and displaced around two million, causing one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises
NIAMEY: Niger has withdrawn from the military coalition fighting terrorist groups in the Lake Chad region of west-central Africa, saying it will focus instead on protecting its oil operations from attacks.
The announcement comes amid rising tensions between the four countries bordering Lake Chad since a 2023 coup by Niger’s military.
In a bulletin read on state TV, the army said the operation under the Multinational Joint Task Force, active since 2015, would now be called “Nalewa Dole” following Niger’s withdrawal.
The move “reflects a stated intent to reinforce security for oil sites,” the bulletin stated, without further elaboration.
The four countries that surround Lake Chad — Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria — have been battling insurgencies since 2009, after a spate of violent campaigns by the Boko Haram group in Nigeria’s northeast spilled into
its neighbous.
The ensuing conflict, which has drawn in other extremist groups, has killed over 40,000 people and displaced around two million, causing one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
But since the July 2023 coup, Niger’s military junta has accused Nigeria of supporting foreign forces in a bid to destabilize it, which Abuja denies.
Oil infrastructure in southeast Niger meanwhile, in particular a pipeline leading from the landlocked country to Benin, regularly face attacks by armed groups.
The governor of Niger’s Diffa region, General Ibrahim Bagadoma, said at a regional summit in February that “The problem is that some are making efforts, while others are undermining them. We must present a united front and end foreign regional interferences.”
Late last year, Chad had threatened to withdraw from the Joint Task Force after an attack killed around 40 of its soldiers, citing an “absence of mutualized efforts.”
US carries out strike against Daesh in Somalia
- Somalia is prepared to offer the US exclusive control of strategic air bases and ports, its president said in a letter to President Donald Trump, as seen by Reuters
WASHINGTON: The US military carried out an airstrike against Daesh in the Puntland region of Somalia, killing several Daesh operatives, Africa Command said.
In a statement, the European-based command said the latest raid was conducted in coordination with the Somali government and hit “multiple Daesh-Somalia targets.”
Daesh’s Somalia operation is relatively small compared to the Al Qaeda-linked Al-Shabab, but it has been gaining strength in semi-autonomous Puntland.
“The airstrike occurred southeast of Bosasso, Puntland, in Northeastern Somalia,” the AFRICOM statement said.
“AFRICOM’s initial assessment is that multiple Daesh-Somalia operatives were killed and no civilians were harmed,” it said.
The latest strike follows a similar operation two days earlier that AFRICOM said complemented “a larger counterterrorism initiative” under way in Somalia. And it follows US strikes in February, which Puntland authorities said had killed “key figures” in Daesh, without giving further details.
Somalia is prepared to offer the US exclusive control of strategic air bases and ports, its president said in a letter to President Donald Trump, as seen by Reuters.
In the March 16 letter, authenticated by a regional diplomat, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said the assets included air bases in Balidogle and Berbera and the ports of Berbera and Bosaso.
The offer could give the US a firmer military presence in the Horn of Africa region as it looks to counter the threat from militants in Somalia and across the region.
“These strategically positioned assets provide an opportunity to bolster American engagement in the region, ensuring uninterrupted military and logistical access while preventing external competitors from establishing a presence in this critical corridor,” the letter said.
Berbera is in the breakaway Somaliland region, meaning the port and air base offer would put the government there and Somalia on a collision course.
“The US gave up this corrupted regime called Somalia. The US is now ready to deal with Somaliland, who has shown the world to be a peaceful, stable, and democratic nation,” said Abdirahman Dahir Aden, Somaliland’s foreign minister.
“The US is not stupid. They know who they need to deal with when it comes to Berbera port,” he added.
Somalia opposes any move to recognize Somaliland as an independent nation.
Balidogle is about 90 km northwest of the capital, Mogadishu, while Bosaso is in the semi-autonomous state of Puntland.
Somalia’s foreign affairs and information ministers did not immediately respond to requests for comments.
MWL chief calls for unity during Albania’s Eid sermon
- Al-Issa urges Muslims to uphold Islam’s reputation
RIYADH: Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, secretary-general of the Muslim World League and chairman of the Organization of Muslim Scholars, visited Albania at the invitation of President Bajram Begaj.
During his visit, he delivered the Eid Al-Fitr sermon at the Great Mosque of Tirana, the largest in Albania and the Balkans.
A large crowd attended, including prominent scholars like Sheikh Boyar Spahiu, chairman of the Islamic Sheikhdom and grand mufti of Albania.
Al-Issa began with heartfelt Eid greetings, calling it a time of joy and divine grace, as well as an opportunity to embrace Islamic values and faith-based brotherhood.
He stressed that Eid strengthens bonds of forgiveness, unity, and friendship, extending beyond Muslims to all humanity.
Focusing on the Qur’an’s virtues, he described it as “a guide to what is most upright,” leading believers in faith, worship, and conduct.
Al-Issa also reflected on the Prophet Muhammad’s role in spreading Islam with justice and high moral values. Despite attempts to undermine the faith, nearly 2 billion Muslims worldwide continue to practice it with pride, he noted.
Al-Issa urged the crowd to uphold Islam’s reputation, stating that true pride lies in actions. He emphasized that Muslims must be good ambassadors of Islam, embodying its core principles and high values, regardless of circumstances or provocations.
Praising Albania’s social harmony, he described Albanians as a model of faith, coexistence, and peace, noting that their commitment to forgiveness and morality strengthens both their nation and the global community.
He highlighted the family as society’s foundation, calling it every nation’s hope and safety net. He also stressed the vital role of Muslim women in nurturing children and instilling correct religious beliefs.
Customer preferences shifting toward pret fashion affect tailoring businesses
- Customer preferences shifting toward pret fashion affect tailoring businesses
- Women say they prefer pret for its convenience, affordability and accessibility over custom tailoring
ISLAMABAD: With a measuring tape draped around his neck, Muhammad Shafiq cut through a piece of fabric, expertly following the yellow chalk markings he had made according to the exact size of a client.
Each year, the demand for custom-made clothing skyrockets in the run-up to the Muslim festivals of Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha, with tailoring shops in Islamabad and other cities in Pakistan bustling with women eager to get their dresses made in time.
The exercise requires long shopping trips to malls and bazaars to buy cloth in various fabrics and prints, or ordering them online, and then giving them to tailors to fashion into outfits per customized measurements and styles.
But in the past few years, many tailoring businesses have had to contend with a growing preference for ready-to-wear fashion, chosen for its convenience, affordability, and accessibility, allowing women and men alike to easily find stylish and fashionable garments without the need for custom tailoring or extensive shopping trips.
“It’s not that there is no work at all but earlier we would have advance bookings almost a month before Eid,” Shafiq, 53, who has been a tailor for four decades, told Arab News at his cramped shop in the Pakistani capital earlier this month.
“But now it’s down to about 10 days (of advanced bookings). Many people don’t have the time to get clothes stitched and opt for boutique-made, ready-to-wear outfits.”
Convenience
Ready-to-wear clothing is widely available at Pakistani stores, department stores, and online platforms, making it easier to find and purchase. Pret collections also often reflect current fashion trends, allowing consumers to stay up to date with the latest styles. And instead of scheduling fittings and waiting for custom-made garments, consumers can simply try on and buy ready-to-wear pieces on the go.
Arslan Haider, a designer and store manager, said boutiques and designer brands were certainly reshaping fashion preferences on holidays like Eid.
“During events like Eid, the market sees a surge in business and new fashion trends emerge in stores, which helps businesses flourish,” Haider told Arab News.
But tailoring is still a cheaper option in some cases, he said, and the older generation, more concerned with the perfect fitting, preferred bespoke clothing while younger people were more inclined toward pret.
“Stitched clothes come with stylish designs and they eliminate the need for multiple visits to tailors to provide measurements and other accessories,” Haider said, adding that convenience was a serious consideration for many customers.
“Unstitched clothes require at least seven to eight days with a tailor, and there’s always a risk of error. With stitched clothing, customers get a standardized product, whether they buy online or from a store,” he said.
Farida Qureshi, a UK-based customer visiting Pakistan for Eid, said she preferred ready-to-wear fashion because it saved time and effort. Getting an outfit stitched, on the other hand, did not just require buying the cloth and visiting the tailor, but also purchasing matching accessories such as lace, beads and buttons, which was a time-consuming task.
“Finding everything in one place, ready-made is far easier than visiting different shops and then waiting for a tailor,” Qureshi said.
But there are still those who want the personalized touch of a tailor on their Eid dresses.
“I do buy ready-made clothes, but I often face size issues,” Qureshi said. “With my tailor, I get exactly what I want.”
Which is why business still thrives for many tailors like Shafiq, who work up to 16 hours a day during Ramadan to complete Eid orders.
“Some people want a perfect fit, something that ready-made clothes can’t always provide,” he said.
“I have customers who have been coming to me for years because they know I already have their measurements and can tailor their Eid clothes exactly to their liking.”
Frankly Speaking: Russia’s view on talks in Saudi Arabia
- Biden administration was part of the Ukraine problem; Trump changed the optics, senior Russian diplomat tells current affairs show
- Dmitry Polyanskiy thanked Saudi Arabia for hosting Russia-US talks, calling the Kingdom a center for global diplomacy
RIYADH: Far from building bridges to end the war in Ukraine, the administration of former US President Joe Biden was part of the problem, Dmitry Polyanskiy, the first deputy permanent representative of the Russian Federation to the UN, has said.
In an interview with the Arab News current affairs program “Frankly Speaking,” Polyanskiy shared his insights on the complexities of the Ukraine conflict, the emerging role of Saudi Arabia in international diplomacy, and Russia’s perspectives on the crises in Gaza, Sudan, and Syria.
Appearing on “Frankly Speaking” just days after Saudi Arabia hosted separate talks between US officials and their counterparts from Russia and Ukraine, Polyanskiy suggested that a change of “optics” could have resolved the conflict years ago.
“The previous (American) administration was unfortunately part of the problem, not part of the solution,” Polyanskiy told “Frankly Speaking” host Katie Jensen. “And it has done a lot to create this issue, to set up something that is better characterized as anti-Russia rather than (pro-Ukraine).”
He argued that this “fatal decision to provoke Russia” had devastating consequences for Ukraine, leading to an escalation that ultimately triggered Moscow’s “special military operation” in February 2022.
According to Polyanskiy, Washington’s actions directly contributed to the conflict. “The Biden administration was one of those who was fueling the war, who was trying to do everything to inflict a strategic (defeat) on Russia, and it hasn’t changed its course until the very end,” he said.
In stark contrast, Polyanskiy praised the approach of US President Donald Trump, who returned to office in January, suggesting his administration had adopted a more realistic perspective aligned with the realities on the ground.
“The Trump administration views it absolutely differently, and this is the right approach,” he said.
“They are realists. They understand the real situation on the battlefield. They understand that the Kyiv regime is now losing, and hence the new proposals that they are making, these are realistic proposals and really aimed at stopping hostilities, which would be a good scenario first and foremost for Ukraine.”
He encapsulated this shift in approach with a concise observation: “President Trump has just changed the optics.”
Last week’s talks in Riyadh saw a draft agreement involving a ceasefire over the Black Sea in exchange for an easing of sanctions on Russia. A byproduct of these talks has been Saudi Arabia’s emergence as a hub for international diplomacy.
Polyanskiy acknowledged and welcomed this development, highlighting the changing landscape of global diplomacy.
“The world is changing and new centers of diplomatic activity are emerging,” he said. “We used to have Geneva, for example, but Geneva is now very much compromised because of the position that the Swiss government has taken.
“They exploit a notion of neutrality, but they’re acting not as a neutral country.”
Polyansky expressed gratitude for Saudi Arabia’s proactive engagement in seeking a peaceful resolution.
“Against this background, our Saudi brothers behaved in a very, very positive way, in a very forthcoming manner,” he said. “They reached out to us, they reached out to Americans, to Ukrainians, and it’s hard to overestimate the role that they played.”
He also conveyed the appreciation of Russia’s leaders for Saudi Arabia’s efforts in facilitating these crucial discussions.
“We thank them very much for their hospitality,” he said. “The talks were organized at an excellent level, and I think that my leaders also reached out to their Saudi counterparts thanking them for what they are doing.”
Polyanskiy envisioned a promising future for Riyadh as a center for international diplomacy, particularly in the context of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
“Riyadh right now has all the chances to transform into a diplomatic capital of the world, at least in terms of Russia-Ukraine, and the US-Russia-Ukraine negotiations,” he said.
“And it’s a very good start, and I think that there are all the chances that Saudi diplomacy will play a more instrumental role here, and we are very grateful for this opening.”
Expanding on the scope of the US-Russia talks, Polyanskiy noted that they encompassed broader issues beyond Ukraine, including the crisis in Gaza. He referenced Russian President Vladimir Putin’s previous statements affirming Russia’s support for the rights of the Palestinians.
When Arab News Editor-in-Chief Faisal Abbas interviewed Putin last year ahead of the BRICS summit in Kazan, the Russian president clearly stated Moscow’s support for a two-state solution and affirmed that the Palestinian people should not leave their land.
Responding to a question about Russia’s potential role in pressuring Israel to end the conflict in Gaza, Polyanskiy acknowledged the limitations of Moscow’s influence compared to that of Washington.
“It’s hard for us to put pressure on Israel, because I don’t think that we have the same leverage on Israeli politicians in comparison, for example, to the US, traditionally,” he said. “So of course the US role here is indispensable to put Israel on a more reasonable path.”
Polyanskiy expressed concern over the lack of progress in achieving a resolution and emphasized the importance of unified action by Arab countries.
“I think that very much will depend on the mobilization of Arab countries themselves,” he said. “We know that there was recently an Arab summit in Cairo. There were very good decisions about the future of Gaza, about the possible ways of settlement.”
He reiterated Russia’s consistent stance on the necessity of a two-state solution as the foundation for any meaningful efforts toward resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
“Of course they are based on the two-state solution. This is the core principle that is indispensable for any efforts that are being deployed in this connection, including my country. My country has always been consistent in this, saying that the Palestinian problem should not be sidelined.”
Polyanskiy criticized past attempts to normalize relations between Arab countries and Israel at the expense of addressing the Palestinian issue.
He expressed uncertainty regarding the new US administration’s approach to the Middle East, while emphasizing the significance of Arab countries’ collective efforts.
“It’s very hard to forecast how the new US administration will frame its line right now in the Middle East,” he said. “But I see that there is still quite a considerable mobilization of Arab countries that are saying the right things about the ways to break this vicious cycle of violence.”
Polyanskiy voiced optimism that these demands would be heeded and that the Palestinian issue would receive the attention it deserves in future interactions concerning Middle Eastern problems.
“And I think that the louder they speak, the more chances there are to see that these very rightful and fair demands are heeded and the Palestinian issue is not being, will not be swept under the carpet in any possible interactions on the Middle Eastern problems.”
Reflecting on past mediation efforts, Polyanskiy highlighted the effectiveness of the moribund Middle East Quartet, consisting of the UN, US, EU, and Russia.
“The Quartet of international mediators was the best format that was capable of moving forward and finding the solution, a fair solution to the Palestinian problem in line with the decisions taken by the UN and by the UN Security Council in particular,” said Polyanskiy.
He expressed disappointment with the US approach to facilitating negotiations between Arab countries and Israel, which he believed had sidelined the Palestinian problem.
“We were not happy, to put it mildly, by the efforts of the US to facilitate negotiations and peace between Arab countries at the expense of the Palestinian problem,” he said.
He further elaborated on the perceived shift in priorities, suggesting that the sequence of addressing the Palestinian problem had been twisted, leading to the current challenges.
“We are not aware of the details of the arrangement. But in reality, it happened so that the Palestinian problem was a little bit sidelined and the US administration was speaking about the possibility of making bilateral arrangements between Arab countries and Israel and then to solve the Palestinian problem.”
Polyanskiy attributed the current state of affairs to this change in attitude and the abandonment of previously agreed-upon policies.
“This was international cooperation, international mediation in the framework of the Quartet. So, all of a sudden it was undermined and I think that now we are feeling the fallout from these decisions.”
Turning to the crisis in Sudan, Polyanskiy discussed Russia’s perspective on the conflict and its support for the Sudanese authorities.
Since April 2023, the war in Sudan has seen mass displacement, humanitarian suffering, and the destabilization of the wider region.
In a major turning point last week, the Sudanese Armed Forces, led by Sudan’s de-facto leader, General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, retook the capital city, Khartoum, forcing the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces to retreat to their strongholds in Darfur and the south.
Polyanskiy said Russia welcomed the development. “We support the Sudanese authorities,” he said. “We think that they are right in continuing their fight against the RSF. So we are quite clear and we don’t think that the international community should put at the same level the RSF and the government of Sudan.”
Polyanskiy expressed optimism about the situation. “We are aware of the gains that were made on the battlefield and we think that the situation in Sudan is moving towards the right direction militarily. And we hope that this will also be a good opportunity to ensure stable and long-lasting peace in this country.”
Despite the widespread suffering in Sudan, Russia was recently the only nation to veto a UN Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire and declined to call the situation there a famine.
Addressing the resulting criticism, Polyanskiy said: “This is not a very correct interpretation, with all due respect.
“First of all, we vetoed this resolution not because there was a call for a ceasefire, but because there were, first of all, attempts to put at the same level the RSF and the government.”
Polyanskiy explained that Russia’s concerns stemmed from attempts to equate the RSF with the government and the inclusion of language that could be interpreted as encouraging the RSF to engage in military actions against the government.
He suggested that the resolution’s pen holders, Britain, could have made the text more balanced and focused on humanitarian issues, including a ceasefire, which Russia would have been ready to support.
“But it happened so that they were insistent on this, and we had to veto this text,” he said, also highlighting Russia’s opposition to foreign interference in Sudan’s internal affairs.
“We couldn’t let it go and we couldn’t really see the situation when there is such foreign interference into the foreign affairs, or into the internal affairs of Sudan.”
He added: “As far as famine is concerned, the problem is that some countries, some Western countries are really trying to use this factor of famine as something to undermine the position and the efforts of the central government, which is not the right way to do it, because there is enough food in Sudan.”
Polyanskiy attributed the distribution challenges and the availability of food to those in need as the primary issues, rather than a lack of food in the country.
“Hunger shouldn’t be instrumentalized and used as a tool in any propaganda campaign against any country, including Sudan,” he said.
Addressing the upheaval in Syria since December last year, Polyanskiy discussed Russia’s response to the ousting of Bashar Assad’s regime and the future of Moscow’s relations with Damascus.
Russia suffered a major setback in December when the Assad regime, which Moscow had supported since 2015, was suddenly swept from power by opposition groups, forcing Assad and his family to seek asylum in Moscow.
Asked whether Moscow would consider handing over Assad to Syria’s transitional government, headed by President Ahmed Al-Sharaa, if requested, Polyanskiy said he would not be drawn on hypotheticals.
Instead, Polyanskiy emphasized Russia’s desire for a peaceful transition in Syria, with inclusive authorities representing all Syrians and committed to combating terrorism.
“We wanted to turn over this page of conflicts and problems that lasted for so long,” he said. “We want to see inclusive Syrian authorities that represent all Syrians that take on board the position of all Syrians.
“We think that Syria should make serious efforts in combating terrorism to avoid the situation when terrorist elements in this country play a significant role.”
Polyanskiy reiterated Russia’s commitment to “maintaining close ties of friendship, traditional ties of friendship, between Russian and Syrian people that lasted for many decades.”
When pressed on the possible fate of Assad should the new government seek to prosecute him for crimes committed during the civil war, Polyanskiy maintained that the transitional authority had more pressing concerns.
“Let’s not discuss hypothetical things,” he said. “We provided him with asylum for humanitarian reasons. And I think that there are channels to discuss these issues. So far I haven’t seen such a request. And I don’t think that this is the main problem that should be the concern of Syrian authorities right now.”
Asked whether he thought the Syrian people would welcome any aid or assistance offered by Moscow, Polyanskiy said the two nations shared a long history of friendship, and that Russia would like to help Syrian during this transitional period.
“We still have and we will have, I’m absolutely sure, very good and constructive relations with Syrians because it’s not the question of developments of recent months or weeks. It’s the question of long-term ties of friendship and brotherhood that links us to Syria. And I think that the very vast majority of Syrians view Russia as a friendly country and the same in Russia.
“We have very good basic elements to consolidate friendship and cooperation between our countries. And we are very eager to help Syrians during this transitional period to shape up this country in a way that they like and in a way that guarantees sustainable development of this country for years ahead.”
