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Ethiopia fails to block UN funding for human rights investigation

UNITED STATES/ ETHIOPIA (AFP) – Ethiopia has failed to block the United Nations (UN) from funding an international committee that will investigate human rights violations by all parties in the nation’s recent war.

The International Commission of Human Rights Experts (ICHRE) on Ethiopia was created last December by the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council, despite strenuous objections from the government in Addis Ababa.

Led by former International Criminal Court chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda, the three-member commission has a renewable one-year mandate to investigate abuses committed in the country since war broke out in November 2020 between Ethiopian forces and Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) rebels in the north of the country.

At a meeting of the UN General Assembly’s budget committee on Thursday, Ethiopia tried to pass a text that would block funding for the commission, but was not able to garner enough votes.

According to a chart showing a breakdown of the vote, 66 member states voted against Ethiopia, with only 27 in favour of the text and 39 abstentions. The remaining nations of the 193-member body chose not to participate.

Displaced Tigrayans queue to receive food at a reception centre for the internally displaced in Mekele in the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia. PHOTO: AP

“Look, as a matter of principle, we believe that our commission (ICHRE) agreed on by member states, by the Human Rights Council, should be funded,” said the UN secretary general’s spokesman, Stephane Dujarric.

He also stated that “whether it’s in Ethiopia or anywhere else in the world, human rights violations need to be investigated, which is a critical part of the accountability pillar.”

International NGO Human Rights Watch celebrated the vote outcome.

“UN member countries sent a strong message to Ethiopia today that its brazen attempt to escape accountability for war crimes and other abuses by defunding the UN’s human rights investigation is unacceptable,” said the organisation in a statement.

“The UN should quickly get the investigation up and running,” the group demanded.

On March 24, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government announced “an indefinite humanitarian truce effective immediately,” saying it hoped to help hasten delivery of emergency aid into the Tigray region, where hundreds of thousands face starvation.

Hours later, the rebels agreed to a “cessation of hostilities,” a new turning point in the nearly 17-month war in northern Ethiopia which has left thousands dead.

This week, the two sides have traded accusations that the other party is blocking desperately needed aid from reaching the Tigray region, where more than 400,000 have been displaced by the conflict.

Liverpool, Man City resume Premier League title charge

LONDON (AFP) – Liverpool and Manchester City resume their quest for historic trophy hauls tonight (Brunei Time 7.30pm and 10pm)at the start of a season-defining month for both Premier League title contenders.

City, chasing a treble, are one point clear at the top of the table but Liverpool, with an unprecedented quadruple in their sights, are the form team after narrowing a 14-point gap between the sides in recent weeks.

Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola will face off twice this month, first in a potential title decider at the Etihad on April 10 before an FA Cup semi-final at Wembley the following week.

Watford’s visit to Anfield and City’s trip to Burnley should on paper be gentle openers to a week that includes Champions League quarter-final action for both sides.

“In the years that I have been involved in football, I never had a month so exciting like this with such important and exciting matches every three days,” said Liverpool midfielder Thiago Alcantara, formerly a Champions League winner with Barcelona and Bayern Munich. “It will be amazing.”

However, Watford and Burnley are also desperately in need of points as they try to climb out of the relegation zone.

Liverpool boss Klopp has a difficult balancing act after an emotionally exhausting week for many his stars involved in World Cup qualifying.

Sadio Mane again got the better of Mohamed Salah as Senegal beat Egypt on penalties to reach the tournament in Qatar after winning the Africa Cup of Nations final on spot-kicks just two months ago.

There were also contrasting fortunes for two of the German manager’s other players. Diogo Jota helped Portugal qualify but Luis Diaz’s Colombia missed out.

An early kick-off gives Liverpool the chance to climb to the top of the table for the first time
since October.

But City will be confident of reclaiming top spot even if they are displaced for a few hours after a run of nine consecutive wins in all competitions against Burnley.

Sean Dyche’s men may have one eye on Wednesday’s huge clash at home to Everton in the battle to beat the drop.

Everton have a three-point advantage over the bottom three and the pressure is on to maintain their 68-year run in the top flight after their balance sheet took another big hit.

The Toffees have lost a combined GBP372 million over the past three years and are in the process of building a new GBP500 million stadium, set to open in 2024.

Frank Lampard took the risk of questioning the character of his players after they slipped to a chastening 4-0 defeat at Crystal Palace in the FA Cup quarter-finals before the international break.

Lampard will hope his words have an impact when Everton visit West Ham, who could already be looking ahead to their Europa League quarter-final against Lyon.

Arsenal are in control of the race to join Liverpool, City and Chelsea in next season’s Champions League, with a three-point lead and a game in hand over fifth-placed Tottenham.

Young leads surging Hawks past struggling Cavaliers 131-107

ATLANTA (AP) – Trae Young scored 30 points and the surging Atlanta Hawks never trailed while beating the short-handed Cleveland Cavaliers 131-107 on Thursday night to clinch a spot in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament.

Cedi Osman led Cleveland with 21 points. Darius Garland had 18 points and eight assists while sitting out the final quarter of the blowout loss.

Cavaliers standout rookie Evan Mobley missed his second consecutive game with a sprained ankle. Cleveland has lost two straight and five of six as it attempts to keep the number seven spot in the Eastern Conference.

Young had nine assists as the Hawks’ fourth consecutive win clinched no worse than the No 10 spot in the Eastern Conference and a berth in the play-in tournament. The Hawks began the night one-half game behind Charlotte and one game behind Brooklyn.

“We’re in a tight race here at the end and we’re starting to click at the right time,” Young said, before offering the reminder the Hawks advanced to the Eastern Conference finals last year.

“We did the same thing last year and we were able to make a run.”

Atlanta Hawks’ Trae Young dribbles past Cleveland Cavaliers’ Isaac Okoro. PHOTO: AP

Kevin Huerter continued his strong finish to the regular season with 23 points, his fourth consecutive game with at least 20 points. Clint Capela added 12 points with 14 rebounds.

Cavaliers coach BJ Bickerstaff said before the game “we’re searching at this point” for a playing rotation due to injuries. Guard Rajon Rando (ankle) missed his 10th consecutive game. Centre Jarrett Allen missed his 12th straight with a finger injury.

Bickerstaff said he respected the Hawks’ “firepower” and said “they have the ability to blow you out because of that”.

The Hawks delivered on Bickerstaff’s assessment. Atlanta took its first double-digit lead at 29-19 on Bogdan Bogdanovic’s three-pointer with three minutes remaining in the opening period. The Hawks stretched the lead to 20 points, 73-53, early in the second half on Young’s three-pointer and extended the advantage to 30 points in the final period.

Smuggled ancient artifacts returned to Libya

TRIPOLI, LIBYA (AP) – The United States (US) returned a cache of smuggled ancient artefacts to Libya as the oil-rich Mediterranean country struggles to protect its heritage against the backdrop of years of war, turmoil and unrest.

The repatriated items include two sculptures dating to the 4th Century BC from the ancient city of Cyrene.

One, named the “Veiled Head of a Female,” was previously in the hands of a private collector of other illegal artefacts, according to a statement from the US Embassy in Libya.

The other, also a Hellenic bust, had been at the Metropolitan Museum of New York since 1998, the statement said. Both were displayed by Libyan antiquities officials at a reception ceremony in the country’s capital, Tripoli.

A Hellenic sculpture of a head from the ancient Libya city of Cyrene is unloaded after it was returned by the United States. PHOTO: AP

Mexico, US meet amid electrical power dispute

MEXICO CITY (AP) – Mexican and American officials met on Thursday amid disagreements about an electrical power reform that seeks to limit foreign-built renewable energy plants and grant a majority market share to Mexico’s state-owned power utility.

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador met with United States (US) Climate Envoy John Kerry, but the Mexican leader appeared unwilling to budge on the proposal, which is currently stuck in Mexico’s Congress.

“I think it was a friendly, necessary and beneficial meeting,” López Obrador wrote in his social media accounts.

While he didn’t address the differences, López Obrador appeared to offer foreign firms a chance to invest in a scheme to build natural gas liquification plants in southern Mexico, to export liquified natural gas (LNG), presumably to Europe or Asia.

Mexico has to import gas – it doesn’t produce enough to meet its own needs, much less export – so the scheme would involve pumping US natural gas to southern Mexico ports, chilling and liquifying it and loading it aboard ships.

“There are a lot of possibilities for investment,” López Obrador said before the meeting with Kerry. “We have excess gas due to purchases made through the gas pipelines” that handle US gas. “We have land, we have seaports at Salina Cruz, Coatzacoalcos.”

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. PHOTO: AP

López Obrador has vowed to press ahead with the changes to the electrical power industry, despite US concerns that they could close off markets, choke off competition and possibly violate the US-Mexico-Canada free trade pact.

On Thursday, US Trade Representative (USTR) Katherine Tai told US senators that she was “deeply concerned with the legislative and regulatory developments in the Mexican energy industry that we have seen in recent months. My team and I at USTR, along with much of the US government, have expressed these concerns regularly and directly to our counterparts in the Mexican government.”

Tai said energy companies and environmentalists “have been unified in expressing concerns with what is happening in Mexico, specifically with respect to the competitiveness of the North American energy market, as well as the competitiveness of Mexico’s own energy industry”.

The Mexican changes would favour a domestic company – the state-owned Federal Electricity Commission – over foreign electricity producers, something prohibited under the US-Mexico-Canada free trade pact.

“I have informed Mexico and I assure you that we at USTR are looking at all available options under the USMCA to address these issues,” Tai said, “so that the USMCA can work for our stakeholders and protect our environment across all three countries.”

A Democrat from Oregon Senator Ron Wyden said Mexico is “considering laws to concentrate market power and regulatory authority in the hands of the state owned electric company. That result will mean a bigger focus on fossil fuels with limited opportunities for clean energy providers”.

“So Mexico’s new reforms are a one or two punch against environmental progress in America,” Wyden said. “Not only are they a setback in the fight against the climate crisis, but they are denying American companies companies in the Pacific Northwest, for example, a fair shake in the Mexican market.”

After meeting in February, Kerry expressed “significant concerns” over the bill, but López Obrador said the proposed changes “don’t affect the treaty at all”.

US firms have complained bitterly about the constitutional changes proposed in October.

They are still held up in the Mexican Congress, where they need a two-thirds majority that López Obrador hasn’t yet been able to pull together. The changes would guarantee a majority market share for Mexico’s state-owned power plants that often burn dirty fuel oil or coal, while limiting private wind, natural gas and solar plants to a minority market share.

Many US companies operating in Mexico either invested in cleaner power plants themselves or rely on cheaper energy produced by them.

The bill submitted in October would cancel contracts under which 34 private plants sell power into the national grid. The plan would also declare “illegal” an additional 239 private plants that sell energy directly to corporate clients in Mexico. Almost all of those plants are run with renewable energy sources or natural gas.

The measure also would cancel many long-term energy supply contracts and clean-energy preferential buying programmes, often affecting foreign companies. It puts private natural gas plants almost last in line – ahead of only government coal-fired plants – for rights to sell electricity into the grid, despite the fact they produce power about 24 per cent more cheaply.

BIBD kicks off tree planting initiative

Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam (BIBD) kicked off a nationwide tree planting initiative in conjunction with International Day of Forests yesterday. The initiative, which is part of the bank’s Sustainable Nation Campaign, is facilitated by Community for Brunei and aims to raise awareness on the importance of the fight against climate change.

Some 20 saplings were planted by volunteers and stakeholders at all four districts.

Present to officiate the initiative at BIBD Connects Lambak was Legislative Council member and founder of Green Brunei Yang Berhormat Khairunnisa binti Haji Ash’ari, Deputy Minister of Development Dato Seri Paduka Ar Haji Marzuke bin Haji Mohsin and BIBD’s Acting Managing Director and CEO Hajah Noraini binti Haji Sulaiman.

“Today’s initiative will be just one of the many activities that BIBD will carry out as we work to deliver our commitment under the BIBD Sustainability Framework,” Hajah Noraini said.

“There will be many more trees planted over the next six months as part of our efforts to support the Brunei Darussalam National Council on Climate Change’s goal of net zero by 2050, as well as global commitments such as the World Economic Forum’s 1 Trillion Trees Campaign and the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030.”

Representatives from campaign partners, including the Brunei Climate Change Secretariat, Brunei Youth Council, Green Brunei, Growth.BN, the Department of Environment Parks and Recreation (JASTRe) and CIC Environmental Services Sdn Bhd, were present, along with senior members of BIBD management and government officials.

Similiar tree planting activities were also held at the H40 Housing Scheme in Lambak, Bukit Beruang Recreational Park in the Tutong District, RPN Lorong Tengah in Seria and the Selangan Agricultural Development Area in the Temburong District.

Legislative Council member and founder of Green Brunei Yang Berhormat Khairunissa binti Haji Ash’ari, Deputy Minister of Development Dato Seri Paduka Ar Haji Marzuke bin Haji Mohsin and BIBD’s Acting Managing Director and CEO Hajah Noraini binti Haji Sulaiman at BIBD Connects Lambak. PHOTO: BIBD

A fast and filling dinner

Ann Maloney

Merriam-Webster offers a broad definition of salad: “raw greens (such as lettuce) often combined with other vegetables and toppings and served especially with dressing” and “small pieces of food (such as pasta, meat, fruit, or vegetables) usually mixed with a dressing (such as mayonnaise) or set in gelatin”.

The term salad is applied so liberally that it allows us to turn just about any combination of foods into a salad. (Can a grain bowl also be a salad? Not always, but some definitely qualify.)

One of the things I love about that free-spirited interpretation of what a salad can be is that I often whip up one from what I have on hand. It might have greens. It might not. It might be fruit and nuts. It might be served warm or cold. And, with no boundaries, I’m able to make salads from whatever is in my pantry and refrigerator. Leftovers often find a second life in salads. A few straggler olives (and a splash of the brine from the jar), wilting scallions, past-its-prime parsley with stems and often cabbage, carrots or celery – due to their long shelf life.

That’s what appealed to me about this simple salad from A New Way to Food by Maggie Battista. In her cookbook, which describes her journey developing a healthy relationship with food, she calls the dish Italian-Style Leftover Rice Salad, but I’ve renamed it Rice Salad With Beans, Lemon and Herbs just to make it a little clearer from the get-go what is in it.

Battista makes it with whatever leftover rice she might have. Like her, we often have rice with our meals and so there’s usually leftover rice lingering in the refrigerator or freezer. If you have cooked rice on hand, she notes that this salad comes together in about 15 minutes.

It calls for mixed young salad greens, and Battista describes it as “immensely satisfying” due to those greens, the creamy white beans, and the starchy rice. She sometimes adds canned tuna on top, too.

I couldn’t recall ever making a beans-and-rice salad, but now I know I will experiment with idea, adding it to my weeknight, leftovers and pantry salad repertoire. Maybe you’ll feel the
same way.

Rice salad with beans, lemon and herbs. PHOTO: THE WASHINGTON P0ST

RICE SALAD WITH BEANS, LEMON AND HERBS
20 minutes | Four servings

Storage: Refrigerate for up to two days.

INGREDIENTS
– Two tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
– One cup cooked rice
– Two tablespoons lemon juice (from one medium lemon) or vinegar
– Two handfuls mixed young salad greens
– Two scallions, sliced
– Half medium sweet white onion, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
– One cup cooked cannellini beans
– Leaves from four sprigs fresh oregano
– Fine salt, to taste
– Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
– Lemon wedges, for serving (optional)

DIRECTIONS
In a shallow skillet over medium heat, heat one tablespoon of the oil until shimmering. Add the rice and saute until just warmed, about three minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat.

Drizzle the lemon juice and the remaining one tablespoon of the oil along the inside of a large salad bowl. Add the greens, scallions, onion, beans and oregano. Add the rice and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Using clean hands or a fork and spoon, gently toss everything together, coating it with the lemon juice and the oil that’s in the bowl.

Taste, and season with more salt and/or pepper, if needed. Serve with lemon wedges, if desired.

Nutrition information per serving (One and a quarter cups) | Calories: 388; Total Fat: 15g; Saturated Fat: 2g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 163mg; Carbohydrates: 52g; Dietary Fibre: 8g; Sugar: 4g; Protein: 12g

Brunei Gastronomy Week winners announced

Muhammad Aziz Syafi’ie bin Haji Mokhsen, an instructor from Institute of Brunei Technical Education (IBTE) was awarded Best Chef Award for his creativity and comprehensive execution to produce ‘Fundamentals of Pandan’ at Brunei Gastronomy Week 2022 organised by the Tourism Development Department of the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism.

The two-week event was held in conjunction with the 38th National Day celebration, participated by 12 hotels and restaurants.

‘Earth and Sea (Atlantic Salmon Belly Crudo, Pandan Crispy Rice & Nori Pandan Dust)’ by The Melting Pot was awarded Best Starter Course, while ‘Fundamentals of Pandan’ by IBTE was named Best Main Course. ‘Pandan Cream Brulee with Coconut Ice Cream’ by The Brunei Hotel was awarded Best Dessert Course.

The submissions were evaluated by a panel of judges, namely Publisher of Borneo Insider’s Guide (BiG magazine) and the Design Director of WaMa Designs Wan Zainal Abidin, CEO of the Brunei Food Award Haji Nasir bin Dato Paduka Latif and Hospitality Lecturer and Culinary Assessor at the Culinary School at Laksamana College of Business Matthew Beswick.

Beswick said, “The chefs displayed exceptional talents producing dishes using elements of pandan an showcasing their skills in combining locally-sourced ingredients with modern techniques.”

Muhammad Aziz Syafi’ie bin Haji Mokhsen. PHOTO: TOURISM DEPT
Best Dessert. PHOTO: TOURISM DEPT
Best Main Course. PHOTO: TOURISM DEPT
Best Starter. PHOTO: TOURISM DEPT

Prosecutor seeks end to Khashoggi trial in Turkey

ANKARA, TURKEY (AP) – The Turkish prosecutor in the case against 26 Saudi nationals charged in the slaying of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi made a surprise request that their trial in absentia be suspended and the case transferred to Saudi Arabia.

The panel of judges made no ruling on the prosecutor’s request but said a letter would be sent to Turkey’s Justice Ministry seeking its opinion on the possible transfer of the file to Saudi judicial authorities, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported. Trial was adjourned until April 7.

The development comes as Turkey has been trying to normalise its relationship with Saudi Arabia, which hit an all-time low following Khashoggi’s grisly October 2018 killing. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said in an interview on Thursday that Saudi authorities were more cooperative on judicial issues with Turkey, but did not elaborate.

In arguing for the transfer, the prosecutor told the court that the Saudi chief public prosecutor’s office requested the Turkish proceedings be transferred to the kingdom in a letter dated March 13, and that international warrants issued by Ankara against the defendants be lifted, according to the private DHA news agency.

People hold posters of Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul. PHOTO: AP

Bruno Fernandes signs contract extension with Man United

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND (AP) – Bruno Fernandes (AP; pic below) signed a contract extension to stay at Manchester United through at least the 2025-26 season, the Premier League club said yesterday.

The new deal adds only one season to the long-term contract Fernandes signed when he arrived from Sporting Lisbon in January 2020 but includes an option for an additional year. Financial terms were not disclosed.

The 27-year-old Portugal midfielder, who has tallied 49 goals and 39 assists in 117 games with United, is seen as a key part of the club’s future as it looks to hire a permanent manager this summer.

“Even after two years, it still feels amazing to step out at Old Trafford, to hear the fans sing my song and to score in front of the Stretford End,” Fernandes said in the club’s announcement.

“It is a true privilege to wear this shirt and to fight for our incredible club.”

Sixth-place United is four points back of Arsenal in fourth for the final Champions League spot and Leicester.

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Borneo Bulletin is the leading English daily in the country. It was first published by Brunei Press. Today, Borneo Bulletin has become the foremost source of information on local and foreign affairs, and the region’s business news.

© 2013 Borneo Bulletin Online - The Independent Newspaper in Brunei Darussalam, Sabah and Sarawak

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