risk

The UN human rights office says the US military intervention that ousted Venezuela’s leader violates international law and the UN Charter, warning it undermines global security and risks worsening human rights. It says Venezuela’s future must be decided by its people.

In a small tent overshadowed by the sound of nearby gunfire, seven-year-old Tulin prepares for her first day of school in two years.

For most children, this would be a moment of excitement. For Tulin and her mother, it is a chapter of terror.

The relentless Israeli war has destroyed the vast majority of Gaza’s educational infrastructure, forcing families to create makeshift “tent schools” in dangerous proximity to Israeli forces — an area demarcated by Israel as the “yellow zone” west of the separation line, often just a few metres away from danger.

“Until my daughter gets to school, I honestly walk with my heart in my hand,” Tulin’s mother told Al Jazeera correspondent Shady Shamieh.

“Many times, I find myself involuntarily following her until she reaches the school. I feel there is something [dangerous], but I want her to learn,” she added. “If not for this situation, she would be in second grade now. But we are determined.”

‘Take the sleeping position’

The journey to the classroom is perilous. Walking through the rubble of Beit Lahiya, Tulin admits she is terrified of the open spaces.

“When I go to school, I am afraid of the shooting,” Tulin said. “I can’t find a wall to hide behind so the shelling or stray bullets don’t hit us.”

Inside the tents, protection is nonexistent. The canvas walls cannot stop bullets, yet the students sit on the ground, determined to learn.

Their teacher describes a harrowing daily routine where education is frequently interrupted by the crack of sniper fire.

“The location is difficult, close to the occupation [forces],” the teacher explained. “When the shooting starts, we tell the children: ‘Take the sleeping position.’ I get goosebumps, praying to God that no injuries occur. We make them lie on the ground until the shooting stops.”

“We have been exposed to gunfire more than once,” she added. “Despite this, we remain. The occupation’s policy is ignorance, and our policy is knowledge.”

Among the students is Ahmed, who lost his father in the war. “We come with difficulty and leave with difficulty because of the shooting,” he told Al Jazeera. “But I want to fulfil the dream of my martyred father, who wanted to see me become a doctor.”

‘One of the biggest catastrophes’

The desperate scenes in Beit Lahiya reflect a wider collapse of the education system in the enclave.

Speaking to Al Jazeera Arabic on Monday, Kazem Abu Khalaf, the spokesperson for UNICEF in Palestine, described the situation as “one of the biggest catastrophes”.

“Our figures indicate that 98 percent of all schools in the Gaza Strip have suffered varying degrees of damage, ranging up to total destruction,” Abu Khalaf said.

He noted that 88 percent of these schools require either comprehensive rehabilitation or complete reconstruction.

The human toll is staggering: approximately 638,000 school-aged children and 70,000 kindergarten-aged children have lost two full academic years and are entering a third year of deprivation.

Trauma and speech impediments

While UNICEF and its partners have established 109 temporary learning centres serving 135,000 students, the psychological scars of the war are surfacing in alarming ways.

Abu Khalaf revealed that field teams have observed severe developmental regression among students.

“In one area, [colleagues] monitored that approximately 25 percent of the children we are trying to target have developed speech difficulties,” Abu Khalaf said. “This requires redoubled efforts from educational specialists.”

The ban on books

Beyond the structural destruction and trauma, the education sector faces a logistical blockade. Abu Khalaf confirmed that since the war began in October 2023, virtually no educational materials have been allowed into the Strip.

“The biggest challenge, in truth, is that … almost no learning materials have entered Gaza at all,” he said.

UNICEF is currently preparing to launch a “Back to Learning” campaign targeting 200,000 children, focusing on Arabic, English, maths and science, alongside recreational activities to “repair the children’s psyche before anything else”.

However, Abu Khalaf emphasised that the success of any campaign depends on Israel lifting restrictions.

“We are communicating with all parties, including the Israeli side, to allow the entry of learning materials,” he said. “It is not in anyone’s interest for a child in Gaza not to go to school.”

As millions prepare to travel in and out of the UK this winter, a mattress expert has shared the luggage mistake that could bring bedbugs home from your holiday

As millions gear up for winter travel in and out of the UK, it’s not just souvenirs that could be making the journey back home.

Recent reports have highlighted a burgeoning bedbug epidemic, with infestations having surged by 62%. Google searches for ‘how to check for bedbugs’ have shot up, seeing a whopping increase of over 500% in the last 30 days, as infestations typically spike during the peak travel and festive season in winter.

Fortunately, a mattress expert has compiled a guide on how to spot early signs of a bedbug invasion and shared easy steps to help curb the spread of these blood-thirsty critters while globetrotting this winter. Mattress specialist Sharon Robson from Mattress Online is dishing out her expert advice on keeping bedbugs at bay this winter. Sharon explains: “Bedbugs thrive in areas where lots of people are coming and going, they also favour warm and humid conditions, which means there’s a higher chance of returning from warmer climates with bed bugs. From hotels, hostels, and holiday rentals to public transport, it’s crucial to know how to spot a potential infestation to prevent bringing any unwanted souvenirs back from your trip.”

Invest in hard-shell suitcases

Sharon’s top tip is a simple one: invest in hard-shell suitcases. She cautions that soft-sided luggage offers numerous hidden nesting spots for bedbugs, potentially heightening your risk of unknowingly carting them back from your travels, reports the Express. Bedbugs have a preference for rough or porous surfaces, making hard-shell luggage with its sleek, solid surfaces a challenging environment for them. This type of luggage is not only more difficult for bedbugs to latch onto, but it’s also simpler to inspect and disinfect, making it a worthwhile investment if you’re worried about these unwanted visitors.

Elevate your luggage (literally)

Upon reaching your accommodation, it’s recommended to raise your luggage above carpets and away from walls. Hold off on unpacking your suitcase on the bed until you’ve had the chance to check for signs of bedbugs. Make use of metal luggage racks or position your case on a solid surface such as a table or desk.

Early warning signs to look out for

There are several tell-tale warning signs that your hotel room might be infested with bedbugs, so before you settle in, give your room a quick inspection. Stay vigilant for sweet, musty smells, which could suggest a large infestation. Also keep an eye out for black or rust-coloured stains on bedding and mattresses. Finally, watch out for empty, brown shells or flat, oval brown shapes, which could be the bugs themselves.

Try the credit card trick

For a more comprehensive inspection, try the credit card trick. Bedbugs often hide in narrow spaces like mattress seams, labels, and tufts. A credit card can be a handy tool for inspecting tight spots like mattress piping, bedframe corners, and any crevices. Simply press the card gently and scrape along the seams to check for bugs and eggs.

Wash and dry clothes on high heat as soon as you come back

If you’re still concerned about potential exposure to bedbugs during your travels, the first thing to do when you get home is to wash all your clothes in hot water. Position your luggage on a hard surface such as a bathroom or laundry room floor and unpack directly into the washing machine. Wash your clothes on a hot cycle and dry them on high heat for 30-60 minutes to kill any live bugs or eggs.

Dec. 22 (Asia Today) — China has voiced strong opposition to potential cooperation between South Korea and the United States on nuclear-powered submarines, warning it could undermine the global nuclear nonproliferation regime, Chinese state media reported.

Song Zhongping, a Chinese military analyst, said in an interview published Monday by the Global Times that consultations between Seoul and Washington on nuclear submarine-related cooperation could pose a “serious threat” to nuclear nonproliferation.

The Global Times cited South Korean media reports saying the two countries plan to begin sector-by-sector consultations next year related to leader-level understandings that include nuclear submarine construction, uranium enrichment and spent nuclear fuel reprocessing.

Song said the AUKUS nuclear submarine effort with Australia set a negative precedent and suggested a similar case could emerge with South Korea. He argued that U.S. support for allies’ access to nuclear technology and nuclear fuel would weaken the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Song also said Japan has raised the idea of acquiring nuclear-powered submarines and warned the trend could fuel an arms race. He said more countries operating nuclear-powered submarines would increase the risk of technology leakage and accidents.

He further argued South Korea has limited practical need for nuclear-powered submarines because of its restricted coastline, the report said.

In October, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a regular briefing that Beijing hopes South Korea and the United States will fulfill nonproliferation obligations and avoid actions that run counter to regional peace and stability, according to the report.

– Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Billionaire Larry Ellison has stepped up, agreeing to personally guarantee part of Paramount’s bid for rival Warner Bros. Discovery.

Ellison’s personal guarantee of $40.4 billion in equity, disclosed Monday, ups the ante in the acrimonious auction for Warner Bros. movie and TV studios, HBO, CNN and Food Network.

Ellison, whose son David Ellison is chief executive of Paramount, agreed not to revoke the Ellison family trust or adversely transfer its assets while the transaction is pending. Paramount’s $30-a-share offer remains unchanged.

Warner Bros. Discovery’s board this month awarded the prize to Netflix. The board rejected Paramount’s $108.4-billion deal, largely over concerns about the perceived shakiness of Paramount’s financing.

Paramount shifted gears and launched a hostile takeover, appealing directly to Warner shareholders, offering them $30 a share.

“We amended this Offer to address Warner Bros. stated concerns regarding the Prior Proposal and the December 8 Offer,” Paramount said in a Monday Securities & Exchange Commission filing. “Mr. Larry Ellison is providing a personal guarantee of the Ellison Trust’s $40.4 billion funding obligation.”

The Ellison family acquired the controlling stake in Paramount in August. The family launched their pursuit of Warner Bros. in September but Warner’s board unanimously rejected six Paramount proposals.

Paramount started with a $19 a share bid for the entire company. Netflix has offered $27.75 a share and only wants the Burbank studios, HBO and the HBO Max streaming service. Paramount executives have held meetings with Warner investors in New York, where they echoed the proposal they’d submitted in the closing hours of last week’s auction.

On Monday, Paramount also agreed to increase the termination fee to $5.8 billion from $5 billion, matching the one that Netflix offered.

Warner Bros. board voted unanimously to accept Netflix’s $72-billion offer, citing Netflix’s stronger financial position, the board has said.

Three Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds representing royal families in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Abu Dhabi have agreed to provide $24 billion of the $40.4-billion equity component that Ellison is backing.

The Ellison family has agreed to cover $11.8-billion of that. Initially, Paramount’s bid included the private equity firm of Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, but Kushner withdrew his firm last week.

Paramount confirmed that the Ellison family trust owns about 1.16 billion shares of Oracle common stock and that all material liabilities are publicly disclosed.

“In an effort to address Warner Bros.’s amorphous need for ‘flexibility’ in interim operations, Paramount’s revised proposed merger agreement offers further improved flexibility to Warner Bros. on debt refinancing transactions, representations and interim operating covenants,” Paramount said in its statement.

Paramount has been aggressively pursuing Warner Bros. for months.

David Ellison was stunned earlier this month when the Warner Bros. board agreed to a deal with Netflix for $82.7 billion for the streaming and studio assets.

Paramount subsequently launched its hostile takeover offer in a direct appeal to shareholders. Warner Bros. board urged shareholders to reject Paramount’s offer, which includes $54 billion in debt commitments, deeming it “inferior” and “inadequate.” The board singled out what it viewed as uncertain financing and the risk implicit in a revocable trust that could cause Paramount to terminate the deal at any time.

Paramount, controlled by the Ellisons, is competing with the most valuable entertainment company in the world to acquire Warner Bros.

Executives from both Paramount and Netflix have argued that they would be the best owners and utilize the Warner Bros. library to boost their streaming operations.

In its letter to shareholders and a detailed 94-page regulatory filing last week, Warner Bros. hammered away at risks in the Paramount offer, including what the company described as the Ellison family’s failure to adequately backstop their equity commitment.

The equity is supported by “an unknown and opaque revocable trust,” the board said. The documents Paramount provided “contain gaps, loopholes and limitations that put you, our shareholders, and our company at risk.”

Netflix also announced Monday that it has refinanced part of a $59 billion bridge loan with cheaper and longer-term debt.

Bloomberg contributed to this report.