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AMMAN — The ongoing Israeli war on Gaza has extended its devastation beyond the immediate human toll, reaching a state of "ecocide" that impacts the environment in often overlooked ways. The relentless bombings and military operations have not only obliterated infrastructure but also wreaked havoc on Gaza’s ecosystem.

The first four months of the war have inflicted $18.5 billion in damage to Gaza's infrastructure, destroying up to 66 per cent of buildings and half of the besieged strip’s trees, and resulting in the deaths of more than 36,000 Palestinians, according to the health ministry in Gaza, the World Bank and the UN.

Pollution in Gaza spans water, debris, and air, creating severe environmental impacts that pose long-term threats to the health and livelihoods of its inhabitants. Over 100,000 cubic metres of sewage and wastewater are being discharged daily onto land or into the Mediterranean Sea, according to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

The UNEP spokesperson told euronews.green in March that past marine pollution incidents in Gaza have led to elevated levels of chlorophyll and suspended organic matter in coastal waters, as well as gastrointestinal parasites. The current war is likely exacerbating these problems.

Simultaneously, solid waste is being disposed of in informal sites, where hazardous substances can seep into the porous soil and potentially contaminate Gaza's primary water source, the aquifer. The rise in communicable diseases is alarming, driven by water scarcity, overcrowding, and a healthcare sector on the verge of collapse.

In the most overcrowded shelters in the south, there is only one toilet available for every 600 internally displaced persons, and access to running water is minimal, as reported by the American Near East Refugee Aid.

Debris and hazardous waste present a significant issue. As of January 7, UNEP estimated that the total amount of debris had reached 22.9 million tonnes, a number that has likely risen substantially since. This vast accumulation of rubble, combined with hazardous waste, is contaminating land and water sources, further exacerbating the humanitarian crisis. The United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) estimated that by mid-April, the Gaza Strip contained approximately 37 million tonnes of debris, equating to 300 kilogrammes per square metre.

"Gaza has more rubble than Ukraine, and to put that in perspective, the Ukrainian front line is 600 miles [nearly 1,000 kilometres] long, and Gaza is 25 miles [40 km] long," according to Mungo Birch, head of the UNMAS programme in the Palestinian territories.

"This rubble is likely heavily contaminated with UXO [unexploded ordnance], and its clearance will be further complicated by other hazards in the rubble," Birch was quoted as saying in international press.  

"There's estimated to be over 800,000 tonnes of asbestos alone in the Gaza rubble."

The war on Gaza is estimated to have produced between 420,265 and 652,552 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, comparable to burning over 1.5 million barrels of oil, according to British-American study, which also found that the greenhouse gas emissions produced in the first two months of the Gaza war exceeded the annual carbon footprint of over 20 of the world's most climate-vulnerable countries. The study estimates that the climate impact of the Israeli war in the first 60 days is equivalent to burning at least 150,000 tonnes of coal.

The use of white phosphorus by the Israeli army has further contributed to environmental contamination. White phosphorus is harmful to humans through all routes of exposure, and the smoke it produces contains phosphoric acids and phosphine, which are harmful to the eyes and respiratory tract, as stated by the World Health Ogranisation.

CARACAS — Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has signed an agreement with Turkey to extract gold in his country's south where large areas have been devastated by illegal mines.

"Turkey's investment is intended to continue developing gold [in] the Mining Arc [of Orinoco]," Maduro said, referring to a region rich in gold, iron, coltan and other minerals, which have been subject to illicit extraction.

"We are going to develop these gold fields, and I wish you the best of luck so that what we are signing... becomes an example of ecological development that is respectful of nature and very productive," the leftist leader said at Friday's signing.

Activists have long denounced "ecocide" in the South American nation's southern region.

Authorities say illegal miners fell and burn trees, contaminate rivers and engage in underground drilling that harms the environment as well as Indigenous communities.

On Friday, Maduro also signed agreements with Turkey related to the construction of an ammonia refinery and the tapping of gas reserves.

"They are three great projects of the future for petrochemicals, gas and gold," said Maduro, who is campaigning ahead of the July 28 presidential election.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is scheduled to visit Venezuela this year, but no date has been announced.

Erdogan visited the country in December 2018 to lend support to Maduro after the United States and several European nations disavowed the Venezuelan leader's reelection over accusations of fraud.

SEOUL — Workers at tech giant Samsung Electronics in South Korea staged the first strike at the company recently, the head of a major union representing tens of thousands of people told AFP.

Samsung Electronics is one of the world's largest smartphone makers and also one of the only companies globally to produce high-end memory chips used for generative AI, including top-of-the-line AI hardware from industry leaders such as Nvidia.

Management at the firm, the world's biggest producer of memory chips, has been locked in negotiations with the union over wages since January but the two sides have failed to narrow their differences.

"The first strike at Samsung Electronics is taking place today through the use of paid leave, and it is understood that many employees are participating," Son Woo-mok, head of the National Samsung Electronics Union said.

"It's difficult to provide an exact number, but from what I've seen of the workplace attendance in the morning, there is a significant difference from the usual," he added.

Samsung Electronics said it has been "diligently engaging in negotiations with the union and will continue to do so".

"There is no impact on production and business activities. The paid leave usage rate on June 7 is lower than that of June 5 last year," which, like Friday, was sandwiched between a public holiday and a weekend, the company said in a statement.

The strike in South Korea is the first walkout by the tech giant's workers.

Around 10 workers held a protest in front of Samsung's major office in Seoul on Friday, chanting: "Respect labour! We do not want a 6.5 per cent raise or a 200 per cent bonus!"

Samsung Electronics is the flagship subsidiary of South Korean giant Samsung Group, by far the largest of the family-controlled conglomerates that dominate business in Asia's fourth-largest economy.

Taiwan-based market research firm TrendForce said that the strike would not impact DRAM and NAND Flash production, nor would it cause any shipment shortages.

Samsung accounts for a significant chunk of global output of the high-end chips, but the strike involves headquarters employees, not workers on the production lines, TrendForce said. 

Additionally, it is only a one-day strike, and falls during a long-planned holiday period in South Korea, meaning the company would likely already have adjusted anticipated staffing levels. 

"Finally, fabs rely heavily on automated production and require minimal human labour. Therefore, the strike will not have any substantial impact on the future memory supply," TrendForce said in a report.

Historic strike 

Even so, the strike carries historical importance, "since Samsung resisted unionisation and engaged in union-busting for so long", Vladimir Tikhonov, professor of Korean Studies at the University of Oslo, told AFP.

He said the collective action showed that "there is a gradual tendency towards empowerment of labour in South Korea".

Samsung Electronics avoided the unionisation of its employees for almost 50 years — sometimes adopting ferocious tactics, according to critics — while rising to become the world's largest smartphone and semiconductor manufacturer.

Samsung founder Lee Byung-chul, who died in 1987, was adamantly opposed to unions, saying he would never allow them "until I have dirt over my eyes".

But in the late 2010s, organisers seized the opportunity presented by the left-leaning government of President Moon Jae-in — a former rights lawyer who represented trade unions — and controversy around the bribery trial of the company's then-vice-chairman Lee Jae-yong, the founder's grandson, to set up a union.

The National Samsung Electronics Union, which has around 28,000 members, or more than a fifth of the company's total workforce, has said the word "strike" has been a "taboo word" at the tech giant.

"We consistently advocate for the company to respect labour issues, stop oppressing unions, and avoid making unilateral decisions on matters so closely related to workers," union head Son told AFP.

Semiconductors are the lifeblood of the global economy used in everything from kitchen appliances and mobile phones to cars and weapons.

They are South Korea's leading export and hit $11.7 billion in March, accounting for a fifth of total exports, according to trade ministry figures.

Lee Hyun-kook, vice president of the union, said the strike won't "lead to a disruption in production and we don't want it to lead into one".

"We just want Samsung to hear our voice," he told AFP.

FRANKFURT, Germany — The European Central Bank (ECB) made its first interest rate cut since 2019 Thursday, reducing borrowing costs from record highs, but gave few clues about its next move while warning of continuing inflation pressures. 

The key deposit rate was lowered a quarter point to 3.75 per cent, after the central bank had kept borrowing costs on hold since October. 

After an unprecedented streak of eurozone rate hikes beginning in mid-2022 to tame runaway energy and food costs, inflation has been slowly coming down towards the ECB's two-per cent target. 

Thursday's cut, the first since September 2019, will provide a much-needed boost for the beleaguered eurozone economy. 

The move marks the ECB diverging from the US Federal Reserve, which has also hiked rates aggressively but is not expected to start cutting for months due to stronger-than-expected data. 

With Thursday's cut widely expected, all eyes are on what happens next, after recent inflation and growth data for the 20 countries that use the euro came in stronger than anticipated. 

In an updated forecast, the Frankfurt-based institution hiked its inflation forecasts for this year and next. It no longer expects inflation to hit its two-per cent target in 2025, as previously expected, but rather to come in at 2.2 per cent. 

It also raised its growth forecast for 2024, although lowered it slightly for next year. 

While noting that "the inflation outlook has improved markedly", the ECB said in a statement that "domestic price pressures remain strong as wage growth is elevated, and inflation is likely to stay above target well into next year". 

It reiterated typical language that it would "keep policy rates sufficiently restrictive for as long as necessary" to hit its inflation target, and that it would take a "data-dependent" approach to is decisions. 

Decisions would be based on the inflation outlook, it said, while adding that the rate-setting governing council "is not pre-committing to a particular rate path". 

Thursday's cut is unlikely to herald the start of a rapid easing cycle. 

ING economist Carsten Brzeski said "sticky inflation will limit the room for additional rate cuts and the ECB's statement also doesn't give away any hints at the future path of the ECB". 

Investors will be keenly watching to see if ECB president Christine Lagarde provides any guidance about the pace of cuts going forward in her post-meeting press conference. 

Despite consumer price rises having slowed from peaks of over 10 per cent in late 2022, when Europe was rocked by an energy shock, bringing inflation down to the ECB's target is proving difficult. 

Data last week showed that inflation in the 20 countries that use the euro rose in May, and faster than expected — to 2.6 per cent on year, up from April's 2.4-per cent increase. 

The eurozone economy also expanded faster than expected in the first quarter as it emerged from recession, although it is still slow compared to the robust growth of the US economy. 

The chances of another cut at the ECB's next meeting in July are now viewed as low. 

Instead, many analysts believe policymakers are hoping to reduce rates every other meeting — so once a quarter, as the bank meets every six weeks — at the same time as they release their regularly updated projections. 

This view was strengthened by recent comments from Dutch central bank chief Klaas Knot, a member of the ECB's rate-setting governing council, who said rates would be reduced gradually with a focus on quarterly meetings. 

In the United States, stronger-than-expected data pushed back expectations of when the Fed — which holds its next meeting on June 11-12 — will begin reducing borrowing costs, fuelling speculation the ECB might also stay its hand. 

But eurozone rate-setters have stressed they plot their own course. 

There are nevertheless concerns if the ECB cuts faster than its US counterpart, as this could lead to a depreciation of the euro and fuel inflation by pushing up the cost of imports into the eurozone. 

AMMAN — The World Bank Group (WBG) has recently conducted a site visit to Aghati Sweets Factory in Amman, a beneficiary of Industry Development Fund, which aims at increasing women's participation in the private sector. 

The WBG delegation included Regional Director for Mashreq Jean-Christophe Carret, Regional Director for IFC Aftab Ahmed, Resident Representative for Jordan Holly Benner, Regional Vice President for MENA Ousmane Dione and Managing Director of Operations Anna Bjerd. 

Minister of Social Development and Chair of the Inter-Ministerial Committee for Women's Empowerment Wafa Bani Mustafa led the visit. 

The WBG and the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation have launched a new five-year country partnership framework to foster inclusive and green growth and create jobs. 

Adel Ghazalah, CEO of Aghati Sweets, said that the partnership with the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and Outcome-Based Incentives Programme, has been instrumental in the factory's strategic planning for the next five years and facilitated the hiring of 25 per cent women out of the current 480 employees at the factory. 

"We started Aghati in 2016 with a small factory and two branches. In 2024, we have a large factory and four branches, with plans for more. Aghatinow is exporting to 12 Arab and international countries," said Ghazaleh. 

In line with Jordan's Economic Modernisation Vision, the fund aims to revitalise the manufacturing sector after COVID-19, enhance women's participation, and support women entrepreneurs and employees by fostering their involvement in the industrial sector and contributing to broader economic empowerment. 

The fund also aims to facilitate investment and exports by beneficiary firms in the manufacturing sector. 

During the meeting, Chairman of Chamber of Industry Fathi Jaghbier cited the challenges of increasing women participation in the industrial sector, stressing the need for enhancing communication between public and private sectors to reduce unemployment. 

Rama Jayousi, a 26-year-old employee at Aghati, said, "I live in Zarqa and applied to Aghati as production worker. 

Because of my previous experience in data entry, I was promoted to a receptionist." 

"My work at Aghati has boosted my self-confidence and covered my personal needs and provided financial stability," she added. 

The government has set a target to double women participation from 14 per cent to 28 per cent by 2033, according to the Economic Modernisation Vision. 

National Industrial sector employee more than 91,000 females, 35 per cent, out of about 267,000 female and male workers, working in around 18,000 industrial facilities spread across all governorates, Jaghbeir said. 

Last month, the WBG approved a new $221 million project to promote women's economic opportunities in Jordan. 

AMMAN — The Jordanian Businessmen Association (JBA) and the South African embassy in the Kingdom discussed ways to strengthen bilateral economic relations and new opportunities for economic partnership. 

During a meeting held at the embassy on Wednesday, Ambassador of South Africa Tselane Mokuena and JBA President Hamdi Tabbaa discussed South Africa's role in bringing a case against Israeli occupation at the International Court of Justice. 

The case addresses the brutal war crimes and genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza, and South Africa's support for the Palestinian people's resilience in their quest for rights and freedom on their land, and for the independence of the Palestinian state. 

Tabbaa proposed establishing a Jordanian- South African Business Council to explore joint cooperation prospects, and enhance and expand partnerships in various investment, trade, and tourism sectors. 

He highlighted the need to boost trade exchange between the two countries, which does not currently reflect the depth of their developed relations, by creating a direct commercial shipping line between them. 

Tabbaa pointed out Jordan's attractive investment advantages, being a safe and investment-friendly country due to its strategic location in the region. 

For her part, Ambassador Mokuena appreciated the diplomatic efforts of King Abdullah in supporting the Palestinian people, stopping Israeli aggression on Gaza, establishing peace in the region, and ending conflicts. She noted that South Africa shares Jordan's stance in defending the rights of the Palestinian people. 

Mokuena confirmed her country's commitment to enhancing economic and trade relations with the Kingdom, leveraging Jordan's safe and stable business environment, and looking forward to increasing trade exchange, sharing expertise, transferring technology, providing training and empowerment, making investments and achieving integration in various investment, trade and economic sectors. 

The volume of untapped opportunities exceeded $12 million, focusing on the fertiliser and chemical products industries, therapeutic products and medicines, clothing, food products and paper products. 

The trade volume between the two countries reached approximately $136 million in 2022, compared to $63 million in 2021.