Adapting in the face of climate change in rural Kenya
“Will there be rain? I can’t tell. People used to come to me for advice, but now I tell them that I am also wondering what is happening,” says Clement Mangi, a traditional weather forecaster and farmer from Kenya. He uses traditional forecasting methods passed down for generations. But in recent years, most of the things that used to be definite signs of imminent rainfall are no longer reliable. Eighty percent of food produced across many communities in Africa comes from small-scale farmers like Mangi. This sector is highly vulnerable to extreme weather. While the continent is responsible for only a fraction of global greenhouse emissions, it is heavily affected by climate change. After five failed rainfall seasons, communities in the Horn of Africa were hit by what became known as the worst drought in 40 years, between late 2020 and early 2023. Seven million children under the age of five became malnourished and urgently needed nutrition assistance across Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia. While climate change is listed as a leading cause of the rise in global hunger, there are big gaps in weather observations and early warning services. Information that would help local farmers better prepare themselves for extreme weather and adapt their farming to secure a good harvest, is missing. In Kenya, some people are working hard to change that. Adblock test (Why?)
US Yazidis sue France’s Lafarge for aiding ISIL violence
Hundreds of Yazidi Americans have launched a class action lawsuit accusing French cement maker Lafarge of supporting violence carried out by ISIL (ISIS). Led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Nadia Murad, the group filed the lawsuit on Thursday at a court in east New York, accusing the French conglomerate of conspiring to provide material support to a campaign of violence. Now United States citizens, the Yazidis are survivors of ISIL violence that started when the group targeted their homeland of Sinjar in northern Iraq in 2014. During that campaign, Murad was kidnapped and held by ISIL for three months. After escaping and fleeing to Germany, she became an activist working with survivors of trafficking and genocide. In 2016, she sued ISIL commanders with the help of Clooney. In 2018 she was awarded the peace prize. “When ISIS attacked Sinjar, my family was killed, and I was taken captive as a slave. I was exploited and assaulted every single day until my escape,” said Murad. The plaintiffs were represented by human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, former US diplomat Lee Wolosky, and US law firm Jenner & Block. According to the lawsuit, Lafarge “aided and abetted ISIS’s acts of international terrorism and conspired with ISIS and its intermediaries”. The plaintiffs demand that the company “must pay compensation to the survivors”. Lafarge has admitted to a conspiracy that aided ISIL by providing millions of dollars in cash to the group, according to a statement by law firm Jenner & Block and is alleged to have provided ISIL with cement to construct underground tunnels and bunkers used to shelter ISIL members and hold hostages, including captured Yazidis. This is not the first time the company has faced such accusations. Families of US soldiers and aid workers killed or injured by ISIL fighters at the al-Nusra Front filed a similar lawsuit against Lafarge in July. The French company also pleaded guilty last October in a US court to a charge that it made payments to groups designated as terrorists by the United States, including ISIL, so that it could continue operating in Syria. Lafarge agreed to pay $778m in forfeiture and fines as part of the plea agreement. “It is shocking that a leading global corporation worked hand in hand with ISIS while ISIS was executing American civilians and committing genocide against Yazidis,” Clooney said in a statement. “We hope that this case will send a clear message that supporting terrorists cannot be ‘business as usual’ and that there will be justice for the victims.” Centuries of persecution For centuries, the Yazidis have been persecuted for their religious beliefs by the Ottomans, Arabs and most recently, ISIL. “Our religion is an ancient Mesopotamian one, connected to nature. We pray to Tawusî Melek, who is symbolised as a peacock. So, because we pray to a ‘peacock angel,’ we’ve been called ‘devil worshippers,’” Wahhab Hassoo, co-director of NL Helpt Yezidis, a Dutch organisation fighting for the rights of the community, told Al Jazeera. Yazidis mainly inhabit the mountainous regions of northwest Iraq. They consider the mountain valleys of Lalish and Sinjar sacred. The community can also be found in parts of Turkey, Armenia and Syria. ISIL views Yazidis as devil-worshippers. When the group took control of Iraq’s major cities in 2014, it killed and enslaved thousands, forcing many into camps for displaced people in Syria and Iraq. Some also fled to other parts of the world to seek refuge. Women members of Iraq’s Yazidi community hold photos of victims of the August 2014 massacre carried out in the Sinjar region by ISIL fighters, during a commemoration of the eighth anniversary of the massacre at the Temple of Lalish, the holiest temple of the faith, in the Lalish valley near the Iraqi Kurdish city of Dohuk [File: Ismael Adnan/AFP] In 2016, The US determined ISIL committed genocide against Christians, Yazidis and Shia Muslims. In May 2021, Karim Asad Ahmad Khan, special adviser and head of the United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Da’esh/ISIL (UNITAD), said: “I can confirm to the [UN Security] Council that based on our independent criminal investigations, UNITAD has established clear and convincing evidence that genocide was committed by ISIL against the Yazidi as a religious group.” Murad said that the tragedy for them is that the horrors they experienced took place under the awareness and support of powerful corporations like Lafarge. “Still, the responsible parties have not been held accountable,” she said. “In filing this lawsuit, I stand alongside my fellow Yazidi Americans seeking justice and accountability from those whose actions enabled our nightmare.” Adblock test (Why?)
Diseases spread in Gaza amid health system collapse, Israeli strikes
The besieged residents of the Gaza Strip who have so far survived Israel’s bombs and bullets, are increasingly faced with the spread of diseases amid heavy winter rains that have flooded their makeshift shelters, and an acute shortage of food and potable water. Doctors and aid workers have warned of epidemics given the dire humanitarian situation and with the enclave’s health system on its knees. From November 29 to December 10, cases of diarrhoea in children under five jumped 66 percent to 59,895, and increased by 55 percent for the rest of the population, according to data from the World Health Organization (WHO). The UN health agency cautioned that the figures likely did not provide the full picture because of a lack of complete information with the health system and other services in Gaza near collapse. Ahmed al-Farra, the head of the paediatric ward at Nasser hospital in Khan Younis in southern Gaza, said this week that his ward was overrun with children suffering extreme dehydration, causing kidney failure in some cases, while severe diarrhoea was four times higher than normal. He said he was aware of 15 to 30 cases of hepatitis A in Khan Younis in the past two weeks: “The incubation period of the virus is three weeks to a month, so after a month there will be an explosion in the number of cases of hepatitis A.” In its latest report on conditions in Gaza, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said the WHO has reported cases of meningitis, chickenpox, jaundice and upper respiratory tract infections. Since the truce between Israel and Hamas collapsed on December 1, hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to shelter in abandoned buildings, schools and tents. Many more are sleeping in the open with little access to toilets or water to bathe, aid workers said. Twenty-one of Gaza’s 36 hospitals are closed, 11 are partially functional and four are minimally functional, according to WHO figures from December 10. Adblock test (Why?)
Israel-Hamas war: List of key events, day 70
EXPLAINER Raids continue on Jenin and Kamal Adwan Hospital amid mass protests calling for a ceasefire – here are major updates. Here’s how things stand on Friday, December 15, 2023: Latest developments A court in the Netherlands will rule today on whether the Dutch government needs to stop supplying F-35 fighter jet parts to Israel, according to news reports. Jewish protesters in the United States organised demonstrations for a ceasefire in Gaza across eight major cities, blocking roads in some places. “On the 8th night of Hanukkah, 8 cities, 8 bridges,” activist group Jewish Voice for Peace wrote of the protests on social media. Benjamin Reese, a 51-year-old middle school teacher in the US, was arrested last week after he threatened to “behead’” a Muslim child offended by an Israeli flag hung in the classroom, news outlets reported on Thursday. German authorities said on Thursday that they have arrested four people suspected of being linked to Hamas and plotting to attack Jewish sites. A wartime opinion poll among Palestinians published on Wednesday shows a rise in support for Hamas while almost 90 percent of people want Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to resign. Human impact and fighting Overnight Israeli attacks on Rafah and Khan Younis in southern Gaza resulted in several casualties, according to the Palestinian Wafa news agency. At least 10 people have been killed since dawn, while dozens of injured people from Khan Younis have been arriving at Nasser hospital, Al Jazeera Arabic reported. Israeli forces raided the Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza for a third day in a row, forcing 2,500 displaced people to leave, while two patients died as a result of troops preventing medical staff from providing support, according to the United Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA). In a three-day raid on Jenin in the occupied West Bank, Israeli soldiers targeted a mosque where they were filmed chanting Jewish prayers and mocking the Islamic call to prayer over a loudspeaker. The Israeli army claimed on Thursday that those soldiers were “immediately removed from operational activity”. Israel’s military said it has recovered the body of a 28-year-old captive from Gaza. Yemen’s Houthi group said on Thursday that it hit an “Israel-bound” cargo ship in the Red Sea with a drone. Diplomacy Israel cancelled a planned trip of Mossad director David Barnea to Qatar where he was expected to restart talks on another captive release deal with Hamas, CNN reported on Thursday, citing a source familiar with the negotiations. While speaking to reporters on Thursday, US President Joe Biden urged Israel to “be focused on how to save civilian lives”, and “be more careful”. In a news conference at the US Capitol on Thursday, labour union leaders joined progressive lawmakers in appealing that the Biden administration call for an Israel-Gaza ceasefire. In a trip to Israel on Thursday, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other members of the Israeli war cabinet. Sullivan discussed a possible transition to “lower-intensity operations” in the near future, but the administration has not put a “timestamp” on the shift, according to White House spokesman John Kirby. Israel’s foreign minister Eli Cohen said on Wednesday that the war on Gaza would continue “with or without international support”. In an interview with Sky News on Wednesday, Israel’s ambassador to the United Kingdom said Israel would no longer accept a two-state solution. Adblock test (Why?)
The top 10 moments that shaped women’s football in 2023
It was the year that saw Australia and New Zealand host the biggest and most-watched FIFA Women’s World Cup, which culminated with Spain’s crowning moment as first-time champions with a win over one of the pre-tournament favourites England. Women’s football giants United States faltered at the quarterfinal stage and several minnow nations lit up the group stage. The World Cup was packed with high-quality action, as well as shocks and feel-good stories and culminated with the launch of Spanish football’s #MeToo movement. Elsewhere, US Soccer delegated Emma Hayes with the job of reviving their fading glory as the highest paid women’s football coach in the world. As the year comes to a close, here’s a look at 10 moments that shaped women’s football in 2023: ‘Ever-growing ACL club’ Months ahead of the World Cup, England captain Leah Williamson, New Zealand striker Katie Rood and several other top players were left to rue their luck after being sidelined with ACL injuries. Rood announced the news with a post on Instagram saying, “I’m sad to say that I’ve joined the ever-growing ACL club”. In order to understand the widespread prevalance of the injury among women footballers, Al Jazeera spoke to a wide range of experts and players, who pointed at a number of factors, including the biological differences between men and women, the difference in their kits and boots, physical stress and workload. Researchers also underlined how women’s menstrual cycles could be a factor in their vulnerability to the injury. Player revolt precedes Spain’s historic win Nearly a year before Spain’s glorious run at the World Cup, the Spanish football federation (RFEF) and its players were embroiled in a months-long stand-off. The “Las 15” – a group of 15 players demanded changes to the national team set-up and made themselves unavailable for selection, directing the majority of their complaints at coach Jorge Vilda. They sought improvements in working conditions, blaming them for their poor emotional and physical health. Later, the players entered talks with the federation and three of them, including Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmati, were included in Spain’s World Cup squad that landed the La Roja their first world title. The player revolt continued after the World Cup in the wake of the scandal surrounding Luis Rubiales’s forced kiss on player Jenni Hermoso’s mouth. However, the squad agreed to end their boycott in October after Rubiales was banned for three years by FIFA and the Spanish federation promised to make “immediate and profound changes.” When Hannah Dingley took over as the head coach of English League Two club Forest Green Rovers, albeit temporarily, she became the first woman to manage a professional men’s football team in England. Dingley stayed at the position for two weeks but was credited for breaking the glass ceiling for young girls taking up managerial roles in men’s football. Previously, Portuguese coach Helena Costa became first woman to coach a men’s football team in France when, in 2014, she took charge of then-league two French club Clermont Foot. Several women have taken up coaching roles in men’s academy teams, but not many have been handed the reins of top-flight men’s teams. We can confirm that Hannah Dingley has been named our Caretaker Head Coach. Dingley will take charge of the team for tomorrow night’s friendly at Melksham Town.#WeAreFGR💚 — Forest Green Rovers (@FGRFC_Official) July 4, 2023 Morocco shine at historic first World Cup Football fans and experts may have believed that Morocco had done their bit by becoming the first Arab team to qualify for the Women’s World Cup, but the Atlas Lionesses were out to prove them wrong. “It’s amazing to keep creating history,” star striker Rosella Ayane told Al Jazeera after her team made it to the round of 16 at the tournament. Back home, from Fez to Marrakech and beyond, fans gathered in cafes, homes and on the streets to get behind the women in red and green as they took on their former coloniser France in the knockout round. Despite their disappointing loss at the hands of the French, the rise of the Atlas Lionesses, several of whom play league football in Europe, endeared them to the football-mad African nation. المستحيل ليس مغربيا 🇲🇦🤯 𝐑𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐋𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬#DimaMaghrib #OneGameOneFamily #AtlasLionesses pic.twitter.com/TEpTEyESh3 — Équipe du Maroc (@EnMaroc) August 3, 2023 Hijab-clad Nouhaila Benzina breaks barriers Morocco had plenty to say at the tournament Down Under as Nouhaila Benzina became the first Muslim woman wearing a hijab to play at the World Cup. Football fans, especially Muslim women, lauded Benzina for breaking the barrier. Millions around the world watched as she stepped on the field in the hijab a month after France banned the Islamic headscarf during games. Activist Shaista Aziz was among the scores of Muslim women who backed Benzina on social media. “The significance of this is HUGE for many #Muslim girls and women including myself,” Aziz wrote on X. Morocco’s Nouhaila Benzina, left, and France’s Kenza Dali compete for the ball during the Women’s World Cup round of 16 soccer match between France and Morocco in Adelaide, Australia, Tuesday, August 8, 2023. [James Elsby/AP Photo] The USWNT juggernaut comes to a halt Most of the pre-tournament predictions and talks were centred at the US Women’s National Team’s prospects of completing a “three-peat” or an unprecedented third consecutive and fifth overall world title. The women’s football giants began their campaign with a 3-0 thrashing of minnows Vietnam, but cracks began to show as they struggled against a strong Dutch side in their second group-stage match, which ended in a 1-1 draw. Needing to avoid a loss to stay in the tournament, they earned a goalless draw against Portugal. However, the juggernaut came to a halt on August 6 as Sweden knocked out the holders in a madcap penalty shootout (5-4). The talismanic retiring great Megan Rapinoe came off the bench to replace forward Alex Morgan in extra time but was unable to create a winner for the Americans who slumped to
Japan expands sanctions over Russia’s war in Ukraine
Tokyo adds 57 Russian new organisations to its trade blacklist in latest measures to punish Moscow. Japan has expanded its sanctions targeting Russia over its war in Ukraine, banning Russian diamonds for non-industrial use and adding dozens of firms and organisations to its trade blacklist. The expanded export blacklist announced on Friday includes 57 organisations in Russia and six organisations in the United Arab Emirates, Syria, Uzbekistan and Armenia. The latest measures bring the total number of Russian organisations under sanctions to 494. Twenty-seven entities from Belarus, one of Russia’s closest allies, have also been sanctioned. The expanded sanctions come after the Group of Seven (G7) countries earlier this month held a virtual summit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to show solidarity with Kyiv. Under Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Japan has taken a tougher stand against Moscow than any other country in the region, where governments have been hesitant to take sides in the war. During the G7 summit in Hiroshima in May, Kishida pledged “unwavering solidarity” with Ukraine while condemning attempts anywhere to use force to change the status quo. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a high-profile visit to Hiroshima during that summit to urge the international community to do everything it can to ensure Russia is the “last aggressor”. Tokyo, a key US ally and the only Asian member of the G7, has cast Moscow’s invasion as a threat to peace everywhere and linked the fate of Ukraine to the security of nearby Taiwan, which China has threatened to “reunify” with the Chinese mainland if necessary. Moscow last year blacklisted more than 380 Japanese parliamentarians in retaliation for Tokyo’s stance on the war, accusing the lawmakers of “adopting an unfriendly, anti-Russian position notably by expressing unfounded accusations against our country concerning the special military operation in Ukraine”. Adblock test (Why?)
US highlights AI as risk to financial system for first time
Financial Stability Oversight Council says emerging technology poses ‘safety-and-soundness risks’ as well as benefits. Financial regulators in the United States have named artificial intelligence (AI) as a risk to the financial system for the first time. In its latest annual report, the Financial Stability Oversight Council said the growing use of AI in financial services is a “vulnerability” that should be monitored. While AI offers the promise of reducing costs, improving efficiency, identifying more complex relationships and improving performance and accuracy, it can also “introduce certain risks, including safety-and-soundness risks like cyber and model risks,” the FSOC said in its annual report released on Thursday. The FSOC, which was established in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis to identify excessive risks in the financial system, said developments in AI should be monitored to ensure that oversight mechanisms “account for emerging risks” while facilitating “efficiency and innovation”. Authorities must also “deepen expertise and capacity” to monitor the field, the FSOC said. US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, who chairs the FSOC, said that the uptake of AI may increase as the financial industry adopts emerging technologies and the council will play a role in monitoring “emerging risks”. “Supporting responsible innovation in this area can allow the financial system to reap benefits like increased efficiency, but there are also existing principles and rules for risk management that should be applied,” Yellen said. US President Joe Biden in October issued a sweeping executive order on AI that focused largely on the technology’s potential implications for national security and discrimination. Governments and academics worldwide have expressed concerns about the break-neck speed of AI development, amid ethical questions spanning individual privacy, national security and copyright infringement. In a recent survey carried out by Stanford University researchers, tech workers involved in AI research warned that their employers were failing to put in place ethical safeguards despite their public pledges to prioritise safety. Last week, European Union policymakers agreed on landmark legislation that will require AI developers to disclose data used to train their systems and carry out testing of high-risk products. Adblock test (Why?)
Zelenskyy hails ‘victory’ as EU agrees to open membership talks for Ukraine
European Council President Charles Michel says agreement a ‘signal of hope for their people and for our continent’. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has hailed a “victory” for Ukraine and the European continent after European Union leaders agreed to open membership talks with his country despite months of opposition from Hungary about Kyiv joining. The decision was announced on Thursday at a summit of the 27 EU countries, at which the bloc also agreed to open formal membership negotiations with Moldova. European Council President Charles Michel, host of the summit, announced the agreement in a social media post, calling it “a clear signal of hope for their people and for our continent”. Zelenskyy welcomed the decision as “a victory for Ukraine. A victory for all of Europe. A victory that motivates, inspires, and strengthens,” he said in a post on X. European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said it was “a strategic decision and a day that will remain engraved in the history of our union”. “These countries belong to the European family,” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said. Michel said the summit granted EU candidate status to Georgia and would also advance an EU bid by another hopeful – Bosnia and Herzegovina – once it reaches “the necessary degree of compliance” with criteria. From left, Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer and Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob speak during a round-table meeting at an EU summit in Brussels on December 14, 2023 [Omar Havana/AP Photo] Hungary not in the summit room EU diplomats said Hungary’s prime minister, Viktor Orban, was not in the summit room for the vote on Ukraine but knew and agreed other leaders would vote in his absence. For weeks, Orban had promised to block the deal, which on Thursday he called a “bad decision”. “Hungary’s stance is clear: Ukraine is not prepared for us to start talks on EU membership,” he said, calling the decision “irrational” and “inappropriate”. Hungary’s leader had gone into the summit also promising to deny Kyiv 50 billion euros ($54bn) in financial aid that the government desperately needs to stay afloat during its war with Russia. “Twenty-six member states were adamant that this decision must be made, so Hungary decided that if 26 decide so, they should go on their own path and Hungary does not wish to participate in this bad decision,” Orban said. The EU, whose members still cherish their independence on strategic and foreign affairs issues, generally works by consensus. Negotiations continue on the aid for Ukraine, Orban said. Earlier this week, Zelenskyy travelled to the US, where he lobbied for more American aid, but his request faces large hurdles in passing the US Congress. Some EU leaders had warned earlier in the day that not agreeing to start negotiations with Ukraine would have been seen as a victory for Russian President Vladimir Putin. Ukraine launched its bid to become part of the EU after Moscow’s invasion in February 2022 and was officially named a candidate to join in June that year. Fellow former Soviet republic and neighbour Moldova had applied at the same time as Ukraine. The war in Ukraine has breathed new life into the EU’s stalled push to take on new members as the bloc looks to keep Russian and Chinese influence at bay. In June 2022, the European Commission set Kyiv seven reform benchmarks to complete, including tackling corruption and curbing the power of its oligarchs, before talks should start. Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmygal said the EU’s decision on Thursday showed that it “highly appreciated the reforms we have made in recent years and the implementation of all the recommendations of the European Commission”. “A difficult path lies ahead. We are united and ready,” he said. The talks themselves are likely to take years. EU treaties oblige members to help “by all means in their power” another EU country that is victim of armed aggression on its territory. If Ukraine becomes an EU member while the war with Russia is ongoing, EU countries would have to respect that. The EU would also acquire a long new border with Russia and Belarus with implications for security, migration and defence. Adblock test (Why?)
Israeli soldiers recite Jewish prayers, Hannukah songs inside Jenin mosque
NewsFeed Israeli soldiers have been disciplined after video surfaced of them singing Hannukah songs and reciting Jewish prayers inside a mosque. The soldiers, who are conducting raids in Jenin in the occupied West Bank, have been suspended from duty. Published On 14 Dec 202314 Dec 2023 Adblock test (Why?)
Labour leaders push President Biden for a Gaza ceasefire at US Capitol
Washington, DC – Influential labour leaders have joined progressive legislators in the United States Capitol to push the administration of President Joe Biden to support a ceasefire in war-torn Gaza. In a news conference on Thursday, representatives from United Auto Workers (UAW), United Electrical Workers and the American Postal Workers Union framed their appeal as part of a long history of labour movements supporting human rights at home and abroad. “We know unions provide a bridge toward fighting all forms of hatred, phobias, racism, sexism, anti-Semitism, homophobia, Islamophobia and more,” said Shawn Fain, president of the UAW. “Now it’s time for the rest of our elected leaders to step up and do what it takes to end the violence.” The news conference was organised by Democratic Representatives Cori Bush and Rashida Tlaib, who introduced legislation in October calling for a ceasefire. Over 18,700 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza so far, amid an ongoing Israeli military offensive. “As an activist and organiser and a proud daughter of a former union member, I know that the foundational message of every guild is to stand with the people, to fight for their dignity and to advocate for those most marginalised,” Bush said at the press conference. “Our humanity needs a ceasefire, and that is precisely why I’m so happy to have unions here today to join in this fight, because we know that unions know how to organise. Unions know how to mobilise and galvanise and energise.” ‘Time for workers to leverage our labour power’ Both the Congress members and the labour leaders used the press conference to underscore the political power that unions wield. The UAW, for instance, represents an estimated 400,000 active members, while the American Postal Service Union boasts 330,000 workers. They hinted there could be consequences for Biden at the ballot box, should he fail to heed their call for a ceasefire. “As the US funds Israel’s campaign of terror, we, the workers, are footing the bill for the massacre of innocents in Palestine,” said Janvi Madhani of the United Electrical Workers. “This is the time for workers to leverage our labour power and electoral power to stand in uncompromising solidarity with the cause of Palestinian freedom.” Judy Beard, a representative of the American Postal Workers Union, indicated that her organisation’s call for a ceasefire reflected wider views among the US public. “As a union that stands for equality, social justice, human labour rights and international solidarity, we unite with millions of good people [and] members of Congress,” she said. Her union first announced its support for a ceasefire on November 8. Most ‘pro-labour’ president in history Biden has long touted himself as the “most pro-union president in American history”. But while he enjoyed the endorsement of both the UAW and the American Postal Workers Union during the 2020 presidential race, his unwillingness to call for a ceasefire could alienate the unions as he seeks reelection in 2024. The Democratic president has been reluctant to criticise Israel’s military offensive in Gaza, citing the country’s “right to defend itself” in the wake of an October 7 attack that left 1,200 people dead. But the subsequent war on Gaza has killed thousands, many of them women and children. Entire neighbourhoods have been levelled, with United Nations experts warning of a “grave risk of genocide” in the Palestinian territory. The spiralling humanitarian crisis in Gaza has provoked widespread outcry. Even Biden has warned that “indiscriminate bombing” could cause Israel to lose public support. Still, many within Biden’s own party have criticised him for his “unwavering support” for Israel. As of Wednesday, an estimated 62 members of the US Congress have called for a ceasefire, according to the Working Families Party, a left-leaning political group. A Reuters/Ipsos poll released last month also showed 68 percent of Americans supported calls for a ceasefire. That number was even higher among Democrats alone. Rallying union support As the 2024 presidential race nears, surveys show Biden falling behind his chief Republican rival Donald Trump in key swing states like Michigan, which boasts large Arab and Muslim American communities. A Bloomberg News/Morning Consult poll released this month showed Trump leading Biden 46 percent to 42 in a one-on-one matchup in the state. But Biden has made strides in trying to woo Michigan’s relatively large body of union workers. An estimated 14 percent of “wage and salary workers” in the state belong to a union, higher than the national average of 10 percent. In September, Biden flew to Michigan, where he became the first sitting US president to visit a picket line of striking UAW workers. The auto union, at the time, was in the midst of its first-ever strike against all of the “Big Three” car companies: General Motors, Ford and Stellantis. The strike was also the union’s longest in nearly a quarter century, and it resulted in higher wages and better benefits for auto workers. But Trump also sought to appeal to auto workers during the strike, holding a rally a day after Biden’s appearance on the picket line. The UAW has yet to endorse a candidate for the 2024 race. With its headquarters based in Detroit, Michigan, it has significant sway in so-called “Rust Belt” states, where manufacturing has been a historic driver of the local economy. “I call on the rest of the labour movement to join us in this mission for peace and social justice for all of humanity,” Fain, the UAW president, said on Thursday, pushing other union leaders to join the call for a ceasefire. Adblock test (Why?)