International
Argentine water and sanitation privatization plan rejected
November 24 |
The president of the state-owned Agua y Saneamiento Argentinos (AySA), Malena Galmarini, rejected Wednesday the intention of the president-elect of that country, Javier Milei, to privatize a group of public companies, among them the one she has been directing for four years.
Through social networks, Galmarini responded to statements made to a television station by the leader of La Libertad Avanza (LLA), who said that AySA worked very well when it was Aguas Argentinas and was private.
“Everything that we can transfer to the private sector, it is better that the sector does it (…) What has been proven is that everything that the public sector does, it does badly”, said Milei, who during the same interview also expressed that he will privatize Ferrocarriles Argentinos.
Galmarini assured that Aguas Argentinas “only extended the networks to the neighborhoods where they could pay”, so it prioritized financial profitability over the attention to consumers and the quality of the service.
He added that “AySA, only in these four years, built 4,000 km of networks, included 1,500,000 neighbors in the water network and 1,600,000 more in the sewage network. We worked with international credit organizations to advance in transcendental works and also in the home connections of humble families”.
He also reminded Milei of estimates made by the World Health Organization (WHO) that for every dollar invested in water and sewage, seven dollars are saved in the health sector. “Not everything is the same. Not everything works badly!” he questioned the libertarian.
In early November, the secretary general of the Sanitary Works Union, José Luis Lingeri, also opposed statements made by Milei and LLA followers in the direction of privatizing water and sewage services.
Lingeri then defended the value of water as a fundamental right after Milei expressed in a meeting with businessmen that “a company can contaminate a river as much as it wants”.
The union leader expressed that the contamination of water courses “is wreaking havoc in the world” and recalled that “every day 4,000 children die (globally) for lack of safe water and sanitation system”. “To say that water has a zero value is to ignore the existence, that water is life and that it is a universal right and a human right,” he stressed.
In reference to Aguas Argentinas and private management, Lingeri assured that “during privatization, the service was only extended to those who could pay, excluding the vulnerable and disadvantaged sectors. This situation highlights the relevance of the State in guaranteeing access for all”.
International
China calls for dialogue amid rising Iran-Israel conflict
The Chinese government emphasized on Monday the importance of “creating the conditions to return to the proper path of dialogue” between Iran and Israel, which have exchanged attacks in recent days resulting in more than 20 Israeli and over 220 Iranian deaths.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun expressed deep concern at a press conference over the Israeli attacks on Iran and the “sudden escalation” of the military conflict.
Guo called on all parties to “take immediate measures to ease tensions and prevent the region from descending into further turmoil,” stating that “force cannot bring lasting peace.”
“If the conflict between Israel and Iran continues to intensify or even expand, the countries of the Middle East will be the first to suffer the consequences,” he added, while noting that China “will continue to maintain communication with the relevant parties, promoting peace and dialogue.”
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke last Saturday with his Iranian and Israeli counterparts to condemn the Israeli airstrike on Iranian territory, which he described as a “violation of international law” with the potential to trigger “disastrous” consequences.
In both calls, Wang reiterated China’s rejection of the use of force, defended diplomacy as the only solution to the Iranian nuclear dispute, and offered China’s mediation to prevent further destabilization in the Middle East.
International
Suspect arrested in killing of Minnesota legislator and husband, governor Says
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced on Sunday the arrest of Vance Luther Boelter, 57, the main suspect in the killing of Democratic legislator Melissa Hortman and her husband in a Brooklyn Park suburb on Friday night.
Boelter, who also reportedly shot State Senator John Hoffman and his wife early Saturday morning, was apprehended in Sibley County following an intensive manhunt involving hundreds of law enforcement officers.
In a public statement, Governor Walz condemned Boelter’s “unthinkable actions,” which resulted in the death of a woman who “shaped the core of who we are as a state.”
“We cannot become numb to this. We are a deeply divided nation,” Walz said in a statement posted on his X account.
“We move forward not with hatred or violence, but with humility, grace, and civility,” he added.
Expressing solidarity with the victims’ families, Walz said the entire state of Minnesota is in mourning. He also thanked law enforcement for their bravery and professionalism: “They have saved lives,” he emphasized.
“As we heal, we will not let fear win,” Walz concluded. “We must honor Melissa by moving forward with understanding, service, and above all, humanity.”
Throughout Sunday, police and sheriff units searched a rural area in Minnesota for Vance Luther Boelter, a security company director and preacher who, according to Governor Walz, acted out of politically motivated violence.
International
40,000 tourists stranded in Israel amid airspace shutdown over Iran conflict
Approximately 40,000 tourists are stranded in Israel following the closure of the country’s airspace amid escalating hostilities with Iran, the Israeli Ministry of Tourism reported on Monday.
The ministry has set up a virtual office to provide information via email (virtual@goisrael.gov.il) and phone (+972-53-583-5808), as well as a Facebook page called Israel Virtual Tourist Office.
Israeli Tourism Minister Haim Katz is in contact with hotels and accommodations across the country to offer support to tourists in need, the ministry added.
Many stranded travelers are considering crossing overland into Jordan or Egypt to seek flights from those countries. The Israel Airports Authority reminded the public that land border crossings remain open.
Three German tourists stranded in Jerusalem told EFE today that they have not received any assistance from their country’s embassy in Israel, and their primary option currently is to cross into Jordan to catch a flight from there.
Since early Friday morning, Israel launched operations against Iran, targeting military personnel and infrastructure, including energy and nuclear facilities, as well as numerous residential areas in Tehran.
In response, Iran has fired hundreds of ballistic missiles at Israel, some of which have struck various locations across the country, leaving at least 24 dead so far, according to Israeli authorities.
Iranian health officials report at least 224 deaths, mostly civilians, including at least 17 senior military officials—nine from the Revolutionary Guard—and more than a dozen nuclear scientists.
The Israeli military has warned that many more “targets” remain, while Iran’s Revolutionary Guard declared on Monday that it will continue missile attacks against Israel until its “destruction.”
China calls for dialogue amid rising Iran-Israel conflict
Suspect arrested in killing of Minnesota legislator and husband, governor Says
40,000 tourists stranded in Israel amid airspace shutdown over Iran conflict
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