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NAVACETANA'

The Voice of Girls Proutist

Monday 5th August 2024
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THE WORLD NEWS – SATURDAY WEEKLY

AUGUST 3, 2024

Education

“250 MILLION CHILDREN WORLDWIDE ARE OUT OF THE CLASSROOM”

The Global Partnership for Education (GPE) is the largest global fund dedicated
solely to building strong and resilient education in lower-income countries
worldwide. For two decades, GPE has been working in countries racked by poverty
and conflict — so that more children, especially girls, can get the education
they need.

Laura Frigenti has been CEO of GPE since February 2021

We are unfortunately not on track and the bad news is that all the good progress
made in previous decades has been partly reversed by the COVID-19 pandemic,
which has kept schools closed in some countries for about three years. The bad
news is that we see that children are not coming back — at least not in the
volumes that we would like to see. And the particularly bad news is that girls
are not coming back as much as boys are.

The needs are pretty much the same across all regions. We need to bring back
into school those 250 million children worldwide that are out of the classroom
at the moment. We need to make sure that when they are in the classroom they
learn something. At the moment, in low-income countries worldwide, seven out of
10 children complete grade four and still cannot read or write a simple
sentence, which means that all these investments in education haven’t actually
brought good results.

How can we give extra help to the most vulnerable, such as girls and children
with disabilities?

In the specific case of girls and vulnerable girls, a lot of the work needs to
be done with the community. It’s often parents and the community at large that
do not appreciate how important it is for girls, indeed all children, to be in
school. That is our starting point, which is now yielding some good results.

What innovations can improve access to education? How can we best apply new
technologies, policies and processes to ensure maximum impact?

The single most important thing is for governments to understand that nobody
should be left behind. We then need to work closely with local leaders to
understand what are the bottlenecks. For example, why do parents decide not to
send children to school? Is it because the school is far from home and they
think the journey is dangerous for girls? We have to correct that.

I would say that the most important innovation is actually something simple: You
have to be grounded in local reality to understand what the specificity of your
problems are.

https://reliefweb.int/report/world/250-million-children-worldwide-are-out-classroom

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History

AMERICA’S FIRST FEMALE OLYMPIC CHAMPION NEVER KNEW SHE WAS AN OLYMPIAN

Margaret Abbott spent her life unaware that a golf tournament she won was part
of the 1900 Summer Olympics.

After 22-year-old American Margaret Abbott won the women’s golf tournament at
the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris, no gold medal was draped around her neck.
There was no standing atop a podium as the Stars and Stripes was raised, no
homecoming parade, no photo on the front of a Wheaties box.

In fact, Abbott walked off the course unaware that she had just become the first
American woman to win an Olympic event, and she remained oblivious to her place
in sports history until her death in 1955.

The 1900 Summer Olympics bore little resemblance to today’s global sporting
spectacle. Far from consuming Paris, the second staging of the modern Olympic
Games was a sideshow to the World’s Fair being held simultaneously in the French
capital. The company that organized the 1900 Paris Exposition also managed the
schedule of loosely organized sporting events that stretched over six months and
included eclectic competitions such as tug-of-war, Basque pelota, kite
flying and pigeon racing.

It was far from clear which events were part of the Olympic program and which
ones were held in conjunction with the World’s Fair. When Abbott entered a golf
tournament staged by the exhibition in October 1900, she thought she was
competing merely for the championship of Paris.

Born in India in 1878, Abbott was an infant when her American father died and
her novelist mother, Mary Abbott, brought her to the United States.

WOMEN MAKE THEIR OLYMPIC DEBUT IN PARIS

Much like the ancient Olympics after which it was modeled, the first modern
Olympic Games in 1896 prohibited women from competing. Four years later,
however, 22 women (out of nearly 1,000 athletes) were permitted to participate
in the 1900 Summer Olympics in select sports deemed socially acceptable for
women such as croquet, equestrianism, tennis and golf.

After her triumph, Margaret Abbott received an old Saxon porcelain bowl mounted
in chiseled gold but no indication she had won an Olympic event. (Gold medals
did not become the traditional prize for Olympic champions until the 1904 Summer
Games.)

https://www.history.com/news/margaret-abbott-first-american-woman-olympic-win

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Climate

WORLD’S FORESTS FAILED TO CURB 2023 CLIMATE EMISSIONS, STUDY FINDS

Forests and other land ecosystems failed to curb climate change in 2023 as
intense drought in the Amazon rainforest and record wildfires in Canada hampered
their natural ability to absorb carbon dioxide, according to a study presented
on Monday.

That means a record amount of carbon dioxide entered Earth’s atmosphere last
year, further feeding global warming, the researchers said.

Plant life helps to slow climate change by taking in huge amounts of carbon
dioxide, the main greenhouse gas driving global warming. Forests and other land
ecosystems on average absorb nearly a third of annual emissions from fossil
fuels, industry and other human causes.

But in 2023, that carbon sink collapsed, according to study co-author Philippe
Ciais of the Laboratory for Climate and Environmental Sciences (LSCE), a French
research organization.

“The sink is a pump, and we are pumping less carbon from the atmosphere into the
land,” Ciais said in an interview. “Suddenly the pump is choking, and it’s
pumping less.”

As a result, the growth rate of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere jumped 86% in
2023 compared to 2022, the researchers said.

Scientists at Tsinghua University in China, the University of Exeter in England
and LSCE led the research into what caused the shift. Their study was presented
at the International Carbon Dioxide Conference in Manaus, Brazil.

A major driver was record high temperatures globally that dried out vegetation
in the Amazon and other rainforests, preventing them from taking up more carbon
while also fueling record fires in Canada, the study found.

https://ddnews.gov.in/en/worlds-forests-failed-to-curb-2023-climate-emissions-study-finds/

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Agriculture

IF WE ARE TO LOWER FOOD PRICES AND SUPPORT FARMERS, WE NEED TO RESTORE LAND

Land restoration is the key to a well-functioning food system, healthier nature
and stable climate.

In recent years, people everywhere have endured soaring food prices, coupled
with growing concerns for the wellbeing of those who produce food. There are
multiple reasons for these higher food costs: from geopolitical tensions to the
COVID-19 pandemic to accelerating climate change. Farmers, retailers and
consumers are all feeling the heat.

However, drought and land degradation, which are exacerbated by climate change,
are the gravest threats to livestock and crops worldwide. This is one of the
reasons why this year’s World Environment Day is calling for land protection and
restoration to address land degradation, drought and desertification – and bring
immediate social, economic and environmental net gains.

Land degradation and drought harm 3.2 billion people worldwide, including
across East Africa, India, the Amazon basin, and large swaths of the United
States. In Europe, even though summer is not yet in full swing, some areas are
already on drought alert. In the near future, one in five people in China will
face more droughts. Australia’s farmers are bracing for a 20-year-long
megadrought. In the next 25 years, land degradation might reduce food
productivity by 12 percent and raise food prices by almost a third. In the same
period, the average family income will drop by 20 percent because of climate
change. This is a global problem.

Delaying action on climate and nature loss pushes us into a vicious cycle:
climate change further degrades soils, which makes farmers’ work harder and less
profitable. They need more subsidies, chemicals and fertilisers to make more of
less-fertile land, delivering less-nutritious food, and exacerbating the triple
planetary crisis of climate change, nature and land loss, and pollution and
waste.

We can stop this vicious cycle by helping nature to regenerate. The results
already in are phenomenal. Multiple initiatives to build back degraded
farmlands, forests, savannas, grasslands, peatlands and cities are making vast
areas arable again and creating hundreds of thousands of new jobs. This is
happening across the Mediterranean, in Africa, South and East Asia and in Small
Island Developing States like Vanuatu. Areas like the Central American
corridor that previously depended on aid have become self-sufficient following
restoration efforts.

https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2024/6/5/if-we-are-to-lower-food-prices-and-support-farmers-we-need-to-restore-land

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Health

CONNECTIONS BETWEEN OBESITY AND HEART FAILURE

A new small study led by Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers and published July
25th in the journal Nature Cardiovascular Research has revealed the impact of
obesity on muscle structure in patients having a form of heart failure called
heart failure with a preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).

According to the Journal of Cardiac Failure, HFpEF represents more than half of
all heart failure world-wide.

Originally, this form of heart disease was associated with having a high blood
pressure and along with this, excess muscle growth (hypertrophy) to help counter
the pressures. Over the past 2 decades, HFpEF is occurring more often in
patients with severe obesity and diabetes according to the Journal of the
American College of Cardiology. However, there are still very few effective
HFpEF therapies, and a challenge in developing therapies has been the lack of
studies in human heart tissue to determine exactly what is abnormal.

“HFpEF is a complex syndrome, involving abnormalities in many different organs,”
says lead investigator David Kass, M.D., Professor of Medicine at the Johns
Hopkins University School of Medicine. “We call it heart failure (HF) because
its symptoms are similar to those found in patients with hearts that are weak.
However, with HFpEF, heart contraction seems fine, yet heart failure symptoms
still exist. While many prior efforts to treat HFpEF using standard HF drugs
have not worked, success has since come from drugs used to treat diabetes and
obesity.”

To perform the study, the research team obtained a small piece of muscle tissue
from 25 patients who had been diagnosed with varying degrees of HFpEF caused by
diabetes and obesity and compared them to heart tissue from 14 organ donors
whose hearts were considered to be normal. They examined the muscle using an
electron microscope that shows muscle structure at a very high magnification.

Mariam Meddeb, M.D., MS, cardiovascular disease specialist at the Johns Hopkins
University School of Medicine, who conducted the study says, “Unlike viewing the
heart with a traditional microscope, the electron microscope allows us to
magnify the image to 40,000 times its size. This provides a very clear picture
inside the muscle cell, what we call ultrastructure, such as mitochondria that
are the energy power plants, and sarcomeres (unit of muscle fiber) that generate
force.”

The researchers found notable ultrastructural abnormalities were particularly
present in tissue of the most obese patients who had HEpEF, which had
mitochondria that were swollen, pale, and disrupted, had many fat droplets, and
their sarcomeres appeared tattered. These abnormalities were not related to
whether the patient had diabetes, and were less prominent in patients who were
less obese.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/08/240801142231.htm

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Space

A MOON OF URANUS COULD HAVE A HIDDEN OCEAN, JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE FINDS

The Webb space telescope has new observations of Ariel – a moon of the outer
planet Uranus – suggesting that Ariel might harbor an ice-covered, subsurface
ocean. Icy ocean worlds in our outer solar system are a big deal. Scientists are
so fascinated by the possibility that they’re sending a space mission to another
potential ocean moon, Jupiter’s moon Europa. Why? Because they think these ocean
moons might be homes for life! On July 24, 2024, a research team led by the
Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (JHUAPL) in Laurel, Maryland, pointed
to the surprising presence of carbon dioxide on the surface of Ariel. They said
these deposits might be replenished by a liquid ocean hidden in Ariel’s
interior.

The researchers published their new peer-reviewed study in The Astrophysical
Journal Letters on July 24, 2024.

THE MYSTERY OF ARIEL’S CARBON DIOXIDE ICE

The major clue to a subsurface ocean comes from Ariel’s frozen surface. Ariel’s
surface is geologically the youngest of Uranus’ 28 known moons. It is largely
covered by water, carbon dioxide and ammonia ices.

The carbon dioxide ice surprised astronomers. Ariel has no detectable
atmosphere, so even in the extreme cold where Uranus orbits the sun, it
should sublimate (turn to gas). But since there is a fair amount of it on the
moon’s surface, something must be re-supplying it on an on-going basis. Also,
most of the ice is on Ariel’s trailing hemisphere. That’s the hemisphere that
always faces away from the moon’s direction of motion in its orbit.

Scientists have proposed two main theories over the years. One is that charged
particles in Uranus’ magnetosphere or solar radiation interact with Ariel’s
surface. This could create carbon dioxide through a process called radiolysis.

The other possibility is that primordial carbon dioxide is trapped by water ice
in Ariel’s interior. Outgassing could then leave deposits of carbon dioxide ice
on the surface.

The new observations from Webb suggest the second option is more likely.

https://www.space.com/uranus-moon-ariel-hidden-ocean-james-webb-space-telescope

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Politics

KENYA’S TURMOIL WIDENS AS ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTESTERS CLASH WITH EMERGING
PRO-GOVERNMENT GROUP

A wave of protests is sweeping through Kenya. Triggered by controversial
proposed tax hikes, the movement has evolved into a wider campaign for more
accountable governance in the country. Some demand the entire government’s
resignation

NAIROBI, Kenya — Anti-government protesters in Kenya’s capital clashed with an
emerging pro-government group on Tuesday, with hundreds swarming and burning a
motorcycle belonging to people who expressed support for the country’s
president. The military made a rare deployment as the protests focused on the
country’s main airport.

The weeks of turmoil in East Africa’s economic hub have led to dozens of deaths,
the firing of most Cabinet members and calls for President William Ruto’s
resignation. Protests began with Kenyans’ rejecting a proposed bill to impose
more taxes as millions in the country barely get by amid rising prices.

The pro-government movement has emerged to counter the youth-led anti-government
one. In Nairobi on Tuesday, the pro-government group took to the streets ahead
of the latest anti-government demonstration.

One protester, Charles Onyango, questioned why police were not confronting the
pro-government demonstrators yet again dispersed those calling for change.

“Police are just standing by and letting these (suspected) hired goons to
disrupt our protests and cause chaos,” Onyango said.

It was not immediately clear who was behind the pro-government movement.

Kenya’s main airport was meant to be the site of the latest protest, and
anti-government demonstrators lit bonfires in a suburb along the highway that
leads to it. Airport officials asked travelers to arrive early, and flights
continued.

Police hurled tear-gas canisters at hundreds of protesters who blocked another
road that leads to the airport, and the military was deployed to the Pipeline
area east of the capital.

Protests also were reported in Kenya’s second largest city, the Indian Ocean
port of Mombasa, as well as the city of Kisumu on Lake Victoria and Migori.

Kenya’s anti-government protests are in their fifth week. Under pressure,
President William Ruto declined to sign the bill imposing new taxes
and dismissed almost all Cabinet ministers, but protesters continue to call for
his resignation.

At least 50 people have died and 413 others have been injured in the protests
since June 18, according to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights. The
political opposition is demanding that families of those killed be compensated
and that charges against those arrested during protests be dropped.

https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/pro-anti-government-protesters-clash-kenya-police-hurl-112189350

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Human Rights

NEW ZEALAND TO APOLOGISE AFTER INQUIRY FINDS 200,000 CHILDREN AND VULNERABLE
ADULTS ABUSED IN CARE

WELLINGTON, – New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon expressed regret on
Wednesday after a public inquiry found some 200,000 children, young people and
vulnerable adults were abused in state and religious care over the last 70
years.

Nearly one in three children and vulnerable adults in care from 1950 to 2019
experienced some form of abuse, the report found, a finding that could leave the
government facing billions of dollars in fresh compensation claims.

“This is a dark and sorrowful day in New Zealand’s history as a society and as a
state, we should have done better, and I am determined that we will do so,”
Luxon told a news conference.

An official apology will follow on Nov. 12, he added.

Survivors and their supporters filled the public gallery of the country’s
parliament as the report was debated, while still more watched from a separate
room.

After Luxon spoke, likening the abuse against children at one of the state care
facilities, Lake Alice, to torture, many stood and sang an Indigenous Maori song
about love and unity.

The report by Royal Commission of Inquiry spoke to over 2,300 survivors of abuse
in New Zealand, which has a population of 5.3 million. The inquiry detailed a
litany of abuses in state and faith-based care, including rape, sterilisation
and electric shocks, which peaked in the 1970s.

Those from the Indigenous Maori community were especially vulnerable to abuse,
the report found, as well as those with mental or physical disabilities.

Civil and faith leaders fought to cover up abuse by moving abusers to other
locations and denying culpability, with many victims dying before seeing
justice, the report added.

“It is a national disgrace that hundreds of thousands of children, young people
and adults were abused and neglected in the care of the State and faith-based
institutions,” the report said.

It made 138 recommendations, including calling for public apologies from New
Zealand’s government, as well as the Pope and the Archbishop of Canterbury,
heads of the Catholic and Anglican churches respectively, who have previously
condemned child abuse.

PAYOUTS DUE

The report estimated the average lifetime cost to an abuse survivor, that is
what New Zealanders would consider normal, day-to-day activities, was estimated
in 2020 to be approximately NZ$857,000 per person, though the report did not
make clear the amount of compensation available for survivors.

Luxon said he believed the total compensation due to survivors could run into
billions of dollars.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/new-zealand-to-apologise-after-inquiry-finds-200-000-children-and-vulnerable-adults-abused-in-care-101721797960479-amp.html

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Relations

US-RUSSIA PRISONER SWAP: TRUMP’S PROMISE, DELIVERED BY BIDEN

In a high-profile prisoner swap that is being hailed by Biden supporters as a
major victory for the administration, Russia released Wall Street
Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former US marine Paul Whelan, along with
14 others.

In a press statement, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, “Under
President Biden’s leadership, we have secured the release of dozens of Americans
who were held hostage or wrongfully detained.” This set the tone for a political
show of strength by the Democrats in the upcoming days as the party prepares for
its big event in Chicago, the Democratic National Convention on August 19, where
President Biden will be making his baton-handing speech.

A WIN TO SHOW

The prisoner swap provides him with the perfect opportunity to show that his
administration got work done while the Republican nominee Donald Trump made
false claims. What gives Biden a shot in the arm is that Trump had claimed that
Russian President Vladimir Putin would release Evan Gershkovich for him but not
for anyone else (by which he meant President Biden, who was still running for a
second term in May when Trump made this claim). He has been proven wrong in less
than three months.

https://www.ndtv.com/opinion/us-russia-prisoner-swap-trumps-campaign-promise-delivered-by-biden-6246441

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

> EDITORS’ NOTE
>
> Here are the key points regarding President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the
> 2024 presidential race:
>
> • Health and Age Concerns: There were growing concerns about Biden’s age and
> health, which influenced his decision.
> • Poor Debate Performance: Biden’s performance in recent debates was seen as
> lackluster, contributing to doubts about his viability as a candidate.
> • Party Pressure: Influential figures within the Democratic Party, including
> former President Barack Obama, urged Biden to step aside for the party’s best
> interest.
> • Kamala Harris as Frontrunner: With Biden’s withdrawal, Vice President Kamala
> Harris has become the leading candidate for the Democratic nomination.
>
> Source : Prout Universal Telegram group

THE END

JULY 20, 2024

FOUND IN A CAVE IN INDONESIA, WE CAN NOW SHOW THE WORLD’S OLDEST FIGURATIVE ART
IS 51,200 YEARS OLD

Karampuang Hill, where the artwork was found. Google Arts & Culture

Dated to at least 51,200 years ago, the art depicts an interaction between
humans and a pig. It was found in a cave in Sulawesi, an island of Indonesia
directly north-east of Bali and east of Borneo.

It’s a crucial piece of our history as humans, suggesting figurative art and
storytelling have long been intertwined.

A NEW PIONEERING TECHNIQUE

In some limestone caves where people made rock art, dripping or flowing water
occasionally led to the formation of mineral deposits on top of the paint layer,
which provide a way to date the art scientifically.

ART TO TELL A STORY

We used this new technique to date a painting in a cave in southern Sulawesi
named Leang Karampuang and showed it is at least 51,200 years old.

The painting consists of a scene dominated by a large naturalistic
representation of a wild pig. In front of the pig are three smaller human-like
figures. They appear to be interacting with the animal.

One figure seems to be holding an object near the pig’s throat. Another is
directly above the pig’s head in an upside-down position with legs splayed out.
The third figure is larger and grander in appearance than the others; it is
holding an unidentified object and is possibly wearing an elaborate headdress.

We now know humans have used figurative art to tell stories for at least 51,000
years. Using our new dating method it may be possible in the future to fill in
some of the many gaps in our knowledge of this key development in the history of
art.

https://theconversation.com/found-in-a-cave-in-indonesia-we-can-now-show-the-worlds-oldest-figurative-art-is-51-200-years-old-233663

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Education

HOW A SCHOOL IN COLOMBIA IS TEACHING LEARNERS TO PRESERVE MANGROVES

The Mangroves Initiative is a project run by The Santa Fe Educational
Institution, a public school in Turbo, Colombia. It promotes the analysis and
understanding of local and regional environmental problems. In this initiative,
participants learn about the importance of mangroves, being a source of carbon
capture and as such contribute to the mitigation of climate change.

The school organizes field trips in the mangroves with students, teachers,
parents, and environmental organizations to provide hands-on learning
experiences and to help reforestation of this ecosystem.

TEACHING INNOVATIVE PRACTICES TO PRESERVE THE ENVIRONMENT

“Teaching for sustainability is an act of love for life: It’s the best way to
build peace and reconciliation in the territories,” says Ms Mercado. “A
challenge that the school must address, since we have a debt with the planet.”

The Mangroves Initiative embraces environmental education and actively engaging
young learners to both preserve nature and understand how to tackle global
environmental challenges.

The Santa Fe Educational Institution serves a total of 1,450 students from
preschool to grade 11 and is committed to sustainability practices and
initiatives. The Mangroves Initiative is an excellent example of how schools can
use their local environment to promote innovative practices and activities to
engage students to preserve the environment. This type of initiative can be
adapted at a national scale and be included in national education plans.
Colombia is now developing an education for sustainable development (ESD)
country initiative aiming to integrate ESD into the national education system
and to expand successful initiatives such as the Mangroves Initiative.

“As a guiding educator, I take pride in contributing to the holistic development
of the children and youth who have breathed life into this wonderful
initiative,” says Ms. Mercado. “I have been able to plant a seed for
sustainability within them.”

Ezequiela Tovar Mercado was invited as a speaker to theESD-Net Learning Webinar
heldon 28 March 2024 on Local and Indigenous Knowledge in ESD. Organized by
UNESCO, the webinar addressed the importance of integrating traditional and
cultural practices, and community-based approaches, into teaching and learning
to foster environmental stewardship, social equity, and resilience among present
and future generations in Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean.

https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/how-school-colombia-teaching-learners-preserve-mangroves

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Agriculture

‘AGROFOREST’ TRIAL BEGINS AT RSPB’S ARABLE FARM, CAMBRIDGE SHIRE (U.K.)

Thirteen varieties of apple trees, all juicing varieties, have been planted on
the farm alongside cobnut and broadleaf trees

“The long term hope would be that by putting agroforestry on the farm, we have
diversified the farm business so that it could actually be a useful tool for
farmers to be a little bit more resilient when farming’s becoming increasingly
more difficult,” said Ms Arnold.

“We’ve planted three different types of trees – 13 varieties of apples, all
juicing varieties, three varieties of cobnuts, which is a commercial type of
hazel which can hopefully be pressed for cobnut oil, and eight species of native
broadleaves.”

The native trees will help protect the cropping species from “the big rolling
winds that come through our flatland Cambridgeshire landscape”, she added.

They have been planted in eight six-metre (26ft) alleys, 24 metres (78ft) apart,
on the RSPB’s Hope Farm, which it bought in 2000.

The charity took on the 181 hectare (447 acre)-farm to provide research-led
evidence it was possible to encourage wildlife-friendly farming in one of the
most intensively farmed bread baskets of England, alongside producing food and
making a profit.

Today, 18 farmland birds are based on the farm, such as the linnet, yellowhammer
and skylark, while others like lapwings, grey partridges and corn buntings have
returned.

All are on the UK “red list” of endangered species.

The RSPB set up the trial at Hope Farm as “the impact that some agroforestry
practices may have on biodiversity is not well evidenced” – at a time of
national tree-planting plans.

Ms Arnold said there will be “rigorous monitoring” of the agroforest “over
biodiversity, the greenhouse gas fluxes, the business changes and diversity”.

“We aim to get a really thorough understanding of what it actually delivers
before we could advocate for or against it in a policy sphere,” she said.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2v0eq50lzyo

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Medicine

WHO RECOGNISES 3RD INDIAN INSTITUTE FOR TRADITIONAL MEDICINE RESEARCH

This recognition has been granted for a period of four years.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has designated National Institute of Indian
Medical Heritage (NIIMH) in Hyderabad, under the Ministry of Ayush, as a WHO
Collaborating Centre (CC) for traditional medicine research, it was announced on
Friday.

NIIMH, Hyderabad is a unit under the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic
Sciences (CCRAS) which will now work as a WHO centre for ‘Fundamental and
Literary Research in Traditional Medicine’.

This recognition has been granted for a period of four years.

New Delhi:

This recognition has been granted for a period of four years.

CCRAS-NIIMH, Hyderabad, joins the ranks as the third WHO Collaborating Centre in
the domain of traditional medicine, followed by the Institute for Teaching &
Research in Ayurveda, Jamnagar, and the Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga
(MDNIY), New Delhi.

“This designation by WHO is a significant milestone, reflecting our relentless
efforts in the field of traditional medicine and historical research,” said
Professor Vaidya Rabinarayan Acharya, Director General of CCRAS, NIIMH and Head
of the WHO Collaborating Centre.

Established in 1956, the institute has been a pioneer in various digital
initiatives of Ayush, including the AMAR Portal, which catalogues 16,000 Ayush
manuscripts, featuring 4,249 digitised manuscripts, 1,224 rare books, 14,126
catalogues, and 4,114 periodicals.

The Showcase of Ayurvedic Historical Imprints (SAHI) Portal showcases 793
medico-historical artefacts, while the e-books of Ayush project provide digital
versions of classical textbooks.

The NAMASTE Portal collects cumulative morbidity statistics from 168 hospitals,
and the Ayush Research Portal indexes 42,818 published Ayush research articles.

https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/who-recognises-3rd-indian-institute-for-traditional-medicine-research-5890332

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Finance

COMPANIES GOING BANKRUPT AT THE FASTEST PACE SINCE 2020 IN ‘HISTORIC SURGE’

There is a “historic surge” of corporate bankruptcies underway in the US, as
debt-saddled companies struggle to adjust to the new era of high interest rates.

New figures published by S&P Global Intelligence show that 75 companies filed
for bankruptcy in June, the highest number recorded in a single month since
early 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. That pushed this year’s total
number of bankruptcies so far to 346, which is notably higher than comparable
levels seen in the past 13 years.

Before this, the highest half-year figure recorded was in 2010, with 437
companies filing for bankruptcy from January through June.

The S&P report blamed high interest rates, supply chain issues and slowing
consumer spending for the spike in bankruptcies this year.

The Federal Reserve raised interest rates sharply in 2022 and 2023 to the
highest level since 2001 in a bid to crush high inflation, bringing to an end
more than a decade of ultra-easy money. Officials are grappling with when they
should take their foot off the brake amid signs that economic growth is slowing
and inflation is once again falling.

Most investors expect the Fed to begin cutting rates in September or November
and are penciling in just one or two reductions this year — a dramatic shift
from the start of the year, when they anticipated six rate cuts beginning as
soon as March.

Even then, rates will likely remain elevated.

Some economists have called on the US central bank to cut rates sooner, citing
concerns that high interest rates pose a risk to the financial system.

“The economy has weathered the Fed’s higher-for-longer strategy admirably well,
but there is a mounting threat that the ongoing pressure will expose fault lines
in the financial system,” Moody’s chief economist Mark Zandi wrote in a recent
Washington Post op-ed. “As last year’s banking crisis showed, the relentless
strain of high rates can cause parts of the financial system to buckle in ways
that are difficult to predict and control.”

Bankruptcies started to rise notably in April as companies continued to “feel
the burden of high interest rates,” and as it dawned on many businesses that
rates would likely remain at peak levels for some time.

“Fading hopes of lower interest rates are likely contributing to the increase in
filings, as companies that may have held out hope for rate cuts at the beginning
of the year come to terms with the reality that they will remain higher for
longer,” the S&P said at the time.

Some of the notable bankruptcies in June included electric vehicle maker Fisker
and Chicken Soup for the Soul, which owns DVD rental chain Redbox.

https://nypost.com/2024/07/11/business/companies-going-bankrupt-at-the-fastest-pace-since-2020-in-historic-surge/?utm_campaign=iphone_nyp&utm_source=pasteboard_app

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Politics

THE WORLD COURT SAYS ISRAEL’S OCCUPATION IS ILLEGAL

But will the International Court of Justice’s ruling have any effect?

The UN’s top court has said Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories is
against international law, in a landmark opinion.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) said Israel should stop settlement
activity in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem and end its “illegal”
occupation of those areas and the Gaza Strip as soon as possible.

In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the court had made a
“decision of lies”.

The court’s advisory opinion is not legally binding but still carries
significant political weight. It marks the first time the ICJ has delivered a
position on the legality of the 57-year occupation.

The ICJ, based at The Hague in the Netherlands, has been examining the issue
since the beginning of last year, at the request of the UN General Assembly.

The court was specifically asked to give its view on Israel’s policies and
practices towards the Palestinians, and on the legal status of the occupation.

https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2024/07/19/the-world-court-says-israels-occupation-is-illegal

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Technology

STEP ASIDE, FUTURAMA: SCIENTISTS BUILD ROBOT THAT’S CONTROLLED BY A BRAIN IN A
JAR

Living brain cells wired into a biocomputer could be the future of how robots
learn to move.

There have been plenty of bizarre robots designed in the past, but this could
well take the top spot. In a world first, this robot is more human than ever,
kitted out with and controlled by a real-life brain.

Research teams from Tianjin University and Southern University of Science and
Technology have controlled the tracking, grasping and obstacle avoidance of a
robot via what is known as a ‘mini-brain’.

This, of course, isn’t a real brain pulled from a human body. Cultured in vitro,
these brains are created for the purpose of research – and, apparently, for
integration into robots.

To control the robot, the researchers used the organism to make a so-called
‘brain-on-chip’. While the brain has some of the intelligent functions of a
biological brain, it needs a bit of assistance.

The chip is added to the brain to allow the scientists to debug it, send signals
to the outside world and thereby achieve specific functions, such as controlling
the robot’s grabbing ability.

“The brain-computer interface on a chip is a technology that uses an in vitro
cultured ‘brain’ (such as brain organoids) coupled with an electrode chip to
achieve information interaction with the outside world through encoding and
decoding and stimulation-feedback,” said Prof Ming Dong, vice president of
Tianjin University.

https://www.sciencefocus.com/news/this-robot-is-controlled-by-a-human-brain-in-a-jar

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War

UKRAINE-RUSSIA WAR – LIVE: TRUMP CLAIMS HE WILL ‘BRING PEACE TO THE WORLD’ AFTER
PHONE CALL WITH ZELENSKY

Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky have spoken on the phone, just hours after
the Ukrainian president said it would be “hard work” if the Republican returns
to the White House.

Mr Trump said they had a “very good phone call” and promised to “bring peace to
the world” and “end the war” if he is re-elected in November.

Mr Zelensky said they agreed to discuss steps to make “peace fair and truly
lasting” and expressed thanks for US military assistance.

Their phone call comes amid concerns over a potential Trump administration’s
policy on the Russia–Ukraine war if he wins the election. The Republican nominee
has repeatedly promised to end the war in one day while criticising US military
aid to Kyiv.

Earlier Antony Blinken said Ukraine was on its way to being able to “stand on
its own feet” militarily as more than 20 other countries have pledged to
maintain their own military and financial aid to the country even if the US were
to withdraw its support under a different president.

Mr Blinken was for the first time directly addressing the possibility of Mr
Trump winning the November election and backing away from US commitments to
Ukraine.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/ukraine-russia-war-zelensky-putin-trump-latest-news-b2582439.html

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Editors’ Note
>
> The socio-economic philosophy of Ananda Marga calls for the elimination of
> capitalism. It clearly emphasizes the need to fulfil minimum economic needs
> and create an ideal congenial social environment in which there will be
> maximum utilization of collective wealth and the rational distribution of
> resources to solve all economic problems. Every human being will get ample
> opportunity to follow Prán‌a Dharma.
>
> Shri P R Sarkar
> Prana Dharma
> 16 February 1967, Ranchi

THE END

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

JULY 13, 2024

4-PERSON CREW LEAVES MARS SIMULATOR FOR FIRST TIME IN MORE THAN A YEAR

Four volunteers have emerged from NASA’s simulated Mars environment after more
than a year spent on a mission that never actually departed Earth.The volunteer
crew members spent more than 12 months inside NASA’s first simulated Mars
habitat at Johnson Space Center in Houston, which was designed to help
scientists and researchers anticipate what a real mission to the planet might be
like, along with all of its expected challenges. The crew exited the artificial
alien environment on Saturday around 5 p.m., after 378 days.Kelly Haston, Anca
Selariu, Ross Brockwell and Nathan Jones entered the 3D-printed habitat on June
25, 2023, as the maiden crew of the space agency’s Crew Health and Performance
Exploration Analog, or CHAPEA, project. The group consisted of a research
scientist, a structural engineer, an emergency medicine physician, and a U.S.
Navy microbiologist, respectively, who were selected from an applicant pool to
head up the project’s first yearlong mission. None of them are trained as
astronauts.Once they emerged, Haston, the mission commander, began with a
simple, “Hello.””It’s actually just so wonderful to be able to say ‘hello’ to
you all,” she said.Jones, a physician and the mission medical officer, said
their 378 days in confinement “went by quickly.”The quartet lived and worked
inside the space of 17,000 square feet to simulate a mission to the red planet,
the fourth from the sun and a frequent focus of discussion among scientists and
sci-fi fans alike concerning a possible voyage taking humans beyond our moon.

The first CHAPEA crew focused on establishing possible conditions for future
Mars operations through simulated spacewalks, dubbed “Marswalks,” as well as
growing and harvesting vegetables to supplement their provisions and maintaining
the habitat and their equipment.

They also worked through challenges a real Mars crew would be expected to
experience including limited resources, isolation and delays in communication of
up to 22 minutes with their home planet on the other side of the habitat’s
walls, NASA said.

https://www.foxweather.com/earth-space/space-mars-dome-project-mission-test

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FOUR-DAY WEEK: WHICH COUNTRIES ARE EMBRACING IT AND HOW IS IT GOING SO FAR?

Germany has become the latest testing ground for a four-day week with a new
pilot project involving 45 companies starting in February. Where else has tried
it?

Conversations around the four-day workweek were first reignited by the COVID-19
pandemic, with workers and employers rethinking the importance of workplace
flexibility and benefits.

The idea is simple – employees would work four days a week while getting paid
the same and earning the same benefits, but with the same workload.

Companies reducing their workweek would therefore operate with fewer meetings
and more independent work.

Hailed as the future of employee productivity and work-life balance, advocates
for the four-day workweek suggest that when implemented, worker satisfaction
increases, and so does productivity.

Trade unions across Europe are calling for governments to implement the four-day
working week, but which countries have embraced the idea and how is it going so
far?

BELGIUM INTRODUCES A FOUR-DAY WORKWEEK FOR EMPLOYEES WHO WANT IT

Belgium became the first country in Europe to legislate for a four-day week.

In February 2022, Belgian employees won the right to perform a full workweek in
four days instead of the usual five without loss of salary.

The new law came into force on November 21 last year, allowing employees to
decide whether to work four or five days a week.

But this does not mean they will be working less – they will simply condense
their working hours into fewer days.

GERMAN PILOT FOR A SHORTER WORKING WEEK

Germany is already home to one of the shortest average working weeks in Europe.
According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), the average working week is 34.2
hours.

Yet, trade unions have been calling for further reduced working hours – and now
it looks like they might be getting what they want, though the reason for a
change is linked to the shortage of workers experienced by the country.

As of February 1, 45 companies in Germany started testing the 4-day workweek in
an experiment that would last six months in total.

The initiative, which only involves companies whose work can be adapted to a
shorter workweek, is led by Berlin-based management consultancy Intraprenör
together with the non-profit organisation 4 Day Week Global (4DWG).

https://www.euronews.com/next/2024/02/02/the-four-day-week-which-countries-have-embraced-it-and-how-s-it-going-so-far

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CHINA BANS CLINICAL RESEARCH IN GERMLINE GENOME EDITING AS ‘IRRESPONSIBLE’

China has banned all clinical research involving germline genome editing under a
newly released ethics guideline.

Germline gene engineering relates to altering the DNA in sperm, eggs or early
embryos to introduce changes that can be inherited.

“Any clinical research involving germline genome editing is irresponsible and
not permitted,” according to the Ethical Guideline for Human Genome Editing
Research, released earlier this week by China’s Ministry of Science and
Technology.

The guideline marks the latest effort from China to tighten ethics reviews and
regulations after bioscientist He Jiankui shocked the world in 2018 with the
announcement that he had created twin gene-edited babies to make them less
vulnerable to HIV/Aids.

“Only when benefits, risks and alternative options are fully understood and
weighed, when issues of safety and efficacy are addressed, broad social
consensus is reached and rigorous evaluation is conducted, could clinical
research be considered with strict supervision in place,” the guideline adds.

It also strictly prohibits the use of genome editing research on germ cells,
fertilised eggs, or human embryos for reproductive purposes.

“The potential detrimental impacts and risks of germline genome editing are
still unpredictable,” Zhai Xiaomei, a member of the National Science and
Technology Ethics Committee, was quoted as saying by Science and Technology
Daily.

Zhai said that though it was necessary to carry out basic and preclinical
research to understand human embryonic development and relevant diseases, ethics
mattered as well.

Even if gene editing is performed on early human embryos or germ cells, the
modified cells are banned from being used for reproduction, according to Zhai.

He’s case, involving the world’s first gene-edited babies, triggered huge
criticism in China and beyond. He was released from prison in April 2022 after
serving a three-year sentence for illegal medical practice.

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3270285/china-bans-clinical-research-germline-genome-editing-irresponsible

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FRANCE ELECTION RESULTS 2024: WHO WON ACROSS THE COUNTRY

The left-wing New Popular Front alliance landed a shock success in the French
legislative election Sunday night.

The left-wing alliance secured 188 seats in the National Assembly, according to
official results. French President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist alliance is in
second place with 161 seats. The far-right National Rally (RN) and its allies,
which won by a clear margin in the first round, came in third with 142 seats.

The projected results mean that no party will obtain the 289 seats needed for an
overall majority in the 577-seat assembly, setting the country of course for a
hung parliament.

https://www.politico.eu/article/france-election-results-2024-map-constituencies-emmanuel-macron-marine-le-pen-live-new-popular-front-national-rally/

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NETHERLANDS ANNOUNCES BAN ON ADOPTION FROM FOREIGN COUNTRIES

The Netherlands will no longer allow its citizens to adopt children
internationally, the Minister for Legal Protection Franc Weerwind wrote on
Tuesday. With this decision the minister responds to the motion passed by the
Dutch House of Representatives in which the government was requested to come up
with a plan to carefully reduce international adoptions.

The motion was passed for diverse reasons. The Dutch House of Representatives
seriously doubted if it would be possible to design a realistic public law
system in which abuses of the system could no longer occur. Several malpractices
came to light in a 2021 report from the Joustra Committee, with the report
concluding that the government had failed to combat adoption abuse. Furthermore
international adoption is not a sustainable solution anymore to protect the
interests of children, according to the government. The government states that
the interests of children are best served when they can be safely cared for in
their country of origin.

The topic of international adoption has been a discussion for a long time in the
Netherlands, one of the reasons being that adopted children can not discover
their origins and identity because of falsified documents and incorrect
information in documents. Diverse abuses were being reported, from forcing
parents to give up their child to child trafficking.

Practically the decision means that Fiom, the Dutch organisation that arranges
international and domestic adoptions, can not accept any new registrations for
international adoption. However procedures that have already started will be
able to continue for the time being. The intended changes in time demand a
changing of the law regarding international adoption, with Weerwind aiming to
come up with a plan to gradually dismantle international adoption in September.
This plan would need to provide clarity for all the ongoing international
adoption procedures.

https://www.jurist.org/news/2024/05/netherlands-announces-ban-on-adoption-from-foreign-countries/

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US FIRM UNVEILS GAME-CHANGING SMALL NUCLEAR REACTOR THAT CAN POWER 300,000 HOMES

US tech company, Westinghouse, has announced the launch of the AP300, a smaller
version of its flagship AP1000 nuclear reactor, in an effort to extend access to
nuclear power as demand for clean energy rises.

The AP300 nuclear reactor is scheduled to be operational in 2027 and will
provide roughly one-third of the power of the flagship AP1000 reactor, according
to an official press release by the firm on Thursday.

“The AP300 is the only small modular reactor offering available that is based on
deployed, operating, and advanced reactor technology,” President and CEO of
Westinghouse, Patrick Fragman, said in the statement.

“The launch of the AP300 SMR rounds out the Westinghouse portfolio of reactor
technology, allowing us to deliver on the full needs of our customers globally,
with a clear line of sight on schedule of delivery, and economics.”

Westinghouse’s decision marks a significant turning point in the nuclear
industry’s effort to reinvent itself in response to climate change.

Nuclear fission reactor electricity produces no greenhouse gas emissions, and
smaller nuclear reactors are less expensive to develop.

The AP300 is expected to cost around $1 billion per unit, compared to the
AP1000’s anticipated cost of $6.8 billion.

https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/us-firm-unveils-game-changing-small-nuclear-reactor?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=article_image#j1gbhq5rid

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WHAT THE WORLD CAN LEARN FROM DENMARK’S CARBON TAX ON AGRICULTURE

Last month Denmark, a major pork and dairy exporter, reached a historic
agreement with farming and conservation groups to introduce a carbon tax on
livestock farming, making it the first country to do so.

To fulfill Denmark’s target of cutting its greenhouse gas emissions by 70% from
1990 levels, the deal calls for taxing farmers 300 Danish krone (about $43) per
ton of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions. The tax, which would start in 2030,
would apply to all greenhouse gas emissions from livestock digestion and manure
handling and will be increased to 750 Danish krone by 2035.

From the start, Denmark wanted its tax to be a model for the rest of the world.
Agriculture, forestry, and other land use contributed approximately 22% of
human-made greenhouse gas emissions worldwide in 2019 — and in Denmark, at
current rates agriculture and forestry are set to account for approximately

FACTS ABOUT THE AGREEMENT

* INTRODUCTION OF A CO2E TAX ON EMISSIONS FROM LIVESTOCK. A FEE OF DKK 300 PER
TON CO2E IN 2030 INCREASING TO DKK 750 PER TONNES OF CO2E IN 2035 WITH A
DEDUCTION OF 60%

* REDUCTIONS IN GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS OF 1.8 MILLION TONS OF CO2E IN 2030
WITH THE POTENTIAL OF UP TO 2.6 MILLION TONS

* PROCEEDS TO BE RETURNED TO THE INDUSTRY IN THE FORM OF A TRANSITION SUPPORT
POOL TO SUPPORT THE GREEN TRANSITION OF THE INDUSTRY

* ESTABLISHMENT OF A NEW GREEN ACREAGE FUND OF DKK 40 BILLION TO SUPPORT
AFFORESTATION, EXTRACTION OF CARBONACEOUS LOWLAND SOILS, AND INVESTMENTS IN
GREEN INITIATIVES AND TECHNOLOGY

* AFFORESTATION OF 250,000 HECTARES

* EXTRACTION OF 140,000 HECTARES OF CARBONACEOUS LOWLAND SOILS INCL. PERIPHERAL
AREAS

https://www.devex.com/news/what-the-world-can-learn-from-denmark-s-carbon-tax-on-agriculture-107908

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‘WE WILL NOT ENLIST:’ ULTRA-ORTHODOX IN ISRAEL VOW TO DEFY ORDERS TO SERVE IN
THE MILITARY

JerusalemCNN —

As thousands of men hurried towards the main square in Jerusalem’s
ultra-Orthodox neighborhood of Mea Shearim on Sunday for a protest, they passed
signs declaring “war” on a contentious order from Israel’s highest court.

The Supreme Court ruling on June 25 said the Israeli government must enlist
draft-age ultra-Orthodox (or Haredi) Jews into the military, reversing a de
facto exemption in place since the country’s founding 76 years ago.

Sunday’s rally in Shabbat Square, which drew thousands, was to demonstrate
against the decision, which another poster said had “thrust a sword” through the
“beit midrash,” or Torah study hall.

The protest highlighted the fault line in Israeli society between ultra-Orthodox
Jews, who Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu relies on to maintain his
government, and other Israelis, many of whom believe that all Jewish citizens
should serve in the military, especially during wartime.

Many Haredi men spend much of their early lives out of the workforce, instead
studying at religious schools known as yeshivas that are partly funded through
government subsidies.

For many Haredis, the idea that they would be pulled from studying scripture and
drafted into Israel’s military is simply out of the question.

An arrangement made during Israel’s founding exempted several hundred Haredi
men from conscription. However, the community has since grown exponentially,
allowing tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox men to now avoid the draft.

“We will not enlist,” said Yosef, 22, who traveled to the protest from his home
in Beitar Illit, a large Haredi settlement in the occupied West Bank.

“Since the beginning of the state (of Israel), we have not enlisted… Now they
want to make us (serve) by force. It will never work,” he said. “In a democratic
state there is not much they can do besides put us in prison. We are not afraid
of prison. We laugh about prison… and the more people that go into prison, the
more demonstrations there will be in the country.”

As Yosef spoke, he looked up at a group of boys climbing a ladder to a nearby
lamppost to hang a sign that read: “We will not enlist in the army.”

“We can’t watch as they tear the Torah to shreds,” said another man, who spoke
on the condition of anonymity, due to the cultural norms of his community, some
of whom are not open to speaking to the press. “We can’t be quiet. The High
Court, the government, all the Knesset (parliament)… they are looking for ways
for compromise and to send Haredi boys to be destroyed. We will die rather than
be enlisted.”

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/07/01/middleeast/ultra-orthodox-in-israel-defy-orders-to-serve-in-military-mime-intl/index.html

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RUSSIA WANTS TO CONFRONT NATO BUT DARES NOT FIGHT IT ON THE BATTLEFIELD – SO
IT’S WAGING A HYBRID WAR INSTEAD

When someone tried – and failed – to burn down a bus garage in Prague earlier
this month, the unsuccessful arson attack didn’t draw much attention. Until,
that is, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala revealed it was “very likely” that
Moscow was behind it.

The accusation prompted alarm among security officials and governments because
several similar incidents have occurred across Europe in recent months.
The Museum of Occupation in Riga was targeted in an arson attack in February. A
London warehouse burnt down in March and a shopping center in Warsaw went up in
flames in May. Police in Germany arrested several people suspected of planning
explosions and arson attacks in April, and French authorities launched an
anti-terror investigation after detaining a suspected bomb-maker who was injured
in a botched explosion earlier this month.

Multiple hacking attacks and spying incidents have been reported in different
European countries. As the same time, the European Union has accused Russia and
Belarus of weaponizing migration by pushing asylum seekers from third countries
to its borders. There have also been several suspicious attacks against
individuals: a Russian defector was found shot dead in Spain and an opposition
figure exiled in Lithuania was brutally attacked with a hammer.

The seemingly random attacks have one thing in common: according to local
officials, they are all linked to Russia. And while they might look minor in
isolation, taken together these incidents amount to what security experts say is
Russia’s hybrid war on the West.

“We are threatened by something which is not a full-fledged military attack,
which are these hybrid threats … everything from meddling in our political
processes, (undermining) the trust in our political institutions,
disinformation, cyber-attacks (…) and sabotage actions against critical
infrastructure,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said during an event in
Canada last week.

Rod Thornton, a senior lecturer in defense studies at King’s College London,
said there’s been a pattern of attacks linked back to Russia. “There has
definitely been an increase over the last few months in these particular types
of operations. It is something that the Russians are ramping up,” Thornton said.

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/06/30/europe/russia-hybrid-war-nato/index.html

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

> EDITORS’ NOTE
>
> In the capitalist structure, industry or production is governed by the profit
> motive, but in the Proutistic structure production will be governed by the
> motive of consumption.
>
> From the book Prout in a Nutshell Part 15, by Shri P R Sarkar

THE END

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

JULY 06, 2024

MOROCCO TO EXPAND ENGLISH AND AMAZIGH EDUCATION

The upcoming academic season will see an expansion of English language teaching
to encompass 100% of the second year of education.

Rabat- The Ministry of National Education, Primary Education, and Sports has
unveiled its plans for the upcoming academic year 2024-2025, encompassing
various developments, programs, and projects.

A primary focus is the expansion of English and Amazigh language education. The
ministry aims to increase the number of educational institutions offering
Amazigh language courses, targeting a 50% coverage rate by the beginning of the
2025-2026 school year.

The ministry has outlined its initiative to introduce Amazigh language
instruction in primary education, commencing in the 2023/2024 school year with
full implementation expected by the start of the 2029/2030 school year.

To support these efforts, the ministry is implementing a comprehensive strategy
across organizational, administrative, pedagogical, training, and support
domains at central, regional, provincial, and local levels.

The ministry plans to recruit 600 specialized professors for Amazigh language
instruction and annually train at least 2,000 dual-discipline teachers to
facilitate this expansion.

The new academic season will also witness an expansion of English language
teaching to cover 50% of preparatory education and 100% of the second year of
education.

According to the decision issued by the Ministry on Thursday, July 4, 2024, the
academic year will begin on September 2, 2024. The teaching staff will join the
day after, on September 3, to be informed of the developments for the new season
and to discuss the contents of the integrated institution’s project, especially
the educational aspects related to the core learnings that the institution will
focus on.

https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2024/07/363679/morocco-to-expand-english-and-amazigh-education

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US, FRANCE, CANADA, UK, KOREA, AND OTHERS BACK INDIA’S BID TO MAKE GPAI THE
GLOBAL AI REGULATOR

India is making significant strides in its effort to establish the Global
Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) as the leading authority on all
matters related to AI, including regulations and the development of a global
framework.

Major countries such as the US, France, Canada, the UK, Japan, Korea, Brazil,
and Argentina have agreed on this initiative, with a ministerial sign-off and
final negotiations set for July 3, according to government insiders. A formal
announcement is expected soon after.

India’s current chairmanship of GPAI reflects its commitment to responsible AI
development and use. By expanding GPAI to include more countries, especially
from the Global South, India aims to strengthen the alliance’s influence on
global AI policymaking.

This expansion aligns with India’s vision of a more inclusive and participatory
global AI governance structure.

Union Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw
highlighted in December that New Delhi is actively negotiating with the 29
member countries of GPAI to reach a consensus on a declaration statement
concerning the proper use of AI, establishing guardrails for the technology, and
determining its treatment.

https://www.firstpost.com/tech/us-france-canada-uk-korea-and-others-back-indias-bid-to-make-gpai-the-global-ai-regulator-13788879.html

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WORLD ZOONOSES DAY 2024: HISTORY, SIGNIFICANCE, THEME AND ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW
ABOUT THE DAY

World Zoonoses Day is observed on July 6 every year after 1885 to raise
awareness about zoonotic diseases.

Zoonotic diseases are infections that transmit disease between animals and
humans. These diseases, also known as zoonoses, include swine flu, rabies, bird
flu, and various foodborne infections. Studies by the CDC indicate that
approximately 60 percent of all known diseases are zoonotic in nature, and
around 70 percent of emerging infections originate from animals. Learn about the
zoonotic diseases, its history, significance and theme for 2024.

WHAT ARE ZOONOTIC DISEASES?

Zoonotic diseases are infections that spread between humans and animals. These
diseases can be classified based on the source of infection, which includes
viruses, fungi, parasites, and bacteria. Examples of viral zoonoses are rabies
and COVID-19, while ringworm is an example of a fungal zoonose. Zoonoses can be
transmitted through wild animals, like bird flu from wild birds, or domestic
animals, such as rabies from dogs.

HISTORY OF THIS DAY:

On July 6, 1885, Louis Pasteur administered a rabies vaccine to a boy bitten by
a rabid dog, saving his life. This historical event underscores the importance
of understanding zoonotic diseases, their origins, and their impact on public
health.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE DAY:

The primary goal of World Zoonoses Day is to raise awareness about the impact of
zoonotic diseases on both humans and animals. It emphasises the importance of
vaccinating pets, particularly in shelters where animals may not be properly
vaccinated. Additionally, it highlights the need for more research to prevent
outbreaks and educates those working closely with animals about the risks
associated with zoonotic diseases.

THEME FOR 2024

The theme for World Zoonoses Day 2024 focuses on the three things, these are:

* Preventing the spread of zoonotic diseases
* Controlling zoonoses by managing threats for future infections
* Designing a framework for preparedness and response to diseases

https://news.abplive.com/health/world-zoonoses-day-2024-its-history-significance-theme-and-all-you-need-to-know-about-the-day-1700623

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CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC’S CHILDREN ARE WORLD’S MOST DEPRIVED, UNICEF SAYS

This is a summary of what was said by UNICEF Representative in the Central
African Republic Meritxell Relaño Arana—to whom quoted text may be attributed—
at today’s press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva

GENEVA, 2 July 2024 — “Today, the three million girls and boys of the Central
Africa Republic face the highest registered level of overlapping and
interconnected crises and deprivation in the world.

“The Central African Republic (CAR) now holds the tragic distinction of being
ranked first among 191 countries as the most at-risk for humanitarian crises and
disaster. This dire status underscores the severe and urgent challenges faced by
its youngest citizens.

“Ten years of protracted conflict and instability in CAR has left every single
one of CAR’s three million children at risk.

“There is a host of distressing data that speaks to the lives of children in
CAR; I will mention just four, though the briefing note James shares has more
data:

* 1 in 2 children do not have access to health services.
* Around just one-third (37%) of children attend school regularly.
* Nearly two in three (61%) young women were married before the age of 18
* Almost 40% of the children in the country suffer from chronic malnutrition.

“Weakened institutions and the constant threat of violence compound the multiple
risks to the rights of children. The fact that the crisis in CAR has been
stretched out over so many years – and that, sadly, so many other global crises
continue to unfold in parallel – means that the children of CAR have become
painfully invisible. But their pain and loss are profoundly evident.

“However, there is hope. Now is a critical moment; indeed, it is the moment for
the international community to rally for a change of course for the children of
CAR.

“The government’s new National Development Plan, alongside other major
commitments to improve children’s rights, mean UNICEF and its partners have a
viable mechanism to push for a change of course: to chart a new future for the
children and the country.

“Amid this rare moment of opportunity, the greatest risk is that the champions
these children rely on—international donors, global media, and an informed
public—may turn their backs and look away in the face of simultaneous global
crises.

“In my most clear and candid language: this will mean many children will
unnecessarily die; many more will see their futures destroyed. A child is a
child, and, as such, it is imperative that the international community does not
forget the children of CAR.”

.https://www.unicef.org.uk/press-releases/10-years-of-crises-the-forgotten-children-of-the-central-african-republic/#:~:text=GENEVA%2C%202%20July%202024%20%E2%80%94%20%E2%80%9C,and%20deprivation%20in%20the%20world.

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TRANSFORMING THE GAMBIA’S AGRICULTURE: FROM SUBSISTENCE TO MARKET-ORIENTED
FARMING

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

* The Gambia’s agriculture sector is undergoing an ambitious modernization.
* A World Bank project is supporting 19 small and medium-sized enterprises to
expand their operations.
* The country’s agriculture sector is already seeing results in the shape of
modern infrastructure, improved services, and more jobs.
* Modernizing agriculture infrastructure and irrigation
* Improving access to inputs and services

Jongfolo Korta looks at her rice field with satisfaction. She is among the many
small farmers in the Eastern region of Jahally, in the Gambia, where agriculture
is thriving.“I’ve applied fertilizer to the rice field, and now I have ploughing
services using tractors that are available at the right time. So, I’m optimistic
that this year my harvest will increase,” she said.Like many others in the
Gambia, Jongfolo has relied on rice production for over five decades. She and
many others are experiencing the advantages of the country’s transition from
subsistence farming to a more productive and competitive agriculture sector with
increased surplus to sell making it more market-oriented. This drive has been
supported by the World Bank’s Gambia Inclusive and Resilient Agricultural Value
Chain Development Project (GIRAV).A component of the project competitively
selected 19 small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) out of 127 applicants and
provided them with additional financing. In total, the project provided $3.9
million, while the SMEs themselves contributed a total of $2.6 million from
privately mobilized capital and their own funding. The overall investment was
used by the SMEs to finance infrastructure and equipment so that they can
modernize and expand agribusiness operations.

If the problem of agriculture is solved, food security will be guaranteed.
Kemo Cham, CEO and founder of Sabiji Farm
However, in the Gambia, agriculture means more than that. The sector contributes
around 20% of the country’s GDP and employs almost half of the country’s labor
force. To unlock its full potential, the Gambia is transforming its agriculture
sector which is currently dominated by subsistence-oriented rainfed crops and
livestock. The GIRAV project support to small and medium agribusiness is a step
in the right direction.

https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2024/06/14/transforming-the-gambia-s-agriculture-from-subsistence-to-market-oriented-farming

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GROUP OF 200 INVESTORS MANAGING $15 TRILLION PUSH FOR CORPORATE ACTION ON NATURE
POLICY AMID GROWING SYSTEMIC RISKS

The Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) has launched Spring, a
stewardship initiative backed by over 200 investors managing $15 trillion in
assets. The initiative focuses on reducing the financial risks associated with
biodiversity loss by engaging with 60 key companies across various sectors. The
effort emphasizes responsible political engagement and aligns with global
biodiversity targets, aiming to mitigate operational risks and ensure
sustainable practices.

Objective:

The Spring Initiative aims to address forest loss and land degradation, critical
drivers of biodiversity loss and significant contributors to global CO2
emissions. This initiative aligns with the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on
Forests and Land Use to halt and reverse these trends by 2030, recognizing the
reputational, legal, market, and financial risks for businesses and investors
associated with this issue.

Importance of the Initiative:

* Economic Risks: Nature deterioration poses systemic and financially material
risks to institutional investors. The World Bank projects a potential USD 2.7
trillion GDP contraction by 2030 due to ecosystem service loss.
* Regulatory Recognition: Financial systems’ dependence on nature is
increasingly acknowledged by central banks and financial regulators. Failure
to address nature-related risks threatens financial stability.
* Material Risks for Businesses: Forest loss and land degradation present both
physical risks (e.g., lower agricultural revenues, land flooding) and
transition risks (e.g., reduced market access due to regulations, stranded
assets).

Engagement Approach:

* Focus on Five Geographies: Prioritizes interventions in key areas most
affected by forest loss and land degradation.
* Investor Engagement: Engages companies to adopt and advocate for robust
public policies to mitigate deforestation, land conversion, and related human
rights abuses.
* Responsible Political Engagement: Encourages companies to influence public
policies positively, either directly or through affiliations with trade
associations and think tanks.

.https://esgnews.com/group-of-200-investors-managing-15-trillion-push-for-corporate-action-on-nature-policy-amid-growing-systemic-risks/

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‘SPACE POTATO’ SPOTTED BY NASA MARS SATELLITE IS ACTUALLY SOMETHING MUCH COOLER

NASA has posted a stunning photo of a “space potato” on social media — but it is
actually Phobos, the Martian moon that is locked on a slow collision course with
the Red Planet.

The space agency imaged the lumpy, starchy-looking moon using the High
Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on board NASA’s Mars
Reconnaissance Orbiter, which has been studying the Red Planet since arriving in
its orbit in 2006.

Phobos, named after the Greek god of fear, is roughly 157 times smaller than
Earth’s moon and is one of Mars’ two natural satellites, alongside the even
smaller Deimos, whose name comes from the Greek god of dread.
Scientists believe that the brother moons were once roaming rocks and were
snared into Mars’ orbit by the planet’s gravitational field. A recent image
analysis of Phobos’ craggy yet highly reflective surface suggested the moon was
once a comet and came from the asteroid belt located between the Red Planet and
Jupiter.
https://www.livescience.com/space/mars/space-potato-spotted-by-nasa-mars-satellite-is-actually-something-much-cooler

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UK LABOUR PARTY SWEEPS TO POWER IN HISTORIC ELECTION WIN. BUT IMPATIENT VOTERS
MEAN BIG CHALLENGES

LONDON —

Labour leader Keir Starmer officially became British prime minister on Friday
hours after his Labour Party swept to power in a landslide victory after more
than a decade in opposition.

Starmer was elevated to the nation’s leader after a private ceremony with King
Charles III in Buckingham Palace.

In the merciless choreography of British politics, Starmer is taking charge in
10 Downing St. shortly after Conservative leader Rishi Sunak and his family left
the official residence and King Charles III accepted his resignation at
Buckingham Palace.

“This is a difficult day, but I leave this job honored to have been prime
minister of the best country in the world,” Sunak said in his farewell address.

https://indianexpress.com/article/world/uk-elections-labour-party-historic-win-voters-big-challenges-9434162/

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ISRAEL TO DISPATCH TEAM TO QATAR FOR FOLLOW-UP CEASEFIRE TALKS NEXT WEEK

Chief of Israel’s Mossad spy agency David Barnea has returned from the Qatari
capital Doha following an initial meeting with mediators, and a team will be
dispatched next week to continue the negotiations, Israeli Prime Minister’s
Office (PMO) has announced.

“It should be emphasized that there are still gaps between the sides,” the
Israeli PMO said in a statement on Friday evening.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved the dispatch of a delegation
for negotiations on a ceasefire deal with Hamas in Gaza and the release of
hostages, Xinhua news agency reported, citing a senior Israeli official.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that an official familiar with the
hostage talks said that Mossad officials had told mediators that they are
“optimistic” the Israeli cabinet will accept the ceasefire proposal currently
under discussion.

According to Israel’s Channel 12 survey revealed on Friday, when asked what is
most important at this moment, 67 per cent of the people interviewed said
returning the hostages from Gaza, compared to 26 per cent who said continuing
the war in Gaza and 7 per cent who said they didn’t know.

The recent development marks a renewed effort to negotiate an end to the nearly
nine-month-long conflict, which, according to the Gaza-based health authorities,
has resulted in the deaths of more than 38,000 Palestinians in the enclave.

.https://www.thestatesman.com/world/israel-to-dispatch-team-to-qatar-for-follow-up-ceasefire-talks-next-week-1503317454.html

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PUTIN SAYS RUSSIA IS NOT IN A POSITION TO DECLARE A CEASEFIRE IN UKRAINE

President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russia would not declare a
ceasefire in Ukraine until Kyiv takes steps that are “irreversible” and
acceptable to Moscow.

Putin said last month that Russia would end the war in Ukraine only if Kyiv
agreed to drop its NATO ambitions and hand over the entirety of four provinces
claimed by Moscow, demands Kyiv swiftly rejected as tantamount to surrender.

Putin also said that it was pointless for Russia to attempt to appeal to the
Ukrainian Parliament when it came to Moscow’s ideas to end the conflict between
the two countries.

.https://news.abs-cbn.com/world/2024/7/6/cybercrime-gangs-restructuring-after-major-takedowns-experts-1609

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> Editors’ Note
>
> A common penal code must be evolved. Legislation must be progressive and
> capable of gradual adjustment with the prevalent conditions. Any theory which
> does not hold a parallelism with the ever-changing conditions of time, place
> and person, is sure to decay and be lost in oblivion. Hence, there must be a
> never-ending effort for amendment with a view to rectification.
>
> P.R. SARKAR
>
> on the subject Common Penal Code
> 5 June 1959, Jamalpur
> www.navacetana.com

THE END

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JUNE 29, 2024

Climate

HEATWAVE IN WASHINGTON: ABRAHAM LINCOLN’S WAX STATUE MELTS AWAY AS TEMPERATURES
SOAR

The wax statue was created by Virginia-based artist Sandy Williams IV and is a
part of ‘The Wax Monument’ series that features replicas of various popular
public monuments and cultural symbols.

Amid heatwave conditions, a six-foot-tall wax statue of former US president
Abraham Lincoln, outside an elementary school in Washington DC melted over the
weekend. The famous statue, which replicates the Lincoln Memorial, started
melting after the temperature reached 37.7 degrees Celsius in northwest
Washington on Saturday, reports said. (Image: Sandy Williams/Instagram)

Commissioned by the non-profit CulturalDC, the statue is placed outside Garrison
Elementary School. It was earlier the site of Camp Barker, a refugee camp from
the Civil War era that once housed formerly enslaved and freed African
Americans. (Image: CulturalDC)

The wax statue was created by Virginia-based artist Sandy Williams IV. It is a
part of ‘The Wax Monument’ series, which features replicas of various popular
public monuments and cultural symbols. The statue serves as more than just a
visual representation, it further works as a candle. (Image: CulturalDC)

A viral photograph shows rising temperatures causing the wax replica’s head to
detach, while one of his legs dripped off its torso. A foot of the statue turned
into a blob. Further, the chair that supports the figure also sank into the
ground, unable to withstand the heatwave conditions, BBC reported. The damaged
head from the wax sculpture is currently undergoing repairs, leaving a wire
protruding from the 16th president’s neck. However, this was not the first time
this artwork melted. (Image: CulturalDC)

As per its official website, the installation is aimed at providing “direct
commentary on DC’s history of Civil War-era Contraband Camps”. The head of the
statue is expected to be reattached this week, local media reported. (Image:
CulturalDC)

https://www.cnbctv18.com/photos/world/abraham-lincoln-wax-statue-melts-washington-heatwave-temperatures-soar-19433926-7.htm

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Education

BIG PICTURE MODEL PART OF ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION PUSH TO IMPROVE AUSTRALIA’S
SCHOOL SYSTEM

* In short: An alternative education model called Big Picture, which runs in
many high schools across Australia, boasts a student-led curriculum and no
exams.
* The stereotype that alternative education is only for “disruptive” students
is not the case, educators in the system say.
* What’s next? A diverse range of learning styles and a reduced focus on a
university admission score could improve Australia’s education system, some
researchers argue.

Kristin Van Wyk didn’t sit exams to get into university.

> Instead, the now 21-year-old used a personalised portfolio she created in year
> 12, after completing a hands-on high school curriculum she designed herself.
>
> Kristin is a graduate of Big Picture, an alternative education program that
> runs in dozens of high schools around Australia and also has a dedicated
> campus in Launceston, Tasmania.
>
> “I’m a lot more independent than a lot of other people my age [as a result], I
> think,” Ms Van Wyk said, who went to the Big Picture school for years 9 to 12.
>
> “Personal motivation” is a central tenet of the model, which sees students
> guided to develop a personalised curriculum based on their interests.
>
> Students also learn on the job. If a child wants to be a mortician, for
> example, they approach one to shadow.

It is believed tens of thousands of Australian students take part in
“alternative” education models outside the traditional university admission
system, which relies heavily on an ATAR — or Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank
— a number between zero and 99.95 that shows a student’s position in their year
group.

While many educators who the ABC spoke to suggest alternative education models
should not replace traditional schools, they argue a diverse range of learning
styles and a reduced focus on ATAR could improve Australia’s education system.

‘EXHIBITIONS’ TAKE PLACE OF EXAMS

> Big Picture’s assessment system substitutes exams with “exhibitions”, where
> students present their work and answer questions from teachers and family.
>
> “You have to publicly stand up in front of all the important people in your
> world, and say, ‘This is what I’ve been learning about, and this is what I’ve
> done’,” Ms Johnston said.
>
> Rather than receiving grades in traditional subjects, students are assessed
> against the International Big Picture Learning Credential, or IBPLC.
>
> The IBPLC measures students against outcomes such as “empirical reasoning” and
> “communication and personal qualities”.
>
> It specifically avoids ranking students against one another, as an ATAR does.
>
> Ms Van Wyk used the IBPLC and a portfolio to apply to the University of
> Tasmania.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-06-25/big-picture-alternative-education-no-exams-schooling/103907034

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Education

US NEEDS INDIAN STUDENTS FOR SCIENCES, CHINESE FOR HUMANITIES: TOP DIPLOMAT SAYS

Kurt Campbell admits the US would like to see more Chinese coming to study
humanities and social sciences, not particle physics, and their peers from
India, considered a security partner, joinning science programmes in American
universities.

The US Ambassador Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell said more students for
science, technology, engineering and mathematics programmes in the country
should be from India, considered an important security partner of the country.

Campbell also said Chinese students should be considered more for humanities
rather than science subjects, underscoring the US’ security concerns and
escalating tensions with China on the trade front. “I believe that the largest
increase that we need to see going forward would be much larger numbers of
Indian students that come to study in American universities on a range of
technology and other fields,” news agency Reuters quoted the second-ranked US
diplomat as saying.

He pointed out that US universities intend to limit Chinese students’ access to
sensitive technology, citing security concerns.

Campbell noted that not enough Americans were pursuing fields like science,
technology, engineering and mathematics, for which recruitment from overseas is
needed. “The US needed to recruit more international students for those fields,
but from India – an increasingly important US security partner – not China.”

Chinese have been the largest group among international students in the US for
many years. In the academic year 2022-23, their numbers reached nearly 2.9 lakh.
Amid deteriorating US-China relations and fears of intellectual property theft,
academicians and civil society leaders suggest that unwarranted suspicion has
hindered scientific collaboration.

The US diplomat told the Council on Foreign Relations, “I would like to see more
Chinese students coming to the United States to study humanities and social
sciences, not particle physics”.

Campbell suggested that US universities have been “careful” to support
continuing higher education for Chinese students. However, he reiterated that it
is possible to curtail and limit certain kinds of access, particularly in
technological programmes across the country.

https://www.livemint.com/news/find-out-why-us-needs-indian-students-for-sciences-chinese-for-humanities-top-diplomat-says-increasingly-important-11719300949515.html

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Nature

GROUP OF CORNISH GARDENS ON A GLOBAL CONSERVATION MISSION

BOTANICAL GARDENS

There are several botanical gardens in Sicily. Among the most important is
the Botanical Garden of Palermo, with over two hundred years of activity, it is
one of the major Italian academic institutions. Others include the Pietro
Castelli Botanical Garden in Messina, a small green lung in the city. The Nuova
Gussonea Botanical Garden on Mount Etna has a miniaturised volcano landscape.
The Agrigento Botanical Garden is close to the Valley of the Temples with
archaeological treasures including natural caves that can be explored and fossil
finds. The Paternò del Toscano Park Here you can enjoy a picnic under the oaks
in the woods and have breakfast or snacks in the park.
(ref.https://www.visitsicily.info/en/botanical-sicily-appeals-to-everyone/)

A collective of 14 Gardens in Cornwall are working to conserve rare species and
protect the natural environment amid growing concerns over the climate crisis.

The Great Gardens of Cornwall, consisting of 14 well-known gardens and estates
from across the county and Isles of Scilly, are highlighting the importance of
protecting and safeguarding our Cornish landscapes with a number of pioneering
and world-leading approaches to conservation.

Charles Williams, owner of the Caerhays Estate says “Cornwall’s microclimate and
unique geology make it home to a number of globally rare species and habitats in
need of our protection. As climate change takes hold it will increase the
environmental pressures that face Cornwall’s wildlife and wild places, many of
which are already in decline. We must continue to garden with the health of our
soil, waterways and wildlife at the forefront of our mind.”

Each of the Great Gardens of Cornwall is doing their bit to protect the
environment and help rare plant species flourish, and also set an example on a
global scale. Official safe sites and dedicated propagation facilities are
enabling species to flourish away from their endangered status.

https://www.voicenewspapers.co.uk/news/group-of-cornish-gardens-on-a-global-conservation-mission-699025

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Nature

OVER 60,000 PEOPLE MARCH TO PARLIAMENT TO DEMAND POLITICIANS RESTORE NATURE NOW

Over 60,000 people marched through central London to parliament to send one
simple but powerful message to all the UK’s political parties – that they must
Restore Nature Now.

> The march which included representatives from over 300 organisations,
> including the National Trust, RSPB, WWF, Wildlife Trusts and Woodland Trust is
> thought to be the biggest public demonstration in the General Election run-up
> and shows the strength of public opinion on the need for stronger political
> action to tackle the nature and climate crisis.
>
> Harry Bowell, Director of Land and Nature at the National Trust said: “It is
> hugely shocking that the UK is one of the most nature depleted countries on
> earth. Today’s march is yet another powerful demonstration of how much people
> care about nature and want our leaders to take action to reverse nature’s
> decline.
>
> “With the upcoming election we are at a pivotal moment where whoever forms the
> next government can decide to take bold action to prioritise nature’s
> recovery. The benefits will be vast; not only for our landscapes and wildlife,
> but improve our health and wellbeing while benefiting business and the economy
> too.
>
> “It’s not too late to act. There is still time to turn things round – but we
> need prompt and energetic action to restore nature now!”
>
> Beccy Speight, Chief Executive of the RSPB said: “Species from Avocets to
> whales and spaces from oceans to national parks have been championed at the
> march and it has been truly inspiring to see so many people stand up for
> nature and climate. With one in six species at risk of being lost from our
> shores, the natural world needs a strong voice now more than ever.
>
> “There is definite hope that we can turn things around: while we know the
> threats, we also know so many of the solutions. But we simply aren’t acting
> fast enough or at a big enough scale to tackle the nature and climate crisis.
> We need to see urgent action and a much stronger commitment to restore nature
> at scale from politicians of all parties, because no species, including us,
> can afford to wait any longer.”
>
> Craig Bennett, chief executive of The Wildlife Trusts said: “The devastating
> effects of climate change and nature loss affect every single one of us. We
> need nature to be restored and we need to act fast. That’s why thousands of
> people have united today to demand action from the next government. Our recent
> poll revealed that 79% of the public think that nature is important for our
> well-being and economic prosperity. With an election imminent, this is a
> critical moment if we want future generations to enjoy the thrill of birdsong,
> the buzz of pollinators, sustainable agriculture, a healthy economy, clean air
> and clean water. There’s still time for positive change and to Restore Nature
> Now!”

https://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=323519

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Medicine

CHIMPANZEES SEEK OUT TREE BARK AND FERNS WITH MEDICINAL BENEFITS, RESEARCHERS
DISCOVER

In a recent study published in PLoS ONE, researchers investigated the behavioral
and pharmacological effects of self-medicative plants in the diets of Budongo
chimpanzees.

BACKGROUND

Wild chimpanzees eat plants for nutrition and health, some containing bioactive
poisons. Health professionals use these plants occasionally to treat illnesses.
Chimpanzees have displayed therapeutic self-medication by eating leaves and
chewing bitter pith, decreasing nematode infection.

In vivo investigations have demonstrated that pith extracts permanently paralyze
mature Schistosome parasites. Chimpanzees and other primates may also engage in
medical activities like bark feeding and dead wood chewing.

The researchers tested the bark of eight species consumed by Budongo chimps for
antibacterial and anti-inflammatory compounds to improve their understanding of
the function of bark-eating activities and their potential significance in chimp
health maintenance. They tried a combination of bark and congealed resin on K.
anthotheca, which Budongo chimpanzees preferred.

The researchers also examined the pharmacology of two kinds of dead wood (A.
boonei and Cleistopholis patens) ingested by the Sonso chimp colony to
investigate whether this habit served multiple purposes or provided health
advantages.

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20240625/Chimpanzees-seek-out-tree-bark-and-ferns-with-medicinal-benefits-researchers-discover.aspx

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Agriculture

DAIRY FARMERS PROTEST IN BRUSSELS OVER LOW PRICE OF MILK

About a hundred farmers protested in front of European Union institutions,
calling for a law on the price of dairy products

Farmers took to the streets in Brussels on Monday, demanding a law banning the
sale of dairy products at a price below production costs.

Demonstrators, with fake cows painted in the colours of the European flag,
marched between the headquarters of the European Parliament and the Commission
in the Belgian capital.

Kjartan Poulsen, president of the European Milk Board, told Euronews that
protesters wanted an EU-wide version of a Spanish law on “unfair commercial
practices”, which forbids selling “products below cost at all stages of the
purchasing chain.”

He said production costs vary from country to country depending on the cost of
labour and features unique to where the farms are located.

But, in general, milk costs more for farmers to produce than what it costs to
buy for consumers.

In some countries, such as Italy, the gap between production costs and selling
prices is even greater than the European average, according to the president of
the Po Valley Milk Producers’ Association Roberto Cavaliere.

“On average, the costs of an Italian company are around 60-65 cents per litre.
Currently, Italian producers earn 50 cents. We still have a gap of 15 cents”.

“We ask for a fair price because the prices paid to producers over the last 25
years have never covered production costs.”

According to Cavaliere, the only companies in the sector that can survive what
he calls an unbalanced and unprofitable market are those that use family labour,
which cuts production costs because they do not pay for their work. Others
simply close.

“In 1997 there were 110 thousand milk producers in Italy, in 2023 18 thousand.
Almost 90 thousand companies have closed. These are alarming figures,” he said.

THE GREEN DEAL QUESTION

Among farmers’ other requests are anti-crisis tools for the agricultural sector
and the creation of organisations that bring together producers from different
dairy supply chains.

They also want clauses to ensure that milk imported into the EU respects the
environmental requirements demanded by local producers.

European farmers have asked to be more involved in drafting European measures
affecting the agricultural sector.

But, compared to other farmers’ protests in recent months, those protesting on
Monday were less focused on the Green Deal, the EU plan to eliminate net
emissions of climate-changing gases by 2050 that has strong repercussions on
agriculture.

https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2024/05/27/dairy-farmers-protest-in-brussels-over-low-price-of-milk

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Agriculture

SEASONAL FERTILIZER BAN IN EFFECT FROM MAY 15 THROUGH OCT. 31

As Miami-Dade County enters the rainy season, the use of fertilizers containing
nitrogen and phosphorus is prohibited from May 15 through Oct. 31. Fertilizers
applied during our intense rainy season have the potential to wash away into our
surface waters through storm drains, canals, or direct discharges, reducing the
benefit to lawns of costly fertilizer applications. Fertilizers contain
nutrients that can be harmful to the ecosystems found in our waterways,
especially Biscayne Bay. Excess nutrients pollution from our urban watershed is
affecting the health of Biscayne Bay and has contributed to seagrass die-offs,
algal blooms and fish kills in the Bay.

A 2023 Biscayne Bay Economic Study revealed the combined economic impact of
Biscayne Bay-related activities is an astonishing $64 billion in economic
output. Whether you live or work in a waterfront community or the westernmost
suburbs of Miami-Dade County, the actions of residents and businesses influence
the watershed, and can have a positive or negative effect on the health of our
shared water resources and Biscayne Bay

Do your part to help protect Biscayne Bay by following the regulations set forth
in the fertilizer ordinance.

The fertilizer ordinance applies to commercial and residential fertilizer
applicators and anyone who performs landscape management. The ordinance contains
specific rules for when, how much and where you can use fertilizers; proper
management of grass clippings and vegetative debris; and sets forth required
training for local businesses. Make sure you know the rules and remain in
compliance with the ordinance.

This ordinance was developed as part of a broad countywide effort to reduce
nutrient pollution, in the form of excess nitrogen and phosphorous, in our urban
watershed. Excess nutrients from fertilizer can enter our sensitive water
resources like Biscayne Bay, where they have contributed to seagrass die-offs,
algal blooms fish-kills.

Use the resources found in the marketing toolkit to help spread the word about
the fertilizer ordinance.

https://www.miamidade.gov/global/news-item.page?Mduid_news=news1631547014001318

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Health

PEOPLE ARE COMMONLY GIVEN MISLEADING INFORMATION ABOUT DEPRESSION, STUDY SHOWS

A recent Finnish study shows that people are commonly given misleading
information about depression. According to the researchers, the inaccurate
information makes it harder for people to understand the causes of their
distress.

Most psychiatric diagnoses are purely descriptive. For example, a diagnosis of
depression is only a description of the various psychological symptoms – not the
cause. Yet depression is often talked about as a disorder that causes low mood
and other symptoms.

Researchers describe this as a form of circular reasoning, which means that
psychiatric diagnoses are frequently talked about circularly, as if they
described the causes for symptoms. This makes it difficult for people to
understand their distress.

> Depression should be considered as a diagnosis similar to a headache. Both are
> medical diagnoses, but neither explains what causes the symptoms. Like a
> headache, depression is a description of a problem that can have many
> different causes. A diagnosis of depression does not explain the cause of
> depressed mood any more than a diagnosis of headaches explains the cause of
> pain in the head.”
>
> Jani Kajanoja, postdoctoral researcher and medical doctor specializing
> in psychiatry, University of Turku in Finland

This misconception is also perpetuated by mental health professionals, shows a
recent study by the University of Turku and the University of the Arts Helsinki.

In the study, the researchers analyzed publicly available information on
depression provided by leading international health organizations. The
researchers selected the websites of English-language organizations whose
information on depression was the most influential according to search engine
results. The organizations included the World Health Organisation (WHO), the
American Psychiatric Association (APA), National Health Service (NHS) in the UK,
and Harvard and Johns Hopkins Universities, among others.

Most organizations portrayed depression on their website as a disorder that
causes symptoms and/or explains what causes the symptoms, although this is not
the case. None of the organizations presented the diagnosis as a pure
description of symptoms, as would have been accurate.

“Presenting depression as a uniform disorder that causes depressive symptoms is
circular reasoning that blurs our understanding of the nature of mental health
problems and makes it harder for people to understand their distress,” says
Kajanoja.

The researchers suggest that the problem may be caused by a cognitive bias.

“People seem to have a tendency to think that a diagnosis is an explanation even
when it is not. It is important for professionals not to reinforce this
misconception with their communication, and instead help people to understand
their condition,” says Professor and Neuropsychologist Jussi Valtonen from the
University of the Arts Helsinki.

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20240628/People-are-commonly-given-misleading-information-about-depression-study-shows.aspx

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Space

MAYDAY IN SPACE: SUNITA WILLIAMS ORDERED TO SHELTER IN STARLINER AS SATELLITE
BREAKS UP

IN SHORT

* Mission Control instructed all crew members to seek shelter
* Williams and Wilmore have been aboard the ISS since June 5
* Mission Control closely monitored the path of the debris

The emergency order was issued as space debris threatened the orbiting
laboratory on Wednesday.

In a tense moment aboard the International Space Station (ISS), Nasa astronauts
Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore were forced to take emergency shelter in
Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft and other return vehicles.

The incident occurred when Nasa was informed of a satellite break-up at an
altitude near the station.

As a standard precautionary measure, Mission Control instructed all crew members
to seek shelter in their respective spacecraft. Williams and Wilmore, who have
been aboard the ISS since June 5, took refuge in the Starliner capsule.

For approximately an hour, Mission Control closely monitored the path of the
debris while the astronauts remained in their protective shelters. After
determining that the immediate threat had passed, the crew was given the
all-clear to exit their spacecraft and resume normal operations on the station.

Originally scheduled for an 8-day mission, the astronauts have now been in space
for over three weeks as Nasa and Boeing work to resolve helium leaks and
thruster problems that have plagued the capsule.

Despite these challenges, Nasa has maintained that the Starliner is capable of
safely returning the astronauts to Earth if absolutely necessary. This recent
shelter-in-place event further underscores the spacecraft’s vital role in
ensuring crew safety.

As space activities continue to increase, the management of orbital debris
remains a critical concern for space agencies worldwide.

https://www.indiatoday.in/science/story/sunita-williams-shelter-in-starliner-as-satellite-breaks-up-in-space-2559428-2024-06-28

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Family

MAMA’S BOYS AND MARITAL STRIFE ARE NO JOKE IN TODAY’S CHINA

Tales about evil mothers-in-law have landed China’s wildly popular ultrashort
dramas in trouble with official censors.

Bossy matriarchs who baby their adult sons are a staple of the latest
entertainment craze among Gen Z in the country. They harangue daughters-in-law,
the heroines of the shows, for subpar cooking and high electricity bills.

Sometimes, it gets weird. In one series, the older woman even helps her son
shower and brush his teeth. Wronged and disgusted, the young wife plots revenge.
In a dramatic finale, she reveals her mother-in-law’s bullying to her husband —
or she dumps him and strikes out alone.

Rising official concern about the corrupting influence of micro-dramas will
probably slow the meteoric rise of the industry in China, experts say, and may
accelerate studios’ efforts to go global.

For Huang, the format has proven harmful to society in part because viewers are
fed unrealistic plots that “vilify people and amplify conflicts” within
families. Young people, who spend more time with their screens than real people,
are becoming “emotionally deficient” and “unwilling to get married or have
children,” he added.

Censors this month called out mother-in-law dramas for straying from “mainstream
values” approved by the Chinese Communist Party. State media have since reported
that the National Radio and Television Administration is conducting a nationwide
review and will remove unapproved titles by June 1.

Since China’s population began to shrink in 2022, officials have stepped up
controls on “unhealthy” portrayals of love and marriage in popular culture. At
the same time, they have dialed up propaganda to encourage young couples to
settle down and get busy having children.

But that effort to spread “positive energy” around marriage and childbearing has
repeatedly clashed with the shifting ideals of young Chinese — particularly
women — who are tired of government lectures about filial piety and familial
responsibility.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/04/22/china-short-dramas-censorship/?utm_source=ground.news&utm_medium=referral

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Politics

MEXICO ELECTS CLAUDIA SHEINBAUM AS FIRST FEMALE PRESIDENT

Claudia Sheinbaum has been elected as Mexico’s first female president, in a
historic landslide win.

Mexico’s official electoral authority said preliminary results showed the
61-year-old former mayor of Mexico City winning between 58% and 60% of the vote
in Sunday’s election.

That gives her a lead of about 30 percentage points over her main rival,
businesswoman Xóchitl Gálvez.

Ms Sheinbaum will replace her mentor, outgoing President Andrés Manuel López
Obrador, on 1 October.

Ms Sheinbaum, a former energy scientist, has promised continuity, saying that
she will continue to build on the “advances” made by Mr López Obrador, further
building on the welfare programmes which have made the outgoing president very
popular.

But in her victory speech she also highlighted what has set this Mexican
election apart from previous ones. She told cheering voters: “For the first time
in the 200 years of the [Mexican] Republic, I will become the first woman
president of Mexico.”

She said it was an achievement not just for her but for all women.

“I’ve said it from the start, this is not just about me getting [to the top
office], it’s about all of us getting here.”

She added: “I won’t fail you.”

Ms Sheinbaum also thanked her rival, Xóchitl Gálvez, who has conceded victory.

MEXICO’S FIRST FEMALE PRESIDENT BREAKS POLITICAL GLASS CEILING

Prior to running for president, Ms Sheinbaum was mayor of Mexico City, one of
the most influential political positions in the country and one that is seen as
paving the way for the presidency.

MS SHEINBAUM, WHOSE JEWISH MATERNAL GRANDPARENTS IMMIGRATED TO MEXICO FROM
BULGARIA FLEEING THE NAZIS, HAD AN ILLUSTRIOUS CAREER AS A SCIENTIST BEFORE
DELVING INTO POLITICS. HER PATERNAL GRANDPARENTS HAILED FROM LITHUANIA.

Both of her parents were scientists and Ms Sheinbaum studied physics before
going on to receive a doctorate in energy engineering.

She spent years at a renowned research lab in California studying Mexican energy
consumption patterns and became an expert on climate change.

That experience and her student activism eventually earned her the position of
secretary of the environment for Mexico City at the time when Andrés Manuel
López Obrador was mayor of the capital.

In 2018 she became the first female mayor of Mexico City, a post she held until
2023, when she stepped down to run for president.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp4475gwny1o

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Politics

ANTI-TAX PROTESTERS STORM KENYA’S PARLIAMENT, DRAWING POLICE FIRE AS PRESIDENT
VOWS TO QUASH UNREST

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Thousands of protesters stormed Kenya’s parliament
Tuesday to protest tax proposals, burning part of the building, sending
lawmakers fleeing and drawing fire from police in unrest that the president
vowed to quash. Several people were killed.

The finance bill was meant to raise or introduce taxes or fees on a range of
daily items and services including internet data, fuel, bank transfers and
diapers. Some measures were stripped as anger grew. The proposals are part of
the Kenyan government’s efforts to raise an extra $2.7 billion in domestic
revenue.

It was the most direct assault on the government in decades. Journalists saw at
least three bodies outside the complex where police had opened fire, and medical
workers reported five people killed. Clashes spread to other cities. There was
no immediate word on arrests.

“Today’s events mark a critical turning point on how we respond to threats to
our national security,” President William Ruto said, calling the events
“treasonous” and vowing to quash the unrest “at whatever cost.”

Kenya’s defense minister said the military had been deployed to support police
during the “security emergency” and “breaching of critical infrastructure.”

Protesters had demanded that legislators vote against a finance bill imposing
new taxes on East Africa’s economic hub, where frustrations over the high cost
of living have simmered. Youth who had voted Ruto into power with cheers for his
promises of economic relief have taken to the streets to object to the pain of
reforms.

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War

PUTIN CALLS FOR RESUMING PRODUCTION OF MISSILES BANNED IN SCRAPPED TREATY WITH
US

President Vladimir Putin has called for resuming production in Russia of
intermediate-range missiles that were banned under a now-scrapped treaty with
the US.

The Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty was regarded as an arms
control landmark when then-Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and US president
Ronald Reagan signed it in the 1980s.

It banned ground-based missiles with a range of between 310 and 3,410 miles (500
to 5,500 km).

The US withdrew from the treaty in 2019, citing Russian violations.

“We need to start production of these strike systems and then, based on the
actual situation, make decisions about where – if necessary to ensure our safety
– to place them,” Mr Putin said at a meeting of Russia’s national security
council on Friday.

Mr Putin said Russia had not produced such missiles since the 2019 treaty
scrapping, but that “today it is known that the United States not only produces
these missile systems, but has already brought them to Europe for exercises, to
Denmark. Quite recently it was announced that they are in the Philippines.”

The US has tested missiles that would have been banned by the INF treaty since
it was scrapped.

The end of the INF was a milestone in the deterioration of relations between the
US and Russia.

The last remaining arms control pact between Washington and Moscow is the New
Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, which limits each country to no more than 1,550
deployed nuclear warheads and 700 deployed missiles and bombers.

It is set to expire in 2026, and the lack of discussion about anchoring a
successor deal has worried arms control advocates.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) has said that Mr Putin’s statement was
“part of the Kremlin’s ongoing reflexive control campaign… aimed at discouraging
Western military assistance to Ukraine”.

“The Kremlin has invoked the fear of a nuclear confrontation between Russia and
the West throughout its full-scale invasion to push the West to self-deter from
providing Ukraine the weapons it needs to sustain its defence against Russian
forces,” the ISW said.

“The Kremlin notably employs this effort during key moments in Western political
discussions about further military assistance to Ukraine.”

In June, Mr Putin spoke to executives from international news organisations
about Moscow’s use of nuclear weapons.

“We have a nuclear doctrine, look what it says,” he said. “If someone’s actions
threaten our sovereignty and territorial integrity, we consider it possible for
us to use all means at our disposal. This should not be taken lightly,
superficially.”

https://news.sky.com/story/ukraine-war-latest-russia-putin-12541713

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War

IRAN’S UN MISSION THREATENS ‘OBLITERATING WAR’ IF ISRAEL LAUNCHES LEBANON
OFFENSIVE

Iran’s mission to the United Nations said on Friday that if Israel embarks on a
“full-scale military aggression” in Lebanon against Hezbollah, “an obliterating
war will ensue.”

The warning came after the Israel Defense Force attacked several Hezbollah
positions, in response to the Iran-backed terror group’s latest barrage on
northern Israel hours earlier, amid escalating tensions on the Lebanese border.

Writing on X on Friday, the Iranian UN mission said that if Israel were to
launch a war on Hezbollah, “all options, including the full involvement of all
resistance fronts, are on the table.”

headquarters in New York, February 23, 2023. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)

Iran’s mission to the United Nations said on Friday that if Israel embarks on a
“full-scale military aggression” in Lebanon against Hezbollah, “an obliterating
war will ensue.”

Writing on X on Friday, the Iranian UN mission said that if Israel were to
launch a war on Hezbollah, “all options, including the full involvement of all
resistance fronts, are on the table.”

Iran’s “Axis of Resistance,” which includes Hezbollah, Hamas, Yemen’s Houthis,
and other groups in Syria and Iraq, has been targeting Israel since October 7,
when thousands of Hamas-led terrorists stormed southern Israel, killing 1,200
people and taking 251 hostages, sparking the war in Gaza.

Iran itself also launched an unprecedented missile-and-drone strike on Israel on
April 14, two weeks after an alleged Israel airstrike near Tehran’s embassy in
Damascus killed several senior officers of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard
Corps. The Iranian strike was almost entirely repelled by Israel, the United
States and other allies, though a 7-year-old girl was seriously injured in the
attack.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/irans-un-mission-threatens-obliterating-war-if-israel-launches-lebanon-offensive/

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> Editors’ Note
>
> “The value of money lies in its use. If more money is accumulated than is
> necessary, it becomes valueless for lack of use. The money you keep idle and
> valueless makes you responsible for the injustice done to the hungry and the
> naked. Spiritual practice does not teach forsaking the world. It teaches the
> right and correct use of all property, crude or subtle.”
>
> — Shrii P.R. Sarkar

THE END

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

JUNE 20, 2024

EDUCATION IN POLITICS

TRUMP SAYS HE WOULD GIVE GREEN CARDS TO ALL FOREIGN COLLEGE STUDENTS AT
GRADUATION

Mr. Trump’s promise to Silicon Valley investors was a sharp departure from
immigration curbs he enacted during his presidency. His campaign walked it back
soon after.

Donald J. Trump said he would push for a program that would automatically give
green cards to all foreign college students in America after they graduate, a
reversal from restrictions he enacted as president on immigration by
high-skilled workers and students to the United States.

But hours after Mr. Trump’s remarks aired, his campaign’s press secretary,
Karoline Leavitt, walked back the former president’s comments, saying in a
statement that there would be an “aggressive vetting process” that would
“exclude all communists, radical Islamists, Hamas supporters, America haters
and public charges” and that the policy would apply only to the “most skilled
graduates who can make significant contributions to America.”

Appearing with the host David Sacks, a Silicon Valley investor who backs the
former president’s 2024 campaign, on a podcast that aired Thursday afternoon,
Mr. Trump had repeated his frequent criticism of high levels of immigration as
an “invasion of our country.” But he was then pressed by Jason Calacanis,
another investor who hosts the podcast, to “promise us you will give us more
ability to import the best and brightest around the world to America.”

.https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/20/us/politics/trump-green-cards-college-graduates.html

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USDA AWARDS $50M TO HELP FARMS HIRE MIGRANT WORKERS

The grants are part of a pilot effort to expand legal migratory pathways in
northern Central America through the H-2A visa program.

DIVE BRIEF:

* The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Friday said it awarded $50 million for
farms to attract temporary workers under the H-2A visa program, part of a
pilot program to expand legal migratory pathways in Guatemala and other
northern Central American countries.
* Grants as high as $1.7 million went to 141 businesses across 40 states and
Puerto Rico. The funding will assist 177 unique agricultural operations and
over 11,000 workers, the USDA said.
* The grants are meant to help farms address labor shortages while improving
working standards and expanding regular migration pathways for workers in
Northern Triangle countries including Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador.

DIVE INSIGHT:

As the U.S. grapples with a significant farmworker shortage, agricultural
businesses often rely on the H-2A visa program to secure temporary, seasonal
workers and fill labor shortfalls. However, the program is both expensive for
farms and rife with abuse and exploitation.

The USDA effort, known as the Farm Labor Stabilization and Protection Pilot
Program, is a small step toward bolstering labor standards in the farm industry
while also addressing the mounting costs of the seasonal worker program. Farms
are eligible for funding if they commit to fulfilling all baseline requirements
of the H-2A visa program and pledge additional worker benefits and protections.

“These awards will largely support small and mid-sized farms to ensure they can
hire and retain the workers they need to be competitive in the market,”
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement. ”Improving working
conditions and quality of life for farmworkers, both U.S. based workers and
those that come to our country to work, is one key step in building a stronger,
more resilient food supply chain.”

https://www.agriculturedive.com/news/usda-50m-migrant-worker-farms-grants/719135/

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CLIMATE CHANGE UNDERMINES HUMAN RIGHTS

The accelerating pace of climate change is undermining human rights across the
board – including the most basic one of all: the right to life – WMO
Secretary-General Celeste Saulo told a high-level presidential discussion at the
United Nations Human Rights Council.

“The climate crisis is THE defining challenge that humanity faces. It is closely
intertwined with the inequality crisis. It has cascading impacts on food
security, population displacement and migration, health, energy, water. Every
single one of the Sustainable Development Goals is affected,” said Celeste Saulo
during the panel discussion.

Sea level rise is threatening the very existence of small island developing
states. Heatwaves, floods, droughts, wildfires and rapidly intensifying tropical
cyclones undermine multiple human rights – as witnessed by recent and ongoing
extreme events, she said.

The event was entitled “The link between climate change, food security and
health security, and their impacts on the enjoyment of human rights.” It was
convened by the President of the Human Rights Council, Omar Zniber, and included
top human rights officials and heads of Geneva-based UN organizations and
specialized agencies.

WMO’s annual State of the Climate reports highlight the socio-economic impacts
of climate change and extreme weather, with input from the International
Organization, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, World Food Programme, World
Health Organization and more.

Displacement: Weather and climate change impacts trigger new, prolonged, and
secondary displacement. They increase the vulnerability of people who were
already uprooted by conflict and violence.

At the end of 2023, almost 3 in 4 forcibly displaced people were living in
countries with high-to-extreme exposure to climate-related hazards, according to
UNHCR.

Food insecurity is on the increase.

The number of people who are acutely food insecure worldwide has more than
doubled, from 149 million people before the COVID-19 pandemic to 333 million and
people in 2023, according to WFP.

In 2022, 9.2% of the global population, or 735.1 million people, were
undernourished.

Protracted conflicts, economic downturns, high food prices are at the root of
high global food insecurity levels. This is aggravated by naturally occurring
phenomena like El Niño and La Niña and long-term climate change the effects of
climate and weather extremes, she said.

Climate change is sabotaging people’s health and setting back public health
progress.

This is not the future we want for our children. Our children have the right to
live and thrive on a sustainable and healthy planet.

However, there is hope. The transition to renewable energy can improve basic
socio-economic rights – the right to development.

Renewable energy sources are available almost everywhere, making energy access
more equitable and allowing countries to develop their economies. Currently,
more than half of Africa people lack the access to electricity, but Africa
continent possesses some of the world’s greatest potential for solar power
generation.

Such potential holds the key to alleviate poverty and support socio-economic
development.

“We are motivated by the fact that our work has a human dimension. To save human
lives and protect human rights,” said Celeste Saulo.

https://wmo.int/media/news/climate-change-undermines-human-rights

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IF YOU TAKE THESE MEDICATIONS, YOU MAY HAVE HIGHER HEALTH RISKS ON HOT DAYS

As summer temperatures soar, it’s crucial for those taking specific medications
to be extra vigilant about staying hydrated and managing heat-related risks.
Prolonged heatwaves can adversely impact the effectiveness and safety of many
commonly prescribed drugs, potentially leading to dehydration, dizziness,
fainting, and other health complications.

DIURETICS: A HEIGHTENED RISK OF DEHYDRATION

Diuretics, or “water pills,” are medications commonly prescribed to treat high
blood pressure, heart failure and certain kidney disorders. These drugs work by
increasing the excretion of water and sodium from the body, effectively reducing
fluid volume. However, during a heatwave, this mechanism can quickly lead to
dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, and exacerbate heat-related illnesses. So,
make sure to rehydrate yourself.

BETA BLOCKERS: IMPAIRED HEAT REGULATION

Beta blockers are widely used to manage high blood pressure, heart conditions
and migraines. These medications can interfere with the body’s ability to
regulate temperature effectively. By blocking the effects of adrenaline, beta
blockers can reduce sweating, which is the body’s natural cooling mechanism.
Consequently, individuals taking beta blockers may experience increased body
temperatures and are at a higher risk of heat exhaustion or heat stroke during
hot weather.

ACE INHIBITORS: DEHYDRATION AND LOW BLOOD PRESSURE

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are commonly prescribed to treat
high blood pressure, heart failure and kidney disorders. These medications can
cause excessive fluid loss and dehydration, particularly during hot weather when
the body is already losing fluids through perspiration. Additionally, ACE
inhibitors may contribute to low blood pressure, increasing the risk of
dizziness, fainting, and falls, especially in elderly individuals.

ANTIDEPRESSANTS AND STIMULANTS: IMPAIRED THERMOREGULATION

Certain antidepressants, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), can affect the body’s
ability to regulate temperature. Similarly, stimulant medications used to treat
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), like methylphenidate and
amphetamines, may also impair thermoregulation and increase the risk of
heat-related illnesses.

1. Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of water and fluids throughout the day, even if
you don’t feel thirsty. Infuse them with electrolytes to ensure mineral balance.
Avoid alcoholic and caffeinated beverages that may dehydrate you.

2. Use air conditioning: Spend as much time as possible in an air-conditioned
environment, be it at your home, office or public buildings. If air conditioning
is not available, seek out cooler areas or use fans to promote air circulation.

3. Limit outdoor activities: Avoid them during the hottest parts of the day. If
you must be outside, take frequent breaks in shaded or cooled areas.

4. Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothing that allows for
proper air circulation and perspiration.

https://www.healthline.com/health-news/common-medications-heat-risks

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NASA ADMINISTRATOR SAYS ‘AT LEAST A TRILLION’ OTHER PLANETS LIKE EARTH COULD
EXIST IN UNIVERSE

NASA administrator Bill Nelson has made a bold statement that sparks curiosity
and wonder by saying that there could be at least a trillion “Earth-like”
planets in the universe. This incredible number suggests that the possibility of
alien life is much higher than we might have thought.

Nelson made this statement while talking about NASA’s plans. The space agency is
preparing to send astronauts back to the moon. “Four astronauts are set to orbit
the moon next year,” Nelson said. But this mission is not just about returning
to the moon. “We don’t need to go back to the moon just for the moon. We’re
going back to learn new things. For us to go to Mars and beyond,” he explained.

At the same time, NASA’s Perseverance Rover is busy exploring Mars, specifically
the Jezero Crater, which scientists think was once a lake filled with rivers.
This area could have supported life in the past. Nelson talked about the rover’s
tasks: “It’s getting samples and it’s drilling with this drill, creating these
core samples about the size of a cigar and sealing them up in these titanium
tubes.”

BILL NELSON HIGHLIGHTS NASA’S BROADER SEARCH FOR ALIEN LIFE

These samples are crucial for understanding Mars’ history. “We’re trying to
figure out right now how we’re going to go back and get them and bring them back
to Earth so that we got an idea of whether or not there was life there,” Nelson
stated. NASA plans to bring these samples back in the 2030s with help from
various companies.

NASA’s search for alien life goes beyond Mars. The agency, working with Firebird
Diagnostics, is exploring other signs of life in the universe. “NASA’s mission
is to go out, among other things, and discover whether or not we are alone,”
expressed Firebird Diagnostics Founder Steven Benner. His company is helping
NASA understand different forms of DNA that might exist in alien life.

Benner asks an intriguing question, “It’s a big question as to how molecular
biology could be done if it was done by an organism that does not share a common
ancestor, a common origin, with you and me.” This research could change our
understanding of biology and life.

When asked about extraterrestrial life, Nelson shared his thoughts. “If you ask
me directly, do I think that there are aliens here on Earth? I don’t think so. I
don’t know. And I don’t think the US government is hiding anything from anybody.
But if you ask me, ‘Do I think there’s life out there in the cosmos?’”

NASA’s ongoing exploration and research bring us closer to answering the age-old
question of whether we are alone in the universe. Each mission and discovery
offer new clues and keep hope alive that we might find signs of life beyond
Earth

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/nasa-administrator-says-least-trillion-planets-like-earth-could-exist-universe

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WOMAN FINDS PRICELESS 2,000-YEAR-OLD MAYAN VASE IN MARYLAND THRIFT STORE

Most dedicated thrifters usually find junk on the clearance rack, but
one Washington, D.C., woman discovered a link to ancient history when she
purchased a 2,000-year-old Mayan vase.

The priceless artifact bought by Anna Lee Dozier in a Clinton, Maryland, thrift
store came at a bargain, costing only US$3.99 (C$5.50).

Officials said the vase is believed to have been made by Indigenous Mayan people
in Mexico between 200 and 800 CE.

Dozier, who told WUSA9 she purchased the vase five years ago, said she did not
know the artifact was the real thing.

She said the vase looked “old-ish” and she suspected it to be a 20- or
30-year-old tourist reproduction of Mayan-style pottery. Dozier liked the vase
anyway and decided to bring it home.

The vase stayed in Dozier’s residence until January of this year, when she
visited Mexico’s Museum of Anthropology and realized the museum’s Mayan pottery
looked strikingly similar to the one that she thrifted.

Dozier said she asked an employee at the Museum of Anthropology how she could go
about repatriating her thrifted vase.

The staff member told Dozier it was a common question but seemed “skeptical” of
her inquiry.

Regardless, Dozier contacted the U.S. embassy with details about the vase.

Dozier later learned the vase is, in fact, a ceremonial urn from the ancient
Mayan community.

On Tuesday, Mexico’s ambassador to the U.S., Esteban Moctezuma Barragán, thanked
Dozier for her “generosity” in repatriating the artifact.

He said the vase would be reintegrated in the country’s Museum of Anthropology,
alongside other Mayan antiques.

Dozier told WUSA9 she’s “thrilled” to have repatriated the vase.

“I would like it to go back to its rightful place and to where it belongs,” she
said.

Dozier admitted she wanted the artifact “out of my home” because she has three
young sons and would have been “petrified that after 2,000 years, I would be the
one to wreck it!”

She is not the only person to ever find a priceless, historical object for sale
in a thrift store. In 2018, an art collector in Texas discovered
a 2,000-year-old Roman marble bust at her local Goodwill and bought it for $35.
The bust formerly resided inside a full-scale model of a villa from Pompeii in
Aschaffenburg, Germany, but was stolen from the country during the Second World
War.

https://globalnews.ca/news/10580417/mayan-vase-2000-year-old-thrift-store

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ARCHAEOLOGISTS UNEARTH MYSTERY STONE BUILDING ON SITE OF NEW CRETE AIRPORT

The airport is projected to be Greece’s second biggest when it opens.

An archeological discovery in Crete is puzzling experts – and could stand in the
way of a major new airport which is under construction.

The round stone building was uncovered by archaeologists on the site where the
new Greek airport’s radar station was meant to be built.

The original purpose of the building is puzzling experts. “It may have been
periodically used for possibly ritual ceremonies involving consumption of food,
wine, and perhaps offerings,” Greece’s Culture Minstry said in a statement.

It has been decided that the discovery will not stop the airport being built.
Greece’s Culture Minister Lina Mendoni pledged that the find would be preserved
while a different location would be sought for the radar station.

“We all understand the value and importance of cultural heritage … as well as
the growth potential” of the new airport project, says Mendoni, who is herself
an archaeologists.

“It’s possible to go ahead with the airport while granting the antiquities the
protection they merit.”

Set to open in 2027, the Crete airport is projected to replace Greece’s
second-biggest airport at Heraklion, and designed to handle up to 18 million
travelers annually.

IT’S ONE OF 35 ARCHEOLOGICAL FINDS AT THE SITE

Greece’s Culture Ministry said this week that the structure is a “unique and
extremely interesting find” from Crete‘s Minoan civilisation, famous for its
sumptuous palaces, flamboyant art and enigmatic writing system.

It’s not the first finding at the airport site. So far, at least another 35
archaeological sites have been uncovered during work on the new Kastelli airport
and its road connections, the ministry said.

At the end of the last century, an entire hilltop fortified settlement from the
3rd millennium B.C. was excavated and then destroyed during construction work
for Athens International Airport.

https://www.euronews.com/travel/2024/06/13/extremely-interesting-archaeologists-unearth-mystery-stone-building-on-site-of-new-crete-a

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WITH ROOTS IN INDIA, YOGA UNITES PEOPLE WITH ITS VALUES OF BALANCE, MINDFULNESS,
PEACE: UN CHIEF ANTONIO GUTERRES

“Yoga has roots in India and is now embraced globally, uniting people with its
values of balance, mindfulness and peace,” United Nations Secretary-General
Antonio Guterres has said.

In his message on the 10th International Yoga Day, Mr. Guterres urged people to
be inspired by the ancient practice’s timeless values and its call for a more
peaceful and harmonious future.

In December 2014, the UN proclaimed June 21 as the International Day of Yoga,
recognising its universal appeal. The draft UN General Assembly resolution
establishing the International Day of Yoga was proposed by India and endorsed by
a record 175 member states.

“The International Day of Yoga recognises the ancient practice’s unmatched power
to deliver healing, inner peace and physical, spiritual and mental well-being,”
Mr. Guterres said in his message on June 21 as the world celebrated the 10th
International Yoga Day.

“With roots in India but now embraced worldwide by people of all faiths and
cultures, Yoga unites people with its values of balance, mindfulness and peace
with people and planet alike,” Mr. Guterres said in the message posted on X by
the Permanent Mission of India to the UN.

He noted that this year’s theme ‘Yoga for Self and Society’ reminds “us of
Yoga’s important role in enhancing people’s lives and the wider community. On
this important day, let us all be inspired by Yoga’s timeless values and its
call for a more peaceful and harmonious future,” the UN chief said.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/with-roots-in-india-yoga-unites-people-with-its-values-of-balance-mindfulness-peace-un-chief-antonio-guterres/article68319750.ece

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HAJJ PILGRIMAGE DEATH TOLL CLIMBS INTO THE HUNDREDS

The official death toll from this year’s Hajj pilgrimage has soared to almost
500 and the true toll could be more than double that as reports emerged that as
many as 600 Egyptian worshipers perished on the route to Mecca amid extreme
heat.

At least 14 Malaysians, 165 Indonesians, 75 Jordanians, 35 Pakistanis, 49
Tunisians, 11 Iranians and 98 Indians have died, according to authorities in
each country. A further 27 Jordanians are hospitalized and around 14 are still
missing, the Jordanian Foreign Ministry said.

The US State Department said multiple US citizens died during the Hajj
pilgrimage but did not provide a number. “We can confirm the deaths of multiple
U.S. citizens in Saudi Arabia. We offer our sincerest condolences to the
families on their loss,” the State Department spokesperson said, adding that the
agency stands ready to provide consular assistance.

Dozens of Iranians have also been hospitalized due to heatstroke and other
conditions, the Iranian Red Crescent said Wednesday, according to Iran’s
semi-official Tasnim news agency.

According to a CNN tally, this brings the latest official death toll for this
year’s pilgrimage to at least 480.

The death tolls are expected to rise much further, as Saudi Arabia and Egypt
have yet to release official figures. Additionally, the governments are only
aware of pilgrims who have registered and traveled to Mecca as part of their
country’s quota – more deaths are feared among unregistered pilgrims.

The pilgrims made this year’s journey in dangerously high temperatures of up to
49 degrees Celsius (120 degrees Fahrenheit).

According to the Egyptian presidency, the crisis unit will be headed by Prime
Minister Mostafa Madbouly, and will “provide support for families of the
deceased.”

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has also instructed the unit on “speedy
coordination with Saudi Arabian authorities to facilitate the return of the
bodies” of those who died, the statement added.

The official number of dead Egyptians stands at 28, according to an Egyptian
cabinet statement Thursday. However, it is being widely reported by Reuters news
agency and other outlets that as many as 500 to 600 Egyptians perished on the
route.

Egyptian officials said they were working to gather an accurate tally of victims
and missing persons. The discrepancy stems from vast numbers of unregistered
pilgrims who are not accounted for among those who have registered and traveled
to Mecca as part of their country’s quota.

Thousands more have been treated for heatstroke after an estimated crowd of 1.8
million Muslims contended with the high temperatures.

The Saudi Ministry of Health implemented safety measures including cooling
stations along the official route, and urged pilgrims to use umbrellas and stay
hydrated, The Associated Press reported. Despite this, this year’s event was
overshadowed by tragedy, raising questions over whether more could have been
done to ensure people’s safety.

It also highlights the dangers posed for the many unregistered worshipers who
want to fulfil their religious duty despite not obtaining a Hajj permit, and who
don’t have access to the official facilities.

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/06/21/middleeast/hajj-deaths-mecca-extreme-heat-intl-latam/index.html

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NATO ALLIES APPEAR TO HAVE CHOSEN THEIR NEXT LEADER AHEAD OF SUMMIT

Mark Rutte, who looks set to be NATO’s next secretary-general, is a fierce
critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin and a staunch ally of Ukraine who
honed his skills as a political dealmaker during nearly 14 years as Dutch prime
minister.

Rutte, 57, has been one of the driving forces behind Europe’s military support
for Ukraine since Russia’s 2022 invasion, and says defeat on the battlefield for
Moscow is vital to secure peace in Europe.

His view is heavily influenced by the downing of an airliner over Ukraine in
2014, which the Netherlands blames on Russia, and in which 196 of the 298
victims were Dutch. NATO must be powerful to counter Moscow, and other European
Union leaders must not be naive about Putin’s Russia, he says.

“He won’t stop at Ukraine if we don’t stop him now. This war is bigger than
Ukraine itself. It’s about upholding the international rule of law,” Rutte told
the United Nations in September 2022, seven months after Russia’s full-scale
invasion.

Rutte first took office in 2010 and went on to become the longest-serving Dutch
prime minister before announcing last year that he planned to leave national
politics.

After the downing of flight MH17, he went from being primarily domestically
focused to one of the EU’s main dealmakers, playing an important role in
European debates on immigration, debt and the response to COVID-19.

Under his leadership, the Netherlands has increased defense spending to more
than the two per cent threshold of GDP required of NATO members, providing F-16
fighter jets, artillery, drones and ammunition to Kyiv and investing heavily in
its own military.

Stoltenberg said on Tuesday Rutte was a “very strong” candidate to replace him
and a decision was near.

Under Stoltenberg, who joined a few months after Russia annexed Crimea from
Ukraine in 2014, the alliance has added Montenegro, North Macedonia, Finland and
Sweden as new members.

Some members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization had hoped Estonian Prime
Minister Kaja Kallas would become the first woman to lead NATO but others saw
her as too hawkish towards Russia.

.https://globalnews.ca/news/10578991/mark-rutte-next-nato-secretary-general/

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DESIGNER OF WORLD’S TALLEST BUILDING WANTS TO TURN SKYSCRAPERS INTO BATTERIES

The company behind Dubai’s 828-meter-high tower plans to harness gravity to
offset construction emissions.

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill has developed a series of prototype designs that use
electric motors to elevate massive blocks, creating potential energy that can be
converted into electricity when the blocks are lowered. The designs are based on
technology developed by partner Energy Vault Holdings as an alternative to
lithium-ion batteries and other types of chemical cells. They are seeking
developer partners interested in offsetting greenhouse gas pollution from
buildings, which the United Nations estimates are responsible for almost 40% of
global emissions.

The concept is similar to widely used pumped hydroelectric plants. Energy
Vault completed its first major project this month near Shanghai, a stand-alone
storage system that can supply as much as 25 megawatts of power for four hours.
Other companies are testing new types of gravity storage systems, including ones
using abandoned oil wells and mines.

Building owners and designers have a growing number of tools to limit carbon
emissions from day-to-day operations, from better insulation to heat pumps.
However, there are no substitutes for steel and concrete, which are critical
components of modern buildings and major sources of carbon emissions. There are
efforts to decarbonize those materials, but they remain far from reaching a
meaningful scale. For building owners looking to zero out emissions, turning a
skyscraper into a massive battery is one avenue, according to Bill Baker, a
consulting partner at Chicago-based SOM.

SOM has created four storage system prototypes based on this concept. Three are
standalone systems that use either heavy blocks or water, with two built into
hillsides and a third that’s a tall, cylindrical tower. The last is intended for
urban areas, a towering skyscraper that could include residential, retail and
office spaces. Energy Vault’s Shanghai project is about 150 meters (490 feet)
high, but SOM’s skyscraper batteries may be much higher, starting at 300 meters.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-05-30/chicago-based-architectural-firm-looks-to-turn-to-buildings-into-batteries?utm_campaign=news&utm_medium=bd&utm_source=applenews

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> Editor Note –
>
> How factional groups copied dogmatic religions
>
> Baba says : “As regards the intellectual exploitation of others, nearly all
> vipras think alike, so when they operate their machinery of exploitation,
> quite a remarkable unity can be discerned among them. When Mahatma Buddha,
> Kabir, Chaitanya, Guru Nanaka and Hazrat Mohammed tried to make people aware
> of religious exploitation, the vipras of those times, irrespective of their
> religious affiliations or beliefs, united against them. Hindu priests and
> Muslim mullahs united to fight against Mahatma Kabir. The same thing occurred
> at the time of Mahaprabhu Chaitanyadeva.”
>
>

Reference : Human Society – 2, The Vipra Age

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JUNE 15, 2024

SOUTH AFRICA’S PRESIDENT RAMAPHOSA IS REELECTED FOR SECOND TERM AFTER A DRAMATIC
LATE COALITION DEAL.

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was
reelected by lawmakers for a second term on Friday, after his party struck a
dramatic late coalition deal with a former political foe just hours before the
vote.

Ramaphosa, the leader of the African National Congress, won convincingly in
Parliament against a surprise candidate who was also nominated — Julius Malema
of the far-left Economic Freedom Fighters. Ramaphosa received 283 votes to
Malema’s 44 in the 400-member house.

The 71-year-old Ramaphosa secured his second term with the help of lawmakers
from the country’s second biggest party, the Democratic Alliance, and some
smaller parties. They backed him in the vote and got him over the finish line
following the ANC’s loss of its long-held majority in a landmark election two
weeks ago that reduced it to 159 seats in Parliament.

South Africa is the most unequal country in the world, according to the World
Bank. Citizens are also contending with the highest sustained rate of
unemployment in the world, rampant corruption, feeble economic growth, crippling
power cuts and rising violent crime.

Black South Africans, who make up 81% of the population, are at the sharp end of
this dire situation. Unemployment and poverty remain concentrated in the Black
majority, in large part due to the failure of public schooling, while most White
South Africans have jobs and command considerably higher wages.

https://apnews.com/article/south-africa-president-election-parliament-b71d8f3de7b3bb4be76f94e8d75f0daf

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CAIR-LA CONDEMNS UCLA ADMINISTRATION’S CENSORSHIP OF PRO-PALESTINIAN ACTIVISM
WITH THREATS TO WITHHOLD DEGREES FROM PEACEFUL ANTI-GENOCIDE STUDENT PROTESTERS

The Greater Los Angeles Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations
(CAIR-LA) today condemned the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) for
threatening to withhold degrees from 55 students who were arrested earlier this
month for their participation in the school’s peaceful anti-genocide encampment
in attempts to further suppress their pro-Palestinian advocacy.

On May 2, UCLA’s militarized police response to the university’s Gaza Solidarity
Encampment led to the arrest of around 200 students peacefully protesting the
Israeli government’s genocide in Gaza. At least 55 of those students have
reportedly received letters from their school’s administration accusing them of
violating the student code of conduct, including “disorderly behavior” and
“disturbing the peace.”

The letters reportedly require the students to schedule a meeting with
university leadership by Wednesday, June 5, where they will “be given the
opportunity to explain this situation from [their] perspective.” Students were
warned that an academic hold would be placed on their records if they didn’t
attend their meetings, preventing them from registering for classes, receiving
their final grades, or graduating. Some students say they already have active
holds placed on their online accounts.

CAIR-LA is Southern California’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy
organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, protect
civil rights, promote justice and empower American Muslims.

https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-la-condemns-ucla-administrations-censorship-of-pro-palestinian-activism-with-threats-to-withhold-degrees-from-peaceful-anti-genocide-student-protesters/

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LEADING SCHOLARS CALL FOR GLOBAL TREATY ON FREE EDUCATION

Seventy eminent scholars, experts, and researchers from 30 countries
have called for a new international treaty to recognize children’s rights to
free early childhood education and free secondary education.

According to the experts, well-established scientific evidence shows
“unequivocally” that education is foundational to children’s healthy development
and lifelong prospects, but international law has not kept pace with research
showing the benefits of education.

The 1948 Universal Declaration on Human Rights and subsequent treaties mandate
that primary education be free and compulsory for all but are silent on early
childhood education. They also stop short of requiring that secondary education
be made available free, calling only on states to make it “available and
accessible.”

After 70 years, the scholars say, “We believe it is time for that to change.”

The scholars call on all governments to support a new optional protocol to the
Convention on the Rights of the Child to ensure recognition of the right to free
early childhood education and free secondary education, alongside the existing
explicit right to free and compulsory primary education.

The scholars note stark inequalities in access to education and children’s
educational outcomes within and between countries, especially for children from
disadvantaged and marginalized communities. The experts call for an “urgent
renewed commitment” to education systems that will result in just and equitable
outcomes for all children, and say it is essential this commitment be backed by
a legal mandate to ensure its success.

The scholars’ call comes ahead of the 56th session of the United Nations Human
Rights Council, beginning on June 18, at which governments will likely consider
a resolution led by Luxembourg, Sierra Leone, and the Dominican Republic to
begin a process to create a protocol focused on the right to free education from
pre-primary through secondary school.

Millions of children are missing out on schooling because of cost. A new global
treaty mandating free education for all children from pre-primary through
secondary would be transformative for children, families, and societies.
According to the scholars, “Not only is education valuable in its own right, it
has a multiplier effect—that is, education helps position children to secure
their other rights during childhood and subsequently as adults. At a societal
level, investing in education is any country’s most effective policy tool to
ensure prosperity, social cohesion, and sustainable development.”

https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/06/05/leading-scholars-call-global-treaty-free-education

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COULD BIRD FLU IN COWS LEAD TO A HUMAN OUTBREAK? SLOW RESPONSE WORRIES
SCIENTISTS

By April 24, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) had reported 33 herd
detections of H5N1 in eight states: Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, New Mexico, North
Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Texas. In cattle, H5N1 virus shows up in the
mammary glands. Infected animals typically produce less milk. The milk looks
different, too, with an appearance like colostrum, the thick, nutrient-rich
yellowish milk that new mothers produce for a few days following a birth. Cattle
don’t die from H5N1 infection, and the isolated human case was relatively
benign. The worker’s only symptom was conjunctivitis, or pink eye. (The worker
may have been infected during milking procedures that can generate infectious
aerosols or through hand-to-eye contact.)

Is milk a risk for humans? A recent preprint reports that cats residing in
farms with infected cattle were infected (and experienced serious disease) after
consuming raw milk. Human consumption of raw milk carries other infectious risks
in any case, but at present it should be strictly prohibited until it is known
whether these cattle H5N1 infections are a rare event or a precursor of an
extended cattle-H5N1 interaction.

Is pasteurization thorough enough to alleviate the risks of H5N1 presence in the
milk of infected cattle? An April 24 announcement from the US Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) noted that viral particles were identified through testing
in pasteurized milk samples, although the initial results from further
experiments did not demonstrate the presence of “viable” infectious virus.

A previous study demonstrated that pasteurization for a period of six hours was
adequate in inactivating numerous viruses in blood plasma, including an H5N1
strain, which did not behave differently from other enveloped viruses in this
context. The virus would thus not be expected to demonstrate any peculiar
resistance patterns to milk pasteurization, which remains an effective process
of eliminating viral transmission risks. Another study focusing on chicken meat
heavily infected with H5N1 showed that, at 70o Celsius, well below standard oven
temperatures, 5.5 seconds of heating was sufficient to achieve a massive
reduction of viral concentrations. Also, a study on avian influenza-infected
eggs in the past showed that the virus was susceptible to thermal inactivation.

As the University of Guelph’s Scott Weese notes in a recent blogpost, even if
infected milk enters the milk supply, milk from other sources will cause it to
be rapidly diluted. Results of studies and experiments on the effect of
pasteurization in H5N1-infected milk from the current outbreak could help
alleviate the average consumer’s fears regarding milk.

Is cattle infection a step towards adaptation to humans? Researchers at Iowa
State University investigated genetic markers in viral samples from infected
cattle and demonstrated the presence of features suggesting the virus in cattle
had increased affinity for receptors on human cells and increased mammalian
virulence. In a preprint not yet peer reviewed, the researchers found certain
point mutations that would increase the affinity that the hemagglutinin (HA)
viral protein, responsible for binding to living species’ receptors, has for
mammalian receptors.

.https://thebulletin.org/2024/04/bird-flu-in-cattle-a-step-closer-to-humans-or-a-random-event/

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BALTIMORE KEY SHIPPING CHANNEL FULLY REOPENS AFTER FRANCIS SCOTT KEY BRIDGE
COLLAPSE

* The main shipping channel into the Baltimore port was fully restored for
commercial transit, after the March 26 collapse of the Francis Scott Key
Bridge.
* The bridge toppled after the cargo ship Dali crashed into the infrastructure.
* The restoration follows a cleanup process that removed about 50,000 tons of
bridge wreckage from the Patapsco River, allowing for the gradual reopening
of the channel in the weeks since.

The main passageway into the Baltimore port was fully restored after the March
26 collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which left six people dead and
obstructed maritime traffic into the harbor.

The bridge toppled after the cargo ship Dali crashed into the infrastructure,
choking a major shipping artery into the U.S.′ busiest auto port.

The Port of Baltimore processed a record 1.1 million containers and $80.8
billion in foreign cargo value last year, according to state data. Six highway
construction crew members who were carrying out overnight road work plunged to
their deaths during the incident.

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/06/11/baltimore-shipping-channel-reopens-after-francis-scott-key-bridge-collapse.html

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HOW ANCIENT EGYPT ADVANCED MEDICINE

For millennia, ancient Egyptian doctors were trailblazers—and evidence detected
on skulls suggests its doctors may have even attempted to treat cancer.

Ancient Egypt is perhaps best known for its pyramids, mummies and hieroglyphics.
But its medical doctors might have had the most lasting influence on humanity.
From surgery and dentistry to prosthetics and obstetrics, the ancient Egyptians
made numerous medical advances over the course of their roughly 3,000-year-long
civilization. They even made rudimentary attempts to cure cancer.

Thanks to several surviving medical papyri—as well as temple and tomb carvings
and scientific examination of human remains—researchers have been able to glean
much about medical practices in ancient Egypt. Egyptians took medicine
seriously, referring to it as the “necessary art,” they established centers of
medical learning, and both men and women could be doctors.

EGYPT WAS WORLD-RENOWN FOR ITS DOCTORS

In fact, the first mention of doctors in recorded history comes from Egypt’s Old
Kingdom, the era when the Great Pyramids of Giza were constructed. Around the
25th century B.C., a physician apparently cured the pharaoh of an ailment in his
nostrils. Even earlier, commoner-born Imhotep, who was also an architect, priest
and political advisor, received such renown as a medical practitioner that he
was ultimately deified as a god of medicine.

Eventually, Egyptian doctors gained such a reputation for competency that
leaders from Persia and elsewhere purportedly sought them out. In The Odyssey,
the Greek poet Homer wrote that Egyptians “are more skilled in medicine than any
of human kind.”

Much like today, some ancient Egyptian doctors served as specialists. “Each
physician is a healer of one disease and no more,” wrote the Greek historian
Herodotus. “All the country is full of physicians, some of the eye, some of the
teeth, some of what pertains to the belly, and some of the hidden diseases.”
There were even proctologists, the literal term for which translated to
“shepherd of the anus.”

“We are talking about a society that at the time had the most advanced medicine
that ever existed,” says Edgard Camarós, a paleopathologist at the University of
Santiago de Compostela in Spain.

Even the most vulnerable members of society, not just the rich and powerful,
received some level of care. “The Egyptians were very considerate of people with
deformities and disabilities. They didn’t treat them as outcasts,” says Rosalie
David, an emeritus professor of Egyptology at the University of Manchester in
England and co-author of Medicine and Healing Practices in Ancient Egypt.
“That’s another big difference between Egypt and the rest of the surrounding
world.”

SKULL CUTMARKS SUGGEST ATTEMPTS TO TREAT CANCER

The medical papyri and various engravings depict ancient Egyptian physicians
operating on patients, using scalpels, forceps, scissors and other tools that
remain in use today. Evidence exists that the Egyptians performed oral surgeries
and amputations, and that they sliced open boils and abscesses to drain them of
pus.

Back then (and to some extent today), cancer was incurable. The Egyptians
themselves recognized this, with the so-called Edwin Smith Papyrus describing a
breast cancer case for which there was no treatment. The graveness of the
disease, however, didn’t stop them from trying to find a cure, according to
a study published May 29, 2024, in the journal Frontiers in Medicine.

For the study, lead author Camarós and his team microscopically examined a more
than 4,000-year-old skull from Egypt’s Old Kingdom. The skull, belonging to a
male in his thirties, showed signs of nasopharyngeal cancer (a type of head and
neck cancer), which the researchers already knew about. But they were shocked to
discover cutmarks, likely made with a metal instrument, around three of the
skull’s many secondary tumors.

Camarós believes this must have been the earliest-known attempt to treat cancer,
or perhaps a postmortem autopsy to better understand the disease. Either way,
Camarós says, “it cannot be any other thing but a surgical intervention with a
medical focus,” which he calls “a milestone in the history of medicine.”

PROSTHETICS, DENTISTRY WERE AMONG PRACTICES

Indeed, the Egyptians excelled at healing broken bones, immobilizing them in
linen-wrapped splints made of reeds or wood. They furthermore knew how to treat
dislocations, how to cauterize, suture and bandage wounds, and how to keep them
clean. “They knew that the wounds should be washed, that they should not be
exposed to dirt,” Camarós says.

Egyptians also built the world’s oldest known prosthetic devices, including
a 3,000-year-old artificial toe made of wood and leather, which probably served
a practical, rather than purely aesthetic, function. “If you don’t have the
toe,” Camarós says, “you don’t have stability when you walk.”

As for oral care, the Egyptians developed toothpastes made of such ingredients
as egg shells, natron and pumice, and they used teeth-cleaning twigs and
mouthwashes. However, their exact level of expertise is debated, with some
scholars saying they lacked skilled professional dentists. “They had a lot of
dental problems,” David says, adding that the teeth of the pharaohs “are just as
bad as the ordinary people.”

CONTRACEPTIVES AND PREGNANCY TESTS

Though certainly not as effective as today’s methods, ancient Egyptian women
apparently inserted crocodile dung, mixed with ground-up acacia leaves and honey
or sour milk, into their vaginas as a contraceptive. The medical papyri likewise
describe methods of abortion and inducing labor, as well as a pregnancy test
that involved urinating on barley and emmer (a type of wheat).

Additionally, the ancient Egyptians made use of a ran

https://www.history.com/news/ancient-egyptian-medicine-cancer-treatment

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A NEW DOCUMENTARY LINKED TWO MAJOR FRAGRANCE BRANDS TO CHILD LABOR

Revelations about the use of child labor have become all too familiar across any
number of industries but are particularly troubling when it comes to luxury
goods marketed to rich countries. Child labor practices, which are typically
shrouded by opaque supply chains, are a scourge of many developing nations and
are often the result of systemic economic injustices with which consumers are
complicit.

In recent years, the apparel, beauty, and wellness industries have come under
fire for child labor practices, including instances of children as young as
four working in mines to source and gather mica (often used in shimmery
cosmetics but also electronics and automobile parts, among other things) and
the mining of “healing” crystals, which is sometimes done by children in the
Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar, Myanmar, and other locations.

Now, labor policies in the fragrance industry have come into question. Children
were reportedly working to harvest ingredients used in fragrances from two major
brands, Lancôme and Aerin Beauty, the BBC found in an investigation that began
last year. While researching perfume supply chains, the news outlet discovered
that jasmine flowers, a popular fragrance ingredient, were being “picked by
minors.”

The fragrances in question are Lancôme’s Idôle L’Intense and Aerin’s Ikat
Jasmine and Limone Di Sicilia; both scents contain jasmine sourced from Egypt,
which, as the BBC reports, “produces about half the world’s supply of jasmine
flowers.” Both brands’ parent companies—L’Oréal and Estée Lauder,
respectively—have codes of conduct designed to prevent the use of child labor in
their manufacturing processes.

The findings were included in the BBC‘s new documentary, Perfume’s Dark
Secret. “The BBC visited Egypt’s jasmine region during the harvest season in the
summer of 2023 and found children—some as young as five years old—working in the
jasmine fields that were supplying some global brands through factories in
Egypt,” the BBC shared in a statement timed to the documentary’s May 28 release.

https://www.allure.com/story/loreal-estee-lauder-fragrance-child-labor

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LETTER TO THE UN, SECURITY COUNCIL AND MEMBER STATES ON WOMEN’S RIGHTS IN
AFGHANISTAN

Dear Excellencies,

We write to you ahead of the third UN-convened meeting of Special Envoys and
Special Representatives on Afghanistan on 30 June–1 July 2024 in Doha, Qatar
(“Doha III”), to continue to discuss the international community’s approach to
Afghanistan. More than one year since the first Doha meeting, there is growing
concern that the international community lacks the necessary resolve to defend
and advocate for the human rights of Afghan women and girls. Many Afghan
women civil society have even called for a boycott of continued negotiations
with the Taliban until women’s rights are restored.

Ahead of Doha III, we further urge you to ensure the following:

* Women’s rights must be a central topic of discussions in Doha. Respect for
women’s rights must be a core objective of the international community’s
engagement on Afghanistan, and a standing agenda item at all upcoming and
future discussions in Doha. Women’s rights must also be addressed in
discussions on any other aspect of the situation in Afghanistan, such as the
humanitarian crisis, a political process, climate change, counter-narcotics,
counter-terrorism, the economy and development efforts.
* Principled engagement requires centering human rights and accountability. We
urge Member States to coordinate and establish clear safeguards around the
following principles:
* The full spectrum of women’s human rights must be respected, without
exception, in accordance with Afghanistan’s international
obligations,[4] including under the Convention on the Elimination of All
Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). All restrictions violating
the rights of Afghan women and girls, including, but not limited to,
education, work, movement, assembly, expression and dress must be
immediately and unconditionally removed in accordance with Resolution
2681 (2023).
* Women’s full, equal, meaningful and safe participation in all aspects of
public life and decision-making, including in any political process, must
be guaranteed.
* All humanitarian actors and their donors must ensure safe,
gender-responsive, principled and non-discriminatory humanitarian delivery
to all Afghans in need. This requires calling on the Taliban
to immediately lift the ban on Afghan women working for the United Nations
and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), which is in violation of the UN
Charter and CEDAW; supporting the full and safe participation and
leadership of women and women-led organizations in humanitarian
decision-making and delivery; ensuring that women aid workers are not
replaced by men; and increasing support to humanitarian organizations,
particularly those led by Afghan women.
* The targeting of all human rights defenders, including women protestors and
civil society, peacefully exercising their freedom of expression and
assembly, must end immediately.
* Perpetrators of violations of international human rights and humanitarian
law, including gender persecution and other abuses targeting diverse women
and girls, must be held accountable.
* The international community should reiterate its clear and unified demand for
the Taliban to swiftly reverse all policies and practices that restrict the
enjoyment by women and girls of their human rights and fundamental
freedoms, as per Resolution 2681 (2023), and refrain from sending any
countervailing signals that downplay the seriousness of the human rights
crisis in the country. Afghan women have been clear that the international
community must refrain from granting the Taliban a seat at the UN or inviting
them to UN-convened meetings, reopening diplomatic missions in the country or
handing over diplomatic missions outside of Afghanistan to them, or lifting
sanctions—all of which risk legitimizing a regime that continues to violate
women’s human rights, Afghanistan’s international legal obligations, and
Security Council resolutions. International experts have further called on
Member States to avoid normalization or legitimization of the Taliban until
there is demonstrated, measurable and independently verified progress on all
human rights, especially women’s rights.[5]
* The full, equal, meaningful and safe participation of diverse women civil
society and human rights defenders is essential to the legitimacy of the
meetings in Doha. Meeting to discuss Afghanistan without half its population
represented undermines both the Doha process and its outcomes, as well as any
future engagement strategy by the international community. We therefore urge
you to ensure that diverse Afghan women, including women human rights
defenders, peacebuilders, protestors, youth, and those representing ethnic,
religious, LGBTQI+, persons with disabilities and other marginalized groups,
are full participants in all discussions and processes in Doha and beyond;
that they have regular, and multiple, avenues and opportunities to express
their views; that their recommendations are reflected in any outcomes; and
that there is full transparency regarding both these processes and their
outcomes so that Afghan women and civil society have clarity about how their
perspectives inform the international community’s approach to Afghanistan.
* The proposed UN Special Envoy for Afghanistan, due to be appointed, must be
the principled voice of the international community. The Special Envoy must
have a strong track record on human rights and women’s rights, as required
by Resolution 2721 (2023); include senior gender and human rights expertise
on their team; regularly and meaningfully engage with diverse Afghan women
civil society and human rights defenders; and ensure that their views inform
all aspects of the Envoy’s work.

https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/06/10/letter-un-security-council-and-member-states-womens-rights-afghanistan

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A PEACE SUMMIT FOR UKRAINE OPENS THIS WEEKEND IN SWITZERLAND. BUT RUSSIA WON’T
BE TAKING PART

Switzerland will host scores of world leaders this weekend to try to map out the
first steps toward peace in Ukraine even though Russia, which launched the war,
isn’t attending.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s government didn’t want Russia
involved. But the Swiss insist that Russia must be involved at some point, and
hope it will join the process one day.

The conference on Saturday and Sunday, underpinned by elements of a 10-point
peace formula presented by Zelenskyy in late 2022, is seen as a largely symbolic
effort on the part of Kyiv to rally the international community and project
strength against Russian might.

But the question looming over the summit will be how the two countries can
eventually end the war without Moscow attending.

The conflict has also led to international sanctions against nuclear-armed
Russia and raised tensions between NATO and Moscow. The summit comes as Russian
forces have been making modest territorial gains in eastern and northeastern
Ukraine.

Here’s a look at what to expect from the weekend gathering at the Buergenstock
Resort on a cliff overlooking Lake Lucerne.

WHO’S GOING?

Among the stakes will be simple optics: How many countries the Swiss and
Ukrainians can draw in.

Swiss officials sent out around 160 invitations. About 90 delegations, including
a handful of international organizations like the United Nations, will attend.
Roughly half will be from Europe. Zelenskyy led a diplomatic push in Asia and
beyond to rally participation.

Several dozen attendees will be heads of state or government, including from
France, Poland, Japan, the United Kingdom, Germany and Canada.

US Vice President Kamala Harris is meeting Zelenskyy on Saturday on the
sidelines of the summit, and she’s also expected to deliver an address.

WHO ARE THE MAJOR NO-SHOWS?

US President Joe Biden, who was wrapping up a visit to Italy on Friday for a
Group of Seven summit, opted to dispatch Harris and national security adviser
Jake Sullivan.

Biden and Zelenskyy signed a 10-year security agreement Thursday at the G7
summit.

Russia’s key ally China won’t attend. The Chinese Foreign Ministry has said it
believes a peace conference should involve both Russia and Ukraine.

The final list of attendees isn’t expected until late Friday, and question marks
remain about how key developing countries like India, Brazil and Turkey might
take part, if at all.

WHAT CAN BE EXPECTED?

Naysayers say the conference will be short on substantial achievements.
President Vladimir Putin’s government doesn’t believe Switzerland, which has
lined up behind European Union sanctions on Moscow over the war, is neutral.

Putin said Friday that “without Russia’s participation, without an honest and
responsible dialogue with us, it is impossible to reach a peaceful solution in
Ukraine and in general regarding global and European security.” He suggested
that the conference is ”just another ploy to divert everyone’s attention.”
Participants are expected to unite around an outcome document or a joint plan,
and Ukraine will have a lot of input. But ironing out language that delegations
can agree upon is still a work in progress.

https://indianexpress.com/article/world/peace-summit-ukraine-weekend-switzerland-russia-9393175/

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G7 SUMMIT, BORGO EGNAZIA, APULIA, ITALY, 13-15 JUNE 2024

MAIN RESULTS

The G7 summit hosted by this year’s Italian G7 presidency took place in Borgo
Egnazia, Apulia, Italy.

The EU was represented by the President of the European Council, Charles Michel,
and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.

The summit in Apulia was an opportunity for G7 leaders to demonstrate their
strong determination to uphold the international order based on the rule of law,
and to strengthen their engagement with developing nations.

The main issues addressed during the six working sessions were:

* Africa, climate change and development
* the ongoing situation in the Middle East
* Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine
* migration
* Indo-Pacific and economic security
* artificial intelligence, energy, Africa-Mediterranean

At the end of the summit, the leaders adopted a leaders’ communiqué.

We, the Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7), gathered in Apulia to reaffirm our
enduring unity and determination to meet global challenges at a crucial moment
in history and as the international community confronts multiple interconnected
crises.

We reiterate our shared belief in democratic principles and free societies,
universal human rights, social progress, and respect for multilateralism and the
rule of law. We commit to providing opportunities and pursuing shared
prosperity. We seek to strengthen international rules and norms for the benefit
of all.

Our work is grounded in our commitment to respect the UN Charter, safeguard
international peace and security, and uphold the free and open rules-based
international order. We will support more effective, inclusive and equitable
global governance that reflects our changing world. We reaffirm our commitment
to uphold human dignity and the rule of law in all parts of the world.

We are working together and with others to address the pressing challenges of
our time. We are:

* Standing in solidarity to support Ukraine’s fight for freedom and its
reconstruction for as long as it takes. In the presence of President
Zelenskyy, we decided to make available approximately USD 50 billion
leveraging the extraordinary revenues of the immobilized Russian sovereign
assets, sending an unmistakable signal to President Putin. We are stepping up
our collective efforts to disarm and defund Russia’s military industrial
complex.
* United in supporting the comprehensive deal that has been put forward, that
would lead to an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all hostages,
and a credible pathway towards peace that leads to a two-state solution. We
also call for a significant and sustained increase in humanitarian
assistance.
* Engaging with African countries, in a spirit of equitable and strategic
partnership. As they work to deliver sustainable development and industrial
growth for their people, we are advancing our respective efforts to invest in
sustainable infrastructure, including through the PGII, and we launched the
Energy for Growth in Africa initiative, together with several African
partners.
* Acting to enable countries to invest in their future and achieve the
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), recognizing that reducing poverty and
tackling global challenges go hand in hand. We are doing our part to achieve
better, bigger and more effective Multilateral Development Banks, making it
possible for the World Bank to boost its lending by USD 70 billion over the
next ten years. We are calling for action from the international community to
address debt burdens.
* Reinforcing global food security and enhancing climate resilience, including
by launching the Apulia Food Systems Initiative.
* Reaffirming our commitment to gender equality. Together with International
Financial Institutions, we will unlock at least USD 20 billion over three
years in investments to boost women’s empowerment.
* Taking concrete steps to address the triple crisis of climate change,
pollution, and biodiversity loss, including by submitting ambitious 1.5°C
aligned Nationally Determined Contributions. We will spearhead global efforts
to preserve forests and oceans, and to end plastic pollution.
* Affirming our collective commitment and enhanced cooperation to address
migration, tackle the challenges and seize the opportunities that it
presents, in partnership with countries of origin and transit. We will focus
on the root causes of irregular migration, efforts to enhance border
management and curb transnational organized crime, and safe and regular
pathways for migration. We launched the G7 Coalition to prevent and counter
the smuggling of migrants.
* Deepening our cooperation to harness the benefits and manage the risks of
Artificial Intelligence (AI). We will launch an action plan on the use of AI
in the world of work and develop a brand to support the implementation of the
International Code of Conduct for Organizations Developing Advanced AI
Systems.
* Fostering strong and inclusive global economic growth, maintaining financial
stability and investing in our economies to promote jobs and accelerate
digital and clean energy transitions. We also remain committed to
strengthening the rules-based multilateral trading system and to implementing
a more stable and fairer international tax system fit for the 21st century.
* Acting together to promote economic resilience, confront non-market policies
and practices that undermine the level playing field and our economic
security, and strengthen our coordination to address global overcapacity
challenges.

In taking forward all these priorities, our partnership in the G7 will continue
to be guided by our joint commitment to cooperate openly and transparently in a
coordinated manner.

We are grateful for the presence of His Holiness Pope Francis and for his
contribution.

In a spirit of shared responsibility, we warmly welcome the participation of the
Leaders of Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, India, Jordan, Kenya, Mauritania,
Tunisia, Türkiye, and the United Arab Emirates.

https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2024/06/14/g7-leaders-communique-borgo-egnazia-italy-13-15-june-2024/

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BIDEN ‘NOT CONFIDENT’ CEASEFIRE WILL HAPPEN SOON – AND SAYS ‘HAMAS HAS TO MOVE’

US President Joe Biden has said he is not confident that a ceasefire between
Israel and Gaza will happen soon.

Mr Biden attended today’s G7 leaders’ summit in Italy, where he confirmed to
reporters that a ceasefire plan was discussed.

When asked whether he was confident a ceasefire would happen soon, the president
replied “no”.

He said that he hadn’t lost hope but added that “Hamas has to move.”

Mr Biden’s three-phase ceasefire plan was accepted by the UN Security Council
this week.

The proposal was reported to include the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops
from Gaza and would involve Hamas handing over all of its hostages.

However, as we reported this morning, a senior leader of Hamas told Reuters that
the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza was a change to the deal
that they had requested.

COLOMBIA SAYS IT WILL TAKE IN WOUNDED PALESTINIAN CHILDREN FOR TREATMENT

The Colombian government has announced it will receive injured Palestinian
children and provide them with medical care.

Elizabeth Taylor Jay, Colombia’s deputy minister of multilateral affairs, was
speaking in Stockholm where she was on a state visit with Colombian president
Gustavo Petro.

“We have taken the decision to provide humanitarian support to Palestinian
children who will travel with their families to Colombia for rehabilitation,”
she said.

Ms Taylor Jay does not say how many children will be taken in by Colombia, nor
how they would be transported from Gaza.

President Petro has been one of the most vocal critics on the world stage of
Israel’s conduct in Gaza following the attack by Hamas on 7 October.

Colombia broke diplomatic ties with Israel in May.

Earlier this month, Mr Petro announced via a post on X that his country would
suspend coal exports to Israel “until the genocide is stopped.”

Colombia is Israel’s largest supplier of coal, according to the American Journal
for Transportation.

https://news.sky.com/story/israel-hamas-gaza-latest-ceasefire-biden-announcement-sky-news-live-blog-12978800

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> EDITORS NOTE
>
> Subjective Approach through Objective Adjustment: As the sphere of knowledge
> increases, many secrets of the world do not remain secret. Yoga is such a
> secret. It is a cult, and by dint of practising this cult one comes in contact
> with the causal factors of many secrets. About seven thousand years ago a
> great yogi, Sadáshiva, systematized different branches of yoga. His spouse,
> Párvatii, was also a yoginii; and for the welfare of the entire human society
> Lord Shiva and Párvatii tried their best to create a practical cult. The
> questions placed before Shiva by Párvatii and the answers given by Shiva to
> Párvatii collectively form the shástras [scriptures]
>
> Sri Sri Anandmurti Jee
>
> A’NANDA VACANA’MRTAM
> [ PART-14: CHAPTER: 18 of 21 ]
> THE SUBJECTIVE APPROACH Through OBJECTIVE ADJUSTMENT

MAY 25, 2024

WORLD NEWS – ANANDA MARGA

ANAND MARG SAID IN BANGLADESH DHARMA MAHASAMMELAN THAT PEACE IS POSSIBLE ONLY
THROUGH SPIRITUAL PURSUIT AND FIGHT AGAINST BAD RITUALS.

28, 29 and 30 March 2024

With the efforts of Kolkata Region’s Regional Secretary Acharya Navrunanand
Avadhoot, Senior Purodha Acharya Vimalanand Avadhoot went from Ranchi to
Bangladesh to represent the Revered Purodha Pramukh Dada from Ranchi Anand Marg
Jagriti Ratu Road to address the Bangladesh Dharma Mahasammelan. Historical
Ramna Kali Temple in Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka, Held near Dhaka University. A
three-day Dharma Mahasammelan was organized by Anand Marg Pracharak Sangh on 28,
29 and 30 March 2024. Due to some reason, revered Purodha Pramukh Acharya
Vishwadevanand Avadhoot could not go to Bangladesh. To represent them, senior
leader Acharya Vimalanand Avadhoot was sent on behalf of the organization to
address the Dharma Mahasammelan. There were a lot of seekers in Bangladesh and
people were very excited. The seekers practiced Guru Sakash, Panchjanya and
Yogasana in Brahma Muhurta under the guidance of an experienced Acharya.

In the evening, after collective Dharma Chakra and Guru Vandana, a dance based
on Prabhat Sangeet was presented by “Rava”. Let it be known that Prabhat Sangeet
is a new family of music which has been given by the founder of Anand Marg, Shri
Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar alias Shri Shri Anandmurthy ji. Senior leader Acharya
Vimalanand Avadhoot ji said in the sermon that “Peace is possible only through
spiritual pursuit and fight against bad values.”

.https://india.anandamarga.org/dms-in-bangladesh/

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SUMMER CONFERENCE IN USA 2024

Welcome to the Summer Conference at Ananda Kanan, Missouri, from June 30 to July
5, 2024! This year’s theme is One World – One Family.

This year’s theme is One World – One Family, and we will have workshops and
classes related to that topic. The conference starts on Sunday afternoon, June
30, and finishes on Friday morning, July 5.
The organizing committee is working on creating an interesting program with
various workshops on different topics, a neohumanistic symposium, seminar
classes, daily Akhanda Kiirtana, the 4th of July program in Willow Springs, an
outing to the river, Katha Kiirtana, and other interesting programs.

.https://anandamarga.us/ny-sector-summer-conference-2024/

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.https://www.anandamarga.eu/

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DMS IN TAIWAN 2024

MESSAGE FROM SS HONG KONG SECTOR:

To all Márgii brothers and sisters. Namaskára!

It is my great honor to invite you all to attend Dharma Mahá Sammelan in Taiwan
at Ánanda Suruci MU, Hong Kong Sector dated 11 – 12 October, 2024. There will
also be a pre-DMS program from 8 to 10 October with 5 days (96 hours) Akhańd́a
Kiirtana with various social and spiritual programs. It has now been 13 years
since the last DMS in Taiwan, which is a place of Baba’s devotees and the land
of humbleness and kindness. Bábá came to visit Márgiis in 1979 for 15 days,
so Taiwan is a special land for all of us. Let us come together and embrace the
Divine light of Bábá’s knowledge, the structural solidarity of AMPS, and the
compassion and Satsauṋga that unites us with moral and spiritual inspiration.
May this DMS serve as a beacon, guiding us toward better understanding,
universal love and harmony, and a deeper connection with a new phase of Bábá’s
mission. Let’s forge a path of spiritual awakening, nurturing our souls and the
world around us. Let us share our insights, experiences and love, fostering a
global family, bound by the timeless pursuit of enlightenment and peace. This
DMS will be very wonderful, so all Márgiis, please do come to attend and make
this DMS very successful, by Bábá’s Grace.

In Him
Ác. Shubhaniryásánanda Avt.
Sectorial Secretary Hong Kong Sector

> Welcome

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ANANDA MARGA UNIVERSAL RELIEF TEAM (AMURT) RECRUITMENT

ANANDA MARGA UNIVERSAL RELIEF TEAM (AMURT) JOBS IN KENYA.

13 May, 2024

87 vacancies

* * * CLINICAL OFFICER AT ANANDA MARGA UNIVERSAL RELIEF TEAM (AMURT)

* REF C.O/MUYEYE/05/2024 Qualifications Dip in clinical medicine and
surgery. 2 years’ experience in a busy health facility. Must be
registered with the Board. Have a valid pr

* REGISTERED NURSE AT ANANDA MARGA UNIVERSAL RELIEF TEAM (AMURT)

* REF NO. KRCHN/MUYEYE/05/2024 Qualifications Diploma in: Kenya Registered
Community Health Nursing from KMTC or any other recognized institution.
At least 3 years’ experience.

* ACCOUNTS ASSISTANT AT ANANDA MARGA UNIVERSAL RELIEF TEAM (AMURT)

* REPORTS TO: SENIOR FINANCE OFFICER QUALIFICATIONS Must be a certified
accountant for the last 2 years with at least 2 years of experience in
project accounting.

https://www.myjobmag.co.ke/jobs-at/ananda-marga-universal-relief-team-amurt#google_vignette

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INDIA’S LITERARY TREASURES INSCRIBED IN THE 2024 MEMORY OF THE WORLD COMMITTEE
FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC REGIONAL REGISTER

Three significant works of Indian literature, Ramcharitmanas, Panchatantra, and
Sahrdayāloka-Locana, have been inscribed in the 2024 Memory of the World
Committee for Asia and the Pacific (MOWCAP) Regional Register. The announcement
was made during the 10th General Meeting of MOWCAP, held from May 7 to 8, 2024,
in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

The Meeting was hosted by the Ministry of Culture of Mongolia, the Mongolian
National Commission for UNESCO, and the UNESCO Regional Office in Bangkok.

MOWCAP was set up in 1998 and since then, this is the first time India has had
three nominations inscribed in one cycle. With the inclusion of all the three
items in 2024 MOWCAP Regional Register, it is evident that India is joining the
global efforts towards the preservation and promotion of its rich traditional
and cultural documentary heritage and practices which play a vital role in
fostering cultural diversity and peace.

* SAHRDAYALOKA-LOCANA

* The Sahrdayaloka-Locana is a Sanskrit treatise on poetics written
by Jagannatha Paṇḍitaraja in the 17th century.
* It is considered one of the most important works of Sanskrit literary
criticism.
* The text discusses the concept of “Sahrdaya“, which refers to a sensitive or
discerning reader or critic.

https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/indias-literary-treasures-inscribed-2024-memory-world-committee-asia-and-pacific-regional-register

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GEOMAGNETIC STORM SCRAMBLES TRACTOR NAVIGATION SYSTEMS

A powerful solar storm over the weekend that produced a dazzling display of
northern lights also disrupted farm equipment navigation systems, interrupting
operations at the height of planting season.

The geomagnetic storm, the strongest in over two decades, interrupted GPS
systems that are used to inform planting decisions and keep rows straight with
exact precision. Some farmers had no choice but to temporarily halt operations
after the technology struggled to locate their position.

“I saw stuff on Friday I’ve never seen before,” one farmer wrote on Reddit.
“We’re striptill farmers so in order for the planter to follow the strip tiller
we need 1” accuracy. Wasn’t happening.”

A series of updates from John Deere dealership LandMark Equipment on Friday
advised customers to turn off tools using GPS and real-time kinematic to prevent
the tech from receiving conflicting signals from the geomagnetic storm. LandMark
said Deere’s AutoPath tool, which uses historical data to create guidance lines
for secondary passes such as spraying and harvests, may be difficult for farmers
who were out working during the solar storm.

“When you head back into these fields to side dress, spray, cultivate, harvest,
etc. over the next several months, we expect that the rows won’t be where the
AutoPath lines think they are,” LandMark said in an updated advisory Saturday.
“It is most likely going to be difficult — if not impossible — to make AutoPath
work in these fields as the inaccuracy is most likely inconsistent.”

https://www.agriculturedive.com/news/geomagnetic-storm-scrambles-tractor-navigation-systems/716175/

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SINGAPORE BRACES FOR COVID-19 SURGE WITH OVER 25,900 CASES RECORDED IN A WEEK;
GOVT URGES CITIZENS TO WEAR MASKS

Singapore is experiencing a new wave of COVID-19, with authorities recording
over 25,900 cases from May 5 to 11. Health Minister Ong Ye Kung advised the
public to wear masks again on Saturday.

“We are at the beginning part of the wave where it is steadily rising,” Kung
stated. “So, I would say the wave should peak in the next two to four weeks,
which means between mid- and end of June,” he told The Straits Times.

SIGNIFICANT SURGE IN COVID-19 CASES AND HOSPITALISATIONS

The Ministry of Health (MOH) reported that the number of COVID-19 cases
increased significantly, from 13,700 the previous week to 25,900 in the week of
May 5 to 11. Average daily hospitalisations rose to about 250 from 181 the
previous week, while intensive care unit (ICU) cases remained low, increasing
slightly from two to three daily.

https://www.financialexpress.com/world-news/singapore-braces-for-covid-19-surge-with-over-25900-cases-recorded-in-a-week-govt-urges-citizens-to-wear-masks/3492837/lite/

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ROCKET LAB LAUNCHES NASA CUBESAT TO STUDY HEAT LOST FROM EARTH’S POLES

Rocket Lab launched a small Earth-observation satellite for NASA early this
morning (May 25).

An Electron rocket lifted off from Rocket Lab‘s New Zealand site today at 3:41
a.m. EDT (0741 GMT; 7:41 p.m. local New Zealand time), carrying the first of two
cubesats for NASA’s PREFIRE (Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed
Experiment) climate-studying mission.

The satellite was deployed into orbit 53 minutes after launch as planned,
according to Rocket Lab.

Rocket Lab will also launch the second PREFIRE satellite. The date for that
coming liftoff has not been announced, but it will occur within three weeks of
today’s launch, according to the company.

Both PREFIRE satellites are 6U cubesats. The “U” stands for “unit,” a cube 4
inches (10 centimeter) on a side that’s the basic building block of cubesats.
(So a 6U cubesat is the size of six such units.)

The PREFIRE cubesats will head to different 326-mile-high (525 kilometers)
circular orbits above Earth. From that perch, they’ll measure how much heat is
lost from our planet’s polar regions — something that has never been done
systematically from orbit, according to Rocket Lab.

The PREFIRE duo “will criss-cross over the Arctic and Antarctica measuring
thermal infrared radiation — the same type of energy emitted from a heat lamp —
that will make climate models more accurate and help predict changes caused
by global warming,” Rocket Lab wrote in a mission description.

https://www.space.com/rocket-lab-nasa-prefire-climate-change-mission-launch

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COOPERATIVES BUILD A BETTER FUTURE FOR ALL THEME FOR 2024 INTERNATIONAL DAY OF
COOPERATIVES

This year on July 6, cooperatives around the world will celebrate the
International Day of Cooperatives with the theme “Cooperatives Build a Better
Future for All.” Cooperatives will have the opportunity to showcase their
current and historical contributions to building a sustainable future,
accelerating efforts to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) by
2030. The theme aligns well with the objectives of the upcoming UN Summit of the
Future whose theme is “Multilateral solutions for a better tomorrow”.

The cooperative identity, values, and principles set a strong system for
achieving the SDGs. For the 2024 #CoopsDay, cooperatives can showcase their high
standards for inclusive and sustainable growth, and serve as stewards
for protecting the environment and fighting climate change. Through dialogue,
democratic governance, and shared ownership, cooperatives set an example
for peace and stability, bringing people from diverse backgrounds together on
equal terms, and fostering mutual understanding and respect. The cooperative
youth are empowered to lead the way by giving them opportunities, transferring
knowledge, and ensuring diversity, equity and equality for all.

The 2023 UN Secretary-General Report on Cooperatives in Social Development
acknowledged that cooperatives have a track record of promoting the economic and
social development of all people including marginalized groups. Cooperatives
consistently show their resilience in times of social and economic crises. The
United Nations recognizes the cooperative movement as its key partner in
accelerating sustainable development and calls on its member states to support
and strengthen cooperatives’ entrepreneurial ecosystems. This can increase their
capacity to create more social, economic, and environmental impact in society.

2025 International Year of Cooperatives

In November 2023, the UN General Assembly adopted the resolution A/RES/78/175 on
cooperatives in social development calling for the proclamation of 2025 as an
International Year of Cooperatives.

https://ica.coop/en/newsroom/news/cooperatives-build-better-future-all-theme-2024-international-day-cooperatives

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TALKS ON LANDMARK GLOBAL AGREEMENT ON FUTURE PANDEMICS END WITHOUT DEAL

Scarred by the devastation caused by COVID-19, countries have spent two years
trying to hammer out binding commitments on pandemic prevention, preparedness,
and response.

GENEVA:

Negotiations on a landmark global agreement on handling future pandemics ended
Friday without a deal — though countries said they wanted to keep pushing for an
accord.

Scarred by the devastation caused by Covid-19 — which killed millions of people,
shredded economies and crippled health systems — countries have spent two years
trying to hammer out binding commitments on pandemic prevention, preparedness
and response.

The talks gathered momentum in the final weeks, but failed to meet a final
deadline before next week’s World Health Assembly — the annual gathering of the
World Health Organization’s 194 member states.

https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/negotiations-on-landmark-global-agreement-on-future-pandemics-end-without-deal-5740533

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‘FIND MY FRIENDS FOR RHINOS’: HOW HIGH-TECH TRACKING IS KEEPING TABS ON WILDLIFE

It’s early morning in Sera Community Conservancy in Northern Kenya and sunlight
beats down across this expansive semi-arid landscape. Birds calling and boots
crunching are the only sounds for miles as a team led by Kenyan wildlife
veterinarian Dr. Mukami Ruoro-Oundo carefully tracks white rhinos — the first of
their kind to be found here in Samburu County.

Sera Conservancy has championed the country’s community-led rhino conservation
efforts. In 2015 it established East Africa’s first community rhino sanctuary
with the introduction of 10 critically endangered black rhinos. Today, that
number has grown to 21 black rhinos which freely roam across 107 square
kilometers (41 square miles) of designated sanctuary land, and in February 2024,
they were joined by four white rhinos from the nearby Lewa Conservancy.

Prior to translocation, each of the four white rhinos was fitted with a GPS tag
in its horns and ears, which sends a real-time location to remote devices like
mobile phones, or to the conservancy’s operations center, where Dr. Ruoro-Oundo
is able to monitor Sarah’s location and movements.

https://edition.cnn.com/world/africa/earthranger-track-wildlife-kenya-spc/index.html

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IRAN’S PRESIDENT AND FOREIGN MINISTER DIE IN HELICOPTER CRASH AT MOMENT OF HIGH
TENSIONS IN MIDEAST

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and the country’s foreign minister have been
found dead hours after their helicopter crashed in fog

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and the country’s
foreign minister were found dead Monday hours after their helicopter crashed in
fog, leaving the Islamic Republic without two key leaders as extraordinary
tensions grip the wider Middle East.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the final say in the Shiite
theocracy, quickly named a little-known vice president as caretaker and insisted
the government was in control, but the deaths marked yet another blow to a
country beset by pressures at home and abroad.

Iran has offered no cause for the crash nor suggested sabotage brought down the
helicopter, which fell in mountainous terrain in a sudden, intense fog.

In Tehran, Iran’s capital, businesses were open and children attended school
Monday. However, there was a noticeable presence of both uniformed and
plainclothes security forces.

Later in the day, hundreds of mourners crowded into downtown Vali-e-Asr square
holding posters of Raisi and waving Palestinian flags. Some men clutched prayer
beads and were visibly crying. Women wearing black chadors gathered together
holding photos of the dead leader.

The crash comes at a time of turmoil in the Middle East as the war in Gaza
between Israel and Hamas rages. The conflict has edged Iran, which backs the
Islamist militant group, and Israel closer to all-out conflict. It’s led to
other Tehran-supported groups, including the Houthis in Yemen and Shiite
militias in Iraq, to attack ships around the Red Sea and US bases.

https://www.business-standard.com/external-affairs-defence-security/news/iranian-president-ebrahim-raisi-other-officials-dead-in-helicopter-crash-124052000196_1.html

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TAIWAN’S NEW PRESIDENT CALLS ON CHINA TO STOP ITS ‘INTIMIDATION’ AFTER BEING
SWORN INTO HISTORIC THIRD TERM FOR RULING PARTY

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te called on Beijing to cease its intimidation of the
democratic island after he was was sworn in as president Monday, marking the
start of a historic third consecutive term for the ruling Democratic Progressive
Party (DPP), which has championed democracy in the face of years of growing
threats from authoritarian China.

In his inaugural address, Lai called on China “to cease their political and
military intimidation against Taiwan, share with Taiwan the global
responsibility of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait as well
as the greater region, and ensure the world is free from the fear of war.”

Lai has now said he favors the current status quo, proclaiming that “Taiwan is
already an independent sovereign country” so there is “no plan or need” to
declare independence, in a deliberately nuanced stance that mimics the one held
by outgoing Tsai.

When asked about Lai’s inauguration in a regular briefing Monday, a spokesperson
for China’s Foreign Ministry said “Taiwan independence is a dead end. No matter
what pretext or banner one uses, promoting Taiwan independence and secession is
doomed to fail.”

Lai’s inauguration ceremony was attended by national leaders from a handful of
countries with which Taiwan still maintains formal diplomatic ties, several
former American officials, and lawmakers from other countries, according to
Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/05/19/asia/lai-chingte-taiwan-president-inauguration-intl-hnk/index.html

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ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR: TRUCE TALKS LIKELY TO RESUME NEXT WEEK AS PRESSURE PILES ON PM
NETANYAHU

Truce talks are all set to resume next week between Palestinian militant group
Hamas and Israel, who have been fighting in Gaza since October 7 last year.

If materialised, the deal would see Hamas release Israeli hostages in exchange
for Palestinian prisoners.

the decision was taken after the chief of Israel spy agency Mossad met with the
head of the US intelligence agency CIA and the prime minister of Qatar.

“At the end of the meeting, it was decided that in the coming week negotiations
will open based on new proposals led by the mediators, Egypt and Qatar and with
active US involvement,” the source said.

The source declined to be identified and didn’t reveal his
nationality citing the sensitivity of the matter, the news agency reported.

INTERNATIONAL, DOMESTIC PRESSURE PILING ON NETANYAHU

This comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces increased domestic
and international pressure to halt the war in Gaza and secure the release of
remaining Israeli hostages held in the besieged territory.

Earlier on Friday, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordered Israel to
halt the war in Gaza citing humanitarian issues.

On the other hand, protesters are set to gather in Tel Aviv on Saturday (May 25)
evening to press the government to bring back hostages alive.

https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-hamas-war-truce-talks-likely-to-resume-next-week-as-pressure-piles-on-pm-netanyahu-725372

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PUTIN CALLS FOR CEASEFIRE ON CURRENT FRONTLINES, ‘WILL FIGHT ON’ IF WEST,
UKRAINE DON’T RESPOND: SOURCES

According to Russian sources, Putin has sought to freeze the war on the current
frontlines but is frustrated by the West and the Ukrainian President for
refusing talks. Russia currently controls 18 per cent of territory in Ukraine
and has launched a new offensive targeting the Kharkiv region.

Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin is prepared to halt the over
three-year-long war with Ukraine with a negotiated ceasefire that recognises the
current battlefield lines, but will continue to fight on if Kyiv and Western
countries do not respond, four Russian sources told Reuters. This comes as
Ukraine faces a shortage of weapons and ammunition as Russian forces continue to
advance on the battlefield.

According to three Russian sources familiar with Putin’s plans, the 71-year-old
leader had expressed frustration to a small group of advisers about what he
views as Western-backed attempts to block negotiations and Ukrainian President
Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s decision to rule out talks. “Putin can fight for as long
as it takes, but Putin is also ready for a ceasefire – to freeze the war,” said
one of the sources.

Putin on Friday said peace talks should restart. “Let them resume,” he said,
adding that negotiations should be based on “the realities on the ground” and on
a plan agreed during a previous attempt to reach a deal in the first weeks of
the war. “Not on the basis of what one side wants,” he said. Putin’s comments
come before the highly-anticipated peace summit in Switzerland in June.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/europe/russia-ukraine-war-putin-seeks-ceasefire-on-current-frontlines/articleshow/110407264.cms

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Editor’s Note

> There cannot be a socialistic government under a democratic framework. Those
> who speak highly of socialism from a democratic platform befool the public. It
> is just to circumvent the constitution and to secure public confidence that
> leaders speak on socialism and promise to establish a socialistic pattern of
> society, which is nothing but an absurdity. These so-called leaders are
> nothing but socialist show-boys.

Shri P R Sarkar’s Discourses on Prout, published in Prout in a Nutshell

THE END

Please Note – The next week Saturday Weekly will not be published on account of
Anand Nagar DMS

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MAY 18, 2024

UNESCO LAUNCHES THE THIRD PHASE OF THE BETTER EDUCATION FOR AFRICA’S RISE
PROJECT

UNESCO and the Republic of Korea have successfully launched the third phase of
the Better Education for Africa’s Rise (BEAR III) Project. This project, which
will run from 2023 to 2027, aims to improve access to quality education and
employment opportunities for young people in West African countries including
Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone. The project is part of a joint
effort between UNESCO, the Republic of Korea, and the African Union to enhance
the socio-economic development of beneficiary countries by empowering their
youth.

To kick off the project, a two-day regional launch event was held in Abuja,
Nigeria, from 17-18 April 2024. The event brought together Education Ministers,
government representatives, stakeholders, and TVET (Technical and Vocational
Education and Training) experts to discuss the experiences and outcomes of the
previous phase (BEAR II) and to establish the expected results for BEAR III. The
discussions focused on the relevance, quality, and attractiveness of TVET in the
participating countries. The event provided an opportunity for the previous
phase’s beneficiary countries (Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, United Republic of
Tanzania, and Uganda) to share their best practices and lessons learned, while
offering important insights to the new beneficiary countries (Côte d’Ivoire,
Ghana, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone) to ensure the success of the BEAR III project.

According to the UNESCO Strategy for TVET (2022-2029), there are still 267
million young people aged 15-24 worldwide who are not engaged in education,
employment, or training. Additionally, 1.25 billion workers globally are at risk
of job loss or displacement. These statistics highlight the urgent need to
address the skills gap and create opportunities for young people to thrive in
the labour market.

The launch of the BEAR III Project marks a milestone in enhancing education and
employment prospects for West African youth. Through collaborative efforts
between UNESCO and the Republic of Korea, the project will continue its efforts
focusing on skill development and socio-economic progress, empowering youth and
fostering regional growth.

https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/unesco-launches-third-phase-better-education-africas-rise-project

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EPA PROPOSES BAN OF ACEPHATE-BASED PESTICIDES USED ON FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to cancel nearly all uses
of acephate-based pesticides, which are commonly used in fruit and vegetable
production, to protect human health.

The cancellation would ban agricultural and non-agricultural uses of the
chemical, except for non-food bearing tree injections, which the EPA says do not
pose risks to humans or the environment.

The interim decision is based on public health risk and drinking water
assessments published last year that recognized acephate as a significant
contributor to certain dietary and neurological issues, including tremors,
fatigue and nausea.

Acephate is one of 18 organophosphate insecticides going through the
EPA’s standard regulation review process to evaluate safety, which occurs once
every 15 years or so. EPA will release updated proposed guidance for many of
these pesticides between 2024 and 2026.

Acephate was banned by the European Union more than 20 years ago, though farmers
in the U.S. still use the chemical to control aphids and other insects. The
pesticide is a neurotoxicant and works by interfering with nerve cells, with
research tying the chemical to intellectual disabilities in children.

https://www.agriculturedive.com/news/epa-proposes-ban-of-acephate-based-pesticides-used-on-fruits-and-vegetables/715507/

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GLOBAL LIFE EXPECTANCY TO INCREASE BY NEARLY 5 YEARS BY 2050 DESPITE
GEOPOLITICAL, METABOLIC, AND ENVIRONMENTAL THREATS

Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation

The latest findings forecast that global life expectancy will increase by 4.9
years in males and 4.2 years in females between 2022 and 2050. Increases are
expected to be largest in countries where life expectancy is lower, contributing
to a convergence of increased life expectancy across geographies.

The latest findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) 2021,
published today in The Lancet, forecast that global life expectancy will
increase by 4.9 years in males and 4.2 years in females between 2022 and 2050.

Increases are expected to be largest in countries where life expectancy is
lower, contributing to a convergence of increased life expectancy across
geographies. The trend is largely driven by public health measures that have
prevented and improved survival rates from cardiovascular diseases, COVID-19,
and a range of communicable, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional diseases
(CMNNs).

“In addition to an increase in life expectancy overall, we have found that the
disparity in life expectancy across geographies will lessen,” said Dr. Chris
Murray, Chair of Health Metrics Sciences at the University of Washington and
Director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME). “This is an
indicator that while health inequalities between the highest- and lowest-income
regions will remain, the gaps are shrinking, with the biggest increases
anticipated in sub-Saharan Africa.”

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240517164149.htm

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UNUSUAL GIANT PLANET AS FLUFFY AS COTTON CANDY SPOTTED BY ASTRONOMERS

What is big, with a fluffy, cotton candy-like composition? Turns out, a planet.

An international coalition of astronomers has newly discovered an unusual
planet, dubbed WASP-193b, that’s about 50% bigger than Jupiter and somehow still
the second lightest planet ever found.

But WASP-193b, located beyond our solar system about 1,200 light-years from
Earth, isn’t just a scientific oddity. The exoplanet could also be key to future
research investigating atypical planetary formation, according to a study
describing the find that published Tuesday in the journal Nature Astronomy.

This cotton candy planet isn’t alone; there are other similar planets belonging
to a class scientists facetiously call “puffy Jupiters.” The lightest planet
ever discovered is the superpuffy Kepler 51d, which is nearly the size of
Jupiter but a hundred times lighter than the gas giant.

Puffy Jupiters have largely been a mystery for 15 years, said lead study author
Khalid Barkaoui. But WASP-193b, because of its size, is an ideal candidate for
further analysis by the James Webb Space Telescope and other observatories.

“The planet is so light that it’s difficult to think of an analogous,
solid-state material,” said Barkaoui, a postdoctoral researcher of Earth,
atmospheric and planetary sciences at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
in a news release. “The reason why it’s close to cotton candy is because both
are mostly made of light gases rather than solids. The planet is basically super
fluffy.”

LOW-DENSITY PLANET PRESENTS BIG CHALLENGE

WASP-193b, which researchers think is made up of mostly hydrogen and helium, was
a huge puzzle for researchers to piece together. Because the exoplanet’s density
is so light for its size, calculating its mass became a challenge.

Usually, scientists determine mass using a technique called radial velocity, in
which researchers analyze how a star’s spectrum, a graph that indicates the
intensity of light emissions in wavelengths, shifts as a planet orbits it. The
bigger the planet, the more the star’s spectrum can shift — but this didn’t work
for WASP-193b, which is so light, it didn’t make any pull on the star that the
team could detect.

Because of how small the mass signal was, it took the team four years to gather
data and calculate WASP-193b’s mass, Barkaoui explained. Because the extremely
low numbers they found were so rare, the researchers completed multiple trials
of data analysis, just to be sure.

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/05/16/world/cotton-candy-exoplanet-discovery-wasp-193b-scn/index.html

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CHINA TO LET LOCAL GOVT OFFICIALS BUY HOUSES

China is a socialist country, all land is either subject to government ownership
or collective ownership. In principle, municipal land is subject to government
ownership and land outside cities is subject to collective ownership. However,
one can obtain the right to use the land.

BEIJING: China will permit local government officials to buy some houses at
“reasonable” prices to provide affordable homes, Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng
said.

According to China’s state-run news agency Xinhua, the Premier expressed these
remarks during a meeting on housing policy. Premier He Lifeng also called for
efforts to categorize and promote disposal of solid but difficult-to-deliver
housing projects that are still under construction.

He said that in cities where there is a large inventory of commercial houses,
the government can place orders and purchase some of the commercial housing at
reasonable prices as suitable to use as affordable housing.

.https://en.wenews.pk/china-to-let-local-govt-officials-buy-houses/

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INDONESIA EVACUATES HUNDREDS NEAR ERUPTING VOLCANO

Authorities raised the alert status for Mount Ibu, located on remote Halmahera
island, to the highest level of a four-tiered system on May 16 after recording
two huge eruptions for the second day in a row.

“Residents in seven villages near Ibu — which spewed ash and smoke 5,000 metres
(16,400 feet) into the sky — began evacuating to several shelters late Thursday
after authorities raised the alert status,” local disaster mitigation agency
official Muhammad Ade Fabanyo told AFP.

Authorities advised residents and tourists to stay out of the
four-to-seven-kilometre exclusion zone and to wear a face mask in case of
falling ash. Ibu is one of Indonesia’s most active volcanos, erupting more than
21,000 times last year.

More than 7,00,000 people lived on Halmahera island as of 2022, according to
official figures. Indonesia, a vast archipelago nation, experiences frequent
seismic and volcanic activity due to its position on the Pacific “Ring of Fire”.

Last month, Mount Ruang in North Sulawesi province erupted more than half a
dozen times, forcing thousands of residents of nearby islands to evacuate. Its
status has since been lowered to the second-highest alert level.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/indonesia-evacuates-hundreds-near-erupting-volcano/article68185304.ece

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WHO IS ROBERT FICO, THE POPULIST SLOVAK PRIME MINISTER WOUNDED IN A SHOOTING?

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was shot multiple
times after a political event Wednesday afternoon, an episode of violence that
punctuated his decades-long career in politics.

A hospital official where Fico was being treated said on Thursday that he was
in serious but stable condition, and that he was being kept in an intensive care
unit after a five-hour surgery.

Slovak authorities charged a man Thursday with attempting to assassinate the
populist prime minister, saying the suspect acted alone in a politically
motivated attack.

Fico, 59, was born in 1964 in what was then Czechoslovakia. A member of the
Communist Party before the dissolution of communism, he took a law degree in
1986 and was first elected to Slovakia’s parliament in 1992 as a member of the
Party of the Democratic Left.

He served for several years in the 1990s as a governmental agent representing
the Slovak Republic before the European Court of Human Rights and the European
Commission of Human Rights. In 1999, he became chairman of the Smer (Direction)
party, of which he has been a pivotal figure ever since.

He and Smer have most often been described as left-populist, though he has also
been compared to right-wing politicians like the nationalist prime minister of
neighboring Hungary, Viktor Orbán.

Fico returned to power in Slovakia last year, having previously served twice as
prime minister, from 2006 to 2010 and again from 2012 to 2018. His fourth term
made him the longest-serving head of government in the history of Slovakia, a
European Union and NATO member.

After five years in opposition, Fico’s party won parliamentary elections last
year on a pro-Russian and anti-American platform. He vowed to bring an end to
Slovakia providing Ukraine with military support as it battled Russia’s
full-scale invasion, and has argued that NATO and the United States provoked
Moscow into war.

https://apnews.com/article/robert-fico-slovakia-shot-prime-minister-751051f2a36391919790c62d664a5e6d

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GEORGIA’S PRIME MINISTER JOINS TENS OF THOUSANDS IN A MARCH TO PROMOTE ‘FAMILY
PURITY’

GEORGIA FAMILY PURITY MARCH

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze attends a celebration of the Day of
Family Purity in the center of Tbilisi, Georgia, Friday, May 17, 2024. Tens of
thousands of people including the prime minister on Friday marched through the
Georgian capital to mark the Day of Family Purity, which celebrates so-called
traditional family values in the country where animosity toward sexual
minorities is strong. (AP Photo/Zurab Tsertsvadze)

TBILISI, Georgia (AP) — Georgia’s prime minister joined tens of thousands of
people on a march through the capital on Friday to mark the Day of Family
Purity, which celebrates so-called traditional family values in the country
where animosity toward sexual minorities is strong.

Observances of the day, which was initiated by the Georgian Orthodox Church in
2013, were also held in more than 20 other cities. Many of those in the Tbilisi
procession carried icons and Christian emblems and wore traditional costumes
with intricate patterns..

Liberal groups have complained that the event coincides with the International
Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia.

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and parliamentary Speaker Shalva Papuashvili
were among those who marched in Tbilisi. The march ended at the capital’s
Trinity Cathedral, where Kobakhidze praised the event for “protecting the
country’s identity, language and faith.”

“We are Georgians, and for us, faith is very important. It has withstood
centuries, and it is important to stand together and defend our faith by all
means. Our ancestors defended it in battles throughout the years and centuries,
and it is our obligation to defend it as well,” said march participant Rusudan
Tabatadze.

In March, the ruling Georgian Dream Party introduced a bill curtailing LGBTQ+
rights. If adopted, the bill will prohibit sex changes, adoption by same-sex
couples, and gatherings that could be regarded as promoting same-sex relations.

Georgian Dream also has pushed through a bill to require news media and
nongovernmental organizations to register as “agents of foreign influence” if
they receive more than 20% of their budget from abroad. The bill set off mass
protests this month in Tbilisi. Opponents refer to it as “ the Russian law ”
because it resembles regulations in Russia.

President Salome Zourabichvili says she will veto the measure, which opponents
say will obstruct Georgia’s bid to join the European Union, but its supporters
have enough seats in parliament to override a veto.

Tension in Georgia over unorthodox sexual mores is strong. Last year, hundreds
of opponents of gay rights stormed an LGBTQ+ festival in Tbilisi, forcing the
event’s cancellation.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/georgias-prime-minister-joins-tens-150200151.html

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US-SAUDI NUCLEAR DEAL: HOW MIGHT IT WORK?

WASHINGTON, May 18 (Reuters) – White House National Security Adviser Jake
Sullivan will visit Saudi Arabia this weekend for talks expected to touch on a
civil nuclear cooperation agreement, one piece of a wider arrangement Washington
hopes will lead to normalization of Israeli-Saudi relations.
Below is a description of the key issues involved in a U.S.-Saudi civil nuclear
deal, what risks and benefits it may offer the United States and Saudi Arabia,
and how it fits within U.S. efforts to broker Israeli-Saudi reconciliation.

WHAT IS A CIVIL NUCLEAR COOPERATION AGREEMENT?

Under Section 123 of the U.S. Atomic Energy Act of 1954, the United States may
negotiate agreements to engage in significant civil nuclear cooperation with
other nations.
It specifies nine nonproliferation criteria those states must meet to keep them
from using the technology to develop nuclear arms or transfer sensitive
materials to others.
The law stipulates congressional review of such pacts.

WHY DOES SAUDI ARABIA WANT A US NUCLEAR COOPERATION AGREEMENT?

As the world’s largest oil exporter, Saudi Arabia at first glance is not an
obvious candidate for a nuclear pact typically aimed at building power plants to
generate electricity.
There are two reasons Riyadh may wish to do so.
The first is that under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s ambitious Vision 2030
reform plan, the kingdom aims to generate substantial renewable energy and
reduce emissions. At least some of this is expected to come from nuclear energy.
Critics cite a second potential reason: that Riyadh might wish to develop
nuclear expertise in case it someday wished to acquire nuclear weapons despite
the safeguards enshrined in any deal with Washington to prevent this.
The Saudi crown prince has long said that if Iran developed a nuclear weapon,
Saudi Arabia would follow suit, a stance that has fueled deep concern among arms
control advocates and some U.S. lawmakers over a possible U.S.-Saudi civil
nuclear deal.
The Sunni Muslim kingdom and Shi’ite revolutionary Iran have been at odds for
decades.

HOW WOULD THE UNITED STATES BENEFIT FROM A CIVIL NUCLEAR DEAL WITH SAUDI ARABIA?

There could be strategic and commercial gains.
The Biden administration has made no secret of its hope to broker a long-shot,
multi-part arrangement leading Saudi Arabia and Israel to normalize relations.
It believes Saudi support for normalization may hinge partly on striking a civil
nuclear deal.
https://www.reuters.com/world/how-might-us-saudi-civil-nuclear-deal-work-2024-05-18/

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XI JINPING IS NOW VLADIMIR PUTIN’S ‘BIG BROTHER’: HOW RUSSIA-CHINA TIES CHANGED
OVER THE YEARS

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing on Thursday for a two-day
state visit to China, underscoring the solidarity between the two allies as
Russia continues its new offensive in Ukraine.

Upon his arrival at dawn, Putin was greeted by an honor guard from the People’s
Liberation Army, the military branch of China’s ruling Communist Party.

* This is Putin’s first trip abroad since his March re-election and the second
in just over six months to China.
* However, this is Putin’s 19th visit to China since he became the Russian
president.
* In February 2022, China and Russia announced a “no limits” partnership during
Putin’s visit to Beijing, occurring just days before he deployed tens of
thousands of troops into Ukraine, sparking the most severe land conflict in
Europe since World War Two.
* Putin’s decision to choose China for his first overseas visit after being
inaugurated for a new six-year term, extending his leadership until at least
2030, underscores the significance he places on his bond with Xi and his
global strategic priorities.
* In a discussion with China’s Xinhua news agency, Putin commended Chinese
President Xi Jinping for fostering a “strategic partnership” between Russia
and China, which he described as rooted in national interests and profound
mutual trust.
* * This visit is not just a routine diplomatic engagement but a strategic
display of defiance against Western pressures.
* The frequency and depth of military collaborations, such as joint naval
drills near strategic global areas, signal a growing military camaraderie.
* However, these maneuvers signal more about the depth of their partnership
than actual operational military alliances. The joint naval patrols near
American waters and the inclusion of Russia in Chinese-led military drills
are significant developments that the West views with increasing concern.
* Moreover, the economic interdependence, highlighted by China’s role as a
critical supplier to Russia’s defense sector, showcases the depth of their
bilateral ties, which are becoming increasingly consequential in the
global arena.

Why it matters

* The strengthening bond between China and Russia is pivotal as both nations
seek to assert their power on the global stage against a backdrop of
American dominance.
* This alliance is particularly critical for Russia as it continues to face
extensive economic sanctions from the West.
* China’s support not only bolsters Russia’s economy but also enhances its
military capabilities through joint exercises and technology transfers.
* As per a report in the Economist, the flow of Chinese technology and other
valuable goods to Russian weapons manufacturers has become a significant
concern for the United States. According to US secretary of state Antony
Blinken China was the “top supplier” of various items considered be “dual
use,” including machine tools, microelectronics, and nitrocellulose, a
vital component in artillery shells. These items have both civilian and
military applications.
* “Russia would struggle to sustain its assault on Ukraine without China’s
support,” Blinken said. In a later conversation with Borge Brende, the
president of the World Economic Forum, Blinken said that over the past
year, Chinese technology had been facilitating Russia’s production of
weapons and ammunition, such as missiles and tanks, at an unprecedented
rate in its modern history, surpassing even the levels seen during the
Cold War era, the Economist report added.
* https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/world/xi-jinping-is-now-vladimir-putin-s-big-brother-how-russia-china-ties-changed-over-the-years/ar-BB1mtrWJ

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EDITOR’S NOTE

> Prout philosophy states, “Harsh social punishment…does not find place in our
> society. Ananda Marga has formed a society which frames its laws on the basis
> of common ideals in order to develop the idea of the oneness of all
> humanity.”
> Shri P R Sarkar, Prout in Nutshell – 11, Ananda Marga: A Revolution
>
>
> THE END

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MAY 11, 2024

INDIA-NEPAL JOINT INITIATIVE TO PROMOTE SANSKRIT RESEARCH AND EDUCATION

Joint efforts aimed at Sanskrit research and education advancement. Highlights
include annual international conferences, study center establishment, Gurukul
support, designated study center.

The Indian and Nepalese governments, along with scholars from both countries,
have collaborated to advance Sanskrit research and education. This partnership
aims to strengthen bilateral relations and preserve the cultural heritage shared
by India and Nepal.

RESOLUTION HIGHLIGHTS

1. ESTABLISHMENT OF INTERNATIONAL SANSKRIT CONFERENCE

* Proposal for an annual conference to foster collaboration and knowledge
exchange among Sanskrit scholars from India and Nepal.

2. CREATION OF SANSKRIT STUDY CENTER

* Plan to establish a study center to research and publish Sanskrit scriptures,
particularly focusing on Nepal’s vast collection of unpublished manuscripts.

3. SUPPORT FOR GURUKULS DEVELOPMENT

* Collaboration between Maharshi Sandipani Veda Vidya Pratisthan, Ujjain, and
Niti Anusandhan Pratisthan of Nepal to aid in the development of traditional
educational institutions (gurukuls) in Nepal.

4. DESIGNATION OF NEPAL-INDIA SANSKRIT STUDY CENTRE

* Niti Anusandhan Pratisthan Nepal identified as the headquarters for the
proposed center to conduct joint research, study Sanskrit manuscripts, and
facilitate publication endeavors.

5. TRAINING PROGRAM FOR SANSKRIT STUDENTS

* India to conduct specialized training programs for Sanskrit students in Nepal
to enhance their proficiency and understanding of the language.

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT

* Central Sanskrit University, Delhi, committed to providing necessary books to
Gurukul libraries in Nepal and supporting Sanskrit educational institutions
across the country.

PROMOTION OF SANSKRIT PRESERVATION

* Agreement to promote the preservation of Sanskrit, Pali, and Prakrit
languages, along with the associated religious, cultural, philosophical,
historical, and archaeological heritage of both nations.
* https://currentaffairs.adda247.com/india-nepal-joint-initiative-to-promote-sanskrit-research-and-education/

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MEN BEHIND THE DOOMSDAY SEED VAULT IN THE ARCTIC WIN WORLD FOOD PRIZE

Two men who were instrumental in creating a global seed vault designed to
safeguard the world’s agricultural diversity will be honored as the 2024 World
Food Prize laureates

DES MOINES, Iowa — As Cary Fowler and Geoffrey Hawtin began thinking about ways
to prevent starvation and protect the world’s food supply, they came up with
what Fowler called “the craziest idea anybody ever had” — a global seed vault
built into the side of an Arctic mountain.

About 20 years ago, Fowler, now the U.S. special envoy for Global Food Security,
and Hawtin, an agricultural scientist from the United Kingdom, envisioned the
so-called “doomsday vault” as a backup spot for seeds that could be used to
breed new crops if existing seed banks were threatened by wars, climate change
or other upheaval. On Thursday, officials in Washington announced that Fowler
and Hawtin would be named 2024 World Food Prize laureates for their work.

“To a lot of people today, it sounds like a perfectly reasonable thing to do.
It’s a valuable natural resource and you want to offer robust protection for
it,” he said in an interview from Saudi Arabia. “Fifteen years ago, shipping a
lot of seeds to the closest place to the North Pole that you can fly into,
putting them inside a mountain — that’s the craziest idea anybody ever had.”

The Svalbard Global Seed Vault on the Norwegian island of Svalbard opened in
2008 and now holds 1.25 million seed samples from nearly every country. The
largely concrete structure, built into the side of a mountain, provides genetic
protection for over 6,000 varieties of crops and culturally important plants.

Fowler and Hawtin were named the winners of the annual prize at the State
Department, where Secretary of State Antony Blinken lauded the men for their
“critical role in preserving crop diversity.”

They will be awarded the annual prize this fall in Des Moines, Iowa, where the
food prize foundation is based, and will split a $500,000 award.

Hundreds of smaller seed banks have existed in other countries for many decades,
but Fowler said he was motivated by a concern that climate change would throw
agriculture into turmoil, making a plentiful seed supply even more essential.

Hawtin, an executive board member at the Global Crop Diversity Trust, said that
there were plenty of existing crop threats, such as insects, diseases and land
degradation, as well as political upheaval, but that climate change heightened
the need for a secure, backup seed vault. In part, that’s because climate change
has the potential of making those earlier problems even worse.

“You end up with an entirely new spectrum of pests and diseases under different
climate regimes,” Hawtin said in an interview from southwest England. “Climate
change is putting a whole lot of extra problems on what has always been
significant ones.”

Fowler and Hawtin said they hope their selection as World Food Prize laureates
will enable them push for hundreds of millions of dollars in additional funding
of seed bank endowments around the world. Maintaining those operations is
relatively cheap, especially when considering how essential they are to ensuring
a plentiful food supply, but the funding needs continue forever.

“This is really a chance to get that message out and say, look, this relatively
small amount of money is our insurance policy, our insurance policy that we’re
going to be able to feed the world in 50 years,” Hawtin said.

The World Food Prize was founded by Norman Borlaug, who received the Nobel Peace
Prize in 1970 for his part in the Green Revolution, which dramatically increased
crop yields and reduced the threat of starvation in many countries. The food
prize will be awarded at the annual Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue,
held Oct. 29-31 in Des Moines.

https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/world-food-prize-2-helped-protect-vital-seeds-110071263

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AI FOR EARTH: HOW NASA’S ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND OPEN SCIENCE EFFORTS COMBAT
CLIMATE CHANGE

Nasa is actively employing artificial intelligence (AI) and open science
initiatives to tackle the challenges posed by climate change, demonstrating a
commitment to both technological advancement and environmental stewardship.
Nasa (File photo)

In a recent showcase of these efforts, Nasa emphasized how Al technologies are
being utilized to enhance our understanding of Earth’s climate systems and
improve the effectiveness of interventions.

These Al-driven projects facilitate more accurate predictions of weather
patterns, assessments of climate impact, and development of strategies to
mitigate adverse effects.

Nasa’s approach integrates open science principles, promoting transparency and
accessibility in climate research.
By sharing data and findings openly, Nasa aims to foster a collaborative
environment where scientists worldwide can contribute to and benefit from this
critical work.

The agency’s commitment to sustainability is evident not only in its research
priorities but also in its educational outreach. Events like the Earth Day
celebration at Kennedy Space Center engage young minds in environmental science,
highlighting the intersection of space exploration and Earth preservation.

As part of these educational efforts, Nasa invited students from Andrew Jackson
Middle School in Titusville, Florida, to participate in a special Earth Day
event.
This initiative not only highlighted Nasa’s ongoing projects but also inspired a
new generation to consider how they can contribute to environmental solutions.

The integration of Al and open science into climate research by Nasa not only
enhances the scientific community’s ability to address urgent climate issues but
also sets a precedent for how technology and transparency can lead to more
effective environmental stewardship. Looking ahead, Nasa continues to develop
and implement advanced technologies that will provide deeper insights into the
Earth’s climate system, offering hope and direction as we strive to safeguard
our planet for future generations.
Through these efforts, Nasa exemplifies a holistic approach to tackling climate
change, leveraging cutting-edge technology and fostering a culture of open
scientific inquiry and education.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/how-nasa-plans-to-use-ai-to-combat-climate-change/articleshow/109461803.cms

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CHAD’S MILITARY DICTATOR IDRISS DEBY WINS PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

Chad, officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country located
in north-central Africa. It is the fifth largest country in Africa covering a
surface area of 1,284,000 km2. Chad is bordered by Libya, Sudan, the Central
African Republic, Cameroon, Nigeria (at Lake Chad), and Niger

Mahamat Idris Deby Itno, Chad’s military dictator and interim president, has
secured victory in the presidential election held on May 6, 2024. This
provisional result, announced by the National Election Management Agency on May
10, 2024, is poised to extend Deby’s rule for another six years.

BACKGROUND

Idriss Deby, Mahamat’s father, ruled Chad for 30 years with an iron fist until
his death in 2021. Mahamat Idris Deby took over as interim president after his
father’s demise, subsequently consolidating power with the support of army
generals.

ELECTION OUTCOME

Mahamat Idris Deby Itno clinched 61.03% of the votes, while his closest
competitor, Prime Minister Succes Masra, garnered only 18.53%. However, the
legitimacy of the result remains contentious, with allegations of
government-backed election rigging.

OPPOSITION AND CONTROVERSY

Opposition candidate Succes Masra contests the election result, citing
irregularities and potential manipulation. The disqualification of numerous
opposition leaders prior to the election further exacerbates concerns regarding
the fairness and freedom of the electoral process.

REGIONAL SIGNIFICANCE

Chad’s election marks a notable event in the Sahel region, being the first
democratic election in a military-ruled country. The Sahel, characterized by
political instability and insurgent activity, spans ten African countries and
serves as a transitional zone between the Sahara desert and the humid savannas
to the north.

REPUBLIC OF CHAD OVERVIEW

Situated in north-central Africa, Chad is the fifth largest country on the
continent. The president serves as both the head of state and government, with a
six-year term limit of two terms. N’Djamena serves as the capital, and the
official currency is the CFA franc.

.https://currentaffairs.adda247.com/chads-military-dictator-idriss-deby-wins-presidential-election/

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UK TODDLER HAS HEARING RESTORED IN WORLD FIRST GENE THERAPY TRIAL

Opal Sandy can hear almost perfectly after groundbreaking surgery that took just
16 minutes

A British toddler has had her hearing restored after becoming the first person
in the world to take part in a pioneering gene therapy trial, in a development
that doctors say marks a new era in treating deafness.

Opal Sandy was born unable to hear anything due to auditory neuropathy, a
condition that disrupts nerve impulses travelling from the inner ear to the
brain and can be caused by a faulty gene.

But after receiving an infusion containing a working copy of the gene during
groundbreaking surgery that took just 16 minutes, the 18-month-old can hear
almost perfectly and enjoys playing with toy drums.

Her parents were left “gobsmacked” when they realised she could hear for the
first time after the treatment. “I couldn’t really believe it,” Opal’s mother,
Jo Sandy, said. “It was … bonkers.”

The girl, from Oxfordshire, was treated at Addenbrooke’s hospital, part of
Cambridge university hospitals NHS foundation trust, which is running the Chord
trial. More deaf children from the UK, Spain and the US are being recruited to
the trial and will all be followed up for five years.

Prof Manohar Bance, an ear surgeon at the trust and chief investigator for the
trial, said the initial results were “better than I hoped or expected” and could
cure patients with this type of deafness.

Auditory neuropathy can be caused by a fault in the OTOF gene, which makes a
protein called otoferlin. This enables cells in the ear to communicate with the
hearing nerve. To overcome the fault, the new therapy from biotech firm
Regeneron sends a working copy of the gene to the ear.

A second child has also recently received the gene therapy treatment at
Cambridge university hospitals, with positive results.

The overall Chord trial consists of three parts, with three deaf children
including Opal receiving a low dose of gene therapy in one ear only.

A different set of three children will get a high dose on one side. Then, if
that is shown to be safe, more children will receive a dose in both ears at the
same time. In total, 18 children worldwide will be recruited to the trial.

Opal is the first patient globally to receive the therapy and is “the youngest
globally that’s been done to date as far as we know”, Bance said.

The gene therapy – DB-OTO – is specifically for children with OTOF mutations. A
harmless virus is used to carry the working gene into the patient.

The trial is “just the beginning of gene therapies”, Bance said. “It marks a new
era in the treatment for deafness.”

https://www.theguardian.com/science/article/2024/may/09/uk-toddler-has-hearing-restored-in-world-first-gene-therapy-trial

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“SEVERE GEOMAGNETIC STORM” HITS EARTH, NOAA WARNING IN EFFECT ALL WEEKEND

May 10, 2024 at 7:31 PM EDT

NOAA Warning: Seven Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) are racing towards Earth

NOAA scientists have witnessed severe (G4) geomagnetic storm conditions today.
Several additional Earth-directed Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) are in transit
to Earth’s outer atmosphere, making it highly likely that geomagnetic storming
will persist through the weekend.

A large, complex sunspot cluster (NOAA Region 3664), which has now grown to 17
times the diameter of Earth, has been the primary source of this activity.
Experts still expect additional activity from this Region.

Since the current solar cycle began in December 2019, observers have only
witnessed three Severe geomagnetic storms.

G4 AND G5 LEVEL STORMS IN HISTORY

The most recent G4 (Severe) storm occurred on March 23, 2024, while
the Halloween Storms in October 2003 marked the last G5 (Extreme) event.

The G5 storm notably caused power outages in Sweden and damaged transformers in
South Africa, underscoring the potential consequences of such powerful
geomagnetic disturbances.

This newest storm, caused by seven streams of plasma ejected from the sun
earlier this week, could rival the intensity of the 1859 Carrington event, which
disrupted global communications and set telegraph stations on fire.

POTENTIAL IMPACTS ON MODERN INFRASTRUCTURE

In our technology-dependent society, a geomagnetic storm of this magnitude could
cause widespread electrical disruptions, blackouts, and damage to critical
infrastructure. Some of the potential impacts include:

* Voltage control problems and mistaken tripping of protective systems in the
power grid
* Intensified induced pipeline currents
* Surface charging and increased drag on low Earth orbit satellites
* Tracking and orientation problems for spacecraft
* Degraded or inoperable satellite navigation (GPS) for hours
* Sporadic or blacked out high frequency (HF) radio propagation

UNDERSTANDING GEOMAGNETIC STORMS

Geomagnetic storms occur when high-energy particles released from solar flares
ejected by the sun reach Earth. Although the sun continuously erupts and hurls
particles into space, Earth’s distance of 93 million miles from the sun usually
prevents these particles from reaching our planet.

https://www.earth.com/news/noaa-issues-severe-geomagnetic-storm-watch-first-time-since-2005/

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CANADA SLAPS MORE SANCTIONS ON BELARUS, CITING HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS

Canada is imposing another round of sanctions against Belarus officials over
continuing human rights violations after a 2020 presidential election that the
opposition denounced as fraudulent, Ottawa said on Monday.
The punitive measures target 21 current and former senior government figures,
including members of the security forces, public prosecutors and members of the
judiciary system, the foreign ministry said in a statement.
Canada has so far announced 14 rounds of sanctions against a total of 211
individuals and 71 entities in Belarus. Foreign Minister Melanie Joly is due to
meet exiled Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya this week in
Ottawa. These individuals are current or former senior government officials
involved in internal affairs, including security forces, public prosecutors,
members of the judiciary and administrators of penal and “education” colonies.
These individuals have been involved in suppressing protests, arbitrary
detentions, arrests, prosecutions of Belarusians protesting the fraudulent
elections and their ill treatment once they were falsely tried, sentenced and
imprisoned.

Occupied by Nazi Germany, Belarus was retaken by Stalin’s Russia in 1944 and
remained under Soviet control until declaring its sovereignty on July 27, 1990
and independence from the Soviet Union on August 25, 1991. It has been run by
authoritarian PresidentAlexander Lukashenko since 1994.

Belarus continued to allow Russian forces to use the country’s territory in
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Alexander Lukashenko has been the president since 1994. Lukashenko has been
quoted as saying that he has an “authoritarian ruling style” that he uses to run
the country.The Council of Europe has barred Belarus from membership since 1997
for numerous voting irregularities in the November 1996 constitutional
referendum and parliament by-elections. According to the Venice Commission of
the Council of Europe, Belarus’s constitution is “illegal and does not respect
minimum democratic standards and thus violates the principles of separation of
powers and the rule of law”.[5] The Belarusian government has also been
criticized by Human Rights Watch for human rights violations and its actions
against NGOs, independent journalists, national minorities and opposition
politicians.

ARREST AND DETENTION OF PERCEIVED OPPONENTS

Between October 2022 and September 2023, according to leading Belarusian human
rights organization Viasna, more than 400 people were sentenced on politically
motivated criminal charges, and another 3,300 faced politically motivated
administrative charges. At time of writing, Viasna’s count of political
prisoners was 1,462.

Authorities used a variety of bogus charges to prosecute their critics,
including “defamation” charges over insulting Aliaksandr Lukashenka or
Belarusian government or state symbols, “inciting enmity” against the “social
group of law enforcement officers,” or “violent acts or threat of violence
against law enforcement officers.” Authorities also widely used charges related
to “extremism” and “terrorism” against critics for actions such as leaving
critical comments on social media, following “extremist” Telegram channels, or
having a white-red-white tattoo.

Belarusian authorities continued detaining and prosecuting people in connection
with peaceful protests in 2020, including some who returned to Belarus from
abroad. Workers of state companies faced mass layoffs in connection with their
alleged participation in the protests.

https://www.international.gc.ca/world-monde/international_relations-relations_internationales/sanctions/belarus.aspx?lang=eng

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MOROCCO’S ACADEMY DEBATES IMPACT OF CHANGING VALUES ON FAMILY AND SOCIETY

After the first day of sessions focused on family and law, the second day
addressed the role of the family and education in a rapidly changing world on
May 9th.

Rabat – After an exciting first day of lively discussions and insightful
speeches, the 49th Session of the Academy of the Kingdom of Morocco returned for
its second day, where the main topics covered family, societal values and
education in our rapidly changing world.

The event again brought together a variety of experts of top universities in
Morocco and beyond, to speak together plainly as members of the academy,
resulting in thought-provoking speeches and constructive debate.

Amid ongoing debate in Moroccan society about the country’s new family code, the
“Moudawana,” the topic could not be more relevant.

The morning session featured a variety of experts from the Academy of the
Kingdom of Morocco.Ali Benmakhlouf spoke on how modern reproductive technologies
impact our concept of kinship, being a parent or a child amid changing
technology and scientific changes. Next was Mohammed Noureddine Affaya, who
spoke of the “anxiety of values,” brought upon by our increasingly digital lives
and relationships, calling for a structural reevaluation in how we educate and
communicate in an ever-changing digital landscape.

To add to the discussion about society and family, Aomar Boum presented a
case-study on football hooligans in Morocco and how these groups lead to
individuals alienating themselves from family traditional politics to find
community in their community of ultras.

Next came Abdou Filali-Ansary, who detailed the difference between how family is
often seen by economists, sociologists or politicians, and the realities of
family in daily life. Abdallah Laouina next expanded on how climate change
impacts the 2.6 million rural Moroccan families, who despite having remarkably
strong bonds, face the need to migrate due to floods or drought, or see family
members move to cities to supplement the family’s income.

After the third plenary session featured all Moroccan members of the Academy,
the fourth plenary was opened by Luis Gonzalez Posada Eyzaguirre, who is a
Peruvian member of the academy. He spoke eloquently about the deep, often
lingering, impact that migration has on families and particularly children, who
can find themselves traumatized or abandoned by the variety of conflicts around
the world.

https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2024/05/362551/morocco-s-academy-debates-impact-of-changing-values-on-family-nbsp-and-nbsp-society

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U.S. TO ANNOUNCE NEW TARIFFS ON CHINESE ELECTRIC VEHICLES

The administration could raise tariffs on electric vehicles from China to 100
percent in an attempt to protect American auto manufacturers.

The Biden administration is set to announce new tariffs as high as 100 percent
on Chinese electric vehicles and additional import taxes on other Chinese goods,
including semiconductors, as early as next week, according to people familiar
with the matter.

The move comes amid growing concern within the administration that Mr. Biden’s
efforts to jump-start domestic manufacturing of clean energy products could be
undercut by China, which has been flooding global markets with cheap solar
panels, batteries, electric vehicles and other products.

The long-awaited tariffs are the result of a four-year review of the levies that
President Donald J. Trump imposed on more than $300 billion of Chinese imports
in 2018. Most of the Trump tariffs are expected to remain in place, but Mr.
Biden plans to go beyond

those by raising levies in areas that the president showered with subsidies in
the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act.

That includes Chinese electric vehicles, which currently face a 25 percent
tariff. The administration is expected to raise that to as much as 100 percent
in order to make it prohibitively expensive to buy a Chinese E.V.

Mr. Biden has previously raised concerns about Chinese electric vehicles, saying
that internet-connected Chinese cars and trucks posed risks to national security
because their operating systems could send sensitive information to Beijing.
He took steps earlier this year to try to block those vehicles from entering the
United States.

The president is looking to ratchet up pressure on China and demonstrate his
willingness to protect American manufacturing ahead of his face-off against Mr.
Trump in the November presidential election.

.https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/10/us/politics/us-biden-china-tariffs-electric-vehicles.html

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HAMAS SAYS NO BUDGING FROM ALREADY-REJECTED HOSTAGE DEAL OFFER AS CAIRO TALKS
BREAK UP

Demonstrators protest calling for the release of Israeli hostages held in the
Gaza Strip outside Hakirya Base in Tel Aviv, May 9, 2024. (Avshalom
Sassoni/Flash90)

Indirect talks between Israel and Hamas over a deal to halt fighting in the Gaza
Strip and free hostages kidnapped on October 7 appeared to break up with no
discernable progress, as the terror group said it had no intention of budging
from a proposal already rejected by Israel.

With negotiations seemingly once again stuck after the sides had appeared close
to an elusive agreement earlier this week, Egypt said both Israel and Hamas
would need to show “flexibility.”

Izzat El-Risheq, a member of Hamas’s political office in Qatar, said Thursday
that the Hamas delegation had left Cairo for Doha, Qatar, where its leadership
is based, after affirming it was sticking with the terms it had agreed to
Monday.

A senior Israeli official said the Israeli team had also left after handing
mediators a list of its reservations about the Hamas proposal.

On Monday, Hamas claimed to have accepted a truce agreement with Israel, though
it later emerged that the proposal it said had come from Egyptian and Qatari
mediators included several elements fundamentally different from what Israel had
agreed to. Jerusalem swiftly rejected the proposal for falling short of its
“vital demands,” but okayed dispatching a working-level delegation to the
indirect talks in Cairo.

Tel Aviv, May 9, 2024. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)

With negotiations seemingly once again stuck after the sides had appeared close
to an elusive agreement earlier this week, Egypt said both Israel and Hamas
would need to show “flexibility.”

A senior Israeli official said the Israeli team had also left after handing
mediators a list of its reservations about the Hamas proposal.

In a message to other Palestinian factions published by the group’s al-Aqsa TV
mouthpiece Friday, Hamas said talks had ended after Israel “rejected the
proposal submitted by the mediators and raised objections to it.”

It said Hamas had decided to stick to the terms of the proposal it agreed to
Monday, rejecting the possibility of making any concessions.

“The ball is now completely in the hands of the occupation,” the statement read.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/hamas-says-no-budging-from-already-rejected-hostage-deal-offer-as-cairo-talks-break-up/

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UKRAINE WAR UPDATES: PUTIN SAYS RUSSIA ‘WILL NOT ALLOW ANYONE TO THREATEN US’ AS
MOSCOW REVELS IN MILITARY MIGHT

Russia’s leadership and military have been out in force for the annual “Victory
Day” military parade on Thursday.

Russian servicemen involved in the country’s military action in Ukraine, march
on Red Square during the Victory Day military parade in central Moscow on May 9,
2024.

President Vladimir Putin, commander-in-chief of the armed forces, was flanked by
veterans as he watched thousands of Russian troops, tanks, armored vehicles and
weaponry parade through a mostly rainy Red Square in Moscow.

The May 9 event commemorates the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War
II but the Kremlin keen to cast parallels between the Red Army’s victory in 1945
and the current conflict in Ukraine.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Editor’s Note

> The minimum requirements can be assured through guaranteed purchasing
> capacity, which should be enshrined in the constitution as a fundamental or
> cardinal human right. This will give the citizens of the country legal power
> if their minimum requirements are not met.
>
> Shri P R Sarkar on the subject Quadri-Dimensional Economy

THE END

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MAY 4, 2024

THIS SUMMER’S NUMBER ONE VEGGIE FOOD FESTIVAL SOON HERE. SUVILAHTI, HELSINKI
(FINLAND)

Organised in the last weekend of May in Suvilahti, Helsinki, this year’s World
Village Festival will be a vegetarian-food-only event. This decision has
inspired and been welcomed by many.

Responsible for festival exhibitors and vendors, World Village Festival
Production Manager Maria Hopponen says that the vegetarian-only policy has
sparked varied discussion.

“Most comments have been positive and welcomed the decision as a step in the
right direction. The number and diversity of food vendors have also remained at
last year’s level. We’ll have 50 food vendors serving street food from the
various corners of the world, such as Tibet, Nicaragua and the Gambia. This year
will also see more café-style stalls with a selection of lovely things to drink
and eat, such as churros and bubble waffles.”

230 EXHIBITORS FROM CSOS TO EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

In addition to food vendors, the festival will feature around 180 exhibitors,
including 36 bazaar vendors and 136 civil society organisations (CSOs). New this
year is the Book and Recycling World where you will find a vast variety of
things to read from the Rosebud Books section as well as a broad range of
circular economy actors. The Book and Recycling World will be set up in the
Cirko centre, while the Kattilahalli hall on the other side of the festival site
will be the venue for this year’s Market of Possibilities featuring CSOs and
smaller stands.

World Village Festival is Finland’s leading event for global action for the
whole family, an admission free cultural festival, and a trade fair for
sustainable development. The event will be organised in the Suvilahti event
venue, Helsinki, in 25–26 May 2024 with Courage as the theme. Festival’s core
values are diversity, equality, responsibility, and communality. The event is
expected to attract around 50,000 festivalgoers. Admission to all events is
free. The festival organiser is Finnish Development NGOs Fingo and the main
partners are Finn Church Aid, the European Commission Representation in Finland,
the European Parliament Liaison Office in Finland, Radio Helsinki and Maailman
Kuvalehti magazine.

> This summer’s number one veggie food festival soon here – World Village
> Festival food vendors and exhibitors list released

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GAZA WAR KILLS MORE CHILDREN THAN IN 4 YEARS OF GLOBAL CONFLICT: UN AGENCY

The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza indicating that more than 12,300 children
died in the Palestinian territory between last October and the end of February.

GENEVA:

More children have been reported killed in the war raging in Gaza than in four
years of conflict around the world, the head of the UN agency for Palestinian
refugees said Tuesday.

“Staggering. The number of children reported killed in just over 4 months in
#Gaza is higher than the number of children killed in 4 years of wars around the
world combined,” Philippe Lazzarini said on X, formerly Twitter.

His post referenced United Nations numbers showing that 12,193 children had been
killed in conflicts worldwide between 2019 and 2022.

It compared that to reports from the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza
indicating that more than 12,300 children died in the Palestinian territory
between last October and the end of February.

“This war is a war on children. It is a war on their childhood and their
future,” Lazzarini said.

The brutal war began with the unprecedented October 7 Hamas attack that resulted
in about 1,160 deaths in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP count
based on Israeli official figures.

The militants also took around 250 hostages, dozens of whom were released during
a week-long truce in November. Israel believes about 130 captives remain in
Gaza, including 32 presumed dead.

Israel’s retaliatory bombardment and ground offensive have killed 31,184
Palestinians in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the territory’s
health ministry.

https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/gaza-war-kills-more-children-than-in-4-years-of-worldwide-conflict-un-agency-unrwa-5227453

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U.S. PAVES WAY FOR UN TO DECLARE 2026 AS INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF THE WOMAN FARMER

NEW YORK, May 2, 2024 – Today, in the presence of U.S. Ambassador to the United
Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield and U.S. Department of Agriculture Deputy
Secretary Xochitl Torres Small, the UN General Assembly declared 2026 as the
International Year of the Woman Farmer. The resolution, and the U.S.
government’s efforts to generate support for it, were spearheaded by USDA and
garnered more than 100 co-sponsors, underscoring the global importance of
uplifting women throughout the agriculture sector.

The worldwide observance will call attention to the vital role that women play
in global food and agricultural production. It will also raise global awareness
of the unique challenges women in agriculture face, catalyze action to help
address those challenges, and support many of the UN Sustainable Development
Goals, including those focused on gender equity, food security and poverty.

“From the field to the factory, from the classroom to the boardroom, women are
fundamental to the future of agriculture. As leaders, it is our responsibility
to make sure the next generation of women farmers have equal access to economic,
educational and leadership opportunities, and that we dismantle the unique
barriers they face so they can continue to take on the challenges of meeting the
world’s growing food, fuel and fiber needs,” Deputy Secretary Torres Small said.
“USDA is proud to have led the U.S. government’s efforts in support of declaring
2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer, and we thank the many
nations that signed on in support. We look forward to working with partners
worldwide to scale up efforts that empower and advance women farmers while
tackling global food security in 2026 and beyond.”

Women are responsible for roughly half of the world’s food production, and in
many countries they produce between 60 and 80 percent of the food. Yet globally,
the prevalence of food insecurity is higher among women than men. By shining a
spotlight on women’s role in farming across the world, the International Year of
the Woman Farmer will also raise awareness of constraints women face in areas
including property rights and land tenure, access to credit and markets, and
lack of technical and educational support. It will emphasize, as well, the
importance of women in leadership roles to better ensure representation at the
highest levels of decision-making.

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In
the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with
a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer
markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy, and nutritious food
in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and
producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic
investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America,
and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and
building a workforce more representative of America.

https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2024/05/02/us-paves-way-un-declare-2026-international-year-woman-farmer

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ASTRAZENECA COVID VACCINE: COURT CASE, RARE SIDE EFFECTS, ADMISSION OF GUILT,
AND MORE.

British-Swedish company AstraZeneca, in conjunction with Oxford, developed its
COVID-19 vaccine that is sold under brand names ‘Covishield’ and ‘Vaxzevria’
among others

Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca, in a damning revelation, has admitted that its
Covid-19 vaccine ‘Covishield’ can, in “very rare cases, cause TTS”.

TTS or Thrombosis Thrombocytopenia Syndrome is a rare yet serious condition
suffered by some vaccine takers, with symptoms including blood clots and
platelet levels.

The revelation can potentially pave the way for AstraZeneca to cough up millions
of dollars in legal payout.

Here’s all you need to know about the issue.

Covishield and rare side effects

British-Swedish company AstraZeneca, in conjunction with Oxford, developed its
Covid vaccine that is sold under brand names ‘Covishield’ and ‘Vaxzevria’ among
others.

The vaccine was initially rolled out in 2021, as hundreds and thousands of
deaths from the dangerous virus were being reported from across the world.

At the time, the rushed rollout was criticised by many in the scientific
community and questions were raised about how safe it is to rush vaccine
administration.

Now, three years down the line, the question is back as AstraZeneca faces class
action suits over claims that its vaccine caused serious injury or death in
dozens of cases.

A CONFESSION?

In legal documents submitted to the UK High Court in February, the
pharmaceutical giant accepted that its COVID-19 vaccine “can, in very rare
cases, cause TTS”.

“It is admitted that the AZ vaccine can, in very rare cases, cause TTS. The
causal mechanism is not known,” said the company in the document that is making
headlines months after it was submitted.

“Further, TTS can also occur in the absence of the AZ vaccine (or any vaccine).
Causation in any individual case will be a matter for expert evidence,” it
added.

MEDICAL CLAIMS AGAINST THE COMPANY

The first case against the company was lodged by Jamie Scott, father of two, who
was 44 when he received the vaccine.

Ten days after the jab, Scott complained of tiredness and started vomiting. Soon
after, his speech got impaired, and he had to be taken to the hospital, where
physicians diagnosed him with a suspected case of Vaccine-induced Immune
Thrombocytopenia and Thrombosis (VITT).

He survived the ordeal but was left with a permanent brain injury.

Alongside Scott, 51 cases have been lodged against the company, with victims and
grieving relatives seeking damages estimated to be worth up to £100 million
($125.36 million).

Lawyers for the victims argue that the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine is “defective”
and that its efficacy has been “vastly overstated”. AstraZeneca has strongly
denied these claims.

ASTRAZENECA VACCINE SIDE EFFECTS

As per the World Health Organization, side effects of the AstraZeneca vaccine
include typically short-term and self-limiting mild-to-moderate symptoms.

The AstraZeneca vaccine has been associated with a range of common side effects,
as reported by those who received it.

These side effects include discomfort at the injection site, a general feeling
of being unwell, fatigue, fever, headaches, nausea, muscle and joint pain,
swelling, redness at the site of injection, dizziness, sleepiness, excessive
sweating, abdominal pain, and instances of fainting.

These, however, happen in less than 1 in 100 people.

DID NOBODY REALISE THE ASTRAZENECA COVID-19 VACCINE’S DANGEROUS SIDE EFFECTS
EARLIER?

Amid reports of adverse effects, including blood clots due to the vaccine,
several countries suspended the COVID-19 vaccine’s use.

In March 2021, Austria suspended the use of one batch after two people developed
blood clots after the vaccine jab and one of them died.

Over time, dozens of nations, many of them in Europe, suspended the use of
AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine.

This includes Denmark, Ireland, Thailand, the Netherlands, Norway, Iceland,
Congo, Bulgaria, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Canada, Sweden, Latvia,
Slovenia, Australia, Indonesia, and Malaysia.

https://www.wionews.com/world/astrazeneca-covid-vaccine-court-case-rare-side-effects-admission-of-guilt-and-more-all-you-need-to-know-716604

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WAVE OF EXCEPTIONALLY HOT WEATHER SCORCHES SOUTH AND SOUTH-EAST ASIA

India and Pakistan, severe heat waves

Warnings of dangerous temperatures across parts of Philippines, Thailand,
Bangladesh and India as hottest months of the year are made worse by El Niño

Millions of people across South and Southeast Asia are facing sweltering
temperatures, with unusually hot weather forcing schools to close and
threatening public health.

Thousands of schools across the Philippines, including in the capital region
Metro Manila, have suspended in-person classes. Half of the country’s 82
provinces are experiencing drought, and nearly 31 others are facing dry spells
or dry conditions, according to the UN, which has called for greater support to
help the country prepare for similar weather events in the future. The country’s
upcoming harvest will probably be below average, the UN said.

April and May are usually the hottest months in the Philippines and other
countries in south-east Asia, but temperatures this year have been worsened by
the El Niño event, which brings hotter, drier conditions to the region.

Thai authorities said 30 people had been killed by heatstroke so far this year,
and warned people to avoid outdoor activities. Demand for electricity soared to
a new high on Monday night of 35,830 megawatts, as people turned to air
conditioning for relief, local media reported.

In the capital Bangkok, temperatures reached 40.1C on Wednesday, while
authorities warned of a possible “heat index” of past 52C on Thursday. This
measure reflects what the temperature feels like, taking into account humidity
levels – an important factor for human health because when the air is more
humid, it is harder for the body to regulate its temperature by sweating.

The unusually high temperatures have caused disruption to education and
agriculture across the Asian region. Bangladesh was also forced to close all
schools this week after temperatures soared to between 40C and 42C in some
areas.

About 33 million children in Bangladesh were affected, according to the charity
Save the Children. “Leaders need to act now to urgently reduce warming
temperatures, as well as factoring children – particularly those affected by
poverty, inequality and discrimination – into decision making and climate
finance,” said Shumon Sengupta, Country Director Bangladesh, Save the Children
International.

In India, where a mammoth election lasting nearly six weeks, is now under way,
the election commission met this week with officials from the weather agency to
discuss how to mitigate the impact of the heat on voters. The country’s Roads
Minister Nitin Gadkari fainted during a speech on Wednesday as he campaigned for
the re-election of prime minister Narendra Modi’s government, saying later on
social media that he had felt uncomfortable due to the heat during the rally.

The World Meteorological Organization warned in a report this week that Asia
remained “the world’s most disaster-hit region from weather, climate and
water-related hazards in 2023”. Floods and storms caused the highest number of
reported casualties and economic losses, it said, while the impact of heatwaves
became more severe.

Last year, severe heatwaves in India in April and June caused about 110 reported
deaths due to heatstroke. “A major and prolonged heatwave affected much of
South-east Asia in April and May, extending as far west as Bangladesh and
Eastern India, and north to southern China, with record-breaking temperatures,”
WMO said.

Human-caused climate breakdown is supercharging extreme weather across the
world, driving more frequent and more deadly disasters from heatwaves to floods
to wildfires. At least a dozen of the most serious events of the last decade
would have been all but impossible without human-caused global heating.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/apr/26/asia-heatwaves-philippines-bangladesh-india

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VIRGIN GALACTIC TO LAUNCH 7TH COMMERCIAL SPACEFLIGHT ON JUNE 8

Virgin Galactic will fly again next month, if all goes according to plan.

The company announced on Wednesday (May 1) that it’s targeting June 8 for its
seventh commercial spaceflight, a suborbital jaunt called, fittingly enough,
Galactic 07.

It will be Virgin Galactic‘s second spaceflight of the year, after the Galactic
06 mission on Jan. 26, and its 12th overall to date.

Virgin Galactic uses an air-launch system that consists of two vehicles: A
carrier aircraft called VMS Eve and a suborbital spaceliner known as VSS Unity.

Eve lifts off from a runway with Unity beneath its wings, then drops the
spacecraft at an altitude of about 45,000 feet (13,700 meters). Unity then fires
up its onboard rocket motor, blasting its way to suborbital space.

Passengers aboard the space plane experience a few minutes of weightlessness and
get to see Earth against the blackness of space. A ticket to ride on Unity
currently sells for $450,000.

Galactic 07 will depart from Spaceport America in southwestern New Mexico,
carrying four passengers in Unity’s cabin. Virgin Galactic has not yet
identified these people, but the company has given us a bit of information about
them.

Three are private astronauts, one apiece from New York, California and Italy.
The fourth is “an Axiom Space-affiliated researcher astronaut who will conduct
multiple human-tended experiments,” Virgin Galactic wrote Wednesday in
a Galactic 07 mission update.

Axiom Space is a Houston-based company that has organized three crewed trips to
the International Space Station to date, all of them using SpaceX hardware.
Axiom also plans to assemble and operate its own space station in Earth orbit
later in the 2020s.

https://www.space.com/virgin-galactic-seventh-commercial-spaceflight-june-8

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WTO FORECASTS REBOUND IN GLOBAL TRADE BUT WARNS OF DOWNSIDE RISKS

Global goods trade is expected to pick up gradually this year following a
contraction in 2023 that was driven by the lingering effects of high energy
prices and inflation, WTO economists said in a new forecast on 10 April. The
volume of world merchandise trade should increase by 2.6% in 2024 and 3.3% in
2025 after falling 1.2% in 2023. However, regional conflicts, geopolitical
tensions and economic policy uncertainty pose substantial downside risks to the
forecast.

In the latest “Global Trade Outlook and Statistics” report, WTO economists note
that inflationary pressures are expected to abate this year, allowing real
incomes to grow again — particularly in advanced economies — thus providing a
boost to the consumption of manufactured goods. A recovery of demand for
tradable goods in 2024 is already evident, with indices of new export orders
pointing to improving conditions for trade at the start of the year.

WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said: “We are making progress towards
global trade recovery, thanks to resilient supply chains and a solid
multilateral trading framework — which are vital for improving livelihoods and
welfare. It’s imperative that we mitigate risks like geopolitical strife and
trade fragmentation to maintain economic growth and stability.”

High energy prices and inflation continued to weigh heavily on demand for
manufactured goods, resulting in a 1.2% decline in world merchandise trade
volume for 2023. The decline was larger in value terms, with merchandise exports
down 5% to US$ 24.01 trillion. Trade developments on the services side were more
upbeat, with commercial services exports up 9% to US$ 7.54 trillion, partly
offsetting the decline in goods trade.

Import volumes were down in most regions but especially in Europe, where they
fell sharply. The main exceptions were large fuel-exporting economies, whose
imports were sustained by strong export revenues as energy prices remained high
by historical standards. World trade remained well above its pre-pandemic level
throughout 2023. By the fourth quarter it was nearly unchanged compared to the
same period in the 2022 (+0.1%) and had only risen slightly compared to the same
period in 2021 (+0.5%).

DOWNSIDE RISKS

Moving forward, the report warns that geopolitical tensions and policy
uncertainty could limit the extent of the trade rebound. Food and energy prices
could again be subject to price spikes linked to geopolitical events. The
report’s special analytical section on the Red Sea crisis notes that while the
economic impact of the Suez Canal disruptions stemming from the Middle East
conflict has so far been relatively limited, some sectors, such as automotive
products, fertilisers and retail, have already been affected by delays and
freight costs hikes.

REGIONAL TRADE OUTLOOK

Strong import volume growth of 5.6% in Asia and 4.4% in Africa should help prop
up global demand for traded goods this year. However, all other regions are
expected to see below average import growth, including South America (2.7%), the
Middle East (1.2%), North America (1.0%), Europe (0.1%) and the CIS region
(-3.8%).

Merchandise exports of least-developed countries (LDCs) are forecasted to grow
2.7% in 2024, down from 4.1% in 2023, before growth accelerates to 4.2% in 2025.
Meanwhile, imports by LDCs should grow 6.0% this year and 6.8% next year
following a 3.5% contraction in 2023.

TRADE IN SERVICES

World commercial services trade grew 9% in 2023 despite a decline in freight
transport, thanks to recovering international travel and surging digitally
delivered services. In 2024, sports events to be held in Europe in the summer,
as well as the easing of visa requirements by various countries, are expected to
boost tourism and passenger transport.

https://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news24_e/tfore_10apr24_e.htm

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ASIA: 2024 HUMAN RIGHTS PRESS AWARDS

Top Prizes for Reporting on Suicide Among Afghan Women, Persecution in Myanmar

(Taipei) – Today, marking World Press Freedom Day, Human Rights Press Awards in
Asia announced the 2024 winners and runners-up. The seven categories of awards
are administered by Human Rights Watch, the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism
and Mass Communication at Arizona State University, and the foreign
correspondents clubs in both Thailand and Taiwan.

Among the top winners are reporting on the rising number of suicides among
Afghan women living under abusive Taliban rule; the persecution of religious
minorities in Myanmar; and the Chinese government’s treatment of White Paper
protesters who stood up against Covid-19 lockdowns.

“The Human Rights Press Awards recognize journalists who are uncovering some of
the most pressing rights issues in Asia,” said Tirana Hassan, executive director
at Human Rights Watch. “In an era in which rising authoritarianism generates
autocratic leaders and mass disinformation, the role of journalists in exposing
the truth is more critical than ever. We are thrilled to honor these courageous
reporters.”

The seven categories of awards include the newly created “Newsrooms in Exile”
category, as well as commentary, print, photography, video, audio, and
multimedia. The winners will be honored at a ceremony in Taipei hosted by the
Taiwan Foreign Correspondents’ Club (TFCC) on May 10, 2024.

“We are honored once again to be administering the Human Rights Press Awards,”
said Dr. Battinto L. Batts, Jr., dean of the Walter Cronkite School of
Journalism and Mass Communication. “As part of our Cronkite Global Initiatives,
we are proud to help recognize outstanding human rights journalism throughout
Asia and the world.”

“It’s no coincidence that many winning entries are examples of brave journalism
from Afghanistan, Hong Kong, and Myanmar, places where reporting has become
increasingly difficult and dangerous,” said Thompson Chau, president of the
Taiwan Foreign Correspondents’ Club. “The TFCC is honored to host the award
ceremony in Taipei. Taiwan is an extraordinary place for a growing number of
Asia-focused correspondents to live and work.”

Frontier Myanmar and Zan Times shared the top prize in the inaugural “Newsroom
in Exile” category for their reporting on Myanmar and Afghanistan, respectively.
Frontier Myanmar’s report uncovered the Myanmar military’s oppression of the
Bayingyi, Roman Catholics of Portuguese descent. Zan Times gathered data
illustrating the dire reality of the growing numbers of Afghan women and girls
choosing death as preferable to living under Taliban repression.

“We’re increasingly seeing media under threat in countries across Southeast
Asia, which is why the new Human Rights Press Awards category for media in exile
is so critically important,” said Phil Robertson, program committee chair at the
Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand (FCCT). “In countries such as
Afghanistan and Myanmar, there needs to be greater recognition of journalists
who bravely report human rights stories from the homeland they were forced to
flee, and the FCCT is proud to be a part of that effort.”

The award for multimedia went to Al Jazeera for its piece, “‘If I die, I die’:
Pakistan’s death-trap route to Europe,” documenting the dangerous journey young
Pakistani men undertake in search of work in Europe and the suffering of their
families left behind.

The Initium won the investigative reporting prize in Chinese for its series on
the anniversary of the White Paper Protest, featuring the lives and struggles of
those who protested China’s “zero-Covid” lockdown policies in the wake of the
pandemic.

The Guardian won the investigative reporting prize in English for its work,
“Revealed: Amazon linked to trafficking of workers in Saudi Arabia,” which
exposed the plight of Nepali migrant workers enduring forced labor and
discrimination in Saudi Arabia. The reporting revealed the complicity of major
multinational corporations that fail to police their supply chains.

Reporting on the Myanmar military’s airstrikes; abuses by the Bangladeshi elite
police unit, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB); issues facing the LGBT community
in Hong Kong; and a global private hospital group embroiled in a “cash for
kidneys” racket all won honorable mentions.

A complete list of winners is available
here: https://humanrightspressawards.org/2024-winners

https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/05/03/asia-2024-human-rights-press-awards

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ISRAEL’S WAR ON GAZA LIVE: DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS STEPPED UP TO SECURE TRUCE

The United Nations chief has called on Israel and Hamas to reach a truce deal. A
Qatari delegation is headed to Cairo as diplomatic efforts are stepped up to
stop Israel from going ahead with its offensive in Rafah – the last refuge for
1.5 million Palestinians.

* A Hamas delegation has arrived in Egypt for what appear to be do-or-die
negotiations on a ceasefire, with the movement saying it is “determined to
achieve an agreement”.
* Israel reportedly gives Hamas one week to agree to a ceasefire and
prisoner-captive exchange deal, threatening it will launch its ground
invasion of Rafah otherwise. The United Nations chief has called on Israel
and Hamas to reach a truce deal.
* A Qatari delegation is headed to Cairo as diplomatic efforts are stepped up
to stop Israel from going ahead with its offensive in Rafah – the last refuge
for 1.5 million Palestinians.
* The head of the UN World Food Programme says northern Gaza is now
experiencing a “full-blown famine”. Thousands of Palestinians are starving as
Israel has restricted the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
* At least 34,654 Palestinians have been killed and 77,908 wounded in Israeli
attacks on Gaza since October 7. The death toll in Israel from Hamas’s
October 7 attacks stands at 1,139 with dozens of people still held captive.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/5/4/israels-war-on-gaza-live-talks-in-egypt-set-to-steer-wars-direction

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KYIV CAN USE BRITISH WEAPONS INSIDE RUSSIA – CAMERON

Lord Cameron met Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Thursday

UK Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron has said it is up to Ukraine to decide how to
use British weapons and insisted it has the right to strike targets on Russian
territory.

During a visit to Kyiv, he said the UK would provide £3bn ($3.75bn) per year for
as long as necessary.

“Just as Russia is striking inside Ukraine, you can quite understand why Ukraine
feels the need to make sure it’s defending itself,” Lord Cameron said.

Russia condemned what it called “another very dangerous statement”.

“This is a direct escalation of tension around the Ukrainian conflict, which
would potentially pose a threat to European security,” said Kremlin spokesman
Dmitry Peskov.

Lord Cameron did not directly endorse the idea of British weapons being used to
strike targets inside Russia.

But until now, the UK has generally let it be understood – without spelling it
out – that weapons such as the long range Storm Shadow missile should only be
used inside sovereign Ukrainian territory. There have been several examples of
its successful use in Russian-occupied Crimea, including against elements of
Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.

However, coming on the heels of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s pledge to give
Ukraine £3bn ($3.76bn) in military assistance every year for the foreseeable
future, it seems Lord Cameron wanted to emphasise that it is up to Ukraine to
decide what it does with it.

The US has reportedly urged Ukraine to halt its strikes on oil refineries in
Russia, fearing it could provoke an escalation in the conflict.

Mr Peskov also took aim at French President Emmanuel Macron, who said this week
that the West would “legitimately” have to consider whether to send ground
troops to Ukraine “if the Russians were to break through the front lines, if
there were a Ukrainian request”.

Mr Macron’s remarks to The Economist were a “very dangerous trend”, said the
Kremlin spokesman. However, the French leader made clear in his interview that
if Russia won in Ukraine, there would be no security in Europe.

Russian forces have seized several villages in eastern Ukraine during recent
advances, taking advantage of Ukraine’s shortages of weapons and manpower.

Ukrainian intelligence officials also believe Russia is gearing up for a summer
offensive in the north-eastern regions of Kharkiv and Sumy.

The commander of the national guard, Oleksandr Pivnenko, warned recently that
Russia was preparing “unpleasant surprises” and quietly recruiting 30,000 people
a month.

A Russian strike on Kharkiv on Friday killed an elderly woman in her home, and a
tram carrying passengers also came under fire, according to Mayor Ihor Terekhov.

Ukraine’s military says Russia’s immediate target is the strategic hilltop town
of Chasiv Yar, 15km (9 miles) west of the devastated city of Bakhmut.

Officials believe the eastern town could enable Russian forces to attack major
eastern cities such as Kramatorsk and Slovyansk. The military has suggested
Moscow is keen to seize Chasiv Yar before Russians mark victory in World War Two
on 9 May.

However, a Ukrainian military spokesman has denied that Russian troops have
broken through to the Siverskyi Donetsk-Donbas canal on the outskirts of the
town.

Russia claimed on Friday that its forces had captured three villages in
Ukraine’s east in the past two weeks. Military spokesman Lt Col Nazar Voloshyn
said the invading force had gained a foothold in the village of Ocheretyne but
Ukrainian soldiers were working to drive them out.

Lord Cameron, who met President Volodymr Zelensky in Kyiv, said it was Russia
that had launched an attack into Ukraine and Ukraine “absolutely has the right
to strike back at Russia”.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said his remarks were
tantamount to admitting the West was involved in a “hybrid war” against Moscow.

The UK has provided billions of pounds in military support for Ukraine since
Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, ranging from tanks and
precision-guided missiles to air-defence systems.

A year ago the UK confirmed it had begun supplying long-range Storm Shadow
cruise missiles with a range of more than 250km (155 miles).

Meanwhile, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said he had appealed to Lord
Cameron to help restore the country’s energy infrastructure which has been badly
damaged by repeated Russian missile strikes.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c163kp93l6po

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Editor’s Note

PROUT ON SAMAJ (IM)MIGRATION

“All people have the right to travel and settle anywhere and everywhere they
like and live as dignified human beings– this is their birthright …..What to
speak of tiny earth, every planet, satellite, star, meteor and galaxy is the
homeland of human beings! If anyone wants to deprive people of this birthright,
human beings will have to establish it by force.
‘Sab deshe mor desh ache
Ami sei desh laba bujhiya’

[All countries are my native land; I shall select my own homeland.]”

Shri P R Sarkar

Source: ‘Problem of the Day’ : 26 Jan 1958, RU Speech.

THE END

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APRIL 27, 2024

OIL PRICE COULD EXCEED $100 A BARREL IF MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT WORSENS, WORLD BANK
WARNS

Increase in cost of crude could drive inflation up and force central banks to
keep interest rates high

A serious escalation of tensions in the Middle East would push the price of
oil above $100 (£80) a barrel and reverse the recent downward trend in global
inflation, the World Bank has said.

The Washington-based institution said the recent fall in commodity prices had
been levelling off even before the recent missile strikes by Iran and Israel –
making interest rate decisions for central banks tougher.

But it added that its forecast that crude prices would average $84 a barrel this
year would prove too optimistic in the event of the crisis worsening.

Fears of a full-scale war in the Middle East have already led to a rise in oil
prices and dearer fuel costs for motorists. A barrel of Brent crude is trading
at $87, while the average price of a litre of unleaded petrol in the UK has
edged above £1.50 for the first time since last November.

The World Bank’s latest commodity markets report said: “A moderate
conflict-related supply disruption could raise the average Brent price this year
to $92 a barrel. A more severe disruption could see oil prices surpass $100 a
barrel, raising global inflation in 2024 by nearly one percentage point.”

Between mid-2022 and mid-2023, global commodity prices plummeted by nearly 40%
and were the driving force behind a near-two-percentage-point drop in global
inflation over that period. Since mid-2023, the World Bank said its index of
commodity prices had remained essentially unchanged.

Financial markets have already pared back expectations about the scale and pace
of interest rate cuts this year in response to stickier than expected inflation.

Indermit Gill, the World Bank chief economist, said: “Global inflation remains
undefeated. A key force for disinflation – falling commodity prices – has
essentially hit a wall.

“That means interest rates could remain higher than currently expected this year
and next. The world is at a vulnerable moment: a major energy shock could
undermine much of the progress in reducing inflation over the past two years.”

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2024/apr/25/oil-price-could-exceed-100-a-barrel-if-middle-east-conflict-worsens-world-bank-warns

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FOX JOURNALIST AMONG DOZENS ARRESTED AT TEXAS UNIVERSITY AS PROTESTS SWELL

Local and state police clash with demonstrators in state capital of Austin while
rightwing governor says protesters ‘belong in jail’

At least 20 people were arrested, including a photojournalist, as police and
demonstrators violently clashed at the University of Texas at Austin on
Wednesday.

Hundreds of students walked out of class to protest against the conflict in Gaza
and demand the university divest from companies that manufacture machinery used
in Israel’s war efforts, carrying signs and chanting.

Dozens of local and state police – including some on horseback and holding
batons – formed a line to stop protesters from marching through campus. Officers
pushed them off the campus lawn and at one point sent people tumbling into the
street.

According to local reporter Ryan Chandler, police ordered demonstrators to
disperse via an audio announcement that could be heard across campus: “I command
you in the name of the people of the state of Texas to disperse.”

A photographer covering the demonstration for Fox 7 Austin was arrested after
being caught in a scuffle between law enforcement and students, the station
said. Footage posted on social media showed the journalist being knocked down by
officers. The network confirmed in its own reporting that their photographer was
taken to jail.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/apr/24/university-of-texas-austin-campus-protest

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ENGLAND CHILD ALCOHOL USE TOPS GLOBAL CHART, FINDS WHO REPORT

A third of 11-year-olds and more than half of 13-year-olds in England have drunk
alcohol – putting it top out of 44 countries examined in a report by global
health experts.

Girls were found to be more likely than boys to be drinking and getting drunk
aged 15 in England, Wales and Scotland.

The World Health Organization (WHO) report said alcohol, which can damage
children’s brains, has been normalised.

It called on countries to introduce more measures to protect children.

The report looked at data from about 4,500 school-age children from each country
in Europe, central Asia and Canada in 2021-22 on cigarette smoking, vaping,
alcohol and cannabis habits among adolescents.

The UK has always had relatively high alcohol use among young people but it has
been declining for some time.

Study coordinator Dr Jo Inchley, from Glasgow University, said signs that more
children were starting to drink at a young age was “concerning”.

“Trying substances is part of growing up and experimenting but alcohol has
long-term effects on health,” she said.

Dr Inchley said being exposed to more alcohol at home, changing attitudes of
parents and the rebound effects after Covid lockdown could all be factors in the
trend.

Research shows the earlier children start drinking, the more serious a problem
it can become when they are older.

At age 13, the report found 12% of girls and 9% of boys in England had been
drunk at least twice in their lives.

At 15, that had risen to a third of girls and a quarter of boys. More than a
half of girls said they had drunk alcohol in the past 30 days.

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-68884005

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RESEARCHERS FIND OLDEST UNDISPUTED EVIDENCE OF EARTH’S MAGNETIC FIELD

A new study, led by the University of Oxford and MIT, has recovered a
3.7-billion-year-old record of Earth’s magnetic field, and found that it appears
remarkably similar to the field surrounding Earth today. The findings have been
published in the Journal of Geophysical Research.

Without its magnetic field, life on Earth would not be possible since this
shields us from harmful cosmic radiation and charged particles emitted by the
sun (the ‘solar wind‘). But up to now, there has been no reliable date for when
the modern magnetic field was first established.

In the study, the researchers examined an ancient sequence of iron-containing
rocks from Isua, Greenland. Iron particles effectively act as tiny magnets that
can record both magnetic field strength and direction when the process of
crystallization locks them in place. The researchers found that rocks dating
from 3.7 billion years ago captured a magnetic field strength of at least 15
microtesla comparable to the modern magnetic field (30 microtesla).

These results provide the oldest estimate of the strength of Earth’s magnetic
field derived from whole rock samples, which provide a more accurate and
reliable assessment than previous studies which used individual crystals.

Lead researcher Professor Claire Nichols (Department of Earth Sciences,
University of Oxford) said, “Extracting reliable records from rocks this old is
extremely challenging, and it was really exciting to see primary magnetic
signals begin to emerge when we analyzed these samples in the lab. This is a
really important step forward as we try and determine the role of the ancient
magnetic field when life on Earth was first emerging.”

https://phys.org/news/2024-04-oldest-undisputed-evidence-earth-magnetic.html#google_vignette

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BOEING STARLINER 1ST ASTRONAUT FLIGHT: LIVE UPDATES

The so-called Starliner Crew Flight Test will launch on a weeklong mission to
the ISS from Space Launch Complex 41 of the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
in Florida on May 6. Liftoff is set for 10:34 p.m. EDT (0234 May 7 GMT), with
landing set for a week later in the southwestern U.S. Follow our live updates of
the Boeing Crew Flight Test mission here from launch to landing!

The astronauts will launch to the ISS on Boeing’s Starliner and an Atlas V
rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
near KSC. Their one-week mission to the ISS is a final shakedown cruise for
Boeing’s Starliner to prove it is ready for operational NASA crew flights. At
the end of the mission, Starliner will parachute to Earth and make a land-based
landing in the southwestern United States.

https://www.space.com/news/live/boeing-starliner-live-updates

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NORTH EAST FARMERS OFFERED CARBON CAPTURING VOLCANIC FERTILISER (U.K.)

Volcanic rock found in North East soil is being given to farmers in the hope of
improving yields and environmental sustainability.

It follows a Newcastle University study into basalt rock powder which included a
trial at Nafferton Farm, Stocksfield.

Researchers found the powder offered a potential yield increase of up to 22%
while helping to capture carbon.

Manufacturer UNDO is giving the fertiliser to farms free of charge to encourage
take up of the product.

Many parts of the UK – including north-east England – are rich in igneous (or
volcanic) rock, which is easily accessible as a by-product of quarries across
the region.

This rock is then ground into a powder which sucks up carbon dioxide from the
atmosphere during rainfall in a process known as enhanced rock weathering.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-tyne-68818083

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TENNESSEE GOVERNOR PLANS TO SIGN BILL THAT WOULD LET TEACHERS CARRY GUNS IN
SCHOOLS (U.S. SOUTH WEST)

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee said Thursday that he planned to sign a bill state
legislators sent to his desk this week that would allow school staff members to
carry concealed handguns on school grounds.

“What’s important to me is that we give districts tools and the option to use a
tool that will keep their children safe in their schools,” Lee said at a news
conference Thursday after he shared his plans to sign the legislation.

Under state law, Lee, a Republican, has the option to sign the bill, veto it or
allow it to become law without his signature.

The Republican-controlled state House passed the measure Tuesday largely along
party lines roughly a year after a shooter opened fire and killed six people at
The Covenant School in Nashville. The state Senate, which is also controlled by
the GOP, passed the measure this month.

Lee on Thursday highlighted the legislation’s requirements that faculty and
staff members wishing to carry concealed handguns on school grounds complete a
minimum of 40 hours of approved training specific to school policing every year.
They also must obtain written authorization from law enforcement, he noted.

“There are folks across the state who disagree on the way forward,” Lee said
Thursday, adding that he thought the legislation would allow school districts
the opportunity to decide “at the local level what is best for the schools and
the children in that district.”

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/tennessee-governor-plans-sign-bill-let-teachers-carry-guns-schools-rcna149457

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THE TRIUMPHANT RETURN OF THE US’ SANDCASTLE CHAMPIONSHIPS

Located on a barrier island just off Texas’ city of Corpus Christi, Port Aransas
(population: 3,600) is barely more than a sleepy hamlet most of the year.
However, for three days each April (19-21 April 2024), tens of thousands of
people descend on this classic Texan beach town from all over the world when it
becomes the epicentre of the sand-sculpting universe.

The largest “native sand” sand-sculpting competition in the world – using sand
that is on site, rather than carted in – Texas SandFest began in the mid-1990s
when two local women began creating sand art on the beach. Word spread, and in
1997, Port Aransas decided to make the artwork the star of a new beach festival.
It started off as a small and local celebration. But as the saying prophetically
goes, “Everything is bigger in Texas”.

“Our first festival was maybe 800 people, across 200ft,” recalls site manager
Dave Gizicki, who is responsible for making sure everyone and everything has its
allotted space on the beach. “SandFest now takes up 2,000ft, and from the ticket
sales, we expect 30,000 visitors a day.”

This year represents an artistic return. Sculptor coordinator Suzanne Altamare
tells how the festival inadvertently fell afoul of Texas’ controversial pandemic
policies. Despite watchcries from medical professionals, the state reopened in
2021 even as Covid cases continued to rise. SandFest organisers likewise pushed
for the festival to commence, even with the restriction of limiting outdoor
events to 100 people. The artists that did attend used their sculptures for
thinly veiled political statements; one sculptor had Abraham Lincoln
facepalming.

https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20240424-the-triumphant-return-of-us-sandcastle-championships

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FILMS CHRONICLING INDIAN FARMERS’ PROTESTS, CAA TO FEATURE AT HOT DOCS FESTIVAL

THE 31ST EDITION OF NORTH AMERICA’S LARGEST DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL BEGINS IN
TORONTO, CANADA ON THURSDAY AND CONTINUES THROUGH MAY 5

Toronto: A pair of projects chronicling protests against legislation brought in
by the Government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in India are among the Indian
productions that will be featured at North America’s largest documentary film
festival Hot Docs this year.

Among the world premieres this year will be Farming The Revolution, a
documentary that follows the farmers’ protests that opposed three farm laws
enacted by the Indian government. Director by Nishtha Jain, and co-directed by
Akash Basumatari, the feature documentary tracks the protests from their
beginning in late 2020 onto developments a year later as the government repealed
the legislation.Another protest, that did not culminate with such success, was
that against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Produced and directed by
Nausheen Khan, it centres around the protests at Shaheen Bagh. As Hot Docs
stated the film “explores the shared human experiences of exclusion,
polarisation and repression, while showcasing the strength and resilience of the
women of Shaheen Bagh. Their story provides a powerful precedent for a new form
of public dissent in modern India”.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/films-chronicling-indian-farmers-protests-caa-to-feature-at-hot-docs-festival-101714031311055.html

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WAR IN UKRAINE: US TO SEND NEW AID RIGHT AWAY, BIDEN SAYS

US President Joe Biden has signed a $95bn (£76bn) package of aid for Ukraine,
Israel and Taiwan.

“It’s going to make America safer, it’s going to make the world safer,” he said
after signing the bill into law.

The president said the US would “right away” send fresh weapons and equipment to
Ukraine to help Kyiv fend off Russian advances.

He spoke a day after the US Senate approved the aid package following months of
congressional gridlock.

Ukraine has recently stepped up its calls for Western assistance as Russia makes
steady gains in its invasion.

Included in the package is $61bn in military aid for Ukraine. It passed the
Senate in a bipartisan vote of 79-18.

Tuesday evening’s approval came after the measure passed the US House of
Representatives on Saturday.

Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said: “After more than six
months of hard work and many twists and turns in the road, America sends a
message to the entire world: we will not turn our back on you.”

Reacting to the vote, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said it “reinforces
America’s role as a beacon of democracy and leader of the free world”.

The Senate passed a similar aid package in February, but a group of
conservatives who oppose new Ukraine support had prevented it from coming to a
vote in the House of Representatives.

In the House on Saturday, a majority of Republicans in the chamber voted against
the foreign aid package.

The bill also faced resistance among a handful of Senate Republicans who opposed
any new aid to Ukraine.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-68885868

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CHILDREN IN WAR ZONES FACE PERMANENT MENTAL HEALTH CONSEQUENCES, TRAUMA

Around the world, children are disproportionately bearing the brunt of war.
Childhood traumas can permanently change how the brain develops, but the effects
often are not seen until adulthood.

The world is currently experiencing its highest levels of violent conflict in at
least 30 years. Along with the ongoing war in Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas war
in Gaza, there are at least 110 armed conflicts taking place across Africa,
Asia, Latin America, and Europe. Many of these wars are being fought in cities
and crowded civilian areas. Indiscriminate missile and drone strikes across
multiple war zones are affecting civilians, schools, hospitals, and children’s
shelters.

Officials warn that, more than ever before in modern history, the biggest
victims of these geopolitical battles are children. UN Secretary-General Antonio
Guterres has repeatedly warned that children are “disproportionately” bearing
the brunt of modern conflicts.

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ISRAELI WAR CABINET RESUMES HOSTAGE DEAL DISCUSSIONS, OFFICIAL SAYS

A delegation from Egypt plans to travel to Israel on Friday to discuss “security
coordination” after Israel’s war cabinet met to discuss hostage deal
negotiations, according to an Israeli official who spoke on the condition of
anonymity due to the matter’s sensitivity, signaling a resumption of efforts to
broker a cease-fire and hostage release after months of failed talks. The
official said a proposed hostage deal could avert a planned Israeli offensive in
Rafah, where much of Gaza’s population has been displaced.

More than 500 people have been detained over the past week in pro-Palestinian
protests at colleges across the United States. Students — many demanding that
their institutions cut ties with corporations doing business with Israel — have
continued to gather on campuses despite the presence of police and exhortations
from administrators.
President Biden named Lise Grande as the new U.S. special envoy for Middle East
humanitarian issues, replacing David Satterfield. Grande recently headed the
U.S. Institute of Peace and is a former U.N. official who oversaw humanitarian
efforts in Yemen and Iraq.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/04/26/israel-hamas-war-news-gaza-palestine/

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Editor Note…..

The newly awakened humanity of today is anxious to herald the advent of one
universal society under the vast blue sky. The noble and righteous persons of
all countries, bound by fraternal ties, are eager to assert in one voice, with
one mind, and in the same tune that human society is one and indivisible. In
this voice of total unity and magnanimity lies the value and message of eternal
humanism.

–P. R. Sarkar
From PROUT in a Nutshell Vol. 2, Part 7

THE END

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APRIL 20, 2024

THAILAND’S MAHA SONGKRAN WORLD WATER FESTIVAL WELCOMES OVER 784,000
FESTIVAL-GOERS

BANGKOK (VNA) – THE TOURISM AUTHORITY OF THAILAND (TAT) CLAIMS THAT THE “MAHA
SONGKRAN WORLD WATER FESTIVAL 2024”, HELD AT SANAM LUANG AND RATCHADAMNOEN
AVENUE FROM APRIL 11-15 IS A GREAT SUCCESS WITH MORE THAN 784,000 PARTICIPANTS.

TAT Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool said on April 17 that the five-day festive
event, featuring various forms of entertainment, street food and a parade, among
others, attracted over 784,000 visitors, including about 693,300 Thais.

She said that festive activities at Sanam Luang generates an impressive revenue
of about 950 million THB (25.8 million USD) from selling food, drinks,
souvenirs, transport and accommodation spendings and others.

The festival also generated incomes to about 500 vendors and about 2,000
workers.

The TAT head said holding the grand festival at Sanam Luang is a great success
as it attracted both domestic and foreign tourists.

A survey showed that most of the festival goers were happy with the festival.

In addition, Thapanee emphasised that the festival and its venue – Sanam Luang –
have been widely mentioned on social networks, contributing to promoting one
of Thailand‘s important tourism destinations to foreign tourists.

Located in the centre of Bangkok, in front of the Royal Palace, Sanam Luang Park
with an area of over 119,000 sq.m acted as a gateway to explore more of
Bangkok’s festive landscapes, with nearby attractions like Khao San Road, Phra
Arthit Road, and Bang Lamphu area playing supporting roles in this grand
celebration of Thai culture. Thapanee highlighted the careful zoning and
planning of the festival areas, ensuring a carnival that catered to young and
old, locals and tourists alike, knitting everyone into the vibrant tapestry of
Songkran.

https://en.vietnamplus.vn/thailands-maha-songkran-world-water-festival-welcomes-over-784000-festivalgoers/284738.vnp

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BANQUET HALL WITH FRESCOES ON THE TROJAN WAR DISCOVERED IN POMPEII (ITALY)

By Euronews with AP

Published on 12/04/2024 – 13:19

Mythological figures are depicted in the halls of a Roman banquet hall
discovered in Pompeii. The works were unearthed in almost perfect condition.

An imposing banquet hall, with elegant black walls decorated with mythological
subjects inspired by the Trojan War, was discovered during ongoing excavation
activities in insula 10 of Pompeii ‘s Regio IX and is now fully visible in all
its glory.

The room was used to entertain in convivial moments for those living the “high
life”, evidenced by the spaciousness of the space, the presence of frescoes and
mosaics datable to the 3rd style, the artistic quality of the paintings and the
choice of subjects.

FRESCOES ON THE TROJAN WAR IN POMPEII

The runnings themes of the artwork found on the walls seems to be that of
heroism, with heroes and gods of the Trojan War most prominent on the walls.

Mythological figures in Roman homes had the social function of entertaining
guests and diners, providing cues for conversation and reflection on existence.

In addition to Helen and Paris, the figure of Cassandra, daughter of Priam,
appears on the walls of the hall, paired with Apollo. In Greek mythology
Cassandra was known for her gift of foresight and the terrible fate that
prevents her from altering the future.

MYTHOLOGICAL FIGURES IN POMPEII HOUSES TO TALK ABOUT LIFE AND THE PAST

The walls of the banquet hall were painted black, “to prevent the smoke from the
lamps on the walls from being seen. Here people gathered to feast after dark,
the flickering light of the oil lamps made the images seem to move, especially
after a few glasses of good Campanian wine,” explains Pompeii Archaeological
Park Director Gabriel Zuchtriegel.

“Today, Helen and Paris are all of us: every day we can choose to care only
about our intimate lives or to investigate how this life of ours is intertwined
with the great story,” Zuchtruegel adds.

MORE THAN 13,000 ROOMS DISCOVERED IN POMPEII

The hall measures about 15 metres long by six metres wide and opens into a
courtyard that appears to be a service hallway, open to the sky, with a long
staircase leading to the second floor, devoid of decoration.

Under the arches of the staircase, a huge pile of yard material was found and
set aside. Someone had drawn in charcoal on the rough plaster of the large
staircase arches, two pairs of gladiators and what looks like a huge stylised
phallus.

The excavation activity is aimed at protecting Pompeii’s vast heritage more
effective and sustainable, which has more than 13,000 rooms in 1070 dwelling
units, in addition to public and sacred spaces.

Excavation in the area so far has returned two interconnected dwellings, the
facades of which were already brought to light in the late 19th century. Behind
these two houses, sumptuous frescoed living rooms are emerging at this stage of
excavation, again affected at the time of Pompeii’s eruption, by major
renovations.

https://www.euronews.com/2024/04/12/banquet-hall-with-frescoes-on-the-trojan-war-discovered-in-pompeii

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REPRESENTATIVES FROM 19 COUNTRIES COMMIT AT A REGIONAL MEETING TO CONTINUE
PROMOTING ASSESSMENT AND EVIDENCE FOR EDUCATIONAL QUALITY

Between the 3rd and 5th of April 2024 in San Andrés, Colombia, the “Regional
Meeting on Assessment in Latin America: Evidence for the Recovery and
Transformation Agenda” took place. It was organized by the Colombian Institute
for the Evaluation of Education (ICFES), with the support of the UNESCO
Multisectoral Regional Office in Santiago and its Latin American Laboratory for
the Evaluation of Educational Quality (LLECE). At the event, the Colombia
Declaration was signed, expressing the signatories’ commitment to promoting the
evaluation of educational quality.

Nineteen member countries of the LLECE Laboratory and representatives from the
Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), the United
Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the
World Bank, and the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF),
as well as representatives from various evaluation agencies of Latin America and
the Caribbean, participated in the meeting. Attendees shared experiences on best
practices in evaluation and to enhance collaborative work, focusing on the
importance of generating evidence to make better decisions for recovery and
transformation at the educational level.

During the three days of work, various thematic axes were addressed to promote
improvements in the evaluation of educational quality in the region. Initially,
the discussion centered on evaluation as a dynamic tool that can facilitate the
identification of learning areas affected within the context of the pandemic.
Then, the SER evaluation, a measure from the Secretary of Education of the
District (Bogotá), was discussed, aiming to assess not only the academic
knowledge of each student but also other aspects that encompass each
individual’s holistic development.

On the last day of the meeting, experts worked on innovations in the evaluation
of educational quality, recognizing that the methodologies applied must also
evolve to reflect the current needs and contexts of the countries.

“The participation in this meeting reaffirms the purpose of UNESCO’s LLECE
Laboratory to work and share experiences regarding the quality of education in
Latin America and the Caribbean, to strengthen ties and synergies between the
participating countries, and to share their good practices and educational
innovations,” emphasized its general coordinator, Carlos Henríquez.

Henríquez added that this would be “promoting a concrete and mobilizing agenda
that goes from commitment to action, as agreed at the meeting of ministers of
Education held last January.”

On her part, the general director of ICFES, Elizabeth Blandón, assured that
“evaluation is a powerful tool for change that, applied with discernment, has
the potential to transform our educational systems. It is the pillar on which we
can build a promising future for education in Latin America.”

The Latin American meeting on educational evaluation continued the event held in
Venezuela at the end of 2023, which promoted an evaluation agenda to serve the
educational improvements needed in the region. It is expected that through these
meetings, a collective and collaborative construction will be generated, adding
value to the evaluation processes as a way to continue contributing to the
recovery, reactivation, and educational transformation.

During this event, efforts were made to contribute to the advancement of the
regional framework for educational recovery and transformation committed last
January at the Extraordinary Meeting of Ministers of Education of Latin America
and the Caribbean, generating opportunities for input, enrichment, and nurturing
a shared vision that focuses on the students of Latin America and the Caribbean
to improve their learning and wellbeing.

Once the regional event concluded, the 19 attending countries signed the
Colombia Declaration, which invited the countries to continue working under a
purpose that drives:

1. The regional evaluation agenda and the role of UNESCO’s LLECE Laboratory as
a coordinating body, which seeks synergy among countries and supports them
in the development of their educational policies, always from a perspective
of collaboration and shared commitment.
2. That contributions to the frameworks of recovery, reactivation, and
educational transformation be considered, where evaluation plays a central
role in improving educational systems with equity.
3. The creation of working commissions for early childhood, migration, and
special educational needs, with the aim of exchanging experiences so that,
from the perspective of educational evaluation, support can be provided to
students who need it, recognizing diversity and their different contexts.
4. The reaffirmation of the countries’ commitment to UNESCO’s LLECE Laboratory
on the occasion of its 30th anniversary, to continue enhancing a regional
agenda that decisively contributes to action through evaluation based on
evidence and a common vision among the countries.

https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/representatives-19-countries-commit-regional-meeting-continue-promoting-assessment-and-evidence

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TALL TALES BUT NO DESSERT: THE STORYTELLER OF KARACHI AND HIS ICE-CREAM CART
LIBRARY

In a country where 77% of 10-year-olds are illiterate, a reading scheme in
Pakistan is reaching thousands of children in slums.

Pedalling down a narrow alleyway in Karachi’s crowded Lyari Town, Saira Bano
slows as she passes a group of children sitting on the ground, listening to a
man reading aloud from a book. The eight-year-old gets off her bike, slips off
her sandals, and sits on the mat at the back.

She has already heard the story from Mohammad Noman, who is entertaining more
than a dozen children with the tale of Noori, an insecure yellow parrot. “I
don’t mind listening to it again,” says Saira. “He’s so funny.”

Noman, 23, is spending two weeks in Lyari pedalling an old ice-cream cart
through its lanes, stopping to read his stories and leaving behind books for the
children to borrow.

He dropped out of school himself as a teenager but has returned to education and
is now studying for his high school certificate.

He is also one of two storytellers working part-time for the Kahaani Sawaari
(Stories on Wheels) programme, run by GoRead.pk, which is working to improve
literacy among underprivileged communities in Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city.

“I become a kid when I am around the children,” says Noman. In the past 18
months, he has visited 30 areas of Lyari, one of the most densely populated and
deprived neighbourhoods of Karachi, with more than 660,000 residents, mostly
from the marginalised Baloch ethnic group.

“I have learned so much,” says Noman. “It has brought a change in me as well.
I’ve become more tolerant of people and developed patience. I think I have a
certain rapport with children and they listen.”

Education is free and compulsory in Pakistan yet, according to the UN, it has
the world’s second-highest rate of children absent from school, at 44% of five
to 16-year-olds. And 77% of 10-year-olds are unable to understand simple text,
according to the World Bank.

Books and uniforms can be prohibitively expensive in Pakistan. Saira dropped out
of school a year ago when her father, who worked in a toy shop, lost his job as
Pakistan’s economy was hit by rocketing food and fuel prices.

About 15,000 children have attended more than 700 Kahaani Sawaari storytelling
sessions since the project was launched in 2021.

Erum Kazi, GoRead’s programme director, says parents have told her how their
children have developed a love for reading since the scheme began.

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2024/apr/09/kahaani-sawaari-stories-on-wheels-storytellers-child-literacy-pakistan-slums-karachi-lyari

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38 TRILLION DOLLARS IN DAMAGES EACH YEAR: WORLD ECONOMY ALREADY COMMITTED TO
INCOME REDUCTION OF 19 % DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE

04/17/2024 – Even if CO2 emissions were to be drastically cut down starting
today, the world economy is already committed to an income reduction of 19 %
until 2050 due to climate change, a new study published in “Nature” finds. These
damages are six times larger than the mitigation costs needed to limit global
warming to two degrees. Based on empirical data from more than 1,600 regions
worldwide over the past 40 years, scientists at the Potsdam Institute for
Climate Impact Research (PIK) assessed future impacts of changing climatic
conditions on economic growth and their persistence.

“Strong income reductions are projected for the majority of regions, including
North America and Europe, with South Asia and Africa being most strongly
affected. These are caused by the impact of climate change on various aspects
that are relevant for economic growth such as agricultural yields, labour
productivity or infrastructure,” says PIK scientist and first author of the
study Maximilian Kotz. Overall, global annual damages are estimated to be at 38
trillion dollars, with a likely range of 19-59 trillion Dollars in 2050. These
damages mainly result from rising temperatures but also from changes in rainfall
and temperature variability. Accounting for other weather extremes such as
storms or wildfires could further raise them.

Huge economic costs also for the United States and European Union

“Our analysis shows that climate change will cause massive economic damages
within the next 25 years in almost all countries around the world, also in
highly-developed ones such as Germany, France and the United States,” says PIK
scientist Leonie Wenz who led the study. ”These near-term damages are a result
of our past emissions. We will need more adaptation efforts if we want to avoid
at least some of them. And we have to cut down our emissions drastically and
immediately – if not, economic losses will become even bigger in the second half
of the century, amounting to up to 60% on global average by 2100. This clearly
shows that protecting our climate is much cheaper than not doing so, and that is
without even considering non-economic impacts such as loss of life or
biodiversity.”

To date, global projections of economic damages caused by climate change
typically focus on national impacts from average annual temperatures over
long-time horizons. By including the latest empirical findings from climate
impacts on economic growth in more than 1,600 subnational regions worldwide over
the past 40 years and by focusing on the next 26 years, the researchers were
able to project sub-national damages from temperature and rainfall changes in
great detail across time and space all the while reducing the large
uncertainties associated with long-term projections. The scientists combined
empirical models with state-of-the-art climate simulations (CMIP-6).
Importantly, they also assessed how persistently climate impacts have affected
the economy in the past and took this into account as well.

Countries least responsible will suffer most

“Our study highlights the considerable inequity of climate impacts: We find
damages almost everywhere, but countries in the tropics will suffer the most
because they are already warmer. Further temperature increases will therefore be
most harmful there. The countries least responsible for climate change, are
predicted to suffer income loss that is 60% greater than the higher-income
countries and 40% greater than higher-emission countries. They are also the ones
with the least resources to adapt to its impacts. It is on us to decide:
structural change towards a renewable energy system is needed for our security
and will save us money. Staying on the path we are currently on, will lead to
catastrophic consequences. The temperature of the planet can only be stabilized
if we stop burning oil, gas and coal,” says Anders Levermann, Head of Research
Department Complexity Science at the Potsdam Institute and co-author of the
study.

https://www.pik-potsdam.de/en/news/latest-news/38-trillion-dollars-in-damages-each-year-world-economy-already-committed-to-income-reduction-of-19-due-to-climate-change

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WHICH COUNTRIES HAVE SEEN FARMERS’ PROTESTS IN RECENT TIMES?

Across the world, agriculture is turning into a key battleground. The people in
power are trying to tame farmers while opponents are trying to harness their
anger. This has become the latest skirmish in a wider culture war, much of it
centered on the speed of the economic and social transition in response to
climate change. From India, Spain, Italy and Belgium to Poland and Lithuania,
here we list the countries that witnessed farmers’ protests in recent times.

some glimpses

Farmers’ protests in Delhi.

demands – a legal guarantee to MSP for all crops, full debt waiver for farmers,
pension for farmers and withdrawal of cases against farmers during the 2020
protest.

BELGIUM: HUNDREDS OF FARMERS ON TRACTORS BLOCKED THE ROADS TO DEMAND BETTER PAY
AND WORKING CONDITIONS.

Farmers in Belgium and across Europe have been protesting for months, mainly to
raise their concerns and anger about the excessively stringent European
environmental regulations and falling incomes.

FRANCE: FARMERS IN FRANCE, THE EU’S BIGGEST AGRICULTURAL PRODUCER, ARE
PROTESTING AS THEY SAY THEY ARE NOT BEING PAID ENOUGH AND ARE CHOKED BY
EXCESSIVE REGULATION ON ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.

Farmers complain that the 27-nation bloc’s environmental policies, such as the
Green Deal, which calls for limits on the use of chemicals and on greenhouse gas
emissions, limit their business and make their products more expensive than
non-EU imports.

GREECE: FARMERS IN GREECE ARE ALSO PROTESTING OVER HIGH PRODUCTION COSTS

Greek farmers dealing with high energy prices and production costs say they have
also been hurt by climate change-driven weather, with unpredictable flooding,
extreme heat and wildfires making their work ever more hazardous.

GERMANY: GERMAN FARMERS KICKED OFF A WEEK OF NATIONWIDE PROTESTS AGAINST SUBSIDY
CUTS IN JANUARY 2024.

The subjects of the protests are the abolition of tax breaks on farmers and the
policies of the federal government.

ITALY: FARMERS HAVE BEEN PEACEFULLY PROTESTING IN ITALY EXPRESSING THEIR
DISCONTENT.

Like their counterparts across the EU, falling incomes and rising costs remain
at the heart of their concerns. They are also protesting issues such as the cost
of fuel or European Union environmental regulations designed to mitigate climate
change which they say are damaging their livelihoods.

POLAND: IN POLAND, FARMERS HAVE BEEN PARTICULARLY VOCAL ABOUT THE IMPACT OF
CHEAP FOOD IMPORTS FROM UKRAINE. THEY BEGAN A 30-DAY STRIKE ON FEBRUARY 9 THAT
HAS SEEN THEM BLOCK ROADS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AS WELL AS BORDER CROSSINGS WITH
UKRAINE.

SPAIN: FARMERS IN SPAIN STAGED SIMILAR ACTIONS AS PART OF PROTESTS AGAINST
EUROPEAN UNION FARMING POLICIES.

Spanish farmers are particularly incensed by what they view as the
non-enforcement of the law guaranteeing wholesale major supermarket buyers pay
fair prices, while consumer prices have soared, and by the competition from
non-EU imports, which rose 80% in volume between 2012 and 2022

https://www.deccanherald.com/india/which-countries-have-seen-farmers-protests-in-recent-times-2893949#7

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JAPANESE SATELLITE WILL BEAM SOLAR POWER TO EARTH IN 2025

Japan’s upcoming space-based solar power demonstration will beam power to Earth
next year.

LONDON — Japan is on track to beam solar power from space to Earth next year,
two years after a similar feat was achieved by U.S. engineers. The development
marks an important step toward a possible space-based solar power station that
could help wean the world off fossil fuels amid the intensifying battle
against climate change.

Speaking at the International Conference on Energy from Space, held here this
week, Koichi Ijichi, an adviser at the Japanese research institute Japan Space
Systems, outlined Japan’s road map toward an orbital demonstration of a
miniature space-based solar power plant that will wirelessly transmit energy
from low Earth orbit to Earth.

“It will be a small satellite, about 180 kilograms [400 pounds], that will
transmit about 1 kilowatt of power from the altitude of 400 kilometers [250
miles],” Ijichi said at the conference.

One kilowatt is about the amount of power needed to run a household appliance,
such as a small dishwasher, for about an hour, depending on its size. Therefore,
the demonstration is nowhere near the scale required for commercial use.

The spacecraft will use a 22-square-foot (2 square meters) onboard photovoltaic
panel to charge a battery. The accumulated energy will then be transformed into
microwaves and beamed toward a receiving antenna on Earth. Because the
spacecraft travels very fast — around 17,400 mph (28,000 km/h) — antenna
elements will have to be spread over a distance of about 25 miles (40 km),
spaced 3 miles (5 km) apart, to allow enough energy to be transmitted.

“The transmission will take only a few minutes,” Ijichi said. “But once the
battery is empty, it will take several days to recharge.”

https://www.space.com/japan-space-based-solar-power-demonstration-2025

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LEGALISE ABORTIONS IN FIRST TRIMESTER, GERMAN COMMISSION SAYS

A government-appointed expert commission has called on Germany to legalise the
termination of a pregnancy within the first 12 weeks.

It might come as a surprise to many, but abortions are, in fact, generally
illegal in the Western European nation.

There are, however, exemptions.

For instance, a woman is not punished for choosing to terminate a pregnancy
within the first 12 weeks if she has an official medical consultation
beforehand.

Other exemptions include cases of rape or when the woman’s life is in danger.

In other words, while abortions are in theory illegal, they are generally not
prosecuted.

In some cases, charges are pressed against doctors or clinics and women are
sometimes questioned by police, which can be traumatic.

The result of this legal limbo is that some clinics and doctors either don’t
publicise the service on their websites, or refuse to carry out abortions at all
out of fear of prosecution. Some women report that provision of terminations can
be patchy or hard to find, particularly in rural areas.

Liberalisation campaigners say all this adds to the stigma surrounding
abortions, making an already difficult situation unnecessarily stressful for
women.

Hurdles, such as finding and organising a pre-termination consolation, mean that
abortions are sometimes carried out later.

To clear up the confusion, a year ago Germany’s leftwing-led government set up
an independent commission of scientific experts to recommend how to reform the
system.

On Monday, they released their 628-page report, recommending that abortions be
allowed within the first 12 weeks.

Liane Wörner, a lawyer who leads the commission, said on Monday in Berlin that
keeping early-stage abortions illegal is “no longer tenable” given the
constitution, human rights and European law.

So will the law on abortions now be liberalised in Germany? Not necessarily.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-68816693

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GEORGIA ADVANCES ‘FOREIGN AGENTS’ BILL AS 20,000 RALLY AGAINST IT

The ruling party suddenly reintroduced the bill earlier this month, after mass
protests forced its withdrawal last year.

The Georgian parliament has advanced a controversial “foreign influence” bill
through its first reading, as thousands joined a third day of anti-government
protests.

The bill, first presented early in 2023 and withdrawn amid fierce public
opposition, requires media and civil society groups to register as being under
“foreign influence” if they get more than 20 percent of their funding from
overseas.

Critics say the bill mirrors a repressive Russian law on “foreign agents” that
has been used against independent news media and groups seen as being at odds
with the Kremlin and will undermine Tbilisi’s aspirations for closer European
Union ties and, ultimately, membership.

In a vote boycotted by the opposition in the 150-seat parliament, 83 politicians
from the ruling Georgian Dream party backed the bill.

Some 20,000 people blocked traffic in front of the parliament building in the
capital, Tbilisi, to show their opposition to the measure.

“No to the Russian law!” they shouted after listening to the Georgian national
anthem and European Union’s Ode to Joy.

Speaking at the rally, opposition member of parliament Aleksandre Ellisashvili
condemned politicians who voted for the bill as “traitors” and said the rest of
Georgia would show them that “people are power, and not the traitor government”.

The Black Sea nation was once part of the Soviet Union but secured its
independence in 1991 as the USSR collapsed.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/4/18/georgia-advances-foreign-agents-bill-as-20000-rally-against-it

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UKRAINE RUSSIA WAR: US CONGRESS CLOSE TO PASSING LONG-AWAITED AID

After months of delay, the US House of Representatives is poised to hold a vote
on tens of billions of dollars in American military aid for Ukraine and Israel
this weekend.

Both measures have vocal opponents in Congress, however, and their hopes of
passage have hinged on a fragile bipartisan coalition to overcome daunting
procedural and legislative obstacles.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has said he is determined to bring the matter
to a vote, even if it may put his hold on power in jeopardy.

The Ukraine vote will be closely watched in Kyiv, which has warned of an urgent
need for fresh support from its allies as Russia makes steady gains on the
battlefield.

The House is set to vote on final passage on Saturday, and the Senate may
approve the package as soon as this weekend. President Joe Biden has pledged to
sign it into law.

WHAT’S IN THE AID BILLS?

Mr Johnson’s foreign aid proposal provides $60.8bn (£49bn) to Ukraine, $26.4bn
to Israel and $8.1bn to the Indo-Pacific region, including Taiwan. The House of
Representatives will vote on each component individually, raising the
possibility that some components will be approved and others will fail.

The Speaker is also bringing a fourth piece of legislation to a vote, which
includes requiring that Chinese company ByteDance divest itself of the TikTok
social media app, authorising the sale of frozen Russian assets, and imposing
new sanctions on Russia, Iran and China.

Whatever passes will be combined into one bill that will then have to be
approved as a whole by the Senate before it reaches the president’s desk.

Mr Johnson has also promised to introduce an immigration reform bill that
contains provisions favoured by conservative Republicans in an attempt to win
over their support for the aid package.

But the border bill looks unlikely to pass as it would require the support of
two-thirds of the House, reports the Washington Post.

WHY HAVE THEY BEEN HELD UP?

Opinion polls suggest that a growing number of Republicans oppose any new aid to
Ukraine. Some liberals are against military support for Israel. While these
sentiments were not enough to prevent the US Senate from passing legislation
that contained support for both nations in February, it has been a different
story in the House.

Mr Johnson has a slim majority in the chamber, and a handful of conservatives
have threatened to push for his removal if he backs new Ukraine aid. The effort,
led by Georgia congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, has two other supporters so
far: Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Paul Gosar of Arizona.

Up until now, the Speaker has been reluctant to challenge his right-wing
critics. On Wednesday, however, he reversed course, saying his goal was to “do
the right thing and let the chips fall where they may”.

Meanwhile, left-wing Democrats who object to Israel’s conduct of the war in Gaza
have said that they will not allow the US to continue to be complicit in a
human-rights catastrophe. The Israel aid bill contains $9bn in humanitarian aid,
which may help win over some reluctant Democrats.

By allowing separate votes on Israel and Ukraine aid, Mr Johnson hopes to allow
individual legislators to vote against provisions they dislike without sinking
the entire effort.

WHAT’S AT STAKE?

Biden administration officials have warned that the situation in Ukraine is
dire. The nation’s military is running short on munitions and morale is low, as
the Russian army gains ground.

“There is a very real risk that the Ukrainians could lose on the battlefield by
the end of 2024, or at least put [Russian President Vladimir] Putin in a
position where he could essentially dictate the terms of a political
settlement,” CIA Director William Burns said during a speech in Texas on
Thursday.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-68848277

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FROM EDITOR’S DESK

SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, AND POLITICAL CONSCIOUSNESS IS…INDISPENSABLE FOR THE SUCCESS
OF DEMOCRACY. EVEN EDUCATED PEOPLE MAY BE MISGUIDED BY SHREWD AND CUNNING
POLITICIANS IF THEY ARE NOT SUFFICIENTLY CONVERSANT WITH SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, AND
POLITICAL ISSUES. DEMOCRACY CAN BE SUCCESSFUL ONLY WHEN PEOPLE IMBIBE THESE
THREE KINDS OF CONSCIOUSNESS. WITHOUT THIS AWARENESS, THE WELFARE OF THE SOCIETY
IS NOT POSSIBLE EITHER IN THEORY OR IN PRACTICE.
–P. R. SARKAR
FROM PROUT IN A NUTSHELL, VOL. II, PART 6

THAT’S ALL FOR THIS WEEK. THANKS FOR READING

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April 13, 2024

COLOMBIAN AMAZON (SOUTH AMERICA) DEFORESTATION SURGES AS ARMED GROUPS TIGHTEN
GRIP

Country had previously turned the tide on deforestation but armed rebels have
revoked.

Deforestation in the Colombian Amazon is surging and could be at a historic peak
as armed groups use the rainforest as a bargaining chip in peace negotiations
with the government.

Preliminary data shows that deforestation in the region was 40% higher in the
first three months of this year than in 2023 as armed groups tightened their
control over the rainforest, said Susana Muhamad, the country’s environment
minister.

“We are seeing an upward trend that is quite worrying and this has two main
reasons,” Muhamad told a press conference in Bogotá. “The first is the very
significant coercion [of local people] by armed groups in the area, and the
second is obviously the favourable conditions [for fires] that have to do with
the El Niño phenomenon.”

Colombia has been turning the tide on runaway deforestation in recent years
after a 2016 peace accord with the country’s largest guerrilla group left
forests unprotected.

Without the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) policing the jungle, a
record 219,973 hectares (544,000 acres) were lost in 2017.

Gustavo Petro’s government – the first leftwing administration in the country’s
history – has rapidly reversed the trend by negotiating with the armed rebels
who have filled the Farc’s power vacuum.

Deforestation in the Colombian Amazon was 41% higher in the last three months of
2023 than it was the previous year, reaching 18,400 hectares. The concerning
trend has continued this year, with 40% higher forest loss in the first three
months of 2024, preliminary government figures show.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/apr/11/colombian-amazon-deforestation-surges-armed-groups

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BRIGHTEST-EVER COSMIC EXPLOSION SOLVED BUT NEW MYSTERIES SPARKED

Researchers have discovered the cause of the brightest burst of light ever
recorded.

But in doing so they have run up against two bigger mysteries, including one
that casts doubt on where our heavy elements – like gold – come from.

The burst of light, spotted in 2022, is now known to have had an exploding star
at its heart, researchers say.

But that explosion, by itself, would not have been sufficient to have shone so
brightly.

And our current theory says that some exploding stars, known as supernovas,
might also produce the heavy elements in the universe such as gold and platinum.

The explosion was detected by telescopes in October 2022. It came from a distant
galaxy 2.4 billion light-years away, emitting light across all frequencies. But
it was especially intense in its gamma rays, which are a more penetrating form
of X-rays.

The gamma ray burst lasted seven minutes and was so powerful that it was off the
scale, overwhelming the instruments that detected them. Subsequent readings
showed that the burst was 100 times brighter than anything that had ever been
recorded before, earning it the nickname among astronomers of the Brightest Of
All Time or B.O.A.T.

Gamma ray bursts are associated with exploding supernovas, but this was so
bright that it could not be easily explained. If it were a supernova, it would
have had to have been absolutely enormous, according to the current theory.

The burst was so bright that it initially dazzled the instruments on Nasa’s
James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). The telescope had only recently become
operational, and this was an incredible stroke of luck for astronomers wanting
to study the phenomenon because such powerful explosions are calculated to occur
once every 10,000 years.

As the light dimmed, one of JWST’s instruments was able to see there had indeed
been a supernova explosion. But it had not been nearly as powerful as they
expected. So why then had the burst of gamma rays been off the scale?

But what about the missing gold?

One theory is that one of the ways heavy elements – such as gold, platinum, lead
and uranium – might be produced during the extreme conditions that are created
during supernovas. These are spread across the galaxy and are used in the
formation of planets, which is how, the theory goes, the metals found on Earth
arose.

There is evidence that heavy elements can be produced when dead stars, called
neutron stars collide, a process called a kilonovae, but it’s thought that not
enough could be created this way. The team will investigate other supernova
remnants to see if heavy elements still can be produced by exploding stars but
only under specific conditions.

But the researchers found no evidence of heavy elements around the exploded
star. So, is the theory wrong and heavy elements are produced some other way, or
are they only produced in supernovas under certain conditions?

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-68787534

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RUSSIA KAZAKHSTAN FLOODS: HIGH WATER LEVELS SWAMP ORENBURG HOUSES

Floods in the Russian city of Orenburg have raised water levels to two metres
above critical, leaving just the roofs of some houses showing.

Levels in Orenburg are likely to peak on Friday, but floods are expected to
spread through neighbouring regions over the coming days and weeks.

Kazakhstan has also been badly affected, with 100,000 people evacuated from
their homes in the last week.

The flooding is being described as the worst to hit the region in 80 years.

Last week, several rivers – including the Ural, Europe’s third-largest – burst
their banks. A number flow back and forth between Russia and Kazakhstan.

High seasonal temperatures have led to rapidly melting snow and ice, compounded
by heavy rains.

The Ural river reached 11.43m (37ft) in Orenburg on Friday. Authorities say that
more than 10,000 people have been evacuated there, and 11,700 homes have been
flooded.

Mayor Sergei Salmin has called for further mass evacuations in some districts.

“Leave your homes immediately. The situation is critical, don’t waste time!” he
said on his Telegram channel, adding that the sirens being heard in the city
were not an exercise.

The city has a population of half a million and is about 1,500km (930 miles)
south-east of Moscow.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-68796487

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PROTESTERS IN SPANISH CANARY ISLANDS ON HUNGER STRIKE OVER MASS TOURISM

Activists have begun a hunger strike on the island of Tenerife, in protest at
what they see as the destructive growth of tourism on the Canary Islands.

Protesters are calling for a halt to the construction of a hotel and a beach
resort in the south of the island.

They also want a moratorium on all tourism development projects.

The small group of hunger strikers began their protest on Thursday night after a
deadline for local authorities to discuss the matter expired.

The move is part of a wider protest movement across the islands, calling
itself Canarias Se Agota, or The Canaries Have Had Enough.

A total of 13.9 million tourists visited the Canary Islands in 2023, according
to local chamber of commerce figures, 13% more than the year before. That is
about six times more than the islands’ population of 2.2 million.
Other areas of Spain are seeing similar concerns about tourism. In Barcelona,
campaigners are calling for more controls on arrivals. Authorities in Ibiza
blame illegal tourist flats for a housing crisis which has left some local
professionals sleeping in their cars.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-68797626

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MARCH 26, 2024 – BALTIMORE KEY BRIDGE COLLAPSES AFTER SHIP COLLISION

The Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed early Tuesday after a massive container
ship lost power and crashed into the iconic Baltimore bridge, sending people and
vehicles into the frigid Patapsco River.

Six people, believed to be part of a road construction crew, are presumed dead
and the Coast Guard has ended its active search and rescue mission.

Here’s what you should know about the historic bridge:

* How old?: The Francis Scott Key Bridge, also referred to as just the Key
Bridge, opened to traffic in March 1977 and is the final link in the
Baltimore Beltway, according to the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA.)
It crosses over the 50-foot-deep Patapsco River, where former US attorney
Francis Scott Key found inspiration to write the lyrics to the Star Spangled
Banner, the MDTA says.
* How long?: The bridge was 1.6 miles long when standing, MDTA reports.
* Traffic volume: More than 30,000 people commuted daily on the bridge,
according to Maryland Gov. Wes Moore.

MARYLAND BRIDGE COLLAPSE COULD AFFECT AGRICULTURE

NBC News’ Rob Wile and Shannon Pettypiece reported Tuesday that “customers from
the East Coast to the Midwest who were expecting goods shipped in via the Port
of Baltimore could see significant cost increases as a result of Tuesday’s
collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore” that has blocked access
for ships to the port.

“Baltimore is the largest entry point in the U.S. for large agriculture and
construction equipment like tractors, farming combines, forklifts, bulldozers
and heavy-duty trucks that are bound for the Midwest, according to DAT Freight
and Analytics, a freight-exchange service,” Wile and Pettypiece wrote. “Any
disruption to agriculture and construction equipment shipments would come at a
particularly bad time as Midwest farmers have begun to plant this year’s crops,
while construction picks up in colder climates as the ground begins to thaw,
said Dean Croke, principal analyst with DAT.”

“According to Steenhoek, the Port of Baltimore exports around 200,000 metric
tons of soybeans,” Kramer wrote. “In comparison, the Mississippi Gulf near New
Orleans is the No. 1 export region for soybeans and exports 35 million metric
tons.”

Lancaster Farming’s Philip Gruber reported Tuesday that while there could be a
disruption moving forward for farm machinery, “dealerships are well stocked
these days, with manufacturers having overcome the pandemic’s supply chain
problems,” Gruber reported. “As a result, the port blockage may have little
effect on equipment inventory in the short term. But the longer it takes for
Baltimore to recover, the greater the risk that inventories will draw down and
prices will rise.”

https://www.agriculture.com/maryland-bridge-collapse-could-affect-agriculture-8621476

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NEW WIC RULES PROVIDE FAMILIES WITH MORE MONEY FOR FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

The changes, meant to align with dietary guidance from nutrition groups, reduces
allotments for dairy, drawing pushback from the sector.

* Low-income families will have more money for fruits and vegetables under one
of the largest rule changes in a decade to the Special Supplemental Nutrition
Program for Women, Infants and Children.
* The U.S. Department of Agriculture said Tuesday that updates to WIC will
increase the cash allowance for fruits and vegetables, plus expand the types
of produce available for purchase. The changes also enhance access to whole
grains and dairy substitutes such as plant-based yogurts and cheeses.
* The revisions additionally decrease monthly allowances for milk and juice,
reflecting dietary recommendations from groups including the National
Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine.

Around 6.6 million mothers and children rely on the WIC program, and any changes
to eligible purchases can shape consumer behavior with ripple effects across the
entire food industry.

The revisions make permanent an increase to the fruit and vegetable benefit
provided to WIC participants during the pandemic. State agencies will also
be required to authorize one other form of fruits and vegetables other than
fresh, such as frozen or canned.

“Research shows that participants purchased healthier foods, and WIC-authorized
stores carried healthier products, as a result of updates implemented in 2009,”
Georgia Machell, interim president and CEO of the National WIC Association, said
in a statement. “We are confident that these newest updates will yield similarly
positive outcomes.”

WIC enrollment increased for the first time in a decade in fiscal year 2022, and
the changes are meant to allow participants to maximize their benefits. States
will have two years to implement the new rules, which allow them to tailor food
packages to accommodate cultural food preferences and special dietary needs.

https://www.agriculturedive.com/news/new-wic-rules-provide-families-with-more-money-for-fruits-and-vegetables/712804/

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WHO SOUNDS ALARM ON VIRAL HEPATITIS INFECTIONS CLAIMING 3500 LIVES EACH DAY

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) 2024 Global Hepatitis Report,
the number of lives lost due to viral hepatitis is increasing. The disease is
the second leading infectious cause of death globally — with 1.3 million deaths
per year, the same as tuberculosis, a top infectious killer.

The report, released at the World Hepatitis Summit, highlights that despite
better tools for diagnosis and treatment, and decreasing product prices, testing
and treatment coverage rates have stalled. But, reaching the WHO elimination
goal by 2030 should still be achievable, if swift actions are taken now.

New data from 187 countries show that the estimated number of deaths from viral
hepatitis increased from 1.1 million in 2019 to 1.3 million in 2022. Of these,
83% were caused by hepatitis B, and 17% by hepatitis C. Every day, there are
3500 people dying globally due to hepatitis B and C infections.

“This report paints a troubling picture: despite progress globally in preventing
hepatitis infections, deaths are rising because far too few people with
hepatitis are being diagnosed and treated,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros
Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “WHO is committed to supporting countries to use all the
tools at their disposal – at access prices – to save lives and turn this trend
around.”

Updated WHO estimates indicate that 254 million people live with hepatitis B and
50 million with hepatitis C in 2022. Half the burden of chronic hepatitis B and
C infections is among people 30–54 years old, with 12% among children under 18
years of age. Men account for 58% of all cases.

New incidence estimates indicate a slight decrease compared to 2019, but the
overall incidence of viral hepatitis remains high. In 2022, there were
2.2 million new infections, down from 2.5 million in 2019.

These include 1.2 million new hepatitis B infections and nearly 1 million new
hepatitis C infections. More than 6000 people are getting newly infected with
viral hepatitis each day.

The revised estimates are derived fro

GLOBAL PROGRESS AND GAPS IN DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT

Across all regions, only 13% of people living with chronic hepatitis B infection
had been diagnosed and approximately 3% (7 million) had received antiviral
therapy at the end of 2022. Regarding hepatitis C, 36% had been diagnosed and
20% (12.5 million) had received curative treatment.

These results fall well below the global targets to treat 80% of people living
with chronic hepatitis B and hepatitis C by 2030. However, they do indicate
slight but consistent improvement in diagnosis and treatment coverage since the
last reported estimates in 2019. Specifically, hepatitis B diagnosis increased
from 10% to 13% and treatment from 2% to 3%, and hepatitis C diagnosis from 21%
to 36% and treatment from 13% to 20%.

The burden of viral hepatitis varies regionally. The WHO African Region bears
63% of new hepatitis B infections, yet despite this burden, only 18% of newborns
in the region receive the hepatitis B birth-dose vaccination. In the Western
Pacific Region, which accounts for 47% of hepatitis B deaths, treatment coverage
stands at 23% among people diagnosed, which is far too low to reduce mortality.

Bangladesh, China, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, the
Philippines, the Russian Federation and Viet Nam, collectively shoulder nearly
two-thirds of the global burden of hepatitis B and C. Achieving universal access
to prevention, diagnosis, and treatment in these ten countries by 2025,
alongside intensified efforts in the African Region, is essential to get the
global response back on track to meet the Sustainable Development Goals.

m enhanced data from national prevalence surveys. They also indicate that
prevention measures such as immunization and safe injections, along with the
expansion of hepatitis C treatment, have contributed to reducing the incidence.

https://www.who.int/news/item/09-04-2024-who-sounds-alarm-on-viral-hepatitis-infections-claiming-3500-lives-each-day

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RUSSIA’S ECONOMY IS NOW COMPLETELY DRIVEN BY THE WAR IN UKRAINE – IT CANNOT
AFFORD TO LOSE, BUT NOR CAN IT AFFORD TO WIN

Two years after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia is still facing an
unprecedented number of economic sanctions. It has been excluded from major
global financial services, and around €260 billion (£222 billion) of its central
bank assets have been frozen.

Russian airspace is closed to most western planes, and western ports are closed
to Russian vessels. A formal cap has been imposed on buying or processing
Russian oil sold for more than US$60 per barrel (world prices currently
fluctuate between $80 and $100. And in theory, it is illegal to sell Russia
anything that could be used by the military.

Sanctions have had some effects. According to the IMF, Russia’s GDP is around 7%
lower than the pre-war forecast.

Despite all of this, Russia’s economy has not collapsed. But it does look very
different, and is now entirely focused on a long war in Ukraine – which is
actually driving economic growth.

In fact, the IMF expects Russia to experience GDP growth of 2.6% this year.
That’s significantly more than the UK (0.6%) and the EU (0.9%). Similarly,
Russia’s budget deficit (the amount the government needs to borrow) is on track
to remain below 1% of GDP, compared to 5.1% in the UK and 2.8% in the EU.

One reason for this relative resilience is Russia’s strong, independent central
bank. Since 2022, it has imposed massive interest rate hikes (currently at 16%)
to control inflation (still above 7%).

This has been combined with government-imposed controls which make it almost
impossible for Russian exporters and the many foreign companies still operating
in Russia to take money out of the country. Together, these policies have helped
to avoid a total collapse of the ruble, by keeping the currency flowing inside
Russia.

Russian firms have also learned to sidestep sanctions, with the oil cap being a
prime example. In theory, no Russian oil should be traded with the west above
the cap, which would have a massive impact on Russia’s public finances.

In practice, it has been circumvented by a large “dark” fleet of uninsured
vessels and the use of accounting loopholes. And while sanctioning countries
are trying to tighten the rules, Russia’s public coffers have actually
been flooded with oil money.

Many countries have also made money playing the role of
intermediaries. Turkey, China, Serbia, Bulgaria and India are among those which
have reportedly circumvented sanctions, and carried on selling goods to Russia.

Those products are understood to often include dual-use goods such as microchips
or communication equipment that are subsequently used by the Russian military.
And despite recent efforts, a full regime of extra-territorial trade sanctions –
which ban any foreign company from trading with Russia – is still far away.

FORTUNES OF WAR

But perhaps the most worrying reason for the Russian economy’s resilience is the
war itself.

For a long time, the economy of Russia has not been diverse, relying heavily on
the export of natural resources such as oil and gas. And a major reason for the
relatively high revenue of the Russian government today is precisely that the
war has led to high energy prices.

Russia’s public spending is at unprecedented levels, and around 40% of the
government budget is spent on the war. Total military spending is expected
to reach more than 10% of GDP for the year 2023 (the UK figure is 2.3%).

A protracted stalemate might be the only solution for Russia to avoid total
economic collapse. Having transformed the little industry it had to focus on the
war effort, and with a labour shortage problem worsened by hundreds of
thousands of war casualties and a massive brain drain, the country would
struggle to find a new direction.

Thirty-five years after the fall of the Berlin wall, it has become clear that
resource-rich Russia has become much poorer than its former Soviet neighbours
such as Estonia, Latvia, Poland and Hungary, who pursued the route of European
integration.

The Russian regime has no incentive to end the war and deal with that kind of
economic reality. So it cannot afford to win the war, nor can it afford to lose
it. Its economy is now entirely geared towards continuing a long and ever
deadlier conflict.

https://theconversation.com/russias-economy-is-now-completely-driven-by-the-war-in-ukraine-it-cannot-afford-to-lose-but-nor-can-it-afford-to-win-221333

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INTERNATIONAL COURT RULES SWITZERLAND VIOLATED HUMAN RIGHTS IN LANDMARK CLIMATE
CASE BROUGHT BY 2,000 WOMEN

An international court in France on Tuesday ruled Switzerland’s failure to
adequately tackle the climate crisis was in violation of human rights, in a
landmark climate judgment that could have a ripple effect across the globe.

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg, France delivered its
ruling in a case brought by more than 2,000 Swiss women, the majority of whom
are in their 70s, against Switzerland’s government. They argued that climate
change-fueled heat waves undermined their health and quality of life, and put
them at risk of dying.

The court ruled that the Swiss government had violated some of the women’s human
rights due to “critical gaps” in its national legislation to reduce
planet-heating emissions, as well as a failure to meet past climate targets.

This amounted to a breach of the women’s rights to effective protection from the
“the serious adverse effects of climate change on lives, health, well-being and
quality of life,” the court said in a statement.

It marks the first time the court has ruled on climate litigation. There is no
right of appeal and the judgment is legally binding.

Environmental activist Greta Thunberg, who attended a demonstration, told
reporters outside the court that “this is only the beginning of climate
litigation.”

“All over the world more and more people are taking their government to court,
holding them responsible for their actions,” Thunberg said, adding: “We are
going to use every tool in the toolbox that we have.”

Tuesday’s judgment in favor of the Swiss women sets “a precedent for other
international courts to follow,” Liston, from Global Legal Action Network, told
CNN.

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/04/09/climate/international-court-judgment-human-rights-climate-intl/index.html

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RIGHTS GROUPS FILE NEW CASE AGAINST GERMAN ARMS EXPORT TO ISRAEL

Protestors take part in a pro-Palestinian demonstration, amid the ongoing
conflict between Israel and Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Berlin,
Germany, April 6, 2024. REUTERS/Lisi Niesner/File Photo Purchase Licensing
Rights

BERLIN, April 12 (Reuters) – Human rights lawyers filed a lawsuit against a
German government decision to approve the export of 3,000 anti-tank weapons to
Israel, the second case of its kind this month filed over Berlin’s support of
Israel in its war in Gaza.
Last week, Berlin lawyers said they had filed an urgent appeal to halt exports
of war weapons to Israel, citing reasons to believe they were being used in ways
that could violate international humanitarian law in the Gaza Strip.
In February, a group of German lawyers representing families in Gaza filed a
criminal complaint against German officials for allegedly aiding and abetting
genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza by providing Israel with
weapons.
Israel has strongly denied accusations of genocide or violations of humanitarian
law in Gaza, saying it is waging war to defeat the ruling Islamist group Hamas
in the small, densely populated enclave.

Over 33,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s offensive, Gaza’s health
ministry says, after 1,200 Israelis were killed in Hamas’ cross-border attack on
Oct. 7, according to Israeli tallies.
Last year, Germany approved arms exports to Israel worth 326.5 million euros
($353.70 million), including military equipment and war weapons, a 10-fold
increase compared with 2022, according to Economy Ministry data.

https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/rights-groups-file-new-case-against-german-arms-export-israel-2024-04-12/

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JOE BIDEN EXPECTS IRAN TO ATTACK ISRAEL ‘SOONER THAN LATER’

US President Joe Biden says he expects Iran to attack Israel “sooner than
later”, as fears grow of Iranian retaliation over an air strike that killed top
commanders early this month.

Israel has not admitted attacking an Iranian consulate in Syria but is widely
believed to have been behind it.

US officials have told CBS News, the BBC’s US partner, that a major attack on
Israel could happen imminently.

Israel says it is ready to defend itself. Mr Biden told Iran : “Don’t.”

“We are devoted to the defence of Israel. We will support Israel,” Mr Biden
said. “We will help defend Israel and Iran will not succeed.”

Iran backs Hamas, the Palestinian group fighting Israel in Gaza, as well as
various proxy groups throughout the region, including some – such as Hezbollah
in Lebanon – that frequently carry out strikes against the Israelis.

On Friday, Hezbollah said it had launched “dozens” of rockets from Lebanon
towards Israel. An Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman said around 40 missiles
and two explosive drones had been launched. No casualties were reported and
there were no indications of involvement from other actors.

A US official told CBS the barrage was separate from any expected Iranian attack
on Israel.

BBC Security Correspondent Frank Gardner says Iran is deliberately keeping the
Middle East and Washington guessing.

Ever since the lethal 1 April strike on the consulate building in Damascus, from
which Israel believes Iran was directing its covert arms supplies to Iranian
proxies in Lebanon and Syria, Iran’s security establishment has been debating
its response.

Pragmatists in Tehran and Qom will be urging restraint, while hawks, including
the ageing Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, will be demanding a firm
response.

But Iran does not want a full-scale war, nor do its neighbours on the Arab side
of the Gulf. Governments there have already asked Iran for restraint. The
question now, our correspondent says, is whether it is the hawks or the doves
who prevail.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-68796363

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FROM EDITOR’S DESK

> Overall, the applied side of PROUT involves translating its principles into
> concrete policies and practices that promote socio-economic justice,
> environmental sustainability, cultural enrichment, and holistic human
> development.

THAT’S ALL FOR THIS WEEK. THANKS FOR READING

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APRIL 6, 2024

WHAT THE 3,500-YEAR-OLD HOLIDAY OF NOWRUZ CAN TEACH US IN 2024

Nowruz is an occasion for honouring family, and people visit one another and
feast together (Credit: GeckoPhotos/Getty Images)

RATHER THAN FADING FROM RELEVANCE, THE VALUES OF THIS ANCIENT FESTIVAL – FROM
TAKING A YEARLY RESET TO CONNECTING WITH NATURE IN A PRECARIOUS TIME – ARE NOW
MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER.

It’s the season of Nowruz, the annual 13-day festival that marks the start of
spring, and millions of people all over the world with roots in the former
Persian Empire are celebrating.

Nowruz was originally a Zoroastrianism holiday, part of the ancient monotheistic
religion founded by the prophet Zoroaster in approximately 500 BCE. In the time
of the Persian Empire (roughly 559-331 BCE), the rulers of all of the subject
countries were summoned at Nowruz to bring gifts and pay homage to the king
at Persepolis, the ruins of which remain in the Iranian city of Shiraz. In this
way, the kings could show the ancestors that they were prospering, something
that remains an important aspect of the holiday.

Zoroastrianism remained the official state religion of the Persian Empire for
centuries (Persia, anchored in modern-day Iran, once stretched from Afghanistan
and Pakistan in the east to Egypt and the Balkan Peninsula in the west, and it
left behind an enduring cultural legacy that includes this vibrant celebration)
until the Arab conquest around 632 CE, after which it became Muslim. But Nowruz
was firmly established, and even under Islamic rule it remained, evolving over
time into a secular holiday celebrated by all faiths, including Christians, Jews
and Muslims. Today, Iran, along with Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, India, Pakistan,
Turkey, Uzbekistan and other countries once under Persian influence, observe
Nowruz, as well as diaspora communities in North America, Europe and elsewhere
around the world.

Despite Nowruz dating back 3,500 years, celebrants believe that rather than
fading from relevance, the lessons of Nowruz – from taking a yearly reset to
valuing family to connecting with nature in a precarious time – are now more
important than ever.

People sprout lentils and wheat during the weeks before Nowruz, mirroring the
shoots and buds emerging outside.

Nowruz, which means “new day” in Persian, starts at the moment of the spring
equinox when the sun passes over the equator on its way north. This year, it
kicks off on 20 March at 06:36 in Tehran and 03:06 in London, and on 19 March at
23:06 in New York.

Nowruz customs around the world have unique traits. In Afghanistan, people eat a
dessert made of seven different dried fruits and nuts soaked in syrup
called mewa. In Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, vessels are placed around the house
and filled with water before the clock strikes the new year. And in Afghanistan,
riders on horseback play the national sport buzkashi, similar to polo but using
the body of a goat instead of a ball.

The first step is cleaning the home from top to bottom, a practice called khoone
takoone, which translates to “shaking the house” in Persian. It’s also important
to resolve outstanding grudges by making amends to the wronged party with a gift
of ajeel, a mix of dried fruit and nuts. It’s customary to sprout lentils and
wheat during the weeks prior, mirroring the shoots and buds emerging outside.
Then, on the Wednesday before Nowruz, everyone from children to grandparents
jumps over a bonfire. This is to purge any negativity from the past year.

On the final day of Nowruz, it’s customary to pack a picnic, head into the
countryside and toss the lentil and wheat sprouts into moving water, signalling
a break with the previous year. It’s a day to spend time appreciating the
outdoors after the long winter. For Persis Karim, director of the Center for
Iranian Diaspora Studies at San Francisco State University, Nowruz is a reminder
of our symbiotic relationship with the natural world. “The transition of the
seasons at the same time each year has been imprinted in us through this
ritualised holiday,” she said.

https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20240318-what-the-3500-year-old-holiday-of-nowruz-can-teach-us-in-2024

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EDINBURGH (U.K.) INTERNATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES ‘RELAUNCH’ AS SPONSOR ROW
REMAINS UNRESOLVED.

New director Jenny Niven calls controversy over lead sponsor Baillie Gifford’s
fossil fuel links ‘the nature of the beast’, but activists are still calling for
authors to boycott the event

‘Very grateful for the funding’ … Jenny Niven, director of the Edinburgh
international book festival.

Before last summer’s Edinburgh international book festival (EIBF) had even
begun, it was already the subject of a high-profile boycott and petition.

In July, Scottish investigative news site the Ferret calculated that the
festival’s lead sponsor, investment management firm Baillie Gifford, had up to
£5bn invested in companies profiting from fossil fuels. Days later, Greta
Thunberg pulled out from her scheduled talk, accusing Baillie Gifford of
greenwashing. Soon, more than 50 authors and event chairs including Zadie Smith,
Ali Smith and Katherine Rundell had signed a letter calling on the company to
stop investing in fossil fuel-linked businesses. If that demand wasn’t met, the
group said that Edinburgh should find a new sponsor – and if it didn’t, authors
should boycott the 2024 festival.

Organisers are now gearing up for the August festival, and new director Jenny
Niven says she sees this year as something of a “relaunch”. The founder of
Edinburgh’s poetry and spoken word festival Push the Boat Out has taken over
from Nick Barley, who ran EIBF for 14 years. Niven’s “relaunch” will see the
festival move to a new venue: the Edinburgh Futures Institute, part of the
University of Edinburgh located in the restored Royal Infirmary. The
controversial sponsorship arrangement remains in place, however: Baillie Gifford
will still be a “major part” of the festival, the new director confirms.

At last year’s EIBF, activist and author Mikaela Loach staged a protest against
Baillie Gifford’s investments, and following the festival the campaign group
Fossil Free Books (FFB) was formed. In October last year more than 150 authors
and book industry professionals signed a statement by FFB calling on Baillie
Gifford to divest from fossil fuels.

The controversial sponsorship arrangement remains in place, however: Baillie
Gifford will still be a “major part” of the festival, the new director confirms.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2024/apr/05/edinburgh-international-book-festival-announces-relaunch-as-sponsor-row-remains-unresolved

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CRISIS-STRICKEN ARGENTINA MUST DOLLARIZE AND GET RID OF THE CENTRAL BANK,
VETERAN ECONOMIST SAYS

Argentina is in the grip of a profound economic crisis, and one veteran
economist believes part of the solution is for President Javier Milei to deliver
on his campaign promise to dollarize the economy and abolish the central bank.

Latin America’s third-largest economy is currently struggling to cope with the
world’s fastest rising prices, which is hammering the purchasing power of
Argentinians.

Data published Tuesday by the country’s statistical office showed that
Argentina’s 12-month inflation rate through February rose to 276.2%, reaffirming
Argentina’s position as having the world’s worst inflation.

Argentina’s government on Monday launched a massive peso debt swap in a bid to
help stabilize the crisis-stricken economy and potentially pave the way for
Milei to lift currency controls.

Steve Hanke, professor of applied economics at Johns Hopkins University,
described the move as a “kick the can down the road type of operation.”

“They don’t need to buy any time, if they dollarized the economy and got rid of
the central bank – something that Milei promised during his campaign, the thing
would be fixed. And it is feasible to do that, and I think it is totally
desirable,” Hanke told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Asia” on Thursday.

Hanke said that in 1999 he had drafted a law at the request of former President
Carlos Menem that would have dollarized Argentina’s economy. The economist has
previously said he’d been in close contact with Milei’s technical team and
described himself as an “informal advisor” on issues such as dollarization.

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/15/argentina-must-dollarize-and-abolish-the-central-bank-economist-says.html

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SUDAN: AID LIFELINE REACHES DARFUR REGION IN BID TO AVERT ‘HUNGER CATASTROPHE’

Two aid convoys carrying lifesaving supplies have reached Sudan’s Darfurs for
the first time in months, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) said on Friday, as
humanitarians try to avert a “hunger catastrophe”, after nearly a year of heavy
fighting.

“The UN WFP has managed to bring desperately needed food and nutrition supplies
into Darfur; the first WFP assistance to reach the war-wracked region in
months,” said Leni Kinzli, WFP Communications Officer in Sudan.

The convoys crossed into Sudan from Chad in late March carrying enough food and
nutrition supplies for 250,000 people facing acute hunger in North, West and
Central Darfur.

CONSTANT FLOW NEEDED

Despite this welcome development, the UN agency spokesperson warned that unless
the people of Sudan receive a constant flow of aid “via all possible
humanitarian corridors from neighbouring countries and across battle lines”, the
country’s hunger catastrophe will only worsen.

Last month, WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain warned that the war in Sudan
risks triggering the world’s worst hunger crisis unless families in Sudan and
those who have fled to South Sudan and Chad receive desperately needed food
assistance.

This requires unfettered access, faster clearances, and funds to deliver
humanitarian response that meets the huge needs of civilians impacted by the
devastating war.

HUMANITARIAN STAKES

Securing safe and constant aid access to the Darfurs “has been extremely
challenging”, WFP’s Ms. Kinzli explained, adding that the situation has been
complicated further by the decision of the head of the Sudanese armed forces
based in Port Sudan to refuse permission to humanitarians seeking to reach the
Darfurs from Chad.

https://www.globalissues.org/news/2024/04/05/36404

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MORE THAN 600 PEOPLE STILL STRANDED IN TAIWAN, THREE DAYS AFTER EARTHQUAKE THAT
KILLED AT LEAST 12

MORE THAN 600 PEOPLE, INCLUDING ABOUT 450 AT A HOTEL IN THE TAROKO PARK,
REMAINED STRANDED IN VARIOUS LOCATIONS CUT OFF BY ROCKSLIDES AND OTHER DAMAGE

Rescuers were planning to bring in heavy equipment on April 6 to try to recover
two bodies buried under boulders on a hiking trail, three days after Taiwan’s
strongest earthquake in 25 years.

TAIPEI: Taiwan rescue helicopters flew sorties Saturday (Apr 6) to pluck
tourists to safety after a massive earthquake cut off roads and blocked tunnels,
leaving hundreds stranded for days in the mountains.

At least 12 people were killed and more than 1,100 injured by the magnitude 7.2
quake that struck the island on Wednesday, with strict building codes and
widespread disaster readiness credited with averting an even bigger catastrophe.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/more-than-600-people-still-stranded-in-taiwan-3-days-after-earthquake-that-killed-at-least-12/article68035338.ece

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SCHOOLS CLOSE AND CROPS WITHER AS ‘HISTORIC’ HEATWAVE HITS SOUTH-EAST ASIA

Governments across region grappling for response as temperatures soar to
unseasonable highs

Thousands of schools in the Philippines have stopped in-person classes due to
unbearable heat. In Indonesia, prolonged dry weather has caused rice prices to
soar. In Thailand’s waters, temperatures are so high that scientists fear coral
could be destroyed.

A “historic heatwave” is being experienced across south-east Asia, according to
Maximiliano Herrera, a climatologist and weather historian. In updates posted on
X, he said heat that was unprecedented for early April had been recorded at
monitoring stations across the region this week, including in Minbu, in central
Myanmar, where 44C was recorded – the first time in south-east Asia’s climatic
history that such high temperatures had been reached so early in the month. In
Hat Yai, in Thailand’s far south, 40.2 C was reached, an all-time record, while
Yên Châu in north-west Vietnam hit 40.6C, unprecedented for this time of year.

The latest intense weather follows warnings last month by the World
Meteorological Organization that the region had also been “gripped by severe
heat conditions” in February when temperatures frequently soared into the
high-30s – well above the seasonal average. It attributed the scorching weather
to human-induced climate change, as well as the El Niño event, which brings
hotter, drier conditions to the region.

“The level of heat the globe has experienced over the last 12 months, both on
the land and in the ocean has surprised science,” said Prof Benjamin Horton, the
director of the Earth Observatory of Singapore. “We always knew we were going to
be headed in this direction with our increasing greenhouse gases, but the fact
that we’re shattering all these records in 2023, and 2024, is perhaps slightly
ahead of time.”

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/apr/04/schools-close-and-crops-wither-as-historic-heatwave-hits-south-east-asia?CMP=share_btn_url#img-1

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WHY THESE SCIENTISTS FLY ALL OVER THE WORLD TO STUDY THE SUN’S CORONA DURING
TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSES

For scientists focused on unlocking the secrets of the sun, it’s not a
newfangled invention but a cyclical celestial event — and an appetite for world
travel — that offers them an unmatched opportunity to observe our nearest star.

Though, the high-tech equipment helps, too.

During total solar eclipses, which are visible from a different location on
Earth roughly every one to two years, the moon briefly obscures the sun’s disk
(i.e. the big, round circle) and reveals its corona, or outer atmosphere that
radiates beyond it like a halo.

“Total solar eclipses let us study and see the corona in ways that just would
not be possible at any other time and in any other way,” said Amir Caspi, a
solar astrophysicist at the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado.

On April 8, the moon’s shadow will fall across North America in a path of
totality that starts in Mexico and ends in eastern Canada.

A SCORCHING SOLAR MYSTERY

Today, researchers are investigating the mystery of the corona’s temperature,
which is mind-blowingly hotter than the solar surface.

HOW TO GET A GLIMPSE OF THE CORONA

Experts say that if you’re planning to observe the solar eclipse, you must
wear safety glasses to avoid instant, potentially permanent eye damage. If
you’re in the path of totality, that’s especially true any time the moon isn’t
fully covering the sun. And if you’re located somewhere that will see only a
partial eclipse, you should wear them for the entire event.

For those lucky enough to be in the total eclipse path, solar astrophysicist
Amir Caspi said that totality is the only time you can safely take off your
protective eyewear. He noted that the corona is about as bright as the full moon
during the event, and wouldn’t be visible through those glasses.

“It’s a conundrum from the point of [view of] physics,” Habbal said. “Usually,
when a surface is hot, as you go away from the surface, then the temperature
drops.”

The sun’s surface clocks in at about 6,000 degrees Celsius, compared to 1 to 2
million degrees in its atmosphere above. The cause of this disparity isn’t yet
clear. But today’s researchers, far removed from the technological limitations
of antiquity, can glean new insights by training modern observational tools on
the sun during eclipses. These tools work by taking in specific types of light,
which reveal all sorts of information about the celestial objects they came
from.

Temperature isn’t uniformly distributed across the corona, a dynamic region that
contains multiple different structures, Habbal said. Some of that material forms
2-million-degree loops that make their way back around toward the solar surface.
Solar wind, on the other hand, is closer to 1 million degrees, and it hurtles
into interplanetary space as it leaves the atmosphere.

During a total solar eclipse in 2017, Caspi and his colleagues collected images
of the corona in the midwave infrared range using a special camera aboard one of
NASA’s high-altitude jets. That imager documented wildly different temperature
ranges, including some coronal structures that measured tens of thousands of
degrees yet somehow glowed at about the same brightness in the midwave infrared
as other structures that were millions of degrees, Caspi said. For this year’s
experiment, his team plans to make new observations to help explain the physics
behind this phenomenon.

HARNESSING THE ECLIPSE TO STUDY THE CORONA

Caspi and Habbal are each spearheading different solar eclipse research projects
that will use a combination of ground-based observations, as well as the
instruments aboard the two NASA jets.

Those jets will reach 50,000 feet — above 90 percent of the atmosphere — during
the eclipse, Caspi said. That’s important, he noted, because our atmosphere
absorbs or blocks various types of light while also emitting its own glow. At
their ultra-high altitude, the jets will have a much clearer view of the
eclipse.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/why-these-scientists-fly-all-over-the-world-to-study-the-suns-corona-during-total-solar-eclipses

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PLASTIC-FREE VEGAN LEATHER THAT DYES ITSELF GROWN FROM BACTERIA

Researchers at Imperial College London have genetically engineered bacteria to
grow animal- and plastic-free leather that dyes itself.

In recent years, scientists and companies have started using microbes to grow
sustainable textiles or to make dyes for industry — but this is the first time
bacteria have been engineered to produce a material and its own pigment
simultaneously.

Synthetic chemical dyeing is one of the most environmentally toxic processes in
fashion, and black dyes — especially those used in colouring leather — are
particularly harmful. The researchers at Imperial set out to use biology to
solve this.

In tackling the problem, the researchers say their self-dyeing vegan,
plastic-free leather, which has been fashioned into shoe and wallet prototypes,
represents a step forward in the quest for more sustainable fashion.

Their new process, which has been published in the journal Nature Biotechnology,
could also theoretically be adapted to have bacteria grow materials with various
vibrant colours and patterns, and to make more sustainable alternatives to other
textiles such as cotton and cashmere.

Lead author Professor Tom Ellis, from Imperial College London’s Department of
Bioengineering, said: “Inventing a new, faster way to produce sustainable,
self-dyed leather alternatives is a major achievement for synthetic biology and
sustainable fashion.

“Bacterial cellulose is inherently vegan, and its growth requires a tiny
fraction of the carbon emissions, water, land use and time of farming cows for
leather.

“Unlike plastic-based leather alternatives, bacterial cellulose can also be made
without petrochemicals, and will biodegrade safely and non-toxically in the
environment.”

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240403130606.htm

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GERMANY’S REFUSAL TO SEND ‘TAURUS’ MISSILES TO UKRAINE IS HIGHLY CONTENTIOUS —
BUT WON’T BREAK THE GOVERNMENT

Debate around military aid to Ukraine is deepening the cracks in Germany’s
administration — but despite “extremely unusual” public rifts, Chancellor Olaf
Scholz is expected to prevail.

The question at the heart of a months-long dispute is whether Germany will send
Ukraine long-range Taurus missiles, which can independently locate and destroy a
target after being released by a carrier.

Scholz has firmly rejected Kyiv’s request for these missiles — but he looks
increasingly isolated in this position.

One key concern is that Ukraine may need on-the-ground help from German soldiers
to work the Taurus missiles — a red line for Scholz.

According to leaked discussions by senior army chiefs reported by German media,
there are very few copies of the complex data needed to program Taurus missiles.
It means that Germany itself would likely lose access to the material if it
handed those over to Ukraine, making it a potentially risky move.

Scholz has also said that Taurus weapons are sufficiently far-reaching that they
could hit Russia, which the Kremlin could view as Germany becoming involved in
the war. The country’s armed forces, the Bundeswehr, could not handle holding a
defensive line against Russia, Scholz argues.

RESISTANCE

Not everyone agrees.

The opposition Christian Democrats, or CDU for short, has played down the risk
that Russia might view it as Germany entering the war, while the Free Democrats
(FDP) and Greens — coalition partners to Scholz’s Social Democrats, or SPD — say
the risks are manageable and worthwhile to avoid Russia winning the conflict.

Since last November, the CDU has repeatedly tabled votes on sending Taurus
missiles to Ukraine in Germany’s parliament and failed. Even so, the debate has
highlighted tensions within the ruling coalition.

“There’s clearly a rift between large parts of the Greens and the Free Democrats
in favor of delivering Taurus to Ukraine and Chancellor Scholz and large parts
of his Social Democrats vehemently blocking this decision,” Frank Sauer, senior
research fellow at the University of the Bundeswehr Munich and head of research
at the Metis Institute for Strategy and Foresight, told CNBC.

It comes as several members of parliament for the FDP voted in favor of a CDU
motion following the latest parliamentary debate on Thursday.

Annalena Baerbock, Green party foreign secretary, meanwhile, discussed Taurus
missiles with U.K. foreign minister David Cameron. She later said she would
consider a so-called “Ringtausch,” whereby Germany sends Taurus missiles to the
U.K. which in turn delivers some of its own long-range Storm Shadow missiles to
Ukraine.

Separately, a high-profile Green party MP joined forces with a prominent CDU
politician to pen an op-ed advocating for the delivery of Taurus missiles.

COALITION CHAOS

“This level of open disagreement inside a governing coalition is extremely
unusual for German politics. The coalition is in disunity because of Scholz’
refusal to deliver Taurus,” Ulrike Franke, senior policy fellow at the European
Council on Foreign Relations, told CNBC.

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US ON HIGH ALERT AS IRAN-ISRAEL SHADOW WAR SPURS CHANCE OF WIDER MIDDLE EAST
CONFLICT

The United States is on ‘high alert’ amid an escalating Iran-Israel shadow war
and the looming threat of a wider Middle East conflict. Tehran is currently
preparing a ‘response’ after a suspected Israeli strike killed an Iranian
military commander and several advisors this week. Meanwhile the Hezbollah — its
main proxy in the Middle East — warned the Jewish state that it is prepared for
war. Iran has asked the US to “step aside” if it wanted to avoid “getting hit”.

“In a written message, the Islamic Republic of Iran warns US leadership not to
get dragged in Netanyahu’s trap for US: Stay away so you won’t get hurt. In
response US asked Iran not to target American facilities,” tweeted Mohammad
Jamshidi — the Iranian president’s deputy chief of staff for political affairs.

Meanwhile, US officials indicate that the country is in a “high state of
vigilance” following reports of an attack next week. President Joe Biden
discussed the matter during a telephonic exchange with Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday. According to a Reuters report quoting a senior
Biden administration official, teams from both countries have remained in
“continuous contact”. Washington has also reiterated its ‘full support’ for
Israeli defense against threats from Iran.

https://www.livemint.com/news/world/iran-israel-shadow-war-middle-east-conflict-us-high-alert-joe-biden-benjamin-netanyahu-gaza-war-palestine-11712399204532.html

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FROM EDITOR’S DESK

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MARCH 30, 2024

200,000 FRENCH STUDENTS TO BENEFIT FROM THE ROLLOUT OF MIA, AN AI-POWERED
REVISION APP

MIA, an AI-powered app to revise literature and mathematics, will be rolled out
to the French lycée students in later this year.

Students in French lycées will be able to use a new educational tool powered by
artificial intelligence (AI) to help revise literature and mathematics.

The app – called “Modules interactifs adaptatifs,” or MIA – was created by
EvidenceB, a French EdTech start-up.

Making access widely available to 15-year-olds was one of the last decisions
taken by former French education minister, Gabriel Attal before he became the
country’s new prime minister in January.

The decision was made following the publication of alarming results regarding
the educational level of French students.

The education ministry announced in a statement that it “will be made available
for free to 200,000 Year 11 students over the next few months, before being
rolled out to all next September”.

The app’s algorithm uses AI to give the student the best exercises to make
progress.

“The application includes a dashboard for the teacher to monitor the progress of
each student. This gives a very convenient overview,” Cécile Cathelin, a teacher
who collaborated with EvidenceB for MIA’s resources, told Euronews Next.

According to her, the solution could help teachers save time. “Artificial
intelligence will immediately see the strengths and weaknesses of students,” she
added.

‘NOT A MIRACLE SOLUTION’

“It’s not a magic tool, it’s not going to change everything, it’s going to be a
new tool with which we’ll be able to work,” Cathelin said.

https://www.euronews.com/next/2024/02/01/200000-french-students-to-benefit-from-the-rollout-of-mia-an-ai-powered-revision-app

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INDOOR FARMING BUSINESSES MEET GROWING DEMAND FOR LOCAL PRODUCE

Commercial indoor farms have been riding a wave of technological innovation and
financial investment, as these companies seek to satisfy consumer demand for
locally grown produce while at the same time reshaping the nation’s food-supply
system.

Many indoor farms focus on using sustainable farming practices to grow leafy
vegetables, tomatoes, herbs and berries, supplying their crops to local
supermarkets and restaurants that promote their local provenance. The growers
say that not only are their products more sustainable than traditionally grown
crops that often travel across the country after they are harvested, but they
are also less exposed to weather fluctuations and other supply chain
disruptions, such as those that occurred around the world during the COVID-19
pandemic.

Another benefit is that indoor farms are not exposed to livestock runoff, which
has been a source of E. coli outbreaks in leafy greens.

Operators of indoor farms also maintain that they produce crops that are also
more consistent in quality and flavor than those that are grown using
traditional agricultural methods.

“We are excited to build and scale a better future for farmers and consumers by
ensuring a safe, secure and sustainable food supply, regardless of calendar or
climate,” said Steve Bradley, president of Cox Farms. “This is a significant
milestone for us, as we are disrupting traditional agriculture and bringing the
promise of indoor agriculture to fruition at a scale never seen before.”

https://www.agriculturedive.com/news/agtech-seedlings-roundup-brightfarms-bayer-startup-funding/711744/

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HYDROELECTRICITY IS A HIDDEN SOURCE OF METHANE EMISSIONS. THESE PEOPLE WANT TO
SOLVE THAT

Commercialisation of the Bluemethane technology is being put to the test at
United Utilities, a water company in the north-west of the UK: “Wastewater
companies are already using anaerobic digestion, they take solid waste and churn
it around without oxygen to create methane biogas, and at the end the liquid
still has quite a lot of dissolved methane in it,” she says. “They already have
biogas generators and use energy for power, so we’re not changing anything
dramatic.”

Dams and reservoirs around the world are an underappreciated source of methane.
Now start-ups want to capture that gas as a source of power.

It takes just one second for four Olympic-sized swimming pools-worth of water to
charge through the turbines at the Tucuruí dam in northern Brazil. The rush of
water here at one of the largest hydroelectric reservoirs in the Amazon region
is deafening, but it’s what makes the dam the fifth largest power plant in the
world.

As the water churns through a series of 25 turbines and spillways of the dam,
however, something else is happening – it’s emitting greenhouse gases.

Often regarded as one of the oldest forms of renewable energy, hydroelectric
dams and their reservoirs are responsible for the release of almost one billion
tonnes of methane into the atmosphere as water approaches and then tumbles its
way through the turbines that generate electricity. Methane is a greenhouse gas
that’s more than 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide over a 20-year
lifespan, but it also breaks down faster in the atmosphere than CO2.

Out of the 51 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases emitted by people every
year, three billion tonnes of those are from methane which escapes from
water. When water is disturbed, methane comes out of the solution and turns into
bubbles of gas. And one of the single biggest sources of this degassing methane
is something of a surprise – hydroelectric dams like Tucuruí, brazil.

But there are now hopes it may be possible to catch this methane before it
escapes into the atmosphere, and put it to use as a source of power.

While reducing fossil fuel use is part of the solution (40% of methane emissions
come from the energy sector (i.e. oil and gas), methane comes from many other
sources too, including livestock: 32% comes from burping and farting ruminants
like cows. (Read more on the hunt for the hidden sources of methane.)

Less well known still is the significant contribution of water bodies to these
emissions. Methane is also produced in sediments of freshwater when carbon-rich
organic matter is decomposed by microbes in the absence of oxygen – that
includes naturally occurring tropical swamps, peat bogs and waterlogged soils.
With all these natural sources, their status as a source or sink of greenhouse
gases such as methane can be a tightrope depending on land-use practices and
climate change.

Then there are the manmade water sources of methane, including wastewater
treatment plants and rice cultivations. In all these sources, bacteria are
responsible for breaking down organic matter and releasing methane.

And then, of course, there’s dams and their reservoirs. Reservoirs contribute 22
million tonnes of methane per year – a little less than two-thirds of the
methane produced by rice production or wastewater treatment (35 million tonnes
each). The methane comes from decomposing organic matter at the bottom of the
water body. In reservoirs as in sewage plants, when that water is churned up, it
escapes.

POTENTIAL POWER SOURCE

Inside a 20-foot-long (6m) rust-red container at Cranfield University, water
tumbles down through a series of pipes and containers under gravity. Here,
Louise Parlons Bentata, chief executive and co-founder of Bluemethane, is
developing tech that captures methane from bodies of water such as reservoirs
and sewage treatment plants. Methane is the primary component of fossil natural
gas, and it can be burned as an energy resource.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20240326-how-hydroelectric-dams-are-a-hidden-source-of-carbon-emissions

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CONTRACEPTIVE CONTENT SHARED ON SOCIAL MEDIA LARGELY NOT FROM HEALTH EXPERTS,
STUDY FINDS

Brigham researchers (Boston), looked at tweets from 2014 to 2019 about
contraceptive methods and found that only a small fraction were authored by
health professionals.

Patients are quick to turn to social media for guidance on contraception
methods, side effects and education, but what kind of content is being shared
and who is sharing it? A new study conducted by researchers at Brigham and
Women’s Hospital, a founding member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare
system, looked at thousands of tweets about reversible contraceptive methods
published from 2014 to 2019. Tweets were frequently posted by contraceptive
consumers (about 50 percent), with a much smaller proportion (6 percent) posted
by an official news or healthcare source. The findings point to opportunities
for healthcare professionals to use social media to disseminate accurate
contraceptive information. Results

are published in Contraception and Reproductive Medicine.

“Platforms like Twitter, now known as X, empower patients to access health
information and make decisions about contraception that align with their
values,” said Deborah Bartz, MD, MPH, an associate professor of medicine at
Harvard Medical School and an attending physician in the Department of
Obstetrics and Gynecology at BWH. “We see that individuals are making decisions
about contraception based on anecdotal experience and advice from friends,
family, and social media users. So how can we, as physicians, use social media
to lead to better health encounters and ultimately better health outcomes?”

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20240329/Contraceptive-content-shared-on-social-media-largely-not-from-health-experts-study-finds.aspx

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2024 TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE: 10 INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THE NATURAL PHENOMENON

THE 2024 TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE WILL CROSS NORTH AMERICA ON APRIL 8.

As North America prepares for its second total solar eclipse in seven years, on
April 8, the Moon will cast a shadow over a portion of the Earth that will be
shrouded in darkness. Mexico mainland will first witness the astronomical
spectacle, which will wrap up the show in Canada. With the Moon moving between
the Earth and the Sun, it’ll wrap the solar light and bar us from its direct
view. The once-in-a-blue-moon alignment makes the two bodies appear similarly
sized in the sky. The complete eclipse begins with its partial counterpart until
the Moon fully shields the Sun. According to NASA, this phenomenon lasts for
about 70 to 80 minutes. Totality occurs when the Moon blocks the Sun entirely.

* Solar eclipse as an omen

According to ancient Greece’s lore, solar eclipses were perceived as ill omens
because they were seen as a symbol of gods’ anger. Hence, the word’s Greek
origins – ‘ekleipsis’ – which refers to “being abandoned.”

* Total solar eclipses are seen only on Earth

Earth is the only planet in our solar system that witnesses a perfect total
solar eclipse due to the relative size and distance ratio of the Sun and the
Moon from the planet. No other planet’s Moon is of a similar size to facilitate
the phenomenon.

* No Total Solar Eclipses in about 600M years

Richard Vondrak, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Centre lunar scientist, had
previously described a total eclipse as “a dance with three partners: the moon,
the sun and Earth.” He also affirmed, “About 600 million years from now, Earth
will experience the beauty and drama of a total solar eclipse for the last
time.” Total solar eclipses occur because of the Moon and the Sun’s relative
size and distance. While the Sun is about 400 times wider than the Moon, the
latter is about 400 times closer to the Earth – both bodies appear to have the
same size in Earth’s sky. However, a NASA statement addressed the growing
distance – about 1.5 inches per year – between the Moon and Earth, affecting the
resulting total solar eclipse due to the diminished size of the Moon in the sky.
Therefore, “over time, the number and frequency of total solar eclipses will
decrease.”

* The 2024 totality will be the longest one since 2010

Nazas in Mexico will experience the greatest eclipse duration on April 8, with 4
minutes and 28 seconds of totality. This will exceed the 4 minutes and 40
seconds of totality witnessed by Rapa Nui in July 2010. The 2027 total solar
eclipse is estimated to last 6 minutes and 23 seconds in Egypt.

* Saros cycle: The same overlapping pattern will recur in 2042

Every 18 years, 11 days and eight hours, the same alignment between the Sun,
Moon and Earth results in a similar solar eclipse. The April 8, 2024, alignment
will similarly repeat its pattern on April 20, 2042.

* First total solar eclipse in the continent US in 7 years

North America’s last total solar eclipse happened on August 21, 2017. Seven
years ago, it traversed from Oregon to South Carolina. The next one will be
witnessed 20 years later, on August 23, 2044.

* A solar eclipse occurs only during one lunar phase – the New Moon. However,
not every New Moon brings about a solar eclipse.
* The Sun’s corona, i.e. the outermost part of its atmosphere, can be viewed
only during a total solar eclipse. Since the corona is shrouded in the Sun’s
bright light, it’s impossible to see it with the naked eye. During a total
solar eclipse, the Moon shields the Sun’s ferocious brightness, allowing the
corona’s white light to be seen as the Moon appears like a black disk over
the Sun.
* Solar eclipse results in two parts of the Moon’s shadow: the umbra (darker
inner shadow) and penumbra (fainter outer shadow). The Sun’s light is
entirely blocked in the umbra, so the observers must be within this phase of
the shadow to observe a total solar eclipse. Those in the penumbra see a
partial eclipse; outside the Moon’s shadow, there will be no eclipse.
* In contrast to the total solar eclipse, an annular solar eclipse doesn’t
fully cover the Sun’s disk. When this happens, the Sun’s outer edge is
visible as an “annulus” or bright ring, also referred to as the “Ring of
Fire” effect. Since the Moon’s orbit is elliptical and not a perfect circle,
its distance from the Earth varies according to its location. Apogee is
observed as the farthest point from Earth in the orbit, where the Moon
appears smaller. During the annular solar eclipse, the Moon covers the Sun
while it’s at or near the apogee.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/us-news/2024-total-solar-eclipse-10-interesting-facts-about-the-natural-phenomenon-101711103083842.html

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WORLD’S FIVE RICHEST MEN DOUBLE THEIR MONEY AS POOREST GET POORER

Oxfam predicts first trillionaire within a decade, with gap between rich and
poor likely to increase.

The world’s five richest men have more than doubled their fortunes to $869bn
(£681.5bn) since 2020, while the world’s poorest 60% – almost 5 billion people –
have lost money.

The details come in a report by Oxfam as the world’s richest people gather from
Monday in Davos, Switzerland, for the annual World Economic Forum meeting of
political leaders, corporate executives and the super-rich.

The yawning gap between rich and poor is likely to increase, the report says,
and will lead to the world crowning its first trillionaire within a decade. At
the same time, it warns, if current trends continue, world poverty will not be
eradicated for another 229 years.

Highlighting a dramatic increase in inequality since the Covid
pandemic, Oxfam said the world’s billionaires were $3.3tn (£2.6tn) richer than
in 2020, and their wealth had grown three times faster than the rate of
inflation.

The report, Inequality Inc., finds that seven out of 10 of the world’s biggest
corporations have a billionaire as CEO or principal shareholder, despite
stagnation in living standards for millions of workers around the world.

Compiled using data from the research company Wealth X and Forbes, it says the
combined wealth of the top five richest people in the world – Elon Musk, Bernard
Arnault, Jeff Bezos, Larry Ellison and Mark Zuckerberg – have increased by
$464bn, or 114%. Over the same period, the total wealth of the poorest 4.77
billion people – making up 60% of the world population – has declined by 0.2% in
real terms.

https://www.theguardian.com/inequality/2024/jan/15/worlds-five-richest-men-double-their-money-as-poorest-get-poorer#:~:text=World’s%20five%20richest%20men%20double%20their%20money%20as%20poorest%20get%20poorer,-This%20article%20is&text=The%20world’s%20five%20richest%20men,billion%20people%20%E2%80%93%20have%20lost%20money.

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WORLD REACTS TO UNSC RESOLUTION DEMANDING GAZA CEASEFIRE

Many officials around the world have welcomed the resolution.

Many world leaders have welcomed a United Nations Security Council (UNSC)
resolution that demands an immediate ceasefire between Israel and the
Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza.

While the United States abstained from the vote on Monday, the remaining 14
council members voted for the resolution.

The resolution, which the US said it did not agree with in its entirety, calls
for an “immediate ceasefire” for the duration of the Muslim holy month of
Ramadan, which ends in two weeks. It calls for the ceasefire to lead to a
“lasting” truce, for the release of all hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, and for
respect for international law from each party when it comes to detainments.

ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU

Shortly after the resolution passed, Netanyahu cancelled the visit of an Israeli
delegation to Washington, DC, which the US had requested to discuss concerns
over a proposed Israeli invasion of Rafah, a city in crowded southern Gaza.

The US abstention was “a clear retreat from the consistent position of the US”,
and would hurt Israel’s war efforts and bid to release the hostages still held
by Hamas, the prime minister’s office said.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/25/world-welcomes-unsc-resolution-calling-for-ceasefire-in-gaza

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Mar 30, 2024 02:01 AM IST

US SIGNS ON MORE BOMBS AND WARPLANES FOR ISRAEL AMID WAR: REPORT

The new arms packages reportedly includes more than 1,800 MK84 2,000-pound bombs
and 500 MK82 500-pound bombs.

The United States in recent days authorized the transfer of billions of dollars
worth of bombs and fighter jets to Israel even as it publicly expresses concerns
about an anticipated military offensive in Rafah, the Washington Post reported
on Friday.

The new arms packages include more than 1,800 MK84 2,000-pound bombs and 500
MK82 500-pound bombs, the newspaper said, citing Pentagon and State Department
officials familiar with the matter.

Washington gives $3.8 billion in annual military assistance to Israel, its
longtime ally. The United States has been rushing air defenses and munitions to
Israel, but some Democrats and Arab American groups have criticized the Biden
administration’s steadfast support of Israel, which they say provides it with a
sense of impunity.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/us-signs-on-more-bombs-and-warplanes-for-israel-amid-war-report-101711739204449.html

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POLITICS

WHITE HOUSE TO PROVIDE $300 MILLION WEAPONS PACKAGE FOR UKRAINE

The White House will provide $300 million in additional weapons to Ukraine,
officials announced Tuesday, as more funding remains held up in Congress by
Republican leaders.

The package will be made available through presidential drawdown authority, or
PDA, which pulls weapons from existing U.S. stockpiles. The military equipment
headed to Ukraine includes anti-aircraft missiles, ammunition, artillery rounds
and anti-armor systems, the officials said.

The announcement comes as the Ukrainian military is facing dire weapons
shortages in its two-year war with Russia.

“When Russian troops advance and its guns fire, Ukraine does not have enough
ammunition to fire back,” national security adviser Jake Sullivan said in
announcing the new aid package.

At the same time, the U.S. has “basically exhausted our funding to assist
Ukraine,” a senior defense official said.

Defense officials said they were able to come up with the funding through
savings in long-term contracts with weapons makers, but they described it as a
one-time arrangement.

The military has been forced to come up with creative ways to pay for weapons
packages for Ukraine because of the impasse in Congress. House Speaker Mike
Johnson, R-La., has refused to bring a bill to the floor that would provide $60
billion in additional aid for Ukraine.

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/12/white-house-to-provide-300-million-weapons-package-for-ukraine.html

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JAPAN BROADENS BAN ON RESTRAINTS OF JAILED WOMEN IN LABOR

Government Should Further Expand Prohibition on Restraining Pregnant People

The new directive, issued on March 18, now includes an effective ban on
handcuffing pregnant women during “transportation to outside medical
institutions” and “upon arrival at the medical institution and until entering
the delivery room” as “situations during which use of restraints are
inappropriate.”

Restraining imprisoned people during labor and childbirth contravenes
international standards. The United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the
Treatment of Prisoners (the Mandela Rules) state that “[i]nstruments of
restraint shall never be used on women during labour, during childbirth and
immediately after childbirth.” In addition, expert commentary on the Bangkok
Rules says that using “body restraints, such as shackles … on pregnant women
during transfers to hospitals, gynecological examinations, and birth … violates
international standards.”

During the Diet session, opposition lawmaker Mizuho Fukushima pressed the
government to clarify its prohibition on restraints. “We understand that the
Mandela Rules and the Bangkok Rules state restraints should not be used on women
when they’re in labor, and our new directive takes them into account,” a justice
ministry official responded.

The Japanese government should further expand the ban by forbidding the use of
restraints on pregnant prisoners during health checkups, including gynecological
examinations, and immediately after giving birth. Authorities should ensure
imprisoned people are adequately informed about their legal right to seek
permission to keep their child with them in prison, subject to approval by the
prison warden, and encourage prison wardens to consider such requests
expeditiously and sympathetically.

The government should also encourage prosecutors to use Japan’s Code of Criminal
Procedures and suspend sentences for imprisoned people who are 150 or more days
pregnant, among other grounds.

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THE END

=========================================================

MARCH 23, 2024

BIRD FLU IDENTIFIED IN US LIVESTOCK FOR FIRST TIME

The case, detected in a goat at a Minnesota farm, highlights “the possibility of
the virus infecting other animals on farms with multiple species.”

While avian influenza has been detected in mammals, it typically spreads to
animals that eat infected birds or poultry. The identification of the virus in a
goat is the first time bird flu has been found in a U.S. domestic ruminant,
which also includes cattle, sheep and their relatives.

There is limited experimental data on HPAI infection in ruminants, and there are
no prior reports of natural infection in goats. While there seems to be a lower
risk of the virus infecting entire herds of cattle or goats at this time, the
finding could push farms with multiple types of animals to take enhanced
biosecurity measures.

“Thankfully, research to-date has shown mammals appear to be dead-end hosts,
which means they’re unlikely to spread HPAI further,” Hoefs said.

The case was identified after the owner notified state officials of the unusual
deaths of newly kidded goats on the property where avian influenza was
previously identified in a poultry flock. One of the goat carcasses tested
positive for H5N1 HPAI, the same virus that has devastated wild and commercial
bird populations since the outbreak began in 2022.

Animals with weakened or immature immune systems are more susceptible to
contracting the disease. Samples from the adult goats were negative for bird
flu, and no more sick goat kids were reported since March 11.

Since the start of the outbreak, over 82 million birds have died or been killed
to prevent further spread. More than 470 farms have been impacted, and the
spread has also led to an increase in consumer egg prices, with costs
rising 8.4% for shoppers from January to February 2024.

https://www.agriculturedive.com/news/bird-flu-goat-livestock-minnesota-farms-poultry/711120/

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WHO LAUNCHES NEW TOOLKIT EMPOWERING HEALTH PROFESSIONALS TO TACKLE CLIMATE
CHANGE

World Health Organization (WHO) in collaboration with partners has developed a
new toolkit designed to equip health and care workers with the knowledge and
confidence to effectively communicate about climate change and health.

The toolkit provides comprehensive resources to help health and care workers
understand the health impacts of climate change and the co-benefits of climate
action, build confidence in communication, and engage with various stakeholders
effectively. By empowering health and care workers to communicate about climate
change and health, it aims to drive collective action towards mitigating climate
change, building resilience and safeguarding public health.

The communications toolkit was developed by WHO in collaboration with the Global
Climate and Health Alliance, George Mason University Center for Climate Change
Communication, Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health, Climate and
Health Alliance Australia and the Canadian Medical Association. Health Canada’s
funding has been instrumental in developing this toolkit.

Heatwaves, exacerbated by climate change, have been linked to adverse health
effects, including heart attacks, kidney disease and mental health disorders.
Changing weather patterns threaten food security by reducing crop yields, while
air pollution alone leads to over 7 million premature deaths annually, mainly
through cardio-respiratory illnesses. Furthermore, climate-induced water
scarcity and contamination fuel competition for resources, forced migration and
conflict.

The repercussions of climate change extend beyond physical health, impacting
mental well-being through trauma, loss of livelihoods and anxiety about the
future. Furthermore, health systems, already strained after a pandemic, an
energy crisis and a cost-of-living crisis, face additional burdens from extreme
weather events and supply chain disruptions.

https://www.who.int/news/item/22-03-2024-who-launches-new-toolkit-empowering-health-professionals-to-tackle-climate-change

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DEMAND FOR STUDY ABROAD IN AUSTRALIA, CANADA, UK ALREADY AFFECTED BY NEW
INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION POLICIES

New, restrictive policies concerning international students in the UK, Canada,
and Australia are already having a significant impact on prospective student
demand for study in those countries.

IDP’s recent study, “The Voice of the International Student,” conducted in
January 2024 across 67 countries with a total sample of 2,500 students,
indicates that many students are reconsidering their plans to study in those
countries, and that the US appears to be picking up share of interest.

Similarly, Studyportals research published this month found that prospective
student demand for Canada, in particular, is dipping dramatically, while
interest in the US increased significantly in 2023. Italy has also grown much
more popular. Interest in the Netherlands picked up again leading into 2024, but
may soon decline due to Dutch universities’ stated intention to reduce
international student numbers and English-taught programmes.

* New policies in Canada, Australia and UK are making it harder for
international students to get visas and to bring their families with them.
* This is causing many students to consider studying in the US instead.
* The US is seen as a more welcoming destination with wider range of post-study
work opportunities.The landscape of international education is constantly
evolving, with new policies and regulations emerging that can significantly
impact student mobility. Recent changes in Canada, Australia, and the UK have
sparked concerns about their potential to dampen the appeal of these
traditionally popular study destinations.

Several policy changes have been implemented in these countries, each with its
own set of implications for international students:

* Canada: The introduction of stricter visa requirements, including enhanced
financial resources demonstration and limitations on postgraduate work
permits, has created uncertainty and deterred some prospective students.
* Australia: The tightening of post-study work visa options, particularly for
specific fields of study, has made it less attractive for students seeking
work experience after graduation.
* UK: The post-study work visa reforms, coupled with a more selective visa
application process, have instilled anxieties among international students
regarding their long-term prospects in the UK.

.https://monitor.icef.com/2024/02/demand-for-study-abroad-in-australia-canada-uk-already-affected-by-new-international-education-policies/

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FIRST ARAB WOMAN TO GRADUATE FROM NASA ASTRONAUT PROGRAMME

Nora AlMatrooshi, one of two Emiratis chosen from thousands of applicants, has
become the first Arab woman to graduate from Nasa’s training programme. Like her
ancestors before her, AlMatrooshi has spent much of her life gazing up at the
stars and now her dream of flying to the moon will soon become a reality.

AlMatrooshi, a mechanical engineer by training who has worked in the oil
industry, was one of two astronaut candidates chosen by the United Arab Emirates
Space Agency (UAESA) in 2021 to enroll in a training program with US space
agency NASA.

Now, after two years of hard work — including practice spacewalks — AlMatrooshi,
her fellow Emirati Mohammad AlMulla and 10 others in their training class are
fully qualified astronauts.

The group, known as “The Flies,” are now eligible for NASA missions to the
International Space Station (ISS), Artemis launches to the Moon and, if all goes
well, to even fly to Mars.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/science/first-arab-woman-to-graduate-nasa-training-shoots-for-the-moon-101709774963211.html

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OVER 3 BILLION PEOPLE NOW LIVE WITH A NEUROLOGICAL CONDITION:

* New research shows that over 3.4 billion people throughout the world have a
neurological condition.
* These conditions include neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism,
neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s, and movement disorders such
as Parkinson’s.
* A concerning aspect of the findings is that disability and deaths related to
these conditions increased by 18% since 1990.
* The researchers hope that the findings will increase awareness of
neurological conditions and encourage public health officials across the
world to invest in brain health and expanding healthcare.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently contributed to a new study that
took a look at how neurological conditions affect people across the globe.

After analyzing data available from the Global Burden of Disease, Injuries, and
Risk Factor Study (GBD) 2021, the researchers learned that around 3.4 billion
people have a neurological condition. Additionally, neurological conditions are
now the leading cause of disability.

The rise in neurological conditions is associated with an increase in premature
deaths. The majority of these deaths occur in low and middle-income countries
where neurological healthcare is limited.

The study appears in The Lancet NeurologyTrusted Source

The researchers for the present study focused on health loss that affects the
nervous system including both neurological conditions and neurodevelopmental
disorders. Some of these conditions include:

* Stroke
* Alzheimer’s disease
* Autism Spectrum Disorder
* encephalitis and meningitis
* Parkinson’s disease
* Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

ACCORDING TO THE STUDY FINDINGS, NEUROLOGICAL CONDITIONS ARE THE LEADING CAUSE
OF DISABILITY WORLDWIDE. THEY ESTIMATED THESE CONDITIONS AFFECTED MORE THAN 3.4
BILLION PEOPLE, WHICH IS 43.1% OF THE GLOBAL POPULATION.

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/over-3-billion-people-living-neurological-condition-dementia-stroke-alzheimers#Over-10-neurological-conditions-

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RUSSIA, CHINA VETO US-LED UN RESOLUTION ON GAZA CEASEFIRE

The United Nations Security Council on Friday turned down a resolution calling
for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and an Israel-Hamas hostage deal after Russia
and China vetoed the measure proposed by the United States.
The resolution, on which Algeria also voted no and Guyana abstained, called for
an immediate and sustained ceasefire lasting roughly six weeks that would
protect civilians and allow for the delivery of humanitarian assistance.
Eleven of the 15 council members voted for the resolution, but the Russia and
China vetoes stopped its passage.
The council will meet at 10 a.m. EDT (1400 GMT) on Monday to vote on an
alternative resolution drafted by elected members of the Security Council, a
diplomat said. The vote was planned for Saturday but was postponed because
discussions were ongoing, the diplomat added.
That resolution, a draft copy of which was seen by Reuters, demands an immediate
ceasefire for the current Muslim holy month of Ramadan, the release of all
hostages and an expanded flow of humanitarian assistance to Gaza.

https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/un-security-council-fails-pass-us-resolution-calling-immediate-ceasefire-gaza-2024-03-22/

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THE GAMBIA (WEST AFRICA) VOTES TO REVERSE LANDMARK BAN ON FEMALE GENITAL
MUTILATION

Rights groups say proposed rollback of 2015 law will overturn women’s rights
across the region as a whole.

The Gambia has taken steps towards lifting a ban on female circumcision, a move
that could make it the first country in the world to reverse legal protections
against the practice for millions of women and girls.

Politicians in the West African nation’s parliament voted 42 to four on Monday
to advance the controversial bill, which would repeal a landmark 2015 ban
on female genital mutilation (FGM) that made the practice punishable by up to
three years in prison.

Jaha Marie Dukureh, of Safe Hands for Girls, an NGO seeking to end FGM, told Al
Jazeera that the practice was “child abuse”. She, herself, underwent the
practice and watched her sister bleed to death following the procedure.

“The people who applaud FGM in this country, a lot of them are men. These are
men who don’t have the same lived experiences that we do, and women who have
been through this practice continue to tell them every single day what their
suffering is, what their pain is,” she said.

Seventy-six percent of Gambian females aged between 15 and 49 have undergone
FGM, according to a 2021 report by UNICEF.

It can lead to serious health problems, including infections, bleeding,
infertility and complications in childbirth, and impairs sexual pleasure.

THE NUMBER OF WOMEN AND GIRLS WHO HAVE UNDERGONE FGM WORLDWIDE HAS INCREASED TO
230 MILLION FROM 200 MILLION EIGHT YEARS AGO, UNICEF REPORTED THIS MONTH.

IT SAID THE LARGEST SHARE OF THOSE WOMEN AND GIRLS WERE FOUND IN AFRICAN
COUNTRIES, WITH MORE THAN 144 MILLION CASES, FOLLOWED BY MORE THAN 80 MILLION IN
ASIA AND THE NUMBER SURPASSING SIX MILLION IN THE MIDDLE EAST.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/19/the-gambia-votes-to-reverse-landmark-ban-on-female-genital-mutilation

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300,000 MORE UK CHILDREN FELL INTO ABSOLUTE POVERTY AT HEIGHT OF COST OF LIVING
CRISIS

About 300,000 more children were plunged into absolute poverty in a single year
at the height of the cost of living crisis amid soaring levels of hunger and
food bank use, official figures show, prompting calls for an overhaul of the
UK’s creaking welfare safety net.

Campaigners accused the government of failing to protect the UK’s poorest
families as the latest poverty statistics showed 600,000 more people fell into
absolute poverty – ministers’ preferred poverty measure – in 2022-23 when
inflation was at its 10% peak.

Overall, during the year 12 million people were in absolute poverty – equivalent
to 18% of the population, including 3.6 million children – levels of hardship
last seen in 2011-12 after the financial crash.

Ministers and opposition politicians faced calls to get a grip on rising poverty
levels, with charities urging an increase to benefit rates to reflect the real
cost of basics, such as food and energy, and the scrapping of policies such as
the two-child benefit limit which is seen as a driver of family hardship.

Campaigners said the meagreness of welfare benefits was highlighted by sharp
rises in food insecurity and food bank use. One in 10 people in poverty relied
on food banks during the year, while 41% of universal credit claimants were food
insecure, meaning they could not afford to buy sufficient food.

The figures show the reality of increasing concerns over rising poverty, and the
prevalence of more extreme forms of hardship such as destitution, where
individuals are unable to afford basic living essentials such as food,
energy, bedding and clothing. Nearly 4 million people experienced destitution in
2022.

* More than two-thirds (69%) of UK children in poverty lived in families where
at least one parent works, while 44% of children in lone-parent families were
in poverty.

* An estimated 2.9 million children were in deep poverty, meaning their income
was at least 50% below the poverty line. Nearly half (46%) of all families
with three or more children were in poverty.

* Nearly one in 10 (8%) of pensioners struggled to eat regularly, pay essential
bills or keep their home warm, up 2 percentage points year on year, and the
first increase in material hardship measures among the over-65s since 2014.

Child poverty also increased on the relative poverty measure that is preferred
by campaigners, with 100,000 more young people pulled beneath the poverty line,
meaning that a third of UK children (4.3 million) were in poverty in 2022-23 on
this calculation.

Alison Garnham, the chief executive of the Child Poverty Action Group, said: “In
a general election year, nothing should be more important to our political
leaders than making things better for the country’s poorest kids. But child
poverty has reached a record high, with 4.3 million kids now facing cold homes
and empty tummies.”

The government said its cost of living support package, which included one-off
cash payments and support with energy bills for low-income households, had
helped alleviate pressure on poorer families and prevented more than 1 million
people falling into poverty.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/mar/21/poorest-uk-families-hardest-hit-cost-living-crisis-official-figures

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EU TO IMPOSE TARIFF OF UP TO 50% ON RUSSIA GRAIN IMPORTS

The EU is set to impose a tariff of up to 50% on Russia grain imports amid fears
the Kremlin could flood the bloc with cheap wheat to destabilise the European
market.

The proposal, announced by the European commission president, Ursula von der
Leyen, follows a plea on Thursday to EU leaders by the Ukrainian president,
Volodymyr Zelenskiy, to do something about grain “stolen” by the Russians from
occupied territories.

She said: “We propose the imposition of tariffs on these Russian imports to
mitigate the growing risk to our markets and our farmers. They will reduce
Russia’s capacity to exploit the EU for the benefit of its war machine.”

The measure is intended principally to head off a potential illegal dumping of
grain as the Kremlin seeks to weaponise as much as it can in its war
against Ukraine.

Russian grain attracts low or no customs duties when sold in the EU but the
proposal would lead to the imposition of a tariff of €95 (£82) per tonne of
grain, which currently sells for up to €220, depending on the quality of the
wheat.

Russian grain exports to the EU had gone up from 960,000 tonnes in 2022 to 1.5m
tonnes in 2023, while at the same time production had rocketed from 35m tonnes
to 50m tonnes between 2022 to 2023, EU officials said.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/mar/22/eu-tariff-russia-grain-imports-ukraine

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RUSSIA’S UKRAINE INVASION HIGHLIGHTS THE NEED FOR FUNDAMENTAL UN REFORM

Almost twenty months since the invasion began, few would argue that the
devastating scale of Russia’s attack on Ukraine has highlighted the shortcomings
of the United Nations. As noted by Tom Grant, a Senior Fellow at the Lauterpacht
Centre for International Law, “Russia’s aggression against Ukraine is the most
serious violation of the UN Charter in the Charter’s history.” How can a country
engaged in Europe’s largest invasion since World War II and led by a man wanted
by the International Criminal Court for war crimes be allowed to undermine an
organization committed to maintaining world peace?

The absurdity of Russia’s position among the five permanent members of the UN
Security Council is fueling calls for fundamental reform of the United Nations.
For two years in a row, the reform of the United Nations Security Council has
featured in US President Joe Biden’s annual address to the UN General Assembly.
The reform debate centers on the need for the highest body at the United Nations
to be more representative. At present, the UNSC lacks any permanent members from
Africa or Latin America, and is also missing valuable input from emerging
powerhouses such as India and significant developed economies including Japan.

One of the roadblocks to such reform is the current make-up of the Security
Council, which under the existing regulations would be required to vote to
approve any expansion of the UNSC. This would likely be blocked by Russia, due
to perceptions in the Kremlin that any expansion would weaken the Russian
position. Tellingly, other permanent members would also see their influence
diluted by an expanded UNSC, and yet the push for this reform is being led by
one of them, the United States.

Other possible reforms of the United Nations include the removal or restriction
of veto powers for permanent members of the UN Security Council. This could
potentially prevent individual countries from unilaterally derailing efforts to
address global crises or uphold international law. Some critics feel even this
would not go far enough, and argue for a complete rethink of the role played by
the United Nations in international affairs.

The UN was founded in 1945 to maintain international peace and security, but it
has been unable to prevent one of its leading members from invading a neighbor
and committing war crimes not witnessed in Europe since the darkest days of
twentieth century totalitarianism. Clearly, the UN Security Council is broken
and the entire UN approach to issues of war and peace is no longer fit for
purpose.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a watershed moment in world history that will
have a profound impact on the future of international relations. If the United
Nations wants to survive as an institution and remain relevant in the decades
ahead, it must be ready to embrace fundamental reform.

Paul Niland is the founder of Lifeline Ukraine.

https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/ukrainealert/russias-ukraine-invasion-highlights-the-need-for-fundamental-un-reform/

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THE END

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MARCH 16, 2024

WITH RUSSIAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, VLADIMIR PUTIN MAY CEMENT LONGEST REIGN
SINCE STALIN

Vladimir Putin, 71, Russia’s longest serving leader since Soviet dictator Josef
Stalin, will almost certainly emerge victorious in the nation’s eighth
presidential election. The vote takes place Friday to Sunday, and the winner
will be inaugurated in a lavish ceremony in May at the Grand Kremlin Palace,
former residence of tsars and empresses.

If, as widely expected, Putin cruises to another six-year term − the former KGB
officer has held continuous positions as Russia’s president or prime minister
since 1999

“This is not an election, it’s a selection,” said Alena Popova, a Moscow-based
human rights activist.

“I support Putin and, of course, I will vote for him,” said Lyudmila Petrova,
46, who was shopping for Chinese-made counterfeit New Balance sneakers in
southern Moscow at one of Russia’s largest wholesale markets.

“Putin raised Russia up from its knees. And Russia will defeat the West and
Ukraine. You cannot defeat Russia – ever,” Petrova said. “Have you in the West
gone completely mad? What is Ukraine to do with you?”
The West views Putin as an autocrat, a war criminal, a killer and even, as U.S.
President Joe Biden said last month, a “crazy SOB” who U.S. officials say has
enslaved Russia in a corrupt dictatorship that leads to strategic ruin.
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/putin-is-master-all-he-surveys-russians-head-polls-2024-03-15/

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HAITI PM HENRY’S ROAD TO RESIGNATION

March 13 (Reuters) – An uneasy quiet hung over Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince on
Wednesday after the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry, a 74-year-old
neurosurgeon who came to power after the assassination of the country’s last
president.
The news was met with some celebration as well as uncertainty over the response
by armed gangs, the future of a planned security mission, Henry’s replacement
and the country’s eventual elections, set to be the first since 2016.
https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/haiti-pm-henrys-road-resignation-2024-03-14/

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WORLD SCIENCE FESTIVAL SHOWCASES THINKERS, DREAMERS, STORYTELLERS : BRISBANE 15
– 24 MARCH (AUSTRALIA)

The World Science Festival Brisbane has kicked off for 2024 and will delight and
fascinate audiences of all ages with a unique mix of hands-on science, art and
culture.

This year’s theme For Thinkers and Dreamers embraces exploration and creativity
with an impressive line-up of science stars sharing their passion for science
and innovation, plus interactive art and cultural installations.

World Science Festival Brisbane features the Australian premiere of large-scale
sculpture, ADA, by international artist Karina Smigla-Bobinski and the stunning
Ghost Nets of Pormpuraaw, celebrating cultural practice and creativity by eight
Pormpuraaw artists.

Renowned physicist Professor Brian Greene, Australia’s favourite science
communicator Dr Karl Kruszelnicki and the War on Waste’s Craig Reucassel explore
modern day challenges from climate, sustainable food production and artificial
intelligence to the mysteries of deep space and our oceans.

The Miles Government is investing $9 million over the next three years to secure
the World Science Festival Brisbane – the only event of its kind outside of New
York City – until 2027.

World Science Festival Brisbane is predicted to deliver $1.4 million for the
visitor economy with the festival’s regional program traveling to Toowoomba,
Chinchilla, Ipswich, Townsville and Gladstone.

https://www.miragenews.com/world-science-festival-showcases-thinkers-1195688/

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50 PEOPLE DIE AFTER DRINKING ‘MYSTERIOUS LIQUID’ DURING WITCHCRAFT RITUALS IN
ANGOLA (SOUTH WEST AFRICA)

Nearly 50 people lost their lives after they were forced to consume an herbal
potion to prove that they were not sorcerers in Angola, as said by the police
and local officials on Thursday (Mar 14).

WITCHCRAFT’S DOMINANCE IN ANGOLA

In some rural communities of Angola, the people have a belief in witchcraft even
though it is strongly opposed by the church in the country which is
predominantly Catholic and a former Portuguese colony.

“It’s a widespread practice to make people drink the supposed poison because of
the belief in witchcraft,” said provincial police spokesperson Antonio Hossi,
while speaking about the radio network. He further warned that similar cases
have been on the rise.

There are no specific laws against witchcraft in Angola which leaves communities
to deal with the issue on their own.

The traditional healers or “marabouts” often settle the allegations of sorcery
by making the accused drink a toxic herbal drink known as “Mbulungo.” It is
believed by many people that if a person dies after drinking the toxic herbal
drink, then he or she is proven guilty of practising sorcery.

https://www.wionews.com/world/50-people-die-after-drinking-mysterious-liquid-as-part-of-witchcraft-rituals-in-angola-700331

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THOUSANDS OF TURKISH WOMEN DEFY BAN TO PROTEST FOR EQUAL RIGHTS (INTERNATIONAL
WOMEN DAY)

ISTANBUL — Thousands of women took to the streets of Istanbul, Turkey, to mark
International Women’s Day Friday despite a ban by the government, demanding
equality and change of laws to protect women and help them gain their rights in
the country and around the world.

Waving purple flags as a sign of International Women’s Day, they filled the air
with slogans and rallying cries despite a ban on rallies by authorities.

“The world would shake if women were free,” “Resist for rebellion, resist for
freedom,” and “Woman, Life, Freedom,” they chanted.

While the police had blocked access to the streets leading to the protest
location several hours ahead, some women said they figured out their own ways to
get there and participate in the protest.

Turkey was the first country to join the Istanbul Convention in March 2012 which
aims at preventing gender-based violence by setting legally binding standards to
protect victims and punish perpetrators. However, 9 years later, in 2021, Turkey
became the first and only country that left the convention in a decision made by
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s Islamic leaning government who believed the
treaty eroded their conservative values.

According to We Will Stop Femicide, a prominent activist group in Turkey, 338
women have been murdered since March 2023, and 248 died under suspicious
circumstances.

The campaign added that 212 of these women were killed at home, 134 of them by
their husbands, 47 by their boyfriends, and 36 by their ex-husbands. Two of the
victims did not know their murderers at all, according to the group.

https://abcnews.go.com/International/thousands-turkish-women-defy-ban-protest-equal-rights/story?id=107937682

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SCIENTISTS DEVELOP NEW TECHNOLOGY THAT GENERATES ESSENTIALLY ENDLESS POWER FROM
DIRT: ‘THE FUEL CELL CAN POTENTIALLY LAST FOREVER’

Scientists led by researchers from Northwestern University in Chicago have
developed a new type of fuel cell that can be harvested from dirt. This dirt
fuel could provide essentially endless electricity, eliminating waste and
harmful effects of other sources of fuel.

In a study published in January, the researchers outlined their findings
regarding harvesting electricity from microbes, tiny organisms such as bacteria
or fungi, living in the dirt.

With this new type of fuel cell, scientists hope to harness sources of energy
that could act as a replacement for batteries, which can release toxins into the
water or soil, increase landfill waste, cause fires, and can lead to
draining communities of their resources.

The researchers found that these units, each not much larger than the size of a
paperback book, according to The Independent, could power sensors in farming and
remote devices in the Internet of Things (IoT), the large network of objects
that use software or technology to exchange data with other devices, such as
smartwatches and self-driving cars.

The process of developing microbial fuel cells, the basis for dirt-fueled power,
began in 1911 — as the Independent explained — when British botanist Michael
Cressé Potter first successfully generated electricity from microorganisms.
Potter found that these fuel cells could operate like a battery.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/other/scientists-develop-new-technology-that-generates-essentially-endless-power-from-dirt-the-fuel-cell-can-potentially-last-forever/ar-BB1jTizF?ocid=sapphireappshare

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AUTHORS WITHDRAW FROM PEN AMERICA FESTIVAL IN PROTEST OVER ISRAEL-GAZA WAR

Group of more than a dozen writers decry organization’s inadequate response to
‘genocide’ being committed by Israel

More than a dozen prominent authors and literary figures have withdrawn from PEN
America’s flagship World Voices Festival in protest of what they see as an
inadequate response by the organization to the “genocide” being committed
against Palestinians by Israel in Gaza.

The group of writers, which includes Naomi Klein, Michelle Alexander, Hisham
Matar, Isabella Hammad and Zaina Arafat, sent a letter to PEN America asserting
it had “betrayed the organization’s professed commitment to peace and equality
for all, and to freedom and security for writers everywhere” by failing to call
for a ceasefire in the Israel-Gaza war.

The protest, first reported Thursday by Literary Hub, is the latest broadside
directed at the literary freedom advocacy organization following a series of
high-profile resignations and other denouncements in recent weeks.

Last month, hundreds of writers including Roxane Gay, Maaza Mengiste and Nana
Kwame Adjei-Brenyah wrote to PEN condemning what they called its “silence” over
“Palestinian journalists, writers, and poets murdered by Israel” outside of
“press releases buried on its website”.

Literary Hub says that open letter has now surpassed 1,300 signatories.

In the latest missive, the 16 authors say their decision to pull out of the
festival, scheduled to take place in New York from 8-11 May, follows PEN’s
“failure” to support human rights organizations and the United Nations security
council in demanding a Gaza ceasefire.

“Palestine’s poets, scholars, novelists and journalists and essayists have
risked everything, including their lives and the lives of their families, to
share their words with the world,” the letter states.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/mar/15/pen-america-festival-authors-withdraw-israel-gaza-war-protest

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ISRAEL-GAZA WAR : AID REACHES SHORE IN GAZA AFTER FIRST SEA DELIVERY

The first crates of food are on dry ground, but how it will be distributed in
Gaza remains unclear.

The first ship towing a barge of humanitarian aid to Gaza has unloaded supplies
onto the shore.

The Spanish ship Open Arms left Cyprus on Tuesday with 200 tonnes of food
desperately needed for Gaza, which the UN says is on the brink of famine.

It marks the start of a trial to see if sea deliveries are effective, after air
and land deliveries proved difficult.

World Central Kitchen (WCK), which supplied the food, carried out the mission in
co-operation with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), to deliver the barge’s cargo
of rice, flour, legumes, canned vegetables and canned proteins.

Gaza has no functioning port, so a jetty stemming from the shoreline was built
by WCK’s team. How the food will be distributed in Gaza remains unclear.

WCK’s founder, celebrity chef José Andrés, wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that
all the food aid from the barge had been loaded into 12 lorries.

“We did it!” he wrote, adding that this was a test to see if they could bring
even more aid in the next shipment – up to “thousands of tons a week”.

In a statement, Israel said the Open Arms vessel and its cargo were inspected in
Cyprus, and that Israel Defense Forces (IDF) troops had been deployed to secure
the shoreline.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-68581090

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LEADERS OF GERMANY, FRANCE, POLAND MEET TO MEND RIFTS OVER UKRAINE WAR

The leaders of Germany, France and Poland are meeting in Berlin to resolve
differences over how to support Ukraine as Russian voters go to the polls in an
election that looks set to extend President Vladimir Putin’s reign.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz hosted French President Emmanuel Macron and Polish
Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Berlin on Friday with the three members of the
so-called Weimar Triangle set to hold urgent discussions on how best to support
Ukraine, which is short on the military resources needed to definitively halt
Russia’s two-year invasion of the country.

But simmering disagreements between Macron and Scholz threaten to undermine
cooperation between the allies. Glaring divisions between the French and German
leaders were laid bare at a gathering of European leaders last month when Macron
created controversy by saying sending soldiers to Ukraine could not be ruled out
and making pointed comments about allies refraining from being “cowards”.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/15/leaders-of-germany-france-poland-meet-to-mend-rifts-over-ukraine-war

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MENTAL HEALTH LEAVE OFFERED TO TAIWANESE STUDENTS AS YOUTH SUICIDES DOUBLE

Taiwanese high schools will begin offering mental health leave to students this
month, to address rising rates of youth suicide and high levels of stress and
depression.

Under the programme, high school students can apply for up to three days off
each semester, taken as full or half days, without proof of need but with the
permission of their parents. More than 40 schools have expressed interest in the
trial run, according to the ministry of education.

The scheme is in response to rising concerns over mental health issues among
young people in Taiwan. Between 2014 and 2022, the suicide rate among people
aged 15 to 24 more than doubled, even as the overall rate declined.

In 2022, a senior official at the ministry of health and welfare came under fire
from youth advocacy groups after linking the increase in suicides to the
“growing number of tall buildings in Taiwan”. His comments were in response to a
question from UN experts about whether Taiwan authorities had looked into
systemic factors such as academic pressure, and were widely criticised as
dismissive of growing concerns about the impact this had on students in Taiwan
and other east Asian countries.

In 2022 the Child Welfare League Foundation conducted a survey of students,
finding that more than 12% reported “severe” levels of stress, and was more than
twice as bad among senior high school students than juniors. Almost a quarter of
high school students said they had experienced severe depression. The survey
said the top three drivers of stress reported were schoolwork (77%), future
prospects (67%) and interpersonal relationships (43%).

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/mar/03/mental-health-leave-offered-to-taiwanese-students-as-youth-suicides-double

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AVOCADO GIANT MISSION PRODUCE BETS ON MANGOES TO FUEL GROWTH

The California-based producer has reinvested in areas to support sourcing of the
popular tropical fruit, as sales grow for avocados and blueberries.

Mission Produce, founded in 1983, entered the mango category in recent years to
meet global demand for the tropical fruit.

Mangoes typically grow during the avocado offseason, creating a unique synergy
within Mission’s international farming business, Barnard said. In 2021, he
called it a “natural addition” to the company’s growing portfolio, which also
includes blueberries.

Mission owns about 700 acres of mangoes in Peru. Over the years, the company has
broadened its sourcing and distribution capabilities for the fruit, with
intentions of becoming a leader in the space.

“While our mango program is still in its infancy…the opportunity ahead is
immense,” Barnard said in an earnings call Monday.

Despite being one of the most consumed fruits globally, mangoes have lagged in
Western markets due in part to a lack of consistent, high-quality sourcing.

“We are eager to bring some greater execution to this fragmented industry and
help drive greater consumption,” Barnard told investors. Recently, Mission has
reinvested in the mango business with new leadership focused on sourcing, retail
distribution and operational improvements.

Additionally, the avocado giant experienced robust blueberry sales growth in the
first quarter, due in part to supply constraints that led to favorable market
conditions. Mission has also been investing in premium blueberry varieties to
drive stronger sales returns in the future.

Blueberry sales increased 9% to $32.5 million over last year. Segment prices
nearly doubled in the first quarter, offset by lower volumes related to weather
issues in Peru. El Niño has impacted volumes of blueberries, as well as
avocados, in previous quarters, but signs of improvement are starting to show.

“Although it is still early to provide a reliable forecast of volume from our
Peruvian operations, weather conditions have improved as El Niño conditions have
dissipated, which should lead to a more predictable harvest for this coming
season,” Barnard said.

Revenue totaled $258.7 million in the first quarter, a 21% increase from the
previous year. The company attributed this to strong avocado pricing that
fattened margins, as well as higher average sales in blueberries and mangoes.
Net income was breakeven over last year

https://www.agriculturedive.com/news/avocado-giant-mission-produce-invests-in-mangoes-to-fuel-growth/710165/

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THE END

MARCH 9TH, 2024

INDIA’S FIRST INTERNATIONAL STAND-UP PADDLING EVENT –

PADDLE FESTIVAL: MARCH 8 TO 10, 2024

The World’s Best Stand-Up Paddlers Converge in Mangalore Ahead of Inaugural
Event in India

The India Paddle Festival will be hosted at the pristine Sasihithulu beach in
Mangalore from 8th-10th March 2024.

The Association of PaddleSurf Professionals World Tour (APP) announced its entry
in India with the country’s first-ever International Stand-Up Paddling
championship last month. The India Paddle Festival will be the first step in an
exciting new development journey for the organization as a significant growth of
the sport in the region over the coming years. Presented by Karnataka Tourism,
and organized by the Surfing Swami Foundation, the India Paddle Festival will
welcome a selection of top athletes from the APP World Tour, as well as other
aspiring professionals from the region.

The India Paddle Festival will be a mix of sports, culture and entertainment,
the details which were announced at a Press Conference held in the city today,
which was attended by Tristan Boxford, CEO, APP World Tour, Dhananjaya Shetty,
Chairman, and Surfing Swami Foundation.

https://www.news18.com/sports/india-paddle-festival-the-worlds-best-stand-up-paddlers-converge-in-mangalore-ahead-of-inaugural-event-in-india-8807340.html

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HOW UNESCO LITERACY PRIZES LAUREATES ARE ADVANCING WOMEN’S EDUCATION

8 March 2024

Since being awarded the UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy in 2011, the Alpha
Ujuvi Collective from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been offering
literacy courses and professional training to young Congolese girls and women
who are victims of sexual violence. These skills are conducive to lead them to
income-generating activities to recover from the trauma and stigma. Talitha
Khoum, a centre dedicated to educating young girls, was also established by the
Collective. Over 500 orphaned, displaced, and underprivileged girls have
benefitted from its academic and social reintegration programmes. Despite facing
numerous challenges, the Collective is dedicated to expanding its reach to more
young girls and women. Mr Patrick N. Bunzigjye, Director in charge of
communication and relations with partners of the Collective indicates “Education
is internationally recognized as the most powerful tool for the advancement of
women and girls and the protection of their rights. Investing in their
education can transform, and even save lives: the lives of women and girls, but
also those of their families and communities. It is one of the most effective
ways to achieve positive and lasting change for everyone around the world.”

for full story open below link

https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/how-unesco-literacy-prizes-laureates-are-advancing-womens-education

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TEXAS FIRES LEAVE RANCHERS WITH FEW OPTIONS TO FEED CATTLE

The USDA is providing producers with emergency assistance and supporting
relocation efforts that allow livestock to graze on certain conservation lands.

As record wildfires in the Texas Panhandle finally begin to die down, ranchers
are still scrambling to keep their remaining cattle fed after blazes tore
through vast swaths of grazing land.

The Smokehouse Creek Fire, 74% contained as of Thursday, has scorched over 1
million acres of land in the heart of Texas cattle country. Thousands of cows,
horses and other livestock have died as some farmers have seen their entire
operation burn to the ground.

As firefighters make headway in containing the blaze, ranchers are turning their
attention to the long road ahead to recovery. Incinerated grasslands and hay
supplies have left farmers with few options to feed their livestock.

“There’s just nothing left there for them to eat,” Jana Hance, a relief
coordinator based in Montana, told local paper Great Falls Tribune. “It all
burned.”

AS FARMERS FROM NEIGHBORING STATES RALLY TO PROVIDE HAY DONATIONS, THE U.S.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE IS OFFERING ASSISTANCE INCLUDING INDEMNITY PAYMENTS
AND LOW-INTEREST LOANS TO PURCHASE FEED. THE AGENCY IS ALSO OPENING UP SOME
ACRES UNDER THE CONSERVATION RESERVE PROGRAM TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY GRAZING
OPTIONS FOR RANCHERS AFFECTED BY FIRES.

https://www.agriculturedive.com/news/texas-panhandle-fires-cattle-ranchers-feed-usda-smokehouse-creek/709749/

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WORLD’S BIGGEST POLLUTION MONITOR LAUNCHES INTO ORBIT

March 4, 2024

CNN’s Bill Weir reports on a new satellite that launched Monday to track methane
on Earth so governments and fossil fuel companies can be held accountable for
the emissions that contribute to global warming.

First satellite developed by an environmental non-profit will see methane
emissions others can’t, paving the way for heightened accountability and faster
reductions

(VANDENBERG SFB, LOMPOC CA – March 4, 2024) Just after 4:00pm Pacific Time today
MethaneSAT effectively detached from SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket that carried the
emissions monitor into space. The groundbreaking satellite is designed to help
protect the Earth’s climate by accelerating reductions of a powerful greenhouse
pollutant, focusing first on oil and gas operations, a major source of methane.

Circling the Earth 15 times a day, MethaneSAT will measure changes in methane
concentrations as small as three parts per billion. High sensitivity together
with high resolution and a wide field of view will enable MethaneSAT to see the
whole emissions picture

These unique capabilities usher in a new era of transparency for the industry.
Interactive emissions data will be available to anyone directly
from www.MethaneSAT.org and on Google Earth Engine, a premier geospatial data
platform used by over 100,000 experts and analysts.

https://edition.cnn.com/videos/business/2024/03/05/methanesat-world-biggest-pollution-tool-space-launch-weir.cnn

https://www.edf.org/media/methanesat-now-orbit-after-spacex-launches-groundbreaking-mission-protect-climate

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NIGERIA’S DEEPENING COST-OF-LIVING CRISIS IS TURNING DEADLY

…What People Do To Beat Hunger — Report

…Looting Of Food Warehouse Sign Of Bad Omen, Government Appears Clueless — Umar

…98,000 Women Die Annually While Providing Food For Families — WHO

Nigeria, a country long used to hardship, is facing a crushing cost-of-living
crisis.

Prices for some vital food staples have doubled in a matter of months. Trucks
hauling items like rice and pasta are being hijacked along rural highways.
Protests have bubbled up in major cities and soldiers now stand guard to prevent
grain warehouses from being ransacked by desperate citizens.

At the heart of the upheaval in Africa’s most populous country are aggressive
reforms by President Bola Tinubu, who scrapped a popular but costly fuel subsidy
and eased foreign-exchange controls shortly after taking office in May.

“At a macro level, Nigeria has taken bold reforms – including two naira
devaluations and a big rate hike – to converge exchange rates, stabilize the
naira and rein in runaway inflation. On the micro level, households and business
are taking pain from these measures, particularly from high inflation that is
eroding real income.”

The cost-of-living crisis is not just hitting the poor. Even in the upmarket
shops used by affluent Nigerians, it’s becoming difficult to keep up with
surging prices.

PZ Cussons Plc, which sells a number of household goods in
Nigeria, told investors that it has raised prices 12 times in recent months.

The rapid devaluation of the Naira against major foreign currencies, coupled
with inflationary pressures, has led to a rise in the prices of imported goods,
including food, fuel, and essential commodities.

However, the volatility of global oil prices has exposed Nigeria to economic
shocks. When oil prices plummet, as seen in recent years, Nigeria’s revenue
declines, leading to a shortage of foreign exchange reserves.

Additionally, the lack of investment in agriculture deprives the country of
domestic food production capacity, further driving up food prices. High
unemployment rates, particularly among the youth, have further been identified
to aggravate the cost of living crisis in Nigeria.

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FDA APPROVES FIRST OTC CONTINUOUS GLUCOSE MONITOR

March 6, 2024 — The FDA has approved the first over-the-counter continuous
glucose monitoring (CGM) system.

The Dexcom Stelo Glucose Biosensor System is meant for adults with or without
diabetes who don’t use insulin. This would include people with diabetes who take
oral medications, or those without diabetes who want to better understand how
diet and exercise may impact blood sugar levels, There are about 25 million
people in the U.S. with type 2 diabetes who do not take insulin, Dexcom said in
a press release.

The company did not say how much the device will cost, but said it will be
available this summer.

The system is not for people with low blood sugar, the FDA said in a statement.

The Stelo system contains a wearable sensor paired with an smartphone app. It
measures, records, analyzes, and displays blood sugar values every 15 minutes.
Each sensor can be worn for up to 15 days before it must be replaced. It is not
intended to be used to make medical decisions without first checking with a
health care provider.
“CGMs can be a powerful tool to help monitor blood glucose. Today’s clearance
expands access to these devices by allowing individuals to purchase a CGM
without the involvement of a healthcare provider,” said Jeff Shuren, MD,
director of the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health.
https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/news/20240306/cm/fda-approves-first-otc-continuous-glucose-monitor

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INDIA SAYS ITS CITIZENS WERE ‘DUPED’ TO SERVE IN THE RUSSIAN ARMY. NOW IT WANTS
THEM BACK

“Several Indian nationals have been duped to work with the Russian army. We have
strongly taken up the matter with the Russian government for early discharge of
such internationals,” said Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for India’s Ministry of
External Affairs.

Late on Thursday, the Central Bureau of Investigation of India said it had
busted several “major human trafficking networks” that were “targeting gullible
youths” with offers of lucrative jobs abroad.

It comes amid a domestic labour crisis that has incentivized Indian nationals to
seek jobs abroad.

India is seeking the release of its nationals who have been “duped” into serving
in the Russian army, a spokesperson for the Indian Ministry of External Affairs
said Friday, in a rare rift from Moscow.

“Several Indian nationals have been duped to work with the Russian army. We have
strongly taken up the matter with the Russian government for early discharge of
such internationals,” said spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal. “A case of human
trafficking has been registered against several agents.”

He appealed to Indian nationals to “not be swayed by offers made by agents for
support jobs with the Russian army. This is fraught with danger and risk to
life,” stressing that New Delhi remains “committed to early release of our
nationals serving as support staff with the Russian army and the eventual return
home.”

Late on Thursday, the Central Bureau of Investigation of India said it had
raided several “major human trafficking networks” that were “targeting gullible
youths” with offers of lucrative jobs abroad. The CBI identified at least “35
instances” of Indian citizens being sent abroad as a result of these operations.

“These traffickers have been operating as an organized network and were luring
Indian nationals through social media channels like Youtube etc and also through
their local contacts/agents for highly paid jobs in Russia,” the CBI said in a
statement.

Following their recruitment, Indian nationals were “trained in combat roles and
deployed at front bases in Russia-Ukraine War Zone against their wishes, thus,
putting their lives in grave dangers.”

“It has been ascertained that some of these victims also got grievously injured
in the war zone,” the agency said.

It comes amid a domestic labour crisis that has incentivized Indian nationals to
seek jobs abroad.

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/08/india-says-its-citizens-were-duped-to-serve-in-the-russian-army-now-it-wants-them-back.html

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HONG KONG PROPOSES NEW SECURITY BILL WITH LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR ‘TREASON’ AND
‘INSURRECTION’

* Hong Kong on Friday unveiled a draft security bill proposing up to life
imprisonment for offences such as insurrection and treason.
* The draft also proposed 20 years of prison sentence for espionage and 10
years for offences related to state secrets.

Hong Kong on Friday unveiled a new draft security bill proposing up to life
imprisonment for offences such as insurrection and treason following a month of
public consultation period for the bill.

Crimes that will incur up to a maximum penalty of life imprisonment include
treason, insurrection, the incitement of a member of Chinese armed forces to
mutiny, as well as colluding with external forces to damage or weaken public
infrastructure to endanger national security.

The draft Article 23 also proposed 20 years of prison sentence for espionage and
10 years for offences related to state secrets.

Hong Kong’s Chief Executive John Lee on Thursday urged the need to pass the law
“as soon as possible” amid an “increasingly complex” geopolitics backdrop.

According to a government statement, 98.6% of views showed support for the bill
during the public consultation.

“The means taken to endanger national security can come in many different forms
and the threat can emerge all of a sudden,” the statement read, adding that the
sooner the legislative work is completed, the faster they can “guard against
national security risks.”

The proposal will need to be scrutinized by lawmakers through several rounds of
debate before it becomes law.

The draft legislation is necessary for Hong Kong to fulfil its constitutional
duty to safeguard national security, China’s Ministry of National Security
emphasized in its official WeChat account on Monday.

Beijing imposed a controversial law four years ago, which stamped out dissent
and led to the arrest of many Hong Kong pro-democracy activists. China’s 2020
national security law aimed at prohibiting secession, subversion of state power,
terrorism activities and foreign interference.

The U.S. State Department in late February expressed concerns about Hong Kong’s
Article 23, and how it could be used to “eliminate dissent through the fear of
arrest and detention.”

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/08/hong-kongs-national-security-draft-has-life-imprisonment-for-treason.html

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SWEDEN FORMALLY JOINS NATO MILITARY ALLIANCE, ENDING CENTURIES OF NEUTRALITY

Sweden officially joined NATO as its 32nd member on Thursday, almost two years
after first applying to the military alliance.

Earlier on Thursday, the Swedish government said in a statement it was holding
an extraordinary meeting to vote on joining NATO after all current members had
approved its accession to the military alliance.

The news was then confirmed later Thursday with a statement from NATO, with
Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg saying the country was “taking its rightful
place at our table.”

“Sweden’s accession makes NATO stronger, Sweden safer, and the whole Alliance
more secure. I look forward to raising their flag at NATO HQ on Monday,” he
added.

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/07/sweden-formally-joins-nato-military-alliance-ending-decades-of-neutrality.html

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PAKISTAN ELECTION: IMRAN KHAN’S RIVALS PML-N AND PPP REACH DEAL TO FORM
GOVERNMENT. SHEHBAZ SHARIFF IS GOING TO BE NEW PM

Nawaz Sharif and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s parties in Pakistan have reached a
deal to form a government after last week’s disputed election.

Mr Bhutto’s Pakistan People’s Party said it would help Mr Sharif’s Pakistan
Muslim League elect a prime minister.

The two parties were previously in a coalition that ousted Imran Khan from power
in 2022. He is now in jail.

This time independent candidates backed by his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)
unexpectedly won the most seats.

PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari told a press conference that although his party and
the PML-N had contested elections against each other, they had come together in
the interests of the nation.

To some, the return of Sharif, or his brother Shehbaz, as the leader of any
coalition government cobbled together by the army, holds the promise of a thaw
in ties with India, given his past camaraderie with PM Narendra Modi and his
stated desire to improve ties with India.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-68287508

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THE END

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MARCH 2ND, 2024

MARCH IS AGRICULTURE LITERACY MONTH IN SASKATCHEWAN

Government of Saskatchewan proclaimed March as Agriculture Literacy Month in
Saskatchewan. Agriculture Literacy Month activities invite farmers, ranchers and
industry experts into participating classrooms, offering students the chance to
discover where their food comes from.

“Agriculture Literacy Month contributes to building an informed perspective on
the significance of farming and ranching in Saskatchewan and its impact on the
world,” Agriculture Minister David Marit said. “By ensuring our youth understand
the many hands it takes to grow safe and nutritious food, we are helping to
create a sustainable future for the industry.”

Throughout the month of March, industry volunteers, from all levels of food
production, will join classrooms to share presentations and personal experiences
to help students learn more about agriculture.

“Saskatchewan is known globally for supplying the world with high-quality food
and fertilizer, as we have the best producers and agriculture experts in the
world,” Education Minster Jeremy Cockrill said. “I thank the many industry
professionals who visit schools to share with students how important agriculture
is within our province and around the world.”

Agriculture in the classroom plays an important role in the agriculture industry
by creating awareness and understanding and inspiring the next generation to
care about the agriculture industry. This year, the Agriculture Literacy Month
theme is “Promoting Diversity in Agriculture” and features a new storybook
called “All the Famers You Will Know.”

“This year’s theme is important and timely for the industry,” Agriculture in the
Classroom Saskatchewan Executive Director Sara Shymko said. “We will need
diversity of thought, experience and skills to solve the challenges and
capitalize on the opportunities the future holds.

https://www.saskatchewan.ca/government/news-and-media/2024/march/01/march-is-agriculture-literacy-month-in-saskatchewan

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ALABAMA (UNITED STATES) SUPREME COURT RULES FROZEN EMBRYOS ARE CHILDREN,
IMPERILING IVF

The Alabama Supreme Court ruled on Feb. 16 that frozen embryos are people and
someone can be held liable for destroying them.

The Alabama Supreme Court ruled Friday that frozen embryos are people and
someone can be held liable for destroying them, a decision that reproductive
rights advocates say could imperil in vitro fertilization (IVF) and affect
the hundreds of thousands of patients who depend on treatments like it each
year.

The first-of-its-kind ruling comes as at least 11 states have broadly defined
personhood as beginning at fertilization in their state laws, according to
reproductive rights group Pregnancy Justice, and states nationwide mull
additional abortion and reproductive restrictions, elevating the issue ahead of
the 2024 elections.

What Alabama’s frozen embryos ruling means for IVF across the U.S.

The Alabama case focused on whether a patient who mistakenly dropped and
destroyed other couples’ frozen embryos could be held liable in a wrongful-death
lawsuit. The court ruled the patient could, writing that it had long held that
“unborn children are ‘children’” and that that was also true for frozen embryos,
affording the fertilized eggs the same protection as babies under the Wrongful
Death of a Minor Act.

“It applies to all children, born and unborn, without limitation,” the court
wrote. “It is not the role of this Court to craft a new limitation based on our
own view of what is or is not wise public policy. That is especially true where,
as here, the People of this State have adopted a Constitutional amendment
directly aimed at stopping courts from excluding ‘unborn life’ from legal
protection.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/02/19/alabama-supreme-court-embryos-children-ivf/

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‘THEY ONLY KNEW HOW TO FIGHT’: SCHOOL HELPS GIRLS TO HEAL AFTER BOKO HARAM

The militant group continues to abduct schoolchildren in north-eastern Nigeria,
but one school is giving survivors hope of a better life through education.

The Lafiya Sarari school was set up in response to the terror Boko Haram has
inflicted. Established in 2017 by the Neem Foundation, a Nigerian charity set up
to help communities affected by violence, the school is designed to provide
support and education to those who have suffered trauma.

“What we do is a trauma-informed learning approach,” says Dr Fatima Akilu, a
psychologist who helped set up the foundation. “It’s not a set programme.”

She says: “Some people have post-traumatic stress disorder, some come in with
depression, some come with anxiety – it changes.

Dr Fatima Akilu, a psychologist and executive director of the Neem
Foundation. Photograph: Courtesy Neem Foundation

“We used to have a psychologist in the early days when we first started, but now
all we have is a full-time counsellor who knows the girls, who has been with
them throughout.”

Boko Haram has targeted schools as part of its campaign of atrocities in
north-eastern Nigeria since 2010. It has carried out massacres and multiple
abductions, including 2014’s killing of 59 schoolboys, the kidnapping of 276
schoolgirls in Chibok in 2014 and 101 girls in Dapchi in 2018.

Between 2013 and 2018, according to the UN, Boko Haram abducted more than 1,000
children, using them as soldiers and domestic or sex slaves. Amnesty
International has estimated that 1,436 schoolchildren and 17 teachers were
abducted between December 2020 and October 2021.

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2024/feb/20/nigeria-borno-lafiya-sarari-school-psychological-support-girls-abducted-boko-haram

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STABILITY AI PREVIEWS STABLE DIFFUSION 3 TEXT-TO-IMAGE MODEL

London-based AI lab Stability AI has announced an early preview of its new
text-to-image model, Stable Diffusion 3. The advanced generative AI model aims
to create high-quality images from text prompts with improved performance across
several key areas.

According to Stability AI, Stable Diffusion 3 has significantly better abilities
for handling multi-subject image generation compared to previous versions. This
allows users to include more detailed prompts with multiple elements and achieve
better results.

In addition to improvements with complex prompts, the new model boasts upgraded
overall image quality and spelling accuracy. Stability AI claims these upgrades
solve some consistency and coherence issues that have impacted past
text-to-image models.

Readers can view 2 minute video to understand whats is Diffusion model 3

.https://www.artificialintelligence-news.com/2024/02/23/stability-ai-previews-stable-diffusion-3-text-to-image-model/

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WHAT WAS AGREED AT WTO (WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION) NEGOTIATIONS IN ABU DHABI?

ABU DHABI, March 1 (Reuters) – World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiators failed
to break a deadlock on major reforms in the early hours of Saturday despite
talks extending deep into overtime in Abu Dhabi, in what some delegates said was
a triumph of national interest over collective responsibility.
Here is a summary of what was achieved and what was not:

E-COMMERCE

– Countries agreed to extend a moratorium, opens new tab on placing tariffs on
digital goods until the next ministerial conference in two years’ time. Then the
deal is set to expire at the start of that meeting, requiring more extensive
negotiations.

– Several countries, including India and South Africa, were opposed to the
extension of a moratorium on e-commerce backed by the vast majority of countries
and seen as vital to businesses to avoid tariffs on digital goods like film
downloads.

DISPUTE SETTLEMENT

– Countries agreed to commit to continue negotiations in 2024 to try to resolve
a crisis in its dispute settlement system whose top court has been hobbled for
four years due to U.S. opposition.

This means many trade disputes are unresolved since countries can appeal them
into a legal void and the WTO’s rules cannot be enforced.

– India’s minister Piyush Goyal has said it is “sad” countries are obstructing
outcomes. He did not mention Washington directly but said he had raised a lack
of progress on fixing the WTO’s dispute system with U.S. Trade Representative
Katherine Tai in a meeting earlier this week.

– Tai has said negotiations on this issue are positive and have shown progress.
However, delegates say obstacles abound and are privately sceptical of them
making much further headway in a U.S. presidential election year.

– A group of countries sought to reach a friendly agreement, supported by the
European Union, to refrain from appealing WTO disputes into the void but this
did not win consensus among members in Abu Dhabi, trade sources said.

Advertisement · Scroll to continue

AGRICULTURE

– No agreement was reached in Abu Dhabi.

– India, which is facing farmer protests at home and has elections due by May,
had sought a permanent solution on public stockholding (PSH) – a term that
refers to state policies on food procurement aimed at ensuring food security.

– Two alternative solutions were envisaged in a draft agreement. One aimed to
find a permanent solution to the issue at this meeting and the other one commits
to intensify negotiations and extend to other developing countries the
privileges only India currently enjoys under WTO rules.

– India rejected the second proposal, intended to appease them, in talks between
a few key countries including the United States, Brazil and China, a source in
the room said.

FISHERIES

– No deal was reached in Abu Dhabi.

– Countries had tried to agree to the second part of an international WTO
agreement to curb government subsidies that critics say encourage industrial
fishing fleets to empty the world’s oceans. A first part was agreed in 2022 and
will take effect if and when enough countries ratify it.

– Many participants, including USTR’s Tai, saw this as the most likely topic
where a deal could be reached. Environmentalists say it is vital for the world’s
oceans.

– The chair of the talks issued a new draft agreement on Friday morning with a
few sections still in yellow, indicating areas of non-agreement including rules
for phase-in periods for developing countries.

Reporting by Emma Farge; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise and Diane Craft

https://www.reuters.com/world/what-was-agreed-wto-negotiations-abu-dhabi-2024-03-02/

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VLADIMIR PUTIN ANNOUNCES RUSSIA CLOSE TO CREATING CANCER VACCINES

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday announced a significant
breakthrough in cancer research. Putin said that Russian scientists are close to
creating vaccines for the life-threatening disease of cancer, and it will be
accessible to patients soon.

Speaking about future technologies at a Moscow forum, Putin said, “We have come
very close to the creation of so-called cancer vaccines and immunomodulatory
drugs of a new generation,” reported Reuters.

He added, “I hope that soon they will be effectively used as methods of
individual therapy.” However, the Russian President did not clarify the types of
cancer the proposed vaccines are for and how they would work.

According to Reuters, currently, several countries and companies are working on
cancer vaccines. The United Kingdom government signed an agreement with a
Germany-based biotechnology company BioNTech last year. The objective of signing
the agreement was to launch clinical trials providing “personalised cancer
treatments”, aiming to reach up to 10,000 patients by 2030, reported Reuters.

Additionally, pharmaceutical companies such as Moderna and Merck & Co are on the
path of developing an experimental cancer vaccine that a mid-stage study has
shown to cut chances of recurrence or death from melanoma, according to Reuters.
Melanoma is considered the deadliest form of skin cancer.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there are six licensed
vaccines against human papillomaviruses (HPV). But these vaccines also cause
many cancers, including cervical cancer. Additionally, the vaccines against
hepatitis B (HBV) may lead to liver cancer, according to WHO.

During the Coronavirus pandemic worldwide, Russia was the country that developed
its own Sputnik V vaccine to fight against COVID-19. Following the development,
Russia also sold the Sputnik V vaccine to several countries. However,
domestically the vaccine ran up against the widespread public reluctance to get
vaccinated, reported Reuters. President Putin claimed that he had taken Sputnik
V to assure people of its efficacy and safety.

https://www.cnbctv18.com/healthcare/vladimir-putin-announces-russia-close-to-creating-cancer-vaccines-19056911.htm

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PUTIN WARNS NATO OF RISK OF NUCLEAR WAR IN MAJOR SPEECH TO RUSSIAN PARLIAMENT

Putin also said Russia will fight back and “defeat” Nato on their own territory
against the threat of expansion, which he warned could trigger a nuclear war.

He said:

> They are preparing to strike our territory and using the best possible forces
> most effective forces to do so.
>
> But we remember the fate of those who tried to invade our territory and of
> course their fate will be much more tragic than anything that we could face.
>
> They have to understand that we also have weapons. Weapons that can defeat
> them on their own territory and of course all this is very dangerous because
> it could actually trigger the use of nuclear weapons. Do they not understand
> that?
>
> These people are people who have not been through arduous experiences. They’ve
> forgotten about it, but we did through the Caucasian war, for example, and now
> in the conflict in Ukraine.
>
> KREMLIN WARNS OF CONFLICT WITH NATO IF ALLIANCE TROOPS FIGHT IN UKRAINE
>
> Reuters reports
>
> The Kremlin has suggested that conflict between Russia and the US-led Nato
> military alliance would become inevitable if European members of Nato sent
> troops to fight in Ukraine.
>
> Sweden, Poland and the Czech Republic have distanced themselves from Emmanuel
> Macron saying on Monday that there was “no consensus” on sending western
> troops to Ukraine but “nothing should be excluded”.
>
> “The very fact of discussing the possibility of sending certain contingents to
> Ukraine from Nato countries is a very important new element,” Kremlin
> spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters when asked about Macron’s remarks.
>
> Asked by reporters what the risks of a direct Russia-Nato conflict would be if
> Nato members sent their troops to fight in Ukraine, Peskov said:
>
> “In that case, we would need to talk not about the probability, but about the
> inevitability (of a direct conflict).”
>
> French officials have become worried there has been no single galvanising
> western force responding to Vladimir Putin putting his economy on such an
> effective war footing, and insufficiently clear practical responses had
> emerged from the west.
>
> Ukrainian forces report shortages of weapons and ammunition, as a grinding
> stalemate gives way to Russian gains.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2024/feb/29/russia-ukraine-war-live-ukrainian-special-forces-die-in-kherson-assault

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ISRAEL GAZA: BIDEN HOPES TO SEE CEASEFIRE BY THE START OF RAMADAN

US President Joe Biden has said he hopes to see a deal for a ceasefire in the
Israel-Gaza War in time for the start of Ramadan.

The Muslim holy month, during which members of the faith fast from dawn to
sunset, will begin on 10 or 11 March.

Asked whether he expected a deal by then, Mr Biden said: “I’m hoping so. We’re
still working real hard on it.”

It comes amid tense ceasefire negotiations and as pressure builds on Mr Biden to
help curtail the conflict.

A proposed deal would see a 40-day pause in all military operations from the
start of Ramadan as well as an increased flow of aid into Gaza, a source close
to the talks told Reuters news agency.

It would also reportedly include an agreement for the release of Palestinian
prisoners in exchange for Israeli hostages at a ratio of 10 to one.

The exact start of Ramadan is marked by the first sighting of the crescent Moon,
so can vary from place to place.

* Biden treading carefully through political minefield

Calls for action to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza intensified on
Thursday after more than 100 people were killed as crowds rushed around aid
lorries delivering food.

Hamas, which governs Gaza, accused Israel of firing at civilians, but Israel
said most had died in a stampede after it fired warning shots.

Following the incident, President Biden announced plans to airdrop aid into
Gaza, saying: “Innocent people got caught in a terrible war, unable to feed
their families. And you saw the response when they tried to get aid.

“But we need to do more, and the United States will do more.”

Around a quarter of the population of Gaza is currently at risk of famine,
according to UN figures, but the planned air drops have been criticised by aid
groups as costly and insufficient.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-68453627

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THE END

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FEBRUARY 24, 2024

‘WE ARE NOT LETTING THE HORROR BE FORGOTTEN’: ARTISTS MARK SECOND ANNIVERSARY OF
UKRAINE INVASION

Museum of Civilian Voices in Kyiv is a repository of 100,000 stories relating to the war, including Column of the ruined lives (left). Vlada (right) is an 11-hour sequence of videos from Telegram channels in Ukraine, collected by the artists Nick Crowe and Ian Rawlinson, which will play at Outernet, central London, on 24 February

The people of Ukraine will be heard and seen as never before this weekend in
events to mark the second anniversary of the Russian invasion.

Launched in Kyiv on 22 February, the Museum of Civilian Voices is a repository
of 100,000 stories told by men, women and children living in the warzone.
Meanwhile this Saturday 24th—the anniversary itself—members of the public in
London will be able to see a “continuous artwork” based on thousands of clips
and photographs uploaded from mobile phones in Ukraine, running in a dizzying
11-hour montage at the immersive institution Outernet.

SYMBOLS OF NATIONAL RESILIENCE: THE MUSEUM OF CIVILIAN VOICES

Curators at the Kyiv museum promise an immersive, multi-media space which will
“plunge” visitors into the lives and experiences of the Ukrainian people. It
covers events since 2014, when a revolution overthrew the then Moscow-friendly
regime, which in turn led to militants armed with Russian weapons annexing
Crimea.

Organisers believe that exhibits relating to everyday aspects of Ukrainians’
lives, including their possessions and images of their pets, will help outsiders
identify with the trauma they’re going through. Nastia Tykha became known around
the world after a photograph of her and her 19 dogs went viral. “We have
evacuated with our entire animal shelter,” she explains. A woman called Nadiya
Svatko says, “My wardrobe and cockerel are signs that victory will be ours.” Her
belongings, which somehow survived the flattening of her home, are seen as
symbols of national resilience.

https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2024/02/23/we-are-not-letting-the-horror-be-forgotten-artists-mark-second-anniversary-of-ukraine-invasion

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MEXICO OVERTAKES CHINA AS THE LEADING SOURCE OF GOODS IMPORTED TO U.S.

Feb 7, 2024 2:26 PM EST

WASHINGTON (AP) — For the first time in more than two decades, Mexico last year
surpassed China as the leading source of goods imported to the United States.
The shift reflects the growing tensions between Washington and Beijing as well
as U.S. efforts to import from countries that are friendlier and closer to home.

Figures released Wednesday by the U.S. Commerce Department show that the value
of goods imported to the United States from Mexico rose nearly 5 percent from
2022 to 2023, to more than $475 billion. At the same time, the value of Chinese
imports imports tumbled 20 percent to $427 billion.

Economic relations between the United States and China have severely
deteriorated in recent years as Beijing has fought aggressively on trade and
made ominous military gestures in the Far East. The Trump administration began
imposing tariffs on Chinese imports in 2018, arguing that Beijing’s trade
practices violated global trade rules.

President Joe Biden retained those tariffs after taking office in 2021, making
clear that antagonism toward China would be a rare area of common ground for
Democrats and Republicans.

As an alternative to offshoring production to China, which U.S. corporations had
long engaged in, the Biden administration has urged companies to seek suppliers
in allied countries (“friend-shoring”) or to return manufacturing to the United
States (“reshoring”). Supply-chain disruptions related to the COVID-19 pandemic
also led U.S. companies to seek supplies closer to the United States
(“near-shoring”).

Mexico has been among the beneficiaries of the shift away from reliance on
Chinese factories. But the picture is more complicated than it might seem. Some
Chinese manufacturers have established factories in Mexico to exploit the
benefits of the 3-year-old U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement, which allows for
duty-free trade in North America for many products.

Overall, the U.S. deficit in the trade of goods with the rest of the world — the
gap between the value of what the United States sells and what it buys abroad —
narrowed 10 percent last year to $1.06 trillion.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/mexico-overtakes-china-as-the-leading-source-of-goods-imported-to-u-s

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CHIANG MAI FLOWER FESTIVAL UNVEILS A FEAST FOR THE EYES, EXPECTS 1M VISITORS

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 04, 2024. Thailand

Chiang Mai Governor Nirat Pongsitthaworn said that the flower festival was one
of the major annual events in the province. This festival has been celebrated
continuously for a long time and stands as the only festival of its kind
in Thailand.

The event features beautifully adorned floral floats, incorporating various
flowers and plants to create visually stunning parade vehicles. When combined
with various forms of art, cultural traditions, and distinctive performances
representing the identity of the people of Chiang Mai, the flower festival has
become well-known among both Thai and international tourists.

“The Chiang Mai Flower Festival serves as a valuable cultural asset and a
significant soft power for the province. It plays a crucial role in enhancing
cultural richness and continuing the legacy of organising events. The festival
aims to evolve into a globally recognised celebration, serving as a key magnet
to attract both Thai and international tourists. This strategic approach
contributes to the further development of tourism potential and economic value
for the province of Chiang Mai,” he added.

This year’s event features a spectacular parade of floats, with a total of 25
entries from various public and private sector organisations. Each procession is
elaborately adorned with a diverse array of flowers, creating large and
beautiful displays. Tourists have the opportunity to admire and photograph all
participating floats at the Nong Buak Haad Public Park.

Chiang Mai has transformed a 12-rai (1.92 hectares) area into a vibrant space
filled with a variety of flowers, creating a lively and fragrant atmosphere.

The entire area is adorned with meticulously crafted flower sculptures and
illuminated artworks, showcasing winter flowers from both Thailand and abroad.
Featured flowers include tulips, spray roses, lilies, hydrangeas, and even rare
orchids, providing photo opportunities in the form of flower fields and flower
stalls. The event is divided into eight zones, creating a visual spectacle at an
estimated budget of over 20 million baht.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NEW RESEARCH SHOWS BABIES USE IMMUNE SYSTEM DIFFERENTLY, BUT EFFICIENTLY

Scientists have long believed that a newborn’s immune system was an immature
version of an adult’s, but new research from Cornell University shows that
newborns’ T cells—white blood cells that protect from disease—outperform those
of adults at fighting off numerous infections.

This discovery was described in a paper published in Science Immunology on Feb.
23, co-led by Brian Rudd, associate professor of microbiology and immunology,
and Andrew Grimson, professor of molecular biology and genetics.

For example, adult T cells outperform newborn T cells at tasks including
recognizing antigens, forming immunological memory and responding to repeat
infections, which has led to the belief that infant’s T cells were just a weaker
version of the adult ones. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, many were surprised
by the apparent lack of illness in infants, bringing this long-standing belief
into question.

Interested in understanding these age-related differences, Rudd and Grimson
discovered that newborn T cells are not deficient: Instead, they are involved in
a part of the immune system that does not require antigen recognition: the
innate arm of the immune system. While adult T cells use adaptive
immunity—recognizing specific germs to then fight them later—newborn T cells are
activated by proteins associated with innate immunity, the part of the immune
system that offers rapid but nonspecific protection against microbes the body
has never encountered.

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-02-babies-immune-differently-efficiently.html

—————————————————————————————————

UNESCO
International Bureau of Education

BRIDGING CULTURES AND MINDS: THE TRANSFORMATIVE IMPACT OF MOTHER TONGUE
INTEGRATION IN CURRICULUM DESIGN

20 February 2024

UNESCO-IBE’s vision of the curriculum embraces local culture, values, and
endogenous knowledge. Mother-tongue learning is an integral part of this
approach.

Beyond cultural benefits, employing the mother tongue and local languages as the
medium of instruction in education has proved to be one of the most effective
ways to accelerate the acquisition of knowledge, foster skills development, and
enhance the overall quality of learning outcomes.

UNESCO-IBE’s vision of the curriculum embraces local culture, values, and
endogenous knowledge so that learners can learn and connect with different
cultures while recognizing universal values and nurturing their local and global
citizenship. Mother-tongue learning and multilingualism are an integral part of
this approach.

Multilingualism has been a feature of particular importance and complexity in
Africa, where school dropouts have been cited due to a lack of opportunity to
learn in their mother tongue. UNESCO’s General History of Africa (GHA)
initiative recognizes the need to revisit the colonial legacy of Africa’s
education systems and incorporate language and culture to transform education
across the continent. This shared effort ensures that the rich heritage of
Africa’s history is integrated, acknowledged and celebrated, aligning with the
aspirations of the Member States of the African Union.

https://www.ibe.unesco.org/en/articles/bridging-cultures-and-minds-transformative-impact-mother-tongue-integration-curriculum-design

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FARMERS IN ALBERTA FACE GROWING RISK OF SOIL EROSION EVENTS AS DROUGHT PERSISTS

By Amanda Stephenson The Canadian Press
Posted January 22, 2024

Nearly a century after the mass agricultural disaster known as the Dirty ’30s,
drought conditions on the Prairies are once again raising the risk that farmers’
valuable topsoil will go blowing in the wind.

Across southern Alberta, severe erosion events have been increasing in frequency
and severity in recent years. In Lethbridge County, dry and windy conditions
have been known to stir up dust clouds, obscuring the vision of drivers on local
roads and filling irrigation canals to the brim with dirt.The drifting soil also
reduces agricultural productivity, both by removing nutrients from the field
where it blows from, and by spreading weeds and damaging crops where it lands.

“It’s pretty obvious when land blows. It fills the ditches; there’s literally
drifts of soil,” said Ken Coles, executive director of the non-profit Farming
Smarter.

Coles, who also has a farm in the Lethbridge area, got a first-hand taste of it
a few years ago when strong winds picked up the top layer of a neighbours’ field
that had been weakened by drought and recent tilling, depositing more than two
feet of soil onto his own land.

“If you have a vulnerable field, as soon as particles of soil start moving,
there’s a chain reaction. The next thing you know you’ve got the whole field
moving,” Coles said.

“It’s a very extreme example of aerial soil erosion, something we saw much more
in the ’30s. But it is still happening.”

During the 1930s, drought conditions and poor farming practices coalesced to set
the stage for brutal dust storms across much of North America’s agricultural
regions.

These storms were capable of turning the sky black in the middle of the day as
millions of acres of topsoil were lifted into the sky, destroying crops and
harming livestock.

Currently, 81 per cent of Canada’s agricultural landscape is classified as
either abnormally dry or in moderate-to-severe drought conditions, according to
federal government mapping.

When drought causes crops to fail, there isn’t enough residual plant life
leftover on fields in the early spring to hold down the topsoil, said Henry
Chau, a Lethbridge-based research scientist for Agriculture and Agri-Food
Canada.

Once the soil does start to blow, it can create a vicious cycle. The top layer
of soil on a field is usually the most productive, Chau said, so losing it makes
additional crop failures more likely.

Soil loss also makes it harder for the land to absorb the precipitation that
does fall, thereby perpetuating the drought cycle.

.https://globalnews.ca/news/10241453/alberta-farmers-soil-erosion-risk/

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WHAT ARE SPACE NUKES, THE ‘INDISCRIMINATE’ SATELLITE WEAPON RAISING TENSIONS
BETWEEN WASHINGTON AND MOSCOW?

PUBLISHED THU, FEB 22 2024

A fresh spat between Washington and Moscow has raised alarm about the potential
risk of a space-based nuclear satellite attack which could cause chaos to
critical communications systems on Earth.

Russia denied U.S. claims that it was developing a space-based anti-satellite
nuclear weapon, with President Vladimir Putin saying Tuesday that the Kremlin
was “categorically against” the deployment of nuclear weapons in space, and
accusing the White House of scaring lawmakers into passing a new aid package for
Ukraine.

It comes after a Reuters report emerged earlier Tuesday, citing one source, that
said the U.S. believes Moscow is developing a space nuke whose detonation could
knock out the satellites underpinning critical U.S. infrastructure, including
military communications and mobile phone services. CNBC could not independently
verify the report.

Alarm bells around Russia’s nuclear advancements were first raised last week
when U.S. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner warned of a “serious
national security threat” related to Russian capabilities in space.

President Joe Biden later said Moscow appears to be developing an anti-satellite
weapon but noted that it posed no urgent “nuclear threat” to the U.S. people,
and said that he hoped Russia would not deploy it. However, one source familiar
with the matter told Bloomberg that such a capability could be launched into
orbit as soon as this year.

Analysts told CNBC that the deployment of such a weapon could cause
“indiscriminate” damage, reaping havoc on the systems on which people rely for
everyday services such as payments, GPS navigation and even the weather.

“Space is integral to our daily lives, whether we realize it or not,” said Kari
Bingen, director of the aerospace security project and senior fellow in the
international security program at the Center for Strategic and International
Studies.

What are space nukes and what disruption could they cause?

Space-based anti-satellite nuclear weapons — or so-called space nukes — are a
type of weapon designed to damage or destroy satellite systems. That might be
for strategic purposes, for instance to incapacitate an opponent’s military
operations, or disruptive aims, such as disabling civilian telecoms
infrastructure.

A space nuke could be deployed either from Earth or from space, ultimately
creating a huge electromagnetic pulse, or electrical surge, which could destroy
satellites and fry electronic systems. The release of radiation into the Earth’s
magnetic field could also degrade space-based satellites over time — though it
is unlikely that radiation would cause direct harm to humans.

“It’s an indiscriminate weapon,” Bingen said. “Detonation would be
omnidirectional.”

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/22/what-are-space-nukes-raising-tensions-between-moscow-and-washington.html

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ISRAEL’S PM NETANYAHU LAYS OUT GAZA PLAN FOR AFTER THE WAR

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has laid out his vision for a post-war
Gaza.

Under his plan Israel would control security indefinitely, and Palestinians with
no links to groups hostile to Israel would run the territory.

The US, Israel’s major ally, wants the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority
(PA) to govern Gaza after the war.

But the short document – which Mr Netanyahu presented to ministers last night –
makes no mention of the PA.

He has previously ruled out a post-war role for the internationally backed body.

He envisages a “demilitarised” Gaza; Israel would be responsible for removing
all military capability beyond that necessary for public order.

There would be a “Southern Closure” on the territory’s border with Egypt to
prevent smuggling both under- and overground.

And “de-radicalisation” programmes would be promoted in all religious,
educational and welfare institutions. The document suggests Arab countries with
experience of such programmes would be involved, though Mr Netanyahu has not
specified which.

* Why is the Gaza war happening?

Under the plan Israel would also maintain security control over the entire area
west of Jordan from land, sea and air.

Mr Netanyahu has been under pressure – at home and internationally – to publish
proposals for Gaza since he began his military operation. He is keen to restore
a crumbling reputation as a leader who can keep Israel safe and will want to
appeal to right wing hardliners in his coalition government.

Mr Netanyahu repeated his rejection of any unilateral recognition by Western
countries of a Palestinian state.

On Friday US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the US was opposed to any
reoccupation of Gaza by Israel as well as any reduction in the size of the
territory.

“Gaza… cannot be a platform for terrorism. There should be no Israeli
reoccupation of Gaza. The size of Gaza territory should not be reduced,” he said
at a G20 ministers meeting in Argentina.

Meanwhile negotiators trying to broker a temporary ceasefire and the release of
Israeli hostages are expected to meet in Paris.

The US wants a deal in place before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins in
just over a fortnight.

And, as the humanitarian situation worsens in Gaza, there is international
pressure too for the war to end. The Hamas-run Ministry of Health reports that
more than 29,500 people, mostly women and children, have been killed since the
war began in October.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-68379646

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THE END

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सिंगापुर में आनंद मार्ग प्रचारक संघ के वरिष्ठ सन्यासी आचार्य स्वरूपानंद अवधूत का
निधन

February 18, 2024

सिंगापुर:आनंद मार्ग प्रचारक संघ के वरिष्ठ सन्यासी आचार्य स्वरूपानंद अवधूत का
निधन आज सिंगापुर में आनंद मार्ग के अनुयायियों के बीच आध्यात्मिक उद्बोधन के
पश्चात अचानक उनका निधन हृदय गति रुक जाने के कारण हो गया।

आनंद मार्ग की स्थापना 1955 में हुई थी। स्थापना काल से ही आनंद मार्ग के संस्थापक
श्री श्री आनंदमूर्ति जी के आध्यात्मिक प्रेरणादायक विचारों से प्रभावित होकर
आचार्य स्वरूपानंद अवधूत सन्यास धर्म को अपनाए ।आनंद मार्ग संस्था में उनका परिचय
आचार्य स्वरूपानंद अवधूत के नाम से हुआ । आनंद मार्ग के हेड क्वार्टर आनंद नगर में
उन्होंने 1975 में स्वर्गीय इंदिरा गांधी की सरकार के आपातकाल के दौरान दमनकारी
नीति से नष्ट किए गए ,आनंद मार्ग के स्कूल ,कॉलेज को आचार्य स्वरूपानंद अवधूत ने
पुनः स्थापित किया था ।इस दौरान वामपंथियों का भी कहर जारी था, परंतु यह एक ऐसे वीर
सन्यासी थे की आनंदनगर कभी नहीं छोड़ा संघर्ष करते रहे । शिक्षा के जलाए हुए दीपक
को कभी बुझाने नहीं दिए । पुरुलिया जिले के आनंदनगर काफी पिछड़ा इलाका है। हजारों
बच्चों को शिक्षित कर उनके जीवन को संवारने में इनका बहुत बड़ा योगदान है ।आनंद
मार्ग गुरुकुल यूनिवर्सिटी के उप कुलपति भी थे ।हाल ही में उन्होंने आनंद मार्ग के
मुख्यालय आनंद नगर में बीएड कॉलेज की स्थापना की थी ।बहुत ही मृदु भाषी सन्यासी
थे।पिछले दिनों सिंगापुर धर्म प्रचार के लिए गए हुए थे। वही अचानक उनका निधन आनंद
मार्ग के उपस्थित भक्तों के बीच हो गया।
इस घटना से पूरा आनंद मार्ग विश्व परिवार शोक में है । इनके निधन से संस्था को बहुत
बड़ी क्षति है।

Ac Swaroopanand Avadhur dadaji at GPIF platform on the occasion of GP Day

FEBRUARY 17, 2024

IN TODAY’S TROUBLED WORLD, BUILDING PEACE ‘HUMANITY’S GREATEST RESPONSIBILITY’,
SECRETARY-GENERAL STRESSES, OUTLINING ORGANIZATION’S PRIORITIES FOR 2024

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ briefing to the General
Assembly meeting on the priorities of the Organization for 2024, in New York,
Feb 7th.

Our Organization was founded on the pursuit of peace. Peace is our raison
d’être. Yet as I scan the landscape of today’s world, the one thing missing
most dramatically is peace. And by that, I mean peace in all its dimensions.

As conflicts rage and geopolitical divisions grow, peace in our world is
threatened. As polarization deepens and human rights are trampled, peace within
communities is undermined. As inequalities explode, peace with justice is
shattered. As we continue our addiction to fossil fuels, we make a mockery of
any notion of peace with nature.

Around the globe, and across the range of issues, peace is the missing piece.
People want peace and security. People want peace and dignity. And, frankly,
they want peace and quiet.

There is so much anger and hate and noise in our world today. Every day and at
every turn, it seems — it’s war. Terrible conflicts that are killing and
maiming civilians in record numbers. Wars of words. Turf wars. Culture wars.

So many peddling the perverse math that says you multiply support by dividing
people. This is especially troubling in a year when half of humanity will go to
the polls.

Meanwhile, more and more families are falling behind. More and more countries
are drowning in debt. More and more people are losing trust in institutions and
faith in the political process.

Peace is the way out of these interlinked crises. Peace is more than a noble
vision. Peace is a rallying cry. It is a call to action. Our obligation is to
act together for peace in all its dimensions.

Despite the turbulence of our times, there are reasons for hope. At the
Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Summit, world leaders endorsed an SDG
Stimulus and the need for far-reaching reforms of the international financial
architecture.

Countries also reached agreement last year on the High Seas Treaty to protect
precious marine biodiversity from pollution and overfishing. We are making some
headway on climate justice. The loss and damage fund — provided that it is
well-resourced — will help vulnerable countries recover from the impacts of
extreme weather.

The Security Council agreed to our years-long call to back peace enforcement and
counter-terrorism operations led by regional partners, notably the African
Union, with mandates from the Council and supported by assessed contributions.
The new High Level Advisory Body on Artificial Intelligence launched a global
conversation on how this all-pervading technology can benefit us all. Looking
ahead, at the Summit of the Future in September, we have a chance to shape
multilateralism for years to come.

For reading full article, press following link

https://press.un.org/en/2024/sgsm22127.doc.htm

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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CULTURE AND ARTS EDUCATION

15 February 2024

Dance and music lessons. School trips to museums. Dialogue with indigenous
peoples. Crafts transmitted from a generation to another. Theatre festivals, web
design courses and fashion workshops. These are just some of the many shapes and
forms that connect education and culture. Together, they help us appreciate the
beauty, diversity and complexity of the world, acquire essential skills and
behaviours to thrive and build bridges between peoples and nations, today and
tomorrow.

Despite the obvious essential linkages between culture and education, they are
still not sufficiently integrated into education policies and school curricula
in many countries globally. These two fields are often considered as separate
policy entities and trajectories. Culture and arts education, the result of the
two complementary ecosystems, has the potential to bridge this gap.

UNESCO convened the World Conference on Culture and Arts Education in Abu Dhabi,
United Arab Emirates from 13 to 15 February 2024 where the first-ever global
framework in this area was adopted. Here is what you need to know about this
essential issue.

WHY IS CULTURE AND ARTS EDUCATION ESSENTIAL?

Learners engaged in culture and arts education have better academic and
non-academic learning outcomes. Engagement in various art forms, such as music,
dance, and visual arts, can enhance academic achievements, reading skills,
creative and critical thinking, agility and collaboration skills. Engagement in
such education also correlates with improved attendance, stress reduction,
resilience, perseverance, and classroom behaviours.

Culture and arts education expands the essence of learning and makes it fun by
going beyond classrooms and traditional educational approaches from lifelong
learning, to technical and vocational education and training (TVET). The
theatre stage can be a learning space, NFT art can be a promising career, and
indigenous ways of knowing and being can, and should, find their way in the
curriculum.

Culture and arts education makes learning meaningful by connecting rural with
urban, local with global. It plays a crucial role in valorizing and preserving
one’s own culture, heritage and traditions while at the same time reflecting on
them in the modern world, in the digital era, understanding everyone’s
contribution and uniqueness.

To read full article press following link:

https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/what-you-need-know-about-culture-and-arts-education

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USDA LAUNCHES CLIMATE CORPS TO ADVANCE SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE

Published Feb. 13, 2024

The Biden administration will mobilize more than 100 young people in partnership
with Americorps to help farmers improve soil health and adopt climate-smart
production practices.

* The Biden administration is recruiting the next generation of conservation
leaders to advance regenerative agriculture and other climate-smart farming
practices across U.S. farms.
* The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Monday said it will create paid service
opportunities for more than 100 young people to promote sustainable
agriculture as part of the Working Lands Climate Corps.
* The initiative is part of the American Climate Corps, an effort to train more
than 20,000 young people and prepare them for careers in a clean energy
economy.

Millions of Americans were put to work in the 1930s to restore the nation’s
public lands as part of the Civilian Conservation Corps. Now the Biden
administration hopes to revive central components of the program to create
workforce opportunities for a new generation.

Participants of the Working Lands Climate Corps will conduct outreach and
educate farmers about the availability of assistance programs to help transition
to climate-smart agriculture.

“USDA’s Working Lands Climate Corps demonstrates how the President’s historic
initiative is on the frontlines of addressing some of the most urgent challenges
facing our agricultural communities,” Ali Zaidi, national climate advisor to
President Joe Biden, said in a statement, “ensuring that farmers and ranchers
continue to play a central and growing role in developing innovative climate
solutions.”

The first cohort of members will serve with state and local organizations that
support the adoption of climate-smart agriculture practices. The National
Association of Conservation Districts will organize trainings for corps members
on topics including climate-smart agriculture practices, conservation and
resilience planning, environmental justice and outreach to farmers and rural
communities.

USDA is one of the seven agencies that signed a memorandum of understanding to
create the American Climate Corps, an initiative which puts young people on the
path to jobs in conservation, clean energy and climate resilience. More than
50,000 young people have expressed interest in the climate corps program since
it was announced in September.

https://www.agriculturedive.com/news/usda-working-lands-climate-corps-regenerative-agriculture/707391/

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KAZAKHSTAN: METHANE MEGA-LEAK WENT ON FOR MONTHS

Published Feb. 15, 2024

One of the worst methane leaks ever recorded took place last year at a remote
well in Kazakhstan, new analysis shared with BBC Verify has shown.

It is estimated that 127,000 tonnes of the gas escaped when a blowout started a
fire that raged for over six months.

Methane is much more potent a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.

Buzachi Neft, the company that owns the well, denies a “substantial amount” of
methane was leaked.

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Greenhouse Gas Equivalency
Calculator, the environmental impact of such a leak is comparable to that of
driving more than 717,000 petrol cars for a year.

The leak began on 9 June 2023, when a blowout was reported during drilling at an
exploration well in the Mangistau region, southwestern Kazakhstan, starting a
fire that raged continuously until the end of the year.

It was only brought under control on 25 December 2023. Local authorities told
the BBC work is currently being carried out to seal the well with cement.

Natural gas is primarily made of methane, a gas that is transparent to the human
eye.

But, when sunlight passes through a cloud of methane, it creates a unique
fingerprint that some satellites are able to track.

This particular methane leak was first investigated by the French geoanalytics
firm Kayrros. Their analysis has now been verified by the Netherlands Institute
for Space Research and the Polytechnic University of Valencia, in Spain.

Looking at the satellite data, scientists found high concentrations of methane
were visible on 115 separate occasions between June and December.

Based on those readings, they concluded that 127,000 tonnes of methane escaped
from this single well.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-68166298

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HOW A SIMPLE TOOL IS SAVING LIVES OF CHILDREN WITH CANCER IN LATIN AMERICA

February 15, 2024, by Nadia Jaber

Advances in the treatment of childhood cancer have led to remarkable progress.
In high-income countries like the United States, more than 80% of children with
cancer survive their disease.

In stark contrast, however, only 20% of children with cancer in lower-income
countries survive their disease. Close to one-third of those deaths are caused
not by the cancer, but by complications from the treatmentExit Disclaimer such
as severe infections, organ failure, and hemorrhage.

But an international team led by St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is hoping
to change that statistic in Latin America with a simple tool called a pediatric
early warning system (PEWS). The warning system identifies children who are
suffering from severe treatment-related complications and guides the clinical
team through the next steps for care.

Early warning systems “are pretty ubiquitously used in hospitals that care for
children in high-resource settings. But, prior to our work, [PEWS] were very
underused in resource-limited settings,” said Asya Agulnik, M.D., M.P.H.,
director of the global critical care program at St. Jude.

Through a program called Proyecto Escala de Valoración de Alerta Temprana
(EVAT), Dr. Agulnik and the team have supported implementation of an early
warning system in nearly 100 hospitals across Latin America and Spain.

The results have been consistent and extremely positive: the early warning
system has helped save the lives of many children hospitalized with cancer.

“Childrens’ health conditions were deteriorating, and we didn’t know until they
were in critical condition,” said one nurse at a hospital in Ecuador. “But with
[PEWS] everything changed … [now] we don’t wait until it’s too late” to escalate
their care.

But will these hospitals continue to use the early warning system long-term?

That’s a critical question because only long-term use of tools like PEWS
“results in truly beneficial progress,” said Marie Ricciardone, Ph.D., a program
director in NCI’s Center for Global Health.

Through a 7-year project funded by NCI, a team of researchers at St. Jude and
Washington University aim to learn what factors help keep the early warning
system in use at low-resource hospitals in Latin America. And once they
understand what makes PEWS stick, the funding will also help them develop
strategies to keep the tool in use at hospitals that are struggling to maintain
it.

There’s been very little research on what promotes sustained use of effective
programs and tools, noted Virginia McKay, Ph.D., of Washington University in St.
Louis, the project’s co-leader.

And even less is known about sustaining health programs and tools in
low-resource settings, Dr. McKay explained. But sustainability is especially
important in that context because the initial investment for implementing a new
program or tool is typically expensive, she argued.

“In low-resource settings, you may only get one opportunity every once in a
while to do something new because the resources are so constrained. So, it’s
really important that [the new program or tool] is sustainable,” Dr. McKay
explained.

“If [the new project is] successful, it has the potential to really remarkably
change the outcomes for pediatric cancer in Latin America,” emphasized Dr.
Ricciardone, who oversees the study’s funding.

DEATHS RELATED TO CANCER TREATMENT

Childhood cancer is an unforgiving disease that, in many cases, requires intense
and harsh treatment. Doctors strive to give each child enough treatment to knock
the cancer out for good, but not so much that the child’s body is irreparably
harmed.

It’s a delicate balancing act that isn’t always achieved. Sometimes,
complications from the treatment can tragically take a child’s life.

While such deaths are a rare occurrence in high-income countries, they are a
significant challenge in low- and middle-income countries, where there are few
medical facilities and specialized resources to meet the unique needs of
children with cancer.

https://www.cancer.gov/news-events/cancer-currents-blog/2024/childhood-cancer-latin-america-catching-treatment-complications

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WATCH INDIA LAUNCH POWERFUL WEATHER SATELLITE TO ORBIT ON FEB. 17

Liftoff is scheduled for 17:00 hour IST on Saturday (Feb. 17).

India’s INSAT-3DS weather and disaster-warning satellite is seen shortly before
its encapsulation into the payload fairing of its GLSV rocket. (Image credit:
ISRO via X)

If all goes according to plan on Saturday, the three-stage GSLV will deploy
INSAT-3DS into geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO). The satellite will then make
its own way to geostationary orbit, which lies 22,236 miles (35,786 kilometers)
above Earth.

At this altitude, satellites complete one orbit in the same amount of time it
takes our planet to spin once around its axis (one Earth day). Geostationary
spacecraft therefore seem to “hover” over the same patch of ground, making this
a popular orbit for telecommunications and weather satellites.

INSAT-3DS falls into the latter category. The satellite, which was funded by
India’s Ministry of Earth Sciences, “is designed for enhanced meteorological
observations and monitoring of land and ocean surfaces for weather forecasting
and disaster warning,” ISRO officials wrote in a mission description.

“The satellite will augment the meteorological services along with the presently
operational INSAT-3D and INSAT-3DR satellites,” they added.

link to watch live

https://www.isro.gov.in/GSLVF14_INSAT_3DS_Livestreaming.html

https://www.space.com/india-insat-3ds-weather-satellite-launch

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ASIA ECONOMY

JAPAN’S ECONOMY UNEXPECTEDLY SLIPS INTO RECESSION, HURT BY WEAK DOMESTIC DEMAND

PUBLISHED WED, FEB 14 20247:00 PM ESTUPDATED WED, FEB 14 202410:29 PM EST

Japan’s economy dipped into a technical recession, after unexpectedly
contracting again in the October-December period, provisional government
data showed Thursday. High inflation crimped domestic demand and private
consumption in what’s now the world’s fourth-largest economy.

The latest gross domestic product print complicates the case for interest rate
normalization for Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda and fiscal policy support
for Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. It also means Germany took Japan’s
place as the third-largest economy in the world last year in dollar terms.

Provisional gross domestic product contracted 0.4% in the fourth quarter
compared with a year ago, after a revised 3.3% slump in the July-September
period. This was way below the median estimate for 1.4% growth in a Reuters poll
among economists. The GDP deflator in the fourth quarter stood at 3.8% on an
annualized basis.

The Japanese economy also contracted 0.1% in the fourth quarter from the
previous quarter, after shrinking a revised 0.8% in the third quarter from the
second. This was also weaker than expectations for 0.3% expansion.

“Whether Japan has now entered a recession is debatable, though,” Marcel
Thieliant, Capital Economics’ head of Asia-Pacific, wrote in a client note.

“While job vacancies have weakened, the unemployment rate dropped to an
eleven-month low of 2.4% in December. What’s more, the Bank of Japan’s Tankan
survey showed that business conditions across all industries and firm sizes were
the strongest they’ve been since 2018 in Q4,” he added.

“Either way, growth is set to remain sluggish this year as the household savings
rate has turned negative,” Thieliant said.

High inflation, weak domestic demand

Private consumption declined 0.2% in the fourth quarter from the previous
quarter, in contrast to the median estimate for a 0.1% expansion.

While inflation has been gradually slowing, the so-called “core core inflation”
— inflation minus food and energy prices — has exceeded BOJ’s 2% target for 15
straight months now. Still, the BOJ has “patiently continued” with the last
negative-rate regime in the world.

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/15/japan-q4-2023-gdp.html

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UKRAINE: COUNTING THE HUMAN COST OF THE WAR

The exact number of casualties is impossible to establish, with both sides
giving little information about their losses, to avoid undermining morale among
the troops and wider public.

In two years of war in Ukraine since the Russian invasion on February 24, 2022,
tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians have lost their lives.

The exact number of casualties is impossible to establish, with both sides
giving little information about their losses, to avoid undermining morale among
the troops and wider public.

The UN’s human rights office said in mid-January it had confirmed the deaths of
10,382 civilians in Ukraine and a further 19,659 injured since Russia’s invasion
but that the real number was likely higher.

The number of civilian casualties increased significantly in December 2023 and
January 2024 compared with previous months, reversing a trend of decreasing
civilian casualties earlier in the year, it said.

Nearly 8,000 of the deaths were in Ukraine-controlled territory and more than
2,000 in zones occupied by Russia.

Ukraine’s national police has recorded nearly 10,000 civilian deaths, along with
7,000 missing and 11,000 injured in the territory it controls, according to an
official on January 31.

But Ukrainian authorities say thousands more civilians were killed during the
siege of the southern port city of Mariupol in the early months of war, before
it was taken over by Russia.

A town hall official told Ukrainian television in February 2023 that at least
25,000 civilians had been buried in mass graves there.

Across the Russian border, at least 138 civilians have been killed, according to
the Russian news site 7×7.

‘Hundreds of thousands’ of soldiers

The military on both sides has kept its casualty figures under wraps due to
their sensitivity.

The last official figures date back to mid-2022 and are therefore to be treated
with caution.

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said in September 2022 that 5,937 Russian
soldiers had been killed.

According to Kyiv, by August 2022, 9,000 Ukrainian troops had been killed.

All estimates since have come from foreign intelligence services.

In August 2023, the New York Times quoted US officials as putting Ukraine’s
military losses at 70,000 dead and between 100,000 and 120,000 injured.

The report cited them as estimating 120,000 dead and between 170,000 and 180,000
injured on the Russian side.

On January 29 in a written response to a parliamentary question UK Armed Forces
minister James Heappey put the Russian losses at more than 350,000 dead and
injured.

On February 8 the Ukrainian army estimated it had killed or injured more than
392,000 Russian troops since the invasion.

Kyiv does not specify whether the tolls include losses among pro-Russian
separatists in eastern Ukraine and mercenaries from the Wagner paramilitary
group or just the Russian army.

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/ukraine-counting-the-human-cost-of-the-war/articleshow/107619755.cms

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ISRAEL’S WAR AGAINST HAMAS, NOW IN ITS FIFTH MONTH, HAS DEVASTATED GAZA’S
HOSPITALS

February 14, 2024

JERUSALEM: The war between Israel and Hamas, now in its fifth month, has
devastated hospitals in the Gaza Strip, with less than half of them only
partially functioning as Israel’s daily bombardments kill and wound scores of
people. Israel accuses the militants of using hospitals and other civilian
buildings as cover.

Palestinians began evacuating the main hospital in the southern Gaza town of
Khan Younis, according to videos shared by medics on Wednesday. The Israeli
military said it had opened a secure route to allow civilians to leave the
hospital, while medics and patients could remain inside.

The number of Palestinians killed during the war in Gaza has surpassed 28,000
people, according to the Health Ministry in Gaza. A quarter of Gaza’s residents
are starving.

The United States, which has provided crucial military and diplomatic support to
Israel, has been working with Qatar and Egypt to try and broker a cease-fire and
the return of the remaining 130 Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, around a
fourth of whom are believed to be dead.

However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blamed Hamas for making
unrealistic demands during cease-fire negotiations in Cairo. His remarks late
Wednesday came hours after local media reported Netanyahu ordered an Israeli
delegation not to return to the talks.

Read more at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/107698428.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

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UKRAINE RUSSIA WAR: US WARNS AVDIIVKA COULD FALL

Smoke rises over an industrial site in Avdiivka on Feb 17th.

“Avdiivka is at risk of falling into Russian control,” National Security Council
spokesman John Kirby said, citing Ukraine’s ammunition shortages.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed to do everything to “save as many
Ukrainian lives as possible”.

Russian troops have made gains in Avdiivka, threatening to encircle it.

The town – which has been almost completely destroyed – is seen as a gateway to
nearby Donetsk, the regional Ukrainian capital seized by Russian-backed fighters
in 2014 and later illegitimately annexed by Moscow.

Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24
February 2022.

At Thursday’s briefing in Washington, Mr Kirby said Avdiivka could fall largely
“because the Ukrainian forces on the ground are running out of artillery
ammunition”.

“Russia is sending wave after wave of conscript forces to attack Ukrainian
positions,” he said.

“And because Congress has yet to pass the supplemental bill, we have not been
able to provide Ukraine with the artillery shells that they desperately need to
disrupt these Russian assaults.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-68313306

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FEBRUARY 10, 2024

FAMINE EXPERT ALEX DE WAAL ON ISRAEL’S STARVATION OF GAZA

BOSTON, United States

While there hasn’t been an official declaration, famine is already taking place
in parts of the Gaza Strip, UN officials said this week. It has arrived with
unprecedented speed, as Israel has laid total siege to the enclave for more than
three months and carried out a massive bombing campaign that has destroyed much
of the infrastructure needed to sustain life.

The deliberate starvation of civilians is a war crime, and the allegation that
Israel is creating the risk of death from starvation in Gaza is central to the
case being brought by South Africa at the International Court of Justice (ICJ)
accusing Israel of genocide.

To better understand the hunger situation in Gaza, The New Humanitarian sat down
with Alex de Waal, executive director of the World Peace Foundation at the
Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University in the US, and an
expert of famine and humanitarian crises.

As starvation and deadly disease outbreaks spread, UN agencies are calling for a
fundamental change in the amount of aid entering Gaza as well as increased
access and safety guarantees from Israel to allow humanitarian activities to
take place inside the territory.

But even if there is a massive increase in the amount of assistance entering
Gaza, the dire conditions are “not something that can be turned around
overnight”, de Waal said. And if the aid delivery and access situation isn’t
soon reversed, “it won’t be long before children, young children, start dying in
large numbers of hunger and disease,” he added.

https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/interview/2024/01/18/israel-icj-gaza-famine-starvation-de-waal

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ISRAEL’S WAR IN GAZA HAS EXPOSED A DEEPENING GLOBAL DIVIDE

When members of the legal team representing South Africa in its case against
Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) arrived home this week, they
were mobbed like rockstars by a crowd gathered at an airport in
Johannesburg, waving South African and Palestinian flags.

Reactions from the Global North to the ICJ case have been mixed. While some
nations have maintained a cautious diplomatic stance, others, particularly
Israel’s staunchest allies in the West, have criticized South Africa’s move.

The US has stood by Israel through the war by continuing to ship arms to it,
opposing a ceasefire, and vetoing many UN Security Council resolutions that
aimed to bring a halt to the fighting. The Biden administration has rubbished
the claim that Israel is committing genocide as “meritless,” while the UK has
refused to back South Africa.

“The Israel-Gaza war and its subsequent events like this case are highlighting
growing fissures between the once dominant West and its key allies like Israel
and emerging powers gathered around BRICS states like South Africa,” Remi
Adekoya, a political lecturer at the University of York in England, told CNN.

Much of the non-Western world opposes the war in Gaza; China has joined the
22-member Arab League in calling for a ceasefire, while several Latin American
nations have expelled Israeli diplomats in protest, and several Asian and
African countries have joined Muslim and Arab nations in backing South Africa’s
case against Israel at the ICJ.

Israel sided with the West against Soviet-backed Arab regimes during the Cold
War, and Western countries largely view it “as a fellow member of the liberal
democratic club,” he added. “Some of this explains the continued strong Western
support for Israel – which has now largely become reflexive.”

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/israels-war-in-gaza-has-exposed-a-deepening-global-divide/ar-BB1gXevC?ocid=sapphireappshare

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FIRE KILLS 13 IN A SCHOOL DORM IN CENTRAL CHINA

A fire in the dormitory of a kindergarten and elementary school in central China
killed 13 people, Chinese state-owned news media reported on Saturday.

A 14th person was being treated for injuries in a hospital after the fire broke
out on Friday night, China Central Television said. Firefighters were called at
11 p.m., and the blaze was extinguished by 11:38, according to the television
report, which also said that the head of the school had been taken into custody.
The CCTV report provided no further details, including whether any of the dead
were children.

A teacher from the school told an online media outlet, Zonglan News, that all
the victims were in the same third-grade class. It did not give the teacher’s
name.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/19/world/asia/fire-school-dorm-china.html

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FARMERS IN WALES: WHY ARE THEY READY TO PROTEST?

Scenes of farmers protesting in their tractors across Europe have claimed the
headlines recently.

From country to country the reasons for farmers’ unhappiness varies – but rising
costs, tighter regulations and policy changes are common complaints.

Now farmers are also threatening action, claiming that the Welsh government has
turned its back on the countryside.

SUSTAINABLE FARMING SCHEME

The spark that ignited the flames here was probably the publication of the
latest consultation on the Sustainable Farming Scheme.

This is the Welsh government’s big plan for funding the industry after Brexit –
which puts a lot more emphasis on the environment.

In order to gain access to the scheme, farmers will have to commit to planting
10% of their land with trees, and earmark another 10% as wildlife habitat.

Arguing that this isn’t practical while keeping a farm business going, many are
concerned that the other requirements of the scheme will overwhelm them with
paperwork.

On the other hand, the government is also under pressure from environmentalists
to ensure that the plan is ambitious.

As 80% of Wales’ landscape is under the care of farmers, the argument is that
they have a key role to play in helping the effort to tackle climate change and
the losses in nature.

For more details please read full article at

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-68254174

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SCIENTISTS AT C3S SAID THE GLOBAL MEAN TEMPERATURE FOR THE PAST 12 MONTHS
(FEBRUARY 2023-JANUARY 2024) WAS THE HIGHEST ON RECORD AND 1.52° CELSIUS ABOVE
THE 1850-1900 PRE-INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE

Every month since June last year has been the warmest such month on record.

The world last month experienced the warmest January on record, with the global
mean temperature for the past 12 months exceeding the 1.5° Celsius threshold,
according to the European climate agency.

However, this does not imply a permanent breach of the 1.5-degree Celsius limit
specified in the Paris agreement, as it refers to long-term warming over many
years.

Scientists attribute the exceptional warming to the combined effects of El
Niño — a period of abnormal warming of surface waters in the central Pacific
Ocean — and human-caused climate change.

PARIS AGREEMENT

In 2015, countries agreed in Paris to limit the average temperature rise to well
below 2° Celsius, and preferably to 1.5° Celsius, compared to pre-industrial
levels (1850-1900), to avoid worsening climate impacts.

Multiple reports suggest that the world is significantly off track to limit
global warming to 1.5° Celsius. To achieve this goal, countries together need to
cut down the emissions of planet-warming greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide
and methane by 43% by 2030.

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/january-2024-warmest-on-record-european-climate-agency/article67824016.ece

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NASA’S JPL LAYS OFF HUNDREDS OF WORKERS

In a disheartening turn of events, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory has
announced that it’s laying off about 8% of its workforce. That means that about
530 JPL employees will be let go, along with about 40 employees of the Lab’s
contractors. That sucks for the people being let go, but the bigger concern for
the rest of us is what will happen to upcoming missions like Mars Sample Return
(MSR)?

These layoffs have nothing to do with the individuals affected or with JPL’s
activities. It’s all budget wrangling, something that is a near-constant in a
democracy. There’s only so much money, and there’s always an excess of things to
spend it on.

In this case, NASA has passed on funding constraints to JPL, and while JPL has
tried to manage them, the result is this announcement.

“After exhausting all other measures to adjust to a lower budget from NASA, and
in the absence of an FY24 appropriation from Congress, we have had to make the
difficult decision to reduce the JPL workforce through layoffs,” a statement
from JPL explained.

Without a Fiscal Year 2024 appropriation, there isn’t enough money in NASA’s
budget to keep everything going. In fact, NASA and JPL have been waiting for an
appropriation of some kind of final word on 2024 funding for the MSR mission but
haven’t received any clear indication. JPL has been dealing with the uncertainty
by streamlining operations and making changes in the last several months, but
now they say their hand is forced.

“While we still do not have an FY24 appropriation or the final word from
Congress on our Mars Sample Return (MSR) budget allocation, we are now in a
position where we must take further significant action to reduce our spending,
which will result in layoffs of JPL employees and an additional release of
contractors,” said JPL’s statement.

.https://www.universetoday.com/165651/nasas-jpl-lays-off-hundreds-of-workers/#more-165651

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CHINA ECONOMY

CHINA’S CENTRAL BANK ENCOURAGES LOCAL BUSINESSES TO ACCEPT FOREIGN PAYMENT CARDS

PUBLISHED WED, FEB 7 20247:25 PM EST

BEIJING — China is encouraging banks and local businesses to accept foreign bank
cards and is considering other steps to make mobile pay for international
visitors even easier, said Zhang Qingsong, deputy governor of the People’s Bank
of China.

“Banks and vendors (such as hotels, restaurants, department stores and even
coffee shops) are encouraged to accept foreign bankcards,” Zhang said.

His written comments, exclusive to CNBC, come as Beijing has stepped up efforts
to encourage visits from foreign tourists and business people. In the last few
months, authorities have enacted visa-free travel policies for residents of
several European and Southeast Asian countries — after stringent border controls
during the pandemic.

Mobile pay took off in China in the last several years. But while it’s been
convenient for locals to scan a QR code with a smartphone to pay, financial
system restrictions have also meant foreigners often found it difficult to make
payments. Shopping malls have increasingly preferred not to accept foreign
credit cards.

But that’s started to change in recent months.

Last summer, the two dominant mobile pay apps WeChat and AliPay started allowing
verified users to connect their international credit cards — such as those
from Visa. Tencent owns WeChat, while AliPay is operated by Alibaba affiliate
Ant Group.

“We are fully aware that foreign visitors care very much about their privacy,”
Zhang said “We take this issue seriously and have put in place measures for
information protection.”

“Now, when using Alipay or WeChat Pay, foreign visitors do not need to provide
ID information if their total annual transaction volume is under $500,” he said.
“It is estimated that over 80% transactions are below this threshold. We are
also looking at the possibility of raising the $500 threshold in the future.”

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/08/chinas-central-bank-encourages-local-businesses-to-accept-foreign-payment-cards.html

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PUTIN, IN RARE U.S. INTERVIEW, SAYS RUSSIA HAS NO INTEREST IN ATTACKING POLAND
OR LATVIA

By David Ljunggren, Ronald Popeski and David Brunnstrom

12:04 JST, February 9, 2024

Feb 8 (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview that
aired on Thursday that Russia will fight for its interests but has no interest
in expanding its war in Ukraine to other countries such as Poland and Latvia.

Putin made the comment in a more than two-hour interview with Tucker Carlson,
his first with an American journalist since before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
nearly two years ago.

Asked if he could imagine a scenario in which he would send Russian troops to
Poland, a NATO member. Putin replied:

“Only in one case, if Poland attacks Russia. Why? Because we have no interest in
Poland, Latvia or anywhere else. Why would we do that? We simply don’t have any
interest.”

whereas, Trump has called for de-escalation of the war in Ukraine, in which the
Biden administration has strongly backed the government of Ukrainian President
Volodymyr Zelenskiy, and complained about the billions of dollars in aid sent so
far.

.https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/news-services/reuters/20240209-167774/

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PRESS RELEASE

7 FEBRUARY 2024

IN TODAY’S TROUBLED WORLD, BUILDING PEACE ‘HUMANITY’S GREATEST RESPONSIBILITY’,
UN SECRETARY-GENERAL STRESSES, OUTLINING ORGANIZATION’S PRIORITIES FOR 2024

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ briefing to the General
Assembly meeting on the priorities of the Organization for 2024, in New York.

Around the globe, and across the range of issues, peace is the missing piece.
People want peace and security. People want peace and dignity. And, frankly,
they want peace and quiet.

So many peddling the perverse math that says you multiply support by dividing
people. This is especially troubling in a year when half of humanity will go to
the polls.

Meanwhile, more and more families are falling behind. More and more countries
are drowning in debt. More and more people are losing trust in institutions and
faith in the political process.

To read full article press below link

https://press.un.org/en/2024/sgsm22127.doc.htm

That's all for this week. Stay tuned to Navacetana Saturday weekly. Your feedback, Suggestions, Creative criticism is always welcome at navcetana@gmail.com

=================================================

FEBRUARY 3, 2024

U.S. HITS IRANIAN PROXIES IN IRAQ, SYRIA IN RETALIATION FOR DEADLY STRIKES

Biden administration escalates military’s effort to deter militias after drone
killed U.S. troops in Jordan

The U.S. military has mounted a series of air and missile strikes against
Iranian proxies in Iraq and Syria, NPR has confirmed, in retaliation for a
suicide drone strike that killed three American soldiers on Sunday at a remote
base in Jordan.

The airstrikes, which used more than 125 precision munitions, came at 4 p.m. ET
Friday and struck more than 85 targets, U.S. Central Command said in a
statement.

“The facilities that were struck included command and control operations,
centers, intelligence centers, rockets, and missiles, and unmanned aired vehicle
storages, and logistics and munition supply chain facilities of militia groups
and their IRGC sponsors who facilitated attacks against U.S. and Coalition
forces,” CENTCOM said, referring to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps.

John Kirby, a spokesman for the National Security Council, told reporters Friday
that in all seven facilities used by IRGC and its proxies were hit — three in
Iraq and four in Syria. The strikes, he said, occurred over 30 minutes. The
Iraqi government was informed beforehand, he said.

In a statement after the strikes, Biden said: “Our response began today. It will
continue at times and places of our choosing. The United States does not seek
conflict in the Middle East or anywhere else in the world. But let all those who
might seek to do us harm know this: If you harm an American, we will respond.”

The U.S. attacks were telegraphed for days. Biden told reporters outside the
White House earlier this week he had decided on a response. And lawmakers were
told by senior administration officials that the president wanted military
options “a level or two up” from the “whack-a-mole strikes we had been doing on
(militia) storage and launch sites.”

https://www.npr.org/2024/02/02/1228132782/us-biden-iran-drone-response-strike

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A U.N. AGENCY IS ACCUSED OF LINKS TO HAMAS. THE CLUES WERE THERE ALL ALONG.

THE WESTERN-FUNDED GROUP PROVIDING LIFESAVING AID IN GAZA HAS LONG STRUGGLED TO
DEFEND ITS NEUTRALITY FROM MILITANTS

For years, international relief workers and the Israeli military have reported
weapons caches occasionally found in schools operated by the United Nations
Relief and Works Agency, the organization that for decades has provided
schooling, healthcare and other assistance to Palestinian refugees in Gaza.

Suspicions that Hamas and other militant groups wielded untoward influence over
Unrwa spread worldwide this week after Israeli intelligence reported that a
dozen employees of the U.N. agency allegedly participated in the Oct. 7 attacks
on Israel.

What began as a small agency providing tents, food and other emergency relief
for refugees of the 1948 Arab-Israeli war has grown into an organization with a
staff of 30,000 people, nearly all Palestinians, operating in Gaza, the West
Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. Western nations pay for most of its roughly
$1.3 billion budget.

https://wsj-article-webview-generator-prod.sc.onservo.com/webview/WP-WSJ-0001536822?

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SUDAN CIVIL WAR: UN RECEIVING REPORTS OF STARVATION DEATHS

By Kalkidan Yibeltal, BBC News
The World Food Programme (WFP) says it is receiving reports of people dying of
starvation in Sudan, where a war has displaced millions of people since last
April.

Violence is escalating between the army and a rival paramilitary force as they
fight for control of the country.

Security threats and roadblocks have made the work of humanitarian agencies
nearly impossible.

Nearly five million people across Sudan now face emergency levels of hunger.

This is twice the number since the start of the conflict, according to the WFP.

The humanitarian body says it has only been able to deliver vital aid to 10% of
those in need in areas embroiled in the conflict.

These include the capital, Khartoum, and the western Darfur region, which have
endured some of the worst violence.

Earlier this week, the UN’s refugee agency said almost eight million people had
been force from their homes by the conflict.

Both sides in the conflict – the army and the Rapid Support Forces – have been
accused of war crimes.

Attempts to broker peace between the warring factions have so far failed, and in
recent weeks fighting has only intensified.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-68187992

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EQUILIBRIUM & SUSTAINABILITY

MAJORITY OF AMERICA’S UNDERGROUND WATER STORES ARE DRYING UP, STUDY FINDS

BY SAUL ELBEIN – 01/24/24 11:00 AM ET

And in about 1 in 8 American aquifers — roughly 12 percent — the collapse of
underground water levels has sped up during the 21st century, the researchers
found.

“Groundwater levels are declining rapidly in many areas,” co-author Scott
Jasechko of the University of California, Santa Barbara told The Hill.

Water basins where groundwater is in rapid decline

“And what’s worse, the rate of groundwater decline is accelerating in a large
portion of areas,” Jasechko said.

The impacted aquifers support much of the U.S. food system, as well as providing
water used by many Americans. And the country is not alone in its losses: The
study found rapid loss of water in aquifers that supply hundreds of millions of
people worldwide.

But the researchers added that these grim findings came with a bright spot: Many
once-declining regions have bucked the trend.

“Long term groundwater losses,” they wrote, “are neither universal nor
inevitable.”

To read the full article please click the following link:
https://thehill.com/policy/equilibrium-sustainability/4426143-majority-of-americas-underground-water-stores-are-drying-up-study-finds/

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UKRAINE WAR: HOW RUSSIA’S WAR IS CHANGING CHILDHOOD IN UKRAINE

Russia’s war has transformed everything in Kharkiv, including childhood.

Missiles are fired on Ukraine’s second city from across the Russian border which
is so close by that there are only seconds to stop them. If they’re aimed at
Kharkiv there’s every chance they’ll hit – and little chance of reaching
shelter.

School and kindergarten buildings have been closed for almost two years for
safety, and playgrounds stand empty. Now, as the full-scale war heads towards
its third year, parts of life in Kharkiv are moving underground. Deep down in
the metro, specially built classrooms run parallel to the platform at five
stations. The local authorities began offering school lessons beneath the city
streets several months ago.

They’ve just added preschool classes on the weekends.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-68170396

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BRITISH MP SLAMS BBC OVER RAM MANDIR COVERAGE, CALLS FOR DEBATE IN HOUSE OF
COMMONS ON BBC IMPARTIALITY

LONDON: A British MP has slammed BBC’s coverage of the consecration of the Ram
Mandir in Ayodhya.

Conservative MP Bob Blackman said on Thursday, on the floor of the House of
Commons: “Last week Ram Mandir was consecrated in Ayodhya-the birthplace of Lord
Ram-in Uttar Pradesh in India. That caused great joy to Hindus across the world.
Sadly, BBC reported that it was the site of the destruction of a mosque,
forgetting that it had been a temple for more than 2,000 years before that, and
that the Muslims had been allocated a five-acre site adjacent to the town on
which to erect a mosque.”

He called for a debate on “the impartiality of the BBC and its failure to
provide a decent record of what is going on all over the world.”

Leader of the House of Commons Penny Mordaunt responded that a recent BBC review
had raised very important “issues”.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/uk/british-mp-slams-bbc-over-ram-mandir-coverage-calls-for-debate-in-house-of-commons/articleshow/107371018.cms

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KENYA GAS EXPLOSION KILLS AT LEAST THREE AND INJURES HUNDREDS

Feb., 2. More than 280 taken to hospital after truck blast on gas storage site
that had unsuccessfully applied for permit to operate

A lorry loaded with liquid petroleum gas cylinders exploded and set off a
late-night inferno that burned homes and warehouses in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi,
killing at least three people and injuring more than 280. The death toll is
expected to increase.

At least 24 people were critically injured, the Kenya Red Cross said, after a
huge fireball erupted from the gas depot. Some gas cylinders were thrown
hundreds of metres, sparking several separate fires.

The lorry was parked inside a gas cylinder storage and filling site that had
multiple applications to operate there rejected last year because it was too
close to residential areas, Kenya’s Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority
said, raising questions about whether the site was operating illegally.

“The government knew this liquid petroleum gas plant was existing in a
residential area, but they did nothing,” resident Charles Mainge said. “They
should make sure this doesn’t happen again.”

Witnesses said they heard a sound they suspected to be gas leaking from inside
the storage site before at least two explosions and the massive fire, which
broke out at about 11.30pm on Thursday. A huge fireball lit up the night sky.

Many people were probably inside when the fire reached their homes in the Mradi
area of the Nairobi neighbourhood of Embakasi, the government’s spokesperson,
Isaac Mwaura, said.

A flying gas cylinder set off a fire that burned down a nearby garment and
textile warehouse, Mwaura said. Several other vehicles and businesses were
damaged in the blaze.

Videos taken by witnesses showed the fireball erupting after an explosion next
to blocks of flats. People could be heard screaming.

At the scene on Friday morning, several houses and shops were burned out. The
roof of a four-storey residential building about 200 metres from the explosion
was broken by another flying gas cylinder. Electrical wires lay on the ground.

Nothing remained at the burned-out gas storage site except the shells of several
trucks.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/02/kenya-gas-explosion-death-toll-nairobi

Editor Desk - Navacetana Saturday weekly is a weekly supplement of GPIF's, (Delhi Sector) monthly magazine - Navacetana' - The Voice of Girls Proutist

JAN 27TH

AUSTRALIA FUNDS RARE EARTH RESEARCH AS WEST SEEKS CHINA ALTERNATIVES

Canberra to spend $14m to boost rare earth and critical minerals sectors.

SYDNEY — Australia’s government will funnel 22 million Australian dollars ($14
million) into rare earth and critical mineral research as it endeavors to be a
“global clean energy supplier,” its resource minister said on Monday.

“The path to net zero by 2050 runs through Australia’s resources sector,”
Madeleine King said. “The new research will help Australia further develop
critical minerals and rare earths processes, and encourage downstream processing
to produce components for clean technologies.”

Those technologies include electric vehicles, batteries and wind turbines.

The package is part of a broader Australian government-backed, multi-billion
dollar push that has two goals: to stake out a place in the global supply chains
feeding the green energy transition and to reduce reliance on China, a major
supplier and the main processor and refiner of the vital metals.

The announcement comes weeks after China tightened export controls on
technologies used to turn rare earths into permanent magnets, a core component
of EV engines and wind turbines.

The funding announced by Australia will be split between three projects.

Almost AU$14 million will go to the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology
Organisation (ANSTO) for research to accelerate the discovery, extraction and
processing of rare earth elements from lower-grade deposits.

https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Markets/Commodities/Australia-funds-rare-earth-research-as-West-seeks-China-alternatives

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THAILAND DISCOVERS NEARLY 15 MILLION TONNES OF LITHIUM

BANGKOK, Jan 19 — Thailand has discovered nearly 15 million tonnes of lithium
deposits, a government spokesman said today, a boost for the kingdom’s goal of
becoming a regional hub for electric vehicle production.

The find means Thailand has the third largest lithium resources, behind Bolivia
and Argentina, but it is not yet clear how much can be exploited commercially.

The 14.8 million tonnes of lithium are distributed between two separate sites in
the southern province of Phang Nga, government deputy spokeswoman Rudklao
Intawong Suwankiri told The Nation television station.

Lithium is a key component in the manufacture of batteries used in electric
cars, as well as smartphones and other electronics.

The government of Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, which took over in August,
has made it a priority to try to boost Thailand as a regional production hub for
electric vehicles, building on the kingdom’s history of assembling conventional
cars.

During the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Srettha met industry leaders
including the deputy chairman of Bosch to urge him to invest in EV production in
Thailand.

“It’s good news. It’s an opportunity for Thailand to become self-reliant in the
production of EV batteries,” Rudklao said of the lithium discovery.

In December 2023, two Chinese EV giants said they would invest 2.3 billion baht
(RM301 million) to develop Thailand as a production hub. — AFP

https://www.malaymail.com/news/money/2024/01/19/thailand-discovers-nearly-15-million-tonnes-of-lithium/113414

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‘ZOMBIE’ VIRUS THREAT: SCIENTISTS WARN OF TERRIFYING NEW PANDEMIC

(Published 24 January 2024, 19:16 IST)

Researchers identified strains of these dormant microorganisms and raised the
alarm that Earth’s warming climate could unleash a catastrophic disease
outbreak.
Scientists in Siberia have warned against a new pandemic threat—Methusealah
microbes—colloquially known as ‘zombie’ viruses.
These ancient viruses are frozen in the Arctic permafrost, but researchers fear
that the warming climate and its effects on the the permafrost cover could one
day release these viruses, thereby sparking a catastrophic disease outbreak.

To help keep tabs on the situation, a plan for an Arctic monitoring network by
scientists is being made to detect early instances of diseases caused by the
microbes, which will help prevent the spread of an outbreak, if any, beyond the
Arctic regions.

Geneticist Jean-Michel Claverie of Aix-Marseille University told The Guardian,
“At the moment, analyses of pandemic threats focus on diseases that might emerge
in southern regions and then spread north”.

“By contrast, little attention has been given to an outbreak that might emerge
in the far north and then travel south – and that is an oversight, I believe.
There are viruses up there that have the potential to infect humans and start a
new disease outbreak”, he added.

Virologist Marion Koopmans of the Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam emphasised
the unpredictability of these zombie viruses. “We don’t know what viruses are
lying out there in the permafrost but I think there is a real risk that there
might be one capable of triggering a disease outbreak,” he said.

A scientific expedition led by Claverie in 2014 unveiled live viruses in
Siberia, showcasing their resilience even after millennia in permafrost. Recent
research further revealed the existence of diverse viral strains across seven
Siberian sites, capable of infecting cultured cells.

Claverie clarifies that while the isolated viruses pose no risk to humans, the
genomic traces of known human pathogens like poxviruses and herpesviruses have
been identified in permafrost.

Permafrost covers a fifth of the northern hemisphere. It is made up of soil that
has been kept at temperatures below zero for long periods and some layers have
remained frozen for hundreds of thousands of years.
The immediate threat, according to Claverie, arises not solely from melting
permafrost but from the impact of vanishing Arctic sea ice. “Huge mining
operations are being planned. Those operations will release vast amounts of
pathogens that still thrive there. Miners will walk in and breath the viruses.
The effects could be calamitous”, he warned.
Koopmans, meanwhile, stressed on the history of epidemic outbreaks, highlighting
factors reponsible. “If you look at the history of epidemic outbreaks, one of
the key drivers has been change in land use. Nipah virus was spread by fruit
bats who were driven from their habitats by humans. Similarly, monkeypox has
been linked to the spread of urbanisation in Africa. A complete change in land
use could be dangerous, as we have seen elsewhere,” he told The Guardian.

Scientists believe that permafrost, at its deepest levels, may contain viruses
that are far older than our own species, which is thought to have emerged about
300,000 years ago.

Claverie and others are working with the University of the Arctic on plans to
establish quarantine facilities and provide medical expertise that could
pinpoint early cases and treat them locally to try to contain the infection.
“We now face a tangible threat and we need to be prepared to deal with it. It is
as simple as that,” Claverie said unambiguously.

https://www.deccanherald.com/science/zombie-virus-threat-scientists-warn-of-terrifying-new-pandemic-2862291

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INDIA, UAE SETTLE TRADE IN RUPEES FOR GOLD AMONG OTHER COMMODITIES, SAYS
OFFICIAL

15 Jan 2024, 10:54 PM IST

December trade data showed that import of gold, in particular, witnessed a 156%
YoY jump, as compared with the same period last year

Trade between India and the UAE for gold is being settled in rupees, according
to an official with knowledge of the matter. Gold is among other commodities,
which are traded with UAE, that utilise the rupee settlement as a payment mode,
the official quoted above said, while speaking on the condition of anonymity.
In July 2022, the Reserve Bank of India decided to allow the settlement of
India’s international trade in rupee. December trade data showed that import of
gold, in particular, witnessed a 156% YoY jump, as compared with the same period
last year. In December itself, it came up to $3.02 billion. The export of gems
and jewellery have also witnessed improvement in December, although it’s still
experiencing an export decline in comparision with last year. On a
month-on-month basis, gems and jewellery exports saw a 14.07% rise, according to
Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal, who addressed the media during the monthly
trade data briefing.
https://www.ndtvprofit.com/economy-finance/india-uae-settle-trade-in-rupees-for-gold-among-other-commodities-says-official

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GOLDMAN CLIENT SURVEY SHOWS GEOPOLITICS IS BIGGEST RISK IN 2024

Geopolitics poses by far the biggest risk to markets and the global economy this
year, with inflation no longer viewed as such a major threat, according to a
client survey by Goldman Sachs Group Inc.

(Bloomberg) — Geopolitics poses by far the biggest risk to markets and the
global economy this year, with inflation no longer viewed as such a major
threat, according to a client survey by Goldman Sachs Group Inc. Some 54% of
respondents picked geopolitics as the top risk in the survey, conducted as part
of the bank’s annual global strategy conference in London this month. The US
election, which will be held on Nov. 5, came in second place with 17%.

The results underscore a major shift in global market sentiment as inflation —
the main bugbear of recent years — slows back toward central banks’ targets.
While a resurgence remains a threat, the Goldman survey shows investors are
increasingly concerned about how to position should wars in Europe and the
Middle East spread, and with tensions rising between China and Taiwan.
https://www.ndtvprofit.com/global-economics/goldman-client-survey-shows-geopolitics-is-biggest-risk-in-2024

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SORTING OF BIO-WASTE WILL BECOME MANDATORY IN 2024 IN FRANCE

From 1st January, the recycling of organic waste will be obligatory in France.
Here’s how the government says it will work.

Cities like San Francisco have been doing it for a quarter of a century with
impressive results, but in France, the idea of recycling organic waste is
relatively new. The country’s bio-waste plans originated in 2015 and were
furthered by the Anti-Waste Circular Economy Law, which was passed in February
2020. Things have been percolating ever since, and now a 1st January 2024
deadline for the obligatory sorting of bio-waste by households is looming.

With that date is fast approaching, the government has published a set of
guidelines to help the public follow the new rules, but there are still valid
questions on how and when compliance will realistically be possible.

DEALING WITH BIO-WASTE

Bio-waste is a rather narrow category that includes food and catering waste,
like leftover meals, vegetable peelings and expired food products, as well as
garden waste, such as grass clippings, dead leaves and twigs from pruning.

Traditionally, most of these items have disappeared into general household waste
bins destined for rubbish heaps or incinerators. As of 1st January 2024,
however, French households will be legally obliged to separate these compostable
organic materials, which account for roughly a third of the annual waste
produced in the home, as part of a larger EU-wide plan concerning garbage.

HOW IT WILL WORK

Municipalities are being given relatively free reign on how to implement the new
rules. Some are choosing to distribute small counter-top bins that can be left
outside the home for a dedicated collection service to pick up while others are
installing municipal collection points, like those already available across much
of the country for glass, plastic and paper waste.

Whatever the method of collection, the bio-waste recuperated will then be
processed and turned into compost to be used for other purposes.

To lessen the burden on towns and cities, the government is also encouraging
home composting as an alternative for those who have the type of property where
this is possible.

monacolife.net/sorting-of-bio-waste-will-become-mandatory-in-2024-in-france/

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POLAND SECURES EU CONCESSION TO LIMIT FOOD EXPORTS FROM UKRAINE

The New Voice of Ukraine
Tue, January 23, 2024 at 4:05 PM GMT+5:30

Warsaw has won concessions from the European Union in its battle to limit
Ukrainian food exports, the Financial Times reported on Jan. 22, citing the
bloc’s trade commissioner, Valdis Dombrovskis.

Dombrovskis said Brussels would control the influx of farm products if they risk
depressing prices in Poland and other neighboring countries.

The proposal, which is expected this week, will likely include “country-specific
safeguards” allowing the EU to block imports if a particular country’s market is
flooded.

“We will look at how we can provide additional assurances to Poland and other
member states, and one way of doing this is introducing country-specific
safeguards,” Dombrovskis said.

https://news.yahoo.com/poland-secures-eu-concession-limit-103500043.html?

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RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR LIVE UPDATES: KYIV BEGINS EU ACCESSION TALKS; RUSSIA TO BOOST
DEFENSE OUTPUT

UPDATED FRI, JAN 26 20249:46 AM EST

Ukraine formally started the screening process to begin talks over its future
membership of the European Union on Thursday, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
said.

In a post on X, the Ukrainian leader said he welcomed the start of “substantial
preparations for Ukraine’s EU accession talks” in Brussels, following an
agreement reached with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen last week at
the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

“The thorough work of assessing the conformity of Ukrainian legislation with EU
norms, the formation of Ukraine’s delegation, and our negotiating position are
all ahead of us,” Zelenskyy added.

“I expect full engagement of Ukrainian government team and the first
intergovernmental conference to be held already this spring.”

Across the Atlantic, bipartisan U.S. Senate negotiations over a border security
deal that ties in aid for Ukraine have hit a critical juncture, Republican
Senator John Thune told reporters on Thursday, according to Reuters. The White
House said last week that the U.S. money supply to Ukraine has now run out,
which could leave Kyiv ill-equipped to repel the Russian invasion.

A small bipartisan group of senators is seeking a way to please Republicans
aligned with Donald Trump, the front-runner for the party’s presidential
candidacy, who has openly pressured allies not to compromise on legislation that
would help President Joe Biden in the run-up to November’s election.

Meanwhile, Moscow and Kyiv continue to trade allegations over the shooting down
on Wednesday of a Russian military transport plane that was carrying 65
Ukrainian prisoners of war and nine Russians.

Russia blamed Ukraine for the plane crash, saying it had used Western missiles
to shoot the military transport Ilyushin-76 plane down over the border region of
Belgorod, killing all on board, while the aircraft was en route to a prisoner
exchange.

A senior Russian lawmaker also alleged Ukrainian military intelligence had been
given a 15-minute warning before the plane entered the area.

Ukraine has denied that it was given a warning, but has neither confirmed nor
denied that its forces shot down the plane. Zelenskyy said Kyiv will fully
investigate the circumstances around the crash, adding that “facts” were a key
priority. He accused Russia of “playing with the lives of Ukrainian prisoners,
with the feelings of their relatives and with the emotions of our society.”

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/01/26/live-updates-latest-news-on-russia-and-the-war-in-ukraine.html

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CONFLICT, CLIMATE CHANGE AND AI GET TOP BILLING AS LEADERS CONVERGE FOR ELITE
MEETING IN DAVOS

The World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, hosts over 60 global leaders
discussing pressing issues like climate change, Al’s impact, and regional
conflicts. Despite criticism for elitism, it remains a crucial platform for
cross-sectoral dialogues. Key focuses include the Middle East situation, the
rise of Al with sessions on education and ethics, concerns about misinformation
affecting democracies, and renewed efforts to combat climate change. Notable
speakers include Israeli President Herzog, China’s Prime Minister Li Qiang, and
discussions led by climate advocate John Kerry.

https://m.economictimes.com/news/international/world-news/conflict-climate-change-and-ai-get-top-billing-as-leaders-converge-for-elite-meeting-in-davos/articleshow/106855312.cms?utm_source=whatsapp_pwa&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=socialsharebuttons

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ISRAEL TO FACE GAZA GENOCIDE CHARGES AT WORLD COURT

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is holding hearings on accusations of
genocide in Gaza, brought by South Africa against Israel. Israel faces claims of
violating the 1948 Genocide Convention in its war against Hamas militants. The
hearings focus on South Africa’s request for emergency measures to suspend
Israel’s military actions during the case. Israel’s offensive in response to
Hamas actions has caused a humanitarian crisis, displacing nearly all of Gaza’s
population. The ICJ process could take years.

https://m.economictimes.com/news/international/world-news/israel-to-face-gaza-genocide-charges-at-world-court/articleshow/106711992.cms?utm_source=whatsapp_pwa&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=socialsharebuttons

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OVER 50 COUNTRIES GO TO THE POLLS IN 2024. THE YEAR WILL TEST EVEN THE MOST
ROBUST DEMOCRACIES

More than 50 countries that are home to half the planet’s population are due to
hold national elections in 2024, but the number of citizens exercising the right
to vote is not unalloyed good news. The year looks set to test even the most
robust democracies and to strengthen the hands of leaders with authoritarian
leanings. From Russia, Taiwan and the United Kingdom to India, El Salvador and
South Africa, the presidential and legislative contests have huge implications
for human rights, economies, international relations and prospects for peace in
a volatile world.

https://m.economictimes.com/news/international/world-news/over-50-countries-go-to-the-polls-in-2024-the-year-will-test-even-the-most-robust-democracies/articleshow/106699794.cms?utm_source=whatsapp_pwa&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=socialsharebuttons

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INDIAN-OWNED TATA STEEL IS TO CUT ABOUT 3,000 JOBS AT A PLANT IN WALES, AS THE
INDUSTRY STRUGGLES TO FINANCE GREENER PRODUCTION OF THE METAL.

The company will on Friday confirm the closure of two blast furnaces at the Port
Talbot steelworks, resulting in the loss of over one-third of staff, the source
with knowledge of the plan told AFP.

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/indl-goods/svs/steel/tata-steel-to-cut-3000-jobs-in-wales-source/articleshow/106965581.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

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PAKISTAN LAUNCHES RETALIATORY STRIKES INTO IRAN, KILLING NINE PEOPLE

Pakistan has launched missile strikes into Iran, killing nine people, after Iran
carried out strikes in Pakistan late on Tuesday.

Pakistan said its strikes had hit “terrorist hideouts” in Iran’s south-eastern
Sistan-Baluchestan province.

Iran condemned the attack, which it said killed three women, two men and four
children who were not Iranian.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-68014882

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