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The Scottish Government Has Suspended Meetings With Israel

21 August 2024

The Scottish Government Has Suspended Meetings With Israel

The Scottish government has announced that it will not meet with Israeli diplomats until “real progress” is made in peace talks over the Gaza crisis.

External Affairs Secretary Angus Robertson met with Israel’s Deputy Ambassador to the UK, Daniela Grudsky, prompting criticism of the SNP administration.

Mr. Robertson expressed regret that the discussion was not “strictly limited” to talks regarding a ceasefire.

He stated that the administration would not accept further invitations from Israel unless “real progress” had been made toward peace, humanitarian assistance, and Israel’s “full cooperation with its international obligations on the investigation of genocide and war crimes.”

Many SNP figures, who have been harshly critical of Israel’s actions in the Middle East, reacted negatively to the meeting.

However, following the uproar last week, First Minister John Swinney defended the in-person meeting in an online statement.

He recognized that some felt a meeting was “inappropriate,” but he maintained his choice to accept the Israeli request.

Mr. Robertson stated that the meeting was not an attempt to legitimise the Israeli government’s conduct in Gaza.

“The Scottish government has been consistent in our unequivocal condemnation of the atrocities we have witnessed in Gaza,” added the deputy prime minister.

The meeting between the Israeli and Scottish governments has been interpreted as a normalization of relations. It would have been better if the meeting focused solely on the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and an end to the region’s tragic loss of life. I’m sorry that this did not happen.”

He stated that it would be “inappropriate to accept any invitation” to future discussions until “real progress has been made towards peace.”
The apology follows remarks about the conflict by SNP MSP John Mason, who stated on X that there was “no genocide” in Gaza.

Mr Mason was suspended from the party’s Holyrood group, but has stated that he “completely” stands by his comments.

He told BBC’s Good Morning Scotland that the situation in Gaza was “nothing like” prior cases of genocide.

Humanitarian Aid

Mr Robertson spoke with Ms Grudsky on August 8, but the Scottish government did not release a statement until four days later.

The statement cited areas of “mutual interest” between Scotland and Israel and stated that Mr Robertson had “reiterated the Scottish government’s position in calling for an immediate ceasefire by all sides”.

It specified that he had requested “the unconditional release of all hostages and the opening of safe routes to allow more humanitarian aid to reach the people of Gaza” .

A spokeswoman has now stated that the delay in making the meeting public was at the request of the Israeli Embassy for “security grounds”.

In his apology, Mr. Robertson stated that it was his decision to attend the meeting, which Israel had asked for, but that the first minister was informed beforehand.

The minister for foreign affairs responded: “My view was that given the Israeli UK Deputy Ambassador had requested a meeting, it was an opportunity to express the Scottish government’s clear and unwavering position on the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and I did exactly that.”

However, SNP figures, including former ministers Emma Roddick, Kevin Stewart, and Elena Whitham, criticized the decision to hold the gathering.

Mr. Robertson stated that it was critical for a country like Scotland, “where we are aspiring to have an independent state,” to maintain diplomatic connections and lay out any disagreements “when we are in dialogue with countries we are in disagreement with.”.

Patrick Harvie, co-leader of the Scottish Greens, welcomed the apologies for the diplomatic incident, calling it “clearly an astonishing error of judgment.”

“Holding a meeting of this kind with the state of Israel at this time looks like normalising acts of genocide,” the prime minister stated.

“It is critical that the Scottish government admit that having such a meeting was a significant error.

“But I want this to be about more than the optics of a single meeting; I want it to be about a change of practice.”

He encouraged the Scottish government not to provide financial assistance to arms businesses that sold weapons to Israel or were “complicit in illegal settlements.“.

A spokesman for the Israel Embassy previously told BBC Scotland News that it was the responsibility of foreign ambassadors to engage and build contacts “as part of the longstanding and positive relationship between Israel and the UK.”.

They stated that they were “resolute in fulfilling our duty to represent the state of Israel.”.
Last year, Mr. Robertson faced similar criticism after some SNP members believed he should have taken a harder stance on China.

Mit Engineers Develop Small Batteries To Power Cell-Sized Robots

Maria Sabir

21 August 2024

Mit Engineers Develop Small Batteries To Power Cell-Sized Robots

Mit Engineers Develop Small Batteries To Power Cell-Sized Robots

A tiny battery developed by MIT engineers could enable the deployment of cell-sized, autonomous robots for medicine delivery within the human body, as well as other uses such as detecting leaks in gas pipelines.

The new battery, which is 0.1 millimeters long and 0.002 millimeters thick—roughly the thickness of a human hair—can absorb oxygen from the air and utilize it to oxidize zinc, generating a current with a potential of up to 1 volt. The researchers demonstrated that this is sufficient power for a small circuit, sensor, or actuator.

“We think this is going to be very enabling for robotics,” says Michael Strano, senior author of the paper and the Carbon P. Dubbs Professor of Chemical Engineering at MIT. “We’re building robotic functions onto the battery and starting to put these components together into devices.”

Ge Zhang, PhD ’22, and Sungyun Yang, an MIT graduate student, are the principal authors of the research, which appears in Science Robotics.

Powered by batteries

Strano’s lab has spent several years developing tiny robots that can detect and respond to events in their surroundings. One of the most difficult issues in constructing such small robots is ensuring that they have enough power.

Other researchers have demonstrated that solar power can be used to power microscale devices, but this strategy has the problem of requiring the robots to always have a laser or another light source pointed at them. These gadgets are referred to as “marionettes” since they are powered by an external source. Placing a power source, such as a battery, within these tiny devices would allow them to travel considerably further.

“The marionette systems don’t really need a battery because they’re getting all the energy they need from outside,” according to Strano. “However, if you want a small robot to be able to enter spaces that would otherwise be inaccessible, it must have a higher level of autonomy.” A battery is necessary for something that will not be connected to the outside world.”

Strano’s lab chose to employ a zinc-air battery to make robots more autonomous. Because of their high energy density, these batteries last longer than many other types of batteries and are commonly used in hearing aids.

The battery they devised consists of a zinc electrode connected to a platinum electrode embedded in a strip of SU-8 polymer, which is extensively used in microelectronics. When these electrodes interact with oxygen molecules in the air, the zinc oxidizes and releases electrons, which travel to the platinum electrode, resulting in a current.

In this study, the researchers demonstrated that this battery could deliver enough energy to power an actuator, namely a robotic arm that can be raised and lowered. The battery might also power a memristor, which changes electrical resistance to retain memories of events, as well as a clock circuit, which allows robotic systems to keep track of time.

The battery also provides enough power to power two separate types of sensors, each of which vary their electrical resistance when exposed to substances in the environment. One of the sensors is built of atomically thin molybdenum disulfide, while the other is created from carbon nanotubes.

“We’re making the basic building blocks in order to build up functions at the cellular level,” Strano explains.

Robotic swarm

In this investigation, the researchers utilized a wire to connect their battery to an external device; however, in the future, they intend to develop robots with the battery integrated.

“This is going to form the core of a lot of our robotic efforts,” according to Strano. “You can build a robot around an energy source, sort of like you can build an electric car around the battery.”

One of these efforts is to develop tiny robots that can be put into the human body and seek out a particular place before releasing a medicine like insulin. The researchers imagine that the devices used in the human body would be made of biocompatible materials that would break down when no longer needed.

The researchers are also working on raising the battery’s voltage, which could enable new applications.

The Army Research Office, the Department of Energy, the National Science Foundation, and a MathWorks Engineering Fellowship all contributed to the study’s funding.

Biden Believes Gaza Protestors ‘Have A Point’ After Hundreds Gather At The DNC

Maria Sabir

21 August 2024

Biden Believes Gaza Protestors ‘Have A Point’ After Hundreds Gather At The DNC

Biden Believes Gaza Protestors 'Have A Point' After Hundreds Gather At The DNC

On the first day of the Democratic National Convention (DNC), thousands of demonstrators marched to the streets, generally peacefully, to demand a ceasefire in Gaza and an end to US support for Israel.

However, some activists were arrested after hundreds of them smashed past a security fence surrounding the Chicago location.

The turnout appeared to be significantly lower than the tens of thousands that organizers had hoped for, as well as lower than the 15,000 that they said had attended.

Later in the evening, in his primetime convention farewell speech, President Joe Biden admitted that the protesters “out on the street have a point.”.

“A lot of innocent people are being killed on both sides,” he said, emphasizing the importance of a US-brokered ceasefire, which has thus far proven elusive.

Protests in Chicago have exposed gaps among Democrats over one of the most controversial issues on the left in American politics: US support for Israel’s war in Gaza.

During Monday’s protest, a small group of pro-Palestinian activists broke down a fence surrounding the convention security perimeter and rushed through.

According to Chicago Police, the demonstrators did not breach an interior security fence, and the situation was immediately resolved. At least four individuals were apprehended.

Many Gaza war protesters argued there was little difference between Mr. Biden and his vice president, Kamala Harris, who is formally taking the Democratic White House candidacy this week after the president pulled out of the campaign last month and supported her.

“The Democratic Party may have a new face, but its support for Israeli repression has not changed,” said Omar Younes, co-founder of Jisoor, a Palestinian youth organization in Chicago.

Tallis George Munro, another demonstrator, said he would vote for Ms Harris and her running companion, Tim Walz, but would not give them a “free pass” for supporting Israel’s attack in Gaza.

Mr Munro, from Cleveland, Ohio, said he was more concerned about what he called a “bigger threat”: Republican contender Donald Trump’s policies.

“We are close to white Christian nationalism with Trump,” he indicated. “That is the biggest problem in this country now.”

Other demonstrators told the BBC that they would vote for Green Party candidate Jill Stein or not vote at all.

Independent presidential candidate Cornel West, a philosophy professor and left-wing activist, also spoke at the rally.

“This is not about some Machiavellian politics or some utilitarian calculation about an election,” he told the gathering. “This is about morality.”

Following months of legal wrangling over the route, protesters marched 1.1 miles (1.8 kilometers) around the DNC site, chanting slogans such as “No justice, no peace, US out of the

Middle East” and “Kamala Harris is a cop, all this violence has to stop” – a reference to the vice president’s career as a prosecutor and California attorney general.

Demonstrators also sang, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.”

This refers to the land between the Jordan River, which borders the occupied West Bank and Israel to the east, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Anti-semitism monitors claim it calls for Israel’s annihilation, but pro-Palestinian parties deny the slogan is hateful.

Earlier in the day, a tiny group of pro-Israeli counter-protesters briefly gathered on the outskirts of Union Park, where the pro-Palestinian march began and concluded.

The march attracted individuals from neighboring states and beyond afield. Karyna Lemus attended as a representative of the Colorado Springs People’s Coalition.
She claims she has been participating in the Palestinian rights movement for decades.

“I hope they hear us inside,” she added of the DNC representatives.

Why will this Democratic convention not be like Chicago in 1968?

What to expect from the 2024 Democratic National Convention.

Protests will continue throughout the week of the convention.

In response to an extraordinary strike on southern Israel on October 7, the Israeli military launched an operation in Gaza to crush Hamas, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages.

More than 40,000 people have died in Gaza since then, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

“I Never Thought I’d Get Home,” The Gay Man Imprisoned In Qatar Says

Maria Sabir

21 August 2024

“I Never Thought I’d Get Home,” The Gay Man Imprisoned In Qatar Says

"I Never Thought I'd Get Home," The Gay Man Imprisoned In Qatar Says

A British-Mexican man who was convicted of drug offenses in Qatar after being jailed there for six months told BBC News he “never thought I’d return home.”.

In his first interview after leaving the nation, Manuel Guerrero Aviña, who alleges he was targeted because he is gay, cautioned LGBT people to “be careful when visiting Qatar,” saying, “What happened to me could happen to anyone.”

He was detained in February after arranging to meet a man on the gay dating app Grindr, who turned out to be an undercover police officer.

Human-rights groups have expressed alarm over Manuel’s confinement and termed his trial “grossly unfair,” but Qatari officials believe he was detained for narcotics offenses.

The 45-year-old former British Airways employee now wants to focus on getting back to work and spending time with his family.

Following his imprisonment, Manuel made international news, and his family launched a campaign to liberate him.

At a June court hearing, he was found guilty of carrying an illegal substance, sentenced to six months in prison with a suspended sentence, fined £2,100, and deported.

After returning to the UK, he has given a firsthand account of his 44-day stay in a Qatari prison and subsequent imprisonment in the country.
“There were so many times I was terrified,” Manuel stated.
“I thought I’d never be able to leave. I was afraid I’d get lost in the system.”
“I was very afraid.
“I never thought I’d return home safely.”

Sexual partners

Manuel has long claimed that police officers planted drugs in his flat and that his arrest was motivated solely by his gay orientation.
“I absolutely deny the drugs charges,” he told BBC News.

“Throughout the entire interrogation, everything they asked me about was about my sexual partners, my sexual orientation, whether I’ve been having sex, who I have had sex with and things like that.”If it had been a drug case, they would have questioned me about drugs.”

‘Being discreet.‘

Homosexuality is illegal in Qatar, and human rights organizations have repeatedly expressed concerns about the persecution of LGBT people in the country.

However, Manuel claimed that he had lived there for seven years without encountering any problems with the police.

“There seemed to be an unwritten rule that whatever went on in private was OK,” he told me.
“I thought I was being compliant by being discreet [in public] and following the rules, but I was just trying to live a little part of my life behind closed doors.”

“I thought it was fine as long as it wasn’t in public.”

According to BBC News, on February 4, Manuel messaged a man on dating apps Grindr and Tinder and asked him to his flat.

After going to meet the man in his building’s lobby, Manuel claims he was approached by police officers, who detained him before searching his flat and eventually detaining him.

Manuel claims that during his time in prison, he observed people being whipped and was forced to live in confined quarters after refusing to unlock his phone or reveal the names and phone numbers of other LGBT Qataris.

“They were trying to force me to confess and unlock my phone, but I couldn’t put other people from the gay community at risk,” he told me.

“Why would I put someone else through that pain?”

BBC News obtained a confession written in Arabic, which Manuel claims he was compelled to sign without the presence of a lawyer or a translation.

We can’t independently verify all of his assertions.

Many of the allegations about his treatment following his detention revolve around time spent behind closed doors with few witnesses.

The Guerrero Aviña family has revealed a comprehensive timeline of events, and prior reports on the abuse of LGBT persons and police officers in Qatar imply others have had similar experiences.

According to a Qatari official, Manuel was treated with “dignity and respect throughout his detention” and condemned “following an investigation and trial.”.

He was arrested “for possessing an illegal substance,” and “no other factors were considered when making the arrest.”.

“Mr. Aviña and his family have made numerous false allegations in an attempt to generate public sympathy and support for his case,” stated a government spokesperson.

“A person’s beliefs, background, or orientation do not exempt them from the law, especially when facing serious charges related to drug possession.“Qatar has strict rules restricting the possession of illegal narcotics, and the authorities are constantly attempting to address the problem.

“As Mr. Aviña himself has acknowledged, he lived in Qatar without any issues for seven years.”

However, James Lynch, a former British diplomat in Qatar and co-director of the human rights charity FairSquare, said the trial was “grossly unfair” and compared it to other cases he had dealt with.

“Manuel was clearly targeted because he was LGBT, living in Qatar, and living his life,” according to Lynch.

“Several cases of people being arrested and interrogated without a lawyer have occurred in Qatar over the past three years. The country’s justice system requires reform.”

‘Holding hands’

Manuel, who has an immunodeficiency infection, received support from HIV groups in the United Kingdom amid reports that he had not been provided regular access to his medication, which keeps the infection under control.

He disclosed: “I had to beg on a daily basis to prison officers to try and get access to my medication.”It was a very tough time for me without access to my medication because you’re concerned about the impacts on your health, which also affects your mental health.

Manuel reports that now that he has returned to the UK, he is receiving medical attention and gradually becoming more capable of being his actual self.

“It’s not about seeing symbols everywhere, like rainbows or flags,” he told me.

“It’s more that it feels fantastic to be able to reclaim some of the minor things you don’t realize you’ve lost until you find them.

“Things like seeing people holding hands in the street, being able to be affectionate with my friends without thinking about how we’re interacting, being able to do that without it being behind closed doors.”

The Government Finally Confesses It Is Fiddling With The Internet

Maria Sabir

20 August 2024

The Government Finally Confesses It Is Fiddling With The Internet

The Government Finally Confesses It Is Fiddling With The Internet

The IT minister updates the ‘web management system’ for better cyber security.

The Senate committee considers challenges for online enterprises, including potential losses in IT exports.

Software companies and business organizations call for normalized internet speeds.

ISLAMABAD/ KARACHI: After months of speculation about the installation of a so-called ‘firewall’ that could cause internet outages, the country’s IT minister announced on Thursday that the government was modernizing its ‘web management system’ to combat cyber security risks.

Despite the somewhat ambiguous terminology used by Minister of State for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja, this was the first time an official acknowledged the government’s actions, which have been blamed for everything from slow browsing speeds to arbitrary blocking of social media platforms and WhatsApp connectivity issues on mobile data.

So far, official parties — Ms Khawaja’s ministry and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) — have either denied knowledge in response to public outcry and media inquiries or claimed that the issues were caused by telecom and internet service companies, or even Meta.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, users continued to face difficulties accessing social media sites, including WhatsApp.

Downdetector, a service that gives real-time information about internet outages, got an unusually high number of reports regarding disruptions in WhatsApp, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram between 12 and 1 p.m.

During the day, ISPs such as PTCL, Zong, and Nayatel experienced service disruptions.

‘Web Management System’

Ms Fatima told reporters following the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunications meeting that the government has requested a report from the PTA and other institutions regarding the internet disruption.

“Internet speeds should never be slow. We have even discussed bringing 5G technology to Pakistan. There is no doubt about it, and discussions regarding increased internet speed are ongoing.”

When asked about the ‘firewall’ — a blanket term used by the public to characterize the causes of internet disruption in the lack of an official explanation — the minister stated that the matter had been “blown out of proportion”.

“The government has been using a website management system. “The system is currently being improved.

She also referred to the process as “a routine exercise” to improve internet security around the world, but provided no information to back up her statements regarding which other countries have implemented this approach.

“It is the right of the government to take measures to protect its interests given the cyber security attacks that Pakistan is facing.”

Senate Body Meeting

Earlier, during the Senate committee meeting, MPs noted internet outages and claimed they were generating significant challenges for online firms.

Senator Afnanullah Khan of the PML-N claimed that the country was already suffering a massive economic crisis, and that if the internet issue was not fixed, IT sector exports could plummet considerably.

Aisha Humera Chaudhry, secretary of the Ministry of IT and Telecommunications, informed the gathering that while broadband connections were fine, mobile data users were experiencing difficulties.

Officials from the PTA informed the committee that the telecom regulator was “assessing the issue” and that the ministry would be in a better position to provide an overview in two weeks once the study was concluded.

However, when Dawn contacted PTA, its spokeswoman maintained full ignorance of the connectivity troubles experienced by consumers on Thursday.

Despite government denials, customers continued to experience agonizingly sluggish internet speeds and even business closures.

“In the past, there was simply YouTube and Facebook. “Now WhatsApp is the latest casualty,” said a serving military forces officer, who stated they couldn’t share or receive papers before a critical meeting.

Dr. Amir Abbasi, a professor at Islamabad’s Quaid-i-Azam University, stated that his students’ work has also been affected.

“Over the past two weeks, students have struggled to meet project deadlines,” he said, adding that this has generated concerns among academic institutions.

“After years of [efforts] to build relationships with international organisations, missing deadlines damages our reputation.”

Concerning the activities required to solve the issue, Prof Abbasi stated that creating committees was no longer sufficient. “There is an obvious gap between policymakers and the public. If Pakistan wants to grow, the government must acknowledge the serious impact of these disruptions, particularly on students, and forsake archaic techniques such as building firewalls.

More bodies decry disruptions

According to Reuters, the Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA) issued a press release on Thursday stating that internet interruptions might cost the economy up to $300 million.

The remark came a day after the Wireless and Internet Service Providers Association of Pakistan warned that firms were considering migrating to other countries as internet speeds have dropped by 30 to 40 percent in recent weeks.

P@SHA stated that the government’s lack of transparency on the firewall has “ignited a firestorm of distrust” among internet users and Pakistan’s worldwide IT clients, who are concerned that their sensitive data and privacy may be jeopardized.

According to Ali Ihsan, senior vice chairman of P@SHA, the implementation of the firewall has already resulted in protracted internet disconnections and irregular VPN functioning, causing a “complete meltdown of business operations”.

“These disruptions are not mere inconveniences; but, a direct, tangible and aggressive assault on the industry’s viability inflicting an estimated and devastating financial losses estimated to reach $300 million, which can further increase exponentially,” the statement continued.

The group of software companies requested a “immediate and unconditional halt to this digital siege” and urged the government to collaborate with the business to create a cybersecurity framework.

In a separate statement, the Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI) stated that regular internet outages would hinder innovation and significantly reduce the prospects for much-needed foreign direct investment, which is critical for economic recovery.

According to OICCI Secretary General and CEO M. Abdul Aleem, internet outages have disproportionately harmed freelancers, who contribute “over one billion dollars in revenue for Pakistan’s economy each year”.

Iftikhar Ahmed Sheikh, President of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), stated that his organization has received numerous complaints from its members who have been having difficulty communicating with their clients for the past week due to disruptions in the services of social media platforms, particularly WhatsApp.

“In the era of digitalisation, Pakistan cannot afford such delays in restoring internet connectivity which must be restored at the earliest,” stressed the head of KCCI.

Aamir Shafaat Khan also contributed to the report.

Ukraine Says It Has Damaged The Second Russian Bridge

Maria Sabir

20 August 2024

Ukraine Says It Has Damaged The Second Russian Bridge

Ukraine Says It Has Damaged The Second Russian Bridge

Ukraine claims to have damaged a second vital bridge in a week as it continues its advance into Russia’s Kursk region.

On Sunday, the Ukrainian military published overhead footage of the bridge hit, which was claimed to be over the Seym River in Zvannoe.

Hours later, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated for the first time that the goal of the military operation into Kursk was to establish a “buffer zone” to prevent Russian attacks.

Ukraine is over two weeks into its most serious strike on Russian territory since Moscow initiated its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

“Minus one more bridge,” Ukrainian Air Force commander Lt Gen Mykola Oleschuk wrote on social media, along with footage of the strike.

Gen. Oleschuk concluded: “Ukrainian Air Force aviation continues to deprive the enemy of logistical capabilities with precision airstrikes, which significantly affects the course of hostilities.”

The footage shows a building cloud of smoke over the bridge, with one portion appearing to be demolished. It is unclear when the strike occurred.

Earlier this week, Ukraine damaged another bridge over the Seym River near Glushkovo.
The Kremlin exploited this bridge to supply its forces.

Earlier, military specialists identified three bridges in the area utilized by Russia to supply its forces, two of which were destroyed or severely damaged, according to Reuters.

Almost two weeks after Ukrainian troops crossed the border into Russia, it is becoming evident that they intend to remain.

President Zelensky announced on Saturday that his soldiers were reinforcing positions in Kursk and advancing deeper into Russia.

In an evening address on Sunday, he added, “Our operation in the Kursk region is still inflicting losses on the Russian army and the Russian state, their defence industry, and their economy.”

He added that “this is more than just defence for Ukraine” and that the goal was to “destroy as much Russian war potential as possible and conduct maximum counteroffensive actions.”.

He added that this would involve “creating a buffer zone on the aggressor’s territory” in order to prevent further Russian strikes on Ukraine.

Mykhaylo Podolyak, President Zelensky’s adviser, emphasized that Ukraine was not interested in conquering Russia but rather in persuading Russia to enter negotiations.

Moscow has labeled the incursion a significant provocation and promised a “worthy response” in retaliation.

As Ukraine advances into western Russian territory, Russian forces are also making gains in Ukraine’s east, claiming a number of settlements in recent weeks.

The director of the UN’s nuclear inspectorate has warned that the nuclear safety situation at the Zaporizhzhia power plant in Russian-occupied Ukraine is deteriorating as a result of a drone strike near the site’s perimeter.

Rafael Grossi, the president of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said he was “extremely concerned” and urged “maximum restraint from all sides” to secure the plant.

According to the agency, the incident had an impact on a road just outside the plant, near vital water sprinkler ponds, and around 100 meters from the only surviving high-voltage cable.

The plant was taken by Russian forces early in the war and has been repeatedly attacked, with both sides blaming each other.

Last week, Kyiv and Moscow swapped accusations when a fire broke out in one of the plant’s cooling towers.

The IAEA did not identify who carried out Saturday’s strike, but a team stationed in Zaporizhzhia claimed the damage appeared to be inflicted by a drone carrying an explosive.

“The team has heard frequent explosions, repetitive heavy machine gun and rifle fire, and artillery at various distances from the plant,” according to a statement released by the government.

The plant has not generated electricity in over two years, and all six reactors have been in a cool shutdown since April.

Russia launched a full-scale invasion of its neighbor in February 2022 and has been making gradual headway in conquering more land in eastern Ukraine.

However, it was taken aback when Ukrainian troops entered its Kursk region, where they had been fortifying positions for about two weeks.

Thousands of Russians were evacuated from the area.

This is the first time foreign forces have been on Russian land since World War II.

Gaza Threatens To Divide Democrats As Convention Begins

Maria Sabir

20 August 2024

Gaza Threatens To Divide Democrats As Convention Begins

Gaza Threatens To Divide Democrats As Convention Begins

The Democratic National Convention begins on Monday, and Gaza demonstrations threaten to overshadow what is meant to be a show of solidarity for Vice President Kamala Harris, the party’s presidential contender.

The Harris team hopes that the Chicago convention would serve as a joyous celebration following President Joe Biden’s sudden withdrawal from the contest in July.

However, some worry that an internal party fight over the Gaza conflict would undermine Democrats’ unity during the convention and ahead of the November election, which is less than 80 days away.

The convention will conclude on Thursday, with Ms Harris delivering a primetime speech after accepting the party’s nomination.

President Joe Biden, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former President Barack Obama, other party leaders, and a star-studded cast of actors and entertainers will take the stage at the

United Center in Chicago this week to praise the vice president while sharpening their attacks on her Republican opponent, former President Donald Trump.

However, it is uncertain how the Harris campaign and the Democratic Party would approach the sensitive issue of Israeli policy and the Gaza conflict.

The Harris campaign did not return a request for comment.

Following Hamas’s attack on southern Israel on October 7, Israel initiated a military campaign in Gaza with the goal of destroying the group. In the enormous assault, over 1,200 people were killed and 251 were taken hostage.

Israel has received widespread condemnation for the number of civilian casualties in its offensive. More than 40,000 Palestinians have been dead in Gaza since October, according to the health ministry operated by Hamas.

Ms Harris, who embarked on a bus tour of Western Pennsylvania before heading to Chicago on Sunday, has yet to announce a firm strategy on Gaza and Israel. Her fledgling campaign has only presented a handful of economic suggestions thus far, and she is under pressure to provide more information on her policy agenda.

She has, however, asked for a cease-fire and respectful conduct of demonstrators at her rallies.

She also recently stated that “far too many” civilians had been killed, but she did not support a weapons embargo on Israel, as some progressives have called for.

Opposition to the Biden administration’s handling of the conflict prompted over 750,000 people to vote “uncommitted”—rather t than for a specific candidate—in the Democratic presidential primary earlier this year, raising concerns that these voters would stay home or vote for a third party.

While the energy of that “uncommitted” campaign has dwindled in recent weeks, the presence of that vote in crucial swing states such as Michigan will still be felt at the convention.

Only three dozen delegates at the Democratic convention will represent the “uncommitted” vote, but they speak for hundreds of thousands of dissatisfied citizens.

These delegates, many of whom are longtime Democratic organizers, will be vastly overwhelmed by the more than 4,500 who have pledged to support Ms. Harris.

Nonetheless, they said they planned to spend convention week lobbying the Harris campaign and their party to take action on Gaza.

“We understand that this is not a minor undertaking. We are contesting 40 years of US policy, and it will not change overnight,” said Samuel Doten, a Democratic organiser and “uncommitted” delegate.

Several “uncommitted” delegates expressed hope that others at the convention would sign on to their letter requesting that Ms Harris and the Democratic Party support a cease-fire and an arms embargo against Israel.

They emphasized that they were not attempting to disrupt the convention or the election but rather to persuade the party to adopt a policy that they believed was popular among Democratic voters.

“There are thousands of voters in the United States who voted ‘uncommitted,’ so it feels like a huge responsibility for us to present their wishes and ensure that their voices are heard and amplified in this party,” said Adrita Rahman, who will attend the DNC for the first time as an “uncommitted” delegate.

The organization of the protests and the number of participants are unknown.

The greatest demonstration of the week is scheduled on Monday, with organizers stating at a press conference on Sunday that “many thousands of people” will attend.

They had previously predicted that there may be 100,000 demonstrators in the streets, but they have since revised that figure to “many, many thousands” participating in a Gaza march on

Monday and “tens of thousands” overall by the end of the week.

Ms Harris had garnered some favor with Gaza protestors since she was one of the first members of the administration to advocate for a cease-fire and voice a harsher view of Israel and Mr Netanyahu.

However, many have stated that the vice president’s honeymoon phase has over. While they welcomed her rhetoric about holding Israel accountable for the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza, delegates and protest organizers anticipated Ms Harris to present an actionable policy position.

“I believe the individuals inside the DNC should be aware that they have some extremely unpopular policies. We’re here to tell them,” said protester Irene Alikakos during the week’s first protest on Sunday, which drew a few hundred people near Chicago’s Trump Tower.

This demonstration will take place soon before President Biden gives the night’s primetime address. He is likely to highlight his successes and the significance of the election.

The DNC will also occur during a critical week for US-mediated ceasefire talks, a key goal in the Biden administration’s last months.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken landed in Israel on Sunday and will travel on to Cairo, where the talks are likely to yield a decision on the initiative.

The Biden White House has described the ceasefire discussions as being in their “final” stages, which might leave Ms Harris and her campaign in a difficult position.

Under normal circumstances, she would find it difficult to depart from President Biden’s position on Gaza. It becomes even more challenging when negotiations may come to an end.

Some close to her have stated that, notwithstanding, a big policy shift will not occur.
Halie Soifer, Ms Harris’s national security adviser in the Senate, stated that there was “no daylight between” Ms Harris’s and Mr Biden’s positions.

“Her policy, which is the policy of this White House, is not changing,” said Ms Soifer, who currently chairs the Jewish Democratic Council of America.

The antiviral Tecovirimat is safe but did not improve the resolution of Clade I Mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Maria Sabir

20 August 2024

The antiviral Tecovirimat is safe but did not improve the resolution of Clade I Mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The antiviral Tecovirimat is safe, but it did not improve the resolution of Clade I Mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

A study co-sponsored by the National Institutes of Health looked at tecovirimat in a country where smallpox is common.

The antiviral medicine tecovirimat did not shorten the duration of mpox lesions in children and adults with clade I mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), according to an initial analysis of data from a randomized, placebo-controlled trial. However, the study’s 1.7% overall death among registrants, regardless of whether they took the medicine or not, was significantly lower than the mpox mortality of 3.6% or higher recorded in all cases in the DRC. This demonstrates that people with mpox can have better outcomes if they are hospitalized and receive high-quality supportive care. The trial is sponsored by the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and co-led by the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB). Additional analysis and detailed data will be disseminated via scientific channels.

“These findings are disappointing, but they give us essential information and reinforce the need to identify other therapeutic candidates for mpox while we continue research on tecovirimat use in other populations with mpox,” said Jeanne Marrazzo, MD, M.P.H. “We remain committed to developing safe and effective interventions, including treatments and vaccines, that can ease the devastating mpox burden in Central Africa and address the milder form of the virus that is circulating globally.”

Mpox has been present in West, Central, and East Africa for decades, with the first human case reported in 1970. Two varieties of the mumps virus have been identified. This trial focused on Clade I, which is endemic in Central Africa and can cause serious sickness. Clade II, which is indigenous to West Africa, causes a milder disease. A clade II subtype virus produced a worldwide mpox outbreak in 2022. People with weakened immune systems, children, and pregnant women are more vulnerable to severe mpox, regardless of the virus lineage.

Reports of clade I mpox are becoming more common in Central African countries, particularly the DRC. According to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 67% of suspected DRC mpox cases and 78% of suspected mpox deaths occurred in people aged 15 and under. Tecovirimat (link is external), also known as TPOXX, was developed and approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat smallpox (link is external), a virus that is closely related to but far more serious than mpox. However, the drug’s safety and efficacy as a mpox treatment have yet to be established.

It is presently accessible for mpox therapy in the United States as part of a separate NIAID-sponsored experiment known as STOMP, as well as through a CDC expanded access Investigational New Drug (EA-IND) request process. Tecovirimat is approved in Europe and the United Kingdom to treat smallpox, mpox, and other conditions.

In October 2022, the NIAID and INRB initiated the PALM007 trial to investigate the safety and efficacy of tecovirimat for mpox therapy in both adults and children. At two study sites in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 597 persons with laboratory-confirmed mpox participated. Participants in the study were randomly assigned to receive tecovirimat or a placebo and admitted to a hospital for at least 14 days, where they were intensively monitored for safety and mpox lesion resolution. All participants received supportive care, which included feeding, hydration, and treatment for subsequent infections.

Tecovirimat was well tolerated, with no significant drug-related side effects. Overall, mortality was lower, and lesions healed faster than expected regardless of whether they got tecovirimat or a placebo. Trial participants are being advised of the preliminary results and offered the opportunity to engage in an ongoing extension trial that will provide additional supportive medical care. Additional analyses are planned to better understand the study’s findings, including whether there were any significant differences in clinical outcomes based on days of symptoms prior to enrollment, severity of clinical disease, participant characteristics, or the genetic variant of mpox being treated.

“This study provided much-needed evidence to guide the mpox response in Central Africa,” said co-principal investigator Jean-Jacques Muyembe-Tamfum, M.D., Ph.D., director-general of INRB and professor of microbiology at Kinshasa University Medical School in Kinshasa, DRC. “Although not what we had hoped for, the results show that study clinicians provided exceptional supportive care to all participants, which is a testament to the knowledge and skill that Congolese clinicians have acquired in managing mpox-related disease.”

“The PALM007 study demonstrated the importance and value of testing investigational mpox treatments through robust clinical trials in the DRC’s endemic setting,” stated Lori Dodd, Ph.D., NIAID’s DRC PALM project lead. “We will continue to examine trial data to decide whether future studies of tecovirimat in patient subgroups are necessary.

The PALM007 trial is led by co-principal investigators Professor Muyembe-Tamfum and Placide Mbala, M.D., Ph.D., operations manager of the PALM clinical research partnership and head of the Epidemiology and Global Health Department and the Pathogen Genomic Laboratory at INRB. Protocol co-chairs are NIAID’s Veronique Nussenblatt, M.D., and Olivier Tshiani, M.D., of Leidos Biomedical Research. The trial was carried out in Tunda (Maniema province) and Kole (Sankuru province), with assistance from Congolese personnel, the Mitchell Group, and the NIH’s Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research. The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp (ITM), the relief organization Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA), and the World Health Organization (WHO) are among the institutions that have collaborated.

Logistics and operations for supplies, travel, and regional security were supported by the US Embassy in the DRC and U.S. CDC officials stationed in the DRC. SIGA Technologies, Inc. of New York provided tecovirimat for the study.

The “Pamoja Tulinde Maisha” or “PALM” clinical research alliance was formed in response to the 2018 Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The partnership has continued as a multilateral clinical research initiative that includes NIAID, the DRC Ministry of Health, INRB, and INRB’s partners.

NIAID and the INRB would like to thank the remarkable team of persons who carried out this study in remote regions of the DRC, the members of the independent study Data and Safety Monitoring Board, and, most significantly, the study participants and their families. For more information about PALM007, go to ClinicalTrials.gov and enter the study number NCT05559099.

“Given the differences in populations affected by the two mpox clades, the types of clinical disease that are appearing and the ongoing spread of both clades, it’s very important that we continue with the STOMP trial and other related studies, so that we can develop treatments that benefit all people with mpox,” according to Dr. Marrazzo.

The multinational STOMP trial is looking into the safety and efficacy of tecovirimat in treating clade II mpox. For additional information on the STOMP trial, go to ClinicalTrials.gov and enter the study ID NCT05534984. Further research by UNITY, financed by ANRS Emerging Infectious Disease, is assessing tecovirimat in Argentina, Brazil, and Switzerland using a design similar to STOMP. More information about the UNITY study can be obtained at ClinicalTrials.gov with the identifier NCT05597735. Both trials will continue to enroll individuals, and they will work closely together.

NIAID conducts and supports research at the National Institutes of Health, across the United States, and across the world to better understand the causes of infectious and immune-mediated diseases, as well as to create better methods of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. The NIAID website features news releases, info sheets, and other NIAID-related materials.

Regarding the National Institutes of Health (NIH): The National Institutes of Health (NIH), the country’s medical research organization, consists of 27 institutes and centers and is part of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the principal government institution that conducts and supports fundamental, clinical, and translational medical research, as well as studies the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information on the NIH and its activities, go to www.nih.gov.

The WHO Director-General has declared the Mpox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern.

Maria Sabir

20 August 2024

The WHO Director-General has declared the Mpox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern.

The WHO Director-General has declared the Mpox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern.

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO, has declared the outbreak of mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and a growing number of African countries to be a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) under the International Health Regulations (2005).

Dr. Tedros’ proclamation followed the suggestion of an IHR Emergency Committee of independent experts, who met earlier in the day to assess data submitted by WHO and affected country experts. The Committee told the Director-General that it considered the mpox outbreak to be a PHEIC, with the potential to spread across African countries and even beyond the continent.

The Director-General will distribute the Committee’s meeting report and, based on the Committee’s guidance, make temporary recommendations to governments.

In declaring the PHEIC, Dr Tedros stated, “The discovery of a new clade of mpox, its rapid spread in eastern DRC, and the reporting of cases in multiple neighboring countries are quite concerning. In addition to outbreaks of additional mpox clades in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other African countries, it is evident that a coordinated international response is required to end these epidemics and save lives.”

Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, stated, “Significant efforts are already underway in close collaboration with communities and governments, with our country teams working on the front lines to help reinforce measures to combat mpox.” With the virus’s growth, we’re ramping up even more through coordinated worldwide action to help countries halt outbreaks.”

Committee Chair Professor Dimie Ogoina stated, “The current outbreak of mpox in parts of Africa, combined with the spread of a new sexually transmissible strain of the monkeypox virus, is an emergency, not only for Africa, but for the entire world.” Mpox, which originated in Africa, was neglected until it caused a global outbreak in 2022. It is necessary to take serious action to avoid history from repeating itself.”

This is the second PHEIC determination in two years for mpox. Mpopox, which is caused by an orthopoxvirus, was first discovered in people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1970. The disease is considered endemic throughout central and western Africa.

In July 2022, the multi-country mpox epidemic was classified a PHEIC due to its rapid spread via sexual contact across a number of countries where the virus had never been encountered. The PHEIC was declared over in May 2023, following a persistent drop in global cases.

Mpox has been recorded in the DRC for almost a decade, and the number of cases reported each year has consistently climbed throughout that time. previous year, reported cases grew dramatically, and the number of cases reported this year has already surpassed previous year’s total, with almost 15,600 cases and 537 deaths.

The development and rapid dissemination of a novel virus strain in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, clade 1b, which appears to be spreading mostly through sexual networks, as well as its detection in neighboring countries, is particularly worrying and one of the key reasons for the PHEIC announcement.

Over 100 laboratory-confirmed cases of clade 1b have been identified in four countries bordering the Democratic Republic of the Congo that had not previously reported mpox: Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda. Experts believe the true number of cases is larger because a significant proportion of clinically compatible cases have not been examined.

Several outbreaks of different mpox clades have occurred in various countries, each with its own mode of transmission and level of danger.

The two vaccines currently used for mpox are recommended by WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization and have been licensed by WHO-listed national regulatory authorities as well as specific nations such as Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Last Monday, the Director-General initiated the process of Emergency Use Listing for mpox vaccinations, which will speed up vaccine access in low-income countries that have yet to issue their own national regulatory approval. Emergency Use Listing also allows partners like Gavi and UNICEF to obtain vaccines for distribution.

WHO is collaborating with governments and vaccine producers on prospective vaccine contributions and cooperating with partners via the interim Medical Countermeasures Network to ensure fair access to vaccines, medicines, diagnostics, and other instruments.

WHO predicts an immediate budget requirement of $15 million to support surveillance, preparedness, and response actions. A needs assessment is being conducted at all three levels of the organization.

To allow for an urgent scale-up, WHO has issued $1.45 million from the WHO Contingency Fund for Emergencies, and more may be required in the coming days. The organization asks contributors to cover the entire scope of the mpox response.

Energy Costs Are Expected To Jump By 9% In October

Maria Sabir

20 August 2024

Energy Costs Are Expected To Jump By 9% In October

Energy Costs Are Expected To Jump By 9% In October

Domestic energy prices are anticipated to climb ahead of winter, according to consultancy Cornwall Insight.

The forecaster, which is well-known for its accuracy, predicted that a typical home using gas and electricity will pay £1,714 per year beginning in October.

That contrasts to the current yearly bill of £1,568, which is the lowest in two years.
Ofgem, the energy regulator, will release the next official quarterly price ceiling on Friday, raising concerns among charities about the possibility of further price increases.

Although the price cap is revised every three months, Ofgem illustrates it with an annual bill for a home using a typical amount of gas and electricity.

People in larger residences will pay more overall due to increased energy consumption, while those in smaller properties would pay less.

This is because the cap restricts the maximum price that can be charged per unit of gas and electricity, rather than the entire bill.

It impacts 28 million households in England, Wales, and Scotland. Northern Ireland has its own regulatory framework for the sector.

Fixed deal decision

With costs expected to climb, some billpayers may consider the choices available to adjust their energy tariff.

According to Cornwall Insight, the average annual savings from the top ten lowest tariffs on the market in August was only £5 when compared to the price cap’s default pricing.

That could change in the coming weeks, according to Richard Neudegg of price comparison website Uswitch, who added that there were options for individuals seeking certainty.
“Just because it is a fix doesn’t mean it is a good price fix,” according to him.

“The question for consumers is, if they want that level of certainty, how cheaply can they get it.”

Uncertainty ahead

Cornwall Insight predicted that expenses would climb again this winter when the January price cap is revealed.

It stated that a “modest” increase was expected. However, recent tensions in the Russia-Ukraine war may cause prices to climb higher, it noted.

“While we do not anticipate a return to the extraordinary prices of recent years, it is unlikely that bills would return to what was previously deemed typical. “Without significant intervention, this could become the new normal,” warned Craig Lowrey, lead consultant at the forecaster.

National Energy Action, a charity, warned that price rises, along with reduced government help, could push some households’ finances “to the breaking point.”

Standing charges, a fixed daily fee that covers the costs of connecting to a supply, are now set at 60 pesos per day for electricity and 31 pesos per day for gas; however, they vary by location.

Ofgem is now considering changing the standing charge charging method.

Energy bills are far lower than they were during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, when the government intervened to prevent bill increases, but they are much higher than they were before to the outbreak.

How to keep energy consumption and expenses down
Experts have provided three strategies to keep track of your energy use during the warmer months:

If your hot water is too hot to wash your hands in, then your setting is too high. Turn the boiler down.

To reduce drafts, try putting a black bag with scrunched-up paper up an unused chimney or limiting other drafts around the property. Also, restrict shower length to four minutes. The charity WaterAid has produced a playlist of four-minute tunes to keep you on time.

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