Russia Drones Smash Power Network in Ukraine's Odesa, Leaving 1.5 Million without Power

Sunday, 11 December, 2022

All non-critical infrastructure in the Ukrainian port of Odesa was without power after Russia used Iranian-made drones to hit two energy facilities, leaving 1.5 million people without power, officials said on Saturday.

"The situation in the Odesa region is very difficult," President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address.

"Unfortunately, the hits were critical, so it takes more than just time to restore electricity... It doesn't take hours, but a few days, unfortunately."

Since October, Moscow has been targeting Ukraine's energy infrastructure with large waves of missile and drone strikes.

Norway was sending $100 million to help restore Ukraine's energy system, Zelenskiy said.

Serhiy Bratchuk, spokesperson for Odesa's regional administration, said electricity for the city's population will be restored "in the coming days," while complete restoration of the networks may take two to three months.

Bratchuk said an earlier Facebook post by the region's administration, advising some people to consider evacuating, was being investigated by Ukraine's security services as "an element of the hybrid war" by Russia.

That post has since been deleted.

"Not a single representative of the authorities in the region made any calls for the evacuation of the inhabitants of Odesa and the region," Bratchuk said.

Odesa had more than 1 million residents before the Feb. 24 invasion that Russia calls a "special military operation" to "denazify" its smaller neighbor.

Kyiv says Russia has launched hundreds of Iranian-made Shahed-136 drones at targets in Ukraine, describing the attacks as war crimes due to their devastating effect on civilian life. Moscow says its attacks are militarily legitimate and that it does not target civilians.

Ukraine's prosecutor general's office said two power facilities in Odesa region were hit by Shahed-136 drones.

Ukraine's armed forces said on Facebook that 15 drones had been launched against targets in the southern regions of Odesa and Mykolaiv, and 10 had been shot down.

Tehran denies supplying the drones to Moscow. Kyiv and its Western allies say that is a lie.

Britain's defense ministry said on Saturday that it believed Iran's military support for Russia was likely to increase in the coming months, including possible deliveries of ballistic missiles.

Source: Asharq al-Awsat.

Link: https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/4036976/russia-drones-smash-power-network-ukraine%E2%80%99s-odesa-leaving-15-million-without.

Australia Imposes Sanctions on Iran, Russia over Protests Crackdown

Saturday, 10 December, 2022

Australia's foreign minister said on Saturday the government would place targeted sanctions on Russia and Iran in response to what it called "egregious" human rights violations.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in a statement Australia was imposing sanctions on 13 individuals and two entities, including Iran’s Morality Police and Basij Resistance Force, and six Iranians involved in the crackdown on protests sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in custody in September.

Seven Russians involved in what the foreign minister said was the attempted assassination of former opposition leader Alexei Navalny would also have human rights sanctions imposed on them, Wong said in her statement.

In addition to human rights sanctions, Wong said Australia was placing further targeted financial sanctions on three Iranians and one Iranian business for supplying drones to Russia for use against Ukraine. Australia's foreign minister said on Saturday the government would place targeted sanctions on Russia and Iran in response to what it called "egregious" human rights violations.

Source: Asharq al-Awsat.

Link: https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/4035596/australia-imposes-sanctions-iran-russia-over-protests-crackdown.

Fossil offers ultra rare piece of evidence showing a dinosaur eating a mammal

Edmonton, Canada (SPX)

Dec 22, 2022

An international team of researchers has uncovered an extremely rare piece of evidence that dinosaurs ate mammals. The foot of a small mammal about the size of a mouse was found preserved inside the gut contents of a Microraptor zhaoianus, a small feathered dinosaur from the early Cretaceous period, according to a new study published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. There is a lone earlier report of a dinosaur specimen with mammalian gut contents, however, that report pertains to a species that isn't closely related to Microraptor.

It's extremely rare to find conclusive evidence of a dinosaur's diet because of how difficult it is for a dinosaur's gut contents to be preserved, says Corwin Sullivan, associate professor in the Department of Biological Sciences and co-author of the paper.

"There was always interest in [Microraptor's] diet because there had been previous specimens that contained remains of different vertebrates inside the rib cage, but we have the first one that contains parts of a mammal," he notes.

The Microraptor was found within Jurassic and Cretaceous lake deposits in what is now northeast China.

Previous Microraptor specimens from this area have been found with gut contents of a fish, bird and lizard, indicating that these small dinosaurs had diverse diets. However, it remains unclear whether Microraptor consumed the contents in a predator-prey relationship or by scavenging. Researchers can only say conclusively that Microraptor was carnivorous.

Sullivan says information about dinosaurs' diets is a key piece in the puzzle to learning more about what was going on at the time they roamed the Earth.

"We're slowly gathering pieces of information about these past ecosystems and the animals that inhabited them. So what this discovery does is fill in a little bit of information in that it's showing the diet of Microraptor was even broader, even more generalist, than we thought previously."

"That tells us something about this animal and, by extension, tells us that there were generalist carnivores in these ancient ecosystems - that that niche existed."

Source: Terra Daily.

Link: https://www.terradaily.com/reports/Fossil_offers_ultra_rare_piece_of_evidence_showing_a_dinosaur_eating_a_mammal_999.html.

Increasing forest cover in the Eifel region 11,000 years ago resulted in the local loss of megafauna

Mainz, Germany (SPX)

Dec 22, 2022

Herds of megafauna, such as mammoth and bison, have roamed the prehistoric plains in what is today's Central Europe for several tens of thousands of years. As woodland expanded at the end of the last Ice Age, the numbers of these animals declined and by roughly 11,000 years ago, they had completely vanished from this region. Thus, the growth of forests was the main factor that determined the extinction of such megafauna in Central Europe.

This is the conclusion reached in a study conducted by Professor Frank Sirocko of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU), together with researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, the University of Wollongong in Australia, and the University of Gottingen.

The project involved the analysis of sediment layers taken from two Eifel maars, i.e., former volcanic craters that had subsequently become lakes. The researchers used these to reconstruct landscape changes and megafauna abundance in the area over the last 60,000 years. The results showed that human hunters and large mammals had actually co-existed here over several thousand years.

"The sediments from the Eifel maars have provided us with no evidence that it was humans who were responsible for the eradication of these animals," stated Sirocko. The so-called overkill hypothesis discussed in North America could thus not be confirmed for Central Europe.

Previous vegetation and animal populations can be identified from pollen and fungal spores in sediments

For the purpose of their study, the research partners used sediment cores from the Eifel maars that Sirocko and his team had systematically drilled and archived over the past 20 years. The recent article published in Scientific Reports details the investigation of pollen and spores present in the cores obtained from Holzmaar lake and the infilled maar of Auel located in the Volcanic Eifel. While pollen documents the vegetation of the past, fungal spores provide evidence of the presence of large mammals because certain mold fungi only colonize the dung of bigger herbivores.

On the basis of the grains of pollen, the researchers established that some 60,000 to 48,000 years ago the Eifel region was covered by spruce woods that succumbed to several cold phases, which transformed the landscape into more open forest steppe. This kind of terrain remained predominant from 43,000 to 30,000 years before the present. Subsequently, the forest tundra of the Eifel became an Ice Age polar desert where only grass grew.

The megafauna fecal fungal spores show that it was these environments which were continuously inhabited by large mammals from 48,000 to some 11,000 years ago. Datable bones found in caves in Belgium and gravel deposits in the Rhine valley document that mammoth, woolly rhinoceros, bison, horses, reindeer, and giant deer found the cold phases more accommodating. The sparse forests of the warmer phases were the preferred habitat of red deer, elk, and the European bison.

Development of woodlands deprived megafauna of their food source

The primary cause of the decline and eventual extinction of large mammals in Central Europe was the growth of forests. "As the trees began to take over, the large herbivores lost access to their main staple food, namely grass," explained Sirocko. Neither the extreme climatic fluctuations of the last 60,000 years nor local volcanic activity and associated fire events appear to have played a role in their extinction.

At the same time, the arrival of modern humans in Central Europe 43,000 years ago also had little effect on the presence of local megafauna. Instead, times at which extensive numbers of large mammals were living here coincided with periods in which there was a denser population of humans.

"This is most apparent some 15,000 years ago. At that time, we find the largest herds of megafauna along with the archaeologically confirmed presence of human hunters in the Rhine valley," Sirocko pointed out. The Magdalenian culture site at Gonnersdorf in northern Rhineland-Palatinate has been extensively excavated by the Romisch-Germanisches Zentralmuseum Mainz - Leibniz Research Institute for Archaeology (RGZM) in Mainz.

The researchers claim that even in this period, towards the end of the last Ice Age, grassed landscapes were still spreading. This was the era in which the solar irradiation of the Northern Hemisphere began to increase and global sea levels started to rise, eventually flooding the formerly land regions in the English Channel and the North Sea and thus presumably progressively forcing the herds of megafauna away to seek refuge in Central Europe.

"The many late glacial maar lakes and silted-up swamps in dried-out maars in the Eifel region must have proved particularly attractive to megafauna," concluded Sirocko. "And it was the resultant large herds that must have enticed the late Ice Age hunters."

Sediments of the Eifel maars do not substantiate the overkill hypothesis

According to the research team, the fact that hunters and megafauna occupied the same region concurrently demonstrates that human beings did not cause the disappearance of large mammals from Central Europe - in other words, the maar sediments of the Eifel region do not furnish proof that the overkill hypothesis put forward for North America can be corroborated here.

The large mammals migrated away only when birch forests began to predominate in the terrain 13,300 years ago. From 11,000 years ago there is no longer evidence of the presence of large herds of megafauna as thick woods had taken over the Eifel, a setting in which large mammals could not survive.

Source: Terra Daily.

Link: https://www.terradaily.com/reports/Increasing_forest_cover_in_the_Eifel_region_11000_years_ago_resulted_in_the_local_loss_of_megafauna_999.html.

Gulf Countries, China to Invest in the Future, Energy

Saturday, 10 December, 2022

The Gulf-Chinese summit on Friday concluded the importance of joint work and integration in future projects, namely investment in innovation, technology, and energy, and in collaborative work on regional security and stability.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz said that regional security and stability can't be achieved without "the exit of mercenary militias from all Arab territories and the cessation of external interference in their affairs."

The Crown Prince gave a speech at the Riyadh Gulf-China Summit for Cooperation and Development, which he chaired on behalf of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz.

Several leaders and heads of delegations of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, and Chinese President Xi Jinping, attended the summit on Friday at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center in Riyadh.

Crown Prince Mohammed indicated that the GCC's member states view China as an essential partner for them, and the favorable fruits of this partnership have been reflected in their common interests and the security and stability of the region.

In his speech, he stressed that GCC countries are interested in working with Beijing to explore practical ways to address global challenges, including food security and improving the integration of global supply chains and energy security.

The GCC states affirm that they will continue their role as a reliable source to meet the energy needs of the world and China.

The Crown Prince welcomed the attendees on behalf of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, wishing them success in their endeavors and efforts to preserve security and stability and achieve peoples' aspirations for a better future.

"We meet today in light of the many challenges facing the region and the world amid exceptional circumstances that require us to activate joint collective action to face these challenges, and based on the noble goals and objectives upon which the GCC was established, and based on the depth of the historical relationship and friendship that bind our countries with the People's Republic of China."

The Crown Prince said the summit establishes a new historic start for the relationship between China and Saudi Arabia, aiming to deepen cooperation with the People's Republic of China in all fields and coordinate views on regional and international issues.

He indicated that GCC countries consider China an "essential and important partner," noting that the favorable fruits of this partnership have been reflected in the common interests and regional security and stability.

The rapid economic growth and significant technological development that China has reached under the leadership of President Xi is a success story reflected in China's position as the global economic leader.

The Crown Prince asserted that the GCC countries look forward to exchanging experiences and creating diverse partnerships in light of the ambitious development plans of the GCC states.

He asserted: "We commend the rapid development in the GCC-China relationship and the solid diversity in strategic cooperation between the two sides, such as trade, investment, energy, education, scientific research, environment, and health."

The GCC countries also look forward to increasing this cooperation to broader horizons.

In his speech, the Crown Prince also referred to the remarkable increase in trade exchange between the GCC countries and China during the past years, which "we expect to continue to grow after discussing the negotiations for the establishment of a free trade zone."

The GCC countries value the strategic partnership between them and China and praise the joint action plans for the period (2023-2027) for their importance in strengthening the strategic framework for cooperation between the two sides, said Crown Prince Mohammed.

He announced that GCC countries are interested in working with China to explore practical ways to address global challenges, including food security and improving the integration of global supply chains and energy security.

The GCC countries appreciate China's endeavors to put forward initiatives concerned with revitalizing the course of cooperation and strengthening international multilateral action, foremost of which is the Group of Friends of the Global Development Initiative.

"We share the thinking with our friends in the People's Republic of China about the importance of reorienting the international community's focus towards cooperation, development, and addressing the common challenges facing humanity."

The Crown Prince asserted that Gulf countries are going to exert all efforts to enhance regional security and stability as well as support political solutions and dialogue for all regional and international tensions and conflicts, based on the fact that this is the path that guarantees to achieve peace, security, and prosperity.

Prince Mohammed extended his thanks, on behalf of the GCC countries, to China, led by President Xi Jinping on the continuous endeavor to deepen Chinese-Gulf relations.

For his part, the Chinese President expressed his sincere thanks to Saudi Arabia for its efforts to host the first GCC-Chinese summit.

During his speech before the summit, he reviewed the beginnings of Chinese-Gulf relations, during which the two sides wrote impressive chapters of solidarity, support, cooperation, and mutual gain.

He indicated that China and the GCC countries always exchange support for the sovereignty, independence, and respect of each other's development paths, uphold the equality of all nations, whether big or small and firmly advocate multilateralism.

The Chinese leader pointed to the high integration between the two sides, pointing out that China enjoys a broad consumer market and an integrated industrial system.

The GCC is characterized by rich energy resources and the successful development of diversifying the economy.

The President said: "The Chinese side highly commends the efforts exerted by the GCC countries to make the council the most vital regional organization in the Middle East and the GCC."

He called for consolidating mutual trust and firm support for the vital interests between China and the GCC countries, working together to maintain the principle of non-interference in internal affairs, and exerting joint efforts to implement genuine multilateralism in a manner that preserves the common interests of developing countries.

"We must strengthen the harmonization between our development strategies, activate the advantages of integration, and generate an impetus for development," said the President, expressing the aspiration to join efforts with all parties in implementing the global development initiative and implementing the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

He asserted that China would continue its unwavering support for the GCC countries in maintaining their security and support the region's countries to resolve differences through dialogue, consultation, and building a collective security system in the Gulf.

Xi welcomed the GCC countries to participate in the global security initiative to maintain regional peace and stability with joint efforts and be partners in advancing civilization.

The President explained that during the next three to five years, China is keen on concerted efforts with the GCC's member states to cooperate in priority areas.

He indicated that priority areas include building a new formula for comprehensive cooperation in energy, whereby China will continue to import crude oil and a large amount from the GCC states and increase the import of liquefied natural gas.

He also reiterated the need to enhance cooperation in engineering services, storage, and refining of oil and gas, using the Shanghai Stock Exchange for oil and natural gas as a platform for oil and gas trade settlement in the Chinese currency.

He said China would also enhance cooperation in clean and low-carbon technologies such as hydrogen energy, energy storage, and smart electric grids.

Xi explained that Beijing seeks to enhance cooperation in consolidating the production of equipment related to new energy, the establishment of the Chinese-GCC Forum for Peaceful Uses of Energy Nuclear Power, and participate in the establishment of the Chinese-GCC Excellence Center for Nuclear Security and Specialized Training in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and nuclear technology for the GCC states.

The second area includes pushing for new progress in finance and investment, as China is keen to cooperate with the GCC's member states in financial supervision.

Xi hoped this would facilitate the entry of GCC companies into the Chinese capital market, establish a joint investment council with the GCC side, and support cooperation between sovereignty funds in different ways.

He also addressed expanding technological innovation cooperation to new areas, as China is keen to cooperate with the GCC states in establishing hubs for big data and cloud computing, enhancing collaboration in fifth-generation technology, sixth generation communications, designing a batch of incubators for innovation and entrepreneurship, and carrying out projects for the economy in areas of cooperation on cross-border e-commerce.

He called for innovations for space cooperation, as China is keen to launch a series of cooperation projects with the Gulf countries in remote sensing satellites, space communications, applications, space infrastructure, and cooperation in selecting the training of astronauts.

China will cooperate in teaching the Chinese language with universities and schools in the GCC countries and will establish smart schools for teaching the Chinese language, said the President.

Xi concluded his speech by reiterating that Gulf countries and China bear a message for the nation's development and renaissance, as a long history and a promising future characterize the Chinese-GCC relations.

"Let us work hand in hand to follow up the past march, move hand in hand forward, and work together to create a beautiful future in Chinese-Gulf relations."

Also at the summit, Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa said that these three summits are held under complex political conditions that require intensifying joint efforts to spare the region the repercussions of regional and international conflicts and crises.

The King asserted the importance of unity between the GCC member states as the bulwark of stability and the catalyst of growth and development.

He underscored the significance of commitment to implementing all resolutions of the GCC Supreme Council and Al-Ula Summit communique.

He called to continue coordinating the GCC stances in international gatherings to convey the summit's message of fostering just and comprehensive peace and maintaining global security based on mutual respect.

The summit later issued a final communique addressing the issues discussed during the meeting.

Source: Asharq al-Awsat.

Link: https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/4035811/gulf-countries-china-invest-future-energy.

The Arab-Chinese Riyadh Summit: Race for Progress, Renaissance

Saturday, 10 December, 2022

Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman asserted that "Arabs will race for progress and renaissance once again. We will prove that every day."

Speaking on behalf of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz during the closing ceremony of the Arab-Chinese Summit, the Crown Prince reiterated the resolve of the Arabs to strive for their progress and prosperity.

The Crown Prince concluded the work of the "Riyadh Arab-China Summit for Cooperation and Development" in the presence of Arab leaders, heads of delegations, and the President of China, at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center in Riyadh on Friday.

He stressed that the historical relationship between the Arab countries and China is based on mutual respect, friendship, and cooperation in many fields.

"Our countries attach utmost importance to supporting the development process to develop their economies and the well-being of their peoples," noted the Crown Prince.

He added that the Arab region looks with great interest at China's steady growth and rapid technological progress, which has made it among the world's leading economies.

"The convening of this summit establishes a new phase for advancing the relationship between our countries and strengthening partnership in areas of common interest."

Prince Mohammed noted that to "achieve the future that our peoples aspire to, and for future generations to enjoy the desired prosperity, we must continue to strengthen cooperation in trade, investment and financial fields between the Arab countries and the People's Republic of China in their bilateral and multilateral framework, and develop political coordination on the international arena, towards regional and international issues of common concern."

The Crown Prince noted that Saudi Arabia works to promote international cooperation to meet the world's challenges and support global multilateral action within the framework of the principles of the UN to achieve a promising future for the people and future generations.

"We are aware of the challenge posed by climate change, and we believe in the need to find more sustainable and comprehensive solutions within the framework of a balanced approach that seeks to mitigate the negative effects while maintaining the levels of growth of the global economy, as we aim to reach carbon neutrality without affecting growth and supply chains."

Saudi Arabia values the cooperation of its international partnerships with the Arab countries and China within the Green Middle East Initiative framework, said Crown Prince Mohammed.

He said: "We affirm our readiness to interact positively with the initiatives that enhance our joint environmental work, taking into account the development interests of the countries and the varying capabilities between them."

As other international challenges, including food security and energy security, grow, it is essential to interact with serious initiatives seeking to activate cooperation and collective action, according to the Crown Prince.

He lauded the role of China in putting forward several valuable initiatives, notably the Friends of Global Development Initiative, which matches many aspects of Saudi Arabia's priorities towards supporting sustainable development and promoting food security.

Prince Mohammed added that regional and international development requires stable and secure environmental, political and social efforts, intensifying the international community's efforts to address regional and international issues.

"Saudi Arabia continues to exert all efforts to enhance security and stability in the region and support political solutions and dialogue to resolve regional and international conflicts."

The Kingdom also affirms the need for a just and permanent solution to the Palestine issue under international legitimacy resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative in a way that guarantees the Palestinian people's right to establish an independent state based on the pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, said the Crown Prince.

"We appreciate the People's Republic of China's support of the two-state solution and the Arab Peace Initiative."

Saudi Arabia also supports efforts to reach a comprehensive political solution in Yemen to end the crisis, based on the three references, and "we commend the support of the People's Republic of China for Saudi initiatives towards Yemen."

The Kingdom also stresses the importance of doubling efforts to find political solutions to end the crisis in Syria and Libya to ensure security, stability, and prosperity in the two countries and their return to the joint Arab action circle.

He concluded his speech by reaffirming the importance of continuing Arab-Chinese cooperation in a way that serves both peoples' shared goals and aspirations and plays an influential role in the international arena.

The Crown Prince also expressed appreciation to the Arab League Secretary-General and the staff of the General Secretariat for their successful efforts in this regard.

For his part, Chinese President Xi Jinping described the summit as a landmark in the history of Chinese-Arab relations that will lead ties and cooperation between China and Arab states towards a brighter future.

In his speech at the summit, the President said the friendship between China and the Arab States continues with "its roots in the depths of history, where they met and got to know each other through the old Silk Road, shared through the struggle for national liberation."

The President considered equality and mutual benefit an inexhaustible driving force for Chinese-Arab friendship. The Chinese-Arab cooperation based on mutual benefit and typical gain is a role model, as 17 cooperation mechanisms were established between the two sides within the framework of the China-Arab Cooperation Forum.

During the past ten years, trade exchange exceeded $300 billion, the balance of direct mutual investment amounted to $27 billion, and more than 200 projects were implemented within the framework of cooperation in building the "Belt and Road" initiative, which eventually benefited nearly two billion people.

He added: "The Middle East region is witnessing new and profound changes, where the desire of the Arab peoples for peace and development has become more urgent."

"The Chinese and Arab sides, as strategic partners, must develop the spirit of friendship, strengthen solidarity and cooperation, and build a joint society, which will bring more benefits to the peoples of both sides."

He stressed the importance of adhering to independence and preserving common interests, supporting the Arab efforts to explore ways of development that align with their national circumstances and control their future and fate.

Xi said that China is keen to deepen mutual strategic confidence with the Arab side and exchange firm support to preserve the country's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national dignity.

The President added that the two sides adhere jointly to the principle of non-interference in internal affairs, the application of genuine multilateralism, and the defense of rights and the legitimate interests of developing countries.

He affirmed the Chinese side's keenness to work with the Arab side to implement the global development initiative and to strengthen South-South cooperation to achieve sustainable development, stressing the importance of maintaining peace in the region and attaining common security.

The President pointed out that China supports the Arab side in finding political solutions to thorny issues and building a standard, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security system in the Middle East.

He urged the international community to respect the peoples of the Middle East and add positive energy that serves security and stability in the Middle East.

Xi indicated that the Chinese side welcomes participation with the Arab side in the global security initiative and is ready to continue contributing with Chinese wisdom in promoting peace and security in the Middle East.

The President stressed the importance of devoting shared human values of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy, freedom, and mutual benefit between civilizations in the new era.

He highlighted China's keenness to work with the Arab side to implement the eight joint actions during the next three to five years, which cover the eight areas, namely "development, food security, health, green development and innovation, energy security, dialogue among civilizations, youth rehabilitation, and security and stability."

The President asserted that the Palestinian cause concerns peace and stability in the Middle East and puts the moral conscience of humanity at stake.

"The historical injustice suffered by the Palestinian people cannot continue indefinitely, and it is not permissible to compromise on legitimate national rights, and we look forward to the establishment of an independent state that does not accept rejection, and the international community must consolidate faith in a two-state solution, firmly adhere to the principle of lands in exchange for peace."

President Xi concluded that the Chinese-Arab strategic partnership has become based on comprehensive cooperation and joint development for a better future.

Xi urged the international community to respect the peoples of the Middle East and add positive energy that serves security and stability in the Middle East.

China established comprehensive strategic partnership relations with 12 Arab countries, each separately, and signed a cooperation agreement to build the Belt and Road with 20 Arab countries, as 17 Arab governments expressed their support for the global development initiative, and 15 Arab countries joined the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.

He stressed that the Chinese-Arab relations achieved a historical leap, bringing tangible benefits to the two peoples, noting that the Chinese-Arab summit was a complete success, as the two sides agreed to work with all efforts to build a collaborative community for a shared future towards the new era.

For his part, Algerian Prime Minister Ayman Ayman ben Abdelrahman stressed that the summit aims to deepen cooperation between the Arab countries and China in various fields, noting the importance of boosting strategic ties, which contribute to the emergence of a multipolar world away from unilateral policies.

Meanwhile, Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani said in his speech that the Arab-Chinese summit is a dedication to the common political will to establish a cooperative model supporting a strategic partnership and a qualitative shift in the general path.

For his part, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi addressed the Arab-Chinese cooperation throughout history, stressing that the summit established the modern human civilization that "we are living, when the Pharaonic civilization, the civilization of Mesopotamia, as well as other civilizations in our Arab region connected with the ancient Chinese civilization to represent bright suns, guiding humanity in its cradle and helping it take its first steps."

He called for considering the summit as a new starting point for economic cooperation between the Arab world and China, urging Ethiopia to engage in good faith with Egypt and Sudan to reach a legally-binding agreement that secures the rights of development for "present and future generations and spares them from threats to their stability, security, and safety."

Furthermore, Tunisian President Kais Saied confirmed in his speech that there is no development in the absence of justice, asserting that everyone must work to build new foundations.

Saied noted that the Arab-Chinese summit seeks to open a new path in history.

The President of the United Republic of Comoros, Othman Ghazali, said the summit would contribute to clarifying policies on regional and international issues of common concern and promote political dialogue that aims to protect Arab-Chinese interests, support global peace, and achieve sustainable development in all fields.

Djiboutian President Ismail Omar Guelleh indicated that the Arab-Chinese Summit established a new era in the existing strategic partnership.

The head of the Libyan Presidential Council, Mohammed Yunes al-Menfi, explained that the rapid global economic and political developments require more flexibility in defining economic partnerships and moving away from traditional methods.

Menfi reiterated the importance of relations between the two countries for the stability of Libya, its independence, and territorial integrity.

In his speech, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati said that the Arab world has many human and natural qualifications and is at the center of the world's concern, namely China, noting that the two sides are bound by friendship and shared interests.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas thanked the Saudi leadership for hosting the summit, which he described as "historic and important," culminating in years of Arab-Chinese dialogue.

Abbas stressed that Palestine would not abandon its commitment to international law, looking forward in these difficult circumstances to mobilize international support to implement the resolutions of international legitimacy and the Arab Peace Initiative.

He also called for backing Palestinian efforts to obtain recognition of the State of Palestine, full UN membership, securing international protection for the Palestinian people, and implementing international legitimacy resolutions about the Palestinian cause.

Also, Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch described the summit as a historical event and a significant turning point in the relations between the two sides, saying it is an opportunity to add a new brick to the existing strong ties between the Arab world and China.

The head of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council, Rashad al-Alimi, lauded Saudi Arabia's hosting of the summit, saying it represents an opportunity for progress, prosperity, and development by formulating a common strategy for cooperation and unified visions for sustainable peace.

Alimi stressed that Yemen would continue to work to achieve the comprehensive peace that the people deserve, according to the three references.

Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammad Shia al-Sudani affirmed his country's support for all efforts to strengthen cooperation and friendship between Arab countries and China.

Sudani indicated that the summit is an opportunity for political and economic integration in the region by strengthening cooperation with China, noting that Iraq spares no effort to cooperate towards formulating a regional system that establishes stability and paves the way for prosperity.

Head of Sudan's Sovereign Council, Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, hoped the Riyadh summit would help boost and consolidate relations between the Arab world and China in all fields.

In his speech to the summit, he stressed that the Belt and Road Initiative is a practical model of cooperation, interdependence, and development worldwide.

For his part, the Arab League Secretary-General, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, stressed that Arab-Chinese relations have become crucial, during the past two decades, within the agenda of collective Arab diplomacy.

Aboul Gheit explained that China is the largest trading partner in the Arab world, pointing out that the relations between the two sides are not limited to economy and trade but rather stand on a solid foundation of cultural and human convergence between the two civilizations.

Source: Asharq al-Awsat.

Link: https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/4035561/arab-chinese-riyadh-summit-race-progress-renaissance.

Iran Says It Has Proof that Western States Were Involved in Protests

Monday, 28 November, 2022

Iran has proof that Western nations were involved in protests that have swept the country, the foreign ministry said on Monday.

The protests, sparked by the death of 22-year-old Kurdish Iranian woman Mahsa Amini after her arrest for "inappropriate attire", pose one of the strongest challenges to the country's clerical establishment since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Reuters reported.

"We have specific information proving that the US, Western countries and some of the American allies have had a role in the protests," ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani added.

Source: Asharq al-Awsat.

Link: https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/4012361/iran-says-it-has-proof-western-states-were-involved-protests.

Khamenei's Niece Arrested after Urging World to Cut Ties with Iran

Sunday, 27 November, 2022

Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's niece, a well known rights activist, has called on foreign governments to cut all ties with Tehran over its violent crackdown on popular unrest kindled by the death in police custody of a young woman.

A video of a statement by Farideh Moradkhani, an engineer whose late father was a prominent opposition figure married to Khamenei's sister, was being widely shared online after what activist news agency HRANA said was her arrest on Nov. 23.

"O free people, be with us and tell your governments to stop supporting this murderous and child-killing regime," Moradkhani said in the video. "This regime is not loyal to any of its religious principles and does not know any rules except force and maintaining power."

Khamenei's office did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

HRANA said 450 protesters had been killed in more than two months of nationwide unrest as of Nov. 26, including 63 minors.

It said 60 members of the security forces had been killed, and 18,173 protesters detained.

The protests were sparked by the death of 22-year-old Kurdish Iranian woman Mahsa Amini after her arrest for "inappropriate attire.”

Jalal Mahmoudzadeh, a member of parliament from the mainly Kurdish city of Mahabad, said on Sunday that as many as 105 people had been killed in Kurdish-populated areas during the protests. He was speaking during a debate in parliament as quoted by the Entekhan website.

On Nov. 23, Mahmoud Moradkhani reported his sister's arrest as she was heeding a court order to appear at the Tehran prosecutor's office. Farideh had been arrested earlier this year by Iran's Intelligence Ministry and later released on bail.

HRANA said she was in Tehran's Evin security prison. Moradkhani, it said, had earlier faced a 15-year prison sentence on unspecified charges.

Source: Asharq al-Awsat.

Link: https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/4011196/khameneis-niece-arrested-after-urging-world-cut-ties-iran.

India's Extensive Railways Often Conduit for Child Trafficking

By Umar Manzoor Shah

Karnataka, India, Dec 2 2022 (IPS) - Deeepti Rani (13) lives with her mother in a dilapidated dwelling near a railway track in India’s southern state of Karnataka. The mother-daughter duo sells paperbacks on trains for a living.

Four months ago, a man in his mid-fifties visited them. Masquerading as a businessman hailing from India’s capital, Delhi, he first expressed dismay over the family’s dismal conditions. Then he offered help.  The man asked Deepti if she wanted to accompany him to Delhi, where he could find her a decent job as a sales clerk or a housemaid. He also told Deepti’s mother that if allowed to go to Delhi, her daughter would be able to earn no less than 15 to 20 000 rupees a month—about 200-300 USD.

The money, Deepti’s mother, reasoned, would be enough to lift the family out of abject poverty and deprivation, enough to plan Deepti’s wedding and bid farewell to the arduous job of selling paperbacks on moving trains.

On the scheduled day, when the man was about to take Deepti, a laborer whose family lives adjacent to her hut informed the police about the possible case of trafficking. The laborer had become suspicious after observing the agent’s frequent visits to the mother-daughter.

When police reached the spot and detained the agent, it was discovered during questioning that he was planning to sell the little girl to a brothel in Delhi.

Ramesh, a 14-year-old boy from the same state, shared a similar predicament. He narrates how a man, probably in his late 40s, offered his parents a handsome sum of money so that he could be adopted and taken good care of.

“My parents, who work as laborers, readily agreed. I was set to go with a man – who we had met a few days before. I was told that I would get a good education, a good life, and loving parents. I wondered how an unknown man could offer us such things at such a fast pace. I told my parents that I smelled something suspicious,” Ramesh recalls.

The next day, as the man arrived to take the boy, the locals, including Ramesh’s parents, questioned him.  “We called the government helpline number, and the team arrived after some 20 minutes. When interrogated, the man spilt the beans. He was about to sell the boy in some Middle East country and get a huge sum for himself. We could have lost our child forever,” says Ramesh’s father.

According to government data, every eight minutes, a child vanishes in India.

As many as 11,000 of the 44,000 youngsters reported missing each year are still missing. In many cases, children and their low-income parents who are promised “greener pastures” in urban houses of the wealthy wind up being grossly underpaid, mistreated, and occasionally sexually molested.

Human trafficking is forbidden in India as a fundamental right guaranteed by the Constitution, but it is nonetheless an organized crime. Human trafficking is a covert crime that is typically not reported to the police, and experts believe that it requires significant policy changes to stop it and help victims recover.

Activists and members associated with the Belgaum Diocesan Social Service Society (BDSSS) run various child protection programs for children from poor backgrounds.

One such program is ‘Childline 1098 Collab’. A dedicated helpline has been established to help out children in need. The helpline number is widely circulated across the city so that if anyone comes across any violation of child rights, they can dial the number.

A rescue team will be dispatched and provide immediate help to the victim.

Fr Peter Asheervadappa, the director of a social service called Belgaum Diocesan Social Service Society, provides emergency relief and rescue services for children at high risk. Children and other citizens can dial toll-free 1098, and the team reaches within 60 minutes to rescue the children.

“The cases handled are of varied nature: Sexual abuse, physical abuse, child labor, marriages, and any other abuse that affects children’s well-being,” Asheervadappa told IPS.

He adds that India’s railway network, one of the largest in the world, is made up of 7,321 stations, 123,542 kilometers of track, and 9,143 daily trains, carrying over 23 million people.

“The vast network, crucial to the country’s survival, is frequently used for trafficking children. For this reason, our organization, and others like it, have argued that key train stops require specialized programs and attention. Such transit hubs serve as important outreach locations for finding and helping children when they are most in need,” he said.

But not only have the trafficking cases emerged at these locations. There are child marriages, too, that concern the activists.

Rashmi, a 13-year-old, was nearly sold to a middle-aged businessman from a nearby city.  In return, the wealthy man would take good care of the poverty-stricken family and attend to their daily needs. All they had to do was to give them their daughter.  They agreed. “Everyone wants a good life, but that doesn’t mean you barter your child’s life for that greed. It is immoral, unethical, and illegal,” says an activist Abhinav Prasad* associated with the Child Protection Program.

He says many people in India are on the lookout for child brides. They often galvanize their efforts in slums and areas where poor people live. It is there that they find people in need, and they take advantage of their desperation for money.

While Rashmi was about to tie the nuptial knot with a man almost four times her age (50), some neighbors called the child rescue group and informed them. The team rushed to the spot and called in the police to stop the ceremony from happening.

“Child marriages are rampant in India, but we must do our bit. It is by virtue of these small efforts that we can stop the menace from spreading its dreadful wings and consuming our children,” said Prasad.

Source: Inter-Press Service (IPS).

Link: https://www.ipsnews.net/2022/12/indias-extensive-railways-often-conduit-child-trafficking/.

Chinese cities relax testing rules as zero-Covid policy eases

Beijing (AFP)

Dec 5, 2022

Businesses reopened and testing requirements were relaxed in Beijing and other Chinese cities on Monday as the country tentatively eases out of a strict zero-Covid policy that sparked nationwide protests.

Local authorities across China have begun a slow rollback of the restrictions that have governed daily life for years, encouraged by the central government's orders for a new approach to fighting the coronavirus.

In the capital Beijing, where many businesses have fully reopened, commuters from Monday were no longer required to show a negative virus test taken within 48 hours to use public transport.

Financial hub Shanghai -- which underwent a brutal two-month lockdown this year -- extended this measure to most public places except medical institutions, schools, restaurants and bars, nursing homes and indoor entertainment venues, starting from Tuesday.

The city had already exempted parks and tourist attractions from the testing requirement a day earlier and what the latest rule change encompassed was unclear.

Neighboring Hangzhou ended regular mass testing for its 10 million people, except those living in or visiting nursing homes, schools and kindergartens.

The testing requirement for public transport had been scrapped on Sunday in the central city of Wuhan, where the coronavirus was first detected in late 2019, as well as in Shandong province.

And Zhengzhou -- home to the world's largest iPhone factory -- on Sunday said people would be allowed to enter public places, take public transport and enter their residential compounds without a 48-hour negative test result too.

But as officials have dismantled testing facilities, long queues have appeared around those that remain, forcing residents to wait in cold temperatures to get tests that remain obligatory across much of China.

"Students can't go to school without a 24-hour negative test," wrote a user on China's Twitter-like Weibo.

"What's the point in closing testing booths before dropping the need to show test results completely?" another asked.

In the northwestern city of Urumqi, where a fire that killed 10 people became the catalyst for the recent anti-lockdown protests, supermarkets, hotels, restaurants and ski resorts reopened on Monday.

The city of more than four million in the far-western Xinjiang region endured one of China's longest lockdowns, with some areas shut from August until November.

- Student protests -

The demonstrations last week were the largest in decades as public anger at prolonged virus restrictions boiled over, with many university campuses involved.

China's vast security apparatus has moved swiftly to smother the rallies, deploying a heavy police presence while boosting online censorship and surveillance of the population.

But sporadic localized clashes have continued to flare up.

Hundreds of students at Wuhan University in central China staged a protest Sunday evening, according to footage on social media and an attendee.

At least 300 protested in front of the university's main administrative building, but there was no violence, only students chanting slogans together, an anonymous witness told AFP.

Students were unhappy with the university's examination arrangements and school holiday dates, he said.

The university announced Sunday that it would gradually resume in-person teaching and "optimize campus epidemic control measures" from Monday, but students and staff could not leave campus without approval.

- Dialing it down -

Chinese state media, which previously focused on highlighting the dangers of Covid-19, has shifted tone as measures have been relaxed.

Authoritative business news outlet Yicai on Sunday quoted an unnamed health expert arguing that officials should dial down strict virus rules.

"Most infected people are asymptomatic... and the fatality rate is very low," the expert said.

China's central National Health Commission (NHC) categorizes infectious diseases based on how fatal and infectious they are.

Since January 2020, it has managed Covid under Category A protocols, giving local governments the power to enforce snap lockdowns and put patients and their close contacts into quarantine.

That approach was now "obviously not in line with science" given the changing circumstances, the expert told Yicai, calling for a "downgrade".

Chinese authorities on Monday reported 29,724 new domestic Covid cases.

Source: Terra Daily.

Link: https://www.terradaily.com/reports/Chinese_cities_relax_testing_rules_as_zero-Covid_policy_eases_999.html.

After doom and gloom, China's propaganda shifts gears on Covid

By Jing Xuan Teng

Beijing (AFP)

Dec 5, 2022

Once dominated by doom and gloom coverage of the dangers of the virus and scenes of pandemic chaos abroad, China's tightly controlled media has dramatically shifted tone as the country tentatively moves away from zero-Covid.

Long anchored to a hardline strategy of mass lockdowns, forced quarantine in centralized facilities and mass testing for millions, Beijing is dialing down curbs in the wake of nationwide protests calling for an end to lockdowns and greater political freedoms.

That policy shift has been accompanied by rapid changes in pandemic messaging in both state media and official statements -- which now downplay the risk from the virus and blame local officials for over-zealous implementation of Covid lockdowns.

The prevalent Omicron strain is "not at all like last year's Delta variant", Guangzhou-based medicine professor Chong Yutian said in an article published by the Communist Party-run China Youth Daily.

"After infection with the Omicron variant, the vast majority will have no or light symptoms, and very few will go on to have severe symptoms, this is already widely known," he assured readers.

"Don't be overly terrified, but also take some precautions" against the virus, a story in the Beijing Youth Daily quoted recovered Covid patients telling readers.

And an analysis Friday by state-run newspaper People's Daily quoted health experts supporting local government moves to allow patients to quarantine at home, which would be a marked departure from current rules.

"This is a kind of official propaganda preparing the people for more relaxation and giving the government some possibility to step down (from zero-Covid)," Hong Kong-based Chinese politics expert Willy Lam told AFP.

- 'There will be punishment' -

Experts say Beijing is laying the groundwork for a loosening of Covid rules -- as well as putting in place convenient scapegoats to blame for the restrictions going too far.

The country's top virus response body has already pointed to over-zealous local officials who had gone overboard with their virus measures, urging in a Q&A with the People's Daily on Saturday that these people be "strictly held accountable".

"There will be punishment of a lot of local officials," Lam told AFP.

In one case announced by authorities on Saturday, a sub-district security official in Hunan province was expelled from the Communist Party and removed from his post for assaulting a local resident during a lockdown-related dispute.

Covid-testing companies are also emerging as a scapegoat, with state media in recent days publishing exposes of alleged violations by testing organizations.

"Nucleic acid companies will be the first to be sacrificed by the government," Chinese political blogger Jing Zhao wrote on Twitter, under his pen name Michael Anti.

"Catching the bosses of these companies can solve two problems: the people wanting to find scapegoats, and (the fact that) abandoning nucleic acid tests and switching to less sensitive antigen tests is more in line with Omicron's rules and can reduce some pressure on pandemic control," he said.

- 'Carrots and sticks' -

And the state propaganda apparatus has already begun to portray pivots away from the zero-Covid policy as evidence of the Chinese government's care for its people.

Local governments across the country said earlier this week that they would not require all people to take part in mass testing campaigns, allowing groups including the elderly and those who never leave their homes to skip testing -- a minor step back from existing policy, but one repeatedly highlighted in state media headlines.

Xinhua news agency described the changes as proof "the government responds to what the people call for".

The Chinese Communist Party "recognizes that the zero-Covid policy has put on the line a fundamental pillar of its legitimacy: its promise to provide a basic living standard for citizens", Diana Fu, associate professor of political science at the University of Toronto, told AFP.

She said the softening tone on Covid was part of the party's traditional strategy of responding to protests "through a combination of carrots and sticks".

"While the security apparatus has swung into motion in repressing protestors, local governments are also giving concessions in terms of easing Covid restrictions to let the pressure valve release."

Source: Terra Daily.

Link: https://www.terradaily.com/reports/After_doom_and_gloom_Chinas_propaganda_shifts_gears_on_Covid_999.html.

Vaccine Refusal, Floods Impact Polio Drive in Pakistan

By Ashfaq Yusufzai

PESHAWAR, Nov 29 2022 (IPS) - Vaccine refusal is impacting the eradication of polio in Pakistan.

Pakistan has vaccinated about 35 million children during its door-to-door campaign, but about 500,000 remained unvaccinated due to refusal by their parents, Jawad Khan Polio officer in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, recorded in 2022 so far.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, one of Pakistan’s four provinces, has reported all 20 polio cases. North Waziristan has detected 17 infections, Lakki Marwat 2 and South Waziristan 1.

Khan says that hesitancy against vaccination is not a new trend, as Pakistan has been facing this problem since the start of the polio-eradication campaign in the 90s.

Of the 17 cases reported in militancy-riddled North Waziristan, 12 were not vaccinated, while five were partially immunized.

Muhammad Shah, whose son was diagnosed with the polio virus in August, told IPS that he had been opposing vaccination because this wasn’t allowed in Islam.

“Our religion Islam says that no medication is permissible before the occurrence of any ailment; therefore, our people defy vaccination to fulfill their religious obligations,” he said. Shah, a religious preacher, says his son will soon recover from the paralysis.

He says he was unrepentant in refusing vaccination of his child and would continue to thwart efforts by vaccinators to inoculate the toddler.

North Waziristan district, located near Afghanistan’s border, has many militants who staunchly oppose vaccination.

“It was the hub of the polio virus till 2014 when militants ruled the area illegitimately as there was a complete ban on all sorts of immunization. The Taliban militants were evicted through a military operation in 2014, and parents started vaccinating their kids,” Sajjad Ahmed, a senior health worker, said.

According to him, polio vaccinations have decreased with the emergence of militancy in the area.

“In the last three months, three persons, including two policemen and one health worker, have been killed by unknown assailants during a polio drive in North Waziristan,” he said.

People are afraid to take part in the campaign due to fear of reprisals by Taliban militants, he said.

Dr Rafiq Khan, associated with polio immunization in the region, told IPS that parents refuse vaccination, arguing that it was a US and Western plot to render recipients impotent and cut the population of Muslims – a baseless argument.

“Alleged Taliban have killed about 70 vaccinators and policemen since 2012. Government deploys 25,000 policemen in each three-day campaign to ensure the safety of workers,” he said.

Khan said that militants are pressuring the people against vaccination, due to which parents weren’t willing to administer jabs to their kids below five years.

“We are also facing fake finger marking of kids. As a standard procedure, our vaccinators mark the thumb of the vaccine recipients with indelible ink so that we know how many children have been immunized,” he said.

However, the parents ask the vaccinators to mark their kids’ fingers without vaccination, he said. In this way, parents deceive the government.

“Now, we have started convincing the parents through community elders and religious scholars to create demand for vaccination,” he said.

The government has enlisted the services of religious scholars to do away with refusals against poliomyelitis.

Maulana Amir Haq, a pro-vaccination cleric, told IPS that they had been holding awareness sessions with people telling them vaccination is allowed in Islam.

“It is the responsibility of the parents to safeguard their kids against diseases and vaccination aimed to prevent the crippling ailments. There, parents should fulfill their religious duty and inoculate their sons and daughters,” he said.

He said that laboratory reports confirm vaccines given to Pakistan’s children are safe and don’t contain any ingredient to sterilize the recipients. The situation is changing because we now reach hardcore refusal cases and vaccinate them.

Federal Health Minister Abdul Qadir Patel said that it is crucial to understand that the only protection from polio is vaccination, and parents should protect their children against disability through free immunization.

“We want to wipe out the virus and safeguard not only our own kids but all around the world,” he told IPS.

Polio will keep haunting us until we interrupt transmission, Federal Health Secretary Dr. Muhammad Fakhre Alam said.

On August 31, a 16-year-old boy was diagnosed positive for polio in Waziristan, which shows how robust Pakistan’s virus detection network is because it highlights that we can identify polio cases in children outside the usually expected age, he said.

National Emergency Operations Centre Coordinator for polio, Dr Shahzad Baig, expressed concerns about the spread of wild poliovirus as millions of people in the country are displaced by recent floods.

“The scale of the current calamity is absolutely devastating. As part of the polio program, our network of health workers is here to support in every way we can, but I am deeply concerned about the virus gaining a foothold as millions of people leave their homes and look for refuge elsewhere,” he said.

The province of Balochistan and parts of southern Punjab, and 23 districts of Sindh were unable to hold a vaccination drive as floods swept away homes and villages around the country. Despite the extreme climatic conditions, polio teams reached children in all accessible areas, he said.

Neighboring Afghanistan is facing the same problems; however, it has detected only two cases this year.

Source: Inter-Press Service (IPS).

Link: https://www.ipsnews.net/2022/11/vaccine-refusal-floods-impact-polio-drive-pakistan/.

UN Deploys Unarmed Weapon in Humanitarian & Peacekeeping Operations

By Thalif Deen

UNITED NATIONS, Nov 28 2022 (IPS) - A sign outside the United Nations reads, perhaps half-seriously, that it is a “No Drone Zone”—and “launching, landing or operating Unmanned or Remote-Controlled aircraft in this area is prohibited”.

The “warning” comes even as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) – or drones – are some of the new weapons of war deployed mostly by the US, and more recently, by Iran, Ukraine and Russia in ongoing military conflicts.

But the unarmed versions continue to be deployed by UN peacekeeping forces worldwide and by national and international humanitarian organizations.

In a recently-released report, the UN Population Fund (UNFPA says for women in Botswana, especially those living in remote communities where medical supplies and blood may not be in stock, giving birth can be life-threatening.

In 2019, the country recorded a maternal mortality rate of 166 deaths per 100,000 births, more than double the average for upper-middle-income countries.

Lorato Mokganya, Chief Health Officer in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, is quoted as saying that when a woman has lost a lot of blood during childbirth and may need to be transferred to a bigger medical facility, she first needs to be stabilized where she is before being driven out of that place. Timely delivery of blood can be lifesaving.

“A drone can be sent to deliver the blood so that the patient is stabilized,”

In an effort to curb the country’s preventable maternal deaths and overcome geographical barriers this innovative initiative will revolutionize the delivery of essential medical supplies and services across Botswana, says UNFPA.

Joseph Chamie, a former director of the UN Population Division and a consulting demographer., told IPS the increased use of drones for humanitarian and peacekeeping missions of the United Nations is certainly a good idea and should be encouraged.

“Why? Simply because the numerous benefits from the use of drones greatly outnumber the possible disadvantages”.

As is the case with all new technologies, he pointed out, resistance to the use of drones is to be expected. The public’s distrust in the use of drones is understandable given their use in military operations and surveillance activities.

Also, it should be acknowledged that drones could be misused and efforts are needed to ensure privacy, security and safety, said Chamie.

“In brief, the use of drones should be promoted and facilitated in the work of the UN’s humanitarian and peacekeeping operations as it will greatly enhance the effectiveness of their vital work,” he declared.

Drones have been deployed in several UN peacekeeping missions, including the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda and Uganda—going back to 2013.

Although this technology is not a magic solution, “the promise of drones is really tremendous,” says Christopher Fabian, principal advisor on innovation at the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

For UNICEF and other humanitarian and development agencies, he said, in an interview with UN News, drone technology can make a big difference in three ways.

First, drones can leapfrog over broken infrastructure in places where developed transportation networks or roads do not exist, carrying low-weight supplies.

Second, UAVs can be used for remote sensing, such as gathering imagery and data, in the wake of natural disasters like mudslides, to locate where the damage is and where the affected peoples are.

Third, drones can extend wi-fi connectivity, from the sky to the ground, providing refugee camps or schools with access to the Internet.

As big as a Boeing 737 passenger jet and as small as a hummingbird, a huge variety of drones exist. According to research firm Gartner, total drone unit sales climbed to 2.2 million worldwide in 2016, and revenue surged 36 per cent to $4.5 billion.

Although UNICEF’s use of drones has been limited, the agency is exploring ways to scale up the use of UAVs in its operations, Fabian said.

“Hardware itself does not violate human rights. It is the people behind the hardware,” said Fabian, stressing the need to “make sure that any technology we bring in or work on falls within the framing of rights-based documents,” such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

UNICEF has a set of guiding principles for innovation, which includes elements like designing with the end-user.

For drone applications to spread further, Fabian said, the UN has a strong role in advocating this technology and ensuring that policy is shared with different governments.

In addition, governments have to clearly define why they need drones and what specifically they will be used for, while also building up national infrastructure to support their use.

The private sector must understand that the market can provide them real business opportunities.

In 10 to 20 years, drones might be “as basic to us as a pen or pencil,” said Fabian.

“I believe this technology will go through a few years of regulatory difficulty but will eventually become so ubiquitous and simple that it’s like which version of the cell phones you have rather than have you ever use the mobile phone at all,” he said.

Meanwhile, armed UAVs are being increasingly used in war zones in the Middle East, Asia, Africa and most recently Ukraine.

The US has launched drone strikes in Pakistan, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan targeting mostly terrorist groups. But the negative fallout has included the deaths of scores of civilians and non-combatants.

In recent months, the use of drones by both Russia and Ukraine has triggered a raging battle at the United Nations while Iran has launched drone attacks inside Iraq.

The US, France, UK and Germany have urged the UN to investigate whether the Russian drones originated in Iran. But Russia has denied the charge and insisted the drones were homemade.

Russia’s First Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy, urged Secretary-General António Guterres and his staff on October 25 not to engage in any “illegitimate investigation” of drones used in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, going back to 2017, Malawi, in partnership with UNICEF, launched Africa’s first air corridor to test the humanitarian use of drones in Kasungu District.

Also with UNICEF, Vanuatu has been testing the capacity, efficiency and effectiveness of drones to deliver life-saving vaccines to inaccessible, remote communities in the small Pacific- island country, according to the United Nations.

Vanuatu is an archipelago of 83 islands separated over 1,600 kilometres. Many are only accessible by boat, and mobile vaccination teams frequently walk to communities carrying all the equipment required for vaccinations – a difficult task given the climate and topography.

To extend the use of drones, UNICEF and the World Food Programmes (WFP) have formed a working group.

In addition, UNICEF, together with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), chairs the UN Innovation Network, an informal forum that meets quarterly to share lessons learned and advance discussions on innovation across agencies, the UN points out.

“Drones are also used in other parts of the UN system. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and its partners have introduced a new quadcopter drone to visually map gamma radiation at Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, which was damaged by the devastating 2011 tsunami”.

ROMEO, or the Remotely Operated Mosquito Emission Operation, met the competition’s aim of improving people’s lives. It was designed to transport and release sterile male mosquitoes as part of an insect pest birth control method that stifles pest population growth.

Some UN peacekeeping missions, such as those in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali and the Central African Republic, have deployed unarmed surveillance UAVs to improve security for civilians, according to the UN.

The UN, however, warns that drone technology can be a double-edged sword. UN human rights experts have spoken out against the lethal use of drones.

Source: Inter-Press Service (IPS).

Link: https://www.ipsnews.net/2022/11/un-deploys-unarmed-weapon-humanitarian-peacekeeping-operations/.

Australia Starts Building 'Momentous' Radio Telescope

Monday, 5 December, 2022

Australia on Monday started building a vast network of antennas in the Outback, its section of what planners say will eventually become one of the most powerful radio telescopes in the world.

When complete, the antennas in Australia and a network of dishes in South Africa will form the Square Kilometer Array (SKA), a massive instrument that will aim to untangle mysteries about the creation of stars, galaxies and extraterrestrial life.

The idea for the telescope was first conceived in the early 1990s, but the project was plagued by delays, funding issues and diplomatic jockeying, AFP said.

The SKA Observatory's Director-General Philip Diamond described the beginning of its construction as "momentous".

The telescope "will be one of humanity's biggest-ever scientific endeavors", he said.

Its name is based on the planners' original aim, a telescope that could observe a one-square-kilometer surface, but the current South African and Australian sections will have a combined collecting area of just under half that, according to the observatory.

Both countries have huge expanses of land in remote areas with little radio disturbance -- ideal for such telescopes.

More than 130,000 Christmas tree-shaped antennas are planned in Western Australia, to be built on the traditional lands of the Wajarri Aboriginal people.

They have dubbed the site "Inyarrimanha Ilgari Bundara", or "sharing sky and stars".

"We honor their willingness to share their skies and stars with us as we seek to find answers to some of the most fundamental science questions we face," said Diamond.

The South African site will feature nearly 200 dishes in the remote Karoo region, according to the organization.

Comparison between radio telescopes is difficult as they operate in different frequencies, according to SKA's planners.

But they have said that the two sites will give SKA higher sensitivity over single-dish radio telescopes because its arrays are spread out, forming a much bigger "virtual dish".

The project will help in "charting the birth and death of galaxies, searching for new types of gravitational waves and expanding the boundaries of what we know about the universe", said telescope director Sarah Pearce.

Danny Price from the Curtin Institute of Radio Astronomy said the telescope would be extremely powerful.

"To put the sensitivity of the SKA into perspective, the SKA could detect a mobile phone in the pocket of an astronaut on Mars, 225 million kilometers away," he said.

The SKA Observatory, headquartered at Jodrell Bank in Britain, has said the telescope should start making scientific observations by the late 2020s.

The organization has 14 members: Britain, Australia, South Africa, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and The Netherlands.

Source: Asharq al-Awsat.

Link: https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/4025116/australia-starts-building-momentous-radio-telescope.

Climate change supercharges threat from forest-eating bug

Helsinki (AFP)

Dec 5, 2022

Deep in the Finnish woods, the moss and blueberry shrubs hide a deadly threat to the boreal forests that are as important to the planet as the Amazon rainforest.

With chunks of their bark peeling off and needles falling from dying branches, more and more trees are being killed by the spruce bark beetle, which is venturing further and further north with climate change.

The tiny brown insects attack the Picea abies, one of Finland's most common tree species, and can cause massive damage to forests.

Burrowing through the bark to lay their eggs, the beetles eat their way around the spruce and kill it by stopping water and nutrients reaching the higher branches.

"The species has caused huge damage across Central and Eastern Europe, especially since 2018," Markus Melin, a scientist at the Natural Resources Institute Finland, told AFP.

With climate change, the risk of the beetle spreading is a "lot higher now", Melin added.

"We have to accept it and adapt to it. Things are changing fast up here."

While the threat is greatest in southern Finland, the sweltering summer of 2021 saw bark beetle damage "unusually high up north" in the Kainuu region of northern Finland.

- 'Nasty loop' -

"It is well known that the spruce bark beetle is one of the species that benefit most from global warming," Melin said.

The beetles thrive on weakened trees. Hot summers mean there are more water-starved spruce, while warm winters mean there is no frozen ground to brace the trees against storms.

Warm weather also speeds up the life cycle of the beetles, meaning they can reproduce faster.

"Extreme warm summers benefit the bark beetle directly. They have less mortality, reproduction is faster," Melin said.

While the beetles normally go for weak trees, once their numbers reach a tipping point they can start attacking healthy ones.

"It becomes a nasty loop," Melin said.

If foresters do not react in time by removing weakened spruce, "suddenly there are so many beetles that they can attack healthy trees" further speeding the "cycle of destruction", Melin said.

Source: Terra Daily.

Link: https://www.terradaily.com/reports/Climate_change_supercharges_threat_from_forest-eating_bug_999.html.