Study warns radicalized right-wingers uniting online—many inspired by Trump—threaten Australian democracy


October 10, 2020 By Common Dreams

Australian white supremacist Brenton Tarrant at the Christchurch court 

JOHN KIRK-ANDERSON POOL/AFP

Australian researchers published a study this week mapping the online activity of right-wing extremists in New South Wales, concluding such individuals—many of them inspired by U.S. President Donald Trump—pose an “insidious” threat to the country’s democracy.

The study, Mapping Networks and Narratives of Online Right-Wing Extremists in New South Wales, was conducted by researchers at Macquarie University and Victoria University, who analyzed the Facebook pages of 30 extreme right-wing groups and tens of thousands of tweets from over 3,300 users in the southeastern state.

New study published today warns that U.S.-inspired rightwing extremism is a “creeping threat” in Australia. This highlights the continued internalization of the right-wing extremist threat via online networks: https://t.co/oTPe6K6v1S pic.twitter.com/W2XIjcG7eM
— CEP (@FightExtremism) October 9, 2020

The researchers found that on numerous social media platforms—including Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, Gab, 4chan, and 8chan/kun—communities of mostly young men are uniting over “the theme of white identity under threat.”

Anti-semitism, Islamophobia, and far-right conspiracy theories like QAnon are common narratives used to engage and recruit young men into extremist groups, the study found. Trump plays a significant role in the conversation, according to Macquarie University researcher Julian Droogan.

“Trump is really held up as an example of a defender of white identity by many in this extreme subculture,” Droogan told The Guardian. “However, we also see it being presented in a distinctly Australian way.”

Trump's refusal to disavow white supremacy should come as a warning to Australia where no right-wing extremists groups are listed on the terrorism register. https://t.co/fnIPNY5EGW #USA #auspol #rightwingextremism #politics
— Maya Borom (@samayaborom) October 4, 2020

The researchers found that right-wing extremism fueled by social media poses a serious threat to Australian democracy.

“The propagation of extremist narratives online serves to polarize political debate, and to undermine trust in institutions and democracy,” the study asserts. “Social media is playing a key role in the rise of right-wing violent extremism.”

As an example, the authors cite the Christchurch terror attack, in which a Trump-supporting Australian white supremacist livestreamed his massacre of 51 Muslims worshipping in a New Zealand mosque last March

The researchers call on Australian leaders to work to safeguard the nation’s political system “from these very insidious and ongoing threats.”

Right-wing extremism and white supremacist ideologies attack our values and are a danger to democracies everywhere.

We need to face right-wing extremism squarely, name it, confront it, and reject it.

A thread

— Kristina Keneally (@KKeneally) October 1, 2020


The rise in right-wing extremism is reflected in statements from the Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation, Australia’s domestic spy agency, which recently revealed that up to 40% of its counter-terrorism cases now involve far-right extremism.

Jewish groups pen letter opposing Amy Coney Barrett nom to Supreme Court
The letter concludes by saying that Barrett would run counter to the example set by Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the Jewish justice who died last month and whom Barrett would replace.

By RON KAMPEAS/JTA
OCTOBER 10, 2020 

AMY CONEY BARRETT was chosen by US President Donald Trump, who said he wanted to rush her confirmation so she could be seated if and when his election is challenged and gets to the Supreme Court. September 2020
(photo credit: REUTERS/CARLOS BARRIA)

An array of liberal Jewish groups signed a letter with other faith-based organizations appealing to senators not to confirm President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, citing her past opposition to the Affordable Care Act.

The letter, signed by 41 groups in all — and spearheaded by the National Council of Jewish Women — notes a case upcoming on the Supreme Court docket that could dismantle the act, also known as Obamacare.

President Donald Trump, who wants the legislation dismantled, has said he will replace some of its provisions, including guaranteeing coverage to people with preexisting conditions, but he has not yet advanced legislation that would do so.

“Should the ACA be struck down, tens of millions of Americans will immediately lose access to coverage as an unprecedented health crisis rages on, plunging our entire health care system into confusion and chaos,” said the letter sent Friday to all 100 senators. “People of faith refuse to remain idle while the health, safety, and lives of countless individuals are on the line and believe that our next Supreme Court justice must commit to upholding precedent affirming the constitutionality of the ACA.”

The letter concludes by saying that Barrett would run counter to the example set by Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the Jewish justice who died last month and whom Barrett would replace.

In addition to NCJW, the 17 Jewish groups signing the letter include a number of Reform and Reconstructionist movement bodies, in addition to Jewish human rights advocacy groups.

In a separate statement this week, the Reform movement said it opposed Barrett’s nomination because of what it described as her stated opposition to the ACA, the right to an abortion and LGBTQ rights. The Reform movement has rarely opposed Supreme Court nominees in the past.

How Gen Z’s travel behaviors are changing the way we all get around for the better

Unsplash: Alexander Popov



STORY BY
Urban Mobility Daily


From the environmental impact of fossil fuel vehicles to heavily congested roads, our relationship with transport has to be re-examined. A carrot and stick approach is often used to encourage change – but there are other notable drivers.

Enter Generation Z (Gen Z). Born between the mid-1990s and 2010, they make up 32% of the population, according to UN and Bloomberg data – more than the number of millennials and baby boomers. As early adopters of ride sharing and micromobility, their collective ‘buying power’ could have a positive impact on urban mobility.

Their influence on the transport sector over the next decade raises some important questions. How can mobility providers capture the interest of these young commuters as they enter the workforce and support their green values? What opportunities does Mobility as a Service (MaaS) provide for local transport authorities to connect with Gen Z?
Commodity perspective

Answering these questions starts with understanding how Gen Z view transport. An Allison+Partners U.S. study, “The Birth of Mobility Culture,” places them at the forefront of a ‘Me’ to ‘We’ cultural shift. At ease with connected technology, they are both socially and environmentally aware, signaling a change in attitude from previous generations.

This perspective extends to transport too. The Allison+Partners study found Gen Z, viewed cars like appliances – nearly 56% saw them as just a means of transport. Unlike previous generations, cars do not define their identity, they are effectively a commodity. Given 70% of Gen Z have not gained their driving license and 30% are in no hurry to get one, car ownership is clearly not a priority.

Different values

This means that mobility providers and manufacturers need to rethink how they engage with Gen Z. Rather than focusing on, for example, a car’s looks, speed and other form factors, efficiency, sharing, sustainability and overall experience may be more suitable talking points.

Take the rise in popularity of on-demand e-scooters among younger generations in the Spanish capital of Madrid. With this move from ownership to usership comes a less polluting way to move around, making our urban areas more livable. Of course, many decisions may depend on life stage such as career plans or starting a family.

However, Gen Z has access to more modes of transport than ever before to influence their choices. Micromobility is becoming increasingly popular in cities across the globe and the expectation is that autonomous vehicles will be a viable mode of future transport too.
MaaS connection

It is important that local transport authorities embrace this and provide the tools to access a wide plethora of services. Few Gen Z have known life without technology, as reflected in research by Adobe – and 46% want apps and services to book, track and manage trips. MaaS is perfectly placed to provide the personalized experience they desire, considering 65% are constantly connected while traveling and expect to change everything from accommodation and itineraries to transportation on the fly.

MaaS apps also allow transport operators and local authorities to connect with this digital tribe in a way not seen before – and understand what makes them tick. A study by Expedia ‘How Younger Generations are Shaping the Future of Travel’ found that 70% look to their smartphone for ‘inspiration’ while 80% consider social media ‘influential’.

Not only can MaaS provide Gen Z with intelligent search results based on personal preferences – including modality, time, frequency, cost, comfort and CO2 emissions – it also allows them to tailor their transport and lifestyle choices accordingly. PTAs and mobility providers can capture data and garner feedback to help improve service provision and better understand what customers value most.
Smarter future

One thing is for sure: tech-savvy Gen Z expect more from their journeys, creating opportunities for smarter engagement with these travelers. From incentivizing shared travel and lower CO2 transport modes to offering contextual promotions and entertainment, MaaS moves beyond a simple travel app to meeting lifestyle needs too.

It calls for PTAs to take a collaborative approach with Gen Z to establish a transport system that is more sustainable, active and intelligent. There is the potential for urban planners to repurpose existing infrastructure too, creating safer cycling routes, wider footpaths (that are also wheelchair friendly), more electric vehicle charging stations, convenient pick up/drop off zones and ensuring that micromobility and shared vehicles are well-positioned for accessibility – particularly for the first/last mile.

Not only will Gen Z reshape transport by their travel behaviors, they will also be the mobility entrepreneurs and city planners of the future. From usership over ownership to a culture of ‘we’ rather than ‘me’, Gen Z will steer the course of mobility in the years ahead. With MaaS at the core, this generation could be the one that demands greener, cleaner mobility, finally making our built environments more sustainable for the benefit of us all.

This article was written by Sandra Witzel, Head of Marketing at SkedGo, on The Urban Mobility Daily, the content site of the Urban Mobility Company, a Paris-based company which is moving the business of mobility forward through physical and virtual events and services. Join their community of 10K+ global mobility professionals by signing up for the Urban Mobility Weekly newsletter. Read the original article here and follow them on Linkedin and Twitter.



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Published October 9, 2020 — 09:00 UTC

This adorable little electric car is made of trash

Bart van Overbeeke / TU/E

STORY BY
Abhimanyu Ghoshal


One person’s trash is another person’s zero-emissions car, goes the old saying… right?

In what might be my favorite demonstration of just how much we can benefit from recycling, students at the Eindhoven University of Technology have unveiled Luca, a cute electric car made largely from plastic you threw away years ago.

The team of 22 students first revealed its design back in December 2019, and have now completed its construction using a range of recycled materials. The project has taken a total of 18 months, and also involved numerous companies who helped with various materials needed to build it

.

An early render of Luca’s design

You can watch a video of the car in action, as well as views from all sides and its cabin over on Dutch outlet NOS’ site.

The exterior is made of flax fibers combined with various plastics, including waste plastic fished out from the ocean, PET bottles, and recycled ABS; a sandwich panel made of these materials was used for the chassis. The yellow finish isn’t paint, but instead a wrap, also made of recycled material. The same goes for the glass, which gets a natural dark tint. The whole car weighs just 360 kg; its batteries add just 60 kg more.

Credit: Bart van Overbeeke / TU/E

Isn’t the Luca an absolute beauty? It’s hard to believe this is mostly recycled waste.

Pop into the sporty coupe and you’ll find seats made of coconut husk and horsehair, wrapped in recycled PET. Two electric motors power the rear wheels to help the Luca hit a top speed of 90 kmph (56 mph), and achieve a range of 220 km (136 miles). The university notes that this efficiency translates to about 180 kilometers per liter of gasoline.

“With this car, we want to show that waste is a valuable material, even in complex applications like a car,” said team member Matthijs van Wijk. It’s certainly a remarkable experiment to demonstrate that; the next challenge will be to meet requirements for safety and reliability over time.

The students aim to eventually have Luca inspected and allowed on public roads. Hopefully, it’ll also encourage automakers to start thinking actively about recycling more for their future vehicles.

Published October 8, 2020 — 13:39 UTC

Hyundai’s first fuel cell-powered trucks arrive in Switzerland — bye bye, diesel

Hyundai Motor Group


STORY BY
Abhimanyu Ghoshal

Hyundai‘s first batch of seven XCIENT hydrogen fuel cell-powered trucks have been presented to its customers in Switzerland today, kicking off the company’s plan to deliver 1,600 such zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles by 2025.

That’s the result of a joint venture between Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility (HHM) and Swiss firm H2 Energy. 50 of those will roll out by the end of this year.


Reuters reports that Switzerland-based commercial customers will be leasing the trucks from HHM to transport goods around the country, and will be supported by newly set up hydrogen charging station infrastructure.

The XCIENT trucks manage around 400 km (~250 miles) of driving range with a full trailer in tow, thanks to a 350-bar 32kg hydrogen tank on board. Hyundai says these vehicles can be recharged fully within 8-20 minutes.

The idea behind this project is to replace diesel-powered trucks in markets aiming to reduce the use of fossil fuels, so it’ll be worth following Hyundai and others in this space across Europe to see how they fare over the next few years.

Toyota also made the news earlier this week after announcing its plan to build a fuel-cell powered truck for North America, with a view to present a prototype within the first half of 2021

.

Credit: Toyota

Totoya’s heavy-duty fuel cell truck is slated to show up as a prototype next year

Between various such ventures, Bloomberg predicts that global sales of medium and heavy-duty commercial fuel-cell vehicles will reach 10,000 units annually by 2030.

Hyundai will host a live streamed event to officially launch the XCIENT Fuel Cell truck on October 14, along with its roadmap for clean commercial mobility. You can follow the stream on the company’s YouTube channel at 10AM KST/6PM PDT/9PM EDT/3AM CEST.

Lucid unveils the Air, its luxury EV with up to 517-miles of range costing as much as $169K

All the important bits you need to know and many pictures

Lucid Motors


STORY BY
Matthew Beedham


Pretty much every electric vehicle that comes to market at the moment is compared to Tesla. That’s mostly because it’s the main option, it’s got a car for most core markets, and it regularly bests the competition in games of EV Top Trumps.

Of course, there’s a lot more to what makes a car good than how fast or far it goes, but the EV that’s just been officially unveiled, the Lucid Air, might just redefine the top line benchmarks.

[Read: Turns out Nikola won’t build its Badger hydrogen EV truck after all — GM will]

Over the past few weeks, in the run up to the Air’s official unveiling, Lucid has bragged about various world-beating features. Those claims just took one big step closer to becoming a reality today, after the company officially unveiled its debut vehicle, the Air. Let’s take a look at what we know.

Credit: Lucid Motors The Lucid Air, unveiled officially today is going to shake down the EV market, in a good way.

It’s going to cost $80,000 and first deliveries will begin in Spring 2021, so we don’t have to wait that long before we see them on the road. Bear in mind, you’ll have to wait until 2022 for an $80,000 model, the more expensive variants are coming to market first, but more on that later.

In terms of price, it competes squarely with the likes of the Tesla Model S. While Lucid Motors is aiming for the luxury market, there’s not much on the market to compare it to so reviewers will no doubt look to draw parallels.
The Lucid Air is fast

According to Lucid, the Air is going to have an insane 1080 hp in its dual-motor setup. That should be capable of running a quarter mile in under 10 seconds.

Credit: Lucid Motors

The Lucid Air sedan claims to have the lowest drag coefficient in its class. There’s something classic about its rear styling, and has a subtle French vibe which is no bad thing, if you ask me.

It has a massive battery pack

Thanks to a 113 kWh battery pack, it’s expected to have an EPA estimated range of 517 miles on a single charge. This gives it the longest range of any production EV at the moment. To achieve that range speculators suggested the Air would have a 130 kWh battery pack, but it seems the company has found ways to tweak efficiency, too. For reference, Tesla surpassed 400 miles on a single charge on its long-range Model S, and that has a 100 kWh battery pack.

Credit: Lucid Motors

The Lucid Air is going to have a 113 kWh battery pack, that’s the biggest of any production EV that I know of.

Lucid says that it has the lowest drag coefficient of any luxury car, too. This might go some way to explaining how it gets such good range. Lucid says its drag coefficient is 0.21, the Tesla Model S’ is somewhere around 0.24 (in this case, lower is better). A car that cuts through the air easier needs less power to do so, hence the impressive range.
It’s going to charge super fast

Lucid also says that it’s going to be the fastest charging EV in the world, which will be a boon for long-distance travelers. The company hasn’t mentioned the minute technical details of how it achieves this, but you’ll almost certainly have to plug the Air into an ultra-rapid EV charger rated to at least 200 kW. In fact, it’ll more likely have to be a 300+ kW charger.Credit: Lucid MotorsThe Lucid Air claims to be the fastest charging EV in the world. You’ll need to use super powerful chargers, though. There are of course Lucid branded home chargers available, too.

The only issue is that those are quite hard to come by right now, so early adopters might have to wait to take full advantage of this feature. Whatever the case, Lucid says that at peak power it can add 20 miles per minute spent charging. In reality, Lucid says that should convert to around 300 miles of range added in 20 minutes. If anyone has range anxiety, with the Lucid Air that should be a thing of the past.
The inside

The passenger experience is going to be quite unique. As some new EVs are looking to Google for their in-car entertainment systems with Android Automotive, Lucid has gone to Amazon and will integrate Alexa into the vehicle.

As with cars that use the Android system, like the Polestar 2, drivers and passengers will be able to ask the car to do a host of things like make calls, navigate, and change the temperature in the cabin. More features will be added using OTA updates.Credit: Lucid MotorsThe Lucid Air will feature a panoramic style screen and roof.

For the driver, there’s going to be a 34-inch 5K cockpit display that hovers above the dashboard the width of the vehicle. There will still be some physical buttons to control certain vehicle functions, including familiar steering wheel-based audio controls.

If you are still clambering for more world records, the Lucid Air will also have the world’s largest frunk of any EV, that’s a trunk in the front. More space for bags.Credit: Lucid MotorsThere seems to be plenty of interior space for passengers, too. That’s mostly thanks to not needing a transmission tunnel down the center of the car.
The underside

If you haven’t kept up with Lucid and the Air’s development, the short story is that the company is run by a host of former Tesla engineers. It’s headed up by Peter Rawlinson who was the lead Model S engineer as it happens.

The main innovation that Lucid is claiming to have made is a widely seen technology phenomenon, in that it has focused on increasing efficiency of electrical components and making them smaller. It sounds simple, but the benefits affect the entire vehicle.

Credit: Lucid MotorsLucid has redesigned electric motors to combine multiple components in one unit to take up less space, whilst maintaining power, torque, and efficiency.

Having smaller motors means there’s more space inside the car for passengers, that frunk, and batteries. All in, it’s allowed Lucid to push the envelope just enough to stand out from the crowd in many important areas for EVs like range, speed, and charging capability.
Lucid’s model variants

The Lucid Air is going to be available in four different spec levels. The first one to market — coming in Spring — is the Lucid Air Dream Edition. It’s the flagship, it’s the most expensive, it’s the all singing all dancing version with the most power and the most luxury. Although, all that extra power — and weight — does bring its range down to 465 miles on 21-inch wheels, on 19-inch wheels the range is 503 miles. Its list price (before subsidies) is $169,000. That puts it in a whole new space beyond the Model S.

Credit: Lucid MotorsThe Lucid Air is aiming at a segment of the EV market that’s pretty much unpopulated right now. Its base model will compete with the Model S, but given its luxury verions costs $169,000 it’s going to be in a class of its own for a while.

The next model made available will be the Lucid Air Grand Touring. That’ll have a list price of $139,000 and will be available in mid-2021. This will be slightly less powerful, putting out just 800 hp but will still do 517 miles on a full charge.

In late 2021, the Lucid Air Touring will reach the market with a 620 hp motor and 406 miles of range, with a list price of $95,000.

By 2022, the base-spec Lucid Air will be available and will cost $80,000. Lucid are yet to say what its range and power will be, though. Presumably, it’ll have to be pretty similar to the Touring model, otherwise it’ll be basically the same as a Model S.

Credit: Lucid MotorsThe interior is typical for a luxury car. Expensive leather, Eucalyptus wood, and a smattering of other high-end features that you won’t find elsewhere.

It’s understandable that Lucid hasn’t disclosed the range of its base level car yet, as technology will move on, and in two years time, there will almost certainly be more EVs on the market that have over 400 miles of range.

The Lucid Air is no doubt going to ruffle a few feathers in the EV world, and in a good way too. It’s a unique proposition, one that is out of reach of most average drivers sure, but hopefully the tech will trickle down to more affordable vehicles in the future.

If you want to experience some of those world beating features Lucid has been bragging about so far, you’re going to have to pay for them. But for now, here’s a bunch more pictures of it.







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Published September 9, 2020 — 

Canada announces Can $590 mn investment in Ford electric car plant

If Canadians buy the electric vehicles produced at the plant, Canada will move towards its goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050, Justin Trudeau said.

By AFP News October 9, 2020 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government and the province of Ontario announced Thursday investments of Can$295 million (US$223 million) each in a Ford factory billed as the largest electric vehicle plant in North America.

At a joint news conference with Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Trudeau called the investments totaling Can$590 million "one of the first steps to build a next-generation auto industry."

It will also help Canada -- if Canadians buy the electric vehicles produced at the plant -- move toward its goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050, he said.

The Oakville, Ontario assembly plant is to be repurposed as part of a deal announced last month between the Ford Motor Company and the Canadian union Unifor, to build five new electric vehicle models and the batteries that will power them.

The project is valued at Can$1.8 billion and will secure up to 5,400 Ford jobs in Canada, including over 3,000 at the Oakville plant.

The repurposed Ford assembly plant in Oakville, Ontario will produce five new electric vehicles such as this all-electric Mustang Mach-E unveiled in California in November 2019. Photo: AFP / Mark RALSTON

"Today's announcement represents the largest investment in Ontario's auto sector in over 15 years," said Doug Ford, adding that the plant "will be the largest electric car manufacturing facility anywhere in North America."

"This is a historic moment," he said.

According to Statistics Canada, there were 1.9 million new vehicles registered in Canada last year and while electric vehicle sales jumped nearly 40 percent, they represent a very small portion of the total cars and trucks on Canadian roads.

In the first half of 2020, Tesla's Model 3, with almost 7,000 sold, remained the top EV seller in Canada, followed by the Chevrolet Bolt (1,600 sold), and the Hyundai Kona (1,200 sold), according to industry figures.

Copyright AFP. All rights reserved.

Covid could add to 2 million per year stillbirth toll: UN
Globally, over 40 percent of stillbirths occur during labour.

By Patrick Galey October 8, 2020 

Almost two million babies are stillborn every year -- one every 16 seconds -- the United Nations said Thursday, warning that the Covid-19 pandemic could add another 200,000 deaths to the "devastating" toll.

The vast majority of stillbirths, 84 percent, occur in low- and middle-income countries, where basic neo-natal care could save hundreds of thousands of lives each year, according to a joint report by UNICEF, the World Health Organization and the World Bank Group.

Most stillbirths occur due to poor quality healthcare lacking investment in equipment and training of midwives.

And unlike notable reductions in recent decades in the global rate of maternal and infant deaths, stillbirths remain stubbornly frequent, particularly throughout sub-Saharan Africa and southeast Asia.

"Losing a child at birth or during pregnancy is a devastating tragedy for a family, one that is often endured quietly, yet all too frequently, around the world," said UNICEF executive director Henrietta Fore.

"Beyond the loss of life, the psychological and financial costs for women, families and societies are severe and long lasting. For many of these mothers, it simply didn't have to be this way."

The report warned that the pandemic could result in nearly 200,000 additional stillbirths, assuming that 50 percent of health services are impacted in low- and middle-income countries by the Covid-19 response.

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Mark Hereward, UNICEF's associate director for data and analytics, told AFP that infants in many countries would suffer from Covid-19 even if their mothers never contracted the disease.

"Firstly, due to the massive increase in poverty because of the global recessions," he said.

"The other way is through an interruption to health services, either because health workers are reassigned to work on Covid or because people are afraid to go to clinic."

Hereward said that without urgent action the world will have suffered 20 million more stillbirths by 2030.

The vast majority of stillbirths, 84 percent, occur in low- and middle-income countries, where basic neo-natal care could save hundreds of thousands of lives each year Photo: AFP / ADEK BERRY

Globally, over 40 percent of stillbirths occur during labour, the UN said. These are among the most avoidable deaths given that many labour stillbirths could be prevented with access to trained midwives and emergency obstetric care.

Sabine Uwizeye, a 35-year-old living in Rwanda's capital Kigali, lost her baby when she went into labour during the 37th week of pregnancy.

"I knew that something was wrong and the doctor told me that my baby was dead. I couldn't believe it. I cried and cried," she told AFP.

"The baby had many knots in its umbilical chord. I feel so bad even now not being able to hold my sick baby."

Uwizeye is now the mother to a healthy 10-month-old, but she urged expectant mothers to be vigilant in monitoring their baby's health.

"Keep going for check ups and make sure that your pregnancy is normal," she said.

"Even when you are at home you can make sure the baby in the womb is ok. Be constantly aware and vigilant."

As well as the wide disparity in stillbirth rates between rich and poorer nations, the report also found significant variations in the rates within individual countries, often linked to socioeconomic status.

In Nepal, for example, women of minority castes have stillbirth rates 40-60 percent higher than those from upper-class castes.

And in Canada, Inuit communities have a stillbirth rate nearly three times higher than the general population.

Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, Anshu Banerjee, director for the Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health and Ageing at the WHO said the world needed "break out of this cocoon of taboos and stigma" surrounding stillbirth.

Copyright AFP. All rights reserved.

Armenia PM Pashinyan says Turkey behind 'war' in Karabakh

Armenia has become "the last obstacle" to Turkish expansion, Pashinyan said.

By Maxime Popov October 7, 2020

Turkey's "full support" motivated its ally Azerbaijan to reignite fighting in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Tuesday in an interview with AFP, calling the escalating conflict a "war against terrorism".

"While it is true that the leadership of Azerbaijan has been actively promoting bellicose rhetoric for the last 15 years, now the decision to unleash a war was motivated by Turkey's full support," the 45-year-old premier said.

"Without Turkey's active engagement this war would have not begun," he added, speaking to AFP in a sumptuous room of the Government House in the heart of Armenian capital Yerevan.

The prime minister arrived in a motorcade with wailing sirens, while armed soldiers in combat gear manned the entrance to the imposing building, built in the era of Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin.

Pashinyan nevertheless projected an air of calm, speaking slowly and weighing every word as he condemned Azerbaijan for waging a "terrorist war against a people struggling for their freedom."

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Pashinyan, a former newspaper editor, became prime minister in 2018 after leading tens of thousands in protests against the ruling party, channelling a widespread desire for change and calling for good relations with both Russia and the West.

He stressed that the latest fighting is "not simply a new escalation of the Karabakh conflict," a territorial decades-old dispute over the majority ethnic Armenian mountainous region between Armenia and Azerbaijan, a mainly Muslim Turkic country that is a close ally of Turkey.

Pashinyan stressed that the latest fighting is "not simply a new escalation of the Karabakh conflict" Photo: AFP / -

The current conflict has seen the "active engagement of terrorist groups from the Middle East in the conflict zone," Pashinyan said, describing the role of Armenian forces as a "counter-terrorism operation."

Turkey has been accused of deploying fighters from Syria to support Azerbaijan in Karabakh. French President Emmanuel Macron claimed that "jihadists" had arrived in the region, accusing Turkey of crossing a "red line".


Armenia also accuses Turkish forces of fighting directly in the region, and Pashinyan said Turkey's F-16 fighter jets were "actively engaged" in the conflict.

Turkey has denied this and no firm evidence has been presented.

A chronology of the renewed conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh Photo: AFP / Céline AGNIEL

Pashinyan accused Turkey of involving itself in Nagorno-Karabakh as part of its "policy of Armenian genocide."

"Turkey has returned to the South Caucasus to continue the Armenian genocide," he said.

Armenians say that up to 1.5 million people were killed by Ottoman Turks during World War I in what amounted to genocide, a claim supported by some 30 countries. Turkey rejects the genocide label and says that Turks also died in civil strife.

Armenia has become "the last obstacle" to Turkish expansion, Pashinyan said.

He warned that if "Europe fails to properly call this situation by its name," it could see Turkish forces outside Vienna, referring to the Ottoman Empire laying siege to the city in the 17th century.

Yet if the current conflict deteriorates so far that Armenia experiences a direct attack on its territory, Pashinyan said he is sure that his nation's key ally Russia would come to its aid due to the two countries' membership in a military alliance.

"In case of a security threat to Armenia, Russia's engagement will be subject to our treaty framework. I am confident that as per the situation... Russia will uphold its treaty obligations," the prime minister said.

As for the international community and the European leaders with whom Pashinyan has been exchanging multiple phone calls in recent days, he said that "the best response ... to this terrorist operation would be to recognise the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh."

The region is not currently recognised by any UN member state -- not even Armenia.

Fierce fighting reignited in Karabakh 10 days ago and has caused at least 286 deaths according to confirmed tolls that are likely short of the real total. Neither side appears to have taken a decisive lead on the ground.

Copyright AFP. All rights reserved.

Nagorno-Karabakh: Armenia-Azerbaijan fighting rages in disputed region
By Obtech

-September 28, 2020

Fierce fighting continues to rage following a flare-up of a decades-old conflict in the Caucusus region of south-eastern Europe.

Armed forces belonging to Azerbaijan and Armenia both say they have the upper-hand.

At the heart of the conflict is a dispute over control of the mountainous region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

It is recognised as part of Azerbaijan, but has been controlled by ethnic Armenians since a war in the 1990s.

Tens of thousands of people died during the war and a million others were forced to leave their homes.

Other countries are concerned that the latest fighting could spill out of the region and draw in neighbouring powers, including Turkey, Russia and Iran.


What is behind the conflict?

Armenian authorities said 31 of their soldiers had now died, and some lost positions had been retaken.

Azerbaijan said its forces had inflicted “heavy losses” and that Armenian shelling had injured 26 civilians.

Both parties said they had mobilised more soldiers and declared martial law in some areas.

The fighting is the heaviest seen in the conflict since 2016, when at least 200 people were killed in clashes.

Turkey has already declared its support for Azerbaijan, while Russia – which has military bases in Armenia – called for an immediate ceasefire.

Armenia accuses Turkey of providing direct military support for Azerbaijan, a claim denied by Azerbaijan.

When Nagorno-Karabakh broke away from Azerbaijan in the early 1990s, tens of thousands died in fighting, and many ethnic Azerbaijanis were forced to flee their homes.

It is now a de facto independent region, relying heavily on support from Armenia. But it is not recognised by any UN member, including Armenia.

Nagorno-Karabakh – key facts

A mountainous region of about 4,400 sq km (1,700 sq miles)

Traditionally inhabited by Christian Armenians and Muslim Turks
In Soviet times, it became an autonomous region within the republic of Azerbaijan

Internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan, but majority of population is ethnic Armenian

An estimated one million people displaced by 1990s war, and about 30,000 killed

Separatist forces captured some extra territory around the enclave in Azerbaijan in the 1990s war

Stalemate has largely prevailed since a 1994 ceasefire

Turkey openly supports Azerbaijan

Russia has military bases in Armenia

What’s the latest from the battlefield?

On Monday, authorities in Nagorno-Karabakh said another 15 of their soldiers had been killed. They had reported 16 fatalities among the military on Sunday.

More than 100 people have been wounded.

The self-proclaimed republic said its forces had destroyed four Azeri helicopters, 36 tanks and armoured personnel vehicles, according to the Armenpress news agency.

It also said it had killed many Azerbaijani troops.

Armenian defence ministry spokeswoman Shushan Stepanyan said that “fights of various intensity are raging on”, adding that “defence army units” were carrying out “counter actions” in several areas.

Azerbaijan’s defence ministry said the country’s forces continued “the counter-attack”, moving from “advntageous positions liberated from the Armenian armed forces”.

It said that “the enemy suffered heavy losses”.

Azerbaijan earlier confirmed the loss of one helicopter but said the crew had survived, and reported that 12 Armenian air defence systems had been destroyed. It denied other losses.

Azerbaijan on Monday said 26 civilians were injured in Armenian shelling, accusing Armenia of targeting densely populated areas.

Azerbaijan said five members of the same family had been killed by Armenian shelling on Sunday.

The casualty claims made by Armenia and Azerbaijan have not been independently verified.
In July, at least 16 people died in border clashes, prompting the largest demonstration in years in the Azerbaijani capital, Baku, where there were calls for the region’s recapture.
The international reaction

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was “extremely concerned”, urging both sides to stop fighting

Russia’s foreign minister held urgent talks both with the Armenian and Azeri leadership
France, which has a large Armenian community, called for an immediate ceasefire and dialogue

Iran, which borders both Azerbaijan and Armenia, offered to broker peace talks
President Donald Trump said the US was seeking to stop the violence
What’s the background?

In 1988, towards the end of Soviet rule, Azerbaijani troops and Armenian secessionists began a bloody war which left Nagorno-Karabakh in the hands of ethnic Armenians when a truce was signed in 1994.

Swathes of Azeri territory around the enclave are also under Armenian control.

Negotiations have so far failed to produce a permanent peace agreement, and the dispute in the region remains one of post-Soviet Europe’s “frozen conflicts.”

Karabakh is the Russian rendering of an Azeri word meaning “black garden”, while Nagorno is a Russian word meaning “mountainous”. Ethnic Armenians prefer to call the region Artsakh, an ancient Armenian name for the area.

Over the years both sides have had soldiers killed in sporadic breaches of the ceasefire. Landlocked Armenia has suffered severe economic problems due to the closure of borders with Turkey and Azerbaijan.

Russia, France and the US co-chair the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s Minsk Group, which has been attempting to broker an end to the dispute.

Mysterious toxic substance killing sea life in Russian beach
Upon initial analysis of the water, authorities were able to detect traces of oil products and phenol but no official cause of the pollution has been established.

By Nina Siena October 6, 2020

Dead sea creatures have been washing up on the beaches of Kamchatka, Russia as environmental activists are demanding answers from what they call a major ecological disaster. Videos and photos of discoloured ocean waters, dead octopuses, carcasses of seals and the like are showing up on social media prompting Greenpeace to denounce the current state of the far eastern beach.

Believed to be caused by a toxic spillage in the Pacific Ocean, local residents and surfers have since been complaining of fever, rashes, swollen eyelids and vomiting. Health officials have also confirmed that surfers suffered mild burns in their corneas. Upon initial analysis of the water, authorities were able to detect traces of oil products and phenol, however, no official cause of the pollution has been established.

Environmental disaster happened in Kamchatka.

Experts found an excess of oil products (4 times), phenol (2.5 times) and other substances in water samples. The extent of the pollution has not yet been determined. Greenpeace requires immediate investigation. pic.twitter.com/UNVMQjaumi— Greenpeace Russia (@greenpeaceru) October 3, 2020

The Kamchatka administration says investigations are currently being conducted by Russia's emergency ministry. Specialists are collecting samples from different bodies of water in the region to better determine the cause. Reports from late September state that waters on Khalaktyr beach exhibited a change in colour and had a strange smell, the BBC wrote.

The Pacific Fleet headquarters denied any involvement while local authorities have not had any reports of industrial accidents in the area.

Greenpeace reported that their tests showed four times more petroleum products and 2.5 times more phenol were found in the water. An amount which exceeded authorised standards and has affected several kilometres of the beach.

«We've observed a yellowish foam on the ocean surface. The water itself is opaque. In one location we found dead animals. A certain volume of pollutant, not only on the surface, but also at depth, moves along the coast», Vasily Yablokov, Greenpeace Russia climate project leader. pic.twitter.com/icLrFptiFC

Why advertise with us— Greenpeace Russia (@greenpeaceru) October 5, 2020

Kamchatka governor Vladimir Solodov said they will be checking two military testing sites, Radygino and Kozelsky, that may be linked to the contamination. Experts suggest that highly toxic rocket fuel could have leaked into the sea as a "yellow film" on a local river has been reported.

Radygino, which is around 10 kilometres from the sea, was the venue for drills in August. Biologists speculate that stored rocket fuel in the military site could have rusted over and caused fuel to leak into the streams. The other military site was used to bury toxic chemicals and pesticides.

Local authorities still have not ruled out seismic activity or a natural phenomena, such as the algae that was brought to the coast during a storm. As of this time, Ecology Minister Dmitry Kobylkin said Russian President Vladimir Putin had ordered him to get to the bottom of the situation.

Oil spill on water is seen near an oil production facility at Maracaibo lake near the coastal town of Barranquitas August 15, 2011. REUTERS