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Johnson to Restore Imperial Measures to Lure UK Voters: Mirror

BACKWARDS TO THE FUTURE

Sara Marley, Bloomberg News

(Bloomberg) -- Boris Johnson plans to reintroduce imperial measurements to try to attract UK voters who favored Brexit in seats the Conservatives risk losing, the Mirror reported.

British shops will be allowed -- but not required -- to sell products in pounds and ounces, with an announcement expected from the UK prime minister linked to Queen Elizabeth’s platinum jubilee celebrations next week, the newspaper said, citing government insiders it didn’t name.

The UK leader faces challenges including difficult elections in two parliamentary districts and a deepening cost-of-living crisis. More MPs have called for Johnson’s resignation, though not yet enough to pose a serious threat. Johnson still faces a parliamentary inquiry into whether he lied over the pandemic parties.

The UK adopted the metric system on a mostly voluntary basis from 1965 and it became a legal European Union directive in 2000 for certain products. Beer is still sold in pints, and most road signs are in miles.  

©2022 Bloomberg L.P.

Glasgow archaeologists dig for lost treasures from 1988 garden festival

The festival’s floating tap, which remains lost. Photograph: Donald Whannell

The hunt is now on for missing exhibits from the event that helped to transform a post-industrial city

Eve Livingston
Sat 28 May 2022 

How does an operational railway, an entire rotunda or indeed a three-metre-tall working sculpture of a floating tap manage to go missing? For five months over the spring and summer of 1988, each enjoyed a home on Glasgow’s riverside alongside hundreds of other rides, attractions and exhibits, as part of the city’s garden festival. But then, in the mists of time, they disappeared.

Now an online project appealing to the public and an archaeological dig, which starts this weekend, will attempt to uncover the whereabouts of these long-lost objects.


Many Glaswegians recall with nostalgia specific rollercoasters, installations and artworks. The memories of that summer led Lex Lamb, from nearby Greenock, to begin the arduous process of tracing and documenting the festival’s features.

His website, “After the Garden Festival…”, already lists more than 270 objects and 180 images, alongside information crowdsourced from the public and archival research.

A giant teapot and cup were among hundreds of attractions at the festival. 

Photograph: Image Scotland/Alamy

Meanwhile, archaeologists from the University of Glasgow, with the support of Glasgow City Heritage Trust, have begun digging at the site.

“The scope of archaeology is not defined by a period of time having passed but rather by a set of techniques,” explains Dr Kenny Brophy, senior lecturer in archaeology at the university and excavation leader. “Memories fade and written records are often incomplete, so an archaeology of the recent past is a great way to fill out our understanding of why things happened as they did, or document things that were simply never documented.”

Taking place on the disused Govan dockyards on the south bank of the River Clyde, the garden festival was seen as symbolic of Glasgow’s transformation from a post-industrial city synonymous with poverty and crime to a global cultural hub. The 120-acre site was opened by Prince Charles and Princess Diana, and attracted millions of visitors from Scotland and beyond. Two years later, in 1990, Glasgow was named European City of Culture.

“The festival, alongside other major events, brought Glasgow to its international prominence,” says Thierry Lye, chair of the New Glasgow Society, which exists to raise the city’s profile and protect its heritage. “This project will not only bring nostalgia to people who visited; it is a reminder to future generations and new Glaswegians that Glasgow is an ambitious city with pride.”

Claire Duffy, now 42 and still living in Glasgow, vividly recalls visiting the festival multiple times, on trips with school and the Brownies and alongside her family. “It was probably Glasgow’s greatest ever summer,” she laughs. “We’d never seen anything like it: rollercoasters, rides, weird sculptures everywhere you looked. The whole city was there and everyone was laughing and joking.”

Crowds greet Princess Diana, in blue, on a tram at the festival. 

Photograph: Trinity Mirror/Mirrorpix/Alamy

Clearest in most visitors’ memories is probably the festival’s centrepiece, the Coca-Cola rollercoaster, which is still in operation at Pleasurewood Hills theme park in Suffolk. Other attractions have also been traced: a sculpture of a floating head by the artist Richard Groom was found abandoned in an Ayrshire boatyard last year, while the Clydesdale Bank Tower now sits on Rhyl seafront, in north Wales. But many remain missing or are the subject of “red herring” sightings –a floating tap spotted at a Cairngorms park, for example, has been ruled out by the project as the festival’s missing sculpture.

The archaeological team have their sights set on more modest discoveries, uncovering in their first days on-site construction materials, coins and the festival’s ground-cover membrane.

“This is not Stonehenge and these are not treasures in the traditional sense,” says Brophy. “But even the smallest of discoveries in archaeology can generate a direct connection to the actions of a person in the past and that connection can be magical.”

For Lex Lamb’s part, “I purchased and ate a bratwurst from a festival stall, which felt like a highly continental and sophisticated thing to do in the Glasgow of 1988,” he recalls. “I’d like to see one of those symbolic bratwurst trays emerge from the mud.”

Tanks will win you battles. Just don’t leave them alone like Russians did in Ukraine

The obituary of the tank has been written many a time. But it has bounced back and continued to dominate the modern battlefield.

LT GEN. A.K. SINGH (RETD)
28 May, 2022 

A file photo of the Indian Army's T-72 Ajeya MK2 tanks.

The tank has maintained its place as the centrepiece of the 20th-century battlefield ever since its introduction to overcome the trench warfare in World War I. They came into their own during World War II, mainly as part of manoeuvre warfare and the deep battle, symbolised by the Blitzkrieg and the vast enveloping manoeuvres in Operation Barbarossa. But the tank also proved its mettle in the attrition-oriented warfare as witnessed at Stalingrad and Berlin.

The armour’s effectiveness was greatly enhanced when used as part of a combined arms team comprising mounted infantry, self-propelled artillery, air defence and engineers supported by requisite logistics. Air and helicopter support always proved crucial on the modern battlefield.

Post-World War II, mechanised battles were mainly fought between unequal adversaries, be it Korea, Vietnam, Arab-Israeli or the Gulf wars. Only in the India-Pakistan conflicts were the adversaries evenly matched, with Indians proving their superiority in hard–fought battles at the tactical level.

Threats to the tank have kept pace, especially after the introduction of shoulder-fired guided missiles in the 1973 Arab-Israeli War. As the tank advanced technologically, so did these missiles, reaching their peak in recent years with the tandem warhead fire and forget anti-tank missiles, fired from multiple platforms, including helicopters and armed drones. As for tanks, they too have been upgraded and mounted with many countermeasures, including active protection systems, both for soft and hard-kill of incoming missiles.

The inter se battle between the tank and the anti-tank missile continues, one getting the better of the other. Multiple factors such as battlefield environment and training of the crew influence the outcome. However, on the 21st-century battlefield, as seen in recent conflicts in Syria, Armenia-Azerbaijan and now Russia-Ukraine, the tank has taken some knocking, and this has raised questions on its preeminent role on the modern battlefield.

These are the emerging facts from the Russia-Ukraine conflict:

With massive superiority, especially in tanks, Russia launched a four-pronged offensive with the main focus on Kyiv, both from the north and northeast.

After making swift progress over hundreds of kilometres on a very vast front, and reaching the outskirts of Kyiv, the offensive stalled.

Largely confined to the roads, the sight of long Russian armour columns stalled and ambushed was indeed a disturbing sight.

Ukraine’s success in stalling the Russian offensive was largely based on small teams, equipped with most modern shoulder-launched missiles like the Javelin (provided by the US and other NATO countries), who skillfully used the ground and took advantage of poor Russian tactics, to inflict heavy losses and large delays on the advancing columns.The unarmed drones for scouting and the armed Bayraktar TB2 drone, which carries up to four laser-guided munitions have also played a significant role.

The use of shoulder-launched, surface to air missiles like Stinger took a toll on Russian helicopters, including attack helicopters and inhibited the Russians from using the airspace effectively.

Maintenance and logistics issues also plagued the Russian forces and contributed to their slow progress, after the initial success.

Operational and tactical lessons

It will be incorrect to take all published news reports and footage coming from the battlefields of Ukraine at face value because apart from information, they also carry a fair mix of misinformation and disinformation. A balanced analysis can be only undertaken once the Russian side is more forthcoming.

Having said that, it can be summarised that the Russians were surprised by the stiff resistance from Ukraine. The early spring thaw and resulting Rasputitsa prevented the Russian manoeuvre through the countryside and confined them to roads, where the Russian armour became vulnerable to tank ambushes and hit and run raids.

But it’s incredulous how the Russians, who are the masters of the combined arms concept, did not follow it, leaving their tanks most vulnerable. The tank is most effective when operating as part of the combined arms team, with infantry covering its vulnerable flanks, artillery providing speculative and covering fire and air defence, electronic warfare and engineers shaping the battlefield. A similar mistake was committed by the Armenians who left their tanks isolated and vulnerable to drones of Azerbaijan.

 Air cover for the stalled Russian tank column was also not very visible

The tank remains the most potent weapon on the battlefield, but is also vulnerable to multiple threats, both from the ground and air. And these threats get magnified whilst operating in close-country and built-up areas.

It should also be remembered that tanks and Infantry are the only instruments that can capture ground and hold it. Attack is the most challenging operation of war and penetration of enemy defences requires the shock and awe effect of tanks and massed artillery. Therefore, writing obituaries for the tank is rather premature, though its employment has to be part of a combined arms team to cater for the numerous threats on the modern battlefield.

Also read: Fate of Russian armour in Ukraine not encouraging but premature to write off the tank

Technology lessons for the future

The Main Battle Tank (MBT) is an appropriate mix of mobility, firepower and protection. If you enhance one, there is a corresponding dilution in the other two capabilities. The Russian tanks (which are also the mainstay of the Indian Army) are medium tanks in the category of 45-50 tons, and have effective firepower and mobility with lesser protection compared to western MBTs. The Russians have addressed this through a combination of better armour and addition of reactive and active armour protection systems. Surprisingly, whilst some ‘Shtora’ active protection systems were seen on the Russian tanks, the more advanced ‘Arena’ and the latest ‘Afghanit’ systems mounted on the latest T-14 Armata tank were not fielded. These latest systems are also designed to cater for the top-attack threat posed by missiles like Javelin.

To the trinity of mobility, firepower and protection, the tank now needs to adopt survivability and adaptability as key parameters. The survival strategy has to focus on avoiding detection/acquisition, and if hit, prevent penetration for a catastrophic (K) kill. The tank should also be capable of adapting to a varying combat environment across the spectrum of conflict.

With the complexity of the battlefield increasing by the day, an updated “Battlefield Management system (BMS)” has become an imperative for tanks and mechanised formations. What is needed is a system of systems that networks multiple weapon platforms to optimise the combined arms effect. This should include both manned and robotic platforms.

As far as the drone threat is concerned, it has to be tackled as part of the combined arms team response. Starting with an intelligence appreciation of the adversary’s drone capabilities, air and artillery strikes on likely operating bases, air defence and electronic warfare protection and finally the active protection system of the tanks. The importance of vanguard reconnaissance forces in the front and on the flanks has again become important.

In the competitive market of tanks, where the Russian tanks have earned a great reputation, one can also see a subtle effort to do down their reputation by competitors from the West. It will be wise to see through such attempts.

Properly equipped and handled by well-trained crews, the tank still remains the most potent weapon system on the battlefield, albeit as part of the combined arms team. The Russians went away from their own teachings on the deep battle and the combined arms concept and paid the price.

Also read: Russian forces’ actions in Ukraine show a dilemma like Indian Army’s in 1948 Hyderabad ops

Lessons for India

With a large tank fleet of Russian origin (T-72 and T-90), there are important lessons for India, both tactical and relating to technology. Of course, we must endeavour to harmonise these with Russia, as they would be evaluating the lessons first hand.

While a modernisation programme is already underway for the Indian armour, certain aspects may be reviewed in light of the lessons from the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

An active protection system needs to be acquired on priority. In fact, during the induction of the T-90 tanks in 2000-01, we in the trial team had strongly recommended the then available active protection system ‘Shtora’ be included. It was, however, dropped due to cost considerations. We now have a chance to acquire one of the latest available systems, but this has to be undertaken on priority. In addition, a BMS system for the tanks is becoming imperative. This should be taken up on priority for the Strike Corps. Empowerment of the upcoming Integrated Battle Groups (IBGs) with both the scout and armed drones should be a priority. The air defence needs to be modernised and restructured to cater for the very potent drone threat our mechanised forces are likely to face on the future battlefield.

Tank’s here to stay

The obituary of the tank has been written many a time. But it has bounced back and continued to dominate the modern battlefield. Recent conflicts, especially the ongoing Russia–Ukraine war, have highlighted many lessons for the future operational employment and effectiveness of the tank. These include technological modernisation to cater to the more potent and aggressive threats that have emerged, particularly the armed drones and fire-and-forget top attack missiles. Equally important is the training of crews and dynamic operational and tactical concepts.

Apart from its devastating physical capabilities, the shock and awe effect that can be produced by tanks is yet to be replicated by any other weapon system. The tank is here to stay. The onus remains on the Indian Army to provide the mechanised forces with the wherewithal needed for the 21st-century battlefield.

The author is a former Army commander and lieutenant-governor. With over 40 years on tanks, the author is one of the few who has trained with both the Warsaw Pact and NATO at the height of the Cold War. Views are personal.

LA REVUE GAUCHE - Left Comment: Search results for TANK WARFARE  

New software enables different robots to communicate with each other and building infrastructure

Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat examining a Temi-Bot, one of the robots used by CGH. PHOTO: CHANGI GENERAL HOSPITAL/FACEBOOK

Wong Shiying

SINGAPORE - When Changi General Hospital (CGH) first started using robots in 2015, it had to build dedicated lifts that the robots could communicate with to move to different floors on their own.

But with the hospital aiming to grow its army of robots, including those that transport patients or deliver items, building new lifts specifically to cater to the many brands of robots is no longer feasible, said CGH chief executive Ng Wai Hoe.

"When we first started using robots, they needed a separate track or system. But as the hospital grows, we can't have different robots requiring different lift systems, for example, to operate," he said.


On Saturday (May 28), a new robotic software, RoMi-H, was launched to provide a common "language" for robots to interact with building infrastructure, such as lifts.

Short for robotics middleware for healthcare, RoMi-H is aimed at enabling robots and building infrastructure to communicate with each other, by adopting a recently launched national standard for such communication.

This way, each time the hospital buys a new robot, it can be programmed to communicate with the existing lifts or automated doors.

RoMi-H was developed by CGH's Centre for Healthcare Assistive and Robotics Technologies, the Integrated Health Information Systems, and engineering firms Hope Technik and Open Source Robotics.

Its development was supported by the Ministry of Health and the National Robotics Programme.

Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, who gave a speech at the launch, noted how the fast pace of adoption of industrial robots worldwide - having doubled over the past five years - has introduced challenges in coordinating how they operate in dynamic environments.

Singapore is the second most automated country in the world, after South Korea, with more than 600 industrial robots per 10,000 workers, he added.

"Imagine robots on the move - they not only have to avoid colliding into one another, they also have to avoid the many people, some pushing prams, wheelchairs and carts, walking along the same corridors," he said.

This was what prompted the development of RoMi-H to allow safe and efficient integration of robots in buildings, DPM Heng added.

RoMi-H also allows robots made by different manufacturers to interact with one another so as to operate more seamlessly in a building 

This would come in handy at CGH, for example, where more than 50 robots help with various tasks including surgery and food delivery.

Apart from navigating around people, robots equipped with RoMi-H are also taught to give way to other robots performing more urgent tasks.

For instance, a robot transporting a sick patient would take priority over a droid delivering linens.

"To put it simply, it is a code of conduct in a virtual world that would allow robotic systems of different uses to coordinate and prioritise (their functions) in a seamless fashion," said Professor Ng.

RoMi-H has been trialled at CGH in the last few years and has also been tested at Covid-19 treatment facilities, such as the one at Singapore Expo, since March this year.

The hospital plans to begin implementing RoMi-H in most of its robots and infrastructure by the end of 2022.

The developers are now looking to take this technology to other hospitals and industries beyond healthcare.

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Illegal monitoring of the Kurdish associations in Germany

Since 1994, information belonging to Kurdish organizations in Germany has been unlawfully exchanged with the intelligence and security directorate.


ANF
BERLIN
Saturday, 28 May 2022, 

Illegal monitoring of the Kurdish associations in Germany

Since 1994, information belonging to Kurdish organizations in Germany has been unlawfully exchanged with the intelligence and security directorate.

ANF
BERLIN
Saturday, 28 May 2022

Information on associations having a majority of foreign members is submitted to the Federal Administration Office in Cologne in accordance with a "law on associations" passed in Germany in 1966. "As required by law," the names and addresses of the associations' board of directors, as well as their statutes, are sent to the Federal Administration Office.

Until now, this department has received information from around 15 thousand associations. This technique, which involves profiling all organizations with immigrant members, is not employed for associations with a majority of German members.

With a proposal submitted to the Federal Assembly in 2020, the Left Party, one of the 2020 opposition parties, demanded that the law be changed, saying "End the marginalization of immigrants." However, both the government and opposition parties voted against the Left Party's motion, with votes from the CDU/CSU, SPD, FDP, and AfD.

THE DECISION REGARDING KURDS IS NOT FOUND

Since 1994, the Federal Administration Office has transmitted information about Kurdish associations to the country's internal intelligence agency, the Constitutional Protection Organization, and the Security Directorate. It has been revealed that information on 209 Kurdish organizations has been exchanged with intelligence and security services over the last three years.

In a statement issued in 2019, Stephan Mayer, the undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior at the time, noted that Kurdish associations were being monitored due to the PKK ban, and that "this is an obligation.” However, there was no bylaw requiring the automatic exchange and monitoring of information belonging to Kurdish associations with intelligence and security organizations.

IS THE INFORMATION SHARED WITH MIT?

Mahmut Özdemir, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior, who was asked by Left Party Deputy Gökay Akbulut if they had “the circular from 1994", said that "We have been unable to find the requested circular." Following this answer, federal parliamentarian Akbulut declared that security units monitoring and profiling Kurdish associations is unacceptable and should be stopped immediately.

It is also unclear whether information gathered about Kurdish associations and organizations in practically every German city is shared with the Turkish intelligence MIT. While the Scholz government said last April, "Information belonging to foreign associations was not shared with foreign intelligence services," there are several severe doubts regarding this. Because it had previously been revealed that German security forces shared investigation files on Kurdish and other Turkish socialist movements with the Turkish state through "security cooperation" agreements.

Al Jazeera says it will go to ICC over killing of Palestinian journalist


By Associated Press

 May 29, 2022

The Al Jazeera news network says it will submit a case file to the International Criminal Court on the killing of reporter Shireen Abu Akleh, who was shot dead earlier this month during an Israeli raid in the occupied West Bank.

The Qatar-based network and the Palestinian Authority have accused Israeli soldiers of deliberately killing her.

Israel rejects those allegations as a “blatant lie." It says she was shot during a firefight between soldiers and Palestinian militants, and that only ballistic analysis of the bullet - which is held by the PA - can determine who fired the fatal shot.

An AP reconstruction lent support to witnesses who say the veteran Palestinian-American correspondent was killed by Israeli fire, but any final conclusion may depend on evidence that has not yet been released.

Palestinians visit the site where veteran Palestinian-American reporter Shireen Abu Akleh was shot and killed, in the West Bank city of Jenin, May 18, 2022. The Al Jazeera news network says it will submit a case file to the International Criminal Court on the killing of reporter Shireen Abu Akleh, who was shot dead earlier this month during an Israeli raid in the occupied West Bank. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed, File) (AP)

Al Jazeera said late Thursday it has formed an international legal team to prepare a case dossier to be submitted to the ICC. The court launched an investigation into possible Israeli war crimes last year. Israel is not a member of the ICC and has rejected the probe as being biased against it.

Al Jazeera said the case file would also include the Israeli bombing of the building housing its offices in Gaza City during last year's war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas, “as well as the continuous incitements and attacks on its journalists operating in the occupied Palestinian territories.”

Israel said the building - which also housed the Gaza office of The Associated Press - contained Hamas military infrastructure, but has not provided any evidence. The AP was not aware of any purported Hamas presence in the building and condemned the strike as “shocking and horrifying.” No one was hurt in the strike, which came after an Israeli warning to evacuate.

“The Network vows to follow every path to achieve justice for Shireen, and ensure those responsible for her killing are brought to justice and held accountable in all international justice and legal platforms and courts,” Al Jazeera said.

Al-Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was shot and killed while covering an Israeli raid in the occupied West Bank town of Jenin early Wednesday. (Twitter)

Israel says it cannot determine whether Palestinian militants or its own soldiers fired the fatal shot unless the PA hands over the bullet that killed Abu Akleh for ballistic analysis. The PA has refused to cooperate with Israel in any way, saying it doesn't trust Israel to investigate itself.

The PA announced the results of its own probe on Thursday, saying Abu Akleh was deliberately killed by Israeli forces and that there were no militants in the area. Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz rejected the findings, saying “any claim that the IDF intentionally harms journalists or uninvolved civilians is a blatant lie,” referring to the Israeli military.

Palestinian Attorney General Akram Al Khateeb, in announcing the results of the probe, said the bullet that killed her was an armor-piercing 5.56 mm NATO round and that it appeared to have been fired by a Ruger Mini-14 semiautomatic rifle.

The Israeli military declined to comment on whether the gun described by the Palestinians matches one the military has previously identified as having possibly fired the fatal shot. It also declined to say whether the army uses the Ruger Mini-14 or whether any were in use during the May 11 raid in which Abu Akleh was killed, in the West Bank town of Jenin.

Israel has publicly called for a joint investigation with the PA, with the participation of the US The State Department said this week that neither Israel nor the PA have formally requested its assistance. Each side is in sole possession of potentially crucial evidence, and neither is likely to accept any conclusions reached by the other.

Israel claims no Israeli soldier 'deliberately' shot at Shireen Abu Akleh after internal investigation

The New Arab Staff
28 May, 2022

Israel's military and leaders initially said it was 'likely' that Shireen Abu Akleh, a veteran reporter for Al Jazeera, was killed by Palestinian gunmen.


Israeli military chief Aviv Kochavi on Friday shared results of an internal investigation into Shireen Abu Akleh's killing [AFP via Getty]

Israel's military has claimed that an internal investigation has found that no Israeli soldier deliberately fired the shot that killed Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh earlier this month.

The claim - which contradicts eyewitness accounts, a probe by the Palestinian Authority, and journalistic investigations - was made in a video statement posted by the Israeli military to Twitter on Friday evening.

"No IDF soldier deliberately fired at a journalist. We investigated this. That is the conclusion, and there is no other," Israeli military chief Aviv Kochavi said in the statement.

Abu Akleh was shot dead on 11 May while reporting on an Israeli military raid on the Jenin refugee camp, in the occupied West Bank.

Israel's military and leaders initially claimed that Abu Akleh, a veteran reporter for Al Jazeera, was killed by Palestinian gunmen. They soon backtracked on that claim, instead saying that they could not conclusively determine whose gunfire killed the veteran US-Palestinian journalist.

RELATED

Grief and Anger: The killing of Shireen Abu Akleh

In-depth

Hugo Goodridge

Shortly after the killing, Israel had asked for the Palestinian Authority to hand over the bullet removed from Abu Akleh's body to conduct a forensic examination.

The PA denied Israel's request for the bullet, saying it did not trust Israel would conduct a fair investigation after it had spread "false narratives" over Abu Akleh's killing.

Israel also offered that Palestinian and US officials could be present during the examination.

However, this week, State Department spokesman Ned Price said he was “not aware of any request for assistance” from either side. And when asked during a press briefing Wednesday — two weeks after Abu Akleh’s death — if the US had been asked to participate or act as an observer, he stood by his previous answer.

SEE

LA REVUE GAUCHE - Left Comment: Search results for Shireen Abu Akleh 

Shireen Abu Akleh: Beware of passive mourners

Perspectives
Hebh Jamal
23 May, 2022

Following the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh, political figures in the US expressed ‘outrage’ and offered their condolences, but this means nothing in the face of their continued support for Israel which includes considerable aid, writes Hebh Jamal

Some US politicians spoke out against the death of Shireen Abu Akleh, but many are critical of their calls for investigations given their continued support for Israel. [GETTY]

“When I arrived in Jenin, I did not expect to relive this overwhelming feeling” Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh wrote last October.

“Jenin is still the same inextinguishable flame that is home to fearless young men who are not intimidated by any potential Israeli invasion” she said. “In Jenin, we met people who have never given up hope; they have not allowed fear to infiltrate their hearts and have not been broken by the Israeli occupation forces.”

Tragically, it was under a similar Israeli invasion in the same occupied Jenin that she spoke about, that Shireen Abu Akleh fell to an Israeli sniper that targeted her and her Al Jazeera colleagues. Abu Akleh was covering an Israeli army raid on the Jenin refugee camp when she was shot in the face by a single bullet, despite wearing a press vest and helmet.

Producer Ali al-Samudi was also shot in the back.

In a statement, Al Jazeera said Abu Akleh was “assassinated in cold blood.”

Shireen’s death sent shockwaves all across the Arab speaking world, specifically amongst Palestinians throughout the diaspora who grew up watching Shireen’s groundbreaking and uncensored coverage of the Israeli occupation.

''Beware of passive mourners who believe there needs to be a rationalisation of Israel’s violence, especially when they vote to provide the means for that violence. An example is an individual like Secretary Antony Blinken, while claiming that he is “troubled” by Israel’s actions, is more than happy to staunchly and unconditionally vote to provide arms and aid to the settler colonial state.''

I was in my father’s house here in New York, with Al Jazeera in the background, as usual, when he stood up in utter shock at the breaking news announcement.

“I can’t believe it,” he said. “They killed a hero.”

Abu Akleh’s death garnered thousands of condolences, even from outspoken pro-Israeli individuals.

Senator Ben Cardin, a senior Democrat and outspoken backer of strong US-Israel ties, said he was “disturbed” by the killing of Abu Akleh.

“Abu Akleh’s death is an attack on a journalist who was wearing her press gear,” he said in a statement. “No journalist should be killed while simply doing their job. I strongly condemn her death and call for an independent and thorough investigation into the incident.”

“The killing of American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh is a horrific tragedy,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a staunch supporter of Israel, wrote on Twitter.

“A thorough, objective investigation is needed now. Congress is committed to the defence of press freedoms worldwide and protection of every journalist, particularly those in conflict zones” she said.

Even the US State Department spokesperson, Ned Price, said that he was “heartbroken” over the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh and claimed that they “strongly condemned her killing.”

“We call for an immediate and thorough investigation and full accountability.” Price said. When a journalist questioned whether an Israeli military-led investigation would be considered credible, Price stated that the Israelis “have the wherewithal and the capabilities to conduct a thorough, comprehensive investigation.”

We need to be sceptical of the intentions from what I want to call, passive mourners. Although many of us are mourning the loss of a national icon, we must be alert of both-sides rhetoric that is dominating the narrative surrounding Abu Akleh’s death.

All of a sudden Democratic politicians, liberal organisations, and newspaper editorials are condemning the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh without mentioning exactly who they are condemning, and calling for an investigation that Palestinians can guarantee is far from impartial.

Israel's legal system is a farce. Palestinians under Israeli control in the West Bank are tried in military courts- as opposed to civil courts where their Jewish counterparts are tried in-and the odds of a fair trial are stacked against them. Not only are the trials conducted in Hebrew with little translation usually lasting only 10 minutes, but the rights of defendants are not properly articulated, forcing the great majority to plead guilty and accept plea bargains.

In an Israeli military court, the testimony of a soldier can be enough to send even a minor to prison. Over 99 percent of the trials of Palestinians in Israeli military courts ended in convictions (or 25 acquittals out of 9542). How Israel’s legal system treats occupied Palestinians tells an obvious story that their allegiance is not with the truth.

Let’s also not forget Israel’s immediate reaction to Shireen Abu Akleh’s killing. They were quick to deflect blame by posting a decontextualised video confirming it was indeed Palestinian gunmen in Jenin who shot our beloved journalist, and not Israeli soldiers.

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Sam Hamad

There was no investigation, no effort to right a wrong, only a last ditch attempt to deflect blame.

Al Jazeera journalists’ eye witness accounts that told the world that it was Israeli soldiers who killed Shireen were enough.

Not believing victims of Israeli violence is not new for Western political pundits. It is instead more appropriate to assign character assassinations in their effort to logically explain Israel’s actions- a colonial state that the West desperately wants to believe is democratic.

On April 5, 2018, the world lost another journalist by Israeli snipers: Yasser Murtaja. Murtaja was covering the second Friday protests during Gaza’s Great March of Return when he was shot in the abdomen, despite him wearing a flak jacket clearly marked with the word ‘press’ on it.

The Jerusalem Post reported on Murtaja’s death with the horrid headline: Journalist or terrorist? Who really was slain Gazan Yaser Murtaja? The article reported on Israel’s security officials that labelled Murtaja as a Hamas operative. While the author concedes that Israel presented no proof to its claims, it ends with the author asking the dishonest question of “who was Yaser Murtaja?”

Palestinians, once again, need to prove their own humanity even after death.

When Israel killed Shireen, then raided her home hours after her death, or even attacked her burial proceeding, Palestinians understood this was the cost of being a voice of Palestinian resistance.

Israel criminalises Palestinian bodies in life and in death, deploying its colonial violence throughout every point of Palestinian life. Israel sees even dead Palestinians as agents of resistance against the occupation.

Beware of passive mourners who believe there needs to be a rationalisation of Israel’s violence, especially when they vote to provide the means for that violence. An example is an individual like Secretary Antony Blinken, while claiming that he is “troubled” by Israel’s actions, is more than happy to staunchly and unconditionally vote to provide arms and aid to the settler colonial state.

Shireen Abu Akleh was murdered because she is Palestinian. Her death signified once again that no one is safe from Israel’s state sponsored violence. It affirmed to the world that for Israel, respecting the slain Palestinian would set a precedent in humanising their existence when alive.

We do not need the condolences of enablers, we need an end of US aid to Israel- for only a free Palestine could have prevented the death of the Palestinian national hero, Shireen Abu Akleh.



Hebh Jamal is a Palestinian American journalist based in Germany.
Follow her on Twitter: @hebh_jamal
Have questions or comments? Email us at: editorial-english@alaraby.co.uk
Opinions expressed in this article remain those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The New Arab, its editorial board or staff.

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The Mystery of Why So Many Lifelong Smokers Never Get Lung Cancer May Be Solved


28 May 2022 


Smoking cigarettes is the number one risk factor for lung cancer, with tobacco products causing up to 90 percent of lung cancer deaths in the United States.

Without a doubt, the safest way to protect yourself against lung cancer is to avoid smoking cigarettes, and yet, at the same time, it's also true that not all lifelong smokers are doomed to develop cancer.

Science Alert publised this article:

In fact, the vast majority don't. Scientists have long wondered why, and a new study adds weight to the idea that genetics has a role to play.

Among people who smoke but never develop lung cancer, researchers found an inherent advantage. The cells that line their lungs appear to be less likely to mutate over time.

The findings suggest that DNA repair genes are more active among some individuals, which can protect against cancers arising, even when cigarettes are regularly smoked.

The study made use of genetic profiles taken from the bronchi of 14 never-smokers and 19 light, moderate, and heavy smokers.

Surface cells collected from the lungs of the participants were sequenced individually to measure mutations in their genomes.

"These lung cells survive for years, even decades, and thus can accumulate mutations with both age and smoking," explains epidemiologist and pulmonologist Simon Spivack from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

"Of all the lung's cell types, these are among the most likely to become cancerous."

According to the authors, the findings "unequivocally demonstrate" that mutations in the human lung increase with natural age, and among smokers, the DNA damage is even more significant.

Tobacco smoke has long been associated with triggering DNA damage in the lung, but the new study found not all smokers are in the same boat.

While the amount that someone smoked was linked to an increase in cell mutation rates, after the equivalent of about 23 years of smoking a pack a day, that risk plateaus.

"The heaviest smokers did not have the highest mutation burden," says Spivack.

"Our data suggest that these individuals may have survived for so long in spite of their heavy smoking because they managed to suppress further mutation accumulation. This leveling off of mutations could stem from these people having very proficient systems for repairing DNA damage or detoxifying cigarette smoke."

The findings could help explain why 80 to 90 percent of lifelong smokers never develop lung cancer. It could also help explain why some people who never smoke at all do develop the tumors.

While toxic tobacco smoke seems to trigger extra cell mutations in the lung, whether these mutations develop into tumors is dependent on how well the body can repair DNA or reduce DNA damage.

Genes concerned with DNA repair can be inherited or acquired, and the silencing of repair genes has been associated with tumor development in previous research.

Genes aren't the only factors influencing a person's cancer risk. Environmental factors like diet can also influence nutrients in the body that impact tumor development.

What makes an individual's body better at repairing DNA is still up for debate and is likely complicated, but the new findings suggest this process is closely tied to lung cancer development.

"We now wish to develop new assays that can measure someone's capacity for DNA repair or detoxification, which could offer a new way to assess one's risk for lung cancer," says geneticist Jan Vijg.

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Algeria: Rights defenders' lives 'very difficult', says Hirak activist

Human rights groups say that Algerian authorities use threats to national security to stifle free speech, including among journalists, and justify arrests.

The New Arab Staff & Agencies
29 May, 2022

Algeria in 2021 banned the weekly pro-democracy protests held by the Hirak movement

 [RYAD KRAMDI/AFP/Getty-file photo]

Mohamed Benhalima looks as wary and frightened as he is led off a plane at Algiers airport, handcuffed with a security officer's arm wrapped around him.

A team from Algeria's Rapid Intervention Force then puts him in their vehicle and whisks him to an unknown destination.

The video was posted online on 24 March. Three days later, Algerians watched on television as the 32-year-old confessed to involvement with an organisation that authorities have listed as an Islamist terrorist group plotting against the Algerian government.

Once a faithful servant of his homeland as a non-commissioned army officer, Benhalima became a supporter of Algeria's pro-democracy movement, then a deserter who fled to Europe. Spain expelled him after Algeria issued a warrant for his arrest.

The confession scene was made public by Algeria's General Directorate of National Security, in what could be seen as a warning to other soldiers or citizens.

Hundreds of Algerian citizens have been jailed for trying to keep alive the Hirak movement that held weekly pro-democracy protests starting in 2019, leading to the downfall of longtime Algerian dictator President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.

The marches were banned last year by the nation's army-backed government.

RELATED Algeria says arrested activist died of 'natural causes'

Authorities then expanded their sweep, linking some Hirak supporters to two groups added to Algeria’s terror list last year: Rachad, regarded as Islamist infiltrators whose leaders are in Europe, and MAK, a separatist movement in Kabylie, a Berber homeland.

"For the last two or three years, there have been thousands of legal cases against activists," said well-known lawyer Mustapha Bouchachi.

"Their only error is that they expressed their political opinions on social media… and are fighting for a state of law."

Authorities of the gas-rich North African nation view themselves as guaranteeing the stability of the state.

For human rights groups, Benhalima and others are victims of an unjust, antiquated system of governance that views dissidents, or any critical voices, as criminals.

They say that Algerian authorities use threats to national security to stifle free speech, including among journalists, and justify arrests.

A campaign on social media, with the French-language hashtag #PasUnCrime (not a crime) was launched 19 May by dozens of non-governmental organisations against repression of human rights.

The US State Department's 2021 report on human rights in Algeria cited a long list of problems, including arbitrary arrests and detentions and restrictions on freedom of expression, assembly and association.

In March, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, asked Algeria to "change direction" to “guarantee the right of its people to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly.”

"To be a human rights activist in Algeria has become very difficult," said Zaki Hannache, a Hirak activist recently temporarily released from prison.

"To be an activist who refuses the system is complicated. It even means sacrifices."

Hannache, best known for keeping track of Hirak-related arrests, was arrested and jailed in February on a string of charges, including defending terrorist acts.

The alleged confession of Benhalima captures the combination of evils that Algeria claims it is up against.

He said that he was under the spell of Rachad and in contact with its London-based leader and his two brothers.

The official APS news agency said Benhalima confirmed "the implication of the terrorist organization Rachad in abject plans targeting the stability of Algeria and its institutions by exploiting misguided youth".

Rachad's website claimed the police video showed the forced confession of a "hostage" in a security services propaganda exercise.

Rachad's true goals are unclear, but it is a key target of Algeria’s crackdown.

In December, Rachad said it had submitted a complaint to a UN special rapporteur over Algeria's "arbitrary classification of the group as a terrorist organisation and asked UN authorities to urge Algeria to cease its "illegal practices".

Spain expelled Benhalima based on national security interests and activities "that may harm Spain’s relations with other countries", according to Amnesty International.

Spain expelled another deserter, Mohamed Abdellah, a dissident gendarme, to Algeria last August. Amnesty International described him as a whistleblower.

Spain has a special interest in remaining on good terms with Algeria, which provides much of its gas needs.

According to the National Committee for Freedom for the Detained, some 300 people are behind bars in Algeria for their political opinions.

Up to 70 were given provisional freedom at the the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, but others have since been arrested.

In a case emblematic for Algerian journalists, the man who heads the outspoken Radio M and the online news site Algerie Emergent, Ihsane El-Kadi, risks three years in prison with a five-year ban on working for allegedly attacking national unity, among other things.

He had raised the ire of a former communications minister with a column pleading for the protest movement Hirak not to divide itself over Rachad. The verdict is set for next week.

President Abdelmadjid Tebboune recently launched an ill-defined initiative dubbed "outstretched hands", described as an "internal front" to promote dialogue across all sectors of society.

Army chief Said Chengriha suggested in several speeches that it is also to counter Algeria's perceived enemies.

The initiative precedes the 5 July celebrations of the 60th anniversary of Algerian independence from France, which was won after a bloody seven-year war against the country's then-colonial masters.

"No one can refuse" to take part in this initiative, said Abou El Fadl Baadji, secretary-general of the National Liberation Front, once Algeria’s sole political party.

He was among the officials that Tebboune has recently met with on the subject. People "await with suspense the contents of this initiative… but we’re for this idea, even before knowing the details".

Benhalima awaits a verdict of his appeal of a 10-year prison sentence after being convicted in absentia for invasion of privacy and attacks on state interests, linked to his online posts on the Algerian military, including confidential information on senior officers.

Algerian Dissidents: Victims of Crackdown or Outlaws?
May 28, 2022
Associated Press

Officers of the Algerian Rapid Intervention Force (BRI) patrol outside the palace of justice on Dec. 2, 2019.

PARIS —

Mohamed Benhalima looks wary and frightened as he is led off a plane at Algiers airport, handcuffed with a security officer's arm wrapped around him. A team from Algeria's Rapid Intervention Force then puts him in their vehicle and whisks him to an unknown destination.

The video was posted online March 24. Three days later, Algerians watched on television as the 32-year-old confessed to involvement with an organization that authorities have listed as an Islamist terrorist group plotting against the Algerian government.

Once a faithful servant of his homeland as a noncommissioned army officer, Benhalima became a supporter of Algeria's pro-democracy movement, then a deserter who fled to Europe. Spain expelled him after Algeria issued a warrant for his arrest.

The confession scene was made public by Algeria's General Directorate of National Security, in what could be seen as a warning to other soldiers or citizens.

Hundreds of Algerian citizens have been jailed for trying to keep alive the Hirak movement that held weekly pro-democracy protests starting in 2019, leading to the downfall of longtime Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. The marches were banned last year by the nation's army-backed government.

Authorities then expanded their sweep, linking some Hirak supporters to two groups added to Algeria's terror list last year: Rachad, regarded as Islamist infiltrators whose leaders are in Europe, and MAK, a separatist movement in Kabylie, home of the Berbers.

"For the last two or three years, there have been thousands of legal cases against activists," said well-known lawyer Mustapha Bouchachi. "Their only error is that they expressed their political opinions on social media … and are fighting for a state of law."

For authorities of the gas-rich North African nation, guaranteeing the stability of the state is at the heart of their actions. For human rights groups, Benhalima and others are victims of an unjust, antiquated system of governance that views dissidents, or any critical voices, as criminals. They say that Algerian authorities use threats to national security to stifle free speech, including among journalists, and justify arrests.

A campaign on social media, with the hashtag #PasUnCrime (not a crime) was launched May 19 by dozens of non-governmental organizations against repression of human rights.

The U.S. State Department's 2021 report on human rights in Algeria cited a long list of problems, including arbitrary arrests and detentions and restrictions on freedom of expression, assembly and association. In March, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, asked Algeria to "change direction" to "guarantee the right of its people to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly."

"To be a human rights activist in Algeria has become very difficult," said Zaki Hannache, a Hirak militant recently temporarily released from prison. "To be an activist who refuses the system is complicated. It even means sacrifices."

Hannache, best known for keeping track of Hirak-related arrests, was arrested and jailed in February on a string of charges, including defending terrorist acts.

The alleged confession of Benhalima captures the combination of evils that Algeria claims it is up against. He said that he was under the spell of Rachad and in contact with its London-based leader and his two brothers. The official APS news agency said Benhalima confirmed "the implication of the terrorist organization Rachad in abject plans targeting the stability of Algeria and its institutions by exploiting misguided youth."

Rachad's website claimed the police video showed the forced confession of a "hostage" in a security services propaganda exercise.

Rachad's true goals are unclear, but it is a key target of Algeria's crackdown. In December, Rachad said it had submitted a complaint to a U.N. special rapporteur over Algeria's "arbitrary" classification of the group as a terrorist organization and asked U.N. authorities to urge Algeria to cease its "illegal practices."

Spain expelled Benhalima based on national security interests and activities "that may harm Spain's relations with other countries," according to Amnesty International. Spain expelled another deserter, Mohamed Abdellah, a dissident gendarme, to Algeria last August. Amnesty International described him as a whistleblower.

Spain has a special interest in remaining on good terms with Algeria, which provides much of its gas needs.

According to the National Committee for Freedom for the Detained, some 300 people are behind bars in Algeria for their political opinions. Up to 70 were given provisional freedom at the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, but others have since been arrested.

In a case emblematic for Algerian journalists, the man who heads the outspoken Radio M and the online news site Algerie Emergent, Ihsane El-Kadi, risks three years in prison with a five-year ban on working for allegedly attacking national unity, among other things. He had raised the ire of a former communications minister with a column pleading for the protest movement Hirak not to divide itself over Rachad. The verdict is set for next week.

President Abdelmadjid Tebboune recently launched an ill-defined initiative dubbed "outstretched hands," described as an "internal front" to promote dialogue across all sectors of society. Army chief Said Chengriha suggested in several speeches that it is also to counter Algeria's perceived enemies. The initiative precedes the July 5 celebrations of the 60th anniversary of Algerian independence from France, which was won after a brutal seven-year war.

"No one can refuse" to take part in this initiative, said Abou El Fadl Baadji, secretary-general of the National Liberation Front, once Algeria's sole political party. He was among the officials that Tebboune has recently met with on the subject. People "await with suspense the contents of this initiative ... but we're for this idea, even before knowing the details."

Benhalima awaits a verdict of his appeal of a 10-year prison sentence after being convicted in absentia for invasion of privacy and attacks on state interests, linked to his online posts on the Algerian military, including confidential information on senior officers.

Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) Declares ‘Full Independence’

Onufriy, Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate), at a liturgy in Kyiv, May 8, 2016. | Sergento via Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

May 29, 2022 

By CNA

A council of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) on Friday resolved on its “full self-sufficiency and independence,” distancing the Church from Russian Orthodoxy.
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The decision comes amid the third month of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which has been prominently supported by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow.

“The Council adopted relevant amendments and additions to the Statutes on the administration of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, indicating the full self-sufficiency and independence of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church,” the Church resolved May 27 in Kyiv.

The council also condemned the Russo-Ukrainian War, gave terms for dialogue with the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, and broached the possibility of making chrism, which as been considered a sign of autocephaly in the Russian tradition.

“The council condemns the war as a violation of God’s commandment Thou shalt not kill,” it said, and it expressed its “disagreement with the position of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia regarding the war in Ukraine.”

It asked that Russian and Ukrainian authorities continue to negotiate.

Given the difficulties of communication amid the war, diocesan bishop were granted “the right to independently make decisions on certain issues of diocesan life that fall within the competence of the Holy Synod or the primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, with the subsequent informing of the hierarchy, when the opportunity is restored.”

Considering the flight of millions of Ukrainians amid the war it resolved to support the diaspora, expressing “its deep conviction that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church cannot leave its faithful without spiritual care, must be close to them in their trials, and organize church communities … It’s necessary to further develop the mission abroad among Orthodox Ukrainians in order to preserve their faith, culture, language, and Orthodox identity.”

Eastern Orthodoxy in Ukraine is split between the UOC-MP and the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, which was granted autocephaly by the Ecumenical Patriarch in 2019. Since the Russian invasion, some parishes of the UOC-MP have transferred to the OCU, and some have stopped commemorating Patriarch Kirill in the Divine Liturgy.

The council expressed “deep regret over the lack of unity in Ukrainian Orthodoxy,” saying it was “particularly disappointing” that the granting of autocephaly to the OCU “deepened misunderstandings and led to physical confrontation.”

Dialogue could resume, it said, if the OCU stops “the forcible seizures of churches and forced transfers of parishes” of the UOC-MP; “realize that their canonical status … is actually not autocephalous”; and “resolve the issue of the canonicity of the OCU hierarchy, because for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, as for most Local Orthodox Churches, it’s quite obvious that in order to recognize the canonicity of the OCU hierarchy, it’s necessary to restore the Apostolic Succession of its bishops.”

The Catholic News Agency (CNA) has been, since 2004, one of the fastest growing Catholic news providers to the English speaking world. The Catholic News Agency takes much of its mission from its sister agency, ACI Prensa, which was founded in Lima, Peru, in 1980 by Fr. Adalbert Marie Mohm (†1986).