UK

Labour 'witch-hunt' on pro-Palestine MP, Apsana Begum, takes ugly turn

June 21, 2022 


Apsana Begum MP addresses supporters of Julian Assange protesting outside the Royal Courts of Justice on the second day of the hearing on the United States government's appeal to the District Court’s decision to block the extradition of Julian Assange in London, United Kingdom on October 28, 2021 

[Wiktor Szymanowicz - Anadolu Agency]

Nasim Ahmed
Nasimbythedocks
June 21, 2022 


The UK Labour Party is under pressure to investigate allegation of a "vicious and misogynistic" campaign against Poplar and Limehouse MP, Apsana Begum. The 32-year-old faces the prospect of being de-selected in a "trigger ballot" procedure which will decide whether Begum can stand as a Labour candidate at the next general election.

Begum, who is of Bangladeshi origin, made history in 2019 by becoming the first Muslim female wearing the headscarf to be elected as Member of Parliament. Despite winning what is a safe seat for the Labour Party, her three years in office have been far from smooth sailing.

Not only has Begum been a victim of Labour's civil-war, where the current leadership under Kier Starmer is accused of leading a vicious campaign to "purge" supporters of former leader, Jeremy Corbyn, including pro-Palestinian party members and MP's, the 32-year-old has had to face a barrage of "vexatious" attacks from her enemies, locally.

Last summer, Begum successfully defeated a "vexatious" attempt to convict her of housing fraud in a prosecution described as being "driven by malicious intent." Begum was cleared by a jury over claims of housing fraud, in a prosecution brought by Tower Hamlets council. "As a survivor of domestic abuse facing these vexatious charges, the last 18 months of false accusations, online sexist, racist, and Islamophobic abuse, and threats to my safety, have been exceedingly difficult," Begum said following her victory.

Imran Hussain, the shadow employment rights minister, said that Begum had faced "sexist, racist and Islamophobic abuse" as she fought to clear her name. Grahame Morris, the MP for Easington, said she had been the "victim of a malicious, politically motivated prosecution that has sadly generated much online abuse against her, causing much needless distress and discomfort". Speaking to the Guardian after clearing her name, Begum described the campaign against her as "political persecution".

READ: Sorry, Keir Starmer, but only in a world of 'alternative facts' is Israel not guilty of apartheid

Sarah Champion, the Chair of the Commons select committee on international development, said Begum could hold her head high, and added: "I'm so deeply sorry for what you have had to endure." Questions were raised over the decision to launch legal action against Begum. Jon Trickett, another former frontbencher, said there were "serious questions about this flawed prosecution" that needed answering, in light of Begum being cleared of wrongdoing.

Less than a year since her legal victory, Begum is, once again, in a fight to save her political career. Her critics have enlisted the support of pro-Israel journalists in their campaign to oust the Labour MP. An article in the anti-Palestinian Jewish News used Begum's strong support for the Palestinian cause to further undermine her.

Last year, the pro-Israel news outlet came under fire for publishing an article by the same author because of its alleged racist and hateful representation of Muslim PMs. Titled "Purge of the Corbynites", the article took aim at Begum and her Labour colleague, Coventry South MP, Zara Sultana, over their views, including strong solidarity with Palestine and their position on the controversial Prevent programme which critics say disproportionately targets Muslims.

Alarmed by the article's representation of the two women MPs from a minority community, Labour Muslim Network (LMN) blasted the piece over its racist message. "The dangerous rhetoric surrounding Muslim public officials is one which has become normalised in British politics," said the group in a series of tweets.

The Network argued that the piece had twisted valid concerns about Prevent, policing and foreign policy to paint a picture of Muslim politicians as "extreme & obsessive." It pointed out that, where other MPs might have "strongly held convictions" informed by their "personal experiences", Muslims do not get that luxury.

The underlying racist undertone, argued Muslim Labour Network, is that certain Muslim concerns are "beyond the pale, misaligned to the general population (as if Muslims are a fifth column) and something to be afraid of." This, it argued, is "textbook 'othering'" and "dog whistle" "Islamophobia".

READ: Anti-Zionist Jewish woman seeks answers from UK Labour Party over 'anti-Semitism' allegations

Two days following the article's publication, Sultana shared an example of the barrage of racist attacks she faces from the public. "You are not British" was the message of an email she shared on Twitter.

Meanwhile, in Tower Hamlets the campaign to oust the Poplar and Limehouse MP has raised serious concerns. Begum's opponents have been accused of "threatening behaviour, harassment and misogyny" in their campaign to oust her. "Very concerning reports about what is happening to Apsana Begum in her trigger ballot process" said Diane Abbott, MP, on Twitter. "There is terrible abuse and harassment, all wrong under the rules. Labour party must halt this process".

Former shadow chancellor and Labour MP, John McDonnell, also raised the alarm over alleged bullying and harassment. "Serious concerns raised about the trigger ballot process in Apsana Begum's constituency, including allegations of harassment & threatening behaviour, involving sexism & misogyny, to undermine Apsana's position" said McDonnell. "I've urged the party to intervene. Nobody should have to endure this".

Several other MP's have expressed solidarity with Begum, including Nadia Whittome, MP. "I was extremely concerned to learn about these allegations relating to Apsana Begum's trigger proceedings" said the Nottingham East Member of Parliament. "I, too, have written to the Labour leadership, urging them to immediately suspend the process while investigations take place. Solidarity with Apsana."

Begum's supporters believe the attack on her is part of the Labour witch-hunt against leftist, pro-Palestine members of the party. This campaign has become extremely toxic in Tower Hamlets, where Labour suffered a humiliating defeat in the recent mayoral election. Begum's allies say that this round of attack is fuelled by right-wing Labour members' thirst for revenge.

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.

Men Wrestling: An identity-shaping ritual among Sudan's Nuba

June 23, 2022 

Nuba wrestlers in Sudan [Katarzyna Rybarczyk]

Katarzyna Rybarczyk
June 23, 2022 

Every week at the Haj Youssef stadium in the outskirts of Khartoum, Sudan, hundreds of people gather to watch Nuba wrestling, a tribal practice going back thousands of years.

The Nuba are a group of 50 or more indigenous ethnic groups who inhabit the Nuba Mountains in South Kordofan state in the south of Sudan.

In the 1990s, the Sudanese government declared a war against the Nuba and, with the support of various militia groups, launched a genocidal and ethnocidal campaign against them.

Following the military offensive, around 100,000 people were killed and hundreds of thousands more were internally displaced.

To this day, the Nuba people are spread across the country. Being ethnically diverse, speaking different languages, and no longer living in the region that they originate from, they feel a sense of collective identity through engaging in similar cultural practices. Nuba wrestling, for example, is practiced by almost every Nubian tribe.

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They have been practicing wrestling for centuries, and, although now modernised, the sport remains an integral part of their culture.



Historically, Nuba wrestlers would fight naked, covered in ash. Now, men wear shorts and t-shirts but they still spread white ash and sand over their bodies. Often, they also attach tribal-inspired elements to their uniforms.



In an urban environment, athletes come from sports clubs but, in the past, they would be the strongest men representing different villages so winning was associated with bringing honour to their community.



Each sports club has its own style so the combat can be fast-paced, hectic, unorganised, but can also be slow and rhythmic, depending on competing opponents.



Being a mixture of sport and dance, this captivating performance gives the audience an insight into the intriguing world of tribal rituals.

Wrestlers compete in the ring which is covered with sand rather than mats. To win, they need to drop their opponent to the ground until the referee calls the end of the match.



Each wrestler has unique moves they show to demonstrate their superiority and readiness to compete. Before each round a wrestler chooses their opponent, points at them, and does a short dance indicating that they are challenging them to fight.

Khartoum's stadium is a space for Nuba people to connect with their culture and revive their community spirit. When the round is concluded, the audience cheers and sings while wrestlers perform dances of triumph, showing off their strength and ability.



At the end of the round spectators and congratulate the athletes by placing money on their foreheads. For young Nuba men, wrestling can be the opportunity to get out of poverty and change their social status.



After each round, the winner is carried around the ring by a member of their sports club. Apart from gaining prestige within their local community, some may gain national or international fame.



Throughout the years, Nuba wrestling has taken on another form and has found a new home, in a stadium rather than among nature in rural settings. But, the practices of the Nuba people today still resembled the ancient wrestling traditions and matches are the chance for the displaced Nuba to come together.

By continuing to engage in Nuba wrestling, the Nuba people pay tribute to their cultural heritage. As wrestling is the key event driving integration and strengthening their sense of collective identity, it plays a key role in preventing Nuba culture from disappearing.

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.

Record-Breaking 18-Foot Whopper Is Heaviest Burmese Python Ever Caught In The US

It could be the largest wild Burmese python ever seen outside of Southeast Asia.


TOM HALE
Senior Journalist

IFL Science
Jun 22, 2022 

Researchers Ian Bartoszek (left), Ian Easterling, and intern Kyle Findley (right) transport the record-breaking female Burmese python to their lab in Naples, Florida, to be laid out and photographed. Photograph by Maggie Steber, National Geographic


The largest Burmese python ever seen in Florida has been found, measuring over 5 meters (almost 18 feet) from tail to snout and weighing a crushing 97 kilograms (215 pounds), as reported by National Geographic.

Burmese pythons (Python bivittatus) have made themselves at home in the balmy swamps of south Florida. However, as their name suggests, this is an invasive species whose native home is across the world in Southeast Asia.

It’s believed the species were introduced to Florida in the 1970s, likely from the exotic pet trade. The population was then boosted in 1992 when Hurricane Andrew wrecked a serpent breeding facility, releasing an unknown number of pythons into the wild.

In recent years, monster-sized pythons tipping 5.2 meters (17 feet) have been documented in and around Florida's Everglades, but this discovery is said to be a record-breaker. Back in 2020, two Florida hunters captured a Burmese python that measured 5.7 meters (18.75 feet), but that individual weighed substantially less at 47.2-kilograms (104-pounds)

In fact, it appears to be the largest ever example of a Burmese python ever seen outside of its natural range in Southeast Asia.

The new record-breaker was discovered when a team of Conservancy of Southwest Florida tracked down the vast female python with the help of a male tagged up to a GPS tracking system.

Conservationists often use this method to track down large females, who tend to be very reproductively active, in a bid to control this invasive species. Once the giant female was located, it was (carefully) put in a tub and taken back to the lab where it was chemically euthanized under veterinary supervision. When biologists were brought to see the specimen, they could hardly believe their eyes.

“When he opened the freezer,” Kristen Hart, an ecologist with the U.S. Geological Survey Wetland and Aquatic Research Center and a collaborator with the conservancy team, told National Geographic. “I definitely had a jaw-dropping moment.”

Researcher Ian Bartoszek sifts through dozens of proto-eggs while performing a necropsy on the female Burmese python. The team counted 122 of these “follicles,” another record-breaking tally. Photograph by Maggie Steber, National Geographic

Inside the python was just as intriguing for the scientists. Here, they found a record of 122 egg "follicles," proto-eggs of the python that have the potential to develop into eggs once fertilized. Her guts also contained the fur, hoofs, and other remnants of an adult white-tailed deer, which was likely the snake’s last meal.

As magnificent as the species may be, they cause real problems for local wildlife since they prey upon a variety of mammals, birds, and even alligators, causing havoc to local food chains and the ecosystem. No one has any idea how many Burmese pythons are in Florida, but state wildlife authorities have killed or removed over 15,000 pythons since 2000.

This record-breaking discovery goes to show how important conservationists in Florida feel it is to keep control of this colossal, but very dangerous, species.

“These pythons have the ability to totally alter the ecosystem, and I would say they probably already have,” said Hart.

For more on this story, visit: natgeo.com

Researchers capture largest python ever found in Florida at nearly 18 feet, 215 pounds

By Patrick Reilly

June 22, 2022 

A team of Florida wildlife biologists captured the largest Burmese python ever discovered in the state, officials announced Thursday.

The gargantuan female serpent, considered an invasive species in Florida, measured nearly 18 feet long and weighed 215 pounds, according to the Conservancy of Southwest Florida.

The snake was caught last December in the Everglades following a 20 minute wrestling match with biologists, but researchers left the python in a freezer until April.

During a necropsy, the snake was found to have 122 eggs developing in its abdomen — breaking another record for the most eggs female python can produce in a breeding cycle, according to the conservancy

.

A group of Florida wildlife biologists captured the state’s largest Burmese python.

The News-Press-USA TODAY NETWORK

The last meal the python ate was seen to be a white-tailed deer.

The News-Press-USA TODAY NETWORK

“Hoof cores” found inside the snake’s stomach indicated that a white tailed deer was the beast’s last meal before it was caught. The deer is a primary source of food for the endangered Florida panther, the organization said.

National Geographic featured the historic capture, which is part of the conservancy’s python removal program that began in 2013.

“The removal of female pythons plays a critical role in disrupting the breeding cycle of these apex predators that are wreaking havoc on the Everglades ecosystem and taking food sources from other native species,” said Ian Bartoszek, wildlife biologist and environmental science project manager for the Conservancy. “This is the wildlife issue of our time for southern Florida.”

The python weighed over 215 pounds.Conservancy of Southwest Florida

To date, the organization has removed over 1,000 pythons — over 26,000 pounds of snake — in a 100-square-mile area in southwestern Florida.

“These efforts are significant in fulfilling our mission of protecting Southwest Florida’s unique natural environment and quality of life by reducing the overall impact on our native wildlife populations,” Bartoszek added.
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The wildlife biologists captured the python through a unique research program that uses radio transmitters implanted in male “scout” snakes to lead biologists to breeding grounds where “large, reproductive females” can be removed to stop eggs from hatching in the wild.

“How do you find the needle in the haystack? You could use a magnet, and in a similar way our male scout snakes are attracted to the biggest females around,” Bartoszek said.

WW3.0

Majorities in neutral EU states support arming Ukraine

Vast majorities in Malta, Ireland, Sweden and Finland support EU financing of military equipment to Ukraine

23 June 2022,
by James Debono
MALTA TODAY


A majority of citizens in all five neutral member states in the European Union, including Malta, support the EU’s decision to finance and deliver weapons to Ukraine to defend itself from Russian aggression.

A Eurobarometer survey shows that while 80% of respondents in Malta support the decision to finance and deliver weapons to Ukraine, only 14% are opposed. Support for arming Ukraine is 10 points higher in Malta than in the entire EU.

Among the five neutral members of the EU, support for arming Ukraine is highest in Sweden (92%), which together with Finland (90%), has now applied to join NATO.

But support is also high in Ireland where 90% support arming Ukraine. Among the neutral EU member states support for arming Ukraine is lowest in Austria (54%).

The majority of respondents in all five neutral EU countries favour increased defence cooperation in the EU.

Unsurprisingly, in the EU as a whole support for arming Ukraine is highest in Poland (93%), which not only borders the Ukraine but was itself historically annexed by Tsarist Russia and later the Soviet Union. Support is lowest in countries which share a cultural and religious affinity with Russia, mainly Bulgaria (30%), Cyprus (45%) and Slovakia (42%).

Support for arming Ukraine is higher in Malta than in a number of NATO members like France (68%), Germany (66%), Italy (61%) and Hungary (60%).

The survey also shows strong majorities in Malta for banning Russia Today and Sputnik broadcasts (72%), sanctions against Russian companies, government members and individuals (83%) and notably welcoming refugees from the war zone (96%).

Respondents were also asked to state their major two worries about the ensuing war. Understandably the results show that the greatest worry of the Maltese is a nuclear war (47%) followed by fears of the conflict spreading to other countries (30%), the risk of an economic crisis (30%) and inflation (26%).

The survey shows that 71% of Maltese are satisfied with their government’s response to the Russian invasion. 73% of Maltese are also satisfied with the EU’s response, as are 59% of citizens in all EU member states. The most dissatisfied with the EU response are the Estonians (42%), the Greeks (44%), the Slovaks (44%) and the Cypriots (48%). While in Estonia the public largely supports measures against Russia, in Greece, Slovakia and Cyprus low support for the EU’s response reflects a pro Russian sentiment, confirmed by larger opposition against arming Ukraine.

Bird vomit may have caused raining fish in Texas, scientists say Cormorants, which are commonly found in the area, have a nasty habit of regurgitating their food.

Ariana Garcia
June 22, 2022


Cormorants regurgitating fish may have been behind fish raining over Texarkana in December, researchers say.passion4nature/Getty Images/iStockphoto

They say don't run right after eating. Apparently, that applies to flying too. Two independent researchers recently shared their findings that bird regurgitation is likely what caused fish to rain from the sky over Texarkana in late December.

Residents in the East Texas town encountered the fishy phenomenon after strong thunderstorms moved through the area. While some experts theorized that the fish may have gotten swept up by waterspouts, National Weather Service meteorologists told the Dallas Morning News that data shows there was no such activity in the area at the time. 

Sharon Hill, a geologist and independent researcher based in Pennsylvania, and Paul Cropper, an author in Australia, found evidence indicating that a flock of birds, specifically cormorants, may have regurgitated the fish while flying over Texarkana.

"We're both interested in finding out what, if anything, happened in a strange situation," Hill told the Dallas Morning News. "We're not going to be dismissive, we're not going to default to a paranormal explanation, but we're looking to document what happened and what can be the possible natural causes.

The pair, who previously worked separately on similar investigations related to natural phenomena, collected evidence from the area and reached out to locals who reported seeing the fish to rule out several theories. They first determined that the incident was not a hoax. "This was one of the better ones, because we had never seen fish-fall being documented over such a wide area," Hill told the Dallas Morning News.

They also ruled out the idea that flooding washed fish up onto the ground, because the fish were found to be above ground level, in truck beds and rooftops. The fish were also not dropped from a plane, Hill told the Dallas Morning News, since no records backed up that theory.

"The last one that we knew that was a reasonable explanation was the birds, either carrying them in their beaks, their talons or their stomachs," Hill told the Morning News. The fish, which were later identified as Gizzard shad, also had characteristics indicative of partial digestion, Hill and Cropper found. Additionally, cormorants have a habit of expelling their stomach contents, they said.

The pair also studied security footage from a Discount Tire in Texarkana that appears to show six fish hitting the ground during the storm. The video evidence supports that fish did indeed fall from the sky that day, Hill reported. 

Residents told Hill and Cropper that they had seen cormorants around the time the fish fell from the sky in December. Hill and Cropper also spoke to Paul Merlich, executive director of the Texarkana Regional Airport, who told them flocks of cormorants regularly fly near the airport, the Dallas Morning News reported. They usually appear around the same time that the Dec. 29 storm moved through the area, he said. 

Mehrlich told the Morning News that cormorants typically migrate through the area between fall and spring. He also said that on the day of the storm, staff found fish "all over" the airport runway. Crews had to shovel up ten pounds of fish, causing a delay for one of the planes at the airport, he said. 

The University of Texas Biodiversity Center in Austin will verify Hill and Cropper's findings. However, Hill told the Dallas Morning News the pair is confident in their conclusion.

DOWN UNDER

'It's like a baptism': Winter solstice swimmers take nippy nude dip in Hobart

More than 2,000 people have stripped naked for a sunrise dip in Hobart, marking the winter solstice and end of the Dark Mofo festival.

Swimmers have braved the freezing waters with an annual nude winter solstice swim during Hobart's Dark Mofo festival in Tasmania. 

Source: AAP / ROB BLAKERS/AAPIMAGE

More than 2,000 hardy souls have bared all for a midwinter dip in Hobart,
marking the shortest day of the year.

Among the crowd was 59-year-old Pam, who took a maiden naked plunge a week out from her birthday alongside fellow first-timers Richard, Peter and Glenda.

"It was a really unique experience. You let go of all your fears, everything, and just go in," the southern Tasmania resident said

"A friend told me it's like a baptism. You'll go in the old you and you'll come out the new you. That's sort of how it feels."


Swimmers enter the water during the annual nude winter solstice swim during Hobart's Dark Mofo festival at Long Beach in Sandy Bay, Tasmania, Wednesday, 22 June 2022. Source: AAP / ROB BLAKERS/AAPIMAGE

The group enjoyed a nip of whisky and herbal tea on shore after earlier being part of the masses that entered the River Derwent at the 7.42am sunrise.

The swim, a symbolic act of purification marking the winter solstice and end of the Dark Mofo winter festival, first began with 230 participants in 2013.

The air temperature was below 5C and the water in the low teens.

"It took me back 60-plus years to when I was a kid in England. Just the same, freezing cold, but you feel so good afterwards," Peter, 73, said.

Glenda, 66, who travelled from the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, said the water wasn't as cold as she anticipated.


Swimmers gather before the annual nude winter solstice swim during Hobart's Dark Mofo festival at Long Beach in Sandy Bay, Tasmania, Wednesday, 22 June 2022. Source: AAP / ROB BLAKERS/AAPIMAGE

"The adrenaline is running. You feel so good about just being able to drop your gear and get in the water," she said.

"You'd think you'd be uncomfortable, but you're not."

Daniel Clifford and Melissa Stretch from Brisbane and Perth respectively were glad they overcame some early morning jitters.

"It was colder than I thought it would be. We were both on the fence this morning when we woke up," Melissa said.

Dark Mofo returned to a two-week festival this year after being called off in 2020 due to the pandemic and running over a condensed period in 2021.

 

COP26 President in SA to reinforce support for Just Energy Transition

21 June 2022, |

 

 Otsile Saku |  @SABCNews

Image: Twitter @Eskom_SA

The COP26 President had on-site visits to some power stations

President of COP26, and Member of Parliament of the United Kingdom, Alok Sharma, is in the country and has met with the South African team on climate change in Pretoria. He has reaffirmed the United Kingdom’s ongoing commitment to the Just Energy Transition Partnership with the country.

The aim of the initiative, which is a long-term political agreement, is to accelerate the decarbonisation of South Africa’s economy, with a focus on bolstering the electricity system and moving away from coal-reliance. The implementation of the Just Energy Transition Partnership was announced at the COP26 conference last year.

Other partners to the initiative are the United States, France, Germany and the European Union who pledged an initial amount of $8.5 billion as a contribution towards financing South Africa’s long-term just transition process

The UK has also announced a further £1.5 million pounds funding for new technical assistance and partnerships, in supporting South Africa’s just energy transition.

In a press release from the UK government, it has been confirmed that Sharma will meet with key ministers from across the South African government and representatives from the South Africa Presidential Climate Finance Task Team assigned to deliver the Just Energy Transition Partnership. He will also meet with coal mining communities.

“The South African Just Energy Transition Partnership embodies the ambition we called for at COP26. This country-led approach puts fairness at the heart of the transition from coal to clean energy and will deliver high levels of finance and support to South Africa in achieving this ambitious transition. With less than six months before COP27, my visit is about demonstrating our continued support to South Africa to drive forward this commitment and build on key next steps,” says Sharma.

Sharma hopes the engagement with South Africa will yield positive results:

Nepal is planning to move its Everest base camp because of rapidly thinning glaciers and erosion from climbers

Paola Rosa-Aquino
Jun 21, 2022, 

Tents set up at Nepal's Everest Base camp on Khumbu Glacier, Mount Everest, on September 15, 2019. Frank Bienewald/LightRocket via Getty Images

Nepal's base camp on Mount Everest is being moved further down the mountain, due to climate change.
The site is located on top of the thinning Khumbu Glacier, which has become hazardous for climbers.
The gateway to the world's tallest mountain is used by around 1,500 climbers every year.

In order to ascend Mount Everest, climbers have to pass through one of two starting points. But the southern site in Nepal — the most popular starting point to summit the world's tallest mountain — is located on top of a thinning glacier that's becoming increasingly unsafe amid climate change.

As ice on the glacier close to the base camp slowly melts, Nepal is preparing to move the campsite down the mountain. Glaciers and ice sheets are melting at accelerated rates because of human-caused climate change: As temperatures rise, the glacier on the world's highest mountain, like other glaciers around the world, is retreating rapidly.

"We are now preparing for the relocation and we will soon begin consultation with all stakeholders," Taranath Adhikari, director general of Nepal's tourism department, told the BBC. "It is basically about adapting to the changes we are seeing at the base camp and it has become essential for the sustainability of the mountaineering business itself."

The potential relocation follows recommendations from a committee set up by the government, which oversees mountaineering at Everest.

A 2018 study found that the Khumbu Glacier close to the base camp was thinning at a rate of 1 meter — or 3 feet — per year. Now, according to Nepalese authorities, it's unsafe. Where the base camp currently stands, mountain climbers contend with cracks on the ice, erosion, and growing streams of water due to ice melt.

"We see increased rock falls and movement of meltwater on the surface of the glaciers that can be hazardous," Scott Watson, a researcher at the University of Leeds, told the BBC.

 

A line of trekkers walk through fresh snow beside the Khumbu Glacier, near the base of Mount Everest and Everest base camp, on February 13, 2015. Ed Giles/Getty Images

The sheer number of people passing through the camp, and the footprints, debris, and waste left on the mountain are a concern. The camp is used by around 1,500 climbers every year. People urinating at the camp, to the tune of 4,000 liters of pee every day during in peak season, along with runoff from kerosene and other waste products, also impact the glacier.

The base camp currently sits at an altitude of 5,364 meters (17,600 feet) above the mountain's snowline. Plans could shift it as much as 400 meters (1,310 feet) lower, to an ice-free area. A final decision has not been made, nor has a new base been identified, according to Nepalese authorities. Once plans are finalized, the relocation could come as soon as 2024.

THE REACTIONARY ASSAULT ON LGBTQ RIGHTS 

Hockey and triathlon's world governing bodies join review of transgender rules

Several sports governing bodies are reviewing their policies on the involvement of transgender athletes in women's international competitions.

The International Hockey Federation is among the sports governing bodies reviewing their rules for transgender athletes' participation in women's competitions. Source: SIPA USA / Belga

The International Hockey Federation (IHF) and World Triathlon have joined a raft of
governing bodies reviewing their policy on the involvement of transgender athletes in women's sports, following last weekend's ruling by swimming's top body.

On Sunday, the International Swimming Federation (FINA) voted to ban anyone who has been through male puberty from elite women's competitions and to create a working group to establish an "open" category for transgender swimmers in some events as part of its new policy

"We are conducting a review of our transgender policy and this is a current work in progress in consultation with the IOC (International Olympic Committee)," a spokesperson for the IHF told Reuters on Wednesday.

Transgender athletes hit back at FINA swimming ban for 'unscientific' justification

Transgender athletes hit back at FINA swimming ban for 'unscientific' justification
World Triathlon is working on its own guidelines which will be released after the approval of the Executive Board in November, following a review by the medical committee, women's committee and equality, diversity & inclusion commission.

"Once approved, it will be implemented at the international level (World Triathlon) and also distributed to all National Federations for their implementation at a local level," a World Triathlon spokesperson said.

"We have also reached out to the transgender community to receive their feedback and inputs.

"We really hope that new guidelines will provide a fair and inclusive competition for all athletes, including transgender, cisgender and non-binary athletes."

The International Canoe Federation (ICF) is also preparing a transgender policy which will be presented at its full board meeting in November.

"Currently we are following the IOC's guidelines regarding sports where physical strength is a factor," an ICF spokesperson said.

Rugby league banned transgender players from women's international competition until further notice on Tuesday, while the International Cycling Union (UCI) last week tightened its eligibility rules.

LGBTIQ+ rights group Athlete Ally said FINA's new eligibility criteria was "discriminatory" and "harmful", while transgender cyclist Veronica Ivy described the policy as "unscientific".

Advocates for transgender inclusion argue that not enough studies have yet been done on the impact of transition on physical performance, and that elite athletes are often physical outliers in any case.


'Biology trumps gender': FIFA, World Athletics review transgender rules after swimming's change
The IOC said in November that no athlete should be excluded from competition on the grounds of a perceived unfair advantage, while leaving it up to sports federations to decide where the balance between inclusion and fairness lay.

"When push comes to shove, if it's a judgement between inclusion and fairness, we will always fall down on the side of fairness — that for me is non-negotiable," World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said in announcing his organisation's review.

World Rugby instituted a ban on transgender players competing at the elite level of the women's game last year, citing safety concerns.

New Zealand Rugby (NZR) said on Wednesday it was undertaking a consultation over its transgender eligibility policy in the grassroots of the game and was aiming to be as inclusive as possible.

Archaeologists uncover rare early mosque in Israel's Negev desert

The remains of the mosque are believed to be more than 1,200 years old.



An aerial view shows Palestinian workers of Israel's Antiquities Authority during work at a recently discovered ancient mosque, which dates back to the early Islamic period. Source: Getty / Menahem Kahana

Israeli archaeologists unveiled a rare ancient mosque in the country's south that the antiquities officials said sheds light on the region's transition from Christianity to Islam.

The remains of the mosque, believed to be more than 1,200 years old, were discovered during works to build a new neighbourhood in the Bedouin city of Rahat, the Israel Antiquities Authority said in a statement.

The mosque located in the Negev desert contains "a square room and a wall facing the direction of Mecca", with a half-circle niche in that wall pointing to the south, the IAA said.

"These unique architectural features show that the building was used as a mosque," the authority said, noting it probably hosted a few dozen worshippers at a time.

A short distance from the mosque, a "luxurious estate building" was also discovered, with remains of tableware and glass artefacts pointing to the wealth of its residents, the IAA said.


The dates back to the period between the seventh and eighth centuries. Source: Getty / Menahem KahanaThree years ago, the authority unearthed another mosque nearby from the same era of the seventh to eighth century AD, calling the two Islamic places of worship "among the earliest known worldwide".

The mosques, estate and other homes found nearby illuminate "the historical process that took place in the northern Negev with the introduction of a new religion –- the religion of Islam, and a new rulership and culture in the region," the IAA said.

"These were gradually established, inheriting the earlier Byzantine government and Christian religion that held sway over the land for hundreds of years."

The Muslim conquest of the region occurred in the first half of the seventh century.

The IAA said the mosques found in Rahat would be preserved in their current locations, whether as historic monuments or as active places of prayer.

How archaeology is instrumentalised amid the Israeli-Palestinian conflict 

• FRANCE 24 English

One would assume that #archaeology, the study of the human past through material remains, is a relatively neutral field. But in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian #conflict, archaeological excavations have been used to dispossess disenfranchised communities. The Israeli NGO Emek Shaveh monitors and documents how numerous archaeological sites have been used to infringe on Palestinian property and cultural heritage rights. Its Executive Director Alon Arad joined us for #Perspective.  https://f24.my/8j0n.y