Tunisia: opposition rejects 'Mediterranean deal' for migrants


African immigrants, who have settled in the al-Buhaire region in the north of the capital Tunis of Tunisia continue their lives on the streets with limited opportunities on March 05, 2023

 [Yassine Gaidi/Anadolu Agency]

June 13, 2023 

Political opponents of Tunisia's President Kais Saied have criticised Europe's proposed financial aid package, cautioning against what they call the "Mediterranean Deal". They decry the fact that the deal would see Tunisia become a "border guard for Europe" despite President Kais Saied's emphatic rejection of such a proposition. Saied's supporters have also warned about a European plan to settle sub-Saharan African migrants in the country.

"Today, it became clear why Italy wants to assist Tunisia and consider it a safe country, in order to deport Tunisian and foreign migrants to it," said Majdi Al-Karbawi, a former parliamentarian and a specialist in migrant rights. "This was the reason for the recent visit of European officials. Tunisia has officially become a border guard for Europe or an advanced border point. As for the language of projects and energy, they are projects that deplete Tunisia's natural resources in favour of Europe."

Former Minister Khaled Choukat was more forceful in his comment: "One aspect of the hypocrisy of some fascist European regimes is that they do not desire the presence of respected democratic political systems on the southern shore of the Mediterranean. Instead, they only want guards and servants who receive rewards based on their loyalty and engagement in the European agenda." The failure to understand the democratic lesson, it seems, is not limited to some of Tunisia's elites, he noted. "They are sick with their ideological animosities and addicted to the discourse of exclusion, but a part of the European elite remains captive to a condescending and colonial view that sees us as inferior peoples to be dealt with only through force."

READ: Anonymous scholars accuse African migrants of 'invading Tunisia'

According to the Tunisian Observatory for Human Rights, the issue of migration and asylum is no longer primarily a humanitarian issue; it is a highly political matter, with Europe insisting on combining the two paths. "We reject the trap of Tunisia accepting financial aid and reaching an agreement with the International Monetary Fund in exchange for accepting new measures regarding the migration file and turning it into a backstage platform for gathering irregular immigrants coming from sub-Saharan countries," the organisation wrote on Facebook. "Moreover, we are surprised at the step taken by the European Union countries to amend the Dublin Convention on the repatriation of migrants arriving in Europe back to safe transit countries." It added that it also rejects what it called "the policy of extortion and exploitation of the security, economic and social conditions prevailing therein."

The group called on the Tunisian authorities to shoulder their historical responsibilities, enforce their sovereignty, and not succumb to diktats regardless of the constraints. "Tunisia is a transit country and not a land for refuge and resettlement, and it will not become a backyard for European Union countries."

Activists also sent a message to Saied, which was circulated on social media, saying that they support his concept, decisions and patriotism in saving the Tunisian people from bankruptcy and hunger caused by the aftermath of the Mafia [sic] during the black decade, a reference to the period when Ennahda governed the country. "However, we would like to emphasise and warn that the sale, trade or violation of the sanctity of Tunisian land and the dignity of the Tunisian people cannot be justified by a handful of money under the pretext of assistance. We do not want to fall into the traps of the European Union, the main supporter of impoverishing, plundering and starving the African continent and Arab countries, especially Tunisia, due to its strategic location."

READ: EU considering major Tunisia aid package as migration surges

Brazil sees increase in neo-Nazi groups amid more conservatism

Researchers at Sao Paulo state’s Unicamp university have tracked a more than 10-fold rise in the number of neo-Nazi cells in Brazil since 2015. 

June 13, 2023,

 Source: Reuters

ITAJAI, Brazil — Last November, just hours before a social gathering for Haitian immigrants in the town of Itajai in the southern Brazilian state of Santa Catarina, event organizer Andrea Muller received a chilling message.

“Cancel the Haiti exhibition or we will commit a massacre,” read the subject line of the email, seen by Reuters.

“Santa Catarina is a land of WHITE PEOPLE, FOR WHITE PEOPLE,” the anonymous sender wrote, signing off with the Nazi salute “SIEG HEIL.”

Ultimately, the event went ahead without any problems and with police present. Yet the email, which police in Santa Catarina are still investigating, is indicative of a small but rising number of cases of neo-Nazism in Brazil that have increased as far-right politics flourished during former President Jair Bolsonaro’s 2019-2023 term.

Bolsonaro, a former army captain, was widely criticized for his long-standing defense of Brazil’s military dictatorship from 1964 to 1985, his anti-democratic attacks on the country’s voting system in last year’s election and policies that critics say endangered the country’s indigenous peoples.

Brazil’s Federal Police said the number of investigations opened into alleged incitement of neo-Nazism had jumped since 2019, with a “significant increase” this year.

Brazil’s 1989 racism law punishes the use of symbols linked to Nazism and speech considered “apologies for the regime of Adolf Hitler” is not protected under freedom of expression statutes in Brazil.

The police force said 21 probes into the alleged manufacture, sale, distribution or brandishing of swastikas “for the purpose of propagating Nazism” have been opened so far this year, up from just one in 2018, the year Bolsonaro was elected.

Some experts say those numbers fail to capture the nationwide scale of the problem. In April, a day after a 25-year-old man with an axe killed four children at a Santa Catarina kindergarten, Justice Minister Flavio Dino ordered police to probe neo-Nazi organizations possibly operating across state lines. Perpetrators wore arm-bands with Nazi swastikas in two previous school attacks this year in Brazil.

Brazil’s National Jewish association CONIB said it had noted “an unprecedented increase in the number of extremist groups, the majority of which are openly neo-Nazis.”

Researchers at Sao Paulo state’s Unicamp university have tracked a more than 10-fold rise in the number of neo-Nazi cells in Brazil since 2015. In a YouTube video presenting their findings, the Unicamp researchers said Bolsonaro had “fueled” the rise of such groups with his “inflammatory” speeches.


Although others question the scale of those findings, no one doubts the numbers are on the rise.

Guilherme Franco de Andrade, an expert on the far right at the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul in central-west Brazil, said neo-Nazism was clearly a growing problem.

But he was wary of pinning it all on the former president. Instead, he said its growth was more likely tied to growing conservatism after years of graft-stained leftist administrations, than to Bolsonaro.

“To credit Bolsonaro directly with any leadership ... is a mistake,” he said.

Bolsonaro’s spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment.

Southern hate

The problem of neo-Nazism is particularly acute in Santa Catarina, a state where many have German and Italian ancestry. The state has the largest proportion of white residents in Brazil, with 84% declaring as white in the last census.

Arthur Lopes, a police detective who leads probes into neo-Nazi groups, said that ethnic makeup has led some in the state to believe in white superiority.

Lopes, whose office in the Santa Catarina state capital of Florianopolis is cluttered with boxes of seized Nazi paraphernalia, said he now spends much of his day on the dark web, where fascists congregate to avoid the prying eyes of law enforcement.

In November, Lopes’ team carried out its biggest ever bust, arresting eight alleged neo-Nazis holed up in a rural property who called themselves Crew 38. Several of the men were tattooed with Nazi symbols and English phrases like “White Power.”

During the raid, Lopes’ team found red, white and black flags, T-shirts with the logo of the Hammerskins, an offshoot of a U.S. neo-Nazi organization, and CDs of what Lopes referred to as “white supremacist bands.” Lopes said he suspects they were selling the items to Hammerskins cells in the United States and Europe.

Luis Eduardo de Quadros, a lawyer representing the eight men, said his clients were old friends who enjoy listening to that style of rock music, but “have nothing against Blacks or Jews.” He said he had received death threats for defending them.

Lopes said prosecuting those linked to Nazism can be tricky under Brazilian law, which he said was “weak” and “outdated” since the use of symbols other than the swastika that allude to the Nazi regime and speech that denies or defends the Holocaust generally goes unpunished.

Itajai local Talita de Almeida, a 32-year-old programmer who attended the Haitian event in November, said the threatening email had opened her eyes to a new reality in Brazil.

“I was scared, because I’m Black and I’m LGBT,” she said. “It’s a step backwards.”

The Espionage Act After the Mar-a-Lago Indictment

By Heidi Kitrosser 

Tuesday, June 13, 2023
LAWFAREBLOG.COM

Spill of classified documents in a storage room at Mar-a-Lago, June 8, 2023. (Department of Justice, United States of America v. Donald J. Trump and Waltine Nauta, https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/23839647/govuscourtsflsd64865330.pdf

Nine pages into the newly unsealed indictment against former president Donald Trump, special counsel Jack Smith cites several public statements that Trump made on the 2016 campaign trail about the importance of guarding classified information. In August 2016, for example, candidate Trump vowed: “In my administration I’m going to enforce all laws concerning the protection of classified information. No one will be above the law.” A few weeks later, Trump reiterated: “One of the first things we must do is enforce all classification rules and to enforce all laws relating to the handling of classified information.”

As president, Trump was no less vocal on the topic, with his ire frequently directed at individuals who revealed unflattering information about him or his administration to the press. In response to a series of damaging stories early in his presidency, for example, Trump insisted that “That is the most confidential stuff. Classified. That’s classified. You go to prison when you release stuff like that.” Shortly after the confirmation of Trump’s first attorney general, Jeff Sessions, Trump told a group of reporters, “I’ve actually called the Justice Department to look into the leaks. Those are criminal leaks.” Within a few months, Sessions announced that the Justice Department had dramatically ramped up the number of leaks under investigation since the end of the Obama administration, telling reporters: “I strongly agree with the President and condemn in the strongest terms the staggering number of leaks undermining the ability of our government to protect this country.”

By the end of the Trump Administration, the Justice Department had criminally charged eight individuals for leaking information to the press. Five of them were charged under the same provision of the Espionage Act—18 U.S.C. § 793—under which Trump has now been indicted. Two of the five were charged under § 793 for unlawfully retaining, in addition to leaking information.

The Trump administration’s record of Espionage Act prosecutions further casts doubt on the notion that Trump’s own indictment is a witch hunt. To the contrary, the allegations against Trump are more troubling than those against some of the individuals prosecuted under the Espionage Act during his administration. For example, one could very plausibly argue that Reality Winner acted in the public interest when she leaked a report on Russian interference in the 2016 election. According to former President George W. Bush’s former classification “czar” William J. Leonard, Winner’s leak—for which she was sentenced to more than five years in prison—“was the first time the vulnerability of our election system to foreign interference had been brought to the attention of many Americans, including state and local election officials.” Similarly, former FBI agent Terry Albury was sentenced to more than four years in prison for disclosing Bureau practices that he considered abusive. His leaks resulted in several stories in The Intercept, including one revealing the FBI’s practice of acquiring journalists’ phone records without notifying the journalists or their news organizations. ” (Disclosure: I co-authored an amicus brief to Albury’s sentencing court in 2018, urging them to weigh first amendment interests as a mitigating factor in his sentence. Since that time, Albury and I have corresponded occasionally by email, and I consider him a friend).

Unlike Winner and Albury, who leaked discrete pieces of information that they reasonably believed to be in the public interest, Trump is alleged to have moved hundreds of highly sensitive documents to his residence at Mar-a-Lago and to Bedminster, New Jersey after his presidency, including presidential intelligence briefing materials and information on domestic and foreign military operations and capabilities. Furthermore, there has been no indication to date that Trump planned to use the information to serve what he reasonably believed to be the public interest. The indictment alleges, rather, that Trump sought to keep the materials in his possession through a pattern of secrets and lies. It also cites two occasions in which Trump allegedly shared materials with staffers and political allies who did not possess security clearances in order to impress them.

At the same time that the Trump administration’s prosecution record undermines the notion that Trump’s indictment is political persecution, both things should lead us to rethink the Espionage Act’s capaciousness. Indeed, the gulf between Trump’s alleged behavior and that of the media sources prosecuted by his administration illustrates the extraordinary breadth of the act. Trump was indicted under § 793(e) of the act. Three of the media sources were prosecuted under § 793(e), one under § 793(d), and one under both provisions. Section 793(e) applies to individuals who had unauthorized access to materials “relating to the national defense” and either willfully conveyed it to “any person not entitled to receive it,” or “willfully retain[ed] the same and fail[ed] to deliver it on demand to the officer or employee of the United States entitled to receive it.” Section 793(d) is virtually identical, but applies to those who accessed the materials lawfully.

Courts have narrowed this far-reaching statutory language only slightly over the years. They have read two requirements into the term “relating to the national defense”: The materials must be “‘closely held in that [they] . . . have not been made public and are not available to the general public,” and their disclosure must be “potentially damaging to the United States or [potentially] useful to an enemy of the United States.” Courts have also interpreted the act’s willfulness requirement to signify a knowing violation of the law. Finally, although the Espionage Act does not mention the classification system, which post-dated the act’s passage, courts have used classification status to inform their assessment as to whether materials were “closely held,” and to determine who was “entitled to receive” information.

The Espionage Act’s capaciousness further betrays the emptiness of claims that the special counsel’s indictment marks an unprecedented act of persecution against a man who has done no wrong in the eyes of the law. It also lays bare what these complaints really are—a call not to treat a former president fairly, but to treat him better than others precisely because of his status as a former president and still-active political figure. As Smith said in a press conference last week, “We have one set of laws in this country and they apply to everyone.”

At the same time, the current moment is an opportune one in which to reevaluate the Espionage Act’s breadth. The act leaves the door open for prosecutors to target a stunningly wide array of actions that entail conveying or retaining classified information. These actions include outright spying, and, yes, piling boxes and boxes of classified information into bathrooms and ballrooms in one’s largely unsecured luxury resort and refusing to return them upon request. However, the act also can extend to revelations to the press and the public regarding government lies and abuses.

The use of the act to target media sources is a fairly recent development. Between its enactment in 1917 and the end of the George W. Bush administration, the act had only been applied in this way on three occasions. For reasons not entirely clear—though surely related in part to technological changes that make it easier for the government to find leakers—such uses of the Espionage Act increased dramatically during the Obama administration, a practice that the Trump administration enthusiastically embraced. More concerningly still, the Trump administration became the first to use the act against a publisher of information when it indicted Julian Assange in 2020. The Biden administration continues to seek Assange’s extradition to the United States, despite calls by press freedom groups to drop the charges against him.

There is no magic formula that will strike a perfect balance between the secrecy that national security requires and the transparency that fuels a healthy democracy. But recent prosecutions and indictments have revealed the 1917 Espionage Act for what it is: a blunt, rusty old instrument. An amended version of the legislation should make the public’s interest in any leaked information a relevant factor, whether by prescribing a balancing test for courts to apply or creating a public interest defense against liability. Courts, too, can play a role, by paying more attention to the First Amendment interests at stake at both liability and sentencing phases in cases involving media leaks that implicate the public interest.

Since news broke of Trump’s indictment, many commentators have remarked that the indictment, whether right or wrong, marks a sad day for our country. Perhaps so, but it is also an occasion for hope. For one thing, the indictment backs up Smith’s assertion that no one, however high in status, is above the law. But looking ahead, the Trump indictment may also precipitate the reexamination of an old law that does a poor job of serving another American ideal: that of an informed citizenry and a vibrant press.

Heidi Kitrosser is the William W. Gurley Memorial Professor of Law at the Northwestern University – Pritzker School of Law. Kitrosser is an expert on the constitutional law of federal government secrecy and on separation of powers and free speech law more broadly. Her book, Reclaiming Accountability: Transparency, Executive Power, and the U.S. Constitution (U Chicago Press, 2015) was awarded the 2014 IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law / Roy C. Palmer Civil Liberties Prize. In 2017, she was awarded a Guggenheim fellowship.

• heidikitrosser

SPACE RACE 2.0

Ras Al Khaimah to host live interaction with Emirati astronaut Al Neyadi

JUNE 13,2023



Al Neyadi has made a significant milestone in space exploration. WAM

The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), in partnership with the General Secretariat of Ras Al Khaimah’s Executive Council, will hold the next edition of ‘A Call from Space’, an exclusive event featuring Emirati astronaut Sultan AlNeyadi, in Ras Al Khaimah on Wednesday, 14th June at 2pm. The sixth instalment in the series will take place at Higher Colleges of Technology – Ras Al Khaimah Women’s Campus.

The event will provide invitation-only attendees from schools, universities and government entities in Ras Al Khaimah the opportunity to interact live with Al Neyadi, who is currently on the International Space Station (ISS) undertaking the longest Arab space mission in history. They will also have the chance to learn about Al Neyadi’s experiences and ask him questions about life in space. Close to 5,500 people have taken part in the past five editions of the event, giving attendees a glimpse in to AlNeyadi’s life on the ISS and the opportunity to interact with him.

The first event in the series was held at the Dubai Opera, followed by the second for media at the Museum of the Future. The third edition was held in Mauritius, while the fourth session was held at the United Arab Emirates University in Al Ain. The last session that took place on 7th June was a special medical science edition held at MBRU in Dubai.

Milestone in Arab history Al Neyadi has been on the ISS for more than three months now, marking a significant milestone in Arab space exploration. Over the course of his mission, he has gone on to conduct several scientific experiments, performed maintenance work and even aided in the relocation of the Dragon spacecraft. During his current mission, Al Neyadi also became the first Arab astronaut to perform a spacewalk.

The spacewalk, which was performed alongside astronaut Stephen Bowen, spanned seven hours and one minute and involved skilfully executing a number of preparatory tasks, which included routing power cables and laying the groundwork for the upcoming installation of the ISS Roll-Out Solar Array (iROSA). The UAE Astronaut Programme is one of the projects managed by MBRSC under the UAE’s National Space Programme and funded by the ICT Fund of the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), which aims to support research and development in the ICT sector in the UAE and promote the country’s integration on the global stage.

Recently, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) announced the successful completion of the ‘A Call from Space’ – Medical Science edition, hosted by UAE astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi from the International Space Station (ISS), in Dubai. The event, held in partnership with the Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU), attracted close to 400 attendees, including medical professionals and students from universities in the UAE.

Addressing the attendees before the live call, Salem Humaid AlMarri, Director General of MBRSC said: “Over the past few months, through the longest Arab space mission in history, Sultan has provided us invaluable scientific data. Each one of the experiments he is part of is fuelling our drive towards unprecedented advancements in science. These research initiatives reflect our commitment to integrating space exploration with diverse scientific disciplines.

Thus, ensuring that our space programme contributes not just to the field of space science but to multiple sectors.” The fifth instalment of the live call series with Al Neyadi, who is on the longest Arab space mission in history, was focused exclusively on the medical science field. During the event, Adnan Al Rais, Mission Manager, UAE Astronaut Programme, gave an overview of the UAE Astronaut Programme and briefed the attendees on updates about the mission.

“This mission is a platform for international collaboration, as well as to advance our science and technology. We are working very close with the international space community, to share our knowledge and experience and are also giving access to our scientists, researchers and students to this unique environment to conduct experiments,” said Al Rais.

MBRSC prepares for a new phase of space exploration as the UAE sets its sights on being a global space power

DUBAI, 12th June, 2023 (WAM) – When the UAE’s Sultan AlNeyadi stepped outside the airlock of the International Space Station to begin a seven hour spacewalk over a month ago, he etched his name in history books as the first Arab astronaut to venture into the unknown depths of space. The remarkable feat was the highlight of the Arab world’s longest space mission, Zayed Ambition 2, one of a series of ambitious projects that have entrenched the UAE’s place in the orbit of elite spacefaring nations.

AlNeyadi’s journey to the ISS announced the country’s aspirations to be a major player in the world of crewed space flights. Despite being a relatively new entrant into the club of spacefaring nations, the UAE seeks to launch human space missions every three to five years, a goal that is one among a long list of groundbreaking space projects.

The role of the founding fathers

“The remarkable achievements of the UAE National Space Programme have been made possible by the vision of the country’s founding fathers and the strategic investments made by its current leadership in developing the infrastructure, technologies and talent needed to make it a frontrunner in the global space industry,” says Hamad Obaid AlMansoori, Chairman of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC).

In a tribute to its founding fathers, the UAE’s crewed missions were named after the late Sheikh Zayed, the Father of the Nation, whose passion for space shaped national aspirations in the sector. The early vision for the UAE National Space Programme was formulated by Sheikh Zayed who held many meetings to discuss space in the 70s, including a memorable gathering in Abu Dhabi with three American astronauts. The UAE’s first lunar rover, built by Emirati engineers, was named ‘Rashid’ after the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the architect of modern Dubai.

Consistent with the ambitious vision of the country’s founding leaders, the UAE has made massive investments in groundbreaking projects in the space sector Last year the UAE Space Agency announced an AED3 billion ($816 million) investment fund for the development of the UAE’s capabilities in the sector.

Building a space industry from scratch

The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), an organisation launched in 2006, has been at the centre of efforts to catapult the UAE into the big league of space powers. MBRSC jump-started the development of an advanced space industry from scratch in a short period. The UAE’s ambitious goals meant that MBRSC had to create the advanced technological and scientific capabilities, innovation and knowledge needed to be a space power in a short period of time.

“Starting with just five engineers, MBRSC put together a comprehensive programme to develop the sophisticated capabilities needed to undertake ambitious space missions. MBRSC also forged collaborations with a multitude of entities, both in the public and private sector, including other space agencies, international organisations, and universities and faculties specialising in space science. With rapidly created local capacities, the MBRSC launched a range of trailblazing space missions covering advanced indigenous satellites, interplanetary missions and crewed space journeys,” says HE Hamad Obaid AlMansoori.

UAE Satellite Programme

The maiden project undertaken by MBRSC was the development of the country’s first satellite as part of the UAE Satellite Programme. A team of Emirati engineers worked closely with South Korean experts to design and manufacture the country’s first two observation satellites, DubaiSat-1 and DubaiSat-2 launched in 2009 and 2013 respectively, and its first nanosatellite, Nayif-1.

In October 2018, the MBRSC built and launched the first 100% UAE-designed and manufactured Earth observation satellite KhalifaSat, cementing the country’s position amongst leading space technology manufacturers. The launch of the satellite saw the UAE’s emergence as a new player in the satellite imaging data market. KhalifaSat’s high-resolution images of Earth can be used for everything from urban planning to disaster relief. In 2024, MBRSC plans to launch MBZ-SAT, a satellite that will break new ground in high-resolution imaging from outer space.

Interplanetary missions

In 2014, the UAE announced the Emirates Mars Mission, also known as Al Amal, a project to send the Arab world’s first mission to the red planet. The UAE’s first excursion into deep space, the mission became a reality in February 2021 when the Hope Probe successfully entered orbit around Mars. Since then, the extraordinarily complex interplanetary mission has generated unique insights that have added significantly to the global body of knowledge about the Martian atmosphere.

In another landmark initiative, the UAE announced in 2017, the ‘Mars 2117’ programme led by MBRSC to develop the first ever human settlement on the red planet in the next 100 years. Driven by the passion of the UAE's leadership to uncover new knowledge, the project represents a major contribution to humanity's interplanetary endeavours.

Crewed missions

The UAE’s space forays have been driven by a number of programmes created to develop national talent in various areas of the industry. Six years ago, MBRSC launched the UAE Astronaut Programme to prepare Emirati astronauts for manned missions to the International Space Station (ISS) and other destinations in space. In the first initiative of its kind in the Arab world, the Programme focused on providing training, expertise, and qualifications for Emiratis to represent the UAE and the Arab world in future space missions and conduct scientific experiments that support global space exploration.

In 2018, astronauts Hazzaa AlMansoori and Sultan AlNeyadi were selected to form the first batch of the UAE Astronaut Programme, while the second batch selected in 2021 featured Nora AlMatrooshi, the first female Arab astronaut, and Mohammad AlMulla. In September 2019, the UAE sent its first astronaut to the International Space Station, making Hazzaa AlMansoori the first Arab to visit the orbiting laboratory. This was followed by the Zayed Ambition 2 mission featuring Emirati astronaut Sultan AlNeyadi, which arrived at the International Space Station in March this year.

Global player

The outcomes of these ambitious projects have transformed the UAE’s standing in the global space landscape. MBRSC’s missions have led to the development of new technologies and innovations that have applications in various industries, says Hamad Obaid AlMansoori. The Emirates Mars Mission, for example, has spurred the development of technologies in fields such as robotics, autonomous systems, and remote sensing, which can be applied to industries like agriculture, mining, and oil and gas.

Over the course of more than two years, the Emirates Mars Mission has also provided never-before-seen insights into the Martian atmosphere, which have enhanced understanding of the planet's history and evolution. The Hope Probe has collected over 1.7 TB of data on the Martian atmosphere, weather patterns and climate history, providing critical information that will help predict climate changes on Earth and support future Mars missions and planetary explorations.

Another project, the UAE Analog Mission, an offshoot of the Mars 2117 programme, is also playing a vital role in preparing humans for future exploration of Mars and other planets. By simulating space-like conditions on Earth, the Mission is contributing to advancing spaceflight research by enabling space scientists to conduct experiments, develop countermeasures for space-hazards, and test new technologies. The first UAE Analog Mission, the eight-month SIRIUS-21 programme, was completed by Emirati crew member Saleh AlAmeri in July 2022, after achieving all its objectives to test the effects of isolation on human psychological and physiological conditions.

Similarly, the UAE Astronaut Programme through its missions to the ISS is supporting research in fields such as biomedical science, transportation and manufacturing, which can be leveraged to improve life on Earth. At the ISS, Sultan AlNeyadi is conducting more than 200 experiments assigned by NASA and 19 by UAE universities on diverse topics including cardiovascular and immune systems, back pain, epigenetics, fluid science, plant biology, material science, sleep analysis and radiation.

Over the last couple of months, AlNeyadi has shared on social media photos of the unique experiments he is conducting on board the ISS. Experiments that have caught the interest of the public include the cultivation of tomatoes in space for scientific studies. His botanical space experiment seeks to understand how plants and vegetables can be grown in a microgravity environment and whether they could provide astronauts with a sustainable food source in the future. AlNeyadi is also conducting experiments that may provide potential treatments for neuro-degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.
Thriving space ecosystem

MBRSC’s satellite projects and interplanetary missions are helping create the strong base necessary for the UAE space industry to be a top-ranked global player, notes Hamad Obaid AlMansoori. “The Centre’s programmes are fostering the development of a large pool of UAE national talent and competencies in various areas of the space industry and space exploration, the creation of new economic opportunities and industries in the UAE, and the advancement of scientific knowledge through research and development,” he said.

Further, MBRSC's partnerships and collaborations with international organisations are providing opportunities for UAE nationals to work on joint projects and gain international experience and expertise, which will contribute to the development of the space industry ecosystem in the UAE.
The MBRSC’s Space Ventures initiative, a project launched under the umbrella of the Mars 2117 programme, serves as a launchpad for promising startups in the space sector by facilitating partnerships with the Centre on long-term projects, and providing them with the regulatory know-how and technology to attain viability and sustainable growth for the future. MBRSC offers a high-level work environment for partner companies and gives them access to the Centre’s expertise in space research and exploration, creating channels with space tech specialists and networks.

Adding value to the economy

The manufacture of satellite components and development of local expertise in the field has led to the creation of new job opportunities and contributed to the growth of the UAE economy. The development of MBZ-SAT, for example, has been pivotal in supporting the rapid expansion of the local space industry. As much as 90% of the mechanical structure and 50% of the electronic modules of MBZ-SAT are being built in the UAE. MBRSC has collaborated with local companies such as aerospace manufacturing company Strata, engineering solutions company EPI, Rockford Xellerix, Halcon and Falcon Group to manufacture and supply the components necessary for the development of the new satellite. Recently local company Strata Manufacturing achieved a historic milestone by indigenously manufacturing aluminium honeycomb panels required for building satellites, in partnership with MBRSC.

These outcomes are helping build a strong and sustainable UAE space sector that contributes to the diversification and growth of the economy. The growing industry ecosystem has helped boost the UAE’s scientific and technological capabilities and engrained a culture of innovation in the sector.
Commercial services

In a short period of time, the UAE has also become a notable player in the global commercial space services landscape. The expertise gained in designing, manufacturing, assembling, and launching a number of satellites over the years has enabled it to provide diverse services to countries around the world. These include ground station services covering satellite tracking, telemetry, and command operations and state-of-the-art products and services in geo-science and remote sensing.

The Centre provides end-to-end earth observation solutions through its fleet of satellites, including KhalifaSat, one of the world’s most technologically advanced remote sensing satellites. Featuring Artificial Intelligence and big data analytics, these services support project monitoring, 3D mapping, monitoring and analysis of environmental conditions, disaster management and much more.

MBRSC employs its cutting-edge technologies to conduct research and solve problems in a wide range of areas, including providing information on urban land cover and changes over time. This has helped monitor project construction progress including big projects such as Expo 2020 Dubai, the Dubai Canal and artificial islands. The Centre has also collaborated with Al Ain Municipality to develop AI technology for analysing palm tree cover in various regions. MBRSC was able to detect 45,000 trees in less than a week, with an accuracy of 98.7%.

Through images from its sophisticated satellites, MBRSC also supports the management of water, land surfaces, aquatic ecosystems and biodiversity. MBRSC is a part of Sentinel Asia, an international initiative for applying remote sensing and Web-GIS technologies to support disaster management in the Asia-Pacific region. Over the years, it has harnessed space technologies that help mitigate the impact of natural and man-made disasters.

Other commercial services provided by MBRSC include training and education programmes to help countries and other entities develop their space capabilities. As part of a collaboration with the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), MBRSC is providing opportunities to host a payload on its 12U PHI modular satellite platform, for which they have already signed agreements with Bahrain and Nepal. The Centre has also signed a framework agreement with Mauritius for significant space development and satellite technology-related R&D growth.

Future missions

Not content to rest on its laurels, MBRSC has started planning for new large-scale interplanetary missions that are set to further accelerate the nation’s space engineering, scientific research and exploration capabilities.

Over the next decade, the UAE is set to cross new frontiers in space, propelling a transformation of local technology, innovation and skills in the sector. The country’s determination to undertake complex missions that few countries have attempted, let alone succeeded, is set to make it a frontrunner in the global space economy expected to reach $1 trillion in value by 2040.

Tariq Al Fahaam

IMF refutes Sisi's claims of revolution's impact on Egypt's economic collapse

June 13, 2023 

In this photo International Monetary Fund (IMF) logo is seen in Washington D.C., United States on April 11, 2023 

[Celal Güneş / Anadolu Agency]

June 13, 2023 

A report issued by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) regarding the size of economic losses incurred in Egypt in the aftermath of the January 25 2011 revolution, has presented figures that are much less than estimates presented by the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi.

According to the report, Egypt's cumulative losses in the decade following the 2011 revolution were only about ten per cent compared to what would have been expected in the event that no major political events occurred in the country.

According to the Mada Masr website, the IMF has calculated "the impact of the Arab Spring on Egypt's economy, based on a specially developed methodology for evaluating similar effects, by comparing economies affected by sudden shocks with several other similar economies that were not affected by those shocks."

The IMF estimates concluded that the Egyptian economy would have grown had the revolution not occurred, from 9.28 points on the IMF's scale in 2010 to approximately 9.38 points by 2020. However, the revolution has slowed the economic growth to 9.28 points, a difference of only 0.1 point.

The IMF estimates refute the statements repeatedly presented by Al-Sisi regarding the size of losses that Egypt suffered due to the outbreak of the January 25 revolution.

In October 2021 Al-Sisi claimed the losses reached $400 billion while in September 2022, he said the losses amounted to $450 billion.

AstraZeneca turns to cows and food waste for greener future in the US


Dairy cows are shown near Hanford, California, where a cow sickened with mad cow disease was found at a rendering plant during routine testing, in this still image from video April 25, 2012.

 (File photo: Reuters)

Reuters
Published: 13 June ,2023:

Drugmaker AstraZeneca is switching to biogas produced from cow manure and food waste in the United States, it said on Tuesday, in a deal to cut its carbon emissions there.

The Anglo-Swedish drugmaker said the long-term agreement with Massachusetts-based Vanguard Renewables would enable it to transition to biogas from natural gas and cut its emissions across its US research and manufacturing sites.

“Doing the right thing costs a little bit more, but it is not punitive,” said Pascal Soriot, chief executive of AstraZeneca, which makes 26 medicines in the US.

Given the easy availability of natural gas in the US, the price of biogas is relatively much higher, Soriot said, as well as being less competitive than it is in Europe.

Manure from three farms, which each have about 900 cattle, will be combined with food waste and placed in an area the size of a big ice-skating rink with apparatus above to capture methane, which will purified and piped into AstraZeneca’s gas grid, said Andy Wirths, its SVP of supply for the Americas.

The heating and cooling processes used in the making of pharmaceutical ingredients can be energy intensive and by the end of 2026, AstraZeneca said, the deal will produce as much as 650,000 million British thermal units per year, equivalent to the energy needed to heat more than 17,800 US homes annually.

An analysis published in November found the carbon output of THE global pharmaceutical and biotech industry eclipsed emissions from the forestry and paper sector.

AstraZeneca aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions it directly produces by 98 percent by 2026, from a 2015 baseline.

However, much of the global pharmaceutical and biotech industry has yet to set targets for reducing carbon emissions in line with the Paris Agreement, researchers have found.

Strikes at UK’s Heathrow Airport Expected to Impact Travel to Portugal This Summer

June 13, 2023

© Matyas Rehak | Dreamstime.com


The decision of the UK’s Heathrow Airport security staff to strike on the upcoming weekends of the summer has impacted Portuguese airports, including those in Lisbon, Faro, Porto and Madeira.

According to local media, there might be concerns about delays and cancellations and the overall travel experience for passengers travelling between the two countries can be troubled by disruptions caused by the strikes, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.

Every weekend there are sixty flights coming to and from Portugal every weekend, while British Airways and TAP are the main carriers.

Following these developments, passengers flying between the UK and Portugal can be subject to significant delays or even flight cancellations due to strikes.

Longer wait times for security checks and baggage screening can also be some of the effects of the decreased security staffing levels at Heathrow Airport, as well as the resulting congestion and increased workload for the remaining staff. Consequently, this might have a robust effect on the times that flights depart from and arrive from Portuguese airports.

The strikes are also expected to escalate as well as be a hassle for passengers going to or from Faro as well as other airports. The disruption can lead to flight reschedules, missed connections and extended layovers, for the prevention of which travellers are advised to stay informed about their flights, keep in contact with their airlines and arrive earlier at the airport when they are travelling.

The major airports in Portugal are among those expected to be impacted by the planned security staff strikes at Heathrow Airport, with the holiday season experiencing major issues. The possibility of flight delays, cancellations, and longer lines at security checkpoints should be expected, while strikes are expected to stretch all weekends in the summer.

However, the weather in Portugal has been stormy recently, which has adversely affected travel plans for thousands of people. In recent weeks, eight flights from and to Madeira Airport have been cancelled due to storms, leaving passengers stranded or locked in their hotel rooms as rain showers scattered throughout.

The weather is expected to improve next week, but only some regions will experience nice sunny weather. The weather in Lisbon improved this week, while the northern region is expected to experience an increase in temperatures only by Wednesday.

Rain showers might continue all throughout the week in the central region, while the southern region, although it will experience storms at the beginning of the week, it is expected to clear out by Tuesday.

Regardless of the weather or another circumstantial reason, travellers to any European country are advised to purchase travel insurance prior to their trip in order to protect themselves from inconveniences and get a full or partial refund of their money in case of anything unexpected happens.

Sportswashing in 2023: Can it be stopped?

Davis VanOpdorp
DW

June 13,2023

Sportswashing is the hot topic once again after Manchester City's Champions League triumph and a ground-breaking merger in the world of golf. DW explains what it is and what, if anything, can be done to stop it.

Manchester City's Champions League triumph has brought sportswashing back to the fore

Manu Fernandez/AP Photo/picture alliance


What is sportswashing?

Sportswashing refers to the practice of using sports to improve a country or organization's image by investing in high-profile sporting events or teams. This investment can come through sponsorship from state-run organizations or the nation itself or by acquiring equity in clubs, teams or sporting organizations.

The term gained popularity through the 2010s, a decade in which authoritarian governments, such as China, Russia and Middle Eastern states, such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar, began funneling vast funds into sports. Critics have often accused these ventures of attempting to distract from human rights abuses at home.
What are examples of sportswashing?

As Nicholas McGeehan, the director of Fair/Square Research, a human rights think tank, tells DW, sportswashing is "nothing new."

"You can go further back to Roman times. Sport has always been used to serve a political purpose," McGeehan says. "Sport is powerful, and it can be used for nefarious ends."

Posters for the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin and the Winter Olympics in Garmisch-Partenkirchen

Decades before the term existed, Nazi Germany and fascist Italy hosted major sporting events in the 1930s. Tennis tournaments were held in apartheid-era South Africa; while Mohammed Ali boxed in totalitarian Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of Congo, and in the Phillippines, then under martial law.

This century, the term is most commonly associated with China, Russia and Middle Eastern states. In 2010, FIFA, football's governing body, famously came under fire for awarding World Cup hosting rights to Russia in 2018 and Qatar in 2022. Similarly, the International Olympic Committee's "political neutrality" approach has come under fire after allowing Sochi and Beijing to host Winter Olympic Games in 2014 and 2022, respectively.

Meanwhile, football fans have lamented recent Middle Eastern takeovers of European clubs, most notably an Abu Dhabi takeover of Manchester City in 2008, a Qatari one of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in 2011 and the recent sale of Newcastle United to a consortium that includes Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund, or PIF.

VIDEO How rich regimes are ruining football  12:35

Sportswashing, even before the term was coined, has also applied to private companies. For decades, critics have accused apparel companies like Nike of using prominent athletes to draw eyes away from the poor working conditions in which their products are made. More recently, retired NFL quarterback Tom Brady and basketball Steph Curry featured prominently in advertising campaigns by FTX, a now-bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange whose founder, Sam Bankman-Fried, has since been charged with fraud, money laundering and campaign finance offenses.
What impact does sportswashing have?

Given how the practice comes with much financial investment, several sporting markets have become distorted.

For example, PSG's purchases of forwards Neymar (€230 million, or $247.4 million, in 2017) and Kylian Mbappe (€180 million in 2018) have upended football's transfer market. Recent contracts given by Saudi Pro League clubs to superstars Cristiano Ronaldo (reportedly a $200 million per year total salary) and Karim Benzema (reportedly $107 million) threaten to have a similar effect.

Neymar's record transfer to PSG completely distorted the football transfer market

Image: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire/dpa/picture alliance

Golf could be facing a similar financial crisis. In 2022, the Saudi-backed LIV Golf International Series courted former major winners like Phil Mickelson and Brooks Koepka away from the well-established PGA Tour with jaw-dropping salaries. But after an announced merger of the two golf competitions, the compensation of top golfers, especially those loyal to the PGA Tour, remains to be seen.

Otherwise, while many have decried the rise of sportswashing, the entities that practice it only stand to gain. Take the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, which, leading up to it, had extensive reporting on horrid working conditions for migrant workers in the country. Though some Western countries, including Germany, saw a drop in TV audience figures, FIFA reported record viewership numbers for the group stage and a 1.5 billion global TV audience for the final — a match which heavily featured Mbappe and Lionel Messi, teammates at the time with Qatar-funded PSG.

Lionel Messi receives the World Cup trophy while draped in a bisht

Image: Martin Meissner/AP/picture alliance

What have athletes said about sportswashing?

Throughout history, sportwashing has occasionally been synonymous with boycotts and activism. The response to sportswashing has varied when it comes to sportsmen and women.

Many have opted to take the money and do what is asked of them on or off the pitch. But as athlete activism has continued to rise, so have critical outlooks on sportswashing countries. Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton said ahead of the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix he was uncomfortable racing in the country and that the sport should "raise awareness for things that the people are struggling with."

Lewis Hamilton said he was 'uncomfortable' racing in Saudi Arabia due to its treatment of the LGBTQ community

KAMRAN JEBREILI/AFP/Getty Images

Ahead of the Qatar World Cup, Germany, the Netherlands and Norway conducted on-field protests directed at human rights abuses in the Gulf country. Germany famously covered their mouths in their team photo before their opening World Cup match against Japan after FIFA prohibited the "OneLove" captain's armband, which advocated for the LGBTQ community which has limited rights in Qatar.

Nevertheless, many feel limited in what they can say, fearing ramifications of their choice to speak out. For instance, though some athletes chose to speak out about China's human rights abuses against the nation's muslim Uyghur community ahead of the Winter Olympics in Beijing, many decided not to, fearing it would affect their ability to compete.

What can be done about sportswashing?

Even in a world that has become ever more politically, culturally and socially aware, many decry the impact of sportswashing. As a result, bucking the trend may become more challenging.

Occasionally, a sportswashing arrangement becomes so untenable that change finally comes. Russia's invasion of Ukraine caused much of the sports world to rethink their relationship with the nation, which led to canceling sponsorships or banning Russian and Belarusian athletes and teams from competing. But despite the atrocities in Ukraine, some backtracking has begun, and as Saudi Arabia's ongoing involvement in Yemen's Civil War can attest, the new precedent of handling sportswashing doesn't seem to apply to everyone.

As the main actors, the athletes can continue to take power into their own hands. The outcry from players like Germany captain Alexandra Popp and US superstar Alex Morgan over a Saudi sponsorship of the upcoming Women's World Cup led to FIFA eventually reversing course.



Fans also have a role to play, and it's one they've taken up in Germany, where the 50+1 rule limits outside investment in football clubs. Bayern Munich supporters have strongly criticized the club for its relationship with Qatar, where the first team has made annual midseason trips since 2011.

Club executives have long defended the relationship, especially regarding the club's shirt-sleeve sponsorship deal with Qatar Airways. But after a chaotic annual general meeting in 2021 and the German national team's protest during the Qatar World Cup, the agreement may not be extended.

Bayern Munich fans hold up a banner critisizing the club's relationship with Qatar

Imago/B. Fell

But the big governing bodies are the ones who have to take a stand against sportswashing. FIFA President Gianni Infantino's brash defense of the Qatar World Cup and the IOC's choice to act only when forced to, suggest they're not yet ready to make that stand.

Edited by: James Thorogood

EU moves step closer to strengthened gig workers' rights, as ministers reach agreement

A deliveroo logo is seen on a bicycle in London, July 11, 2017

. - Copyright Frank Augstein/AP Photo

By Aida Sanchez Alonso • Updated: 13/06/2023 

Some countries argue the deal does not go far enough.

The EU has moved a step closer to improving the working conditions of platform workers, after months of impasse was overcome on Monday by the bloc's labour ministers.

An agreement was reached in Brussels between member states on what their negotiating position should be with the other EU institutions, granting a certain number of rights to drivers and delivery riders in the process.

The deal establishes that platform - or gig - workers have to fulfil three out of seven criteria to be considered employees. These include the ability to fix the amount of money for a ride, turning down work or choosing their appearance.

If they are considered employees, they will be entitled to labour rights like paid holiday or sick leave.

The agreement also reduces the power of the algorithms that distribute tasks and preferences in the allocation of time slots.

But five countries, including Germany and Spain consider it not ambitious enough and hope that the next step - negotiations with the European Parliament - push the agreement forward.

Ludovic Voet, Confederal Secretary at the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), is in agreement with this position.

"It is for sure less ambitious because it's discussing putting extra hurdles with three criteria and not two criteria. It is also discussing the possibility to have national derogations," Voet told Euronews.

"So, it's not taking the first principle of the objective of the Commission proposal that is granting the workers the rights that they deserve."

The battle and the intense lobby by companies, such as Uber, will continue as they still believe the text does not give them enough certainty.

'Inadequate progress': World awaits climate verdict that will shape Cop28

Talks end in Germany on first ever 'global stocktake' to conclude in Dubai


Scientists warn flooding and other natural disasters will intensify with every half a degree of warming beyond 1.5°C. EPA


Tim Stickings
Bonn
Jun 13, 2023

The world faces a scathing verdict on its efforts to tackle climate change after talks ended on Tuesday on an appraisal that the designate UAE presidency says will “frame all of our work” at the Cop28 summit in Dubai.

The host will oversee the first five-yearly “global stocktake” ordered by the Paris Agreement, the deal that set the target of limiting global warming to 1.5°C.

With the next progress report not due until 2028, the stocktake in Dubai is considered a key moment for countries to rethink their national go-green plans.

Hana Al Hashimi, the UAE’s chief climate negotiator at Cop28, said it would be a milestone moment to “course correct for 2030 and beyond, for the future we all want”.

Talks on the “technical phase” of the stocktake ended in Bonn, Germany on Tuesday, clearing the way for a “political phase” at Cop28 where leaders and policymakers could issue a joint call to action.

The two scientists tasked with reporting back on the talks, Farhan Akhtar from the US and Harald Winkler from South Africa, have made clear they see global emissions as “not in line” with the 1.5°C goal.

“It’s clear that we’ve made significant yet inadequate progress,” Mr Akhtar said.

Negotiators and lobbyists who spoke to The National said the stocktake should call for urgent emissions cuts to keep 1.5°C within reach – preferably without overshooting the target first and trying to claw temperatures back later.

“We think that 1.5°C is where we should focus our attention. It is still feasible,” said UK negotiator Iliana Cardenes on the sidelines of the talks in Bonn.

PARIS AGREEMENT


Article 14

1. [The Cop] shall periodically take stock of the implementation of this Agreement to assess the collective progress towards achieving the purpose of this Agreement and its long-term goals (referred to as the "global stocktake")

2. [The Cop] shall undertake its first global stocktake in 2023 and every five years thereafter

The stocktake is a “vehicle for action” that can “set out really clear next steps for climate action in the critical decade that we have left”, she said.

Carlon Mendoza, a negotiator from Trinidad and Tobago, argued that any delay in phasing out fossil fuels would be unfair to future generations.

“We should be focusing on pathways to 1.5°C and not an overshoot,” he said.

Events involving high-ranking figures are planned in the first week of Cop28 to address the stocktake, said the summit’s chief executive Adnan Amin.

Those talks could produce “key political messages and recommendations” that inform a final decision or declaration on the stocktake, he said. The summit starts in Dubai's Expo City on November 30.

A critical moment for us to embark on a new and ambitious pathway
Adnan Amin

The talks in Bonn were mired in familiar climate controversies, with rich countries urged to shoulder the burden of a crisis that poorer countries did little to bring about.

Cuban diplomat Pedro Luis Pedroso Cuesta, speaking on behalf of 134 developing countries including China, piled pressure on rich countries to lead the way in emissions cuts.

“Historical emissions are unequal. The impacts and risk associated with warming are also unevenly distributed,” he said.

India said it did not want to see “prescriptive messages” in the stocktake that order developing countries down a path of “constraining energy consumption and income growth”.

Chimneys at the Scholven coal-fired power plant in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, in May last year. Bloomberg

Some ways of getting to 1.5°C modelled by scientists “project a future for us that we do not want”, said the Indian delegation, which succeeded at Cop26 two years ago in securing committments to phase down coal.

The US hit back by saying development needs “cannot be an excuse” to delay emissions cuts.

Washington believes that “collective progress” is not on track and that the stocktake should stress the need for everyone to ditch fossil fuels, end deforestation and cut methane emissions, US diplomats said in Bonn.

READ MORE

UAE vows to meet world's 'high expectations' for Cop28 clean energy drive

Mr Akhtar said parties had expressed a wish to “convey both hope and urgency” and deliver a report that could inspire further action.

Experts warn that missing the 1.5°C target by even half a degree would bring a higher risk of floods, droughts, tropical cyclones, melting of ice sheets and a devastating rise in sea levels.

The top UN science panel advising on climate change said in a March report that humans had unequivocally caused about 1.1°C of global warming above pre-industrial levels already.

Small island states want the report to stress that the threat of rising sea levels is already hanging over them.

Activists in Bonn said the stocktake should include “strong political signals” about a switch to renewable energy

.
Talks in Bonn have been preparing the ground for Cop28 in the UAE. Getty

Fernanda Carvalho of the World Wildlife Fund said countries should be asked to rethink their 2030 targets and given a “strong call” to phase out fossil fuels.

“We have two elephants in the room. One is ambition – the targets are not going to get us to where we need to be – and the other is implementation,” she said.

“We don’t have the right targets, but even the wrong targets are not being implemented.”

Another key question is finance, which India described as “nowhere near” the desired scale, and several countries said should figure prominently in the report handed to politicians.

Canada and Germany have expressed optimism that a promise of $100 billion in funding for global climate action will finally be ready this year after it was promised in 2009, a delay the UAE presidency has described as a distraction.

The stocktake must drive systems transformations

Adnan Amin

The total cost could run into the trillions and Algeria, speaking on behalf of a group of Arab countries, said the stocktake “needs to identify solutions” to put more money in reach for developing countries.

Lidy Nacpil, a campaigner from the Asian Peoples’ Movement on Debt and Development, said the stocktake should also address progress on adapting food production to warmer temperatures.

Ms Nacpil acknowledged that demands for a total end to fossil fuels might seem unrealistic at present.

“We’re working very hard to make sure that what we actually get in the end is not what is realistic now,” she said.

Mr Amin promised diplomats on Monday that the stocktake “will frame all of our work” when the UAE assumes the summit presidency.

The global stocktake “is a critical moment for us to embark on a new and ambitious pathway to a sustainable future”, Mr Amin said.

“The stocktake must drive systems transformations that enable us to collectively meet the ambition of the Paris Agreement and to keep the 1.5°C goal within reach,” he said.

A formal report on the Bonn talks is expected to be published in September, before Cop28 starts on November 30.

The response in Dubai could include a joint call to action, or a formal decision of the 194 parties to the Paris Agreement, that sets out plans for key sectors or identifies good practices.

There is a 2025 deadline for countries to hand in an updated climate plan and they are expected to take the stocktake into account.

The UN’s top climate official Simon Stiell has said the stocktake “must be a turning point”.

While scientists have called for drastic emissions cuts by 2030, the stocktake “will show that we are not yet on that path”, he said.

Updated: June 13, 2023,