El Salvador plans to sell or shut its crypto wallet


By AFP
December 19, 2024


A bitcoin monument at Plaza Bitcoin in El Salvador's capital - Copyright AFP/File Marvin RECINOS

El Salvador will privatize or close the cryptocurrency wallet “Chivo” created by President Nayib Bukele when he made bitcoin legal tender in 2021, an official said Thursday.

The announcement came after the Central American nation’s government reached a $1.4 billion loan deal with the International Monetary Fund that addressed its controversial embrace of bitcoin.

While bitcoin remains legal tender in El Salvador, Chivo “will be sold or wound down,” Stacy Herbert, director of Bukele’s National Bitcoin Office, wrote on social media platform X.

She did not say how many people used the digital wallet, which was created by the government in September 2021 for Salvadorans to make payments in bitcoin.

“El Salvador will continue buying bitcoin (at possibly an accelerated pace) for its Strategic Bitcoin Reserve,” Herbert added.

The IMF said Wednesday that under the loan agreement, acceptance of bitcoin by the Salvadoran private sector would be voluntary, adding that bitcoin-related risks “are being mitigated.”

“For the public sector, engagement in bitcoin-related economic activities and transactions in and purchases of bitcoin will be confined,” it added.

In 2021, El Salvador became the world’s first country to establish bitcoin as legal tender in a bid by Bukele to revitalize a dollarized, remittance-reliant economy.

On December 1, the gang-busting leader acknowledged in a speech that the introduction of bitcoin had been “the most unpopular measure that this government has taken.”

Around 88 percent of Salvadorans did not use bitcoin in 2023, according to a survey by the Central American University.

According to the National Bitcoin Office, El Salvador owns 5,969 bitcoins worth around $582 million.

Survey: Industries investing the most in employee mental wellbeing


ByDr. Tim Sandle
DIGITAL JOURNAL
December 19, 2024


Office workers. — Image by © Tim Sandle.

With an average of 50,000 monthly searches for “mental health” in the UK over the past year, prioritising employee wellbeing has seemingly become a key focus for businesses.

Recent research shows that workplaces supporting mental health enjoy increased productivity and reduced absenteeism, emphasising the clear advantages of investing in wellbeing.

In response to such findings, SEO agency Reboot Online analysed UK job adverts to identify the industries excelling—and struggling—in offering mental health benefits such as employee assistance programs and mental health first aid. With expert advice on how businesses can improve, explore how your industry compares.

DATA TABLE GRAPH
The industries investing the most in employee mental wellbeing were found to be

From the data table, the Technology, Information, and Media industry stands out with 8,884 job adverts featuring mental health-related keywords—representing 23.56 percent of all such ads across industries. Key benefits like health insurance (28.49 percent across all industries) and employee assistance programs (19.08 percent) dominate the offerings. Although perks like yoga classes (3.24 percent) and meditation spaces (0.36 percent) are less common, the sector’s overall focus on mental health reflects its progressive approach to employee wellbeing.

These efforts align with the industry’s broader adoption of flexible working arrangements, high salaries, and remote work, all of which contribute to improved mental health outcomes. A study by Forbes notes that happiness levels increase by 20 percent when employees can work remotely—an advantage readily available in tech roles.

In a sector directly linked to care and wellbeing, it’s no surprise that Hospitals and Healthcare rank second with 7,651 job ads including mental health-related benefits. Health insurance (25 percent across all industries) and mental health training (18.56 percent) are among the top offerings, alongside mental health days (20.27 percent). Despite the high-stress environment, these initiatives highlight the industry’s recognition of its workforce’s mental health needs, accounting for 20.29 percentof all mental health-related job ads.

Professional Services comes in third with 4,894 relevant job ads, comprising 12.98 percent of all such listings. The standout offering here is health insurance, appearing in 35.41 percent of its ads, significantly higher than other benefits like employee assistance programs (13.53 percent) and mental health days (11.89 percent). The sector’s emphasis on robust benefits packages likely stems from its competitive landscape and high employee expectations.

At the opposite end of the spectrum lies Farming, Ranching, and Forestry, with just 96 job ads featuring mental health-related keywords—amounting to a mere 0.25 percent of all ads analyzed. While employee assistance programs (33.33%) and health insurance (34.38 percent) feature prominently, other resources like yoga classes or wellness apps are entirely absent in the mental health keywords related to this industry. This stark contrast highlights a significant gap in mental health support within the sector.

According to a 2022 Deloitte study, poor mental health costs UK employers approximately £56 billion annually. To improve mental health support, businesses need to go beyond surface-level initiatives and implement comprehensive strategies that address diverse needs.

Malaysia agrees to resume search for missing MH370 plane

IT WAS DOWNED BY A WATERSPOUT


By AFP
December 20, 2024

Malaysia announced on Friday it has agreed to launch a new search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, which disappeared 10 years ago in one of aviation’s greatest enduring mysteries.

The Boeing 777 carrying 239 people disappeared from radar screens on March 8, 2014 while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

Despite the largest search in aviation history, the plane has never been found.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke said Malaysia had agreed to a new search operation by maritime exploration firm Ocean Infinity, which also carried out an unsuccessful hunt in 2018.

The company’s first efforts followed a massive Australia-led search for the aircraft that lasted three years before it was suspended in January 2017.

Loke said a new 15,000 square kilometre (5,800 square mile) area of the southern Indian Ocean would be scoured by Ocean Infinity, which is based in the United Kingdom and United States.

“The new search area proposed by Ocean Infinity is based on the latest information and data analysis conducted by experts and researchers,” Loke said.

“The proposal for a search operation by Ocean Infinity is a solid one and deserves to be considered,” he told reporters.

The government said it agreed Ocean Infinity’s proposal “in principle” on December 13, with the transport ministry expected to finalise terms by early 2025.

The new search will resume “as soon as the contract is finalised and signed by both parties”, Loke said.

“They have informed us that the ideal time for the search in the designated waters is between January and April. We are working to finalise the agreement as quickly as possible,” he added.

– ‘No guarantees’ –

The new search will be on the same “no find, no fee” principle as Ocean Infinity’s previous search, with the government only paying out if they find the aircraft.

The contract is for 18 months and Malaysia will pay $70 million to the company if the plane is found, Loke said.

He said the decision to agree to a fresh search “reflects the Malaysian government’s commitment to continuing the search operation and providing closure to the families of the MH370 victims”.

The original Australia-led search covered 120,000 square kilometres in the Indian Ocean but found hardly any trace of the plane, with only some pieces of debris picked up.

The plane’s disappearance has long been the subject of theories — ranging from the credible to outlandish — including that veteran pilot Zaharie Ahmad Shah had gone rogue.

A final report into the tragedy released in 2018 pointed to failings by air traffic control and said the course of the plane was changed manually.

Asked if he was confident the plane will be found during the new search, Loke said: “At this point, no one can provide guarantees.

“It has been over 10 years, and it would be unfair to expect a concrete commitment. However, under the terms and conditions, any discovery must be credible. It cannot just be a few fragments; there are specific criteria outlined in the contract.”

WATERSPOUTS

FASCIST SCUM

Italy’s Salvini defiant as verdict due in migrant trial

By AFP
December 20, 2024

The far-right leader denies charges of abuse of office and the deprivation of liberty of 147 migrants on board the Open Arms charity ship in August 2019 - Copyright AFP Alberto PIZZOLI

Ljubomir MILASIN with Alice RITCHIE in Rome

Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini was defiant Friday as he arrived for the verdict in his long-running trial for blocking a migrant rescue ship at sea, for which he risks six years in jail.

The far-right leader denies charges of abuse of office and the deprivation of liberty of 147 migrants on board the Open Arms charity ship in August 2019, when he was interior minister in a previous government.

But as he arrived at the court in Palermo, Sicily, to a scrum of reporters, Salvini defended his actions and said he would do it again.

“I have fought mass immigration and whatever the verdict, for me today is a beautiful day because I am proud to have defended my country,” he said.

Salvini, whose League party is a partner in Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s coalition, refused to let the ship disembark the migrants it had rescued in the Mediterranean.

The stand-off lasted nearly three weeks and made global headlines, with other EU nations offering to take the migrants, humanitarian groups weighing in and even Hollywood actor Richard Gere visiting the ship in solidarity.

In the end, the migrants were allowed to disembark on the Italian island of Lampedusa following a court order.

The case continues to draw international attention, with US billionaire Elon Musk among those offering his support.

– Resist the pressure –

Meloni, whose hard-right government has also targeted charity rescue ships in its attempts to stop migrants arriving on Italy’s shores, has strongly backed Salvini.

In September, after prosecutors requested a six-year prison sentence, the prime minister said it was “incredible” that Salvini risked jail “for doing his job defending the nation’s borders”.

Nationalist politicians across Europe have also weighed in on Salvini’s behalf, from France’s Marine Le Pen to Hungary’s Viktor Orban.

Orban tweeted “justice for Salvini” on Thursday alongside a photo of himself and others holding up t-shirts emblazoned with Salvini’s face in a mock-up “Wanted” poster.

“Crazy that Salvini is being tried for defending Italy!” added Musk, the world’s richest man, on the X social platform that he owns.

Even if found guilty, there is no prospect of immediate jail time as Salvini would have the right to appeal.

But Oscar Camps, founder of the Spanish NGO Open Arms which operates the eponymous rescue ship, said much was riding on the verdict.

“We hope for justice, even if we realise there is a significant international pressure in (Salvini’s) favour,” he said.

He added: “It is a sentence that could make history and create a precedent We hope the judge will resist the pressure and be fair.”

– ‘Closed ports’ –

An outspoken politician known for an “Italians first” policy, Salvini has repeatedly used attacks against illegal immigration to boost his political capital.

In 2019, serving in a coalition government led by Giuseppe Conte, he implemented a “closed ports” policy under which Italy refused entry to charity ships rescuing migrants making the often deadly sea crossing from North Africa.

Salvini claimed he was protecting Italy with his security law, casting it as a tough measure against traffickers who organise the often overcrowded boats.

He said this week that if he is convicted, the traffickers will celebrate.

Members of Open Arms testified that the migrants’ physical and mental wellbeing on board the ship had reached a crisis point, with dire sanitary conditions including a scabies outbreak.

But Salvini testified that he had understood that “the situation was not at risk” on board the ship.

He has also insisted that the entire Conte government was behind the migration policy, and that it was not just his decision.

Conte, head of the anti-establishment Five Star Movement, previously testified that he tried to “exercise moral suasion” with Salvini, saying he considered “the decision to keep them on board had no legal basis”.

– Clashes with judges –

The verdict, more than three years after the trial opened in October 2021, comes as Meloni’s government faces judicial challenges to its own migration policy.

The prime minister, head of the far-right Brothers of Italy party, has criticised judges who have ruled against her attempts to fast-track asylum applications, including in two new Italian-run centres in Albania.

Her government has also limited the activities of charity rescue ships like the Open Arms, accusing them of encouraging migration — something observers say is unproven.

Salvini was cleared for the trial after the Italian Senate in 2020 voted to strip him of his parliamentary immunity.

Tariffs could cause ‘massive’ price increases: Top Biden advisor


By AFP
December 19, 2024


Sweeping tariffs under consideration by Donald Trump could cause “massive” increases to the cost of producing everyday goods including coffee and chocolate, President Biden’s top economic advisor said Thursday.

On the campaign trail, Trump vowed to impose broad tariffs of at least 10 percent on all imported goods entering the United States, and higher rates on goods from China, Canada and Mexico.

Speaking at the Brookings Institution, White House National Economic Council director Lael Brainard said across-the-board tariffs were bound to have “unanticipated” supply chain effects.

White House National Economic Council director Lael Brainard, seen in April 2024, warned that sweeping tariffs could hit prices hard – Copyright AFP SAUL LOEB

“US manufacturers do rely on foreign imports for certain parts of their key inputs,” she said.

“So you could see a real, massive change in their cost structures, which would lead to massive increases in their prices.”

“And that, of course, works its way through to consumers,” said Brainard, a former vice chair at the US Federal Reserve, adding that food items like coffee and chocolate would likely be affected.

President-elect Trump has continued to insist that, “properly used,” tariffs would be positive for the US economy.

“Our country right now loses to everybody,” he said during a press conference at his Florida residence earlier this week. “Tariffs will make our country rich.”

In her remarks Thursday, Brainard also addressed efforts by the outgoing president to ensure the United States protects key industries through measures including targeted tariffs.

“We can’t repeat the mistakes of the past by allowing future core technologies to completely leave our shores,” she said.

“America’s global position in the strategic industries of tomorrow require ongoing active attention.”

She added that the United States needed to work “in partnership with the private sector” to address key bottlenecks like computing power.

Starbucks workers to start US strike on Friday: union

By AFP
December 19, 2024

Unionized workers at Starbucks in the United States are walking off the job Friday in a strike that is set to spread over the following days 

- Copyright GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP David Ryder

Workers at Starbucks will walk off the job Friday in three US cities in a strike their union threatened could spread around the country in the busy run-up to Christmas.

The announcement, which will initially affect stores in Los Angeles, Chicago and the firm’s home city of Seattle, comes as online giant Amazon was also hit by a walkout in the crucial final shopping days of the festive period.

Starbucks Workers United, which says it represents baristas at hundreds of outlets around the country, said its action was aimed at forcing the company to improve pay and conditions after months of negotiations that it said have gone nowhere.

“Nobody wants to strike. It’s a last resort, but Starbucks has broken its promise to thousands of baristas and left us with no choice,” a union press release quoted Texas barista Fatemeh Alhadjaboodi as saying.

The strike, which the union says will hit more outlets every day until Tuesday, comes as Starbucks grapples with stagnating sales in key markets.

Former Chipotle boss Brian Niccol was brought on board this year with a mandate to staunch a decline that saw quarterly revenue worldwide fall three percent to $9 billion.

“In September, Brian Niccol became CEO with a compensation package worth at least $113 million,” thousands of times the wage of the average barista, said union member Michelle Eisen in the statement.

The union said Starbucks had not engaged fruitfully for several months, and threatened it was ready to “show the company the consequences.”

“We refuse to accept zero immediate investment in baristas’ wages and no resolution of the hundreds of outstanding unfair labor practices,” said Lynne Fox, president of Workers United.

“Union baristas know their value, and they’re not going to accept a proposal that doesn’t treat them as true partners.”

Starbucks did not immediately respond to an AFP request for comment.

 

Genes linked to deadly parasites’ spread beyond Africa identified

University of Edinburgh

The findings reveal that climate change and measures to control populations of tsetse flies, which carry the disease, may drive molecular changes in the organisms that cause sleeping sickness – which can be fatal if left untreated.

The parasites – known as African trypanosomes – are normally transmitted by tsetse flies in sub-Saharan Africa. However, they have evolved to enable them to cause infection without tsetse flies, researchers say.

New strains that directly infect animals have been detected in Asia, South America and southern Europe. There is a risk that the same could happen in forms that affect people, the team says.

Until now, the molecular changes that give rise to these new, more virulent forms of the parasites were unknown.

A team led by scientists at the University of Edinburgh has revealed that changes to key genes have simplified the organism’s life cycle, enabling it to spread beyond its normal geographical range.

Researchers analysed the genetic make-up of more than 80 samples of trypanosomes collected from people, tsetse flies, cows and other animals. The information was used to construct a family tree of different parasite strains.

The team then used a gene-editing tool – called CRISPR-Cas9 – to test whether different molecular changes are involved in the parasite’s evolution to spread without tsetse flies. This revealed multiple mutations in genes that play an important role in their life cycle.

Knowing which genes and specific mutations are involved could be key in identifying and combatting emerging virulent strains of the parasites, the team says.

The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, was supported by the Wellcome Trust, Medical Research Council, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Flemish Government. It also involved researchers from the University of York, KU Leuven, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, and the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety.

An open-access version of the paper is available here: https://www.research.ed.ac.uk/en/publications/mechanisms-of-life-cycle-simplification-in-african-trypanosomes

Professor Keith Matthews, of the University of Edinburgh’s School of Biological Sciences, who co-led the study, said: “Trypanosomes have found ways to expand their geographic range by excluding the tsetse fly from their life cycle. The molecular changes they exhibit can allow us to detect the emergence of these virulent parasites that threaten both cattle and, potentially, humans.”

Dr Guy Oldrieve, also of the University of Edinburgh’s School of Biological Sciences, the other study co-author, said: “We plan to continue this research and develop a portable diagnostic tool to facilitate detection of future outbreaks in real-time.”

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Journal

Nature Communications

DOI

10.1038/s41467-024-54555-w 

 

Geothermal aquifers offer green potential but quality checks required

Accidental clogging in geothermal wells reveals need for monitoring to ensure long-term usability

Osaka Metropolitan University

 

image: 

ATES uses water stored underground and pumped through a system of pipes for heating and cooling buildings.

view more 

Credit: Osaka Metropolitan University

The aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) system, which uses geothermal heat as a renewable energy source, is one of the solutions to reducing fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emission. This system stores heat underground in aquifers, using groundwater as a heat medium. The heat is then extracted as needed according to the season to efficiently heat and cool buildings.

Its use is mainly expanding in Europe, and its widespread introduction is expected in Japan. However, regular inspection is required to utilize these systems without faults.

This fact became evident when a research group led by Specially Appointed Professor Harue Masuda at the Osaka Metropolitan University Urban Resilience Research Center identified clogging that occurred in the plumbing pipe of an ATES well at a facility in Osaka.

In their findings, iron oxyhydroxide precipitation occurred after a vent was accidentally left open, allowing for air to enter the geothermal wells through plumbing pipes. In turn, an oxygen-rich environment formed and iron oxyhydroxide spread through the piping, causing a clog, leak, and subsequent mixing of groundwater between two aquifers at different depths of each well. Fortunately, natural microbial activity resolved the clog and restored the groundwater.

Observation of this chain of events revealed that it is crucial to evaluate the water quality before the well is put into operation, and to continuously monitor for long-term use of the ATES system.

“The results of this research show that geochemical analysis of groundwater, which has not been emphasized in the engineering field until now, is effective and essential for the stable, widespread use of the ATES system,” stated Professor Masuda. “We believe that by proposing a method for monitoring water quality as a guideline, we can establish the ATES system as a technology that can be used for the long term.”

The findings are published in Geothermics.

###

About OMU

Established in Osaka as one of the largest public universities in Japan, Osaka Metropolitan University is committed to shaping the future of society through “Convergence of Knowledge” and the promotion of world-class research. For more research news, visit https://www.omu.ac.jp/en/ and follow us on social media: X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn.

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Journal

Geothermics

DOI

10.1016/j.geothermics.2024.103187 

Method of Research

Case study

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Natural recovery from Fe-oxyhydroxide clogging of a geothermal well in Osaka, Japan

Russia-Ukraine War’s unexpected casualties: Hungry people in distant nations

Michigan State University

The war in Ukraine is causing hunger thousands of miles from the battlefields, according to a study released today.

Nearly three years of war in the “breadbasket of the world” has left croplands destroyed and forced laborers who grow, harvest and process a bounty of wheat, barley and oats to flee. Combined with export bans from other countries, ripple effects resonated through global trade and upended food supply systems.

But understanding how far those disruptions reached, who suffered and who gained has been difficult. Researchers at Michigan State University’s Center for Systems Integration and Sustainability (CSIS) lead a unique effort, relying on satellite images to quantify loss of cropland and employing a holistic method called the metacoupling framework and network analysis to analyze connections within a region, between neighboring areas, and across distant ones.

The work was published in Nature’s Communication Earth & Environment. 

“The most striking aspect of our research is its ability to connect a regional conflict to its far-reaching impacts on global food accessibility,” said Nan Jia, a PhD student and lead author.

The stakes are high. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization models suggest that 13 million more people would be undernourished in 2022 due to the Russia-Ukraine war. . Ukraine's lost production of three winter cereals in 2021 could have met the caloric needs of 76 million adults for a year.

The study revealed that regarding wheat, barley, and oats, the war has had a much greater impact on distant countries than on countries next to the Ukraine and disproportionately harms poor countries.

“It’s remarkable how interconnected our world is—an event in one part of the globe can lead to food insecurity thousands of kilometers away,” said Jianguo “Jack” Liu, Rachel Carson Chair in Sustainability and senior author. “By using the metacoupling framework to trace these connections, we were able to reveal the unequal impact of the war, highlighting how distant and low-income nations are often left more vulnerable in times of crisis.”

Countries far from Ukraine were disproportionately affected, facing higher costs and fewer options to secure food supplies. Among these, lower-income nations in Africa, such as Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Somalia – and Montenegro, Albania and Belarus in Europe, bore the brunt of the crisis, as they lacked the resources to adapt to soaring prices or find alternative suppliers.

However, amidst this challenge, the study also revealed hope: over time, major exporting countries like the United States, Canada, and Australia stepped up, partially filling the gaps left by Ukraine. But these changes can compromise biodiversity in these exporting countries, as shown in another paper “Telecoupled impacts of the Russia-Ukraine war on global cropland expansion and biodiversity “ published in Nature Sustainability earlier this year by Liu and collaborators. (see news release "War a biodiversity enemy – even in peaceful locales")

“By revealing the hidden vulnerabilities in global food systems, our study emphasizes the need for international cooperation to ensure food security,” Jia said. “Policymakers and global organizations can use these insights to build more resilient food networks, invest in local production in vulnerable countries, and create strategies to mitigate the impacts of future crises.”

In addition to Jia and Liu, “The Russia-Ukraine war reduced food production and exports with a disparate geographical impact worldwide” was written by Zilong Xia, Yinshuai Li, Xiang Yu, Xutong Wu, Yingjie Li, Rongfei Su, Mengting Wang, Ruishan Chen. The work was financially supported by the USDA-NIFA, the National Science Foundation and Michigan AgBioResearch.

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Journal

Communications Earth & Environment

DOI

10.1038/s43247-024-01915-5 

Method of Research

Imaging analysis

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Russia-Ukraine War’s unexpected casualties: Hungry people in distant nations

Article Publication Date

20-Dec-2024

DEI

York U professor’s new paper challenges tokenizing women of colour in academia

An accomplished Chinese Canadian academic in equity studies Assistant Professor Yvonne Su says embracing diversity must go beyond optics

York University

TORONTO, December 20, 2024 — The unspoken rule for women of colour in academia is to be everything to everyone – mentor, diversity champion, tireless scholar, and silent workhorse, says York University equity studies Assistant Professor Yvonne Su in her recent paper published today in Nature Human Behaviour.

“We are expected to carry the banner of inclusion, but we are not truly included. Inclusion, as it’s currently defined, is about optics, not transformation,” observes Su in the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies. “It’s about showing diversity on the surface without addressing the deeper inequalities embedded in the institution. We are asked to fix the system, but we’re not allowed to question its foundations.”

While delving into her own experiences facing challenges as a Chinese Canadian academic, Su draws attention to the balancing act and the pressure that Kamala Harris had to undergo during her presidential campaign as a woman of colour. “The first Black and South Asian woman vice-president and presidential candidate, Harris was supposed to represent the pinnacle of inclusion in American politics, but the scrutiny she faces is relentless.”

Su, who is the director of York’s Centre for Refugee Studies expresses her frustration in believing in the promise of inclusion if she worked hard enough, adapted to the culture, and played her part in promoting diversity, she could be the ideal academic. “But the more I tried to meet these expectations, the more I realized that inclusion in academia is conditional.”

She also notes that seemingly collegial advice from male colleagues is a form of benevolent sexism, which reinforces traditional gender roles and subtly undermine women’s authority or independence. “It's been two years, since I realized benevolent sexism was happening to me and I still have not been able to find a way to stop it.”

While challenging the academy to stop tokenizing women of colour, she urges proper safeguards and protections are established.  “We want to do the work that will fix the system, but you need to give us the space, autonomy and authority to do this work.”

Su notes that many of her colleagues who are woman of colour are afraid to stand up for themselves because it is unsafe. She however adds that speaking out will not change their status as visible minorities. 

“Academia is changing, and institutions need to change with it, or they will be left behind,” Su concludes.

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Journal

Nature Human Behaviour

DOI

10.1038/s41562-024-02092-3 

Method of Research

Commentary/editorial

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Becoming the ideal woman-of-colour academic for everyone but me