Wednesday, March 02, 2022

New Quantum Sensor Sees 
Beneath the Beneath

Subterranean scanning capabilities promise applications in construction, mining, archaeology, geology, and civil engineering
IEEE Spectrum

Researchers from the University of Birmingham, in England, have tested a portable quantum sensor [see image below] as an ultraprecise gravity-measuring device—testing it in such locations as the subterranean caves of Poole's Cavern, a geological attraction near Birmingham.
UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM

Just as quantum computers can theoretically find the answers to problems no classical computer could ever solve, so too can quantum sensors lead to new levels of sensitivity and accuracy. Now scientists reveal their quantum-gravity sensor (a sensor of gravity involving ultraprecise quantum technologies—and not, to be clear, a sensor that harnesses quantum gravity) can help map features hidden underground with unprecedented detail, a new study finds.

Quantum technology relies on quantum effects that can emerge due to how the universe becomes a fuzzy place at its very smallest levels. For instance, the quantum effect known as superposition allows atoms and other building blocks of the cosmos to essentially spin in two opposite directions at once or exist in two or more places at the same time. By placing many components known as qubits into superposition, a quantum computer can in theory perform a mind-boggling number of computations simultaneously.

Of course quantum sensors are, like quantum computers, notoriously very fragile to outside interference. Yet, quantum sensors also capitalize on this vulnerability to achieve exceptional sensitivity to the least disturbances to the environment, with many potential applications, such as medicine, nanotechnology, telecommunications, and satellite navigation.

The gravity sensor can detect a 2-by-2-meter utility tunnel 0.5 meters underground—and can collect 10 data points in 15 minutes.

For instance, in November, scientists in England and Germany revealed their magnetic sensor could help noninvasively detect magnetic changes in brain activity that result when neurons fire. The device contains a gas of rubidium atoms illuminated by lasers, and when these atoms experience changes in a magnetic field, they emit light differently. The quantum sensor can prove far more accurate than either EEG or fMRI scanners, with temporal and spatial resolutions down to milliseconds and several millimeters, and is now commercially available via the British startup Cerca Magnetics.

Another promising kind of quantum sensor uses defects in diamonds. Perfect diamonds are made of pure carbon, but sometimes a nitrogen atom can sneak in, creating a defect. Such “nitrogen vacancy defects” hold electrons that can absorb green light and emit red photons when near a very weak magnetic field. Scientists can use this feature to help create 3D images of molecules to better analyze, say, potential medicines.

Now scientists in England have developed a new quantum sensor for gravity mapping that they say is capable of unmatched subterranean scanning outside the lab. They detailed their findings in a recent issue of the journal Nature.

Anything that has mass has a gravitational field that attracts objects toward it. The strength of this field depends on a body’s mass. Since Earth’s mass is not spread out perfectly evenly, this means the planet’s gravity is stronger at some places and weaker in others.

For decades, researchers have analyzed variations in the strength of Earth’s gravitational field to map large-scale geological activity, such as magma churning under Earth’s surface, the melting of glaciers, or the way major earthquakes can deform the planet. However, employing such gravity cartography on the scale of meters is challenging, since long measuring times are needed to account for local noise, such as vibrations from nearby traffic.

“Ours is the first to really work outside and still be sensitive enough to find tunnels.”
—Kai Bongs, University of Birmingham

The group’s new gravity sensor uses clouds of about 100 million rubidium atoms cooled to two- or three-millionths of a degree Celsius above absolute zero. It analyzes the rate at which a cloud falls to deduce the local strength of Earth’s gravitational pull.


This laser atom trap containing a supercooled cloud of rubidium atoms performs ultraprecise measurements of their gravitational displacements, forming the foundation of the ground-penetrating sensing that the device performs. 
UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM

Specifically, laser pulses drive the atoms into a state of superposition, with two versions of the atoms falling down slightly different trajectories. Those Schrödinger’s cat–like states of the atoms are then recombined. Then, due to wave-particle duality—the quantum phenomenon where particles can act like waves, and vice versa—these atoms quantum mechanically interfere with each other, with their peaks and troughs augmenting or suppressing each other. Analyzing the nature of this interference can reveal the extent of the slightly different gravitational pulls felt on their separate paths.

The sensor uses an hourglass configuration, with one cloud in each half of the device separated vertically by 1 meter. As such, the sensor can measure the strength of Earth’s gravity at two different heights at the same location. By comparing the data from these clouds, the researchers can account for a variety of sources of noise, such as vibrations, thermal and magnetic-field variations, randomness in the lasers, and tilting of the sensor.

In experiments, the sensor could detect a 2-by-2-meter utility tunnel buried roughly 0.5 meters under a road surface between two multistory buildings in the city of Birmingham, England. It could collect 10 data points in 15 minutes.

“The hourglass configuration developed in our team has allowed a step change in robustness, which ultimately has led to these pioneering measurements,” says study co–senior author Kai Bongs, a quantum physicist at the University of Birmingham.

Researchers say they‘re now developing a backpack-size version of their gravity sensor [pictured here].UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM/CROWN COPYRIGHT

This new device is about one-thirtieth as sensitive as the best quantum sensor of gravity that’s been reported yet, says Nicola Poli, an experimental physicist at the University of Florence, in a commentary on the new study. However, Poli, who did not take part in the new work, notes the virtue of the new device is that it can actually find use outside the lab in real-world conditions.

“This kind of quantum technology has been proven in laboratories around the world before, but these instruments were not suitable to run outside, being prone to environmental effects,” Bongs says. “Ours is the first to really work outside and still be sensitive enough to find tunnels.”

There are many potential applications for this sensor, Bongs says. In civil engineering, it can see hidden underground structures such as tunnels, mine shafts, and sinkholes to reduce construction risks. In mining, it can help discover subterranean natural resources. In archaeology, it can discover underground mysteries without damaging excavation. It can also help monitor magma flows under volcanoes to warn of potential eruptions and groundwater levels and flows to help improve flooding models.

Bongs noted the new sensor is not capable of creating detailed images “of, for example, people in houses. The resolution is too low for this.”

The scientists are now developing a backpack-size version of their quantum gravity sensor for use on mobile platforms. The researchers envision their device will initially be used in a stop-and-go fashion, pausing to measure Earth’s gravity at one spot and then moving to a neighboring spot. Further advances may allow gravity cartography with the sensor “on a continuously moving platform,” Bongs says.

How quantum sensing is changing the way we see the world - BBC ... ›

Charles Q. Choi is a science reporter who contributes regularly to IEEE Spectrum. He has written for Scientific American, The New York Times, Wired, and Science, among others.
THEY LIVE UNDER A WANNABE DICTATOR
Mutilated bodies, gang wars shock
once-peaceful Ecuador


President Guillermo Lasso's government recently ordered troops to Guayaquil to retake control of the increasingly violence-stricken city (AFP/Fernando MENDEZ) (Fernando MENDEZ)

Paola LÓPEZ
Wed, March 2, 2022, 7:22 PM·4 min read

A headless body discarded in the street. Two corpses dangling from a bridge. An intensifying drug war has shocked once-peaceful Ecuador with scenes of horrific violence.

Experts say the two crimes committed within a single week last month evoked the savage methods of Mexican narco gangs which, according to the government in Quito, has infiltrated the South American country of 17.7 million people.

"The cruelty is something new," Daniel Ponton, dean of the security and defense school at Ecuador's IAEN university told AFP. He blamed "emulation" by local criminals of the well-documented atrocities committed by drug lords in Mexico or Colombia.

The local gangs soon learn, he added, that "violence has a value in itself" as a tool "to intimidate rival criminal gangs (and) diminish the will of the State... and the general population" to fight crime.

Wedged between Colombia and Peru -- the world's largest cocaine producers -- Ecuador long managed to escape drug violence even as the illegal but lucrative trade started showing benefits for its economy and domestic consumption grew.

The country used to be a drug transit and storage point favored by foreign traffickers for its porous borders, dollarized economy and major Pacific seaports for export.

But the ports -- especially at Guayaquil -- have since become battlegrounds themselves as the presence of local gangs has exploded, and murder figures with it.

- 'Super-violent messages' -


In January and February this year, 468 people were killed in Ecuador -- 277 more than in the same two months of last year.

More than 320 of this year's victims have been inmates -- many dismembered and burnt in grisly wars between rival prison gangs allied to drug cartels beyond Ecuador's borders.

In 2021, the country recorded a rate of 14 murders per 100,000 inhabitants -- nearly double the 2020 figure, though still not among the highest in the world.

Especially hard hit is Guayaquil, a city of 2.8 million people home to Ecuador's main commercial port, and the violence is increasingly filtering through to the streets.

On February 20, residents of Guayaquil were shocked when the body of a 21-year-old man was thrown from a moving vehicle in a city street, followed by his severed head.

Six days earlier, in the nearby town of Duran, the bodies of two men were found handcuffed and hanging from a pedestrian bridge.

Since late last year, five decapitated bodies have been found in Duran and Guayaquil, authorities say, and last month a head was found stuffed in a backpack at the port of Puerto Bolivar to the south.

There have also been neighborhood shootouts, a previously alien phenomenon.

"Drug trafficking has gained ground in Ecuadorian society," President Guillermo Lasso said last month after the latest bodies were so publicly displayed.

He blamed previous governments for allowing "microtrafficking" to find a foothold in the country, only to be swiftly followed by gangs and their territorial disputes.

For Renato Rivera, a researcher at the Latin American Network for Analysis of Security and Organized Crime, the mutilated corpses were meant as "super-violent messages" of warning.

The victims are often killed as punishment for being short on a drug delivery -- possibly after police seizures -- while at the same time serving as "a message of intimidation for rivals," he added.

- 'Weakened' state -


Faced with the expanding violence, Lasso's government recently ordered troops to Guayaquil to retake control of the city and "prevent the entry of drugs from the north (Colombia) or weapons from the south (Peru)."

The president also replaced the commander of the police, an entity widely seen as unwilling or unable to address the growing crime wave.

So far this year, the authorities have seized 37 tons of drugs. The number was 210 tons for the whole of 2021.

For Ponton, the escalating violence was "a kind of cumulative and growing time bomb," for Ecuador.

"The problem of Ecuador is that the state's response capacity is totally weakened in key areas: intelligence, criminal investigation, arms control," partly due to corruption.

According to a Transparency International report on corruption perception, Ecuador scored 36 in 2021 on a scale on which 100 represents clean government. This was lower than the average score of 43 for the Americas.

"Organized crime cannot live without corruption," said Rivera.

pld-vel/sp/ltl/mlr/dw
Roman Abramovich confirms he will sell Chelsea - with all 'net proceeds' to benefit victims of Ukraine war


Wed., March 2, 2022, 


Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich said he will sell the club - with the "net proceeds" going to benefit victims of the war in Ukraine.

The Russian billionaire, who took over in 2003, said money generated from his sale of the club will go to a foundation benefiting "all victims of the war in Ukraine".

It is not clear if his reference to "all victims" means just Ukrainians, or Russians as well.

Ukraine-Russia news live: Russia launches major assaults on key cities

But, he said it "includes providing critical funds towards the urgent and immediate needs of victims, as well as supporting the long-term work of recovery".

'In the best interests of the club'

In a statement, published by the reigning European and world soccer champions on their website, he said: "I have always taken decisions with the club's best interest at heart.

"In the current situation, I have therefore taken the decision to sell the club, as I believe this is in the best interest of the club, the fans, the employees, as well as the club's sponsors and partners."

Mr Abramovich said he would not ask for loans he has made to the club - reported to total £1.5bn - to be repaid to him, and said the sale would not be fast-tracked but would "follow due process".

He said he had told his aides to set up a charitable foundation that would receive all net proceeds from the sale.

Mr Abramovich did not speak publicly about the invasion when it first began last Thursday. Over the weekend he said he wanted to entrust the "care and stewardship" of the club to the trustees of its charitable foundation.

He has put a £3bn price tag on Chelsea as he prepares to end his near-two decade ownership of the club.

Questions remain about sanctions

It comes as Mr Abramovich - who has long-denied links to the Putin regime - is also reportedly putting his London property portfolio up for sale.

However, questions remain, about the viability of a transaction against the current geopolitical backdrop and Mr Abramovich faces the possibility of being sanctioned by the UK government after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Mr Abramovich's bankers are keen to complete a deal quickly and potentially as soon as May, according to one insider.

The issue of Mr Abramovich's links to the Russian state was raised by Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, during prime minister's questions on Wednesday, amid pressure for tougher sanctions against Russian oligarchs.

He has ploughed unprecedented amounts of money into the Stamford Bridge side and under his ownership, it has won the Champions League twice, the Premier League and FA Cup five times and a significant number of other trophies.

His statement concluded: "I hope that I will be able to visit Stamford Bridge one last time to say goodbye to all of you in person.

"It has been a privilege of a lifetime to be part of Chelsea FC and I am proud of all our joint achievements. Chelsea Football Club and its supporters will always be in my heart."

Ukrainian footballer trying to persuade family to leave Kyiv

It comes as Ukrainian football legend Andriy Shevchenko, who is currently in London, has been trying to persuade his mother and sister to leave the Ukrainian capital.

He told Sky Sports News: "I try to talk (to them) every hour, every 20 minutes because there's a lot of action going on now.

"Cities under attack, missile attacks, Kyiv is under attack, a lot of cities it is very similar... My mum and my sister, like most of the Ukrainian people refuse to leave, are staying there to fight for our nation, to fight for our freedom, to fight for our soul.


"I tried many times (to get them to leave), but the answer is no, (they say) 'we want to stay here'."

"This is the Ukrainian spirit."


Protesters urge closure of Panama Canal to Russian ships


A protester in Panama City on March 2, 2022 holds up a 
banner urging the closure of the Panama Canal to Russian vessels
 (AFP/Luis ACOSTA) 

Wed, March 2, 2022

A small group of protesters urged the Panamanian government Wednesday to close the Panama Canal to Russian ships as punishment for the invasion of Ukraine.

The move would be symbolic at best because very few Russian vessels actually use the waterway linking the Atlantic and Pacific.

Under a 1977 treaty in which the US-built canal was handed over to local control, the waterway is supposed to remain neutral in the event of international conflict.

A mixed group of about 50 Ukrainians and Russians opposed to the war demonstrated Wednesday near the canal. They signed a letter to Panamanian President Laurentino Cortizo seeking sanctions against Russia.

"We urge the Panamanian people and you as their leader to consider closing the Panama Canal to Russian commercial and military ships until the war ends and all invading troops have returned to their country," the letter says.

A total of 3.5 percent of the world's maritime trade passes through the canal, according to government figures. The top user is the United States with 72.5 percent of all freight making its way through the water way. Russia is not on the list of the top 15 users.

jjr/mav/atm/dw/md

Japan's Toyota suspends operations at Russia plant


The world's top-selling carmaker said its plant in Saint Petersburg produced 
around 80,000 vehicles last year (AFP/Kazuhiro NOGI) (Kazuhiro NOGI)

Wed, March 2, 2022,

Toyota said Thursday it would suspend operations at its only factory in Russia and stop shipping vehicles to the country, citing "supply chain disruptions" linked to Moscow's assault on Ukraine.

The world's top-selling carmaker said its plant in Saint Petersburg produced around 80,000 vehicles last year, mainly for the Russian market and representing just a fraction of the 10.5 million vehicles made worldwide by the Japanese group.

"Toyota Motor Russia will stop production at its Saint Petersburg plant from 4 March and has stopped imports of vehicles, until further notice, due to supply chain disruptions," the company said in a statement.

The Saint Petersburg plant employs around 2,600 people, a Toyota spokeswoman told AFP, confirming the supply disruption was linked to the conflict.

Toyota has no factories in Ukraine but said sales operations in the country had been suspended since February 24, when Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an air and ground assault on the neighbouring country.

"Toyota is watching the ongoing developments in Ukraine with great concern for the safety of people of Ukraine and hopes for a safe return to peace as soon as possible," it said.

"Our priority in dealing with this crisis is to ensure the safety of all our team members, retailer staff, and supply chain partners."

Western governments, sporting organisations and big companies have cut Russia off or dealt it punishing sanctions over the internationally condemned attack.

On Monday, Toyota halted operations at all its plants in Japan for a day after a cyberattack on a parts supplier.

Japan's top government spokesman confirmed "a cyberattack" but declined to offer details, saying it was still being investigated.

Hirokazu Matsuno also warned that the "risk of cyberattacks is rising due to the current situation, including Ukraine", calling on companies to "strengthen cyber security measures".

kaf-etb

© Studio graphique France Médias Monde

(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS, AFP and AP)

SLIMY MOFO
Brazil: Bolsonaro uses Ukraine war to support extraction on indigenous land


The Brazilian president wants to pave the way for further exploitation of protected lands. He is not known for protecting the environment or indigenous rights
.


Bolsonaro has used the war in Ukraine to push for deregulation of indigenous land rights in Brazil

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro went to Twitter on Wednesday to justify the extraction of resources from indigenous land in the Amazon by pointing to scarcities caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

"With the war between Russia and Ukraine, we now run the risk of running out of potassium or of its price increasing," Boslonaro said.

He used this to back a draft law from 2020 that would allow the government to permit the "extraction of minerals, water and organic resources from indigenous land."

Official data shows that deforestation in the Amazon has accelerated during Bolsonaro's term in office, reaching its highest point in 15 years in 2021.

Brazil's dependence on Russian fertilizer


"Our food security and agrobusiness require measures that allow us to not depend on external sources for something we have in abundance," Bolsonaro tweeted.

Data from the Logcomex platform show that Russia was the main provider of potassium chloride — a major fertilizer — to Brazil in 2021.

Russia sent $1.4 billion-worth (around €1.25 billion) of the compound, equivalent to 34% of Brazil's potassium chloride imports that year.

Bolsonaro also sparked outrage in his home country after visiting Moscow two weeks ago amid tensions over Russian aggression towards Ukraine.

The two countries' trade relations had been on the agenda for the meeting.
Environmental deregulation

The Brazilian president wrote that he had previously identified "three problems" regarding his country's dependence on foreign sources of fertilizer: environmental legislation, indigenous people and rights of exploration in the Rio Madeira basin.

The legislation that Bolsonaro is once again supporting was shot down by the public prosecutor's office in 2021 for being unconstitutional. It aims to pave the way to regulate mining in indigenous reserves without approval from Congress.

The right-wing lawmaker came to power with a campaign promoting the economic exploitation of the Amazon rainforest and to put an end to new indigenous reserves.

Since taking office he has deregulated control measures and the financing of illegal mining in the Amazon.

Rising fuel costs are crippling Africa's economies

Sub-Saharan Africa is experiencing a record surge in fuel prices as the Russian invasion of Ukraine drives up already steep energy costs.


Gas prices have risen sharply across Africa

Chaos reigns at a petrol station in Nigeria's commercial hub, Lagos. Arguments break out and drivers blare their car horns as they wait in the long queue that spills into the road, disrupting traffic.

Motorists here, and in many of the petrol stations in Nigeria's major cities, are spending hours waiting, in the hope of filling up their tanks before fuel runs out.

"Getting petrol is like digging for gold," groans waiting motorist Joy Agbonifo. "We spend hours looking for fuel, and when we get to a [petrol] station, there's no guarantee we'll even get any."

The fuel shortage in Nigeria has lasted more than three weeks. It started after the federal government held back imports of fuel that was found to be sub-standard, causing a scarcity at filling stations.


Protests over high fuel prices are common in Nigeria

Price hikes at pumps

Numerous independent fuel stations have increased the pump price of gasoline higher than the official 165 naira per liter ($0.40, €0.36).

"Many people hoard fuel to then sell it at a higher price," Agbonifo told DW. "That's what Nigeria has become."

The situation in Nigeria is part of a global problem, said economist Abdul-Ganyu Garba from Nigeria's Ahmad Bello University in Zaria.

"There are difficulties on the supply side and demand is starting to increase," Garba said.

Global oil prices skyrocketed in 2021 following the recovery of the global economy from the COVID-19 pandemic, sparking an increase in demand for petroleum products.

On top of this, Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24 has triggered a global price spike over concerns of a supply crunch.


Russia is one of the world's largest oil producers

Fears of cuts to Russian oil supplies

Russia is one of the three top crude oil producers in the world, along with the US and Saudi Arabia. Although sanctions on Russia don't directly target the country's oil exports, the global oil market is rattled by fears that Russia's oil production could be throttled.

Crude oil prices breached the $100 per barrel mark for the first time since 2014 on Tuesday.

Members of the International Energy Agency, which includes the world's biggest oil producer, the United States, agreed on Tuesday to release 60 million barrels of crude from their reserves.

So far, this has failed to quell the sharp price increases.

Nigeria's idle refineries

African countries are suffering high fuel prices and shortages as a result.

Ironically, this is a recurring problem for Nigeria, Africa's biggest exporter of crude oil. Despite its massive oil sector, Nigeria imports almost all of its petroleum products, partly because none of the country's four refineries work. Combined, these refineries would have a capacity of 445,000 barrels a day. Authorities blame mismanagement and corruption.


Nigeria fails to refine most of its crude oil, meaning it has to pay more to import oil than it receives for the sales of crude

Resource rich countries in sub-Saharan Africa haven't managed their raw material resources to become self-sufficient, economist Garba says.

Nigeria actually guarantees its citizens some of the cheapest fuel on the continent. Oil producing nations Angola ($0.30) and Chad ($0.90) also guarantee minimum fuel prices but this generosity is proving costly as the price of imported crude rises. 

High petrol prices across the continent 

The battle for petrol is not limited to Nigeria.

Across Africa, fuel prices have reached all-time highs. In Burkina Faso fuel prices rose by 8%. South Africa's national statistics institute said fuel prices in December 2021 had risen by 40,5% compared to the previous year.

In January, Burundi's government raised fuel prices by almost 13%, which Aloys Bakicako, leader of the opposition party Rassemblement National pour le Change called a "historic increase."

Burundians fear new hikes when buying imported food, which are pegged to fuel prices. After the Central African Republic, Zimbabwe and Senegal, Burundi is the most expensive African country for buying a liter of petrol.

Burundi's Energy Ministry blames the steady escalation of international oil prices, and repeated its pledge to keep the whole country supplied with fuel.

But transport costs have risen.


Fuel shortages are common in many Africa nations, causing motorists to spend hours in line waiting for gas

High fuel prices hitting everyday consumers

Burundian Innocent Irambona, who normally takes a taxi to work, complains that that option has now become unaffordable.

"Where I used to pay 2,000 Burundian francs, I now pay 3,000. Also, many taxi services are not working because of the fuel shortage. Paying higher prices is hard when our wages don't increase," Irambona said.

Across the border in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the price of petrol has risen by 3,000 Congolese francs ($1,50), a record.

The Congolese Ministry of Hydrocarbons says the petroleum logistics company SEP Congo, which is responsible for transporting and storing petroleum products, is struggling with technical problems.

Rising fuel prices are hitting Africans hard at a time when the prices of basic foods have also risen dramatically.

Angry Kenyans recently took to social media using the #lowerfoodprices to protest the soaring cost of food, electricity, and fuel.

The Kenyan government, under pressure from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to raise more revenue, had raised taxes on household goods such as cooking gas, fuel, and food by 14%.

In Togo and Ivory Coast, food prices have also nearly doubled.

Opinion: Your solidarity is problematic if you leave Africans behind in Ukraine

The world is in solidarity with people fleeing war in Ukraine — but discrimination against people of color has sparked outcry under the hashtag #AfricansinUkraine. Solidarity must be inclusive, writes DW's Wafaa Albadry.


Many African students studying in Ukraine have been forced to flee to neighboring countries

 due to the war

The shocking invasion of Ukraine threatens millions of people's lives. Half a million people sought humanitarian refuge in neighboring countries within a week, and hundreds of thousands were displaced. Ukrainian men were separated from their loved ones and stayed to fight in the country while their families sought refuge, carrying with them trauma and uncertainty. 

People say war brings out both the best and the worst in people. In these crises, people in neighboring and nearby countries are opening their borders, homes, and even their arms, helping those fleeing the violence. Aid organizations, ordinary people, and politicians worldwide are showing solidarity. So many people are trying to help in some way — and that is inspiring.  

portrait of Wafaa Albadry

DW's Wafaa Albadry

But there's also another side, one that is a nightmare for Black people and other people of color who are denied access to safety. Many people of color from Africa, India, the Middle East and other regions who lived in Ukraine were denied the same welcome that was bestowed on others. Many were denied access to trains or buses that were designated to move refugees in Ukraine to safety, told that only Ukrainians were allowed. And when they arrived at the border by foot, they were pushed back at some Polish borders. 

They are as vulnerable, scared, and disappointed as the people in Ukraine are. What kind of solidarity excludes them from help? 

International students who spent nights near the Polish borders said they were also denied access to food and water, necessities that were distributed to those waiting to cross. They were forced to retreat to areas being bombed and to seek an alternative way out.

Over 76,000 international students are studying in Ukraine, and over 25% come from India and African countries, including Nigeria, Morocco, and Egypt. There are also workers and migrants who, too, needed to find a safe place.

Many of their families on the other side of the world are worried. Even if they escape the areas being bombed, how will they survive being pushed back for days without help? That has created even a more horrifying image of what is happening there

For those who are not white, it is war and racism.  

Selective humanity?

On social media, videos spread of Africans pleading for help and showing the discrimination they faced. From authorities pointing weapons at students who screamed they were unarmed, to a video showing a toddler as among those left in the cold.

Online hate speech soon chased after them. 

People posted nonsense, accusing people of color of not being civilized enough to be rescued. They claim that priority should go to white people. They say that Black people and other people of color should stay and fight in Ukraine, as if they actually had the right to choose who gets refuge and who must face war. It is outrageous — and it is blatant racism. It is unacceptable, this ridiculous notion that empathy depends on the skin color of a person. And it is a shame that this is happening in wartime. 

It seems it doesn't go without saying: It is dangerous to be stuck in a war zone, and it is even more difficult to escape if you are Black or another person of color. When everyone is escaping the same danger, why shouldn't everyone get the same treatment? Is this an alarming signal on the level of discrimination in Europe?  

I don't have that answer. But I do know that amid all the chaos, violence, and fear, some individuals with authority, be it on a train or at border control, unjustly decide who deserves to be helped. I see it as a statement from them that humanity is not for all. 

The blight was created in a week, and its damage is still unfolding. All the scenes we saw online remind us that we humans need to support one another and treat each other with dignity. And remember: Black Lives Matter, too. Humanity and solidarity must be inclusive and not be selective. 

EU governments were transparent in their solidarity with people fleeing war in Ukraine. Now it's time to see actions of solidarity applied on the ground. It is a failure for humanity if anyone is left behind. It is a failure for the civilized world on the test of solidarity if people fleeing war in Europe are left without help in Ukraine or on the borders because of their color, ethnicity, or country of origin.  

War in Ukraine: ‘It’s not clear whether there is an endgame’

As the war rages in Ukraine, “it’s not clear whether there is an endgame,” warns Dr. Natasha Kuhrt, Lecturer in War Studies Education at King’s College London. She mentions one possible scenario whereby Russia emerges victorious and “essentially Ukraine would be brought back into the Russian fold” sans Zelensky. “There’s been talk about Yanukovych being brought back, being brought in as a kind of puppet leader, should there be a Russian victory,” although Dr. Kuhrt thinks “that would be a very strange move, given his unpopularity.” Yet she also recognizes that “any Russian occupation is obviously going to have to be without the consent of the Ukrainian people, and will only succeed with wide-scale repression, which is the kind of scenario we’ve seen in Chechnya.”



Russia sieges Ukrainian cities amid world condemnation

Ukrainian cities such as Kharkiv and Mariupol face heavy shelling, as an incursion into Kyiv looms. Meanwhile, over 1 million people have fled Ukraine and the ICC has opened a war crimes inquiry.



The invasion has devastated Ukraine's civilian population, forcing hundreds of thousands of people to flee

Russia's invasion of Ukraine enters its eighth day

International Criminal Court opens war crimes investigation into Russia

The majority of UN member states call for Russian forces to leave Ukraine



Air raid sirens in Kyiv


Residents of the Ukrainian capital were told to go to the nearest shelter early Thursday morning. Videos shared on social media showed explosions hitting the city.


More than 1 million refugees flee Ukraine


The UN high commissioner for refugees, Filippo Grandi, said more than 1 million people have fled Ukraine.

Grandi tweeted, "In just seven days we have witnessed the exodus of one million refugees from Ukraine to neighboring countries."



The 1 million figure amounts to the displacement of more than 2% of Ukraine's population. As of 2020, World Bank figures showed Ukraine had a population of 44 million.

The UNHCR predicts up to 4 million people could make an exodus out of Ukraine, though with the caveat that this figure too could increase.

At this rate, UNHCR spokesperson Shabia Mantoo said that "at this rate" Ukraine could experience "the biggest refugee crisis this century."


German TV to broadcast benefit 'Concert for Peace'

German television will broadcast a soldout "Concert for Peace" to raise funds for humanitarian aid for the people of Ukraine. The concert is being organized by the Berlin State Opera with Staatskapelle Berlin star conductor Daniel Barenboim.

The concert and television event will be in the form of a matinee scheduled for Sunday. Proceeds will go to the UN Ukraine Humanitarian Fund (UNHF).

The presidents of the European Central Bank (ECB), Christine Lagarde, and the Bundesbank, Joachim Nagel, will attend. Both central banks will make donations to the UNHF.

The Ukrainian national anthem, based on Pavlo Chubynsky's poem "Ukraine Has Not Yet Perished," set to music by Michailo Werbizki, will be included along with symphonies by Schubert and Beethoven.

The Berlin State Opera said its management and staff were "horrified, shocked and deeply concerned about the war that the Russian government has launched against Ukraine."

ICC proceeds with war crimes inquiry in Ukraine


The International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor Karim A.A. Khan QC announced he is opening an active investigation into war crimes occurring against the civilian population of Ukraine.

In a statement, Khan wrote, "I have notified the ICC Presidency a few moments ago of my decision to immediately proceed with active investigations in the Situation. Our work in the collection of evidence has now commenced."

Thirty-nine signatories to the court's jurisdiction, including Germany, referred the situation in Ukraine to the ICC, speeding up the course by which it could act.

Russia is not a signatory to the Rome Statute, the treaty which established the ICC.



UN records 752 civilian deaths in Ukraine


The UN Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights (OHCHR) monitoring mission in Ukraine said it had recorded 752 deaths among Ukrainian civilians since the conflict began at 4 a.m. (0300 GMT) on February 24. An additional 525 have reportedly been injured during the war.

In a statement, the monitoring mission noted, "This is more than the total number of civilian casualties recorded by OHCHR in the conflict zone of eastern Ukraine from 2018-2021," when 136 people were killed.

"Most of these casualties were caused by the use of explosive weapons with a wide impact area, including shelling from heavy artillery and multi-launch rocket systems, and airstrikes," the UN body said.

The statement added that the UN "believes that real figures are considerably higher, especially in Government-controlled territory and especially in recent days, as the receipt of information from some locations where intensive hostilities have been going on was delayed and many reports were still pending corroboration."
Summary of events in Ukraine-Russia crisis on Wednesday

The Russian military said it took control of the southern city of Kherson, yet both the Ukrainian military and Pentagon disputed the claim.

The UN registered 752 civilian deaths in Ukraine since the invasion began on February 28.

A member of the Organization for Security and Co-operation's (OSCE) Special Monitoring Mission was killed during an attack on the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv.

Russia claims 498 of its troops have been killed so far, a number far lower than Ukrainian estimates.

French President Emmanuel Macron said the war has ushered in a "new era" for Europe and urged the continent to take charge of its own security.

Meanwhile, US top diplomat Antony Blinken described the death toll in Ukraine as "staggering" and voiced support for a cease-fire. President Joe Biden vowed to "inflict pain" on Russian Vladimir Putin in his State of the Union address.

A vast majority of member states in the UN General Assembly voted in favor of a resolution calling for Russia to withdraw its forces from Ukraine. Russia, along with four other countries, voted against the measure.


The International Criminal Court confirmed that it will open an investigation into the conflict in Ukraine.

In Germany, the mayor of Berlin is calling on other German states to assist in helping Ukrainian refugees.

In addition, Germany has pledged help for Ukrainian forces on the ground, with German weapons having arrived in the country.

Russia's economy has taken a hit due to Western sanctions, with international credit rating agency Fitch downgrading Russia to "B" and several multinational firms shuttering operations in Russia.

Jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny called for daily anti-war protests in Russia and Belarus to decry the invasion.

wd, ar/sms (AP, AFP, Reuters, dpa)

UN: Large majority backs condemnation of Russia's invasion of Ukraine

Well over 100 UN member states voted to demand the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine. China abstained from the vote rather than backing Moscow, only five countries voted against.




Only five states, including Russia itself, voted against the resolution

The UN General Assembly voted to demand Russia withdraw its troops from Ukraine by a large majority on Wednesday following its invasion of the country that began six days ago.

With 141 UN member states, out of a total of 193, backing the resolution, Moscow is finding itself increasingly isolated on the world stage.

Ahead of the vote, those behind the resolution had been hoping for at least 100 votes in favor, making the final figure quite unexpected.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock thanked those member states who voted for the resolution for this "historical result." She wrote on Twitter that the vote made clear "when our peaceful order is under attack, we stand together."

Key member states such as China and India, who have yet to explicitly condemn the invasion themselves, abstained, along with 33 others. Only five countries voted against: Russia, Belarus, Syria, North Korea and Eritrea.


Watch video 09:40 UN General Assembly adopts Ukraine resolution: DW's Richard Walker

Russia rejects resolution


The General Assembly resolution "demanded that the Russian Federation immediately cease its use of force against Ukraine and to refrain from any further unlawful threat or use of force against any UN member state."

The text passed by the assembly also expressed "grave concern at reports of attacks on civilian facilities such as residences, schools and hospitals, and of civilian casualties, including women, older persons, persons with disabilities, and children."

Russia's ambassador to the UN, Vasily Nebenzya, responded to the vote saying: "This document will not allow us to stop military activities."

Instead, he argued, it would encourage "radical forces" and "nationalists" in Kyiv.

Moscow has repeatedly referred to the democratically elected government of Ukraine as extremists, saying part of its campaign is to "de-nazify" the country, that is, to remove the government, including its Jewish president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Russia's goal is 'genocide'

The resolution was first presented to the assembly in an emergency meeting on Monday — only the 11th time such a meeting has been called in the UN's 77-year history. The international appeal is not legally binding, but the session was called after a similar resolution was halted by a Russian veto at the more powerful UN Security Council late last week.

"They have come to deprive Ukraine of the very right to exist," Ukraine's ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya told the Assembly ahead of the vote. "It's already clear that the goal of Russia is not an occupation only. It is genocide."

US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield accused Russia of increasing "brutality."

"We've seen videos of Russian forces moving exceptionally lethal weaponry into Ukraine, which has no place on the battlefield that includes cluster munitions and vacuum bombs, which are banned under the Geneva Convention," she said.

Originally the text of the resolution said that the assembly "condemns" the invasion, but this was changed several times to broaden its appeal. In the end the assembly said it "deplores in the strongest terms the Russian Federation's aggression against Ukraine."

But the resolution did clarify that the UN was "condemning" Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to put his country's nuclear forces on alert.

ab/msh (dpa, AFP)


Ukraine: Zelenskyy says Russia wants to 'erase our country'

Ukraine's president has condemned Russia's attack on Kyiv, saying the conflict cannot be won with rockets and bombs. He also called on Jewish people to speak out after a missile strike damaged a Holocaust site.




Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned a Russian attack on Kyiv that damaged a Holocaust memorial

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday accused Russia of trying to "erase" his country and its history.

Russia launched an invasion of Ukraine six days ago with attacks on the capital, Kyiv, and other cities. Since then, hundreds of thousands of people have fled to safety in neighboring countries.

Speaking in a video address, Zelenskyy claimed that almost 6,000 Russian soldiers had been killed since the invasion began on Thursday, adding that Moscow cannot win the conflict with rockets and bombs.

Russia's Major General Igor Konashenkov later said 498 Russian troops had been killed and 1,597 more wounded, the first time Moscow had issued specific figures on casualties. He dismissed the higher death toll as "disinformation.''


A woman cuddles her newborn baby in her arms at a basement used as a bomb shelter at the Okhmadet children's hospital in central Kyiv

Strike damages Babyn Yar

Zelenskyy also condemned a Russian missile strike that hit a television tower in the capital and damaged the site of a Holocaust massacre, saying it shows that "for many people in Russia our Kyiv is completely foreign."

"They know nothing about our capital. About our history. But they have an order to erase our history. Erase our country. Erase us all," he said.



Kyiv's TV tower is next to the Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial

Ukrainian authorities said five people were killed in the strike near the Babi Yar Holocaust memorial. During World War II, German occupying troops killed more than 33,000 Jews at the site.

"We all died again by Babyn Yar. Although the world has promised again and again that it will never happen again," said Zelenskyy, who is Jewish.

"Don't you see what is happening? That's why it is very important now that you, millions of Jews around the world, do not stay silent. Because Nazism is born in silence. Scream about murdering of civilians, scream about murdering of Ukrainians."

Holocaust remembrance organizations have also condemned the attack.

Russia claims control of Kherson

Russian forces have faced tougher than expected resistance since the invasion began and have not released their own casualty figures.

On Wednesday, Russia's army claimed to have taken control of the southern city of Kherson, while shelling continued in Mariupol and Kharkiv. Meanwhile, a massive Russian convoy has been inching toward Kyiv from the north.

DW correspondent Mathias Bölinger, who is in western Ukraine, said it was not clear what the massive Russian military convoy advancing toward Kyiv would do next.

"We have seen these columns standing there for some time. There are also questions about how long they can stand there because all the fuel and food that they have with them will be eaten away in the time they are standing there."

ICC to start 'active' probe into war crimes in Ukraine


Russian forces have shelled Ukraine's second-biggest city, Kharkiv
 (AFP/Sergey BOBOK) (Sergey BOBOK)

Jan HENNOP
Wed, March 2, 2022

The International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor said Wednesday an active probe into possible war crimes in Ukraine "will immediately proceed" after his office received the backing of 39 countries.

The countries include all EU member states, as well as Australia, Britain, Canada, New Zealand, Switzerland and several Latin American countries.

"I have notified the ICC Presidency a few moments ago of my decision to immediately proceed with active investigations in the Situation" in Ukraine, Karim Khan wrote in a statement.

"Our work in the collection of evidence has now commenced," he added.

Khan announced Monday he was opening a probe into alleged war crimes committed after Russia's invasion of Ukraine last week.

Khan said he believed there was a "reasonable basis" to believe that crimes within the court's jurisdiction had been committed.

But he needed the Hague-based court's judges to approve his decision before going ahead.

However, the ICC countries' referral now means that Khan's probe can continue without the judges' approval, speeding up the process.

"These referrals enable my office to proceed with opening an investigation into the situation in Ukraine from 21 November 2013 onwards," Khan said.

That would include "any past and present allegations of war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide committed on any part of the territory of Ukraine by any person," Khan said.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson told parliament on Wednesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin was "guilty of a war crime" after civilians were bombed in Ukraine, echoing an earlier accusation by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Khan, who was recently appointed as prosecutor, said his probe will be conducted "objectively and independently" and focus on "ensuring accountability for crimes falling within ICC jurisdiction".

The Hague-based ICC was established in 2002 as an independent court to try individuals accused of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The ICC, however, can only prosecute crimes committed on the territory of its 123 member states.

Ukraine is not a member, but in 2014 accepted the jurisdiction of the Court.

Moscow withdrew from the ICC, so the court will only be able to reach Russians if they are arrested on the territory of a state that respects the jurisdiction of the court.

The ICC is also hampered by the fact that it has no police force and relies on state parties to detain suspects -- with varying success in the past.

jhe/lb
Whatever happens, Volodymyr Zelensky has already dropped a nuclear bomb on Vladimir Putin’s propaganda machine


Mr. Zelensky, a former entertainer with keen instincts for social media and the art of persuasion, has dropped a nuclear bomb on Putin’s propaganda machine, Vinay Menon writes.
Entertainment Columnist
TORSTAR
Tue., March 1, 2022

On Tuesday morning, Volodymyr Zelensky spoke to the world again.

It’s an eerie sight, to watch a man on live video, realizing he is trying to lead his nation as an unspeakably evil army closes in from all sides. Zelensky knows every hour could be his last.

He remains unbowed.

Not that long ago, Zelensky was a comedian, actor and beloved celebrity in his homeland.

He won Ukraine’s version of “Dancing with the Stars” in 2006. He was the voice of Paddington bear in the Ukrainian dub. He portrayed a president in the TV show, “Servant of the People.” Now life has imitated art and Mr. Zelenskyy has been cast into the role of wartime president. And he has captured our hearts and minds with astonishing courage and resolve.

So on Tuesday, as Russian cruise missiles targeted civilian enclaves and a 40-mile long convoy of military vehicles rumbled ominously toward Kyiv with marching orders of death and destruction, Zelenskyy continued to radiate calm and a singular focus on saving his besieged country from Vladimir Putin, a one-man crime against humanity.

Zelenskyy was addressing the European Parliament. The visual juxtaposition was jarring. He was in his military T-shirt, giving a speech while knowing he is No. 1 on Russia’s kill list. His audience was garbed in suits and dresses. And for the second time in a week, Zelenskyy’s spare eloquence caused the English translator to get choked up with emotion.

“We are fighting, just for our land, and our freedom,” relayed the translator, on live television around the world, his voice cracking.

No matter what happens to Zelenskyy — and I’m writing this with my heart in my throat — he has already won the media and information war against Russia. That is not for nothing. For two decades, the sociopathic scumbag Putin has built a lethal propaganda machine.

Putin has interfered with democratic elections, played a saboteur role in referendums such as Brexit, and destabilized the social order in more than 50 countries. His troll farms and bots and army of hackers have systematically hidden inside an ether Trojan Horse to jump straight into our skulls, amplifying culture wars and pitting neighbours against one another.

Disinformation was always an animating feature, not a bug, as Putin engaged in previous depraved assaults, including in Chechnya, Syria, Georgia and his first invasion of Ukraine, the 2014 annexation of Crimea. The bombs would fall. His troops would heinously target civilians. Then the Kremlin would issue patently false rationalizations and the world would either shrug or decide taking a stand against this repulsive strongman was not worth the price.

Those days are over. And they are over thanks to Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

He could have fled this conflict and attempted to lead a government in exile. He turned down offers by the United States and others to send in special forces and extract him from the madness. He wanted to be with his people. He may well die among his people. But as he said this weekend in another inspiring dispatch: “I am here. We will not lay down any weapons. We will defend our state because our weapons are our truth.”

Mr. Zelenskyy, a former entertainer with keen instincts for social media and the art of persuasion, has dropped a nuclear bomb on Putin’s propaganda machine. Aside from Tucker Carlson, a useful idiot at the best of times, nobody in the free world is now soft on Russia.

Zelenskyy’s videos, and status as a global folk hero, have helped galvanize NATO, reverse decades of foreign policy in Germany and compel Switzerland to abandon its neutrality. To Putin, Zelenskyy is a dead man walking. To the world, he is already immortal.

If Putin is such a “genius,” as declared by the former U.S. president, an idiot with no use, let’s tally the wins and losses. Russia is a pariah on the world stage. The ruble has cratered and is now worth about one Canadian penny. Moscow’s stock market has not even opened this week because regulators know the opening bell will be a closing death knell.

Every major multinational, including gas companies, are pulling out of the country. Big Tech, including Google, Facebook and Twitter, are no longer shrugging off Putin’s state deceptions and are actively muting his lies. Companies like Microsoft are proactively creating a firewall to impede Putin’s cyberwar actors. The world is waging non-military war on Russia.

And the world will win. This isn’t Putin’s latest aggression. It is his last stand.

Countries have banned Russia from their airspace. The assets of Russian oligarchs are frozen. Russia is no longer welcome in arts and sport. The harshest financial sanctions in history are reducing the Russian economy to a medieval hellscape in which citizens will have no choice but to revolt after realizing their life savings are now worth less than a sack of potatoes.

Putin’s twisted dreams of a Soviet empire are turning his country into North Korea.

And all credit should go to the brave and heroic president of Ukraine.

“Nobody is going to break us,” Zelenskyy said. “We are strong. We are Ukrainians.”

Badly outgunned, trying to repel an invading superpower all on his own, this 44-year-old has put on a clinic in true leadership I have not witnessed in my lifetime. And by weaponizing the truth, he has torched Putin’s pathological lying, now and forever.

Years ago, as an entertainer, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he loved bringing people together.

He just has in a way that will reshape the world.




Vinay Menon is the Star's pop culture columnist based in Toronto. Follow him on Twitter: @vinaymenon
KILL ALL MONSTERS...FOR UKRAINE
John Romero has released a new Doom 2 level to raise funds for Ukraine


By Shaun Prescott   PC GAMER

It's the first Doom 2 map Romero has released since 1994.

(Image credit: id Software | John Romero)

Doom co-creator John Romero returned to map making for the classic first-person shooter back in 2016, releasing two standalone maps in quick succession, followed by a bulky megawad in the form of 2019's Sigil. That was brilliant, by the way, and well-received enough that a sequel is coming, this time created for Doom 2. While we wait for that, Romero has just released a brand new Doom 2 level, with all proceeds going towards humanitarian efforts for Ukraine.

"To support the people of Ukraine and the humanitarian efforts of the Red Cross and the UN Central Emergency Response Fund, I’m releasing a new DOOM II level for a donation of €5," Romero tweeted, adding that 100% will go to those agencies.



Called 'One Humanity', this is actually the first Doom 2 level Romero has released since the game's launch in 1994. Sure, Doom 2 is pretty much the same as the original, with a bunch of extra monsters, the super shotgun, and some new textures, but it'll be interesting to see how many Archviles Romero throws into his new level. Hopefully no more than the one in the screenshot above. I'm begging you, John.

Doom's map making and modding community is still going strong after nearly 30 years, and Romero's Sigil megawad demonstrated that you can still do really cool and unexpected things with the Doom engine. Jeremy Peel played Sigil for us back in 2019, writing that "Romero may have vacated the editor long before I stepped into his levels, but it feels as if he’s still there watching—the devious stagehand pulling at levers, playing with my head, and most of all, having a tremendous time doing it."