CONSUMPTION BY OTHER MEANS

Video shows suspects steal $300,000 worth of designer goods in 'flash mob burglary'

IT'S INSURED 

Saman Shafiq, USA TODAY
Updated Thu, August 10, 2023

A high-end designer store in Glendale, California was looted by dozens of people in a flash mob burglary on Tuesday, Glendale Police said.

At least 30 suspects "flooded" the Yves Saint Laurent store in The Americana at Brand Tuesday afternoon and stole clothing and other merchandise before fleeing on foot and leaving the location in numerous vehicles, said police in a statement. An investigation into the incident is underway. The total loss is estimated to be approximately $300,000.

The Americana is a major indoor-outdoor hub in Glendale adjacent to Northeast and Downtown Los Angeles.

Video footage from the incident, captured by onlookers, shows dozens of masked individuals running out of the store with merchandise and other goods in their arms.
What is a 'flash mob' burglary?

"'Flash mob' burglaries involve a large, coordinated group of individuals simultaneously rushing into the store, overwhelming staff, and taking it over," explained the police, adding that suspects grab as much merchandise as they can before escaping in multiple vehicles.

More: Police arrest four accused of robbing Palm Desert mall jewelry store with sledgehammers

“This type of criminal activity will not be tolerated in Glendale," said Glendale Police Chief Manuel Cid in a statement, promising that the department will "pursue all leads and utilize every available resource to apprehend those responsible and bring them to justice."

Expect an elevated police presence in and around the downtown Glendale corridor, Cid added.

Caruso, the real estate company that owns The Americana at Brand is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for leads on the incident and suspects.

"Flash mob" burglars loot high-end retail store in California

Glendale Mayor Dan Brotman also expressed concern over the event saying that “this coordinated crime challenges our values, but our determination to uphold safety and unity is resolute."

Anyone with information should contact the Glendale Police Department or the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers, if they wish to remain anonymous.
Retailers concerned over organized theft

Meanwhile, retailers like Target, Walmart, Dollar General and Home Depot have expressed concern and are sounding the alarm on retail theft in recent months. Missing inventory was discussed more this past quarter than any quarter on record, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Retailers have been increasingly concerned about a loss of profits because of shrinkage – an industry term that refers to the difference between the inventory a store has on its balance sheet and its actual inventory.

Target CEO Brian Cornell shared that shrinkage can be driven by multiple factors. The term includes everything from items lost or damaged items to theft by employees or visitors. He and other executives have sounded the alarm over a rise in organized retail theft in which thieves steal merchandise to resell for a profit, often online through sites like Amazon or eBay.

To combat such incidents, retailers are introducing strategies like shorter store hours, self-servicing locking cabinets or smart shopping carts. However, there is also a worry that such measures will impact customer service and hurt sales. Some retailers have also been pushing for stricter penalties for stealing to curb retail theft.

However, before any strong conclusions can be drawn about the impact of retail theft on profit, more needs to be learned by greater data gathering and analysis.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dozens of suspects steal luxury designer goods in 'flash mob' robbery

ABRAHAMIC SACRIFICE
An Israeli army raid in the northern West Bank kills a Palestinian militant

IT'S FRIDAY IT'S  SABBATH 

Israel Palestinians
Mourners carry the body of Mahmoud Jarad, 23, during his funeral in the West Bank city of Tulkarem, Friday, Aug. 11, 2023. The Israeli military stormed into a refugee camp in the northern occupied West Bank on Friday, sparking a firefight with Palestinian gunmen and killing the 23-year-old militant, Palestinian authorities said.





Mourners cry during the funeral of Mahmoud Jarad, 23, in the West Bank city of Tulkarem, Friday, Aug. 11, 2023. The Israeli military stormed into a refugee camp in the northern occupied West Bank on Friday, sparking a firefight with Palestinian gunmen and killing the 23-year-old militant, Palestinian authorities said.

AP Photo/Nasser Nasser

Fri, August 11, 2023 

TULKAREM, West Bank (AP) — The Israeli military stormed into a refugee camp in the northern occupied West Bank on Friday, sparking a firefight with Palestinian gunmen and killing a Palestinian man, medics said.

The raid into the Tulkarem refugee camp was the latest deadly Israeli military operation into Palestinian cities and towns following a months long surge of violence that has escalated regional tensions, highlighted the weaknesses of the Palestinian Authority and helped fuel rising militancy in the restive occupied territory.

The Israeli military said that Palestinians hurled explosive devices, fireworks and stones at troops, who fired back. Palestinian gunmen also blocked the roads, opened fire and burned tires in the cramped alleys of the camp, the army said. The Palestinian Red Crescent said that one man was killed and three others were wounded by Israeli fire.

The Tulkarem branch of a loosely organized militant group known as the Lion’s Den — which emerged in the northern city of Nablus last year — identified the man killed as Mahmoud Jarad and claimed him as a member.

Israeli-Palestinian fighting in the West Bank has surged to levels unseen in nearly two decades, with more than 160 Palestinians killed by Israeli fire since the start of 2023, according to a tally by The Associated Press.

Israel says most of those killed have been militants, but stone-throwing youths protesting the raids and others not involved in the confrontations have also been killed.

At least 26 people have been killed in Palestinian attacks against Israelis during that time.

Israel says the raids are essential to dismantle militant networks and thwart future attacks. The Palestinians see the violence as a natural response to 56 years of occupation, including stepped-up settlement construction by Israel’s government and increased violence by Jewish settlers.

Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 Mideast war, along with the Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem. Palestinians seek those territories for their hoped-for independent state.

ICYMI

Floating Solar Panels Near the Equator Could Create Unlimited Energy

Darren Orf
Thu, August 10, 2023 

Why Floating Solar Panels Are an Energy Godsend

SONGPHOL THESAKIT - Getty Images

Although many people know about wind’s offshore potential, the energy-producing power of offshore solar could be just as impactful.


A new study from scientists at the Australian National University created a global atlas of where such solar installations could be immensely beneficial—areas with calm weather and waters.


By the study’s estimates, the area around Indonesia alone could produce 35,000 terawatt-hours (TWh) of solar energy a year, which more than the globe’s current annual energy production.

The world needs solar power, and it needs it as fast as possible.

Although society is already undergoing the greatest energy transfer in human history, more needs to be done to stave off the worst outcomes of climate change. Two of the biggest tools in our decarbonization toolbox are wind and solar power—but while offshore wind energy gets a lot of attention (and rightfully so), there is such a thing as offshore solar as well. And it could be a game changer for countries near the equator.


A new study conducted by scientists at Australian National University created a heatmap atlas for offshore solar, detailing where calm seas and mild winds around the globe coalesce to create environments perfect for hosting offshore solar installations. The results showed that areas near the equator, especially West Africa near Nigeria and Indonesia, were perfect candidates. These waters, if filled with solar panels, could create a tremendous amount of energy—so much, in fact, that the authors describe it as “unlimited.”

“Our new research shows offshore solar in Indonesia alone could generate about 35,000 terawatt-hours (TWh) of solar energy a year, which is similar to current global electricity production (30,000TWh per year),” the authors write in an article posted on The Conversation. “Their tropical location in the so-called “doldrum” latitudes also means wind resources are poor. Fortunately, these countries—and their neighbors—can harvest effectively unlimited energy from solar panels floating on calm equatorial seas.”

Heatmap for floating solar panels. Red areas are best followed by yellow, green, and dark blue. The grey lines are indicative of tropic storm tracks.Blakers / Silalahi

The study finds that areas with waves that never reach higher than 20 feet and winds that never exceed 10 miles per hour could vastly benefit from offshore solar, as installations wouldn’t need to be hardened against storms. In Indonesia’s case, the study found that the some areas of the archipelago haven’t experienced any more turbulent conditions for more than 40 years. Indonesia also has great potential for pumped hydro energy storage, so the lights can still stay on when the Sun isn’t shining.

The other benefit is that both of these regions are densely populated, so locating sprawling solar installations out in the sea could be a win-win. Of course, protecting the fragile marine environments is a concern that must be taken seriously when building these installations, but the researchers estimate that Indonesia’s maritime boundary is 200 times greater than what its energy needs require, so it would have a relatively low impact.

Floating solar arrays do come with some pros and cons. One benefit is that these systems can be upwards of 15 percent more efficient than their on-land counterparts due to the cooling effect of water, according to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute. But offshore solar also has drawbacks—primarily maintenance challenges from salt corrosion and marine fouling.

In addition, outside this beneficial equatorial zone (around 5 to 12 degrees latitude from the equator), seas are much more tempestuous and often affected by tropical storms. This makes such solar installation difficult, though not impossible. The U.S., for example, just turned on its largest floating solar this past June. Countries such as China, Korea, and India also already have large floating solar arrays, and companies are working to design arrays that can withstand harsher aquatic latitudes.

To fight climate change, we need to explore every clean energy option possible—and that includes considering the potential of our oceans, ponds, and everything in between.

SCI-FI-TEK

B.C. fusion machine in development with goal of zero-emission energy

By Darrian Matassa-Fung 

Global News
Updated August 10, 2023 

B.C.-based company General Fusion has created a scaled-down version of the technology it plans to use to generate electricity from fusion power. It comes as more companies enter the global race to make nuclear fusion a viable source of carbon-free electricity. Aaron McArthur reports.

A company in Richmond, General Fusion, is creating a new “Magnetized Target Fusion” machine, which they say will be able to create fusion conditions of more than 100 million degrees Celsius.

“General Fusion does fusion a little bit differently than most people,” Dr. Michel Laberge said, General Fusion’s founder and chief science officer.

“Most people put this very hot gas in a donut with some big magnets. We do that but we crush it. Other people don’t crush it. When you crush something, it gets denser and it gets hotter so the fusion happens faster.”

It is expected that the machine will be ready to operate by 2025.

2:37 U.S. scientists announce nuclear fusion energy breakthrough

The goal of the company is to fundamentally transform the world’s energy grid with zero-carbon energy.

“The only way to do this, and fight climate change, is with a practical and affordable approach to fusion energy – Magnetized Target Fusion,” said Laberge. “Every decision we make at General Fusion comes back to this commitment.”

The first fundraising effort has been completed for a combined $33.5 million, which was anchored by existing investors such as BDC Capital and GIC. It also received grants from the province through the federal Strategic Innovation Fund.

“Our government is building on our thriving knowledge and innovation-based economy to create good, sustainable jobs for all British Columbians,” said Brenda Bailey, B.C. Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation. “B.C.’s $5-million contribution to General Fusion’s energy project will support a sustainable and resilient economy and advance fusion research in our province.”

2:18 Shooting for the moon: Experts encourage Canadian ‘moonshot projects’

According to the company, this machine represents a significant new pillar to accelerate and remove risk from General Fusion’s demonstration program, which is designed to leverage the company’s recent technological advancements and provide electricity to the power grid with commercial fusion energy by the early to mid-2030s.

The machine, which has been named Lawson Machine 26 (LM26), uses previous technology the company has developed, including one of the world’s largest and most power operational plasma injectors.

Over the next two to three years, General Fusion said will work closely with the UK Atomic Energy Authority to validate the data gathered from LM26 and incorporate it into the design of the company’s planned commercial scale demonstration in the UK.

General Fusion says fusion energy is the ultimate clean energy solution, the power of the sun and stars.

General Fusion machine to be built at Vancouver International Airport

Kenneth Chan
Aug 9 2023

The plasma injector has already achieved the temperature and energy confinement times required by LM26. (General Fusion)

If all goes as planned, a major hurdle in fusion-based, zero-emission clean energy innovation could be produced on Sea Island in Richmond in just three years from now.

BC-based General Fusion announced today it has plans to build a new magnetized target fusion (MTF) machine at the company’s global headquarters at 6020-6082 Russ Baker Way near the South Terminal of Vancouver International Airport (YVR).

This machine will be designed to achieve fusion conditions of over 100,000,000°C by 2025, with “scientific breakeven” conditions by 2026. This will “fast-track” the company’s technical progress.

More specifically, this further proof-of-concept will show General Fusion’s ability to “symmetrically compress magnetized plasmas in a repeatable manner and achieve fusion conditions at scale.”

General Fusion’s technology is designed to be lower cost by avoiding other approaches that require expensive superconducting magnets or high-powered lasers.

The company has also raised an additional $33.5 million in funding, with $5 million provided by the Government of British Columbia through a grant, and the remainder led by existing investors BDC Capital and GIC.

The YVR machine is intended to support further work and investment and reduce the risk of General Fusion’s commercial-scale demonstration test plan in Culham Campus of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) — located just outside of Oxford, west of London. The UK plant has effectively been delayed, with the goal now to provide electricity to the grid with commercial fusion energy by the early to mid-2030s.

“Our updated three-year Fusion Demonstration Program puts us on the best path forward to commercialize our technology by the 2030s,” said Greg Twinney, CEO of General Fusion, in a statement. “We’re harnessing our team’s existing strengths right here in Canada and delivering high-value, industry-leading technical milestones in the near term.”

In 2022, General Fusion relocated its global headquarters from Burnaby to a leased industrial property owned by the Vancouver Airport Authority.

 

You might also like:
Jeff Bezos-backed BC energy company to build fusion plant in UK
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Global fusion energy firm moving headquarters to Vancouver Airport for major expansion

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Fusion

General Fusion - Wikipedia 

General Fusion is a Canadian company based in Vancouver, British Columbia, which is developing a fusion power device based on magnetized target fusion (MTF) 

 

Fusion News, August 9, 2023

Dr. Leigh Ann Kesler, a consultant specializing in science communication, gives updates on the latest in fusion for this week’s episode of Fusion News. Links to the articles mentioned are included below. 1. This fusion reactor is held together with tape https://spectrum.ieee.org/fusion-2662... 2. British-Japanese partnership for fusion development https://world-nuclear-news.org/Articl... https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Ener... 3. Department of Energy Announces $4.6 Million for Research on Public-Private Partnership Awards to Advance Fusion Energy https://www.energy.gov/science/articl... 4. ITER appears unstoppable despite recent setbacks https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/202... 5. Growing European fusion industry https://sciencebusiness.net/news/nucl... https://sifted.eu/articles/mapping-eu... Bonus: CFS Tour    • An Update from Commonwealth Fusion Sy...   Breaking news: https://www.ft.com/content/a9815bca-1...

Most distant star ever recorded is a million times brighter than the sun

Aliza Chasan

CBS
Wed, August 9, 2023 

The farthest star ever detected, located behind what NASA describes as "a wrinkle in space-time," is more than twice as hot as the sun and about a million times more luminous.

The James Webb Space Telescope has revealed new details about the star, dubbed Earendel, which was detected by the Hubble Space Telescope last year. Earendel, part of the Sunrise Arc galaxy, is only detectable because the galaxy cluster is so massive that it warps the fabric of space, producing a magnifying effect that astronomers can look through, according to NASA. In the months since Earendel's discovery, Webb has spotted other very distant stars, though none as far away as Earendel.

"The discoveries have opened a new realm of the universe to stellar physics, and new subject matter to scientists studying the early universe, where once galaxies were the smallest detectable cosmic objects," NASA said. "The research team has cautious hope that this could be a step toward the eventual detection of one of the very first generation of stars, composed only of the raw ingredients of the universe created in the big bang – hydrogen and helium."

Earendel is located along a wrinkle in space-time that gives it extreme magnification.

    Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA

Because of Earendel's distance from Earth, it took 12.9 billion years for its light to reach us, scientists said. The universe was less than a billion years old when the light was emitted. The star is now 28 billion lightyears away.

Based on colors observed with Webb, astronomers believe that Earendel, which means "morning star" or "rising light" in Old English, may have a cooler, redder companion star, too.

The previous oldest and most distant single star was observed by Hubble in 2018. The light from that star, named Icarus, took 9 billion years to reach Earth, according to NASA.

Victoria Strait, co-author of the initial study on Earendel, previously said that the old star offers scientists an opportunity to learn more about the past.

"As we peer into the cosmos, we also look back in time, so these extreme high-resolution observations allow us to understand the building blocks of some of the very first galaxies," she previously said.

'Wrinkle in space-time' enables James Webb to capture stunning image of most distant star ever detected

Kiley Price
Thu, August 10, 2023 

Many stars in a galaxy with a zoomed in image on the Earendel star

In March 2022, the Hubble Space Telescope detected the most distant star ever seen in the cosmos.

Now, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has captured an even more detailed glimpse of this ancient celestial body, revealing it to be a massive B-type star that's more than twice as hot as the sun and roughly a million times brighter. The star is known as WHL0137-LS — nicknamed Earendel — and resides in the Sunrise Arc galaxy. Light we detect now from Earendel began its journey from the star 12.9 billion years ago, which means the star began emitting its rays less than a billion years after the Big Bang, according to Live Science's sister site Space.com. Because every point in the known universe has been expanding like a cosmic balloon since then, Earendel now lies 28 billion light-years from Earth.

The telescopes were able to detect this extremely distant star due to its position behind "a wrinkle in space-time" created by a massive cluster of galaxies that’s bending and magnifying Earendel’s light through a phenomenon called gravitational lensing, according to a statement from NASA.

Related: 32 jaw-dropping James Webb Space Telescope images

Image from James Webb Space Telescope of massive galaxy cluster WHL0137-08.

"The galaxy cluster, located between us and Earendel, is so massive that it warps the fabric of space itself, which produces a magnifying effect, allowing astronomers to look through the cluster like a magnifying glass," the statement said.

Peering through this gravitational lens, scientists captured the crimson rays shining off Earendel, as well as a kaleidoscope of star clusters in the Sunrise Arc. The small dots on either side of Earendel are two images of another ancient star cluster estimated to be at least 10 million years old, which "shows us how the globular clusters in our own Milky Way might have looked when they formed 13 billion years ago," the statement said. The image also revealed what may be a cooler, redder cosmic companion star that orbits Earendel

The JWST's primary mirror has six times the light-gathering power of the Hubble telescope, which enables it to capture longer and dimmer light wavelengths. As a result of this technology, JWST has helped make countless discoveries about our universe during its first year of operations — from the spiral "Phantom Galaxy" 32 million light-years from Earth to clear traces of carbon-based molecules in the Orion Nebula. Scientists have also detected other distant stars in the universe, but Earendel remains the farthest star on record.

"The discoveries have opened a new realm of the universe to stellar physics, and new subject matter to scientists studying the early universe, where once galaxies were the smallest detectable cosmic objects," the statement said. "The research team has cautious hope that this could be a step toward the eventual detection of one of the very first generation of stars, composed only of the raw ingredients of the universe created in the big bang — hydrogen and helium."

HINDUTVA CROCODILE TEARS

Modi Briefly Addresses Manipur Violence in Over Two-Hour Speech

Bibhudatta Pradhan and Debjit Chakraborty
Thu, August 10, 2023 


(Bloomberg) -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi lashed out at his political opponents in a more than two-hour long speech - accusing the opposition of historical mis-governance, corruption and nepotism — and only briefly touched on the ongoing deadly violence in the state of Manipur that led to the no confidence vote against his government.

Before the vote, Modi said the main opposition Congress party’s politics is behind the ethnic clashes in the northeastern state, that has killed more than 150 people and displaced 50,000 others.

“Today, the Manipur situation is being presented in such a manner as if this is a recent problem,” said Modi on Thursday. “I want to say this with full seriousness today that if there is one cause of all these troubles in the northeast, it is the Congress. It’s their politics that’s responsible for it.”

As expected, his government easily defeated the no trust motion in a voice vote as opposition lawmakers walked out in protest during Modi’s reply.

The no confidence motion was an attempt by the opposition to ramp up pressure on Modi ahead of elections expected next summer. It was also to compel him to speak on the violence. His first comments came months after the conflict erupted when a video surfaced in the third week of July of two women being paraded naked and allegedly raped in Manipur on May 4.

This is the second no confidence vote that Modi has faced since coming to power nearly a decade ago. The first was in 2018 when the opposition filed a motion saying his government failed on economic, defense and foreign policies, a move he also defeated. The latest no trust vote was over the conflict between two ethnic groups — the Christian Kukis and the Hindu Meiteis - over access to affirmative action benefits in the state bordering Myanmar.

Modi’s opponents say the Hindu-dominant Bharatiya Janata Party has made the South Asian country less tolerant of religious and ethnic minorities with violence in Manipur and the recent Hindu-Muslim clashes near the capital New Delhi.

Rahul Gandhi, leader of the Congress party, who was reinstated as a lawmaker this week after a stay on his defamation conviction by India’s top court, on Wednesday said Modi’s administration was doing little to bring peace to the region.

Modi during his speech touted development projects his government has undertaken in the Himalayan reaches of India’s northeast. He also spoke about the various religious riots and incidents of alleged state-sponsored violence under his predecessors. He also spoke about the 1962 war against China, when India’s northeastern states were theaters of action.

“I want to assure the people of Manipur — the mothers, sisters and daughters — the country is with you. We will together find a solution to this challenge and peace will be restored,” said Modi. “We will take every step to bring Manipur back to the development track.”

Highlighting India’s achievement during his tenure, Modi said India will become the third-largest economy in the world, when he retains power for the third term after 2024 elections.

“Opposition’s no confidence has always been lucky for us,” said Modi. “Today, I can see you have decided that the BJP and the ruling coalition will come back in 2024 elections with a grand victory, breaking all previous records, with the blessings of the people,” he said referring to opposition.

--With assistance from Abhijit Roy Chowdhury and Rajesh Kumar Singh.

 Bloomberg Businessweek

A Class Action Suit Alleges Ford’s Hybrids Will Randomly Burst Into Flames

Lawrence Hodge
Thu, August 10, 2023 

Ford Maverick Hybrid


Ford seems to have mounting troubles. Between quality control issues, recalls and its inability to keep up with customer demand, the company seems like it’s stretched thin. Now you can throw a class action suit into the mix. The Detroit Free Press reports that a class action suit against the automaker has been filed over its hybrid vehicles. Owners allege that the hybrid engines can spontaneously burst into flames.

The suit was filed in Detroit on behalf of six plaintiffs by the law firm Hagens Berman. In it, the owners allege that Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with the 2.5-liter hybrid engine or plug-in hybrid drivetrain can explode and cause fires. From the suit:

Ford Motor Company (“Ford”) sold Ford Escapes, Ford Mavericks, and Lincoln Corsairs equipped with faulty engines that can suffer a “block breach,” which is Ford’s euphemistic language for the engine seizing and shattering the engine rods and connecting bearings, which can be propelled through the engine block itself or the oil pan.

The owners further allege that Ford knew about the problem and issued a recall to fix it that failed to actually fix anything. Outside of the six owners, the suit says that this issue could potentially affect over 125,000 vehicles, specifically certain 2020-2023 Ford Escape and Maverick hybrids and the Lincoln Corsair hybrid.

The suit also details the dangerous fires and confusion that the plaintiffs allegedly dealt with. One owner of a 2022 Maverick Hybrid, aware of the problem, got in contact with his dealer for a fix. From Freep:

The dealer repeatedly said no parts were available to do the fix. But several months later, Dyne read that no new parts were needed to do the fix. Ford corporate intervened to help with the dealership.

Another owner of an Escape Hybrid and his wife narrowly escaped being trapped in a vehicle fire when their Escape burst into flames on the side of an Arizona highway.

On April 5, 2022, (Capps) and his wife were driving to Mesquite, Nevada, from Kingman, Arizona. They were about 40 miles north of Kingman, around 12:30 p.m.” at an intersection when they noticed the vehicle wasn’t driving properly, the lawsuit says. White smoke began billowing from under the car and Capps immediately turned around to pull off the road.

The car gave the message “zero oil pressure” and “engine shut down.” The vehicle rolled into a pull-off and it was turned off, the lawsuit says. Another vehicle pulled in and a person yelled at Capps and his wife to get out of the vehicle because it was on fire.

A spokesperson from Ford gave a statement to Freep about how the company thought the fix they rolled out would work.

“As we indicated in our submission to the federal regulator, we expected the initial repair to be effective, but continued to monitor the performance of the vehicles,” the statement read.

There also seems to be a little owner blaming in the statement, with the spokesperson saying Ford learned of owners still driving their vehicles after engine block breaches. Whatever happens in this case though, Ford might want to do the right thing. Hagens Berman has a history of suing Ford and winning.

 Jalopnik

6 Western nations demand Russia return two regions it took from neighboring Georgia 15 years ago

Thu, August 10, 2023 

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Six Western nations marked the 15th anniversary of Russia’s takeover of 20% of Georgia’s territory by demanding on Thursday that Moscow return the South Ossetia and Abkhazia regions.

A joint statement by the six members of the U.N. Security Council — the United States, United Kingdom, France, Albania, Japan and Malta — said Russia’s invasion of Georgia in 2008 “marked a more aggressive trend” in its policy toward its neighbors, something being witnessed today in Ukraine.

The statement, following closed council consultations on Georgia, said the six countries “are resolute” in reaffirming the country’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity “within its internationally recognized borders.”

In August 2008, Russia fought a brief war with Georgia, which had made a botched attempt to regain control over the breakaway province of South Ossetia. Moscow then recognized the independence of South Ossetia and another breakaway Georgian province, Abkhazia, and set up military bases there.


The statement, read by Albanian Ambassador Ferit Hoxha outside the Security Council surrounded by diplomats from the five other countries, condemned Russia’s “brutal invasion” and continued occupation of South Ossetia and Abkhazia and its “steps toward annexation of these Georgian regions.”

The Western nations also reiterated their condemnation of Moscow for “continuous provocations which go in parallel with the Russian Federation’s unprovoked and unjustified aggression against Ukraine.”

They pointed to Russia’s continued military drills in Georgia’s territory, sea and airspace as well as its erection of barbed wire fences and other barriers, its unlawful detentions and abductions of local people, discrimination against ethnic Georgians, and deliberate damage to Georgian cultural heritage.

The six countries said the Russia-Georgia conflict should be resolved peacefully based on international law, including the U.N. Charter, which requires every country's territorial integrity be recognized, “also noting the context of Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine.”

Russia’s deputy U.N. ambassador, Dmitry Polyansky, called the Western statement “hypocrisy” in a tweet, saying Georgia lost territory because of a “reckless gamble.”

Russia resumed direct flights with Georgia in May, and Polyansky said Moscow’s ties with the country “are gradually improving, enabling tourist and economic exchanges.”

“But the Russophobic West is not happy and trying to drive the wedge between us at any price,” he said. “This statement is a clear illustration of this.”

Polyansky called the situation “especially sickening and hypocritical” knowing that Ukraine turned “anti-Russia” in 2014, when Moscow annexed Crimea. He said Ukraine “is being sacrificed right now by the U.S. and its allies for Western geopolitical interests in a futile NATO proxy war against Russia until the last Ukrainian.”

A ‘once every 7.5 million years’ event is currently unfolding in Antarctica: ‘To say unprecedented isn’t strong enough’

Laurelle Stelle
Thu, August 10, 2023 



In the past eight years, sea ice in Antarctica has reached a new record low four times, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reports. The first three times, ice levels that have dropped in the summer have rebounded in the winter.

But this year — during what is currently winter in Antarctica — scientists have confirmed that the ice is not re-forming, leaving long stretches of the Antarctic coastline bare.
What’s happening?

According to physical oceanographer Edward Doddridge, this is the first time an event like this has been observed, the ABC reports — and it’s extremely unlikely to have happened on its own.

“To say unprecedented isn’t strong enough,” Doddridge told the ABC. “This is a five-sigma event. … Which means that if nothing had changed, we’d expect to see a winter like this about once every 7.5 million years. … There are people saying it could be natural variability … but it’s very unlikely.”

According to Doddridge and others, the most likely cause is human activity. People create air pollution through activities like burning fuel, and that pollution traps heat on our planet, heating up the atmosphere and the ocean. Some combination of warmer water and higher-energy weather patterns is likely what’s melting the ice, scientists told the ABC.
Why does the loss of Antarctic ice matter?

Polar ice is a major factor in the Earth’s “albedo,” which is the amount of light reflected from the surface instead of being absorbed. When there’s more ice, the planet’s albedo is higher, and the sun doesn’t warm it as quickly. When ice melts, the planet starts absorbing more heat.

This also creates “ice-albedo feedback,” the ABC says — a vicious cycle in which melting ice makes the ocean heat up faster, causing even more ice to melt. If too much of the polar ice is lost, it could reach a tipping point that will lead to the Earth heating up much more quickly.

Petra Heil, a sea ice physicist from the Australian Antarctic Division, told the ABC, “We might end up in a new state. That would be quite concerning to the sustainability of human conditions on Earth, I suspect.”

A much hotter environment has frightening implications for human health. It could also destroy the fish we rely on for food, the farmland where we grow crops, and the rainforests we need for oxygen.

What can be done about the vanishing ice?

The best hope for the planet is to stop the runaway air pollution causing our planet to heat up. However, it needs to happen quickly.

“I think a lot of people have the time line too long out, saying this won’t affect them,” Heil told the ABC. “I’m pretty convinced that this is something my generation will experience.”

US Supreme Court puts Purdue Pharma bankruptcy deal on hold over Sackler provision

Lawrence Hurley
Updated Thu, August 10, 2023 


WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court put the bankruptcy reorganization of opioid maker Purdue Pharma on hold Thursday, granting an emergency request from the Biden administration that raised objections about a provision that protects the Sackler family from liability for lawsuits.

The justices, in a brief order with no dissenting votes noted, blocked an appeals court decision that allowed the bankruptcy to move forward. As part of the deal, the Sackler family, which controlled the company, had agreed to pay $6 billion that could be used to settle opioid-related claims but only in return for a complete release from any liability in future cases.

The court also agreed to take up the government's appeal, meaning it will hear oral arguments in December and likely issue a ruling early next year.

The legal question raised is whether the bankruptcy court had the authority to release the Sackler family members from the claims being made by opioid victims.

Bottles of Purdue Pharma L.P. OxyContin medication sit on a pharmacy shelf in Provo, Utah 

 (George Frey / Bloomberg via Getty Images)

A Purdue spokesperson said in a statement that the company is "confident in the legality of our nearly universally supported plan of reorganization, and optimistic that the Supreme Court will agree."

Purdue made billions from OxyContin, a widely available painkiller that fueled the opioid epidemic. The company's tactics in aggressively marketing the drug came under increasing scrutiny as thousands of people died from opioid overdoses in recent years.

In asking the Supreme Court to intervene, Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar noted that Sackler family members had withdrawn $11 billion from the company amid an effort to shield themselves from liability.

Purdue itself sought bankruptcy protection but the Sackler family members did not. Instead, they negotiated a separate deal with Purdue and some plaintiffs that would allow the company to reinvent itself in an effort to combat the opioid crisis.

Prelogar wrote that bankruptcy law prohibits such an arrangement, saying it "constitutes an abuse of the bankruptcy system" that is unfair to potential plaintiffs who did not agree to the release of the Sackler family claims.

In a May decision, the New York-based 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals approved the plan over the objection of William Harrington, the U.S. government trustee monitoring the bankruptcy. The Justice Department's trustee program of which Harrington is part is aimed at ensuring that the bankruptcy system operates as required under law.

Purdue's statement criticized Harrington's role, saying that, despite having no concrete interest in the case, he has "been able to single-handedly delay billions of dollars in value that should be put to use for victim compensation, opioid crisis abatement for communities across the country, and overdose rescue medicines."

Eight states and the District of Columbia had initially opposed the plan, but they eventually signed on to a renegotiated agreement and did not join the Biden administration in asking for the deal to be blocked.

A group representing 60,000 people seeking compensation filed a brief at the Supreme Court backing the plan.

"Personal injury victims recognized that the third-party releases are necessary to a global settlement that delivers critical value to all opioid-affected communities in America through direct payments to those injured and billions of dollars of abatement funds to prevent further injuries," their lawyers wrote.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com