UAW President Fain says automakers are enabling attacks & hiring scabs; Stellantis ‘appalled’ by claims

DETROIT (FOX 2) - We are now two weeks into the UAW strike and President Shawn Fain says recent outbursts of violence where striking members have been hurt is the fault of General Motors and Stellantis, two of Detroit's Big Three automakers.

In a recorded message posted to YouTube and titled 'Corporate Violence', Fain cited three recent outbursts where union members have been hurt or threatened.

The first was a Flint-area GM plant where a non-union contractor hit five striking members, sending two people to the hospital. The second was in Massachusetts where a member and state senator were hit by cars outside of a Stellantis parts depot. The third was in Ontario, California, where two members reported having guns pulled on them by non-union members who were crossing the line.

"These members and allies are in our thoughts and we condemn this violence that GM and Stellantis are enabling. These attacks on our members exercising their constitutional rights to strike and picket will not be tolerated," Fain said. "Shame on these companies for hiring violent scabs to try to break our strike."

Fain said this is an attack on every worker who chooses to stand up and fight for a better future.

"Fighting for economic and social justice isn't a crime. It's our civic duty. It's our sacred right. That's why we are inviting the public to join us in the picket lines in this fight," he said.

As the days mount on the strike, tensions between the UAW and automakers are growing.

Striking UAW members fight man outside Stellantis plant claiming he yelled racial slurs

Stellantis said it was appalled by the allegations and that violence has escalated from UAW picketers to non-union workers.

"We are appalled by the UAW’s characterization of the incidents occurring on the picket lines. Since the UAW expanded its strike to our parts distribution centers last Friday, we’ve witnessed an escalation of dangerous, and even violent, behavior by UAW picketers at several of those facilities, including slashing truck tires, jumping on vehicles, following people home and hurling racial slurs at dedicated Stellantis employees who are merely crossing the picket line to do their jobs. The fact is, Stellantis has not hired any outside replacement workers, who Shawn Fain calls "scabs". Only current employees who are protecting our business and third parties making pick-ups and deliveries as they normally would are entering our facilities," the company said.

Stellantis said that the union was aware of all of this and called his statements inflammatory, which will only escalate things further.

"We are extremely disappointed in the UAW leadership’s lack of ownership in this area, and we call on Shawn Fain and the entire UAW leadership to do its part to help ensure the safety of all Stellantis employees, including those on the picket line. Words matter. The deliberate use of inflammatory and violent rhetoric is dangerous and needs to stop," Stellantis said. "The companies are not ‘the enemy and we are not at ’war'. We respect our employees' right to advocate for their position, including their right to peacefully picket. But the violence must stop. We have put a record offer on the table and are working hard to reach an agreement as quickly as possible, which will enable us to go back to work... together. Let's make every effort to de-escalate our words and our actions until then."

The UAW and Fain have called on, so far, more than 18,000 UAW workers across 41 facilities to strike against Detroit's Big Three. Many of those 41 facilities are GM and Stellantis plants, which were announced last Friday by Fain due to those two companies not making "serious progress" in talks with the union.

Fain will speak Friday morning at 10 and is widely expected to announce more striking locations unless serious progress is made in talks.

Ford, on the other hand, has come to an agreement with the union on job security and reinstated cost of living adjustments that were suspended in 2009. Because of this, the UAW will not call on more Ford employees to strike.

UAW strike update: These plants joined the picket line Friday

After General Motors and Stellantis failed to make sufficient progress with the UAW, the union called on all the automakers' parts distribution facilities to strike. This includes 38 facilities across 20 states.

"To be clear, we're not done at Ford. We still have serious issues to work through, but we do want to recognize Ford is showing its serious about reaching a deal. At GM and Stellantis, it's a different story," he said.

After Fain's announcement, Ford issued a statement saying that there was still a lot of work to do.

"Ford is working diligently with the UAW to reach a deal that rewards our workforce and enables Ford to invest in a vibrant and growing future. Although we are making progress in some areas, we still have significant gaps to close on the key economic issues. In the end, the issues are interconnected and must work within an overall agreement that supports our mutual success," Ford said.

Ford has come to an agreement with the union on job security and reinstated cost of living adjustments (COLA) that were suspended in 2009. Because of this, the UAW will not call on more Ford employees to strike.

Canada Nazi row puts spotlight on Ukraine's WWII past

Nadine Yousif - BBC News, Toronto
Fri, September 29, 2023 

A photo of Heinrich Himmler meeting soldiers in the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS

When Canada's parliament praised a Ukrainian war veteran who fought with Nazi Germany, a renewed spotlight was put on a controversial part of Ukraine's history and its memorialisation in Canada.

Yaroslav Hunka, the Ukrainian veteran who was applauded in parliament this week, served with a Nazi unit called the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS - also known as the Galicia Division - that was formed in 1943.

His appearance was criticised by Jewish groups and other parliamentarians alike. MP Anthony Rota, who invited him, has since resigned as the Speaker of the House of Commons, saying he deeply regretted the mistake.

Praise for Nazi veteran 'embarrassing' - Trudeau

But this is not the first time that Ukraine's role in WWII has sparked a debate in Canada, which is home to the largest Ukrainian diaspora outside of Europe.

Several monuments dedicated to Ukrainian WWII veterans who served in the Galicia Division exist across the country. Jewish groups have long denounced these dedications, arguing soldiers in the Galicia Division swore allegiance to Adolf Hitler, and were either complicit in Nazi Germany's crimes or had committed crimes themselves.

But for some Ukrainians, these veterans are viewed as freedom fighters, who only fought alongside the Nazis to resist the Soviets in their quest for an independent Ukraine.
A contentious history

The Galicia Division was a part of the Waffen-SS, a Nazi military unit that on the whole was found to have been involved in numerous atrocities, including the massacring of Jewish civilians.

During the war, more than one million Jews in Ukraine were killed, mostly between 1941 and 1942. Most of them were shot to death near their homes by Nazi Germans and their collaborators.

The Galicia Division has been accused of committing war crimes, but its members have never been found guilty in a court of law.

Jewish groups have condemned Canadian monuments to Ukrainian veterans who fought in the Waffen-SS, saying they are "a glorification and celebration of those who actively participated in Holocaust crimes".

A controversial sculpture of Ukrainian soldier Roman Shukhevych, located near the Ukrainian Youth Association in Edmonton

One such monument sits in a private Ukrainian cemetery in Oakville, Ontario, and features the insignia of the Galicia Division. Another was put up by Ukrainian WWII veterans in Edmonton, Alberta.

A third, also in Edmonton, depicts the bust of Roman Shukhevych, a Ukrainian nationalist leader and Nazi collaborator, whose units are accused of massacring Jews and Poles.

Shukhevych's involvement, however, is a matter of debate and he was not a member of the Galicia Division.

The monuments, which date back to the 1970s and 80s, have all been vandalised in recent years, with the word "Nazi" painted across them in red.
Why is there disagreement on what the monuments stand for?

It goes back to Ukraine's history in the war, as well as the make-up of Canada's large Ukrainian diaspora, said David Marples, a professor of eastern European history at the University of Alberta.

During WWII, millions of Ukrainians served in the Soviet Red Army, but thousands of others fought on the German side under the Galicia Division.

Those who fought with Germany believed it would grant them an independent state free from Soviet rule, Prof Marples said.

At the time, Ukrainians resented the Soviets for their role in the Great Ukrainian Famine of 1932-33, also known as Holodomor, which killed an estimated five million Ukrainians.

Far-right ideologies were also gaining traction in most European countries in the 1930s - including the UK - and Ukraine was no exception, said Prof Marples.

Following the defeat of Germany, some of the Galicia Division soldiers were allowed entry to Canada after surrendering to the Allied forces - a move that was resisted by Jewish groups at the time.

Some Canadians of Ukrainian descent view these soldiers and the broader Galicia Division as "national heroes" who fought for the country's independence.

They also argue that their collaboration with Nazi Germany was short-lived, and that they, including Shukhevych, had eventually fought both the Soviets and the Germans for a free Ukraine.

But the Jewish community views this differently.

"The bottom line is that this unit, the 14th SS unit, were Nazis," B'nai Brith Canada leader Michael Mostyn told the BBC.

Canada has reckoned with this history in the past through a commission in 1985, which was tasked with investigating allegations that Canada had become a haven for Nazi war criminals.

A report released by the commission the following year concluded that there is no evidence tying Ukrainians who fought with Nazi Germany to specific war crimes.

And the "mere membership in the Galicia Division is insufficient to justify prosecution," the report added.

The report's findings have since been contested by Jewish groups and some historians.

Roman Shukhevych (sitting, second from left) shown in Bataillon 201 in 1942

Prof Marples said that at the time of the report, some WWII archives in Ukraine and Russia were not accessible and have since become public, prompting renewed research on the issue.

It was then revealed through this additional research that some of those who served within the Galicia Division were involved in war crimes, he said, although none were ever convicted.

Russian disinformation targets Ukraine's history

As this historical debate entered the 21st century, it was made more complicated by modern Russian propaganda, which falsely labelled the Ukrainian government as Nazis to justify its invasion of the country.

Prof Marples said that while far-right extremism still exists in Ukraine, it is much smaller than what Russian propaganda tries to make people believe.

And Ukrainian elected officials are not tied to any far-right group in the country.

"Russia has greatly simplified the narrative," Prof Marples said.

Ukrainian groups in Canada say the row over monuments and Mr Hunka's appearance in parliament is the result of this propaganda.

As far back as 2017, before the invasion but when Russia-Ukraine tensions were high, the Russian embassy in Canada criticized the existence of Ukrainian monuments in Canada, accusing them of paying tribute to "Nazi collaborators".

Taras Podilsky, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian Youth Unity Complex in Edmonton that houses the bust of Shukhevych, said Mr Hunka's swift renunciation by Canadian politicians is the latest effect of Russia's disinformation campaign.

He added there is no evidence linking the veteran to war crimes.

"Without any due process, this person is a victim of a Russian narrative that has now been successful," Mr Podilsky said.

Mr Mostyn of B'nai Brith said he acknowledged the complicated nature of this history, especially to some within the Ukrainian diaspora.

But he said any ties to Nazism "is not something that we can allow future generations to celebrate or whitewash".

More broadly, Holocaust scholars have called out several eastern European countries in recent years for downplaying their role in the massacre of Jewish people during WWII.

Both Jewish groups in Canada and Canadians of Ukrainian descent behind these monuments said they have had conversations about the issue.

However, both said they were unable to agree on a path forward.

"It is on our own private property, it is not on public property, and it is for us to have a symbol of Ukrainian freedom," Mr Podilsky said of the Shukhevych bust in Edmonton. "We know there was no wrongdoing."

Mr Mostyn said that, to him, the recent episode in Canada's House of Commons shows that there are gaps when it comes to Canada's knowledge of Nazi history.

"We have a situation in Canada where we don't know our own history when it comes to Nazi perpetrators that made their way into this country," he said.

He and others within the Jewish community in Canada have called for a renewed examination of this history.

"It really is important that leadership be shown at the highest level by our prime minister, to finally open this up, because this is something that Jewish community has been demanding for decades."

‘Canada has a dark history with Nazis’: political scandal prompts reckoning

Leyland Cecco in Toronto

THE GUARDIAN
Fri, September 29, 2023

Photograph: AFP/Getty Images


Standing in the House of Commons this week, Canada’s prime minister, Justin Trudeau, apologized after a war veteran who fought alongside the Nazis was invited into the country’s parliament, called a “hero” and celebrated with two standing ovations.

Trudeau said all lawmakers “regret deeply” having stood and clapped – “even though we [did] so unaware of the context”, adding that the event was a disservice to the memory of millions “targeted by the Nazi genocide”.

Related: Canada parliament speaker resigns after calling Ukrainian Nazi veteran a ‘hero’

“Every year there are fewer and fewer Holocaust survivors to share firsthand the horrors of what they experienced,” said Trudeau. “And it is therefore incumbent upon us all to ensure that no one ever forgets what happened.”

But the momentary amnesia – a forgetfulness seemingly shared by all lawmakers who applauded that day – has transformed into a costly political scandal and prompted a broader re-examination of the legacy of Nazi-linked Ukrainian groups in Canada.

During the second world war, Ukraine was one of the main battlefields of the eastern front. About 4.5 million Ukrainians fought in the Red Army; far fewer – approximately 250,000 – aligned themselves with Nazi Germany. Some factions at different times fought both Soviet and German forces; some were involved in the mass killing of Ukrainian Jews.

Yaroslav Hunka, the 98-year-old veteran lauded in Canada’s parliament, was a member of the SS 14th Waffen Division, a volunteer unit also known as the “Galicia Division”.

Towards the end of the second world war, the group was also known as the First Ukrainian Division of the Ukrainian National Army, which in the following years had the effect of obscuring its links to the Nazi regime.

Yaroslav Hunka, the 98-year-old veteran who was lauded in Canada’s parliament. Photograph: Patrick Doyle/AP

After the war, thousands of Ukrainians moved to Canada, and many who had lived through Stalin’s terror and the ensuing mass starvation held strongly anti-Soviet views. But possible links and sympathies to the Nazis were largely overlooked as the cold war set in, said Ivan Katchanovski, a political scientist at the University of Ottawa.

Despite the Galicia Division’s links to war crimes, a cenotaph celebrating the unit was erected in Canada’s largest Ukrainian cemetery. The memorial has long been source of frustration for Polish and Jewish groups. In June 2020 the words “Nazi war monument” were spray-painted on the cenotaph.

“The group, and the memorials to the fighters, have really escaped scrutiny because so few people know the First Ukrainian Division was just a different name for the SS 14th Waffen Division. And this was one of the reasons, unfortunately, why no one raised the issue in the parliament last week,” said Katchanovski.

When he took the stage of Canada’s parliament a week ago, Zelenskiy praised the city of Edmonton for being the first place in the world to erect a commemoration of the Holodomor famine, a deliberate policy from the Soviet Union which killed millions of Ukrainians.

Five miles north, a bust of the Ukrainian military leader Roman Shukhevych atop a stone plinth has long outraged Jewish and Polish groups. Shukhevych, who fought for Ukrainian independence, served with the Nazis and is believed to have been a perpetrator of massacres in Volhynia and eastern Galicia.

Diplomats from Poland and Israel condemned a similar memorial in Ukraine recently, alleging Shukhevych was responsible for the murder of tens of thousands “by bullets, fire, rape, torture and other beastly methods – only because they prayed to God in Polish or Hebrew”.

While many Canadians may have been surprised to learn of statues venerating such figures, these monuments have long been a “painful source of tension” for the Jewish community, said Dan Panneton at the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Centre.

“I feel like a lot of people are only now learning truly how deep this pain goes. But the reality is, the monuments are on private property. And over the years, we’ve seen a reluctance with specific, nationalistic facets of the community to engage with negative aspects of Nazi collaboration and participation in the Holocaust.”

The row over Hunka’s invitation has also reopened debate over the hundreds of suspected war criminals who settled in the country.

“Canada has a really dark history with Nazis in Canada,” the immigration minister, Marc Miller, told reporters ahead of the prime minister’s apology. “There was a point in our history where it was easier to get [into Canada] as a Nazi than it was as a Jewish person. I think that’s a history we have to reconcile.”

Prominent Jewish groups, including the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Centre, have called for all records about the admittance of former Nazi soldiers to be made public, including the entirety of a landmark 1986 report on war criminals evading justice within Canada.

The 1985 Commission of Inquiry on War Criminals in Canada, colloquially known as the Deschênes Commission, probed whether the country was a haven for war criminals and Nazi sympathizers. The commission was prompted in part, by reports that the Nazi doctor Josef Mengele had attempted to immigrate to Canada in the early 1960s.

But only redacted portions of the report have been released over the years, omitting an appendix with the names of 240 alleged Nazi war criminals who might be living in Canada.

“Charges of war crimes against members of the Galicia Division have never been substantiated,” said the final report. The federal government has only prosecuted four individuals of war crimes – but none of those attempts have ended in conviction. Due to the secretive nature of the report’s contents, it remains unclear how much the government investigated other individuals suspected of war crimes.

“Remembering the Holocaust means not just remembering the victims,” David Matas of B’nai Brith Canada wrote in a recent editorial. “It means also remembering their murderers.”

The scandal over a standing ovation for a Nazi veteran is now raising questions about a cemetery monument in Canada that honors his Waffen SS unit

Matthew Loh
Fri, September 29, 2023 at 2:24 AM MDT·3 min read
107



The scandal over a standing ovation for a Nazi veteran is now raising questions about a cemetery monument in Canada that honors his Waffen SS unit


Canada's parliament accidentally applauded a 98-year-old Nazi veteran on Friday.

The gaffe rekindled calls for a monument honoring his unit to be removed from a Canadian cemetery.

Yaroslav Hunka served in the 14th Waffen SS Division, a voluntary unit of mostly Ukrainians.

The Canadian parliament's standing ovation for a Ukrainian war veteran who turned out to be a former fighter for Nazi Germany has reignited calls to take down a monument honoring his unit.

Yaroslav Hunka, 98, who served in the voluntary 14th Grenadier Division of the Waffen SS, was applauded as a war hero by Canadian leaders on Friday without them realizing he actually fought in a Nazi unit.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has since apologized for the gaffe, calling it "deeply embarrassing." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was visiting Canada's parliament at the time of the standing ovation.

Now a monument honoring Hunka's unit in Oakville's St Volodymyr Ukrainian Cemetery is under fire again after his appearance made headlines.

"It's unacceptable to have monuments dedicated to a unit affiliated with the SS because they were complicit in the Holocaust," Dan Panneton, director of allyship and community engagement from the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies, told the Canadian media outlet Global News.

The monument, located around 25 miles from Toronto, is a centograph that was erected in remembrance of those who fought for the 14th SS Division, also known as the Galicia Division.

It was vandalized with graffiti in 2020, when someone spray-painted the words "Nazi war monument" on its face, reported The Ottawa Citizen.

The monument was one of several brought up by the Russian Embassy in Ottawa in 2017, which complained that the structures honored "Nazi collaborators in Canada and nobody is doing anything about it."


These monuments in Canada have been controversial. Jewish groups like B'nai Brith Canada are lobbying to have them removed, calling them "Nazi-glorifying monuments."

But some Ukrainians who moved to Canada believe those who joined the Galicia Division were doing so because they thought they were fighting to free their country from Soviet rule, David Marples, professor of Eastern European history at the University of Alberta, told the BBC.

Jewish groups in Canada disagree. "The bottom line is that this unit, the 14th SS unit, were Nazis," B'nai Brith Canada leader Michael Mostyn told the outlet.

Marples noted that modern Russia has seized upon the narrative of some Ukrainian allyship with Nazi Germany to incorrectly say that modern Ukraine is now run by Nazis. "Russia has greatly simplified the narrative," Marples said, per the BBC.

The Galicia Division, of which Hunka was a part of, has been accused of committing war crimes, including the slaughter of hundreds of Polish civilians. Its members have not been convicted in court, though records continue to surface of the slaughter.

It was a voluntary unit formed in 1943 by Nazi Germany and mainly consisted of men of Ukrainian or Slovak descent.

Meanwhile, a Polish minister said on Tuesday that he has "taken steps" to extradite Hunka from Canada and to prosecute him in Poland.

Trudeau apologises for inviting Waffen-SS Galicia Division veteran to Canadian Parliament

Ukrainska Pravda
Wed, September 27, 2023



Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau apologised on Wednesday, 27 September, on behalf of the state for inviting a veteran of the SS Galicia division to the Canadian Parliament during the visit of Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Source: European Pravda, referring to CBC

Details: In a brief statement to reporters, Trudeau said he and all those present in Canada's parliament "deeply regret having stood by and applauded" 98-year-old SS Galicia veteran Yaroslav Hunka.

"It was a horrendous violation of the memory of the millions of people who died in the Holocaust," he said, adding that Yaroslav Hunka's celebration was "deeply, deeply painful" to Jews, Poles, Roma, the LGBT community, and other groups that were exterminated by the Nazi regime during the Second World War.

In addition, Zelenskyy, who was on a visit to Ottawa, was pictured applauding for Hunka, and Russian propagandists have used this image to their advantage. Trudeau added that "Canada is deeply sorry" for the incident.

Earlier, Anthony Rota, the Speaker of the House of Commons, the lower house of the Parliament of Canada, announced his resignation over the scandal involving the invitation of the 98-year-old veteran.

Reference: The Waffen-SS Galicia Division was formed in 1943 by German troops who recruited Ukrainians to fight against the Red Army. The Nuremberg trials and the so-called Deschênes Commission, set up in Canada in the 1980s, did not confirm the involvement of the division's members in war crimes. Nevertheless, the division has been blamed for punitive Wehrmacht operations against Poles and Jews.

Trudeau Apologizes to Zelenskiy Over Parliament’s Nazi Invite

Brian Platt
Wed, September 27, 2023 at 12:48 PM MDT·1 min 



(Bloomberg) -- Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his country is “deeply sorry” for putting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in the position of unknowingly applauding a veteran who served in a Nazi unit.

“This was a mistake that has deeply embarrassed parliament and Canada,” Trudeau told reporters on Wednesday.

“I also want to reiterate how deeply sorry Canada is for the situation this put President Zelenskiy and the Ukrainian delegation in,” he said. “It is extremely troubling to think that this egregious error is being politicized by Russia and its supporters to provide false propaganda about what Ukraine is fighting for.”

The veteran, 98-year-old Yaroslav Hunka, had been invited to sit in the parliamentary gallery during Zelenskiy’s speech on Friday. Anthony Rota, the speaker of the House of Commons, issued the invitation and introduced Hunka as a Ukrainian Second World War veteran “who fought for Ukrainian independence against the Russians.”

It was later revealed Hunka served with the 1st Galician division, a unit of the German military’s Waffen-SS.

The story was quickly pounced on by Russian diplomats and state-controlled media. Russian President Vladimir Putin has sought to justify his invasion of Ukraine as aiming to “de-Nazify” the country, even though Zelenskiy himself is Jewish.

Rota profusely apologized for the invitation, stressing that neither Trudeau nor Zelenskiy was aware of it ahead of time. On Tuesday, Rota announced he would resign as speaker over the fiasco.

Trudeau said everyone who stood and applauded Hunka “did so unaware of the context.”

“It was a horrendous violation of the memory of the millions of people who died in the Holocaust, and it was deeply, deeply painful for Jewish people.”

Trudeau apologizes for recognition of Nazi unit war veteran in Canadian Parliament

ROB GILLIES
Updated Wed, September 27, 2023 at 3:05 PM MDT·2 min read
33

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau apologizes for the events surrounding Ukraine President Volodomyr Zelenskyy's visit at a media availability in Ottawa, Ontario, on Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023. Trudeau apologized Wednesday for Parliament’s recognition of Yaroslav Hunka, who fought alongside the Nazis during last week’s address by Zelenskyy.

 (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press via AP)


TORONTO (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau apologized Wednesday for Parliament’s recognition of a man who fought alongside the Nazis during last week’s address by Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Trudeau said the speaker of the House of Commons, who resigned Tuesday, was “solely responsible” for the invitation and recognition of the man but said it was a mistake that has deeply embarrassed Parliament and Canada.

“All of us who were in the House on Friday regret deeply having stood and clapped, even though we did so unaware of the context,” Trudeau said before he entering the House of Commons. “It was a horrendous violation of the memory of the millions of people who died in the Holocaust, and was deeply, deeply painful for Jewish people.”

Trudeau repeated the apology in Parliament.

Just after Zelenskyy delivered an address in the House of Commons on Friday, Canadian lawmakers gave 98-year-old Yaroslav Hunka a standing ovation when Speaker Anthony Rota drew attention to him. Rota introduced Hunka as a war hero who fought for the First Ukrainian Division.

Observers over the weekend began to publicize the fact that the First Ukrainian Division also was known as the Waffen-SS Galicia Division, or the SS 14th Waffen Division, a voluntary unit that was under the command of the Nazis.

“It is extremely troubling to think that this egregious error is being politicized by Russia, and its supporters, to provide false propaganda about what Ukraine is fighting for," Trudeau said.

In Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said earlier this week that the standing ovation for Hunka was “outrageous," and he called it the result of a “sloppy attitude" toward remembering the Nazi regime. Russian President Vladimir Putin has painted his enemies in Ukraine as “neo-Nazis,” although Zelenskyy is Jewish and lost relatives in the Holocaust.

Speaker of the House Anthony Rota stepped down on Tuesday after meeting with the House of Commons’ party leaders, and after all of the main opposition parties called on him to resign.

House government leader Karina Gould said that Rota invited and recognized Hunka without informing the government or the delegation from Ukraine, and that his lack of due diligence had broken the trust of lawmakers.

In an earlier apology on Sunday, Rota said he alone was responsible for inviting and recognizing Hunka, who is from the district that Rota represents. The speaker’s office said it was Hunka’s son who contacted Rota’s local office to see if it was possible if he could attend Zelenskyy’s speech.

The Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies has called the incident "a stain on our country’s venerable legislature with profound implications both in Canada and globally.”

Trudeau apologizes for ‘embarassing’ celebration of Ukrainian veteran who fought for Nazi unit in World War II

Paula Newton, CNN
Wed, September 27, 2023 at 5:26 PM MDT·2 min read


Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau formally apologized on behalf of Canada’s parliament Wednesday, referring to the “deeply embarrassing” incident last week that saw the chamber applaud a Ukrainian veteran who fought for a Nazi military unit during World War II.

“This was a mistake that has deeply embarrassed parliament and Canada. All of us who were in this House on Friday regret deeply having stood and clapped, even though we did so unaware of the context,” said Trudeau in a media briefing in Ottawa Wednesday.

Trudeau also recognized diplomatic damage done to the visiting Ukrainian delegation in attendance that day, which included Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

“I also want to reiterate how deeply sorry Canada is for the situation this put President Zelensky and the Ukrainian delegation in. It is extremely troubling to think that this egregious error is being politicized by Russia and its supporters to provide false propaganda about what Ukraine is fighting for,” he said.

On Friday, following an address by Zelensky, House of Commons speaker Anthony Rota lauded veteran Yaroslav Hunka as a Ukrainian-Canadian war hero who “fought for Ukrainian independence against the Russian aggressors then, and continues to support the troops today.”

Hunka, 98, received an extended standing ovation.

But in the days since, human rights and Jewish organizations have said that Hunka served in a Nazi military unit known as the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS.

The 14th Waffen Grenadier Division was part of the Nazi SS organization declared a criminal organization by the International Military Tribunal in Nuremberg in 1946, which determined the Nazi group had committed war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Jewish human rights organization B’nai Brith Canada in a statement condemned the Ukrainian volunteers who served in the unit as “ultra-nationalist ideologues” who “dreamed of an ethnically homogenous Ukrainian state and endorsed the idea of ethnic cleansing.”

Rota has resigned his post amid the fallout, and Poland’s Minister of Education has published a letter saying that he is taking steps towards Hunka’s possible extradition.

Poland's Foreign Ministry calls SS Galicia veteran's appearance at Canadian Parliament shameful
Ukrainska Pravda
Wed, September 27, 2023 



Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Arkadiusz Mularczyk has described the honouring of Yaroslav Hunka, a 98-year-old veteran of the Waffen-SS Galicia division, by the Canadian Parliament as shameful.

Source: European Pravda, citing the Polish press agency PAP

Details: "The Canadian parliament's honouring of a Ukrainian who fought in the ranks of the SS Galicia division was shameful and indicates a great lack of knowledge about the Second World War," Mularczyk said.

"It is shameful that the officials of the Canadian Parliament were not aware of the historical facts regarding the Waffen-SS. This is a clear demonstration of gaps in the knowledge of the history of the Second World War," he added.


Mularczyk said that when he travels abroad, he often encounters a lack of understanding of what went on in Eastern Europe during the Second World War.

"Few people know about Poland's losses and the fact that Poland did not receive compensation for them," the diplomat said.

"I am saddened by the lack of knowledge that has occurred in Canada," Mularczyk said. He noted, however, that the overall situation could help Canada become an ally of Poland in seeking reparations from Germany.

Reminder:

Anthony Rota, the Speaker of the House of Commons, the lower house of the Parliament of Canada, announced his resignation on Tuesday amid the scandal involving the invitation of 98-year-old Yaroslav Hunka to Parliament for President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s speech last week.

The Speaker was called on to resign by colleagues and members of the government after it emerged that he had invited 98-year-old Yaroslav Hunka to Parliament during Zelenskyy's visit to Canada last week. Rota presented him as a World War II veteran who fought against the Russians.

Ukrainska Pravda is the place where you will find the most up-to-date information about everything related to the war in Ukraine. 

Canada House Speaker resigns after celebrating Ukrainian veteran who fought for Nazi unit in World War II
Paula Newton, CNN
Wed, September 27, 2023

Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons Anthony Rota resigned his post Tuesday, days after he praised a Ukrainian veteran who fought for a Nazi military unit during World War II.

On Friday, following a joint address to parliament by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Rota lauded Yaroslav Hunka, 98, as a Ukrainian-Canadian war hero who “fought for Ukrainian independence against the Russian aggressors then, and continues to support the troops today.”

But in the days since, human rights and Jewish organizations have condemned Rota’s recognition, saying Hunka served in a Nazi military unit known as the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS.

“This house is above any of us, therefore I must step down as your speaker,” Rota said in parliament Tuesday afternoon, reiterating his “profound regret for my error.”

“That public recognition has caused pain to individuals and communities, including the Jewish community in Canada and around the world, in addition to survivors of Nazi atrocities in Poland, among other nations,” Rota, who is a member of the Liberal party, added. “I accept full responsibility for my actions.”

Rota’s recognition of Hunka last week prompted a standing ovation. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has called the incident “deeply embarrassing.”

The 14th Waffen Grenadier Division was part of the Nazi SS organization declared a criminal organization by the International Military Tribunal in Nuremberg in 1946, which determined the Nazi group had committed war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Jewish human rights organization B’nai Brith Canada in a statement condemned the Ukrainian volunteers who served in the unit as “ultra-nationalist ideologues” who “dreamed of an ethnically homogenous Ukrainian state and endorsed the idea of ethnic cleansing.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky shakes hands with House of Commons Speaker Anthony Rota as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau looks on last Friday in Ottawa.

 - Dave Chan/AFP via Getty Images

Recognizing Hunka was “beyond outrageous,” B’nai Brith Canada CEO Michael Mostyn said, adding, “We cannot allow the whitewashing of history.”

“Canadian soldiers fought and died to free the world from the evils of Nazi brutality,” he said.

Rota apologized in a statement Sunday and on the floor of parliament Tuesday, when he said he had “become aware of more information which causes me to regret my decision to recognize this individual.”

Rota took full responsibility, saying it was his decision alone to acknowledge Hunka, who Rota said is from his electoral district.

“No one – not even anyone among you, fellow parliamentarians, or from the Ukrainian delegation – was privy to my intention or my remarks prior to their delivery,” he said.

Tropical climates are the most biodiverse on Earth − but it's not only because of how warm and wet they are

Marco Túlio Pacheco Coelho, Postdoctoral research associate, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), 

Dave Roberts, Professor Emeritus of Ecology, Montana State University,  

Catherine Graham, Senior Researcher at Swiss Federal Institute for Forest,

 Snow and Landscape Research and Adjunct Associate Professor of Ecology and Evolution, Stony Brook University (The State University of New York)
Thu, September 28, 2023
THE CONVERSATION

Natural selection can get to work in isolated locations. 

Birger Strahl/Unsplash, CC BY

Life exists in every conceivable environment on Earth, from the peaks of towering mountains to the remote stretches of isolated islands, from sunlit surfaces to the darkest depths of the oceans. Yet, this intricate tapestry of existence isn’t spread uniformly.

For centuries, scientists have marveled at the extraordinary variety of species exhibited in tropical regions. The breathtaking biodiversity of the Amazon rainforest, the teeming life in Madagascar’s unique ecosystems, the species-rich cloud forests of Costa Rica – the tropics showcase nature’s opulence.

What makes the tropics so incredibly diverse?

Since the dawn of biodiversity studies, scientists have believed the predominant factor is climate – the long-term patterns of temperature, precipitation and other atmospheric conditions. Thinkers like Alexander von Humboldt set the stage in the early 19th century with their keen observations, highlighting how life-rich regions often shared certain climatic features. Fast-forward to the present, and scientists confidently correlate climate with biodiversity. Simply put, hotter, wetter, resource-rich regions are veritable cradles of life.

The Mediterranean climate is named after where it occurs in Southern Europe, but similar isolated conditions are scattered across the globe in parts of California, central Chile, the Western Cape of South Africa and southwestern Australia. bodrumsurf/iStock via Getty Images Plus

Some climatic conditions spread across vast landscapes, while others appear fragmented, resembling isolated islands amid varying climates. This difference raises an intriguing question: Is an area’s biodiversity solely due to its climate? Or do the size and relative isolation of these climatic pockets influence the richness and abundance of species that thrive within them?
- ADVERTISEMENT -


We are part of an international, interdisciplinary team interested in the puzzle of how the geography of climate and the global patterns of species diversity fit together. Geography of climate is a bigger part of the biodiversity picture than previously assumed, according to our study findings recently published in the journal Nature.

Researchers commonly consider the geographical distribution of species, as displayed on this map highlighting the number of amphibian species across various regions of the world. Marco Túlio Pacheco Coelho

Unraveling the geography of climate

Historically, to study global biodiversity patterns, researchers divided the world into equal area grids and counted the species in each square.

Our study diverged from conventional methods. Instead of focusing solely on specific geographical locations, we centered our attention on the unique climate profiles of regions. Essentially, we weren’t just looking at plots on Earth but every place that shared a particular set of climatic conditions. We then classified these conditions globally and meticulously counted the species – birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles – that live within the boundaries of each climate.

Mapping species in this climate space, rather than traditional geographical analyses of species diversity, revealed deeper insights into the relationships between biodiversity and climate. Marco Túlio Pacheco Coelho

Central to our investigation was an exploration of the geography of these climates, examining both their size and isolation. Some climates are widespread and common, sprawling over vast areas. Others are more fragmented, emerging as isolated pockets amid different climatic zones, reminiscent of islands in a vast ocean of other diverse climates. Consider tropical climates: They cover vast expanses cumulatively, despite being broken up into smaller, unconnected bits, even on different continents.

Our findings were illuminating. Climate, of course, was an important factor in how many species flourished in a location. But we were intrigued to find that about a third of the variation we found in species diversity across the globe can be attributed solely to the size and degree of isolation of all the instances of a particular climate.

The warm, resource-rich Costa Rican tropical forest bursts with biodiversity − partly because it’s a unique climate island amid a vast ocean of varying conditions. bogdanhoria/iStock via Getty Images Plus

Biodiversity responds not just to the type of climate but its spatial distribution. Beyond the known effects of warmth and moisture, we found that larger and more isolated climates foster greater species diversity. Moreover, these expansive, broken-up climates not only housed a greater number of species but also nurtured a more unique combination of species.

By leveraging but transcending traditional methodologies, our approach unearthed novel insights about the geographical characteristics of climates. We discovered that the larger a climatic zone is, the more fragmented and scattered it tends to be across the landscape.
Isolation spurs diversity

Cooler extra-tropical climates connect more cohesively around the globe. Ciprian Boiciuc/Unsplash, CC BY

Traditionally, scientists have thought of tropical climates as cohesive expanses, standing as barriers between the distinct extra-tropical climates of our planet’s poles. Our analysis confirmed that cooler extra-tropical climates are relatively well connected across much of the planet.

Yet, our findings reveal a different narrative for the tropics: Tropical climates appear more as fragmented islands amid a sea of diverse climates, rather than expansive, interconnected realms. Our revelation underscores that tropical climates, while abundant, are dispersed and disjointed across the Earth’s surface.

Drawing a parallel, consider how mountainous regions harbor isolated valleys where people speak distinct dialects shaped by their seclusion. Nature mirrors this: Species in isolated climatic niches evolve distinctly, creating a diverse and unique tableau of life.

The specter of climate change, however, casts a long shadow over these insights. A world undergoing rapid warming might witness once vast climates fragmenting further. Such shifts could challenge species, compelling them to traverse daunting landscapes to find suitable habitats. If these once expansive climates recede, it could disrupt the entire balance of species interactions.

Understanding the interplay between biodiversity and climate is not merely an intellectual pursuit. It provides direction in helping people protect and appreciate the diverse symphony of life in our evolving world.

This article is republished from The Conversation, an independent nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts.

It was written by: Marco Túlio Pacheco Coelho, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL); Catherine Graham, Stony Brook University (The State University of New York), and Dave Roberts, Montana State University.

Read more:

Tropical forests can recover surprisingly quickly on deforested lands – and letting them regrow naturally is an effective and low-cost way to slow climate change

Protecting biodiversity – and making it accessible – has paid off for Costa Rica

Catherine Graham receives funding from Swiss National Fund, European Research Council.

Dave Roberts received a stipend from WSL when he was a Fellow there during his stay in Switzerland when this work was initiated.

 Paleontologists Find Trilobite’s Last Meal in 465-Million-Year-Old Fossilized Stomach

Isaac Schultz

Wed, September 27, 2023 




Here’s something to chew on: a fossilized trilobite from the Ordovician Period, which is so well preserved that a team of paleontologists was able to identify its last meal, now mineralized in the creature’s fossil stomach.

The discovery is the first direct evidence of the trilobite diet, taken straight from the animal’s belly. Using synchrotron microtomography, the team identified fragmented shells in the trilobite that they attributed to a host of marine critters, including ostracods, hyoliths, and bivalves. The team’s research describing the contents was published today in Nature.

The fossil is of Bohemolichas incola, one of more than 20,000 trilobite species that existed during their 270-million-year reign on Earth. The specimen was found over a century ago—perhaps 1908—and has since been kept at the Museum of Buroslav Horák, in Rokycany, a town in the Czech Republic. Petr Kraft, a paleontologist at Charles University in Prague and the study’s lead author, took note of the fossil and the apparent gut contents when he visited the museum as a child. But the technology to peer within the trilobite didn’t exist.

Now it does, and when Kraft’s former PhD student Valéria Vaškaninová and Ahlberg were working on fossil fishes from the region using synchrotron microtomography, they got in touch with Kraft.

“It was clearly an unselective feeder, basically gobbling up whatever it encountered that was small enough to fit in its mouth, or fragile enough to be broken up with ease,” Ahlberg said. “We can’t really be sure whether the food items were alive, or dead, or a mix of the two.”

The researchers believe the trilobite owes its immaculate preservation to being engulfed and buried by an underwater mud flow. That would make the case of the trilobite surprisingly similar to a remarkable fossil of a mammal and a beaked dinosaur entwined with one another, which was described in a paper published in Scientific Reports in July.

In a gnarly twist, the fossil also showed evidence of burrowing by other scavengers; that is, after the trilobite died, it was itself scavenged by other bottom feeders. Those scavengers tried to get at the trilobite’s soft tissue, the team noted, but avoided the animal’s gut. That may be because the trilobite’s digestive tract had some sort of noxious conditions that made it a less-than-appetizing meal for other Ordovician eaters.

The fossil is a remarkable window into life as a trilobite, and a rare example of how well-preserved remains can reveal about the ancient past.

 Gizmodo

DNA remnants found in fossil of 6 million year old turtle

Reuters
Thu, September 28, 2023 

Researchers excavate the 6 million year old fossil remains of a sea turtle of the genus Lepidochelys near La Pina along the Caribbean coast of Panama

(Reuters) - Remnants of DNA have been discovered in fossilized remains dating to 6 million years ago of a sea turtle closely related to today's Kemp's ridley and olive ridley turtles, marking one of the rare times genetic material has been identified in such ancient fossils of a vertebrate, researchers said on Thursday.

The researchers said some bone cells, called osteocytes, were exquisitely preserved in the fossil, which was excavated along Panama's Caribbean coast in 2015. The fossil is partial, with a relatively complete carapace - the turtle's shell - but not the rest of the skeleton. The turtle would have been about a foot (30 cm) long when alive, they said.

In some of the osteocytes, the cell nuclei were preserved and reacted to a chemical solution that allowed the researchers to recognize the presence of remnants of DNA, the molecule that carries genetic information for an organism's development and functioning, said paleontologist Edwin Cadena, lead author of the study published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.

"I want to point out that we did not extract DNA, we only were able to recognize the presence of DNA traces in the nuclei," added Cadena, of Universidad del Rosario in Bogota and the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute.


DNA is quite perishable, though in the right conditions it has been preserved in some ancient remains. Researchers last year reported the discovery of DNA from animals, plants and microbes dating to about 2 million years ago from sediment at Greenland's remote northernmost point.

Cadena said the only older vertebrate fossils than the newly described turtle to have been found with similar DNA remnants were of two dinosaurs - Tyrannosaurus, which lived about 66 million years ago, and Brachylophosaurus, which lived about 78 million years ago. Cadena said DNA remnants also have been reported in insects dating to tens of millions of years ago.

The turtle is from the same genus - Lepidochelys - as two of the world's seven living species of sea turtles - the Kemp's ridley, the world's smallest sea turtle, and the olive ridley, Cadena said. Kemp's ridley, with a triangular-shaped head and a slightly hooked beak, is primarily found in the Gulf of Mexico. The olive ridley, which closely resembles the Kemp's ridley, has a larger distribution, primarily found in the tropical regions of the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic oceans.

The fossil represents the oldest-known member of Lepidochelys and helps to shed light on the poorly understood evolutionary history of this genus, the researchers said. They did not identify it by species because the remains were too incomplete, Cadena said.

"Each fossil, each fossil site has specific conditions of preservation that in some cases could have favored preservation of original biomolecular remains such as proteins and DNA," Cadena said.

"Maybe in the future and with more studies of this kind, we could be able at some point to sequence very small pieces of DNA and to infer things about their close relatives or involve that information in a broader molecular evolutionary study," Cadena added.

(Reporting by Will Dunham in Washington; Additional reporting by Elida Moreno; Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)

This 6-million-year-old turtle shell still has some DNA
Laura Baisas
Fri, September 29, 2023

The researchers found preserved bone cells in the carapace, which exhibited structures like the nucleus of a cell, where DNA traces were found.


Sea turtles have been around for at least 110 million years, yet relatively little is known about their evolution. Two of the most common sea turtles on Earth are olive ridley and Kemp’s ridley turtles that belong to a genus called Lepidochelys that could help fill in some of the gaps of sea turtle biology and evolution. A team of paleontologists not only discovered the oldest known fossil of turtle from the Lepidochelys genus, but also found some traces of ancient turtle DNA. The findings are detailed in a study published September 28 in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.

The DNA comes from the remains of a turtle shell first uncovered in 2015 in the Chagres Formation on Panama’s Caribbean coast. It represents the oldest known fossil evidence of Lepidochelys turtles. The turtle lived approximately 6 million years ago, curing the upper Miocene Epoch. At this time, present day Panama’s climate was getting cooler and drier, sea ice was accumulating at Earth’s poles, rainfall was decreasing, sea levels were falling.

“The fossil was not complete, but it had enough features to identify it as a member of the Lepidochelys genus,” study co-author and Universidad del Rosario in Bogotá, Colombia paleontologist Edwin Cadena tells PopSci. Cadena is also a research associate at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama.

The team detected preserved bone cells called osteocytes. These bone cells are the most abundant cells in vertebrates and they have nucleus-like structures. The team used a solution called DAPI to test the osteocytes for genetic material.

“In some of them [the osteocytes], the nuclei were preserved and reacted to DAPI, a solution that allowed us to recognize remains of DNA. This is the first time we have documented DNA remains in a fossilized turtle millions of years old,” says Cadena.

According to the study, fossils like this one from vertebrates preserved in this part of Panama are important for our understanding of the biodiversity that was present when the Isthmus of Panama first emerged roughly 3 million years ago. This narrow strip of land divided the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean and joined North and South America. It created a land bridge that made it easier for some animals and plants to migrate between the two continents.

This specimen could also have important implications for the emerging field of molecular paleontology. Scientists in this field study ancient and prehistoric biomatter including proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and DNA that can sometimes be extracted from fossils.

Molecular paleontology aims to determine if scientists can use this type of evidence to determine more about the organisms than their physical shape, which is typically what is preserved in most fossils. Extracting this tiny material from bones was critical in sequencing the Neanderthal genome, which earned Swedish scientist Svante Pääbo the 2022 Nobel prize in physiology or medicine.

“Many generations have grown up with the idea of extracting and bringing back to life extinct organisms,” says Cadena. “However, that is not the real purpose of molecular paleontology. Instead, its goal is to trace, document, and understand how complex biomolecules such as DNA and proteins can be preserved in fossils.”

This new turtle specimen could help other molecular paleontologists better understand how soft tissues can be preserved over time. It could also shift the idea that original biomolecules like proteins or DNA have a specific timeline for preservation in fossils and encourage re-examining older specimens for traces of biomolecules.

A giant moon collision may have given rise to Saturn's iconic rings, study suggests

Tereza Pultarova

SPACE . COM
Thu, September 28, 2023 

A giant moon collision may have given rise to Saturn's iconic rings, study suggests

A collision between two ancient icy moons that may have once orbited Saturn could have given rise to the planet's iconic ring system, a new study reveals.

Saturn is probably the most eye-catching planet in the solar system, but it may also be one of the most mind-boggling. Surrounded by a series of seven concentric rings and orbited by an army of 245 moons, the gas giant, second in size only to Jupiter, has puzzled astronomers for centuries.

A new study may have found an answer to one of Saturn's mysteries — the origin of its rings. The study, based on dozens of computer simulations, used data collected by NASA's Cassini mission that orbited Saturn for 13 years between 2004 and 2017. The probe found the material that makes up the rings, first observed by Galileo Galilei in 1610, consists of icy fragments that are very pristine and unpolluted by dust. Those Cassini findings suggested that the iconic rings of Saturn must be fairly young, only a few million years old, and that for the majority of the solar system's 4.5 billion-year history, the iconic Saturn looked much more bland.

Related: Saturn's moon Enceladus has all the ingredients for life in its icy oceans. But is life there?

The researchers behind the new study, a team consisting of experts from NASA and Durham University in the U.K., speculated that the rings may have formed from a relatively recent collision of two ancient icy moons. They used powerful supercomputers to simulate nearly 200 scenarios of such a collision.

The results revealed that a collision between two moons about as large as Saturn's current moons Dione and Rhea (which have diameters equivalent to one third and a little under a half of Earth's moon diameter respectively), could explain the existence of those rings.

"We tested a hypothesis for the recent formation of Saturn’s rings and have found that an impact of icy moons is able to send enough material near to Saturn to form the rings that we see now," Vincent Eke, Associate Professor in the Department of Physics/Institute for Computational Cosmology at Durham University, said in a statement.

Although the rings are made almost purely from ice, scientists think that Saturn's icy moons have rocky cores. The simulations confirmed that the icy fragments and the rocky bits would scatter in different ways after a collision, allowing the rocks to coalesce into new moons while the ice would get dispersed in orbits closer to Saturn's surface.

Rings can only form around celestial bodies within the Roche limit, a boundary where the gravity of the orbiting material is weaker than the tidal forces of the body it orbits.

The simulations show that many of the hypothetical collisions would inject a lot of ice into lower altitudes while the rocks would clump together in higher orbits.

RELATED STORIES:

— Detecting life on Saturn moon Enceladus would require 100 flybys through its geyser plume, study suggests

— Saturn's moon Enceladus is blasting a plume of water 6,000 miles high. Could life be lurking under its icy shell?

— If we want to find life on Saturn's moon Enceladus, we need to rule out Earthly hitchhikers

"This scenario naturally leads to ice-rich rings because when the progenitor moons smash into one another, the rock in the cores of the colliding bodies is dispersed less widely than the overlying ice," Eke said.

Saturn's ice-covered moons are of great interest to scientists as some of them, such as the tiny Enceladus, might harbor conditions suitable for the emergence of life. There is still a lot that scientists don't know about Saturn and its past, and the results of the study are only a small step toward cracking the planet's mysteries.

The study was published in The Astrophysical Journal on Sept. 27.

How did Saturn get its rings? NASA might have answers

Bill Shannon
Wed, September 27, 2023 



(WTAJ) — Saturn is a visual marvel in our solar system, but how did it get those awe-inspiring rings? A new series of NASA supercomputer simulations might have the answer.

In fact, they believe the rings formed back when dinosaurs roamed the Earth. NASA released a video explaining that the rings potentially evolved from debris created after two icy moons smashed into each other a few hundred million years ago. The debris may have also combined to create some of Saturn’s 145 moons.

How to see the ‘ring of fire’ eclipse this October, total solar eclipse in April ’24

“There’s so much we still don’t know about the Saturn system, including its moons that host environments that might be suitable for life,” said Jacob Kegerreis, a research scientist at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley. “So, it’s exciting to use big simulations like these to explore in detail how they could have evolved.”

NASA’s Cassini mission made scientists question just how young Saturn’s rings and some moons might actually be. This opened up new questions about how everything formed around Saturn.

Saturn’s rings currently live in the Roche limit. It’s the farthest orbit where a planet’s gravity is powerful enough to tear apart large pieces of rock or ice, according to NASA. Beyond this point, these materials could have formed moons.

“When the icy progenitor moons smash into one another, the rock in the cores of the colliding bodies is dispersed less widely than the overlying ice,” said Vincent Eke, an associate professor at Durham University’s Department of Physics and Institute for Computational Cosmology.

Scientists simulated nearly 200 versions of the impact and found several scenarios that would scatter the right amount of ice into Saturn’s Roche limit, creating those iconic rings. This would explain why Saturn’s rings are made of almost entirely ice chunks.

Your Guide To Surviving Your Saturn Return

• 
  
• 
  
• Collette Grimes
  Wed, September 27, 2023

  
  There are fewer astrological events that cause more panic than a Saturn returnwith Mercury retrograde being a close second.
• Known as a years-long period of suck, a Saturn return usually starts around one's 27th birthday, bringing in a wave of chaos and upheaval, as well as offering perspective-altering epiphanies via life-shattering situations. Saturn returns illicit such fear because it breaks you down to build you up. Representing responsibility, discipline and moral obligations, you can think of Saturn as the big daddy of all planets, enforcing structure wherever needed. When the seven ringed-planet returns to the same place it was when you were born, it will force you to learn the life lessons you need in order to move forward and grow. It will give you its hardest battles to test your strength as a spiritual soldier.
• 
  While it's impossible to predict exactly what potential storms your Saturn return will bring your way, building healthy coping mechanisms and bolstering your support system can help you ride its waves. Hypebae sat down with astrologer and tattoo artist
• 
  
• What is a Saturn return?
  
  Saturn return is when Saturn returns to the sign and degree your natal Saturn is at. It is an astrological coming of age that prepares you for future transits that impact your later life. Think of it as the gateway to your truest self. What Saturn does during his return is he takes away things in your life that no longer serve you. He makes you slow down and really take a look at the foundation of your life.
  What does the planet Saturn symbolize?
  
  Saturn is ruled by Capricorn and ultimately Saturn symbolizes time. The other things he brings to the table are contraction, control, discipline, boundaries -- just to name a few. He represents above and below -- bringing to reality concepts that have been working in the shadows for quite some time. During his "return," he brings a lot of this to light in your life.
• 
  When does it usually occur in a person's life?
  
  For most of us, there are three Saturn returns. They happen on average every 29.5 years though you can go through your return anywhere from 27 to 31 for the first one.
  
  Even if you have your Saturn in a late degree, you can still feel the shift in your life as Saturn moves into your natal sign. This does not mean your return starts when Saturn moves signs however. Your Saturn return is specifically when Saturn is conjunct, meaning the same degree, as your natal Saturn. This sometimes can last just a few months, but for others if your natal sign is retrograded, you can feel it for quite some time.
  What signs are most impacted?
  
  If you look at your chart at the circle in the middle, you can see what planets Saturn is connected to. Those lines are called aspects and you can see what planets will be impacted based on what Saturn is aspected to. Any planets Saturn is conjunct with will be impacted as well. A conjunction is usually when planets fall between 0 and 8 degrees of one another. The closer the degree the stronger the conjunction, meaning they operate more as "one planet" or a team rather than individually.
  Can one prepare for a Saturn return? How do you best get through it?
  
  Just roll with Saturns punches. His bark is worse than his bite -- I promise you that. The more you push back the harder it is. Saturn is the planet of contraction and you've gotta breathe through contractions in order to feel expansion. So look at this moment in your life as a doorway or a gateway to this next chapter. Remember -- growing is painful, that's how you know you're getting taller and wiser.
  

LA REVUE GAUCHE - Left Comment: Search results for ASTROLOGY 

LA REVUE GAUCHE - Left Comment: Search results for POLITICAL ASTROLOGY 

https://hermetic.com/crowley/the-rites-of-eleusis/saturn#the-rite-of-saturn

Chinese astronauts light a match on Tiangong space station (video)

DANGER, DANGER, WILL ROBINSION

Andrew Jones
Thu, September 28, 2023



China's Shenzhou 16 astronauts conducted an eye-raising experiment in space involving open flames aboard the Tiangong space station.

Astronauts Gui Haichao and Zhu Yangzhu lit a candle during a live lecture broadcast from China's Tiangong space station on Sept. 21 to demonstrate how flames burn in microgravity. Strikingly, the flames appear nearly spherical, rather than the teardrop-shaped flames we're familiar with back on Earth.

Lit candles on Earth produce flames shaped through buoyancy-driven convection, with hot air rising and cold air descending. That combustion convection current is weak in the microgravity environment of low Earth orbit, however. This means flames diffuse in all directions, resulting in spherical fireballs.

The livestreamed lecture was the fourth so-called "Tiangong classroom" hosted on China's space station. The astronauts interacted with students in five classrooms across China, demonstrating a number of microgravity phenomena. As with previous classrooms, the astronauts demonstrated that many physical processes behave differently than they do on Earth.

However the candle experiment — in which Gui strikes a match to produce an open flame to light the candle — would likely be met by surprise by International Space Station participants, who have strict rules regarding flammable materials and open flames.

RELATED STORIES:

— Fire on the space station! Astronauts preparing ongoing combustion research.

— The International Space Station will eventually die by fire

— Fire Burns Differently in Space, Space Station Experiment Shows

Strict fire safety measures aboard the ISS are in part a response to a significant fire on the Russian space station Mir in in 1997.

Combustion in microgravity has been the subject of numerous experiments on the ISS, but usually using a specially-designed combustion integrated rack, keeping fire isolated and contained.

Tiangong also has its Combustion Experiment Rack (CER) for serious research in this area.