‘So unjust’: Polish lawyers offer legal aid amid abortion help ban


By AFP
 July 23, 2024

Poland still has one of Europe's most restrictive rules on terminating pregnancies, which even outlaw abortion assistance and punish it by up to three years in jail - Copyright AFP/File Wojtek Radwanski
Magdalena PACIOREK

As Polish lawmakers debated easing stringent abortion laws, Warsaw-based lawyer Jerzy Podgorski was in court defending a man from the remote town of Pinczow charged with aiding his partner’s abortion.

Despite recent efforts to loosen the policy, Poland still has one of Europe’s most restrictive rules on terminating pregnancies, which even outlaw abortion assistance and punish it by up to three years in jail.

The ruling alliance, split on the issue, was unable to garner enough support this month to pass a bill that would decriminalise the act.

Podgorski’s client, identified as Grzegorz, was found guilty this month of providing his long-time partner with pills to terminate their pregnancy at her request.

It was the second such high-profile case for the seasoned lawyer.

Last year, he represented Justyna Wydrzynska, Poland’s first pro-choice activist sentenced to community service for supplying a pregnant woman with abortion pills.

“Every such case is one case too many,” Podgorski told AFP.

“It is so unjust that it makes my blood boil, this whole situation of restricting women’s reproductive rights.”

He said he felt an “inner urge” to help in abortion-related legal cases — often for free.

– ‘Complete violation’ –

In Poland, women can only get an abortion in the hospital if the pregnancy results from sexual assault or incest or poses a direct threat to the life or health of the mother.

No law penalises them if they carry out their own abortion, for instance with pills ordered online through organisations based in EU countries where the procedure is legal.

But for Podgorski, outlawed abortion assistance is a rule “indirectly aimed at women themselves”.

The goal “is to isolate a woman who wants to terminate her pregnancy from the whole world, to make her completely alone… because anyone who helped her would be punished”, he said.

Podgorski said the case of Grzegorz, who refused to speak to media, served as an example of repression against women.

Police first detained Grzegorz’s partner, he told AFP, which took place “right in front of her home when she was walking her children back from kindergarten”.

“The police acted in complete violation of any criminal procedures.”

After defending Wydrzynska, the pro-choice activist, Podgorski joined the “Lawyers Pro Abo” nonprofit.

“In our opinion, the right to terminate an unwanted pregnancy, as well as the right to use a chosen method of contraception, are human rights that should be protected by the state,” the organisation said on its website.

– ‘My own abortion’ –

To Karolina Gierdal, an anti-discrimination lawyer, the decision to join the group seemed obvious.

“My personal breakthrough was probably my own abortion, when I ordered pills and performed a medical abortion myself,” Gierdal told AFP.

She is among the lawyers who offer legal advice via the group’s email and helpline.

“Our everyday reality begins with the immense fear of the pregnant person,” Gierdal said, adding that women who seek abortions are afraid to put their close ones in danger.

The rules against abortion assistance cause “a lot of anxiety about where such help begins and ends — can my friend be with me? Can they pass me a hot-water bottle?”

Women trying to terminate their pregnancies are forced to consider preventative measures to ensure their partners aren’t held responsible, Gierdal said.

“The whole circle that should be a circle of support for the person is suddenly criminalised,” she added.

“My own abortion gives me the strength to fight so that other people can also have one safely and with the full support of their loved ones.”

– ‘Saved many women’ –

Kamila Ferenc was selected by Poland’s bar as last year’s top defence lawyer for her fight for women’s rights in the predominantly Catholic country.

Ferenc, who works with the Federa women’s rights group, said she learned the ins and outs of the reproductive rights through the nonprofit.

“It terrified me how women are disrespected and their rights violated, how they are humiliated in Polish hospitals, how doctors harm their patients and disregard them,” Ferenc told AFP.

“I decided to roll up my sleeves” and do something, she said.

Ferenc did not shy away from prominent cases like that of the woman who last year ordered abortion pills and, after getting ratted out by her psychologist, had her flat raided by the police and was subjected to a hospital strip search.

“I deeply believe that when evil occurs, it must be confronted,” Ferenc said.

Among her biggest successes, Ferenc counts an ombudsman’s decision to recognise risks to women’s mental, not just physical, health as a valid reason for legal abortion.

Ferenc had earlier filed a complaint after a young woman she represented was refused an abortion despite evidence of the pregnancy’s risk to her mental health.

“Thanks to such actions, we’ve saved many women.”

Colombia president enacts law banning bullfighting


By AFP

 July 23, 2024


Colombian President Gustavo Petro (C) during the signing of the law banning bullfighting - Copyright AFP/File Wojtek Radwanski

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has enacted a law banning bullfighting, ending a practice that had been constitutionally recognized as part of the country’s culture.

In front of a crowd gathered at the bullring in the capital Bogota, renamed the Santamaria Cultural Square, Petro on Monday celebrated ending the “right to kill” animals for entertainment.

“Culture, and even less the justice (system), cannot say that it is culture to kill sentient beings, living creatures, for pleasure,” said Petro, in reference to a 2018 Constitutional Court ruling permitting bullfights in places with such a tradition.

“If we have fun by killing an animal, we will have fun by killing human beings,” Petro said, addressing the crowd which included animal rights activists.

Spectators chanted “No more ‘ole’!”, a slogan used during the legislative process by supporters of the law, which was passed by congress in late May.

Luana Delgado, an influencer and anti-bullfighting activist, underlined the importance of the ban being enacted at Bogota’s bullring.

“A place where you saw blood, where you saw death, now you will see culture,” she said.

The nationwide legislation paves the way for bullrings to be transformed into cultural spaces or sports venues.

Jesus Merchan, an animal rights campaigner, said to applause: “Today, we put an end to a long history of suffering.”

The new law will be enforced from 2027, allowing time to convert arenas and provide alternative jobs to those who rely directly or indirectly on bullfighting.

Colombia joins other Latin American countries that have outlawed bullfighting, including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Guatemala and Uruguay.

Bullfights are still held in Ecuador, Mexico, Peru and Venezuela, as well as in European nations France, Spain and Portugal.

Uganda police detain protesters as anti-graft rallies begin


By AFP
July 23, 2024

Police in anti-riot gear were out in force - Copyright AFP/File Wojtek Radwanski

Ugandan police detained several demonstrators in the capital Kampala on Tuesday, according to an AFP journalist, as scattered anti-corruption rallies began despite being banned by authorities.

President Yoweri Museveni, who has ruled the East African country with an iron fist for almost four decades, had warned the demonstrators at the weekend they were “playing with fire”.

On the eve of the rally, Ugandan authorities had cracked down on the opposition, besieging the headquarters of the National Unity Platform (NUP) of former presidential candidate Bobi Wine and arresting several of his party’s MPs.

Police were out in force across Kampala on Tuesday, with police spokesman Kituuma Rusoke saying the authorities will “not allow a demonstration that will risk peace and security of the country”.

Several protesters were arrested as small rallies began, an AFP journalist said, including two near parliament.

“Corruption has to end today,” one of them shouted — wearing a T-shirt calling for the resignation of a leading government politician — as they were detained by heavily armed officers.

There were roadblocks on mostly quiet streets, especially near Kampala’s business district, that were heavily manned by police officers in anti-riot gear with some wearing camouflage uniforms.

Posters shared online ahead of the rallies urged demonstrators to march to parliament, but nearby roads were cut off by security forces.

The call to action over corruption has been organised online, drawing inspiration from the mostly Gen-Z led anti-government protests that have roiled neighbouring Kenya for a month.

“We are the youths and heart of our country and we are not letting down our country,” leading Ugandan protester Shamim Nambasa told AFP on Monday.



– ‘All belong’ –



A heavy police presence also remained in place around NUP headquarters in a suburb of Kampala, an AFP journalist said, a day after opposition leader Wine said the building was “under siege” by police and army officers.

On Monday three lawmakers with the opposition group were detained by police on “various offences and remanded to prison,” according to the police spokesperson who did not give further details on the charges.

Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, had called Monday for people to support the anti-corruption demonstrations.

“We want a country where we all belong not for the few in power,” he said.

A NUP spokesperson confirmed three legislators — named as Francis Zaake, Charles Tebandeke and Hassan Kirumira — along with seven others connected to the party, had been detained.

Tuesday’s march has been organised on social media by young Ugandans with the hashtag #StopCorruption.

Graft is a major issue in Uganda, with several major scandals involving public officials, and the country is ranked a lowly 141 out of 180 countries on Transparency International’s corruption index.

Earlier this year, the United States and Britain imposed sanctions on several Ugandan officials including parliamentary speaker Anita Among and two former ministers over alleged corruption.

Bangladesh arrest total approaches 1,200: AFP tally


By AFP
July 23, 2024

Bangladesh army personnel are manning checkpoints in the capital Dhaka, which is under curfew after days of violence - Copyright AFP Munir UZ ZAMAN

The number of arrests in days of violence in Bangladesh approached the 1,200 mark in an AFP tally on Tuesday, after protests over employment quotas sparked widespread unrest.

At least 173 people have died, including several police officers, according to a separate AFP count of victims reported by police and hospitals.

What began as demonstrations against politicised admission quotas for sought-after government jobs snowballed last week into some of the worst unrest of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s tenure.

The student group leading the demonstrations suspended its protests Monday for 48 hours, with its leader saying they had not wanted reform “at the expense of so much blood”.

A curfew has been imposed and soldiers deployed across the South Asian country, while a nationwide internet blackout since Thursday has drastically restricted the flow of information.

On Sunday, the Supreme Court pared back the number of reserved jobs for specific groups, including the descendants of “freedom fighters” from Bangladesh’s 1971 liberation war against Pakistan.

The restrictions remained in place Tuesday after the army chief said the law and order situation had been brought “under control”.

At least 200 people had been arrested in the central districts of Narayanganj and Narsingdi, their police chiefs told AFP, while at least 80 had been held in Bogra.

At least 168 had been arrested in the industrial city of Gazipur, 75 in the northern city of Rangpur, and 60 in Barisal in the south, senior police officials said.

In the rural and industrial part of Dhaka 80 people were arrested, on top of an earlier figure of at least 532 for the capital itself, giving a total of 1,195.

There was a heavy military presence in Dhaka on Tuesday, with bunkers set up at some intersections and key roads blocked with barbed wire.

But more people were on the streets, as were hundreds of rickshaws.

“I did not drive rickshaws the first few days of curfew, But today I didn’t have any choice,” rickshaw driver Hanif told AFP. “If I don’t do it, my family will go hungry.”

Internet blackout paints dark picture for Bangladesh call centres


By AFP
July 23, 2024

Bangladesh's outsourcing firms face closures and redundancies after the government imposed an internet blackout to quell protests - Copyright AFP Tony KARUMBA
Eyamin SAJID

Hundreds of thousands of Bangladeshis work in outsourcing firms and the industry generates billions every year, but executives fear the internet shutdown imposed by authorities seeking to quell anti-government protests threatens its entire existence.

Packed into tiny desks in cramped office spaces, ranks of workers provide international clients with support services in the form of live voice and text chat, back office support, email support, invoicing, online store management, image processing and more.

The industry, known as business process outsourcing (BPO), generates estimated annual revenues of two billion dollars in Bangladesh.

But it now faces the threat of closures and redundancies, after authorities imposed an internet shutdown Thursday to quell protests against employment quotas that have spiralled into deadly unrest.

“When a five-minute delay is not acceptable in this line of work, a total blackout is nothing short of a disaster,” said Fahim Mashroor, tech entrepreneur and former president of the Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services.

He is CEO of Bdjobs.com, which provides services to clients from 13 countries, including German sportswear maker Puma and Swedish fashion brand Ellos.

“All of our communication is done through email and when internet was disconnected suddenly, we couldn’t let the client know about our situation.”

The government announced broadband internet would be restored Tuesday evening, but executives believe it is already too late.

BPO groups say the industry has been losing $7 million a day since the internet shutdown began, and Bangladeshi companies believe regional rivals in India, the Philippines and Vietnam will be hoovering up their clients.

“It took us 10 years to build a clientele of 150 and I fear I lost all of them in a few days,” said Monir Hosen, managing director of call centre firm Creative Clipping Path, which employs around 300 people.

“Bangladesh’s reputation will be permanently damaged for the clients,” he said.

BPO firm ASL employs 200 staff and provides 24/7 back-office support to two major clients in the EU.

But founder and CEO Zayed Uddin Ahmed fears he may soon have to close down and dismiss his workers.

Many international clients demand uninterrupted service for real-time communication, feedback and payment processing, he said.

“They are reliant on us 24 hours a day and if we don’t provide what they need, they will divert the orders to our neighbouring and competitor countries,” he said.

“The extent of losses is immeasurable for us.”



– ‘My family will be destitute’ –



One trainer at his company, Jannati Tazrimin, said she and others feared for their jobs.

“Since we work on a project basis, everyone in my project would lose their job if the client cancels the contract with us because of the blackout,” she said.

“Not only me — the anxiety of losing their jobs has gripped my entire team.

“I want to get back to work. I need it desperately. But for that, I want internet service back immediately,” she added.

The situation for Humayun Kabir, a production manager of Creative Clipping Path, is worse than at any time during his 11 years in the industry.

Even during the Covid pandemic, he did not fear unemployment.

“But for the first time, I am afraid of losing my job,” the father of two said.

The firm’s customers expect timely delivery of processed images so that they can upload them to e-commerce sites.

“Somalia and Nigeria have already emerged as tough competitors offering lower rates,” Kabir told AFP, adding that losing clients to them could lead to he and his colleagues being laid off.

“At mid-career, I will not be able to change my profession,” the 36-year-old added.

“My family will be destitute.”

Scattered anti-government protests in Kenya

By AFP
July 23, 2024

Anti-government protests have rocked Kenya for more than a month - Copyright AFP ALAIN JOCARD

Hillary ORINDE

Hundreds of protesters took to the streets across Kenyan towns on Tuesday in defiance of a police ban, the latest in a series of demonstrations that have rocked the East African nation.

Activists led by young Gen-Z Kenyans launched peaceful rallies last month over steep tax increases but they spiralled into deadly violence, before morphing into wider anger against President William Ruto’s government.

While Ruto has taken a series of measures to try to end the worst crisis of his near two-year presidency, including dropping the tax hikes, activists have vowed to pursue their protest action.

In the capital Nairobi, shops and offices were shut as some protesters mobilised to march to the main Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), one of the busiest in Africa.

Police had warned against the march, saying trespassing on protected areas, including airports, would risk prosecution.

“There is no doubt that the current demonstrations have become a haven for goons, motivated and opportunistic offenders to loot and destroy property,” acting national police chief Douglas Kanja told reporters.

“We wish to reiterate that any person who breaks the law will be dealt with swiftly, firmly and decisively.”

Heavily-armed police were deployed on the roads leading to the airport, while aviation authorities told passengers to arrive hours before flights due to more security checks.

Protesters had sought to occupy the airport in response to reports that the government was planning to enter a deal to lease JKIA to an Indian firm, a move the government has denied.

In the coastal city of Mombasa, police fired tear gas at dozens of protesters who had gathered in the city centre, according to images broadcast on local media.

Elsewhere in the country, television broadcast images of people lighting bonfires in the western town of Migori and central Kirinyaga.

– ‘Broad-based government’ –



Tuesday’s demonstrations came as the lower house of parliament resumed with a debate on the finance bill containing the tax increases that was scrapped by Ruto last month.

Parliament precincts have been the epicentre of many of the marches and the scene of violent and sometimes deadly chaos, particularly on June 25 when protesters stormed and torched a section of the building and police fired live bullets at demonstrators.

At least 50 people have been killed and more than 400 wounded since the start of the protests on June 18, according to the state-funded Kenya National Commission on Human Rights.

Rights groups have accused police of using disproportionate force against the protesters.

Scrambling to contain the fallout, Ruto has embarked on a series of measures including government cuts and dismissing almost his entire cabinet.

The embattled leader named a partial new cabinet lineup last week but it includes several ministers who had been dismissed, infuriating many protesters.

Ruto has said he plans extensive consultations across different sectors and political groupings with the aim of setting up a “broad-based government”.

Ireland’s Aer Lingus settles pilot pay row

By AFP
July 23, 2024

Aer Lingus pilots have been on strike over pay - Copyright AFP/File Frederic J. BROWN

A long-running row over pay between Irish airline Aer Lingus and pilots that led to hundreds of flight cancellations was settled Tuesday after pilots accepted an 18-percent wage hike.

“This is the greatest pay award seen in 30 years for Aer Lingus pilots,” the head of the Irish Air Line Pilots’ Association (IALPA), Mark Tighe, told public broadcaster RTE.

IALPA had demanded a 24-percent hike to compensate for cost-of-living increases and cumulative inflation since a last pay rise in 2019.

The pilots launched work-to-rule industrial action on June 26 that ran for two weeks, and staged an eight-hour strike on June 29.

Aer Lingus axed 610 flights affecting around 84,000 passengers during the dispute.

The carrier said the industrial action removed the flexibility the airline needed to fly its summer schedule.

Ireland’s Labour Court, a body tasked with resolving industrial disputes, proposed a 17.75 percent pay increase and other measures including changes to pay scales and the termination of a debt owed by pilots to Aer Lingus.

“(The deal) is a very positive development for intending travellers and the tourism sector,” Clare Dunne, chief executive of the Irish Travel Agents Association (ITAA), told RTE.

BBC to axe 500 more jobs in bid to be ‘more agile’ 

WTF DOES THAT MEAN


By AFP
July 23, 2024

The BBC is based at Broadcasting House in central London - Copyright AFP Justin TALLIS

The BBC is to axe 500 jobs over the next 20 months in a bid to save £200 million ($258 million) and become a “leaner, more agile organisation,” the British public service broadcaster announced Tuesday.

The redundancies, to be achieved by closing and transferring some roles and creating others in “growth areas”, are the latest layoffs as the BBC copes with squeezed funding and inflationary pressures.

The broadcaster, which relies heavily on an annual £169.50 licence fee paid by every UK household watching live channels on a television, is also grappling with wider changes in media consumption such as streaming and on-demand services.

It will shed the 500 jobs by March 2026, after already reducing its headcount by 10 percent in the last five years — a reduction of almost 2,000 roles.

Detailing the changes in its annual report published Tuesday, the BBC said the move was part of “accelerating our digital-first approach to reach audiences where they are”.

“Over the course of the next two years, we will look to further move the money we have into the priority areas that provide real value for audiences,” it said.

In his review of the past year, director-general Tim Davie said years of below-inflation licence fee settlements had “chipped away” at its income and put “serious pressure on our finances”.

Although inflation-linked rises have been reinstated, he noted the broadcaster had experienced a 30-percent real terms cut from 2010 to 2020 and “a tough couple of years of flat funding”.

The BBC collected £80 million less in licence fee income in the last year, driven by a two percent decline in sales volumes and flat licence fee pricing.

The number of active licences dropped from 24.4 million in 2022-23 to 23.9 million by the end of last year, according to the annual report.

“We need to create a leaner, more agile organisation, and make the most of the digital-first opportunity to redesign our processes, cut costs and serve audiences better,” Davie said.

“We also need to consider how best to fund the BBC in the long term to secure all the benefits of universal public service broadcasting in the future.”

The BBC chief said that would also require discussions with the government about the “right way” to fund the BBC World Service at “a critical moment for democracy worldwide”.

Why are the poor most impacted by climate change?


By Dr. Tim Sandle
July 21, 2024
DIGITAL JOURNAL

Bilal Moussa, 34, smokes near the waters off Tripoli that almost swallowed him -- but he vows to try again to flee Lebanon's poverty - Copyright AFP/File Anthony WALLACE

The recent spell of warm weather and, in some cases, scorching temperatures, may have been hotter than reported for those living in underserved urban areas, especially within parts of the U.S.

This is because in more impoverished areas within cities such locales are typically hotter than their wealthier neighbourhoods. Dubbed “urban heat islands,” these communities have more buildings, less vegetation and somewhat higher population density, which combine to produce the heating effect.

New research from Duke University has shown that citizen science tools used to gauge heat in these urban areas likely understate the problem of heat islands. The researchers also suggest a statistical method to improve estimates of urban heat.

The research appears in the journal Environmental Science and Technology Letters.

“The poorest areas of a city also tend to have the fewest number of weather stations to pull data from, so if we’re going to rely on their data, we either need to add more ground sensors or try to adjust for the missing data,” said Zach Calhoun, at Duke.

Calhoun adds: “While having accurate temperature data might be important for residents going on their day-to-day business, it’s especially important for policymakers relying on the data to make well-informed decisions.”

He follows up with following observations about climate extremes and health: “Extreme heat also leads to poor air quality, and the resulting impacts on respiratory and cardiovascular health should be monitored for the benefit of all,” added Marily Black, public health scientist for Underwriter’s Laboratory (UL) Chemical Insights Research Institute and coauthor of the paper. “This is especially true for the vulnerable in urban areas such as children and those who are economically disadvantaged.”

These data come from the popular weather website Weather Underground, which was founded in 1995 as an offshoot of the University of Michigan’s internet weather database. The app works by pulling data not just from official government weather stations, which are relatively sparse, but from weather stations set up by citizen scientists essentially in their own gardens.

Today, Weather Underground receives data from more than 250,000 of these personal weather stations. In 2012, it was acquired by The Weather Channel, which also relies on this network of private stations.

While not exorbitantly expensive, personal weather stations cost several hundred dollars each. As one might expect, they’re more commonly purchased and set up in wealthier neighbourhoods than in poorer ones. And that can cause issues when relying on a large number of them for weather information.

The research appears in Environmental Science and Technology Letters, titled “Refining Citizen Climate Science: Addressing Preferential Sampling for Improved Estimates of Urban Heat.”

Just how serious was the Microsoft outage?


By Dr. Tim Sandle
July 21, 2024
DIGITAL JOURNAL

A data center: Network cables plugged into a server. — © Michael Bocchieri/AFP/Getty Images

The Windows outage caused by the CrowdStrike update is a wake-up call that spotlights the immense vulnerabilities of centralized systems and global cybersecurity, observes expert Denys Tsvaig.

He is a global cybersecurity technology expert, entrepreneur, columnist and author. Tsvaig gained unique experiences in Ukraine’s cyber war against Russia and is a partner of the Cyberpolice of Ukraine, the National Security and Defense Council, and he is a member of the Public Council at the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine and the Public Council of the Ombudsman for Personal Data Protection.

Tsvaig tells Digital Journal that he believes what we’ve witnessed within the last 24 hours is just the tip of the iceberg.

“Banks aren’t working. People can’t get their money. Families can’t buy food because supermarkets are down. Flights are canceled. There’s no power. Military stations are operating on backup generators and traffic lights are out resulting in accidents. Multiply this on a global scale and I’m afraid we will see the real consequences of a cyber war,” Tsvaig explains.

Tsvaig understands these problems firsthand, being on the receiving end of the Russian attacks on Ukraine in 2021 and he is an advocate of the benefits that blockchain technology offers as a solution to the weaknesses within centralized systems.

In a statement Tsvaig writes: “Decentralization, particularly through blockchain technology, offers a promising solution to these vulnerabilities. By distributing data and control across multiple nodes, decentralized systems can prevent single points of failure. Here’s how decentralization can revolutionize cybersecurity and digital resilience.”

He goes on to consider the explanation behind the current cybersecurity vulnerabilities and the importance of prioritizing long-term solutions.

Also commenting on the incident is Al Lakhani, CEO of IDEE, said: “Many people might be thanking Microsoft for their accidental day off, but countless businesses are suffering due to Microsoft’s and their partners’ failure to maintain their services. This incident underscores the importance of businesses thoroughly researching and vetting their cybersecurity solutions before implementation. Microsoft clearly fell short in this regard, and we are witnessing a cascade of operational failures around the world as a result.”

Photo: — © AFP Josep LAGO

He elucidates: “CrowdStrike’s platform approach, which relies on a single agent focused on detection, might seem good at first glance, but as we can see, it can create significant issues. For instance, agents require installation and maintenance of software on multiple different OSes, adding layers of complexity and potential points of failure. Moreover, agents can become a single point of failure, as a bad update can compromise the entire network, as seen with the SolarWinds attack.”

Furthermore, in drawing a conclusion: “The lesson here is blindingly obvious: investing in cybersecurity is not just about acquiring the latest or most popular tools but ensuring those tools are reliable and resilient. This is why businesses must prioritise agentless solutions like MFA 2.0, which reduce the risk of widespread failures and ensure more resilient defences.”

New antidote for cobra bites discovered


By Dr. Tim Sandle
July 22, 2024
DIGITAL JOURNAL

By Kamalnv CC BY 3.0

Scientists working at the University of Sydney and Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine have discovered that the commonly used blood thinner, heparin, can be repurposed as an inexpensive antidote for cobra venom.

Cobras kill thousands of people a year worldwide (around 138,000 people a year, based on current data). In addition, hundreds of thousands more people are seriously maimed by necrosis (the death of body tissue and cells) caused by the venom. Sometimes this can lead to amputation.

The World Health Organization has identified snakebite as a priority in its program for tackling neglected tropical diseases. It has announced an ambitious goal of reducing the global burden of snakebite in half by 2030.

Current antivenom treatment is expensive, especially in lower-income countries, and such treatments do not effectively treat the necrosis of the flesh at the site where the bite occurs. In particular, antivenoms are largely ineffective against severe local envenoming, which involves painful progressive swelling, blistering and/or tissue necrosis around the bite site. Envenomation is the process by which venom is injected by the bite or sting of a venomous animal.

“Our discovery could drastically reduce the terrible injuries from necrosis caused by cobra bites – and it might also slow the venom, which could improve survival rates,” observes Professor Greg Neely (from the Charles Perkins Centre and Faculty of Science at the University of Sydney).

By deploying clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) gene-editing technology to identify ways to block cobra venom, the research group successfully repurposed heparin and related drugs and showed they can stop the necrosis caused by cobra bites.

This approach was earlier used to identify an antidote to box jellyfish venom.

In the application for snake venom, CRISPR was used to find the human genes that cobra venom needs to cause necrosis that kills the flesh around the bite. One of the required venom targets are enzymes needed to produce the related molecules heparan and heparin, which many human and animal cells produce. Heparan is on the cell surface and heparin is released during an immune response.

The similar structure means the venom can bind to both. The team used this knowledge to make an antidote that can stop necrosis in human cells and mice.

In terms of biological function, the heparinoid drugs act as a ‘decoy’ antidote. By flooding the bite site with ‘decoy’ heparin sulphate or related heparinoid molecules, the antidote can bind to and neutralise the toxins within the venom that cause tissue damage.

The research has been published in the journal Science Translational Medicine. The research paper is titled “Molecular dissection of cobra venom highlights heparinoids as an antidote for spitting cobra envenoming.”