Regulator issues permit for New Mexico nuclear waste facility

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued a permit Tuesday, allowing Holtec International to build a facility (similar to the one pictured) to store nuclear waste in New Mexico. 

Photo courtesy Holtec International

May 9 (UPI) -- The agency that governs nuclear power in the United States issued a permit Tuesday to build a facility to store nuclear waste in New Mexico.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission permit goes against the wishes of both state and federal elected officials.

"I have been strongly opposed to the interim storage of spent nuclear fuel and high-level waste in New Mexico, which would pose serious risks to our communities. But today's announcement paves the way for New Mexico to be home for indefinite storage of spent nuclear fuel," Sen. Ben Ray Lujan D-N.M., told The Hill in a statement.

"This approach -- over the objections of many local, state, and federal leaders -- is unacceptable," he said.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, D-N.M., in March signed legislation prohibiting the facility from being built by Florida-based Holtec International.

It's not clear what effect her law would have on the NRC's federal permit.

Lujan Grisham called on President Joe Biden to intervene.

The NRC permit grants Holtec the right to build the consolidated interim storage facility for spent nuclear fuel in the state's Lea County. The company can store 500 canisters, or approximately 8,680 metric tons, of spent nuclear fuel for 40 years.

Holtec said it plans to eventually apply for amended licenses in order to eventually store up to 10,000 canisters or approximately 173,600 metric tons over an additional 19 phases.

The company was founded in 1986 in New Jersey and specializes in manufacturing parts for nuclear reactors. It also offers existing nuclear waste storage services.

Despite having the permit, Holtec is not fully committed to moving ahead with the project.

"We're still working with our partners and the key stakeholders to understand what our paths are ... what our potential options are. Then we're going to head forward from that," the company's director of government affairs and communications Patrick O'Brien told the Albuquerque Journal in an interview Tuesday

The NRC permit allows Holtec to build a facility in New Mexico's Lea County to store approximately 8,680 metric tons of nuclear waste for 40 years, which is opposed by state and federal elected officials. Photo courtesy Holtec International

Korean firm to test AI robot on patrol of apartment complex

By Kim Tae-gyu, UPI News Korea & Kim Hae-wook

An autonomous robot patrols an apartment complex south of Seoul. HL Mando plans to test the commercial viability of the patrol robot this year before commercialization. Photo courtesy of HL Mando

May 9 (UPI) -- South Korea's autonomous driving solutions company HL Mando said Tuesday its AI robot is set to begin patrolling the grounds of a large apartment complex.

The company said it has signed a memorandum of understanding with real estate manager AJ Daewon to operate the robot in an exurb of Seoul.

Equipped with cameras and laser-based sensors, the robot will patrol predetermined routes to check for potential issues such as children/car safety, fire risks and parking violations, HL Mando said.

If the test run is successful, the firm plans to roll out the robots nationwide next year.

"All this year, we will do daytime test runs of the patrol robot, but once fully commercialized, it could be patrolling around the clock," an HL Mando spokesman told UPI News Korea.

"The robot is programmed to alert the control center when it senses any potential problems so that proper measures can be taken," he said.

HL Mando has been working on autonomous patrol robots for the past several years, testing various prototypes at locations like parks and factories.

"Working with AJ Daewon, we will be able to bring unmanned patrol robots, ones with practical use, to people. We will continue to develop unique AI products using our technological advantage," HL Mando Executive Vice President Choi Sung-ho said in a statement.

The share price of HL Mando was up 1.33% Tuesday on the South Korean stock exchange.

American Psychological Association issues recommendations for teen social media use

By Cara Murez, HealthDay News

The American Psychological Association on Tuesday issued 10 science-based recommendations for teen and preteen social media use, the first time it has done so.

Photo by Potstock/Shutterstock

It's easy for kids to get drawn into Instagram, Snapchat or TikTok, and a leading U.S. psychologists' group warns they need some training in social media literacy beforehand.

The American Psychological Association on Tuesday issued 10 science-based recommendations for teen and preteen social media use, the first time it has done so. The APA compares training in social media to getting a driver's license. Teens can't just hit the road without learning the rules.

"There are some ways that social media can benefit and there are some ways that it might cause harm," said Mitchell Prinstein, the APA's chief science officer. The report authors wanted to make sure their approach was balanced, he said.

There are certain psychological competencies kids should have before they use social media. These are tailored to strengths and the level of maturity that individual kids possess, the report noted.

Parents can help their youngsters develop those competencies, and they can also screen for problematic online behaviors, the report advised.

How parents can help

Among the skills parents can teach kids is knowing what's real and what isn't on these platforms.

RELATED Half of U.S. parents worry about social media's toll on kids' mental health

"We all have a natural tendency to believe what we see, to overgeneralize and assume that what we see is probably representative of a great number of people. We all have a tendency to compare ourselves to others. These are natural human characteristics," Prinstein said. "When we did it in the offline world and it was limited to only a certain amount of time and only in certain contexts, we were better able to handle that."

Having access to this around the clock with all these misperceptions and social comparisons can be concerning for children's psychological health, Prinstein said.

Another key point: Kids "should be informed explicitly and repeatedly, in age-appropriate ways, about the manner in which their behaviors on social media may yield data that can be used, stored, or shared with others, for instance, for commercial [and other] purposes," the report says.

RELATED Bipartisan Senate bill would ban social media accounts for kids younger than 13

The APA also wants to emphasize that some of this is the responsibility of tech designers or legislators.

"A platform that's designed to give the same exact experience to an 8-year-old versus an 80-year-old is not paying attention to what we know about kids' development and kids' unique vulnerabilities," Prinstein said.

The guidelines were compiled by a panel of excerpts in various types of child mental health, ranging from clinical child psychologists to school psychologists.

A substantial investment in research is necessary, the report noted, and it should include access to data from tech companies.

While the platforms can push a person to care about the numbers, not about developing positive relationships, they're not all bad.

"We do know that there are some benefits particularly for those from underrepresented groups. There's a real source of social support and helping to find others with similar identities or interests that social media can offer," Prinstein said. "And we wouldn't want to take that away from youth of color or youth with gender and sexual identities that might not match their families or most people in their school and communities."

Research also shows that kids are more likely to have diverse friendships online than in person because communities are still segregated, he said. They're also more likely to engage in civic activism.

Yet there are people out there who are teaching children to harm themselves and to hide it from their parents, Prinstein said.

"I think it's just important for parents to realize that without monitoring there's a good chance kids are going to experience this. And if they do, they might have a lot of questions," Prinstein said. "Similarly, a lot of kids are being exposed to cyber hate and there's research that shows that that's harmful not just to the victims, but to anyone who sees it."

What to watch for

Parents should be watchful for signs that social media use is interfering with daily life or with sleep, the report cautioned. They should monitor kids' social media use in early adolescence, from about age 10 to 14, increasing autonomy as they age. Monitoring should be balanced with youths' appropriate need for privacy, the report suggested.

"I think they did a really good job at highlighting both how to use it well and the benefits, and then also calling out the risks," said Ariana Hoet, executive clinical director for the children's mental health organization On Our Sleeves based in Columbus, Ohio. She was not involved with the report.

"In terms of the healthcare world that I'm a part of, it's a reminder that just like we're screening for things like depression and anxiety, we should be asking kids about their social media use and the impact," Hoet said. "How many hours are you spending on it? How do you feel after you use it? Is it impacting your sleep?"

Hoet, too, sees social media's good and bad elements.

"The APA report does talk about amplifying the pro-social acts, and I agree with that. We can learn a lot from each other. Build empathy. It allows for that interacting with groups that are outside of your own," she said.

The bad can include social comparison and the need to be constantly checking a phone, Hoet said.

Her organization encourages parents and caregivers to have conversations with their kids about social media. It also offers tools to help parents understand social media and how a child may use it, along with resources to help families create boundaries.

"I thought the callout for the longitudinal research was really important. Knowing the long-term effects, not just immediate, but what happens as kids grow older and they become adults," Hoet said. "I think that's important."

The amount of research dollars dedicated to child mental health is small compared to investments in other areas of science, Prinstein said.

"It's just time for that to change. We need a mental health moonshot, in the same way that [President] Biden talks about a cancer moonshot," Prinstein said.

More information

The Pew Research Center has more on teens and social media.

Daily Internet use among older adults may ward off dementia

"We cannot tell which is the chicken and which is the egg at this time," 

By Alan Mozes, HealthDay News

A new study of older adults suggests that regular Internet use may be a boon for older Americans, staving off the long-term risk for dementia.

 Photo by Steve Buissinne/Pixabay

In a world increasingly consumed by social media, much has been made of the amount of time younger generations spend online every day -- and the harms that habit can bring.

But now a new study of older adults suggests that regular Internet use may actually be a boon for older Americans, staving off the long-term risk for dementia.

"We studied the association between Internet usage and the risk of dementia in the long term among dementia-free adults aged 50 and older," explained study author Gawon Cho.

"We found that regular users experienced approximately half the risk of dementia than non-regular users," said Cho, a doctoral student in the department of social and behavioral sciences at New York University's School of Global Public Health, in New York City.

"Surprised by the magnitude of the risk difference" her team observed, Cho acknowledged that it's not entirely clear whether dementia-free patients are simply more likely to surf the web in the first place, or whether surfing the web can actually help keep dementia risk at bay

"We cannot tell which is the chicken and which is the egg at this time," Cho admitted.

Still, she said, the findings do indicate that when it comes to maintaining a healthy brain "Internet usage in old age matters."

To examine how Internet use might impact dementia risk, the study team focused on more than 18,000 American adults. All were between the ages of 50 and 65 when the study was launched in 2002.

After initially undergoing mental health assessments, all participants were subsequently interviewed every two years, to keep tally of Internet usage habits.

At each interview all participants were asked to respond yes or no to the following question: "Do you regularly use the World Wide Web, or the Internet, for sending and receiving email or for any other purpose, such as making purchases, searching for information or making travel reservations?"

Those who answered "yes" were classified as "regular Internet users." Those who answered "no" were deemed "non-regular users."

By that definition, approximately two-thirds of the participants were regular Internet users when the study began; just over one-third were not.

In addition, in 2013 a sub-sample of participants who skewed older were also asked to indicate precisely how many hours a day they went online to email, socialize, get news or shop, among other activities. Time spent watching TV or movies was excluded.

Dementia risk was then tracked for a maximum of 17 years, with an average follow-up of about 8 years.

In the end, just under 5% of the participants had developed dementia by the time the study was halted. About 8% of the participants had died without having developed dementia, while more than 87% remained mentally sharp.

Cho acknowledged that roughly one-fifth of the participants changed their Internet usage habits over the course of the study. Specifically, about 13% of those who had first been classified as regular users indicated they were non-regular users during at least one of the subsequent interviews.

Change also unfolded in reverse, the team noted, with just over one-third of those initially deemed to be non-regular users having switched to regular Internet use at least once over the ensuing years.

Still, the vast majority of participants did not alter their Internet habits over time. After stacking initial Internet habits up against dementia risk, the team concluded that about 1.5% of regular Internet users were at risk for dementia, while more than 10% of non-regular users were, according to the report

The investigators said the findings held up even after taking into account race, ethnicity, gender and prior education.

But a notable twist surfaced when the team turned to the 2013 hourly usage data.

Among that small group of relatively older men and women, investigators saw a "U-shaped dynamic," in which older folks who were never online and those who were online between 6 to 8 hours each day seemed to have a higher risk for dementia than their peers whose Internet use fell somewhere in between.

Cho noted that prior research has suggested that excessive Internet use may ultimately "negatively affect the risk of dementia in older adults."

As for the broader finding that regular Internet use might be protective against dementia, Cho and her colleagues speculated that it might have to do with how routine online surfing helps to bolster language ability, memory and thought-processing capacity.

The findings were published recently in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

Claire Sexton, senior director of scientific program and outreach for the Alzheimer's Association, suggested that the findings align with the notion that "the more we know about the Alzheimer's risk factors we can change, the better."

Sexton said, "This is important research, as it identifies a potentially modifiable factor that may influence dementia risk."

More research into the impact of lifestyle choices on dementia risk will be needed, she noted.

"People may be able to reduce their risk of cognitive decline by adopting key lifestyle habits, including regular physical activity, getting more formal education, taking care of heart health, and getting enough sleep," she said. "When possible, combine these habits to achieve maximum benefit for the brain and body. Start now. It's never too late or too early to incorporate healthy habits."

More information

There's more on dementia at the U.S. National Institute on Aging.

Copyright © 2023 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

FBI says it has disabled 20-year Russian malware spying operation

Photo by Sergei Ilnitsky/EPA-EFE

May 9 (UPI) -- The Justice Department Tuesday said it has now dismantled a global malware operation backed by Russia's security service that had been operating clandestinely for almost 20 years.

Russia's FSB used the malware named "Snake" to steal state secrets from the United States and at least 50 NATO member countries over the years, the Justice Department said in a statement.

Court documents refer to the FSB unit as "Turla," while the operation, itself, was dubbed one of the most in-depth ever launched by Russia.

The unit was reportedly operating out of a known FSB facility, conducting daily operations in Ryazan, Russia.

"Through a high-tech operation that turned Russian malware against itself, U.S. law enforcement has neutralized one of Russia's most sophisticated cyber-espionage tools, used for two decades to advance Russia's authoritarian objectives," Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said in a statement Tuesday.

Authorities believe the malware infected hundreds of computers, including those of government workers and journalists.

U.S. officials launched a counter operation, allowing them to access infected computers remotely.

"The FBI developed the capability to decrypt and decode Snake communications," the Justice Department said in its statement.

"With information gleaned from monitoring the Snake network and analyzing Snake malware, the FBI developed a tool named PERSEUS which establishes communication sessions with the Snake malware implant on a particular computer, and issues commands that causes the Snake implant to disable itself without affecting the host computer or legitimate applications on the computer."

The operation to disable Snake did not patch vulnerabilities or remove any additional malware, the Justice Department cautioned, adding anyone with an infected computer should take appropriate protective measures.

The department sent a joint cybersecurity alert along with the other four members of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing group; Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Britain.

Victory Parade on Red Square


President of Russia – Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Federation Armed Forces Vladimir Putin attended a military parade marking the 78th anniversary of Victory in the 1941–1945 Great Patriotic War.

May 9, 2023

LEADERS OF GREAT NATIONS

Alongside with the President of Russia on the stand were Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov, President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov and President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Before the parade, Vladimir Putin welcomed the heads of foreign states who had arrived in Moscow for the celebrations, in the Heraldic Hall of the Kremlin.

The parade began with the national flag of Russia and the Banner of Victory carried into Red Square. The parade was led by Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Ground Forces Army General Oleg Salyukov and reviewed by Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu.

The marching column on Red Square included 30 ceremonial regiments of over 8,000 service personnel, among them 530 troops taking part in the special military operation.

The motorised column was headed by the legendary “Victory tank” T-34–85. Tigr-M and BTR-82A armoured personnel carriers, Bumerang infantry fighting vehicles, Iskander-M operational tactical missile systems, S-400 Triumf air defence launchers and Yars mobile ground-based missile systems drove through Red Square. The newest Spartak and 3-STS Akhmat armoured vehicles were presented at the parade for the first time.

The music accompaniment was provided by the combined military orchestra.

* * *

Speech by the President of Russia at the military parade

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Citizens of Russia,

Dear veterans,

Comrade soldiers and sailors, sergeants and warrant officers, midshipmen and sergeant majors,

Comrade officers, generals and admirals,

Soldiers and commanders participating in the special military operation,

Happy Victory Day!

Happy holiday that commemorates the honour of our fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers who glorified and immortalised their names by defending our Fatherland. They saved the humankind from Nazism through immeasurable courage and immense sacrifice.

Today, our civilisation is at a crucial turning point. A real war is being waged against our country again but we have countered international terrorism and will defend the people of Donbass and safeguard our security.

For us, for Russia, there are no unfriendly or hostile nations either in the west or in the east. Just like the vast majority of people on the planet, we want to see a peaceful, free and stable future.

We believe that any ideology of superiority is abhorrent, criminal and deadly by its nature. However, the Western globalist elites keep speaking about their exceptionalism, pit nations against each other and split societies, provoke bloody conflicts and coups, sow hatred, Russophobia, aggressive nationalism, destroy family and traditional values which make us human. They do all that so as to keep dictating and imposing their will, their rights and rules on peoples, which in reality is a system of plundering, violence and suppression.

They seem to have forgotten what the Nazis’ insane claims of global dominance led to. They forgot who destroyed that monstrous, total evil, who stood up for their native land and did not spare their lives to liberate the peoples of Europe.

We see how in certain countries they ruthlessly and cold-bloodedly destroy memorials to Soviet soldiers, demolish monuments to great commanders, create a real cult of the Nazis and their proxies, erase and demonise the memory of true heroes. Such profanation of the feat and sacrifices of the victorious generation is also a crime, an outright revanchism on the part of those who were cynically and blatantly preparing a new march on Russia and who brought together neo-Nazi scum from around the world for this.

Their goal – and there is nothing new about it – is to break apart and destroy our country, to make null and void the outcomes of World War II, to completely break down the system of global security and international law, to choke off any sovereign centres of development.

Boundless ambition, arrogance and impunity inevitably lead to tragedies. This is the reason for the catastrophe the Ukrainian people are going through. They have become hostage to the coup d’état and the resulting criminal regime of its Western masters, collateral damage in the implementation of their cruel and self-serving plans.

The memory of defenders of the Fatherland is sacred for us in Russia, and we cherish it in our hearts. We give credit to members of the Resistance who bravely fought Nazism as well as the troops of the allied armies of the United States, Great Britain and other countries. We remember and honour the feat of Chinese soldiers in the fight against Japanese militarism.

I strongly believe that the experience of solidarity and partnership during the years of fighting a common threat is our invaluable heritage and a secure foothold now when the unstoppable movement is gaining momentum towards a more just multipolar world, a world based on the principles of trust and indivisible security, of equal opportunities for a genuine and free development of all nations and peoples.

It is crucial that leaders of the Commonwealth of Independent States have gathered here in Moscow today. I see it as appreciation of the feat of our ancestors: they fought and won together since all the peoples of the USSR contributed to our common Victory.

We will always remember that. We bow our heads in cherished memory of those who lost their lives during the war, the memory of sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, grandfathers, husbands, wives, sisters and friends.

I declare a minute of silence.

(A minute of silence.)

Citizens of Russia,

The battles that were decisive for our Motherland always became patriotic, national and sacred. We are faithful to our ancestors’ legacy and have a deep and clear awareness of what it means to be up to the mark of their military, labour and moral achievements.

We take pride in the participants in the special military operation, all those fighting on the frontlines, those who deliver supplies to the front and save the wounded under fire. Your combat activities now are of paramount importance. The country’s security depends on you today as does the future of our statehood and our people. You commendably perform your combat duty fighting for Russia. Your families, children and friends stand behind you. They are waiting for you. I am sure you can feel their unfailing love.

The entire country has united to support our heroes. Everyone is ready to help, everyone prays for you.

Comrades, friends, dear veterans,

Today, every family in our country honours Great Patriotic War participants, remembers their family members and their heroes, and lays flowers to military memorials.

We are standing on Red Square, a place which remembers retainers of Yury Dolgoruky and Dmitry Donskoy, the people’s militia of Minin and Pozharsky, soldiers of Peter the Great and Kutuzov, the military parades of 1941 and 1945.

Today we have here participants in the special military operation – regular servicemen and those who joined the army ranks during the partial mobilisation, troops of the Lugansk and Donetsk corps, many volunteer units, personnel of the National Guard, Interior Ministry, Federal Security Service, Emergencies Ministry and other security agencies and services.

My greetings to all of you, friends. My greetings to everyone who is fighting for Russia in the battlefield, who is now in the line of duty.

Our heroic ancestors proved during the Great Patriotic War that nothing can beat our strong, powerful and reliable unity. There is nothing stronger than our love for the Motherland.

For Russia! For our glorious Armed Forces! For Victory!

Hooray!

British police express 'regret' over 6 anti-monarchists arrested in coronation protests

it's easier to ask forgiveness than to get permission

Republic CEO Graham Smith, who is demanding an inquiry into how he and five colleagues were arrested, said the right to protest peacefully in Britain no longer existed, only a "freedom to protest that is contingent on political decisions made by ministers and senior police."

 File photo by Andy Rain/EPA-EFE

May 9 (UPI) -- London's Metropolitan Police have apologized to a group of anti-monarchists who were wrongfully arrested and detained on the morning of the coronation of King Charles III after being assured their protest was legal.

The six people, all from the group Republic including its CEO Graham Smith, have had their bail canceled and no further action will be taken following an internal investigation, the Met said in a news release.

"We regret that those six people arrested were unable to join the wider group of protesters in Trafalgar Square and elsewhere on the procession route.

"It was not clear at the time that at least one of the group stopped had been engaging with police Protest Liaison Team officers ahead of the event. The Protest Liaison Team were not the arresting officers nor were they present in St Martin's Lane at the time of the arrest."

The Met said the six were arrested on suspicion of going equipped for a new offense of "locking on" [shackling or gluing oneself to street furniture such as railings to avoid being removed] because they were in possession of straps when their vehicle was stopped.

Smith said police were informed that it was not "physically possible to 'lock on'" with luggage straps and that they were told that the straps were support braces to help demonstrators keep hefty placards aloft.

Smith said he had rejected a personal apology from a chief inspector and two other officers at his home in Reading on Monday evening, saying what had happened was a "disgraceful episode," that required a "full inquiry" into how the arrests were authorized.

"The speed with which they did this demonstrates they were very quickly aware they had made a very serious error of judgment and there will be action taken again," said Smith. "I'm obviously relieved they dropped it so quickly but very angry they even went down this road, robbing people of their liberty for absolutely no reason.

"There was no evidence of any ability or intent to commit any offense and they simply decided to arrest us and that is outrageous."

Smith, who said Republic was considering legal action against the Met, was among 64 people arrested Saturday during the coronation, 32 of whom were charged with conspiracy to cause a public nuisance and released on bail, while another 14 arrested for breach of peace have also been bailed.

Police said one person was charged with "a religiously aggravated offense," while two others were charged with possession of a class A drug.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak backed the new policing powers that were used to arrest protestors contained in the controversial Public Order Bill passed last week and was emphatic that police operated independently of government.

"Of course, people have the right to protest freely but peacefully, but it is also right that people have the ability to go about their day-to-day lives without facing serious disruption," said Sunak. 

THE POINT OF PROTEST IS TO DISRUPT

UK police under fire over coronation protester arrests

By JILL LAWLESS

AP

yesterday

Members of the anti-monarchist group Republic stage a protest along the route of the procession ahead of the coronation of King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort, in London, Saturday, May 6, 2023.

 (Sebastien Bozon/Pool via AP)

LONDON (AP) — An anti-monarchy group says it plans to take legal action against London’s Metropolitan Police after several of its members were arrested as they prepared to protest the coronation of King Charles III.

Civil liberties groups are accusing the police, and Britain’s Conservative government, of stifling the right to protest with new powers to clamp down on peaceful but disruptive demonstrations.

The police force expressed “regret” late Monday that the activists were prevented from protesting, but defended its handling of the coronation, which drew hundreds of thousands of people into the streets of London — hundreds of protesters among them.

Police arrested 64 people around Saturday’s coronation, most for allegedly planning to disrupt the ceremonies. Four have been charged, while most were released on bail. Six members of anti-monarchist group Republic were let go and told they would not face any charges.

Republic chief executive Graham Smith said three senior police officers came to his house and apologized in person for the arrest that saw him held in custody for 16 hours.

“I said for the record I won’t accept the apology,” Smith said, adding that the group “will be taking action.”

The U.K.’s recently passed Public Order Act, introduced in response to civil disobedience by environmental groups, allows police to search demonstrators for items including locks and glue and imposes penalties of up to 12 months in prison for protesters who block roads or interfere with “national infrastructure.”

Police said the Republic members had items that could be used to “lock on” to infrastructure. Republic said the items were ties for their placards and police acknowledged its “investigation has been unable to prove intent to use them to lock on and disrupt the event.”

“We regret that those six people arrested were unable to join the wider group of protesters in Trafalgar Square and elsewhere on the procession route,” police said.

London police chief Mark Rowley defended his officers’ actions.

“Much of the ill-informed commentary on the day is wholly inaccurate. For example, protest was not banned,” Rowley wrote in the Evening Standard newspaper. “I want to be absolutely clear: our activity was targeted at those we believed were intent on causing serious disruption and criminality. Serious and reliable intelligence told us that the risks were very real.”

A royal supporter applauds as Police move in to crowd to detain 'Just Stop Oil' protestors before the King's Procession in London, Saturday, May 6, 2023. 

(Ian McIlgorm/Mail on Sunday via AP, Pool)

The Conservative government also defended the way police handled the protests.

“This was the context: a once-in-a-generation national moment, facing specific intelligence threats about multiple, well-organized plots to disrupt it,” Policing Minister Chris Philp said.

“We had specific intelligence that people planned to disrupt the coronation by creating a stampede of horses and covering the ceremonial procession in paint,” he said.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan, a member of the opposition Labour Party, requested “further clarity” from the force. He said the right to peaceful protest is an integral part of democracy.

Conservative lawmaker David Davis said the new powers of arrest were too broad.

“No one wants a day ruined, but the right to put up placards is virtually absolute in British democracy,” he told the BBC on Tuesday.

The Metropolitan Police force was already under intense pressure after a series of scandals involving its treatment of women and minorities. Confidence in the force plummeted after a serving officer raped and killed a young woman in London in 2020.

An independent review commissioned after the murder of marketing executive Sarah Everard said the force was riddled with racism, misogyny and homophobia. This year, another officer pleaded guilty to 48 rapes and dozens of other serious crimes committed over a 17-year period. ___

Rights group says Myanmar used thermobaric weapon against civilians


Human Rights Watch says Myanmar's military (pictured, 2022) committed "an apparent war crime" when aircraft dropped a thermobaric munition into an area that was crowded with civilians recently. File Photo by EPA-EFE



May 9 (UPI) -- Myanmar's military committed an "apparent war crime" in April when it dropped a thermobaric munition on a building in opposition-controlled territory, according to Human Rights Watch.

"About 300 residents from Kantbalu township gathered on April 11, ahead of the Buddhist new year to open an opposition-controlled administrative office in Pa Zi Gyi," the organization said in a press release Tuesday. "Two witnesses told Human Rights Watch that at about 7:30 a.m., a military jet flew overhead and dropped at least one munition, which exploded amid the crowd gathered around the building."

Human Rights Watch examined video and photographic evidence from the scene and concluded the blast was caused by an "enhanced-blast" or "thermobaric" munition.

Thermobaric munitions, also known as fuel air bombs, work by dispersing an explosive substance in vapor form, which uses oxygen in the air as fuel as it explodes, increasing the explosive force. Thermobaric munitions typically produce large powerful blasts.

"Within minutes, a witness said, a helicopter gunship followed and fired cannons, grenades, and rockets into the crowd as people tried to flee," the group said.

More than 160 people, including children, were killed in the blast and the subsequent attack by helicopter gunships, Human Rights Watch officials said.

The opposition National Unity Government displayed fragments they say came from the strikes at a press conference. Human Rights Watch officials say they were able to identify some of the fragments as belonging to munitions typically launched from Mi-24 helicopters, which the government uses.

Myanmar has been ruled by a military junta since a 2021 coup that removed the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi from power.

In January, the United States Treasury Department designated the head of Myanmar's air force, Htun Aung, as a target of sanctions.

"Burma [Myanmar]'s military regime has used its military aircraft to conduct aerial bombings and other attacks against pro-democracy forces, killing and displacing countless civilians," the Treasury Department said in a press release at the time.

HUMAN RIGHTS - TURKEY

Turkish activist Osman Kavala: Exclusive interview from jail

The Turkish human rights activist has been imprisoned in Turkey since 2017. Erdogan's government considers Kavala an enemy of the state. DW was able to contact him and learned why he still has hope in spite of it all.

Linda Vierecke
DW

May 8, 2023

Three years ago, when DW visited Osman Kavala in prison, he was still certain he would soon be released. But things turned out differently.

Kavala spent four years behind bars awaiting a verdict in his case.

Then in April 2022, an Istanbul court sentenced him to life in prison. The global outcry was enormous, with Germany one of the world governments to condemn the verdict.

Kavala, an entrepreneur, civil rights activist, and philanthropist, is accused of organizing and financing the 2013 Gezi protests, which were initially directed in opposition to the construction of a shopping center, and then later against the government of president Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

For the DW documentary "Osman Kavala: A Voice from Prison," DW reporter Linda Vierecke was once again able to interview him — this time in writing.

DW: Why is the government so worried to see you free?

Osman Kavala: My extended imprisonment helps to sustain the perception that the

bogus charges against me have validity. The president stated several times that my guilt is the reason for my imprisonment. This message can also be understood as 'my imprisonment is the indicator of my guilt.' If I were to be released, it would become clear that the charges against me were of a bogus nature and Gezi was a show trial.

How were you involved in the Gezi Park protests 10 years ago?

When I first learned about the government's plan to build a shopping mall that would totally destroy the park, I joined my colleagues in a campaign to convince the government and the public that this was a terrible idea.

My office is almost adjacent to the park. This made it possible for me to observe the young people gathering in the park, and talk with them. I was impressed by their determination to protect the park, their strong sense of justice, and the spirit of solidarity among them. The majority of them had no ties with an organization and probably it was their first time participating in such an action. During the protests, I brought a loudspeaker and a plastic table to the park. These, in addition to some cookies, constitute the evidence, the only evidence, provided in the indictment in support of the allegation that I had funded the protests.

A sit-in protest at Gezi Park in May 2013, before riot police used tear gas and pressurized water to disperse the crowd

AP Photo/picture alliance

What do you think about that accusation of the government that you were behind the Gezi protests — which they have never proven?

Nowadays in Turkey, as long as the government considers someone guilty, making serious attempts to identify and determine the criminal act and to search concrete evidence in support of the alleged crime no longer constitutes an imperative in putting someone behind bars.

In my case, Mr. Erdogan started making grave accusations against me even before the indictment was prepared. I think neither the government nor the prosecutors who had prepared the indictment actually believe in the absurd allegation that I planned and organized the protests in collaboration with George Soros (Kavala was among the founders of the Turkish branch of US philanthropist George Soros' Open Society Foundation, which promotes democratic movements but suspended its activities in Turkey in 2018 — ed.). It was clear from the very beginning that the protests developed spontaneously and had no central command structure.

Do you agree with the argument that the government is trying to send a message to the western world by punishing you?

I think several messages were given by my persecution, and they were mostly directed at the domestic audience. As also stated in the ECHR (European Court of Human Rights — ed.) decision of 2019 regarding my case, my arrest conveys a message to the civil society activists, warning them not to be involved in activities seen as disruptive by the government.

The narrative of foreign powers organizing a conspiracy against the government was prepared to criminalize the Gezi events and it was also used to stigmatize other street demonstrations.

Creative forms of demonstrations also characterized the Gezi Park protests in 2013

Marco Longari/AFP/Getty Images

Moreover, this trial sets an example for the judiciary, guiding them on how to act and decide in accordance with the government's perception and priorities.

The ultimate message here is that if the president, as the sovereign authority, considers someone guilty, domestic or international law cannot prevent his or her persecution.

You supported so much work in Diyarbakir — especially in the Kurdish community. Why was that important for you? Did you ever see that as a dangerous involvement?

I had the opportunity to visit Diyarbakir and the other southeastern cities at a young age. This experience made me realize that this region of my country is very different. My conversations with Kurdish friends helped me to better understand how they feel in the face of the repressive and discriminatory policies the Kurdish citizens are subjected to, as well as the different political environment in the region.

I thought that promoting personal contacts, communication, and collaboration between the artists, writers, and intellectuals from Istanbul and Diyarbakir would contribute to the development of mutual understanding, hence trust, which is necessary to feel ourselves as members of the same community. According to my experience, art and artistic programs considerably contribute to building mental and emotional bridges; they enable contemplation and discussion of issues of political content in a non-antagonistic atmosphere.

Kurdish-majority city Diyarbakir was also highly affected by the devastating earthquakes earlier this year

 Mahmut Bozarslan/AP Photo/picture alliance

Why do you think you have become one of the main targets of the government?

In the indictment prepared against me it is written that I have worked with minority groups in order to incite them against the government, and these activities were carried out behind the veil of cultural programs. We have been working in southeastern Turkey for the last 20 years, and it is the first time such a bogus accusation was made by an official authority. I think this shows the rise of an authoritarian mentality with an anti-minority edge in the political domain.

Knowing that it is dangerous to get involved in such issues, why did you choose to enter this "minefield?" You could have simply focused on earning money, like many others.

Earning money is fine. But I think that to live in a society where people of different faiths and ethnicities feel as equal citizens, and where poor and rich enjoy similar public services, is a great privilege, and believing that your work contributes to the advent of such a society also gives a feeling of enrichment, despite some risks it entails.

VIDEO Kavala gets life in prison: DW's Dorian Jones  04:15

Tell us about your daily routine in prison: What do you do with your time?

I don't have much to complain about the conditions and treatment here. I think this is one of the better managed prisons in Turkey. I am staying in a single room. I spend my time mostly reading, especially fiction, a vital activity for me to maintain my mental health. I watch the news on independent TV channels; I also get papers daily in my room. During the day, I have the opportunity to use my small courtyard to walk.

In summer, I feed the sparrows that have their nests up above the walls. I catch glimpses of seagulls flying over in the direction of the sea. I also enjoy watching the clouds, their shapes and movements. These make me feel closer to nature.

I receive letters from friends and often from people whom I did not know before. I try to write them back. I can talk with my wife by phone with a glass panel between us for an hour each week; once a month without the screen. There is no time limit to meeting with lawyers.

If the verdict of an aggravated life sentence is confirmed by the Court of Cassation (the last instance for reviewing verdicts given by courts of criminal and civil justice in Turkey — ed.), the conditions will be much worse.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has called on the Turkish government to release Osman Kavala

Annette Riedl/dpa/picture alliance

What was your first reaction to the aggravated life sentence? How do you feel now?

I was expecting to be sentenced to several years of imprisonment, as it was needed to justify my long and arbitrary detention. But I did not imagine that they would sentence me to life imprisonment using the same evidence that the European Court of Human Rights found insufficient even for my arrest.

In the earlier hearings, extension of my detention without proper reasoning used to trigger a strong feeling of injustice in me. When I heard the verdict, what I felt was deep sorrow for the state of the judiciary and the judges in my country.

There are many prisoners who are detained or sentenced by means of arbitrary decisions, and quite a number of them have been behind bars longer than myself. However, I think the different phases of this political trial, the use of different charges to extend my detention, and finally this verdict made very clear the manipulation involved in the judicial processes in Turkey and the abuse of the Turkish penal system. I try to preserve my tranquility of mind and wait for a political change in my country.

The election is coming up soon. What hopes and fears do you have?

The fact that six opposition parties from different parts of the political spectrum have made an alliance and that they have prepared a detailed program outlining how they would govern Turkey together is very promising.

The program prioritizes restoration of rights and liberties, return to the parliamentary regime, and securing the independence of the judiciary. I think the deteriorating economic situation and the experience of the earthquake, which fostered the feeling that the government was not able to save the lives of its citizens, have strengthened popular demands for change.

Kemal Kilicdaroglu is the presidential candidate from the Turkish opposition's six-party alliance

ADEM ALTAN/AFP/Getty Images

It is very likely that the ruling block of AKP and MHP, the nationalist party, may lose their majority seats in the Parliament and Mr. Kemal Kilicdaroglu could win the presidency. The pro-Kurdish HDP, though not part of this six-party alliance, would probably support him.

I am hopeful about the future of Turkey. We have a strong political opposition with a deeply rooted tradition and organizational network. The opposition won almost all mayorships of important metropolitan cities in the last local elections. There is space for democratic political and civil activity which cannot be stifled, and which would prevent a shift into a close authoritarian system even if the opposition may not win in the forthcoming elections.

Edited by: Petra Lambeck, Tanya Ott

Lebanon: Soaring inflation turns olive oil into a luxury

INFLATION IS PRICE GOUGING 
Lebanese olive oil has become unaffordable for many in the crisis-ridden country. As inflation bites and the US dollar reigns supreme, poorer people are forced to part with their traditional local diet.

Dario Sabaghi

 Beirut, Lebanon

DW

May 8, 2023


Imad Waresbi is a 43-year-old resident of Tripoli in northern Lebanon who produces and trades olive oil for a living. He sells his oil for a wholesale price of $5 (€4.50) per liter, which is a fairly reasonable price for the product, he said.

In the shops, however, a liter nowadays costs around $10 or even more, he told DW. "People buy olive oil from me so they can profit from it or save some money or because people are looking for cheap olive oil today."

Lebanon has a rich history of both producing and consuming olive oil. Not only is it a crucial component in many traditional Lebanese dishes, such as Tabbouleh, Fattoush, and Mujadara Hamra, but the olive tree itself is deeply ingrained in Lebanese culture.

Furthermore, as a country that relies heavily on imports, olive oil is one of the few commodities that Lebanon can export.

High prices for top-quality olive oil make pooerer people turn to less healthy yet cheaper cooking oils

Dario Sabaghi/DW

Olive growers squeezed by inflation and crisis

The ongoing economic crisis in Lebanon, including currency woes that saw the US dollar become the preferred legal tender, has pushed millions into poverty. It has significantly impacted the purchasing power, particularly of those who continue to earn in local currency instead of dollars.

Waresbi said that despite selling olive oil to dozens of clients, he only earns around $500 per month. With the cost of living in Lebanon worsening day by day, he sometimes struggles to afford olive oil for himself and is forced to use cheaper cooking oil instead.

"What I earn is not enough as I have to pay bills, rent, food, and other expenses," he said.

The latest inflation figures published by Lebanon's Central Administration of Statistics show the annual inflation rate for food and nonalcoholic beverages has surpassed 350%. In March, the rate surged by 264% over the year, despite the official decision in February to devalue the Lebanese pound by 90%.

The official exchange rate now pays 15,000 Lebanese pounds for a US dollar — significantly higher than the previous rate of just over 1,500. However, the parallel market exchange rate currently stands at around 96,000 Lebanese pounds at the time of writing.

Retail markets in Lebanon sell olive oil for prices ranging from $7 to $11 per liter, or even higher, depending on the quality of the product. This equates to between 672,000 and 1,056,000 Lebanese pounds, well beyond the means of many given a national minimum wage for private employees of 9 million Lebanese pounds per month — equivalent to approximately $93 or €84.

Lebanon's economic crisis has made many food staples unaffordable for poorer people

Image: Dario Sabaghi/DW

The wholesale market of olive oil

Those who cannot afford to buy olive oil in shops use other cooking oil, such as sunflower oil, or buy olive oil at the wholesale market.

The price of wholesale olive oil varies from $65 per 16-kilo (35-pound) tin to more than $100.

Olive oil vendors advertise their products on Facebook groups and other social media platforms and deliver olive oil across the country. They may also be known through word-of-mouth recommendations.

People who have land for olive trees, especially those living in small villages, often take their olives to the mills to be pressed into oil for their own personal use. However, the cost of transportation and maintenance of the land means this is not a cheap option.

Wine production becomes a beacon of hope in Lebanon

02:29 Medal-winning olive oil

Although the price of olive oil has increased, Lebanese people have not relinquished their historic attachment to it, continuing to take pride in the excellence of the country's traditional ingredients.

In April, a Lebanese brand named Darmmess, based out of the village of Deir Mimas and founded by Rose Bechara, won a gold medal at the NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition, the largest and most prestigious olive oil quality contest in the world. Bechara told DW that Lebanese olive oils are not well-known globally.

"This has been a challenge because one of our missions is to build a territorial branding for Lebanese olive oils. So, it has been quite hard to tell the whole world that we can have outstanding olive oil," she said.

Bechara attributes the success of Darmmess phenolic extra virgin olive oil to the centenarian and millenarian olive trees, the collaboration with local farmers who use organic agriculture and early harvesting to ensure top-quality olives, and the unique soil and altitude of Deir Mimas, which has earned it the nickname of the "Bordeaux of Olive Oils."

Darmmess olive oil is sold domestically and internationally, priced at $15 per 500 ml in Lebanon and between $20 and $30 abroad.

Lebanon's olive oil is among the best in the world 

Colourbox/expressiovisual

Lebanese olive oil industry struggles

The success story of Darmmess, however, did not come without challenges.

Bechara's socially oriented enterprise lost money when the economic crisis began because the funds in its bank account were frozen. Additionally, it encountered various production-related issues.

Fuels have become much more expensive after the government lifted subsidies, and Bechara faced a shortage of glass for bottling, which is imported. Additionally, Bechara said she struggled to find a qualified workforce in the village, as many people had left the country or become less interested in agriculture.

Another problem is the frequent electricity cuts. "Power shortages frustrated me as people of my village cannot afford a 24-hour working generator, and we had to organize the work according to power availability, focusing on the organization rather than product quality," she said.

Bechara says the primary reason for higher olive oil prices in Lebanon is soaring inflation, both in Lebanon and internationally. At the same time, she warns against using cheaper seed oils for cooking because "it is refined during its processing and kills all the nutrients."

"If you want to take care of your lands, you have to consider that the price of fertilizers and fuel have increased. It happened simultaneously when the purchasing power of Lebanese citizens decreased. So, if people used to afford three or four tins of olive oil a year, now they can barely afford one, which is not enough for a family," she said.

Edited by: Uwe Hessler