Scientists are exploring an idea that could save our planet from global warming by blocking the sun: a “giant umbrella” place in space to block out some of the sun’s light.
Led by Yoram Rozen and his team at the Asher Space Research Institute and Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, the plan involves constructing a prototype to demonstrate the feasibility of the concept.
For the idea to work, the space shield would have to span an area of roughly one million square miles, or about the size of Argentina. Because this is too large a structure to launch into space with a single rocket, Rosen and his team propose a scheme in which a swarm of smaller “umbrellas” are launched into space, where they will work in sync.
“We can show the world, ‘Look, there’s a solution that works, take it, scale it up,'” says Rosen.
If we block between one and two percent of our star’s radiation, we will neutralize the effects of global warming, scientists say. Deploying “umbrellas” in space may be cheaper in the long enough term than spraying aerosols into the atmosphere.
Last year, a team of scientists from Harvard and the University of Utah explored the idea of placing dust in a “Lagrange point” between the Sun and Earth to combat climate change.
Not everyone agrees with the idea. According to critics, deploying a “canopy” in space would be an incredibly expensive and unrealistic project, especially given the pace at which global warming is accelerating. In addition, the canvas will be exposed to impacts from micrometeors. It is not known how stable the structure will be. As for the swarm concept, it is more realistic, but again quite expensive.
Securing adequate funding, estimated between $10 to $20 million, is crucial for developing and testing the prototype to validate the viability of the concept.
Demonstrating the feasibility of innovative approaches like sunshade deployment underscores the role of science and technology in addressing pressing global challenges.
If Istanbul has a special magic, it is the magic of the eclectic layers of architecture, people, coexistence, religions and even urban poetry.
While walking through the small streets, you can see at the same time a synagogue, a Catholic church, a black cat, a cocktail bar where Hemingway once stayed, as well as the latest modernist creations of world architecture.
One of the most interesting and multifunctional buildings of the city is definitely the Atatürk Cultural Center in the very heart of Istanbul on the legendary Taksim Square.
Atatürk Kültür Merkezi, as it was originally called, is probably also one of the most impressive cultural buildings in Europe.
In addition, she has an equally interesting story.
According to the regulation plan of Istanbul, drawn up by the French architect and city planner Henri Prost between 1936-1937, Topçu Kışlası (Artillery Barracks) and the nearby cemeteries will be turned into a park, and the opera house will be officially opened on Taksim Square.
At Prost’s suggestion, French architect Auguste Perre arrived in Istanbul to oversee the opera project, but it could never be completed due to the deepening World War II.
Later, in 1946, the building also could not be completed due to lack of funds. The Opera House was officially opened on April 12, 1969, with the design of the chief architect Hayati Tabanlaoglu, to stage the plays of the State Opera and Ballet and the State Theaters.
It was later partially damaged by a fire in 1970 that broke out on stage during a production of Arthur Miller’s play Witch Hunt.
In the late 1970s, the building was definitively the city’s most modern and elite cultural center in which performing arts could be presented – it housed not only various spaces such as halls and stages on which productions could be adapted and operas, but the building carried the spirit of modernity because of its functionality. Even then there were elevators, mechanized systems, huge capacity in places.
Until the year 2000, the building functioned in this form, but gradually its qualities were lost, as time had its influence and a large part of its functionalities were amortized.
Thus, a project has been announced to the Turkish public, which aims to preserve the appearance and structure of the building, but to renovate it and make it a worthy modern cultural and architectural landmark. This project was launched alongside the European Capital of Culture 2010.
In 2017, Erdogan announced that the project would be completely rebuilt in a new building in Taksim Square.
The Atatürk Cultural Center will finally open its doors to visitors with a ceremony on October 29, 2021, and it includes the following elements: 2,040-seat opera house, 781-seat theater hall, gallery, multi-purpose hall, children’s art center, music platform, studio for music recordings, a specialist library focusing mainly on architecture, design and fashion, and cinema.
The building’s library is stunningly beautiful and one of those places where you’d spend hours and nights just discovering new and new treasures.
It contains limited editions for art, design, fashion and cinema. A must-see is also the music museum, which is dedicated to the musical traditions of Turkey and the specific instruments of the region’s music, but also to the greatest Turkish composers, conductors, opera singers, ballerinas and artists who have toured in within different eras in this emblematic building for Istanbul.
The leading architectural firm that drove the project is Tabanlıoğlu Architecture/ Desmus, one of the leading architectural studios in Turkey, who also designed the National Theater building in Lagos, Nigeria, as well as halls and cultural centers in Ankara and other cities in Turkey.
The EU wants to to boost resilience of food systemand reduce the need for pesticides with new rules on plant breeding techniques.
Plant breeding is an ancient practice used to create new plant varieties from existing varieties to obtain qualities such as higher yields, enhanced nutrition or better resistance to disease.
Nowadays, thanks to advances in biotechnology, new plant varieties can be developed faster and in a more precise manner by editing their genetic structure.
In the EU, all genetically modified organisms (GMOs) currently fall under the GMO legislation from 2001. However, plant-breeding techniques have evolved greatly over the last two decades. New genomic techniques (NGTs) allow more targeted, precise and faster results than more traditional methods.
What are new genomic techniques?
New genomic techniques are ways to breed plants by introducing specific changes to the DNA.
In many cases, these techniques do not require the use of foreign genetic material from species that could not naturally crossbreed. This means that similar results could be achieved via traditional methods, such as hybridisation, but the process would take much longer.
NGTs could help to develop new plants that are more resilient to drought or other climate extremes or that require fewer fertilisers or pesticides.
GMOs in the EU
GMOs are organisms with genes that have been altered in a way that could not naturally occur through breeding, often by using the genome of another species.
Before any GMO product can be placed on the EU market, it needs to go through a very high-level safety check. There are also strict rules on their authorisation, risk assessment, labelling and traceability.
New EU rules
In July 2023, the European Commission proposed a new regulation on plants produced by certain new genomic techniques. The proposal would allow an easier authorisation for those NGT plants that are considered equivalent to conventional plants. No foreign genetic material from a species not able to naturally crossbreed is used to obtain these NGT plants.
Other NGT plants would still have to follow stricter requirements similar to those under the current GMO rules.
NGT plants would remain prohibited in organic production and their seeds would need to be clearly labelled to ensure farmers know what they are growing.
Parliament’s position
Parliament adopted its position on the Commission proposal on 7 February 2024. MEPs supported the new rules and agreed that the NGT plants that are comparable to naturally occurring varieties should be exempted from the strict requirements of the GMO legislation.
However, MEPs want to ensure transparency by continuing mandatory labelling for all NGT plants.
To avoid legal uncertainties and to make sure farmers do not become too dependent on big seed companies, MEPs want to ban all patents for NGT plants.
Parliament is now ready to start negotiations on the new law with EU governments.
Retail clients and businesses will get their money instantly, safely and with no additional charges.
On Wednesday, MEPs adopted new rules to ensure that euro money transfers arrive immediately into the bank accounts of retail customers and businesses across the EU.
Ever been annoyed that you have to wait for days for bank payments to come through? Good news: now there are faster options allowing you to transfer and receive money in the blink of an eye.
With instant payments, people can easily split a restaurant bill with friends and receive funds immediately.
Businesses, especially small and medium-sized companies, can exert more control over their cash flow. In addition, by using instant payments, merchants reduce their operational costs and can provide a better service, for example by offering instant refunds.
Public institutions can benefit from improved management of their cash flo just like businesses do. With instant payments, NGOs and charities can make use of contributions more quickly. Banks can use instant payments as a springboard to develop innovative financial services and strengthen their competitive position.
The situation in the EU
Only 11% of all euro credit transfers in the EU were executed within seconds at the beginning of 2022. Nearly €200 billion are locked in transit in the financial system on any given day.
At the same time, the availability of instant payments and related fees vary strongly across EU countries.
Agreement on instant payments
In October 2022, the European Commission came up with a legislative proposal to make instant payments in euros available to all people and businesses holding a bank account in the EU as well as in Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein. In November 2023, European Parliament negotiators struck a deal with the Council on the final legislative text.
According to the agreed text:
An instant credit transfer should be executed regardless of the day or hour and immediately processed within 10 seconds with the person making the payment getting a receipt just as quickly
A payment service provider should immediately convert the amount of transaction into euros, if the payment is submitted from an account that is not denominated in euros
Payment service providers should have robust and up-to-date fraud detection and take measures to prevent a transfer being sent to the wrong person
Payment service providers must also introduce extra measures to prevent criminal activities such as money laundering or terrorist financing
Instant payments should not cost more than traditional transactions in euros
EU countries that don’t use the euro will also have to apply the rules, but after a longer transition period
The legislation is linked to a range of other initiatives in the economic field that aim to ensure that the EU is in step with technological advancements: serving people and businesses, and protecting our financial system and economies from organised crime. These initiatives cover instant payments, payment services, crypto-assets, and anti-money laundering.
In the heart of one of India’s ancient and most highly esteemed sacred forests, individuals from indigenous communities have joined forces with Christians to advocate for the preservation of what they consider to be priceless and holy woodland areas.
Believed to be the abode of a native deity that protects village inhabitants from harm, Mawphlang is a dense, biodiverse 193-acre mecca for medicinal plants, mushrooms, birds and insects. For centuries, individuals have visited sacred groves such as Mawphlang to pray and perform animal sacrifices to the deities they believe inhabit these spaces. Any act of desecration is strictly forbidden; even the simple act of picking a flower or leaf is prohibited in most forests.
“Here, communication between man and God takes place,” Tambor Lyngdoh, a member of the ancestral lineage of the local priestly clan that consecrated the Mawphlang forest, told the Associated Press in a January 17 feature story. “Our forefathers set aside these groves and forests to signify the harmony between man and nature.”
But lately, climate change, pollution and deforestation have taken their toll on sacred forests such as Mawphlang. The indigenous population’s conversion to Christianity, initiated during the 19th century under British colonial rule, has also had an impact on the local eco-culture.
According to H.H. Morhmen, an environmentalist and retired Unitarian minister, those who converted to Christianity lost their spiritual ties to the forests and traditional beliefs. “They viewed their new religion as the light and these rituals as darkness, as pagan or even evil,” the AP article quoted Mohrmen as saying.
Over the past few years, environmentalists collaborating with indigenous and Christian communities, along with government agencies, have played a crucial role in disseminating information about the importance of caring for the forests. The ecosystems are deemed invaluable for the region’s ecological balance and biodiversity.
“We’re now finding that even in places where people have converted to Christianity, they are taking care of the forests,” Mohrmen said.
Jaintia Hills, an area of some 500 households, is a typical example. According to Heimonmi Shylla, the region’s headman, who is also a deacon, nearly every resident is Presbyterian, Catholic or a member of the Church of God.
“I don’t consider the forest holy,” he told the AP. “But I have great reverence for it.”
Another Christian resident of Jaintia Hills, Petros Pyrtuh, regularly ventures into a sacred forest near his village along with his 6-year-old son in the hope of inculcating in him a sense of reverence and respect for the woodlands. “In our generation, we don’t believe it is the dwelling place of the gods,” Pyrtuh said. “But we continue with the tradition of protecting the forest because our ancestors have told us not to defile the forest.”
Brussels. The Deep Sea Conservation Coalition (DSCC), Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF), Greenpeace, Seas at Risk (SAR), Sustainable Ocean Alliance (SOA) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) have expressed their appreciation for the adoption of Resolution B9 0095/2024 by the European Parliament regarding Norway’s decision to proceed with deep sea mining in the Arctic. This resolution signifies the increasing opposition to the deep sea mining industry in light of Norway’s recent choice.
The European Parliaments vote in favor of Resolution B9 0095/2024 conveys a message. Highlights significant environmental concerns regarding Norway’s plan to open extensive areas in Arctic waters for deep sea mining operations. The resolution reaffirms the Parliament’s endorsement of a halt. Urges the EU Commission, Member States and all nations to adopt a precautionary approach and advocate for a moratorium, on deep sea mining including at the International Seabed Authority.
Sandrine Polti, Europe Lead for the DSCC, stated, “We very much welcome this resolution by the European Parliament reaffirming its call for a moratorium on this destructive and risky industry before it begins. As momentum grows globally for a moratorium, we call on Norway to reverse its decision before irreversible damage is inflicted on our ocean.”
Anne-Sophie Roux, Deep Sea Mining Europe Lead for the SOA, emphasized, “At present, we lack the robust, comprehensive, and credible scientific knowledge to allow for a reliable assessment of the impacts of deep-sea mineral extraction. Any mining activity would therefore contradict Norway’s commitment to the precautionary approach, sustainable management, and international climate and nature obligations.”
Haldis Tjeldflaat Helle, Deep-Sea Mining Campaign Lead at Greenpeace Nordic, warned, “By opening up for deep-sea mining in the Arctic, Norway is ignoring hundreds of concerned ocean scientists and losing all credibility abroad as a responsible ocean nation. This should be a warning to any government considering going ahead with mining the deep sea.”
The resolution of the Parliament comes after the parliament’s approval, on January 9, 2024, to allow deep sea mining operations in an area of over 280,000 kilometers, which is about the same size as Italy, in the ecologically fragile Arctic region. This decision has sparked widespread concern among the global community, including scientists, the fishing industry, NGOs/civil society, and activists, with a petition garnering over 550,000 signatures to date. The Norwegian Environment Agency has deemed that the strategic environmental impact assessment provided by the Norwegian government does not provide a sufficient scientific or legal basis to open for either deep-sea mining exploration or exploitation.
Kaja Lønne Fjærtoft, the Global No Deep Seabed Mining Policy Lead for WWF International, stated, “The Norwegian government’s decision to open up for deep-sea mining activities bulldozes over recommendations of its own expert bodies, leading scientists, universities, financial institutions, and civil society. As a self-proclaimed ocean leader, Norway should be guided by the science. The evidence is clear – for a healthy ocean, we need a global moratorium on deep-sea mining.”
The resolution passed by the Parliament expresses worries regarding Norway’s intentions to engage in deep sea mining activities and the potential consequences these activities may have on EU fisheries, food security, Arctic marine biodiversity and neighboring countries. Additionally, it highlights concerns that Norway may be violating international laws by not meeting the criteria, for conducting a strategic environmental impact assessment.
Simon Holmström, Deep-Sea Mining Policy Officer at Seas At Risk, emphasized, “Arctic ecosystems are already under immense pressure due to climate change. If deep-sea mining is permitted to proceed, it could disrupt the world’s largest carbon sink – the deep sea – and cause irreversible and permanent loss of marine biodiversity within and beyond Norwegian waters. We cannot let that happen.”
To date, 24 countries globally, including 7 EU countries, are calling for a moratorium or pause on the industry. Multinational companies such as Google, Samsung, Northvolt, Volvo, and BMW have pledged not to source any minerals from the seabed. Reports continue to highlight that metals found in the deep sea are not needed and will only provide limited financial benefits to a select few, countering the claims of profit-driven deep-sea mining companies.
Martin Webeler, Deep-Sea Mining Campaign Lead for the Environmental Justice Foundation, added, “Deep-sea mining is not needed for the green transition. Destroying nearly pristine ecosystems will not halt biodiversity loss and will not help us solve the climate crisis – it will make them worse. We need a serious rethink: full implementation of the circular economy and the overall reduction of demand for minerals must finally become our guiding principle.”
The European Parliament’s approval of Resolution B9 0095/2024 shows that there is a shared worry regarding the effects of deep sea mining, in the Arctic. As a result, a call has been made to halt this industry. The worldwide opposition, against deep sea mining is growing stronger, underscoring the significance of managing and taking measures to safeguard our oceans.
It has started buying the fruit from India and will increase imports from there
Russia has started buying bananas from India and will increase imports from that country, the Russian Veterinary and Phytosanitary Control Service Rosselhoznadzor reported, as quoted by Reuters. The decision comes after Moscow ditched its biggest importer, Ecuador, over its decision to swap its old Soviet military equipment for new weapons from the US.
The first shipment of bananas from India was transported to Russia in January, and the first is planned for the end of February, Rosselhoznadzor said, adding that “the volume of the amount of fruit from India to Russia will increase.”
Last week, Russia’s Veterinary and Phytosanitary Control Service canceled banana imports from five Ecuadorian companies, claiming it had found pesticides in their products.
Media in Ecuador reported yesterday that, according to the country’s Food Safety Agency, only 0.3% of fruit shipments to Russia contained pests that did not pose a danger.
The denial of the banana shipments came after Moscow denounced a deal under which Ecuador would hand over Soviet military equipment to the United States in exchange for $200 million worth of new American military equipment.
The United States has announced that arms from Ecuador will help Ukraine on the battlefield against Russia.
Trade relations between Delhi and Moscow have been deepening since 2022, when Western European countries imposed sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, forcing the Kremlin to strengthen ties with China, India and other non-Western European countries, Reuters notes.
Illustrative Photo by Arminas Raudys: https://www.pexels.com/photo/banana-tree-802783/
Almost four years after Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque, another iconic Byzantine temple in Constantinople will begin functioning as a mosque. This is the famous Hora Monastery, which has been a museum for seventy-nine years.
As reported by the pro-government Yeni Şafak newspaper, Hora Monastery is expected to open its doors as a mosque for Friday prayers on February 23. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had made the decision for this back in 2020 along with the Hagia Sophia decision, but plans were “frozen” to allow some restoration work to be carried out.
The church in question, which is the most important temple in Istanbul after Hagia Sophia, was turned into a mosque by the Ottomans, and then, by order of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, it became a museum.
In 2019, however, a decision was issued by the Turkish Supreme Court to convert it into a mosque. In 2020, it was decided that the jurisdiction of the monument would pass to the Directorate of Religious Affairs, in Turkish Diyanet.
According to Turkish media, “the historic mosque, furnished with custom-made red carpets, is expected to open for worship on Friday, February 23.” It also reported that “the mosaics and frescoes have been preserved during the restoration and will be accessible to visitors.”
Hora Monastery is located in the northwestern part of the historical center of Istanbul.
It owes its name to its location – outside the fortress walls of the imp. Constantine the Great. “Horion” or “Hora” the Byzantines called the land outside the fortress walls. When imp. Theodosius II built the new walls of Constantinople, the monastery retained the traditional name “in Hora”, although it was no longer outside the walls. The monastery is known for its valuable mosaics – among the most famous is the mosaic with one of the founders of the temple, Theodore Metochite, presenting the new temple to Christ. The church had two vestibules which were decorated with mosaics and frescoes. The mosaics of the exonarthex (outer porch) are six semicircles depicting Christ healing various diseases. Numerous icons also decorate the domes and walls. The icons are among the most beautiful Byzantine icons. The colors are bright, the proportions of the limbs are harmonious, and the expressions of the faces are natural.
The early history of the monastery is not known with certainty. Tradition places its foundation in the 6th century by St. Theodore, and it is also attributed to Crispus, son-in-law of the imp. Phocas (7th century). Today it is proven that the church was built between 1077-1081, during the time of Imp. Alexius I Comnenus, on the site of older buildings from the 6th and 9th centuries. It suffered serious damage, probably due to an earthquake, and was repaired in 1120 by Isaac Comnenus. Theodore Metochites, Byzantine statesman, theologian, patron of the arts, contributed to its renovation (1316-1321) and was responsible for the addition of the exonarthex, the southern chapel and the decoration of the temple, which includes remarkable mosaics and frescoes that have survived to this day. In addition, he bequeathed considerable property to the monastery, at the same time building a hospital and donating to it his remarkable collection of books, which later attracted famous scholars to this center. The monastery was converted into a mosque by order of the Grand Vizier of Sultan Bayazid II (1481-1512) and became known in Turkish as the Kahriye Mosque. A significant part of the temple’s decoration was destroyed. In 1948, a restoration program was carried out, and from 1958 the monument functions as a museum.
The Synod of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine decided to remove from the church calendar the day of the memory of the holy Prince Alexander Nevsky, according to the website of the Synod of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.
“On February 2, 2024, the regular meeting of the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Orthodox Church of Ukraine) took place in the Synodal Hall of the Metropolitan House – residence of the Primate of the Orthodox Church in the Mikhailovsky Golden Dome Monastery in Kyiv. The meeting was attended by all members of the Synod”, it is stated on the website of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.
On the proposal of the Synodal Calendar Commission of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, it was decided: “To remove from the church calendar of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine the day of memory of the Holy Prince Alexander of Novgorod (Nevsky), in the scheme (in monasticism) Alexy, November 23. To established November 23 as an additional day to commemorate the venerable Alexander (c. 430), and to include it in the church calendar of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.
