For the first time since the war started, the future of Ukraine is being considered. A high-level international conference was held in Paris on how to stop the bloodshed.
The conference was organised at Paris Business School on October 24th 2023 with prominent speakers, experts, researchers and journalists. It was moderated by Frédéric Encel, professor of geopolitics at Paris Business School and Sciences Po with a keynote speakers Ambassador Gerard Araud, former French diplomat and Jeffrey Sachs, American Econmist and professor at Columbia University.
Ambassador Araud has highlighted that the war in Ukraine needs diplomacy which is difficult to understand for Europeans. He brought the precedent and South and North Korean model of ceasefire and freezing the conflict as a possible solution.
He also reminded that all the boundaries in Europe of today are the result of different wars and in each war was a an attacking side and a defending side. It is remarkable that the Ambassador sees good chances that the war will be stopped after Donald Trump wins the elections, which is a likely scenario for the upcoming US elections.
Christophe Gomart, a general and a respected columnist joined the analysis of Ambassador Araud by reviewing the situation from a military perspective and considering that Ukraine’s and Russia’s potentials. Ukraine is getting destroyed and exhausted, although keeping high spirit but Russian capabilities appear to be higher despite the aid to Ukraine from the West.
Gaidz Minassian, a professor at sciences Po and a journalist at le Monde compared the Ukrainian-Russian war to the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijani and how this war had a lot of repercussions on other conflicts in the region and the need to put an end to the conflict to stabilize the region.
Manel Msalmi, the president of the European Association for The Defense of Minorities and a researcher in international relations in Brussels mentioned that Ukraine needs to fight against corruption and food insecurity. She has emphasised the ongoing destruction of Ukraine and human suffering. Manel Msalmi has also raised the issue of the rising level of corruption in Ukraine which is widely discussed in the USA now. And she said: “We must ask a question: why the diplomatic means are so weak? Why not to use the means of negotiations to stop the war? In the meantime, Ukraine is getting destroyed. The war destabilises the world and eliminates Ukraine”.
Professor Jeffrey Sachs, American Economist and professor at Columbia University joined the discussion via zoom. He has stated that this war should have been prevented so many times. Unfortunately, there were occasions to negotiate, but the US was trying to enlarge NATO by any cost without taking into consideration Russian concerns. Now, Ukraine is loosing not only by sacrificing hundreds of thousands but possibly loosing sovereignty. He was very critical of the current US policies. He insisted that the way to stop the war through negotiations must be found.
The last speaker was Gérard Chaliand, a geopolitical, writer and winner of the book prize of geopolitics. He warmly congratulated professor Sachs and highlighted the need to stop the war and save the life of Ukrainian people but also questioned the continuation of military supplies to Ukraine.
The conference ended with a series of questions from the students who were intrested to exchange with the experts.
This was the first event of this sort which may lead to further discussions and eyes opening.
The EEA assessment ‘Decarbonising road transport — the role of vehicles, fuels and transport demand’ analyses the driving factors for greenhouse gas emissions from passenger cars and heavy goods vehicles in the European Union (EU). The new report is part of the ‘Transport and environment reporting mechanism’ (TERM) series of annual assessments.
According to EEA data, CO2 emissions from passenger cars in the 27 EU Member States increased by 5.8 %, and emissions from heavy goods vehicles increased by 5.5 %, from 2000 to 2019.
The main reason for the total increase in both car and truck emissions was growing transport volumes, which have only partially been offset by better fuel efficiency and the use of biofuels, the EEA assessment shows.
Adding to the challenge of growing transport volumes, Europe has not yet shifted to greener transport modes. During the past two decades, cars have maintained and slightly increased their dominant share in land-based passenger mobility while trucks have done the same in freight transport.
Improving vehicle CO2 efficiency, including increasing the share of electric vehicles, is expected to play an important role in decarbonising passenger and freight transport— especially when coupled with continued decarbonisation of electricity and fuel production.
However, the EEA assessment also finds that decarbonising Europe’s mobility system requires methods beyond efficiency gains in road transport. This includes higher occupancy rates, for example through ride-sharing, and fuller cargo loads, as well as, curbing demand and shifting to greener transport modes: walking, cycling, buses, trains, and inland navigation.
The UN Security Council has been meeting at UN Headquarters in New York for what was a scheduled quarterly open debate on the ongoing conflict Israel-Palestine, now given greater urgency by the Hamas attacks of 7 October and the deepening humanitarian crisis as the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip continues.
The UN chief said the situation “is growing more dire by the hour”, repeating his call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. Follow lives updates here:
Germany
Annalena Baerbock, Germany’s Foreign Affairs Minister, spoke acknowledging the greatest crime of all committed by the Nazi regime in the last century.
“Never again”, to me as a German, means that we will not rest knowing that the grandchildren of Holocaust survivors are now being held hostage by terrorists in Gaza, said the Federal Minister.
For Germany, Israel’s security is non-negotiable. Like any other State in the world, Israel has the right to defend itself against terrorism within the framework of international law.
Addressing the plight of the Palestinians in no way contradicts this clear and unwavering stance. It is a key part of it, she declared.
Sameh Shoukry Minister for Foreign Affairs of Egypt said the “Palestinian territories are going through horrific developments”, noting that the thousands of people had been killed there, including thousands of children.
“It is shameful that some continue to justify what is happening, citing the right to self-defence and resisting terrorism”.
He asserted that silence in this case is tantamount to giving one’s blessing, and that calling for respect for international humanitarian law without describing specific violations, is tantamount to participating in the crimes.
The Israeli ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan called on the UN Secretary-General to “resign immediately” in a tweet at 11.22am, and at the stakeout outside the Security Council. Foreign Minister Eli Cohen also tweeted that he would not be meeting with the UN chief today for a scheduled bilateral.
Ambassador Erdan told reporters at the stakeout that in noting the Hamas attacks “did not happen in a vacuum” in his address to the Council, the UN chief was “justifying terrorism”.
In response to questions concerning the Foreign Minister’s tweet, the UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said that the Secretary-General would be meeting family representatives of hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza, adding they would be accompanied by a representative of the Israeli Permanent Mission to the UN.
China
China’s Ambassador Zhang Jun said “the eyes of the entire world are on this Chamber,” calling on the Council to send a powerful, united message.
That includes an immediate ceasefire, which the Council must express in clear, unambiguous language. If not, the two-State solution could be jeopardized. States should uphold a moral conscience not double standards.
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe – Ambassador Zhang Jun of China addresses the UN Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian Question.
Turning to the humanitarian situation in Gaza he said urgent efforts are needed. Aid supplies currently allowed to enter the enclave are “a drop in the bucket”. The full siege of Gaza must be lifted alongside the collective punishment of Palestinians.
In this vein, he called on Israel to stop its attacks and allow aid to be delivered, adding that international humanitarian law must be upheld. The Council must defend the rule of law at every level and oppose any violations, he said.
The root cause of the conflict rests in the prolonged occupation of Palestinian territory and a lack of respect for their rights, he said, adding that Council actions must not deviate from this.
Vasily Nebenzya Russia’s ambassador to the UN said it was unfortunate the meeting was taking place on UN Day against the backdrop of “unprecedented” violence that has caused “catastrophic” casualties on both sides, with Russians among the victims.
The number of deaths and injuries “bears witness to the fact that scale of the humanitarian disaster in the Gaza Strip has exceeded all of our worst imaginations,” he said.
The “terrible acts” of 7 October and the “tragic events” that followed were the result of years of “destructive positions” that Washington had taken, accusing the US of sabotaging potential solutions to the protracted conflict in the region.
UN Photo/Manuel Elías – Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia of the Russian Federation addresses the UN Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian Question.
“We along with many others for several years now, have warned that the situation is on the brink of explosion and the explosion occurred,” Mr. Nebenzya said.
“This crisis has once again shown that without fair settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in line with Security Council and General Assembly resolutions and based on approved international decisions on the two-State solution, regional stabilization will be out of reach,” he added, reiterating Russia’s position that there needs to be a sustainable negotiation process.
“Following this there must be the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian State, within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, coexisting in peace and security with Israel.”
United Kingdom
Tom Tugendhat the UK’s Minister for Security expressed resolute support Israel’s right to self-defence. At the same time he recognized that Palestinians are suffering, noting that the UK has committed an extra $37 million to support civilians in Gaza.
“We must prevent this conflict sparking conflict beyond Gaza and engulfing the wider region in war,” he said, pointing to Hezbollah attacks on Israel’s northern border and rising tensions in the West Bank. “It is in the interest of Israeli and Palestinian civilians and all States in the region, that this conflict does not spread further.”
UN Photo/Manuel Elías – Foreign Minister Tom Tugendhat of the United Kingdom addresses the UN Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian Question.
The UK’s longstanding position on the Middle East Peace Process supports a negotiated settlement leading to a safe and secure Israel living alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state.
“The events of the past week show with total clarity, the need to achieve these goals,” he said. “Hope and humanity must win out.”
France
Catherine Colonna France’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs said it is “high time” for the Council to shoulder its duty to condemn Hamas’ attack in Israel.
France stands firmly with Israel which has the right to defend itself, while respecting international humanitarian law. Indeed, all civilian lives must be protected she stressed.
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe – Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna of France addresses the UN Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian Question.
Safe, swift aid access is urgently needed in Gaza; “each minute counts”, she said, calling for humanitarian pauses and a truce that could lead to a sustained peace, underlining France’s continued provision of aid to the enclave.
At the same time the Council must mobilize and fully exercise its responsibilities, she added.
“It is our duty to pave the way to peace,” she said. “The only viable solution is the two-State solution. We need to do all we can. This Council must act and it must act now.”
United States
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told ambassadors around the horseshoe table that among the more than 1,400 people Hamas killed on 7 October were citizens of over 30 UN Member States, including Americans.
“Every one of us has a stake, every one of us a responsibility in defeating terrorism,” he said.
He also underscored the vital need to protect civilians, adding that Israel has the “right and the obligation” to defend itself and “the way it does so, matters.”
UN Photo/Manuel Elías – US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken addresses the Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.
Secretary Blinken said that Hamas does not represent the Palestinian people and Palestinian civilians are not to blame for the “carnage” committed by the militants.
“Palestinian civilians must be protected, that means Hamas must cease using them as human shields. It is hard to think of an act of greater cynicism,” he said.
He noted that Israel must take all possible precautions to prevent harm to civilians and that food, water, medicine and other humanitarian assistance must be able to flow into Gaza and to the people who need it.
He also said that civilians must be able to get out of harm’s way, urging the consideration of humanitarian pauses.
Maura Viera Minister for Foreign Affairs of Brazil underscored that under International Humanitarian Law, Israel as the occupying power “has the legal and moral obligation” to protect the population of Gaza.
“Recent events in Gaza are particularly concerning including the so called evacuation order, which is leading to an unprecedented level of misery for innocent people.”
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe – Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira of Brazil addresses the UN Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian Question.
He added that the amount of aid flowing into Gaza through the Rafah crossing is “certainly insufficient” to meet the needs of the civilian population in the enclave noting that the lack of power is impacting healthcare workers and hospitals – with safe water supplies very limited.
“Civilians must be respected and protected at all times and everywhere,” the Minister stressed, reminding that all parties must “strictly abide” by their obligations under international law.
“I highlight in this respect the fundamental principle of distinction, proportionality, humanity, necessity and precaution which must guide and inform all actions and military operations,” he said.
Israel
11.04:Israel’s Foreign Affairs Minister Eli Cohen holding up a collage of those kidnapped by Hamas, said the hostage situation is a “living nightmare”. Recalling the 7 October attack on Israel, he said the day “will go down in history as a brutal massacre” and a “wake-up call” against extremism and terrorism.
UN Photo/Manuel Elías – Foreign Minister Eli Cohen of Israel addresses the UN Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.
“Hamas are the new Nazis,” he said, calling for immediate access to hostages and their unconditional release.
Qatar could facilitate.
“You, members of the international community, should demand Qatar to do just that,” he said. “The meeting should conclude with a clear message: bring them home.”
Israel has a right and duty to defend itself, he said. “It’s not just Israel’s war. It’s the war of the free world.”
The proportional response to the 7 October massacre is “a matter of survival,” he said, thanking nations for supporting Israel.
“We are going to win because this war is for life; this war must be your war as well,” he said. Right now, the world faces a “clear choice of moral clarity”.
“One can be part of the civilized world or surrounded by evil and barbarity,” he said. “There is no middle ground.”
If all nations do not stand decisively by Israel’s mission to “eliminate the monsters from the face of the Earth”, he said this will be “the darkest hour of the UN” which will “have no moral justification to exist”.
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe – Foreign Minister Riad Al-Malki of the State of Palestine addresses the Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.
State of Palestine
10.45: Riyad al-Maliki Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Palestine stated that the Security Council and the international community has a duty and an obligation to save lives.
“Continued failure at this [Security] Council is inexcusable,” he stressed.
He emphasized that only “international law and peace” were worthy of unconditional support by countries, adding that “more injustice and more killing, will not make Israel safer.”
“No amount of weapons, no alliance, will bring it security – only peace will, peace with Palestine and its people,” he said, stating: “the fate of the Palestinian people cannot continue to be dispossession, displacement, denial of rights and death. Our freedom is the condition of share peace and security.”
Mr. al-Maliki stressed that avoiding an even greater humanitarian catastrophe and regional spillover, “it must be clear that this can only be achieved by putting an immediate end to the Israeli war launched against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. Stop the bloodshed.”
‘Humanity can prevail’
Briefing the Council, Lynn Hastings, UN Humanitarian Coordinator in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, said agreement on the resumption of aid deliveries through the Rafah, Egypt, crossing and the release of a small number of hostages over the past few days “shows that through diplomacy and negotiation, humanity can prevail, and we can find humanitarian solutions, even in the depths of conflict”.
The world is looking to the Member States around this Council to play its part
Lynn Hastings
Urging all countries with influence to exert it and ensure respect for international humanitarian law, she said civilians must have the essentials to survive. As such, the passage of rapid and unimpeded humanitarian relief must be facilitated, and water and electricity connections resumed, she added.
She said that 20 more trucks are due to move over the Rafah crossing today “although they are currently delayed.” She said the UN was dtermined “to do our part to ensure these deliveries continue.”
She paid tribute to the 35 UN Palestine relief agency (UNRWA) colleagues who have tragically been killed during the Israeli bombardment.
Parties on all sides “must take constant care, to spare civilians”, with water and electricity connections resumed, in accordance with the rules of war.
10.38: “If we are to prevent any further descent into this humanitarian catastrophe, dialogue must continue – to ensure essential supplies can get into Gaza at the scale needed, to spare civilians and the infrastructure they depend on, to release hostages, and to avoid any further escalation and spillover,” she said. “The world is looking to the Member States around this Council to play its part in leading the way.”
‘The stakes are astronomically high’: Wennesland
Addressing the current risk of conflict expanding to the wider region, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, said he and the UN Secretary-General have been pursuing “any and every opportunity” to address the situation on the ground and to prevent further civilian death and misery.
10.28: “It is critical, that we, as a united international community, employ all our collective efforts to end the bloodletting and prevent the further expansion of hostilities, including in the region,” he said. “The stakes are astronomically high, and I appeal for all relevant actors to act responsibly.”
Any miscalculation could have “immeasurable consequences”, he warned, adding that these devasting events were not divorced from the broader context in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Israel, and the region.
For a generation, hope has been lost, he underlined.
“Only a political solution will move us forward,” he said. “The steps we take to address this crisis must be implemented in a way that ultimately advances a negotiated peace that fulfils the legitimate national aspirations of Palestinians and Israelis – the long-held vision of two-States, in line with UN resolutions, international law, and previous agreements.”
‘More dire by the hour’: Guterres
10.11: Mr. Guterres gave what he termed an introduction to the current crisis, saying the situation in the Middle East is “growing more dire by the hour“.
“Divisions are splintering societies and tensions threaten to boil over”, he said.
“It is vital to be clear on principles” he added, starting with the protection of civilians.
Secretary-General Guterres underscored the need for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, “to ease epic suffering, make the delivery of aid easier and safer and facilitate the release of hostages”.
Watch the UN chief’s full remarks here:
He also emphasized that the world cannot lose sight of the only realistic foundation for peace and stability in the Middle East – a two-State solution.
“Israelis must see their legitimate need for security materialized and Palestinians must see their legitimate need for an independent State realized, in line with UN resolutions, international law and previous agreements.”
What’s at stake
It marks the fourth time the 15 ambassadors of the UN’s premier peace and security body will convene since the intense cycle of violence began.
You can follow all the proceedings live on X broadcast by our colleagues at UN Web TV – click on the tweet here on the page, or click on the video embedded in the main photo area of this story.
So far, there has no agreement on any action, to alleviate the suffering of civilians caught up in the spiralling conflict between Hamas militants, who control the enclave of over two million Palestinians.
The Council failed to adopt two previous draft resolutions addressing the escalation. The first from Russia calling for an immediate ceasefire, failed to get enough votes, while a Brazilian draft was vetoed by the United States. Although it called for humanitarian pauses for aid access, the US determined objected to the fact it did not mention Israel’s right to self defence.
The UN chief António Guterres is due to brief today along with the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland.
UN Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory Lynn Hastings is also down to brief. She’s also been given the brief of deputy special coordinator.
Foreign ministers from several countries are also due to take part.
So far, 92 different countries have signed up to speak.
Today is also United Nations Day, marking 78 years since the UN Charter entered into force. In a statement the UN chief said that “at this critical hour, I appeal to all to pull back from the brink before the violence claims even more lives and spreads even further.”
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe – The 15 members of the UN Security Council meet to discuss the conflict in Gaza.
The latest annual study by the Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA) and ScamAdviser paints a devastating picture of the worldwide onslaught of scams, highlighting an urgent need for vigilance and preventative action.
The Global State of Scams 2023 Report, which involved 49,459 people from 43 countries, indicates that a substantial 25.5% of world citizens lost money to scams or identity theft in the last 12 months, culminating in financial losses estimated at $1.026 trillion (€974 billion).
2023 report, which was supported by academics from the University of Twente, found 69% of those surveyed believe they can identify scams, 59% encountered scams monthly and a remarkable 78% faced scams annually.
Phone calls (61%) and SMS messages (58%) are scammers’ primary avenues, with shopping scams, identity theft, and investment fraud topping the list.
Attractive offers are a universal scammer strategy. Developing countries see these as the main enticement, but even in developed nations, many fail to spot the scams. Concerningly, repeat victimization is frequent, with individuals globally targeted on average 1.5 times a year. Kenya and Nigeria report even higher rates.
Global scam statistics. Image credit: GASA
Reporting hesitancy is pervasive, with 59% avoiding it due to doubts about outcomes and 24% feeling it’s pointless. Perceptions of authority effectiveness vary; while some nations commend their governments, others like Brazil and Thailand voice concerns.
Financially, scams have siphoned off $1.026 trillion globally, equating to 1.05% of the global GDP. Countries such as Kenya, Vietnam, Brazil, and Thailand experience disproportionately high losses. However, the impact isn’t just monetary: 60% of scam victims report significant emotional distress.
The timely release of the report coincides with the imminent Global Anti-Scam Summit (GASS) on October 18-19, 2023. This pivotal gathering sees over 250 international delegates converge on Lisbon from all corners of the globe, joined by over 1,000 online participants.
The goal of GASS is to bring governments, consumer & financial authorities, law enforcement, brand protection agencies, and (cybersecurity) companies together to share knowledge and define joint actions to protect consumers from getting scammed.
As deliberations define strategies and countermeasures, a crucial opportunity for collective action and the Global State of Scams will undoubtedly be at the heart of many discussions, fostering a collaborative approach to address and curb the spread.
“The escalating crisis of deception in the digital era has transitioned scams from sporadic events to a full-blown international emergency. With entire nations on the brink of being overwhelmed, particularly developing nations, the mandate of the Global Anti-Scam Summit is clear: unite, strategize, and counteract.”
“Should we falter in our concerted efforts, we risk leaving countries and their inhabitants tragically exposed to this menacing deluge,” warned Prof. Jorij Abraham, Managing Director of GASA.
Pepper X has a staggering 2.69 million Scoville units
Guinness World Records has announced the world’s new hottest pepper. It’s the dreaded Pepper X with a terrifying 2,693,000 units on the Scoville scale.
You can hardly imagine how hot that is, but give it a try – the world’s hottest pepper ever, the Carolina Reaper, scores almost twice as low at 1.64 million on the Scoville scale.
Jalapeño has between 3,000 and 8,000 Scoville units, Tabasco sauce 2,500 to 5,000, and Sriracha 1,000 to 2,500.
The police spray is 1.6 million units, and the one against bears – 2.2 million.
The new killer pepper was bred by the American Ed Curry. He is the founder of the Puckerbutt Pepper Company, whose work is also the hottest pepper in the world – the Carolina Reaper.
The very result of the literally dangerous product was measured by Winthrop University in South Carolina.
Lifecafe Web, salt and alcohol
The Scoville scale for spiciness of peppers measures the concentration of capsaicin, the hot substance in them. However, it is not contained in their seeds, as is often believed, but in the so-called placenta – the membrane that holds them, notes the Guinness World Records.
And Pepper X is pretty wrinkled, which means there’s more room for that mellow tissue to grow.
Ed Curry has cultivated his new achievement for over 10 years, crossing it with some of the world’s hottest peppers to increase the amount of capsaicin.
He claims that trying such a pepper cannot kill a person, but it leads to agony and prolonged pain.
“I felt the heat for three and a half hours. Then the cramps started,” Ed Curry told the AP. He is also one of the five people in the world who ate a whole pepper.
“The cramps are terrible. I lay in the rain for about an hour, moaning in pain,” he explains of the effect.
However, he plans to continue with the hybrids in search of a new record.
You don’t have to convince smokers that they are damaging their health. They know all too well that they are putting unnecessary strain on their bodies. Smokers are confronted with this every day, especially in this Stoptober month*.
It is generally known that cigarettes contain more than 4,000 chemicals, hundreds of which are harmful to health and dozens of which are even carcinogenic. That is why being smoke-free is now the ‘new normal’*.
The toxic substances in tobacco smoke cause damage to the body, cells and tissue. This can lead to accelerated aging and a greater risk of health problems.
Smokers therefore know that they should actually quit and they have often made many attempts. But because quitting can be accompanied by nervousness, sleep problems, anxiety, headaches, concentration problems, irritability, dizziness and a craving for food, quitting is often a difficult process.
What people who want to quit smoking often do not know, but what is crucial to know, is that you can support the body in reducing and quitting smoking. Even those who want to continue smoking often do not know how they can optimally protect their body against the bad influence of tobacco smoke.
The damage to cells and tissues in the body caused by smoking is mainly caused by oxidative stress.
Oxidative stress is a normal phenomenon in nature and is the process that underlies the normal aging process of the body’s cells. Chemically speaking, it involves a reaction with oxygen, as we see when iron rusts.
When there is too much oxidative stress, as is the case with smoking, the body is damaged and the aging process will accelerate. The health of the body can deteriorate and requires a lot of energy to recover.
Oxidative stress is caused by free radicals . Free radicals are unstable molecules that can oxidize (rust) cells and tissues, causing damage.
Your body tries to protect itself as much as possible against oxidative stress with the help of antioxidants . An antioxidant is a substance that prevents oxidation and can neutralize free radicals and render them harmless.
Protective antioxidants are essential to prevent damage to cells and the body. If there is no balance between the number of free radicals and antioxidants, the free radicals are not neutralized and oxidative stress occurs in the body.
Smoking puts large amounts of free radicals in the body, which increases the demand for antioxidants. This can quickly lead to an imbalance between the number of free radicals and antioxidants, causing increased oxidative stress and accelerated aging.
The role of vitamins and minerals
It is generally a known fact that many vitamins and minerals have a protective function for smokers due to their antioxidant effect. As a result, they play a major role in preventing harmful oxidative stress in the body of smokers.
Due to harmful tobacco smoke, smokers will also consume these vitamins and minerals more quickly , which means they will be more likely to suffer from major deficiencies than non-smokers. In addition, the harmful substances in tobacco smoke can also hinder the absorption of vitamins and minerals.
Many vitamins and minerals are now recognized as acting as antioxidants. Here are some famous examples:
Vitamins: Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin A, Vitamin B2
Minerals: Copper, Manganese, Selenium, Zinc
These are the vitamins and minerals that can be said to act as antioxidants. There are many other nutrients that have antioxidant properties. That is why a healthy and varied diet is of great importance, with an optimal balance of vitamins, minerals and trace elements in the right amount.
If you want to quit smoking or want to gradually cut back, it helps to prevent deficiencies in these essential nutrients.
For smokers, the following two vitamins in particular play an important role in protecting their bodies against oxidative stress: vitamin E and vitamin C.
The importance of vitamin E and vitamin C
Vitamin E is the first line of defense that protects the body against the free radicals caused by smoking. In addition, vitamin E protects the alveoli in the lungs. That’s why it’s so important for smokers to ensure they get enough vitamin E.
Because vitamin E is so important for protecting the lungs, in the event of a shortage, the body will extract vitamin E from other tissues and bring it to the lungs. This also causes vitamin E deficiencies to develop more quickly in all other tissues of the body. All tissues of the body therefore become increasingly vulnerable to toxins and free radicals.
By neutralizing the free radicals, vitamin E will not only become ineffective but will also become a free radical itself because the effect of vitamin E is exhausted. That is why you also need vitamin C because it comes to the rescue of vitamin E by helping to restore the ineffective vitamin E to its active form.
Vitamin C therefore works as an antioxidant for vitamin E and returns this vitamin to its active and working form. Taking vitamin C can prevent the serious depletion of vitamin E in smokers because the vitamin E can be continuously reused in this way. Without vitamin C, the effective vitamin E will quickly diminish and oxidize.
Vitamin C itself is also a strong antioxidant that helps protect cells against the oxidative damage caused by tobacco smoke. Vitamin C will also be used up quickly by smokers and smokers may develop deficiencies.
We all need at least 40 mg per kilogram of body weight of vitamin C (40 x weight = number of milligrams of vitamin C). But smokers need more. It has been determined that a smoker needs at least an additional 50-100 mg of vitamin C per cigarette.
Since vitamin C is also necessary for collagen formation, smoking will affect the quality of collagen in the body. Healthy collagen is important for bones, cartilage, teeth and gums, among other things. The quality of our blood vessels and the health of our skin also depend on collagen.
This also explains the ‘Smoker’s skin’ that many people who have smoked or have smoked for a long time suffer from. The breakdown of vitamin C by the harmful substances in tobacco smoke leads to reduced quality of collagen in the skin and accelerated skin aging.
Support for (quitting) smoking
In addition to the above data, all vitamins, minerals and trace elements play an important role in maintaining health for all of us, but especially for smokers.
If you want to stop or gradually reduce your intake, it will certainly help if you ensure that you eliminate and keep away all deficiencies.
Take a good multivitamin with all vitamins and minerals in the right balance and quantity, in combination with extra calcium and magnesium ( CalMag drink ) and sufficient vitamin C.
Of course, all this in combination with improving all other aspects of a healthy lifestyle.
For smokers and people who want to quit smoking, it is important to know about the importance of vitamins and minerals.
Iceland is a model of capitalist democracies: it tops the index of gender equality, political representation, access to education and work, equal family leave and daycare, which guarantee rapid reintegration into work and study after motherhood. 80% of women work outside the home, they make up 65% of university students and 41% of members of Parliament.
But it was not always like this. Although the female vote in Iceland was achieved in 1915, the desired progress did not occur and women continued to be paid up to 40% less than men and their parliamentary representation amounted to no more than 5%.
But then came 1975. That year was declared by the UN, the International Women’s Year, and this contributed to women making their strength evident through an almost total strike of Icelandic women in all areas of the country. It was the idea of a group of Icelandic feminist women called Red Stockings who proposed to challenge an entire country, demonstrating that women are essential for a country to move and advance.
It was considered that that day a “women’s strike”, in order to make their role in society visible, especially in unpaid domestic work and to demand greater political representation.
It is true that at that time in Iceland there was no strike or mobilization process, which is why it was promoted as a “day of own affairs”, in order to guarantee the absence of women, but without risking their jobs. Along with this massive request for the day off, all types of licenses allowed in the work environment were used. The cessation of all unpaid domestic tasks, including child care, was promoted.
90% of Icelanders supported the measure. A strike without being one, but without going to their jobs or carrying out any action that was not recognized and remunerated as such. The woman stopped doing absolutely everything.
The economic impact was notable: newspapers were not printed because the typographers were women, the telephone service did not work, flights were canceled because the hostesses did not show up, schools did not function and fish factories closed because their workforce was almost exclusively female. Banks, transportation, daycare centers, cashiers, shop assistants stopped,…And they all gathered on the street. In Reykjavík, the country’s capital, about 25,000 people gathered.
The men had to take care of the children. Many could not request the day off because the women had already done so and their work was necessary. Nor could they neglect their children or not worry about food. The offices were filled with children and the restaurants increased their turnover significantly.
The political impact was very important. In 1976, the Icelandic Parliament passed a law guaranteeing equal rights for men and women, although this would not result in better jobs or salary compensation for women. Four years later, the first female president, Vigdis Finnbogadottir, would be elected by a small margin. A women’s party was founded, the Women’s Alliance, which in 1983 won its first seats in parliament. Two decades later, in 2000, paid paternity leave for men was introduced. In 2010, Iceland elected a woman, Johanna Sigudardottir, as its prime minister, for the first time in history. She was also the world’s first openly gay leader. That year, as one of the first policies of her government, strip clubs were banned. And although some problems persist, especially in the workplace, the fight for equality continues in the same way.
“It was a first step for the emancipation of women”, according to former president Vigdis Finnbogadottir years later in an interview she gave to the BBC. It was a great boost in equality for women in the country. That day completely changed the way of thinking of Icelanders and the role of women in all areas of society was valued.
The men realized the value that women had in society and, far from getting angry or even bothered with the Icelandic women, they went one step further and joined in the desire to achieve a fairer social organization where everyone was equal.
That example helped other women’s groups want to imitate it and, thus, in Poland in 2016, women were absent from work and organized a massive march against the reactionary decree that attempted to prohibit access to the right to abortion in all cases. But this strike did not have the economic impact that its predecessor achieved; although they did achieve it in the political sphere with the withdrawal of the Law. Argentina would also attempt a change in its social structure, bringing it closer to women through a similar strike, but what is certain is that the result was not as overwhelming as in Iceland.
In the United States, a “day without women” was also called in 2017, which included a large mobilization in front of President Donald Trump’s Trump Tower in New York.
“Icelandic Friday” showed the power of women’s protest to make their economic place visible inside and outside the home. But the persistence of the wage gap also showed a limit to the demand for “equality” without questioning the overall system. In fact, Icelandic capitalism knew how to integrate and “gradualize” the demand to such an extent that today, 40 years later, women continue to mobilize for the same reason.
The most unequal plane continues to be the economic one: the salary gap of 14% remains. And the persistence of women’s mobilization is proof that even in those small egalitarian paradises (Iceland has barely 330,000 inhabitants) that capitalism possesses in a fiercely unequal world, the fight against oppression and discrimination is in force. Women mobilized again year after year to demand the equality for which they had kicked the board that Friday in 1975.
Now this strike day is held every ten years.
It is true that a strike does not generate a cultural or political change immediately, as happened in Iceland, but at least it manages to attract the attention of the world to present its problems, because the visibility of these shows that it is one of the main victories of a strike.
In a landmark move to combat climate change, the European Union’s Environment Committee has thrown its weight behind stricter CO2 emissions reduction targets for heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs), which include trucks, buses, and trailers. This decision is aimed at improving air quality across the EU and aligns with the broader objectives of the European Green Deal and REPowerEU.
HDVs, a category that encompasses everything from city buses to long-haul trucks, account for a significant 25% of greenhouse gas emissions from EU road transport. This makes them a critical target in the EU’s fight against climate change.
The Environment Committee adopted the proposals, which aim to strengthen EU CO2 emission standards for new HDVs, with 48 votes in favour, 36 against, and one abstention. According to the report, these measures will play a key role in reducing the emissions of the entire HDV fleet, thereby helping the EU reach its 2050 climate neutrality goal.
The MEPs have proposed robust CO2 emissions reduction targets for medium and heavy trucks, including vocational vehicles such as garbage trucks, tippers, or concrete mixers, and buses. Targets are set at a 45% reduction for the period 2030-2034, ramping up to a 70% reduction for 2035-2039, and reaching a 90% reduction by 2040.
In addition, all newly registered urban buses should be zero-emission vehicles from 2030, with a temporary exemption until 2035 for interurban buses fuelled by biomethane under strict conditions.
The committee also proposed the establishment of an annual “Zero-Emission HDVs Forum” to facilitate the effective and cost-efficient roll-out of recharging and refuelling infrastructure. By the end of 2026, the Commission should assess the possibility of developing a methodology for reporting full lifecycle CO2 emissions for new HDVs.
“The transition towards zero-emission trucks and buses is not only key to meeting our climate targets, but also a crucial driver for cleaner air in our cities. We are providing clarity for one of the major manufacturing industries in Europe and a clear incentive to invest in electrification and hydrogen. We’re building on the Commission’s proposal, but with more ambition. We want to expand the scope of the rules to small and medium-sized lorries and vocational vehicles – sectors which are especially important for urban air quality – and we’re adapting several targets and benchmarks to catch up with reality, as the transition is moving faster than expected.”
The MEPs are scheduled to adopt the report during the November II 2023 plenary sitting. This will constitute Parliament’s negotiating position with EU governments on the final shape of the legislation.
The Commission had earlier tabled a legislative proposal to set CO2 standards for heavy-duty vehicles from 2030 onwards to help reach the EU’s objective for climate neutrality by 2050 and lower the demand for imported fossil fuels.
With this move, the EU takes a significant step towards a greener future, reducing its reliance on fossil fuels and paving the way for cleaner air and a healthier environment for its citizens.
Paris, October 24th, 2023: In its 2024 Foreign Exchange Market Outlook released this week, iBanFirst, a leading global provider of foreign exchange and international payments for businesses, present in 10 European countries, provides SMEs, especially those doing international payments, with an overview of key trends for the upcoming year. The objective is to help SMEs to shape their currency risk management strategy for 2024. In these times of low growth and threats to margins, optimizing international payments is no longer an option for them.
Foreign exchange market volatility, which decreased during the first half of 2023, due to synchronized monetary policies, is poised for a comeback in 2024, exposing SMEs to increased costs and business uncertainty.
The Euro is still too expensive against the dollar; the single currency’s fair value is closer to around 1.03-1.05. For SMEs doing international trade, this means higher import costs or less competitive exports. They can protect themselves through risk management services or can consider business expansion into more stable markets.
Key events expected to influence the European currency markets in 2024 include a new energy crisis, the return of stagflation, and a high risk of recession.
How will FX market volatility impact SMEs in 2024?
In 2024, as currency volatility is expected to come back, even a minor fluctuation in exchange rates can have an impact on the profit margins of trade businesses, affecting their competitiveness in international markets. Therefore, it is vital for import-export companies to understand, anticipate, and protect against currency fluctuations, as they can substantially influence their financial performance during these challenging economic times.
“The currency markets are expected to return to volatile conditions in 2024. This is due to various factors, including the conflict in Ukraine, a potential major crisis in the Middle East, and uncertainty surrounding inflation. It’s important to mention that currency fluctuations aren’t a problem limited to large multinational corporations; they can impact businesses of all sizes, including SMEs involved in cross-border trade. In light of this, business owners, CEOs, and CFOs should maintain a vigilant eye on the market-influencing factors. At stake: avoiding the loss of vital margins in these times of high inflation“, says Pierre-Antoine Dusoulier, CEO and Founder of iBanFirst.
For SMEs doing international trade, currency market volatility can pose a number of challenges such as:
● Increased costs: Currency market volatility can make it more difficult for import and export companies to predict their costs.
● Reduced revenue: Revenue of import and export companies could register a decrease, leading to a loss of market share and a reduction in profits.
● Increased uncertainty: This can make it more difficult for companies to make investment decisions and plan for the future.
● Damage to reputation: Currency market volatility can make it difficult for companies to meet their contractual obligations and therefore see their reputation damaged.
Companies doing import-export can however take a number of steps to mitigate the challenges of currency market volatility, such as:
● Monitor currency markets on a regular basis to stay informed of the latest trends. This will help SMEs to identify potential risks and to take steps to mitigate those risks.
● Develop a currency risk management plan to identify and mitigate the risks of currency fluctuations. The plan should include a hedging strategy and other risk management tools.
● Use a currency management specialist to help them develop and implement a currency risk management plan.
EUR/USD pair forecast for 2024
Based on economic fundamentals, iBanFirst’s analysts appreciate the euro is still too expensive against the dollar and that the fair value is closer to around 1.03-1.05. Contrary to the market consensus, iBanFirst’s analysts doubt that the US dollar will depreciate significantly in 2024. The US economy is doing well and even if it is likely to slow down in 2024, there is no recession in sight.
While many analysts predict a rate cut by the Fed during the first quarter of the year, they anticipate that the monetary policy pause will last longer than what is currently expected, keeping real interest rates at attractive levels in the US. Furthermore, the worsening global economic conditions are likely to bolster the strength of the dollar as it is seen as a safe-haven currency during times of uncertainty.
EUR/JPY pair forecast for 2024
The Reuters consensus expects Japanese monetary policy to remain unchanged at least until July 2024. In theory, this should lead to a prolonged depreciation of the yen. But according to iBanFirst’s analysts, the Bank of Japan could raise its policy rate by the end of 2023. This would be a marginal increase, probably 10 basis points. But it would be sufficient to lift the policy rate into positive territory – a fundamental change for Japan. It’s likely that investors will once again take long positions in the JPY, causing the EUR/JPY pair to decline.
Key events that will influence the European currency markets in 2024
As we approach the end of 2023 and look ahead to 2024, despite the ongoing uncertainties in the global economy, there are still several indicators that can provide signals about the evolution of the forex market in the upcoming year.
A new energy crisis especially if the geopolitical situation in the Middle East deteriorates further. At the moment, the scale of the crisis is not as severe as last year’s.
The return of stagflation in Europe as recent data reveals weak economic growth and inflation rates higher than expected in Germany and France. The situation in the UK looks also concerning.
High recession risk in the Eurozone is determined by the delayed post-Covid economic rebound, the lasting energy crisis, and the overly restrictive monetary policy.
Founded in 2016, iBanFirst offers a next-generation cross-border payment experience that combines a powerful platform and the support of FX experts. With more than 350 employees in 10 European countries, processing a volume of transactions worth more than €1.4 billion each month, and listed by the Financial Times as one of Europe’s fastest-growing companies, iBanFirst became in less than 10 years a trusted partner for SMEs across borders.
iBanFirst has the financial backing of the French public investment bank (bpiFrance), European venture capital leaders (Elaia, Xavier Niel), and the American investment fund Marlin Equity Partners (more than 8 billion dollars of capital under management). Regulated by the National Bank of Belgium as a payment institution, iBanFirst is authorized to operate throughout the European Union. Member of the SWIFT network and SEPA certified, iBanFirst holds AISP and PISP accreditations under PSD2.
Vincent Van Quickenborne, Belgian Justice Minister, has resigned from his position. His decision to step down came after a tragic terrorist attack in Brussels.
The incident involved a Tunisian individual who shot and killed two football fans in the Belgian capital. This event was particularly significant as it was linked to a ‘monumental error’ involving the extradition request from Tunisia for an Islamic extremist.
Van Quickenborne stated that he wanted to take political responsibility for this unacceptable mistake. His resignation underscores the gravity of the situation and the serious implications of the error that occurred under his watch as the Minister of Justice.
This is not the first time that Belgian authorities have been criticized for their failure to prevent attacks while wasting funds and security resources in surveilling peaceful religious organizations. In fact, there have been several instances in the past where the authorities have been found wanting in their handling of potential threats. As Pullitzer-prize Dan Luzadder wrote, “Ironically, while Belgian authorities were obsessed with Scientology, they missed the emergence of a terrorist cell in Brussels. That cell was key to the November 13, 2015, terrorist attacks in Paris that claimed 130 lives.“
In 2015 and 2016, hundreds of lives were lost in terror attacks in Paris and Brussels. It was later revealed that Belgian officials had prior knowledge about the Brussels terror attack gunman but were unable to stop him. This raised serious questions about the efficiency and effectiveness of the Belgian security apparatus.
Furthermore, a deadly attack in Belgium ignited a fierce debate on the failures of the country’s deportation policy. Critics argued that the Belgian authorities’ inability to properly implement and enforce this policy was a contributing factor to the attack.
These incidents, along with the recent tragedy involving the Tunisian extremist, highlight significant flaws in the Belgian authorities’ approach to dealing with potential threats. The resignation of Vincent Van Quickenborne, the Belgian Minister of Justice, is a clear admission of these systemic failures and a call for urgent reform.
Examples of wrong stigmatization, while failing to stop real security threats
There is a pattern of stigmatization and mismanagement and it is not a new phenomenon in Belgium and some other countries, which focus on minority religious groups while losing focus on real threats to the security of citizens. A good example is the following: In 1997, the Belgian Parliament released a controversial list that stigmatized 189 religious groups as so-called “dangerous sects”, a move that formed the basis for a criminal investigation against the Church of Scientology.
The prosecution included the Parliament’s blacklist in the criminal proceedings record.
The Court stated that by presenting a list of 189 movements it considered harmful, the Parliamentary Commission made a value judgment which it was not entitled to do, violating the presumption of innocence (As Human Rights Watch reported). The Court further found that the Parliamentary Commission “got carried away” and “exceeded its powers”, something “which should be deplored coming from such an Institution”.
The ruling that gave final victory to the Scientologists after years of state and defamation, found that religious blacklists published by a Parliament exceed legislative powers and violate fundamental human rights, including the right to the presumption of innocence, has significant precedential value throughout Europe.
Yet, while peaceful religious groups continue to face stigmatization by some local Belgian authorities and even media outlets, dangerous individuals were not adequately tracked or prosecuted, leading to a series of fatal attacks in the country. This juxtaposition underscores a troubling trend in Belgium’s approach to national security and justice, where peaceful movements are stigmatized while dangerous individuals slip through the cracks.
To say the same in other words, while this later incident is far and disconnected from the above example as a case, the resignation of Vincent Van Quickenborne, the Belgian Minister of Justice, in the wake of a fatal attack linked to a ‘monumental error’, can be seen as a stark symbol of these systemic failures and the urgent need for reform.
