EU’s Bold Step: Phasing Out Animal Testing, But Cosmetics Still a Concern

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25 July 2023

white plastic bottle beside white ceramic swan figurine

The European Commission’s recent move to phase out animal testing for chemicals in Europe has been hailed as a step in the right direction by animal welfare campaigners. However, it falls short of addressing citizens’ wishes regarding the ban on animal testing for cosmetics. Despite the “Save Cruelty-Free Cosmetics – Commit to a Europe Without Animal Testing” European citizens’ initiative garnering support from 1.2 million European citizens, the Commission has not taken action to protect the existing EU ban on cosmetic animal testing. This article explores the Commission’s initiatives and the concerns raised by citizens and animal protection groups.

Table of Contents

A Positive Start: Phasing Out Animal Testing for Chemicals

The European Commission’s plan to eliminate animal testing for chemicals is a welcome move for animal welfare advocates. This initiative seeks to promote alternative methods for chemical testing and ultimately reduce the use of animals in research and education. Campaigners commend the Commission for acknowledging the importance of prioritizing non-animal testing approaches.

Ignoring Citizens’ Demands: The Issue with Cosmetic Animal Testing

Despite a significant number of citizens expressing their support for cruelty-free cosmetics, the Commission has failed to uphold the ban on animal testing for cosmetics. The EU had implemented a ban on animal testing for cosmetic ingredients back in 2009, but animal tests for chemicals used in industrial settings or released into the environment continue under the REACH regulation. Disturbingly, updates to REACH suggest an increase in animal testing, further perpetuating animal suffering.

Animal Suffering in Laboratories

In 2020, a shocking 7.9 million animals endured unimaginable suffering in EU and Norwegian laboratories. Rabbits, mice, cats, and dogs were subjected to forceful administration of substances, infection with debilitating diseases, genetic manipulation, brain damage through surgery, exposure to severe pain, and breeding programs that perpetuated the cycle of suffering. The Commission’s exploration of non-animal methods is a step forward, but it falls short of citizens’ demands for a comprehensive reform.

The “Save Cruelty-Free Cosmetics” European Citizens’ Initiative

Launched in August 2021, the “Save Cruelty-Free Cosmetics” ECI garnered support from various animal protection groups, including Cruelty Free Europe, Eurogroup for Animals, the European Coalition to End Animal Experiments, Humane Society International/Europe, and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, backed by beauty brands The Body Shop and Dove. The initiative called for strengthened and protected bans on cosmetic animal testing, the transformation of chemical regulations to eliminate animal testing, and a commitment to phasing out all animal testing in Europe.

Commitments Made by the Commission

In response to the ECI, the Commission has made some positive commitments, including:

Developing a roadmap to end all mandated tests on animals for industrial chemicals, pesticides, biocides, and human and veterinary medicines.
Exploring the creation of an expert scientific committee to advise on non-animal approaches’ development and uptake.
Proposing an action plan for the European Research Area to coordinate national policies in replacing animal use in laboratories and accelerating the implementation of non-animal methods.
Organizing expert workshops to prioritize research areas that accelerate the transition to animal-free science.

Looking Ahead: Pushing for Meaningful Impact

While these commitments are encouraging, citizens expect the Commission to ensure their implementation has a maximum and meaningful impact. Animal welfare advocates will continue to push for further action, urging the Commission to propose more substantial changes to legislation and policies, setting a path for member states, regulators, and assessment bodies to phase out all animal testing in laboratories. The goals of the ECI must be pursued collectively by all relevant actors.

The European Commission’s plan to phase out animal testing for chemicals shows progress towards a cruelty-free future. However, the failure to protect the ban on cosmetic animal testing disregards citizens’ wishes and the suffering of countless animals. It is imperative that the Commission heeds the calls of its citizens and takes further action to ensure animal welfare remains a top priority in Europe’s scientific endeavors. Only through collective efforts can Europe move closer to a future without animal testing.

Quantum sensors can offer completely new opportunities

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Newsdesk

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25 July 2023

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Quantum sensors can offer completely new opportunities

Quantum physics is not new, but we have only recently become able to control quantum phenomena and thus use them to develop new technologies. One of the areas in which quantum technology is most mature and ready for application is quantum sensors, where quantum phenomena can help make the sensors ultra-sensitive, enabling them to see details and measure much smaller quantities than possible with currently existing sensors.

ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw== Quantum sensors can offer completely new opportunities

The laboratory of Kirstine Berg-Sørensen. Image credit: Jesper Scheel

Table of Contents

Defective diamonds as quantum sensors

Alexander Huck is one of the DTU researchers researching the use of diamonds as quantum sensors for more than ten years. These are artificial diamonds with a built-in defect: the NV centre. The NV centre behaves like a quantum mechanical spin that can register weak magnetic fields and other physical parameters.

Alexander Huck has used quantum diamonds to measure biological material, among other applications. In 2020, he demonstrated—together with a multidisciplinary research team—that measuring electrical activity in muscles was possible using an NV diamond quantum sensor.

“The advantage of using diamonds to measure biological material is that we don’t need to attach electrodes to the material to measure a signal. Instead, we can place a diamond, in this case in the shape of a small flat plate measuring 1-2mm x 1-2mm, close to the biological material without ‘damaging’ it and then measure signals using magnetic fields. We’ve recently succeeded in performing similar measurements of brain activity from tissue in mice, which is a major new milestone,” says Alexander Huck, Associate Professor at DTU Physics.

In his opinion, quantum sensors will play a big part in the work to gain more knowledge about the brain and neural networks, eventually contributing to both improved diagnosis and cures for brain disorders.

Knowledge of molecules and photosynthesis

Alexander Huck has recently also started using NV diamond sensors on length scales much smaller than cells and tissue from muscles and the brain. He wants to try using the quantum sensor to gain greater knowledge about molecules. The overall focus is on electronic processes on a molecular scale, such as photosynthesis, which he wants to learn more about by looking at one or a few molecules at a time.

“If we can understand how photosynthesis works in detail, it may—in the long term—allow us to copy how plants harvest energy from the sun and convert it into storable and transportable chemical substances. Much of our current knowledge is based on analyses of large groups of molecules, and this can obscure some of the details. I want to gain knowledge about them by looking at the molecules individually,” says Alexander Huck.

Increased knowledge about human cells

Kirstine Berg-Sørensen also uses quantum technology for biological sensors, but with smaller diamonds. Her focus is on obtaining greater knowledge of our cells.

“In recent years, cell biology researchers have discovered that cells are not as heterogeneous as we thought. The individual cells develop differently, even though they come from the same starting point. This applies, for example, to cancer cells, but also to immune cells, which is my focus area. It’s important to gain more in-depth knowledge about which cells are responsible for disease development and disease control, respectively,” says Kirstine Berg-Sørensen, Associate Professor at DTU Health Tech.

Kirstine Berg-Sørensen has worked with optical traps in the laboratory throughout most of her career. In this work, a highly focused laser beam of infrared light is used to examine the biological material. In this way, the light does not heat up the material and thus does not create changes in connection with the analyses.

“About six years ago, through Alexander Huck’s work, I became aware of nanodiamonds, which make it possible to register weak magnetic fields, for example in human tissue. This gave me the idea to study cells by combining our methods, and we’re now collaborating on this,” says Kirstine Berg-Sørensen.

Combining two methods

The cells first absorb tiny nanodiamonds that have a diameter of about 120 nanometres—500 times smaller than the thickness of a human hair. The researchers use laser light to read what the diamond measures.

In the long term, the goal is to develop an advanced measuring tool for biological material based on the two methods. The advantage of both diamonds and optical trap is that they are biocompatible, which means that they do not interact with the biological material and thus do not ‘disturb’ anything in connection with the measurement. In addition, their magnetic sensitivity can function at room temperature, and therefore does not require extremely low temperatures below minus 150 degrees, unlike other types of quantum sensors.

“We’ve already shown that we can get the cells to absorb the nanodiamonds. Now we need to refine our method to get optical tweezers, a laser beam, to ‘push’ the diamond around in the cell, so that we can measure several parts of the cell. We’re currently working on this,” says Kirstine Berg-Sørensen.

E-MAT comprises a range of instruments, which, under controlled conditions, allow for the development and synthesis of novel materials. Image credit: DTU

Development of new quantum sensors

Although quantum sensors are already capable of performing more accurate measurements than ordinary sensors, work is being done to improve them further, for example in a collaboration between researchers working to develop new materials, and where Alexander Huck contributes with his expertise in NV diamonds and quantum sensors.

“Our goal is to systematically examine whether we can find a new sensor that is small, biocompatible, capable of operating at room temperature, and able to measure magnetic fields in the brain of living organisms. This will enable us to significantly expand our knowledge of the processes in the brain. We are planning to fabricate new sensora by using new custom-made 2D materials that enable us to control defects at the atomic level,” explains Nini Pryds, Professor at DTU Energy, who is a materials scientist and in charge of the work.

The goal of the specific project is to develop a completely new quantum sensor based on 2D materials that will be more sensitive than a diamond.

“To create better, less expensive, and more practical small sensors, we will examine whether it’s possible to use completely different types of magnetically sensitive sensors based on 2D materials. With the new sensor, our future goal is to be able to offer better detection at an earlier stage, before brain diseases have time to develop further,” says Nini Pryds.

The development of the new sensor will also benefit from a new infrastructure research facility, at DTU, E-MAT. This is the first of its kind in Northern Europe, for synthesis of new generation of quantum materials and it only exists in a few places worldwide. E-MAT consists of glovebox with controlled environment encompassing a cluster of key equipment including state-of-the-art deposition methods enabling the control of surfaces and interfaces at atomic scale. This infrastructure will makes it possible not only to predict new materials theoretically, but also to actually make these materials and testing them. This makes the researchers confident that they will succeed in developing a new quantum sensor in the coming years.

Testing of quantum sensors

Some quantum sensors have already come so far in their development that their use is being tested in real life. This includes a quantum accelerometer, which in the future could substitute the GPS system for navigation.

In the current test version, the quantum sensor is a large box that takes up a lot of space when mounted in an airplane and sent on a trip over Greenland to navigate via the Earth’s gravitational field. One goal will be to reduce the quantum sensor to chip size so that, in the future, it can be used anywhere, in aircrafts, boats, buildings, under ground, and under water. This will ensure independence from the GPS system, which can be jammed or spoofed, and which poses a threat in the current geopolitical situation.

Source: DTU

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Metropolitan Pavel (Lebed) was detained in pre-trial detention

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Newsdesk

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25 July 2023

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A week ago, the Solomensky District Court in Kyiv granted the prosecution’s request to change the remand of the abbot of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra Vyshgorod and Chernobyl Metropolitan Pavel (Lebed) from house arrest to pretrial detention.

The court allowed him to post bail of 33 million hryvnias (just over $800,000) to remain under house arrest.

Metropolitan Pavel is accused of collaborationism and propagandizing the ideology of the “Russian world.” He faces eight years in prison and confiscation of his property. The latter is the likely reason for setting such a high cash bail, which would shed light on his condition and allow that money to be forfeited. Metropolitan Pavel (Lebed) will remain in pre-trial detention until August 14.

During the court session, the metropolitan stated that he was ready to swear on the Bible that he was innocent. “I have never supported the aggressor, I have never supported Putin,” he said. And he distributed from the pretrial detention center an address to the monks in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, in which he compared himself to the confessors from the time of the Bolshevik regime. “All the accusations against me are complete lies. The false witnesses, including on the part of some brothers, they cannot accuse me of anything.” He also urged the monks not to accept a new abbot.

Russian Patriarch Kirill did not hide his joy at the opportunity this news gives him to resume the topic of “the canonical Ukrainian Church in persecution, which needs protection against the godless regime in Kiev.”

During the bishops’ conference, which took place on July 20 in Moscow, Patriarch Kirill designated Metropolitan Pavel as a confessor and said: “A religious figure cannot and should not be subjected to such repressive measures because of his religious beliefs. I note with great concern that the change of the remand of Metropolitan Pavel, a man of advanced age, from house arrest to pre-trial detention threatens him with a serious deterioration in his health and may lead to his death in the detention center.”

However, Patriarch Kirill does not take any action towards his (former) clerics detained in Russia, among whom Fr. Ioan Kurmoyarov, who is also of advanced age and imprisoned for his anti-war beliefs, with the refusal of communion and the possibility of wearing Christian symbols.

Propaganda in the country needs cases like that of Mitr. Pavel to justify its political and military aggression. The actual involvement of any individual is of no importance, much less the problems of the Ukrainian Church. An eloquent example is provided by the comments on the arrest of Vyshgorod Metropolitan Pavel by two famous Russian propagandists:

Kiril Frolov commented on the case as follows: “We, the Orthodox Christians, supporting our head and the holy church both on the military front and on the information-political front, humbly ask His Holiness Patriarch Kirill to ask President Putin to crush the ukro-reich of the antichrists and liberate Kiev.”

And Alexander Dugin reportedly said: “We will liberate Kyiv. We will return the Lavra to the people. Everything else is pointless. We will wipe Ukraine off the face of the earth, and then deal with its masters. But not immediately. We said: from the face of the earth!”

Purchases of cognac and vodka reduced in Russia

By

Gaston de Persigny

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25 July 2023

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Russians are probably buying counterfeits.

They have sharply reduced their purchases of cognac and vodka, writes Vedomosti newspaper.

According to Rosstat data, quoted by the newspaper, sales of vodka decreased by 16.4% during the year, and of cognac – by 20.3%.

Such a noticeable decrease is probably due to the shadow market, experts of the publication admit. Since many foreign brands left Russia after the start of the war, fake alcohol products from shadow manufacturers can be purchased in stores.

Another reason is the decrease in the income of the population, especially the middle class. So people start buying cheaper drinks. Counterfeit products are not counted in the statistics.

Earlier, the Ministry of Industry and Trade noted that while there is a moratorium in Russia, restrictions on inspections of shops selling alcohol, the state cannot fully identify and stop the sale of counterfeit products.

Photo by Kelly : https://www.pexels.com/photo/assorted-alcoholic-drinks-2796105/

Speaking through Colors, The Symbolism of Art

By

Charlie W. Grease

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25 July 2023

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a close up of a multicolored object with a black background

Art has always been a powerful medium of expression, allowing artists to communicate their thoughts, emotions, and ideas through various forms. Within the realm of visual art, colours hold significant meaning and symbolism, enabling artists to convey messages and evoke certain responses from their viewers. This article explores the profound association between colours and symbolism in art, shedding light on how artists utilize this connection to tell stories and establish deeper connections with their audience.

Table of Contents

I. The Language of Colors: Understanding Symbolism in Art

Colours have long been associated with different emotions, cultural beliefs, and societal norms. Certain colours are universally recognized and understood to represent specific feelings or ideas. For instance, red often symbolizes passion, love, or danger, while blue is often associated with calmness, sadness, or trust. Understanding these color associations is crucial for artists who aim to evoke a particular response from their viewers or convey a specific message.

Artists often rely on the psychological effects of colours to create a particular atmosphere or mood in their artwork. Warm colours like yellow, orange, and red are known to evoke feelings of energy, happiness, and excitement, while cool colours like blue, green, and purple tend to elicit a sense of calmness, serenity, and tranquillity. By strategically choosing the dominant colours in their compositions, artists can manipulate the emotions and reactions of their audience, enhancing the impact of their work.

II. Symbolism Transcending Colors: Hidden Messages in Art

While colours play a significant role in the symbolism of art, it is important to recognize that the deeper meaning behind a piece lies not only in the choice of colour but also in the composition, subject matter, and overall context of the artwork. Symbolism in art can be subtle, requiring viewers to delve beneath the surface to fully grasp the message being conveyed.

Artists often incorporate various symbols and motifs into their work to represent abstract concepts or personal experiences. These symbols could manifest as religious or cultural icons, animal representations, or even everyday objects that hold symbolic meaning to the artist. Colours can also be imbued with additional symbolism when used in combination with these symbols, creating a multi-layered narrative within the artwork.

The interpretation of art heavily relies on the viewer’s own experiences, knowledge, and perception. Therefore, the meaning behind symbols and the colour palette used in a piece can differ from person to person. This subjectivity encourages dialogue and allows viewers to connect with the artwork on a personal level, fostering a sense of engagement with the artist’s intention.

In conclusion, the symbolism of colours in art unlocks a whole new level of communication between artists and their audiences. By tapping into the inherent associations and psychological effects of colors, artists can effectively convey emotions, ideas, and stories. Understanding the symbolism behind colors in art not only enhances our appreciation of the work but also deepens our connection with the artist’s intentions and the narrative they seek to communicate.

US concerned about Religious Freedom in 2023’s European Union

By

Juan Sanchez Gil

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24 July 2023

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Religious freedom is a fundamental human right, and while the European Union (EU) is known for its efforts to promote this liberty internationally, some of its member states still grapple with discriminatory policies impacting religious minority groups. Mollie Blum, a researcher for the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), delves into this pressing issue, shedding light on restrictive laws and practices in the EU that hinder religious minorities’ rights and contribute to societal discrimination.

I will here explore into some notable examples of these policies, including restrictions on religious clothing, ritual slaughter, and the propagation of “anti-sect” information that the USCIRF is concerned about. The report of Blum discusses blasphemy and hate speech laws, while also touching on policies that disproportionately impact Muslim and Jewish communities. To better understand the situation, let’s explore these issues in detail. (LINK TO FULL REPORT BELOW).

Restrictions on Religious Clothing

The USCIRF found incidents and policies that target Muslim women in various EU member states, restrictions on religious head coverings, such as the Islamic hijab, Jewish yarmulke, and Sikh turban, which persist still today in 2023. Such regulations, as pointed out by the report, have a disproportionate impact on Muslim women, perpetuating the notion that wearing a headscarf is contrary to European values and promoting social assimilation.

Recent developments in France, the Netherlands, and Belgium highlight the growing limitations on religious clothing, criticizes the report. For instance, France attempted to expand bans on religious headscarves in public spaces, while the Netherlands and Belgium also imposed restrictions on face coverings. These measures contribute to a sense of alienation and discrimination among religious minorities, affecting their daily lives.

Ritual Slaughter Restrictions

Per the report, animal rights activists and politicians in several EU countries advocate for restrictions on ritual or religious slaughter, directly affecting Jewish and Muslim communities. These restrictions impede religious dietary practices and force individuals to abandon deeply held religious beliefs. For example, Belgium’s regions of Flanders and Wallonia have outlawed ritual slaughter without pre-stunning, while the Greek highest court ruled against permitting ritual slaughter without anesthesia. Finland witnessed a positive development in favour of ritual slaughter practices, recognizing the importance of protecting religious freedoms.

“Anti-Sect” Restrictions

Bloom shows in her report for USCIRF hou certain EU governments have propagated harmful information about specific religious groups, labelling them as “sects” or “cults.” The French government’s involvement with already discredited organizations like FECRIS, through the government agency MIVILUDES (which some would say is the “Sugar Daddy” of FECRIS) has provoked media reactions that negatively affect individuals associated with religious organizations. Many times, the rights of these religions are fully recognized by the United States and even many European countries, and even the European Court of Human Rights.

In France, recent laws have given authorities the power to use special techniques to investigate what they call “sects” and penalize those deemed guilty before a fair trial. Similarly, some regions in Germany (namely Bavaria) require individuals to sign statements denying affiliation with the Church of Scientology (over 250 governmental contracts have been issued in 2023 with this discriminatory clause), leading to a smear campaign against Scientologists, which continue to have to defend their rights. It is interesting that of all countries in Europe or even the world, Germany requests people to declare if they are of a specific religion or not (in this case exclusively for Scientology).

Blasphemy Laws

Upholding Freedom of Expression Blasphemy laws in several European countries continue to be a matter of concern. While some countries have repealed such laws, publishes the USCIRF report, others have strengthened provisions against blasphemy. Poland’s recent attempts to expand its blasphemy law and the enforcement of blasphemy charges in Italy are examples of this. Such laws conflict with the principle of freedom of expression and create a chilling effect on individuals expressing religious beliefs, especially when they are deemed controversial or offensive.

Hate Speech Laws

Striking a Balance While combating hate speech is vital, hate speech legislation can be overbroad and infringe upon the rights to freedom of religion or belief and freedom of expression. Many EU member states have laws that penalize hate speech, often criminalizing speech that does not incite violence.

Concerns arise when individuals are targeted for peacefully sharing religious beliefs, as witnessed in the case of a Finnish Member of Parliament and an Evangelical Lutheran Bishop facing hate speech charges for expressing religious beliefs about LGBTQ+ issues.

Other Laws and Policies

ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw== US concerned about Religious Freedom in 2023's European Union

Impacting Muslims and Jews EU countries have enacted various policies to counter terrorism and extremism, leading to unintended consequences for religious minorities. For example, France’s separatism law aims to enforce “French values,” but its provisions encompass activities not linked to terrorism. Denmark’s “parallel societies” law impacts Muslim communities, while efforts to regulate circumcision and Holocaust distortion policies affect Jewish communities in Scandinavian countries and Poland, respectively.

Efforts to Combat Religious Discrimination: The EU has taken steps to combat antisemitism and anti-Muslim hatred, appointing coordinators and encouraging the adoption of the IHRA definition of antisemitism. However, these forms of hatred continue to rise, and the EU must enhance measures to address other forms of religious discrimination present across Europe.

Conclusion

While EU member states generally have constitutional protections for freedom of religion or belief, some restrictive policies continue to impact religious minority groups and encourage discrimination. Promoting religious freedom while addressing other concerns is essential for creating an inclusive society. The EU’s efforts to combat antisemitism and anti-Muslim hatred are commendable but should be extended to address other forms of religious discrimination prevalent throughout the region. By upholding religious freedom, the EU can foster a truly inclusive and diverse society where all individuals can practice their faith without fear of discrimination or persecution.

FULL USCIRF REPORT

Has the Government Forgotten about Serious and Organised Crime?

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Guest Author

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24 July 2023

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Has the Government Forgotten about Serious and Organised Crime?

But this activity masks a wider malaise in government. Structural changes across key parts of the Home Office have reportedly complicated joint working with counterparts across the system. Staff in Whitehall departments lament a lack of mechanisms for prioritisation pending the updated strategy, with the current strategic approach followed by different parts of the system not always easily discernible.

Think Big or Go Home

What would then make sense for an updated strategy to prioritise? First and foremost, such a document must respond to the growing sophistication, global reach and digitally enabled activity of today’s offenders.

To do so, it should reinforce and consolidate the earlier focus on disrupting and dismantling the business models of the highest-harm criminals. This includes those at the highest levels of the criminal chain and, crucially, those enabling their activities. Here, focus should lie on the role of corrupt insiders, providers of criminal communications platforms and access to financial assets that allow offenders to enjoy criminal profits. A strengthened machinery to tackle illicit finance must form a central, fully integrated plank in the wider response.

Beyond this, the strategy should be oriented towards the international component of most serious and organised crime threats to the UK. In line with this, greater focus and resources should be committed to action against this overseas dimension (with the potential of under-explored measures such as targeted financial sanctions considered). Indeed, given the cross-border nature of the threat, how the strategy balances domestic and overseas commitments will be crucial. It should be considered carefully whether activity targeted within the UK itself should automatically be assigned highest priority.

With ever-more crime occurring on the internet, the strategy should further centre on responding to the ongoing shift online. Among other measures, this should involve enhanced engagement with the private sector and efforts to tackle the evolving challenges facing law enforcement. In parallel, the strategy must adequately address criminal use of evolving technologies such as 3D printing, metaverse technology, and the use of hyper-realistic imagery created by AI in child sexual abuse offending. It should do so mindful that ongoing technological advances will continue to transform the dynamics of serious and organised crime over the life of the strategy and beyond.

Underpinning all of this, renewed commitment is needed to ensure that the single cohesive approach long advocated is strengthened and translated into action. A new strategy must look again at coordination across local to regional, national and international levels. This will involve reinvigorated work to clearly define who does what, the support provided to fulfil those expectations, and to track shifting demand across the system.

Coordination should extend beyond government. There is much to be gained, for example, from the formalisation of a collaborative network of experts working in and beyond government – with targeted academic research able to provide a more nuanced understanding of the threat and insights capable of improving the wider response.

Across the system, more broadly, greater focus is needed on governance and oversight of the strategy’s implementation. This should include stronger emphasis on assessing how the government is performing across priority areas. To achieve this, the right tools and metrics must be developed to measure activity and effectiveness against the threat as it impacts the UK in 2023 and beyond.

Overall, an updated Strategy must provide clear direction, means for prioritisation, sufficient detail and clarity on roles and responsibilities across the system. Beyond a statement of what has been achieved, it must articulate a compelling and ambitious vision for the UK’s response to serious and organised crime. Time is running out for the government.

The views expressed in this Commentary are the author’s, and do not represent those of RUSI or any other institution.

Have an idea for a Commentary you’d like to write for us? Send a short pitch to [email protected] and we’ll get back to you if it fits into our research interests. Full guidelines for contributors can be found here.

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IRAQ, Cardinal Sako flees from Baghdad to Kurdistan

By

Willy Fautre

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23 July 2023

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On Friday 21 July, Patriarch Sako of the Chaldean Catholic Church arrived in Erbil after the recent revocation of a crucial decree guaranteeing his official status and his immunity as a religious leader. In search of a safe haven, he was warmly welcome by Kurdish authorities.

On 3 July, Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid revoked a special presidential decree issued in 2013 by former president Jalal Talabani that granted Cardinal Sako powers to administer Chaldean endowment affairs and officially recognized him as the head of the Chaldean Catholic Church.

In an official statement, the Iraqi presidency defended the decision to revoke the presidential decree, saying it had no basis in the constitution since presidential decrees are issued only for those who work in governmental institutions, ministries, or governmental committees.

“Certainly, a religious institution is not considered a governmental one, the cleric in charge is not considered an employee of the state, in order to issue a decree for his appointment,” read the presidential statement.

According to Kurdish media outlet Rudaw, the Iraqi president’s decision came after he met with Rayan al-Kaldani, the head of the Babylon Movement, a political party with a militia called the “Babylon Brigades”, claiming to be Christian but actually affiliated to the pro-Iranian Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Al-Kaldani’s aim is to sideline the Chaldean Patriarchate and assume the role of representative of Christians in the country.

The decision of the Iraqi president is in addition to other negative developments which clearly lead to the planned disappearance of the Christian community from its historical lands in Iraq.

Of particular concern are

the illegal land acquisitions in the historically Christian Nineveh Plain;
the new electoral rules affecting the distribution of seats reserved for Christian candidates;
the data collection by the Iraqi government to create a “database” on Christian communities;
the media and social campaign to destroy the reputation of Cardinal Sako;
the implementation of a law banning the import and sale of alcohol, including the wine necessary for the worship activities of the Christian communities.

Cardinal Sako and the Babylon Movement

Cardinal Sako, who organized the historic visit of Pope Francis to Iraq in 2021, was appointed Cardinal of the Chaldean Catholic Church by the pope in the Vatican in 2018.

Sako and the Babylon Movement led by Kildani, who is accused of being the driving force behind the revocation of the presidential decree, have long been involved in a war of words.

On the one hand, the patriarch has regularly condemned the militia leader for claiming to represent the interests of Christians despite his party winning four of the five quota seats assigned for Christians in the 2021 Iraqi parliamentary election. His candidates were extensively and openly backed by Shiite political forces affiliated with Iran in that unnatural coalition.

On the other hand, Kildani has accused Sako of getting involved in politics and damaging the reputation of the Chaldean Church.

Kildani released a statement accusing Sako of moving to the Kurdistan Region “to escape facing the Iraqi judiciary in cases brought against him.”

Kildani also rejected Sako’s labeling his movement as a brigade. “We are a political movement and not brigades. We are a political party participating in the political process and we are a part of the Running the State Coalition,” read the statement.

Cardinal Sako fleeing from Baghdad

Deprived of any official recognition, Cardinal Sako announced his departure from Baghdad to Kurdistan in a press release issued on 15 July. The reason he gave the campaign targeting him and the persecution of his community.

In early May, the head of the Chaldean Church found himself at the center of a fierce media campaign, following his critical statements on the political representation of Iraq’s Christian minority. Patriarch Sako had criticized the fact that majority political parties occupied seats in parliament reserved by law for minority components of the population, including Christians.

Just over a year ago, at the opening of the Chaldean bishops’ annual synod in Baghdad on 21 August, Cardinal Sako pointed to the need for a change in mentality and the “national system” of his country, where “the Islamic heritage has made Christians second-class citizens and allows usurpation of their property”. A change that Pope Francis had already called for in March 2021, during his trip to the country.

The recent events since May in Iraq show just how dangerously threatened some 400,000 faithful of the Chaldean Catholic community are.

Some say Patriarch Sako should have followed the example of Ukrainian President Zelensky, who refused to flee in a taxi and chose to stay with his people and to fight by its side against the Russian invaders but in general, there was a nation-wide outcry in the Christian community and beyond about the presidential decree.

A nation-wide and international outcry

The decision sparked a nationwide outcry from Christian community members and leaders, who condemned the Iraqi president’s maneuver and described it as a direct attack on Cardinal Sako, a highly respected figure in his community and worldwide.

Residents of Ainkawa, a Christian-majority district situated at the northern edge of Erbil city, filled the street in front of the Cathedral of Saint Joseph several days ago to protest against what they called the “clear and utter violation” against their community.

“This is a political maneuver to seize the remainder of what Christians have left in Iraq and Baghdad and to expel them. Unfortunately, this is a blatant targeting of the Christians and a threat to their rights,” Diya Butrus Slewa, a leading human and minority rights activist from Ainkawa, told Rudaw English.

Some Muslim communities also voiced their support to Patriarch Sako. The Committee of Muslim Scholars of Iraq, the country’s highest Sunni authority, expressed its solidarity with him and denounced the attitude of the President of the Republic. Iraq’s highest Shiite authority, Ayatollah Ali Al Sistani, has also declared his support for the Chaldean patriarch and hopes he will return to his Baghdad headquarters as soon as possible.

L’Œuvre d’Orient, one of the Catholic Church’s leading aid organizations assisting Eastern Christians, has voiced grave concern over the Iraqi government’s decision to revoke state recognition of Cardinal Sako’s authority to administer the Chaldean Church and its assets.

In a statement issued on 17 July, L’Œuvre d’Orient urged Iraq’s President Abdel Latif Rashid to reverse the decision.

“Nine years after the (ISIS) invasion, Iraq’s Christians are threatened by internal political games,” lamented L’Œuvre d’Orient, which has been assisting the Eastern Churches in the Middle East, the Horn of Africa, Eastern Europe and India for some 160 years.

The EU to keep silent?

On 19 March, the Cooperation Council between the European Union and Iraq held its third meeting, after a pause of seven years due to the so-called then complex situation in Iraq and the impact of COVID-19.

The meeting was chaired by the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fuad Mohammed Hussein, led the Iraqi delegation.

Josep Borrell, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, was quoted as saying in an official statement: “The Iraqi government can count on our help – for the benefit of the Iraqi people, but also for the sake of regional stability. Because yes, we appreciate a lot the constructive role of Iraq in this region.

The Cooperation Council discussed developments in Iraq and in the EU, regional affairs and security, and topics such as migration, democracy and human rights, trade and energy. The words “human rights” disappeared from the final EU-Iraq Joint Statement but were replaced by “non-discrimination”, “rule of law” and “good governance.”

This however remains a solid ground for the EU institutions to call upon the President of Iraq about the increasing marginalization and fragilization of the Christian community, the most recent development being the deprivation of the national and social status of Cardinal Sako. This is the last nail in the coffin of the Christian community after the social media campaign against the Chaldean Patriarch, illegal acquisitions of Christian lands, a suspicious database of Christians and the feared upcoming ban on wine for the mass. An emergency plan similar to the one concerning the survival of the Yezidi minority is needed.

What will the EU do to avoid the slow death of another ethno-religious minority?

Greece, 30,000 evacuees in Rhodes on fire

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EuropeanTimes

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23 July 2023

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Greece, 30,000 evacuees in Rhodes on fire

30,000 people directly threatened by a fire on the island of Rhodes. The authorities were able to shelter them or evacuate them from the island, where a forest fire has been raging for five days.

Hundreds of people were hurriedly evacuated from the island of Rhodes on Saturday afternoon 23 July to escape the flames, some of them not even having had time to get dressed, still in their swimming costumes. The order to evacuate began to circulate in the early afternoon, with the fire getting dangerously close to the tourist sites.

A fire fanned by strong winds and the heat wave
Thousands of tourists had to leave their hotels and beaches in a hurry, using every means possible. Some walked for miles to find boats that had been requisitioned, in order to get them to safety as quickly as possible, day and night. In all, 30,000 people were sheltered, according to the local authorities, and rehoused as a matter of urgency. A devouring fire that started five days ago, a wall of fire fanned by strong winds and a heatwave that is now out of control. The fire has moved closer to the coast and tourist areas. The beaches of Kiotari and Lardos have had to be evacuated.

The damage is already considerable. The wind is expected to strengthen in the afternoon, fanning the flames even further. The fire-fighting effort will take several days, according to the local authorities.

Unesco “strongly condemns” Russian World Heritage strikes in Odessa

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EuropeanTimes

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23 July 2023

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Unesco "strongly condemns" Russian World Heritage strikes in Odessa — Archaeological Museum of Odesse in Ukraine - Posterrr © CC BY-SA 4.0

On Friday, UNESCO “strongly condemned” the Russian strikes carried out “early Thursday morning” against the city centre of Odessa, which has been a World Heritage site since January 2023.

“According to a preliminary assessment, several museums located within the World Heritage Site suffered damage, including the Archaeological Museum, the Fleet Museum and the Odessa Literature Museum”, stressed the UN organisation for culture, science and education.

“All had been marked by UNESCO and the local authorities with the Blue Shield, the distinctive emblem of the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, which was therefore “violated” in Odessa, UNESCO denounced.

The Russian attack, “perpetrated just two weeks after the one that destroyed a building” in the historic centre of Lviv (north-west), another world heritage site, also “coincided with the destruction of the Cultural Centre for Popular Art and Artistic Education in the town of Mykolaïv”, regretted the UN institution.

Unesco called for “an end to all attacks on cultural property protected under widely ratified international normative instruments”. “This war is a growing threat to Ukrainian culture”, it insisted, adding that it had recorded “damage to 270 Ukrainian cultural sites” since the Russian invasion began on 24 February 2022.

In January 2023, the historic centre of Odessa, a famous city on the shores of the Black Sea, was included on UNESCO’s list of World Heritage in Danger because of the “threats of destruction” hanging over this site as a result of the war, which is all the more at risk because it is close to the port, a strategic infrastructure for Ukraine.

Tensions have been heightened in south-western Ukraine since Moscow rejected an agreement this week on Ukrainian grain exports, which allowed cargo ships loaded with agricultural products to leave Ukrainian ports using protected shipping lanes.

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On Friday, UNESCO “strongly condemned” the Russian strikes carried out “early Thursday morning” against the city centre of Odessa, which has been a World Heritage site since January 2023.

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