Hundreds of delegates from across the globe will be attending the World Urban Forum, which opened on Sunday in the southern Polish city of Katowice.
WUF11 is taking place at a critical time, as cities tackle the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, the climate emergency and conflict.
Making cities more inclusive must be part of post-pandemic recovery efforts, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in remarks to the event.
“Cities are central to virtually every challenge we face – and essential to building a more inclusive, sustainable, and resilient future. They have been at the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic,” the UN chief said in a video message.
“As we look to recover, promoting more inclusive, gender responsive urban infrastructure and services will be critical to give all people – especially young people, women and girls – access to a better future.”
Mr. Guterres also highlighted another important role for the world’s cities. They must be at the forefront of action to keep global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees, in line with the Paris Agreement on Climate Change,
More and more cities across the world are committing to the goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, or before.
The sooner these commitments are translated into concrete actions, the sooner countries will achieve green job growth, better health, and greater equality, he said.
“But cities cannot do it alone,” he stressed. “They need more coordinated support from all levels of government; stronger partnerships with the private sector and civil society; and greater fiscal and policy space to bring solutions to scale.”
Harness the potential
The Secretary-General underlined the UN’s commitment to help countries achieve the common goal of green, just and healthy cities.
“Let us harness the transformative potential of urbanization and build a more sustainable, resilient, and inclusive future for all.”
The World Urban Forum was established in 2001 and is convened biannually by UN-Habitat, officially the United Human Settlements Programme, which works for a better urban future.
With only eight years left to make cities safer, resilient and more inclusive, the goal of SDG 11, urban areas across the world are already under pressure.
‘Triple C crisis’
The strain will only mount as every region is expected to become more urbanized, some at an incredibly rapid pace.
The global urban population is set to jump from 56 per cent last year to nearly 70 per cent by mid-century, representing a further 2.2 billion people, mainly in Africa and the Middle East.
“While the current reality is undoubtedly very difficult, we must maintain our focus and double our efforts on sustainable development,” said Maimunah Mohd Sharif, the UN-Habitat Executive Director.
“We urgently need innovative solutions for urban areas to respond to this triple C crisis of COVID, climate and conflict, which are having a devastating impact on cities, leaving people and places behind,” she added.
Children wait on a train in Ukraine for evacuation to Poland in early April 2022.
Special focus on Ukraine
The UN Forum is the leading global conference on sustainable urbanization, and this marks the first time it is being held in Eastern Europe. Poland is proud to play host.
“This is a region that has come a long way – from communist rule, which had little regard for human life, let alone its quality, to democratic governments working for the common good,” said Grzegorz Puda, Minister of Development Funds and Regional Policy.
More than 800 government officials and representatives, including over 50 ministers and deputy ministers, will attend the Forum which is co-organized by the Government of Poland and the city of Katowice.
The programme has been significantly modified to reflect the conflict in neighboring Ukraine, UN-Habitat said. More than three million Ukrainians have taken refuge in Poland since the war began four months ago. In his remarks, the UN Secretary-General expressed gratitude for the country’s “extraordinary solidarity” with Ukrainian refugees.
The Polish Government will spearhead a special session focused on the post-crisis and post-disaster reconstruction of urban spaces and population return.
“We must also remember all those who are facing crisis at the moment in countries affected by war and disaster, such as Ukraine. In this context, we decided to include the topic of rebuilding cities after crises in the WUF11 programme,” said Małgorzata Jarosińska-Jedyna, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy.
Abandoning coal, embracing technology
Katowice, which hosted the COP24 UN climate conference four years ago, was chosen largely due to its successful transition from a centre of the coal and steel industries, to a city based on technology, culture and events.
The Forum will be the first big international meeting held there since the start of the pandemic. More than 16,000 people are expected at the city’s International Congress Centre, built on the site of a former coal mine.
“Our city has undergone enormous changes in the last two decades,” said Marcin Krupa, Mayor of Katowice. “I believe that cities are the engines of change towards creating a better world – one that is safer, more sustainable and inclusive.”
The Forum will conclude on Friday and the expected outcome is the Katowice Declared Actions, which will outline commitments and plans to support sustainable urbanization.
A new group to support local people with tinnitus is being formed in Macclesfield. The first meeting of the DSN Cheshire East Tinnitus Support Group will take place 2.00 – 4.00pm on Thursday 7 July, at DSN, 27 Bridge Street, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK11 6EG.
It is estimated that over 42,000 people experience tinnitus in Cheshire East alone, and 7.1 million people across the UK – around 1 in 8 adults.
Facilitated by local volunteer Richard Turner, who has tinnitus himself, and DSN’s Community Engagement Officer Erica Jones, the aim of the group is to inform and empower people living with tinnitus, supporting them to manage their condition better through peer-to-peer support and information and advice from talks and presentations by guest speakers.
Erica Jones said: “DSN is so excited to launch the new Tinnitus Support Group starting in July. It is a service we have not offered in the past, but with the support of new volunteer Richard Turner, who lives with tinnitus himself, funding from Waitrose Alderley Edge and of course support from the British Tinnitus Association, we can’t wait to welcome people through the doors.”
DSN Cheshire East Tinnitus Support Group is supported by the British Tinnitus Association (BTA). Colette Bunker, BTA Head of Services, commented: “Being among people who have tinnitus, listening to their experiences and how they manage it, can be a tremendous help. I witness this first-hand when attending group meetings. It is amazing seeing the difference it makes to people, especially those who have recently been diagnosed.”
Tinnitus is defined as the experience of sounds with no external source, most commonly ringing or buzzing, but sometimes experienced as whooshing, clicking or even music. Around one in eight adults experience persistent tinnitus. Many people aren’t troubled by sounds they hear, but for around 10%, the condition has a significant impact on their quality of life, often linked to stress, anxiety or sometimes depression.
Colette adds: “Tinnitus can be an isolating condition, with friends and family struggling to understand how it feels to adapt to the presence of loud or persistent noises. Some people choose to bring a partner or family member to the meetings, which can often help both parties understand more about the condition and the experiences or behaviours it can bring.”
All are welcome, including family and friends. For more information contact Richard Turner or Erica Jones on 0333 220 5050 or [email protected]
The British Tinnitus Association (BTA) is an independent charity that supports over one million people living with tinnitus each year and advises medical professionals around the world. It is the primary source of support and information for people with tinnitus in the UK. Their website is www.tinnitus.org.uk
Tinnitus is the sensation of hearing noises in your ear or head when there is no external cause. The noise can have virtually any quality including ringing, buzzing, hissing and whistling.
Around 1 in 3 people will experience tinnitus at some point in their life. Over 7.1 million adults in the UK are living with persistent tinnitus, and for 10% of them, it can severely impact their quality of life, affecting sleep, mood, concentration, employment and relationships.
There is not currently a cure for tinnitus, however, there are several strategies that can be helpful in learning to manage the condition.
Tinnitus costs the NHS £750 million annually, with a cost to society of £2.7 billion per year.
Website: www.tinnitus.org.uk
Twitter: @BritishTinnitus
Facebook and Instagram: @BritishTinnitusAssociation
LinkedIn: British Tinnitus Association
British Tinnitus Association, Unit 5 Acorn Business Park, Woodseats Close, Sheffield S8 0TB
The British Tinnitus Association is a registered charity. Registered charity number 1011145.
Press release distributed by Pressat on behalf of British Tinnitus Association, on Monday 27 June, 2022. For more information subscribe and follow https://pressat.co.uk/
Yet this improbable marine wonder is in danger. Scientists, local experts, passionate activists, and islanders are sounding the alarm about the deterioration of one of the richest ecosystems in the Caribbean Sea, even as they work together on innovative ways to restore it.
It’s 9 am on a Monday in San Martin de Pajares Island, located in a Marine Protected Area where coral reefs can be observed at very little depth and in crystal clear water, and a calm 45-minute boat ride from Cartagena, the most-visited city in the Colombian Caribbean.
Marine Biologist Elvira Alvarado is racing against the clock as resources are limited. She has eight days to plant 13,500 fragments of coral and she’s teaching a group of young volunteers how to do it.
“We are going to start with three tables, get the band saws ready and use dead pieces of coral first to practice!”
She explains to the eager volunteers: “We take one centimetre of coral parts and cut them into five. Then we stick the pieces together over a pyramid shape piece of cement–like a ‘cookie’. They will start growing and then they will fuse. In one year, we will have a whole colony which we can transplant to a reef to restore the ecosystem.”
UN Video/David Mottershead
Marine Biologist Elvira Alvarado teaching how to do micro fragmentation of a coral with an special band saw.
Through her NGO, Ecomares, Ms. Alvarado and her peers have been studying and restoring coral reefs for decades, and now she has joined a nationwide effort: “One million corals for Colombia”.
Launched last year by the Colombian Government as part of the commitments made in the context of the UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration, the project aims to grow one million fragments of coral and restore 200 hectares of reefs by 2023 – the largest effort of its kind on the American Continent.
The areas targeted for restoration cover the Atlantic and Pacific marine protected regions of the country, and mainly the Seaflower UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, an oceanic archipelago with coral banks, small islands and islets forming part of atolls (ring-shaped reefs), which are rare systems in this part of the world. Indeed, almost 80 per cent of the coral reefs in the Caribbean region have been lost in recent years, battered by coastal development, overfishing, climate change and pollution.
The project also covers Corales del Rosario and San Bernardo National Park – which contains the most extensive, diverse and developed coral reef in the continental Colombian Caribbean coastline – the place that Elvira Alvarado has been visiting since she was a student some 40 years ago.
“I came to study with my professor of invertebrates, and this place was beautiful. It was perfect. It had all the species [living] in the way they should have been. But less than four years after I graduated, I saw the damage and the deterioration of the ecosystem. I saw the near extinction of two species of corals and the black sea urchin,” she reminisces without hiding a slight sadness.
I saw the near extinction of two species of corals and the black sea urchin.
After all, the biologist had witnessed the mass extinction of the Caribbean Acropora staghorn and elkhorn corals in the 1980s, due to a disease outbreak and accelerated by hurricanes, predation, temperature increases due to climate change, and sedimentation caused by pollution, among other impacts.
Acropora corals grow like branches at a relatively quick pace, and historically formed large reef structures and provided habitat for fish and invertebrates. Today, most of these reefs have been reduced to fields of barren rubble – an unnatural state among Caribbean ecosystems.
Ms. Alvarado has made her life’s goal to restore the beauty she once knew, studying the reproduction of these corals as well as other species that live in the Colombian reefs – now also in increasing danger due to worldwide climate change acceleration – and experimenting with ways to repopulate them.
“It’s like in the forest. Yes, we chop the trees, but for every tree we chop, we should plant two. Restoration must be for all the ecosystems. Earth didn’t come to what it is just because of chance, but because of natural selection. Natural selection tells us that these species of corals should be here so that’s what we are doing. For every coral that dies we need to restore and try to produce more individuals genetically different that can survive illnesses or bleaching events in the future,” she explains.
A colony of Elkhorn coral, an almost extinct acropora species in the Caribbean.
Setting up a baby coral nursery
On a small boat captained by Yeison Gonzalez, an islander who has lived off the sea since he was born, our UN News team arrived the first day of Elvira’s coral planting ‘marathon’—just ahead of Oceans Day.
“The ocean gives us everything, but it can also take everything from us if we are not good to it. Look! that house got destroyed by a swell,” Mr. Gonzalez tells us as we enter Rosario Islands and just before we dock in Oceanario, a marine life conservation and education centre inside the National Park which is lending space, housing, and equipment to the biologist’s team.
UN News/Laura Quiñones
The entrance of Oceanario, in Corales del Rosario National Park.
Ms. Alvarado’s crew sets up on one of the piers under two tarps. While walking there, we see some of the animals that Oceanario, also a scientific research facility, has been working to protect and educate visitors about, including marine turtles, sharks and all-mighty ‘Mero Guasa’ or Goliath Groper fish that is currently under high threat of extinction [listed by the ICUN as ‘critically endangered’].
Divers, students, and other volunteers, some carrying out large skinny steel bars, gather to listen to Ms. Alvarado’s instructions. The first step is to set up what they call ‘beds’ at the chosen restoration place – Tesoro Island – just a couple of miles away from where we are standing.
“We are building structures in steel that will have mesh on top and will look like a bed. They must be one meter above the substrate [the ocean floor] so that the micro fragments are not suffocated by the sediment”, she says, while a diver draws out a diagram of what they will be shortly doing six metres underwater.
UN Video/David Mottershead
Elvira, divers and volunteers plan how to build a coral nursery underwater in Oceanario Islas del Rosario.
They will set up three tables, and over the next eight days, they will place 900 ‘cookies’ which contain five micro fragments of coral each from eight different species. The number of individuals from each species will depend on the healthy reef pieces divers are able to find and collect.
“For example, the most dominant species right now are the Orbicella, which are the corals that make columnar and pagoda-like structures. They are abundant here, so we have 15 genotypes of each one of them. But of Acropora Palmata, which is a very scarce species in the park after the extinction, we have only two colonies. Of course, we would like to have a lot more, but we don’t have where to get them,” the marine biologist highlights.
Ms. Alvarado stays behind while UN News gets on a boat with the divers who are armed with heavy hammers, steel bars, steel mesh, and a huge roll of measuring tape.
Their work underwater is like a choreographed dance. First, they check for a clear place to set up the bed making sure there are no threats around, such as algae colonies, which compete with corals for resources.
Once they find the perfect place deep enough to be protected but shallow enough to get enough sunlight, the diving crew begins measuring, placing and hammering the metal bars to create a structure.
UN News/Laura Quiñones
Divers putting together a coral nursery in Isla Tesoro, Corales del Rosario National Park, Colombia.
When they are done, their work will resemble an underwater dinner table with dozens of coral micro pieces on top, which will ultimately branch out into coral colonies.
Slow-growing species placed in these beds will take about 1 to 1.5 years to grow enough to be transplanted into the larger reefs, completing the restoration. Once in the reefs, about 70 to 80% will survive and become part of a larger colony.
The magic of corals and their reproductive process
Very few people outside of marine biologists, divers, and sea aficionados like this reporter, seem to know that corals aren’t rocks or plants, but animals whose function is extremely vital for the survival of our oceans and even to our survival as humans.
Tourists and travellers often enjoy casual snorkelling trips around the world, and while it’s understandable that colourful fish, turtles, and other marine life may be more ‘popular’, it’s a mistake for them to overlook the staggering and complex beauty of corals, the living, breathing ‘structures’ that harbour and feed most of the denizens of the deep.
Corals are small marine colonial animals. They consist of many individual creatures called polyps who live and grow while connected to each other and are dependent on one another for survival.
They feed off plankton – if one polyp eats, the whole colony does – and live in perfect symbiosis [a mutually beneficial relationship] with a microalgae which gives them their bright colours.
The coral provides the algae, officially called zooxanthellae, with a protected environment and the compounds they need for photosynthesis and in return, the algae produce oxygen and give the coral a supply of glucose or energy, or, as we know it: the stuff of life.
During times of environmental stress –such as increased water temperature or salinity– the coral release the colorful algae from their tissues, which is what causes them to appear white [known as bleaching], and to be at risk of dying.
There are over six thousand coral species in the world, and at least 80 call Colombia their home. Each of them is unique and beautiful in its own way with amazing and diverse shapes and colours.
UN News/Laura Quiñones
Fish swim over coral nurseries in Corales del Rosario National Park, Colombia.
In Corales del Rosario National Park we were able to spot some of these creatures up close. Some looked like big yellow brains floating in the ocean blue, others extended like underwater bunches of daisies, while others formed orange ‘pyramids’, and still others were so soft they swayed with the underwater currents in a hypnotic and inspiring dance.
Getting up close with coral is an amazing spectacle for nature lovers, but marine biologists can’t get enough of them because of the unique ways in which they function and reproduce.
Jaime Rojas, Scientific Director of the Research, Education and Recreation Centre (CEINER) in Oceanario, along with Ms. Alvarado, has been investigating for decades the different types of sexual and asexual reproduction of corals.
“Most corals [sexually] reproduce only once a year, and with certain species you must know exactly what day and what time this happens in order to collect the male and female reproductive products,” he emphasises.
Thanks to the permanent and diverse coral nurseries the Centre maintains, experts were able to identify the nearly extinct Elkhorn and Staghorn corals exact reproduction day and time, a first for Colombia.
“With that information, we collect the sexual products [eggs and sperm] and then go to the laboratory and do the fertilization and develop research in the cultivation of coral larvae. This is a strong line of work that we have in Oceanario with many allies and experts – even at the international level – and the hope is in the future to repopulate our reefs with these lab larvae”, he explains.
It typically takes coral 25 to 75 years to reach sexual maturity, one of the reasons why scientists have been betting on asexual reproduction as a quicker way to restore reefs, but the work on sexual reproduction is vital to keep a genetic bank of different coral species for the future.
Different types of nurseries
The most popular technique to grow and restore corals is the one Elvira and her team – as well as the over 32 allies all over Colombia are implementing – micro fragmentation.
The process of cutting small pieces of coral to encourage growth has been around since the 1960’s, but it was only in 2018 that a biologist in Florida accidentally discovered that cutting them into even smaller pieces made them grow faster.
Dr. David Vaughan mistakenly broke a staghorn coral that he had been growing for three years and the fragments fell to the bottom of a tank. To his surprise and shock, just weeks later, he observed that the small fragments had grown to the original size of the broken piece.
Ultimately, this technique makes corals grow 40 times faster than they would in the wild, providing hope for reefs worldwide.
Inside Oceanario, which is also one of the largest contributors to the One Million Corals for Colombia project, visitors – including children and local fishermen – are learning about this process in special sessions, and through a permanent underwater display of different kind of nurseries.
“We implement three different cultivation techniques. We have coral trees and rope-type nurseries that are for species with fast branching growth, and we have table-type nurseries for micro fragmentation of slow growing species,” Oceanario’s Marine Biologist Alexandra Hernández highlights.
UN News/Laura Quiñones
Tree-type coral nursery in Oceanario, Corales del Rosario National Park, Colombia.
To submerge oneself into the water with these nurseries feels like witnessing a miracle in the making.
It somehow resembles a backyard garden underwater. You see clothing lines, but instead of socks and t-shirts, there are little pieces of coral dangling there. Then there are the floating trees, with staghorn corals branching out like bananas.
And then you can see the tables, which have interesting shapes to make them even more beautiful – resembling a plane or a shipwreck – filled with all kinds of corals and colourful fish swimming around.
“With our work we don’t only seek to restore and leave it at that – because any restoration project that does not involve the community is destined to be lost. We can restore corals, but if we don’t teach people why they should be cared for, why they should be protected, what this work is like, people won’t value it and therefore it won’t take care of it,” Ms. Hernandez adds.
UN News/Laura Quiñones
Fragments of Acropora corals growing on a rope-type nursery in Oceanario, Colombia.
‘Life brings more life’
Coral reefs have survived the extinction of the dinosaurs, the ice age, and other massive environmental shifts, and with some help, they will survive the climatic changes that have thus far characterized the early 21st century.
Much is at stake: in addition to their natural beauty and the animal and plant species that depend on them to survive, coral reefs provide us, humans, with food security through fishing; protect us from flooding and storms; and generate income thanks to the millions of tourists and divers who travel to appreciate them. Some have anti-inflammatory properties, while others provide the raw material for some cancer-fighting medicines.
“Life brings more life, so when you restore these places that were initially degraded, you bring living fragments and they begin to grow, life will arrive, and with-it fish. And with the fish also comes the resurgence of the economic activities of the people of the region. This is beneficial for everyone and for the environment; let’s remember that 70 per cent of the oxygen we breathe is thanks to the oceans,” Ms. Hernández highlights.
A restoration project in Indonesia is living proof of her words. Scientists and community in Salisi’ Besar, South Sulawesi, planted 12,600 coral fragments in 2019. By 2021, reef coverage had increased from 1 per cent to more than 70 per cent, and marine life had increased by some 300 per cent. Fittingly, the restoration site was named ‘Hope Reef’.
“We need the biogeochemical cycles that come from this ecosystem. We need the fish, we need the lobster, we need the [sea] barrier. What is going to happen in 30 years when climate change raises the sea level if we don’t have that barrier? We’re going to have a lot of things happening,” adds Elvira Alvarado.
For both biologists, the importance of coral reefs and their restoration must go beyond the scientific community and divers and capture the general public’s attention.
“We need all these kinds of ecosystems. It’s not a question of what marine biologists love doing, it’s a question of why we do it: we do it because the people in the world need us. What would have happened if Jacques Cousteau hadn’t talked to us? No one would have known what we have in our oceans. We have to speak. We have to learn,” Elvira Alvarado highlights.
UN News/Laura Quiñones
Elvira Alvarado, Ecomares Marine Biologist, has been working for decades in coral research and restoration.
A ‘blue’ country
Those who are involved in the Million Corals for Colombia project deeply understand this message: in ecosystem restoration, as in many other efforts to reach a sustainable world, unity is power. Allies in the combat to save the planet can range from scientific experts like Ms. Alvarado, Ms. Hernandez, and Mr. Rojas, to diving schools, local communities, fishermen who work as coral gardeners, and even hotels.
Milena Marrugo works for Conservation International, the implementing partner organization which oversees the Million Corals project and coordinates the work of the actors working in the field. She accompanied UN News on the boat ride back to Cartagena.
“For many years this [restoration] work was very difficult, because everyone was working independently. In the past, allies had made the greatest effort working with whatever little they had, with few resources, and now being all truly united for a single purpose makes all the effort even greater and makes it possible for us to achieve such a high goal,” she says, adding that it is really important that the Government, which is making a big financial investment in the project, has begun to take notice of the importance of ocean restoration.
Ms. Marrugo explains that the project has also brought to light the amazing- and sometimes challenging- differences of the locations in which the coral restoration is being implemented all over Colombia. Not only because of the people, which include indigenous, Afro-Colombian and other coastal communities working hand in hand, but because of the diverse marine conditions.
“There are some areas where there is a lot of current, so certain types of nurseries are not possible. We have had to vary and experiment with different characteristics: now we have rope, table, star, spider, we have vertical and horizontal and other nursery variations. For example, in the Pacific, we realized that rope nurseries were going to be a problem for the migrating humpback whales”.
Colombian Environment Ministry
Divers pose with transplanted corals and a ‘One Million Corals for Colombia’ sign, the name of the biggest ocean restoration project in Latin-America.
The expert also highlights that these nurseries are being mostly built with eco-friendly or recycled materials that can be reused to continue the work in the future, because, from her perspective, the project cannot end after reaching the one million coral fragments.
“We want to take our corals, which are already in a nursery phase, to their natural environment so that they fulfil the fundamental role of truly restoring the reef, achieving these 200 hectares restored. This is one more step that we are working to achieve,” she adds, highlighting that nurseries also need constant maintenance and cleaning which takes time and money.
Don’t forget, although Colombia has always been seen as a ‘green country’ with its mountains and rich terrestrial ecosystems and biodiversity, almost half of its territory – some 48 per cent – is stretched between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean.
“All life comes from the sea, but we have turned our backs on it. I live in the city of Cartagena where most people don’t even look over their shoulders to appreciate the beautiful sea and ecosystems they have. We must teach our children right now so that future generations really understand the importance of what the ocean provides for all of society.”
This is Ms. Marrugo’s message and a call to action for us all.
*According to Conservation International, as of the date of this article, there are more than 230,000 coral fragments in nurseries in Colombia, and over 12,000 have been transplanted to reefs.
This is Part I in a series of features on ocean restoration efforts in Colombia. Coming up next, we travel to the island of Providencia in the Seaflower UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, which was devastated by hurricane Iota in 2020. Evidence of the destruction wrought by the storm is still visible and the damage has severely impacted not only human infrastructure but also crucial carbon-capture ecosystems such as mangroves.
According to neurologists, the human brain has evolved mainly due to social connections
Social isolation changes the structure of our brains, according to a study published in the renowned journal Neurology. Changes in cognitive abilities have also been observed, with social isolation carrying risks of dementia in older people. The new study is based on the theory of the “social brain”.
According to neurologists, the human brain has evolved mainly due to the social connections we create. Thus, in their absence, the brain suffers.
Scanning research and a number of tests show that people who are socially isolated have poorer cognitive abilities, including memory and reaction time, as well as less gray matter in many parts of the brain.
Researchers also support the idea of health authorities monitoring whether older people have enough social activities in their lives, because in this way they will improve their general health. The study comes at a particularly opportune time, affecting our brains in the long run.
The authorities of the Czech Republic, previously a country extremely popular with Russian tourists, have stopped issuing visas to Russian citizens until the spring of 2023. The ban also applies to tourists with a Belarusian passport. The corresponding decision to tighten the visa regime for both countries was announced by the Czech Foreign Ministry.
According to the ministry, the decision taken after February 24, 2022 to ban the issuance of visas for Russian and Belarusian tourists to enter the Czech Republic, as well as permits for a long stay in a European country, will be valid until the end of March next year. “The exception is only for humanitarian cases,” the officials added.
The purpose of this tough measure is to put pressure on the authorities of the Russian Federation and neighboring Belarus in order to end the military special operation in Ukraine and ensure the republic’s security. Russian and Belarusian tourists who already have permits for long-term stay in the Czech Republic were left with the right to apply for its extension in accordance with the established procedure.
Reference: The Czech Republic is a country rich in historical and natural attractions and known for its cuisine and natural resorts, attracting tourists from many countries of the world, including Russians. Prague is the most attractive place for travelers, and Karlštejn Castle, Kutná Hora, Cesky Krumlov and Lednice are also frequently visited. In addition to the capital, there are many other cities in the Czech Republic that are interesting for tourists – in particular, historical sites such as Kutna Hora, Cesky Krumlov, Karlstejn, Spindleruv Mlyn or the Lednice-Valtice complex, as well as balneological resorts: Karlovy Vary, Marianske- Lazne, Podebrady and Frantiskovy Lazne. The Czech economy receives significant income from tourism.
Previously, in order for Russian citizens to enter the territory of the Czech Republic, it was necessary to open a Schengen (for short trips) or a national (for long trips) visa.
Light beer, like wine, is very useful for improving the intestinal microflora, if we are talking about moderate consumption of the drink, equal to one bottle of beer. This was stated by American scientists, having conducted a new study. The findings are published in the ACS Agriculture and Food Chemical journal of the American Chemical Society.
In one experimental study, experts reported that men who drank alcoholic or non-alcoholic lager daily had more diverse gut microbes, which could reduce the risk of a number of diseases.
Trillions of microorganisms cover the human gastrointestinal tract and directly affect human health.
Studies have shown that the more types of bacteria inhabit the gut, the lower the likelihood of developing chronic diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes. And since beer contains compounds such as polyphenols, as well as microorganisms from their fermentation, this drink can affect the diversity of microbes in the human gut.
A previously published cross-sectional study found that gut microbiota diversity increased when men and women consumed non-alcoholic light beer for 30 days. Many of the same people were in group 2 who drank beer with alcohol and did not have the same effect.
In this double study, 19 healthy men were randomly divided into two groups who drank 330 ml of alcoholic or non-alcoholic beer with dinner for 4 weeks.
As a result, the researchers found that parameters such as participants’ weight, body mass index, and serum markers of heart health and metabolism did not change during the study. However, by the end of the month, both groups had greater bacterial diversity and higher levels of fecal alkaline phosphatase in the gut microbiome, indicating improved gut health.
The researchers suggested that these results may differ from previous observations due to different testing schemes and because the participants were in different communities. Based on this experimental study, the scientists stated that drinking a bottle of beer, regardless of the alcohol content, may be beneficial for the gut microbiome and men’s gut health. That being said, they noted that non-alcoholic beer could be a much healthier choice as it has the safest level of alcohol consumption, i.e. equal to zero.
Archaeologists have made startling discoveries at the famous Sanxingdui ruins in southwest China’s Sichuan province. It is reported by the Xinhua News Agency.
A treasury of exquisite bronze, gold and jade items has been unearthed at this site. Including at least 10 bronze items discovered for the first time in the history of human civilization.
A joint team of archaeologists from the Sichuan Provincial Research Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, Peking University, Sichuan University and other research institutes and universities have been excavating six sacrificial pits at the site since 2020.
The new finds are mainly recovered from sacrificial pits No. 7 and No. 8, bringing the total number of items found in the six pits in Sanxingdui to almost 13,000, according to the Research Institute of Cultural Relics and Archeology of Sichuan Province.
The highlight among the newly found artifacts is a bronze box with green jade utensils inside, found in pit #7. The top and bottom of the item are covered with tortoise-shell lids, and the sides of the box are decorated with a bronze loop, dragon-head handles, and several bronze ribbons. According to archaeologists, the analysis of micro-traces showed that the box was wrapped in silk.
“It is not an exaggeration to say that this item is one of a kind given its distinctive shape, fine workmanship and ingenious design. Although we do not know what this item was used for, we can assume that ancient people treasured it,” said Li Haichao, Sichuan University professor in charge of the excavation of Site 7.
Jade items and bronze ornaments, figurines and bells were also found in the pit.
In nearby Pit No. 8, archaeologists found many artifacts, including bronze heads with golden masks, a bronze sculpture with a human head and the body of a snake, a bronze altar, a giant mythical creature made of bronze, and a bronze object in the shape of a dragon head with a pig nose.
“The sculptures are very complex and imaginative, they reflect the fairy-tale world imagined by people of that time, and show the diversity and richness of Chinese civilization,” said Zhao Hao, assistant professor at Peking University, head of the excavation site No. 8.
Around the pits, archaeologists also found ash ditches, architectural foundations and small sacrificial pits, as well as cultural relics. In addition – bamboo, reeds, soybeans, the remains of cattle and wild boars, which may have been sacrificed.
Originally discovered in the late 1920s, the ruins of Sanxingdui have been cited as one of the world’s greatest archaeological finds in the 20th century.
Located in the city of Guanghan, about 60 km from the provincial capital of Chengdu, the 12-square-kilometer ruins are believed to be the remains of the Shu kingdom, which is between 4,500 and 3,000 years old.
German biologists have shown that traces of hundreds of species of insects that were once in contact with the plant can be found in one single tea bag, reports Naked Science.
Insects are not part of the traditional cuisine of the peoples of Europe and Russia. However, local residents involuntarily and constantly eat them – including along with the most popular hot drink. German biologists have analyzed “environmental” DNA (environmental DNA, eDNA), trace amounts of which are contained in regular tea bags. They managed to find the genes of thousands of species of insects, and in each individual bag – hundreds. Scientists write about this in an article published in the new issue of the journal Biology Letters.
eDNA, which can be isolated from a variety of environmental objects, serves as a convenient tool for monitoring local ecosystems. It can even be caught from the air in order, for example, to find out the species composition of local insects, to determine the presence of certain rodents in a hole, or even people in a room. In a new study, Henrik Krehenwinkel and colleagues at the University of Trier in Germany found eDNA in regular tea bags.
Indeed, in order for the DNA of an insect to remain on a leaf, sometimes it is enough for an insect to gnaw on it. DNA is quickly destroyed by ultraviolet light in the open sun and is easily washed off with water, but crushed tea leaves can retain it for a long time, until the moment when the DNA enters the cup. Scientists were convinced of this by discovering that in addition to 100-150 milligrams of tea, in a bag bought at a nearby store, there are DNA fragments left by hundreds (up to 400) species of insects. In the entire set of samples, traces of already thousands of species have been identified.
Henrik Krehenwinkel himself admits that he prefers coffee to tea, and coffee beans are roasted, during which any DNA breaks down. However, the task of the authors was not to demonstrate the “contamination” of tea. They are confident that a similar approach will allow us to analyze plant samples that are preserved in old herbariums and find out by eDNA which insects surrounded them then. The same work can be done for modern plants in the field. These “evidence” will help to find out the composition of communities associated with different plants and ecosystems, and track their changes over time.
The meeting was held in the city of Bologna (Italy) and was dedicated to the foundations of the new ENP strategy for 2022-2027.
Ukraine for the first time joined the meeting of the European Polar Council (EPC) – an organization dedicated to the strategic development of polar research and other initiatives in the Arctic and Antarctic in Europe.
According to the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, the National Antarctic Research Center was invited to take part in the event as a new member of the Council, because in April this year the NASC received full membership in the ENP.
The off-site meeting of the European Polar Council was held on June 13-17, 2022 in the city of Bologna (Italy) and was dedicated to the basics of the new ENP strategy for 2022-2027.
In particular, the participants discussed the details of the new strategic vision and mission of the Council, which will be divided into thematic blocks for more effective coordination, cooperation and interaction of the ENP members both among themselves and with other interested organizations.
During the summer, the draft Strategy will be developed by a working group of experts and agreed with all ENP members. It is expected that the final version of the Strategy for 2022-2027 will be approved at the next EPC plenary meeting in autumn 2022.
The ENP has been referred to as Europe’s “elite club” for Antarctic research. The main goal of the Council is to promote multilateral cooperation of participants in the study of the polar regions. It acts as a single point of contact for European polar explorers to communicate with each other and with international partners.
The National Antarctic Science Center became a member of the European Polar Council on April 5, 2022. This will provide new opportunities for Ukrainian scientists to study the Arctic and Antarctic, as well as improve the integration of Ukrainian science into the European research area.
Kazakhstan requested 100,000 tons of sugar from other countries, Kazinform reports with reference to Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Trade and Integration Bakhyt Sultanov.
According to Sultanov, sugar reserves in the country as of June 2022 amount to 350,000 tons. “Brazil, India and Vietnam are one of the major suppliers in the world. But India has also limited, so we are negotiating,” the minister said.
Sultanov noted that on July 15 a meeting of the Council of the Eurasian Economic Commission will be held in Belarus, at which the participating countries will consider the issue of sugar exports.
In early March, Russia banned the export of grain and sugar to Kazakhstan and other EAEU countries until August 31. The Ministry of Trade of Kazakhstan reported that sugar reserves would last for three months. In 2021, Kazakhstan imported 506.9 million tons of sugar, of which more than half – 275.8 million tons – were imported from Russia.
Some Kazakh cities have introduced restrictions on the sale of sugar. For example, in Atyrau, only one kilogram is released into the hands. Residents of Uralsk complained about the increase in sugar prices and its shortage. On May 27, the press service of the Ministry of Commerce issued a message that there is no shortage of sugar in the country. But on May 31, the head of the department, Bakhyt Sultanov, admitted that the shortage of sugar was caused by Russia’s ban on the export of the product and raw materials.
According to Energyprom analysts, against this background, the cost of sugar in Kazakhstan increased immediately by 34.3% compared to February. The rise in sugar prices continued in the following months: for example, in April, sugar rose in price by another 4.5%, in May – by 5.7%. As a result, the annual increase in the price of sugar (May 2022 to May 2021) amounted to 60.5%.
In June, due to a shortage of sugar, Rakhat, the largest confectionery factory in Kazakhstan, announced the suspension of the plant in Shymkent and stopped the production of hard candies and caramel. The chairman of the board of the factory, Konstantin Fedorets, said that they lacked 20,000 tons of sugar for work.
