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Damascus The city of Damascus was hit by a bomb that caused the deaths of six and injured scores of people on Thursday when it detonated close to the Sayeda Zeinab mausoleum, which is Syria’s most popular Shiite holy site of pilgrimage The interior ministry said.

The devastating blast that struck south of Damascus was a result of the celebration of Ashura which is when Shiites pay tribute to the loss of Imam Hussein the great-grandson of Prophet Mohammed during a 7th-century fight.

The interior ministry gave a death count of six people, the state media agency SANA announced, revising a previous death rate of 5.

Over 20 were injured during the attack, which was interior ministry said was caused by a vehicle that exploded close to an auto, describing it as”a “terrorist attack”.

An official at the close Al-Sadr hospital informed AFP earlier this week that the hospital was home to 10 injured victims following a bombing in a car close to the holy site.

State TV said that the blast resulted from a “bomb put in the taxi of unidentified persons”.

“We received a loud blast and the people started to flee,” 39-year-old civil servant Ibrahim reported to AFP.

“Then ambulances appeared and security forces fenced off the zone.”

The explosion was said to have taken place “near the security facility, which is about 600 meters (yards) away from the tomb of Sayeda Zeinab”, granddaughter of Prophet Mohammed and granddaughter of Imam Ali, a founding leader of Shiite Islam.

Authorities had tightened security precautions around the mausoleum to mark the 10 days of the Ashura ceremony, one of which is the largest of the Ashura celebrations in Shiite Islam.

A blast occurred Tuesday from a car located within the same region injured two civilians, according to official news reports quoted an official from the security department in a statement.

A blast occurred Tuesday from a vehicle within the same region injured two civilians, according to official reports quoted by a security official in a statement.

Shiite shrines are often the victim of attacks carried out by Sunni Muslim extremists of the Islamic State group (IS) and not just inside Syria as well in neighboring Iraq.

The Sayeda Zeinab mausoleum was struck with a series of deadly bombings in the civil war in the country that started in 2011.

Since its inception, the complex of mosques featuring turquoise-colored ceramics as well as a gold dome in Iranian style is being defended by Shiite militiamen mainly Lebanese and Iraqi in addition to the military.

The number of attacks has decreased however in recent times, as have some security measures being eased.

IS claimed to be behind the double suicide bombing in February of 2016, located only 400 meters away from the mausoleum. It caused the deaths of 134, which included over 90 civilians.

The group also reported a triple bomb close to the sanctuary a few weeks ago that claimed the lives of around 70 persons.

Source: https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/6-killed-over-20-injured-in-blast-in-syria-4246979

The oceans that are red hot amplify the dangerous heat waves, flooding, and storms on the earth. However, what exactly is going on beneath the oceans is unanswered. A majority of these waters are not mapped, undiscovered, or investigated.

Though a couple of ocean robotics and sonars on the ocean’s surface, as also satellites orbiting through space have helped scientists to better understand how greenhouse gas emissions influence ocean dynamics, they’ve just scratched the surface off the surface of the Iceberg. “We don’t know the underlying causes and how the numerous interesting things that happen in deep seas” explained Nathalie Zilberman, an oceanographer at the University of California San Diego. “We don’t know because there isn’t enough evidence.”

One of the most difficult issues is what’s behind the absence of an Argentina-sized piece from the ice that covers Antarctica. Antarctic ocean. The waters reached their lowest temperature ever recorded in the month of June. Sea ice has dwindled 2.6 million square kilometers (1 million square miles) lower than the average between the years 1981-2010 as in the US National Snow and Ice Data Center.

In search of a method to discover the root of the disappearance of Antarctic sea ice, and the high temperatures of the ocean have led to discussion with scientists. Researchers have linked the rise to a rise in temperatures in the atmosphere as well as a slowing down of wind speeds which reduced the amount of Saharan dust that is found in the Atlantic Ocean, a decrease in sulfur dioxide emissions from vessels – pollution that blocks solar radiation and may chill our planet, in addition to increasing El Nino conditions on the Pacific Ocean.

There are more chances in the case of the terrain. Meteorologists and scientists from the area of climate science have been capable of accurately predicting local heat waves, that are bringing record temperatures across Japan through Texas and Sardinia. But, more intense storms that hit the ocean have caught them off guard.

Forecasters recognized something was wrong in the first week of April as data revealed temperatures on the ocean’s surface in certain areas in the North Atlantic rising to levels that weren’t recorded in satellite records since they started in 1979. The changes were so dramatic that scientists had to extend the y-axis in charts to take into account these previously undiscovered temperatures.

Let’s take a look at our views from the North Atlantic which has been virtually completely removed from our charts in July. In that way, we’ve required to expand the y-axis of the charts so that we can show the real-time data.

“The temperatures in the North Atlantic are unprecedented and very alarming. They are much higher than the forecasts of models,” Michael Sparrow, director of the World Meteorological Organization’s Department of climate research, said at the beginning of the month. “This can have a negative impact on the fisheries and ecosystems along with meteorological conditions.”

The second alert was sounded by a distinct group of scientists. They last week published research papers that were published in Nature Communications that concluded a circulation system that circulates water throughout the Atlantic Ocean is likely to be destroyed between 2025-2095 if greenhouse gas emissions remain at current levels. The circulation is referred to as the Atlantic meridional overturning Circulation (AMOC) can be described as an essential component in the climate system of our world. If it were to disappear, it could have severe implications for the North Atlantic region, scientists have said.

In the midst of all this is a fact that, in the year 1955, oceans have been able to absorb up to 90 percent of extra heat caused by the growing greenhouse gas emissions. They’ve also served as sponges and prevented the earth’s temperature from rising a substantial amount. The knowledge of the ways in which heat is stored and the impact it has on ocean currents, as well as rising sea levels is a relatively new discovery and not sufficient.

The reason is the problem of collecting regular and reliable information about the ocean. While hundreds of thousands of meteorological stations across the globe gather millions of data points every day, the arid marine conditions can make it hard to reproduce. The equipment wears down quickly and becomes more expensive to maintain. It’s not enough to monitor the surface as the level is also vital.

To address the issue, a small group of oceanographers developed an Argo program in the year 1999. They designed two-meter-long robots, dubbed “Argo floatings.” which can freely drift along the ocean’s currents. Each day, they traverse 2,000m underwater for data about saltiness and sea temperature. This data is sent by satellites and is available free to all scientists, without a 24-hour wait.

More than 10,000 marine robots were deployed in the past, and around 3,900 are still in use currently. The innovation they brought in terms of information can be compared to the beginning of the satellite age. In the last two decades, more than 4,000 publications in science were based on Argo information, according to those who run the Argo program.

The next challenge is the deep ocean.

“Everything that occurs in deep seas is far more dramatic,” Zilberman said. Zilberman is co-chairman for Deep Argo. Deep Argo program. “The pressure is much higher and the weather is more severe and more frigid.”

In the year 2015, researchers started working on modifications to Argo floating floats to allow them to go further. The initial attempts failed and the machines exploded at depths of just 2,600 meters because of the pressure. With time, it became apparent that the design and materials were upgraded. Researchers made adjustments in the form of the initial robot, changing from a cylindrical shape into a sphere, and also the transition from steel and titanium and finally, glass. The robots of the future are called Deep Argo floats – spending an entire year in water deeps of 6,000 meters is equivalent to wear and tear of four years of wear and tear on lower waters.

Zilberman was among the scientists who traveled 300 miles off to the coast of New Zealand into the Pacific Ocean to launch the initial two Deep Argo floats in 2015. As a young researcher, she was impressed by the experiences of the astronauts who took the rovers on Mars. When the floats fell overboard, she gave them a wave and then said goodbye.

“It was quite nerve-wracking,” she said. “You’re developing a device that can go 6,000 meters deep daily over a period of 10 days. What could occur? “

Deep Argo is still in the early stages of piloting, however, it has provided the latest data, which have allowed researchers to gain a greater understanding of the depths in the Australian-Antarctic Basin which is one of the least studied areas. Some have also observed an increasing trend towards warming in this part of the Southern Ocean and cooling patterns in specific regions in that region of the North Atlantic depths. But with only 200 robots working it is impossible to get a complete understanding of the changes that are globally.

“You will require more Deep Argo floats deployed, about 1200” Zilberman said. “But it’s about the financing because Deep Argo floats cost two at least three times more than ordinary ones. “

While Deep Argo robots are expensive, However, their use is much less costly than vessels that carry the same tools to measure similar measurements. These ship-based studies were conducted in the late 80s and early 90s and may cost as much as up to $35,000.

It’s essential to carry out further research in the depths of the ocean. sea because the scale of climate change has been clearly demonstrated. For Zilberman, she saw it as an attraction. She opted to work as an oceanographer, with a focus on the deep ocean following her introduction to Jacques Cousteau documentaries as a young child. “There’s the element of risk which is what makes it all the more exciting,” she said.

Source: https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/deep-sea-researchers-probe-mystery-of-record-ocean-heat-4243956

Recent studies have demonstrated that covering areas of glaciers with specific materials can cut down on the melting of ice and snow by as much as 50% to 70% when compared to unprotected surfaces.

The atmosphere was drizzly as scientists traversed through the snow at the top of Dagu Glacier in southwestern China on a rainy, dreary early June morning. There was no noise three miles higher than the sea, aside from the sounds of flowing water that was constantly a reminder of melting ice just beneath their feet.

When they began their climb with oxygen canisters in their fleece jackets. Porters strolled by carrying large rolls of white material. Researchers planned to distribute the sheets over more than 4300 acres (400 meters) on the summit. The idea behind the film was to reflect the sun’s light to the earth which effectively protects the glacier from scorching the sun’s heat, and possibly preserving a portion of the frozen ice.

Since the beginning, Dagu has supported the life of hundreds of thousands of residents living within its vicinity. Dagu’s meltwater supplies drinking water as well as helping to produce hydropower. In addition, the breathtaking landscapes from Dagu’s Tibetan Plateau can attract more than 200,000 visitors each year. This fuels an industry that has more than 2,000 employees employed. The entire ecosystem is currently in danger as the climate gets warmer.

The Chinese researchers were not under any doubt that their research could bring back Dagu. Dagu has gone through over 70 percent of its ice during the last half-century. A researcher described these efforts in a local paper as being similar to doctors simply trying to prolong the lifespan of a dying patient for several years. The only solution could be to significantly reduce the emissions of carbon dioxide. China is the largest emitter.

“All the interventions being developed regardless of whether they are efficient, will only serve to reduce” the melting process, claimed Zhu Bin, the 32-year-old Nanjing University associate professor leading the research. “If the Earth continues to warm at the end of the day, there’s nothing we can do to preserve the glaciers forever.”

It was not the type of work in the field that Zhu wanted to complete.

An engineer by trade The majority of his time in research labs at Nanjing as well as New York, including more than a decade of research on the storage of batteries in the labs of Columbia University. This switch to glaciers frightened many of his colleagues in academia who scolded him for moving away from the ease of conducting studies in an air-conditioned space. Family members worried about his safety. However according to him, the change changed their minds because they saw the preservation of glaciers as “something which is difficult, but it’s right.”

The idea of covering glaciers with sheets of reflective material isn’t a novel concept. European Ski resorts used blankets of white to safeguard their snow for more than two years. However, China is just beginning to explore the idea. A few small tests of a glacier located in Xinjiang as well as Dagu from 2020 onwards appear to have helped slow the retreat of these glaciers.

The team tested a brand new material they discovered may reflect over 93% of the sun’s rays and aid in helping Dagu effectively shed heat. The material is comprised of cellulose acetate which is a natural plant-based fiber that helps to reduce its impact on the environment. It is also placed as small particles by drones that are unable to access glaciers.

The initial day of the trip didn’t take off as planned. It was the intention to fix white sheets of snow onto the glacier by using steam drills wood frames, wooden ones and nail guns. The group suffered from headaches as well as nausea at high altitudes. While they were moving deeper into the glacier deep snow grew to the point that it became dangerous to move further. They decided to stop as the forecast for weather showed an imminent rain storm in the coming half hour.

Recent studies have demonstrated that covering glaciers by using specific materials could reduce the melting of snow as well as Ice by between 50 percent or 70% as compared to non-protected areas. However, the plastic or chemicals of the sheets may harm local ecosystems and the quality of water flowing downstream as per Matthias Huss, a professor of glaciology at ETH Zurich. Large glacial regions could be a huge risk with unexpected effects.

“It’s an excellent method to fight locally against the impact of climate change” added Huss in particular in the case of certain economic benefits. The real reason is “very simple,” he said: “It’s for the sake of saving the climate.”

The sheets Zhu and his team threw up Dagu won’t work even on bigger glaciers because they move constantly in accordance with Johannes Oerlemans, a climatologist at Utrecht University. “For smaller glaciers that have a slow decline that don’t move they can be covered quickly,” he said. “But once the glacier changes direction it will destroy the cover.”

In addition, the infrastructure necessary to set up the sheets on top of a massive glacier is impractical, the dirt would probably build up as time passes, darkening the glacier’s surface, and diminishing the ability of them to reflect sunlight According to Oerlemans. He instead advocates for depositing artificial snow. One project Oerlemans was involved in aimed to distribute snow from meltwater with no electric power – over the glacier of Switzerland.

On the Fourth day of the Dagu Expedition, Zhu’s crew eventually managed to put down solar-reflecting sheets, when the weather got better. In September, they’ll be back to tear off the protective shields and measure them to assess how well they performed. They also gathered water samples to assess their environmental impacts. The study is expected to last for 3 to 5 years at which point the researchers are expected to decide if they want to continue applying their findings to other glaciers within China and possibly even transfer these materials to other countries.

The project is backed by the local tourism board and the tech company Tencent Holdings Ltd., which contributed money through an initiative to promote sustainability. Although there is a financial incentive to conserve Dagu however, all involved reiterate the same mantra that the main factor is to curb carbon emissions, which are what caused the melting of Dagu initially.

It took 10s of millions of years to allow the Tibetan Plateau to rise to the height it is today. In the past, Indian and Asia plates collided and left the surface cool enough to support the glaciers and snow which provide the majority of major rivers that flow through the region, such as the Ganges, Mekong, and Yangtze. They provide lifelines to millions of people throughout Asia. Contrary to this, the opposite has been happening at a rapid pace The plateau has lost nearly 15 percent of its glaciers within just 50 years.

The majority of glaciers across the globe are rapidly retreating and causing rising waters and devastating floods. Covering some of them with solar-reflecting blankets would be like putting a bandage on an open wound. If the world is able to reduce global warming by 2C in comparison to preindustrial times – a goal most countries have set in the Paris Agreement in 2015 – just a quarter of the 4,000 glaciers located in the Alps are expected to remain at the time the century is over.

Huang Shihai, deputy head of the Dagu Glacier Management Bureau, has witnessed firsthand the effects that changes in the climate have caused in Heishui County, which sits on the base of the glacier. Since his move to the area in 2006 the county has seen warmer winters came earlier and summers became warmer, rivers grew dirty, and severe weather phenomena occurred more frequently.

Being amidst the cold mountain, Huang never had much reason to wear short-sleeved shirts. He now wears these shirts from as early as early as May. He has a constant fear about the possibility that Dagu will disappear completely as well as the effects this will cause on users. “There there is a feeling of danger,” the man said.

Russia has announced that it is willing to supply gas to Europe through the one intact part of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, but Germany has rejected the offer. Germany has said that Russia’s offer is a “nice try”, but that they are not interested in using the pipeline. The German government has said that they do not want to be dependent on Russia for their energy needs. This comes as a blow to Russia, who had hoped to use the Nord Stream 2 pipeline to increase its influence in Europe. The pipeline was meant to provide a direct route for Russian gas to Europe, bypassing Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin stated Wednesday that Moscow was ready to resume gas supply via one link from the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which is still operational. Germany quickly turned down the offer, according to the news agency Associated Press.

Late September saw the destruction of the Russian Nord Stream pipeline network. Both the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines were blown apart by the explosions. These explosions caused massive gas leakage, resulting in their removal from service.

Putin stated that gas could still be delivered via the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, but it was up to the European Union to decide if it wanted it. Its annual capacity is 27 billion cubic meters, he said.

He stated that he would not supply energy to countries that have set prices. He added, “I would like to warn those who, instead of business partnerships and market mechanisms, try to use con trickery and blunt blackmail to get their way, that we won’t do anything to your detriment.”

German officials claimed Russia halted supplies through Nord Stream 1 to play politics and questioned why Nord Stream 2 was more reliable.

Christiane Hoffmann, a spokesperson for the German government, stated that “Independently from the possible sabotage, the two pipelines, have we seen that Russia no longer is a reliable energy supplier and that even prior to the damage to Nord Stream 1, there was no longer any gasoline flowing.”

She said that Putin’s comments were “nice try.”

Germany had already frozen Nord Stream 2 days before Russia sent troops to Ukraine. A spokesperson for the German government also said that Germany would not be taking gas via this route.

Reuters reported that Putin had previously suggested the idea of creating a European alternative gas hub through Turkey.

Putin spoke at an energy forum in Russia and stated that “We could move the volumes along the Nord Streams from the Baltic Sea bottom to the Black Sea Region and so make the main routes to supply our fuel, our oil, to Europe through Turkey.”

Energy shortages

Although Russia continues to pump gas via Ukraine to Europe, the explosions at the Baltic pipelines have worsened the energy crisis Europe faced before the winter season.

Prices rose due to a plunge in Russian gas supplies, driving inflation. Governments were pressured to ease the pain of skyrocketing energy bills for businesses and households. This also raised fears of rationing or recession.

AP reported however that Europe was able to fill its gas storage to 90% for winter thanks to securing additional supplies. Although natural gas prices are now 80 percent lower than last year, they have dropped significantly from August peak levels.

Nord Stream 2 pipeline

Because Germany stopped the flow of natural gas from Europe via Nord Stream 2, it has not brought any to Europe. This was just before Russia launched military actions in Ukraine on February 24, 2014.

Russia had shut down the Nord Stream 1 parallel pipeline in the middle of an energy dispute with Europe before the explosions. Russia claimed that the blockage was due to technical issues, but European leaders claim it was an attempt to split them in response to their support for Ukraine.

The United Nations nuclear watchdog will inspect the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which Russia holds, this week. After months of negotiations, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) tried to gain access to this facility. However, Ukrainian staff continues to operate it under orders from Russian forces. This situation, the IAEA stated, threatens Europe’s most powerful nuclear plant.

Rafael Grossi, the chief of IAEA, will lead the mission to assess any damage caused by recent shelling around the plant. Both Russia and Ukraine blame each other for this incident. He and the agency did not specify when they would arrive in Zaporizhzhia.

The Energy Ministry of Ukraine said it will not comment on the IAEA mission “for security reasons.”

Separately, the IAEA tweeted that the mission would evaluate physical damage and assess the conditions in which workers are operating at the plant. It also “determines the functionality of safety and security systems.” It will perform “urgent safeguards activities,” which refers to tracking nuclear material.

Officials claim that Russian forces have attacked Ukrainian towns along the banks of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant. However, Russia’s defense ministry said more Ukrainian shelling was reported at the plant this weekend.

Reports of shelling at the facility fueled fears of a radiation catastrophe.

According to Igor Konashenkov, a spokesperson for the Russian Defense Ministry, nine shells from the Ukrainian artillery hit the grounds of the plant.

“At the moment, full-time technical staff are monitoring the technical state of the nuclear power plant and ensuring that it operates.” He stated that the radiation situation at the nuclear power station “remains normal.”

According to the UK’s Ministry of Defense, it is unclear how Russia will achieve an announced significant increase in its Armed Forces. However, this boost is unlikely to increase its combat power in Ukraine significantly.

Last week, President Vladimir Putin signed an order to increase Russia’s armed forces from 1.9 million to 2.04 million. This was as the war entered its seventh month.

In a regular update on the war, the UK ministry stated that it wasn’t clear if this could be accomplished by increasing conscription or recruiting more volunteers.

It would have no impact on the war in Ukraine, as Russia has lost tens of thousands of troops. There are also very few new contract servicemen being recruited. Conscripts are technically not required to serve in Russian territory.

At a meeting in Prague this Wednesday, European Union defense and foreign ministers will discuss the possibility of establishing a military training mission to assist Ukrainian forces.

Josep Borrell stated last week that the EU must look into what other options it has to support Ukraine and increase Russia’s costs of war.

However, EU foreign ministers will not unanimously support a ban on visas for all Russians at their next meeting, Borrell, the EU’s foreign policy chief, stated.

According to Shell Chief Executive Ben van Beurden, Europe could experience several winters without gas due to Russian supply cuts.

Van Beurden stated, “It could be that there will be several winters where it is necessary to find solutions.”

According to the TASS news agency, a Russian-installed official in Ukraine said that authorities would ensure safety for the IAEA mission to Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.

This week, the IAEA team will visit the plant occupied by Russian troops but still managed by Ukrainian staff. According to TASS, the Russian-backed authorities in the area said Monday that they were not informed of the details of the visit.

The Group of Seven’s Non-Proliferation Director’s Group welcomed a visit by the UN nuclear watchdog to Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant. It also reiterated its concerns about the safety of this plant under Russian military control.

It stated that “we reaffirm the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant, and the electricity it produces, rightly belong to Ukraine, and that Russia’s attempts to disconnect it from the Ukrainian power grid was unacceptable.”

According to the RIA Novosti news agency, a top Russian diplomat said that Moscow is open to the IAEA mission to Zaporizhzhia’s power station.

Mikhail Ulyanov is Russia’s permanent representative at the international organizations in Vienna. He said that Russia had made a significant contribution during the visit, which was announced by the IAEA this week.

Dmytro Kuleba, the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, has asked Russia to abandon Europe’s largest nuclear power plant at Zaporizhzhia.

Kuleba, speaking in Stockholm, stated that Russian forces leaving the facility would be “the only means to ensure nuclear security at this power plant.”

Russian media reported that Russia’s defense ministry stated that its forces had shot down a Ukrainian drone trying to strike the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.

According to the defense ministry, there was no radiation and no damage. The defense ministry stated that the drone was shot down close to the nuclear waste enclosure at the facility.

In recent weeks, both Russia and Ukraine denied shelling Zaporizhzhia’s plant. However, each side accuses the other.

According to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukrainian President, Russia is trying to stop European countries from filling enough gas storage to cope with the winter ahead, speaking at an oil and gas conference held in Norway

The largest offshore wind farm in the world, Hornsea 2, is located 55 miles from Yorkshire’s coast, and is now fully operational. The Hornsea 2 Project can produce enough electricity to power around 1.3 million homes, that’s enough to power a city the size of Manchester.

Ten years ago, renewable energy comprised only 11% of the UK’s total energy mix. In 2021, it was 40%, with offshore wind accounting for the largest portion. The Hornsea 2 forms part of an enormous wind farm development by energy firm Orsted.

Patrick Harnett, the program director at the Hornsea 2, stated that “the UK is one the world leaders in offshore wind.” “This is a very exciting moment after five years of work to fully commercialize the world’s largest offshore turbine farm.”

The wind farm is home to 165 turbines. They are approximately 200-meter-tall from the sea to the tops of the 81m blades. Harnett states that one rotation takes only six seconds and can provide enough energy to power an entire home for a day. Both the size and number of turbines and wind farms have increased in the last decade, which has contributed to a decrease in the price of electricity. The Hornsea 2 is now the “world’s biggest” after its neighbor, the Hornsea 1, first captured that title. It covers an approximate area of more than 64,000 football fields. It is unlikely its title will survive with other large projects in the North Sea presently under construction. When entirely constructed, the Dogger Bank wind farm will be capable of powering 6 million homes.

Simon Evans, Carbon Brief, a website that tracks renewable energy issues, stated that the last time it was around £450 per megawatt hour. “That would be 9x costlier than the current expense of building new renewable capacity.”

The UK government purchased 11 gigawatts of renewable energy in its July auction. This is enough to power approximately 12 million homes. It has also committed to decarbonizing electricity generation by 2035 under its Net-Zero goals, with the offshore wind playing an important role.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent global energy crisis have made it more difficult to find alternative power sources instead of gas-fired power plants. There are no immediate solutions. An offshore wind project takes approximately five years to go from planning consent to fully operational. Others argue that the current energy crisis is so severe that it makes sense to reconsider the possibility of building wind farms on the shores instead.

“Onshore wind has historically been the most cost-effective form of energy, and it is possible to get it up and to run in around a year,” Melanie Onn, Renewable UK, told BBC News.

“We’re not doing it at the moment because there’s a planning process that allows only one person to object to an onshore wind farm, which shuts the whole thing down. The government needs to take action to put our country’s needs first.

On the 23rd of August, WhatsApp, the Meta-owned social messaging platform, launched the very first Indian edition of its global brand campaign to spread awareness among its users about a series of layers that will provide them with more privacy and control over conversations when messaging.

In a press release, WhatsApp said that the primary objective behind this campaign is to educate its users about the platform’s “built-in layers of privacy protections.” Over the years, the company has added these layers, including three latest privacy features: controlling who can see when the user is online, silently exit groups, and blocking screenshots for ‘view once’ messages.

As per the recent release, the new features were already announced as a part of the global campaign earlier this month, which resulted in addition to a host of already existing privacy features. The announcement also represents how the company managed to get several layers of privacy controls together to offer users, even more privacy when they are engaged in private conversations while messaging.

Over the coming weeks, WhatsApp aims to educate users on each privacy feature through short reels which will highlight their benefits and the steps to activate them so that users can take advantage of WhatsApp’s built-in layers of protection, which include:

The social messaging platform aims to use short video clips to educate its users on every feature of privacy. These short films will summarize basic details about the benefits of these new features and the steps to use them so that each user can take advantage of these multiple layers of protection.

These built-in layers include the following features:

Exit Groups Silently: Users can leave a group without notifying other members.

Select Who ‘Can’ and ‘Can’t See’ When a User is Online – WhatsApp is coming up with the idea of giving its users a choice to keep their online presence private. It will help users when they don’t want to let people know that they are online.

Screenshot Blocking for ‘View Once’ Messages: To add one more layer of privacy, WhatsApp will introduce a feature allowing users to screenshot block ‘View Once’ messages. This feature is expected to be released to users soon, as it is currently being tested.

Default End-to-End Encryption (E2EE): WhatsApp, by default, has an end-to-end encryption feature, allowing users to keep their conversations private.

Encrypted Backups: This platform will give its users the option to allow them to back up their chat history with end-to-end encryption so that it will be secured and can only be accessed with an encryption key or password.

Disappearing Messages: This feature will let users set certain durations for disappearing messages which can either be for 24 hours, 7 days, or 90 days. Users can share videos and photos that will disappear after a message has been opened.

Block and Report: WhatsApp users can select the option to stop getting calls and messages from specific contacts on their list by blocking and reporting them if they receive some form of problematic content or spam.

Two-Step Verification: This feature will allow users to set a unique PIN of six digits, which will be used when registering their mobile numbers with WhatsApp again.

Leading economists have warned that if the government fails to take urgent action by cutting energy bills to prevent a catastrophe expected to happen by winter, it will negatively impact millions of vulnerable families.

The Resolution Foundation think tank, leading up to tomorrow’s announcement of the new price cap for energy, said that to prevent the cost of living crisis from getting any worse, radical policies were needed, including solidarity taxes, freezing prices, and lower social tariffs.

The UK government is under pressure from disability charities and the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), a business lobby group, to take action. The BCC said it was about to introduce a five-point plan, but the time was running out to mitigate the impacts of continuously increasing energy costs.

The warning was given after Ofgem; the energy regulator, worked on releasing a new price cap for October, which is anticipated to increase by over £3,500 per year from just under £2,000 per year. In October 2021, the price cap was at £1,277, which indicates that it has increased by double in just a year.

Labor said that Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss haven’t figured out a solution to avoid the crisis after their rival, former prime minister Boris Johnson rejected a proposal by the head of Scottish Power of freezing energy bills for two years at the cost of £100 billion.

As per the research carried out for Sense, a national disability charity, due to the ongoing cost of living crisis, families are left frustrated as they worry about their children or adults with disabilities, with more than 70% of families falling into debt. Around 83% of disabled families agreed that the government is not taking sufficient steps to help them in this crisis.

According to the Resolution Foundation, a tax-cutting plan proposed by Truss has failed to reach its target. At the same time, Sunak’s idea could not help struggling working households except through the benefits system. The Thinktank said that, compared to last year’s energy costs, it would cost almost £2,000 more this year.

It proposed a new social tariff plan which suggests that people who apply for benefits and those with no family members earned over £25,000 would get an energy bill reduction of 30%.

On the other hand, the Resolution Foundation said that the government might possibly announce a universal cut in energy bills which a solidarity tax will offset to some extent; this means that an increase of 1% in incomes would decline mainly for people with higher paychecks.

Jonny Marshall, a senior economist at Resolution Foundation, said that the new prime minister needs to work on aspects that will provide ample support to most needed areas.

Shevaun Haviland, the director general of the BCC, said that she had written to Truss and Sunak, Johnson, and Nadhim Zahawi, the chancellor of the exchequer, to express her worries about families as well as businesses during this difficult time.

“At over 10%, CPI inflation is at a 40-year high, interest rates are indexing the largest increase in 27 years, and eye-watering energy bills have created a perfect storm for increasing costs. The impact of these challenges on consumers, businesses, and the wider society cannot be overstated,” she wrote.

The BCC said that it would not be beneficial for companies to wait for another month without receiving any practical support measures, as it required a cut in VAT, from 20% to 5%, in the short-term for businesses

Three years after the discovery of the coronavirus, a new zoonotic disease has been detected in two of China’s eastern regions. Thus far, 35 people have been infected by this Henipavirus called Langya Henipavirus or LayV. This virus is a phylogenetically distinct Henipavirus.

Henipaviruses fall under the biosafety category BSL4. They can cause severe illnesses in animals and humans. As such, there are no licensed medicines or vaccines for humans. According to a recent study, a Zoonotic Henipavirus is in febrile patients in China. The US CDC says that Mojiang, Cedar, and Ghanaian bat viruses are not known human diseases. The Hendra and Nipah viruses are deadly and can infect human beings. Langya, on the other hand, can fever, dizziness, breathlessness, headache, dry cough (eventually resulting in phlegm), and in a few cases loss of smell and taste. The NEJM study suggests that more research is needed to determine if any human illnesses are associated with Langya. The study concludes that Langya has a genome structure similar to other Henipaviruses. It is also closely related to the “Mojiang Henipavirus,” a virus that was discovered in southern China.

A researcher of Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore spoke to China’s state-run Global Times that LayV cases were not fatal or grave, so there is no need to fear. Though, Mr. Wang explained that humans should still be aware that many viruses are unpredictable and can cause serious illness. According to scientists, LayV was found in 27% of shrews. It was detected in around 5% of dogs and 22% of goats. This suggests that mole-like animals may be a “natural repository” for the virus.

According to the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (USCDC), scientists believe that three out of every four emerging or new infectious diseases among people are caused by animals. Some zoonotic infections can be fatal to humans. These include the Nipah disease, which can cause periodic outbreaks among animals and humans in Asia. The Hendra virus was first found in horses in Australia. Other related henipaviruses can also be found in rodents, bats, and shrews. The United Nations previously warned that more such diseases would result from increased exploitation of wildlife and climate change.

Langya, a common parasite in animals, was discovered in eastern China among patients suffering from fever. It was isolated from a throat sample taken from one of those patients. According to the NEJM study, 35 LayV infected people were found in the Shandong and Henan provinces.

The study focused on the 26 LayV infected patients to determine associated symptoms. Although all 26 patients experienced fever, 54% experienced fatigue, 50% reported coughing, and 35% also complained of nausea and headaches. The study showed that 35% had impaired liver functions, and 8% had decreased kidney function. The study found that patients had “thrombocytopenia (35%), leukopenia (54%), impairment in the liver (35%), and kidney function (8%)”. Thrombocytopenia implies a low blood platelet count. Leukopenia, on the other hand, refers to a drop in white blood cell count. This reduces the body’s ability to disease fighting.

Most likely, the new virus had made the cross-over from animals to humans. LayV virus RNA has been found predominantly in shrews. After conducting a survey of wild and domestic animals in the area, the study landed on shrews. Seropositivity was also detected in domestic animals such as dogs and goats. It is not clear if there are any answers. The authors of the study stress that the size of the study is insufficient to establish human-to-human transmission. The authors note that LayV did not infect any individuals in close contact or with shared exposure histories, suggesting that the infection may be sporadic. Furthermore, the study found no LayV transmission between 9 patients and 15 of their closest people via contact.

On the 8^th of August, the US dollar extended its best rally against the yen after mid-June, uplifted by higher Treasury yields. This occurs after jobs data in the US boosted expectations for aggressive tightening in the Federal Reserve policy.

Recently, the dollar value increased by 0.31% to 135.42 yen, and previously it rose to 135.585 yen, which marked the highest since July 28. It reached its highest level after increasing by 1.57% in the earlier trading session, which resulted in its biggest gain in a single day since June 17.

The dollar index that determines the currency’s value against its other six counterparts remained at 106.77, from a peak of 106.93 on Friday, which was also recorded as the strongest since July 28.

According to traders, presently, there is a 73.5% chance that the Fed will likely continue the speed of increases in its interest rates by 75-basis-points for its upcoming policy decision on the 21^st of September. On the other hand, 41% before surprisingly strong payroll data released on Friday increased concerns that wage growth would contribute to inflationary pressures.

This week, the primary focus will be on the US consumer price index, which dues on Wednesday, and if it can fix the likelihood of a significant increase in rates. Analysts are expecting to ease the annual inflation to 8.7% in the month of July from the previous estimation of 9.1%.

Chris Weston, the head of research at Pepperstone, wrote in a note that to get the probability of a 50-basis-point hike in September as the default setting, it is anticipated to decline to a number below 8.4%, which ultimately seems unlikely. If the CPI print ended up being more than 9%, then no one would expect the dollar to decline.

On Monday, in Tokyo trading, the two-year Treasury yield stayed at an increasing level of 3.2628%, after going up to 3.3310% at the end of the previous week, marking a level that has not been seen since mid-June.

The 10-year yield remained at 2.8470%, which sticks close to the high of 2.8690% in two weeks.

The two- and 10-year yields had a negative spread of 42-basis-points among them, which reached up to 45-basis-points on Friday, resulting in the most significant hit since August 2000. An inverted yield curve is widely believed as an indication of a recession.

Except for this, the sterling declined by 0.19% to US$1.2050, while the euro dropped by 0.35% to US$1.01595. On Friday, the British Pound declined by an all-time low of US$1.2004. This occurred a day after the Bank of England increased its interest rates by half a point, which was expected to happen simultaneously as signs of an economic downturn.

Jane Foley, a senior FX strategist at Rabobank, wrote in a note that the Bank of England’s estimation of a potential recession resulted in supporting the vulnerability of the pound in the future. She predicted sterling could be inclined towards US$1.14 within 3 months.

Meanwhile, the New Zealand dollar declined by 0.19% to US$0.62315, and the Australian dollar plunged by 0.06% to US$0.6907.

Mitsaris lives here with his family in Agios Paneleimonas. It is a mountainous community of only 800 people in northern Greece. They have turned their home into a winery and are now able to entertain visitors.

Mitsaris, whose father was also a coal miner, purchased 44 acres of vineyard. “I have two young daughters.”

The most polluting fossil fuel is coal, and Greece has been working hard to get rid of it.

A year ago, Greece believed it would close all its coal-burning power plants by 2023. The country planned to build a final coal plant in the region where Mitsaris resides, Western Macedonia. This area generates more electricity than half of the nation’s total. Ptolemaida 5, the new plant, would run on natural gas in 2025. This is a polluting fossil fuel but it is generally less expensive than the brown coal (lignite) found in this region of Greece. Greece is to expand its coal mining production by 500,000 tonnes over the course of the next two years as Vladimir Putin tightens the gas connections to the EU. In June 2021 coal produced 253.9-gigawatt hours (GWh) worth of electricity.

This is all while the country battles wildfires on its mainland and islands. These are fueled by a scorching hot wave that has been supercharged due to climate change, which is mainly caused by humans’ burning of fossil fuels such as coal.

When the government keeps changing its plans, major life decisions, such as where you live and what you do, can be difficult. “I would have gone to Athens if I had known that we would find ourselves in the current situation.”

The Greek government wants to convince people that the return to coal is temporary. However, Western Macedonia’s coal resurgence is luring people back to the industry.

This is where coal is referred to as a “blessing” and “curse”. A return to fossil fuels can make the difference between staying or leaving.

A village in decay

Greece was a great success story in terms of its transition from coal. It was the first country of the Balkans that announced a near-term goal to eliminate all fossil fuels.

The PPC expropriated many villages in Western Macedonia, which supplies 80% of Greece’s coal, so it could mine the coal below them. This allowed the PPC to move entire communities to the edges.

During this transitional period, when coal is still being mined but its years have come to an end, residents of Akrini are left unable to relocate. The world around them is falling apart. The dispute has been ongoing for over a decade between residents and the PPC. They claim they have the right to receive compensation to help them move from the village that has been around coal mines for many years.

CNN was informed by the PPC that it wasn’t responsible for the villagers. They also declined to answer any follow-up questions that were presented with the law stating that they have the right to relocation assistance until 2021.

He has started a new life, just like Mitsaris.

He works an additional job as a solar panel technician, which he does in addition to his cattle farming. He typically puts in 13 hours per day between the two jobs to make ends work.

The solar panel company provides Mouratidis with an additional income. He said that solar expansion also takes up more land, which leaves less space for cultivation and grazing. Therefore, it is almost impossible to get permission to expand Akrini’s farmland.

All other infrastructure projects in Akron, except the solar farms have been cancelled.

What’s next?

To help Greece transform from a country based on fossil fuels to one that is green and innovative, the Greek government has created a plan worth 7.5 billion euros ($7.9billion). The EU has funded 1.63 billion euros to the Just Transition Development Plan.

The plan places Western Macedonia at the center of the plan. It should be given a lot of money to partially make it a center for renewable energy in the country. He said that some money will go to those who support the current government, while the majority will be with those who manage these funds. A few kilometers away from Akrini are Nikos Koltsidas, and Stathis Paschalidis, who are looking for sustainable solutions to help those who have lost jobs in the green transition and are open to getting involved with goat and sheep farming.

Paschalidis, his sheep bleating behind him, said that ” We aspire to create a network of farms that are self-sufficient and respectful to both the environment and animals.”

Koltsidas stated that he wanted to inform the community about the fact that farming is not what it used to, and that it can offer a secure future.

People with knowledge of the situation claimed that once PhonePe begins its separate from the Flipkart group, the e-commerce company’s current stake will be reflected in the new payments section as part of the separation process. This means that US-based Walmart will have majority ownership in PhonePe, while other Flipkart investors will receive a pro-rata share of the new India entity of the payments company. According to the persons described above, the procedure is presently in progress, and officials at PhonePe hope to formally close it in a month or two. However, they issued a warning that it might take longer due to the complexity of the restructure, which includes tax compliance in Singapore and India.

According to the sources, the mirroring of stockholders in PhonePe would be comparable to how Paytm six years ago created a distinct unit for its e-commerce arm Paytm Mall and went on to seek separate funds for the firm.

The Singapore branch of PhonePe would be liquidated, and Flipkart stockholders would receive the appropriate interests in the Indian branch. According to them, some of the current shareholders may look into partially selling their stake in PhonePe’s India division. One of the aforementioned sources stated, “It’s complicated restructure, but Flipkart shareholders will still get allocations in PhonePe India. “They (PhonePe) intend to raise money and have spoken with potential investors. It is also about unlocking value for Walmart, which at the point of the Flipkart transaction dictated a valuation of about $1 billion.

After the Flipkart board approved a partial hive-off in 2019, PhonePe had an independent board that reported to Walmart. Walmart contributed $700 million to PhonePe later in December 2020, raising its valuation to $5.5 billion. People briefed on the situation claimed that while PhonePe’s restructuring is in progress, the company has been in contact with late-stage financiers for a fresh funding round at a value that is much higher than its previous round. while the discussions are ongoing

PhonePe has stated it is aiming for a valuation of further than $12 billion for those that have not yet been organized into a deal, they claimed.

According to the most recent shareholding information at Tracxn, Walmart, which purchased Flipkart in 2018, owns 72 percent of the Bengaluru-based eCommerce company. Tencent, Tiger Global, and Accel, among the other current investors in the company, are and others. Following the partial split, PhonePe established a new board that includes Binny Bansal, the co-founder of Flipkart, who was instrumental in the company’s acquisition by Flipkart in 2016. Bansal still owns 1.8 percent of the business despite leaving the e-commerce company in 2018. He sold a portion of his stake to Tencent, according to an ET story from a year ago, when Flipkart raised $3.6 billion in funding, valuing the online retailer at $37.6 billion.

One of the aforementioned individuals stated, “Walmart is expected to have a bigger investment in PhonePe India subsidiary as negotiations are underway that certain investors may sell it to them.” Up until Tuesday afternoon, emails forwarded to PhonePe and Flipkart spokespersons went unanswered. The co-founders of PhonePe, Rahul Chari and Sameer Nigam intend to eventually float the business in India. It is currently one of the top competitors to Google Pay in the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) digital payments network. The payments corporation is trying harder than ever to establish itself as a provider of financial services, attempting to market to its current clientele services like asset management and insurance. The corporation claims that it has 380 million registered users overall and over 170 million active users per month. It records around $3 billion in transactions on a monthly average.

Russia and Ukraine will sign a deal that will allow grain exports to be allowed to resume from the Black Sea port. Russia and Ukraine, which are the two largest exporters worldwide, didn’t immediately confirm the statement of Turkish President Tayyip Turkey. But Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine’s leader suggested that ports would be opened in the region late last evening. Friday’s U.N.-backed deal to resume shipments of Ukrainian grain would help address the global food shortage caused by the conflict between Eastern Europe and Russia. Russian compliance to the agreement will be closely watched by international observers.

The State Department denounced Russian attacks on Ukrainian agriculture facilities and a prolonged blockade in food exports. “To date, Russia’s weaponization of food has taken place during this conflict,” Ned Price (a spokesperson for State Department) stated during a daily update. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, president of Ukraine, suggested Thursday night that an agreement might be reached in Istanbul. He added, “Tomorrow will also see news from Turkey concerning the unblocking of our ports.” Millions of tonnes remain unopened in Ukraine. Ukraine is the largest global exporter. Russian forces have blocked the Black Sea from which grain silos are located at key ports within Ukraine. U.N. could make a deal for Ukraine to resume exports of grain on Friday. This would alleviate the global food shortage that has been caused mainly by conflict in Eastern Europe. According to reports, the signing is scheduled for Istanbul’s Dolmabahce Palace. Turkish President Recep Tyyip Erdogan spoke out Thursday to say that Russia and Ukraine had reached an agreement. International observers will monitor Russia closely to make sure it sticks to the agreement.

Grains exporters from Odesa (Ukraine) are unable to ship outside due to the violence. Global shortages have caused food prices to rise. According to reports the agreement will allow Ukrainian ships navigation in mined waters. Russia will also be subjected to a ceasefire in order not to allow an attack. Turkish officials will inspect this package to make sure there aren’t illegal weapons. Moscow, which accuses Ukraine to having placed the mines, will resume its grain exports from the Black Sea as a part of the agreement. The State Department has criticised Russia’s ban on food imports since the 1970s, as well as its attack on Ukrainian agricultural plants.

Russian warships are blocking Ukrainian ports at Black Sea, Sea of Azov and Sea of Azov since several months. Russia has thus far used food weapons in this conflict. They have destroyed Ukrainian farms and prevented millions tonnes of Ukrainian grain from reaching the people who need it,” Ned Price spoke at a daily news briefing. He stated that Russia’s disregard for people’s lives and livelihoods was not limited to the area. Price’s remarks were made after the United Nations announced Turkey and Russia would soon sign an arrangement to create a maritime corridor that will allow for grain exports to Ukraine. “We shouldn’t find ourselves in this circumstance in the first. Price stated that it was deliberate Russian Federation’s decision to weaponize foods. Olena Zelenska is Ukraine’s first Lady. She met representatives of HP as well as the Global Business Coalition for Education. They accepted a donation for computers for Ukrainian students and children.

Zelenska stated in a statement that she is grateful for the support by HP and the Global Business Coalition for Education for the $30 million HP initiative. She also stated that contributions and efforts from HP and the Global Business Alliance for Education would be of benefit to students from Ukraine and around the world. Enrique Lores, the CEO of HP, stated that Palo Alto’s firm would continue mobilizing technology resources for Ukraine. Lores stated, in a statement, that “Through our partnership for The Global Business Coalition for Education (GBC for Education), we will place personal computers into students or families who are forced from the homes or classrooms.”

Kelvin Pang, a Singaporean working from a small office in China, is willing to accept $23 million to ensure that China’s chip shortage doesn’t worsen. The microcontrollers are chips that regulate many operations. This includes both the charging and power system of electric cars, as well as the transmissions or engines of automobiles. Pang purchased 62,000 microcontrollers for $23.80 each from a German buyer. Pang now wants them to be sold to Shenzhen’s automobile makers for $375 each.

He claimed that he rejected offers of $100 per piece and $6.2 million for the whole bundle. It is stored in a Hong Kong warehouse and is small enough to fit into your car’s trunk. He was 58 years of age and didn’t disclose the cost of the microcontrollers (MCUs). His business connects Chinese buyers to sellers with surplus electronic inventory that could be recycled. Two years ago, the global chip crisis, which was caused by supply disruptions and surge demand, transformed this business from one of low volume and low margin to one that can offer lucrative deals. Although there are still delays in placing orders for automotive chips, brokers such as Pang and others are now focusing their attention on China as the epicentre of a crisis that is gradually being overcome by the rest. According to Reuters, new orders for automotive chips from the five largest manufacturers have a typical global lead time of about a year. To address the shortage, major automakers like General Motors Co. and Ford Motor Co. entered into direct negotiations with chipmakers. They raised part prices and bought more inventory. Interviews with more than 20 industry participants, including brokers, manufacturers, suppliers, and CATARC experts, a government-affiliated auto research group in China, paint a less hopeful image for China. China is the world’s largest automaker and almost all its production comes from chips made in America, Europe, or Taiwan. Supply constraints have been exacerbated by the end of Shanghai’s zero COVID shutdown. China Automotive Technology and Research Centre assert that China’s shortage is worse than anywhere else in China and could hamper EV development. According to the report, a new Chinese chip-making industry will not be able to meet demand in the next two- to three years. Pang predicts that China will continue to face serious shortages of supply through 2023. It would be dangerous to continue in that state, he believes.

Forecasts “not possible”

Each vehicle, electric or conventional, has thousands to thousands of semiconductor-type computer chips. These chips manage everything, from navigation and entertainment systems to automatic emergency brakes and airbag deployment. The June poll included chips from Infineon and Texas Instruments as well as NXP. This report gives an overview of the global shortfall but does not break it down by region. It also shows that new orders placed through distributors often get delayed for an average of 49 weeks, or even into 2023. The average lead time is 52 weeks. They can vary between 6 weeks and 198 weeks. Infineon, a German chipmaker said to Reuters it has been investing in manufacturing facilities all over the world and “rigorously growing its production capabilities.” There may be a shortage in chips made by foundries up to 2023. Infineon said that it was difficult to assess the extent of the current shortage at this time, given the changing geopolitical and macroeconomic environments. United Microelectronics Corp. is a Taiwanese chipmaker that stated to Reuters it was able to shift some capacity to automotive chips due to decreased demand from other markets. The corporation stated that it is still difficult to meet client demand.

TrendForce analyst Galen Tseng told Reuters that current auto suppliers only receive around 80 PMIC chip – which regulates the voltage from the battery up to over 100 applications in an average vehicle – if they required 100. Due to the poor supply situation in China and better prospects for global carmakers, chip supplies are critical. Volkswagen stated in June that the chip shortage will improve in the second half. Chairman of Chinese EV manufacturer Nio William Li stated last month that it was hard to predict when certain chips would be in short supply. Nio has updated its “risky” list to ensure that it doesn’t run out of any of the 1,000 chips needed to make EVs. Xpeng Motors (a Chinese EV manufacturer) appealed in May for chips. A video online featured a Pokemon toy. It was also sold out in China. The duck-like bobbing character waved the two signs “urgently looking” and “chips”. The video was posted by He Xiaopeng (CEO of Xpeng Motors) on Weibo. He said that his company had difficulty getting “cheap chips” to build cars.

Shenzhen is accessible via all roads

Two people who are familiar with the trade at a Chinese EV manufacturer and an auto supplier claim that automakers have come to Shenzhen in search of solutions. This is China’s biggest chip trading centre and the “grey market,” which brokered legal supplies but was not authorized to do so by the original manufacturer. Grey markets are a place where chips may be recycled, mislabelled, or improperly handled. Masamune Yamaji, Gartner’s research director, stated that brokers can pose a risk and that their costs could be ten- to twentyfold more. Many chip buyers depend on brokers to satisfy their needs, particularly small clients in the automotive or industrial electronics industries. Pang stated that Shenzhen’s brokers were often newcomers who were attracted by rising prices but had no knowledge of the technology they were selling and buying. Only part numbers are available. I want to know what this means for your car. They don’t know what they are doing. Analysts believe there aren’t enough brokers to meet the demand, despite it being difficult to estimate the number of brokers. Ondrej Burkacky at McKinsey is a senior associate. He said that it’s not like all the chips are on the market, and you only need to get them there. Analysts and traders warned that Shenzhen’s unsold semiconductor stocks could cause an asset bubble. Pang stated that this was not possible.

Chinese self-sufficiency

China is looking to reduce its dependence on imported chips as its advanced chip design, manufacture and manufacturing still lag behind its counterparts abroad. It won’t be easy, especially considering the stringent specifications for automotive-grade semiconductors. Li Xudong is a senior manager at CATARC. MCUs account for 30% of total chip costs in a car, but they are also the most difficult category in which China can achieve self-sufficiency. Li stated that domestic players have only entered the lower market with chips for air conditioning and seat controls. Huang Yonghe (head engineer at CATARC) stated in May that “I don’t believe the problem can be solved in two or three years.” We are dependent on foreign countries for 95 % of wafers. Li of CATARC says that a domestic alternative has emerged in the form of Chinese EV manufacturer BYD. It has started to produce IGBT transistor chip designs. Victor Shih, a professor of political science at the University of California in San Diego, said that China has always considered its inability to completely rely on chip manufacturing as a security threat. China may eventually create a strong local sector, Shih said. “It led to a lot of waste and failure but it also produced two or 3 giants that now dominate the world market.”

In Singapore, After a strong start to this week, Asian stock markets mainly declined on Tuesday as investors reviewed the meeting minutes of Australia’s central bank. Losses were driven by the 1.15% decline in the Hang Seng index in Hong Kong and the 1.64% decline in the Hang Seng Tech index. Markets on China’s mainland were down. Shenzhen Component fell 0.64%, while the Shanghai Composite lost 0.29%.

The S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.6% in Australia. Tuesday saw the release of the Reserve Bank of Australia’s meeting minutes, which revealed that the board considered current rates to be “far below” the neutral rate, indicating that future rises will be required to bring inflation back to the target over time. Earlier this month, the RBA increased interest rates by 50 basis points. According to the minutes, “the level of interest rates was still extraordinarily low for an economy confronting a period of increased inflation and a tight labor market.” To $0.6838, the Australian dollar grew.

The South Korean indexes had a range. While the Kosdaq rose 0.28%, the Kospi lost 0.29%.

After a vacation on Monday, Japanese markets resumed trading on Tuesday and defied the regional trend. The Topix index increased by 0.55%, while the Nikkei 225 increased by 0.76%.

The largest Asia-Pacific share index outside of Japan, according to MSCI, is down 0.69%.

On Monday, all of the major indices in the area saw increases of at least 1%, with Hong Kong stocks leading the way by finishing 2.7% higher.

According to senior investment strategist at Credit Suisse, Suresh Tantia there is still uncertainty over the direction of inflation and the actions that the Fed will take. On Tuesday, he said on CNBC’s “Squawk Box Asia” that it was “very likely” that markets would stay volatile.

The Financial Times stated that due to the unpredictability of British politics, SoftBank has postponed plans to list chip creator Arm in London. Shares of SoftBank Group increased by 1.36%. When approached by CNBC, the company declined to comment. Meanwhile, Swire Pacific, a multinational with headquarters in Hong Kong, announced the acquisition of Coca-Cola divisions with bottling operations in Vietnam and Cambodia. Shares of the business that were listed in Hong Kong decreased by almost 2%. Major U.S. market indices reversed previous gains and ended the session down. To 31,072.61, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 215.65 points or 0.69%. To 3,830.85, the S&P 500 dropped 0.84%. To 11,360.05., the Nasdaq Composite fell by 0.81%.

Currencies and oil :

The U.S. dollar index, which compares the dollar to a basket of its competitors, was last at 107.502, declining from levels from the previous week. Because of the dismal forecast for global growth, Carol Kong, senior associate of currency strategy and international economics at Commonwealth Bank, wrote in a note on Tuesday, “In our opinion, the path of least resistance for the US$ is to continue trending greater.” The Japanese yen traded at 137.98 to the dollar, which is still higher than last week values. After rising by about 5% on Monday, oil futures dipped somewhat in Asian trading. West Texas Intermediate crude for the United States fell by 0.19% to $102.41 per barrel, while benchmark Brent crude for the rest of the world fell by 0.39% to $105.86 per barrel.

The corporation announced losing 700,000 users as a result of shutting down its service in Russia, despite having gained millions of subscribers during Covid lockdowns. It also cited consumers who shared their Netflix password with others as a cause of the rivalry from rivals. The leading company in streaming states that the service will be an “addition” to its existing subscription, which are free of advertisements.

How much the business intends to charge customers for the new service is still a secret.

After reporting its first subscriber decline in over ten years and making hundreds of job cuts earlier this year, Netflix made the announcement.

Between January and March, it lost 200,000 users as opposed to the 2.5 million analysts had predicted the company would gain during that time. Additionally, Netflix now anticipates losing an additional two million subscriber between April and June.

The business announced that it had chosen Microsoft as its exclusive global sales and advertising technology partner to launch a “cheaper price ad-supported membership plan.”

In a statement, Netflix’s chief operating officer Greg Peters stated, “It’s really early, and we have a lot to work through.

“Microsoft does have the verified capacity to serve all business marketing demands as we work together to establish a new ad-supported product,” said Greg Peters, COO of Netflix.

Netflix’s unexpected decision to finally join competitors like HBO Max, Hulu, and Paramount+ by introducing an ad-supported package for the year is anticipated to come before the announcement next week that the company lost an additional 2 million subscribers globally in the 3 months leading up to the end of June.

It’s still extremely early, and there are many issues to resolve, according to Peters. But our long-term objective is obvious. Consumers have more options, and advertisers enjoy a superior, non-linear television brand experience.

Netflix has consistently opposed adding advertising for years, despite the fact that plans with both a cheaper price element and ad revenue are frequently more profitable than a more expensive ad-free subscription. Reed Hastings, a co-founder of the business, claimed they will “exploit” and alter the viewing experience.

Netflix has never desired advertisements. The foundation of its entire business strategy was a monthly subscription.

However, Netflix officials were forced to disregard their own policies.

It follows horrendous data that revealed the corporation was losing subscribers.

Additionally, as a result of the high cost of living, households have had to tighten their budgets and have begun to consider their Netflix subscription as a potential saving. Investors have become uneasy.

In addition, Netflix faces stiff competition from services like Apple TV, Disney+, HBO Max, and Amazon Prime.

There aren’t enough paying subscribers to go around, and there are too many possibilities.

In order to react, Netflix is developing a less expensive version that will include advertisements and will launch later this year.

A similar business strategy is used by Spotify, which offers free music in exchange for watching ads.

It is hoped that by accepting commercials, Netflix can attract more customers.

However, the decision also demonstrates that advertisements, which were considered by high-end streaming firms to be so passé just a few years ago, are still very much alive and well.

The Report Stated on Tuesday that Netflix is trying to restructure its contracts with significant entertainment companies so that it can include advertisements in its service.

As per reports, the firm has talked with Sony Pictures Television, Universal, and Warner Bros.

Warner Bros. opted not to respond. A BBC request for comment was not immediately answered by Universal or Sony.

Netflix’s market value dropped by $50 billion in April after the firm revealed the unexpected decline in subscribers, just since October 2011.

The business reported losing 700,000 users as a result of shutting down its service in Russia, despite having gained millions of subscribers during Covid lockdowns. It also cited consumers who shared their Netflix password with others as a cause of the rivalry from rivals.

The business announced 300 job losses last month as it struggled with the decline in consumer volume.

Also in the past month, Netflix’s co-CEO Ted Sarandos stated that the company was in discussions with several businesses to identify ways to appeal to price-conscious customers.

“Netflix as it currently exists won’t get any more advertisements. For those who say, “Hey, I want a lower price and I’ll watch advertisements,” we are adding an ad tier “At a conference in Cannes, Mr. Sarandos informed the audience.

However, there hasn’t been any formal announcement of the launch date for these more affordable options. Alongside the current alternatives, a new ad-enabled subscription plan will be available that will give users inexpensive access to premium content. According to the business, there is still a lot of work to be done and the new move is still in its very early phases.

Expanding these ultrasensitive nanoscale detectors’ capabilities could help with quantum computing and biological sensing, according to MIT experts. Quantum sensors are capable of detecting even minute variations in electrical or magnetic fields. This has enabled precise measurements to be done in the areas of physics, and basic physics. These sensors are only marginally functional because they can only recognize a few frequencies of these fields. Researchers at MIT have succeeded in making such sensors capable of detecting any frequency without impairing their ability to analyze properties at the nanoscale scale. The new technique was published in a publication in Physical Review X by Paola Cappellaro from MIT and Guoqing Wang, a doctoral student in nuclear science and engineering. At MIT’s Lincoln Laboratory, he also teaches nuclear science and physics.

The team has submitted an application for patent protection. Although quantum sensors can take many different forms, their fundamental property is that some particles are so perfectly balanced that even slight changes in fields can have an impact on them. These sensors can be used to find trapped ions and neutral atoms. Research involving these sensors is expanding quickly. While physicists use them to study unusual states of matter like topological phases and time crystals, scientists utilize them to characterize practical technologies like experimental quantum memory or computation. Quantum sensors can also pick up on a variety of other fascinating events. Graduate student Guoqing Wang works with nuclear science engineering and physics professor Paola Capepellaro. In a report that was published in Physical Review X, she and four other researchers from MIT’s Lincoln Laboratory describe the new technique. The team has already filed a patent application for this novel method. Quantum sensors can be created in a variety of methods, but at their core, they consist of a system where some particles are in such a perfect state that even slight changes in the fields they are susceptible to can affect how they behave. These can be neutral atoms, trapped ions, solid-state spins, or neutral atoms. Research using these sensors has grown quickly. They are used by physicists to characterize helpful tools like experimental quantum memory and to examine unique states of matter like so-called time crystals and topological phases of computation systems. However, over a far wider frequency range than what is currently detectable by quantum sensors, many more intriguing occurrences take place. Even if there are other ways to modify the frequency sensitivity of particular quantum sensors. However, this requires a substantial apparatus and a potent magnetic field. These could remove minuscule details, preventing the new technology from offering the highest resolution. Wang claims that in order to be tuned, such devices require a strong magnetic field. However, that magnetic field can alter the behavior you’re trying to study and damage the quantum materials’ properties. Cappellaro believes that the system’s capacity to access a range of electromagnetic or electrical activity frequencies at the level of a single cell may open up new opportunities in the biomedical field. She said that the resolution of such signals by current quantum sensing technology would be difficult.

This technology may be able to identify a neuron’s output signals as it responds to a stimulus. However, it could be difficult to detect such signals because this system is typically surrounded by a lot of noise. This technology may be used to thoroughly examine exotic materials, such as 2D materials, which are currently the subject of in-depth research into their electromagnetic and optical properties. The team is still considering the possibility of expanding the system’s capabilities so that it may examine more than one frequency at once in addition to the current one. The researchers will continue to enhance the system’s capabilities by utilizing more potent quantum sensing equipment at Lincoln Laboratory, where some of the study team members are situated.

Global attention has been drawn to the multiple ways artificial intelligence (AI), affects society. A growing area of interest is the role of AI procurement in addressing the impacts of this technology within both the public and private sectors.

Analyzing the text of soft-law programs is one way to evaluate developments in AI procurement. Soft law is an initiative that sets out substantive expectations about AI’s design and deployment, but which is not enforced directly by the government. They are not as strict as hard law, which takes the form of legislation or regulation.

These programs are soft law and reflect the views of many entities, including government, private sector and non-profits. They include strategies, recommendations and principles as well as best practices.

We collaborated with Gary Marchant, Arizona State University. This database contains AI soft-law programs from 2001 through 2019. This database includes all AI-related text for 634 programs in 64 different geographic areas. This corpus contains the word “procurement” 84 times across 44 programs.

The 86 statements that were relevant to AI procurement were then identified and compiled into a new database. The figure below shows that the majority of statements regarding AI procurement were issued by governmental entities (48%), or jointly with other organizations (40%). It is interesting that most procurement mentions are from soft law initiatives, which were released in the average year of 2018.

Two dimensions were used to analyze each procurement-related statement. The first dimension determined the directionality and influence. Statements can be used to direct stakeholders in the entity’s sphere of influence (internal), guide individuals or groups (external), and target both internal stakeholders (both)

The largest group was the internal statements, accounting for 72% of the total. These statements are only found in government-led organizations or alliances of governments such as national governments, states or provincial institutions, or multilateral institutions like the EU. Surprisingly local government is represented by guidance created by New York City’s Automated Decision Systems Task Force.

22% of programs contained external statements. These could be governmental pronouncements that target the private sector, associations, or private sector entities providing guidelines for the AI stakeholder community or non-profits offering advice to government agencies. A small number of statements (6%) are directed at both internal and outside stakeholders.

The second dimension is about the substance of the soft-law text. The relevant statements were divided into four categories: protection of rights, acceleration of technology advancement, creation of soft laws, and improvement of processes. Each statement could have up to two purposes.

Sixty-six percent of the statements reflected an improvement of processes as the most common purpose of soft law procurement programs. A statement must suggest ways to improve a procurement process in order to qualify. The guidelines, which were created by the United Kingdom’s government in collaboration with the World Economic Forum (WEF), were a great example for government agencies. The UK and WEF gave concrete guidance to government agencies regarding their AI procurement practices in this document. They direct government agencies to “consider when purchasing a tool that contains AI; testing the application over its lifetime is crucial” and to “ensure interoperability and require open licensing terms in order to avoid vendor lock-in.”

Similar advice can be provided by people outside the government. Microsoft, for example, provides a list with regional procurement standards and guidelines developers should consider when developing AI-based technologies.

The creation of soft laws, which is present at 30% of the statements, was second in popularity after improving processes. Organizations urged the improvement or creation of soft law mechanisms to help guide AI procurement. New York City’s task force on ADS recommended advancing a set of “best practices” in ADS to assist agencies. This included data retention and sharing, ADS procurement and data sharing.

Nonprofit organizations also made statements urging governments to act in the area of procurement. C-Minds was one such organization. It requested Mexico to “develop guidelines for smart AI procurement.” They explained that government must embrace technology in order to provide citizens with high-quality services.

In 27% of the samples, the purpose was to ensure and protect rights. The need for society’s use of procurement to ensure that individuals and organizations have their rights protected was a common theme across all statements.

The Council of Europe, for example, dedicated an entire paper to algorithmic impacts on human rights. It urged countries to ” encourage the creation of algorithmic systems, technologies that enhance equality access to, and enjoyment, human rights through procurement.” UNESCO, however, has recommended that governments “use government procurement and funding to drive gender equality in AI.”

In 17 % of the statements, the purpose to accelerate technological development was identified. These statements included ideas on the role procurement plays in creating and deploying AI technology in the market, mostly from the private sector. For example, the French government stated that it would support European industries with its procurement policies. Korea, on the other hand, issued a statement in which it said that it would “enable businesses to take early advantage of intelligent IT ecosystems.”

Many trade associations worldwide support public procurement for funding AI development. A regional association representing the medical technology industry said that public procurement should be used to both build “innovation” and provide trustworthy AI.

This research shows how much conversation there is about procurement in the world of AI governance soft law. These discussions are dominated by the government as the primary participant and target.

This protagonism is well-deserved. The best marketplace conditions for AI are set by public entities. They can create incentives to encourage responsible AI usage by large companies as they are big customers. They can advocate for soft laws to improve the quality of life in the rest of the country by being arbiters of social norms. They can also improve their operations by deploying AI as stewards of public resources.

This article’s bespoke procurement section reflects the increasing interest in AI and this field. As AI technology improves its ability to serve humanity, the importance of this relationship will increase.

Russian forces attacked especially in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk to prepare for an armored thrust that will attempt to seize more territory. This was the new phase of the five-month-old war.

According to the Russian military and the local governor, the strikes were in response to Moscow’s capture on Sunday of Lysychansk, Ukraine’s city. This gave Moscow complete control over the Luhansk region. It was one of its main war goals.

Moscow’s “special military operation” also aims to take Donetsk under its control, which is the other Donbas region. This industrialized eastern part of Ukraine has been the scene of the largest battle in Europe for generations.

According to Serhiy Gadai, the Ukrainian governor in Luhansk, Ukrainian forces that retreated from Lysychansk over the weekend, took up new defensive lines at Donetsk on Tuesday.

The Russian defense ministry, which claims it doesn’t target residential areas, replied that it used high-precision weapons against command centers and artillery in Donetsk where Ukraine still controls large cities. Also states that President Vladimir Putin instructed troops in Luhansk to rest and recover military readiness, while other units continue fighting.

On Monday, a Reuters reporter visited Lysychansk to find widespread destruction and few people in a city once home to almost 100,000 people. Oleksiy Arestovych (an adviser to President Volodymyr Zeleskiy) said that “This is Russia’s last victory on Ukrainian territory.” He made these remarks in an online video. He also stated that, in addition to the battle for Donetsk and the launch of counter-offensives by Ukraine.

Military experts believed that the Russian forces had not gained any strategic advantages from the hard-fought victory, which was why the outcome of what is being called the “battle for the Donbas” was still in doubt.

Neil Melvin, RUSI think-tank in London, said that “I believe it’s a tactical victory for Russia but with an enormous cost.” He compared the battle with the massive territorial gains and the fights for them that marked World War One.

He said that while the Russians might declare victory, the crucial war battle was still to come.

Melvin stated that the decisive battle against Ukraine would not be in the east, where Russia is mounting its main attack, but in the south, where Ukraine has launched a counter-offensive to retake territory around Kherson.

He stated that “counter-attacks are starting there” and that it was most likely that the momentum would swing to Ukraine as it attempts to mount a large-scale counter-offensive in reply to Russia’s attack.

Zelenskyy stated Monday that, despite Ukraine withdrawing from Lysychansk’s territory, its troops continued fighting. He also stated in a video message that “The Armed Forces of Ukraine Respond and push back opposition forces with period of time.” We must break them. It’s a hard task. It takes time and requires superhuman effort. We have no other choice.

The molecular processes that underlie learning and memory were discovered

Researchers have now discovered the intracellular signal mechanism through which ACh controls aversive Learning, an important screening procedure for AD medication.

Research has shown that donepezil activates the signal cascade to prevent unfavorable learning. These findings suggest that the signaling cascade could contain pharmacological targets.

Unpleasant learning is possible with the help of acetylcholine, a neuromodulator. It is possible to quickly train the senses to become more comfortable with unpleasant smells, tastes, and touches. These learning-related tasks are performed by cells known as D2R+MSNs (D2R+MSNs), found in the NAC. After negative learning experiences, ACh levels in the NAc rise.

Research has shown that ACh stimulates D2R/MSNs via the muscarinic receptor M1R (M1R). This activates the protein kinase C signaling mole, which is then stimulated in response to earlier research.

However, it is not clear how ACh influences aversive learning. This has hampered the development of AD treatments that target ACh intracellular signaling.

Researchers from Fujita Health University’s Prof. Kozo Kaibuchi published a study that explains the molecular mechanisms behind ACh learning, memory and learning.

This has not been done since the discovery of the cholinergic hypothesis in AD 45 years ago. Our research also revealed the intracellular mechanism and effects donepezil had on learning and memory. Yukie Yamashi (assistant professor and principal author of the study), says that this discovery opens up new AD treatments.

Phosphorylation is a process that facilitates molecular signaling cascades. This is where cellular kinases attach phosphate groups to specific substrate molecules. Professor Kozo Kaibuchi developed and disseminated a method called Kinase-oriented Proteomic Analysis that was used by the research team.

The study team was able to confirm ACh’s ability to stimulate PKC through the observation of phosphorylation events following ACh binding ex vivo to M1Rs in animals with striatal/NAc cut. Next came the phosphoproteomic research. It identified 116 possible PKC substrates, which included “bPIX,” which activates small GTPase Rac.

“We discovered that PKC activated bPIX after ACh. This activated a downstream target of Rac, PAK, and made it active. Using passive avoidance tests in mice, we next investigated the role of the discovered ACh-M1R-PKC-Rac-b-PIX-PAK cascade in aversive learning and aversion memory “Dr. Yamahashi explains. The researchers also discovered that donepezil triggers this cascade in order to increase negative learning.

Dr. Yamahashi says this is the first study to show intracellular donepezil processes that control learning and memory.

These results are consistent with a study published by Prof. Kaibuchi in the Journal of Neurochemistry. Dr. Md. published the study for the first time. Omar Faruk has received the Mark A. Smith Award from the International Society for Neurochemistry.

According to a study, KCNQ2, a voltage-gated sodium channel, was implicated in unfavorable learning. PKC phosphorylates KCNQ2’s threonine 217 directly. This phosphorylation site was thought to modulate its channel activity. The NAc phosphorylation event was also increased by the administration of donepezil.

Scientists discovered that M1R–PKC–b-PIX–PAK was involved in associative learning and recognition memory. This is significant because it provides a platform to screen for new AD medicines.

Our phosphoproteomic data revealed many other PKC substrates including postsynaptic scaffold protein and presynaptic protein, which are registered in a database called KinaseAssociated Neural PHOsphossignaling. We remained focused on bPIX and elucidating the M1RPKC-PAK pathway (KANPHOS).

Dr. Yamahashi says that they are only looking at the tip end of an iceberg when it comes to the future prospects for their research.

The latest news about memory, learning

Acetylcholine is essential for memory and learning. Donepezil, a cholinesterase inhibitor, increases brain acetylcholine. This lowers the chance of Alzheimer’s disease (AD)-associated learning disabilities.

Acetylcholine (M1R) activates the D2-expressing medium spiny neuron (D2R -MSNs) of the striatal/nucleus incumbents dopamine receptor D2-expressing dopamine receiver. These neurons control unpleasant learning via the muscarinic receptors. It is not clear how acetylcholine promotes learning beyond the M1Rs.

We discovered that mouse striatal/nucleus PKC (acetylcholine-stimulated protein kinase C) was activated. Our initial kinaseoriented phosphoproteomic investigation identified 116 potential PKC substrates. This included b–PIX, a Rac1 activater. Acetylcholine activated Rac1-activated kinase p21 through activating bPIX phosphorylation. (PAK).

In mice, D2R/MSNs triggered the M1R/PKC/PAK pathway by activating aversive stimuli. Cre-Flex controlled PAK mutations in D2R/MSNs. This controlled aversive learning, as well as dendritic structure and plasticity. Donepezil promoted PAK activity in the CA1 and accumbal areas of the D2R–MSNs of the hippocampus. This increased D2R–MSN-mediated learning.

These results show that acetylcholine activates M1R-PKC-b-PIX-Rac1-PAK signalling for unpleasant learning in D2R-MSNs and suggest the cascade’s therapeutic potential for AD since aversive learning is utilised to assess prospective AD treatments.