War

A More Just World Is Possible with Just One Rule

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, February 20, 2024

NEW YORK, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The United Nations Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and its covenants would suffice to make our world a just world for all. Yet, the global community does not respect its commitments to these international legal frameworks. It is not complicated. 

Key Points: 
  • We just need to follow one rule underpinning them, the Golden Rule: 'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.'
  • Unjust and inhumane wars and atrocities are raging in the Middle East, in Sudan and across sub-Saharan Africa, in Ukraine and beyond.
  • These are legally binding commitments, which can be truly simplified down to a single universal rule: the Golden Rule.
  • Increasingly, armed conflicts, atrocities and human rights violations are committed daily against vulnerable, innocent children and youth in nearly every region of the world.

LONG ISLAND UNIVERSITY ANNOUNCES 2023 GEORGE POLK AWARDS IN JOURNALISM

Retrieved on: 
Monday, February 19, 2024

NEW YORK, Feb. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Five recipients of the 2023 George Polk Awards, announced today by Long Island University, were for coverage of the Israel/Gaza and Russia/Ukraine wars in a year when the university is marking the 75th anniversary of one of American journalism's prized honors.

Key Points: 
  • NEW YORK, Feb. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Five recipients of the 2023 George Polk Awards, announced today by Long Island University, were for coverage of the Israel/Gaza and Russia/Ukraine wars in a year when the university is marking the 75th anniversary of one of American journalism's prized honors.
  • The George Polk Awards were established in 1949 by LIU to commemorate George Polk, a CBS correspondent murdered in 1948 while covering the Greek civil war.
  • The awards, which place a premium on investigative and enterprising reporting that gains attention and achieves results, are conferred annually to honor special achievement in journalism.
  • At the same time, sixteen outstanding journalists whose careers reflect a commitment to deep investigative reporting will be honored as "George Polk laureates."

Underwater Warfare Market worth $5.7 billion by 2028 - Exclusive Report by MarketsandMarkets™

Retrieved on: 
Monday, February 19, 2024

Based on the systems, the unmanned systems segment is estimated to lead the Underwater Warfare market from 2023 to 2028.

Key Points: 
  • Based on the systems, the unmanned systems segment is estimated to lead the Underwater Warfare market from 2023 to 2028.
  • The unmanned systems market is growing rapidly due to various factors including technological advancement in naval industry.
  • The unmanned systems include autonomous or remote-controlled vehicles designed to perform various tasks underwater, such as surveillance, mapping, and even warfare.
  • The increasing demand for anti-submarine warfare equipment has contributed to the growth of surface ships in the underwater warfare industry .

Underwater Warfare Market worth $5.7 billion by 2028 - Exclusive Report by MarketsandMarkets™

Retrieved on: 
Monday, February 19, 2024

Based on the systems, the unmanned systems segment is estimated to lead the Underwater Warfare market from 2023 to 2028.

Key Points: 
  • Based on the systems, the unmanned systems segment is estimated to lead the Underwater Warfare market from 2023 to 2028.
  • The unmanned systems market is growing rapidly due to various factors including technological advancement in naval industry.
  • The unmanned systems include autonomous or remote-controlled vehicles designed to perform various tasks underwater, such as surveillance, mapping, and even warfare.
  • The increasing demand for anti-submarine warfare equipment has contributed to the growth of surface ships in the underwater warfare industry .

Israeli siege has placed Gazans at risk of starvation − prewar policies made them vulnerable in the first place

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, February 15, 2024

The numbers involved are just as despairing.

Key Points: 
  • The numbers involved are just as despairing.
  • The world’s major authority on food insecurity, the IPC Famine Review Committee, estimates that 90% of Gazans – some 2.08 million people – are facing acute food insecurity.
  • Indeed, of the people facing imminent starvation in the world today, an estimated 95% are in Gaza.
  • As an expert in Palestinian public health, I fear the situation may not have hit its nadir.

Putting Palestinians ‘on a diet’

  • But food insecurity in Gaza and the mechanisms that enable it did not start with Israel’s response to the Oct. 7 attack.
  • Multiple factors contributed to this food insecurity, not least the blockade of Gaza imposed by Israel and enabled by Egypt since 2007.
  • Basic foodstuff was allowed, but because of delays at the border, it can spoil before it enters Gaza.
  • By placing restrictions on food imports, Israel seems to be trying to put pressure on Hamas by making life difficult for the people in Gaza.
  • In the words of one Israeli government adviser in 2006, “The idea is to put the Palestinians on a diet, but not to make them die of hunger.” To enable this, the Israeli government commissioned a 2008 study to work out exactly how many calories Palestinians would need to avoid malnutrition.
  • The blockade also increased food insecurity by preventing meaningful development of an economy in Gaza.

Hampering self-sufficency

  • Gaza’s fishermen are regularly shot at by Israeli gunboats if they venture farther in the Mediterranean Sea than Israel permits.
  • Because the fish closer to the shore are smaller and less plentiful, the average income of a fisherman in Gaza has more than halved since 2017.
  • By early December 2023, an estimated 22% of agricultural land had been destroyed, along with factories, farms, and water and sanitation facilities.

Starvation as weapon of war

  • The use of starvation is strictly forbidden under the Geneva Conventions, a set of statutes that govern the laws of warfare.
  • Human Rights Watch has already accused Israel of using starvation as a weapon of war, and as such it accuses the Israeli government of a war crime.
  • Yet untangling what Israel’s intentions may be – whether it is using starvation as a weapon of war, to force mass displacement, or if, as it claims, it is simply a byproduct of war – does little for the people on the ground in Gaza.


Yara M. Asi does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Prabowo Subianto is poised to succeed in lifelong quest to become Indonesia’s president. This is why it’s so worrying

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, February 15, 2024

The runner-up, Anies Baswedan, appears to have secured around 24 to 25% of the vote, while Ganjar Pranowo is sitting on just 17%.

Key Points: 
  • The runner-up, Anies Baswedan, appears to have secured around 24 to 25% of the vote, while Ganjar Pranowo is sitting on just 17%.
  • How did he achieve this remarkable turnaround, and what kind of leader will he be for the country?
  • Read more:
    Cute grandpa or authoritarian in waiting: who is Prabowo Subianto, the favourite to win Indonesia's presidential election?

Prabowo’s winning alliance with Jokowi

  • Jokowi was barred by a two-term limit from running again.
  • So, this time – to the surprise of many – he decided to throw his very considerable electoral weight behind his former rival, Prabowo.
  • Although Jokowi claimed to be neutral in the campaign and never explicitly endorsed any candidate, his position became clear when it was announced that Prabowo’s vice-presidential running mate was Jokowi’s oldest son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka.

A major political shake-up

  • Because Jokowi is a member of former president Megawati Soekarnoputri’s PDI-P party, his supporters would normally have backed PDI-P’s presidential candidate, Ganjar.
  • But Jokowi sabotaged Ganjar’s campaign by implicitly supporting his rival, leaving Ganjar to run a distant third.
  • Given the controversies behind the Prabowo campaign, the losers are likely to challenge the result in the Constitutional Court.

So, what’s next?

  • Under the Indonesian system, he must wait until October to be sworn in.
  • Second, the democratic regression that marked Jokowi’s decade in office is only likely to increase under Prabowo.
  • If he eventually breaks with Jokowi, it could force another major – and turbulent – reconfiguration of Indonesia’s political elite.
  • Read more:
    Even with a 30% quota in place, Indonesian women face an uphill battle running for office

Implications for the West

  • Dealing with all this will create challenges for the West, but there are other problems that diplomats will have to confront.
  • The human rights abuses Prabowo is alleged to be responsible for as a former Special Forces commander – including in East Timor and Papua – are serious.
  • They meant he was denied a visa to the US for many years, and could lead to protests if he visits Western countries as president.


Tim Lindsey receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

Prabowo Subianto is likely to succeed in lifelong quest to become Indonesia’s president. What kind of leader will he be?

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, February 15, 2024

There will likely be no need for a run-off election in June.

Key Points: 
  • There will likely be no need for a run-off election in June.
  • How did he achieve this remarkable turnaround, and what kind of leader will he be for the country?
  • Read more:
    Cute grandpa or authoritarian in waiting: who is Prabowo Subianto, the favourite to win Indonesia's presidential election?

Prabowo’s winning alliance with Jokowi

  • Jokowi was barred by a two-term limit from running again.
  • So, this time – to the surprise of many – he decided to throw his very considerable electoral weight behind his former rival, Prabowo.
  • Although Jokowi claimed to be neutral in the campaign and never explicitly endorsed any candidate, his position became clear when it was announced that Prabowo’s vice-presidential running mate was Jokowi’s oldest son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka.

A major political shake-up

  • Because Jokowi is a member of former president Megawati Soekarnoputri’s PDI-P party, his supporters would normally have backed PDI-P’s presidential candidate, Ganjar.
  • But Jokowi sabotaged Ganjar’s campaign by implicitly supporting his rival, leaving Ganjar to run a distant third.
  • Given the controversies behind the Prabowo campaign, the losers are likely to challenge the result in the Constitutional Court.

So, what’s next?

  • Under the Indonesian system, he must wait until October to be sworn in.
  • Second, the democratic regression that marked Jokowi’s decade in office is only likely to increase under Prabowo.
  • If he eventually breaks with Jokowi, it could force another major – and turbulent – reconfiguration of Indonesia’s political elite.
  • Read more:
    Even with a 30% quota in place, Indonesian women face an uphill battle running for office

Implications for the West

  • Dealing with all this will create challenges for the West, but there are other problems that diplomats will have to confront.
  • The human rights abuses Prabowo is alleged to be responsible for as a former Special Forces commander – including in East Timor and Papua – are serious.
  • They meant he was denied a visa to the US for many years, and could lead to protests if he visits Western countries as president.


Tim Lindsey receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

From Underdog to Market Leader: The 1937 Group's Rapid Rise in the Cannabis Sector

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, February 14, 2024

CHICAGO, Feb. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The 1937 Group has quickly become a trailblazer in the cannabis industry in Illinois and beyond. Their multiple brands and products have established a sustainable presence and sizeable footprint in the marketplace, penetrating over 90% of Illinois dispensaries since May 2023. In the immediate future, The 1937 Group's expansion plan includes opening dispensaries in Fox Lake, Forest Park, Brookfield, Woodridge, Evergreen Park, and Glenwood, all within the first half of 2024. The retail expansion reflects The 1937 Group's dedication to destigmatizing the plant while pioneering a socially responsible industry. As a vertically integrated operator, they can expand into different product categories within Illinois and eventually into other markets nationwide.

Key Points: 
  • CHICAGO, Feb. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The 1937 Group has quickly become a trailblazer in the cannabis industry in Illinois and beyond.
  • The retail expansion reflects The 1937 Group's dedication to destigmatizing the plant while pioneering a socially responsible industry.
  • As a vertically integrated operator, they can expand into different product categories within Illinois and eventually into other markets nationwide.
  • Our values dictate our actions and that is evident across multiple industries, including cannabis, music, art, fashion, sports, and more."

As the war in Gaza continues, Germany’s unstinting defence of Israel has unleashed a culture war that has just reached Australia

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, February 13, 2024

His work led him to being offered a stint at Germany’s prestigious Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology.

Key Points: 
  • His work led him to being offered a stint at Germany’s prestigious Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology.
  • This came less than two months after the Max Planck Foundation, with war in Gaza raging, had announced “additional funding for German-Israeli collaborations”.
  • What to me is a fair, intellectual critique of Israel, for them is “antisemitism according to the law in Germany”.

A political ideal

  • As he succinctly writes:
    I have a political ideal that I have always struggled for regarding Israel/Palestine.
  • It is the ideal of a multi-religious society made from
    Christians, Muslims and Jews living together on that land.
  • I have a political ideal that I have always struggled for regarding Israel/Palestine.
  • It is the ideal of a multi-religious society made from
    Christians, Muslims and Jews living together on that land.
  • His criticism of current Israeli policy, he insists, stems from the Netanyahu government’s determination to “work against such a goal”.

Self-imposed red lines

  • It is worth pointing out that it is not just happening in Germany.
  • Universities in the United States are under siege from students and community groups variously accusing them of both antisemitism and Islamophobia.
  • Largely, however, what’s happening in Germany is a result of some self-imposed red lines the German press, the German courts and the German parliament have imposed on public debate.
  • Rather, it is a result of Germany’s current belief that its genocidal, antisemitic Nazi past implies future unwavering support for Israel.
  • It might equally be said that Germany has a special responsibility to stridently oppose ethnic cleansing, war crimes and genocide wherever they occur.

Enough?

  • Sharp words from German government officials about the renewed Israeli campaign in Rafah suggest this might be possible.
  • The German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock warned recently “the people of Gaza cannot vanish into thin air”.


Matt Fitzpatrick receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

AI is everywhere – including countless applications you’ve likely never heard of

Retrieved on: 
Monday, February 12, 2024

Right now, generative AI in particular – tools like Midjourney, ChatGPT, Gemini (previously Bard) and others – is at the peak of hype.

Key Points: 
  • Right now, generative AI in particular – tools like Midjourney, ChatGPT, Gemini (previously Bard) and others – is at the peak of hype.
  • But as an academic discipline, AI has been around for much longer than just the last couple of years.
  • Here’s a rundown of some of the wide-ranging AI applications you may be less familiar with.

AI in healthcare

  • Various AI systems are already being used in the health field, both to improve patient outcomes and to advance health research.
  • For example, AI is helping researchers comb through vast genetic data libraries.
  • AI is also helping to speed up the search for medical treatments.

The hidden AIs

  • Last year, astronomers used an AI algorithm for the first time to identify a “potentially hazardous” asteroid – a space rock that might one day collide with Earth.
  • This algorithm will be a core part of the operations of the Vera C. Rubin Observatory currently under construction in Chile.
  • Robot vacuum cleaners use AI software to process all their sensor inputs and deftly navigate our homes.
  • Of course, there is also no shortage of more quirky AI applications.
  • A few years ago, UK-based brewery startup IntelligentX used AI to make custom beers for its customers.

AI can also be weaponised

  • For example, some experts have warned AI can aid the creation of bioweapons.
  • Where active warfare is taking place, military powers can design warfare scenarios and plans using AI.
  • Much has also been said about how generative AI is supercharging people’s abilities to produce fake news and disinformation.
  • This way we can reap the many benefits of AI while making sure we stay ahead of the risks.


Niusha Shafiabady does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.