How Twitter ‘Trollhunters’ are fighting climate misinformation, and how you can help them

Publicerad denFörfattareHarry Markham

Social media trolls have become a dangerous and often unavoidable part of our online lives. They bully, lie, and try to confuse social media users, and some are even paid to do so. While they may seem like a mere annoyance, they have the ability to influence opinion on some of the world’s most important issues. One group, who call themselves Team Ninja Trollhunters, have decided to fight back, but they’ve had to be smart in doing so.
Before the dawn of the internet era, trolls were mainly the concern of Scandinavian fairy tale characters. Unfortunately for us, they have since swapped caves for keyboards and have a real impact on both our online and real-world lives.
Social media trolls are everywhere
While internet trolling may, at best, be seen as just a bit of fun, discourse often turns nasty, and almost no topic or post is safe. Look in the comment section under almost any widely-shared post on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, whether the post is about an election, sports result, LGBTQ+ rights, or climate change, and you’ll be sure to find trolls lurking. They bully, spread misinformation, confuse, shout down experts, and generally try to get an angry reaction from people who are only trying to have a conversation about something they find important. But people are becoming increasingly tired with this conflict, and one group of Twitter users have decided to do something about it, and provide tips on how to combat the issue yourself.
Who are the social media troll hunters and how do they do it?
This global and anonymous group call themselves Team Ninja Trollhunters, or TNT for short. They are careful not to reveal too much personal information in order to protect themselves from the very worst elements of online harassment and abuse – and they do often receive threats – but they have said that members come from a wide range of countries and professions, with more than half having a scientific background and an average age of around forty.
So how do they do it? One thing they always avoid is directly interacting with trolls. A spokesperson for the group said:
“Don’t waste your time. They want to hook you and spend an hour confusing you, because that’s what trolls want… I’m not trying to convince the troll. Most of the time, trolls don’t have any facts. They have doubt, disinformation, division, confusion”
As changing their mind isn’t an option, TNT go for the next best thing – silencing them so that they cannot achieve their goals. The best way to do this is by reporting the user and getting them blocked. Unfortunately, it is not currently against twitter rules to spread false information about the climate crisis. We also shouldn’t hold our breath in hope of this changing anytime soon, especially since Elon Musk bought the company in October 2022.
There are however some things that even Musk can’t be seen to allow, such as racism, clear and direct misogyny and homophobia, and aggressive bullying. Therefore, TNT members look through the other tweets of the trolls spreading climate misinformation and try to find instances of these rule violations. If they find them, they report the tweets and hope that the user is banned from the website.
“Misinformation or disinformation doesn’t matter as much to Twitter. But if you’re being racist, hateful, misogynist and so on, those are definitely reportable and we focus on these” – A TNT Member
Thanks to Elon Musk, the fight against Twitter trolls just got harder
Musk has taken a very relaxed approach to policing all kinds of hate speech, lies, and bullying on the website, and has actually made it easier for trolls to have their voices heard. This is because of the introduction of ‘Twitter Blue’. Twitter Blue allows anyone to become a verified account, something that in the past was reserved for journalists, politicians, celebrities and the like. If you want to become verified on Twitter now, all you need to do is pay $8 a month. One of the main perks of verification is that your tweets become more prominent due to the way that Twitter’s algorithm has been designed. This includes replies to other users’ tweets, where the replies of verified accounts will be the first that other users see. Unfortunately, many people who are willing to give Musk his $8 are the kind of people who engage in trolling.
A tweet from climate activists Just Stop Oil.
Verified accounts, who’s replies are pushed to the top, ‘trolling’.
The rise of the social media troll farm
So far, TNT have been quite successful in their methods. They claim to have successfully removed 600 key accounts that were causing the most damage and spreading the most destructive lies. But this is sadly a drop in the online ocean of disinformation. The recent emergence of information on ‘troll farms’ is particularly concerning. These are organisations of trolls, funded by those with an interest in spreading disinformation, who are dedicated to shifting public opinion. For example, a 2021 study found that troll farms reached 140 million Americans a month on Facebook before the 2020 election. Another example which came to light in 2023 is of an Israeli firm who boasted of meddling in more than 30 elections worldwide.
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So, if you think you’ve met a troll online, don’t argue with them or even acknowledge them, it’s impossible to change the mind of someone who doesn’t want to listen or could be being paid to lie. If you want to try get rid of a troll, try to find some kind of rule violation in their other posts and report it. Läs mer…

Startup uses 3D prints to build “Urban Reefs” for better Air Quality

Publicerad denFörfattareNoah Duker

The Dutch startup “Urban Reef” uses 3D printers with renewable materials to create sculptures that are planted with a variety of mosses, mushrooms, and other plants. These help clean the polluted air of big cities with their natural processes like photosynthesis. As of now the project is still in development but already shows promise as sustainable solutions for improving air quality are hard to come by. 
Amsterdam – Bio inclusivity is the word of the day. Cities have, ecologically speaking, come closer to deserts than any other biome they might have been built upon. Parking spaces, multilane highway systems and other concrete infrastructure have driven a large chunk of wildlife as far away from the city as possible. Despite the efforts of numerous city councils across the world, this model of car dependent cities and fossil fuelled economies has led to poor air quality reaching health endangering levels. 
Combating dangerous air pollution with “Urban Reefs” made of sustainable sculptures and plants
This is where urban reefs come in: the young studio based in the Netherlands has started up a variety of projects, promising improvements when it comes to air quality and biodiversity in cities. Similar to what reefs are for shallow ocean biomes, these urban reefs, are supposed to be an oasis for different species of plants and fungi. Sprinkling these reefs across cities would be a cheap and space efficient way of making cities more liveable. 
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“Urban reefs” is using 3D printers filled with biodegradable, “living” material, allowing plants to easily grow on the surface. The method allows for cheap and sustainable ways to produce all kinds of things. In their case, shell-like sculptures to house the plants. At this point, their team is focused on a variety of improvements, like improving the materials used and the shell designs, as well as bio receptivity research, looking at what conditions are favourable for growing communities of organisms in an urban environment. 
The step away from concrete is important considering that the sand used for concrete is getting rather scarce due to a boom in the construction industry around the globe. Concrete needs sand as a main ingredient, but not every kind of sand is usable, dessert and ocean sand is too smooth to be used for industrial purposes. 
Air pollution responsible for growing cancer rates in cities
When it comes to air pollution, it is important to distinguish between particular matter (pm) and coarse dust. Particular matter are particles up to 2.5 micrometres, coarse dust has a size up to 10 micrometres. The danger of air pollution lies with the particular matter, emitted by cars, tires, coal power plants and other methods of heating. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), being subject to large amounts of air pollution, especially pm, over time can lead to “increased risk of respiratory infections, heart disease and lung cancer”. 
But what causes air pollution? The obvious culprit is cars, not just in burning fuel, but also in not so obvious ways, like wearing down tires that emit small plastic particles into the air and further into our lungs. With results like this, it’s no wonder that projects to help filter these particles out of the air are in high demand. The plants, also subject to the same pollution, have better capabilities when it comes to filtering these harmful microscopic particles than humans.  Läs mer…

Portugal launches a 4-day week field trial

Publicerad denFörfattareKontrast.at

Last week sees the launch of a pilot trial of the 4-day week in Portugal. Thirty-nine companies are taking part, including 12 that have previous experience with shorter working hours. The aim of the project is to measure the impact of the 4-day week on employees’ physical and mental health, as well as the economic impact on companies. 
The companies have committed to reducing weekly working hours while maintaining full pay. Specifically, the 100-80-100 model will be used: Employees receive 100% of pay if they work 80% of the time and perform 100% of the time in return. Companies have volunteered for the program without receiving financial compensation. They can also reverse the measure at any time if they wish.
Participation was open to all private companies in Portugal. The project is now being carried out in collaboration with the non-profit organization 4-Day-Week-Global, which is contributing its expertise and supporting implementation.
Companies from production, trade, research – including daycare center and nursing home
The participating companies come from various industries. They include companies from the manufacturing sector, the retail trade and non-profit organizations. A daycare center, a nursing home, a research and development center and a stem cell bank are also part of the pilot project.
The main reasons for participating were to reduce stress and burnout risks among employees and improve employee retention.
The project is coordinated and supervised by Dr. Pedro Gomes, professor of economics, and Dr. Rita Fontinha, professor of strategic management. They will follow the companies’ experiences during the test to determine the economic, social and environmental impact of the four-day week.
“The future belongs to those who can attract the best workforce”
“So much has changed in society in the last 30 years: the technology we use, the speed at which we communicate, the types of jobs we do, the length of our lives or the role of women in society. But we still organize work in exactly the same way. We believe that the four-day week is a more efficient and sustainable way to organize work in the 21st century, and that it brings mutual benefits for workers, companies and the economy,” the project’s coordinators, Dr. Pedro Gomes and Dr. Rita Fontinha, explain the field trial.
“Portugal is taking another step into the future of work. The four-day workweek pilot project is based on the premise that work-life balance is crucial to attracting employees and improving productivity and innovation. The best companies are those that guarantee to provide space for talent and fulfillment for workers. This is just the beginning – a promising start – of one of the many changes we are implementing in the labor market of a country that has historically high employment levels and strives to attract and retain talent. The future belongs to those who can attract the best workers with strong skills and higher levels of satisfaction in a globally competitive marketplace where talent and people are the best resources.”

This work is licensed under the Creative Common License. In case of new republication, please cite Kontrast.at/Kathrin Glösel as the Source/Author and set a link to the article in English: https://scoop.me/portugal-launches-4-day-week-field-trial/
The rights to the content remain with the original publisher. Läs mer…

Los Angeles implemented a new tax on luxurious real estate to finance affordable housing and combat homelessness

Publicerad denFörfattareNoah Duker

Los Angeles implemented a so-called “mansion tax”. At a rate of 4% for real estate purchases between 5 and 10 million dollars and 5.5 percent for properties over ten million dollars. All in all, the tax is expected to bring in about 670 million dollars of revenue. The money is mend to finance affordable housing and thus preventing people from becoming homless.  
The tax, officially known as “Measure ULA” was agreed upon by the state legislator after a referendum in November 2022 as close to 60% of voters cast their ballot in favour of the proposed law. Los Angeles being the city with the highest number of homeless people in the country, it’s little wonder that such a tax comes to fruition. California in general is also known as the second most expensive state when it comes to real estate, only being topped by Hawaii. 
Under the new tax, a millionaire selling a house worth 5 million dollars would have to pay 200 thousand dollars to the government. To put the necessity of action in the city of LA into perspective, the recent crises have made the number of homeless people skyrocket to around 42,000 people in February 2022. In 2016 the number was closer to 28,000 people without a home according to an article published in the New York Times.
Other estimates by the “US department of housing and urban development” put the number of homeless people in the LA at a staggering 65.111 people.
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“Mass Panic”: Real Estate Owners get creative in trying to avoid the new Taxes
Despite the relatively low sum of tax money in comparison to the enormous profits made in the real estate market, millionaires and celebrities sought for evermore creative and desperate ways to avoid contributing to improving societal living standards. According to “The Guardian“, one desperate super rich homeowner of a 16.5-million-dollar mansion was going as far as to gift a supercar to whoever buys his house, just to get out of paying around 900 thousand dollars in tax.
Others are taking different approaches to avoid paying taxes. A legal challenge has been put before court, claiming the tax violates the Californian constitution. The outcome of the challenge is, as of now, still open, and it will very likely take a while until any result comes of it. 
The Tax would only affect 4 Percent of the Real Estate Transactions in LA
According to the luxury real estate platform “redfin” the median selling price for property in California is just short of a million dollars. It is hovering around 900 thousand dollars. The tax therefore would only affect about 4% of real estate transactions in the city.
Interesting claims come from real estate agents working for the super-rich. The tax is set too low, as 5 million dollars for a home does not qualify as a mansion. “Five million dollars is certainly not luxury. It’s a nice house, in a nice area. It’s not what most people would consider a luxury house in a prime area”, says real estate agent Scott Tamkin.
Critics launch massive PR campaign to sway Public Opinion
But he is not the only real estate agent trying to tell the average person that a five-million-dollar home (about 4000 square foot in Beverly Hills according to Josh Altman, real estate agent and reality TV star) is not a luxury. A massive PR campaign seems to have been launched to sway public opinion against the tax with multiple large US news outlets writing pieces against the proposed tax, despite the scientific, political, public support for the law.
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The new Tax will bring in about 627 Million Dollars
It’s estimated that the tax will bring in about 627 million dollars, according to an article published by the Guardian. This still enormous sum is almost 400 million dollars short of the sum initially expected being a billion dollars, but still more than triples the amount of revenue collected from the before active transfer tax, which is raking in about 200 million dollars per year.
Multiple universities and analysts, above all the University of California (UCLA) have recently come forward to counteract the multi-millionaires PR offensive to roll back the tax. They are saying that the money collected and the impact on the housing market will really help improve the homelessness crisis in Los Angeles.  Läs mer…

New EU Law oblige Google, TikTok & Co to be transparent about advertising on their Platforms

Publicerad denFörfattareIngo Geiger

Google, Facebook, TikTok and Instagram: All major Internet platforms with more than 45 million monthly users are now subject to stricter rules in Europe. For example, they must label advertising more clearly and disclose who is paying for it. Advertising aimed at children is thus banned altogether. Sensitive data such as origin, political opinion or sexual orientation may also no longer be used for advertising purposes. This is intended to protect younger users in particular.
Last week, the EU Commission published a list. This list includes 19 of the world’s largest Internet providers. Among them are US Internet giants such as Google, Facebook, Twitter and Amazon. But also the Chinese video platform TikTok. They were all selected because they have more than 45 million users per month. According to the Commission, they thus bear a great responsibility to society. That’s why the EU is now tightening the rules. What does that mean exactly? 
New rules for social media: combating hate speech and fake news 
The problems are well known: Hate speech, fake news and disinformation. In addition, poor data protection and insufficient transparency regarding the functioning of platforms are repeatedly criticized by data activists such as the Austrian Max Schrems. In most cases, platforms are powerful, but users are not. That is about to change. The new rules oblige Facebook, Google and others to take stronger action. 
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To do this, they must check their own platforms for risks. Does an online service distribute illegal content or gender-specific violence? Are minors and their mental health sufficiently protected? Does the platform endanger freedom of expression and democracy? These are the questions that online platforms will have to answer in a report in the future.
The risk report is to be written and reviewed annually. The European Center for Algorithmic Transparency (ECAT) will be responsible for the review. 
The data must then be published by the online platforms so that users and researchers can access it. 
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Advertising must be more clearly labelled, and it must be clear who is paying for it
Until now, it has been almost impossible for users to understand why they are seeing a particular advertisement or content. In the future, social media must disclose how they work. That is, how the algorithm that selects the content works. What criteria does it use? For example, does the algorithm only select content that is highly polarizing and aimed at an emotional reaction from users? 
A “Basic Law” for Social Media and Online Platforms
The new regulations are part of the EU’s Digital Service Act (DSA). A kind of basic law for online services, social media platforms and the digital space. The law was passed back in 2020 and came into force on November 16, 2022. 
The DSA is intended to protect users, make digital services more transparent and make the Internet giants more accountable. In a nutshell: Everything that is prohibited “offline” should also be prohibited “online” by the DSA. This includes, for example, insults, incitement of the people or re-activation, i.e. the distribution of national socialist content or signs. 
Facebook, Google, Amazon & Co. now have until August 25 to implement the new rules. Läs mer…

South Africa begins own production of groundbreaking HIV-prevention drug to make it affordable within the continent

Publicerad denFörfattareHarry Markham

South Africa will soon begin production of the groundbreaking HIV-prevention drug, long-acting cabotegravir (CAB-LA), finally making the life-saving treatment affordable within the African continent. The treatment, which must be injected every two months, almost entirely eliminates the risk of becoming infected by HIV through sex. This development is expected to help millions of people at risk within Africa.  
Following a collaborative agreement between the developers of CAB-LA, ViiV Healthcare, and the United Nations-backed Medicine Patent Pool (MPP), an HIV-preventative will be produced in South Africa for the first time. This has great implications for Africa as a whole, with an affordable solution to a problem that has long been a source of pain for the continent.
A patent-free, highly effective HIV-prevention drug
A branded version does exist, and in the USA just one injection costs $3,500. But thanks to this new agreement which was announced in March 2023, a generic version of the drug can finally be produced. A generic drug is a pharmaceutical drug that contains the same chemical substance as a drug that was originally protected by chemical patents. This is important as it drastically cuts the cost involved for governments looking to obtain the treatment for their populations. While there are already free of cost HIV-prevention drugs available across much of Africa, they must be taken daily and are not as effective as the long-lasting cabotegravir injection, which must only be taken every two months. The drug almost entirely eliminates the risk of becoming infected by HIV through sex.
It is rare for medicine to be produced within Africa, despite certain drugs such as HIV-preventatives being in higher demand there than anywhere else. In fact, only 38 countries across the world have any drug manufacturers, and even less than that actually develop new drugs. The new availability of this highly effective drug is expected to help millions of Africans who are currently at risk of HIV infection.
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Cooperation on producing generic drugs saves lives
The company which will produce the drug, an Indian group called Cipla, received permission to do so back in March through an agreement between its developers and the United Nations-supported MPP. The MPP state that:
“Our mission is to increase access to, and facilitate the development of, life-saving medicines for LMICs. We do this through an innovative approach to voluntary licensing and patent pooling.”
To achieve this goal, they work hand in hand with civil society, international organisations, industry, patient groups and governments. Between 2012 and 2021, through partnerships with 18 patent holders and 56 generic manufacturers, they provided 26.91 billion doses of treatment, saving at least 18,000 lives.
The work of groups such as the MPP is essential to ensuring that low-income nations can give essential and life-saving care to their populations. Often, people in need are left to suffer and potentially die because they do not have access to specialist medicines. The developers of the medicines themselves are usually guilty of financial gatekeeping, driving for profit as opposed to producing medicine for the common good.
Securing HIV-prevention drug is a big victory, but the fight continues
The gatekeeping of essential and lifesaving drugs by pharmaceutical companies has long been a problem. This problem really came to attention during the COVID pandemic, when rich nations were able to buy up billions of doses of the vaccine – more than they needed – while low-income nations were left to suffer.
Allowing Cipla to produce the vital drug in South Africa is a big first step, but there is still a lot more that could be achieved through further cooperation with drug producers. Firstly, allowing more companies to produce the same drug will improve availability and help to negate future shortages, as long as the companies which receive access to the knowledge are ready to produce in the quantities required. In addition to this, increased competition means lower prices. The US based Food and Drug Administration showed in one report that products with six or more generic producers were on average 95% cheaper than when only a single branded option was available.
Regardless of the imperfect situation, the ability to produce a generic version of CAB-LA in South Africa will save countless lives and is a victory in the ongoing struggle to make lifesaving drugs available to all in need. Läs mer…

Swamps as a climate saver: Ireland stores tons of CO₂ through 33,000 hectares of new peatlands

Publicerad denFörfattareNoah Duker

Ireland is reforesting its swamps and bogs in a bid to fight climate change. Although marshlands cover only three percent of the earth, they store 25 percent of the world’s CO2. So far, around 8100 hectares on the “green island” have been flooded with water. The “watering” is intended to create optimum conditions for new peat land. Experts believe that the “renaturation” project will store enormous amounts of climate-damaging greenhouse gases.
Peatlands are considered to be the ecosystem with the greatest storage potential for CO₂. When a plant dies, the CO₂ stored in it is released into the water or into the marsh soil as it decays, rather than into the air. Bogs and marshlands are therefore true climate protectors!
Trees store CO₂ and release oxygen This process is called photosynthesis. When trees die and rot, they release the remaining CO₂ into the environment, especially into the air. However, if a tree falls into a swamp, the CO₂ is not released into the air but stored in the water and soil. If the swamp dries up, and thus also the CO₂-containing mixture, peat is formed. Over thousands of years, a well-known raw material is created from it: coal!
Ireland is reforesting swamps and peatlands to fight climate change
Until the industrial revolution, almost one fifth of Ireland was covered with peatlands. From the 1850s until today, people have destroyed large parts of Ireland’s nature – that is, besides marshlands, also countless forests. The partly state-owned company “Bord na Móna” wants to revive nature and make Ireland the green lung of Europe to fight climate change. For this reason, they are filling 33,000 hectares of alluvial land with water over the next few years. They also want to reintroduce native species of plants and animals that have been driven or wiped out over the years. Currently, just under a quarter, or 8125 hectares, has been “reforested.”
How Ireland’s marshlands were destroyed and rebuilt
The reason for the poor condition of Ireland’s peatlands is historical. The tradition of “peat cutting” has been preserved and carried on for generations. The peat, when dried, is a good fuel. For the economy, especially during the industrialization, the peat was in great demand because it could be found everywhere on the island and was therefore very cheap. Peat was also used to heat the houses in Ireland.
Another reason for the large-scale drainage of the Irish peatlands is agriculture. During the Industrial Revolution, Ireland developed not only railroads and cities, but also agriculture on a large scale. For the cultivation of food, large areas of marshland were destroyed.
Even at the beginning of industrialization, the destruction of the marshes was already underway: by the end of the 19th century, Ireland was more industrialized than the whole of Austro-Hungarian Empire or Spain, two countries that were significantly larger in terms of area and population. The partly state-owned Irish company “Bord na Móna” and others now wants to declare war on environmental destruction and make the “emerald isle” live up to its name again.
This work is licensed under the Creative Common License. In case of new republication, please cite NeueZeit.at/Noah Düker as the Source/Author and set a link to the article in English: https://scoop.me/ireland-climate-change-peatlands/
The rights to the content remain with the original publisher. Läs mer…

Breakthrough: New gel shown to be effective for brain tumour treatment

Publicerad denFörfattareNoah Duker

A new “miracle” gel shows great promise for brain tumour treatment during lab tests at Johns Hopkins University. The gel is used to treat one of the most aggressive forms of brain tumour, glioblastoma, leaving patients with a diagnosed life expectancy of 12 – 18 months. The new treatment is used post-surgery to fill the spaces left by the removed tumour, hindering it from regrowing!
Professor Cui, an expert on chemical and biomolecular engineering, and his team say that the gel could even be used to treat areas of the brain that surgery might not be able to reach. Other than that, tests on infected mice have shown that the gel removed 100 percent of the aggressive tumour, freeing them from certain death. Furthermore, the gel seemed to create an immune reaction that allowed surviving mice, who were reinfected with glioblastoma, to fend off the tumour on their own using only their immune system. It also showed signs of improving immune memory, leading to a generally strengthened immune system post treatment. 
Despite the breakthrough, the medical procedure is still risky since brain surgery is still required for the gel to work effectively, having to be applied directly to the brain. Using the gel without surgery first led to a survival rate of around 50 percent. 
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For those interested in the science behind the miracle: the gel uses a combination of nano-sized filaments, extracted from the approved drug paclitaxel which then transports the antibody called aCD47. The mixture then expands upon the crevice that the tumour left, leaving the aggressive cancer with no room to regrow, thereby killing it off. 
Brain Tumour Treatment: Glioblastoma – aggressive and everywhere
There are a few reasons why Glioblastoma is so dangerous. The tumour is fast-growing and infects surrounding tissue, which can make surgical removal even harder. Another reason is the brain’s own defence mechanism, known as the blood brain barrier or BBB for short. This barrier normally hinders harmful substances from entering the brain, but also does the same for cancer treating drugs, leading to treatments being less effective.
Glioblastoma’s location in the human brain also doesn’t help with its treatment as it is usually located in the cerebral hemispheres of the brain, which are responsible for critical functions such as movement, sensation, and cognition. This makes surgical intervention more risky, as injuring healthy brain tissue can lead to serious neurological problems.
Science deniers and conspiracy believers are trying to push an anti-science agenda
In the past century, medicine has come a long way. From the times of experimental treatments using drugs like heroin and cocaine to the first effective polio vaccine developed in 1955 by Dr. Jonas Salk, ending the terror of infantile paralysis.
The medical developments of the past few years, however, have been even more marvellous. Science managed to make breakthrough after breakthrough. From healing patients with HIV, a sickness that used to be untreatable and therefore a death sentence, to stopping a global pandemic within two years of the outbreak.
Modern science is leading humanity to longer and healthier lives. But the security and development that scientific research has brought to fruition has come under attack as of recent. Science deniers and conspiracy believers are trying to push an anti-science agenda, smearing scientific fact as wrong or “fake news”, attesting that scientists are either bought by a mysterious elite or some other delusion, just because science does not back their opinion on certain topics. In today’s age of information, having sources and research is key to being informed. Therefore, it is necessary to honour and protect proper scientific research from delusional attacks such as those we saw during the covid pandemic. Because without modern science, life as we know it would be a lot shorter, and a lot less enjoyable, as the case of Glioblastoma makes evermore clear. Läs mer…

Washington State bans AR-15-style semi-automatic rifles

Publicerad denFörfattareHarry Markham

On April 25th, Washington State took decisive action in reducing the risk of gun violence and particularly mass shootings within their borders with the introduction of three new gun control bills. The bills bring into law a ban on some styles of semi-automatic rifles, introduce a ten-day waiting period between the purchase of a firearm and its reception by the buyer, and make lawsuits against gun makers or sellers possible in certain cases. While the signing Governor recognises that the bills “don’t solve all the problems”, the state has taken an important step in reducing the risk of mass gun violence.
Between 2015 and 2021, Washington state suffered 31 mass shootings. While mass shootings are not the most common form of gun violence – greatly outnumbered by single victim homicides – they often act as a catalyst for gun reform due to the attention and shock they garner both locally and across the world. This is the case in Washington, where three new bills have been introduced in an attempt to ensure that the residents of the “Evergreen State” never have to suffer such a tragedy again.
The new bills tackle mass shootings in Washington State
The bills, which were signed by Washington State Governor Jay Inslee on Tuesday the 25th of April, introduce three new restrictions designed to reduce the risk of gun violence.
A ban on certain semi-automatic rifles
One bans the sale of certain AR- and AK- style semi-automatic rifles. The focus on this style of gun is significant for a couple of reasons. Firstly, weapons such as the AR-15 can do great damage to crowds of people in a very short period of time. They are powerful, accurate, fire at a rapid rate, and are generally easy to obtain in the US. For this reason, they have become the weapon of choice for people seeking to carry out a mass shooting, with the weapon having been used in ten of the 17 deadliest mass killings that have taken place since 2012. The ban, while not getting to the root of the problem, means that prospective killers in Washington will likely have to settle for something less deadly.
The bill’s intent section gives the following reasoning for the ban:
“Assault weapons have been used in the deadliest mass shootings in the last decade. An assailant with an assault weapon can hurt and kill twice the number of people than an assailant with a handgun or nonassault rifle.”
Secondly, the AR-15 in particular has become a symbol of the conservative American right. The gun, which is more at home on a battlefield than it is in the streets, fields and forests of the US, has little-to-no practical use for the average American. Despite this – and the fact that the gun is now forever linked to the slaughter of school children and innocent civilians – republican politicians and their supporters alike continue to pose with glee alongside their prized weapon.

Merry Christmas! 🎄ps. Santa, please bring ammo. 🎁 pic.twitter.com/NVawULhCNr
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) December 4, 2021

This idolisation of the popular mass murder device is exemplified in the fact that senior republican figures Lauren Boebert and George Santos co-sponsored a bill that would make the AR-15 the “national gun of the USA” in February 2023. For many on the right, it is more a question of having it because they can, not because they need to – whatever the human cost.
A ten-day waiting period for buyers, and the risk of legal repercussions for manufacturers
The new bills don’t just target buyers, they also target manufacturers and sellers. From now on, those in a position to provide firearms must take steps to ensure that weapons are not sold to people known to be dangerous, or people who might be buying the gun to pass it on to someone else. They must also ensure that the weapons are manufactured and marketed responsibly. Should they be found to have failed in any of these measures, it is now possible to sue manufacturers over any future violations or damages.
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The aforementioned ten-day waiting period is designed to provide a buffer period between people in crisis and their possession of a deadly weapon. During this period the buyer must also provide evidence that they have completed the required safety training. The hope is that this short period will reduce the risk of people buying and using a deadly weapon during a time of anger or mental instability.
Washington’s gun control bills only a drop in the ocean
Over the course of 2023 so far, 14,427 people have lost their lives to gun violence in the United States and 11,412 have been injured. While mass shootings are the most widely publicised due to their shocking nature, they only account for a small portion of overall deaths (212 out of 14,427). While banning certain styles of semi-automatic rifle will help prevent devastating mass shootings, the majority of shootings which are carried out with a wide array of guns, will continue. In 2021, over 6,000 murders were confirmed to have been committed using a handgun, compared to 447 by rifle. While there were a further 4,740 cases in which the gun type was not recorded, it is clear that only banning certain styles of semi-automatic rifles is like putting a band-aid on a gunshot wound, with an estimated 1.4 million guns having been sold in the US last month alone.
Inslee, the governor who signed the bills into law, also recognises these bills as a drop in the ocean, stating:
“Just because they don’t solve all the problems does not mean the state of Washington does not take action… Inaction against gun violence is unacceptable.”
Gun reform in the US is a gradual and difficult process
As the world watches on as seemingly weekly news of school, supermarket, church or street shootings filters out of America, gun reform advocates should not hold their breath in hope of an absolute ban. Despite strong support for regulations such as requiring background checks on all gun sales, banning assault weapons, and not selling firearms to those with potentially dangerous mental health issues (88%, 67% and 84% support respectively), there is no great call for a widespread ban on ownership. But tragedy after tragedy, protest after protest, and bill by bill, gun reform activists and supporters hope that they are moving towards a time where widespread gun violence in the US is a thing of the past – and these three bills are certainly a step in that direction. Läs mer…

EU adopts the World’s first Regulation on Cryptocurrencies

Publicerad denFörfattareScoop Editorial

The EU-Parliament passed a law to regulate cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin more strongly. The new regulation will protect consumers from losses, and it will make money laundering and terrorist financing more difficult. In addition, providers are to be held liable in the event of massive losses. With the new law, Europe wants to end the “wild west of the blockchain world”.
On 20 April, the EU-Parliament passed the so-called “Regulation on Markets in Crypto Assets” (MiCA) with a large majority. Until now, it was possible to trade cryptocurrencies largely anonymously. Bitcoin & Co. are therefore popular with money launderers and fraudsters. This is now to come to an end.
Crypto exchanges will be subject to national supervisory authorities
Insider trading and abuse of power are to be made more difficult by the regulation. Service providers and suppliers of crypto-assets must submit to money laundering regulations. In addition, platforms and crypto exchanges will be subject to national supervisory authorities. Those platforms on which cryptocurrencies can be traded must also provide information about the sender and recipient of the transactions.
This is the first law to comprehensively regulate cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Etherum, etc. Evelyn Regner, Vice-President of the EU Parliament, comments on the decision:
“With this law, we are not only creating a model for the regulation of crypto markets, but above all strengthening the protection of consumers and investors and increasing legal certainty for providers.
EU Regulation on Cryptocurrencies makes money laundering and terrorist financing more difficult
At the same time, the regulation ensures that trading with Bitcoin & Co. can be better tracked. Suspicious transactions that are related to money laundering or terrorism, for example, can thus be identified more quickly.
“This is long overdue, because under the guise of innovation, cryptocurrencies are often a convenient way to cover up criminal money flows. A whole 22 billion euros were laundered through crypto assets in 2022. This must now be put to an end,” Regner said.
The regulation is to come into force in stages from 23 June. From July 2024, crypto-assets tied to currencies – so-called stablecoins – will then have to prove larger financial reserves in order to be approved. The complete regulation will then come into force in January 2025 at the latest. The “Wild West of the blockchain world” will thus come to an end, according to European Parliament member Stefan Berger.
Bitcoin mining consumes as much energy as the whole of Austria every year
However, Regner points out that the EU’s regulation on cryptocurrencies is only a first step: “However, not all the work is done with the regulation adopted today, because crypto markets continue to develop rapidly. Therefore, the EU Commission should continue to closely monitor developments in the crypto asset markets and propose further regulation if needed.”
Especially in the area of sustainability, it is imperative to tighten up: “Bitcoin mining alone consumes as much energy annually as the whole of Austria. Therefore, in the future, we will also need minimum standards for sustainability, which have not made it into the regulation for the time being due to considerable resistance from the centre-right.” Läs mer…