Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 893
As the war enters its 893rd day, these are the main developments. Here is the situation on Tuesday, 6 August, 2024. Fighting Russia sent multiple missiles and drones at Kyiv as air raid warnings sounded in the capital from about 11pm (20:00 GMT). “Air defence forces and equipment operated in the capital and on the outskirts of the city. According to preliminary data, enemy missiles were hit,” Serhiy Popko, the head of the city’s military administration, said on social media. “As of now, no damage or casualties have been recorded in Kyiv.” Ukraine’s Air Force chief said the military shot down all 24 Russian drones launched at targets across Ukraine. There were no reports of injuries or damage. One person was killed and three more were injured after a drone struck a bus for an agricultural enterprise in the village of Vyazovoe in Russia’s Belgorod region, according to local Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov. Ukraine said it conducted an exchange of soldiers’ bodies with Russia in a deal mediated by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). Kyiv handed over the remains of 38 Russian soldiers while Ukraine received the bodies of 250 of their servicemen on August 2. Politics and diplomacy Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian told Sergei Shoigu, the secretary of Russia’s security council and a former defence minister, that Tehran was determined to expand relations with its “strategic partner Russia”, according to Iranian state media. Russia has cultivated closer political and military ties with Iran since starting its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and has said it is preparing to sign a wide-ranging cooperation agreement with the country. The Reuters news agency reported in February that Iran had provided Russia with a large number of powerful surface-to-surface ballistic missiles. Ukraine denied any involvement in northern Mali fighting last month that led to the deaths of Malian soldiers and mercenaries from Russia’s Wagner group. Mali cut diplomatic ties with Ukraine after a senior official from Ukraine’s military intelligence agency said the rebels behind the attack had all the “information” they needed. Kyiv expressed regret over the decision and stressed its commitment to the “norms of international law, the inviolability of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other countries”. Pavel Kushnir, a 39-year-old Russian pianist and antiwar activist, died in prison after going on hunger strike, his mother said. A Telegram channel with links to Russia’s security services reported in May that Kushnir had been arrested and accused of inciting “terrorist” activity after posting antiwar material online. The European Union called Kushnir’s death a shocking case of political repression. Ukraine’s newly-crowned Olympic high jump champion Yaroslava Mahuchikh urged Russian athletes to speak up against the invasion, saying she was disappointed they remained silent in Paris where a small squad of about 15 athletes is competing as “neutrals”. Athletes from Russia and its ally Belarus were banned from world sport following the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Adblock test (Why?)
Rebels in Indonesia’s Papua kill New Zealand pilot in second plane attack
Glen Malcolm Conning was shot dead after he landed his helicopter in a remote village, 19 months after another pilot was taken captive. Separatist fighters in Indonesia’s far eastern region of Papua have shot dead a helicopter pilot from New Zealand, according to police. The rebels attacked the helicopter as soon as it landed on Monday in Alama, a remote village in the Mimika district of Central Papua province, said Faizal Ramadhani, who heads the joint security peace force in Papua. The attackers released the four Indigenous Papuan passengers who were on board the aircraft, operated by private aviation company Intan Angkasa Air Service. “It is confirmed that there was a hostage situation and murder carried out by the armed criminal group,” Ramadhani said, naming the pilot as 50-year-old Glen Malcolm Conning. The motive for the killing was not immediately clear. It comes nearly 18 months after the abduction by separatists of another pilot from New Zealand, Phillip Mehrtens, who remains a captive. A spokesperson for New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was aware of the report and that its embassy in Jakarta was seeking information from authorities, declining to comment further. Conning was from Motueka in the north of New Zealand’s South Island and an experienced pilot, who had flown missions earlier this year to fight bushfires near Christchurch, The New Zealand Herald reported. “[Glen] was greatly loved by the Motueka community and was a great family man,” close friend Kerry Gatenby told the paper. A battle for independence has been rumbling for decades in Papua, a resource-rich region that is the location of one of the world’s biggest gold and copper mines. The conflict has escalated since 2018 when separatist fighters attacked a group working on a major road project, killing 19 Indonesian construction workers. Mehrtens was captured in February 2023 after fighters from the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPN-PB) ambushed a small commercial plane when it landed in the remote, mountainous area of Nduga. They said they would release him only when Papua got its independence from Indonesia. Police said the TPN-PB were also behind Monday’s attack. The group is the armed wing of the Free Papua Movement (OPM) and in 2021 was designated a “terrorist’ organisation by Indonesia. TPN-PB spokesman Sebby Samborn told news agencies that he had not received reports from the group’s fighters about the killing. “But, if that happens, it was his own fault for entering our forbidden territory,” Sambom was quoted as saying by the Associated Press news agency. “We have released warnings several times that the area is under our restricted zone, an armed conflict area that is prohibited for any civilian aircraft to land.” Papua, whose people are ethnically and culturally distinct from Indonesia, occupies the western half of the island of New Guinea – just 200km (124 miles) north of Australia – and shares a land border with Papua New Guinea (PNG). A former Dutch colony, the territory was incorporated into Indonesia in 1969 after a controversial United Nations-backed referendum in which only about 1,000 Papuans were able to participate. Adblock test (Why?)
Timeline: Sheikh Hasina’s reign ends after 15 years
Hasina, known as the iron lady of Bangladesh, resigns and flees the country after weeks of deadly protests. Sheikh Hasina became Bangladesh prime minister for the first time after her Awami League party won the 1996 elections. Her second stint in power, which began in 2009, was marked by impressive economic growth. But she was accused of becoming a hardline leader and cracking down on dissent. Her 15-year rule is also known for human rights violations. The United States placed sanctions on the elite Rapid Action Battalion, linked to disappearances and extrajudicial killings. On Monday, following weeks of protests, the 76-year-old resigned and fled the country. Here’s a look at her time in office: December 29, 2008 – The Awami League wins the general election, and Hasina becomes prime minister for a second time. February 2009 – The Bangladesh Rifles, a paramilitary force, revolts. More than 74 people are killed. Hasina’s government manages to restore order. June 2011 – The 15th amendment to the constitution is passed. It brings significant changes, including removing neutral caretaker governments, which had governed during elections and government transitions. The opposition says keeping the caretaker system is essential for free and fair elections. February 2013 – Mass protests in Shahbagh, Dhaka, call for the death penalty for those who committed atrocities during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. October 2013 – The Rana Plaza building collapses, killing more than 1,000 people and highlighting the lack of safety in the garment industry, which is the mainstay of Bangladesh’s economy. January 5, 2014 – The Awami League wins the general election, which was boycotted by the main opposition party and its allies. Hasina wins a second straight term as prime minister. January 2015 – Political unrest and violence erupt stemming from the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s unmet demands after the 2014 elections. December 30, 2018 – The Awami League wins the general election amid vote-rigging allegations. Hasina secures a third consecutive term after winning 96 percent of the votes. March 2020 – Bangladesh’s economy suffers due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A lockdown causes price rises, which lead to a cost of living crisis. December 2021 – The US imposes human rights-related sanctions on Bangladesh’s elite paramilitary force, the Rapid Action Battalion, and seven of its current and former officials, accusing them of involvement in hundreds of disappearances and extrajudicial killings since 2009. 2022 – Bangladesh reports gross domestic product growth of 7.2 percent, making it one of the fastest growing economies in the world. Garment exports and remittances drive the expansion. However, wealth disparities increase, and the wealthiest 10 percent of the population now controls 41 percent of the total income. January 2024 – Hasina wins a fourth straight term in elections boycotted by the opposition. July 2024 – Students launch protests against government job quotas, which reserve one-third of civil service posts for descendants of people who fought in the 1971 war for independence. The protests turn violent after a government crackdown and attacks by groups linked to the ruling party. July 29, 2004 – Protests resume and calls grow for Hasina’s resignation. August 4, 2004 – Nearly 100 people are killed during the protests, taking the total number of dead to almost 300. August 5, 2024 – Hasina resigns and flees the country. Protesters storm the prime minister’s residence. Adblock test (Why?)
Bulgaria faces another snap vote as latest bid to form new government fails
President of the Balkan nation expected to call for new vote after three parties fail to garner enough support to govern. Bulgaria is heading for its seventh parliamentary elections in three years after the last of three political parties tapped by President Rumen Radev to form a coalition government failed due to lack of support. The Balkan country has been plagued by revolving-door governments since anticorruption protests in 2020 helped topple a coalition led by the centre-right populist GERB party. The small populist ITN party, which was tasked with forming a new government by Radev a week ago, returned its mandate on Monday. In talks with other parties, it was unable to persuade 121 of the 240 lawmakers required to support the formation of a government. After a meeting with Radev, Toshko Yordanov, chairman of the ITN parliamentary group, told reporters on Monday that the parties were unable to find common ground on forming a new government. “The political wisdom of one party was not enough to make a decision, … so we return the mandate unfulfilled,” said Yordanov, whose party came sixth in the last elections held in June, winning just 16 seats in the 240-member parliament. Radev must now appoint a caretaker prime minister and has days to call another snap parliamentary election. “The spiral of inconclusive elections continues, … and [it] not only causes irritation but also unlocks a number of destructive processes,” Radev said. “I appeal for a meaningful political debate and fair play in the weeks ahead. Otherwise, we are doomed to repeat procedures that more and more people see as pointless,” he added. GERB, currently the largest party in parliament, and the reformist We Continue the Change (PP) had each failed to form a stable coalition after the inconclusive June 8 elections. They were triggered by the collapse in March of a coalition comprising GERB, which had held power for much of the previous 15 years, and the PP. GERB came first in the June vote, winning 68 seats, while the PP secured 39. Bulgaria, the European Union’s poorest member state and one of its most corrupt, needs a period of stable government to improve the flow of EU funds into its creaking infrastructure. Adblock test (Why?)
Bangladesh’s Sheikh Hasina forced to resign: What happened and what’s next?
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has stepped down from office, ending 15 years of what the opposition says was “authoritarian rule” and sparking celebrations across the country. General Waker-uz-Zaman, the chief of army staff, said in a statement on Monday that an interim government will take over with immediate effect and asked citizens to keep their trust in the army. “I request you all to be a little patient, give us some time and together we will be able to solve all the problems,” Zaman said. “Please don’t go back to the path of violence, and please return to nonviolent and peaceful ways.” Hasina resigned after weeks of protests against quotas for government jobs flared into nationwide unrest. At least 280 people were killed and thousands injured as the government cracked down on the demonstrations. Hasina reportedly fled the country on Monday in a military helicopter to India, a strong ally of the former leader. Video reports by local news media, showed thousands of people storming the prime minister’s residence, chanting and singing in celebration as they ransacked it. Here’s the background that led up to the historic moment: What happened on Sunday? More than 90 people were killed on Sunday alone as clashes between security officials and demonstrators escalated and protesters called for Hasina to step down. Police fired rubber bullets and tear gas on a huge crowd of protesters in Shahbagh Square in the capital, Dhaka. Demonstrators in the northwestern district of Sirajganj also attacked a police station, killing at least 13 officers. Sunday saw the highest recorded single-day death toll since the protests broke out last month. Authorities imposed a “shoot-on-sight” curfew from 6pm (12:00 GMT) on Sunday and flooded the streets with police and military units to restore order. But thousands of people marched largely unrestrained early on Monday, defying the curfew, although there were reports of clashes outside the capital. However, as protesters started to hand flowers to the military about noon and as officers in turn embraced the demonstrators, it was clear that something had changed very quickly, Al Jazeera’s Tanvir Chowdhury said, reporting from Dhaka. “People are relieved that this brutal crackdown is finally over. It is game over for Hasina.” What initially caused the protests? The demonstrations began in July in Dhaka and were initially led by students angry at a court’s reinstatement of a job quota scheme that was rescinded in 2018. The policy reserved 30 percent of government jobs for descendants of veterans who fought in the 1971 war of independence from Pakistan – most of whom are linked to Hasina’s Awami League party, which led the independence movement. A further 26 percent of jobs were allocated to women, disabled people and ethnic minorities, leaving open about 3,000 positions for which 400,000 graduates compete in the civil services exam. A fifth of Bangladesh’s 170 million people are unemployed. Rallies against the quotas intensified after Hasina referred to the protesters as “Razakars”, which refers to people who collaborated with Pakistan during the 1971 war. From July 10 to July 20, more than 180 people were killed in some of the worst periods of unrest during Hasina’s 15-year tenure. Police said protesters vandalised property and torched government buildings, including a national television station. The Supreme Court rescinded the job quota policy on July 21, ruling that 93 percent of jobs would instead be open to candidates on merit. But the protests continued unabated as students and other citizens assembled in a new wave of rallies. They called for justice for those killed and pressed a new, singular demand – that Hasina step down. Hasina and members of her cabinet sounded defiant until the end, accusing opposition forces of fuelling the protests. On Sunday, Hasina called the protesters “terrorists”. Why was Hasina unpopular? The world’s longest serving female head of government, Hasina, 76, is the daughter of Bangladesh’s founding father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. She was first elected as prime minister in 1996 and again in 2009, serving a total of 20 years in office. Although Hasina won her fourth straight term in elections this year, she was accused of muzzling opposition forces and other forms of dissent, orchestrating disappearances and arranging extrajudicial killings. Hasina rejected the allegations. But as student protesters grew increasingly bold in July and chanted, “One, two, three, four, Sheikh Hasina is a dictator,” analysts speculated that Hasina would not be able to survive the biggest challenge to her rule. “A dictator has fallen,” political analyst Mubashar Hassan, who said he has lived in exile in Australia for years, told Al Jazeera on Monday as news of Hasina’s ouster broke and television visuals showed protesters in Dhaka climbing atop a large statue of Hasina’s father, chiselling away at the head with an axe. “This is an incredible moment. This is like a second independence of Bangladesh,” he said. “[Bangladesh has been] shackled by the tyranny of Sheikh Hasina and her regime. I couldn’t go back to Bangladesh since 2018, and hopefully, I’ll see my family soon.” Was deploying the army the tipping point? Hassan said the government’s decision to deploy the army against the protesters appeared to be the tipping point that collapsed Hasina’s rule. The army is largely perceived in Bangladesh as a neutral entity and is well-trusted and respected by most people. In 2008 when an electoral crisis threw the country into a political stalemate, the military stepped in and ensured that elections were held in December that year. As the latest protests escalated, the army was cautious in its statements and appeared to be neutral. But on Friday, former military personnel expressed support for the protests, criticising the decision to remove border patrol units to quell the demonstrations. Former army chief Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan even turned his Facebook profile picture red in a show of support, hinting at the general mood in the military. Another tipping point, Professor Naomi Hossain of the United Kingdom’s School of African and Oriental Studies said, was the fear that there
Paris Olympics: USA’s Finke sets new world record in men’s 1,500m freestyle
Team USA’s Bobby Finke breaks 12-year-old record to win second straight Olympic gold medal in the men’s 1,500m freestyle. The USA’s Bobby Finke smashed the world record as he defended his Olympic title in the men’s 1,500m freestyle, with Italy’s Gregorio Paltrinieri taking silver and Daniel Wiffen of Ireland claiming the bronze. Finke, who led from the outset of Sunday’s race, set a new world mark of 14:30.67, breaking the previous best of 14:31.02 set by China’s Sun Yang at the London Olympics 2012. The American, who won gold in both the 1,500m and 800m freestyle at the Tokyo Olympics 2020, made his intentions clear early in the contest, taking a strong lead in the opening laps. He was out on his own until Paltrinieri, the gold medallist in this event at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics 2016, narrowed the gap around the 850-metre mark. The Italian was also swimming at a world-record tempo, but when it came down to the final four laps, Finke had kept some energy in reserve to ensure he reached the wall 3.88 seconds ahead of Paltrinieri. Wiffen, who had won gold in the 800m freestyle ahead of Finke, had said before the race that it would take a world record time to win it. He was correct, but he was unable to deliver it, finishing 8.96 seconds behind Finke. Bobby Finke of the USA competes in the men’s 1,500m freestyle final on Sunday, August 4 [Quinn Rooney/Getty Images] Sjostrom takes 50m women’s free Sarah Sjostrom of Sweden claimed her second gold medal of the Paris Olympics, furiously dashing from one end of the pool to the other to easily claim the 50m freestyle title on the final night of swimming on Sunday. The 30-year-old Sjostrom, competing in her fifth Summer Games, touched in 23.71 seconds, just shy of the world record of 23.61 she set at the 2023 world championships in Fukuoka, Japan. In a race that’s usually decided by a hundredths of a second, the Swedish star turned this final into a relative blowout. She was fastest off the block and clearly in control by the midway point of the single lap. Meg Harris of Australia took the silver in 23.97, while the bronze went to China’s Zhang Yufei in 24.20. Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom (centre) touches the finish to win gold as she competes against Gretchen Walsh of the USA (left) and Katarzyna Wasick of Poland (right) in the women’s 50m freestyle final [Al Bello/Getty Images] Gold medallist Sarah Sjostrom of Sweden (centre), silver medallist Meg Harris of Australia (right) and bronze medallist Zhang Yufei of China (left) pose following the swimming medal ceremony [Adam Pretty/Getty Images] Adblock test (Why?)
Far-right rioters attack hotels housing asylum seekers in UK
Far-right demonstrators have attacked at least two hotels housing asylum seekers as the United Kingdom grapples with its worst riots in 13 years. On Sunday, hundreds of people gathered near a Holiday Inn Express hotel used to house asylum seekers near the northern town of Rotherham, throwing bricks at police and breaking several hotel windows, then setting bins on fire. Footage from UK broadcaster Sky News showed a line of police officers with shields facing a barrage of missiles, including bits of wood, chairs and fire extinguishers, as they sought to prevent the rioters, many of them masked, from entering the hotel. A police helicopter circled overhead and at least one injured officer in riot gear was carried away as the atmosphere turned increasingly febrile. “The behaviour we witnessed has been nothing short of disgusting. While it was a smaller number of those in attendance who chose to commit violence and destruction, those who simply stood on and watched remain absolutely complicit in this,” said Assistant Chief Constable Lindsey Butterfield. “We have officers working hard, reviewing the considerable online imagery and footage of those involved, and they should expect us to be at their doors very soon.” Late on Sunday, Staffordshire Police said that a hotel near Birmingham, which was known to have sheltered asylum seekers, was also targeted. “A large group of individuals” have been “throwing projectiles, smashing windows, starting fires and targeting police” at the hotel in the town of Tamworth, with one officer injured, the statement said. The unrest is the latest in a wave of rioting in the country since a stabbing rampage at a dance class last week in the northwestern town of Southport left three girls dead and several more injured. According to police, false rumours were spread online that the 17-year-old suspect in the knife attack was a Muslim immigrant. He was named in court last week as British-born Axel Rudakubana after a judge lifted reporting restrictions related to people under the age of 18. People look out from inside a hotel window in Rotherham, UK, August 4, 2024 [Hollie Adams/Reuters] Speaking on Sunday, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer promised a swift response. “I guarantee, you will regret taking part in this disorder. Whether directly or those whipping up this action online and then running away themselves,” Starmer said in a TV address. There was “no justification” for what he called “far-right thuggery”, which has led to attacks on mosques and assaults on Muslims and ethnic minorities, he added. “People in this country have a right to be safe and yet we have seen Muslim communities targeted and attacks on mosques,” Starmer said. “To those who feel targeted because of the colour of your skin or your faith, I know how frightening this must be,” he said. “I want you to know this violent mob does not represent this country and we will bring them to justice.” Starmer had been criticised by some for not being vocal enough in denouncing the explicitly racist and Islamophobic nature of some of the attacks committed by those rioting. Zarah Sultana, a Labour MP who is currently suspended from the party for voting against the government, called on social media for Parliament to be recalled from its summer break. This is the moment rioters set fire to grass in Rotherham with police holding the line across from them. Rioters were also breaking into a Holiday Inn hotel and throwing items towards police. https://t.co/U56wIrPQTO 📺 Sky 501, Virgin 602, Freeview 233 and YouTube pic.twitter.com/TgQI0AWSyD — Sky News (@SkyNews) August 4, 2024 Xenophobic rhetoric Elsewhere in the UK, the atmosphere was also tense. In the northeast town of Middlesborough, protesters broke free of a police cordon. As protests began in Bolton, near Manchester, police said that a dispersal notice had been authorised to give officers extra powers to tackle antisocial behaviour. Police officials have said many of the actions are being organised online by shadowy far-right groups, who are mobilising support with phrases like “enough is enough,” “save our kids” and “stop the boats”. They are tapping into a narrative – amplified by right-wing media outlets and commentators – about the scale of immigration in the UK, in particular migrants and refugees arriving in small boats from France across the English Channel. The new disturbances came after police said that more than 150 people had been arrested since Saturday following unrest in Liverpool, Manchester, Bristol, Blackpool and Hull, as well as Belfast in Northern Ireland. Critics have repeatedly pointed out that the spread of misinformation and the amplification of xenophobic rhetoric about immigrants and minority communities in the UK has led to the current outbreak of violence. Rosa Freedman, a professor at the University of Reading, told Al Jazeera that the riots were a result of the former Conservative government, which lost power last month, giving legitimacy to a small minority of “racists”. “Instead of hiding their faces, they have now been coming out… we cannot blame a Labour Party that has [only] been in government [for] the past four weeks,” she said. “There is a conversation that needs to be had in the UK and other countries about immigration…. We also need to tackle this from a human rights lens.” Police used dogs to deal with the disturbances in Rotherham [Hollie Adams/Reuters] Police have noted that calls to hold riots have come from a diffuse group of social media accounts, but a key player in amplifying them is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, a longtime far-right agitator who uses the name Tommy Robinson. He led the English Defence League, which the Merseyside Police has linked to the violent protest in Southport on Tuesday, a day after the stabbing attack. Yaxley-Lennon, 41, has been jailed for assault, contempt of court and mortgage fraud and currently faces an arrest warrant after leaving the UK last week before a scheduled hearing in contempt-of-court proceedings against him. Meanwhile, Nigel Farage, who was elected to Parliament in July for the first time as leader of
Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 892
As thw war enters its 892nd day, these are the main developments. Here is the situation on Monday, August 5, 2024. Fighting Ukraine announced the mandatory evacuation of children and their guardians from areas in the eastern region of Donetsk, where Russia has been claiming advances. Donetsk Governor Vadym Filashkin said 744 children and their families would leave Novohrodivka, about 20km (12 miles) from the village of Novoselivka Persha, which Russia’s Ministry of Defence said it had captured just hours before the announcement. Ukrainian pilots have started flying F-16s on operations within the country, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said as he visited an airbase under tight security at an undisclosed location. Two of the jets were behind him on the ground as he spoke and two more flew overhead. Ukraine’s military said it sunk a Russian Kilo-class submarine and struck an anti-missile system established to protect the strategic Kerch bridge in the Moscow-occupied Crimean Peninsula over the weekend. Politics and diplomacy Mali said it was immediately cutting diplomatic ties with Ukraine after Andriy Yusov, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s military intelligence agency (GUR), said that Mali’s northern separatist Tuareg rebels had received the “necessary” information to conduct an attack last month on Malian soldiers and mercenaries from Russia’s Wagner Group, which killed 131 fighters. Ukrainian Minister for Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba is on his fourth diplomatic tour of Africa in two years, trying to rally support for Kyiv’s efforts to push Russian forces out of its territory. Kuleba will be in Africa until August 8 and will visit Malawi, Zambia and Mauritius. Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh won the country’s first individual gold medal at the Paris Olympics when she won the high jump, clearing 2 metres in front of an adoring crowd at the Stade de France. Ukraine also took bronze in the event with Iryna Gerashchenko sharing the medal with Australia’s Eleanor Patterson. Adblock test (Why?)
Will eating insects save the planet?
EXPLAINER Eating insects may be healthier, cheaper and better for the environment than consuming meat – what’s not to like? The Singapore Food Agency announced last month that it has approved 16 insect species as fit for human consumption. The agency has permitted some species of beetle, locusts, grasshoppers and mealworms to be sold as food. These insects cannot simply be harvested from the wild. They must be “farmed in premises regulated by the Competent Authority”, according to the agency. While entomophagy, the practice of eating insects, in many parts of the world remains gastronomic esotericism, Singapore is one of several countries that have begun to welcome it. Indeed, in some parts of the world, insects are served up as popular street food. But do we all need to be switching our diets to include insects? Why should we eat insects? Some of the arguments for eating insects include: They are environmentally more sustainable and cheaper to produce than beef. They are higher in protein and other nutrients than meat. They can be farmed without hormones. They may be a solution to a food-insecure, overharvested, overfished world. According to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), 60 percent of fish stocks worldwide are overfished. Climate change is shifting our relationship with food and many believe insects are a viable, environmentally sustainable protein alternative to meat, given the high carbon footprint of livestock farming, which some peer-reviewed journals estimate produces 14.5 percent to 19.6 percent of total global greenhouse gas emissions. In 2022, the World Economic Forum published a report incentivising eating bugs, citing climate change and the high protein content of insects as reasons. But already in 2013, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization had proposed entomophagy as a solution to food insecurity. Is eating insects healthy? It might bug you to know this, but, yes, in certain circumstances. Different types of insects contain different amounts of nutrients, but they tend to be dense in protein, iron and calcium among other nutrients. MightyCricket, a US-based website that sells cricket powder, says crickets contain 10 times more vitamin B12 than beef. The Canada-based sports nutrition business Naak says 100g (3.5oz) of chopped beef steak contains about 20g of protein compared with 60g of protein that 100 grams of cricket steak contains. Is eating insects good for the environment? A big reason for the rise in sentiment in favour of eating insects is down to the significantly low environmental footprint insects have. The production of meat and dairy products accounts for 14.5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to an FAO report. MightyCricket’s website says crickets use 50 to 90 percent less land per kilogramme of protein than conventional livestock. According to the 2013 FAO report, producing 100g of beef steak creates 750g of greenhouse gases emissions. To produce 100g of crickets, the amount of emissions is estimated to be 100 times less. Crispy fried grasshopper is already a popular dish in several parts of the world, including Nagaland, on the border of India and Myanmar [Shutterstock] Where in the world are insects commonly eaten? The FAO data published in 2013 estimated two billion people consume insects globally. While this number is often cited, an editorial in the Journal of Insects as Food and Feed said in 2021 that the number is an overstatement. Regardless, insects are an important part of a number of cuisines around the world: Silkworms are considered a delicacy in some northeastern states of India. In Nagaland, a state on the Myanmar border, silkworms are available at every market. Known as “eri puka” in Nagamese, the silkworms are fried, tossed together with spices, vegetables and bamboo shoots. Crispy fried grasshopper is also a common snack in the state. Fried silk worms are eaten in India [Shutterstock] Sago grubs, also called butod, are a traditional delicacy on the island of Borneo. They are eaten as appetisers, such as satay, or can be stir-fried. Known as ‘butod’ locally, sago grubs, or sago worms, are high in protein and fibre and are eaten in the Malaysian state of Sabah on Borneo [Shutterstock] Nsenene, long-horned grasshoppers, are a popular snack in Uganda and are sold by street vendors or cooked at home. These insects are usually fried with chilli, onion and spices. Because they secrete their own oil, there is no need for cooking oil. In Uganda, nsenene – grasshoppers – are a popular snack [Shutterstock] Tacoma worms are a delicacy among the Indigenous Arawak community in Pakuri, Guyana. They can be eaten raw, sauteed, or skewered and roasted and are described as “buttery” and highly nutritious. They are enjoyed at special events. In Marondera, Zimbabwe, villagers have been eating insects and worms foraged in the forest or collected during crop harvests for generations. Now, the village boasts its own edible-insect farm. Who in the West is eating insects? While insects are already widely eaten in some countries around the world, they have never been a favourite among gourmets in the West. Despite this, some upscale restaurants are featuring insects on the menu: French chef Laurent Yenet plates an intricately crafted seven-course gourmet meal at his Paris restaurant Inoveat. He pairs insect meat with zesty citrus and herby, floral garnishes. Superfoods such as spirulina and pollen also feature. Grub Kitchen in Wales, the United Kingdom’s first insect restaurant, focuses on sustainability and is the vision of chef Andy Holcroft. The menu ranges from minced insect Bolognese to mealworm hummus and mixed insect pakoras fried with vegetables and served with mango chutney. Grub Kitchen largely has good reviews on TripAdvisor, but one reviewer was sceptical of eating insects, writing: “If this is the future, kill me now.” Why don’t we eat insects more widely? The question of why people are put off by the idea of feasting on bugs opens several cans of worms: The “yuck” factor: For some, the aversion to eating insects simply comes from being conditioned to seeing insects are creepy, dirt-lurking creatures and definitely not food.
IBA gender tests on two Olympic boxers flawed and illegitimate, says IOC
The International Olympic Committee stands with the two Olympic boxers in gender test debate, cites flawed IBA testing. The gender tests conducted by the International Boxing Association (IBA) on two female fighters at last year’s world championships that led to their disqualification were illegitimate and lacked credibility, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said. Algerian boxer Imane Khelif and Taiwan’s double world champion Lin Yu-ting were cleared to compete at the Paris Olympics despite having been disqualified during the 2023 World Championships after the IBA said they had failed a gender eligibility test. The IOC said the testing process at that event, which only came towards the end of the competition after the boxers had already fought several bouts, was completely arbitrary. “Those tests are not legitimate tests. The tests themselves, the process of the tests, the ad hoc nature of the tests are not legitimate,” IOC spokesperson Mark Adams told a press conference on Sunday. “The testing, the method of the testing, the idea of the testing which happened kind of overnight. None of it is legitimate and this does not deserve any response,” Adams said. The IOC last year stripped the IBA of its status as boxing’s governing body over management and finance issues, and took charge of the Paris Games boxing competition, applying eligibility rules from the 2016 and the 2021 Olympics. Khelif’s dominance in Thursday’s round-of-16 welterweight fight against Italy’s Angela Carini, who withdrew after 46 seconds following a barrage of punches from the Algerian, triggered a furore that swept social media and saw people such as author JK Rowling and billionaire Elon Musk voice their opposition to Khelif competing in the Olympic Games. The IBA on Friday promised to pay Italy’s Carini $50,000 in prize money, further fanning the ongoing dispute with the IOC. Semifinal runs Both Khelif and Lin have now reached the semifinals in their weight categories in Paris. “Yu-ting is great!” Taiwan President Lai Ching-te wrote on his Facebook page after the boxer’s victory on Saturday that sent her into the last four of her featherweight division at the Paris Games. “In recent days, Taiwan’s people have been indignant at the slander against her. Facing the challenge, Yu-ting is fearless and uses her strength to crush the rumours. Let us continue to cheer for her!” The two athletes at the centre of the IBA gender-testing row at the Paris Olympic Games are Taiwan’s double world champion Lin Yu-ting (left) and Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, both competing in Paris [Mohd Rasfan/AFP] The IOC has accused the IBA of a defamation campaign against the Olympic body, with IBA President Umar Kremlev posting inflammatory comments on social media about the decision to allow the pair to compete. Khelif’s father Amar told Reuters he was proud of his daughter and backed her to win a medal for Algeria. Meanwhile, Adams of the IOC reiterated that the IBA’s “tests were taken arbitrarily” and said “The very fact that the decision to do the testing on the spot there [at the world championships]… I am not quite sure what the foundation for the testing was.” Asked whether the boxers had been targeted, Adams said: “We believe so.” “Two athletes tested in the middle of the world championships and carted off and tested,” he said. “There were suspicions against them… if we start acting on suspicion against every athlete, we go down a very bad route. How are they targeted for this to come about? And is it fair and right that two individuals are targeted in this way…. by a federation that is completely discredited?” Adblock test (Why?)