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Copenhagen, 17 May 2023

One year since its biggest ever mpox (monkeypox) outbreak, the WHO European Region covering 53 countries across Europe and central Asia is celebrating success in controlling the spread of the disease as the number of cases continues to decline. In the initial months of the outbreak, the European Region had the vast majority of cases globally. But strategic collaboration between health authorities and the most impacted populations including timely risk communications and community engagement, along with a focused mpox vaccination campaign in some of the hardest hit countries helped bring numbers down rapidly to practically no cases being reported at all, in a relatively short time.

Now WHO/Europe is calling for vigilance amid concerns that spring and summertime could see mpox cases flaring up once more. Pre-empting this, and coinciding with the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, WHO/Europe is launching a new mpox campaign today, to remind people that even though it is no longer defined as a public health emergency of international concern, mpox has not gone away; anyone can be infected; and that we have, and must use, the tools to further control and eventually eliminate it.

The new mpox campaign leverages the European Regions year-long experience in responding to this outbreak, including growing evidence on the disease and measures to control it. The campaign will:

The campaign is timely. According to the latest data, at least 17 more people have contracted mpox in eight countries in the WHO European Region, in the four weeks up to 4 May 2023. While the numbers remain low, as does the risk to the broader population, it is vital that health authorities keep monitoring and responding to mpox outbreaks. A possible rise in mpox cases over the coming months could be triggered by:

Our efforts to control the mpox outbreak appear to have paid off, and thats great news. I commend health authorities and the most-impacted communities for their strong partnership in controlling mpox, including vaccine rollout, community outreach and actions to safeguard individual and wider community health, along with concerted efforts not to stigmatize those affected, said Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe. Elimination is within our reach, but lets not forget that mpox is still circulating, as weve recently seen in our region. Mpox cases could resurge this spring and summer as festivals and events where sexual activities might occur get under way. Some countries in the European Region are still seeing persistent, low levels of transmission. Beyond our region, localized spikes remind us that this outbreak is far from over. Lets renew our collective efforts to ensure we remain on track towards eventual elimination it can be done.

A package of new WHO/Europe publications including an mpox policy brief, a compendium of case studies and a risk communication toolkit outlines the recommended actions that communities, health authorities and providers, and event organizers can take (see below).

Mpox should still very much be a concern to health authorities and the most impacted communities alike in the WHO European Region, said Dr Richard Pebody, High-threat Pathogen Team Lead at WHO/Europe. Cases might be on the rise again this year. And even if we are lucky, and this doesnt happen, mpox could pick up again the following year. We simply cannot be complacent. WHO/Europes latest mpox policy brief offers a roadmap to countries on how to control and ultimately eliminate the disease in our region in the long run.

Im concerned that mpox could come back, you know, the sequel, but Im hopeful weve learned a lot and we have shown that we can come together as a community and really protect ourselves, said Martin Joseph, a United Kingdom-based broadcaster and host of a podcast about mpox. As someone who went through mpox, it was one of the most testing and life-changing experiences from a mental health point of view, and it really impacted me and Ive had to do a lot of work since then to look at my life and look at everything that led to that point.

It is important that the most affected groups predominantly gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men as well as health authorities and health providers remain on high alert, concluded Dr Kluge. As we celebrate diversity and inclusion on the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, as well as Pride just around the corner, lets also remind ourselves that we still have a long way to go to stamp out shame and stigma related to sexual health. Its critical that we normalize talking about seemingly sensitive or uncomfortable topics in the interest of our health and well-being. Lets not allow our success in controlling mpox over the past year to be overshadowed by another wave of infections this spring and summer. Be informed; protect yourself and others; and if you can, get vaccinated.

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An mpox resurgence in the European Region this spring and ... - World Health Organization

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong today announced financial sanctions and an export ban, targeting sectors of economic and strategic significance to Russia.

These additional targeted measures aim to slow Russias war machine.

Australias action is part of a push by international partners, who are meeting at the G7 Leaders Summit in Hiroshima this week.

Australia has already sanctioned more than 1,000 individuals and entities who are supporting Russias illegal and immoral invasion of Ukraine.

The new financial sanctions will target 21 entities and three individuals, including:

The Australian Government will also implement a ban on the export of all machinery and related parts to Russia and areas temporarily under Russian control. This will prevent Australian goods from aiding Russias aggression in Ukraine.

Australia stands with Ukraine and pays tribute to the unwavering resilience and courage displayed by the Ukrainian people. We mourn the incalculable losses that Ukraine continues to endure and acknowledge the far-reaching negative economic impacts Russias invasion has had on the world, including in the Indo-Pacific region.

Australia again calls on Russia to withdraw its forces from Ukrainian territory and end this war.

Australia stands with Ukraine. We pay tribute to the unwavering resilience and courage displayed by the Ukrainian people.

Australia again calls on Russia to cease its illegal and immoral war against the people of Ukraine.

We will continue to work with the G7 and international partners to address the global impacts of Russias invasion.

This includes food and energy insecurity, which is a significant concern for our own region.

This action targets sectors of economic and strategic significance to Russia.

This includes the financial, energy, defence and metals sectors that aid and sustain Russias war in Ukraine.

We are also banning exports of Australian machinery and related parts to Russia to slow its war machine.

Russia cannot be allowed to infringe upon another countrys sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade will shortly commence public consultation on the export ban, with implementation of the ban to follow.

Businesses or individuals that wish to participate in consultation on the machinery export ban should subscribe to alerts with the Australian Sanctions Office: Australia and sanctions - Contacts and links

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Australia stands with Ukraine and the G7 against Russia's invasion - Prime Minister of Australia

BALTIMORE Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown issued a consumer alert urging Marylanders to always be aware of deceptive online sports betting companies, especially in advance of large events like Preakness.

Maryland's online sports betting industry attracts bettors with aggressive marketing.

Fine print on things like "risk-free"bets contain limitations that negate the promised benefits. Those funds may only be credited to use again with the sportsbook, not as a refund of the money the consumer initially invested.

They also require users to gamble their own money before accessing any bonuses they advertised.

Online betting is a target for cybercriminals looking to defraud unsuspecting bettors.

Online sports betting was launched in Maryland in November 2022, and is available through multiple sports betting companies.

RELATED: Online sports betting in Maryland launches November 23 at 9am

To protect against fraudulent platforms and scammers looking to steal money and personal information, follow the these tips:

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AG warns Marylanders of potential online sports betting scams - wmar2news.com

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Methane a potent greenhouse gas and the second biggest driver of global warming after carbon dioxide (CO) had its moment in the spotlight in 2021. Over 100 countries signed on tothe Global Methane Pledgeto cut emissions by 30% compared to 2020 levels by 2030.

This is a useful goal, but ournew researchshows that something is still missing: stringent policies to eliminate methane emissions.

Our study is the first global review of methane policies which have been adopted across the world since the 1970s. It reveals that only around 13% of man-made methane emissions from the biggest sources (agriculture, energy and waste) is regulated by policies capable of controlling and preventing them.

This falls to 10% if we take a conservative view of the total emissions and regions covered by specific policies and whether they have been fully or partially implemented.

These policies may mandate companies to find and fix methane leaks, install equipment which can capture emissions, charge them for every unit of methane released or reward them for making use of methane, like extracting biogas from rotting food and other organic waste. Our study showed that the majority (70%) of policies have been adopted in the US and Europe.

Methane is over 80 times more powerful in trapping heat in Earths atmosphere than CO but lasts for a much shorter time. Since methane in the air breaks down within about a decade (compared to centuries for CO), phasing out emissions could rapidly reduce the rate at which the planet is heating.

For any hope of meeting global climate targets, deep methane reductions are needed immediately. Our research shows that countries which have committed to deep cuts must now expand and strengthen policies for eliminating their emissions. The remaining countries should step up their efforts on methane too.

We systematically examined policies which have been introduced in 79 countries to reduce methane emissions across farming, solid and liquid waste management and the energy sectors (including the extraction, transportation and consumption of fossil fuels coal, oil and gas).

Motivations for regulating methane varied. Not only does the gas contribute to climate change, but it can also generate tropospheric ozone a harmful air pollutant. Methane is also a safety hazard if its concentration in the air reaches an explosive range (5-15%).

But if it is captured, methane becomes a source of energy as the major component of natural gas. And so regulating methane, for example by incentivising the capture of methane from coalbeds, can be cheap and useful.

How effective such policies have been is far from clear though, as countries do not tend to quantify their emissions using direct measurements.

Regulations are more frequently used to address fossil (oil, gas and coal) rather than biogenic (livestock, solid and liquid waste) sources of methane. In fact, 41% of all policies targeted methane from coal mines and oil refineries, compared with 25% for farms and landfills.

Taxes and charges, on the quantities of waste for example, are more common for regulating biogenic sources whereas financial incentives, like feed-in tariffs for electricity generated from captured coal mine methane, are more frequently used in fossil methane policies.

Policies targeting methane emissions from the oil and gas sector tend to be more stringent than those targeting coal mines. Similarly, policies targeting methane emissions from solid and liquid waste are more stringent than those addressing livestock emissions.

These divergent approaches to regulating different methane sources may be the result of opposition from the fossil fuel and agricultural industries. The relative importance of these industries to national and regional economies and energy and food supply may also explain why government regulation has so far proved inadequate.

More stringent policies and a consistent approach for quantifying how much methane is being emitted from each source will be key to bringing regulation in line with global commitments.

Improving the monitoring of methane emissions is particularly important for enabling deeper cuts. Historically, methane emissions have been difficult and costly to measure, partly because it is an invisible gas and compared to CO, only minor emissions cause substantial warming.

However, methane reduction is still often perceived by policymakers as a choice rather than a necessary complement to ongoing decarbonisation efforts focused on CO.

Within almost every sector there are major methane sources that have been largely overlooked. These include the digestive gases of cows and other livestock, methane from the ventilation shafts of coal mines, high-emitting sources in the oil and gas sector (so called super-emitters), and from abandoned mines and oil and gas wells.

In the energy sector, emissions from non-operated joint ventures are particularly neglected by regulation. This is a type of business structure where a company owns an equity interest without assuming day-to-day operational control.

These are usually owned by major oil and gas companies, but operated by local partners national oil and gas firms in developing countries are a prime example. Supply chains are another important source, particularly with internationally-traded commodities like liquefied natural gas (LNG) and coking coal used in steelmaking.

In the oil and gas sector, where methane may be more cost-effective to reduce because the captured gas could be monetised, global commitments like the Paris Agreement require the industrys own emissions to fall alongside falling demand for fossil fuels across all economies.

As Dr Fatih Birol, executive director of the International Energy Agency,recently put it, the next UN climate change conference (COP28) in the United Arab Emirates will be a moment of truth for both oil- and gas-rich countries and the industries exploiting these climate-damaging fuels.

This article first appeared in The Conversation on 19th May.

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Methane must fall to slow global heating but only 13% of ... - QMUL

The Home Office has privately predicted a further sharp rise in legal migration, with an influx of over a million foreign workers and students projected in 2024.

Also hotly debated by Telegraph readers this week was Britain pledging to send Ukraine custom-built suicide drones to further support the countrys efforts against Russia and Suzanne Moore writing on the real reason the birth rate is dropping.

Read on to see how readers contributed to the conversation in the comments section and via the Front Page newsletter.

The Telegraph revealed that an official document sent by the Home Office to Downing Street last year warned that there will be a further sharp rise in immigration by the next election, unless ministers take action. This came after Suella Braverman, the Home Secretary, stated on Monday that an unchecked drive towards multiculturalism without successful integration is a recipe for disaster.

Readers shared their indignation in the comments section and blamed the Conservative Party for failing to get immigration levels under control.

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'Losing control of the borders is the most serious breach of duty a ... - The Telegraph