Private sector hiring exceeded expectations in July with gains of 324,000, down from June but still hotter than anticipated – Copyright AFP/File Patrick T. Fallon

Hiring in the US private sector decelerated in July but was nearly twice as high as analysts expected according to payroll firm ADP on Wednesday, signaling strength in the jobs market.

The US labor market has proven resilient even as the central bank hiked interest rates rapidly since March 2022 to cool demand — with higher lending costs making it pricier to borrow funds for activities like business expansion.

Job gains came in at 324,000 last month according to ADP, down from a revised 455,000 figure in June and well above analysts’ consensus estimate of 185,000 on Briefing.com.

Robust jobs numbers and other encouraging data points have raised hopes of a “soft landing” for the world’s biggest economy, where inflation comes down without triggering a major recession.

“The economy is doing better than expected and a healthy labor market continues to support household spending,” said ADP chief economist Nela Richardson.

Leisure and hospitality were a key area behind the strong job creation, according to ADP data, while manufacturing showed weakness.

Meanwhile, pay growth continued a “downward trend in July” as workers who changed jobs logged gains of 10.2 percent, compared to 11.2 percent reported for June.

Those who stayed in their jobs saw an increase of 6.2 percent last month, the slowest pace since November 2021, the report added.

The overall downward trend, if sustained, would be good news to officials trying to ensure that a hot labor market and wage growth does not translate into persistent cost-of-living pressures for consumers.

Looking ahead, all eyes are on the Labor Department’s employment numbers due Friday, although economist Ian Shepherdson of Pantheon Macroeconomics noted that ADP may not be a reliable indicator of the official estimates.

For now, Shepherdson said “we expect job growth to slow over the next few months,” tracking a decline in a hiring intentions measure.

Russian activist Anatoly Berezikov, shown in the mobile phone video, died last month in custody under unclear circumstances – Copyright AFP Sia KAMBOU

Romain Colas with Vano Shlamov in Tbilisi

During his trial, Anatoly Berezikov repeatedly said he was afraid of “disappearing”. Two weeks later, on June 14, he was found dead in his cell in southwest Russia.

Berezikov is the first known critic of the Ukraine conflict to have died in custody since the Kremlin launched large-scale hostilities in February 2022.

The circumstances of his death are unclear, but the cause given by authorities is suicide.

His friends and allies dismiss that account, saying they believe Berezikov was tortured in detention — a common occurence in the Russian penal system — possibly leading to his death.

“People can be repressed without trial or investigation. They can kidnap you, imprison you, search you, intimidate you, torture you and kill you,” Tatiana Sporycheva, a rights activist who advocated on behalf of Berezikov, told AFP.

In Rostov in southern Russia, Berezikov had developed a reputation as a cheerful non-conformist, a lover of experimental music and staunch critic of Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

He was one among thousands of people in Russia to have spoken out against the conflict and subsequently been threatened, fined or jailed.

– Short, consecutive jail terms –

Born in 1983 in the Siberian city of Biysk, Berezikov moved to Rostov in the 2010s, where he was active in the cultural underground scene.

“He worked as a tattooist and body-piercer. He made tattooing machines and sold them,” a friend told AFP on the condition of anonymity.

Berezikov’s friends and allies have also been pursued by security services.

With his talent for tinkering, Berezikov also built analogue synthesisers for his experiments in “noise music”.

“He was a God-given technician,” said fellow musician Valentin Sokhorev, 52.

Berezikov looked everywhere for spare parts. 

In a 2019 photo, he can been seen at a snow covered flea market wearing just shorts, his chest bare. The skimpy combo was Berezikov’s usual uniform.

In the southern city of Rostov-on-Don, the 40-year-old with a beard and long blond hair rode around the city shirtless on his bike.

Berezikov was also an activist for leading opposition figure Alexei Navalny’s anti-corruption movement.

By default, that made him an opponent of Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine. 

He claimed to have put up posters from the Ukrainian campaign “I Want to Live”, which offers Russian soldiers guidance on how to surrender.

Berezikov was arrested in May by police and given three short consecutive jail terms for alleged misdemeanours, mirroring a trend deployed against Kremlin critics before serious charges are brought.

In custody, Berezikov was beaten and tortured with electric shocks, his lawyers said.

Activist Sporycheva saw him in court on May 31, and made a video clip of Berezikov looking exhausted.

“He had lost a lot of weight. He kept saying, ‘They want to take me away. I will disappear and no one will find me’”, she said.

Berezikov died on June 14 having hung himself in his cell, officials said. But no expert medical assessment has been made public.

Authorities have however opened an investigation into potential abuses that could have led to the alleged suicide.

Sporycheva and lawyer Irina Gak, who have also been looking into Berezikov’s death, have left Russia in the wake of threats they received from security services.

Now a lawyer from the Russian human rights NGO Pervy Otdel has taken up their efforts but is working on the file anonymously. Berezikov’s family do not speak to the press for reasons of security.

– ‘Hornet’s nest’ –

Musician Sokhorev, who saw himself nearly as an older brother to Berezikov, said he tried for a long time to convince the tattooist to swear off activism.

“I said to him, ‘My friend, you shouldn’t do that. If you wave your ass in front of a hornet’s nest, expect them to sting you very hard. So don’t do it’. But he didn’t see that, he didn’t see the danger,” Sokhorev said.

“He was brave, but mad,” the musician added.

Sokhorev himself saw tanks fire on the parliament in Moscow during Russia’s bloody constitutional crisis in 1993. Disgusted by the events, he turned his back on politics.

“I understood that in this country, the person who is right is the person with tanks. Since 1996, I do not vote anymore,” said Sokhorev, who lives in the village of Davydkovo, near Moscow, where he tends to his vegetable garden.

On the porch of his house, surrounded by his four dogs, he plugged in one of the synthesisers made by his friend.The instrument makes a shrill electronic sound. 

Sokhorev said some people experience a “sense of calm” listening to the storm of noises produced by the machine — among them was Berezikov.

While they bring immediate, life-saving relief, air conditioners come at a cost to the climate crisis because of their enormous energy requirements – Copyright AFP/File Patrick T. Fallon

Lucie AUBOURG

They are ubiquitous in the United States, controversial in Europe and coveted in South Asia. As heatwaves intensify across the world, air conditioning has taken center stage.

For better or for worse, these power-hungry appliances are among the most common adaptations to a warming world. They have become a necessary tool for the survival of millions, according to experts.

But while they bring immediate, life-saving relief, air conditioners come at a cost to the climate crisis because of their enormous energy requirements.

Air conditioning is responsible for the emission of approximately one billion metric tons of carbon dioxide per year, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), out of a total of 37 billion emitted worldwide.

It is possible to end this vicious cycle, experts say, by increasing the contribution of renewable energies, developing less energy-intensive air conditioners and augmenting them with other cooling techniques.

“There are some real purists who think that we can eliminate, but I just don’t think that’s feasible,” Robert Dubrow, a Yale epidemiologist who specializes in the health effects of climate change, told AFP.

Access to air conditioning already saves tens of thousands of lives a year, a figure that is growing, according to a recent IEA report co-authored by Dubrow.

Studies show that the risk of heat-related death is reduced by about three-quarters for those living in homes with an air conditioner.

In the United States, where about 90 percent of households have AC, studies have highlighted the role of air conditioning in protecting the population — and the potentially devastating effect of widespread power cuts during heatwaves. 

But globally, of the 3.5 billion people living in hot climates, only about 15 percent have air conditioners at home.

– High costs, high emissions –

The number of air conditioners in the world, about two billion today, is set to skyrocket as temperatures and incomes rise.

India, China and Indonesia — the first, second and fourth most populous countries in the world — are among those that will see the strongest growth.

By 2050, the share of households in India equipped with air conditioners could increase from 10 to 40 percent, according to a recent study.

But such an increase in electricity consumption would be equivalent to the current total annual production of a country like Norway.

If India’s future grid uses as much fossil fuels as it does today, that would mean around 120 million tons more carbon dioxide emitted annually — or 15 percent of the country’s current energy sector emissions.

The problems posed by increased air conditioning do not stop there. Running power plants also causes air pollution.

Air conditioners also generally use fluorocarbon gases as refrigerants, which have a warming power thousands of times greater than CO2 when they escape into the atmosphere.

And by discharging their hot air out into the streets, air conditioning contributes to urban heat island effects.

A 2014 study found that at night heat emitted from air-conditioning systems in city centers increased the mean air temperature by more than 1 degree Celsius (almost 2F).

Finally, due to its cost, access to air conditioning poses a major equity issue.

Once installed, the price of the electricity bill can force families to choose between cooling and other essential needs.

– ‘Complementary’ solutions –

For Enrica De Cian, a professor in environmental economics at Ca Foscari University in Venice, the use of AC is “an important strategy in certain conditions and in certain places.”

But, she adds, it’s essential to combine it with “complementary” approaches. 

First, by continuing to ramp up renewable energy production, and wind down fossil fuels, so that energy used by air conditioners leads to fewer emissions. 

Second, by developing and installing affordable air conditioners that consume less energy, which some companies are working on. The IEA advocates for stricter efficiency standards, but also recommends air conditioners to be set at a minimum of 24C (75F).

Beyond limiting emissions, greater efficiency would also curb the risks of power cuts linked to excessive demand. On hot days, air conditioning can account for more than half of peak consumption.

But above all, the experts hammer home the simultaneous need for spatial planning measures: including more green spaces and bodies of water, sidewalks and roofs that reflect the Sun’s rays, and better building insulation.

“We have to achieve sustainable indoor cooling,” said Dubrow.

The proposed solutions are “very feasible,” he adds. “It’s a matter of political will for them to be implemented.”

Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu tells AFP in an interview a Chinese invasion would have ‘disastrous results’ for the world because of its strategic importance for semiconductors and global shipping – Copyright AFP Sam Yeh

Dene-Hern CHEN and Amber WANG

A Chinese invasion of Taiwan would have “disastrous results” for the world, Foreign Minister Joseph Wu told AFP in an interview Wednesday, citing the island’s strategic importance for the semiconductor industry and global shipping lanes.

Wu’s warning comes as democratically ruled Taiwan heads towards a presidential election next year, while facing increased military and political pressure from China across the Taiwan Strait.

Beijing claims Taiwan as its own territory and has vowed repeatedly to take it one day — militarily, if necessary.

Wu said any act of force against Taiwan would have global reverberations. 

“What we need to do is to explain to the international community that if there’s any conflict involving Taiwan, it’s going to have disastrous results for the rest of the world,” Wu said, pointing to the food and fuel shortages, and spiralling inflation, that resulted from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 

The consequences of a cross-strait conflict are largely commercial — more than 50 percent of the world’s shipping containers pass through the 180-kilometre (110 miles) wide waterway separating Taiwan from mainland China.

Freedom of navigation is therefore one of the “crucial elements of international security and prosperity”. 

Taiwan also holds a near-monopoly on producing semiconductors, the microchips that are the lifeblood of the modern economy and power everything from simple coffee machines to complex weaponry such as missiles and defence infrastructure. 

“Think about the disruption of the supply chain,” he told AFP in a wide-ranging interview. 

“We hope that the Chinese government will not resort to the use of force against Taiwan, because the impact is going to be too serious for the world.”

As Taiwan gears up for January’s presidential election, Wu said the island was seeing a “more sophisticated” disinformation campaign to influence its 23 million-strong population. 

“What China has been doing in engaging in cognitive warfare is to change the thinking of the critical minority here in Taiwan — to vote the other way so they can change the outcome of the election,” he said. 

Wu is part of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), perceived as more pro-United States than the opposition Kuomintang Party. 

The DPP administration is headed by President Tsai Ing-wen, who is in her final term in office and is hated by the Chinese leadership for her refusal to accept that Taiwan belongs to China. 

– ‘Taiwan might be next’ – 

Relations between Taiwan and China have plunged since Tsai’s election in 2016, with Beijing refusing to engage with Taipei.

Global attention on cross-strait tensions has spiked in the past year, which Wu attributes to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“(The international community) look around… and then realise Taiwan might be the next one. They look at the Chinese track record of threatening Taiwan”,” he said, pointing to a much-cited timeline of 2027 as a possibility for a Chinese invasion.

US officials have said they believe China would not have the military capability to undertake such an operation before then.

Taiwan has seen near-daily incursions of Chinese warplanes around its air defence zone and patrolling naval vessels since last August, when then-US House speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei in a trip that enraged Beijing.

The frequency is “putting Taiwan in a situation where our defence depth is compressed, where our response time is shortened, where the military threat is more serious than ever”, Wu said. 

Moral support and military assistance, such as the $345 million aid package announced by the Pentagon at the weekend, is appreciated, Wu said.

However, Taiwanese do not “count on the US to fight a war” for them. 

“We understand that this is our place, this is our country, this is our sovereignty and it is our democratic way of life… Therefore, defending Taiwan is our own responsibility,” Wu said.

“We will not give it up for anything at all.”

Workers prepare to transfer oil from the 47-year-old supertanker FSO Safer (L) to a UN-purchased replacement vessel in a bid to avert a catastrophic spill in the Red Sea off war-torn Yemen – Copyright AFP Christof STACHE

Most of the oil on board a rusting super-tanker off war-torn Yemen has been moved to a replacement vessel in a bid to avert a catastrophic spill, the United Nations has said.

The transfer of 1.14 million barrels of Marib light crude from the 47-year-old FSO Safer to the new vessel started last week.

“More than half the oil aboard the decaying FSO Safer has been transferred to the replacement vessel Yemen in the past seven days,” the UN resident coordinator for Yemen, David Gressly, said on social media on Tuesday.

Gressly had previously said the entire transfer would take less than three weeks.

The UN hopes the $143 million operation — for which it is still $20 million short — will eliminate the risk of an environmental disaster that it estimates would cost $20 billion to clean up. 

Because of the Safer’s position in the Red Sea, a spill would also cost billions of dollars per day in shipping disruptions through the Bab al-Mandab Strait to the Suez Canal, while devastating ecosystems, coastal fishing communities and lifeline ports. 

The Safer, a floating storage and offloading facility, has been moored around 50 kilometres (30 miles) from the port of Hodeida since the 1980s. 

It has not been serviced since war broke out eight years ago between rebels, who control the capital Sanaa and the waters where the Safer is positioned, and a Saudi-led coalition backing the internationally recognised government. 

The ageing vessel, with its corroding hull, is carrying four times as much oil as was spilled in the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster off Alaska. 

Russia has been pounding Odesa, a centuries-old city on the shores of the Black Sea and one of Ukraine’s main ports, since Moscow withdrew from a grain deal last month – Copyright AFP/File Oleksandr GIMANOV

Russian drones damaged port infrastructure in Odesa and targeted capital Kyiv from several directions, Ukrainian authorities said Wednesday.

The army said it repelled Iraninan-made Shahed-136 drones launched from the Sea of Azov through the Black Sea that were aimed at the Odesa region.

“The enemy’s obvious target was the port and industrial infrastructure of the region. Air defence forces worked non-stop for almost 3 hours,” the Operational Command South wrote on Telegram.

The strike damaged port infrastructure, regional governor Oleg Kiper said, adding that there were no reports of casualties.

“As a result of the attack, fires broke out at the facilities of the port and industrial infrastructure of the region, and an elevator was damaged,” he said.

Russia has been pounding Odesa, a centuries-old city on the shores of the Black Sea and one of Ukraine’s main ports, since Moscow withdrew from a grain deal last month that allowed Kyiv’s exports despite the war. 

The landmark deal had allowed the shipment of around 33 million tonnes of grain to leave Ukrainian ports. 

Formerly obscure ports, Izmail and Reni, have become crucial to global food supplies and are struggling to process all the grain, causing a massive bottleneck. 

The Danube River port of Izmail is now the main export route for Ukrainian agricultural products. But these ports have also become targets: Russia attacked Reni with drones on July 24.

Last week, Kyiv said it lacks the means to defend itself against strikes on its grain infrastructure carried out by Russia, which is blocking “virtually all” Ukrainian ports, according to an army spokeswoman.

– Kyiv attacks –

In Kyiv, more than 10 Russian drones were downed during an overnight attack on the capital, the city’s military administration said early on Wednesday.

“Groups of drones entered Kyiv simultaneously from several directions. However, all air targets — more than 10 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) — were detected and destroyed in time by the forces and means of air defence,” said Sergiy Popko, head of the administration.

He said Russia had used a barrage of Iranian-made Shahed drones, with debris hitting several areas.

In Golosiivsky district, “parts of a drone fell on the playground” and a fire broke out in a non-residential building, he said, adding that emergency services were on the scene.

Kyiv’s mayor had said earlier that the attack on the capital had damaged multiple districts, including the busy Solomyansky, which hosts an international airport. 

Mayor Vitali Klitschko said no one was killed or wounded in the attack. 

The administration had issued an alert for drone attacks and warned residents to stay in shelters. 

An AFP correspondent heard at least three explosions in Kyiv at around 3:00 am (0000 GMT).

The attacks come a day after Russia said it downed a wave of Ukrainian drones targeting Moscow, Crimea and vessels in the Black Sea. A skyscraper in Moscow’s financial district was struck for the second time in days. 

On Monday, Russia said it would intensify its strikes on Ukrainian military infrastructure in response to drone attacks across its territory which it has blamed on Kyiv.

Last week, Russia launched a nighttime drone attack on Kyiv, with all incoming drones shot down.

Already ill with multiple sclerosis, Dany Salameh found himself struggling to walk after the Beirut port blast – Copyright AFP ANWAR AMRO

Aya Iskandarani

Dany Salameh was already ill but a blast that devastated Beirut’s port three years ago aggravated his condition, leaving him dependent on a walker and feeling abandoned by authorities.

People hurt or disabled by the catastrophic explosion told AFP that Lebanon, bankrupt and politically paralysed, has failed to deliver adequate medical care, financial support or justice. 

“The state forgot about us,” said the soft-spoken Salameh from his apartment in a district close to the port, much of which was destroyed along with entire districts of Beirut in one of history’s biggest non-nuclear explosions.

“I lost my car, my home, my job, my mobility… Yet no one looked after us,” he added.

The blast on August 4, 2020 killed more than 220 people and injured at least 6,500.

Salameh was at his family home in a neighbourhood adjacent to the port when the blast threw him from one side of their rooftop terrace to the other.

Formerly a sound engineer, he had been diagnosed in 2015 with multiple sclerosis — a lifelong condition in which a person’s central nervous system is attacked by the body’s own immune system.

While Salameh escaped bad physical injury in the explosion, the shock had a devastating effect on his illness. He soon found himself struggling to walk.

Vital medicine for his disease costs $140 a month, twice-yearly injections cost $1,000, and he said he needs an operation that costs $10,000.

But Salameh is unable to afford health care as he survives on family support and limited work opportunities.

His head was bandaged after a fall last month requiring stitches, and he said he had gone for months without his regular medication.

– ‘My life has ended’ –

The blast came during an economic collapse that has crippled Lebanon’s public sector and pushed most of the population into poverty.

Amanda Cherri, a former make-up artist, said injuries and constant pain forced her to give up her career.

“My life has ended. Someone stole it in only five minutes,” said Cherri, 40, from the building overlooking the port where she used to work.

At the moment of the explosion, she was near floor-to-ceiling mirrors and two huge vases that all smashed to smithereens. 

The shards pierced her face and body, leaving her blind in one eye and with one hand paralysed.

Authorities said the blast was triggered by a fire in a warehouse where a stockpile of ammonium nitrate fertiliser had been haphazardly stored for years.

“People who have become disabled have a right to lifelong support,” said Sylvana Lakkis, who heads the Lebanese Union for People with Physical Disabilities.

Yet “to this day, many need treatment they cannot afford,” she added.

Authorities have failed to keep track of the number of people left disabled by the blast, Lakkis said, but her organisation estimates that up to 1,000 people sustained temporary or permanent impairments.

At least four people who were disabled have died in the past year because they could not afford treatment, or received improper medical care, Lakkis told AFP.

“The explosion did not kill them. Their country did,” she said.

– ‘No hope’ –

Mikhail Younan, 52, needs a prosthetic knee but he cannot even afford a doctor’s appointment.

He delivers gas tanks to people’s homes, in a country where there is no mains gas for cooking or heating and state power cuts last most of the day.

His knee was injured in the blast and his other leg now gives him trouble too. He struggles to carry the heavy gas tanks up and down flights of stairs.

Younan said he has lost customers and earns just a fraction of what he used to.

“If the Lebanese state had helped me… I would have been able to live a somewhat normal life,” said Younan, who has a teenage daughter.

Instead, “pain has become my daily companion,” and he said he has “been living on painkillers and anti-inflammatories that have given me kidney problems.”

Lack of accountability has long been a hallmark of the Lebanese justice system, which is highly politicised in a country built on sectarian power-sharing.

Political and legal challenges have beleaguered the local probe into the blast, with high-level officials filing lawsuits against the investigating judge who charged them.

No one has yet been held responsible and the investigation is at a standstill.

Younan said he wants his daughter to leave Lebanon as soon as she finishes school.

“I have no hope,” he said.

“Every time the wheel of justice turns, someone tries to break it.”

Night shot of San Diego Convention Center

San Diego Comic-Con is a five-day event that offers fans of all genres and mediums the opportunity to indulge in their fandom and become immersed in their favourite fictional worlds.

In its second full edition since the pandemic, San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) is still waiting for that return to normal that everyone is talking about. In 2022, badge holders who held over their hard-won passes year after year were finally able to attend their beloved gathering of like-minded fans. But not all studios or vendors returned, leaving large holes to fill on the show floor and in the panel schedule. Then, just as congoers thought 2023 would be a return to glory, strikes by the Writers Guild of America followed by the Screen Actors Guild — American Federation of Television and Radio Artists just a week before the convention promised a little less glitz and glamour at this year’s event.

Days before fans from around the world descended upon the San Diego Convention Center, autographs and panels were cancelled, leaving the long-coveted Hall H room without an A-list headliner. Some panels plowed through, featuring directors, producers, clips and previews of upcoming episodes, though with less swag than may have been seen in past years. Jamie Lee Curtis maintained her commitment to appear, restricting her promotion to her debut eco-horror graphic novel, Mother Nature, and Japanese artist Junji Ito presented to elated Western fans who can’t get enough of his horror manga. But with fewer high-profile panels drawing people away from the show floor, it was definitely a little more difficult to get around.

On the other hand, all the changes to the traditional convention allowed the light to shine on the many offsite activations and parties taking place over the course of five days, July 19-23. One of the unique elements of SDCC is the fact that it spans beyond the confines of the convention centre’s walls, taking over several blocks of the surrounding downtown area. Hotels and trolleys are wrapped in high-quality images promoting studios’ latest offerings, with this year’s larger-than-life representations including Abbott Elementary, The Boys’ spinoff Gen V, Shogun, Wheel of Time, Yellowjackets and Hulu’s many animation offerings.

Offsite activations and parties are a significant part of some congoers’ schedules, engrossing them in their favourite TV shows and movies, and providing unmatched experiences. One of the things that can make an already good offsite great is the swag, and food and drink offerings. Afterall, hydrating and refuelling when spending all day running around or standing in lines can be a lifesaver, and take-home souvenirs are an absolute must for photos and collections.

A big winner was Paramount+’s The Lodge, which offered a number of themed activations in a cabin-esque atmosphere. Visitors had the opportunity to have a hand-drawn, Star Trek caricature; take an old-fashioned photograph a la 1923, as well as grab a branded root beer or a bourbon-based cocktail in a collectible cup; snack on a beef or vegan slider c/o Good Burger 2; enter the world of Special Ops: Lioness and test your problem-solving skills; get a faux tattoo from Ink Master; and partake in photo ops for Pet Sematary, SpongeBob SquarePants and Yellowjackets. They also hosted a scavenger hunt, rewarding those who completed all tasks with a sling bag and collectible cup.

AMC also impressed with Anne Rice’s Immortal Universe, “The Street of Immortality,” which immersed travellers into the world of Interview with the Vampire and Mayfair Witches. The trip begins in a darkened speakeasy offering “The Elixir of Immortality,” a mocktail presented by POM Wonderful. An array of actors transport visitors into Rice’s New Orleans, as street performers tap dance, trick the unsuspecting with an awesome shell game, play Lestat’s latest song on piano, and convince tourists of their need for a charm to ward off the evil that lurks in the streets. Visitors may interact with the actors as much or as little as they choose, personalizing their experience, which ends with the selection of one of four lovely posters.

Hulu’s “Animayhem” took over a large section behind the convention centre, providing congoers the opportunity to fill their Instagram feeds with photos taken with their favourite animated shows’ characters, including American Dad, Archer, Bob’s Burgers, Family Guy, The Great North, The Simpsons and Solar Opposites. But the big attraction was a 55 ft replica of Futurama’sHQ, alongside a crash-landed Planet Express ship. Inside, fans immersed themselves in the once-again revived series via a number of photo moments. Upon exiting, visitors received a cartoon-esque backpack and a Futurama pin set.

While “Jurassic World: The Exhibition” tours North America, SDCC got its own engaging experience with “Step into Jurassic Park,” celebrating the first film’s 30^th anniversary with a walk through the prehistoric park. High-quality photo moments included a Dilophosaurus “spitting” in your face and the chance to recreate the infamous toilet scene complete with giant T-Rex. If fans make it out of the park alive, they’re treated to dinosaur-themed chicken nuggets and choice of dipping-sauce flavours: honey lime sriracha, togarashi BBQ or honey mustard.

Finally, almost at the edge of the con’s perimeter, Cozi TV celebrated 30 years of Roseanne with “The Lanford Lunch Box” pop-up. Recreating episode 15 from season five, visitors are encouraged to try their hand at one of the many carnival games for a chance to win (mediocre) prizes, including sponsored bags, water bottles, Roseanne magnets, the episode’s script, or season six or seven of Roseanne on DVD. Fans are also treated to a recreation of the episode’s guest star appearance by country music star Loretta Lynn by lookalike actors. Most notably, visitors are offered a sample loose meat sandwich and mini bottle of water to refuel for the long walk back through the Gaslamp.

As far as parties go, there were some inevitable pros and cons. Indian sci-fi blockbuster, Project K, now revealed to be titled Kalki 2898 AD, went all-out at this year’s SDCC, taking over Hall H for a dynamic panel with writer-director Nag Ashwin, and stars Prabhas, Kamal Hassan and Amitabh Bachchan, which included a first glimpse at the film’s teaser trailer. To build even more hype, they hosted an afterparty Wednesday night to celebrate the film’s presence at the con. While the themed-food was hit and miss, the open bar was a winner — until two bars were cut to one as the talent arrived, closing off an entire room and never emerging to greet partygoers. Those in attendance made the best of the night, but it wasn’t without disappointment.

The sixth annual Fandom Party, which is undoubtedly one of the most desired afterparties of the con, became an even bigger ticket with the announcement that K-pop group NCT DOJAEJUNG would be headlining. Rather than the usual FCFS ticketing system, admission was granted to lottery winners who entered by completing various social media tasks. The result was a different atmosphere from previous years, with NCT fans lining the stage for the entire length of Thursday night’s party, while others mingled and played rock-themed pinball machines provided by Stern. But nothing can takeaway from the open bar and tasty appetizers floating around, if you managed to spot a server amongst the crowd. NCT eventually took the stage 15 minutes before the party’s close to wow diehard fans and casual listeners with three of their six songs.

In the end, National Geographic hosted one of the most relaxing events with their annual Comic-Con Lounge on Saturday, which featured cocktails and bites inspired by Nat Geo’s lineup of adventure series, including Running Wild with Bear Grylls: The Challenge, Animals Up Close with Bertie Gregory, Arctic Ascent with Alex Honnold and Never Say Never with Jeff Jenkins. Ample seating, easy bar access, a soft-shell taco station and frozen treats, as well as a green screen photo moment with the Northern Lights, made for an enjoyable evening, which was topped off with a large, compressible cooler and full-sized canteen for attendees.

There’s always plenty to do at SDCC and even with the strikes casting a dark cloud over the annual event, there was no shortage of activities to enjoy outside the convention.

Former US president Donald Trump has denied all wrongdoing – Copyright GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/File Anna Moneymaker

Former US president Donald Trump is now facing three criminal indictments, all filed since March — raising the prospect that the Republican frontrunner in the 2024 White House race could end up navigating a series of trials as he campaigns.

On Tuesday, he was indicted on four federal counts in connection to his alleged efforts to interfere with the results of the 2020 election, which he lost to Democrat Joe Biden.

Trump has already been indicted over his handling of top secret classified documents, making him the first former US president to face federal criminal charges.

The twice-impeached Trump, who is seeking to return to the White House in 2024, has also been charged in New York with making election-eve hush money payments to a porn star.

Here are the key cases involving the 77-year-old one-term president — and others that could materialize:

– 2020 election interference –

Special Counsel Jack Smith unveiled four new charges against Trump related to efforts to overturn the election results.

Trump is charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States, as well as conspiracy to obstruct and obstruction of an official proceeding — the January 6, 2021 meeting of a joint session of Congress held to certify Biden’s election victory.

He is also charged with conspiracy to deny Americans the right to vote and to have one’s vote counted. 

“Each of these conspiracies… targeted a bedrock function of the United States federal government: the nation’s process of collecting, counting, and certifying the results of the presidential election,” the indictment said.

The indictment mentions six co-conspirators but none are identified — Trump, currently the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, is the only named defendant.

Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, as Congress met to certify the presidential election results — an assault that left at least five people dead and 140 police officers injured.

Before the Capitol attack, Trump delivered a fiery speech urging the crowd to “fight like hell.”

– Classified documents –

Trump, in another indictment brought by Smith, is accused of endangering national security by holding onto top secret nuclear and defense documents after leaving the White House.

Trump kept the files — which included records from the Pentagon, CIA and National Security Agency — unsecured at his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida and thwarted official efforts to retrieve them, according to the indictment.

Trump was initially charged with 31 counts of “willful retention of national defense information,” each punishable by up to 10 years in prison. An additional count was added last week. 

He also faces charges of conspiracy to obstruct justice, making false statements and other offenses.

Last week, a superseding indictment also added an extra count under the Espionage Act related to Trump allegedly retaining a classified document “concerning military activity in a foreign country.” 

The federal judge in the case has set a trial date of May 20, 2024, at the height of the presidential campaign.

– Stormy hush money –

A New York grand jury indicted Trump in March over hush money payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels.

Prosecutors say the money was paid prior to the 2016 election to silence Daniels over claims she had a tryst with Trump in 2006 — a year after he married Melania Trump.

Late in the campaign, Trump’s lawyer Michael Cohen arranged a payment of $130,000 to Daniels in exchange for her pledge of confidentiality.

That case, in which he faces 34 felony counts, is due to go to trial next March, in the middle of the Republican primary election season.

– Georgia election meddling –

Trump is also being investigated in the southern state of Georgia for pressuring officials there to overturn Biden’s 2020 election victory — incidents that were also referred to in Tuesday’s federal indictment.

Evidence includes a taped phone call in which he asked Georgia’s then-secretary of state to “find” enough votes to reverse the result.

The top prosecutor in Georgia’s Fulton County, Fani Willis, has assembled a special grand jury that could see Trump facing conspiracy charges connected to election fraud.

In unusually public remarks, the grand jury’s forewoman in February said the 23-member panel had recommended indictments of multiple people, including “certainly names that you would recognize.” 

She did not say whether Trump was among them.

– Other probes –

Trump was found liable recently in a civil case for sexually abusing and defaming an American former magazine columnist, E. Jean Carroll, in 1996, and ordered to pay her $5 million in damages.

In New York, the state attorney general Letitia James has filed a civil suit against Trump and three of his children, accusing them of fraud by over-valuing assets to secure loans and then under-valuing them to minimize taxes.

James is seeking $250 million in penalties as well as banning Trump and his children from serving as executives at companies in New York.

Trump has denied all wrongdoing.

US lawmakers are probing BlackRock and MSCI over the flow of American funds to sanctioned Chinese companies – Copyright GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/File Andrew Burton

US lawmakers are probing American investment flows facilitated by BlackRock and MSCI to Chinese companies that Washington has sanctioned, a congressional panel announced Tuesday.

The investigation followed a discovery that asset manager BlackRock and investment index provider MSCI “invest or enable the investment of Americans’ savings into dozens of blacklisted Chinese companies,” the bipartisan House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) said on its website.

These firms are targeted over what Washington says is their threat to US national security or support of the CCP’s human rights abuses.

Letters from the committee’s chairman Mike Gallagher, a Wisconsin Republican, and ranking member Raja Krishnamoorthi, an Illinois Democrat, to the firms seek details about BlackRock and MSCI’s facilitation of investments to Chinese firms. 

They also ask for an explanation of the due diligence on prospective investments, as well as details on the transparency of investments to investors and the public.

The letters, dated Monday, do not assert that BlackRock or MSCI violated US sanctions.

But the committee seeks a “prompt reply” from both parties to inform the panel’s understanding of the CCP’s “economic, technology and security progress and its competition with the United States,” said the letters.

BlackRock “has invested more than $429 million in PRC companies that pose national security risks to and act against the interests of the United States,” according to the committee, using the official acronym for the People’s Republic of China.

With over $13 trillion benchmarked against MSCI products, the inclusion of sanctioned Chinese firms means that millions of Americans’ savings “are now unwittingly funding PRC companies that develop and build weapons for the People’s Liberation Army,” the committee noted.

BlackRock said it will “continue engaging” with the House panel on the issues raised, a spokesperson said.

“Like many global asset managers, BlackRock offers our clients a number of strategies to invest in or exclude China from their portfolios,” the company said, adding that the majority of investments are through US index funds. 

“With all investments in China and markets around the world, BlackRock complies with all applicable US government laws,” BlackRock said.

MSCI said it was reviewing the request from the committee.

“MSCI indexes measure the performance of equity markets available to international investors, and comply with all applicable US laws,” the firm said. “MSCI does not manage or recommend or facilitate investments in any country.”

Opinions expressed by Digital Journal contributors are their own.

The Agile Methodology has become synonymous with success, efficiency, and adaptability in the project management industry. As project requirements shift with evolving technologies and market trends, Agile has proven to be an indispensable tool in managing these constant transformations, ensuring businesses stay ahead of the curve.

“In an age where disruption is the norm, standing still is the fastest way to fall behind,” says Madhavi Putta, an innovator in Agile project management. 

The Agile Revolution

Agile Project Management, once a buzzword in the tech industry, has become the blueprint for modern businesses striving to advance in an increasingly complex environment. Innovations within this field are more than just shiny new tools; they are the driving forces behind organizations’ ability to adapt, pivot, and deliver amidst constant change.

Agile Project Management is rooted in flexibility, adaptability, and responsiveness. This framework rose to prominence in the early 2000s as a response to the growing need for speed, innovation, and customer-centricity in project delivery. Unlike traditional project management methods, which tend to be linear and rigid, Agile embraces change as an inherent aspect of business processes.

The Agile Advocate

“Throughout my career, I’ve witnessed firsthand the difference Agile methodologies make,” says Madhavi. Her expertise in Agile project management is both theoretical and grounded in years of practical experience. As a Certified Project Manager with an extensive background in IT, he has seen the transformation Agile methodologies bring to project outcomes – shorter timelines, improved quality, and enhanced customer satisfaction.

“The key,” Putta stresses, “is fostering a culture of collaboration and transparency. When every stakeholder is actively engaged throughout the project lifecycle, that’s when the magic happens.”

One of Putta’s most significant accomplishments has been the successful implementation of an online bid room, which has changed the bidding process for vendors across Texas. Using AI chatbots and cutting-edge technology, this system permits vendors to submit bids electronically, improving efficiency, and ensuring timely submissions.

“It’s not just about the bidding process. It’s about transparency and accountability. That’s why we posted the awarded contracts on a publicly accessible website, granting Texans a view of how public funds are allocated,” Putta notes.

However, not everyone is aligned with Putta’s insights. Some believe that Agile is not a one-size-fits-all solution and may lead to a lack of clarity and planning, especially in complex projects with fixed timelines and budgets. 

The reality of today’s business industry points to a different conclusion. According to a 2023 report from the Project Management Institute, nearly 75% of organizations now use Agile methodologies for at least some of their projects, and the trend is intensifying.

Forecasting future trends

As digital technologies become more and more of a norm across nearly all industries, Putta continues to champion Agile methodologies to help businesses thrive better.

“The future is exciting. Through AI’s predictive capabilities, we can anticipate problems before they occur and respond proactively, leading to even greater efficiency and effectiveness.” Putta says.

It’s apparent that Agile methodologies and AI are not just passing trends but cornerstones of the new normal. As businesses grapple with the relentless pace of technological change, Agile practitioners like Madhavi Putta are leading the way, transforming not just projects but entire organizations. As a self-described ‘innovation enabler’, she continues to challenge traditional paradigms and shape the future. Her story serves as a stark reminder of the power of innovation and the crucial role Agile methodologies are set to play in the coming years.

Task Group analyzed the growth in contactless card payments over the past few years, using industry reports, survey data, and news coverage.
– Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

Paxtyn Merten

A small-town pizzeria. Your favorite corner bistro. Even Girl Scouts selling cookies outside the grocery store. Not long ago, all these locations would have required credit card swipes—or even just cash—to check out. Now, they are all examples of places that may accept tap-to-pay from digital wallets and contactless credit cards.

Tap payments have grown quickly over the past couple of years, with digital wallet prevalence and COVID-19 precautions driving much of the adoption. Task Group analyzed news coverage, industry reports, and Federal Reserve data to dive deeper into the growing phenomenon of contactless card payments.

In its latest financial update, leading credit and debit card provider Visa said about 1 in 3 in-person card transactions in the U.S. utilized tap-to-pay. That’s up about sevenfold from three years ago. Competitor Mastercard said contactless payments comprise about 58% of its in-person transactions globally.

Contactless payment options are now available in more and more retail and food service establishments across the country, and customers are using them more often to pay for a bag of chips or dinner for 10. In June, PayPal launched tap-to-pay for Venmo business users on Android devices and for PayPal Zettle users, further expanding the technology’s reach to the nation’s smallest enterprises. In New York City and Chicago, transit riders can tap-to-pay for their fares.

Contactless payment methods require customers to hold their device—usually a smartphone—or credit card near the reader, rather than swipe or insert it. This transaction happens via short-distance radio waves. During this transmission, contactless payments’ data is encrypted, making them difficult to hack and transactions more secure than with easily cloned magnetic-stripe swiping cards. Plus, there are fewer germs spread, as in most cases the card doesn’t need to make full contact with the reader.

Other than contactless credit cards, digital wallets like Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay allow contactless payments. About 9 in 10 Americans said they use some form of digital payment, and more than two-thirds think they will have at least one digital wallet within the next couple of years, according to a 2022 McKinsey survey.

While convenience and consolidation were important for current and future digital wallet users, more McKinsey survey respondents were excited about the opportunity they pose for store loyalty rewards.

Task Group

COVID-19 drives surge in contactless payments

Federal Reserve data is more comprehensive than those of credit card providers but has a slight reporting delay. Its estimates show that contactless card payments grew more than fivefold from 2018 to 2020—when COVID-19 precautions ramped up throughout the U.S. Much of that growth happened in 2020, despite a decline in overall in-person card payments as fewer people ventured outside to make purchases.

Contactless payments were especially popular from July through September of 2020 when restrictions began to lift in some areas. The relatively novel offering to U.S. consumers limited germ spread as people ventured out of their quarantine bubbles. Some stores rolled out contactless payments specifically in response to the pandemic.

As card payments overall declined but contactless grew, the payment method also grew its share of in-person payments by 3.8 percentage points, reaching nearly six times its original share.

While U.S. contactless payment adoption is growing, it still trails much of the world. Mobile wallets have been gaining traction for a decade in Asia and for a few years elsewhere. Visa tap payments outside the U.S. have reached nearly 3 in 4 in-person transactions. These days, many non-U.S. establishments will only accept tap payments and have used contactless as a default for years. Riding the tail winds of the pandemic, the U.S. may reach that level of near-ubiquity soon.

Data reporting by Paxtyn Merten. Story editing by Jeff Inglis. Copy editing by Tim Bruns. Photo selection by Clarese Moller.

This story originally appeared on Task Group and was produced and
distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.

Workers in a cradle suspended from a rail on the shield have been cutting off grain and ribbon elements of the Soviet emblem – Copyright AFP Sergei SUPINSKY

Anna MALPAS

Workers lowered a hammer and sickle from a towering sculpture overlooking Kyiv on Tuesday in a campaign to remove Soviet icons that ramped up after Russia invaded last year.

The 62-metre-high steel figure of a woman holding a sword and shield bearing the USSR-linked symbols was unveiled in 1981 as a memorial to Soviet victory in World War II.

But since Russia’s invasion, Ukraine doubled-down on the removal of references to Soviet history and Russian culture from geographical names, and a law on decolonisation came into force this summer.

There are similarly massive war memorials in former Soviet cities like Volgograd in Russia and Brest in Belarus.

The monument standing atop a war museum is known literally as the “Fatherland Mother” but there are now calls to rename the it Mother Ukraine.

The culture ministry has meanwhile backed a plan to furnish the figure with a new shield bearing the country’s trident emblem.

The statue is part of the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War and it is planned that the Soviet shield will go on display there.

– ‘Culture and information front’ –

“We’re obliged to carry out de-communisation, and replacing the shield is one of the main steps of that work,” the museum’s director Yuriy Savchuk told AFP standing beneath the statue.

He said the project fits with Ukraine’s aspirations to move towards the West and become a member of NATO and that the work was part of an ideological war.

“The war is obviously also playing out on the cultural and informational front: it’s a war for identity, for people’s consciousness,” Savchuk said.

Workers in a cradle suspended from the top of the shield have since last month been removing sheafs of wheat and ribbons from the Soviet emblem, lowering them on ropes.

AFP on journalists on the scene saw them cutting around the hammer and sickle and lowering them to the ground after delays due to several air raid warnings.

“Maybe this should have been done before the full-scale invasion… but today the Russian-Ukrainian war brings fresh relevance to a lot of questions that were put off in the past,” Savchuk said.

Replacing the shield is set to cost 28 million hryvnias ($758,000), although officials stress it will be paid for by donations and sponsorship, not state funds.

The arts minister who had backed the project resigned last month amid official criticism of the cost of arts projects in wartime.

But a survey commissioned by the culture ministry last year found 85 percent of Ukrainians backed removing the hammer and sickle.

– ‘Looking at the enemy’ –

Acting minister Rostislav Karandeyev hailed the project as an “essential element of our resistance in the ideological battle with our enemy,” as he watched the work from the ground.

He said the new shield should be in place by this month’s national holidays: Ukraine’s flag day on August 23 and independence day on August 24.

The minister said that he expected the decision on renaming the statue “will be taken on a political level”.

Sculptor Oleksiy Pergamenshchyk, who created the trident emblem for the new shield, told AFP the removal of the symbols was a long time coming.

“We can prove that we are a great nation and we are not afraid of anything, any challenges,” he said.

Pergamenshchyk studied under one of the original monument’s sculptors, Vasyl Borodai, and dismissed calls for the monument itself to be removed due to its construction during the Soviet era.

“It was made by two Ukrainian great sculptors, (Evgeniy) Vuchetych and Borodai, and it doesn’t look Soviet because Borodai made it in Greek dress,” Pergamenshchyk said.

The new trident measures 7.60 metres in length and 4.56 metres in width, he said, adding the statue faces northward, away from the city.

“Actually Mother Ukraine is looking right at the enemy, holding the shield, holding the sword, it’s very symbolic,” he said.

A motorcyclist takes a break in the heat of Tehran on July 11, 2023 – Copyright AFP/File ATTA KENARE

Iran on Tuesday declared a two-day holiday for government workers and banks nationwide as searing temperatures sweep across the country, state media reported.

The decision came after the meteorological office forecast temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in many cities, and hovering around 50 degrees Celsius in the southwest.

State broadcaster IRIB has said many cities including in the provinces of Ilam, Bushehr, and Khuzestan have seen temperatures rise above 45 degrees Celsius in recent days. 

“The cabinet agreed to the health ministry proposal to declare Wednesday and Thursday public holidays all over the country to protect public health,” the official IRNA news agency quoted government spokesman Ali Bahadori Jahromi as saying. 

IRNA said the decision was taken because of what it described as an “unprecedented” heatwave across the country.

According to IRIB, Dehloran city in western Iran recorded the highest temperature of 50 degrees Celsius in Iran over the past 24 hours. 

It added that temperatures were expected to rise in the north as well, including in the city of Ardabil as well as at the southern shores of the Caspian sea. 

The health ministry has warned of the risks of heatstroke from over-exposure to the sun, and urged people to stay indoors between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm.

Health ministry spokesman Pedram Pakain described the number of heat-related illnesses in recent days as “alarming”.

In June, Iran changed summer working hours for government employees who now start earlier, in order to save electricity in offices when temperatures peak.

The southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchistan has been among the hardest hit by the heatwave.

Around 1,000 people have received hospital treatment there in recent days because of rising temperatures and dust storms, IRNA said.

The region has long faced severe water shortages, which triggered protests on Monday over an upstream dam in neighbouring Afghanistan restricting water flow, the Tasnim news agency said.

Iran, with a population of more than 85 million, is among the countries most vulnerable to climate change and the rise in global temperatures.

Like nearby countries, it has suffered extreme dry spells and heatwaves for years, which are expected to worsen as climate change continues.

It has also endured repeated droughts as well as regular flooding, a phenomenon made worse when torrential rain falls on sun-baked earth. 

France’s nuclear fuel firm Orano, formerly part of Areva, operates a uranium mine in the north of the country, employing some 900 mostly Nigeran staff – Copyright AFP STR

The military coup in Niger last week raises the question of Europe’s dependency on uranium mined in the West African nation for its nuclear power plants. 

France’s nuclear fuel firm Orano, formerly part of Areva, operates a uranium mine in the north of the country, employing some 900 mostly Nigeran staff.

The company said last week that it was monitoring the situation closely but that the seizure of power by the military had not for the moment affected the delivery of uranium supplies.

Niger accounts for only a small percentage of global production of natural uranium.

In 2021, it produced 4.7 percent of the world’s total, far behind Kazakhstan at 45.2 percent, according to Euratom Supply Agency (ESA), which ensures Europe’s supply of nuclear materials.

“In 2022, Niger was second largest supplier of natural uranium to the EU, with share of 25.38 percent,” ESA told AFP.

“Kazakhstan, Niger, and Canada were the top three countries delivering natural uranium, providing 74.19 percent of the total,” it added.

The European Union said Tuesday the bloc was not at risk of supply problems due to the coup. 

“EU utilities have sufficient inventories of natural uranium to mitigate any short-term supply risks and for the medium and long term there are enough deposits on the world market to cover the EU needs,” European Commission spokesman Adalbert Jahnz said. 

For France, which operates 56 reactors that provide more than two-thirds of the nation’s electricity, Niger was the number three source during the 2005-2020 period, accounting for 19 percent of the total, behind Kazakhstan and Australia.

For uranium, Niger “is no longer the strategic partner of Paris as it was in the 1960s or 1970s”, said Alain Antil, head of the Sub-Saharan African centre at the French Institute for International Relations (IFRI). 

– Stockpiling –

France’s energy transition ministry said the situation in Niger doesn’t pose any risk for natural uranium supplies as EDF, the operator of France’s park of nuclear reactors, has worked to diversify its suppliers, while the foreign ministry said the country’s suppliers were “extremely diversified”.

According to Teva Meyer, a specialist on the civilian nuclear energy sector at the University of Upper Alsace, said EDF has been working on diversifying its suppliers for the past decade, turning to Central Asian nations such as Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, as well as Australia.

Having a diverse supplier base has been a long-time recommendation of Euratom Supply Agency.

“The political and economic events in 2021 and early 2022 seriously impacted the global nuclear market and highlighted the relevance and urgency of ESA recommendations” concerning the diversification of suppliers, the head of the agency, Agnieszka Ewa Kazmierczak, wrote last year in the introduction to ESA’s annual report.

“Overall, deliveries of natural uranium to EU utilities are well diversified, but several utilities buy their natural uranium from one supplier only,” said the report.

EDF has also adopted a policy to keep on hand several years’ worth of supplies and to develop the recycling of used nuclear fuel, according to the energy transition ministry.

“We have three years of enriched fuel in France so there is no supply risk,” said Nicolas Goldberg, an energy expert at Colombus Consulting.

University of Upper Alsace’s Meyer said that from the moment natural uranium is mined to it is burned in a reactor several years can elapse as it passes through the numerous stages of processing.

To be burned as fuel in a nuclear reactor, natural uranium needs to be purified, transformed and then enriched.

“France, like Europe, has strategic stocks of uranium at all stages of transformation equivalent to two years of consumption,” said Meyer.