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Worldnews
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Worldnews
French Intelligence Claims China Trying To Foil Global Sale Of Rafale Jets
~2.8 mins read
French officials allege China’s foreign embassies leading charge to undermine Rafale sales after India-Pakistan conflict in May, says report. French military and intelligence officials claim China has deployed its embassies to spread doubts about the performance of French-made Rafale jets following the aerial combat between India and Pakistan in May. The Associated Press news agency, quoting French officials, reported on Sunday that Beijing is working to harm the reputation and sales of France’s flagship fighter aircraft. French officials say they have found that the Chinese embassies are trying to undermine Rafale sales by persuading countries that have already ordered the jets, notably Indonesia, not to buy them and instead choose Chinese-made fighters. The AP report said the findings were shared by a French military official on condition that they should not be named. Four days of India-Pakistan clashes in May were the most serious confrontation in years between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, which included air combat involving dozens of aircraft from both sides. Military officials and researchers have since been digging for details of how Pakistan’s Chinese-made military hardware – particularly warplanes and air-combat missiles – fared against weaponry that India used in air strikes on Pakistani targets, notably French-made Rafale fighters. Sales of Rafales and other armaments are big business for the French defence industry and help Paris to strengthen ties with other nations, including in Asia, where China is becoming the dominant regional power. Pakistan says its air force downed five Indian planes during the fighting, including three Rafales. French officials say that prompted questions about their performance from countries that have bought the fighter from French manufacturer Dassault Aviation. India acknowledged aircraft losses but did not say how many. French air force chief General Jerome Bellanger said he has seen evidence pointing to just three aircraft losses – a Rafale, a Russian-made Sukhoi and a Mirage 2000, which is an earlier generation French-made jet. It was the first known combat loss of a Rafale, which France has sold to eight countries. “Of course, all those, the nations that bought Rafales, asked themselves questions,” Bellanger said. French officials have been battling to protect the plane from reputational damage, pushing back against what they allege was a concerted campaign of Rafale-bashing and disinformation online from Pakistan and its ally, China. They say the campaign included viral posts on social media, manipulated imagery showing supposed Rafale debris, AI-generated content and video-game depictions to simulate supposed combat. More than 1,000 social media accounts newly created as the India-Pakistan clashes erupted also spread a narrative of Chinese technological superiority, according to French researchers who specialise in online disinformation. Military officials in France say they have not been able to link the online Rafale-bashing directly to the Chinese government. But the French intelligence service said Chinese embassy defence attaches echoed the same narrative in meetings they held with security and defence officials from other countries, arguing that Indian Rafale jets performed poorly and promoting Chinese-made weaponry. The defence attaches focused their lobbying on countries that have ordered Rafales and other potential customer nations that are considering purchases, the intelligence service said. It said French officials learned of the meetings from nations that were approached. The French Ministry for Armed Forces said the Rafale was targeted by “a vast campaign of disinformation” that “sought to promote the superiority of alternative equipment, notably of Chinese design”. “The Rafale was not randomly targeted. It is a highly capable fighter jet, exported abroad and deployed in a high-visibility theatre,” the French ministry wrote on its website. Asked by AP to comment on the alleged effort to dent Rafale’s appeal, the Ministry of National Defence in Beijing said: “The relevant claims are pure groundless rumours and slander. China has consistently maintained a prudent and responsible approach to military exports, playing a constructive role in regional and global peace and stability.” Dassault Aviation has sold 533 Rafales, including 323 exported to Egypt, India, Qatar, Greece, Croatia, the United Arab Emirates, Serbia and Indonesia. Indonesia has ordered 42 planes and is considering buying more. Follow Al Jazeera English:...
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Healthwatch
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Healthwatch
How And Why To Fit More Fiber And Fermented Food Into Your Meals
~5.0 mins read
Fiber and fermented foods aid the gut microbiome, contributing to better health and mood.
An F may mean failure in school, but the letter earns high marks in your diet. The two biggest dietary Fs — fiber and fermented foods — are top priorities to help maintain healthy digestion, and they potentially offer much more. How can you fit these nutrients into meals? Can this help your overall health as well as gut health?
Fiber, fermented foods, and the gut microbiome
The gut microbiome is a composed of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microorganisms living in the colon (large intestine). What you eat, the air you breathe, where you live, and many other factors affect the makeup of the gut microbiome. Some experts think of it as a hidden organ because it has a role in many important functions of the body — for example, helping the immune system function optimally, reducing chronic inflammation, keeping intestinal cells healthy, and providing some essential micronutrients that may not be included in a regular diet.
Your gut communicates with your brain through pathways in the gut-brain axis. Changes in the gut microbiome have been linked with mood and mental health disorders, such as depression and anxiety. However, it's not yet clear that these changes directly cause these types of problems.
We do know that a healthy diet low in processed foods is key to a healthy gut microbiome. And increasing evidence suggests that fiber and fermented foods can play important parts here.
Fiber 101
Fiber's main job is to make digestion smoother by softening and adding bulk to stool, making it pass quickly through the intestines.
But fiber has other benefits for your microbiome and overall health. A high-fiber diet helps keep body weight under control and lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. Research has found that eating enough fiber reduces the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers.
What to know about fiber
There are two types of fiber: insoluble (which helps you feel full and encourages regular bowel movements) and soluble (which helps lower cholesterol and blood sugar). However, recent research suggests people should focus on the total amount of fiber in their diet, rather than type of fiber.
If you're trying to add more foods with fiber to your diet, make sure you ease into new fiber-rich habits and drink plenty of water. Your digestive system must adapt slowly to avoid gas, bloating, diarrhea, and stomach cramps caused by eating too much too soon. Your body will gradually adjust to increasing fiber after a week or so.
How much fiber do you need?
The fiber formula is 14 grams for every 1,000 calories consumed. Your specific calorie intake can vary depending on your activity levels.
"But instead of tracking daily fiber, focus on adding more servings of fiber-rich foods to your diet," says Eric Rimm, professor of epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Which foods are high in fiber?
Fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains are all high in fiber. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans has a comprehensive list of fiber-rich foods and their calorie counts.
What about over-the-counter fiber supplements that come in capsules, powders that you mix with water, and chewable tablets? "If you have trouble eating enough fiber-rich foods, then these occasionally can be used, and there is no evidence they are harmful," says Rimm. "But they should not serve as your primary source of dietary fiber."
Fermented foods 101
Fermented foods contain both prebiotics — ingredients that create healthy changes in the microbiome — and beneficial live bacteria called probiotics. Both prebiotics and probiotics help maintain a healthy gut microbiome.
What to know about fermented foods
Besides helping with digestion and absorbing vital nutrients from food, a healthy gut supports your immune system to help fight infections and protect against inflammation. Some research suggests that certain probiotics help relieve symptoms of gut-related conditions like inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome, though not all experts agree with this.
Many foods that are fermented undergo lacto-fermentation, in which natural bacteria feed on the sugar and starch in the food, creating lactic acid. Not only does this process remove simple sugars, it creates various species of good bacteria, such as Lactobacillus or Bifidobacterium. (Keep in mind that some foods undergo steps that remove probiotics and other healthful microbes, as with beer or wine, or make them inactive, like baking and canning.)
The exact amounts and specific strains of bacteria in fermented foods vary depending on how they are made. In addition to probiotics, fermented foods may contain other valuable nutrients like enzymes, B vitamins, and omega-3 fatty acids.
How often should you eat fermented foods?
There is no recommended daily allowance for prebiotics or probiotics, so it is impossible to know precisely which fermented foods or quantities are best. The general guideline is to add more to your daily diet.
Which fermented foods should you choose?
Fermented foods have a range of tastes and textures because of the particular bacteria they produce during fermentation or that are added to foods. Yogurt is one of the most popular fermented foods (look for the words "live and active cultures" on the label). Still, many options are available if you are not a yogurt fan or want to expand your fermented choices. Kimchi, sauerkraut, kombucha, and pickles are a few examples.
As with fiber, probiotics are also marketed as over-the-counter supplements. However, like all dietary supplements, they do not require FDA approval, so there is no guarantee that the types of bacteria listed on a label can provide the promised benefits — or are even in the bottle. "Therefore, it is best to get your probiotics from fermented foods," says Rimm.
To learn more about the value of fiber, fermented foods, and a healthy gut microbiome, listen to this episode of the Food, We Need to Talk podcast, "Understanding the Microbiome."
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Worldnews
Iran Tells Millions Of Afghans To Leave Or Face Arrest On Day Of Deadline
~2.2 mins read
Afghans given Sunday deadline amid concerns over security after conflict with Israel, but humanitarian groups warn that mass deportations could further destabilise Afghanistan. Millions of Afghan migrants and refugees in Iran have been asked to leave or face arrest as a deadline set by the government comes to an end. Sunday’s target date neared amid public concerns over security in the aftermath of the 12-day conflict with Israel, which the United States joined with air strikes on Iran’s uranium-enrichment facilities. But humanitarian organisations warned that mass deportations could further destabilise Afghanistan, one of the world’s most impoverished nations. Iran is home to an estimated 4 million Afghan migrants and refugees, and many have lived there for decades. In 2023, Tehran launched a campaign to expel foreigners it said were living in the country “illegally”. In March, the Iranian government ordered that Afghans without the right to remain should leave voluntarily by Sunday or face expulsion. Since then, more than 700,000 Afghans have left, and hundreds of thousands of others face expulsion. More than 230,000 departed in June alone, the United Nations International Organization for Migration said. The government has denied targeting Afghans, who have fled their homeland to escape war, poverty and Taliban rule. Batoul Akbari, a restaurant owner, told Al Jazeera that Afghans living in Tehran were hurt by “anti-Afghan sentiment”, adding that it was heartbreaking to see “people sent away from the only home they have ever known”. “Being born in Iran gives us the feeling of having two homelands,” Akbari said. “Our parents are from Afghanistan, but this is what we’ve always known as home.” Mohammad Nasim Mazaheri, a student whose family had to leave Iran, agreed: “The deportations have torn families apart.” The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimated that Iran deported more than 30,000 Afghans on average each day during the war with Israel, up from about 2,000 earlier. “We have always striven to be good hosts, but national security is a priority, and naturally, illegal nationals must return,” Iranian government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani said on Tuesday. Late last month, the UNHCR said, of the 1.2 million returning Afghans, more than half had come from Iran after its government set its deadline on March 20. “They are coming in buses, and sometimes, five buses arrive at one time with families and others, and the people are let out of the bus, and they are simply bewildered, disoriented and tired and hungry as well,” Arafat Jamal, the UNHCR representative in Afghanistan said as he described the scene at a border crossing. “This has been exacerbated by the war, but I must say it has been part of an underlying trend that we have seen of returns from Iran, some of which are voluntary, but a large portion were also deportations.” Al Jazeera’s Resul Serdar, reporting from Tehran, said Afghans have increasingly been blamed for economic hardships, shortages and social issues in Iran. “These accusations have been fuelled by political rhetoric and social media campaigns following 12 days of conflict between Iran and Israel and claims that Israel has recruited Afghans as spies,” he said. Follow Al Jazeera English:...
Read this story on Aljazeera
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Healthwatch
How And Why To Fit More Fiber And Fermented Food Into Your Meals
~5.0 mins read
Fiber and fermented foods aid the gut microbiome, contributing to better health and mood.
An F may mean failure in school, but the letter earns high marks in your diet. The two biggest dietary Fs — fiber and fermented foods — are top priorities to help maintain healthy digestion, and they potentially offer much more. How can you fit these nutrients into meals? Can this help your overall health as well as gut health?
Fiber, fermented foods, and the gut microbiome
The gut microbiome is a composed of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microorganisms living in the colon (large intestine). What you eat, the air you breathe, where you live, and many other factors affect the makeup of the gut microbiome. Some experts think of it as a hidden organ because it has a role in many important functions of the body — for example, helping the immune system function optimally, reducing chronic inflammation, keeping intestinal cells healthy, and providing some essential micronutrients that may not be included in a regular diet.
Your gut communicates with your brain through pathways in the gut-brain axis. Changes in the gut microbiome have been linked with mood and mental health disorders, such as depression and anxiety. However, it's not yet clear that these changes directly cause these types of problems.
We do know that a healthy diet low in processed foods is key to a healthy gut microbiome. And increasing evidence suggests that fiber and fermented foods can play important parts here.
Fiber 101
Fiber's main job is to make digestion smoother by softening and adding bulk to stool, making it pass quickly through the intestines.
But fiber has other benefits for your microbiome and overall health. A high-fiber diet helps keep body weight under control and lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. Research has found that eating enough fiber reduces the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers.
What to know about fiber
There are two types of fiber: insoluble (which helps you feel full and encourages regular bowel movements) and soluble (which helps lower cholesterol and blood sugar). However, recent research suggests people should focus on the total amount of fiber in their diet, rather than type of fiber.
If you're trying to add more foods with fiber to your diet, make sure you ease into new fiber-rich habits and drink plenty of water. Your digestive system must adapt slowly to avoid gas, bloating, diarrhea, and stomach cramps caused by eating too much too soon. Your body will gradually adjust to increasing fiber after a week or so.
How much fiber do you need?
The fiber formula is 14 grams for every 1,000 calories consumed. Your specific calorie intake can vary depending on your activity levels.
"But instead of tracking daily fiber, focus on adding more servings of fiber-rich foods to your diet," says Eric Rimm, professor of epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Which foods are high in fiber?
Fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains are all high in fiber. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans has a comprehensive list of fiber-rich foods and their calorie counts.
What about over-the-counter fiber supplements that come in capsules, powders that you mix with water, and chewable tablets? "If you have trouble eating enough fiber-rich foods, then these occasionally can be used, and there is no evidence they are harmful," says Rimm. "But they should not serve as your primary source of dietary fiber."
Fermented foods 101
Fermented foods contain both prebiotics — ingredients that create healthy changes in the microbiome — and beneficial live bacteria called probiotics. Both prebiotics and probiotics help maintain a healthy gut microbiome.
What to know about fermented foods
Besides helping with digestion and absorbing vital nutrients from food, a healthy gut supports your immune system to help fight infections and protect against inflammation. Some research suggests that certain probiotics help relieve symptoms of gut-related conditions like inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome, though not all experts agree with this.
Many foods that are fermented undergo lacto-fermentation, in which natural bacteria feed on the sugar and starch in the food, creating lactic acid. Not only does this process remove simple sugars, it creates various species of good bacteria, such as Lactobacillus or Bifidobacterium. (Keep in mind that some foods undergo steps that remove probiotics and other healthful microbes, as with beer or wine, or make them inactive, like baking and canning.)
The exact amounts and specific strains of bacteria in fermented foods vary depending on how they are made. In addition to probiotics, fermented foods may contain other valuable nutrients like enzymes, B vitamins, and omega-3 fatty acids.
How often should you eat fermented foods?
There is no recommended daily allowance for prebiotics or probiotics, so it is impossible to know precisely which fermented foods or quantities are best. The general guideline is to add more to your daily diet.
Which fermented foods should you choose?
Fermented foods have a range of tastes and textures because of the particular bacteria they produce during fermentation or that are added to foods. Yogurt is one of the most popular fermented foods (look for the words "live and active cultures" on the label). Still, many options are available if you are not a yogurt fan or want to expand your fermented choices. Kimchi, sauerkraut, kombucha, and pickles are a few examples.
As with fiber, probiotics are also marketed as over-the-counter supplements. However, like all dietary supplements, they do not require FDA approval, so there is no guarantee that the types of bacteria listed on a label can provide the promised benefits — or are even in the bottle. "Therefore, it is best to get your probiotics from fermented foods," says Rimm.
To learn more about the value of fiber, fermented foods, and a healthy gut microbiome, listen to this episode of the Food, We Need to Talk podcast, "Understanding the Microbiome."
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