Russian troops are dying in Ukraine due to heavy alcohol consumption, poor weapons handling, and hypothermia, UK intel says
Alia Shoaib – April 2, 2023
Russia ordered troops to cross into rebel-held Ukrainian territory on Monday.Russian Defense Ministry Press Service/Associated Press
Russian troops are dying in Ukraine due to incidents linked to alcohol consumption, the UK MoD says.
Heavy drinking is tacitly accepted by the military, even in combat operations, it said.
The ministry estimated that Russia has suffered up to 200,000 casualties since the war began.
Many Russian troops are dying in Ukraine because of non-combat issues such as alcohol consumption and poor weapons handling drills, the UK defense ministry said in an intelligence update on Sunday.
The ministry estimated that Russia has suffered up to 200,000 casualties since its invasion of Ukraine over a year ago and that a “significant minority” has not been due to the fighting.
A Russian Telegram news channel reported in March that alcohol consumption is a particular issue amongst the deployed Russian troops and that “extremely high” incidents, crimes, and deaths have been linked to it.
The ministry noted that heavy drinking is commonplace in Russian society and has become a tacitly accepted part of military life, even in combat.
Russian commanders are likely finding alcohol abuse to be especially detrimental to combat effectiveness, the ministry said.
Aside from that, it said other common causes of non-combat casualties likely include poor weapon handling drills, road traffic accidents, and hypothermia.
There have been reports of Russian soldiers freezing to death on the front lines during a brutal winter because they are inadequately equipped.
Russia is currently in the midst of a winter offensive, which aims to extend Russian control over the whole Donbas region in Ukraine.
The mission has been largely unsuccessful, with Russia making minimal gains in exchange for high losses.
Russia says Gershkovich was spying, which the Journal adamantly denies. It’s safe to believe the Journal because Russia passed a law last year that basically criminalizes what journalists do: ask questions about things the government doesn’t want anybody to know about.
That law focuses on anybody spreading information about the Russian military, which may apply to Gershkovich because he was reportedly researching a story on the Wagner paramilitary group that’s part of Russia’s invasion force in Ukraine. But that’s just a pretext for Russian President Vladimir Putin to punish and silence one voice highlighting the economic price Russians are starting to pay for Putin’s disastrous invasion of Ukraine.
A picture taken on July 24, 2021 shows journalist Evan Gershkovich. – A US reporter for The Wall Street Journal newspaper has been detained in Russia for espionage, Russian news agencies reported Thursday, citing the FSB security services. “The FSB halted the illegal activities of US citizen Evan Gershkovich… a correspondent of the Moscow bureau of the American newspaper The Wall Street Journal, accredited with the Russian foreign ministry,” the FSB was quoted as saying. He is “suspected of spying in the interests of the American government” and of collecting information “on an enterprise of the Russian military-industrial complex,” agencies reported. (Photo by Dimitar DILKOFF / AFP) (Photo by DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP via Getty Images)
For several months after Russian forces invaded Ukraine last February, the Russian economy seemed resilient. A spike in energy prices boosted Russia’s oil and gas revenue, its largest source of funds. Deft maneuvers by the Russian Central Bank helped the country withstand tough sanctions imposed by the United States and other allies of Ukraine. Russian forces floundered in Ukraine, but that was due to poor military planning and execution, not sanctions.
Now, however, sanctions are finally beginning to strangle the Russian economy in ways that could set it back for years. Laura Solanko of the Bank of Finland recently described how Russia is undergoing “reverse industrialization” in which the military-industrial complex driven by war needs crowds out the consumer economy, as in Soviet times. “Russia is stuck ineluctably on a path to lower potential growth and a bleak economic future,” Solanko wrote on March 27.
On paper, Russia seems to be surviving. Official data show its economy shrank by 2.2% in 2022, with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecasting flat GDP growth in 2023. But Russia, never the most trustworthy data purveyor, has stopped publishing a variety of economic statistics, and some IMF critics have blasted the agency’s Russia forecast as naïve and wrong. The wonky debate matters because it gets to the question of whether sanctions are accomplishing anything or not.
Russian President Vladimir Putin takes part in a ceremony via video link at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia March 30, 2023. Sputnik/Gavriil Grigorov/Pool via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS – THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY.
In early March, Russian journalist Boris Grozovsky detailed a new Russian economy in which “all resources go to war” and “household goods are sacrificed.” Spending on consumption, he reported, fell by 49% in 2022, largely because there was nothing to buy. There’s been explosive growth in sectors related to defense production, but cars, furniture, and appliances have grown scarce as imports disappeared and the Russian economy pivoted toward materiel needed for the war.
Murmurs of discontent are seeping out of Russia itself. Aluminum magnate Oleg Deripaska said at a recent conference in Siberia that Russia will run out of money by 2024. He complained about new taxes on Russian businesses to help finance the war effort. Even Putin has acknowledged that “restrictions imposed on the Russian economy may indeed have a negative impact.”
Sanctions imposed after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 aimed to isolate its financial system and restrict trade while leaving Russia’s energy exports more or less intact. Since Russia is one of the world’s largest exporters of oil and natural gas, the goal was to hurt Russia without causing a global energy shortage that would send prices soaring. That largely worked, but the scheme allowed Russia to continue earning huge amounts of energy revenue that helped finance the war.
Last December, the European Union banned most imports of Russian oil, while a U.S.-led group of large economies imposed a price cap of $60 per barrel on Russian oil. Those sanctions were novel and nobody was sure they’d work. Some Ukraine allies wanted a lower oil price cap that would reduce Russia’s oil revenues even more.
Energy markets remained calm after those moves went into effect, and in February a similar set of sanctions went into effect on refined Russian hydrocarbons such as diesel fuel. Russia is still exporting energy, but the sanctions do seem to be forcing costly workarounds in Russia’s energy exports and denting revenue. The allied nations could lower the price caps on Russian energy at any time, effectively tightening the sanctions.
Russia’s economic woes are intensifying as it seems to be running short of tanks, artillery, and other weapons vitally needed in Ukraine. The intent of sanctions is to make it progressively more difficult for Russia to sustain the war. Ukraine, of course, is suffering weapons shortages of its own and a sharp economic contraction, though billions in aid from the United States and other partners compensates for some of that.
The Journal piece, written by Gershkovich and Georgi Kantchev, catalogued Russia’s economic woes and its diminution into a kind of junior partner for China, whose economic assistance it depends on. The story described how sanctions prevent Russian airlines from obtaining spare parts and finance firms from updating software. New-car sales have plunged by 62% year-over-year. Investment in Russian oil and gas exploration is down 42%, which could lead to a long-term decline in Russia’s energy output.
That wasn’t the first story on Russia’s economic problems, but it was comprehensive and may have arrived just as Putin is feeling the rising heat of a failing war and a flat-lining economy. Snatching Gershkovich on bogus charges probably reveals increasing desperation for Putin, yet it’s consistent with the bullying behavior of a dictator who has badly erred and blames the messengers. It won’t be the last of Putin’s aberrant behavior.
‘Radiant’ 9-Year-Old Killed While Leading Nashville Classmates to Safety, Family Believes
Eileen Grench – March 30, 2023
Courtesy of Kelly Dorrance
A 9-year-old girl killed during the deadly school shooting in Nashville, Tennessee may have been leading her classmates to safety after a fire alarm was tripped when the killer entered the school, her aunt told The Daily Beast.
Evelyn Dieckhaus’ aunt said that while exact details of Evelyn and other victims’ final moments are still unclear, she heard her “radiant” niece died after leading her classmates in what she possibly thought was a fire drill.
“We’re finding out the shooter may have pulled the fire alarm to get kids out of their classroom. Evelyn being one of the class leaders was at the front of the line assuming fire drill,” read a private Instagram post provided to The Daily Beast by the aunt, Kelly Dorrance.
“She was trying to lead her classmates to safety and possibly didn’t hear the shouts to come back in the room. Things children should never worry about,” read the post.
Evelyn, Dorrance told The Daily Beast, was “radiant—a beacon of joy in our family. She had a calm confidence and a natural sense of purpose—alongside a whip smart sense of humor and a sly little smile.”
The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department confirmed to The Daily Beast on Thursday that their investigation currently indicates “that the alarm originated from the area of the shooter’s entry” at The Covenant School on Monday morning.
Contrary to some reports that Dieckhaus was killed as she tried to pull the fire alarm, MNPD spokesman Don Aaron told The Daily Beast Thursday, “The investigation at present does not support a ‘pulling’ of the alarm.” MNPD declined to comment on whether Dieckhaus was killed while leading a fire drill from the classroom.
The other two 9-year-old victims were identified by police as William Kinney and Hallie Scruggs. Three school staff were also killed: 61-year-old custodian Mike Hill; head of school Katherine Koonce; and substitute teacher Cynthia Peak.
Harrowing body-camera footage released on Tuesday showed officers Michael Collazo and Rex Engelbert rushing into the school and following the sounds of gunfire to the second floor.
Once upstairs, Engelbert and Collazo saw the shooter, Audrey Hale, standing in front of a window, and opened fire. Hale was killed within 14 minutes of the initial call to police.
Dorrance said the death of her niece is a “nightmare you can’t wake up from,” but told The Daily Beast by text message that ”the support and love our family has received has proved that humanity is, ultimately, good.”
“How our country puts assault rifles in the hands of civilians, I’ll never understand. We are in disbelief. Devastated. Heartbroken. Sick,” she said on Instagram.
And though the family is grieving, they want to make sure Evelyn’s memory will live on, Dorrance told The Daily Beast: “After we get through this initial phase of grief, we’re committed to make her memory an important one that will save the lives of other children.”
Related:
Funerals begin for 6 victims of Nashville school shooting
ABC News
Emily Shapirof – March 31, 2023
Funerals begin for 6 victims of Nashville school shooting
Mourners will gather on Friday for the first of six funerals in the wake of Monday’s mass shooting at The Covenant School, a private Christian school in Nashville, Tennessee.
“Our hearts are completely broken,” the Dieckhaus family said in a statement. “We cannot believe this has happened. Evelyn was a shining light in this world.”
PHOTO: Evelyn Dieckhaus is seen in this undated photo. (Courtesy The Dieckhaus Family)
The service for 9-year-old victim Hallie Scruggs will be on Saturday. Hallie’s funeral will be at Covenant Presbyterian Church — the church connected to the school where she was killed and where her father, Chad Scruggs, is a senior pastor.
Chad Scruggs told ABC News in a statement, “We are heartbroken. She was such a gift. Through tears we trust that she is in the arms of Jesus who will raise her to life once again.”
PHOTO: Hallie Scruggs is seen with her family in this undated family photo. (Courtesy Chad Scruggs)
Saturday will also be the visitation and service for 61-year-old Cynthia Peak, who was a substitute teacher at The Covenant School.
Her family called her “a pillar of the community, and a teacher beloved by all her students.”
“Her favorite roles in life were being a mom to her three children, a wife to her husband, and an educator to students,” Peak’s family said in a statement. “We will never stop missing her.”
PHOTO: Cindy Peak is seen in this undated photo. (Courtesy of the Peak Family)
The service for the third child killed, 9-year-old Will Kinney, will take place on Sunday.
PHOTO: Parishioners participate in a community vigil at Belmont United Methodist Church in the aftermath of a school shooting in Nashville, March 27, 2023, in Nashville, Tenn. (John Bazemore/AP)
On Tuesday, beloved school custodian, 61-year-old Mike Hill, will be laid to rest.
“We pray for the Covenant School and are so grateful that Michael was beloved by the faculty and students who filled him with joy for 14 years,” his family said in a statement.
Former student Bex Lithgow called Hill “the kindest soul who loved all the students so much.”
PHOTO: Mike Hill is seen here in an undated file photo. (Mike Hill/Facebook)
The final funeral service will be on Wednesday for 60-year-old Katherine Koonce, the head of the school.
“Katherine was devoted to her family, her friends, and especially the children she cared for. She gave her life to protect the students she loved,” Koonce’s family said in a statement. “It is our privilege to honor Katherine’s legacy and to celebrate her remarkable spirit.”
PHOTO: Katherine Koonce, a victim in The Covenant School shooting in Nashville, Tenn., March 27, 2023. (The Covenant School)
A former local school administrator, Tricia Drake, told ABC News that her last conversation with Koonce was in August, discussing companies they used for active shooter training.
Drake said she knew Koonce had initiated her active shooter protocols on Monday when she saw footage police released from two of the responding officers’ body cameras. One of the videos shows a Covenant School staff member meeting an officer at the school’s main entrance, telling him, “The kids are all locked down, but we have two kids that we don’t know where they are.” The staffer is then seen using a key to unlock the door so officers could go inside.
“Students were in their classrooms, locked up, the professional outdoors to lead the Metro policeman. She had a key, what her headcount was, she knew exactly where the students would be, she was prepared,” Drake said. “I’m sure they had run those drills, and it’s because of Katherine and the foresight she had to make sure her staffers were prepared.”
PHOTO: People attend a vigil after a deadly shooting at the Covenant School in Nashville, Tenn., March 29, 2023. (Cheney Orr/Reuters)
ABC News’ Steph Wash, Morgan Winsor and Miles Cohen contributed to this report.
Donald Trump indicted; expected to surrender next week
Michael R. Sisak, Eric Tucker and Colleen Long – March 30, 2023
Former President Donald Trump announces he is running for president for the third time as he smiles while speaking at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla., Nov. 15, 2022. A lawyer for Trump said Thursday, March 30, 2023, that he has been told that the former president has been indicted in New York on charges involving payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign to silence claims of an extramarital sexual encounter. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)Adult film actress Stormy Daniels arrives for the opening of the adult entertainment fair Venus in Berlin, Oct. 11, 2018. A lawyer for Donald Trump said Thursday, March 30, 2023, that he has been told that the former president has been indicted in New York on charges involving payments to Daniels made during the 2016 presidential campaign to silence claims of an extramarital sexual encounter. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber, File)
NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump has been indicted by a Manhattan grand jury, a historic reckoning after years of investigations into his personal, political and business dealings and an abrupt jolt to his bid to retake the White House.
The exact nature of the charges was unclear Friday because the indictment remained under seal, but they stem from payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign to silence claims of an extramarital sexual encounter. Prosecutors said they were working to coordinate Trump’s surrender, which could happen early next week. They did not say whether they intended to seek prison time in the event of a conviction, a development that wouldn’t prevent Trump from seeking and assuming the presidency.
The indictment, the first against a former U.S. president, injects a local district attorney’s office into the heart of a national presidential race and ushers in criminal proceedings in a city that the ex-president for decades called home. Arriving at a time of deep political divisions, the charges are likely to reinforce rather than reshape dueling perspectives of those who see accountability as long overdue and those who, like Trump, feel the Republican is being targeted for political purposes by a Democratic prosecutor.
Trump, who has denied any wrongdoing and has repeatedly assailed the investigation, called the indictment “political persecution” and predicted it would damage Democrats in 2024. In a statement confirming the charges, defense lawyers Susan Necheles and Joseph Tacopina said Trump “did not commit any crime. We will vigorously fight this political prosecution in court.”
A spokesman for the Manhattan district attorney’s office confirmed the indictment and said prosecutors had reached out to Trump’s defense team to coordinate a surrender. Trump was asked to surrender Friday but his lawyers said the Secret Service needed additional time as they made security preparations, two people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press. The people, who couldn’t publicly discuss security details, said Trump is expected to surrender early next week.
The case centers on well-chronicled allegations from a period in 2016 when Trump’s celebrity past collided with his political ambitions. Prosecutors for months scrutinized money paid to porn actor Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal, whom he feared would go public with claims that they had extramarital sexual encounters with him.
The timing of the indictment appeared to come as a surprise to Trump campaign officials following news reports that criminal charges were likely weeks away. The former president was at Mar-a-Lago, his Florida estate, on Thursday and filmed an interview with a conservative commentator earlier in the day.
For a man whose presidency was defined by one obliterated norm after another, the indictment sets up yet another never-before-seen spectacle — a former president having his fingerprints and mug shot taken, and then facing arraignment. For security reasons, his booking is expected to be carefully choreographed to avoid crowds inside or outside the courthouse.
The prosecution also means that Trump will have to simultaneously fight for his freedom and political future, while also fending off potentially more perilous legal threats, including investigations into attempts by him and his allies to undo the 2020 presidential election as well as into the hoarding of hundreds of classified documents.
In fact, New York was until recently seen as an unlikely contender to be the first place to prosecute Trump, who continues to face long-running investigations in Atlanta and Washington that could also result in charges. Unlike those inquiries, the Manhattan case concerns allegations against Trump that occurred before he became president and are unrelated to his much-publicized efforts to overturn the election.
The indictment comes as Trump seeks to reassert control of the Republican Party and stave off a slew of one-time allies who may threaten his bid for the presidential nomination. An expected leading rival in the race, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, called the indictment “un-American” in a statement Thursday night that pointedly did not mention Trump’s name.
In bringing the charges, Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney, is embracing an unusual case that was investigated by two previous sets of prosecutors, both of which declined to take the politically explosive step of seeking Trump’s indictment. The case may also turn in part on the testimony of a key witness, Trump’s former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen, who pleaded guilty to federal charges arising from the hush money payments, including making false statements.
The probe’s fate seemed uncertain until word got out in early March that Bragg had invited Trump to testify before a grand jury, a signal that prosecutors were close to bringing charges.
Trump’s attorneys declined the invitation, but a lawyer closely allied with the former president briefly testified in an effort to undercut Cohen’s credibility.
Trump himself raised anticipation that he would be indicted soon, issuing a statement earlier this month in which he predicted an imminent arrest and called for protests. He did not repeat that call in a fresh statement Thursday, but the New York Police Department told its 36,000 officers to be fully mobilized and ready to respond to any potential protests or unrest.
Late in the 2016 presidential campaign, Cohen paid Daniels $130,000 to keep her silent about what she says was a sexual encounter with Trump a decade earlier after they met at a celebrity golf tournament.
Cohen was then reimbursed by Trump’s company, the Trump Organization, which also rewarded the lawyer with bonuses and extra payments logged internally as legal expenses. Over several months, Cohen said, the company paid him $420,000.
Earlier in 2016, Cohen also arranged for the publisher of the supermarket tabloid the National Enquirer to pay McDougal $150,000 to squelch her story of a Trump affair in a journalistically dubious practice known as “catch-and-kill.”
The payments to the women were intended to buy secrecy, but they backfired almost immediately as details of the arrangements leaked to the news media.
Federal prosecutors in New York ultimately charged Cohen in 2018 with violating federal campaign finance laws, arguing that the payments amounted to impermissible help to Trump’s presidential campaign. Cohen pleaded guilty to those charges and unrelated tax evasion counts and served time in federal prison.
Trump was implicated in court filings as having knowledge of the arrangements — obliquely referred to in charging documents as “Individual 1” — but U.S. prosecutors at the time balked at bringing charges against him. The Justice Department has a longtime policy against indicting a sitting president in federal court.
Bragg’s predecessor as district attorney, Cyrus Vance Jr., then took up the investigation in 2019. While that probe initially focused on the hush money payments, Vance’s prosecutors moved on to other matters, including an examination of Trump’s business dealings and tax strategies.
Vance ultimately charged the Trump Organization and its chief financial officer with tax fraud related to fringe benefits paid to some of the company’s top executives.
The hush money matter became known around the D.A.’s office as the “zombie case,” with prosecutors revisiting it periodically but never opting to bring charges.
Bragg saw it differently. After the Trump Organization was convicted on the tax fraud charges in December, he brought fresh eyes to the well-worn case, hiring longtime white-collar prosecutor Matthew Colangelo to oversee the probe and convening a new grand jury.
Cohen became a key witness, meeting with prosecutors nearly two-dozen times, turning over emails, recordings and other evidence and testifying before the grand jury.
Trump has long decried the Manhattan investigation as “the greatest witch hunt in history.” He has also lashed out at Bragg, calling the prosecutor, who is Black, racist against white people.
The criminal charges in New York are the latest salvo in a profound schism between Trump and his hometown — a reckoning for a one-time favorite son who grew rich and famous building skyscrapers, hobnobbing with celebrities and gracing the pages of the city’s gossip press.
Trump, who famously riffed in 2016 that he “could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody” and “wouldn’t lose voters,” now faces a threat to his liberty in a borough where more than 75% of voters — many of them potential jurors — went against him in the last election.
Tucker and Long reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Bobby Caina Calvan, Jill Colvin and Jennifer Peltz contributed to this report.
A few weeks ago, Daniels said she would “dance down the street” if and when Trump was indicted on hush money-related charges stemming from her alleged affair with him way back in 2006. Those allegations, and claims that Trump paid her $130,000 for her silence just days before the 2016 election, first came to light after Trump defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton in the hard-fought race.
Stormy Daniels, an adult film star whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, is central to the case Manhattan prosecutors are building against former President Donald Trump.
Brewster discounted that remark late Thursday as “just a comment that she may have made to try to be funny or something.”
In fact, when the significance of the charges sank in, Daniels didn’t feel like dancing at all, Brewster said.
“The fact is that she feels bad that the guy has been charged,” he said. “But on the other hand, truly, she knew what the facts were and she wants him to deal with the truth as well. So from that perspective, there’s a degree of feeling like the system is working.”
Brewster, who has been representing Daniels since 2019, added that he and Daniels both felt “it is a sad day, honestly” but that both felt vindicated by the indictment by a grand jury hearing evidence presented by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
“I think obviously the grand jury looked at a lot of documents and heard a lot of testimony and made a decision, and I have to respect that,” Brewster said. “But on behalf of Stormy and honestly myself, there’s no joy in seeing the man indicted.”
“I think it’s a tragedy to see someone who has been a former president and leader of this country to be criminally charged,” he added. “But you have to respect the system and you have to respect the fact that we deal with truth and justice, and the truth is ultimately what will get him acquitted or convicted.”
“And, you know, it does prove the adage that we all believe from the time that we’re little kids that no man is above the law,” Brewster said. “It really is a testament, truly, to our constitutional system.”
Doing This One Thing Every Day Could Lower Your Risk of Dementia
Beth Ann Mayer – March 30, 2023
Plus, the habit that comes in second—according to a neuropsychologist.
More than six million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s Disease, the most common form of dementia, according to a 2023 Alzheimer’s Association report. The report also notes that Alzheimer’s starts about 20 years or more before a person develops memory loss or other hallmark symptoms of the devastating disease.
Damage to the brain cells causes dementia. Genetics can play a role, so it’s not possible to prevent it 100 percent. But research discussed at the 2019 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference indicated that lifestyle choices can reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementia.
It’s like lifting weights—you do it to keep your muscles strong.
“Although the process of keeping your mind sharp is different from keeping your muscles strong, the phrase ‘use it or lose it’ can be applied to the brain as well as the body,” Dr. Caldwell says. “The types of thinking-based activities involved in keeping your mind sharp—for example, attending classes, learning languages and debating topics—may also offer benefits for our mental health, as we feel a sense of accomplishment, and may offer opportunities to socialize, which is another way of reducing dementia risks.”
But you may be surprised by her top daily tip for reducing dementia risk.
You may have heard that exercises like crossword puzzles, word searches or Sudoku can help keep the mind sharp. And while they certainly won’t hurt, the very best way to prevent cognitive decline is a different type of exercise: physical exercise.
“Some people are surprised to hear it, but we know that exercise has both immediate and long-term brain benefits, from increasing brain chemistry that supports the health of your brain cells to reducing factors such as chronic bodily inflammation, which can be harmful to the brain,” Dr. Caldwell says.
Physical activity also has some sneaky perks for cognition.
“Exercise also has benefits for the brain that are indirect—for example, improving mood and sleep, reducing stress, supporting heart health and increasing chances to socialize, all of which, in turn, reduces risks for poor memory with age,” Dr. Caldwell says.
Beyond prevention, a 2020 study conducted on mice indicated that exercise may even reverse age-related cognitive decline, but more research is needed on duration, frequency and exercise types to fully understand how this applies to humans. A review of previous research from the same year also suggested that physical activity could reduce cognitive decline and lower behavioral issues in individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia. The authors suggested moderate-intensity (or greater) aerobic exercise would have the most significant effect on cognition.
“The goal for exercise for brain health for life is at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise [per week], and for healthy adults, more is better,” Dr. Caldwell says.
If you aren’t currently exercising, talk to your doctor first. From there, Dr. Caldwell says you can increase your physical activity—and your chances of making it a habit—with two big tips.
“First, pair exercise with something you like or already do. Think stationary biking while watching a favorite program or walking while listening to a podcast episode,” Dr. Caldwell says. “Second, find a partner for accountability and motivation.”
Your accountability partner can motivate you from afar. “Even if you can’t find an in-person partner for runs or visits to the gym, checking in with a long-distance friend regularly about fitness goals can offer support and make it more likely that you will stick with your goals,” Dr. Caldwell says.
What Are Other Ways To Reduce Cognitive Decline Risk?
Regular physical activity is important, but Dr. Caldwell says fighting cognitive decline requires a multi-prong approach.
She says it’s also important to prioritize getting seven to eight hours of continuous sleep. “Sleep is when we cement new memories into long-term storage, and also when our brains have a chance to clear debris, including the types of proteins that build up in Alzheimer’s disease,” Dr. Caldwell says.
Research published in 2021 underscores the importance of sleep for brain health. The study, which was conducted on 8,000 British people aged 50 and over, indicated that people in their 50s and 60s who got six hours of shuteye or less per night were 30 percent more likely to be diagnosed with dementia than their peers, who were getting a least seven hours of sleep nightly.
Alcohol intake is another lifestyle habit to evaluate. “Our bodies process alcohol differently as we age, and drinking more than seven drinks per week has been linked to risk for dementia,” Dr. Caldwell says.
Finally, don’t put your mental health on the back burner. “Depression is a risk factor for dementia, and those feelings of sadness and lack of interest that can come with depression can also make it difficult to engage in other brain-healthy behaviors,” Dr. Caldwell says.
You can’t remember if you brushed your teeth today. Should you be concerned? Probably not.
“Anyone can make a memory mistake at any age—some forgetfulness is normal,” Dr. Caldwell says. “Signs of memory decline would include forgetting what happens frequently, such as needing several reminders throughout the day about a conversation you had that morning. Another sign would be forgetting essential information, such as forgetting the name of a loved one or an event you looked forward to.”
If you notice these signs, Dr. Caldwell suggests seeing a doctor. “A primary care doctor may give you or your loved one a short memory test—one that takes about five minutes,” Dr. Caldwell says.
From there, your doctor may suggest additional testing or appointments. Dr. Caldwell says this workup may include bloodwork, a brain scan, a referral to a neurologist who specializes in memory problems, or a referral to a neuropsychologist, like Dr. Caldwell.
“This is a specialist in memory and other thinking skills, who will administer several hours of paper or computer tests to better understand if you or your loved one are having a change in your thinking compared to others your age,” Dr. Caldwell explains.
No matter what type of appointments and tests you or your loved one get, the goal is to get to a diagnosis—whether that is normal memory, some mild changes called mild cognitive impairment, or more significant changes, called dementia.
“Memory changes can appear for many reasons, and your doctor will talk with you about possible reasons for your diagnosis, though figuring that all out may take time,” Dr. Caldwell says.
Parkinson’s disease symptoms disappeared with exercise, man claims: ‘Use it or lose it’
Melissa Rudy – March 29, 2023
Parkinson’s disease symptoms disappeared with exercise, man claims: ‘Use it or lose it’
Parkinson’s disease has no cure, but multiple studies have shown that exercise can alleviate symptoms and slow progression.
A recent review published in Cochrane Library — led by Dr. Elke Kalbe, professor of medical psychology at the University of Cologne, Germany — analyzed data for nearly 8,000 people around the world with Parkinson’s.
Researchers found that those who participated in any type of physical activity showed “mild to large improvements” in motor skills and quality of life compared to those who didn’t exercise.
For Scott Hanley, a 57-year-old native of Belfast, Ireland, the benefits have been life-changing. After two years of what he described as “stumbling in the dark with Parkinson’s,” he started a new workout routine. He credits it with completely stopping his symptoms.
When Hanley was first diagnosed, his Parkinson’s was still in the early stages — level 2, with level 5 being the most advanced. But over time, he started to notice more symptoms.
“I had something called dystonia, where multiple parts of my body would go rigid, leaving me incapacitated,” he said in an interview with Fox News Digital.
“I would be walking along, and suddenly my right foot would just lock out or stick to the ground and I would fall over.”
Hanley’s doctors put him on medication with plans to review his symptoms every six months.
Scott Hanley (shown here) is a 57-year-old native of Belfast, Ireland, who is living with Parkinson’s disease. For him, the benefits of exercise have been life-changing.
“They said I could expect a progression of the disease and that there was precious little we could do about it,” he said. “And I found that hugely frustrating.”
After a couple of years of struggling with worsening symptoms, Hanley said his mindset shifted.
“My tolerance for putting up with Parkinson’s had run out,” he said. “I decided to try something else.”
At the time of his diagnosis, his physical health wasn’t the greatest, Hanley admits.
“I was overweight, I wasn’t active and my diet wasn’t good,” he said.
After reading a few success stories, he decided to try CrossFit classes, which incorporate strength and conditioning exercises at a high intensity.
The workouts focus on building cardiovascular/respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, coordination, agility, balance and accuracy, according to the CrossFit website. Typical movements include burpees, deadlifts, rowing, squats, medicine ball throws, pull-ups and barbell presses.
For Hanley, the key was that the exercises all had a cognitive element. He had to really think about each movement.
“When we work different parts of the body, they get stronger. So I figured, why not try to make the brain stronger?” Hanley said. “I didn’t want to just go for a run or ride a bike — I wanted to challenge my brain pathways with physically intense exercise.”
Within six months, Hanley said his symptoms had disappeared — even without any medications.
During one period last year, Hanley injured his shoulder and couldn’t work out for four weeks. By the end of that month, he started getting tremors in his hand and his foot began to “stick” again while walking.
Just a few months after starting CrossFit classes, Hanley (pictured on a rowing machine) said his symptoms disappeared.
After he returned to the gym, the symptoms went away again.
“That’s what really validated the benefits for me,” Hanley said.
Blake Bookstaff, an entrepreneur in Knoxville, Tennessee, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s when he was just 47, he told Fox News Digital in an interview.
Some of his early symptoms included a change in gait, involuntary hand movements and “frozen shoulder,” which is when the tissues around the shoulder joint become inflamed and make it difficult to lift the arm.
Medications helped lessen the symptoms somewhat, but Bookstaff decided to try ramping up his exercise for greater benefits.
“I saw something on the news about Rock Steady Boxing, which is a franchise that offers workouts for people with Parkinson’s,” he said.
He contacted the owner and scheduled a personal training session — which he now does twice a week.
“When we work different parts of the body, they get stronger — so I figured, why not try to make the brain stronger?” said Hanley, pictured here in both frames.
In the sessions, the trainer focuses on functional movements to help Bookstaff in regular day-to-day activities, such as standing up from a chair or getting in and out of a car.
“The compound exercises that combine multiple movements have been the most effective for me,” he said. “For example, when I’m boxing and I have to think about throwing different types of punches and hitting moving targets, I can actually feel my brain opening up, as if the cobwebs have been lifted.”
During weeks when he doesn’t work out, Bookstaff notices that his body becomes stiffer and harder to move.
Robert D’Egidio, a physical therapist at Atlantic Rehabilitation in Gillette, New Jersey, has seen firsthand how exercise can slow and modify symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
“It directly improves ease of movement for activities of daily living, reduces symptoms such as tremor and rigidity, and improves gait features for more normalized stepping and balance,” he told Fox News Digital.
Julie Pilitsis, M.D., a neurosurgeon at Marcus Neuroscience Institute in Boca Raton, Florida, agreed with that assessment.
“Exercise is the best thing that people with Parkinson’s can do to take care of themselves,” said Pilitsis, who specializes in functional neurosurgery and Parkinson’s disease, in an interview with Fox News Digital.
“It has some of the most dramatic effects on limiting disease progression. It helps with stiffness, mind-body connection and fitness, just to name a few.”
“A good mantra for all of us, but particularly for those with Parkinson’s, is ‘use it or lose it,’” she added.
The Cochrane review found that any type of physical activity — from strength training and endurance to swimming, dance and yoga — can help improve motor skills and quality of life for people with Parkinson’s.
The Cochrane review found that any type of physical activity can help improve motor skills and quality of life in people with Parkinson’s.
“We observed clinically meaningful improvements in the severity of motor symptoms for most types of exercise,” said Dr. Moritz Ernst, first author of the review and a member of Cochrane Haematology, in a press release on the Cochrane website.
“These included dancing, training to improve gait, balance and movement, multi-exercise training and mind-body training.”
Physical therapist D’Egidio recommends doing any aerobic exercise with moderate intensity that will elevate the heart rate 20 to 30 beats above the resting rate for 30 to 40 minutes, three times per week.
“We have observed consistently in our clinic that more intensified exercise has a direct impact on disease symptoms,” he said. “Exercises should include a variety of functional movements, multidirectional movements and some resistance [strength] training.”
For best results, he suggests mixing up the workouts throughout the year.
People with Parkinson’s, however, should pay close attention to any adverse effects and reduce intensity as needed, D’Egidio added.
Compound exercises, such as boxing, have been the most effective at alleviating the Parkinson’s symptoms for one man (not pictured).
“Exercise should be discontinued if disproportional pain results from an activity, such as sharp pain in the back, neck, knees and shoulders, or if the person has chest pain or breathing difficulties not consistent with the level of exertion being used,” he said.
Neurosurgeon Pilitsis noted that above all, good judgment should come into play. If there are balance issues, for example, high-impact activities may not make sense.
“Sometimes medications or difficulty swallowing can make the patient a bit dehydrated,” she said. “If you aren’t feeling well, are going through a period where you are recovering from illness or surgery, are dehydrated, or it is very hot outside, it is better to take it slow and adjust your routine.”
Experts agree that it’s always best to get a doctor’s clearance before starting any new exercise program.
While individual exercise may help keep symptoms at bay, having a comprehensive health care team is the optimal way to manage Parkinson’s disease over time, E’Egidio believes.
“This includes a movement disorder specialist, primary care provider, neurologist (to assist or support), physical therapist and/or occupational therapist with neurological background, speech therapist (as needed), support groups, community services directed at Parkinson’s disease and access to exercise facilities or equipment,” he said.
Nearly one million people in the U.S. are living with Parkinson’s disease, according to the Parkinson’s Foundation.
By 2030, it is expected to affect 1.2 million people. Parkinson’s is the second-most common neurodegenerative disease, after Alzheimer’s.
Kyiv urges Russians not to adopt Ukraine’s ‘stolen’ children
March 28, 2023
The Wider Image: Ukraine seeks to trace thousands of ‘orphans’ scattered by war Russian Presidential Commissioner for Children’s Rights Maria Lvova-Belova meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin outside Moscow
(Reuters) – Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk urged Russians on Tuesday not to adopt children who she said were “stolen” in Ukraine during the war and deported to Russia.
The war that Russia has been waging on its neighbour for 13 months now has seen millions of people displaced, including families and children. The real number of children who have been forcefully deported to Russia is impossible to establish.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant earlier in March against Russian President Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia’s commissioner for children’s rights, accusing them of the war crime of illegally deporting hundreds of children from Ukraine.
Vereshchuk said on the Telegram messaging app that orphans have been “stolen in Ukraine” and allegedly given up for adoption in Russia.
“I strongly recommend that Russian citizens do not adopt Ukrainian orphans who were illegally taken out of the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine,” Vereshchuk, in charge of social issues, said.
“Once again I remind all Russian so-called ‘adoptive parents’ and ‘guardians’: sooner or later you will have to answer.”
According to Ukraine’s Ministry of Integration of Occupied Territories, 19,514 Ukrainian children are currently considered illegally deported.
Russia has not concealed a programme under which it has brought thousands of Ukrainian children to Russia, but presents it as a humanitarian campaign to protect orphans and children abandoned in the conflict zone.
Most of the movement of people and children occurred in the first few months of the war and before Ukraine started its major counter offensive to regain occupied territories in the east and south in late August.
Russia’s defence ministry said in mid-August that 3.5 million people had been brought to Russia by then, including more than half a million children.
The United States said in July that Russia “forcibly deported” 260,000 children, from their homes to Russia.
Russian TASS agency cited Vitaly Ganchev, Moscow-installed official of Russia-occupied parts of the Kharkiv region, as saying on Tuesday that a group of children from the region was sent to Russia last year with the consent of their parents or guardians.
“The children were placed in excellent conditions, they are provided with everything necessary. And we will continue to take care of them until their parents come for their return,” Ganchev added.
(Reporting by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne and Ron Popeski in Winnipeg; Writing by Lidia Kelly; Editing by Stephen Coates)
ICC arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin: a king-size dilemma for South Africa
Sascha-Dominik (Dov) Bachmann – March 29, 2023
Presidents Cyril Ramaphosa and Vladimir Putin at the first Russia-Africa Summit in Sochi, Russia, in 2019. Photos: GCIS
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an international arrest warrant for Russian president Vladimir Putin for alleged war crimes regarding the unlawful deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia. Such acts are war crimes under two articles of the Rome Statute, which established the court.
Putin faces arrest if he sets foot in any of the 123 signatory states to the statute. Of these, 33 are African states. The issue could come to a head in August when South Africa is set to host the 15th summit of the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) bloc in Durban.
As the head of a member state Putin has been invited to attend. But as a member of the court, South Africa is obliged under Article 86 of the ICC statute and domestic law to cooperate fully by arresting the Russian president.
This is not the first time the country has faced such a dilemma.
The arrest warrant for Putin has put President Cyril Ramaphosa’s government between a rock and a hard place. Complying with its domestic and international obligations by executing the arrest warrant would alienate Russia. This would have bilateral consequences – the country is still considered a friend by the ruling African National Congress based on the Soviet Union’s support during the struggle against apartheid – as well as ramifications within the BRICS, given Moscow’s strong ties with Beijing.
It is not unreasonable to argue that Ramaphosa’s government would want to tread carefully to avoid any such tensions.
When the Zuma administration refused to arrest Al Bashir, it landed the government in judicial hot water. South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal found that it had violated both international and domestic law.
Following the ruling of the Supreme Court of Appeal, Zuma’s government notified the United Nations secretary general of its intention to withdraw from the Rome Statute. This ill advised move was challenged in the High Court in Pretoria. It ruled that the notice of withdrawal was unconstitutional due to the absence of prior parliamentary approval. Consequently, the government “withdrew from the withdrawal”.
In 2017, the ICC found that South Africa had failed in its obligations under the Rome Statute towards the court by not arresting and surrendering Al Bashir. The court, however, decided not to pursue the matter further for pragmatic reasons. It also reasoned that to refer South Africa to the United Nations Security Council for noncompliance “would not be an effective way to foster future cooperation”.
In the event that Putin attended the upcoming BRICS summit and Ramaphosa’s government did not arrest him, it would mean that South Africa was flouting domestic legislation as well as its own constitution. Article 165 (5) of the country’s constitution makes it clear that the government is bound by court orders and decisions.
At present the government’s response is not clear. On the one hand, Ramaphosa’s spokesperson said that the country was aware of its obligations to arrest Putin and surrender him to the ICC.
On the other hand, Naledi Pandor, the foreign relations minister, confirmed the invitation to Putin to attend the BRICS meeting. She noted that cabinet would have to decide on how to respond in view of the ICC warrant.
The government would want to balance its ICC obligations, domestic responsibilities and its historically friendly relations with Russia carefully. Unless it is hellbent on defying its own court decisions and laws, there are options available to avoid another round of international condemnation, and that would help it avoid potential court battles by civil society for noncompliance with the country’s own laws and court decisions.
Options
Firstly, South Africa should continue to extend an invitation for Russia to attend the summit. But, through diplomatic channels, request that the Russian delegation be led by its foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov. Lavrov has in essence become the face of Russia on the international stage since the start of the war in Ukraine.
Secondly, during the COVID pandemic, it became clear that physical presence at international gatherings for heads of states could be substituted with virtual attendance. The UN General Assembly set a good benchmark for this when heads of state submitted video statements due to pandemic restrictions. Putin could attend the BRICS summit virtually.
The need to sign summit documentation by the heads of state is not an impediment to virtual attendance. Putin can sign the documents electronically or after the summit, if a non-electronic signature is required.
The ball is now in the South African government’s court. The hope is that it makes the right decision, one which is in the best interests of the country and its people – not Russia or the likes of the US, especially as neither major power is a signatory to the ICC’s statute. Neither should prescribe to South Africa what it should decide.
Most importantly, the government must not trample on its own laws and court decisions. Compliance with the constitution must be the priority. Making a decision that is in the interests of South Africa and its people would also provide guidance to the other 32 African ICC signatory states, should they ever be faced with a similar dilemma in the future.
This article was co-authored with Sasha-Lee Stephanie Afrika (LLD), Attorney of the High Court of South Africa and former lecturer at Stellenbosch University and University of Johannesburg.
Sascha-Dominik (Dov) Bachmann, Professor in Law and Co-Convener National Security Hub (University of Canberra) and Research Fellow (adjunct) – The Security Institute for Governance and Leadership in Africa, Faculty of Military Science, Stellenbosch University- NATO Fellow Asia-Pacific, University of Canberra
Sascha-Dominik (Dov) Bachmann does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant for Putin’s arrest earlier this month over alleged war crimes in Ukraine, particularly his alleged involvement in the unlawful deportation of children from Ukraine. But the ICC doesn’t have the power to enforce its warrants, and since Russia doesn’t recognize the court’s jurisdiction, much of its enforcement will depend on other countries’ willingness to step in if Putin travels.
“If Putin comes to Armenia, he should be arrested… It is better for Putin to stay in his country,” Gagik Melkonyan, deputy of the Armenian National Assembly, said this week, according to a Moscow Timestranslation of an interview with Factor.am. “If we enter into these agreements, then we must fulfill our obligations. Let Russia solve its problems with Ukraine.”
The decision from the ruling party of Armenia, which is part of a Russian-led collective defense organization, stands in stark contrast to other Kremlin allies that are not deviating from loyalty to Moscow. Hungary, which has close ties with Russia, announced it will not enforce the ICC’s arrest warrant for Putin last week.
Even though Armenia is technically a Russian ally—as part of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO)—Armenia’s decision is just the latest indication that the country is willing to take matters into its own hands and hold Putin accountable. Just last week, Armenia took steps that will pave the way for it to ratify the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC.
“If we enter into these agreements, then we must fulfill our obligations,” Melkonyan said.
The Kremlin rebuked Armenia for entertaining the idea of joining the Rome Statute, according to a source in the Russian Foreign Ministry.
“Moscow considers absolutely unacceptable the plans of official Yerevan to accede to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court against the backdrop of the recent illegal and legally void ‘warrants’ of the ICC against the Russian leadership,” the source said early this week, according to TASS.
The Russian Foreign Ministry warned there would be “extremely negative” consequences for Armenia moving forward.
But Armenia is not alone, and other countries are banding together with plans to arrest Putin. Ireland, Croatia, Austria, and Germany have each said they will enforce the warrant.
The decision in Armenia suggests that Russia’s allies are growing more willing by the day to question Moscow’s judgment in the war in Ukraine over one year into the conflict.
