Rightward Ho

This is The World Today [View in browser](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoRA1CP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvdmR1N3Uycm5hbS8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTU0M3BpNm1hZDdXA3NwY0IKZlRGiGFm95snOlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) Rightward Ho [Share Today's Edition](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoRA1CP0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvbDd0MGJ2ZWlhYy8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTU0M3BpNm1hZDcmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODklNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKZlRGiGFm95snOlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) [DailyChatter] [Listen to Today's Edition](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoRA1CP0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvOGxweHFpcGY5ay8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTU0M3BpNm1hZDcmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODklNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKZlRGiGFm95snOlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) [DailyChatter] [Share Today's Edition](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoRA1CP0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvZ2o4aG4wc3B0Zy8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTU0M3BpNm1hZDcmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODklNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKZlRGiGFm95snOlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) [Listen to Today's Edition](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoRA1CP0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvem4wbzR1a2l1dS8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTU0M3BpNm1hZDcmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODklNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKZlRGiGFm95snOlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) DailyChatter is an exclusive benefit for subscribers of The Charlotte Observer The Largest Daily Newsletter Devoted to World News Rightward Ho THE WORLD TODAY — Thursday, June 6, 2024 Rightward Ho Rightward Ho Need to Know Rightward Ho [European Union](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoRA1CP0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvMjZicW83YXU2MC8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTU0M3BpNm1hZDcmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODklNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKZlRGiGFm95snOlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) Expect right-wing parties to win big when 400 million voters in 27 countries elect new members of the European Parliament from June 6 through June 9, the Guardian [said](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoRA1CP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvMjVzaTFqNnF0OS8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTU0M3BpNm1hZDdXA3NwY0IKZlRGiGFm95snOlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa). After a tough five years since the last election thanks to Brexit, the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, an energy crisis, and inflation – voters want change. Traditionally, the centrist-conservative European People’s Party and the centrist-liberal Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats vie for control of the European Union’s legislature. The former is still expected to win a majority. The latter group’s fortunes are likely to fall, however, [reported](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoRA1CP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvcnhudTN0a25ray8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTU0M3BpNm1hZDdXA3NwY0IKZlRGiGFm95snOlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) Euronews, while a coalition of far-right, populist, anti-immigration, Euroskeptic parties collectively called Identity and Democracy is forecast to win a big chunk of seats. Identity and Democracy want to crack down on crime, reverse policies designed to fight climate change, staunch the flood of African, Asian, and Middle Eastern migrants who have sought asylum and economic opportunities in Europe, and uphold the continent’s traditional Christian identity and values, [according](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoRA1CP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvb2IyMWk2cW1qaC8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTU0M3BpNm1hZDdXA3NwY0IKZlRGiGFm95snOlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) to Politico. Surprisingly, young voters are helping to drive the trend, though they might not share the concerns of older voters who will cast the same ballots. “They’re not necessarily xenophobic but they are deeply angered by the costs of living, housing, and healthcare crises which traditional parties haven’t been able to solve,” [wrote](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoRA1CP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvYno4ZWc0Z3Myci8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTU0M3BpNm1hZDdXA3NwY0IKZlRGiGFm95snOlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) Toronto Star columnist Rosie DiManno. Concern over those mounting problems has especially undermined support for leftist Green parties, [added](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoRA1CP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvMHFtOGxzaWUxYi8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTU0M3BpNm1hZDdXA3NwY0IKZlRGiGFm95snOlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) World Politics Review, explaining that people don’t care about carbon emissions when they can’t afford rent. While its members enact laws and adopt the EU’s budget, the European Parliament is not particularly powerful compared with, say, the US Congress or the British Parliament. One of its main jobs however is electing the president of the European Commission, the bloc’s executive body. Current Commission President Ursula von der Leyen – a former German defense minister whom critics, like those at the British Spectator magazine, have [described](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoRA1CP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvbWx0MzhxcWx2aS8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTU0M3BpNm1hZDdXA3NwY0IKZlRGiGFm95snOlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) as incompetent – is especially under pressure as the electoral landscape shifts. Von der Leyen has been courting rightwing Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, for example, to support a second term in the presidency. As the Financial Times [noted](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoRA1CP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvdmlnd3VoNHducy8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTU0M3BpNm1hZDdXA3NwY0IKZlRGiGFm95snOlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa), however, other centrist leaders like French President Emmanual Macron have threatened to pull their support for Von der Leyen if she allies herself with the right. Identity and Democracy is not a monolithic bloc, either. Composed of national political parties from across Europe, some of the coalition’s members [support](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoRA1CP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvajdkdHNscjVvdi8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTU0M3BpNm1hZDdXA3NwY0IKZlRGiGFm95snOlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) Ukraine, for example, while others advocate for pro-Kremlin policies. As a result, as the Economist predicts, the European Union is likely to end up in gridlock after this election. “Those assuming things can only get better may be in for a reckoning,” the magazine [wrote](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoRA1CP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvN25nbG05NGNpZi8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTU0M3BpNm1hZDdXA3NwY0IKZlRGiGFm95snOlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa), and “the probable outcome of the election will be a period of political rudderlessness … If these were quiet times, having Europe indulge in a bout of political navel-gazing would be no grave matter. But these times are not quiet.” [Share this story](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoRA1CP0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvcjIxcHVydnRpby8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTU0M3BpNm1hZDcmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODklNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKZlRGiGFm95snOlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) Rightward Ho ~/AASU4wA~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 The World Briefly Remains of the Day Remains of the Day [Gaza](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoRA1CP0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvdHY5bHdlbzJxNS8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTU0M3BpNm1hZDcmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODklNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKZlRGiGFm95snOlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) / [Israel](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoRA1CP0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvdTBodzdwNzAzMC8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTU0M3BpNm1hZDcmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODklNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKZlRGiGFm95snOlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) Israel launched a new military campaign against Hamas in central Gaza Wednesday, an offensive that comes ahead of crucial ceasefire talks, as well as ongoing international pressure on Israel over its actions in the Palestinian enclave, Reuters [reported](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoRA1CP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvcmJoczRlODNqYy8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTU0M3BpNm1hZDdXA3NwY0IKZlRGiGFm95snOlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa). The offensive, aimed at eliminating Hamas, has involved ground and air operations in areas such as Al-Bureij and Deir Al-Balah. Palestinian medics had reported at least 44 were killed in Israeli strikes since Tuesday, with dozens more reported dead following an overnight strike on a United Nations-run school in the Nuseirat [refugee camp](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoRA1CP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvcWRoNXE1b2Ixai8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTU0M3BpNm1hZDdXA3NwY0IKZlRGiGFm95snOlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa). The recent military action comes amid hopes for a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel in a war that began on Oct. 7, when Hamas and its allies launched an attack from Gaza that killed around 1,200 people and saw more than 240 people taken hostage. Afterward, Israel launched a military offensive in the territory that has created a humanitarian crisis and resulted in the death of more than 36,000 people, according to Palestinian health authorities. Talks mediated by the US, Egypt and Qatar are focusing on a proposed ceasefire deal that includes the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas and some Palestinian prisoners in Israel. However, Hamas has insisted on a permanent truce and a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, conditions that Israel has so far rejected. Amid ongoing negotiations, the US House of Representatives passed a bill to sanction the International Criminal Court (ICC) following its decision to seek arrest warrants for Hamas and Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, over alleged war crimes in Gaza. The bill aims to revoke US visas for ICC officials and block their entry into the country, CBS News [wrote](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoRA1CP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvem1iczlmeDcwby8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTU0M3BpNm1hZDdXA3NwY0IKZlRGiGFm95snOlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa). Meanwhile, international pressure over Israel’s campaign in Gaza continued to mount this week in the Muslim world. For example, the Maldives announced a ban on Israeli passport holders entering the country, the Guardian [said](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoRA1CP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvMjZ5bG55cXpzYS8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTU0M3BpNm1hZDdXA3NwY0IKZlRGiGFm95snOlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa). The archipelago’s decision aligns with broader actions against Israel, including economic and academic boycotts. Turkey banned the import and export of goods to and from Israel, leading to significant shortages. Israel – which relies on Turkey for 40 percent of its concrete – now must purchase more expensive European concrete, observers said. Also this week, Slovenia’s parliament voted to recognize a Palestinian state, joining a growing list of countries that have taken similar steps, [according](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoRA1CP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvZ3E3MXNvODVxNi8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTU0M3BpNm1hZDdXA3NwY0IKZlRGiGFm95snOlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) to the Associated Press. The European Union member state framed the vote as a message of hope and a push for a two-state solution in the Middle East. Slovenia’s move follows similar recognition by Spain, Norway and Ireland. Meanwhile, a Palestinian state is not mentioned in the ceasefire deal. [Share this story](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoRA1CP0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvOTM4cnJnejI0ei8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTU0M3BpNm1hZDcmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODklNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKZlRGiGFm95snOlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) Moscow Rules Moscow Rules [Georgia](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoRA1CP0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvdGo3Y3MzemMxdy8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTU0M3BpNm1hZDcmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODklNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKZlRGiGFm95snOlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) Georgia’s ruling party is planning a new bill that would strip same-sex couples of their rights and target so-called “LGBT propaganda,” a move that marks another break from the former Soviet republic’s aspirations to join the European Union and a pivot toward its former master, Politico [reported](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoRA1CP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvbW43NXQyaG1uei8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTU0M3BpNm1hZDdXA3NwY0IKZlRGiGFm95snOlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa). On Tuesday, Shalva Papuashvili – speaker of Georgia’s parliament and a leader of the governing Georgian Dream party – unveiled a new legislative package that would ban same-sex marriages from being registered and only allow adoption to “heterosexuals.” The proposed legislation will also criminalize changing gender and remove any references to LGBTQ+ people from public spaces. Broadcasters, advertisers and movie theaters must also censor content that features same-sex relationships. The proposal mirrors similar measures in neighboring Russia that banned “propaganda” against traditional values and outlawed “the international LGBTQ+ public movement.” The bills come days after Papuashvili approved a contentious law that would label non-governmental organizations receiving more than 20 percent of their funding from abroad as “foreign agents.” That bill sparked weeks of mass protests against the ruling party and international criticism alleging that the law undermines Georgia’s efforts to join the EU. Critics added the legislation is very similar to Russian laws targeting non-profits, which have been used to stifle dissent, Euronews [noted](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoRA1CP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvb3loc2ZldnBkYi8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTU0M3BpNm1hZDdXA3NwY0IKZlRGiGFm95snOlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa). But despite public outrage, Papuashvili signed that bill into law Monday after the parliament – dominated by the Georgian Dream party – repealed a veto by President Salome Zourabichvili. Georgian Dream has defended the bill as necessary to defend the country from foreign actors allegedly seeking to destabilize it. They have also accused Georgia’s Western partners of using NGOs to spread “LGBT propaganda,” stage a coup and drag the country into conflict with Russia. [Share this story](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoRA1CP0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvdmljNDViaXd6ZC8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTU0M3BpNm1hZDcmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODklNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKZlRGiGFm95snOlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) Rightward Ho Our Sister Publication ~/AASU4wA~/RgRoRA1CP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvN3RsZDY5MGhvZi8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTU0M3BpNm1hZDdXA3NwY0IKZlRGiGFm95snOlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa Professionals at academic institutions, research organizations and government agencies around the world rely on World Politics Review’s expert analysis. You can too. [Get access now](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoRA1CP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsveTM0MTFpbXc1OC8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTU0M3BpNm1hZDdXA3NwY0IKZlRGiGFm95snOlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa). Rightward Ho ~/AASU4wA~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 Banning Showoffs Banning Showoffs [China](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoRA1CP0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvOGVoZzQxZzQ1Ni8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTU0M3BpNm1hZDcmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODklNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKZlRGiGFm95snOlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) Chinese Internet regulators are banning online influencers known for their luxurious lifestyles from social media, amid a government crackdown to tackle individuals who “create a ‘wealth-flaunting’ persona … in order to attract followers and traffic,” NBC News [reported](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoRA1CP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvN2Z0ZGlyZDl1My8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTU0M3BpNm1hZDdXA3NwY0IKZlRGiGFm95snOlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa). Last week, Chinese users on Douyin – China’s version of TikTok – were unable to view content from influencer Wang Honquan after his account was blocked “due to violations of Douyin’s community guidelines.” Wang is shown in his videos claiming to own seven properties in the capital, Beijing, and never leaving his home without wearing an outfit worth less than $1.38 million. His posts also highlight his maids, his collection of Hermes handbags and luxurious sports cars. He was also banned from other Chinese social media platforms, including Weibo and Xiaohongshu, [according](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoRA1CP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvY2J5MWhwb2JxNy8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTU0M3BpNm1hZDdXA3NwY0IKZlRGiGFm95snOlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) to the New York Post. Wang was just one of a number of influencers who have been blocked for posting similar content. The recent restrictions come weeks after China’s Cyberspace Administration launched a campaign to ban users “deliberately showcasing a lavish lifestyle built on wealth.” This is not the first time that Chinese officials have cracked down on social trends considered undesirable. In 2022, they issued a “code of conduct” prohibiting livestream anchors from showing or “hyping a large number of luxury goods, jewelry, cash and other assets.” Observers and former influencers suggested that the restrictions have arisen because China is experiencing an economic slowdown that has impacted the country’s middle class. Lyla Lai, a former beauty influencer, told NBC that the government efforts are “really necessary,” but noted that a better economy was more important than restrictions in that it should give people “a greater sense of fulfillment and happiness in their lives.” [Share this story](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoRA1CP0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvbjdjOG1vazN6eC8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTU0M3BpNm1hZDcmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODklNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKZlRGiGFm95snOlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) Weekly Quiz ~/AASU4wA~/RgRoRA1CP4RpAWh0dHBzOi8vbGlxd2lkLm5ldC9uYWQvP2tleT1BQzI3LUJEMkQtMzZBNi1CRjM4JmNsaWNrPTEmcGlkPTI0NDE5JmlkPTQ1MjExMTkmY2hhbm5lbFNsdWc9ZGFpbHktY2hhdHRlci1jaGFybG90dGUtb2JzZXJ2ZXImYnJhbmRTbHVnPWRhaWx5LWNoYXR0ZXImY2FtcGFpZ25JZD01NDNwaTZtYWQ3JmRhdGU9MjAyNDA2MDYmY2l0eT0mc3RhdGVQcm92aW5jZT0mY291bnRyeT0mcG9zdGFsQ29kZT0mam9iVGl0bGU9JmFnZT0maW50ZXJlc3RzPSZjaGlsZHJlbj0mZXRobmljaXR5PSZlZHVjYXRpb249JmdlbmRlcj0mcG9saXRpY2FsQWZmaWxpYXRpb249JnBldHM9Jmxhc3RJUEFkZHJlc3M9JndlYnNpdGU9JndlYnNpdGVQcm9maWxlTmFtZT1XA3NwY0IKZlRGiGFm95snOlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa The Case of the Missing Lungs Discoveries The Case of the Missing Lungs When earthlings came out of the water and started walking on terra firma some 365 million years ago, their bodies adapted to their new living conditions. Lungs were one of the innovations of that period, allowing animals to survive on the oxygen found in the air. Some rare species of tetrapods – animals that have four limbs – have since lost their lungs. And for over a decade, scientists thought that the Borneo flat-headed frog was among those that did. That was the conclusion of a team from the University of Singapore who in 2008 dissected specimens of what’s scientifically known as Barbourula kalimantanensis, an endangered species of frogs that thrives on the Indonesian part of the island of Borneo. Their analysis found no trace of lungs and suggested that the frogs had lost their lungs to adapt to the cold, fast currents where they live. David Bickford, who led the study, had [told](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoRA1CP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvM3R2cjVvNmtyZS8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTU0M3BpNm1hZDdXA3NwY0IKZlRGiGFm95snOlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) National Geographic this was an “evolutionary enigma.” Now, 16 years later, researchers from the Florida Museum of Natural History established that B. kalimantanensis did, in fact, have lungs. In their [study](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoRA1CP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvZTMyNWo4Y3EyMi8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTU0M3BpNm1hZDdXA3NwY0IKZlRGiGFm95snOlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa), they used a high-resolution micro-CT scanner to analyze the frogs’ soft tissue. There, they found a glottis and very small lungs. When inflated, the lungs are “substantially smaller than your pinky fingernail,” lead author David Blackburn [told](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoRA1CP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvbjNodWIyYWs1ay8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTU0M3BpNm1hZDdXA3NwY0IKZlRGiGFm95snOlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) Popular Science. The size of the lungs implies that the animals mostly rely on other ways to extract oxygen, namely through their skin when they’re underwater, the study said. Bickford [said](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoRA1CP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvYWVnaXBpd2owcy8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTU0M3BpNm1hZDdXA3NwY0IKZlRGiGFm95snOlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) he agreed with Blackburn’s conclusions, and added that he was “very happy” that new discoveries were made on B. kalimantanensis. The recent findings were made possible by technological advances, analysts added. Bickford explained that in 2008, he and his team could only use “histology (the study of cells and tissues through a microscope) and gross physical dissections.” [Share this story](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoRA1CP0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvaHU3ZnFlNnBjMS8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTU0M3BpNm1hZDcmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODklNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKZlRGiGFm95snOlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) Thank you for reading or listening to DailyChatter. Your comments are always welcomed and appreciated. 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