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Egypt

Can Infrared Scan Solve Old King Tut Tomb Mysteries?

Among the puzzles researchers hope to solve is whether Tutankhamun's tomb has hidden openings to the burial site of Queen Nefertiti, whose remains have never been found.

Tuthankamun's burial mask, on display in Cairo's Egyptian Museum
Tuthankamun's burial mask, on display in Cairo's Egyptian Museum

CAIRO — The Antiquities Ministry announced it would oversee a new infrared scanning of Tutankhamun's tomb on the 93rd anniversary of its discovery. The hope is that the process will reveal hidden chambers within the tomb, and shed light on whether it was initially constructed for Queen Nefertiti.

The scanning, in partnership with the Paris-based Heritage Information Preservation Institute (HIP Institute) and Cairo University's College of Engineering, has been scheduled for this week, according to a statement published on the ministry's webpage.

This comes days after the ministry announced another international effort to scan the pyramids using high-tech equipment, including the best non-invasive scanning visualization techniques.

The HIP Institute said it would utilize infrared thermography to scan King Tut's tomb in search of hidden secrets. UK scientist Nicholas Reeves claimed there might be hidden passageways and doors concealing Nefertiti's tomb within that of King Tutankhamun's.

The entrance to Tutankhamun's tomb in the Valley of Kings, Luxor, was discovered by English archaeologist Howard Carter and his team of workers on Nov. 4, 1922. Later that month, Carter and fellow archaeologist Lord Carnarvon entered the interior chambers of the tomb and found them untouched, unlike the tombs of other pharaohs, which were typically looted and ransacked.

Undisturbed for nearly 3,200 years, Tutankamun's tomb was full of treasures and other artifacts.

Tutankhamun, who reigned circa 1332—1323 BC, was a ruling member and pharaoh of the 18th dynasty. He is believed to have died at just 18 years of age and to be the son of Pharaoh Akhenaton — Egypt"s first monotheistic ruler. Akhenaton's wife was Queen Nefertiti, although she was not Tutankhamun's mother. Nefertiti's remains have not yet been unearthed.

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Economy

Lex Tusk? How Poland’s Controversial "Russian Influence" Law Will Subvert Democracy

The new “lex Tusk” includes language about companies and their management. But is this likely to be a fair investigation into breaking sanctions on Russia, or a political witch-hunt in the business sphere?

Photo of President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda

Polish President Andrzej Duda

Piotr Miaczynski, Leszek Kostrzewski

-Analysis-

WARSAW — Poland’s new Commission for investigating Russian influence, which President Andrzej Duda signed into law on Monday, will be able to summon representatives of any company for inquiry. It has sparked a major controversy in Polish politics, as political opponents of the government warn that the Commission has been given near absolute power to investigate and punish any citizen, business or organization.

And opposition politicians are expected to be high on the list of would-be suspects, starting with Donald Tusk, who is challenging the ruling PiS government to return to the presidency next fall. For that reason, it has been sardonically dubbed: Lex Tusk.

University of Warsaw law professor Michal Romanowski notes that the interests of any firm can be considered favorable to Russia. “These are instruments which the likes of Putin and Orban would not be ashamed of," Romanowski said.

The law on the Commission for examining Russian influences has "atomic" prerogatives sewn into it. Nine members of the Commission with the rank of secretary of state will be able to summon virtually anyone, with the powers of severe punishment.

Under the new law, these Commissioners will become arbiters of nearly absolute power, and will be able to use the resources of nearly any organ of the state, including the secret services, in order to demand access to every available document. They will be able to prosecute people for acts which were not prohibited at the time they were committed.

Their prerogatives are broader than that of the President or the Prime Minister, wider than those of any court. And there is virtually no oversight over their actions.

Nobody can feel safe. This includes companies, their management, lawyers, journalists, and trade unionists.

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