Nuclear reactors are directly in the line of fire of global warming.

In fact, nuclear reactors cannot survive global warming. But thats only the start of serious issues with the worlds newly found love affair with nuclear energy. This article examines the likelihood of nuclear energy as a fixit for global warming, or is it a victim?

The world is turning to nuclear energy as one solution for raging global warming, which has been in the news on a real time basis drying up commercial rivers, depleting major reservoirs and spreading wildfires like theres no tomorrow. Yet, thats only a sampling of global warming knockoffs. Significantly, its getting worse by the year, and there are some who wonder how much worse before the climate system literally implodes with destructive capacity beyond Hollywoods wildest imagination.

In consequence, nuclear energys popularity is on the rise in concert with rising global temperatures. The hotter it gets the more supporters jump on the bandwagon, but there are plenty of reasons to believe its a fools paradise. History will likely judge this worldwide movement for nuclear energy as one of the biggest traps of all-time. Nevertheless, the nuclear energy trap is coming onstream faster and faster and without much opposition. Maybe there should be some.

A Gallup survey found 55% of U.S. adults in support of nuclear energy, which is the highest in over a decade. The Biden administration views nuclear as a key climate solution to net zero. Japan is restarting its idled plants and plans on building more as it commences the absolute insanity of releasing radioactive toxic water in storage tanks at Fukushimas TEPCO nuclear plant directly into the readily available, right-next-door Pacific Ocean, as its neighbors squeal and many smart scientists squirm. Meanwhile, China, with 24 nuclear energy plants currently under construction, ambitiously plans to build at least 150 new reactors over the next 15 years. India is planning to commission 20 reactors by 2031. Worldwide, 60 new reactors are under construction.

Nuclear energy is on the move at a time when more and more exposure of cancer cases and deaths become public knowledge, as follows:

• A BBC Future Planet article d/d July 25, 2019, The True Toll of the Chernobyl Disaster: According to the official, internationally recognized death toll, just 31 people died as an immediate result of Chernobyl while the UN estimates that only 50 deaths can be directly attributed to the disaster. In 2005, it predicted a further 4,000 might eventually die as a result of the radiation exposure Browns research, however, suggests Chernobyl has cast a far longer shadow.
• The number of deaths in subsequent decades remains in dispute. The lowest estimates are 4,000; others 90,000 and up to 200,000....

Saudi Arabia expanding e-visa system to 12 countries including Turkey, Lebanon and Pakistan

We cant get there from here, anymore.

By Aurelien | Trying to Understand the World | July 26, 2023

In a lot of historys conflicts, the combatants come from adjacent countries, or even different parts of the same one, and they fight to settle ownership of territory, borders, access to strategic materials or communications, or even who will control some third political entity. But there is another kind of warfare, which we might call expeditionary warfare or power projection, which aims at preparing forces, projecting them some distance, having them perform a military operation, and extracting and recovering them, hopefully intact or largely so. It is, in fact, this latter model which has been common among western powers since 1945, and the norm for the last thirty years, and much of modern western weaponry, tactics and training have been designed around it. But there are several reasons to think that this type of warfare is rapidly becoming obsolete and impossible, with political ramifications that we have hardly begun to think about. Heres why.

Fighting requires contact with the enemy, either directly or, more frequently these days, remotely. Historically, armies did not always have to move very far to make contact, and when they did, it was generally on foot. Whilst the fighting could extend over considerable distances (Napoleons campaign in Russia, for example) and armies could move back and forth over large areas, fundamentally, each had a national capital and a logistic capacity and lines of communication to fall back on. Even the herculean struggle between Germany and the Soviet Union between 1941 and 1945 was fought continuously from the centre of Poland as far as Moscow, and then back to Berlin.

But there have also been occasions, and even entire campaigns, that have been fought at a distance. Here, some technology is used to move troops and equipment a long way from home, in order to attack forces you were not originally in contact with. Sometimes, entire wars are in effect expeditionary: the Crimean and Boer Wars, for example, or more recently the wars in Korea, Vietnam and Iraq.

Traditional wars of conquest were not generally expeditionary, because the soldiers set out from a secure base, and in most cases just marched or rode in one direction until they met an enemy to fight, or a city to sack, and, if successful, continued on to the next. Alexander the Greats soldiers simply marched as far as India. The Arab conquests mostly involved light cavalry and infantry sweeping progressively through the Middle East and Africa as far as the Maghreb. Even then, there were exceptions: the disastrous attempted expedition to Sicily by the Athenians in 415-13 BC is one early example of expeditionary warfa......

RT | July 27, 2023

The International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) could provide Russian goods with a shorter route to Africa than the Suez Canal, President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday.

Addressing a plenary session of the Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg, Putin explained that Moscow is actively engaged in reorienting transport and cargo flows towards the states of the Global South, including, of course, Africa.

The INSTC, touted as an alternative to the Suez Canal, is a planned 7,200km multi-mode transit system that will connect ship, rail, and road routes for moving cargo between Russia, Iran, Azerbaijan, India, and Central Asia.

The International North-South Transport Corridor that we are developing is aimed at providing Russian goods with access to the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean, from where they will be able to reach the African continent via the shortest sea route. Naturally, this corridor can also be used in the opposite direction to supply African goods to the Russian market, Putin stated.

Russia is seeking to ensure interconnectivity within the route and launch regular freight shipping lines, according to Putin. The volume of goods shipped via the INSTC is expected to almost triple over the next seven years, and the Russian leader suggested establishing a logistics hub for the corridor on the African coast.

The opening of a Russian transport and logistics center in one of the ports on the African coast would be a good thing, a good start to this joint work. We consider it important to ensure wider coverage of the African continent with direct flights [and] participation in the development of the African railroad network these are the key tasks that we propose to our African friends to work together on, Putin said.

Russia has repeatedly said that the INSTC could become a substitute for the Suez Canal, the 193km waterway in Egypt that connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea. The popular route between Europe and Asia sees about 12% of global trade pass through it each day.

The construction of the INSTC began in the early 2000s, but developing it further has taken on a new impetus in light of Western sanctions, which have forced Russia to shift its trade flows from Europe to Asia and the Middle East.

The total cargo flow along the INSTC was 14.5 million tons in 2022, and the projection for this year is 17.6 million tons, according to Russias Transport Ministry. By 2030, the volume is expected to reach 41 million tons.

Ashland, WI Canadian oil corporation Enbridge has been ordered to shut down its Line 5 tar sands oil pipeline and pay the Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians $5.1 million. Chief Judge William M. Conley of the U.S. District Court for Wisconsin ruled on June 16, 2023 that Enbridge must adopt a more conservative shutdown and purge plan for its remaining time on the Bad River Indian Reservation.

Water protectors gathered on the day of the ruling in Ashland, Wisconsin to demand the immediate emergency shutdown of Line 5. Unicorn Riot heard from water protectors on the state of the Line 5 fight and why they actively protest.

What is Line 5?

The Line 5 pipeline was built in 1953, stretches for 645 miles and is operated by Canadian oil giant Enbridge. From western to eastern Canada, it transports up to 23 million gallons of crude oil and natural gas liquids daily. Although 90 percent of the oil is delivered to Canada, the pipeline cuts across Wisconsin and Michigan. The total pipeline system transports 2.85 million barrels of oil per day (Barrels Per Day one barrel = 42 U.S. gallons) which is 119,700,000 gallons per day.

Since Line 5 became operational in 1968, the pipeline has spilled at least 1.1 million gallons of oil along its route in at least 33 spills, according to the Michigan Environmental Council.

In addition to crossing hundreds of interconnected waters, Line 5 crosses treaty-reserved territory of tribal nations such as the Bay Mills Indian Community in Michigan and the Mashkiiziibii, Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa in Wisconsin.

With 84 percent of North Americas surface freshwater contained in the Great Lakes, Line 5 poses a direct threat to these lakes. The Great Lakes include Lake Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario; Lake Superior, which borders Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Canada, was the site of genocidal acts against the Indigenous populations by the U.S. Government. 

Critical minerals, crucial for various industries and manufacturing processes, are gaining global importance amid post-pandemic supply chain shocks and export bans. Acknowledging the significance of these resources, India has taken strategic steps to strengthen its standing in the critical minerals sector. Its noteworthy initiatives include releasing a comprehensive critical minerals strategy and its recent entry into the Mineral Security Partnership.

Indias Role in the Mineral Security Partnership

The US-led Mineral Security Partnership aims to secure and diversify critical minerals supply chains vital to high-tech and renewable industries. Indias decision to become a member is driven by the desire for sustainable economic growth, particularly in the manufacturing sector and supply chain security.

The post Backgrounder: India and the Mineral Security Partnership appeared first on Geopolitical Monitor.

An Egyptian boat set sail from the city of Tobruk, in Libya, on June 9, 2023. The overcrowded Adriana is carrying more than 600 refugees from Pakistan, Egypt, Syria and Libya. The vast majority of them are held in the cargo hold. Some will pay an extra $55 to luckily travel on deck. 

Hellenic (Greek) Coast Guard and the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (commonly referred as Frontex) spot Adriana in Greek SAR (Search and Rescue zone) on Tuesday morning, June 13, and start monitoring its movement. Its another ship with poor infrastructure that will pass through Greek waters destined for Kalavria, Italy. However, its story ends up differently. 

A call from the boat was made to The Med Alarm Phone, an emergency hotline for refugees in danger at the Mediterranean Sea, stating that the boat is in distress. Based on information from Frontex at 09:47 UTC, the ship was navigating north-east at slow speeds of 6 knots. Several calls were made and the first was received at 12:17 GMT, a few hours after Greek authorities had spotted the ship. 

After the first call, three boats reached Adriana in attempts to provide help. The first one, Lucky Sailor, after being enlisted by the Greek coast guard, provided food and water around 15:00 local time. The Greek coast guard visits the ship a few minutes later and reported that the boat is moving.

Based on Marine Traffic data that BBC have verified, more than two hours later, around 18:00, a ship called Faithful Warrior that was located in the same spot as the Lucky Sailor and also enlisted by Greek authorities, provided some more food and water to the refugees calling for rescue.

While the refugees contact Alarm Phone, the smugglers in charge of Adriana deny rescue and any other help from the Greek authorities. In most cases they are paid after the transfer is...

The news regarding the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) implementing their plan to create a new international currency has gained momentum. The currency will be backed by gold, as announced on July 7, 2023. In a recent meeting in Cape Town, South Africa, the foreign ministers of the BRICS countries, along with Continue reading Russia Confirms BRICS Will Create A Gold-Backed Currency

In the global chessboard of geopolitics, rare earth elements (REEs) are the new power pieces. Their strategic importance continues to escalate, especially for nations like India with a burgeoning technology sector. This is underscored by the Indian governments recent unveiling of a list of 30 critical minerals integral to national security and active efforts to establish a domestic semiconductor manufacturing plant. Essential to hi-tech and renewable energy industries, REEs dominance by Chinawhich controls over 80-90% of the global marketposes a significant challenge, leaving nations like India in an uncomfortable position of dependence on their eastern neighbor.

Africa the sleeping giant of REE reserves remains largely underexplored. Its rich REE deposits in countries like Burundi and Tanzania wait in the wings due to lack of technology and investment. However, the narrative is rapidly changing with China weaving its intricate web of influence in Africas REE sector. Yet Chinas largesse comes with a price. Its notorious debt-trap diplomacy ensnares economically vulnerable nations into an unending cycle of debt, exemplified by Zambia, Djibouti, and Angola.

In stark contrast to China, India has always aimed to pursue a non-extractive and sustainable approach in all its engagements. Indias External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, recently reaffirmed Indias non-expansionist and inclusive approach towards Africa. Thus, India, not China, at least over the longer term, clearly emerges as the preferred partner for Africa, setting the stage for a strategic repositioning of Indias influence in the continent.

The Winning Factor

An underappreciated facet of Indias connection with Africa is the vibrant Indian diaspora, which numbers over 3 million. Integrated into Africas socioeconomic fabric, the Indian diaspora has proven its mettle in the trade, manufacturing, and services sectors. This network, with its deep-rooted ties and understanding of local contexts, could be the catalyst for Indias enhanced engagement with the African REE sector.

History, as it often does, offers lessons on how diasporas can contribute to their home countries economic prosperity and strategic security. The Chinese diaspora, for instance, has been a driving force behind approximately 70% of Chinas direct investment in Southeast Asia. Likewise, the Jewish diaspora annually remits approximately $3.8 billion to Israel. Its evident that diasporas can significantly contribute to their home economies and strategic security, and Indias diaspora in Africa is no exception. The task for India, then, is to draw upon this playbook...

Gavin OReilly Over the past several weeks, Ireland has been rocked by a scandal related to the significant undeclared earnings of Ryan Tubridy, the most prominent presenter on the public broadcaster of the 26-County State, RT, and the long-time host of its flagship talk show, The Late Late Show, until his departure earlier this year

Human Wrongs Watch

By Thalif Deen

Standing army?, the diplomat asked with mock surprise, and remarked perhaps half-jokingly, We dont even have a sitting army.

With a population of about 250,000, around that time, the Maldives was perhaps one of the few countries with no fighter planes, combat helicopters, warships, missiles or battle tanksan open invitation for mercenaries and free-lance military adventurers.

As a result, the islands fragile defenses attracted a rash of mercenaries and bounty hunters who tried to take over the country twice once in 1979, and a second time in 1988.

Although both attempts failed, the Indian Ocean-island refused to drop its defenses. It not only initiated a proposal seeking a UN security umbrella to protect the worlds militarily-vulnerable mini states but also backed an international convention to outlaw mercenaries, namely the 1989 International Convention against the Recruitment, Use, Financing and Training of Mercenaries

In the US, a mercenary is called a soldier of fortune, which is also the title of a widely circulated magazine, and sub-titled the Journal of Professional Adventurers.

The adventures and mis-adventures of mercenaries were also portrayed in several Hollywood movies, including the Dogs of War, Tears of the Sun, the Wild Geese, the Expendables, and Blood Diamond, among others.

When the Russian Wagner Group hit the front pages of newspapers worldwide, it was described as a private mercenary group fighting in Ukraine.

The New York Times said on June 30 the Wagner Group provided security to African presidents, propped up dictators, violently suppressed rebel uprisings and was accused of torture, murder of civilians and other abuses.

But the failed coup attempt by Wagner threatened, for a moment, the very existence of the Group.

A military...

The UN Climate Summit prepares for COP28 in Dubai.UN Climate Change Conference: The Trail of Oil, Weapons and Secrets in Indian CountryBy Brenda Norrell, Censored News, July 15, 2023This is Not a Parody.The UN Climate Summit will be held in Dubai, the homeland of oil and weapons.The conference, which claims to be a global gathering focused on climate action, is from November 30 to December 12,