Fossil fuels still pack a punch. So, there’s this deal happening between Glencore and Teck Resources that’s making a big statement about fossil fuels. They’re buying and selling coal stuff, showing how even though we’re moving towards cleaner energy, fossil fuels still have some serious […]
NewsA significant surge in antisemitic hate crimes has been reported in London, with a staggering 1,350% increase during the Middle East crisis. The Metropolitan Police disclosed that between October 1st and October 18th this year, 218 antisemitic incidents were recorded, compared to 15 in the […]
SocietyAfter the Hamas attacks, tensions rise in Gaza Recent attacks by the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas on Israel have made things worse. Now that this has happened, Egypt has stepped in. Egypt is next to both Israel and Gaza. Cairo has said that it will […]
PoliticsFossil fuels still pack a punch. So, there’s this deal happening between Glencore and Teck Resources that’s making a big statement about fossil fuels. They’re buying and selling coal stuff, showing how even though we’re moving towards cleaner energy, fossil fuels still have some serious […]
NewsFossil fuels still pack a punch. So, there’s this deal happening between Glencore and Teck Resources that’s making a big statement about fossil fuels. They’re buying and selling coal stuff, showing how even though we’re moving towards cleaner energy, fossil fuels still have some serious value.
Even though lots of companies in the West aren’t super into hunting for new coal or building new mines, investors think coal still has some game left. Why? ‘Cause it’s got a role to play in the shift towards cleaner energy. Especially in places like Asia, where they’re really into coal for their energy needs.
Here’s the thing about coal—there’s this kind called coking coal, and it’s a big deal for making steel. Steel is huge for big projects like building infrastructure and going green with renewables. So, coking coal is becoming a hot choice for companies wanting in on this action.
Check this out: BHP, the world’s biggest miner, decided to keep its fancy coking coal stuff this year. They looked at all their coal stuff in 2020 and sold some, but coking coal? They’re keeping it.
Now, Glencore is snagging Teck’s coking coal business. Analysts are saying this move could rake in loads of cash—like $5 billion to $6 billion every year. Glencore’s already a big player in the coal world, making tons of thermal coal (used for making electricity) and now diving into coking coal too.
Listen, though—thermal coal isn’t winning any popularity contests. It’s super polluting and is on its way out as we shift to cleaner energy sources.
The head honcho at Glencore, Gary Nagle, says they’re all about slowly backing away from thermal coal. But guess what? He’s pretty confident that both thermal and coking coal will stay in demand for quite a while.
So, even though we’re waving goodbye to fossil fuels, they’re still showing they’ve got some tricks up their sleeves—especially when it comes to coking coal and its ties to the shiny world of steel and big projects.
A significant surge in antisemitic hate crimes has been reported in London, with a staggering 1,350% increase during the Middle East crisis. The Metropolitan Police disclosed that between October 1st and October 18th this year, 218 antisemitic incidents were recorded, compared to 15 in the […]
SocietyA significant surge in antisemitic hate crimes has been reported in London, with a staggering 1,350% increase during the Middle East crisis. The Metropolitan Police disclosed that between October 1st and October 18th this year, 218 antisemitic incidents were recorded, compared to 15 in the same period last year.
This rise in hate crimes coincided with the conflict between Hamas and Israel, with Hamas initiating an attack on October 7th, followed by Israel’s response in Gaza.
Of the reported antisemitic hate crimes, the Metropolitan Police revealed that arrests were made in just 7% of cases, with investigations ongoing for the others. Additionally, Islamophobic offenses in London also saw a notable increase, rising by 140% over the same period compared to last year.
Both Jewish and Muslim communities have expressed concerns about feeling underprotected from hate crimes. This issue is particularly alarming as communities continue to be affected during times of conflict in the Middle East.
The surge in hate crimes extends beyond London. Nationally, since the Hamas attack, the UK has experienced a 651% increase in hate incidents, including 19 physical assaults, compared to the same period last year. In this spike, 31 hate incidents were attacks on Jewish property. Moreover, the majority of these incidents were online, involving threats. There were 35 incidents in schools and 45 in universities.
The Union of Jewish Students has reported that some young people have stopped wearing items that may identify them as Jewish due to safety concerns. Others have received death threats and virulent antisemitic abuse.
As protests surrounding the Israel-Hamas war continue, a controversial chant has sparked debates. The chant, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” has been a point of contention. Some argue it calls for the destruction of Israel and is inherently antisemitic, while others view it as advocating Palestinian self-determination.
Ade Adelekan, the deputy assistant commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, noted that the chant would typically be considered lawful at protests. However, its context and proximity to Jewish establishments, like synagogues and cultural centers, would be taken into account. Discussions have occurred between police commanders and prosecutors to clarify when the chant might constitute an offense.
The Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, wrote to police heads, encouraging them to evaluate whether the chant expresses a violent desire to erase Israel from the world and whether its use in specific contexts could be a racially aggravated section 5 public order offense.
The surge in antisemitic hate crimes is a concerning issue in London and the UK, warranting attention and action to ensure the safety and well-being of affected communities.
After the Hamas attacks, tensions rise in Gaza Recent attacks by the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas on Israel have made things worse. Now that this has happened, Egypt has stepped in. Egypt is next to both Israel and Gaza. Cairo has said that it will […]
PoliticsRecent attacks by the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas on Israel have made things worse. Now that this has happened, Egypt has stepped in. Egypt is next to both Israel and Gaza. Cairo has said that it will be talking with the US and other countries to come up with a way to send humanitarian help through its border with the Gaza Strip.
As a way to send emergency aid between Gaza and the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt is looking into the idea with the help of the US, Qatar, and Turkey. This project is going to happen during a truce that is limited in space.
“Egypt wants to open the Rafah crossing so that it can help people in need by sending food and medicine.” “However, the instability and growing conflict make things more difficult and cause more refugees to look for safety, including in Europe,” Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry told Reuters on October 11, 2023.
About 2.3 million people live in Gaza, a small coastal area surrounded by Israel to the north and east and Egypt to the southwest. Since the Islamist group Hamas took power in 2007, Gaza has been under a lockdown.
The National Security Advisor for the United States, Jake Sullivan, said that the United States had talked with both Israel and Egypt about the idea of letting people from Gaza go without being hurt. This idea comes after Hamas militants killed several Israelis in strikes that led to a major Israeli offensive.
A security source from Egypt, who asked to remain anonymous, said that Egypt does not support the idea of a safe corridor for civilians to protect the “right of Palestinian citizens to defend their struggle and land.”
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, “Consultations are still going on.”
Egypt has long limited the number of Gazans who can enter its land, even during the worst conflicts. Cairo often acts as a go-between for Israel and Palestine. It always stresses that both sides should settle their differences within their own lines, saying that this is the only way for Palestinians to protect their right to become a state.
The Egyptian government has warned many times this week that Israel’s attacks on Gaza could force people to leave the enclave and move to Egyptian land.
During a meeting in Cairo with Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said, “Egypt has stepped up its efforts to control the situation in Gaza.”
Japan holds informal meeting with North Korea in an attempt to break the long-standing deadlock regarding the abduction of Japanese citizens in the past, according to sources familiar with the matter. Efforts to Rekindle Diplomacy While Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida initially intended to arrange […]
NewsJapan holds informal meeting with North Korea in an attempt to break the long-standing deadlock regarding the abduction of Japanese citizens in the past, according to sources familiar with the matter.
While Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida initially intended to arrange a high-level meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, there seems to have been no further progress on that front, as per the sources. Japan and North Korea do not maintain diplomatic relations.
Reports suggest that Japanese officials reached out to North Korea in both March and May, but Kishida refrained from providing any details, citing the sensitive nature of the issue when questioned by reporters.
Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno, who also serves as the minister in charge of abduction-related matters, likewise refrained from clarifying the veracity of the meeting during separate press conferences on Friday, September 29th.
The issue of North Korea’s abduction of Japanese citizens during the 1970s and 1980s remains highly pressing, particularly as the relatives of those who disappeared grow older.
In an event held in Tokyo in May, which aimed to repatriate abducted Japanese citizens, Kishida expressed his willingness to meet with Kim to resolve the matter. He called for high-level bilateral negotiations with North Korea under his direct supervision.
However, a Japanese diplomatic source noted that “there are rules against saying what actually happened,” implying that some form of contact may have taken place between the two countries.
The Japanese government has identified 17 of its citizens who were abducted by North Korean agents and suspects that Pyongyang may be involved in more cases of missing Japanese nationals.
In September 2002, then-Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi visited Pyongyang and signed a historic declaration with Kim Jong-il, who was leading North Korea at the time.
Based on the Pyongyang Declaration, the two Asian nations agreed to make “every possible effort” to normalize their relations. Japan also pledged to extend economic cooperation to North Korea once diplomatic relations were normalized.
Koizumi achieved a significant milestone during his visit by securing North Korea’s first official apology for its state-sponsored abductions, which led to the repatriation of five abduction victims the following month.
President Emmanuel Macron of France has announce the recall of the French ambassador from Niger, along with the withdrawal of French military troops in the coming months. This decision positively receive by Niger’s military leaders, who view it as a significant step toward achieving sovereignty. […]
News SocietyPresident Emmanuel Macron of France has announce the recall of the French ambassador from Niger, along with the withdrawal of French military troops in the coming months. This decision positively receive by Niger’s military leaders, who view it as a significant step toward achieving sovereignty. Macron’s announcement comes two months after a coup in the West African nation that led to the removal of a pro-French president.
In a televise interview, Macron state, “France has decided to recall our ambassador. In the coming hours, our ambassador and several diplomats return.” He went on to say that military cooperation had “come to an end,” and French forces gradually withdrawn “in the coming months and weeks,” with a full withdrawal expecting “by the end of this year.”
The military junta in Niger swiftly respond to Macron’s announcement through a statement broadcast on national television. The statement read, “This week, we celebrate a new step toward Niger’s sovereignty,” referring to the withdrawal of the French ambassador and troops. The junta had seize power by overthrowing President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26.
Reports had emerge that the Nigerien military junta had ban “French aircraft” from flying over the country’s airspace, according to the African and Malagasy Air Navigation Security Agency (ASECNA). However, it remains unclear whether this ban affect the departure of the French ambassador.
Macron emphasize that, “in the coming weeks and months, we consult with the rebels, as we want this to be done peacefully.” He stres that the post-coup government “no longer wants to fight terrorism.”
France has maintain a military presence in Niger as part of its counterterrorism operations in the Sahel region. Approximately 1,500 French troops have been station in the country. Macron’s announcement represents a significant shift in France’s military presence in the Sahel region, which has been grappling with extremist violence and insurgencies.
Macron’s decision to recall the ambassador and withdraw troops underscores a notable change in France’s approach to its military involvements in the Sahel. It signals a departure from France’s historical role as a dominant influence in its former African colonies.
This move aligns with Macron’s earlier statements about reducing France’s military footprint in the Sahel. While the decision to withdraw troops could be seen as a response to the coup, Macron’s emphasis on peaceful consultations with “rebels” suggests a broader diplomatic strategy.
The international community closely monitor developments in Niger as it navigates political transitions and its evolving relationship with France. The country’s trajectory carry implications for regional stability and counterterrorism efforts in the Sahel, given its strategic location and the ongoing threat of extremist violence in the region.
Destruction Flooding Event in Eastern Libya Emergency personnel in eastern Libya are recovering nearly 1,500 dead from Derna, a city that was hit hard by the water. However, flooding destroyed dams and washed away neighbourhoods, raising concerns that the death toll may reach 5,000. This […]
SocietyEmergency personnel in eastern Libya are recovering nearly 1,500 dead from Derna, a city that was hit hard by the water. However, flooding destroyed dams and washed away neighbourhoods, raising concerns that the death toll may reach 5,000.
This unimaginable wreckage, caused by Mediterranean storm Daniel, highlights the storm’s severity and the nation’s vulnerability. Due to war between opposing administrations in the east and west, Libya has neglected key infrastructure in several places for over a decade.
More than 36 hours after the accident, outside help has started reaching Derna. The coastal city’s 89,000 inhabitants’ access roadways have been damaged by severe rains.
Images and videos from the scene show blanketed remains in hospital complexes and vast graves full of dead. According to the eastern Libyan health minister, approximately 1,500 remains have been rescued and half were buried by Tuesday evening, but the dismal reality reveals a greater death toll. Mohammed Abu-Lamousha, a spokesman for the east Libya interior ministry, claims over 5,300 people died in Derna, while the ambulance authority recorded 2,300.
At least 10,000 people are still missing, and over 40,000 have been forced to flee their homes, according to Tamer Ramadan, the ambassador for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in Libya.
Tamer Ramadan has compared Libya’s predicament to Morocco’s earthquake, emphasising the necessity for quick humanitarian relief.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the UN is working with local, national, and international partners to quickly provide humanitarian relief to Libya.
Derna and other towns in eastern Libya wiped out by a severe storm. Wadi Derna, a river that runs from the highlands to the Mediterranean, saw flash floods. It happen when the dams outside the city broken by the relentless bombardment.
Local resident Ahmed Abdalla said that the water wall “erased everything in its way.” Whole communities on both sides of the river swept away in the mud and debris, as shown in YouTube videos posted by local residents. Backing up to the river, multi-story apartment buildings had their facades blown off and their concrete floors fractured. After the flood, cars began piling up.
The Libyan National Meteorological Centre said that 72 hours of prior notice given for the upcoming “extreme weather event” of Storm Daniel. Officials in the government were notified by email and the media to take safety measures. Bayda had a whopping 414.1 mm (16.3 inches) of rain on Sunday and Monday.
Volunteers, government employees, and civilians joined the local military in combing the rubble for bodies. The bodies dragged out of the sea by an inflatable boat. Othman Abduljaleel, the health minister for eastern Libya, says he fears many people swept away in the debris or drowned in the Mediterranean.
After years of neglect, Derna’s enormous damage raises concerns about how the rains broke two dams outside the city. Some analysts believe the dam collapsed due to poor maintenance and heavy rain.
London-based Libya expert Jalel Harchaoui said that Derna neglected for years due to postponed maintenance. He also note factionalism, since Derna was formerly control by Islamic terrorist groups and transferred to the eastern government in 2019 after lengthy urban battles.
Despite the continuing competition between the eastern administration in Benghazi and the western government in Tripoli, the immediate catastrophe response showed collaboration. The western Libyan government sent an aircraft with medical supplies and healthcare professionals to Benghazi and allocated funding for Derna and other eastern cities’ restoration. Egypt, Turkey, and the UAE sent rescue teams, while Germany, France, and Italy pledged help.
Ground conditions may hinder assistance and equipment movement to Derna. There are calls for a marine passage to distribute assistance.
After the accident, President Joe Biden said the US will send emergency cash to relief organisations and work with Libyan authorities and the U.N.
Storm Daniel also devastated eastern Libya, killing 50 in Bayda. Bayda’s major hospital, the Medical Centre, flooded, forcing patient evacuations. Susa, Marj, and Shahatt also hit, with hundreds of families fleeing to Benghazi and other eastern Libyan schools and government facilities. According to the World Bank, northeast Libya, particularly Jabal al-Akhdar, where numerous impacted communities situated, has one of the highest annual rainfall averages.
In a significant move, United State Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Ukraine and declared a substantial aid package of $1 billion to strengthen the country’s capabilities in resisting Russia. A Billion-Dollar Commitment During a joint press conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, Blinken […]
UncategorizedIn a significant move, United State Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Ukraine and declared a substantial aid package of $1 billion to strengthen the country’s capabilities in resisting Russia.
During a joint press conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, Blinken unveiled a commitment of over $1 billion in aid. He emphasized that this assistance includes both military and civilian security aid, amounting to $665.5 million.
This significant aid package arrives at a time when Ukraine faces criticism for what observers perceive as a slow response in countering Russia.
On the other hand, Ukraine has consistently sought assistance from Western nations, acknowledging that it would be overwhelmed confronting Russian forces without military equipment support.
The United States, along with several Western nations, has been increasing its support. This recent aid is not the first; the U.S. has already provided more than $40 billion in security assistance since Russia initiated its invasion last year.
As the U.S. once again extends its support, Ukraine emphasizes that it does not take this aid lightly.
“U.S. assistance is not charity. Thanks to our partners, Ukraine is deterring Russian aggression, and we are not endangering the lives of American citizens,” Kuleba expressed to Blinken.
Blinken, in turn, stated that this latest aid would assist Ukraine in devising a counteroffensive strategy and help “build the right momentum.”
Additionally, Kuleba expressed gratitude towards the United States for granting approval to other countries interested in providing Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets.
Under the agreement, countries purchasing F-16 jets from the United States are required to seek prior approval if they intend to transfer the aircraft to another party.
Several countries had been hesitant to provide these jets for various reasons, including the need to obtain clearance from the U.S. government before transferring the fleet.
The assurance from the U.S. that it would allow the transfer of these fighter jets to Ukraine has been well-received, as it further strengthens Ukraine’s defense capabilities in the face of the ongoing conflict with Russia.
The United States’ commitment of $1 billion in aid, encompassing military and civilian security support, underscores its continued commitment to bolstering Ukraine’s defense against Russian aggression. Ukraine’s acknowledgment of the assistance’s significance and the approval for F-16 fighter jets further solidify the collaborative efforts of Western nations in supporting Ukraine’s resilience against the ongoing conflict with Russia.