... The source spoke on the condition of anonymity, citing professional norms, ahead of French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to China.

"It's obvious that China is one of the few countries on Earth -- maybe the only country in the world -- to have a 'game-changer' effect on the conflict, for both sides," the source said.
[...]
Macron will arrive in Beijing on Wednesday [5 Apr] to start his visit, one day later than previously announced, and will also visit the southern city of Guangzhou before leaving China on April 8.

With meetings scheduled with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, Macron aims to "find a space so that we can try initiatives that are useful to the Ukrainian people and then to find a way to identify solutions to end this war in the medium term," the source said.

"You cannot be in between -- you cannot be for half of the international order."

"Ukraine will be an important topic of my meetings with President Xi and Premier Li," von der Leyen tweeted after the call
[...]
the EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said that China's "position on Russia's atrocities and war crimes will determine the quality of our relationship." Borrell also announced Tuesday that he will visit Beijing next week.

Standing alongside visiting U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Borrell was forceful in his condemnation of a nation that has increasingly moved from being an EU partner to being a rival on the global stage.

"We also spoke about our continued partnership on economic security. We have serious concerns about the challenges posed by economic coercion, by the weaponisation of economic dependencies and non-market policies and practices, including by the People's Republic of China," Blinken added.

Reuters: President of the European Commission Ursula Von der Leyen said in an interview that China should play a constructive role in bringing peace to Ukraine and called on China to rein in Russia's moves in Ukraine. What's China's comment?
Mao Ning: China is not a party to the Ukraine crisis, but a firm supporter and active promoter of the peaceful resolution of the crisis. We are ready to communicate and exchange views with the EU side on the political settlement of the crisis. We also hope the EU will show strategic autonomy and political wisdom and take firm steps toward achieving long-term peace and security in Europe.

Russia expells German diplomats in 'reciprocal' move

They restisted the temptation to translate "reciprocal" as "retaliation" or "tat-for-tat"

By organizing today's UNSC debate Russia is trying to portray itself as a defender of the UN Charter & multilateralism. Nothing can be further from the truth. We all know that while Russia is destroying, we are building. While they violate, we protect.
⏩https://t.co/AIQrFA63nM pic.twitter.com/n8JVywcT11

— 🇪🇺EU at UN-NY (@EUatUN) April 24, 2023

As an observer with enhanced status, the EU has no vote but is party to more than 50 UN multilateral agreements [!] and conventions as the only non-State participant. It has obtained a special "full participant" status in a number of important UN conferences.

The European Union - like the United Nations - has multilateralism in its DNA and carries a special responsibility to advance the shared EU-UN agenda.

[wire-tapped] Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called cooperation among the U.N.'s 193 member nations the organization's "beating heart" and "guiding vision," and he warned the Security Council that global collaboration is under the greatest strain since the creation of the United Nations in 1945 on the ashes of World War II.
[...]
U.S. Ambassador Linda ["eat muh gumbo"] Thomas-Greenfield called Russia a "hypocritical convener" of the [UNSC] meeting whose "illegal, unprovoked, and unnecessary" war in UKRAINE "struck at the heart of the U.N. Charter and all that we hold dear." Britain's U.N. Ambassador Barbara Woodward said the world has seen "what Russia's idea of multilateralism means for the world" -- the trampling of the U.N. Charter and a war that has brought unimaginable suffering to UKRAINE and been "an unmitigated disaster for Russia, too." The 27-member European Union [Ambassador Skoog?] called Russia's attempt to portray itself as a defender of the U.N. Charter and multilateralism "cynical," saying it is "in contempt" not only of the U.N. Charter but U.N. General Assembly resolutions demanding the withdrawal of Russian forces.
[...]
Lavrov said the West is promoting a "rules-based order" where nobody has seen the rules and which bars access to modern technologies and financial services to punish countries it disagrees with. The West has imposed a series of economic sanctions on Russia in response to the invasion of UKRAINE.

"Let's call a spade a spade. Nobody allowed the Western minority to speak on behalf of all humankind," he said.

Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. ambassador, told the council that Russia's actions during the 14-month war show that the invasion of UKRAINE isn't an isolated incident.

"This does not just concern UKRAINE or Europe," she said. "It concerns all of us. Because today it's UKRAINE, But tomorrow it could be another country, another small nation that is invaded by its larger neighbor the West."
[...]
There were about 50 countries that spoke, and many pointed to the increasing confrontation among U.N. member nations. They stressed the importance of preserving multilateralism, including by reforming the Security Council to reflect the 21st century world instead of the post-World War II power structure.

The US president has forged personal ties with the EU's top executive. With both facing re-election in 2024, the transatlantic alliance will inevitably be on ["]the ballot["].
[...]

Nikkei | Biden's old friend Xi is not the man he once was, 12 Nov 2020
WaPoo | Biden's repeated claim he's 'traveled 17,000 miles with' Xi Jinping, 19 Feb 2021
FOX | Xi calls Biden 'my old friend' after US president had insisted they were not close, 16 Nov 2022
NBC | White House hopes Biden's relationship with Xi can defuse U.S.-China tensions, 15 Mar 2023

In many ways, the personal chemistry between the two is on the ballot. The two leaders have forged strong ties while in office together despite persistent friction between the U.S. and Europe over everything from tariffs to [TAX CREDITS] to ["national"] security deals.
[...]

Following Djukanovic's remarks, Milatovic told supporters that "tonight is the night we have been waiting for over 30 years. This is a victory of a reconciled Montenegro."

"Within the next five years, we will lead Montenegro into the European Union," he said.

During the victory speech, he was joined by Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic, former Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapic, and leaders of the pro-Russia Democratic Front....

The new president of Montenegro will be 36-year-old Yakov Milatovic[h], who entered politics less than three years ago. On Sunday, in the second round of elections, he defeated the incumbent President Milo Djukanovic, the ideologist of Montenegrin independence and membership of the republic in NATO, who has been in power for more than 30 years. The new president is welcomed in Western embassies and at the same time supported in Belgrade. The latter gives experts reason to talk about a possible increase in Serbian influence in Montenegro and that the West sees this as a kind of compensation for Serbia for the inevitable loss of Kosovo*. ...

Sanna Marin defeated by Finland's conservatives in tight race | BBC News |

Finnish conservative leader Petteri Orpo has won a nail-biting three-way election race, defeating Prime Minister Sanna Marin's centre left.

"We got the biggest mandate," said the leader of the National Coalition Party, after a dramatic night in which the result gradually swung away from Ms Marin's Social Democrats.

Mr Orpo secured 20.8% of the vote, ahead of the right-wing populist Finns Party with a record 20.1% and the centre left.

It is a bitter defeat for Ms Marin, who increased her party's seats and secured 19.9% of the vote [dropped to 3rd place!]. She continues to enjoy high poll ratings and has been widely praised for steering Finland towards imminent entry into NATO.

Finland, national parliament election:

Seats, 100.0% counted

Kok.-EPP: 48 (+10)
PS-ID: 46 (+7)
SDP-S&D: 43 (+3)
Kesk.-RE: 23 (−8)
Vihr.-G/EFA: 13 (−7)
Vas.-LEFT: 11 (−5)
SFP-RE: 9
KD-EPP: 5
...

+/− vs. 2019 election#Finlandia #finlandelections pic.twitter.com/F9gTftjs84

— Europe Elects (@EuropeElects) April 2, 2023

2023 Finnish parliamentary election - Wikipedia

Five Government parties and four opposition parties finished with seats in parliament split dead even, 100-100. It is expected that National Coalition Party's Petteri Orpo with his incoming plurality will begin government formation negotiations.

Following the April 2019 parliamentary election, the Social Democratic Party (SDP), led by Antti Rinne, formed a government with the Centre Party, Green League, Left Alliance, and the Swedish People's Party, with Rinne serving as prime minister. Later that year, Rinne was involved in a political scandal regarding the Finnish postal service, after which he resigned. Sanna Marin succeeded him, becoming the world's youngest serving prime minister.

Information from a German Industrialist        

On May 13, it was reported that information had been received, indirectly, from the director of an important German industrial concern, who claimed to have excellent connections in the German Foreign Office.

The main feature of the message was that if a definite agreement was not reached by the end of May that would allow large-scale German economic penetration and exploitation of the USSR, a war would be launched against that country, preparations for which should have been completed before the end of May.

2. During the last few days the following information has been received, indirectly, from the same German industrialist, and part of the proclamation is based, according to him, on what he learned from his friend in the German Foreign Office of Germany. This industrialist is not our regular source and we have no way of verifying his reliability beyond the information cited above; but independent information from Vichy cited at the end of this report corroborates his claims and there were also isolated signs of a coming peace movement involving Spain, France, Switzerland and the Vatican.
[...]
(Note. There is a note on the scan of the text - "[1941 ?]")

Franklin Delano Roosevelt Library (German Diplomatic Files - Box 31).

On March 31, the IMF first announced that it had reached an agreement with Ukraine to provide a four-year financial aid package worth approximately $15.6 billion. This funding is part of a larger package worth $115 billion.
[...]

parity watch USD:UAH, 1:36.75

The second phase of the EFF Program is set to aid with Ukraine's post-war reconstruction and European integration, the Finance Ministry wrote.

"During a working trip to Chernihiv region, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensk* held a meeting with Secretary General of the Council of Europe Marija Pejčinović Burić who is visiting our country for the second time since the beginning of the full-scale aggression," the press service of the Head of State informs. As noted, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe and the Head of State visited the village of Yahidne, where they saw the infrastructure and residential buildings destroyed by Russian troops, as well as the school where the occupiers held the locals.

archived July 2022 "power to the councils", UKRAINE DRAFT LAW, CoE tribute

[...]
They also paid attention to the measures taken to create a register of damages caused by the Russian aggression and a full-fledged compensation mechanism, in particular in the context of preparations for the Summits of Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe in Reykjavik [16-17 May 2023]. Zelensk* called on the Council of Europe to make all possible efforts to stop Russia's illegal deportation of Ukrainian citizens from temporarily occupied areas and areas of hostilities, and together with other international partners to ensure the return of illegally deported Ukrainians, primarily children.

ICC-CPI | Situation in Ukraine: ICC judges issue arrest warrants

NATO's long-time leader emphasized that the "main focus" now is to ensure that Ukraine remains a sovereign, independent nation in Europe.

"The first step toward any membership of Ukraine to NATO is to ensure that Ukraine prevails, and that is why the U.S. and its partners have provided unprecedented support for Ukraine," he added. "I cannot give you an exact date, but what I can say is that allies are extremely focused on ensuring that Ukraine prevails," Stoltenberg told the Kyiv Independent.
[...]
'Dangerous and reckless nuclear rhetoric'
As Russian President Vladimir Putin escalated his nuclear threats against the West, NATO vowed that it would not be "intimidated."

In his latest series of nuclear threats against the West and Ukraine, Putin said Russia would deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus for training. He claimed the decision was made due to the UK Defense Ministry's [Ben Wallace] recent decision to supply Ukraine with ammunition containing depleted uranium.

archived What's the difference between a tactical and strategic missile? size

"We are not transferring our tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus, but we will deploy them and train the military, like the United States in Europe," Putin said in an interview with a Russian state-controlled news outlet on March 25.
[...]

The international credit rating agency, S&P Global Ratings, has upgraded the rating of Ukrzaliznytsia JSC to CCC+.

"The recent completion of a debt restructuring, totaling USD 894.9 million, has contributed to the upgrade in the rating. Thanks to this agreement and other projects with international partners, the pressure on the company's liquidity has been lifted, and its contractual debt payments in 2023-2024 will be reduced by more than 90%," the report states.

archived income P&L and balance sheet "accountability"

Ukrzaliznytsia JSC also mentioned that S&P Global Ratings noted the successful re[-]profiling with the EBRD to meet the liquidity needs of the credit line worth EUR 150 million and the write-off of Russian banks' debts in accordance with the law that came into force in August 2022.

fog, rumours, and just plain bullshit
tabloid USAToday | Ukraine denies Russian claims of control over Bakhmut

The Russian flag flew over the Bakhmut city administration building Monday after a Russian mercenary leader claimed to have "technically" captured the eastern Ukraine city that has been a primary focus of the war for several weeks. But the head of the Ukraine presidential office, Andriy Yermak, dismissed the claim on social media: "Don't pay attention on 'victory' fake inventors. Not even close to the reality."

"They haven't captured anything in a legal sense," the spokesman for the Eastern Group of Troops of the Armed Forces of Ukraine added....

...The Dossier Center, a London-based investigative group funded by Russian opposition figure Mikhail Khodorkovsky [!], interviewed Karakulov multiple times and shared video and transcripts of more than six hours of those interviews with The Associated Press, as well as the Danish Broadcasting Corporation DR, Swedish Television SVT, and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation NRK. The Dossier Center confirmed the authenticity of Karakulov's passport and FSO work identity card, and cross-checked details of his biography against Russian government records, leaked personal data, and social media postings....

If foreign investors buy these securities, then they are involved in the invasion.

book reviews, 1988-present
archived Reagan's approval in January 1982 in Nord Stream Whodunnit UPDATE

The record-breaking margins realized at the expense of [PKN] Orlen's drivers in the fourth quarter of last year and the valuation of the acquired PGNiG assets determined the profits of the entire PiS holding. In addition, banks and JSW generated profits. On the other hand, huge losses were recorded by the energy sector and the fertilizer group, but also by KGHM.
[...]

[...]
A lot of rhetoric was spoken from the rostrum about friendship and the blurring of borders between our nations. In his speech, Zielenski [sic] touched on this topic, saying that in the future there will be no borders between Ukraine and Poland—neither political, nor economic, nor historical. This can serve as confirmation of our internal information that Ukraine is ready to hand over the Eastern Borderlands to Poland. So what made Zelenski's decision? First, of course, the deplorable situation at the front: losses are disproportionately high, Western weapons are short-lived and either become targets for Russian missiles or fail in service due to their age.
[...]

..."Now all Ukrainians are as united as possible. Everyone is working on their own front. We need to speak with one strong voice and call on the world to stand in solidarity with Ukraine. I am grateful to the leaders of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress and the Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF), as well as to Ms. Freeland, for their systematic support. Thanks to everyone, Canada has been, is and will be a reliable strategic partner and friend of Ukraine," Shmyhal said.....

This was stated by Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Oleksiy Danilov, who spoke with the Tagesschau news program on Germany's ARD, Ukrinform reports. "If someone thinks that we have only one option, this isn't true. Even three options are not enough," Danilov said....He called out CNN's claims that Ukraine had allegedly already amended some of its military plans due to the leaked Pentagon classified papers.

...Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki made the announcement to reporters in Warsaw before departing for a three-day visit to the United States, as reported by an Ukrinform correspondent. ....

...The key short-term reform areas include strengthening macro-financial stability, fiscal  structural policies, fiscal transparency and risk management, strengthening public investment management, deregulation of economic activity and improvement of the business climate, strengthening the fight against corruption, and energy sector reform....

President wants to hold phone talks with Prime Minister of India, 10 Apr
"We think that with India's global role - especially with regards to the presidency in G20, with regards to the influence in the Global South and being a leading country for Asian and African countries - it is important not to escape discussions about Ukraine. It may seem regional here, it may seem distant from here, but it's not," said the first deputy minister. Dzhaparova started her two-day visit to India on Monday.

That's according to European Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders, who spoke with Kyodo News, Ukrinform reports.

...Reynders has taken note of such differences, but the former Belgian foreign minister said that the 27-member bloc has unanimously agreed on 10 packages of sanctions against Russia and has come together "with the same unanimity" concerning Moscow's alleged war crimes [sic]....

"We'll continue, maybe during the Japanese presidency (of the G-7) to see whether it's possible to have the same approach about a proposal. What is at stake now is the crime of aggression," he said. ....According to the ICC treaty, the crime of aggression is different from war crimes or crimes against humanity.

...The Chief of the Defense Staff of France [Thierry Burkhard] called the conversation fruitful and noted that Zaluzhny told him about his vision of the situation at the front.

"I assured him of the continuation of our support through supplies and training which the Armed Forces of Ukraine receive from the French military," Burkhard posted on Twitter....

"Today we announce that we will send even more weapons. We will send 21,000 assault rifles, 38,000 machine guns and more than 2.4 million rounds of ammunition," [PM Justin Trudeau] said at a joint press conference with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.

Energoatom President Petro Kotin [!] and CAMECO President and CEO Tim Hitzel signed the Agreement on weighing, sampling, analysis, storage, and transportation of uranium concentrate ["yellow cake"] in Canada in the presence of Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.

The document regulates the physical supply of uranium oxide concentrate (UOC) from Ukraine to Canada and related conditions. In particular, the agreement provides for the supply of the entire volume of uranium produced at Eastern Mining and Processing Plant to Canada and the further use of uranium concentrate for conversion and supply of natural uranium hexafluoride (UF6) for enrichment.

The Ukraine government, headed by Volodymyr Zelensk*, has been using American taxpayers' funds to pay dearly for the vitally needed diesel fuel that is keeping the Ukrainian army on the move in its war with Russia. It is unknown how much the Zelensk* government is paying per gallon for the fuel, but the Pentagon was paying as much as $400 per gallon to transport gasoline from a port in Pakistan, via truck or parachute, into Afghanistan during the decades-long American war there.

What also is unknown is that Zelensk* has been buying the fuel from Russia, the country with which it, and Washington, are at war, and the Ukrainian president and many in his entourage have been skimming untold millions from the American dollars earmarked for diesel fuel payments. One estimate by analysts from the < wipes tears > Central Intelligence Agency [CIA] put the embezzled funds at $400 million last year, at least....

Ukranews | Arbitration Tribunal In The Hague Orders Russia To Pay USD 5 Billion In Compensation For Losses And Lost Property Of Naftogaz [!] In Crimea, 13 Apr

"The [PCA-CPA]court established that the amount of such compensation should be equal to the fair market value of Naftogaz's assets before their expropriation [2014]. Despite Russia's insistence that Naftogaz is not entitled to any compensation for the expropriation of its assets, the Arbitration Tribunal disagreed with such a statement. The amount of compensation established by this decision is the largest amount awarded by an international arbitration tribunal as compensation for Russia's expropriation of assets in Crimea," the message reads....

UN Appalled By Particularly Gruesome Video Showing Execution Of Ukrainian Military And Says This Is Not Isolated Case, 12 Apr

"These latest violations must also be properly investigated and the perpetrators must be held accountable," the statement said.

According to BILD research, the Ukrainian secret service tried to kill Russian President Vladimir Putin with a kamikaze drone on Sunday. Although the assassination attempt failed, the attempt is being kept secret by Russian authorities.
[...]
Ukrainian activist Yuriy Romanenko, who is said to have close ties to Kiev's intelligence services, said in a letter claiming responsibility: "Last week our intelligence officers received information about Putin's trip to the Rudnevo industrial park. Accordingly, our kamikaze drone took off, which flew through all the air defenses of the Russian Federation and crashed not far from the industrial park."
[...]

... A pan-European group, the EPP encompasses some of Europe's most prominent politicians, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.

Norwegian labour leaders and employers' representatives fundamentally disagree over whether a 5.2 percent wage increase would have given workers the "real pay growth" they sought. Reports last week of a surprising jump in the current inflation rate, to 6.5 percent, didn't help, but it's arguably the double-digit increases in top management compensation that prompted trade union federations to break off talks and call 25,000 workers all over the country out on strike this week in a wide variety of sectors.
[...]
The battle between management and workers flared on state broadcaster NRK's popular morning radio program Politisk kvarter, with labour leader Jørn Eggum of Fellesforbundet blasting the "bonus bonanza" enjoyed by executives at many of Norway's highly profitable companies, and industrial employers' leader Stein Lier-Hansen of Norsk Industri suggesting the labour leaders are just seeking "revenge." At issue, though, is how executives routinely receive huge bonuses tied to profits on top of multi-million-kroner salaries, a practice that resulted in total compensation increases as high as 20 percent of even more last year. Workers, meanwhile, haven't seen real wage growth for the past two years, longer in many sectors. Their purchasing power has declined, and labour leaders think it's time for that to stop.
[...]

No problem! sez World's #1 oil and gas producer

AP | Oil producers' cuts could boost gasoline prices, help Russia

WILL THE PRODUCTION CUT MAKE INFLATION WORSE?
[...]
WHAT WILL THIS MEAN FOR RUSSIA?
[...]
WHAT DOES THE WHITE HOUSE SAY?
White House National Security Council spokesman John KIRBY said, "We don't think that production cuts are advisable at this moment given market uncertainty, and we made that clear."
[...]

German insurers Allianz and Munich Re have renewed cover for the damaged Russia-controlled Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline, five sources with knowledge of the matter said, indicating that its revival has not been ruled out after an alleged sabotage attack.

The insurance stands in contrast to Germany's public stance of severing ties with Moscow, but one of the five sources said the German government had not opposed the cover. Most Western investors have written off their stakes in the pipeline.
[...]
All of the insurance industry and trade sources declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the issue.
[...]
'OLD LOGIC'
[...]

[...]
Tass, citing a government decree, said the publication of the data would be halted starting with figures for March and the first quarter.

Statistics agency Rosstat omitted monthly oil production data from its latest economic report published last Wednesday. Moscow has suspended or delayed publishing key statistics since the start of what it calls a "special military operation" in Ukraine in February 2022.

Exxon delivers record first-quarter profit
[...]

US oil and gas rig count steadies in April: Baker Hughes

US energy firms last week added oil and natural gas rigs for a second week in a row for the first time since March, keeping the count steady in April, energy services firm Baker Hughes Co. said in its report.  

The oil and gas rig count, an early indicator of future output, rose two [2] to 755 in the week to April 28.
[...]

UK to be one of worst performing economies this year, predicts IMF [_link]

— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) April 11, 2023

IMF Growth Forecast: 2023

USA🇺🇸: 1.6%
Germany🇩🇪: -0.1%
France🇫🇷: 0.7%
Italy🇮🇹: 0.7%
Spain🇪🇸: 1.5%
Japan🇯🇵: 1.3%
UK🇬🇧: -0.3%
Canada🇨🇦: 1.5%
China🇨🇳: 5.2%
India🇮🇳: 5.9%
Russia🇷🇺: 0.7%
Brazil🇧🇷: 0.9%
Mexico🇲🇽: 1.8%
KSA🇸🇦: 3.1%
Nigeria🇳🇬: 3.2%
RSA🇿🇦: 0.1%[_link] pic.twitter.com/mZOsBfCYS5

— IMF (@IMFNews) April 11, 2023

🔴 LIVE NOW: The world needs to substantially ramp up energy investment to meet its climate and energy security goals. Watch the panel discussion here 🔽 [_link] #ClimateFinance

— IMFLive (@IMFLive) April 11, 2023

archived Too much vinegar makes lettuce wilt

...Britain will be the first new member since the creation of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) in 2018, and the first European country in the bloc....

in support of former Kosovo* Liberation Army [KLA] members who are facing trial in The Hague, with citizens calling for justice.

The Special Chambers court was set up [by WHOM?] to try Kosovo Albanians for alleged war crimes committed during the 1998-1999 Kosovo-Serbia war. It has been controversial since the outset as no similar structure exists for Serbia, the aggressor in the conflict.
[...]
The four face charges of war crimes stemming from the war. The hearing [read: US-Eng. law, arraignment] on Monday will serve to familiarise the accused with the charges, while on 11 April, the hearing of some 300 witnesses will begin.

"Each of the accused has been charged based on individual [?!] criminal responsibility with six counts of crimes against humanity: persecution, imprisonment, other inhumane acts, torture, unlawful killing. and enforced disappearance [read: kidnap?] of persons. Also, four charges of war crimes have been brought against each accused: [1] illegal and arbitrary arrest and detention, [2] cruel treatment, [3] torture, and [4] illegal killing",  a court press release states.

In the Indictment, it is claimed that [defendants] Thaçi, Veseli, Selimi, and Krasniqi bear individual criminal responsibility based on different forms of criminal responsibility for  crimes committed in the context of a non-international armed conflict [read: civil war?] in Kosovo which were part of a widespread attack and systematically against persons who were suspected of being opponents of the KLA", it continues.
[...]
It is estimated the case will conclude by 1 April 2025, during which time the three [?] will remain in prison in The Hague.
[...]
The Specialist Chambers stem from a 2010 Council of Europe Report by Swiss Senator Dick Marty. The EU analysed the report, which found grounds for indictments and established the US-supported [!] chambers.

timesofindia | War Crimes Trial of Kosovo ex-President Thaci to Start
[...]
Thaçi's rebel KLA battled Serb forces of the indepencee of the southern province in a bitter conflict that claimed more than 13,000 lives. A NATO air campaign finally forced the Serbs to withdraw.

IAEA | The consequences of NATO Bombing on the Environment in Serbia (2004)
During the air strikes in 1999 NATO used ammunition with depleted uranium (DU) in FRY. It is known that the DU has a long time of semi-disintegration; actually its effect is ever lasting. ...

UN International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia | Final Report to the Prosecutor by the Committee Established to Review the NATO Bombing Campaign Against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (2000)
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) conducted a bombing campaign against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) from 24 March 1999 to 9 June 1999. During and since that period, the Prosecutor [Louise Arbour] has received numerous requests that she investigate allegations that senior political and military figures from NATO countries committed serious violations of international humanitarian law during the campaign
[...]
91. On the basis of information available, the committee recommends that no investigation be commenced by the OTP in relation to the NATO bombing campaign or incidents occurring during the campaign.

After downing his guns, Thaçi joined politics, leading then US vice-presiden Joe Biden to once hail him as the "George Washington of Kosovo".

Rebel leaders of the KLA went on to dominate polical life in Kosovo. The Kosovo Special Chambers was set up in 2015 after a 2010 Council of Europe report linked Thaçi to organised crime during and after the war. In the years since he has also faced accusations of corruption, ["]clientelism["], and cynical politicking that blighted Kosovo's first decade of independence.
[...]

"The Thaçi Trial™ can help set Kosovo on a clearer path towards justice and the rule of law after a history of oppression," [HRW Europe and Central Asia dir Hugh] Williamson said. "And it puts the spotlight squarely on the Serbian [?!] government to hold its forces to account after years of protecting those responsible for grave crimes."

reference
D. Marty et alm,PACE Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, Inhuman treatment of people and illicit trafficking in human organs in Kosovo* (2010)
"criminal activity, which developed with the benefit of the chaos"
European Commission, KOSOVO*; 2010 PROGRESS REPORT (2010)
"Enlargement Strategy and Main Challenges 2010-2011"
US State, 2010 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, Kosovo
wikiwtf, Accession of Kosovo to the European Union (ICYMI)

end[ing] the country's eight-year-old conflict, two sources involved in the talks said.

If an agreement is reached, Yemen's warring parties could announce an agreement before Islam's Eid holiday starting April 20, the sources said. The Saudi and Yemeni governments did not immediately respond to requests for a comment.
[...]
It is also a sign that regional rifts are easing after rivals Saudi Arabia [.SA] and Iran [.IR] agreed to restore relations last month after years of hostility and backing opposite sides in Middle Eastern conflicts, including Yemen [.YE].

U.N. Special Envoy Hans Grundberg met with senior Omani and Houthi officials in Muscat this week and discussed ways [finally!] to make progress towards an < wipes tears > inclusive Yemeni-led political process, his office said. In an additional sign of progress, the Saudi-led coalition lifted eight-year-old restrictions on blockade of imports headed for Yemen's southern ports, the Saudi-backed government said.
[...]

Meanwhile, the Lebanon [.LB]-based outlet Al-Mayadeen reported that Riyadh had summoned leaders of the Saudi-backed Yemeni government on Friday, to brief them on the talks with the Houthis. Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman presented "the solution for a way out of the war on Yemen," the outlet's sources said.

According to Al-Mayadeen, the Saudi plan envisions extending the ceasefire by another year, followed by steps to reopen Yemeni ports. Riyadh is then expected to officially announce the end of the war and its intervention in Yemen.

Saudi Arabia and the UN will subsequently sponsor talks between the Houthis and rival Yemeni factions, seeking a two-year transition period to establish a new government, reports have indicated.

The diplomatic breakthrough after eight years of fighting was made possible by last month's agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia to re-establish diplomatic relations, brokered by China.
[...]

folha.uol.com.br | Lula Finally Visits China, 12 Apr

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) arrives in China this Wednesday (12) with commercial and financial negotiations still underway with the country of Xi Jinping - they are to meet on Friday [14.04.23], in Beijing.

Earlier, on Thursday, the PT member will attend the inauguration of former president Dilma Rousseff at the BRICS New Development Bank, in Shanghai. Lula wants investment in new productive assets and infrastructure, including railroads and hydroelectric plants, while his Chinese counterpart demands Brazil's formal entry into the Belt and Road Initiative, which completes ten years in September....

...PTI: President Lula of Brazil is visiting China. Will there be a discussion on BRICS especially going forward in the future and considering Brazil also is an active partner?
Wang Wenbin: We released a preview on Brazilian President Lula da Silva's visit to China [Global Times 17.03.23, 10.04.23 MOU 2022] and shared with you China's expectations [People's Daily 02.02.23] for the outcomes of the visit. As for the details of President Lula's visit to China, we will issue press releases in due course. Please check back for updates.

China's position on BRICS cooperation is consistent [fmprc BR-CN 2013]. We are ready to work with relevant countries to advance BRICS cooperation on the basis of mutual respect and equality and make our due contribution to world peace and development and solidarity and cooperation among developing countries....

... At the hotel, Lula met with Dilma again. He is taking part in his Workers' Party colleague's inauguration at the head of the New Development Bank (NDB), better known as BRICS Bank, this Thursday (13). Surrounded by reporters and cameras, the former president avoided talking about the bank, promising news for the interview the next day. She praised Shanghai, where she is now living: "It's a very pleasant city, with beautiful landscaping, full of trees, flowers."

Dilma's inauguration ceremony is not Lula's only commitment during his visit to Shanghai. He is also meeting with the CEO of tech giant Huawei and separately with the CEOs of BYD and CCCC. Both the Brazilian president and Janja will have to be tested again for Covid 24 hours before meeting Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing the next day....

riotimesonline | Brazil and China make agreements on trade, technology, and agribusiness, 14 Apr

The two countries' governments will have a work plan for cooperation in electronic certification for products of animal origin. There will also be a protocol on sanitary and quarantine requirements for processed protein from land animals to be exported from Brazil to China.

...The publication notes the posture of Lula in the first three months of his mandate contrary to the policies of the "West". It pointed out that the Brazilian president refused to condemn the invasion of Ukraine, allowed Iranian warships to dock in Rio de Janeiro, and sent an advisor to meet with representatives of the Venezuelan dictatorship.

('Why not the yuan? Why not the real?' - Lula calls to find an alternative to US Dollar as trade currency)
[...]
The text also criticized the economic bloc of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS)....

...President Xi noted that for China, 2023 is the first year of fully implementing the guiding principles set forth at the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC). The CPC is leading the entire nation in a concerted effort to turn China into a great modern socialist country in all respects and to advance national rejuvenation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization. On this new journey, China will pursue high-quality development, accelerate the creation of a new development paradigm and promote high-standard opening-up, This will unlock new opportunities for Brazil and countries around the world....

... Kicking off his first state visit to China since taking office in January, Lula called for the countries of the so-called Brics group of nations -- which in addition to Brazil and China includes Russia, India and South Africa -- to come up with their own alternative currency for use in trade.

"Every night I ask myself why all countries have to base their trade on the dollar," Lula said in an impassioned speech at the New Development Bank in Shanghai, known as the "Brics bank".

"Why can't we do trade based on our own currencies?" he added, drawing loud applause from the audience of Brazilian and Chinese dignitaries. "Who was it that decided that the dollar was the currency after the disappearance of the gold standard?"

Lula's call to shed dollar dependence dovetailed with Beijing's increasing efforts to promote use of the renminbi [RMB] in settlement of cross-border [read: offshore FX] commodities trades, as Chinese policymakers seek to strengthen the role of the world's second-largest economy in the global financial system.....

[...]
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the World Bank [WB] and International Monetary Fund [IMF]spring meetings, where top US intelligence officials shared information on how Russia is using its GRU military intelligence agency and Federal Security Service (FSB) to try to evade sanctions and export controls...."To a person in that room, those financial firms demonstrated a willingness to do what they've been doing since the beginning of the war - which is to take seriously trying to prevent Russian evasion of those sanctions and export controls, not just in our jurisdictions, but also in third countries," the senior official said of Thursday's meeting.

[US] Treasury said participants included Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo; EU Commissioner Mairead McGuinness; and Britain's Treasury Director General for International Finance Lindsey Whyte, along with CIA Deputy Director David Cohen and Deputy Director of National Intelligence Morgan Muir.
[...]

So there's that.

[Marcos] remarks came on the heels of China's third day of war games around Taiwan on Monday, where it simulated "sealing off" the self-ruled island.

The President also echoed previous statements by the Philippine and US defence ministries, saying the expansion of EDCA is also meant for humanitarian and relief operations during disasters.[...] Exercise Balikatan 2023 [11-28 April]

Approximately 5,400 AFP personnel and 12,200 [!] U.S. military personnel will train shoulder-to-shoulder, developing interoperability and improved capability in the areas of maritime security, amphibious operations, live-fire training, urban and aviation operations, cyber defense, counterterrorism, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief preparedness.

will be held in key areas around the Philippines, including Zambales, a coastal province near the South China Sea.

Washington and Tokyo reportedly plan to launch a three-way dialogue with Manila involving their respective national security advisers as early as this month.

Bernadette Ellorin is the national spokesperson for the U.S. Chapter of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, or Bayan USA, an anti-[Marcos] alliance of thirty-three Filipino grassroots organizations across the United States.

"To date, the U.S. allocated a total of over 100 million U.S. dollars to EDCA projects," [PH] Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo said yesterday during an inquiry of the [PH] Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.

Sen. Imee Marcos, the Senate foreign affairs panel chairperson and the president's sister, further grilled defense and foreign affairs officials at the hearing, saying that the selection of four new sites for US military installations seemed to be "random and no longer purposeful with regard to the modernization of the (Armed Forces of the Philippines.)"

After a senior defense official said the sites were chosen to address a defense "vulnerability" in the country's north, which is close to Taiwan, the senator replied: "In the north? I come from the north, sir. I don't feel very vulnerable. Our fishermen in Cagayan and the Ilocos sea are not being harassed by anyone."

- Brexit deal
- Transatlantic trade
- Good Friday Agreement anniversary

President Joe Biden touches down in Northern Ireland later today with a packed agenda, reports @lizzzburden [_link] pic.twitter.com/CNlnIqVN0j

— Bloomberg UK (@BloombergUK) April 11, 2023

...My late father, Hasan el-Senussi, Libya's Crown Prince, is key to this lineage of nationhood, as is our family. Our family history is one of tenacious defence of the Libyan nation. His predecessor, the Libyan King Idris, presented Libyans with a choice after World War II. They chose unity, bringing together the region's three political subdivisions into one kingdom. And they chose -- with the full endorsement and utter personal commitment of their new king, his advisors, and his family -- a democratic constitution, one that protected the rights of minorities and guaranteed freedom of conscience. They created the structure within which parliamentary democracy and representative government could flourish....

The Grand Jury has acted upon the facts and the law.

No one is above the law, and everyone has the right to a trial to prove innocence.

Hopefully, the former President will peacefully respect the system, which grants him that right.

— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) March 31, 2023

whitehouse | Remarks by President Biden at the Summit for Democracy Virtual Plenary on Democracy Delivering on Global Challenges, 29 Mar

... Look, all we know, it's not easy.  It's not -- this has never been easy.  Democracy is hard work.  The work of democracy is never finished.  It's never laid down and that's it, all you have to do.  It must be protected constantly.
[...]
At the first Summit of Democracy, I launched the Presidential Initiative for Democratic Renewal, committed more than $400 million to shore up transparent and accountable governance, support for media freedom, to fight for international—fighting international corruption, stand with democracy and democratic reformers, promote technology that advances democracy, defend elections....

whitehouse | Key decisions and challenges surrounding the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, 12 pp after-action REVIEW

... President Biden's choices for how to execute a withdrawal from Afghanistan were severely constrained by conditions created by his predecessor. When President TRUMP took office in 2017, there were more than 10,000 troops in Afghanistan. Eighteen months later, after introducing more than 3,000 additional troops just to maintain the stalemate, President TRUMP ordered direct talks with the Taliban without consulting with our allies and partners or allowing the Afghan government at the negotiating table. In September 2019, President TRUMP EMBOLDED the Taliban by PUBLICLY CONSIDERING inviting them to Camp David on the anniversary of 9/11. In February 2020, the United States and the Taliban reached a deal, known as the Doha Agreement, under which the United States agreed to withdraw all U.S. forces from Afghanistan by May 2021.
[...]

Over his last 11 months in office, President TRUMP ordered a series of drawdowns of U.S. troops. By June 2020, President Trump reduced U.S. troops in Afghanistan to 8,600. In September 2020, he directed a further draw down to 4,500. A month later, President TRUMP tweeted, to the surprise of military advisors, that the remaining U.S. troops in Afghanistan should be "home by Christmas!"
[...]

...Proxy voting -- empowering members to designate a colleague to vote on their behalf -- was adopted in early 2020 as an emergency measure over Republican opposition in response to the deadly COVID-19 global pandemic spreading largely unchecked....

...At a time when a Speaker would ideally like to have the chance to guarantee the votes and backing of absent members, he's given away one of the best tools a Speaker had to nail down votes of the ill, the absent, the traveling, the unreliable, and those distracted by other ambitions. It could end up costing him....

...Proxy voting is currently not permitted in the Senate for roll call votes, only during committee business. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, as the Senate searched for ways to continue operating amid social distancing and other health precautions, Senators Rob Portman (R-68) and Richard Durbin (D-79) introduced a resolution allowing the use of proxy voting due to the emergency. The resolution was not agreed to.
[...]
Pairing relies on both precedent and senatorial courtesy. The practice is permitted by Senate precedents, but no senator is required to pair with an absent colleague and, therefore, is extending a courtesy to the absent member.

"I have no intention of being the mother-in-law in the kitchen saying, 'My son doesn't like the stuffing that way' "

Democratic Reps. Ro Khanna (Calif.) and Dean Phillips (Minn.) called on Feinstein, 89, to step down on Wednesday over her prolonged absence from the upper chamber due to her health.
[...]
"It's interesting to me. I don't know what political agendas are at work that are going after Sen. Feinstein in that way. I've never seen them go after a man who was sick in the Senate in that way," Pelosi told reporters, whose comments came shortly before Khanna called on Feinstein to step down.
[...]
"Both things can be true," said Tracy Sefl, a prominent Democratic consultant. "There is a real and pervasive double standard for women leaders. And the distinguished senator indeed recognizes the consequence of her presence and votes, evidenced by her asking for a temporary replacement on the Judiciary Committee."

....Do female politicians face unfair double standards and increased scrutiny? Of course they do! But cynically weaponizing the very real sexism that women in politics face to defend Feinstein's stubborn decision to cling to power is appalling....

History becomes legend, legends become myth. So goes the popular saying by literary legend JRR Tolkien. In the world of the mainstream media, with the passage of time, truth becomes lies, fiction becomes fact, journalists become a joke and when enough time has passed, 'legendary' journalists turn into something more. They become a meme. Such is the story of The Guardian columnist Arwa Mahdawi....

... Ionov's use of the APSP to promote Russian propaganda relating to Ukraine allegedly continued after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. On the day Russia invaded Ukraine, Feb. 24, 2022, Ionov allegedly emailed Nevel an "URGENT MESSAGE" which contained pro-Russian talking points in support of the invasion. Thereafter, throughout March 2022, the APSP repeatedly hosted Ionov via video conference to discuss the war, during which Ionov falsely stated that anyone who supported Ukraine also supported Naziism [sic] and white supremacy, and Yeshitela and another APSP member allegedly made statements of solidarity with the Russian government. ...

The FBI signaled its interest in the alleged activities in a series of raids last summer, at which point authorities charged a Moscow man, Aleksandr Viktorovich Ionov, with working for years on behalf of Russian government officials to fund and direct fringe political groups in the United States. Among other things, Ionov allegedly advised the political campaigns of two unidentified candidates for public office in Florida.
[...]
When the FBI searched the homes and offices of some of the suspects last year, a member of the group said they were being targeted "because of our relationship with forces internationally who support the anti-colonial struggle," adding that the group was being used "in a propaganda war against Russia."

archived Black Struggle, Red Scare in LQD: Censorship

criminal "falsifying business records"
courthousenews | Trump pleads not guilty to hush money criminal indictment, 4 Apr 2023

Since the charges are not eligible for bail under New York state law, Trump was released on his own recognizance and left from the courthouse to LaGuardia Airport in Queens to return to his Mar-A-Lago estate in Palm Beach.
[...]
Unsealed for the first time this afternoon, the 34-count [felony] indictment ties Trump explicitly to an otherwise known criminal conspiracy: payments that were made weeks before the 2016 presidential election to porn actress Stormy! Daniels and to Playboy playmate Karen! McDougal so that neither woman would make public statements about extramarital affairs they claimed to have had with Trump.

Summarizing those charges and statement of facts that accompanies them, prosecutors said Trump committed an "illegal conspiracy to undermine the integrity of the 2016 presidential election."
[...]

< wipes tears >

..."2023 is going to be catastrophic if we don't get to work and RAISE THE MONEY that we need," she said. "We need a hell of a lot more than we used to."

Non-Western countries, which have traditionally contributed much less to the WFP, need to step up to meet the shortfall, McCain said, pointing specifically to China and oil-rich Gulf Arab countries. China contributed just $11 million to WFP funds last year, compared to $7.2 billion donated pledged to USAID by the U.S. ...

An active-duty Marine was investigated by the FBI for plotting to assassinate Black people and DNC employees, according to a report | Insider - June 30, 2021 |

'Sapere aude'

Nine people dead, including children #AllenTX

Gift link--no paywall: [_link]

— Leah McElrath (@leahmcelrath) May 7, 2023

1. The tenth European Union (EU) - United States Energy Council ("Council") met today in Brussels, chaired by EU High Representative/Vice President Josep Borrell Fontelles, European Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and US Deputy Secretary of Energy David M. Turk. Minister Tobias Billström of the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs represented the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
[...]
16. The EU and the United States also intend to continue working together to foster energy investments aiding the transition towards climate neutrality in a transparent and mutually reinforcing manner avoiding zero-sum competition at the transatlantic level and around the globe. The Council noted the vital importance of diversifying and securing supply chains for critical minerals and raw materials necessary for the energy transition to net-zero emissions by 2050, and reinforced the value of EU-US collaboration in fora such as the Minerals Security Partnership, the Conference on Critical Materials and Minerals and the International Energy Agency [IEA] Critical Minerals Working Party. The Council invited its Energy Policy Working Group to explore possible further cooperation areas in view of achieving shared energy and climate objectives.
[...]
Multilateral Cooperation

21. The Council acknowledged progress on multilateral initiatives and intends to continue discussing strategic topics and coordinating positions ahead of major multilateral events. The strong EU-US relationship has paved the way for more ambitious global climate and energy actions, including at international fora such as climate COPs, G7, G20, International Energy Agency [IEA], Clean Energy Ministerial, Mission Innovation, the Partnership for Transatlantic Energy and Climate Cooperation (P-TECC), International Renewable Energy Agency [IRENA], including through advancing "Just Energy Transition Partnerships" with third countries, and in fusion through both the ITER international agreement and EURATOM research. The EU and the United States intend to intensify joint work towards making energy efficiency a global priority.

APsplainin
• Many electric vehicles to lose big tax credit with new [Inflation Reduction Act] rules
• 'War of the states': EV, chip makers lavished with ["]subsidies["]
AP reference: Good Jobs First User Guide to tax refunds, tax-free bonds, and foregone tax revenue
example profile: Maryland

Commodity: Metals
Region: EMEA, Asia

The following black mass symbols have been created in market data category BAT (Battery Metals). They will appear on following Publications: Platts Metals Daily, Platts Metals Weekly, Platts Metals Monthly, and Platts Battery Metals Weekly publications.
[...]
BAT LBMCA00 c 0 DW CNY MT LFP Black Mass DDP China Percent Lithium Yuan/MT ... BAT NBMCC03 c 0 MA N/A PCT Ni-Co Black Mass DDP China Nickel Payables MAvg
[...]
BAT NBMED00 c 0 DW USD MT Ni-Co Black Mass EXW Europe Calculated Price USD/MT ... BAT NBMEB00 c 0 DW N/A PCT Ni-Co Black Mass EXW Europe Cobalt Payables .... BAT NBMEA00 c 0 DW N/A PCT Ni-Co Black Mass EXW Europe Lithium Payables ... BAT NBMEC00 c 0 DW N/A PCT Ni-Co Black Mass EXW Europe Nickel Payables
[...]

...An anticipated shortfall in the availability of battery minerals is predicted by some investigators to result in a greater reliance on the recycling of end-of-life (EoL) LIB. Experimental research commissioned and conducted by Alfred H Knight and our partners explores the phase characteristics of the commercially important intermediate material, known as 'black mass.'

'Black mass' is the industry term used to describe a type of e-waste comprising crushed and shredded EoL battery cells. It contains mixtures of valuable metals including lithium, manganese, cobalt, and nickel.

Initially, waste batteries are collected, sorted, discharged, and disassembled. This is followed by mechanical crushing, drying, sorting sieving and pyrolysis to 700°C [1292°F!] to remove any remaining electrolyte and potentially hazardous to health fluorine-containing components. The resulting material is what is referred to in the battery recycling industry as 'black mass'....

Rumble | Putin and Erdogan take part in inauguration ceremony for 1st fuel delivery to Akkuyu NPP, 27 Apr 2023, A/V (EN,TR, RU), 00:48:31
speakers: M. Grossi (IAEA), A. Likhachev (Rosatom), F. Dönmez (TR Energy Min), V. V. Putin (RU pres), R. T. Erdoğan (TR pres); parity watch: TRY:RUB, 1:4.19; TRY:USD, 1:0.05

dailysabah | Türkiye gains nuclear status as Akkuyu receives 1st fuel delivery, 27 Apr

... The plant will be fully operational by 2028 and supply 10% of Türkiye's electricity consumption, the president also said, noting that the Akkuyu project will contribute USD 1.5 billion (TRY 29.15 billion) annually to decrease Türkiye's natural gas imports and will have a "positive impact" national income.
[...]
Akkuyu is the world's first NPP project implemented through a build-own-operate model

BOO
NEIM, "Financing nuclear projects—new options?" (2014)
beware Rosatom
IAEA, "Financing Nuclear Power" (2018)
power purchase agreement (PPA) case studies

Under the long-term contract, Rosatom has agreed to provide the power plant's design, construction, maintenance, operation and decommissioning.

The firm holds a 99.2% stake in the project estimated to cost around USD 20 billion (TRY 388.53 billion), marking it the biggest investment in Türkiye's history implemented in a single site....

Energy and environment ministers from the [Gang of Nine] wealthy nations met on Saturday in northern Japan, seeking to reconcile the world's heavy reliance on fossil fuels with the urgency of ending carbon emissions to stave off the worst consequences of climate change.
[...]

IEA Electricity Market Report 2023 (01.02.23)
2022 Set a Global Record for Coal Generation (01.02.23)
Chinese coal boom a 'direct threat' to 1.5C goal, analysts warn (14.03.23)
Declining coal prices reflect a reshaping of global energy trade (31.03.23)
'End of the fossil age': Wind and solar broke energy records last year, report reveals, (12.04.23)

Speaking on the sidelines of the meetings, US Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry said the G-7 was "powerfully positioned to be able to lead" in the effort to stem global warming. "We appreciate Japan's leadership and its stewardship of G-7 this year."

UN experts 'deeply disappointed' by decision to discharge Fukushima water (15.04.21)
Micronesia denounces Japan plan to release Fukushima water into Pacific (22.09.22)
Japan's Cabinet OKs bills to extend nuclear reactor lifespan beyond 60 years (01.03.23)
Despite opposition, Japan may soon dump Fukushima wastewater (24.01.23)
New images from inside Fukushima reactor spark safety worry (04.04.23)

But differences persist over how and how quickly, carbon emissions can be erased, especially at a time when THE WAR IN UKRAINE has deepened concerns over energy security, complicating that effort.

The G-7 nations hope to lead by example, US Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said: "We expect that those countries see that this can be done and the nations that have the wherewithal to make these investments to first out give hope to others to be able to do it as the technology lowers the cost [?!]."
[...]

Race to Zero: California's bumpy road to electrify cars and trucks (06.02.23)
Electric car owners' costs jump (13.12.22)

There's a strong business case for climate-friendly policies, Granholm said, given the estimated €20 trillion global market in ["]clean energy["] by 2030.

"People see people getting jobs in this area. People who start to drive electric vehicles and don't need to pay gasoline prices know that it's much cheaper to drive EVs. It's all becoming obvious to people," she said while touring the Suiso Frontier, the world's first and only liquid hydrogen carrier, a showcase of the latest technology for what Japan's leaders call a "hydrogen society."

The Suiso Frontier has been built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) to transport liquefied hydrogen from the Port of Hastings, Victoria [AU], to Kobe, Japan.

[...]

The production and application of radionuclide-containing materials generate liquid radioactive waste (LRW) of various chemical compositions and activity levels. LRW presents the most severe potential environmental hazard due to its large volume and high total activity. Furthermore, during radiation accidents at the nuclear fuel cycle facilities, an uncontrolled release and migration of radioactive substances result in environmental pollution. As such, the radiation accidents at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant of the USSR, in 1986 and Fukushima-1 Nuclear Power Plant of Japan, in 2011 brought an enormous environmental damage. Therefore, developing and upgrading techniques for decontaminating liquid radioactive waste and radioactively contaminated natural water is an important and challenging issue.

Physical adsorption and ion exchange-based sorption methods adopt a high profile among the physicochemical methods used for decontaminating aqueous solutions from toxic and radioactive impurities. Physical adsorption methods with various types of adsorbents, primarily active carbons, are mainly used at the initial stages of polluted water treatment to remove oil products, surfactants, uranium, and heavy metals.
[...]

Oceans cover 70% of the earth's surface. Now these vast stretches of water could be the new frontier of a 21st century mining boom.

In a joint reporting project with Australia's @SBSNews, 101 East heads to the idyllic Cook Islands to investigate: [_link] pic.twitter.com/Cc70tFVoUW

— 101 East (@AJ101East) April 20, 2023

USS Thresher (SSN 593) was launched 62 years ago today

Three years later she became the first nuclear submarine to be lost, spawning the creation of the Navy's submarine safety program. pic.twitter.com/mcaver8WvP

— 🇺🇸𝗢𝗹𝗱 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗿⚓ 5039; (@USN_Submariner) July 9, 2022