South africa

The city of Johannesburg, South Africa, is to follow the lead of Cape Town and seek alternative power suppliers other than Eskom, the state-run electricity monopoly that has been gutted by overly aggressive affirmative action and mismanagement. Two decades ago, Eskom provided the world’s cheapest power, and was discussing high-tech investments in new technology such as pebble-bed nuclear reactors. The company was considered a candidate for privatization to boost foreign investment. But pushback from South Africa’s trade unions led to that plan being shelved. Moreover, the country’s ruling party, the African National Congress, found it convenient to use state-owned companies like Eskom to offer jobs to local cronies. Eskom and other state-owned enterprises also implemented aggressive affirmative action policies that saw white engineers displaced by black replacements who often could not do the job, forcing companies to hire consultants and foreign workers. Moreover, cities … [Read more...] about Johannesburg to Follow Cape Town, Break from State Power Company

SEOUL (Reuters): South Korea's military said it scrambled fighter jets after at least four Chinese and four Russian warplanes entered its air defence zone on Tuesday (May 24). The Russian and Chinese aircraft entered and left the Korea Air Defence Identification Zone (Korea ADIZ) in the Sea of Japan, known in Korea as the East Sea, several times through the day, according to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). The aircraft, which included fighter jets and bombers from each side, did not violate South Korea's airspace, the JCS added. The South Korean military deployed air force fighters to "implement tactical measures" to brace for a potential contingency. Unlike airspace, an ADIZ is usually an area where countries may unilaterally demand that foreign aircraft take special steps to identify themselves, with no international laws governing ADIZs. Tuesday's incursion was the first reported since new South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol took office on May 10. On Sunday, … [Read more...] about S.Korea scrambles jets after Chinese, Russian warplanes enter air defence zone

When they first begin their studies, very few medical students know what they will specialise in. But for Embarrassing Bodies presenter Dr Christian Jessen, his gap year travels made his choice easy – he would home in on malaria. After all, he had only just recovered from the deadly tropical disease himself. Christian, who had recently returned from 12 months teaching at a school in Kenya, says it was one of the worse experiences of his life. While the star of Channel 4’s Supersize vs Superskinny had been careful to take his malaria tablets, an unpleasant brush with the law had seen him separated from his pills. Doctor Christian Jessen contracted the deadly disease in his early doctoring days "It was part of a scam that happened quite a lot in those days," says Christian, 42, who lives in South London. "I was 19 and escorting a school trip to neighbouring Uganda. While photographing the source of the Nile, I was arrested, accused of spying and thrown in jail." He … [Read more...] about Embarrassing Bodies doctor Christian Jessen caught malaria in a Ugandan jail

Scientists have created a battery -like device that captures carbon dioxide (CO2) from the surrounding atmosphere while it charges. The supercapacitor, developed by researchers at the University of Cambridge, is around the size of a two-pence coin and can be built using low-cost and sustainable materials like coconut shells and seawater. It is hoped the device can be used to power carbon capture technologies, which currently require huge amounts of energy and are costly to operate. The supercapacitor is similar to a rechargeable battery, but rather than using chemical reactions to store and release charge it relies instead on the movement of electrons between electrodes. It is made up of two electrodes, one positively charged and the other negatively charged. By alternating from a postive to a negative voltage, the researchers were able to significantly improve the amount of CO2 it was able to capture. Recommended World record achieved for solar power … [Read more...] about Breakthrough battery device absorbs C02 while it charges

This weekend, the Catholic Church made the news yet again over its views on abortion – this time concerning US House speaker Nancy Pelosi ’s ability to receive the sacrament of communion due to her pro-choice stance. While it’s no secret that the Catholic Church, and other churches, have been long-term vocal opponents of abortion , this move to block a sacrament from a politician is absolutely over the top. Religious organisations that involve themselves in politics in this way should lose their tax exempt status. Religious organisations are already not required to comply with rules that secular spaces must follow. For example, the Catholic Church has been blessed by the government with tax exemptions , as much as $3.5bn in government Covid-19 aid and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) bypassing . The requirements for these benefits are given to them under the condition of their religious organisation status. This status has responsibilities attached to … [Read more...] about If the Catholic Church can’t stay out of politics, it should start paying taxes

"You didn't want to get involved in the Ukraine conflict militarily for obvious reasons," a reporter, addressing President Joe Biden , stated in a press conference in Tokyo on Monday. "Are you willing to get involved militarily to defend Taiwan, if it comes to that?" "Yes," said Biden. "That's the commitment we made," the president explained after the reporter expressed skepticism. "We agree with the 'one-China' policy; we've signed on to it and all the attendant agreements made from there. But the idea that—that it can be taken by force—just taken by force—is just not appropriate. It will dislocate the entire region and be another action similar to what happened in Ukraine. And so, it's a burden that's even stronger." A White House official, speaking anonymously to The Washington Post , then said there was no change in American policy, maintaining that the president had merely repeated a pledge, in the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979, to give Taiwan the military means to … [Read more...] about Biden’s Taiwan policy: overruled by China—and the White House | Opinion

Donald Trump may have boasted about the size of his, ahem, nuclear button in a now infamous tweet aimed at North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, but no such button exists. Unlike the big red button depicted in movies, the protocol to direct a nuclear strike is somewhat different—although the president appears not to be aware of this . "North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the "Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times." Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!" the president tweeted on Tuesday. There is no button. In fact, there is a nuclear "football," which contains military plans and communication tools that can be used by the president in the event that he—and only he—wants to order a strike. The football is carried near the president at all times by a military aide. Inside is a phone with a secure line to the Pentagon. … [Read more...] about There is no big red button: Here’s how Donald Trump could order a nuclear strike

President Joe Biden 's remarks on Monday about the U.S. "commitment" to defend Taiwan militarily if the island is attacked by China appears to represent a more aggressive approach than previous presidents have taken. While Biden said that the U.S. policy of so-called "strategic ambiguity" on Taiwan had not changed, his comments are his strongest warning yet to China that the U.S. would defend Taiwan if it's attacked. Biden may feel emboldened to take a harder line against China following the strategic failures of the Russian invasion of neighboring Ukraine, where Russian forces could not seize the capital city of Kyiv during the first stage of the war and have subsequently fallen back. The president directly linked the issue of a hypothetical Chinese attack on Taiwan to the Russia-Ukraine conflict on Monday as he answered a question about Taiwan's defense. Biden told reporters in Tokyo that China was "already flirting with danger right now by flying so close and all the … [Read more...] about Joe Biden, emboldened by Russia’s failures, gets aggressive toward China

Exactly 30 years after the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, the Gyanvapi mosque dispute offers less déjà vu and more striking contrasts in the two scenarios. Like architecture distinguishes clearly between rubble and ruin, we must look clearly at the differences between the Ayodhya matter then and the dispute over Varanasi’s Gyanvapi mosque in 2022 now. The differences are stark. There is an Act now The first dissimilarity is the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991 which did not exist when the political movement for Ayodhya caught steam. Also, Ayodhya was out of its ambit. The Supreme Court verdict in 2019 went on to underline the importance of the 1991 Act in 10 pages (pages 116-125) and how it “protects and secures the fundamental values of the Constitution”. Agreeing with the rationale of the law, the five-judge Bench said; “The Places of Worship Act imposes a non-derogable obligation towards enforcing our commitment to secularism under the Indian … [Read more...] about A far more dangerous moment now than in 1992

Russia’s chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky confirmed a news report that “several long conversations” took place on Friday with the head of Ukraine’s delegation at the peace talks between the two countries but gave no further details. Russia said Friday it would fight to take control over all east and south of Ukraine, but Kyiv pledged to save the country, as the UN documented dozens of civilians killed in one town. Authorities in two eastern Ukrainian regions said Saturday that fighting with Russian forces was "fierce", as hope fades for a truce over Orthodox Easter weekend.Russia’s chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky confirmed a news report that “several long conversations” took place on Friday with the head of Ukraine’s delegation at the peace talks between the two countries but gave no further details. Russia said Friday it would fight to take control over all east and south of Ukraine, but Kyiv pledged to save the country, as the UN documented dozens of civilians killed in … [Read more...] about Russia-Ukraine crisis updates | April 24, 2022