FIRE-EARTH Tectonics Forecast 001114 – UPDATE 000131

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FIRE-EARTH Alerts 000131

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How to Prevent Despots from Committing War Crimes!

Activists ‘trying to disarm’ Saudi-bound warplanes arrested

Two UK activists have been arrested at BAE Systems site in Lancashire, while reportedly attempting to disarm and prevent Saudi-bound warplanes from taking off and used to commit war crimes in Yemen.

London Quaker and activist Sam Walton and Methodist minister Rev Dan Woodhouse have been arrested after entering a BAE Systems site in Warton, Lancashire this morning with the intention of disarming planes bound for Saudi Arabia. They issued this statement:

‘Two people have attempted to disarm warplanes bound for Saudi Arabia from BAE Warton

‘On the morning of Sunday 29 January two people attempted to disarm warplanes bound for Saudi Arabia from BAE Systems Warton site.

The aim is to stop Saudi Arabia having more planes with which to commit war crimes with in Yemen. The intention is to save innocent lives and prevent war crimes, by physically disabling warplanes.

The action comes exactly 21 years after three women entered the same base to disarm a plane being sent to Indonesia to be used in the genocide in East Timor.

They are being held on suspicion of criminal damage.

Reverend Dan Woodhouse, a Methodist Minister in Leeds said: “By stopping or even delaying Saudi Arabia having more planes with which to bomb Yemen this action will save innocent lives and prevent war crimes. We are clear that the real crime taking place is arming despots, who frequently use arms on their own people, are known to use torture and the death penalty, and who will almost certainly be using the planes sent from BAE Warton to continue to commit crimes against humanity.”

Sam Walton, a Quaker from London said: “We do not take these steps lightly, but we have no other option. We have been active in opposing the arms trade to Saudi Arabia for years, and in the face of wilful government denial that there is a problem with arming Saudi, including willingness to suspend our own due process of law, and complete unwillingness to consider stopping arming Saudi Arabia, we must take this action.”

Eurofighter Typhoons and Tornadoes sold to Saudi Arabia are being used on combat missions in Yemen, where Saudi Arabia is committing war crimes. Saudi Arabia has been leading bombing missions in Yemen since March 2015. BAE also supplies Saudi Arabia with Hawk jets, used to train the Royal Saudi Air Force. Typhoons and Hawk jets are known to be on site being prepared for imminent delivery to Saudi Arabia.

The UK government has refused to stop supplying arms to Saudi Arabia and has licensed well over £3 billion of arms sales since the conflict began. A legal analysis from Matrix Chambers found that the UK government is breaking international, EU and UK law by supplying arms to Saudi Arabia in the context of its military intervention and bombing campaign in Yemen.

Read more…

 

Nuclear fuel debris possibly found at Fukushima Daiichi NPP

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Decommissioning of crippled Fukushima NPP hits new snag

Workers have found a black mass, most likely Nuclear fuel debris, below the containment vessel at Fukushima Daiichi reactor No. 2  left over since the 2011 meltdown disaster, plant operator Tepco said today.

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Mercury Threat to Oceans Escalating due to Climate Change

More mercury than ever before threaten aquatic ecosystems –Study

Mercury levels in fish could increase by up to seven times the current levels as temperatures continue rising, say researchers.

Marine ecosystems, and mainly their coastal zones, have been estimated to contribute more than 60% of the total economic value of the biosphere . These ecosystem services are currently threatened by anthropogenic pollution and a changing climate. Increased terrestrial water runoff and accompanied input of terrestrial NOM and nutrients to lakes and coastal sea areas have been observed in several regions during the late 20th century. These increases are predicted to escalate for large regions worldwide following increased air temperatures and precipitation events.

The study Terrestrial discharges mediate trophic shifts and enhance methylmercury accumulation in estuarine biota has been published in Science Advances. 

Abstract

The input of mercury (Hg) to ecosystems is estimated to have increased two- to fivefold during the industrial era, and Hg accumulates in aquatic biota as neurotoxic methylmercury (MeHg). Escalating anthropogenic land use and climate change are expected to alter the input rates of terrestrial natural organic matter (NOM) and nutrients to aquatic ecosystems. For example, climate change has been projected to induce 10 to 50% runoff increases for large coastal regions globally. A major knowledge gap is the potential effects on MeHg exposure to biota following these ecosystem changes. We monitored the fate of five enriched Hg isotope tracers added to mesocosm scale estuarine model ecosystems subjected to varying loading rates of nutrients and terrestrial NOM. We demonstrate that increased terrestrial NOM input to the pelagic zone can enhance the MeHg bioaccumulation factor in zooplankton by a factor of 2 to 7 by inducing a shift in the pelagic food web from autotrophic to heterotrophic. The terrestrial NOM input also enhanced the retention of MeHg in the water column by up to a factor of 2, resulting in further increased MeHg exposure to pelagic biota. Using mercury mass balance calculations, we predict that MeHg concentration in zooplankton can increase by a factor of 3 to 6 in coastal areas following scenarios with 15 to 30% increased terrestrial runoff. The results demonstrate the importance of incorporating the impact of climate-induced changes in food web structure on MeHg bioaccumulation in future biogeochemical cycling models and risk assessments of Hg.

Terrestrial discharges mediate trophic shifts and enhance methylmercury accumulation in estuarine biota

Sofi Jonsson et al. http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/3/1/e1601239.full

FIRE-EARTH Alert: KMWJ

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Wahhabi Terrorists Exempt from Trump’s Immigration Ban

Sent by J.C.

Real terrorists are absent from list of targeted nations

Trump’s Immigration Ban Excludes Terror Countries With Business Ties

Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday indefinitely banning admission of people fleeing Syria, temporarily freezing the entry of other refugees and prohibiting entry by people from seven majority-Muslim nations for 90 days.

Immigration Ban Conflict of Interest

However, his list doesn’t include Muslim-majority countries where Trump Organization has done business or pursued potential deals. Properties include golf courses in the United Arab Emirates, two luxury towers operating in Turkey and development projects in Saudi Arabia.

Tracking Trump’s Web of Conflicts

His business interests extend to about 20 countries including Azerbaijan, Bermuda, Canada, China, Cuba, Egypt, Georgia, Indonesia, India, Ireland, Israel, Panama, Philippines, St. Martin, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Turkey, Taiwan, UAE, UK, Uruguay, USA. The Trump Organization says it has ended some deals since the election in Argentina and Brazil.

[Countries listed in bold are state sponsors of terrorism and have committed democide—genocide and mass murder against their own peoples.]

• Just days after Trump took the oath of office, the head of his hotel-management company outlined hopes for an ambitious expansion across the U.S., and China, raising new questions about potential conflicts between his business and the presidency.
• The state-controlled Chinese bank, Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Ltd., leases space in Trump Tower and is due to renegotiate its lease in 2019.
• During the campaign, the Trump Organization charged the Secret Service between up to $8.5 million to fly on his aircraft. And with Melania Trump and son Barron planning to remain in their Trump Tower condo once Trump occupies the White House, the NY Post estimates it might cost as much as $3 million a year, payable to Trump, for the Secret Service to rent space in the building. It’s less clear who would be responsible for the costs of advanced security at Trump-branded properties around the world. The security of every president or president-elect costs the public money, but it is unusual that Trump has profited from some of those funds.

 

‘A Nightmare Without An End’

Fatal Fires Consume Thousands of Homes in Chile

• Up to 4,000 km² of forest and agricultural land and scores of farm animals have been consumed by the wildfires since November.

• The regions of O’Higgins and Maule, Bio Bio, Araucania and Los Lagos are among the most devastated areas.

• More than 1,000 homes have been destroyed in the city of Santa Olga, located about 360 km south of the capital, Santiago, forcing more than 6,000 residents to flee.

• About 4,500 fire crews are currently deployed to extinguish the wildfires.

• At least a dozen people, mostly fire crews and policemen, have lost their lives.

• “States of catastrophe” have been declared in regions of O’Higgins and El Maule.

• The authorities have reported about 3,000 fires in the drought-stricken regions since July, with more blazes forecast amid high temperatures, strong winds and low humidity.

• Dozens of blazes continue burning uncontrollably.

• The forest fires are said to be the worst in living memory to hit Chile.

• “This is an extremely serious situation—of horror, a nightmare without an end,” Carlos Valenzuela, the mayor of the coastal city of Constitucion told DW. “Everything’s burned.”

 

FIRE-EARTH Alert: HFSC

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American Kakistocracy Headed Toward Catastrophe

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Government’s dead, it’s locked in the basement. Will the real shadow government please stand up?

[Prepared by affiliated political scientists]

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FIRE-EARTH Alert: PWTL

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FIRE-EARTH Presentation: Trump’s Wailing Wall

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Kickback from the $40bn ‘Mexico border wall’ contract would make Trump a real billionaire

[Prepared by affiliated political scientists]

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FIRE-EARTH Alert: KLRV

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FIRE-EARTH Presentation: Whose Strawman is Donald Trump?

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Trump vs. Hitler: 14 Striking Similarities, Two Minor Differences

[Prepared by affiliated political scientists]

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FIRE-EARTH Alert: NTPC

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Armyworms March across Southern Africa Plaguing Crop Fields

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Outbreaks of Armyworms across Southern Africa threaten crops in Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe

• An outbreak of armyworms has plagued Malawi, spreading across the southern African country and threatening maize and other crops.
• Malawi is the third country in the region to be invaded by armyworms.

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FIRE-EARTH Alert: GPSF

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UK Govt ‘covered up botched Trident missile test’ weeks before crucial vote

Sent by B.E.

Secrecy over failed Trident test launch ‘bizarre and stupid’ –Former Navy Chief

“A serious malfunction in Britain’s Trident nuclear weapons deterrent was covered up by Downing Street just weeks before the crucial House of Commons vote on the future of the missile system,” according to a report.

The Sunday Times has revealed that a Trident II D5 missile, capable of killing millions when armed with nuclear warheads — failed after being launched from HMS Vengeance, a British submarine, off the coast of Florida in June last year, and probably veered off towards the United States.

The intended target for HMS Vengeance’s missile was a sea target about 9,000km off the west coast of Africa.

“It was the only firing test of a British nuclear missile in four years and raises serious questions about the reliability and safety of the weapons system. The failure prompted a news blackout by Downing Street that has remained in place until this weekend.”

“There was a major panic at the highest level of government and the military after the first test of our nuclear deterrent in four years ended in disastrous failure,” a source told the paper.

“Ultimately Downing Street decided to cover up the failed test. If the information was made public, they knew how damaging it would be to the credibility of our nuclear deterrent. The upcoming Trident vote made it all the more sensitive.”

The incident occurred shortly before Theresa May became the UK Prime Minister; however, she failed to mention the failed test, and instead persuaded Parliament to spend £40bn ($50bn) on new Trident submarines in July.

The motion for the Trident renewal was carried out by 472 votes to 117, by almost the entire Conservative Party and more than half of Labour MPs(!)

A joint statement issued by both Downing Street and Ministry of Defence (MoD) called the capability and effectiveness of Trident “unquestionable.”

“In June the Royal Navy conducted a routine, unarmed Trident missile test launch from HMS Vengeance, as part of an operation which is designed to certify the submarine and its crew.

“Vengeance and her crew were successfully tested and certified, allowing Vengeance to return into service. We have absolute confidence in our independent nuclear deterrent.”

Theresa May has refused four times to admit that she knew of botched test, UK media reported.

The former head of the Royal Navy, Admiral Lord West, has slammed Downing street over its ‘bizarre and stupid’ decision to ‘cover up’ a major malfunction in the UK’s Trident nuclear missile deterrent, saying that it made Britain look like the former Soviets, North Korea or China.

Trident system was acquired by the Thatcher government in the early 1980s as a replacement for the Polaris missile system, which the UK had possessed since the 1960s.

Related Links:

• ‘Post truther’ Theresa May ‘faith’ in Trident despite test ‘malfunction’

• ‘Nuclear Disaster Waiting to Happen’

• Or, how we learned to play blind nuclear chicken with the taxpayers unwanted submarines in the middle of the ocean!

• One More Million Brits Bite Poverty, as Govt Spends $12 Billion on Obsolete White Elephant

Deadly Weather Pounding U.S. South

State of Emergency Declared in Georgia

• Severe thunderstorms and tornadoes have killed dozens of people in the US south.
• Georgia has declared states of emergency across seven counties in the south-central section of the state.
• A major tornado in Mississippi on Saturday killed several people and injured dozens more, destroying or damaging hundreds of homes.

NWS forecasters issued a “high risk” warning of severe storms for parts of Georgia, Florida and Alabama on Sunday.

• The New York City Emergency Management Department has urged New Yorkers to be prepared for high winds, heavy rain, and localized coastal flooding on Monday, January 23.

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FIRE-EARTH Global Weather Alerts 000123

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Severe Weather Alerts

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FIRE-EARTH Alert: MTWJ

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Powerful Earthquake Strikes Bougainville Island, N. Solomons

M7.9 strikes WNW of Panguna, PNG

EQ Details
Magnitude: 7.9 mww  [USGS/EHP]
Location: 6.214°S, 155.122°E [uncertainty: ± 7.8 km]
Depth 136.0 km [uncertainty± 1.9]
Time: 2017-01-22 04:30:23.140 UTC
Number of Phases: 145
Minimum Distance: 397.0 km (3.57°)
Travel Time Residual: 1.03 s
Azimuthal Gap: 15°

This earthquake struck onshore and did NOT generate a tsunami.

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States of Emergency Declared in Chile amid Major Wildfires

Wildfires plague drought-stricken Chile

Chile has declared a “state of disaster” due to the latest round of wildfires in the drought-stricken provinces of Cardenal Caro and Colchagua, which are also under “agricultural emergency.”

• Wildfires threaten vineyards and wineries in Colchagua Valley, which have been placed on red alert.
• The worst affected areas are Malloa, Marchigüe, Palmilla, Peralillo, Pumanque, Rengo and Santa Cruz.
• More than a dozen blazes have spread across over 135,000 of hectares, according to local news.
• Fire is spreading at a speeds of up to 4,200 meters per hour.
• Smoke and ash are affecting the Chilean capital and largest city, Santiago.

Additional details are available from FIRE-EARTH PULSARS.

FIRE-EARTH Alert: KSRP

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FIRE-EARTH Presentation: Super Insects

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The Super Insects (FdnC3SM-I – IV)

[Prepared by FIRE-EARTH Science Team]

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