Category Archives: International

International

World War 3, West Asian Front: Israel invades Gaza!

08 May 2013 (13:34 UTC-07 Tango)/27 Jumada t-Tania 1434/18 Ordibehest 1391/29 Ding-Si (3rd month) 4711

Reports that IDF has invaded the town of Beit Hanoun, in the northern Gaza Strip.  Palestinian reports say tanks and armored bulldozers have begun moving from a staging area 300 meters inside Gaza Strip.  Witnesses claim four Merkavas began firing in all directions as two bulldozers began tearing up farmland, forcing the farmers to flee.  They also claim the IDF is attacking fishing boats (which they say happens on a daily basis).

This comes a day after Islamic Jihad said they had intelligence saying Israel was about to invade Gaza Strip: “The Zionist enemy is getting ready for a major military operation on Gaza. We expect an escalation in the coming days but we are not sitting idle. Our military wing has been training for another war and it will not be a cakewalk for Zionists when they come to confront our fighters.”-Khader Habib, Islamic Jihad

And that followed another report on 05 May, that cited an Israeli website called Walla, which said Israeli leaders have called for a Operation Pillar of Defense II against Gaza Strip.

On 02 May, it was reported that IDF was massing tanks and armored bulldozers east of Beit Hanoun.  The Palestinian report said the IDF had set up a staging area 300 meters inside Gaza Strip.  Other reports say an IDF Apache fired on a farm to the east of Beit Lahiya Agriculture School.

International

World War 3, West Asian Front: Israel crosses Red Line, kidnaps Grand Mufti, raids Al Aqsa, Jordan expels Israeli diplomats!

08 May 2013 (12:32 UTC-07 Tango)/27 Jumada t-Tania 1434/18 Ordibehest 1391/29 Ding-Si (3rd month) 4711

“These Israeli actions violate international law and obstruct peace efforts. As occupying force, Israel is responsible for preventing such provocations!”-Hussein Majali, Interior Minister of Jordan

On 07 May Israel Defense Forces (IDF) backed up by hundreds of illegal zionist settlers crossed the Red Line of the official protector of Al Quds, Jordan, and invaded the Al Aqsa Mosque in Al Quds (Jerusalem).  Palestinians then began rioting against the zionists!  16 Palestinians were kidnapped by the IDF in the West Bank.

Today the IDF conducted a home invasion and crossed another Red Line; they  kidnapped the Grand Mufti of Al Quds, Mohammed Hussein!

Also today, the Jordanian King has summoned the Israeli ambassador after the 150 member Jordanian Parliament voted unanimously to expel Israeli diplomats over the assault on Al Aqsa and the kidnapping of the Grand Mufti.

 

 

International

World War 3, West Asian Front: BBC report of explosions in Iran false?

08 May 2013 (12:04 UTC-07 Tango)/27 Jumada t-Tania 1434/18 Ordibehest 1391/29 Ding-Si (3rd month) 4711

According to Azerbaijani news media reports, the three explosions reported by a BBC Persian journalist were not airstrikes, but controlled demolitions.

“Those were the planned explosions of destroying old ammunition. This is natural, and all of the explosions were carried out in Shahriar of Shahriar County of Tehran Province, safely.”-Ali Abdullahi, Iran’s deputy interior minister

Business/Economics, Idaho, International, Technology, U.S.

Capitalist Commodity Markets to blame for Pocatello’s Hoku Polysilicon near abandonment!

08 May 2013 (09:49 UTC-07 Tango)/27 Jumada t-Tania 1434/18 Ordibehest 1391/29 Ding-Si (3rd month) 4711

The massive, and expensive (to local tax payers), Hoku Materials polysilicon factory sits idle and unfinished in Pocatello, Idaho.

Red Neck right wingers like to point the finger at President Obama, saying ‘I told you so’ concerning ‘clean energy’ projects, but the reason for the demise of many solar power companies is actually the capitalist commodity market system and government interference.

Polysilicon prices have crashed and burned since construction started on the 50 American football fields long factory.  It just isn’t worth it to produce the stuff used in solar power panels.  In 2008 polysilicon was worth $400 per kilogram, it’s now crashed to a paltry $20.50!

Hoku Materials ghost town factory, Pocatello, Idaho. 50 football fields long at a cost of at least $400 million.

Hoku Materials ghost town factory, Pocatello, Idaho. 50 football fields long at a cost of at least $400 million.

The ‘experts’ got everything wrong.  They thought the high petroleum prices would drive societies into the arms of clean energy companies, but the problem is that so many clean energy companies started production that soon there was a glut of polysilicon on the market, even before the construction of Pocatello Hoku plant was close to being finished.

Then add to that the trade wars between China, the U.S. and European Union.  Eventually, the Obama administration jacked up tariffs so high on Chinese polysilicon companies that it wasn’t worth it to do business in the U.S.  By then Hoku Corporation (the parent of Hoku Materials) had become Chinese owned, due to financial problems (including Hoku Materials not being able to pay its construction contractor, JH Kelly, or pay its Idaho utility bills, so many times that both threatened to seize the property).

By the middle of 2012 the unfinished $400 million USD Pocatello polysilicon factory was moth balled, staffing reduced to just 30 people, with rumors of liquidation in bankruptcy court.  By the end of 2012, the Chinese company that bought into Hoku (Tianwei) was getting blasted in the Chinese media for buying a pig in a poke.  According to former Hoku Corporation CEO, Scott Paul, Tianwei invested “….more than $129 million of its own capital in Hoku, and they have provided for another $244 million in debt financing from banks in China.”

Now back to the ‘experts’.  In February 2013, ‘experts’ predicted that polysilicon prices had bottomed out.  They were wrong!  Prices had hit $21 per kilogram, and polysilicon producers said there was no reason to produce anymore until the price went up over $25.

In March 2013, British media reported that prices had crashed 50% compared to the same time last year.

In April 2013, another report said that polysilicon prices could continue to crash because of the anti-free market tariffs imposed by the major players; China, South Korea, European Union and United States.  And, the ‘experts’ again said prices had bottomed out.  The average price at the end of April 2013 was $20.50.

So where does that leave Hoku Corporation’s Hoku Materials factory in Pocatello?  Optimistic officials with the Bannock Development Corporation (a County level organization that worked hard to bring Hoku to Pocatello, including huge local tax breaks) think that anytime now Hoku will start production: “It’s a wait and see thing, depending on the market……Basically, [Hoku Corp.] needs to fire up the plant when it’s ready to go.”-John Regetz, Bannock Development

Sounds like the local development folks aren’t communicating with Hoku.  The latest statement from the company indicates that bankruptcy and liquidation is the only option being considered: “….exploration of potential restructuring at Hoku Materials and Hoku Corporation is ongoing, with no formal update at this time.”-Hoku Corporation statement

“Restructuring” is code for bankruptcy/liquidation.  So no Mister Regetz, it sounds like Hoku is not planning to “fire up the plant”.

Green/clean energy just doesn’t make big enough profits for the crony capitalist system.  Another case in point is the recent announcement by BP (British Petroleum) that it will abandon it’s wind power operations near Idaho Falls, Idaho, as well as its wind and solar projects across the United States.

Also, don’t forget the artificial reduction in demand created by all those government tariffs.

The answer is that clean energy projects need to be run like a non-profit co-op, but the problem is that crony capitalists don’t like that and will do everything they can to prevent that from happening (’cause contrary to their propaganda, they do not like competition, especially if it’s from a non-profit).

More on the demise of Hoku Materials:

Hoku deregisters with SEC

Hoku downward spiral

Hoku restructuring

Hoku to be finished off

U.S. tariffs nail in the coffin for Hoku

Good & bad news for Hoku

Hoku better get its rear in gear

Hoku beggars China

Hoku going under

Hoku begs

More trouble for Hoku

Hoku starts operations(?)

Hoku ended before it starts

Investigation puts the brakes on Hoku

Hoku ongoing delays

Hoku turning to China

International

World War 3, West Asian Front: Israel bans civilian traffic in Golan! All access to internet cut off in Syria?

08 May 2013 (21:56 UTC-07 Tango 07 May 2013)/27 Jumada t-Tania 1434/18 Ordibehest 1391/29 Ding-Si (3rd month) 4711

Israeli Defense Force announced a travel ban in the occupied Golan Heights.  The ban affects civilian travel on the northern border road and the Heights eastern road.

It appears the ban is indefinite, until further notice.

The UN Interim Force In Lebanon has declared the IDF intrusion into Lebanese airspace (on their way to bomb Syria) a violation of international law: “UNIFIL says that in the course of the past week it has observed a higher number of Israeli air violations over Lebanese air space…..compel Israel to halt its violations of Lebanon’s sovereignty by air, sea and land, and carry out all its obligations in accordance with Resolution 1701.”-Martin Nesirky, United Nations

It appears all internet service has been cut off in Syria, according to Google’s Transparency Report.  I tried to access some Syrian sites and got a “server not found”, or “forbidden” message, but other sites still came up.

 

International

World War 3, West Asian Front: Israeli airstrike on Iran?

07 May 2013 (14:43 UTC-07 Tango)/26 Jumada t-Tania 1434/17 Ordibehest 1391/28 Ding-Si (3rd month) 4711

The Jerusalem Post reporting explosions west of Tehran, Iran.  They say a BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) Persian channel reporter posted a tweat saying three explosions took place at a missile testing center in Iran.

I wasn’t able to confirm on the BBC Persian site.

IsraelDefense is saying the explosions hit the Shahriar district of the City of Karaj, which is northwest of Tehran.

International

Coronavirus update: 2 more deaths! Now called MERS.

07 May 2013 (09:19 UTC-07 Tango)/26 Jumada t-Tania 1434/17 Ordibehest 1391/28 Ding-Si (3rd month) 4711

The new SARS like virus in Saudi Arabia has killed two more people.  The death toll is now 18.

Both of the latest victims were from the same family, from the Al-Ahsa governorate.  So far six of the deaths were people from Al-Ahsa.

Health officials still don’t understand how the new coronavirus works.  It results in death from pneumonia or kidney failure.  Some researchers think it’s related to a bat virus.  However, most victims did not have contact with non-human animals.

International health researchers have decided on a name for the new virus: MERS.  It stands for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome.

 

International

World War 3, East Asian Front: North Korea isues new warning!

07 May 2013 (21:22 UTC-07 Tango 06 May 2013)/26 Jumada t-Tania 1434/17 Ordibehest 1391/28 Ding-Si (3rd month) 4711

  No sooner had the Key Resolve and Foal Eagle joint military exercises against the DPRK been ended than the U.S. imperialists and the south Korean puppet forces restarted shelling drills targeted against the areas of the north side from the waters off Paekryong and Yonphyong islands in the West Sea of Korea from May 5.
    The prevailing situation goes to prove that they are persisting in their premeditated military provocations in a bid to push the present state of war to an actual war.
    What matters is that such military provocations are timed to coincide with the U.S.-south Korea joint anti-submarine exercises started in the West Sea of Korea from May 6 and the dangerous U.S.-south Korea joint naval war drill to be staged in the East Sea of Korea from about May 10 even with the super-large nuclear-powered carrier Nimitz involved.
    The Command issued the following order to those units under it in view of the prevailing situation:
    KPA units in the southwestern sector of the front will take immediate counteractions in case even a single shell drops over the territorial waters of our side due to the enemies’ provocative shelling in the southwestern waters.
    In case the enemies recklessly counter our counterstrikes, all striking forces will turn the five islands in the West Sea of Korea into a sea in flames with prompt actions of units of the rocket forces deployed in the southwestern sector of the front.
    All the units and sub-units under the KPA Command in the southwestern sector of the front will simultaneously start military actions, in line with the operation plan finally ratified by the KPA Supreme Command, by the future order.
Korean People’s Army (KPA) statement

International

Coronavirus update: 3 new cases! Possibly 50 more!

06 May 2013 (12:40 UTC-07 Tango)/25 Jumada t-Tania 1434/16 Ordibehest 1391/27 Ding-Si (3rd month) 4711

Three more people are confirmed infected with the new SARS like virus in Saudi Arabia.

Since September 2012 there have been 27 lab confirmed human cases, and 16 deaths, in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan and United Kingdom.

The three new cases are people related to other people already hospitalized.

Saudi health officials also said that tests on 50 other people are being done to determine if they have the new coronavirus. So far, all the cases in Saudi Arabia have originated in the eastern Al-Ahsa governorate.

International

Norovirus / Tummy Bug update 06 May 2013: Egypt getting hit hard! Killer superbug bacteria strikes Scotland!

Egypt reporting its fourth outbreak of vomiting bug in the past month.  The latest outbreak involves at least 350 people. Some suspect biological warfare from Israel, because the latest outbreak is in governates along the Sinai Peninsula.  The day prior a smaller outbreak hit the Al-Azhar University, where 25 students became sick.  The university got hit twice before, once on 29 April when 179 students got sick, and on 01 April when 500 people got sick.

The Hilton Westchester (aka Rye Brook hotel), in New York U.S.A., resumed food service on 03 May after three days of trying to sanitize after an outbreak made hundreds of people sick. Westchester County Department of Health officials say you can’t use just any cleanser to sanitize against norovirus.  They estimate that it cost the hotel $50000 USD.

The Visalia Country Club was closed for cleaning because of an outbreak.  The California, U.S.A., golf club will not open until county health officials determine it’s sanitized.  The county linked 51 cases of norovirus directly to the club.

In Santa Rosa County, Florida U.S.A., parents got warnings of possible school closures due to outbreaks in neighboring Escambia County.  Santa Rosa officials say they’re “…just trying to get ahead of the eight ball.”

In Republic of Ireland, the Beaumont Hospital and Saint Joseph’s Hospital Raheny and the Raheny Community Nursing Unit are restricting visitation because of outbreaks.

Reports from people returning from their Holland America cruise from Asia to Vancouver, Canada, that they had to deal with a norovirus outbreak. 28 guests and one employee got sick.  The pools and hot tubs were drained.  It was a 31 day cruise.

The East Surrey Hospital, Redhill U.K., has suspended visitation to four wards because of an outbreak.

The Ronald Reagan school in Wisconsin U.S.A., hit with “stomach bug”.  School officials are not calling it norovirus, but said many students are sick.

In Scotland, health officials are ordering the vaccination of infants against another type of vomiting bug; rotavirus.  Starting this month, all babies born in Scotland will be vaccinated. Health officials say at least 1200 Scottish infants get sick with rotavirus every year.

In the United Kingdom, Doncaster and Bassetlaw NHS Foundation Trust have been hit with a $900000 USD fine.  It’s because of 63 cases of clostridium difficile (C.diff).  The British health system set a minimum number of cases ‘allowed’ at each hospital Trust, and Doncaster and Bassetlaw exceeded that minimum.  C.diff is a superbug bacteria that causes tummy bug symptoms, and is the direct result of using too much antibiotics.  Antibiotics can kill your good bacteria in your gut, allowing C.diff to take over.

And C.diff can be deadly.  In Scotland, two hospitals located in the same health board area are being blasted by relatives of people who died from C.diff.  They claim hospital officials failed to report to the public that there was a C.diff outbreak.  Three people died.  It’s the first time an outbreak of C.diff happened at two hospitals in the same Scottish health board area, at the same time (Victoria in Kirkcaldy and the Queen Margaret in Dunfermline).

18 people at the hospital in Vale of Leven, West Dunbartonshire Scotland, have died from C.diff.  An official government investigation is underway.  There are rumors that National Health Service officials are trying to cover up a massive C.diff outbreak.