The convert’s dilemma – you cannot unlearn what ocean temperatures teach
Mea culpa: Earlier this month, I said I would tell you what happened when I started asking, out loud, how much of recent warming might be natural recovery from the Little Ice Age rather than entirely our fault – and why certain colleagues reacted as if I had defaced a cathedral. Well, I am doing that, but next month. I switched Essay 2 and 3, to convey more vulnerability and something else of concern...
Canada, Australia join UK in recognising Palestinian statehood
(Al Jazeera Media Network) Canada and Australia have joined the United Kingdom in formally recognising Palestinian statehood as Israel plans to expand settlements in the occupied West Bank and intensifies its war on Gaza. In a statement on Sunday, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the recognition of a Palestinian state and offered “our partnership in building the promise of a peaceful future for both the State of Palestine and the State of Israel”. Carney added that the...
Mexican authorities find 20 bodies, some decapitated, in Sinaloa state
(Al Jazeera Media Network) Twenty bodies, several of them decapitated, have been found on a highway bridge in the northwestern state of Sinaloa, Mexican authorities say, as rival drug cartel factions fight one another in the area. The Sinaloa state prosecutor’s office reported a grisly scene on Monday: four headless corpses were found on a roadside, 16 bodies were discovered inside an abandoned vehicle near state capital Culiacan, and five human heads were found inside...
South Africa ranks first among fuel importers on the continent – is that a good thing?
Key takeaways South Africa has overtaken Nigeria as Africa’s largest importer of refined petroleum products, driven by idled local refining capacity and surging demand. Nigeria’s fuel imports have declined due to the startup of the Dangote Refinery and the removal of gasoline subsidies, but its refining capacity utilization can still improve. Egypt quietly leads in refinery efficiency, maintaining the highest utilization rate among Africa’s top three economies despite rising import dependence. Across Nigeria, South...
European Central Bank president says euro could be viable alternative to U.S. dollar
(Al Jazeera Media Network) The euro could become a viable alternative to the US dollar as the global standard currency for international trade, according to European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde. In a speech in Berlin, Germany, Lagarde said on Monday that the erratic economic policy of the United States has spooked global investors into limiting their exposure to the dollar in recent months. Many have opted to invest in gold, without seeing a viable alternative. “The ongoing changes create...
Trump orders rebuilding and reopening of notorious Alcatraz prison in US
(Al Jazeera Media Network) United States President Donald Trump says he has ordered officials to rebuild and reopen Alcatraz, a notorious federal prison based on a small island in the state of California that has been shut for more than 60 years. In a post on his Truth Social site on Sunday, Trump wrote he is “directing the Bureau of Prisons, together with the Department of Justice, FBI, and Homeland Security, to reopen a substantially...
Trump advises Putin to end ‘ridiculous’ Ukraine war or face new sanctions
(BBC News) President Donald Trump has urged Russia's Vladimir Putin to make a deal to end the "ridiculous" Ukraine war or face new tariffs and sanctions. In a social media post, he said he had a good relationship with his Russian counterpart but if a deal was not made soon he would impose fresh economic penalties. Meanwhile, all refugees' travel to the US is being suspended, following an executive order from Trump. It means refugees with permission to...
U.S. vetoes UN Security Council resolution demanding Gaza ceasefire
(Al Jazeera Media Network) The United States has vetoed a resolution at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) demanding an “immediate, unconditional and permanent” ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, as Israel’s bombardment of the Palestinian territory continues. The US voted down the measure on Wednesday morning while the 14 other members of the council voted in favour. While the resolution called for the release of captives held in Gaza, Washington had voiced opposition to its demand for an...
Russia denies responsibility for Eiffel Tower coffin stunt
(Al Jazeera Media Network) Russia has vehemently denied any role in a stunt that saw several coffins appear at the Eiffel Tower in Paris. In a statement on Tuesday, Russia’s embassy in France expressed “strong protest against a new Russophobic campaign launched in the French media” that it said is affecting the security of its citizens. The complaint came amid a string of denials by Moscow that it was seeking to influence public opinion as...
Charting an informative course
If a picture is worth 1,000 words, a good infographic might be worth about a million. My team of scientist/journalists, with support from infographic wiz Muriel Protzer, has produced many mind-blowingly educational graphics. To follow are some of our best, and I will include no words of interpretation; the data and images tell important stories on their own: Link: copy-infographic-modern-1h0n25y850oxz6p?live"] Source: Alberta government (Alberta data) (Rob Driscoll – BIG Media Ltd., 2024)