News Feeds | ecology.iww.org (2024)

Food Tank - Fri, 01/19/2024 - 13:46

On February 7 at 1:00PM ET, Food Tank and Traditional Medicinals will host a special herbal education webinar. The event will touch on topics including food as medicine; quality, efficacy, and medicine; wild harvesting; and the intelligence of the Earth.

Communities around the world have long used edible plants to promote health and healing. The event is designed to elevate an understanding around plant medicine and its role in food and agriculture systems.

Speakers will discuss the benefits of edible plants used for medicinal purposes and the value of dietary diversity, the natural intelligence of the Earth, and the story behind the growth, harvesting, and preparation of herbal medicine to yield products of the highest quality. They will also explore the practice of wild harvesting, the threat that human activity poses to flora and their environment, and sustainable approaches to support the growth of herbal medicine.

Speakers include Taryn Forrelli, chief science officer at Traditional Medicinals; Guido Masé, principle scientist and chief formulator at Traditional Medicinals; Deborah Vorhies, CEO of FairWild; Jocelyn Boreta, executive director of The Botanical Bus: Bilingual Mobile Herb Clinic; Dr. Nadja Cech, professor of chemistry at the University of North Carolina Greensboro; Dr. Holly Johnson, chief science officer at the American Herbal Products Association; Dr. Kevin Spelman, renowned phytotherapy researcher at PhytoPharmacology Review; and moderator Chloe Sorvino, food journalist at Forbes.

The event is free to attend, but registration is required. For more information and to register for the event, click HERE.

Articles like the one you just read are made possible through the generosity of Food Tank members. Can we please count on you to be part of our growing movement?Become a member today by clicking here.

Photo courtesy of Katherine Hanlon, Unsplash

The post Elevating the Role of Herbal Medicine in Food Systems appeared first on Food Tank.

Categories: A3. Agroecology

La Jicarita - Fri, 01/19/2024 - 13:39

Editor’s Note:This letter was submitted to the Taos News on Jan. 1 in response to a letter that was published on Dec. 21 in which the author criticized the Town of Taos for adopting a ceasefire resolution and accused Taoseños for Peaceful and Livable Futures of “weaponizing words such as genocide and exterminate.” As of Jan 18, the letter has not been published. Taoseños for Peaceful and Livable Futures want to publicly thank the Town of Taos for passage of the resolution so La Jicarita has posted the letter here. It was updated on January 19.

By SUZIE SCHWARTZ of Taoseños for Peaceful and Livable Futures

On Judaism, Zionism, and Democracy

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted on December 9, 1948 was the international community’s response to the atrocities committed during WWII. Never Again, will humankind allow a genocide against any humans. No exceptions.

With sincere appreciation, Taoseños for Peaceful and Livable Futures (TPLF) thank Mayor Maestas and all of the Town Council members for having the moral courage to adopt resolution 23-50 that calls for an immediate ceasefire in Israel and Palestine and an international solution for a lasting peace. The resolution urges Congress to pass Congressional House Resolution 786: “Calling for de-escalation and an immediate ceasefire in Israel and occupied Palestine.” Resolution 23-50 also urges the Biden administration to support ceasefire resolutions in the UN Security Council.

Additionally, we thank the County Commission members for graciously hearing all public testimony given by its constituents on Dec. 7 and 19, and those Commissioners and Council members who made individual calls to Representative Leger Fernandez over the beginning of the holiday season on our behalf.

Rep. Leger-Fernandez did not respond to phone calls, emails, letters, rallies, sit-ins, die-ins, and peaceful vigils from her constituents. Participants included people of Jewish, Christian, and Muslim faiths, Democrats, Republicans, and non-affiliated voters. We ask our elected officials in Washington DC to end the horrific violence happening to civilians in Gaza, mainly women and children. So far over 24,000, approximately 1% of Palestine’s population of 2.3 million, have been killed, a number that will rise as bodies are found in the rubble. Many others have died or are dying because of disease and hunger resulting from Israel’s siege or because they were unable to access health care, with most hospitals in Gaza rendered inoperable due to Israel’s airstrikes and blockade.

Since we were unsuccessful in receiving responses from our representative to Congress, we asked our local elected representatives to act on our behalf. HR 786, cosponsored by Congresswomen Cori Bush and Rashida Tlaib, is the only resolution in Congress calling for a ceasefire and is waiting to be passed.

Since October 7th, however, three resolutions have been passed by Congress: HR 771: “Reaffirms Israel’s right to self defense;” HR 888: “Reaffirms the state of Israel’s right to exist;” and HR 894: “Clearly and firmly states that anti-Zionism is antisemitism.”

The congressional resolution process IS the mechanism Congress has to leverage the administration, as demonstrated by the above resolutions. While Congresswoman Leger Fernandez signed on to HR 771 and HR 888, her press releases as of Dec. 12 show she hascalled for only a temporary humanitarianpause and a temporary ceasefire, not a permanent ceasefire.

The Biden administration currently has no incentive from Congress to actually make that phone call to Israeli President Netanyahu because there is no ceasefire resolution that has passed. This is why ordinary people and grassroots activists are begging for a ceasefire resolution be passed through Congress.

Meanwhile, public pressure is having an effect on Congress:
• On Jan. 9, over 175 state and local elected officials urged President Biden to immediately call for a permanent ceasefire.
• Around the country, there are now a total of 42 cities that have passed ceasefire resolutions and in 19 more cities resolutions have been proposed.
• On Jan. 16, both of our New Mexico Senators were among the 11 senators who voted in favor of Bernie Sander’s Resolution 502B(c) that would have required security aid to Israel be frozen unless the State Department produces a report within 30 days examining whether Israel has committed human rights violations in its campaign in Gaza.
• Congresswomen Leger Fernandez and Melanie Stansbury have yet to call for a permanent ceasefire as of Jan. 19.

Judaism, the oldest of the Abrahamic faiths, is almost 6,000 years old. The heart of Judaism is the belief in justice and the sanctity of saving life. Zionism is a nationalist movement that emerged from Europe in the 19th century to justify the need for a Jewish homeland somewhere in the world. Zionism is about 100 years old. As a Jew, I recognize that antisemitism is a real threat, but criticizing the actions of the Israeli government is not antisemitic. Anti-Zionism and antisemitism are not the same.

As Americans, we have the right to criticize the actions of a foreign government, as well as our own. With the rise in antisemitism and Islamophobia nationally, it is understandable that Jews and Muslims living in Taos are feeling fear and anxiety. In a recent My Turn, the idea of holding a forum for people to express their points of view about Israel and Palestine was put forth. We think this is an excellent idea! Making a space for respectful and peaceful dialogue could contribute greatly to easing tensions.

TPLF encourages a community dialogue on the question of resolving the ongoing conflict in Israel/Palestine. It is our New Year’s hope that something like this can happen here in our Taos neighborhoods.

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
Martin Luther King, Jr.

References:

https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-resolution/786/text

https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-resolution/771/text

https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-resolution/888/text

https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-resolution/894/text

https://www.un.org/en/genocideprevention/documents/atrocity-crimes/Doc.1_Convention%20on%20the%20Prevention%20and%20Punishment%20of%20the%20Crime%20of%20Genocide.pdf

https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/en/ihl-treaties/genocide-conv-1948

https://twitter.com/RepTeresaLF/status/1710790848172974378

https://fernandez.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-leger-fernandez-calls-humanitarian-pause-conflict-between-israel-and-hamas

https://fernandez.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-leger-fernandez-statement-ceasefire-negotiations

https://fernandez.house.gov/media/press-releases/leger-fernandez-renews-calls-negotiated-ceasefire-gaza

https://www.sanders.senate.gov/press-releases/prepared-remarks-sanders-on-the-humanitarian-disaster-in-gaza-and-his-intention-to-bring-502bc-resolution-to-the-floor-next-week/

Addendum: La Jicarita has received three comments from William Turner, an Albuquerque-based hydrogeologist who has worked for the state of New Mexico, UNM, and consults on water transfers and other water issues with WaterBank.

I approved the first two comments Turner made to the series of “Testimonies” I ran in December, after he identified himself (La Jicarita doesn’t approve anonymous comments) and responded briefly to his defense of Israel’s occupation of Palestine and the assault on Gaza. I wasn’t sure what to do about the third comment I received from him that called me a “dumb (expletive)” for my post “Local and Global, It’s All Connected.” La Jicarita policy also doesn’t approve comments that resort to name calling, but this time I decided to let readers see it so hopefully they can better understand how someone arrives at a distorted assessment of Israeli history and current policies that justify the massacre in Gaza.

Coincidentally, I listened to an interview by journalist Chris Hedges with Israeli Miko Peled, a former IDF (Israeli Defense Force) soldier and son of a decorated Israeli General. Peled’s commentary helped distill my understanding of Turner’s position in two important ways. One, Israel has been a militaristic culture since the Balfour Declaration declared its support for a Zionist occupation of Palestine and its 1948 war of independence that began the inculcation of militarism into children in grade school and conscripted soldiers. Turner sees the siege of Gaza as simply another necessary military war against an enemy—Hamas: “War is merciless. It cannot afford to be nice. People die. The niceties of the Geneva Convention and the ICJ just do not apply even though we might try to apply them. The Geneva Convention and the ICJ have been weaponized. In the end, this War must reach into Iran and Yemen to cut off their fomenting support of proxy terrorism.”

Secondly, many Israelis believe they are the “chosen people,” therefore the rules of international law don’t apply to them. Peled see’s Turner’s many references to them as the children of Abraham and their right of return as necessary propaganda by the Zionist state to use their victimhood as an excuse for racist oppression of the Palestinians.

Categories: G2. Local Greens

Months after the Supreme Court stripped federal protections for over half the nation’s wetlands, scientists and legal experts are raising new concerns about how the ruling could affect permits for pollutants in rivers and streams.

“This is about, ‘Are we going to have enough clean water to drink?’ And the answer is, ‘No, we’re not,’” said Bennett, who now oversees science policy and New England issues at the nonprofit Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility.

Read the PEER Story…

The post Does Sackett clip EPA’s wings on permits, water rules? appeared first on PEER.org.

Categories: A2. Green Unionism

Extinction Rebellion - Fri, 01/19/2024 - 13:13

How it all started

Many XR Manchester local groups have been involved with the Dirty Water campaign along the River Mersey, the main river in South Manchester. During the campaign, the groups found that there was a lot of positive public response to it, and also that the issues surrounding the health of the river were rather complicated. They decided to partner with a couple of local environmental and civil society groups, including People Planet Place Didsbury, the Friends of Fletcher Moss and Didsbury Civic Society to put on an event together about the river.

The initial idea was to hold an event with the standard speakers/audience format, but one of the rebels who had taken part in community assemblies before and always wanted to organise one, proposed that they run it as a community assembly instead. The reaction from the other groups involved was very positive and so they started organising it, drawing on existing links with the local community which helped in many ways, including in finding a venue.

A local church with a centrally located and very suitable building gave them the use of the venue for free. They set up an Eventbrite with maximum 100 places, never imagining that they would get that number.A local designer did the graphics for an A5 leaflet and they printed 200. They distributed the leaflet mainly to people making use of the river: walkers, runnings, dog walkers along the river banks and so on.The Eventbrite link and information about it was also circulated by the different groups involved.

On the day

Explaining the hand signals for the breakout groups at the community assembly in Didsbury.

Before the community assembly started, the organisers had worked together to form a question the participants were going to discuss. The question of the community assembly was:

‘How might we improve the health of our river Mersey?’

The organisers felt that formulating the question in this way would help people feel more empowered, which turned out to be largely the case, as people were overall very engaged. The assembly was attended by around 100 people and they ran it for two hours (note: they ran it in the evening of a week day from 7 – 9 pm, not a weekend as other community assemblies have done).

After a brief introduction, they held the input stage of the assembly. The participants had the opportunity to listen to a diverse range of perspectives on the health of the river. There were six speakers, representatives from a variety of organisations including: United Utilities (the water company); the Mersey River Trust; a presentation based on data from the UK Government’s Environment Agency on the state of the river (EA were invited but didn’t attend). There were also presentations from a local activist on sewage in the river, a testimony of a local resident exposed to flood risk, and the testimony of a local resident who has run a canoeing business on the river for 20 years.

The input phase of a community assembly is when speakers who are either experts on the subject, have something to do with the issue (like have a business interest in it, for example, like the United Utilities water company), and also people who are affected by the issue.

After the presentations the assembly moved to the deliberation stage. The group was split into in small groups of eight people, each with a designated facilitator. The facilitators had previous facilitation experience either from running meetings in their local XR group or they had been prepped especially for the community assembly. Each group also appointed a notetaker who was tasked with noting down everyone’s contribution and was responsible for feeding back the group’s top three priorities to the whole assembly.

During the deliberation phase, the assembly is split up into smaller groups, with a facilitator each to ensure the conversation goes smoothly. This is where people can express their views and come up with solutions together.

Overall, the room was buzzing, people were engaged, and the dialogues were inclusive, thanks to the facilitators. However, the organisers noticed that there were a few groups that struggled. These were the groups that included so called ‘stakeholders’- meaning people who have a some sort of direct involvement with the issue of water pollution. For example, the representative of the water company United Utilities as well as the local councillors who had come to participate, caused polarisation within the group. The deliberation in those groups began to resemble a debate between two sides, which is not the intention of the process. More on this below.

After the deliberation phase the assembly moved on to the integration phase. This meant that the smaller groups all came together to share their main findings with the wider group. The organisers had asked each group to report back on three main recommendations from their deliberations. Unfortunately, due to the size of the assembly and the limited time they had available to them, they had to move quite quickly through each group’s findings.

During the integration phase, the smaller groups come back together into one big assembly and share their thoughts and recommendations with the wider group. Recommendations get written down and voted on.

The recommendations ranged from political and structural ideas, such as bringing water companies back into public ownership and rewilding riverbanks and flood plains, to small scale ideas that can be implemented by community groups and charities.

After the assembly

The main aim of the community assembly was to generate ideas that can be the basis for future discussion and action within the community. After the assembly the organisers compiled all the recommendations and groups’ notes into a document which was emailed out to everyone who requested it, giving a sense of what themes came up most. They also emailed it to local councillors, the United Utilities, the Environment Agency and Mersey River Trust.

Reflections

Overall, the community assembly felt like very positive and collaborative moment for the community, and hopefully will be the basis for future action. Many of the participants, some of whom are not usually politically active, remarked that they felt empowered.

On reflection the organisers of the Didsbury community assembly felt they should have set a clearer pathway for those who wanted to take the ideas they had come up with during the assembly forward. The organisers had not intended to be the ones taking the results further, however, for those who did want to take action after the assembly it would have been useful to give a clear plan of how to do so. Many of the recommendations that came out of the assembly can be achievable at the local level, and it would have been good to be able to harness that enthusiasm and energy from the assembly and point people in the right direction.

For the local XR groups, this was a chance to cultivate relationships in the community, and to build new ones. The community assembly provided a great opportunity to work together with a variety of groups and organisations, engage people who might otherwise never engage with local issues and politics, and address the needs of different local communities.

Community assemblies showcase deliberative democracy and work towards a future in which deliberative processes are at the core of our society at every level.

Do you think your local group would like to set up a community assembly to tackle issues in your area? Find out how to organise your community assembly on the Rebel Toolkit.

Join the Community Assembly Telegram Group to connect with others setting up assemblies and exchange experiences.

Do you think there should be deliberative democracy on all levels, not just locally? We agree! Find out how we believe community assemblies will help us get a UK-wide Citizens’ Assembly on Climate and Ecological Justice with the Community Assemblies Escalation Plan!

The post Didsbury community assembly, September 2023 appeared first on Extinction Rebellion UK.

Categories: B4. Radical Ecology

Montana Environmental Information Center - Fri, 01/19/2024 - 12:57

By Nick Fitzmaurice, Missoula Current This weekend, the Northwest faced extremely cold temperatures, a reminder that winter is well underway. With seasonal extremes come peaks in energy demand as heaters work harder to keep our homes and businesses safe and warm. NorthWestern Energy, Montana’s primary electricity supplier, attempted to address this peak demand with a …

The post Nick Fitzmaurice: Poor Planning Puts NorthWestern’s Reliability at Risk appeared first on Montana Environmental Information Center - MEIC.

Categories: G2. Local Greens

Allegheny Front - Fri, 01/19/2024 - 12:18

What can firefighters learn from the derailment and how can they be better prepared for the next time?

The post East Palestine train derailment reveals need for more first responder training appeared first on The Allegheny Front.

Categories: G2. Local Greens

Food Tank - Fri, 01/19/2024 - 12:13

For two nights only, Food Tank is presenting special workshop performances of the new play “Little Peasants” in Somerville, Massachusetts. The story takes audiences behind the closed doors of a union organizing campaign at a chain coffee shop.

“Little Peasants” is written by Food Tank Co-Founder Bernard Pollack, directed by Dori A. Robinson, and produced by Elena Morris. The performances will take place at 7:00PM on February 7 and 21 at The Burren (247 Elm Street, Somerville, MA).

Designed to be an immersive experience that puts audience members in baristas’ shoes, the play reveals the tactics employers use to thwart organizing efforts.

“This is a rare opportunity to experience a heated food workers’ union campaign from the inside,” says Robinson. “The audience is invited to see the struggles from both sides of the table—the struggling workers, and the thoughtful organization.”

In March 2023, a one-act iteration of “Little Peasants” premiered at SXSW to critical acclaim. The new workshop is made possible thanks to support from the Somerville Arts Council.

“Little Peasants” represents a continuation of Food Tank’s work situated at the intersection of food systems, the environment, and the arts. In 2021, they brought “WeCameToDance”—an interactive musical production that imparted an urgent message about the climate crisis—to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland, where it was performed for a one-month sold-out run.

“To truly transform our food systems, we need the power of the arts,” says Food Tank President and Co-Founder Danielle Nierenberg. “‘Little Peasants’ is a unique opportunity for all of us to understand the momentum food workers are creating for just and fair treatment.”

For more information about “Little Peasants” and to purchase tickets for the workshop on February 7 or 21 click HERE. Food Tank members can also receive complimentary tickets to attend one of the upcoming workshops by emailing Kenzie Wade at kenzie@foodtank.com. To become a member, click HERE.

Articles like the one you just read are made possible through the generosity of Food Tank members. Can we please count on you to be part of our growing movement? Become a member today by clicking here.

The post ‘Little Peasants’ Takes Audiences Behind the Closed Doors of a Workers’ Organizing Campaign appeared first on Food Tank.

Categories: A3. Agroecology

Allegheny Front - Fri, 01/19/2024 - 11:52

Since the East Palestine train derailment, local fire companies and first responders are looking at their own resources and training, and how they can prepare for the next derailment or environmental disaster. A new study looks at whether fossil fuel workers have the right skills and live in the right places for future clean energy jobs. Plus, a new study identifies hundreds of chemicals in everday products that increase breast cancer risk. We have news about Philadelphia's renewable energy goals, Norfolk Southern's progress, Future Farmers of America and solar jobs.

The post Episode for January 19, 2024 appeared first on The Allegheny Front.

Categories: G2. Local Greens

Waging Nonviolence - Fri, 01/19/2024 - 11:49

This article How women in Pakistan are fighting enforced disappearances and killings was originally published by Waging Nonviolence.

As hundreds took to the streets of Pakistan’s largest city, Karachi, on Jan. 12, a sea of mostly female protesters continued screaming “Balochistan wants justice,” even as they were met with a heavy police presence.

Meanwhile, back in the restive but beautiful southwestern province of Balochistan, thousands more swarmed the streets. Their protest against enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings in their province was just the latest mobilization for a movement that has grown exponentially over the past month.

Following the November killing of 22-year-old Balaach Mola Baksh, hundreds of women — along with some of their children — began a roughly thousand-mile march from his hometown of Turbat to Islamabad on Dec. 6. After arriving in Pakistan’s capital city, they set up camp in front of the National Press Club.

For nearly a month, these protesters — comprised of some nearly 300 families whose loved ones are victims of enforced disappearances and killings — have been living in tents made of cloth and tarpaulin, even as temperatures approach freezing. With more protests cropping up around the country and human rights activists around the world starting to take notice, this women-led movement is showing its power in the face of staunch government repression.

‘They killed him’

“When I went to see his body the agency people told me to bury him, but I said ‘No, I want justice,’” explained Najma Baloch by phone from the sit-in protest in Islamabad. “This is not just my brother, this is the brother of all Baloch people.”

Balaach was taken by men in civilian clothes from his home in Turbat at 1 a.m. on Oct. 30. The family believes these men — who arrived in a convoy of eight cars — were from Pakistan’s Counter Terrorism Department, or CTD.

“When he returned home from work that evening we never could have imagined we would lose him a few hours later,” Najma said about her brother, who worked as an embroiderer in a handicraft shop.

“My mother said the tyrants took him,” Najma continued. But when they approached the police, they were told Balaach was not in their custody. “I said ‘Then where is he? Did the earth eat him up, or did the sky swallow him?’”

It wasn’t until nearly a month later, on Nov. 21, that Balaach appeared in court, where he was remanded to CTD custody for 10 days.

“When we saw him in court my mother and I hugged him,” Najma said. “We were so so happy for my mother it was like he was born again. Two days later they killed him.”

On Nov. 24, CTD issued a statement saying that Balaach had admitted to being involved in a “terrorist operation,” providing them with information that led CTD to his associates’ hideout. When they arrived, according to the statement, an “exchange of fire” took place and four dead bodies were recovered, one of which was Balaach.

“They said he died in an ambush, but we saw him in court — so how could he die in an encounter? It was a fake encounter … they killed him,” Najma said. “I am devastated beyond measure.”

Najma described Balaach as loving brother and son. “He always took care of our mother. He was still so young, and he was not involved in whatever they are saying. He was never involved with anyone bad, he was completely innocent.”

While the CTD denies allegations of kidnapping and murder, it also insists Balaach was only arrested on Nov. 20 — the day before he was presented in court — not on Oct. 29, when he was taken from his home. For activists, this is only further evidence that Balaach became one of thousands in Balochistan to suffer an enforced disappearance and extrajudicial killing.

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A movement is born

When Najma’s family received Balaach’s dead body they refused to bury him for seven days, sitting in protest outside their home with his body. People all across Turbat joined the protest, and thus began the wave of protest Pakistan is now witnessing.

Hundreds of women like Najma are turning out to demand the return of their loved ones who have been forcibly disappeared for years — some for over a decade — and taken from their homes in the same way as Balaach. These women have continued to protest despite stringent opposition by police forces.

At the Jan. 12 gathering in Karachi, the police issued an incident report that accused protesters of rioting, causing public nuisance, unlawful assembly and inciting disharmony. If the protesters are charged with these offenses, they face a prison term of up to two years, or fines, or both.

Despite the intimidation, protesters remained until after dark, turning on their phone flashlights while chanting “We stand with Mahrang Baloch” — referring to one of the leaders of the movement against enforced disappearances. She was just 10 years old when her father was first taken by security forces in 2006. He was released three years later, only to be abducted again in seven months. Two years later his mutilated body was found.

While her face has become synonymous with the movement, Mahrang’s story is not unique. The Voice for Missing Baloch Persons says it has registered 8,000 cases of enforced disappearances since 2013 in accordance with the U.N.-advised method for recording such incidents.

“Enforced disappearances are used as a terror tool to intimidate common people,” Mahrang said, “to squash their political movements, to exploit the resources in Balochistan and to take Balochistan under Pakistani control in the manner of colonial rule.”

Protesters in Gwadar show support for the #MarchAgainstBalochGenocide. (Twitter/@BalochYakjehtiC)How Balochistan got here

Balochistan was annexed by Pakistan in 1948, giving the country one of its largest reserves of natural gas. In recent years, its Gwadar Port, situated on the Arabian Sea, has become a crucial link in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor — allowing Pakistan to expand its trade corridors and China to bypass the U.S.-patrolled Malacca Strait and access the Middle East.

Despite Balochistan’s importance to Pakistan, many there say the territory should never have been annexed. Some separatist groups — the Baloch Liberation Army, or BLA, and Baloch Liberation Front, of BLF — continue to fight for this cause.

According to veteran Baloch journalist and political analyst Malik Siraj Akbar, the government in Pakistan has always been afraid that Balochistan would become another Bangladesh, which was formerly East Pakistan and became its own country in 1971, following a bloody war of liberation. Akbar believes that it is this fear — the need to suppress any dissent and maintain control of Balochistan’s natural resources — that explains the state’s repressive policies.

“The military in Pakistan is the de facto powerhouse,” he said. “It controls everything,” especially since 9/11, when Pakistan received a lot of anti-terror funding, which allowed for the modernization of the military and keeping Balochistan “in check.”

In 2006 Pakistan’s security forces killed Akbar Bugti — a former chief minister and popular separatist leader of Balochistan. This is an event that Akbar describes as Balochistan’s 9/11. “It changed everything,” Akbar said. “When Bugti died people in Balochistan began wondering what would happen to them if someone like Bugti, a former chief minister, could be killed.” Following his death, separatist groups in Balochistan retaliated by attacking Pakistan’s infrastructure, and the Pakistani military responded by carrying out more enforced disappearances.

“This began the policy known as the ‘kill and dump policy’” Akbar explained, referring to the kind of disappearances and killings that Balaach and hundreds of others have suffered. Pakistan’s official position, however, is that this is simply a part of its crackdown on anti-state actors. Even current caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar — who is from Balochistan — has spoken out against the recent protests, calling the women and their families “fake heroes of human rights” and telling them to “go and join the BLF or BLA so the state knows where you stand.”

In just the last week, Balochistan has found itself in the crosshairs of air attacks between Iran and Pakistan. Amid the exchange, Iran launched what it called “preventative action” against the Sunni Muslim militant group Jaish al-Adl, while Pakistan struck alleged hideouts used by the BLF and BLA. All three targeted groups are ethnically Baloch, but — according to protesters — it was civilians, not terrorists, who were killed in the attacks.

As protest leader Sammi Deen Baloch noted, “The Baloch people are always the ones caught in the middle, it is their lives which are lost.”

#IStandWithBalochMarch supporters (Twitter/@BalochYakjehtiC)A fight for generations

Like Mahrang, Sammi Deen — the general secretary of Voice for Missing Baloch Persons — also got involved in the movement as a result of her father being abducted. She has been marching to bring him home since 2009, when she was 10 years old.

“This is the same movement that has been going on for decades,” Sammi Deen explained. “It hasn’t just erupted suddenly.”

In 2010, she visited the capital city of Islamabad for the first time, participating in a march accompanied by seven other families whose loved ones were forcibly disappeared. They returned in 2011 with a few more families. Then, in 2013, they did a “long march” from the city of Quetta in Balochistan to Islamabad, traveling on foot for three months and 18 days.

As a result of consistent protests over the years, 300 families — according to Sammi Deen — now feel empowered to speak up for their loved ones. “In 2013 not many people were aware of the forcibly disappeared persons in Balochistan,” she explained. “But today we have a big tool in social media, which we can use to disseminate our voices to people all over the country and around the world.”

Both Mahrang and Sammi Deen agree that social media has been a big part of their activism. From the organized use of hashtags like #MarchAgainstBalochGenocide and #IStandWithBalochMarch to daily updates from the protest site, sharing their voices online has become a crucial way for the protesters to amass support across Pakistan.

“Traditional media channels don’t cover this,” Mahrang said, “so there is no way for people to know … but now common people in Pakistan are being forced to look at the role they play in the genocide of the Baloch people.”

For Mahrang and all the families protesting, this very much is a genocide — a targeted destruction of the Baloch people and their identity that has been taking place over decades. However, at a Jan. 1 press conference, Interim Prime Minister Kakar described “his fight” as not against any particular race or caste but against the various anti-state organizations in Balochistan.

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Donate Women take charge

Apart from social media, another unique characteristic of this movement against enforced disappearances is that it is being led by women like Mahrang and Sammi Deen.

“This movement is a culmination of two decades of women’s suffering, and they are the ones now leading it,” Mahrang said. “There are mothers, sisters, grandmothers, half-widows … and this shows people that we aren’t agents of any organization but simply common people of Balochistan bringing forward our pain and oppression.”

Another reason women have taken the lead, according to Sammi Deen, is to protect their male supporters and family members. “In Balochistan men are not safe in any way, whether it is activism or if they are just going to the market,” she said. “We never know if they will return home alive and safe.”

That being said, the women themselves have been far from safe when it comes to police crackdowns. On the evening of Dec. 20, when the march reached the outskirts of Islamabad, they found their entry blocked by police forces.

A petition filed on Jan. 3 by Sammi Deen to the high court in Islamabad described the interaction, saying “Police baton-charged the protesters and used water cannons against these marchers and their supporters.” Meanwhile, in his press conference, Kakar described the use of water canons as “standard practice of law enforcement across the world.”

Mahrang and 52 other women and children protesters were detained for over 24 hours and only released after the high court ordered it. Another 290 students, women and children were later detained for five days before being released. According to the petition, “the Baloch women and children were brutalized by the Islamabad police,” and an attempt was made to force them onto buses and send them back to Quetta in Balochistan. The Islamabad police rejected these claims on the social media platform X, saying there was “no ill-treatment of women or children.”

Once the protesters were at the sit-in at the National Press Club in Islamabad on Dec. 23, families of missing persons were threatened with arrests if they did not vacate the protest site, and the police repeatedly blocked the entry of food and blankets, which are essential in the Pakistani winter. They were also targeted by masked men in plain clothes, who stole their speaker while pointing loaded guns — all in the presence of the police and multiple surveillance cameras.

With surveillance cameras present nearly everywhere around the sit-in, the police — according to Mahrang — are clearly trying to intimidate the mostly female group of protesters. For their parts, Mahrang has been accused of sedition and Sammi Deen has been the target of a “vile and dirty propaganda campaign” using false photos depicting her with militant groups with whom she has no connection. This incident forced Sammi Deen to take off her niqab (the face covering worn by some Muslim women) which she had previously always worn in press conferences. Nevertheless, Sammi Deen, vows to not be silenced.

Changing tides and demands that pave a way forward

This March Against Baloch Genocide — as the protesters often refer to their movement — has received an unprecedented show of support in the form of solidarity protests in various parts of Balochistan, as well as other Pakistani provinces, and even in front of 10 Downing Street in London, where protesters held a five-day sit in.

According to Mahrang, this response is due to the protest making people feel heard for the first time in decades. “There has always been a negativity spread around that common people do not hold any power in front of the Pakistani establishment and we just have to follow them blindly,” she said.

According to Akbar, the political analyst, this is also because, for the first time, people’s faith in the military has faltered. “There’s a segment of the population that has begun to realize that the military is not so clean,” he said. “In the past people may not have believed all these allegations against the military. But now that they see that former Prime Minister Imran Khan has been so badly silenced that he can’t even contest in the next elections — despite being the country’s most popular leader — people are starting to question things.” Akbar also pointed to the role that social media has played in giving people outside Balochistan a window into their suffering.

According to Sammi Deen, one of the movement’s main objectives has been to collect data. In less than a month, while marching from Balochistan to Islamabad, they have gathered evidence of roughly 600 missing persons. “God forbid, if someone dies tomorrow in a fake encounter, we will at least know if he was [already] missing from before.”

In addition to collecting data, the movement is also working to bring the killers of men like Balaach to justice. On Dec. 9, after initial resistance, the police registered a complaint against four CTD personnel on the direction of a lower court. Then, two days later, the high court ordered the immediate suspension of the four CTD personnel. A committee was also formed to investigate the death. However, no arrests have yet been made.

“We want all the missing persons of Balochistan to be released and … we want to see progress in their cases,” said Sammi Deen before adding that the CTD and state-sponsored “death squads” (or private militia) responsible for these enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings should be disbanded.

Sammi Deen Baloch and Mahrang Baloch at the UN office in Islamabad on Jan. 15. (Twitter/@SammiBaluch)

On Jan.10, Mahrang and Sammi Deen were able to speak with U.N. Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders Mary Lawler about the need for a U.N. fact-finding mission in Pakistan to investigate the human rights violations and genocide in Balochistan. Writing on X, Lawler said, “The reports of police harassment are v. concerning. Spurious criminal complaints against peaceful protesters should be dropped.”

According to Akbar, as long as there is “genuine will from the military,” it is feasible for the disappeared persons to be returned home, so long as they haven’t already been killed. “The military is a very organized institution, so they definitely have accounts of these missing persons.” Akbar also noted that a large number of missing persons were released in the past when the government wanted to appease the Baloch people. However, Akbar does not believe Pakistan will allow an independent U.N.-fact-finding mission into Balochistan, as Pakistan considers it a sovereign matter.

“This is a collective punishment because when one family member is disappeared all his loved ones suffer,” Sammi Deen said. “It is the uncertainty, the continuous wait, the torturous pain that is unbearable.”

Despite all that, or perhaps because of it, Sammi Deen and Mahrang believe that this movement will not burn out, but continue and grow its important work.

“We are expanding this movement all over the country and all over the world,” Mahrang said. “Anyone who sympathizes with us, we appeal to them to protest in solidarity, to send petitions to the U.N., to write to your parliaments to initiate discussions. This is just the beginning, and we will take this forward peacefully.”

This article How women in Pakistan are fighting enforced disappearances and killings was originally published by Waging Nonviolence.

Categories: B4. Radical Ecology

Mountain Association for Community and Economic Development - Fri, 01/19/2024 - 11:17

“As Americans we don’t know how to just sit. We’ll have the TV going, the phone in our lap, talking to the person next to us,” describes Sister Kathy Curtis. “It’s out of guilt. We feel like we’re supposed to be doing something, accomplishing something. Here at the Dwelling Place Monastery, we invite people to come sit a spell, to join us for the gift of peace, and escape all the chatter going on.”

On the side of a mountain near the town of Martin, Kentucky, this invite is as sincere as they come. The monastery sits on 24 acres, purchased, designed and built by hand in the 1980s by a group of Benedictine sisters. Their retreat center and grounds are open to anyone who wants to come visit for an hour, an afternoon, or a few days, whether you would like time to be alone or be with the sisters.

The eight women who live and pray there practice a type of religion that is ecumenical, whether you want to be closer to what you view as your God or creator, or simply be a better person.

Sister Kathy shared how they recently hosted a Buddhist group from Lexington for a four-day retreat, “Our doors are open. We want people here. We want to learn about them, what they need, and what they think.”

“We’re not cookie cutter nuns,” Sister Mary Going said in a recent video. “We’re very dynamic… if you sat at our Sunday morning breakfast conversation: we’ve got 8 million opinions about 20 different things. We’ve got the stability [of the monastic life] but we’re also free to explore ideas and bounce them off each other.”

The Mountain Association recently supported the monastery in completely redoing their website and creating a series of videos working toward their goal of “bringing the monastery into the 21st century,” in Sister Kathy’s words.

The Mountain Association consultant they chose to work with, S Media, helped guide the sisters, ranging in age from 64 to 82 years old, as they considered what they wanted the website and supporting outreach materials to do, and helped them think through what the next generation may like to experience on the mountain.

The website outlines what each building on the grounds offers, with meeting space, cooking space and rooms for overnights. Whether it’s a corporate, solo or a couples retreat, there’s an option for everyone. Sister Kathy says their suggested donation is $75 per person per night which includes meals. Event space is $100 per building being used per day. Though this is their general guide, they have a policy of “pay what you can.”

“You should never not come because you can’t afford it. Anyone who has a need for respite, this is our gift to give. We feel really good about that – it costs us nothing to share; God has a way of providing more than what we need.”

Each Friday at the monastery, they set aside time to pray for peace. The world peace prayer refrain goes “Lead us from death to life from falsehood to truth, from despair to hope, from fear to trust. Lead us from hate to love, from war to peace; let peace fill our hearts, let peace fill our world, let peace fill our universe.”

They specifically offer two-day stays free of charge to those who work in high burnout fields like addiction recovery and social justice, partnering with organizations like Hope in the Mountains, a women residential treatment center, and Kentuckians for the Commonwealth.

In one of the videos, Sister Judy Yunker describes what they have built: “we were given a cauldron of peace, and our job is to maintain this bowl of peace and provide an environment that people can come in and take a little bit of that away or to bring that peace”.

If you’d like to learn more about the Dwelling Place Monastery at Mt Tabor, visit their website or follow on Facebook where their posts take you along on a simple walk around the grounds with one of dogs, or allow you to witness the changing of seasons throughout the year. You can also join their enewsletter, which currently goes out three times a year, and is full of reflections from the sisters.

The sisters have also opened up their space through an oblate program, described through the website: “We enjoy the way we live so much that we want to share it with others who want to deepen their relationship with God, following Benedictine spirituality while continuing to live in their own home, raising their family, continuing their job or whatever they are currently doing. These folks are called oblates of St. Benedict. Oblates associate themselves with a particular monastery, finding support in their faith journey and giving support in return. Oblates can be men or women, single or married and of any faith tradition.”

“There are over 35 years of prayer on this mountain; it has soaked into the ground. Please know that we are open to receiving your tired spirit on this mountain. It is a place of peace and a place that can refresh your spirit. You are welcomed to join us.”

Categories: B5. Resilience, Third Nature, and Transition

Mining.Com - Fri, 01/19/2024 - 11:00

Founders Metals (TSXV: FDR) says assays from its Antino gold project in southeast Suriname show potential for significant gold mineralization between two zones.

Drilling intercepted six gold intervals in one hole, 23FR045, to expand the new parallel zone beside the Froyo gold zone, the company said on Friday.

It cut 10.5 metres grading 2.81 grams gold per tonne from 14.1 metres down hole; 5 metres of 4.18 grams from 30 metres; 9 metres of 8.54 grams from 43 metres; 13 metres of 5.21 grams from 62 metres; 12 metres of 2.74 grams from 85 metres; and 7 metres of 2.74 grams from 136 metres.

“These are all near surface gold intervals further improving the potential economics of an open-pit mining scenario,” president and CEO Colin Padget said in a release. “Founders’ technical team has also added several new holes to further test the extent of this mineralization, both along strike and further to depth.”

Founders plans to issue its first Antino resource estimate next year as it vies to rival Newmont’s (TSX: NGT) Merian and Zijin Mining’s Rosebel gold mines on the Guiana Shield in Suriname. The company is starting a 30,000-metre drill program this year at the 238-sq.-km Antino, the South American country’s most advanced project on a property that’s produced 500,000 oz. of artisanal gold historically.

More assays

Initial drilling is testing the parallel gold zone to depth and along strike at the site on the Marowijne Greenstone Belt across the Lawa River from French Guiana. The program targets expansion and resource definition within the Froyo gold zone plus exploration across unmapped concessions areas. Fast lab turnaround times should provide a steady flow of drill results every two to three weeks, Padget said.

Founders has said it plans to issue a preliminary economic assessment in 2026 followed by a feasibility study.

The company acquired three-quarters of the project last year fromNana Resources through an option with Orea Mining(TSX: OREA). Nana retains a quarter. Previous holders drilled more than 32,000 metres historically. An assay issued in November, the highest grade so far, showed 3 metres grading 99.51 grams including 1 metre of 231.92 grams from 25 metres depth.

The Guiana Shield occupies a chunk of the continent’s northeast, stretching from Colombia to Guiana and including parts of Venezuela and Brazil. Rosebel produced 5.6 million oz. of gold from 2004 to 2021 forIamgold(TSX: IMG; NYSE: IAG) before Zijin bought it in late 2022 for $360 million.

Shares in Founders Metals gained 5% to C$1.48 apiece at mid-Friday in Toronto, valuing the company at C$75.6 million. It’s traded in a 52-week range of C$0.20 to C$1.78.

Categories: J2. Fossil Fuel Industry

Allegheny Front - Fri, 01/19/2024 - 10:45

Many of these chemicals are commonly found in food, hair products and skincare products.

The post Study finds more than 900 common chemicals linked to breast cancer risk appeared first on The Allegheny Front.

Categories: G2. Local Greens

Pembina Institute News - Fri, 01/19/2024 - 10:45

Categories:

Royal Dutch Shell Plc .com - Fri, 01/19/2024 - 10:18

In the Niger Delta, where Shell’s oil operations have been as welcome as a mosquito at a BBQ…

Posted by John Donovan: 19 Jan 24

In the latest episode of ‘Shell’s Adventures in Nigeria,’ the British multinational energy giant, known for its gentle caress of the environment (cue eye roll), has announced plans to sell off its onshore Nigerian subsidiary, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC). The price tag? A cool $2.4 billion (€2.2 billion). The buyers? Renaissance, a band of Nigerian explorers and an international energy group. But wait, there’s a catch – it’s still waiting for the Nigerian government’s thumbs up.

Shell, in a classic ‘it’s not me, it’s you’ move, says this sale is all about “simplifying our portfolio” and keeping their hands in the Deepwater and Integrated Gas cookie jars. It’s like a magician saying, “Look over here!” while the other hand makes the rabbit disappear.

Now, Nigeria, Africa’s top oil producer, is like a golden goose, pumping out nearly 1 million barrels of crude per day. But local activists aren’t buying Shell’s story. They see this divestment plan as Shell’s slick way of avoiding responsibility for years of environmental havoc.

“They are running away from the atrocities… and are trying to run away from it in a way of evading to pay a compensation or evading justice from the community,” said Kentebe Ebiarado of Environmental Rights Action, a group that’s probably not on Shell’s Christmas card list.

Other multinational companies are jumping on the divestment bandwagon, too, but let’s not forget Shell’s storied history in Nigeria. Since the 1930s, Shell has been part of Nigeria’s oil and gas scene, along with a slew of oil spills they attribute to everything but their own operations. It’s like a chef blaming the oven for a burnt cake.

Remember the Dutch court ruling in 2021 that ordered Shell to pay $111 million for oil spills in the 1970s? It’s like getting a parking ticket 50 years later.

In the Niger Delta, where Shell’s oil operations have been as welcome as a mosquito at a BBQ, locals like Chief Ernest Oginaba and Bemene Tanem are calling BS on Shell’s exit plan. “Shell has the responsibility to restore back our land,” Tanem said, probably not holding his breath.

Chima Williams, an environmental lawyer with more beef with Shell than a Texas rancher, questions Shell’s lack of chit-chat with the affected communities. He points out that Shell’s offshore shenanigans will likely continue, away from prying eyes.

Last year, Nigeria’s Bayelsa State Oil and Environmental Commission slapped Shell with a bill for at least $12 billion for cleanup in Bayelsa state alone. Shell’s response? “Let Renaissance handle it.” It’s like leaving a party and saying, “The mess? Oh, the next guy will clean it up.”

Williams, a thorn in Shell’s side, is rallying Nigerians to pressure the government to give Shell’s deal the boot as they did with ExxonMobil’s divestment attempt. “The ExxonMobil divestment couldn’t happen because [activists] led the media, civil society groups [and] communities to raise the alarm,” he said.

In the end, Tanem sums it up: “Upon the billions and billions of dollars Shell is making out of Niger Delta on a daily basis, there is nothing to show for it in the Niger Delta communities.”

So as Shell tries to tiptoe out of Nigeria, leaving a trail of oil spills and broken promises, the world watches to see if this ‘Nigerian Goodbye’ will be more than just another slick escape.

DISCLAIMER: Content published on this non-commercial platform may incorporate information generated by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and various other technological means, including translation and information published on Wikipedia. The articles presented may be satirical adaptations derived from one or more previously published sources, crafted to maintain factual accuracy while incorporating elements of satire. Individuals or entities mentioned in our articles are encouraged to notify us of any inaccuracies that may require rectification. Readers are advised to verify all information for accuracy and completeness independently.

RELATED

https://www.amnesty.org.uk/press-releases/nigeria-amnesty-data-activists-uncover-serious-negligence-oil-giants-shell-and-eni

Shell Dodging Responsibility One Oil Spill at a Time was first posted on January 19, 2024 at 7:18 pm.
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Categories: J2. Fossil Fuel Industry

Pembina Institute News - Fri, 01/19/2024 - 10:04

Categories:

Mining.Com - Fri, 01/19/2024 - 09:34

Brazil and Saudi Arabia are discussing investments in sustainable mining and the energy transition, according to Brazilian Minister of Mines and Energy, Alexandre Silveira.

Attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Silveira met with the Saudi ministers of investments, Khalid Al-Falih, and industry and mining, Bandar Alkhorayef.

“Last night, I had a bilateral meeting with the minister of investment and the minister of mining from Saudi Arabia to discuss essential investments for Brazil in energy transition, as this is our great vocation,” Silveira told CNN.

Silveira said he had discussed the energy transition “vigorously” with the Saudis, and representatives from the Kingdom expressed their interest in investing in the energy and mining sectors in Brazil.

“Brazil is recognized for its mineral potential, our territorial expanse, natural wealth, and critical minerals. Rare earths are extremely crucial for energy transition,” he noted.

In 2023, Manara Minerals, a joint venture between the Saudi state mining company Ma’aden and the Public Investment Fund, acquired a 10% stake in Vale Base Metals, the basic metals subsidiary of the Brazilian company, for approximately $3 billion.

Saudi Arabia recently signed memorandums of understanding for mining collaborations with Egypt, Russia, Morocco and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The country alsoannounceda $182 million mineral exploration incentive program as part of efforts to build an economy that does not rely mostly on oil. Saudi Arabia has vast reserves of phosphate, gold, copper and bauxite.

Categories: J2. Fossil Fuel Industry

Bellona.org - Fri, 01/19/2024 - 09:04

After several days of wrangling with Russian official, experts from the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency on Monday were given access to the sixth and final reactor unit at the embattled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine.

Situated on the front lines of fighting as Ukraine struggles to repel Moscow’s invasion, the plant has been held by Russian troops since the early days of the war, now reaching its second year.

The IAEA experts on the site of the plant — which is the largest nuclear power station in both Ukraine and Europe —regularly cross the frontlines of the war to maintain a presence at the facility.

In about mid-December, according to an IAEA, the experts had requested access to the reactor halls of Units 1, 2 and 6. But Renat Kharchaa, a Ukraine-based official with Rosatom, Russia’s state nuclear corporation, denied access, saying the reactors were “sealed.”

This explanation, however, strained credulity, given that the team has visited reactor Unit 3, which was likewise hermetically sealed, as recently as December 15, according to an earlier IAEA statement

In a subsequent statement, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi noted that the denial of access to the Unit 6 reactor hall constituted the first time Russian officials had been rebuffed in their attempts to inspect any unit that, like Unit 6, was in cold shutdown.

On Monday, the IAEA released a statement saying that their “experts were yesterday granted access to the reactor hall of unit 6 of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant after previously having not been given access.”

“While in the reactor hall, the team observed main components of the reactor, confirming the cold shutdown state of the reactor,” the statement added.

The statement continued, however, to note that the Agency’s inspectors were denied a view of some segments of the sixth unit’s turbine halls, adding that their visits to the halls have been prevented since October of last year.

“For the first time, under far-fetched pretexts, IAEA inspectors were rebuffed from entry into the reactor halls of power units in a state of cold shutdown — and in the end, with a delay of a couple of weeks, they were allowed into only one of them.,” says Dmitry Gorchakov, a nuclear expert with Bellona.

“But the problem is much deeper,” he continues. “After all, such delays and restrictions in access are systemic problem. IAEA inspectors are not allowed or are allowed with huge delays into requested Zaporizhzhia NPP locations while almost the entire time they are present at the plant. As Rafael Grossi said on his very first visit to the plant on September 1, 2022, ‘If we are not allowed somewhere, we will say so.’ And since then, regularly in numerous IAEA information messages on Zaporizhzhia NPP you can see that inspectors are waiting until they are allowed access to numerous plant facilities and they have been waiting for this for months. And no meetings between the head of Rosatom Likhachev and Grossi, as a matter of principle, can solve this problem. This is an obvious obstruction of the IAEA’s work at the site. Under one pretext or another.”

Grossi has warned numerous times that, should outside power be cut to the plant, cooling apparatus could be interrupted, risking a nuclear accident.

The IAEA teams at the Zaporizhzhia site also inspect for the presence of weapons and troops onsite, which would further put the six-reactor plant at risk of bombardment and attack.

All of the plant’s reactors have been in some state of shutdown since September of last year, a measure that would lessen the radioactive consequences should they get caught in the crossfire of warring troops.

The IAEA has lobbied both Moscow and Kyiv to implement a non-military zone around the plant to prevent it from coming under fire, but those efforts have proven unsuccessful.

Bellona has closely monitored events at the plant and last year published an exhaustive report on the dangers the plant —and the world — face as a result of its seizure. For the first time ever, the report notes, a nuclear plant has been made hostage to a raging military conflict.

At present, IAEA experts at the plant are still waiting on access to the roofs of the reactors — an inspection that was scheduled for December 19, but which was scotched by Russian officials over what they described as security concerns, the Ukrainian national newswire Ukrainska Pravda reported.

The IAEA team likewise has yet to receive 2024 reactor maintenance schedules from the Russian occupiers, Ukrainska Pravda said.

The post IAEA finally allowed access to reactor at embattled Zaporizhzhia plant. appeared first on Bellona.org.

Categories: G1. Progressive Green

Environmental Action - Fri, 01/19/2024 - 08:55

Categories: G3. Big Green

Mining.Com - Fri, 01/19/2024 - 08:36

Wesdome Gold Mines (TSX: WDO) is buying 10.6% equity stake in Angus Gold (TSXV: GUS), whose flagship project is right next to its Eagle River mine, through the participation of a flow-through unit offering announced by Angus Friday.

The units are being priced at C$0.80, each comprising one Angus common stock and one-half of a share purchase warrant. The exercise price of warrants is also set at C$0.80, valid for a period of 24 months from the closing date.

Should Wesdome exercise these warrants in full, its share ownership in Angus would rise to 15%.

The Toronto-headquartered gold producer now joins two other Angus shareholders, Delbrook Capital Advisors and New Gold (TSX: NGD), who each hold 16.4% and 9.9% equity ownerships, respectively.

In total, Angus is expected to raise gross proceeds of approximately C$4.64 million, which will be used for the company’s exploration activities in Ontario.

Angus’ 100% owned Golden Sky project in Wawa, Ontario, is located within the same greenstone belt that hosts the high-grade Eagle River and the Mishi open-pit gold mines of Wesdome.

The 261 sq. km. project is host to the near-surface Dorset gold zone, which contains a historic estimated resource of 40,000 oz. of gold (780,000 tonnes grading 1.4 g/t gold) in the indicated category and 180,000 oz. of gold (4.76 million tonnes grading 1.2 g/t gold) in the inferred category.

“We are excited to welcome Wesdome as a strategic investor in Angus Gold. Our ability to draw on their knowledge and experience in the area will be invaluable as we continue to advance our Golden Sky project,” Angus CEO Breanne Beh said in a news release.

“This investment not only validate the exploration potential at Golden Sky, but also provides the financial support to execute robust exploration programs throughout 2024 and into 2025,” she added.

Shares of Angus Gold surged by 9.1% as of 11:30 a.m. ET following the private placement announcement. The company’s market capitalization stood at C$29.5 million ($21.9m).

Categories: J2. Fossil Fuel Industry

Clean Air Ohio - Fri, 01/19/2024 - 07:58

“The Hub” is a weekly round-up of transportation related news in the Philadelphia area and beyond. Check back weekly to keep up-to-date on the issues Clean Air Council’s transportation staff finds important.

Image Source: The Inquirer

The Inquirer: SEPTA is closing in-person ticket sales windows at 14 Regional Rail stations – With the new electronic payment options, ticket sales at 14 SEPTA Regional Rail Stations declined drastically. These stations received less than 20 transactions per week. February 2nd will be the last day to purchase in-person tickets at the following offices: St. Martins, Oreland, Clifton, North Hills, Roslyn, Chelten, Chestnut Hill East, Mount Airy, Cheltenham, East Falls, Carpenter, Melrose Park, Wallingford, and Morton.

Image Source: WHYY

WHYY: New Jersey officials report a significant decrease in fatal crashes in 2023 – According to the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety, there was a 9.4% decrease in fatal crashes in New Jersey in 2023. Fourteen counties saw a decline in fatalities, and some counties including Burlington and Cape May experienced a 30% or more decline. Only Hudson County and Middlesex County experienced increased fatalities from 2022 to 2023.

Image Source: The Inquirer

The Inquirer: ‘Prioritize SEPTA,’ says John Fetterman and other Pa. Democrats in letter to federal transportation agency – In the next several months, SEPTA is facing deep service cuts. On Tuesday, members of Congress, including U.S. Senate John Fetterman and other congressional delegations of the Philadelphia area, wrote a letter to transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg and the Biden administration to “prioritize SEPTA.” In the letter, Congress explained that other agencies would experience budget gaps, but SEPTA would be the first to see service cuts and fare increases without the additional support.

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Forbes: MLK’s Transportation Dream

New Geography: Transit carried 74.9% of 2019 Riders in November

PhillyVoice: Philadelphia International Airport is one of the most punctual airports in the world, says report

Chicago Sun-Times: Record number of Divvy rides, more bike lanes made 2023 an ‘incredible’ year for cycling in Chicago, city official says

Next City: Rethinking Streets to Drive Commerce and Connection – Not Just Cars

Categories: G2. Local Greens