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Day: December 10, 2022
US blacklists Pakistani Nuclear Horn: Daniel 8
US blacklists Pakistani companies for supporting Islamabad’s ‘un-safeguarded’ nuclear activities
WION
New Delhi, IndiaWritten By: Sidhant SibalUpdated: Dec 08, 2022, 11:30 PM IST
File Photo Photograph:(Others)
The development comes even as US and India have several times publicly expressed concerns over Pakistan’s nuclear activities. Earlier this year, US President Biden termed Pakistan as “maybe one of the most dangerous nations in the world” as it has “nuclear weapons without any cohesion”
The United States has blacklisted half a dozen Pakistani companies for supporting Islamabad’s “un-safeguarded nuclear activities”. The companies have been put on the American export control list by the Bureau of industry and security (BIS) which comes under the US department of commerce which restricts access for these companies to commodities, software and technologies.
The US statement said many of these companies have been added to the list as they have been “found to supply or attempt to supply items…to Pakistan’s un-safeguarded nuclear activities and ballistic missile program”. The Pakistani companies that have been listed are Dynamic Engineering Corporation, EnerQuip Private Ltd, Rainbow Solutions, Universal Drilling Engineers, NAR Technologies General Trading LLC and Trojans. The last 2 companies have a base in UAE as well. Most of these companies are based in the Pakistani National capital Islamabad, with some having addresses in Karachi and Lahore as well.
The statement explained that 3 of the Pakistan-based companies have been contributing to the nuclear activity and missile proliferation-related activities that are “contrary to the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States”. 2 UAE based companies, EnerQuip Limited and Zain Enterprises FZE have also been backlisted for supporting Islamabad’s nuclear activities.
The development comes even as US and India have several times publicly expressed concerns over Pakistan’s nuclear activities. Earlier this year, US President Biden termed Pakistan as “maybe one of the most dangerous nations in the world” as it has “nuclear weapons without any cohesion”.
India has also recently expressed concerns after a Russian senator, Igor Morozov alleged that Ukraine had sought Pakistani help for developing nuclear weapons. Ministry of external affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi in November said that “we have expressed our concerns about the proliferation of nuclear technology from Pakistan in the past”, explaining, “if there is any kind of such Nexus or proliferation, it is a cause of worry, not just for India, but for the international community.” In the past, India has pointed out to Pakistan’s nuclear nexus with North Korea as well, with support being given by Pakistani nuclear scientist AQ Khan.
China Horn’s Alarming Increase Of Growing Nuclear Arsenal
China’s Alarming Increase Of Growing Nuclear Arsenal and How This Can Affect World Balance
by SOFREP1 day ago
(Source: IceUnshattered/Wikimedia)
Pentagon released a report warning the US and its allies about China’s rapid increase of nuclear warheads. According to their intelligence gathering, China has amassed 400 nuclear warheads in the span of two years.
This pace is lighting up all the red flags for Pentagon as China continues to confront Taiwan about its independence.
The dwindling US advantage over China in terms of its Intercontinental Ballistic Missile program is just one indicator of the Asian powerhouse’s alarming increase in its nuclear arsenal in recent years. From building new facilities to modernizing existing ones, China’s capabilities have been steadily increasing at an unprecedented rate due to various factors, such as technological advancements and economics. The US is not the only country concerned about this rise either; many countries worldwide are now worried about how their balance of power could be affected by a bigger nuclear force than their own.
“We’ve only seen the tip of the iceberg when it comes to China’s growing military might,” Inhofe wrote on Twitter, where he publicized the letter. “The [Biden administration] must be open and honest with the American people about the threat Beijing poses to global order and our way of life.”
Nuclear risk is rising: Revelation 16
Nuclear risk is rising: Putin
Md Rezwan Karim, Staff Reporter:
Update: 8 Dec 2022, 10:47 amPublished: 8 Dec 2022, 10:44
Vladimir Putin has stated that the fear of nuclear war is increasing, but he insists that Russia has not “gone insane” and would not deploy nuclear weapons first.
Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated that his country would only deploy nuclear weapons in reaction to an attack.
He also stated that the conflict in Ukraine might be a “lengthy process” when speaking at Russia’s annual human rights council conference.
Western diplomats believe Putin intended for a quick triumph. Russia’s nuclear capability has been under heightened scrutiny since it invaded Ukraine in February.
“Such a threat is developing; it would be irresponsible to hide it,” Putin said, speaking via video connection from Moscow about the possibility of nuclear war.
However, he stated that Russia would “under no circumstances” use its nuclear weapons first and would not threaten anybody with its stockpile.
“We haven’t gone insane; we understand what nuclear weapons are,” he said, adding, “and we’re not about to run around the world brandishing this weapon like a razor.”
Putin also boasted that Russia possessed the most modern and advanced nuclear weapons in the world, and compared Russia’s nuclear strategy to that of the United States, which he claimed had gone further than Russia by locating its nuclear weapons on foreign soil.
“We do not have nuclear weapons, even tactical ones, on the soil of other nations,” he explained, “but the Americans have – in Turkey and a number of other European countries.”
Putin previously stated that Russia’s nuclear doctrine only permitted the defensive use of nuclear weapons.
Putin appeared to accept that his plan to declare victory within days of invading Ukraine had failed, and he allowed that the conflict may be a “lengthy process.”
However, he stated that the results had already been “important,” citing the new territory unlawfully seized by Russia following fake referendums in four regions of Ukraine.
Probashirdiganta/Sami
China is Restraining the Russian Nuclear Horn: Daniel 7
Former PLA officer says China is restraining Russia over use of nuclear weapons
Former senior colonel in China’s People’s Liberation Army Zhou Bo talks to the FT’s global China editor James Kynge about Beijing’s leverage with Moscow, how China’s influence can prevent the use of nuclear weapons in Europe and why it wants a strong relationship with Europe even in the face of increased competition with the US.
China finds itself in an uncomfortable position over the war in Ukraine. Beijing’s no-limits friendship with Russia puts it on the opposite side to its largest trade partner, Europe. This raises a number of key questions. One of the most crucial is, can Beijing use its leverage with Moscow to restrain Russia from using nuclear weapons?
And as Ukraine gets the upper hand militarily, what role does Beijing see for itself once the fighting is eventually over? With me to discuss this is Senior Colonel Zhou Bo, a retired officer from China’s People’s Liberation Army, who is now a senior fellow at the Centre for International Security and Strategy at Tsinghua University. Welcome, senior colonel.
Thank you, James.
Could I start by just asking you how you feel the war in Ukraine is going for Russia? As I mentioned, China has a no-limits friendship with Russia. Do you feel that this friendship is now coming under strain?
Of course China doesn’t want to have this war, and I believe nobody wants to have this war. And I believe even President Putin would regret to have this war, because of the result, which is apparent. He could not afford to lose a war, but apparently, he can hardly win this war.
When China thinks about this war. I think you mentioned a very important word which is often misquoted in the international media, although they quoted in a right way to call it ‘unlimited friendship.’ But this term is most misunderstood, in that.. think of this.
When people talk about their friendship, of course they wish this friendship would last. And should we say, in spite of friendship, this friendship is limited? We cannot say our friendship should be limited.
So this is a kind of a goodwill gesture. But in the statement where this word is mentioned, we’re also talking about, this is not a military alliance.
Would you say there are now divergences in view between China and Russia over the war in Ukraine? Do you feel that there is tension in China with regard to what Russia is doing in Ukraine?
Well, certainly not happy to see this war, because it has strongly affected Chinese interests. When I talk about Chinese interests, well, because China now is the largest trading nation, largest industrial nation in the world, therefore Chinese interests are almost ubiquitous everywhere. And in Europe it actually has affected China’s belt-and-road initiative.
It actually has worsened China’s relationship with many European capitals who believe China should actually take sides, you know, not to take Russian sides on this issue. So it is damaging to China in many ways. But China has to be very careful on this issue, because as this is a bit like being sandwiched between two friends.
So is my friend’s enemy also my enemy? Not necessarily. And I think the Chinese position has paid off because both sides would understand this position. Having said that, this does not mean that China would just stand idly by and watch this going on.
No, China is not. And China cannot afford to behave like that. Because China is a great power, and a great power shoulders great responsibility… and what is China’s great responsibility in this war? That is not to throw wood into the fire.
While this is certainly is an important issue about sovereignty, this is clearly an invasion of one country into another country. But at the same time people tend to forget why this has happened at all. Because ever since the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev, Boris Yeltsin, on to President Putin, they have all warned against this kind of Nato’s expansion, and they have all fell on deaf ears. Putin is different in that he put this kind of wording into military operation, and that is a difference.
Do you feel that China has leverage with Russia, given that China is certainly a diplomatic ally of Russia? And if China does have leverage with Russia, can China use that leverage to prevent Russia from escalating the military conflict, perhaps beyond Ukraine into other parts of Europe?
I think China’s leverage is certainly there. For example, let’s think about this. The world is afraid that President Putin might resort to use of nuclear weapons.
China’s voice matters, and China’s friendship with Russia would matter all the more on this issue. So probably it has already played a significant role in reducing such nightmare from happening.
Right. And is this a conscious effort by China at the moment, or is it a sort of passive wish that China has that Russia should restrain itself from any scenario in which it might use nuclear weapons?
As I said before, this is a difficult situation for China. But China is the second-largest economy in the world. China is a member of UN Security Council. On such issue that is totally, deeply rooted in humanity, China must have its voice voiced.
China must show to the international community what is the right thing to do and what is forbidden things that should never be carried out. If we talk about the global south, there are many countries who actually, more or less, would have sort of sympathies of what… with Russia’s position. So when we talk about world views we cannot only talk about what people think in the west. We have to think about the global response on this matter.
Who would China primarily blame for the war in Ukraine? Would it be the eastward expansion of Nato, or would it be Putin’s actions?
I would say Nato’s expansion is very much the fundamental reason why Russia has actually taken such actions. So for military alliances they have to find a threat to justify their own existence, to justify the expansion. Because they live by expansion.
But when I think about Nato I believe it is not morally justifiable for the continued existence of Nato. Why do I say that? Because if it is a bunch of small countries, you know, getting united against a big power, then I understand.
But if the strongest nations on Earth would become united, then I would have to think, for what? This is for political reasons. Because you are already strong enough militarily.
I suppose China’s image and China’s reputation has been damaged in Europe because of the war and because of the friendship that China has with Russia, which has been… well, certainly, rhetorically unwavering during the war. Now that it looks like we may be moving to a new phase and possibly towards an end game of the war in Ukraine, do you think that China really wants to repair its relations with Europe?
Well, I think it would be wrong to conclude that China’s image is damaged. Because I believe the west has to think of China’s role, not only through its own prism, but you put yourself in the shoes of China. Put yourself in the shoes of India. Put yourself in the shoes of the countries in the global south.
You would find China’s position is not a unique position. Actually, let’s talk about another issue, about liberal democracy. Well, if this has something to do with order, what is apparent is not only the world is become less western, but also the west itself is becoming less western.
Yes. This is not my conclusion. This is the conclusion of Munich Security Conference. Yeah, this is the theme of one of the conferences.
So we are seeing global democracy declining. And I believe it will continue to decline. Because it has declined for about 15 or 16 years.
So what’s China’s view on its relationship with Europe? If we are moving towards a potential endgame in the war in Ukraine, does that present an opportunity for China to improve its relations with Europe?
China definitely would like to secure good relationship with Europe. That means we do not want you to take sides, as always, on American side. This is a very simple, good wish from China, and Europe has so many things for us – high-tech technology and markets. All these things are needed for China.
Then the question lies more with how Europe would look at China. So this is kind of describing China as an economic competitor, partner somewhere, and a systemic rival. Altogether, it’s confusing for China.
So I believe it tells about the confusion of Europe as a whole. Yeah. There are so many slogans in Europe which are difficult to understand, even for Europeans. For example, like, strategic autonomy, so on and so forth. And I hope this war actually would make Europeans to think about things more independently.
At some point, the war in Ukraine will end. And at that point, what kind of posture do you think China will take? Is China interested, for instance, to help rebuild Ukraine?
We all know that China’s been building infrastructure all over the world and lending about a trillion US dollars to the belt-and-road initiative to build infrastructure. So do you think China might be looking for that kind of role in Ukraine after the war has ended, whenever that may be?
If China can invest trillions of dollars in belt-and-road initiative, that actually is around the world. Why can’t China help a wartorn country, which is always friendly toward China? So this is possible.
The second thing is about China’s next-to-none capability in infrastructure building. So China actually could make… if you look at the world, the roads that China builds, the houses or the buildings that China built… they are much faster in being made, and they are more affordable.
And this is important for a wartorn country like Ukraine. So I believe China doesn’t have exceptional capability, but China has unique capabilities in the postawr era for rebuilding a more beautiful Ukraine.
Senior Colonel Zhou, thank you very much indeed for talking to us.
The science behind the sixth seal: Revelation 6:12
The science behind the earthquake that shook Southern New England
Did you feel it? At 9:10 am EST Sunday morning, a Magnitude 3.6 earthquake struck just south of Bliss Corner, Massachusetts, which is a census-designated place in Dartmouth. If you felt it, report it!
While minor earthquakes do happen from time to time in New England, tremors that are felt by a large number of people and that cause damage are rare.
Earthquake Report
The earthquake was originally measured as a magnitude 4.2 on the Richter scale by the United States Geological Surgey (USGS) before changing to a 3.6.
Earthquakes in New England and most places east of the Rocky Mountains are much different than the ones that occur along well-known fault lines in California and along the West Coast.
Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts fall nearly in the center of the North American Plate, one of 15 (seven primary, eight secondary) that cover the Earth.
Earth’s tectonic plates
Tectonic plates move ever-so-slowly, and as they either push into each other, pull apart, or slide side-by-side, earthquakes are possible within the bedrock, usually miles deep.
Most of New England’s and Long Island’s bedrock was assembled as continents collided to form a supercontinent 500-300 million years ago, raising the northern Appalachian Mountains.
Plate tectonics (Courtesy: Encyclopaedia Britannica)
Fault lines left over from the creation of the Appalachian Mountains can still lead to earthquakes locally, and many faults remain undetected. According to the USGS, few, if any, earthquakes in New England can be linked to named faults.
While earthquakes in New England are generally much weaker compared to those on defined fault lines, their reach is still impressive. Sunday’s 3.6 was felt in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, and New Hampshire.
USGS Community Internet Intensity Map
While M 3.6 earthquakes rarely cause damage, some minor cracks were reported on social media from the shaking.
According to the USGS, moderately damaging earthquakes strike somewhere in the region every few decades, and smaller earthquakes are felt roughly twice a year.
The most recent New England earthquake to cause moderate damage occurred in 1940 (magnitude 5.6) in central New Hampshire.
The Risks of the Bowls of Wrath: Revelation 16
Russia’s war renews nuclear disaster fears. What to know about the dangers of radiation.
USA TODAY
Russia’s war in Ukraine has renewed fears of nuclear disaster in a world that hasn’t seriously grappled with the health effects of radiation since the 2011 Fukushima crisis.
Disaster could come in several forms:
- A radioactive release from a nuclear reactor
- A conventional bomb loaded with radioactive material
- And the worst-case scenario: a nuclear bomb
Experts say the deliberate use of nuclear weapons represents the worst possible outcome because it could lead to retaliation and escalate into a global nuclear war.
In the absence of that kind of war, experts say there are medicines that can help protect people from some types of nuclear disaster. And understanding the risks and the kinds of radiation people are exposed to are key to treating potential exposures.
In the case of a nuclear disaster in the U.S., the federal government maintains stockpiles of treatments distributed around the country so they can be delivered anywhere within 12 hours. These include treatments such as iodine pills and medicine to produce white blood cells, which counteract different kinds of radiation exposures.
Why is radiation dangerous?
The term “radiation” is commonly used as a shortened description of ionizing radiation, which strips electrons from molecules and can scramble DNA.
Radioactivity occurs naturally — from the cosmic rays that bombard the Earth to those released from certain kinds of rocks — and can be used for things like x-rays. But too much exposure to radiation typically raises the risk of developing cancerous tumors, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Nuclear materials like the fuel for power plants or bombs are typically refined from naturally occurring radioactive ore, with the difference largely being a question of how highly concentrated they are.
What are the risks and treatment if nuclear power plant radioactivity is released?
A leak from Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is among the highest risk, experts told USA TODAY, because Russia has deliberately targeted the area. Zaporizhzhia is Europe’s largest nuclear power station and has been under Russian control since shortly after the invasion.
The U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency is trying to establish a safety zone around the plant because while nuclear power plants are built to withstand many natural disasters, few are designed to survive direct military attacks, said Edwin Lyman, a nuclear expert with the Union of Concerned Scientists. An attack on the plant could potentially release intense radiation in a small area and weaker radioactive particles over a wider area.
“The fact that Russia would want to seize that plant, it’s not surprising,” said Lyman. “I think it’s sort of inevitable. And it’s something the industry never wanted to think about.”
The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, which is also in Ukraine, is not considered a serious potential source of radiation leakage, in part because its 1986 meltdown led to its shutdown and removal of its nuclear fuel system. However, the Health Physics Society says there could be small, localized releases of radioactive material if the area is disturbed.
What happened following the Chernobyl meltdown could be the same as for Zaporizhzhia: A relatively small number of plant operators exposed to intense radiation, and then broader contamination carried in the wind and water absorbed into the land and animals. Nuclear power plants are designed to avoid the kind of explosion created by a nuclear bomb.
According to the CDC, exposure to Acute Radiation Syndrome only happens to people exposed to intense radiation, generally in a very short period of time. That could be someone working in a nuclear power plant during a meltdown, or someone near the site of nuclear weapon’s detonation.
For these people, specialized treatments to protect their bone marrow and stomach lining — vomiting and nausea are common signs of ARS — are available but not widely distributed, according to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
For the public, authorities often have stockpiles of potassium iodide pills, especially in areas close to nuclear power plants. The iodide pills help prevent the thyroid gland from absorbing radiation, which could lead to tumors, but do not treat other kinds of radiation exposure, according to the CDC.
Authorities typically maintain stockpiles of the pills but don’t give them out unless there’s a confirmed release, and even then, they are typically given to people 40 and younger because they are most at risk for developing thyroid problems later in life.
For people who are near a reactor accident but not immediately harmed, the CDC recommends they get or stay inside to avoid any potentially radioactive dust or smoke, remove and bag up any potentially contaminated clothing, and then shower to remove any particles on exposed skin and hair.
What are the risks and treatment for a dirty bomb?
Federal officials say a “dirty bomb” would typically be created by taking conventional explosives and adding in radioactive materials that would be dispersed by the explosion. It wouldn’t cause as big of an explosion as a nuclear weapon — nor release the same kind of intense radioactivity — but would potentially disperse radioactive particles over a large area, potentially causing panic and evacuations.
Protection for exposure to a dirty bomb is similar to that of a reactor incident: Get or stay inside, get rid of potentially contaminated clothing, and then shower.
Potassium iodide pills would likely not be recommended for that kind of radiation exposure, the CDC says, but a treatment based on a drug called Prussian blue could be used.
Radiogardase, the brand name, was approved by the FDA in 2003 to help treat cesium or thallium exposure. Those radioactive substances are often used in medical treatments for cancer, but federal officials say they could also be used in a dirty bomb because they are more widely available. The federal government maintains a stockpile of Prussian blue and other drugs to treat radioactivity exposure.
What are the risks and treatment for a nuclear weapon?
A nuclear explosion is the worst combination of all: an intense blast of radioactivity followed by the fallout of radioactive particles that would contaminate the air, water and ground, along with animals and other food sources.
The same advice follows for people near an explosion but not harmed: get inside, get rid of contaminated clothing, and shower. The U.S. government stockpiles would also come into play.
Lyman, the nuclear expert, said the key question is whether those treatments can be effectively distributed following a nuclear attack on the United States.
“If you had a large nuclear weapon detonated, and you had hundreds of thousands of people affected, you’d need to treat them in a day,” he said. “Having the drugs is one thing. Having a plan to actually use them is another. I wouldn’t count on those interventions. Prevention is where you have to put most of your effort.”
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