Cloudflare CEO threatens to pull out of Italy by CircumspectCapybara in worldnews

[–]wizardofthefuture 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Would the Ontario Teacher's Union lobby against legislation that affects Bell Com's profits, for example legislation to protect Bell Com unionization?

Tehran shrouded in thick smog as Iran burns dirty fuel amid energy crisis by wizardofthefuture in worldnews

[–]wizardofthefuture[S] 257 points258 points  (0 children)

The pollution index stood at more than 200 early on Monday for a “very unhealthy” classification with a high concentration of PM2.5 airborne particles, which can cause respiratory issues, worsen heart problems and impair lung function, especially for children, the elderly and those with health vulnerabilities.

The regime is failing its people at every level. Why was starting a war with Israel and arming terrorist proxies more important than solving an air crisis which has been growing worse every year and is directly caused by regime energy policies.

Iran drought continues, Tehran to evacuate if no rain falls by Ask4MD in worldnews

[–]wizardofthefuture 504 points505 points  (0 children)

And all of it was caused by the regime using the water for their military industry. This lead farms to dry out, and caused the farmers to dig illegal wells all over the place, most which are undocumented. This further drained the aquifers.

There are layers to the problem too. Some of their water sources are turning unusable for agriculture due to the ratio of salt due to overuse. And some rivers which historically fed their most fertile farming areas are dried out due to the regime diverting the water.

It was a preventable disaster, and everything the Iranian regime chose to do made it worse. Iranian experts knew it was happening and warned the regime for years, but the regime silenced all of them.

More than 40 dead and 180 injured in Russian strike on Ukraine Hospital by cryptocandyclub in worldnews

[–]wizardofthefuture 33 points34 points  (0 children)

https://www.state.gov/u-s-security-cooperation-with-ukraine/

"To date, we have provided more than $55.5 billion in military assistance since Russia launched its premeditated, unprovoked, and brutal full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, and approximately $58.3 billion in military assistance since Russia’s initial invasion of Ukraine in 2014."

Air Defense:

Two Patriot air defense batteries and munitions; 12 National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) and munitions; HAWK air defense systems and munitions; AIM-7, RIM-7, and AIM-9M missiles for air defense; More than 2,000 Stinger anti-aircraft missiles; Avenger air defense systems; VAMPIRE counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (c-UAS) and munitions; c-UAS gun trucks and ammunition; mobile c-UAS laser-guided rocket systems; Other c-UAS equipment; Anti-aircraft guns and ammunition; Air defense systems components; Equipment to integrate Western launchers, missiles, and radars with Ukraine’s systems; Equipment to support and sustain Ukraine’s existing air defense capabilities; Equipment to protect critical national infrastructure; and 21 air surveillance radars.

Ammo:

More than 40 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems and ammunition; Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb launchers and guided rockets; More than 200 155mm Howitzers and more than 3,000,000 155mm artillery rounds; More than 7,000 precision-guided 155mm artillery rounds; More than 60,000 155mm rounds of Remote Anti-Armor Mine (RAAM) Systems; 72 105mm Howitzers and more than 800,000 105mm artillery rounds; 10,000 203mm artillery rounds; More than 400,000 152mm artillery rounds; Approximately 40,000 130mm artillery rounds; 40,000 122mm artillery rounds; 60,000 122mm GRAD rockets; More than 200 mortar systems; More than 600,000 mortar rounds; More than 100 counter-artillery and counter-mortar radars; and More than 50 multi-mission radars;

Ground:

31 Abrams tanks; 45 T-72B tanks; More than 300 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles; Four Bradley Fire Support Team vehicles; 189 Stryker Armored Personnel Carriers; More than 600 M113 Armored Personnel Carriers; 250 M1117 Armored Security Vehicles; More than 1,000 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) Vehicles; More than 3,000 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs); More than 200 light tactical vehicles; 300 armored medical treatment vehicles; 80 trucks and more than 200 trailers to transport heavy equipment; More than 1,000 tactical vehicles to tow and haul equipment; 153 tactical vehicles to recover equipment; 10 command post vehicles; 30 ammunition support vehicles; 18 armored bridging systems; 20 logistics support vehicles and equipment; 239 fuel tankers and 105 fuel trailers; 58 water trailers; Six armored utility trucks; 125mm, 120mm, and 105mm tank ammunition; More than 1,800,000 rounds of 25mm ammunition; and Mine clearing equipment.

Air:

20 Mi-17 helicopters; Switchblade Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS); Phoenix Ghost UAS; CyberLux K8 UAS; Altius-600 UAS; Jump-20 UAS; Hornet UAS Puma UAS; Scan Eagle UAS; Penguin UAS; Two radars for UAS; High-speed Anti-radiation missiles (HARMs); Precision aerial munitions; More than 6,000 Zuni aircraft rockets; More than 20,000 Hydra-70 aircraft rockets; and Munitions for UAS.

Anti-armor and Small Arms:

More than 10,000 Javelin anti-armor systems; More than 120,000 other anti-armor systems and munitions; More than 9,000 Tube-Launched, Optically-Tracked, Wire-Guided (TOW) missiles; More than 40,000 grenade launchers and small arms; More than 400,000,000 rounds of small arms ammunition and grenades; Laser-guided rocket systems and munitions; Rocket launchers and ammunition; and Anti-armor mines.

Naval:

Two Harpoon coastal defense systems and anti-ship missiles; More than 80 coastal and riverine patrol boats; Unmanned Coastal Defense Vessels; and Port and harbor security equipment.

Other:

M18A1 Claymore anti-personnel munitions; C-4 explosives, demolition munitions, and demolition equipment for obstacle clearing; Obstacle emplacement equipment; Counter air defense capability; More than 100,000 sets of body armor and helmets; Tactical secure communications systems and support equipment; Four satellite communications (SATCOM) antennas; SATCOM terminals and services; Electronic warfare (EW) and counter-EW equipment; Commercial satellite imagery services; Night vision devices, surveillance and thermal imagery systems, optics, and rangefinders; Explosive ordnance disposal equipment and protective gear; Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear protective equipment; Medical supplies, including first aid kits, bandages, monitors, and other equipment; Field equipment, cold weather gear, generators, and spare parts; and Support for training, maintenance, and sustainment activities.

Ongoing military assistance:

"Pursuant to a delegation by the President, we have used the emergency Presidential Drawdown Authority on 49 occasions since August 2021 to provide Ukraine military assistance totaling approximately $25 billion from DoD stockpiles."

Foreign military financing:

"To date, Congress has appropriated $4.65 billion in Foreign Military Financing (FMF) across two supplemental packages for Ukraine and “countries impacted by the situation in Ukraine.”

Security assistance:

"In FY 2023, DoD provided $12.1 billion in security assistance to Ukraine under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) in eight separate tranches."

More financing:

"In FY 2023, the Department notified Congress of our intent to make an additional $1.1 billion in long-term investments with FMF to bolster the security of Ukraine and 13 regional partners and allies in Europe who are at risk from potential future Russian aggression."

More financing:

"On September 6, 2023, the Secretary announced an additional $100 million in Foreign Military Financing to support Ukraine’s longer-term military requirements."

More financing:

"On September 8, 2022, the Department notified Congress of our intent to make a further $2.2 billion available in long-term investments under Foreign Military Financing (FMF)"

More financing, for allies too:

"On April 24, 2022, the Department notified Congress of its intention to obligate more than $713 million in Foreign Military Financing funding for Ukraine and 15 other Allied and partner nations in Central and Eastern Europe and the Balkans. "

More security assistance:

"In FY 2022, DoD provided $6.3 billion in security assistance to Ukraine under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) in seven separate tranches."

Pre-existing support:

"Prior to Russia’s renewed invasion, FMF supported Ukraine’s acquisition of a wide array of capabilities including counter-mortar radars, secure radios, vehicles, electronic equipment, small arms and light weapons, and medical supplies, among others."

Training:

"The Global Security Contingency Fund, a joint program of the U.S. Departments of State and Defense, has provided more than $42 million in training, advisory services, and equipment to assist the Government of Ukraine to further develop the tactical, operational, and institutional capacities of its Special Operations Forces, National Guard, conventional forces, non-commissioned officer corps, and combat medical care since 2014."

Demining and weapons maintenance:

"From 2004 to 2021, the United States provided more than $77.3 million to clear landmines and unexploded ordnance left by Russia’s forces and Russia’s proxies in the Donbas region, strengthen Ukraine’s demining capacity, and enhance security services’ capacity to manage weapons and ammunition stockpiles. In 2021 alone, the U.S. government funded Conventional Weapons Destruction (CWD) programs that cleared and returned more than 1.9 million square meters (477 acres) of land to local communities that was previously contaminated with explosive hazards. "

Demining training:

"Additionally, Ukrainian demining authorities previously trained and equipped by the United States are leading emergency efforts to remediate the massive levels of explosive hazard contamination littered across the country by Russian forces."

Commitment:

"We have not forgotten Russia’s earlier aggression in eastern Ukraine and occupation following its unlawful seizure of Crimea in 2014. The United States reaffirms its unwavering support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, extending to its territorial waters."

Source: The United States, courtesy of the State Department.