XCR1250

Hamas 'abduction manual' shows that hostage-taking was a central aim of attack ANNA SCHECTER Updated October 24, 2023 at 7:00 AM A Hamas “abduction manual” with detailed instructions on how to take civilians hostage, bind them by their wrists and ankles, collect their identification papers and “kill the problematic” was released by the Israeli Defense Forces on Monday along with grisly new bodycam footage that shows Hamas fighters gunning down civilians. The kidnapping directives — imprinted with a watermark that reads “al-Quds brigade” and labeled “Top secret” in Arabic — also include instructions on how to livestream kidnappings, a tactic that was used by some Hamas hostage takers during the Oct. 7 attack. The surprise assault, which killed over 1,000 civilians, was the bloodiest terrorist attack on Israeli soil in the country's 76-year history. The release of the materials appears to be part of an effort by Israeli officials to counter claims by Hamas that hostages were seized by Palestinian civilians who entered Israel during the attack, not its fighters. The documents also suggest that hostage-taking was a core goal of Hamas’ strike and that the group planned to document it in both photos and videos. IDF officials said the documents were recovered from the bodies of Hamas members who attacked kibbutzim near the Gaza border on Oct. 7. It is unclear whether the "abduction manual" documents were related to an attack on a specific village or broad guidance for Hamas attackers. Israeli officials also released Hamas bodycam footage of terrorists shooting civilians. The footage includes a video taken by the bodycam of a Hamas gunman as he shoots at two civilians, who appear to be a man and woman, as they try to drive past in their car. A second clip shows the same man running up to the car and saying, “He is not alive. I checked him just now," he said. "I checked them well. Let’s go, let’s go.” A third clip, which was previously released by an Israeli first responder organization, shows the dashcam footage from the civilian car as it is being fired upon by the Hamas members. hamas terrorist attack civilians car auto (IDF) Hamas has put out multiple statements denying they targeted civilians on Oct. 7, and have characterized the more than 200 hostages they took to Gaza as their “guests.” At the time of publication, a total of four hostages had been released. The hostage-taking “manual” and the footage give a fuller picture of Hamas’ plan to take multiple hostages and kill any captive who they felt posed a threat. The document instructs the attackers to ration their food and suggests they were potentially planning to keep hostages in an enclosed location for a long period of time. The newly released materials add to the picture painted by other Hamas documents obtained by NBC News that show a plan to attack Kfar Sa’ad kibbutz. That plan included instructions to sweep two schools as well as a youth center. The attack was carried out on a Saturday and school was not in session. Those documents included maps with blue circles around Kfar Sa’ad and three other villages that also border Gaza: Alumim, Nahal Oz and Kraf Aza, where dozens of Israeli civilians, including babies and children, were murdered or kidnapped and taken back to Gaza. An Israeli government official said the IDF was analyzing “a family” of documents recovered from the bodies of attackers that showed a systematic targeting of civilians, flying in the face of Hamas public statements. “They are constantly lying all the time,” an IDF source told NBC News. The “abduction manual” is organized into eight sections and appears to prepare Hamas fighters to hold hostages inside Israel, perhaps for days. The first section of the document is labeled “Gathering” and includes instructions on how to take hostages. The second section is titled “Isolation and control within the area and around it.” It appears to instruct attackers how to maintain control of hostages, fend off anyone trying to help them and prevent captives from escaping. The first directive in this section is: “Kill anyone that may pose a threat or cause distraction or disturbance.” Other tactics include creating “chaos” with firearms and grenades, and subduing hostages with sedatives. The third section of the manual is labeled “Safety/Security” and includes the directive to “take ID,” “separate and isolate (women and babies/men,)” and “kill the problematic and those who pose a threat.” The first page of a Hamas Eyewitnesses accounts and interviews with family members of the abducted show that Hamas kidnappers followed their orders. Some of the attackers on Oct. 7 livestreamed the abduction of hostages from Kibbutz Nahal Oz. NBC News interviewed Maayan Zin, the mother of two girls abducted with their father; his girlfriend, 50-year-old Dikla Eliaz; and Eliaz’s 17-year-old son. Zin obtained the livestream video of the abduction, in which the kidnappers hold Eliaz’s driver's license to the camera. Zin said Eliaz’s son was then used by Hamas to lure other neighbors out of their homes. The fourth section of the manual, “Supplies,” suggests the Hamas appeared to be preparing for a lengthy siege: “Collect as much food and drinks as possible,” and “Do not use your own supplies to feed the hostages, except in emergency situations.” The fifth section is titled “Camouflage and Hiding” and gives directives to conceal the mission of the kidnappers. “Do not declare the number of kidnappers and their weapons. ... Do not declare your connection with the outside world. … Do not state the number of wounded and dead (of the enemy.)” The sixth section, “Communication,” instructs Hamas members to “Secure the video/audio live broadcast between groups and orders in the field.” The seventh section is called “Live Broadcast.” It directs Hamas members to “not waste the camera battery and storage, but use them as much as possible.” The eighth and final section anticipates communication with Israelis and is called “Negotiations.” “Do not engage in negotiations in the field if possible,” the manual states. “Only the most senior in the field will communicate with the enemy and they must remain in contact with their commanders throughout the incident… If communication is interrupted, try to discuss and convey what we came for.”

UPDATE 1-Kremlin says Putin is healthy, laughs off body double rumours Reuters Tue, October 24, 2023 at 5:00 AM CDT·1 min read 6 (Adds Peskov quotes in paragraphs 2-4) MOSCOW, Oct 24 (Reuters) - The Kremlin on Tuesday denied a report that President Vladimir Putin was ill, and laughed off persistent rumours that he used body doubles to cover for him in public appearances. "Everything is fine with him, this is absolutely another fake," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said when asked about an unsourced report by a Russian Telegram channel, picked up by some Western media, that the president had suffered a serious health episode on Sunday evening. The spokesman laughed in response to a further question about body doubles, and denied that Putin had any. "This belongs to the category of absurd information hoaxes that a whole series of media discuss with enviable tenacity. This evokes nothing but a smile," Peskov said. Putin, a judo enthusiast who has long cultivated an "action man" image, turned 71 on Oct. 7. He maintains an intensive schedule of meetings and public appearances, many of them televised. His recent programme included a visit to China last week, with stop-offs in two Russian cities on the way back. In a 2020 interview, Putin denied longstanding rumours that he uses body doubles, although he said he had been offered the chance to use one in the past for security reasons. (Reporting by Reuters Writing by Mark Trevelyan Editing by Gareth Jones)

That's a bit hard to believe could happen as they use a gage to set rail widths between them.

Democrat Quotes on Iraq Weapons of Mass Destruction Saddam Hussein has spent the better part of this decade and much of his nation's wealth not on providing for the Iraqi people but on developing nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons and the missiles to deliver them." -- President Bill Clinton (State of the Union Address), Jan. 27, 1998 "One way or the other, we are determined to deny Iraq the capacity to develop weapons of mass destruction and the missiles to deliver them. That is our bottom line." --President Bill Clinton, Feb. 4, 1998 "If Saddam rejects peace and we have to use force, our purpose is clear. We want to seriously diminish the threat posed by Iraq's weapons of mass destruction program." --President Bill Clinton, Feb. 17, 1998 "No one has done what Saddam Hussein has done, or is thinking of doing. He is producing weapons of mass destruction, and he is qualitatively and quantitatively different from other dictators.""Iraq is a long way from [here], but what happens there matters a great deal here. For the risks that the leaders of a rogue state will use nuclear, chemical or biological weapons against us or our allies is the greatest security threat we face." --Madeline Albright, Feb 18, 1998 "He will use those weapons of mass destruction again, as he has ten times since 1983." --Sandy Berger, Clinton National Security Adviser, Feb, 18, 1998 "[W]e urge you, after consulting with Congress, and consistent with the U.S. Constitution and laws, to take necessary actions (including, if appropriate, air and missile strikes on suspect Iraqi sites) to respond effectively to the threat posed by Iraq's refusal to end its weapons of mass destruction programs." Letter to President Clinton, signed by: -- Democratic Senators Carl Levin, Tom Daschle, John Kerry, and others, Oct. 9, 1998 "Saddam Hussein has been engaged in the development of weapons of mass destruction technology which is a threat to countries in the region and he has made a mockery of the weapons inspection process." -Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D, CA), Dec. 16, 1998 "Hussein has ... chosen to spend his money on building weapons of mass destruction and palaces for his cronies." -- Madeline Albright, Clinton Secretary of State, Nov. 10, 1999 "There is no doubt that ... Saddam Hussein has reinvigorated his weapons programs. Reports indicate that biological, chemical and nuclear programs continue apace and may be back to pre-Gulf War status. In addition, Saddam continues to redefine delivery systems and is doubtless using the cover of a licit missile program to develop longer-range missiles that will threaten the United States and our allies." Letter to President Bush, Signed by: -- Sen. Bob Graham (D, FL), and others, Dec 5, 2001 "I mean, we have three different countries that, while they all present serious problems for the United States -- they're dictatorships, they're involved in the development and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction -- you know, the most imminent, clear and present threat to our country is not the same from those three countries. I think Iraq is the most serious and imminent threat to our country." -- Sen. John Edwards (D, NC) Feb. 24, 2002 "We begin with the common belief that Saddam Hussein is a tyrant and a threat to the peace and stability of the region. He has ignored the mandate of the United Nations and is building weapons of mass destruction and th! e means of delivering them." -- Sen. Carl Levin (D, MI), Sept. 19, 2002 "Iraq's search for weapons of mass destruction has proven impossible to deter and we should assume that it will continue for as long as Saddam is in power. We know that he has stored secret supplies of biological and chemical weapons throughout his country." " -- Al Gore, Sept. 23, 2002 "There is no doubt that Saddam Hussein's regime is a serious danger, that he is a tyrant, and that his pursuit of lethal weapons of mass destruction cannot be tolerated. He must be disarmed. We have known for many years that Saddam Hussein is seeking and developing weapons of mass destruction." -- Sen. Edward Kennedy (D, MA) Sep. 27, 2002 "Now let me be clear -- I suffer no illusions about Saddam Hussein. He is a brutal man. A ruthless man. A man who butchers his own people to secure his own power. He has repeatedly defied UN resolutions, thwarted UN inspection teams, developed chemical and biological weapons, and coveted nuclear capacity. He's a bad guy. The world, and the Iraqi people, would be better off without him." -- State Senator Barack Obama (Democrat, Illinois) Oct. 2, 2002 "The last UN weapons inspectors left Iraq in October of 1998. We are confident that Saddam Hussein retains some stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons, and that he has since embarked on a crash course to build up his chemical and biological warfare capabilities. Intelligence reports indicate that he is seeking nuclear weapons..." -- Sen. Robert Byrd (D, WV), Oct. 3, 2002 "My position is very clear: The time has come for decisive action to eliminate the threat posed by Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction." -- Senator John Edwards (D, NC), Oct. 7, 2002 "We stopped the fighting [in 1991] on an agreement that Iraq would take steps to assure the world that it would not engage in further aggression and that it would destroy its weapons of mass destruction. It has refused to take those steps. That refusal constitutes a breach of the armistice which renders it void and justifies resumption of the armed conflict." -- Sen. Harry Reid (D. NV) Oct. 9, 2002 "I will be voting to give the President of the United States the authority to use force -- if necessary -- to disarm Saddam Hussein because I believe that a deadly arsenal of weapons of mass destruction in his hands is a real and grave threat to our security." -- Sen. John F. Kerry (D, MA), Oct. 9, 2002 "There is unmistakable evidence that Saddam Hussein is working aggressively to develop nuclear weapons and will likely have nuclear weapons within the next five years ... We also should remember we have always underestimated the progress Saddam has made in development of weapons of mass destruction." -- Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D, WV), Oct 10, 2002 "He has systematically violated, over the course of the past 11 years, every significant UN resolution that has demanded that he disarm and destroy his chemical and biological weapons, and any nuclear capacity. This he has refused to do" -- Rep. Henry Waxman (D, CA), Oct. 10, 2002 "I come to this debate, Mr. Speaker, as one at the end of 10 years in office on the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, where stopping the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction was one of my top priorities. I applaud the President on focusing on this issue and on taking the lead to disarm Saddam Hussein. ... Others have talked about this threat that is posed by Saddam Hussein. Yes, he has chemical weapons, he has biological weapons, he is trying to get nuclear weapons." -- Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D. CA) Oct. 10, 2002 "In the four years since the inspectors left, intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock, his missile delivery capability, and his nuclear program. He has also given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to terrorists, including al Qaeda members ... It is clear, however, that if left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage biological and chemical warfare, and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons." -- Sen. Hillary Clinton (D, NY), Oct 10, 2002 "We are in possession of what I think to be compelling evidence that Saddam Hussein has, and has had for a number of years, a developing capacity for the production and storage of weapons of mass destruction." -- Sen. Bob Graham (D, FL), Dec. 8, 2002 "Without question, we need to disarm Saddam Hussein. He is a brutal, murderous dictator, leading an oppressive regime ... He presents a particularly grievous threat because he is so consistently prone to miscalculation ... And now he is miscalculating America's response to his continued deceit and his consistent grasp for weapons of mass destruction ... So the threat of Saddam Hussein with weapons of mass destruction is real..." -- Sen. John F. Kerry (D, MA), Jan. 23. 2003 "People can quarrel with whether we should have more troops in Afghanistan or internationalize Iraq or whatever, but it is incontestable that on the day I left office, there were unaccounted for stocks of biological and chemical weapons." -- Ex President Bill Clinton, Jul. 22, 2003 (Interview with CNN Larry King) I asked very direct questions of the top people in the CIA and people who'd served in the Clinton administration. And they said they believed that Saddam Hussein either had weapons or had the components of weapons or the ability to quickly make weapons of mass destruction. What we're worried about is an A-bomb in a Ryder truck in New York, in Washington and St. Louis. It cannot happen. We have to prevent it from happening. -- Rep. Richard Gephardt (D, MT) Nov. 2, 2003

Israel did not bomb that hospital, according to the latest intelligence. It's a reminder that in war, all sides engage in propaganda. https://www.businessinsider.com/gaza-hamas-israel-lessons-learned-hospital-bombing-media-propaganda-2023-10

Just follow the money.

Ice Ages: What Causes the Earth to Freeze Over Every Few Million Years? At least five major ice ages have been documented in Earth's history. And guess what? You're living in an ice age right now. But don’t expect the planet to chill over from pole to pole. By Avery Hurt (Credit: A.Hornung/Shutterstock) Periodically, global temperatures drop, ice sheets form at the poles, then the ice creeps down to cover the continents. We call these ice ages. There have been five major ice ages in Earth’s 4.5-billion-year history. The last one began about 2.5 to 3 million years ago. And get this: it’s still going on. That’s right, we’re living in an Ice Age. That’s hard to believe in these days of dangerously increasing global temperatures, but ice ages aren’t uniformly hard-frozen. Within these major ice ages there are warmer, shorter-term periods, called interglacials, when the ice sheets retreat, and some, or even most, of the planet is free of ice. (By contrast, the periods of time when glaciers advance are called, fittingly, glacials.) Interglacials can last tens of thousands of years. We’re in an interglacial now — this one began around 10,000 years ago. That’s why we have ice caps at the poles while temperatures are more or less comfortable (for humans) on most of the planet. What Causes Ice Ages? Earth goes about its business in a pretty regular way, spinning on its axis and looping around and around the sun. But there are some variations in the pattern. Over time, the tilt of the Earth, its orbit, and its wobble change a bit. These very minor (and regular) adjustments in the angle of the Earth relative to the sun affects the amount of solar radiation, or insolation, that reaches Earth. “Even though the tilt changes by only one degree or two, that’s enough to change the angle at which the sun's energy hits,” explains Elizabeth Thomas, a paleoclimatologist at the University at Buffalo. And of course, less energy from the sun means colder temperatures. During the colder winters, snow falls on the land. If the summers are cool enough, the snow lasts until the next winter. Eventually there will be more and more snow building up, and that will pack down into a glacier. The glacier will continue to grow until it’s a continent-sized ice sheet. Meanwhile, the Earth’s orbit changes enough from time to time to cause the ice sheets to retreat, a little or a lot, creating interglacial periods. Currents of Change It’s not all about the Earth's exposure to the sun, though. Ocean currents and carbon dioxide, or CO2, play a role, too. Carbon dioxide levels change more or less in step with changes in ice volumes. “We think that's because ocean circulation slows down during these glacial periods, and that causes a lot of the CO2 that would be in the atmosphere to be trapped down in the deep ocean,” Thomas says. There’s a reason we use the word “glacial” to mean very, very slow. This whole process takes thousands and thousands of years. Warming up, however, happens much faster. Changes in ocean currents are one of the reasons ice melts faster than it builds up. “If Earth’s orbit moves back into a configuration where the planet is receiving a lot of energy, the oceans start heating up, and the edges of the ice sheets begin to melt," explains Thomas. "When the ocean circulation starts turning on again, that burps up a lot of CO2.” And as we’ve all learned, CO2 is a very efficient greenhouse gas. The increase in CO2 heats up the atmosphere so the ice sheets start getting melted from above, as well. As the ice melts, big chunks of ice sheets start to break off — a process called calving — which makes them melt even faster. “They can disappear in, geologically speaking, the blink of an eye,” says Thomas. “It takes very little time to completely destroy an ice sheet.” All of this sounds frighteningly pertinent in today’s rapidly heating world. Lucky Break? What was that again about being in an ice age? If we were right on schedule, we’d be near the end of this interglacial and headed into another glacial period. That’s not happening, of course. Instead, we seem to be heading into a climate like that of the Eocene Epoch, when palm trees grew in Alaska and crocodiles swam in the Arctic. But has global warming saved us from an opposite but equally disastrous fate? If we didn’t have global warming, would we be entering an ice age that’s potentially just as dangerous? Well, maybe — but not nearly so suddenly. “The advance is so slow that the next ten generations would hardly notice it,” says Thomas. On the other hand, if we hadn’t been in an ice age when humans started cranking up the heat, things would already be much, much worse. So we do have an ice age to thank for that.

Are electric cars more expensive to insure? Stephanie Colestock Mon, Oct 16, 20235 min read Malte Mueller via Getty Images Whether you’re considering an electric car for the cutting-edge technology, the fuel cost savings or the environmental benefits, it’s important to understand the specifics about EV insurance. Despite their higher cost, there are more electric vehicles on the road than ever. Insurance companies, in turn, have responded with customized offerings. Here’s what you need to know about how an EV auto insurance policy differs from traditional car insurance coverage – and what cost differences you should expect. Insurance for electric vehicles: special considerations You won’t be required to purchase a special electric vehicle auto insurance policy just because you drive an EV. Car insurance coverage is the same whether you have a gas-powered car or electric car, and there isn't any special policy you are mandated to buy outside of your state’s minimum required auto insurance coverage. Depending on the coverage options you choose and even where you live, EV auto policies will include some combination of: Liability coverage, including property damage liability and bodily injury liability coverage, that pays out for others harmed in an accident you cause. Collision coverage, to repair or replace your vehicle if you’re involved in an accident where someone else isn’t the at-fault driver. Comprehensive coverage for other-than-collision damage, such as vandalism, theft or weather-related events. Uninsured motorist/underinsured motorist, in case you’re hit by another driver who doesn’t have auto insurance or whose limits aren’t enough to cover your losses. Personal injury protection (PIP), to cover your medical bills and other expenses from an accident like lost wages or home health care. Medical payments (Medpay) coverage, to help with things like co-pays, medical deductibles, prescriptions, and procedures following an accident. Select EV drivers have the option of specialized EV auto insurance policies. This is especially true for drivers of certain Tesla models in select states, who can purchase coverage directly through the manufacturer. This Tesla auto insurance offers many of the same coverage options mentioned above in addition to gap insurance/auto loan protection in some areas. In the future, carriers may begin offering EV auto insurance policies that also protect the vehicle’s high voltage battery, at-home charging stations, and other charging equipment and parts that aren’t covered by typical policies. Electric car insurance costs (Hint: They’re higher) While not always the case, you can usually count on EV insurance premiums being higher than those for conventional, gas-powered vehicles. The actual cost of your coverage will depend on your driving record, age, gender, location, credit history, coverage options, and the vehicle you drive. There are also some special considerations and features of EVs that can impact your car insurance rates. Here are a few to keep in mind: Electric vehicles tend to have newer and more updated technology, which can be costly to replace and difficult to source. While the purchase cost of EVs has been gradually declining, these vehicles are still more expensive on average than comparable gas-powered vehicles. Because of the higher cost of replacement, carriers may charge more for full coverage, including comprehensive and collision coverage. If your EV is involved in an accident, the high-voltage battery, which powers the electric motor, could be damaged and need replacing. Depending on your vehicle, battery-pack replacement can cost tens of thousands of dollars. Parts for certain EVs may be limited due to small manufacturing processes. This can make the repair process notably more expensive and result in long delays. Not all repair shops are equipped to work on EVs, so your vehicle may need to go to a special shop following an accident. This can be more costly for your insurance company. What about hybrid vehicles? If you own a hybrid vehicle, you’ll encounter some of the same issues with auto insurance rates as EV owners. Hybrid cars have a high-voltage battery that maintains the charge on the vehicles’ electric motors. Repair and replacement can be expensive, and that cost is reflected in the policyholders’ premiums. On the other hand, hybrid vehicles like the Toyota Prius are self-charging, so you won’t need to worry about installing a charger at your home. When shopping around for a car insurance policy for your electric vehicle, keep these things in mind to get the right coverage and snag the right price: Research and compare car insurance companies that specialize in EV coverage; these carriers may have the best network of appraisers, parts suppliers, and body shops if and when you need repair. Some offer EV-related discounts that will save you money. For example, Farmers offers a discount to customers in California who drive electric or hybrid vehicles. When comparing carriers, ask whether the policy covers battery replacement, home charging stations or loss of use coverage, and if other additional coverages are available. While this isn’t common yet, you may find a carrier that covers accessories and auxiliary costs involved with your electric vehicle. Be sure to take advantage of rebates, tax credits, discounts, and incentives offered to EV drivers. These might include extra savings for vehicles with autonomous/self-driving or special security features. Request car insurance quotes from multiple carriers — including your renters or homeowners insurance provider. Bundling policies with one carrier is a tried-and-true way to get the cheapest rates. Lastly, read your policy terms and conditions carefully so you understand what is and is not covered. You may want to add supplemental coverage or increase your existing coverage limits to better protect yourself. Electric vehicles are growing in popularity because of their low emissions and fuel savings. But EVs are still new enough that replacing or repairing them is very costly. Because of this, you should expect to pay more for insurance.

China Restricts Exports Of A Key Mineral, Stoking U.S. Fears About Battery Supply Chains Alexander C. Kaufman Updated Fri, October 20, 2023 at 3:00 PM CDT·4 min read 83 A number of very large container ships carry out container handling operations at the automated terminal of Yangshan deep-water Port, Shanghai, China, July 21, 2023. China has slapped export controls on graphite, a key mineral used to make steel and electric car batteries, ratcheting up a trade fight with the United States over the technologies needed to wean the world’s economy off planet-heating fossil fuels. The measures, announced Friday in a joint declaration from Beijing’s Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs, banned exports of artificial graphite, the natural flake version of the mineral, and products made with them unless the government grants permission. The restrictions take effect on Dec. 1. “Graphite is a key material that holds strategic significance in new-energy industry and global players are fiercely competing with one another in this sector,” Tian Yun, an economist in Beijing, told the Chinese nationalist newspaper Global Times. “It can be expected that similar moves will be more commonplace if the US continues to escalate sanctions in the technological field against China.” The restrictions come as President Joe Biden has expanded the Trump administration’s trade war with China, placing export bans on technologies like the semiconductors needed to power artificial intelligence applications. The Biden administration is set to ramp up tariffs on Chinese-made solar equipment as Beijing provides its own factories with so much government support that even dairy companies are opening factories to churn out the materials for panels. In response, China in July put new export controls on two metals used to make computer chips and solar panels, gallium and germanium. Employees work on the production line of lithium batteries at the workshop of a new energy lithium battery industrial park on Aug. 28 in Yichang, Hubei Province of China. As with so many of the minerals required to make batteries, solar panels and other crucial energy hardware, China is the world’s top producer and exporter of graphite, generating 65% of the global supply and nearly 90% of the battery-grade version. The U.S. is the largest importer, followed by its allies in the European Union and South Korea, with whom Washington is now increasingly competing as America’s demand for graphite has grown in the past five years. Imports for consumption in the U.S. surged by more than 50% from 2021 to 2022, according to U.S. Geological Survey data. Yet the U.S. mines none of its own graphite. Three U.S. companies are looking to develop graphite mines in the U.S., two in Alabama and one in Alaska. In July, the Biden administration offered $37.5 million through grants issued via the Cold War-era Defense Production Act to boost the Alaskan project and support a processing facility in Washington state. But demand is only expected to grow as funding from the Inflation Reduction Act, President Joe Biden’s landmark climate-spending law, spurs more automakers and battery companies to open factories in the U.S. “Virtually every lithium-ion battery chemistry uses graphite for its anode. China processes 90% of the world’s battery grade graphite. China has put export controls in place to protect national security,” Jay Turner, an environmental policy historian and author of a recent book on battery supply chains, wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter. “Welcome to the new geopolitics of the clean energy transition.” As the U.S. and its allies seek alternatives to China for various so-called critical minerals, the rush for graphite could put a new focus on countries in Africa. Madagascar, Mozambique and Tanzania have large reserves and increased mine production significantly from 2021 to 2022. The two countries with the largest reserves outside China are Brazil and Turkey, but mining increased only marginally in both places during that same period. The trade fight with China has spurred calls to mine and refine more metals in the U.S. But efforts to permit new mines have foundered as local opponents, fearful of the effects on water tables and general pollution, seek to block the permits at various levels of government. China’s dominance over the global supplies of critical minerals first came to light in 2010, when Beijing blocked shipments of rare earths, over which it enjoys a near monopoly, to Japan over a political dispute. While the U.S. and its allies have been slow to prioritize domestic mining and processing, China has continued to increase its share of global production and deepen ties with other major producers in Africa and Asia. Reluctant to simply become exporters of raw ore, which typically offers a minimal economic boost while generating a lot of pollution, many countries are now putting more government controls over mining, including creating incentives for Chinese, American and European companies to set up local processing plants.

$20,000 repair bills and other hidden costs that could sneak up on EV buyers Cork Gaines Sat, October 21, 2023 at 4:47 AM CDT·5 min read The switch to electric vehicles is still hampered by the high cost compared to gas cars. The higher upfront costs don't consider several less obvious costs that can hit after buying an EV. Things like repairs and insurance are also more expensive for EVs. The price of electric vehicles is still the biggest hurdle to most consumers considering a switch from gas-powered cars, and they might not even be factoring in some of the hidden costs associated with them. A man in Scotland was recently shocked by a £17,374 ($21,000) bill to fix his Tesla after rain damaged the battery. "I thought we would get a bill for £500 or £1,000," Johnny Bacigalupo told Edinburgh Live. "When they said over 17 grand — it's absolutely obscene. My heart missed a beat, honestly." While government tax credits can help with the initial vehicle purchase, EVs are still more expensive than gas cars, mainly because it costs a lot to make them. While there have been price cuts, automakers ramped up production, causing the demand — and prices — for parts to skyrocket, especially batteries. The cost of the parts leads to issues that could make the cars much more expensive than the sales tag in the long run. EV batteries are costly to repair and replace Recurrent, a firm that studies battery health, surveyed 15,000 EV drivers in March and found that 1.5% needed battery replacements, which range between $5,000 and $20,000. The cars surveyed go back to 2011, but a vast majority were six years old or younger. However, in some cases, it can cost even more. Last year, a Tesla owner in Canada shared on TikTok that the company told him that a replacement battery would cost $26,000 when it died. Ford Mustang Mach-E.The Washington Post/Getty Images The batteries are easy to damage, difficult to repair, or even assess. Tesla's Model Y battery has "zero repairability" after a collision, according to auto expert Sandy Munro. Replacing a battery is so costly, that it can often be more than the car is worth, forcing insurance companies to write them off. Insurance is more expensive for EVs Easy write-offs from insurance companies lead to higher premiums. According to Bankrate, the average cost to insure a Tesla ranges from $2,503 annually to $4,066, depending on the model. Meanwhile, the US average for all cars is about $2,148. Those premiums are driven by higher repair costs. While EVs need to be fixed less often than gas cars, those repairs are more expensive. According to Mitchell, a collision repair software company, the average repair cost for a non-Tesla EV is $269 higher than the average for all vehicles. For Teslas, each repair is $1,347 more than average. A Chevy Bolt.Mark Matousek / Business Insider There is also specialized labor required. "Those parts can be pricey," according to insurance provider Progressive. "If the battery pack is damaged, certain safety protocols are often necessary, adding more to the repair bill. Plus, there aren't as many shops with technicians trained to fix electric vehicles versus traditional vehicles." Charging may require more than just a plug Electricity prices can fluctuate greatly by state and time of year, but there are other less obvious costs associated with charging EVs. According to a study from Anderson Economic Group, if other factors are considered, such as installing a charger and EV registration fees, most cars cost more to charge than to fuel with gas. Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images Most EV owners charge their cars at home and most vehicles come with a charger that can plug into a standard 110-volt home outlet. However, a long charge with this type of outlet may not be enough for some journeys: One driver of a Ford Mustang Mach-E told Insider they only got about 36 miles of range from an overnight charge. To up the charging capacity, an owner needs access to a 240-volt outlet for a Level 2 charger, or can install one at home. They can purchase a Level 2 charger for between $200 to $1,000, depending on the features included. The installation adds about $1,000 to the total, according to Edmunds. "If you don't have a Level 2, it's almost impossible," Bloomberg automotive analyst Kevin Tynan, who researches EVs, told Insider when asked about getting sufficient charge into an EV. And if you do have a Level 2 charger at home, you might have to declare it on your home insurance policy, which could increase that premium. Other factors to consider Another issue with EV batteries is that nobody knows their lifespan. If people interested in used EVs are worried about replacing an expensive battery, the resale value will take a big hit. Lifespan is also a factor with tires. Because the batteries on EVs are so heavy, the cars are heavier than comparable gas vehicles. As a result, the cars require more expensive tires and those tires have to be replaced sooner than traditional car tires. There are also indirect costs, such as time. There is a good chance an owner will be forced to go to a dealer for repairs due to the complexity. This has led to long wait times, a lack of competitive pricing, and poor replacement parts inventory. The cost differences between EVs and other cars will improve. The sticker prices will continue to come down, and smaller EVs are expected to have the same initial cost as their gas equivalents by 2025. Toyota dealershipToyota In the meantime, many EV owners are switching back to gas-powered cars. According to a University of California-Davis study of 4,167 people, about 20% of EV owners purchased a gas car the next time, with most citing charging headaches. Of those who switched, 70% did not have a Level 2 charger at home. As of February, the EV market share has risen to 8.5%, up from 2.6% in 2020. However, according to JD Power, the number of people they surveyed earlier this year who are "very likely" to buy an EV has remained steady since 2022, while the percentage of those who say they won't switch to electric cars has grown.

Hamas militants ate family's lunch as they tortured and mutilated parents and 2 young children, says an Israeli emergency responder Alia Shoaib Sat, October 21, 2023 at 4:56 AM CDT·2 min read 295 An Israeli emergency responder said he found a young family of four mutilated in their home. The victims of the atrocity included two children aged six and seven. This story includes video testimony describing graphic scenes that some may find distressing. An Israeli emergency responder said that they recovered the mutilated bodies of a family killed during the Hamas terror attacks that had been bound together and brutally tortured Yossi Landau, the head of Zaka, Israel's volunteer emergency response organization as the head of operations for the country's southern region, described the sadistic scene he found after entering a home at Kibbutz Be'eri. Landau said he saw a father, mother, and two children, aged six and seven, on their knees with their hands tied behind their backs. "The bodies were tortured," before describing various acts of shocking mutilation. He said he believes the family members would have been forced to watch the horrors being inflicted on their loved ones. "Fingers being... Fingers being," he said while fighting back tears. "All this happened, and by the end they all had a bullet." Landau said the militants then ate a meal that the family had prepared for a Jewish holiday. "They ate this meal while torturing these children," he said. In an interview with CNN, Landau described the terrible scene he witnessed at Kibbutz Be'eri – an epicenter of the October 7 Hamas invasion of southern Israel, where more than 100 men, women, and children were killed. Landau said other atrocities he witnessed included a naked and bound teenage girl who had been beheaded, 20 people who had been burned alive, and a mutilated pregnant mother. The gruesome task of identifying Israel's dead and the circumstances they were killed has fallen to military forensic teams at an army base in central Israel. They have uncovered evidence of torture and rape among the victims of last week's Hamas terrorist attacks on communities surrounding the Gaza Strip. The unprecedented Hamas attacks on October 7, dubbed "Operation Al-Aqsa Flood" by Hamas' military leadership, killed at least 1,400 Israelis, per Reuters. Hamas is also believed to have taken over 200 Israeli and foreign hostages to Gaza. In retaliation, Israel has carried out waves of air strikes that have killed more than 3,000 Palestinians and are believed to be planning an imminent ground invasion of Gaza. Read the original article on Business Insider

https://www.kyivpost.com/post/22851

What happened to the 5 Ice ages? Most have been Man made. At least five major ice ages have occurred throughout Earth's history: the earliest was over 2 billion years ago, and the most recent one began approximately 3 million years ago and continues today (yes, we live in an ice age!). Currently, we are in a warm interglacial that began about 11,000 years ago.

https://news.yahoo.com/gma/2-american-hostages-held-since-182500429.html

Yup, we have boats, 2 ATV's and a SXS..

DeLorean Flies Again with Corvette-Based V8 and Iconic Gullwing Doors Johnny Puckett Thu, October 19, 2023 at 10:00 AM CDT·2 min read ⚡️ Read the full article on Motorious This is an interesting build. In an unexpected twist on automotive heritage, a new DeLorean is on the horizon. And it's got a Corvette heart beating beneath its gullwing doors. Kathyrn DeLorean, CEO of DeLorean Next Gen Motors and daughter of the legendary John DeLorean, recently shared some electrifying news with Hagerty. The company plans to unveil a C8 Corvette-based car, stripping away the Chevrolet exterior to drape it in a bespoke DeLorean skin, replete with those unmistakable gullwing doors. Kathryn expressed the weight of the DeLorean legacy, stating, “I needed to give the DeLorean community something they've been longing for. They'd never forgive me otherwise." The revelations don't stop there. The new Corvette-based car is just the appetizer. The main course? A hand-crafted ‘Model JZD’ - an electric vehicle with only 42 units planned for production. This limited-edition model will also sport the signature gullwing doors. However, fans should brace themselves, as it’s bound to have a much heftier price tag than its Corvette sibling. The arrival date for these reborn legends remains veiled in mystery. If only we had a DeLorean with time-travel capabilities to sneak a peek! Intriguingly, another DeLorean-themed company, unaffiliated with DeLorean Next Gen Motors, is in the mix. Spearheaded by former Karma Automotive executive, Joost de Vries, it's developing its own revival called the Alpha5. The plot thickens with a direct call-out from Kathryn DeLorean on Instagram, asserting her father's original legacy and its separation from de Vries' venture. Adding yet another layer to this automotive drama, Classic DMC enters the narrative. Founded by Stephen Wynne, a Liverpool mechanic, the company once specialized in creating spare parts for the original DeLorean lineup. While Classic DMC hasn’t unveiled any modern take on the DeLorean, there's a buzz that Wynne has a stake in the company crafting the Alpha5. As the DeLorean tale continues to unfold, enthusiasts everywhere wait with bated breath to witness the rebirth of a legend. Stay tuned as the future of this iconic car revs back into the limelight.

I retired at age 44 back in 1991.

We must put a stop to the electric vehicle revolution – before someone gets hurt Allison Pearson Wed, October 18, 2023 at 2:00 AM CDT·7 min read What the blazes is going on? We are familiar with the stand-up rows caused by a chronic lack of charging points for electric vehicles (EVs) but, so far, there has been remarkably little debate about their safety. Manufacturers deny that EVs have an unfortunate tendency to burst into flames, but fire brigades across the world beg to differ. They have taken to producing an amusing annual calendar with a different Tesla in flames for each month of the year. So frequent are these blazes that the ‘Burning Tesla 2024’ calendar is already full. One wag posted a video of an EV with a small bonfire on the backseat with the caption: “Tesla Holiday Version with built-in fireplace”. In the past couple of years, two huge ships carrying thousands of cars have gone up in flames, apparently because of battery electric vehicles. A fire on board car carrier Felicity Ace in February 2022 led to the vessel sinking in the Atlantic, along with its cargo of 4,000 vehicles. Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries were cited as a factor in keeping the fire ablaze. More recently, the Fremantle Highway cargo ship caught fire in the North Sea. It was alleged that batteries in EVs on board had overheated. During the salvage operation, all the cars were washed to remove any chemicals from the fire before they came off the ship. One charred vehicle, in which the fire appeared to be extinguished, actually reignited as it was lowered into the water. Investigators were quick to say: “No fire on board a ro-ro [roll on/roll off] or PCTC [Pure Car Truck Carrier] has been proven to have been caused by a factory-new EV.” It was the same nothing-to-see-here story with the towering inferno this month at Luton airport. At least 125 flights were cancelled after a huge fire, which started on level three of the airport’s multi-storey car park, caused the entire £20 million structure to collapse. Up to 1,500 vehicles are unlikely to be salvageable. A huge deal, you might think. A topic for a heated debate at the very least, particularly as people could have been hurt but, once again, the conflagration has been tamped down. Authorities said the blaze “appeared to have been accidental and began in a parked car, believed to be a diesel vehicle”. Well, not according to one witness, who managed to snap a picture of the vehicle that was suspected of causing the fire, which looked very like a Range Rover Evoque. There was none of the thick black smoke you would expect with a diesel fire. Instead, the blaze was focused on the front left seat of the car under which – well, I never! – the lithium-ion battery happens to be located in some hybrid Range Rovers. The aftermath of the fire at Luton airport - John Robertson It’s not just cars. My gardener friend says he knows of two gazebos that burnt down when the battery pack powering their fairy lights burst into flames, causing third-degree burns to one owner. Such fires can be fatal. An e-bike left charging is believed to have caused the house fire that tore through a maisonette in Cambridge over the summer, killing a mother and her two young children. The London Fire Brigade (LFB) has warned that e-bike fires are up 60 per cent this year. Firefighters have been called to an e-scooter or e-bike fire every two days since the start of 2023. At least 12 people have died and a further 190 have been injured in suspected e-bike and e-scooter blazes in the UK since 2020. (Data from the London Fire Brigade for 2019 showed an incident rate of 0.04 per cent for petrol and diesel cars fires, while the rate for plug-in vehicles is more than double at 0.1 per cent) The LFB has even started a campaign called #ChargeSafe to alert people to the potential dangers of the bikes’ lithium-ion batteries. They say there is no smoke without fire, but vested interests are creating as much smoke as possible to obscure the cause of these fires, I reckon. Why? Well, meeting the notably insane and economically disastrous net zero target by 2050 is predicated on the UK giving up fossil fuels. Rishi Sunak recently pushed the ban on new petrol and diesel cars back to 2035, but even meeting that will require a huge number of us to switch to battery electric vehicles powered by lithium-ion batteries. What if those dense concentrations of electrochemical energy and lithium are prone to catching fire unexpectedly or exploding and the ensuing inferno is very hard to put out? To maintain the momentum in decarbonising transport, I would guess it’s rather convenient if that question doesn’t get answered. Someone who really does know the answer is Professor Peter Edwards. He holds the chair in inorganic chemistry at the University of Oxford and tells me he is extremely worried about the “real danger” posed to the public and emergency services by lithium-ion batteries which were developed by his predecessor in the chair, the late Professor John B Goodenough, the so-called “Father of the Lithium Battery”. “Lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles can develop unstoppable so-called ‘thermal runaway’ fires which burn uncontrollably,” says Prof Edwards. “As well as intense heat, during a battery fire, numerous toxic gases are emitted, such as hydrogen cyanide and hydrogen fluoride. The emission of these gases can be a larger threat than the heat generated.” Sounds really good for the atmosphere, doesn’t it? Just to add to the fun, Prof Edwards says a “potential catastrophe” awaits with all the large-scale lithium-ion battery storage sites sprouting up all over the country, especially on solar farms. “These are not normal fires,” he says of the recent blazes in electric vehicles. “They are triggered and fuelled by an internal chemical reaction that generates and releases a huge amount of heat and, in complete contrast to a conventional fossil fuel car, can continue without a supply of oxygen or indeed a visible flame. Furthermore, the large amount of stored electrical energy presents significant challenges in any attempt to mitigate these battery fires.” Basically, they’re a bugger to put out. One fire brigade used 20,000 gallons of water to bring a single EV fire under control. Imagine if an EV were to self-combust in the Channel Tunnel, in an underground car park or in the garage next to your house. It would be disastrous, so where is the official investigation into the safety of these vehicles? Silence. Prof Edwards believes there is a “concerted campaign” to demonstrate how safe EVs are, regardless of the evidence. “Official statements discounting any possibility of battery fires are issued in unwarranted haste after any such event. One has a clear feeling that any fatalities, injuries and environmental damage are seen as acceptable collateral damage for a transition to a renewable energy future.” Ironically, the Father of the Lithium Battery foresaw all this. When Prof Edwards was working with Prof Goodenough, he says his Oxford predecessor “did wonder whether safety issues with lithium might preclude the battery’s widespread adoption. Particularly so, given the fire brigade had been called to his laboratory to put out a lithium battery fire... nowadays politely called a thermal runaway event.” What a fiasco the whole electric car thing has become. Too few charging machines and then too many charging machines out of service, forcing people to drive around for a viable charging point, only to end up calling breakdown services for run-down batteries. The mileage the cars can do is a lot lower than advertised, unless you drive at 20mph (perfect in Wales, but hopeless everywhere else). The cars are too expensive, their second-hand value is risible, the batteries only last about 15 years and cost thousands to replace. If, that is, you get lucky and they don’t burst into flames first. Towards the end of his distinguished life, the Father of the Lithium Battery told colleagues in Oxford that he didn’t think a mass rollout was wise because of the considerable fire hazard. How lucky we are that our country’s entire future energy strategy isn’t riding on an invention that can explode at will and cause fires it’s impossible to put out…

Close this content, you can also use the Escape key at anytime Burning electric cars must be dunked in baths of water to stop fires spreading Noah Eastwood Mon, October 16, 2023 at 11:00 AM CDT·5 min read 1 Around 13pc of electric vehicle fires reignite, sometimes hours later, making the fires harder to extinguish than those of petrol or diesel cars - Pro Shots/Alamy Stock Photo Car park spaces should become wider and burning electric cars dunked in baths of water, under proposed government guidelines to prevent battery fires spreading out of control. Ministers have been told that battery-powered vehicles pose a medley of risks in indoor car parks, which could render 1960s-era fire safety laws dangerously out of date. Areas of concern addressed in a government-commissioned report included explosions of flammable vapour clouds emitted by electric vehicle batteries, as well as jets of fire and toxic water run-off from firefighting. The report, from consultancy Arup, which makes a series of recommendations for changes to fire safety rules, said that there was a “high degree of uncertainty” about data on the fire risks of electric cars and that it is “not yet understood” whether their batteries become more of a fire hazard with age. The report suggested that water used to tackle the blazes would need to be contained and treated at a plant before being released into sewage - News Scan The consultancy has previously advised the Government on a number of infrastructure issues, including how to replace lost fuel duty revenues from electric vehicles with toll roads and higher income tax. Solutions presented in the report included increased space between parked cars as well as greater distance between indoor car parks to manage the risk of fire spreading between cars and buildings. It said indoor and multi-story car parks should adopt larger parking bays to help firefighters reach burning vehicles, with one example in the report proposing a 90cm to 1.2 metre gap between vehicles. It comes as residents of a Labour-run council in London fight to block plans to build an electric bus garage under a development of thousands of new flats amid fears battery fires could cause a “volcano”. Fires in indoor car parks can cause widespread damage to other vehicles. The Luton Airport car park blaze, though not said to be caused by an electric vehicle, is estimated to have destroyed up to 1,500 cars. The report, published in July, goes on to detail how water used to put out burning electric cars is contaminated by toxic chemicals in lithium-ion batteries and can pose a “significant ecological impact” in some areas. It suggested that in these locations that water used to tackle blazes would need to be contained and treated at a plant before being released into sewage. On top of this, it warned that around 13pc of electric vehicle fires reignite, sometimes hours later and multiple times, adding the fires were harder to extinguish than those of petrol or diesel cars. Another risk identified by the report is flammable vapour clouds emitted by batteries during a chemical reaction known as “thermal runaway”, when a battery overheats, which are said to potentially result in flash fires, explosions and flaming jets. While petrol and diesel vehicle fires typically took five minutes to extinguish, electric vehicle fires can take as much as 49 minutes to put out, it said. It referred to examples trialled in China where burning electric vehicles had been put out by being submerged in external tanks and constructing mobile baths around electric cars to flood their batteries. It said that battery-powered cars did “not present an increased likelihood of fire” when compared to conventional fuel cars based on current data, but acknowledged that “as electric vehicles age and become more widely used [the] risk of fire may increase.” The report included responses from the National Fire Chief’s Council (NFCC), which advised of additional risks to firefighters due to potentially limited access to a burning vehicle in a car park. While the NFCC was said to be reviewing its approach to putting out electric car fires, new equipment to tackle electric blazes is still developing and “limited” in the UK, according to the report. Six electric buses were destroyed last May in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, after one caught fire - Twitter The majority of fire safety guidance for England’s car parks has not been “updated significantly” since the 1960s and may not fully reflect risks posed by modern cars, including electric cars, the report warned. Indoor car parks are common in urban areas and are frequently used to house vehicles in the basements of apartment complexes and at shopping centres and airports. Simon Tudor, director of London Fire Consultants, a fire safety risk assessor, said more research needs to be undertaken to bring fire safety laws up to modern standards. He said: “I think more guidance needs to be put into place with regards to charging points particularly with residential accommodation. “I don’t think we fully appreciate [that] technology is moving along. I don’t think I would like to try and attempt to fight a fire with a portable extinguisher on an electric vehicle. “Obviously you’ve got an increased risk with people sleeping in an apartment on top of car parks packed full of charging electric cars.” He added: “The high-risk areas are where you get a block of flats and you get an underground car park. “That’s going to have a detrimental effect if you don’t have detection”. He said that placing burning electric cars in tanks of water to put out fires was “going to be very difficult to do obviously in an underground car park”. A government spokesman said: “There is no evidence that electric vehicle fires are more likely to occur than petrol or diesel vehicle fires and it remains safe to have them in covered car parks. “This guidance is part of our commitment to keep fire prevention, fire detection and fire-fighting under review for all vehicles and provides the industry with best practice on how to keep car parks safe.”

As a boy he lived on the streets for years. Now he’s opened his home to kids as a single foster dad Faith Karimi, CNN Sat, October 14, 2023 at 6:56 AM CDT·10 min read 109 The nervous 11-year-old showed up at Peter Mutabazi’s doorstep around 3 a.m., wearing blue pajamas and a gray Batman blanket over his shoulders. He carried a duffel bag holding a sweater, a pair of sneakers and not much else. A social worker had called Mutabazi hours earlier to tell him about the boy, who had been abandoned at a hospital by his adopted parents and desperately needed a place to stay for the weekend. It was January 2017. Mutabazi wasn’t ready to take in more kids – he had just said goodbye to two foster siblings and needed time to regroup. Then he remembered what it’s like to feel scared, alone and unwanted. As a boy he fled an abusive home and lived on the streets of Kampala, Uganda, before a stranger paid his high school tuition, leading to a college scholarship and an eventual move to the US. “His adopted parents … never said goodbye or told him why,” said Mutabazi, who now lives in Charlotte, North Carolina. “So once I heard the story, I revisited my childhood running away. I was like, you know what? Bring him.” Within minutes of his arrival, Anthony asked Mutabazi if he could call him dad. “I said, ‘oh no, no, no. You’re just here for the weekend, so just call me Peter,’” Mutabazi says. But Anthony insisted. “He told me, ‘They said I can choose my dad since I’m 11 now, and I choose you.’” Anthony, who had been in the foster care system since he was a toddler, never left Mutabazi’s house that weekend as planned. Mutabazi adopted him in November 2019 and gave him his last name. Last month, Mutabazi adopted two more children: siblings who’d lived with him for three years. Isabella, 8, is the new boss of the house, he says, while Luke, 7, is a shy boy with a sweet smile. Theirs is an unconventional family – he is Black, and his adopted kids are White – but Mutabazi, 49, believes that love transcends racial differences. “I’m a girl dad now. Sometimes it feels surreal,” he says. “I look at them and I can’t believe that they are my kids, they have my last name. I can’t believe that this once homeless and hopeless person has now created this crazy family filled with love.” He’s a rarity in the foster parent community There were almost 400,000 children in foster care in the US in fiscal year 2021, according to the Department of Health and Human Services’ most recent statistics. Mutabazi is not married and belongs to a rare group – federal data shows that only about 3% of foster parents are single men. And as an immigrant and a Black man, Mutabazi is part of an even smaller subset within the foster parent community. Since becoming a foster father in 2016, he has hosted about three dozen kids of all races and cultures. Some of his foster children were reunited with their families, while others remain in his care. Mutabazi shares glimpses of his life as a foster dad with his 328,000 followers on Instagram to encourage other men to be active fathers and signal that a healthy family is based on love, not skin color, he says. After playing outside, Peter Mutabazi serves his foster kids ice cream in their Charlotte, North Carolina, home. - Sean Mcinnis/The Charlotte Observer/Zuma He blurs the faces of his foster kids to maintain their privacy. But to mark Luke and Isabella’s adoption, he posted a video of them slowly removing their sunglasses and revealing their faces to his followers for the first time. After he signed the adoption papers, the family had a dance party. Mutabazi currently has six kids in his home, including three foster children. His youngest foster child, who’s 2, is Luke and Isabella’s youngest sister. His five-bedroom home is unlike most bachelor pads. It’s a chaotic mix of squealing kids and two energetic dogs, Simba and Rafiki. Stuffed animals sit on white bunkbeds. Squiggly colorings adorn the fridge, and rooms are scattered with toys. Mutabazi says it’s not easy being a single dad and relies on a community of other foster parents to help. But he’d not have it any other way, he says. His afternoons and evenings are filled with school pickups, helping the kids with homework and teaching his now-teenage son how to drive. He prepares most of the family meals and has introduced his adopted children to traditional African foods. One of their favorites is chapati, a tortilla-like flat bread popular in East Africa and India. As a boy he survived on the street by carrying others’ groceries In his 2022 book, “Now I Am Known: How a Street Kid Turned Foster Dad Found Acceptance and True Worth,” Mutabazi details how he ran away from home at age 10 to escape a physically abusive parent. He lived on the streets of Kampala for five years and carried people’s groceries to their cars in exchange for money to buy food. At times, his only meal was a banana or an orange stolen from their shopping bags, he says. Then one day, a stranger asked him his name. Young Peter was stunned because it was the first time anyone had done that in his years of living on the streets, he says. The man enrolled him in a boarding school and essentially became his foster father, he says. Now Mutabazi says he wants to pay it forward by advocating for other children. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration at Makerere University in Kampala and later won a scholarship to study crisis management at Oak Hill College in London. Two decades ago, he moved to Santa Clarita, California, to study theology at Master’s University. Since then he’s worked for child advocacy organizations, including Compassion International and World Vision US, where he now serves as a senior child advocate. Instead of waiting for a spouse to start a family, Mutabazi decided to create his own – one that’s not defined by race or societal norms. “It does not make sense to waste those years while waiting,” he says. He gets questions from strangers as the adoptive father of White kids Mutabazi says he does not choose the kids he fosters and has opened his home to White, Latino, Native American and African American children. The related expenses can add up. In North Carolina, foster parents receive between $500 to $700 monthly per child depending on the child’s age, according to the group Fostering NC. As the adoptive father of three White children, it’s not unusual for people to ask his kids where their parents are when they’re out in public, he says. He recalled a recent incident when his children wanted to taste food samples at Costco. “The lady said, ‘Hey, I cannot feed you until you go get your dad or your parents. My kids are like, ‘but he’s right here,’ ” he says. “I asked her, If I was White, would you have asked the same thing?’ She said no, because I see White families with Black kids every day.’” Mutabazi gives his oldest son Anthony a haircut. "Simple things go a long way to show someone you see them and you care," he says. - Courtesy Peter Mutabazi Mutabazi says he carries paperwork to prove he’s their adopted father or foster parent everywhere he goes. He started doing that after people constantly called the police to report that they’ve seen a suspicious Black man with White children, he says. He hopes to change the narrative of what adoptive parents look like, he says, offering examples of Angelina Jolie, Madonna and other famous people who’ve adopted African children. “It’s considered natural for them, a noble cause,” while a Black man adopting White kids is seen as going against the system, he says. Mutabazi hopes his story encourages men of all races to be present for the kids who need them. He reminds his children over and over that they belong Mutabazi says one of the biggest challenges he faces as a foster father is trying to explain to the children why their parents are not coming for them. It’s heartbreaking to see them lose the dream of going back to their families, he says. “Not being able to say, ‘it’s going to be OK.’ When a child loses a mom or family member who’s still alive, and they ask you, ‘why can’t I see my mom?’, and you know the reason is – for example, drugs – and you can’t tell them, it’s hard. It’s pain you cannot carry for the child,” he says. All he can do, he says, is create an environment where the children feel safe and loved. He tries to be there for them every step of the way. Mutabazi says that overcoming his childhood trauma and becoming the father he wished he’d had is one of his biggest joys. He hopes it teaches his children that it’s OK to show your emotions and that they are loved unconditionally, even on their worst days. “That is what I needed the most and no one ever did for me. I was never held. As a kid, affection was never given to me. All I thought about was survival, survival, survival,” he says. Mutabazi, 49, poses in the kitchen of his Charlotte home. “I’m a girl dad now. Sometimes it feels surreal,” he says. - Sean Mcinnis/The Charlotte Observer/Zuma He says he wants his children, who come to him with their own traumas, to just enjoy being kids. One child psychiatrist says it’s crucial for foster parents to provide a stable environment and to fulfil the emotional needs of children under their care. “Foster parents can help by providing a home that is safe and predictable. The value of this basic foundation cannot be underestimated,” says Fleisher, medical director of the Boston Child Study Center in Los Angeles. At the same time, foster kids also need space to process feelings that they’re not ready to share, Fleisher says. “Successful foster parents provide love, emotional stability, patience, flexibility and use discipline as a tool for teaching, not shaming,” he says. Transracial adoptions – when parents adopt a child of a different race or ethnicity – have significantly gone up in the past two decades, experts say. Research on transracial adoptions shows that children of a different skin color than their parents can thrive in a loving home, Fleisher says. However, he notes, foster parents should consider incorporating cultural traditions and a social network from the community the child comes from. This is especially important for minority children who are fostered by White parents and need to learn how to navigate issues such as racism and other injustices. To remind his children that they are loved, Mutabazi writes affirming words in places around the house, including the fridge and a closet. “You are seen. You belong. You matter. You’re chosen. You’re not alone. You’re a gift. You’re loved,” these messages say. He’s also inscribed them on the bandanas that their dogs wear around their necks so that the kids can see them while they’re taking the dogs on walks. Mutabazi recalls a recent incident when Simba peed on the carpet, leaving him sighing in frustration as he cleaned up the mess. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Anthony was watching him. So he quickly checked himself and reassured Simba. He wanted to send a message to his son that nobody in the household – including the dogs – needed to be perfect to win his undying love and commitment. Anthony listened, then chimed in. “It’s OK Simba,” the teen told him. “You are loved. We are a family. You belong here.”

Close this content, you can also use the Escape key at anytime A Tesla owner says his 'heart missed a beat' when he received a $20,000 bill after the battery was damaged by rain Jyoti Mann Mon, October 16, 2023 at 5:14 AM CDT·2 min read 229 A Tesla-owning couple said they received a £17,374 bill, or $20,698, after their vehicle broke down. One of the owners, Johnny Bacigalupo, told Edinburgh Live that the bill was "absolutely obscene." They were told by a Tesla customer support rep that the battery was "damaged due to water ingress." A Tesla owner said he was "flabbergasted" when he and his partner were hit with a hefty bill to fix their electric vehicle. Johnny Bacigalupo and Rob Hussey told Scottish news outlet Edinburgh Live they were given a £17,374, or $20,698, bill to fix their Tesla after its battery was damaged by rain last week. "I honestly can't believe that this has happened. When I first got the call I thought we would get a bill for £500 or £1,000," Bacigalupo told Edinburgh Live. "When they said over 17 grand – it's absolutely obscene. My heart missed a beat, honestly." Elon Musk said in 2019 that it could cost between $5,000 and $10,000 to replace a Tesla battery, J.D. Power reported, noting that the figures are different in 2023. Recurrent, which reports on EV battery health, said battery replacement could cost anywhere from $5,000 to $20,000. After being unable to start their vehicle and arranging to have it delivered to Tesla Edinburgh by a collection firm, Bacigalupo and Hussey received a call on Wednesday informing them that the battery was "damaged due to water ingress." The 8-year warranty didn't cover this, and they were asked if they wanted to proceed with a repair costing $20,698. "Did I wish to proceed?? I was flabbergasted and couldn't really find my words," Bacigalupo said, who told the Tesla representative that the couple wasn't at fault. The outlet said it verified the bill via correspondence between Tesla and the couple and that it had seen an email from Tesla customer relations, which says it's investigating the complaint. A similar incident occurred last year when a Canadian Tesla owner was told it would cost $26,000 to get a replacement battery for his vehicle, Fox Business reported. The owner, Mario Zelaya, shared his experience in a TikTok video and said he was locked out of his Tesla Model S after the battery died. Zelaya said he eventually sold his Tesla after he spent $30 getting replacement ownership papers, which were locked in the vehicle. EV batteries can deteriorate at various rates depending on numerous factors, including how they were charged and the environment in which the vehicle was driven. Tesla Europe didn't immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. Read the original article on Business Insider

Threats in U.S. rising after Hamas attack on Israel, says FBI director ANDRES TRIAY, ROBERT LEGARE, JEFF PEGUES Updated October 15, 2023 at 8:16 PM Patrick Semansky / AP Threats in the U.S. have been rising, since Hamas invaded Israel a week ago, FBI Director Christopher Wray and FBI officials said Sunday in a rare phone briefing for reporters. "The threat is very much ongoing and in fact, the threat picture continues to evolve," Wray said. "Here in the U.S., we cannot and do not discount the possibility that Hamas or other foreign terrorist organizations could exploit the conflict to call on their supporters to conduct attacks on our own soil." He said that Jews and Muslims alike, as well as their institutions and houses of worship, have been threatened in the U.S. and told reporters that the bureau is "moving quickly to mitigate" the threats. Wray, in an address Saturday to the International Association of Chiefs of Police, also noted "an increase in reported threats" and in particular warned that "we've got to be on the lookout ... for lone actors who may take inspiration from recent events to commit violence of their own." He urged police chiefs to "stay vigilant" because as first responders, "you're often the first to see the signs that someone may be mobilizing to violence." Senior FBI officials said most of the threats are not credible, and some have been addressed. As Wray suggested, the bureau's biggest concern is a lone wolf-style assailant who is not on their radars. This type of threat is best addressed through tips from the public, the officials said. They told reporters that there have been threats against Muslim facilities as well as Jewish facilities. Threats against Muslim centers are up, although the level of antisemitic threats is also spiking. The FBI is working through Joint Terrorism Task Forces to mitigate threats and keep these communities safe, Wray said. The FBI director twice said that he was "horrified...by the brutality committed at the hands of Hamas" and said that countering terrorism is the bureau's No. 1 priority. "We will not tolerate violence motivated by hate and extremism, he said. Wray also said that the bureau's legal attaché office in Tel Aviv is working with Israeli and U.S. Embassy partners "to locate and identify all Americans who've been impacted in the region, including those who remain unaccounted for." He added that victim services specialists are working with victims and their families at home and abroad.

May take awhile but Hydrogen ICE vehicles will overtake EV's in the near future, it makes the most sense. https://www.energy.gov/articles/biden-harris-administration-announces-7-billion-americas-first-clean-hydrogen-hubs-driving

HOME ELECTRIC VEHICLES A shortage of these vital professionals is killing electric vehicles in America A lack of these essential workers can destroy dreams of electric cars in the U.S. James Ochoa Oct 13, 2023 4:36 PM EDT Running out of gas is a shared experience associated with car ownership. Whether drivers are stretching the distance between fill-ups or on a long road trip, the anxiety that comes when the fuel needle goes past “E” and the light turns on is too familiar. What can make the horror story worse is the terrible sight of a closed gas station, but, imagine if you cannot find an operational gas station for tens or hundreds of miles. Despite not fueled by fossil fuels, this sort of scenario is too familiar to electric car owners, as working EV charging locations can come few and far between and a new finding can make this horror story much worse than it already is. More From TheStreet [?] Discover Proven Quant Ratings for Successful Investing Action Alerts PLUS: Professional portfolio guidance to take control of your financial future. A very dire situation A user charges a new energy vehicle in Lianyungang City, Jiangsu Province, China, Oct 8, 2023. (Photo by Costfoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images) NurPhoto/Getty Images A report in Automotive News states that the EV charging network in the United States is in a lot of trouble. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, nearly 4,000 public EV charging stations with 7,000 ports were out of service as of early October, an outage rate of more than 6%. To try to work this out, both government and private entities are trying to make more chargers available to the EV driving public. Along with its push to make zero-emissions vehicles half of new vehicles sales by 2030, the Biden administration has called for the installation of 500,000 fast chargers throughout the U.S. In addition, the administration recently announced that it would provide $100 million in federal funds to repair and replace existing broken parts of the charging infrastructure. A group of carmakers consisting of BMW (BMWYY) , General Motors (GM) - Get Free Report, Honda (HMC) - Get Free Report, Hyundai (HYMTF) , Kia, Mercedes-Benz (DDAIF) and Stellantis (STLA) - Get Free Report also announced in July that they will be launching a joint electric vehicle charging network on highways and urban areas. Additionally, a growing list of carmakers like Kia and Hyundai have adapted to using the North American Charging System, or NACS plugs, which is compatible with the Tesla (TSLA) - Get Free Report supercharger network. The problem can only get worse A technician removes bubble wrap during the installation of a street-side electric vehicle (EV) charging station, operated by Qwello GmbH, in Frankfurt, Germany, on Thursday, Sept. 15, 2022. The German government has said it wants 1 million public charging points by 2030, the majority of which it wants to be fast charging points. Photographer: Alex Kraus/Bloomberg via Getty Images Bloomberg/Getty Images Despite all the promise of these shiny, new EV chargers, there is one crucial element missing from the pot – the people to install and maintain them. Matt Trout, president of Trout Electric, which specializes in the installation and service of EV chargers in Southern California, told Automotive News that finding qualified high-level electricians, known as journeymen, specifically ones trained on EV chargers, is a huge challenge. "If you came to me right now with a journeyman that's been in the EV charging industry for the last couple of years, he'd be hired on the spot," Trout said. Qmerit, a company that provides installation services for EV charging and other electrification technologies for homes and businesses, estimates that the country’s electrification push, including EV charging and solar panels will require at least 142,000 more certified electricians by the Biden Administration’s 2030 deadline. There is a strong demand for electricians, as clean energy in itself requires lots of them, but, the job is not easy to be qualified for. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, electricians need four to five years of apprenticeship experience before getting a license on top of having a certification to work on EV chargers. Even among the ranks of electricians, many do not carry the certification to install or fix EV chargers. According to an analysis by electrician training company ChargerHelp! and engineering organization SAE international, only 1,000 qualified electricians will handle 825,000 service request calls this year, or 825 calls per one person. By 2030, the industry needs 17,000 qualified electricians to take on 14 million service request calls they anticipate. Possible solutions 02 August 2023, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Rostock: Sebastian Schuh holds a charging plug for charging an electric bus at the new depot of Rostocker Straßenbahn AG (RSAG). Photo: Jens Büttner/dpa (Photo by Jens Büttner/picture alliance via Getty Images) picture alliance/Getty Images There is a slight sense of hope. Chargerhelp! and SAE are developing training certifications to add EV charging to the skills of electricians. Already, Chargerhelp! has trained more than 1,000 charger technicians since 2022 and anticipates to train more with the partnership with SAE. Chargerhelp! CEO Kameale Terry noted that software skills are needed on top of traditional electrician skills in this line of work. "If someone goes out to change the connector but doesn't understand the full breadth of the ecosystem, it's hard for them to know if changing that connector was good enough," Terry said. Lack of a reliable charging infrastructure is one of the reasons why EV adoption has been slow, with many skeptical buyers turning to hybrids as a result. Already, EV buyers face a steep price tag when buying their cars, and the lack of a working chargers can the experience much worse for everyone.

Hamas commander killed in Israeli drone strike NICOLA SMITH October 14, 2023 at 8:01 AM Israeli defence forces say they have killed the leader of Hamas’ air forces in an overnight air strike in the Gaza Strip - Getty Images Israeli defence forces have announced that they have killed the Hamas commander who led last weekend’s deadly terrorist attack on communities bordering the Gaza Strip. Israel’s air force announced that Ali Qadhi was eliminated with the help of intelligence agency Shin Bet in an air strike on a Hamas base. It also released a black and white aerial video of a massive explosion engulfing the compound where he was reportedly located. Qadhi had previously been arrested in 2005 for the abduction and killing of Israelis, but had been released as part of the Gilad Shalit hostage release deal. The deal was brokered in 2011 between Israel and Hamas to release Gilad Shalit – an Israeli soldier kidnapped and held captive for five years – in exchange for 1,027 mainly Palestinian and Arab-Israeli prisoners. Earlier on Saturday, the Israel Defence Forces said it had killed the leader of Hamas’ air forces in an overnight air strike in the Gaza Strip. Murad Abu Murad was killed in a bomb targeting the headquarters of the terrorist group’s aerial activities, reported the Times of Israel, citing the IDF. According to the Israeli security forces, Abu Murad “took a big part in directing terrorists during the massacre” last weekend, which began with a barrage of missiles and attackers who entered Israel from the air on hang gliders just after dawn. The Israeli Air Force confirmed the strike on Twitter, saying: “During the last day, fighter jets of the air force attacked the operational headquarters of the terrorist organisation Hamas, from where the organisation’s aerial activities were managed. “During the attack, Murad Abu Murad, the head of the air formation in Gaza City who took a large part and directed terrorists in the murderous attack on Saturday, was killed.”