cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/7731699

Archived version

Days of tension grip the Mediterranean, where an environmental disaster looms. In the Sicily Channel, the Russian methane tanker Arctic Metagaz drifts helplessly: a 277-meter colossus carrying over 60,000 tons of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and, according to reports, 900 tons of diesel fuel.

A genuine ticking time bomb that, if it were to explode, would cause a catastrophe. The vessel currently sits about 26 nautical miles from Linosa and roughly 39 from Lampedusa.

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The Arctic Metagaz methane tanker, which departed February 24 from Murmansk, Russia, was struck in the Mediterranean by a series of explosions occurring between March 3 and 4. Maltese authorities intervened promptly to rescue the crew of about 30 people, but the damaged cargo vessel remained without control.

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The Arctic Metagaz is reportedly part of the so-called “Russian shadow fleet,” a network of oil and methane tankers (operating through shell companies) used to transport Russian hydrocarbons while circumventing Western sanctions imposed after the invasion of Ukraine.

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As confirmed by Lampedusa and Linosa Mayor Filippo Mannino, the Italian Navy is monitoring the drifting cargo ship’s situation along with an anti-pollution vessel and a tugboat. Meanwhile, Maltese authorities have issued a navigation warning, recommending that vessels maintain at least a 5-mile distance from the drifting Arctic Metagaz.

In the event of a spill of 60,000 tons of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and 900 tons of diesel fuel, the scenario would be dramatic for the Mediterranean ecosystem, already compromised by plastic pollution and global warming. It would be extremely difficult to truly contain the damage from an environmental disaster of this magnitude.

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cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/7731699

Archived version

Days of tension grip the Mediterranean, where an environmental disaster looms. In the Sicily Channel, the Russian methane tanker Arctic Metagaz drifts helplessly: a 277-meter colossus carrying over 60,000 tons of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and, according to reports, 900 tons of diesel fuel.

A genuine ticking time bomb that, if it were to explode, would cause a catastrophe. The vessel currently sits about 26 nautical miles from Linosa and roughly 39 from Lampedusa.

...

The Arctic Metagaz methane tanker, which departed February 24 from Murmansk, Russia, was struck in the Mediterranean by a series of explosions occurring between March 3 and 4. Maltese authorities intervened promptly to rescue the crew of about 30 people, but the damaged cargo vessel remained without control.

...

The Arctic Metagaz is reportedly part of the so-called “Russian shadow fleet,” a network of oil and methane tankers (operating through shell companies) used to transport Russian hydrocarbons while circumventing Western sanctions imposed after the invasion of Ukraine.

...

As confirmed by Lampedusa and Linosa Mayor Filippo Mannino, the Italian Navy is monitoring the drifting cargo ship’s situation along with an anti-pollution vessel and a tugboat. Meanwhile, Maltese authorities have issued a navigation warning, recommending that vessels maintain at least a 5-mile distance from the drifting Arctic Metagaz.

In the event of a spill of 60,000 tons of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and 900 tons of diesel fuel, the scenario would be dramatic for the Mediterranean ecosystem, already compromised by plastic pollution and global warming. It would be extremely difficult to truly contain the damage from an environmental disaster of this magnitude.

...

cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/7708346

Archived version

Global arms trade is rising, driven largely by Russia’s war in Ukraine and growing tensions with China, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

The report, Trends in international arms transfers 2025 (opens pdf), said global arms transfers rose 9.2 per cent over the past five years compared to the previous period.

Ukraine became the world’s top arms importer after Russia’s invasion four years ago, jumping to 9.7 per cent of global purchases, from 0.1 per cent.

Across Europe, arms imports more than tripled, with about half of those weapons coming from the U.S.

In Asia, India ranked second worldwide at 8.2 per cent in arms imports, fuelled by border tensions with China and Pakistan.

China is also a major exporter, sending more than half of its weapons to Pakistan while planning to increase its own military spending this year by about seven percent.

...

cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/7708346

Archived version

Global arms trade is rising, driven largely by Russia’s war in Ukraine and growing tensions with China, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

The report, Trends in international arms transfers 2025 (opens pdf), said global arms transfers rose 9.2 per cent over the past five years compared to the previous period.

Ukraine became the world’s top arms importer after Russia’s invasion four years ago, jumping to 9.7 per cent of global purchases, from 0.1 per cent.

Across Europe, arms imports more than tripled, with about half of those weapons coming from the U.S.

In Asia, India ranked second worldwide at 8.2 per cent in arms imports, fuelled by border tensions with China and Pakistan.

China is also a major exporter, sending more than half of its weapons to Pakistan while planning to increase its own military spending this year by about seven percent.

...

Archived version

Global arms trade is rising, driven largely by Russia’s war in Ukraine and growing tensions with China, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

The report, Trends in international arms transfers 2025 (opens pdf), said global arms transfers rose 9.2 per cent over the past five years compared to the previous period.

Ukraine became the world’s top arms importer after Russia’s invasion four years ago, jumping to 9.7 per cent of global purchases, from 0.1 per cent.

Across Europe, arms imports more than tripled, with about half of those weapons coming from the U.S.

In Asia, India ranked second worldwide at 8.2 per cent in arms imports, fuelled by border tensions with China and Pakistan.

China is also a major exporter, sending more than half of its weapons to Pakistan while planning to increase its own military spending this year by about seven percent.

...

cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/7707718

Archived version

• Australia's first GMLRS missile production facility opened at Port Wakefield, South Australia in March 2026, marking the first facility outside the US to produce these precision-guided weapons.
• The facility is part of a $21 billion investment in guided weapons manufacturing aimed at building sovereign capability and strengthening deterrence in the Indo-Pacific.
• Plans target 4,000 missiles annually by 2029, with complementary Naval Strike Missile production beginning in NSW in 2027.
• The strategic implications extend beyond military hardware to supply chain resilience and reduced vulnerability to disruptions during regional conflict.

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The GMLRS is a precision-guided munition used by the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), with a range exceeding 70 kilometres. Unlike conventional rockets, it features control actuation systems that allow mid-flight course correction, providing the accuracy required for extended-range strikes. From a national security perspective, developing and manufacturing these weapons domestically represents a fundamental shift in how Australia approaches defence production.

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The Port Wakefield facility, ... represents the first phase of a much larger enterprise. The current phase is a risk-reduction activity certifying manufacturing processes, training protocols, equipment, and assembly techniques. Parts are currently sourced from the United States, but Australian industry is already preparing to manufacture components domestically. Moog Australia has been contracted to develop the control actuation system, a critical component that enables the missile's guidance and flight control. This partnership signals the government's commitment to building a deep supply chain within Australia rather than simply assembling imported components.

...

Archived version

• Australia's first GMLRS missile production facility opened at Port Wakefield, South Australia in March 2026, marking the first facility outside the US to produce these precision-guided weapons.
• The facility is part of a $21 billion investment in guided weapons manufacturing aimed at building sovereign capability and strengthening deterrence in the Indo-Pacific.
• Plans target 4,000 missiles annually by 2029, with complementary Naval Strike Missile production beginning in NSW in 2027.
• The strategic implications extend beyond military hardware to supply chain resilience and reduced vulnerability to disruptions during regional conflict.

...

The GMLRS is a precision-guided munition used by the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), with a range exceeding 70 kilometres. Unlike conventional rockets, it features control actuation systems that allow mid-flight course correction, providing the accuracy required for extended-range strikes. From a national security perspective, developing and manufacturing these weapons domestically represents a fundamental shift in how Australia approaches defence production.

...

The Port Wakefield facility, ... represents the first phase of a much larger enterprise. The current phase is a risk-reduction activity certifying manufacturing processes, training protocols, equipment, and assembly techniques. Parts are currently sourced from the United States, but Australian industry is already preparing to manufacture components domestically. Moog Australia has been contracted to develop the control actuation system, a critical component that enables the missile's guidance and flight control. This partnership signals the government's commitment to building a deep supply chain within Australia rather than simply assembling imported components.

...

cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/7468087

In stark contrast to Russian expectations of a walkover in February 2022, the full-scale invasion, the largest conflict in Europe since World War II, has turned out to be one of the slowest-moving military campaigns in history, the Estonian Defence Forces (EDF) Intelligence Center has stated in an overview.

Archived version

In stark contrast to Russian expectations of a walkover in February 2022, the full-scale invasion, the largest conflict in Europe since World War II, has turned out to be one of the slowest-moving military campaigns in history, the Estonian Defence Forces (EDF) Intelligence Center has stated in an overview.

In order to turn things around, Russia will have to take steps even more unpopular with its people than its mobilization efforts have already been, the report added.

At the same time, while Russia has far from achieved its strategic goals in its invasion of Ukraine, drones have rendered the front both more hazardous and unprecedentedly transparent, the overview went on.

Also noteworthy has been Ukraine's successes in longer-range strikes inside Russian territory, including when using its own Flamingo cruise missiles.

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"This week marks four years since the moment when the Russian Federation launched a full-scale war against Ukraine with the aim of demilitarizing Ukraine, replacing the Ukrainian government, and turning Ukraine into a Russian-controlled puppet state in which all key decisions would be made in Moscow. In total, the war in Ukraine has lasted 12 years," the intelligence center wrote in its overview of the situation on the front line.

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In purely military terms, the intelligence center said Russia's advances have been highly limited, and in some aspects Russia's situation at the start of the fifth year of the full-scale war is even worse than it was before 2022.

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The intelligence center added that in 2025 Russia's armed forces were recruiting 30,000 to 35,000 men each month, most of whom were used to replace frontline losses. "By the end of the fourth year of the full-scale war this recruitment model began to exhaust itself, and Russia has created the possibility of calling reservists into service and using them in military operations outside Russia's borders. In essence, this amounts to creating the conditions for concealed and gradual mobilization. Considering Russia's economic slowdown and other problems, the mobilization and deployment of reservists in the war in Ukraine could further increase internal tensions in Russia," was the intelligence center's assessment.

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cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/7374014

Archived version

In the bustling world of tech, where cutting-edge innovation is the lifeblood of progress, few people realize the critical role a humble Japanese food giant plays in powering the latest AI revolution. Ajinomoto, a company best known for its umami-rich flavor enhancers and instant noodle broths, has quietly become an indispensable player in the global semiconductor industry.

Behind the scenes of every state-of-the-art Nvidia AI processor, behind the meticulously engineered clean rooms of TSMC and other chipmakers, lies a fragile industrial secret: an ultra-specialized insulating film, produced almost entirely by Ajinomoto. This unsung material, known as Ajinomoto Build-up Film (ABF), has become the invisible backbone of the AI revolution, enabling the cutting-edge performance and energy efficiency that powers today’s most advanced neural networks.

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Many of the businesses had either observed strikes or expressed support online for the nationwide protests.

Iranian authorities have shut down a number of privately owned businesses in the wake of deadly nationwide protests last month, even as the country’s cratering economy is hitting people and businesses hard and its government pursues a fraught diplomatic path with the United States.

Neither police nor judicial authorities have elaborated on why the businesses, most of them popular gathering spots in central and northern Tehran for young Iranians, have been shut down.

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But many of the businesses had either observed strikes or expressed support online in the form of Instagram stories for the nationwide protests that started at the end of December.

Dozens of small and medium-sized businesses – including restaurants, cafes and roasteries, art galleries and ice cream shops – have been closed over recent days by a police authority tasked with overseeing public spaces.

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Archived version

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In tsarist days, legend has it that Prince Yusupov fed cyanide to Rasputin in cakes and a glass of Madeira wine, hoping to kill him. When that failed, Rasputin was shot in the head. Today’s toxins are more terrifying — and their use by the state a powerful deterrent to Putin’s opponents.

Who can forget the haunting images of Alexander Litvinenko, the Russian defector and Putin critic, as he lay in bed suffering an agonising death in London in 2006 after drinking a cup of tea laced with radioactive polonium-210?

“It sends a very clear message: ‘If you screw with us terrible things will happen,’” says a security source. “The message is not only that the state can kill, but that it can do so without ever admitting it has done anything at all.”

Nor is poison the only method favoured for its ambiguity. In recent years a striking number of Russian officials, business figures and critics of the Kremlin have died after falling from windows or balconies — deaths routinely described as suicides. Like poisoning, defenestration offers deniability without subtlety: a violent end that leaves no obvious weapon, no clear perpetrator and just enough uncertainty to smother accountability.

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cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/7237606

Archived version

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David Stern accompanied Andrew on his publicly funded visit to Hong Kong and the Chinese city of Shenzhen in October 2010. The German citizen was a trusted business contact of Epstein’s at the time of the trip, which took place years before he was appointed to manage two different organisations connected to the royal family.

The visit is a key part of Thames Valley police’s scrutiny of Andrew’s time as UK special trade representative between 2001 and 2011. The force is assessing claims that Andrew forwarded reports from his trips to southeast Asia and Afghanistan to Epstein and whether there are grounds for an investigation into allegations of a criminal offence of misconduct in public office

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Stern was so close to Epstein, who he referred to as his “boss”, that he asked the paedophile to be his child’s godfather.

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Court Circular records show Andrew met the executive vice-president of Huawei, the Chinese telecoms company, and had dinner at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel with “British and Shenzhen businesses” in Shenzhen. In Hong Kong, he attended a lunch given by the British Chamber of Commerce and met the British consul-general.

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Though Andrew lost his role as trade envoy because of his ties to Epstein in early 2011, in October that year Stern wrote again to Epstein that he was going to China with “PA”, understood to be Prince Andrew. He said: “Most meetings by now are organised by me except mayors and governors,” he said. “I stay in the background/hidden. Just make the arrangements.”

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On April 23, 2017, [Stern] emailed Epstein about a dinner in May at Windsor Castle with “50 top Chinese” businessmen and women, including Pony Ma of Tencent and Yang Huiyan, who Stern described as the “wealthiest woman in Asia, age 36”.

“Plus top UK and other guests,” Stern wrote.

Stern stepped down from his role at St George’s House in November 2022. He is now based in Abu Dhabi, according to Companies House.

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