Bulletins and News Discussion from March 4th to March 10th, 2024 - The Coalition of Losers - COTW: Pakistan

2023 was the worst year so far for migrant deaths on land and sea routes, with over 8500 migrants killed.^AN

A study reveals there have been increasingly frequent and large mass mortality events in farmed salmon since 2012, which will obviously impact both the salmon farming profits and the food supply of those who depend on salmon.^MP

The US has sent Israel over 100 weapon shipments in the last 150 days.^SP There are 1 million cases of infectious disease in Gaza.^SP

Ministers from EU countries agreed to jointly quit the 1998 Energy Charter Treaty, which allows energy companies to sue governments over policies that damage their investments. The decision now goes to the European Parliament; the EU assembly has previously urged it to leave the treaty.^B

Italy is conducting a study on how and whether nuclear energy could be used to help with the energy transition; Italy shut down its last nuclear power plant in 1990 following a referendum, and another referendum in 2011 also shot down an attempt to make nuclear 25% of the energy mix by 2030.^E

Slovakia is being left out of European Ukraine meetings due to their "pro-Russian" stance.^E

The Alliance of Sahel States, consisting of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, has announced a joint military force to fight terrorism.^AN

A major oilfield has been discovered off the coast of Cote d'Ivoire by Italy's Eni, with 1.5 billion barrels of oil equivalent. If exploited, this would turn the Cote d'Ivoire into one of Africa's top ten oil producers.^RT

A brief history and analysis of Senegalese politics to the present day, in the context of the recent protest movement against Micky Sall, who tried to postpone elections (and this decision was rejected by the Constitutional Court).^ROAPE He then backed down and announced that the election will be held on March 24th.^RT

Nigeria's foreign minister has announced that they are applying for BRICS membership.^RT

Mauritania and the EU have signed a migration deal wherein Mauritania is given $230 million in order to crack down on migration towards Europe; the route from Mauritania to the Canary Islands is among the deadliest routes in the world.^AN An article on Mauritanian revolutionary activism.^ROAPE

An article on neoliberalism in Uganda.^ROAPE

An article on African uranium mining and future potential, plus nuclear power plants.^RT

Azerbaijan has begun demolishing the Nagorno Karabakh parliament building, as the disputed territory no longer exists as of January 2024.^BNE

Egyptians in the Mediterranean area of Ras el-Hekma are unhappy about a $35 billion deal with the UAE which would turn the peninsula into a tourist hub, with the threat of forced eviction and endless legal battles.^MEE

Saudi Arabia is trying to attract Russian tourists via a deal with Yandex.^BNE

Iran has confiscated $50 million worth of American crude oil seized from a tanker in April 2023.^BNE

Kazakhstan's oil exports are increasing, but total revenues are falling due to flagging prices. Additionally, because much of Russia's oil goes through Kazakhstan to get to China, there are risks of anti-Russia sanctions impacting Kazakhstan's ability to transport their own oil too.^EN

The Indian farmer protests continue after suspending the strike at the end of February after a farmer was killed in a protest. State repression has been amping up and talks between the unions and the government have broke down frequently.^B

Mongolia has launched its first satellites, built by Ondo Space. They were launched aboard a SpaceX rocket, and discussions are taking place with SpaceX to next launch a high-orbit national satellite.^BNE

In 2023, over a million Sri Lankans were cut off from the electricity grid due to IMF austerity measures; in 2022, this was 250,000, and in 2021, "just" 94,000.^WSWS

Russia and China are considering putting a nuclear power plant on the moon from 2033-35, to provide power to future lunar settlements.^E

Taiwan's export growth is sputtering, growing by just 1.3% in February in its fourth month of consecutive gains. Over 2023, exports were considerably worse, so it's still an improvement overall, and their position as the world's chip factory is still undisputed as China and the US catch up, but even so - problems are far from over.^SCMP

Grocery bills are taking the largest proportion of American paychecks in 30 years, and the same amount of food cost 23% more at the end of 2023 compared to 2021.^MR

The largest wildfire in Texas' history has burned over 1.3 million acres of land.^ICN It was started by a powerline pole that had decayed at the base, and spread due to unseasonably high temperatures and 60 mph winds. Two people were killed, thousands of livestock perished, and 500 structures were destroyed.^G

Panama has ordered Doctors Without Borders to suspend activities in the Darien, the jungle through which thousands of migrants cross to reach the United States. Hundreds of people will suffer and/or die because of this decision.^TS

Trinidad and Tobago is experiencing its worst drought in many years, and water-saving measures are being enacted.^TS Namibia is also experiencing a drought and severe water shortages, with dams at critically low levels.^TS

The Communist Party of Chile has been accused of kidnapping a former Venezuelan military officer who sought asylum in Chile in 2017, and the right-wing is basically demanding that all communists in public sector jobs should resign because of it, which is a bizarre claim and ask even in the context of anti-communist hysteria.^PW

As dengue fever massively surges in Brazil, they are so far reliant on Japan-produced vaccines (with only 3.3 million available), though Brazilian vaccines are under development and will hopefully be ready in 2025.^S Brazil has become the world's largest exporter of soybeans, corn, coffee, sugar, orange juice, beef, and chicken meat, and second-largest of ethanol and cotton. This all feeds nearly a billion people worldwide.^MP