WAR IS A RACKET: AFTER 17 YEARS AND BILLIONS WASTED, US SEEKS PEACE WITH TALIBAN

WAR IS A RACKET: AFTER 17 YEARS AND BILLIONS WASTED, US SEEKS PEACE WITH TALIBAN (Source Zero Hedge) Afghanistan, long acknowledged to be America’s “forgotten war”, has finally returned to the news of late. But this time, in a shocking twist on the now 17-year long conflict, the US is negotiating with the Taliban.

As Daniel McAdams explains, last week US State Department officials met with Taliban leaders in Qatar. At the request of the Taliban, the US-backed Afghan government was not invited. The officials discussed ceasefires and an end to the war. Meanwhile, the US inspector general charged with monitoring US spending on Afghanistan reconstruction has reported that since 2008, the US has completely wasted at the least $15.5 billion. Could we be witnessing the very beginning stages of a negotiated face-saving exit from this nearly two decade long American quagmire in central Asia?

 

This August’s Perseid meteor shower is set to be phenomenal, thanks to a moonless sky

This August’s Perseid meteor shower is set to be phenomenal, thanks to a moonless sky (Source countryliving.com) The Perseids are one of the brightest meteor showers of the year, but the annual display is set to be even more dazzling this summer. The spectacular show occurs when the Earth moves through the trail of material left behind by the comet Swift-Tuttle. It’s loved by astronomers for being one of the most active meteor showers and although bad weather can interfere with visibility, experts expect the 2018 Perseids to be particularly special, thanks to a moonless sky. “The Perseid meteor shower is one of the more impressive showers over the course of the year, as it peaks with a rate up to 100 meteors per hour,” Royal Observatory astronomer Gregory Brown told Country Living. “This year, the peak of the shower coincides with the new moon phase, meaning there will be very little light from the moon interfering with your view.” The shower will last for most of August, but for optimal viewing, look up at the sky when the Perseids reach their peak on the nights of 12th and 13th of the month. Stargazers will need to find a dark sky location and be prepared to be patient – it takes around half an hour for eyes to adjust to the dark.

Eclipse 2018: When is the August partial solar eclipse? Where will the eclipse be visible?

Eclipse 2018: When is the August partial solar eclipse? Where will the eclipse be visible? (Source express.co.uk)

Sky-watchers are being treated to the third eclipse of the summer later this August, having already witnessed a partial solar eclipse on Friday, July 13 and a total lunar eclipse on the night of Friday, July 27. The upcoming partial solar eclipse will take place just 15 days after the breathtaking Blood Moon, and will peak in the morning hours of Saturday, August 11. During the eclipse, the so-called New Moon will partially pass in front of the Sun, obscuring as much as 65 percent of the star in certain parts of the world. Unfortunately, not everyone around the globe gets to witness an eclipse, whether it be partial or total, lunar or solar. The Moon’s shadow cast by the Sun over the Earth is not very big which means only a select number of places get to see a solar eclipse. During a lunar eclipse, the shadow cast by Earth on the Moon is much bigger and lunar eclipses can be seen from more locations at the same time. So when is the August partial solar eclipse and who can see it this month? The solar eclipse will feature on the dayside of Earth in the upper reaches of the Northern Hemisphere, which might make it a tough spot for many stargazers closer to the equator. The eclipse is expected to start 8.02am Universal Time (4.02am EST) before peaking at 6.46am EST and ending around 7.30am EST. The eclipse will pass over swathes of North and East Asia, brushing against Scandinavia in Europe, Iceland, Greenland and the icy regions of Canada around Nunavut and the Northwest Passage.  For better views of the eclipse from Europe you would have to find yourself in the Northern Ruija Region of Norway, also known as Finnmark, will see up to 20 percent of eclipse coverage. The International Astronomical Union’s Working Group on Solar Eclipses said in a statement: “The August 11, 2018, partial solar eclipse will be visible from the northernmost parts of the world.

Global Fires and Droughts: The Media Cover-up of Climate Change

Global Fires and Droughts: The Media Cover-up of Climate Change (Source globalresearch.ca)

The consequences in terms of heat waves, fires, droughts, storms, floods, human lives and devastation of nature are everywhere. From Japan to Sweden, Oman to Texas and California, a global heat wave is setting records, igniting wildfires, and killing hundreds. The south-central region is home to the highest temperatures in the U.S. this week, with nearly 35 million people living under excessive heat warnings issued by the National Weather Service. Temperatures are expected to be in the triple digits across Texas this weekend, marking the most severe heat wave in the state since 2011. The Texas heat has already led to record-breaking days for the Texas power grid twice this week. Things aren’t any better elsewhere in the region, with heat indexes in Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana reaching up to 110 degrees. Dozens are dead in Japan from record-setting, long duration extreme heat event. Across the globe in Kyoto, Japan, Thursday marked the seventh straight day of temperatures that exceeded 100 degrees, breaking all known records for the ancient capital city. At least 30 people have died in Japan during the heat wave, which has complicated rescue efforts following floods and landslides that killed more than 200 in western Japan earlier this month. On Thursday alone ten people died and 2,605 people were sent to hospitals in Tokyo due to heat, the Japan Times reports. The day before, Tokyo rescue workers set a record by responding to more than 3,000 emergency calls.

In Sweden, the Arctic Circle is on fire. High temperatures and a prolonged drought have caused 49 fires to ignite across Sweden, with temperatures reaching 90 degrees as far north as the Arctic Circle this week. According to the Washington Post, temperatures in Scandinavia typically settle in the 60s and 70s this time of year, meaning the current heat wave is making things around 20 degrees hotter than normal. In Quebec, more than 90 people were killed by extreme heat in early July. An Algerian city earlier this month broke the record for the highest temperature ever in Africa when it hit 124.3 degrees.  The current heatwave has been caused by an extraordinary stalling of the jet stream wind, which usually funnels cool Atlantic weather over the continent. This has left hot, dry air in place for two months – far longer than usual. The stalling of the northern hemisphere jet stream is being increasingly firmly linked to global warming, in particular to the rapid heating of the Arctic and resulting loss of sea ice.

Iran to launch MAJOR military exercise in Gulf in DAYS to respond to Trump THREATS

Iran to launch MAJOR military exercise in Gulf in DAYS to respond to Trump THREATS (Source foxnews.com)

IRAN is set to launch a major military exercise in the Gulf in the coming days according to US officials, who warned of a marked increase in Iranian activity. The Middle Eastern nation is set to move forward its annual military drills amid increased tensions with the US and fierce threats from President Donald Trump. Navy Captain Bill Urban, chief spokesman at Central Command, said: “We are aware of the increase in Iranian naval operations within the Arabian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and Gulf or Oman. “We are monitoring it closely, and will continue to work with our partners to ensure freedom of navigation and the free flow of commerce in international waterways.” The Central Command confirmed they had noticed increased Iranian activity in regions such as the Strait of Hormuz, which is a strategic waterway for oil exports around the world from the Middle East. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani threatened to disrupt oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz if renewed US sanctions continue to strangle Iran’s oil sales.