Tuesday, July 19, 2022

Why do Britain’s roads melt and its rails buckle in heat?

Some countries have designed their transport infrastructure for wider extremes of weather – but that comes at a cost

Stranded rail passengers wait at Alnmouth station on Monday after to track failure caused by the heatwave. — Stranded passengers wait at Alnmouth station, Northumberland, on Monday after rail failure caused by the heatwave. Photograph: Xinhua/Rex/Shutterstock

Extreme temperatures have led to widespread problems and disruption on Britain’s railways, with trains running at slow speeds and mainlines closed. Airport runways and some roads have also shown they can be susceptible to heat.

Railways

Steel rails expand and tend to buckle in the heat – whatever the climate. According to Network Rail, railways worldwide are designed to operate within a 45C (113F) range, according to the local conditions. In the UK, steel rails are “pre-stressed” to summer temperatures of 27C, whereas in countries with hotter climates, rails are pre-stressed to higher temperatures.

Sleepers and ballast must keep the rails in place in the British winter and summer. When the temperature hits 40C, rails can reach 60C and expand and buckle. A train travelling fast over rails can hasten that process through the heat caused by friction, and could be in more danger should buckling occur – hence the widespread speed restrictions.

The overhead wires on electrified routes also expand and sag in the heat, and contract in cold weather. Engineers have solutions, with the tension automatically mitigated by a pulley system. But eventually the counterweights hit the ground and wires sag – making them more likely to be tangled in a pantograph, the device on top of the train that draws power from the lines.

Roads

Motorways and strategic roads are built with modified asphalt surfaces that – so far – should not start melting, being resilient past 60C, or an equivalent air temperature of 40C, according to National Highways. However, basic asphalt materials used on local roads – the vast majority – can start to soften at temperatures of 50C. At that point, Prof Xiangming Zhou, the head of civil and environmental engineering at Brunel University, says: “The road can get soft and greasy, and it is difficult for cars to brake.” This is why councils have put gritting lorries, more usually employed in icy weather, on standby to coat roads in sand and dust. Tarmac and asphalt are cheaper and less abrasive to tyres than some materials, he says, but as they are black they tend to heat more quickly in baking sun

About 4% of Britain’s roads are built from concrete, which is more popular abroad for highways and motorways and can be more resilient, but is not immune to problems of extreme temperatures, as the closure of the A14 shows. The dual carriageway near Cambridge had been built with asphalt over old concrete slabs that expanded and buckled in the heat, creating a bump sufficient to close the road overnight for emergency repairs.

Rick Green, the chair of the Asphalt Industry Alliance, says that for a road to cope with all temperatures is “a significant challenge for design engineers”. In extremely high temperatures the surface “doesn’t melt, but the bitumen in it can soften”, “heightening the risk of deformation”.

Airport runways

Again, some can be concrete – but Luton’s asphalt was the problem once temperatures soared into the mid-30s, says Zhou. In the airport’s words, “high surface temperatures caused a small section to lift” – a buckle in the runway that engineers fixed within hours, but that still caused major disruption to passengers. Whereas local roads are often shaded by trees and houses, runways are fully exposed and under further heat stress from aircraft landing and taking off. Repairs and maintenance are frequent.

Heathrow, which was even hotter than Luton on Monday, also had a runway issue last week, when overnight repair work did not finish in time for planes to land. However, it has two runways and was not forced to stop operations.

So what is the solution?

Network Rail is already spending hundreds of millions of pounds annually on climate change mitigation. Most of it, however, is to counteract erosion or damage through rainfall or storms. Future infrastructure could be gauged to a warmer climate – but then it could be more prone to failure and cracking in cold winter weather when rails contract. Some track materials, such as concrete sleepers, are more resilient at broader ranges of temperature and conditions – and significantly more expensive.

Rails are already painted white in critical spots to combat heat. Countries with extremes of weather carry out much wider seasonal adjustments to track, which is time-consuming and costly. Air-conditioning was not a standard feature of older trains still running. Resilience will become an economic and political choice – and it may be that a few days of outages for heat each year is seen as preferable to the bill for modifications.

AOC and Other Lawmakers Arrested for Supreme Court Protest

‘STAY TUNED’

At least 16 Democratic lawmakers were arrested by U.S. Capitol Police for “blocking traffic” during an abortion rights demonstration outside the Supreme Court.

Justin Baragona
Media Reporter
Updated Jul. 19, 2022

Twitter/@andrewsolender

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and over a dozen other Democratic lawmakers were arrested on Tuesday by U.S. Capitol Police for participating in an abortion rights protest outside the U.S. Supreme Court.

According to the Capitol Police, the protesters were breaking the law by blocking traffic and were given several warnings. When demonstrators did not heed the warnings and refused to leave the street, they began making arrests and eventually cleared the demonstration.

According to the department, 34 arrests were made for the local charge of Crowding, Obstructing or Incommoding. The police also noted that 16 members of Congress were included in the arrest number. The lawmakers are expected to be released and fined.

When reached for comment, the Capitol Police told The Daily Beast they would tweet out all the info on the arrests and encouraged “the press to reach out to a Member’s office for any comments about a Member of Congress.”

Outside of Ocasio-Cortez, who has been outspoken about protesting against the Supreme Court’s recent ruling that overturned the federal right to abortion, other progressive members of the so-called Squad were also detained by police following the demonstration.

A member of Rep. Cori Bush’s office posted a video of the Missouri lawmaker getting led away by police alongside Ocasio-Cortez, Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN).

“St. Louis sent me to Congress to do everything in my power to protect our rights and improve our lives. That’s why I’m fighting with everything I’ve got for my community,” Bush later said in a statement, adding: “Today was not the first day I’ve put my body on the line for our freedom, and I’m willing to do it again. As I’ve said before, we need to be doing everything in our power to secure reproductive justice and access to abortion.”

Omar also shared a video of her arrest on Twitter, which she described as taking place “while participating in a civil disobedience action with” her fellow lawmakers.

“I will continue to do everything in my power to raise the alarm about the assault on our reproductive rights!” she added with an emoji of a raised fist.

“Civil disobedience has always been part of our history and fight for change. This moment and the fight for women’s and reproductive rights calls for it,” Tlaib declared in a statement. “The fight is far from over and we must push forward with bold action to protect and preserve our rights. We won’t back down.”

Ocasio-Cortez’s office also posted a video of the New York congresswoman being arrested and led away by law enforcement, noting that she was “protesting in support of abortion rights.”

Other arrested members of Congress, according to reporters on the scene, included Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA), assistant House Speaker Rep. Katherine Clark (D-MA), and Rep. Andy Levin (D-MI), among others.

The Center for Popular Democracy Action, which held the civil disobedience action alongside the lawmakers, noted that over 150 protesters took part in the demonstration.

“Today, the CPDA network and Democratic members of Congress sent a powerful message to Republican lawmakers and SCOTUS: we will not back down,” said CPDA Co-Executive Director Analilia Mejia said.

Protesters arrested outside the Supreme Court were taken to an outside containment unit nearby, which featured a green-bandana-clad Levin telling the press that the Senate filibuster should be abolished so that Roe v. Wade could be codified.

(Green has become the color of the abortion rights movement.)

Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), another lawmaker who was arrested, told Axios after the protest that there “is no democracy if women do not have control over their own bodies and decisions about their own health, including reproductive care.”

Speier, meanwhile, suggested that Democratic lawmakers could take part in additional demonstrations. “Stay tuned,” she said.

US House to vote to protect interracial and same-sex marriage

American concerns grow over freedoms after Supreme Court removed federal right to abortion

US House judiciary committee chairman Jerry Nadler leads a hearing

Jul 19, 2022

Beta V.1.0 - Powered by automated translation

The US House is set to vote to protect same-sex and interracial marriages, a direct confrontation with the Supreme Court, whose conservative majority in overturning Roe v Wade abortion access has sparked concerns that other rights enjoyed by countless Americans may be in jeopardy.

Tuesday’s vote in the House is part political strategy setting up an election-year roll call that will force all politicians, Republicans and Democrats, to go on the record with their views on the high-profile social issue.

It is also part of the legislative branch asserting its authority, pushing back against an aggressive court that appears intent on revisiting many settled US laws.

“As this Court may take aim at other fundamental rights, we cannot sit idly by,” Representative Jerrold Nadler, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said in a statement.

While the Respect for Marriage Act is expected to pass the House, it is almost certain to stall in the Senate, where most Republicans would surely block it.

It is one of several bills, including those enshrining abortion access, that Democrats are pushing to confront the court’s conservative majority. Another bill, guaranteeing access to contraceptive services, is set for a vote later this week.

The Respect for Marriage Act would repeal a leftover law still on the books from the Clinton-era that defines marriage as a heterogeneous relationship between man and woman.

It would also provide legal protection for interracial marriages by prohibiting any state from denying out-of-state marriage licences and benefits on the basis of sex, race, ethnicity or national origin.

The 1996 law, the Defence of Marriage Act, had basically been sidelined by Obama-era court rulings, including Obergefell v Hodges, which established the right of same-sex couples to marry nationwide, a landmark case for gay rights.

But last month, in doing away with the Roe v Wade constitutional right to an abortion, the conservative court majority put in place during the Donald Trump era left critics concerned there may be more to come.

In writing for the majority overturning Roe, Justice Samuel Alito argued for a more narrow interpretation of the rights guaranteed to Americans, saying the right to an abortion is not spelt out in the Constitution.

“We therefore hold that the Constitution does not confer a right to abortion,” Mr Alito wrote.

In a concurring opinion, conservative Justice Clarence Thomas went further, saying other rulings similar to Roe, including those around same-sex marriage and the right for couples to use contraception, should be reconsidered.

While Mr Alito insisted in the majority opinion that “this decision concerns the constitutional right to abortion and no other right,” others have taken notice.

Jim Obergefell, the plaintiff in the landmark ruling legalising same-sex marriage and now running as a Democrat for the Ohio House, said after the court’s ruling on abortion: “When we lose one right that we have relied on and enjoyed, other rights are at risk.”

Abortion rights activists gather outside the US Supreme Court in Washington on June 24, 2022. AP

SDF Stuck Between Turkish Operation and Blackmail of the Regime

Tuesday July 19th, 2022 by AL-MODON (Lebanese website)

The regime is taking advantage of the SDF's position to get more and more concessions, according to al-Modon.

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are increasingly suffocated between Turkey’s tight grip and the Syrian regime’s pressure. Turkey has the opportunity to start its military operation against SDF, and the regime is pressing for additional gains in the event of U.S. indifference.

The regime’s military columns sent into northwest and eastern Syria to repel a seemingly imminent Turkish invasion reflect the narrowness of the maneuver against SDF– which finds itself obliged to make concessions to the regime.

According to information obtained by Al-Modon from confidential sources, SDF has provided guarantees of openness to the dialogue held by the Autonomous Administration with the Syrian regime. This comes in exchange for the increased deployment of the regime’s forces in areas threatened by Turkish aggression, particularly in Tel Rifaat and Manbij.

Read Also: Americans Warn SDF of Rapprochement with Damascus, Abdi Claims Battle Concerns All Syrians

In terms of direct concessions, the regime demanded full control of the M4 road, which is between Hassakeh and Aleppo through the Raqqa countryside. SDF did not oppose this, the sources said.

When asked about the nature of the agreement that the SDF had with the regime, Riad Darar, joint president of the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC ) said: “This is not an agreement, and what is going on is a continuation of the agreement that took place with the regime after Turkey’s occupation of Ras al-Ain and Tal Abyad in 2019.”

He added to al-Modon, that defending Syria’s borders is the army’s job, and SDF always says that it will be within the Syrian army after the settlement (…) We are working together to face the Turkish occupation.

Avoid taking chances with Afrin

“We don’t want to take our chances with Afrin when the Syrian army’s call to defend Afrin was delayed. We now hold the army responsible, if it resists, this is its duty and that’s what we want. If it withdraws, history is recorded,” Darar said.

“The army’s approach will be the beginning of a factor of confidence that determines the path to a political solution, and makes understanding about it better than the current tensions and accusations,” he said.

“By the way, we had addressed all the opposition and factions earlier. We invited them to confront the tyrannical regime together, but they were not discussing common Syrian issues. Their speech was accusations against us, similar to those of Turkey,” he said.

Fall of SDF

Columnist Abdel Nasser al-Ayed wrote an article entitled Fall of SDF, in which he said that the Leaders of SDF believed that the threat to ISIS would work indefinitely. They did not learn from the Afghan lesson as Washington handed over the whole of Afghanistan, in one night, to the Taliban.

He added that SDF’s leaders chose to pay the PKK bill in Turkey, in Syria, without receiving anything in exchange.

On the other hand, they chose to avoid the forces of the Syrian revolution, did not seek any seriousness to take advantage of their political, moral and human balance, and built high walls of isolation around themselves in the valleys of northeastern Syria. This separated their presence from the main current of events under the illusion of independence.

Türkiye determined to expel terrorists from Syria - Erdogan

Türkiye Materials 20 July 2022

BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 19. Türkiye is determined to expel terrorists from Syria, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said at the summit of the "Astana" trio, Trend reports citing Turkish media.

"We are determined to drive the terrorists out of Syria. Separatist terrorist organizations must be completely expelled from Syria. As guarantor countries of the Astana process, we expect the Russian Federation and Iran to support Türkiye in this fight. It must be clearly understood that there is no place for separatist terrorism and its manifestations for the future of our region," Erdogan noted.

Erdogan also said that the safe return of Syrian refugees to their country is also one of the important items on the agenda of the Astana process. According to him, Tel Rifat and Manbij in northern Syria have become a "port for terrorists" that need to be cleared of them.

Ayatollah Khamenei to Erdogan: Any Military Attack on Northern Syria Serves Terrorists Interests

Tuesday July 19th, 2022 by THE SYRIA TIMES (Pro-government newspaper)

Khamenei said that Iran considers the security of Turkey's borders as its own, according to the Syria Times.

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, Imam Seyyed Ali Khamenei, stressed that preserving Syria’s territorial integrity is very important, asserting that any military attack on northern Syria would benefit terrorists and would be to the detriment of Syria, Turkey and the region.

This came during a meeting held between Khamenei and the President of the Turkish regime, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in Tehran on Tuesday.

Khamenei reiterated that Iran considers the security of Turkey’s borders as its own. Turkey should also consider Syria’s security as it would its own, noting that issues in Syria must be resolved through dialogue.

Assad’s Foreign Minister Visits Tehran in Conjunction with Three Leaders Summit

Tuesday July 19th, 2022 by AL-SOURIA NET (Opposition website)

Mekdad visited Tehran ahead of a trilateral meeting between Erdogan, Raisi and Putin, according to al-Souria Net.

Assad’s foreign minister, Faisal al-Mekdad, will visit Tehran on Tuesday. This will coincide with a summit that will bring together the leaders of Turkey, Russia, and Iran: Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Vladimir Putin, and Ibrahim Raisi respectively.

Iranian and Russian media close to the regime reported on Monday that Mekdad, while arriving in the Iranian capital, “will meet with his Iranian counterpart, Hussein Amir Abdullahian, to discuss the outcome of the Astana-format summit.”

No official Iranian or Syrian regime comment has confirmed Mekdad’s arrival in Tehran on Tuesday.

If officially confirmed that the visit will coincide with the summit. The summit will bring together Erdogan, Raisi, and Putin. This meeting is the first of its kind in two years.

The three leaders are scheduled to discuss the Syrian issue precisely and regional and global issues.

In a statement on Friday, the Russian Foreign Ministry described the summit as “a very important event.”

Russia, Turkey and Iran have been holding talks for years on the situation in Syria as part of what has been called the “Astana peace process.”

A call from Australia against possible

Turkish incursion into northern Syria

A city councillor in Australia has called for international solidarity against Turkey's continuing threats and plans to further invade the region.

On Jul 19, 2022
The city councillor in Moreland, a city of 180,000 near Melbourne, Australia, called for international solidarity with the people of north and east Syria in the face of Turkey’s threats to launch yet another incursion into the region.
Sue Bolton, a member of the Socialist Alliance, noted that some organisations recently addressed the United Nations (UN) for a no fly zone over the region, and said that people all over the world should support the call.
Over thirty political parties and groups in north and east Syria had called on the UN in early July for a no-fly zone, expressing their concern at Turkey’s threats of a military campaign to further occupy parts of the region.
Bolton said in a video message:
“Once again the Kurds are being used as a bargaining chip for other countries making deals, and this could be a dangerous deal for the Kurds because Finland and Sweden are promising to provide more arms to the Turkish government, they are promising to stop assistance to the autonomous administration in northern Syria, and they are promising to crack down on Kurdish activists in their own countries, and extradite those people to Turkey. So this is a really disastrous issue for the Kurds.”
She continued:
“It’s also especially disastrous because this will be used to support the Turkish government’s plans to invade and seize more territory in the northern parts of Syria. The Turkish government has already been using drones and heavy artillery to bombard the civilians in northern Syria. Now a number of organisations approached the United Nations for a no fly zone. I think people all over the world should support the call for a no fly zone to stop the Turkish government from firing missiles on civilians from the air and causing the expulsion of more tens of thousands of Kurds and other people from the towns and villages in northern Syria.
She added:
“The people in northern Syria, including the Kurds, deserve our support all over the world. And everyone who has been opposing the Russian invasion in Ukraine should equally be con

demning the Turkish government’s plans to invade, or further invade north and east Syria.”
Source: MedyaNews
The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of the Observatory.

SDF Increases Preparations to Repel Turkish Aggression on Northern Syria

Tuesday July 19th, 2022 by NORTH PRESS (Kurdish agency)

The SDF and its affiliates are ready to go to war if Turkey decides to invade areas in Syria’s north, according to North Press.

(NORTH PRESS)
The spokesperson of the Northern Democratic Brigade, which is affiliated with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), said on Tuesday that their forces have increased preparations to repel any possible Turkish aggression on northern Syria.
Mahmoud Habib, the spokesman of the Northern Democratic Brigade, told North Press that the Turkish threats require the military forces to increase preparations, which is what they did.
On Monday, the Northern Democratic Brigade released a statement rejecting the continued threat of the Turkish potential military operation on northern Syria.
The statement pointed out that the military forces in northern Syria are ready and prepared for a long and violent war to repel the Turkish invasion of the region.
“Our forces have got ready, some of them were deployed, and military convoys stood by to repel if needed,” Habib added.
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has recently announced plans to carry out another major military cross-border incursion into northern Syria. Erdogan specified his targets in the two northern Syrian cities of Manbij and Tel Rifaat.
According to Habib, the SDF and its affiliated military groups are ready to go to war if Turkey decides to invade areas in Syria’s north.
He said that the military forces are responsible for protecting the population in areas of northeastern Syria and preventing Turkey from occupying new areas where massacres and violations will be committed, as happened previously.

LA REVUE GAUCHE - Left Comment