"THEY LIKE ME THEY REALLY LIKE ME"
Brazil's Bolsonaro applies for 6-month U.S. visitor visa


 Former Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro, center, meets with supporters outside a vacation home where he is staying near Orlando, Fla., on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023. The capital uprising by Bolsonaro's supporters on Jan. 8, 2023 failed to overthrow Brazilian democracy and Bolsonaro flew to Florida, but millions of people in Brazil believe so strongly in Brazilian-style social conservatism that the movement will persist without its namesake, according to academics who study the Bolsonarita movement and members of the movement themselves.

 (Skyler Swisher/Orlando Sentinel via AP, File)

DAVID BILLER
Mon, January 30, 2023 

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has filed a request for a six-month visitor visa to stay in the U.S., indicating he may have no immediate intention of returning home, where legal issues await.

The application was first reported by The Financial Times, citing Bolsonaro's immigration lawyer, Felipe Alexandre. Contacted by The Associated Press, the lawyer's firm, AG Immigration, confirmed the report.

Bolsonaro left Brazil for Florida on Dec. 30, two days before the inauguration of his leftist rival, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The ceremony proceeded without incident, but a week later thousands of Bolsonaro's die-hard supporters stormed the capital and trashed the top government buildings demanding that Lula's election be overturned.

Bolsonaro is being investigated for whether he had any role in inciting that uprising. It is just one of several probes targeting the former president and that pose a legal headache upon his eventual homecoming, and which could strip him of his eligibility in future races — or worse.

For the first time in his more than three-decade political career as a lawmaker then as president, he no longer enjoys the special legal protection that requires any trial be held at the Supreme Court.

It has been widely assumed — though not confirmed — that Bolsonaro entered the U.S. on an A-1 visa reserved for sitting heads of state. If so, he would have 30 days from the end of his presidential term to either leave the U.S. or adjust his status with the Department of Homeland Security.

Meantime, the shape of his political future and his potential return to Brazil has been a matter of rumor and speculation.

Bolsonaro's calculus appears to be to distance himself from the radicals whose destruction in the capital could implicate him in the short term, with the aim of some day returning to lead the opposition, said Mario Sérgio Lima, a political analyst at Medley Advisors.

“He is giving it some time, staying away a bit from the country at a moment when he can begin to suffer legal consequences for his supporters’ attitudes,” said Lima. “I don’t think the fact of him staying away is enough. The processes will continue, but maybe he thinks he can at least avoid some sort of revenge punishment.”

Bolsonaro has been staying in a home outside Orlando, Florida, and video has shown him snapping photos with supporters in the gated community and ambling around inside a supermarket.

In the wake of the rampage in the Brazilian capital this month, a group of 46 Democratic lawmakers sent a letter to President Joe Biden demanding Bolsonaro’s visa be revoked.

“The United States must not provide shelter for him, or any authoritarian who has inspired such violence against democratic institutions,” they wrote.

Bolsonaro's son, a senator, told reporters at an event this weekend that he was not sure when his father would return to Brazil.

"It could be tomorrow, it could be in six months, he might never return. I don't know. He's relaxing,” Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro said.

Asked whether Bolsonaro has filed any request for documentation or help with visa processses, Brazil’s foreign ministry referred AP to U.S. authorities. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services referred AP to the State Department, which has repeatedly declined comment to questions about Bolsonaro’s visa status in the U.S.

THE 51ST STATE
The U.S. on Israel’s far-right government: It is what it is


Ronaldo Schemidt/Pool via AP

Nahal Toosi
Mon, January 30, 2023 

President Joe Biden and his aides are making nice with Israel’s new far-right government — and they’re doing it in a highly public fashion.

The choice to engage the coalition government led by Prime Minister Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu was clear Monday, as Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrivedon a two-day visit to Israel and the West Bank. Blinken’s trip follows separate visits to Israel by U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan and CIA Director William Burns. It also comes amid a spike in violence between Palestinians and Israelis.

The visits show how, given U.S. worries about Iran, Russia’s war in Ukraine and the Palestinians, distancing the United States from Israel is not a serious option, former officials and analysts said. That’s despite the fact that the new Israeli leadership includes backers of what many critics allege are racist, homophobic and misogynistic policies.

Israel remains an important ally due to its intelligence capabilities and its historical and political resonance in the United States. And Biden’s long-term goal of shifting America’s focus toward Asia will rest in part on remaining on good terms with Israeli leaders, while encouraging their efforts to improve ties with Arab states and bring more stability to the long volatile Middle East.

“The administration will go to great lengths to avoid a confrontation with Netanyahu,” said Aaron David Miller, a former State Department official who took part in many Middle East peace talks. “It’s good policy to engage, and clearly, given the fact that the president is going to announce in the next several weeks or months his intention to seek a second term, it’s also good politics.”

The Biden administration is treading carefully in the new reality presented by Netanyahu’s far-right coalition. Make the visits, but downplay their importance. Meet with Netanyahu, but avoid his more extreme coalition partners. And hold onto the hope that diplomacy can reduce tensions.

The new Israeli government is dotted with religious zealots with antipathy toward Arabs, LGBTQ+ people and others. And as Blinken arrived, there were questions about whether some of these coalition leaders would further stoke recent violence.

On Thursday, Israeli security forces killed nine Palestinians in the West Bank in what Israel called a raid against a terrorist unit. The next day, a Palestinian gunman killed seven Israelis near a synagogue in east Jerusalem.

Blinken urged de-escalation. “It’s the responsibility of everyone to take steps to calm tensions rather than inflame them,” he said upon reaching Israel after a stop in Egypt.

Asked about the significance of the secretary of State’s visit, a U.S. official described it as unexceptional.

“Israel is an important ally with a new government very different from what came before. It’s normal for a secretary of State to make an early trip,” said the senior Biden administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the topic involved sensitive diplomatic issues.

But Blinken has more than meet-and-greets to deal with on his trip.

Iran is one major example. Israel views the Islamist regime, which has called for Israel’s destruction, as an existential threat.

Over the weekend, reports emerged that suspected Israeli drones had attacked a military facility in the Iranian city of Isfahan. Details of that strike, including the type of military facility targeted and whether Washington had advance notice, remain fuzzy.

Netanyahu has long been at odds with the Biden administration on exactly how to deal with Iran. He has opposed the Iran nuclear deal, which lifted many sanctions on Iran in exchange for restrictions on its nuclear program. The Biden team tried to salvage that agreement, which the Trump administration quit in 2018, but the Iranian regime’s oppression of popular protests has put the matter on hold.

But the United States is working to strengthen the ties between Israel and a few Arab countries — some of them also at odds with Iran — through the Abraham Accords. The Biden administration hopes such “integration” — as it calls it — will provide a bulwark against Iran, whose Shiite Islamist regime has harassed its neighbors for years.

Israel’s enmity with Iran also is affecting its policy toward Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Kyiv has urged Israel to donate systems to help it fend off Russian missile and other attacks. But the Israelis want to maintain good relations with Moscow because they want to be able to strike Iranian sites in Syria, where the Kremlin holds significant sway. The issue is further complicated by Iran’s decision to supply Russia with drones that the Kremlin is using against Ukraine.

Blinken pushed Israel to do more to help the Ukrainians.

“Russia’s ongoing atrocities only underscore the importance of providing support for all of Ukraine’s needs — humanitarian, economic and security — as it bravely defends its people and its very right to exist, a topic that we also discussed today,” he said alongside Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Monday.

Blinken did not plan to meet with the more extreme members of the Netanyahu-led coalition — some of whom have views that have alarmed many Israeli Jews, especially secular ones, not to mention Israeli Arabs and Palestinians. Netanyahu has given these allies positions that include overseeing some security forces that deal with Palestinians.

U.S. officials have, however, said they will hold Netanyahu responsible for the actions of his government, noting that he’s stressed that he’s the one in charge.

But Netanyahu, who faces corruption charges, is counting on his coalition partners to help shield him from prosecution. That makes it harder for the United States to pressure him, even though he’s had experience as a prime minister and has a long friendship with Biden.

The new Israeli government Netanyahu leads also is trying to limit the powers of the Israeli judiciary — an effort that worries Washington, though it has little ability to stop it.

Blinken nodded to all of these concerns Monday, stressing that Israel and the United States had shared ideals, among them “our support for core democratic principles and institutions, including respect for human rights” and “the equal administration of justice for all.”

Administration officials also say they will keep pushing Israel to engage with the Palestinians, and the chief U.S. diplomat is supposed to meet Tuesday with Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian leader, in the West Bank.

But Netanyahu and his Israeli colleagues appear to have zero interest in talking about peace with the Palestinians. In fact, they are taking steps to make it harder, including by promising more allowances for settlers in the West Bank, which further undermines the possibility of a Palestinian state.

The reality is that the Palestinians themselves are ill-prepared for serious negotiations. Abbas has run the Palestinian Authority for nearly two decades, and he’s unwilling to hold an election for fear of losing to rivals such as Hamas, the militant group that controls the Gaza Strip. Many younger Palestinians are deeply disillusioned with their leaders’ corruption and ineptitude.

Although the Biden administration frequently speaks out in support of human rights for Palestinians, Biden has ruled out conditioning U.S. military aid to Israel on its treatment of the Palestinians — and there are few other levers Washington has to pull with an ally whose cooperation it needs in the Middle East.

While the Biden administration routinely says it supports a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, it has “abandoned the issue in all but rhetoric,” said Khaled Elgindy, a scholar with the Middle East Institute. “Palestinians are low on the agenda.”

Scholz bid to rally Ukraine support in South America falls flat


 

"Argentina and Latin America are not planning to send weapons to Ukraine or any other conflict zone," Argentine President Alberto Fernandez said during a joint news conference in Buenos Aires with Scholz on Saturday.



Chile's President Boric and German Chancellor Scholz meet at La Moneda palace in Santiago

Sun, January 29, 2023
By Sarah Marsh and Anthony Boadle

SANTIAGO/BRASILIA (Reuters) -German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's bid this week to rally support for Ukraine in the face of Russia's invasion during his first South American tour fell flat, with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva reiterating his view both parties shared blame.

Scholz has sought to project unity on Ukraine during his whistlestop three-day tour, thanking all three countries he has visited - Argentina, Chile and Brazil - for condemning Russia's invasion at the United Nations General Assembly last year.

But the fallout of the war and harsh sanctions on Russia, such as soaring food and energy prices, have hit the region particularly hard, raising questions over the West's approach. Skepticism also abounds about interventionism and sanctions given its own past.

On the final leg of his South American tour, Scholz on Monday became the first foreign leader to visit Lula since his inauguration. Europe is seeking to re-set ties with Brazil which were frosty under far-right former President Jair Bolsonaro.

In a joint news conference in Brasilia, Scholz said he was delighted by Brazil's return to the world stage. But he grew stony-faced as his fellow leftist leader expounded his views on the Ukraine war.

"I think Russia made the classic mistake of invading another country's territory, so Russia is wrong," Lula told reporters.

"But I still think that when one won't, two won't fight. You have to want peace," he said, adding that he had heard very little from either side about finding a peaceful end to the war.

Lula also said Brazil would not provide ammunition to Ukraine for German-made Gepard anti-aircraft guns, as reportedly requested by Germany.

Brazil would work with other countries to help achieve peace in Ukraine, as his country has not taken sides, he said.

China has an important role to play in peace talks, he added, which he will discuss on a planned visit to Beijing in March.

NO WEAPONS FOR UKRAINE

Earlier on Scholz's tour, designed to boost ties with the region, Argentina and Chile's leaders more clearly condemned the Russian attack but dialed back any hope for support for Ukraine's war effort.

"Argentina and Latin America are not planning to send weapons to Ukraine or any other conflict zone," Argentine President Alberto Fernandez said during a joint news conference in Buenos Aires with Scholz on Saturday.

Chilean President Gabriel Boric defended his condemnation of the invasion despite the fact "some media or opinion makers could believe it was a bad decision to get involved in the politics of other countries".

Dodging a question about whether he agreed with Fernandez on weapons, he said Chile had promised to help Ukraine rebuild after the war, for example clearing mines.

In both countries, Scholz visited memorials to the victims of their military dictatorships that he said underscored the need to fight for democracy and freedom.

"At this memorial to the many victims of the dictatorship here I cannot help but think of the young people who are being killed in Iran because they are fighting for freedom and a better life," he said in Buenos Aires.

In Brasilia, he expressed his full solidarity for Lula and Brazil at large after Bolsonaro supporters earlier this month stormed government buildings.

German government officials say it is understandable Latin American countries have diverging views on the causes of the war and how to handle it, but highlight the importance of continuing to convey the Western perspective - as Scholz has also done in Africa and Asia.

(Reporting by Sarah Marsh and Anthony Boadle; Additional reporting by Brendan O'Boyle and Riham Alkousaa; Editing by Lincoln Feast and Jonathan Oatis)

ATTENTION CYCLISTS
Breathing exhaust fumes ‘impairs human brains within two hours’

Rob Waugh
·Contributor
Mon, 30 January 2023 

Even brief exposure to exhaust fumes has rapid effects on the brain. (Getty)

Even brief exposure to air pollution has rapid and measurable impacts on the human brain, a new study has shown.

Within a matter of hours, diesel exhaust fumes seriously impairs human brain function.

The researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and the University of Victoria used MRI scanners to measure the impact on brain activity.

Senior study author Dr Chris Carlsten, professor and head of respiratory medicine at UBC, said, "For many decades, scientists thought the brain may be protected from the harmful effects of air pollution.

"This study, which is the first of its kind in the world, provides fresh evidence supporting a connection between air pollution and cognition."

Read more: Melting snow in Himalayas drives growth of green sea slime visible from space

The researchers briefly exposed 25 healthy adults to diesel exhaust and filtered air at different times in a laboratory setting.

Brain activity was measured before and after each exposure using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

The researchers analysed changes in the brain's default mode network (DMN), a set of interconnected brain regions that play an important role in memory and internal thought.

The fMRI revealed that participants had decreased functional connectivity in widespread regions of the DMN after exposure to diesel exhaust, compared to filtered air.

Dr Jodie Gawryluk, a psychology professor at the University of Victoria, said, "We know that altered functional connectivity in the DMN has been associated with reduced cognitive performance and symptoms of depression, so it's concerning to see traffic pollution interrupting these same networks.

"While more research is needed to fully understand the functional impacts of these changes, it's possible that they may impair people's thinking or ability to work."

The changes in the brain were temporary and participants' connectivity returned to normal after the exposure.

Dr Carlsten speculated that the effects could be long lasting where exposure is continuous.

The researchers advise that people take appropriate steps to minimise their exposure to potentially harmful air pollutants like car exhaust.

"People may want to think twice the next time they're stuck in traffic with the windows rolled down," said Dr Carlsten.

"It's important to ensure that your car's air filter is in good working order, and if you're walking or biking down a busy street, consider diverting to a less busy route."

"Air pollution is now recognised as the largest environmental threat to human health and we are increasingly seeing the impacts across all major organ systems," said Dr Carlsten.

"I expect we would see similar impacts on the brain from exposure to other air pollutants, like forest fire smoke. With the increasing incidence of neuro-cognitive disorders, it's an important consideration for public health officials and policymakers."

UK

Teachers strike sets ‘good example’ 

to pupils, union head says ahead of 

largest walkout in 30 years

Kate Devlin and Adam Forrest

Mon, 30 January 2023 

The mass closure of schools expected across England and Wales due to teacher strikes next week will be a “good example” to pupils, the head of the UK’s largest teaching union has said.

Kevin Courtney, the joint general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), told The Independent it was important that children witnessed teachers standing up for what they believed in and said most secondary school students supported the strike.

But his comments risk inflaming a row with the government which has warned of the impact Wednesday’s walkout will have on children’s education.

Gillian Keegan, the education secretary, warned unions against the action, saying the stakes have never been higher for pupils who had already lost months of classroom time because of Covid.

Mr Courtney predicted the 1 February walkout would be the biggest teaching strike in the UK in three decades, with most schools affected and some preparing to close because they can’t guarantee in advance they will have enough staff to open.

But an exclusive poll for The Independent suggests public support is weaker for striking teachers than for other professions.

The Savanta ComRes survey found 40 per cent of people opposed the strikes, while just 54 per cent supported them – a smaller percentage than for striking nurses who had the backing of two-thirds of voters.

Mr Courtney insisted the walkout would be an “important lesson” to pupils. For children to witness “that if you see something that is unjust, that you make a stand about it, I think that's an important lesson in life,” he said.

“That you should stand and challenge things that you think are wrong. And people might disagree about whether it is wrong. They might disagree about how you challenge it. But it's important to say to young people ‘if something's going wrong to challenge it’.

“I think this is showing a good example to pupils, people standing up (for their beliefs)”.

Walkouts could be biggest in 30 years, union says (PA)

He also suggested that older children support the strikes, adding: “I think secondary (school) pupils will, by and large, back their teachers about it”.

Last-ditch talks will be held on Monday in a bid to resolve a teachers’ pay dispute which threatens widespread disruption to schools. Union leaders agreed to meet Ms Keegan after previous talks failed to break the deadlock, but there is little optimism Wedneday’s strike can be avoided.

Mr Courtney also hit back at Ms Keegan’s rhetoric over Covid, pointing out that the government-appointed Covid recovery tsar suggested putting millions of pounds more than the government eventually did into helping pupils catch up on their schooling.

He added: “Covid has been really disruptive to children’s education, but that disruption is just carrying on … because we're having temporary teacher after temporary teacher in primary classrooms, because one in eight math lessons are taught by somebody who doesn't have a degree or a PGCE in maths.

“Education is disrupted because some schools have stopped teaching some subjects because they can’t get teachers for them. So disruption is happening all the time because of the government’s lack of investment in our schools.

“On the other hand, we’re talking about one day of strike action. So we don’t accept that. We are the people who are challenging that disruption. Just as the nurses are standing up for our NHS and challenging the government's lack of funding which means the NHS is not performing on non-strike days.”

Schools and headteachers have warned that sites might close on Wednesday even if they have enough staff to keep them open.

Tom Campbell, chief executive of the E-ACT schools trust, said: “We are aiming to be open for as many pupils as possible right across our schools. However, given the large numbers of teachers who have become NEU members since the original ballot, there remains significant uncertainty as to how many staff will be on strike.

“We are working hard to give our parents as much certainty as possible but there may be closures on the day as we get a clearer picture of numbers of staff.”

Steve Chalke, founder of the Oasis Community Learning trust of 52 academy schools, said: “We don’t know what’s going on at other schools, so we don’t how many teachers will have to be off to look after their own children. It makes the whole situation really quite chaotic.”

Paul Whiteman, the general secretary of the headteachers union, NAHT, said there was still no compulsion for staff to say if they plan to strike, as school leaders decided whether to shut on Wednesday.

“If headteachers can’t be sure they’ll have sufficient staff they should inform parents about closure,” he told The Independent. “We’re seeing schools have announced closure if they can’t know staffing levels. It’s the sensible thing to do.”

Mr Whiteman also said it would be “naive” to rely on volunteers who do not know school procedures, and warned that using supply staff would be seen as “provocative” strike-breaking action.

“It’s incendiary to use supply staff and volunteers to break a strike,” the union leader said. “School leaders have to be careful of unintended consequences. Things that could be seen a strike-breaking might mean harmony takes a long time to recover.”

A source close to the education secretary said she will use Monday’s meeting to reiterate her call from the weekend for teachers to inform schools if they plan to strike. The source also said the government will “continue to be open and collaborative”.

How soon will it be until the world reaches 'peak oil'?

A report by oil giant BP predicts that the world will sharply reduce its reliance on the company's signature product, oil and gas, over the next 25 years.

David Knowles
·Senior Editor
Mon, January 30, 2023 

An oil field in Midland, Texas. (Nick Oxford/Reuters)
Oil giant BP released a report Monday predicting that the world would sharply reduce its reliance on the company's signature product, oil and gas, over the next 25 years as countries hasten their transition to renewable sources of energy so as to combat climate change.

That shift means that the planet could soon reach what is commonly referred to as “peak oil,“ the point when global production of oil reaches its high point before entering into steady decline.

In its annual energy outlook, BP said that fossil fuels, which it said accounted for 80% of energy usage in 2019, would fall to just 20% by 2050. What’s more, the company whose industry is a driving force behind rising global temperatures, took pains to applaud the transition to cleaner forms of energy.

“The continuing rise in carbon emissions and the increasing frequency of extreme weather events in recent years highlight more clearly than ever the importance of a decisive shift towards a net-zero future,” Spencer Dale, the chief economist at BP, wrote in a forward to the report.

Helping spur the transition to renewables, the report says, are actions being taken by countries like the United States to rein in greenhouse gas emissions that 99.9% of scientists believe are responsible for rising temperatures.

“Government support for the energy transition has increased in a number of countries, including the passing of the Inflation Reduction Act in the US,” the report states. “But the scale of the decarbonization challenge suggests greater support is required globally, including policies to facilitate quicker permitting and approval of low-carbon energy and infrastructure.”

On Monday, President Biden promoted U.S. subsidies passed in the Inflation Reduction Act designed to help consumers purchase zero-emissions electric vehicles.

Last year, California became the first U.S. state to announce it would ban the sale of new gas-powered automobiles by 2035, and several other states are considering similar restrictions. The transportation sector accounts for roughy 27% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

The speed at which the world transitions to clean sources of energy is of the utmost importance, climate scientists have warned. A report issued last April by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change concluded that pledges and action taken by the world's nations were falling short of the goal of preventing a catastrophic rise in global temperatures.

BP seems to share that assessment.

“The carbon budget is running out. Despite the marked increase in government ambitions, CO2 emissions have increased every year since the Paris COP in 2015 (bar 2020),” the company’s report stated. The longer the delay in taking decisive action to reduce emissions on a sustained basis, the greater are the likely resulting economic and social costs.

Whether it will come quickly enough, there is little doubt that the marketplace for energy is undergoing a profound transformation. Like BP, Tesla CEO Elon Musk believes that oil and gas will soon relinquish dominance as a global energy source.



A December report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) found that, spurred by an energy crisis sparked in part by Russia’s war in Ukraine, the world was poised to add “as much renewable power in the next 5 years at it did in the past 20.”

Predictions as to exactly when the world will hit “peak oil” have come and gone for decades. Most climate scientists note that since carbon atoms remain in the atmosphere for up to 1,000 years, a slow transition away from oil and gas will not solve the climate crisis, but simply help blunt its force.

In 2021, the IEA laid out a road map for how the world could avert climate disaster. It consisted of a step-by-step approach to hasten the arrival of peak oil and the adoption of clean energy sources that consisted of halting approval for new coal-fired power plants and oil and gas fields (like those operated by BP), bans on the sale of new oil and gas furnaces to heat buildings, as well as the rapid adoption of electric vehicles and the end to gasoline-powered new vehicle sales. If the world adopted such a plan, the report stated, it could achieve the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.

Global carbon emissions forecast cut due to Ukraine war and Biden, says BP

Alex Lawson Energy correspondent
Mon, 30 January 2023

Photograph: Michael Probst/AP

Global carbon emissions are expected to fall quicker than previously expected as a result of the war in Ukraine and Joe Biden’s efforts to encourage green investment, BP has said.

The oil and gas company said carbon emissions would fall more rapidly than it forecast a year ago thanks to renewed efforts by countries to pursue greater energy security by supporting domestic, renewable energy supplies.

In its annual energy outlook report, BP said it had reduced forecasts for global emissions in 2030 by 3.7% and by 9.3% in 2050. It expects oil demand to be 5% lower and gas demand to have fallen by 6% by 2035. The company said deployment of renewables projects would be 5% higher at current rates.

Related: The gas-fired plants tasked with keeping UK lights on – but at what cost?

Countries moved rapidly last year to wean themselves off Russian gas supplies after the invasion of Ukraine.

In the short term this has resulted in other fossil fuels such as coal being ramped up or kept on standby to fill the gap. However, demand for renewable projects to provide a cheap long-term replacement has also improved.

Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, which came into force in August, is credited with encouraging a new wave of investment in renewables in the US. Policymakers in the UK and EU have been encouraged to follow suit.

BP’s new outlook forecasts that global emissions will peak during the 2020s and fall by 30% on 2019 levels by about 2050. However, that would still be short of the target of net zero by 2050 needed to avoid extremely damaging global heating. The UK has legally committed to this goal.

The BP chief economist, Spencer Dale, wrote in the report: “From an energy perspective, the disruptions to Russian energy supplies and the resulting global energy shortages seem likely to have a material and lasting impact on the energy system.

“Global energy policies and discussions in recent years have been focused on the importance of decarbonising the energy system and the transition to net zero. The events of the past year have served as a reminder to us all that this transition also needs to take account of the security and affordability of energy.”

The BP chief executive, Bernard Looney, set a target of making the company net zero by “2050 or sooner” on taking charge in 2020.

Looney has been attempting to revamp BP’s image and increase its focus on renewables. However, it faced criticism over plans to spend up to double the amount on oil and gas projects than on renewable investments this year.

In its outlook report, BP expects oil demand to level out at about 100m barrels a day over the next 10 years or so before falling to about 75m barrels a day by 2050. To hit global net zero goals, this would need to be reduced by 20m barrels a day.

BP’s profits have soared after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sent already inflated gas prices even higher and led ministers to introduce a windfall tax on North Sea oil and gas operators. The company is expected to reveal fourth-quarter underlying profits of about $5bn next week.

Philips cuts 6,000 jobs after sleep device recall

Danny KEMP
Mon, 30 January 2023 


Embattled Dutch medical tech maker Philips said Monday that it would slash 6,000 more jobs worldwide in a bid to restore profitability after a massive recall of faulty sleep respirators.

The Amsterdam-based firm revealed the "difficult but necessary" job cuts as it announced a loss of 1.6 billion euros ($1.7 billion) for 2022, largely on the back of the safety issue.

The layoffs come just months after Philips announced it was cutting 4,000 jobs out of a total workforce of just under 80,000 employees around the globe.

Philips is facing investigations and lawsuits in the United States after it was forced to recall appliances to treat sleep problems that put people at risk of inhaling possibly toxic foam.

Chief Executive Roy Jakobs, who took over in October, said Philips had to make the "difficult, but necessary further reduction of our workforce by around 6,000 roles globally by 2025."

"2022 has been a very difficult year for Philips and our stakeholders, and we are taking firm actions to improve our execution and step up performance with urgency," Jakobs said in a statement.

Shares in Philips rose 6 percent on the Amsterdam stock exchange on Monday after the announcement.

Half of the jobs will be cut this year.

Philips unveiled net losses of 105 million euros ($114 million) for the fourth quarter of 2022 and 1.6 billion euros for last year as a whole.

- 'Serious' challenges -

Starting off as a lighting company more than 130 years ago, Philips has undergone major changes in recent years, selling off assets to focus on high-end electronic healthcare products, often for use remotely.

But that shift has been called into question by the giant recall that has pushed it into loss and seen the previous CEO, Frans van Houten, step down.

Philips announced in 2021 the global recall of its appliances to help people suffering from sleep apnoea, a disorder in which breathing stops and starts during sleep.

The company said sound-dampening foam in the machines could degrade, causing people to inhale or swallow pieces of the foam with "possible toxic and carcinogenic effects".

Asked if Philips faced an existential risk from the issue, Jakobs acknowledged the firm faced "serious" challenges.

"What we present today is a very strong plan to secure the future of Philips," Jakobs said during a call with reporters.

"Yes, the challenges we have are serious, and we are addressing them head-on."

Philips will focus in particular on product innovation and on dealing with supply chain issues that are holding up its ability to fulfil its order book, Jakobs said.

The firm needed to "improve performance and simplify our way of working to improve our agility and productivity," he said.

- US probe -

But Jakobs said Philips would also focus on "strengthening our patient safety and quality management" and completing the respirator recall.

The firm has produced around 90 percent of the replacement devices it needs to get to patients, the company said.

However, it is also increasing the number of replacements, requiring the company to set aside a further 85 million euros.

The company is now under investigation by the US Department of Justice over the respirator issue and is negotiating with US authorities over a financial settlement.

Philips is also the defendant in several class-action lawsuits in the US.

The firm said it had not yet included possible US payouts in its accounts due to the "uncertain nature" of the eventual amounts.

In December, Jakobs told AFP that testing on the recalled respirators showed they were "within safety limits" for use but that a final verdict rested with global regulatory authorities.

dk/js

Discussions over special measures as NI firefighters vote for strike action


Jonathan McCambridge, PA
Mon, 30 January 2023 

The interim chief fire officer in Northern Ireland said discussions are ongoing over “special arrangements” to cover emergencies if firefighters go on strike.

Firefighters in the region have voted overwhelmingly to strike over pay.

Members of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) in Northern Ireland backed walkouts by 94% on a turnout of 68%.

FBU members across the UK rejected a below-inflation 5% pay offer last November.

The union said it is giving the Government and employers 10 days to make an improved offer before deciding its next move.

If they go ahead, the strikes will be the first nationwide fire strikes over pay since 2003.

Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) interim chief fire and rescue officer Andy Hearn said he respects the result of the ballot.

He said: “I wholly support a pay increase for our firefighters and absolutely recognise the right of firefighters to participate in peaceful strike action.

“This is a national issue which we are closely monitoring.

“We will continue to engage with the FBU, National Joint Council, Department of Health and other key stakeholders.

“As an organisation we have a legal responsibility to prepare for strike action and a legal responsibility to deliver our statutory duty.

“In terms of contingency planning, discussions are ongoing with the FBU to reach clarity about the special arrangements they are prepared to agree for NIFRS, which would enable firefighters to respond to certain categories of high-risk calls should a strike go ahead.

“We recognise that the outcome of this ballot may cause concern or feelings of uncertainty amongst the community that we serve.

“I want to reassure the community that we are doing everything we can to resolve this national issue.

“We will know more about what this ballot means for us as a service in the coming days and weeks and we will continue to provide updates as appropriate.”

Mr Hearn told the BBC contingency measures could include bringing in the military to cover callouts.

France braces for new strikes against Macron's pension reform

Adam PLOWRIGHT
Mon, 30 January 2023


France braced Monday for another day of mass protests and strikes over proposed pension overhauls being pushed by President Emmanuel Macron, with the government and its left-wing opponents trading blame for the expected disruptions.

Around 1.1 million people took to the streets for the first strike day on January 19, according to official statistics, the biggest demonstrations since the last major round of pension reform under right-wing president Nicolas Sarkozy in 2010.

A police source told AFP that security forces were expecting similarly sized crowds on Tuesday in 240 demonstrations around the country, in addition to strike disruptions to transport, schools and other services.

With unions warning that more stoppages are to come, the strikes represent a major test for Macron as he seeks to implement a showcase policy of his second term in office.

The most controversial part of the proposed reform is hiking the minimum retirement age to 64 from 62, which is the lowest level in any major European economy.

Macron said on Monday that the reform was "essential when we compare ourselves to the rest of Europe".

But Mathilde Panot, a senior lawmaker from the far-left France Unbowed (LFI) party, has accused the centrist president and his ministers of being responsible for the stoppages that are to cripple public transport and other services.

"They're the ones who want to wreak havoc on the country," she told BFM television while also criticising comments by Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin over the weekend as a "provocation."

Darmanin, a close Macron ally, said Saturday that left-wing political parties were "only looking to screw up the country" and were defending "idleness and champagne socialism".

- Macron's reputation -

Macron, who made the pension changes part of his re-election manifesto last year, says it is needed to guarantee the future financing of the pension system, which is forecast to tip into deficit in the next few years.

Opponents point out that the system is currently balanced, noting that the head of the independent Pensions Advisory Council recently told parliament that "pension spending is not out of control, it's relatively contained".

For Macron, who has repeatedly told French people they "need to work more", failure to succeed with a signature proposal would severely undermine his credibility for the remainder of his second and last term in office, analysts say.

The government headed by Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne has signalled there is wiggle room on some measures as parliamentary committees started examining the draft law on Monday.

Conditions could be improved for people who started working very young, or for mothers who interrupted their careers to look after children and people who invested in further education, Borne has suggested.

But the headline age limit of 64 is not up for discussion, she said Sunday, calling it "non-negotiable".

Laurent Berger, head of the CFDT union, warned that the government "cannot remain deaf to this formidable mobilisation."

"Listen, listen, listen to this discontent," he told France 2 television.

- Parliamentary battle -

Most Paris metro and suburban rail services will be severely restricted on Tuesday, said operator RATP, while intercity travel will be disrupted with just one in three high-speed TGV trains running, according to SNCF.

Air travel is less badly affected, with Air France saying it would cancel one in 10 short and medium haul services while long-distance flights would be unaffected.

Only minor disruption is expected on international Thalys and Eurostar train services.

Around half of all nursery and primary school teachers would be striking, the main teachers' union Snuipp-FSU said.

Macron and his allies are also facing struggles in parliament as well as on the street.

The left-wing opposition has submitted more than 7,000 amendments to the draft legislation in a bid to slow its path through parliament.

Macron's centrist allies, short of an absolute majority in parliament, will need votes from conservatives to get the pensions plan approved.

A new poll by the OpinionWay survey group, published in the Les Echos financial daily on Monday, showed that 61 percent of French people supported the protest movement, a rise of three percentage points from January 12.

bur-ah/ach

HEGEMONIC COLD WAR RED SCARE

TikTok CEO to testify before US Congress next month over data privacy
Kari Paul
Mon, 30 January 2023 

Photograph: Bloomberg/Getty Images

As the US legislative battle over TikTok continues to escalate, Shou Zi Chew, the chief executive of the video-sharing app, will make his first appearance before Congress to testify next month.

Chew will testify before the House energy and commerce committee on 23 March, Republican representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers confirmed in a statement on Monday, as scrutiny of the Chinese-owned app over data privacy concerns grows.

Related: TechScape: Is ‘banning’ TikTok protecting users or censorship? It depends who you ask

The news comes after the app was banned on government devices and school campuses in a number of states in recent months, as well as on federal devices after a ban was passed in Congress in December. Next month the House foreign affairs committee plans to hold a vote on a bill aimed at blocking the use of TikTok entirely in the US.

“ByteDance-owned TikTok has knowingly allowed the ability for the Chinese Communist party to access American user data,” McMorris Rodgers said, adding that Americans deserve to know how these actions impact their privacy and data security.

TikTok has denied these claims, stating: “The Chinese Communist party has neither direct nor indirect control of ByteDance or TikTok,” according to a company spokesman. It confirmed on Monday that Chew will testify.

“We welcome the opportunity to set the record straight about TikTok, ByteDance and the commitments we are making to address concerns about US national security before the House committee on energy and commerce,” the spokesman said, adding the company hopes “by sharing details of our comprehensive plans with the full committee, Congress can take a more deliberative approach to the issues at hand”.

McMorris Rodgers and other Republican lawmakers have demanded more information from TikTok regarding the app’s impact on young people, concerns about harmful content and details on potential sexual exploitation of minors on the platform.

TikTok was first targeted in earnest by the Trump administration in 2020, with a sweeping executive order prohibiting US companies from doing business with ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company. In the three years since, the company has sought to assure Washington that the personal data of US citizens cannot be accessed and its content cannot be manipulated by China’s Communist party or anyone else under Beijing’s influence.

While Biden revoked the Trump administration ban in June 2021, the reversal was made with a stipulation that the US committee on foreign investment (CFIUS) conduct a security review of the platform and suggested a path forward to avoid a permanent ban.

That review has been ongoing as the CFIUS and TikTok have been in talks for more than two years aiming to reach a national security agreement to protect the data of US TikTok users. The White House on Friday declined to comment on whether it would support a legislative ban on TikTok or the status of the talks.