The Global Energy Crisis From The Iran War

 

The Iran War has induced an energy crisis. Gas prices are going up seeing as Iran is an oil producing country. Iran had suffered under the economic warfare of sanctions. Now the Islamic Republic is closing the Strait of Hormuz. The assassination of the Supreme Leader makes  a peaceful resolution impossible. Europe does not have enough diversification to keep gas and oil prices low. Combined with the conflict in Ukraine, the EU will suffer another energy shock. The situation also becomes more precarious with Gulf monarchies are being attacked. Those countries that have US bases are being hit with missiles and drones. Qatar and Saudi Arabia might not be able to produce as much needed for the global market. The US struggles with inflation and rising prices. Some speculate that the war on Venezuela was a means to obtain an extra reserve of oil, so when Iran was invaded it would not have an economic effect. Gas prices and higher energy prices are going to effect the midterm election in the United States. If Israel and the US continue to seek regime change, an energy crisis could reach the condition of the 1970s. At the moment oil prices have gone up 10%. Kuwait and Iraq are having difficulty keeping their oil terminals operational. Air strikes and  drones make it unsafe to work. Asia is facing the strain of the war. Vietnam and Indonesia are reliant on imported fuel. Other South and Southeast Asian nations are experiencing an energy crisis. Access to liquified natural gas is also hindered with the Strait of Hormuz being closed. Business might not be able to survive and workers employment could be terminated. A energy crisis could push the world into economic decline. Even if there was a ceasefire or peace settlement, energy prices would not immediately lower.  

Africa Stream : The UK Race Riots and The History of The British Empire (2024)

Africa Stream reported on the UK race riots in 2024. Mainstream media explained it as acts by extremists and small far-right factions. The racial violence is tied to the history of the British Empire. To an extent the remanence of colonialism continues with the British  Commonwealth. Slavery, invasion, and attacks on indigenous populations in North America, Australia, and New Zealand were the crimes of the UK . India, Sudan, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Egypt, Myanmar, and other Global South nations had to struggle to get their freedom. The UK riots were the projections of white supremacist racism and the ideology of cultural dominance. Anti-immigrant sentiment is fueled by blowback from military interventions in Africa and West Asia. Muslims, Afghan asylum seekers, and the black British population are targets of hate. Politicians use non-whites as scapegoats for their failures. The white working class frustrated by the neoliberal capitalist system and the British elite direct their anger at non-white ethnic groups. Media such as LBC also contributes to an atmosphere of hate and prejudice. Myths related to crime or public disorder are constantly repeated on TV and radio. Then social media was blamed for spreading disinformation, which induced riots. Disinformation is presented as fact on corporate news, so the violence cannot be blamed on that. Think Tanks like the Quilliam Foundation and the English Defense League contributed to a racist atmosphere.      

South African Women Are Taking an Interest In Self-Defense and Guns

 

More South African  women are getting involved in self-defense and taking an interest in guns. This is a response to the concerns about gender based violence. South Africa has some of the highest femicide rates in the world based on U.N. Women agency data. According to South African data an estimated 35% of women experience sexual or physical violence from their romantic partners. There are a few explanations for this. The violence is partly the legacy of the Apartheid regime. Before the establishment of a democratic system, the government revolved around force and oppression. Violence can spread into all aspects of life. South Africa's inability to improve the economic conditions, caused an increase in crime. Having strict gender roles and rigid ideas about family values encourages physical harm to women. South African women might see violent behavior from men as normal. There is a need for change in attitudes and culture. Learning self-defense is a solution for women's personal security. Getting involved with gun use becomes complicated. More guns could result in higher amounts of crime. Private security services have engaged in abuses. Women arming themselves to such a degree could encourage vigilantism or more murder. Law enforcement should be more responsive to women's concerns about safety. The failure of police to reduce violence against women proves institutional ineffectiveness. South African women responded to this with taking up shooting and self-defense.     

The Warner Bros Paramount Merger

 

Netflix has abandoned attempts to purchase Warner Bros, which means Paramount being the successful company in the bid. This is more so a defeat for media and consumers. Entertainment is becoming more of a monopoly. Consumers are going to have their options limited. When mergers occur job loss follows. Physical media becomes harder to obtain as only a few companies own popular film and TV franchises. The only way the deal could be prevent is through an anti-trust investigation. There remains a possibility that the new merger will not pass regulation. The merger also has to pass anti-trust regulations in the EU and UK. The merger must be stopped as a means of preventing censorship and entertainment monopolies. The film industry is struggling and a merger is not going to help. Streaming services such as HBO Max might be terminated. Paramount's service will have stopped a  competitor. The market requires a number of companies to be competitive. Monopolies increase the risk of economic strain. Smaller companies are not going to survive, consumers have less choice, and the possibility of  collapse are serious. Paramount is going to pay $110, 000,000,000 for the ownership of Warner Bros Discovery.

Pakistan and Afghanistan Are At War

 

Afghanistan and Pakistan are in a state of war  . Border clashes and accusations of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan operations are the cause of the war. The Taliban government has claimed that they are not supporting any armed groups directed at Pakistan. Much of the current instability can be linked to the Afghan War that lasted between 2001 to 2021. Pakistan has been involved in Afghanistan since the Afghan-Soviet War. Two Muslim states are fighting one another, which causes division. Afghanistan is a theocratic government, while Pakistan is dominated by its military. Pakistan switched between civilian governments and military regimes. India could exploit Pakistan's situation by siding with the Taliban government. This seems more unlikely considering the BJP Party  has anti-Muslim sentiment. Iran would be a factor, but at the moment is part of a wider regional war in West Asia. Mediation efforts were done by Qatar, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia. None of these countries could get a peace settlement between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The TTP was established in 2007 and formed largely in response to the NATO occupation of Afghanistan. A protracted war would result in refugees and more human rights violations. Prime Minister Shebaz Sharif  appears to believe that the TTP are Indian proxies. Tensions between  India and Pakistan should be taken seriously considering they are nuclear armed nations. The war with Afghanistan makes diplomacy in South Asia more complicated.    

The Start of A US-Israel Iran War

 

Another round of attacks were made on Iran by the United States and Israel.  The objective appears by this war of aggression is to eliminate a country that opposes US occupation of the Middle East and Israeli expansion. The Supreme Leader of Iran Ali Khamenei was assassinated in the air strikes. The US and Israel have murdered a head of state. Now, the motions for another regime change are being put into place. President Donald Trump has called on Iranians to overthrow their government. A ground war will not only destabilize West Asia, but will harm Central Asian countries. Air strikes are not enough to cause collapse of the Islamic Republic. A ground invasion would be required. If such an operation does happen Israel would be doing most of the combat and the US providing support. A Russian and Chinese response to military action could be precarious. Further interference into Iran might be a spark to regional war morphing into mass global conflict. The Gulf monarchies would be caught into the war. Oman would not join a coalition, because it is the only Gulf monarchy that has positive diplomatic relations with Iran. More bombings on civilian targets in Iran make the population resist more. As human rights violations and war crimes increase little thought is given about these actions. Refugees, a humanitarian crisis, and the rise of a more extreme Supreme Leader will be the results. Houthi rebels in Yemen are at some stage going to join a large conflict. Oil and energy are going to increase in price harming consumers. Fuel prices will go up and it might resemble the energy crisis of the 1970s. A war with Iran would be a long conflict.      

Jesse Jackson on Asserting Self Worth and Black Pride (1963)

 

Four centuries of  slavery, racial segregation , and discrimination  harmed the psyche of the African American. Jesse Jackson ( 1941- 2026)  was one of many African American civil rights leaders to promote self worth and black pride. Speaking in 1963, he challenged the notion that African Americans were destined to remain second class citizens. Many had convinced themselves they were inferior to whites. Oppression can not survive without a degree of compliance and self hatred.  During the civil rights movement African American self image required a radical transformation. African Americans had to see themselves as people who deserved rights, respect, and political power. Black skin was nothing to be ashamed of or vituperated. This was why Jesse Jackson would recite the poem " I Am Somebody." A reminder that no human being should be treated as a less than. African American self assertion and pride brought about a conservative and white backlash. After two liberal presidential administrations in the 1960s, the Nixon administration moved the country in a conservative direction. Jesse Jackson would continue to fight for civil rights and racial equality in the following decades.