Baghdad Bombings
End of the Age News
By Anthony Vandagriff
Obama’s Fund for Climate Change
President Obama visited California late last week, where over 91 per cent of the state was classified as experiencing severe or exceptional drought, to announce that he will include a new $1billion “climate resilience fund” in the 2015 budget proposals.
On this subject, the President said, “One thing that is undeniable is that changing temperatures influence drought,” “We have to be clear a changing climate means that weather related disasters like droughts, wildfires, storms and floods are potentially going to be costlier and harsher…
He added, “Water politics in California has always been complicated, but scientific evidence shows that a changing climate is going to make them more intense.” Some of the President’s comments likely upset Republican climate skeptics because Obama pinned everything on climate change
He said, “”Unless and until we do more to combat carbon pollution that causes climate change this trend is going to get worse,” “We are going to have to stop looking at these disasters as something to wait for, and we have got to start looking at these disasters as something to prepare for, to anticipate, to start building infrastructure.”
Republican representation Lamar Smith made some comments about this move by the President. “In order to push his costly climate change agenda, the President is once again linking extreme weather to climate change – with no scientific support,” “Drought is a serious problem that should not be used to justify a partisan agenda or a new billion dollar climate change fund.”
Baghdad Bombings
Violence in Baghdad has escalated recently since 2008 but on the evening of February 17, multiple bomb attacks left a total of 49 people dead. In the worst attack, a minibus blew up at a bus station in the Ur neighborhood in northern Baghdad, leaving at least 11 people dead according to police and setting several.
In addition to these series a bombings, a new series occurred again on Tuesday. This new wave of car bombs ripped through commercial areas in the Iraqi capital and areas to the south, killing at least 33 people and wounding dozens of others.
According to UN figures, The nation saw the highest death toll last year with 8,868 people killed. It does not appear that conditions are getting any better as the continual clash between the Sunnis and Shi’ites continues.
Iranian Nuclear Talks
Six world powers and Iran began talks on Tuesday in pursuit of a final settlement on Tehran’s contested nuclear program in coming months despite warnings from both sides that a breakthrough deal may prove impossible.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the man with the final say on all matters of state in the Islamic Republic, stated again on Monday that talks between Tehran and six world powers “will not lead anywhere” – while also reiterating that he did not oppose the delicate diplomacy.
The stakes are huge. If successful, the negotiations could help defuse many years of hostility between Iran and the West, ease the danger of a new war in the Middle East, transform power relationships in the region and open up vast new possibilities for Western businesses.
While cautioning the talks will take time, a U.S. official said Washington does not want them to run beyond a six-month deadline agreed in November. The late July deadline can be extended for another half year by mutual consent.
It will be interesting to watch these talks as those take place especially since the leader of Iran openly stated the talks will not lead anywhere. There are apparently strict guidelines and conditions Iran is looking for and there is probably no room for negotiating some of these points.
These are the stories breaking in our world today, as always it’s been a pleasure.
I’m Anthony Vandagriff bringing you the latest from ETA News.