CASHMAN: ELIZA BLEU AND THE PERPETUAL TRAUMA MACHINE—PART 1

Ford Carrier Group Enters Mediterranean To Join Biggest US Build-Up Since 2003 Iraq War Open source monitors as well as US and Middle East media have confirmed that the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, has entered the Mediterranean Sea, having sailed passed the Strait of Gibraltar on Friday. This is the second carrier strike group expected to soon operate directly in the CENTCOM area of responsibility, amid the massive military build-up and pressure campaign against Iran. It was sent from the Caribbean earlier this month, extending its planned...

Trump Crosses Iran's 'Red Line' By Heavy Bombing Of Kharg Island, Endangering Energy Assets Across Region In what could prove to be a major step up the escalation ladder in the two-week-old US-Israeli war on Iran, President Trump on Friday evening (notably after US market closure) announced that US Central Command had carried out a major bombing raid on Kharg Island, which handles upwards of 90% of Iran's crude oil exports. Importantly, Iran has previously warned that an attack on the island would cross a red line, and precipitate Iranian...

China Sidesteps Solar Targets In New Five-Year Plan China’s latest five-year plan avoids setting ambitious solar targets, signaling rising challenges for the sector after years of explosive growth, according to Bloomberg. Released during the annual National People’s Congress, the plan does not include a goal for solar installations by 2030. That omission contrasts with clearer commitments elsewhere in the energy mix, including plans to double offshore wind capacity and expand nuclear and pumped-hydro power. Solar receives relatively little attention overall, while policymakers instead emphasize broader transition initiatives such as zero-carbon industrial...