World News Random, Random

[mmmm8]

The Chief of Staffs of the Belarussian military has resigned. He was tasked with organizing troops to prepare for offense (as backup, I guess). His resignation letter says there was en masse refusal from the troops. (Source in Russian only so far)

[Suliso]

I wonder would it even be possible for Russian citizens to return to Russia right now? Flights from EU and US are banned and Russian airlines are stopping all flights abroad from March 8th.

Probably the most feasible option would be via land from Kazakhstan.

[Suliso]

IN fact it's a more serious issue than I had imagined. Particularly for Ukrainians...

https://www.dw.com/en/russian-ukrainian ... a-61021285

[Suliso]

By the way a major further squeeze on chipmaking is expected due to Ukraine providing ca 50% of world supply of neon which in turn is crucial for lasers used in the electronics industry. It's probably best not to plan to replace any electronics this year or next...

[ponchi101]

In another forum, I found a list of all the things Ukraine does. I will post it in the UKRAINE WAR topic, but I was truly impressed, both at all they do, and my ignorance of it.
It will not only be electronics. I did not know that Ukraine was so important to the world's economy.

[mmmm8]

I wonder would it even be possible for Russian citizens to return to Russia right now? Flights from EU and US are banned and Russian airlines are stopping all flights abroad from March 8th.

Probably the most feasible option would be via land from Kazakhstan.

Trains between St. Petersburg and Finland are still running and flights are still open by non-Russian airlines to some countries (Armenia, Kazakhstan, for example). I'm actually trying to reach family in St. Petersburg to see if they are planning to/have taken that train. They're an older couple and their son and family are expats in Germany.

[mmmm8]

I wonder would it even be possible for Russian citizens to return to Russia right now? Flights from EU and US are banned and Russian airlines are stopping all flights abroad from March 8th.

Probably the most feasible option would be via land from Kazakhstan.

Trains between St. Petersburg and Finland are still running and flights are still open by non-Russian airlines to some countries (Armenia, Kazakhstan, for example). I'm actually trying to reach family in St. Petersburg to see if they are planning to/have taken that train. They're an older couple and their son and family are expats in Germany.

And to just demonstrate an example of what this war means, the wife in that older couple has a younger brother who lives - lived in Kiev. He and his family (small kids) left to go to Western Ukraine as of March 2, they haven't been able to reach them for 4 days.

[ti-amie]

[ponchi101]

I understand the logic.
But it basically means that the USA is willing to let Venezuela remain a dictatorship forever, in its attempt to save Ukraine. And if the USA believes that Venezuela will come over and become an ally of the USA, they have not learned anything about Maduro.
(It is the Vennie government that "hates" the USA, as they like very much to vacation there. The Venezuelan people have nothing against America).

[mmmm8]

I understand the logic.
But it basically means that the USA is willing to let Venezuela remain a dictatorship forever, in its attempt to save Ukraine lower oil prices. And if the USA believes that Venezuela will come over and become an ally of the USA, they have not learned anything about Maduro.
(It is the Vennie government that "hates" the USA, as they like very much to vacation there. The Venezuelan people have nothing against America).

Fixed it for you.

[ponchi101]

I understand the logic.
But it basically means that the USA is willing to let Venezuela remain a dictatorship forever, in its attempt to save Ukraine lower oil prices. And if the USA believes that Venezuela will come over and become an ally of the USA, they have not learned anything about Maduro.
(It is the Vennie government that "hates" the USA, as they like very much to vacation there. The Venezuelan people have nothing against America).

Fixed it for you.

And thanks. What the hell was I thinking?

[meganfernandez]

I have a lot of friends of course here in Ukraine. Some, who could leave - left for Western Ukraine or if they are allowed - to Europe. But majority is still here. Civilians are hostages of the situation. The decision to block the possibility to leave for all men 18-60 seems questionable to me. Has it ever happened in "democratic" countries?

i'm glad to hear you are still safe. Do you ever leave the apartment? This seems silly, but are people still going to work and such?

[mick1303]

Again there is a period of time when there is power and Internet. Things are not getting better though. Pictures of familiar places turned into dust tear my heart. There are already significant destruction in the places where I can walk in 10 minutes. We entertained the thought of fleeing to the Western part of the country. But it is very hard for various reasons. My father refuses to move, believing that by some miracle everything will be OK. All railroads and automobile roads are heavily congested. Besides railroad way is closed to me, because they would not allow men 18-60 on the train. So for the time being my options are limited.

I am leaving an apartment, walking the streets, because otherwise you will just go insane. Explosions at the distance is the thing one can get used to. But all this comes at a cost (psychologically). It is hard to sleep and I constantly feel tired and drift into some kind of numbness.

[meganfernandez]

Again there is a period of time when there is power and Internet. Things are not getting better though. Pictures of familiar places turned into dust tear my heart. There are already significant destruction in the places where I can walk in 10 minutes. We entertained the thought of fleeing to the Western part of the country. But it is very hard for various reasons. My father refuses to move, believing that by some miracle everything will be OK. All railroads and automobile roads are heavily congested. Besides railroad way is closed to me, because they would not allow men 18-60 on the train. So for the time being my options are limited.

I am leaving an apartment, walking the streets, because otherwise you will just go insane. Explosions at the distance is the thing one can get used to. But all this comes at a cost (psychologically). It is hard to sleep and I constantly feel tired and drift into some kind of numbness.

Thanks for sharing your story, Mick. I wish there was something I could do. This is unimaginable. You are so strong already. I'm praying for you and your family, and your neighbors. I hope you can convince your father to go somewhere safer.

[skatingfan]

Rotterdam to dismantle part of historic bridge so Jeff Bezos’s massive yacht can pass through


A picture shows barges docked on the Koningshaven waterway near the “De Hef” lift bridge and the Koninginnebrug drawbridge in Rotterdam. (SEBASTIEN BOZON/AFP via Getty Images)

By Miriam Berger
Today at 1:21 p.m. EST

Rotterdam has agreed to temporarily dismantle part of its historic Koningshaven Bridge so that Jeff Bezos’s 417-foot-long, three-mast yacht can pass through the waterway sometime this summer, according to a spokeswoman for the city.

The Dutch company Oceano has been building the massive vessel for an estimated $500 million in the nearby city of Alblasserdam. Once completed this year, the ship, known as Y721, will be the world’s largest sailing yacht, according to Boat International.

But to reach the open seas it must first pass through Rotterdam — considered the maritime capital of Europe — and the city’s historic steel bridge, locally known as De Hef, which has a clearance of just over 131 feet.

Originally built in 1927, De Hef was a railway bridge and the first of its kind in Western Europe, with a central span that could be lifted to allow ship traffic to pass underneath. It was decommissioned in 1994 after being replaced by a tunnel, but later declared a national monument. The bridge underwent a major restoration from 2014 to 2017, after which the city said it would not be dismantled again, according to the Dutch broadcaster Rijnmond, which first reported on the yacht agreement.

Although the exact plans, timetable and costs have not been set, Oceano and Bezos will pay to dismantle the bridge, Rijnmond reported.

Frances van Heijst, the Rotterdam municipality spokeswoman, confirmed by phone that the city would not be footing the bill. She said the shipbuilder bears the cost of hiring a company to carry out the bridge’s deconstruction and reassembly, but that she could not provide an estimate or breakdown of the cost as “a lot of details need to be worked out.”

Representatives for Bezos and Oceano did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Bezos, estimated to be one of the world’s richest people, owns The Washington Post. Last year, he stepped down as chief executive of Amazon, the online retail giant he founded.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/20 ... gn=wp_main

More than 1,000 Dutch residents plan to throw rotten eggs at Jeff Bezos' superyacht if it ends up forcing a historic bridge be dismantled for it to pass through

Jeff Bezos' new megayacht is being built in the Netherlands, where it may require a historic bridge be dismantled so it can sail through.

Some Dutch residents definitely won't be egging him on but will instead be chucking eggs at his yacht when it passes.

Rotterdam locals have taken to Facebook to plan an event called "Throwing eggs at Jeff Bezos' superyacht" in protest.

"Calling all Rotterdammers, take a box of rotten eggs with you and let's throw them en masse at Jeff's superyacht when it sails through the Hef in Rotterdam," the event description reads. "Rotterdam was built from the rubble by the people of Rotterdam, and we don't just take that apart for the phallic symbol of a megalomaniac billionaire. Not without a fight!"

As of this writing, roughly 1,200 people have marked themselves going to the event, and 4,900 people are interested in it. The event is slated for June 1.
Bezos' megayacht is predicted to cost $500 million and is under construction now in Alblasserdam, Netherlands, by shipbuilding company Oceanco. Once completed, the 417-foot vessel will need to pass through Rotterdam to reach the ocean and ultimately, Bezos.

The problem, though, is that the megayacht's three masts are too tall to pass under the 131-foot clearance of Rotterdam's Koningshaven Bridge. Known locally as De Hef, the bridge is nearly 100 years old and is thought of as something of a landmark in the city. After the bridge was renovated in 2017, the city vowed it wouldn't be taken apart again, according to Dutch broadcaster Rijnmond.

Rotterdam's mayor, Ahmed Aboutaleb, said Thursday that no decision has been made yet on dismantling the bridge to accommodate the superyacht. If it does end up happening, Bezos or Oceanco may have to foot the bill, he added.

https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/new ... 356031.cms