US Sends Uranium Antitank Shells to Ukraine, Gabon Coup Update, Nor...

US Sends Uranium Antitank Shells to Ukraine

This week the US announced that it would be sending depleted uranium antitank shells to Ukraine following Britain's decision to send the rounds to Ukraine back in March. Depleted uranium is a byproduct in the enrichment process that cannot be used for nuclear weapons. The element is still radioactive but at much lower levels. The reason that this material is so useful for munitions is that it's incredibly dense. In total, it weighs 19.1g/cm³, which makes it about 68.4% more dense than lead. In fact depleted uranium is only 16% less dense than osmium and iridium which are the densest substances at Earth's surface pressure. Additionally it can self ignite at high temperatures and actually becomes even sharper when it penetrates armor plating, a process known as adiabatic shearing. Now, you don't need a degree in chemistry to recognize that its unique properties may give it certain uses on the battlefield. This is why for decades it's been used in shells is it really improves the ability of these shells to pierce through the armor plating of tanks. There has been though criticism of these rounds. The International Atomic Energy Agency or IAEA, suggests that while they're not a radiation hazard, depleted uranium is a toxic chemical. They've additionally suggested that high concentrations in the kidneys can cause damage and in extreme cases renal failure. The UN nuclear watchdog urges caution when handling them. The US also used these rounds in the Iraq war and some claim that an increase in mortality in the regions in which they were used were caused directly by these shells.

Gabon Coup Update

At the end of August Gabon became the latest country in West and Central Africa to undergo a military coup as President Ali Bongo was overthrown just days after a disputed election that had seemingly secured him a third term in office. But unlike other recent military takeovers the time following the coup has been notably different, leading some to hope albeit tentatively that it might actually put the country on a path towards freer and fairer governance. Earlier this week the leader of the military junta General Brice Allegri and Gamma was sworn in as Gabon's interim president. In his speech, Allegri vowed to hold free, transparent and credible elections to hand power over to civilians and added that a new constitution would be drafted that would be more respectful of democracy and human rights. However he notably gave no timeline for when and how this transition to democracy would occur. He also said that his new government would look to free political prisoners which has seemingly begun to happen as imprisoned trade unionist leader John Remy Jamar was reportedly freed. Then on Thursday Army officers announced on television that Raymond Zimmer a former opposition leader, had been appointed as the country's interim prime minister. Zimmer once served as prime minister between 2012 and 2014 under then President Bongo but left the ruling party became a critic of the government and unsuccessfully ran against Bongo in 2016 and 2023. Now it would be naive to think that something will happen just because the new military leader says they'll do it. After all many of the newish coup leaders in West Africa have pledged to oversee a transition to democracy with little progress so far.

Additionally, while many celebrated the end of 56 years of combined rule by Ali Bongo and his father Omar Gabon's new interim president is actually said to be a cousin of the younger Bongo. As such the main opposition candidate in last month's election Albert Ondo told the Associated Press that the coup was a palace revolution designed to keep the family in power, adding that this is a family issue. They think that Bongo is sick and fragile, so another bongo has to take over. However after meeting with the interim president Ondo said, Let's dare to believe in a better and brighter future for our beloved country. There were also differences between the Gabon coup and other recent coups in say Niger, Burkina Faso or Mali, for example. There's not been a visible outpouring of anti-French or pro-Russian sentiment since the coup. Nor has the new Gabonese government announced any intention to expel the French troops currently based there. Gabon remains suspended from the African Union and the Central African bloc ECOWAS but mediation is underway in the hopes that a reasonable timeline for democratic transition can be agreed.

North Korea New Nuclear Submarine

North Korea has this morning claim that they've launched a new tactical nuclear submarine named Hero Kim Kun. Okay. They claim that this marks a new chapter for their Navy and in true North Korean style, they sent the new vehicle out to sea to much fanfare. On Wednesday the Korean Central News Agency which is a government backed agency in the isolated nation claims that the vessel was equipped with a large number of nuclear delivery machines, which are capable of preemptive and retaliatory strikes against hostile countries. South Korea doesn't seem all that convinced though. The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff released a statement on Friday stating that the sub appears not capable of normal operation and that North Korea was probably trying to exaggerate what it's capable of. For their part US analysts believe that construction on the submarine began four years ago and is conventionally powered but is able to launch ballistic missiles tipped with nuclear warheads. Other analysts though agree with the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff who find this unlikely.

UK Terror Suspect Escape

Early this week on Wednesday it was announced that 21 year old Daniel Khalifa had escaped HMP Wandsworth in south east London. Khalifa had been arrested in jailed for eliciting or trying to elicit information that could be useful for a terrorist and for breaching the Official Secrets Act by gathering information that could be useful to an enemy. Specifically, he was accused of leaving fake bombs at military bases. Khalifa is a former soldier who was previously stationed at the MoD's Beacon Barracks in Stafford. On social media he described his role as being a computer specialist. He's believed to have escaped when he was working in the prison kitchens and was dressed in a cook's uniform on Wednesday. Specifically, he is believed to have escaped by strapping himself to the underside of a food delivery van. A nationwide search is now underway although there has been as yet no confirmed sightings. Police currently believe that he's still likely to be in the London region.

US Sends Uranium Antitank Shells to Ukraine, Gabon Coup Update, North Korea New Nuclear Submarine, UK Terror Suspect Escape