Royce Kurmelovs

What does a boiled water alert mean for Darwin? A boiled water alert has been issued for Darwin, in addition to Katherine, Beswick and Tindal. The alert comes after issues with the pump station at Darwin's main dam. Here's what you need to know about your water.

A boiled water alert has been issued for Darwin, in addition to Katherine, Beswick and Tindal. The alert comes after issues with the pump station at Darwin's main dam. Here's what you need to know about your water.

Bundaberg residents told to evacuate immediately as Queensland braces for major flooding The BoM has forecast flooding of the Burnett River at Bundaberg could rise to 7.5 metres by midnight * Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates * Sign up for climate and environment editor Adam Morton’s free Clear Air newsletter here Residents of the coastal Queensland city of Bundaberg have been told to evacuate immediately as the region braces for major flooding in the wake of a tropical low. It comes after days of heavy rain across northern Australia, with parts of the Northern Territory experiencing their worst flooding in decades, and Darwin residents asked to reduce water use after the Darwin River Dam – the city’s major water source – stopped operating due to flooding. Continue reading...

Bundaberg residents told to evacuate immediately as Queensland braces for major flooding

Raising Hell From the desk of Royce Kurmelovs

I know there's a bit going on, but over at my newsletter I offered a few thoughts about how climate change is killing the Liberal Party and what its recent election autopsy reveals about how it is grappling this dilemma.

Spoiler: it's not.

As an IR professor, it's depressing that this is outperforming all others as the best theory of US foreign policy

Why Escalation Favors Iran America and Israel may have bitten off more than they can chew.

"Every option now carries political costs and risks; the initial strike may have solved a tactical problem, but it created a strategic one. Given these realities, the wisest choice may well be for the United States to accept a limited loss now rather than risk compounding losses later."

Minerals Council backed Jacqui Lambie Network & One Nation. A mining industry lobby group supported the 2025 federal election campaigns of the Jacqui Lambie Network and One Nation, according to AEC data.

⛏️ Miner donations to minor parties

The Minerals Council of Australia broke with its practice of funding only major political parties in the 2025 federal election, donating $125,000 to the Jacqui Lambie Network and $6,000 to One Nation. #politas #auspol

▶️ tasmanianinquirer.com.au/news/expandi...

Water Security Atlas - showing incidents of water related conflict in Jordan, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, Oman

We loaded Pacific Institute data on water conflict onto our Water Security map, so you can explore incidents of water-related violence around the world:

share.google/81jYfWd7n1zu...

BREAKING A strike targeting Bahrain's sprawling Al Ma'ameer oil facility has caused a fire at the complex along with material damage, state media reports.

Bahrain's state-owned energy company Bapco declares force majeure after waves of Iranian strikes targeted the country's energy installations

Chris Minns’ own security expert warned that tougher police powers after Bondi could ‘increase radicalisation’ Alexandra Caples suggested expanded NSW laws could ‘damage trust between police and communities, undermining broader efforts to counter extremism’

Speaking of Minns, turns out his own security expert, Alexandra Caples warned that expanding police powers and restricting protest rights could “increase radicalisation”. She was promptly ignored

www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

Iranian journalist reports in front of the flames of a burning Oil depot.

1/ Oil hit $111 today. The Strait of Hormuz — through which 20% of world oil flows — has never been closed like this. Ever. If you're surprised, you weren't paying attention. Thread on winners, losers, and what "diversified investor" actually means right now.

🧵

If we are thinking about the worst case, think: shortages in fertilizer, gasoline, jet fuel, plastics, chemical feedstocks, and much more. A ground war could choke off the oil and gas that are the LIFEBLOOD of the modern economy. Effects would ripple around the world. 🛢️🌎

Toxic Wastewater From Oil Fields Keeps Pouring Out of the Ground. Oklahoma Regulators Failed to Stop It. Salt water laced with cancer-causing chemicals, a byproduct of oil and gas drilling, is spewing from old wells. Experts warn of a pollution crisis spreading underground and threatening Oklahoma’s drin...

Salt water laced with cancer-causing chemicals, a byproduct of oil and gas drilling, keeps shooting out of the ground in Oklahoma.

Experts say it means even more wastewater is spreading underground, poisoning the state’s water supply.

(Published Oct. 2025 with @readfrontier.bsky.social)

Sources Briefed on Iran War Say U.S. Has No Plans for What Comes Next “The administration doesn’t have a clue. They do not have an actual, real rationale, endgame, or plan for the aftermath of this.”

'“You and I will be gone,” the U.S. official said, also referring to this reporter, “and Trump, too, but this attack on Iran is going to have a super long half-life. Generations long.”'

Excerpt from article in The Saturday Paper discussing the domestic considerations of Labor's stance on the Iran war.

There is a fatwa, or religious order, that prohibits the Iranian government from acquiring and developing nuclear weapons. People have argued aspects of this, but it was signed by Ali Khamenei, who was assassinated by Israel in the opening hours of the US-Israeli attack on Iran.

Scoop: U.S. dismayed by Israel's Iran fuel strikes, sources say The U.S. message to Israel was "WTF."

Axios reports Israeli strikes on Iranian oil storage over and above what US expected.

‘Dark, like our future’: Iranians describe scenes of catastrophe after Tehran’s oil depots bombed Residents report terror of smoke-filled city, from potentially toxic rain, air and water to food scarcity and difficulty of escape

‘Dark, like our future’: Iranians describe scenes of catastrophe after Tehran’s oil depots bombed

www.theguardian.com/world/2026/m...

The planned phaseout of oil, gas and coal is looking less "radical" by the hour.

Australian gas producers reap windfalls as Iran war chokes global supply Angela Macdonald-Smith Angela Macdonald-Smith Senior resources writer Mar 6, 2026 – 1.38pm Save Share Gift this article Listen to this article 7 min Australia’s biggest gas producers are cashing in on the conflict in the Middle East and the suspension of Qatari LNG production, which has disrupted global supply, with deals struck at more than double recent market rates. Santos, the country’s second-biggest listed oil and gas producer, finalised a deal with a commodities trader on Wednesday for the sale of an LNG cargo at about $US25 ($35) per million British thermal units (MMBtu), according to market sources, who were not authorised to speak publicly.

Not a single soul on the planet happier about bloodshed, conflict, uncertainty, rising energy bills, fuel shortages and cost of living collapse than the CEO of a fossil fuel company

The worse the death and destruction, the happier they (and the shareholders) get

www.afr.com/companies/en...

UK faces growing calls from locals to remove Cyprus military bases Foreign minister, Constantinos Kombos, tells Guardian Iranian-made drone that hit airbase was launched from Lebanon

[UK faces growing calls from locals to remove Cyprus military bases]

“Britain is facing growing calls to withdraw its military bases from Cyprus as locals step up protests against facilities seen as threat to their security after unprecedented drone attack“

www.theguardian.com/world/2026/m...

The Gulf states & Israel depend on water desalination to live. If Israel & US break the taboo of bombing vulnerable desal infrastructure, they risk catastrophic harm.

Percent of drinking water from desal:
Israel: 80%
Kuwait: 90%
Saudi Arabia: 70%
Oman: 86%
UAW: 42%

www.ndtv.com/world-news/i...

Look, Brisbane, I get it. You are very cool but also very wet.

Before you share that story about how troops were told the Iran War is for "Armageddon," read this The narrative is dramatic. The sourcing is thin. And skepticism matters, especially on something this serious.

I agree with a lot of this, worth reading:

www.friendlyatheist.com/p/before-you...

There have also been reports the US would target the oil terminal on Kharg Island.

North Tehran’s Aqdasiyeh oil depot is ablaze tonight after it was targeted by multiple US-Israeli airstrikes. Apocalyptic scenes filmed by Iranians driving on the nearby highway. Local reporters saying firefighters can’t put it out. This depot is critical energy infrastructure for Iran.

Not saying these are related but there's enough to know we don't know anything right now.

Screenshot from a post to social media.

Follow up responses providing more context.

Mike Prysner, Executive Director of the Center on Conscience And War, said in a post to social media on Saturday that his organisation has received calls from the mothers of US troops being sent on combat deployments to Iran. They were told they were being sent for training.

Trump threatens ‘very hard’ expanded strikes; Iran vows never to surrender The US-Israeli war against Iran has entered its second week with no signs of slowing down.

Al Jazeera English reports Iran claims it has captured US soldiers. US denies claim, calling it "lies".

How Elon Musk’s Sci-Fi Hyperloop Failed Before his misadventures in government efficiency, Musk promised to revolutionize commuting with a subway that would speed passengers between DC and Baltimore in a matter of minutes. The project was a...

A year long investigation into the Hyperloop found …

“The truth was far simpler, far dumber, and far more prescient: Musk and his lieutenants truly had no idea what they were doing.”

washingtonian.com/2026/02/12/h...

The long arc of Donald Trump’s obsession with Iran Iranians are demanding economic justice, says historian Behrooz Ghamari—but Trump is just demanding their oil.

The US and Israel "are not going to stop until they have free access to Iran’s resources and oil."