Russia Vetoes US-Authored UN Resolution Banning Nuclear Weapons In Space Russia has just vetoed a very rare and interesting resolution set before the United Nations Security Council focused on banning nuclear weapons in space: The treaty bars signatories, including the U.S. and Russia, from placing “in orbit around the Earth any objects carrying nuclear weapons or any other kinds of weapons of mass destruction” or anywhere else in outer space. On Wednesday Russia registered the lone veto which shot down the draft resolution aimed ultimately at preventing a future nuclear arms race in outer space. Illustration via bne IntelliNews China was the only abstention while the US was among the 13 UNSC members that voted in favor. It had been drafted and brought forward by the US and Japan. In February the US government alleged that Russia was preparing to deploy a ‘space weapon’ which might be nuclear, which subsequently set off a frenzy of media speculation.  Reuters  had reported at the time, “The space-based weapon U.S. intelligence believes Russia may be developing is more likely a nuclear-powered device to blind, jam or fry the electronics inside satellites than an explosive nuclear warhead to shoot them down, analysts said.” The Kremlin has blasted what it characterized as a “malicious fabrication”. It claimed US officials were seeking to distract the public and ram through more foreign aid and defense spending in Congress. The US press release summarizing Wednesday’s failed resolution included the following description: The detonation of a nuclear weapon in space would destroy satellites that are vital to communications, agriculture, national security, and more worldwide, with grave implications for sustainable development, and other aspects of international peace and security. The diverse group of cosponsors of this resolution reflects the strong shared interest in avoiding such an outcome. Additionally National Security Council spokesman John Kirby warned

China Is Winning Big On Smaller EVs Smaller is better…at least in the world of building EVs for the Asian market. And while less scrupulous publications might take this opportunity to make stereotypical jokes about height, we’ll do no such thing and instead will simply report that according to the IEA’s Global Electric Vehicle Outlook 2024, released Tuesday, China dominated the EV market in 2023. In fact, it made up 60% of global sales, according to a new report from Reuters. The report forecasts that by 2030, electric vehicles will represent one-third of all cars in China. The latest IEA report highlights China’s increasing dominance in the global electric vehicle market, particularly across Asia’s burgeoning economies. China is capitalizing on its extensive industrial capabilities to expand its EV influence, promoting more affordable electric vehicles in nations like Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia, the report says. The key to China’s success has been managing cost, the IEA report notes: “In China, we estimate that more than 60% of electric cars sold in 2023 were already cheaper than their average combustion engine equivalent.” It continued: “However, electric cars remain 10% to 50% more expensive than combustion engine equivalents in Europe and the United States, depending on the country and car segment.” “In 2023, 55% to 95% of the electric car sales across major emerging and developing economies were large models that are unaffordable for the average consumer, hindering mass-market uptake,” the IEA report continued, according to Reuters. “However, smaller and much more affordable models launched in 2022 and 2023 have quickly become bestsellers, especially those by Chinese car makers expanding overseas.” The report emphasizes China’s growing edge due to making affordable EVs, which is proving successful across Asia. European and U.S. automakers, by contrast, target wealthier customers with costlier, luxury EV models. In Asia, countries like