Bulletins and News Discussion from August 14th to August 20th, 2023 - America's War On Pipelines

Dude that jumped the border into the DPRK seeking asylum. Damn near uncritical support.

It’s Not Just US Army Soldiers Going Hungry, Food Insecurity Hitting Other Branches of the Military: Expert

spoiler

Over 25% of personnel across all branches of the military were food insecure in 2018, with some service members struggling to stay within their monthly budgets or finding themselves captive to their schedules, according to a report released earlier this year by the RAND Corporation think tank.

“[W]e actually looked at some of the predictors of food insecurity among service members and, actually, service members who live on-post are more likely to experience problems accessing food, more food insecurity,” said Dr. Thomas Trail, a behavioral scientist who co-authored the report.

“Which makes the situation at Fort Cavazos kind of concerning, because you think, ‘Well, you know, they have dining facilities there, they get a meal card, they should be able to eat.’”

Soldiers at the sprawling, 214,968-acre U.S. Army base, which sits about 70 miles north of Austin, have battled insufficient food access for much of the summer, Military.com reported earlier this week.

Just two of the base’s 10 major dining stations have been open every day this summer, with another three open only during limited hours, according to the report. Confusing or conflicting information on hours of operation has compounded the problem.

While some soldiers can head off-post to grab grub, not all have vehicles. And those who do face a lengthy drive — up to an hour round trip — plus the prospect of paying for food out of pocket, rather than with military-issued meal cards usable on-post. Without factoring in bonuses and allowances, annual base pay for active duty soldiers starts at just over $23,000.

The reported root of the problem at Fort Cavazos is a lack of staffing for the on-post facilities, with a majority of cooks either deployed or undergoing training elsewhere.

“What we’ve found and what the [Department of Defense’s] own surveys have found is that the rate of food insecurity is high among service members and their families, higher than it is among equivalent civilians even,” Trail told The Messenger. “It’s a fairly large and somewhat persistent issue.”

The research report, which was sponsored by the Office of the Secretary of Defense, did find some trends. Two-thirds of those service members found to be food insecure were “in the early to middle stages of their career,” according to the report. They were also more likely to be of racial or ethnic minorities, and disproportionately in the Army rather than other branches.

“[I]f you’re living on-post, [and] you have a meal card, but you can’t use that meal card to purchase food because the dining facilities aren’t open or they’re not easily accessible, then you’re essentially not getting the pay you’re owed to pay for your food,” said Trail.

This issue comes up even on bases with ample kitchen staffing, with some soldiers’ work schedules incompatible with the hours of operation for on-post dining options.

“Some people are on shift work and they need to eat when the dining facilities aren’t open, so they’re spending money on food [off-post] that technically they’re not being reimbursed for from the military,” said Trail.

One person interviewed for the research report relayed that exact concern.

“We do a lot of shift work, which means that you won’t be eating in the [dining facility],” that interviewee said. “You get your BAS [Basic Allowance for Subsistence], and if you’re buying microwave dinners or eating takeout all the time, it adds up quick.”

New York’s Fort Drum is currently running a pilot program allowing soldiers to use their meal cards at non-military eateries, like Panera and Qdoba, according to Military.com.

So, the biggest military in the world has tactics that are entirely geared towards fighting shepherds in deserts, wunderwaffen that cost exponentially more than the hardware they may end up outmatched by, and they still can't feed their soldiers in their own country living on bases. I hope there's a lot of Qdobas and Paneras in Taiwan otherwise China's gonna have a cakewalk.

One thing I'll never get over when visiting family in the US is seeing how strong military worship can be in some places. I remember going to some small rural town and having "US MARINE" bumper stickers or decals would have people honking their horns and a few going "YEAH! YOU'RE A HERO!" Another time a guy in a military outfit was buying groceries and some dad loudly said to his kid, "Go to that guy and tell him thank you for protecting us!"

Military people in my country are largely viewed as slackers or people too stupid to pick up a trade or go to school. The only people who do something similar to what I saw in the US are the far-right types that like the fashy aesthetic of it.

So I was browsing and I saw a user post a video of Pyongyang taken from a very tall building. The user kinda admits the city looks cool but finishes by saying "these buildings are all empty and there are impoverished people", first commenter say Pyongyang is the cleanest city because people are "not allowed to do anything" (?????).

May burn and suffer a painful death. I am tired of better than thou white ass cracker motherfucker gringos. The world will be a better place without them.

Argentina's primary election winner Javier Milei, the ancap, said that if he's elected he'll cut diplomatic ties with China because "they're Communists and I don't deal with Communists". Diplomatic, political and economic suicide, here we go!

Also he said the US and Israel would be "our top allies" if he wins, how original. He also gave names for a possible cabinet and how he's going to reorganize the government: A number of ministeries will be eliminated, state scientific institutions will be privatized (He's on the record saying "What have scientists done for us?, they need to be competitive") and the Central Bank will be "demolished". He mentioned the Ministry of Defense will be under a woman who is known for being a Videla apologist, she claims the last military junta did not carry out a genocide and denies 30,000 people were disappeared, tortured and killed by the state. He also wants a "voucher system" for education, public schools and universities are pretty much gone, instead, the state would give people "vouchers" for them to "spend on educative institutions of their choosing", thus "forcing schools and universities to compete among themselves". And probably his "top issue" is complete dollarization of the economy. His path will be most likely similar to Menem's neoliberal plan, first he'll "fix" high inflation (In the case of Menem it was hyperinflation of the late 80s), this will be seen as very positive by the general population. He'll most likely do this by cutting a deal with the IMF and other foreign entities, they'll let him "reign in peace" for two or four years, in exchange, Argentina will give up it's energy and lithium reserves (among other things, like labor reforms and shit like that), sealing our fate.

We're living in the wildest nightmare. Capitalism has brought this country to it's knees numerous times before, and the "libertarian" solution to capitalism is even more capitalism. I am contemplating more and more just leaving this hollow piece of shit behind and migrate to Spain, at least for a number of years. I just don't feel particularly safe here no more, this is a nightmare scenario, this isn't just your typical right winger taking power and getting kinda obstructed by democratic institutions, these are true Fascist demons taking power and going all in. I'm not sure he'll be able to fully implement his agenda, most likely he'll fail along the way, the problem is that this shit will bring high social tension, economic devastation and a massive drop in quality of life. Do I really want to live through this crap AGAIN? I grew up during the late 90s and early 2000s, I remember the December 2001 riots, I can still hear the echoes of the "Cacerolazos" (people banging pots to protest), I remember my school friends asking me if we could give them spare cardboards to their parents because these could be sold for some money, I remember the endless waves of unhoused people looking for food in the trash (who are more and more visible today) and, of course, I remember the police killing 30+ people during the protests as if this was 1978. No, I don't think I want to live through this again, even less when I'm a target for these lunatics. There is fight in me, but is there any fight in those around me?

Death and Eternal Suffering to all Fascists.

I've noticed a slight shift in the reporting on Ukraine in Danish media. There's less of the "Our superior Wunderwaffen will crush Russia!" stuff and a lot more stuff about how challenging things are for the Ukrainian armed forces, some even go as far as saying that the counteroffensive has failed.

Theyre still campaigning to give Ukraine F-16's and seems to think that this time superior Aryan technology will change the tide of the war.

Something suggests that at least some of the sources that western media get their Ukraine content from is winding down their bellicose stance.

Every time I explain the war to libs I become 1% more pro-Russia and I'm a little concerned about it.

Like, can someone tell me what Russia or the separatists could have done differently that would allow the provinces some pathway towards secession or even just representation, while minimizing loss of life? There's an answer to that question, right? Help.

I was pissed when the colonial government in hawaii did nothing to help us when we burn, and move mountains to evac tourists. And now that they've sent "aid", I'm even more pissed.

you want to know why?

Instead of sending extra volunteers, more firefighters, or further aid. Instead of stopping the landlord leeches currently using this crisis to further buy up land.

they sent a mortuary assistant to help identify our burnt corpses https://www.khon2.com/hawaii-fires/portable-morgue-unit-in-hawaii-to-help-identify-maui-fire-victims/

Marxism-Leninism is when the capitalists sell us the rope with which we will hang them.

Socialism with Chinese Characteristics is when we sell the capitalists the rope with which they will hang themselves.

It's a slow news week.

Hawaii still refusing to do anything about the fires besides protect property and evac tourists

fuck this country

Just found out that there’s been a new china scare: china is potentially operating a Covid testing lab in the US, making the virus more contagious and deadly. For some reason the US government can’t even confirm whether these people are Chinese or if they were American citizens

Pretty insane how the first thought is “how can we link china” when they’re in a state that’s a hotbed for the military, intelligence, and hippie biological modification

a friend of mine is argentinian and the news there... oh boy. fuck

Lukashenko, to Ukrainian journalist, emphasis mine:

Lukashenko: "I've drawn this map specifically for you. Russia will crush your personnel and hardware over there. Those motivated, ideologically strong, Nazis as they are called, those ideologically strong men are no longer around. All of them have died already. Who is fighting here, then? Those you can catch in the streets and bring here. They are not prepared. Well, and a bit of military personnel. They will not be able to defeat this machine. Russia has changed. At present, Russia has cutting edge weapons at the front. There are plenty of drones now. Well, it is a totally different army now. And the most dangerous thing... I don't know whether I should tell you or not..."

Reporter: "Please do!"

L: "They have 250,000 volunteers! Russia has 250,000! Who are not at the front yet!"

R: "In reserve now?"

L: "Volunteers! They have been trained and they are in reserve. Do you understand how many people 250,000 are? Russia has fewer people at the front now. So they are staying on the defensive. Not because they cannot advance. They don't have to! And you keep walking like people who have had too much drugs and alcohol. You walk [with assault rifles] at the ready like German Nazis in movies. You walk towards these barricades. But you cannot even reach them. We can see it, and it is so. You cannot even reach the minefields. You are just getting slaughtered in thousands. Your counteroffensive cost 45,000 in dead and maimed. 45,000! So they are on the defensive. Your losses are 1 to 8. 1 to 8 at the front line. And 250,000 in reserve with cutting edge hardware. You will be crushed. Then they will do what you and your leadership fear the most. They will cut you off by advancing towards Moldova, towards Transdniestria. What will you do after that? And Poles rub their hands in glee. Pushed by Americans, they will cut off the western regions. You will have only this little bit left, if any at all. This is what will happen to you. And the state, the Ukraine you and I know, will cease to me. Our native land. Yours and mine."

R: "Has this history been determined? What you are saying now..."

L: "If you don't stop now, it will happen! If you don't start negotiations now. Russia suggests it. You don't want it? Well, if you don't want it, we don't need it! Russia is powerful enough. No West will help you in this regard. You have to take your head into your hands and act on the basis of reality. Act in the interests of this huge and beautiful territory. The West is already starting to understand that nothing will come out of it. Ukraine will not be able to survive even with the West's aid."

Geopolitics Special Edition: the Moon

As you may know, the race is on for India vs Russia to be the first country to land on the lunar south pole, an unusually challenging site on the moon with treacherous terrains and craters stretching thousands of kms.

Fun facts about their predecessors

This will be India’s third attempt with their moon missions. The last mission, Chandrayaan-2 (which means “mooncraft” in Sanskrit), was launched in September 2019 but due to a software glitch, the Vikram Lander veered off course and crashed. However, the orbiter stayed on the moon’s orbit and in April 2021, with an optical camera (OHRC) with the highest resolution mapping the moon’s surface to date, was able to send back a photo of Apollo 11’s Eagle descent stage. The Americans did land on the moon. Checkmate conspiracy theorists.

Meanwhile, the last time Russia conducted a moon mission (Luna-24, which means “moon” in Russian) was in… 1976! It was actually the Soviet Union, and this will be post-Soviet Russia’s first attempt at a moon mission, practically a reboot of the space industry. Did you know that Luna-24 was the third time the Soviet Union carried back soil samples from the moon and was the first to discovered water in the regolith (moon soil)? The scientific findings were published in 1978 and almost nobody noticed.

Who will be the first to land on the lunar south pole

So, you have India aiming to have its first successful moon landing mission, and Russia who hasn’t been back to the moon in 47 years. And what makes this race particularly interesting is that both not only target the lunar south pole as their landing sites, but apparently also had their mission timeframe coinciding closely (merely a week apart) and will land relatively close to one another:

With India’s Chandrayaan-3 (Чандраян-3) targeting an error within 500m, and Russia’s Luna-25 (Луна-25) with a 3 km error.

Actually, both missions had been delayed by a year. Chandrayaan-3 was supposed to launch back in August 2022, but was delayed due to COVID lockdown affecting several projects. Meanwhile, Luna-25 was supposed to launch in October-November 2022, but the war in Ukraine caused several European collaborations to be ceased, forcing Roskosmos to reproduce the components indigenously.

India’s Chandrayaan-3 was launched several weeks ago, on July 14, entered Moon’s orbit on August 5, and is expected to land on August 22-23. Owing to its larger payload (3800kg vs Luna-25’s 1750kg), its journey will take slightly longer than the Russian’s.

Once landed, if successful, the Vikram lander and the Pragyan rover, both solar powered, will have about 1 lunar day (14.5 Earth days) to conduct its scientific missions. They are not designed to survive the cold and harsh night on the moon.

Meanwhile, Russia’s Luna-25 is a lander only without a rover, but is equipped with a plutonium-based radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG) that will provide heat and power throughout the night, and is expected to last for about 1 year.

The Luna-25 was launched on August 10, and is expected to land on August 17-19 21-22 (updated dates):

Just less than 24 hours earlier, on August 16 11:57 MSK, Luna-25 switched on the propulsion system of its automatic station. The first activation was performed by a corrective braking engine that lasted 243 seconds. And the second - the soft landing engines, lasted 76 seconds. At 12:03 MSK, Luna-25 has entered the moon’s orbit.

All systems are functioning normally, communication is stable. From here, at a height of 100km lunar orbit, Luna-25 will spend the next 3 days making 36 orbits around the moon.

Which means that over the next 48 hours few days, the most critical stage will happen - will a soft landing take place successfully?

If so, then Russia will claim the first landing spot on the moon’s south pole. If not, then the Indians will have their shot immediately after on August 22-23. The race is on for a nail-biting finish.

If 72 trillion stopped carrying this mega on their godly posting muscles the entire thing would collapse lol

My mainstream TV news has an amazing segment. The title read:

No to retirement: Elderly who work are happier than those who retire

And then they go on to interview experts who talk about how elderly who work find purpose and enjoy the comradery with colleagues. Everything illustrated with the example of a smiling graphic designer who came out of retirement to do party time service work. Nobody talks about the elephant in the room: The elderly who are healthy enough to are also a lot happier than those who are too sick to work.

I'm so happy to live in a country with a free and objective press thatb doesn't just act as mouthpieces for elite propaganda!

Biden's New Ban on China Aimed in Wrong Direction, Expert Says

"One must wonder what the end game here looks like and what might be the underlying strategy that informs such actions," he said, adding that the Biden administration has revealed "a penchant for speaking out of both sides of its mouth."

It sent senior level officials such as Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen, U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry to Beijing "seemingly to mend fences and build positive momentum in bilateral relationship, and then in the very same breadth it adopts further restrictions and prohibitions that send an entirely different message," Simon said.

"How can we expect China's cooperation on key global issues when we continue to send such mixed signals? Our actions will likely have only very minimal impact at best. The political message to China, however, will be loud and clear: you remain a threat and our actions reflect that thinking," he added.

Elon's so mad that Trump didn't come back to Twitter that he's now promoting Vivek Ramaswamy for president.

I'd link nitter but it's not working.

this is the posible next president of Argentina

the last sight of many a commie

Looks like Russia has upped interest rates another 3.5% to 12% after the Ruble fell past 100 against the dollar which is the worst since last March.

Anyone who's been following the Russian economy more closely got any more context or takes?

I don't know what compelled me to do this, but I recorded a voice summary of the headlines and comments presented in the first week's update. Lmk if it's helpful for those who would prefer to listen to the update instead of read @SeventyTwoTrillion@hexbear.net

Soundcloud Link

ATTENTION:

This post is now in mode. You may every seconds.

Hearing rumors that the Russian government is authoritarian. Yes, I know, I was shocked too. Even China's, and Cuba's. Can anybody substantial these rumors? It's the first I'm hearing these critiques and I have no response to them.

Deeply disturbing to me if these nations have actually created authoritarian governments, quite unlike every other countries' governments. Authoritarian governments are deeply unnatural and it's always frightening when a leader manages to access the Tyranny Nexus deep under their government building and convince everybody through psionic networks to support them.

And in critically important news, after a whole year of searching since the start of this damn war, I've finally found a bottle of Russian Standard.

I am a lot more happier than I should be for finding a drink I actually enjoy over everything else I've been experimenting with this entire time.

Hearing from a friend of a friend that's on the ground in the Maui fire area saying things are starting to get real militia-y. Apparently the firefighters lost water pressure in their hoses and were helpless to fight the fires because of water being used up by 3 golf courses owned by billionaires.

I've been informed that this web server has been knowingly distributing kremlin propaganda.

(I just want to make sure I didn't miss anything)

Sorry everyone, no chad n cuck ranking this week. Two main reasons behind this decision:

1. I've mostly logged off this week and literally touched grass

2. I tried brainstorming ideas for this week's ranking but literally nothing politically significant has happened anywhere in the world except that Ecuadorian dude getting shot. The most interesting things other than that were the re-emergence of plane lady, Hezbollah weapon transport truck crashing, and my communist uncle in Beirut sending me a selfie from George Hawi's grave. In Ukraine-Russia, the most important event this week is Ukraine capturing half of a village with less people than comments on a hexbear mega. All these events combined would barely have an effect on the ranking.

2,000-Room Luxury Resort Appears Overnight From Charred Maui Wreckage

that's probably what's going to happen.

News!

Talkin' about news!

It's doin' the news today!

Doin' it every wa-ay!

NEWS.

News!

I'm talkin' about news!

The ‘disinformation’ craze is ruining what’s left of journalism

On the disinformation craze, with journalists acting like the concept was invented deep in a Soviet/Russian lab somewhere to destabilise Western countries - but WE MUST RESIST!

It's frankly incredible how quickly it all ramped up. This image, showing the number of mentions of "disinformation" in New York Times articles, for example:

The western media increasingly has nothing constructive to say about anything. We must kill, we must oppose, we must clamp down, we must sanction. When China and Russia and others are saying the opposite, it's obvious that all they can do is scream "Disinformation! Propaganda!" as they put their hands over their ears.

Part of the popularity of disinformation journalism for journalists themselves, newsrooms as a whole and media organizations, comes as a result of material need. As outlined at the beginning of this piece, most news outlets rely to some extent on financial aid from the government for existence in a variety of forms, including tax credits and being designated as “qualified Canadian journalism organizations.” Simultaneously, the government has expressed an interest in supporting journalism that supposedly fights disinformation, and has dedicated an incredible sum of money to journalism in general, amounting to more than $700 million since 2018 for a variety of publications. As such, there’s a vested interest in tailoring journalism to meet what the government is looking for, particularly if jobs, newsrooms and entire companies depend upon it.

Looking beyond the business case, disinformation journalism is attractive to journalists partly because it offers a sense of purpose. Legacy media no longer has a near-exclusive hold on readers, and it’s easier than ever to find a variety of news sources with varying perspectives and approaches. Instead of seeing this as a net positive, disinformation reporting allows journalists to point to it as a problem and hold themselves up as a solution. Their job is no longer to write about what’s going on, but to filter out what they deem to be illegitimate for readers. This has the function of reinforcing the role of legacy media, finding a purpose in the industry (the only “legitimate” source of information you can trust happens to be the sorts of places they work at) and trying to repair relations with readers.

The approach, however, has been a failure. As mentioned at the beginning of this piece, journalism in Canada has been hitting new lows in recent years with regard to its financial state. Things are also looking bad in terms of its perception among Canadians. A 2022 report from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism found that trust in Canadian media from readers had dropped to its lowest point since 2016 (around when the disinformation craze started). At the time, about 55 per cent of respondents said they “trust most news, most of the time.” In 2022, just 42 per cent of respondents said the same.

I guess Trump is gonna get a mugshot down in Georgia, gonna be pretty iconic tbh get ready to see it everywhere

Do Bush next

"I don't do business with communists": Argentine presidential candidate Javier Milei says that if elected, Argentina will not trade with its second largest partner, China (after Brazil) - and will only trade with the "civilized" West.

The Canada first time homebuyer insentive is peak liberal brain. It's a means tested loan that you add to your downpayment, and the most expensive hone you could afford with it is well below the median home price. The math kind of works out if you're in Toronto or Vancouver and make close to $150k. But if you make that kind of money you'd probably want to not take it and buy a slightly less small condo. Also they cap off your downpayment to a pretty low percent so it might be more expensive long term lol.

China puts dissident in 24-hour isolation for posting flyer about authoritarian state crackdowns

Then I was brought to an isolation room, and it was not explained why. It was around midnight at this point; we were arrested around 4:30 p.m. When I woke up the next morning, it sunk in that I was in isolation. Normal isolation is twenty-three-hour lockdown with one hour of access to a kiosk, a phone, and socialization. But for some reason I was put in double isolation, which is twenty-four-hour lockdown, with twenty-four-hour lights. At no point did I resist arrest, and I complied with the medical intake requirements. I felt very targeted. As the days went by, no one would really give me information.

I was trying to file a grievance, because the Bartow County Jail’s inmate handbook says that if an inmate is in an area without access to a kiosk, then the inmate can request a paper grievance form from the guard on shift. When I asked for this form, the guard said she didn’t have to do that. After I went to medical, because I was having some health problems while I was in isolation, the guard took pity on me and looked it up and there was nothing entered in the system as to the reason for my being put in isolation. Isn’t that funny?

Oops, why did I say China, it was the U.S. state of Georgia.

I think considering the failure of the couteroffensive, as well as the delays in Western equipment and the severity of Russian rocket attacks it's fair to say that Ukraine is operating at a pretty large materiel disadvantage. Also we've seen the problems faced by the Ukrainians when it comes to conscription, seemingly coming to a head with the firing of the enlistment guys. So without sounding like a bot, what exactly is holding the Ukrainians together? Pure ideology? and an (understandable imo) unwillingness for big arrows from Wide Putin? Or am I overestimating the damage dealt to Ukraine's ability to wage war?

Thinking about it, this war isn't going to end for a very long time unless Putin comes up with some "knockout blow" or Ukraine has a drastic change in management. Or maybe they really will fight to the last Ukranian.

I've been informed that this web server has been knowingly distributing kremlin propaganda.

Edit: I'm gravely disappointed in the responses to this alert. This is no laughing matter.

NYT Reveals That a Tech Mogul Likes China—and That McCarthyism Is Alive and Well

If you think China is evil and Communists are the devil—as you might, if you read US corporate news media (FAIR.org, 5/15/20, 4/8/21)—this sounds like important reporting on a dangerous man. The trouble is, there’s nothing illegal about any of this. All the Times succeeds in proving in this article is that Singham puts considerable money, amassed by selling a software company, toward causes that promote positive views of China and are critical of hawkish anti-China foreign policy, which is his right as an US citizen. If you were to replace “China” in this tale with “Ukraine,” it’s hard to imagine the Times assigning a single reporter to the story, let alone putting it on the front page.

https://strategic-culture.org/news/2019/09/01/the-canadian-prime-minister-needs-a-history-lesson/

Article on the various treaties signed by European powers with nazi Germany in the lead-up to ww2. Detailed rebuttal of the "but what about molotov ribbentrop" talking point equating nazi Germany and the ussr

Lawmakers urge Biden to resolve offloading delay of seized Iran oil tanker

That Iranian oil tanker floating off the coast of Texas is still there and has been since May. US companies are still too afraid to touch it due to fear of Iranian retribution. This is extremely funny.

Senators Joni Ernst, a Republican, and Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat, and other lawmakers in the Senate and U.S. House said in the letter to Biden and senior administration officials that enforcement of petroleum sanctions will become irrelevant if American citizens and companies involved constantly live in fear of Iranian retaliation.

a specter is haunting America

https://old.reddit.com/r/UkraineRussiaReport/comments/15qvmsm/ru_pov_footage_of_z53izdelie_53_test_launches/

I think Russia has unveiled the "hibernating" drones they were talking about. They can be launched from tubes rather than the current slingshot method. I believe the idea with these is to scatter a zillion camouflaged launchers along the frontline, then when you see something you want to blow up, you can immediately launch as many as you need.

Seems like a pretty big deal if Russia can make enough of them.

https://archive.ph/qcc7M

This had to be in the run for first place is absolute fucking cope from the pro-nato brainless think tanks.

Opinion ❘ How F-16s for Ukraine could harm Russia without taking a single shot. By Michael Bohnert

TL:DR F-16s aren't going to do shit because the Russian airforce will burn its entire airfleet out from combat usage before the first American plane touches down in Ukraine.

This author should be beaten with a heavy rope soaked in piss for writing this

The problems with Ukraine’s wartime collaboration law

By Open Democracy, which is generally anti-Russia, pro-Ukraine but willing to admit problems. It describes how "collaboration" with Russia can extend even to garbage collectors working in previously Russian territory, like Kherson, while it was occupied.

...the owners of Kherson’s main garbage collection company have been arrested and their trucks seized. Alena and Dmitry Dubrovsky, who ran the company for 20 years, are facing charges of wartime collaboration for continuing to work between March and November 2022, when Kherson was under Russian occupation.

The regional police department and prosecutors claimed that last summer the Dubrovskys supported Russia’s introduction of the ruble, opened company accounts in a Russian bank and paid taxes to the occupying administration. In other words, they “carried out economic activities in close cooperation with the aggressor state” and “transferred material resources to the occupiers”. This is regarded as wartime collaboration and aiding the aggressor state, the penalties for which are up to five and 12 years in prison, respectively.

...

According to the Kherson prosecutor’s office, more than 1,000 investigations into collaboration had been filed by the end of June, though only 50 sentences have been handed down so far. Another 234 investigations involve allegations of aiding Russia.

The father of one of my best friends is permanently paraplegic because of a spinal stroke he had during a tantric sex retreat he was attending in Ukraine for some reason months after the war started

Edit: I stole this from a tweet, have no idea if it's true

As well as the Netherlands, Denmark has received permission from their overlords in Washington to hand over F-16's to the Kiev government once the training of Ukrainian pilots is done. Surely this Wunderwaffe will turn the tide of the war and guarantee final Ukrainian victory.

When asked whether the permit means that Denmark is actually going to send the planes any time soon, Danish foreign minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen says that the permit "means that a barrier to do that is no longer there. And together with our allies we are now discussing what the next step could be". Danish minister of defence Jakob Ellemann Jensen has commented that "the government has been saying several times that a donation is the next step after training. We discuss is with near allies and I expect that we can get more concrete about it soon"

The Danish government has cancelled promises to aid poor families with children, subjected higher education to an austerity regime and taken away a paid public holiday as the economy of the kingdom on the northern outskirts of Europe presumably is in dire straits.

Left-wing Political Leader Pedro Briones Shot to Death in Ecuador

The attack takes place less than a week before the presidential elections and after last week's shooting death of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio.

The leader of the leftist and correista political party Citizen Revolution Pedro Briones has been murdered this Monday by a gunshot wound in Ecuador.

Ecuadorian police released preliminary information in statements to local media stating that the attackers were members of a gang operating in Esmeraldas. Briones was reportedly shot twice in the park of San Mateo parish in the city of Esmeraldas.

Presidential candidate Luisa González denounced the attack through her official Twitter account: "Ecuador is living its bloodiest time. This is due to the total abandonment of an inept government and a State taken over by mafias. My solidarity embrace to the family of comrade Pedro Briones, fallen in the hands of violence. Change is urgent," González said.

Members of the political group Citizen Revolution confirmed that Briones was killed by a gunshot, although so far there is no official report from the authorities.

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has condemned the political violence in the South American country, noting that such situation is "framed in a context of serious deterioration of citizen security" due to organized crime.

The IACHR called on the government to act "with diligence" in the face of these violent events, which it considered "an attack on democracy."

This comes less than a week before the presidential elections are held and after the shooting death last week of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio. The candidate of the Construye lista 25 (MC25) movement was shot several times in an armed attack during a campaign rally in northern Quito last Wednesday.

Check out this Washington Post article.

U.S. intelligence says Ukraine will fail to meet offensive’s key goal

The thing I most want to point out is that map. It shows Ukraine's advances over the past two months of the offensive. Any real mapheads in here won't be surprised by it but I think this is the first time I"m seeing a map like this in a western publication like the WP. The map itself is from the Institute from the Study of War, the one run by the sister-in-law of Victoria Nuland the current acting United States Deputy Secretary of State.

Just the map: https://i.imgur.com/pTOHBxi.png

It really does feel like the US media establishment is slowly laying the groundwork for hanging Ukraine out to dry. I just wish they would do it faster.

I still think of the self avowed "compassionate liberal" who kept starting sentences with "I'm not racist, but-" whenever we passed an asian person

wrong mega plz ignore my silliness

We got ourselves an interesting substack, which addresses the crisis in Niger within the terms of local politics rather than just geopolitical jockeying that a lot of people including us tend to limit ourselves to. Some of the highlights are:

• Nigeria is a geopolitical force in it's own right, with control over a number of multilateral organizations and wether intervention happens or not is really down the internal politics of Nigeria.

• Nigeria is going through the motions to build up international legitimacy for an ECOWAS intervention, but it is recalcitrant due to mounting opposition within itself.

• Unlike what some tend to believe, this opposition has nothing to do with pan african or anti imperialist solidarity. Rather the danger of further crisis and displacement right at the border. Not to mention how the president of Nigeria relies on a voting base from the north of the country, which is related to the people of southern Niger.

• Unlike some have reported Algeria has not said that they'll intervene to save the Nigerien junta. They also just think that intervention will worsen the situation. So they are opposed to both the coup and invasion.

• Understandably, the gut reaction of people in the region about military coups comes from the fact that nobody is holding out for a second Thomas Sankara. Everyone sees a military junta as a new kleptocracy in the making.

• When people talk about Nigerien Uranium or Gold, they are oversimplifying the situation. Niger is a resource colony in the era of financial capitalism. Yes, there are french companies that exploit the shit out of Niger's markets. But the larger point is the unravelling of the Francophonie as a whole, on which so much of french finance relies on. France won't be without fuel for it's nuclear plants because they can just buy from Kazakhstan or Canada.

• Incidentally the US doesn't really give a shit about France. It's all about the perceived geopolitical win of Russia's. A perception that is driven by protestors with Russian flags and false videos of Wagner planes touching Niamey. And even so, the Americans can't just tell Nigeria to intervene. If Nigeria was a puppet state it would have already moved in. The Nigerians will ultimately move in according to their own core national interests, and if conditions are ready for it.

• That said, Nigeria's last ECOWAS intervention was in Gambia, and it seemed like it wasn't gonna happen until it suddenly did and the country more or less folded because of how illegitimate the government had become.

in other news, Ben Norton has apparently just received Nicaraguan citizenship today after having completed the naturalization process

https://www.el19digital.com/articulos/ver/titulo:143515-bienvenido-hermano-ben-norton-a-la-familia-nicaraguense

UK MI6 to send 100 Ukrainian fighters to Africa and counter Russia

A military-diplomatic source claims that the UK's Secret Intelligence Service or MI6 prepared a sabotage unit of 100 Ukrainian fighters set to be sent to Africa to fend off Russia-Africa cooperation.

The source states: "According to information confirmed by several sources, the British intelligence service MI6 has formed and prepared for deployment to the southern continent a sabotage and punitive detachment consisting of militants of Ukrainian nationalist and neo-Nazi formations to counter the development of cooperation between African countries and Russia".

...

The main objective of the presence in Africa will be "sabotage of infrastructure in African countries, as well as the elimination of African leaders oriented towards cooperation with Russia", per the source who also noted that the unit would be delivered by "a chartered civilian ship from the [Ukrainian] port of Izmail to the [Sudanese] city of Omdurman during the second half of August".

God damn it. I'm trying to start a band with my girls, and we found an old set that's just missing a bass drum. But even severely damaged bass drums are going for over $50 on craigslist here rn, and they'd need new heads and parts.

This wouldn't bother me toooooo much, but approximately 5 years ago I sold a ~$1200 drum set for $300 to get a plane ticket out of my abusive parents' place. I just really miss making music.

On the Ukrainian front, nothing new.

Energy costs and supply shortages hit European research infrastructure

Rising energy costs, supply shortages and extended delivery times triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic and Russia–Ukraine war have had a ‘profound effect’ on science facilities across Europe, according to a key body that advises European policymakers on research infrastructure.

The European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructure (Esfri) notes in its latest report that synchrotrons have been the most affected by these challenges, with five out of 10 reporting a planned interruption of operations. The report is based on responses to a survey sent to research facilities in December 2022.

According to the 116 survey responses, the most common issue faced was the impact on finance caused by increased energy costs, with energy-intensive sites such as synchrotrons, computing centres, accelerator-driven particle sources, neutron facilities, research reactors, and lasers being the worst affected.

Another issue was the shortage of key supplies, including the gases helium-3, nitrogen, argon and xenon, and materials previously supplied by the Russian Federation, including rare isotopes of calcium and cobalt.

Delivery times have also increased substantially, with some critical equipment taking over six months to arrive on site. Esfri notes that this is having a direct impact on timelines for the construction and upgrades of infrastructure projects and is ultimately affecting scientific output.

John Collier, director of the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council’s Central Laser Facility (CLF), says that the supply chain problems described in the report were issues he and his colleagues were experiencing on ‘a daily basis’.

‘They manifest themselves in two ways; the first is just straightforward availability of stuff, which has gone from relatively straightforward pre-Covid, pre-Ukraine war to really quite complex,’ says Collier.

‘The second thing is cost, which for certain components has seen eyewatering increases compared to the pre-Covid world,’ he adds. ‘It’s almost like capacity has gone, stocks have gone, availability of raw materials has dwindled … it’s impacted the capacity of organisations to deliver.’

Cristina Hernandez-Gomez, who heads up CLF’s high-power lasers division, says that the loss of expertise due to people retiring or leaving work during the Covi-19 pandemic has also contributed to delays.

‘We ordered some crystals from the US … [but] they had lost two people that were experts in growing these crystals,’ she says. ‘They had to grow the crystal three times [and] it failed three times – which means now this crystal is 18 months late.’

Many of the materials required by major research facilities are bespoke and therefore only available from a small number of suppliers. Hernandez-Gomez says that for some components CLF has started approaching new suppliers to see if they can build them to the same specification so that it would have multiple suppliers to draw on. ‘But every approach you take that is novel comes with a price tag,’ she adds.

‘We had some critical components that we sourced in Ukraine, and that that has been held up,’ says Collier. ‘To their credit the Ukrainians managed to eventually get this stuff out to us through Lithuania, but it was non-trivial – it’s probably taken a year plus.’

Collier also highlights the impact that Covid-19 lockdowns had on being able to supply and install equipment.

‘We installed a big laser [at the European XFEL] – a £10–12 million piece of kit, which took us 3 years to manufacture,’ says Collier. ‘We shipped it about two weeks before we had to go into [the first Covid-19] lockdown. [It] then took several years to get it installed and commissioned – we just did the first experiment using it a few months ago.’

Rajeev Pattathil, a group leader at CLF, says that he is particularly worried about the future impacts these challenges will have.

‘Let’s say something was costing £100k a few years ago, it’s now almost £400k,’ he explains. ‘That extra £300k would have gone on developing new technology to make the facility more internationally competitive … instead you have to invest that extra £300k in making sure that you can run the facilities – this will have a knock-on impact in future.’

The Esfri report makes several recommendations aimed at the European Commission and national policymakers to address these challenges, including developing response plans that would reduce energy consumption at major facilities as well as taking action to increase resilience and prepare for future crises. The report also highlights the need to set up specific measures to support the Ukrainian research community.

Esfri also suggests allocating additional funds and energy price capping for the most energy-intensive research infrastructure. However, Collier believes that additional funding in the UK is ‘unlikely at any significant level’.

‘We’re approaching a spending review – the tea leaves are saying it’ll be a one-year flat cash rollover until the general election has passed,’ he says. ‘I think the situation is going to remain pretty constrained for at least for the next year, 18 months.’

In the meantime, Collier says it will be necessary for research facilities to re-optimise their plans to minimise delays and, in some cases, choose not to pursue certain activities to make critical savings.

‘We have been buffered because we hold an inventory of spare components so by and large we’ve been able to weather that, [but] the cost of replacement is greater and therefore [it means] you won’t do something for the future, and that’s where the impact will be felt.’

Exempt from a poem written about the Gulf War in 1991:

Now with noonday headlights in Kuwait and the burial of the blackened in Baghdad let them remember, all those who celebrate, that their good news is someone else's bad or the light will never dawn on poor Mankind.

The Korea Times - Korea expected to increase defense exports 87% by 2027: FKI [17/07//2023]

South Korea's defense exports came to $17.3 billion last year, almost a six-fold increase from $3 billion in 2020.

South Korea's export of tanks and other armored vehicles to Poland stood at $255 million in the first four months of this year. It already exceeded all of last year's exports of $201 million of the said items.

The Korea Times - Limited policy finance support could impede major export deals with Poland [25/07/2023]

According to sources, Tuesday, Poland reportedly requested more than 20 trillion won ($15.6 billion) in financial support from Korea for the terms of their second defense contract.

Countries ordering large-scale projects often request financial loans to cover insufficient funds, which makes the scale of financial support key to the finalization of contracts. However, due to the limited support capacity of Korean ECAs, this year's negotiations are encountering difficulties.

Rzeczpospolita - Minister Błaszczak's huge loans. Who will pay for the weapons? (in Polish) [31/07/2023]

In 2022 Poland made an order for 1000 K2 tanks, 600 K9A1 self-propelled howitzers, 280 K239 multiple rocket launchers, and 48 FA-50 light combat planes. A portion would be produced in South Korea and delivered over the next 2 years, after that the rest is planned to be built in Poland through a licensing deal.

The article reiterates that the first credit/loan request from Poland was for PLN 36.8 billion ($9.2 billion) and the second one for PLN 62.5 billion ($15.6 billion). Neither administration publicly disclosed these numbers and details about the first loan only came out as a byproduct of a discussion in South Korean parliament. South Korean banks have hit a local credit/loan limit for financing arms sales this year due to the large order and are asking the government to increase it.

TASS - Poland, Ukraine to form joint military unit, says Shoigu [09/08/2023]

Shoigu added that Poland has become the main tool of America’s anti-Russian policy. "The existing risks are connected with the militarization of Poland, which has become the main instrument of the anti-Russian policy of the United States. Warsaw has announced its intention to build, as the Poles claim, 'the most powerful army on the continent.' In this connection, large-scale purchases of weapons from the US, the UK and South Korea have commenced, including tanks, artillery systems, air defense and anti-aircraft systems and combat aircraft," the top defense official pointed out.

Welcome to Leftistan dear Liberals

Western press fetishizes Ukrainian amputees as limb loss epidemic grows

CW: description of battlefield injuries, amputation

On August 1, The Wall Street Journal reported that “between 20,000 and 50,000 Ukrainians” have “lost one or more limbs since the start of the war.” What’s more, the outlet notes, “the actual figure could be higher” because “it takes time to register patients after they undergo the procedure.”

By comparison, around 67,000 Germans and 41,000 Britons underwent amputations during the entire four-year span of the First World War.

In a July 8 op-ed titled “They’re Ready to Fight Again, on Artificial Legs,” Kristof insisted that rather than resenting being used as cannon fodder, Ukraine’s newly-disabled veterans “carry their stumps with pride.”

dude, what

The gut-wrenching homage to crippled and mangled Ukrainian soldiers even spun amputation as a means of getting laid, quoting the wife of one amputee as saying, “he’s very sexy without a leg.”

Kristof quoted the soldier as follows: “It’s magical. Someone can have all his arms and legs and still not be successful in love, but an amputee can win a heart.”

can you imagine going through the utterly horrific experience of losing a limb in combat and then a Western journalist comes along all 100 wholesome chungus style and asks you how epicly owned you think Putler is because of your valiant resistance

Fortune magazine calls techbros first speak-and-spell the 5th industrial revolution. They interview some old fuck with stolen wealth how they feel about shallow Hal 9000-8999 putting some desk jockeys jobs down old yeller style and he cries in existential dread at the possibility he or his large adult fail-kids may have to get an actual job.

Also Fascism and Communism and Nazism are all unironically the same thing, no don't even think about the system you live under, you have freedom to starve and die

https://archive.is/vjHNa

Challenger 2s have finally been spotted on near the frontlines. They've been equipped with some shoddy looking cope cages. I believe both the Challengers and Strykers are being deployed near Robotyne. This is probably from the 82nd Air Assault Brigade that Ukraine has been keeping in reserve in order to exploit a breakthrough in the Russian lines. They're instead being deployed to try and breakthrough the first Russian line of defense. I think that Robotyne is the first and currently only place that Ukrainians have actually gotten within sight of a dragon's tooth.

https://twitter.com/snekotron/status/1691543627439185920

Edit: German Marder IFVs have also been spotted and there's video of a Stryker being hit.

CW: Video of Styker being hit.

https://twitter.com/vicktop55/status/1691522859456139264

Edit2: Forbes - Ukraine’s Powerful 82nd Brigade, Once Held In Reserve, Has Finally Joined The Counteroffensive

A statement from a Nigerian socialist group:

As in Nigeria, the mass of the population in Niger suffer horrendous poverty. The military coup will not help these people. It is also likely to see more repression against the much-needed mass movement against poverty and the other anti-people policies. However, an invasion by Nigeria would only make matters so much worse.

Many people will celebrate the coup in Niger against one of the most pro-western governments in West Africa. The removal of French soldiers and their possible replacement with mercenaries from the Russian Wagner group will be interpreted as a victory. But this will not help most Nigeriens. They need a mass movement against poverty and inequality. This is the only way to fundamentally address the problems of inequality, corruption and insecurity.

Half the population of Niger exist below the national poverty line. One and five of the population cannot reliably meet their food needs. Fighting between the corrupt political elite and the military will not fundamentally change the situation.

Niger is Africa’s most important uranium ore exporter (75% of the country’s total exports) and the fourth largest exporter in the world. Other exports include: gold, onions, beans and meat. Niger’s main export partners are France (55% of total exports), the United States, Switzerland, Nigeria and Ghana. Around a third of the uranium for the extensive French nuclear reactors comes from Niger.

So again, like Nigeria, Niger is largely dependent on the exports of a single natural resource. Most of the uranium mines are controlled by Orano (previously named Areva), the French state-owned nuclear power company. The people of Niger suffer environmental devastation comparable to the Niger Delta. “The air, water and land are polluted around the mining towns,” reports a journalist based in the Nigerien capital of Niamey. “And the animals of the pastoralists are constantly falling sick due to their grazing pastures being contaminated with radioactive dust,” he adds.

Studies prove that the concentration of radiation around the uranium mines is almost 500 times higher than normal background levels. Even spending one hour per day over one year at this location can expose a person to 10 times the annual radiation dose.

The Union of Workers’ Trade Unions of Niger (USTN) is the largest of the three main trade union centres with a membership of 60,000. On 25 June 2009, the second largest trade union confederation led a 24-hour general strike across the nation to protest the President’s [constitutional] referendum plans, after a previous strike had been indefinitely postponed on 18 June. All seven trade union confederations took part, in the first general strike since the creation of the Fifth Republic in 1999, and the first joint action by all seven major confederations.

Niger, like all countries, is situated within a global economy and suffers interference from the major imperialist powers, in this case, mainly France. The French government controls the major export from Niger (uranium) and also the currency. This and the French army base in Niger means that there is significant anti-French feeling in Niger. Four days after the coup there was a demonstration involving thousands of people against the French embassy.

The working people of Niger do not need a military coup to further constrain their ability to organise. They do not need the current military “support” provided by Western governments. Equally they do not need interference from the Russian Wagner group or a possible ECOWAS invasion led by Nigeria. As in Nigeria, we need a mass campaign to increase wages of the working people and increase government spending on health and education.

I'm just hearing about the 3k troops deployed to the persian gulf.

This Tuesday, August 15, 2023, a bomb threat was reported in the vicinity of the bus terminal of Guayaquil, Ecuador. Five days before the Presidential Elections and in the midst of the violence suffered by the nation.

also @Alaskaball@hexbear.net, what do you mean by a megathread review play-by-play megathread? like we go through the 52 megathreads that year and sort them into chad vs virgin or something?

also worth noting that our three top news megas are, in order, the very first one that @Alaskaball@hexbear.net hosted at the start of the war to contain the initial shitstorm of "god damn it this fucking sucks" at 2023 comments, the Wagner munity news mega at 1606 comments, and the news mega when Russia started its missile bombardments of Ukraine in October with 1345 comments. so the technical record to beat is 2023

DOD announced 200 mil worth of more shit for Ukraine.

https://archive.is/VcdEH

Japan, US to develop missile to intercept hypersonic weapons

The two governments will likely reach an agreement at a Japan-U.S. summit meeting slated for Friday, several government officials said.

The two countries will aim to strengthen deterrence by preparing for threats that are difficult to deal with using existing missile defense networks.

This is the second time Tokyo and Washington will jointly develop interceptor missiles since they worked on the SM-3 Block IIA in fiscal 2017.

Arrangements are currently being made for separate bilateral talks in which Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and U.S. President Joe Biden will discuss the joint development and announce it as part of an agreement, on the sidelines of the Japan-U.S.-South Korea summit meeting scheduled for Friday in the suburbs of Washington.

Why do you need this if the Patriot can already do it?

Families of 9/11 victims outraged over potential death penalty avoidance

We love our retributive justice folks

I like how there is talk of bringing back sailing to combat climate change for maritime trade

Latvian PM Karins Announces Resignation

He would hand in his resignation to President Edgars Rinkevics on Thursday. Karins would not seek reappointment as prime minister.

On Monday, Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins announced that he would resign amid differences with coalition partners.

Karins, who is the leader of the center-right New Unity, blamed the centrist United List and conservative National Alliance for thwarting attempts to improve the government's performance.

"A new government is needed," Karins said, adding that he would hand in his resignation to President Edgars Rinkevics on Thursday. He also mentioned that he would not seek reappointment as prime minister.

The move comes as a U-turn after his announcement last week that he will start consultations on forming a new cabinet with two opposition parties -- the center-left Progressives and centrist Greens and Farmers.

Earlier, New Unity's existing current partners did not agree to a government reshuffle within the coalition. New Unity plans to name its prime minister candidate on Wednesday.

Karins, a former economy minister and member of European Parliament, became prime minister in 2019 as a compromise candidate heading a five-party coalition in which New Unity was the smallest member.

After New Unity won the parliamentary election last year, Karins managed to form a three-party government with a slim majority. But the new coalition was marred by disagreements.

"Supreme Court Judge of Brazil, Alexandre de Moraes, has authorized the request for international cooperation made by the Federal Police (PF) to the USA and the FBI to break the financial privacy of the accounts of Jair Bolsonaro, General Mauro Cid, Cid's father, and, if any, Bolsonaro's lawyer, Wassef."

Update for August 16th

expand

Global

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Putin Points to Steady Development of Multipolar World Order^TS

"Most countries are ready to assert their sovereignty and defend their national interests, traditions, culture," he said during the 11th Moscow Conference on International Security.

He further noted that those who currently provoke new conflicts around the world and try to escalate existing ones are "seeking to benefit from human tragedy" by dividing nations, enforcing obedience, and exploiting the resources of other states.

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Europe

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UK unemployment on the rise despite record wage growth^AM
Raw sewage, farming pollution blight 90% of England’s rivers^AM

Student living costs reach ‘historic’ highs in France^Euractiv

Student living costs are reaching new highs in France, with over 10% increases year-on-year in rent, utility bills, and food, according to student unions’ new data.

Wild boar 'invasion': Another Italian city faces a particularly porcine problem^EN

Poland displays military might in huge parade as elections loom^Euractiv

Latvia’s prime minister announces resignation^Euractiv

Alongside its Baltic neighbours Lithuania and Estonia, Latvia is a leading voice in pushing the European Union and NATO to increase pressure on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

Who must go?

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Western Asia

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Middle East's groundwater shortage: Will it soon run out?^DW

Nobody can really say because the studies haven't been done.

Azerbaijan: Authorities smash unionization efforts for gig workers^EN

Authorities in Azerbaijan are cracking down on labor organizers amid recent efforts to improve working conditions and unionize food delivery workers in Baku. Three young Azerbaijani labor rights activists have been arrested so far in August and a fourth has opted to renounce his unionizing activity.

Khashoggi murder: Tony Blair Institute kept advising Saudi Arabia after killing^MEE

Former UK prime minister Tony Blair has continued to receive money from Saudi Arabia through his institute after the brutal killing of the journalist and dissident Jamal Khashoggi in 2018, a new report has revealed.

As long as I am breathing in air... I wish the trial of Tony Blair.

US F-35s come 'dangerously' close to Russian Su-35s in Syria's Al-Tanf^AM

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Central Asia

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Any attempt to sabotage CPEC, friendship with Pakistan will not succeed: Chinese foreign ministry^Dawn

In relation to an attack on a Chinese convoy in Gwadar Port.

China calls for greater international support for Afghanistan, but tells Taliban world has ‘some expectations’ on progress^SCMP

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Eastern Asia and Oceania

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Latest China satellite Ludi Tance to survey one-third of Earth in high-orbit breakthrough^SCMP
China stocks Iranian oil, highest imports volume in a decade^AM
China suspends release of youth unemployment rate^ANN
China chip output growth slows in July as self-sufficiency drive continues^SCMP

I'm hearing China is a mere 8 days from collapse.

Is China’s property crisis at breaking point? Country Garden heads for debt workout while Sino-Ocean misses payments^SCMP

Apparently the troubled country is just 5 days from collapse.

China’s maritime ambitions boosted, claims largest shipping fleet title from Greece^SCMP
No Breakthroughs But Lots of Good Vibes After Two Days of Chinese, Indian Border Talks^CGS

And isn't good vibes what life's all about, after all?

Taiwanese investing more in South Asia, Asean than mainland China amid global supply chains reshuffle^SCMP
Philippines sees risk of conflict over Taiwan as a ‘major concern’^TST

The Philippines seeks to bolster its ability to address threats while underlining the need to strengthen ties with allies and pursue an independent foreign policy at the same time, under a six-year national security policy published on Tuesday.

US soldier entered DPRK seeking refuge from "unequal American society"^AM

ADHD diagnoses in South Korea rise by 80% compared to 4 years ago^ANN

Indonesia’s quartz sand export ban seen to push domestic solar panel manufacturing^ANN
Government to start random emission tests as poor air chokes Jakarta^TJP

Vietnam eyes sustainable development of coastal cities^ANN

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Africa

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Mali's president engages Putin on phone about Niger coup^AN

In a message shared on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Goita stated that Putin emphasized the significance of a peaceful resolution to ensure stability in the Sahel region.

Ghana opposition warn president on Niger troop plans^AN

Lawmakers from the opposition are urging President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana to immediately halt all preparations towards deploying Ghanaian soldiers for this endeavor.

Nigeriens call for mass recruitment of volunteers as the junta faces possible regional invasion^AN

The initiative, spearhead by a group of locals in Niamey, aims to recruit tens of thousands of volunteers from across the country to register for the Volunteers for the Defense of Niger, to fight, assist with medical care, and provide technical and engineering logistics among other functions, in case the junta needs help, Amsarou Bako, one of the founders, told The Associated Press Tuesday.

Beyond Niger: How ECOWAS became a tool for Western imperialism in Africa^MR

U.S. Acting Deputy Secretary Victoria Nuland also strongly hinted that the United States is considering invading Niger itself. “It is not our desire to go there, but they [the new military junta] may push us to that point,” Nuland said about her recent trip to Niger, where, she said, she had an “extremely frank and at times quite difficult” meeting with the new leadership.

The Corporate Make-up of the Mining Industry in South Africa: Profit Survey 2023^MR

The World Bank funding freeze will harm the queer Ugandans it claims to defend^OD

It’s true that the World Bank’s decision will likely have little effect on the political elite who passed the bill. But ordinary Ugandans will suffer, particularly the queer people that the bank seems to be advocating for. The bank is the country’s biggest lender. By the end of the 2021/22 financial year, 34.5% of Uganda’s public debt was owed to the bank.

Angola's president inspects Chinese-built dam^PD

The Ndue Dam project is located about 170 km from Ondjiva, the capital of Cunene province. Once completed in 2024, the dam will provide water to meet the needs of approximately 55,000 local residents, ensure a water supply for 60,000 heads of livestock and facilitate the annual irrigation of 9,200 hectares of land.

China and Russia pursue Eritrea for its strategic location in Africa, resources and transport potential^SCMP

China and Russia are showing growing interest in Eritrea, a small African country in a strategic location but whose president is being shunned in the West for his autocratic governance. Its geopolitical significance in the Horn of Africa and easy access to the Red Sea had attracted the attention of Beijing and Moscow, observers said, with Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki endearing his country to the big powers and earning finance for projects and investments.

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Mali's president engages Putin on phone about Niger coup

In a message shared on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Goita stated that Putin emphasized the significance of a peaceful resolution to ensure stability in the Sahel region.

Western nations are apprehensive that Niger might follow the path of Mali, where a previous coup led to the involvement of Russian Wagner group mercenaries in counter-insurgency efforts.

Putin has urged the restoration of constitutional order in Niger. On the other hand, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner group, expressed support for the coup. Interestingly, there has been a notable surge in pro-Russian sentiment in Niger since the coup, evident in rallies where junta supporters waved Russian flags.

Ecuador Elections Update

Earlier this afternoon, a shooting attack was reported on the campaign motorcade of Daniel Noboa, from the MOVER Movement (Big Tent Socdem/Liberal Party). Fortunately, there were no injuries

Report: US Considering ‘Military Solutions’ to Protect Shipments from Ukraine’s Danube River Ports

The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that the US is considering “military solutions” to protect shipments of grain leaving Ukraine’s Danube River ports as an alternative to the Black Sea grain deal that Russia recently exited.

The Journal cited an unnamed senior US official based in Washington. The report reads: “The US is considering all potential options, including military solutions, to protect ships headed to and from Ukraine’s Danube ports, the Washington official said, but declined to give specifics on those options or say what countries would be involved in them.”

Since Russia decided not to renew the grain deal, the war has significantly expanded in the Black Sea. Russia has been bombarding Ukraine’s ports, including those on the Danube River, which are just across the waterway from NATO member Romania. Ukraine has also declared war on Russian commercial shipping and targeted a Russian tanker with a sea drone attack. Over the weekend, Russia fired warning shots and boarded a cargo ship that was headed to Ukraine.

The Journal report said that the US is in talks with Turkey, Ukraine, and other regional countries on an alternative grain deal that would involve increasing Ukraine’s capacity to ship grain out of the Danube River. Ships carrying Ukrainian grain would go to nearby ports in Romania, and then from there, the cargo would be shipped to its destination.

If the US or any other NATO nation is involved in securing safe corridors for ships leaving Ukrainian ports, it would risk a direct clash between the Western alliance and Russia.

Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh was asked about the situation in the Black Sea on Tuesday and said she didn’t have anything to announce. “We’ve been very clear we don’t seek war with Russia and that this is, you know, a fight that we are helping support Ukraine in. But at this moment, I don’t have any announcements to make when it comes to the Black Sea or any secure of helping shipments move out,” she said.

While the US is considering alternatives to the grain deal, the UN and Turkey are working to try and restore the original agreement with Russia. Moscow said it would rejoin when it was satisfied with Western efforts to facilitate the export of Russian agricultural goods. One of Russia’s main demands is reconnecting the Russian Agricultural Bank to the SWIFT payment system.

Ecuador’s CNE President Denounces Threats and Harassment

"I want to make a public denouncement. Unfortunately, in these last hours we have received threats..."

On Monday, a few days before the presidential elections are to be held in the country, the president of the National Electoral Council of Ecuador (CNE), Diana Atamaint, denounced that she has received threats to her security and to the electoral authorities.

"I want to make a public denouncement. Unfortunately, in these last hours we have received threats, I have received threats from Mr. Captain Ortega, in social networks", she stressed.

Likewise, Diana Atamaint stated that she "holds Ortega responsible for these threats in which I am being continuously affected". "It is a harassment, a harassment", referred the official.

"In these last hours we have received threats from Mr. Captain Ortega, on social networks. They are going to bend us to make decisions that are outlawed," says Diana.

Furthermore, she also insisted that the electoral authorities "are not going to bend us with pressure in social networks so that we make decisions that are outside the law" and it is not the first time they occur.

On the other hand, the president of the Ecuadorian CNE requested this day to President Guillermo Lasso, "that in favor of citizen security and the election day of August, that the Armed Forces of the country be deployed and can guard the Electoral Precincts days prior to the Early Elections 2023."

the US and the oil companies are using violence to prevent people from voting for a popular left-wing president?

Increasing carbon dioxide is making our food less nutritious

Elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide levels negatively impact key mineral nutrients in plants, reducing the nutrition derived from consuming them, reveals a recent review article in the Trends in Plant Science Journal which summarises findings from several studies. The review by scientists from France explained that almost all C3 plants – which employ the C3 pathway for photosynthesis where the first carbon compound has three carbon atoms – that are exposed to elevated levels of carbon dioxide show reduction across nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, iron, zinc, magnesium and sulphur.

While being a vital resource for plants, carbon dioxide is also among the prominent greenhouse gases. Considering that the majority of plants on the planet, including cereals like wheat, rice, barley and oats, use the C3 pathway, the review article raised alarm bells about increasing carbon dioxide levels not only impact the quantity of food produced but also its quality.

The PM of Japan just called Biden a "fake Otaku" at the camp david summit, it's on CNN right now, he's saying that Biden doesn't even know the lore behind Trunks in DBZ and the only video game he's ever played is Black Ops 2

What's the deal with Lithuania closing the border crossings with Belarus? I've been off the news for a bit but some lib friends were going on about it like it's a big deal but it sounded kinda like a nothing. Is it remotely worth caring about?

BBC and Sky News are reporting Spain's new speaker of parliament as "socialist" is this accurate?

Intel to Call Off $5.4 Billion Tower Deal Without Chinese Approval

Intel Corp. is expected to call off its planned $5.4 billion acquisition of Tower Semiconductor Ltd. as time to win regulatory approval runs out, according to people familiar with the matter.

The deadline for the transaction, announced in early 2022, is midnight California time on Aug. 15 and the companies don’t anticipate getting approval from China by that time, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the details are private.

A representative for Intel declined to comment on the approaching deadline, while Tower didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. The purchase of the company was part of Intel Chief Executive Officer Pat Gelsinger’s plan to get into a faster-growing part of the semiconductor industry, the foundry market dominated by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Tower has a relatively small presence in that area — where companies make chips for clients on a contract basis — but has expertise and customers that Intel lacks.

Investors had already discounted the chances of the deal being completed. US-traded shares of Tower have declined 22% this year, even as the broader semiconductor industry saw stocks soar. It closed Tuesday at $33.78 — far below the $53 a share that Intel had offered.

When the transaction was first announced in February of last year, Intel said it would take “about 12 months.” As of October, the chipmaker said it was targeting the first quarter 2023, but then in March warned that the date might slip into the second quarter.

Increasing tension between China and the US has made it harder to secure approval for transactions that require signoff from regulators in Beijing and Washington, particularly when the deals involve semiconductors, a key area of friction.

Tower is a fraction of the size of Intel and TSMC in terms of revenue, but it makes components for big customers such as Broadcom Inc. Intel’s plan was to combine plants with Tower and tap its customer list. Though Tower-made chips don’t require the state-of-the-art production techniques that an Intel or Nvidia Corp. processor demands, they serve growing markets like electric vehicles.

Colombia's president Petro has written a piece on the growing violence in Ecuador, saying that it may be related to drug markets - particularly fentanyl, which is plaguing the United States right now.

"Today the largest coca growing area is not located in Tumaco in the Nariño Pacific, nor in Catatumbo. The new area with the highest cocaine production in the world is located in a 10-kilometer strip along the Colombo-Ecuadorian border, on the Colombian side," Petro explained.

Petro highlights that the cocaine market collapsed in the United States, replaced by that of fentanyl, which, according to him, leaves more than 100,000 people dead a year.

"It is for this reason that the price of coca leaf falls in the areas dedicated to export to the United States and the armed organizations based there replace the loss of profits from cocaine with illicit gold, extortion and kidnapping against the same population of the area," he stressed.

"This is why, from being a peaceful country, Ecuador has surpassed Colombia in violence, and perhaps this is why presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio was assassinated,"

I do like his ending quote:

"From the marijuana of welfare capitalism and its rebellious youth, we move on to cocaine, the drug of competitiveness and neoliberalism; and now we enter the drug of death, fentanyl: the drug of capitalism, of the climate crisis and war," he concluded.

I don't understand who really makes decisions in Ukraine. What individual or group of people need to make the call on suing for peace? Ukraine has a unicameral parliament (Verkhovna Rada) with 450 members not including prez, prime minister and cabinet. Any law passed by the parliament can be vetoed by the president; parliament can override their veto with a 2/3 constitutional majority vote. Rada's history reads like a shitshow (fist fights, bribes, Ponzi schemes etc.) and they don't inspire a lot of confidence.

March 2022 everybody was saying Zelensky would be assassinated if he didn't take a hard line and other Ukrainians have already been murdered for even suggesting a peace deal with Russia so in this kind of a paranoid environment who would even do that? Are they really waiting for Biden to give them an ok? Russia seems to still be in land acquisition mode. If they start an offensive in the north and far south while holding the line in the middle they could force Ukraine to choose between Odessa and Kiev. Once they secure the south they could make the situation untenable for Ukie politicians and bypass USA/UK approval (maybe) for a peace deal. Ukrainian leaders like those big bags of USD but you can't spend it when your dead.

When trump wriggles his way out of this one, what do you think lib reaction will be?

MoA's latest article, while being negative on shitheels Trump and RFK Jr., what-ifs RFK Jr. as VP for Trump

https://www.moonofalabama.org/2023/08/how-will-trumps-fourth-indictment-and-rfk-jr-influence-the-election-season.html

it feels kind of off to me, I personally suspect that Trump is going to pick a woman

So a bunch of Challenger II MBTs were spotted with anti-drone cages in Ukraine, most likely near the frontlines. So I guess it's time to remind everyone of this glorious article:

British-made tanks are about to sweep Putin’s conscripts aside - Telegraph

Putin Points to Steady Development of Multipolar World Order

"Most countries are ready to assert their sovereignty and defend their national interests, traditions, culture," the Russian president said.

On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin Tuesday said the world is witnessing the steady rise of a new multipolar world order.

"Most countries are ready to assert their sovereignty and defend their national interests, traditions, culture," he said during the 11th Moscow Conference on International Security.

Putin pointed out that a multipolar world order will ultimately contribute to "steady and sustainable global development," and help solve pressing social, economic, technological and environmental challenges.

He further noted that those who currently provoke new conflicts around the world and try to escalate existing ones are "seeking to benefit from human tragedy" by dividing nations, enforcing obedience, and exploiting the resources of other states.

"The United States is intent on reformatting the existing system of interstate relations in the Asia-Pacific region as it deems fit," he said, adding that Washington's Indo-Pacific strategies are only aimed at forming U.S.-led military and political associations.

NATO member states are actively building up their offensive potential, and are using military and non-military means to exert pressure on other states, he noted.

By pumping billions of dollars into Ukraine, supplying Kiev with equipment, and providing ongoing military assistance, Western states are further escalating the conflict and drawing other countries into it, he said.

China’s maritime ambitions boosted, claims largest shipping fleet title from Greece

China has overtaken Greece as the owner of the largest shipping fleet in terms of gross tonnage, according to a report by a leading global industry information provider, as it steps up efforts to become a major maritime power.

The Chinese-owned fleet has reached 249.2 million gross tonnage, or 15.9 per cent of the market share, edging ahead of Greece’s 249 million gross tonnage and Japan’s 181 million gross tonnage, according to Clarksons Research on Friday.

South Korea and the United States ranked fourth globally at around 66 million GT, with Germany falling from fourth in 2013 to seventh, the report showed.

Russia plans to introduce the digital ruble into mass circulation in stages, following the successful completion of the pilot test, which began today.

Lefitst Candidate Gonzalez Vows to Investigate Villavicencio Murder

The Citizen Revolution presidencial candidate remains leading all vote intention polls published to date.

On Thursday, Luisa Gonzalez, the presidential candidate of the Revolución Ciudadana, assured that she will immediately create a commission to investigate the assassination of Fernando Villavicencio once she takes office as president of Ecuador.

Gonzalez stated categorically that there are many doubts about the crime of Villavicencio, who was shot dead by hit men as he was leaving a rally in Quito on August 9 and while he was supposedly well protected by the National Police forces.

So far, the Ecuadorian police authorities have reported that six individuals of Colombian nationality were detained as alleged perpetrators of the crime.

Another individual identified as the possible shooter died after being captured and while he was in the offices of the Prosecutor's Office.

Before his murder, however, Villavicencio reported death threats against him allegedly from Adolfo Macias (aka Fito), the leader of the Los Choneros, a gang dedicated to drug trafficking and organized crime.

"There are many dark things" behind this assassination, Gonzalez noted, recalling versions of experts who have questioned the deficiencies of the police protection. Among them is the fact that Villavicencio did not occupy an armored vehicle that was nearby.

"His cell phone does not show up either," pointed out the Citizen Revolution presidencial candidate, who remains the leader in all vote intention polls published to date.

Next Sunday, over 13 million Ecuadorians have been summoned to the polls to elect their president, vice president, and 137 legislators. The new authorities will hold office until 2025, the date on which current President Guillermo Lasso was expected to finish his term.

In May, however, the former banker and conservative politician decided to dissolve Congress and call early elections to avoid his impeachment.

Update for August 14th

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Global

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Michael Roberts gives us a State of the Global Economy, with particular focus on the US (inflation) and China (deflation).

Rice prices hit 15 year high due to export restrictions and bad weather^AM

South Africa Supports Iran’s Entry Into BRICS^TS

Some leaders of developed countries not on the invitation list for the 3rd Belt and Road Forum^GT

Very funny. Basically, European leaders said that they aren't going, and then China said that they haven't been invited anyway. Real "guy who didn't get invited to the college party and is saying that they wouldn't go anyway but really he's deeply insecure about it" hours. N-no, I'm not speaking from experience.

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Europe

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Lower energy prices and China’s sluggish economy boost EU trade^Euractiv

Decoupling from China by importing goods from countries that have imported goods from China. The brain geniuses in Brussels have blown me away again.

Food prices up 13% in France year-on-year.^AM

Michael Roberts covers the British economy and its various agonies. British retailer Wilko has declared bankruptcy and fallen into administration, affecting 12,000 employees.^AM But fear not: 0.2% growth! ^EN

Insolvencies on the rise in Germany amid economic downturn^Euractiv Germany has committed 57 billion euros to green infrastructure for 2024.^DW Unions in Germany warn that the government must hike pay and improve working conditions to recruit new workers in the face of retirements.^DW

Polish government plans referendum on rejecting 'thousands of illegal immigrants'^EN

The IMF has expressed concern about measures imposed by the US and EU on Kosovo, put in place as Kosovo had not undertaken the required actions to ease tensions.^BNE

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Western Asia

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Armenia requests emergency meeting at UNSC over Nagorno-Karabakh^CGTN

Iran and the US have reached a deal in which America will unfreeze $6 billion of oil revenue held in South Korea in exchange for five American spies held in Iran.^AM Nearly all of Iran's drug supply from domestic sources^BNE Iran kickstarts construction of major uranium mine for nuclear energy program^AM

The UN has removed the oil from the decaying Yemen tanker and so the immediate threat is gone, but the tanker itself still needs to be moved and scrapped.^AM

The US is working on a deal with Saudi Arabia which would agree to normalize relations with Israel in exchange for the US's help in developing a nuclear program, with pressures being applied to try and get Saudi Arabia to limit ties with China and keep the petrodollar in place. On the other hand China is Saudi Arabia's largest trading partner and the two countries generally have strong ties and they want into BRICS.^GPE On the other other hand, Saudi Arabia still wants into Western fighter jet programmes and generally wants their weaponry^MEE. On the other other other hand, Saudi Arabia and Russia are still in cahoots in OPEC+ fighting the oil price cap and US using the strategic petroleum reserve, and its consequences. On the other other other other hand, I don't think MBS is actually THAT principled and could be swayed by a heartfelt promise by the US. So I don't really know what's gonna happen.

Former Israeli general compares treatment of Palestinians to 'Nazi Germany' and 'apartheid'^MEE

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Central Asia

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Russia has launched a rocket to the moon carrying the first domestically made probe in modern Russian history, the Luna-25.^BNE Russian oil exports have remained at 7.3 million barrels/day but have reached their highest revenues since November 2022.^AM

Motherfucking markets, how do they work?

Lukashenko has stressed the importance of good relations with neighbouring EU countries, emphasizing technology.^AM

This is a fascinating thing to say when you previously said that Poland and others were planning on invading you and you put nukes in your country for precisely this purpose.

Central Asia: Low water levels on Irtysh River create quandary for Kazakhstan^EN

Signs of Chinese business life return to Afghanistan 2 years after the Taliban’s takeover^SCMP

The threat of US sanctions on Pakistan might have killed off the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project for good, with Iran having completed it portion but Pakistan unable to do so without pissing off America. The myth of consensual development projects - isn't there somebody you forgot to ask?^AM

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Eastern Asia and Oceania

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An article on the present and future of digital trade and localisation between China and ASEAN^Bilaterals Wang Yi's been to Malaysia^CGTN and Singapore and made friends.^CGTN

China found a CIA spy and got 'em.^AM China's building a new ultra-high voltage transmission line from Xinjiang to Chongqing, as well as a pumped storage plant,^CGTN and one in Qinghai.^SCMP Chinese scientists have announced a breakthrough in laser weapon technology with a new cooling system which is apparently already being used in weapons development.^SCMP One of China's largest property developers is facing losses of $7.6 billion in Q1 and Q2 2023, showing that China is a mere 3 days from collapse.^MP China's esports industry is coming into conflict with Chinese anti-gaming addiction youth laws.^ANN Global Times hits back at Biden's comments that the Chinese economy is a ticking time bomb.^GT Honestly, when has Biden saying a derogatory thing about a country or its leadership ever actually been connected with reality? I would have thought after the "ruble to rubble" thing, his handlers might start jingling the car keys in his face when he starts talking about China or Russia.

Residents near one of India’s largest uranium mines suspect contamination affecting their fields and health^Mongabay Conflict inside the Indian government over Manipur continues.^ANN

The U.S. is Popular in Southeast Asia, But Chinese Influence Isn’t Going Away: Study^CGS

New coalition in Thailand excludes general election winner^WSWS

Bourgeoisie infighting, basically? Or is China whispering into some ears? This and Myanmar is something I'd love to do a megathread about but I just don't know fucking shit and I don't trust that 1-2 hours of research would be enough to get even a good gist.

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Africa

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Putin has announced his intention to sign free trade agreements with Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, and Egypt.^Bilaterals Russia will deliver 25,000 to 50,000 tons of grain to Africa for free in the near future.^AM

China ‘winning lion’s share’ of construction projects in Africa, study finds^SCMP

The study found that Chinese infrastructure projects in sub-Saharan Africa totalled US$155 billion over the past two years, and that such investments had given Beijing leverage over African governments. By contrast, total US foreign direct investment in Africa came to US$44.8 billion in 2021.

Delegates from the 25 coffee-producing African countries are meeting in Uganda to influence the African Union to make coffee a priority crop to pull millions out of poverty.^PD

Off topic comment on baldurs gate 3.

A new weapon that may change the face of war forever has just emerged. Utilizing the Rods of God concept, we have weaponized Dirtowlhexbears and shaped them into a weapon of mass-destruction that can wipe the strongest fortifications off of God's Green Earth.

I have become Death. The destroyer of worlds.

https://archive.is/k4whD

https://old.reddit.com/r/UkraineRussiaReport/comments/15tv8qq/ru_pov_longer_version_of_the_destruction_in_the/

No hard proof, but some people are saying this video shows a Russian T-90 blowing up a Leopard 2 tank (at 6:15 I guess).

can someone make an emote like but for lukashenko

Joe died

Is there anyone here who supports the Taliban because they fought US imperialism?

https://nitter.net/DD_Geopolitics/status/1691191923346964480 (CW transphobia in comments)

In Brazil, Ocasio-Cortez Meets with Brazilian Foreign Policy Adviser to Discuss Broad Cooperation for Climate

Left-wing congresswoman of the Democratic Party is part of a delegation visiting authorities in Brasília

After meeting with Celso Amorim, special foreign policy adviser to the presidency, US congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, of the Democratic Party, said this Monday (14) that her trip to Brazil aims to establish broad cooperation with the country on issues such as climate and economic development.

Other members of the delegation are fellow Democrats Joaquín Castro, Nydia Velázquez, Greg Casar, and Maxwell Frost. Misty Rebik, chief of staff for Bernie Sanders — an independent senator but aligned with the left wing of President Joe Biden's party — is also in the country to represent him. The entourage will stay in Brasília until Wednesday (14th) and then will stop by Santiago, Chile, and Bogotá, Colombia.

They also met with the leadership of the Landless Workers' Movement, trade unions, the minister for indigenous peoples, the minister for human rights and women's rights groups.

Ukraine's western weapons are failing because the western defense manufacturers have been infiltrated by Putinbots.

Good primer on niger from a few years ago

https://youtu.be/_koPVVhB7j8

Was looking at the WaPo article posted by @MoreAmphibians@hexbear.net

Joint war games conducted by the U.S., British and Ukrainian militaries anticipated such losses but envisioned Kyiv accepting the casualties as the cost of piercing through Russia’s main defensive line, said U.S. and Western officials.
But Ukraine chose to stem the losses on the battlefield and switch to a tactic of relying on smaller units to push forward across different areas of the front. That resulted in Ukraine making incremental gains in different pockets over the summer.

They aren't even pretending to care about Ukrainian lives anymore

Is it possible to defederate from specific communities within an instance, but still stay federated with that instance? I blocked the memes comm on lemmy but I feel like we shouldn't see posts from there and other lame comms in the first place.

Also, it'd be cool to have a local only/meta community for us to make posts only we'd see

Ecuadorian President is Denounced in Villavicencio Murder Case

The Fernando Villavicencio family also blames Interior Minister Juan Zapata, Police Commander Fausto Salinas, and the director of the security operation.

On Friday, the family of the late presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio announced that they will file a complaint against President Guillermo Lasso and other public officials for the assassination of the Ecuadorian politician on August 9.

At press conference, the family's lawyer, Marco Yulema, explained that the assassination of Villavicencio at the hands of hitmen occurred as a result of an "intentional omission" by the authorities.

The Lasso administration did not comply with its responsibility to ensure the life of a presidential candidate who had received threats against him and requested political protection.

"The Ecuadorian State did not fulfill its role as guarantor... They left him abandoned, they let him die," the lawyer said and recounted the breach of various security protocols that occurred at the time of Villavicencio's murder.

Among them, for example, was the total absence of protection on the left side of the vehicle in which the candidate was embarking. For this reason, the hitmen fired without any impediment and at a very short notice against Villavicencio.

The Villavicencio family also blames Interior Minister Juan Zapata, Police Commander Fausto Salinas, and the director of the security operation.

In another press conference, Zapata said that the Villavicencio family has the right to file a complaint. However, he did not refer directly to the failures in the protection protocols.

Instead, the Interior Minister said that the police authorities cannot pronounce themselves until the Internal Affairs Directorate does not conclude an investigation on this case.

Maui's emergency services chief resigns after facing criticism for not activating sirens during fire https://abc7chicago.com/maui-fire-wildfires-hawaii-wildfire-lahaina-fires/13666758/