Thread image created by yours truly, depicting Iran and Pakistan very impolitely not asking whether America, on the other side of the planet, is okay with them transporting gas around.

The Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline has long been obstructed by American involvement in the region. Iran completed its section of the pipeline quite quickly, but Pakistan has been unable to finish its construction for a decade due to the fear of falling afoul of American sanctions on Iran. The United States has repeatedly tried to pressure Pakistan to give up the project and obtain gas from other countries instead. Recent articles on the state of the pipeline are contradictory, with some stating that Iran or Pakistan have given up on the pipeline while American sanctions persist. Pakistani officials reject this framing, saying that they are still working with Iran to try and get the project completed somehow. Nonetheless, Iran is becoming increasingly frustrated and is threatening a legal battle and a demand for reparations.

Meanwhile, back in Niger, the $13 billion under-construction pipeline connecting Nigeria and other West African countries to Spain and Italy will likely face delays due to the sanctions applied by the West and ECOWAS on Niger. Those following the European gas fiasco will be aware that while Spain and Italy have been impacted by the energy crisis, they have been very busy making deals with African countries to replace their Russian gas, and thus stand a better chance than Germany of making it through the crisis with their industries somewhat intact. The coup has thrown a wrench into their plans, though they can still obtain some gas from northern African countries.

And, last but not least, America tried for years to stop the construction of the Nord Stream pipelines between Germany and Russia, which culminated in them deciding to blow them up late last year.

All in all - the United States really does not like it when countries build up energy infrastructure and gain some independence from them.

Here is the map of the Ukraine conflict, courtesy of Wikipedia.

This week's first update is here in the comments.

This week's second update is here in the comments.

This week's third update is here in the comments.

Links and Stuff

The bulletins site is down.

Examples of Ukrainian Nazis and fascists

Examples of racism/euro-centrism during the Russia-Ukraine conflict

Add to the above list if you can.

Resources For Understanding The War

Defense Politics Asia's youtube channel and their map. Their youtube channel has substantially diminished in quality but the map is still useful.

Moon of Alabama, which tends to have interesting analysis. Avoid the comment section.

Understanding War and the Saker: reactionary sources that have occasional insights on the war.

Alexander Mercouris, who does daily videos on the conflict. While he is a reactionary and surrounds himself with likeminded people, his daily update videos are relatively brainworm-free and good if you don't want to follow Russian telegram channels to get news. He also co-hosts The Duran, which is more explicitly conservative, racist, sexist, transphobic, anti-communist, etc when guests are invited on, but is just about tolerable when it's just the two of them if you want a little more analysis.

On the ground: Patrick Lancaster, an independent and very good journalist reporting in the warzone on the separatists' side.

Unedited videos of Russian/Ukrainian press conferences and speeches.

Telegram Channels

Again, CW for anti-LGBT and racist, sexist, etc speech, as well as combat footage.

Pro-Russian

https://t.me/aleksandr_skif ~ DPR's former Defense Minister and Colonel in the DPR's forces. Russian language.

https://t.me/Slavyangrad ~ A few different pro-Russian people gather frequent content for this channel (~100 posts per day), some socialist, but all socially reactionary. If you can only tolerate using one Russian telegram channel, I would recommend this one.

https://t.me/s/levigodman ~ Does daily update posts.

https://t.me/patricklancasternewstoday ~ Patrick Lancaster's telegram channel.

https://t.me/gonzowarr ~ A big Russian commentator.

https://t.me/rybar ~ One of, if not the, biggest Russian telegram channels focussing on the war out there. Actually quite balanced, maybe even pessimistic about Russia. Produces interesting and useful maps.

https://t.me/epoddubny ~ Russian language.

https://t.me/boris_rozhin ~ Russian language.

https://t.me/mod_russia_en ~ Russian Ministry of Defense. Does daily, if rather bland updates on the number of Ukrainians killed, etc. The figures appear to be approximately accurate; if you want, reduce all numbers by 25% as a 'propaganda tax', if you don't believe them. Does not cover everything, for obvious reasons, and virtually never details Russian losses.

https://t.me/UkraineHumanRightsAbuses ~ Pro-Russian, documents abuses that Ukraine commits.

Pro-Ukraine

Almost every Western media outlet.

https://discord.gg/projectowl ~ Pro-Ukrainian OSINT Discord.

https://t.me/ice_inii ~ Alleged Ukrainian account with a rather cynical take on the entire thing.

Last week's discussion post.

  • SeventyTwoTrillion [he/him]M
    ·
    1 year ago
    expand

    More Koreans to suffer from ‘climate depression’: expertsANN
    Young people reject partisan bickeringANN

    The situation in South Korea is approaching the highly polarized situation in the US, where political camps cannot even have a discussion based on commonly accepted facts. From climate change to COVID-19 to illegal immigration, Democrats and Republicans in the US cannot have a rational discussion about how to deal with the pressing issues of the day. In the end, this undermines democracy.

    In 1792, Alexander Hamilton summed up the dangers of partisanship succinctly: “The truth unquestionably is, that the only path to a subversion of the republican system of the Country is, by flattering the prejudices of the people, and exciting their jealousies and apprehensions, to throw affairs into confusion, and bring on civil commotion.”

    :matt-jokerfied:

    Biden ready to meet Kim without preconditions, Kirby saysAM

    "They [North Korea] have not responded positively to that offer, but it's still on the table. We are willing to sit down and negotiate without preconditions," Kirby told the Japanese news agency Kyodo.

    Household wealth rose in Singapore, defying downtrend elsewhere: UBS-Credit Suisse reportANN
    Indonesia’s per capita income to double in next decade, Jokowi predictsANN
    Indonesia, Singapore debut linked cross-border QR payment systemANN Indonesia delays $20bn green plan, after split with rich nations on grants and new coal plantsCCN

    Indonesia has delayed the launch of a $20 billion clean energy plan as it needs more time to bridge divisions with wealthy donor nations on financing terms and new coal plants.

    Australia identifies 5 mines of lithium, cobalt for IndiaBilaterals
    Hyundai takes over General Motors plant in IndiaANN
    Gig workers in India are exposed to highly polluted air and carcinogens, finds preliminary studyMongabay
    India may import wheat from Russia at discountANN
    India to buy a record 9mn tonnes of discounted Russian wheat to head off domestic price spikeBNE
    Myanmar eyes surge in rice exports after India curbs supplyANN

    2 US House members visit Solomon Islands but prime minister is ‘unavailable’ for meetingSCMP

    lmfao.

    Africa

    Niger coup is doomed to "failure" - Nicolas SarkozyAN
    Daily survival becomes a struggle for Niger residentsAN
    France’s colonial legacy, US’ security concerns intersect in Niger; Russians at the gates look for new hunting groundsBhadrakumar

    ECOWAS defense chiefs meet on deployment of standby force to NigerCGTN

    At least 36 Nigerian soldiers killed in ambush, helicopter crashAN
    There will be no further increase in petrol price - TinubuAN

    These reassurances come in response to warnings from certain oil marketers predicting a third increase in petrol prices since the president's assumption of office in late May. These projections stem from Nigeria's ongoing foreign exchange challenges.

    Angolan president João Lourenço pledges more diverse funding for investment in southern AfricaEN Tanzanian farmers benefit from introduction of Chinese agricultural technologyPD

    Over 60 dead in migrant boat sinking off Cape Verde coastAN

    Libya: release of the leader of the militia at the center of the fightingAN

    Chad: outbreak of a dengue "epidemic" in the east (health minister)AN

    South Africa opposition parties join forces in bid to unseat ruling ANCAN

    Senegal: Sonko on life support according to his lawyers and his partyAN

    Several government officials interviewed by AFP declined to confirm or deny that Mr. Sonko, a declared candidate in the 2024 presidential election, had been admitted to intensive care. He was jailed at the end of July on various charges, including calling for insurrection, criminal association in connection with a terrorist enterprise, and undermining state security.

    Sonko, who claims to be the target of a plot to keep him out of the presidential election, went on hunger strike on July 30. The authorities questioned whether he was strictly observing the strike.

    North America

    Three largest U.S. airlines to double flights to ChinaCGTN US to impose tariffs on tin mill steel from China, Canada and GermanySCMP

    The US Commerce Department on Thursday said it will impose preliminary anti-dumping duties on tin-plated steel imports from Canada, Germany and China, sparing several other countries in a decision that drew some relief from food can manufacturers that had feared higher tariffs.

    The department said the highest preliminary anti-dumping duties of 122.5 per cent will be imposed on tin mill steel imported from China, including the country’s largest producer, Baoshan Iron and Steel.

    No duties will be imposed on the shiny silver metal – widely used in cans for food, paint, aerosol products and other containers – imported from Britain, the Netherlands, South Korea, Taiwan and Turkey, the Commerce Department added.

    CW: suicide, prisons

    Suicide Watch Incidents in Louisiana Prisons Spike by Nearly a Third on Extreme Heat Days, a New Study FindsICN

    The number of suicide watch incidents in Louisiana prisons increased by 30 percent on extreme heat days, a recently published study in the JAMA Journal found. Researchers from Emory University analyzed data from 2015 to 2017 to examine how the heat index related to suicide watch incidents in six prisons. At the time, only one had air conditioning.

    end CW

    As EU Weans Itself From Russian Energy, U.S. Shale Gas Industry Pushes New LNG Export Plant in PennsylvaniaDeSmog

    US judge declines to block Florida law restricting Chinese from buying propertySCMP

    A US federal judge blocked a request on Thursday for temporary relief against a Florida law that restricts Chinese citizens from purchasing property in the state.

    The ruling by US District Judge Allen Winsor in Tallahassee, Florida, against granting the preliminary injunction means the state law will remain in effect until the court decides on the merits of the case.

    The designated countries of concern were China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela and Syria.

    U.S. gas prices hit 10-month highs amid tighter supplies, heatwavesPD

    Giuliani Was in the Running to Be Trump’s Attorney General. His Authoritarian Rule as Mayor Suggests a Nightmare OutcomeWSoP

    Mega Banks Take Down Stock Prices after a Fitch Warning About a Possible Downgrade to JPMorgan Chase and Its PeersWSoP

    Teamsters and Auto Workers Are Raising the Bar for Contract CampaignsLN In UAW’s Negotiations With the Big Three Automakers, Ending Tiers Is a Central DemandJacobin
    Safe staffing, wage hike in new pact for 8,000 NYC nursesPW

    U.S. East Palestine residents endure toxic train wreck ordealPD

    How Maui’s wildfires became the country’s deadliest in more than a centuryPW Maui’s deadly fires: Government failures and disaster capitalismGL Maui wildfire devastation exposes the legacy of colonialismMR Amid Maui fire devastation, Big Oil tries to kill Hawaii climate lawsuitRNN

    As the Hawaiian island of Maui is reeling from the deadliest U.S. wildfire in over a century, the Hawaii Supreme Court on Thursday is set to hear fossil fuel giants’ request to dismiss a climate liability lawsuit filed by the City and County of Honolulu on Oahu.

    • SeventyTwoTrillion [he/him]M
      ·
      1 year ago
      expand

      Latin America

      ‘Worse than the Special Period’: Cuba’s food situation more desperate by the dayPW

      US escalates trade dispute over GM corn, challenges Mexico’s food sovereigntyBilaterals

      USTR Katherine Tai has expressed unfounded concern that Mexico’s policies might disrupt billions of dollars in agricultural trade between the countries. No credible evidence exists to support this claim, as determined by analysis from IATP of the economic modeling study that underpins the USTR claim. The economic study was commissioned by CropLife and other agribusiness entities in the U.S. and Mexico, all with strong economic interests in blocking Mexico’s restrictions on GM corn.

      In response to U.S. officials’ critique of Mexico’s ban on GM corn as not founded in science, the Mexican government organized a robust series of webinars this spring that presented substantive evidence on the human health concerns surrounding GM food. For years, Mexico’s national science agency has maintained a public database of evidence underlying the concerns about public health and corn biodiversity from both GM corn and the herbicide glyphosate. A synthesis report of these scientific finds is due out shortly.

      El Salvador’s model of authoritarianism may be spreading to countries like Costa Rica and HondurasRNN

      Critiques of Costa Rica's Chaves might be legitimate, less certain of Hondura's Castro. Rolling my eyes at the use of "authoritarianism" either way.

      What Will Change in Guatemala with the 2023 Presidential Elections?Resumen

      Two neoliberal social-democratic political parties are vying for the presidency of Guatemala on this Sunday, August 20. Neither of them has a majority in the next Congress of the Republic. Both turn to Washington for political cleansing.

      Jesuit university closed in Nicaragua for “terrorism”MP

      Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega ordered the seizing of all assets belonging to the Central American University (UCA) which was accused of “terrorism,” it was reported in Managua. The educational institution was run by the Jesuit community.

      The UCA thus joined the list of universities dissolved by the Sandinista government this year. All UCA bank accounts were also frozen, according to Interior Ministry sources who spoke to Divergentes on condition of anonymity.

      ...

      The UCA became a meeting place for opposition protesters during and after the socio-political crisis of 2018, in which more than 350 people died.

      Eyeing normalizing ties with Maduro's Venezuela, France appoints envoyAM
      Venezuela's oil production signals remarkable reboundAM

      Venezuela's daily oil production experienced a rise from 732,000 to 810,000 barrels per day between January and July 2023, as per data released by Rafael Tellechea, the Venezuelan Oil Minister and head of the state oil and gas company PDVSA.

      Colombian president wants to amend free trade accord with USBilaterals

      Russia overtakes US to become Brazil’s top fuel supplier – BloombergRT Brazil: Agrarian reform to focus on womenMP Bolsanaro’s Butchery: CIA Fingerprints Are All Over Brazil’s Indigenous Genocide MPN

      The War Against The West

      Zelensky holds court with Ukraine’s most notorious neo-NaziGrayZone
      US approves F-16 fighter jets to be re-exported to UkraineFT
      US approves sending F-16s to Ukraine from Denmark and NetherlandsEuractiv Ukraine’s counteroffensive has failed – US congressmanRT
      Better Late Than Never? Spain’s El País Sounds Alarm Over Consequences of Ukraine “Proxy War” for EU’s FutureNC
      Ukraine tells military-age citizens to ‘overcome their fear’ in recruitment campaignEuractiv

      DPRK, Russia agree to military cooperation: reportCGTN

      Philippines-Japan relations now evolving to include defence: MarcosANN

      Retrospectives, Analysis, History, Theory, and Technology

      Summer of the HawksSeymourHersh

      Wishful thinking is still the rule among Biden's foreign policy team, as the slaughter in Ukraine continues

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

      The nonsensical ‘right and left need to unite to take on elites’ take that just won’t dieRNN

      Every few months—sometimes for sinister and ideological reasons, sometimes for just plain ahistorical and dimwitted reasons—a pundit comes along who thinks they’ve cracked the DaVinci code of class politics. “What if,” they ask us (as if the question has not been asked countless times before), “left and right unite to take on the elites”?

      Yes! Thank you, RNN! What a gallery of bad takes they've collected. Cenk Uygur, Matt Stoller, Glenn Greenwald, Matt Taibbi... e.g, from Greenwald:

      Many on the anti-establishment left and right share antipathy for many of the same institutions of power.

      Fortunately for those institutions, there's a culture war that keeps those two sides focused eternally on each other, ensuring they never unite against those power centers.

      They might share antipathy, but one side wants to create something better in its place whereas the other wants to repurpose them to better oppress minorities. It's obviously true that the elite are designing and amplifying a narrative of political polarization, but we shouldn't play into that narrative by suggesting "What if we all just held hands?" We should reject the framing entirely and say "Actually, we need to overthrow them and also the right-wing are genocidal fascists and we cannot ally with them."

      Eugene Debs Really Loved BicyclesJacobin

      8 scientists win China's 2023 Future Science PrizeCGTN China’s robotics industry makes big stridesANN
      Chinese scientists realize precise artificial synthesis of hexose from CO2CGTN

      • SeventyTwoTrillion [he/him]M
        ·
        1 year ago
        expand

        LGBTQIA+

        CW: transphobia

        Chess Governing Body Bars Trans Women From Women's CompetitionsAdvocate

        The game’s governing body, the International Chess Federation, a.k.a. FIDE, released guidelines Monday saying trans women have “no right to participate in official FIDE events for women” until the federation completes further study. The group also said trans men will be stripped of titles they won as women before they transitioned, again pending further review. Titles “can be renewed if the person changes the gender back to a woman,” the guidelines said. They came out a week before their effective date.

        80% of LGBTQ+ People Feel Less Safe Due to Gender-Affirming Care BansAdvocate

        North Carolina Lawmakers Override Governor's Veto of 3 Anti-LGBTQ+ BillsAdvocate

        One limits instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in public schools, similar to Florida’s infamous “don’t say gay” law. Another bans gender-affirming medical procedures for transgender minors. The third bars trans girls from playing on female sports teams in public schools and certain private ones, from middle school through college.

        All of the measures now become law and take effect immediately, although trans minors already receiving gender-affirming care as of August 1 can continue on it if they have parental consent and their doctors say it is medically necessary.

        end CW

        Climate and the Environment

        Efforts made to bring back red-crowned cranes from brink of extinctionANN

        Irish fishermen fear climate crisis will end fishing in IrelandAM

        Can US and EU unseat China as the dominant supplier of green energy tech globally? Highly unlikely, experts saySCMP

        China to scale up wind and solar recycling to tackle environmental impact of decommissioned hardwareSCMP

        China, the world’s largest renewable energy producer, will set up a recycling system for ageing solar panels and wind turbines in an effort to tackle millions of tonnes of equipment slated for retirement in the coming years, according to the state planner.

        Discrediting carbon creditsEcologist

        Carbon capture is only a way to make people feel good about continuing emissionsBNE

        Essentially, yes.

        Joe Biden’s DOJ Is Claiming “There Is No Constitutional Right to a Stable Climate”Jacobin

        California’s Top Methane Emitter is a Vast Cattle Feedlot. For Now, Federal and State Greenhouse Gas Regulators Are Giving It a Pass.ICN

        A Texas Dairy Ranks Among the State’s Biggest Methane Emitters. But Don’t Ask the EPA or the State About ItICN

        An analysis by Inside Climate News, building on work by Climate TRACE, shows that tracking cattle emissions, site by site, is doable. But government databases specifically exempt agricultural operations from their greenhouse gas accounting.

        Microplastics in J&K’s waterbodies dangerous to ecosystems and humans alikeMongabay

        A new study has confirmed the presence of microplastic contaminants in Jhelum river, locally known as Vyeth, in Jammu and Kashmir. The study suggests that improper municipal solid waste (MSW) disposal sites along the Jhelum river are a potential source of these microplastics.

        How an ancient Chinese city used ‘collective power’ to divert the threat of floodsSCMP

        I Love My Trans Comrades!

        Check out !traaaaaaannnnnnnnnns@hexbear.net !

        • daisy
          ·
          1 year ago

          The game’s governing body, the International Chess Federation, a.k.a. FIDE, released guidelines Monday saying trans women have “no right to participate in official FIDE events for women” until the federation completes further study. The group also said trans men will be stripped of titles they won as women before they transitioned, again pending further review. Titles “can be renewed if the person changes the gender back to a woman,” the guidelines said. They came out a week before their effective date.

          Thought #1: What sort of advantage do trans people have over cis people in chess?

          Thought #2: Why the hell are chess competitions gendered in the first place?

          • Starlet [she/her, it/its]
            ·
            1 year ago

            What sort of advantage do trans people have over cis people in chess?

            They think that men are naturally smarter than women, I guess

          • DictatrshipOfTheseus [comrade/them, any]
            ·
            1 year ago

            It's been a few years since I watched it, and it's not specifically about trans people, but I remember Shaun made (as usual) an excellent video about women and chess, dismantling the ridiculous arguments that because there are more higher-ranked male chess players, men's brainpans are better suited (than those of the emotional feeemale) for the kind of logical thinking that chess requires.