An image of the wildfires in Rhodes, taken on July 23rd, showing the flames and the plume of smoke.
Greece, in late July, faced a heatwave in which over 8 million people experienced temperatures about 41C, with some areas reaching above 45C - all in all, both the longest heatwave in Greek history, as well as some of the highest temperatures on record.
Due to these high temperatures, Greece was then struck by hundreds of wildfires this summer, affecting nearly 200,000 hectares. About half of the total burned area was in the north-east of Greece, in the Dadia national park near the city of Alexandropoulis - the single largest blaze that the EU has recorded. Other parts of the country were also struck, such as Attica, Magnesia, and islands like Corfu and particularly Rhodes; the last one prompted an evacuation of 20,000 people, the largest evacuation operation the island had ever seen. Of course, this is just one country of many that have been caught in the European wildfires this year, of which the total burned area approached 500,000 hectares - the only consolation is that this was less than last year.
Greece, Bulgaria, and Turkiye were impacted in early September by flooding caused by massive storms bringing a deluge of water - in Greece, this mainly impacted Thessaly, in the centre of Greece.
Luckily for Greece, despite being a very earthquake-prone country, they have experienced no significant quakes lately to round out the four (I hope I haven't jinxed it) - though, of course, earlier this year, a major earthquake struck nearby Turkiye, killing 60,000 people and injuring 120,000.
The Country of the Week is Greece! Feel free to chime in with books, essays, longform articles, even stories and anecdotes or rants. More detail here.
Here is the map of the Ukraine conflict, courtesy of Wikipedia.
This week's update is here!
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.
Weekly Update for September 18th - 24th
Over 5500 words of pure distilled news.
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Global:
Many leaders have given speeches at the UN this week. Some of the ones I've seen are: 1) Lula's where he advocates for BRICS creating a more equitable global economySCMP, 2) Biden urging world leaders to not allow Ukraine to be "carved up" by RussiaFT, 3) Petro proposing peace conferences for Ukraine and PalestineTS, 4) Guinea's leader, Doumbouya, defending the coups in Western Africa, saying that global leaders must address their causes beyond just condemning themAN, and 5) Scholz condemning those who want a ceasefire in Ukraine.WSWS And in the backdrop to the 78th UN session, the Chinese VP met with Guterres and Blinken.TS
Global debt has reached a record high of $307 trillion.FT
Oil prices have exceeded $95 per barrel due to Saudi Arabia's and Russia's supply cuts,FT while Saudi Arabia's energy minister says that the intention of these cuts is not to increase oil prices, but instead "it’s about making the decisions that are right when we have the data", a sentence that Kamala Harris would be proud of.FT
Hungary is still delaying letting Sweden into NATO after Swedish politicians made "biased and unfair" accusations against Hungary.CGTN Turkiye is similarly not letting Sweden in to NATO yetRT, as Erdogan is frustrated by the lack of progress.MEE
Europe:
MEPs and women's health experts are calling for the right to safe abortions across the EU.Euractiv Motorway investments in the EU outweighed rail by 66% in 20 years.Euractiv Chinese envoy takes aim at Europe’s ‘de-risking’, national security fears.SCMP EU backs 10-year renewal of controversial weedkiller glyphosate.DW Europe's migration deal with Tunisia is a humanitarian disaster.Jacobin Pope Francis insists Europe doesn't have a migrant emergency and challenges countries to open ports.EN The British Social Attitudes Survey (BSA) found that more than three-quarters of respondents said that domestic labour should be split - but some two-thirds of women still do more than their fair share of cleaning and cooking - and in the EU, 91% of women with children spend at least an hour per day on housework, compared to 30% among men with children.EN
Protests in Bulgaria against NATO bases and calling fot the government to resign.Euractiv
Croatia's tourism boom is worrying environmentalists.DW
Czechia's government is making every effort to facilitate lithium mining.Euractiv
The Finnish government is delaying the implementation of the long-awaited Disability Services Act.Euractiv
France is the leading importer of Russian nuclear industry products, with a 250% jump from 2021 to 2022.Euractiv France must triple renewable power capacities by 2035, says grid operator RTE.Euractiv The government is rolling out new cash incentives to help consumers purchase electric cars next year to support their car industries against China.Euractiv France's crackdown on Islamic dress in schools is a crude attack on Muslims.Jacobin
Germany is to receive €4 billion from an EU microchip programme.Euractiv The government has said that they can no longer accomodate refugees and asylum seekers;TS EU asylum rules are 'prehistoric,' Steinmeier says in Italy.DW German companies must cut exposure to China, warns Bundesbank.FT German housing prices at record low.EN On Thursday, the Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES) published a report showing that far-right views appear to have penetrated deeper into German society, with 8 percent of the public now sharing a right-wing extremist worldview.TS Germany went from envy of the world to the worst-performing major developed economy. What happened?EN I would ask the government but they're currently giving American boots a tonguebath.
An article on the wildfires in Greece.RNN The main opposition leftist Syriza party is on the brink of collapse as internal elections to replace former prime minister Alexis Tsipras in the party’s leadership has turned into an unprecedented toxic civil war.Euractiv
Ireland's working class is still the key force for social change.Jacobin
Italian farmers have turned to shepherds from Kyrgyzstan to revive the farming tradition on Sardinia.FT
Kosovo's economic growth has slowed to 2% year-on-year,BNE and the EU has warned Serbia and Kosovo that there will be repercussions if they do not implement the normalisation deal.Euractiv
China and Malta pledge to deepen their mutual cooperation after Wang Yi visited the island.CGTN Price of Maltese food soars by 11% while inflation has fallen below the Eurozone average.Euractiv
The Netherlands will close its Groningen gas field (the largest in Europe yet currently producing almost nothing anyway) in October due to earthquake fears; it had previously planned to close it in 2030.DW
North Macedonia is going to build one of the world's tallest dams.BNE
Jesus, why you are you giving me so much water?
You are my tallest dam.
Moldova will uphold deal with Russia's Gazprom to prevent crises, minister says.Euractiv
Norway's central bank has increased its interest rates to 4.25%.EN
Poland's industrial production is falling less than previously, but still falling.BNE
The Bank of Portugal is keeping interest rates at their current level.Euractiv
Anyone in Slovenia fined for violating COVID-era restrictions later declared unconstitutional will be reimbursed and their offences expunged from their records.Euractiv
Spain's parliament is allowing the use of Basque, Catalan, and Galician as a concession to Catalan separatists.DW
Sweden's central bank has ramped up interest rates by 0.25%, to 4%.EN
Switzerland's parliament has approved a ban on burqas, with fines of $1100 for violators.MEE
Ukraine's winter natural gas storage has reached a sufficient level for winter.BNE
Homelessness in the United Kingdom is soaring as rents increaseFT at a record pace.FT Meanwhile, mortgage arrears jumped by 13% in Q2 2023 to their highest level since 2016.RT UK will have the highest inflation this year among G7 members according to an OECD report.MP Falling prices for milk, cheese, and vegetables helped drive a surprise fall in United Kingdom inflation in August, with prices now rising at their slowest rate in a year-and-a-half.MP So far, Britain's employers have been winning the class war over inflation.Jacobin The Bank of England has left interest rates unchanged, though still at a 15-year high.MP Britain's industrial strategy is still missing in action.FT Number of UK nursing students plummets despite NHS shortages.FT The Conservative government is handing out means-tested benefits to 8 million people, who will each receive an absolutely colossal total of £300.MP A queer Omani woman in the UK took her own life while waiting over a year in a hotel for asylum.MEE The Home Office has stopped feeding hundreds of Afghan refugees who are still living in hotels.OD Met police investigating 1,600 officers and staff over alleged abuse against women.FT UK public support for ‘big government’ hits record high of 68%.FT
Western Asia:
Nagorno-Karabakh briefly exploded into violence with Azerbaijan assaulting locationsBNE before the Armenian separatists surrenderedBNE and the government in the region has promised to disband. The Russian and Iranian defence chiefs met to discuss it.BNE Armenia's Pashinyan has said that Armenians will not be under direct threat if they stay put in Karabakh, though they will accomodate though who wish to leave.EN Azerbaijan jails critics of Karabakh offensive.EN
Part 2
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Is Bahrain a dry run for controversial US-Saudi pact?RS
Western policy towards Iran lacks both goals and goalposts.FT Iran nuclear crisis lingers for White House despite prisoner swap.FT
Israel attacks Gaza in response to incendiary balloons launched from Gaza.CGTN Is online retailer Amazon cracking down on the sale of pro-Palestine merchandise?MR
An article on a plan to either give Jordan some of Israel's Palestinian-populated areas, or even to expel Palestinians en masse to Jordan, and how that's stupid and neither Palestine nor Jordan actually wants to do that.RS
The Saudi-Israeli deal gets closer every day, according to MBS,MEE and has also said that solving the Palestinian issue is crucial to deal with Israel,FT though it seems like they might make a deal without any major concessions.MEE Israeli opposition rejects idea for Saudi Arabia to enrich its own uranium. The myth of consent - isn't there somebody you forgot to ask?FT MBS said 'bad laws' led to a death sentence for tweets. They're his laws.MEE
Syria's Assad went to ChinaSCMP to meet Xi JinpingDW, where they signed a comprehensive strategic partnership.GT UK intelligence spun 2013 Syria chemical attack, leaked docs show.GZ
Turkiye's Erdogan has stated his support for Israel-Saudi normalization, andMEE Turkey and Israel will explore joint drilling in East Mediterranean.MEE Turkey pushes interest rates up to highest level since 2003.EN Turkey’s economic mess could prove too big even for assembled 'A-Team' to handle, warns veteran analyst, who says that the 'IMF bazooka' might be needed.BNE
UAE landing station confirmed for fibre optic cable set to link Israel to Gulf states.MEE
Yemen's rebels are optimistic after five days of Saudi Arabia peace talks in Riyadh.DW
Central Asia:
Chinese exports of ball bearings to Kyrgyzstan — which if re-exported to Russia can end up in Russian tanks on the Ukraine battlefield — are up around 2,550% from 2021 levels.BNE A little sussy! Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan presidents meet to tamp down border tensions.EN
US helped Pakistan get IMF bailout with secret arms deal for Ukraine, leaked documents reveal.TI
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had a 4-day visit to Russia for security talks,SCMP, and met with Putin.GT Billions of dollars in western profits trapped in Russia.FT A global shortage of diesel is benefiting one of Russia’s key export crude blends, ESPO, as it is being traded at a premium to global benchmark Brent,RT though Russia has banned the export of diesel and petrol as crude oil prices rise.FT 31 countries to participate in the Russian currency market, including Brazil, India, China, South Africa, Türkiye, Iran, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Cuba and Venezuela, as well as various Central Asia countries.TS Top IT company IBS Group is the heart of Russia's digital transformation now.BNE Russia plans to increase spending by more than 25% next year.FT
Turkmenistan's huge gas reserves have been generating considerable interest from potential importers following Ashgabat's announcement in late July that it is open to the development of a pipeline to carry its gas across the Caspian and on to Europe.EN
Eastern Asia and Oceania:
ASEAN kicked off first-ever joint naval drills in South China Sea.CGS
How Australia’s Albanese can get back to business as usual with China (by shifting away from being a US vassal).SCMP 70% of rental homes are too cold (below 18°C), risking disease.GL Women refugees begin a march for permanent visas.GL
China has slashed its holdings of United States Treasury bills for the fourth straight month.SCMP China's economy is a land of contrasts,SCMP and China’s middle class puts luxury spending on hold as uncertainty swirls.SCMP China heads off ‘triangular debt’ quagmire with demands for state repayments.SCMP China’s healthcare tycoons lose US$17 billion as crackdown spreads.SCMP China intends to speed up new industrialization.CGTN
China’s imports of Japanese seafood plunge.RT China beats US in top global scientific papers ranking.SCMP Leading Chinese university becomes first to remove English requirements for students.SCMP
Taiwan factory blaze kills 6, including several firefighters.DW
Chinese President Xi meets Cambodian king in Hangzhou.CGTN Cambodian PM urges continued support to achieve kingdom's landmine-free goal by 2025.PD
Kim Jong Un returned to the DPRK from Russia, where he deepened "comradely fellowship and friendly relations" with Putin.DW
Pressure on India as G7 looks to take the shine off Russian diamonds.Euractiv Fighting the diaspora: Modi’s campaign against Khalistan.GL
Chinese Premier Li Qiang met with Malaysia's Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, and are willing to deepen co-operation.CGTN
New China-Nepal trade route to open soon as Tibet facility gets green light.SCMP
The South Korean parliament on Thursday approved a motion seeking the arrest of Lee Jae-myung, chief of the main opposition Democratic Party.PD
Sri Lankan president calls AUKUS ‘a mistake’ and rejects fears over China.SCMP Sri Lankans are once again out on the streets due to the recent bailout agreement with the IMF.MR Students, parents and teachers denounce Sri Lankan government.WSWS
China and Timor-Leste elevate ties to comprehensive strategic partnership.CGTN
Great power rivalry shakes up Vanuatu, where Prime Ministers enter and exit power and no-confidence motions happen frequently.RS
China factories with ASEAN aspirations are lining up for a look at Vietnam, and industrial parks are cashing in.SCMP
Africa:
Africa’s NATO? How ECOWAS became a tool for Western Imperialism.MR
A collection of essays on African development.DE
China and Benin share a long-standing friendship, and as an active participant of the BRI, Benin is expected to further improve the country’s medical conditions in cooperation with China, says Beninese health official.PD
The UN food agency and the government of Botswana held a training workshop for horticulture farmers, aimed at improving agricultural practices in the southern African country.TS
DRC calls for swift withdrawal of UN peacekeepers which have been in the country for 25 years.AN
Egypt is hosting a regional dialogue to boost women's political participation in the Arab world, bringing delegations from 11 Arab countries.TS
Is Eritrea stoking conflicts between its migrants abroad?DW Amnesty’s new report accusing Eritrea’s government of gruesome war crimes relies heavily on anonymous testimony, grainy satellite images, and zero field investigation. It is the latest salvo in the West’s campaign to topple the country’s independent government.GZ
Gabon coup: Morenoites deny growing opposition to French imperialism.WSWS Ali Bongo's son and other relatives jailed for "high treason".AN
President of Ghana urges reparation for slave trade.PD
Zelensky and the President of Kenya, Ruto, agree to establish grain hub in Mombasa.BNE Ruto calls Security Council 'dysfunctional' in speech at the General Assembly.AN
Part 3
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Canadian media refuses to mention the impacts that the NATO war on Libya may have had on the recent flooding disaster,[MR] in addition to the impacts of capitalism.PW Vijay Prashad has an article on this exact topic.MR Hundreds of protesters rallied in Libya's disaster-hit Derna on Monday, accusing the authorities of neglect after a huge flash flood devastated the coastal city and swept thousands to their deaths.AN Libya demonstrations turn flood aftermath into political storm,Euractiv protesters torch the house of Derna's mayor amid mounting criticism of officials' response to flooding.MEE Residents who survived the devastating flooding in the eastern coastal Libyan city of Derna were faced with the threat of displaced land mines in surrounding areas on Sunday.DW Libya’s climate disaster shows we can’t afford erratic leaders like Trump and Haftar anymore.SP
Jihadists have blockaded Timbuktu in Mali for over a month, with tens of thousands of people cut off from the world and shells rain down.AN
Morocco sets aside nearly $12 billion for quake recovery.MEE
Mozambique to seek $1.5bn in damages over ‘tuna bond’ scandal.FT Mozambique-U.S. seek to deepen defence, security ties.AN
EU voices “solidarity” with French envoy in Niger.AN Bazoum wants regional court to reinstate him as President.AN Niger strengthens positions on border with Benin.AN After Niger coup, sanctions pain strikes at shutdown Benin border.AN Niger warns of drug shortages due to sanctions.RT
China’s share of Nigeria’s ballooning debt remains steady at around 4%.CGS
Rwandan President Paul Kagame has announced for the first time that he plans to run for a fourth term in next year's elections.AN
Political crisis shakes Senegal’s image of stability in a volatile region.FT
Women engineers break barriers amid Somalia construction boom.AN
South Africa advises two-minute shower over water shortage.AN
Sudan crisis: Fighting escalates in Khartoum in 6th month.DW Over 1,200 Sudanese refugees under the age of five have died in nine camps between 15 May and 14 September, with most deaths linked to suspected measles and underlying malnutrition.AN Sudan coup leader says war could spill over.DW The new imperial scramble for Africa.PW
The construction of Tanzania's first fishing harbor in Kilwa Masoko, along the Indian Ocean coast in the Lindi region, is being undertaken by the China.TS
China steps in to save Uganda oil pipeline as Western lenders back out over environmental concerns.SCMP
Zambians are concerned about reports of "death threats" against Zambia's President Hakainde Hichilema allegedly coming from within Zimbabwe's ruling ZANU-PF.DW A structure dating back almost half a million years discovered in Zambia.AN
Water shortage pushes wildlife to migrate from Zimbabwe, including large numbers of elephants.AN A UK-headquarted mining company is soon to resume spodumene (lithium ore) production at the Zulu Lithium and Tantalum Mine.BNE
North America:
How Canada came to be one of the world’s leading arms dealers.CD GM halting production at Ontario EV assembly plant due to battery shortage, once again throwing workers' lives into chaos.WSWS Alberta promises oil giant Cenovus $7 million to study small modular nuclear reactors as part of the province’s effort to decarbonize oil sands production..DS
Canada and India have been fighting over a Sikh activist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was killed three months ago. Canada is accusing India of sending agents to assassinate him on their territory. Canada is home to the world's largest Sikh diaspora. Both countries areEN expellingDW diplomats.DW India has suspended visa processing for Canadians.DW Canada's assassination charge against India puts Biden in a pickle,RS and US urges India to cooperate with Canada on Sikh murder probe.DW Canadian Sikhs hail Justin Trudeau for ‘vocalising’ their cause against India.FT
US national debt tops $33 trillion for first time.CGTN US buys record amount of Russian fertilizers from January to July.CGTN U.S. homebuilder sentiment turns negative for first time in five months.PD Only 34% of US voters think Biden would complete second term; 55% think that Trump would.RT Biden Couldn’t Care Less About Human Rights.CA RFK Jr. demands Secret Service protection after assassination scare.RT Very funny. US poverty is soaring because politicians allowed income support programs to expire.PW US dollar hits six-month high as markets accept new interest rate regime.FT
Mayor Brandon Johnson is proposing a series of reforms aimed at changing city practices after federal investigators last year determined Chicago violates the civil rights of its residents by concentrating polluting businesses in Black and Brown communities.ICN U.S. "sanctuary cities," obliged by law to accommodate new migrants, are facing heavy financial burdens as the costs to care for new migrants continue to rise.PD More than 100 climate protesters were arrested on Monday after blockading the entrances to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, where they called on financial regulators to curb fossil fuel financing. ICN A Pennsylvania bill that would limit fracking near homes and schools was shelved this summer right before a scheduled committee vote; this article talks about the physical and mental impacts of fracking on nearby people.ICN An article on Los Angeles tenants defending public housing from privatization.Jacobin In Minnesota, Families Blame Farm Nutrient Contamination On Heavy Cancer Toll.CoB The water regulator of the U.S. state of California ruled on Tuesday that the beverage corporate giant Nestle had no legal right to the water it had diverted and bottled from mountain springs for over 100 years.PD Well, what's important is that we figured this out after a century, and not back then.
Mold, raw sewage, brown tap water found in US barracks,RS which is to be expected when you give only a paltry ~1 trillion dollars to our brave troops. Double it! No, triple it! Bidenomics: Millions to Rebuild Maui, Billions for Ukraine.SP True, but Biden and Zelensky are also turning Ukraine into a privatized wasteland, not to mention all the inevitable unexploded ordinance and land mines, so really it's just two different kinds of fucked.
Latin America:
A much-needed holistic approach to HIV and AIDS in Latin America and the Caribbean is being held back by stigma and insufficient resources.ET Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: A petty agent for US imperialism tours Latin America.WSWS U.S. moves to curtail China’s economic investment in the Caribbean.MR
Argentina and US sign agreement on security cooperation.MP Falklands Supreme Court to decide on dual nationality fundamental rights.MP Indigenous women lead battle for land rights in Argentina.OD
Lula scraps Bolsonaro’s cuts to Brazilian climate target ambition.CCN Brazil central bank lowers interest rate for second month running.MP Illegal mining spreads onto 35,000 hectares.MP
The far right has hijacked Chile’s new constitutional process. Women and LGBTQ activists are fighting back.RNN
Four Colombian soldiers were killed in a shootout with members of a dissident guerilla group ahead of talks set to begin on Monday.DW In Gustavo Petro's Colombia, a new plan is promoting green energy and indigeneous rights.Jacobin Armed groups, coca crops and death’: how prices crashed for cocaine’s raw material.FT
Brazil's Lula meets Cuban leader, slams 'illegal' US embargo.DW Cuban President Pays Tribute to Malcolm X in Harlem.Resumen
Part 4
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Guatemala's progressive president-elect will face an uphill battle.Jacobin
Haitians want PM to step down due to crisis with Dominican Republic.MP The government reported that the Haitian National Police is coordinating a set of operations with the purpose of regaining control of the Carrefour-Feuilles area which is under the control of armed gangs.TS The government reaffirmed that the construction of the controversial canal on the Masacre River, this country's natural border with the Dominican Republic, must go ahead and has decided to support the works, despite the conflict that has arisen with Santo Domingo.TS
Trial of Honduran ex-president reveals Washington’s protection of ‘narco-state’.GZ
THe Ukrainian ambassador to Mexico became very angry after a Russian military contingent took part in Mexico's independence day parade.NC
Biden has relaunched Reagan’s murderous war against Nicaraguan democracy.MR
Uruguayan governor sees nothing wrong with child labor, saying ”It is much better to see a gurí (child) working than to see him or her walking around with a cell phone,“MP
Brazil to resume the electrical connection with Venezuela.TS Venezuela condemns EU's dismissal of an appeal filed by Venezuela against their sanctions imposed in 2017.MR Venezuela and Trinidad & Tobago to cooperate in hydrocarbons.TS Government to launch China-backed anti-poverty program.MR Maduro Says Venezuela’s domestic trade to grow 40% by 2023.TS
War:
Decoupling from China:
Why the West’s attacks on China’s Belt and Road Initiative are futile.SCMP A Western-led trade corridor that challenges China’s belt and road? Not so fast, analysts say.SCMP EU trade chief Valdis Dombrovskis says bloc doesn’t intend to decouple from China, saying "de-risking is not decoupling".SCMP It kinda fucking is if China is the sole producer, or at least produces the vast majority of, a shitload of different key products. There's no other country to get those things from and diversify your supply chains with. You can build those, but it'll take decades. China summons German envoy after foreign minister calls Xi a dictator.SCMP Chinese balloon was not spying, US government admits months after manufactured crisis.GPE
Diplomacy:
Joe Biden to meet Pacific Island nations as leaders seek to ‘capitalise’ on US-China attention.SCMP China, Russia find common ground against US hegemony as top diplomats compare notes in Moscow.SCMP China, U.S. launch economic, financial working groups.CGTN European Parliament supports increase in 2024 defence budgets.Euractiv Ukrainian leader holds meetings with Lula and Boric.MP Volodymyr Zelenskyy's whirlwind tour of Washington DC.EN US flouts international law with Pacific military claims.RS Henry Kissinger warns US-China decoupling would harm AI governance.SCMP
Technology and Military Exports:
Could China’s standard EV plants build super batteries for weapons?SCMP US continues to build Space Force strength with new base in Japan.SCMP US to help Philippines upgrade key defence bases amid rising South China Sea tensions.SCMP Ukraine will soon receive M1 Abrams tanks for counteroffensive, says US.EN Biden announces $325 million military aid package during a White House meeting with Zelenskyy.CGTN Not leaving empty handed: Zelensky gets his ATACMs.RS US to shift some military aid from Egypt to Taiwan.SP F-35 fighter jets can only fly 55% of time, US watchdog says.FT Taiwan is developing another, more destructive suicide drone. It won’t fit in a backpack.SCMP
Drills:
Russian fleet conducts drills to protect the northern sea route.TS
Poland vs Ukraine:
An absolute fucking saga has unfolded between Poland and Ukraine after the EU grain sale ban expired; the short of it is that as Poland enters election season, the government needs to ensure the support of farmers and so is not allowing Ukrainian grain transit through Poland (as it brings Polish grain prices down). Ukraine intends to sue Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia over this.DW Poland has said they don't fear this.Euractiv The back-and-forth arguing temporarily culminated in Poland saying they won't give weapons to Ukraine any more, before they predictably walked back those statements. Poland has additionally hinted that Germany is to blame for its dispute with Ukraine.NC Slovakia is in a similar but different position; it is likely that their next government will be more pro-Russia and doesn't want to get involved in the war as much, though farmers still benefit from high profits while Ukrainian grain is kept outEuractiv. Bulgaria seems to accept Ukrainian grain, while Romania plans a 30 day ban.BNE Commission stuck in between going after, defending unilateral Ukraine import bans.Euractiv
Sanctions:
Coal from the Russia-occupied Donbass is being exported to Turkiye, which the West isn't very happy about.Euractiv Poland proposes ban on Russian diamonds, LPG in new sanctions package.Euractiv Dutch defence ministry official arrested for evasion of Russia sanctions.Euractiv Diamonds are not forever, as Belgium ready to ban Russian stones.Euractiv
Ukraine:
Ukrainian grain ship leaves Odesa despite Russian blockade.FT Nearly 10 million Ukrainians have fled to EU.RT The West must prepare for “a long war” in Ukraine, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg declared.RT NATO admiral warns of ammunition shortage.RT Czechia struggles to finance arms for Ukraine.Euractiv Denmark to encourage NATO ammunition production.Euractiv Ukraine urgently needs air defenses, including ammunition, spare parts and maintenance for the systems the Ukrainian military already has, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said.Euractiv EU says up to 70% of hi-tech imports ‘killing Ukrainians’ are reaching Russian military via China.SCMP
Almost nine out of every ten Ukrainian draftees who enlisted in the army a year ago have either been killed or injured in combat, Ukrainian media reported.MR All deputy defense ministers of Ukraine dismissed.PD The Coming Ukraine Collapse and the “Rebuilding” Headfake.NC Naked Capitalism's 2942th article on how Ukraine will soon collapse. Despite that, some good info in there.
Truth Shines Through:
NYT’s Incredibly Low Bar for Labeling Someone ‘Pro-Putin’FAIR For NYT, Cluster Munitions Are Completely Wrong—When Russians Use Them.FAIR Did Thomas Friedman forget about the Iraq War?Jacobin
NYT exposes Zelensky lie about Donbass missile strike.RT
When officials say the quiet part about Russia and NATO out loud.RS
Part 5
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Labour:
Europe:
Portuguese teachers begin a week-long strike.TS VW in Germany cuts at least 2,200 jobs at its Zwickau plant and threatens other sites.WSWS
Anglos:
UK retail chain Wilko collapses, threatening 12,500 jobs.WSWS 3,000 job losses planned at Tata Steel as company receives £500 million subsidy from UK government.WSWS NHS consultants and junior doctors begin historic joint strike in England.FT Doctors and nurses in England could be forced to work during strikes.FT Australia’s Offshore Alliance union continued the rolling 24-hour stoppages at Chevron’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants in western Australia for a second day.RT
America and Canada:
Work Extra During a Strike? Auto Workers Say ‘Eight and Skate’LN Canadian auto workers’ strike at Ford engine plants could cripple Big Three.PW Auto Workers Strike Spreads to 38 Parts Depots.LN UAW President Fain’s “expanded strikes” will have zero impact on automakers’ production or sales.WSWS The Trots at WSWS are always such a ray of sunshine and positivity. (/s)
GOP lend their ‘support’ to an autoworker strike that doesn’t exist.RNN Biden, Brazil’s Lula unveil joint deal to promote workers’ rights.PW College athletes are being exploited. It’s time to unionize.RNN Unifor announces sellout tentative agreement for 5,600 Ford Canada workers to block strike.WSWS
Everybody Else:
Contract fight begins for 150,000 metal, auto workers in Turkey.WSWS Mexican Auto Parts Workers Face Blacklist After Union Campaign.LN Indian and Sri Lankan auto industry workers support US autoworkers.WSWS South Korean union pushes through sellout deal at Hyundai Motors.WSWS
Left and Right:
Hammerskins: German branch of US-based neo-Nazi group banned.DW Paraguayan forensic psychologist causes uproar with swastika tattoo.MP
Georgia RICO Arrests Are A Declaration of War on All Socialists.RC Degrowth and ecosocialist revolution.MR degrowth: a remarkable renaissance.MR
LGBTQIA:
Content Warning - this section is not usually good news.
Americans are pretty divided when it comes to students using chosen names and pronouns in school, according to a new survey released earlier this week. Four in ten Americans believe teachers should be allowed to use a student's chosen name that aligns with their current gender identity without informing the student's parents. Younger adults aged 18-34 are more inclined to support this notion, with 49 percent backing it, compared to 36 percent of adults aged 35-64 and 40 percent of those aged 65 and above. When it comes to individuals who personally know someone who is transgender, the support increases, with 48 percent in favor compared to 34 percent of those without such connections.Advocate Most Americans are not concerned with legislation around transgender issues and harbor doubts about whether lawmakers are informed enough on matters related to trans lives to create fair policies about access to gender-affirming care, according to a survey released Monday.Advocate Right-wing forces have turned to using parental rights to obscure but reinitiate the fight against queer and trans lives.CD Millions of LGBTQ+ Americans Overlooked in Census Data May Soon Be Able to Share Their Experiences.SP The Associated Press reports that access to gender-affirming care is becoming increasingly difficult even in those states where it remains legal for those to continue on treatments.Advocate
Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdoğan complained that he was uncomfortable with the use of what he described as “LGBT colors” at the United Nations.Euractiv Kenya's anti-gay bill proposes 50-year jail term.AN Romanian LGBTQ+ community wants equal rights, not special conditions.Euractiv
Climate:
There will be no confirmation that rich countries have met their $100 billion a year climate finance promise until 2025 at the earliest.CCN UN to start ratifying historic deal to protect high seas.DW Is the UN carbon neutral? No, finds an investigation.MB A Guide to Six Greenwashing Terms Big Ag Is Bringing to COP28.DS The Era of Climate Migration Is Here, Leaders of Vulnerable Nations Say.ICN Study finds human-driven mass extinction is eliminating entire branches of the tree of life.MR Human Activities Increased Extinction Rate of Species Groups by 35 TimesSP At UN climate summit big polluters’ absence speaks volumes.CCN
Panama Canal drought: Rolling ecological crisis is raising prices everywhere.OD
In West Virginia, plan to clean up radioactive fracking waste ends in monster lawsuit.DS Headache for carmakers as UK backtracks on green agenda.FT
China sets world's first geothermal industry standard to boost green transition.CGTN China launches ‘Kuafu’ nuclear fusion research facility.SCMP China’s coal use set to rise until 2026, pushing world’s top carbon emitter ‘off track’ from Paris AgreementSCMP China's climate envoy opposes global fossil fuel phase-out, as fossil fuels should be kept as a flexible back-up, also saying that the emissions of burning fossil fuels can be reduced with carbon capture..CCN I support a more nuclear approach to back-up energy generation and don't think CCS is in any position yet to even PROMISE that it can match even massively reduced emission rates, let alone historical emissions - but at least he's honest and wrong, as opposed to promising net zero in 30 years and then pulling back a couple years later, ad infinitum.
Amazon countries lose 1 million hectares of water surface in 10 years.TS
Miscellaneous Analysis:
Professors Point to JPMorgan Chase as Poster Boy of a Financial System Dependent on Corruption to Sustain ItselfWSoP
Meet the Banking Cartel that Is Planting the Seeds for the Next Banking Panic and BailoutWSoP
The Lehman Disaster and Why It Matters Today.SP
A soft landing?MichaelRoberts
We shouldn’t call ‘peak China’ just yet.FT Holy hell Financial Times, you're suggesting that China ISN'T about to collapse? Calm down a little!
Why Barack Obama can’t shut up.MR
Suppressing negative thoughts good for mental health, UK researchers find.FT
Can humanity avoid the “nightmare scenario” that could be caused by mounting space junk?ET
Dipshittery
A Chinese military blockade of Taiwan would likely fail and nothing easy about an invasion: Pentagon.SCMP
Donald Trump Asked Joint Chiefs Chair Mark Milley, 'Are You Soft on Transgenders?'Advocate
One Billion People Will Die Without Oil Production, Kuwait Official Claims.DS
Why don’t people leave bad jobs?FT Okay, to be a little fair, she does in fact answer the question. Why it's in this section is that the Financial Times is such a fucking bougie hellhole that they need people to come along and tell them why people might not be able to be homo economicus.
I Love My Trans Comrades!
Hmm. Why do I doubt...
Ah, yes. There it is. Rhetoric, but absolutely nothing concrete. The "most labor-friendly U.S. president ever" strikes again. Just don't ask the targets of his fascist railroad-strike-breaking policy how well it actually pans out in practice.
This is really cool stuff.
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