Image is from the January 2023 World Economic Forum meeting in Davos. Over 50 heads of state and 600 CEOs attended.

holding flashlight under face

Imagine a terrifying world where we are all ruled by monsters of every stripe. And not hot ones like werewolves, but instead decaying zombies and mummies who are both insensitive to, and actively benefit from the immense suffering they cause on a daily basis. The top echelon of society, filled with profit-seeking, bloodsucking vampires. And the worst of it is that they repeat on a daily basis that what they are doing is not only just, but there is no other possible way to do it.

Pretty spooky, right? What if I told you that this world... was our own?

Happy Halloween!

Friendly reminder: when commenting about a news event, especially something that just happened, please provide a source of some kind. While ideally this would be on nitter or archived, any source is preferable to none at all given.

If you have evidence of Israeli crimes and atrocities that you wish to preserve, there is a thread here in which to do so.

Sources on the fighting in Palestine against Israel. In general, CW for footage of battles, explosions, dead people, and so on:

UNRWA daily-ish reports on Israel's destruction and siege of Gaza and the West Bank.

English-language Palestinian Marxist-Leninist twitter account. Alt here.
English-language twitter account that collates news (and has automated posting when the person running it goes to sleep).
Arab-language twitter account with videos and images of fighting.
English-language (with some Arab retweets) Twitter account based in Lebanon.
English-language Palestinian Twitter account which reports on news from the Resistance Axis.

English-language PalestineResist telegram channel.
More telegram channels here for those interested.

Various sources that are covering the Ukraine conflict are also covering the one in Palestine, like Rybar.

The Country of the Week is Lebanon! 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 first 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.

  • SeventyTwoTrillion [he/him]
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    1 year ago

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    Central Asia:

    Central Asia: New trade deals signed on sidelines of BRI forumEN
    China to push for deeper synergy between BRI, Belarus' development strategyCGTN

    Kazakhstan: Government does hard sell on nuclear, but public remains waryBNE
    Kazakhstan to nationalize branch of world’s second-largest steelmaker, ArcelorMittal.RT
    At least 32 dead in Kazakhstan coal mine fireEN

    Premier Li kicks off trip to Kyrgyzstan, attend SCO meetingGT

    China, Pakistan to hold Arabian Sea joint military drills in NovemberSCMP
    Afghans leave Pakistan in the tens of thousands before deportation deadlineDW
    Pakistan sets up deportation centers for illegal migrantsDW

    Pakistan has finalized a plan to deport all illegal immigrants, including an estimated 1.7 million Afghans, by November 1, officials said on Thursday.

    I've seen remarkably little coverage of this since I saw the announcement a week or two ago.

    Russia’s banking sector on track for record profitsBNE
    Russia’s CBR hikes key rate to 15% amid stubborn inflation and weak rubleBNE
    Russia passes law withdrawing ratification of nuclear test ban treatyEuractiv
    Putin: Russia to launch first module of space station by 2027CGTN

    Eastern Asia and Oceania:

    New Reserve Bank of Australia governor warns interest hikes could continueWSWS

    Bangladesh postpones joining China-led RCEP, other blocs before the general electionBilaterals

    China's capital market shows signs of improvement amid rising supportive factorsGT
    China discovers its first 110-billion-m³ deep coalbed methane fieldCGTN
    Future looks bright as new Chinese-designed solar cell provides renewable energy breakthroughSCMP
    China launches Shenzhou-17 mission, sending its youngest trio crew to spaceCGTN

    Mexico and China In Talks to Curb Fentanyl TradeCGS
    China and US hold first financial group meeting, will ‘deepen economic relationship’, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen saysSCMP
    Huawei, SMIC chip advances cannot be stopped by ‘futile’ US sanctions, says TSMC and semiconductor veteranSCMP
    China trade: Xinjiang defies Western sanctions as foreign trade hits record high, surges by 47%SCMP
    China Protests Illegal Fishing AccusationsCGS
    In ‘big test’ for India, China and Bhutan push to solve border dispute and establish official tiesSCMP
    US and Australia set to announce joint infrastructure plan for Pacific Island nationsSCMP

    It'll probably end up like the one proposed a few weeks ago in the Middle East.

    Latest Taiwan election survey is more bad news for Tsai Ing-wen’s ruling DPPSCMP
    Shunning mainland China, Taiwan pushes start-ups to explore US, Southeast AsiaSCMP

    Soil degradation in India spells doom for millionsMB
    Air quality in Indian capital continues to be very poorPD

    IPEF negotiations: Maori demand direct representation and comprehensive protections for rights of Indigenous peoplesBilaterals

    Protesting Sri Lankan teachers defy police water cannon and tear gasWSWS
    Sri Lanka: Debt restructuring and restraining dissentGL

    More than a year after the popular uprising in Sri Lanka that removed an autocratic president, the regime in power continues to reinforce authoritarian tendencies in implementing debt restructuring reforms.

    Africa:

    ‘Unimpeded trade’: China begins to deliver on US$10 billion promise to African businessesSCMP
    IMF Warns China’s Slowdown Could Hit Africa, Debunks Debt Trap MythCGS
    China not the main cause for debt distress in sub-Saharan Africa: IMFCGTN

    The International Monetary Fund released a set of reports on Africa’s economic outlook and China’s shifting role on the continent. Overall, African economies are slowly rebounding after the double shocks of the pandemic and the Ukraine crisis. However, the IMF warns this recovery is endangered by constrained lending and high inflation and interest rates.

    Conflict in eastern DR Congo flares again due to M23 rebelsDW
    DRC: Fuel price hike impacts transportationAN

    Taxi drivers and motorcyclists have tripled or even quadrupled fares. As a result, the majority of commuters have resorted to walking.

    US suspends non-humanitarian assistance to Gabon in response to coupAN

    Facebook workers in Kenya say Meta hasn’t paid them for 6 months amid legal caseOD
    Kenyan currency hits all-time low against the dollarAN

    MINUSMA pull out from northern Mali enters new phase amid intensifying fightingAN

    France has withdrawn from Niger. What’s next?RNN
    EU and US divided over Niger coup (EU is very opposed, US wants to work with them).DW
    Many in Niger are suffering under coup-related sanctions, including food and electricity shortages, aid stoppages, and frozen bank assets AN

    Germany's Scholz looking to Nigeria for natural gas — reportDW
    Nigeria launches mass HPV vaccination campaign to curb cervical cancerAN

    Somalia: Some 4 Million People Face Food Crisis, Un SaysTS

    World Bank approves $1bn loan to advance energy sector reforms in South AfricaBNE

    IMF advises Zimbabwe to further liberalise the currency market, end gold coin issuanceBNE

    North America:

    Ontario’s social democratic NDP expels anti-apartheid lawmaker Sarah Jama, sparking mass resignationsPW

    Poverty in the suburbs: The erasure of New York’s non-urban poorPW
    New Mexico’s Largest Fire Wrecked This City’s Water SourceCoB
    Biden’s $8 Billion Quest to Solve America’s Groundwater CrisisSP
    Big Ag is draining the Colorado River dryMR

    Huge agribusinesses remain unfazed by this crisis, continuing to abuse water supplies to feed animals on factory farms that, in turn, worsen the climate crisis and associated drought.

    The Dow Went Negative for the Year on Friday. One-Third of the Dow Is Down by Double-Digits.WSoP
    Fed’s Financial Stability Report Says $20.3 Trillion Is Subject to a RunWSoP

    Latin America:

    Latin America meets to end U.S. hostile policies that encourages migrationMR

    This past Sunday, eleven Latin American and Caribbean countries met to form a regional bloc searching for structural solutions to migration. At the invitation of Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, heads of state, vice presidents and foreign ministers gathered in Palenque, Chiapas, to promote dialogue in the hopes of coming up with a definitive solution to the crisis. Attending included Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Panama and Venezuela, all countries impacted by migration north.

    Fuel shortages reported in ArgentinaMP
    Argentina to import fuel to ease current shortagesMP
    “The Croatian,” alleged mastermind behind the “blue” dollar, arrested in Buenos AiresMP
    Elections in Argentina: A Working Class PerspectiveResumen
    10 points about Massa’s victory in ArgentinaMR
    Argentina's general election records lowest turnout since return to democracyMP
    Argentina: Milei, the Unbearable Lightness of the TextResumen
    Argentina: Macri and Bullrich go rogue from JxC to support MileiMP

    • SeventyTwoTrillion [he/him]
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      1 year ago

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      Entire Brazilian State of Amazonas gripped by droughtMP
      US troops to perform joint exercises in Brazilian AmazonMP

      China, Colombia elevate ties to strategic partnership as presidents meet in BeijingCGTN

      Ecuador Faces Nationwide Power OutagesTS

      Haiti: Government Delegation to Visit Irrigation Canal WorksTS

      Hurricane Otis batters Acapulco leaving almost a million people without powerEN

      A day after Hurricane Otis roared ashore in Acapulco, Mexico, unleashing massive floods and setting off looting, the resort city of nearly 1 million descended into chaos, leaving residents without electricity or internet service as the toll remained uncertain.

      Nicaragua: The Education GenerationResumen

      Thanks to a complete overhaul of the country’s educational system in the past 15 years, record numbers of students are graduating from high school. Although recent international headlines claim academic spaces are closing in Nicaragua, there is now actually increased access to free public universities. That, combined with hundreds of free vocational programs around the country, means that the class of 2023 has more options open to them than ever before.

      Panama: Cortizo Bans New Mining Concessions amid ProtestsTS

      Machado wins Venezuelan primaries by a landslideMP

      When digital infrastructure and digital literacy do not go hand in hand: Bolivia’s digital divideET
      Women face increasing pressure in Paraguay, a country deeply rooted in conservative valuesET

      War:

      Palestine:

      Does the US really know the Arab world at all?RS
      Protests Intensify Across US as Gaza Death Toll Surpasses 5,000SP Not sure what it is at this precise moment while writing this, but it must now be considerably over 10,000 including missing. US blocks peace in Gaza, supporting Israel's genocidal war on civiliansGPE
      State Department officials prepare dissent cables in opposition to Gaza assaultMEE
      Thousands of students at over 100 US and Canadian universities protest against Gaza genocideWSWS
      U.S. universities side with pro-Israel corporate funders over students resisting occupationPW
      We Are Witnessing the Largest U.S. Anti-War Protests in 20 YearsSP
      Biden's Israel stance angers Arab, Muslim AmericansCGTN
      Pentagon Expects ‘Significant Escalation’ of Attacks on US Troops Over Gaza WarSP

      U.K. activists and unions target three weapons factories to block Israeli arms shipmentsPW
      EU's vaunted unity is disintegrating over Gaza crisisRS
      A Divided European Union Can’t Even Agree on Need for Ceasefire in Israeli Campaign Against GazaSP
      India’s solidarity with Israel is untenableIP
      Massive labor-community coalition in Canada demands: Ceasefire nowPW
      Germany bans public grieving and solidarity with PalestineMR

      Moon of Alabama: Two Middle East Outlooks Craig Murray: As Genocide Unfolds, Chances of a Regional War Become Almost UnavoidableMPN
      U.S. military bases in E. Syria come under attacksPD
      Israel-Palestine: Hamas a ‘liberation movement’, Erdogan says in speech slamming IsraelMEE
      Report says Turkey sent away head of Hamas’ political bureauBNE
      Jordan's US-allied king faces 'nightmare scenario' as Gaza invasion loomsMEE

      October 7 Testimonies Reveal Israel’s Military ‘Shelling’ Israeli Citizens With Tanks, MissilesSP
      Israel is caught lying time and again. And yet we never learnMR
      In Hours of Israel/Gaza Crisis Coverage, a Word You’ll Seldom Hear: ‘Ceasefire’FAIR
      When It’s Always The Beginning of History, It Can Never Be the End of WarAW
      Netanyahu allies push Gaza expulsion as final solution to Israel’s Palestinian problemPW
      Israel scaled back Gaza ground campaign after US intervention – NYTRT
      Health system in Gaza collapsing as fuel and medicine run outMR

      Russia:

      Ukraine’s desperate search for war funding hits local budgetsOD
      Slovakia announces the end of military aid to UkraineEN
      Germany delivers 3rd IRIS-T air defense system to UkraineCGTN
      Russia says 36 drones downed over Black SeaDW
      Ukraine's Sudden High Air Losses Likely Caused By New Russian MissilesMoA

      The R-37M is claimed to have a maximum reach of 400 kilometer (~250 miles) and a hypersonic speed of Mach 5-6. It can be fired from safe airspace, outside of any Ukrainian air-defense range, deep into Ukraine.

      Moscow reveals details of Ukrainian attack on nuclear power plantRT
      EU leaders back using earnings from Russia’s frozen assets to help UkraineFT

      EU leaders have endorsed plans to use billions of euros in earnings generated by frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine, with the European Commission expected to put forward legal proposals in early December.

      Wait, I thought they couldn't find them? This saga of the frozen assets has left me very confused.

      China:

      Chinese fighter jet buzzes US B-52 over South China SeaDW
      US 'unsafe interception' claim refuted as PLA fighter jet's act 'legitimate and reasonable'GT
      US and Australia announce agreement to work with Japan on defence technologySCMP
      Hypersonic Race 2.0: China tests next-gen ‘waverider’ with revolutionary technologySCMP
      Philippines Eyes Multilateral Approach Against China in South China SeaCGS
      Philippines Digs in Heels in South China Sea While Also Cautioning RestraintCGS
      China turns to belt and road countries in race to secure tech-critical mineralsSCMP
      China Limits Exports of Graphite to Counter U.S. Technology RestrictionsCGS
      Western graphite producers’ shares soar after Beijing announces export curbsFT
      China Takes Advantage of Cobalt’s Low Price to Boost Strategic ReserveCGS

      The Chinese government plans to fortify its stockpile of cobalt, a critical resource used to manufacture electric vehicle batteries. Insiders tell Reuters that the Strategic Reserves Administration plans to purchase 3,100 metric tons of the blue metal in a move likely timed to take advantage of a prolonged market downturn for cobalt.

      • SeventyTwoTrillion [he/him]
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        1 year ago

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        Labour:

        More plants shuttered as UAW pulls another 12,000 workers off the assembly linePW
        UAW announces sellout deal, orders Ford strikers back to workWSWS
        Ford reaches deal with union to end US strike and raise wagesFT
        Here’s what UAW workers won in a “historic” TA after striking at FordMR

        40,000 Culinary Workers on Las Vegas Strip hotels may be next to strikePW

        Left and Right:

        The European Left and the Global South: An existential takeMR
        Your Standard of Living Demands the Exploitation of OthersRC
        Neoclassical Economics and Urban Planning: A Contentious Theoretical and Policy Making RelationshipDE
        We're still living under capitalism, not "techno-feudalism".Jacobin

        Australian Nazis treated with kid gloves, pro-Palestine protesters vilified and threatenedWSWS
        Is the US turning into a Christofascist state?RNN

        It's been one since at least the 19th century. Direct inspiration for Hitler.

        LGBTQIA:

        Content Warning - this section is not usually good news.

        Lithuania moves to ditch controversial Russian-style 'anti-gay propaganda' lawEN

        The Lithuanian government moved on Wednesday to discard a controversial law dubbed by critics as the "gay propaganda" law. The notorious legislation - passed in 2009 - shields minors from information about same-sex marriage and LGBTQI issues.

        "Hating gay people is Putinist Russian disinformation propaganda" probably won't actually be very effective in quelling anti-LGBTQIA attitudes in these quasi-fascist chihuahua countries but I'm willing to be proven wrong.

        Ukraine takes first steps to codify gay marriage.BNE

        Japan's top court strikes down 2003 gender change surgery law, which locked trans recognition behind genital removalDW

        Gay Sex Ban in Military Upheld by South Korean CourtAdvocate

        Speaker Mike Johnson Roundly Condemned by LGBTQ+ Groups, Biden Campaign, and DemocratsAdvocate
        More Than 100K Transgender Youth Live in States Impacted by Restrictive Laws: StudyAdvocate

        Climate:

        Saving the Three Basins means stopping fossil fuel expansionCCN

        The president of the Republic of Congo will today host the Summit of the Three Basins alongside leaders from the Amazon, Congo, and Borneo-Mekong river basins with the aim of drumming up global support to preserve their forests and ecosystems.

        How Climate Change Drives Conflict and War Crimes Around the GlobeICN
        Central Africa Forest Initiative (CAFI): A classic case of climate funding fraud in AfricaMR
        A shadowy corner of international law is threatening climate action, UN expert warnsBilaterals

        David Boyd, the special rapporteur on human rights and the environment, told a committee of the U.N. General Assembly that governments are being targeted with dozens of legal claims seeking hundreds of millions or even billions of dollars, with many of those suits brought by oil and mining companies.

        LNG Plant Operators Change Their Tune on Carbon Capture (moving towards it).DS
        Five Decades and a Mountain of Evidence: Study Explores How Toxic Chemicals are ‘Stealing Children’s Future Potential’ICN

        Dipshittery and Cope:

        Malta expects more than 50 countries for third round of Ukraine peace talksEuractiv

        At press time, the mannequin that these countries put in a seat to represent Russia has refused to make a statement.

        I Love My Trans Comrades!