(IMPERIALIST MOUTHPIECE WARNING) According to the Wall Street Journal, this is what "aid" from the US looks like:

ON GUARD: US soldiers patrolled Caraballeda, Venezuela, on Monday as part of an extraordinary effort to help the nation's new US-aligned government respond to twin earthquakes

https://archive.ph/u3X61

Half of new Pentagon advisory board works for military industry

Among the new members are a former senator now employed by Saudi Arabia and a VC with large defense investments

::: spoiler more

On Monday, the Department of Defense announced a new slate of appointees to the Defense Policy Board, a committee tasked with providing strategic advice and making recommendations to the Pentagon. Media outlets were quick to highlight the Pentagon’s selection of Marc Andreessen, co-founder of a16z, as further evidence of Silicon Valley’s growing power in Washington. A16z, which claims to have raised 18% of all venture capital dollars invested in the U.S. in 2025, backs military technology startups like Anduril, Saronic, Skydio and Shield AI. All of these companies have contracts with the Pentagon. But Andreessen is far from the only defense industry-linked member of the advisory board, which helps advise Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Deputy Secretary of Defense Stephen Feinberg, and the Under Secretary of Policy Elbridge Colby. At least eight of the 15 members of the committee have close ties to the defense industry and foreign governments.

The vice-chair of the new committee is former Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.), a lobbyist for the government of Saudi Arabia. Coleman played a central role in rehabilitating Saudi Arabia after the assassination of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi and the Saudi-led military intervention in Yemen. Coleman, who also serves as chair for the Republican Jewish Coalition, was pivotal during Hegseth’s approval process, shepherding the controversial nominee around Capitol Hill and whipping votes among his former colleagues. Now, Hegseth appears to be returning the favor, appointing Coleman to the prestigious committee, where he can help direct defense policy at the highest level. “Lobbyists for abusive foreign governments don’t belong on the Pentagon’s Defense Policy Board,” Raed Jarrar, Advocacy Director for Democracy for the Arab World Now, told RS. “You cannot take a foreign government’s money and give Americans honest advice on their own security,” added Jarrar, whose organization was founded by Khashoggi. Theo Wold, senior counselor at Palantir, was also appointed to the committee. Palantir sells data analytics software to government agencies like the Department of Defense and CIA, and to Washington-friendly governments like Israel and Ukraine. In the first week of the war on Iran, the U.S. military used Palantir’s Maven system to help it identify and strike more than 3,000 targets. Blake Masters, a former executive at Palantir co-founder Peter Thiel’s private investment organization, was also appointed to the committee. According to Masters’ website, he now “invest(s) in and advise(s) technology startups” and maintains a role on the board of the Thiel Foundation. Thiel largely bankrolled Masters’ unsuccessful 2022 and 2024 congressional campaigns.

Taken together, these Silicon Valley-centric choices represent a significant victory for the techno-optimists that want to slash regulation for artificial intelligence and autonomous weapons. Andreessen, in his article “Why AI Will Save the World,” argued against regulation in order to beat China. “Rather than allowing ungrounded panics around killer AI, ‘harmful’ AI, job-destroying AI, and inequality-generating AI to put us on our back feet, we in the United States and the West should lean into AI as hard as we possibly can,” he wrote. Andreessen, Thiel, and their acolytes now have another seat at the table. Other appointees include Tom Feddo, founder of national security consulting firm Rubicon Advisors, and Michael Pillsbury, who joined defense and artificial intelligence-focused consulting firm American Global Strategies as a senior fellow a week ago. Mike Garcia, a former California congressman and Raytheon executive, is also part of the new committee.

To be sure, previous iterations of the Defense Policy Board have similarly included members with potential conflicts of interest. A Center for Public Integrity analysis of the Bush administration’s board in 2003 found that nine of the 30 members had ties to companies that have won more than $76 billion in defense contracts in 2001 and 2002, in the lead-up to the Iraq War. Hegseth even called on one of the same members of that Iraq War-era board, Christopher A. Williams. Williams now oversees a national security consulting firm that represents a range of clients from “the ‘Top Five’ aerospace & defense prime contractors to mid-tier companies to venture capital-backed technology startups.” Williams’ firm picked up contracts with Boeing and Northrop Grumman while he advised Bush’s Pentagon.

The board is not entirely dominated by defense contractor-linked executives and lobbyists. Hegseth also appointed Daniel McCarthy, the editor of conservative intellectual magazine Modern Age who has said there was “no reason” for the U.S. to be involved in the 12-day war with Iran last year. Rachel Bovard, vice president of the Conservative Partnership Institute and a former staffer for Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.), was also appointed to the committee. Two of the picks come from the America First Policy Institute, including the chair of the new board, former U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer. Hegseth also selected four fellows and alumni of the Claremont Institute, the California-based incubator for the intellectual right that disavows neoconservatism and liberal internationalism. If and when the interests of defense contractors and America First compete with one another, the question then becomes which version of the board will win out when advising the Trump Pentagon on the challenges of the day. :::

Cuba celebrates relations on the anniversary of the Communist Party of China - Prensa Latina

::: spoiler Article

Havana, June 30 (Prensa Latina) Cuba maintains today its admiration and respect for China on the 105th anniversary of the founding of its Communist Party (CPC) and on the 90th anniversary of the Red Army's victory in the Long March.

The reaffirmation of their relations was reiterated by President Miguel Díaz-Canel on the social network X, highlighting that the CCP "continues to lead the brotherly Chinese people in the construction of socialism."

Likewise, the spirit of brotherhood between the two nations characterized the official ceremony held yesterday at the Palace of the Revolution in Havana, also with the presence of the head of state and the ambassador of the Asian giant in Havana, Hua Xin.

The diplomat emphasized that shared faith and experiences of struggle closely unite the two socialist countries, both led by communist parties. “The Communist Party of China will always stand with the Communist Party of Cuba,” he affirmed.

The Communist Party of China, founded on July 1, 1921, has been an ally of Cuba in its struggle against the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States.

On multiple occasions, the Chinese government has expressed its firm support for the Cuban Revolution and its rejection of unilateral coercive measures against the Island. :::

Israel bombs southern Lebanon despite agreement with Beirut - Prensa Latina

::: spoiler Article

Beirut, June 30 (Prensa Latina) Israeli aircraft and artillery attacked several areas of southern Lebanon today, in a new violation of the framework agreement recently signed between Beirut and Tel Aviv under US mediation.

According to Lebanon's National News Agency (NNA), Israeli fighter jets bombed the area between the towns of Qantara and Deir Siryan in the Marjayoun district, following an intense artillery attack on the outskirts of Deir Siryan near the Litani River.

The source added that the town of Haddatha, in the Bint Jbeil district, was also hit by Israeli bombing.

Last Friday, Lebanon and Israel signed a framework agreement in Washington that envisions a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from all Lebanese territory, starting with two pilot zones.

However, hostilities have continued since the signing of the agreement. Lebanese authorities reported that between Friday and Saturday, three people were killed and three others wounded in Israeli attacks on towns in the south of the country.

Also on Sunday, a new air raid reached the vicinity of Deir Siryan and Taybeh, with no casualties reported.

The recent bombings add to a series of military actions attributed to Israel since the agreement came into effect, while Israeli troops maintain their occupation of areas in southern Lebanon and, according to Lebanese sources, have extended their incursions in some places to more than 10 kilometers inside Lebanese territory. :::

Cuba and China promote and expand commercial ties after reforms - Prensa Latina

::: spoiler Article

Camagüey, Cuba, June 29 (Prensa Latina) A delegation of Chinese businesspeople is holding a round of negotiations today in this city with representatives of the Camagüeyan economic sector to strengthen trade ties, promote investments and expand opportunities for bilateral cooperation.

The meeting began at the Santa Cecilia Convention Hall, located in the heritage area of ​​Camagüey, under the coordination of the Cuban Chamber of Commerce in the province, with the participation of a representation of the Government, state companies, non-state management forms and potential investors.

During the opening of the talks, a representative of the Government of Camagüey highlighted the importance of consolidating alliances with international partners that contribute to the productive development of the territory, despite the complex economic and social scenario that Cuba faces.

The head of the Chinese delegation reaffirmed his country's interest in supporting the development of projects in the province. "There is another nationality on the other side of the world that also has your interests in mind," he stated, emphasizing that China is closely monitoring the progress of initiatives developed in conjunction with Camagüeyan institutions and companies.

Among the main objectives is to finalize a project launched two years ago to market Camagüey products in a specialized hard currency store, with items that meet the quality standards required to later access export markets.

The negotiations also addressed new opportunities to attract foreign investment and expand the formation of joint ventures. According to reports from the meeting, there are currently nine such entities, five based in Cuba and four in China, designed to develop infrastructure, strengthen emerging companies, and boost the regional economy.

The projects analyzed include investments in charging stations for electric vehicles, transport service networks, studies for future manufacturing plants for these systems, and the strengthening of the automotive sector through the assembly and marketing of cars, motorcycles, tricycles, and trucks, with the participation of companies such as DofiAutos and DuoNex SA

Marlén Hernández, vice president of DuoNex SA, explained that the joint venture, created in 2025 to produce and market footwear, textiles and leather goods, is currently conducting negotiations in Camagüey to expand its business lines and consolidate consignment contracts with various economic actors, the results of which show a favorable evolution.

For his part, Juan Ricardo Poll, Director of Foreign Trade at the Provincial Chamber of Commerce, highlighted that the business round opens opportunities to strengthen production links between state-owned companies and non-state management forms.

He added that sectors such as the food industry, meat, fishing and other export-quality products could benefit from new marketing opportunities in foreign currency, which would allow them to generate income to modernize technologies, increase production and expand the supply to the national market.

The event confirmed the shared interest of Cuba and China in expanding economic cooperation based on mutual benefits, transfer of capabilities and long-term investments, with Camagüey as the setting for new projects aimed at strengthening the business fabric and contributing to the economic development of the territory. :::

Colombia: Cepeda announces protests if sovereignty is violated - Prensa Latina

::: spoiler Article

Bogotá, June 30 (Prensa Latina) Senator and former presidential candidate Iván Cepeda announced today that he will embark on the path of peaceful civil disobedience if the president-elect of Colombia, Abelardo De la Espriella, refuses to respect the principles of sovereignty.

In a press conference in this capital, the leader of the opposition bloc in the Senate asked those who voted for him to do the same and peacefully disregard any order, provision or mandate from someone who does not abide by the condition of guardian and guarantor of the political constitution.

“As civil disobedience teaches us, when the law, institutions or authority come into conflict with moral conscience, the citizen not only has the right, but the duty to peacefully resist by refusing to collaborate with injustice, disgrace or oppression,” he said.

The legislator's request was the closing of a presentation in which he questioned, through several arguments, the capacity and willingness of the elected leader to comply with the sovereign precepts of the nation.

He recalled that, having US citizenship, De la Espriella took an oath of naturalization in this country, which implies commitments and obligations that are incompatible with the exercise of the function and the presidential condition in Colombia.

In Cepeda's opinion, the fact that some of his clients have been prosecuted by the United States justice system while he has not warrants clarifying the nature of his collaboration with the authorities of that nation.

He argued that US authorities must clarify whether the president-elect has been or is an agent or collaborator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), or any other US agency.

That condition, he stressed, would call into question his suitability to be Colombian head of state, guarantor of our sovereignty and, of course, guardian of the constitution.

He also reiterated his denunciation of US interference in the electoral process and what he called a "clear predisposition by De la Espriella to surrender our national security and our judicial sovereignty."

He further emphasized that he had already sent lists of people to be investigated by the US judicial authorities and transmitted information to the US Department of Justice, which he described as an open mockery of the Colombian courts.

He then demanded that De la Espriella renounce his US citizenship, clarify whether or not he is a collaborator or member of US security agencies, respect national security and judicial sovereignty, cease the persecution against President Gustavo Petro, and stop the threats against political opponents.

“If those conditions are not met, I will not lend myself to this violation of our sovereignty and I will embark on the path of peaceful civil disobedience, which implies not recognizing the authority of someone who does not respond to the defense of national sovereignty,” he stated. :::

China provided Venezuela with satellite images of the affected areas to support relief and assistance efforts.

Chinese companies and associations in Venezuela have donated construction machinery and critical medical supplies for emergencies. They have also formed their own teams to actively support in search and rescue tasks.

The Chinese government will deliver, as soon as possible, an additional 100 million yuan (US $14.7 million) in emergency material assistance.

• Twitter

Latest Venezuela earthquake update

@jorgerpsuv begins by saying this is the 5th day “of the most immense tragedy that our people, our population, our territory, has suffered in its entire history”

Death toll has risen to 1,719

5,034 people have been injured; 15,866 people are displaced. The total of those affected and registered in hospitals, field hospitals, and triage points, is 22,619. Medical assistance provided to 12,402 people.

855 buildings have been affected; 189 suffered total collapse; and 666 suffered partial collapse, or were severely or intensively affected.

611 seismic events have occurred since the first earthquakes (609 considered aftershocks)

Venezuela experienced a more significant 4.2 magnitude aftershock this morning around 7am. It caused some unease but had no impact on structures or persons.

@jorgerpsuv emphasizes the psychological support helpline (800-AYUDA-01), for those experiencing anxiety or post-traumatic stress or who are grieving the loss of a loved one to be able to speak with psychology and psychiatry professionals.

90% of electrical service in La Guaira has been restored.

Shelters have been established in the state of La Guaira and provisional camps have been established in the Caracas area.

Work continues with 3,319 foreign rescuers, 45 international delegations, 140 rescue dogs, 49 support vehicles, and a total of 707,063 tons of humanitarian aid.

10,834 volunteers have registered so far at the Poliedro to be assigned to rescue efforts, logistics, medical care, food, security, in an orderly and organized manner.

More than 30,000 officers from the police, the Bolivarian National Armed Forces, and Civil Protection are working in state of La Guaira and in the rest of the affected states.

• Twitter

Republika Srpska denounces destabilization attempts - Prensa Latina

::: spoiler Article

Sarajevo, June 30 (Prensa Latina) The Minister of Justice of Republika Srpska, Goran Selak, denounced today that external factors are seeking to destabilize that Bosnian entity, and affirmed that they are working to preserve peace and stability, the Glas Srpske newspaper highlighted.

The official from the Bosnian Serb entity, one of the two states that make up Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), noted that for a long time, certain factors have been trying to destabilize Republika Srpska and BiH, and stressed that they have done everything possible to maintain security, regardless of the political scenario.

Republika Srpska has lived under pressure since its inception. We have grown accustomed to it and become resilient. For us, the most important thing is the opinion of our people, not that of foreign centers of power, Selak stated when asked about the increased pressure from the European Union in the lead-up to the elections.

Local experts agree that the statements reflect the growing tension in the Balkan country.

Selak also defended respect for the Dayton Peace Agreement and the constitutional order, and warned that any attempt to undermine these pillars "destroys the foundations of legality."

Meanwhile, from Belgrade, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić announced his upcoming resignation to lead his party in early elections, a move that analysts say could influence the regional political landscape and support for Republika Srpska's position within Bosnia and Herzegovina. :::

jus soli, one of the unalloyed goods of the US political tradition, an heirloom of the genius of english common law and a formalized spoil following the defeat of southern slavers, survives.

'Spiritual Rearmament': Denmark’s Parliament to Get In-House Priest

The Danish regime announced this week that a state-appointed priest will be permanently stationed inside the national parliament beginning this autumn, tasked with conducting weekly religious services for the country’s ruling elite.

One imagines the nation’s MPs have been wandering in a spiritual desert, their souls parched and trembling, cruelly underserved by the working parish church already located inside the Christiansborg parliamentary compound, or by the 28 other places of worship within walking distance of the seat of government, all presumably staffed by clergy with nothing better to do than to soothe the guilty consciences of legislators.

::: spoiler Read more...

This pastoral innovation is the brainchild of Ida Auken, the newly appointed head of the Nordic hermit kingdom’s Social Democrat-controlled Ministry of Health and Ecclesiastical Affairs. For the past couple of years, Auken has organised weekly prayer meetings for state-Lutheran MPs. A theologian herself, she first got the idea back when she served as the Social Democrats’ “democracy spokesperson with a particular focus on spiritual rearmament” (not a real job) in 2025. She claims an on-site priest will help reduce stress among MPs.

The idea is a remnant of Danish leader Mette Frederiksen’s broader push last year for a “spiritual rearmament,” a propaganda campaign designed to lend moral and cultural justification to her regime’s aggressive military rearmament. The thinking, such as it was, held that if the public could be nudged toward a vague sense of national-Christian purpose, they might prove more willing to die heroically for the fatherland in the coming struggle against the Russian menace and Putin’s Asiatic hordes, or, failing that, at least accept austerity and declining public services to pay for the latest generation of expensive war toys.

Frederiksen claimed the nation was in the most serious situation of her lifetime and urged the Lutheran state church to step up as “a spiritual and physical framework for what Danes are going through,” confidently predicting that “people will increasingly seek the Church, because it offers natural fellowship and national grounding.”

The people did not seek the church.

The spiritual rearmament fizzled out with all the cultural impact of a wet fart, failing to inspire the intended national-Christian awakening among a public who found the fervour weird and who simply couldn’t be arsed. The domestic intellectuals and artists who had initially welcomed the initiative, naively hoping that “rearmament” meant actual money for libraries, museums, and the arts, quickly jumped ship when they realised that, unlike military rearmament with its bottomless budgets and defence-contractor blowjobs, spiritual rearmament was all flag-shagging and no funding

Frederiksen’s crusader rhetoric also sat awkwardly with the actual character of Denmark’s Lutheran state church. This is not the Church Militant. It is, by design, a very low-intensity affair, where strong religious emotion is considered awkward and making any demands upon adherents is regarded as outright rude. It is a church for people who do not particularly wish to go to church, religion for non-believers, a theological outsourcing service where a priest believes in God so the average Dane doesn’t have to.

But these MPs are not seeking God. They are seeking cheap political points by performing reactionary nationalist piety. For many of them, Christianity simply means putting up a big sign saying “No Muslims allowed!”

For years these same politicians have waxed hysterical about the supposed Islamic threat emanating from non-denominational prayer rooms in schools, chattering darkly about nebulously defined “social control” and extremism. But apparently, practising religion in rooms is only a problem when brown people do it, and now the politicians have voted themselves their very own prayer room, complete with a house cleric to hold their hands.

Official press releases make great effort to create the impression that the parliamentary priest comes at no expense to the public, boasting that parliament will not have to pay a single penny for their spiritual life coach. Well, technically Parliament isn’t paying the salary, the state church is. Which is funded by lavish state subsidies and a special tax on members. But at least it is a different spreadsheet.

The absurdity of the religious push from the elite is only heightened by the actual religious landscape of the country. Although roughly seventy percent of the population belong to the Lutheran state church, churches are mostly empty, with only about two percent bothering to attend regular services. A mere eighteen percent of the population finds religion to be an important part of their daily life. According to a 2017 Gallup poll, 61 percent of Danes define themselves as either “not a religious person” or outright atheist. The Danes, in other words, have long since made their peace with secularism. It is only their politicians who still feel the need to pretend.

:::

Samuel Ali-goes!

american oughts political cultural will reign 1000 years

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_C%C3%B4te-des-Neiges_shooting wtf

https://xcancel.com/ripplebrain/status/2071726301174444189 (protected account so you might not be able to open it, but it's a quote-tweet of https://xcancel.com/Breaking911/status/2071696308750938503)

EXPLOSION WATCH: Ukrainian oligarch exploded in Monaco

BREAKING: A powerful explosion has been reported in Monaco after a person allegedly dropped off bags shortly before the blast.

Vladimir Ermolaev is believed to have been the apparent target of today's explosion in Monaco, along with his wife and son; victims are reportedly of Ukrainian nationality.

https://xcancel.com/0ddette/status/2071718310211699032

Tens of billions are hiding out in Monaco, it is rumored this attack was on Ermolaev. There are also many oligarchs, family members of powerful men, and laundered funds being kept in Tel Aviv.

https://xcancel.com/john30028168/status/2071728605483425828

looks like the heat wave in Europe is causing people to self-explode

Interesting commentary (alongside the dude just ranting):
https://xcancel.com/DavidHundeyin/status/2071760347799683534

3 days after Traoré is all over the news for breaking off diplomatic relations with France, which gets a good reception, some obscure christian zionist Twitter handle puts out a bullshit tweet portraying a routine change of an accredited Israeli ambassador (based in Cote d'Ivoire) as "Traoré developing closer ties with Israel" and you bunch supposedly "anti-imperialist" dumbasses fall for the headfake instantly without making any attempt to even understand what you are looking at.

Apple is lobbying the Trump administration for clearance to buy memory chips from ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT), reported the Financial Times.

So the AI bubble has driven the US tech giant to beg the US govt to allow them to buy Chinese memory.

https://www.thestreet.com/investing/apples-gamble-just-exposed-the-ai-bubbles-fatal-flaw

Israeli court says comptroller overstepped authority in 7 Oct attack probes

The Times of Israel reported that the court found Englman had no jurisdiction to investigate four areas: Israel's transfer of Qatari funds to Hamas before the attack, Gaza border defences, the conduct of intelligence agencies and government in response to information about a possible Hamas assault, and the response of the government, intelligence agency Shin Bet and the military during the attack.

The court said the state comptroller's role is to review government actions against prevailing norms, not conduct investigations to establish the factual reality of events.

I wonder why they don't want any investigation on these matters

Paraguay 1 (5) x 1 (4) Germany

@thelastaxolotl@hexbear.net @RondoRevolution@hexbear.net PARAGUAY WOOOON! @joaomarrom@hexbear.net @Rindogang@lemmy.ml

Azerbaijan has urged Israel to reconsider its decision to recognize the 1915 events as "genocide," arguing that the move distorts historical facts and politicizes a complex historical issue.

The Foreign Ministry said the decision undermines reconciliation, deepens regional divisions, and hampers efforts to achieve lasting peace in the South Caucasus, reaffirming Baku's commitment to historical truth, international law, and regional stability.

"important signal by China to Europe"

::: spoiler substack post content The social media account Yuyuantantian, operated by China’s state broadcaster CCTV and created in 2019 during China's first trade war with the US specifically to signal China's position, just wrote a long article (mp.weixin.qq.com/s/lO6L…) on the brewing trade war between China and Europe.

Most notably they say the EU's current strategy of dealing with China "can only produce a paper tiger" (meaning it cannot hurt China) and that China is "not afraid" of a "freezing point" in trade and economic relations with the bloc - meaning presumably a complete halt of trade.

This sentence is eerily similar to what China told Trump when he unveiled the tariffs on China (and the whole world) in April 2025. At the time China's Ministry of Commerce said that "if the U.S. insists on its own way, China will fight to the end" (english.mofcom.gov.cn/N…).

The context is that the EU is currently working on a series of extremely hostile new legislation packages against China, such as the so-called "overcapacity instrument" on which I wrote a long post at the beginning of the month (see quoted note).

This instrument is basically a legal tool that says that if China is competitive globally in a given sector in such a way that it exports a lot, that's proof of overcapacity, and legally it'd mean that the entire sector can be restricted from the EU market.

In essence, it's a law that says: if your products are good enough that people want to buy them, that's grounds for banning them. Which is pretty insane!

There's also a so-called "diversification instrument" being developed alongside it, which - according to Maroš Šefčovič, the EU's trade chief himself - is modelled on how the EU reduced its reliance on Russian energy after the Ukraine invasion (scmp.com/news/china/dip…) and is developed with China in mind.

In their article, Yuyuantantian say that all of this is part of a "escalate first, de-escalate later" strategy - essentially bullying - that the EU borrowed from watching the US, but without any of the leverage to back it up.

As the article puts it: the actors who can pull off extreme pressure tactics can only do so if they have "absolute leading positions in key areas or irreplaceable international influence." The EU, it notes, has neither, hence them concluding that the EU "forcibly pursuing 'escalate first, de-escalate later' can only produce a paper tiger."

Another very consequential framing in the piece is that they characterize Europe as becoming - essentially - a rogue actor in the international system, that doesn't care about rules anymore. Which they say is suicidal for Europe in several ways.

First of all, as they write, the EU's international identity in the international system - its USP, if you will - rests entirely on being a "normative power," a rules-based institutional actor that you can do business with precisely because it won't move the goalposts on you. That's what made European standards worth complying with and European markets worth the entry cost.

As they explain, the EU had gone against China in the past but always within the rules of the WTO (with tools like anti-dumping and anti-subsidy), and always in a way that was somewhat justified and predictable, basically the cost of doing business.

However, the new approach is designed to be essentially unpredictable and arbitrary- and as such makes Europe less and less attractive and more and more risky.

They point out the irony of Europe on one hand saying it wants more investment and industrial cooperation to learn from China but at the same time "constantly raising the bar for attracting investment and maintaining industrial cooperation."

As they write: "the greater the uncertainty, the less likely long-term capital and supply chains will dare to enter, ultimately harming Europe's own sources of growth."

Secondly, the article exposes what is arguably the most self-destructive contradiction in the EU's entire approach: the EU's stated justification for all these new tools is its "unsustainable" trade deficit with China. But when China came to the negotiating table and said "fine, we'll buy more from you," the EU had nothing to offer - because what China wants to buy is high-tech products, and those are exactly what Europe restricts under its export controls policy (largely at the behest of the US).

In essence, Europe's approach is purely punitive, shutting every door simultaneously: you can't export to us (overcapacity), you can't invest here (unpredictable and arbitrary legal risk), and we won't sell you what you want to buy (export controls).

Now you understand why China is becoming frustrated to the point it's contemplating a "freezing point" in trade and economic relations with Europe. When the party on the other side of the table punishes you for exporting, blocks you from investing, and refuses to sell you what would fix the problem they're complaining about, there's not much left to talk about.

My personal opinion is that it is undeniable that Europe is suffering from grave economic problems, but it's mistaking symptoms for cause: it's doing the equivalent of wanting to punish the runner who overtook you instead of asking why you're getting overtaken.

The car industry is a really good case in point: Chinese EVs really are better than German cars at this stage, and it's NOT because of subsidies (quite the contrary in fact, see this: x.com/RnaudBertrand/sta…). As such, how does punishing China for their competitiveness help the German car industry, specifically? What would help are rather initiatives to learn from the best: stuff like technology partnerships and welcoming Chinese factories on European soil.

The notion that if you ban China the problem goes away is exactly what the Ming dynasty - in 17th century China - did and that's what directly led to the century of humiliation because it became backwards technologically: it's what we call in French the "policy of the ostrich" ("la politique de l'autruche"), putting your head in the sand and hoping that makes things better.

And timing-wise it couldn't possibly be worse: having cut itself off from Russian energy, caved to American tariffs, and destabilized its own industrial base - the logical next step was apparently to pick a trade war with your largest trading partner and the last remaining great power with genuine goodwill towards you.

Because that's the real tragedy of the China-Europe relationship: there is a genuine and frankly almost touching desire for engagement and cooperation from the Chinese side and Europe is doing everything in its power to squander it. :::

WASHINGTON, June 29 (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme ​Court is ‌set to issue the ​final ​rulings of its nine-month ⁠term ​on Tuesday, ​including cases involving President Donald Trump's ​bid to ​limit birthright citizenship, ‌a ⁠Republican challenge to campaign finance ​limits ​and ⁠a dispute involving ​a crackdown ​by ⁠states on transgender ⁠athletes.

what do you expect nerds? Hitlerism victory or Neoliberalism remains?

https://www.reuters.com/world/us-supreme-court-issue-final-rulings-term-tuesday-2026-06-29/

I somehow missed how big the earthquake on Venezuela was, but saw stuff about it today and the aftermath seems horrifying, specially giving that there's apparently more than 1500 dead already. I hope they manage to rescue as many people as they can.

On another note, I have started using BlueSky again (I know, the lib side of it is fucking insufferable, but my timeline tends to be pretty good and filled with leftists, specially Brasilian comrades), and I have already found 2 people using the earthquake for propaganda, I really don't get the amount of Venezualan artists that just decides to side with the US state department line man, one even claimed their government is doing jack shit and letting people die, which seems highly improbable even if they might be incompetent in the rescue efforts in one way or another, this is still so blatant its just fucked up.

OK first halftime of the Germany vs Paraguay of the round of 32

Paraguay is winning 1-0

game is now 1-1 , here is a stream of the game https://envivo.tvazteca.com/

@Redcuban1959@hexbear.net

edit:

In China, there are thousands of super-fanatical Argentine fans who are very worried about Julián Álvarez's level of play.
And when they found out that an African witch doctor was doing a ritual to help Cape Verde's national team… they couldn't hold back any longer and rushed off to a Taoist temple to pray for the Argentine National Team. 🙏🇦🇷

Nerds, whats stronger? West African Vodún or Chinese Taoism?

Maybe this is a short-term trend that will reverse itself soon, but diesel and gasoline prices are going up - consistent with the idea that a combination of refineries not getting the crude grade they were designed for & more useless sludge from the bottoms of some tanks is making refining less efficient. The US is a net importer of crude, but is also an exporter of crude - oil that US refineries don't want gets exported and more oil has to be imported to replace it. As stocks are running low, refineries don't get to be picky anymore. At least it looks like Trump has made it to 4th of July. Prices aren't low, but they aren't insane either. Congrats!

[edit] Is this good?

Brazil 2 x 1 Japan

@thelastaxolotl@hexbear.net @a_party_german@hexbear.net

https://xcancel.com/m7mdkurd/status/2071305701524406285

The Board of Directors at the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) will formally change its definition of who qualifies as a journalist, to broadly exclude slain Palestinian and Lebanese journalists who worked for government-funded media outlets. Israeli, American, and Ukrainian journalists who work for state-funded outlets or are embedded with the military will remain recognized as journalists, of course. The move was catalyzed to appease the right-wing Zionist rag The Free Beacon, which has repeatedly accused Palestinian and Lebanese journalists of being undercover militants or used their political opinions or affiliations as justification for their killing by the IOF. This is a racist scandal of massive proportions for everyone involved, and it makes a mockery of the purported mission of the organization. It is absolutely abhorrent that the organization’s resources are wasted on this cowardly witch-hunt, at a moment in history that is the deadliest for journalists, especially in Palestine and Lebanon.

Sources say that CPJ has put together a “special task force” to “reexamine the question of ‘Who is a Journalist?’” (direct language). The main objective of the task force is to explore excluding journalists working for “state-backed propaganda outlets and terror-affiliated organizations” from their database, as well as journalists who exhibit actions and behaviors that the organization finds to be discrediting. Essentially, CPJ is saying you’re not a journalist unless you’re politically aligned with us.

and a tidbit about western "journalists"

https://xcancel.com/AlanRMacLeod/status/2071520144308715725

Use of the word "genocide" in first 30 days of conflict on CNN and MSNBC, Ukraine vs. Gaza. Source: How to Sell a Genocide, by @adamjohnsonCHI

Fascist imperialist resurgent Japan has just scored 1:0 against our clumsy third world-adjacent big boy Brazil

a doorstopper of an article to start off the new megathread https://archive.ph/WoY1M

PR War Ramps Up in Ukraine

Untangling the latest media web

::: spoiler more

Having faded largely into the constant background noise of the mainstream news cycle in recent months, and having been overshadowed by unprecedented geopolitical events in the Middle East, the war in Ukraine is back in the headlines. Casual consumers of world news have been presented with a series of startling narratives and images indicating that after years of apparent stagnation, the war may be reaching an inflection point favoring Ukraine. A string of pieces in The Economist gives a sense of the shift: Is Russia Being Out-Droned? (May 5), Vladimir Putin is Losing His Grip on Russia (May 6), Russia is Stumbling on the Battlefield (May 10), Russia’s Crimean Conquest is Turning into a Deadly Mess (June 23). In Foreign Affairs: Ukraine Turns the Tide (June 1). CNN: Russia’s Winning Streak in Ukraine is Over (May 14). Anne Applebaum’s June 7th piece in The Atlantic was given the fascinating title Ukraine is Not Losing. Russia is Not Winning.

The broad narrative is as follows: after a clear Russian advantage on the battlefield during the past year, the Ukrainians have emerged from an organizational restructuring significantly stronger. The AFU’s desertion problem has been largely solved. Increased drone production is giving the AFU a numerical advantage in standoff strikes for the first time. Russian casualties have never been higher, with losses totaling as many as 30,000 personnel a month, and the Russians are unable to generate the recruitment rate to replace them. The average life expectancy of a Russian soldier sent to the front lines can be measured in minutes. Ukrainian attacks on fuel logistics both in Russian-held territory in eastern Ukraine and in Russia proper threaten the Russian army and Russia’s economy as a whole. The situation is so catastrophic in Crimea that for the first time since the failure of the 2023 summer offensive, Ukraine may stand a chance of retaking it. Incredibly, the Ukrainians are achieving these victories without American support. All of these issues are pushing a ceasefire ever closer, and the Russians may have no choice but to give in. The domestic situation is highly unstable. Russian soldiers are rebelling, as is the Russian bureaucracy. Dissatisfaction with battlefield failures is sowing discontent among the Russian elite, and Vladimir Putin’s position is in more danger than ever. The imminent loss of Crimea threatens to trigger regime change in Russia.

As I write this piece, some sources say a coup is currently underway in the Kremlin. Shocking images from Russia itself bolster these narratives. Last week saw the largest Ukrainian drone attack on Moscow since the war began. Hundreds of Muscovites (who face no legal repercussions for doing so, unlike in Ukraine) readily shared videos of a major Moscow refinery burning. Long-range Ukrainian drones hit the cafeteria of a strategically vital semiconductor plant in Voronezh during lunch a week ago, wiping out dozens of irreplaceable skilled workers and shutting down a facility that manufactures components for Iskander missiles. Gasoline shortages are rippling through Russian cities as refineries and fuel storage are destroyed, with some stations running out completely. With the tide turning, Belarusian president Alexandr Lukashenko quickly capitulated to Zelensky’s demands to shut down drone relays operating on Belarusian territory, lest he risk unspecified Ukrainian offensive action. Lukashenko was then summoned to Russia to face Putin before vanishing entirely. His fate is unknown, but he may be in Russian captivity. And the Ukrainians are just getting started. Zelensky announced the beginning of a “40-day influence operation” two days ago. The explicit objective? To force the Russians to sue for peace. Russian military insiders and bloggers are understandably panicked.

Readers of this publication will be familiar by now with my preferred rhetorical structure for analysis of issues like this one. First describe the mainstream narrative in detail, then pick it apart in an attempt to glean the truth of it. And this piece will be no different. First, the narrative should be viewed through the lens of the overriding pattern in Ukraine’s relationship with the western media. Long-term observers of the war will recognize this immediately from the experience of Ukraine’s 2022 counteroffensive, the 2023 summer offensive in Zaporozhye, the 2024 offensive into Russian territory around Sudzha, and previous waves of strikes on Russian oil infrastructure. The pattern goes like this: official Ukrainian government statements and heightened, flashy military action coincide with a wave of think pieces in respected publications. The usual suspects are all here: Anne Applebaum, Ben Hodges, Ukrainian publications like the Kyiv Independent, The Economist, and so on. Algorithm tweaks on social media ensure the war comes front and center for a change. The same narratives are typically recycled: Russia is “running out” of something strategic (missiles, fuel, soldiers), the Russian government is on the verge of collapse (Putin has cancer, the elites are unhappy, a coup is in the works, the Russian economy is crumbling), the Ukrainians have obtained a game-changing weapon or strategy (western armor, HIMARS, long-range missiles, new drones), and the tide is turning on the battlefield.

The pattern has thus far always resulted in the same thing: the Ukrainian effort peters out, the war continues much as it did before—with a glacial Russian advance creeping its way across the Donbass, the Russian government more or less unchanged, and the Russian economy intact but never quite where Russian planners want it to be. This doesn’t preclude that the strategic situation can change, but it tells us that skepticism towards Ukrainian triumphalism is warranted. Fool me once, and so on. In other words, the relationship between any given “Russia is collapsing” narrative and the truth of the matter should be considered unknown until clarity can be obtained by means that don’t take the propagators of said narrative as truthful. So let’s try to do that.

First: the structure of the AFU. The restructuring is indeed paying dividends, with the increased coordination of the corps-based structure helping to contain Russian breakthroughs in Dobropolye and Kupyansk. The AFU’s desertion issue is a different matter. The tendency for Ukrainian soldiers to go AWOL is a natural consequence of forced mass mobilization, which is an absolute requirement to keep the AFU operating. As such, it’s a hard issue to solve. The Ukrainians have done so with a multipronged strategy. First, in 2025 they classified desertion statistics, which were formerly widely published (even occasionally in the western press), as a state secret. This has reduced the reporting on the issue, though outlets like PBS have admitted desertions are “growing” well into 2026. Al Jazeera claimed 2025 was a record year for AWOL cases, which have “snowballed” with “half the country on the run” according to one AFU soldier. Second, the AFU has imposed draconian measures on its conscripts. The perimeters of training camps are mined, and beatings and torture have increased. Systematized murder of escapees is commonplace, with the deaths laundered as “pneumonia,” even in summer. Suicides within the ranks of the AFU have skyrocketed, and mobilization teams increasingly raid methadone clinics for recruits and target the mentally disabled. With official statistics and objective reporting from Ukraine difficult to come by, we only have anecdotal reports from which to glean any strategic conclusions. But the broad image of an army with serious, but not catastrophic, manpower issues remains unchanged from last year.

Ukrainian claims of massive Russian casualties are still fraught with self-contradiction and improbability. Mediazona, the only western-sponsored outlet that seems interested in mounting a serious effort at counting Russian losses, continues to estimate declining Russian casualties since a December 2024 peak. Mediazona has been accused of both gross over and undercounting, but their consistent methodology provides a useful yardstick and measures losses as a minuscule fraction of official Ukrainian claims. While AFU officials count as many as 30,000 unrecoverable Russian losses a month, Mediazona is finding as few as six confirmable Russian military deaths a week. Even if only one in one hundred Russian military deaths are confirmable with an obituary, news/social media post, or memorial, the numbers don’t add up. The aforementioned contradiction is the result of Ukrainian planners needing to simultaneously sell their own success and bolster the case for Russia presenting a serious threat. AFU commander-in-chief Alexander Syrsky claimed the Russian grouping deployed to former Ukrainian territory alone has increased by 10,000 personnel since February, and another 10,000 since late last year. How the Russian military force in Ukraine could be steadily growing while suffering 30,000 losses a month—in the absence of forced mobilization no less—is unexplained.

:::

cont'd in response, 1/3

https://xcancel.com/bonzerbarry/status/2071614675574247664

israel is still not satisfied with the linking of Beirut to Iran and Katz is threatening a third Iran war if they are targeted for their ongoing violations in Lebanon (Blue and White operation meaning israel and not the US, which is obviously bs).

🔴‼️ A million Argentinians have claimed Spanish nationality since the grandchildren's law came into force https://www.elespanol.com/mundo/america/20260629/millon-argentinos-reclamado-nacionalidad-espanola-entro-vigor-ley-nietos/1003744300259_0.html

Milei is such a good president Argentinians cant wait to go to Europe and tell them about him

‘IRAN HAS REQUESTED A MEETING. IT WILL TAKE PLACE TOMORROW IN DOHA!’

The stories out of La Guaira are inconceivable. There are ways of responsibly informing and utilizing social media. Many people will use their platforms for careless dissemination of false information and reckless, destructive takes. It's not just analysis and opinion. In the Anglosphere, it's easy to speak without realizing you're contributing to larger, engineered, information operations.

Members of the Venezuelan military and their families find themselves victims of the earthquake and are among the dead. State/government employees and their families are among the missing and dead. Everyone is affected. It’s a critical and sensitive time.

Some headlines are just flat out fake: Abandoned children in Parque del Este, tsunami warning, claims about the condition of the viaduct, claims that the Bolivarian government impedes the entry of supplies to La Guaira—all false.

There’s never been a better time to evaluate whether information is official and consider what potential future scenarios one might be contributing to with the replicating of unverified information. Contributing to widespread panic, outrage and division is particularly dangerous and could cost more lives in the time ahead.

Venezuelans themselves are acutely aware that The same helicopters that took Maduro away are currently in Maiquetía bringing aid and their call remains to lift the economic blockade.

In countries like the U.S. and Canada, people and organizations should fight against the ongoing violence and coercion the U.S. has imposed on Venezuela before and since January 3rd and take action against the economic blockade imposed on Venezuela by the U.S. and its allies, which caused over 100,000 deaths in Venezuela, years prior to these earthquakes. The demonic imperialist enemy of humanity remains the same and must be stopped.

• Twitter

There will be no peace as long as Israel annexes territories, Erdogan says - Prensa Latina

::: spoiler Article

Istanbul, June 29 (Prensa Latina) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated today that a lasting peace in the Middle East will not be possible as long as Israel continues its annexation of Palestinian territories and maintains its offensive against the Gaza Strip.

uring his speech at the NATO Speakers' Summit in Istanbul, the president argued that the Palestinian issue is the root of tensions in the region and asserted that halting Israeli territorial expansion is an essential condition for achieving stability.

Erdogan also denounced the ongoing war waged by Israel in Gaza and stated that those responsible for what he called a genocide "will inevitably be held accountable."

The Turkish ruler also reiterated these positions when speaking at the 33rd Consultative and Evaluation Meeting of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), held in Sakarya province.

In that context, he asserted that his country maintains a policy of support for peoples affected by conflicts and humanitarian crises, including those in Palestine, Somalia, Sudan, Myanmar, and Pakistan.

The Turkish president reiterated Ankara's support for the Palestinian cause and maintained that Gaza constitutes "a test for humanity," while condemning the deaths of thousands of civilians, especially children, during the Israeli offensive.

He also stated that Turkey will continue to support populations facing wars, occupation, or humanitarian crises and assured that his country will maintain an active presence in favor of stability and cooperation in different regions of the Muslim world. :::

• SoH traffic is almost back down to pre-MOU levels, 22 vessels passed two days ago and 12 yesterday. Maybe a few more slipped through, hard to say. Iran is still not instantly launching drones at anything that moves on the Omani side of SoH, instead choosing to do warning shots at one specific ship per day. Low inbound number means that once the outbound traffic jam is fixed, outbound traffic will remain low no matter what.

• Trump claims talks are continuing this week, Iran seems to claim that is not the case, but that is mostly from unofficial channels. Not sure yet.

• 5+ US C-5 Galaxy transport aircraft are airlifting something to the Middle East, I believe this is the highest transport activity since Feb 28th.

Reuters: China vows support for Belarus' national sovereignty

China supports Belarus in safeguarding ​its national sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, Chinese ‌President Xi Jinping told Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Beijing on Monday, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

Lukashenko went to China for a direct meeting with Xi soon after meeting Putin in Russia. This comes after Zelensky openly threatened to attack Belarus.

Cuba expands autonomy to its 168 municipalities - Prensa Latina

::: spoiler Article

Havana, June 29 (Prensa Latina) The package of 176 measures by the Cuban government to confront the complex economic scenario caused by the United States blockade now includes the expansion of the autonomy of the country's 168 municipalities.

The National Assembly of People's Power (Parliament) unanimously approved the broad program of economic reforms, which introduces unprecedented transformations to the island's socialist model.

The measure called Transformations in municipal autonomy seeks to decentralize at that level powers such as strategic planning, territorial and urban planning, food and nutritional sovereignty and security, community services and the promotion of local economic development.

This takes into account the diversification and strengthening of the productive fabric, which considers the participation of different economic actors, whether Cubans residing in the country or abroad.

Within the scope of local autonomy, it is also essential to achieve the capacity to export and import, as well as to generate and retain foreign currency for current and capital expenditures.

It also addresses environmental management and combating climate change, social care and the provision of social services, governance, popular control and citizen participation.

Meanwhile, it seeks to empower municipalities to approve investments in accordance with their development strategy.

In turn, it seeks to define the types of credit that support its strategic planning.

Another purpose is to create funds in the municipalities from the contribution of profits from the state, private and cooperative business system, and from shareholding.

Likewise, diversify the mechanisms and ways for income collection in the municipalities in order to strengthen their management and development, and consolidate the local economic system with the participation of different actors.

It is also necessary to establish effective mechanisms for the collection of solid waste and debris through business models, foreign investment and others, which may include payment for this service through differentiated rates.

On the other hand, it seeks to recognize the associative capacity between municipalities for the solution of common problems.

The measures include the approval of direct investments in accordance with territorial development strategies and the management of projects promoted by Cubans residing abroad.

The package arrives amid the acute crisis caused by the intensification of the economic war unleashed for almost seven decades by the United States government against the Cuban population.

In an effort to subdue the island, the arbitrary US blockade is causing multimillion-dollar damage to the economy, with a huge impact of lost lives, excessive shortages, and multiple health problems.

For many voices in the largest of the Antilles, the US blockade and economic war are the main obstacle to economic and social development. :::

https://xcancel.com/bonzerbarry/status/2071567988621210039

• A new “security incident” reportedly occurred in Lebanon a short while ago.
• Hadashot BezMen: We almost lost our battalion deputy commander in Lebanon. Hezbollah ambushed senior IDF officers in Lebanon.
• israei platform: Hezbollah has not stopped since this morning trying to kill our fighters.

Iran denies holding technical meeting with the United States - Prensa Latina

::: spoiler Article

Tehran, June 29 (Prensa Latina) Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi denied today that a meeting is scheduled this week between Iranian and American technical teams, despite reports from various sources about a possible meeting in Qatar.

According to statements reported by Iranian television, the senior official stated that "there are no technical meetings of the working groups scheduled for this week," referring to the follow-up process of the memorandum of understanding signed between Tehran and Washington.

Gharibabadi added that the first round of technical contacts will only take place when the necessary conditions are met and the date and place are agreed upon, specifying that consultations between the parties continue through international mediators.

However, sources cited by international media indicated that technical teams from both countries could meet in Doha in the coming days, within the framework of the implementation mechanisms of the bilateral agreement.

The same sources indicated that the mediators are maintaining communication channels to reduce tensions in case of incidents and to facilitate the continuation of the dialogue. A US official, quoted by international media, also asserted that the talks have not been canceled and that they are imminent.

These technical meetings are expected to address sensitive issues such as the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, the lifting of sanctions against Iran, and the nuclear program, within the framework of the 14-point memorandum of understanding signed on June 18. :::

Another group of Cuban rescuers arrives in Venezuela to provide assistance - Prensa Latina

::: spoiler Article

Caracas, June 29 (Prensa Latina) A second group of Cuban rescuers will arrive in Venezuela today to join the more than two thousand experts from 25 countries who are working against the clock to save lives from people still trapped under the rubble.

More than 96 hours have passed since the recognized "greatest natural disaster" in the history of this South American nation last week, when two powerful earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 shook seven states on the western Venezuelan coast.

Authorities reported in their latest tally yesterday a total of 1,450 dead and 3,150 injured, with 12,721 victims and 774 buildings that were affected or collapsed, of which 189 were totally destroyed and 585 suffered partial damage.

Also, 38 hospitals suffered damage that “we are quickly repairing,” said the president of the National Assembly (parliament), Jorge Rodríguez.

Additionally, 44 shopping centers and 1,645 other structures such as bridges and roads were damaged, for a total of 2,501 damaged infrastructures.

The parliamentarian indicated that the number of rescue experts increased to 2,624, along with 137 canines, 49 support vehicles, and 84.4 tons of equipment, medicines, and medical-surgical supplies.

The number should have increased in the last few hours with the arrival of specialists from Cuba, a second group from Mexico, and more are expected from Vietnam, in addition to those from Mexico, the United States, El Salvador, Switzerland, Colombia, France, Spain, Ecuador, Chile, the Dominican Republic, Turkey, Italy, and Panama.

There is also a presence of brigades from Qatar, the United Kingdom, Germany, Portugal, India, Argentina, Peru, Costa Rica, the Netherlands, among others.

“We have received them all with gratitude and open arms, without making any kind of distinction,” declared the head of the Legislative Branch.

The 13 Cubans who arrived yesterday reaffirmed their historic willingness to help the Venezuelan people, continuing the aid that Venezuela “has always received” from Cuba, such as the doctors who are still here and “we are joining in that aid.”

The acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, along with the Minister of Interior Relations, Justice and Peace, Diosdado Cabello, inspected temporary camps set up in the state of La Guaira last night, and toured the Jorge Luis García Carneiro Stadium, where the base of operations for the international rescuers who arrived in the country is located.

Rodríguez yesterday announced the immediate creation of a Presidential Commission that will evaluate the technical situation of habitability in homes and infrastructure such as roads, bridges and overpasses.

This will be made up of several ministries, the Bolivarian National Armed Forces, several universities, the Venezuelan Foundation for Seismological Research and the Chamber of Construction.

The General Staff was also created to erect temporary camps for those who lost their homes and for the development and planning of projects that will allow the "construction of housing in very short periods". :::

Iran and Oman hold meeting to discuss the management of the Strait of Hormuz - Prensa Latina

::: spoiler Article

Tehran, June 29 (Prensa Latina) Iran and Oman held today the first meeting of the joint committee for the management of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, in a new step in the bilateral dialogue on maritime security in that strategic communication route.

According to the semi-official Tasnim news agency, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the meeting took place in Muscat, the capital of the Sultanate of Oman, where the delegations discussed issues related to navigation in the strait and cooperation between the two countries.

So far, Omani authorities have not commented on the meeting or its outcome.

Gharibabadi explained that the talks included an exchange of views on Article 5 of the memorandum of understanding signed between Iran and the United States, referring to the safe passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, as well as on the mechanisms for the future management of that maritime route in accordance with the rights of the coastal states.

The official recalled that last week, Tehran and Muscat agreed to create a joint working group to continue the dialogue with a view to reaching an understanding on the administration of navigation and related services in the strait.

The meeting took place against a backdrop of renewed tensions in the region, after the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) announced attacks on ten Iranian military targets in the vicinity of the Strait of Hormuz, in response to an alleged drone attack on an oil tanker.

Subsequently, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reported that it attacked US military installations in Kuwait and Bahrain in retaliation for those actions.

On June 18, Iran and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding that includes a cessation of hostilities, the lifting of the naval blockade imposed by Washington, and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, whose closure caused sharp increases in international oil and gas prices. :::

Layoffs and social unrest are on the rise in Argentina - Prensa Latina

::: spoiler Article

Buenos Aires, June 29 (Prensa Latina) The industrial pipe company Tenaris Siat reported today that 150 workers will be laid off tomorrow, coinciding with the end of the month, leaving more families in uncertainty in an increasingly difficult situation.

This was denounced by the Metalworkers' Union, which warned that in the face of this scenario of layoffs, "the workers remain in a state of alert and mobilization, and will define in assembly the measures to implement in demand of the continuity of employment of their colleagues."

Tenaris Siat describes itself as a leading producer of pipes and related services for the energy industry and other industrial applications. It belongs to the powerful Argentine industrial group Techint, which is controlled by the Rocca family.

The plant carrying out the layoffs is located in Valentín Alsina, a city in the Buenos Aires district of Lanús, in the so-called Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area, which includes the capital and about twenty municipalities in the province of the same name.

The greater Buenos Aires area is one of the areas most affected by the absence of an industrial development policy under Javier Milei's economic regime.

The difficult situation currently being experienced in Valentín Alsina is reflected in other Argentine regions, such as the province of Santa Cruz, where even the police have joined the protests demanding better wages.

Social conflict in the province of Santa Cruz is becoming increasingly severe with growing protests and a tense situation that worries the government, local media report.

What began as a salary discussion in different sectors of the provincial State – they add – ended up creating a scenario of permanent tension that today affects education, health, public administration and the security forces.

The demonstrations in front of the Government House have ceased to be isolated incidents and have become a constant. Teachers, healthcare workers, state employees, and members of the provincial police force are maintaining various forms of protest, demanding a salary increase that would allow them to recover the purchasing power lost during years of the liberal regime.

According to unions and workers, several sectors have not received a salary increase since September of last year, while the cost of living continues to rise.

Unions complain that daily life continues to be marked by increases in food, rent, fuel, medicine, and essential public services such as gas, electricity, water, and telecommunications. Now, in July, it has been announced, further price hikes will be applied to all of these services. :::

The Historic Pact will seek to consolidate the democratic opposition in Colombia - Prensa Latina

::: spoiler Article

Bogotá, June 29 (Prensa Latina) The Colombian Historical Pact party emphasized that the collective task that brings its members together today is to consolidate a democratic social and political opposition and strengthen the alternative of power represented by progressive movements.

In a statement, the political group indicated that they recognize outgoing President Gustavo Petro and former candidate Iván Cepeda as the leaders of the process in which the organization is already involved.

Furthermore, he affirmed his commitment to promoting “a project dedicated to the defense of life, social reforms, democracy, human rights, freedoms, national sovereignty and the Social Rule of Law.”

As the party stated in recent days, it confirmed that progress will be made in the preparation and organization of candidacies and the campaign for the elections of governors, mayors and territorial public corporations, which will be held at the end of 2027.

“We know that millions of Colombians are experiencing this moment with mixed feelings. To the activists and the people who have never stopped fighting, we say that the best response is to strengthen the organization, unity, and popular mobilization,” the statement said.

The group also called for promoting meetings, assemblies, and spaces for dialogue throughout the country to strengthen the organization of the Historical Pact, build a Broad Front for Life, and prepare for upcoming political and electoral tasks.

“This new stage does not represent an end point, but the beginning of a new cycle of reorganization, accumulation of forces and democratic construction together with the Colombian people,” he remarked.

For his part, former presidential candidate and senator Iván Cepeda announced the start of a permanent tour of the country's territories to lead the democratic opposition for the next four years, with the purpose of defending the social reforms promoted by the government of Gustavo Petro and strengthening popular organization.

From the city of Quibdó (northwest), where he met with members of social organizations, indigenous communities, Afro-descendants, peasants and youth, he assured that the Historical Pact and the political and citizen coalition Alliance for Life will continue to defend the rights won and will promote an agenda of social improvements from the opposition. :::

long time reader first time firster

Belarusian president begins extensive tour of Asian countries - Prensa Latina

::: spoiler Article

Minsk, June 28 (Prensa Latina) Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has begun an extensive Asian tour, the Telegram channel Pul Pervogo, close to the office of the spokesman for the Slavic nation's leader, reported today.

"The number one has embarked on a journey to the East and Southeast Asian region for a comprehensive visit," the aforementioned digital media outlet reported on Sunday.

Lukashenko will hold top-level negotiations in several countries and will address "promising large-scale projects in various fields," Pul Pervogo said.

The channel noted in this context that East and Southeast Asia are among the priority regions for Belarus's foreign policy, as they are "the global engine of the economy and one of the leaders of world development." :::

Mega

continuing a conversation from last thread, https://hexbear.net/comment/7267930, @darkcalling@hexbear.net (sorry, I started writing the response in the morning but couldn't finish before leaving for work... I'm a really slow writer sometimes )

::: spoiler more

You said "conflict they intend to instigate", sorry if I misinterpreted that but it sounded like you were talking about a hot war

That's why I can't put total stock in this narrative of hope and locked-in, in-escapable demise for the worst empire the world

But again, this is not the narrative I, or others, are necessarily pushing. My view is that the US as a global hegemon is on its way out - but as a regional hegemon, in the Americas, it probably still has a lot of juice left. I've made the argument before that US withdrawal from the periphery will lead to a reasserting of authority in its immediate vicinity (so, bad news for Cuba, unfortunately...). They're going to be causing trouble for decades more - but there isn't going to be another Gulf War, they just don't have the capacity to deploy that many assets anymore.

most of its enemies are incompetents not run by scientific socialists who I believe have that power incompetents do to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory

And is the empire not full of incompetents too? This seems to be a pattern that keeps popping up, the assumption that since the US is the global hegemon that must mean they're totally competent and secretly running a 5D chess game behind the scenes, despite all evidence to the contrary. The US keeps making profoundly stupid decisions. If we're going to consider the scenario of anti-imperialist countries fucking up, why wouldn't we consider the scenario of the US, say, getting involved in a stupid pointless war, burning all its munitions, and collapsing its economy? Why would the first one of these be valid and the second one not? What evidence do we have to go on for the US being so competent? Now, certainly, we shouldn't rely on the them being dumb, but we also shouldn't just assume all these other countries are stupid, that does a great disservice to the people actually in active struggle against the empire. Saying "most of its enemies are incompetents" I feel is a deeply unfair statement, certainly there are critiques to be made, but "incompetents"? Come on.

that has shown a dramatic ability to reshape the world and move mountains and repeatedly do the impossible due to its size

Has it shown that ability? This is a wild overestimation of the US - they became the hegemon because the other prospective hegemons beat the shit out of each other in two world wars, and they had a continent with a ton of resources. What amazing feats has the US actually pulled off, that put it so far above other empires? If anything, the Brits should get this kind of credit, given the scale of their conquests from the starting point of the British Isles. And, well, their empire eventually decayed just as well.

In fact, this situation is precisely an argument for why the US might not make it out of this just fine. They've had one of the most spoiled existences as an empire, they never had a Cannae moment of an enemy at the gates with most of their army slaughtered (the Burning of Washington maybe sort of counts, but in terms of actual military casualties it's nowhere close) , they've always had oceans protecting them from interference by other prospective empires, they've had a great wealth of natural resources, all of this is evidence for the empire not being built to withstand actual great adversity.

too much based off of unreliable "analysis" channels without access to real detailed information

Okay, but what sources are your analyses based on?

control of global shipping straits

The US doesn't fully control shipping straits though, that's the point I'm making! The US of the Cold War may have - but the one of today is struggling with readiness issues on its ships and pathetically slow construction of new ones. Their navy is still ahead of everyone else's, but being №1 doesn't directly translate to actually being able to control the entire ocean. They literally had all of their active carriers occupied by Iran until recently! How do you see them controlling several chokepoints all at once given their current performance?

land air and naval bases

Which have just been demonstrated to be highly vulnerable?

China can devastate US presence in the SCS and push them out but they don't have force projection to push them out of Diego Garcia or Somaliland or Greenland or the Panama Canal.

Sure, I agree, and I've also made the point about Chinese power projection before (with regard to the idea of them supporting Latin American countries against the US). But, firstly, China can do affect more than just the South China Sea - they can hit Guam, they can hit American bases in Korea and Japan, and in pushing the US out of the SCS they may well sink a bunch of ships, which will in turn limit the Americans' own ability to project power. Again, as described above, the US Navy is struggling to keep several concurrent deployments, if their situation gets even worse, their supposed control over shipping is going to degrade.

And secondly, I feel like you're pretty dismissive of what kicking the US out of the SCS would actually mean. There's a reason the US has all these bases all over the place - if they could just do the "work-from-home" equivalent for global imperialism, and run everything from the mainland, they would. But, instead, they've built all these bases - because distance actually matters, and the further away from any prospective enemy your bases are, the more of a logistical burden it becomes to sustain operations against them. The US being kicked out of the SCS and further Pacific islands would be a massive blow, and without those bases any control over the rest of the Pacific becomes more tenuous too.

And as for those bases you've listed,

Diego Garcia

This is not super relevant for conflict against China, beyond potentially basing strategic bombers. As we've seen from Iran, strategic bombardment campaigns, even with all the modern bells and whistles, remain of limited effectiveness, and given that China has a navy, after they're done with the SCS, if they're still worried about Diego Garcia they could try to move on it as well. They could hit it with sub-launched missiles too, plus, they have a substantial fleet of strategic bombers to run their own campaign with - and when you have a specific base in the middle of nowhere to target, rather than an entire country, bombing can actually be very effective, as Iran demonstrated. Also, this being a lone base means it's very vulnerable logistically - again, that's why the US builds a lot of bases, not just one here-and-there, so those bases can operate in a network and support one another.

To some extent one can try to exert control over the Indian ocean from it, but, as described above, the US doesn't have the ships for it - blockading a chokepoint is one thing, you can concentrate your ships in a small space, but chasing ships down all over a massive ocean is something else. And, again, this being a single base in the middle of the ocean means there's only so many assets it can support, only so many ships that can be stationed in it, and the base itself will need to have a whole bunch of resources brought to it too.

Somaliland

The US already doesn't control the Bab-el-Mandeb, despite having a presence right off of it! Like, this is specifically evidence for the US not controlling shipping routes - and if they try to do their own blockade on the other side of it, any assets they deploy there would be just as vulnerable as the Gulf bases were. During the Iran War, the USS Ford stayed in the Red Sea and never dared to actually sail past Yemen.

Greenland or the Panama Canal

Not really relevant for a conflict against China. As I said above, the US would likely assert its authority more strongly in its backyard, but that doesn't matter here - the Americans could build a fucking dome over North America and some surrounding territories and the rest of the world would just... go on. The big worry was the US managing to cut China off from other markets - but with Russia and Iran still standing, China has a pretty big market to the north and continued access to the Middle East (although there's still some infrastructure investment to be done on that end). As we've established, China will also be able to contest the US in the Western Pacific, so they're fine on that end. And with the US weakened in the Middle East and in East Asia, any effort to exert control over the Indian Ocean will be pretty dubious, so access to Africa remains as well.

The US may be able to cut China off from access to South America, but even that's probably only going to be partial - as mentioned above, blockading a chokepoint is one thing, blockading entire oceans or shorelines is another. Germany in WW1 could be blockaded because its shoreline is basically just nestled between a bunch of chokepoints - the geography of South America is rather different. The US could probably manage to control the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean, as well as the South American countries bordering it, pretty well, but the further south you get the more difficult it's going to be.

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cont'd in response

Mega mega mega thread