this post was submitted on 13 Feb 2025
297 points (95.7% liked)

World News

41072 readers
3796 users here now

A community for discussing events around the World

Rules:

Similarly, if you see posts along these lines, do not engage. Report them, block them, and live a happier life than they do. We see too many slapfights that boil down to "Mom! He's bugging me!" and "I'm not touching you!" Going forward, slapfights will result in removed comments and temp bans to cool off.

We ask that the users report any comment or post that violate the rules, to use critical thinking when reading, posting or commenting. Users that post off-topic spam, advocate violence, have multiple comments or posts removed, weaponize reports or violate the code of conduct will be banned.

All posts and comments will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. This means that some content that violates the rules may be allowed, while other content that does not violate the rules may be removed. The moderators retain the right to remove any content and ban users.


Lemmy World Partners

News !news@lemmy.world

Politics !politics@lemmy.world

World Politics !globalpolitics@lemmy.world


Recommendations

For Firefox users, there is media bias / propaganda / fact check plugin.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/media-bias-fact-check/

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

I wish I could find another source to confirm this, but if true, that's basically the nuclear option to kick out all American companies and halt all mineral exports to the US.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] breakfastmtn@lemmy.ca 31 points 1 week ago (3 children)

I'd be pretty skeptical of this. As you said, no one else is reporting what would be huge news. I can't find the quote attributed to "a spokesperson for the South African government" anywhere else either. There isn't a named person in the article. This source seems sketchy, though I can't find any bias monitor info on them. That 'from the desk of the president' graphic is also just kinda weird.

The closest to this story I can find is this Feb 3rd story from a mining conference:

South Africa’s Minister of Minerals and Petroleum Resources, Gwede Mantashe, told delegates in his opening address that Africa should withhold minerals if funding is withdrawn.

[–] Skiluros@sh.itjust.works 7 points 1 week ago

‘from the desk of the president’ graphic

That graphic is indeed very strange and a massive red flag.

This is almost certainly some sort of clickbait farm.

[–] tunetardis@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 week ago

Yeah I agree. I came across the article as I like to read up on what's going on with BRICS countries as that seems like something worth keeping an eye on. But the lack of confirmation is troublesome. Even something like a giant trade deal with China that would give them some standing to call Trump's bluff would lend some credibility. It could be that this was threatened during negotiations and someone jumped the gun to say it's now policy? If I see any more about it one way or another, I will update the post.

[–] nixfreak@sopuli.xyz -4 points 1 week ago (1 children)
[–] breakfastmtn@lemmy.ca 4 points 1 week ago (1 children)
[–] deadbeef79000@lemmy.nz 3 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

https://lemmy.nz/post/19315821/13640880 I have no idea how to do a relative URL maybe: like this?

They posted above/below.

Edit: they appear to be crap.

[–] breakfastmtn@lemmy.ca 4 points 6 days ago

They are indeed crap. The Reuters link isn't even about this.

From SA's perspective, this would be get in front of cameras and pound your chest news, not get an unnamed spokesperson to whisper about it to some unknown reporter news. Like, why would you want to dramatically punch back... but keep it low key? Makes no sense.