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submitted 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) by SeventyTwoTrillion@hexbear.net to c/news@hexbear.net

Image is of Donald Trump Jr. in Greenland, proudly demonstrating what he's learned in his standing lessons.


The imperial core is continuing the process of self-cannibalization as the interimperial wars between Europe and the US over resource and territorial control continue. Greenland, populated with less than a hundred thousand heavily exploited people, is the newest territory to fall under Trump's gaze. The main draw is the mineral resources present there, of which it boasts nickel, copper, cobalt, and platinum, and much more than remains unexplored under the ice. But the ice is melting, and profit must be made. There is an additional element of wanting Arctic territory to counter Chinese and especially Russian interests and aims; Russia is increasingly eyeing the northern Arctic route as an alternative to more vulnerable routes through the Suez Canal or around Africa, and is investing heavily in icebreakers for that purpose.

However, even if Europe possessed the desire to resist American annexations - and they absolutely do not, at the end of the day - they do not even have the ability. Denmark may, to a lesser or greater extent, make angry sounds and talk about national honour or some such, but their military would be trampled underfoot by even the New York Police Department, let alone a concerted military effort by the US. If Trump wants Greenland, he will have it. This will naturally increase the grumbling in Europe about reconsidering the Transatlantic alliance, and that grumbling may, in the medium-term future, as the American Empire continues its decline, lead to meaningful results. But in the short term, Europe shall have to bear whatever Trump throws at them, for they obviously cannot now ally with Russia, who was the natural counterweight to American interests for decades before 2022.


Last week's thread is here.
The Imperialism Reading Group is here.

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Israel-Palestine Conflict

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 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.
Arab-language twitter account with videos and images of fighting.
English-language (with some Arab retweets) Twitter account based in Lebanon. - Telegram is @IbnRiad.
English-language Palestinian Twitter account which reports on news from the Resistance Axis. - Telegram is @EyesOnSouth.
English-language Twitter account in the same group as the previous two. - Telegram here.

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

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Examples of Ukrainian Nazis and fascists
Examples of racism/euro-centrism during the Russia-Ukraine conflict

Sources:

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.
Simplicius, who publishes on Substack. Like others, his political analysis should be soundly ignored, but his knowledge of weaponry and military strategy is generally quite good.
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.

Pro-Russian Telegram Channels:

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

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 Telegram Channels:

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.


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[-] Redcuban1959@hexbear.net 5 points 1 day ago

Supporters of South Korean President Yoon Seok-yul, who is accused of attempting to violently seize power, have caused a disturbance in the court that decided to remand the president in custody, the Yonhap news agency reported.

According to the agency, the angry crowd overcame police resistance and broke into the courthouse through the gate behind the building, and some of the president's supporters climbed over the fence. They began smashing windows and managed to get inside the building, where they also smashed glass and furniture with fire extinguishers and other improvised means, shouting "President Yoon Seok-yeol." Some also tried to find the judges who ordered his detention, threw plastic chairs at police officers, took away their shields and rubber batons and used them against the police themselves.

Other supporters of Yun Seok-yol tried to calm their comrades, convincing them that this was "not what the president wanted." The law enforcement reinforcements that soon arrived began arresting individual rioters, calling on those remaining in the building to leave immediately, and on everyone who was in court to disperse, ending the uncoordinated rally and other illegal actions.

The police in South Korea apparently only know how to beat up students and trade unionists; when it comes to incels and chuds, they always act as if they are defenseless against them.

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[-] QuillcrestFalconer@hexbear.net 2 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)
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[-] xiaohongshu@hexbear.net 4 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Trump says he will revive TikTok, but wants 50% U.S. ownership

Trump said he would “extend the period of time before the law’s prohibitions take effect, so that we can make a deal to protect our national security.”

“I would like the United States to have a 50% ownership position in a joint venture. By doing this, we save TikTok, keep it in good hands and allow it to say up,” he wrote on Truth Social.

Trump said the executive order would specify there would be no liability for any company that helped keep TikTok from going dark before his order.

Joint ownership was exactly as I wrote in this comment here - we’ll probably see a joint venture in some kind of AI development between Meta/Google and a Chinese partner in return. The whole TikTok ban was just to open up the path for Meta/Google to enter China again:

I would expect some kind of joint venture in the field of AI development, which is what Meta and Google excel in.

For reference, Apple is currently in talks with Tencent and ByteDance to roll out its AI features in China, you can see why Meta and Google, both banned in China, would want a slice of that share too. How do you force China to lift the ban? By banning TikTok itself and force a hostage exchange situation.

It also fits with the recent US emphasis on banning AI stuff to China. The US then offers an olive branch if China allows American tech companies to enter to participate in their AI development. Now we see how China responds.

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[-] QuillcrestFalconer@hexbear.net 2 points 1 day ago

So what are the news heads predictions for the trump admin?

[-] plinky@hexbear.net 2 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Immediate fumbling the bag legislatively, some shenanigans at confirmation hearings, probably will start some shit with iran and venezuela, dunno about ukraine. Showy deportation raids which mysteriously don't reach genocide joe numbers and/or don't touch construction/agricultural industry, introduction of tariffs on some subsets of products. Some kind of medicare or social security fumble, which erases republican win by midterm.

oh yeah, market crash by summer (my pet theory)

[-] plinky@hexbear.net 1 points 1 day ago

mini pet theory - return of migrant visas for seasonal workers - bringing h1b to the masses/legalizing whatever shit goes on in agriculture so to say (the worker pays taxes, but are exempt from any protection and minimum wage law)

[-] newmou@hexbear.net 1 points 1 day ago

I think he knows if he can stop Gaza and Ukraine he’ll have enough political capital to start his own thing

[-] Z_Poster365@hexbear.net 1 points 1 day ago

Hopefully that “thing” is war against Democrats and mass trials

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[-] Redcuban1959@hexbear.net 36 points 2 days ago

Israel will release 1,890 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for 33 hostages held by the radical Hamas movement, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said.

[-] RaisedFistJoker@hexbear.net 36 points 2 days ago

"political prisoners" "hostages"

[-] Evilphd666@hexbear.net 18 points 2 days ago

Our noble ethno fascists.

Their radical hordes.

[-] very_poggers_gay@hexbear.net 19 points 2 days ago

Over 50 Palestinians per Israeli, and that’s a fraction of the Palestinians taken by the IOF… makes you wonder who was taking “hostages” all along

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[-] plinky@hexbear.net 2 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)
[-] Redcuban1959@hexbear.net 2 points 1 day ago

Earlier today I made the mistake of opening reddit and there a post with a map of the level of education of heads of state. There were the usual comments about Putler and whatever. But what caught my attention were the Brazilian Gusanos and other chuds, badmouthing Lula da Silva's education. How "dumb" he is and how he's "not prepared" to be president because he had to quit school to work.

Lula literally went to vocational school, worked since he was a child and even lost his pinky finger in an accident because his boss refused to help him. Shortly afterwards he joined the trade union movement, with the help of his communist older brother. Lula winning the presidency is something never seen before, someone truly from the lower working class reaching the highest office in South America's largest country. Whatever you say about Lula da Silva's neoliberal policies and other cringe things he's done, Lula has done more for the working class and minorities than any other president before him.

And another thing these people love to say, about the corruption in Lula's government and how he was arrested. Lula was arrested by a criminal judge called Sergio Moro who worked for the CIA and tried to become president of Brazil (when you say this to the Gusanos they don't know what to say). And the Gusanos also love to attack the Supreme Court because it released Lula from prison and dropped all his charges, the Supreme Court only did its job which was to release Lula because the charges were bullshit, also when the Supreme Court didn't grant Lula da Silva political rights, something the UN supported, to run in the 2018 elections, these people didn't say anything.

They're just angry that their man, Bolsonaro, has lost all political rights and can't even meet his master, Donald Trump. The Gusanos are the dumbest people in the world, pretending to be patriots but hating their own country and always saying that the US is better.

[-] MarmiteLover123@hexbear.net 18 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

The USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) as part of it's carrier strike group, is the closest it's been to Yemen since the 21st of December. Highly likely we'll see an attack on Ansar Allah (known as the Houthis in mainstream western media) in Yemen before the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas goes into effect.

Update: The Carrier Strike Group has already come under attack within the last hour, according to the latest statement by the Yemeni Armed Forces, likely in self defence to try deter an upcoming attack.

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[-] companero@hexbear.net 3 points 1 day ago

SCMP: China runs final tests of hypersonic air-to-air missile in extreme Mars mission tunnel

This is the first official confirmation of the existence of this mysterious weapon, which could pose an unprecedented threat to US military aircraft, including the B-21 stealth bomber that is currently undergoing flight testing.

[-] MarmiteLover123@hexbear.net 2 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

What missile is it? I'm guessing a PL-15 variant. Russia already has Hypersonic air to air missiles in the R-37M, that travel at a top speed of Mach 6 and have a very long range, over 300km in testing. These missiles have seen extensive use in the war against Ukraine, with around 6 a day being fired from August to October of 2022. The caveat is that they're not very maneuverable, only capable to tracking targets up to 8G, and to achieve that long range and speed, they come in on a quasi ballistic "cruise-glide" profile. When flying on a "direct shot" profile, range and speed is reduced. So they don't achieve a lot of hard hits against fighter aircraft. But they still take out a ton of aircraft, even if only one missile of six hits, that's still one kill a day in the above scenario.

The USA and Iran had a similar missile in the AIM-54 Phoenix for the F-14 Tomcat, which was also hypersonic. Iran achieved 62 air to air kills with this missile against Iraqi aircraft.

The key for a "game changer" weapon, is to combine the high speed and long range with high maneuverability, and to hit the target in a high energy state. The closest that exists is the ramjet powered Meteor missile, but it's not hypersonic, the top speed is Mach 4. But still plenty fast.

[-] Dolores@hexbear.net 1 points 1 day ago

and to hit the target in a high energy state

is that very important with aircraft?

[-] plinky@hexbear.net 1 points 1 day ago
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[-] vertexarray@hexbear.net 24 points 2 days ago
[-] CthulhusIntern@hexbear.net 17 points 2 days ago

It's interesting Temu isn't being targeted, since it's well known that it tracks every little thing you do on your phone as soon as you download the app.

[-] xiaohongshu@hexbear.net 11 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

I have said before that the TikTok ban is really just a case of “if you set up shop on our street and compete for our customers, then you should also let us set up shop on your street”.

The national security reason is just an excuse. The multinational tech companies have far bigger ambitions than just competing with a Chinese app in the US - they want a slice of the fast growing Chinese market.

The TikTok ban has an equivalent of China banning Twitter and Facebook and also forcing Google to leave.

On the other hand, America has no equivalent of Temu. All the Amazon stuff are made in China lol!

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[-] carpoftruth@hexbear.net 3 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Arnaud bertrand continues to be a good follow on twitter

spoilerThe real important story that happened since the Cold War is perhaps best illustrated by this Margaret Thatcher anecdote: in 2002, she was asked for her greatest achievement. She replied: "Tony Blair and New Labour. We forced our opponents to change their minds."

And guess what: she was right, that was indeed her greatest achievement.

That's what happened throughout the West: the ideological takeover of the "left" by "social democrats" who had no substantial difference to their opponents across the aisle. And in order to maintain the pretense that they were different, they decided to focus their platform on cultural and identity issues while abandoning any challenge to economic or imperial power - reducing civil rights struggles to convenient diversions from questions of class and systemic change. It's not the left that's unpopular, it's this sanitized ersatz of it. Voting essentially became a choice between the same product with different packaging, the illusion of choice.

Even more contemptible: candidates who emerged who were actually on the left, who wanted to drive actual substantial and meaningful change, were endlessly demonized with some of the most dishonest and disgusting tactics in politics. Jeremy Corbyn in the UK is a perfect example of this - smeared as a national security threat (and an antisemite) not just for his economic program but for questioning the wisdom of NATO expansion and opposing Western imperialism. In France we're currently seeing much the same playbook being applied on Jean-Luc Mélenchon.

This ties back to the concept of "extreme center" described by thinkers such as Tariq Ali, Pierre Serna or Alain Deneault. A radicalized form of liberalism that presents itself as moderate and reasonable while actually taking extremist positions in defense of the status quo - whether through unwavering support for imperial adventures abroad or the suppression of democratic alternatives at home. This centrism is 'extreme' in how viciously it reacts to any genuine left-wing challenge to the established order, whether through media smear campaigns, lawfare, or the cynical weaponization of identity politics to defend both domestic inequality and imperial power.

The irony and the situation we today find ourselves in is that this "extreme center," in its zealous defense of neoliberal orthodoxy and its refusal to address fundamental economic grievances, ended up creating the very conditions of social instability and political polarization it claims to stand against. And, ultimately, the conditions of its demise as we're currently seeing throughout the West.

The sad result though is that because the actual left has been so thoroughly demonized, legitimate popular anger and resentment largely get directed towards nihilistic movements that, far from solving our fundamental problems, channel these sentiments into scapegoating and division. These movements won't solve our fundamental problems - while they may break with certain aspects of neoliberal orthodoxy, they mostly offer the aesthetic of rebellion while dropping even the pretense of serving the common good.

That's where we are: the victory of the 'extreme center' over the left has proven to be simultaneously absolute and self-defeating. Thatcher's boast about Blair might have been premature - her true legacy may not just have been making the left compatible with neoliberal economics, but creating a world where our only choice is between the plague and cholera.


:::

[-] Hohsia@hexbear.net 3 points 1 day ago

https://www.douyin.com/

Has the Chinese TikTok always been available to burger brains? Because it is right now

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[-] Evilphd666@hexbear.net 18 points 2 days ago
[-] ThomasMuentzner@hexbear.net 18 points 2 days ago

what is the deal with the new american "Embassy" for lebanon

CraigMurray on twitter https://x.com/CraigMurrayOrg/status/1880609364651700296

[-] Awoo@hexbear.net 12 points 2 days ago

I can only speculate but my best guess is that this is actually going to fill the role of the Pentagon but for US operations in the Middle East, China and Europe.

For reference, this complex intends to employ 5000 people and the Pentagon employs 23,000. A quick look over the size of the complex is similar though, and the Pentagon appears to have parking for around 5000 vehicles. They're comparable in size.

The positioning of this thing is on a huge hill overlooking the entire area. It reminds me of a Bastion Fort, but not star shaped obviously.

[-] CyborgMarx@hexbear.net 4 points 2 days ago

For me the main benefit of this "cultural exchange" isn't Americans learning that China isn't 1984

The benefit is Chinese citizens learning there is no greener grass on the other side, there's no western salvation, no capitalist led utopia across the pacific.

Honestly, the fact so many Chinese citizens didn't believe a basic fact like American ambulance fees, reveals a serious failure of the Communist Party to inform its populace about basic realities of the world, that goes beyond a simple propaganda failure and right into dangerous 1980s Soviet-style delusions about the western world, which is fertile soil for counter-revoulationary forces

[-] grandepequeno@hexbear.net 1 points 1 day ago
[-] plinky@hexbear.net 1 points 1 day ago

based and redistribution pilled

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[-] carpoftruth@hexbear.net 2 points 1 day ago

Jon Elmer on the latest radio war nerd discussing specifics of the Palestinian resistance within gaza. A lot of topics covered won't be new to the newsmega but Elmer brings a deep understanding of tactics and history all the same.

https://pca.st/episode/e2c19d95-8831-47eb-9805-3919e609d54b

[-] miz@hexbear.net 2 points 1 day ago

The City of Atlanta crushed a homeless man to death with one of its bulldozers as the city attempted to clear a homeless encampment ahead of MLK Day celebrations scheduled for Monday. They didn't check to see if anyone was in the tents. Welcome to Hellscape America.

from https://xcancel.com/anthonyzenkus/status/1880453411348607259

[-] TreadOnMe@hexbear.net 2 points 1 day ago

Ah, our own "Tianamen Square moment" except you know, real, and the man was simply just existing.

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[-] Boise_Idaho@hexbear.net 51 points 3 days ago
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[-] plinky@hexbear.net 20 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

not sure if it's appropriate for news mega (not news) or general mega (contains bad vibes),

but is the bottom of this picture ai or what (look at the hand/elbow)?

https://xcancel.com/TheDemocrats/status/1880041868915777644

image from here btw

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[-] Boise_Idaho@hexbear.net 36 points 3 days ago

The Taiwanese political poll just got their yearly update:
https://esc.nccu.edu.tw/PageDoc/Detail?fid=7801&id=6963

Taiwanese separatism peaked in 2020 because the Hong Kong protests were still on people's minds, and it's being downhill ever since. Nobody is buying what the DPP is trying to peddle. Damn, it turns out sending one of your political opponents to jail on corruption charges for transparent political reasons would put a damper on your party ideology. The status quo reigns supreme. Eat shit, boba libs.

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[-] Redcuban1959@hexbear.net 2 points 1 day ago

Trump to unblock TikTok on inauguration day. "On Monday, I will issue an executive order extending the period before the law's restrictions go into effect so we can make a deal to protect our national security," he wrote on social media.

Trump added that the US should have a 50 percent stake in TikTok. "My initial idea is a joint venture between the current owners and/or new owners, in which the United States would have a 50% ownership interest in the joint venture," the president wrote.

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this post was submitted on 13 Jan 2025
101 points (99.0% liked)

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