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I’ve mentioned before the possibility of military defeat, but there’s a better way.

Simply have OPEC do another oil embargo to the West and its enablers until the situation is resolved, with a two-state or one state solution and significant restitution. Yeah, the US and Canada produce a surplus, but it’s not enough of a surplus to support all their allies.

And if all OPEC members don’t agree, it really doesn’t matter. Russia, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq and the Gulf States are enough. Since Russia’s already already under various sanctions…

 

As Israeli officials proudly compare their bombardment of the Gaza Strip to the Allied firebombing of Dresden, the Associated Press has quietly removed a section noting US alarm over the historical comparison. The Associated Press has quietly deleted a reference to official Israeli threats to subject the Gaza Strip to a Dresden-style firebombing campaign — the latest move in legacy media outlets’ ongoing push to downplay the impacts of Tel Aviv’s siege of over two million Palestinians. “Four U.S. officials […]

The post AP erases Israeli pledge to attack Gaza like ‘Axis Power’ as officials threaten Palestinians with ‘Dresden’ doctrine first appeared on The Grayzone.

The post AP erases Israeli pledge to attack Gaza like ‘Axis Power’ as officials threaten Palestinians with ‘Dresden’ doctrine appeared first on The Grayzone.

“It is not too late to change your stance and stand on the righteous side of history,” 16 former campaign staffers wrote in an open letter.

The post Sen. John Fetterman’s Former Campaign Staffers Urge Him to Support Israel–Hamas Ceasefire appeared first on The Intercept.

Source - Patreon

Source - Patreon

Source - Patreon

Baby Sloth! In the birdhouse of Schönbrunn Zoo, sloths are undoubtedly the big favorites among the audience. Those who visit them tomorrow, on the occasion of Sloth Day, will experience a small furry surprise. “For the 13th time, we have had offspring among our sloths. A young one was born on August 20th. Initially, it was hidden in the protective fur of the mother, but by now, you can observe the little one well,” announces Simone Haderthauer, zoological department head, with joy. The young one lies on its mother like in a hammock. It will only start hanging independently on branches at about six months old. Sloth Day was established in 2010 to draw attention to these amazing animals and their habitat. Haderthauer says, “Two-toed sloths spend their lives hanging upside down in trees. Although they are not currently considered threatened, their habitat is steadily shrinking due to the ongoing deforestation of rainforests in South America.” Sloths’ main diet consists of leaves and buds. They spend much of their day dozing to save energy.

As local Labour councillors, we have always used our positions to further socialist and progressive causes — and we feel this is no longer possible within the party. In light of the Labour Party’s failure to stand up for international law and human rights, and the authoritarian and undemocratic manner in which this position was […]

The qualities of our experience seem impossible to describe scientifically, but maybe we’re just not thinking about them right.

The post Is the Hard Problem Really So Hard? appeared first on Nautilus.

Cable news networks are relying on defense industry consultants to explain Israel’s war in Gaza.

The judge in the NY case is big mad: The judge overseeing Donald Trump’s bank fraud trial threatened to throw the former president in jail—and hit him with punishing fines—for “blatantly” violating a gag order by refusing to delete a website post attacking court staff. Justice Arthur F. Engoron, striking a serious tone, began Friday at trial by laying out the high stakes and demanding that Trump’s lawyers explain themselves. “In the current overheated climate, incendiary comments can and in some cases already has, led to serious physical harm and worse. I will now allow the defendants to explain why this blatant violation of the gag order would not result in serious sanctions, including financial sanctions and/or possibly imprisoning him,” Engoron said. The case that Engoron is presiding over—Trump’s New York bank fraud trial—is a civil matter, meaning jail time wasn’t ever supposed to be in the cards, only stiff fines and a threat to ruin his real estate empire. But now, Trump appears to be facing a very real threat of spending time in jail if his antics continue.

With Frost’s and Casar’s sponsorship of the ceasefire resolution, the pro-Israel lobby may have been dealt a setback.

The post Reps. Pramila Jayapal, Maxwell Frost, and Greg Casar Join Call for Ceasefire in Gaza appeared first on The Intercept.

The wives of Republican congressmen aren’t the only ones MAGA is targeting with threats and intimidation We already knew they liked to go after cops. But going after their families is a new frontier: The federal prosecutors who have brought charges against hundreds of Jan. 6 rioters are seeing an uptick in violent threats and harassment directed toward their office, the office’s lead prosecutor told congressional investigators. Matthew Graves, the U.S. attorney for Washington, said the threats come from around the country and have become “pervasive,” though he did not elaborate on their substance or whether any law enforcement agency is investigating them. Graves’ comments, documented in a transcript obtained by POLITICO, came in a closed-door interview on Oct. 3 with the House Judiciary Committee about the Hunter Biden probe. In the interview, Republican investigators pressed Graves on allegations that his office refused to assist the U.S. attorney in Delaware who is leading the probe into the president’s son. Graves declined to answer some of the investigators’ questions about his personnel, citing threats to his office.

A warning from scientists putting raw fish under the microscope.

The post Is Sushi a Health Hazard? appeared first on Nautilus.

The “adults” in the room unfortunately keep spitting up their formula And listen to this hopeless drivel: Raju: You think this looks good? pic.twitter.com/K7R7GfVmXO — Acyn (@Acyn) October 20, 2023 Raju: How does it make the Republican party look? Scott: I think it makes congress as a whole look very bad… The Democrats are not innocent in this. They’re not. Raju: Matt Gaetz and the Republicans started this. pic.twitter.com/VcdbGDhv2f — Acyn (@Acyn) October 20, 2023 They actually think people are going to believe that the Democrats should have saved the man who opented a bogus impeachment inquiry against Joe Biden and eagerly licks Trump’s boots every chance he gets (not to mention the years and years of grotesque lying and derision) from their own right wing freaks? Really? They believe this? It would be nice is once, the reporters wouold ask them point blank why they believe the Democrats should have saved the Republican speaker from right wing Republicans. How would they explain that?

It’s easy to feel powerless in the face of world events such as those unfolding in Israel and Palestine over the last week. As individuals, there is very little we can do to impact the actions of nation-states and heavily armed soldiers. And so those of us on the Left know that the only option […]

What’s happening in the House is taking us over the cliff This post by Lee Drutman says it all: The US House is now in uncharted territory. Yes, you probably know this from following the ongoing drama over the vacated House speakership. As of this writing, we are now 17 days into this manufactured crisis. But how uncharted? And if we’re off the map, where are we headed? And are we off to “There be dragons” land? (Possibly, yes) In the pixels ahead, I’ll visually map where we are.  As we’ll see, there are some historic parallels. But not enough to feel like we’ve really been here before.   Here’s what’s distinct about this moment, based on the best metrics we have.

As an Australian with First Nations and coloniser blood running through my veins, I’ve always believed in the promise of a fair and just Australia, one that can celebrate our 65,000 years of history, reconcile our colonial past and build a better future for all. But the Voice referendum has cast a shadow on that Continue reading »

Gravity-defying Western double-standards are now on worldwide display, as the US and its liegemen line-up to support a vengeful Israel to the hilt. Which prompts this question: what is the difference, today, between the universal human rights gospel of the Global West and a Potemkin Village? Answer: Increasingly little. As the United States expanded its Continue reading »

Anthony Albanese pictured with the Australian parliamentary delegation meeting with the late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat in 1998. In Gaza’s hour of need, what would President Arafat today make of Albanese’s one sided support for Israel’s ‘right to defend itself, a right denied to Palestinians in decades of Israeli occupation. Continue reading »

In Asian media this week: War is ‘against the Palestinian people’. Plus: Voice defeat ‘undercuts regional stance’; Indian court rejects same-sex marriage; Xi marks BRI anniversary with new funding; Democracy ‘put to the test’; Gaol and caning for rape. Indonesia and Malaysia, the Muslim-majority countries in the region, support the Palestinians in the Israel-Gaza war, Continue reading »

On Saturday, 14 October, Australians did themselves no favours. Again. The world is perplexed and dismayed by Australians’ decision to deny Aboriginals a Voice to parliament. Comments frequently heard include “sad” and “incomprehensible”; others use stronger terms. Still others just shake their heads in sorrow. Conversations with Europeans and Americans has been at once predictable Continue reading »

The Voice vote — a setback for reconciliation and for Australian democracy. Businesses behaving badly. Stan Grant and John Coltrane. Read on for the Weekly roundup of links to articles, podcasts, reports and other media on current economic and political issues. The Voice How we voted. Seven reasons we voted “no”. How Dutton is changing Continue reading »

The former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison continues to maintain his role as the country’s noisiest anti-Beijing figure. Still a federal member of the New South Wales seat of Cook (when will “sod” and “off” make union regarding him?), he is showing electors, each and every day, why his resignation is in order. Those bothering Continue reading »

China’s stance on war is very clear, in fact, it could not be more clear. In every conflict on the globe China calls for peaceful resolution and dialogue to resolve differences rather than force. A recently released White Paper, on the White Paper, on the Belt and Road Initiative, emphasised this calling for global peace, Continue reading »