Image is from @Parsani@hexbear.net, who got it from @RNAi@hexbear.net, who got it from Discord.
Thread update: Prigozhin's fucking dead.
The BRICS summit will begin on Tuesday and end on Thursday, with various world leaders, politicians, and representatives meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa.
America's anxiety about the summit has been obvious. They have been complicating the event by pushing for the arrest warrant for Putin to be upheld if he steps foot in the country. While this is a remarkably dangerous and unhinged thing to do - even by America's standards - to the leader of a nuclear superpower who could end the world within an hour, it does betray their desperation. Unfortunately, for those of us who wanted to see Putin surrounded by an army of security guards fending off people holding handcuffs, he has sent his Foreign Minister, Lavrov, in his place. Additionally, America has likely been spreading rumors about the lack of interest in gaining new members in the organization.
With apparently 20 countries formally seeking membership and another 20 informally doing so, the bloc has been elevated, whether they like it or not, to the position of the international vanguard of the non-western world. It is extremely important to say that this is not the same as it becoming an anti-American bloc, and many of them (including original members Brazil and India) wish to keep a friendly relationship with the United States. Nonetheless, with the United States' policy of "if you are not with us, you are against us," and as the US seeks to weaken China, in coming years many of them might find themselves under hostile pressure.
BRICS has to try and solve many problems if they are going to chip away at America's stranglehold of the world economy. These problems - like mitigating the dollar's status as a global reserve currency, and America's dominant role in the world economy - are extremely complicated, and will takes years, even decades, to be overcome. Therefore, one should temper their expectations and excitement for this summit. It took tens of millions of deaths in cataclysmic wars, and then several more decades, for America to reach its current position. I see no reason to believe why its downfall will be any less bloody and elongated.
To end on a less depressing note, I've been searching for appropriate anagrams given the list of countries that seek to join BRICS. Obviously not all of them will make it in, but even so. The best I've come up with is HIBISCUS EMANCIPATES BBBBKKRVV.
(also, "bulletins and news discussion" can be rearranged to "libidinous newsstands uncles".)
Here is the map of the Ukraine conflict, courtesy of Wikipedia.
This week's first update is here in the comments.
This week's second update is here in the comments.
Links and Stuff
The bulletins site is down.
Examples of Ukrainian Nazis and fascists
Examples of racism/euro-centrism during the Russia-Ukraine conflict
Add to the above list if you can.
Resources For Understanding The War
Defense Politics Asia's youtube channel and their map. Their youtube channel has substantially diminished in quality but the map is still useful.
Moon of Alabama, which tends to have interesting analysis. Avoid the comment section.
Understanding War and the Saker: reactionary sources that have occasional insights on the war.
Alexander Mercouris, who does daily videos on the conflict. While he is a reactionary and surrounds himself with likeminded people, his daily update videos are relatively brainworm-free and good if you don't want to follow Russian telegram channels to get news. He also co-hosts The Duran, which is more explicitly conservative, racist, sexist, transphobic, anti-communist, etc when guests are invited on, but is just about tolerable when it's just the two of them if you want a little more analysis.
On the ground: Patrick Lancaster, an independent and very good journalist reporting in the warzone on the separatists' side.
Unedited videos of Russian/Ukrainian press conferences and speeches.
Telegram Channels
Again, CW for anti-LGBT and racist, sexist, etc speech, as well as combat footage.
Pro-Russian
https://t.me/aleksandr_skif ~ DPR's former Defense Minister and Colonel in the DPR's forces. Russian language.
https://t.me/Slavyangrad ~ A few different pro-Russian people gather frequent content for this channel (~100 posts per day), some socialist, but all socially reactionary. If you can only tolerate using one Russian telegram channel, I would recommend this one.
https://t.me/s/levigodman ~ Does daily update posts.
https://t.me/patricklancasternewstoday ~ Patrick Lancaster's telegram channel.
https://t.me/gonzowarr ~ A big Russian commentator.
https://t.me/rybar ~ One of, if not the, biggest Russian telegram channels focussing on the war out there. Actually quite balanced, maybe even pessimistic about Russia. Produces interesting and useful maps.
https://t.me/epoddubny ~ Russian language.
https://t.me/boris_rozhin ~ Russian language.
https://t.me/mod_russia_en ~ Russian Ministry of Defense. Does daily, if rather bland updates on the number of Ukrainians killed, etc. The figures appear to be approximately accurate; if you want, reduce all numbers by 25% as a 'propaganda tax', if you don't believe them. Does not cover everything, for obvious reasons, and virtually never details Russian losses.
https://t.me/UkraineHumanRightsAbuses ~ Pro-Russian, documents abuses that Ukraine commits.
Pro-Ukraine
Almost every Western media outlet.
https://discord.gg/projectowl ~ Pro-Ukrainian OSINT Discord.
https://t.me/ice_inii ~ Alleged Ukrainian account with a rather cynical take on the entire thing.
Last week's discussion post.
Update for August 23rd
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Global
Ignoring BRICS is no longer an option for Washington^TS^
Difference on what BRICS should be visible in the summit's first day^BNE^
Why India doesn’t want BRICS to dismantle the world order built by the West^RT^
By Bhadrakumar.
Is a BRICS currency feasible?^CGTN^
Xi refused Macron's attendance at BRICS summit: Intelligence Online^AM^
BRICS: Brazil President Lula da Silva defends closer ties with Africa^AN^
The Inclusion of Argentina in the BRICS is Important: Lula^TS^
Leaders kick off BRICS summit with Business Forum^AN^
BRICS leaders in S.Africa seek to end USD hegemony over global economy^AM^
New Development Bank Moves Forward With Local Currency Bonds in Bid to Reduce Dependence on the U.S. Dollar^CGS^
Benefits of joining BRICS could come at political cost for Indonesia^ANN^
Europe
Fruit, vegetable sector plagued by extreme weather as EU takes action^Euractiv^
Keir Starmer’s Labour Party Is Abandoning Workers’ Rights^Jacobin^
Over half of UK houses did not turn on heating during winter: Study^AM^
UK cannot ignore calls for slavery reparations: UN judge^AM^
Czech coalition drifts towards defeat^BNE^
As everybody knows, the more unpopular the government, the more democratic it is, because you have the freedom to disagree with it unlike in tankie countries. Czechia is EXTREMELY democratic.
Spain's king begins meeting parties to form new government^DW^
Germany set to miss net zero by 2045 target as climate efforts falter^CCN^
German Business Leaders Against Decoupling From China^TS^
Romania to step up investments to increase Ukraine grain transit^BNE^
Western Asia
2023 is already the deadliest year on record for Palestinians in occupied West Bank, says UN envoy^MR^
Six Tropes to Look Out for That Distort Israel/Palestine Coverage^FAIR^
*These are: citing Israelis and their organizations more than Palestinians; using the language of "clash" as if fights can exist without two groups of people in them (with Palestinians almost universally at the disadvantage); passivity and copspeak; talking about deaths in a vacuum, without saying whose deaths they are (usually Palestinians) and the ages (sometimes very young); not mentioning Israel's violations of international law; and deliberately obfuscating who the victim is by only reporting things when Palestine responds to an initial attack, and then Israel "protects itself" by firing back.
China And Russia Execute A Pincer Movement Around Iraq’s Biggest Oil Assets^NC^
As Yves says, the author might be wrong in other fields but he knows his shit and has deep connections in the oil industry, so is worth taking seriously.
‘Bridges with everyone’: how Saudi Arabia and UAE are positioning themselves for power^FT^
I was expecting worse from the Financial Times but this article doesn't seem bad. S.A., the UAE, India, Turkiye, and probably others are the new "Non-Aligned Movement" I feel, where they're basically just playing both sides for their own gain with no real belief in the idea of multipolarity except where it benefits them. Pure opportunism and nationalism. I guess it makes them easier to analyze though, because for any issue you can just ask the question "Which side would they benefit more from supporting?" and predict the future perfectly. Whereas with Russia or China, it's a little more complicated than that sometimes, as they have a long term plan.
Erdogan to visit Russia to meet Putin in September^MEE^
Central Asia
Water shortages alarm sounded in southern Kazakhstan and Istanbul^BNE^
Eastern Asia and Oceania
UK FM's possible Beijing trip a 'tentative contact' to reboot ties; necessary atmosphere need to be created^GT^
Is China flooding Europe with fake biofuels?^DW^
Why China is targeting the corruption tumour at the heart of its ailing health system^SCMP^
Chinese tech could break barrier to making crucial defence and aerospace material^SCMP^
Indian spacecraft Chandrayaan-3 successfully makes historic landing on the moon^EN^
Indonesia approves ASEAN deals on food safety, building materials, manufacturing^ANN^
Indonesia signs deal for 24 Boeing F-15EX fighter jets^ANN^
North Korea plans satellite launch amid South Korea-US military drills^ANN^
Sri Lankan inflation halves to 4.6%^TDS^
Cambodia: Lawmakers elect Hun Manet as new prime minister^DW^
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Africa
[Erdogan:] Military Intervention in Niger Will Fuel Instability in Africa^TS^
Ex-Niger FM sees no alternative to military intervention in country^AM^
Power cuts in Niger threaten to spoil millions of vaccines as sanctions take their toll, UN says^AN^
African Union suspends Niger due to military coup^AN^
Algeria denies French planes passage to attack Niger^AM^
Crisis in Niger: Algeria begins mediation in three Ecowas countries^AN^
This crisis really swings between extremes. One day I'm sure an invasion will happen; the next, I'm sure it won't.
Russian army officials received in Libya after Khalifa Haftar invite^AN^
Zimbabwe: Polls open in crucial presidential and legislative elections^AN^
Egypt discovers new oil field in Gulf of Suez: Petroleum Ministry^AM^
Somalia orders ban on TikTok, Telegram^DW^
North America
Fed Ponders How Quickly to Try to Inflict More Pain on the Economy to Get Inflation to 2%^NC^
MAGA fascists are taking over sheriffs offices across the country^PW^
U.S. colleges spend like there is no tomorrow^PD^
Latin America
Taiwan condemns China, Nicaragua over Central American body removal^AM^
lol.
Argentine President not attending BRICS Summit^MP^
Argentina: Sharp drop in mass consumption reported^MP^
Montevideo’s Freshwater Reserve Recovers From Historic Lows^TS^
Unemployment keeps dropping in Uruguay^MP^
Uruguayan unions go on strike, again demanding shorter working hours and wage increases^MP^
Ecuadorians Vote Against Mining in Choco Andino^TS^
Ecuadorians reject Amazon oil drilling in historic referendum^CCN^
Oil makes up a solid quarter of their exports, for context.
The War Against The West
Prigozhin's dead.
Are US officials signaling a new ‘forever war’ in Ukraine?^RS^
Neocon Dark Money Front Launches Desperate Ad Blitz as Support for Ukraine Forever War Craters^SP^
Russia fires ‘General Armageddon’ in Wagner crackdown^FT^
Mozart Group training Ukrainian troops to 'kill Russians': CEO^AM^
Weren't you guys fucking owned in Bakhmut?
American F-35s not stealthy enough for Iranian radars^AM^
Poland suspends benefits for thousands of Ukrainian refugees who left^Euractiv^
China Schizophrenia: Jake Sullivan Makes Demands, Press Fulminates Its Ambitions as While Overhyping Current Economic Wobbles^NC^
I don't agree with the use of "schizophrenia" here, of course. But it's otherwise a decent summary of why China probably isn't going to collapse in 6 days, and the US's constantly contradictary messaging on China.
Retrospectives, Analysis, History, Theory, and Technology
1.2% of adults have 47.8% of the world’s wealth while 53.2% have just 1.1%^MichaelRoberts^
S&P Downgrades Credit Ratings on Five Banks, Puts Three Others on Negative Outlook^WSoP^ New Court Documents Suggest the Justice Department Under Four Presidents Covered Up Jeffrey Epstein’s Money Laundering at JPMorgan Chase^WSoP^
Nothing to lose but your supply chains: IPEF and the resilience agenda^Bilaterals^
This is a very good headline and I might steal it for a news megathread at some point.
How Rupert Murdoch Destroyed the News^CA^
‘Erasure of Content Can Be a Problem for the Public and for History’^FAIR^
Patrick Lawrence: Biden’s Pointless Asian Summit^SP^
Dipshittery and Cope
Correcting Mandel: Why arming Ukraine is the road to peace^CD^
This is a very long and very bad article.
LGBTQIA+
Ugandan Police Arrest Four People for 'Acts of Homosexuality'^Advocate^
Climate and the Environment
Campaigners Sued an Oil Major For Climate Deception. Now the Company Is Preparing to Sue Them Back.^DeSmog^
The Water Transition: A Conversation with Author Peter Gleick^CoB^
Rich countries breach climate promises, increase fossil fuel spending^AM^
I Love My Trans Comrades!