It's almost October — last chance to get your predictions in!

archived link

This issue of the international edition of Wenhua Zongheng (文化纵横) explores the widely debated topic of de-dollarisation. The articles examine the US dollar’s hegemonic status in the international economic order, efforts across the Global South to develop alternatives, and the role of the BRICS in this process.

https://thetricontinental.org/wenhua-zongheng-2024-1-brics-dedollarisation-opportunities-challenges-2/

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it's so joever

funny comic though i'd share

the whole game is based around haggling and it has made me hate the concept of money more than even losing at monopoly can (another essential communist game)

archived link / original link (the guardian)

“We are herbivores in a world of carnivores. It is a power politics world, yet we still have in mind that through trade and preaching the rule of law we can have influence on the world. We must still preach the rule of law but we have to be aware there are some leaders that need to be dealt with in a different way.”

. . .

Borrell predicted the war in Ukraine, and the eventual outcome, would be one of the three driving forces creating a new world order, alongside competition between China and the US, and the rise of the global south.

He admitted he was no fan of the term “global south” to describe such a heterogeneous group of people but that an entity existed that “consider themselves part of an alternative to the western models”. He said it was critical to “try to avoid the alliance of China plus Russia, plus parts of the global south.

“The people of the global south want to be recognised because 40, 50 years ago, when the world order was built, some of these countries did not exist. Either they were colonies or so poor they did not have a vote.

“So now they are independent countries and they have been growing economically, demographically, and they want to have a say.”

He added: “Understandably these countries are hedging. One day they look at Russia , another at China. At the UN they vote against the war in Ukraine but many of them do not have this feeling of moral indignation that we have.”

From OpIndia (archived link)

In a new low of diplomacy, the Ukrainian advisor to the President of the war-hit country made bizarre claims about India and China in an interview that came days after the successful organization of the G20 summit in Delhi. Mykhailo Podolyak said, “What’s wrong with India, China, and so forth? The problem is that they are not analyzing the consequences of their steps, these countries have weak intellectual potential, unfortunately.”

Mykhailo Podolyak further said, “Yes, they invest in science. Yes, India has launched a lunar rover presently and is now trekking on the surface of the Moon, but that does not indicate that this country fully comprehends what the modern world is about.”

link: https://imgur.com/a/BybJ7DQ

[reposting for our new lib friends]

The album includes pictures from Hamhung, Chongjin, Sinuiju, Nampo, Wonsan, Kaesong, Sariwon, Pyongsong, Haeju, and Anju.

There are some descriptions along the way (mostly just city names + general info)

I also included rural photos, and some showing various housing/development projects

edit: i put together the album sometime last year. most pictures are pre-pandemic and sourced from various travel blogs and instagram accounts

sorry for more submarine posting but...

The submersible was engineered specifically with this sort of expedition in mind and with the help of NASA. It's probably one of the most technologically advanced private submersibles in the world.