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Bulletins and News Discussion from April 14th to April 20th, 2025 - The Lamentations of a Levy-Loving Leader

Image is of Trump's initial set of reciprocal tariffs. Source is CNN and Reuters.

It's difficult to keep up with the news around the tariffs; they get instated, then dropped, then reinstated... for example, on Friday, Trump said that certain electronics like smartphones would be exempt, causing markets to rally a great deal, but now the Commerce Secretary has said that they might not be exempt? The state of play right now, if you haven't been keeping up this week, is that the US recently announced a 90-day global pause on implementing the tariffs he had planned (that is, 25% on certain Canadian and Mexican goods, and at least 10% on every other nation) but nonetheless increased tariffs on China to 145%.

Meanwhile, China has been - quite remarkably - standing their ground, increasing tariffs on the US to 125%, and putting restrictions on rare earths. Xi Jinping has been in Vietnam and has made statements against a tariff war there, saying that it would have no winners. Meanwhile, a Chinese spokesperson has essentially said that China can endure the tariff war due to the increasing demand from its domestic market in combination with its growing economic ties with other countries.

Last week's thread is here.
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  • Hamas statement regarding the passing of Pope Francis:

    The Islamic Resistance Movement extends its deepest condolences and sincere sympathy to the Catholic Church worldwide and to all Christians on the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis, Pope of the Vatican, who passed away after a distinguished career in the service of human and religious values.

    The late Pope Francis was a noted advocate of interfaith dialogue, calling for understanding and peace among peoples, and rejecting hatred and racism. On more than one occasion, he expressed his rejection of aggression and wars in the world, and was one of the prominent religious voices to condemn the war crimes and genocide being perpetrated against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.

    While we, in the Islamic Resistance Movement movement, value his moral and humanitarian stances, we emphasize the importance of continuing the joint efforts between the bearers of divine messages and people of living consciences to confront injustice and colonialism, and to support the causes of justice, freedom, and the rights of oppressed peoples. 

  • China warns it will take "resolute and reciprocal" countermeasures against countries negotiating with the US if they strike deals at China’s expense in the ongoing trade war.

    Responding to reports that Donald Trump is pressuring nations to limit trade with China in exchange for tariff exemptions, China’s commerce ministry stated, "China firmly opposes any party reaching a deal at the expense of China’s interests."

    The ministry added that "appeasement will not bring peace," warning that seeking temporary selfish interests at the expense of others will ultimately fail and harm everyone involved.

    — From The Cradle (21/4/25)

  • Alessandro Di Battista on Pope Francis death:

    In the coming days, we will witness the usual and hypocritical posthumous glorification by politicians and journalists. There will be broadcasts, television marathons, and miles of editorials written to commemorate “the innovative Pope,” “the reformist Pope,” “the pontiff from the end of the world.” World leaders will come to Rome to pay their respects at his funeral.

    But remember this: many of those who will now praise him (politicians and journalists alike) are the same people who completely ignored him, treated him as irrelevant, when Francis dared to speak out against the arms industry, when he broke the veil of hypocrisy by discussing the origins of the war in Ukraine and NATO's responsibilities, and above all when he cried out in absolute indignation over the ongoing genocide in Palestine.

    “It is necessary to investigate whether a genocide is taking place in Gaza,” Francis said on November 17, 2024. Virtually no political leader (except for the Israelis who attacked him) commented on his words. Those who now glorify him ignored him when he denounced the horror (even last night, Israeli terrorists bombed displaced civilians) taking place just a few hundred kilometers from Rome. Hypocrites, merchants of the temple! Francis was a man of peace, and in times as dark as these, that seems to me an extraordinary merit.

  • Currently on a break from Anglo political content while visiting family in El Salvador. I did decide to come back just to relay some interesting information from leftists in the country.

    CECOT is actually the prison with the best conditions in the entire country and it certainly looks like it from the outside. I’ve seen much worse looking ones since arriving.

    But it isn’t the industrial extermination camp people think it is. The real one is under the radar and it’s at Izalco. There’s an unmarked graveyard rumored to be inside or nearby it while no such thing has been heard of at CECOT.

    So I’m off for another couple of days.

    Also an obligatory fuck you to anyone still looking to “punish” or invade El Salvador.

  • US airstrikes continue on Yemen for the 37th night in a row, with multiple airstrikes on Kamaran Island and Marib Governorate.

    More airstrikes on the capital, Sana'a.

    Renewed airstrikes in Sana'a and Saada Governorates.

    More airstrikes on Saada, Sana'a Ma'rib, Al Mahwit, and Amran Governorates. I think this is the first strike on Al Mahwit during this campaign.

    Turns out that the cruise missile that landed in Al Mahwit government was likely not from a US airstrike, but a failed Ansarallah Quds series cruise missile launch.

    More airstrikes on Ma'rib.

    Warning for potential graphic imagery of casualties during ongoing airstrikes:

    Al Masirah TV twitter

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  • An update from Ansarallah (also known as the Houthis) on the situation in Yemen, within the context of escalating US military aggression and airstrikes, including the bombing of Ras Isa Fuel Port in Hodeidah, which killed 74 people and injured 171 (some of whom were immolated by the resulting fires), as well as severely damaging or destroying all the fuel infrastructure at the port, including tanker tracks, storage tanks, and piping, leading to large fires and oil slicks that burnt and destroyed everything.

    The National Defense Council, chaired by His Excellency Field Marshal Mahdi Al-Mashat, President of the Supreme Political Council and Chairman of the National Defense Council, addresses the political and military situation, developments in the US aggression against our country, and options for responding and confronting the aggression.

    Twitter source, retweeted by official Yemeni Armed Forces officials such as Brigadier General Yahya Sare'e

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    Are the Saudis about to get bombed again? Saudi Arabian Formula 1 Grand Prix starts in less than two hours.

    In the end, it was just the announcement of Yemeni sanctions against US companies, and an overview of military actions. Biggest military news is that it's heavily implied that Ansarallah are primarily using an electro optical monitoring system for air defence, instead of a system in the electromagnetic spectrum like radar, with comments about bypassing "electromagnetic jamming". No big announcements otherwise.

  • In some good news, it appears that the Easter temporary ceasefire in the Russia - Ukraine war is largely holding on both sides, at least for now, 10 hours into the 30 hour ceasefire, according to accounts of activities from Russian and Ukrainian sources. So despite reports that Ukraine did not accept Russia's unilateral ceasefire, the activity on the battlefield says otherwise. There has been a large reduction in frontline activity, a bit of fighting still went on, but on the whole the temporary ceasefire is holding. AMK Mapping, someone who has been following the conflict for years and produces reliable reporting and maps, and also translates Ukrainian and Russian sources into English, has noted a drastic decrease in reported frontline activity compared to the usual.

    AMK Mapping twitter report on frontline activity over the past 10 hours

    AMK Mapping Xcancel mirror

  • Exclusive: Israel still eyeing a limited attack on Iran's nuclear facilities By Erin Banco Reuters NEW YORK, April 19 (Reuters) - Israel has not ruled out an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities in the coming months despite President Donald Trump telling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the U.S. was for now unwilling to support such a move, according to an Israeli official and two other people familiar with the matter. Israeli officials have vowed to prevent Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and Netanyahu has insisted that any negotiation with Iran must lead to the complete dismantling of its nuclear program. .S. and Iranian negotiators are set for a second round of preliminary nuclear talks in Rome on Saturday. Over the past months, Israel has proposed to the Trump administration a series of options to attack Iran’s facilities, including some with late spring and summer timelines, the sources said. The plans include a mix of airstrikes and commando operations that vary in severity and could set back Tehran's ability to weaponize its nuclear program by just months or a year or more, the sources said. The New York Times reported on Wednesday that Trump told Netanyahu in a White House meeting earlier this month that Washington wanted to prioritize diplomatic talks with Tehran and that he was unwilling to support a strike on the country’s nuclear facilities in the short term. But Israeli officials now believe that their military could instead launch a limited strike on Iran that would require less U.S. support. Such an attack would be significantly smaller than those Israel initially proposed. It is unclear if or when Israel would move forward with such a strike, especially with talks on a nuclear deal getting started. Such a move would likely alienate Trump and could risk broader U.S. support for Israel. Parts of the plans were previously presented last year to the Biden administration, two former senior Biden administration officials told Reuters. Almost all required significant U.S. support via direct military intervention or intelligence sharing. Israel has also requested that Washington help Israel defend itself should Iran retaliate. In response to a request for comment, the U.S. National Security Council referred Reuters to comments Trump made on Thursday, when he told reporters he has not waved Israel off an attack but that he was not "in a rush" to support military action against Tehran. “I think that Iran has a chance to have a great country and to live happily without death,” Trump said. “That's my first option. If there's a second option, I think it would be very bad for Iran, and I think Iran is wanting to talk.” The Israeli prime minister's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A senior Israeli official told Reuters that no decision has been made yet on an Iranian strike. A senior Iranian security official said Tehran was aware of Israeli planning and that an attack would provoke "a harsh and unwavering response from Iran." "We have intelligence from reliable sources that Israel is planning a major attack on Iran's nuclear sites. This stems from dissatisfaction with ongoing diplomatic efforts regarding Iran’s nuclear program, and also from Netanyahu’s need for conflict as a means of political survival," the official told Reuters. BIDEN ADMINISTRATION PUSHBACK Netanyahu received pushback from the Biden administration when he presented an earlier version of the plan. The former senior Biden officials said Netanyahu wanted the U.S. to take the lead on airstrikes but the Biden White House told Israel it did not believe a strike was prudent unless Tehran moved to accelerate its enrichment of nuclear material or expel inspectors from the country. The Biden officials also questioned the extent to which Israel’s military could effectively carry out such an attack. Former officials and experts have long said that Israel would need significant U.S. military support – and weapons – to destroy Iran’s nuclear facilities and stockpiles, some of which are in underground facilities. While the more limited military strike Israel is considering would require less direct assistance - particularly in the form of U.S. bombers dropping bunker-busting munitions that can reach deeply buried facilities - Israel would still need a promise from Washington that it would help Israel defend itself if attacked by Tehran in the aftermath, the sources said. Any attack would carry risks. Military and nuclear experts say that even with massive firepower, a strike would probably only temporarily set back a program the West says aims to eventually produce a nuclear bomb, although Iran denies it. Israeli officials have told Washington in recent weeks that they do not believe U.S. talks with Iran should move forward to the deal-making stage without a guarantee that Tehran will not have the ability to create a nuclear weapon. "This can be done by agreement, but only if this agreement is Libyan style: They go in, blow up the installations, dismantle all of the equipment, under American supervision," Netanyahu said following his talks with Trump. "The second possibility is ... that they (Iran) drag out the talks and then there is the military option." From Israel's perspective, this may be a good moment for a strike against Iran's nuclear facilities. Iran allies Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon have been hammered by Israel since the Gaza war began, while the Houthi movement in Yemen has been targeted by U.S. airstrikes. Israel also severely damaged Iran's air defense systems in an exchange of fire in October 2024. A top Israeli official, speaking with reporters earlier this month, recognized there was some urgency if the goal was to launch a strike before Iran rebuilds its air defenses. But the senior official refused to state any timeline for possible Israeli action and said discussing this would be "pointless".

    Reporting by Erin Banco; Additional reporting by Parisa Hafesi in Dubai and the Jerusalem newsroom; Editing by Don Durfee and Daniel Wallis

  • While the world is distracted by media noise… China is quietly rallying Asia to shift global power. In just a few days:

    • 45 economic agreements signed with Vietnam
    • A 5-year strategic pact sealed with Malaysia
    • Key diplomatic meetings in Thailand
    • Military and strategic cooperation boosted with Indonesia
    • Telegram

  • Chinese President Xi Jinping concluded a 5-day tour of Southeast Asia to strengthen ties between nations. Last year, the countries of the ASEAN regional bloc were his main destinations, with a total of 586.5 billion dollars.

    • Telesur English

  • The death knell chimes for the PSDB (Social Democratic Party of Brazil). Once the most powerful party in Brazil and perennial favorite of US Democrats. After a series of dismal elections, it announced it's merging with another right-wing party, Podemos. How did it fall so fast?

  • In case anyone's wondering "why doesn't North Korea make a move on South Korea, or China on Taiwan" with the large build up of US military assets in the Middle East, with many of these assets coming from South Korea and US military bases in the region, it appears that the US has simultaneously reinforced their defences (or offensive capabilities) in the the region, with four B-1B Strategic bombers deployed to Japan, along with additional F-35A 5th generation stealth aircraft and F-35B vertical/short take off and landing (V/STOL) 5th generation stealth aircraft deployments. There are 10 US bombers deployed overseas (6x B-2 Spirit stealth bombers, and 4x B-1B bombers), flanking China from both the east and west. The 6 B-2s are currently carrying out operations against Ansarallah in Yemen.

    This is also the first US bomber task force deployment to Japan since the Vietnam war.

    There's also an interesting, maybe coincidental, may not, payload match up here. 6 B-2s can carry 96 JASSM stealth cruise missiles internally (6x16). 4 B-1s can also carry 96 JASSMs internally (24x4).

  • Really cool documentary about how the Zapatistas in Chiapas have been doing lately https://hexbear.net/post/4627900

    Watch it or i will call you a lib

    Navajo president endorses Trump's coal order, but community activists cite climate, health risks the mineral extrantion could cause Hexbear Post

    • Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren was in Washington earlier in April to watch President Donald Trump sign an order aimed at revitalizing the coal industry.
    • Coal mines and coal-fired power plants were once steady income sources for the Navajo Nation, but the money dried up with the closure of a key plant and the mines that supplied it.
    • Some Navajo organizers say Nygren's support for coal ignores the effects of fossil fuels on the climate and on human health. One expert said Nygren exaggerated the importance of coal.

  • US airstrikes continue on Yemen for the 35th night in a row.

    Warning for potential graphic imagery of casualties during ongoing airstrikes:

    Al Masirah TV twitter

    Xcancel mirror

    Link to yesterday's update

    Latest Ansarallah/Houthi statement announcing a number of operations, including a ballistic missile launched at Israel, the shooting down of a 20th MQ-9 Reaper drone, and targeting the USS Carl Vinson Aircraft Carrier for the first time.

    Satellite imagery of the aftermath of the US double tap strike on Ras Isa Fuel Port in Hodeidah, that killed 74 people, and left 171 wounded. Lots of oil slicks and fires/smoke.

    I won't be providing detailed updates today, I'm quite ill.

  • Iran is unlikely to sign any nuclear deal, either permanent or temporary, without assurances and guarantees that Trump will not withdraw like he did in 2018, according to senior Iranian officials – Reuters

    • Telegram

  • Per NYT:

    Mr. Bukele, in a social media post, even crowed that “Kilmar Abrego Garcia, miraculously risen from the ‘death camps’ & ‘torture,’” was “now sipping margaritas with Sen. Van Hollen in the tropical paradise of El Salvador!” But according to a person familiar with the situation, a Bukele aide placed the two glasses with cherries and salted rims on the table in front of Mr. Van Hollen and Mr. Abrego Garcia in the middle of their meeting in an attempt to stage the photo.

    Staged photo:

    Official photo from Senator Chris Van Hollen's office:

    Fucking fascist dorks.

    NYT Link
    Archive.is Link

  • And now for positive India news: Communist-led Kerala soon to become India’s first state free of extreme poverty

    The low levels of destitution in the state is a result of decades of progressive policy interventions such as:

    Land reforms

    High social spending

    Institutionalizing healthcare as a public service

    Providing job training and other necessary support for families that did not have a stable source of income

    Launching a minimum 100-day job guarantee

    Developing individual livelihood plans based on the specific needs of a particular family

    Various other programs under successive communist governments

    So Kerala is the indian state with the highest human development index. For those that don't know about Keralan politics, state elections are contests between the Communist Party of India (Marxist) led Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Indian National Congress led United Democratic Front (UDF), Modi's BJP only has 1 single MP in the state.

    For decades it used to be that Keralan elections would go like this, every 5 years the incumbent government would lose and the opposition would get to govern, however in 2021 for the first time ever the LDF, which had been governing since 2016, consecutively won the elections and so they have governed the state for almost 10 years, that could explain why so much progress has been achieved.

    Now, as someone who doesn't know a lot about Kerala, if winning twice in a row is an outlier outcome then one would guess that, regardless how well they have governed, the LDF will probably lose in 2026 and the UDF will get to govern again, but I just saw this headline in an article I'm not gonna read saying they're polling well and could win 3 times in a row so maybe there's hope!

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