Image is of the Preah Vihear Temple on the Cambodian border. Image sourced from the UNESCO World Heritage website.
Over the last few days, Thailand and Cambodia entered into a heightened stage of conflict due to a long-running border dispute. Like many problems on this planet, Europeans are ultimately to blame - specifically France. Certain sections of the border drawn up by France about a century ago were not fully agreed upon by both sides, with the ownership of some Khmer temples being the most visible points of disagreement.
Despite interventions in favor of Cambodia in the 1960s and later 2010s by the ICJ - one of the mainly mostly useless global institutions that liberals periodically disown - the border conflict has simmered at a generally low level. Of the two countries, Thailand is significantly more militarily and economically powerful.
Last Wednesday, a Thai soldier lost his leg by stepping on a landmine, prompting a rapid escalation between Cambodia and Thailand that has since resulted in dozens of deaths and tens of thousands displaced. Cambodia was willing to come to the negotiating table fairly quickly, but Thailand was more hesitant. International pressure on the two countries by Malaysia, China, and the United States eventually forced Thailand to the table, and they have recently agreed to an immediate ceasefire courtesy of ASEAN.
Notably, Trump refused to hold trade talks with either country until they agreed to peace, which suggests that he really wants a Nobel Peace Prize - which he seems a shoe-in for given that he’s met the two most important requirements that several Nobel Peace Prize recipients have needed to meet in the past, which are: 1) start at least one war, and 2) accelerate the genocide of millions of people as billions more people watch on. His policies vis-a-vis ICE creating a domestic terror regime only further increase his chances of winning the prize.
Last week’s thread is here.
The Imperialism Reading Group is here.
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The bulletins site is here. Currently not used.
The RSS feed is here. Also currently not used.
Israel-Palestine Conflict
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.
Far-right supporters protested on Sunday in several Brazilian cities to show their support for former President Jair Bolsonaro and thank Donald Trump for the tariff hike that will negatively impact the Brazilian economy.
Bolsonaro, however, did not participate in the events. The former president is under judicial measures that prohibit him from leaving his home on weekends, as part of the restrictions imposed for his participation in attacks on democracy.
Among their demands, protesters also called for amnesty for those imprisoned for the attempted coup on January 8, 2023, when the headquarters of the three branches of government in Brasilia were invaded and vandalized.
Bolsonaro supporters also demanded the resignation of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and the impeachment of Judge Alexandre de Moraes, who is presiding over the trial that could send Bolsonaro to prison this year.
Calling themselves “patriots,” the groups waved not only the Brazilian flag, but also those of the United States and Israel.
Syria: Poverty Skyrockets Despite Currency Stabilization
https://en.al-akhbar.com/news/syria--poverty-skyrockets-despite-currency-stabilization
Two contrasting developments in recent weeks underscore the disparity. First, more than 800 Korean cars have arrived in the country, bringing the total to over 100,000 newly imported vehicles, worth an estimated $500 million to $1 billion. Second, the UN Development Program launched a bread subsidy project in six provinces, reducing the price of a loaf from 4,000 to 2,400 Syrian pounds, with plans to expand the initiative nationwide.
This contradicting image unveils the deepening inequality in household spending shaped by post-regime changes. From rising unemployment on the one hand - now exceeding 50% due to the mass dismissals from military and security apparatuses, and civil institutions - to gains in the exchange rate and growing remittances from abroad on the other.
Earlier this year, prices dropped, but the relief was short-lived as structural problems persisted. Many public and private employees face delayed or suspended salaries due to new banking restrictions. Thousands have been placed on unpaid leave under the guise of “downsizing,” with health insurance programs suspended
…
Wage earners, who represent 62.5% of the country’s workforce, are among the most affected. Public sector employees, nearly half of that group, are hit the hardest. **The SCPR reported that public salaries fail to meet even the most basic needs across all regions. In former regime-controlled areas, salaries now cover only 5.6% of basic expenses.
Ben Gvir claims to have prayed at the Al Aqua Mosque compound
Because he converted to Islam, right?First
One of the shitcoin companies (Coinbase) is now using the depressing state of the UK in their advertising.
https://xcancel.com/Basil_TGMD/status/1951528459722731886
Not sure what angle they’re going for here? “The UK is shit and it’s only going to get worse, get bitcoin before the collapse” ? Something like that? Who knows.
It is a very clear indicator of the state of consciousness of living conditions in the country though. I think the video is a bit shit in place, more of a caricature written by yanks than british particularly with the drab 70s thatcher interior deco or the piss coloured smoke stained walls but it’s interesting that even marketing is now tapping into the consciousness of this stuff that has been created in the population.
The piles of rubbish in the streets in reference to the bin strikes pisses me off a little. At least our workers are fighting for their rights, fuck off back to america.
Honestly thinking how liberals completely accept everything . There is no democracy, governments don’t give a single shit about people’s demand, including the demand to stop bombing starving people. Human rights are gone, you can’t deny it even if you only look at western media. Corrupt pedophile oligarchs are in control. Everything gets worse and worse. Governments do not fear their people at all. Government no longer serves you, you serve government. French revolution (a revolution that belongs to them more than us) is betrayed and counter revolution is successful. Everything they fought against is in control. Everything they fought for is gone
China Is Choking Supply of Critical Minerals to Western Defense Companies
Beijing’s tightened controls are a sign of the leverage it has over the U.S. military supply chain
WSJ 2025-08-03 https://archive.md/pZ6ay
spoiler
…
As a result, one drone-parts manufacturer that supplies the U.S. military was forced to delay orders by up to two months while it searched for a non-Chinese source of magnets, which are assembled from rare earths.
Certain materials needed by the defense industry now go for five or more times what was typical before China’s recent mineral restrictions, according to industry traders. One company said it was recently offered samarium—an element needed to make magnets that can withstand the extreme temperatures of a jet-fighter engine—for 60 times the standard price. That is already driving the cost of defense systems higher, say suppliers and defense executives.
The squeeze on critical minerals highlights how dependent the U.S. military is on China for much of its supply chain—giving Beijing leverage at a time of rising tensions between the two powers and heated trade negotiations. Defense manufacturers supplying the U.S. military rely on minerals that are mainly produced in China for microelectronics, drone motors, night-vision goggles, missile-targeting systems and defense satellites.
While companies have tried to find alternative sources of these minerals in recent years, some of the elements are so niche that they can’t be economically produced in the West, say industry executives.
…
The Pentagon is requiring defense contractors to stop buying rare-earth magnets that contain China-sourced minerals by 2027. As a result, some companies have sizable stockpiles of magnets. But suppliers and defense companies often hold less than a year’s worth—some just a few months—of many other critical mineral stockpiles.
…
More than 80,000 parts that are used in Defense Department weapons systems are made with critical minerals now subject to Chinese export controls, according to data from defense software firm Govini. Nearly all of the supply chains for key critical minerals used by the Pentagon rely on at least one Chinese supplier, Govini said, meaning restrictions from Beijing can cause widespread disruptions.
It turns out that at least one of the two Ohio Class ballistic missile submarines (with each submarine equipped with a minimum of 80 nuclear warheads) mentioned in US President Donald Trump’s truth social post is in fact a new deployment, the submarine was not currently on patrol as previously assumed.
An Ohio Class ballistic missile submarine was spotted on a weather camera livestream, transiting out of the Hood Canal on 1st August 2025. It was accompanied by an aircraft patrol.
Cropped images of the submarine
Source for the aircraft patrol
So yes, the USA is deploying at least one additional Ohio Class SSBN to patrol with Russia in mind, that was not previously on patrol.
Regular people: let’s take the kids somewhere fun for the day and do some enriching activities
israeli settlers: let’s take our kids out to go attack aid trucks bringing food to people being starved and bombed.
This isnt the first video I have seen where the settlers have clearly brought their young children…
“If not for collapsing labor force participation since April, unemployment would’ve climbed to 4.9% [yesterday] instead of 4.25%.”
88
You literally cannot make this shit up
Full Statement from Hamas’ Abu Obeida:
“The Qassam Brigades are ready to deal positively and respond to any request from the Red Cross to bring food and medicine to enemy captives.
We stipulate for this acceptance the natural and permanent opening of humanitarian corridors for the passage of food and medicine for all our people in all areas of the Gaza Strip, and the cessation of all forms of enemy aerial sorties during the times of receiving parcels for the captives.
Al-Qassam Brigades do not intentionally starve the captives. They eat what our fighters and all our people eat, and they will not receive any special privilege in light of the crime of starvation and siege.”
Shit or get off the pot, Satanyahu. Dragging the war on forever isn’t going to happen with the hostages starving to death, they are the last bit of leverage Hamas should have now. At this point they might as well go Hannibal Directive, but they don’t. This is making me think people like Hersh saying Satanyahu is dragging the war on for political expediency are correct.
London underground yesterday:
Persian leopard managed to escape its enclosure, attacks and kills israeli settler zookeeper 36 year old Uriel Nuri at the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo.
The leopard is ok 👍
