📑 #recommended #oped

Minerals for peace? How to make the Rwanda-DRC deal stick.

By Lewis Mudge 🟦 HRW JUL-07

"A #US.-brokered peace deal, signed on June 27 between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, will link economic integration and respect for territorial integrity with the promise of Western investment. It is a mineral deal first, an opportunity for peace second. (...)"

#rwanda #DRC #peace #law
#humanrights #africa

hrw.org/news/2025/07/07/minera…

Rome Statute countries must explain why Netanyahu flights allowed in airspace

“Italian, French and Greek citizens deserve to know that every political action violating the international legal order, weakens and endangers all of them.”

Francesca Albanese

The countries, which are all parties to the Rome Statute, are obligated to arrest the Israeli prime minister.

#RomeStatue
#ICC
#Israel
#news

EU giving a f... about employee:

"Palestinian man who worked for the EU in #Gaza has appealed to the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, after the closure of his office left him in Cairo without a job or residency rights.

He was “not consulted or warned” that he would be let go after nearly two decades of working for the EU."

Remember this when they want your money and kids to defend European values!
Be the diplomat, who has intervened on his behalf!

theguardian.com/world/2025/jul…

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in reply to Oliver Knabe

Germany's government giving a f... about its own promises:

Bundesregierung:
Aufnahmeprogramm der Vorgängerregierung beenden.

Gericht:
Die Bundesregierung muss einer afghanischen Staatsangehörigen und ihrer Familie Visa zur Einreise nach Deutschland erteilen, nachdem entsprechende Zusagen gemacht wurden.
#Afghanistan
deutschlandfunk.de/gericht-bun…

friendica - Link to source
Hallo @Friendica Support ich habe da eine Verständnisfrage:
Wenn ein Benutzerkonto gelöscht wird, dann dauert es ja 7 Tage, bis dieses endgültig gelöscht wird. So weit, so gut.
Wieso werden mir aber dann unter "/moderation/users/deleted" die gelöschten Benutzerkonten immer noch angezeigt, obwohl die 7 Tage vorbei sind? Hat dies einen bestimmten Grund?
in reply to waka

15-20 is still formidable! In my most active years I could pick like… seven, and drop 4 more after 3 episodes 😅
I was referring to reviewers at Anime News Network because they cover every episode of 25 shows each season. Not sure they still do it, but they used to — and those were reviews from the point of view of 3-4 editors, so I assume they do watch every show. Maybe they indeed do it at x15 speed like @romin@shitposter.world said — hardly enjoyable this way, but their reviews win them bread so at least that would be understandable.
in reply to Part_of You

Décidemment dans tous les domaines les stupidités et les délires criminels sortent à flot si tendu qu'il devient impossible de tout collationner. Ça finit par donner le tourni, ce qui est sans doute voulu. Les priorités deviennent difficiles à gérer, l'UE qui achève de se transformer en tyrannie, les guerres immondes un peu partout, les délires civilisationnels, les tentatives d'annihilation du réel... Impossible d'élaborer une réflexion, tout semblant changer le lendemain.

I have now found 1070 verified accounts from media organizations in the #Fediverse, but only on #Mastodon, #Flipboard, #Threads, #Bluesky, #Ghost and #Peertube.

Just one is on #Sharkey (👋🏻 @heiseBotti) and none on #Pixelfed, #Lemmy, #Piefed, #Misskey & Co. Are there really none there, or did I miss some?

Source:
fingolas.eu/fediverse/overview…

@fediverse

This entry was edited (13 hours ago)

Launching a Website for Your Startup Without Spending a Fortune


You don’t need to spend thousands to get online. A **cheap website** that’s mobile-friendly, fast, and clear can do the job just fine. Focus on the basics now and upgrade as your business grows.

Starting a small business or startup means facing a barrage of costs—rent, supplies, marketing, and more. A website is a must, but it doesn’t have to break the bank. With the right strategy, you can get online quickly and affordably.

Affordable web design is a smart choice for new entrepreneurs. You don’t need a custom, high-end site to establish your presence. A cheap website, built with focus, can connect you with customers and keep your budget in check.

Essentials for a Budget-Friendly Site


A low-cost website needs to hit a few key points. It should work seamlessly on mobile, load fast, and clearly communicate what your business offers and how people can reach you.

  • For many startups, a simple site is enough. A freelancer might need a single page with a portfolio and contact form. A small shop could use a product page and checkout system. Keep it lean and focused on what your audience needs.


Templates: A Cost-Effective Solution


Custom web design is pricey and often unnecessary for new businesses. Platforms like WordPress, Shopify, or Wix offer templates that are modern, responsive, and easy to customize. They’re a key part of affordable web design.

With your logo, images, and text, a template can feel unique without the custom cost. Plus, you can launch in days, not weeks, which is crucial when you’re starting out.

Focus on What You Need


When your budget is tight, prioritize what your site needs most. A booking tool? A product catalog? Or just a homepage with contact info? Many startups overspend on features they don’t need yet, thinking it’ll drive growth.

Build a minimal site with only the essentials. It’s cheaper to maintain and easier to manage. You can add more features later when your business grows.

Hiring the Right Designer


Some designers offer affordable web design that’s high quality, while others might deliver rushed work. Check their portfolio—look at their standard projects, not just the best ones. Ask what’s included and if they’ve built sites for businesses like yours.

Be upfront about your budget. A reliable designer will work within your limits and be transparent about costs. If a deal seems too cheap, ask questions to avoid surprises.

Keep Hosting and Domains Straightforward


You don’t need premium hosting for a small site. Basic plans from trusted providers cost under $10 a month and handle most startup needs. For domains, pick something simple—your brand name with a .com or .co—and avoid pricey alternatives.

Using one platform for hosting and your domain simplifies management, especially if you’re not tech-savvy.

Spend Smart on Content


A beautiful design won’t help if your message is unclear. A cheap website needs clear, engaging text to explain what you do, who you serve, and how to connect with you. Spend time—or a small budget—on writing that resonates.

If writing isn’t your strength, a freelance copywriter can make a big difference. It’s a better investment than extra design tweaks.

Final Note


You don’t need to spend thousands to get online. A cheap website that’s mobile-friendly, fast, and clear can do the job just fine. Focus on the basics now and upgrade as your business grows.

Affordable web design lets you launch a site that works without financial stress. Get online today and start building your brand.
```

It's occurred to me that the only real application, in theory, for blockchain-enforced "smart contracts" would be something like international security guarantees.

For instance, if you want a Palestinian state to agree to be demilitarised, sure, if there's a system such that an attack by Israel would ⋅immediately and automatically⋅ trigger a comprehensive sanction regime, stop all international bank transfers in and out of Israel, invalidate all trade licences, etc.

Apart from political feasibility, it's not practical, of course. What ⋅exactly⋅ would be the triggers? Who gets to decide whether and when to roll back? Besides, whatever anyone tries to tell you, blockchain's are NOT safe from manipulation, even in principle, especially when we are talking about state actors.

Just in terms of if there WERE a use case, that's what it would be.

in reply to funbaker

@funbaker

This was not a proposal. We can flush all "blockchain technology” down the toilet today and lose nothing, as far as I'm concerned.

I was trying to work with the premise of people who try to make the case for "smart contracts" (that are predicated on a system where, yes, certain actions are algorithmically ⋅enforced⋅) to see what might conceivably be a valid use case at least in theory.

in reply to Bilal Barakat 🍉

@funbaker

In other words: the fundamental premise of "smart contracts" is that there are situations where you need an agreement between parties who you cannot ask to trust each other, so they can instead trust the algorithm. And I was just noting that asking a Palestinian state to be demilitarised fits that description. But since, as you correctly note and I also pointed out, it wouldn't work even then, that just shows that actually there is no use case.

La haine blanche


Ce soir, en ce moment, sur #Arte.
arte.tv/fr/videos/124647-000-A…

Depuis la fin du XXe siècle, le terrorisme d’extrême droite s’organise et fait de plus en plus de victimes dans le monde. Comment cette #violence #raciste se nourrit-elle et comment la contrer ? Une série #documentaire qui s'appuie sur de riches témoignages (de victimes, de repentis, d’enquêteurs...) recueillis sur quatre continents.


#Racisme #Haine #HaineBlanche #Extrême-droite #Droite #Terrorisme #GrandRemplacement #GreatReplacement #Neonazi #KKK #Suprémacisme #Blanc #Blancs #Suprémaciste #Occident #Politique #Europe #France #USA

Birne Helene reshared this.

Court ruling: Stickers with political warnings must be removed from books

The Münster Higher Administrative Court has ruled that a sticker with political warnings must be removed from a book in the Münster City Library. Library users are "responsible citizens" who should not be manipulated.

The Higher Administrative Court in Münster ruled on Tuesday that stickers reading "This is a work with controversial content. This copy is provided due to freedom of censorship, freedom of opinion, and freedom of information" must be removed from two books in the Münster City Library. One of the affected authors had filed an urgent appeal against the decision of the Münster Administrative Court, which had permitted the stickers.

apollo--news-net.translate.goo…


@tom s2025-07-09 07:38:29

Stadtbücherei Münster - Gerichtsurteil: Sticker mit politischen Warnhinweisen müssen von Büchern entfernt werden


Das Oberverwaltungsgericht Münster hat entschieden, dass ein Sticker mit politischen #Warnhinweisen von einem #Buch in der #Stadtbücherei Münster entfernt werden muss. Bibliotheksnutzer seien „mündige #Staatsbürger“, die nicht gelenkt werden sollen.
apollo-news.net/gerichtsurteil…


#libraries #books

Stadtbücherei Münster - Gerichtsurteil: Sticker mit politischen Warnhinweisen müssen von Büchern entfernt werden


Das Oberverwaltungsgericht Münster hat entschieden, dass ein Sticker mit politischen #Warnhinweisen von einem #Buch in der #Stadtbücherei Münster entfernt werden muss. Bibliotheksnutzer seien „mündige #Staatsbürger“, die nicht gelenkt werden sollen.

apollo-news.net/gerichtsurteil…

Eyal Benvenisti, who represented #Israel before the #ICJ, co-writes:

Our Duty to Explain Israel’s Operation to “Concentrate and Move Population” in #Gaza is a Manifest War Crime

justsecurity.org/116459/israel…

Canada needs to reduce its dependence on US tech companies — and cloud infrastructure is a perfect place to start.

For the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, I explain the threat posed by our dependence on US-owned data centres and why we need a public cloud that isn’t shaped by the pressure for shareholder profits.

policyalternatives.ca/news-res…

#tech #cloud #datacenters #cdnpoli #cdntech #canada #markcarney

Malik Lutfi contemplated which of his family's belongings to salvage in the few moments he was given while Israeli troops carried out home demolitions in the Tulkarm refugee camp where he grew up in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Now 51, the father of six has rented a small room in the nearby city of Tulkarm, but without access to his electronic repair shop in the cordoned-off camp, he has no income to meet the rent.

reuters.com/world/middle-east/…

🕎 🇵🇸 ☮️
#Gaza #Palestine
#Press #News

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ガキが歌ってたことがあったな
さすが川崎区だったわ

どんぐりを粉にして
吸引したら
思いの外
ぶっ飛び
起きたら
法廷

youtube.com/shorts/pGPvxdgffiE…

In the town of Raba, in the Jenin Governorate of the northern occupied West Bank, Palestinians are fearful of an Israeli decision to seize the summit of Mount Salama, a move that would strip the town of an important economic resource.

Last Wednesday, the town’s residents received an Israeli order to seize 600 acres for the purpose of establishing a military zone that includes Mount Salama and its surrounding fields.

watanserb.com/en/2025/07/08/is…

🕎 🇵🇸 ☮️
#Gaza #Palestine
#Press #News

Netanyahu, with the most morally repugnant army in the world and the avaricious Israeli population display themselves to the world as abusive psychotics relentlessly raping an enclosed captive society they are intent on exterminating

972mag.com/lavender-ai-israeli…

#gaza #genocide #palestine
#israel #netanyahu #trump
#lavender #ai #palantir

An 11-year-old girl just set the record for the youngest person ever to graduate from high school in Germany, and the media bend over backwards to avoid mentioning the plain fact that she is from a refugee family from Afghanistan.
For no other reason than not to trigger their racist readership. They are helped by the fact that the family's surname in transcription matches a common German name and her first name is culturally non-specific…

#racism

in reply to Bilal Barakat 🍉

Sadly normal, because for many only native germans deserve a mention.
Except we all migrants...

I came to Germany about 55 years ago and can assure you that racism is getting worse. recent inflaming Speeches by Merz among many others amplify the problem. It is not just AFD.

German Media, controlled by Bigots Racists promotes and encourages hatred, the worst being the newspaper for the dumbest-of the dumb, B*ld.

This entry was edited (2 hours ago)

Mercredi, jour des sorties ! 2e épisode de mon projet estival…
#musik #music #musique #musica #nosferatu #vampire #movie #soundtrack
youtu.be/xfpmjDS3YK4

Birne Helene reshared this.

#israel #palästina : #krieg / #gaza / #genozid / #geschichte / #ideologie / #feindbild / #legitimierungsnarrativ / #brutalisierung / #dehumanisierung

infosperber.ch/politik/welt/ve…

Tāds tīkams sīkums: vietējā ieleja piedāvā bezmaksas autobusa biļetes, ja esi paņēmis naktsmājas reģionā. Pat kempingā. Autobusi kursē bieži, var no viena Dolomītu miestiņa ceļot uz otru. Laikam mēģina mazināt sastrēgumus.
Kempings uz vakaru piepildās. Bet pagaidām vēl pa brīvai vietai ir. Cena: 24eur auto, 10 par personu un kaut kādi laikam 10 par telti. Vēl 5 eur jāpiemaksā, ja gribi auto turēt pie telts. WiFi un elektrība jāpērk atsevišķi. #artaceļo #irKalni

The current regime ruling the United States is trafficking people to various countries against their will.

But people seem to have quite bad memories and seem to believe that it's Trump that's just a bad actor.

Let me remind you that under the Bush regime, the CIA created a network in which it trafficked people, with no due process, for the express purpose of having them tortured.

Trump is not an aberration. The Empire is rotten, and it is dying.

justiceinitiative.org/voices/2…

This entry was edited (13 hours ago)

Dear @EUCommission,

X’s AI (in other words, X Corp.) is spewing blatant antisemitism. Will you do something about it or is your defense of the Jewish people limited to your members legitimising, censoring criticism of, arming, and profiting financially from the Israeli genocide of the Palestinian people?

gizmodo.com/round-them-up-grok…

#x #twitter #elonMusk #grok #antisemitism #israel #genocide #ethnicCleansing #apartheid #settlerColonialism #Palestine #Gaza #WestBank

This entry was edited (14 hours ago)
in reply to Aral Balkan

for what it's worth, from what I can tell, even quite pro-Israel Jewish news sources are calling it for what it is (Jerusalem Post, Times of Israel, Arutz Sheva, Jewish Chronicle) and so are more mixed/unknown sources (Forward, Yeshiva World News--I don't know if they're antizionist Orthodox or very Zionist or carefully offending everyone).
...I wish there was a way to forcibly educate people that's not presumably illegal for kidnapping or trespassing or something.


Kirsch sees “the concept of settler colonialism” as activist “nonsense”…
By highlighting [his] text’s many elisions and obfuscations, Khalili makes clear that Kirsch has no clue what he’s talking about. That’s no surprise: He is, after all, a literary critic with zero expertise on Israel/Palestine or the discipline his book attempts to invalidate. Khalili’s review rigorously deconstructs Kirsch’s arguments before turning to a virtuosic micro-history of Zionist settler colonialism, drawn from the very primary sources and scholarship, especially by Palestinians, that Kirsch neglects. It’s a harrowing account—and a persuasive argument, for anyone willing to face the facts.

jewishcurrents.org/newsletter/…

jewishcurrents.org/history-les…

@palestine

Francesca Albanese, the #UN special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, has demanded answers from #Italy, #France, and #Greece over their decision to grant airspace and safe passage to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu—despite an active arrest warrant request from the International Criminal Court (ICC).

In a post on X, Albanese wrote: “Italian, French and Greek citizens deserve to know that every political action violating the international legal order, weakens and endangers all of them.”
middleeasteye.net/live-blog/li…
#warcriminal #warcrimes #IsraelWarCrimes #crimesagainsthumanity

Une recette efficace pour éteindre son âme et causer la souffrance consiste à faire de l'étranger l'intime, et de l'intime, l'étranger.

notesandsilence.com/2025/04/29…
#prière #méditation #spiritualité #psychologie #relations #souffrance

counterpunch.org/2025/07/09/ca…

De Gaulle talking about the dollar.
Extract from a press conference , February 1965 (machine translation)

Journalist

Mr. President, by exchanging part of its dollar assets for gold, France provoked reactions that themselves revealed certain flaws in the current international monetary system.

Are you in favor of reforming this system, and if so, how? My question, Mr. President, follows on from the previous one.

Could you clarify your policy regarding foreign investment in France, and particularly American investment?

Charles de Gaulle

Well, I will try to explain my thoughts on these points.

As the Western European states that were ruined and decimated by wars recover their substance, the relative situation they were in tends to appear inadequate and often even abusive and dangerous.

There is nothing here, moreover, in this observation, which implies, on their part, and even more so on the part of France, anything unfriendly towards any country, and in particular, towards America.

But the fact that these states want to act more and more on their own every day, in every area of international relations, is a natural part of things.

This is true of the monetary system that is being put into practice, of the monetary relations, if you will, that have been in practice in the world since the trials undergone by Europe caused it to lose its balance.

I was speaking, of course, of the international monetary system that appeared in the aftermath of the First World War and was established following the Second.

We know that this system, starting with the Genoa Conference in 1922, granted two currencies, the Pound and the Dollar, the privilege of being considered equivalent to gold in foreign trade.

It is true that the Pound was devalued in 1931 and the Dollar in 1933.

And at that time, it was believed that the privilege, this signal privilege, this signal advantage of these two currencies was compromised.

But America was overcoming its great crisis and then, afterward, the Second World War ruined the currencies of Western Europe by unleashing inflation.

Since almost all the world's reserves were then held by the United States, and they were the universal suppliers and consequently they had been able to maintain the value of their currency, it could seem natural that states would indiscriminately include dollars or gold in their foreign exchange reserves.

And that the differences in the balance of payments were settled by transfer of credit or American monetary sign as well as precious metal.

And this international monetary system, this Gold Exchange Standard, has consequently been accepted practically since then.

But it turns out that it no longer corresponds in the same way to the realities of today.

And that consequently it has disadvantages that are becoming more and more serious.

As this question which interests the world must be considered with serenity and with objectivity, what the current situation allows us to do, which in this respect does not contain anything that appears either very pressing or very alarming, it is the moment to do it.

Let us note that the conditions which had created the Gold Exchange Standard have changed profoundly.

The currencies of the Western European states have been restored to such an extent that the gold reserves that these states possess, let's say these six states, the six, the total of their gold reserves is equivalent to that of the Americans.

And it would exceed it even if these states wanted to convert into gold all the dollars they have to their account.

So, this kind of transcendent value that was recognized in the dollar has lost its initial basis, which was America's possession of the largest part of the world's gold.

But in addition, the fact that many States accept dollars in principle as well as gold for the settlement of differences that exist to their advantage in the American balance of payments, this fact leads Americans to get into debt and to get into debt gratuitously vis-à-vis foreign countries because what they owe them, they pay them at least in part with dollars that it is up to them to issue and not with gold which has a real value, which one only possesses because it has been earned, and which one cannot transfer to others without risk and without sacrifice.

But also in this way, this sort of unilateral facility which is attributed to America, contributes to fading the idea that the dollar is an impartial and international sign of exchanges whereas it is a means of credit appropriate to a State.

Obviously there are other consequences to this situation.

There is in particular the fact that the United States, for lack of having settled in gold at least completely, the negative differences of their payment, contrary to the practice which was formerly adopted, and by virtue of which the States were led to take, and if necessary with rigor, if necessary, the measures required to establish their balance, the United States I say, suffer from year to year deficit balances not certainly because the total of their commercial exchanges are to their disadvantage.

Their exports of materials exceed their imports.

But this is also the case for dollars whose outflows always exceed the inflows.

Then there is created in America by means of what must be called inflation, capital which in the form of loans in dollars granted to States or to individuals is exported abroad, and of course this increase in American fiduciary circulation makes investments within the United States less profitable.

Hence a growing propensity among them to invest abroad.

This results in some countries having a sort of expropriation of one or other of their companies.

It must be said that this practice has long encouraged and still encourages to a certain extent the multiple and considerable aid that America provides to many countries.

And from which we ourselves, in other times, have benefited greatly.

But circumstances have changed, and that is why France advocates that the system itself be changed.

That this sort of fundamental imbalance, which is now a fact, be brought to an end.

France advocated this, as you know, at the Tokyo Monetary Conference.

Given the consequences that a crisis that would arise in such an area could have, we believe that measures must be taken in time to avoid it.

We consider it necessary for international trade to be established, as was the case before the world's great misfortunes, on an indisputable monetary basis that bears no mark of any country in particular.

What basis? In truth, we do not see how there can really be any criterion, any standard other than gold.

And yes, gold, which does not change its nature, which can be put into ingots, bars, or coins in different ways, which has no nationality, which is eternally and universally held to be the unalterable and fiduciary value par excellence.

However, in the midst of the immense trials we have all gone through, whatever one may have imagined, or said, or written, or done, the fact remains that today no currency is worth anything except through a direct or indirect, real or supposed relationship with gold.

Naturally, no State can be forced to do what it must do within itself.

But in international trade, the supreme law, the golden rule, it is indeed the case to say it, which must be restored to honor and force, is the obligation to balance the balances of payments resulting from their trade from one monetary zone to another through the effective entry and exit of precious metal.

Certainly, the end without a harsh shock of the Gold Exchange Standard, which is the restoration of the gold standard, as well as the complementary and transitional measure that would be indispensable, in particular, the organization of international credit, on this new basis, all this must be examined calmly between States.

And in particular between those States to which their economic and financial power confers a special responsibility.

Moreover, the appropriate frameworks for these studies and these negotiations already exist.

The International Monetary Fund, which was established to ensure the solidarity of currencies, to ensure it as much as possible, the International Monetary Fund is certainly a very suitable place for such negotiations.

The Committee of Ten, which, as you know, is composed independently of the United States and England on the one hand, and of France, Germany, Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands, on the other hand, from Japan, Sweden and Canada, the Committee of Ten would prepare the necessary proposals and finally it would be up to the six States which appear to be on the way to creating a Western European economic community, it would be up to them to develop among themselves and to promote it abroad, the solid system which would be in accordance with common sense and which would respond to the resurgent economic and financial power of our ancient continent.

France for its part is ready to contribute actively to this great reform which is necessary in the interest of the whole world.

Sir, you asked me something about the United Nations.

For, I was asked about my health, I was also asked about that of the ...

fresques-ina-fr.translate.goog…

Original source:
fresques.ina.fr/de-gaulle/fich…

#gold #brettonwoods #degaulle #cdg #france #usa #1965

EXPOSED: ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ Concentration Camp DUMPS SH*T In Drinking Water | Kyle Kulinski Show

youtube.com/watch?v=HyINzClBLU…

La canicule de juin 2025 a au moins fait 2300 morts en Europe, dont 1500 à cause du changement climatique. le changement climatique a triplé le nombre de morts. Voici le vrai visage de l'écologie punitive :
bonpote.com/253-morts-a-paris-…

2024 Election Results Under Scrutiny as Lawsuit Advances
The lawsuit could renew debate about the 2024 election, though it won't change the outcome since Congress has certified the results declaring President Donald Trump the winner.
newsweek.com/2024-election-law…
#rockland #trump #smartelections