International Politics Thread - Disease and Disaster

[Kara]

https://twitter.com/benhabib6/status/1156449403315654656

[Tripon]

https://twitter.com/benhabib6/status/1156963378499325953

Don't worry, the Troubles, AKA a guerilla war will come back, but there won't be a 'hard' border.

[Tripon]

https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1157025123511283712

[agrajag]

https://twitter.com/cogatonline/status/1156568860243480578

those look like some Kmart hiking boots 

[team filler]

[team filler]

https://twitter.com/_whitneywebb/status/1157385911769980928

[VomKriege]

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/traffic-stress-lagos-nigeria/index.html

This is the reason why Lagosians spend an average of 30 hours in traffic each week -- or 1,560 annually -- while drivers in Los Angeles and Moscow traffic spent only 128 and 210 hours respectively in the whole of 2018.

[Nintex]

Noooo we need more trees.

Time to invade Brazil

[Raist]

Goddam

https://twitter.com/MazMHussain/status/1157681224762187783

[Tripon]

https://twitter.com/SimonOstrovsky/status/1157013840049123329


https://twitter.com/AnshelPfeffer/status/1155534654788841472

[Nintex]

https://twitter.com/aaronMCN/status/1157956265458331648

 

https://twitter.com/hkpoliceforce/status/1157959496250957824

[Nintex]

https://twitter.com/thesundaysport/status/1157742969342038017

 

[Tripon]

https://twitter.com/b_judah/status/1158082441820741632
https://twitter.com/b_judah/status/1158082448988823553
https://twitter.com/b_judah/status/1158082456140025857
https://twitter.com/b_judah/status/1158084039192039424
https://twitter.com/b_judah/status/1158088915699548160
https://twitter.com/b_judah/status/1158092134437838851

  

[Raist]

The Pound's been taking a beating over the past few days, and is hovering around the lowest, against both the USD and Euro, it's been since the post-brexit vote period (late 2016).

It's not quite there yet, but if the trend continues it will pass that point in the coming weeks, and will reach its lowest value ever against the Dollar, and exchange rates not seen against the Euro since the 2008 crash.

The Boris effect.

[Raist]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-49240809

The EU has said there is no basis for any further Brexit talks while the UK continues to insist on making changes to Theresa May's withdrawal agreement.

Here we go boys.

Some choice bits:

An EU negotiator told the meeting on Sunday: ""With only a few weeks to go we are back where we were three years ago."

A senior EU diplomat said in the meeting that a no-deal Brexit appears to be the UK government's "central scenario", according to the Daily Telegraph and the Guardian.

"It was clear UK does not have another plan. No intention to negotiate, which would require a plan," the diplomat is reported to have said.

Mr Frost reiterated the prime minister's stance that the backstop element of Mrs May's plan - which aims to prevent a hard border returning between Ireland and Northern Ireland - had to be abolished.

The backstop - agreed by Mrs May in November 2018 - would see Northern Ireland staying aligned to some rules of the EU single market.

Mr Frost said Mr Johnson's new ministers were not bound by commitments made by the previous government.

However, the former US treasury secretary, Larry Summers, has said he does not believe the UK will manage to secure a post-Brexit trade deal with Washington.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "Britain has no leverage, Britain is desperate... it needs an agreement very soon. When you have a desperate partner, that's when you strike the hardest bargain."

[OnlyRegret]

brexit is a false flag by the eu to ensure exit is political suicide

[OnlyRegret]

[Nintex]

https://twitter.com/2020ccpbiwang/status/1157619751411015681

why is there so much pepe imagery

the fact that all the revolutions this century will happen during the age of social media adds an absurd quality to everything

Steve Bannon met with an exiled Chinese billionaire and a few months later Pepe returns.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/04/business/stephen-bannon-guo-wengui-china.html

As tensions between the United States and China grow, the two men are hoping to stoke them even further, by effectively calling for the overthrow of Beijing’s leadership. Mr. Guo is dipping into his fortune, while Mr. Bannon has agreed to provide a strategy.

Has anyone seen Alexander Nix? It feels like the band is getting back together.

Brexit was the petri dish, Trump the main course, China the dessert(?) and Russia the after party(?).

[Brehvolution]

brexit is a false flag by the eu to ensure exit is political suicide

Fear mongering gets you elected. Going through with the bullshit you promised to do without hurting the party is the hard part.

[Raist]

To the surprise of absolutely no one, BoJo&Co are toeing the "it's not me, it's you" line.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-49240809

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-49251257

[Nintex]

EU: "We will not renegotiate. Please use this valuable time to get your shit in order Ms. May"
Farage:"LMAO, Brexit party I will rip you a new one"
Tories: "Ok! We will organize a LEADERSHIP CONTEST to sort this out!"
Labour: "We've finally come to the position that we must take a position on Brexit"
Libdems: "We also need a new leader methinks"

EU: "Clock is ticking boys"
Farage: "I fart in your general direction*
Tories: "Boris is the man! Good show ol' chap!"
Labour: "We've finally come to the position that we must work together with the Libdems"
Libdems: "We've finally decided not to work with Labour"


Raab: "We've been flexible"
BBC: "How?"
Raab: "IT IS MY CUP"
Mogg M.P. esq: "PLEASE USE THE OXFORD COMMA"
Boris: "The Kippers look at these kippers, and Chickens. Boy do we like Chickens, Our dams are collapsing 1.8 billion for the NHS"
Commons: "HAHHAHAHA oh wow these guys are hilarious"
Labour: "There must be a serious inquiry into the dam incident. Although nothing happened we should still look into this with the highest priority"
Boris: "DUDE!, Look at all these happy people on the Brexit bus!!!!"

[Raist]

EU is having none of it


(it's a whole thread so the embed is freaking out, just click the link you lazy gits)

[curly]

https://twitter.com/sannareya/status/1158693209847017472

[OnlyRegret]

as someone put it elsewhere
post-brexit, get strongarmed by moldova

[Raist]

The Pound has hit its lowest since 2010.


And in other good news: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-49263781

The UK's decades-long membership of the Interrail scheme, which allows people to travel around Europe on a single train ticket, is to end.

From January 2020, UK rail journeys will no longer be covered by either the Interrail or Eurail passes, said Rail Delivery Group (RDG), which represents UK train operators.

[Nintex]

https://twitter.com/talkRADIO/status/1159045843070128128

In other news, Boris barricading himself in no 10 after losing a confidence vote would be lit and actually plausible at this point.

[team filler]

https://twitter.com/philipoltermann/status/1158989071672389633

 

[Transhuman]

Reading American news:



Reading China News:



Reading British News:



Reading Australia News:

[Raist]

That butterfly's venom could kill you in about 15mins, btw.

[Raist]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-49270872

The government is assuming that French preparations for customs and regulatory checks have markedly decreased the anticipated trade disruption from a no-deal Brexit, the BBC has learned.

Typical

UK officials had to use satellite photographs to estimate the potential for holding and processing facilities around French ports.
In April this secret assessment, shared with industry via non-disclosure agreements, was improved to 50-70% of freight stopped.

Excuse me?

[Nintex]

Take that elitists who understand *checks notes* maps.


*everybody wants to rule the world plays*

Narrator: "Dominic Raab became Foreign Secretary. He still uses the same cup"

[Tripon]

NEW DELHI, Aug 8 (Reuters) - Women's rights advocates have slammed a torrent of online posts by men from across India who expressed enthusiasm about marrying women from Kashmir after India's sudden removal of special rights from the disputed region made it more appealing to do so.

"It’s deeply sexist," said Rituparna Chatterjee, an activist writing a book on the #MeToo movement in India. "Women’s bodies have been battlegrounds for men for centuries. The latest comments of Kashmiri women, are only testimony to this fact," she said.

India struck down a constitutional provision on Monday that granted special status to residents of Jammu and Kashmir state, whose population is majority Muslim, including exclusive rights to owning property and getting state government jobs there.

Under the previous rules, women from the state who married outsiders lost those rights, and outsiders couldn't buy property in Kashmir. Now, residents of the state and people from other parts of India will be on an equal legal footing in Kashmir.

As supporters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata party flooded social media with posts expressing jubilation about the constitutional change, many men among them said on Twitter and the video platform TikTok that this would make it easier for them to marry Kashmiris.

"Congrats India now unmarried boys can marry these smart girls from Kashmir after 370 removal," said one post, referring to the constitutional provision that was struck down. Another said: "Every Indian boy's dream right now: 1. Plot in Kashmir 2. Job in Kashmir 3. Marriage with Kashmiri girl."

https://www.yahoo.com/news/indian-men-see-policy-chance-085522052.html

Unintended (totally intended) consequence. Horny Indian men trying to sleep with Kashiri women.

[nachobro]

dear kashmir pls send bob and vagene

[Crash Dummy]

what's in it for the girl's parents?

[Nintex]

Shit just keeps exploding in Russia this week. What the hell is going on 
https://twitter.com/ELINTNews/status/1159497803015610368

[Raist]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-49280689

The EU should show "common sense" and agree to make changes to the Brexit withdrawal deal, Boris Johnson has told the BBC.

The prime minister said there was "bags of time" for the EU to compromise on the Irish border backstop plan before the Brexit deadline of 31 October.

He also warned MPs not to oppose Brexit, and to respect the 2016 referendum result.

[Brehvolution]

Shit just keeps exploding in Russia this week. What the hell is going on 
https://twitter.com/ELINTNews/status/1159497803015610368

Only 3.6 roentgen.Not great not terrible.

[Raist]

[Nintex]

Welp the Italian coalition government with Lega and 5 Stars is no more.


Don't worry about Boris. Jeremy is on the case
https://twitter.com/Reuters/status/1159500283644448769

I like how they always spoil the plot to the next episode

Under 2011 legislation, a vote of no-confidence triggers a 14-day period during which Johnson can either regain the confidence of parliament by winning a vote, or rivals can pitch their own government and try to secure majority backing.

[Raist]

The GBPUSD rate is at its lowest since the mid-80's.

I might need some care packages brehs. Just don't ask bork to take care of the shipment.

[Nintex]

The GBPUSD rate is at its lowest since the mid-80's.

I might need some care packages brehs. Just don't ask bork to take care of the shipment.

I've got you friend. If you need anything just slide in the DM's.
Because I'm Dutch shipping shouldn't be too expensive either.

https://twitter.com/BorisJohnson/status/1159483591006593026

Anyhow, Boris isn't the brightest of the bunch and might be a bit too optimistic about his post-brexit expectations but so far he hasn't acted like a cartoon villain such as Salvini or some of Trump's cabinet members.
As far as unelected leaders go, you could've had a lot worse 

[Joe Molotov]

(Image removed from quote.)

Damn, she must have had a lot of work done in three years, she looks way younger.

[Nintex]

https://twitter.com/akihheikkinen/status/1159884077228548097

https://twitter.com/thetimes/status/1159542202693033985

 

[Raist]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-49290926

The chancellor has told the BBC that he does not expect the UK to slide into recession after data showed the economy shrank by 0.2% between April and June.

Sajid Javid was speaking after the Office for National Statistics said the economy had contracted for the first time since 2012.

The surprise decline came after Brexit stockpiles were unwound and the car industry implemented shutdowns.

The pound slid after the data was released, raising fears of a recession.

farageprettygood.gif etc

[Nintex]

Most of Europe is already in a recession or close to it right now.

The only reason certain stock markets are going up is because most European bonds (Dutch, German etc.) have negative interest rates so investors put their money in stocks, real estate and commodities.
But all other indicators have been red for months now. Even CHINAH has slowed down significantly. The only economy still performing well above expectations (on paper at least) is the US.

With Italy spiraling out of the control(again) and Boris leaving the EU by the 31st of October 'no matter what' I suspect von der Leyen will do more than offer free WiFi to boost the EU economy.
But because she was never a candidate we haven't got the faintest idea what her economic policies are.

[Tripon]

https://twitter.com/uncoolfellazone/status/1160135031689568257

[Madrun Badrun]

https://www.newsweek.com/brexit-based-lies-yorkshire-grandma-revealed-anti-brexit-graffitist-1453648?utm_source=Public&utm_medium=Feed&utm_campaign=Distribution

[Raist]

https://www.newsweek.com/brexit-based-lies-yorkshire-grandma-revealed-anti-brexit-graffitist-1453648?utm_source=Public&utm_medium=Feed&utm_campaign=Distribution

"Had I known I was being filmed I would have dressed up a bit more," Jones said to The Times when asked about the video.

[Nintex]

In other news. The renewable energy bubble is popping.
Michael Moore was doing a documentary to show how great it is, but had to admit that it actually doesn't work.
In fact, it costs more energy to produce/maintain etc. than it actually delivers. It does in no way make us less depended on fossil fuels.
And now others have joined in echoing the same thing. Going as far as to say that Germany should've bet on nuclear energy instead.

https://twitter.com/MMFlint/status/1159663891871387659

https://twitter.com/ShellenbergerMD/status/1160429994163593216

Fun fact, Germany is now mostly reliant on energy imports from countries like Russia and to a lesser extend Norway.

[Rufus]

Shellenberger is a hack.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelshellenberger/2019/05/06/the-reason-renewables-cant-power-modern-civilization-is-because-they-were-never-meant-to

At least he doesn't try to hide that NIMBYs are the reason deployment of wind turbines is slowing down.

[Flannel Boy]

Most of Europe is already in a recession or close to it right now.

Aren't two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth required for a recession? I don't think a single EU country had negative growth in the first quarter of 2019. Outside of the UK and Germany (Italy was flat), which countries had (or are expected to report) a contraction in the second quarter?

Also, the EU recently reported its lowest unemployment rate since they started keeping records.

[Nintex]

Most of Europe is already in a recession or close to it right now.

Aren't two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth required for a recession? I don't think a single EU country had negative growth in the first quarter of 2019. Outside of the UK and Germany (Italy was flat), which countries had (or are expected to report) a contraction in the second quarter?

Also, the EU recently reported its lowest unemployment rate since they started keeping records.

Employment numbers are good, but some of those numbers are measured differently than before. Still, that is positive.
Yet, growth is slowing a to a crawl.

The single currency area’s economy expanded by just 0.2 per cent in the second quarter according to Eurostat, the European Commission’s statistics bureau, confirming that growth slowed during the spring on the back of weaker global demand.

Last quarter we only had a 0.2% growth and the first quarter 0.4%. In fact most of that 'average' comes from countries like Spain and Italy which are finally picking up after years of negative growth rates or other economic problems like housing bubbles.
We're pretty much looking at another lost decade if the governments don't act.
https://edition.cnn.com/2019/07/18/business/europe-economy-lost-decade/index.html

Q3 likely won't look much better. The hot weather will be blamed and the summer holidays yadayada but the core issue persists.

[Raist]

Most of Europe is already in a recession or close to it right now.

Aren't two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth required for a recession? I don't think a single EU country had negative growth in the first quarter of 2019. Outside of the UK and Germany (Italy was flat), which countries had (or are expected to report) a contraction in the second quarter?

Also, the EU recently reported its lowest unemployment rate since they started keeping records.

Nintex was too lazy to click the link in the post he replied too

[Nintex]

The numbers don't tell the entire story. Take the Dutch economy for example.
Currently the housing market is a trainwreck. There's not enough housing period, so prices keep going up.

A friend of mine bought a house for 185k about 5 years ago. He never got around finishing the renovation.
He's going to sell it for 250k unfinished in a worse state than it was when he bought it.

A 40 km2 (15 square miles) apartment in this area sets you back 189k. They used to go for ~100 - 120. Amsterdam real estate is insanity. Up to 1 million for a regular family home.
There is what is best described as a single government mandated mortgage package available across all the different banks with a set interest rate. Meanwhile rents keep going up as well.
Some research was done which showed that before 33% of income on average would be spend on rent/mortgage and these days it is up to 50%, sometimes even 60% to 70%.

This bubble will pop and you don't want to be on the other side of it.

[Yeti]

The numbers don't tell the entire story. Take the Dutch economy for example.

[Raist]

The numbers don't tell the entire story. Take the Dutch economy for example.
Currently the housing market is a trainwreck. There's not enough housing period, so prices keep going up.

A friend of mine bought a house for 185k about 5 years ago. He never got around finishing the renovation.
He's going to sell it for 250k unfinished in a worse state than it was when he bought it.

A 40 km2 (15 square miles) apartment in this area sets you back 189k. They used to go for ~100 - 120. Amsterdam real estate is insanity. Up to 1 million for a regular family home.
There is what is best described as a single government mandated mortgage package available across all the different banks with a set interest rate. Meanwhile rents keep going up as well.
Some research was done which showed that before 33% of income on average would be spend on rent/mortgage and these days it is up to 50%, sometimes even 60% to 70%.

This bubble will pop and you don't want to be on the other side of it.

This has absolutely nothing to do with a "recession".

[kingv]

Most of Europe is already in a recession or close to it right now.

Aren't two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth required for a recession? I don't think a single EU country had negative growth in the first quarter of 2019. Outside of the UK and Germany (Italy was flat), which countries had (or are expected to report) a contraction in the second quarter?

Also, the EU recently reported its lowest unemployment rate since they started keeping records.

Nintex was too lazy to click the link in the post he replied too

(Image removed from quote.)

(Image removed from quote.)

Growth over the previous quarter is a really weird metric. There’s a ton of seasonality in the economy because of holidays and shit, so you should always compare with last year.

[Nintex]

3 days ago:


Today:
https://twitter.com/thehill/status/1160953365209198592

Meanwhile in Argentine
https://twitter.com/AFP/status/1160943505532948481

[Raist]

"We need to leave the EU because muh democracy"





"Even if it means that the PM must forcibly shut down parliament"


https://twitter.com/chriscurtis94/status/1161018469451784192

[Tripon]

https://twitter.com/yuenok/status/1160519152685027328