Archive/non-paywall link.

cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/5800183

Archived version

A couple of hundred kilometers southeast of the Serbian capital of Belgrade lies the city of Bor, home to one of the largest reserves of copper in the world and one of the most egregious examples of environmental racism towards a Romani community anywhere in Europe.

In Bor, a community of more than 300 Romani people find themselves unwillingly at the centre of a story of corruption, unscrupulous government contracts, and environmental degradation in a country with a regime on the brink of potential collapse. As the forces of government, a multinational mining company, and the local municipality converge on Bor, it is the Romani people living on the edge of the mine who are left to suffer the indignations of segregation and pollution. Their story exposes the sharp edge of environmental racism in Europe.

...

[In 2018], the Chinese multinational Zijin Mining Group Co., Limited took a 63% controlling interest in [Serbia's state-owned mining company RTB Bor] as part of a $1.26 billion deal with the Serbian government. The name of the mine changed to ‘Serbia Zijin Bor Copper Mine’ and that year the mining operation produced a net income of around €760 million, with most of the profit coming from the conversion of debt into new shares. The exact details of the public tender and what was in the contract that was drawn up between the Government of Serbia and Zijin Mining are not publicly known. What is known is the record of Zijin around the world for grievous human rights abuses, exploitation, and environmental harm. The company faces accusations of forced labour of Uyghur, Kazakh, and Kyrgyz workers in China; forced labour of workers in Tibet; forced evictions of villages in the Democratic Republic of Congo to make way for cobalt mines; poisoning the Tingjiang River in China with toxic waste and threatening water supplies and fishing industries; and allegations of pouring toxic sludge into tunnels in Colombia where informal miners were working.

...

Their activities in Serbia have not been without controversy either. ‘Serbia Zijin Bor Copper Mine’ has been accused of human trafficking, exploitation, and forced labor of Chinese workers after a 2021 investigation by the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network. Protests have also been held around Bor over excessive air pollution that has intensified since Zijin took over the mine in late 2018. The largest was a months-long-blockade of access roads to one of the mines by villagers from nearby Krivelj over pollution and environmental degradation.

...

When Zijin Mining bought Bor Copper Mine, they also bought the land around it. This resulted in the land on which the Romani community live in Herderova Street being transferred to the private ownership of the company ... [Therefore] since 2018, the residents have been unable to register their residence at Herderova Street, and therefore cannot obtain personal identification documents without issue. While some individuals have managed to register with the local social welfare center’s address, many are unable to do so for unclear, untransparent reasons. The absence of a systemic solution prevents all individuals who are living there (or even born there) from obtaining personal identification documents through their actual address, which is a prerequisite for accessing basic infrastructure, public services, and exercising their rights.

...

The European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC) holds the Serbian authorities responsible for failing to protect the rights of the Romani people living at Herderova Street and has filed a legal complaint with the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality. Additional complaints have been sent to the Division for Mining Inspection within the Energy and Mining Ministry, as well as to the Environmental Protection Inspection in the Environmental Protection Ministry. The Mayor of Bor, Aleksandar Milikić, who is from the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), has so far declined to respond to requests for a meeting with the ERRC.

...

For most people in the city of Bor, the revitalization of the mining industry has contributed to the city’s overall economic development. While Bor is booming, though, the Roma living at Herderova Street have not felt the benefits. Instead, they bear the worst consequences of industrial expansion while being systematically excluded from infrastructure improvements and social services. The residents have clearly expressed their desire to relocate to safer, more suitable housing. Until such measures are implemented, urgent improvements to their current living conditions are a necessity. Without intervention, these Romani families in Bor remain at risk of forced eviction and homelessness at worst, or at “best”, remain stuck living on the edge of the mine.

Smaller production lines and those with low capacity utilization are to be relocated from the company's Bavarian headquarters in Stein and from a second site in Geroldsgrün to Brazil and Peru, the company announced.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.zip/post/53795138

Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume told reporters that producing a majority of cars in Germany before exporting them all over the world "doesn't work anymore."

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.zip/post/53793129

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.zip/post/53793117

Brett Ratner, accused of sexual misconduct by several women, will bring his hit franchise back to the big screen

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.today/post/42453153

Congress requires the Pentagon to support the scouting program's Jamboree, a gathering of thousands of young scouts held every three or four years. The U.S. military lends trucks, ambulances and medical teams, and puts on aviation and skydiving demonstrations, all at no cost to the Scouts. For the military, it's both a training exercise and an opportunity to recruit highly motivated, civic-minded kids.

But the law includes an exemption: the Secretary of Defense can withhold support  if he determines providing it would be "detrimental to national security."

Drafts of a report to Congress obtained by NPR show Hegseth invoking that clause — accusing Scouting America of fostering "gender confusion."

His memo to the House and Senate Armed Services committees argues the Scouts have strayed from their mission to "cultivate masculine values." It also claims that with international conflicts and a tight budget, sending troops, doctors and vehicles to a 10-day youth event would harm national security by diverting resources from border operations and protecting U.S. territory.

I can buy the normally very deliciously painful spicy stuff from Walmart now, instead of the pan Asian supermarket. I’ve noticed that it seems to taste wayyyy less spicy. It feels closer to a hot Cheetos spicy than the proper actually painful way it used to taste.

https://archive.is/0U70e

In May Pfizer, America’s biggest drugmaker, agreed to pay $1.25bn in fees to 3SBio, a Chinese biotech firm, for the rights to manufacture and sell an experimental cancer drug outside China, if approved.

GlaxoSmithKline, a British rival, struck a $500m deal with Hengrui, another Chinese company, for a lung-disease treatment and the options to buy 11 more drugs, that together may be valued at as much as $12bn

Such deals are no longer exceptions. In the first half of this year nearly a third of all global licensing agreements signed by big pharma were with Chinese firms—four times the share in 2021

Video Description:

Katie talks to former Green party vice-presidential nominee Butch Ware about his run for Governor of California, his thoughts on Gavin Newsom and Katie Porter and his critique of Zohran Mamdani for protecting Hakeem Jeffries, Zionism and "playing footsie" with fascists.

But first we talk to Bad Hasbara co-hosts Matt Lieb and Daniel Maté about former Obama speech-writer Sarah Hurwitz who has unwittingly exposed the Zionist weaponization of the Holocaust and antisemitism in a way no anti-zionist ever could.

Butch Ware is a lifelong activist and educator specializing in the history of empire, colonialism, genocide and revolution. He is associate professor of History at UC Santa-Barbara. He was the 2024 vice-presidential nominee for the Green Party. He is running for Governor of California.

Matt Lieb is a comedian, podcaster, accidental award winning journalist, and guy from Good Mythical Morning. He hosts the podcast Bad Hasbara. Daniel Maté is the co-host of Bad Hasbara, a musical theater lyricist, the world's only mental chiropractor, and the co-author of "The Myth Of Normal: Trauma, Illness, and Healing in a Toxic Culture" by Gabor Maté. He also co-wrote with Katie the Parody song "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now: The Genocidal Remix" a duet by Biden and Bibi [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEG76hlnhNw]

Tags:

#candaceowenslatest #sabbysabs #mikehuckabee #tulsasurvivor #zohranmamdani #ukrainepeaceplan #geopoliticsinconflict

SponsorBlock:

1. 0:00.000 - 3:07.500 Intermission
2. 3:07.500 - 4:13.540 Sabby Intro
3. 4:13.500 - 7:44.000 Viewer Comments
4. 6:11.500 - 6:36.500 Poll Question for Viewers
5. 7:55.000 - 8:59.500 Unpaid/Self Promotion
6. 9:28.300 - 12:13.600 Thumbnail Segment Overview
7. 12:20.000 - 12:34.000 Interaction Reminder
8. 12:45.500 - 30:23.000 Bonus Story - The Ukraine-Russia 28-Point Peace Plan
9. 30:23.000 - 1:00:31.500 The Death of Viola Fletcher & The Unfulfilled Promise of Justice
10. 1:00:31.500 - 1:19:12.000 What's In Our Food? Pesticides and Processed Secrets
11. 1:19:12.000 - 1:19:57.500 Tangents
12. 1:19:57.500 - 1:45:34.000 Zohran Mamdani's Political Calculations
13. 1:45:34.000 - 1:45:41.400 Tangents
14. 1:45:41.400 - 2:09:47.500 Mike Huckabee's Christian Zionism and Treasonous Associations
15. 2:07:49.500 - 2:07:54.800 Tangents
16. 2:07:54.800 - 2:08:02.500 Interaction Reminder
17. 2:09:47.500 - 2:40:16.500 Candace Owens' Assassination Allegations
18. 2:40:16.500 - 2:41:05.500 Viewer Poll: Fav. Thanksgiving food?
19. 2:41:05.500 - 2:56:36.500 Sabby's closing remarks, EricT Red takes over, Sabby says bye, 11 Demands and MC/DS, Viewer Comments, Sabby Documentary: Removed: Black Erasure in Boston, Live again on Sunday
20. 2:56:36.500 - 2:57:21.945 Endcards/Credits

Generated Summary:

Overall Analysis: "What's In It For Them?"

The host, Sabby, structures the episode around the central question of "What's in it for them?" This theme is applied to each story to uncover the underlying motives of powerful individuals, corporations, and governments, often pointing to profit, power, and the preservation of corrupt systems.

Segment-by-Segment Breakdown

1. 3:07.500 - 4:13.540: Sabby Intro

• Content: Sabby introduces the show, announces the week's schedule, and establishes the night's theme: "What's in it for them?"
• Key Points: She previews the six major stories, focusing on the hidden agendas behind each.

2. 4:13.500 - 7:44.000: Viewer Comments & 6:11.500 - 6:36.500 Poll Question

• Content: Interaction with the live audience. A poll is launched asking viewers for their favorite Thanksgiving food.
• Key Points: Comments reflect audience interest in the Candace Owens story and mixed feelings about Thanksgiving.

3. 7:55.000 - 8:59.500: Unpaid/Self Promotion

• Content: Shout-outs to patrons and a promotion for the Revolutionary Blackout Network.

4. 9:28.300 - 12:13.600: Thumbnail Segment Overview

• Content: Sabby quickly recaps the night's stories, emphasizing their sensational nature and connection to the central theme.

5. 12:20.000 - 12:34.000: Interaction Reminder

• Content: A brief call to action for viewers to like and subscribe.

6. 12:45.500 - 30:23.000: Bonus Story - The Ukraine-Russia 28-Point Peace Plan

• Content: Analysis of a leaked peace plan, framed as the US admitting Ukraine has lost the war.
• Key Points:
  • The plan is presented as a "Russian wish list," requiring Ukraine to cede territory, limit its military, and renounce NATO.
  • Sabby argues this was a predictable outcome of a NATO/US proxy war, initiated with the 2014 coup.
  • "What's in it for them?" Answer: Profit for the military-industrial complex. The war is characterized as a money-laundering scheme where human lives are the cost.

7. 30:23.000 - 1:00:31.500: The Death of Viola Fletcher & The Unfulfilled Promise of Justice

• Content: A tribute to Viola Fletcher, the 111-year-old survivor of the Tulsa Race Massacre, who died without receiving reparations or justice.
• Key Points:
  • Sabby connects the destruction of Black Wall Street to a pattern of disrupting Black generational wealth and community.
  • She sharply criticizes Barack Obama for his posthumous statement, asking why his administration did not act when he was in a position of power.
  • She plays a clip of Obama's Morehouse speech, critiquing his rhetoric as dismissive of the need for reparations.
  • "What's in it for them?" Answer: Upholding white supremacy and the corporate class by preventing Black communities from achieving economic power and true repair.

8. 1:00:31.500 - 1:19:12.000: What's In Our Food? Pesticides and Processed Secrets

• Content: An investigation into harmful substances in the food supply.
• Key Points:
  • Discusses the EPA's approval of pesticides with PFAS ("forever chemicals") on vegetables.
  • Covers a lawsuit against Campbell's Soup, where a VP allegedly admitted the company sells low-quality, "bioengineered" food to poor people.
  • Uses a viral video to illustrate the excessive, unhealthy ingredients in processed foods like Little Debbie snacks.
  • "What's in it for them?" Answer: Profit. It's cheaper to produce chemically-laden food, and a sick population is more profitable for the healthcare industry.

9. 1:19:57.500 - 1:45:34.000: Zohran Mamdani's Political Calculations

• Content: Analysis of NYC Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani's endorsement of Hakeem Jeffries for Speaker and his opposition to a primary challenge against him.
• Key Points:
  • Sabby interprets this as Mamdani "governing like a moderate" and playing the Democratic Party's political game.
  • She is critical of this "cautious" approach, arguing it leads to capitulation rather than change, especially since Jeffries is a staunch Israel supporter.
  • "What's in it for them?" Answer: Political career advancement. Sabby suggests a backroom deal was made where Mamdani trades support for help passing his agenda.

10. 1:45:34.000 - 2:09:47.500: Mike Huckabee's Christian Zionism and Treasonous Associations

• Content: Critique of Mike Huckabee's advocacy for Christian Zionism and his association with a convicted Israeli spy.
• Key Points:
  • Condemns Huckabee's argument that Christians have a biblical obligation to support Israel.
  • Highlights Huckabee's past advocacy for Jonathan Pollard, an Israeli spy who passed US intelligence to Israel, which Sabby labels as "treasonous."
  • "What's in it for them?" Answer: Advancing a Zionist geopolitical agenda, which Sabby defines as a "settler colonial project" that serves US economic and strategic interests in the region.

11. 2:09:47.500 - 2:40:16.500: Candace Owens' Assassination Allegations

• Content: A detailed breakdown of Candace Owens' claim that the Macron administration has placed a hit on her.
• Key Points:
  • Sabby presents a timeline linking Owens' firing from The Daily Wire to her investigations into Brigitte Macron's past and her criticism of Israel.
  • She notes that Owens claims to have been contacted by the White House and Donald Trump, asking her to stop the Macron coverage to facilitate a Ukraine peace deal.
  • While acknowledging the gravity of the claim, Sabby finds it credible, asking what Owens would gain by lying given her already successful platform.
  • "What's in it for them?" Answer: Silencing a powerful critic who has revealed damaging information about powerful figures (the Macrons) and shifted the narrative on Israel.

12. 2:40:16.500 - 2:41:05.500: Viewer Poll Result

• Content: Reveal of the Thanksgiving poll results: Side dishes won with 40% of the vote.

13. 2:41:05.500 - 2:56:36.500: Closing Remarks & Handoff to EricT Red

• Content: Sabby signs off for the week. EricT Red takes over to promote the "11 Demands" collective and the "MCDS" (Money, Corruption, Demands, Solutions) framework, tying the night's stories back to systemic corruption. Sabby's documentary, "Removed: Black Erasure in Boston," is promoted.

14. 2:56:36.500 - 2:57:21.945: Endcards/Credits

• Content: Standard show closing with music.

Edit:

1. Added SponsorBlock and a Generated Summary; Format and title fonts improved

"Jolani/Mamdani is just so smart bro you just dont understand bro."

Hi all :)

I've got a media server set up running Navidrome, Calibre-Web, and Immich along with some other services, and want to get access to them from outside the house now. I've read that Caddy is good for securing things by making it easier to set up encryption, but I'm not sure I understand that side of things.

I've set up a Cloudflare tunnel for a Minecraft server, and I've got Tailscale installed but not set up with an exit server yet, but understand that Caddy would be better. I ideally want to set up apps on my wife's phone so that she can access the libraries too.

Is it just a case of installing Caddy and setting up the services I want to share through it? That seems too easy, like I've missed something.

If it makes any difference, I've got a standard UK ISP router with a few ports forwarded, and I'm going to add an access point and then a LevelOne GEP-5070 managed switch to learn about things like VLANs. The link to the switch is here:

https://mayflex.com/shop/product/GEP-5070

I feel like I'm missing something, but can't think what, so I'd be grateful for any help :)