Lemmy Today

Cross posted from: https://quokk.au/post/100225

Not looking for an ID but found in central BC

cross-posted from: https://jlai.lu/post/22560365

Lesotho's reliance on the United States has left the country on the brink of disaster following the Trump administration's decision to cut off aid. Its manufacturing sector too is under threat, thanks to uncertainty around the renewal of the African Growth and Opportunity Act.

Lesotho has declared a national state of disaster for the next two years, amid the fallout from tariffs and aid cuts imposed by the US.

With unemployment already around 30 percent, the government is warning of an additional 40,000 job losses in the textile sector if the US African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) is not renewed by the end of September.

AGOA gave preferential access for African goods to the US markets, under certain conditions. Lesotho was one of its biggest beneficiaries, exporting textiles to the US.

In April, US President Donald Trump announced 50 percent tariffs – higher than any country – on goods from Lesotho. The tariffs have since been paused and a flat 10 percent rate is currently being applied to most countries.

Oscar van Heerden, senior research fellow at the Centre for African Diplomacy and Leadership at the University of Johannesburg, told RFI that the Trump administration is weaponising trade through its use of tariffs.

"Trump doesn't care about the consequences for Lesotho. What he wants is a good deal for the United States and to recalibrate what he considers to be trade deficits for the US," he said. "There is clearly something – but we don't know what – he wants from Lesotho and that’s why he has slapped it with such a high tariff. The 50 percent tariffs makes no sense."

Van Heerden called the policies adopted by the Trump administration a step back into colonial times.

"The Trump administration with the weaponisation of tariffs are taking us back to the master-servant colonial era, where the weak must suffer and the strong will decide. That’s precisely what is happening with Lesotho," he said.

He added that Lesotho must think outside the box. The country's Prime Minister Sam Matekane said in June that the solution for unemployment lies in intensive labour and sectoral transformation.

"We are not only investing in traditional sectors but also embracing innovation and creativity. We aim to empower mostly women and young Basotho with meaningful jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities," Matekane said.

Finance minister Retselisitsoe Matlanyane described youth unemployment as a "significant" challenge for Lesotho. According to a coalition of youth organisations, 48.8 percent of young people in the country cannot find a job.

According to Van Heerden, the US administration – through Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth – has made it clear that it is not interested in AGOA.

"There's no way that AGOA is going to be renewed," he said. "The Trump administration is talking with a forked tongue. It gives the impression that there is room for negotiation, but the truth is they've made up their mind.

"They will negotiate with countries in Africa where they can benefit in terms of critical, strategic minerals and other sectors of interest to them. They're not really interested in doing business with Lesotho."

He added that it will be an uphill battle for the Lesotho government.

"I suspect they are going to turn to SACU [the Southern African Customs Union] and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) for loans and bailouts, and where that fails, they will have to turn to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to try and recover some funds, if indeed they have some collateral to bargain with in order to secure loans."

The abolition of USAID programmes to Lesotho, including the crucial Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, combined with the unemployment crisis, has compounded the risk of violence among young people, according to Van Heerden.

"There is potential for the pot to explode, given the level of dissatisfaction among the population. And that's why I think in preparation for any eventuality, the Lesotho government decided to declare a state of emergency to handle this situation.

"It is trying to keep the [heat] contained for now, if it is at all possible, while at the same time looking at alternatives, in terms of loans and markets."

In July last year, Lesotho declared a state of National Food Insecurity Disaster after a historic drought triggered by El Niño led to the lowest crop yields since the 2018-19 agricultural season.

The Pan Piper - Solea -- Miles Davis & Quincy Jones (Kenny Garrett on alto sax)

Snip:

Moscow warns the United States, South Korea, and Japan against using their relations as a tool to target Russia and North Korea, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference following talks with his North Korean counterpart Choe Son Hui in Wonsan.

"The North Korean leadership drew the necessary conclusions long before the Israeli and US strikes on Iran," he said in response to a related question. "These conclusions were made in good time, and no one is considering using force against North Korea despite the military buildup around the country by the United States, South Korea, and Japan."

"We warn against exploiting these ties to build alliances directed against anyone, including North Korea and, of course, Russia," Lavrov concluded.

Some key steps I take from this: identify decision makers / funders, coordinate organizations to campaign, and perform sustained protests and civil disobedience. Working to close concentration camps seems potentially more feasible than fighting armed goons. ICE conveniently provides a list of their locations so you can see what's in your state.

Hey!

Ich habe hier in meinem NFT System eine Girl Scout Cookies gezogen. Im Hintergrund stehen auch zwei größere Stecklinge, die sind gerade etwas schwach auf den Rippen aber zeigen Anzeichen der Besserung. Ich habe die einer arg groben Behandlung gegen Mehltau ausgesetzt, weil ich das nicht im Zelt haben wollte, und die dabei beinahe gekillt. Sollten sie sich erholen, dann hab ich im Hintergrund noch eine Lemon Skunk und eine Blueberry Pancakes stehen 😄 dann brauche ich die Banana vorne, die wohl nicht kommen will, auch nicht.

In die restlichen Töpfe kommt ein bisschen was kleines - Strasberries, eine Kreuzung aus Erdbeere und Himbeere, und eine spezielle Sorte kleiner Melonen.

Ich hab keine Ahnung ob das was wird - so ungefähr könnte das aber hinkommen mit den Nährstoffleveln meine ich. Platztechnisch - Melone vllt sportlich.

Ich probiere gerne viel rum, gerade mit der Nutzung von organischen Beigaben auf nem Hydroponischen System. Das TA Silikat hat mich dazu gebracht - bessere Resistenz gegen alles klingt schon verdammt gut. Dazu bin ich über Fulvin und Huminsäure gestolpert, habe dann bemerkt, dass Huminsäure eher für Erde und Bioponics gedacht ist. Bioponics ist quasi das Leben in der Erde nachgebaut in Wasser. Die Pilze, Trichoderma, brauchen einen Biofilter im Wasser den sie besiedeln können. Sauerstoff am Biofilter lieben die. Seegrasextrakt gibts auch noch... Das bringt alles viele Vorteile, zu denen ich einfach mal Harley Smith's Video über Biostimulants verlinke. Das geht nicht auf alle die ich verwende ein und listet noch andere auf, aber einiges sollte darin vorkommen. Die Nährstoffe mach ich tatsächlich noch mineralisch 😄 Von dem TA Silikat bin ich jetzt aber umgestiegen, meiner Meinung nach ist das Pulver aber zu anstrengend in der Anwendung, wenn man bedenkt dass die in Ihrer Studie mit reinem Potassium Silicate arbeiten und sich so unter Laborbedingungen anstrengen müssen ums zu lösen, während das TA Silikat organischer Herkunft ist und aus folgendem besteht:

Silicate salts = 84% (their SiO2 = 43%)

Carbonate = 16%

CaO = 13.46%

MgO = 2.95%

Iron (Fe) = 2.4%

Magnesium (Mg) = 1.8%

Sulfur (S) = 0.15%

Calcium (Ca) = 9%

Teilweise lösen sich die Inhaltsstoffe nicht, daher sammelt sich auf dem Boden eine Schicht Schlack, die einfach nur Pumpen verstopfen wird. Das kann man abfiltern und dann Pflanzen in der Erde geben, ja, aber... der ganze Prozess ist nicht geil. Steige um auf eine Kieselsäure-Lösung. Die kann ich viel leichter verwenden und sie sollte gegenüber der Kaliumsilikatlösung auch als Blattdünger potentiell besser funktionieren weil Kieselsäure direkt absorbiert werden kann während Kaliumsilikat erst umgewandelt werden muss. An den Wurzeln gilt prinzipiell das gleiche, ob das aber einen Unterschied ausmacht, ich weiss es nicht.

Außerdem hat mich jemand auf der GPN darauf gebracht, dass ich mir ein automatisiertes pH up/down System bauen könnte. Die Daten habe ich ja schon 😄

Best pizza I've made yet. Diastatic malt powder is a real game changer.

It's just off Route 3 South of Boston near the Cape: Plymouth County Correctional Facility (Google Maps link).

And the "Feedback and Complaints" tab on the ICE site lists a Burlington, MA address.

If you feel that an ICE employee or contract services employee mistreated you and wish to make a complaint of misconduct, you may: Contact the Field Office Director at: Field Office Director, Enforcement and Removal Operations U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement 1000 District Avenue Burlington, MA 01803 (781) 359-7500

Are folks aware of any ongoing efforts to protest or close these sites? There's an account of successfully closing a detention center in PA.

Rosie O’Donnell fired right back at Donald Trump after he threatened to revoke her U.S. citizenship in a post on Truth Social on Saturday morning.

The comedian and former talk show host, a longtime critic of the president, was — like Trump — born in New York to one American-born parent and one immigrant parent.

In a blistering response to his threat, she called him “King Joffrey with a tangerine spray tan,” a reference to a much-hated, sadistic, authoritarian character from Game of Thrones.

Maceo Parker - Shake everything you've got (feat. Fred Wesley, Pee Wee Ellis) on JAZE.club

JazzU Allstars - Live at Jazz St. Louis