Notices by Joanna Bryson, blathering (j2bryson@mastodon.social)

"Those who claim to be the guardians of the rules-based international order must not apply double standards when it comes to international law,"

Germany's UN defeat: What went wrong?

Austria and Portugal have won seats on the UN Security Council, ending Germany's 40-year streak. DW examines the foreign policy questions raised by Berlin's defeat.
https://www.dw.com/en/why-did-germany-lose-un-security-council-seat/a-77420221

But the fact is that we now have a large political party [reform, uk] bankrolled by an overseas billionaire whose wealth is tied to a cryptoasset that our own law enforcement agencies have flagged as a tool used in Russia-linked illicit finance.”

Under Joe Biden, the justice department had taken on the industry. Bankman-Fried was convicted. Others went to jail, too, or paid fines. Faced with this existential threat, the industry raised hundreds of millions for political donations, sums to match those spent by big oil and Wall Street.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/apr/25/christopher-harborne-mystery-billionaire-bankrolling-reform-uk-nigel-farage?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Or a great life. I've never owned a car, you can add most cities of the world to this list (outside the US)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2026/04/08/best-walkable-american-cities/

Not that Trump cares (at least not negatively) if he kills millions, cf USAID.

"After a campaign online and through SMS texts to sign up for the human chains nationwide, officials claimed that more than 14 million people had joined. It was not immediately possible to verify that figure or how many people were taking part, although initial images showed dozens involved at each location."
https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2026/04/07/iranians-form-human-chains-at-power-plants-according-to-state-media-and-local-journalists_6752197_4.html

At least one country cares about #warcrimes

Australia arrests decorated veteran on war crimes charges

Ben Roberts-Smith is a Victoria Cross recipient and had been linked to the murder of unarmed civilians while deployed in Afghanistan.
https://www.dw.com/en/australia-arrests-decorated-veteran-ben-roberts-smith-on-war-crimes-charges/a-76682712

@Infoseepage I was having a lot of trouble tracking your thread back and figuring out where you are. If it'sSerbia, I'm more surprised by the Chinese!

@Infoseepage why Cyrillic — Russian border? Lots of Russian tourists?

RE: https://mastodon.online/@Geri/116290884370800922

Capital punishment has been completely abolished in all European countries except for Belarus and Russia, the latter of which has a moratorium and has not conducted an execution since 1996. The absolute ban on capital punishment is enshrined in both the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (EU) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_punishment_by_country

@Geri @kcarruthers Capital punishment has been completely abolished in all European countries except for Belarus and Russia, the latter of which has a moratorium and has not conducted an execution since 1996. The absolute ban on capital punishment is enshrined in both the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (EU) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_punishment_by_country

RE: https://mastodon.coffee/@vacapinta/116091219793674502

Quoting to make a thread.

#giftArticle

Why do republicans quit the house so much younger than democrats? Unclean living?
https://wapo.st/4c4oWCh

“But Democrats have made little headway in persuading Americans that they have better ideas or policies to offer.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/02/22/trump-disapproval-post-poll/?no_nav=true&utm_campaign=tt_2510:a;rct_2406:2&utm_source=webview&utm_medium=referral_home

Politics tinged Friday’s ceremony when Vice President JD Vance received a round of boos at San Siro Stadium after being shown on a big screen. Italy’s Corriere della Sera newspaper reported that he was booed again on Saturday while leaving a women’s hockey match between the U.S. and Finland, as jeers erupted from a part of the arena mainly filled with American fans.

On Saturday, thousands of protesters shouting slogans and holding signs including “ICE out” and “Defend Minneapolis” gathered at Milan’s Piazzale Medaglie D’Oro for a march that was intended to end in the vicinity of the main Olympic Village.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/olympics/2026/02/07/protests-winter-olympics-italy/

Germany news: Majority see Trump as threat to nation

A new poll finds more than 60% of Germans see the US president as a major threat. It comes as the president's actions and rhetoric have alienated US allies. Follow DW here for the latest.
https://www.dw.com/en/germany-news-majority-see-trump-as-threat-to-nation/live-75639462

Everyone should read Canada's PM Carney's speech at Davos, but there's way too many things everyone should read, so here's a precise:

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn🇱🇮activity:7419668428354924544/

The German engineering trade group, whose members include vital tool machine exporters, urged the EU to face Trump down. “If the EU gives in here, it will only encourage the US president to make the next ludicrous demand and threaten further tariffs,” said Bertram Kawlath, the president of the German engineering association VDMA.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/19/european-industry-donald-trump-greenland-eu-us-tariffs?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Denmark fumes over new US envoy to Greenland

US President Donald Trump's newly named envoy has said he hopes to help "make Greenland part of the US." Denmark, which controls the autonomous island, is "deeply angered" according to its foreign minister.
https://www.dw.com/en/denmark-fumes-over-new-us-envoy-to-greenland/a-75267414

This is the trap many Democrats are currently in – they produce pie charts to show that the majority of immigrants snatched off the streets are not criminals, but they do not say that to detain 65,000 people is an authoritarian act. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/nov/29/chicago-ice-oppression-us-community-immigration-raid?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other