China: National People’s Congress passes controversial “ethnic unity” law

Source: Deutsche Welle [German state media]

“China’s National People’s Congress approved legislation promoting what it calls the ‘ethnic unity’ law, which human rights groups say could further marginalize minority groups. The law formalizes policies in order to promote Mandarin as the ‘national common language’ for official purposes such as education and public affairs. As part of the law, educational institutions will now be obliged to teach in Mandarin, with teenagers required to have a ‘basic grasp’ of Mandarin when finishing their compulsory education. It also states that the law can be applied outside China’s borders, meaning people outside China who ‘engage in activities that undermine ethnic unity'” or incite ‘ethnic separatism’ can be held legally liable.” (03/12/26)

https://www.dw.com/en/china-passes-controversial-ethnic-unity-law/a-76331170

Thomas L. Knapp

The Horn of Africa Is Ready to Explode

Source: Libertarian Institute
by Joseph Solis-Mullen

“Though the dust from the devastating Tigray War of 2020–2022 has barely settled, the Horn of Africa once again appears to be drifting toward catastrophe. Recent developments suggest a growing risk of renewed conflict involving Ethiopia’s federal government, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), and neighboring Eritrea. Military buildups, drone strikes, and a rising chorus of diplomatic accusations all point to a region edging back toward war. Should fighting resume, the consequences would be severe: hundreds of thousands more lives potentially lost, humanitarian crises deepening, and the possibility of outside powers becoming entangled in yet another regional conflict. To understand the present tensions, one must revisit the recent history that forged this volatile triangle.” (03/12/26)

https://libertarianinstitute.org/articles/the-horn-of-africa-is-ready-to-explode

Thomas L. Knapp

Right-Wing Attacks on James Talarico Are a Reminder That Christian Extremism Is Official Republican Policy

Source: Liberal Currents
by Alan Elrod

“The reaction to Talarico’s Christian rhetoric demonstrates the ways in which far-right theology is about underwriting misogyny and racism.” (03/12/26)

https://www.liberalcurrents.com/right-wing-attacks-on-james-talarico-are-a-reminder-that-christian-extremism-is-official-republican-policy/

Thomas L. Knapp

TX: Senate GOP Uses AI Deepfake to Attack Talarico

Source: Common Dreams

“In the latest example of Republicans using artificially generated deepfakes to attack their opponents, the Senate GOP’s official social media account has posted an attack ad depicting a synthetic version of Texas Democrat James Talarico, a state representative and US Senate candidate. The video, posted on Wednesday to the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) page on X, portrays a frighteningly realistic approximation of Talarico’s (D-50) appearance and voice. The state representative, who won the Democratic nomination for Texas’[s] US Senate seat in a primary earlier this month, is depicted reading an array of old social media posts that the NRSC described as ‘extreme statements praising transgenderism, twisting Christian beliefs, and advocating for open borders.'” [editor’s note: All they need to do is play his existing actual words – SAT] [editor’s note: Neither deepfakes nor real quotes will reduce even that guy to Paxton’s depths of depravity, though – TLK] (03/12/26)

https://www.commondreams.org/news/gop-talarico-deepfake

Steve Trinward

The Iran war’s early lessons

Source: Responsible Statecraft
by Mark Thompson

“There’s nothing like a war to put new military hardware to the test. Early top scorers in the U.S. military’s arsenal include the Low-cost Uncrewed Combat Attack System (LUCAS) kamikaze drone and the long-range Precision Strike Missile (PrSM). The most expensive weapon system in world history — the F-35 fighter — got its first combat kill against a crewed aircraft (even if it was an Israeli F-35 downing an Iranian trainer). Speaking of cost, it’s worth noting that the LUCAS drone boasts ‘Low-Cost’ as part of its official name. That’s because each drone costs only about $35,000, a bargain in Pentagon terms. That’s the good news. The bad news is that it’s a copy of Iran’s Shahed-136.” (03/12/26)

https://responsiblestatecraft.org/iran-war-lessons/

Thomas L. Knapp

Iran War Exposes America’s Unfixed Supply Chains

Source: The American Prospect
by David Dayen

“One of the more fascinating sidelights of our war of choice in Iran is how it has reinforced the devastating consequences of our hollowed-out industrial base, consolidated commercial sector, and overreliance on long intermediated supply chains. For example, the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz carries implications for not only oil but also fertilizer, right at the height of the spring planting season. About one-third of the world’s fertilizer ships through the strait, and without access, prices have jumped and farmers are anxious. Yet there are enough natural resources in the United States — nitrogen, phosphate, potash — to serve all our fertilizer needs; in fact, in the 1930s and ’40s one of the largest fertilizer producers in the world was the Tennessee Valley Authority.” (03/12/26)

https://prospect.org/2026/03/12/iran-war-trump-military-america-israel-ukraine-bombs-supply-chains/

Steve Trinward