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1000 results for “Assam_in_china”
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It’s already turning into a bit of week 😰 Elderly Gt Aunt is clearly at the point of needing formal home help but has capacity & is refusing to accept it. Her neighbours are exhausted, and worried (as am I). How we can encourage her to accept a bit of carer support that would mean she can stay in her home? Can anyone recommend a home care company in North Norfolk? Is there temporary support we can call on over Xmas? 🙏🏻 #Ageing #Care #SupportAtHome #IndependentLiving #Norfolk #NorthNorfolk
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It’s already turning into a bit of week 😰 Elderly Gt Aunt is clearly at the point of needing formal home help but has capacity & is refusing to accept it. Her neighbours are exhausted, and worried (as am I). How we can encourage her to accept a bit of carer support that would mean she can stay in her home? Can anyone recommend a home care company in North Norfolk? Is there temporary support we can call on over Xmas? 🙏🏻 #Ageing #Care #SupportAtHome #IndependentLiving #Norfolk #NorthNorfolk
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It’s already turning into a bit of week 😰 Elderly Gt Aunt is clearly at the point of needing formal home help but has capacity & is refusing to accept it. Her neighbours are exhausted, and worried (as am I). How we can encourage her to accept a bit of carer support that would mean she can stay in her home? Can anyone recommend a home care company in North Norfolk? Is there temporary support we can call on over Xmas? 🙏🏻 #Ageing #Care #SupportAtHome #IndependentLiving #Norfolk #NorthNorfolk
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It’s already turning into a bit of week 😰 Elderly Gt Aunt is clearly at the point of needing formal home help but has capacity & is refusing to accept it. Her neighbours are exhausted, and worried (as am I). How we can encourage her to accept a bit of carer support that would mean she can stay in her home? Can anyone recommend a home care company in North Norfolk? Is there temporary support we can call on over Xmas? 🙏🏻 #Ageing #Care #SupportAtHome #IndependentLiving #Norfolk #NorthNorfolk
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Asian Small-clawed Otter Aonyx cinereus
Asian Small-clawed Otter Aonyx cinereus
IUCN Red List Status: Vulnerable
Locations: India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Taiwan, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia (Sumatra, Borneo, Java), The Philippines (Palawan)
Found in freshwater wetlands, peat swamps, mangroves, hill streams and rice fields across South and Southeast Asia, with a genetically distinct and critically impacted subspecies (Aonyx cinereus nirnai) in the Western Ghats of India.
The Asian Small-clawed #Otter, the world’s smallest otter species — is inquisitive, intelligent, and highly social. They are listed as #Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and are declining rapidly due to #palmoil #tea and #coffee #deforestation, #poaching, #pesticide #pollution, and the illegal pet trade. Their fragile habitat in the Western Ghats, India home to the subspecies Aonyx cinereus nirnai, is being destroyed at an alarming rate for palm oil monocultures, plantations, and hydropower development. Boycott #palmoil and demand protection for these sensitive and intelligent wetland sentinels. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife #Vegan #BoycottMeat
The Asian Small-Clawed Otter 🦦🩷 is the smallest #otter in the 🌎. A tenacious survivor in #Asia’s vast #rivers, #pesticide pollution and #palmoil #ecocide now pose grave threats. Help them when you #Boycottpalmoil 🌴⛔️ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2026/03/22/asian-small-clawed-otter-aonyx-cinereus/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterCommunicating with chirps and whistles, endearing Asian Small-Clawed #Otters live in rowdy groups 🦦😘 They’re #vulnerable from the illegal #pet trade and #palmoil #deforestation. #Boycottpalmoil 🌴🩸❌ #Boycott4Wildlife in the supermarket! @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2026/03/22/asian-small-clawed-otter-aonyx-cinereus/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterAppearance and Behaviour
With silky chocolate-brown fur, pale undersides and a broad, flat face, the Asian Small-clawed Otter has a distinct charm. Their tiny claws don’t extend past their fingers — an adaptation that gives them remarkable dexterity for catching prey. They weigh only 2.7 to 3.5 kg and reach lengths of 73 to 96 cm, making them the smallest otter species in the world.
Highly vocal and playful, these otters live in tight-knit family groups of up to 15. They communicate with at least a dozen vocalisations — chirps, squeals and whistles — and use communal latrines to mark their territories. In the Western Ghats, they are more active at night and prefer rugged hill streams with dense grasses and rocky pools for cover and escape routes.
Threats
Palm oil deforestation and peat swamp destruction
Across Southeast Asia, especially in Indonesia and Malaysia, vast areas of peat swamp forests and mangroves — critical habitats for Asian Small-clawed Otters — have been destroyed to make way for palm oil plantations. These plantations drain wetlands, replace diverse ecosystems with monocultures, and leave otters with no access to food or cover. In India, the expansion of palm oil into the Western Ghats under so-called ‘green development’ initiatives is now destroying the rocky hill stream habitats used by the Aonyx cinereus nirnai subspecies. This deforestation not only eliminates their shelter and food sources but also causes soil erosion and alters the hydrology of entire watersheds.
Conversion of forests to palm oil, tea and coffee plantations in the Western Ghats
In southern India, particularly in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, large-scale conversion of native forests to palm oil, tea and coffee plantations is reducing the range of Aonyx cinereus nirnai. These monocultures fragment stream habitats and introduce pesticides that poison aquatic life. Studies have found the otters avoiding plantation areas due to lack of vegetation cover and prey (Raha & Hussain, 2016). As a result, the Western Ghats population is now restricted to narrow, isolated pockets, surrounded by human-altered landscapes that are increasingly inhospitable to them.
Capture for the Illegal pet trade and cruel conditions in pet cafés
The Asian Small-clawed Otter is the most heavily trafficked otter species in Asia’s exotic pet trade. Between 2016 and 2017, over 700 individuals were recorded for sale online in countries like Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam (Gomez & Bouhuys, 2018). Many are poached from the wild as pups, leading to the death of their parents and collapse of social groups. Captive conditions in pet cafés and private homes cause extreme stress and suffering — and demand is rising due to social media content that normalises otter ownership.
Poaching for pelts and traditional use
Poaching continues to be a severe threat in South Asia. In the Western Ghats, otters are hunted for their pelts and body parts, which are used in traditional medicine or sold on the black market. Reports from protected areas in India reveal organised trapping and trade routes extending across state lines (Prakash et al., 2012). These killings often go undocumented due to weak enforcement, and they rapidly deplete already fragile local populations.
Overfishing and prey depletion
In many parts of Asia, otters face competition from humans for aquatic prey. Overfishing in rivers, lakes, and mangroves has drastically reduced populations of crabs, mudskippers, and fish species that form the core of the otter’s diet. Pollution from fish farms and chemical runoff further weakens these food webs, making otter survival harder during dry or lean seasons. In some areas, otters are also deliberately killed by fishers who perceive them as pests competing for the same resources.
Pesticide run-off pollution from agriculture
Agricultural runoff from palm oil, tea and coffee plantations containing pesticides, herbicides, and heavy metals has been shown to poison water sources throughout the otter’s range. In the Western Ghats of India and parts of Southeast Asia, such contaminants accumulate in the food chain and affect the physiology of aquatic mammals. Polluted waterways reduce prey availability and can lead to bioaccumulation of toxins in otters, weakening their immune systems and reproductive capacity. This is especially critical in closed or stagnant freshwater systems like rice paddies and irrigation channels, where contamination is concentrated.
Hydropower development and infrastructure fragmentation
Dams and hydroelectric projects throughout the Western Ghats and Southeast Asia have altered river flow, submerged natural habitats, and fragmented otter territories. These developments destroy riverine connectivity, which otters rely on to forage and disperse. For the nirnai subspecies, hill streams once connected across forest corridors are now interrupted by roads, canals, and dams — leading to isolated, unsustainable populations. Infrastructure development often proceeds without proper environmental assessments, disregarding the needs of aquatic species like otters.
Climate change and habitat drying
Shifts in monsoon patterns, increased droughts, and rising temperatures are affecting the wetlands and rivers that Asian Small-clawed Otters depend on. Reduced water flow in dry seasons can strand otter families and eliminate key feeding pools. In the Western Ghats, erratic rainfall is already altering seasonal resource use patterns for A. c. nirnai, increasing their vulnerability to disturbance (Narasimmarajan et al., 2024). Climate stress, combined with other threats, compounds the likelihood of local extinctions.
Geographic Range
Their range stretches across India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia (including Borneo, Sumatra, Java), the Philippines (Palawan), China and Taiwan. In India, they are found in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, West Bengal, Odisha, Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. They are absent from large swathes of their historical range, including the Western Himalayas.
The genetically distinct subspecies Aonyx cinereus nirnai is restricted to the Western Ghats’ Moyar River and surrounding hill streams. This biodiverse stronghold is currently being cleared for palm oil plantations, hydropower projects, and invasive monocultures, putting this population in grave danger.
Diet
Asian Small-clawed Otters are primarily crustacean specialists. Their diet includes crabs, snails, molluscs, fish such as mudskippers and catfish, amphibians, insects, snakes, and even rodents. Scat analysis in Malaysia and Thailand revealed crabs to be the most frequent prey, often making up over 80% of their diet.
In rice fields and mangroves, they may leave molluscs out in the sun to soften the shells before eating — a sign of their intelligence and adaptability. Seasonal changes in water levels influence the availability of prey, leading to subtle shifts in their dietary habits throughout the year.
Mating and Reproduction
These otters are monogamous and breed year-round, with gestation lasting 62–86 days. Litters typically include 2–7 pups. In captivity, they start breeding at around 18 months of age, and may live up to 11 years. Parents build nests together before birth and both contribute to raising the young. Pups begin to open their eyes around five weeks old and start swimming with their mothers at around three months.
FAQs
How many Asian Small-clawed Otters are left in the wild?
There is no global population estimate, but their numbers are declining throughout their range. In China and Cambodia, they are now almost locally extinct, with only a few scattered sightings since 2006 (Li & Chan, 2017; Heng et al., 2016). Surveys in India confirm drastic reductions in range, especially from west to east, over the past 60 years (Hussain et al., 2011).
What is the lifespan of the Asian ?
In captivity, Asian Small-clawed Otters can live up to 11 years (Crandall, 1964). Their lifespan in the wild is likely shorter due to environmental pressures and poaching.
Why are Asian Small Clawed Otters endangered?
They are threatened by habitat loss from logging, plantations, palm oil, pollution, and construction of dams. In the Western Ghats, the genetically distinct nirnai subspecies is losing habitat to hydropower development and palm oil monocultures, which destroy the narrow, rocky streams they depend on (Narasimmarajan et al., 2024).
Do Asian Small-clawed Otters make good pets?
Absolutely not. Keeping them as pets is cruel and selfish. They are wild animals with complex social and environmental needs. The illegal pet trade is driving them towards extinction, causing immense suffering and ripping family groups apart (Gomez & Bouhuys, 2018). Buying a pet otter and also sharing pet otter content on social media fuels this horrific industry — if you love otters, protect them in the wild! Do not buy them as pets or support this cruel industry!
How is palm oil affecting their survival?
Palm oil plantations have destroyed vast tracts of mangroves, peat swamps, and wetlands in Malaysia, Indonesia, and now India. In the Western Ghats, forests are being cleared for palm oil under the guise of “afforestation” and “reforestation” using non-native species. This directly threatens the survival of A. c. nirnai (Narasimmarajan et al., 2024).
Take Action!
Raise your voice for the smallest otter in the world. Every time you shop, Boycott palm oil and reject products linked to deforestation and wetland destruction. Support indigenous-led conservation efforts in the Western Ghats and Southeast Asia.
Never buy otters or exotic animals — their capture fuels extinction. Adopt a plant-based lifestyle to protect wetlands, rivers and biodiversity. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife #Vegan #BoycottMeat
Support Asian Small-Clawed Otters by going vegan and boycotting palm oil in the supermarket, it’s the #Boycott4Wildlife
Support the conservation of this species
This animal has no protections in place. Read about other forgotten species here. Create art to support this forgotten animal or raise awareness about them by sharing this post and using the #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife hashtags on social media. Also you can boycott palm oil in the supermarket.
Further Information
Gomez, L., & Bouhuys, J. (2018). Illegal otter trade: An analysis of seizures in selected Asian countries (1980–2015). TRAFFIC. https://www.traffic.org/site/assets/files/2402/illegal-otter-trade-asia.pdf
Narasimmarajan, K., Mathai, M. T., Hayward, M. W., & Palanivel, S. (2024). Lesser-known sentinels: Role of environmental variables influencing the seasonal resource use patterns of Asian Small-clawed Otters (Aonyx cinereus nirnai) in the Western Ghats Moyar River Biodiversity Hotspots. IUCN Otter Spec. Group Bull., 41(5), 296–310. https://iucnosgbull.org/Volume41/Narasimmarajan_et_al_2024a.pdf
Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Asian small-clawed otter. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_small-clawed_otter
Wright, L., de Silva, P.K., Chan, B.P.L., Reza Lubis, I. & Basak, S. 2021. Aonyx cinereus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021: e.T44166A164580923. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T44166A164580923.en. Accessed on 17 April 2025.
How can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?
Take Action in Five Ways
1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.
Enter your email address
Sign Up
Join 3,179 other subscribers2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.
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Read moreHow do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
Read more3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
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Read more about RSPO greenwashing
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Read more #animals #Asia #AsianSmallClawedOtterAonyxCinereus #Bangladesh #Bhutan #Borneo #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottMeat #BoycottPalmOil #Cambodia #China #climateChange #coffee #dams #deforestation #ecocide #ForgottenAnimals #hunting #illegalPetTrade #India #Indonesia #infrastructure #Laos #Mammal #mangroves #Myanmar #Nepal #Otter #Otters #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #pesticide #pet #Philippines #poachers #poaching #pollution #rivers #SouthEastAsia #Sumatra #tea #Thailand #vegan #Vietnam #vulnerable #VulnerableSpecies #Wetlands -
Asian Small-clawed Otter Aonyx cinereus
Asian Small-clawed Otter Aonyx cinereus
IUCN Red List Status: Vulnerable
Locations: India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Taiwan, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia (Sumatra, Borneo, Java), The Philippines (Palawan)
Found in freshwater wetlands, peat swamps, mangroves, hill streams and rice fields across South and Southeast Asia, with a genetically distinct and critically impacted subspecies (Aonyx cinereus nirnai) in the Western Ghats of India.
The Asian Small-clawed #Otter, the world’s smallest otter species — is inquisitive, intelligent, and highly social. They are listed as #Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and are declining rapidly due to #palmoil #tea and #coffee #deforestation, #poaching, #pesticide #pollution, and the illegal pet trade. Their fragile habitat in the Western Ghats, India home to the subspecies Aonyx cinereus nirnai, is being destroyed at an alarming rate for palm oil monocultures, plantations, and hydropower development. Boycott #palmoil and demand protection for these sensitive and intelligent wetland sentinels. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife #Vegan #BoycottMeat
The Asian Small-Clawed Otter 🦦🩷 is the smallest #otter in the 🌎. A tenacious survivor in #Asia’s vast #rivers, #pesticide pollution and #palmoil #ecocide now pose grave threats. Help them when you #Boycottpalmoil 🌴⛔️ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2026/03/22/asian-small-clawed-otter-aonyx-cinereus/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterCommunicating with chirps and whistles, endearing Asian Small-Clawed #Otters live in rowdy groups 🦦😘 They’re #vulnerable from the illegal #pet trade and #palmoil #deforestation. #Boycottpalmoil 🌴🩸❌ #Boycott4Wildlife in the supermarket! @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2026/03/22/asian-small-clawed-otter-aonyx-cinereus/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterAppearance and Behaviour
With silky chocolate-brown fur, pale undersides and a broad, flat face, the Asian Small-clawed Otter has a distinct charm. Their tiny claws don’t extend past their fingers — an adaptation that gives them remarkable dexterity for catching prey. They weigh only 2.7 to 3.5 kg and reach lengths of 73 to 96 cm, making them the smallest otter species in the world.
Highly vocal and playful, these otters live in tight-knit family groups of up to 15. They communicate with at least a dozen vocalisations — chirps, squeals and whistles — and use communal latrines to mark their territories. In the Western Ghats, they are more active at night and prefer rugged hill streams with dense grasses and rocky pools for cover and escape routes.
Threats
Palm oil deforestation and peat swamp destruction
Across Southeast Asia, especially in Indonesia and Malaysia, vast areas of peat swamp forests and mangroves — critical habitats for Asian Small-clawed Otters — have been destroyed to make way for palm oil plantations. These plantations drain wetlands, replace diverse ecosystems with monocultures, and leave otters with no access to food or cover. In India, the expansion of palm oil into the Western Ghats under so-called ‘green development’ initiatives is now destroying the rocky hill stream habitats used by the Aonyx cinereus nirnai subspecies. This deforestation not only eliminates their shelter and food sources but also causes soil erosion and alters the hydrology of entire watersheds.
Conversion of forests to palm oil, tea and coffee plantations in the Western Ghats
In southern India, particularly in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, large-scale conversion of native forests to palm oil, tea and coffee plantations is reducing the range of Aonyx cinereus nirnai. These monocultures fragment stream habitats and introduce pesticides that poison aquatic life. Studies have found the otters avoiding plantation areas due to lack of vegetation cover and prey (Raha & Hussain, 2016). As a result, the Western Ghats population is now restricted to narrow, isolated pockets, surrounded by human-altered landscapes that are increasingly inhospitable to them.
Capture for the Illegal pet trade and cruel conditions in pet cafés
The Asian Small-clawed Otter is the most heavily trafficked otter species in Asia’s exotic pet trade. Between 2016 and 2017, over 700 individuals were recorded for sale online in countries like Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam (Gomez & Bouhuys, 2018). Many are poached from the wild as pups, leading to the death of their parents and collapse of social groups. Captive conditions in pet cafés and private homes cause extreme stress and suffering — and demand is rising due to social media content that normalises otter ownership.
Poaching for pelts and traditional use
Poaching continues to be a severe threat in South Asia. In the Western Ghats, otters are hunted for their pelts and body parts, which are used in traditional medicine or sold on the black market. Reports from protected areas in India reveal organised trapping and trade routes extending across state lines (Prakash et al., 2012). These killings often go undocumented due to weak enforcement, and they rapidly deplete already fragile local populations.
Overfishing and prey depletion
In many parts of Asia, otters face competition from humans for aquatic prey. Overfishing in rivers, lakes, and mangroves has drastically reduced populations of crabs, mudskippers, and fish species that form the core of the otter’s diet. Pollution from fish farms and chemical runoff further weakens these food webs, making otter survival harder during dry or lean seasons. In some areas, otters are also deliberately killed by fishers who perceive them as pests competing for the same resources.
Pesticide run-off pollution from agriculture
Agricultural runoff from palm oil, tea and coffee plantations containing pesticides, herbicides, and heavy metals has been shown to poison water sources throughout the otter’s range. In the Western Ghats of India and parts of Southeast Asia, such contaminants accumulate in the food chain and affect the physiology of aquatic mammals. Polluted waterways reduce prey availability and can lead to bioaccumulation of toxins in otters, weakening their immune systems and reproductive capacity. This is especially critical in closed or stagnant freshwater systems like rice paddies and irrigation channels, where contamination is concentrated.
Hydropower development and infrastructure fragmentation
Dams and hydroelectric projects throughout the Western Ghats and Southeast Asia have altered river flow, submerged natural habitats, and fragmented otter territories. These developments destroy riverine connectivity, which otters rely on to forage and disperse. For the nirnai subspecies, hill streams once connected across forest corridors are now interrupted by roads, canals, and dams — leading to isolated, unsustainable populations. Infrastructure development often proceeds without proper environmental assessments, disregarding the needs of aquatic species like otters.
Climate change and habitat drying
Shifts in monsoon patterns, increased droughts, and rising temperatures are affecting the wetlands and rivers that Asian Small-clawed Otters depend on. Reduced water flow in dry seasons can strand otter families and eliminate key feeding pools. In the Western Ghats, erratic rainfall is already altering seasonal resource use patterns for A. c. nirnai, increasing their vulnerability to disturbance (Narasimmarajan et al., 2024). Climate stress, combined with other threats, compounds the likelihood of local extinctions.
Geographic Range
Their range stretches across India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia (including Borneo, Sumatra, Java), the Philippines (Palawan), China and Taiwan. In India, they are found in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, West Bengal, Odisha, Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. They are absent from large swathes of their historical range, including the Western Himalayas.
The genetically distinct subspecies Aonyx cinereus nirnai is restricted to the Western Ghats’ Moyar River and surrounding hill streams. This biodiverse stronghold is currently being cleared for palm oil plantations, hydropower projects, and invasive monocultures, putting this population in grave danger.
Diet
Asian Small-clawed Otters are primarily crustacean specialists. Their diet includes crabs, snails, molluscs, fish such as mudskippers and catfish, amphibians, insects, snakes, and even rodents. Scat analysis in Malaysia and Thailand revealed crabs to be the most frequent prey, often making up over 80% of their diet.
In rice fields and mangroves, they may leave molluscs out in the sun to soften the shells before eating — a sign of their intelligence and adaptability. Seasonal changes in water levels influence the availability of prey, leading to subtle shifts in their dietary habits throughout the year.
Mating and Reproduction
These otters are monogamous and breed year-round, with gestation lasting 62–86 days. Litters typically include 2–7 pups. In captivity, they start breeding at around 18 months of age, and may live up to 11 years. Parents build nests together before birth and both contribute to raising the young. Pups begin to open their eyes around five weeks old and start swimming with their mothers at around three months.
FAQs
How many Asian Small-clawed Otters are left in the wild?
There is no global population estimate, but their numbers are declining throughout their range. In China and Cambodia, they are now almost locally extinct, with only a few scattered sightings since 2006 (Li & Chan, 2017; Heng et al., 2016). Surveys in India confirm drastic reductions in range, especially from west to east, over the past 60 years (Hussain et al., 2011).
What is the lifespan of the Asian ?
In captivity, Asian Small-clawed Otters can live up to 11 years (Crandall, 1964). Their lifespan in the wild is likely shorter due to environmental pressures and poaching.
Why are Asian Small Clawed Otters endangered?
They are threatened by habitat loss from logging, plantations, palm oil, pollution, and construction of dams. In the Western Ghats, the genetically distinct nirnai subspecies is losing habitat to hydropower development and palm oil monocultures, which destroy the narrow, rocky streams they depend on (Narasimmarajan et al., 2024).
Do Asian Small-clawed Otters make good pets?
Absolutely not. Keeping them as pets is cruel and selfish. They are wild animals with complex social and environmental needs. The illegal pet trade is driving them towards extinction, causing immense suffering and ripping family groups apart (Gomez & Bouhuys, 2018). Buying a pet otter and also sharing pet otter content on social media fuels this horrific industry — if you love otters, protect them in the wild! Do not buy them as pets or support this cruel industry!
How is palm oil affecting their survival?
Palm oil plantations have destroyed vast tracts of mangroves, peat swamps, and wetlands in Malaysia, Indonesia, and now India. In the Western Ghats, forests are being cleared for palm oil under the guise of “afforestation” and “reforestation” using non-native species. This directly threatens the survival of A. c. nirnai (Narasimmarajan et al., 2024).
Take Action!
Raise your voice for the smallest otter in the world. Every time you shop, Boycott palm oil and reject products linked to deforestation and wetland destruction. Support indigenous-led conservation efforts in the Western Ghats and Southeast Asia.
Never buy otters or exotic animals — their capture fuels extinction. Adopt a plant-based lifestyle to protect wetlands, rivers and biodiversity. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife #Vegan #BoycottMeat
Support Asian Small-Clawed Otters by going vegan and boycotting palm oil in the supermarket, it’s the #Boycott4Wildlife
Support the conservation of this species
This animal has no protections in place. Read about other forgotten species here. Create art to support this forgotten animal or raise awareness about them by sharing this post and using the #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife hashtags on social media. Also you can boycott palm oil in the supermarket.
Further Information
Gomez, L., & Bouhuys, J. (2018). Illegal otter trade: An analysis of seizures in selected Asian countries (1980–2015). TRAFFIC. https://www.traffic.org/site/assets/files/2402/illegal-otter-trade-asia.pdf
Narasimmarajan, K., Mathai, M. T., Hayward, M. W., & Palanivel, S. (2024). Lesser-known sentinels: Role of environmental variables influencing the seasonal resource use patterns of Asian Small-clawed Otters (Aonyx cinereus nirnai) in the Western Ghats Moyar River Biodiversity Hotspots. IUCN Otter Spec. Group Bull., 41(5), 296–310. https://iucnosgbull.org/Volume41/Narasimmarajan_et_al_2024a.pdf
Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Asian small-clawed otter. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_small-clawed_otter
Wright, L., de Silva, P.K., Chan, B.P.L., Reza Lubis, I. & Basak, S. 2021. Aonyx cinereus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021: e.T44166A164580923. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T44166A164580923.en. Accessed on 17 April 2025.
How can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?
Take Action in Five Ways
1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.
Enter your email address
Sign Up
Join 3,179 other subscribers2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.
Read moreMel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings
Read moreAnthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao
Read moreHealth Physician Dr Evan Allen
Read moreThe World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
Read moreHow do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
Read more3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
Pledge your supportLearn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture
Global South America S.E. Asia India Africa West Papua & PNGMarsupials thought extinct for 6,000 years found in West Papua
Keep readingGursky’s Spectral Tarsier Tarsius spectrumgurskyae
Keep readingSunda Flying Lemur Galeopterus variegatus
Keep readingWestern Parotia Parotia sefilata
Keep readingCapped Langur Trachypithecus pileatus
Keep readingMountain Tapir Tapirus pinchaque
Keep readingLearn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing
Read more about RSPO greenwashing
Lying Fake labels Indigenous Land-grabbing Human rights abuses Deforestation Human health hazardsA 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)
Read more #animals #Asia #AsianSmallClawedOtterAonyxCinereus #Bangladesh #Bhutan #Borneo #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottMeat #BoycottPalmOil #Cambodia #China #climateChange #coffee #dams #deforestation #ecocide #ForgottenAnimals #hunting #illegalPetTrade #India #Indonesia #infrastructure #Laos #Mammal #mangroves #Myanmar #Nepal #Otter #Otters #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #pesticide #pet #Philippines #poachers #poaching #pollution #rivers #SouthEastAsia #Sumatra #tea #Thailand #vegan #Vietnam #vulnerable #VulnerableSpecies #Wetlands -
Asian Small-clawed Otter Aonyx cinereus
Asian Small-clawed Otter Aonyx cinereus
IUCN Red List Status: Vulnerable
Locations: India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Taiwan, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia (Sumatra, Borneo, Java), The Philippines (Palawan)
Found in freshwater wetlands, peat swamps, mangroves, hill streams and rice fields across South and Southeast Asia, with a genetically distinct and critically impacted subspecies (Aonyx cinereus nirnai) in the Western Ghats of India.
The Asian Small-clawed #Otter, the world’s smallest otter species — is inquisitive, intelligent, and highly social. They are listed as #Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and are declining rapidly due to #palmoil #tea and #coffee #deforestation, #poaching, #pesticide #pollution, and the illegal pet trade. Their fragile habitat in the Western Ghats, India home to the subspecies Aonyx cinereus nirnai, is being destroyed at an alarming rate for palm oil monocultures, plantations, and hydropower development. Boycott #palmoil and demand protection for these sensitive and intelligent wetland sentinels. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife #Vegan #BoycottMeat
The Asian Small-Clawed Otter 🦦🩷 is the smallest #otter in the 🌎. A tenacious survivor in #Asia’s vast #rivers, #pesticide pollution and #palmoil #ecocide now pose grave threats. Help them when you #Boycottpalmoil 🌴⛔️ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2026/03/22/asian-small-clawed-otter-aonyx-cinereus/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterCommunicating with chirps and whistles, endearing Asian Small-Clawed #Otters live in rowdy groups 🦦😘 They’re #vulnerable from the illegal #pet trade and #palmoil #deforestation. #Boycottpalmoil 🌴🩸❌ #Boycott4Wildlife in the supermarket! @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2026/03/22/asian-small-clawed-otter-aonyx-cinereus/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterAppearance and Behaviour
With silky chocolate-brown fur, pale undersides and a broad, flat face, the Asian Small-clawed Otter has a distinct charm. Their tiny claws don’t extend past their fingers — an adaptation that gives them remarkable dexterity for catching prey. They weigh only 2.7 to 3.5 kg and reach lengths of 73 to 96 cm, making them the smallest otter species in the world.
Highly vocal and playful, these otters live in tight-knit family groups of up to 15. They communicate with at least a dozen vocalisations — chirps, squeals and whistles — and use communal latrines to mark their territories. In the Western Ghats, they are more active at night and prefer rugged hill streams with dense grasses and rocky pools for cover and escape routes.
Threats
Palm oil deforestation and peat swamp destruction
Across Southeast Asia, especially in Indonesia and Malaysia, vast areas of peat swamp forests and mangroves — critical habitats for Asian Small-clawed Otters — have been destroyed to make way for palm oil plantations. These plantations drain wetlands, replace diverse ecosystems with monocultures, and leave otters with no access to food or cover. In India, the expansion of palm oil into the Western Ghats under so-called ‘green development’ initiatives is now destroying the rocky hill stream habitats used by the Aonyx cinereus nirnai subspecies. This deforestation not only eliminates their shelter and food sources but also causes soil erosion and alters the hydrology of entire watersheds.
Conversion of forests to palm oil, tea and coffee plantations in the Western Ghats
In southern India, particularly in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, large-scale conversion of native forests to palm oil, tea and coffee plantations is reducing the range of Aonyx cinereus nirnai. These monocultures fragment stream habitats and introduce pesticides that poison aquatic life. Studies have found the otters avoiding plantation areas due to lack of vegetation cover and prey (Raha & Hussain, 2016). As a result, the Western Ghats population is now restricted to narrow, isolated pockets, surrounded by human-altered landscapes that are increasingly inhospitable to them.
Capture for the Illegal pet trade and cruel conditions in pet cafés
The Asian Small-clawed Otter is the most heavily trafficked otter species in Asia’s exotic pet trade. Between 2016 and 2017, over 700 individuals were recorded for sale online in countries like Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam (Gomez & Bouhuys, 2018). Many are poached from the wild as pups, leading to the death of their parents and collapse of social groups. Captive conditions in pet cafés and private homes cause extreme stress and suffering — and demand is rising due to social media content that normalises otter ownership.
Poaching for pelts and traditional use
Poaching continues to be a severe threat in South Asia. In the Western Ghats, otters are hunted for their pelts and body parts, which are used in traditional medicine or sold on the black market. Reports from protected areas in India reveal organised trapping and trade routes extending across state lines (Prakash et al., 2012). These killings often go undocumented due to weak enforcement, and they rapidly deplete already fragile local populations.
Overfishing and prey depletion
In many parts of Asia, otters face competition from humans for aquatic prey. Overfishing in rivers, lakes, and mangroves has drastically reduced populations of crabs, mudskippers, and fish species that form the core of the otter’s diet. Pollution from fish farms and chemical runoff further weakens these food webs, making otter survival harder during dry or lean seasons. In some areas, otters are also deliberately killed by fishers who perceive them as pests competing for the same resources.
Pesticide run-off pollution from agriculture
Agricultural runoff from palm oil, tea and coffee plantations containing pesticides, herbicides, and heavy metals has been shown to poison water sources throughout the otter’s range. In the Western Ghats of India and parts of Southeast Asia, such contaminants accumulate in the food chain and affect the physiology of aquatic mammals. Polluted waterways reduce prey availability and can lead to bioaccumulation of toxins in otters, weakening their immune systems and reproductive capacity. This is especially critical in closed or stagnant freshwater systems like rice paddies and irrigation channels, where contamination is concentrated.
Hydropower development and infrastructure fragmentation
Dams and hydroelectric projects throughout the Western Ghats and Southeast Asia have altered river flow, submerged natural habitats, and fragmented otter territories. These developments destroy riverine connectivity, which otters rely on to forage and disperse. For the nirnai subspecies, hill streams once connected across forest corridors are now interrupted by roads, canals, and dams — leading to isolated, unsustainable populations. Infrastructure development often proceeds without proper environmental assessments, disregarding the needs of aquatic species like otters.
Climate change and habitat drying
Shifts in monsoon patterns, increased droughts, and rising temperatures are affecting the wetlands and rivers that Asian Small-clawed Otters depend on. Reduced water flow in dry seasons can strand otter families and eliminate key feeding pools. In the Western Ghats, erratic rainfall is already altering seasonal resource use patterns for A. c. nirnai, increasing their vulnerability to disturbance (Narasimmarajan et al., 2024). Climate stress, combined with other threats, compounds the likelihood of local extinctions.
Geographic Range
Their range stretches across India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia (including Borneo, Sumatra, Java), the Philippines (Palawan), China and Taiwan. In India, they are found in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, West Bengal, Odisha, Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. They are absent from large swathes of their historical range, including the Western Himalayas.
The genetically distinct subspecies Aonyx cinereus nirnai is restricted to the Western Ghats’ Moyar River and surrounding hill streams. This biodiverse stronghold is currently being cleared for palm oil plantations, hydropower projects, and invasive monocultures, putting this population in grave danger.
Diet
Asian Small-clawed Otters are primarily crustacean specialists. Their diet includes crabs, snails, molluscs, fish such as mudskippers and catfish, amphibians, insects, snakes, and even rodents. Scat analysis in Malaysia and Thailand revealed crabs to be the most frequent prey, often making up over 80% of their diet.
In rice fields and mangroves, they may leave molluscs out in the sun to soften the shells before eating — a sign of their intelligence and adaptability. Seasonal changes in water levels influence the availability of prey, leading to subtle shifts in their dietary habits throughout the year.
Mating and Reproduction
These otters are monogamous and breed year-round, with gestation lasting 62–86 days. Litters typically include 2–7 pups. In captivity, they start breeding at around 18 months of age, and may live up to 11 years. Parents build nests together before birth and both contribute to raising the young. Pups begin to open their eyes around five weeks old and start swimming with their mothers at around three months.
FAQs
How many Asian Small-clawed Otters are left in the wild?
There is no global population estimate, but their numbers are declining throughout their range. In China and Cambodia, they are now almost locally extinct, with only a few scattered sightings since 2006 (Li & Chan, 2017; Heng et al., 2016). Surveys in India confirm drastic reductions in range, especially from west to east, over the past 60 years (Hussain et al., 2011).
What is the lifespan of the Asian Small Clawed Otter?
In captivity, Asian Small-clawed Otters can live up to 11 years (Crandall, 1964). Their lifespan in the wild is likely shorter due to environmental pressures and poaching.
Why are Asian Small Clawed Otters endangered?
They are threatened by habitat loss from logging, plantations, palm oil, pollution, and construction of dams. In the Western Ghats, the genetically distinct nirnai subspecies is losing habitat to hydropower development and palm oil monocultures, which destroy the narrow, rocky streams they depend on (Narasimmarajan et al., 2024).
Do Asian Small-clawed Otters make good pets?
Absolutely not. Keeping them as pets is cruel and selfish. They are wild animals with complex social and environmental needs. The illegal pet trade is driving them towards extinction, causing immense suffering and ripping family groups apart (Gomez & Bouhuys, 2018). Buying a pet otter and also sharing pet otter content on social media fuels this horrific industry — if you love otters, protect them in the wild! Do not buy them as pets or support this cruel industry!
How is palm oil affecting their survival?
Palm oil plantations have destroyed vast tracts of mangroves, peat swamps, and wetlands in Malaysia, Indonesia, and now India. In the Western Ghats, forests are being cleared for palm oil under the guise of “afforestation” and “reforestation” using non-native species. This directly threatens the survival of A. c. nirnai (Narasimmarajan et al., 2024).
Take Action!
Raise your voice for the smallest otter in the world. Every time you shop, Boycott palm oil and reject products linked to deforestation and wetland destruction. Support indigenous-led conservation efforts in the Western Ghats and Southeast Asia.
Never buy otters or exotic animals — their capture fuels extinction. Adopt a plant-based lifestyle to protect wetlands, rivers and biodiversity. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife #Vegan #BoycottMeat
Support Asian Small-Clawed Otters by going vegan and boycotting palm oil in the supermarket, it’s the #Boycott4Wildlife
Support the conservation of this species
This animal has no protections in place. Read about other forgotten species here. Create art to support this forgotten animal or raise awareness about them by sharing this post and using the #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife hashtags on social media. Also you can boycott palm oil in the supermarket.
Further Information
Gomez, L., & Bouhuys, J. (2018). Illegal otter trade: An analysis of seizures in selected Asian countries (1980–2015). TRAFFIC. https://www.traffic.org/site/assets/files/2402/illegal-otter-trade-asia.pdf
Narasimmarajan, K., Mathai, M. T., Hayward, M. W., & Palanivel, S. (2024). Lesser-known sentinels: Role of environmental variables influencing the seasonal resource use patterns of Asian Small-clawed Otters (Aonyx cinereus nirnai) in the Western Ghats Moyar River Biodiversity Hotspots. IUCN Otter Spec. Group Bull., 41(5), 296–310. https://iucnosgbull.org/Volume41/Narasimmarajan_et_al_2024a.pdf
Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Asian small-clawed otter. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_small-clawed_otter
Wright, L., de Silva, P.K., Chan, B.P.L., Reza Lubis, I. & Basak, S. 2021. Aonyx cinereus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021: e.T44166A164580923. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T44166A164580923.en. Accessed on 17 April 2025.
How can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?
Take Action in Five Ways
1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.
Enter your email address
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Join 3,178 other subscribers2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.
Read moreMel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings
Read moreAnthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao
Read moreHealth Physician Dr Evan Allen
Read moreThe World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
Read moreHow do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
Read more3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
Pledge your supportLearn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture
Global South America S.E. Asia India Africa West Papua & PNGMarsupials thought extinct for 6,000 years found in West Papua
Keep readingGursky’s Spectral Tarsier Tarsius spectrumgurskyae
Keep readingSunda Flying Lemur Galeopterus variegatus
Keep readingWestern Parotia Parotia sefilata
Keep readingCapped Langur Trachypithecus pileatus
Keep readingMountain Tapir Tapirus pinchaque
Keep readingLearn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing
Read more about RSPO greenwashing
Lying Fake labels Indigenous Land-grabbing Human rights abuses Deforestation Human health hazardsA 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)
Read more #animals #Asia #AsianSmallClawedOtterAonyxCinereus #Bangladesh #Bhutan #Borneo #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottMeat #BoycottPalmOil #Cambodia #China #climateChange #coffee #dams #deforestation #ecocide #ForgottenAnimals #hunting #illegalPetTrade #India #Indonesia #infrastructure #Laos #Mammal #mangroves #Myanmar #Nepal #Otter #Otters #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #pesticide #pet #Philippines #poachers #poaching #pollution #rivers #SouthEastAsia #Sumatra #tea #Thailand #vegan #Vietnam #vulnerable #VulnerableSpecies #Wetlands -
Asian Small-clawed Otter Aonyx cinereus
Asian Small-clawed Otter Aonyx cinereus
IUCN Red List Status: Vulnerable
Locations: India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Taiwan, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia (Sumatra, Borneo, Java), The Philippines (Palawan)
Found in freshwater wetlands, peat swamps, mangroves, hill streams and rice fields across South and Southeast Asia, with a genetically distinct and critically impacted subspecies (Aonyx cinereus nirnai) in the Western Ghats of India.
The Asian Small-clawed #Otter, the world’s smallest otter species — is inquisitive, intelligent, and highly social. They are listed as #Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and are declining rapidly due to #palmoil #tea and #coffee #deforestation, #poaching, #pesticide #pollution, and the illegal pet trade. Their fragile habitat in the Western Ghats, India home to the subspecies Aonyx cinereus nirnai, is being destroyed at an alarming rate for palm oil monocultures, plantations, and hydropower development. Boycott #palmoil and demand protection for these sensitive and intelligent wetland sentinels. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife #Vegan #BoycottMeat
The Asian Small-Clawed Otter 🦦🩷 is the smallest #otter in the 🌎. A tenacious survivor in #Asia’s vast #rivers, #pesticide pollution and #palmoil #ecocide now pose grave threats. Help them when you #Boycottpalmoil 🌴⛔️ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2026/03/22/asian-small-clawed-otter-aonyx-cinereus/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterCommunicating with chirps and whistles, endearing Asian Small-Clawed #Otters live in rowdy groups 🦦😘 They’re #vulnerable from the illegal #pet trade and #palmoil #deforestation. #Boycottpalmoil 🌴🩸❌ #Boycott4Wildlife in the supermarket! @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2026/03/22/asian-small-clawed-otter-aonyx-cinereus/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterAppearance and Behaviour
With silky chocolate-brown fur, pale undersides and a broad, flat face, the Asian Small-clawed Otter has a distinct charm. Their tiny claws don’t extend past their fingers — an adaptation that gives them remarkable dexterity for catching prey. They weigh only 2.7 to 3.5 kg and reach lengths of 73 to 96 cm, making them the smallest otter species in the world.
Highly vocal and playful, these otters live in tight-knit family groups of up to 15. They communicate with at least a dozen vocalisations — chirps, squeals and whistles — and use communal latrines to mark their territories. In the Western Ghats, they are more active at night and prefer rugged hill streams with dense grasses and rocky pools for cover and escape routes.
Threats
Palm oil deforestation and peat swamp destruction
Across Southeast Asia, especially in Indonesia and Malaysia, vast areas of peat swamp forests and mangroves — critical habitats for Asian Small-clawed Otters — have been destroyed to make way for palm oil plantations. These plantations drain wetlands, replace diverse ecosystems with monocultures, and leave otters with no access to food or cover. In India, the expansion of palm oil into the Western Ghats under so-called ‘green development’ initiatives is now destroying the rocky hill stream habitats used by the Aonyx cinereus nirnai subspecies. This deforestation not only eliminates their shelter and food sources but also causes soil erosion and alters the hydrology of entire watersheds.
Conversion of forests to palm oil, tea and coffee plantations in the Western Ghats
In southern India, particularly in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, large-scale conversion of native forests to palm oil, tea and coffee plantations is reducing the range of Aonyx cinereus nirnai. These monocultures fragment stream habitats and introduce pesticides that poison aquatic life. Studies have found the otters avoiding plantation areas due to lack of vegetation cover and prey (Raha & Hussain, 2016). As a result, the Western Ghats population is now restricted to narrow, isolated pockets, surrounded by human-altered landscapes that are increasingly inhospitable to them.
Capture for the Illegal pet trade and cruel conditions in pet cafés
The Asian Small-clawed Otter is the most heavily trafficked otter species in Asia’s exotic pet trade. Between 2016 and 2017, over 700 individuals were recorded for sale online in countries like Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam (Gomez & Bouhuys, 2018). Many are poached from the wild as pups, leading to the death of their parents and collapse of social groups. Captive conditions in pet cafés and private homes cause extreme stress and suffering — and demand is rising due to social media content that normalises otter ownership.
Poaching for pelts and traditional use
Poaching continues to be a severe threat in South Asia. In the Western Ghats, otters are hunted for their pelts and body parts, which are used in traditional medicine or sold on the black market. Reports from protected areas in India reveal organised trapping and trade routes extending across state lines (Prakash et al., 2012). These killings often go undocumented due to weak enforcement, and they rapidly deplete already fragile local populations.
Overfishing and prey depletion
In many parts of Asia, otters face competition from humans for aquatic prey. Overfishing in rivers, lakes, and mangroves has drastically reduced populations of crabs, mudskippers, and fish species that form the core of the otter’s diet. Pollution from fish farms and chemical runoff further weakens these food webs, making otter survival harder during dry or lean seasons. In some areas, otters are also deliberately killed by fishers who perceive them as pests competing for the same resources.
Pesticide run-off pollution from agriculture
Agricultural runoff from palm oil, tea and coffee plantations containing pesticides, herbicides, and heavy metals has been shown to poison water sources throughout the otter’s range. In the Western Ghats of India and parts of Southeast Asia, such contaminants accumulate in the food chain and affect the physiology of aquatic mammals. Polluted waterways reduce prey availability and can lead to bioaccumulation of toxins in otters, weakening their immune systems and reproductive capacity. This is especially critical in closed or stagnant freshwater systems like rice paddies and irrigation channels, where contamination is concentrated.
Hydropower development and infrastructure fragmentation
Dams and hydroelectric projects throughout the Western Ghats and Southeast Asia have altered river flow, submerged natural habitats, and fragmented otter territories. These developments destroy riverine connectivity, which otters rely on to forage and disperse. For the nirnai subspecies, hill streams once connected across forest corridors are now interrupted by roads, canals, and dams — leading to isolated, unsustainable populations. Infrastructure development often proceeds without proper environmental assessments, disregarding the needs of aquatic species like otters.
Climate change and habitat drying
Shifts in monsoon patterns, increased droughts, and rising temperatures are affecting the wetlands and rivers that Asian Small-clawed Otters depend on. Reduced water flow in dry seasons can strand otter families and eliminate key feeding pools. In the Western Ghats, erratic rainfall is already altering seasonal resource use patterns for A. c. nirnai, increasing their vulnerability to disturbance (Narasimmarajan et al., 2024). Climate stress, combined with other threats, compounds the likelihood of local extinctions.
Geographic Range
Their range stretches across India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia (including Borneo, Sumatra, Java), the Philippines (Palawan), China and Taiwan. In India, they are found in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, West Bengal, Odisha, Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. They are absent from large swathes of their historical range, including the Western Himalayas.
The genetically distinct subspecies Aonyx cinereus nirnai is restricted to the Western Ghats’ Moyar River and surrounding hill streams. This biodiverse stronghold is currently being cleared for palm oil plantations, hydropower projects, and invasive monocultures, putting this population in grave danger.
Diet
Asian Small-clawed Otters are primarily crustacean specialists. Their diet includes crabs, snails, molluscs, fish such as mudskippers and catfish, amphibians, insects, snakes, and even rodents. Scat analysis in Malaysia and Thailand revealed crabs to be the most frequent prey, often making up over 80% of their diet.
In rice fields and mangroves, they may leave molluscs out in the sun to soften the shells before eating — a sign of their intelligence and adaptability. Seasonal changes in water levels influence the availability of prey, leading to subtle shifts in their dietary habits throughout the year.
Mating and Reproduction
These otters are monogamous and breed year-round, with gestation lasting 62–86 days. Litters typically include 2–7 pups. In captivity, they start breeding at around 18 months of age, and may live up to 11 years. Parents build nests together before birth and both contribute to raising the young. Pups begin to open their eyes around five weeks old and start swimming with their mothers at around three months.
FAQs
How many Asian Small-clawed Otters are left in the wild?
There is no global population estimate, but their numbers are declining throughout their range. In China and Cambodia, they are now almost locally extinct, with only a few scattered sightings since 2006 (Li & Chan, 2017; Heng et al., 2016). Surveys in India confirm drastic reductions in range, especially from west to east, over the past 60 years (Hussain et al., 2011).
What is the lifespan of the Asian Small Clawed Otter?
In captivity, Asian Small-clawed Otters can live up to 11 years (Crandall, 1964). Their lifespan in the wild is likely shorter due to environmental pressures and poaching.
Why are Asian Small Clawed Otters endangered?
They are threatened by habitat loss from logging, plantations, palm oil, pollution, and construction of dams. In the Western Ghats, the genetically distinct nirnai subspecies is losing habitat to hydropower development and palm oil monocultures, which destroy the narrow, rocky streams they depend on (Narasimmarajan et al., 2024).
Do Asian Small-clawed Otters make good pets?
Absolutely not. Keeping them as pets is cruel and selfish. They are wild animals with complex social and environmental needs. The illegal pet trade is driving them towards extinction, causing immense suffering and ripping family groups apart (Gomez & Bouhuys, 2018). Buying a pet otter and also sharing pet otter content on social media fuels this horrific industry — if you love otters, protect them in the wild! Do not buy them as pets or support this cruel industry!
How is palm oil affecting their survival?
Palm oil plantations have destroyed vast tracts of mangroves, peat swamps, and wetlands in Malaysia, Indonesia, and now India. In the Western Ghats, forests are being cleared for palm oil under the guise of “afforestation” and “reforestation” using non-native species. This directly threatens the survival of A. c. nirnai (Narasimmarajan et al., 2024).
Take Action!
Raise your voice for the smallest otter in the world. Every time you shop, Boycott palm oil and reject products linked to deforestation and wetland destruction. Support indigenous-led conservation efforts in the Western Ghats and Southeast Asia.
Never buy otters or exotic animals — their capture fuels extinction. Adopt a plant-based lifestyle to protect wetlands, rivers and biodiversity. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife #Vegan #BoycottMeat
Support Asian Small-Clawed Otters by going vegan and boycotting palm oil in the supermarket, it’s the #Boycott4Wildlife
Support the conservation of this species
This animal has no protections in place. Read about other forgotten species here. Create art to support this forgotten animal or raise awareness about them by sharing this post and using the #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife hashtags on social media. Also you can boycott palm oil in the supermarket.
Further Information
Gomez, L., & Bouhuys, J. (2018). Illegal otter trade: An analysis of seizures in selected Asian countries (1980–2015). TRAFFIC. https://www.traffic.org/site/assets/files/2402/illegal-otter-trade-asia.pdf
Narasimmarajan, K., Mathai, M. T., Hayward, M. W., & Palanivel, S. (2024). Lesser-known sentinels: Role of environmental variables influencing the seasonal resource use patterns of Asian Small-clawed Otters (Aonyx cinereus nirnai) in the Western Ghats Moyar River Biodiversity Hotspots. IUCN Otter Spec. Group Bull., 41(5), 296–310. https://iucnosgbull.org/Volume41/Narasimmarajan_et_al_2024a.pdf
Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Asian small-clawed otter. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_small-clawed_otter
Wright, L., de Silva, P.K., Chan, B.P.L., Reza Lubis, I. & Basak, S. 2021. Aonyx cinereus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021: e.T44166A164580923. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T44166A164580923.en. Accessed on 17 April 2025.
How can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?
Take Action in Five Ways
1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.
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Read moreAnthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao
Read moreHealth Physician Dr Evan Allen
Read moreThe World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
Read moreHow do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
Read more3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
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Pledge your supportLearn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture
Global South America S.E. Asia India Africa West Papua & PNGMarsupials thought extinct for 6,000 years found in West Papua
Keep readingGursky’s Spectral Tarsier Tarsius spectrumgurskyae
Keep readingSunda Flying Lemur Galeopterus variegatus
Keep readingWestern Parotia Parotia sefilata
Keep readingCapped Langur Trachypithecus pileatus
Keep readingMountain Tapir Tapirus pinchaque
Keep readingLearn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing
Read more about RSPO greenwashing
Lying Fake labels Indigenous Land-grabbing Human rights abuses Deforestation Human health hazardsA 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)
Read more #animals #Asia #AsianSmallClawedOtterAonyxCinereus #Bangladesh #Bhutan #Borneo #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottMeat #BoycottPalmOil #Cambodia #China #climateChange #coffee #dams #deforestation #ecocide #ForgottenAnimals #hunting #illegalPetTrade #India #Indonesia #infrastructure #Laos #Mammal #mangroves #Myanmar #Nepal #Otter #Otters #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #pesticide #pet #Philippines #poachers #poaching #pollution #rivers #SouthEastAsia #Sumatra #tea #Thailand #vegan #Vietnam #vulnerable #VulnerableSpecies #Wetlands -
Asian Small-clawed Otter Aonyx cinereus
Asian Small-clawed Otter Aonyx cinereus
IUCN Red List Status: Vulnerable
Locations: India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Taiwan, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia (Sumatra, Borneo, Java), The Philippines (Palawan)
Found in freshwater wetlands, peat swamps, mangroves, hill streams and rice fields across South and Southeast Asia, with a genetically distinct and critically impacted subspecies (Aonyx cinereus nirnai) in the Western Ghats of India.
The Asian Small-clawed #Otter, the world’s smallest otter species — is inquisitive, intelligent, and highly social. They are listed as #Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and are declining rapidly due to #palmoil #tea and #coffee #deforestation, #poaching, #pesticide #pollution, and the illegal pet trade. Their fragile habitat in the Western Ghats, India home to the subspecies Aonyx cinereus nirnai, is being destroyed at an alarming rate for palm oil monocultures, plantations, and hydropower development. Boycott #palmoil and demand protection for these sensitive and intelligent wetland sentinels. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife #Vegan #BoycottMeat
The Asian Small-Clawed Otter 🦦🩷 is the smallest #otter in the 🌎. A tenacious survivor in #Asia’s vast #rivers, #pesticide pollution and #palmoil #ecocide now pose grave threats. Help them when you #Boycottpalmoil 🌴⛔️ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2026/03/22/asian-small-clawed-otter-aonyx-cinereus/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterCommunicating with chirps and whistles, endearing Asian Small-Clawed #Otters live in rowdy groups 🦦😘 They’re #vulnerable from the illegal #pet trade and #palmoil #deforestation. #Boycottpalmoil 🌴🩸❌ #Boycott4Wildlife in the supermarket! @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2026/03/22/asian-small-clawed-otter-aonyx-cinereus/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterAppearance and Behaviour
With silky chocolate-brown fur, pale undersides and a broad, flat face, the Asian Small-clawed Otter has a distinct charm. Their tiny claws don’t extend past their fingers — an adaptation that gives them remarkable dexterity for catching prey. They weigh only 2.7 to 3.5 kg and reach lengths of 73 to 96 cm, making them the smallest otter species in the world.
Highly vocal and playful, these otters live in tight-knit family groups of up to 15. They communicate with at least a dozen vocalisations — chirps, squeals and whistles — and use communal latrines to mark their territories. In the Western Ghats, they are more active at night and prefer rugged hill streams with dense grasses and rocky pools for cover and escape routes.
Threats
Palm oil deforestation and peat swamp destruction
Across Southeast Asia, especially in Indonesia and Malaysia, vast areas of peat swamp forests and mangroves — critical habitats for Asian Small-clawed Otters — have been destroyed to make way for palm oil plantations. These plantations drain wetlands, replace diverse ecosystems with monocultures, and leave otters with no access to food or cover. In India, the expansion of palm oil into the Western Ghats under so-called ‘green development’ initiatives is now destroying the rocky hill stream habitats used by the Aonyx cinereus nirnai subspecies. This deforestation not only eliminates their shelter and food sources but also causes soil erosion and alters the hydrology of entire watersheds.
Conversion of forests to palm oil, tea and coffee plantations in the Western Ghats
In southern India, particularly in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, large-scale conversion of native forests to palm oil, tea and coffee plantations is reducing the range of Aonyx cinereus nirnai. These monocultures fragment stream habitats and introduce pesticides that poison aquatic life. Studies have found the otters avoiding plantation areas due to lack of vegetation cover and prey (Raha & Hussain, 2016). As a result, the Western Ghats population is now restricted to narrow, isolated pockets, surrounded by human-altered landscapes that are increasingly inhospitable to them.
Capture for the Illegal pet trade and cruel conditions in pet cafés
The Asian Small-clawed Otter is the most heavily trafficked otter species in Asia’s exotic pet trade. Between 2016 and 2017, over 700 individuals were recorded for sale online in countries like Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam (Gomez & Bouhuys, 2018). Many are poached from the wild as pups, leading to the death of their parents and collapse of social groups. Captive conditions in pet cafés and private homes cause extreme stress and suffering — and demand is rising due to social media content that normalises otter ownership.
Poaching for pelts and traditional use
Poaching continues to be a severe threat in South Asia. In the Western Ghats, otters are hunted for their pelts and body parts, which are used in traditional medicine or sold on the black market. Reports from protected areas in India reveal organised trapping and trade routes extending across state lines (Prakash et al., 2012). These killings often go undocumented due to weak enforcement, and they rapidly deplete already fragile local populations.
Overfishing and prey depletion
In many parts of Asia, otters face competition from humans for aquatic prey. Overfishing in rivers, lakes, and mangroves has drastically reduced populations of crabs, mudskippers, and fish species that form the core of the otter’s diet. Pollution from fish farms and chemical runoff further weakens these food webs, making otter survival harder during dry or lean seasons. In some areas, otters are also deliberately killed by fishers who perceive them as pests competing for the same resources.
Pesticide run-off pollution from agriculture
Agricultural runoff from palm oil, tea and coffee plantations containing pesticides, herbicides, and heavy metals has been shown to poison water sources throughout the otter’s range. In the Western Ghats of India and parts of Southeast Asia, such contaminants accumulate in the food chain and affect the physiology of aquatic mammals. Polluted waterways reduce prey availability and can lead to bioaccumulation of toxins in otters, weakening their immune systems and reproductive capacity. This is especially critical in closed or stagnant freshwater systems like rice paddies and irrigation channels, where contamination is concentrated.
Hydropower development and infrastructure fragmentation
Dams and hydroelectric projects throughout the Western Ghats and Southeast Asia have altered river flow, submerged natural habitats, and fragmented otter territories. These developments destroy riverine connectivity, which otters rely on to forage and disperse. For the nirnai subspecies, hill streams once connected across forest corridors are now interrupted by roads, canals, and dams — leading to isolated, unsustainable populations. Infrastructure development often proceeds without proper environmental assessments, disregarding the needs of aquatic species like otters.
Climate change and habitat drying
Shifts in monsoon patterns, increased droughts, and rising temperatures are affecting the wetlands and rivers that Asian Small-clawed Otters depend on. Reduced water flow in dry seasons can strand otter families and eliminate key feeding pools. In the Western Ghats, erratic rainfall is already altering seasonal resource use patterns for A. c. nirnai, increasing their vulnerability to disturbance (Narasimmarajan et al., 2024). Climate stress, combined with other threats, compounds the likelihood of local extinctions.
Geographic Range
Their range stretches across India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia (including Borneo, Sumatra, Java), the Philippines (Palawan), China and Taiwan. In India, they are found in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, West Bengal, Odisha, Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. They are absent from large swathes of their historical range, including the Western Himalayas.
The genetically distinct subspecies Aonyx cinereus nirnai is restricted to the Western Ghats’ Moyar River and surrounding hill streams. This biodiverse stronghold is currently being cleared for palm oil plantations, hydropower projects, and invasive monocultures, putting this population in grave danger.
Diet
Asian Small-clawed Otters are primarily crustacean specialists. Their diet includes crabs, snails, molluscs, fish such as mudskippers and catfish, amphibians, insects, snakes, and even rodents. Scat analysis in Malaysia and Thailand revealed crabs to be the most frequent prey, often making up over 80% of their diet.
In rice fields and mangroves, they may leave molluscs out in the sun to soften the shells before eating — a sign of their intelligence and adaptability. Seasonal changes in water levels influence the availability of prey, leading to subtle shifts in their dietary habits throughout the year.
Mating and Reproduction
These otters are monogamous and breed year-round, with gestation lasting 62–86 days. Litters typically include 2–7 pups. In captivity, they start breeding at around 18 months of age, and may live up to 11 years. Parents build nests together before birth and both contribute to raising the young. Pups begin to open their eyes around five weeks old and start swimming with their mothers at around three months.
FAQs
How many Asian Small-clawed Otters are left in the wild?
There is no global population estimate, but their numbers are declining throughout their range. In China and Cambodia, they are now almost locally extinct, with only a few scattered sightings since 2006 (Li & Chan, 2017; Heng et al., 2016). Surveys in India confirm drastic reductions in range, especially from west to east, over the past 60 years (Hussain et al., 2011).
What is the lifespan of the Asian Small Clawed Otter?
In captivity, Asian Small-clawed Otters can live up to 11 years (Crandall, 1964). Their lifespan in the wild is likely shorter due to environmental pressures and poaching.
Why are Asian Small Clawed Otters endangered?
They are threatened by habitat loss from logging, plantations, palm oil, pollution, and construction of dams. In the Western Ghats, the genetically distinct nirnai subspecies is losing habitat to hydropower development and palm oil monocultures, which destroy the narrow, rocky streams they depend on (Narasimmarajan et al., 2024).
Do Asian Small-clawed Otters make good pets?
Absolutely not. Keeping them as pets is cruel and selfish. They are wild animals with complex social and environmental needs. The illegal pet trade is driving them towards extinction, causing immense suffering and ripping family groups apart (Gomez & Bouhuys, 2018). Buying a pet otter and also sharing pet otter content on social media fuels this horrific industry — if you love otters, protect them in the wild! Do not buy them as pets or support this cruel industry!
How is palm oil affecting their survival?
Palm oil plantations have destroyed vast tracts of mangroves, peat swamps, and wetlands in Malaysia, Indonesia, and now India. In the Western Ghats, forests are being cleared for palm oil under the guise of “afforestation” and “reforestation” using non-native species. This directly threatens the survival of A. c. nirnai (Narasimmarajan et al., 2024).
Take Action!
Raise your voice for the smallest otter in the world. Every time you shop, Boycott palm oil and reject products linked to deforestation and wetland destruction. Support indigenous-led conservation efforts in the Western Ghats and Southeast Asia.
Never buy otters or exotic animals — their capture fuels extinction. Adopt a plant-based lifestyle to protect wetlands, rivers and biodiversity. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife #Vegan #BoycottMeat
Support Asian Small-Clawed Otters by going vegan and boycotting palm oil in the supermarket, it’s the #Boycott4Wildlife
Support the conservation of this species
This animal has no protections in place. Read about other forgotten species here. Create art to support this forgotten animal or raise awareness about them by sharing this post and using the #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife hashtags on social media. Also you can boycott palm oil in the supermarket.
Further Information
Gomez, L., & Bouhuys, J. (2018). Illegal otter trade: An analysis of seizures in selected Asian countries (1980–2015). TRAFFIC. https://www.traffic.org/site/assets/files/2402/illegal-otter-trade-asia.pdf
Narasimmarajan, K., Mathai, M. T., Hayward, M. W., & Palanivel, S. (2024). Lesser-known sentinels: Role of environmental variables influencing the seasonal resource use patterns of Asian Small-clawed Otters (Aonyx cinereus nirnai) in the Western Ghats Moyar River Biodiversity Hotspots. IUCN Otter Spec. Group Bull., 41(5), 296–310. https://iucnosgbull.org/Volume41/Narasimmarajan_et_al_2024a.pdf
Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Asian small-clawed otter. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_small-clawed_otter
Wright, L., de Silva, P.K., Chan, B.P.L., Reza Lubis, I. & Basak, S. 2021. Aonyx cinereus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021: e.T44166A164580923. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T44166A164580923.en. Accessed on 17 April 2025.
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Join 3,178 other subscribers2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.
Read moreMel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings
Read moreAnthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao
Read moreHealth Physician Dr Evan Allen
Read moreThe World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
Read moreHow do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
Read more3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
Pledge your supportLearn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture
Global South America S.E. Asia India Africa West Papua & PNGMarsupials thought extinct for 6,000 years found in West Papua
Keep readingGursky’s Spectral Tarsier Tarsius spectrumgurskyae
Keep readingSunda Flying Lemur Galeopterus variegatus
Keep readingWestern Parotia Parotia sefilata
Keep readingCapped Langur Trachypithecus pileatus
Keep readingMountain Tapir Tapirus pinchaque
Keep readingLearn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing
Read more about RSPO greenwashing
Lying Fake labels Indigenous Land-grabbing Human rights abuses Deforestation Human health hazardsA 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)
Read more #animals #Asia #AsianSmallClawedOtterAonyxCinereus #Bangladesh #Bhutan #Borneo #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottMeat #BoycottPalmOil #Cambodia #China #climateChange #coffee #dams #deforestation #ecocide #ForgottenAnimals #hunting #illegalPetTrade #India #Indonesia #infrastructure #Laos #Mammal #mangroves #Myanmar #Nepal #Otter #Otters #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #pesticide #pet #Philippines #poachers #poaching #pollution #rivers #SouthEastAsia #Sumatra #tea #Thailand #vegan #Vietnam #vulnerable #VulnerableSpecies #Wetlands -
Let Us Celebrate The 25th Anniversary Of The PLGA!: CPI
Dear Comrades and People!
The People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA), which is carrying forward the people’s war for the victory of the New Democratic Revolution in the country, completes twenty-five years on December 2. On this occasion, the Central Military Commission (CMC) calls upon all Party committees, all Party ranks, all PLGA commands, all units, all mass organizations and the revolutionary people to celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the PLGA from December 2 to December 8 across the country. It must be done in the forests, in the plains and in the urban areas. It must be done with revolutionary fervor. It must be done with firm resolve.
The CMC gives the following call to the entire revolutionary camp.
Let us protect the Party. Let us protect the PLGA. Let us protect the mass organizations. Let us protect the revolutionary movement. All this is necessary in the face of Kagaar’s revolutionary and defensive war. Let us intensify the class struggle against the alliance of imperialist, comprador, autocratic capitalist and landlord classes. Let us intensify the struggle against the Brahminical Hindutva fascist RSS BJP governments at the Centre and in the states.
On the occasion of the 24th anniversary of the PLGA, the CMC placed these tasks before the entire Party, the PLGA, the people’s organizations, and the revolutionary people. During the past year, all Party committees have worked with enthusiasm. They have worked with determination, courage and discipline. The CMC conveys revolutionary greetings to all Party ranks, to all the PLGA commands and commanders, to all fighters, to all leaders of the mass organizations, to all activists, to all members of the people’s militia and to all revolutionary people.
The CMC conveys revolutionary greetings to all comrades who have participated in political, military, organizational, cultural, and tactical efforts over the past year. They have done this while facing the revolutionary and defensive war against the Operation Kagaar on their own strength. The CMC also expresses confidence that the comrades who were injured in guerrilla warfare in the various revolutionary regions of the country have recovered quickly with courage. It believes that they have again taken their place and have fulfilled their responsibilities in the guerrilla war.
Over the past year, our comrades confronted the Kagaar war single-handedly and resisted it with unwavering determination. Many brave guerrillas became martyrs in these battles. Many lost their lives in encirclement and annihilation operations. Numerous comrades sacrificed their lives in encounters with the enemy. Many were killed in fake encounters. Others attained martyrdom during offensive actions against the enemy. Some lost their lives due to betrayals. A few comrades died in accidents, while others passed away due to ill health. The Central Military Commission (CMC) bows its head and offers humble revolutionary homage to all these martyrs.
From January 2024 onward, the Kagaar war became increasingly severe each day. Our comrades did not fear it. They stood against the enemy. They did not retreat. They fought to the last breath. The martyrs showed unparalleled courage. They showed defiance that never surrendered to the enemy. They exhibited a style of struggle that did not fear death. They showed perseverance that never tired. They proved their commitment and dedication to the people. They demonstrated unshakable faith in revolutionary victory. They are a great role model for us. They are an eternal example. We shall uphold their ideals. We shall take their heroic resistance and their deeds to the world. We shall praise their principles. We shall follow their footsteps. We shall pledge to fight steadfastly to our last breath for the fulfillment of their ideals.
In the past eleven months, from December 2024 to November 2025, 320 comrades became martyrs across the country in the course of resisting the Kagaar war. Of them, 183 were male comrades. One hundred seventeen were female comrades. The identity of 20 persons is yet to be known.
Twenty-two comrades became martyrs in Bihar and Jharkhand. One in Assam. Two hundred and forty-three in Dandakaranya. Thirty-three in Odisha. Seven in MMC. Eight in Telangana. Six in AOB. Among them was our Party’s General Secretary, Comrade Basavaraj (BR).
The martyrs included eight members of the Central Committee and fifteen from various State Committees. Twenty-five were District Committee members, and seventy-three were from Area Committees. One hundred and sixteen were Party members. Thirteen belonged to the PLGA. Thirty-three were cadres and activists of various mass organizations. Several revolutionary masses also laid down their lives. In addition, thirty-seven persons whose organizational status could not be conclusively established were killed.
Many revolutionary, progressive and democratic leaders and activists of mass organizations became martyrs across the country during people’s struggles. Some intellectuals, revolutionaries, sympathizers and friends also passed away. In the Philippines, some members of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of that country, some commanders and members of the New People’s Army and some leaders and activists of the National Democratic Front became martyrs. In America, seventy-five thousand Palestinians and fighters were killed in the genocidal war carried out by Israel with the support of the United States government during the past two years in Gaza. The CMC offers revolutionary homage to all these martyrs.
During the Kagaar war, we lost Comrade Basavaraj, our Party’s General Secretary. We lost eight Central Committee members,and fifteen State Committee members. We lost 320 comrades in total. The movement has suffered severe losses. In this situation, some, like Sonu and Satish, surrendered. They handed over weapons to the enemy and fled. They caused immense damage to the movement. We are celebrating the twenty-fifth anniversary of the PLGA in this background.
At such a time, it is the task of our Party and our PLGA to answer the questions that arise in the revolutionary camp regarding the future of the movement. It is our task to remove fear and anxiety. It is our task to instill courage and build self-confidence. It is our task to lead the entire revolutionary camp forward with firm resolve and with unparalleled courage. As part of this overall task, we celebrate the PLGA’s anniversary.
To fulfill this task, we must identify the causes of the severe losses now occurring in the movement. We must correct them. We must identify the objective conditions. We must examine the subjective conditions. We must identify the factors that favor the movement’s advancement. Based on these factors, we must revitalize the Party. We must consolidate the PLGA and the mass organizations.
From the beginning of the Kagaar war, our Party, our PLGA forces and the local secret people’s organizations suffered heavy losses. They are still suffering. The basic reason is this. Our organizations and forces did not follow the necessary methods of secret work. They did not implement the rules of guerrilla warfare. They did not correctly implement the political tactics instructed by the Central Committee.
According to the tactics formed by the Central Committee and the Politburo, our forces must not confine themselves to smaller areas. They must work in wider areas. They must not remain centralized. They must change to decentralized formations. They must move in small formations. They must coordinate legal and illegal, open and secret forms of struggle and organization. They should lead the class struggle in this coordinated manner. They have to mobilize workers, peasants, the middle classes, the petty bourgeoisie, the national bourgeoisie, oppressed social sections and oppressed nationalities in the towns, plains and forest regions. They must integrate these sections into the revolutionary movement.
We did not follow these tactics properly. As a result, the Party, the PLGA forces, and the leadership suffered heavy losses. They are still suffering. The Party and the PLGA forces suffered severe losses because we did not withdraw some troops from Dandakaranya, the main centre of the Kagaar war, to other regions.
Let us identify the mistakes that occurred in our practice over the past 22 months. Let us correct them. Let us correctly implement the strategies formulated by the Central Committee and the Politburo. In this way, let us protect the Party, the PLGA and the mass organizations. Let us protect the revolutionary movement.
The central and state governments have inflicted serious losses on the revolutionary movement in the Kagaar war. Even then, the PLGA forces and the revolutionary people under the leadership of our Party are fighting defensive battles. They are resisting. In this resistance, the enemy’s armed forces are also suffering significant losses. The enemy is not declaring these losses because it would increase the morale of the revolutionary camp. It is part of psychological warfare. The revolutionary camp must not come under the influence of this psychological war.
During the past year, in Dandakaranya, in Bihar and Jharkhand, in East Bihar and North East Jharkhand, in Odisha, and in MMC, the central and state armed forces and various commando forces suffered losses. One hundred and sixteen police personnel were killed. Two hundred and eight were injured. Some secret agents, some police informers and some political enemies belonging to the BJP were eliminated by PLGA forces. PLGA forces burned down some government offices and some mobile towers in road communication areas.
Across the country, the PLGA forces resisted the police, the paramilitary forces, the central armed police forces, commando units and Indian military units in seventy-two encirclement and annihilation operations and encounters.
In the past year, to defeat the Kagaar war, our PLGA forces mainly used improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and hit the enemy’s targets. Valiantly resisted the encirclement and encounters. Conducted ambushes and eliminated police informers. Some leaders of the BJP who were enemies of the people were eliminated, and spike holes were set up as traps. These were some of the methods used to carry out the guerrilla war.
The extent and intensity of the guerrilla actions have decreased. As a result, actions aimed at eliminating or injuring police officers have decreased. PLGA could seize only five weapons from the enemy. On the other hand, due to the Kagaar war, our PLGA forces and the mass organizations suffered severe losses. The revolutionary movement across the country was hit hard as a consequence.
Although the revolutionary movement in the country has suffered severe losses, the Party, which still exists countrywide, continues political work among the people in various forms. It continues to disseminate revolutionary political propaganda to the masses, mobilizing the people and advancing struggles against imperialism, comprador-bureaucratic capitalism (CBB), landlordism, corporatisation, and militarization. It is organizing the people into various forms of mass movements and, relying on the people and the people’s militia, the Party and the PLGA continue the protracted, decentralized, self-defensive guerrilla war.
Even though, in the name of Kagaar (the final war), the central and state governments have mobilized 8,50,000 police, central armed police forces, commando forces, the Indian Army, and the Air Force into the revolutionary areas- conducting widespread operations- these operations have been bravely resisted and repelled. Ambushes have been countered with courage and firmness. In Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana, and Jharkhand, more than 50,000 personnel from all types of armed forces- central armed forces, commando units, the Indian Army, and the Air Force- have been mobilized. Along with this, American and Israeli military officers and technicians have been involved in joint exercises to defeat the revolutionary movement.
Even though, for the last three years, the central and state governments have been carrying out concentrated operations in the West Singhbhum district of Jharkhand, these attacks have been resisted, and significant losses have been inflicted on the enemy armed forces. These are our positive aspects. Consolidating these positive aspects, let us overcome temporary setbacks and advance the revolutionary movement.
To defend the Party, the PLGA, the mass organizations, and the revolutionary movement in the course of the revolutionary counter-offensive “Kagaar” war, we must make every effort to carry out the following political, organizational, and military tasks:
- Priority must be given to protecting leadership forces, and losses must be avoided.
During the past year, 320 comrades belonging to the Party, the PLGA, and mass organizations across the country became martyrs. After 53 years, the loss of Comrade Basavaraj, our Party’s General Secretary, following the martyrdom of one of the Party’s founding leaders, Comrade Charu Mazumdar, is a grievous blow to our Party and the revolutionary movement.
In this one year, eight members of the Central Committee and fifteen members of various State Committees have been martyred. Our central and state committees have suffered severe losses. These losses will affect the revolutionary movement for a long period.
Along with these leadership losses, a large number of leaders and cadres of the Party, the PLGA forces, mass-organization leaders and activists, and revolutionary people have been martyred. Consequently, the Party, the PLGA, the mass organizations, and the revolutionary movement have suffered severe damage.
In this situation, by correctly implementing and adhering to the political and military directives formulated by the Central Committee and the Politburo, we must prevent further losses. Through preventing such losses, we shall safeguard the Party, the PLGA, the mass organizations, and the revolutionary movement and rebuild and strengthen them.
Even after 31 March 2026, the revolutionary counter-offensive war under the name Kagaar (and under other related operational names)- will continue. Since the objective of Kagaar is to crush the oppressed masses and to establish the “corporate Hindu country,” the RSS-BJP, their affiliate organizations, and the central and state governments functioning under their leadership continue to brand all those who oppose corporatization, militarization, and Hindutva as extremists and urban extremists and are carrying out fascist attacks against them.
Keeping this in view, we must protect the leadership forces. Only by waging a struggle against Brahminical Hindutva fascism in every sphere of social life – alongside all individuals, forces, organizations, institutions, and parties that oppose corporatization, militarization, and Hindutva- can we safeguard our leadership forces.
- We must overcome the crisis created by the clique of the renegades, Sonu and Satish.
By becoming renegades, party-splitters, and agents of counter-revolution, Sonu and Satish’s clique surrendered to the enemy on October 14 and 16 and handed over 203 weapons belonging to the Party. As an extension of the impact of this clique, towards the end of October, 21 people in North Bastar of Dandakaranya, along with 18 weapons, surrendered to the enemy; in the first week of November, seven persons in the Odisha State Committee area- Dhanthari, Gariband, and Nawapada Division- surrendered along with six weapons. In this manner, during October and November, 299 individuals surrendered to the enemy and handed over 227 weapons.
The clique of Sonu and Satish attacked our political–military line and created a crisis within the Party by handing over a large quantity of weapons to the enemy. Across the country, honest revolutionary forces and all those forces participating in the Kagaar war immediately recognized the hollowness and deceit in the arguments advanced by Sonu and Satish’s clique and identified them as renegades. However, even now, within our Party and the PLGA in some places across the country, and within a section of the revolutionary camp, confusion and ideological disturbance persist due to the arguments of Sonu and Satish. Therefore, we must expose all the fraud, deception, and duplicity in the arguments of Sonu and Satish, remove the confusion among such sections, and firmly establish our political–military line in their consciousness.
Sonu presents three principal reasons to claim that our Party’s political–military line is wrong:
(1) “We do not have a revolutionary party.”
(2) “The Central programme formulated by the 2007 Congress is an extremist deviation.”
(3) “We have rejected legal struggles.”By putting forward the peculiar argument that “the Party consists only of full-time revolutionaries and the Party committees composed solely of such full-timers,” he denies the legitimacy of the entire structure of part-time Party members and committees existing across the country. He further distorts this by claiming that committees of full-time revolutionaries working clandestinely and in an armed capacity alone constitute the Party, and labels all of them as a form of army. He also denies that the Party structures clandestine area committees, ACM/DVC/DC members, and Party members who, without arms, remain in civil areas to conduct mass work. All these are entirely incorrect and baseless interpretations. In his view, Party committees that exist without carrying weapons, embedded among the people in villages and towns, are the only Party. According to his logic, the revolutionary Party is a part-time structure embedded among the people in villages and towns; by the same reasoning, area committees up to the Central Committee that work in an armed and clandestine manner are not the Party. These are fundamentally incorrect, right-opportunist, revisionist arguments regarding the organization and functioning of the revolutionary Party.
The claim that the Central Programme formulated by the 2007 Congress is an extremist deviation is also a right-opportunist, revisionist argument. By 2007, after 27 years of work in Dandakaranya, that region had become a guerrilla zone; after 37 years of work in Bihar–Jharkhand, it had also become a guerrilla zone. Both regions possessed extensive and consolidated revolutionary mass bases. While these two regions and several others in the country were in the red resistance phase, some regions were in a temporary phase of retreat. In this context, following the merger of the two revolutionary Parties and the formation of a unified Party, there was tremendous enthusiasm and confidence across the country’s revolutionary camp.
Taking all of this into account, and keeping in mind the international and domestic political situation at the time, the 2007 Congress formulated the Central Programme to develop the Dandakaranya and Bihar–Jharkhand regions into liberated areas. The Congress resolved that, to develop these regions into liberated areas, the red resistance areas must be further consolidated as guerrilla zones; regions in temporary retreat must be pushed forward again; and urban work must be expanded. To fulfill these tasks, the Congress called on the entire Party to correct internal deviations and to work according to a unified method. However, despite intense efforts to rectify internal deviations, due to severe repression by central and state governments, the revolutionary movement across the country reached a defensive position by 2012. In this situation, the Central Committee decided that the plan to develop the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army into a regular army and to transform guerrilla warfare into mobile warfare could not be implemented immediately and accordingly changed the Central Programme.
Setting aside this reality and calling the central task determined by the Congress “left adventurism” amounts to insisting that, instead of waging the struggle for the seizure of state power based on the strengths and weaknesses of the movement, the revolutionary movement should be confined only to partial struggles and economic struggles. In other words, it means sacrificing the revolutionary movement to economism and reformism. It becomes a legalist position that seeks to keep the movement strictly within the bounds of legality.
The claim that “we rejected legal struggles” is also false and distortive. In 2007, at a time when North Telangana, Andhra, and AOB were in temporary retreat and the organizational strength had declined, numerous legal and open struggles were conducted. As part of this, the Telangana political movement was undertaken. In Telangana and AOB, struggles were waged to implement the Fifth Schedule and PESA in Adivasi regions. Between 2006 and 2011, in West Bengal, the Party coordinated legal and illegal struggles and led the Singur and Nandigram movements. In the same period, in AOB, the movement on land issues was conducted.
In 2008, when the central government formulated the new Forest Act, the Central Committee decided that in the regions of intense revolutionary movement, as well as newly emerging regions, the revolutionary organizations (Janatana Sarkars where they existed) should fight for the pro-people provisions of the Act and that these revolutionary people’s governments should issue land titles to Adivasi people. In 2013, the CRB released a document on the, exploitative class reforms, and the Party’s position. It decided that struggles must be waged using all forms- legal, illegal, open, and underground- depending on objective conditions, while maintaining the primacy of armed struggle. Subsequently, in Gadchiroli district, the movement for PESA and Gram Sabhas was conducted. Since 2021, across Dandakaranya, the movement for PESA and Gram Sabhas has continued.
From the time of the Party’s formation, throughout the country, the Party has consistently led legal, open people’s movements against displacement. Ignoring all these facts and selectively distorting them to argue that “we abandoned legal struggles” is a revisionist position that seeks to confine the movement to legal struggles alone.
Meanwhile, Sonu put forward two major statements: a “Temporary Cessation of Armed Struggle” and two “Appeals”- one to the people and another to the cadres. These demonstrate not merely a rejection of the Party’s revolutionary line but a rejection of armed struggle itself. He offers no alternative strategy. His perspective is essentially the line of surrender. At its core, his argument amounts to carrying out legal struggles, dissolving the underground Party, and turning the Party into an open entity.
These are, in essence, revisionist positions. Rejecting all that the Party has taught, handing over Party weapons to the enemy, and becoming an agent of counter-revolution- that is what Sonu has become. By rallying his followers, he attempted to split the Party. Satish has concurred with all of these positions. He therefore has also become a renegade, a splitter of the Party, and an agent of counter-revolution.
Therefore, the entire revolutionary camp must clearly understand the fraud and deception underlying Sonu and Satish’s arguments. The confusion within the revolutionary camp must be eliminated, clarity established, and confidence restored. There is absolutely no integrity in the arguments of Sonu and Satish; they are motivated purely by fear and the desire to justify their path of surrender. By propagating lies- claiming that the Party’s General Secretary intended to suspend armed struggle temporarily- they misled ideologically and politically weak cadres. They caused them to surrender to the enemy. Hence, their deceit must be exposed within the revolutionary camp.
- We must intensify class struggle against imperialism, comprador bureaucratic capitalism, the alliance of feudal classes, and against the Brahmanical Hindutva-fascist RSS–BJP central and state governments.
Under the guidance of the documents formulated by our Central Committee- “Changes in the Relations of Production in India and Our Political Programme” (MOP document), “The Caste Question in India and Our Path”, and “The Nationality Question in India and Party’s Position”- we must mobilize the oppressed classes (the working class, peasantry, middle strata [petty bourgeoisie], national bourgeoisie), the oppressed social sections (women, Dalits, Adivasis, religious minorities), and the oppressed nationalities, and conduct class struggle on class issues, social struggle on social problems, and nationality struggle on nationality issues. In accordance with the uneven development prevailing in the country, the MOP document has identified the country into seven categories and formulated region-specific political programmes. Based on this political programme, we must intensify class struggle.
Since 2014, after the Brahmanical Hindutva-fascist RSS–BJP came to power at the Centre, it has further transformed into political fascism. Since then, it has been unleashing continuous attacks on all oppressed classes, oppressed social sections, and oppressed nationalities in economic, political, cultural, and all spheres of social life. As part of this, it is attempting to convert the country into a “majoritarian state” through the liquidation of minorities. By intimidating and manipulating institutions such as the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the CBI, the Election Commission, and even the judiciary, it is weaponizing them for its own interests. It is carrying out relentless attacks on the people and on the opposition parties. As part of this, it is trying to create an “opposition-less India” (Vipaksh-mukt Bharat). Therefore, today, it has emerged as the country’s principal enemy and its people’s enemy.
In this situation, our party units across the country must unite all forces resisting these assaults- workers, peasants, organizations, associations, institutions, parties, including even bourgeois parties that can be taken as tactical allies- by establishing united front platforms and programmes, thereby intensifying the class struggle. Further, we must expose with solid evidence the falsehood and deception behind the propaganda blitz of the Brahmanical Hindutva-fascist RSS–BJP central and state governments, claiming that they will transform India into a “developed country (Viksit Bharat)” by 2047.
This year, in April, the Indian state conducted military operations under the name “Operation Sindhur”, projecting the terrorist attack that took place in Poonch, Jammu & Kashmir, as an act of Pakistan. Any dispute with Pakistan- or with any other country in South Asia- must be resolved based on peaceful principles, through dialogue, diplomacy, and negotiations. Instead of adhering to these principles, it resorted to military operations. It attempted to resolve the issue through war, which is incorrect.
However, under instructions from the United States, it halted these operations within four days, thereby displaying its subservience. On the one hand, while showing this servility toward the U.S., it has simultaneously been instigating nationalist frenzy, war hysteria, and jingoism among the Indian people for the past seven months.
During the last eleven years of BJP rule at the Centre, it has failed to resolve any of the major problems confronting the country- poverty, unemployment, rising prices, and peasant suicides. Instead of addressing these problems, it has been continuously inflaming Hindu majoritarianism, communal frenzy, and war hysteria to misdirect and suppress the struggling masses. The BJP, Modi, and their protégé, Adani, have been arbitrarily handing over national wealth to corporate capital. To protect Adani, who has been involved in illegal business practices in the United States, they have mortgaged national interests to the U.S. The regime has signed numerous agreements with Israel, the U.S., Afghanistan, and many others for the benefit of domestic and foreign corporate capital.
In the last eleven years of fascist BJP rule, attacks on Dalits and Adivasis have drastically increased. The harassment and humiliation of Dalit and Bahujan officers (IAS, IPS, etc.) by brahmanical administrative authorities have also intensified. Corporate exploitation and oppression in agriculture, industry, and the service sector- by both domestic and foreign corporate capital- have expanded enormously. As a consequence, the broad masses across the country have been continuously waging defensive struggles.
In this situation, we must expand propaganda, agitations, and struggle programmes against all economic, political, and cultural policies of the brahmanical Hindutva-fascist RSS–BJP central and state governments that stand against the people; and against corporate exploitation and oppression, thereby strengthening mass support. By intensifying class struggle nationwide and expanding mass support on this basis, let us advance the guerrilla war.
Dear Comrades and the Masses!
Since 1973, to overcome the fundamental crisis, imperialism has pushed forward imperialist globalization. However, the global economic crisis of 2008 proved that imperialist globalization has failed. This crisis has still not been resolved. All the economic, political, military, and cultural policies that the imperialist countries and the backward countries following them, or being made to follow them, implemented to overcome that crisis have failed miserably or are in the process of failing. To implement the policies associated with imperialist globalization, in many countries across the world, right-wing, racist, and fascist parties have come to power. These right-wing, racist, and fascist parties have trampled even the minimal bourgeois-democratic rights in their respective countries and are enforcing repression and fascism. As part of implementing imperialist globalization, although imperialist exploitation has intensified severely in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, its burden continues to be borne by the working class and the middle class even in the imperialist countries that export imperialist capital. In the countries of Asia, Africa, and Latin America, the comprador bourgeoisie and the landlord class, acting as agents of imperialist exploitation, have intensified oppression and plunder of the people. Against this, people’s struggles in these countries continue at varying levels.
The “Arab Spring” uprisings that erupted in African countries around 2012–13 could not overthrow the system of exploitation. During the last 3–4 years, although the immediate triggers behind the popular uprisings in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, the Philippines, and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir appear varied, the fundamental cause behind them is imperialist globalization and the intensity of exploitation and oppression by the comprador corporate (foreign and domestic) capital and landlord classes in those countries. During this same period, even in Western European countries, the working class and the middle class have been rising against exploitation by finance capital.
The victory of the Democratic Party candidate Zohran Kwame Mamdani, as mayor of New York, in the United States was due to the opposition of workers, employees of the middle class, and immigrant populations in that city to the right-wing, racist, fascist Trump administration. Likewise, in the last 2–3 years, in Europe and other countries, the electoral victories of Social Democratic and Democratic Party candidates over right-wing, racist, and fascist parties have been driven by widespread opposition to the policies of imperialist globalization and the growth of right-wing and fascist forces. In the coming days, this contradiction will intensify further.
Seizing this moment, communists and revolutionaries across the world must organize themselves as revolutionary parties in their countries, transform small parties into large ones, and strengthen the weak ones.
For the past year, the tariff war arising from the intensified conflict between the U.S. and China resulted in a temporary truce when U.S. President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Busan, South Korea, in the first week of November. Both countries announced a one-year suspension of the trade war. The U.S. decided to reduce the 10 per cent tariff on Chinese imports. In contrast, China agreed to lift its ban on the export of rare earth minerals. Due to the economic downturn and recession, the U.S. and China were compelled to take these decisions. This temporary agreement does not mean that the U.S.–China conflict has ended. Both countries are competing for world hegemony. According to this trend, the U.S.-China confrontation will sharpen in the coming days across all spheres.
Since the onset of the capitalist system, especially after capitalism transformed into imperialism, imperialism has increasingly become a destroyer of the environment. Today, not only humanity but the entire planet faces grave danger. In this context, the United Nations’ climate conferences have produced no meaningful results. Only by destroying the capitalist–imperialist system can environmental protection measures genuinely succeed, thereby saving the environment, the earth, and humanity. In this regard, only communists and revolutionaries worldwide can lead the environmental protection movement.
As part of the sanctions the U.S. imposes worldwide, it imposed a 25 per cent tariff on India in August. Citing India’s purchase of oil from Russia, the U.S. raised tariffs from 25 per cent to 50 per cent. It severely affected India’s economy. In this situation, India drastically reduced its oil imports from Russia. The U.S. extended the exemption from the 11 per cent tariff it imposes on Indian shrimp imports only until December 31. In the coming days, the U.S. may lift this exemption. This is nothing but capitulation of India before the U.S. Under these conditions, the India–U.S. trade agreement under discussion will be entirely against the interests of the Indian people. Therefore, the Indian people- especially peasants, dairy producers, and fisher folk- must wage struggles against the subservience of the Indian government. They must expose the deceit behind Prime Minister Modi’s “self-reliance” rhetoric. Genuine self-reliance emerges only when unequal economic, trade, and commercial agreements imposed by imperialist countries are annulled. Self-reliance becomes a reality only when the New Democratic Revolution is completed. Country’s sovereignty and independence must be to achieve self-reliance.Parties belonging to the exploiting classes cannot achieve this. Therefore, only through the victory of the revolutionary movement led by the proletarian party can this goal be accomplished.
The BJP, having converted the Election Commission into its pocket institution, has been indulging in voter fraud and numerous illegalities and winning assembly and parliamentary elections. Even in the Bihar Assembly elections, it won through widespread irregularities and electoral fraud. This situation has once again exposed the utter falsity of the present parliamentary system. In this situation, to establish genuine democracy, a new democratic system must be put in place. For this, the broad masses of the country must unite, arm themselves, and overthrow this exploitative order.
Dear Comrades and the Masses!
In the current situation, with the revolutionary movement having suffered severe losses, we cannot celebrate the PLGA anniversary as we did in the past. Therefore, in the current phase, the party and the PLGA forces must commemorate the anniversary with primary emphasis on security. Across the forests, plains, and urban areas of the country, group meetings and small meetings must be held and the anniversary observed in appropriate forms. Posters and pamphlets must be distributed throughout the region to inform the people about the need to strengthen the PLGA. Eligible persons must be recruited into the PLGA.
- Let us protect the Party, the PLGA, mass organizations, and the revolutionary movement from the counter-revolutionary “Kagaar” war.
- Intensify the class struggle against imperialism, comprador corporate capital (foreign and domestic), and the landlord classes.
- Intensify people’s struggles against the Brahmanical Hindutva-fascist RSS–BJP central and state governments.
- Prevent losses. Oppose deviation and betrayal. Firmly defend the interests of oppressed people.
- Long live Marxism–Leninism–Maoism.
- Long live the New Democratic Revolution of India.
- Long live the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA).
- Long live the Communist Party of India (Maoist).
With revolutionary greetings,
Central Military Commission,
Communist Party of India (Maoist)
11/14/2025 - Priority must be given to protecting leadership forces, and losses must be avoided.
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Let Us Celebrate The 25th Anniversary Of The PLGA!: CPI
Dear Comrades and People!
The People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA), which is carrying forward the people’s war for the victory of the New Democratic Revolution in the country, completes twenty-five years on December 2. On this occasion, the Central Military Commission (CMC) calls upon all Party committees, all Party ranks, all PLGA commands, all units, all mass organizations and the revolutionary people to celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the PLGA from December 2 to December 8 across the country. It must be done in the forests, in the plains and in the urban areas. It must be done with revolutionary fervor. It must be done with firm resolve.
The CMC gives the following call to the entire revolutionary camp.
Let us protect the Party. Let us protect the PLGA. Let us protect the mass organizations. Let us protect the revolutionary movement. All this is necessary in the face of Kagaar’s revolutionary and defensive war. Let us intensify the class struggle against the alliance of imperialist, comprador, autocratic capitalist and landlord classes. Let us intensify the struggle against the Brahminical Hindutva fascist RSS BJP governments at the Centre and in the states.
On the occasion of the 24th anniversary of the PLGA, the CMC placed these tasks before the entire Party, the PLGA, the people’s organizations, and the revolutionary people. During the past year, all Party committees have worked with enthusiasm. They have worked with determination, courage and discipline. The CMC conveys revolutionary greetings to all Party ranks, to all the PLGA commands and commanders, to all fighters, to all leaders of the mass organizations, to all activists, to all members of the people’s militia and to all revolutionary people.
The CMC conveys revolutionary greetings to all comrades who have participated in political, military, organizational, cultural, and tactical efforts over the past year. They have done this while facing the revolutionary and defensive war against the Operation Kagaar on their own strength. The CMC also expresses confidence that the comrades who were injured in guerrilla warfare in the various revolutionary regions of the country have recovered quickly with courage. It believes that they have again taken their place and have fulfilled their responsibilities in the guerrilla war.
Over the past year, our comrades confronted the Kagaar war single-handedly and resisted it with unwavering determination. Many brave guerrillas became martyrs in these battles. Many lost their lives in encirclement and annihilation operations. Numerous comrades sacrificed their lives in encounters with the enemy. Many were killed in fake encounters. Others attained martyrdom during offensive actions against the enemy. Some lost their lives due to betrayals. A few comrades died in accidents, while others passed away due to ill health. The Central Military Commission (CMC) bows its head and offers humble revolutionary homage to all these martyrs.
From January 2024 onward, the Kagaar war became increasingly severe each day. Our comrades did not fear it. They stood against the enemy. They did not retreat. They fought to the last breath. The martyrs showed unparalleled courage. They showed defiance that never surrendered to the enemy. They exhibited a style of struggle that did not fear death. They showed perseverance that never tired. They proved their commitment and dedication to the people. They demonstrated unshakable faith in revolutionary victory. They are a great role model for us. They are an eternal example. We shall uphold their ideals. We shall take their heroic resistance and their deeds to the world. We shall praise their principles. We shall follow their footsteps. We shall pledge to fight steadfastly to our last breath for the fulfillment of their ideals.
In the past eleven months, from December 2024 to November 2025, 320 comrades became martyrs across the country in the course of resisting the Kagaar war. Of them, 183 were male comrades. One hundred seventeen were female comrades. The identity of 20 persons is yet to be known.
Twenty-two comrades became martyrs in Bihar and Jharkhand. One in Assam. Two hundred and forty-three in Dandakaranya. Thirty-three in Odisha. Seven in MMC. Eight in Telangana. Six in AOB. Among them was our Party’s General Secretary, Comrade Basavaraj (BR).
The martyrs included eight members of the Central Committee and fifteen from various State Committees. Twenty-five were District Committee members, and seventy-three were from Area Committees. One hundred and sixteen were Party members. Thirteen belonged to the PLGA. Thirty-three were cadres and activists of various mass organizations. Several revolutionary masses also laid down their lives. In addition, thirty-seven persons whose organizational status could not be conclusively established were killed.
Many revolutionary, progressive and democratic leaders and activists of mass organizations became martyrs across the country during people’s struggles. Some intellectuals, revolutionaries, sympathizers and friends also passed away. In the Philippines, some members of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of that country, some commanders and members of the New People’s Army and some leaders and activists of the National Democratic Front became martyrs. In America, seventy-five thousand Palestinians and fighters were killed in the genocidal war carried out by Israel with the support of the United States government during the past two years in Gaza. The CMC offers revolutionary homage to all these martyrs.
During the Kagaar war, we lost Comrade Basavaraj, our Party’s General Secretary. We lost eight Central Committee members,and fifteen State Committee members. We lost 320 comrades in total. The movement has suffered severe losses. In this situation, some, like Sonu and Satish, surrendered. They handed over weapons to the enemy and fled. They caused immense damage to the movement. We are celebrating the twenty-fifth anniversary of the PLGA in this background.
At such a time, it is the task of our Party and our PLGA to answer the questions that arise in the revolutionary camp regarding the future of the movement. It is our task to remove fear and anxiety. It is our task to instill courage and build self-confidence. It is our task to lead the entire revolutionary camp forward with firm resolve and with unparalleled courage. As part of this overall task, we celebrate the PLGA’s anniversary.
To fulfill this task, we must identify the causes of the severe losses now occurring in the movement. We must correct them. We must identify the objective conditions. We must examine the subjective conditions. We must identify the factors that favor the movement’s advancement. Based on these factors, we must revitalize the Party. We must consolidate the PLGA and the mass organizations.
From the beginning of the Kagaar war, our Party, our PLGA forces and the local secret people’s organizations suffered heavy losses. They are still suffering. The basic reason is this. Our organizations and forces did not follow the necessary methods of secret work. They did not implement the rules of guerrilla warfare. They did not correctly implement the political tactics instructed by the Central Committee.
According to the tactics formed by the Central Committee and the Politburo, our forces must not confine themselves to smaller areas. They must work in wider areas. They must not remain centralized. They must change to decentralized formations. They must move in small formations. They must coordinate legal and illegal, open and secret forms of struggle and organization. They should lead the class struggle in this coordinated manner. They have to mobilize workers, peasants, the middle classes, the petty bourgeoisie, the national bourgeoisie, oppressed social sections and oppressed nationalities in the towns, plains and forest regions. They must integrate these sections into the revolutionary movement.
We did not follow these tactics properly. As a result, the Party, the PLGA forces, and the leadership suffered heavy losses. They are still suffering. The Party and the PLGA forces suffered severe losses because we did not withdraw some troops from Dandakaranya, the main centre of the Kagaar war, to other regions.
Let us identify the mistakes that occurred in our practice over the past 22 months. Let us correct them. Let us correctly implement the strategies formulated by the Central Committee and the Politburo. In this way, let us protect the Party, the PLGA and the mass organizations. Let us protect the revolutionary movement.
The central and state governments have inflicted serious losses on the revolutionary movement in the Kagaar war. Even then, the PLGA forces and the revolutionary people under the leadership of our Party are fighting defensive battles. They are resisting. In this resistance, the enemy’s armed forces are also suffering significant losses. The enemy is not declaring these losses because it would increase the morale of the revolutionary camp. It is part of psychological warfare. The revolutionary camp must not come under the influence of this psychological war.
During the past year, in Dandakaranya, in Bihar and Jharkhand, in East Bihar and North East Jharkhand, in Odisha, and in MMC, the central and state armed forces and various commando forces suffered losses. One hundred and sixteen police personnel were killed. Two hundred and eight were injured. Some secret agents, some police informers and some political enemies belonging to the BJP were eliminated by PLGA forces. PLGA forces burned down some government offices and some mobile towers in road communication areas.
Across the country, the PLGA forces resisted the police, the paramilitary forces, the central armed police forces, commando units and Indian military units in seventy-two encirclement and annihilation operations and encounters.
In the past year, to defeat the Kagaar war, our PLGA forces mainly used improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and hit the enemy’s targets. Valiantly resisted the encirclement and encounters. Conducted ambushes and eliminated police informers. Some leaders of the BJP who were enemies of the people were eliminated, and spike holes were set up as traps. These were some of the methods used to carry out the guerrilla war.
The extent and intensity of the guerrilla actions have decreased. As a result, actions aimed at eliminating or injuring police officers have decreased. PLGA could seize only five weapons from the enemy. On the other hand, due to the Kagaar war, our PLGA forces and the mass organizations suffered severe losses. The revolutionary movement across the country was hit hard as a consequence.
Although the revolutionary movement in the country has suffered severe losses, the Party, which still exists countrywide, continues political work among the people in various forms. It continues to disseminate revolutionary political propaganda to the masses, mobilizing the people and advancing struggles against imperialism, comprador-bureaucratic capitalism (CBB), landlordism, corporatisation, and militarization. It is organizing the people into various forms of mass movements and, relying on the people and the people’s militia, the Party and the PLGA continue the protracted, decentralized, self-defensive guerrilla war.
Even though, in the name of Kagaar (the final war), the central and state governments have mobilized 8,50,000 police, central armed police forces, commando forces, the Indian Army, and the Air Force into the revolutionary areas- conducting widespread operations- these operations have been bravely resisted and repelled. Ambushes have been countered with courage and firmness. In Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana, and Jharkhand, more than 50,000 personnel from all types of armed forces- central armed forces, commando units, the Indian Army, and the Air Force- have been mobilized. Along with this, American and Israeli military officers and technicians have been involved in joint exercises to defeat the revolutionary movement.
Even though, for the last three years, the central and state governments have been carrying out concentrated operations in the West Singhbhum district of Jharkhand, these attacks have been resisted, and significant losses have been inflicted on the enemy armed forces. These are our positive aspects. Consolidating these positive aspects, let us overcome temporary setbacks and advance the revolutionary movement.
To defend the Party, the PLGA, the mass organizations, and the revolutionary movement in the course of the revolutionary counter-offensive “Kagaar” war, we must make every effort to carry out the following political, organizational, and military tasks:
- Priority must be given to protecting leadership forces, and losses must be avoided.
During the past year, 320 comrades belonging to the Party, the PLGA, and mass organizations across the country became martyrs. After 53 years, the loss of Comrade Basavaraj, our Party’s General Secretary, following the martyrdom of one of the Party’s founding leaders, Comrade Charu Mazumdar, is a grievous blow to our Party and the revolutionary movement.
In this one year, eight members of the Central Committee and fifteen members of various State Committees have been martyred. Our central and state committees have suffered severe losses. These losses will affect the revolutionary movement for a long period.
Along with these leadership losses, a large number of leaders and cadres of the Party, the PLGA forces, mass-organization leaders and activists, and revolutionary people have been martyred. Consequently, the Party, the PLGA, the mass organizations, and the revolutionary movement have suffered severe damage.
In this situation, by correctly implementing and adhering to the political and military directives formulated by the Central Committee and the Politburo, we must prevent further losses. Through preventing such losses, we shall safeguard the Party, the PLGA, the mass organizations, and the revolutionary movement and rebuild and strengthen them.
Even after 31 March 2026, the revolutionary counter-offensive war under the name Kagaar (and under other related operational names)- will continue. Since the objective of Kagaar is to crush the oppressed masses and to establish the “corporate Hindu country,” the RSS-BJP, their affiliate organizations, and the central and state governments functioning under their leadership continue to brand all those who oppose corporatization, militarization, and Hindutva as extremists and urban extremists and are carrying out fascist attacks against them.
Keeping this in view, we must protect the leadership forces. Only by waging a struggle against Brahminical Hindutva fascism in every sphere of social life – alongside all individuals, forces, organizations, institutions, and parties that oppose corporatization, militarization, and Hindutva- can we safeguard our leadership forces.
- We must overcome the crisis created by the clique of the renegades, Sonu and Satish.
By becoming renegades, party-splitters, and agents of counter-revolution, Sonu and Satish’s clique surrendered to the enemy on October 14 and 16 and handed over 203 weapons belonging to the Party. As an extension of the impact of this clique, towards the end of October, 21 people in North Bastar of Dandakaranya, along with 18 weapons, surrendered to the enemy; in the first week of November, seven persons in the Odisha State Committee area- Dhanthari, Gariband, and Nawapada Division- surrendered along with six weapons. In this manner, during October and November, 299 individuals surrendered to the enemy and handed over 227 weapons.
The clique of Sonu and Satish attacked our political–military line and created a crisis within the Party by handing over a large quantity of weapons to the enemy. Across the country, honest revolutionary forces and all those forces participating in the Kagaar war immediately recognized the hollowness and deceit in the arguments advanced by Sonu and Satish’s clique and identified them as renegades. However, even now, within our Party and the PLGA in some places across the country, and within a section of the revolutionary camp, confusion and ideological disturbance persist due to the arguments of Sonu and Satish. Therefore, we must expose all the fraud, deception, and duplicity in the arguments of Sonu and Satish, remove the confusion among such sections, and firmly establish our political–military line in their consciousness.
Sonu presents three principal reasons to claim that our Party’s political–military line is wrong:
(1) “We do not have a revolutionary party.”
(2) “The Central programme formulated by the 2007 Congress is an extremist deviation.”
(3) “We have rejected legal struggles.”By putting forward the peculiar argument that “the Party consists only of full-time revolutionaries and the Party committees composed solely of such full-timers,” he denies the legitimacy of the entire structure of part-time Party members and committees existing across the country. He further distorts this by claiming that committees of full-time revolutionaries working clandestinely and in an armed capacity alone constitute the Party, and labels all of them as a form of army. He also denies that the Party structures clandestine area committees, ACM/DVC/DC members, and Party members who, without arms, remain in civil areas to conduct mass work. All these are entirely incorrect and baseless interpretations. In his view, Party committees that exist without carrying weapons, embedded among the people in villages and towns, are the only Party. According to his logic, the revolutionary Party is a part-time structure embedded among the people in villages and towns; by the same reasoning, area committees up to the Central Committee that work in an armed and clandestine manner are not the Party. These are fundamentally incorrect, right-opportunist, revisionist arguments regarding the organization and functioning of the revolutionary Party.
The claim that the Central Programme formulated by the 2007 Congress is an extremist deviation is also a right-opportunist, revisionist argument. By 2007, after 27 years of work in Dandakaranya, that region had become a guerrilla zone; after 37 years of work in Bihar–Jharkhand, it had also become a guerrilla zone. Both regions possessed extensive and consolidated revolutionary mass bases. While these two regions and several others in the country were in the red resistance phase, some regions were in a temporary phase of retreat. In this context, following the merger of the two revolutionary Parties and the formation of a unified Party, there was tremendous enthusiasm and confidence across the country’s revolutionary camp.
Taking all of this into account, and keeping in mind the international and domestic political situation at the time, the 2007 Congress formulated the Central Programme to develop the Dandakaranya and Bihar–Jharkhand regions into liberated areas. The Congress resolved that, to develop these regions into liberated areas, the red resistance areas must be further consolidated as guerrilla zones; regions in temporary retreat must be pushed forward again; and urban work must be expanded. To fulfill these tasks, the Congress called on the entire Party to correct internal deviations and to work according to a unified method. However, despite intense efforts to rectify internal deviations, due to severe repression by central and state governments, the revolutionary movement across the country reached a defensive position by 2012. In this situation, the Central Committee decided that the plan to develop the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army into a regular army and to transform guerrilla warfare into mobile warfare could not be implemented immediately and accordingly changed the Central Programme.
Setting aside this reality and calling the central task determined by the Congress “left adventurism” amounts to insisting that, instead of waging the struggle for the seizure of state power based on the strengths and weaknesses of the movement, the revolutionary movement should be confined only to partial struggles and economic struggles. In other words, it means sacrificing the revolutionary movement to economism and reformism. It becomes a legalist position that seeks to keep the movement strictly within the bounds of legality.
The claim that “we rejected legal struggles” is also false and distortive. In 2007, at a time when North Telangana, Andhra, and AOB were in temporary retreat and the organizational strength had declined, numerous legal and open struggles were conducted. As part of this, the Telangana political movement was undertaken. In Telangana and AOB, struggles were waged to implement the Fifth Schedule and PESA in Adivasi regions. Between 2006 and 2011, in West Bengal, the Party coordinated legal and illegal struggles and led the Singur and Nandigram movements. In the same period, in AOB, the movement on land issues was conducted.
In 2008, when the central government formulated the new Forest Act, the Central Committee decided that in the regions of intense revolutionary movement, as well as newly emerging regions, the revolutionary organizations (Janatana Sarkars where they existed) should fight for the pro-people provisions of the Act and that these revolutionary people’s governments should issue land titles to Adivasi people. In 2013, the CRB released a document on the, exploitative class reforms, and the Party’s position. It decided that struggles must be waged using all forms- legal, illegal, open, and underground- depending on objective conditions, while maintaining the primacy of armed struggle. Subsequently, in Gadchiroli district, the movement for PESA and Gram Sabhas was conducted. Since 2021, across Dandakaranya, the movement for PESA and Gram Sabhas has continued.
From the time of the Party’s formation, throughout the country, the Party has consistently led legal, open people’s movements against displacement. Ignoring all these facts and selectively distorting them to argue that “we abandoned legal struggles” is a revisionist position that seeks to confine the movement to legal struggles alone.
Meanwhile, Sonu put forward two major statements: a “Temporary Cessation of Armed Struggle” and two “Appeals”- one to the people and another to the cadres. These demonstrate not merely a rejection of the Party’s revolutionary line but a rejection of armed struggle itself. He offers no alternative strategy. His perspective is essentially the line of surrender. At its core, his argument amounts to carrying out legal struggles, dissolving the underground Party, and turning the Party into an open entity.
These are, in essence, revisionist positions. Rejecting all that the Party has taught, handing over Party weapons to the enemy, and becoming an agent of counter-revolution- that is what Sonu has become. By rallying his followers, he attempted to split the Party. Satish has concurred with all of these positions. He therefore has also become a renegade, a splitter of the Party, and an agent of counter-revolution.
Therefore, the entire revolutionary camp must clearly understand the fraud and deception underlying Sonu and Satish’s arguments. The confusion within the revolutionary camp must be eliminated, clarity established, and confidence restored. There is absolutely no integrity in the arguments of Sonu and Satish; they are motivated purely by fear and the desire to justify their path of surrender. By propagating lies- claiming that the Party’s General Secretary intended to suspend armed struggle temporarily- they misled ideologically and politically weak cadres. They caused them to surrender to the enemy. Hence, their deceit must be exposed within the revolutionary camp.
- We must intensify class struggle against imperialism, comprador bureaucratic capitalism, the alliance of feudal classes, and against the Brahmanical Hindutva-fascist RSS–BJP central and state governments.
Under the guidance of the documents formulated by our Central Committee- “Changes in the Relations of Production in India and Our Political Programme” (MOP document), “The Caste Question in India and Our Path”, and “The Nationality Question in India and Party’s Position”- we must mobilize the oppressed classes (the working class, peasantry, middle strata [petty bourgeoisie], national bourgeoisie), the oppressed social sections (women, Dalits, Adivasis, religious minorities), and the oppressed nationalities, and conduct class struggle on class issues, social struggle on social problems, and nationality struggle on nationality issues. In accordance with the uneven development prevailing in the country, the MOP document has identified the country into seven categories and formulated region-specific political programmes. Based on this political programme, we must intensify class struggle.
Since 2014, after the Brahmanical Hindutva-fascist RSS–BJP came to power at the Centre, it has further transformed into political fascism. Since then, it has been unleashing continuous attacks on all oppressed classes, oppressed social sections, and oppressed nationalities in economic, political, cultural, and all spheres of social life. As part of this, it is attempting to convert the country into a “majoritarian state” through the liquidation of minorities. By intimidating and manipulating institutions such as the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the CBI, the Election Commission, and even the judiciary, it is weaponizing them for its own interests. It is carrying out relentless attacks on the people and on the opposition parties. As part of this, it is trying to create an “opposition-less India” (Vipaksh-mukt Bharat). Therefore, today, it has emerged as the country’s principal enemy and its people’s enemy.
In this situation, our party units across the country must unite all forces resisting these assaults- workers, peasants, organizations, associations, institutions, parties, including even bourgeois parties that can be taken as tactical allies- by establishing united front platforms and programmes, thereby intensifying the class struggle. Further, we must expose with solid evidence the falsehood and deception behind the propaganda blitz of the Brahmanical Hindutva-fascist RSS–BJP central and state governments, claiming that they will transform India into a “developed country (Viksit Bharat)” by 2047.
This year, in April, the Indian state conducted military operations under the name “Operation Sindhur”, projecting the terrorist attack that took place in Poonch, Jammu & Kashmir, as an act of Pakistan. Any dispute with Pakistan- or with any other country in South Asia- must be resolved based on peaceful principles, through dialogue, diplomacy, and negotiations. Instead of adhering to these principles, it resorted to military operations. It attempted to resolve the issue through war, which is incorrect.
However, under instructions from the United States, it halted these operations within four days, thereby displaying its subservience. On the one hand, while showing this servility toward the U.S., it has simultaneously been instigating nationalist frenzy, war hysteria, and jingoism among the Indian people for the past seven months.
During the last eleven years of BJP rule at the Centre, it has failed to resolve any of the major problems confronting the country- poverty, unemployment, rising prices, and peasant suicides. Instead of addressing these problems, it has been continuously inflaming Hindu majoritarianism, communal frenzy, and war hysteria to misdirect and suppress the struggling masses. The BJP, Modi, and their protégé, Adani, have been arbitrarily handing over national wealth to corporate capital. To protect Adani, who has been involved in illegal business practices in the United States, they have mortgaged national interests to the U.S. The regime has signed numerous agreements with Israel, the U.S., Afghanistan, and many others for the benefit of domestic and foreign corporate capital.
In the last eleven years of fascist BJP rule, attacks on Dalits and Adivasis have drastically increased. The harassment and humiliation of Dalit and Bahujan officers (IAS, IPS, etc.) by brahmanical administrative authorities have also intensified. Corporate exploitation and oppression in agriculture, industry, and the service sector- by both domestic and foreign corporate capital- have expanded enormously. As a consequence, the broad masses across the country have been continuously waging defensive struggles.
In this situation, we must expand propaganda, agitations, and struggle programmes against all economic, political, and cultural policies of the brahmanical Hindutva-fascist RSS–BJP central and state governments that stand against the people; and against corporate exploitation and oppression, thereby strengthening mass support. By intensifying class struggle nationwide and expanding mass support on this basis, let us advance the guerrilla war.
Dear Comrades and the Masses!
Since 1973, to overcome the fundamental crisis, imperialism has pushed forward imperialist globalization. However, the global economic crisis of 2008 proved that imperialist globalization has failed. This crisis has still not been resolved. All the economic, political, military, and cultural policies that the imperialist countries and the backward countries following them, or being made to follow them, implemented to overcome that crisis have failed miserably or are in the process of failing. To implement the policies associated with imperialist globalization, in many countries across the world, right-wing, racist, and fascist parties have come to power. These right-wing, racist, and fascist parties have trampled even the minimal bourgeois-democratic rights in their respective countries and are enforcing repression and fascism. As part of implementing imperialist globalization, although imperialist exploitation has intensified severely in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, its burden continues to be borne by the working class and the middle class even in the imperialist countries that export imperialist capital. In the countries of Asia, Africa, and Latin America, the comprador bourgeoisie and the landlord class, acting as agents of imperialist exploitation, have intensified oppression and plunder of the people. Against this, people’s struggles in these countries continue at varying levels.
The “Arab Spring” uprisings that erupted in African countries around 2012–13 could not overthrow the system of exploitation. During the last 3–4 years, although the immediate triggers behind the popular uprisings in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, the Philippines, and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir appear varied, the fundamental cause behind them is imperialist globalization and the intensity of exploitation and oppression by the comprador corporate (foreign and domestic) capital and landlord classes in those countries. During this same period, even in Western European countries, the working class and the middle class have been rising against exploitation by finance capital.
The victory of the Democratic Party candidate Zohran Kwame Mamdani, as mayor of New York, in the United States was due to the opposition of workers, employees of the middle class, and immigrant populations in that city to the right-wing, racist, fascist Trump administration. Likewise, in the last 2–3 years, in Europe and other countries, the electoral victories of Social Democratic and Democratic Party candidates over right-wing, racist, and fascist parties have been driven by widespread opposition to the policies of imperialist globalization and the growth of right-wing and fascist forces. In the coming days, this contradiction will intensify further.
Seizing this moment, communists and revolutionaries across the world must organize themselves as revolutionary parties in their countries, transform small parties into large ones, and strengthen the weak ones.
For the past year, the tariff war arising from the intensified conflict between the U.S. and China resulted in a temporary truce when U.S. President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Busan, South Korea, in the first week of November. Both countries announced a one-year suspension of the trade war. The U.S. decided to reduce the 10 per cent tariff on Chinese imports. In contrast, China agreed to lift its ban on the export of rare earth minerals. Due to the economic downturn and recession, the U.S. and China were compelled to take these decisions. This temporary agreement does not mean that the U.S.–China conflict has ended. Both countries are competing for world hegemony. According to this trend, the U.S.-China confrontation will sharpen in the coming days across all spheres.
Since the onset of the capitalist system, especially after capitalism transformed into imperialism, imperialism has increasingly become a destroyer of the environment. Today, not only humanity but the entire planet faces grave danger. In this context, the United Nations’ climate conferences have produced no meaningful results. Only by destroying the capitalist–imperialist system can environmental protection measures genuinely succeed, thereby saving the environment, the earth, and humanity. In this regard, only communists and revolutionaries worldwide can lead the environmental protection movement.
As part of the sanctions the U.S. imposes worldwide, it imposed a 25 per cent tariff on India in August. Citing India’s purchase of oil from Russia, the U.S. raised tariffs from 25 per cent to 50 per cent. It severely affected India’s economy. In this situation, India drastically reduced its oil imports from Russia. The U.S. extended the exemption from the 11 per cent tariff it imposes on Indian shrimp imports only until December 31. In the coming days, the U.S. may lift this exemption. This is nothing but capitulation of India before the U.S. Under these conditions, the India–U.S. trade agreement under discussion will be entirely against the interests of the Indian people. Therefore, the Indian people- especially peasants, dairy producers, and fisher folk- must wage struggles against the subservience of the Indian government. They must expose the deceit behind Prime Minister Modi’s “self-reliance” rhetoric. Genuine self-reliance emerges only when unequal economic, trade, and commercial agreements imposed by imperialist countries are annulled. Self-reliance becomes a reality only when the New Democratic Revolution is completed. Country’s sovereignty and independence must be to achieve self-reliance.Parties belonging to the exploiting classes cannot achieve this. Therefore, only through the victory of the revolutionary movement led by the proletarian party can this goal be accomplished.
The BJP, having converted the Election Commission into its pocket institution, has been indulging in voter fraud and numerous illegalities and winning assembly and parliamentary elections. Even in the Bihar Assembly elections, it won through widespread irregularities and electoral fraud. This situation has once again exposed the utter falsity of the present parliamentary system. In this situation, to establish genuine democracy, a new democratic system must be put in place. For this, the broad masses of the country must unite, arm themselves, and overthrow this exploitative order.
Dear Comrades and the Masses!
In the current situation, with the revolutionary movement having suffered severe losses, we cannot celebrate the PLGA anniversary as we did in the past. Therefore, in the current phase, the party and the PLGA forces must commemorate the anniversary with primary emphasis on security. Across the forests, plains, and urban areas of the country, group meetings and small meetings must be held and the anniversary observed in appropriate forms. Posters and pamphlets must be distributed throughout the region to inform the people about the need to strengthen the PLGA. Eligible persons must be recruited into the PLGA.
- Let us protect the Party, the PLGA, mass organizations, and the revolutionary movement from the counter-revolutionary “Kagaar” war.
- Intensify the class struggle against imperialism, comprador corporate capital (foreign and domestic), and the landlord classes.
- Intensify people’s struggles against the Brahmanical Hindutva-fascist RSS–BJP central and state governments.
- Prevent losses. Oppose deviation and betrayal. Firmly defend the interests of oppressed people.
- Long live Marxism–Leninism–Maoism.
- Long live the New Democratic Revolution of India.
- Long live the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA).
- Long live the Communist Party of India (Maoist).
With revolutionary greetings,
Central Military Commission,
Communist Party of India (Maoist)
11/14/2025 - Priority must be given to protecting leadership forces, and losses must be avoided.
-
India’s Palm Oil Plans Wreak Havoc On The Ground
#India’s aggressive push for #palmoil plantations in #Nagaland, #Assam and #Mizoram is wreaking havoc on both the environment and local communities. The government plans to ramp up oil palm cultivation in the northeast, locking away land that could be used for diverse food production for decades. Palm oil monoculture threatens soil health, drains precious water resources, and marginalises indigenous communities. Farmers in the north east of India are facing dire challenges, from delayed subsidies to inadequate payments for their crops, leaving them questioning the viability of oil palm farming. A rethink is necessary to protect India’s ecosystems, animals and people. To help raise awareness and empower change, make sure that you #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife every time you shop.
In #Nagaland and #Mizoram, #India 🇮🇳 an ongoing battle is raging for #farmers’ rights to feed their families and not suffer penniless for #palmoil in a barren wasteland #Boycottpalmoil 🌴🪔🚫 #Boycott4Wildlife #humanrights @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2024/10/06/indias-palm-oil-plans-wreak-havoc-on-the-ground/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterIn lush North East #India 🇮🇳🪷 a battle is being waged, between sowing native seeds versus industrial #palmoil #monoculture 🌴🔥 that threatens rare #ecosystems #animals and an ancient way of life. #ecology #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2024/10/06/indias-palm-oil-plans-wreak-havoc-on-the-ground/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterOriginally published under Creative Commons by 360info on August 12, 2024. Written by Dr Ravi Chellam is a wildlife biologist and conservation scientist based in Bengaluru along with senior journalist Rupa Chinai and Robert Solo is a member of the Naga civil society organisation, Kezekevi Thehou Ba (KTB) which works with communities, the government and the civil society in Nagaland. Read the original article.
The push for large-scale monoculture plantations like palm oil in India is taking a heavy toll on the environment and on people’s economic and social security.
Oil palm plantations lock in precious land resources for a long time, from a 4-5 year gestation period to 25 years for production, a problem in a densely populated country like India.
In late July, an unusual newspaper headline did the rounds: “If India gives land, we will work together to produce palm oil here, says visiting Malaysian Minister.”
Foreign politicians do not often ask the country they are visiting to give land, in particular for cultivating a plant which produces oil seeds.
In this case, the seeds refer to the oil palm, a species native to West Africa and now widely cultivated, especially in Southeast Asia. Oil palm is seen as the world’s most important oil crop, supplying approximately 40 percent of global demand for vegetable oil.
Clearly, the pressure is building on big palm oil-producing countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia to clean up their act.
The European Union has taken a strong stance on cleaning up supply chains to prevent deforestation, environmental degradation and negative impacts on local communities.
India is the world’s largest importer of edible oils but this was not always the case.
Indians have traditionally used a wide variety of edible oils, a reflection of India’s rich agro-ecological heritage and cultural diversity. In the early 1990s, India was self-sufficient in edible oils but thanks to changes in government policies, that situation has reversed.
Palm oil now dominates India’s edible oil imports, representing more than half of all edible oil imports. In 2021, palm oil import was valued at approximately $US8.63 billion.
Indian Rhino in Assam, India by Craig Jones Wildlife PhotographyDue to this significant dependence on imports, there has been a strong push by the Indian government to rapidly increase the cultivation of oil palm, especially in India’s northeast, through the National Mission on Edible Oils — Oil Palm.
It has set ambitious goals to increase the area of oil palm cultivation in India to one million hectares by 2025-26 from 350,000ha in 2019-20.
However, the government’s efforts in promoting oil palm plantations in the northeast, which are strengthened by substantial subsidies, are playing havoc with tribal society.
Land is a scarce resource in the northeast and existing land, often community-owned and managed, has traditionally been used for subsistence farming with an eye on food security. This is changing and creating social disruption.
Challenges of growing oil palm
More than 50 percent of the proposed increase in the area of cultivation, 328,000ha, is planned in the northeastern states, as identified in an assessment by the Indian Institute of Oil Palm Research in 2020.
The plan is also to increase the production of crude palm oil from 27,000 tonnes in 2019-20 to 1.12 million tonnes by 2025-26.
While the ambition and goals of the oil palm mission are lofty, the on-the-ground situation in the northeast tells a completely different story.
Mizoram was the first state to start planting oil palm in the northeast. Plantations were established in seven districts of the state and at least some of these date back to 2005.
Over the last two decades, oil palm plantations have invariably resulted in setbacks and failures for everyone involved.
Given their intrinsically high requirements of water and nutrients, oil palm plantations have devastated soil health and the quality and availability of groundwater in the state.
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Irrawaddy Dolphin Orcaella brevirostris
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by Palm Oil DetectivesThe majestic Sambar deer, cloaked in hues ranging from light brown to dark gray, are distinguished by their rugged antlers and uniquely long tails. Adorned with a coat of coarse hair and marked by a distinctive, blood-red glandular spot on their throats, these deer embody the beauty of the wild. Their adaptability is evident in…
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Lion-tailed macaques hold the title of one of the smallest macaque species in the world and sport a majestic lion-esque mane of hair. They exclusively call the Western Ghats in India their home. This area has been decimated in recent years for palm oil. Prior to palm oil’s arrival in the Western Ghats, populations of…
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Another issue is the long gestation period of the crop. The oil palm takes at least four to five years before it starts producing fruit, followed by a productive period of 20 to 25 years.
This adds up to 25 to 30 years, a long time to lock in precious land resources, especially in a densely populated country such as India.
The challenges with environmental sustainability, productivity, transport, failings of the government and corporate behaviour have meant that both farmers and the companies have had to deal with large-scale failures and heavy losses.
The rugged terrain and remote location of the plantations, coupled with the relatively poor road network and the absence of oil mills close to many of the plantations poses severe challenges to the farmers.
The nuts have to be processed within 48 hours, which currently is a logistical nightmare, especially for many small-scale farmers.
Many companies haven’t honoured their commitments to farmers be it on purchase price or timely payments. Government subsidies have also been often delayed.
The land question
Land is the central issue for the palm oil enterprise.
Be it terrain, with hilly terrain not being suitable for oil palm plantations; rapidly depleting soil fertility or reduced access to land owned by small landholders because of the three decade lock-in period.
In several cases, people have had to sell their land due to the extensive financial losses they’ve suffered while cultivating oil palm.
The capture of common lands for planting oil palm by the elite of the society is a large-scale problem, especially in Arunachal Pradesh, another northeastern state.
The fear is that more and more of community land will get converted into at least de facto private property when planted with oil palm due to the decades-long lock-in period.
This dispossession is likely to result in further marginalisation of the poorer sections of society and could potentially lead to social turmoil and conflict.
The problems are many and widespread.
Farmers across the northeast are not readily taking up planting of oil palm as they have started to realise the environmental costs, the meagre and very often delayed economic returns and the three-decade-long lock-in period of their land.
Sikkim and Meghalaya have decided to stay away from planting oil palm.
A recent report seems to indicate that at least some farmers in Arunachal Pradesh are starting to gain benefits from their oil palm plantations. These are still very early days to reach any definite conclusion about the situation in Arunachal, unlike the much longer Mizoram experience.
Since January 2023, researchers have engaged with tribal elders and civil society members in Nagaland which has provided them a close view of how things are playing out for oil palm in the state.
Nagaland seems to be following a similar path to Arunachal Pradesh, with the wealthy consolidating landholdings to establish plantations, resulting in small landholders losing out.
It is clear that oil palm is a capital-intensive and very long-term crop. Deep pockets are required to survive and succeed.
Almost everyone researchers interacted with expressed their disappointment at the delays, reduction or even complete stoppage of payment of the committed government subsidies.
Farmer frustrations
Farmers’ experiences in dealing with private companies that had committed to buy oil palm fruit has been an even greater disappointment.
The purchase price for these bunches is much lower than what was initially indicated and payments are unduly delayed.
Even the picking up of fresh fruit bunches, a perishable commodity which has to be processed within 24 to 48 hours post-harvesting, is poorly coordinated and there is a lack of reliable information and guidance for farmers.
The environmental and social issues associated with oil palm plantations are also playing out in Nagaland, including depleting soils, water shortages, the increasing use of hazardous agro-chemicals, rapidly increasing labour costs, women losing out on employment opportunities and shifts in land tenure and ownership.
Recent fieldwork in Nagaland through meetings and conversations with farmers presents a mixed picture.
Several farmers confirmed their fresh fruit bunches have not been picked up by companies. They believe it might have something to do with the company’s assessment of the quality of the fruit.
This is not in line with the commitment that was made to these farmers and is resulting in tremendous losses for them.
A few others are receiving the government subsidies and their fresh fruit bunches have also been picked up by the companies and they have been paid Rs13 a kilogram, approximately $USD 0.16.
Course correction
The longer-term experience with oil palm hasn’t been good for farmers in India’s northeast both from financial and social perspectives.
When also considering the environmental impacts, it is clear that the push for large-scale cultivation of oil palm in the region is taking a toll on the environment as well on people’s economic and social security.
Government policy would benefit from encouraging local and ecologically-appropriate oil-bearing crops rather than massively supporting oil palm.
Even the government’s own estimates do not predict India gaining self-sufficiency in edible oil by cultivating oil palm in India.
Rethinking this policy may be required so that India can regain self-sufficiency in edible oils, a position we enjoyed not so long ago.
Originally published under Creative Commons by 360info on August 12, 2024. Written by Dr Ravi Chellam is a wildlife biologist and conservation scientist based in Bengaluru along with senior journalist Rupa Chinai and Robert Solo is a member of the Naga civil society organisation, Kezekevi Thehou Ba (KTB) which works with communities, the government and the civil society in Nagaland. Read the original article.
ENDS
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3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
Pledge your support#animals #Assam #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #corruption #deforestation #ecology #ecosystems #farmers #humanRights #HumanRights #hunger #India #Mizoram #monoculture #Nagaland #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #poverty #workersRights #WorkersRights
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Asia: Species Endangered by Palm Oil Deforestation
- Vietnam
- Thailand
- Laos
- Cambodia
- Sri Lanka
- Bangladesh
- India
- China
- Myanmar
- Indonesia
- West Papua
- Philippines
- Malaysia
- Singapore
These unique and beautiful creatures face a threat to their very existence from the replacement of their rainforest home with oil palm plantations in Northern and South East Asia. These lush and fertile forests harbour an immense range of biodiversity not found anywhere on the planet. Thinking, feeling, intelligent beings that love their children and just want to survive and have their animal communities left in peace. Hot spots for palm oil deforestation include: Borneo, Sumatra, Indonesia, Vietnam, China, Burma, Thailand, Brunei, The Philippines, Malaysia, India and Sri Lanka. These animals have a IUCN Red List status of Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable and are declining. Yet there is hope and there are a number of ways you can take action to protect them.
1000’s of beautiful #animals in #Asia face #extinction from the #deforestation of their #rainforest home for #palmoil #meat #timber #soy. @RSPOtweets certification makes no difference to #deforestation. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife!
Search for animals Search1000’s #Asian #animals face #extinction from #deforestation for #palmoil #meat #gold #mining #soy. @RSPOtweets certification makes no difference to #deforestation. #ClimateEmergency #FightGreenwashing and #Boycott4Wildlife
Sumatran Tiger Panthera tigris sondaica
Borneo Forest Dragon Gonocephalus bornensis
Sunda Clouded Leopard Neofelis diardi
Tufted Ground Squirrel Rheithrosciurus macrotis
Visayan Broadbill Sarcophanops samarensis
Nicobar Long-Tailed Macaque Macaca fascicularis umbrosa
Phayre’s Leaf Monkey Trachypithecus phayrei
Irrawaddy Dolphin Orcaella brevirostris
Philippine tarsier Carlito syrichta
Wallace’s Flying Frog Rhacophorus nigropalmatus
Lion-tailed Macaque Macaca silenus
Sulawesi Babirusa Babyrousa celebensis
Jerdon’s Courser Rhinoptilus bitorquatus
Sulu Hornbill Anthracoceros montani
Green Dragontail Lamproptera meges
Nicobar pigeon Caloenas nicobarica
Philippine Sailfin Lizard Hydrosaurus pustulatus
Indian Rhinoceros (Greater One-horned Rhino) Rhinoceros unicornis
Quince Monitor (Banggai Island Monitor) Varanus melinus
Assam Rabbit (Hispid Hare) Caprolagus hispidus
Banded Surili (Raffles Banded Langur) Presbytis femoralis
Golden Langur Trachypithecus geei
Bangka Slow Loris Nycticebus bancanus
Fishing Cat Prionailurus viverrinus
Helmeted Hornbill Rhinoplax vigil
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Take Action in Five Ways
1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.
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Join 1,392 other subscribers2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.
Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings
Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao
Health Physician Dr Evan Allen
The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
Pledge your support#animals #Asia #Asian #Bird #Borneo #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #Burma #China #ClimateEmergency #CriticallyEndangeredSpecies #deforestation #EndangeredSpecies #extinction #Fightgreenwashing #gold #India #Indonesia #Malaysia #Mammal #meat #mining #palmoil #Philippines #rainforest #Reptile #SouthEastAsia #soy #SriLanka #Sumatra #Thailand #timber #Vietnam #VulnerableSpecies
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A Seven Year, 9,000-Mile Journey Along India’s Contested Land Borders
Suchitra Vijayan’s "Midnight’s Borders" follows the lives of people in the borderlands facing displacement and state-sanctioned violence.#books #interview #SuchitraVijayan #NationalBorders #SouthAsia #partition #pakistan #bangladesh #afghanistan #myanmar #china #kashmir #assam #nellie #bookstodon #nonfiction #india
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𝗦𝘆𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗱 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗷𝗻𝘁 𝗻𝗮 12 𝗷𝗮𝗮𝗿 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗮
De Syrische dictator Bashar al-Assad is in de Chinese stad Hangzhou aangekomen voor een meerdaags bezoek aan China. Het is zijn eerste reis naar dit land sinds het uitbreken van de burgeroorlog in Syrië in 2011.
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𝗦𝘆𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗱 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗷𝗻𝘁 𝗻𝗮 12 𝗷𝗮𝗮𝗿 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗮
De Syrische dictator Bashar al-Assad is in de Chinese stad Hangzhou aangekomen voor een meerdaags bezoek aan China. Het is zijn eerste reis naar dit land sinds het uitbreken van de burgeroorlog in Syrië in 2011.
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𝗦𝘆𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗱 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗷𝗻𝘁 𝗻𝗮 12 𝗷𝗮𝗮𝗿 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗮
De Syrische dictator Bashar al-Assad is in de Chinese stad Hangzhou aangekomen voor een meerdaags bezoek aan China. Het is zijn eerste reis naar dit land sinds het uitbreken van de burgeroorlog in Syrië in 2011.
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In China verfolgte Uiguren kämpften in Syrien mit gegen den früheren Machthaber Assad. Von Übergangspräsident Al-Scharaa erhoffen sie sich Unabhängigkeit.#Syrien #Uiguren #SturzAssad #China #VERFOLGUNG #muslimischeMinderheit
Uiguren in Syrien - Loyal an der Seite des neuen Präsidenten -
In China verfolgte Uiguren kämpften in Syrien mit gegen den früheren Machthaber Assad. Von Übergangspräsident Al-Scharaa erhoffen sie sich Unabhängigkeit.#Syrien #SturzvonAssad #Uiguren #China #Verfolgung #muslimischeMinderheit
Uiguren in Syrien - Loyal an der Seite des neuen Präsidenten -
In China verfolgte Uiguren kämpften in Syrien mit gegen den früheren Machthaber Assad. Von Übergangspräsident Al-Scharaa erhoffen sie sich Unabhängigkeit.#Syrien #Uiguren #SturzAssad #China #VERFOLGUNG #muslimischeMinderheit
Uiguren in Syrien - Loyal an der Seite des neuen Präsidenten -
In China verfolgte Uiguren kämpften in Syrien mit gegen den früheren Machthaber Assad. Von Übergangspräsident Al-Scharaa erhoffen sie sich Unabhängigkeit.#Syrien #Uiguren #SturzAssad #China #VERFOLGUNG #muslimischeMinderheit
Uiguren in Syrien - Loyal an der Seite des neuen Präsidenten -
In China verfolgte Uiguren kämpften in Syrien mit gegen den früheren Machthaber Assad. Von Übergangspräsident Al-Scharaa erhoffen sie sich Unabhängigkeit.#Syrien #Uiguren #SturzAssad #China #VERFOLGUNG #muslimischeMinderheit
Uiguren in Syrien - Loyal an der Seite des neuen Präsidenten -
In China verfolgte Uiguren kämpften in Syrien mit gegen den früheren Machthaber Assad. Von Übergangspräsident Al-Scharaa erhoffen sie sich Unabhängigkeit.#Syrien #Uiguren #SturzAssad #China #VERFOLGUNG #muslimischeMinderheit
Uiguren in Syrien - Loyal an der Seite des neuen Präsidenten -
Jahrelang musste er fernbleiben, nun hat Syriens Präsident Assad wieder China besucht. Das Treffen zeigt Pekings wachsenden Einfluss in Nahost.#Syrien #China #ArabischeLiga #XiJinping #Bascharal-Assad #Syrienkrieg #Asien #Politik #Schwerpunkt
Syriens Diktator zu Besuch in China: Xi macht Assad wieder salonfähig -
Source: Lancet Infectious Diseases, https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(24)00616-9/abstract?rss=yes
Summary
Background
Yezo virus (YEZV) is an emerging tick-borne pathogen, which was initially reported in Japan in 2021. Only one patient had been reported in China so far. We aimed to describe the epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory findings of a series of patients, and to characterise the viral genomes of YEZV.Methods
In this active surveillance and genomic analysis, we conducted active surveillance at Mudanjiang Forestry Central Hospital, Heilongjiang Province of northeast China. Participants were eligible for inclusion if they sought medical care for a recent tick bite between May 1 and July 31, in 2022 and 2023, and between May 1 and July 10, in 2024. We collected sera from participants to detect YEZV infection by meta-transcriptomic sequencing, real-time RT-PCR, and indirect immunofluorescence assay. We isolated YEZV by cell culture and characterised the pathogen by morphological and phylogenetic analyses.Findings
A series of 18 patients with YEZV infection (12 male and six female; median age 53 years, IQR 45–60) were identified among 988 participants. The patients presented with fever (18 patients, 100%), headache (ten patients, 56%), dizziness (nine patients, 50%), malaise (three patients, 17%), lumbago (three patients, 17%), and cough (three patients, 17%). Nine (50%) patients had rash around the tick bite site and four (22%) had lymphadenopathy. Nine (50%) patients had gastrointestinal symptoms, and five (28%) had neurological symptoms. We observed leukopenia in ten (63%) and thrombocytopenia in five (31%) of 16 assessed patients. Elevated hepatic transaminase concentrations were identified in 13 (72%) of all 18 patients, lactate dehydrogenase or α-hydroxybutyric dehydrogenase in nine (50%), serum amyloid protein A in 13 (72%), and hypersensitive C-reactive protein in ten (56%). Eight (7%) of 119 Ixodes persulcatus ticks removed from participants were positive for YEZV. Three YEZV strains were isolated from the sera of patients. Ten viral genomes were obtained from five patients, a blood-sucking I persulcatus removed from a participant, and four host-questing tick samples collected in the areas where patients were identified or in the adjacent region. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that YEZVs in either patients or ticks were divided into two clades, each with distinct mutations.Interpretation
Awareness of YEZV infection is important and clinicians should consider the virus when diagnosing patients with suitable symptoms.____
#abstract #ARBOVIRUS #china #health #news #research #tickBorneInfections #ticks #yezoVirus
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So, apparently, #ClareDaly was a pioneer of the Irish anti-vaxxers, resisting the HPV vaccination program even before the anti-vaccine movement became popular during COVID.
A Putin admirer, a person who whitewashed Assad’s crimes against humanity in Syria and the genocide of Uyghurs in China, and she is also an anti-vaxxer.
Keep her out of the Dáil. She is not fit.
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A COMPLETE LIST OF WARS AND ARMED CONFLICTS INITIATED BY THE UNITED STATES THROUGHOUT ITS HISTORY
The list of wars and conflicts fought exclusively on foreign territory is given below:
1622 – Attack on the Indians in Jamestown.
1635-1636 – War with the Algonquin Indians in New England.
1675-1676 – War with the Indians, resulting in the destruction of almost half of the towns in Massachusetts.
1792 – War for the capture of Kentucky.
1796 – War for the capture of Tennessee.
1797-1800 – Pirate attacks on French merchant ships.
1800 – Slave rebellion led by Gabriel Prosser in Virginia. About a thousand people were hanged, including Prosser himself. The slaves themselves did not kill a single person.
1803 – War to seize Ohio.
1803 – War to seize Louisiana.
1805-1815 – War in Africa for the right of the US to spread drugs around the world.
1806 – Attempted American invasion of Rio Grande (then a Spanish possession).
1810 – Invasion of Spanish West Florida.
1812-1814 – War with England, invasion of Canada.
1812 – Occupation of Spanish West.
1813 – Capture of Spanish Mobile Bay, occupation of the Marquesas Islands.
1814 – Occupation of Spanish Pensacola.
1816 – Attack on Fort Nichols in Spanish Florida.
1817-1819 – Occupation of East Florida.
1824 – Invasion of the Puerto Rican city of Fajardo.
1824 – Landing of American troops in Cuba.
1833 – Invasion of Argentina.
1835 – Capture of Mexican Texas.
1835 – Invasion of Peru.
1840 – Invasion of Fiji.
1841 – Genocide on the island of Upolu (Drummond).
1843 – Invasion of China.
1846-1848 – War with Mexico.
1846 – Aggression against New Granada (Colombia).
1849 – Artillery bombardment of Indochina.
1852 – Invasion of Argentina.
1853-1856 – Invasion of China.
1853 – Invasion of Argentina and Nicaragua.
1854 – Destruction of the Nicaraguan city of San Juan del Norte.
1854 – Attempt to seize the Hawaiian Islands.
1855 – Invasion and coup in Nicaragua.
1855 – Invasion of Fiji and Uruguay.
1856 – Invasion of Panama.
1858 – Intervention in Fiji, genocide.
1858 – Invasion of Uruguay.
1859 – Attack on the Japanese fort of Taku.
1859 – Invasion of Angola.
1860 – Invasion of Panama.
1863 – Punitive expedition to Shimonoseki (Japan).
1864 – Military expedition to Japan.
1865 – Invasion of Paraguay, genocide, 85% of the population destroyed.
1865 – Intervention in Panama, Government coup.
1866 – Attack on Mexico.
1866 – Punitive expedition to China.
1867 – Attack on the Midway Islands.
1868 – Repeated invasions of Japan.
1868 – Invasion of Uruguay and Colombia.
1874 – Troop deployment to China and Hawaii.
1876 – Invasion of Mexico.
1878 – Attack on Samoa.
1882 – Troops sent to Egypt.
1888 – Attack on Korea.
1889 – Punitive expedition to Hawaii.
1890 – Troops sent to Haiti.
1890 – Troops sent to Argentina.
1891 – Intervention in Chile.
1891 – Punitive expedition to Haiti.
1893 – Troops sent to Hawaii, invasion of China.
1894 – Intervention in Nicaragua.
1894-1896 – Invasion of Korea.
1894-1895 – War in China.
1895 – Invasion of Panama.
1896 – Invasion of Nicaragua.
1898 – Capture of the Philippines, genocide (600,000 Filipinos).
1898 – Invasion of San Juan del Sur (Nicaragua).
1898 – Capture of the Hawaiian Islands.
1899-1901 – War with the Philippines.
1899 – Invasion of the Nicaraguan port of Bluefields.
1901 – Troops sent to Colombia.
1902 – Invaded Panama.
1903 – Troops sent to Honduras, the Dominican Republic, and Syria.
1904 – Troops sent to Korea and Morocco.
1904-1905 – Intervention in the Russo-Japanese War.
1905 – Intervention in the revolution in Honduras.
1905 – Troops sent to Mexico.
1905 – Troops sent to Korea.
1906 – Invasion of the Philippines.
1906-1909 – Invasion of Cuba.
1907 – Operations in Nicaragua.
1907 – Intervention in the revolution in the Dominican Republic.
1907 – Participation in the war between Honduras and Nicaragua.
1908 – Invasion of Panama.
1910 – Invasion of Bluefields and Corinto (Nicaragua).
1911 – Intervention in Honduras.
1911 – Genocide in the Philippines.
1911 – Troop deployment in China.
1912 – Capture of Havana (Cuba).
1912 – Intervention in Panama during elections.
1912 – Invasion of Honduras.
1912-1933 – Occupation of Nicaragua.
1914 – Intervention in the Dominican Republic.
1914-1918 – Series of invasions of Mexico.
1914-1934 – Occupation of Haiti.
1916-1924 – Occupation of the Dominican Republic.
1917-1933 – Occupation of Cuba.
1918-1922 – Occupation of the Russian Far East.
1918-1920 – Troops sent to Panama.
1919 – Troops landed in Costa Rica.
1919 – War against the Serbs in Dalmatia on the side of Italy.
1919 – Intervention in Honduras during elections.
1920 – Intervention in Guatemala.
1922 – Intervention in Turkey.
1922-1927 – Intervention in China.
1924-1925 – invasion of Honduras.
1925 – Military operations in Panama.
1926 – Invasion of Nicaragua.
1927-1934 – Occupation of China.
1932 – Invasion of El Salvador.
1936 – Intervention in Spain.
1937 – War with Japan.
1937 – Intervention in Nicaragua, Government coup.
1939 – Troop deployment in China.
1941-1945 – Genocide of the civilian population of Germany (Dresden, Hamburg).
1945 – Nuclear attack on Japan.
1945-1991 – Sabotage activities against the USSR. (Invasion of airspace – more than 5,000, parachute drops – more than 140, direct sabotage. Total budget – $13 trillion).
1946 – Punitive operations in Yugoslavia.
1946-1949 – Bombing of China.
1947-1948 – Recolonization of Vietnam, genocide.
1947-1949 – Military operations in Greece.
1948-1953 – Military operations in the Philippines.
1948 – Military coup in Peru.
1948 – Military coup in Nicaragua.
1948 – Military coup in Costa Rica.
1949-1953 – Attempts to overthrow the government in Albania.
1950 – Punitive operations in Puerto Rico.
1950-1953 – Intervention in Korea.
1951 – Military aid to Chinese rebels.
1953-1964 – Special operations in British Guiana.
1953 – Overthrow of Mossadegh, who received 99.9% of the vote in a referendum.
1953 – Forced deportation of the Inuit (Greenland).
1954 – Overthrow of the government in Guatemala: Invasion codenamed Operation PBSUCCESS and Government coup by CIA mercenaries against President Jacobo Árbenz, who was planning to carry out sweeping land reforms and nationalize the lands of the United Fruit Company. Arbenz's overthrow was followed by four decades of military terror and civil war, in which some 140,000 people died. A ceasefire in the civil war was not signed until 1996.
1954 – Iran: The CIA and British intelligence organize the overthrow of Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh during Operation Ajax. Subsequently, during the reign of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Iran becomes the most important ally of the United States in the Middle East.
1956 – The US begins providing military aid to Tibetan rebels fighting against China.
1957-1958 – Attempt to overthrow the government in Indonesia.
1958 – Occupation of Lebanon: The US intervenes in the Lebanese crisis.
1958 – Bombing of Indonesia.
1958 – China: In the confrontation between the PRC and Taiwan over the Jinmen and Matsu islands, the US sends warships and marines to support Taiwan.
1959 – Troops are sent into Laos.
1959 – Punitive operations in Haiti.
1960 – Military operations in Ecuador.
1960 – Invasion of Guatemala.
1960 – Support for a military coup in El Salvador.
1960-1965 – Intervention in the internal affairs of the Congo. Support for Mobutu.
1961-1964 – Military coup in Brazil.
1961 – Terrorist war against Cuba using biological weapons. A group of US-backed Cuban militants carries out an unsuccessful operation in the Bay of Pigs.
1962 – Cuba: During the Caribbean crisis, the island is subjected to a total blockade.
1962 – Punitive operations in Guatemala.
1963-1966 – Government Coup and punitive operations in the Dominican Republic.
1964 – Punitive operation in Panama.
1964 – Support for the coup in Brazil.
1964-1974 – Intervention in the internal affairs of Greece.
1964 – Laos: American air and ground forces conduct a military operation in northeastern Laos. After years of fighting, the military solution is deemed futile, and American intervention forces leave the country in 1973.
1964-1975 – Aggression against Vietnam: The US intervenes massively in the Vietnam War. During the hostilities, up to 550,000 US soldiers are stationed in the country. Troops are not withdrawn until 1975.
1965 – Government Coup in Indonesia, genocide.
1965 – Cambodia: The US bombs border areas along the Vietnamese border. Cambodia is thus drawn into the Vietnam War.
1966 – Intervention in Guatemala.
1967 – Support for the coup and subsequent fascist regime in Greece.
1968 – Hunt for Che Guevara in Bolivia.
1971–1973 – Bombing of Laos.
1971 – US military assistance during the coup in Bolivia.
1972 – Troop deployment in Nicaragua.
1973 – Coup in Chile.
1973 – Terror in Uruguay.
1974 – Support for the Mobutu regime in Zaire.
1974 – Preparation for aggression against Portugal.
1974 – Attempted coup in Cyprus.
1975 – Occupation of Western Sahara, troop deployment in Morocco.
1975 – Intervention in the internal affairs of Australia.
1975 – Attack on Cambodia.
1975-1989 – Support for genocide in East Timor.
1978 – Military aid to a dictator, financing genocide.
1979 – Support for the cannibal Bokasa.
1979 – Military aid to Yemeni rebels.
1980-1992 – Military presence in El Salvador, special operations, genocide.
1980-1990 – Military aid to Iraq. One million dead in ten years.
1980 – Support and financing of the Khmer Rouge.
1980 – Operation Gladio in Italy, 86 victims.
1980 – Punitive operation in South Korea.
1980 – Iran: Operation Eagle Claw to free American hostages at the US embassy in Tehran fails.
1981 – Attempted coup in Zambia.
1981 – Military pressure on Libya, two Libyan aircraft shot down.
1981-1990 – Support for the Contras, terrorism, genocide.
1982 – Intervention in the internal affairs of Suriname.
1982-1983 – Attack on Lebanon.
1982 – Support for genocide in Guatemala.
1983 – Iran/Iraq: The US provides military support to Iran in the Iran-Iraq War in exchange for the release of American hostages in Tehran. At the same time, the US supplies weapons to the Iraqi side.
1983 – Lebanon: As part of an international coalition led by the US, the US intervenes in the Lebanese Civil War. As a result of a series of terrorist acts, the international coalition leaves Lebanon.
1983 – Intervention in Grenada: As a result of a coup d'état, a new government oriented towards the Soviet Union comes to power. This leads to the US invasion of Grenada.
1983 – Intervention in the internal affairs of Angola.
1984 – Two Iranian aircraft are shot down.
1984 – Mining of Nicaraguan bays.
1985 – Financing of genocide in Chad.
1986 – Attack on Libya.
1986-1987 – Attack on an Iranian ship in international waters, destruction of an Iranian oil platform.
1986 – Financing and military support for social terror, seizure of natural resources.
1986 – Libya: In retaliation for Libyan terrorist acts, the US bombs targets in Tripoli and Benghazi (Operation Canyon Eldorado).
1987-1988 – Participation in the Iraq-Iran War, use of chemical weapons.
1988 – Financing of terror and genocide in Turkey.
1988 – Explosion of a Pan American passenger plane over Scotland. Guilt acknowledged in 2003. The US missile cruiser USS Vincennes (CG-49) shoots down an Iran Air passenger plane over the Strait of Hormuz, killing 290 people. According to the American side, it was impossible for their military to distinguish the Iranian passenger plane from a military one and establish contact with the pilots. At the time, the American cruiser was in Iranian territorial waters as part of Operation Earnest Will. The captain of the USS Vincennes was awarded a medal.
1988 – Invasion of Honduras.
1988 – Destruction of an Iranian passenger plane.
1989 – Intervention in Panama.
1989 – Two Libyan aircraft shot down.
1989 – Bombing of the Philippines.
1989 – Punitive operation in the Virgin Islands.
1990 – Genocide in Guatemala.
1990 – Naval blockade of Iraq.
1990 – Financing of the Bulgarian opposition ($1.5 million)
1991 – Aggression against Iraq.
1991 – Bombing of Kuwait.
1992-1994 – Occupation of Somalia.
1992 – Genocide and terror during the seizure of Angola's natural resources (650,000 people killed).
1993-1995 – Bombing of Bosnia.
1994-1996 – Terror against Iraq.
1994 – Genocide in Rwanda (about 800,000 people).
1995 – Bombing of Croatia.
1998 – Destruction of a pharmaceutical factory in Sudan by a missile strike.
1998 – Bombing of Iraq.
1999 – Aggression against Yugoslavia.
2001 – Invasion of Afghanistan.
2002 – Troop deployment to the Philippines.
2003 – Actions in Liberia.
2003 – Clashes with Syrian border guards.
2003 – Iraq: The Iraq War, in which a number of American allies also participate. After the overthrow of Saddam Hussein's regime, a long-term occupation begins, characterized by a high level of violence in the country, which, according to various sources, cost the lives of up to 655,000 Iraqis.
2004 – Somalia: US air strikes against Islamists, active support for Somali government forces in the civil war.
2004 – Troops sent to Haiti.
2004 – Attempted coup in Equatorial Guinea.
2008 – Invasion of Pakistan.
2008 – War in South Ossetia
2011 – War in Libya: Air strikes and missile attacks on the country as part of the intervention in Libya. This resulted in the overthrow and killing of the head of state, Muammar Gaddafi.
2013-2017 – War in Syria: The US and its allies began bombing Islamic State positions in Syria and Iraq.
2014 – War in Ukraine.
2015 – Yemen: US missile strikes on positions of Yemeni rebels — Houthis and active support for the intervention of Saudi Arabia and its allies in Yemen.
2025 – Overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's legitimate government in Syria with the help of terrorist organizations supported by the US federal budget.
2025 – Terrorist bombings in Iran and escalation of the hybrid war started by the Zionists in 1979.
2026 – Attempted government coup in Iran.
2026 – Bombing and invasion of Venezuela, kidnapping of democratically elected President Nicolas Maduro.
#^https://interaffairs.ru/news/show/35248
#USA #US #american #government #CIA #MIC #Pentagon #deepstate #banksters #weapons #chemicalweapons #military #terrorism #bioterrorism #massmurder #killing #warmongers #war #bombing #capture #invasion #intervention #occupation #coup #violence #deaths #genocide #lawlessness against the whole World #history -
Finally Friday Reads: Your Cassandra Daily
Nothing says Thanksgiving to me more than the WKRP Turkey Drop! Thank you, John Buss, @repeat1968
Good Day, Sky Dancers!
My first short story remains in my scrapbook in its purply blue mimeograph ink. It has my drawing of Cassandra and my interpretation of my favorite Greek Character, who was dedicated to the Greek God Apollo but was fated to make true prophecies no one ever believed. I was drawn to her in my 5th-grade mythology class. I remember my mother listening to me once and starting to question me before she interrupted herself by telling me this. “I don’t know why I question you; you’re almost always right.” I usually don’t believe everything I read, but I remember it. Prognostication is less godly and more mathematical these days, but when you know what’s likely to happen when you do that S-VAR model based on solid theory and a new hypothesis, you don’t always want to welcome the results.
I’ve been running around with my hair on fire since the Orange Demon started obsessing about tariffs again. He tried them during his last Reign of Terror and nearly drove our farmers out of business. Congress had to rescue them with huge subsidies that paid them for not selling their crops or livestock. Trump started a Trade War with China. He needed a visit from Herbert Hoover’s Ghost and to listen to the huge chorus of economists who warned him, but he persisted. Luckily, it didn’t take out the U.S. economy, but it ran up the deficit and jeopardized the Agriculture sector.
This warning is from the AP. “Trump’s tariffs in his first term did little to alter the economy, but this time could be different.” Trump’s misunderstanding of tariffs could wreck the economies of North America. This analsyis comes from Josh Boak.
Donald Trump loved to use tariffs on foreign goods during his first presidency. But their impact was barely noticeable in the overall economy, even if their aftershocks were clear in specific industries.
The data show they never fully delivered on his promised factory jobs. Nor did they provoke the avalanche of inflation that critics feared.
This time, though, his tariff threats might be different.
The president-elect is talking about going much bigger — on a potential scale that creates more uncertainty about whether he’ll do what he says and what the consequences could be.
“There’s going to be a lot more tariffs, I mean, he’s pretty clear,” said Michael Stumo, the CEO of Coalition for a Prosperous America, a group that has supported import taxes to help domestic manufacturing.
The president-elect posted on social media Monday that on his first day in office he would impose 25% tariffs on all goods imported from Mexico and Canada until those countries satisfactorily stop illegal immigration and the flow of illegal drugs such as fentanyl into the United States.
Those tariffs could essentially blow up the North American trade pact that Trump’s team negotiated during his initial term. But on Wednesday, Trump posted on social media that he had spoken with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and she had agreed to stop unauthorized migration across the border into the United States.
Trump also posted on Monday that Chinese imports would face additional tariffs of 10% until Beijing cracks down on the production of materials used in making fentanyl.
President Sheinbaum immediately denied Trump’s characterization of their conversation. This headline from HuffPo says it all. “Trump Mocked After Mexico’s President Blows Up His Brag About Their Call.” Josephine Harvey reports on the response.
Donald Trump seemed to offer alternative facts on Wednesday about his recent call with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and was swiftly rebutted by the leader herself, prompting mockery on social media.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, the U.S. president-elect declared that Sheinbaum had “agreed to stop Migration through Mexico, and into the United States, effectively closing our Southern Border.”
Shortly afterward, Sheinbaum shared a Spanish-language message about the conversation, writing, “We reiterate that Mexico’s position is not to close borders, but to build bridges between governments and communities.”
Both leaders characterized the call as positive. The two spoke after Trump on Monday threatened to impose a 25% tax on all products entering the country from Canada and Mexico as soon as he takes office. Trump said, “This Tariff will remain in effect until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country!” He also threatened to put an “additional 10%” tariff on goods from China.
This week’s news was somewhat reminiscent of Trump’s claim ahead of the 2016 election that he would make Mexico pay for “100%” of a proposed wall at the U.S. border. Enrique Peña Nieto, Mexico’s president at the time, disagreed. Mexico did not pay.
Social media users sarcastically celebrated Trump’s fictional victory this week.
“All it took was one call. Donny deals,” journalist Sam Stein posted online.
Mike Nellis, a former aide to Vice President Kamala Harris, said, “Trump thinks he convinced the President of Mexico to stop all migration across the border LOL.”
Olivia Troye, who was a White House official in Trump’s first term, offered a “Translation” of the president-elect’s comments about Mexico.
Just had a conversation with the President of Mexico who didn’t allow me to bully her, which left me confused about my charm…she pointed out that this is very bad…very bad for me if I do these tariffs…” Troye wrote.
China and Canada were also blunt about DonOld’s mischaracterizations of his conversations with their leaders. USA Today‘s Kim Hjelmgaard reported it this way. “‘Counter to facts and reality’: China, Mexico, Canada respond to Trump tariff threats.”
Officials in China, Mexico and Canada criticized Tuesday a pledge made by President-elect Donald Trump on social media to impose new tariffs on all three of the United States’ largest trading partners on the first day of his presidency.
Trump said the move, which appears to violate the terms of a free-trade deal Trump signed into law in 2020, is aimed at clamping down on drugs − fentanyl especially − and migrants crossing into the U.S. illegally.
The president-elect said he would sign an executive order immediately after his inauguration introducing a 25% tariff on all goods coming from Mexico and Canada and a 10% tariff on goods from China.
Trump takes office on Jan. 20.
“Both Mexico and Canada have the absolute right and power to easily solve this long simmering problem,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social, a platform he owns. “It is time for them to pay a very big price!” He accused China in a separate post of failing to block smuggling of U.S.-bound fentanyl, a synthetic opioid.
There was quick pushback to Trump’s comments from all three countries.
Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington, said: “No one will win a trade war or a tariff war” and “the idea of China knowingly allowing fentanyl precursors to flow into the United States runs completely counter to facts and reality.”
Mexico’s finance ministry said in a statement the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, a trade pact Trump sponsored during his first term, provided “certainty” for investors. “The response to one tariff will be another, until we put at risk companies that we share,” Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum said, naming General Motors and Ford, among others. Sheinbaum said her comments, read aloud in a press conference, were sent in a letter to Trump.
Doug Ford, the premier of Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, said the tariffs would be “devastating to workers and jobs” in both the U.S. and Canada.
A tariff is effectively a tax imposed by one country on the goods and services imported from another country. Oil is the top U.S. import from Canada, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The largest category of goods imported to the U.S. from Mexico is cars and components for cars. The U.S. imports a significant amount of electronics from China. Some goods are exempt from tariffs because of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
Businesses are already responding to the tariff threats. This will not be good for American Consumers. NBC News reports: “Here’s where consumers could feel the price pain if Trump’s tariffs go into effect. Trump has made threats about tariffs in the past. Businesses are nevertheless taking the latest threats seriously.” This guy hasn’t even taken the oath of office, and he’s already acting like he’s sitting in the Oval Office.
An estimate from The Budget Lab at Yale shared Wednesdaywith NBC News found that the cost to consumers from Trump’s proposed tariffs could reach as much as $1,200 in lost purchasing power on average based on 2023 incomes, assuming retaliatory duties on U.S. exports are put into place.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has already warned that any new tariffs imposed by the U.S. would be met with retaliatory ones by her country. Canada is similarly considering its own options, including possible tariffs on U.S. goods, according to The Associated Press.
America’s biggest import from Canada is oil — and any increase in energy prices would likely be felt throughout the economy.
“Another way to think about this is it’s 4 to 5 months of a normal year’s inflation in one fell swoop,” Ernie Tedeschi, The Budget Lab’s director and the former chief economist under the Biden administration, said in an email.
The three countries Trump has selected for a new round of targeted tariff proposals — China, Mexico and Canada — represent nearly half of all U.S. import volumes.
While Trump has insisted other countries end up paying the cost of tariffs, most economists agree those costs wind up getting passed on to shoppers. And at a time when rising prices remain a top concern, the types of goods that could see higher costs are the ones consumers interact with every day.
Some companies are warning that particularly import-heavy parts of the economy could be hit hard. Best Buy CEO Corie Barry warned Tuesday that any added costs on U.S. imports “will be shared by our customers.” Electronic goods account for the largest share of U.S. imports from China as of 2023.
“There’s very little in [the] consumer electronics space that is not imported. … These are goods that people need, and higher prices are not helpful,” Barry said.
This is what happens when morons vote for a moron. David R. Lurie of Public Notice has this analysis on other Trump plans. These endanger our National Security. “Tulsi Gabbard and Trump’s scheme to gut the intel agencies. It’s hard to envision a less suited intelligence chief. That’s a feature, not a bug.”
Donald Trump has selected Tulsi Gabbard, former congresswoman and notorious Putin stooge, as his nominee for director of the office of national intelligence.
It’s difficult to imagine a candidate less suited to carry out the DNI’s mission, and that’s very likely just the reason that Trump chose her. Gabbard has virtually none of the experience or expertise required to competently assume DNI’s weighty responsibility of marshaling the information and analyses gathered by the nation’s intelligence agencies and coordinating their work.
Gabbard’s longstanding association with a shadowy rightwing cult, her history of suspicious uses of campaign funds, her habitual conspiracism and advocacy for the interests of bloodthirsty dictators (including Syria’s Bashar al-Assad as well as Putin) all raise a multiplicity of red flags.
But, as Donald Trump made clear during his first term in office, national security is hardly at the top of his list of priorities. In fact, hobbling the nation’s intelligence agencies is one of his principal goals.
Donald Trump has selected Tulsi Gabbard, former congresswoman and notorious Putin stooge, as his nominee for director of the office of national intelligence.
It’s difficult to imagine a candidate less suited to carry out the DNI’s mission, and that’s very likely just the reason that Trump chose her. Gabbard has virtually none of the experience or expertise required to competently assume DNI’s weighty responsibility of marshaling the information and analyses gathered by the nation’s intelligence agencies and coordinating their work.
Gabbard’s longstanding association with a shadowy rightwing cult, her history of suspicious uses of campaign funds, her habitual conspiracism and advocacy for the interests of bloodthirsty dictators (including Syria’s Bashar al-Assad as well as Putin) all raise a multiplicity of red flags.
But, as Donald Trump made clear during his first term in office, national security is hardly at the top of his list of priorities. In fact, hobbling the nation’s intelligence agencies is one of his principal goals.
Marc Zuckerberg perfects his role as Surrender Monkey by dining with the Dotard at Mara Lardo. This is from the BBC. “Mark Zuckerberg dines with Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago.” It was definitely a Baboon butt moment.
Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg has visited Donald Trump at his resort in Mar-a-Lago, further evidence of the apparent thawing in their once frosty relations.
The president-elect already has a close, high-profile relationship with another of the leading figures in tech, X owner Elon Musk.
Historically, though, there has been no such closeness between Trump and Mr Zuckerberg – with Trump barred from Facebook and Instagram after the Capitol riots, and Trump threatening the Meta boss with jail if he interfered in the 2024 presidential election.
However, there has recently been evidence those strained relations are improving, culminating in Mr Zuckerberg dining with the president-elect at his Florida mansion.
“Mark was grateful for the invitation to join President Trump for dinner and the opportunity to meet with members of his team about the incoming administration,” a Meta spokesperson told the BBC.
“It’s an important time for the future of American Innovation,” the statement added.
The Detroit Free Press featured an Op-Ed by the AG of Michigan, Dana Nessel. It is difficult not to notice the incredibly large number of Sexual Predators Trump has been appointing to his Cabinet and other leadership positions. It seems like a feature and not a bug, “Michigan AG Nessel: Trump cabinet picks show disdain for victims of sex assault.” We continue to see a parade of the stupid and the lawless.
Every 68 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted.
Only a third of the estimated 440,000 victims over the age of 12 each year will ever report, often due to negative emotions such as guilt, shame, and self-blame.
Survivors feel they won’t be believed, so why bother reporting, opening themselves up to ridicule, judgment and shame?
So what is it we are telling victims of these brutal, life-altering crimes, when our President-elect seeks to elevate alleged fellow perpetrators to cabinet positions and other high levels of power in our government?
To lead the Department of Defense, Trump has nominated Fox News personality Pete Hegseth, who settled an accusation that he raped a woman and entered into a non-disclosure agreement with the victim. To lead the Department of Health and Human Services, he nominated Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who has been accused of groping a young woman who worked for him as a babysitter on several occasions. For Secretary of Education – responsible for ensuring the schooling of our nation’s children – he nominated Linda McMahon, who has been sued for criminal negligence for enabling the grooming and sexual abuse of children by employees of her organization. And as the nation’s top law enforcement officer, he nominated former Representative Matt Gaetz — who withdrew from consideration last week — the subject of a House Ethics Committee investigation, following accusations he paid minors for sex. And Trump still has more nominations to make.
With these nominations, we are telling survivors of sexual assault that they don’t matter, that their trauma is meaningless and that they should stay silent.
And they will.
The American Prospect calls them “The Rape Gang.”
The presumptive Secretary of Education is married to a man whose former employee alleges he forced her to perform sex acts with his friend for an hour and a half after he defecated on her head. The presumptive Commerce Secretary preemptively sued his former assistant in 2018, after her lawyer threatened to publicize “not pretty” 2 a.m. text messages she’d received from him and his wife. The presumptive Health and Human Services director’s explanation for forcibly groping a former nanny’s breasts while holding her hostage in a kitchen pantry was that he “had a very, very rambunctious youth”; he was 46 at the time. The White House efficiency czar, currently a defendant in a putative class-action lawsuit filed by eight former employees who accuse him of perpetrating an “Animal House” work environment of “rampant sexual harassment,” and paid a quarter of a million dollars to a flight attendant who says he got naked and asked her to touch his erect penis in exchange for the gift of a horse.
And of course the presumptive Defense Secretary was accused of raping a woman who was tasked with monitoring what she described to police as his “creeper vibes” after a Republican women’s conference at which he was a keynote speaker, just a month and change after the birth of his fourth child with a woman who was not his wife at the time. (Reader, she married him.)
The aggressive rapeyness of the second Donald Trump administration is so tyrannical it’s almost enough to make a girl wistful for Matt Gaetz, the Florida congressman who withdrew his name from attorney general contention yesterday (to make way for the despicable Pam Bondi) amid an orgy of leaks from two investigations into his sexploits with a 17-year-old procured by a convicted sex trafficker friend. Multiple witnesses testified that Gaetz did not actually know the 17-year-old was underage, you see, and that he ceased having sex with her when he found out.
We definitely have a kakistocracy coming our way. We can see the incompetence, the total lack of knowledge of policy, and the complete inappropriateness of every candidate for Cabinet. It comes from the ultimate dotard. The only thing we have going for us now is our resolve and the fact that the Republican Majority in both Houses is narrow. Both houses have also had lots of experience in gumming up the works for Trump. Trump’s so-called mandate is a bald-faced lie. The LA Times asks, “As Trump’s lead in popular vote shrinks, does he really have a ‘mandate’?” Of course, Trump will be oblivious to all that, so he’s relying heavily on executive mandates that may or may not be legal.” Jenny Jarvis has the details.
Though Trump overwhelmingly won the electoral college vote, his tally in the popular vote is hardly a landslide.
In the last 75 years, only three other presidents had popular-vote margins that were smaller than Trump’s.
When Trump exaggerates his presidential mandate, he is not an outlier but drawing from bipartisan history.
In his victory speech on Nov. 6, President-elect Donald Trump claimed Americans had given him an “unprecedented and powerful mandate.”
It’s a message his transition team has echoed in the last three weeks, referring to his “MAGA Mandate” and a “historic mandate for his agenda.”
But given that Trump’s lead in the popular vote has dwindled as more votes have been counted in California and other states that lean blue, there is fierce disagreement over whether most Americans really endorse his plans to overhaul government and implement sweeping change.
The latest tally from the Cook Political Report shows Trump winning 49.83% of the popular vote, with a margin of 1.55% over Vice President Kamala Harris.
The president-elect’s share of the popular vote now falls in the bottom half for American presidents — far below that of Democrat Lyndon B. Johnson, who won 61.1% of the popular vote in 1964, defeating Republican Sen. Barry Goldwater by nearly 23 percentage points.
In the last 75 years, only three presidents — John F. Kennedy in 1960, Richard Nixon in 1968 and George W. Bush in 2000 — had popular-vote margins smaller than Trump’s current lead.
“If there ever was a mandate, this isn’t it,” said Hans Noel, associate professor of government at Georgetown University.
There is a slim majority margin in the US House of Representatives. There is no mandate radical change there. This is from Politico, “Where the slim House margin might matter most.” The analysis is by Anthony Adragna.
Republicans are vowing an all-out war in the opening days of the next Congress against Biden administration regulations in areas as varied as energy, financial, housing and education policy.
They’re hoping for a redux of 2017 and 2018, when Republicans used their unified control of government and the powers of the Congressional Review Act to ax 16 regulations. With a coming 53-47 majority, GOP senators say they’re again primed to use the CRA, one of their most potent tools to undo Democratic policies — and one that tends to unite the often fractious Republican conference.
But — and it’s a major but — an extremely narrow House margin could make things hard to pull off, at least for the first couple of months of the Trump administration. While the GOP could lose as many as three votes in the Senate with Vice President-elect JD Vance (R-Ohio) casting tie-breakers, the House very well be at a one-vote margin until early April (more on that math below).
Still, that hasn’t dampened Republicans’ enthusiasm around the CRA.
“We’re going to want to go and evaluate everything that fits into the jurisdiction” of the 1996 review law, incoming Senate Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) told Inside Congress. Invoking it involves passing simple-majority votes in both chambers plus a presidential signature, no filibusters allowed.
President Joe Biden’s administration recognized this looming threat and prioritized early completion of rulemakings to shield them from congressional challenge. Still, dozens of regulations were finalized after Aug. 1, 2024, leaving them vulnerable to the CRA, according to Public Citizen, which closely tracks the potential use of the law. (That corresponds to the date identified by the Congressional Research Service after which rules might be vulnerable to revocation.)
Barrasso’s hardly alone with vows of aggressive use of the tool, which had only been successfully used once before Trump’s first term.
“We’ll do every possible regulation we can get to,” Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said. “It’s a wonderful tool for undoing the bureaucratic excess of the Biden administration.”
“On some of these crazy policies we ought to just get rid of them as fast as we can,” said Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), who said he’d instructed his staff to find regulations that may be good targets for challenges.
“This is the only time the Congressional Review Act actually has teeth, otherwise it’s a messaging vehicle,” Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) said, referring to the first months of a new trifecta, since using the CRA effectively requires one party to control the presidency and both chambers of Congress, a relatively infrequent occurrence in modern politics.
Hopefully, this turns into a Can’t Do Anything Congress.
Have a good weekend! Hope you had a great day for feasting! I’m off to eat a turkey sandwich!
What’s on your reading and blogging list today?
#JohnbussBskySocial #Repeat1968JohnBuss #DonnyDotardAndTheChaosCult #TrumpCabinetRapeGang
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Finally Friday Reads: Your Cassandra Daily
Nothing says Thanksgiving to me more than the WKRP Turkey Drop! Thank you, John Buss, @repeat1968
Good Day, Sky Dancers!
My first short story remains in my scrapbook in its purply blue mimeograph ink. It has my drawing of Cassandra and my interpretation of my favorite Greek Character, who was dedicated to the Greek God Apollo but was fated to make true prophecies no one ever believed. I was drawn to her in my 5th-grade mythology class. I remember my mother listening to me once and starting to question me before she interrupted herself by telling me this. “I don’t know why I question you; you’re almost always right.” I usually don’t believe everything I read, but I remember it. Prognostication is less godly and more mathematical these days, but when you know what’s likely to happen when you do that S-VAR model based on solid theory and a new hypothesis, you don’t always want to welcome the results.
I’ve been running around with my hair on fire since the Orange Demon started obsessing about tariffs again. He tried them during his last Reign of Terror and nearly drove our farmers out of business. Congress had to rescue them with huge subsidies that paid them for not selling their crops or livestock. Trump started a Trade War with China. He needed a visit from Herbert Hoover’s Ghost and to listen to the huge chorus of economists who warned him, but he persisted. Luckily, it didn’t take out the U.S. economy, but it ran up the deficit and jeopardized the Agriculture sector.
This warning is from the AP. “Trump’s tariffs in his first term did little to alter the economy, but this time could be different.” Trump’s misunderstanding of tariffs could wreck the economies of North America. This analsyis comes from Josh Boak.
Donald Trump loved to use tariffs on foreign goods during his first presidency. But their impact was barely noticeable in the overall economy, even if their aftershocks were clear in specific industries.
The data show they never fully delivered on his promised factory jobs. Nor did they provoke the avalanche of inflation that critics feared.
This time, though, his tariff threats might be different.
The president-elect is talking about going much bigger — on a potential scale that creates more uncertainty about whether he’ll do what he says and what the consequences could be.
“There’s going to be a lot more tariffs, I mean, he’s pretty clear,” said Michael Stumo, the CEO of Coalition for a Prosperous America, a group that has supported import taxes to help domestic manufacturing.
The president-elect posted on social media Monday that on his first day in office he would impose 25% tariffs on all goods imported from Mexico and Canada until those countries satisfactorily stop illegal immigration and the flow of illegal drugs such as fentanyl into the United States.
Those tariffs could essentially blow up the North American trade pact that Trump’s team negotiated during his initial term. But on Wednesday, Trump posted on social media that he had spoken with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and she had agreed to stop unauthorized migration across the border into the United States.
Trump also posted on Monday that Chinese imports would face additional tariffs of 10% until Beijing cracks down on the production of materials used in making fentanyl.
President Sheinbaum immediately denied Trump’s characterization of their conversation. This headline from HuffPo says it all. “Trump Mocked After Mexico’s President Blows Up His Brag About Their Call.” Josephine Harvey reports on the response.
Donald Trump seemed to offer alternative facts on Wednesday about his recent call with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and was swiftly rebutted by the leader herself, prompting mockery on social media.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, the U.S. president-elect declared that Sheinbaum had “agreed to stop Migration through Mexico, and into the United States, effectively closing our Southern Border.”
Shortly afterward, Sheinbaum shared a Spanish-language message about the conversation, writing, “We reiterate that Mexico’s position is not to close borders, but to build bridges between governments and communities.”
Both leaders characterized the call as positive. The two spoke after Trump on Monday threatened to impose a 25% tax on all products entering the country from Canada and Mexico as soon as he takes office. Trump said, “This Tariff will remain in effect until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country!” He also threatened to put an “additional 10%” tariff on goods from China.
This week’s news was somewhat reminiscent of Trump’s claim ahead of the 2016 election that he would make Mexico pay for “100%” of a proposed wall at the U.S. border. Enrique Peña Nieto, Mexico’s president at the time, disagreed. Mexico did not pay.
Social media users sarcastically celebrated Trump’s fictional victory this week.
“All it took was one call. Donny deals,” journalist Sam Stein posted online.
Mike Nellis, a former aide to Vice President Kamala Harris, said, “Trump thinks he convinced the President of Mexico to stop all migration across the border LOL.”
Olivia Troye, who was a White House official in Trump’s first term, offered a “Translation” of the president-elect’s comments about Mexico.
Just had a conversation with the President of Mexico who didn’t allow me to bully her, which left me confused about my charm…she pointed out that this is very bad…very bad for me if I do these tariffs…” Troye wrote.
China and Canada were also blunt about DonOld’s mischaracterizations of his conversations with their leaders. USA Today‘s Kim Hjelmgaard reported it this way. “‘Counter to facts and reality’: China, Mexico, Canada respond to Trump tariff threats.”
Officials in China, Mexico and Canada criticized Tuesday a pledge made by President-elect Donald Trump on social media to impose new tariffs on all three of the United States’ largest trading partners on the first day of his presidency.
Trump said the move, which appears to violate the terms of a free-trade deal Trump signed into law in 2020, is aimed at clamping down on drugs − fentanyl especially − and migrants crossing into the U.S. illegally.
The president-elect said he would sign an executive order immediately after his inauguration introducing a 25% tariff on all goods coming from Mexico and Canada and a 10% tariff on goods from China.
Trump takes office on Jan. 20.
“Both Mexico and Canada have the absolute right and power to easily solve this long simmering problem,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social, a platform he owns. “It is time for them to pay a very big price!” He accused China in a separate post of failing to block smuggling of U.S.-bound fentanyl, a synthetic opioid.
There was quick pushback to Trump’s comments from all three countries.
Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington, said: “No one will win a trade war or a tariff war” and “the idea of China knowingly allowing fentanyl precursors to flow into the United States runs completely counter to facts and reality.”
Mexico’s finance ministry said in a statement the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, a trade pact Trump sponsored during his first term, provided “certainty” for investors. “The response to one tariff will be another, until we put at risk companies that we share,” Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum said, naming General Motors and Ford, among others. Sheinbaum said her comments, read aloud in a press conference, were sent in a letter to Trump.
Doug Ford, the premier of Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, said the tariffs would be “devastating to workers and jobs” in both the U.S. and Canada.
A tariff is effectively a tax imposed by one country on the goods and services imported from another country. Oil is the top U.S. import from Canada, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The largest category of goods imported to the U.S. from Mexico is cars and components for cars. The U.S. imports a significant amount of electronics from China. Some goods are exempt from tariffs because of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
Businesses are already responding to the tariff threats. This will not be good for American Consumers. NBC News reports: “Here’s where consumers could feel the price pain if Trump’s tariffs go into effect. Trump has made threats about tariffs in the past. Businesses are nevertheless taking the latest threats seriously.” This guy hasn’t even taken the oath of office, and he’s already acting like he’s sitting in the Oval Office.
An estimate from The Budget Lab at Yale shared Wednesdaywith NBC News found that the cost to consumers from Trump’s proposed tariffs could reach as much as $1,200 in lost purchasing power on average based on 2023 incomes, assuming retaliatory duties on U.S. exports are put into place.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has already warned that any new tariffs imposed by the U.S. would be met with retaliatory ones by her country. Canada is similarly considering its own options, including possible tariffs on U.S. goods, according to The Associated Press.
America’s biggest import from Canada is oil — and any increase in energy prices would likely be felt throughout the economy.
“Another way to think about this is it’s 4 to 5 months of a normal year’s inflation in one fell swoop,” Ernie Tedeschi, The Budget Lab’s director and the former chief economist under the Biden administration, said in an email.
The three countries Trump has selected for a new round of targeted tariff proposals — China, Mexico and Canada — represent nearly half of all U.S. import volumes.
While Trump has insisted other countries end up paying the cost of tariffs, most economists agree those costs wind up getting passed on to shoppers. And at a time when rising prices remain a top concern, the types of goods that could see higher costs are the ones consumers interact with every day.
Some companies are warning that particularly import-heavy parts of the economy could be hit hard. Best Buy CEO Corie Barry warned Tuesday that any added costs on U.S. imports “will be shared by our customers.” Electronic goods account for the largest share of U.S. imports from China as of 2023.
“There’s very little in [the] consumer electronics space that is not imported. … These are goods that people need, and higher prices are not helpful,” Barry said.
This is what happens when morons vote for a moron. David R. Lurie of Public Notice has this analysis on other Trump plans. These endanger our National Security. “Tulsi Gabbard and Trump’s scheme to gut the intel agencies. It’s hard to envision a less suited intelligence chief. That’s a feature, not a bug.”
Donald Trump has selected Tulsi Gabbard, former congresswoman and notorious Putin stooge, as his nominee for director of the office of national intelligence.
It’s difficult to imagine a candidate less suited to carry out the DNI’s mission, and that’s very likely just the reason that Trump chose her. Gabbard has virtually none of the experience or expertise required to competently assume DNI’s weighty responsibility of marshaling the information and analyses gathered by the nation’s intelligence agencies and coordinating their work.
Gabbard’s longstanding association with a shadowy rightwing cult, her history of suspicious uses of campaign funds, her habitual conspiracism and advocacy for the interests of bloodthirsty dictators (including Syria’s Bashar al-Assad as well as Putin) all raise a multiplicity of red flags.
But, as Donald Trump made clear during his first term in office, national security is hardly at the top of his list of priorities. In fact, hobbling the nation’s intelligence agencies is one of his principal goals.
Donald Trump has selected Tulsi Gabbard, former congresswoman and notorious Putin stooge, as his nominee for director of the office of national intelligence.
It’s difficult to imagine a candidate less suited to carry out the DNI’s mission, and that’s very likely just the reason that Trump chose her. Gabbard has virtually none of the experience or expertise required to competently assume DNI’s weighty responsibility of marshaling the information and analyses gathered by the nation’s intelligence agencies and coordinating their work.
Gabbard’s longstanding association with a shadowy rightwing cult, her history of suspicious uses of campaign funds, her habitual conspiracism and advocacy for the interests of bloodthirsty dictators (including Syria’s Bashar al-Assad as well as Putin) all raise a multiplicity of red flags.
But, as Donald Trump made clear during his first term in office, national security is hardly at the top of his list of priorities. In fact, hobbling the nation’s intelligence agencies is one of his principal goals.
Marc Zuckerberg perfects his role as Surrender Monkey by dining with the Dotard at Mara Lardo. This is from the BBC. “Mark Zuckerberg dines with Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago.” It was definitely a Baboon butt moment.
Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg has visited Donald Trump at his resort in Mar-a-Lago, further evidence of the apparent thawing in their once frosty relations.
The president-elect already has a close, high-profile relationship with another of the leading figures in tech, X owner Elon Musk.
Historically, though, there has been no such closeness between Trump and Mr Zuckerberg – with Trump barred from Facebook and Instagram after the Capitol riots, and Trump threatening the Meta boss with jail if he interfered in the 2024 presidential election.
However, there has recently been evidence those strained relations are improving, culminating in Mr Zuckerberg dining with the president-elect at his Florida mansion.
“Mark was grateful for the invitation to join President Trump for dinner and the opportunity to meet with members of his team about the incoming administration,” a Meta spokesperson told the BBC.
“It’s an important time for the future of American Innovation,” the statement added.
The Detroit Free Press featured an Op-Ed by the AG of Michigan, Dana Nessel. It is difficult not to notice the incredibly large number of Sexual Predators Trump has been appointing to his Cabinet and other leadership positions. It seems like a feature and not a bug, “Michigan AG Nessel: Trump cabinet picks show disdain for victims of sex assault.” We continue to see a parade of the stupid and the lawless.
Every 68 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted.
Only a third of the estimated 440,000 victims over the age of 12 each year will ever report, often due to negative emotions such as guilt, shame, and self-blame.
Survivors feel they won’t be believed, so why bother reporting, opening themselves up to ridicule, judgment and shame?
So what is it we are telling victims of these brutal, life-altering crimes, when our President-elect seeks to elevate alleged fellow perpetrators to cabinet positions and other high levels of power in our government?
To lead the Department of Defense, Trump has nominated Fox News personality Pete Hegseth, who settled an accusation that he raped a woman and entered into a non-disclosure agreement with the victim. To lead the Department of Health and Human Services, he nominated Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who has been accused of groping a young woman who worked for him as a babysitter on several occasions. For Secretary of Education – responsible for ensuring the schooling of our nation’s children – he nominated Linda McMahon, who has been sued for criminal negligence for enabling the grooming and sexual abuse of children by employees of her organization. And as the nation’s top law enforcement officer, he nominated former Representative Matt Gaetz — who withdrew from consideration last week — the subject of a House Ethics Committee investigation, following accusations he paid minors for sex. And Trump still has more nominations to make.
With these nominations, we are telling survivors of sexual assault that they don’t matter, that their trauma is meaningless and that they should stay silent.
And they will.
The American Prospect calls them “The Rape Gang.”
The presumptive Secretary of Education is married to a man whose former employee alleges he forced her to perform sex acts with his friend for an hour and a half after he defecated on her head. The presumptive Commerce Secretary preemptively sued his former assistant in 2018, after her lawyer threatened to publicize “not pretty” 2 a.m. text messages she’d received from him and his wife. The presumptive Health and Human Services director’s explanation for forcibly groping a former nanny’s breasts while holding her hostage in a kitchen pantry was that he “had a very, very rambunctious youth”; he was 46 at the time. The White House efficiency czar, currently a defendant in a putative class-action lawsuit filed by eight former employees who accuse him of perpetrating an “Animal House” work environment of “rampant sexual harassment,” and paid a quarter of a million dollars to a flight attendant who says he got naked and asked her to touch his erect penis in exchange for the gift of a horse.
And of course the presumptive Defense Secretary was accused of raping a woman who was tasked with monitoring what she described to police as his “creeper vibes” after a Republican women’s conference at which he was a keynote speaker, just a month and change after the birth of his fourth child with a woman who was not his wife at the time. (Reader, she married him.)
The aggressive rapeyness of the second Donald Trump administration is so tyrannical it’s almost enough to make a girl wistful for Matt Gaetz, the Florida congressman who withdrew his name from attorney general contention yesterday (to make way for the despicable Pam Bondi) amid an orgy of leaks from two investigations into his sexploits with a 17-year-old procured by a convicted sex trafficker friend. Multiple witnesses testified that Gaetz did not actually know the 17-year-old was underage, you see, and that he ceased having sex with her when he found out.
We definitely have a kakistocracy coming our way. We can see the incompetence, the total lack of knowledge of policy, and the complete inappropriateness of every candidate for Cabinet. It comes from the ultimate dotard. The only thing we have going for us now is our resolve and the fact that the Republican Majority in both Houses is narrow. Both houses have also had lots of experience in gumming up the works for Trump. Trump’s so-called mandate is a bald-faced lie. The LA Times asks, “As Trump’s lead in popular vote shrinks, does he really have a ‘mandate’?” Of course, Trump will be oblivious to all that, so he’s relying heavily on executive mandates that may or may not be legal.” Jenny Jarvis has the details.
Though Trump overwhelmingly won the electoral college vote, his tally in the popular vote is hardly a landslide.
In the last 75 years, only three other presidents had popular-vote margins that were smaller than Trump’s.
When Trump exaggerates his presidential mandate, he is not an outlier but drawing from bipartisan history.
In his victory speech on Nov. 6, President-elect Donald Trump claimed Americans had given him an “unprecedented and powerful mandate.”
It’s a message his transition team has echoed in the last three weeks, referring to his “MAGA Mandate” and a “historic mandate for his agenda.”
But given that Trump’s lead in the popular vote has dwindled as more votes have been counted in California and other states that lean blue, there is fierce disagreement over whether most Americans really endorse his plans to overhaul government and implement sweeping change.
The latest tally from the Cook Political Report shows Trump winning 49.83% of the popular vote, with a margin of 1.55% over Vice President Kamala Harris.
The president-elect’s share of the popular vote now falls in the bottom half for American presidents — far below that of Democrat Lyndon B. Johnson, who won 61.1% of the popular vote in 1964, defeating Republican Sen. Barry Goldwater by nearly 23 percentage points.
In the last 75 years, only three presidents — John F. Kennedy in 1960, Richard Nixon in 1968 and George W. Bush in 2000 — had popular-vote margins smaller than Trump’s current lead.
“If there ever was a mandate, this isn’t it,” said Hans Noel, associate professor of government at Georgetown University.
There is a slim majority margin in the US House of Representatives. There is no mandate radical change there. This is from Politico, “Where the slim House margin might matter most.” The analysis is by Anthony Adragna.
Republicans are vowing an all-out war in the opening days of the next Congress against Biden administration regulations in areas as varied as energy, financial, housing and education policy.
They’re hoping for a redux of 2017 and 2018, when Republicans used their unified control of government and the powers of the Congressional Review Act to ax 16 regulations. With a coming 53-47 majority, GOP senators say they’re again primed to use the CRA, one of their most potent tools to undo Democratic policies — and one that tends to unite the often fractious Republican conference.
But — and it’s a major but — an extremely narrow House margin could make things hard to pull off, at least for the first couple of months of the Trump administration. While the GOP could lose as many as three votes in the Senate with Vice President-elect JD Vance (R-Ohio) casting tie-breakers, the House very well be at a one-vote margin until early April (more on that math below).
Still, that hasn’t dampened Republicans’ enthusiasm around the CRA.
“We’re going to want to go and evaluate everything that fits into the jurisdiction” of the 1996 review law, incoming Senate Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) told Inside Congress. Invoking it involves passing simple-majority votes in both chambers plus a presidential signature, no filibusters allowed.
President Joe Biden’s administration recognized this looming threat and prioritized early completion of rulemakings to shield them from congressional challenge. Still, dozens of regulations were finalized after Aug. 1, 2024, leaving them vulnerable to the CRA, according to Public Citizen, which closely tracks the potential use of the law. (That corresponds to the date identified by the Congressional Research Service after which rules might be vulnerable to revocation.)
Barrasso’s hardly alone with vows of aggressive use of the tool, which had only been successfully used once before Trump’s first term.
“We’ll do every possible regulation we can get to,” Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said. “It’s a wonderful tool for undoing the bureaucratic excess of the Biden administration.”
“On some of these crazy policies we ought to just get rid of them as fast as we can,” said Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), who said he’d instructed his staff to find regulations that may be good targets for challenges.
“This is the only time the Congressional Review Act actually has teeth, otherwise it’s a messaging vehicle,” Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) said, referring to the first months of a new trifecta, since using the CRA effectively requires one party to control the presidency and both chambers of Congress, a relatively infrequent occurrence in modern politics.
Hopefully, this turns into a Can’t Do Anything Congress.
Have a good weekend! Hope you had a great day for feasting! I’m off to eat a turkey sandwich!
What’s on your reading and blogging list today?
#JohnbussBskySocial #Repeat1968JohnBuss #DonnyDotardAndTheChaosCult #TrumpCabinetRapeGang
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Finally Friday Reads: Your Cassandra Daily
Nothing says Thanksgiving to me more than the WKRP Turkey Drop! Thank you, John Buss, @repeat1968
Good Day, Sky Dancers!
My first short story remains in my scrapbook in its purply blue mimeograph ink. It has my drawing of Cassandra and my interpretation of my favorite Greek Character, who was dedicated to the Greek God Apollo but was fated to make true prophecies no one ever believed. I was drawn to her in my 5th-grade mythology class. I remember my mother listening to me once and starting to question me before she interrupted herself by telling me this. “I don’t know why I question you; you’re almost always right.” I usually don’t believe everything I read, but I remember it. Prognostication is less godly and more mathematical these days, but when you know what’s likely to happen when you do that S-VAR model based on solid theory and a new hypothesis, you don’t always want to welcome the results.
I’ve been running around with my hair on fire since the Orange Demon started obsessing about tariffs again. He tried them during his last Reign of Terror and nearly drove our farmers out of business. Congress had to rescue them with huge subsidies that paid them for not selling their crops or livestock. Trump started a Trade War with China. He needed a visit from Herbert Hoover’s Ghost and to listen to the huge chorus of economists who warned him, but he persisted. Luckily, it didn’t take out the U.S. economy, but it ran up the deficit and jeopardized the Agriculture sector.
This warning is from the AP. “Trump’s tariffs in his first term did little to alter the economy, but this time could be different.” Trump’s misunderstanding of tariffs could wreck the economies of North America. This analsyis comes from Josh Boak.
Donald Trump loved to use tariffs on foreign goods during his first presidency. But their impact was barely noticeable in the overall economy, even if their aftershocks were clear in specific industries.
The data show they never fully delivered on his promised factory jobs. Nor did they provoke the avalanche of inflation that critics feared.
This time, though, his tariff threats might be different.
The president-elect is talking about going much bigger — on a potential scale that creates more uncertainty about whether he’ll do what he says and what the consequences could be.
“There’s going to be a lot more tariffs, I mean, he’s pretty clear,” said Michael Stumo, the CEO of Coalition for a Prosperous America, a group that has supported import taxes to help domestic manufacturing.
The president-elect posted on social media Monday that on his first day in office he would impose 25% tariffs on all goods imported from Mexico and Canada until those countries satisfactorily stop illegal immigration and the flow of illegal drugs such as fentanyl into the United States.
Those tariffs could essentially blow up the North American trade pact that Trump’s team negotiated during his initial term. But on Wednesday, Trump posted on social media that he had spoken with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and she had agreed to stop unauthorized migration across the border into the United States.
Trump also posted on Monday that Chinese imports would face additional tariffs of 10% until Beijing cracks down on the production of materials used in making fentanyl.
President Sheinbaum immediately denied Trump’s characterization of their conversation. This headline from HuffPo says it all. “Trump Mocked After Mexico’s President Blows Up His Brag About Their Call.” Josephine Harvey reports on the response.
Donald Trump seemed to offer alternative facts on Wednesday about his recent call with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and was swiftly rebutted by the leader herself, prompting mockery on social media.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, the U.S. president-elect declared that Sheinbaum had “agreed to stop Migration through Mexico, and into the United States, effectively closing our Southern Border.”
Shortly afterward, Sheinbaum shared a Spanish-language message about the conversation, writing, “We reiterate that Mexico’s position is not to close borders, but to build bridges between governments and communities.”
Both leaders characterized the call as positive. The two spoke after Trump on Monday threatened to impose a 25% tax on all products entering the country from Canada and Mexico as soon as he takes office. Trump said, “This Tariff will remain in effect until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country!” He also threatened to put an “additional 10%” tariff on goods from China.
This week’s news was somewhat reminiscent of Trump’s claim ahead of the 2016 election that he would make Mexico pay for “100%” of a proposed wall at the U.S. border. Enrique Peña Nieto, Mexico’s president at the time, disagreed. Mexico did not pay.
Social media users sarcastically celebrated Trump’s fictional victory this week.
“All it took was one call. Donny deals,” journalist Sam Stein posted online.
Mike Nellis, a former aide to Vice President Kamala Harris, said, “Trump thinks he convinced the President of Mexico to stop all migration across the border LOL.”
Olivia Troye, who was a White House official in Trump’s first term, offered a “Translation” of the president-elect’s comments about Mexico.
Just had a conversation with the President of Mexico who didn’t allow me to bully her, which left me confused about my charm…she pointed out that this is very bad…very bad for me if I do these tariffs…” Troye wrote.
China and Canada were also blunt about DonOld’s mischaracterizations of his conversations with their leaders. USA Today‘s Kim Hjelmgaard reported it this way. “‘Counter to facts and reality’: China, Mexico, Canada respond to Trump tariff threats.”
Officials in China, Mexico and Canada criticized Tuesday a pledge made by President-elect Donald Trump on social media to impose new tariffs on all three of the United States’ largest trading partners on the first day of his presidency.
Trump said the move, which appears to violate the terms of a free-trade deal Trump signed into law in 2020, is aimed at clamping down on drugs − fentanyl especially − and migrants crossing into the U.S. illegally.
The president-elect said he would sign an executive order immediately after his inauguration introducing a 25% tariff on all goods coming from Mexico and Canada and a 10% tariff on goods from China.
Trump takes office on Jan. 20.
“Both Mexico and Canada have the absolute right and power to easily solve this long simmering problem,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social, a platform he owns. “It is time for them to pay a very big price!” He accused China in a separate post of failing to block smuggling of U.S.-bound fentanyl, a synthetic opioid.
There was quick pushback to Trump’s comments from all three countries.
Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington, said: “No one will win a trade war or a tariff war” and “the idea of China knowingly allowing fentanyl precursors to flow into the United States runs completely counter to facts and reality.”
Mexico’s finance ministry said in a statement the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, a trade pact Trump sponsored during his first term, provided “certainty” for investors. “The response to one tariff will be another, until we put at risk companies that we share,” Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum said, naming General Motors and Ford, among others. Sheinbaum said her comments, read aloud in a press conference, were sent in a letter to Trump.
Doug Ford, the premier of Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, said the tariffs would be “devastating to workers and jobs” in both the U.S. and Canada.
A tariff is effectively a tax imposed by one country on the goods and services imported from another country. Oil is the top U.S. import from Canada, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The largest category of goods imported to the U.S. from Mexico is cars and components for cars. The U.S. imports a significant amount of electronics from China. Some goods are exempt from tariffs because of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
Businesses are already responding to the tariff threats. This will not be good for American Consumers. NBC News reports: “Here’s where consumers could feel the price pain if Trump’s tariffs go into effect. Trump has made threats about tariffs in the past. Businesses are nevertheless taking the latest threats seriously.” This guy hasn’t even taken the oath of office, and he’s already acting like he’s sitting in the Oval Office.
An estimate from The Budget Lab at Yale shared Wednesdaywith NBC News found that the cost to consumers from Trump’s proposed tariffs could reach as much as $1,200 in lost purchasing power on average based on 2023 incomes, assuming retaliatory duties on U.S. exports are put into place.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has already warned that any new tariffs imposed by the U.S. would be met with retaliatory ones by her country. Canada is similarly considering its own options, including possible tariffs on U.S. goods, according to The Associated Press.
America’s biggest import from Canada is oil — and any increase in energy prices would likely be felt throughout the economy.
“Another way to think about this is it’s 4 to 5 months of a normal year’s inflation in one fell swoop,” Ernie Tedeschi, The Budget Lab’s director and the former chief economist under the Biden administration, said in an email.
The three countries Trump has selected for a new round of targeted tariff proposals — China, Mexico and Canada — represent nearly half of all U.S. import volumes.
While Trump has insisted other countries end up paying the cost of tariffs, most economists agree those costs wind up getting passed on to shoppers. And at a time when rising prices remain a top concern, the types of goods that could see higher costs are the ones consumers interact with every day.
Some companies are warning that particularly import-heavy parts of the economy could be hit hard. Best Buy CEO Corie Barry warned Tuesday that any added costs on U.S. imports “will be shared by our customers.” Electronic goods account for the largest share of U.S. imports from China as of 2023.
“There’s very little in [the] consumer electronics space that is not imported. … These are goods that people need, and higher prices are not helpful,” Barry said.
This is what happens when morons vote for a moron. David R. Lurie of Public Notice has this analysis on other Trump plans. These endanger our National Security. “Tulsi Gabbard and Trump’s scheme to gut the intel agencies. It’s hard to envision a less suited intelligence chief. That’s a feature, not a bug.”
Donald Trump has selected Tulsi Gabbard, former congresswoman and notorious Putin stooge, as his nominee for director of the office of national intelligence.
It’s difficult to imagine a candidate less suited to carry out the DNI’s mission, and that’s very likely just the reason that Trump chose her. Gabbard has virtually none of the experience or expertise required to competently assume DNI’s weighty responsibility of marshaling the information and analyses gathered by the nation’s intelligence agencies and coordinating their work.
Gabbard’s longstanding association with a shadowy rightwing cult, her history of suspicious uses of campaign funds, her habitual conspiracism and advocacy for the interests of bloodthirsty dictators (including Syria’s Bashar al-Assad as well as Putin) all raise a multiplicity of red flags.
But, as Donald Trump made clear during his first term in office, national security is hardly at the top of his list of priorities. In fact, hobbling the nation’s intelligence agencies is one of his principal goals.
Donald Trump has selected Tulsi Gabbard, former congresswoman and notorious Putin stooge, as his nominee for director of the office of national intelligence.
It’s difficult to imagine a candidate less suited to carry out the DNI’s mission, and that’s very likely just the reason that Trump chose her. Gabbard has virtually none of the experience or expertise required to competently assume DNI’s weighty responsibility of marshaling the information and analyses gathered by the nation’s intelligence agencies and coordinating their work.
Gabbard’s longstanding association with a shadowy rightwing cult, her history of suspicious uses of campaign funds, her habitual conspiracism and advocacy for the interests of bloodthirsty dictators (including Syria’s Bashar al-Assad as well as Putin) all raise a multiplicity of red flags.
But, as Donald Trump made clear during his first term in office, national security is hardly at the top of his list of priorities. In fact, hobbling the nation’s intelligence agencies is one of his principal goals.
Marc Zuckerberg perfects his role as Surrender Monkey by dining with the Dotard at Mara Lardo. This is from the BBC. “Mark Zuckerberg dines with Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago.” It was definitely a Baboon butt moment.
Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg has visited Donald Trump at his resort in Mar-a-Lago, further evidence of the apparent thawing in their once frosty relations.
The president-elect already has a close, high-profile relationship with another of the leading figures in tech, X owner Elon Musk.
Historically, though, there has been no such closeness between Trump and Mr Zuckerberg – with Trump barred from Facebook and Instagram after the Capitol riots, and Trump threatening the Meta boss with jail if he interfered in the 2024 presidential election.
However, there has recently been evidence those strained relations are improving, culminating in Mr Zuckerberg dining with the president-elect at his Florida mansion.
“Mark was grateful for the invitation to join President Trump for dinner and the opportunity to meet with members of his team about the incoming administration,” a Meta spokesperson told the BBC.
“It’s an important time for the future of American Innovation,” the statement added.
The Detroit Free Press featured an Op-Ed by the AG of Michigan, Dana Nessel. It is difficult not to notice the incredibly large number of Sexual Predators Trump has been appointing to his Cabinet and other leadership positions. It seems like a feature and not a bug, “Michigan AG Nessel: Trump cabinet picks show disdain for victims of sex assault.” We continue to see a parade of the stupid and the lawless.
Every 68 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted.
Only a third of the estimated 440,000 victims over the age of 12 each year will ever report, often due to negative emotions such as guilt, shame, and self-blame.
Survivors feel they won’t be believed, so why bother reporting, opening themselves up to ridicule, judgment and shame?
So what is it we are telling victims of these brutal, life-altering crimes, when our President-elect seeks to elevate alleged fellow perpetrators to cabinet positions and other high levels of power in our government?
To lead the Department of Defense, Trump has nominated Fox News personality Pete Hegseth, who settled an accusation that he raped a woman and entered into a non-disclosure agreement with the victim. To lead the Department of Health and Human Services, he nominated Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who has been accused of groping a young woman who worked for him as a babysitter on several occasions. For Secretary of Education – responsible for ensuring the schooling of our nation’s children – he nominated Linda McMahon, who has been sued for criminal negligence for enabling the grooming and sexual abuse of children by employees of her organization. And as the nation’s top law enforcement officer, he nominated former Representative Matt Gaetz — who withdrew from consideration last week — the subject of a House Ethics Committee investigation, following accusations he paid minors for sex. And Trump still has more nominations to make.
With these nominations, we are telling survivors of sexual assault that they don’t matter, that their trauma is meaningless and that they should stay silent.
And they will.
The American Prospect calls them “The Rape Gang.”
The presumptive Secretary of Education is married to a man whose former employee alleges he forced her to perform sex acts with his friend for an hour and a half after he defecated on her head. The presumptive Commerce Secretary preemptively sued his former assistant in 2018, after her lawyer threatened to publicize “not pretty” 2 a.m. text messages she’d received from him and his wife. The presumptive Health and Human Services director’s explanation for forcibly groping a former nanny’s breasts while holding her hostage in a kitchen pantry was that he “had a very, very rambunctious youth”; he was 46 at the time. The White House efficiency czar, currently a defendant in a putative class-action lawsuit filed by eight former employees who accuse him of perpetrating an “Animal House” work environment of “rampant sexual harassment,” and paid a quarter of a million dollars to a flight attendant who says he got naked and asked her to touch his erect penis in exchange for the gift of a horse.
And of course the presumptive Defense Secretary was accused of raping a woman who was tasked with monitoring what she described to police as his “creeper vibes” after a Republican women’s conference at which he was a keynote speaker, just a month and change after the birth of his fourth child with a woman who was not his wife at the time. (Reader, she married him.)
The aggressive rapeyness of the second Donald Trump administration is so tyrannical it’s almost enough to make a girl wistful for Matt Gaetz, the Florida congressman who withdrew his name from attorney general contention yesterday (to make way for the despicable Pam Bondi) amid an orgy of leaks from two investigations into his sexploits with a 17-year-old procured by a convicted sex trafficker friend. Multiple witnesses testified that Gaetz did not actually know the 17-year-old was underage, you see, and that he ceased having sex with her when he found out.
We definitely have a kakistocracy coming our way. We can see the incompetence, the total lack of knowledge of policy, and the complete inappropriateness of every candidate for Cabinet. It comes from the ultimate dotard. The only thing we have going for us now is our resolve and the fact that the Republican Majority in both Houses is narrow. Both houses have also had lots of experience in gumming up the works for Trump. Trump’s so-called mandate is a bald-faced lie. The LA Times asks, “As Trump’s lead in popular vote shrinks, does he really have a ‘mandate’?” Of course, Trump will be oblivious to all that, so he’s relying heavily on executive mandates that may or may not be legal.” Jenny Jarvis has the details.
Though Trump overwhelmingly won the electoral college vote, his tally in the popular vote is hardly a landslide.
In the last 75 years, only three other presidents had popular-vote margins that were smaller than Trump’s.
When Trump exaggerates his presidential mandate, he is not an outlier but drawing from bipartisan history.
In his victory speech on Nov. 6, President-elect Donald Trump claimed Americans had given him an “unprecedented and powerful mandate.”
It’s a message his transition team has echoed in the last three weeks, referring to his “MAGA Mandate” and a “historic mandate for his agenda.”
But given that Trump’s lead in the popular vote has dwindled as more votes have been counted in California and other states that lean blue, there is fierce disagreement over whether most Americans really endorse his plans to overhaul government and implement sweeping change.
The latest tally from the Cook Political Report shows Trump winning 49.83% of the popular vote, with a margin of 1.55% over Vice President Kamala Harris.
The president-elect’s share of the popular vote now falls in the bottom half for American presidents — far below that of Democrat Lyndon B. Johnson, who won 61.1% of the popular vote in 1964, defeating Republican Sen. Barry Goldwater by nearly 23 percentage points.
In the last 75 years, only three presidents — John F. Kennedy in 1960, Richard Nixon in 1968 and George W. Bush in 2000 — had popular-vote margins smaller than Trump’s current lead.
“If there ever was a mandate, this isn’t it,” said Hans Noel, associate professor of government at Georgetown University.
There is a slim majority margin in the US House of Representatives. There is no mandate radical change there. This is from Politico, “Where the slim House margin might matter most.” The analysis is by Anthony Adragna.
Republicans are vowing an all-out war in the opening days of the next Congress against Biden administration regulations in areas as varied as energy, financial, housing and education policy.
They’re hoping for a redux of 2017 and 2018, when Republicans used their unified control of government and the powers of the Congressional Review Act to ax 16 regulations. With a coming 53-47 majority, GOP senators say they’re again primed to use the CRA, one of their most potent tools to undo Democratic policies — and one that tends to unite the often fractious Republican conference.
But — and it’s a major but — an extremely narrow House margin could make things hard to pull off, at least for the first couple of months of the Trump administration. While the GOP could lose as many as three votes in the Senate with Vice President-elect JD Vance (R-Ohio) casting tie-breakers, the House very well be at a one-vote margin until early April (more on that math below).
Still, that hasn’t dampened Republicans’ enthusiasm around the CRA.
“We’re going to want to go and evaluate everything that fits into the jurisdiction” of the 1996 review law, incoming Senate Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) told Inside Congress. Invoking it involves passing simple-majority votes in both chambers plus a presidential signature, no filibusters allowed.
President Joe Biden’s administration recognized this looming threat and prioritized early completion of rulemakings to shield them from congressional challenge. Still, dozens of regulations were finalized after Aug. 1, 2024, leaving them vulnerable to the CRA, according to Public Citizen, which closely tracks the potential use of the law. (That corresponds to the date identified by the Congressional Research Service after which rules might be vulnerable to revocation.)
Barrasso’s hardly alone with vows of aggressive use of the tool, which had only been successfully used once before Trump’s first term.
“We’ll do every possible regulation we can get to,” Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said. “It’s a wonderful tool for undoing the bureaucratic excess of the Biden administration.”
“On some of these crazy policies we ought to just get rid of them as fast as we can,” said Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), who said he’d instructed his staff to find regulations that may be good targets for challenges.
“This is the only time the Congressional Review Act actually has teeth, otherwise it’s a messaging vehicle,” Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) said, referring to the first months of a new trifecta, since using the CRA effectively requires one party to control the presidency and both chambers of Congress, a relatively infrequent occurrence in modern politics.
Hopefully, this turns into a Can’t Do Anything Congress.
Have a good weekend! Hope you had a great day for feasting! I’m off to eat a turkey sandwich!
What’s on your reading and blogging list today?
#JohnbussBskySocial #Repeat1968JohnBuss #DonnyDotardAndTheChaosCult #TrumpCabinetRapeGang