^ "Running for Wisconsin governor just so I can strike out letters in an appropriations bill to make it a “poop bill.” -- Ken Jennings

What is up with all of the hate porn? Its just weird and mental at this point.

US says it opposes export controls by China on metals, will consult allies

Earlier this week, China put export controls on gallium and germanium products, used in electric vehicles (EVs) and fiber optic cables. The abrupt announcement of controls from Aug. 1 has sent companies scrambling to secure supplies and bumped up prices.

China's move, which its commerce ministry said was to protect national security, was seen by economic analysts as a response to escalating efforts by Washington to curb China's technological advances.

The announcement came on the eve of the U.S. Independence Day holiday and just before U.S. Secretary of Treasury Janet Yellen visits Beijing.

The European Commission has also expressed concern, while Germany's Economy Minister Robert Habeck said any broadening of controls to materials like lithium would be "problematic."

https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/us-says-it-opposes-export-controls-by-china-metals-will-consult-allies-2023-07-05/

Good on China for looking out for its national security.... time to look after ours. 

Gallium is particularly troublesome :

Germanium not so much but still:

W Withheld to avoid disclosing company proprietary data.

However in both case production by other country is possible and are virtually non-existent today due to economic/environmental concern. If China were to play that card in any meaningful way they'll only be able to produce temporary disruption/inconveniences but as other countries would adjust China might lose the entire market. So, more likely, this is just for the show.

if you are curious here are similar assessments from the USGS for many other minerals.

And we continue to believe we can enter fair trade agreements with authoritative regimes around the world despite their clear aspirations and violations of basic human rights, all for short term profits and sweatshops. If weak Russia pushed the EU into recession, I imagine China can do more. While he gulf states cut oil production further and Israel is using the west's tax money building illegal settlements. Great allies we have.

Whoops.

Have you got a summary? 

https://www.thedailybeast.com/gops-missing-biden-probe-witness-gal-luft-faces-laundry-list-of-federal-charges

"The “missing” witness long-touted by Republicans in Congress as the missing link to their probe into alleged Biden family corruption was accused of being an unregistered foreign agent for China and an international arms trafficker while violating U.S. sanctions on Iran and lying to investigators, among a laundry list of other federal charges unsealed Monday."

Republicans have been going on for months about 'whistleblowers' exposing criminality in the Biden White House. This narrative was never backed by any actual evidence and got flimsier with every ounce of scrutiny. Now it's revealed that the criminality is coming from their own key witness. Talk about blowback, though I'm sure the cult will keep on believing whatever they want to.

This tactic is not new and is pretty much how the GOP work their base for a long time. You only need to get the narrative started as proof is never a requirement. With Social media, that narrative will get to millions of people who will proclaim it as facts without actually doing anything more than reposting it. It works and it really works now compared to the past with social media because any narrative can go viral especially if its tailored towards someone bias.