Mapule Letshwene

All the good inside of you should be reflective in your living.

[Tanvir @anjum_ai]

JOB INTERVIEW:
"Can you explain this 8-month gap in your resume?"

Most candidates say:
"I took some time off to recharge, travel, and figure out my next career steps."

THE WINNING ANSWER:

[Arnaud Bertrand @RnaudBertrand]

Here's a question I know many are wondering about: why did China wait until now to use rare earths as leverage against the US? Why not in the first Trump administration when the US started the trade hostilities? Or when the Biden administration unleashed the chips export controls 3 years ago?

I just watched a fascinating explanation by a Chinese analyst and, unexpectedly, a big part of the explanation is... helium.

I had no idea but as he explains (source here: https://t.co/eUbbU5QIHW), all the way until 2022 China imported 95% of its helium and most of it was controlled by the US. Of the world's ten largest helium producers, four were American companies, and the remaining six all used American technology.

Helium isn't just a party balloons gas: it has plenty of industrial applications for things such as quantum computing, rocket technology, MRI machines, as a coolant for chip lithography equipment, etc.

In a nutshell what he's explaining is that with helium the US had an even stronger card to play if China ever used the rare earths card.

This raised huge alarm bells inside China. In an article published in late 2022 in the journal Frontiers in Environmental Science (https://t.co/eZhyv438LK), several researchers from PetroChina’s Beijing-based Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development stressed that China would be greatly affected if the US imposed a “stranglehold” blockade on helium exports.

So over the past few years there were gigantic efforts in China to break the "helium shackles," with seven helium extraction facilities going into production, and China also switching imports from the US in favor of imports from friendly countries like Russia.

China's research ecosystem also went into overdrive to find solutions to the helium dependency issues, with China's Academy of Sciences awarding its annual 2024 "Outstanding Science and Technology Achievement Prize" to a new helium extraction technology project (https://t.co/eWs163mfaO) because "these scientific and engineering achievements broke the long-standing monopoly of the US and ensured the security of China's helium resources" (https://t.co/d7YquWKFGS)

The result: by the end of 2024 China had cut its helium dependence on the US to less than 5% (https://t.co/wOxm8VRZJj). The "helium shackles" were broken.

That's what most people don't realize: power isn't about intentions or rhetoric - it's about what you can actually do. Many wonder why countries almost never retaliate when the US imposes sanctions or export controls. The answer is simple: they can't. They lack the alternatives, the technology, the supply chains.

China is the first country that systematically worked to eliminate every single pressure point, with humongous efforts. It's not just helium: it's chips, energy, telecommunication, pharmaceuticals, etc.

That's why the rare earth card can finally be played now. Not because China suddenly became aggressive, but because they have developed the capabilities to say "no."

Last word: as a European, this is both depressing and inspiring. Depressing because it highlights the immense magnitude of the task at hand to become genuinely sovereign and develop our own capabilities to say "no." Inspiring because China demonstrated that it can actually be done, and relatively fast if we execute competently. Although with the current crop of folks at the helm in Europe, that last part is admittedly a very, very big "if"...

[!Nspirenaire〽️ @Inspirenaire]

Get us RIGHT Dr.Martin!!!

[TENIOLA @Teeniiola]

Na this quiz we go use know people wey really smart! How many of these can you answer correctly? 👀🤔

[Collins🦋 @collinstimbela_]

Why is RICE considered bad for weight loss? Yet Asian cultures eat it with every meal and don't have a weight problem 😭

[Pieter Kriel @pieterkrielorg]

There is no white genocide in South Africa. But if you cry ‘genocide’ where it doesn’t exist, and stay silent while GAZA BURNS, you’re not a victim, you’re just a coward with WiFi.

[Meidas_Charise Lee @charise_lee]

THE TRUTH THEY DON’T WANT YOU TO HEAR ABOUT ‼️

[Zwelinzima Vavi @Zwelinzima1]

Our freedom did not come from the sky

[Nurses Against Dick Pics. 🪷🇺🇦 @ClaudetteGGibs1]

A must listen.

[Adam Habib @AdHabb]

1. The debate on Rasool’s public expulsion as SA’s ambassador to the US has focussed on the wisdom of his remarks.But this debate misses the substantive issues at stake. First, the public way the expulsion was done suggests that the US is looking for a political showdown with SA.

[Kgethi Phakeng, PhD(Wits); Hon DSc (UBristol) @FabAcademic]

Next time you apply for a job, talk more about your skills & knowledge and not just your degrees or certificates. Employers ask what you studied & where so that they can gauge your skill, knowledge & attitude. #KgethiSpeaks #HateMeNow #ThankMeLater #FabacademicUnfiltered #JobHunting #SelfSkillsAudit #MakeEducationFashionable

[Felicia Mabuza-Suttle @Feliciamabuza]

Had a new dentist. After I introduced myself, he said, "Is that a South African accent?" He added, "Mandela is my hero." I showed him my picture with Mandela. He then said, "But I hear bad things are happening there?"
I said, "Not sure what you're watching. This is what I see.👇🏾

[Ulrich Janse van Vuuren @UlrichJvV]

No matter how many times it's repeated, a lie is still a lie. There is no “white genocide” in South Africa. There never has been.

[Blissfully Retarded @iskunka]

The United Nations on Trump comments and Land Expropriation Act

��Redressing South Africa’s racially imbalanced land ownership is vital to addressing the historical injustices of the Apartheid era and fostering a more equitable future. The recently adopted law marks a critical step on this journey. We call on the authorities to ensure its implementation aligns with the protections enshrined in South Africa’s Constitution and complies with international human rights standards."
@sherwiebp

[Michael de Villiers @Mikedotcoza]

Apartheid wasn’t just about separate benches and buses—it was an entire economic system that stole land, crushed opportunity, and built generational inequality. Fixing that isn’t “racism,” it’s necessary.

[Andreas Peschke @AmbPeschke]

„Don‘t raise your voice, improve your argument.“

Wise words by 🇿🇦 peace & democracy icon Desmond Tutu.

It’s true in daily life and international politics. Kuyiqiniso, angithi?

[Tumi Sole @tumisole]

Our country is under attack from all fronts!

It’s time we guard our country & its interests!

We need to be wary of disinformation against our country & racial divisions by the likes of Afriforum.

Time to share good stories & achievements by Mzansi & the great work done by government!

Let’s #CountryDuty 🇿🇦

[Vusi Gumbi @VusiHGumbi]

"We will not be bullied. We will stand together as a united nation. And we will speak with one voice in defence of our national interests, our sovereignty and our constitutional democracy"

President Cyril Ramaphosa at the State of the Nation Address 🇿🇦

[吴鹏 Wu Peng @AmbWuPeng]

Honored and glad for a nice meeting this morning with His Excllency Mr. Ronald Lamola, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation. We had great conversations on China-South Africa bilateral relations. I also expressed China's readiness to support South Africa's G20 Presidency. @DIRCO_ZA

[Mme a Masakona @FloMasebe]

Aa! Ndi matsheloni. Let's do something I have not done in ages. #TshivenḓaLessons