Category: zz

“Is this a coup?” US at war against its own citizens, federal workforce

A Redditor seems to have figured it out. It’s hard to argue that the current administration’s actions don’t qualify as a coup. As defined by the Cambridge English Dictionary, a coup is a sudden illegal, often violent, taking of government power, especially by part of an army. Readers may decide for themselves whether the list of actions below qualify as acts of war against American citizens. Actions of the Trump / Vance / Musk Administration Coming up: Trump moves to…

Is DeepSeek a DeekFake and does it matter?

The Chinese AI startup, DeepSeek, is in the news today due to its rapid rise and the impact that had on NVIDIA stock. Apparently, DeepSeek developed an AI model that has caused a stir. For one thing, it just became the top-downloaded free app in the Apple Store, surpassing ChatGPT. This led to a sharp decline in NVIDIA’s stock, as investors are supposedly concerned that DeepSeek’s AI model is more cost-efficient. More more cost-efficient means that it threatens NVIDIA’s dominance…

Trump call with Denmark’s PM over Greenland described as confrontational, serious, dangerous

Trump has apparently not ruled out the use of military force to annex Greenland. During a press conference on January 8, 2025, Trump stated that “all options were on the table,” refusing to exclude the possibility of military force (The Guardian). The confrontational stance has raised concerns among European leaders, with Germany and France warning against any use of force over Greenland (The Guardian). German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said “the principle of the inviolability of borders applies to every country……

U.S.: Migrants in handcuffs and chains boarding military aircraft

As reported by RAI News, Italy: About eighty people are seen lined up, handcuffs on their wrists, boarding military planes and being repatriated to Guatemala. “The expulsions have started,” says the White House spokesman. In El Paso, a city in Texas on the border with Mexico, Bishop Mark Joseph Seitz summons the press before the diocese to denounce the social repercussions of this crackdown: “When the government tramples on human dignity we must react.” In one RAI TG1 report, the…

MicroStrategy Bought Another $1B in Bitcoin Last Week

MicroStrategy. “FORM 8-K MICROSTRATEGY INCORPORATED.” MicroStrategy, a business intelligence firm led by Michael Saylor, purchased an additional $1 billion worth of Bitcoin last week. This acquisition brings their total Bitcoin holdings to approximately 140,000 BTC, acquired at an average price of around $29,000 per coin. The company continues to view Bitcoin as a critical store of value and a hedge against inflation, strengthening its position as one of the largest corporate holders of the cryptocurrency. Selling Shares To Add To…

Chris Hedges: MIT’s Work for the Israel, AI used for tasks like targeting

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You’re now a threat to US National Security and Public Safety if:

You’re now a threat to US National Security and Public Safety if you fall into one of the categories below. President Trump’s executive order, titled “Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats,” identifies several “threats,” including: Terrorist Attacks: Aliens who intend to commit terrorist acts within the country. Hateful Ideology: Individuals who promote ideologies that could incite violence or threaten societal harmony. Exploitation of Immigration Laws: Individuals manipulating U.S. immigration laws for…

Documents show Google aided Israel with advanced AI tools amid war

The Washington Post says it has seen documents according to which Google employees actively assisted Israel in gaining access to certain advanced AI technology quickly after the war in Gaza began. The report says Israel’s Defense Ministry sought to expand its use of Vertex AI, a Google service applying AI algorithms to data. One worker warned internally that a delay in granting access to the tech could push Israel to switch to competitor Amazon. The paper notes that while the documents confirm…

Walgreens Stock Tumbles on DOJ Lawsuit Over ‘Millions’ of Alleged Illegal Prescriptions

Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) shares sank Tuesday, the first day of trading since the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday announced a lawsuit accusing the pharmacy chain of dispensing “millions of unlawful prescriptions” that had no legitimate medical purpose. The suit alleges that Walgreens pressured its pharmacists to fill prescriptions quickly, leading to opioids and other medications being given out for prescriptions that had “clear red flags” indicating they were “highly likely to be unlawful.” The U.S. Department of Justice…

The latest on Putin and Trump: January 22, 2025

As of January 22, 2025, here are some developments concerning President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump’s Ultimatum to Putin on Ukraine War: President Trump has demanded that President Putin end the war in Ukraine, describing the conflict as “ridiculous.” He warned that Russia would face economic sanctions, including taxes and tariffs, if it does not cooperate. Trump emphasized his preference for an easy resolution but is prepared to implement other measures if necessary. The Sun Putin’s Response to…

Tax evasion: UBS / Credit Suisse to pay a $2.5 billion fine

UBS is reportedly preparing to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to resolve allegations that Credit Suisse violated a prior agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice regarding U.S.-based customers who evaded taxes, according to the Wall Street Journal. In 2023, the U.S. Senate Finance Committee found that Credit Suisse, now owned by UBS, breached its 2014 plea agreement with U.S. authorities by continuing to assist ultra-wealthy Americans in tax evasion and concealment of more than $700 million from the…