MicroWave

joined 2 years ago
 

Summary

USAID announced that nearly all direct hires worldwide will be placed on administrative leave starting Friday, except for essential personnel.

The decision follows Trump’s attacks on the agency and his broader freeze on foreign aid.

USAID’s headquarters were closed Monday, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio took control, appointing Pete Marocco to lead it.

Critics, including lawmakers and the American Foreign Service Association, argue this move is illegal and could weaken U.S. influence, benefiting China and Russia.

 

Summary

Support for Germany’s CDU/CSU alliance has dropped to 28% after candidate Friedrich Merz relied on far-right AfD votes to pass a border policy resolution, breaking a long-standing political taboo.

Merz’s chancellor approval ratings also fell to 22%, tying with Green candidate Robert Habeck.

Nationwide protests followed the CDU-AfD cooperation, and parliament later rejected Merz’s immigration bill.

Meanwhile, Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s SPD holds at 16%, and the AfD remains steady at 20%.

 

Summary

Federal health workers are alarmed after the “DEI Watch List” website published names, photos, and salaries of employees, mainly Black, labeling them “targets” for involvement in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

The conservative American Accountability Foundation runs the site, which has sparked fears of doxxing and intimidation.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently issued memos demanding an end to DEI-related work, escalating paranoia. Some staff have been placed on leave.

 

Summary

Trump granted Canada a 30-day tariff delay after Prime Minister Trudeau agreed to boost border security and designate drug cartels as terrorist organizations.

However, Trump is already pushing for further economic concessions, including changes in dairy, auto, and banking regulations.

His repeated comments about annexing Canada have sparked controversy but lack political support in either country.

The tariff threats rattled markets, briefly lowering stocks before rebounding. With another deadline looming, Canada faces continued uncertainty as Trump’s administration signals more aggressive trade demands.

 

Summary

The Senate confirmed Pam Bondi as U.S. attorney general in a 54-46 vote, solidifying a key Trump ally at the Justice Department.

Bondi, a former Florida attorney general, is expected to reshape the DOJ, which has faced mass firings of officials linked to Trump-related investigations.

She has echoed Trump’s claims of a “weaponized” justice system and refused to rule out prosecuting his adversaries.

 

Summary

Elon Musk’s shutdown of USAID has triggered a global humanitarian crisis, blocking life-saving medical supplies, halting food aid, and forcing aid organizations to close.

Experts predict thousands of deaths, especially among women and children, as famine and disease spread.

Trump’s 90-day aid freeze has disrupted critical programs in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, affecting millions.

Critics call the move an “extinction-level event” for humanitarian aid.

 

Summary

Hundreds of protesters, joined by Democratic lawmakers, rallied outside the Treasury Department, condemning Elon Musk’s "hostile takeover" of federal financial systems.

Lawmakers, including Maxine Waters and Ayanna Pressley, attempted to enter the building but were turned away.

Treasury officials later claimed that Musk’s team had “read-only” access to coded payment data, but concerns persist over security risks and misuse of taxpayer information.

Protesters fear Musk’s influence is part of a broader effort to dismantle government institutions and exploit federal systems for financial gain.

 

Summary

Trump is preparing mass layoffs for federal workers who decline its voluntary resignation offer, “Fork in the Road,” which guarantees pay through September 30 but requires workers to waive legal rights.

Over 20,000 employees have accepted, but unions argue the offer is coercive and legally dubious, filing a lawsuit to halt the February 6 deadline.

The administration warns holdouts could lose their jobs as part of Trump and Elon Musk’s plan to downsize government.

Critics say the policy mirrors Musk’s mass firings at X.

 

Summary

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is suing to block the Trump administration’s “Fork in the Road” resignation program, arguing it violates federal law.

The program offers federal workers continued pay and benefits until Sept. 30 if they quit by Feb. 6 but requires them to waive legal challenges.

AFGE claims this promise of future pay violates the Anti-Deficiency Act, which prohibits spending without congressional approval.

The lawsuit is the latest challenge to Trump and Elon Musk’s broader effort to shrink the federal workforce.

 

Summary

Google has revised its AI Principles, removing commitments not to pursue weapons, surveillance systems, or technologies that undermine human rights.

The company cites the widespread use of AI, evolving standards, and geopolitical battles over AI as reasons for the overhaul.

The revision follows a broader corporate shift since Trump’s return to office, though Google claims the update was long planned.

 

Summary

A mass shooting at Campus Risbergska in Örebro, Sweden, left 11 dead and six injured, in what Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson called the country's worst mass shooting.

The suspected gunman, previously unknown to police, is believed to be among the dead. Authorities say the attacker acted alone and no further threats remain.

An investigation is underway into murder, arson, and weapons offenses.

School shootings are rare in Sweden but have occurred in recent years.

 

Summary

Canadians feel betrayed after Trump launched a trade war, threatening 25% tariffs and even suggesting Canada become the 51st U.S. state.

Prime Minister Trudeau secured a 30-day tariff delay after pledging border cooperation, but tensions remain high.

Canadian officials announced retaliatory tariffs, while citizens boycott U.S. goods and boo the American anthem at sports events.

Experts warn the damage to U.S.-Canada relations could be long-lasting.

[–] MicroWave@lemmy.world 23 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (8 children)

From the article:

To come to this conclusion, the team tested tea bags made from nylon-6, polypropylene, and cellulose, all typical packaging for teas. They found that when brewing tea, "polypropylene releases approximately 1.2 billion particles per milliliter, with an average size of 136.7 nanometres; cellulose releases about 135 million particles per milliliter, with an average size of 244 nanometres; while nylon-6 releases 8.18 million particles per milliliter, with an average size of 138.4 nanometres."

[–] MicroWave@lemmy.world 6 points 1 month ago

Thanks. I’ve fixed the link.

[–] MicroWave@lemmy.world 121 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (20 children)

Through reviewing posts on X, web archives, leak databases, and other social media profiles, the Observer identified the following individuals as the anonymous operators of neo-Nazi X accounts, which had a collective 500,000 followers at their peak:

Cyan Cruz (40 years old): Marketing professional who has lived in Austin and Amarillo, Texas, operating the X account TheOfficial1984.

Michael Gramer (42 years old): Retired mechanical engineer who has lived in New Hampshire, claimed to own a house in Galveston, Texas, and spent time in Dallas, operating the X account 9mm_SMG.

Robert “Bobby” Thorne (35 years old): Vice president at JP Morgan Chase in Plano, Texas, operating the account Noble1945 and previously Noble_x_x_.

John Anthony Provenzano (30 years old): Lives in Virginia, works at the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Indian Head, Maryland, and operates the X account utism_ (formerly JohnnyBullzeye).

[–] MicroWave@lemmy.world 5 points 2 months ago

“Contrary to predictions” instead makes sense. I've updated the summary.

[–] MicroWave@lemmy.world 16 points 2 months ago (4 children)

From your link (translated), the men in the survey didn't seem to engage in whataboutism:

The participants most often experienced psychological violence (40 percent) [including] aggressive shouting, insults and humiliation in front of others. 39 percent suffered from the controlling behavior of the partner, isolation and permanent blame. 30 percent would also experience physical violence...

...

...With regard to their own perpetratorship, more than half of the men stated that they had used violence in a relationship themselves, about a quarter see themselves in both the victim and the perpetrator role.

[–] MicroWave@lemmy.world 73 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (4 children)

The US Constitution already resolves this issue with federal preemption under the Supremacy Clause. Basically, Pennsylvania’s residency requirements apply to all elections within the state: local, state, and federal. However, in federal elections, federal law preempts and overrides any conflicting state laws. These challenges have been filed in bad faith.

[–] MicroWave@lemmy.world 9 points 3 months ago

At least not everyone:

Israeli media and other observers expressed skepticism about the articles, which appeared to support Netanyahu’s demands in the talks and absolve him of blame for their failure.

[–] MicroWave@lemmy.world 4 points 3 months ago (2 children)

From reading the article, it's possible nuclear arms race, military tech transfer, and refugee crisis to name a few:

But Kim’s increasingly aggressive rhetoric against Seoul has the South once again debating whether it should have its own nuclear arsenal. North Korean troops on a Ukrainian battlefield would only further unravel Beijing’s plans.

...

Experts say Beijing is just as worried as the West about what military technology Putin might sell to Kim in exchange for troops.

“Satellites, for sure,” Mr Foster-Carter says. “But Putin is bad – not mad. Russia knows just as China knows that North Korea is a loose cannon. Giving [Kim] more technology for nukes is not a good thing for anybody.”

Experts believe Xi is unlikely to do anything drastic because China needs a stable North Korea – if he cuts off aid, he would likely have a refugee crisis at the border.

[–] MicroWave@lemmy.world 16 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

Not entirely sure what you're getting at. Are you suggesting that Taiwanese Indigenous people might have a problem that the Republic of China (Taiwan) is older than the PRC?

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