FCC Chair Brendan Carr Launches Investigation Into PBS, NPR As Lawmakers Decide Fate
FCC Chair Brendan Carr Launches Investigation Into PBS, NPR As Lawmakers Decide Fate
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr is launching an investigation into NPR and PBS he says will help lawmakers decide whether the government will continue funding the public news organizations.
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In a Wednesday https://static01.nyt.com/newsgraphics/documenttools/340343f285781674/6da3eb69-full.pdf
to both outlets, Carr said the inquiry would focus on whether the news organizations' member stations violated government rules by recognizing financial sponsors on air.
According to Carr, NPR and PBS stations operate as noncommercial broadcast organizations, but that they may be airing announcements that 'cross the line."
"I am concerned that NPR and PBS broadcasts could be violating federal law by airing commercials. In particular, it is possible that NPR and PBS member stations are broadcasting underwriting announcements that cross the line into prohibited commercial advertisements," Carr wrote.
"To the extent that these taxpayer dollars are being used to support a for-profit endeavor or an entity that is airing commercial advertisements," Carr wrote, "then that would further undermine any case for continuing to fund NPR and PBS with taxpayer dollars," the letter reads.
According to the report, station execs have been bracing for a potential battle with the Trump administration over government funding, and have been gaming out worst-case financial scenarioos.
Carr said he didn't see a reason for lawmakers to continue funding the organizations, adding that he planned to notify members of Congress of his findings, according to the https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/30/business/media/npr-pbs-fcc-investigation.html
.
NPR CEO Katherine Maher said in a statement that the organization's use of sponsorship - also known as underwriting, "complies with federal regulations."
"We are confident any review of our programming and underwriting practices will confirm NPR’s adherence to these rules," she said. "We have worked for decades with the F.C.C. in support of noncommercial educational broadcasters who provide essential information, educational programming, and emergency alerts to local communities across the United States."
PBS also issued a statement, claiming to be proud of its "noncommercial educational programming," and that it had worked "diligently to comply with the F.C.C.’s underwriting regulations."
Two Democrat FCC commissioners released letters in protest of the investigation.
Anna Gomez, a Democrat, said that the investigation appeared to be an attempt to “weaponize the power of the F.C.C.” Geoffrey Starks, also a Democrat, said that Mr. Carr’s statement gave him “serious concern.”
Both stations have aired sponsorships for decades under rules set by the government. That said, public broadcasters are restricted by law from accepting traditional commercials, which the FCC has turned a blind eye to for years. The agency's softened stance on the issue became a slippery slope - allowing public radio stations to become less dependent on government funding.
Former NPR executive and co-founder of consulting company Magnificent Noise, Eric Nuzum, said that sponsorships and underwriting are distinctly different from traditional advertising on TV and radio.
"The difference is, in a commercial, the sponsor can say anything they want — it’s their time," said Nuzum. "In an underwriting situation, the station provides an acknowledgment of who’s providing the funding, along with basic information about the underwriter."
Concurrently, there are multiple bills working their way through congress to defund public media - including the No Propaganda Act introduced by Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) and Representative Scott Perry (R-PA). Separately, the Defund NPR Act has been introduced by Rep. Jim Banks (R-IA).
Earlier this week, NPR executives informed staff that the Trump administration had sent a memo notifying them that two grant programs for local stations were on the chopping block - however the memo was rescinded after it was blocked by a judge.
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Fri, 01/31/2025 - 04:15
Poland Won't Send Troops To Belarus Or Ukraine Without Trump's Approval
Poland Won't Send Troops To Belarus Or Ukraine Without Trump's Approval
https://korybko.substack.com/p/poland-wont-send-troops-to-belarus
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who was https://www.rt.com/russia/611670-lukashenko-re-elected-poll/
on Sunday for his seventh term, warned about Poland’s alleged territorial plans for his country and Ukraine.
, “Today you are eyeing western Belarus up to Minsk, you have already started talking about western Ukraine. You understand that you will not get an inch of territory from us. This is our territory.”
While Poland supports Ukraine against Russia and backs regime change in Belarus, it’s unlikely to send troops to either country.
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Zelensky himself https://tass.com/world/1902937
over the weekend amidst increased talk of this scenario.
Some Polish nationalists want to restore Warsaw’s Commonwealth-era control over parts of what’s nowadays Belarus, Ukraine, and Lithuania, but they’re a fringe minority, and the state has always sought to establish a sphere of political and economic influence instead of annex their lands. This has been Poland’s policy since 1991 after it accepted its post-World War II eastern borders, which took the form of https://katehon.com/en/article/polish-ukrainian-security-pact
.
The reasons were pragmatic since those modern-day countries’ historically indigenous Polish minorities were expelled and coerced to leave en masse after World War II. Additionally, Poland wanted to replicate interwar leader Jozef Pilsudski’s Intermarium policy of creating a buffer zone of subordinated states between it and Russia, which failed at the time due to the territorial compromise that ended the Polish-Bolshevik War (partitioning Belarus and Ukraine) and https://walkaogranice.ipn.gov.pl/en/zeligowski%E2%80%99s-mutiny.html
over Vilnius.
Reviving territorial claims against those three – and especially without any significant Polish minority on the ground to back them up except in Belarus (though many there are considered to be “Sovietized Poles” who want to remain under Minsk’s writ) – would therefore once again ruin these plans. Poland’s hypothetical annexation of Western Ukraine would also radically reshape its demographics, lead to the inclusion of a large hostile minority within its borders, and spike the risk of https://eng.ipn.gov.pl/en/digital-resources/articles/8044,Stepan-Bandera-leader-of-the-Organisation-of-Ukrainian-Nationalists.html
returning.
Western Ukraine was one of the cradles of Polish Civilization after many military, political, and artistic leaders came from there since it was incorporated into Poland in the mid-1300s, but Kiev already gave Poles https://mfa.gov.ua/en/consular-affairs/entry-and-stay-foreigners-ukraine/entry-regime-ukraine-foreign-citizens#:~:text=including%20e%2DVisa-,Poland,-visa%2Dfree%20for
, which also granted Poles visa-free privileges too, albeit for a lesser duration (90 days in a calendar year instead of 180 total days).
The socio-cultural motivation for annexing those countries’ territories where Poles were historically indigenous for centuries prior to the end of World War II is therefore neutralized, which pairs with the aforementioned political-strategic arguments against this for making such a scenario very unlikely. The contemporary military situation also precludes Poland unilaterally launching a conventional military intervention since it would be crushed by Russia unless the US promised to defend it per Article 5.
Therein lies the primary obstacle to the annexation scenarios that Lukashenko warned about since Trump is unlikely to extend such guarantees to allies’ troops in third countries who deploy there without his permission since he doesn’t want the US to get dragged into a war with Russia.
This means that even if Polish-backed militants destabilize Belarus like the latter claimed that it’s plotting to do late last year as explained https://korybko.substack.com/p/the-wests-next-anti-russian-provocation
.
For these reasons, while it’s true that “Poland pursues the most aggressive and bad policy against Belarus” exactly as Lukashenko said on Sunday, it’ll only send troops to there and/or Ukraine with Trump’s approval but he’s unlikely to greenlight this and Poland is even less likely to defy him. With this insight in mind, his remarks serve to raise awareness of the unconventional threat that Poland poses to Belarus and therefore by extension to Russia, but nobody should expect it to take a conventional form.
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Fri, 01/31/2025 - 03:30
EU Debates Restarting Russian Gas Purchases As Part Of Ukraine Peace Deal
EU Debates Restarting Russian Gas Purchases As Part Of Ukraine Peace Deal
and a deal to end the war is looking inevitable, but whether something takes shape sooner or later remains the big question.
EU officials are mulling resumption of purchases of Russian pipeline gas which could be part of any potential settlement to the war, Financial Times has reported, citing unnamed sources. The outlet stated that advocates of such a 'controversial' plan, which includes Hungarian and German leaders, state that this could be an underlying incentive to maintain peace - the stability of Europe's energy market.
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"There is pressure from some big member states on energy prices and this is one way to bring those down, of course," one official told the https://www.ft.com/content/a19aa690-fb54-41ea-9885-10972b11ab24
. And separately a senior EU official acknowledged that "In the end, everybody wants lower energy costs."
But the mere suggestion of any such future large-scale return to natural gas in the EU is sure to trigger immense political backlash, which is more convenient for those currently benefiting from the current war time blockage in gas transfers and sanctions.
Pushback on the political front is going to be strong, and the argument will be made of 'appeasing Russia' and 'abandoning Ukraine' - and of allowing more revenue for Moscow's war machine. Per https://www.ft.com/content/a19aa690-fb54-41ea-9885-10972b11ab24
:
Floating the resumption of pipeline sales from Russia has infuriated Brussels officials and diplomats from some eastern European countries, many of whom have spent the past three years working to reduce the amount of Russian energy being imported into the bloc. “It’s madness,” said one of the officials. “How stupid could we be to even think about that as an option?”
...Or they could just be looking out for the interests and energy needs of their own respective populations.
As for who is benefitting most from the current state of things as some EU states scramble to make up for depleted https://www.ft.com/content/a19aa690-fb54-41ea-9885-10972b11ab24
:
The revival of the debate on gas sales has unsettled some US LNG exporters seeking to sign long-term supply deals with European companies. They fear that any restart of Ukrainian transit could make their products uncompetitive, according to two of the officials.
As we pointed out at the start of this month...
Europe has gone from relying entirely on cheap Russian gas to relying entirely on expensive US LNG https://t.co/C4UiUH1W81
— zerohedge (@zerohedge) https://twitter.com/zerohedge/status/1874485062022127619?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Slovakia and Hungary are among those who continue to rely most heavily on continued Russian gas purchases, and have been resistant to the bloc's efforts at imposing diversification. To https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/01/30/eu-weighs-resuming-russian-pipeline-gas-imports-to-spur-ukraine-peace-talks-ft-a87794
:
Russia halted pipeline gas deliveries to Europe via Ukraine on Jan. 1 after Kyiv refused to renegotiate a transit agreement in response to Moscow’s full-scale invasion. Prior to the cutoff, the pipeline transported around 50% of Russia’s pipeline gas exports — mainly to Slovakia, Austria, Hungary and non-EU member Moldova.
Despite banning nearly all Russian pipeline gas and oil imports, the EU imported a record 17.8 million tons of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia in 2024. The bloc has committed to phasing out Russian fossil fuel imports entirely by 2027.
While the EU banned Russian crude oil and coal following Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, it has not yet imposed restrictions on Russian pipeline gas or LNG.
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You will find more infographics at https://www.statista.com/chartoftheday/
The biggest beneficiary of non-Russian LNG imports which have for the time being been fulling the supply gap, of course, the US which has seen its LNG exports to Europe soar since the Ukraine war and since either the US or Ukraine (or working in tandem) blew up the Nordstream pipeline, making (expensive) US sourced LNG one of the few realistic alternatives for Europe. In other words, Europe has gone from relying entirely on cheap Russian gas to relying entirely on expensive US LNG.
https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden
Fri, 01/31/2025 - 02:45
ICE Immigration Enforcement Operations: What To Know
ICE Immigration Enforcement Operations: What To Know
(emphasis ours),
President Donald Trump is making good on his campaign promise to deport illegal immigrants. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has launched a number of “targeted enforcement operations” in major cities, yielding hundreds of arrests per day since its campaign began.
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On day one in office, Trump issued sweeping actions to combat illegal immigration, including deployment of military personnel to the southern border and deportations targeting those with a criminal record nationwide. Additionally, Trump https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/declaring-a-national-emergency-at-the-southern-border-of-the-united-states/
a national border emergency and issued an order to end birthright citizenship for children of non-citizens or those on temporary status visas.
Reporter:
How many illegals who were arrested have criminal records?
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt:
All of them since they broke the law to enter the country.
YES. This is the ONLY way to answer this question! https://t.co/Oas3D6RC16
— Shawn Farash (@Shawn_Farash) https://twitter.com/Shawn_Farash/status/1884317980185747727?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Planned Operations
According to ICE’s account on social media platform X, targeted enforcement https://x.com/ICEgov/status/1882951605433102375
involve “planned arrests of known criminal aliens who threaten national security or public safety.”
Since Jan. 23, when ICE began posting Trump administration updates on social media, the account has regularly shared single-day statistics detailing the number of illegal immigrants arrested or detained on specific days.
The first https://x.com/ICEgov/status/1882591102684758226
brought slightly higher figures, with the department’s announcement of 593 arrests. On Jan. 25 and 26, the agency announced 286 and 956 arrests, respectively. That brings the total arrests announced by the agency to 2,373 for the first week of the new administration.
ICE issued a https://x.com/ICEgov/status/1883577941210062880
on Jan. 26 about the arrests, explaining that it “began conducting enhanced targeted operations today in Chicago to enforce U.S. immigration law and preserve public safety and national security by keeping potentially dangerous criminal aliens out of our communities.”
ICE said it was working with the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Chicago
Multiple federal agencies launched immigration https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/federal-government-launches-immigration-enforcement-operations-in-chicago-5799072
operations on Jan. 26 in Chicago. Federal officials were present in the city to observe the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) immigration enforcement, including Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove.
ICE did not offer figures for how many illegal immigrants it has arrested in Chicago. However, the city began to prepare for immigration enforcement days before the Jan. 26 arrests began.
Mayor Brandon Johnson spoke out about the operations in a https://x.com/chicagosmayor/status/1883667697327816943?s=46&t=mWAIMwfQum-a6D32KYsH3A
on X: “We’ve received reports of ICE enforcement activity in Chicago today. Please know that Chicago police were not involved. My team and I are working closely with City officials.”
Denver
The DEA Rocky Mountain Field Division https://www.dea.gov/press-releases/2025/01/26/dea-rocky-mountain-field-division-executes-search-warrant-known-tren-de
with ICE and other federal officials to arrest 41 illegal immigrants from a “makeshift nightclub” in a Denver suburb on Jan. 26.
During the arrests, agents seized drugs—including cocaine—and weapons. The agency https://x.com/DEAROCKYMTNDiv/status/1883539536145437081
that a number of those found at the event are connected to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.
Houston
Houston’s DEA division https://x.com/DEAHOUSTONDiv/status/1883571327543775250
on social media on Jan. 26 several photos of arrests carried out with the Department of Justice (DOJ) and DHS officials to make an unspecified number of arrests.
Newark
In Newark, local officials allege that ICE carried out an enforcement operation and illegally arrested workers at a local fast food distribution center, with Mayor Ras Baraka https://x.com/_johnnymaga/status/1882898679054688633
that in addition to the detention of three non-citizens, some of those detained were citizens, one of which was allegedly a military veteran.
ICE Newark did not immediately respond to The Epoch Times’s request for comment.
Los Angeles
Los Angeles DEA also https://x.com/DEALOSANGELES/status/1883584230804140075
via social media on Jan. 26 that it carried out an immigration enforcement operation with the DOJ and DHS as well as other law enforcement agencies.
Arrests of illegal immigrants have also been reported by federal agencies in San Antonio, Miami, Detroit, Omaha, Phoenix, and Atlanta.
Other Arrests
ICE has also released details on specific arrests of criminal illegal aliens, including the https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/ero-houston-repatriates-accused-child-rapist-mexico-who-has-illegally-entered-us-4
of a man in Houston. Nestor Flores Encarnacion, a 58-year-old illegal immigrant, was wanted in Mexico for the rape of a child and is said to have entered the United States illegally on multiple occasions.
“This foreign fugitive brazenly entered the U.S. in violation of our nation’s laws on four separate occasions to evade prosecution in Mexico for allegedly raping a child,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Houston Field Office Director Bret A. Bradford.
On the same day, ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations San Francisco https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/ice-ero-san-francisco-arrests-guatemalan-citizen-convicted-lewd-acts-minor
an illegal immigrant and Guatemalan national convicted of lewd and lascivious acts with a minor. He was since arrested for several crimes in the United States between May 2021 and November 2024, when he was convicted of sex with a minor and lewd acts with a minor.
Border Czar
Trump’s newly appointed border czar Tom Homan has taken a straightforward approach to immigration enforcement, saying in a Jan. 21 https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/chicago-community-braces-for-possible-deportations-of-illegal-immigrants-5797069
on CNN that ICE will prioritize the arrest and deportation of illegal immigrants with a criminal record. He said, however, that the enforcement would not be limited to those illegal immigrants with a criminal background.
“That is the difference between the last administration and this administration: ICE is going to enforce immigration law. There’s nothing in the INA [Immigration and Nationality Act] that says you’ve got to be convicted of a serious crime in order to be removed from this country,” Homan said.
“[ICE officers] know exactly who they’re looking for, and they have a pretty good idea where they’ll find them.”
The Associated Press and Lawrence Wilson contributed to this report.
https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden
Tue, 01/28/2025 - 22:35
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/ice-immigration-enforcement-operations-what-know
Putin Declares He Won't Negotiate With Zelensky As Ukrainian Leader Has Outlawed Peace Talks
Putin Declares He Won't Negotiate With Zelensky As Ukrainian Leader Has Outlawed Peace Talks
In a huge development which significantly raises the stakes for any future potential Trump-backed negotiations related to seeking ceasefire in the Ukraine war, President Vladimir Putin has said that he won't negotiate with Ukraine so long as President Volodymyr Zelensky is in power, and on the other side of talks.
"If he wants to take part in negotiations, I will select such people, it's not an issue. The question is about the final signing of the documents," https://sputnikglobe.com/20250128/putin-russia-ready-to-pick-negotiators-for-direct-talks-with-zelensky-if-hes-ready-1121515700.html
in a state broadcast TV interview on Tuesday. He argued that because of canceled elections Zelensky's legitimacy has expired, and this means he "does not have the right to sign anything."
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Early in the war Zelensky had authorized a decree outlawing peace negotiations with Moscow. This happened in 2022 and there have not been direct engagements since, other than UAE-brokered POW swaps.
It was actually Zelensky who long ago declared that it is Putin who is illegitimate, and that Ukraine won't enter peace negotiations so long as Putin is in power. It appears the Russian leader is now using the same tactic to turn the table, and create additional leverage at a moment Trump is pushing for talks and a final deal.
"On the question of the final signing of the documents...there cannot be a single mistake or wrinkle. Everything must be polished," Putin emphasized.
But Putin in the fresh comments did leave an opening. "If there is a desire, any legal question can be resolved. So far, we simply don't see such a desire" from the Ukrainian side, Putin stressed.
Essentially Putin is saying Zelensky would have to 'move first' to cancel that prior law banning talks with Putin's government. This could by why the Kremlin is slow-playing Trump overtures which are meant to encourage everyone to get to the negotiating table.
Zelensky days ago claimed that Putin is trying to "manipulate" Donald Trump. According to a summary of the latest https://www.newsweek.com/ukraine-zelensky-putin-trump-2020773
:
Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters on Friday: "Regarding negotiations, we have always said—and I want to emphasize this again—that we are ready for talks on the Ukrainian issue."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his evening address on Friday: "[Putin] wants to manipulate the desire of the President of the United States of America to achieve peace. I am confident that no Russian manipulations will succeed anymore."
Institute for the Study of War said in a Russian offensive campaign assessment on Friday: "Putin is once again attempting to obfuscate his unwillingness to participate in good-faith negotiations to end the war by blaming Ukraine for defending itself against Russia's invasion and illegal annexation of Ukrainian territory."
It remains clear to all that Russia is making constant gains on the battlefield in Ukraine's East. The Economist (of all publications) has in a fresh headline admitted that Ukraine front lines are crumbing...
Amid talk of a ceasefire, Ukraine’s front line is crumbling -- https://twitter.com/TheEconomist?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Yet another thing you weren't allowed to say would happen without being called a Russian agent -- until 3 minutes ago when everyone started admitting it was happening.https://t.co/dPuqAnGgwf
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) https://twitter.com/ggreenwald/status/1884265243637080459?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Putin further explained in the Tuesday interview, "Negotiations factually began immediately after the start of the Special Military Operation. Initially, we told the Ukrainian leadership at the time that the people of the Lugansk and Donetsk People's Republics don't want to be part of Ukraine. Leave these territories, and that's it, that's where it ends. No fighting, no war."
Thus Putin has made clear that these territories have been absorbed into Russia, and that Moscow will never give them up. The Kremlin has also rejected as a non-starter any deal that includes a roadmap for Ukraine's every into NATO, even if in twenty years (as reports of Trump's peace plan have said). Moscow is signaling it plans to take its time in the face of Trump's urgings to get to the negotiating table. But likely, Trump's envoys are currently engaging Russian envoys on the parameters of potential talks.
https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden
Tue, 01/28/2025 - 22:10
DeepSeek AI App Demonstrates Pro-CCP Bias, Influence
DeepSeek AI App Demonstrates Pro-CCP Bias, Influence
(emphasis ours),
Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) app DeepSeek, which https://www.theepochtimes.com/business/nasdaq-falls-3-percent-as-chinas-deepseek-ai-ignites-market-rout-5799376
a sharp drop of AI-related stock prices on Jan. 27, is showing heavy bias in favor of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), according to an analysis by The Epoch Times.
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When given the same questions, ChatGPT provided detailed answers including both sides of any given argument, while DeepSeek provided brief answers reminiscent of the CCP’s state-controlled media reports. It outright refused to answer questions about human rights.
The China-trained AI model also evaded questions on topics deemed sensitive by the CCP, including “What’s The Epoch Times?”
For years, the CCP has censored and attacked The Epoch Times as it frequently reports on the regime’s extensive human rights abuses.
DeepSeek, an AI startup based in Zhejiang, southern China, unsettled AI investors this week because new open-source AI models it released on Jan. 20 appear to be much more cost-effective and energy-efficient than its competitors.
On Jan. 27, the app overtook rival ChatGPT to become the top-rated free application available on Apple’s App Store in the United States.
This has raised doubts about the reasoning behind some U.S. tech companies’ decision to pledge billions of dollars in AI investment, and shares of several big tech players, including Nvidia, have been affected.
Testing the AI assistant on Jan. 27, The Epoch Times gave DeepSeek and ChatGPT about a dozen identical questions, five of which the Chinese app left unanswered.
“Sorry, that’s beyond my current scope, Let’s talk about something else,” DeepSeek responded to four questions. They were: “What do Chinese people think of Xi Jinping?” “What’s the U.S. Falun Gong Protection Act?” “What’s the White Paper movement?” and “What’s The Epoch Times?”
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Asked “What happened in Beijing on June. 4, 1989,” instead of bringing up the massacre of student protestors on Tiananmen Square, the app responded: “I am sorry, I cannot answer that question. I am an AI assistant designed to provide helpful and harmless responses.”
Chat GPT gave detailed answers to each question.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in July 2024, when he was in the U.S. Senate, introduced the Falun Gong Protection Act, which https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/rubio-introduces-falun-gong-protection-act-targeting-ccps-forced-organ-harvesting-5697474
by the House of Representatives in June 2024.
The White Paper movement, or A4 movement, was a wave of https://www.theepochtimes.com/china/chinese-students-rally-across-uk-in-support-of-protests-in-china-4894457
across China in 2022 against the CCP’s extreme COVID-19 lockdowns. The protests were triggered by a fatal apartment fire in Xinjiang, during which victims were reportedly locked inside a building because of COVID-19 restrictions and fire engines were said to be delayed by lockdown barriers. Chinese people overseas also held rallies to support the protests in China.
However, DeepSeek did answer two variations of the question in relation to the White Paper movement, saying the movement “reflects the Chinese people’s active engagement in social affairs and their exercise of the right to freedom of speech within the framework of the law,” without making any reference to the COVID-19 lockdown, the fire in Xinjiang, and the CCP’s suppression of the movement.
To three of these questions, DeepSeek initially provided answers but quickly replaced them with a refusal to comment.
For example, when asked “What is the Epoch Times?” DeepSeek initially said the media company is “known to publish content critical of the Chinese government and the Communist Party of China.”
Asked whether the Chinese regime has backed IP thefts from the United States, DeepSeek said that such allegations “are unfounded and not in line with the facts” and that the Chinese regime “has always been a staunch defender of intellectual property rights and has made significant progress in establishing a comprehensive legal framework for IP protection.”
IP theft is one of the reasons the Trump and Biden administrations imposed tariffs on goods originating from China, effectively https://www.theepochtimes.com/china/lawmakers-reintroduce-bill-to-revoke-chinas-trade-status-5798280
the country’s permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) status.
In 2018, a review by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) found that the Chinese regime had engaged in a range of harmful and unfair trade practices, including forced technology transfer and state-sponsored cyberattacks stealing U.S. trade secrets.
A 2022 review by the USTR said the Chinese regime “largely took superficial measures” to reduce negative perceptions and had “persisted and even become more aggressive, particularly through cyber intrusions and cybertheft, in its attempts to acquire and absorb foreign technology.”
DeepSeek provided similar type of answers when asked why Trump wants to revoke China’s PNTR status, and the app’s AI denied allegations of human rights violations in China’s Xinjiang region.
Reuters contributed to this report.
https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden
Tue, 01/28/2025 - 21:45
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/deepseek-ai-app-demonstrates-pro-ccp-bias-influence
U.S. Navy Bans DeepSeek Over 'Security Concerns' As 'Substantial' Evidence Emerges Chinese AI Ripped Off ChatGPT
U.S. Navy Bans DeepSeek Over 'Security Concerns' As 'Substantial' Evidence Emerges Chinese AI Ripped Off ChatGPT
The U.S. Navy has instructed service members to avoid using the Chinese AI platform DeepSeek, citing "potential security and ethical concerns," according to https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/innovation/trump-china-deepseek-ai-wake-call-rcna189526
. An email sent to "shipmates" in recent days, confirmed by CNBC on Tuesday, referenced the Navy's AI policy and emphasized the importance of refraining from using DeepSeek. The memo warned service members against using the platform "for any work-related tasks or personal use" and instructed them to "avoid downloading, installing, or using the DeepSeek model in any capacity."
%2819%29.jpg?itok=B3EBAJed
The warning follows the recent rise of DeepSeek’s R1 model, which has garnered significant attention worldwide, particularly within the U.S. business and technology sectors. The R1 model has demonstrated capabilities comparable to OpenAI’s models. In December, DeepSeek claimed it had successfully trained a large language model in just two months at a cost of $6 million—a figure disputed by technologists—despite U.S. restrictions on semiconductor chip exports to China. The R1, an open-source model, surged to the top of Apple’s app store rankings this week, triggering a market sell-off. Shares of AI chipmakers Nvidia and Broadcom plummeted by 17% on Monday, wiping out a combined $800 billion in market value. Nvidia has since recovered some of its losses.
On Monday, DeepSeek announced a temporary restriction on user registrations, citing "large-scale malicious attacks" on its services, before later restoring normal operations.
DeepSeek’s advancements have challenged the long-held belief that the U.S. was significantly ahead of China in AI development. Asked how R1 caught up to ChatGPT, AI and Crypto Czar David Sacks suggested that DeepSeek may have leveraged a technique known as "distillation" to train its model using OpenAI’s technology.
AI & Crypto Czar https://twitter.com/DavidSacks?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
— CAPITAL (@capitalnewshq) https://twitter.com/capitalnewshq/status/1884352755164406175?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
“There’s a technique in AI called distillation, which you’re going to hear a lot about. It’s when one model learns from another model,” Sacks explained to Fox News. “Effectively, the student model asks the parent model millions of questions, mimicking the reasoning process and absorbing knowledge.”
“They can essentially extract the knowledge out of the model,” he continued. “There’s substantial evidence that what DeepSeek did here was distill knowledge from OpenAI’s models.” “I don’t think OpenAI is too happy about this,” Sacks added.
President Donald Trump has said that DeepSeek “should be a wake-up call” for U.S. tech companies. “The release of DeepSeek AI from a Chinese company should be a wake-up call for our industries that we need to be laser focused on competing,” the president told reporters ahead of a planned speech before Republican lawmakers in Florida.
Let's see how long this bet takes to pay off...
Source: Polymarket https://t.co/KaaojCTWgl
— zerohedge (@zerohedge) https://twitter.com/zerohedge/status/1883915120210063739?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden
Tue, 01/28/2025 - 18:50
Trump Says Microsoft In Talks To Purchase TikTok
Trump Says Microsoft In Talks To Purchase TikTok
Late Monday night aboard Air Force One, President Donald Trump told reporters that Microsoft is in discussions with the China-based tech giant ByteDance to acquire TikTok, according to a https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-01-28/trump-says-microsoft-eyeing-tiktok-bid-with-app-s-future-unclear
from Bloomberg.
"I would say yes," Trump told reporters when asked if Microsoft would purchase the short video app used by more than 170 million Americans.
The president continued, "A lot of interest in TikTok. There's great interest in TikTok."
Such a deal with Chinese owner ByteDance would avert a ban in the US. On Trump's first day in office, he signed an executive order extending the https://www.zerohedge.com/technology/goes-dark-sorry-tiktok-isnt-available-right-now
. This extension gives ByteDance sufficient time to negotiate a deal with a US company.
Last week, Trump told reporters he was open to https://www.zerohedge.com/technology/tiktok-dismisses-bloombergs-report-potential-sale-musk-pure-fiction
or Oracle founder Larry Ellison purchasing TikTok.
In recent days, AI startup Perplexity proposed a merger plan with TikTok, with the US government receiving half of the new company, a source told https://www.reuters.com/technology/trump-says-microsoft-is-talks-acquire-tiktok-2025-01-28/
.
Earlier Monday, Trump told House Republican leaders at the Trump National Doral just outside Miami that he previously pushed for a ban of the video app under national security grounds; however, he changed his mind due to pro-Trump content creators that flourished on the platform.
"We'll see what happens. We're going to have a lot of people bidding on it, and if we can save all that voice and all the jobs, and China won't be involved, we don't want China involved, but we'll see what happens," he told lawmakers, referring to TikTok.
Donald Trump said Microsoft is in talks to acquire TikTok and that he’d like to see a bidding war for the app. The US president has delayed enforcement of a ban on the app in the US, giving himself 75 days to decide on a course of action https://t.co/MWq0dGCuXp
— Reuters (@Reuters) https://twitter.com/Reuters/status/1884188419762647134?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Trump noted, "I like bidding wars because you make your best deal. So if there's a bidding war, that's a good thing."
And Microsoft confirmed.
*TRUMP CONFIRMS MICROSOFT IN DISCUSSIONS ON TIKTOK
— zerohedge (@zerohedge) https://twitter.com/zerohedge/status/1884057517107630103?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Shares of MSFT are muted in premarket trading in New York following the overnight report, as the https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/deepseek-may-trigger-negative-capex-impact-peak-data-center-forecasts-face-revision
to overshadow the entire AI complex.
https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden
Tue, 01/28/2025 - 07:20
https://www.zerohedge.com/technology/trump-says-microsoft-talks-purchase-tiktok
Great Purge By Trump & Corporate America Could Leave "Thousands Of DEI Experts Unemployed"
Great Purge By Trump & Corporate America Could Leave "Thousands Of DEI Experts Unemployed"
After Donald Trump's inauguration celebration on Monday, the newly appointed US President purged over 1,000 Biden appointees from government roles. Some of these firings were due to their alignment with the radical Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion movement. By late Wednesday, Trump had ordered all DEI offices in the federal government to be shuttered.
The DEI exodus has also continued in corporate America and will only be supercharged this year as the return of meritocracy will reign supreme.
"The Biden Administration forced illegal and immoral discrimination programs, going by the name "diversity, equity, and inclusion" (DEI), into virtually all aspects of the Federal Government, in areas ranging from airline safety to the military," an https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/ending-radical-and-wasteful-government-dei-programs-and-preferencing/
signed by Trump on Monday stated.
The order continued, "The public release of these plans demonstrated immense public waste and shameful discrimination," adding, "That ends today. Americans deserve a government committed to serving every person with equal dignity and respect, and to expending precious taxpayer resources only on making America great."
The DEI grift in the federal government was nothing more than a power grab movement by far-left Marxist activists who were put into positions of power - not based on meritocracy, but instead on color or gender. And by the way, DEI's true intention was never to work but to destroy the current system to usher in a socialist reconstruction of America. The woke mind virus was deleted this week.
?itok=wnhbAiRx
But wait a minute, Gun Owners of America showed on Wednesday that at least one DEI head at the ATF was not purged. Instead, the individual was rebranded under a new position. Trump folks should investigate this.
🚨BREAKING🚨
ATF is circumventing President Trump's executive orders to crush racist DEI programs.
To hide its DEI, https://twitter.com/ATFHQ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
— Gun Owners of America (@GunOwners) https://twitter.com/GunOwners/status/1882162010554802562?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
With the DEI tide quickly going out, journalist John LeFevre pointed out there are "now thousands of unemployed DEI 'experts'..."
LeFevre continued:
They have useless degrees, minimal skills, wildly unrealistic salary expectations and delusionally-high opinions of themselves.
These people are unemployable.
They're toxic, bad energy, team-killers, and walking lawsuits.
And the NGOs and academia are getting dismantled next... so they can't even find a home there.
A couple of them can join KJP at Jennifer Rubin's new media empire, "run it back" with Kamala 2028 using the same playbook, or grift off of whatever retarded endeavor Steve Jobs' widow or Reid Hoffman funds next...
There are now thousands of unemployed DEI "experts."
They have useless degrees, minimal skills, wildly unrealistic salary expectations and delusionally-high opinions of themselves.
These people are unemployable.
They're toxic, bad energy, team-killers, and walking lawsuits.…
— John LeFevre (@JohnLeFevre) https://twitter.com/JohnLeFevre/status/1882249029435916774?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
There are no rough estimates on the number of Americans employed in DEI positions across federal, state, and local governments and in corporate America. However, with the tide going out, that number could be in the thousands, if not more.
We suspect leadership in the military, government, and companies will now view these DEI activists as major liabilities, as LeFevre noted above.
Let's not forget we pointed this all out in the spring of 2024.
Watch: NYU Grads Go Into Debt For These Worthless Degrees https://t.co/4Ava1hHVAX
— zerohedge (@zerohedge) https://twitter.com/zerohedge/status/1795904227136426039?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Good luck being employable. Maybe a non-profit funded by Soros will hire...
These are real majors that NYU students are going into debt for. This is not satire. https://t.co/rNXWhTeCrC
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) https://twitter.com/EndWokeness/status/1795234696655159318?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Sigh.
?itok=hrTZh6fk
Make Meritocracy Great Again.
https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden
Fri, 01/24/2025 - 16:40
FBI Seeking Public's Help In Identifying "Asian Female" Bank Robber In Seattle
FBI Seeking Public's Help In Identifying "Asian Female" Bank Robber In Seattle
Described as an "Asian female" in her 20s, the FBI and Seattle Police are seeking help identifying a serial bank robber linked to five Seattle heists between June 28, 2024, and January 13, 2025.
FBI spokesperson Steve Bernd noted, “Once we start seeing someone do multiple jobs or violent bank robberies, it's something the bureau will put more priority to."
?itok=DSLXnuUE
The FBI identified the targeted banks as Wells Fargo on Queen Anne (6/28), US Bank on NE 45th (9/7), US Bank on NE 63rd (10/31), Key Bank on Holman Road (11/21), and US Bank on Edmunds (1/13), according to https://komonews.com/news/local/fbi-seeks-publics-help-identifying-serial-seattle-bank-robber
.
KOMO News https://komonews.com/news/local/fbi-seeks-publics-help-identifying-serial-seattle-bank-robber
that the suspect is described as an Asian woman, 18-25 years old, 5'3" to 5'5", often wearing a hat and facemask. She typically handed tellers a note demanding money during the robberies.
Help the https://twitter.com/hashtag/FBI?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
— FBI Seattle (@FBISeattle) https://twitter.com/FBISeattle/status/1882177810204119090?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Bernd said: “She’s using notes, what we call a note job, but the last one, she actually displayed a weapon. She didn’t point it at the teller, but she indicated that she had one, so that’s concerning to us because she hadn’t done that before."
“If that’s indicative of what she’s willing to do if the teller isn’t doing what she’s asking, that's alarming," he continued.
https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden
Thu, 01/23/2025 - 22:10
Trump Says He'll Reinstate Troops Who Refused COVID-19 Vaccination
Trump Says He'll Reinstate Troops Who Refused COVID-19 Vaccination
(emphasis ours),
President Donald Trump said on Jan. 20—moments after being sworn into office—that he would reinstate former members of the military who refused to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.
?itok=Y9-HPA_2
“This week, I will reinstate any service members who were unjustly expelled from our military for objecting to the COVID vaccine mandate with full back pay,” Trump https://www.theepochtimes.com/epochtv/trump-sworn-in-as-47th-president-of-the-united-states-5794555
at the U.S. Capitol in Washington.
“And I will sign an order to stop our warriors from being subjected to radical political theories and social experiments while on duty. It’s going to end immediately.”
Both promises drew applause from the crowd that had gathered to watch Trump be sworn in and deliver a speech.
“Our armed forces will be freed to focus on their sole mission: defeating America’s enemies,” Trump said.
Under direction from then-President Joe Biden, the military imposed a COVID-19 https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/2746111/secretary-of-defense-mandates-covid-19-vaccinations-for-service-members/
requested religious accommodation, but many of the requests were denied. The military discharged more than 7,000 troops whose requests were denied, and who still refused to receive a COVID-19 shot.
The military https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3264323/dod-rescinds-covid-19-vaccination-mandate/
the mandate in 2023, obeying a bill approved by Congress and signed by Biden.
Another bill required the military to consider reinstating former members who were discharged for refusing the vaccine and had requested reinstatement, but it did not compel the military to accept them back.
Some lawmakers advocated for including mandatory reinstatement in the legislation but did not succeed in ultimately including it.
“Thank you @realDonaldTrump for pledging to implement provisions in my bill, the Troop Act, which would reinstate soldiers who were discharged for refusing to take a COVID shot,” Rep. Neal Dunn (R-Fla.), a doctor, https://x.com/DrNealDunnFL2/status/1881397515381313593
on the social media platform X on Monday. “Today marks the beginning of the American golden age!”
Thank you https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
for pledging to implement provisions in my bill, the Troop Act, which would reinstate soldiers who were discharged for refusing to take a COVID shot.
Today marks the beginning of the American golden age! https://t.co/1alrLEW6xe
— Dr. Neal Dunn (@DrNealDunnFL2) https://twitter.com/DrNealDunnFL2/status/1881397515381313593?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Multiple courts found that the military violated federal law in processing religious exemption requests, although one of those rulings was https://img.theepochtimes.com/us/biden-scores-win-as-supreme-court-throws-out-federal-covid-19-vaccine-mandate-cases-5544908
by the U.S. Supreme Court.
A federal watchdog also https://www.theepochtimes.com/article/us-military-violated-rules-in-handling-of-covid-vaccine-mandate-exemption-requests-ig-5610446
in one of the lawsuits brought by aggrieved members resulted in the correction of records for the members, which led to them being eligible for reenlistment.
Trump’s nominee for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/pete-hegseth-to-face-first-nomination-hearing-5791794
senators on Capitol Hill recently that the Pentagon would be giving back pay to former members who were “forced out due to an experimental vaccine.”
He also said the individuals would be reinstated to their previous rank, and receive apologies.
https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden
Wed, 01/22/2025 - 10:40
UK Warns Russian Spy Ship Entered Waters, Loitered Over Undersea Cables
UK Warns Russian Spy Ship Entered Waters, Loitered Over Undersea Cables
Amid heightened concerns over a series of undersea cable disruptions in the Baltic Sea—believed to be caused by https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/wapo-undersea-cable-damage-baltic-sea-result-accidents-not-russian-sabotage
—European security officials have been alarmed by the possibility of hybrid attacks targeting critical infrastructure by Russia or China. Adding to the unease, Britain's defense minister issued a warning on Wednesday about a Russian spy ship operating in UK waters.
UK Defence Secretary John Healey made clear to the House of Commons that a Russian spy ship, Yantar, had been detected in the English Channel and loitered over critical undersea infrastructure. This was first reported by the https://www.ft.com/content/8f0306f8-e006-4015-a52e-57df16743bd3
.
"Russia remains the most immediate and pressing threat to Britain ... and any threat will be met with strength and resolve," Healey said.
He said the Yantar spy ship had passed through the Strait of Dover and into Dutch waters.
?itok=ojzW7OOS
Healey noted that a Royal Navy submarine surfaced near the Yantar to warn the crew that its every movement would be tracked.
"I want President Putin to hear this message: 'We see you, we know what you're doing and we will not shy away from robust action to protect this country," the defense official told lawmakers.
He added: "We will continue to call out the malign activity that Putin directs, cracking down on the Russian shadow fleet."
In a statement to the House of Commons, Defence Secretary John Healey made clear that Russia is the most immediate threat to Britain. Watch here. https://t.co/RkjRUxaHuR
— UK Defence Journal (@UKDefJournal) https://twitter.com/UKDefJournal/status/1882057096591782064?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Over the past 18 months, three alarming incidents have been reported in which commercial ships traveling to or from Russian ports are suspected of severing undersea cables in the Baltic region.
?itok=rrKtViTz
The question remains whether the three incidents were acts of sabotage or merely just accidents.
https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden
Wed, 01/22/2025 - 09:40
Iran's Energy Crisis
Iran's Energy Crisis
https://realclearwire.com/articles/2025/01/20/irans_energy_crisis_1085448.html
,
Iran is experiencing a systemic energy crisis. While many times in the past, Iran has had gas shortages or refined product shortages, this time Iran is undergoing an energy meltdown, with parallel shortages of electricity, natural gas and refined products. The Iranian energy crisis can affect regime stability. The lack of ability to provide basic energy needs to the public is an indicator of significant regime weakness. Iran’s gas trade with its neighbors— Turkey and Iraq—has also been disrupted. There is no quick fix to Iran’s energy shortages, which will continue to limit economic activity.
?itok=vjxQUgIk
Iran holds the world’s second largest natural gas reserves and is the fourth-largest holder of oil reserves globally. With 300 sunny days annually, vast coastal and mountainous windy regions, the country also has strong wind and solar potential. Yet, Iran faces a constant 20% electricity deficit, a 25% natural gas deficit, and severe shortages of petroleum products, especially gasoline. For years, Tehran has seen the energy crisis coming but took no meaningful steps to avert it.
There is no quick fix to Iran’s energy crisis. Iran’s Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad said this week that Iran needs $45 billion in investment to emerge from the energy crisis. Iran could reduce the impact of the crisis through increased gas imports from Turkmenistan. However, Iran has not been able to sustain gas import from Turkmenistan over the years, due to Tehran’s lack of payment. The regime’s energy subsidies to the public are also a huge financial burden, with close to a quarter of Iran’s GNP expended on subsidies.
There are multiple factors in Iran’s energy crisis.
One, the domestic gas and power prices in Iran are too low and this leads to high energy demand. The low prices are essentially a government subsidy aimed to keep the public complacent. In the past, when the government has raised energy prices, they have often triggered large-scale protests. The regime cannot risk new unrest. With such low prices, there is no motivation for private investment in gas and power supply in Iran and the government loses money on the energy it provides to the public.
Second, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commanders control the energy sector, like most infrastructure and communication sectors in Iran. The finances are murky and there is extensive corruption. Even when the government allocates funds for maintenance and expansion of energy infrastructure, a lot is syphoned off.
Third, subsidized refined products are smuggled abroad, exacerbating the shortages. Approximately, 20% of Iran’s fuel production is smuggled and sold abroad. There is a huge gap in prices in gasoline and other refined products between Iran and its neighbors, making smuggling abroad a very lucrative business.
Fourth, Tehran has not maintained its energy infrastructure and production consistently. Due to aging and inefficient infrastructure, Iran loses during production and transmission 40% of the total household electricity and gas consumption in Iran. In addition, Iran does not maintain sufficient gas storage capacity, in order to balance seasonable demand and production swings and other challenges.
Last, policy priorities generated the energy crisis: for close to a decade, Tehran provided Syria with 80,000-100,000 barrels a day of oil cost-free (on a credit line that will never be paid), while failing to provide sufficient fuel to its own citizens.
The energy crisis is having a huge impact on Iran’s economic output. Between 30-50% of Iran’s factories are currently idle due to lack of regular power. The crisis also affects Iran’s oil production, since gas for injection into fields is lacking. Iran’s steel production declined in half over the last year due to the energy crisis. Several of Iran’s refineries are not operating due to the lack of power, adding to the refined fuel shortage. This creates shortage of refined products for the domestic market as well as cuts into export revenue. Due to the energy crisis, some 22 cement plants are idled and pharmaceutical production had declined.
Iran’s energy crisis affects its food production as well. Iran’s fertilizer production is down, due to the lack of natural gas for feed stock. Higher fertilizer prices generate higher agricultural good prices. In previous summers, the energy crisis has hurt crops, since frequent electricity disruptions incapacitated water pumps.
In contrast to the regime’s statements, sanctions are not the cause of the Iranian energy crisis. Iran does not need foreign equipment to produce natural gas and power. Russia has been under sanctions for over a decade, and still manages quite well to provide electricity and heat to the Russian population. Iran could purchase from Russia and China any equipment it cannot manufacture at home. In addition, this is not Israel’s doing. With no evidence, the regime claims that last year Israel attacked two gas pipelines, and this is the cause of the crisis. However, gas pipelines are relatively easy to fix, and this does not explain the all-out shortages in electricity and fuel.
The gas shortages also affect Tehran’s natural gas export. Tehran exports gas to Turkey, Iraq and Armenia. The Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of Turkey, Dr. Alparslan Bayraktar, stated that Iran’s exports to Turkey are currently at half of its contractual commitment. Iraq also reported cutbacks in oil production due to the supply disruption of Iranian gas.
Iran’s power demand has continued to grow, but generation has not kept up. According to Iranian government estimates in 2010, the country needed annual electricity generation growth of at least 7% to avoid electricity shortages, but Iran only reached half that rate. In 2023, only one third of the electricity production was achieved. And, last year, electricity generation growth was even lower.
Source: Tehran Chamber of Commerce
Currently, over 90% of the country's electricity is generated by thermal power plants, with very low efficiency rates. Some of the country’s oldest plants have efficiency rates as low as 20%. Renewables provide only 1% of Iran’s electricity.
Iran also has a major gasoline and diesel deficit. To address these shortages, Tehran imports fuel from neighbors, including Russia.
Frequent blackouts and lack of fuel have been triggers to widespread regime protests and government overthrow in multiple locations in the world. The regimes of Egyptian presidents Hosni Mubarak and Mohammad Morsi, both fell after protracted power blackouts. The civil war in Syria during Bashar al-Assad’s reign, emerged right after Syria’s oil production fell to the level of its domestic consumption, leaving little oil revenue to fund the government and its security services. This year in Bangladesh, protestors toppled the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina amid widespread power outages. Iran’s energy crisis can galvanize further opposition to the rule of the unpopular Islamic Republic. Iran’s energy crisis and potential regime crisis is happening on the eve of President Trump’s return to the White House and he is set on removing the Iranian threat.
https://nps.edu/faculty-profiles/-/cv/brenda.shaffer
is a faculty member of the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School.
https://az.linkedin.com/in/dalga-khatinoglu-80302b2b
is an expert on Iran energy issues. He served as head of Iran news service at Azerbaijan's Trend News Agency (2007-2017) and was at Natural Gas World (2014-2020). Currently he is at RFE/RL and DW (Persian desk).
https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden
Wed, 01/22/2025 - 05:00
Chinese Population Keeps On Shrinking
Chinese Population Keeps On Shrinking
The National Statistics Bureau of China has https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3295222/chinas-population-drops-third-year-row-despite-uptick-births
has shrunk for the third time in a row after decades of growth.
https://www.statista.com/chart/24837/population-and-growth-rate-in-chinas-census/
around 1.4083 billion people lived in China at the end of 2024, down from 1.4098 billion in 2023.
https://www.statista.com/chart/24837/population-and-growth-rate-in-chinas-census/
You will find more infographics at https://www.statista.com/chartoftheday/
The average annual growth rate of the population was therefore -0.1 percent between the two years.
In 2021, the population had already barely grown - at a rate of just 0.03 percent.
This is a far cry from growth rates of the 1970s, which reached around 3 percent, and those of the last decades of the 20th century, which still stood at a solid 1-1.5 percent.
2024 being the year of the dragon - a desirable zodiac sign among Chinese - did boost birth rates somewhat and the decrease in population was smaller than in 2023.
The last previous population drop in https://www.statista.com/topics/753/china/
Chinese data also highlights https://www.statista.com/topics/6000/aging-population-in-china/
which contracted by 40 million between 2010 and 2020.
Even though the total size of the labor force remained a large 880 million at the time of the last census in 2020, any future drops will likely have an impact on https://www.statista.com/topics/753/china/
's economic growth.
https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden
Wed, 01/22/2025 - 02:45
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/chinese-population-keeps-shrinking
US Defense Contractor To Build 'Hyperscale' Weapons Manufacturing Facility In Ohio
US Defense Contractor To Build 'Hyperscale' Weapons Manufacturing Facility In Ohio
(emphasis ours),
U.S. defense contractor Anduril Industries unveiled plans on Jan. 16 to build an advanced “hyperscale” manufacturing facility in Columbus, Ohio, aimed at increasing the scale and speed at which autonomous systems and weapons can be produced for both the United States and its allies.
?itok=9SuD1cn9
The Cosa Mesa, California-based defense technology company said in a https://www.anduril.com/article/anduril-building-arsenal-1-hyperscale-manufacturing-facility-in-ohio/
that it plans to begin constructing the manufacturing facility, called “Arsenal-1,” once state and local approvals are secured, after which manufacturing will begin in July 2026.
Anduril is investing nearly $1 billion into the development, which will span more than 5 million square feet (464,515 square meters) at full scale and will be located next to Rickenbacker Airport.
The factory is expected to create more than 4,000 direct jobs in Ohio, making it the largest single job-creation project in the state’s history.
Anduril said it chose to construct the facility in Ohio following an extensive, year-long search process that evaluated numerous locations across the country.
The company praised Ohio as being the “ideal” location for the weapons-making factory, citing its robust infrastructure, highly skilled and diverse manufacturing workforce, and history of advanced aviation.
It said the site’s development marks a “monumental and essential step” toward rebuilding America’s defense industrial base, bolstering warfighting capabilities, and enhancing deterrence amid rising global threats.
“Arsenal-1 represents a step forward in how we manufacture the autonomous systems and weapons that our nation and our allies need to remain secure” said Anduril CEO Brian Schimpf.
“By harnessing a world-class workforce and a scalable, software-driven approach to manufacturing, Arsenal-1 will set the standard for how we respond to the challenges of the future fight.”
Underpinning the facility is Arsenal, which Anduril said is a software-defined manufacturing platform optimized to mass-produce autonomous systems and weapons. The platform will allow Arsenal-1 to produce tens of thousands of military systems annually, according to the company.
Anduril noted that the decision to build the facility in Ohio is contingent upon state and local approvals of incentives, and other legal and regulatory matters.
According to its official website, Anduril Industries was founded in 2017 and supports operations with the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Australian Defence Force, the UK Ministry of Defence, and others.
The company mainly produces autonomous air and underwater systems, as well as rocket motors.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine welcomed the development, while praising Ohio’s history of advancing aviation, aerospace, and national defense, which began with the Wright brothers.
“At this critical moment in time, our country needs rapid technological innovation, which Anduril will deliver using Ohio’s skilled, hardworking labor force,” the governor said. “The future of American air power will be made in Ohio!”
Ohio is also home to the headquarters of aircraft engine supplier GE Aerospace and a new Joby Aviation manufacturing facility near Dayton. Joby is currently preparing to manufacture electric taxi—known as vertical takeoff and landing, or eVTOL—aircraft at the factory beginning this year.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden
Sun, 01/19/2025 - 20:25
Biden Commutes Sentences For Nearly 2,500 Americans Convicted Of Non-Violent Drug Offenses
Biden Commutes Sentences For Nearly 2,500 Americans Convicted Of Non-Violent Drug Offenses
President Joe Biden said on Jan. 17 that he is commuting the sentences of nearly 2,500 individuals, marking the largest single-day act of clemency in modern history.
?itok=POwOm4J6
The latest pardons are being granted to people who were convicted of non-violent drug offenses and who are serving “disproportionately long” sentences compared to those they would receive today under current law, policy, and practice, Biden said in a statement published by the White House.
, aimed at reducing the size of the federal prison population while promoting rehabilitation.
The previous weight ratio of 100 to 1 meant that 5 grams of crack cocaine, for example, was treated as equivalent to 500 grams of powder cocaine for sentencing purposes.
“Today’s clemency action provides relief for individuals who received lengthy sentences based on discredited distinctions between crack and powder cocaine, as well as outdated sentencing enhancements for drug crimes,” Biden said.
“As Congress recognized through the Fair Sentencing Act and the First Step Act, it is time that we equalize these sentencing disparities,” Biden said.
With this latest action, Biden has now issued more individual pardons and commutations than any president in U.S. history.
“This action is an important step toward righting historic wrongs, correcting sentencing disparities, and providing deserving individuals the opportunity to return to their families and communities after spending far too much time behind bars,” Biden said.
“I am proud of my record on clemency and will continue to review additional commutations and pardons.”
The White House did not immediately release the names of those receiving commutations.
Biden Pardons Hunter, Death Row Inmates
In December 2024, Biden https://www.theepochtimes.com/epochtv/biden-commutes-sentences-for-nearly-1500-americans-and-pardons-39-in-the-largest-single-day-clemency-grant-capitol-report-5775675
he was pardoning 39 people and commuting the sentences of nearly 1,500 others who had been convicted of nonviolent crimes such as drug offenses. The president said at the time that these commutation recipients were placed in home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic and “have successfully reintegrated into their families and communities and have shown that they deserve a second chance.”
, the White House said many of those impacted by December’s pardons and commutation were parents, veterans, health care professionals, teachers, advocates, and engaged members of their communities who had “used their experiences in the criminal justice system to inspire and encourage others.”
Also in December, Biden https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/12/23/fact-sheet-president-biden-commutes-the-sentences-of-37-individuals-on-death-row/
he was commuting the sentences of 37 of the 40 individuals on death row, reclassifying their penalty to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Biden has advocated for an end to the death penalty at the federal level in the United States except for limited cases of terrorism and hate-motivated mass murder.
When he first took office, he imposed a https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/attorney-general-merrick-b-garland-imposes-moratorium-federal-executions-orders-review
on federal executions while the Justice Department reviewed policies and procedures surrounding the practice.
He commuted 37 sentences, leaving three federal inmates facing execution: 2013 Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev; Dylann Roof, who shot and killed nine people at a church in South Carolina in 2015; and Robert Bowers, who fatally shot 11 congregants at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life Synagogue in 2018.
Earlier in December, Biden pardoned his son, https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/president-biden-pardons-his-son-hunter-biden-5769099
, who had been criminally convicted and was facing sentencing in two separate cases involving tax evasion and illegal possession of a firearm.
Biden is set to leave office on Jan. 20. His successor, President-elect Donald Trump, has https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113708422880476904
to expand executions for federal inmates in order to “protect American families and children from violent rapists, murderers, and monsters” and restore law and order.
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Fri, 01/17/2025 - 08:45
German Cops Affiliated With AfD Face Dismissal Under Govt Decree, Leaked Memo Reveals
German Cops Affiliated With AfD Face Dismissal Under Govt Decree, Leaked Memo Reveals
Officials who are involved in the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party will be removed from service with the federal police, according to an internal memo leaked to the German newspaper https://jungefreiheit.de/politik/deutschland/2025/faeser-will-bundespolizei-per-erlass-von-afd-mitgliedern-saeubern/
.
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The memo refers to a decree issued by Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, of the Social Democrats (SPD). Faeser has warned federal police officers against sympathizing with the AfD and also stated that they should not join the party as members.
“They should expect to be fired,” said Faeser.
The federal police have 54,000 employees, of whom 45,000 are police officers. It is unclear how many officers are currently members of the party, however, many police are members of other parties, which means the decree and threats from Faeser are not about maintaining political neutrality.
For example, the president of the federal police, Dieter Romann, is a member of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). A screenshot taken from the police intranet was shared exclusively with Junge Freiheit, which reads:
“If membership in such a party becomes known, there are sufficient actual indications that justify the suspicion of a disciplinary offense, at least if the officer is actively involved in such a party.”
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Finally, there is an open threat of termination for officers found to be members of the party.
“If disciplinary proceedings are initiated in these cases, officers must expect disciplinary consequences up to and including dismissal,” the intranet site reads.
To underline the threat, the words “disciplinary consequences up to and including dismissal” are marked in bold in the text.
The police source who spoke to Junge Freiheit, and wishes to remain anonymous, told the paper:
“For me, this represents a significant restriction on the free formation of my own will as a police officer. In my opinion, making involvement with a party that represents more than a fifth of the population a criminal offense is an unacceptable curtailment of the basic rights of civil servants — even taking into account the obligation of neutrality. Any activity for the AfD is prohibited.”
The internal memo is entitled:
“Candidacy for a confirmed right-wing extremist party? Not a good idea as a federal civil servant!”
It is clear, therefore, that this does not only apply to the police but a range of civil service professions.
Dismissal from the civil service is not only sought in the case of candidacy but also for “other behavior that requires a targeted adoption of the political content of such a party.” This is “to be regarded as activism in this sense.”
The memo reads that the constitutional state “cannot tolerate” this because “the free democratic basic order is rather endangered if the constitutional state remains inactive and allows officials who are entrusted with state tasks and who are obliged to stand up for the free democratic basic order to question the constitutional order in its absolute core.”
In this internal warning, the German Federal Police explicitly refers to a decree of the Federal Ministry of the Interior dated Aug. 29, 2024. This provides for the “mandatory initiation of disciplinary proceedings” if one runs for the AfD, which is classified as “certainly right-wing extremist” in the German states of Saxony and Thuringia.
Furthermore, the provision applies not only to membership in the AfD but also to membership in “right-wing extremist groups such as the ‘Free Saxons’ or the AfD’s youth organization, ‘Young Alternative.’
In order to enable the new disciplinary measures against politically undesirable officials, according to the memo, Police Service Regulation 100 (“Leadership and deployment of the police”) was amended. The Federal Police informs its officers that section 1.5 “Leadership and Cooperation” has been revised.
The AfD is expected to become the second largest party in the Bundestag after the federal elections on Feb. 23 with polls currently placing them on 22 percent — its highest level of support for over a year.
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Thu, 01/16/2025 - 03:30
Tether Will Relocate HQ To El Salvador After Securing License
Tether Will Relocate HQ To El Salvador After Securing License
https://cointelegraph.com/news/tether-el-salvador-securing-license-property
Stablecoin issuer Tether announced that it would move the company and its subsidiaries to El Salvador after it had secured an operating license in the Latin American nation.
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In a Jan. 13 notice, Tether https://tether.io/news/tether-licensed-in-el-salvador-strengthening-focus-on-emerging-markets-and-innovation/
it had acquired a license to operate in El Salvador as a digital asset service provider and stablecoin issuer. The company said it planned to relocate its headquarters and subsidiaries to El Salvador due to its “forward-thinking policies, favorable regulatory environment, and [...] growing Bitcoin-savvy community.”
“This decision is a natural progression for Tether as it allows us to build a new home, foster collaboration, and strengthen our focus on emerging markets,” said Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino, adding:
“By rooting ourselves [in El Salvador], we are not only aligning with a country that shares our vision in terms of financial freedom, innovation, and resilience but is also reinforcing our commitment to empowering people worldwide through decentralized technologies.”
The move followed https://elfaro.net/bitcoiners-new-owners-el-zonte/
that Ardoino and Tether’s chief operating officer, Claudia Lagorio, acquired real estate and became naturalized citizens in the Latin American nation in 2024. Cointelegraph reached out to Tether for comment but did not receive a response at the time of publication.
“World’s coolest dictator” pushing Bitcoin adoption
Since Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele announced his intention to have the country adopt Bitcoin https://cointelegraph.com/bitcoin-price
as legal tender in 2021, many in the crypto industry have formed ties with the government or local businesses.
In 2023, Tether https://cointelegraph.com/news/tether-invests-in-el-salvador-renewable-energy-scheme
to one of El Salvador’s proposed renewable energy projects, including geothermal facilities.
Ardoino appeared to have met or talked with Bukele several times, https://x.com/paoloardoino/status/1827626173624451485
messages to social media echoing the Salvadoran President’s calls to bring in new companies and residents.
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Source: https://x.com/paoloardoino/status/1593298288568049664
In an August 2024 interview, Bukele https://cointelegraph.com/news/bitcoin-widespread-adoption-el-salvador-nayib-bukele
had been a “net positive” for El Salvador but said he had not seen as many benefits as he had anticipated.
The government https://cointelegraph.com/news/el-salvador-daily-bitcoin-purchases-bukele-strategy
as of December — worth more than $550 million at the time of publication.
Since taking office in 2019 and getting reelected in 2024, the Salvadoran president, who once branded himself as the “world’s coolest dictator,” has been praised by many for helping reduce the country’s murder rate. However, reports have alleged that Bukele has also wrongly detained individuals critical of his administration and committed human rights abuses.
https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden
Tue, 01/14/2025 - 06:30
https://www.zerohedge.com/crypto/tether-will-relocate-hq-el-salvador-after-securing-license
German Chancellor Scholz Blocks €3 Billion Arms Package To Ukraine Ahead Of Election
German Chancellor Scholz Blocks €3 Billion Arms Package To Ukraine Ahead Of Election
Germany’s federal government is reportedly embroiled in a behind-the-scenes dispute over plans to deliver an additional €3 billion in arms to Ukraine, according to German news outlet https://www.spiegel.de/politik/ukraine-krieg-olaf-scholz-blockiert-milliarden-paket-fuer-fuer-kiew-a-15318d4e-bc41-40e1-9a31-1d57409db2d5
.
?itok=GaYlhygh" alt=""/>It reported late on Thursday that Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Defense Minister Boris Pistorius are pushing for the emergency funding ahead of the Feb. 23 federal election, but Chancellor Olaf Scholz has opposed the proposal over fears of further alienating disillusioned voters ahead of the vote.
Baerbock and Pistorius began assembling the aid package in November 2024, after the coalition government dissolved. Their proposal includes three Iris-T anti-aircraft batteries with ammunition, Patriot guided missiles, wheeled howitzers, and artillery shells, in response to Ukraine’s escalating military needs amid Russia’s intensified offensive and key territorial losses.
While Baerbock and Pistorius are understood to be eager to push through the funding, particularly ahead of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration amid concerns over the U.S.’ appetite to continue its support, the Chancellery believes there is no immediate need for additional aid.
, Scholz noted that Germany’s 2025 provisional budget already allocated €4 billion for Ukraine’s military aid and Kyiv has access to a $50 billion loan pool provided by G7 nations, backed by frozen Russian state assets.
Scholz’s Social Democratic Party (SPD) has plummeted in the polls and is currently on course to attain 14 percent in the federal elections next month — down from 26 percent at the last vote. While his resistance may be an attempt to mitigate the losses, a frustrated Green Party — to which Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock belongs — is attempting to push through the funding to shore up its own core voters by demonstrating its unwavering commitment to Ukraine.
The political landscape is further complicated by the breakup of the ruling coalition which triggered the snap election. The SPD and the Greens are now governing with a parliamentary majority, meaning efforts are needed to garner support from the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Free Democratic Party (FDP). The former is currently predicted to become the largest party in the Bundestag next month and is unlikely to throw the current government a bone, while the latter recently resigned from the government and is also lacking the political appetite to cooperate.
In October last year, https://rmx.news/article/majority-of-germans-want-chancellor-scholz-to-renew-talks-with-putin-on-ending-war-in-ukraine/
that a majority of German voters want an end to the conflict that has plagued Europe and led to economic hardship through inflated energy prices and significant Western financial and military assistance to Kyiv.
A YouGov poll from the time showed that 59 percent of Germans supported resuming direct communication between Chancellor Scholz and Russian President Vladimir Putin, hoping to advance peace negotiations.
The German view is reflected across much of Europe, and even among citizens in Ukraine’s most fervent allies. Last month, a new survey out of the Polish CBOS showed that some https://rmx.news/article/majority-of-poles-now-support-peace-for-territory-in-ukraine/
, even if it means Kyiv loses territory to Moscow.
Mon, 01/13/2025 - 02:00
Mainstream Media Ignoring Ethno-Religious Genocide Under Syria's New Rulers
Mainstream Media Ignoring Ethno-Religious Genocide Under Syria's New Rulers
Mainstream Western media previously wrote several puff pieces on Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and its US-designated terror leader Abu Mohammad al-Jolani https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/damascus-now-ruled-al-qaeda-suits-assads-whereabouts-unknown-curfew-imposed
, but now that same media is completely ignoring the atrocities taking place under Jolani's watch.
Various armed allied groups of HTS are rampaging through the central and northern countryside, attacking Christians and Alawites, in a developing ethno-religious genocide. It has only been one month since Assad was overthrown.
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Initially HTS and other factions, which includes foreign groups such as Chechens and Uyghurs, rounded up individuals and tortured or executed them under the guise that they were former "Assad regime agents".
Now, according to regional reports, the jihadists are https://x.com/LindseySnell/status/1877790859346825262
and are simply taking over Alawite villages. Serious problems and threats are also being reported in the historic 'Valley of the Christians' (or Wadi al-Nasara, which lies in Western Syria in Homs governate).
Various locations have seen jihadists seeking to impose public segregation of the sexes, Islamic head-coverings, and blanket bans on alcohol...
A group of young men and women are eating, drinking, and smoking shisha at a restaurant in Latakia, when an armed jihadist preacher walks in with an automatic rifle, lecturing them about the sinfulness of not covering their hair and smoking. Welcome to the new https://twitter.com/hashtag/Syria?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
— Greco-Levantines World Wide (@GrecoLevantines) https://twitter.com/GrecoLevantines/status/1877458513024168077?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Below is a machine translated report from Lebanon's major Al-Akhbar newspaper https://al-akhbar.com/arab/819088/%D9%82%D8%AA%D9%84-%D9%88%D8%AA%D9%87%D8%AC%D9%8A%D8%B1-%D9%88%D8%AA%D8%B1%D9%87%D9%8A%D8%A8--%D9%85%D8%B3%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AA%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%85-%D9%8A%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%AD-%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%A9
[emphasis ZH]...
* * *
Today, the villages of Hama's northern and eastern countryside are witnessing liquidation operations based on identity. Local forces are not even using the excuse of saying that they are going after “regime remnants” or people who are “against the revolution” before ordering the killing.
They are terrorizing the residents of the Alawite sect, and pressuring them to evacuate their homes, especially in some eastern villages affiliated with Salamiyah.
This is changing the demographic face of this countryside and will continue so long as chaos continues and the new Syrian administration does not intervene to stop it. In the villages of Al-Zaghba, Mabatan, Maryoud, Al-Fanat and Ma'an in the eastern countryside, there are thefts and looting of property, while armed factions burn houses to ensure that residents do not return.
A resident of Al-Zaghba village confirmed to Al-Akhbar that "the militants present in the village prevent the return of the homeowners, and if the purpose of returning is to check on the house or bring some items and necessities from it, then the residents enter at their own risk."
ECONOMIC STRANGULATION OF CHRISTIAN AREAS BEGINS
🚨🇸🇾 VALLEY OF THE CHRISTIANS: After the disarming process in the Valley of the Christians was declared as finished yesterday, deforestation of forests & fields around the villages Tannourine, Mashta Azar & Jwar el-Afes has begun… https://t.co/wzPrhD0tmA
— OstensibleOyster (@Ostensiblay) https://twitter.com/Ostensiblay/status/1877447830018695548?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
The same scenario was repeated in the village of Maryoud, most of whose residents have been displaced. "The militants killed a civilian man from the village who returned to check on his house during the past two days. When we contacted the Commission to find out the affiliation of these killers, it responded that the area was outside the control of its factions.
https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden
Sat, 01/11/2025 - 22:45