Birds of a Feather Talk Together Nautilus
Google Is Shutting Down a Dongle I Rely on to Safely Drive My Car Gizmodo
When software updates actually improve—instead of ruin—our favorite devices Ars Technica
China: Robot dog withstands high temperature to take part in firefighting mission Interesting Engineering
Climate/Environment
California homeowners will have to fund half of high-risk insurer’s $1 billion ‘bailout’ Cal Matters
The silent threat beneath our feet: How deregulation fuels the spread of forever chemicals Environmental Health News
Florida has $31 billion trapped in towers of toxic waste Seeking Rents
China?
First US Navy ships sail through Taiwan Strait since Trump inauguration Channel News Asia
Why Panama’s belt and road exit is just the start of Trump’s ‘weak link’ plan for China South China Morning Post
Exclusive – Chinese Spy Balloon Was Packed With American Tech Newsweek
China should hurt Trump where it matters by going after his sugar daddies (and mommies) Hua Bin, Hua’s Substack
Delving the truths of foreign investment in China Global Times
European Disunion
EU Sets Out $200 Billion AI Spending Plan in Bid to Catch Up With U.S., China Wall Street Journal
‘We care a lot about Europe,’ Vance tells von der Leyen as trade tensions soar Euronews
India
PM Modi-Donald Trump Summit: Adani Group’s IMEC Plan To Counter China NDTV
The continent-spanning win Trump can secure with Modi Atlantic Council. More on IMEC here, and a useful map:
Syraqistan
Israeli prime minister threatens to end Gaza ceasefire if captives not released by Saturday Anadolu Agency
‘It’s a Show’ | Israeli Sources Believe Netanyahu Intends to Derail Gaza Cease-fire as Delegation Heads to Doha Haaretz. From Feb. 9, still germane.
Hamas Report to Mediators Accuses Israel of Pervasive Gaza Ceasefire Violations Drop Site
🚨 Read it in Israel’s mass circulation newspaper Maariv: The Israeli army and “security establishment” confirm that so far Hamas has NOT violated the ceasefire deal. https://t.co/PtoH5UoLXV pic.twitter.com/MJdgDJhoQG
— Ali Abunimah (@AliAbunimah) February 11, 2025
***
Jordan’s King Abdullah avoids contradicting Trump’s claim to authority over Gaza Middle East Eye
Egypt’s Sisi ‘postpones Washington visit after Trump aid threats, Gaza plan’ The New Arab
Reporter: Yesterday you said you would buy Gaza, and today you just said we’re not going to buy Gaza..
Trump: “We’re not gonna have to buy… We’re gonna have Gaza. We don’t have to buy. There’s nothing to buy. We will have Gaza… There is nothing to buy. It’s Gaza… it’s- it’s… pic.twitter.com/zrpcYfZ22X
— Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) February 11, 2025
***
UN says 40,000 displaced in West Bank as Israel accused of readying annexation Middle East Eye
The day Israel came for the booksellers +972 Magazine
Suspected terrorist at Gaza border turns out to be IDF veteran with PTSD Jerusalem Post
Trump’s ethnic cleansing plan for Gaza derails recovery of Red Sea shipping The Cradle
Africa
The Islamic State has regrouped in Somalia — and has global ambitions Washington Post. I smell a rat.
New Not-So-Cold War
Trump envoy pauses Ukraine peace plan to hold talks with Nato allies The Telegraph. Uh-oh.
US to consult allies on Ukraine peace plan, seeks Europe’s arms purchases for Kyiv, media report The Kyiv Independent.
Kiev plotting to drag NATO into war – Moscow RT
US Treasury Secretary to visit Ukraine for talks on energy, rare earth minerals Reuters. First cabinet-level official in Trump’s administration to visit Ukraine.
***
The Ukrainian Armed Forces’ suicide tactics are becoming increasingly sophisticated Large frontline summary 1-10 February 2025 Marat Khairullin Substack
The folly of PR-driven strategy: Ukraine’s doomed 155th Brigade Responsible Statecraft
Ukraine will no longer create new brigades, official says The Kyiv Independent
***
Ukraine prepared to swap territory with Russia in peace negotiations, Zelensky says France24. Let me know how that works out.
Zelenskyy: Europe cannot guarantee Ukraine’s security without America The Guardian. The interview in which Zelensky proposes “swap.”
Russia releases detained American teacher after White House envoy visits Moscow Axios
South of the Border
Ecuador presidential election results show technical tie Kawsachun News
Spook Country
FBI says it has discovered thousands of new files on JFK assassination Al Jazeera
Trump 2.0
As Musk tries to slash trillions from federal spending, Trump publicly states desire for more military money The Independent
Court Orders CDC, FDA to Restore Scrubbed Webpages, Data MedPage Today
Amid turmoil, Trump names Jonathan McKernan director of CFPB Housing Wire
Labor experts tell me this is the first time a president has fired an FLRA board member since the agency’s founding in 1974. Follows Trump’s unprecedented firings of 1 NLRB member and 2 EEOC members. https://t.co/ylFHPIiWVF
— Lauren Kaori Gurley (@LaurenKGurley) February 11, 2025
Pope weighs in on ‘ordo amoris’ after JD Vance sparks debate Cincinnati Enquirer
DOGE
Treasury officials: Musk ally ‘mistakenly’ had power to alter payments system Politico
With Elon Musk watching, Trump says he’s giving DOGE even more power NBC News. A few highlights:
Elon Musk says DOGE is investigating federal employees with massive wealth despite modest salaries.
“We find it rather odd that people earning a few hundred thousand dollars have tens of millions in net worth.” pic.twitter.com/gMG61v8i2U
— TFTC (@TFTC21) February 11, 2025
Musk details sluggish federal retirement process at old Pennsylvania mine Washington Examiner. Commentary:
Yes, the goverment stores thousands of documents down an old iron mine shaft from the 1950’s to this day. It is true. Elon Musk is telling the absolute truth it’s nearly impossible to access, impossible to enter or exit and it cannot be hacked. It should not be changed. pic.twitter.com/6KoVVunUhs
— Washington Wardrobe (@FreenBraveStar) February 11, 2025
One Agency Tried to Regulate SpaceX. Now Its Fate Could Be in Elon Musk’s Hands. ProPublica
Elon Musk’s Team Decimates Education Department Arm That Tracks National School Performance ProPublica
Don’t let Donald Trump and Elon Musk talk us out of democracy Law Dork
Democrats en déshabillé
Scoop: Dems “pissed” at liberal groups MoveOn, Indivisible Axios
GOP Clown Car
Bill to rename Greenland to ‘Red, White and Blueland’ introduced by Georgia Rep. Buddy Carter USA Today
Police State Watch
EXCLUSIVE: Hackers leak cop manuals for departments nationwide after breaching major provider Daily Dot
Zeitgeist Watch
AI
A win at last: Big-time blow to AI world in training data copyright scrap The Register
Musk’s OpenAI bid won’t stop DeepSeek threat Philip Pilkington, Unherd
The real reason Meta’s bleak ‘AI vision’ is winning out Blood in the Machine
US, UK decline to sign Paris AI summit declaration Deutsch Welle
Imperial Collapse Watch
THE PENTAGON IS RECRUITING ELON MUSK TO HELP THEM WIN A NUCLEAR WAR Mintpress News
U.S. slips to new low in international corruption index Axios
Chris Hedges: The Empire Self-Destructs Consortium News
The Bezzle
Class Warfare
The Meaning of “Public Service” in Times Like These Un-Diplomatic
Antidote du jour (via):
See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here.
