Links 18/01/2025: Apple Getting Out of Hey Hi (AI) Slop (Too Much Misinformation), Chaffbots/Chatbots Try to Settle Copyright Infringement Lawsuits
Contents
- Leftovers
- Science
- Career/Education
- Hardware
- Health/Nutrition/Agriculture
- Proprietary/Artificial Intelligence (AI)
- Pseudo-Open Source
- Security
- Defence/Aggression
- Environment
- Finance
- AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics
- Censorship/Free Speech
- Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press
- Civil Rights/Policing
- Internet Policy/Net Neutrality Monopolies/Monopsonies
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Leftovers
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Science
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New York Times ☛ A Meteorite Is Caught on Camera as It Crashes Outside a Front Door
Home security-camera footage shows a puff of smoke, with the sound of an explosion included, as the space rock lands in Canada. A geologist said it was a rare recording.
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Science Alert ☛ Ancient Stones Were Mysteriously 'Sacrificed' – We Finally Know Why
A riddle from almost 5,000 years ago.
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Science Alert ☛ Earth's Temporary Extra Moon May Have an Unexpected Origin
A true mini-moon?
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New York Times ☛ SpaceX Starship Rocket Is Lost During 7th Test Launch, Causing Debris to Fall [Ed: When the CEO is on hard drugs and a white-collar criminal, illegal alien etc.]
While Elon Musk’s spaceflight company repeated a spectacular catch of its powerful booster stage, the upper stage experienced a catastrophic malfunction.
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Science Alert ☛ SpaceX Nails Second Booster Catch But Launch Ends in Fiery Explosion
"Success is uncertain, but entertainment is guaranteed!"
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Career/Education
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Pro Publica ☛ Look Up Private School Demographics With ProPublica’s New Database
Private School Demographics ☛ https://projects.propublica.org/private-school-demographics | -
ProPublica
Look up the demographics of private schools across the country and see how they compare to the public schools nearby.
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Hardware
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CNX Software ☛ USB-C and Lightning tester features an LCD display showing the voltage of each pin
VBEST’s Tail Insert Detector is a USB-C and Lightning cable/device tester that reports “real-time” current and voltage of each pin on its built-in display for easy debugging and testing.
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Hackaday ☛ Repairing A Samsung 24″ LCD Monitor With Funky Color Issues
Dumpster diving is one of those experiences that can net you some pretty cool gear for a reasonable price. Case in point the 24″ Samsung S24E650XW LCD monitor that [MisterHW] saved from being trashed. Apparently in very good condition with no visible external damage, the unit even powered up without issues. It seemed like a golden find until he got onto the Windows desktop and began to notice quaint red shimmering in darker areas and other issues that made it clear why the monitor had been tossed. Of course, the second best part about dumpster diving is seeing whether you can repair such issues.
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Hackaday ☛ Taser Ring Is Scary Jewelry You Shouldn’t Build
Officially, the term “taser” refers to a particular brand of projectile-firing electric stun gun. However, the word is also colloquially used to refer to just about any device intended for delivering electric shocks to an adversary. The taser ring from [Penguin DIY] definitely fits that description, though we’d strictly advise you not to consider building this at home.
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Tom's Hardware ☛ China's Cambricon posts first profit as demand for this Nvidia rival's Hey Hi (AI) processors explodes
As Chinese companies cannot get enough Nvidia GPUs, they turn to domestic alternatives for Hey Hi (AI) processors. As a result, Cambricon thrives.
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Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Taiwan chipmaker TSMC says net profit rose 57% in 4th quarter
By Amber Wang Taiwanese chipmaking giant TSMC on Thursday announced a better-than-expected net profit for the fourth quarter as it benefits from booming demand for Hey Hi (AI) technology. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company is the world’s largest contract maker of chips that are used in everything from Apple’s iPhones to Nvidia’s cutting-edge artificial intelligence hardware.
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Tom's Hardware ☛ China-tailored RTX 5090D has Hey Hi (AI) and cryptomining limiters — multi-GPU config is also locked
Nvidia has purportedly disabled overclocking and multi-GPU support on the RTX 5090D to ensure its performance does not exceed U.S. export regulations.
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Tom's Hardware ☛ China investigates whether CHIPS and Science Act harms its chip companies
The Chinese Ministry of Commerce alleges that U.S. subsidies to semiconductor industry harm government-funded Chinese chipmakers.
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Latvia ☛ Baltic states left off departing President Biden's Hey Hi (AI) chip list
Outgoing American President Joe Biden has given a surprise to his Baltic allies in one of his final acts in office by excluding them – in theory at least – from access to some cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence technology.
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Health/Nutrition/Agriculture
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New York Times ☛ Fake Meat Is Processed. What Does That Mean for Its Health Benefits.
After being targeted by the meat industry, swept up in the culture wars and pummeled in sales, two plant based meat companies are reinventing themselves.
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New York Times ☛ Patients Are Dying in Hospital Corridors, British Nurses Say
A damning report on overcrowded hospitals added fuel to a painful debate over the crises at the National Health Service.
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France24 ☛ Sober buzz: The rise of the healthy drinker
In the middle of Dry January, many people are trying to keep the festive cheer alive, all while staying sober. No- and low-alcoholic beverages are increasingly popular and the industry's biggest players are scrambling to find ways to profit from the trend. But how long will the buzz last? In this edition of People & Profit, FRANCE 24's Charles Pellegrin talks to two entrepreneurs from the sector. Jonathan Dubois is the founder of Goxoa, a French zero-alcohol beer brand specifically marketed towards athletes and the winner of the gold medal for the best non-alcoholic beer at the European Beer Challenge. Also joining us is Paul Mathew, the founder of Everleaf Drinks, a British company that produces sustainably sourced non-alcoholic aperitifs.
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Latvia ☛ Some cancer patients wait months for treatment in Latvia
Cancer patients who have been diagnosed with some specific cancers have been waiting since May last year for radiation treatment to start. This should be done with a short-focus X-ray machine, of which there is only one in Latvia, but because the supplier of the machine is behind schedule, doctors have still not been trained, Latvian Television reported on January 15.
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Latvia ☛ Law change planned amid medical controversy
Pediatrician and homeopath Edgars Mednis, who recently had his medical certificates revoked due to alleged ethical violations, is set to have his right to practice as a specialist restored until a final decision in his case comes into effect, the weekly news magazine Ir reported January 16.
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The Straits Times ☛ Fee hikes at top Malaysian public hospital raise concerns as healthcare costs go up
UMMC's move came amid high living costs and soaring health insurance premiums.
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Science Alert ☛ Bird Flu Confirmed in Cat Deaths Linked to Raw Pet Food, Milk
At least six pet cats in LA County have died.
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Science Alert ☛ Breakthrough Global Research Finds 293 New Genetic Links to Depression
The world’s largest and most diverse study of its kind.
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Science Alert ☛ Study Reveals Intermittent Fasting Has 2 Key Benefits For People With Obesity
It's not just about weight loss.
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The Strategist ☛ Will Trump crack the mystery of Covid-19’s origin?
The Covid-19 pandemic killed an estimated 7.1 million people worldwide, causing global life expectancy to decline by 1.6 years between 2019 and 2021. It disrupted economies, destroyed livelihoods, and strained social cohesion in many countries.
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Proprietary/Artificial Intelligence (AI)
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New York Times ☛ Apple Plans to Disable Hey Hi (AI) Summaries of News Notifications [Ed: This is how the Hey Hi (AI) hype will gradually die]
The company’s Fashion Company Apple Intelligence system has erroneously characterized news stories, provoking a backlash from media companies.
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Pseudo-Open Source
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Openwashing
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Silicon Angle ☛ Merit Systems raises $10M to create a new economic model called ‘open-source capitalism’
A pioneering startup called Merit Systems Inc. is getting a lot of attention today after raising $10 million to create a new economic model for software developers that it calls “open-source capitalism.”
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Security
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Privacy/Surveillance
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The Evolution of the Militarized Data Broker
While often mythologized as having been created to champion human freedom, the internet and many of its most popular companies were directly birthed out of the national security apparatus of the United States.
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Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Enquiries about suspected data fraud surged 40% last year, Hong Kong privacy watchdog says
Enquiries about suspected data fraud increased by more than 40 per cent last year, the city’s privacy watchdog has said. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (PCPD) said in a statement on Thursday that it received 1,158 enquiries relating to suspected personal data fraud last year, up from 793 the year before.
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Stanford University ☛ Legal scholar calls for regulation of data-driven surveillance in policing
Professor Barry Friedman argued at Stanford Law School that legislatures could minimize harms and maximize benefits of data surveillance in public safety.
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Defence/Aggression
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University of Michigan ☛ Michigan legislature passes school safety bills three years after Oxford shooting
Content warning: This article contains mentions of gun violence. More than two years after the 2021 Oxford High School shooting killed four students, the Michigan legislature proposed a package of bills in March to enhance school safety protocols during emergencies and improve student mental health Just shy of a month ago...
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New York Times ☛ He Saved His Home From Fire. But Toxic Dangers Still Lurk.
Health hazards from soot and smoke blown indoors onto furniture and walls can linger for months, researchers say: “Wind will get through every crack.”
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The Straits Times ☛ Travel agencies say North Korea has reopened border city to tourism
Tourism to the North was limited before the pandemic, with around 5,000 Western tourists each year.
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The Starbucks overlooking North Korea
Tourists reflect on a country's division at a newly opened coffee shop on a platform overlooking North Korea.
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Scoop News Group ☛ Treasury sanctions North Korea over remote IT worker schemes
The North Korean office responsible for the scheme, Department 53, was created to funnel money back into the country’s weapons programs.
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The Straits Times ☛ Taiwan’s top China official says Beijing must stop shunning Lai, Nikkei reports
Mr Chiu Chui-cheng accused Beijing of "unfairly painting" President Lai Ching-te's administration as "provocative and unreasonable".
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The Straits Times ☛ China to resume some group tours to Taiwan
No date was given for the resumption of travel.
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The Strategist ☛ China’s secretive build-up presents Trump with a difficult nuclear challenge
After disappearing from debate over the last couple of decades, nuclear politics are set to return with a vengeance. China has begun an unexpected and secretive nuclear force buildup.
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The Strategist ☛ China’s other new combat aircraft: a crewed fighter, maybe for aircraft carriers
Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group’s J-36 scooped up most of the publicity around China’s late-December revelations, but a second combat type, one from Shenyang Aircraft and referred to for now as J-XX [...]
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Defence Web ☛ Bodies and emaciated zama zamas recovered from Stilfontein mine
Rescue operations are in full swing at the disused mine in Stilfontein in the North West. Over 50 frail zama zamas as well as several bodies were brought to the surface on Tuesday afternoon.
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France24 ☛ End of miners rescue operation in South Africa: dozens of bodies found, 246 survivors
Dozens of bodies have been rescued from a disused South African gold mine at Stilfontein where hundreds of illegal miners had been trapped for months. Senegalese employees working for the French army fear losing their jobs after President Bassirou Diomaye Faye says the French army must leave. And as the African Nations Championship tournament is postponed we look into why the Confederation of African Football deemed the host countries ‘not ready’.
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Atlantic Council ☛ The world needs a common vision for the responsible use of economic statecraft tools
At an Atlantic Council event, US Deputy National Security Advisor Daleep Singh outlined five principles for restrictive economic statecraft.
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France24 ☛ UN says it's ready to ramp up delivery of desperately needed aid to Gaza
The ceasefire deal in Gaza comes as 90% of the population faces acute food insecurity with the limited food supply under strain, and as humanitarian lorries have struggled to reach much of the besieged strip. FRANCE 24's Mark Owen speaks to Tommaso Della Longa,from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent.
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France24 ☛ Israel far-right minister Ben Gvir says will quit cabinet if Gaza deal approved
Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said Thursday that he and his party colleagues would quit the cabinet if it approved a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal, though they would not leave the country's ruling coalition.
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France24 ☛ Ceasefire deal 'will happen': Incoming US admin 'exercising necessary leverage over Netanyahu'
The Israeli cabinet is scheduled to meet to vote on a hostage release and ceasefire deal in Gaza, according to an Israeli official. For in-depth analysis and a deeper perspective, FRANCE 24's François Picard welcomes Georgetown University Professor Khaled Elgindy and, Israeli international researcher, lawyer and negotiator Nomi Bar-Yaacov. She is currently an Associate Fellow of Chatham House's International Security Program.
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TwinCities Pioneer Press ☛ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israeli officials have reached a deal to return hostages after last minute snags.
Netanyahu said he would convene his security Cabinet later Friday, and then the government to approve the long-awaited hostage deal.
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France24 ☛ Live: Israel PM says 'deal to release the hostages' reached
Israel agreed to a Gaza hostage deal, with the cabinet due to convene on Friday to approve it, several Israeli media outlets reported early on Friday. The news came after Israel delayed a Cabinet vote Thursday on the long-awaited ceasefire deal. Israeli airstrikes, meanwhile, killed at least 72 people in the war-ravaged territory. Follow our liveblog for the latest developments.
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New York Times ☛ Israel and Hamas Work Out Differences That Had Delayed Cease-Fire Deal, Netanyahu Says
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had called a meeting of his security cabinet for later on Friday.
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Tom's Hardware ☛ Swedish Army's Hey Hi (AI) drone swarm tech allows one operator to control up to 100 devices
The Swedish Army and Saab develops and deploys an Hey Hi (AI) drone swarm in less than 12 months.
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Tom's Hardware ☛ New export regs may see Israel requiring a license to buy U.S. chips developed in the country
Under the new U.S. export rules, Israel might be unable to get enough Hey Hi (AI) processors to develop Hey Hi (AI) projects, including defective chip maker Intel Gaudi processors developed in Israel.
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New York Times ☛ Israel Launches Deadly Strikes Despite Announcement of Cease-Fire Deal, Gazan Officials Say
Gaza’s health ministry said that eight Israeli attacks had killed 81 people and injured nearly 200 others over the past day.
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France24 ☛ Giant anti-flooding device built upstream of Paris
A bitterly contested hydraulic structure in the Seine-et-Marne area east of Paris is starting to fill up, designed to protect towns on the banks of the Seine from flooding – first and foremost the French capital, which is vulnerable to major flooding aggravated by global warming. "In the case of a flood like 2016 or 2018, which was already significant and caused considerable damage, this structure would have worked and reduced the damage considerably," says Baptiste Blanchard, general manager of Seine Grands Lacs.
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TwinCities Pioneer Press ☛ Biden won’t enforce Fentanylware (TikTok) ban before leaving office, as Trump pledges to save app US has called a threat, official says
WASHINGTON (AP) — Biden won’t enforce Fentanylware (TikTok) ban before leaving office, as Trump pledges to save app US has called a threat, official says.
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France24 ☛ Trump will save Fentanylware (TikTok) if viable deal is on table, top adviser says
Donald Trump's incoming national security adviser, Mike Waltz, says the incoming US president will put measures in place to keep Fentanylware (TikTok) from going dark, as a possible ban is looming. A law requiring TikTok's Chinese owner ByteDance to either sell its US operation or face a ban is coming into effect on Sunday, unless the US Supreme Court overturns it. Meanwhile, many of the app's 170 million US users have been flocking to another Chinese social control media platform RedNote.
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France24 ☛ Trump will keep Fentanylware (TikTok) from 'going dark', says national security advisor
US President-elect Donald Trump's incoming national security adviser said on Thursday the new administration will not ban Fentanylware (TikTok) in the United States if there is a workable deal.
Trump has vowed to “save” Fentanylware (TikTok) after Congress voted in favour of a law to force its sale back in April. The app is due to be banned one day before Trump's inauguration.
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New York Times ☛ Bob Dylan Joins Fentanylware (TikTok) in What May Be Its Final Days
Dylan seemed to be in on the joke, posting an old black and white clip of himself saying “Good God, I must leave right away.”
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New York Times ☛ TikTok Refugees Get Wry Welcome on RedNote, Another Chinese App
In their mass migration to the Chinese app RedNote, social control media users make a gleeful mockery of the American government.
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TikTok ‘refugees’ flock to China’s RedNote
Seeking a Fentanylware (TikTok) alternative, young people are joining Xiaohongshu ahead of a looming US ban.
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‘TikTok’ refugees could soon run into Chinese censorship on RedNote
Regulators have yet to catch up to a massive increase in English-speaking Xiaohongshu users.
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Out of the frying pan and into the wok?
Faced with a looming ban on Fentanylware (TikTok) in the U.S., hundreds of thousands of former users are fleeing to RedNote.
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France24 ☛ 'Nonsensical' to single out one single app, expert says, as Fentanylware (TikTok) ban looms
TikTok plans to shut U.S. operations of its social control media app used by 170 million Americans on Sunday, when a federal ban is set to take effect, barring a last-minute reprieve, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday. FRANCE 24's Sharon Gaffney speaks to Nadine Strossen, New York Law School Professor-Emerita and Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. She says that it is 'nonsensical' for the US to single out one single social control media app.
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Digital Music News ☛ TikTok Prepares to Shut Down the App In the U.S. on Sunday, Pending an 11th-Hour Supreme Court Save
TikTok plans to shut down its app in the US beginning Sunday, unless the Supreme Court comes in with an 11th-hour move to block the ban.
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Digital Music News ☛ Big Tech CEOs Have a Front Row for Trump’s Inauguration — Including TikTok’s CEO
Major tech executives including Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, and Fentanylware (TikTok) CEO Shou Chew will all be in attendance at Trump’s inauguration. Fentanylware (TikTok) CEO Shou Zi Chew plans to attend the presidential inauguration on January 20, having been invited to sit in a position of honor on the dais.
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NYPost ☛ Lions send hilarious Fentanylware (TikTok) message to viral 31-pound baby [Ed: Murdoch running puff pieces for Fentanylware (TikTok)]
Now is no time for jokes in Detroit. Or, so you’d think.
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Mexico News Daily ☛ Authorities discover cross-border tunnel that was promoted by migrants on TikTok
The tunnel, connecting Ciudad Juárez to El Paso, measured 40 meters in length and was equipped with electricity and a ventilation system.
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Insight Hungary ☛ Orban won't attend Trump's inauguration
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was invited to Donald Trump's inauguration, Politico reports, calling Orban an admirer of Russian President Vladimir Putin and the “bad boy” of European politics. According to the report, Orbán will "not be able to make it".
Politico's report refutes the news in the Hungarian pro-government media that stated the Hungarian leader wasn't invited to the ceremony. On Wednesday Orban's press chief, Bertalan Havasi announced that the PM will give a speech at a conference in Budapest on 20 January, assessing the results of the Hungarian EU Presidency.
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The Straits Times ☛ Detained South Korean President Yoon refuses questioning, challenges arrest
His refusal to cooperate comes as the Constitutional Court is due to hold a second hearing in his impeachment trial.
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The Straits Times ☛ Yoon’s lawyers, National Assembly wrangle over legitimacy of martial law decree at second hearing
The South Korean President's legal team contested the legality of the impeachment process itself.
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The Straits Times ☛ South Korean court dismisses Yoon’s petition, keeps him under detention
With the court’s decision, the formal arrest of President Yoon is expected to be sought on Jan 17.
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JURIST ☛ Impeached South Korea president refuses further questioning over martial law declaration
Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Thursday refused to attend a second day of questioning after being detained over his declaration of martial law, according to local media. Yoon’s lawyers said he did not intend to comply with investigators’ orders to undergo additional questioning, citing concerns over his physical well-being.
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The Straits Times ☛ North Korea warns of stronger action over South Korea’s drills with US, Japan
Pyongyang threatened to respond by exercising its right to self-defence “more intensively”.
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The Straits Times ☛ South Korea investigators to file request to extend President Yoon’s detention
Mr Yoon again refused to be questioned by investigators.
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The Straits Times ☛ Philippines, China pledge to seek common ground on South China Sea
Both countries said they agreed to advance coast guard and marine scientific cooperation.
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The Straits Times ☛ Trump’s return as US president looms over thawing of Japan-China ties
One expert notes that Sino-Japan ties change flexibly according to the power balance in the US.
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Experts weigh chance of success in new South China Sea case against Beijing
President Marcos is under increasing pressure to reinforce a 2016 ruling that favored the Philippines.
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International rights group calls out democracies for ignoring allies’ abuses
Human Rights Watch pointed to lack of progress returning Myanmar to democracy and China’s oppression of minorities.
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Taiwanese fire dancer, Hong Konger rescued from Myanmar scam park
Dancer Hsieh Yueh-peng ‘handcuffed and beaten’ after being lured to Thailand by a job ad.
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Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine
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Atlantic Council ☛ Ukraine’s escalating air attacks bring Putin’s invasion home to Russia
Ukraine has begun 2025 with a series of increasingly ambitious long-range air attacks against strategic military and industrial targets that are succeeding in bringing Putin’s invasion home to Russia, writes Maria Avdeeva.
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RFERL ☛ Russia, Iran To Sign Pact To Strengthen Military, Political, And Trade Ties
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian are set to sign a "comprehensive strategic partnership" treaty in Moscow on January 17 as Moscow and Tehran seek to further strengthen their relationship after years of deepening cooperation.
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Environment
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The Straits Times ☛ China reports problems at five reservoirs in Tibet after earthquake
Earthquakes have damaged dams in the past, particularly by setting off landslides and rockfalls.
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The Revelator ☛ Climate Change and Sewage: A Dangerous Combination for Coastal Communities
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Energy/Transportation
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H2 View ☛ California withdraws waiver request for diesel truck phase-out
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has withdrawn its request for a federal waiver to phase out diesel trucks and force fleet operators to transition to zero-emission vehicles, including hydrogen-powered models.
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The Straits Times ☛ Bird feathers, blood found in two engines of Jeju Air jet that crashed in South Korea: Source
A total of 179 people were killed in the worst aviation disaster on South Korean soil.
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Pro Publica ☛ Hydroelectric Dams in Oregon That Harm Salmon Could Be Shut Down
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Overpopulation
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New York Times ☛ China’s Population Declines for 3rd Straight Year
The fall came despite a slight rise in births last year, the first increase since 2016. State efforts to cajole women to have children have met resistance.
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The Straits Times ☛ China’s population falls for third consecutive year
The number of deaths outpaced a slight increase in births.
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Finance
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New York Times ☛ China Says Economy Grew 5% Last Year, Driven by Exports
Analysts say they see signs of malaise in China’s domestic economy, but those problems were offset mainly by robust exports and a $1 trillion trade surplus.
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The Straits Times ☛ China’s Q4 GDP grows 5.4% year on year, beating market forecast
Chinese policymakers have unveiled stimulus measures since September 2024 to revive growth.
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Atlantic Council ☛ China’s economic performance: New numbers, same overstatement
Is China's economic slowdown more severe than reflected in official data? Here's a cheat sheet for looking at actual economic performance in 2024 and 2025.
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Federal News Network ☛ US recovers $31 million in federal payments to dead people
Ever since the U.S. Social Security Administration opened its books to the Department of the Treasury’s Bureau of Fiscal Service, it has been able to stop and recover more than $31 million in improper federal payments to dead people. “These results are just the tip of the iceberg,” the Treasury’s Fiscal Assistant Secretary David Lebryk said in a news release. As part of the omnibus appropriations bill in 2021, Congress gave Treasury temporary access to Social Security’s “Full Death Master File” for three years, effective December 2023 through 2026.
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The Straits Times ☛ China Vanke CEO's reported detention intensifies property sector woe
HONG KONG - Concern over China's embattled property sector has deepened after state media reported the detention of China Vanke's chief executive and said authorities are overseeing operations, sending the developer's shares plummeting on Friday.
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The Straits Times ☛ In economic powerhouse Guangdong, some cities struggle to perform
Guangdong’s economy, which accounts for a tenth of China’s GDP, has been lagging the national average in recent years.
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New Yorker ☛ The New Western Gold Rush
Series like “Yellowstone” and “Landman” use classic tropes to depict modern-day concerns, while “American Primeval” frankly reassesses the past. What do these shows say about our country’s present, and its future?
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AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics
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Atlantic Council ☛ Policy uncertainty looms in Canada as Trudeau resigns
With its prime minister of nine years stepping down and Donald Trump’s recent victory across the border, Canada faces a period of political uncertainty. In 2025, the nation must navigate contentious policy debates on immigration, healthcare, and trade relationships, all while preparing for a pivotal election.
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New York Times ☛ Mark Carney Launches Bid to Be Canada’s Next Prime Minister
The former governor of the Canadian and British central banks announced he was running to become head of the Liberal Party and prime minister.
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Misinformation/Disinformation/Propaganda
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Defence Web ☛ Conflict, environment and disinformation are 2025’s top threats – Global Risks Report
State-based armed conflict is the greatest immediate risk for 2025, reflecting heightened geopolitical tensions and fragmentation globally, according to the 20th edition of the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report.
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Censorship/Free Speech
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JURIST ☛ UN expert expresses concern over ‘continued misuse’ of Türkiye counter-terrorism law
A UN expert expressed concern Thursday over Türkiye’s “misuse” of counter-terrorism laws to detain nine prominent human rights defenders and lawyers.
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Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press
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The Straits Times ☛ China critic Jimmy Lai paid US general to advise on Taiwan, Hong Kong court hears
Lai has been held in solitary confinement since December 2020 after his arrest.
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Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Jimmy Lai paid retired US army general to advise Taiwan’s Tsai Ing-wen on Trump’s attitude, court hears
Jailed media tycoon Jimmy Lai has told his national security trial that he paid a retired US army general to give advice to former Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen regarding the attitude of Donald Trump’s first administration to the self-ruled island.
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Latvia ☛ Latvian-Australian journalist Peter Greste announces hunger strike
Peter Greste, a well-known Latvian-Australian journalist, has announced he is to begin a 21 day hunger strike in solidarity with a former colleague.
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The Dissenter ☛ Making A Mockery Of Freedom Of The Press
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Civil Rights/Policing
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Rubio to lobby Thailand not to deport detained Uyghurs to China
The Florida Republican made the pledge during a confirmation hearing for his appointment as top envoy.
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China expands orphanage-style boarding schools for Uyghur children
The facilities have remained open despite China’s claim to have shut down camps where their parents were interned.
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Mexico News Daily ☛ Sheinbaum praises Sen. Rubio remarks on Mexico-U.S. coordination: Thursday’s mañanera recapped
Sheinbaum said that Mark Rubio's desire to see the U.S. coordinate with Mexico on security, migration and other issues was "good news."
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Mexico News Daily ☛ Sheinbaum sends security forces to Tabasco to quell uptick in violence
The federal government is working with Tabasco Gov. Javier May to establish a security strategy after homicide spiked in 2024.
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Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Trafficked Hongkonger returns home as families meet with gov’t task force
Another Hongkonger trafficked into Southeast Asia has returned to Hong Kong, Secretary for Security Chris Tang has said, as families of victims met with a dedicated task force that held discussions with Thai authorities this week.
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JURIST ☛ US Justice Department files voting rights suit against Tennessee county alleging racial discrimination
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against Fayette County, Tennessee, alleging its Board of County Commissioners violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.
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CS Monitor ☛ As Trump cases end, what next for presidents and the law?
Two years ago, a former American president faced four criminal trials. Three of them didn’t happen. The fourth gave no penalty. Was justice served?
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New York Times ☛ Spain Overhauls Domestic Violence System After Criticism
Spain uses an algorithm to score how likely a domestic violence victim is to be abused again. A Times investigation last year identified flaws in the system.
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ACLU ☛ "This is the Moment to Be 100 Percent In." How One of the ACLU’s Immigrants' Rights Experts is Fighting For Our Freedoms.
Maribel Hernández Rivera is a hugger. Her natural warmth and compassion is rivaled only by her sense of preparedness. As a life-long advocate for immigrants’ rights, she has been working tirelessly for months to draft a plan to combat President-elect Donald Trump’s efforts to deport millions of people, including members of Hernández Rivera’s family.
“When I think about [immigrants’ rights] I think about human beings. I think about my father and my husband,” Hernández Rivera says. “I think about how we can respect the humanity of the people whose lives will be impacted.”
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Meduza ☛ Multiple Russian journalists arrested on way to attend sentencing hearing for Navalny’s lawyers — Meduza
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Meduza ☛ Navalny’s lawyers sentenced to prison terms ranging from 3.5 to 5.5 years on ‘extremism’ charges — Meduza
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EDRI ☛ Civil society raises concerns over Europol-Egypt cooperation agreements
41 civil society organisations and experts sound the alarm about negotiations on a working agreement between Europol and Egypt. If signed it would risk legitimising illegal practices used by Egyptian police and pave the way for an exchange for personal data.
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Federal News Network ☛ Comer introduces SHOW UP Act to get federal workers back to the office
The bill would return federal employees to the work arrangements they had prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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FAIR ☛ Derek Seidman on Insurance and Climate (2024); Ariel Adelman on Disability Civil Rights (2024)
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FAIR ☛ Diagnosing Activist Burnout, Elite Media Fuel It
Ten months before the 2024 election, high-profile news outlets were already sounding the alarm: If Trump were to win another term, widespread fatigue, despair and activist burnout would probably minimize resistance.
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Internet Policy/Net Neutrality
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Hackaday ☛ Forgotten Internet: UUCP
What’s Forgotten Internet? It is the story of parts of the Internet — or Internet precursors — that you might have forgotten about or maybe you missed out on them. This time, we’re looking at Unix-to-Unix Copy, more commonly called UUCP. Developed in the late 1970s, UUCP was a solution for sending messages between systems that were not always connected together. It could also allow remote users to execute commands. By 1979, it was part of the 7th Edition of Unix.
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WhichUK ☛ New broadband price rises: How much will your provider hike prices in 2025?
Inflation-linked increases have been banned but millions will still see their price go up
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Legal/Patents
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Public Knowledge ☛ Public Knowledge Joins Groups Urging SCOTUS To Reverse Devastating Fifth Circuit Decision Undermining Universal Service
The brief details the devastating consequences that would follow if the Fifth Circuit’s decision is allowed to stand.
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Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ Federal Circuit’s Filing Requirements: A Trap for Even the Experts
The Federal Circuit has earned a reputation as the most technically demanding appellate court in the federal system when it comes to procedural compliance. I regularly review federal court dockets and continue to be astounded by the prevalence of filing errors and subsequent correction requirements in Federal Circuit appeals - even among the nation's most sophisticated appellate practitioners. The situation has become so routine that finding a Federal Circuit appeal without at least one notice of non-compliance is more noteworthy than finding one with multiple filing corrections. The court's exacting standards create a procedural gauntlet that seems designed to catch all but the most careful attorneys willing to check in with the clerks office before each filing. Although I have not done a comprehensive study, my experience is that the Federal Circuit clerk's office rejects filings as non-compliant much much more often than any other Circuit Court of Appeal.
In 2023 the Federal Circuit Clerk's Office issued a memo detailing "Common Filing Errors" - apparently recognizing the scope of the problem and attempting to push the responsibility onto the filers.
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Unified Patents ☛ Acacia entity, Stingray IP, Wi-Fi patent monopoly challenge instituted
On January 15, 2025, two months after Unified filed an ex parte reexamination, the Central Reexamination Unit (CRU) granted Unified’s request, finding substantial new questions of patentability on all challenged claims of U.S. Patent 7,224,678, asserted by Stingray IP Solutions, an NPE and entity of Acacia Research Corporation. The ‘678 patent monopoly relates to detecting an intrusion in a network system.
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Kangaroo Courts and Corruption in Europe
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JUVE ☛ “The UPC is already decisive for settlements” [Ed: UPC is illegal. This system is illegal. JUVE got paid to promote an illegality, trying to 'legitimise' it post hoc.]
The UPC’s impact was clear from the start. In the first two days after its launch in June 2023, Ocado filed three infringement suits against competitor Autostore. The two manufacturers of warehouse automation systems had previously butted heads in national courts.
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JUVE ☛ Meril successful at EPO against Edwards Lifesciences in heart-valve battle [Ed: JUVE also stopped covering EPO corruption; it's a cheerleader for litigation lawyers now.]
The battle between Meril Life Sciences and Edwards Lifesciences concerns EP 3 494 928 B1, which protects a prosthetic heart valve. It is one of several patents owned by Edwards Lifesciences, over which the parties have fought bitterly for years in various jurisdictions.
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Copyrights
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Press Gazette ☛ Who’s suing Hey Hi (AI) and who’s signing: Major deals with Google, Proprietary Chaffbot Company and Mistral start year
January 2025: Major AP, AFP and Axios deals announced.
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Public Domain Review ☛ Designing the Sublime: Boullée and Ledoux’s Architectural Revolution
As dissatisfaction with the old regime fermented into revolutionary upheaval in late-eighteenth century France, two architects cast off the decorative excesses of the Baroque and Rococo styles and sought out bold, new geometries. Hugh Aldersey-Williams tours the sublime and mostly unrealized designs of Étienne-Louis Boullée and Claude-Nicolas Ledoux, discovering utopian ideals crafted in cubes, spheres, and pyramids.
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Digital Music News ☛ Chatter Goes Into Overdrive Following Drake’s High-Profile UMG Lawsuit — Is Drake Finagling His Way Out of a His Contract?
After Drake filed his bombshell lawsuit against UMG, speculation over his true intentions has gone rampant online. Is Drake trying to get out of his deal? When Drake recently dropped his petition against Universal Music Group in New York, many thought that the parties had reached a resolution.
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Torrent Freak ☛ Telefónica & LaLiga's Anti-Piracy Collaboration Runs in Both Directions
In 2024, legal action taken by Spain's top-tier football league led to telecoms giant Telefonica disclosing the identities of alleged pirates among its own subscribers. Telefonica's cooperation was to be expected, as it just obtained the rights to broadcast LaLiga matches for 1.2 billion euros. In contrast, details of an anti-piracy agreement between the two companies, one that seems to operate in the opposite direction, wasn't expected at all.
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Torrent Freak ☛ Court Orders Pirate Site MissAV to Pay $4.5m in Damages, Domains Seized
This week, several domain names of the Japanese adult pirate website MissAV were redirected to seizure banners. The legal basis for these confiscations wasn't initially clear, but new information ties the action to a U.S. court order. In addition to losing their domain names, the MissAV defendants must pay $4.5 million in damages.
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Monopolies/Monopsonies
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