Authored by Paul Craig Roberts, President Trump says he wants the US to have better relations with Russia and to halt military operations against Muslim countries. But he is being undermined by the Pentagon. The commander of US forces in Europe, General Ben Hodges, has lined up tanks on Poland’s border with Russia and fired salvos that the general says are a message to Russia, not a […]
The banking caucus Economic stability and improved bank safety haven’t stopped supporters of the Choice Act from moving forward with tearing down Dodd-Frank. The bill was introduced in September by Rep. Jeb Hensarling, a Texas Republican who is a deregulation crusader and friend of Vice President Mike Pence; Pence represented Indiana in the House from 2001 to 2013 and was a critic of Dodd-Frank when the law […]
Telstra has said that as a result of a fire at its Chatswood exchange, it is possible that customers’ SMS messages have been delivered to people other than the intended recipients. “As a result of the Chatswood exchange fire today, it’s possible some SMS messages have been incorrectly delivered,” a Telstra spokesperson said. “As mentioned previously, customers won’t be receiving SMS messages in the short term while […]
The Turkish government is trying to shut down two journalists who left the country to publish their work. But they’re not giving up without a fight. Last week, journalists Can Dündar and Hayko Bağdat launched a website called Özgürüz that aims to publish independent journalism about Turkey from the relative safety of Germany. It’s a kind of pirate radio for Turkish journalists, informing the public amid a […]
Seeking a new way to make electricity, scientists at the Iowa State University have developed a tree-like device whose artificial leaves sway in the wind to generate electricity. The device’s design was pioneered by Michael McCloskey, associate professor of genetics. He said conceptually it is not a replacement for wind turbines. However, in the long term, the technology can create a specialized market for small machines that […]
The death of Chief Petty Officer William Owens came after a chain of mishaps and misjudgments that plunged the elite commandos into a ferocious 50-minute firefight that also left three troops wounded and a $75 million aircraft deliberately destroyed. There are allegations — which the Pentagon acknowledged on Wednesday night are most likely correct — that the mission also killed several civilians, including some children. The dead […]
Samsung Electronics will launch Samsung Pay Mini, the company has announced, which will offer online payment services for all Android-powered smartphones. To be launched within the first quarter, the new app will also allow non-Samsung Android phones to use Samsung Pay services such as membership, lifestyle, and transportation. They will not be able to use offline payments using a reader, however, as offline payment support requires Samsung’s […]
A law clerk from Toronto and a paralegal in Montreal commanded a prolific corporate empire of nearly 200 companies over the past 25 years — while knowing nothing about the businesses or the multimillion-dollar deals bearing their names, they say. Karen McIntyre of Toronto and Annette Laroche of the Montreal area both say they filed company tax returns without any idea if the numbers were accurate, signed […]
By Shihar Aneez | HAMBANTOTA, Sri Lanka HAMBANTOTA, Sri Lanka China signed a deal with Sri Lanka late last year to further develop the strategic port of Hambantota and build a huge industrial zone nearby, a key part of Beijing’s ambitions to create a modern-day “Silk Road” across Asia. The agreement was welcome relief for the island nation of 20 million people. As they try to reduce […]
Saudi Arabia will invite international and domestic companies to bid for renewable energy projects in April, the energy minister said on Wednesday, adding that he expected to award the deals in September. Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih, speaking at a news conference in Riyadh said the projects would include two new solar and wind power plants with a capacity to produce 700 megawatts of power. The projects are […]
By Radu-Sorin Marinas and Luiza Ilie | BUCHAREST BUCHAREST More than 250,000 Romanians demonstrated on Wednesday against a government decree decriminalising some graft offences, seen as the biggest retreat on reforms since the country joined the European Union in 2007. Romania’s top judicial watchdog, the Superior Magistrates’ Council (CSM), earlier in the day filed a constitutional court challenge to the decree unveiled by the new Social Democrat […]
As the creative director of Tumi, one of the world’s best-known luggage brands, Victor Sanz is well placed to offer packing advice. “Lay out all your clothes for your trip. And then cut that in half. That will get you closer to what you really need,” he suggests. “Also, bring plenty of power because you never know when you’ll need it,” he adds. “And stay positive. That’s […]
Donald Trump’s administration declared that it was putting Iran “on notice” on Wednesday, signalling both a tougher US line with Tehran and a new test of relations after a weekend missile test by the Islamic republic. During his campaign, Mr Trump vowed to rip up a 2015 nuclear deal negotiated by the Obama administration and other world powers with Tehran but has taken no public steps to […]
When a newsroom shuts down, there’s usually a series of announcements, internal memos and “I’m looking for work” tweets. Most times, it ends there. But in one Washington newspaper this week, there’s a full-page advertisement devoted to helping soon-to-be jobless journalists find work again. Here’s what it says on page five of today’s Issaquah Press: “We’re professional journalists. On Feb. 25, we’re for hire.” Below that is […]
The robotic ‘bio-bat’ demonstrates self-contained autonomous flight by mimicking morphological properties of flexible bat wings. Credit: Cover photo, reprinted with permission from AAAS. Bats have long captured the imaginations of scientists and engineers with their unrivaled agility and maneuvering characteristics, achieved by functionally versatile dynamic wing conformations as well as more than forty active and passive joints on the wings. However, their wing flexibility and complex wing […]
AT&T announced on Wednesday that it’s rolling out so-called 5G “evolution markets” in Austin and Indianapolis this summer, as part of a broader push to upgrade its networks. This showcase markets will start out with theoretical peak speeds of 400Mbps. That’s five times faster than what AT&T currently offers in terms of wireless connectivity, AT&T CTO Andre Fuetsch noted at an event in San Francisco on Wednesday. […]
By Steve Holland | WASHINGTON WASHINGTON A top adviser to President Donald Trump delivered a tough warning to Iran on Wednesday for test-firing a ballistic missile and declared “we are officially putting Iran on notice” for what he called a provocation. A statement from White House national security adviser Michael Flynn condemning the test was an example of a more muscular U.S. foreign policy that Trump has […]
Submitted by Charles Hugh-Smith via OfTwoMinds blog, We cannot advance until we dump the Technocrat Class and decentralize the power that the Liberal Establishment happily concentrated into the hands of corporate cartels and the central state. Those who don’t yet understand our centrally-planned cartel-state system will benefit from reading How Democrats Killed Their Populist Soul (The Atlantic). I’ve presented related analyses in three recent essays: The Protected, […]
After yesterday US officials reported that Iran conducted a nuclear ballistic missile test on Sunday, which some claimed would be another violation of the UN resolution and Obama’s nuclear deal, on Wednesday Iran’s defense minister admitted that the Islamic Republic had indeed tested a new missile, but added the test did not breach Tehran’s nuclear accord with world powers or a U.N. Security Council resolution endorsing the […]
“Hydrogels are soft, wet, biocompatible, and can form more friendly interfaces with human organs,” says Xuanhe Zhao, associate professor of mechanical engineering and civil and environmental engineering at MIT. Credit: Massachusetts Institute of Technology Engineers at MIT have fabricated transparent, gel-based robots that move when water is pumped in and out of them. The bots can perform a number of fast, forceful tasks, including kicking a ball […]
By Naomi Tajitsu and Maki Shiraki | YOKOHAMA, Japan YOKOHAMA, Japan Nissan Motor Co has taken a step back into gasoline hybrids with its Note e-Power model, which the Japanese automaker hopes will act as a gateway for drivers who will later shift to all-electric cars. The move will also trim Nissan’s costs. Nissan’s battery-electric Leaf, the industry’s first mass-market, all-electric car launched in 2010, is the […]
Millions of Indians are preparing to vote in the biggest test of public opinion since prime minister Narendra Modi announced the demonetisation of 500 and 1,000-rupee notes three months ago – a move which has plunged the country into an unprecedented cash crisis and sent the economy into a tailspin. Over the next four weeks, starting today, a series of regional elections will be held across India […]
Israel has approved the construction of 3,000 more settlement homes in one of the government’s biggest announcements on its building programme in recent years. The statement on Tuesday evening is a further sign that the rightwing government feels it has a free hand to build housing for Jewish settlers in the occupied Palestinian territories following the election of US President Donald Trump. It came as Israel began […]
Logitech Spotlight, the name of Logitech’s new presentation remote, looks a lot like the original Apple TV remote. Its metal housing with curved edges fits comfortably in the palm of your hand. Buttons are sparse, with Spotlight having just three. The bottom of the remote is removable, revealing a USB dongle that automatically connects Spotlight to your computer. Alternatively, you can link Spotlight directly to your computer’s […]
