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Showing articles 166 - 180 of 1678 total (matching filters).

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  tech 7

  China’s Renewable Energy Revolution Is a Huge Mess That Might Save the World

  (Backchannel Latest / 2026-01-20 11:00)

  China's renewable energy revolution, particularly in solar power, is happening at an unprecedented scale and pace. The country's manufacturing capacity can now produce 1 terawatt of solar panels annually, driving down global energy costs and rapidly displacing fossil fuels.

  This explosive growth, however, is chaotic and disruptive, characterized by fierce competition, market price wars, and significant strain on electrical grids. A recent policy change in China, which ended favorable pricing for new solar projects after May 2025, triggered a massive installation rush before the deadline.

  The main topics covered are the scale of China's solar power expansion, the disruptive and chaotic nature of this green energy transition, and the specific policy shift that caused a surge and subsequent drop in new installations.

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  tech 5

  Your First Humanoid Robot Coworker Will Probably Be Chinese

  (Backchannel Latest / 2026-01-20 11:00)

  The World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai showcased numerous humanoid robots performing various actions, but many were being remotely controlled by humans and had limited dexterity, such as lacking functional fingers. Despite these current limitations, analysts forecast massive growth in the humanoid robot market, with China expected to be a dominant player due to its high number of developing companies.

  A key example is the Hangzhou-based company Unitree, which produces advanced and relatively inexpensive robots, positioning it as a national tech champion amid a crowded field of over 200 Chinese firms developing humanoids. This rapid expansion has led to Chinese government warnings about potential overcapacity and unnecessary replication within the industry.

  The main topics covered are the demonstration and current limitations of humanoid robots, market forecasts for their adoption, and China's competitive landscape in robotics, focusing on the company Unitree.

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  tech 6

  You’ve Never Heard of China’s Greatest Sci-Fi Novel

  (Backchannel Latest / 2026-01-20 11:00)

  A sprawling Chinese web novel, The Morning Star of Lingao, features modern engineers traveling back to the Ming Dynasty to trigger an industrial revolution and alter China's historical trajectory. The story emerged from online forums in 2006, directly engaging with China's historical angst over its decline relative to Europe and the "Great Divergence."

  The novel's pragmatic, development-focused ideology aligned with the rise of the online "Industrial Party," which prioritized state-led industrialization and material progress over political concepts like democracy or freedom. The narrative reflects a significant intellectual current in modern China that views relentless economic and technological building as the nation's central path to power and salvation.

  The main topics covered are the web novel The Morning Star of Lingao, its origins in online Chinese discourse, and its connection to the "Industrial Party" ideology that prioritizes state-led development and industrialization above political liberalization.

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  infosec 6

  Kimwolf Botnet Lurking in Corporate, Govt. Networks

  (Krebs on Security / 2026-01-20 18:19)

  A new IoT botnet named Kimwolf has infected over 2 million devices, primarily through compromised residential proxy networks. It forces these devices to conduct DDoS attacks and relay malicious traffic by scanning local networks for other vulnerable IoT systems, notably unofficial Android TV boxes. The botnet has surprisingly impacted corporate and government networks globally, with one security firm finding nearly 25% of its customers showed signs of related scanning activity. The main topics covered are the Kimwolf botnet's propagation method, its primary targets (residential proxies and Android TV boxes), and its significant prevalence within institutional networks.

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  tech 6

  ‘I’m Witnessing a Lot of Emptiness’: How ICE Uprooted Normal Life in Minneapolis

  (Backchannel Latest / 2026-01-21 11:00)

  More than 2,000 federal ICE agents have been deployed in Minneapolis, creating an atmosphere of fear and disrupting daily life as enforcement actions target schools, churches, and daycares. Residents have formed rapid response networks for protection, adapting to a new reality where community safety is a collective responsibility.

  The federal presence is part of a broader national escalation, with President Trump considering sending troops and ICE receiving increased funding to deploy armed agents across the country. Interviews with residents reveal a pervasive anxiety, with teachers scanning for threats during recess and using coded whistle signals to protect children.

  The situation has drawn parallels to past unrest but is characterized more by widespread fear than anger. Firsthand accounts from legal observers describe tense confrontations with ICE agents, highlighting the risks citizens face while monitoring enforcement activities.

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  brasil 6

  Por dentro da briga de Malafaia e Damares: candidatura de Flávio Bolsonaro e afago à Michelle divide evangélicos

  (Intercept Brasil / 2026-01-21 19:00)

  Resumo objetivo:
  A senadora Damares Alves causou polêmica ao denunciar envolvimento de pastores e igrejas evangélicas em fraudes no INSS, gerando ataques de líderes religiosos como o pastor Silas Malafaia. Seu posicionamento ocorre em um contexto de disputas políticas, onde ela estaria apoiando Michelle Bolsonaro como alternativa presidencial, em detrimento de Flávio Bolsonaro, o que tensiona sua relação com a família Bolsonaro e aliados. As movimentações indicam um realinhamento interno na direita, com Damares buscando influenciar a sucessão presidencial através de Michelle, possivelmente em chapa com o governador Tarcísio de Freitas.

  Principais tópicos abordados:
  1. A denúncia de Damares Alves sobre fraudes no INSS envolvendo igrejas evangélicas.
  2. A reação negativa de líderes evangélicos bolsonaristas, como Silas Malafaia.
  3. As tensões políticas na família Bolsonaro e na direita em torno da sucessão presidencial.
  4. O possível afastamento de Damares da família Bolsonaro e seu apoio a Michelle Bolsonaro como candidata.
  5. As articulações para as eleições, incluindo alianças com Tarcísio de Freitas e disputas internas no campo bolsonarista.

• 
  tech 5

  We Are Witnessing the Self-Immolation of a Superpower

  (Backchannel Latest / 2026-01-22 11:00)

  The article argues that former President Donald Trump's actions, particularly his renewed pursuit of acquiring Greenland, are severely damaging U.S. global trust and alliances. It posits that this behavior aligns with goals that adversaries like Putin or Xi would have to undermine the U.S.-led international order.

  The piece frames the Greenland obsession as a personal and inexplicable side quest, lacking any substantive strategic, economic, or popular rationale. It notes the move is overwhelmingly unpopular domestically and is alienating key allies like Denmark.

  Main topics covered: The erosion of U.S. global leadership and trust; the specific case of Trump's push for Greenland; the weakening of international alliances and the rules-based order.

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  brasil 7

  Segurança pública dominará 2026 e fará eleição virar disputa de poder sobre quem mata e quem morre no Brasil

  (Intercept Brasil / 2026-01-23 11:00)

  Resumo objetivo:
  A segurança pública será o tema central das eleições de 2026, não por uma crise factual da violência, mas porque o medo se tornou um ativo político eficaz. O debate sobre segurança deixou de focar em políticas estruturais para se transformar em uma estratégia eleitoral baseada em respostas simplistas e endurecidas. Paralelamente, o artigo destaca que a milícia evoluiu de um fenômeno criminal localizado para um modelo de poder integrado ao Estado, influenciando eleições e serviços essenciais.

  Principais tópicos abordados:
  1. A segurança pública como estratégia eleitoral e linguagem de poder.
  2. A transformação das milícias em redes criminosas sistêmicas e sua simbiose com o Estado.
  3. A "milicianização da política" como método de governo baseado em controle violento e captura de instituições.
  4. O uso do discurso de segurança para justificar retrocessos democráticos e flexibilizar garantias legais.

• 
  brasil 7

  O Google está ensinando seu filho a esconder coisas de você

  (Intercept Brasil / 2026-01-24 11:00)

  Resumo objetivo:
  O Google tem enviado e-mails diretamente a crianças prestes a completar 13 anos, instruindo-as como desativar controles parentais sem o consentimento dos pais, gerando críticas de especialistas em segurança infantil. Paralelamente, as big techs estão se antecipando à regulamentação do ECA Digital no Brasil com campanhas de autorregulação, como a "Rede que Cuida", liderada pelo Conselho Digital — um grupo de lobby financiado pelas próprias empresas do setor. Denúncias e vazamentos, como os Facebook Papers, revelam que essas empresas historicamente priorizam o engajamento de jovens sobre seu bem-estar, além de financiarem pesquisas que minimizam os efeitos negativos das telas.

  Principais tópicos abordados:
  1. Críticas à comunicação direta do Google com crianças sobre a remoção de controles parentais.
  2. Estratégias das big techs para influenciar a regulação de proteção infantil no Brasil (como o ECA Digital).
  3. O papel do Conselho Digital como braço de lobby das big techs na defesa de seus interesses.
  4. Evidências de que as plataformas priorizam o engajamento em detrimento da segurança de jovens.

• 
  tech 6

  Why Minnesota Can’t Do More to Stop ICE

  (Backchannel Latest / 2026-01-25 18:15)

  Federal agents in Minneapolis are engaging in aggressive tactics, including the use of deadly force against civilians, against the expressed wishes of local and state officials. Local authorities feel powerless to stop the federal operation due to the constitutional principles of federalism, which prevent states from resisting federal authority.

  The situation has created severe tension between federal forces and local law enforcement, with local police condemning federal agents' actions and reporting harassment of their own officers. While the governor has activated the National Guard, it is primarily in response to stretched local resources rather than a direct confrontation with federal agents.

  The main topics covered are the federal occupation and its controversial actions, the legal and political limitations on state resistance, and the resulting conflict between federal and local authorities.

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  infosec 5

  Who Operates the Badbox 2.0 Botnet?

  (Krebs on Security / 2026-01-26 16:11)

  The Kimwolf botnet operators have reportedly compromised the control panel of the Badbox 2.0 botnet, revealing user accounts linked to Chinese tech companies associated with Badbox's distribution. Both the FBI and Google are actively investigating the Badbox 2.0 operation, which involves millions of pre-infected Android TV boxes used for ad fraud and network intrusion. The main topics covered are the interconnection of the Kimwolf and Badbox 2.0 botnets, the ongoing law enforcement and legal actions against them, and the investigation into the entities behind the Badbox operation.

• 
  tech 6

  Revealed: Leaked Chats Expose the Daily Life of a Scam Compound’s Enslaved Workforce

  (Backchannel Latest / 2026-01-27 11:00)

  A whistleblower's leak of internal WhatsApp chats reveals the daily operations of a "pig butchering" scam compound in Laos, where forced laborers are coerced into defrauding victims out of millions via crypto investment scams. The workers, often lured by fake job offers and trapped in debt bondage, face brutal punishments and must meet strict revenue quotas under a bizarre facade of corporate motivation and camaraderie.

  The main topics covered are the existence and inner workings of criminal scam compounds in Southeast Asia, the use of forced labor and debt bondage to run these operations, and the specific tactics and internal culture revealed through leaked documents.

• 
  tech 7

  He Leaked the Secrets of a Southeast Asian Scam Compound. Then He Had to Get Out Alive

  (Backchannel Latest / 2026-01-27 11:00)

  A reporter received an encrypted email from a person calling themselves "Red Bull," who claimed to be a computer engineer forced to work inside a major cryptocurrency romance scam operation, or "pig butchering" scheme, in Southeast Asia's Golden Triangle. The source, acting as an internal whistleblower, provided detailed evidence of the scam's steps, which involve creating fake social media profiles using AI deepfakes to lure victims into fake investment platforms.

  The article describes these scam compounds as a sprawling, multi-billion dollar industry staffed by hundreds of thousands of trafficked and enslaved laborers, controlled by organized crime, which destroys both the lives of defrauded victims and the forced workers. This marked a rare instance of a current insider offering to expose the operations from within the compound, leading to an encrypted call and document exchange between the source and the reporter.

  The main topics covered are cryptocurrency romance scams ("pig butchering"), forced labor and human trafficking in scam compounds, and the role of an internal whistleblower providing evidence.

• 
  tech 5

  ICE Pretends It’s a Military Force. Its Tactics Would Get Real Soldiers Killed

  (Backchannel Latest / 2026-01-29 18:04)

  The article critiques the increasing militarization of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), arguing its tactics and equipment are inappropriate for its civilian law enforcement role. It details how agents often use excessive military-style gear and intimidating, tactically unsound procedures during operations, such as raids for immigration violations. The author, using a military perspective, contends these actions are strategically incoherent and designed more for show of force than effective, lawful policing.

  The main topics covered are the militarization of ICE, the inappropriateness of its tactics and equipment for its mission, and the lack of proper training leading to dangerous and intimidating operations.

• 
  brasil 7

  Quem controlar o discurso da segurança pública terá vantagem nas eleições

  (Intercept Brasil / 2026-01-30 11:00)

  Resumo objetivo:
  A notícia analisa como o medo da violência está redefinindo o debate sobre segurança pública no Brasil, levando parte da população a aceitar operações policiais letais e até a punição de inocentes como "custo operacional" necessário. Pesquisas citadas mostram que essas ações são aprovadas não por sua eficácia real, mas por transmitirem um gesto punitivo imediato, enquanto estigmatizam comunidades periféricas. O artigo alerta que essa lógica, ao relativizar princípios democráticos como a presunção de inocência, transforma a violência em ativo político e corrói as bases da democracia.

  Principais tópicos abordados:
  1. A desconexão entre o discurso técnico da esquerda e a demanda por respostas imediatas ao medo.
  2. A aceitação social da violência estatal e da punição de inocentes como parte da "lógica" do combate ao crime.
  3. O contraste entre a ineficácia concreta das operações policiais letais e sua alta aprovação por simbolizarem ação estatal.
  4. O impacto do medo na política, redefinindo debates eleitorais e enfraquecendo garantias democráticas.
  5. A estigmatização e o sofrimento cotidiano das populações de favelas e periferias, vistas como "vidas descartáveis".