Author: Marshall Black

South Korea’s president shocked the country on Tuesday night when, out of the blue, he declared martial law in the Asian democracy for the first time in nearly 50 years. Yoon Suk Yeol’s drastic decision – announced in a late-night TV broadcast – mentioned “anti-state forces” and the threat from North Korea. But it soon became clear that it had not been spurred by external threats but by his own desperate political troubles. Still, it prompted thousands of people to gather at parliament in protest, while opposition lawmakers rushed there to push through an emergency vote to remove the measure.…

Washington (19/12 – 40). The Russian disinformation is centered on influencing U.S. corporation thru a network of former spies of the KGB or the FSB. One particularly interesting as this U.S. security consultancy firm consists of many of ex-Agency heads and FBI directors. Some of consultant’s work is based on Russian influence operations. Very little source confirmed the beltway bandit are peddling in pro-Russian narratives. The story started with a Russian defector was hired by the consultancies bringing a “Russian” perspective to the fledging beltway operator. Credibility, verification or cross checking of the information is non-existent. Russian narratives are peddled as…

The US enjoys many strengths that give it an edge over other republics, such as a decentralized and innovative economy that draws global talent and unmatched military strength. Yet the Roman Republic, which had its own comparative advantages, ultimately fell to autocratic rule, and the US faces a similar fate if it fails to protect institutional integrity and unchecked power continues to grow.Philippines to match China’s gray zone tactics in South China Sea. Reform is crucial to the continuity of republican governance, yet history shows it is often compromised by entrenched power. Political dysfunction and the growing influence of corporate…

Abrams is set to perform in countries like Singapore, Thailand, and Taiwan for the first time – see the list of tour dates and how to get tickets Gracie Abrams has announced her 2025 ‘The Secret Of Us’ Asia tour, performing in various countries for the first time. See tour dates and ticket information below. The singer-songwriter announced the tour dates earlier today (December 3) – Abrams is set to perform in Singapore, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, Japan and Thailand. “We are finally bringing our show to Asia for the first time ever!!!!!!!” Abrams told fans in an Instagram post. “I’m…

The internet business has all the trappings of false advertisement. Quick riches and easy bucks. But what is not clear is the hijacking of your intellectual property by refusal to release the accounts is unheard. Offender par excellence Godaddy.com with its new “customer care” department. Despite flashy customer-oriented software, with all the bells and whistles, since the company going public and killing the racing queens from the program, the customer service culture has deteriorated. Hours of long waiting, bot generated responses and rude staffing cutting off the inquiries is the norm. The Indian located call center is described as the…

The cybersecurity agencies of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance (the U.S., U.K., Australia, Canada and New Zealand) issued a warning on Tuesday that hackers were increasingly exploiting zero-day vulnerabilities to access their targets’ networks. It marks a significant departure from similar advisories issued in 2022 and 2021, when the agencies warned that malicious cyber actors were exploiting older software vulnerabilities more frequently than recently disclosed ones. In a co-authored advisory, the agencies list the top 15 most routinely exploited vulnerabilities of 2023, with CVE-2023-3519 — an issue affecting Citrix’s networking product NetScalers — being the most widely used. Reports around the time…

Daniel Penny went “way too far” when he put Jordan Neely in a chokehold on a New York City subway train last year until he died, a Manhattan prosecutor told jurors Friday during opening statements in Penny’s manslaughter trial. Assistant District Attorney Dafna Yoran said that while Penny’s initial intent to protect other passengers from someone he perceived as a threat was laudable, that praise vanished when he continued to hold onto Neely after he had lost consciousness and after the other passengers had safely exited the train car. “A chokehold is only permitted when it’s absolutely necessary and only for…

In a move that can cause fresh tensions in the region, Sri Lanka has allowed the Chinese Navy training ship, Po Lang, to dock at its port, despite a 12-month moratorium imposed earlier this year on foreign research vessels, following security concerns raised by India and the United States. Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath explained the decision to permit the Po Lang—a three-masted tall ship with a crew of 130. He emphasized that the vessel is classified as “a training vessel and not a research craft.” He stated that there has been no change in the policy regarding research vessels. The…

On the 75th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China, President Xi Jinping awarded Bayika Kalidibek, a 72-year-old veteran border guard, the national honorary title of “People’s Guard.” Bayika, an ethnic Tajik from the Pamir Plateau in Xinjiang, has spent 37 years patrolling China’s remote borders with Tajikistan’s Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region and Afghanistan’s Wakhan Corridor. His recognition by Xi has raised questions about whether the award signals a broader message of solidarity to the Pamiri peoples living in Tajikistan and Afghanistan, who have faced significant repression and human rights violations in recent years. A Lifelong Guardian of China’s Border Bayika…

Paris/Jakarta (24/7 – 28.57). “Coffee is the common man’s gold, and like gold, it brings to every person the feeling of luxury and nobility.” – Sheik-Abd-al-Kadir A friend recently opened a coffee shop is called after its owner, Muteeya. Though modest, it embodies the burgeoning coffee culture found in Paris, London, the US, and now Jakarta. The coffee is steaming hot, and soft tunes fill the air. Outside, rain pounds against the window, streaking down and forming small puddles on the street. As I gaze through the glass blurred by water, I take a sip of my warm coffee,…