China has openly demanded that Apple obey orders to ban the protest-supporting HKmap.live app.

I would consider that app a totally good thing, if only it were free software.

Come to think of it, there is probably an Android version. It could be released as free software and included in FDroid — and it should be. Readers, if you know the developers of HKmap.live, would you please suggest this to them? An app to defend freedom ought to respect freedom too.

Australia's two principal parties, both more or less neoliberal in philosophy, are both in favor of two new business-supremacy treaties.

The article does not even touch on how such treaties can undermine democracy; it gives no information on whether the treaty includes an ISDS (I Sue Democratic States) clause that would give foreign businesses the power to (effectively) veto laws.

A Guatemalan refugee was seriously ill due to having been shot in the head. The treatment US border thugs offered him was months of solitary confinement, and ibuprofen.

Substantial parts of rural California are facing a power shutoff to avoid fires started by electric power.

A friend was told the shutoff might last for 36 hours.

This is one of the many forms of harm done by global heating. Not the worst harm, but spread over a wide area.

In 20 years there will be much worse regular problems.

The only effective power people have against spying by devices such as Alexa and Siri is to refuse to bring them into your home.