Around the world, freedom-hating politicians are seizing the excuse of Covid-19 to crush democracy — or trying to.

(satire) *a restless Donald Trump confirmed Monday that he couldn’t believe he was stuck inside with nothing to do except be president.*

China's "Belt and Road Initiative" is dangerous to ecosystems as well as threatening Chinese economic colonization around the world.

Economic imperialism is no better when it comes from China than when it comes from the US. It may indeed be worse, because the US has a public opinion one can try to influence, while the Chinese state has prohibited and obstructed the existence of public opinion.

Turkey has charged two friends of acting king Mohammed bin Salman with murdering journalist Jamal Khashoggi. As well as 18 more of his subjects.

Turkey cannot get its hands on those suspects, but the charges may put a crimp in their international travels.

Mobile phone companies around the world are figuring out how to implement world-wide tracking of the movements of anyone that has a mobile phone.

In this context it makes no difference whether the phone is "smart" or "dumb": the phone company can track any phone that is communicating.

"Smart" phones allow other kinds of tracking as well — by the operating system (Android or iOS) and by malicious apps.