Frank Bajak
@fbajak.bsky.social
Journalist with tech focus. Ex-Associated Press foreign correspondent. First AP tech editor, Andes chief. frankbajak.com fbajak(at)proton(dot)me - DM for Signal#
Reposted by Frank Bajak
give us a list of your Jews, they said. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/20/u...
Penn Calls Government’s Demand for Lists of Jewish Staff ‘Disconcerting’
www.nytimes.com
January 21, 2026 at 1:31 AM
give us a list of your Jews, they said. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/20/u...
Reposted by Frank Bajak
Here's a plain-spoken and accessible editorial - based in part on @reuters.com reporting - that outlines how much Donald Trump has enriched himself since taking power, and why that's so dangerous for democracy.
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Opinion | How Trump Has Used the Presidency to Make at Least $1.4 Billion
The president took an oath to serve the American people. Instead, he’s focused his second term on enriching himself and his family.
www.nytimes.com
January 20, 2026 at 3:00 PM
Here's a plain-spoken and accessible editorial - based in part on @reuters.com reporting - that outlines how much Donald Trump has enriched himself since taking power, and why that's so dangerous for democracy.
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
At AP, we investigated alleged Hezbollah influence in Venezuela more than a decade ago and found it to be pretty much a nothingburger. Experts quoted here by the NYT agree. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/19/world/americas/hezbollah-venezuela-ties.html
What to Know About Hezbollah’s Ties to Venezuela
www.nytimes.com
January 20, 2026 at 2:43 PM
At AP, we investigated alleged Hezbollah influence in Venezuela more than a decade ago and found it to be pretty much a nothingburger. Experts quoted here by the NYT agree. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/19/world/americas/hezbollah-venezuela-ties.html
Another musical genius who helped me find my way has left us. Ralph Towner was a one-man orchestra. The electric guitar “is a viable instrument,” he once told Guitar Player. “I’m just not drawn to it.”
"He discovered a talent for improvising while playing along with a school ensemble on a plastic whistle. 'I had an ear for it,' he told DownBeat. 'I knew how it worked.'"
Ralph Towner, Eclectic Guitarist With the Ensemble Oregon, Dies at 85 (gift link):
Ralph Towner, Eclectic Guitarist With the Ensemble Oregon, Dies at 85 (gift link):
Ralph Towner, Eclectic Guitarist With the Ensemble Oregon, Dies at 85
A composer and pianist as well, he was a prolific recording artist who integrated jazz, classical and world music traditions in a career that spanned seven decades.
www.nytimes.com
January 20, 2026 at 2:30 PM
Another musical genius who helped me find my way has left us. Ralph Towner was a one-man orchestra. The electric guitar “is a viable instrument,” he once told Guitar Player. “I’m just not drawn to it.”
Reposted by Frank Bajak
Good. Let's hear more European leaders admonishing our do-nothing Congress!
Danish Parliament Deputy Speaker Lars-Christian Brask:
"If I could come with some advice, it would be for the Senate & House to start to take control of political power in America because with this erratic & mad behaviour, you have to ask the question, is the President capable of running the US?"
"If I could come with some advice, it would be for the Senate & House to start to take control of political power in America because with this erratic & mad behaviour, you have to ask the question, is the President capable of running the US?"
January 20, 2026 at 2:19 AM
Good. Let's hear more European leaders admonishing our do-nothing Congress!
Reposted by Frank Bajak
We are watching one of the wildest things a nation-state has ever done: A superpower is committing suicide because the GOP Congress is too cowardly to stand up to the Mad King.
This is one of the wildest moments in all of geopolitics ever.
This is one of the wildest moments in all of geopolitics ever.
Footage shows Danish troops arriving in Greenland as part of a new military deployment. Among the personnel who landed on the island is Major General Peter H. Boysen, Chief of the Danish Army Command. #Greenland
January 19, 2026 at 10:59 PM
We are watching one of the wildest things a nation-state has ever done: A superpower is committing suicide because the GOP Congress is too cowardly to stand up to the Mad King.
This is one of the wildest moments in all of geopolitics ever.
This is one of the wildest moments in all of geopolitics ever.
Reposted by Frank Bajak
💥Viktor Orbán’s foreign minister Péter Szijjártó says Hungary is BLOCKING a joint EU statement on Greenland.
After years acting as a Trojan horse for Russia and China, Budapest now does the same for Donald Trump.
Meanwhile, Orbán ally Andrej Babiš’s Czech government also refuses to back Denmark...
After years acting as a Trojan horse for Russia and China, Budapest now does the same for Donald Trump.
Meanwhile, Orbán ally Andrej Babiš’s Czech government also refuses to back Denmark...
January 19, 2026 at 6:41 PM
💥Viktor Orbán’s foreign minister Péter Szijjártó says Hungary is BLOCKING a joint EU statement on Greenland.
After years acting as a Trojan horse for Russia and China, Budapest now does the same for Donald Trump.
Meanwhile, Orbán ally Andrej Babiš’s Czech government also refuses to back Denmark...
After years acting as a Trojan horse for Russia and China, Budapest now does the same for Donald Trump.
Meanwhile, Orbán ally Andrej Babiš’s Czech government also refuses to back Denmark...
Reposted by Frank Bajak
This is a very big deal. And Powell is a mensch. If democracy survives, he should get a presidential medal of freedom.
BREAKING: Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell will attend the Supreme Court's hearing on Trump's attempted firing of Fed governor Lisa Cook, an unusual show of support by the central bank chair.
AP Source: Fed Chair Powell to attend Supreme Court argument on Cook case
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell will attend the Supreme Court’s oral arguments Wednesday in a case involving the attempted firing of Fed governor Lisa Cook, an unusual show of support by the central bank chair.
bit.ly
January 19, 2026 at 6:00 PM
This is a very big deal. And Powell is a mensch. If democracy survives, he should get a presidential medal of freedom.
A reminder that your Gmail account can be subpoenaed by law enforcement and AI will surely make it easier for Trump’s DOJ to keyword-search your emails. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/15/t...
January 19, 2026 at 1:59 PM
A reminder that your Gmail account can be subpoenaed by law enforcement and AI will surely make it easier for Trump’s DOJ to keyword-search your emails. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/15/t...
“I can’t believe he would do that to us,” says Republican mayor of east Colorado town that Trump has denied clean water with the first veto of his second term. She says she still supports him, though.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/17/u...
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/17/u...
www.nytimes.com
January 19, 2026 at 1:49 PM
“I can’t believe he would do that to us,” says Republican mayor of east Colorado town that Trump has denied clean water with the first veto of his second term. She says she still supports him, though.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/17/u...
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/17/u...
It seems obvious and bears repeating ad nauseum: If Trump destroys NATO and the U.S.-European alliance with his Greenland nonsense it plays directly into Putin’s hands, making it easier for Russia to conquer Ukraine. It’s increasingly difficult to believe Trump is not an agent of Putin.
One problem with the failure to call Trump's insane Greenland obsession insane is it prevents us from getting to the WHY. Is it all Russia manipulating his malignant narcissism?
Meanwhile, the Kremlin is encouraging Trump to take Greenland saying he’ll go down in world history if he seizes the Danish territory. tass.com/politics/207...
January 19, 2026 at 1:28 PM
It seems obvious and bears repeating ad nauseum: If Trump destroys NATO and the U.S.-European alliance with his Greenland nonsense it plays directly into Putin’s hands, making it easier for Russia to conquer Ukraine. It’s increasingly difficult to believe Trump is not an agent of Putin.
Reposted by Frank Bajak
A source confirms to me that this disturbing letter from Trump to the Norwegian PM is real.
Not the sort of letter committed to paper by a well man. "Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace"
January 19, 2026 at 7:32 AM
A source confirms to me that this disturbing letter from Trump to the Norwegian PM is real.
Reposted by Frank Bajak
while trump insanely claims greenland and threatens our closest friends, american power ‘elites’ - especially business ‘leaders’ - are on mute. shame on them. they stand for nothing but their own hides.
January 18, 2026 at 1:58 PM
while trump insanely claims greenland and threatens our closest friends, american power ‘elites’ - especially business ‘leaders’ - are on mute. shame on them. they stand for nothing but their own hides.
The abject failure of the U.S. Congress to enact privacy protections bites back with a vengeance. The EFF is among groups that have been warning about this for years. Palantir, Flock, Clearview AI and private prison companies are getting rich as we all get increasingly tracked by a rogue regime.
“Palantir is working on a tool for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that populates a map with potential deportation targets, brings up a dossier on each person, and provides a “confidence score” on the person’s current address,”
Report: ICE Using Palantir Tool That Feeds On Medicaid Data
ICE is using a Palantir tool that uses Medicaid and other government data to stalk people for arrest. This is exactly the kind of data privacy abuse that EFF has been warning about.
www.eff.org
January 17, 2026 at 10:55 AM
The abject failure of the U.S. Congress to enact privacy protections bites back with a vengeance. The EFF is among groups that have been warning about this for years. Palantir, Flock, Clearview AI and private prison companies are getting rich as we all get increasingly tracked by a rogue regime.
Reposted by Frank Bajak
NEWS: Canada just checkmated the United States.
Breaking with the U.S., Canada has struck a major deal with China: Ottawa will cut its 100% tariff on Chinese electric vehicles in exchange for dramatically lower tariffs on Canadian farm products.
Breaking with the U.S., Canada has struck a major deal with China: Ottawa will cut its 100% tariff on Chinese electric vehicles in exchange for dramatically lower tariffs on Canadian farm products.
January 16, 2026 at 6:20 PM
NEWS: Canada just checkmated the United States.
Breaking with the U.S., Canada has struck a major deal with China: Ottawa will cut its 100% tariff on Chinese electric vehicles in exchange for dramatically lower tariffs on Canadian farm products.
Breaking with the U.S., Canada has struck a major deal with China: Ottawa will cut its 100% tariff on Chinese electric vehicles in exchange for dramatically lower tariffs on Canadian farm products.
Reposted by Frank Bajak
Two days ago it was Elissa Slotkin. Last week it was Jerome Powell. Before that, Mark Kelly. Weaponizing the justice system against your opponents is an authoritarian tactic.
The only person not being investigated for the shooting of Renee Good is the federal agent who shot her.
The only person not being investigated for the shooting of Renee Good is the federal agent who shot her.
Breaking news: The Justice Department has issued subpoenas for Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey as part of an investigation alleging that they are impeding federal law enforcement officers’ abilities to do their jobs in the state.
Justice Dept. launches criminal investigation of Minnesota governor
The Justice Department has issued subpoenas for Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey as part of an investigation into impeding law enforcement.
www.washingtonpost.com
January 16, 2026 at 11:46 PM
Two days ago it was Elissa Slotkin. Last week it was Jerome Powell. Before that, Mark Kelly. Weaponizing the justice system against your opponents is an authoritarian tactic.
The only person not being investigated for the shooting of Renee Good is the federal agent who shot her.
The only person not being investigated for the shooting of Renee Good is the federal agent who shot her.
Reposted by Frank Bajak
“We have to think about Trump as the consequence rather than the cause of America’s progress decline.”
From the CEO of the group that publishes the Social Progress Index. The U.S. now ranks 32 of 171 countries, behind Poland and Lithuania. In 2011 it ranked 18th.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/14/o...
From the CEO of the group that publishes the Social Progress Index. The U.S. now ranks 32 of 171 countries, behind Poland and Lithuania. In 2011 it ranked 18th.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/14/o...
Opinion | Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Unhappiness
www.nytimes.com
January 16, 2026 at 4:21 AM
“We have to think about Trump as the consequence rather than the cause of America’s progress decline.”
From the CEO of the group that publishes the Social Progress Index. The U.S. now ranks 32 of 171 countries, behind Poland and Lithuania. In 2011 it ranked 18th.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/14/o...
From the CEO of the group that publishes the Social Progress Index. The U.S. now ranks 32 of 171 countries, behind Poland and Lithuania. In 2011 it ranked 18th.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/14/o...
How does the AP know the feds are not lying about a broom handle and shovel being used to attack the ICE agent who shot the Venezuelan in the leg? Are there eyewitnesses? If not, why put that unconfirmed detail in the first paragraph of the story?
apnews.com/article/immi...
apnews.com/article/immi...
Fear and anger spread after another immigration shooting in Minneapolis
A federal officer has shot a man in the leg in Minneapolis after being attacked with a shovel and broom handle.
apnews.com
January 15, 2026 at 10:20 AM
How does the AP know the feds are not lying about a broom handle and shovel being used to attack the ICE agent who shot the Venezuelan in the leg? Are there eyewitnesses? If not, why put that unconfirmed detail in the first paragraph of the story?
apnews.com/article/immi...
apnews.com/article/immi...
Starlink has stopped charging inside Iran, where more than 50,000 uplink kits arrived since 2022. I know Trump enjoys blowing people up but helping to break comms blackouts is a timeworn and powerful tool to assist popular uprisings. apnews.com/article/iran...
Free Starlink access for Iran seen as game changer for demonstrators getting their message out
SpaceX's Starlink has dropped fees to help Iranian demonstrators share protest details globally, activists say.
apnews.com
January 15, 2026 at 2:30 AM
Starlink has stopped charging inside Iran, where more than 50,000 uplink kits arrived since 2022. I know Trump enjoys blowing people up but helping to break comms blackouts is a timeworn and powerful tool to assist popular uprisings. apnews.com/article/iran...
Gov. Walz to Minnesotans: “Donald Trump wants more violence on our streets … We must remain peaceful …You have an absolute right to peacefully record ICE agents … Help us bank evidence for future prosecutions.“
Governor Walz Addresses Ongoing Federal Presence in #Minnesota www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGTs... #Trump #Fascism
Governor Walz Addresses Ongoing Federal Presence in Minnesota
YouTube video by Office of the Governor of Minnesota
www.youtube.com
January 15, 2026 at 1:46 AM
Gov. Walz to Minnesotans: “Donald Trump wants more violence on our streets … We must remain peaceful …You have an absolute right to peacefully record ICE agents … Help us bank evidence for future prosecutions.“
Reposted by Frank Bajak
APNewsAlert: DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — #Iran extends an order closing its airspace to commercial aircraft without explanation as tensions stay high with the US.
January 15, 2026 at 1:25 AM
APNewsAlert: DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — #Iran extends an order closing its airspace to commercial aircraft without explanation as tensions stay high with the US.
Reposted by Frank Bajak
New: The @aft.org, which represents some 1.8 million education workers, is ditching X over the proliferation of Grok-generated indecent images of children.
www.reuters.com/business/med...
www.reuters.com/business/med...
US teachers union says it's leaving X over sexualized AI images of children
The American Federation of Teachers says it is leaving X, citing the social media site's creation and dissemination of "sickening" images of children in various states of undress.
www.reuters.com
January 13, 2026 at 10:13 PM
New: The @aft.org, which represents some 1.8 million education workers, is ditching X over the proliferation of Grok-generated indecent images of children.
www.reuters.com/business/med...
www.reuters.com/business/med...
Reposted by Frank Bajak
When you’ve lost Joe Rogan…
January 13, 2026 at 11:21 PM
When you’ve lost Joe Rogan…
Reposted by Frank Bajak
🇭🇺Hungary has granted political asylum to 🇵🇱Poland's former Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro who is facing charges of embezzlement. He is accused of authorising the purchase of #spyware that was allegedly used to hack political opponents' phones.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Hungary grants asylum to Polish ex-justice minister Zbigniew Ziobro
Granting asylum to a citizen of a fellow EU member goes against the spirit of EU standards.
www.bbc.co.uk
January 12, 2026 at 6:26 PM
🇭🇺Hungary has granted political asylum to 🇵🇱Poland's former Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro who is facing charges of embezzlement. He is accused of authorising the purchase of #spyware that was allegedly used to hack political opponents' phones.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...