The Typist
@typist.bsky.social
Dyslexic humanist in search for the light switch. Geopolitical news junkie. Posting from 🇪🇺
Reposted by The Typist
Putin pioneered this. No opposition is legitimate. Regular, decent, “ordinary” people cannot possibly be against us because only we represent “the real people.”
Tell-tale sign of authoritarianism.
Tell-tale sign of authoritarianism.
January 25, 2026 at 2:43 PM
Putin pioneered this. No opposition is legitimate. Regular, decent, “ordinary” people cannot possibly be against us because only we represent “the real people.”
Tell-tale sign of authoritarianism.
Tell-tale sign of authoritarianism.
Reposted by The Typist
The extent to which UK and other European policy elites seem intellectually or psychologically unprepared for scenarios where the US is no longer able to function as a geopolitical actor is rather worrying
January 25, 2026 at 9:59 AM
The extent to which UK and other European policy elites seem intellectually or psychologically unprepared for scenarios where the US is no longer able to function as a geopolitical actor is rather worrying
Power to the penguin 😂
January 25, 2026 at 11:02 AM
Power to the penguin 😂
Reposted by The Typist
The events of the last 24 hours show why it's important to build functional verification structures in public and counterpublic spaces to resist the authoritarian erosion of our democratic systems, as described in this thread.
🧵 @jburnmurdoch.ft.com is spot on about the conditions in his FT piece. Liberal democracy held it together thanks to growth, good demographics, and the promise of a better future. Those days are gone, and that’s the "why" behind the erosion. However...
Democratic politicians have, though, pursued growth in GDP at the expense of other values. One response to @jburnmurdoch.ft.com pessimistic scenario is refocus on those values, combined with egalitarianism, sufficiency and quality of life. Not "it's the economy, stupid" but "it's the the society"
January 25, 2026 at 9:24 AM
The events of the last 24 hours show why it's important to build functional verification structures in public and counterpublic spaces to resist the authoritarian erosion of our democratic systems, as described in this thread.
Reposted by The Typist
We need to get out good, verified information to the public as rapidly as possible, so counteract populist, conspiratorial, and authoritarian narratives that are produced by systems that work well in our modern information environment.
January 25, 2026 at 9:26 AM
We need to get out good, verified information to the public as rapidly as possible, so counteract populist, conspiratorial, and authoritarian narratives that are produced by systems that work well in our modern information environment.
Reposted by The Typist
That dark Ukrainian humor on full display 😂
The "Shahid" drifting on a patrol car trailer - such scenes are only possible in Ukraine 😂
January 25, 2026 at 9:23 AM
That dark Ukrainian humor on full display 😂
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The EU should urgently reconsider its law enforcement cooperation with DHS, FBI, DOJ. No more data sharing, no more access to EU data bases, no more extraditions until respect for the law and fundamental rights has been restored.
January 25, 2026 at 8:08 AM
The EU should urgently reconsider its law enforcement cooperation with DHS, FBI, DOJ. No more data sharing, no more access to EU data bases, no more extraditions until respect for the law and fundamental rights has been restored.
Reposted by The Typist
Even when there’s no accountability, the record matters. Credit to the Wikipedia editors maintaining this page.
Deaths, detentions and deportations of American citizens in the second Trump administration - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
January 25, 2026 at 3:09 AM
Even when there’s no accountability, the record matters. Credit to the Wikipedia editors maintaining this page.
Reposted by The Typist
Ian Bremmer of geopolitical risk firm Eurasia Group: “The United States is the most powerful country in the world.
“The United States is also the most dysfunctional political system, by far, among advanced industrial economies.
“That’s an uncertain and dangerous place for the world to be in.”
“The United States is also the most dysfunctional political system, by far, among advanced industrial economies.
“That’s an uncertain and dangerous place for the world to be in.”
January 24, 2026 at 10:43 PM
Ian Bremmer of geopolitical risk firm Eurasia Group: “The United States is the most powerful country in the world.
“The United States is also the most dysfunctional political system, by far, among advanced industrial economies.
“That’s an uncertain and dangerous place for the world to be in.”
“The United States is also the most dysfunctional political system, by far, among advanced industrial economies.
“That’s an uncertain and dangerous place for the world to be in.”
Tyrants are always the first to run for cover.
🇮🇷 Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has reportedly relocated to a fortified underground bunker in Tehran amid fears of possible U.S. strikes, according to Western and Israeli media.
January 24, 2026 at 8:31 PM
Tyrants are always the first to run for cover.
So according to Trump's logic if Canada makes a deal with China it will be hit with 100% tariffs despite the fact that the US has more trade with China. Germany better get all its gold out of US while it still can.
Fact check: The US trades a lot more with China than Canada does - not just in absolute $ but also relative to each country's total trade.
* US trade with China = 10.9% of total US trade
* Canada's trade with China = 7.9% of total Canadian trade
Data sources: x.com/rolandparis/...
* US trade with China = 10.9% of total US trade
* Canada's trade with China = 7.9% of total Canadian trade
Data sources: x.com/rolandparis/...
January 24, 2026 at 8:18 PM
So according to Trump's logic if Canada makes a deal with China it will be hit with 100% tariffs despite the fact that the US has more trade with China. Germany better get all its gold out of US while it still can.
Reposted by The Typist
American democracy now hanging in the balance solely on the notion that the US President is term limited by the constitution which would require a supermajority to overturn. That’s the only remaining guardrail.
January 24, 2026 at 8:06 PM
American democracy now hanging in the balance solely on the notion that the US President is term limited by the constitution which would require a supermajority to overturn. That’s the only remaining guardrail.
Reposted by The Typist
American Fascism is testing the limits of what it can get away with, having already gotten away with a failed coup, we are now well into the rounding people up without due process and extrajudicial executions stage.
January 24, 2026 at 8:06 PM
American Fascism is testing the limits of what it can get away with, having already gotten away with a failed coup, we are now well into the rounding people up without due process and extrajudicial executions stage.
Reposted by The Typist
They know they committed a crime, which is why they started grabbing everyone's phones.
January 24, 2026 at 7:46 PM
They know they committed a crime, which is why they started grabbing everyone's phones.
Bellingcat's frame analysis of the execution of Alex Jeffrey Pretti.
Federal law enforcement agents shot and killed a man in Minneapolis on Jan. 24 according to local police officials. DHS told Fox News that the man was “armed with a gun”. A video of the shooting appears to show that a gun was taken from the man before the first shot was fired. x.com/BillMelugin_...
January 24, 2026 at 7:30 PM
Bellingcat's frame analysis of the execution of Alex Jeffrey Pretti.
Reposted by The Typist
This is extrajudicial murder. It’s a paramilitary execution of an unarmed civilian in cold blood. Horrifying.
NEW VIDEO: this appears to be the footage from the woman in the pink coat.
January 24, 2026 at 6:53 PM
This is extrajudicial murder. It’s a paramilitary execution of an unarmed civilian in cold blood. Horrifying.
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I just want to put a fine point on this. The 21st century United States is orders of magnitude more heavily armed with deadlier weapons than any society in history. Even what we consider low gun ownership states have more per capita guns in private homes than say, 2003 Iraq.
We live in a heavily armed society. If members of the public lose faith in legal and political processes of accountability, things will spiral. We really do not want that.
January 24, 2026 at 6:34 PM
I just want to put a fine point on this. The 21st century United States is orders of magnitude more heavily armed with deadlier weapons than any society in history. Even what we consider low gun ownership states have more per capita guns in private homes than say, 2003 Iraq.
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in trying to understand what makes ICE and CBP so dangerous right now, it is tempting to imagine some new lack of training or experience or professionalism—and not grapple with the truth that a white nationalist movement has put more power and force behind their existing mission
January 24, 2026 at 5:30 PM
in trying to understand what makes ICE and CBP so dangerous right now, it is tempting to imagine some new lack of training or experience or professionalism—and not grapple with the truth that a white nationalist movement has put more power and force behind their existing mission
Reposted by The Typist
The amount of money that is currently going to fund immigration enforcement in the US is larger than the military budgets of every country in the world other than the US and China. We are witnessing a military assault on American cities by a wildly unpopular governing party.
January 24, 2026 at 6:06 PM
The amount of money that is currently going to fund immigration enforcement in the US is larger than the military budgets of every country in the world other than the US and China. We are witnessing a military assault on American cities by a wildly unpopular governing party.
Cross fingers for Tisza!
Hungary’s opposition Tisza Party appointed Anita Orban — a longtime critic of Europe’s dependence on Russian energy — to lead its foreign policy team, signaling a potential shift in one of the EU’s most contentious diplomatic stances should the party come to power.
(https://archive.ph/qU8au)
(https://archive.ph/qU8au)
Hungary Opposition Elevates Russia Critic as Foreign Policy Head
Hungary’s opposition Tisza Party appointed Anita Orban — a longtime critic of Europe’s dependence on Russian energy — to lead its foreign policy team, signaling a potential shift in one of the European Union’s most contentious diplomatic stances should the party come to power.
(https://archive.ph/qU8au)
www.bloomberg.com
January 24, 2026 at 1:21 PM
Cross fingers for Tisza!
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A year after the war began, I investigated what proceeded the first Russian operation in Donbas. It was led by Igor Girkin, a former Russian spy who worked for a Kremlin cutout, Konstantin Malofeev. 1/x
www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/world/europe...
www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/world/europe...
January 24, 2026 at 11:21 AM
A year after the war began, I investigated what proceeded the first Russian operation in Donbas. It was led by Igor Girkin, a former Russian spy who worked for a Kremlin cutout, Konstantin Malofeev. 1/x
www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/world/europe...
www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/world/europe...
Reposted by The Typist
Greenland's mining minister has rejected U.S. attempts to carve up her island's mineral resources, saying no external power should decide the fate of the Arctic territory's vast natural wealth.
Greenland to Trump: Hands off our minerals
A deal between the U.S. and NATO shouldn’t touch Greenland’s minerals, says minister.
www.politico.eu
January 24, 2026 at 9:18 AM
Greenland's mining minister has rejected U.S. attempts to carve up her island's mineral resources, saying no external power should decide the fate of the Arctic territory's vast natural wealth.
Reposted by The Typist
Turns out that Microsoft's BitLocker security for the data stored on your hard drive is just a placebo.
Might as well give your password to everyone:
https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/23/microsoft-gave-fbi-a-set-of-bitlocker-encryption-keys-to-unlock-suspects-laptops-reports/
Might as well give your password to everyone:
https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/23/microsoft-gave-fbi-a-set-of-bitlocker-encryption-keys-to-unlock-suspects-laptops-reports/
Microsoft gave FBI a set of BitLocker encryption keys to unlock suspects’ laptops: reports
The FBI served Microsoft a warrant requesting encryption recovery keys to decrypt the hard drives of people involved in an alleged fraud case in Guam.
techcrunch.com
January 24, 2026 at 3:33 AM
Turns out that Microsoft's BitLocker security for the data stored on your hard drive is just a placebo.
Might as well give your password to everyone:
https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/23/microsoft-gave-fbi-a-set-of-bitlocker-encryption-keys-to-unlock-suspects-laptops-reports/
Might as well give your password to everyone:
https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/23/microsoft-gave-fbi-a-set-of-bitlocker-encryption-keys-to-unlock-suspects-laptops-reports/
Reposted by The Typist
Good. And France should welcome them in.
UK to make fresh push to join EU defence fund ft.trib.al/DCofR1f
UK to make fresh push to join EU defence fund
Talks that are due to take place next month take on fresh urgency after the transatlantic rupture in Davos
ft.trib.al
January 24, 2026 at 8:32 AM
Good. And France should welcome them in.
Reposted by The Typist
Board of Peace - Season 1
January 24, 2026 at 7:45 AM
Board of Peace - Season 1