Just Giulio

YouTube video by LastWeekTonight S12 E19: Gaza & Deferred Prosecution Agreements: 8/3/25: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

"Most humanitarian disasters do not come with solutions as straightforward as this one. This famine has an off button - as this is entirely man made - and we need to fkn press it"
youtu.be/TMk28nV9nkI?...

#NihilismAndTechnology

UN expert criticizes US rollback of Myanmar sanctions as ‘unconscionable’ A UN expert criticized the US government on Wednesday for its rollback of sanctions against entities supplying weapons and other support to the Myanmar military junta, finding the move 'unconscionable...

UN SR on #Myanmar has criticised the Trump regime for withdrawing (successful) sanctions against entities & individuals facilitating the #Tatmadaw's arms trade. Such a blow to accountability for atrocity crimes. #intLaw www.jurist.org/news/2025/08...

The "game changer tech" narrative on small drones went full circle in 10 yrs: hobby-humanitarian-warfare-humanitarian

Meh

YouTube video by FRANCE 24 Un ex-employé de la Gaza Humanitarian Fondation témoigne à visage découvert auprès de France 24

Un ex-employé de la Gaza Humanitarian Fondation témoigne à visage découvert auprès de France 24 - YouTube www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaNc...

Sudan’s Conflict Escalates as RSF Assaults Trigger Mass Displacement and Aid Crisis in el-Obeid Civilians in Sudan’s North Kordofan are fleeing RSF attacks as humanitarian conditions worsen in the city of el-Obeid.

Civilians in North #Kordofan in #Sudan are fleeing #RSF attacks as humanitarian conditions worsen in the city of el-Obeid.

Silence over sexual violence in Ethiopia enables yet more abuse, says report The failure to hold perpetrators to account has fueled revenge attacks.

Silence over sexual violence in Ethiopia enables yet more abuse, says report www.thenewhumanitarian.org/news/2025/07...

Democratic lawmakers press for answers from US security firms involved in controversial Gaza aid organization | CNN Politics A group of Democratic lawmakers on Thursday pressed for answers from the heads of two private US-based security firms whose personnel have worked at the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation and ...

A group of Democratic lawmakers pressed for answers from the heads of two private US-based companies whose personnel have worked at the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation and who the lawmakers say have been accused of deadly violence against civilians seeking aid in the starving enclave.

Suffice it to say DoorDashing Dominos pizza is not humanitarian food assistance best practice.

To find out what is, read this interview I conducted with two former USAID Food For Peace (FFP) veterans:

"You will have a thousand eyes in the middles of the vaginas. Known as the thousand-eyed one, you will carry out the rule of the gods. And you will have a ram's scrotum and a penis thanks to my boon."

oh, you thought I was making Indra's 1000 eyeball vaginas up?

www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

sadly i have been unable to find any art that attempts to demonstrate what Indra's 1000 eyeball vaginas might look like, if anyone on Bluesky is seeking a fun artistic challenge

Start time for my ride: 2am on Saturday. If anyone wants to ride with me in the Ithaca leg on Sunday morning, send me a message!

Amidst Finger Lakes rainstorms, I now have a start time for my Everesting Roam Attempt.

If all goes well, I will ride 32k+ feet in elevation over 36 hours in support of journalism and understanding across borders at @globalvoices.org

Learn more & donate here:

globalvoices.org/2025/07/24/f...

For those wondering if it matters, the first story on the front page of BBC News:

Beyond digital repression: techno-authoritarianism in radical right governments Over the past few years, governments have been using AI-based surveillance systems a crescent amount worldwide. Disguised as ‘smart’ methods for crime control, they have spread among democracies un...

“Techno-authoritarianism is…the outcome of an authoritarian immanence that takes shape not only in traditionally authoritarian countries or in less developed nations of the Global South, but also in illiberal democracies & crisis-ridden states of the Global North”
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

It's not political to think people shouldn't be starved to death.

Helsinki goes a full year without a traffic death A city traffic engineer credits the success to lower speed limits and smarter design.

h/t @nniskanen.bsky.social

China has an insatiable appetite for durian. Is it a boon or a curse for Indonesia? China's growing appetite for durian has mobilized investors in southeast Asia, and Indonesia is looking to get in on the action. But the move doesn't come without environmental and social risks.

I am proud to work for an organization that not only covers important durian issues, but also covers the political economy of international durian investment and trade with perspectives from both countries and quotes in both languages. I love it. Please support @globalvoices.org so we can continue!

Inside the collapse of Builder.ai: Was it even an AI company? The implosion of a white-hot startup has employees asking how it all went wrong.

BuilderAI raised $445 million as it boasted that its AI chatbot, Natasha, would radically simplify the process of building apps and websites. When the company collapsed, one viral tweet claimed Natasha was really just 700 human engineers.

In our new feature, we set out to find the truth.

Facebook ranks worst for online harassment, according to a global activist survey The stats “were so much higher than we expected them to be.”

This tracks. | Facebook ranks worst for online harassment, according to a global activist survey www.theverge.com/news/713976/...

It's bait and switch time

Microsoft can't protect French data from US government access Company admits under oath that American authorities can demand European citizen information despite security promises.

“When asked directly whether he could guarantee under oath that French citizen data would never be transmitted to US authorities without explicit French authorization, [Microsoft France's director of public and legal affairs Anton] Carniaux responded: ‘No, I cannot guarantee it.’”

Congo and Rwanda-backed rebels sign declaration of principles for a permanent ceasefire in the east Congo and Rwanda-backed rebels have signed a declaration in Qatar to end decades of conflict in eastern Congo.

BREAKING: Congo and Rwanda-backed rebels signed a declaration of principles in Qatar to end a decades long fighting in eastern Congo that commits them to a permanent ceasefire and a comprehensive peace agreement to be signed in one month.

A personal update.

YouTube video by Discover AI The Truth about AI is Devastating: Proof by MIT, Harvard

Watch this.

Basically, MIT is saying that current LLMs do not generalise on the basis of what might be called 'insight'.

I.e. AI doomers are wrong to be worried that things will go off the cliff in a few years.

As a father of three, I can possibly see the only possible good side of this proposal

The ICC Pre-Trial Chamber has rejected Israel's request to withdraw or vacate the arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant and to suspend the ongoing investigation.

I will add a 🧵 below soon.

Considering the Human Rights Impacts of LLM Content Moderation | TechPolicy.Press A conversation with ECNL's Marlena Wisniak on her report, Algorithmic Gatekeepers: The Human Rights Impacts of LLM Content Moderation.

Recently, the European Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ECNL) released a comprehensive report titled Algorithmic Gatekeepers: The Human Rights Impacts of LLM Content Moderation. Justin Hendrix spoke with its primary author, ECNL Senior Legal Manager Marlena Wisniak. buff.ly/e8FvU0G

🌟 Great to hear our @marle.bsky.social in this podcast - sharing insights from our latest report unpacking the impact of Large Language Models used by platforms to flag, remove or recommend content. Well worth a listen!

Thanks so much to @justinhendrix.bsky.social for the thoughtful interview.