This week, a defense technology conference sponsored by the Israeli Ministry of Defense showcased combat technologies tested during attacks on Gaza and Lebanon, including drones and precision weapons, some of which targeted civilians.

Officials from Germany, Norway, and the United Kingdom, along with foreign investors and company executives, attended despite these countries’ advocacy for peace and human rights. Israel presented its field-tested weapons as proof of readiness.

Footage showed drone strikes on Gaza, with a UVision Air executive highlighting their precision. Some countries expressed concerns about Israel’s conduct, yet still engaged with Israeli startups promoting technologies as "battle-tested."

Observers note the conference demonstrates Israel’s strategy of turning deadly experience against civilians into international commercial opportunities.

#Israel #Palestine #Gaza #Lebanon

Donald Trump's Kennedy Center is showier, emptier and more political (Washington Post)

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Microsoft shareholders rejected a proposal calling for an evaluation of the company’s human rights compliance programs following reports that the Israeli military used its services in Gaza. The proposal was led by an international Catholic women’s organization and co-signed by more than 60 other groups, but it was not approved.

Microsoft has faced ongoing criticism from activists and employees over its contracts with the Israeli military, including protests demanding the company stop providing AI tools for military use. Other companies, including Palantir, Lockheed Martin, Booz Allen Hamilton, and Google, have also been criticized over contracts with Israel. These developments occur in the context of Israel’s genocide in Gaza, which has resulted in hundreds of thousands of civilian casualties.

#Israel #Palestine #Gaza #Genocide

During a joint press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, war criminal Benjamin Netanyahu said Gaza will be "deradicalized," in the third phase, drawing comparisons to post-Nazi Germany and imperial Japan.

The statement highlights Israel’s broader goal: to justify long-term control of the Gaza Strip after two years of mass killings of Palestinians and devastation.

#Israel #Palestine #Gaza #Netanyahu

What Google Glass got right — and really, really wrong

On Version History: the smart glasses that got the world dreaming, and the mess they caused in the process.

What Google Glass got right — and really, really wrong

Before Android XR, the Meta Quest, and the Vision Pro, there was Google Glass. This is the story of Glass, both where it came from and why it failed.

^{David Pierce (The Verge)}

Another Israeli soldier reportedly committed suicide after returning from a military operation in Gaza, during which dozens of Palestinian children were killed.

The soldier had previously mourned a comrade who also died by suicide, leaving a farewell message that hinted at following the same path. Since the start of Israel’s genocide in Gaza, over 50 Israeli soldiers have reportedly committed suicide.

#Israel #Palestine #Gaza #Genocide

From Project Gutenberg:

"1683-1920"The Fourteen Points and What Became of Them—Foreign Propaganda in the Public Schools—Rewriting the History of the United States—The Espionage Act and How It Worked—"Illegal and Indefensible Blockade" of the Central Powers—1,000,000 Victims of Starvation—Our Debt to France and to Germany—The War Vote in Congress—Truth About the Belgian Atrocities—Our Treaty with Germany and How Observed—The Alien Property Custodianship—Secret Will of Cecil Rhodes—Racial Strains in American Life—Germantown Settlement of 1683 and a Thousand Other Topics

by Frederick Franklin Schrader

Get it at: gutenberg.org/ebooks/50075

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Swoon Season Starts Now: 6 Romance Books to Melt Your Winter

Swoon Season Starts Now: 6 Romance Books to Melt Your Winter Winter might be chilly, but your reading list doesn’t have to be. These six romance picks promise sparks, chemistry, and that delicious can’t-put-it-down energy. Perfect for readers who love big emotions, big gestures, and…
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#BookstoReadifYouLike #eBook #Romance

The inherent tendency of the state is to concentrate, to narrow, and monopolize all social activities.
-- Emma Goldman

#anarchism #quote #bot