Frank Bajak
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fbajak.bsky.social
Frank Bajak
@fbajak.bsky.social
6K followers 380 following 1.6K posts
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#
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fbajak.bsky.social
DOGE didn’t disappear. It’s become institutionalized/embedded with operatives scattered across the fed gov “working as developers, designers, and even leading agencies in powerful roles.” One USDA source says they are “burrowed into the agencies like ticks.” @wired.com
December 2, 2025 at 4:11 PM
Reposted by Frank Bajak
newsguy.bsky.social
The lawyer for Juan Orlando Hernández, a former president of Honduras who had been convicted in the US of drug trafficking charges, says his client had been released from a federal prison in West Virginia after receiving a full pardon from President Trump. www.nytimes.com/live/2025/12/...
www.nytimes.com
December 2, 2025 at 2:57 PM
fbajak.bsky.social
I quit Spotify (mostly but not solely over its ICE recruitment ads) and you should, too. Where to go for quality streaming that pays artists better? @bcmerchant.bsky.social recommends Qobuz.
December 2, 2025 at 6:08 AM
Reposted by Frank Bajak
billmckibben.bsky.social
If I were running in next year's midterms, I'd be saying: Aussies are getting free electricity, and we're getting huge price spikes.

Because they built solar, and Trump is blocking it.
open.substack.com/pub/billmcki...
Free Electricity. Like, at no cost. For everyone. Now.
Let's talk about affordability, abundance, and Australia--and why thanks to Trump we can't have nice things
open.substack.com
November 5, 2025 at 10:10 PM
Reposted by Frank Bajak
nytpitchbot.bsky.social
Trump's MRI raises new questions about Biden's health.
December 1, 2025 at 11:25 PM
Reposted by Frank Bajak
rmac.bsky.social
We just published a deep look into David Sacks, the White House's AI and Crypto czar. The story examines how he has been able keep hundreds of stakes in AI-related and crypto companies as he influences gov policy in those very industries.

Here's what we found:

www.nytimes.com/2025/11/30/t...
Silicon Valley’s Man in the White House Is Benefiting Himself and His Friends
www.nytimes.com
November 30, 2025 at 7:24 PM
fbajak.bsky.social
Convicted of conspiring to traffic more than 400 tons of cocaine since 2004. We had credible intel well over a decade ago of Hernandez’s ranch used to transship Colombian cocaine arriving on small planes. But sure, blame Biden. You blame him for most everything else you can’t explain away.
tampatom69.bsky.social TommyBoy @tampatom69.bsky.social · 1d
Translation: There is no reasonable explanation.
December 1, 2025 at 1:51 AM
Reposted by Frank Bajak
ewong.bsky.social
NEW: The New York Times got a State Dept. cable telling diplomats to destroy visas that had been approved and printed to give to Afghans. And diplomats are told to do scheduled interviews but not grant visas. US shuts all legal entry routes for Afghans. Our story: www.nytimes.com/2025/11/28/u...
Trump Pauses All Asylum Applications and Halts Visas for Afghans
www.nytimes.com
November 29, 2025 at 4:02 AM
fbajak.bsky.social
Blow up the low-level traffickers and pardon the cocaine kingpin.
markjacob.bsky.social Mark Jacob @markjacob.bsky.social · 3d
Trump says he’ll pardon a former Honduras leader convicted of taking millions of dollars in bribes from drug traffickers. A U.S. prosecutor said Juan Orlando Hernández “paved a cocaine superhighway to the U.S.”
More evidence that Trump’s threats against Venezuela have nothing to do with drugs.
Trump to pardon ex-Honduras leader serving drug trafficking sentence in US
Hernández was convicted in 2024 of accepting millions in bribes to protect cocaine shipments
www.theguardian.com
November 29, 2025 at 12:35 AM
Reposted by Frank Bajak
washingtonpost.com
Exclusive: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth gave an order to “kill everybody” in the first strike on suspected drug boats in the Caribbean. After two men survived, the mission commander ordered a second strike to comply with Hegseth’s instructions, according to two sources.
Hegseth order on first Caribbean boat strike, officials say: Kill them all
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a verbal order to kill all crew members in the Sept. 2 strike on a suspected drug boat. Navy SEALs fired a second missile.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 28, 2025 at 6:05 PM
Reposted by Frank Bajak
en.afp.com
BREAKING A Turkish court on Thursday acquitted four journalists, including AFP photographer Yasin Akgul, who were on trial over mass demonstrations in Istanbul in March.

The four were arrested several days into the wave of protest sparked by the arrest of Istanbul's opposition mayor Ekrem Imamoglu
November 27, 2025 at 7:55 AM
Reposted by Frank Bajak
colombiadocs.bsky.social
Santiago Uribe, brother of former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, was yesterday handed a 28-year prison sentence for forming a death squad at his ranch in the 1990s.

I wrote about the case in 2018. nsarchive.gwu.edu/news/colombi...
Former Colombian President’s Ranch Was Paramilitary Base, According to New Testimony
Washington D.C., July 9, 2018 – A ranch owned by former Colombian president Álvaro Uribe Vélez and other members of his family was the operational base of a deadly paramilitary group, according to the...
nsarchive.gwu.edu
November 26, 2025 at 7:52 PM
fbajak.bsky.social
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — A Massachusetts woman who was once engaged to the brother of White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt remains in ICE custody two weeks after being arrested on her way to pick up the son she shares with her former fiance.

apnews.com/article/karo...
Immigrant with family ties to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt is detained by ICE
A Massachusetts woman who was once engaged to the brother of White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt remains in ICE custody two weeks after her arrest on the way to pick up the son she shares wit...
apnews.com
November 27, 2025 at 12:42 AM
fbajak.bsky.social
The mother of the 11-year-old nephew of the White House press secretary is in a Louisiana lockup being processed for deportation, Boston TV stations are reporting.

She is apparently Brazilian born and a DACA kid who arrived in the U.S in 1998 with her parents. www.gofundme.com/f/support-br...
November 26, 2025 at 12:13 PM
Reposted by Frank Bajak
walkerbragman.bsky.social
The anti-vaccine movement is a death cult
jessdkant.bsky.social Jesspooka Kant 🎃 @jessdkant.bsky.social · 6d
A third infant has died in Kentucky, KYDPH adds:

“These are Kentucky’s first pertussis deaths since 2018. None of the infants nor their mothers received the recommended pertussis vaccinations during pregnancy or early infancy.”

s3.amazonaws.com/nursing-netw...
Kentucky Public Health KENTUCKY HEALTH ALERT Increase in Pertussis in Kentucky Recommendations for Identification and Prevention November 21, 2025 Kentucky health officials are alerting providers that cases of pertussis ("whooping cough") have increased steadily across the Commonwealth in recent weeks. To date, 566 cases of pertussis have been reported in Kentucky in 2025, the highest number of cases in the Commonwealth since 2012. This follows a trend that was first announced in July 2024 when pertussis cases began increasing in Kentucky to levels not seen in over a decade. Health officials anticipate that pertussis will continue to increase during the winter months based on historic trends. Many U.S. states and other countries are also experiencing elevated levels of pertussis. Many of the recent cases have occurred in young infants, and health officials also recently confirmed the third pertussis-related death in a Kentucky infant within the last year. This follows two other infant deaths that were announced in June. These are Kentucky's first pertussis deaths since 2018. None of the infants nor their mothers received the recommended pertussis vaccinations during pregnancy or early infancy. Health officials urge all Kentuckians to remain up to date on recommended pertussis immunizations and emphasize the importance of maternal immunization during pregnancy, and for all infants beginning promptly at two months of age. Health officials also encourage providers to consider pertussis as a diagnosis in addition to circulating seasonal respiratory viruses such as influenza, RSV and COVID-19. A significant number of cases have also occurred in school-aged children, many of whom were up to date on pertussis vaccination. Immunity from vaccination or natural infection wanes over time so infections can occur in people who are fully vaccinated. However, the vaccine is known to reduce disease severity, and hospitalization among vaccinated individuals is rare. The Kentucky Dep… Kentucky Public Health regularly in Kentucky, however an increase beyond the expected background rate has been reported in recent weeks. Though pertussis vaccination (DTaP or Tdap) is available and widely implemented, B. pertussis continues to spread in the U.S. due to lack of vaccination or timely boosters, the lack of lifelong immunity from vaccination or natural infection and the long duration of infectiousness in untreated cases. Symptoms of pertussis usually begin with a runny or congested nose, a low-grade fever, and mild coughing; apnea/stopping breathing can also occur in infants. After one to two weeks, the cough can progress to rapid, violent (paroxysmal) coughing fits that can cause the "whooping" sound, vomiting or labored breathing. Young children are the most severely affected; most teens and adults will have mild symptoms. People with preexisting health conditions that may be worsened by whooping cough are at high risk for developing a severe infection. Testing for Pertussis: The preferred methods for pertussis testing include nasal pharyngeal (NP) swab or nasal wash via PCR testing or culture. PCR has optimal sensitivity during the first three weeks of cough, is widely available at commercial laboratories and has a fast turnaround time. Culture is considered the gold standard due to excellent specificity but may take longer to complete. Serology for antibodies to B. pertussis is available at many commercial laboratories, however, serologic assays are not generally recommended for primary diagnosis of pertussis due to variability and unknown clinical accuracy. The most promising serologic assays are those that measure IgG antibodies against pertussis toxin only and are collected two to eight weeks following cough onset. Prevention of Pertussis: Prevention of pertussis is primarily achieved through routine vaccination with DTaP (ages two months to six years) and Tdap (ages seven years and older), followed by appropriate booster doses. Vaccination of pr… Bordetella parapertussis B. parapertussis is a bacterium that is similar to B. pertussis and can cause pertussis-like illness but does not produce pertussis toxin. Symptoms of parapertussis are typically milder and infection may be asymptomatic. There is no vaccine for B. parapertussis and post-exposure prophylaxis is not recommended, however treatment recommendations for symptomatic patients are the same as those for B. pertussis. B. parapertussis is not reportable in Kentucky. Thank you for your attention to this alert and guidance. The KDPH pertussis website includes supplemental resources, including a pertussis quicksheet with additional information that providers may find useful. If you have questions regarding reporting, testing, or prevention of pertussis or other infectious diseases, please contact the Kentucky Immunization Branch at (502) 564-4478 or after hours by calling the KDPH Epidemiology on-call line at 888-9-REPORT (888-973-7678). Our Mission: To improve the health and safety of people in Kentucky through Prevention, Promotion, and Protection
November 26, 2025 at 6:01 AM
fbajak.bsky.social
Hey BBC, if Trump isn’t the most openly corrupt president in U.S. history then who is? I’d like to believe I can still trust your journalism.
onestpress.onestnetwork.com Olga Nesterova @onestpress.onestnetwork.com · 7d
BBC censors a lecture removing author’s remarks on Trump that refer to him a the most openly corrupt American president.
November 25, 2025 at 3:04 PM
fbajak.bsky.social
Lawmakers question legality of Border Patrol license plate reader program exposed in Associated Press investigation.

youtu.be/MQxw9fhmBv4

apnews.com/article/bord...
Lawmakers question legality of Border Patrol license plate reader program
Democratic lawmakers are questioning the legality of a U.S. Border Patrol program that uses predictive intelligence to detain drivers for suspicious travel. Sen.
apnews.com
November 25, 2025 at 1:30 AM
fbajak.bsky.social
A huge amount of the viral social media content inflaming US politics - inauthentic viral accounts on former Twitter, e.g. - consists of sock puppets and bot accounts being monetized by people in other countries, supercharged by the rise of free generative AI tools. Fueling instability for profit.
josephcox.bsky.social Joseph Cox @josephcox.bsky.social · 8d
New from 404 Media: X has shown where accounts are actually being run from, revealing many MAGA accounts are actually grifters in Eastern Europe, Asia, etc. But the situation is much, much worse. Entire guides specifically on how to squeeze US audiences with AI.

www.404media.co/americas-pol...
America’s Polarization Has Become the World's Side Hustle
The 'psyops' revealed by X are entirely the fault of the perverse incentives created by social media monetization programs.
www.404media.co
November 24, 2025 at 7:54 PM
fbajak.bsky.social
Gangland murders and extortion plague Ecuador‘s new deepwater port. Cocaine smuggling is in the mix. Great reporting by Steven Dudley at insightcrime.org insightcrime.org/news/how-new...
How a New Port Created Ecuador’s Latest Criminal Epicenter
The port has attracted business from some of the world’s largest shipping companies, but it has also attracted organized crime.
insightcrime.org
November 24, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Reposted by Frank Bajak
apnews.com
AP is back in court today to defend itself and the right to speak freely without government retaliation.
Why AP is standing for your right to speak freely
The executive editor of The Associated Press says the news organization is fighting for the right of the press and public to speak freely without being targeted by the government.
bit.ly
November 24, 2025 at 10:30 AM
fbajak.bsky.social
It will now officially be known as “The Thinly Veiled Russian Intelligence Services” peace plan. So as not to confuse it with any half-baked Witcoff productions.
joshtpm.bsky.social Josh Marshall @joshtpm.bsky.social · 9d
Been driving for a couple hours. Just got online. Lemme see if I understand. US has been pushing a Ukraine plan for a few days. After some pushback, US Secy of State reveals that in fact it's a Russian plan that was presented to the US. Helluva a misunderstanding.
November 23, 2025 at 5:43 AM
Reposted by Frank Bajak
grenzfurthner.bsky.social
Good old Woz. Good for him.
November 21, 2025 at 8:06 PM
fbajak.bsky.social
Sure enough, Google automatically opted me in to its AI-training regime. So I had dig into its settings and opt out. I don’t use Gmail much any more, or the rest of the world’s predominant surveillance capitalism ecosystem for that matter.
pematson.bsky.social TrishEM @pematson.bsky.social · 11d
Google has started automatically opting you in to let it read your stuff to train AI. You need to turn this off in SEVERAL places in your settings (not just for Gmail), if you want to maintain privacy and confidentiality.
www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/20...
Gmail can read your emails and attachments to train its AI, unless you opt out
A new Gmail update may allow Google to use your private messages and attachments for AI training. Here's how to turn it off.
www.malwarebytes.com
November 22, 2025 at 5:16 AM
fbajak.bsky.social
One QAnon conspiracy theory that MTG promoted: The 2019 Christchurch mass shooting was a "false flag" op intending to undermine gun rights. Another: space lasers controlled by Jewish elites triggered California wildfires so as to clear land for a high-speed rail project. apnews.com/article/marj...
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, former Trump loyalist, says she is resigning from Congress
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, a once-loyal supporter of President Donald Trump who has become a critic, says she is resigning from Congress in January.
apnews.com
November 22, 2025 at 2:36 AM
Reposted by Frank Bajak
josephcox.bsky.social
New: cops used Flock AI-enabled cameras to monitor No Kings protests around the country. Also monitored No Hands protests and protests against DOGE.

"Should serve as a warning of how it may be used in the future to suppress dissent."

www.404media.co/cops-used-fl...
Cops Used Flock to Monitor No Kings Protests Around the Country
A massive cache of Flock lookups collated by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) shows as many as 50 federal, state, and local agencies used Flock during protests over the last year.
www.404media.co
November 21, 2025 at 2:14 PM