Candy Man WIP

Going International

WATER POEM

Taiwan, also known as the Republic of China, is situated in the West Pacific between Japan and the Philippines. It's a country about half the size of Ireland, but with a population of over 23 million. Taiwan has a history of strong earthquakes as the island is located within a complex zone of convergence between the Philippine Sea Plate and the Eurasian Plate. 

On April 3rd, 2024, a 7.2 (ML) magnitude quake struck close to Taiwan’s east coast city of Hualien. In this episode of Perspectives with Neilo, we traveled to Hualien to revisit the impact of the earthquake and talk to Hualien City officials about how the region is recovering.

#Taiwan,  #Hualien,  #Earthquake,  #HualienEarthquake,  #TarokoGorge, #CWA

Perspectives with Neilo

Hualien Earthquake Aftermath

"Freedom is not Free" is a high-energy Drum & Bass track set at 170 BPM. It kicks off with a haunting atmosphere, featuring distant vocal samples and a subtle, echoing melody that builds tension. The drop unleashes a barrage of sharp, rolling basslines, punchy drums, and intricate percussive elements. The track weaves between intense, driving sections and brief moments of calm, reflecting the theme of struggle and sacrifice. Layered with eerie synths and dynamic effects, the track creates a relentless pace, embodying the message that freedom comes with a cost.

《Freedom is not Free》是一首與台灣有關的高速能量鼓打貝斯音樂，節奏設定在每分鐘170拍。這首曲子以充滿張力的氛圍開始，背景中隱約傳來的聲音樣本和迴響旋律逐漸醞釀情緒。隨著節拍的下沉，銳利的滾動低音線、強力的鼓點和精巧的打擊元素被釋放出來。音軌在激烈推進的段落與短暫的平靜之間交替，反映出掙扎與犧牲的主題。多層次的詭異合成音和動態效果，營造出一種無情的節奏，體現了自由是需要付出代價的訊息。

Freedom Is Not Free

vargr

According to data gathered by the European External Action Service (EEAS), last year over eighty countries and over two hundred organizations were targets of attacks from Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference - or FIMI. These attacks targeted everything from major international events like the Paris Olympics, to national elections, regional conflicts and local protests.

The main instigators of these influence operations were China and Russia and they use FIMI to manipulate public opinion, fuel polarization and interfere with democratic processes within the EU and worldwide. They employ a multi-layered strategy using both state and non-state actors to exert long term influence.

According to the EEAS report, "their aim is to destabilize societies, damage democracies, drive wedges between different groups and undermine the EU's global standing". The EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas says "FIMI is not merely a tool for disseminating deceptive narratives. It is an integral part of military operations used by foreign states to lay the way for kinetic action on the ground," and "is a major security threat to the EU."

And it would appear that no country is immune. Even a small neutral country like Ireland was mentioned thousands of times by Russian and Chinese influence networks during a monitoring period from September 2023 to September 2024 according to an in-depth study carried out by Norway's Defense Research Strategy.

In this episode of Perspectives with Neilo, we chat with Eoin McNamara, Research Fellow at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs in Helsinki to unpack some of the key findings in these reports. We discuss what motives lie behind these manipulation and interference campaigns as well as some examples of recent case studies and their impact. In addition we talk about the vulnerability of western society to such interference and what democracies can do to protect their citizens from such nefarious interference in the future.

Music Credits:
Title music: Uplifting by Plastic3 used under Tribe of Noise license
Break: Shining Bright Dusk by FreeSoundServer via Pixabay

#FIMI, #InformationWarfare, #Geopolitics, #Cybersecurity, #Disinformation, #DigitalWarfare, #ForeignInterference, #Propaganda, #CyberThreats, #ElectionInterference, #ChinaInfluence, #RussiaInterference, #HybridWarfare, #ChinesePropaganda, #AuthoritarianInfluence, #EUDemocracy, #EuropeanSecurity, #EUPolitics, #EUForeignPolicy, #DefendDemocracy, #IrelandSecurity, #IrelandPolitics, #NeutralIreland, #SocialMediaManipulation, #DigitalPropoganda, #FakeNews, #CyberTactics, #Podcast, #PodcastEpisode

The FIMI Iceberg - Decoding Foreign Interference Threats

the day the sky stands still

“Recall” captures the spirit of civic resistance in Taiwan—when the people rise against injustice and demand accountability.「罷免」紀錄了台灣人民在面對不公義與政治失衡時，走上街頭，發聲、奮鬥的心情。

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Ian Fever - Out of my mind (Original mix)

☘️Irish podcaster diving deep into news, politics, sport and tech.
🎙️Exploring the state of democracy in a rapidly changing world. 
📕Blog at 👉 www.pwneilo.com
#democracy, #Taiwan, #Ireland, #Podcast #geopolitics