Leftovers

• France24 ☛ American stand-up comedian Sarah Donnelly on making light of her life in Paris

  As an American living in Paris, "the jokes are writing themselves". That's the sentiment from stand-up comedian Sarah Donnelly, whose act is taking the Anglophone comedy circuit by storm in Paris. She has lived in Paris for 12 years and has a French husband and children. Her comedy takes the mickey out of all the obstacles she has come up against during her life in France. Her first one-hour comedy special "The Only American in Paris" is available on her YouTube channel. She spoke to us in Perspective.

• Jamie Brandon ☛ Other kinds of talks

  Almost all of the talks I see at any conference fall into one of two archetypes: [...]

• When Syncretism Dies, Cultures Die Fusion Food, Invented Traditions, and the Politics of Identity

  Here’s something that’s shocking to say: Most of what you think of as traditional, regardless of where you live, has only appeared 3 generations ago, three generations only. For the few things that existed beforehand, they mostly didn’t exist in their current form, and weren’t as widespread — thus can’t really be called an authentic heritage.
  Try it, list 10 things that you personally consider classics and find when they originated and started to be commonplace with the general population, you’ll notice 8-out-of-10 are relatively recent, or at least more recent than you thought.

  Yet, we’re increasingly surrounded, you and I in our so-called “modern progressive societies”, with people that are constantly obsessed, and take it for granted, that we should strive to achieve the pure essence of something, its origin, and would throw a fit of rage at anyone that offers the most tiny divergence from it.
  These sort of secular templar fighters act as defenders of a romanticized past, a sort of evolutionary cul-de-sac. Indeed, they take these customs as the final form that should be preserved unchanged at all cost for infinity and beyond.

• France24 ☛ In Kampala slums, Uganda's action-packed film studio Wakaliwood defies norms

  In the slums of Wakaliga, on the outskirts of Uganda's capital Kampala, an independent film studio has been defying norms for 20 years. With shoestring budgets, Wakaliwood produces action and martial arts films that are viewed by millions of Ugandans on YouTube every year. This cult film studio, blending ultra-violence, comedy and tributes to Bruce Lee classics, made waves in 2010 with "Who Killed Captain Alex?", a viral hit amassing 10 million views. Today, after years of financial struggles, the long-awaited sequel to the film is about to debut, promising to reignite passion for this unique cinema. FRANCE 24's Clément Di Roma reports.

• Standards/Consortia

  • [Old] Harish Pillay ☛ ooxml conformance test fails for ms office 2007 – well done – life one-dot-two degree north, one-o-three-dot-eight degrees east

    I guess this is a reasonable test to call the bluff that is the ooxml specification and of MS’s implementation (or alleged) of it.

  • [Old] Internet Archive ☛ OOXML and Office 2007 Conformance: a Smoke Test

    Such a test is only indicative, of course, but a few tentative conclusions can be drawn: [...]

  • [Old] Alex Brown ☛ Where is there an end of it? | Microsoft Fails the Standards Test

    On this count Microsoft seems set for failure. In its pre-release form Office™ 2010 supports not the approved Strict variant of OOXML, but the very format the global community rejected in September 2007, and subsequently marked as not for use in new documents – the Transitional variant. Microsoft are behaving as if the JTC 1 standardisation process never happened, and using technologies (like VML) in a new product which even the text of the Standard itself describes as “deprecated” and “included […] for legacy reasons only” (see ISO/IEC 29500-1:2008, clause M.5.1).

  • Web Browsers/Web Servers

    • The Register UK ☛ Steve Wozniak: I cut chip count just to prove I was clever

      "I got in so early," he laughed, "I got woz.com and woz.org. I ran servers for well-known musicians, for companies, for people out of my own home on Macintoshes, and they never crashed when every other Macintosh was crashing several times a day."

      Why? "The reason they didn't crash was that they were not running Internet Explorer."

• Science

  • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2025-02-20 [Older] Risk of large asteroid striking Earth falls to 1.5%

  • Science Alert ☛ NASA's Experimental Hybrid Hydrogen Engine Could Finally Cut Flight Emissions

    Swapping carbon for water.

  • Science Alert ☛ Tardigrade Protein Could Soon Make Cancer Patients More Radiation Proof

    Take it from a pro.

  • Science Alert ☛ Traces of a Nutrient in Brazil Nuts Could Fight Cancer, But Dosage Is Crucial

    There's a fine line between benefit and harm.

  • Science Alert ☛ There's a Critical Thing We Can All Do to Keep Alzheimer's Symptoms at Bay

    Start tonight.

  • Science Alert ☛ Fetus Receives Life-Saving Medication Inside Womb in Medical First

    She's in good health.

  • New York Times ☛ Intuitive Machines’ Athena Lander Launches on Journey to the Moon

    The company reached the lunar surface in 2024, and now its second lander aims to improve on the feat. Three other spacecraft also hitched a ride on the SpaceX rocket.

  • The Guardian UK ☛ Stonehenge-like circle unearthed in Denmark may have links to UK

    The circle of at least 45 wooden posts in Aars, North Jutland, has a diameter of about 30 metres and is believed to have been constructed between 2600 and 1600BC.

  • Science Alert ☛ Norway's Melting Glaciers Are Spilling Out Troves of Lost Artifacts

    Norway is at the forefront of this emerging field of research, called glacial archaeology. With about 4,500 artifacts discovered, the country claims more than half of the planet's glacial archaeology findings, according to Espen Finstad, who co-leads the Norwegian program, called Secrets of the Ice.

    Archaeologists there are piecing together clues about ancient industries and trade routes across the glaciers.

  • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2025-02-20 [Older] Psychologists uncover why you get 'the ick' in relationships

• Career/Education

  • Lou Plummer ☛ The People Who Fear Email

    Little did I know that a particular type of person would evolve in the workplace. I found as years passed that it would become impossible to get some people to commit to doing anything in an email. You couldn't get them to answer questions, put forth ideas, or even acknowledge that you'd conveyed information to them. These people were all too often bosses. Someone put them in positions of authority to make choices and, by god, to be leaders. Unfortunately, they were so concerned with never being accountable for a damn thing, they'd rather have a conversation face to face in the middle of a hurricane than actually make a commitment in writing which you could later use to remind them of a promise they'd made.

  • Amit Gawande ☛ Not Listening to Audiobooks

    I generally do not listen to nonfiction as I cannot highlight or take notes. Fiction is mostly entertainment, and I already have many other ways to enjoy myself. Audiobooks were exciting, but now I feel jaded listening to them.

  • Kane Narraway ☛ AI Killed The Tech Interview. Now What?

    This doesn’t even include the AI implications of resume creation, mass applications, one-way video interviews, and other techniques that have caused a tug-of-war between employers and employees. Still, in this post, we’ll focus squarely on the tech interview.

  • Alabama Reflector ☛ School cellphone bans spread across states, though enforcement could be tricky

    Fueling these bans is growing research on the harmful effects of smartphone and social media use on the mental health and academic achievement of grade to high school students.

  • CS Monitor ☛ The benefits of being bored: Why empty spaces fill me up

    I would like to be able to say that, as a child, I was never bored. The truth is that there were occasional stretches when I found myself standing by the window, staring into the nothingness. It wasn’t until years later that I saw the value in such downtime. For me, part of growing up was to recognize boredom for what it was and what it became: not something to lament, but rather a gift of time, and a springboard to reanimation and creativity.

  • Seth Godin ☛ At the speed of judgment

    In 2025, if you want to learn something, you can. Probably for free, and faster than ever before.

    That statement has never been as true as it is now.

  • Sean Goedecke ☛ Paths through the space of all possible solutions

    This is one reason why engineers get more effective the longer they spend at a company: they get a better sense of which constraints apply and which don’t, which translates directly to the ability to ship.

  • Juha-Matti Santala ☛ Explaining it helps you learn it

    Explaining things to other people is a wonderful way to test how well you understand it yourself and then to use that explaining task as a vehicle to learn more about the topic. Explaining things in a way which another person understands it is hard. We run into misunderstandings with fellow people all the time even in day-to-day life and when we shift the context to teaching, it becomes even more apparent.

    Explaining being difficult makes it an excellent tool. I've noticed many times in my life that I've learned or achieved something, only to notice later that I didn't actually learn it or understand how I achieved it. In my context, that is often software development. It's very much possible to stumble into a right(-ish) solution without knowing why.

• Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

  • Pro Publica ☛ Dr. Thomas Weiner’s Montana Medical License Renewed Despite Criminal Inquiry

    In late 2020, St. Peter’s Hospital in Helena, Montana, fired its oncologist, Dr. Thomas C. Weiner, and took the extraordinary step of publicly accusing him of hurting patients. The hospital said the doctor overprescribed narcotics and gave chemotherapy to patients who didn’t have cancer, among other allegations.

    Despite being notified by St. Peter’s that it had revoked Weiner’s privileges, the Montana Board of Medical Examiners renewed his license in 2021 and 2023. This week, the board renewed his license again for another two years.

  • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2025-02-20 [Older] Nigerian communities take Shell to court over oil spills

  • New York Times ☛ She Lobbied for Formaldehyde. Now She’s at E.P.A. Approving New Chemicals.

    Lynn Dekleva, who recently took a senior role at the agency, once led an aggressive effort by industry to block regulations on formaldehyde.

  • Lou Plummer ☛ Mortality

    I'm not one who worries too much about leaving a legacy. I don't care what happens to my stuff. Mostly it's just books and computers. I have my digital memories, passwords and important accounts set up so that Wonder Woman can access them. She's tech savvy and can figure out how to save the photos and documents easily enough. Unless I happen to kick the bucket on the day all my domains expire, anyone else who wants to save anything should have an opportunity before I disappear from the Internet.

• Proprietary

  • PC World ☛ Windows 11 24H2 now blocked on PCs running older AutoCAD software

    The release of Windows 11 24H2 has been anything but flawless, and now another problem has surfaced. If you have a specific older version of Autodesk’s AutoCAD software installed on your computer, you’ll be blocked from upgrading to Windows 11 24H2.

  • Macworld ☛ Mac security researchers expose two new exploits

    The first exploit involves Parallels, the virtual machine that allows the Mac to run Windows, Linux, and older versions of macOS. The vulnerability is on Intel Macs running Parallels and allows an attacker to gain root access by exploiting holes in the Parallels VM creation routine. The attacker needs to have access to the Mac to perform this, however.

  • Google Lays Off Employees In Cloud Division Amid Restructuring

    Alphabet's Google has cut employees in its cloud division, according to a Bloomberg News report on Wednesday. The exact number of affected workers remains unclear, but the layoffs reportedly impacted only a few teams within the division.

    The layoffs come as Google continues to adjust its workforce amid increasing competition in the cloud computing market. While the size of the job cuts has not been disclosed.

    Google Cloud, a key revenue driver for the tech giant, competes with industry leaders such as Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure. The company has been investing heavily in artificial intelligence and infrastructure to gain a stronger foothold in the sector. However, economic pressures and cost-cutting measures across the tech industry have led to workforce reductions in various divisions.

  • Google layoffs: Cloud division cuts staff amid slower growth

    Google Cloud, a division crucial to the company’s long-term growth strategy, has faced slower-than-expected growth. In its recent Q4 2024 earnings, the company reported cloud revenues of US$11.96 billion, falling short of the analysts’ forecast of $12.19 billion.

    This underperformance has spurred the company to reconsider its spending and restructure certain teams in an attempt to meet its future objectives.

    At the same time, Google is ramping up its AI investments. The company has earmarked $75 billion for capital expenses in 2025, focusing largely on accelerating its AI initiatives.

    CFO Anat Ashkenazi has stressed the need to balance cost-control measures with aggressive AI investment to maintain Google’s competitive edge in the technology sector. The restructuring aims to streamline operations while keeping pace with rivals such as Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure, which are also intensifying their AI capabilities.

  • Google's job cuts continue with latest layoffs in cloud division: Report

    Search engine giant Google has laid off some of its staff from the cloud division, Bloomberg news agency reported.

    The total count of laid-off employees remained undetermined.

    In January this year, Google employees from the US and Canada signed an internal petition voicing concerns about the frequent rounds of layoffs. Around 1,250 employees also demanded better severance terms. In the petition, workers were worried about "instability" at Google. They claimed that low-performance reviews, lack of buyouts for existing employees, and uncertain severance terms affected their ability to do "high quality and impactful work".

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI)

    • Techdirt ☛ Musk’s USAID Cuts May Hand China The AI Race

      The irony here is rich: while Musk’s xAI and other American AI companies are desperately seeking new markets and training data, his crusade against USAID is systematically dismantling one of America’s most powerful tools for securing both. As Kat Duffy explains in a compelling Foreign Policy essay, killing USAID may have just kneecapped America’s AI ambitions. The connection? USAID has been America’s secret weapon in opening up and maintaining crucial global markets: [...]

    • Pivot to AI ☛ Discord adds AI image transform bot — that you can’t disable or opt out of

      There are no moderation tools for the apps. If you disable “Use External Apps,” users can still see and use the AI apps. Results will only be visible to them, though they can, of course, trivially screenshot and paste.

      The apps seem to have shown up a few months ago — but not everywhere. Discord has been deploying them gradually.

    • Defector ☛ Glossy, Gunky And Ready In Minutes: AI Meal Recipes Are Overrunning The Internet

      Like so many times before, the picture that he sent accompanied a short note: "Can we make this next time you're home?" Usually, I jump at the chance to plan a menu with my grandpa (my grandparents owned a restaurant for over 30 years, and in lieu of going to culinary school, I learned how to cook from them). This time, though, there was a problem: The post was very obviously AI-generated. When I called to tell him that the cupcake was AI—or "made by a robot," as he said—he had no idea. He has since sent me dozens more AI recipes, despite our conversation.

  • Social Control Media

    • BIA Net ☛ Social media platforms censor journalists’ accounts at Turkey’s request

      "They don't even bother pressing charges before detaining or censoring journalists anymore," says Ruşen Takva, one of the journalists whose social media accounts have been censored recently.

    • Tech Central (South Africa) ☛ The dark side of social media - exploring the evolving threat landscape

      Our featured story for the fourth quarter, The Dark Side of Social Media, sheds light on how cybercriminals have increasingly turned social platforms into a playground for scams. Social media threats have evolved from traditional malware attacks to sophisticated frauds such as malvertising, fake e-shops and phishing scams. Facebook emerged as the leading source of these attacks, followed closely by YouTube.

• Security

  • Integrity/Availability/Authenticity

    • Mobile Systems/Mobile Applications

      • PC World ☛ How often should you turn off your phone? Here's what the NSA says

        Surprisingly, this includes a very basic task that many people never do: switching your phone off completely. According to security experts at the NSA, this alone helps to protect the device from some hacking attacks. It is now not only common to gain access to smartphones via malicious links, but also via zero-click exploits.

        This involves bypassing the smartphone’s security features step-by-step, starting with a missed call, then the first installed files, which gradually allow access to the system so hackers can tap into your information. Zero-click exploits usually go unnoticed, but can be prevented by completely rebooting the device.

  • Privacy/Surveillance

    • The Register UK ☛ Slack suffers multi-hour outage affecting messages, logins

      For the past three or so hours, the Salesforce-owned IRC-like chat app has suffered a partial outage affecting users' ability to login and converse reliably. "Something's not quite right," as the biz put it about its degraded functionality.

    • The Register UK ☛ Europe begins to worry about US-controlled clouds

      While concern about cloud data sovereignty became fashionable back in 2013 when former NSA contractor Edward Snowden disclosed secrets revealing the scope of US signals intelligence gathering and fled to Russia, data privacy worries have taken on new urgency in light of the Trump administration’s sudden policy shifts.

      In the tech sphere, those moves include removing members of the US Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board that safeguards data under the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, and the alleged flouting of federal data rules to advance policy goals. Europeans therefore have good reason to wonder how much they can trust data privacy assurances from US cloud providers amid their shows of obsequious deference to the new regime.

    • The Register UK ☛ Signal shuns Sweden over proposed encryption-busting laws

      Whittaker said Signal intends to exit Sweden should its government amend existing legislation essentially mandating the end of end-to-end encryption (E2EE), an identical position it took as the UK considered its Online Safety Bill, which ultimately did pass with a controversial encryption-breaking clause, although it can only be invoked where technically feasible.

    • The Record ☛ Gabbard: UK demand to Apple for backdoor access is 'grave concern' to US

      The report prompted an instant backlash against the U.K.’s order. On February 21, Apple yanked its premiere data protection tool from the British market rather than comply.

    • The Record ☛ Arkansas sues GM over data collection and sharing practices

      Attorney General Tim Griffin alleged that GM’s sale of vehicle speed, acceleration, braking, late night driving patterns and other information without informed consent was “unconscionable.”

      Location data belonging to drivers who activated their vehicle’s [Internet] connection was collected and sold even when drivers did not enroll or opt in to its OnStar telematics system, the complaint says.

      Arkansas is seeking an injunction to stop GM’s data practices and substantial civil penalties, including requiring GM to pay back the money it earned from selling data belonging to state residents.

    • PC World ☛ Mullvad VPN review: Ultra-private, now with extra features

      When I say that Mullvad takes your privacy seriously, I mean it. Unlike other VPNs, Mullvad goes so far as to disconnect your account from an email by auto-generating an account number for you. They will even let you pay in cash. And this level of anonymity goes well beyond just registration, permeating everything you do with the app.

      Since our last review the service has undergone another independent audit and adopted post-quantum encryption on all platforms, further cementing its place as one of the most secure and trustworthy VPNs on the market.

    • The Washington Post ☛ Biden Justice Department downplayed U.K. demand for Apple ‘back door’

      Sen. Alex Padilla and Rep. Zoe Lofgren, both California Democrats, asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to reexamine that finding, saying Britain’s threat to compromise encryption violated the information-sharing deal between the two countries under the 2018 CLOUD Act.

      “No entity, foreign or domestic, should be able to make Americans’ data more susceptible to breaches,” Padilla said. “That’s why we are demanding accountability, not just from other countries, but from the Department of Justice, which has the responsibility to keep Americans’ data safe — we must not set this terrible precedent.”

    • Cory Dransfeldt ☛ Make yourself less valuable to tech companies

      I'm confident I've missed plenty here but I'd urge you to examine the privacy policies, public stances, support and actions taken by these companies and adjust your financial interactions with and value you provide to each of them. Individual consumer action is a difficult way to create broad-based change, but it's action worth taking all the same.

    • [Repeat] CoryDoctorow ☛ Pluralistic: Apple’s encryption capitulation

      So let's talk about those circumstances. In 2016, Theresa May's Conservative government passed a law called the "Investigative Powers Act," better known as the "Snooper's Charter": [...]

    • OpenRightsGroup ☛ Practice Safe Text Campaign launched

      Open Rights Group has launched a new campaign, ‘Practice Safe Text’ which highlights the importance of end-to-end encryption in keeping our communications safe.

• Defence/Aggression

  • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2025-02-19 [Older] Brazil prosecutor charges Bolsonaro with 2022 coup plot

  • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2025-02-20 [Older] Brazil: Jair Bolsonaro deplores Lula coup plot charges

  • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2025-02-19 [Older] Germany's new government will face foreign policy challenges

  • New Eastern Europe ☛ Baltic tensions rise as Russia’s “phantom fleet” strikes cables

    If the Jotvingis and the dozen other Lithuanian Navy vessels remain on high alert, it is because tensions in the Baltic Sea are at historic levels. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and NATO’s subsequent expansion to Sweden and Finland, these shallow waters have become a stage for hybrid warfare, with attacks strongly suggesting Russian involvement.

    “We are facing hybrid scenarios that were not on our radar a few years ago. Underwater infrastructure is the first target,” Admiral Giedrius Premeneckas says in the officers’ lounge.

  • VOA News ☛ France wants Europe cooperation on visas over expulsion of undocumented migrants

    France's foreign minister said Wednesday that he wanted "all" European countries to cooperate and start cutting back visas available to nationals of countries that refuse to take back illegal migrants expelled by Paris.

  • International Business Times ☛ 'We Swore to Serve the American People': 21 Ex-USDS Workers Revolt Against Musk's DOGE [sic] and Walk Out

    The ex-DOGE [sic] staffers, many of whom were part of the U.S. Digital Service (USDS) before Musk's takeover, stated in their resignation letter that they 'swore to serve the American people and uphold our oath to the Constitution across presidential administrations' but could no longer stand by as essential government functions were being slashed. According to the Daily Mail, these resignations come in response to Musk's aggressive cost-cutting measures that have already led to the firing of 40 federal employees and drastic policy shifts.

  • US News And World Report ☛ German Police on Alert After Islamic State Calls for Carnival Attacks

    Bild newspaper reported that a German-language propaganda site run by IS had published a computer-created collage image calling on viewers to "choose your next attack target", and listed the dates and locations of upcoming carnival events.

  • Mike Brock ☛ Just Another Monday in a Dying Republic

    But here's the truly terrifying part: I'm more afraid of the response to what's happening than I am of the events themselves. The threats to our democratic institutions are clear and present, visible to anyone willing to look. What chills me to the bone is the tepid reaction, the moral cowardice, and the intellectual gymnastics performed by those who should be on the front lines of resistance.

  • The Independent UK ☛ Trump loses in court three times – on USAID, refugees and frozen funds – within 90 minutes

    Federal judges in Washington, D.C. and Seattle ordered the administration to restart hundreds of millions of dollars in payments for foreign aid, blocked the administration from freezing federal grants and loans, and temporarily struck down the president’s executive order suspending refugee admissions.

    The decisions were issued within 90 minutes of one another.

  • Arena Group ☛ Elon Mocks The Federal Workers He Fired In A Post - MeidasTouch News

    The richest man on earth is really excited that middle class families in the public sector won't be able to pay their bills

  • Axios ☛ DOGE [sic] workers quit, refuse to "dismantle public services" on Musk's orders

    The big picture: The workers, who were folded into DOGE [sic] via executive order when President Trump took office, warned in their resignation letter about the risks that DOGE [sic] presents to Americans' data and public services.

  • Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine

    • Latvia ☛ Midweek selection: Midsomer mania, Opera premiere, Ukrainian ambassador

      Here's another midweek pick of audio and visual content from Latvian Public Media (radio, television and online) that you might like to listen to and watch.

    • Latvia ☛ Latvia to continue providing support to Ukrainian refugees

      In the three years since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Latvia has provided nearly €860 million in aid to Ukraine, €225 million of which has been dedicated to supporting Ukrainian civilians in Latvia, according to a February 26 report by Latvian Radio.

    • Latvia ☛ 'Ukrainian flag attack' convict wanted by Latvian police

      The Riga City Court has declared Valērijs Lazarevs, sentenced to two years in prison for assault, wanted, LSM.lv reports.

    • Atlantic Council ☛ Digging into the US-Ukraine minerals deal

      Everything you need to know about the reported Convicted Felon-Zelenskyy economic pact on Ukraine’s natural resources.

    • France24 ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man says Ukraine can ‘forget about’ joining NATO

      President The Insurrectionist says Ukraine “could forget about” joining the NATO military alliance as he prepares to host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on Friday. FRANCE 24's Fraser Jackson reports from Washington.

    • France24 ☛ Nothing in current deal points to security guarantees or continued US military support: analyst

      President Volodymyr Zelensky is set to meet The Insurrectionist on Friday to finalize a deal on US access to Ukraine's mineral wealth, hoping to win guarantees of future American support. FRANCE 24's Yinka Oyetade speaks to Mark Temnycky, non-resident fellow at the Atlantic Council's Eurasia Center. He says that nothing in the current deal points to US security guarantees or military support.

    • France24 ☛ What we know so far about the US-Ukraine minerals deal

      Kyiv and Washington have reportedly agreed a deal that would allow the United States to access Ukraine's mineral resources – although it does not yet detail the security guarantees sought by Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected in Washington on Friday to finalise the agreement. Here's what we know about the deal so far.

    • France24 ☛ What we know so far about the US-Ukraine minerals deal

      Kyiv and Washington have reportedly agreed a deal that would allow the United States to access Ukraine's mineral resources – although it does not yet detail the security guarantees sought by Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected in Washington on Friday to finalise the agreement. Here's what we know about the deal so far.

    • France24 ☛ The US-Ukraine mineral deal: A look at rare earths, their use and purposes

      As Washington and Kyiv seek to finalise a deal on exploiting Ukraine's mineral resources, FRANCE 24 takes a look at rare earth metals and why they are important. Used in a wide range of electronics, including aircraft and military applications like missiles and radar systems, China currently accounts for about 60 percent of global mine production.

    • France24 ☛ A closer look at Ukraine's mineral wealth as deal with US takes shape

      As Ukraine and the US reportedly reach an agreement on a joint exploitation of Ukraine's critical minerals, FRANCE 24 takes a closer look at exactly which minerals can be found in Ukraine and why they are so crucial to the US economy. However, a number of obstacles will make it difficult for the US to fully profit from the country's deposits, as we explain in this edition.

    • JURIST ☛ Ukraine parliament affirms no elections during wartime under martial law

      Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada passed a resolution Tuesday affirming that national elections cannot take place while the country remains under martial law, directly countering remarks by former US President The Insurrectionist questioning the legitimacy of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s administration. Additionally, the resolution formally extends Zelenskyy’s mandate until martial law is lifted.

    • LRT ☛ Lithuania unlawfully denies residency permits to Ukrainians without passports – Red Cross

      The Migration Department is refusing to extend residence permits for some Ukrainians in Lithuania without valid biometric passports, the Red Cross has warned, saying it is unlawful.

    • LRT ☛ European troops in Ukraine only possible with US backing, says Lithuanian MoD

      Sending European troops to Ukraine to enforce a ceasefire would only be possible with US backing, Lithuanian Defence Minister Dovilė Šakalienė said on Wednesday.

    • LRT ☛ GPS jamming by Russia is not directed against Lithuania, says presidential adviser

      GPS signal interference incidents affecting passenger plane flights in recent months have to do with Russia’s actions aimed at defending itself against Ukraine’s retaliatory strikes, an adviser to Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda says, adding that they are not directed against Lithuania.

    • LRT ☛ Lithuanian FM welcomes Ukraine-US minerals deal, saying Europe helped get better terms

      Ukraine’s agreement with the United States on the terms of a minerals deal is a good sign, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys says, stressing the role of Europe.

    • LRT ☛ Svetlana Alexievich: ‘Today, the whole world is changed’ – interview

      Svetlana Alexievich, Belarusian author, journalist, and Nobel Prize in literature recipient, discusses the war in Ukraine, prospects for Europe and democracy in her own country.

    • University of Michigan ☛ Ann Arbor residents and UMich students hold candlelight vigil on third anniversary of Russian attack on Ukraine

      More than 100 University of Michigan students, Ann Arbor residents and visitors gathered to acknowledge the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine with a candlelight vigil on the Diag and a carillon concert at the Burton Memorial Tower Monday evening.

    • New Yorker ☛ The Peril The Insurrectionist Poses to Ukraine

      Some analysts hoped that Convicted Felon might end the war; they are stunned that the U.S. has now “changed sides.”

    • New York Times ☛ How Convicted Felon and Biden Pursued Critical Minerals in Ukraine, Greenland and Other Countries

      China dominates in critical minerals, and Hell Toupée has turned to high-pressure tactics to acquire them.

    • New York Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man Says Ukraine Should Look to Europe for Any Security Guarantees

      Hell Toupée said Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, would visit Washington on Friday as part of a deal for Ukrainian mineral wealth. His position could ultimately embolden Russia.

    • New York Times ☛ UK’s Starmer to Meet Convicted Felon With a Boost on Defense and Pleas for Ukraine

      Prime Minister Keir Starmer of Britain cut international aid to raise military spending. He’s hoping to make a case for Ukraine in the White House.

    • New York Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man Refused to Guarantee Ukraine’s Safety in Mineral Deal

      Also, Timothée Chalamet is waging an unusual awards campaign. Here’s the latest at the end of Wednesday.

    • New York Times ☛ U.S.-Ukraine Minerals Deal Draft Features Vague Reference to Security Guarantees

      A copy of the agreement obtained by The New York Times says that the United States “supports Ukraine’s effort to obtain security guarantees needed to establish lasting peace.”

    • New York Times ☛ Rare Protest at U.S. Embassy in Ukraine Reflects Fears Over Convicted Felon

      The demonstration drew only a handful of people, but showed how some Ukrainians fear that Washington is drifting away from backing Ukraine now that Hell Toupée is in power.

    • New York Times ☛ What We Know About the U.S.-Ukraine Minerals Deal

      A draft agreement discussed on Tuesday does not include a $500 billion payout the Convicted Felon administration demanded earlier.

    • RFERL ☛ U.S., Russian Diplomats To Meet In Turkey To Discuss Issues At Respective Embassies

      Diplomats from Russia and the United States will meet on February 27 in Istanbul to discuss disputes over their respective diplomatic missions as the two sides continue a bilateral dialogue seen as crucial to ending the Ukraine war.

    • Meduza ☛ Russian milibloggers condemn Vladimir Putin’s ‘rare earth’ mining offer to Donald Trump

    • New York Times ☛ In Convicted Felon’s Washington, a Moscow-Like Chill Takes Hold

      A new administration’s efforts to pressure the news media, punish political opponents and tame the nation’s tycoons evoke the early days of President Vladimir V. Putin’s reign in Russia.

    • Meduza ☛ U.S. State Department planning possible additional exemptions to foreign aid freeze for Ukraine — Politico — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Photos from the Kramatorsk front, where Ukraine’s 24th Brigade is holding the line — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Zelensky says U.S.-Ukraine agreement on natural resources mentions security guarantees but not all the ones Kyiv wanted — Meduza

    • Latvia ☛ Latvia extends visa and entry restrictions on Russians

      At its meeting on 25 February 2025, the Latvian Cabinet of Ministers agreed to extend the existing entry and visa restrictions for citizens of aggressor states Russia and Belarus until the end of 2026.

    • Atlantic Council ☛ Why the US should not lift sanctions against Russia

      Sanctions are having an unmistakable effect, albeit below the inflated expectations of many in the West in early 2022. Lifting them now would be a mistake.

    • France24 ☛ Romania launches criminal probe into far-right, pro-Moscow presidential candidate Georgescu

      Romanian prosecutors opened a criminal probe Wednesday into far-right populist Calin Georgescu, whose surprise first-round win in December presidential elections prompted authorities to take the unprecedented move of annulling the vote after Romanian security services accused Russia of "aggressive" election interference.

    • LRT ☛ Not clear if Lithuania will extend Kaliningrad gas transit deal – minister

      As a 10-year contract on gas transit via Lithuania to Russia’s Kaliningrad region is expiring at the end of the year, the energy minister says it is too early to say if it will be extended.

    • UK, allies sanction North Korean officials linked to Russia troop deployment

      North Korea’s defense minister and its top rocket scientist are among those penalized.

    • The Straits Times ☛ North Korea’s Kim calls for modern army to be ready for war

      South Korea warned that the North could gain experience from sending its troops to aid Russia's war.

    • Meduza ☛ Russian foreign minister announces new Russia-U.S. talks in Istanbul on February 27 — Meduza

    • Latvia ☛ Latvian 'Pupuchi' provides bean snacks to military

      Sisters Zanda Ozola and Kristīne Ozoliņa founded Zekants nine years ago. They produce roasted sweet and savory snacks under the trademark "Pupuchi" from beans grown in Latvia. The bean snacks are now also included in the food parcels of the Latvian National Armed Forces, Latvian Radio reported on February 26.

• Transparency/Investigative Reporting

  • The Atlantic ☛ Did Russia Invade Ukraine? Is Putin a Dictator? We Asked Every Republican Member of Congress

    I reached out to all 271 Republican members of the House and Senate to find out, asking each of them two straightforward questions: Did Russia invade Ukraine? And is Putin a dictator? So far, I have received 19 responses.

• Environment

  • University of Michigan ☛ Everyone should learn plant identification

    The core principle of an invasive species is that it has not gone through millennia of coevolution with the flora, fauna and microbial community of its established region. Invasive species are only able to establish themselves due to similar climatic conditions between their native region and their established region. They have a very diverse variety of effects on their environment, but common buckthorn, in particular, has an extreme allelopathic effect that directly halts the growth of other species.

  • Omicron Limited ☛ Sediment transport restored after demolition of the Olloki dam

    Thanks to the momentum of European Union policies, disused dams are being removed for the purpose of restoring rivers. One example of this is the Olloki dam (Gipuzkoa), which was the subject of a study by fluvial geomorphology geographers from the Fluvial Functioning research group. The dam used to be located in Leitzaran and was demolished, above all, to improve the habitat of the salmon. In fact, for the river to function properly and for the habitats to be in a good condition, the geomorphology of the river has to function correctly.

  • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2025-02-19 [Older] Earth is warming, so why is it so cold?

  • Latvia ☛ No major floods expected in Latvia this spring

    There is little snow in Latvia, as well as in the Daugava basin in Belarus and Russia, so widespread flooding is not expected this spring, forecasts the Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Center.

  • BIA Net ☛ 'Turkey's climate law does not aim to combat climate change'

    Experts believe that the Climate Law draft is designed to regulate potential economic gains from climate change rather than addressing the issue itself.

  • Energy/Transportation

    • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2025-02-19 [Older] Germany: Public transport strike called for Friday

    • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2025-02-20 [Older] RECOMMENDED ― The EU has doubled its solar capacity in the last three years. Where's the funding coming from?

    • Hackaday ☛ UL Investigates The Best Way To Fight EV Fires

      While electric vehicles (EVs) are generally less likely to catch fire than their internal combustion counterparts, it does still happen, and firefighters need to be ready. Accordingly, the UL Research Institute is working with reverse engineering experts Munro & Associates to characterize EV fires and find the best way to fight them.

  • Wildlife/Nature

    • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2025-02-19 [Older] Australia: 157 dolphins found stranded on Tasmanian beach

  • Overpopulation

    • Truthdig ☛ Meet the Pistachio Barons Who Control California’s Water

      At the center of the story is the billionaire-couple Stewart and Lynda Resnick. He is the country’s wealthiest “farmer”; she is the daughter of the producer of the cult favorite “The Blob” and a marketing whiz who could sell coal to Newcastle. Together, they have built up The Wonderful Company into a billion-dollar enterprise and gained control over much of California’s water, a subject that has drawn fresh interest in the wake of this year’s deadly LA fires, during which city fire hydrants ran dry.

      Truthdig spoke with Levine and Wernham last month, just as the wildfires were coming under control, about how they uncovered this real-life “Chinatown,” the cameo played by Iran and the mechanics of agricultural power in the Eureka State. Our conversation has been edited for brevity and clarity.

• Finance

  • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2025-02-20 [Older] Does EU-Vietnam free trade break provisions on human rights?

  • Breach Media ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man’s trade war is a perfect time to embrace a ‘no one left behind’ strategy

    ‘Keep calm and buy Canadian’ will line Galen Weston’s pockets and do little else. We need emergency measures that protect everyone.

• AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

  • Misinformation/Disinformation/Propaganda

    • Does a viral online video show Ukrainian leader Zelenskyy dancing?

      Verdict: False

• Censorship/Free Speech

  • DeepSeek's Pro-China Bias is Superficial: Revealing the Power of Local Hey Hi (AI) Deployment

    Today, something a little different for this blog.  As many readers are aware, for the past couple of years I have been working towards a PhD in which, very broadly speaking, I have been looking at applying machine learning, Hey Hi (AI) and language models to the analysis of patent monopoly claims (in particular, to assessing the scope of claims). 

  • Digital Music News ☛ YouTube Real Stories Tees Up ‘Leaving Neverland 2: Surviving Michael Jackson’ — HBO Declined the Sequel Under Legal Pressure

    YouTube Real Stories had secured the follow-up to the controversial ‘Leaving Neverland’ documentary, set to premiere in the US and Canada. HBO is understood to have declined the sequel after a contentious legal battle with the Jackson Estate. The controversial Michael Jackson documentary, Leaving Neverland, is about to get a sequel.

• Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press

  • Meduza ☛ Inside Russia’s campaign to turn African journalists into Kremlin mouthpieces

  • Meduza ☛ ‘Conclave’ director Edward Berger to make film about formerly imprisoned WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich — Meduza

  • Pro Publica ☛ ProPublica Investigative Editor Training Program 2025 Applications Open

    For the third year, ProPublica will invite up to 10 news editors from media companies across the country to participate in a yearlong investigative editing training program, led by the newsroom’s award-winning staff.

• Internet Policy/Net Neutrality

  • WhichUK ☛ Five things you need to know about the landline switchover - and how to help your loved ones [Ed: A landline that does not work when power is down or the Internet is down]

    The migration to digital landlines is ramping up as the deadline for the retirement of the copper phone network approaches

Monopolies/Monopsonies

• Patents

  • Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ Corporate Shells and Legal Loopholes: The Dewberry Decision’s Trickster Legacy

    In a unanimous decision released today, the Supreme Court has vacated a $43 million trademark infringement award against Dewberry Group, potentially creating a roadmap for corporate structuring to minimize trademark liability. Dewberry Group, Inc. v. Dewberry Engineers Inc., 604 U.S. ___ (2025). Justice Kagan, writing for the Court, held that when awarding the “defendant’s profits” under the Lanham Act, courts can only include profits “properly ascribable to the defendant itself” – not those of its legally separate, non-party corporate affiliates. While the decision reinforces traditional corporate law principles, it raises serious concerns about the practical enforcement of trademark rights in an era when establishing multiple corporate entities is increasingly simple and commonplace.  23-900_Dewberry Decision.