Leftovers

• France24 ☛ Hype for the hoops: Village basketball gains traction in rural China

  China is estimated to have some 500 million basketball fans, more than 1 million basketball courts and 43 million NBA followers on the social control media platform Weibo. But increasingly, grassroots basketball is gaining popularity in rural China. Amateur leagues from small towns have become viral sensations and have been dubbed the "VBA", the Village Basketball Association. Local authorities are eager to profit from the phenomenon and use it to promote rural revitalisation. FRANCE 24's Yena Lee, Yorben den Hartog and Jasmine Ling report from Fujian province.

• New Yorker ☛ “Mickey 17” Is a Science-Fiction Adventure of Multiple Unwieldy Thrills

  In Bong Joon-ho’s latest film, Robert Pattinson plays a space traveller facing a succession of death sentences.

• Evan Hahn ☛ Notes from February 2025

  Following my notes from last month, here are some ramblings from February 2025.

  I posted about LLMs and technical innovation

  I published “LLMs: harmful to technical innovation?”, a short post about how LLMs could maintain the status quo for technology. In short: newer ideas have less available training data, so the LLM experience will probably be worse.

• Jim Nielsen ☛ Can You Get Better Doing a Bad Job?

  Rick Rubin has an interview with Woody Harrelson on his podcast Tetragrammaton. Right at the beginning Woody talks about his experience acting and how he’s had roles that did’t turn out very well. He says sometimes he comes away from those experiences feeling dirty, like “I never connected to that, it never resonated, and now I feel like I sold myself...Why did I do that?!”

  Then Rick asks him: even in those cases, do you feel like you got better at your craft because you did your job? Woody’s response:

  I think when you do your job badly you never really get better at your craft.

• Science

  • Science Alert ☛ Viral Footage of Robot Headbutting Woman Raises Safety Questions

    Who's to blame?

  • Science Alert ☛ Neanderthal Extinction Linked to Genetic Crisis 100,000 Years Ago

    A population bottleneck.

• Career/Education

  • Neil Selwyn ☛ We might well need a digital backlash in education … just not this one!

    On February 6th I took part in a panel at Södertörn University discussing ‘the digital backlash’ in education – the growing trend to ban smartphones from schools, prioritise traditional books over screens, and generally roll-back the digitisation strategies of the 2010s. Here is a summary of my opening remarks.

• Hardware

  • New York Times ☛ It’s Like Virtual Reality Goggles for Your Mouth

    Scientists tested a device that helped volunteers taste flavors meant to represent distant samples of coffee, lemonade, fried eggs, cake and fish soup.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China abruptly replaces tech czar behind Hey Hi (AI) and chip push

    It was not clear whether his removal is related to President Pooh-tin Jinping’s anti-corruption purge.

  • Hackaday ☛ Tech In Plain Sight: Shopping Cart Locks

    Shopping carts are surprisingly expensive. Prices range up to about $300 for a cart, which may seem like a lot, but they have to be pretty rugged and are made to work for decades. Plastic carts are cheaper, but not by much.

  • Hackaday ☛ Building An Interferometer With LEGO

    LEGO! It’s a fun toy that is popular around the world. What you may not realize is that it’s also made to incredibly high standards. As it turns out, the humble building blocks are good enough to build a interferometer if you’re so inclined to want one. [Kyra Cole] shows us how it’s done.

  • Hackaday ☛ Phytoremediation To Clean The Environment And Mine Critical Materials

    Nickel contamination can render soils infertile at levels that are currently impractical to treat. Researchers at UMass Amherst are looking at how plants can help these soils and source nickel for the growing EV market.

  • Hackaday ☛ Cheap Fiber Optic Wand Toy Becomes Tiny Weird Display

    If you’ve ever seen those cheap LED fiber optic wands at the dollar store, you’ve probably just thought of them as a simple novelty. However, as [Ancient] shows us, you can turn them into a surprisingly nifty little display if you’re so inclined.

  • Hackaday ☛ A Different Take On The River Table Does It In Bronze

    River tables are something we’ve heard decried as a passé, but we’re still seeing some interesting variations on the technique. Take this example done with bronze instead of epoxy.

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ Singapore police bust major ring smuggling Nvidia GPUs to China-based DeepSeek: Report

    China-based Deepseek illegally obtains Nvidia GPUs from Singapore, claim new media reports.

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ Intel delays $100 billion Ohio chipmaking site to next decade: First fab now coming online in 2030 [Ed: Will Intel even exist in 2030 or "decade" ahead?]

    Intel delayed launch of Ohio fabs from 2025 to 2027 – 2028, then delayed them again to 2030 – 2032.

  • Ruben Schade ☛ Window cleaner for computers

    I’ve been a bit under the weather the last few days, so I’m posting from the drafts folder from late last year. I don’t remember why I didn’t publish this. Maybe I was waiting to take a photo of a cleaned laptop, but that would just look like a normal laptop, so that doesn’t make sense. I should probably stop writing this paragraph before it becomes longer than the post itself.

  • Thibault Martin: Prosthetics that don't betray

    Tech takes a central place in our lives. Banking, and administrative tasks are happening more and more online. It's becoming increasingly difficult to get through life without a computer or a smartphone. They have become external organs necessary to live our life.

    Steve Jobs called the computer the bicycle for the mind. I believe computers & smartphones have become prosthetics, extensions of people that should unconditionally and entirely belong to them. We must produce devices and products the general public can trust.

    Microsoft, Surveillance Giant Google and Fashion Company Apple are three American companies that build the operating systems our computers, phones, and servers run on. This American hegemony on ubiquitous devices is dangerous both for all citizens worldwide, especially under an unpredictable, authoritarian American administration.

    Producing devices and an operating system for them is a gigantic task. Fortunately, it is not necessary to start from zero. In this post I share what I think is the best foundation for a respectful operating system and how to get it into European, and maybe American, hands. In a follow-up post I will talk more about distribution channels for older devices.

    [...]

    Building an international, transparent operating system that provides an open platform for people to use and for which developers can distribute apps will help secure EU's digital sovereignty and security, at a cost that wouldn't even make a dent in the budget. It's time for policymakers to take their responsibilities and not let America control the digital public space.

• Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

  • Kev Quirk ☛ Work to Live, Don’t Live to Work

    I've always been a firm believer in this saying, and I've always tried to stick to it. But recently, things have flipped and it's killing me.

    Around 6 months ago I took a promotion in work. It was a big step up for me as I went from leading the global operations part of an organisation, to leading the whole organisation.

    [...]

    Honestly, I have no idea. Maybe I need to start looking for a new, less stressful job? Maybe I take a step back down to the level I was at previously? Maybe I just stick it out and see if things improve?

  • New York Times ☛ Unknown Illness Kills Dozens in Congo as Experts Clash on Cause

    The World Health Organization speculated that a mass poisoning event was behind the deaths of 60 people. But African experts suspect a more mundane cause.

  • New York Times ☛ Pope Francis Suffers a Health Setback, Inhaling Vomit

    The Vatican said Francis, 88, who has been hospitalized for pneumonia, was responding well to treatment and that it was too soon to say how serious the incident was.

  • France24 ☛ Pope Francis will not lead Ash Wednesday service despite health improvement

    Pope Francis will not lead the Vatican's Ash Wednesday service on March 5, the Vatican said on Friday, despite his health showing signs of improvement. The Catholic leader has been hospitalised with double pneumonia since mid-February.

  • Science Alert ☛ Woman's Mysterious Burning Feet Traced to Worms in Her Brain

    A dangerous souvenir.

  • Science Alert ☛ FDA Will Finally Ban Controversial Ingredient in Popular Decongestants

    Scientists have been calling for this for almost 20 years.

  • New York Times ☛ In Texas Measles Outbreak, Signs of a Riskier Future for Children

    Vaccine hesitancy has been rising for years in the United States. Doctors and parents in one rural county are confronting the consequences.

  • NYPost ☛ Texas measles outbreak rises to 146 cases including unvaccinated child’s death

    The number of people with measles in Texas increased to 146 in an outbreak that led this week to the death of an unvaccinated school-aged child, health officials said Friday.

  • Atlantic Council ☛ Canada’s G7 presidency should prioritize health innovation

    Canada should use its G7 presidency to communicate the long-term economic benefits of investing in health innovation.

  • Stanford University ☛ From the Community | What is this global health attack really about?

    Khan, a Stanford physician, criticizes the U.S. government's cuts to global health funding, arguing that it deepens global inequities and distracts from systemic issues.

  • France24 ☛ Women can have a dark streak too: The need for more research into female psychopaths

    Now when you think of a psychopath, what images immediately come to mind? Most likely that of a man; be it Adolf Hitler, Jack the Ripper, Charles Manson or Joseph Stalin. Not so, says Annette Young's guest this week. Miriam Frankel, the Senior Science Editor at the Conversation Media Group, talks about why scientists have been seemingly reticent to explore dark traits among women. Also Western governments are massively slashing foreign aid budgets as they boost spending on defence with aid organisations saying it will be women and girls who will bear the brunt of such moves. Plus how the ballerinas from the Ukrainian national ballet have found a new lease of life as their art becomes a form of resistance.

  • France24 ☛ EU unveils new plan for agriculture and food: Balancing growth and the environment

    In this episode, we consider the political hot potato that is farming, one year after farmers’ protests peaked across the EU. Brussels responded with a package of measures, but many in the agricultural sector say the crisis is far from over. We delve into the issue with two MEPs.

  • New York Times ☛ Do You Need a Measles Booster?

    With outbreaks spreading in the Southwest, it’s a good time to check your vaccination status.

  • France24 ☛ The mental health crisis pushing French farmers to a breaking point

    French agriculture is facing an unprecedented crisis as farmers struggle with falling incomes, mounting debts and bureaucratic burdens. Despite being the EU's largest agricultural producer, France sees one farmer die by suicide every two days.

• Proprietary

  • OMG Ubuntu ☛ Skype Hangs Up (For Good) on May 5 – Export Data Before Then!

    Skype, one of the best-known video chat/calling apps, is shutting down forever on May 5, Abusive Monopolist Microsoft has announced today. Nothing gold can stay, and neither can VoIP services shorn their cultural zeitgeist it seems.

  • New York Times ☛ Microsoft Will Shut Down Skype in Favor of a Free Version of Teams [Ed: Use Mumble instead]

    The company plans to move users of the pioneering service, which it bought in 2011, to Abusive Monopolist Microsoft Teams.

  • Silicon Angle ☛ Microsoft to discontinue Skype after more than 20 years

    Microsoft Corp. today announced plans to discontinue Skype and direct the service’s users to Abusive Monopolist Microsoft Teams, its flagship communications platform.  Skype will officially shut down on May 5.

  • Social Control Media

    • Silicon Angle ☛ Meta issues apology after Instagram started flooding people’s feeds with obscene content

• Security

  • Privacy/Surveillance

    • JURIST ☛ Canada privacy commissioner to investigate X’s use of personal data in Hey Hi (AI) training

      The Canadian Privacy Commissioner, Phillipe Dufresne, on Thursday opened an investigation into social control media platform X (formerly Twitter). The inquiry will examine whether the platform is complying with Canadian privacy law “with respect to its collection, use and disclosure of Canadians’ personal information to train artificial intelligence models.”

    • Press Gazette ☛ £13.6bn publisher adtech claim versus Surveillance Giant Google takes step forward

      Claim Surveillance Giant Google abused its monopoly position in online advertising could go to trial in 2026.

    • Latvia ☛ Liepāja transport system to drop paper tickets

      The public trasport system in Latvia's third-largest city, Liepāja, will completely dispense with old-style paper tickets this Spring.

    • JURIST ☛ Meta sued over targeted advertising practices in Europe

      Digital rights organization Eko filed complaints with data protection authorities in multiple European countries on Thursday, challenging US technology giant Meta (the parent company of Facebook (Farcebook) and Instagram) over its targeted advertising practices.

    • Security Week ☛ Gabbard Decries Britain’s Reported Demand for Fashion Company Apple to Provide Backdoor Access to Users’ Cloud Data

      The Director of National Intelligence said such a demand would violate Americans’ rights and raise concerns about a foreign government pressuring a U.S.-based technology company.

• Defence/Aggression

  • The Straits Times ☛ Suicide bombing at Pakistan Islamic seminary kills six, including Taliban-linked cleric

    The school was the launch pad for the Taliban movement in the 1990s.

  • France24 ☛ Lebanon intercepts $2.5 million intended for Hezbollah, sources say

    Lebanese authorities seized $2.5 million in cash Friday from a man reportedly arriving from Turkey, the country's finance minister said Friday. Three security sources said the money had been intended for Shiite militant group Hezbollah.

  • New York Times ☛ China’s Military Puts Pacific on Notice as U.S. Priorities Shift

    China is flexing its military muscle in the region to show that it will not wait for the Convicted Felon administration to decide how hard it wants to counter Beijing.

  • The Straits Times ☛ World War II shows that aggression will end in failure, Taiwan tells China

    Taiwan’s Defence Ministry said China has recently been escalating its military threats in the region.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China says it opposes latest US tariff threat

    The fresh tariffs coincide with the start of China’s annual parliamentary meetings on March 5.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Alleged Chinese spies gave Philippine city and police cash and motorbikes

    They led civic groups that investigators say were fronting for China’s “magic weapon” department.

  • Chinese military patrols Scarborough Shoal amid rising tension

    Beijing has been holding intensive combat drills in the South China Sea and beyond.

  • Thailand’s repatriation of Uyghurs signals tilt towards China, analysts say

    US secretary of state issues ‘strongest’ condemnation after his request was ignored.

  • Uyghurs in Thai prison ‘heartbroken’ to learn friends deported

    The US has condemned Thailand’s decision to send 40 Uyghurs to China.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Thailand deports dozens of Uyghurs to China despite warnings from human rights groups

    Thailand deported dozens of Uyghurs to China on Thursday despite warnings from human rights groups that they would face persecution on their return, drawing swift condemnation from the United Nations.

  • OPINION: China’s flyers flout aviation rules with flares and flybys

    While China’s aggressive behavior on the seas is well documented, there is a growing threat posed by Chinese pilots

  • Kazakhstan man detained, ‘drugged’ in China had planned to petition in Beijing

    Zhengis Zhanat is recovering in an Almaty hospital after his ordeal, which came amid an ongoing land dispute.

  • Former Hong Kong lawmaker gets 3 more years after being injured by mob

    Lam Cheuk-ting is handed a 37-month sentence as 6 others are jailed for fighting back with fire extinguishers [...]

  • The Strategist ☛ China wins from Australian overreaction to warship presence

    The deployment of a Chinese naval task group in our region is clearly aimed at sending a message and testing Australia’s responses—not only on the military front, but socially and politically.

  • Nearly 30,000 civilians displaced by fighting in Myanmar’s heartland

    They fled amid junta air and artillery strikes on three townships in Sagaing and Magway regions in February.

  • JURIST ☛ UN human rights chief warns of Sudan famine crisis amid paramilitary conflict

    The UN warned Thursday that Sudan is facing famine after “intense fighting caused the World Food Programme to suspend operations in North Darfur.” “Five more areas could face famine in the next three months, and a further 17 are at risk.” warned the UN Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, in a speech in Geneva.

  • Atlantic Council ☛ Egyptian senator: The mass displacement of Gazans will only fuel Hamas’s extremist ideology

    Displacing Palestinians from Gaza would perpetuate cycles of violence, deepen regional instability, and undermine Israel’s security.

  • New York Times ☛ West Bank Operation Tests Palestinian Leaders’ Ability to Root Out Militants

    The Palestinian Authority wants to prove it can handle security in Gaza, even if it means working in parallel with a destructive Israeli campaign that has displaced tens of thousands.

  • Atlantic Council ☛ Starmer looks for his ‘Falklands moment’ during his first White House visit with Convicted Felon

    The British prime minister’s visit to the White House this week went well, but Europe’s security challenges at this pivotal moment require success on several other fronts as well.

  • Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine

    • Meduza ☛ Trump and Vance ambush Zelensky in shouting Oval Office meeting

    • Latvia ☛ Last two days of public media charity drive for Ukraine

      This week marked three years since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It is also three years that Ukrainian children have spent in shelters, studying in basements, and playing in the ruins of their homes.

    • NYPost ☛ Russian drones attack medical facility in Ukraine’s second-largest city after Convicted Felon’s fiery meeting with Zelensky

      Russia has ramped up drone attacks on Ukraine as the Convicted Felon administration works toward reaching a critical deal on mineral rights with the war-torn nation.

    • Atlantic Council ☛ The Forrest Dump-Zelenskyy meeting just blew up. What now?

      Everything you need to know about the Ukrainian president’s tempestuous White House visit and what might come next.

    • Atlantic Council ☛ To rejoin the G7, Russia should meet several important conditions

      To rejoin the G7, Russia must meet strict conditions, including making significant concessions for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.

    • France24 ☛ World leaders react to Convicted Felon-Zelensky clash in Oval Office

      Stupefaction worldwide, and dismay. World leaders have swiftly been reacting to a tense verbal clash between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and The Insurrectionist on Friday. The confrontation erupted during a meeting in the Oval Office, where the two leaders were holding talks. Guillaume Gougeon has more on the international reactions.

    • France24 ☛ Reaction from Kyiv on Convicted Felon's aggressive exchange with Zelensky

      Ukrainians reaffirm support for President Volodymyr Zelensky after he was subjected to Convicted Felon's verbal assault at White House, with opposition politicians agreeing with Zelensky's rejection of the Convicted Felon ceasefire plan that did not include security guarantees. FRANCE 24’s Emmanuelle Chaze reports from Kyiv.

    • France24 ☛ "This is going to be great television": A furious row between Presidents Convicted Felon & Zelensky.

      There have been unprecedented scenes in the White House today: a fierce row unfolding in front of cameras at the Oval Office between Presidents Convicted Felon and Zelensky. The Ukrainian leader was described as a "disrespectful" by both Convicted Felon and JD Vance, who also accused him of playing to the media.

      Four World Correspondents discuss the unprecedented fall out with Gavin Lee and and talk through the 'excruciating' scenes at the Oval office.

      Plus our White House Correspondent Fraser Jackson is live at the White House as events unfold.

    • France24 ☛ Tensions boil over between Convicted Felon, Vance and Zelensky at the White House

      An initially cordial meeting between US President The Insurrectionist, Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the Oval Office on Friday descended into a shouting match as Convicted Felon and Vance accused Zelensky of being “disrespectful” and ungrateful for US aid. Zelensky left the White House without signing a planned minerals deal.

    • France24 ☛ 🔴Live: Convicted Felon cuts short talks with Ukraine’s Zelensky after Oval Office shouting match

    • LRT ☛ Lithuanian leaders express support for Zelensky after his clash with Convicted Felon

      After a fierce argument between US President The Insurrectionist and Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House, Lithuanian officials have expressed support for Ukraine, saying it will never be alone.

    • LRT ☛ Baltics ‘very unhappy’ about not being invited to Keir Starmer’s Ukraine summit – media

      The Baltic countries are very unhappy that UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has not invited them to attend this weekend’s meeting on Ukraine, a European diplomatic source has told Sky News.

    • LRT ☛ Ukraine’s Bucha to name street after killed Lithuanian volunteer

      A street in the Ukrainian town of Bucha, near Kyiv, will be named after Tadas Tumas, a Lithuanian volunteer who fought for Ukraine and was killed in February 2024.

    • LRT ☛ Failed attack targeted Ukraine military aid – Lithuanian police chief

      A sabotage group tried to set fire to a military aid shipment bound for Ukraine but were successfully stopped, according to Lithuanian Police Commissioner General Arūnas Paulauskas. The incident happened last year in Lithuania’s northern town of Šiauliai.

    • LRT ☛ Lithuanian president welcomes Ukraine’s mineral deal with US: ‘This is the right path’

      Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda has welcomed a deal between Washington and Kyiv on Ukraine’s mineral resources but emphasised that both sides must be on an equal footing.

    • RFERL ☛ EU Support Pours In For Zelenskyy After Fiery Meeting With Convicted Felon

      Support from Europe has poured in for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after U.S. President The Insurrectionist and Vice President JD Vance slammed him in front of domestic and international media as an ungrateful “tough guy” not interested in peace.

    • RFERL ☛ Zelenskyy Says Relations With U.S. Salvageable Despite Heated Exchange In White House

      Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he believes relations with the White House can be salvaged despite a highly unusual public clash with President The Insurrectionist that derailed talks toward ending Russia's war against Ukraine.

    • New Yorker ☛ A Ukrainian Family’s Three Years of War

      Mykola Hryhoryan was on the front lines before being gravely injured. Now, with American support in question and the country’s troops depleted, he’s preparing for the possibility of going back.

    • Marcy Wheeler ☛ Four Years and Five Weeks

      First it was Macron, then Starmer, and now Zelenskyy. Yes, today's Oval Office meeting was about Ukraine, but it was much more than that.

    • CS Monitor ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man and Zelenskyy clash, clouding the path to peace in Ukraine

      A hoped-for deal between The Insurrectionist and Volodymyr Zelenskyy collapsed, with consequences for the future of Ukraine and of U.S. leadership.

    • CS Monitor ☛ Amid war’s ruins, a family grapples with young son’s hunger to learn

      Ukrainian families in front-line regions struggle daily to rebuild their lives amid the destruction of Russia’s invasion. Providing the electricity, phone, and internet needed for online schooling can be frustrating.

    • CS Monitor ☛ Here’s what a Convicted Felon-Zelenskyy minerals deal could mean for Ukraine – and the US

      As Hell Toupée aims to broker peace, a potential U.S. deal over mineral rights has implications for Ukraine’s security and U.S. posture in Europe.

    • New York Times ☛ Behind the Collision: Convicted Felon Jettisons Ukraine on His Way to a Larger Goal

      The president’s explosive Oval Office encounter reflected his determination to put aside alliances and commitments to principles in favor of raw great power negotiations.

    • New York Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man Sums Up His Zelensky Showdown: ‘This Is Going to Be Great Television’

      The ratings are never far from Hell Toupée’s mind.

    • New York Times ☛ European Leaders Rally Around Zelensky After Explosive Meeting With Convicted Felon

      The statements piled up on social control media, offering words of encouragement to the Ukrainian leader and his people.

    • New York Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man and Vance Scolded Ukraine’s Leader

      Also, measles cases are surging in West Texas. Here’s the latest at the end of Friday.

    • New York Times ☛ With a Letter From King Charles, Starmer Was Welcomed Into Convicted Felon’s Court

      The British prime minister, Keir Starmer, presented Hell Toupée with a royal invitation and scored several political wins. But his top goal — a security guarantee for Ukraine — remained elusive.

    • New York Times ☛ Flow of U.S. Weapons to Ukraine Has Nearly Stopped and May End Completely

      The Biden administration saw the $67 billion in military assistance it provided to Kyiv as essential. Convicted Felon sees any further aid as leverage.

    • New York Times ☛ Ukrainians Blindsided by Deal’s Breakdown and by Convicted Felon’s Actions

      Some said they felt the U.S. president was disrespectful and that they were proud of their leader for standing up to him.

    • New York Times ☛ Zelensky, Seeking a Diplomatic Victory With Convicted Felon, Leaves With a Debacle

      President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine had hoped to secure U.S. support in any cease-fire talks with Russia. Instead, his curdled relationship with Hell Toupée was revealed in the Oval Office.

    • New York Times ☛ Excerpts From the Fiery Exchange Between Convicted Felon and Zelensky at the White House

      During the Oval Office meeting, Hell Toupée told the Ukrainian leader: “You’re either going to make a deal or we’re out.”

    • Meduza ☛ A new documentary from Daniel Berger follows the family tragedies of two Kyrgyz men who died fighting in Ukraine in pursuit of Russian citizenship

    • Meduza ☛ Russia strikes energy infrastructure in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region in major assault — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ As Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine enters its fourth year, occupied cities in the Donetsk region lie in ruins — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ In latest White House bid to ‘normalize’ ties with Moscow, Defense Secretary Hegseth halts U.S. Cyber Command’s Russia planning — The Record — Meduza

    • Silicon Angle ☛ Report: Defense Secretary Hegseth orders Cyber Command to halt Russia planning

      U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the U.S. Cyber Command to halt “all planning against Russia,” The Record reported today. The cybersecurity publication cited three sources as saying that Hegseth issued the directive last week. It reportedly affects, among other activities, the planning of offensive cybersecurity operations.

    • LRT ☛ ‘Georgian struggle is part of Europe’s resistance to Russian imperialism’ – opinion

      Rasa Juknevičienė is a Lithuanian MEP and standing rapporteur for Georgia in the European Parliament.

    • The Straits Times ☛ China and Russia should strengthen coordination in international affairs, says President Xi

      Mr Pooh-tin said both countries will usher in "a series of significant agendas".

    • The Straits Times ☛ Russian divers found dead near popular Philippine resort

      One diver was found dead in the jaws of a shark.

    • Meduza ☛ Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman says Trump and Vance not ‘smacking this bastard Zelensky’ was a ‘miracle of restraint’ in heated Oval Office meeting — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Lead Russian negotiator welcomes Trump’s Oval Office argument with Zelensky. ‘Historic,’ says Kirill Dmitriev. — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Zelensky to meet with European leaders in London to discuss possible security guarantees — Meduza

    • New York Times ☛ Putin Is Ready to Carve Up the World. Convicted Felon Just Handed Him the Knife.

      The talks about Ukraine were never just about Ukraine.

    • The Straits Times ☛ North Korea says senior official met Russian President Putin: KCNA

      Mr Putin expressed his gratitude for North Korea’s active support of Russia.

    • Atlantic Council ☛ Putin uses NATO as an excuse for his war against Ukrainian statehood

      Vladimir Putin claims his invasion of Ukraine was provoked by NATO expansion but his efforts to eradicate Ukrainian identity in areas under Russian occupation and his insistence regarding Ukraine's complete disarmament reveal his ultimate goal of erasing Ukrainian statehood entirely, writes Peter Dickinson.

    • Kevin Burke ☛ Transcript of Oval Office meeting between Volodymyr Zelensky, JD Vance, and The Insurrectionist – February 28, 2025

      Source: CSPAN Transcript was generated using Proprietary Chaffbot Company Whisper and then cleaned up using Abusive Monopolist Microsoft Chaffbot o1 pro. All errors are mine. Volodymyr Zelensky: Do you, and now I’m talking with my friends in Poland, and they are worried that you align yourself too much with Putin.

    • Meduza ☛ Trump and Zelensky were supposed to sign a ‘big’ minerals deal. Here’s what’s in it for Washington — and for Ukraine. — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ ‘No war but class war!’ How a group of communists in Novosibirsk has leveraged Soviet nostalgia to speak out publicly against the invasion of Ukraine — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Trump and Zelensky exchange social media posts after Oval Office shouting match. Trump bars Ukrainian president from White House until he’s ‘ready for peace,’ while Zelensky thanks POTUS for visit. — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ U.S. State Department is ending support for rebuilding Ukraine’s energy grid — NBC News — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ In Fox News interview after Oval Office disaster, Zelensky thanks America repeatedly for support and stresses historical moment for U.S.-Ukrainian partnership — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ U.S.-Russia talks in Istanbul were ‘constructive,’ says State Department — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Is there any truth to talk of Western brands returning to Russia?

    • Meduza ☛ Russia says it proposed resuming direct flights with U.S. — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Russia says U.S. has approved its new nominee for ambassador to Washington — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Russian police make arrests at memorials on tenth anniversary of Boris Nemtsov’s murder — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Journalists report Russian state media correspondent was let into Trump-Zelensky press conference, but White House says he was removed — Meduza

• Environment

  • The Straits Times ☛ China missed key climate target in 2024: Official data

    The world’s biggest emitter is off-track on a key commitment under the Paris climate agreement.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ China missed key climate target last year, official data shows

    China missed a key climate target in 2024 and emissions in the world’s second-largest economy rose slightly as coal remained dominant despite record renewable additions, official data showed Friday. The figures mean the world’s biggest emitter is off-track on a key commitment under the Paris climate agreement, analysts said.

  • Energy/Transportation

    • France24 ☛ Huge protests, strikes paralyse Greece on train crash anniversary

      Tens of thousands of people gathered in Athens and other Greek cities to mark the second anniversary of the country's worst rail tragedy as strikes caused a general standstill. 57 people, mostly students, died on February 28, 2023 when a train from Athens to Thessaloniki carrying more than 350 passengers collided with a freight train near the central city of Larissa.

    • New York Times ☛ Strike Brings Greece to a Halt: No Trains, No Planes and Huge Protests

      Two years after the country’s deadliest rail disaster, many are still demanding greater safety and accountability.

    • The Straits Times ☛ S. Korea's new lithium battery rules on planes highlight growing risk for aviation

      From March 1, passengers on South Korean airlines should keep power banks on their person and not in overhead cabin bins

    • The Straits Times ☛ Passengers boarding flights in S. Korea must carry power banks, e-cigarettes on person from March 1

      Batteries above 160 watt-hours will be completely banned from being carried onto aircraft.

    • Science Alert ☛ Man Searching For Dumped £600 Million Bitcoin Drive Has Better Odds of Winning Lottery

      Here's the maths.

    • New York Times ☛ Under Convicted Felon, U.S. Dismantles Crypto Crackdown

      Going case by case, regulators have halted investigations and withdrawn or paused lawsuits against top crypto companies and their executives.

    • Atlantic Council ☛ How Merz can leverage Germany’s green transition for growth and security

      Cutting back on green policies would be an economic and strategic mistake. The incoming German government can either seize the momentum or let others lead the way.

    • New York Times ☛ Why China’s Xiaomi Can Make an Electric Car and Fashion Company Apple Can’t

      Xiaomi, which produces smartphones and consumer electronics, delivered 135,000 E.V.s last year after tapping China’s robust manufacturing supply chain.

  • Wildlife/Nature

    • The Straits Times ☛ Off leash: China’s pet industry shines in ailing economy

      Many Chinese people have a “natural love” for animals, one cat seller said.

    • Kev Quirk ☛ Worst Day Ever

      So it’s around 10pm; I get home, very angry at this point. I’m pottering round, tidying up, and I notice something looks weird in the aquarium in my office.

• Finance

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea’s industry minister seeks exemption from Convicted Felon’s tariffs

    South Korea and the US have also agreed to set up a working-level channel to discuss tariff-related issues.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ China to face added 10% tariff starting in March, US Hell Toupée says

    US President The Insurrectionist said Thursday he would impose an additional 10 percent tariff on Chinese imports while moving ahead with levies on Canada and Mexico next week, citing “unacceptable” drug smuggling.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China accuses US of fentanyl ‘blackmail’ after latest tariff threat

    Beijing has had “remarkable results” in its war on drugs, said a Foreign Ministry spokesman.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Treasury chief urges Canada, Mexico to match US tariffs on China as deadline looms

    The proposed tariffs by Mexico on China would reportedly focus on cars and auto parts.

  • Latvia ☛ Nordic Investment Bank loaned more than 4 billion euros in 2024

    In 2024, the Nordic Investment Bank (NIB) – in which Latvia is a shareholder – loaned EUR 4.4 billion (EUR 3.4 billion in 2023) it said in releasing its annual results February 28.

  • Federal News Network ☛ SSA wants to reduce workforce by 7,000 through VERA/VSIP

    The Social Security Administration is offering up to $25,000 to employees as part of a voluntary separation payment initiative to reduce its workforce.

• AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

  • France24 ☛ EU goes on charm offensive in India amid tensions with Convicted Felon

    EU officials have undertaken an "unprecedented" visit to India in the aftermath of US President The Insurrectionist saying the bloc was formed to "screw" the United States. On this week's Access Asia, we find out what both sides gained from the visit. Plus, North Korea opens its doors to Western tourists for the first time in years. Finally, we see how Chinese blockbuster "Ne Zha 2" has become the highest-grossing animated movie in history.

  • European Commission ☛ Speech by President von der Leyen: ‘The Consequential Partnership: Reimagining and realigning EU and India ties for today's world'

  • Pro Publica ☛ Mike Johnson is Living With an Evangelical Influence Seeker

    In 2021, Steve Berger, an evangelical pastor who has attacked the separation of church and state as “a delusional lie” and called multinational institutions “demonic,” set off on an ambitious project. His stated goal: minister to members of Congress so that what “they learn is then translated into policy.” His base of operations would be a six-bedroom, $3.7 million townhouse blocks from the U.S. Capitol.

    Recently, the pastor scored a remarkable coup for a political influence project that has until now managed to avoid public scrutiny. He got a new roommate.

  • Marcy Wheeler ☛ Fridays with Nicole Sandler

    This was an odd podcast, because Nicole and I went back and opened live to talk about Convicted Felon’s ambush of Zelenskyy. I’ll say more in coming days.

  • New Yorker ☛ Tim Walz Might Run for President in 2028 if You Ask Him Nicely

    Kamala Harris’s running mate describes losing in 2024, opposing The Insurrectionist now, and his future.

  • Marcy Wheeler ☛ Russ Vought Got His Trauma — But Not the Villains He Imagined

    Russ Vought set out to make people like Ryleigh Cooper villains. Thus far, firings of government workers around the country have instead made the functions of government visible, and cherished.

  • Federal News Network ☛ VA puts some Veterans Crisis Line hires on hold, as it considers putting remote jobs in office

    Many Veterans Crisis Line employees worked in the office pre-pandemic, but in most cases, they've been working remotely for years now.

  • JURIST ☛ Former Poland prime minister charged with abuse of power over 2020 mail-in election

    Former Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki was charged with abuse of power for his involvement in trying to organize a mail-in presidential election during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, according to Poland’s national news agency on Thursday.

  • Misinformation/Disinformation/Propaganda

    • France24 ☛ The Insurrectionist Jr. is heard praising Russia in AI-generated audio clip

      A fabricated audio clip is going viral on social control media, in which The Insurrectionist Jr. allegedly voices his support for Russia on his "Triggered with Don Jr." podcast. In the clip, US President The Insurrectionist's son appears to say that "the US should have sent weapons to Russia, not Ukraine".

• Censorship/Free Speech

  • New York Times ☛ Vietnamese Journalist Gets 2 ½ Years in Prison for Facebook (Farcebook) Posts

    The sentence for Truong Huy San, an influential reporter, was the latest crackdown on speech by Vietnam, a rising regional power.

• Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press

  • Press Gazette ☛ GB News losses since launch top £100m but 2024 revenue more than doubles [Ed: OK, so it's a growing pile of debt like Social Control Media]

    Advertising and digital revenues are major growth areas.

  • Press Gazette ☛ GB News wins Ofcom judicial review

    Ofcom to consult on updating the Broadcasting Code to make rules on politicians as presenters clearer.

  • Press Gazette ☛ News agencies boss slams £10 Telegraph picture rate as ‘a new low’

    New rate covers images sourced from social control media.

• Civil Rights/Policing

  • The Straits Times ☛ Thailand should be commended for deportation of 40 Uighurs to China: Thai DPM

    Thailand has received a torrent of international condemnation over its secretive deportation.    

  • The Straits Times ☛ US embassy issues security alert in Thailand after Uighurs’ deportation to China

    Analysts say Thailand's deportation of 100 Uighurs in July 2015 led to a deadly bombing a month later.

  • The Straits Times ☛ US, Australia condemn Thailand’s return of 40 Uighurs to China

    Rights groups and some Western governments accuse Beijing of widespread abuse of ethnic minority Uighurs.

  • New York Times ☛ South Korean Police Investigate Japanese Woman for Kissing BTS Star Jin

    ​The woman was accused of kissing him without his consent during an event the K-pop idol held in Seoul last year.

  • ‘I started to cry seeing the baby taken away’

    A Lao surrogate for Chinese parents gives rare insight into an illegal industry that continues to thrive.

  • JURIST ☛ ECHR rules inadequate Cyprus investigation of UK woman’s rape allegations violated right against torture

    The European Court of Human Rights ruled Thursday that the Cypriot authorities violated the right against torture and privacy rights of a British female victim by failing to conduct a proper investigation into her rape allegations.

    [...]

    Michael Polak, the representative of the victim, stated that the ruling is significant as it “reinforces the fundamental principle that allegations of sexual violence must be investigated thoroughly and fairly, without institutional obstruction.”

    The British victim was raped by approximately 12 men, at the age of 18, when visiting Ayia Napa in Cyprus in July 2019. The woman told local police about the rape the next day but ten days later retracted the allegation after hours of police questioning without a legal representative, claiming it was made under pressure. She received a suspended sentence for the conviction of “public mischief,” which was later overturned by the Supreme Court of Cyprus in 2022. At the same time, the alleged perpetrators, aged 18 to 20, were acquitted.

  • JURIST ☛ US judge denies bid to block terminations of DEI initiative-related intelligence officers

    A federal judge on Thursday denied a bid to block the firing of 11 employees of the CIA and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, who serve in offices related to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

  • New York Times ☛ More Women File Lawsuits Against Brothers Accused of Sex Crimes

    Tal Alexander and his brothers, Oren Alexander and Alon Alexander, who are twins, now face at least 24 civil lawsuits, as they await trial on federal sex-trafficking charges.

  • JURIST ☛ UN experts denounce Kyrgyzstan restrictions on freedom of religion or belief

    UN experts on Thursday denounced new legislation restricting freedom of religion or belief in Kyrgyzstan, urging authorities to ensure all legislation complies with domestic and international human rights standards.

  • JURIST ☛ Rights group urges Mozambique to investigate human rights violations amid ongoing post-election crackdown

    Amnesty International urged Mozambique’s Frelimo-led government on Thursday to launch investigations into the alleged severe human rights violations committed amid the ongoing post-election crackdown and ensure effective reparation to victims and survivors.

  • Pro Publica ☛ Watch: How This Mother Coped With Her Migrant Son Being Sent to Guantanamo

Monopolies/Monopsonies

• Patents

  • Unified Patents ☛ $6,000 awarded for Avant Location Technologies mobile station patents prior art

    Unified is pleased to announce PATROLL crowdsourcing contest winners below totaling $6,000 in cash prizes. The patents are owned by Avant Location Technologies LLC, an NPE and entity of Anjay Venture Partners LLC. The patents generally relate to methods for monitoring the presence of a mobile station.

  • Unified Patents ☛ $12,500 awarded for AutoConnect Holdings vehicle patents prior art

    Unified is pleased to announce PATROLL crowdsourcing contest winners below totaling $12,500 in cash prizes. The patents are owned by AutoConnect Holdings LLC, an NPE. The patents generally relate to vehicle ecosystems. These patents have been asserted against Ford and Toyota.

    We would also like to thank the dozens of other high-quality submissions that were made on these patents.

  • JUVE ☛ Lenovo and Kirkland take the win in UK interim licence dispute with Ericsson

    Lenovo is entitled to an interim licence in the global dispute over a cross-licence agreement with Ericsson concerning its 4G and 5G portfolios (case ID: CA-2024-002821). Lenovo had appealed against an unfavourable judgement at first instance.

  • Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ Ninth Circuit Rejects Patent Misuse Defense in Minimum Royalty Dispute, Setting Up Potential Supreme Court Review

    The vast majority of patent monopoly appeals are heard by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Such cases typically include at least one claim or compulsory counterclaim "arising under" U.S. patent monopoly laws. However, patent-related issues occasionally arise in contexts outside the Federal Circuit’s jurisdiction, notably in breach-of-license disputes involving patent monopoly misuse. One such case is the recent Ninth Circuit decision, C.R. Bard, Inc. v. Atrium Medical Corp., 112 F.4th 1182 (9th Cir. 2024).

  • Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ The USPTO’s Innovation Double Standard: Which Diversity Initiatives Survive

    I sometimes have difficulty following doublethink. The recent implementation of the Republican Administration's executive orders on diversity initiatives has created a nuanced and seemingly contradictory landscape in federal agencies, including the USPTO.

    In January 2025, the White House issued executive orders "Ending Radical And Wasteful Government DEI Programs And Preferencing" and "Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity." These orders were followed by a February 5, 2025 memorandum from the Office of Personnel Management providing additional guidance on implementation.

  • Kangaroo Courts

    • JUVE ☛ UPC further expands judiciary with new judge at Paris central division [Ed: UPC is illegal; another kangaroo in this unconstitutional construct merely means that corruption in the EU has spread from the EPO to more member states.]

      In its recently published budget for 2025, the UPC set out its plan to hire more judges this year. In its latest move, the court has announced the appointment of a new judge at the central division Paris.

• Trademarks

  • TTAB Blog ☛ TTAB Posts March 2025 Hearing Schedule

    The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (Tee-Tee-Ā-Bee) has scheduled only two (2!) oral hearings for the month of March 2025. Both will be held virtually. Briefs and other papers for each case may be found at TTABVUE via the links provided.