Leftovers

• The Straits Times ☛ Alamak! ‘Kaya toast’, ‘tapau’ and ‘nasi lemak’ added to Oxford English Dictionary

  They are among untranslatable words from Singapore and Malaysia that made it into the newest edition.

• New York Times ☛ The Nail Artist Mei Kawajiri’s Mind-Boggling Creations

  Mei Kawajiri hand-paints and sculpts custom designs for a clientele that includes Heidi Klum and Bad Bunny.

• University of Michigan ☛ Put art back into architecture

  On the Tuesday of this past spring break, I took a morning train to Chicago. I walked along the riverwalk to Lou Malnati’s and had a Chicago-style pizza, shopped in Water Tower Place and sat on Ohio Street Beach as the sun set, watching the city light up in the darkness.

• Ruben Schade ☛ Gentle rain outside

  I’m out on the balcony this morning, and some gentle rain has just started falling on the national park outside.

  I was knee-deep in reading about the new GNU/Linux container framework Incus, and now I find myself looking at the clouds, and listening to the pitter patter of the rain instead. My frustration with the baffling popularity of K8s is suddenly as distant as the fog enveloping those trees over there.

• Standards/Consortia

  • [Old] Chris Wellons ☛ Atom vs. RSS

    Not that it matters too much, but it’s unfortunate that RSS has sort of “won” this format war. Of the feeds that I follow, about 75% are RSS and 25% are Atom. That’s still a significant number of web feeds and Atom is well-supported by all the clients that I’m aware of, so it’s in no danger of falling out of use. The broken (but still valid) RSS feeds I’m come across probably wouldn’t be broken if they were originally created as Atom feeds. Atom is a stricter standard and, therefore, would have guided these authors to create their feeds correctly from the start. RSS encourages authors to do the wrong thing.

  • Google ☛ Project Zero: Blasting Past Webp

    WebP is a relatively modern image file format, first released in 2010. In reality WebP is actually two completely distinct image formats: a lossy format based on the VP8 video codec and a separate lossless format. The two formats share nothing apart from both using a RIFF container and the string WEBP for the first chunk name. From that point on (12 bytes into the file) they are completely different. The vulnerability is in the lossless format, with the RIFF chunk name VP8L.

• Science

  • Science Alert ☛ First-Ever Images of Neptune's Eerie Glow Finally Reveal Missing Aurora

    At last, we've completed the set.

  • Science Alert ☛ Scientists Discovered An Amazing Practical Use For World's Leftover Coffee Grounds

    We shouldn't throw them out.

  • Science Alert ☛ Chewing Gum Releases Hundreds of Microplastics In Your Mouth, Study Finds

    "I don't want to alarm people."

  • Science Alert ☛ Oral Cancer Cases Are on The Rise, And Sugary Drinks Could Be to Blame

    Is your daily soda deadly?

  • Science Alert ☛ Mysterious Giants May Be a Whole New Kind of Life That No Longer Exists

    It’s like nothing around today.

  • Science Alert ☛ IUCN Sounds Alarm as 411 Fungi Species Face Extinction

    The lifeblood of most plants on Earth.

  • Science Alert ☛ Giant 'Space Tornadoes' Discovered Raging in Milky Way's Turbulent Heart

    "Unlike any objects we know."

• Hardware

  • Hackaday ☛ Custom Slimline CD Player Hides Out Under Speaker

    In the era of digital streaming, the market is full of wireless speakers that will play content from your smartphone or pull it down from the Internet directly over WiFi. But if you’re feeling a bit nostalgic and want to throw on one of your old CDs, well, you might have a problem. That’s the situation [Chad Boughton] recently found himself in, so he decided to build a compact CD player that could discreetly connect up to his fancy Klipsch speaker.

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ Ex-Intel CEO Gelsinger warns TSMC's $165B investment will not restore U.S. semiconductor leadership

    Although TSMC will build an R&D facility in the U.S., its core R&D will remain in Taiwan, so the U.S. will keep following Taiwan even after TSMC builds out its Fab 21 site with six fab modules and two packaging facilities, says former CEO of Intel.

  • Hackaday ☛ Your Badminton Racket Needs Restringing? There’s A DIY Machine For That

    We don’t often get our badminton rackets restrung, but if we did, [kuokuo702]’s PicoBETH project would be where we’d turn. This is a neat machine build for a very niche application, but it’s also a nicely elaborated project with motors, load cells, and even a sweet knobby-patterned faceplate that is certainly worth a look even if you’re not doing your own restringing.

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ China's SiCarrier challenges U.S. and EU with full-spectrum of chipmaking equipment — Huawei-linked firm makes an impressive debut

    Huawei-linked Chinese startup has developed a nearly complete suite of semiconductor manufacturing tools to enable fully domestic chip production amid escalating export controls.

  • Hackaday ☛ Inside A Fake WiFi Repeater

    Over the years we have seen a lot of fake electronics, ranging from fake power saving devices that you plug into an outlet, to fake car ECU optimizers that you stick into the OBD port. These are all similar in that they fake functionality while happily lighting up a LED or two to indicate that they’re doing ‘something’. Less expected here was that we’d be seeing fake WiFi repeaters, but recently [Big Clive] got his hands on one and undertook the arduous task of reverse-engineering it.

  • Hackaday ☛ An Inexpensive Way To Break Down Plastic

    Plastic has been a revolutionary material over the past century, with an uncountable number of uses and an incredibly low price to boot. Unfortunately, this low cost has led to its use in many places where other materials might be better suited, and when this huge amount of material breaks down in the environment it can be incredibly persistent and harmful. This has led to many attempts to recycle it, and one of the more promising efforts recently came out of a lab at Northwestern University.

  • CNX Software ☛ emCraft SOM-NRF9151 – A Nordic Semi nRF9151 System-on-Module with LTE-M, NB-IoT, DECT NR+, and GNSS

    Better known for its GNU/Linux and uCLinux-powered system-on-modules, emCraft has just launched the SOM-NRF9151 system-on-module powered by a Nordic Semi nRF9151 Arm Cortex-M33 SiP (System-in-Package) with LTE-M, NB-IoT, and DECT NR+ connectivity, and GNSS functionality. The SoM also features a 16MB SPI flash, an nPMIC1300 for power management, a Nano SIM card slot, and a footprint for an eSIM.

  • Hackaday ☛ AqMood Is An Air Quality Monitor With An Attitude

    You take your air quality seriously, so shouldn’t your monitoring hardware? If you’re breathing in nasty VOCs or dust, surely a little blinking LED isn’t enough to express your displeasure with the current situation. Luckily, [Tobias Stanzel] has created the AqMood to provide us with some much-needed anthropomorphic environmental data collection.

• Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

  • Rlang ☛ FDA Compliance in Software Development: Cases Where Poor Software Quality Led to Costly FDA Rejections

    If you work in pharma, you know how much time and money go into drug development. The last thing you want is a painful FDA rejection, one that not only costs your company millions but also delays critical treatments for patients who need them.

  • New York Times ☛ For John Green, It’s Tuberculosis All the Way Down

    The best-selling author “got a little emotional” while talking with The Times about the world’s deadliest infectious disease. Listen to the conversation.

  • New York Times ☛ U.S. Health Agency Announced Job Cuts

    Also, Canada’s leader vowed to retaliate against U.S. auto tariffs. Here’s the latest at the end of Thursday.

  • New York Times ☛ Under Pressure, Psychology Accreditation Board Suspends Diversity Standards

    As the Convicted Felon administration threatens to strip accrediting bodies of their power, many are scrambling to purge diversity requirements.

  • New York Times ☛ RFK Jr. Turns to a Discredited Vaccine Researcher for Autism Study

    David Geier has been hired as a senior data analyst at H.H.S. According to several people, he will examine any potential links between vaccines and autism that were debunked long ago.

  • Federal News Network ☛ Health and Human Services will lay off 10,000 workers and close agencies in a major restructuring

    A Democratic senator says she's worried about the fallout from a major overhaul and layoffs at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington says it doesn't take a genius to understand “pushing out 20,000 workers at our preeminent health agencies won’t make Americans healthier.”

  • France24 ☛ French 'fromage' etiquette: Who cut the cheese?

    Have you ever felt stuck not knowing the right angle to cut Brie cheese, or been reprimanded for your incorrect slicing of camembert? In this edition of Entre Nous, we break down how to properly cut French cheese. In addition to "fromage" etiquette, we also discuss some other cheeseboard rules and practices. We also talk about why some '"fromages" are so smelly!

  • Federal News Network ☛ Modern Military Healthcare: Digital and integrated

    Integrating electronic health records, remote sensing, and artificial intelligence brings efficiency for both patients and providers.

• Proprietary

  • Yahoo News ☛ Microsoft Scales Back Data Center Leases Amid Oversupply and Shifting AI Demands [Ed: Because every bubble comes to an end]

    Microsoft (MSFT, Financials) backed away from U.S. and European data center projects totaling 2 gigawatts over the past six months, TD Cowen analysts said, attributing the move to excess infrastructure relative to current AI demand.

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI)

    • dwaves.de ☛ why is there more and more captchas: Hey Hi (AI) crawler DDoS like attack on entire internet?

  • Social Control Media

    • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ China rebuffs US Hell Toupée’s offer of tariff concessions if Beijing agrees Fentanylware (TikTok) deal

      China rebuffed on Thursday a suggestion from US President The Insurrectionist that he might offer to reduce tariffs on the country to get Beijing’s approval for the sale of popular social control media platform TikTok.

    • Digital Music News ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man May Offer China Lower Tariffs to Encourage a Fentanylware (TikTok) Deal as April 5th Deadline Fast Approaches

      Hell Toupée said he would be willing to lower tariffs on China to get the deal for TikTok’s U.S. operations complete. ByteDance has until April 5 to find a buyer for these operations—but Convicted Felon has also signaled that he’s willing to extend the deadline.

• Security

  • Integrity/Availability/Authenticity

    • Krebs On Security ☛ When Getting Phished Puts You in Mortal Danger

      Many successful phishing attacks result in a financial loss or malware infection. But falling for some phishing scams, like those currently targeting Russians searching online for organizations that are fighting the Kremlin war machine, can cost you your freedom or your life.

    • MIT Technology Review ☛ Inside a romance scam compound—and how people get tricked into being there

      Heading north in the dark, the only way Gavesh could try to track his progress through the Thai countryside was by watching the road signs zip by.

  • Privacy/Surveillance

    • Privacy International ☛ With Aid programmes in crisis, we risk more global surveillance

    • New York Times ☛ Facebook’s New Friends Tab Brings App Back to Its Roots

      A new Friends Tab will feature posts from a user’s friends and relatives, which was the original mission of the app.

  • Confidentiality

    • New York Times ☛ Judge Moves to Prevent Hegseth, Waltz and Others From Deleting Houthi Texts

      Judge James E. Boasberg said top officials, including the defense secretary, the national security adviser and the secretary of state, must preserve the messages they exchanged.

    • American Oversight ☛ Court Orders Convicted Felon Administration to Preserve Signal Messages in American Oversight Lawsuit

      The court granted a temporary restraining order to halt the deletion of critical national security communications and preserve Signal communications from March 11–15, 2025.

    • Federal News Network ☛ House Democrats want to know how often Cabinet officials use Signal

      In today's Federal Newscast, House Democrats are looking into whether Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem uses the Signal app for official business.

    • France24 ☛ Bipartisan group of US senators demand probe into Signal chat scandal

      A bipartisan group of top US senators called Thursday for a probe into why senior members of the Convicted Felon administration shared details of planned US air strikes in Yemen in a Signal chat group, which accidentally included a prominent journalist. The scandal 'raises questions as to the use of unclassified networks to discuss sensitive and classified information', the senators said.

• Defence/Aggression

  • France24 ☛ Egypt sees encouraging signs in Gaza ceasefire talks, sources say

    Israel sent positive signals to mediator Egypt over a potential renewed ceasefire agreement with Hamas in Gaza, security sources said on Thursday, after Israel renewed its offensive in the enclave at the fallout of the original truce on March 18.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Taiwan dismisses China complaint about navy ship, trawler collision

    Taiwan's defence minister on Friday dismissed China's complaints about a collision between a Taiwanese navy ship and Chinese trawler in the sensitive Taiwan Strait, saying Taipei will continue to carry out military exercises as needed.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Japan draws up plan to evacuate 120,000 Okinawa islanders near Taiwan

    Taiwan is viewed as a possible military flashpoint that could draw the US into conflict with China.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Taiwan sentences 4 soldiers for spying for China, 3 were from Presidential Office security

    The four received jail terms ranging from five years and 10 months to seven years.

  • The Strategist ☛ To counter China’s coercion of Taiwan, we must track it better

    The threat of a Chinese military invasion of Taiwan dominates global discussion about the Taiwan Strait.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Hong Kong police chief warns of online grooming as over 1,300 child sexual abuse cases recorded in past 2 years

    Hong Kong recorded a total of 1,359 child sexual abuse cases during the past two years, with 7 per cent of the cases linked to the internet, the city’s police have said.

  • The Straits Times ☛ US trade chief, Chinese Vice-Premier express ‘candid’ concerns on trade tensions

    The call came as US President The Insurrectionist prepares to impose reciprocal tariffs next week.

  • The Straits Times ☛ India-China issues expected but can be addressed without conflict, says India Foreign Minister

    The two countries reached an agreement in October regarding patrolling along their Himalayan border.

  • Atlantic Council ☛ Prioritizing access to critical minerals will require prioritizing Africa

    Access to critical minerals is an urgent national security issue. The United States must view investments in African energy, mineral, and mining—key to securing this access—with similar importance.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Myanmar rebel group allows export of rare earth inventories to China, sources say

    The Kachin Independence Arm will levy a tax of 35,000 yuan (S$6,460) a ton.

  • Vietnam expands island building in disputed waters

    China still leads the way in land reclamation in the South China Sea.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Beijing resumes criticism of Hong Kong’s CK Hutchison over Panama ports deal

    Beijing authorities kept up their pressure on CK Hutchison on Wednesday, resuming criticism of the Hong Kong conglomerate’s sale of its Panama Canal ports.

  • Breach Media ☛ ‘Deeply hypocritical’: Pierre Poilievre slammed ‘illegal border crossers,’ but his own relative crossed and stayed

    Anaida Poilievre’s uncle lived undocumented in Canada and received help from her and an MP. The Conservative leader has said such individuals should be ‘tracked down’ and ‘deported’

  • Atlantic Council ☛ Peru’s crime wave: A populist opening or a chance for reform?

    Solving Peru’s security crisis will require institutional reforms that combat political corruption and address the root causes of crime.

  • Mexico News Daily ☛ The US has sent a second warship to patrol off the coast of Mexico

    The U.S. continues dedicating increasing numbers of naval and other military assets to security on its border with Mexico.

  • Defence Web ☛ Gunners recover bakkie stolen from Limpopo village

    While not border protection as per the Operation Corona mandate, the actions of anti-aircraft gunners currently tasked with this duty who recovered an expensive bakkie stolen from a Madimbo village added considerably to the winning hearts and minds concept.

  • France24 ☛ Disaster planning: Brussels calls for EU households to prepare 72-hour survival kits

    The European Union is preparing for new security challenges, with Brussels advising households on Wednesday to stockpile three days’ worth of emergency supplies – including food, medicine and other essentials – as part of a strategy to help the bloc plan for natural disasters, cyberattacks, pandemics and armed conflict.

  • Atlantic Council ☛ Canada needs an economic statecraft strategy to address its vulnerabilities

    To address threats from Russia and China and reduce trade overdependence on the United States, Canada’s federal government will need to consolidate economic power and devise an economic statecraft strategy that will leverage Canada’s economic tools to mitigate economic threats and vulnerabilities.

  • New York Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man Targets WilmerHale, Citing Law Firm’s Connection to Robert Mueller

    Mr. Mueller, who worked at WilmerHale before retiring in 2021, had investigated the Convicted Felon campaign’s ties to Russian officials during the president’s first term.

  • JURIST ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man issues executive order accusing law firm of ‘partisan lawfare’

    US President The Insurrectionist on Tuesday issued an executive order targeting the law firm Jenner & Block, barring it from government contracts.

  • New York Times ☛ Houthis in Yemen Won’t Be Defeated by Airstrikes Alone, Experts Say

    U.S. officials seek to curb the militants’ attacks on ships in the Red Sea, but the group was not deterred by strikes in the Biden era and won’t be beaten by air power alone, experts say.

  • Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine

    • RFERL ☛ At Least 4 Russians Dead After Tourist Submarine Sinks In Egypt

      At least four people died after a tourist submarine sank off the coast Hurghada, Egypt on March 27.

    • The Straits Times ☛ North Korea sent 3,000 more soldiers to Russia in 2025: South Korea

      Pyongyang is still supplying missiles, artillery and ammunition to help Moscow fight Kyiv.

    • Meduza ☛ Russia and North Korea discuss possible visit by Kim Jong Un — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Number of foreigners obtaining Russian citizenship falls to five-year low — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Russian church unveils replica of pipe used in military raid

    • Meduza ☛ Russian court nationalizes oil company allegedly controlled by former Yukos shareholder

    • JURIST ☛ Poland suspends asylum for Belarus migrants

      Poland’s Council of Ministers adopted a regulation on Thursday suspending the right to asylum applications for migrants arriving from Belarus. The regulation will implement a 60-day restriction on the right to asylum on the border with Belarus. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced that the regulation will come into force immediately.

    • RFERL ☛ Search Continues As NATO Walks Back Remarks On US Troop Deaths In Lithuania

      Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene has said there is "no confirmation" that four US soldiers who went missing in Lithuania during a military training exercise have died.

    • New York Times ☛ Recovering 4 Soldiers From Lithuanian Swamp Is ‘Incredibly Complex,’ Army Says

      The soldiers were on a training mission Tuesday when their heavy vehicle sank in a swamp in eastern Lithuania, near the border with Belarus, the Army said.

    • Meduza ☛ A report by journalist Shura Burtin on the growing war weariness among Ukrainians

    • New York Times ☛ Europeans Vow to Stand by Ukraine, but Disagree Over Force Proposal

      After a “coalition of the willing” gathering in Paris, President Emmanuel Macron insisted that a “reassurance force” of European troops after the war ends was still on the table. But details remained scarce.

    • New York Times ☛ Drones, Mines and Snipers: Ukraine’s Front Line Is a World Away from Peace Talks

      For soldiers and commanders on the edge of battle, any talk about a lasting cease-fire still feels like a dangerous fantasy.

    • CS Monitor ☛ Can Europe confront Russia without US help? Not yet, but it may have to.

      Facing American indifference to European security, Germany has launched a major rearmament drive. But without U.S. help, can Europe defend itself?

    • The Straits Times ☛ Australia pours billions into missile procurement amidst global shortages

      The Ukraine war and increased European defence spending are likely to slow Australia's plans to develop its own missile components' capability as it pushes ahead with a multibillion-dollar effort to acquire long-range strike missiles.

    • RFERL ☛ Zelenskyy, Macron Call for Unconditional Cease-Fire As Russia Tables Demands

      French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy say Russia should accept a US-brokered cease-fire with no preconditions.

    • RFERL ☛ Macron Pushes Forward With Reassurance Force Plans For Ukraine Following Summit

      Leaders from more than 30 countries met in Paris for talks about to how to firm up Ukraine's position on and off the battlefield as they promised new aid and considered proposals about how to deploy European forces in the country to compliment a future peace deal.

    • LRT ☛ Lithuanian president off to Paris for Ukraine ‘coalition of the willing’

      Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda will attend a meeting of the “coalition of the willing” in Paris on Thursday, the president’s office said.

    • LRT ☛ Lithuanian president urges ‘coalition of the willing’ to speed up military aid to Ukraine

      Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda has called on the so-called “coalition of the willing” to accelerate the delivery of military support to Ukraine, his office said.

    • France24 ☛ Would be a 'mistake' for Europe to give in to Russia's demands by lifting sanctions on energy sector

      European leaders reaffirmed their long-term support for Ukraine during a summit in Paris on Thursday but appeared to make little progress on what role they might play in providing security guarantees if a peace deal is struck with Moscow. For in-depth analysis and a deeper perspective, FRANCE 24's Delano D'Souza welcomes Dafydd Townley, Author, Teaching Fellow in International Security at University of Portsmouth.

    • France24 ☛ Zelensky slams 'dangerous signals' on lifting Russia sanctions

      Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday criticised "dangerous signals" on the possibility of lifting sanctions on Russia imposed over its invasion of Ukraine. "The signals that we have heard from Saudi Arabia or from that direction about sanctions, about the possible lifting... These are very dangerous signals," Zelensky said at a press conference after a summit of Kyiv's backers in Paris. FRANCE 24's Andrew Hilliar reports.

    • France24 ☛ FRANCE 24 Exclusive - 'When leaders talk about a ceasefire, soldiers don't believe it at all'

      As diplomatic efforts continue on how to bring an end to the war in Ukraine, the deadly conflict is still in full swing on the ground. Limited ceasefire measures negotiated so far relate to energy infrastructure and the shipping route in the Black Sea. But along the frontline fierce fighting is continuing, with Russian and Ukrainian troops engaged in drone and artillery battles. Our reporters filmed with an artillery unit near the frontline towards Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine.

    • France24 ☛ Nutrition for Growth Summit aims at tackling malnutrition

      The importance of eating well and regularly has been underscored here in Paris at a special nutrition summit. After trying to solve the security issues of Ukraine, French president Emmanuel Macron atttended the event. The Rockefeller Foundation donated 100 million dollars to help provide school meals across the world. The scheme is called Nutrition for Growth or N4G. We speak to Rockefeller Foundation Executive Vice President Liz Yee.

    • Atlantic Council ☛ Sanctions will remain an essential tool to deter future Russian aggression

      Ukraine needs security guarantees to prevent a renewal of Russia's invasion following any peace deal, but the threat of severe sanctions can also help deter the Kremlin from further military aggression, writes Ilona Khmeleva.

    • Atlantic Council ☛ UN report: Russia is guilty of crimes against humanity in occupied Ukraine

      A new United Nations report has concluded that Russia is guilty of committing crimes against humanity in the occupied regions of Ukraine, writes Peter Dickinson.

    • European Commission ☛ Doorsteps by President von der Leyen following the meeting on peace and security for Ukraine

      European Commission Statement Paris, 27 Mar 2025 We had a very good meeting of the Coalition of the Willing. The Coalition of the Willing has gotten bigger, stronger and very determined.

    • Security Week ☛ Russian Espionage Group Using Ransomware in Attacks

      Russian-speaking espionage group RedCurl has been deploying ransomware on victims’ networks in a recent campaign.

    • Meduza ☛ Zelensky calls Kremlin leadership ‘dinosaurs who want to eat us’ — Meduza

    • LRT ☛ Lithuania’s new intelligence chief to focus on developing capabilities abroad

      Remigijus Bridikis, who has been nominated to head Lithuania’s intelligence agency, the State Security Department (VSD), says he sees efforts to develop foreign intelligence capabilities as his main goal in the post.

    • France24 ☛ CLONE - Europe in combat mode? Paris summit redraws Ukraine plans without Washington

      If Europeans didn’t get the memo in Munich when JD Vance preferred a meeting with the pro-Putin far-right leader Alice Weidel to one with Germany’s chancellor Olaf Scholz… then they’re cordially invited to read what he says in private about an old continent populated by freeloaders.

      If Signalgate’s still not enough… then how about a sitting vice-president announcing an uninvited visit to Greenland?

    • France24 ☛ Europe in combat mode? Paris summit redraws Ukraine plans without Washington

      If Europeans didn’t get the memo in Munich when JD Vance preferred a meeting with the pro-Putin far-right leader Alice Weidel to one with Germany’s chancellor Olaf Scholz… then they’re cordially invited to read what he says in private about an old continent populated by freeloaders.

    • RFERL ☛ Putin Suggests Temporary Administration For Ukraine To Move Toward Ending War

      Russian President Vladimir Putin has suggested Ukraine could be placed under a form of temporary international administration in Ukraine to allow for elections and the signing of key accords.

    • Meduza ☛ Putin proposes placing Ukraine’s government under U.N.-led temporary administration

    • Meduza ☛ Kadyrov–Putin relations reportedly sour over unsanctioned talks with Middle Eastern countries

• Environment

  • Energy/Transportation

    • The Straits Times ☛ AirAsia flight to China turns back due to engine issue, lands safely

      All 171 passengers and crew members were unharmed.

    • Ruben Schade ☛ Gaining faster US airport entry

      The Australian Associated Press reported, via SBS News:

      A program allowing expedited clearance upon arrival in the United States will be expanded to include Australian passengers, after laws passed federal parliament.

      The US Global Entry Program allows travellers to get faster entry to America at airports with less paperwork and shorter queues.

    • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea plans emergency response over US auto tariffs

      Parts suppliers are expected to be hit particularly hard.

    • France24 ☛ Inroads: How China's BYD overtook Tesla as the global leader in electric cars

      China’s BYD automaker surpassed US rival Tesla for the first time in 2024 to become the world's leading manufacturer of electric cars, an achievement that exceeded even the expectations of the brand’s CEO Wang Chuanfu, who predicted it would outsell its fiercest competitor sometime this year. For MElon, it’s a hard pill to swallow.

  • Wildlife/Nature

    • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea hopes to use break in weather to contain deadly wildfires

      Light rain fell in some parts of the regions on March 27 and had offered “a little help”.

    • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea battles worst ever wildfires as death toll hits 27

      More than 33,000ha has been charred or were still burning, biggest on record.

    • The Straits Times ☛ South Koreans mourn historic temple burned down by wildfire, race to save others

      At least 1,566 relics were moved from major temples and old family homes in the area.

    • New York Times ☛ South Korea Wildfires Raze Ancient Temples, Force Evacuations

      The country’s largest blaze on record has left 27 dead and destroyed heritage sites, including two 1,000-year-old temples.

• AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

  • France24 ☛ If Sarkozy were to be convicted and imprisoned, 'it would have huge political repercussions'

    French prosecutors on Thursday requested a seven-year jail sentence and a 300,000-euro fine for French ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy for allegedly taking millions of euros from late Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddafi to help his 2007 election campaign. Sarkozy has been on trial since January on charges of "concealing the embezzlement of public funds, passive corruption, illegal campaign financing and criminal conspiracy with a view to committing a crime". For in-depth analysis and a deeper perspective, FRANCE 24's François Picard welcomes Philippe Moreau-Chevrolet, Professor of Political Communication at Sciences Po, Chairman of MCBG Conseil and Senior Partner at Iconic.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Boao Forum: China Vice-Premier urges Asian leaders to resist protectionism

    Mr Ding Xuexiang called for increased global cooperation, in a thinly veiled critique aimed at the US.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China, France to hold high-level strategic and economic dialogues in 2025

    The meeting follows US leader The Insurrectionist's talks of imposing tariffs on global trading partners.

  • The Straits Times ☛ S’pore can connect global talent to solve challenges facing mankind: DPM Heng

    He was speaking at a forum in Beijing, during his four-day working visit to China.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China is open for business, Vice-Premier Ding tells Boao forum as trade war mounts

    He highlighted opportunities for companies and pledged to foster a more pro-business environment.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China’s economy tsar invites EU trade chief to jointly resist tariff threats

    China is willing to work with the European Union to resist protectionism, the country's economy tsar told the bloc's trade chief, in an invitation to join forces in pushing back against mounting threats of trade tariffs from the United States.

  • JURIST ☛ Former Federal Trade Commission officials sue Convicted Felon over dismissal

    Two former Federal Trade Commission (FTC) officials filed a lawsuit Thursday against US President The Insurrectionist seeking to challenge their dismissal as commissioners from the FTC.

  • Scoop News Group ☛ Democratic FTC Commissioners file lawsuit against Convicted Felon over attempted firings

    The lawsuit asks the court to declare the president’s actions unlawful and affirm Bedoya and Slaughter’s statutory rights to serve out the remainder of their seven-year terms.

  • New York Times ☛ Democrats Fired from F.T.C. Sue Hell Toupée Over Dismissals

    Rebecca Kelly Slaughter and Alvaro Bedoya, who were fired from the agency this month, accused Hell Toupée in a lawsuit of executive overreach.

  • New York Times ☛ F.B.I. Agents in Southeast Asia Used Prostitutes, Watchdog Says

    The conduct took place over several years even as employees were training to combat human trafficking, according to a document released to The Times in a lawsuit.

  • Federal News Network ☛ Justice Department eyes combining ATF and DEA as part of broad restructuring

  • Federal News Network ☛ Cyber leaders seek to demonstrate ‘ROI’ in face of DOGE cuts

    The DOGE impact on federal cyber spending remains to be seen, but cyber program leaders are hoping to avoid any major cuts by emphasizing the ROI.

  • New Yorker ☛ Joe Rogan, Hasan Piker, and the Art of the Hang

    New forms of media that invite intense parasociality are capturing the attention of young men. What does it portend for our politics?

• Censorship/Free Speech

  • BIA Net ☛ YouTube broadcaster İlker Canikligil arrested over call for 'Order 66' targeting Erdoğan supporters

    Canikligil came under fire after recounting his dialogue with a taxi driver who supports the president.

• Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press

  • Press Gazette ☛ King pays tribute to UK local media at lavish Buckingham Palace reception [Ed: Also created a SLAPP machine to attack that very same media, under the "Royal" or "Crown" brand]

    Some 400 local news journalists joined the King and Queen for drinks.

  • Radio Free Asia files lawsuit against US administration to restore funding

    RFA’s federal grant was terminated on March 15 putting in doubt its future reporting on China [...]

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Hong Kong security chief slams Ming Pao for defending reporter who asked why official’s trip was not announced

    Hong Kong’s security chief has again slammed Ming Pao after the newspaper ran an editorial defending a reporter who asked the official why his trip to Thailand earlier this month went unannounced.

  • New Yorker ☛ Will Convicted Felon’s Gulf of America Power Trip Break the White House Press Corps?

    The Associated Press had its day in court on Thursday, but free speech in this Presidency is already a big loser.

• Civil Rights/Policing

  • University of Michigan ☛ UMich announces cuts to all DEI programs

    This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available. The University of Michigan announced cuts to campus-wide diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives Thursday, effective immediately.

  • France24 ☛ Hunger and malnutrition: The cost of inaction

    The fight against malnutrition, the world's leading cause of infant mortality, was chronically underfunded even before the US halted its funding for humanitarian aid and development. As Paris hosts the Nutrition for Growth summit this week, we look at how healthy eating isn't just a developmental issue but also an economic one. Every dollar invested in nutrition generates a return of 23 dollars, while malnutrition can cost up to tens of billions of dollars to the economy. So why is hunger and malnutrition still an issue today and how do we generate the political will to fix this problem? Charles Pellegrin talks to Joel Spicer, founder and CEO of Nutrition International and Cleo Kawawaki of the Asian Development Bank.

  • Federal News Network ☛ Something new on the health care front for military service members

    For the first time ever, uniformed military service members have access to a health care benefit that's long been available to civilian federal employees.

  • JURIST ☛ South Korea admits to human rights violations through mass intercountry adoptions

    The South Korean government’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission admitted on Wednesday that the government had violated fundamental human rights in the intercountry adoption process due to a lack of a proper legislative framework, oversight, and adherence to administrative procedures.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ 2019 Yuen Long attack: Ex-Hong Kong bank exec. files appeal against rioting conviction, jail term

    A former Hong Kong bank executive has launched an appeal against his guilty conviction and 31-month jail sentence for rioting during the Yuen Long mob attack in 2019. Jason Chan, a 42-year-old former vice president at Deutsche Bank, was among seven men found guilty by District Judge Stanley Chan last December and jailed last month.

  • Pro Publica ☛ Texas GOP Lawmakers Propose Amending Abortion Ban

  • Pro Publica ☛ What Rural Universities Stand to Lose Under Trump’s DEI, Higher Education Cuts

    I grew up off a gravel road near a town of 60 people, a place where cows outnumber people.

    Southern Illinois University, just 40 miles north, opened up my world. I saw my first concerts here, debated big ideas in giant lecture halls and shared dorms with people who looked like no one I’d ever met. Two of my most influential professors came from opposite ends of the political spectrum.

  • Pro Publica ☛ A New Utah Law Targets Life Coaches Who Offer Unlicensed Therapy

    Utah legislators this session took aim at life coaches who harm their clients’ mental health, but the law that the governor signed Wednesday stops short of prescribing minimum standards or ethical guidelines for the burgeoning profession.

    Anyone can call themselves a life coach, which, unlike being a mental health therapist, does not require any kind of education, training or license.

  • Pro Publica ☛ Alaska Supreme Court Places New Limits on Pretrial Delays

    Alaska’s Supreme Court has placed new limits on how long criminal cases can be postponed, part of an effort to reduce the time many criminal defendants wait to face trial in the state.

    The court’s order, which takes effect May 12, directs state judges to allow no more than 270 days of new delays for criminal cases filed in 2022 or before. Court system data shows that about 800 active cases fall into that category, making each one more than 800 days old and counting.

• Internet Policy/Net Neutrality

  • APNIC ☛ JPNIC RPKI guidelines released

    Enhancing Internet routing security with ROA and ROV.

  • Digital Music News ☛ YouTube Shorts Changes the Way It Counts ‘Views’ — But No Changes to Monetization

    YouTube Shorts will change the way it counts ‘views’ to match industry standards starting March 31. This change will have no impact on monetization. Beginning on March 31, YouTube will change how it counts views on Shorts to align with industry standards.

  • Public Knowledge ☛ The People’s Party | April 3 [Ed: People’s Party or Microsoft lobbying in "NGO" clothing?]

    Are you tired of legal jargon and endless filings? Let’s unwind and talk antitrust over drinks! Join us for a lively happy hour at the Crown & Crow on Thursday, April 3rd, at 6:30 PM.

Monopolies/Monopsonies

• Patents

  • Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ Federal Circuit Redefines Prior Art Requirements Under § 102(e)/102(a)(2): In re Riggs

    In a significant decision, the Federal Circuit has established a more rigorous test for determining when a published patent monopoly application claiming priority to a provisional application can be considered prior art as of its provisional filing date.  In re Riggs, Case No. 2022-1945 (Fed. Cir. Mar. 24, 2025).   The case is decided under pre-AIA 102(e), and so it is not entirely clear whether the same law applies post-AIA.

  • Kluwer Patent Blog ☛ The approach to the assessment of inventive step of antibodies at the EPO – is there an artificial barrier and should it be broken?

    On 9 January 2025 I reported on Parts 1 and 2 of a three-part article in EPI Information by Tamaris Bucher, a Principal Patent Attorney at Novartis Pharma AG, on the current approach to antibody patents at the EPO.

  • Unified Patents ☛ AutoNavigare mobile app control patent monopoly challenge instituted

    On March 27, 2025, two months after Unified filed an ex parte reexamination, the Central Reexamination Unit (CRU) granted Unified’s request, finding substantial new questions of patentability on the challenged claims of U.S. Patent 9,288,665, owned and asserted by AutoNavigare, LLC. The ‘665 patent monopoly relates to controlling applications on a mobile device, such as a mobile phone, using an in-vehicle control system.

  • JUVE ☛ Herbert Smith Freehills boosts practice with tech litigator from EIP [Ed: Marketing spam disguised as "news"]

    Florian Schmidt-Bogatzky (53) was previously a partner in the German practice of mixed IP boutique EIP, which focuses heavily on patent monopoly litigation in the mobile communications sector, particularly regarding SEP and FRAND.

  • Kangaroo Courts

    • EPO Patent Index 2024 Shows Increase in Computer Technology Inventions, Unitary Patent Requests [Ed: Many Unitary Patents are basically illegal software patents, EPO keeps breaking the law with impunity]

      On Tuesday, the European Patent Office (EPO) published the Patent Index 2024, the latest edition of the EU patent monopoly agency’s annual snapshot into global innovation through the lens of European patent monopoly application filings. The EPO’s report shows that total patent monopoly filings into the EU remained at recent highs with demand for newly established patents with unitary effect outpacing expectations thus far into the short life of the unitary patent monopoly system.

    • JUVE ☛ UPC infringement case can resume after EPO upholds 10x Genomics patent [Ed: This is an illegal and unconstitutional court whose very existence does enormous damage to the EU's credibility. The patent law profession is itself becoming an illegality.]

      EP 4 108 782 is one of the patents-in-suit in 10x Genomics’ high-profile UPC battle with NanoString. The patent monopoly belongs to Harvard University and protects a spatial profiling technology. 10X Genomics is exclusive licensee.

• Trademarks

  • TTAB Blog ☛ TTABlog Test: Are Sexual Arousal Supplements Related to Hair Care Products Under Section 2(d)?

    The USPTO refused to register the mark MIM, in standard character form, for (inter alia) "supplements for sexual health and enhancing sexual arousal," finding confusion likely with the registered mark shown below, for hair care preparations. The marks are close enough to be confusable, but what about the goods? Are they related? In re UTI Guard, LLC, Serial No. 97295184 (March 25, 2025) [not precedential] (Opinion by Judge Mark A. Thurmon).

• Copyrights

  • Digital Music News ☛ Dua Lipa Beats Years-Old ‘Levitating’ Infringement Suit — Judge Says Certain Musical Elements ‘Cannot Possibly Be Protectable’

    A federal judge has put an end to a long-running copyright monopoly case against Dua Lipa, finding that she didn’t infringe on a pair of decades-old tracks to create “Levitating.” Judge Katherine Failla closed the suit today by granting Dua Lipa’s motion for summary judgement.

  • Digital Music News ☛ Drake Prepares Updated Universal Music Lawsuit — Both Sides Say ‘Settlement Discussions Would Not Be Productive’

    Let the Drake v. Universal Music Group (UMG) showdown continue: The rapper and his team are preparing to submit an amended lawsuit against the major label. Drake and his counsel told the court as much in a brief notice yesterday.

  • Digital Music News ☛ Another Hit, Another Writ — Tyla and Her Producer Sued Over Smash ‘Water’

    Tyla and producer Sammy Soso are being sued in California over the former’s hit single, “Water.” Sony Music is also listed as a co-defendant. South African superstar Tyla and producer Sammy Soso are facing a lawsuit in California over her Grammy-winning hit, “Water.”