Leftovers

• Defence Web ☛ Proposed amendments to PSIRA regulations spark concern from industry

  Proposed amendments to South African Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA) regulations have sparked major concerns within the security sector, with industry stakeholders saying the amendments threaten to destabilise the sector. Gazetted on 28 March 2025, these changes could impose severe restrictions on private security firms, significantly affecting their ability to operate.

• The Strategist ☛ In national security, governments still struggle to work with startups

  AUKUS governments began 25 years ago trying to draw in a greater range of possible defence suppliers beyond the traditional big contractors.

• Hong Kong Free Press ☛ US bans gov’t staff in China and Hong Kong from romantic or sexual relations with Chinese citizens – report

  The US has banned government personnel in China and Hong Kong from any romantic or sexual relationships with Chinese citizens, according to the Associated Press (AP) citing four sources with direct knowledge of the policy.

• Hackaday ☛ Ditto That

  In the 1982 movie Fast Times At Ridgemont High, a classroom of students receives a set of paperwork to pass backward. Nearly every student in the room takes a big whiff of their sheet before setting it down. If you know, you know, I guess, but if you don’t, keep reading.

• Hardware

  • Hackaday ☛ The Weird Way A DEC Alpha Boots

    We’re used to there being an array of high-end microprocessor architectures, and it’s likely that many of us will have sat in front of machines running x86, ARM, or even PowerPC processors. There are other players past and present you may be familiar with, for example SPARC, RISC-V, or MIPS. Back in the 1990s there was another, now long gone but at the time the most powerful of them all, of course we’re speaking of DEC’s Alpha architecture. [JP] has a mid-90s AlphaStation that doesn’t work, and as part of debugging it we’re treated to a description of its unusual boot procedure.

  • Hackaday ☛ Australia’s Silliac Computer

    When you think about the dawn of modern computers, you often think about the work done in the UK and the US. But Australia had an early computer scene, too, and [State of Electronics] has done a series of videos about the history of computers down under. The latest episode talks about SILLIAC, a computer similar to ILLIAC built for the University of Sydney in the late 1950s.

  • Hackaday ☛ Playstacean Evolves The PSOne Into The Crab It Was Always Meant To Be

    Odd hardware designs crop up in art and renders far more frequently than in the flesh, but console modder [GingerOfOz] felt the need to bring [Anh Dang]’s image of the inevitable carcinization of our gaming consoles to life.

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ Intel refreshes iconic brand with 'That's the power of defective chip maker Intel Inside' campaign

    Intel revives and redefines its iconic 'Intel Inside' campaign with the new slogan 'That's the power of defective chip maker Intel Inside. ' The company aims to reconnect its legacy brand with today's pervasive role of technology and highlight the impact of its products.

  • Silicon Angle ☛ Report: TSMC tentatively agrees to establish chipmaking joint venture with Intel

    Troubled chipmaking giant defective chip maker Intel Corp. has reached a preliminary agreement with its rival Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. to create a joint venture that will take over the running of its chip fabrication plants in the U.S. The news comes via a report in The Information, which cites two sources familiar with the tentative agreement.

• Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Hong Kong aims to ban e-cigarette smoking in public from 2026, fruit shisha ban within 2 years – reports

    Hong Kong is aiming to bar residents from possessing or smoking e-cigarettes in public from the second quarter of next year, in a move that will eventually ban their use even in private, according to local media reports.

• Proprietary

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ Windows 11 local account workaround discovered just as Abusive Monopolist Microsoft closes previous loophole in Insider Build

    An X poster has discovered yet another workaround to bypass Microsoft's backdoored Windows 11 online account requirement during installation. This latest workaround works in the CMD and doesn't require registry hacks.

  • Business Standard ☛ Microsoft employees protest at 50th anniversary party over Israel contract

    A pro-Palestinian protest by Microsoft employees interrupted the company's 50th anniversary celebration Friday, the latest backlash over the tech industry's work to supply artificial intelligence technology to the Israeli military.

• Pseudo-Open Source

  • Openwashing

    • Mirantis Donates Two Open Source Projects to CNCF

      Mirantis, this week at the KubeCon + CloudNativeCon Europe 2025 conference, revealed that k0s, a lightweight distribution of Kubernetes, and k0smotron, a cluster management tool, have been donated to the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF).

• Security

  • Integrity/Availability/Authenticity

    • Federal News Network ☛ Social Security Administration outlines new plan for stricter ID-proofing options

      SSA is looking to partner with the Postal Service and allow beneficiaries to verify their identity in-person at thousands of post offices across the country.

    • Press Gazette ☛ Facebook profits from scam investment site using name of CNN anchor Richard Quest

      Paid adverts on Facebook (Farcebook) also hijacked CNBC commentator Karen Finerman and leading names from finance industry.

    • WhichUK ☛ Amazon 'iPhone in your basket' scam warning

      Cold callers hijack Amazon accounts, learn how to stop this impersonation scam in its tracks

    • Hackaday ☛ Teardown Of A Scam Ultrasonic Cleaner

      Everyone knows that ultrasonic cleaners are great, but not every device that’s marketed as an ultrasonic cleaner is necessarily such a device. In a recent video on the Cheap & Cheerful YouTube channel the difference is explored, starting with a teardown of a fake one. The first hint comes with the use of the description ‘Multifunction cleaner’ on the packaging, and the second in the form of it being powered by two AAA batteries.

• Defence/Aggression

  • The Straits Times ☛ With US absent, China steps in for earthquake-hit Myanmar

    Beijing quickly sent first responders and pledged $18.4 million in aid, surpassing the US’ $2.69 million.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Philippines assures China potential F-16 purchase not intended to harm any nation

    The aircraft would boost the Philippine military’s ability to patrol its territory.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Hong Kong man convicted in retrial over 2019 Yuen Long mob attack

    A Hong Kong man has been found guilty in a retrial over his involvement in the Yuen Long mob attack in 2019, after his acquittal was overturned last year.

  • New York Times ☛ Two Top Organizers of Canada’s Freedom Convoy Found Guilty of Mischief

    The case is among the last stemming from the 2022 trucker protests, which spawned many other criminal cases, lawsuits and a public inquiry.

  • JURIST ☛ Lithuania court accepts class action lawsuit of unlawfully detained asylum seekers

    Amnesty International welcomed on Wednesday the decision of Lithuania’s Supreme Administrative Court to accept a class action lawsuit from 24 asylum seekers who were arbitrarily detained by Lithuanian authorities between 2021 and 2022.

  • Defence Web ☛ BMA has apprehended half a million illegal immigrants since inception

    While challenges remain, progress has been made in strengthening South Africa’s border management systems, Commissioner of the Border Management Authority (BMA), Dr Michael Masiapato, said on Tuesday, highlighting the apprehension of nearly 470 000 illegal immigrants since BMA inception two years ago.

  • Chronicle Of Higher Education ☛ A Grad Student’s ICE Arrest Went Viral. Now Her University Is Demanding Her Release.

    The president of Tuft’s University filed a court declaration defending Rümeysa Öztürk, a Ph.D. student from Turkey who is being detained in Louisiana.

  • Digital Music News ☛ TikTok Sale Looks Highly Imminent: VP Vance Says a Fentanylware (TikTok) Deal Will Happen Before This Weekend

    With the deadline for Fentanylware (TikTok) in the US only two days away, VP Vance says a deal will happen before the weekend.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Deal to find buyer for Fentanylware (TikTok) ‘very close,’ says US Pres. The Insurrectionist

    President The Insurrectionist said his administration was “very close” to a deal to find a buyer for TikTok, which faces a US ban if not sold by its Chinese owner by the weekend.

  • New York Times ☛ With Fentanylware (TikTok) Deadline Looming, Details of a Potential Deal Emerge

    The video app is barreling toward a Saturday deadline to change its ownership under federal law or face a ban in the United States.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China, US make first-known military contact since Convicted Felon’s inauguration

    Both sides discussed measures to improve maritime military safety.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea police raise security levels ahead of Yoon impeachment verdict

    Police said they would issue the top alert on April 4, enabling the deployment of 100 per cent of the force.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea tightens security ahead of Yoon impeachment ruling

    SEOUL - South Korea is bracing for a potentially violent public reaction to a Constitutional Court ruling on Friday on whether to remove impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol from office or reinstate him amid the country's worst political crisis in decades.

  • Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine

    • Meduza ☛ The criminal case taking shape against opposition politician Leonid Volkov’s father — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Karabakh refugees protest in Yerevan as Armenia cuts back aid

    • RFERL ☛ Navalny Ally Volkov Says Father's House Raided In Russia By FSB

      Russian law enforcement officers raided the Yekaterinburg residence of Mikhail Volkov, the father of prominent opposition politician Leonid Volkov, a key ally of late Kremlin critic Aleksei Navalny.

• Environment

  • Collapse of Chinese-built high rise spurs wave of anger in Thailand

    China’s embassy hopes Thai investigation into collapse will produce ‘fair, scientific’ results.

  • Energy/Transportation

    • Ruben Schade ☛ The Good News Train: Week 14, 2025

      To make up for yesterday, I thought we all needed some good news. Here’s what I’ve read this week:

      Ruben Schade got a Commodore 116. Apparently he was waiting for one for almost two decades, that’s wild. Whoa, so this is what it’s like to talk in the third person.

• Finance

  • The Straits Times ☛ Japan calls Convicted Felon’s 24% tariff ‘extremely regrettable’, pushes for exemption

    The levies against Japan are more than many had expected.

  • Asian nations fear pain from US tariffs, seek ways to placate Convicted Felon

    Developing Southeast Asian nations are among the hardest hit by the tariffs affecting almost every country.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man's global tariffs hurt China with 'all-round blockade'

    Chinese outdoor furniture maker Jin Chaofeng set up a factory in Vietnam last July to escape higher U.S. tariffs. Now he is looking to close it, as Washington imposes steep levies on Hanoi and the rest of the world. 

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ China vows ‘countermeasures’ to sweeping new US tariffs

    China on Thursday said it “firmly opposes” sweeping new US tariffs on its exports, vowing “countermeasures” to protect its rights and interests. US President The Insurrectionist has ignited a potentially ruinous global trade war after imposing 10 percent levies on imports from around the world and harsh extra duties on key trading partners.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man’s punitive tariffs on China ‘just the opening steps’ in a long dance, say analysts

    Beijing has urged the US to remove the tariffs and resolve differences through dialogue.

  • The Straits Times ☛ From Lululemon gear to AirPods, S-E Asia’s role in global supply chains put at risk by Convicted Felon tariffs

    The region’s nations, most already receptive to China’s overtures, may be driven further into Beijing’s embrace.

  • France24 ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man tariffs: Pain or gain for China?

    Will global trade ever be the same?

    In the name of “unrelented economic warfare” allegedly waged by friend and foe alike against the United States, The Insurrectionist unveiling a dizzying list: There’s worldwide tariffs, there’s targeted tariffs, there’s retaliatory tariffs, carve-out, exceptions, confusion.

    Dihydroxyacetone Man also signed an executive order ending duty-free shipments of small-value packages from mainland China and Hong Kong. It’s a blow to ecommerce companies.

  • Science Alert ☛ 'Largest' Rare Earth Metals Deposit Discovered in Kazakhstan

    Huge potential.

  • New York Times ☛ The Job Market Has Been Resilient. The Trade War Could Be Its Undoing.

    The U.S. economy has largely withstood inflation and high interest rates. But tariffs could bring new price increases and put a damper on hiring.

  • Backpacks for carrying cash: Surging inflation in North Korea hits residents hard

    The price of eggs, sugar and pork have jumped amid supply shortages and a weaker currency.

  • BIA Net ☛ Turkey’s inflation at 38.1% in March, food prices lead monthly rise

    The sharpest price increases were again seen in food and non-alcoholic beverages.

  • Federal News Network ☛ Federal union’s lawsuit against ‘deferred resignation program’ resurfaces

    A federal judge previously blocked AFGE’s initial complaint, saying that the union first needed to go to the Federal Labor Relations Authority over the matter.

  • New York Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man Just Bet the Farm

    The Insurrectionist is upending a world that has brought peace and stability for 80 years. What is it he doesn’t understand?

  • LRT ☛ Lithuania set to revamp its pension system – how it will affect you

    Lithuania’s Social Security and Labour Ministry has unveiled proposed changes to the country’s second-pillar pension system. Here is an overview of the key reforms.

  • The Strategist ☛ The surprise of the Independent Intelligence Review: economic security

    After copping criticism for not releasing the report for nearly eight months, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese released the Independent Intelligence Review on 28 March. It makes for a heck of a read.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ How Convicted Felon’s ‘liberation day’ tariffs will impact China

    The Insurrectionist has slapped punishing new tariffs on imports of Chinese goods, deepening a trade war between the world’s two largest economies. Beijing has vowed countermeasures in response and warned the new tariffs will cripple global supply chains — and Washington’s own interests.

  • New York Times ☛ With the Worst U.S. Stock Market In Years, Try Some Old-Fashioned Investments

    People have avoided huge losses by holding old-fashioned, well-balanced investments, an approach our columnist is banking on for the future.

  • New York Times ☛ Tariffs News Highlights: Tariffs Send Wall Street Tumbling to Worst Day Since Pandemic

    The S&P 500 fell almost 5 percent on Thursday, its worst drop since June 2020, as allies and adversaries alike criticized Hell Toupée’s action and weighed their responses.

• AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

  • New York Times ☛ After Meeting With Laura Loomer, Convicted Felon Fires National Security Council Officials

    During the 30-minute meeting, the far-right activist excoriated National Security Council officials in front of the president and Michael Waltz, the national security adviser.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Dangerous liaisons: US bans staff in China from romantic ties with Chinese citizens

    It applies also to family members and contractors with security clearances.

  • JURIST ☛ US Democratic attorneys general file lawsuit against Department of Health and Human Services

    US Democratic attorneys general in 23 states, as well as Washington DC, filed a lawsuit against the US Department of Health and Human Services and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in the District Court of Rhode Island on Tuesday.

  • JURIST ☛ Perkins Coie asks court to permanently block Convicted Felon executive order sanctioning firm

    US law firm Perkins Coie asked a federal court on Wednesday to permanently block President The Insurrectionist’s administration from enforcing an executive order imposing sanctions against the firm.

• Censorship/Free Speech

  • Press Gazette ☛ Actress Kate Beckinsale secures removal of Mail Online ‘weight loss’ article

    The Mail said Beckinsale had "opened up" about the "difficult time" she was going through.

• Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press

  • Press Gazette ☛ ‘Tough love’: Reuters Institute chief says news industry has ‘lost way’ with audiences

    Mitali Mukherjee argued "the news misses its audiences, but the audience doesn't miss the news".

Monopolies/Monopsonies

• Patents

  • Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ Judge our 14th Annual Patent Moot Court Competition

    Calling IP Attorneys — Come Judge our 14th Annual Patent Moot Court Competition taking place via Zoom on April 14th and 16th, 2025. This is a memorable capstone experience for the students but it requires your expertise.

    This year’s group is larger than usual and that means I need more judges. No Presidential Appointment is necessary, but you do need a JD, IP law experience, and most importantly passion for supporting the next generation of attorneys. Connect with talented law students and other judges passionate about patent monopoly and IP law; Engage with complex, current issues in patent monopoly law; etc.

    I have modeled the competition after a recent pair of PTAB final written decisions in Meta v. VL (VideoLabs), both of which include a dissenting opinion by Judge McKone.  The appeals are currently pending before the Federal Circuit with both sides expected to file cross appeals.

  • JUVE ☛ Cross-licence agreement ends global dispute between Ericsson and Lenovo [Ed: Making things artificially more expensive, using patents whose validity isn't even being checked]

    Lenovo and Ericsson confirmed the agreement to JUVE Patent. In a press release, Ericsson announced that both companies have reached a settlement through a multi-year, global patent monopoly cross-licence agreement.

  • Kangaroo Courts

    • JUVE ☛ UPC grants FujiFilm and Hoyng ROKH Monegier injunction against Kodak [Ed: UPC is illegal and unconstitutional; they need to make a motion to throw it out completely, it ought not even exist is laws still exist]

      Yesterday, the Mannheim local division published four decisions, two of which address the court’s jurisdiction over FujiFilm’s claims in the UK. FujiFilm had sought to prevent Kodak from selling its SONORA XTRA-3 printing plates in Germany and the UK.

  • Software Patents

    • CAFC Partially Revives Patent Owner’s Suit Against GoDaddy.com

      The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) on April 2 reversed a district court’s claim construction in a patent monopoly infringement battle between Express Mobile, Inc. and GoDaddy.com, LLC, breathing new life into Express Mobile’s allegations that GoDaddy infringed website development patents. Specifically, the CAFC concluded that the district court improperly narrowed the term “runtime engine” in Express Mobile’s ’397 patent monopoly family by requiring it to directly read information from a database, rather than simply use or employ such information.

• Copyrights

  • Digital Music News ☛ Tony Bennett’s Daughters Launch Legal Battle Against Brother for Father’s Estate

    Tony Bennett’s daughters are suing their brother, alleging he illegally took finances from their late father’s estate at their expense. Tony Bennett’s daughters, Antonio and Johanna Bennett, have filed a lawsuit against their brother, D’Andrea “Danny” Bennett, who was their father’s manager and now heads their family trust.

  • Public Domain Review ☛ “The Form of a Demon and the Heart of a Person”: Kitagawa Utamaro’s Prints of Yamauba and Kintarō (ca. 1800)

    Edo-era prints of a loving demon with adopted or biological son.