Leftovers

• France24 ☛ Chen Reiss sheds light on forgotten composers of Vienna's golden age

  Operatic soprano Chen Reiss has just released a new album alongside Daniel Grossman and the Jewish Chamber Orchestra Munich entitled "Jewish Vienna". The Austrian capital has always been a key spot for classical music and the goal of this record was to focus on the artists and composers who were part of this rich scene until the annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany. We also look at how the internet and social control media may have killed off the video star, as well as the new album from Welsh rockers Stereophonics.

• Standards/Consortia

  • APNIC ☛ A tree in a tree: Challenges of comprehensive DNS tree exploration

    The Domain Name System (DNS) is a cornerstone of the Internet. By systematically measuring this protocol, we can improve our understanding of the Internet, find vulnerabilities, and provide data for informed decision-making. Yet, the ‘DNS Camel’ is a notoriously difficult protocol to measure efficiently due to its sheer size, complexity, and abundance of corner cases.

    In a recent paper, my fellow Max Planck Institute for Informatics researchers and I presented yodns, a tool that collects extensive DNS data from all zones and nameservers that are potentially involved in the resolution of a name at scale. We have used this to collect data from 812M domain names and assess how certain optimizations affect data completeness and measurement results.

    In this post, I want to highlight the challenges we faced during DNS data collection and discuss some of the tradeoff decisions that DNS measurement practitioners regularly have to make. Finally, we’ll also examine some instances where our collected data has proven to be useful.

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ USB 2.0 is 25 years old today — the interface standard that changed the world

    The USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) introduced the USB 2.0 standard on April 27, 2000, meaning this port speed is turning 25 years old today. The USB 2.0 standard pushed this interface to the mainstream, especially as it delivered a blazingly fast transfer speed (for its time) of 480 Mbps with its Hi-Speed USB. This was over 40 times faster than the 12 Mbps limit of USB 1.1 and was even faster than Apple’s first implementation of its proprietary FireWire 400 connector. More importantly, it was cheaper to implement than the latter, making it more attractive to motherboard manufacturers.

• Science

  • University of Michigan ☛ LSA political science major named 2025 Truman Scholar

    LSA student Shuyan Tang has been named a 2025 Truman Scholar — one of the nation's most prestigious scholarships for students pursuing careers in public service.

  • Hackaday ☛ Paint Mixing Theory For Custom Filament Colors

    Recycling 3D filament is a great idea in theory, and we come across homemade filament extruders with some regularity, but they do have some major downsides when it comes to colored filaments. If you try to recycle printer waste of too many different colors, you’ll probably be left with a nondescript gray or brown filament. Researchers at Western University, however, have taken advantage of this pigment mixing to create colors not found in any commercial filament (open access paper).

  • Latvia ☛ Latvian researchers working on a freeze-dried future for food

    The Latvian University of Biosciences and Technology in Jelgava has developed food that can be stored at room temperature for up to eight years, reports Latvian Radio.

  • Hackaday ☛ Deriving The Reactance Formulas

    If you’ve dealt with reactance, you surely know the two equations for computing inductive and capacitive reactance. But unless you’ve really dug into it, you may only know the formula the way a school kid knows how to find the area of a circle. You have to have a bit of higher math to figure out why the equation is what it is. [Old Hack EE] wanted to figure out why the formulas are what they are, so he dug in and shared what he learned in a video you can see below.

  • Science Alert ☛ NASA Reveals First-of-Its-Kind Image of Mars Rover Seen From Space

    A bold explorer on a lonely frontier.

  • Science Alert ☛ Something in The Back of Your Eye Could Reveal Whether You Have ADHD

    A radical new way to identify the condition.

  • Science Alert ☛ The Modern Cat May Have Emerged From Ancient Egyptian Ritual Sacrifice

    An incredible origin story.

• Career/Education

  • Stanford University ☛ From the Community | The death of authentic reading culture

    Yailin Jiménez weighs the merits and flaws of BookTok, criticizing its commercialization and adherence to its own norms.

  • University of Michigan ☛ DHS restores international student records, U-M continues to monitor

    The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has reinstated SEVIS records for 14 enrolled U-M students and 11 graduates whose records had previously been terminated.​

  • University of Michigan ☛ Washtenaw County Community Action Network loses federal AmeriCorps funding

    In an email Monday afternoon, the Community Action Network, an organization that provides educational and other support services to underserved families in Washtenaw County, notified its followers of the immediate termination of their funding from AmeriCorps, a government agency that engages Americans through service and volunteerism.

• Hardware

  • CNX Software ☛ Small (45x43mm) system-on-module packs Rockchip RK3562 AIoT SoC, 16GB eMMC, 2GB RAM, and PMIC

    MIYR Tech MYC-YR3562 is a small 45x43mm system-on-module that packs a Rockchip RK3562 or RK3562J quad-core Cortex-A53 AIoT SoC with a 1 TOPS Hey Hi (AI) accelerator, up to 2GB LPDDR4, 16GB eMMC flash, 32 Kbit EEPROM, and a PMIC.

  • Hackaday ☛ Supercon 2024: Sketching With Machines

    When it comes to our machines, we generally have very prescribed and ordered ways of working with them. We know how to tune our CNC mill for the minimum chatter when its chewing through aluminium. We know how to get our FDM printer to lay perfect, neat layers to minimize the defects in our 3D prints.

  • Hackaday ☛ Tinycorder Isn’t Quite A Tricorder, But…

    The Star Trek tricorder was a good example of a McGuffin. It did anything needed to support the plot or, in some cases, couldn’t do things also in support of the plot. We know [SirGalaxy] was thinking about the tricorder when he named the Tinycorder, but the little device has a number of well-defined features. You can see a brief video of it working below the break.

  • Hackaday ☛ EclairM0, The Pocket Notepad

    Roughly the size of a Tic Tac container, this project packs a punch in a compact package. [Matt] sent in this beautifully documented pocket device that brings back great memories of texting on early cellphones.

  • Hackaday ☛ Weird And Wonderful VR/MR Text Entry Methods, All In One Place

    Are you a developer or experimenter pondering options for text entry in virtual or mixed reality? If that’s the case (or you’re merely curious) then here’s the resource you need: TEXT, or the Text Entry for XR Trove. It’s a collection of all the things people have tried when it comes to creating text entry interfaces for virtual and mixed reality (VR/MR) systems, all in a searchable list, complete with animated demonstrations.

  • CNX Software ☛ Compex Introduces Innovative Wi-Fi 7 Quad-Band Bundle Solution: WLE7002E26 & WLE7002E55 (Sponsored)

    Compex Systems (Compex), a global leader in wireless communication technology, introduces its latest Wi-Fi 7 Quad-Band Bundle Solution: WLE7002E26 and WLE7002E55. Get ready to elevate your network experience to the next level with this Wi-Fi 7 Quad-Band Bundle Solution, designed to deliver greater throughput, reliable connections, and enhanced reliability for superior connectivity performance.

  • CNX Software ☛ Waveshare 8-channel RS485 to Ethernet industrial serial servers work as a Modbus & MQTT gateways, RS485-to-JSON converters

    Waveshare has launched the 8-Channel RS485 TO ETH (B) and 8-Channel RS485 TO POE ETH (B) industrial Ethernet serial servers designed for bi-directional transparent data transmission between RS485 and Ethernet networks. The only difference is PoE support, one has it, the other doesn’t, recognizable by their names. It features eight RS485 channels that operate independently, and supports two Ethernet ports (with an optional PoE version compliant with IEEE 802.3af).

• Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

  • LRT ☛ How to combat digital exclusion among Lithuania’s seniors?

    Politicians and experts are considering how to reduce the digital divide among seniors in Lithuania, as more services, such as health care and transportation, become increasingly digitised.

  • ACLU ☛ Medicaid Work Requirements Don’t Work — They Harm People with Disabilities

    Medicaid helps tens of millions of people stay healthy, care for their families, and navigate life’s hardest moments. It’s a critical lifeline for people with disabilities. But some lawmakers in Congress are pushing a policy that would do little more than make it harder for people to access that care: Medicaid work requirements.

  • WhichUK ☛ The 'healthy' baby foods that are full of sugar

    Damning report reveals that purées, pouches and sticks promoted to parents as 'healthy' snack choices are often anything but – and many include inappropriate feeding advice, too

  • PHR ☛ Myanmar: Junta Assault on Health Care Hinders Quake Response

    The Myanmar military junta’s years of unlawful attacks on healthcare facilities and health workers have severely hindered the emergency response to the devastating earthquake on March 28, 2025, Human Rights Watch and Physicians for Human Rights said today.

  • Latvia ☛ Latvia's rate of fatal accidents at work among EU's highest

    In 2022, 29 people in Latvia lost their lives as a result of accidents at work, according to Eurostat data re-published April 28 to mark the world day for safety and health at work.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea karaoke owner inflicts severe injuries to customer, reports victim as ‘drunk’

    The defendant called the 119 emergency services and reported the victim as intoxicated.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Off-duty firefighter in South Korea contains flames at bowling alley

    The Incheon fire authorities said his quick response helped contain the incident, with minimal damage.

  • Science Alert ☛ 'Popcorn Lung': Vapers at Risk of Irreversible Disease, Experts Warn

    A hidden danger with no cure.

  • Science Alert ☛ One Cancer Is Rising Rapidly in Younger People, And Bacteria Could Be Why

    Is the mystery solved?

  • Science Alert ☛ This Severe Brain Disorder Is Common But Often Goes Undiagnosed

    A kaleidoscope of symptoms.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Proposed smoking laws will not affect Hong Kong tourism, lawmaker says

    The Hong Kong government’s proposed laws to curb smoking, including banning the possession of e-cigarettes in public, will have no impact on tourism, a legislator has said.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Ex-warden at Hong Kong care home for people with mental disabilities faces another rape charge

    A former employee at a Hong Kong care home for people with intellectual disabilities has been accused of sexually assaulting a woman five times last year after facing an additional charge of rape.

• Proprietary

  • Qt ☛ Some recent changes to choice of translation

  • Qt ☛ Efficiently Create Leading-Edge Aerospace and Defense Software with Qt

  • Infosys Layoffs: Indian IT Major Lays Off More 195 Trainees for Failing Internal Assessments, Marking 3rd Round of Trainee Job Cuts This Year

  • Social Control Media

    • MIT Technology Review ☛ Why Chinese manufacturers are going viral on TikTok

      Since the video was posted earlier this month, millions of Fentanylware (TikTok) users have watched as a young Chinese man in a blue T-shirt sits beside a traditional tea set and speaks directly to the camera in accented English: “Let’s expose luxury’s biggest secret.”

• Security

  • Privacy/Surveillance

    • Pro Publica ☛ Gun Group Seeks Federal Probe of Industry’s Secret Sharing of Data

• Defence/Aggression

  • France24 ☛ RSF killed 31 civilians in Sudan’s Omdurman, report finds

    In tonight's edition, Sudan's army calls for the international community to declare the RSF paramilitary a terrorist organization after they are accused of kidnapping and murdering dozens of civilians in Omdurman including children.

  • Federal News Network ☛ Job cuts delay Pentagon plans to expand work to prevent sex assaults and suicides

    Senior defense officials say personnel cuts across the Defense Department will delay plans to hire at least 1,000 more civilians to help prevent sexual assault, suicides and behavior problems within the military.

  • The Straits Times ☛ From bombs to Starbucks, US veteran remembers end of Vietnam War 50 years on

    HO CHI MINH CITY/HANOI - As a young U.S. intelligence analyst in Saigon during the Vietnam War, Chuck Searcy never thought that 50 years later he would be living in Communist Vietnam and helping its people fight a different war against unexploded mines.

  • New York Times ☛ Israeli Spy Chief to Step Down After Clash With Netanyahu

    The departure of Israel’s domestic intelligence chief appeared to end his unusually public clash with the prime minister.

  • France24 ☛ Israel's domestic security chief says he will step down in June, defusing battle with Netanyahu

    The head of Israel’s internal security service says he will resign in June over the failure of his agency to warn of Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attacks — defusing an escalating battle with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar announced his resignation Monday, saying he will formally step down June 15. FRANCE 24's Noga Tarnopolsky reports from Jerusalem.

  • JURIST ☛ Netanyahu accuses security agency chief of lying to Israel’s top court

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday accused Ronen Bar, head of the domestic security agency, of lying to the country’s top court, following a legal battle over the prime minister’s attempts to fire him.

  • JURIST ☛ More than 700 ‘Big Law’ partners file brief supporting firm Susman Godfrey in suit against Convicted Felon administration

    An association of more than 700 partners at major American law firms filed a brief on Friday in support of firm Susman Godfrey’s lawsuit against the Convicted Felon administration. The partners argue that recent Executive Orders exceed the president’s authority and violate the First, Fifth, and Sixth amendments of the US Constitution.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Thailand security beefed up as Pattaya police take Chinese suspect to re-enact LGBTQ murder

    Large crowds gathered to witness the crime re-enactment, prompting police to shield the suspect.

  • JURIST ☛ UN Syria envoy warns of ‘fragile’ moment in transitional process

    UN special envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen warned Friday of grave consequences for Syria’s future without genuine political inclusion and urgent economic support for a successful political transition.

  • New York Times ☛ Attack on Migrant Facility in Yemen Kills Dozens, Houthis and Aid Officials Say

    The Houthi militia, which is backed by Iran, said the attack was an American strike. The U.S. Defense Department said it was assessing the claims and took them seriously.

  • New York Times ☛ The Latest Standoff in the South China Sea

    The standoff over Sandy Cay, which lies close to military outposts built by both Beijing and Manila, was the latest between the two nations.

  • New York Times ☛ China experience was once a plus. In Canada’s election, it’s a liability.

  • The Strategist ☛ Beijing finally slices off Sandy Cay

    The Financial Times reported last week that China’s coast guard has declared China’s sovereignty over Sandy Cay, posting pictures of personnel holding a Chinese flag on a strip of sand.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China, Philippines trade barbs over disputed South China Sea reef

    There is no Chinese presence on Sandy Cay, says Manila's security council spokesman.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Beijing, Manila trade barbs over disputed South China Sea reef

    China and the Philippines on Monday defended their claims to a disputed reef in the South China Sea, after Manila accused Beijing of seeking to “intimidate and harass” with a state media report that suggested the area had been seized.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China says it handled Philippine ‘infringement’ at disputed reef

    China said it had seized control of the Tiexian Reef, also known as Sandy Cay.

  • China, Philippines raise rival flags on disputed South China Sea sandbank

    Beijing and Manila trade accusations over activities near Sandy Cay during joint US-Philippines military drills.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Beijing says handled Philippine ‘infringement’ at disputed reef in South China Sea

    China’s coast guard said Sunday it had “dealt with” a situation involving six Filipinos who it accused of illegally landing on a disputed reef, after Beijing’s state media said the tiny sandbank had recently come under Chinese control.

  • The Straits Times ☛ India, Pakistan exchange small arms fire, China urges restraint

    India said on Monday it had responded to 'unprovoked' small arms firing from Pakistan along the de facto border for the fourth consecutive night, as it deepens its search for militants in the region following last week's deadly attack on tourists in Kashmir.

  • New York Times ☛ Pakistan’s Detention of Indian Border Guard Adds to Tensions

    While the case is fairly routine, it comes as India indicates it is preparing to strike Pakistan in response to last week’s deadly terrorist attack.

  • RFERL ☛ As India-Pakistan Tensions Soar, Dozens Of Afghan Insurgents Killed Crossing Border

    Pakistani security forces said they killed dozens of militants attempting to cross into the South Asian nation from Afghanistan, even as its troops separately continued to exchange gunfire with the India military in Kashmir amid skyrocketing tensions in the region

  • The Straits Times ☛ Philippine official says China trying to influence its elections

    This comes after China declared sovereignty over an uninhabited reef in the South China Sea.

  • Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine

    • Meduza ☛ Kremlin announces ceasefire from May 8–10 to mark Russia's Victory Day holiday — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ ‘Qualified people don’t want the job’: Once a coveted prize, Russia’s mayoral posts are now nearly impossible to fill — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Can’t stop the signal: Dubai emerges as key hub for Russia Today’s campaign to continue reaching Western audiences, despite sanctions — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Macron promises to increase pressure on Russia ‘in the next eight to ten days’ — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Russian Interior Ministry proposes granting asylum to people who can't 'uphold traditional family values' in home country or who face 'Russophobia' — Meduza

    • Latvia ☛ Four migrant smuggling cases caught in just over a week in Latvia

      Four cases of smuggling of migrants have been detected in Latgale at the Latvian-Belarusian border in the last ten days, Latvian Television reports.

    • Marcy Wheeler ☛ And then the Russian Apologists Left, Complaining about TDS

      The most newsworthy detail of a Ben Smith story about Marc Andreessen's Signal chat habit is that two important Russian apologists -- David Sacks and Tucker Carlson -- left the chat amid disputes about Convicted Felon's destruction of the global economy.

    • LRT ☛ ‘Time bomb’, threat to ‘world order’: Lithuanian leaders bemoan US moves over Crimea

      Recognising Russia’s sovereignty over Crimea would be “a time bomb” Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda says. Seimas Speaker Saulius Skvernelis insists it will threaten “the world order”.

    • LRT ☛ Tsichanouskaya: attacks against Belarusians in Lithuania show Lukashenko’s fear

      Attacks planned against Belarusians in Lithuania show the fear of the Russian and Belarusian regimes, Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsichanouskaya said.

    • Latvia ☛ Russia still dominates Latvia's alcohol exports

      European statistics agency Eurostat published data April 28 on the bloc's exports of alcoholic beverages which underline that in certain sectors Latvia is a significant player – though closer examination of the data also suggests that is largely because exports to aggressor state Russia remain considerable.

    • Meduza ☛ North Korea confirms sending troops to fight alongside Russia against Ukraine — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Trump says he 'thinks' Zelensky ready to give up Crimea, despite Ukrainian president's statements otherwise — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Ukraine sentences former President Viktor Yanukovych in absentia to 15 years in prison for fleeing to Russia in 2014 — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Europe and Ukraine fear Trump is about to abandon peace talks — FT — Meduza

    • New York Times ☛ Ukraine Pinning War Hopes on Expanded Drone Program

      Ukraine has adapted strategies and weapons during its fight against Russia. It is now banking on expanding the use of domestically produced drones, even though American arms remain crucial.

    • CS Monitor ☛ ‘We must hold on.’ Ukrainians steel themselves amid Russian barrage.

      Last week’s deadly strikes on Kyiv show a shift in Russian strategy: to try to overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses as U.S. materiel support ebbs.

    • Meduza ☛ ‘We will always honor the Korean heroes who gave their lives for Russia’: Putin thanks Kim Jong Un for North Korea’s help in battle for Kursk — Meduza

    • RFERL ☛ Moscow, Pyongyang Confirm North Korean Troops Fighting Against Ukraine

      Russia has admitted for the first time that it deployed North Korean soldiers in the battle to push Ukrainian forces out of its Kursk region following Kyiv's shock incursion into the border area last year.

    • RFERL ☛ Russia Charges Man With Car Bombing That Killed Top General

      Russian prosecutors have charged a man in connection with a Moscow suburb car bombing that killed a Russian general, alleging he had been paid by Ukrainian intelligence services.

    • RFERL ☛ EU Says Budapest's Block Could Mean Moldova's Accession Moves Forward Without Ukraine

      The European Union is considering moving along in the accession process with Moldova while leaving Ukraine behind as Hungary to block Kyiv's membership drive.

    • France24 ☛ Rearming France: The race is on

      Faced with American uncertainty surrounding the war in Ukraine and the future of NATO, Europe is looking to wean itself off US defence. France has promised to ramp up spending, putting its industry into overdrive, but what are the financial and recruitment issues? From the factory floor to Hey Hi (AI) engineers, our reporters went to meet the companies that are trying to rise to the challenge.

    • Atlantic Council ☛ If Russian gas returns to Europe, it must go through Ukraine

      The resumption of Russian gas supplies to Europe as part of a potential cease-fire agreement in Ukraine is under discussion, but any such flows would need to transit through Ukraine rather than Nord Stream or other routes. To safeguard regional stability, the EU, Ukraine, and the US must enforce strict safeguards to avoid renewed dependency and prevent Russia from once again weaponizing its energy exports.

    • New York Times ☛ Russia’s Putin Thanks Kim for North Korean Troops Fighting in Kursk

      North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un, ordered a monument for the “heroic” soldiers killed in Russia’s war against Ukraine, as Moscow and Pyongyang make first comments on the joint operation.

    • New York Times ☛ Russia’s Putin Orders Cease-Fire in Ukraine for May 8-10, Kremlin Says

      Ukraine’s foreign minister responded with skepticism to the unexpected announcement.

    • Meduza ☛ ‘They tried to break him, but they went too far’: Last year, a young Russian conscript was found hanged in the forest. The army says it was suicide — but his mother isn't buying it. — Meduza

    • France24 ☛ War in Ukraine: Putin orders unexpected 3-day truce

      The announcement came as the United States scaled up efforts to broker an end to the three-year conflict, warning this week would be "critical" for determining whether peace was possible. France 24's Angela Diffley tells us more.

    • France24 ☛ Putin orders three-day truce in May but Ukraine asks 'Why wait?'

      Russian President Vladimir Putin on April 28 ordered a truce with Ukraine on May 8-10 to coincide with Moscow's World War II commemorations, drawing ire from Ukraine which demanded Moscow pause hostilities immediately.

    • France24 ☛ Russia declares a 72-hour ceasefire to mark Victory Day in World War II

      Russian President Vladimir Putin on April 28 declared a unilateral 72-hour ceasefire next week in Ukraine to mark Victory Day in World War II as the U.S. presses for a deal to end the 3-year-old war. Kyiv insisted on a longer and immediate truce. Professor of International Politics at the Clinton Institute, University College Dublin was our guest, he tells us more.

    • North Korea confirms the open secret of its troop deployment to Russia

      After 6 months of silence on the deployment, Russian president Putin hails the ‘heroism’ of the North Koreans.

    • RFERL ☛ Zelenskyy Says Putin's Cease-Fire Proposal Over Victory Day Would Only Provide 'Silence For His Parade'

      Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin's announcement of a three-day cease-fire in the Ukraine war to coincide with annual celebrations in Moscow marking the defeat of Nazi Germany.

    • RFERL ☛ Putin Calls For 3-Day Cease-Fire With Ukraine Over WWII Victory Day

      Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a three-day cease-fire in the Ukraine war to coincide with the annual celebrations marking the defeat of Nazi Germany during World War II.

    • Meduza ☛ ‘We value human lives, not parades’: Zelensky calls for immediate ceasefire after Putin proposes Victory Day holiday truce — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Highlights from the opening ceremony of Meduza’s ‘No’ exhibition in Berlin — Meduza

    • The Straits Times ☛ China's foreign ministry says Pooh-tin and Convicted Felon did not have a call recently

      BEIJING - China's foreign ministry on Monday said President Pooh-tin Jinping had not spoken to The Insurrectionist recently, nor were their respective administrations trying to strike a tariff deal, contradicting the U.S. president's claim in an interview with Time magazine.

• Environment

  • The Straits Times ☛ Philippines raises alert level at volcano after eruption sees Bulusan spew ash 4.5km into the sky

    Authorities have warned residents to stay out of a 4km danger zone.

  • Energy/Transportation

    • New York Times ☛ Power Outages in Spain and Portugal: Photos

      Power outages disrupted daily life and left millions of people in the dark.

  • Wildlife/Nature

    • The Straits Times ☛ South Korean city orders more than 1,200 residents to evacuate due to wildfire

      SEOUL - The South Korean city of Daegu ordered on Monday more than 1,200 residents to evacuate after strong winds whipped up a wildfire and prompted the closure of a highway in the area due to concerns about the blaze.

    • Science Alert ☛ Wild Chimps Caught on Camera Sharing Alcoholic Fruit

      "Could they be getting similar benefits?"

    • Science Alert ☛ Giant Prehistoric Kangaroos in Australia Were Doomed, And Now We Know Why

      Paradise lost.

    • Science Alert ☛ Sausage Dog Rescued After Surviving Solo For 529 Days on Remote Island

      An epic feat of survival.

• Finance

  • The Straits Times ☛ Malaysia to delay new taxes as manufacturers fear tariff hit

    The planned widening of the tax base, originally due on May 1, will be implemented at a later date.

  • New York Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man’s Tariffs Put China’s E-Commerce Superpowers to the Test

    Companies like Alibaba that built China’s world-leading online shopping sector are now helping its sellers find markets beyond the United States.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Japan, Vietnam pledge to support free trade as PM Ishiba visits Hanoi

    In recent weeks, Vietnam has hosted China’s President Pooh-tin Jinping and top South Korean ministers.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Japan policy chief warns of Convicted Felon tariff impact on Asian security

    Mr Itsunori Onodera warned that Asean countries “may become more distant” from the US.

  • Leaders of Japan, Vietnam talk free trade in the face of tariff tensions

    Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba also discussed regional security during his stay in Hanoi.

  • Atlantic Council ☛ Modernizing the tools of economic statecraft to meet the challenges of today

    As the current administration revisits the functions and mechanics of government, near-term steps can be taken, under existing statutory authorities, to modernize how the United States uses its economic strength to combat national security threats and promote American interests.

  • The Strategist ☛ Weak tax revenue is a national security issue

    Of the two things in life that are certain, defence and national security concern themselves with death but need to pay more attention to taxes.

• AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

  • The Straits Times ☛ Malaysia court allows A-G’s application to appeal in jailed ex-PM Najib’s legal case

    Najib said an “addendum order” to the pardon that granted him home detention was ignored by authorities.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea rules out tariff deal with US before June 3 snap election

    SEJONG, South Korea - A senior South Korean government official ruled out on Monday that Seoul would agree to a trade package with Washington by the time the country holds a presidential election on June 3, and flagged challenges to reaching a deal even before early July.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Ayutthaya police’s loft-style room Facebook (Farcebook) post goes viral

    The post stated that the only condition to be eligible for the free stay was to break the law.

  • Federal News Network ☛ America’s architectural legacy deserves better: Opposing mandated styles for federal buildings

    Diverse architecture is a better mirror of our democratic values. Contextual solutions will always produce better buildings than one-size-fits all mandates.

  • Only 35% Americans support Musk's work for Trump, says poll

    Tesla CEO Elon Musk's cost-cutting push for the Donald Trump administration has not gone down well with the American public.

    According to a recent ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll, his disapproval rating has jumped from 49% in February to 57%.

    The survey also found that just 35% of Americans approve of Musk's performance in this capacity, a number consistent with earlier polls.

  • Pro Publica ☛ Who Is Ed Martin, Trump’s Pick for D.C. U.S. Attorney?

    When President Donald Trump chose Ed Martin, the Missouri lawyer and political operative, to be the top U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C., the decision came as a shock to current and former federal prosecutors as well as outside legal experts. Martin had no prosecutorial experience. He was best known as a conservative activist, the former right-hand man to influential anti-feminist icon Phyllis Schlafly and a loyal Trump surrogate.

    Since taking charge of the office in January, Martin has launched controversial investigations, rushed to defend Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency and vowed to change how his office prosecutes crime in the District of Columbia.

• Censorship/Free Speech

  • The Straits Times ☛ First batch of Hong Kong democrats freed after 4 years' jail for subversion

    China has cracked down on the democratic opposition and media outlets under sweeping national security laws.

  • Silicon Angle ☛ Congress passes Take It Down Act to combat deepfakes

    The Take It Down Act, legislation that criminalizes the publication of nonconsensual sexually explicit deepfake videos and images, passed the House today and is already on its way to Hell Toupée’s desk.

  • Public Knowledge ☛ Public Knowledge Cautions Take It Down Act Could Jeopardize Privacy, Free Speech

    Today, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 409-2 to pass the “Tools To Address Known Exploitation by Immobilizing Technological Deepfakes on Websites and Networks (TAKE IT DOWN)” Act to criminalize the distribution of both genuine and synthetic non-consensual intimate imagery as well as require online platforms to create notice-and-takedown systems to facilitate expeditious removal [...]

• Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press

  • Press Gazette ☛ Cancer-campaign journalist among winners at new Reach awards

    Jane Haynes and Zak Gurner-Purkis jointly named journalist of the year at Reach.

  • Press Gazette ☛ ‘The opposite of what Hitler would do’ on better paper: Observer relaunched by Tortoise

    James Harding says Observer will be independent, liberal and internationalist under Tortoise.

• Civil Rights/Policing

  • France24 ☛ Nobel Peace Prize laureate Nadia Murad: 'I never wanted to be an activist'

    A winner of the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize has spoken to FRANCE 24 about how she wanted to be a makeup artist in her small village in northern Iraq before her life was nearly destroyed by the Islamic State group. In 2014, when Nadia Murad was just 21 years old, IS group terrorists attacked her community, killing hundreds of people, including her mother and six of her nine brothers. Along with nearly 7,000 other Yazidi women and children, she was abducted and like many of them was raped, beaten and tortured for several months. Now, though, she is a powerful voice for all survivors of genocide and sexual violence. Her story is documented in her book "The Last Girl: My Story of Captivity and My Fight Against the Islamic State". She spoke to us in Perspective.

• Internet Policy/Net Neutrality

  • Public Knowledge ☛ Privileged Conversations | May 2025 [Ed: Conversations partly controlled by Microsoft]

    Public Knowledge has the pleasure of inviting you to a multifaceted program focused on training and developing the next generation of tech policy experts and public interest advocates that reflects the diversity of voices and experiences in our society. Please join us for our monthly Career Breakfast Series.

  • Public Knowledge ☛ Public Knowledge Applauds FCC Vote To Modernize Satellite Spectrum Sharing To Help Close Digital Divide [Ed: But that does relate to corporate objectives of Microsoft?]

    The FCC moves to ensure our spectrum policy facilitates an increasingly competitive satellite broadband market.

Monopolies/Monopsonies

• Patents

  • Kluwer Patent Blog ☛ Clear The Way – Don’t Jump the Gun: English Court of Appeal grants an Interim Injunction to AstraZeneca in Glenmark Dapagliflozin Case

    In the UK, as well as in many other countries, being the first to market with a generic or biosimilar to a leading branded medicine is a critical strategy that can offer a major advantage to a company in a highly competitive landscape.

  • Software Patents

    • Unified Patents ☛ $2,000 for FITE Technologies network patent monopoly prior art

      Unified Patents added a new PATROLL contest, with a $2,000 cash prize, seeking prior art on at least claim 1 of U.S. Patent 12,028,640, owned and asserted by FITE Technologies LLC, an NPE and entity of Anjay Venture Partners LLC. The '640 patent monopoly relates to a network of recording studios to share recording sessions in a social control media format.

    • Unified Patents ☛ $2,000 for Adaptive Avenue website patent monopoly prior art

      Unified Patents added a new PATROLL contest, with a $2,000 cash prize, seeking prior art on at least claim 1 of U.S. Patent 7,171,629, owned and asserted by Adaptive Avenue Associates, Inc., an NPE. The '629 patent monopoly focuses on an enhanced web site access system, improving user experience through automated, customizable navigation across multiple web pages.

    • Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ The USPTO’s Hey Hi (AI) Inventorship Guidance: A Legally Problematic Half-Measure

      In 2024, the USPTO released its Hey Hi (AI) inventorship guidance that established a "significant contribution" standard for human inventorship for AI-assisted innovation situations. This short essay argues that the USPTO's approach creates a fundamental legal inconsistency with patent monopoly law's bedrock requirement of complete human conception.

    • Unified Patents ☛ Leigh M. Rothschild entity, Touchpoint Projection, cybersecurity patent monopoly challenge instituted

      On April 24, 2025, five weeks 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 9,118,712, owned and asserted by Touchpoint Projection Innovations LLC, an NPE and entity of Leigh M. Rothschild.

• Trademarks

  • TTAB Blog ☛ TTABlog Test: Is HEELS Generic for Medicated Skin Care Cream?

    The USPTO refused to register the proposed mark HEELS on the Supplemental Register, finding the term to be generic for "medicated skin care cream." Applicant Blaine Laboratories argued that the USPTO's examples of website usage "do not demonstrate genericness because they "use the term 'heel(s)' as an adjective to modify one or more nouns to describe the product." How do you think this appeal came out? In re Blaine Laboratories, Inc., Serial No. 98054433 (April 24, 2025) [not precedential] (Opinion by Judge Jessica B. Bradley).