Leftovers

• Science

  • Science Alert ☛ 'Zombie' Volcano in Bolivia Appears to Be Stirring Deep Underground

    Not as dead as it looks.

  • Science Alert ☛ A Meteorite Struck Scotland More Recently Than We Thought

    Life always finds a way.

  • Science Alert ☛ Huge, Invisible Cloud Discovered Just 300 Light-Years From The Solar System

    Lurking in the darkness.

  • Science Alert ☛ The Rare Vibration Phenomenon That May Explain Europe's Huge Blackout

    What is induced atmospheric vibration?

  • Science Alert ☛ Trees 'Sync Up' During a Solar Eclipse in a Forest-Wide Phenomenon

    "A living collective."

• Hardware

  • Hackaday ☛ Supercon 2024: Photonics/Optical Stack For Smart-Glasses

    Smart glasses are a complicated technology to work with. The smart part is usually straightforward enough—microprocessors and software are perfectly well understood and easy to integrate into even very compact packages. It’s the glasses part that often proves challenging—figuring out the right optics to create a workable visual interface that sits mere millimeters from the eye.

  • CNX Software ☛ New color e-paper monitors – 13.3-inch DASUNG Paperlike 13K and 23.5-inch BOOX Mira Pro Color

    Back in 2023, DASUNG launched its first color E-Ink monitor, quickly followed by BIGME B251 computer and standalone E-Ink monitor. Both were based on the same 23.5-inch E-ink Kaleido 3 color display with 3200×1800 resolution, and were rather pricey at $1,529 (Indiegogo price) and $1,299 (Kickstarter price), respectively.

  • CNX Software ☛ Cerebro clusterboard supports up to four NVIDIA Jetson, Raspberry Pi CM4/CM5, or Radxa CM5 modules (Crowdfunding)

    Cerebro is a modular board / clusterboard designed to take up to four system-on-modules such as NVIDIA Jetson SO-DIMM modules, Raspberry Pi CM4 or CM5, or Radxa CM5. The board integrated a BMC for intercommunication between the CPU modules.

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ Nvidia asks US government to ease Hey Hi (AI) GPU export rules, but Convicted Felon administration plans tighter controls

    Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is calling for the Convicted Felon administration to relax Hey Hi (AI) GPU export restrictions to support U.S. industry, but the administration is instead considering stricter controls to use chip access as leverage in trade negotiations.

  • Hackaday ☛ A New And Weird Kind Of Typewriter

    Typewriters aren’t really made anymore in any major quantity, since the computer kind of rained all over its inky parade. That’s not to say you can’t build one yourself though, as [Toast] did in a very creative fashion.

  • Hackaday ☛ Neutron Flux Impact On Quartz Expansion Rate

    Radiation-induced volumetric expansion (RIVE) is a concern for any concrete structures that are exposed to neutron flux and other types of radiation that affect crystalline structures within the aggregate. For research facilities and (commercial) nuclear reactors, RIVE is generally considered to be one of the factors that sets a limit on the lifespan of these structures through the cracking that occurs as for example quartz within the concrete undergoes temporary amorphization with a corresponding volume increase. The significance of RIVE within the context of a nuclear power plant is however still poorly studied.

  • Hackaday ☛ Vintage Stereo Stack Becomes Neat PC Case

    Vintage hi-fi gear has a look and feel all its own. [ThunderOwl] happened to be playing in this space, turning a heavily-modified Technics stereo stack into an awesome neo-retro PC case. Meet the “TechnicsPC!”

  • Hackaday ☛ Gaze Upon Robby The Robot’s Mechanical Intricacy

    One might be tempted to think that re-creating a film robot from the 1950s would be easy given all the tools and technology available to the modern hobbyist, but as [Mike Ogrinz]’s quest to re-create Robby the Robot shows us, there is a lot moving around inside that domed head, and requires careful and clever work.

• Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

  • The Straits Times ☛ Explosion in residential area in China’s Shanxi kills at least one, state media reports

    It comes a day after a restaurant fire in north-eastern China's Liaoning province killed 22 people.

  • Pro Publica ☛ Why Utah Farmers Are Struggling With Mental Health

    Josh Dallin spends his workdays talking to Utahns who raise cattle and grow crops, and knew that many were in distress. Everyone from neighbors to fertilizer dealers to equipment suppliers were telling him they were worried that a farmer or rancher they knew was at risk of suicide.

    Then in 2023, with money allocated by Congress, Dallin had new help to offer: As executive director of an agriculture center at Utah State University Extension, he had scores of $2,000 vouchers that Utahns working in agriculture could use to get free therapy.

  • New Yorker ☛ The Miscalculations of COVID School Closures

    Millions of American children were denied regular in-person instruction for more than a year after the virus emerged. What did we get right—and wrong?

  • The Straits Times ☛ China suggests Covid-19 originated in US in response to Convicted Felon allegation

    The virus emerged and spread in the US much earlier than the outbreak in China, a white paper says.

• Proprietary

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ Windows 11 update failure stops machines from updating to version 24H2 using WSUS

    The latest backdoored Windows 11 update is stopping machines from upgrading to backdoored Windows 11 24H2 when using the backdoored Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) application.

  • Linuxiac ☛ Docker Desktop Lands on Abusive Monopolist Microsoft Store [Ed: Docker has long been sellout of Microsoft]

    Docker Desktop 4.41 launches on the Abusive Monopolist Microsoft Store, brings Model Runner to backdoored Windows with GPU support, Compose and Testcontainers integration.

  • America Online ☛ EA cancels 'Titanfall' project in wake of company-wide layoffs

    The troubling recent trend of mass video game industry layoffs continued this week.

    This time, it was Electronic Arts, considered one of the industry's biggest third-party video game publishers. Per Bloomberg, EA cut more than 300 jobs, with about a third of those affecting Respawn Entertainment, the studio behind Titanfall, Apex Legends, and the Star Wars Jedi games.

  • Without naming Trump's Tariffs as the cause, Microsoft has increased the price of the Xbox consoles, games, and controllers by around 20%

    These are uncertain times for the gaming industry. While developers and studios struggle to cope with the near-constant layoffs, players are adapting to a world where the price of consoles and games feels inconsistent at best. While buying the new Nintendo Switch 2 will cost you more than we expected, Microsoft has also just raised the price of their Xbox consoles and games.

    While they didn’t mention the tariffs that President Trump has imposed on goods coming from China in their statement, the timing is more than a little suspicious. Not only will the Xbox Series S/X consoles be more expensive, but some new, first-party games (i.e., the ones that they hope will really sell the console) will cost $79.99 this holiday season. In their announcement, Microsoft said, “We understand that these changes are challenging, and they were made with careful consideration given market conditions and the rising cost of development. Looking ahead, we continue to focus on offering more ways to play more games across any screen and ensuring value for Xbox players.”

  • Xbox Console And Accessory Price Increases Begin Today, $80 First-Party Games Starting This Holiday

  • Windows Central ☛ Windows 11's WSL 2 now officially has support from Arch Linux [Ed: Microsoft is just trying to prevent people from actually exploring and using GNU/Linux]

  • Social Control Media

    • New Yorker ☛ What To Do When Your Friend Unfollows You

      Is it the cat photos?!

• Security

  • Security Week ☛ AirPlay Vulnerabilities Expose Fashion Company Apple Devices to Zero-Click Takeover

    Vulnerabilities in Apple’s AirPlay protocol could have allowed attackers to execute code remotely without user interaction.

  • WhichUK ☛ Scam alert: watch out for fake iClown storage emails

    Fraudsters posing Fashion Company Apple are among the most common impersonation scams

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ Software dev fortifies his blog with 'zip bombs' — attacking bots meet their end with explosive data package

    This developer sends zip bombs to pesky web crawlers that attempt to compromise his website.

  • Privacy/Surveillance

    • Bruce Schneier ☛ WhatsApp Case Against NSO Group Progressing

      Meta is suing NSO Group, basically claiming that the latter hacks WhatsApp and not just WhatsApp users.

    • JURIST ☛ UK government announces new legislation to regulate crypto-asset industry

      Finance Minister Rachel Reeves on Tuesday announced the UK’s plans to pass legislation to properly regulate crypto-assets. As of August 2024, research released by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) estimated that 12 percent of the UK population, which comes up to approximately 7 million adults, own crypto-assets, signifying growing interest in the field.

• Defence/Aggression

  • PHOTOS: Vietnam celebrates 50th anniversary of war’s end with grand parade

    Vietnamese party leader strikes a reconciliatory tone as nation marks the fall of Saigon in 1975.

  • NYPost ☛ Hegseth sends strong message to Iran and Houthis: ‘You will pay’

    The move came after 47 straight days of US airstrikes against Houthi targets.

  • New York Times ☛ U.K. Joins U.S. in Strike Against Houthis in Yemen

    There was no immediate comment from the American military about the joint operation, the first since Hell Toupée took office.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Head of Pakistan-administered Kashmir calls for international mediation, amid India tensions

    Pakistan's government has said it has "credible intelligence" that India intends to launch military action soon.

  • The Straits Times ☛ How do India and Pakistan's militaries compare as tensions rise after Kashmir attack?

    NEW DELHI - An attack targeting Hindu tourists in Indian Kashmir that killed 26 men has triggered new tensions between India and Pakistan and sparked fears of a conflict, with Pakistan saying it has intelligence suggesting India intends to launch military action.

  • The Straits Times ☛ How India and Pakistan’s military, nuclear arsenals stack up

    The countries are two of the biggest buyers of weapons from overseas, sourcing much of their equipment from Russia and China. 

  • RFERL ☛ Pakistan Claims To Have 'Credible Intelligence' Of Imminent Indian Strike

    Tensions between India and Pakistan continue to mount after a top Pakistani official claimed to have “credible intelligence” that New Delhi is prepared to undertake military action against Islamabad following a militant attack in Kashmir.

  • France24 ☛ India and Pakistan edge closer to escalation over Kashmir attack

    India blames Pakistan for a deadly attack in Kashmir, while Islamabad accuses New Delhi of planning imminent strikes. The rising hostilities between the nuclear-armed rivals have intensified fears of conflict in the disputed region, underscoring the fragility of their long-standing enmity. FRANCE 24's Angela Diffley has more on this issue.

  • New York Times ☛ Sectarian Clashes Spread Around Syria’s Capital, Drawing In Israel

    Israel launched airstrikes on Syria amid a spreading wave of sectarian violence in areas dominated by the Druse minority. Dozens of people have been killed in two days of clashes.

  • France24 ☛ Lebanese army dismantled 'over 90%' of Hezbollah sites near Israel, security official says

    The Lebanese army has dismantled more than 90 percent of Hezbollah’s military infrastructure south of the Litani River, a security official said Wednesday. The move comes as Beirut asserts increased control over the country's south under a UN-backed ceasefire deal with Israel.

  • Scoop News Group ☛ North Korean operatives have infiltrated hundreds of Fortune 500 companies

    Security leaders at Mandiant and Surveillance Giant Google Cloud say nearly every major company has hired or received applications from North Korean nationals working on behalf of the country’s regime.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Chinese national arrested with surveillance device near Philippine election commission

    A Chinese national was arrested while operating a surveillance device near the offices of the Philippine election commission, authorities said Wednesday, less than two weeks before the country’s mid-term polls. The man was allegedly using an “IMSI catcher”, a device capable of mimicking a cell tower and snatching messages from the air in a one-to-three-kilometre […]

  • University of Michigan ☛ SACUA discusses deportations, election interference and surveillance of students

    The University of Michigan’s Senate Advisory Committee on University Affairs met Monday afternoon in the Alexander G. Ruthven Building to discuss how to respond to threats to the status of international students, potential threats to the integrity of Senate Assembly elections and the surveillance of students and faculty members by University administration.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Hong Kong police arrest 99 people, aged 13 to 74, in citywide drug trafficking crackdown

    Hong Kong police have arrested 99 people, aged between 13 and 74, following a citywide crackdown on drug trafficking over the past month. “The arrested persons included 74 men and 25 women,” Senior Inspector Ho Ho-ting of the police force’s narcotics bureau said in Cantonese during a press conference on Tuesday.

  • France24 ☛ MElon: The voice of the far-right in Europe?

    The FRANCE 24 Observers, in collaboration with Belgium’s RTBF and France Info, used data-analysis techniques to categorize more than 15,000 of MElon's posts on X. This edition sheds light on how MElon became a spokesperson for the European far-right rhetoric on X, by posting hundreds of messages denigrating European values and pushing the visibility of far-right influencers and politicians in Europe. We tell you more in this edition of Truth or Fake.

  • France24 ☛ MElon’s tweets (2/2): Raising the profile of Europe’s far right

    On his social control media platform X, MElon posts hundreds of messages denigrating European values, which he deems too "woke", as part of his broader ideological offensive against Europe. The FRANCE 24 Observers, in collaboration with Belgium’s RTBF and France Info, used data-analysis techniques to categorise more than 15,000 of MElon's posts. The second article of a two-part investigation sheds light on his anti-Ukrainian rhetoric and interactions with Europe's far right.

  • Scientology, The CIA, and MK-ULTRA

    The first in a series investigating the intelligence connections to the Church of Scientology since its founding, including drug trafficking operations, founder L. Ron Hubbard’s work adjacent to the CIA’s MK-ULTRA, and their unprecedented infiltration of the US government.

  • New York Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man Insists Abrego Garcia Has ‘MS-13’ Tattoo Despite Evidence of Altering

    The White House declined to explain why Hell Toupée did not appear to realize that the photograph he held up on social control media had been altered.

  • The Strategist ☛ Australia (still) needs a dedicated and public-facing national security adviser

    In the week of Australia’s 3 May election, ASPI released Agenda for Change 2025: preparedness and resilience in an uncertain world, a report developed for the next government and to promote public debate and understanding [...]

  • France24 ☛ ‘Are you a Hindu?’: Kashmir attack survivors say gunmen asked their religion before opening fire

    The attack, which targeted mostly Hindu tourists and left 26 people dead, is one of the deadliest in recent years in India-controlled Kashmir and has raised questions about security in the region. India has blamed Pakistan for supporting the massacre, which Pakistan denies.

  • Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine

    • CS Monitor ☛ A Baltic beacon for freedom in Europe

      Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are ahead of other European nations in boosting security safeguards. They learned from Soviet rule how to hold on to democratic ideals.

    • Meduza ☛ Europe lacks resources to field even 25,000 troops for Ukraine peace mission — The Times — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ About 600 North Korean solders have been killed fighting against Ukraine — Reuters — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ U.S.–Ukraine minerals deal in doubt after last-minute disagreement — Financial Times — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Russian soldier opens fire on family in Kursk border town after end of Ukrainian occupation — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ U.S. and Ukraine sign minerals deal — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Overnight Russian attack on Ukraine's Odesa kills at least two and injures 15 — Meduza

    • France24 ☛ Vladyslav Greziev warns 'never trust Russians': 'They don't want peace deals, nor an end to the war'

      The United States and Ukraine have concluded a rare minerals agreement following a two-month delay, which the Convicted Felon administration hailed as a renewed expression of support following the abrupt suspension of military aid. Ukrainian officials say the deal secures national control over vital rare earth resources, seen as crucial for emerging technologies. The backdrop is a deep-rooted mistrust of Russia, fueled by a decade of aggression, including the 2014 annexation of Crimea and the ongoing brutal conflict in eastern Ukraine. For further analysis, FRANCE 24’s François Picard welcomes Vladyslav Greziev, CEO of Lobby X, Head of Fund to at Opir.org to equip Ukrainian soldiers and a key voice in Ukrainian civil society.

    • New York Times ☛ U.S. and Ukraine Sign Minerals Deal

      The Forrest Dump administration did not immediately provide details about the agreement, and it was not clear what it meant for the future of U.S. military support for Ukraine.

    • RFERL ☛ US, Ukraine 'Ready To Sign' Minerals Deal As Washington Tries To Speed Up Peace Talks

      Kyiv and Washington are on the verge of signing a deal giving the United States preferred access to Ukraine's mineral resources, including rare earth materials, as pressure builds on Russia and Ukraine to reach a peace deal to end Europe's longest conflict since World War II.

    • RFERL ☛ Russian Drone Strikes On Ukraine Kill 1 In Dnipro, Injure Dozens In Kharkiv

      Russian forces launched a mass drone attack on the southeastern Ukrainian city of Dnipro late on April 29, killing one person and setting homes on fire, the regional governor said.

    • RFERL ☛ Ukraine, US Sign Minerals Agreement Creating Reconstruction Investment Fund

      The United States and Ukraine have signed an agreement giving the US access to Ukraine’s valuable rare minerals in the hopes of ensuring continued American support for Kyiv in its war with Russia.

    • RFERL ☛ Russian Drones Strike Major Cities In Ukraine; 2 Killed In Odesa

      The Russian army attacked several regions of Ukraine with drones, local authorities reported, saying at least two people were killed in Odesa.

    • LRT ☛ Ukraine’s EU path is being sabotaged, says Lithuanian FM

      Ukraine’s path to the European Union is being sabotaged, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys told reporters on Wednesday.

    • France24 ☛ 100 posts a day: Who does MElon target on X?

      To mark the 100th day of US President The Insurrectionist’s second term, the FRANCE 24 Observers collaborated with France Info and Belgium's RTBF to analyse the rhetoric of MElon, one of Convicted Felon's closest advisers. This two-part investigation, conducted by the Médias Francophones Publics, examines the X owner's social control media posts, documenting how the billionaire is propagating anti-Ukraine sentiment and posting tweets in support of the European far right.

    • France24 ☛ 🔴 US and Ukraine sign deal to form reconstruction investment fund, Washington says

    • France24 ☛ Ukraine, US sign minerals deal, marking shift from military to economic support

      The US and Ukraine signed a minerals agreement Wednesday, marking a renewed commitment to Kyiv post-military aid, the Convicted Felon administration said. Ukraine secured key terms after lengthy talks, including full sovereignty over its rare earths, critical for new technologies and largely undeveloped.

    • Atlantic Council ☛ Experts react: At last, the US and Ukraine signed a minerals deal. Here’s what to expect next.

      After months of wrangling, Washington and Kyiv quietly finalized a much-anticipated agreement on April 30. Atlantic Council experts dig into the details.

    • Latvia ☛ Musicians Orbakaitė, Bregović added to Latvia's blacklist

      Russian-Lithuanian singer Kristina Orbakaitė and Serbian-Croatian musician Goran Bregović have been put on the list of personae non gratae in Latvia, Minister of the Interior Rihards Kozlovskis (New Unity) told Latvian Television on 29 April. This means that the concerts in Latvia planned for these musicians this summer will also have to be cancelled.

    • The Strategist ☛ No Russia in Papua: Indonesia’s quiet diplomacy speaks loudly

      Indonesia’s low-key rejection of reported Russian interest in military basing in Papua says more than it appears to. While Jakarta’s response was measured, it was deliberate—a calculated expression of Indonesia’s foreign policy doctrine of non-alignment, ...

    • LRT ☛ Russia publishes book on Lithuanian history, preface written by Lavrov

      Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys has criticised a book on the country’s history published in Russia, which features a preface written by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

    • North Korea’s reveal of new warship’s weapon system hints at Russian support: expert

      The North said it conducted tests on weapons systems mounted on its new 5,000-ton destroyer named Choe Hyon.

    • The Straits Times ☛ North Korea says new bridge to Russia reinforces economic cooperation

      SEOUL - North Korea said the construction of a new bridge linking it to Russia is a "significant" development of relations between the two countries, state media KCNA reported on Thursday.

    • The Straits Times ☛ Russia begins building road bridge to North Korea, says PM Mishustin

      He says the bridge symbolises both nations' common desire to increase inter-regional cooperation, among other things.

    • The Straits Times ☛ 600 North Korean soldiers killed fighting for Russia: South Korean lawmaker

      North Korean troop casualties are estimated at around 4,700, the lawmaker said.

    • Meduza ☛ The last remaining U.S.–Russia nuclear treaty expires in less than a year. A new arms race has already begun. — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Russia and North Korea break ground on construction of first highway bridge linking two nations — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Occupied, with vacancy Russia promised to rebuild Mariupol by now, but journalists estimate reconstruction will take another 18 years at its current pace — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ ‘There’s nothing to talk about’: A timeline of Zelensky and Trump contradicting each other over Crimea (and other politicians weighing in) — Meduza

    • RFERL ☛ Belarus Frees US Political Prisoner Yuras Zyankovich After Nearly 4 Years In Prison

      U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced via social control media that American citizen of Belarusian origin Yuras Zyankovich has been released from prison in Belarus after more than three and a half years behind bars.

    • LRT ☛ Three decomposed bodies found in Lithuania near Belarus border

      Lithuanian border guards on Wednesday afternoon found what are believed to be the remains of three people in a river in the southern district of Varėna, near the border with Belarus.

    • Meduza ☛ Putin renames Volgograd International Airport to Stalingrad — Meduza

• Environment

  • Energy/Transportation

    • Security Week ☛ China’s Secret Weapon? How EV Batteries Could Be Weaponized to Disrupt America

      As Pooh-tin Jinping advances his vision for China’s dominance by 2049, cybersecurity experts warn that connected technologies—like EV batteries—may quietly serve as tools of influence, espionage, and disruption.

• Finance

  • The Straits Times ☛ US reached out to Beijing to initiate tariff talks, says Chinese state media

    An affiliate of CCTV said the US is "clearly the more anxious party at the moment".

  • China detains small investors who spoke out about a major financial scam

    Investors in Shandong province who spoke to the media were accused of “being used by overseas anti-China forces."

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Ex-senator David Perdue confirmed as US ambassador to China

    The US Senate on Tuesday confirmed President The Insurrectionist’s political ally David Perdue to be ambassador to China, a key trade partner that the Republican president has hit with punishing tariffs.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Chinese business in Vietnam struggles with US tariffs uncertainty

    A year ago Zhang Chundong helped the firm he manages expand into Vietnam, part of a wave of Chinese businesses to choose the booming manufacturing hub since the trade war of The Insurrectionist’s first term.

• AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

  • The Straits Times ☛ China to lift sanctions on members of European Parliament

    China has decided to lift sanctions on members of the European Parliament as well as on its subcommittee on human rights, the parliament's president, Roberta Metsola, said on Wednesday.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ China lifts sanctions against five Euro deputies – parliament

    China has lifted sanctions against five European Union parliament members that were imposed in a showdown over the treatment of Uyghur Muslims, the assembly said Wednesday. An EU parliament statement hailed the move as “a step in restoring parliamentary dialogue with China” but warned that it would remain vigilant on human rights questions.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Explainer: Hong Kong’s national security crackdown – month 58

    In the 58th month since the Beijing-imposed national security law took effect in Hong Kong, the first batch of prominent democrats were released from prison after serving their jail terms following the city’s largest national security trial.

• Censorship/Free Speech

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Hong Kong man, 22, arrested under new security law for allegedly publishing ‘seditious’ online posts

    Hong Kong national security police have arrested and charged a 22-year-old man under Article 23, the city’s homegrown national security law, after he allegedly published online posts with “seditious intentions.” The man was arrested on Monday in the Kowloon district, the force said in a statement released Wednesday.

  • JURIST ☛ Rights group condemns use of enforced disappearances in West Africa to repress political dissent

    Amnesty International warned on Wednesday that military authorities in West Africa have been increasingly using enforced disappearances as a means of repression against civil and political activists who criticize the government.

  • France24 ☛ Kenyan Court declares protest ban in Nairobi illegal

    In tonight's edition, a Kenyan court has ruled that a police ban on anti-government protests in Nairobi last year was unconstitutional.

    Also, a national political conference in Mali's recommends naming the junta leader as president for five years and scrapping political parties.

    And a Togolese comedian is turning to Fentanylware (TikTok) to reel in followers with a pretty simple stick: his love for spaghetti.

• Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press

  • AccessNow ☛ Situation of Press Freedom in Tunisia

    In September 2022, Tunisia adopted its first cybercrime law, which diverges significantly from international standards due to its inclusion of content-based offenses and disproportionate sanctions. Article 24 of the law

• Civil Rights/Policing

  • JURIST ☛ Rights group reports human rights violations in Venezuela following 2024 presidential elections

    Human Rights Watch (HRW) published on Wednesday a report documenting serious human rights violations committed by Venezuelan authorities and pro-government armed groups during the aftermath of the 2024 presidential elections.

  • ACLU ☛ Our Defense Against Convicted Felon: 100 Days In

    Just 100 days into President The Insurrectionist’s second term, the ACLU has filed 51 cases against his administration. We sought emergency relief in 38 of these cases, winning at least some form of preliminary or temporary order in 27 cases. To our clients, these are not just numbers. Our work with them, and on their behalf, has made a real difference in their lives.

  • JURIST ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man signs two executive orders to bolster immigration enforcement and ‘protect innocent citizens’

    President The Insurrectionist signed two executive orders on Monday to target sanctuary jurisdictions for violating, obstructing, and defying federal immigration laws, and bolster immigration enforcement by “empowering State and local law enforcement to firmly police dangerous criminal behavior and protect innocent citizens.”

• Internet Policy/Net Neutrality

  • New Yorker ☛ How the Internet Left 4chan Behind

    The anonymous forum thrived when edgelord content wasn’t acceptable on more mainstream social control media. Today, it can be found most anywhere.

  • Don Marti ☛ Don Marti: links for 30 April 2025

    Some legal risk avoidance notes for independent sites: Online Safety Act Notes for Small Sites — Russ Garrett, A guide to potential liability pitfalls for people running a Mastodon instance by Denise. (Not legal advice, consult your lawyer…)

Monopolies/Monopsonies

• New York Times ☛ Judge Rebukes Fashion Company Apple and Orders It to Loosen Grip on App Store

  The ruling was a stinging defeat for Fashion Company Apple in a long-running antitrust case brought by Epic Games, the maker of Fortnite, on behalf of app developers.

• Trademarks

  • TTAB Blog ☛ CAFC Affirms TTAB: Dark Green Color is Generic for Chloroprene Medical Examination Gloves

    The CAFC upheld the Board's decision [TTABlogged here] affirming a refusal to register a particular shade of green as a trademark for "chloroprene medical examination gloves" on the ground of genericness. The appellate court concluded that the Board applied the correct test for determining whether a color mark is generic, and that substantial evidence supported the Board's factual finding that Medisafe’s proposed mark is generic. In re PT Medisafe Technologies, Appeal No. 2023-1573 (Fed. Cir. April 29, 2025) [precedential].

• Copyrights

  • Digital Music News ☛ Fat Joe Slaps Former Employee With Defamation Suit Over ‘Wholly Fabricated, Grotesque, and Scandalous Allegations’ — Attorney Defendant Immediately Fires Back

    Drake isn’t the only rapper suing over allegedly false pedophilia claims. Now, Fat Joe says his former hype man defamed him with untrue allegations “of vile sexual misconduct, pedophilia, statutory rape, violence and stealing.” 54-year-old Fat Joe (real name Joseph Cartagena) just recently submitted the complaint to a federal court in his native New York.

  • Digital Music News ☛ Copyright Lawsuit Over Sam Smith and Normani’s ‘Dancing With a Stranger’ Revived by Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals

    A copyright monopoly infringement lawsuit against Sam Smith and Normani over their hit “Dancing With a Stranger” has been revived by a federal appeals court.

  • Digital Music News ☛ Katy Perry Responds to Online Criticism of New Tour, Blue Origin Flight—Calls Herself a ‘Human Piñata’

    Is Katy Perry’s career at a crossroads? Once considered pop royalty, the singer has faced a wave of public backlash that began long before her 11-minute space walk. The pop singer has responded to the internet’s backlash, calling herself a ‘human piñata’ in the process.