Leftovers

• Science

  • Atlantic Council ☛ Injecting new life into Europe’s life science industry to improve competitiveness

    U.S. turmoil under Hell Toupée has shaken the life sciences sector, prompting top researchers to consider leaving. Europe now has a rare chance to attract this talent and revive its biotech and pharma industries—but only if it moves quickly and decisively before China does.

  • Science Alert ☛ Extreme Conditions of Early Universe Recreated in Collider Experiment

    It's the 'cold soup' phase.

  • Science Alert ☛ China's Clean Air Could Be Behind an Acceleration in Global Warming

    An unfortunate chain reaction.

• Career/Education

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korean PM says medical students’ decision to return to school a ‘big step forward’

    Medical students announced on July 12 that they would return to campus after over a year.

• Hardware

  • The Straits Times ☛ Malaysia tightens domestic oversight of US chip movements as tariffs negotiation tactic

    It invoked legislation linked to preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Malaysia imposes new curbs on Hey Hi (AI) chip exports as US targets China smuggling

    The new requirements aim to close regulatory gaps, said Malaysia's trade and industry ministry.

  • Hackaday ☛ Robots Want The Jobs You Can’t Do

    There’s something ominous about robots taking over jobs that humans are suited to do. Maybe you don’t want a job turning a wrench or pushing a broom, but someone does. But then there are the jobs no one wants to do or physically can’t do. Robots fighting fires, disarming bombs, or cleaning up nuclear reactors is something most people will support. But can you climb through a water pipe from the inside? No? There are robots that are available from several commercial companies and others from university researchers from multiple continents.

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ Jensen Huang says China's military will avoid U.S. Hey Hi (AI) tech — 'they don’t need Nvidia’s chips or American tech stacks in order to build their military'

    Jensen Huang said in an interview that we don't have to worry about the Chinese military using advanced American Hey Hi (AI) tech to develop its own capabilities.

  • Hackaday ☛ 2025 One Hertz Challenge: Valvano Clock Makes The Seconds Count

    A man named [Jim Valvano] once said “There are 86,400 seconds in a day. It’s up to you to decide what to do with them.” — while we couldn’t tell you who [Jim Valvano] was without a google search*, his math checks out. The quote was sufficiently inspirational to inspire [danjovic] to create a clock count those seconds precisely.

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ TensorWave just deployed the largest AMD GPU training cluster in North America — features 8,192 MI325X Hey Hi (AI) accelerators tamed by direct liquid-cooling

    TensorWave has built North America's largest AMD Hey Hi (AI) cluster with 8,192 liquid-cooled MI325X GPUs, delivering 21 exaFLOPS of FP8 throughput. It’s a bold move against NVIDIA’s dominance and marks ROCm’s first major public cloud-scale deployment for general-purpose Hey Hi (AI) training.

  • Hackaday ☛ Quasi-Quantifying Qubits For 100 Quid

    As part of his multi-year project to build a quantum computer, hacakday.io poster [skywo1f] has shared with us his most recent accomplishment — a Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectrometer, which he built for less than $100.

  • Hackaday ☛ Record Changer Spins Round And Round

    There was a time when all the cool kids had a 45 RPM record player. [RF Burns] picked up a 1950s-era player from  RCA. However, it needed a lot of work. The good news? We get to see the teardown and the result in a two-part video series, which you can see below. If you are looking for the schematic, you’ll have to wait for the second video.

  • Hackaday ☛ Introducing PooLA Filament: Grass Fiber-Reinforced PLA

    We’re probably all familiar with adding wood dust, hemp and carbon fibers to PLA filament, but there are so many other fillers one could add. During the completely unrelated recent heatwave in Germany, [Stefan] from CNCKitchen decided to give a new type of biodegradable filler type a shot by scooping some freshly dried cow patties off the very picturesque grazing fields near his place. In the resulting video a number of questions are answered about this ‘PooLA’ that nobody was asking, such as whether it makes for a good filler, and whether it smells bad while printing.

• Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea medical students end 17-month class boycott

    Some 8,300 medical students are expected to return to school.

  • Marcy Wheeler ☛ Breathing Room: What’s in Your Shopping Cart?

    How the hell are food shortages and food insecurity making America great again?

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Unused Covid-19 facility in Kai Tak converted into youth hub featuring hostel, sports, cultural spaces

    An unused Covid-19 isolation facility in Kai Tak will be converted into a youth hub featuring a hostel with rooms starting at HK$200 a night. Runway 1331, which opened on a trial basis on Sunday, is expected to officially launch in September.

  • France24 ☛ France among EU nations to trial new app to protect minors from online harms

    France and four other EU countries will pilot a new age-verification app to block minors from harmful online content, the European Commission announced Monday. The tool is part of a widescale push by Brussels to protect children from online harms, as officials urge tighter controls on platforms like Instagram and TikTok.

• Proprietary

  • PC Gamer ☛ Microsoft's 200 laid-off King devs are reportedly being replaced by AI they helped build, while its 'absolute 's***show' HR department looks away and whistles

    If you needed further evidence we live in a dystopia an editor would chuck out for being too on-the-nose, try this: per sources spoken to by MobileGamer.biz, laid-off staff at social-game dev King (as in Activision Blizzard King) are being replaced by AI. The AI they helped build, in fact.

    If you can cast your mind back to two weeks ago, Microsoft began its most recent bout of bloodletting—which eventually sacrificed 9,000 jobs at the altar of corporate "agility"—with around 200 layoffs at King, which it got its hands on after spending slightly more than the nominal GDP of Myanmar to acquire Activision Blizzard and all to which it was suzerain.

  • King Staff Part Of Latest Microsoft Layoffs Were Reportedly Replaced With AI Tools They Helped Build

    Earlier this month, Microsoft laid off 4% of its workforce, roughly 9,100 employees across all departments including gaming. One of the studios that got hit hard was King, the developers behind Candy Crush, who lost 10% of its staff, about 200 jobs. Following the news, reports came to light that one of the main factors behind the layoffs was to shift focus with AI, Now, a new report says that the King staff who were laid off were replaced with the AI tools that they helped build.

    According to reports, the cuts that were made were mostly in middle management and UX and narrative copywriting. New details have been revealed. Many level design and user research staff plus practically half of the London-based Farm Heroes Saga team will be made redundant. Around 50 people, including some of the game’s leadership were put on gardening leave ahead of their departure in September.

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) / LLM Slop / Plagiarism

    • Hackaday ☛ Do You Trust This AI For Your Surgery?

      If you are looking for the perfect instrument to start a biological horror show in our age of AI, you have come to the right place. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have successfully used AI-guided robotics to perform surgical procedures. So maybe a bit less dystopian, but the possibilities are endless.

    • Digital Music News ☛ Time to Start Tagging Hey Hi (AI) Uploads on DSPs? BPI Calls for Labels on Spotify and Others As The Velvet Sundown Drops Fourth Album in Six Weeks

      Is it time for Spotify and others to begin labeling artificial intelligence music accordingly? British Phonographic Industry (BPI) chief strategy officer Sophie Jones believes so and is calling for “clear” disclaimers on tracks made solely with AI.

    • Scoop News Group ☛ Why skipping security prompting on Grok’s newest model is a huge mistake

      An Hey Hi (AI) red-teaming company found that xAI’s Grok 4 is “not suitable for enterprises” without substantial security prompting. 

• Defence/Aggression

  • The Strategist ☛ Women, Peace and Security is more than a side quest

    Somewhere between the fifth email about rescheduled meetings and the third cup of coffee, another email arrives. It’s about Women, Peace and Security (WPS). A few people skim it.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Malaysia monitoring higher education institutions for militant-linked activities

    Several Bangladeshi workers suspected of being involved with militants were earlier arrested in Malaysia.

  • JURIST ☛ Iran to cooperate with UN nuclear watchdog despite security concerns

    Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Saturday said that Iran plans to cooperate with the UN nuclear watchdog despite restrictions imposed by its Parliament. He also emphasized that entering the bombed nuclear sites poses security and safety issues.

  • RFERL ☛ US Court Temporarily Halts Bid To End Protection Status For Afghans

    A US court has for the time blocked plans by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to end the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghans, granting at least a one-week reprieve to thousands of people at risk of deportation to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.

  • New Yorker ☛ The First World War, in Sharp Focus

    An English chronicler of the trenches, and his wartime romance, captured in long-lost photographs.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Australia says China is likely to spy on its military drills with US

    It also alleges that Beijing wants to establish a military base in the South Pacific.

  • Federal News Network ☛ Sen. Mark Warner wants to keep security clearances free of politics

    "You're simply getting your clearances removed because whoever is the current administration doesn't like your politics," Said Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.)

  • The Straits Times ☛ Pakistan to create new paramilitary force ahead of more protests by Imran Khan’s party

    It turns an existing paramilitary force deployed on Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan into a national security force.

  • New York Times ☛ Chinese University Expels Woman for ‘Improper Contact’ With a Foreigner

    The university published the student’s full name and said her behavior had “damaged national dignity.” The move prompted an online debate and accusations of sexism.

  • New York Times ☛ Children Among at Least 10 Killed in Israeli Strike in Central Gaza, Officials Say

    Israel’s military said a “technical error” had caused munition to land dozens of meters from its target. The victims were gathered near a water distribution point, health workers said.

• Environment

  • Energy/Transportation

    • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea preparing to order airlines to check fuel switches on Boeing jets

      Fuel switch locks have come under scrutiny after a preliminary report into the Air India plane crash.

    • Tom's Hardware ☛ Snot-filtering tech could be the answer to a dust-free PC — Korean scientists turn to nature to improve air filtration

      A recent research paper, 'inspired by the natural filtration abilities of mucus-coated nasal hairs,' might have some answers for improved PC air filtration.

    • The Straits Times ☛ Malaysia’s KLIA terminal gets $9 million makeover for better, faster travel experience

      These enhancements come as Malaysia prepares to host the 47th Asean Summit in October.

    • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Climate crisis: HSBC exits Net Zero Banking Alliance

      HSBC has withdrawn from the Net Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA) following the departure of 17 other banks, according to a statement released last Friday.

    • Atlantic Council ☛ Europe has a heating strategy—now it needs one for cooling

      A record-breaking heat wave exposes Europe's haphazard approach to cooling, that leaves core challenges unaddressed. Targeted actions must be taken quickly to shore up this cornerstone of public health, economic stability, and geopolitical security.

  • Wildlife/Nature

    • The Straits Times ☛ Rare Eurasian otter spotted in Sabah

      The last confirmed sighting of the animal in Malaysia was in 2014.

    • New York Times ☛ Arizona Governor Seeks Investigation of Federal Handling of Grand Canyon Fire

      Gov. Katie Hobbs questioned why the U.S. government decided to manage the Dragon Bravo fire, which started with a lightning strike, as a “controlled burn” during the height of the summer.

• Finance

  • New York Times ☛ China’s Economy Grows Steadily Despite Convicted Felon’s Tariffs

    Companies redirected exports through other countries to avoid U.S. tariffs, and policymakers turned up investment in manufacturing and infrastructure.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ China exports beat forecasts in June following US tariff truce

    China’s exports rose more than expected in June, official data showed Monday, after Washington and Beijing agreed on a tentative deal to lower swingeing tariffs on each other.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Foreign ‘tourists’ turn handymen in Malaysia, fleece customers of thousands

    What is worse is the shoddy workmanship that wears off within days.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Cooking up a storm: Malaysia’s popular Foodie online platform aims higher with IPO

    Foodie Media has benefited from digital media advertising boom in Malaysia.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Why China’s high-end hotels are setting up food stalls outside their doors

    Consumer belt-tightening, shrinking demand for wedding banquets and a surge in new hotel openings have hit the industry.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Avoiding trade curbs vital for normalisation of ties, India tells China

    Beijing had in recent months put a restriction on supplies of critical minerals and machinery.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China steps in as US pulls back from diplomacy, report says

    China has been funding vaccines and providing food to infrastructure development in some countries.

  • JURIST ☛ SEC drops landmark lawsuit on mutual fund liquidity standards

    The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Friday agreed to dismiss a landmark lawsuit that sought to enforce mutual fund liquidity standards. The SEC initially filed the lawsuit in 2023, charging New York investment firm Pinnacle Advisors, LLC  (Pinnacle) with violating the Investment Company Act of 1940 (ICA).

• AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korean President’s Cabinet picks hit by plagiarism, staff mistreatment claims

    The Democratic Party of Korea said the allegations were a “mere smear tactic” by the People Power Party.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Mahathir discharged from hospital after feeling fatigued during birthday gathering

    The former Malaysian PM recently turned 100.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Mahathir, 100, apologises for leaving birthday picnic early due to fatigue

    He explained in a Fentanylware (TikTok) post that he was feeling unwell and needed medical attention.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Calls grow to reject conservative figure Nick Adams as US ambassador to Malaysia

    The PKR Youth urged the appointment of a more moderate, respected and globally minded individual.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Hundreds march for judicial independence in Malaysia amid concerns over delayed judge appointments

    The gathering of lawyers and civil society was organised by the Malaysian Bar.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China, India should work towards ‘win-win’ cooperation, says Chinese Foreign Minister

    One source of tension between the two countries is the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader India is hosting.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China says Dalai Lama succession issue a ‘thorn’ in relations with India

    He has been living in exile in India since 1959, and experts say his presence gives New Delhi leverage against China.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Australia PM Albanese to discuss trade, security in meeting with China's Xi

    Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is expected to meet with Chinese President Pooh-tin Jinping and Premier Li Qiang in Beijing on Tuesday, where he said resources trade, energy transition and security tensions are key topics for discussion.

• Censorship/Free Speech

  • The Straits Times ☛ Meta faces backlash in South Korea over mysterious account bans

    Some were flagged for violating policies against sexual exploitation of minors, allegations users say are false.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Hong Kong court urged to ‘reverse’ democrat’s acquittal in landmark subversion case

    Hong Kong prosecutors have urged the Court of Appeal to “reverse” the acquittal of barrister and former district councillor Lawrence Lau in a landmark national security case involving 47 pro-democracy figures.

• Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press

  • RFERL ☛ Film Challenging Iran's Laws Restricting Women Earns Prize At Czech Festival

    The Iranian film Bidad has won the Special Jury Award at the Karlovy Vary Festival. Director Soheil Beiraghi, who faces prison in Iran, thanked Iranian women for inspiring him. The movie focuses on restrictions faced by women singers in Iran.

• Internet Policy/Net Neutrality

  • Michael Geist ☛ The Law Bytes Podcast, Episode 240: Dean Beeby on Why Canada’s Language Laws May Stop Government From Posting Access to Information Records Online

    Canada’s outdated and discouragingly ineffective access to information system has languished for years to the frustration of many transparency advocates. One potential fix – or at least improvement – would be for government departments and agencies to make the full text of the records from access requests available to the public by default online.

• Digital Restrictions (DRM)

  • Unicorn Media ☛ Just Say No to Overcomplicated Cars

    The Mustang Mach-E recall isn’t just a glitch—it’s a sign that sometimes, the best solutions are the ones we’ve left behind.

Monopolies/Monopsonies

• The Right Tool for the Job: The Inherent Risks of Misapplied Remedies

  A critical issue for antitrust enforcers to always consider is that of remedies: what is the best course of action to address competitive harms and maintain competition in markets?

• New York Times ☛ Meta Built a Data Center Next Door. The Neighbors’ Water Taps Went Dry.

  In the race to develop artificial intelligence, tech giants are building data centers that guzzle up water. That has led to problems for people who live nearby.

• Patents

  • Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ The Narrow Semantic Line on AAPA: Federal Circuit’s Latest Take in Shockwave

    The Federal Circuit's decision in Shockwave Medical, Inc. v. Cardiovascular Systems, Inc., No. 2023-1864 (Fed. Cir. July 14, 2025) makes good on the court's overly-semantic approach to defining the "basis" of inter partes review proceedings -- especially with reference to applicant-admitted-prior-art (AAPA).  Recall that under 35 U.S.C. § 311(b) IPRs can be filed "only on the basis of prior art consisting of patents or printed publications."

    The court's approach in Shockwave turned on whether the petitioner labelled its prior art evidence as "basis" versus "reference." 

  • Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ Timing is Everything: PTAB’s Renewed Reliance on Litigation Timelines and Patent Longevity

    In 2025, the USPTO’s Acting Director Coke Morgan Stewart began implementing a new bifurcated and expanded process for PTAB trial institution decisions -- with a particularly enhanced focus on discretionary denials before a PTAB panel even considers the merits.  This past week, several dozen new discretionary denials were released. These new decisions primarily focus on two justifications for denial: [..]

  • Kangaroo Courts

    • JUVE ☛ Higher Regional Court Karlsruhe appoints new presiding judge [Ed: UPC is illegal, so they appoint judges for an illegal, corporate, kangaroo "court"]

      Holger Kircher will become presiding judge of the 6a Civil Senate at Karlsruhe Higher Regional Court. The court’s presidium noted this in two resolutions in June. Kircher currently divides his time between Mannheim Regional Court and the UPC’s local division Mannheim. He spends 20% of his working time at the UPC.