Leftovers

• Standards/Consortia

  • The Register UK ☛ GPS on the fritz? Britain and France plot a backup plan

    It is these kinds of domestic infrastructure applications the British and French efforts will primarily seek to safeguard, providing a standby in case the satellite service should be unavailable or degraded for some reason.

    DSIT says the researchers will focus on so-called positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) technologies which are complementary to GPS, but more resistant to jamming.

  • APNIC ☛ Triggering QUIC

    Last month, in June 2025, I reported on current progress in the adoption of the QUIC transport protocol. Here, I would like to look at the mechanisms used to trigger a client application (typically a browser) to connect to the server using the QUIC transport protocol.

• Science

  • Science Alert ☛ Mars Seen Up Close in Stunning World First 60 Years Ago Today

    How far we've come.

• Hardware

  • The Straits Times ☛ Malaysia has not found any evidence yet of illicit chip smuggling, says minister

    It had earlier introduced export controls on July 14.

  • New York Times ☛ China Puts New Restrictions on E.V. Battery Manufacturing Technology

    Beijing will now require government licenses for any effort to transfer abroad the technologies crucial for producing inexpensive electric cars.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China tightens export curbs on some battery technologies

    Beijing added restrictions on technology involved in lithium mining and refining.

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ Nvidia reportedly preparing RTX 6000D for Chinese market to comply with U.S. export controls — fabricated on TSMC N4, featuring GDDR7 memory capable of delivering 1,100 GB/s of bidirectional bandwidth

    NVIDIA is reportedly launching the RTX 6000D GPU for China to offset U.S. export restrictions. Built on TSMC’s 4nm process and armed with GDDR7 memory delivering 1,100 GB/s bandwidth, the card targets Hey Hi (AI) workloads and could help NVIDIA reclaim lost revenue in the Chinese market.

  • New York Times ☛ Nvidia Says U.S. Has Lifted Restrictions on Hey Hi (AI) Chip Sales to China

    The Silicon Valley chip giant said the Convicted Felon administration, which had shut down its sales to China three months ago, had assured it that licenses for the sales would now be granted.

  • Hackaday ☛ 2025 One Hertz Challenge: Metronalmost Is Gunning For Last Place

    We’ve just begun to receive entries to the One Hertz Challenge, but we already have an entry by [Mike Coats] that explicitly demands to be awarded last place: the Metronalmost, a metronome that will never, ever, tick at One Hertz.

  • Hackaday ☛ A History Of The Tandy Computers

    Radio Shack, despite being gone for a number of years, is still in our cultural consciousness. But Tandy, the company behind Radio Shack for many years. Did you ever wonder how a leather company started in 1919, because, briefly, a computer giant? Or even an electronics retailer? [Abort Retry Fail] has the story in three parts. Well, three parts so far. They are only up to the Tandy 1000.

  • Hackaday ☛ USB-C Rainbow Ranger: Sensing Volts With Style

    USB-C has enabled a lot of great things, most notably removing the no less than three attempts to plug in the cable correctly, but gone are the days of just 5V over those lines. [Meticulous Technologies] sent in their project to help easily identify what voltage your USB-C line is running at, the USB VSense.

• Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

  • ADF ☛ Shadowy Influence Campaign Stokes Mpox Fears

    For decades, Russia has used vast, shadowy networks to prey on fears about pandemics and diseases like mpox, Marburg, Ebola and malaria. The goal is to undermine public trust in health care and fan the flames of instability, racism and division.

• Proprietary

  • Qt ☛ Qt for Android Automotive 6.8.4

    The latest patch release for Android Automotive 6.8.4 is just released. This release is based on Qt LTS 6.8.4 with 1200 bug fixes, security updates, and other improvements done to Qt base. There are no additional Qt for Android Automotive features delivered with 6.8.4.

  • Pro Publica ☛ Microsoft “Digital Escorts” Could Expose Defense Dept. Data to Chinese Hackers

  • Pro Publica ☛ Microsoft’s “Digital Escort” Program: What You Should Know

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) / LLM Slop / Plagiarism

    • Tom's Hardware ☛ Investigation reveals Surveillance Giant Google Gemini for Workspace flaw that could have been exploited to enlist Hey Hi (AI) in phishing schemes — 'Summarize this email' tool would faithfully obey malicious instructions hidden inside an email

      Mozilla's 0-Day Investigative Network (0din) revealed on July 10 that Surveillance Giant Google Gemini for Workspace could be tricked into telling users their accounts had been compromised.

    • Rlang ☛ With help from LLMs (e.g. Deepseek) ! an R function that filters a list of vectors using indices from the unlisted data

      Upon users' query, language learning models like Abusive Monopolist Microsoft Chaffbot and Deepseek can generate useful programming codes having been trained on many codes and texts available on the Internet.

    • Games

      • The Register UK ☛ Google’s Gemini refuses to play Chess against the Atari 2600

        Caruso told The Register Gemini then admitted it hallucinated [sic] its Chess prowess, and replied with an assessment that it would “struggle immensely against the Atari 2600 Video Chess game engine.”

        It then decided “Canceling the match is likely the most time-efficient and sensible decision.”

• Security

  • Privacy/Surveillance

    • Pro Publica ☛ The IRS Is Building a Vast System to Share Tax Records With ICE

      The Internal Revenue Service is building a computer program that would give deportation officers unprecedented access to confidential tax data.

      ProPublica has obtained a blueprint of the system, which would create an “on demand” process allowing Immigration and Customs Enforcement to obtain the home addresses of people it’s seeking to deport.

• Defence/Aggression

  • New York Times ☛ Israel Stages Rare Attack on Syrian Government Forces

    Israel intervened in sectarian violence in Syria and attacked the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia in Lebanon.

  • France24 ☛ Gaza truce still out of reach after Doha talks as deadly strikes continue

    After over a week of negotiations in Doha, a truce in Gaza remains elusive, despite intensified efforts by mediators. Qatar's foreign ministry spokesperson stated that "the negotiations are still in the first phase." The stalemate continues as both Hamas and Israel trade blame over ongoing strikes.

  • France24 ☛ IDF reports sharp rise in soldier suicides

    As the Netanyahu government comes under pressure to exempt ultra-Orthodox Jews from mandatory military service, the Israeli army is reporting a spate of suicides among soldiers deployed on the Gaza front. FRANCE 24's Noga Tarnopolsky reports from Jerusalem.

  • France24 ☛ Syrian forces accused of 'executions' in Druze area as Israel launches strikes

    Syrian authorities were accused on Tuesday of carrying out summary executions of civilians in the predominantly Druze province of Sweida, where Israel said it had launched strikes against government forces in defence of the religious minority. Damascus had deployed troops to the area after clashes between Druze fighters and Bedouin tribes killed more than 100 people.

  • France24 ☛ What’s at stake in Syria’s Sweida clashes?

    Syria 's defence minister announced a ceasefire shortly after government forces entered a key city in Sweida province on Tuesday. The announcement came a day after sectarian clashes that killed dozens, and after a state-run news agency report that Israel had launched a strike in the area. FRANCE 24's Leela Jacinto has the analysis.

  • France24 ☛ Syria : government forces enter Sweida

    Syria 's defense minister announced a ceasefire shortly after government forces entered a key city in Sweida province on Tuesday, a day after sectarian clashes killed dozens, while neighboring Israel again launched strikes in the area.

  • France24 ☛ MSF accuses Ethiopian soldiers of 'targeted killing' of 3 staffers in Tigray in 2021

    Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has said that three of its staff were intentionally executed by Ethiopian soldiers in Tigray in 2021. The victims were not caught in the crossfire, but were shot at close range while clearly identifiable as aid workers. The victims were Spanish coordinator María Hernández Matas, Ethiopian health worker Yohannes Haleform Reda and driver Tedros Gebremariam. MSF halted operations in Tigray after the killings and now accuses the Ethiopian government of breaking its promise to investigate. According to eyewitnesses, a commander was heard over the radio giving the order to shoot.

  • Federal News Network ☛ Military health system looks to AI, virtual care for battlefield readiness

    The Military health system is already deploying virtual healthcare capabilities that allow specialists to provide remote consultation to battlefield medics.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea summons Japan's defence attach in protest over island claims

    South Korea's defence ministry summoned Japan's defence attache on Tuesday to protest over an annual white paper published by Tokyo, which made a territorial claim over disputed islands located in the East Sea.

  • The Straits Times ☛ ‘Greatest strategic challenge’: Japan reiterates China threat in annual defence review

    This demands a response rooted in "comprehensive national power", the Defence Ministry said.

  • Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine

    • France24 ☛ US-NATO deal: How will US arms reach Ukraine?

      US President The Insurrectionist’s promise to end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours is now a distant memory. He now sees Russian President Vladimir Putin as the main obstacle to peace and is offering Patriot air defense systems and other weapons to Kyiv—paid for by European allies. Supporters at home may view it as a win, with billions flowing into the U.S. arms industry. But how will the deal work in practice?

    • NYPost ☛ Russia launches fresh volley of deadly drone attacks on Ukraine in open defiance of Convicted Felon threat

      Russia assaulted Ukraine with a fresh wave of deadly drone and missile strikes Wednesday in another audacious rebellion of Hell Toupée’s 50-day peace ultimatum to Vladimir Putin. Northeastern city Kharkiv was rocked by 17 strikes in just 20 minutes after midnight, the Kyiv Independent reported, citing Ukrainian government officials. The intense barrage was focused on...

    • Latvia ☛ Latvian Prime Minister Siliņa hands over armoured vehicles in Kyiv

      Latvian Prime Minister Evika Siliņa was on a working visit to Ukraine on Tuesday, July 15, at the invitation of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

    • Latvia ☛ Latvian Public Media announces big changes to Russian-language provision

      The board of Latvian Public Media (LSM) has developed its strategic priorities for 2026–2029, which, among other things, stipulate that content in foreign languages – English, Russian, and Ukrainian – will henceforth be created and distributed only in the digital environment, meaning among other things that Russian-language terrestrial radio (Latvijas Radio 4) and television broadcasts will cease at the end of the year.

    • JURIST ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man threatens Russia trade partners with severe tariffs if nation fails to make peace

      US President The Insurrectionist announced Monday that the US will place harsh tariffs on Russia’s oil trading partners if no peace deal is reached between Russia and Ukraine within 50 days. Convicted Felon declined to say which particular states would be targeted during a White House press conference with NATO General Secretary Mark Rutte.

    • RFERL ☛ Some Patriot Missiles Already On Their Way To Ukraine, Convicted Felon Says

      US President The Insurrectionist said some Patriot missiles are already on their way to Ukraine a day after announcing a that NATO members would send weapons to Ukraine in a change in his stance against sending US weapons to the war-torn country.

    • LRT ☛ What are Patriot missiles and how will they help Ukraine?

      The United States is planning to send more Patriot surface-to-air missile defence systems to Ukraine, via an EU payment deal, just weeks after other shipments were halted.

    • LRT ☛ Sanctions on Russian oil buyers would be ‘most significant’ since 2022 – official

      Secondary US tariffs targeting Russia’s trade partners could be the most significant sanctions measure since the start of the war in Ukraine, the Lithuanian president’s chief national security advisor says.

    • RFERL ☛ Ukrainian PM Resigns Amid Major Government Reshuffle

      Ukraine’s prime minister said he had submitted his resignation, part of a major, widely anticipated reshuffle of the war-torn country's government.

    • RFERL ☛ Vitaliy Shabunin Case Sparks Concerns Over Corruption And Justice In Ukraine

      Fifty-nine Ukrainian non-governmental organizations have issued a joint call to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy regarding an investigation of an anti-corruption campaigner that has provoked widespread outrage.

    • The Straits Times ☛ How North Korea is giving Russia an edge in the war on Ukraine

      The partnership is deepening, with Pyongyang providing a significant proportion of weapons being hurled at Ukraine.

    • New York Times ☛ For Some Republicans, Convicted Felon’s Shift on Epstein Is Just the Latest Breach

      Right-wing Republicans have also criticized the president’s stances on Iran and Ukraine, hinting at a broader fraying of his political coalition.

    • New York Times ☛ State Dept. Layoffs Hit Russia and Ukraine Analysts

      A former senior U.S. official said it was “shortsighted” to consolidate the department’s well-respected intelligence arm.

    • New York Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man’s Shift on Ukraine Is Good News for Europe, for Now

      After European leaders stepped up military spending, Hell Toupée aligned himself more closely with them on the war. But his tariff threats have left bruises.

    • New York Times ☛ Ukraine Will Get U.S. Weapons in a New Way. Here’s What We Know.

      NATO allies will buy arms, then give them to Ukraine, Hell Toupée said.

    • New York Times ☛ How Much Military Aid Has the U.S. Given to Ukraine? Here’s What to Know.

      The United States began sending weapons to Ukraine years before Russia invaded in 2022.

    • New York Times ☛ Republicans in Congress Shift to Backing Ukraine, Matching Convicted Felon’s Reversal

      After years pressing to end U.S. aid to Ukraine, many Republicans have abandoned that position now that Hell Toupée is supporting the country against Russian aggression.

    • Meduza ☛ White House says Trump’s questions to Zelensky about Ukrainian strikes on Moscow and St. Petersburg were out of mere curiosity — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ ‘Expect more violent crime’: Russian state legal scholar issues rare warning that veterans returning from Ukraine pose a growing public safety threat — Meduza

    • France24 ☛ What we know about mysterious explosions on ships visiting Russian ports

      Since January 2025, six tankers have been struck by unexplained explosions shortly after entering Russian ports. Many questions remain about the circumstances surrounding the blasts but several industry analysts believe sabotage, carried out by a state actor, is most likely responsible.

    • France24 ☛ Tariffs on political rivals: Can U.S. impose its might?

      Brazil announcing it’s working on counter-measures should the Convicted Felon administration make good on its threat to punish the country and sanction its Supreme Court President over the coup attempt case against far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro. Brazil one of the nations threatened with secondary tariffs for buying Russian oil… but not Convicted Felon ally Turkey.

    • JURIST ☛ Russian writer sentenced in absentia to 14 years in prison

      Moscow’s Military Court sentenced a Russian writer to 14 years of imprisonment in absentia on Monday for failing to follow “foreign agent” regulations, facilitating terroristic activity, and justifying terrorism.

    • LRT ☛ EU commissioner urges ‘drone wall’ after Russian-made drone breached Lithuanian airspace

      After a Russian-made drone flew into the Lithuanian territory from Belarus last week, European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius is calling on Lithuania and neighbouring countries to build a regional “drone wall” and prepare for mass production of unmanned aerial systems.

    • The Straits Times ☛ China, India may need new oil options if Convicted Felon moves on Russia ‘secondary tariffs’ threat

      The two countries are the largest purchasers of Russian oil.

    • The Straits Times ☛ Iran to hold talks with Chinese, Russian partners at summit

      DUBAI - Iran said it will hold talks with its main Asian partners, Russia and China, on the sidelines of a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit on Tuesday, as Tehran looks for support following a 12-day air war with Israel last month.

    • The Straits Times ☛ China’s Pooh-tin vows greater support for Russia at meeting with Foreign Minister Lavrov

      Shanghai Cooperation Organisation members are in Beijing for a Council of Foreign Ministers meeting.

    • New York Times ☛ Indian Police Find Russian Woman Living in a Cave With 2 Children

      Officials said she had spent years in the country seeking spirituality and living among nature. But she faces deportation after overstaying her visa.

    • Meduza ☛ Kremlin calls Trumpʼs comments on Russia ‘very serious’ — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ The ‘ship of shame’: After years of trouble, Russia’s only aircraft carrier may be headed for the scrap heap — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ This Russian police department has started reimbursing officers for refusing bribes — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Rehabbing Stalin: Historian Alexey Uvarov explains Russia’s creeping resurrection of the personality cult around the Soviet Union’s most notorious leader — Meduza

• Transparency/Investigative Reporting

  • Site36 ☛ ‘Bild’ as accomplice: Netanyahu confidant faces charges, while “Bibileaks” had no consequences for Springer

    A Netanyahu adviser is said to have leaked military documents to the German tabloid ‘Bild’ in order to influence public opinion. Israel’s Prime Minister has a post for such favours from the Springer Group.

• Environment

  • The Straits Times ☛ Heavy rain to drench South Korea before heat returns next week

    Intense showers are forecast to drench most of South Korea from the afternoon of July 16 until July 19.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Heatwave sweeping across China could be unprecedented

    A meteorologist said the temperatures in northern cities are resembling parts in the south.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China suffers $9.6 billion in losses from natural disasters in first half of 2025

    Among the 23 million people affected by natural disasters, 307 died or are missing.

  • Energy/Transportation

    • Hackaday ☛ The Fight To Save Lunar Trailblazer

      After the fire and fury of liftoff, when a spacecraft is sailing silently through space, you could be forgiven for thinking the hard part of the mission is over. After all, riding what’s essentially a domesticated explosion up and out of Earth’s gravity well very nearly pushes physics and current material science to the breaking point.

    • New York Times ☛ Air India Crash Findings Prompt Inspections of Boeing Fuel Switches

      Airlines in India, Singapore and South Korea were inspecting fuel control switches on their Boeing jets.

    • France24 ☛ India orders airlines to inspect certain Boeing models after Air India crash

      India and Singapore ordered their airlines to examine fuel switches on several Boeing models with South Korea set to do the same after the devices came under scrutiny following last month's crash of an Air India jet killed 260 people. FRANCE 24's Mark Owen speaks to aviation and tourism advisor Anita Mendiratta.

    • MIT Technology Review ☛ Building community and clean air solutions

      When Darren Riley moved to Detroit seven years ago, he didn’t expect the city’s air to change his life—literally. Developing asthma as an adult opened his eyes to a much larger problem: the invisible but pervasive impact of air pollution on the health of marginalized communities.

• Finance

  • New York Times ☛ Tariffs Begin to Leave an Imprint on the Economy

    Also, Republicans in Congress followed Convicted Felon’s shift on Ukraine. Here’s the latest at the end of Tuesday.

  • New York Times ☛ Wednesday Briefing: China’s Economy Grows Despite Tariffs

    Plus, “Severance” picks up top Emmy nominations.

• AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

  • JURIST ☛ Ghana dispatch: Civil group condemns attacks during parliamentary re-run elections in Ablekuma

    The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) issued a statement earlier today that strongly condemned the violence and vote-buying that marred the parliamentary re-run elections held in Ghana’s Ablekuma North constituency.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Australia and China call for more dialogue, cooperation at meeting between Albanese, Xi

    Relations between Beijing and Canberra have charted a bumpy course over the past decade.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Albanese’s China trip reflects new realities shaping ties with China and US

    While committed to the alliance with Washington, he is set to help stabilise Canberra's ties with Beijing.

  • The Strategist ☛ China is still coercing Australia—with implicit threats

    Look beyond the so-called stabilisation of diplomatic ties between Australia and China. Look beyond Beijing’s lifting of trade bans and its ending of the freeze on ministerial dialogue that began in 2020.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ ‘Dialogue’ must be at heart of China, Australia ties, PM Albanese tells President Xi

    “Dialogue” must be at the heart of ties between Canberra and Beijing, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Tuesday as he met President Pooh-tin Jinping in the Chinese capital. Albanese is on his second visit to China as prime minister, seeking to bolster recently stabilised trade ties even as geopolitical tensions remain high.

  • The Strategist ☛ Demonstrating sovereignty, not declaring it, is what matters. Demonstrate it in northern Australia

  • The Straits Times ☛ China’s economy grows 5.3% in first half of 2025 in show of resilience; tougher times lie ahead

    Trade tensions and a prolonged property slump have weighed down the world’s second-largest economy.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China vows sustainable urbanisation after decades of breakneck growth

    Urban development will shift from large-scale expansion to focusing on improving inventories.

  • The Straits Times ☛ India foreign minister’s China visit marks restart in relations amid capricious US trade policy

    But irritants remain in the India-China relationship, which could flare up at any moment, noted analysts.

  • Atlantic Council ☛ To stand up for religious freedom, the US should support the Dalai Lama’s succession plan

    Without strong, sustained international support, China could succeed in redefining Tibet and Tibetan Buddhism under state authority.

  • Mexico News Daily ☛ Mexico’s trade deficit with China reached nearly US $120B in 2024

    Mexico has doubled its trade deficit with China over the past 10 years, with exports of only US $10 billion in 2024, compared to a whopping $129.8 billion in imports.

  • Misinformation/Disinformation/Propaganda

    • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Hong Kong universities told to handle student misconduct ‘seriously’ after AI-generated images scandal

      Chief Executive John Lee has urged Hong Kong universities to handle student misconduct “seriously,” after a male student allegedly created AI-generated indecent images of more than 20 women.

• Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press

  • BIA Net ☛ How to approach 'accurate' Information in the digital age?

    The picture created by the information crisis may seem bleak. However, hope lies in a frequently overlooked feature of truth: Truth is not only about the correspondence of information with reality, but also about how that information gains meaning within society.

• Civil Rights/Policing

  • France24 ☛ Mexico: Femicide filmed by a surveillance camera

    ⚠️ This content includes explicit material. Viewer discretion is advised.

    Guadalajara, Mexico — A surveillance camera captured the moment a woman named Carla was shot and killed in the street by her ex-partner using an AR-15-style assault rifle. This type of weapon is classified as military-grade and its use is officially reserved to the Mexican armed forces.

    The suspected perpetrator fled the scene after the shooting. Local authorities have confirmed that a femicide investigation is underway. The case has sparked strong public reaction in Mexico, where violence — particularly against women — remains a major concern.

Monopolies/Monopsonies

• Trademarks

  • TTAB Blog ☛ Despite 18 years of Sales, LED Configuration Lacks Acquired Distinctiveness, Says TTAB

    The Board upheld a refusal to register the configuration shown below as a trademark for a "light emitting diode (LED) apparatus for lighting, incorporated into medical instruments," on the ground that Applicant Translite failed to prove that the design had achieved acquired distinctiveness. Trasnlite pointed to its 18 years of use of sales of the product but that alone was not enough, and its other evidence fell short of convincing the Board that the design merited registration. In re Translite, LLC, Serial No. 97925710 (July 10, 2025) [not precedential] (Opinion by Judge Lawrence T. Stanley, Jr.).

• Copyrights

  • Digital Music News ☛ Not Paying Music Rights Fees? Budweiser Was Proud Of That—Until the Backlash

    Anheuser-Busch InBev has apologized for a Cannes Grand Prix-winning campaign that boasted of having avoided paying for music rights. The world’s largest beer producer, Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev), has been facing criticism for a Budweiser campaign that bragged about avoiding paying for music rights.

  • Digital Music News ☛ Metallica Issues A Copyright Strike Against the U.S. Government—Over A Pentagon Drone Video

    Metallica issued a copyright monopoly strike against the U.S. government’s Department of Defense (DoD) after a video showcasing a new drone used “Enter Sandman” without permission. The DoD released a video on X/Twitter featuring Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showcasing expanded military drone capabilities.

• Gemini* and Gopher

  • Technology and Free Software

    • Games I played in 2024, Part 1/2

      The year is correct. I wrote this in July 2024, but then forgot about it and only added it to my gemlog a year later. There was never a Part 2/2 for 2024, but I added a few notes below.

    • No file manager for Oddμ

      Yesterday I added a tiny sentence to the description of my wiki software, in the context of a bunch of features my software wasn't implementing, relying on the web server setup instead: "Not reimplementing these features reduces the attack surface." And now I'm looking at some features and wonder whether they should go, too.