Leftovers

• Ruben Schade ☛ Replacing a sliding door roller

  One of the joys—joys?—of newfound home ownership is fixing things that break, because it’s now our responsibility. When I was a renter, I could just call my landlord who’d… ignore the problem, and we’d learn to live with it. Simpler times!

  The sliding doors for the cupboard in our study had been jammed since we moved in, and over the weekend we finally figured out why. The rollers had all but disintegrated: [...]

• Science

  • Science Alert ☛ This Skull Is The Oldest Physical Proof of Neanderthals in Your Bloodline

    A love story from 140,000 years ago.

  • Science Alert ☛ This Incredible Dinosaur Sported The Spikiest Armor The World Has Ever Seen

    "Unlike anything anyone had ever found."

  • Science Alert ☛ Scientists Spotted a 'Yellow Brick Road' at The Bottom of The Pacific Ocean

    Where does it lead?

  • Science Alert ☛ Stunning But Dangerous: Rare Blue Dragons Are Forcing Beaches to Close

    Pretty hurts.

  • Science Alert ☛ Asteroid Bennu Samples Contain Stardust Older Than Our Solar System

    A true cosmic time capsule.

  • Science Alert ☛ Scientists Have Created Glow-in-The-Dark Succulents (And We Want One)

    A step closer to real-life Avatar plants!

• Career/Education

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Beijing says hopes US will welcome more Chinese students

    China said on Wednesday it hopes the United States will welcome more Chinese students, after President The Insurrectionist said he intended to allow 600,000 students to enter the country. Convicted Felon said on Monday that he was going to allow more Chinese students to “come in”. “We’re going to allow — it’s very important, 600,000 students.

  • New York Times ☛ El Salvador Enacts Military-Style Rules on Haircuts and More in Schools

    President Nayib Bukele says that his new education minister, a military officer, will restore discipline to schools where gangs once recruited. A school workers’ union called the appointment “absurd.”

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Hong Kong’s Lingnan University seizes ‘unofficial’ student union’s booklet

    Lingnan University in Hong Kong has confiscated copies of an orientation booklet distributed by the students’ union, a move set to further embroil their relationship after the school barred the group from operating on campus last month.

• Hardware

  • Liam Proven ☛ 21st century IT is kayfabe: it's all fake, just for show

    In response to Apple vs. Facebook (Farcebook) is Kayfabe...He’s right, though.We are now at 25% of the way through C21. Most of C21 IT today is “kayfabe”: deliberately fake, to fool the audience.

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ 'State-owned enterprise is not the American way' — GOP senators, former Convicted Felon associates question White House’s 10% stake in Intel, critics brand move as socialism

    Several Republican senators and party members are questioning Hell Toupée’s deal with Intel, saying it’s not “the American way.”

  • Russell Coker ☛ Russell Coker: ZRAM and VMs

    I’ve just started using zram for swap on VMs. The use of compression for swap in GNU/Linux apparently isn’t new, it’s been in the GNU/Linux kernel since version 3.2 (since 2012). But until recent years I hadn’t used it. When I started using Mobian (the Debian distribution for phones) zram was in the default setup, it basically works and I never needed to bother with it which is exactly what you want from such a technology. After seeing it’s benefits in Mobian I started using it on my laptops where it worked well.

  • CNX Software ☛ Octavo OSD62x-PM SiP combines Texas Instruments AM62x SoC with up to 2GB DDR4 in a tiny 14x9mm BGA package

    Octavo OSD62x-PM System-in-Package (SiP) integrates Texas Instruments AM62x quad-core Cortex-A53 SoC, up to 2GB DDR4 memory, and required passive components into a tiny 14x9mm BGA package. It’s a smaller and cheaper version of the Octava OSD62x SiP (21x21mm) with AM62x SoC, DDR4, PMIC, EEPROM, and optional integrations.

• Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

  • The Straits Times ☛ Pakistan blows up dam embankment as it braces for flood surge

    Landslides and floods triggered by torrential rain have killed over 800 people there since June.

  • New York Times ☛ Paris Will Keep Seine River Open to Swimmers for 2 More Weeks

    The city will extend its experiment with public bathing in the river until mid-September. Swimming there had been banned for a century over health risks.

  • New York Times ☛ CDC Director Susan Monarez Is Fired, White House Says

    Susan Monarez was said to have refused to adopt Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s stance on vaccination policy.

  • France24 ☛ White House fires US health agency chief after vaccine standoff

    Health scientist and longtime civil servant Susan Monarez was fired from her short-lived role as head of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the White House confirmed Wednesday. Monarez said she had refused to sign off on what she described as "unscientific, reckless directives" from Health Secretary and vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

  • Federal News Network ☛ CDC director Susan Monarez is fired and other agency leaders resign

    The director of the nation’s top public health agency has been fired after less than one month in the job. The White House says Susan Monarez isn’t “aligned with” President The Insurrectionist’s agenda and refused to resign, so she was fired. Her lawyers said she was targeted for standing up for science. Also on Wednesday, some other top agency leaders said they are resigning. Monarez was sworn in on July 31 — less than a month ago, making her the shortest-serving CDC director in the history of the 79-year-old agency.

  • New York Times ☛ What to Know About Covid Vaccines This Fall

    The F.D.A. introduced new rules. Here’s what to know.

  • New York Times ☛ FDA Approves Updated Covid Vaccines With New Restrictions

    The agency’s fall recommendations underscore the goals of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to limit access to the vaccines, which he has long opposed.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea to ban phones in class in elementary, middle and high schools from March 2026 [Ed: They do not ban skinnerboxes outright, they merely assert (correctly) that when you're in a class you're there to study, not to get the fix from the online drugs. It's merely a first, logical step.]

    Exceptions will be allowed when the devices are used for educational purposes or emergencies.

  • New York Times ☛ South Korea Outlaws Use of Smartphones During Class

    It becomes the latest country to restrict phone use in schools, with a law that will go into effect in 2026.

  • Science Alert ☛ These 5 Common Sleep Tips Can Make Insomnia Worse, Expert Warns

    Good ideas can backfire.

  • Science Alert ☛ Rare, Flesh-Eating Parasite Confirmed in US in Concerning Development

    A nightmare creeping northward.

  • Science Alert ☛ Smelling This One Specific Scent Can Boost The Brain's Gray Matter

    It could even tackle Alzheimer's.

  • Science Alert ☛ Secret Bodies No Longer to Be Displayed at US Medical Museum

    They didn't choose to be there.

  • The Straits Times ☛ New Zealand to introduce laws to speed up approval of new supermarkets

    Five domestic companies have expressed interest to enter the grocery sector.

• Proprietary

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) / LLM Slop / Plagiarism

    • Press Gazette ☛ Survey suggests readers still click on links after reading Surveillance Giant Google Hey Hi (AI) Overview

      US adults claim to trust Google's Hey Hi (AI) summaries about the same as results in traditional search.

    • Silicon Angle ☛ Anthropic settles high-profile class action lawsuit alleging copyright monopoly infringement

      Artificial intelligence startup Anthropic PBC said in a court filing on Tuesday that it reached a resolution in a class action lawsuit with a group of prominent United States authors, marking a turning point in one of the most significant Hey Hi (AI) copyright monopoly lawsuits in history.

    • Tom's Hardware ☛ Internet standards body proposes new header field disclosing Hey Hi (AI) LLM Slop — will make it easier for machines to determine if Hey Hi (AI) LLM Slop was used on a site

      The IETF is recommending adding a header that will tell devices if the page used Hey Hi (AI) LLM Slop to generate or edit its contents.

    • Security Week ☛ PromptLock: First SLOP-Powered Ransomware Emerges

      Proof-of-concept ransomware uses Hey Hi (AI) models to generate attack scripts in real time.

• Pseudo-Open Source

  • Openwashing

    • Tom's Hardware ☛ Huawei to open-source its UB-Mesh data center-scale interconnect soon, details technical aspects — one interconnect to rule them all is designed to replace everything from PCIe to TCP/IP

      Huawei unveiled UB-Mesh at Hot Chips 2025 as an open protocol to unify Hey Hi (AI) datacenter interconnects, enabling million-processor SuperNodes with lower latency, cost, and higher reliability.

    • Open Source For U ☛ Linux Foundation Backs Open Source Agentgateway To Build First AI-Native Data Plane

      The Linux Foundation has welcomed the agentgateway project, an open source AI-native proxy created by Solo.io to optimise connectivity, security, and observability in agentic AI environments. The announcement was made at the Open Source Summit Europe.

• Security

  • Integrity/Availability/Authenticity

    • The Straits Times ☛ Scammers preying on children as young as 7 in Malaysia for easy money

      One in five parents surveyed said at least one of their children had been targeted by scammers.

  • Privacy/Surveillance

    • Purism ☛ A Privacy Shield in the Wake of AT&T Data Breaches

      Purism AweSIM: A Privacy Shield in the Wake of AT&T Data Breaches AT&T was found liable to pay customers an estimated $177M to resolve multiple lawsuits stemming from two separate data breaches – March 30 and July 12, 2024. Both breaches exposed huge amounts of Personal Identifiable Information (PII) to the public.

• Defence/Aggression

  • ADF ☛ Prolific Chinese Cyber Espionage Group Attacks Southern Africa

    APT41 is a well-known cybercriminal syndicate with many aliases: Wicked Panda, Barium, Brass Typhoon and Winnti. The group is notorious for targeting organizations across multiple sectors, including telecom and energy providers, educational institutions, and health care organizations in at least 42 countries.

  • The Straits Times ☛ US, allies step up fight against North Korean cyber activities

    Pyongyang’s operatives are using increasingly sophisticated tactics to evade detection.

  • The Straits Times ☛ North Korea's Kim says stronger special operation force is important, state media reports

    Kim's visit to a military training camp came after the summit between the US and South Korea presidents.

  • Scoop News Group ☛ Treasury sanctions North Korea IT worker scheme facilitators and front organizations

    As the sanctions-evading scheme has grown, so too has the U.S. government’s response.

  • Atlantic Council ☛ Navigating the new normal: Strategic simultaneity, US Forces Korea flexibility, and alliance imperatives

    The future of deterrence on the Korean Peninsula—and indeed, the wider Indo-Pacific region—will hinge on Seoul’s ability to reframe US force realignments not as unilateral disengagements but as catalysts for action.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Father of murdered Mongolian woman Altantuya applies to Malaysian court to reopen probe

    Altantuya Shaariibuu was murdered in 2006 by two bodyguards for officials including former PM Najib.

  • France24 ☛ Denmark summons US diplomat over Greenland ‘influence’ attempts

    Denmark has summoned the US chargé d’affaires for talks following intelligence reports that American citizens have been involved in covert influence operations in Greenland, the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. The move came after Denmark’s national broadcaster reported that the government suspects at least three individuals linked to The Insurrectionist’s administration of attempting to promote Greenland’s secession from Denmark in favour of joining the United States. France24 journalist Erin Ogunkeye explains.

  • France24 ☛ Denmark summons US diplomat over Greenland 'interference'

    Denmark summoned the US charge d'affaires on Wednesday after reports of attempted interference in Greenland, a Danish autonomous territory that US President The Insurrectionist wants to take over. Since returning to the White House in January, Convicted Felon has repeatedly said the United States needs the strategically located, resource-rich island for security reasons, and has refused to rule out the use of force to secure it. FRANCE 24's Emerald Maxwell reports.

  • The Strategist ☛ Indo-Pacific needs alignment, not uniformity, to remove cyber red tape

    Cyber threats are outpacing our ability to govern them.

  • JURIST ☛ UN experts criticize Peru over legislation granting amnesty to war criminals

    UN human rights experts on Tuesday voiced alarm over a newly approved law in Peru that grants amnesty to security forces accused of committing serious violations of international law between 1980 and 2000—an action that activists denounce as a setback to the country’s commitment to accountability and justice.

  • Defence Web ☛ Why a jihadist takeover of a Sahelian capital is unlikely

    Insecurity has risen sharply in the Sahel in recent months. Between late May and early June, major attacks claimed by Jama’at Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM) and the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) targeted various locations in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.

  • Defence Web ☛ Kenya and South Korea evolve defence partnership

    A high-level meeting saw the Kenyan Defence Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya and South Korea’s ambassador to the East African country discuss partnerships on, among others, defence as regards shipbuilding and maritime security as well as artificial intelligence (AI).

  • Defence Web ☛ Attacks by Islamic State-backed insurgents stall TotalEnergies subcontractors in Palma

    Renewed insurgent activity in the Palma district of Mozambique during the first two weeks of August has forced subcontractors working for TotalEnergies in the region to suspend some activities. According to local sources, the subcontractors were warned that the security situation had recently deteriorated, and operations had been suspended almost a week ago.

  • France24 ☛ The Argentine hunt for a painting stolen by the Nazis 80 years ago

    Argentine police are investigating a painting stolen by the Nazis over 80 years ago after it was spotted in a photo on a real estate agent’s for-sale notice, though efforts to recover the masterpiece have so far been unsuccessful. The investigation is being supported by the international police agency Interpol. Ellen Gainsford reports.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Philippines open to discuss safety of Filipinos in Taiwan with China, foreign minister says

    Contingency measures are already in place to assist and evacuate Filipinos in the event of a war.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Japan hails 'unprecedented' security ties as British aircraft carrier visits Tokyo

    Security cooperation between Japan and Britain has reached an "unprecedented" level, Japan's defence minister said on Thursday, as a Royal Navy aircraft carrier sailed into Tokyo on a goodwill visit.

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ Trio of current and ex-TSMC employees face combined 30 years in prison for stealing national core key tech — engineer allegedly stole data to help Tokyo Electron improve etching machine performance

    The trio is charged with violating Taiwan’s National Security Act and faces a combined 30 years in prison.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Taiwan’s denial of communist role in World War II is ‘blasphemy’, China says

    Taiwan has urged people not to attend Beijing’s large-scale military parade next week.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China’s SCO summit and military parade project unity – and rivalry with the West

    All eyes will be on how China uses the events to pitch a multipolar, less US-centric international order.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ North Korea leader Kim Jong Un to attend China’s World War II military parade next week

    By Isabel Kua North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will attend a huge military parade in China next week to mark 80 years since the end of World War II, both countries announced on Thursday. Some 26 leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, will also attend the parade that will […]

  • The Straits Times ☛ Putin, Kim Jong Un to attend victory celebration in China

    North Korea and Russia have also become closer militarily since 2020.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Myanmar’s military chief to visit China to attend summit

    He is expected to hold talks with other Chinese officials.

  • Damaged Chinese ship now under repair, satellite images show

    The coast guard vessel struck another Chinese ship during an incident in the South China Sea earlier this month.

  • LRT ☛ Budrys to remain Lithuania’s foreign minister, says mending ties with China remains a task

    Lithuania’s new government has confirmed that Kęstutis Budrys will continue serving as foreign minister, even as incoming Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė takes office.

  • JURIST ☛ China challenges legality of US ‘freedom of navigation’ operations in new report

    China’s Ministry of Natural Resources released a report Monday, contending that US “freedom of navigation operations” (FON) in the South China Sea have “no legal basis” under international law. The report, authored by the China Institute for Marine Affairs, aims to provide a legal framework for Beijing’s long-standing opposition to US naval patrols.

  • France24 ☛ Israeli troops have described the evacuation as inevitable as they advance towards Gaza City

    Israeli and US officials met in Washington on Wednesday to discuss post-war Gaza, as Israel’s military warned that evacuation of Gaza City was “inevitable” ahead of a new offensive. Anger mounted after a double strike on Gaza's Nasser Hospital that killed 22, including journalists and medics, health officials said. Peter O’Brien reports.

  • France24 ☛ Israel says Gaza City evacuation is 'inevitable' as Convicted Felon holds talks on post-war plans

    Israeli and US officials met in Washington on Wednesday to discuss post-war Gaza, as Israel’s military warned that evacuation of Gaza City was “inevitable” ahead of a new offensive. Anger mounted after a double strike on Gaza's Nasser Hospital that killed 22, including journalists and medics, health officials said.

  • France24 ☛ Gaza: The Insurrectionist holds post-war Gaza policy meeting with Blair and Kushner

    Israeli and US officials met in Washington on Wednesday to discuss post-war Gaza, as Israel’s military warned that evacuation of Gaza City was “inevitable” ahead of a new offensive. Anger mounted over a double strike on Nasser Hospital that killed 22, including journalists and medics, Gaza health officials said.

  • France24 ☛ UN Security Council affirms Gaza famine is manmade

    United Nations officials and aid agencies have warned that famine in Gaza is no longer a looming threat but a present reality, with children increasingly dying of hunger as Israel’s ongoing siege and bombardment continue to obstruct vital humanitarian aid. In a blunt address to the UN Security Council on Wednesday, officials described the famine and widespread hunger in the enclave as “engineered” and “man-made” disasters. Daniel Quinlan reports.

  • JURIST ☛ UN chief calls on Egypt to end arbitrary detentions under ‘rotation’ system

    UN High Commissioner for Human Rights urged Egypt on Tuesday to end its controversial “rotation” practice which allows authorities to arbitrarily extend prison sentences beyond their maximum term.

  • France24 ☛ IAEA chief says inspectors have arrived at Iran nuclear site

    UN nuclear inspectors have begun work at the key Iranian site of Bushehr, the chief of their agency said Wednesday, after Tehran agreed to limited cooperation in the wake of Israeli and US strikes. Iran said earlier that IAEA inspectors would oversee the replacement of fuel at the Bushehr, a major nuclear power site in southwestern Iran that was spared in an Israeli military campaign in June. FRANCE 24's Saeed Azimi reports from Tehran.

  • France24 ☛ Argentina's Milei pelted with stones while campaigning amid corruption scandal

    Argentine President Javier Milei was pelted with stones by protesters near Buenos Aires on Wednesday while campaigning amid a corruption scandal, AFP reported. His motorcade was attacked but Milei was unhurt and swiftly evacuated by security, presidential spokesman Manuel Adorni said on X. Florent Marchais tells us more.

  • France24 ☛ Argentina's Milei pelted with stones while campaigning amid corruption scandal

    Argentine President Javier Milei was pelted with stones by protesters near Buenos Aires on Wednesday while campaigning amid a corruption scandal, AFP reported. His motorcade was attacked but Milei was unhurt and swiftly evacuated by security, presidential spokesman Manuel Adorni said on X.

  • New York Times ☛ John Bolton Inquiry Eyes Emails Obtained by Foreign Government

    It is not clear what country intercepted Mr. Bolton’s private emails, but the investigation into Hell Toupée’s former national security adviser picked up momentum under the Biden administration.

  • Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine

    • JURIST ☛ Press freedom group condemns Belarus court for sentencing journalist Aleh Supruniuk

      The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) expressed concern on Tuesday over the sentencing of freelance journalist Aleh Supruniuk to three years in prison by a Belarusian court. CPJ called for Supruniuk’s immediate release, along with all other journalists unjustly detained in Belarus.

    • Meduza ☛ 25 years ago, Moscow’s Ostankino Tower went up in flames. See photos of the unprecedented fight to save it. — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Crimea’s Russian-installed authorities seek to ban street musicians from playing songs by ‘foreign agents’ — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Russian climber stranded on Kyrgyzstani mountain declared missing after authorities abandoned rescue operation — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ ‘Commitment to providing facts without bias’: Russia’s flagship AI chatbot recommends reading Meduza and other ‘foreign agents’ — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Russia extends ban on gasoline exports through October — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Russian forces pound Kyiv with drones and missiles, killing at least eight — Meduza

    • New York Times ☛ North Korea’s Leader, Kim Jong-un, to Attend Military Parade in Beijing

      He will get a chance to meet the leaders of China and Russia, North Korea’s two most important allies, at a time when he is being wooed by Washington and Seoul.

    • The Straits Times ☛ China says trilateral nuclear disarmament talks with US, Russia ‘unreasonable’

      China says it pursues a policy of no-first-use of nuclear weapons and a nuclear strategy of self-defence.

    • France24 ☛ Leaders of Senegal, France say they're committed to strengthening relationship

      In tonight's edition: Senegal's President Bassirou Diomaye Faye visits his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, at the Elysée Palace. Also, Russia courts Niger with offers to build a nuclear power plant in a bid to displace France's decades-long dominance in the uranium sector. And the final battle has been decided for the African Nations Championship: two-time champions Morocco will take on first-time finalists Madagascar in Nairobi on Saturday.

    • France24 ☛ Germany to boost military with new voluntary service bill

      Amid rising concerns over the threat from Russia and in response to new NATO obligations, the German government is aiming to reverse the Bundeswehr’s long-standing recruitment shortfall. On Wednesday, the Cabinet approved an ambitious plan to expand the number of active-duty soldiers from the current 183,000 to 260,000 by the early 2030s. As part of this broader military buildup, officials are also seeking to double the number of reservists to 200,000 over the same period. Antonia Kerrigan reports.

    • Defence Web ☛ SA Navy Chief receives Russian Federation medal

      The medals row of SA Navy (SAN) Chief Vice Admiral Monde Lobese’s dress uniform has a new addition acknowledging his efforts at consolidating the Russia/South Africa defence partnership.

    • Meduza ☛ Western allies discuss creating three lines of defense for postwar Ukraine — FT — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Trump threatens Russia with ‘economic war’ if it refuses to end war in Ukraine — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ ‘He continues to support them’: Russia sentences former Yandex employee to 15 years in prison for donating $500 to Ukraine over three years ago — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ ‘Very un-Christian’ Karol Nawrocki rode a ‘Poland first’ campaign to power. Ukrainian refugees are paying the price. — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Zelensky appoints Olha Stefanishyna as Ukraine’s new ambassador to the United States — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Ukraine hits two Russian oil refineries in overnight drone strikes — Meduza

    • RFERL ☛ Russian Missiles, Drones Batter Ukrainian Sites; At Least 14 Killed, Dozens Wounded In Kyiv

      On August 28, Russia launched a massive missile and drone attack on Kyiv, killing civilians and damaging homes, including in the Darnytsya district. Ukraine’s air defenses intercepted many threats, but the scale overwhelmed them. Zelensky urged tougher sanctions and global action.

    • New York Times ☛ Even 2025’s Chaos Couldn’t Keep Brussels From the European August Holiday

      With Hell Toupée’s trade moves, war in Ukraine and wildfires, it was a busy month for the European Union. But not in Brussels.

    • New York Times ☛ Why Ukraine Is Allowing More Young Men to Leave the Country

      For three years of war, the country has banned young men from leaving the country once they turn 18, prompting an exodus of teenage boys. Now it is raising that age limit to 23.

    • New York Times ☛ Russian Missile and Drone Attack Kills at Least 14 in Kyiv

      The strikes on Ukraine’s capital, nearly two weeks after the U.S.-Russia summit in Alaska, injured at least 45 people, officials said.

    • CS Monitor ☛ How in-person summer school in Ukraine helped ease war’s stresses

      In-person schooling is better, it’s agreed. For students and teachers, the stresses of life in a war zone create even more needs that schools can help address. In-person summer programs in eastern Ukraine did just that.

    • RFERL ☛ Kyiv Hit With 'Massive' Russian Air Strike As Ukrainian Leaders Press Global Diplomatic Efforts

      Senior Ukrainian leaders were making a diplomatic dash to drum up support ahead of talks with US officials in New York later this week, with a stop in Saudi Arabia on August 27 and a visit to Switzerland next day, even as the deaths continued in the capital, Kyiv.

    • LRT ☛ Lithuania pushes EU to bypass Hungary on Ukraine membership talks

      As tensions between Budapest and Kyiv flare again, hopes are fading that Hungary will lift its veto on the start of Ukraine’s European Union accession talks. Lithuania, however, is urging a workaround to break the deadlock.

    • LRT ☛ Incoming PM says she has no ‘clear position’ yet on sending Lithuanian troops to Ukraine

      Lithuania’s incoming prime minister, Inga Ruginienė, says she does not yet have a clear stance on whether the country should send troops to a potential peacekeeping mission in Ukraine.

    • LRT ☛ Vilnius names street after Lithuanian fighter killed in Ukraine

      The Vilnius City Council on Wednesday decided to name part of Kernavės Street after Tadas Tumas, a Lithuanian volunteer fighter who was killed in Ukraine last year.

    • LRT ☛ Lithuania adopts plan to respond to potential drone incursions

      Lithuania’s National Security Commission (NSK) on Wednesday approved a new interagency response plan for airspace incidents that will raise the country’s alert level whenever Russia launches drone strikes against Ukraine.

    • France24 ☛ 'This party is almost over', expert says as Russia slashes 2025 forecast

      Russia has cut its 2025 economic growth forecast amid high interest rates and spending on the war in Ukraine. Speaking on FRANCE 24, Alexander Kolyandr, Senior Fellow with the Democratic Resilience Programme at the Centre for European Policy Analysis, says that the stimulus provided by spending for the war in Ukraine 'cannot last forever', and that 'this party is almost over' as wages stagnate and inflation remains at historic highs.

    • France24 ☛ French, German, Polish leaders vow 'support' to Moldova in face of Russia

      The leaders of France, Germany and Poland all expressed their support for Moldova's EU bid on Wednesday, slamming Russian "lies" and "hybrid attacks" during a symbolic visit to the former Soviet republic bordering Ukraine. The visit comes a day before campaigning starts for next month's tense parliamentary election amid claims of Russian interference in the pro-EU nation. FRANCE 24's Camille Knight reports.

    • France24 ☛ Deadly Russian strikes pound Ukraine’s capital Kyiv overnight

      A “massive” Russian attack on Kyiv early Thursday killed at least 14 people and wounded dozens more, Ukrainian authorities said. Powerful explosions shook the Ukrainian capital overnight, lighting up the sky and leaving a column of smoke as emergency crews rushed to affected areas.

    • France24 ☛ 'They had no time to take shelter': At least 12 people killed by Russian strikes on Kyiv

      FRANCE 24's Kyiv correspondent Emmanuelle Chaze reports from the Ukrainian capital, where Russian missiles hammered seven districts across the city. The strikes killed at least 12 people and wounded dozens more, local authorities said.

    • France24 ☛ Massive Russian strikes pound Ukraine’s capital Kyiv overnight

      A “massive” Russian attack on Kyiv early Thursday killed at least 12 people and wounded dozens more, Ukrainian authorities said. Powerful explosions shook the Ukrainian capital overnight, lighting up the sky and leaving a column of smoke as emergency crews rushed to affected areas. France24 Correspondent Gulliver Cragg reports from Lviv, Ukraine.

    • France24 ☛ Russia strikes the heart of Ukraine: At least 12 killed in mass drone and missile attack on Kyiv

      A “massive” Russian assault on Kyiv early Thursday resulted in the deaths of at least 12 people and left dozens more injured, according to Ukrainian officials. Powerful explosions rocked the Ukrainian capital during the night, illuminating the sky and sending a column of smoke into the air as emergency services raced to the affected areas. France24 Correspondent Emmanuelle Chaze reports the latest from Kyiv, Ukraine.

    • Atlantic Council ☛ When it comes to securing Ukraine, the US cannot stay on the sidelines

      Ensuring Ukraine’s security after a peace agreement will require a deterrent force with substantial presence in the country, including forces from the United States.

    • Latvia ☛ Nordic and Baltic parliamentary speakers meeting in Tallinn

      Speakers of the Nordic and Baltic parliaments are convening in Tallinn on August 28th and 29th for their annual meeting to discuss support for Ukraine, mutual cooperation, and developing transatlantic relations, but also how to ensure the resilience of parliaments in possible crisis situations.

    • ADF ☛ Russia Pushes Anti-Colonial Narrative While Using Colonizer’s Playbook

      Russian authorities recently demanded that the Central African Republic (CAR) end its yearslong relationship with the Wagner Group and replace those mercenaries with the state-run Africa Corps, a deal that includes building a Russian military base in the country.

    • ADF ☛ Experts Warn of ‘Jihadist PMCs’ Fanning Flames of Conflict

      The modern incarnation of fighters for hire in Africa, known as private military companies (PMCs), such as Russia’s Wagner Group, now the Africa Corps — trade security guarantees and counterterrorism pledges for money and natural resource concessions, especially in the Sahel.

    • CS Monitor ☛ Facts over fibs in another Russian invasion [Ed: What a lie. "The European Union and Tiktok help people in Moldova base their vote on truth rather than on disinformation from Russia." Rather the opposite, as Romania shows. iophk: Bytedance's Tiktok is only a vehicle for lies]

      The European Union and Tiktok help people in Moldova base their vote on truth rather than on disinformation from Russia.

    • NYPost ☛ Putin, Kim Jong Un to attend Chinese parade in show of defiance to the West

      Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korea's Kim Jong Un will attend a military parade in Beijing, marking the first public appearance of the two leaders alongside President Pooh-tin Jinping in a show of collective defiance amid Western pressure.

    • RFERL ☛ US Raises Tariffs On India To 50 Percent Over Russian Oil Purchases

      US President The Insurrectionist's decision to impose a 50 percent tariff on Indian goods over its Russian oil imports has escalated tensions between Washington and one of its key Indo-Pacific allies.

    • The Straits Times ☛ Russia says it put out fire at large oil refinery after latest Ukrainian drone attack

      Russia said on Thursday that a fire at an oil refinery in its southern Krasnodar region had been put out after a Ukrainian drone attack, part of a rolling campaign by Kyiv to strike the most important sector of President Vladimir Putin's economy.

• Environment

  • The Straits Times ☛ Extreme rain in China caused $2.8 billion in road damage, further straining public funds

    So far, 540 million yuan (S$97 million) in emergency road repair subsidies have been allocated to local authorities.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Can a giant sea wall save Indonesia’s disappearing coast?

    Indonesia's government calls the wall one of its “most vital” initiatives to help coastal communities in Java.

  • Energy/Transportation

    • The Straits Times ☛ Malaysia gas pipeline fire: Gas released could fill over half a million 14kg cooking gas cylinders

      Fires from the explosion exceeded 1,000 deg Celsius, with the flames rising more than 30m into the air.

    • The Straits Times ☛ West frets over China's interest in Vietnam tungsten mine, sources say

      American and other Western officials are worried a Vietnamese tungsten mine and refinery may come under Chinese control, potentially hampering access to a major source of the critical mineral outside China, people with knowledge of the matter said.

    • The Straits Times ☛ Malaysia says China is ready to provide assistance in rare earths processing

      However, it has asked for any cooperation to involve only state-linked companies.

    • Hackaday ☛ JuiceBox Rescue: Freeing Tethered EV Chargers From Corporate Overlords

      Having a charger installed at home for your electric car is very convenient, not only for the obvious home charging, but also for having scheduling and other features built-in. Sadly, like with so many devices today, these tend to be tethered to a remote service managed by the manufacturer. In the case of the JuiceBox charger that [Nathan Matias] and many of his neighbors bought into years ago, back then it and the associated JuiceNet service was still part of a quirky startup. After the startup got snapped up by a large company, things got so bad that [Nathan] and others saw themselves required to find a way to untether their EV chargers.

    • New Yorker ☛ What Would Free Buses Look Like, Actually?

      Zohran Mamdani has promised to make the bus fare-free, and so has Andrew Cuomo, sort of. Is New York City ready?

  • Wildlife/Nature

    • New York Times ☛ Like Humans, Every Tree Has Its Own Microbiome, a New Study Has Found

      Scientists have found that a single tree can be home to a trillion microbial cells — an invisible ecosystem that is only beginning to be understood.

    • New York Times ☛ Uncovering the Genes That Let Our Ancestors Walk Upright

      A new study reveals some of the crucial molecular steps on the path to bipedalism.

    • BIA Net ☛ Security cordon set up for Mediterranean monk seal resting on Datça beach

      After determining that the animal was resting, authorities set up a security cordon along the shoreline.

• Finance

  • The Straits Times ☛ Malaysia’s Parliament approves law to regulate government procurement

    Rights groups and opposition lawmakers have raised concerns over potential loopholes.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Evergrande: China’s indebted property behemoth delisted from Hong Kong stock market

    When traders kicked off another week of action at the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, data on the shares of one previously high-soaring firm was nowhere to be seen.

  • France24 ☛ US tariffs: we're very worried about the new world order, Mexico steel group boss says

    Speaking with FRANCE 24's Mark Owen, Raùl Gutiérrez Muguerza, chairman of Mexican steel producer DEACERO, says the punitive tariffs imposed by the Convicted Felon administration make him 'very worried about the new world order' in the context of non-reciprocal levies from the United States as well as massive state subsidies for the steel industry in China.

• AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

  • The Straits Times ☛ Malaysia plans to convene RCEP summit in October, report says

    Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he intends to convene a summit of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership in October, local media reported on Wednesday.

  • Pro Publica ☛ Trump FBI Pick Andrew Bailey Has History of Prosecuting Democrats

    In late July, Missouri state troopers walked into St. Louis County government headquarters and seized the cellphone of one of the most prominent Democratic officials in this solidly red state.

    Two days later, a grand jury indicted Sam Page, the St. Louis County executive. Acting as a special prosecutor, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, a Republican, secured two felony counts of stealing by deceit and two election-law violations.

  • New Yorker ☛ The Democratic Party’s Identity Crisis

    The Insurrectionist’s unpopularity hasn’t translated into strength among the Democratic Party. Why are key blocs of voters drifting away?

  • Press Gazette ☛ Independent’s video and podcast Studio aims to become biggest revenue driver [Ed: Sounds like more outsourcing, i.e. a mistake and a lack of independence]

    The Studio has already seen success with launch of ACFC on Youtube.

  • CS Monitor ☛ As campaign spending flows unchecked, some states are trying to impose limits

    The role of outside money in elections has grown exponentially ever since the Supreme Court ruled in 2010 that political spending is a form of speech. Now, some advocates of campaign finance reform hope to impose limits though the states.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Beijing approves Julie Eadeh as new US consul general in Hong Kong

    Beijing has approved Julie Eadeh as the new US consul general in Hong Kong despite controversies surrounding her 2019 meeting with activists Joshua Wong and Nathan Law. In a statement released on Wednesday afternoon, the US Consulate General confirmed that Eadeh had arrived in the city on Wednesday to take up the top post.

• Censorship/Free Speech

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Hong Kong student given community service order for insulting national anthem during World Cup qualifier

    A Hong Kong university student has been sentenced to 180 hours of community service for insulting the national anthem during a World Cup qualifier football match last year. Lau Pun-hei, 19, was given a non-custodial sentence on Wednesday at Eastern Magistrates’ Courts.

  • Pro Publica ☛ How Leo Terrell Is Helping Trump “Root Out” Antisemitism on College Campuses

    When Los Angeles attorney Leo Terrell, a legal commentator, lifelong Democrat and fiery fixture on Fox News, announced on the network’s “Hannity” show that he was voting for Donald Trump in 2020, the MAGA universe went wild. Oliver North hailed him on his “Real American Heroes” podcast. Fox News signed him on as a paid contributor, at a six-figure salary.

    Terrell, meanwhile, rebranded himself as “Leo 2.0,” complete with red Trump-style caps he offered for sale online. Leo 1.0 had slammed Trump for cozying up to white supremacists, blamed him for a surge in violent attacks on Jews and donated to Democrats. Leo 2.0? He attacked “DEI nonsense,” compared Black Lives Matter to ISIS and declared the 2020 election was “stolen from President Trump and America!”

  • The Straits Times ☛ Thai woman jailed for 43 years for lese-majeste freed

    She was jailed for 43 years in 2021 after sharing audio clips on YouTube of an underground podcast.

• Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press

  • Press Gazette ☛ TV news is in the ‘post anchor age’

    Former head of Sky News John Ryley surveys broadcast news in the post-anchor era.

  • Press Gazette ☛ EU and Canada publishers issue joint plea to halt Hey Hi (AI) ‘strip mining’ of news

    Publisher trade bodies see Canada-EU trade deal as chance to curb big tech power.

  • New York Times ☛ Jimmy Lai’s Freedom May Now Hinge on Beijing and Convicted Felon

    As the outspoken Hong Kong publisher awaits a verdict, his trial has become a test of China’s resolve to crush dissent, and of whether Hell Toupée can free him.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Hong Kong wraps up final leg of pro-democracy tycoon Jimmy Lai's security trial

    A verdict is yet to be given in the 156-day trial that began in December 2023.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Hong Kong court to hand down Jimmy Lai’s national security case verdict ‘in good time’

    The high-profile national security trial of media tycoon Jimmy Lai will reach a verdict “in good time,” a judge has said, after the prosecution and defence finished their closing arguments.

• Civil Rights/Policing

  • ACLU ☛ When Border Patrol Came for Kern County

    On January 7, 2025, residents of California’s Kern County woke to a startling sight: green-striped Customs and Border Patrol SUVs parked in places they had never been seen before. The SUVs were in small business parking lots and dotted along rural highways. By day’s end, the immigration enforcement raids had begun. More than 70 people were arrested and taken into Border Patrol custody.

  • JURIST ☛ Rights group expresses concerns about imprisoned Vietnam activist’s health

    Amnesty International expressed concern Wednesday for the health of imprisoned Vietnamese activist Can Thị Theu, in a letter addressed to the country’s president. The organization called for the immediate release of the human rights defender and stressed that without rapid access to adequate healthcare, her life could be at risk.

  • France24 ☛ Moroccan feminist accused of 'offending Islam' denied medical release despite health concerns

    Moroccan feminist Ibtissame Lachgar was denied bail Wednesday despite being treated for cancer, her lawyer said. Lachgar was arrested earlier August after she posted a picture of herself in a t-shirt that read "Allah is lesbian".

  • The Straits Times ☛ Over 7,600 bullying cases in Malaysian schools in 2024, up 17% from 2023

    Of 2024's cases, 1,992 involved primary schools and 5,689 cases involved secondary schools.

  • Digital Music News ☛ Diddy Accusers Continue to Drop Like Flies—NY Court Flat-Out Dismisses Assault Case Filed by Buzbee Law Firm

    Diddy remains behind bars awaiting sentencing while his attorneys swat away the civil suits filed against him earlier this year. A New York judge has dismissed a civil lawsuit filed against Sean “Diddy” Combs by a man who claimed the music mogul drugged and assaulted him in 2015.

• Internet Policy/Net Neutrality

  • Bryan Lunduke ☛ 4Chan and Kiwi Farms File Lawsuit Against UK

    It is both an important legal case… and a brilliant trolling of the British government.

  • APNIC ☛ Online voting for NRO NC election 2025 opens today

    Cast your vote for the seat open for election on the NRO NC. All voting closes on Thursday, 11 September 2025 at 14:30 (UTC +7).

  • Hackaday ☛ Acoustic Coupling Like It’s 1985

    Before the days of mobile broadband, and before broadband itself even, there was a time where Internet access was provided by phone lines. To get onto a BBS or chat on ICQ required dialing a phone number and accoustically coupling a computer to the phone system. The digital data transmitted as audio didn’t have a lot of bandwidth by today’s standards but it was revolutionary for the time. [Nino] is taking us back to that era by using a serial modem at his house and a device that can communicate to it through any phone, including a public pay phone.

  • BIA Net ☛ Internet usage in Turkey surpasses 90%

    Online shopping and the use of e-government services also continued to grow.

  • APNIC ☛ Consultation on the second draft of the RIR Governance Document

    Share your thoughts on the revisions to the RIR Governance Document. The comment period ends 7 November 2025.

  • MWL ☛ 99: An Absence of Moral Fiber

    I’m swamped doing math for the networking book kickstarter, trying to compensate for the recent political stupidity that’s kicking small business when it’s down, so here’s a tidbit from an older work. Let me be very clear here: ed(1) is the standard Unix text editor. Dennis Ritchie, co-creator of Unix, declared it so.

  • Ruben Schade ☛ Goodbye to Typepad

    When people ask me what the best blog software is, I say Movable Type. Which is a shame, because it hasn’t been available to mere mortals like us for a long time.

    It feels as though the last nail in the coffin was just nailed into the coffin: [...]

Monopolies/Monopsonies

• Patents

  • PTO Moves to Limit Use of General Knowledge in IPRs

    On July 31, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) issued a memorandum that, while framed as a clarification of existing rules, carries significant implications for inter partes review (IPR) processes and the ability for members of the public to successfully challenge low-quality patents.

  • JUVE ☛ JUVE reveals nominees in patent monopoly for JUVE Awards Germany 2025 [Ed: At the same time JUVE is open to bribes, so outcomes are rigged by design, it is marketing]

    Today JUVE announced the shortlist for this year’s JUVE Awards Germany, including the JUVE Law Firm of the Year for Patent, and In-house Team of the Year for Patent. The JUVE Awards cover Germany only and there are four nominees in each category.

  • Unified Patents ☛ DynaIP entity WirelessWerx IP geofencing patent monopoly challenge instituted

    On August 25, 2025, one month 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 7,323,982, owned by WirelessWerx IP LLC, an NPE and Dynamic IP Deals LLC entity.

  • Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ Love Letters Gone Wrong: Federal Circuit’s First AIA Derivation Appeal Hinges on Valentine’s Day Emails

    The Federal Circuit recently decided its first AIA derivation proceeding appeal. In Global Health Solutions LLC (Burnam) v. Selner, No. 23-2009 (Fed. Cir. Aug. 26, 2025), the court affirmed a PTAB decision favoring the first-filer -- but found a harmless error with the Board's analysis (the Board erred by framing its analysis in first-to-invent terms rather than first-to-file).   Ultimately, the case outcome keeps derivation proceedings in their corner as narrow and rare exceptions to the general first-to-file rule.  The decision also serves as a reminder that, while conception timing remains relevant for establishing derivation and rebuttal, the AIA system fundamentally abandons any inquiry into which party conceived the invention first.

  • Unified Patents ☛ New saving capabilities added to Unified's Portal

    Unified’s Portal has added a new component to its Patent Search page called MY SEARCHES. This new feature allows users to save their searches and have easy access when different analysis is performed.

• Trademarks

  • TTAB Blog ☛ VETEMENTS Applicant Files Certiorari Petition Seeking Reversal of Genericness Refusal Under Doctrine of Foreign Equivalents

    Applicant Vetements Group AG has filed a petition for writ of certiorari at the Supreme Court [pdf here], seeking to overturn the refusals to register the term VETEMENTS (in standard character and slightly stylized form) for various clothing items and for related retail store services, on the ground of genericness. The TTAB affirmed the refusals [TTABlogged here], and the CAFC upheld the Board's decision. In re Vetements Group AG, 2025 USPQ2d 775 (Fed. Cir. 2025) [precedential]. [TTABlogged here].

    
    

• Copyrights

  • Creative Commons ☛ We Asked, You Answered: How Your Feedback Shapes CC Signals [Ed: CC keeps perpetuating the hype of a giant Ponzi scheme and plagairism ]

    Signals © 2021 by Hugo Parasol is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 In June we kicked off a public feedback period on our proposal for CC signals. CC signals is a preference signals framework designed to sustain the commons and ensure the continued sharing of knowledge in the age of AI.