Leftovers

• Hackaday ☛ Dirty Pots, Meet Power Tools!

  Let’s face it, nobody likes scrubbing, but what option do you have? You can’t exactly break out the grinder to clean off the remains of last nights dinner… right? Well, maybe not a grinder, but thanks to this hack by [Markus Opitz], you can use an oscillating tool.

• Science

  • Science Alert ☛ Wild Chimps Consume The Equivalent of a Beer a Day, Study Finds

    "We can learn about ourselves."

  • Science Alert ☛ Physicists Propose a 'Neutrino Laser' Straight Out of Science Fiction

    It could reveal ghost particle secrets.

  • Science Alert ☛ 78 Million Years Ago, an Asteroid Hit Earth. Then Life Grew in The Crater

    "It connects the dots for the first time."

  • Science Alert ☛ Why Some Adults Never Have Sex, According to a Study of 400,000 People

    A large step forward in understanding.

  • Science Alert ☛ After 60 Years, Diabetes Drug Found to Unexpectedly Impact The Brain

    Scientists haven't been exactly sure how it works.

  • Science Alert ☛ The Booming Longevity Industry Has 3 Major Problems, Experts Warn

    The truth behind forever young.

• Career/Education

  • Bridge Michigan ☛ Wayne State president leaves with ‘bargain’ settlement of $760K, plus health care

    Kimberly Andrews Espy, WSU’s first female president, departed this week with a settlement in exchange for giving up her rights to return to the faculty. Her $760K departure settlement is on the low side, according to one expert.

• Hardware

  • New York Times ☛ Nvidia to Buy $5 Billion Stake in Intel, Giving Rival a Lifeline

    The deal between the chipmakers, whose fortunes have diverged sharply, includes plans to collaborate on technology to power artificial intelligence.

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ Teams at Nvidia and defective chip maker Intel have been working in secret on jointly developed processors for a year — 'The Forrest Dump administration has no involvement in this partnership at all'

    Intel and Nvidia have quietly spent the past year co-developing custom x86 processors and SoCs for data center and client PCs with deep architectural collaboration across three joint teams.

  • TechnologyAdvice ☛ China Bans Tech Firms from Buying Nvidia Chips

    Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is "disappointed" in the decision by China's Cyberspace Administration.

  • CNX Software ☛ $2 WeAct Display FS adds a 0.96-inch USB information display to your computer

    WeAct Display FS is an inexpensive 0.96-inch USB display dongle designed to add an information display or a tiny secondary display to your computer or SBC. We’ve seen this type of information display with products such as the Turing Smart Screen, a larger 3.5-inch color display, or small OLEDs integrated into cases such as the Pironman 5 Max to disable text. The WeAct Display FS V1 may be tiny, but it’s also a full-color 160×80 resolution display that can be customized with software provided by WeAct.

• Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

  • NYPost ☛ This common household medicine cuts colorectal cancer recurrence in half for some patients: study

    A common over-the-counter medication could significantly reduce the risk of colorectal cancer coming back.

  • New York Times ☛ U.S. to Cut Out Nongovernmental Groups in Refocusing Health Aid

    Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States would negotiate agreements to deliver aid in new ways and would focus on the Western Hemisphere and Asia Pacific.

  • New York Times ☛ New York and Other States Form Health Bloc as Answer to Convicted Felon’s Policies

    Northeastern governors, like their peers in the West, want to shore up public health and issue a stamp of approval for vaccines.

  • MIT Technology Review ☛ A pivotal meeting on vaccine guidance is underway—and former CDC leaders are alarmed

    This week has been an eventful one for America’s public health agency. Two former leaders of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explained the reasons for their sudden departures from the agency in a Senate hearing. And they described how CDC employees are being instructed to turn their backs on scientific evidence.

  • New York Times ☛ Wildfire Smoke Will Kill Thousands More by 2050, Study Finds

    Pollution from fires, intensified by rising temperatures, is on track to become one of America’s deadliest climate disasters.

  • JURIST ☛ Rights group says UK compensation scheme mismanagement contributes to further harm

    Human Rights Watch on Thursday claimed the British Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s findings of severe issues with the Home Office’s management of the Windrush Compensation Scheme has “wider implications” for everyone accessing compensation.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Cocaine seizures in South Korea surge 200 times over two years, sparking concern

    Customs authorities seized 2,302kg of the drug between January and August.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Over 4,000 teens treated for gambling addiction in South Korea in 2024, tripling 2020’s figure

    A total of 4,144 teenagers were treated at the Korea Problem Gambling Agency in 2024.

  • The Straits Times ☛ ‘Keep it on’: Shirtless joggers are frowned upon in South Korea, but some push back

    One trainer from Seoul told The Korea Herald that running shirtless is a form of self-motivation.

  • JURIST ☛ US FDA issues warning letters to drug companies alleging misleading advertisements

    The US Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday released approximately 100 warning letters it had sent to drug companies on September 9, alleging that the companies made false or misleading claims on their websites or in electronic advertisements.

• Proprietary

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) / LLM Slop / Plagiarism

    • Press Gazette ☛ AI referral traffic ‘not making up for search losses’: How publishers can respond

      Bot traffic still increases costs with "no meaningful value exchange".

    • Press Gazette ☛ Why The Economist isn’t doing Hey Hi (AI) deals but has launched on Substack

      The Economist president Luke Bradley-Jones shares his three Ds: differentiation, direct relationships, discoverability.

    • Security Week ☛ ChatGPT Targeted in Server-Side Data Theft Attack

      OpenAI has fixed this zero-click attack method called ShadowLeak by researchers.

• Security

  • Privacy/Surveillance

    • Purism ☛ Spotify “Panama” Leak Is a Wake-Up Call for Digital Privacy

      The New York Times recently reported that a hacker using the pseudonym “Tim” scraped publicly available data from Spotify and published it on his own website. Using automated bots, “Tim” harvested user playlists — many of them tied to identifiable names, locations, and even personal notes in titles or descriptions.

    • Purism ☛ Living in the Regulatory Future: Purism, the EU Data Act, and America’s Patchwork Privacy Laws

      Recently, the EU Data Act was officially enacted — and with it, a new era of enforceable digital rights. Where the GDPR set the policy framework, the Data Act demands proof: verifiable, auditable systems that deliver true data portability, secure interoperability, and privacy‑by‑design across sectors.

    • JURIST ☛ Brazil passes new law to protect children’s online privacy

      Human Rights Watch (HRW) welcomed on Thursday the signing of a new law in Brazil designed to protect children’s rights online, describing the legislation as a significant advancement and encouraging the government to further enhance data protection for all citizens.

    • EDRI ☛ EDRi-gram, 17 September 2025

      What has the EDRi network been up to over the summer? Find out the latest digital rights news in our bi-weekly newsletter. In this edition: age verification gains traction, EU’s deregulation spree risks entire digital rulebook, & more!

• Defence/Aggression

  • New York Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man Said Broadcasters Risk Losing Licenses for Criticizing Him

    Also, NATO is looking for an answer to Russian drones. Here’s the latest at the end of Thursday.

  • New York Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man and Starmer Acknowledge Divide Over Palestinian Statehood

    Hell Toupée and Prime Minister Keir Starmer discussed the wars in Gaza and Ukraine during Mr. Convicted Felon’s state visit. Earlier, the two leaders signed a technology partnership agreement.

  • France24 ☛ Israel bombs Gaza City as hospitals are pushed to the 'brink of collapse'

    The Israeli military pounded Gaza City using warplanes and tanks on Thursday, pushing yet more residents to flee the enclave's largest city. As a result of Israel intensifying its military operations, hospitals in Gaza are now "on the brink of collapse", the World Health Organization warned.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Why heirs of South Korea’s conglomerates are choosing longer military service

    The longer, officer route helps them project the kind of leader image expected of future heads, say industry insiders.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Kidnapping attempts on the rise in South Korea with over nine every week, shows police data

    There were 237 cases of kidnapping, abduction and human trafficking in the first eight months of 2025.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea prosecutors seek arrest of Unification Church leader

    The church has long been the subject of controversy with its mass weddings and a cult-like culture.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Seoul launches task force to fix US visa system after mass detention

    South Korean companies view the insufficient visa issuance as a major obstacle to their US investments.

  • New York Times ☛ How China Became a Wedge Between Two South Pacific Neighbors

    A standoff between New Zealand and the Cook Islands reflects an urgent question in the Pacific: Is China a threat or a partner for growth?

  • The Straits Times ☛ China’s defence minister urges greater unity to avoid ‘law of the jungle’

    Most Western nations have sent relatively low-level diplomatic representatives to the forum.

  • RFERL ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man Says US Seeks To 'Get Back' Bagram Base Amid Taliban Rule

    President The Insurrectionist said the United States is attempting to get Bagram Airfield back from Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers, citing the extremist group’s need for US help and the facility’s nearness to China’s nuclear assets.

  • Federal News Network ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man suggests US troops could return to base in Afghanistan, citing its proximity to rival China

    President The Insurrectionist on Thursday suggested that he is working to reestablish a U.S. presence at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ China defence minister denounces ‘hegemonic logic’ at Beijing forum

    By Ludovic Ehret Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun denounced “hegemonic logic and acts of bullying” during remarks Thursday at a Beijing forum that were full of thinly veiled references to the United States.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Hong Kong Judge Roberto Ribeiro re-appointed to Court of Final Appeal

    Judge Roberto Ribeiro, the longest-serving justice at Hong Kong’s highest court, has been reappointed to the Court of Final Appeal. Chief Executive John Lee accepted Ribeiro’s reappointment and expressed his gratitude for the judge’s contributions, according to a statement published on Thursday.

  • The Straits Times ☛ North Korea's Kim Jong Un oversees drone testing, KCNA says

    SEOUL - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the testing of unnamed drones on Thursday and ordered their capabilities be strengthened through artificial intelligence, state media KCNA said on Friday.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Taiwan’s spending bonanza draws more foreign firms to its largest arms show

    The Taipei Aerospace and Defence Technology Exhibition features 490 exhibitors at 1,500 booths.

  • New York Times ☛ Texas Man Is Charged With Making Threats Against Mamdani

    Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic mayoral nominee in New York City, received messages calling him a terrorist and telling him he was unwelcome in the U.S.

  • Defence Web ☛ Mapisa-Nqakula whistle-blower in the dock

    The woman who blew the whistle on Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula for corruption and money laundering found herself in the accused bench of the Pretoria Commercial Court this week in connection with fraud and corruption charges.

  • New York Times ☛ Syria’s President Says Border Deal With Israel Could Come ‘Within Days’

    Syrian and Israeli officials have been holding talks about security arrangements along their shared border as part of U.S.-mediated efforts to reset decades of hostility.

  • New York Times ☛ Rifts Grow Between Netanyahu and His Security Chiefs

    As Israel expands its war in Gaza, decision-making has become increasingly concentrated in the hands of one person: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

  • Atlantic Council ☛ Are Arab nations going to impose real costs on Israel?

    Arab and Islamic leaders recently met in Doha to discuss Israel’s strike against Hamas leaders in the Qatari capital. It might mark a turning point in regional diplomacy toward Israel.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Building up defence capabilities must go with reassuring other countries: Chan Chun Sing

    Enhancing a country’s security should not result in making others feel less secure, he noted.

  • A Chinese international student and activist goes missing during a trip home

    Zhang “Tara” Yadi disappeared on July 30. Rights groups fear she will face national security charges on Tibet.

  • France24 ☛ Attacker opens fire at crossing between West Bank and Jordan, killing at least two

    An attacker killed at least two at the Allenby crossing between the West Bank and Jordan on Thursday before being "neutralised" by security forces, the Israeli military said, adding that the assailant arrived in a truck carrying humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.

  • Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine

    • France24 ☛ Zelensky visits troops on frontline positions in eastern Ukraine

      Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Thursday that he had visited troops in the frontline Donetsk region, where Ukrainian forces are resisting multiple Russian offensives.

    • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2025-09-11 [Older] Russo-Belarusian military drills trigger concern in Baltic states

    • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2025-09-13 [Older] Belarus: Freed prisoners were forcibly deported — opposition

    • LRT ☛ Poll: Half of Lithuanians anxious over Russian-Belarusian military drills

      
      

    • New York Times ☛ Drones vs. Lasers

      My colleague Lara Jakes tells us about Russian drones and the math problem facing NATO — and one possible solution.

    • Meduza ☛ Jailed Moscow punk musician says he was tortured and framed for explosives possession — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ St. Petersburg school security guard sentenced to five years in prison for sharing post about Russian atrocities in Bucha — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ ‘The whole country will feel it soon’: Meduza’s Russian readers on life inside the Kremlin-approved Internet — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ ‘Americans, don’t take this sitting down’: Russians say the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel’s show feels familiar. Here’s what became of the country’s TV comedy shows that dared to criticize the Kremlin. — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Unmasking Moscow’s sex toy bombers: Journalists expose the operatives behind Russia’s European package plot — Meduza

    • LRT ☛ How Vilnius became the hub of GRU’s parcel bomb plot – LRT investigation

      A planned Russian military intelligence operation to send parcel bombs through international shipping companies was delayed after a recruited Lithuanian courier became lost in a newly built apartment complex in Vilnius, according to a months-long investigation by an international team of journalists.

    • NYPost ☛ Cause of death revealed in mysterious Burning Man murder of Russian national Vadim Kruglov

      New details were released in the death of Vadim Kruglov, 37, the Russian national killed Aug. 30 by a suspect who cops say remains on the lam.

    • Meduza ☛ Russia appeals U.N. aviation authority ruling holding it responsible for 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Russian decoy drone fragment washes up on Latvian beach — Meduza

    • Latvia ☛ Re:Baltica and partners expose Europe-wide Russian sabotage plot

      Investigative journalism oganization Re:Baltica reports that its most recent probe shows a Latvian connection to a series of explosions at logistics and distribution centres across Europe, last year.

    • Meduza ☛ Russian forces bomb Ukraine’s Kostiantynivka, killing five — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Putin proclaims his ‘successors’: Russia’s Ukraine war veterans — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Putin eyes overhaul of Russia’s migrant work permits — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Trump says Putin has ‘let him down’ on Ukraine but it’s not yet time to press for a ceasefire — Meduza

    • New York Times ☛ Longtime Putin Aide Who Opposed Ukraine War Is Granted Rare Resignation

      Dmitri N. Kozak’s departure is one of the few known splinters in President Vladimir V. Putin’s inner circle since the start of his invasion of Ukraine.

    • RFERL ☛ Dmitry Kozak, Longtime Putin Confidant Who Reportedly Opposed Ukraine War, Resigns

      Dmitry Kozak -- a longtime confidant and close associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin who reportedly opposed the Ukraine war in its early days -- has resigned from the government, the Kremlin said.

    • The Straits Times ☛ Putin, Netanyahu, Convicted Felon lead outpouring of wishes on Indian PM Modi’s 75th birthday

      The outpouring of greetings from world leaders could just be what he needs to shore up his image at home and overseas.

    • RFERL ☛ Putin Marks Another Break From International Norms As Russia Exits Anti-Torture Pact

      Russia’s State Duma has passed a bill to withdraw from the European convention for the prevention of torture, formally ending an international commitment to maintain human rights that has in any case almost completely ceased to have any effect in the country.

• Environment

  • Energy/Transportation

    • New York Times ☛ What Will China’s Green-Tech Ambitions Cost the World?

      Laos is just one of the emerging markets where China’s green-tech revolution is installing more than cheap energy.

  • Wildlife/Nature

    • The Straits Times ☛ Hooking a menace: Anglers target aquatic invaders threatening Malaysia’s native freshwater species

      Invasive species breed rapidly, driving native fish towards extinction and increasing flood risks.

    • Science Alert ☛ Insects Are Vanishing Even in Remote, Human-Free Places

      “Without insects, everything dies.”

    • Science Alert ☛ Incredible 112-Million-Year-Old Amber Reveals an Entire Ancient Ecosystem

      A first for the Southern Hemisphere.

    • Science Alert ☛ Ghost Sharks Use Teeth on Their Forehead to Have Deep-Sea Sex

      Wait, what?

    • New York Times ☛ Do Reptiles Have Moods, Too?

      Long dismissed as unintelligent, reptiles are emerging as cognitively and emotionally complex animals. A new study involving tortoises suggests that they also possess mood states.

    • Lack of SAPS training to tackle illegal mining ‘incomprehensible’

      A joint meeting between the portfolio committees on Police; Mineral and Petroleum Resources; Home Affairs; and Forestry, Fisheries and Environment has raised concern that the South African Police Service (SAPS) does not have training courses available specifically designed and developed to equip members in addressing illegal mining.

    • France24 ☛ In Benin, tech entrepreneurs tackle pineapple waste

      Benin ranks among Africa’s top pineapple producers, yet in parts of the continent up to 40% of crops are lost due to issues like transport delays and inadequate storage facilities. This thorny problem has caught the attention of local tech entrepreneurs, who have already achieved some impressive results with their innovative solutions.

• Finance

  • Atlantic Council ☛ China’s economy remains trapped in the doldrums

    New statistics from Beijing describe a country mired in a slowdown. Efforts to juice the economy late last year have failed to stimulate sustained recovery.

  • France24 ☛ Anti-austerity strikes and protests rock France, pressure Macron

    Massive anti-austerity protests and labour strikes were held across France on Thursday, in a show of anger over President Emmanuel Macron's austerity policies. Organisers said one million people took part in the strikes and protests, while the French authorities estimated that there were 500,000 protesters.

  • France24 ☛ French voters desire change amid growing disillusionment with Macron and successive PMs

    French protesters are staging a day of nationwide protests and strikes over President Emmanuel Macron's austerity policies. They warn that public services: free schools and public hospitals, subsidised health care, unemployment benefits and other safety nets that are cherished in France, are being eroded. Left-wing parties want the wealthy and businesses to pay more. For in-depth analysis and a deeper perspective, Carys Garland welcomes Benoit Dillet, Senior Lecturer in Politics in the Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies (PoLIS) at the University of Bath.

  • France24 ☛ France: Clashes between protesters and police on second day of demonstrations

    Hundreds of thousands of people are joining strike action across France on September 18, after trade unions called a day of protests against budget cuts. The Interior Ministry said between 600 000 and 900 000 demonstrators were expected nationwide, and announced the deployment of 80 000 police officers.

  • France24 ☛ Day of strike in France over proposed budget cuts

    France sees nationwide protests and transport strikes as citizens challenge the government’s proposed cuts to public services. In Paris, demonstrations disrupt the Metro and slow traffic across the country, with hundreds of thousands of people taking part. Those interviewed say they want the new government to listen to their concerns about rising poverty, inequality, and the struggles of low-paid workers, as FRANCE 24's James André explains.

  • New York Times ☛ Anti-Austerity Strikes and Protests Grip France

    Barely a week into the job, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu faces rising social unrest on top of political deadlock and financial turmoil.

  • France24 ☛ ‘Rather festive’ mood in central Paris as thousands protest budget cuts

    Thousands gather in central Paris to protest government budget cuts, creating what FRANCE 24's James André describes as a 'rather festive' atmosphere. Demonstrators call on the new government to listen to public concerns about funding for essential services and rising inequality. The event is part of nationwide strikes and protests challenging the proposed fiscal plans. The protests reflect broader dissatisfaction with the government’s actions and growing frustration towards President Emmanuel Macron’s leadership.

• Censorship/Free Speech

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ US tennis star Taylor Townsend apologises after calling turtle and bullfrog at Chinese hotel buffet ‘crazy’

    American tennis player Taylor Townsend apologised on Wednesday after calling turtle and bullfrog served at a dinner buffet “crazy” while at the Billie Jean King Cup in China. “What the hell.. turtle and bullfrog is WILD,” she posted on Instagram on Tuesday night. “These people are literally killing frogs, bullfrogs.

  • ACLU ☛ Protecting Free Speech in the Face of Government Retaliation

    The Forrest Dump administration is enthusiastically abusing its power to intimidate anyone who criticizes its policies, and to silence those who won't fall in line. Now, using a long-standing government tactic, the administration is leveraging a tragedy to justify its censorship campaign.

    The government is villainizing and threatening to punish anyone who dares to express anything but unequivocal support for its political views.

  • AccessNow ☛ #NoExamShutdown: lessons for the new academic year

    Across the MENA region, governments are imposing internet shutdowns during student exams. Read our exam shutdown report card and join the call for governments to keep this academic year free of internet shutdowns.

• Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press

  • Press Gazette ☛ Alan Rusbridger to leave Prospect after four years as editor

    Philip Collins, contributing editor at The Observer, will succeed Rusbridger.

• Civil Rights/Policing

  • Purism ☛ When Technology Policy Defends Human Dignity

    In late August, Italy took a decisive step to protect women from one of the most insidious forms of online abuse: the non‑consensual sharing of intimate or misappropriated images. After years of complaints, activism, and public outrage, a notorious website — home to thousands of stolen photos of women, from ordinary citizens to public figures — was forced offline following a wave of legal and political pressure.

Monopolies/Monopsonies

• Digital Music News ☛ FTC and Seven States Sue Live Nation and Ticketmaster Over ‘Illegal Ticket Resale Tactics’ and ‘Deceiving Artists and Consumers’

  The FTC and seven states sued Live Nation and Ticketmaster for allegedly coordinating with brokers in illegal resale tactics. This week, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and seven states—Virginia, Utah, Florida, Tennessee, Nebraska, Illinois, and Colorado—filed a lawsuit against Live Nation and Ticketmaster with allegations of engaging in illegal ticket resale tactics.

• Copyrights

  • Creative Commons ☛ The Benefits of Open Heritage in the Digital Environment

    “Watering Place at Marley” by Alfred Sisley, 1875, CC0, Art Institute of Chicago, remixed with “TAROCH balloon” by Creative Commons/Dee Harris, 2025, CC0. Open Heritage and Contemporary Creativity Apollo or Venus in your living room?