Leftovers

• Science

  • Science Alert ☛ Giant New Moon Scar Is a Once-in-a-Century Crater, Scientists Discover

    It's huge.

  • Science Alert ☛ Scientists Discover Liquids Can Snap Like Solids

    "What we observed was so unexpected."

  • Science Alert ☛ Sibling Stem Cell Transplant Leads to Rare HIV Remission in 'Oslo Patient'

    Another step towards a cure.

  • Science Alert ☛ Ancient Landscape Reveals Bones of Humans Who Lived 100,000 Years Ago

    Their remains survived the ravages of millennia.

  • Science Alert ☛ Marriage Linked to Lower Cancer Risk In Study of 4 Million Cases

    But there are caveats.

  • Science Alert ☛ What's The Difference Between Anxiety And OCD? Psychologists Explain

    They can have similar symptoms.

  • Science Alert ☛ A New Computer Chip Could Finally Withstand The Hellscape of Venus

    Venus is too rough with our toys.

• Career/Education

  • Stanford University ☛ Malala Yousafzai opens up about personal challenges, continued fight for women’s education

    Malala Yousafzai spoke about her recent memoir, mental health journey and goals for future advocacy at a Saturday event.

  • Futurism ☛ Recent Grads Say Hey Hi (AI) Is Making It Impossible to Find a Job [Ed: Rotten economy the real issue, not slop]

    "I feel helpless."

• Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea launches surveillance against deadly ticks as peak season begins

    About 180 infections have been reported annually, with a fatality rate of around 18 per cent.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Indonesia kicks off measles vaccination for healthcare workers amid outbreak

    Indonesia has recorded over 16,000 confirmed measles cases since the start of 2026.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Changing after-work culture: South Koreans turn away from heavy drinking

    The shift is particularly pronounced among people in their 20s.

• Security

  • Integrity/Availability/Authenticity

    • Latvia ☛ Public urged to beware of e-shops pretending to be local

      The number of online shoppers is growing year by year, as shopping is fast and convenient. But is it always safe? The Consumer Rights Protection Centre (PTAC) notes that scammers, in order to attract buyers in Latvia, use artificial intelligence to create attractive e-store websites with Latvian names yet most often the sellers themselves are located outside the European Union, most commonly in China, Latvian Radio reported on 12th April.

    • Security Week ☛ International Operation Targets Multimillion-Dollar Crypto Theft Schemes

      Law enforcement in the US, UK and Canada identified more than $45 million in cryptocurrency and froze $12 million.

  • Confidentiality

    • Security Week ☛ Booking.com Says Hackers Accessed User Information

      The online travel platform has not said how many customers’ booking information was exposed, but said the issue has been contained. 

• Defence/Aggression

  • The Strategist ☛ In China’s media, self-reliance is the biggest lesson from Iran War

    Chinese media narratives on the Middle East conflict present this external crisis as a validation of China’s national security strategies.

  • The Straits Times ☛ North Korea tests cruise and anti-ship missiles from naval destroyer

    Leader Kim Jong Un observed the test alongside senior defence officials and naval commanders.

  • The Straits Times ☛ US, Philippines plan biggest-ever military drills as war threats grow

    Balikatan 2026 is being held amid the Iran war and unresolved disputes over the South China Sea.

  • The Straits Times ☛ US, Australia and Philippines hold second joint drills in South China Sea in 2026

    The drills came ahead of the April 20 opening of the annual large-scale war games called Balikatan.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Philippines warns of 'sabotage' after cyanide seizure in disputed South China Sea atoll

    The Philippines discovered cyanide on Chinese boats operating around a disputed atoll in the South China Sea, security officials from the country said on Monday.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Philippines accuses China of poisoning disputed waters to dislodge military outpost

    Manila and Beijing are locked in a territorial dispute in the South China Sea.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Philippines accuses China of cyanide poisoning in contested waters

    The Philippines accused Chinese fishermen on Monday of pouring cyanide in waters in the Spratly Islands, a flashpoint in the disputed South China Sea that has been the site of violent confrontations with Chinese vessels.

  • New York Times ☛ New Rules Hinder Foreign Firms From Moving Supply Chains From China

    Multinationals in China are concerned that the regulations could allow authorities to penalize companies and executives for shifting supply chains away from the country.

  • CS Monitor ☛ For many Taiwanese, an opposition leader’s rare trip to China hit the wrong notes

    Taiwan’s opposition leader has returned from a trip to the Chinese mainland, where she pushed for cross-straight dialogue. But her diplomatic efforts could backfire on the democratic island, where a sense of local identity is growing.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China’s governance model gains appeal in Vietnam as police expand power

    The two communist neighbours have swung between conflict and cooperation over centuries.

  • RFERL ☛ Court In Kazakhstan Finds All 19 Defendants Guilty For Anti-China Protests

    A court in Kazakhstan convicted all 19 defendants in a politically sensitive case heard behind that was linked to an anti-China protest last year near the border between the two countries.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Australia to spend billions on drones as warfare changes

    Australia has reshaped its defence force in recent years to focus on its missile strike capability.

  • RFERL ☛ Delays And Rising Costs: Central Asia Feels Fallout From Iran War

    As expected, the launching of US and Israeli air strikes on Iran -- and retaliatory strikes by Tehran on targets in the Mideast -- has hit the economies of the region. But the shockwaves are arguably being felt just as much in Central Asian nations who rely on goods flowing through Iran.

  • Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine

    • New York Times ☛ Hungary May No Longer Be Putin’s Ally, but It Can’t Afford a Full Break

      Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s defeat will make it harder for the Kremlin to divide Europe, but Moscow retains leverage through energy sales.

    • France24 ☛ Pro-EU Hungarian PM-elect Magyar vows to bring in 'new era'

      From Madrid to Helsinki, many hope that Hungary's premier-elect Peter Magyar's win will help unshackle the 27-nation European Union as it faces hybrid warfare attacks from Moscow, an antagonistic Washington and Beijing's economic pressure. EU leaders had been increasingly frustrated with Orbán over his takeover of democratic institutions and vetoing of strategic action like a 90-billion-euro loan for Ukraine. It remains to be seen whether those hopes will be fulfilled, as FRANCE 24's Europe Editor Armen Georgian reports.

    • France24 ☛ Hungary will be "a tough partner, but a partner" on Ukraine, expert says

      Speaking with FRANCE 24's Mark Owen, Lukáš Macek, Director of the Greater Europe project at the Jacques Delors Centre, says on the question of Ukraine the new Hungarian government led by Peter Magyar is likely to stop obstructing aid for Ukraine and will be "a tough partner, but a partner nonetheless" on the issue of Ukrainian accession to the EU.

    • France24 ☛ Magyar's landslide victory over Orbán 'showed the limits of right-wing populism in Europe'

      Following the landslide victory of Peter Magyar over Hungary's long standing autocratic ruler Viktor Orbán, Genie Godula is pleased to welcome Ian Bond, former Senior British Diplomat and Deputy Director of the Centre for European Reform. Bond sees this election within broader European political dynamics, particularly the limits of right-wing populism, the legacy of hardline governance, and the implications for EU cohesion and Ukraine policy. Hungary’s political shift invites cautious optimism,  explains Bond. Change will be partial and contested rather than immediate or transformative.

    • New York Times ☛ Defeat of Orban Removes Ukraine’s Biggest Nemesis in Europe

      The Hungarian leader’s pro-Moscow tilt cemented his reputation in Kyiv as a spoiler. Now, Ukraine hopes a 90-billion-euro loan he blocked will be disbursed.

    • France24 ☛ Hungarians look to changed future after pro-EU Magyar's election landslide

      Hungarians were waking up to a ​political earthquake on Monday, after a landslide victory for the centre-right opposition reverberated everywhere from Washington to Kyiv, sending local markets surging and turning Budapest into a party zone. Magyar has pledged a sweeping anti-corruption drive, including stronger judicial independence and tougher public procurement rules to help secure the release of the EU funds.

    • LRT ☛ Lithuania allows German firm to run duty-free shops despite work in Belarus, Russia

      Lithuania’s commission vetting risks to national security allowed a German company, Gebr. Heinemann, to operate duty-free shops at Kaunas and Vilnius despite the company’s work in Belarus and Russia.

    • Defence Web ☛ Russian military aid bolsters Madagascar post 2025 coup

      After the coup d’état in Madagascar on 12 October 2025, Moscow appeared ready to build ties with the new leadership [...]

    • Latvia ☛ Latvian security service insists sanctions on Russia are working

      The Constitution Protection Bureau (SAB), one of Latvia's three security intelligence services, has published a new report titled "Western sanctions cause significant losses for Russia's economy", which – as the title itself states –  concludes that sanctions against the aggressor state are effective.

    • Latvia ☛ Pro-Russian activist to be prosecuted in Latvia

      On April 7th, the State Security Service (VDD) urged the prosecutor’s office to initiate criminal proceedings against a long-time Russian ethnic policy activist for violating European Union (EU) sanctions by providing content to a Russian propaganda outlet. Latvian Television reports the individual in question is pro-Kremlin activist Viktors Guščins.

    • New York Times ☛ To Fill Drone Force Ranks, Russia Targets a New Demographic: Students

      Recruitment sessions have taken place at hundreds of universities and colleges across the country.

    • The Straits Times ☛ Prabowo meets Putin as US blockade turns his Russia trip into energy mission

      Despite its vast reserves of coal, gas, nickel and palm oil, Indonesia imports large volumes of crude, petrol, diesel and LPG.

• Environment

  • Energy/Transportation

    • APNIC ☛ Why are ‘we’ building all these data centres again?

      An article in The Conversation argues that governments should ensure data centre developments serve the public interest.

    • The Straits Times ☛ S. Korea secures at least 3 months’ supply of garbage bags as Mid-East war hits naphtha market

      Shortages in some regions are caused by logistics bottlenecks., said a lawmaker.

    • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea launches renewed search at 2024 Jeju Air crash site

      The government aims to ensure no remains or personal belongings are left unrecovered.

    • The Straits Times ☛ High diesel prices will impact roadworks nationwide, says Malaysian minister

      He estimated that over a third of the 855 ongoing projects under his ministry would face delays.

    • The Straits Times ☛ Express bus driver in Malaysia probed after clip of woman seated on his lap as he drove goes viral

      The footage shows the woman holding the steering wheel while the bus was in motion.

    • LRT ☛ More Vilnius-Frankfurt flights cancelled amid Lufthansa pilots' strike

      Ten additional flights between Vilnius and Frankfurt have been cancelled at the start of the week after Lufthansa pilots called a strike.

  • Wildlife/Nature

    • Science Alert ☛ Wild Animals Are Adapting to City Life in Surprising Ways, Scientists Reveal

      There's a pattern to their behavior.

    • The Straits Times ☛ Runaway S. Korea zoo wolf spotted, capture under way

      An initial effort to capture the wolf at close range was unsuccessful.

    • New York Times ☛ In the Desert, a ‘Cleaning Station’ for Ants

      A unique “choreography” between two ant species suggests a distinctive partnership in which one provides a carwash service to the other.

• AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

  • AccessNow ☛ Stop political scapegoating: Ghanaian MPs must reject dangerous anti-LGBTQ+ bill

    Access Now and Rightify Ghana have urged the government of Ghana to put human rights first and reject the repressive Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025.

  • New York Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man’s Erratic Behavior and Extreme Comments Revive Mental Health Debate

    As the president threatens to wipe out Iran and attacks the pope, even some former allies and advisers are questioning whether he has grown increasingly unbalanced, describing him as “lunatic” and “clearly insane.”

  • The Straits Times ☛ Philippines’ Marcos dispels health rumours, does jumping jacks

    President Marcos, 68, said his last hospital visit was more than two months ago.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea and Poland to upgrade ties as Tusk calls Seoul the most key ally after US

    The leaders of the two sides agreed to upgrade ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Leaders of China, Spain pledge closer ties amid 'crumbling' world order

    China and Spain pledged on Tuesday to deepen ties and safeguard global peace and development amid an international order that President Pooh-tin Jinping called "crumbling" in remarks during a meeting with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in Beijing.

  • Misinformation/Disinformation/Propaganda

    • Futurism ☛ Moon Denialists Are So Pathetic That They’re Using Hey Hi (AI) to Fake Artemis Footage

      This is just sad.

• Censorship/Free Speech

  • Michael Geist ☛ The Law Bytes Podcast, Episode 264: Jon Penney on Chilling Effects in the Digital Age

    “Chilling effects” is a term people hear all the time: in court rulings, in debates over content moderation, in dealing with online harms, or in news coverage of surveillance and legal reforms. The focus is typically on how legal rules may make speaking out more challenging, risky, or even dangerous. But what if our understanding of chilling effects actually understates the issue?

  • New York Times ☛ As Internet Blackout Hits Day 45, Iranians Bemoan State Hypocrisy and Economic Risks

    Iranians enduring the latest communications shutdown warn that it’s crippling businesses. Critics say officials flagrantly use the internet they block citizens from.

• Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press

  • Press Gazette ☛ Banker Crispin Odey drops £79m Financial Times libel case

    Editor Roula Khalaf says it's a "vindication for investigative journalism".

  • JURIST ☛ Federal judge dismisses Convicted Felon defamation lawsuit against Wall Street Journal, grants leave to amend

    A federal judge on Monday dismissed President The Insurrectionist’s defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal and its parent company over an article linking him to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, ruling that Convicted Felon failed to adequately allege the newspaper acted with “actual malice” when it published the story.

• Civil Rights / Policing / Accessibility

  • SRA Intervention: D Goldsmith & Co Solicitors

    The Solicitors Regulation Authority has closed down the practice of D Goldsmith & Co Solicitors, Angel House, 7 High Street, Marlborough, Wiltshire, SN8 1AA, England. This happened on 09 April 2026. Lester Aldridge is helping the SRA with the closure.

  • France24 ☛ US-Vatican feud over Iran: Pope Leo pushes back on Convicted Felon's criticism

    The Pope pushed back Monday on President The Insurrectionist’s criticism of him over the US-Israel war in Iran, telling reporters that the Vatican’s appeals for peace and reconciliation are rooted in the Gospel, and that he doesn’t fear the Convicted Felon administration. Leo XIV's comments came as traffic through the Strait of Hormuz appeared to have come to a halt, an intelligence firm said, and oil prices resumed their climb after Convicted Felon announced on social control media that the United States would blockade the waterway.

  • Futurism ☛ Huge Group of Experts Warns Meta That Its Pervert Glasses Will Enable Terrible Crimes

    The company's latest controversial product "will harm vulnerable people while further imperiling our democracy."

• Internet Policy/Net Neutrality

  • Internet Society ☛ From Commitments to Practice: Internet Society’s Priorities for WSIS+20 Implementation

    Drawing on our strategic priorities, this blog post outlines where we will focus our efforts in supporting the implementation of the WSIS+20 commitments.

  • Make Use Of ☛ I changed my DNS and that annoying pause before pages load finally disappeared

    My speed tests came back smug and green. Downloads were fast. YouTube didn’t buffer unless I actively tried to break it. On paper, my connection looked like something you’d brag about in a Reddit thread. And still … every time I opened a page, there it was. That tiny, irritating pause. No loading bar, no spinner, and no reassuring flicker of activity. Just a weird half-second of nothing, like the internet had to gather itself before committing. It wasn’t long enough to complain about, but it was absolutely long enough to feel.

• Digital Restrictions (DRM)

  • Digital Music News ☛ YouTube Music+Premium Joins the ‘Streamflation’ Wave With New US Price Hike — So What’s the Monthly Hit?

    YouTube becomes the latest subscription streaming service to hike prices in the US, with both YouTube Premium and ad-free YouTube Music affected. Look out, YouTube subscribers—the ‘streamflation’ is coming for you, too.

  • Digital Music News ☛ Brazilian Court Rules Against Streaming Fraud Site Boom de Seguidores, Shuts It Down

    A São Paulo court has ordered the shutdown of a website accused of selling fake views and engagement on music streaming platforms. A court in São Paulo, Brazil, has issued a decision against a website that provided services enabling streaming fraud.

• Monopolies/Monopsonies

  • OpenRightsGroup ☛ New report: UK needs digital sovereignty strategy to address threats from reliance on big tech

    The UK’s over-reliance on a small number of tech giants for its digital infrastructure is a matter of national security that must be urgently addressed, warns a new report by Open Rights Group.

  • OpenRightsGroup ☛ The case for Digital Sovereignty and the Digital Commons

    Our new report asks a profound question: just how dependent is the UK on US technology, and what could that mean for the UK’s sovereignty?

  • OpenRightsGroup ☛ Tech Giants and Giant Slayers: The case for Digital Sovereignty and the Digital Commons

    Executive Summary Reclaiming Digital Sovereignty The high cost of digital dependency

  • Futurism ☛ Meta Secretly Building a Photorealistic Hey Hi (AI) Clone of Mark Kapo-berg so No Employee Can Ever Escape His Watchful Eye

    There's no escape.

  • Futurism ☛ Amazon Accused of Hiding Worker’s Death for a Week, Making Employees Keep Working as Corpse Lay on Floor

    "Let’s get back to work."

  • Patents

    • Kangaroo Courts

      • JUVE ☛ On the way to a global FRAND rate: Nokia drops claims against Warner and Paramount [Ed: This is an illegal and unconstitutional court that the publisher JUVE is paid to legitimise]

        According to the UPC register, the proceedings concerning EP 4 250 732, over which Nokia had sued Warner Bros. and Paramount in autumn 2025, were withdrawn before Easter [...]

  • Copyrights

    • Digital Music News ☛ BigHit Moves to Litigate Against a BTS Album Leaker—But MElon’s X Isn’t Cooperating

      BigHit Music files a petition in U.S. court to force MElon’s X to reveal the identity of a user who allegedly leaked BTS’ comeback album, ARIRANG.