Leftovers

• Ruben Schade ☛ The privelege of working from coffee shops

  Earlier in the week I talked about why coffee shops were magic, at least to me. I said the majority of posts I’ve written on this site for nearly twenty years were drafted and/or published while sitting at a handful of these places, because they’re the most enjoyable, mentally stimulating places to be. When home or family life was tough, coffee shops were a valuable third place.

  But this comes with a steep caveat, and it’s something a few of you pointed out. Drinking at a coffee shop is expensive, especially if you do it every day, or every other day.

• Digital Music News ☛ HYBE Launching Theus in Korea—A Creator Fandom Platform

  A HYBE subsidiary focused on digital technology called Binary Korea has launched a new creator and fan engagement platform called Theus. Theus will launch on June 22 and offers a way for creators to upload content to communicate with their audiences directly.

• Hackaday ☛ Marimbatron: A Digital Marimba Prototyping Project

  The Marimbatron is [Leo Kuipers] ‘s final project as part of the MIT “Fabacademy program” supervised by [Prof. Neil Gershenfeld] of the Center for Bits and Atoms. The course aims to learn how to leverage all the fab lab skills to create unique prototypes using the materials at hand.

• Hackaday ☛ Shipping Your Illicit Software On Launch Hardware

  In the course of a career, you may run up against projects that get cancelled, especially those that are interesting, but deemed unprofitable in the eyes of the corporate overlords. Most people would move, but [Ron Avitzur] just couldn’t let it go.

• Science

  • Science Alert ☛ Wild New Study Suggests Gravity Can Exist Without Mass

    Is dark matter obsolete?

  • Science Alert ☛ Amazing New Technique Images Alzheimer's Brain Changes at Every Level, All at Once

    It's revealing astonishing things.

• Hardware

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ Sanctions-defying chip design tools that work on China chipmakers' Huawei and Phytium processors introduced by China-based firm

    Xinhuazhang develops EDA tools compatible with Arm-based Huawei's Kunpeng and SPARCv9-based Phytium's FeiTeng processors.

  • Hackaday ☛ TDS 744A Scope Teardown Fixes Dodgy Channel

    There are a lot of oscilloscopes from around the 1990s which are still very much desirable today, such as the Tektronix TDS 744A which [DiodesGoneWild] got his grubby mitts on. This is a 500 MHz, 4-channel scope, with a capture rate of 500 MS/s (4 channels) to 2 GS/s (1 channel). It also has a color display and even comes with a high-density (1.44 MB) floppy drive. Unfortunately this particular unit was having trouble with its fourth channel, and its NuColor display had degraded, something that’s all too common with this type of hybrid CRT/LCD (LCCS) technology.

  • Hackaday ☛ A 1940s Car Radio Receives Some Love

    The entertainment systems in modern vehicles is akin to a small in-dash computer, and handles all manner of digital content. It probably also incorporates a radio, but increasingly that’s treated as something of an afterthought. There was a time though when any radio in a car was a big deal, and if you own a car from that era it’s possible that you’ve had to coax an aged radio into life. [The Radio Mechanic] is working on a radio from a 1946 Packard, which provides a feast for anyone with a penchant for 1940s electronics.

• Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

  • Reason ☛ The Standing Analysis in FDA v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine

    The Court ducks the conscience theory of standing based on the government's new position, "abandons" Haven's Realty, and starts the deadpool for associational standing

  • Science Alert ☛ Drinking Alcohol on Planes May Pose a Hidden Danger. Here's Why.

  • Science Alert ☛ 'Huge Global Success': Ozone-Killing Gases Fading Faster Than Predicted

    A major milestone.

  • Science Alert ☛ There's a Strange Link Between Depression And Body Temperature, Study Finds

  • Science Alert ☛ Dementia Expert Reveals Why Some Brains With Alzheimer's Signs Have No Symptoms

    A pathway to resilience exists.

  • Latvia ☛ Worrying trend of children's injuries in summer season

    With the start of the summer holidays, the Emergency Medical Service (NMPD) has received more calls to help young people and children, NMPD said on June 14.

  • New York Times ☛ Disrupted Adderall Access Poses Risks After A.D.H.D. Startup Executives Charged with Fraud

    Patients using Done or similar telehealth platforms may experience disruptions in care, health officials warned.

  • New York Times ☛ What to Know About Chemical Hair Relaxers and Health

    A growing body of evidence shows a link between these products and a number of health disorders in Black women.

  • Labour manifesto represents a diagnosis of doom for our NHS Greens warn

    Responding to the publication of the Labour Party’s Manifesto that promises an “unprecedented slowdown” in NHS finances, Green Party Co-Leader Adrian Ramsay said, “This Labour Party manifesto is a diagnosis of doom for our NHS and other frontline services. “

  • Federal News Network ☛ Senate GOP blocks bill to expand IVF access as advocates call for better FEHB coverage

    A Democrat-led bill aiming to broadly expand IVF access has specific implications for feds through the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea watchdog faults AliExpress, Temu and Qoo10 for sale of unsafe products

    The platforms have blocked the sale of the problematic products.

• Proprietary/Artificial Intelligence (AI)

  • Microsoft’s recent layoffs cast a heavy shadow over this year’s Xbox Showcase

    The whole thing was brisk and crammed a lot of announcements into its near two hour runtime and, while I was more intrigued by some of the third-party announcements (like the new Life is Strange and turn-based RPG Clair Obscur: Expedition 33), there were some pivotal first-party reveals that warranted excitement from Xbox players, such as the long absent Perfect Dark and a new Gears of War. But every time Microsoft had something new to show from one of its teams, all I could think of was, “Man, I hope this team doesn’t get shut down.”

  • We Went Undercover at Microsoft but Got Laid Off Before We Could Learn Anything

    Arkane Austin, Tango Gameworks, Alpha Dog Games; these names should be etched on tombstones and erected in a field alongside Lionhead Studios, Ensemble Studios, Press Play, and all the other fallen studios that couldn’t survive being owned by Microsoft. With multiple studio closures, 1900 employees laid off, and more of both looming on the horizon, many gamers and game studio employees have been left in fear of the future, and rightfully so. You don’t need Batman Arkham detective vision to see that something is clearly amiss at Microsoft. However, as journalists, it is our sworn duty to uncover the real dirt beneath the turf of lies, no matter how dirty our hands get. So we decided to get to the bottom of it. With our sacred objective in our minds and Baja Blast in our bellies, we hashed out a plan to infiltrate Microsoft posing as employees to get a firsthand look at their nefarious business practices.

    We couldn’t expect to just waltz into Microsoft and have them hand us their secrets on a silver platter. As gaming journalists, we would have been accosted by executives giving us the same corpo-speak tidbits we already got from Geoff Keighley. True investigative work would have been impossible. So we took inspiration from the classic film The Master of Disguise, which has played in a loop in the break room at our office ever since the DVD got stuck in the player.

  • Leaked Memo Claims New York Times Fired Artists to Replace Them With AI

    Amid its ongoing lawsuit against OpenAI, the New York Times' union is claiming that the paper is firing human artists to replace them with artificial intelligence.

    In a memo obtained by The Wrap, the New York Times Guild said that firing nine out of the newspaper's 16 artists "reflect[s] a broader mindset that puts cost savings over people and the quality of our work."

  • The Register UK ☛ Microsoft cancels universal Recall release in favor of Windows Insider preview [Ed: Because people dump Vista 11 in droves]

    Microsoft has cancelled the wide release of Recall – the controversial tool for Copilot+ PCs that takes regular snapshots of a machine to create a record of everything users do with their machines – and will instead make it available only to Windows Insiders for the foreseeable future.

  • ABP ☛ Meta Layoffs: Zuckerberg's Firm Plans To Fire VPs Amid Restructuring, Says Report

    Meta Layoffs: Meta's top executives are reportedly experiencing pressure to maintain efficiency. The tech giant is contemplating reducing its number of vice presidents in the company, according to a report by Business Insider citing sources.

  • Cybernews ☛ Zuckerberg enters permanent efficiency mode at Meta and targets VPs

    Mark Zuckerberg isn’t done. After laying off more than 20,000 employees in 2023, the supposed year of efficiency, Meta is now looking to fire dozens of company vice presidents.

    According to a Business Insider report, citing three people with knowledge of what’s happening at Facebook’s parent company, Meta, executives are also facing the threat of being culled from the firm’s ranks.

  • ByteDance confirms layoff plan at its Indonesian unit

    China's ByteDance will lay off staff at its Indonesian unit following a deal where it bought a local e-commerce firm and combined it with its TikTok operation, a spokesperson said on Friday.

    ByteDance, the owner of TikTok, did not say how many employees would be affected. Bloomberg had earlier reported there would be 450 jobs cut.

    In January ByteDance completed a deal to buy a majority stake in Tokopedia, an Indonesian e-commerce firm, from the GoTo group.

  • Asia One ☛ ByteDance confirms layoff plan at its Indonesian unit

    China's ByteDance will lay off staff at its Indonesian unit following a deal where it bought a local e-commerce firm and combined it with its TikTok operation, a spokesperson said on Friday (June 14). ByteDance, the owner of TikTok, did not say how many employees would be affected. Bloomberg had earlier reported there would be 450 jobs cut.

• Security

  • Privacy/Surveillance

    • NYOB ☛ Google Chrome: Agree to 'privacy feature', but get tracking!

      Google Chrome: Agree to 'privacy feature', but get tracking!

    • JURIST ☛ Rights groups urge Commercial Bank of Ethiopia to halt public shaming campaign over privacy rights

      Rights groups Access Now and the Center for Advancement of Rights and Democracy (CARD) called for the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE) to halt its public shaming campaign in an open letter on Wednesday.

    • Press Gazette ☛ Sacked S4C boss loses privacy complaint over ‘signed off with stress’ story

      Sian Doyle told publication of her medical information was in the public interest.

      >

• Defence/Aggression

  • France24 ☛ Hezbollah says it launched attacks at nine Israeli military sites

    Hezbollah said it had launched rockets and weaponised drones at nine Israeli military sites on Thursday. A security source told Lebanon it was the largest attack waged by Hezbollah since October. The attacks were carried out in retaliation for an Israeli strike on Tuesday that killed a senior Hezbollah field commander.

  • New York Times ☛ Israel and Hezbollah Trade Strikes as Fighting Intensifies

    Israel was reported to have stepped up missile and artillery strikes in southern Gaza while also hitting Hezbollah military targets in Lebanon.

  • New York Times ☛ Escalating Violence Across Israel-Lebanon Border Rages for 2nd Straight Day

    An intensifying conflict in Israel’s north has raised fears of a full-fledged war.

  • New York Times ☛ Palestinians Report Heavy Bombardments in the Rafah Area

    Israel’s military said its forces were pressing on with operations in Rafah, where they were engaged in “face-to-face encounters” with Hamas fighters.

  • New York Times ☛ U.S. Strikes Targets in Yemen as Houthis Step Up Attacks on Red Sea Ships

    The strikes came as the Houthis intensified their campaign in the Red Sea, firing missiles toward two ships on Thursday after crippling a vessel the previous day, maritime security monitors said.

  • RFA ☛ Japan tight-lipped on report of meeting with North Korea in Mongolia

    South Korean media reported that Japanese and North Korean representatives met in secret in Mongolia last month.

  • The Strategist ☛ South Korea is still Indonesia’s best partner for defence-technology cooperation

    Indonesia should seize a chance of improving its defence-industry capability by stepping up cooperation with South Korea.

  • New York Times ☛ In China’s Backyard, America Has Become a Humbler Superpower

    The United States no longer towers over the Asia-Pacific, dictating terms to its allies. Instead, it’s offering to be a teammate and share responsibilities.

  • New York Times ☛ G7 Leaders, Expanding the Circle, Shift Focus to Migration and the South

    Leaders from India, Brazil, the Middle East and Africa will join discussions on Friday, in a nod to the changing global balance of power.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China Premier Li meets New Zealand business leaders amid trade boost

    WELLINGTON - Chinese Premier Li Qiang met New Zealand government and business leaders on Friday, on the second day of a regional tour that includes neighbouring Australia and signals a warming in ties between the Pacific nations and their biggest trading partner.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ China’s Premier Li Qiang says differences in opinion with New Zealand must ‘not become a chasm’

    Chinese Premier Li Qiang said Thursday his nation’s differences with New Zealand must not become a “chasm”, pledging greater trade and “friendship” after touching down in Wellington for rare bilateral talks.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Senior US diplomat warns of risks of accidental conflict sparked by China's moves

    TAIPEI - China's "provocative" actions around Taiwan, Japan and in the South China Sea run the risk of an accident that could unintentionally spark a broader conflict, Washington's top diplomat in Taipei said on Friday.

  • RFA ☛ Philippines ‘monitoring’ Vietnam’s South China Sea island building

    Officials stopped short of condemning Hanoi’s rapid land reclamation work.

  • RFA ☛ ASEAN chief: Bloc won’t pick sides in US-China rivalry

    Meanwhile, a binding code of conduct on the South China Sea is at least another 2 years away.

  • RFA ☛ Chinese movie star's visit to Taiwan hints at thawing tensions

    Officials use Hu Ge's whirlwind trip to emphasize 'common cultural roots' with the democratic island.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ 76% of applications for Hong Kong’s new investment visa scheme from residents of Vanuatu, Guinea-Bissau

    Hong Kong has received 251 applications for its newly launched investment migration scheme, with most applicants residents of the South Pacific island nation Vanuatu and Guinea-Bissau, in West Africa.

  • France24 ☛ G7 leaders turn attention to simmering tensions with China

    G7 leaders turn their attention to China on Friday on the second day of an Italy summit, with a focus on how to protect their industries while avoiding an outright trade war with Beijing.

  • The Strategist ☛ The challenge of communist China

    The problem of dealing with a belligerent communist China is the geopolitical challenge of the age. Its favourable resolution will open the door to global amity.

  • The Strategist ☛ China is serious about Antarctica. Australia should be too

    Our domestic discourse on the geopolitics of Antarctica is shamefully shallow. Our attitude continues to be one of ‘there’s nothing to see here’.

  • Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine

    • LRT ☛ Lithuanian university agrees to transfer land for Rheinmetall ammunition plant

      The Council of the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LSMU) on Thursday agreed to transfer a plot of state-owned land in the northern district of Radviliskis for the construction of the German defence giant Rheinmetall’s ammunition plant.

    • The Strategist ☛ Switzerland summit should give peace a chance, but only on Ukraine’s terms

      This weekend’s Summit on Peace in Ukraine is a misnomer.

    • Atlantic Council ☛ Ukraine’s fight against Russia gets three boosts from the G7

      Fifty billion dollars, a new US-Ukraine security agreement, and more sanctions on Russia. Atlantic Council experts delve into the latest developments from Italy.

    • Atlantic Council ☛ Experts react: Ukraine gets $50 billion from Russian assets and a US security deal at the G7 summit

      Our experts dig into the agreements reached at the G7 summit and how they might reshape Ukraine’s war against Russian aggression.

    • Atlantic Council ☛ Ukraine officially embraces English as historic westward pivot continues

      By officially embracing English, Ukrainians aim to support their country’s historic pivot away from Moscow and return to the European community of nations, writes Oleksiy Goncharenko.

    • France24 ☛ French MEP Glucksmann joins leftwing union New Popular Front, vows clear stance on Gaza, Ukraine

      French MEP Raphaël Glucksmann on Friday said he was joining the leftwing union, the New Popular Front, in a bid to stop the far-right from winning a parliamentary majority in France's snap elections later this month.

    • France24 ☛ Peace summit for Ukraine opens in Switzerland, but Russia not invited

      Switzerland will host scores of world leaders this weekend to try to map out first steps toward peace in Ukraine even though Russia, which launched and is continuing the war, won’t take part.

    • France24 ☛ Biden and Zelensky sign 10-year US-Ukraine security agreement

      President Joe Biden and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a 10-year security agreement Thursday that they hailed as a milestone in relations between their countries, but that alone was not enough to stop Zelenskyy from wondering how much longer he could count on America's support.

    • France24 ☛ Ten-year security deal between US and Ukraine is 'landmark event', FM Kuleba says

      Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba granted an interview to FRANCE 24 on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Italy, where Ukraine and the US are signing a ten-year bilateral security agreement. Kuleba called the deal a "landmark event", noting that it's the first of its kind between the two countries since Ukraine gained independence in 1991. Kuleba noted that Kyiv is signing similar agreements "with all G7 countries and beyond", saying that a "new security architecture" is being built around Ukraine.

    • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Hong Kong firms among hundreds hit with US sanctions for supporting Russia’s ‘war economy’

      At least 21 Hong Kong-based companies and four people associated with them were among hundreds hit by new US sanctions aimed at cutting off Russia’s access to international materials and equipment amid Moscow’s war in Ukraine.

    • JURIST ☛ India asks Russia to return citizens recruited by Russian army following deaths of two Indian nationals in Ukraine

      The Indian government has asked the Russian government to return the Indian citizens recruited by its army on Tuesday, with foreign secretary Vinay Kwatra confirming the request on Wednesday. This follows the death of two Indian citizens in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, as announced by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday.

    • JURIST ☛ US sanctions Hong Kong companies for alleged support of Russia’s ‘war economy’

      The US Department of Treasury sanctioned Hong Kong companies under Executive Order (EO) 14024 on Wednesday in response to the companies’ alleged support of Russia’s economy amid the War in Ukraine.

    • RFERL ☛ Ukraine Calls For Ban On 4 Russian, Belarusian Wrestlers From Paris Olympics

      Ukraine's National Olympic Committee has called on the International Olympic Committee to ban the participation of three female wrestlers from Russia and one from Belarus in the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris for their support of Russia's aggression against Ukraine.

    • RFERL ☛ Ukraine, Russia Trade Drone Strikes After G7 Agreement On Loan For Kyiv

      Ukraine and Russia exchanged drone attacks overnight into June 14 as the Group of Seven (G7) agreed on a $50 billion loan to Ukraine using frozen Russian assets as collateral.

    • RFERL ☛ Commander Of Georgian Legion Fighting For Ukraine Says He Was Poisoned

      The commander of the Georgian Legion that is fighting alongside Ukraine against Russian troops told RFE/RL on June 12 that he was poisoned several months ago.

    • RFERL ☛ Moscow Exchange Stops Dollar, Euro Trades Over New Sanctions

      Russia's main stock exchange on June 13 halted dollar and euro trades after the United States hit Moscow with a new package of sanctions over its military offensive in Ukraine.

    • RFERL ☛ Biden, Zelenskiy Sign Security Deal After G7 Agreement On $50 Billion Loan To Ukraine

      U.S. President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on June 13 signed a 10-year security agreement, hailing it as a milestone in relations between their countries.

    • Tom's Hardware ☛ US sanctions PC cooling and power supply maker DeepCool for selling products to Russia, fueling its war efforts in Ukraine

      A new round of companies sanctioned by the U.S. government for selling goods that could support Russia's war against Ukraine includes a popular PC cooling and power supply manufacturer.

    • The Straits Times ☛ Explosion heard in Kyiv region after missile warning

      KYIV - An explosion rang out across the region outside the Ukrainian capital on Friday, a Reuters witness said, following an air raid siren and warnings by the military of a possible Russian missile attack.

    • The Straits Times ☛ China under scrutiny for absence at Ukraine peace summit, which is seen as sign of its pro-Russia tilt

      Beijing has sought to justify decision publicly at least four times in past two weeks.

    • CS Monitor ☛ How the G7 plans to tap frozen Russian assets to fund a massive Ukraine aid package

      G7 leaders have agreed to a $50 billion loan for Ukraine, backed by profits from Russia’s frozen $300 billion assets in the central bank. The funds could reach Ukraine by the end of the year.

    • New York Times ☛ Will Biden’s Help for Ukraine Come Fast Enough and Last Long Enough?

      The president signed a 10-year security pact with Ukraine and promised, with E.U. help, a $50 billion loan. But will the money arrive in time to turn the tide, and will the deal outlast the election in November?

    • New York Times ☛ Janet Yellen: Use Russia’s Assets to Support Ukraine

      The U.S. Treasury secretary explains why America and its allies should unlock the value of Russian capital immobilized at the start of the war to give Ukraine the financing it needs.

    • New York Times ☛ Here’s Why Ukraine Should Seek Peace

      A peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine will stop the killing and in the long run make Ukraine better able to defend itself and democracy.

    • New York Times ☛ G7 Leaders Agree on Plan for $50 Billion Loan to Ukraine

      Biden and Zelensky also signed a 10-year security agreement aimed at making Ukraine’s military more self-sufficient. “A lasting peace for Ukraine must be underwritten by Ukraine’s own ability to defend itself,” Biden said.

    • New York Times ☛ G7 Leaders Gather in Italy to Discuss an Unruly World

      The Group of 7 gathers major industrialized countries, but its leaders are politically weak and Ukraine and Gaza remain unsolved.

    • New York Times ☛ Ukraine Stalled Russia Near the Border. Vovchansk Has Paid the Price.

      Faced with an assault from the northeast, Ukrainian forces made their stand in Vovchansk. The front line is still there, but little else is.

    • New York Times ☛ Friday Briefing: A $50 Billion G7 Loan to Ukraine

      Also, China’s push into driverless cars and the dangers of hair relaxers.

    • New York Times ☛ Japan Commits $4.5 Billion for Ukraine, Zelensky Says

      The agreement underscores Japan’s efforts to strengthen its security and diplomatic ties with Europe after the full-scale conflict began in 2022.

    • New York Times ☛ G7 Leaders Agree on $50 Billion Loan to Ukraine From Frozen Russian Assets

      The agreement comes as Ukraine has been forced to sell some state assets and as the momentum in the war has shifted in favor of Russia.

    • New York Times ☛ Biden and Zelensky Sign 10-Year Pact to Aid Ukraine’s Military

      The deal will outline a long-term effort to train and equip Ukraine’s forces, promising to provide more modern weapons and help the Ukrainians build their own self-sustaining military industry that is capable of producing its own arms, U.S. officials said.

    • RFERL ☛ Ukraine's Record Power Imports Continue Due To Energy Infrastructure Damage

      Ukraine is set to continue to import record amounts of power to make up for a shortfall caused by Russia's targeting of energy infrastructure, which has decimated output.

    • The Straits Times ☛ China’s absence at Ukraine peace summit seen as sign of pro-Russia tilt

      Beijing has publicly explained its decision at least four times in the past two weeks.

    • Latvia ☛ Latvia backs seizure of 300 billion euros of Russian central bank assets

      Chairs of foreign and European affairs committees and members of parliament from 19 countries, including Latvia, plus the European Parliament have made a joint statement urging the G7 countries to forget half-measures and confiscate all €300bn in frozen Russian central bank assets.

    • Latvia ☛ Lithuania catches Russian with Latvian residency crossing border with gun parts

      On Tuesday, June 11, border guards in Lithuania detained a man with a residence permit issued in Latvia who was trying to transport weapon parts from Belarus into the European Union, reports Latvian Television.

    • France24 ☛ US reporter Evan Gershkovich to stand trial in Russia on espionage charges

      Russian prosecutors sent US journalist Evan Gershkovich's case to court on Thursday, paving the way for him to be tried on espionage charges denied by his employer and the White House.

    • JURIST ☛ Russia prosecutors send espionage indictment against US reporter Evan Gerskovich to court

      The Russian Prosecutor General’s office announced Thursday that it approved an espionage indictment against Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who has been detained in Russia since March 2023, and sent his case to the Sverdlovsk Regional Court in the city of Yekaterinburg.

    • Latvia ☛ Nearly half of fence on Latvia-Russia border completed

      130 kilometers or 46% of the planned fence have been built on the Latvian-Russian border, the State Enterprise "State Real Estate" (VNĪ) said June 12.

    • LRT ☛ Lithuania extends ban on Russian, Belarusian media

      On Thursday, Lithuanian lawmakers decided to extend the existing ban on Russian and Belarusian TV broadcasting.

    • RFERL ☛ Czech Official Says Letter To EU's Borrell Asks To Curb Moves Of Russian Diplomats

      Foreign ministers from eight EU countries have sent a letter to EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell asking him to curb Russian diplomats' movement in the Schengen area over their concern that the free movement of the diplomats facilitates “malign activities.”

    • RFERL ☛ Imprisoned Russian Blogger Gets Additional Term Shortly Before Release

      A Russian court on June 13 sentenced blogger Vladislav Sinitsa to an additional 2 1/2 years in prison on extremism charges just ahead of his scheduled release on July 1.

    • RFERL ☛ Kara-Murza Appeal Hearing Postponed, Kremlin Critic's Whereabouts Unknown

      A Moscow court on June 13 postponed until July 1 a hearing into imprisoned Kremlin critic Vladimir Kara-Murza's appeal against police inaction in the investigation of his alleged poisonings after the administration of a correctional colony in Siberia said he is no longer at the penitentiary.

    • RFERL ☛ Russia Adds Self-Exiled Journalist Tatyana Lazareva To Wanted List

      Russia's Interior Ministry has added self-exiled television journalist Tatyana Lazareva to its wanted list on unspecified charges.

    • New York Times ☛ Russian Prosecutors Finalize Indictment of Evan Gershkovich

      The Wall Street Journal reporter will be tried on a spying charge in Yekaterinburg, the city where he was arrested more than a year ago. Mr. Gershkovich and his employer have denied the charge.

    • Meduza ☛ Russia formally charges U.S. journalist Evan Gershkovich with ‘espionage’ — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Russia’s largest stock exchange has stopped trading in U.S. dollars and euros. What does this mean for the ruble? — Meduza

    • RFERL ☛ Belgrade's Higher Court Upholds Ruling to Extradite Belarusian Journalist

      Belgrade’s Higher Court on June 13 upheld a lower court ruling to extradite Belarusian journalist and opposition activist Andrey Hnyot, a decision that can be appealed.

    • Meduza ☛ Suspended dollar and euro trading on Moscow Exchange produces relatively calm first day after expanded U.S. sanctions — Meduza

    • RFERL ☛ Court Says 'Threats' Forced Closed-Door Trial Of Moscow Theater Director, Playwright

      A Moscow court ruled on June 13 that the trial of theater director Yevgenia Berkovich and playwright Svetlana Petriichuk, who are charged with justifying terrorism, must continue behind closed doors

• Environment

  • Energy/Transportation

    • Barry Kauler ☛ Trike 320 frame rear fork large gap

      I have posted many times about this tadpole recumbent trike that I purchased direct from the manufacturer in China. It is a TrikExplor/Motrike with 320 frame. They have variant models with that same frame. There is a photo of the trike here: [...]

    • The Straits Times ☛ Diesel hike a thorny issue for Malaysia’s durian sellers

      With higher diesel prices, durian sellers are finding it more expensive to transport the fruit.

    • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ China ‘reserves right’ to challenge planned EU electric car tariffs at World Trade Organization

      China said Thursday it “reserves the right” to file a suit with the World Trade Organization over planned new EU tariffs on imports of its electric vehicles. The European Union warned this week it would slap additional tariffs of up to 38 percent on Chinese electric car imports from next month after an anti-subsidy probe.

  • Wildlife/Nature

    • RFA ☛ Did a South Korean mayor ask China for giant pandas as a ‘gift’?

      Verdict: False

• Finance

  • Science Alert ☛ Universal Basic Income Could Double World's GDP And Slash Emissions

    A radical opportunity awaits.

  • The Straits Times ☛ US govt returns $210 million worth of 1MDB funds to Malaysia

    To date, the US authorities have recovered and returned about US$1.4 billion to Malaysia.

  • RFA ☛ China wants its 12 million delivery drivers to work for the party

    The Communist Party will be asking them to keep an eye on things in exchange for food and drink at rest stations.

• AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

  • Marcy Wheeler ☛ Alito Versus Law And Science

    Alito is a partisan crank married to a partisan crank

• Civil Rights/Policing

  • AccessNow ☛ Mind the gap: why the UN Security Council should prioritize digital rights

    Even as states increasingly weaponize communication networks, the UN Security Council has remained largely silent on digital rights issues. This puts everyone at risk.

  • AccessNow ☛ Wavering resolutions: The UN Security Council on digital rights

    Even as states increasingly weaponize communication networks, the UN Security Council has remained largely silent on digital rights issues. This puts everyone at risk.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Police widening scope of investigation on Malaysia footballer Faisal’s acid attack

    Selangor FC footballer Faisal Halim had multiple surgeries for the burns to his skin.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Malaysia government not hiring Singaporeans to teach English: Anwar

    Mr Anwar and Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong met on June 12 to discuss bilateral relations.

  • New York Times ☛ Chinese Activists Who Gave #MeToo Victims a Voice Are Found Guilty

    Huang Xueqin, a journalist, and Wang Jianbing, a labor activist, were convicted of subversion, a vaguely worded charge long seen as a tool for muzzling dissent.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ China jails #MeToo journalist Sophia Huang for 5 years over ‘inciting subversion of state power’

    A Chinese journalist who popularised the country’s stalled #MeToo movement was sentenced to five years in prison on Friday for “inciting subversion of state power”, a group of supporters said.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China #MeToo activist Huang Xueqin sentenced to 5 years’ jail on subversion charges

    The 35-year-old independent journalist plans to appeal her sentence.

• Internet Policy/Net Neutrality

  • APNIC ☛ RFC 9518 — What can Internet standards do about centralization?

    Guest Post: RFC 9518 "Centralization, Decentralization, and Internet Standards" has been published after more than two years of review, discussion, and revision.

• Digital Restrictions (DRM)

  • Digital Music News ☛ Spotify Bundling Fallout Continues As Federal Lawmakers Present ‘Serious Questions’ to the Copyright Office About ‘A Compulsory Licensing System That Robs’ Songwriters

    Amid continued criticism over – and legal challenges against – Spotify’s aggressive embrace of bundling, federal lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have reached out to the Copyright Office with “serious questions” over the change.

Monopolies/Monopsonies

• Trademarks

  • Reason ☛ Supreme Court: You Can't Trademark Your 'Trump Too Small' T-Shirts

    As Justice Sonia Sotomayor noted during oral arguments, the right to sell a shirt is different from the right to be the only one who can sell that shirt.

  • Reason ☛ Justices Agree on Constitutionality of Trademark Restriction, Disagree on How to Approach Such Questions

    The underlying methodological debate might also bear on free speech disputes more broadly.

  • Kluwer Patent Blog ☛ Mastering IP Filing: Insights from Leading Authors

    The Manual IP, also known as the Brown Book, is a comprehensive publication. It covers a lot of information on patents/utility models, trademarks and designs for 240 jurisdictions around the world.

  • Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ Trump Too Small: Supreme Court Upholds Lanham Act’s Restriction on Registering Marks With Living Individual’s Names Without Consent

    In an important trademark law and free speech decision, the Supreme Court held in Vidal v. Elster, 602 U.S. ___ (2024), that the Lanham Act’s “names clause” barring registration of a mark that “[c]onsists of or comprises a name . . . identifying a particular living individual except by his written consent”, 15 U.S.C. § 1052(c), does not violate the First Amendment. Writing for the Court, Justice Thomas distinguished this case from the Court’s prior decisions in Matal v. Tam, 582 U.S. 218 (2017) (disparaging marks) and Iancu v. Brunetti, 588 U.S. 388 (2019) (scandalous marks), which struck down other Lanham Act restrictions as unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination. Although content-based, the Court concluded that the names clause is viewpoint-neutral and consistent with the longstanding history and tradition of trademark law.

  • TTAB Blog ☛ TTABlog Test: How Did These Three Section 2(e)(1) Mere Descriptiveness Appeals Turn Out?

    So far this year, the Board has affirmed about 90% of the Section 2(e)(1) mere descriptiveness refusals reviewed on appeal. Here are three more. How do you think they came out? [Results in first comment].

    
    

    In re Skechers U.S.A., Inc. II, Serial No. 90701471 (June 10, 2024) [not precedential] (Opinion by Judge Peter W. Cataldo). [Mere descriptiveness refusal of WORKOUT WALKER for footwear and a host of apparel items. Applicant argued that the mark is incongruous because walking is not perceived as exercise.]