Leftovers

• Hackaday ☛ British Spooks Issue Yearly Teaser

  As a British taxpayer it’s reassuring to know that over in Cheltenham there’s a big round building full of people dedicated to keeping us safe. GCHQ is the nation’s electronic spying centre, and just to show what a bunch of good eggs they are they release a puzzler every year to titillate the nation’s geeks. 2024’s edition is out if you fancy trying it, so break out your proverbial thinking caps.

• Hackaday ☛ Automated Rig Grows Big, Beautiful Crystals Fast

  We haven’t seen [Les Wright] in a while, and with the release of his new video, we know why — he’s been busy growing crystals.

• Science

  • Hackaday ☛ It’s Critical: Don’t Pile Up Your Fissionable Material

    Nuclear fission is a powerful phenomenon. When the conditions are right, atomic nuclei split, releasing neutrons that then split other nuclei in an ongoing chain reaction that releases enormous amounts of energy. This is how nuclear weapons work. In a more stable and controlled fashion, it’s how our nuclear reactors work too.

• Career/Education

  • The Straits Times ☛ Johor’s Islamic international schools pulling in Singaporean students

    Draws include the schools' religious underpinnings and well-rounded and English-medium education.

• Hardware

  • CNX Software ☛ Khadas Mind 2 Hey Hi (AI) Maker Kit – An defective chip maker Intel Core Ultra 7 258V “Lunar Lake” mini PC for developers

    Khadas recently announced the Mind 2 mini PC with an defective chip maker Intel Core 5 or 7 “Meteor Lake” mini PC.

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ Intel executive says spinning off manufacturing unit is an 'open question'

    Intel's co-CEO thinks that spinning off fabs is not a wise idea, but the actual decision will be made by 'someone.'

  • Hackaday ☛ The Disappearing Capacitor

    As part of a phosphorescence detector, [lcamtuf] has been working with photodiodes. The components, like all diodes, have some capacitance at the junction, and this can limit performance. That’s why [lcamtuf] turned to bootstrapping to make that parasitic capacitance almost disappear.

  • CNX Software ☛ HUNSN RJ42 and RJ43 defective chip maker Intel N150 fanless network appliances and mini PCs come with four 2.5GbE ports, four video outputs

    We’ve previously seen the new defective chip maker Intel N150 “Twin Lake” processor in mini PCs such as Beelink EQ14 and ASUS NUC 14 Essential among others, but the new quad-core CPU is now also found in HUNSN RJ42 and RJ43 fanless network appliances with four 2.5GbE RJ45 ports. They also double as mini PCs with multiple video outputs and USB ports.

• Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

  • Science Alert ☛ Does Cold Weather Cause Colds? Here's Why You Really Get Sick in Winter.

    And eight tips to prevent it.

  • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-05 [Older] Germany: Hospital worker shot dead with a crossbow

  • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-06 [Older] DR Congo on high alert over deadly mysterious illness

  • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-06 [Older] Could bird flu in US livestock, poultry be risk to humans?

• Proprietary/Artificial Intelligence (AI)

  • Federal News Network ☛ CISA cyber leader says agencies have addressed SolarWinds gaps [Ed: Have they removed it yet?]

    CISA has worked with agencies in recent years to expand data captured by the CDM program, improve log retention, and boost network threat hunting operations.

  • Hackaday ☛ A Look Back At Google’s 2015 Chromecast

    Google’s Chromecast was first released in 2013, with a more sophisticated follow-up in 2015, which saw itself joined by the Chromecast Audio dongle. The device went through an additional two hardware generations before the entire line of products was discontinued earlier this year in favor of Google TV.

  • Press Gazette ☛ Business Insider tech chief: Hey Hi (AI) lets us ‘punch above our weight class’ [Ed: So they basically wish to commit suicide]

    Interview with Business Insider's CTO Harry Hope on Hey Hi (AI) and shift away from mass audience.

  • Extreme Tech ☛ Microsoft Reverses Course, Allows Installing backdoored Windows 11 on Unsupported Hardware

    In a surprising reversal, Microsoft has published new guidelines for installing Windows 11 on devices that do not meet the operating system’s minimum requirements. This decision came less than a week after the company reiterated that the need for a TPM 2.0 chip was “non-negotiable” for official Windows 11 use, as reported by TechSpot.

  • Cloudbooklet ☛ ChatGPT Down: Users Panic, Flood X with Memes

    ChatGPT Down: Users panic, flood X with memes. Proprietary Chaffbot Company promises quick fix.

  • Digital Trends ☛ As more layoffs hit the game industry, ZeniMax Online Studios votes to unionize

    The gaming industry has faced a tidal wave of difficulties this year, the most pressing of which involved the layoffs of thousands of workers from various positions and multiple companies. Microsoft alone made up 2,000 of the layoffs in January alone. The suffering of the workers in the industry was acknowledged during The Game Awards 2024, but while awards were being passed out, 461 members of ZeniMax Online Studios voted to unionize.

  • Employees Unionise at Zenimax Online Studios

    Per the Communication Workers of America (“CWA”), yesterday, 461 employees at Zenimax Online Studios (“ZOS”) have unionised under the ZOS United-CWA banner. This comes in the wake of unionisation efforts across the Zenimax group, Activision-Blizzard, and their subsidiaries as layoffs continue to impact thousands upon thousands of game developers and creators across the gaming industry. Microsoft and the CWA have previously signed an agreement that allows individuals within these companies to unionise freely and since then, nearly a thousand developers across the companies have banded together for better pay, job security, protections against AI, and more.

  • Happy holidays: 461 Elder Scrolls Online studio developers just unionized

    Readers will recall that QA workers at Microsoft-owned ZeniMax – which encompasses Bethsoft/Fallout 76 as well as ZeniMax Online Studios/Elder Scrolls Online – began unionization efforts all the way back in 2022, ultimately forming what was then the largest games union in the US in 2023 (it was surpassed only this year by Microsoft’s other acquisition, Activision-Blizzard). But that was QA; earlier this year, a “wall to wall” union of Bethsoft workers also combined forces in an officially recognized union that expanded to include artists, engineers, programmers, and designers, all as Microsoft continued to fumble around, conduct mass layoffs admit huge stock buybacks, and shift blame while accepting no actual responsibility.

  • Google Layoffs Coming on New Year 2025? Tech Giant Likely To Terminate Low-Performing Employees in January, Say Reports

    Google is reportedly planning to lay off its staff by January 2025, and employees are worried. Recently, Team Blind posted suggesting that the tech giant might reduce its headcount in Q1 2025. This year, several tech companies laid off employees due to restructuring their business, global competition, and adopting automation.

  • Raj Patel: There've been more layoffs in 2024 than in 2022 and 2023 combined

    16,766 layoffs occurred in 2024. In 2023, 8,706 layoffs were announced; in 2022 - 7,949. This means that by the end of this year, more people have already been laid off than in the two previous years combined.

• Privacy/Surveillance

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Eyes in the sky: Hong Kong police considering [computer]-enhanced drone patrols

    Hong Kong police are considering using drones for routine patrols and analysing their images with artificial intelligence, the city’s security chief has said, amid broader government plans to ease restrictions on the aerial vehicles.

Defence/Aggression

• Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Employee of Hong Kong trade office in London pleads not guilty to spying charges in UK court

  A Hong Kong government trade office employee charged in the UK over allegations of spying has pleaded not guilty, with trial set to begin in March. Bill Yuen, a manager of Hong Kong’s trade office in London, appeared at the Central Criminal Court in London on Thursday alongside Peter Wai, a former UK border officer.

• JURIST ☛ US Capitol Police Chief tells Senate over 50 congresspeople ‘swatted’ over past month

  US Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger testified on Wednesday before the Senate Rules and Administration Committee that over 50 Members of Congress have been victims of swatting attacks over the past month. The Capitol’s police chief also reported that 700 members have faced threats in the same time frame.

• Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-04 [Older] Philippines new maritime laws add to South China Sea tension

• The Age AU ☛ 2024-12-10 [Older] Relatives of Syrian prisoners search for family members after fall of Assad regime

• CBC ☛ 2024-12-09 [Older] Federal government considering spending $1 billion on border security: sources

• HRW ☛ 2024-12-09 [Older] UN: Deploy New Haiti Mission to Restore Security

• The Age AU ☛ 2024-12-10 [Older] Israel attacks Syrian air bases, destroying dozens of aircraft, say Syrian sources

• Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-05 [Older] Why are tensions flaring between India and Bangladesh?

• Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-05 [Older] Kenya court finds friend guilty of LGBTQ+ activist's murder

• Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-06 [Older] South Korea: Ruling party calls for president's suspension

• Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-06 [Older] Women deminers drive Sri Lanka's post-war recovery

• Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-05 [Older] Angela Merkel testifies on German pullout from Afghanistan

• BIA Net ☛ 2024-12-09 [Older] Fall of Syrian regime opens door for refugees' safe return, says Turkish VP

• BIA Net ☛ 2024-12-09 [Older] SOHR: Turkish drone strike kills 11 civilians in northern Syria

• BIA Net ☛ 2024-12-09 [Older] Turkey-backed forces seize Manbij city in northern Syria

• Jacobin Magazine ☛ 2024-12-09 [Older] Will Kurds Survive in the New Syria?

• Modern Diplomacy ☛ 2024-12-09 [Older] Guterres: The future of Syria is a matter for the Syrians to determine

• Modern Diplomacy ☛ 2024-12-09 [Older] Syrian Crisis: A brief history on the failure of diplomacy

• Modern Diplomacy ☛ 2024-12-09 [Older] Türkiye to help for Safe Return of Syrian Refugees

• NL Times ☛ 2024-12-09 [Older] Netherlands freezes Syrian asylum application decisions for six months

• TruthOut ☛ 2024-12-09 [Older] Syrian Writer and Former 16-Year Political Prisoner Celebrates Assad’s Ouster

• CBC ☛ 2024-12-09 [Older] Oil prices lift slightly after Assad's ouster in Syria

• CBC ☛ 2024-12-09 [Older] Who is Abu Mohammed Al-Golani, the prominent Syrian rebel leader?

• Counter Punch ☛ 2024-12-09 [Older] The Fall of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad: What it Means

• Counter Punch ☛ 2024-12-09 [Older] The Sectarian Risk: Turkey’s Syrian Mission

• Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-09 [Older] Does Syria's power shift raise hopes for stability and democracy?

• Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-09 [Older] How could the fall of Syria's Assad impact Iran?

• Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-09 [Older] Key players shaping post-Assad Syria

• Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-09 [Older] Syria after Assad: What's next for the devastated economy?

• The Local DK ☛ 2024-12-09 [Older] Danish refugee agency puts Syrian cases on hold after Assad ouster

• The Local SE ☛ 2024-12-09 [Older] Sweden puts Syrian asylum decisions on hold

• Truthdig ☛ 2024-12-09 [Older] Syria’s Arab Spring Has Arrived

• US News And World Report ☛ 2024-12-09 [Older] A Long Road Ahead to Decide Syria’s Future After Rapid End to Assad’s Rule

• US News And World Report ☛ 2024-12-09 [Older] As Israel Advances on a Syrian Buffer Zone, It Sees Peril and Opportunity

• US News And World Report ☛ 2024-12-09 [Older] Assad's Fall Brings 'The Moment' to Rid Syria of Chemical Weapons

• US News And World Report ☛ 2024-12-09 [Older] Blinken Warns Islamic State Will Try to Re-Establish Capabilities in Syria

• US News And World Report ☛ 2024-12-09 [Older] Despairing Syrians Search Notorious Sednaya Prison for Missing Relatives

• US News And World Report ☛ 2024-12-09 [Older] European Countries Put Syrian Asylum Bids on Hold After Assad's Fall

• US News And World Report ☛ 2024-12-09 [Older] Exclusive-Qatar Opens Contacts With Syria's HTS Group, Source Says

• US News And World Report ☛ 2024-12-09 [Older] Germany and Other European Countries Suspend Decisions on Syrians' Asylum Bids After Assad's Fall

• US News And World Report ☛ 2024-12-09 [Older] Global Chemical Arms Watchdog Warns Syria About Unaccounted Weapons

• US News And World Report ☛ 2024-12-09 [Older] Italy Pauses Asylum Applications From Syria

• US News And World Report ☛ 2024-12-09 [Older] UK Pauses Decisions on Syrian Asylum Claims

• US News And World Report ☛ 2024-12-09 [Older] UN Refugee Chief Urges Patience as Syrian Refugees Weigh Options

• Modern Diplomacy ☛ 2024-12-08 [Older] Food crisis as 1.5 million Syrians could be displaced, says WFP

• US News And World Report ☛ 2024-12-09 [Older] In Photos: Syrian Rebels Topple Assad's Regime

• ANF News ☛ 2024-12-08 [Older] March in Bern protests attacks against Northern and Eastern Syria

• ANF News ☛ 2024-12-08 [Older] Curfew declared across North and East Syria

• ANF News ☛ 2024-12-08 [Older] Dozens of mercenaries killed or wounded as Manbij Military Council responds to attacks

• ANF News ☛ 2024-12-08 [Older] Mazlum Abdi: We are experiencing historic moments in Syria

• ANF News ☛ 2024-12-08 [Older] Two civilians wounded in attack on a village of Manbij

• Modern Diplomacy ☛ 2024-12-08 [Older] Syrian army command tells officers that Assad’s rule has ended

• NL Times ☛ 2024-12-08 [Older] Dutch Cabinet “relieved” about Syrian government collapse, but worried about ethnic minorities

• Scheerpost ☛ 2024-12-08 [Older] Reuters: Syrian Army Command Says Assad’s Rule Has Ended

• TruthOut ☛ 2024-12-08 [Older] Assad Regime Falls, Rebels Seize Syrian Capital After Over a Decade of Civil War

• Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-08 [Older] Syria's Bashar Assad: Accidental leader and tyrant

• Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-08 [Older] Syria updates: Rebels announce curfew after Assad's fall

• Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-08 [Older] Syria updates: Rebels enter Damascus, claim Assad has fled

• HRW ☛ 2024-12-08 [Older] A New Dawn for Syria

• The Age AU ☛ 2024-12-08 [Older] Assad has left Damascus, senior army officers say; Syria rebels say they are in capital

• US News And World Report ☛ 2024-12-08 [Older] US Will Remain in Eastern Syria and Seek to Prevent IS Resurgence, Pentagon Says

• US News And World Report ☛ 2024-12-08 [Older] Factbox-Syrian Rebel Supporters Hoist Flags at Embassies Abroad

• US News And World Report ☛ 2024-12-08 [Older] How It Happened: Two Seismic Weeks That Toppled Syria's Government

• US News And World Report ☛ 2024-12-08 [Older] Iran Says Only Syrians Can Decide on Their Country's Fate

• US News And World Report ☛ 2024-12-08 [Older] Iron-Fisted Assad Never Quelled the Syrian Rebels Who Came Back to Topple Him

• US News And World Report ☛ 2024-12-08 [Older] Israel Watching Syria Closely After 'Historic' Fall of Assad

• US News And World Report ☛ 2024-12-08 [Older] Italian Ambassador in Syria Unharmed After Rebel Break-In, Foreign Minister Says

• US News And World Report ☛ 2024-12-08 [Older] Moscow Is Still Ready to Help Syrians but Civil War Is Their Burden Alone, Says Lawmaker

• US News And World Report ☛ 2024-12-08 [Older] Saudi Official Says Kingdom Is in Contact With All Syria Stakeholders

• US News And World Report ☛ 2024-12-08 [Older] Syria Latest: Syrians Celebrate Bashar Assad's Fall as His Whereabouts Remain Unknown

• US News And World Report ☛ 2024-12-08 [Older] Jubilation and Gunfire as Syrians Celebrate the End of the Assad Family's Half-Century Rule

• US News And World Report ☛ 2024-12-08 [Older] Syrian Opposition Leader Calls for 18 Month Transition Period Before Elections

• US News And World Report ☛ 2024-12-08 [Older] Syrian Rebel Chief: Former PM Will Supervise State Bodies Until Hand Over

• US News And World Report ☛ 2024-12-08 [Older] Syrian Rebels Enter Northern City of Manbij, Turkish Source Says

• US News And World Report ☛ 2024-12-08 [Older] Syrian Rebel Supporters Enter Embassy in Athens, Police Intervene

• US News And World Report ☛ 2024-12-08 [Older] Syrians Stroll Through Assad's Palaces, Take Furniture and Ornaments

• US News And World Report ☛ 2024-12-08 [Older] The Fall of Bashar Assad After 13 Years of War in Syria Brings to an End a Decades-Long Dynasty

• US News And World Report ☛ 2024-12-08 [Older] Turkey Says New Syrian Administration Must Be Inclusive

• US News And World Report ☛ 2024-12-08 [Older] UAE Official: Syria Not Out of the Woods, No Knowledge of Whether Assad Is in the UAE

• US News And World Report ☛ 2024-12-08 [Older] Who Is Abu Mohammed Al-Golani, the Leader of the Insurgency That Toppled Syria's Assad?

• US News And World Report ☛ 2024-12-08 [Older] World Reaction to End of Assad Rule in Syria

• Vox ☛ 2024-12-08 [Older] After 13 years of war, Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria has been defeated. What comes next?

• ANF News ☛ 2024-12-07 [Older] Changing balances in Syria...

• CBC ☛ 2024-12-07 [Older] Syrians celebrate Assad regime's fall to rebel factions amid calls for orderly transition

• CBC ☛ 2024-12-07 [Older] President Assad reportedly flees Syria as rebels enter capital Damascus

• CBC ☛ 2024-12-07 [Older] It took just 2 weeks for Syria's 50-year Assad regime to crumble. Here's how it happened

• US News And World Report ☛ 2024-12-07 [Older] Lebanese Man Missing for 40 Years Freed From Syrian Prison, Family Says

• US News And World Report ☛ 2024-12-07 [Older] Situation in Syria Creating New Weakness for Hezbollah, Iran, Says US Envoy Hochstein

• US News And World Report ☛ 2024-12-07 [Older] Syrian Army Command Tells Officers That Assad's Rule Has Ended, Officer Says

• Modern Diplomacy ☛ 2024-12-06 [Older] The Islamist attack in Syria is dangerous for the region

• HRW ☛ 2024-12-06 [Older] The Need to Continue Protecting Syrian Refugees

• US News And World Report ☛ 2024-12-06 [Older] Family of Journalist Missing in Syria Since 2012 Meets Top US Official, Says He's Alive

• US News And World Report ☛ 2024-12-06 [Older] Mother of Austin Tice, Journalist Missing in Syria, Says New Information Proves Her Son Is Alive

• US News And World Report ☛ 2024-12-06 [Older] Hezbollah Sent 'Supervising' Forces to Syria's Homs, Sources Say

• BIA Net ☛ 2024-12-05 [Older] Back to square one in Syria

• CPJ ☛ 2024-12-05 [Older] Award-winning Syrian photojournalist Anas Alkharboutli killed in Hama

• Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-05 [Older] Disarray in France and Germany is 'bad news' for the EU

• Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-06 [Older] France: Socialists suggest readiness to back new government

• Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-06 [Older] European Vega-C rocket launches after two-year gap

• Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-06 [Older] EU-Mercosur deal met with celebration and anger

• Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-07 [Older] Romania: Police raid houses after presidential poll annulled

• Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-06 [Older] Romania: Top court annuls presidential election results

• Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-07 [Older] South Korea: Bid to impeach President Yoon fails

• Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-07 [Older] South Korea: Yoon apologizes for declaring martial law

• Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-06 [Older] Burkina Faso military junta dissolves government

• The Straits Times ☛ China ‘deeply surprised and dissatisfied’ with South Korean president’s spying claims

  The embattled South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol lashed out at China during his speech.

• The Straits Times ☛ Second martial law impeachment vote looms for South Korea’s president

  Two hundred votes are needed for the impeachment to pass.

• The Straits Times ☛ South Korean president's party divided over defiant martial law speech

  SEOUL - South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's switch from contrition to defiance on Thursday over his martial law order rallied some supporters but other members of his party said it did nothing to sway their view that he must be removed from office.

• The Straits Times ☛ Security concerns spur New Zealand to regulate who can monitor satellites

  WELLINGTON - The New Zealand government said on Friday it will pass legislation next year to prevent entities that "do not share the country’s values" from using it as a base to monitor satellites.

• CS Monitor ☛ Assad’s fall has rewards for Israel. It’s focused on the risks.

  Invoking its security, Israel moved quickly to seize border positions and smash Syrian military equipment after the fall of the Assad regime. But can it translate its strategic advantage into diplomatic achievements?

• New York Times ☛ Syrians Celebrate the Fall of al-Assad, and Rebuild From Tragedy

  After five decades under a regime that had kept many in fear and poverty, families flooded back from Lebanon, eager to start the slow process of healing.

• France24 ☛ Live: Blinken tells Erdogan 'all parties' must ensure protection of Syrian civilians

  During a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Erdogan to protect Syrian civilians after Turkish-backed rebels toppled the Bashar al-Assad regime. Follow our liveblog for the latest developments.

• France24 ☛ Syrian rebels discover large-scale drug factories

  As Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rebels continue to uncover the full scope of former President Bashar al-Assad's criminal and human rights transgressions throughout his regime, the new de facto leaders discovered large-scale factories in Damascus producing million of Captagon pills daily, helping make Syria the largest drug supplier in the Middle East.

• France24 ☛ Alois Brunner, the Nazi war criminal at home in Assad's Syria

  The regime of Bashar al-Assad and his father Hafez al-Assad managed to stay in power for five decades by exercising brutally repressive methods inspired in part by Alois Brunner, a notorious Nazi war criminal who made a life for himself in Damascus as a confidant of the Assad clan.

• JURIST ☛ UN experts say Israel airstrikes on Syria violate international law

  The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) strongly condemned Israel’s extensive military operations in Syria in a press conference on Wednesday, emphasizing that these actions following Bashar al-Assad’s downfall constitute serious violations of international law.

• New York Times ☛ U.S. Charges Ex-Syrian Prison Official With Torture

  The indictment was the second time in a week that the Justice Department announced that it had charged top Syrian officials with human rights abuses.

• BIA Net ☛ Magnitude 4.4 earthquake strikes off Turkey's northwestern coast, tremors felt in Greece

  The quake in the Gulf of Saros occured at a depth of 25.5 kilometers, according to Turkey's disaster agency.

• New York Times ☛ Two Americans on Holiday Are Killed in Western Mexico

  The killings, and other violent episodes this year, have marred the first few months in office of Mexico’s new president, who has vowed to tackle the country’s bloodshed.

• New Yorker ☛ Why Luigi Mangione Is Being Treated as a Folk Hero

  “No matter where you might find yourself on the ideological spectrum,” Jia Tolentino says, “there is a high chance that you feel that health-insurance companies are merchants of death.”

• New York Times ☛ Biden Commutes the Sentences of Nearly 1,500 Americans, a Record for One Day

  Most of those being granted clemency had been placed in home confinement during the pandemic. Some Republicans have tried to push legislation that would have forced those people to return to prison.

• JURIST ☛ Biden grants largest single-day clemency in modern US history

  US President Joe Biden granted clemency Thursday to nearly 1,500 Americans in the largest single-day use of presidential clemency powers in modern US history. The action includes sentence commutations for approximately 1,500 people who were moved to home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic, along with pardons for 39 individuals convicted of non-violent crimes.

• France24 ☛ 'Kurdish leaders' warnings went unheeded for years and years'

  Since the fall of Assad, western capitals have been voicing concern about the risk of ISIS militants exploiting the political vacuum in Syria. Thousands of former militants are currently being detained in prisons and camps controlled by the Kurds. We speak to Matt Broomfield, co-founder of the Rojava Information Centre. He says that for years Kurdish leaders' calls to Western nations for the repatriation of jihadists went unheeded and now their warnings have come to fruition.

• Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine

  • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-04 [Older] Georgia protests: What's driving the crisis?

  • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-04 [Older] Georgia protests: Opposition says leader beaten and detained

  • Meduza ☛ Moscow military court sentences Ukrainian soldiers to 14 and 15 years in prison for invading Russia’s Kursk region — Meduza

  • Meduza ☛ Air raid sirens sound across Ukraine as Russia launches massive overnight attack — Meduza

  • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-05 [Older] A war of words: Lavrov's visit to Malta

Environment

• Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-05 [Older] US: California tsunami warning canceled after strong quake

• Energy/Transportation

  • Modern Diplomacy ☛ 2024-12-09 [Older] Sweden’s opportunity to lead on the clean energy transition

  • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-05 [Older] Germany: VW workers announce second strike as cuts loom

  • TruthOut ☛ 2024-12-08 [Older] Bipartisan Plan to “Reform” Energy Permits Is a Brazen Giveaway to Fossil Fuels

  • Modern Diplomacy ☛ 2024-12-08 [Older] Nuclear Energy: The Overlooked Energy Solution

  • Hackaday ☛ Good Lighting On A Budget With Cordless Tool Batteries

    It’s perhaps not fair, but even if you have the best idea for a compelling video, few things will make people switch off than poor lighting. Good light and plenty of it is the order of the day when it comes to video production, and luckily there are many affordable options out there. Affordable, that is, right up to the point where you need batteries for remote shoots, in which case you’d better be ready to open the purse strings.

• Wildlife/Nature

  • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-05 [Older] EU agrees to delay deforestation law but won't water it down

  • Science Alert ☛ Scientists Discover New Deep-Sea Predator, Name It 'Darkness'

    What else is down there?

  • Science Alert ☛ When The Pandemic Came, Zoos Closed, And Animals Began to Act Differently

    When the humans go away...

  • Science Alert ☛ DNA Reveals When Humans And Neanderthals Became One

    Changing the fate of humanity.

  • Science Alert ☛ Study Reveals Surprising Force Behind Crocodiles' Bizarre Head Scales

    "A fascinating exception."

  • Science Alert ☛ Humpback Whale Makes Record-Breaking Migration Across 3 Oceans

    Scientists are stunned.

Finance

• New York Times ☛ Milei Tames Inflation in Argentina With Painful Policies, Sparking Applause and Anger

  A year after becoming president, Javier Milei has been praised inside and outside Argentina for reining in galloping inflation. But his economic policies have inflicted widespread hardship.

• Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Hong Kong’s 2024 GDP growth expected at 2.4%, business confidence feeble amid trade war fears, survey finds

  Hong Kong’s economic growth this year is forecast to be 2.4 per cent, lower than the 3.2 per cent in 2023, as businesses remained pessimistic about 2025 amid fears of a trade war between Beijing and Washington, according to a survey by the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce.

• Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-04 [Older] OECD slashes growth forecasts for Germany, France

• Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-04 [Older] Economy main issue for voters as Ghana election nears

• TruthOut ☛ 2024-12-09 [Older] DOGE Heads Musk and Ramaswamy Signal Social Security Cuts Are Coming

• Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-06 [Older] India: Clashes as farmers march to Delhi over crop prices

AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

• Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-06 [Older] Decoding China: What do Chinese people think about Germany?

• Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-05 [Older] France's Macron vows to stay in office as PM steps down

• Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-04 [Older] France: Lawmakers topple pro-Macron minority government

• Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-04 [Older] French lawmakers set to vote on ousting Prime Minister Barnier

• France24 ☛ Is France a civil servant’s paradise?

  France is famous, and at times infamous, for its bulky bureaucracy. Some go so far as to call it a civil servant’s paradise. French "fonctionnaires" are said to have a sweet deal compared to private sector workers. So just what are the perks? Meanwhile, critics claim the system is bulky and expensive. How much do France’s "fonctionnaires" cost the state? Is the “fonctionnaire bashing” merited?

• Misinformation/Disinformation/Propaganda

  • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-05 [Older] Fact check: No, Zelenskyy didn't buy a luxury hotel in France

Censorship/Free Speech

• China cracks down on ‘chaotic’ online financial commentary

  The move is likely linked to a recent speech by an economist casting doubts on government figures.

• Scheerpost ☛ 2024-12-07 [Older] Appeals Court Upholding TikTok Ban Is a Grim Sign for Press Freedom [Ed: Pro-Russia pundits conflate banning a censor with "censorship"; as if Press Freedom is Russia and China...]

• International Business Times ☛ 2024-12-09 [Older] Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary, Dodgers CEO Among Investors Eyeing TikTok Purchase and Revamp

• US News And World Report ☛ 2024-12-09 [Older] TikTok Asks Federal Appeals Court to Bar Enforcement of Potential Ban Until Supreme Court Review

Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press

• Press Gazette ☛ The Big Issue’s shift from street paper to campaigning digital title

  Editor Paul McNamee says the title has broadened its focus from homelessness to poverty.

• Press Gazette ☛ Observer sale: New email reveals Guardian refusal to talk to potential bidder

  Email from Guardian CEO to potential Observer bidder follows Scott Trust saying it would still listen to bids.

• Press Gazette ☛ UK’s biggest online publishers: Reddit growing fast, Mail sees sharp traffic drop [Ed: Reddit is not a news source, it's not profitable, and it's basically a giant censorship network]

  BBC in fifth place behind four tech giants: Alphabet, Meta, Amazon and Microsoft.

Civil Rights/Policing

• Citizen Lab ☛ Rebekah Brown and John Scott-Railton on Distilling Cyber Policy podcast

  In the latest episode of the Distilling Cyber Policy podcast, Alex Botting and Jen Ellis from the Center for Cybersecurity Policy & Law are joined by Rebekah Brown and John Scott-Railton, senior researchers at the Citizen Lab. Together, they discuss the Citizen Lab's “Rivers of Phish” report on sophisticated phishing targeting Russia’s perceived adversaries. The report was a collaborative investigation with Access Now alongside civil society organizations First Department, Arjuna Team, and RESIDENT.ngo.

• New York Times ☛ Dolores Madrigal, Plaintiff in Landmark Sterilization Case, Dies at 90

  She was among hundreds of women who said they were coerced into sterilization at a California hospital in the 1970s. The lawsuit led to state and national reforms.

• New York Times ☛ Air Force Academy Sued Over Race-Based Admissions Policy

  The lawsuit was the latest in a series by a prominent anti-affirmative action group that is seeking to overturn the use of racial preferences in the nation’s military academies.

• Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-05 [Older] Women in Indonesia's textile industry seek more rights

• The Age AU ☛ 2024-12-09 [Older] The map, songline and pipeline. How legal experts misused indigenous culture

• Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-06 [Older] Love unplugged: How the Amish date in Pennsylvania

Internet Policy/Net Neutrality

• AccessNow ☛ #KeepItOn: authorities in Pakistan must stop the ongoing suppression of digital rights

  The #KeepItOn coalition urges the government of Pakistan to immediately bring an end to the ongoing blatant violation of fundamental rights in the country.

• Hackaday ☛ The 6GHz Band Opens In The US

  On December 11th, the FCC announced that the band around 6GHz would be open to “very low-power devices.” The new allocation shares space with other devices already using these frequencies. The release mentions a few limitations over the 350 MHz band (broken into two segments). First, the devices must use a contention-based protocol and implement transmit power control. The low-power devices may not be part of a fixed outdoor infrastructure.

• AccessNow ☛ Joint statement: civil society demands action ahead of Internet Governance Forum

  Civil society urges the government of Saudi Arabia to release people imprisoned for their online expression and foster transparency and accountability ahead of IGF 2024.

Digital Restrictions (DRM)

• Digital Music News ☛ Ramones DRM spreader Netflix Film Starring Pete Davidson On Shaky Ground Amid Legal Dispute

  The ongoing legal battle over the Ramones’ estate leaves the DRM spreader Netflix film about the band, which stars Pete Davidson, up in the air. Amid a years-long legal battle over the Ramones estate, Netflix’s film adaptation of Mickey Leigh’s memoir, I Slept With Joey Ramone, starring Pete Davidson, is on shaky ground.