Leftovers

• Ruben Schade ☛ My experience with Ironic’s lyrics

• Science

  • Hackaday ☛ Faster Integer Division With Floating Point

    Multiplication on a common microcontroller is easy. But division is much more difficult. Even with hardware assistance, a 32-bit division on a modern 64-bit x86 CPU can run between 9 and 15 cycles. Doing array processing with SIMD (single instruction multiple data)  instructions like AVX or NEON often don’t offer division at all (although the RISC-V vector extensions do). However, many processors support floating point division. Does it make sense to use floating point division to replace simpler division? According to [Wojciech Mula] in a recent post, the answer is yes.

  • Science Alert ☛ The Risk of Cancer Fades as We Get Older, And We May Finally Know Why

    One protein could be key.

  • Science Alert ☛ A Vet Shares 5 Simple Tips to Keep Your Cat Happy And Healthy

    Purrrfect!

  • Science Alert ☛ Something in Earth's Core May Be Altering The Length of Days

    The 24-hour day is not set in stone.

  • Science Alert ☛ Scientists Quantified The Speed of Human Thought, And It's a Big Surprise

    Get ready for this.

  • Science Alert ☛ Quantum Physicists Just Found Evidence of 'Negative Time'

    It sounds like science fiction, but it's not.

• Hardware

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ Holding back China's chipmaking progress is a fool’s errand, says U.S. Commerce Secretary

    Sec. Raimondo says that massive investment in semiconductor manufacturing and research is more important than export controls aiming to help keep the U.S. ahead of its competition.

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ Intel Game On Graphics Driver addresses Battlemage bloopers – Arc B580 fixes and known issues are the highlights of the latest update

    Intel has just launched an updated driver for its portfolio of graphics products and it seems to be heavily skewed towards addressing Battlemage issues.

  • Hackaday ☛ DIY Camera Slider Moves And Rotates For Slick Shots

    Camera sliders are a popular project for makers—especially those who document their projects on video. They’re fun and accessible to build, and they can really create some beautiful shots. [Lechnology] set about to follow in this fine tradition and built a rather capable example of his own. Check it out in the video below.

• Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

  • Science Alert ☛ Mysterious Finding Shows Healthy Tissue Can Resemble Invasive Cancer

    When is cancer actually cancer?

  • TwinCities Pioneer Press ☛ Minneapolis softens law on obstructing abortion clinics in response to free-speech lawsuit

    The City Council this month quietly amended the ordinance to exclude constitutionally protected activities and agreed to pay the plaintiffs’ legal fees.

• Security

  • Help Net Security ☛ Week in review: MUT-1244 targets both security workers and threat actors, Kali Linux 2024.4 released

    A threat actor tracked as MUT-1244 by DataDog researchers has been targeting academics, pentesters, red teamers, security researchers, as well as other threat actors, in order to steal AWS access keys, WordPress account credentials and other sensitive data.

  • Help Net Security ☛ MUT-1244 targeting security researchers, red teamers, and threat actors

    A threat actor tracked as MUT-1244 by DataDog researchers has been targeting academics, pentesters, red teamers, security researchers, as well as other threat actors, in order to steal AWS access keys, WordPress account credentials and other sensitive data.

  • Integrity/Availability/Authenticity

    • CBC ☛ 2024-12-14 [Older] Online marketplace prices can be enticing. 'Tis the season to be scammed, so here are some anti-fraud tips

  • Privacy/Surveillance

    • JURIST ☛ US Court of Appeals partially revives suit alleging improper FBI surveillance of Muslims

      The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on Friday partially revived a suit alleging improper FBI surveillance of Muslim residents of Southern California. The case was heard on remand from the US Supreme Court and decided on the findings of the District Court.

    • Medevel ☛ Who Owns Your Health Data? The Fight Between Patients, Big Tech, and Governments

      As a medical doctor who transitioned into tech, blogging about open-source medical software has become one of my passions.

• Defence/Aggression

  • Teenagers fight US militarization of Palau with UN complaint over rights violations

    Several domestic lawsuits are also challenging unprecedented U.S. use of defense pact powers.

  • JURIST ☛ 5 killed, 200 injured in Germany Christmas market attack

    The citizens of Magdeburg, the capital city of the German state Saxony-Anhalt, gathered on Saturday to mourn the victims of the attack on the Christmas market, which killed five and injured 200. The attack happened on Friday when a man drove a vehicle into the crowd at the Magdeburg Christmas Market.

  • France24 ☛ Panama dismisses Trump's threats to retake control of Canal

    Panama's President Jose Raul Mulino rejected US President-elect Donald Trump’s threats to reclaim control of the Panama Canal, calling them baseless and affirming Panama’s sovereignty over the waterway. Trump, who criticised Panama’s management and raised concerns about China’s influence, warned that the US might demand the canal’s return if operations were not "secure and reliable."

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ US report says Hong Kong becoming ‘nearly indistinguishable’ from Chinese cities, as Beijing condemns ‘arrogance’

    A US report which alleged that Hong Kong’s unique system had been “withered away,” leaving it “nearly indistinguishable” from mainland cities, has been condemned by the local government and Beijing. The Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) – a US government body monitoring human rights conditions in China – published its annual report on Friday.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ China says it ‘firmly opposes’ US$571.3 million US military aid package for Taiwan

    China said Sunday it “firmly opposed” US President Joe Biden’s approval of US$571.3 million in defence assistance for Taiwan. The White House said Friday that Biden had authorised the drawdown “of up to $571.3 million in defence articles and services of the Department of Defense, and military education and training, to provide assistance to Taiwan”.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China says it ‘firmly opposes’ US military aid to Taiwan as Biden approves defence package

    US President Joe Biden had authorised the drawdown of up to $774.6 million in assistance for the territory.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Makers of Taiwan’s Zero Day TV series set around invasion fear backlash from China

    The show's crew faced difficulties, from funding and casting to finding places to film.

  • JURIST ☛ China imposes retaliation sanctions on Canadian human rights groups

    China announced countermeasures against two Canadian organizations and 20 affiliated individuals on Saturday. This decision, published in a statement on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, is rooted in what China perceives as unwarranted foreign interference in its internal affairs, particularly relating to human rights advocacy regarding China’s human rights record regarding Uyghurs and Tibetans.

  • Laos must appease China or embrace austerity to reduce staggering debt

    With few options, debt deferrals look like Vientiane’s way of postponing default.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China acts against Canada rights campaigners backing Uighurs, Tibet

    The measures, which took effect on Dec 21, include asset freezes and bans on entry.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Fake guns, real danger: Malaysia battles gel-blasters

    These guns, marketed as toys, closely resemble real firearms and can be easily purchased online.

  • New Yorker ☛ “The Leper,” by Lee Chang-dong

    The prosecutor spoke without emotion: “Your father’s been charged with espionage. Spying under orders from the North Korean puppet regime.”

  • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-11 [Older] Beleaguered Iran looks at Europe to revive nuclear deal

  • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-12 [Older] Will Laos tourism suffer after bootleg alcohol poisoning?

  • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-11 [Older] Afghanistan: Taliban minister killed in suicide bombing

  • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-11 [Older] Analysis of Mexican health data finds young people at greatest heat death risk

  • France24 ☛ US military says it conducted airstrikes against Houthi facilities in Sanaa

    The US military said it conducted precision airstrikes against a missile storage facility and a command-and-control facility  operated by Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen's capital, Sanaa. David Smith tells us more.

  • CS Monitor ☛ US Navy shoots down its own fighter jet amid fresh airstrikes on Houthi rebels

    The U.S. military says two U.S. Navy pilots have been shot down over the Red Sea in an apparent “friendly fire” incident. Both pilots were recovered alive. The incident came as the U.S. military conducted airstrikes targeting Yemen’s Houthi rebels.

  • France24 ☛ Israeli strikes across Gaza kill at least 28 people, Palestinian rescuers say

    Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip overnight and into Sunday killed at least 28 people, according to Palestinian medical officials. Rescuers said four children were killed in a strike on a school that the Israeli military said was used by Hamas militants.

  • France24 ☛ Syria's reconciliation centres: Former soldiers, officers hand in weapons

    Former soldiers and officers along with members of police forces in Syria have attended reconciliation centres on December 21. The centres have been set up in part to settle the status of those who did not take part in torture and killing during Bashar al Assad's many years in power.

  • JURIST ☛ US Department of Defense: corruption slows military modernization in China

    The US Department of Defense (DOD) released its annual report on Beijing’s defense strategies on Wednesday, revealing that corruption within China’s military may be slowing its progress toward achieving its 2027 modernization goals.

  • RFERL ☛ Iran's Supreme Leader Calls On Syrians To Resist Rebel Government

    The supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Khamenei, has called on Syrians to resist the emerging rebel-led government after the ouster of former President Bashar al-Assad, saying the uprising was orchestrated by the West.

  • France24 ☛ Syria’s new rulers name defence, foreign ministers as interim cabinet takes shape

    The key defence and foreign affairs portfolios in Syria's transitional government go to prominent figures in the insurgency that overthrew Bashar al-Assad nearly two weeks ago, tasked with restructing the country's army and establishing "international relations that bring peace and stability".

  • France24 ☛ Israeli troops in Syria: Villagers watch on warily as soldiers patrol

    Residents of Syrian towns in a province bordering Israel observe IDF troops establishing themselves in their neighborhoods. The province, Quneitra, is located on the Golan plateau. Israel took the Golan Heights in 1967 after the Six Day War. After another war that followed, a UN Buffer zone was established between Israel and Syria in 1974. This month, Syrians and international observers have reported that Israeli troops have been expanding their reach in the area - drawing concern from the UN Security Council.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Former US Marines pilot who worked in China to be extradited to US, says Australia government

    Australia's Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said on Monday he had approved a United States extradition request for former U.S. Marines pilot Daniel Duggan, who faces charges including breaking U.S. arms control law by training Chinese military pilots to land on aircraft carriers.

  • New Yorker ☛ Lee Chang-dong on South Korea in the Nineteen-Eighties and Today

    The author discusses his story “The Leper.”

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea’s Democratic Party sets Dec 24 deadline to approve special counsel Bills for Yoon

    Mr Yoon has yet to comply with the summons, citing the lack of an official defence team.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Yoon Suk Yeol files counterclaim against opposition leader while snubbing court orders

    The president is being investigated for charges of insurrection and abuse of power.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Dalai Lama seeks to allay health concerns as succession planning looms

    When the Dalai Lama went to New York in June for knee surgery, his followers worried about his overall health and the future of Tibetan Buddhists without him. He told Reuters last week there was nothing much to worry about.

  Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine

  • France24 ☛ Putin welcomes Slovak PM to Moscow, a rare visit by EU leader

    Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Sunday, discussing gas transit and the war in Ukraine, as Kyiv signals it will not renew a key gas deal with Slovakia. The visit, condemned by Slovak opposition parties, highlights Fico's pro-Russia stance.

  • RFERL ☛ Ukraine's Human Rights Ombudsman Accuses Russian Forces Of Executing 5 POWs

    Russian forces executed five Ukrainian prisoners of war according to the latest war crime allegation against Russian troops raised by Ukraine's ombudsman for human rights.

  • North Korea’s mid-range ballistic missile systems spotted in Russia: expert

    North Korea is suspected of sending weapons to Russia to support its invasion of Ukraine.

  • RFERL ☛ Russia Launches Massive Drone Attack As Putin Vows Revenge For Kyiv's Attack On Kazan

    Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed revenge over Kyiv's attack a day earlier on high-rise buildings in Kazan, the capital of Russia's oil-rich republic of Tatarstan, as Russia launched a massive drone attack at Ukraine on December 22.

  • RFERL ☛ Putin Meets Slovak PM In Moscow For Talks About Natural Gas Deliveries

    Russian President Vladimir Putin and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico met in the Kremlin on December 22 to discuss a soon-to-expire contract allowing for Russian natural gas to transit through Ukraine.

Environment

• New York Times ☛ Removing Carbon From the Sky Could Be the Next Climate Gold Rush

  Investors are betting that they can make a dent in global warming, and healthy profits, with companies that alter the atmosphere.

• Energy/Transportation

  • The Straits Times ☛ Malaysia Airlines grounds new Airbus A330neo jet over safety concerns

    The airline’s CEO says the technical faults were “not acceptable” and “embarrassing”.

  • Hackaday ☛ 3D Printed Forklift Is A Cute Desk Toy

    Many of us grew up with dreams of piloting a forklift one day. Sadly, most warehouses take a dim view of horseplay with these machines, so few of us get to live out those fantasies. Playing with this desk-sized RC model from [ProfessorBoots] is probably a safer way to get those kicks instead. You can check it out in the video below.

• Wildlife/Nature

  • Science Alert ☛ Filter Made From Squid Bone Could Be The Solution to Microplastics

    A stunningly powerful new tool.

Finance

• CBC ☛ 2024-12-14 [Older] 'Not that much of a deal': Shoppers, businesses lukewarm on GST holiday

• TwinCities Pioneer Press ☛ Real World Economics: Eliminating Social Security’s ‘windfall elimination’ would be an injustice

  Consider the following situation: Two people are retiring. One worked entirely in a government job not covered by Social Security because it had a pension system of its own. The other worked entirely private-sector jobs requiring FICA.

• NYPost ☛ Starbucks workers expand strike in US cities, including New York

  Starbucks workers have expanded their strike to four more US cities, including New York, the union representing over 10,000 baristas said late on Saturday.

AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

• Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-11 [Older] Brazil's President Lula to require further surgery

• Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-11 [Older] Germany's history of confidence votes in parliament

• Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-11 [Older] Germany sees record tourism in 2024

• Bjoern Brembs ☛ By their actions you shall know them

  Universities worldwide currently face a pivotal choice: should they contribute to building a global infrastructure for exchange, science, and discourse, free from the control of oligarchs, to promote democracy, human rights, and digital participation?

• Misinformation/Disinformation/Propaganda

  • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-12-11 [Older] Fact check: Fakes surrounding Assad's escape to Moscow

Censorship/Free Speech

• The Straits Times ☛ Vietnam’s new ‘draconian’ internet laws heighten free speech fears

  The laws will compel tech firms to store user data and provide it to the authorities on request.

• France24 ☛ Vietnam to enforce strict social control media regulations in 'draconian' new decree

  Vietnam’s new Decree 147, effective Christmas Day, mandates social control media users verify their identities and allows authorities to demand user data and remove content deemed "illegal." Critics argue the law threatens freedom of expression and exposes dissidents to increased risks of arrest and self-censorship.

Internet Policy/Net Neutrality

• APNIC ☛ Event Wrap: China Internet Infrastructure Resources Conference (CNIRC) 2024

  Jia Rong Low presented a keynote speech at CNIRC 2024 held in Beijing, China from on 30 November to 1 December 2024.

• APNIC ☛ Three of the best: Guest Posts

  Three of the best Guest Posts of 2024.