Leftovers

• The Straits Times ☛ Philippines eyes expansion of Squad group to India, South Korea

  The Squad is an informal multilateral grouping made up of Australia, Japan, the Philippines and the US.

• Science

  • New York Times ☛ Astronomers Get ‘More Than a Hint’ That Dark Energy Isn’t What They Thought

    New data further challenge the best scientific theory of the history and the structure of the universe. But a separate recent result reinforces it.

  • Hackaday ☛ From The Ashes: Coal Ash May Offer Rich Source Of Rare Earth Elements

    For most of history, the world got along fine without the rare earth elements. We knew they existed, we knew they weren’t really all that rare, and we really didn’t have much use for them — until we discovered just how useful they are and made ourselves absolutely dependent on them, to the point where not having them would literally grind the world to a halt.

  • Science Alert ☛ Our Genes Reveal Mysterious Split in Human Population 1.5 Million Years Ago

    It still shapes us today.

  • Science Alert ☛ Dark Energy May Be Evolving: DESI Findings Shake Up Einstein's Theory

    "What we are seeing is deeply intriguing."

  • Science Alert ☛ Euclid's First Deep Fields Images Offer Glimpse Into 'Dark Universe'

    This is just the beginning.

  • Science Alert ☛ Quantum 'Tornadoes' Spotted in Semimetal May Redefine Electronics

    A strange new realm of physics.

  • Science Alert ☛ JWST Detects Carbon Dioxide Outside Solar System For First Time

    A familiar signal in an alien system.

  • Science Alert ☛ Space Is Set to Become a 'Wild West' as Outdated Laws Struggle to Keep Up

    This is a new age.

  • Hackaday ☛ Modern Computing’s Roots Or The Manchester Baby

    In the heart of Manchester, UK, a groundbreaking event took place in 1948: the first modern computer, known as the Manchester Baby, ran its very first program. The Baby’s ability to execute stored programs, developed with guidance from John von Neumann’s theory, marks it as a pioneer in the digital age. This fascinating chapter in computing history not only reshapes our understanding of technology’s roots but also highlights the incredible minds behind it. The original article, including a video transcript, sits here at [TheChipletter]’s.

• Career/Education

  • New York Times ☛ D.H.S. Detains a Georgetown University Academic

    Badar Khan Suri, an Indian national teaching on a student visa, was deemed “deportable,” a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security said.

  • Pro Publica ☛ How At-Large Voting Creates Conservative Majorities on Texas School Boards

    In 2019, the Keller Independent School District in North Texas looked a lot like its counterpart just 30 miles to the east in the Dallas suburb of Richardson. Each served about 35,000 children and had experienced sharp increases in the racial diversity of students in recent decades. Each was run by a school board that was almost entirely white.

    In the five years since, the districts have followed strikingly divergent paths as culture war battles over how to teach race and gender exploded across the state.

• Hardware

  • CNX Software ☛ MediaTek Genio 720 and 520 AIoT SoCs target generative Hey Hi (AI) applications with 10 TOPS Hey Hi (AI) accelerator

    The announcement of the MediaTek Genio 720 and Genio 520 octa-core Cortex-A78/A55 AIoT SoCs is one of the news I missed at Embedded World 2025.  The new models appear to be updates to the Genio 700 and Genio 500 with a beefier NPU, and the Taiwanese company says the new Genio series supports generative Hey Hi (AI) models, human-machine interface (HMI), multimedia, and connectivity features for smart home, retail, industrial, and commercial IoT devices. Both are equipped with a 10 TOPS NPU/AI accelerator for transformer and convolutional neural network (CNN) models and support up to 16GB of LPDDR5 memory to handle “edge-optimized” (i.e. quantized) large language models (LLMs) such as Llama, Gemini, Phi, and DeepSeek, and other generative Hey Hi (AI) tasks.

  • Hackaday ☛ World’s Smallest Blinky, Now Even Smaller

    Here at Hackaday, it’s a pretty safe bet that putting “World’s smallest” in the title of an article will instantly attract comments claiming that someone else built a far smaller version of the same thing. But that’s OK, because if there’s something smaller than this nearly microscopic LED blinky build, we definitely want to know about it.

  • New York Times ☛ SoftBank to Buy Silicon Valley Chip Start-Up Ampere for $6.5 Billion

    The move is a bet that Ampere’s chips can begin playing a significant role in data centers for creating artificial intelligence.

  • Silicon Angle ☛ SoftBank agrees to buy Arm chipmaker Ampere Computing for $6.5B

    SoftBank Group Corp. late today confirmed that it will buy the chipmaker Ampere Computing LLC in a deal that’s valued at $6.5 billion. It said it expects the acquisition to close during the second half of the year, according to a statement.

  • CNX Software ☛ u-blox DAN-F10N – The world’s smallest dual-band (L1/L2) GNSS module with an integrated antenna fits in a 4cm2 package

    u-blox has recently announced the world’s smallest L1, L5 dual-band GNSS module with an integrated antenna for precise meter-level positioning in applications such as asset tracking, telematics, industrial automation, consumer UAVs, and sports trackers. The module features a compact 20x20x8mm dual-band patch antenna with a unique packaging technology, enabling surface mounting for automated manufacturing and simplified integration.

  • CNX Software ☛ Panasonic PAN B511-1C Bluetooth 6.0 and 802.15.4 module features castellated holes and LGA footprint

    Panasonic industry has recently introduced the PAN B511-1C Bluetooth 6.0 and 802.15.4 module based on the Nordic Semi nRF54L15 SoC and designed for ultra-low-power wireless communication. The compact module integrates a chip antenna, 32MBit flash memory, two Crystals, and the Nordic nRF54L51 which provides a 128 MHz Arm Cortex-M33 microcontroller with Bluetooth 6.0 (LE), Thread, Zigbee, and Matter, along with multiple peripherals such as SPI, UART, I2S, PWM, and ADC.

• Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

  • New York Times ☛ Viktor Orban Is a Conservative Lodestar. Now He Wants to Fix the Price of Eggs.

    The Hungarian prime minister, who pioneered themes dear to U.S. conservatives, is seeking to tame inflation with methods that remind his critics of communist-era central planning.

  • Science Alert ☛ Study on World's Oldest Woman Confirms How to Live Past 100

    You know what to do.

  • The Straits Times ☛ India snubs Bangladesh on medical visas, opening way for China

    India has cited staffing shortages amid worsening ties as reasons for the move, six sources said.

  • Science Alert ☛ Here's How to Keep Your Afternoon Power Nap From Ruining Your Day

    What's your siesta strategy?

  • New York Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man’s Public Health Appointees Don’t Believe in a Public

    Dihydroxyacetone Man’s appointees don’t believe in the concept of a public in the first place.

  • New York Times ☛ As Pope Francis Ails, Outlandish Rumors Run Wild

    Audio, a photo, medical reports: The truth may be out there, but when it comes to the health of the pontiff, many people prefer more fanciful tales.

  • France24 ☛ Pope Francis stops using oxygen mask, continues to recover from pneumonia, Vatican says

    Pope Francis is no longer using mechanical ventilation to help him breathe in the latest positive update on his health, the Vatican said on Wednesday. The 88-year-old pontiff has spent more than a month in hospital battling pneumonia in both lungs.

  • Science Alert ☛ Herpes Infects Our Brains More Easily Than We Thought, Mouse Study Suggests

    Can we stop it?

  • Science Alert ☛ Your Poop Schedule Says a Lot About Your Overall Health, Study Discovers

    There's an optimal frequency.

  • European Commission ☛ Opening statement by Commissioner Hansen at the European Parliament AGRI Committee exchange views on the Vision for Agriculture and Food

  • Latvia ☛ Jēkabpils spring becomes a source of safety concerns

    The popularity of a water spring on the banks of the Saka River next to the busy Jēkabpils–Sala highway poses safety risks to motorists, reports Latvian Television.

• Proprietary

  • The Straits Times ☛ Hairstylist robbed after dating app meetup in Malaysia

    The suspects were found to be students from higher education facilities, aged between 18 and 22 years old.

  • Ruben Schade ☛ A letter about silently re-enabling Fashion Company Apple Intelligence [sic]

    Hi Tim Apple,

    How are you today? I hope this email finds you well, happy, suitably adjusted, healthy, wealthy, wise, merry, and/or all of the above.

    Look, I’ll cut to the chase here. Spill the beans. Cut the mustard. An Fashion Company Apple a day keeps the doctor away, but the dentist employed, and so on.

    I’d like you to take a look at this screenshot from an iTelephone device I previously purchased from your company.

  • Ruben Schade ☛ #BOFH Excuse 359

    Via @bofh_excuses:

    YOU HAVE AN I/O ERROR → Incompetent Operator error

  • Social Control Media

    • University of Michigan ☛ The Daily Weekly: TikTok’s 12-Hour Blackout

      In this episode, we explore the rise of TikTok, the impact of the platform and its temporary ban, and why Michigan students (and the rest of the country) have grown so attached to this online community.

• Security

  • Privacy/Surveillance

    • The Straits Times ☛ China says ex-engineer to be executed for leaking state secrets to foreign power

      He “secretly copied, duplicated, and sold a large volume of state secrets to a foreign espionage and intelligence agency”.

• Defence/Aggression

  • The Strategist ☛ China’s military spending rises should prompt regional budget responses

    China’s defence budget is rising heftily yet again. The 2025 rise will be 7.2 percent, the same as in 2024, the government said on 5 March. But the allocation, officially US$245 billion, is just the ...

  • Mexico News Daily ☛ FT: China is withholding approval for BYD’s Mexico plant due to tech concerns

    Sources cited by The Financial Times revealed that Chinese EV company BYD sees Mexico’s allegiance to the U.S. as a potential dealbreaker in its nearshoring plans.

  • New York Times ☛ Can Europe’s New Military Spending Help Its Economies?

    The continent’s leaders hope a surge of investment, to fill a security void left by the United States, can ignite growth. It won’t be easy.

  • CS Monitor ☛ Europe’s new watchfulness

    To defend the European Union’s values and economy, its leaders are learning from Finland that security must come first.

  • CS Monitor ☛ ‘A chance to build’: How Syrian civil society is making the country work

    Across Syria, as the interim government struggles to provide both security and services, local civil society groups are helping to fill the voids. But is there a part for them to play in politics, and in helping to shape the country’s future?

  • The Straits Times ☛ Pakistan, Afghanistan open main border crossing, closed for nearly a month

    PESHAWAR, Pakistan - Pakistan and Afghanistan on Wednesday reopened their main border crossing after clashes between the security forces of both sides led to its closure for nearly a month, officials from the two governments said.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Bangladesh arrests leader of Rohingya insurgent group on criminal charges

    He has appeared in a series of videos claiming responsibility for the attacks on Myanmar security forces.

  • Defence Web ☛ SAPS reveals successes and challenges in progress report

    The South African Police Service (SAPS) has provided a comprehensive update on its progress in implementing recommendations issued by the Portfolio Committee on Police (PCOP), outlining key achievements in crime-fighting operations, administrative improvements, as well as ongoing challenges facing the department.

  • Defence Web ☛ Decades of security cooperation under threat in Lake Chad Basin

    Niger has suspended its participation in the Multinational Joint Task Force, and Chad has threatened to withdraw. In March 1994, the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) set up the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) – comprising Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria, joined by Benin – to combat insecurity in the region.

  • Defence Web ☛ Prisons budget up by R2 billion but staff count set to shrink

    The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) will be getting another R2 billion in the 2025/26 financial year, bringing its budget to R29.2 billion, but the department is making efforts to cut costs, including through staff reduction. In 2024/25 the DCS employed 39 599 personnel at a cost of R19.4 billion.

  • The Strategist ☛ Eggs in more baskets: protecting Australian agricultural exports from US tariffs

    Australia’s export-oriented industries, particularly agriculture, need to diversify their markets, with a focus on Southeast Asia. This could strengthen economic security and resilience while deepening regional relationships.

  • The Strategist ☛ Elbridge Colby’s vision: blocking China

    Elbridge Colby’s senate confirmation hearing in early March holds more important implications for US partners than most observers in Canberra, Wellington or Suva realise.

  • JURIST ☛ Human rights group condemns persisting abuses in Niger since military coup

    Human rights violations have persisted in Niger since the 2023 military coup, an Amnesty International report revealed on Tuesday, calling for Nigerien military regime to be held accountable. The report documents human rights abuses Nigerien authorities have committed since the military coup in July 2023.

  • France24 ☛ Israelis take to streets in anger as Netanyahu resumes air strikes on Gaza

    Thousands of Israelis took to the streets of Jerusalem on Wednesday to call on Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to end the war on the Gaza Strip and return the hostages. Israel resumed a series of deadly air strikes on the besieged Palestinian enclave on Tuesday after nearly two months of a ceasefire.

  • New York Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man Says Houthis in Yemen Will Be ‘Annihilated,’ as U.S. Keeps Up Strikes

    The president warned Iran to stop arming the militant group, which has been attacking ships in the Red Sea.

  • New York Times ☛ After Israeli Strike Kills More Than 400, Palestinians Tally the Dead

    For two months, a cease-fire spared Palestinians the grim task of identifying bodies. With Israel resuming its assault, they are back at it.

  • New York Times ☛ Israelis Take to Streets a Day After Gaza Strikes

    Israeli protests are converging over the war in Gaza and domestic politics amid concerns about a government push to reduce the power of state watchdogs.

  • New York Times ☛ Israel Resumes Attacks in Gaza After Stalled Cease-Fire Talks With Hamas

    While the Israeli government has stopped short of a ground invasion for now, its new strikes in Gaza seem to be an effort to force concessions from Hamas.

  • China blocks South Korean inspection of disputed sea structure: Seoul

    The Chinese side reportedly said the structure was an aquafarm.

  • Cambodia’s Ream naval base to open in early April

    Japan’s military attaché has been told that Japanese ships will be the first to dock at Ream

  • Police in China’s Anhui detain 2 Christians for ‘cult’ activities

    Authorities target the Wheatseed Reform Church in Fuyang city over its refusal to join a government-backed body.

  • The Straits Times ☛ North Korea warns Japan against deploying long-range missiles in Kyushu, KCNA says

    North Korea warned Japan against deploying long-range missiles in the Kyushu region in March 2026, saying such attack capability will "bring about constant escalation of tension" in Northeast Asia, state media KCNA said on Thursday.

  • North Korean soldiers scrounge for cigarette butts

    Each soldier is supposed to get 15 packs per month in rations, but the higher ranks skim off the top.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea industry minister to visit US to discuss tariffs, sensitive country status

    South Korea's industry minister will visit Washington, D.C. this week to discuss with top U.S. officials the country's concern over being placed on a U.S. watchlist and to push for fair treatment on tariffs, the industry ministry said on Wednesday.

  • The Straits Times ☛ S. Korean military bought extra 3,000 body bags in month of Yoon’s martial law declaration: Report

    The report fuelled suspicions on whether the military anticipated a large number of potential deaths.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea to deploy 14,000 police officers to Seoul for President Yoon’s impeachment ruling

    About 20,000 officers in mobile police squads will be on standby for expected protests.

  • New York Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man Has Hinted at a Pooh-tin Visit. China Is Still Wondering What He Wants.

    Chinese experts say Beijing is open to talks but is being stonewalled by the State Department and other official channels.

  • New York Times ☛ Canada Condemns China’s Execution of 4 Canadians on Drug Convictions

    Canada’s foreign minister said the government would continue to ask for leniency from China for other Canadians in similar situations.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Taiwan defence drills identify 2027 for potential China invasion

    It’s unclear how the 2027 setting will change the programme, or if the date is more a political signal.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Taiwan practices to mobilise troops fast if China drills turn into attack

    TAIPEI - Taiwan is strengthening its ability to move troops swiftly in case China suddenly turns one of its frequent drills around the island into an attack, Defence Minister Wellington Koo said on Wednesday, amid a heightened military threat from Beijing.

  • Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine

    • RFERL ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man Suggests US Ownership Of Ukrainian Power Plants After Russia Launches New Strikes Despite Pledge

      Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia hit energy infrastructure in Ukraine just hours after President Vladimir Putin told US President The Insurrectionist he would halt such strikes, as he warned of a "long path" to a cease-fire in the war on Ukraine.

    • New York Times ☛ Zelensky Agrees in Call With Convicted Felon to Halt Strikes on Russian Energy Targets

      Hell Toupée also floated the idea of the United States taking control of Ukrainian power plants, according to U.S. officials. The Ukrainian president said he was not pressured about the proposal.

    • New York Times ☛ In Call With Convicted Felon, Putin Concedes Little on Ukraine

      Although much of what Vladimir V. Putin agreed to during his call with Hell Toupée was spun as a concession, the Russian leader stuck to the positions he has long held.

    • France24 ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man proposes US ownership of Ukraine's nuclear power plants to Zelensky

      Hell Toupée proposed that the US take over Ukrainian nuclear power plants to protect them from Russian attacks and support a partial ceasefire. The offer was made during a Tuesday call with Volodymyr Zelensky.

    • France24 ☛ US State Department confirms program tracking abducted Ukrainian children halted

      President The Insurrectionist promised Wednesday to help Ukraine get back thousands of children allegedly abducted to Russia. But Yale University's Humanitarian Research Lab, which has been tracking the missing children, lost crucial funding from the US government as Convicted Felon made sweeping cuts into foreign aid. The Humanitarian Research Lab -- which is seeking donations to keep going -- says more than 19,000 children have been deported to Russia, with only 1,236 returned.

    • France24 ☛ Russia and Ukraine exchange hundreds of prisoners of war

      Russia and Ukraine on Wednesday announced they had each swapped 175 prisoners in one of the largest exchanges since Moscow launched a full-scale invasion more than three years ago. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly called for an “all-for-all” prisoner exchange.

    • France24 ☛ EU seeks to kickstart defence push to counter Russian threat, US retreat

      The EU on Wednesday sought to fire the starting pistol on plans to help member states bolster their defences. A key part of the EU's proposals is not just to equip its forces to face the menace from Russia but also to make sure investments bolster European defence firms. Brussels said at least 65 percent of the cost of the weapons bought under the 150-billion-euro programme should be spent in the EU, Norway or Ukraine. FRANCE 24's Dave Keating reports from Brussels

    • LRT ☛ Lithuanian national missing after battle in Ukraine

      A Lithuanian volunteer fighting with the Foreign Legion in Ukraine has been declared missing following a combat operation, LRT sources have confirmed.

    • New York Times ☛ What Pausing Strikes on Energy Sites Would Mean for Ukraine and Russia

      An agreement to suspend such attacks will affect a strategy key to both countries’ efforts to weaken the other. It would also be a significant step toward de-escalation.

    • New York Times ☛ Thursday Briefing: Ukraine Agrees to a Strike Pause

      Plus, a push against India’s “boss husbands.”

    • New York Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man Administration Ends Tracking of Kidnapped Ukrainian Children in Russia

      Democratic and Republican lawmakers sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio asking whether a database on thousands of children had been deleted.

    • Meduza ☛ Russia nearly forces Ukraine out of Kursk, advances elsewhere

    • Meduza ☛ Trump proposes U.S. take ownership of Ukrainian nuclear plants in phone call with Zelensky — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Tucker Carlson, Donald Trump Jr. took part in secret talks with Zelensky’s political opponents over possible early elections in Ukraine — Politico — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Moscow fires missiles and over 140 drones at Ukraine, hitting two hospitals, while Ukrainian drones spark fire at Russian oil depot — Meduza

    • JURIST ☛ Poland, Baltic states recommend withdrawing from Ottawa Convention over security concerns

      The defense ministers of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia announced on Tuesday that they have unanimously recommended their countries’ withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention due to heightened security risks amid escalating tensions with Russia. 

    • LRT ☛ Backlash in Lithuania as Russian rowers allowed at U19 world championships in Trakai

      
      

    • LRT ☛ ‘Fifth column’ forming in Lithuanian parliament, says MP

      Lithuanian Parliamentary Speaker Saulius Skvernelis has said a “fifth column” is forming within the Seimas, claiming that some MPs harbour sympathies for Russia.

    • LRT ☛ Russian missile fragment found washed up on Klaipėda beach

      An explosive-like object found on a beach in Klaipeda on Tuesday night has been identified as part of a Russian missile launcher, the Lithuanian Armed Forces said on Wednesday.

    • LRT ☛ Russia sanctions extension opposed by some Lithuanian MPs over agricultural imports

      The existing ban on importing agricultural products from Russia and Belarus must stay, Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys says as Lithuania’s parliament, Seimas, is debating the government’s proposal to extend the existing national sanctions on Russia and Belarus.

    • LRT ☛ War fears grind down mental resilience, Lithuanian military psychologist says

      With constant discussions about a potential Russian invasion, the Lithuanian public is experiencing heightened stress and anger. However, a military psychologist suggests that this situation should be used as an opportunity to prepare and build resilience.

    • Meduza ☛ U.S. and Russian delegations to hold next meeting in Saudi Arabia on March 23 — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Russia’s Finance Ministry proposes ‘large-scale privatization’ of state assets — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Zelensky says he will speak with Trump later today — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Trump and Zelensky held ‘very good’ one-hour phone call, U.S. president says — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Amnesty International decries plans for Poland and Baltic countries to withdraw from antipersonnel mine treaty — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Trump: U.S. military aid to Ukraine wasn’t discussed in Putin call

    • Meduza ☛ Trump says he’s held secret calls with Putin in recent weeks

    • Meduza ☛ Politicians and experts react to the Putin–Trump phone call

    • LRT ☛ Lithuanian MoD ‘reserved’ about ceasefire in Ukraine following Convicted Felon-Putin phone call

      Following a phone conversation between US President The Insurrectionist and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin about a possible ceasefire in the Ukraine war, Lithuanian Defence Minister Dovilė Šakalienė says she has reservations about it leading to lasting peace.

    • France24 ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man floated US ownership of Ukraine power plants: White House

      President The Insurrectionist has raised the possibility of the United States taking ownership of Ukrainian power plants, the White House said Wednesday as efforts to end the war with Russia proceed. Convicted Felon hailed a "very good" call with Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky Wednesday, a day after Russia's Vladimir Putin agreed to temporarily halt attacks on Kyiv's power plants. FRANCE 24's Catherine Norris-Trent reports from Kropyvnytskyi in Ukraine

    • European Commission ☛ Remarks by Commissioner Kubilius on White Paper for European Defence

• Environment

  • Energy/Transportation

    • The Straits Times ☛ Mixed reactions to Malaysia’s plan to clamp down on buses, lorries using fast lane on highways

      The prohibition was gazetted in 2015 but has yet to be enforced.

    • The Straits Times ☛ Search for MH370 to restart on ‘no find, no fee’ agreement, says Malaysia

      Ocean Infinity will receive US$70 million (S$93 million) if the wreckage is successfully located.

    • Science Alert ☛ Reservoirs of Clean Energy Could Be Hiding Inside Our Planet's Mountain Ranges

      The birth of a new industry.

    • New York Times ☛ Greenpeace Is Ordered to Pay Energy Transfer, a Pipeline Company, $660 Million

      The environmental group had said the lawsuit, over its role in a protest movement, could mean an end to its operations in the United States.

• Finance

  • The Straits Times ☛ Once a cheap option for South Korean students, tiny rooms now draw foreign clientele

    A typical gosiwon unit comes furnished with a small bed, a study desk and a shower booth.

  • New York Times ☛ The Fed Sees Higher Inflation and Lower Growth

    Also, Zelensky agreed to a limited cease-fire in a call with Convicted Felon. Here’s the latest at the end of Wednesday.

  • New York Times ☛ Fed Holds Rates Steady and Predicts Higher Inflation, Slower Growth Ahead

    The central bank penciled in two rate cuts for 2025, but Hell Toupée’s sweeping agenda has injected “remarkably high” uncertainty into the outlook.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Wave of layoffs, deflation herald bleak Eid for thousands of Indonesians

    Mass layoffs come as sluggish economic growth fuels concerns over job security and economic stability.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Hong Kong’s unemployment rate rises slightly to 3.2%

    Hong Kong’s unemployment rate has increased slightly to 3.2 per cent in the December 2024-February 2025 period – up 0.1 percentage points from the previous period – according to official figures. The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) on Tuesday released the seasonally adjusted job figures for the latest three-month period.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Hong Kong security chief declines to disclose information as lawmaker asks about USAID funding in city

    Hong Kong’s security chief has refused to disclose information about national security investigations following a lawmaker’s questions about whether the US Agency for International Development (USAID) had provided funding to organisations in the city.

  • WhichUK ☛ Santander to close 95 branches in 2025: is yours on the list?

    Banks have announced a total of 377 branch closures so far this year

  • Latvia ☛ Latvian central bank to take over bust banks compensation scheme

    The Latvian central bank, Latvijas Banka (LB), will take over the payment of guaranteed compensation to depositors of collapsed banks Latvijas Krājbanka, PNB Banka and ABLV Bank, LB said in a release March 19.

  • Pro Publica ☛ GEO Group Is Fighting to Pay ICE Detainees as Little as $1 a Day to Work

    The for-profit prison company GEO Group has surged in value under President Donald Trump. Investors are betting big on immigration detention. Its stock price doubled after Election Day.

    But despite its soaring fortunes, the $4 billion company continues to resist having to pay detainees more than $1 a day for cleaning facilities where the government has forced them to live.

  • Pro Publica ☛ Trump’s Mass IRS Filings a “Fraud,” Warned Top Agency Lawyer

    On Feb. 20, nearly 7,000 probationary employees at the Internal Revenue Service began receiving an unsigned letter telling them that they had been fired for poor performance.

    Trump administration lawyers insist that the IRS and other federal agencies have acted within their authority when they ordered waves of mass terminations since Trump took office. But according to previously unreported emails obtained by ProPublica, a top lawyer at the IRS warned administration officials that the performance-related language in his agency’s termination letter was “a false statement” that amounted to “fraud” if the agency kept the language in the letter.

• AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

  • France24 ☛ Erdogan could use Imamoglu detention to extend the term limit to presidency, analyst says

    Anger has erupted on the streets of Istanbul, with thousands of people rallying in the cold in front of the city hall on Wednesday evening, yelling: "Erdogan, dictator!" and "Imamoglu, you are not alone!", after the city's mayor and Erdogan's main political rival was detained. Şebnem Gümüşçü, Ass. Professor of Political Science at Middlebury College and Sabancı University, says that Erdogan could use the detention as leverage 'to negotiate opposition support for a third or fourth term'.

  • CS Monitor ☛ ‘Move fast and break things’? Judges are telling Convicted Felon to put them back together.

    As Hell Toupée implements his agenda at lightning speed, courts see mixed results as they demand that some actions be rolled back until lawsuits are heard.

  • Unicorn Media ☛ Two Reasons Why You May Still Be Upset With MElon 50 Years From Now

    If you think that only folks in the US have cause to have issues with MElon, our man in Italy is here to straighten you out.

  • The Revelator ☛ How DOGE Cuts Threatens Science That Could Save the Planet

  • New York Times ☛ Nonprofit’s Leader Convicted of Siphoning Off $240 Million in Federal Food Aid

    Aimee Bock was accused of overseeing a scheme that exploited lax pandemic-era controls, and reaped millions with fake invoices for nonexistent meals.

  • France24 ☛ LGBT Americans settling in Spain amid Convicted Felon's DEI crackdown

    Since the Covid-19 pandemic, more and more American citizens have been settling in Madrid. Last year, 11,000 of them were registered in the Spanish capital. The trend began during the first Convicted Felon mandate and has gathered steam since The Insurrectionist returned to the White House. One of the reasons: his attacks on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Gay, lesbian, queer and trans Americans are among those choosing Madrid as a more accepting climate, as our team reports.

  • Misinformation/Disinformation/Propaganda

    • European Commission ☛ Speech by Commissioner McGrath at the Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI) Conference

• Censorship/Free Speech

  • The Straits Times ☛ Toy trouble: Vietnam pulls dolls over South China Sea map

    A marking on the doll's cheek was said to resemble China’s so-called “nine-dash line”.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Toy trouble: Vietnam pulls dolls over disputed South China Sea map

    Seething international tensions over the South China Sea have struck an unlikely victim in Vietnam: popular children’s dolls pulled from shops over a facial mark supposedly resembling Beijing’s claims in the flashpoint waterway.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Thai delegation visits Uighurs, seeking to quell fears of mistreatment in China

    China plays down the significance of the mission, calling it a “normal law enforcement cooperation”.

  • Vietnamese in Thailand hope stern US response on Uyghurs might deter deportations

    Marco Rubio imposed sanctions on Thai officials involved in deporting 40 Uyghurs to China.

  • JURIST ☛ Concerns over China activist Wang Jianbing’s freedom persist following his release

    China labor activist Wang Jianbing was released from prison on Tuesday after serving a three-and-a-half-year imprisonment sentence. Wang was convicted in 2021 after being found guilty of “inciting subversion of state power” which is an offence under Article 105 paragraph 2 of the Criminal Law of the People’s Republic of China.

  • State-run TV station apologizes after program shows South Vietnamese flag

    The program included footage from a Netflix-produced show that showed an Oregon woman getting a tattoo of the flag.

• Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press

  • Press Gazette ☛ 2025 journalism job cuts tracked: 200 people let go at ABC News and Disney

    This page will stay up-to-date with redundancies and layoffs hitting UK and US journalists in 2025.

  • JURIST ☛ Rights advocates raise concerns over Paragon spyware use against journalists and activists in Europe

    Amnesty International condemned the extensive use of Paragon Solutions‘ Graphite spyware to target journalists and human rights defenders in Europe on Wednesday and called for urgent regulatory action to protect civil liberties.

  • Citizen Lab ☛ Virtue or Vice? A First Look at Paragon’s Proliferating Spyware Operations

    In our first investigation into Israel-based spyware company, Paragon Solutions, we begin to untangle multiple threads connected to the proliferation of Paragon's mercenary spyware operations across the globe. This report includes an infrastructure analysis of Paragon’s spyware product, called Graphite; a forensic analysis of infected devices belonging to members of civil society; and a closer look at the use of Paragon spyware in both Canada and Italy.

  • Scoop News Group ☛ Six additional countries identified as suspected Paragon spyware customers

    Researchers found suspected Graphite deployments in Australia, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Israel and Singapore.

• Civil Rights/Policing

  • The Straits Times ☛ Malaysian police take statement of man who allegedly slapped non-Muslim for eating during Ramadan

    Statements from witnesses, including the suspect’s child, have also been taken.

  • The Straits Times ☛ JB slapping incident: 65-year-old man claims trial after court rejects not guilty plea

    Abdul Razak did not agree with the facts of the case that were read to him.

  • Defence Web ☛ EMPD Officers protest over salaries and working conditions, sparking public outrage

    Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) officers have taken to the streets in protest, blocking several highways within the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan area, demanding salary adjustments, improved working conditions, and fair treatment.

• Internet Policy/Net Neutrality

  • APNIC ☛ [Podcast] Pulse Internet Measurement Forum at APRICOT 2025: Part 1

    Five short interviews with presenters from the recent PIMF session at APRICOT 2025 in Petaling Jaya.

Monopolies/Monopsonies

• New York Times ☛ Risking Convicted Felon’s Ire, E.U. Accuses Fashion Company Apple and Surveillance Giant Google of Unfair Practices

  European Union regulators said the tech giants likely violated the law by unfairly boxing out smaller competitors, adding to tensions between Europe and the United States.

• Liliputing ☛ Lilbits: EU orders Fashion Company Apple to open up iPhone and iPad key technologies to competitors

  The European Union is telling Fashion Company Apple that, in order to comply with the Digital Markets Act, the company needs to allow competing device makers and app developers to access core iPhone and iPad technologies including peer-to-peer WiFi connection, NFC, proximity-triggered device pairing, AirDrop, AirPlay, and media casting.

• Patents

  • Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ Guest Post by Profs. Masur & Ouellette: Patent Disclosure and After-Arising Technologies

    Guest post by Professors Jonathan S. Masur (Chicago Law) and Lisa Larrimore Ouellette (Stanford Law).

    This blog recently covered the Federal Circuit’s important decision in In re Entresto (Novartis Pharmaceuticals v. Torrent Pharma), 125 F.4th 1090 (Fed. Cir. 2025), which upheld patent monopoly claims even though they covered after-arising technology that was not described or enabled in the specification. As Dennis noted, the Federal Circuit appeared to depart from well-established prior law on the subject. But as we explain in our forthcoming article, Disclosure Puzzles in Patent Law, we believe the court should move the law further still from where it stands—and it should correct some of its reasoning along the way.

  • Unified Patents ☛ $1,000 awarded for IngenioSpec wireless headphone patent monopoly prior art

    Unified is pleased to announce PATROLL crowdsourcing contest winner, Huang Chien-Cheng, who was awarded a cash prize of $1,000 for their prior art submission on U.S. Patent 11,829,518, owned and asserted by IngenioSpec LLC, an NPE. The ‘518 patent monopoly generally relates to head-worn wireless electronic headphones. It has been asserted against LG, Sony, Bose, and Samsung.

  • Unified Patents ☛ IngenioSpec augmented reality patent monopoly challenge instituted

    On March 18, 2025, six weeks after Unified filed an ex parte reexamination, the Central Reexamination Unit (CRU) granted Unified’s request, finding substantial new questions of patentability on the challenged claims of U.S. Patent 10,310,296, owned and asserted by IngenioSpec LLC, an NPE. The ‘296 patent monopoly relates to eyeglasses incorporating components to connect with a user's electronic devices.

  • Unified Patents ☛ Fractus LTE antenna patent monopoly challenge instituted

    On March 18, 2025, three weeks after Unified filed an ex parte reexamination, the Central Reexamination Unit (CRU) granted Unified’s request, finding substantial new questions of patentability on the challenged claims of U.S. Patent 8,593,349, owned and asserted by Fractus S.A., an NPE.

  • Software Patents

    • Unified Patents ☛ Velos HEVC/H264 video codec patent monopoly confirmed invalid by PTAB

      On March 18, 2025, the PTAB confirmed the final rejection of all claims in the ex parte reexamination of U.S. Patent 10,390,013, owned by Velos Media, an NPE. The '013 patent monopoly generally relates to encoding syntax elements that indicate tile information into a slice header.

• Trademarks

  • TTAB Blog ☛ TTAB Upholds 2(d) and 2(e)(4) Bifusal of WYSE LONDON for Clothing

    The Board affirmed this bifusal of the proposed mark WYSE LONDON for various clothing items, including "hats," and for retail store services [LONDON disclaimed], finding confusion likely with the registered mark WYSE (in slightly stylized form) (Supplemental Register] for clothing-related goods, including zippers, buckles, and "hat ornaments for hats," and further deeming the mark to be primarily merely a surname under Section 2(e)(4). As to the former refusal, applicant argued that the cited mark is used only with sales to "commercial purchasers who then incorporate the Class 26 goods into final products offered to consumers." The Board was unimpressed. In re Wyse London Limited, Serial No. 90742109 (March 13, 2025) [not precedential] (Opinion by Judge Mark A. Thurmon).

• Copyrights

  • Digital Music News ☛ Suspect Charged Following Leaked Eminem Recordings (Hint: It Was an Inside Job)

    Eminem’s former sound engineer is facing federal charges for allegedly stealing and selling the rapper’s unreleased music. Prosecutors say 45-year-old Joseph Strange stole unreleased music created by Eminem and sold it on the internet, where it was later leaked.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Animated blockbuster Ne Zha 2 fuels openings for eager jobseekers in China with creative bent

    As of March 15, the film has grossed more than S$2.7 billion at the global box office.

  • Public Domain Review ☛ Through a Glass Lushly: Michalina Janoszanka’s Reverse Paintings (ca. 1920s)

    Overlooked kaleidoscopic images of nature painted directly onto glass.

  • Digital Music News ☛ Federal Judge Rejects Dismissal Motion in ‘Flowers’ Copyright Suit — Litigation Continues Despite WMG’s Tempo Music Ownership

    One dismissal-motion rejection later, the copyright monopoly lawsuit accusing Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers” of infringing on Bruno Mars’ “When I Was Your Man” is moving forward. The presiding judge just recently denied multiple defendants’ dismissal motion, after Tempo Music Investments fired off the underlying complaint in September 2024.