Leftovers

• Science

  • LRT ☛ Vilnius celebrated spring equinox – photos

    March 20 marked the spring equinox, the day when the sun crosses the celestial equator and day and night are approximately equal in length. It is the beginning of astronomical spring in the Northern Hemisphere.

  • Science Alert ☛ Earth Could Have Billions More People Than We Ever Realized

    The world's biggest rounding error?

  • Science Alert ☛ 2025's World Happiness Report Reveals Importance of Sharing Meals

    One particular US group is dining alone more often.

  • Science Alert ☛ Physicists Create New Type of Time Quasicrystal – Inside a Diamond

    "It's an entirely new phase of matter."

• Career/Education

  • France24 ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man's assault on knowledge: Department of Education closure follows attacks on science

    US President The Insurrectionist’s announced shuttering of the Department of Education comes amid a broader attack on knowledge and research. Since Convicted Felon returned to the presidency in January, US science has suffered budget cuts, layoffs and censorship, with global implications. In a column published by French media on Thursday, 2,000 academics from the Stand Up for Science movement called for investment to help set up safe places for American researchers to continue their work. We take a closer look.

  • JURIST ☛ US Hell Toupée cuts federal funding to UPenn over transgender sports policies

    The Forrest Dump administration halted $175 million in federal funding to the University of Pennsylvania Wednesday in response to the university’s transgender sports policies. The announcement was first reported by Fox News and later reposted by Rapid Response 47 on X (formerly Twitter).

  • New York Times ☛ U.S. Says Decision to Turn Back French Scientist Had Nothing to Do With Convicted Felon

    The Department of Homeland Security said the academic was denied entry because he had “confidential” data from an American lab, not because of his views on the president’s policies.

• Hardware

  • Hackaday ☛ Turning A Kombucha Bottle Into A Plasma Tube

    Kombucha! It’s a delicious fermented beverage that is kind to your digestive system and often sold in glass bottles. You don’t just have to use those bottles for healthy drinks, though. As [Simranjit Singh] demonstrates, you can also use them to create your very own plasma tube.

  • Silicon Angle ☛ Micron’s stock falls despite solid jump in revenue from Hey Hi (AI) memory chips [Ed: Rebranding one's products as "AI" for hype may not help]

    Updated: Memory chip maker Micron Technology Inc. posted a strong earnings and revenue beat, demonstrating that it’s still enjoying a significant boost from artificial intelligence. Growth in sales of its highest-capacity memory products was rampant, and its stock moved higher after-hours.

  • Hackaday ☛ Moving Software Down To Hardware

    In theory, any piece of software could be built out of discrete pieces of hardware, provided there are enough transistors, passive components, and time available. In general, though, we’re much more likely to reach for a programmable computer or microcontroller for all but the simplest tasks for several reasons: cost, effort, complexity, economics, and sanity. [Igor Brichkov] was working with I2C and decided that he wanted to see just where this line between hardware and software should be by implementing this protocol itself directly with hardware.

• Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

  • New York Times ☛ Texas Measles Outbreak May Continue for a Year, Officials Say

    Vaccination efforts have faltered, and many residents have turned to alternative treatments endorsed by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health secretary.

  • MIT Technology Review ☛ Autopsies can reveal intimate health details. Should they be kept private?

    Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve been following news of the deaths of actor Gene Hackman and his wife, pianist Betsy Arakawa.

  • Science Alert ☛ Expert Reveals 8 'Essential' Ways to Reduce Your Risk of Stroke

    It could save your life.

  • China’s coming obesity epidemic, North Korean name regulations | RFA Insider 29

  • Federal News Network ☛ SBA to cut 43% of workforce, return to pre-pandemic staffing levels

    SBA says it will ensure 30% of its employees work in field locations beyond the D.C. metro area.

  • Hackaday ☛ High Frequency Food: Better Cutting With Ultrasonics

    You’re cutting yourself a single slice of cake. You grab a butter knife out of the drawer, hack off a moist wedge, and munch away to your mouth’s delight. The next day, you’re cutting forty slices of cake for the whole office. You grab a large chef’s knife, warm it with hot water, and cube out the sheet cake without causing too much trauma to the icing. Next week, you’re starting at your cousin’s bakery. You’re supposed to cut a few thousand slices of cake, week in, week out. You suspect your haggardly knifework won’t do.

  • University of Michigan ☛ Fluoride concentration: Balancing public health and dental care

    This article was written as part of The Michigan Daily’s investigation to better understand the risks, advancements and future of water in Michigan and beyond.

  • WhichUK ☛ What causes chronic inflammation and 5 science-backed ways to tackle it

    It's linked to an array of illnesses but there are ways to reduce inflammation, including some simple habit swaps

  • Science Alert ☛ A Surprise Hair Loss Breakthrough: Sugar Gel Triggers Robust Regrowth

    Results seen in mice within weeks.

  • Science Alert ☛ Anti-Amyloid Drug May Delay Alzheimer's Symptoms in Those at Risk, Clinical Trial Finds

    "I am highly optimistic now."

• Proprietary

  • Jamie McClelland ☛ Jamie McClelland: AI's Actual Impact

    Two years after Proprietary Chaffbot Company launched Abusive Monopolist Microsoft Chaffbot 3.5, humanity is not on the cusp of extinction and MElon seems more responsible for job loss than any Hey Hi (AI) agent.

    However, ask any web administrator and you will learn that large language models are having a significant impact on the world wide web (or, for a less technical account, see Forbes articles on bots).

  • New York Times ☛ A.I. Action Plans + The College Student Who Broke Job Interviews + Hot Mess Express

    “A.I. companies are slowly and haltingly learning to speak the language of The Insurrectionist.”

  • CNBC ☛ How Microsoft went from generative AI leader to laggard

    Microsoft stock is trying to avoid its longest weekly losing streak since 2008. It's no wonder the position has been trying our patience.

• Pseudo-Open Source

  • Openwashing

    • ARC ☛ Open Infrastructure Foundation to Join the Linux Foundation, Strengthening Open Source Collaboration

      The Linux Foundation has announced that the Open Infrastructure Foundation (OpenInfra) intends to join as a member foundation, following unanimous approval from both organizations’ boards. This move aims to enhance collaboration on open source cloud and AI infrastructure by integrating the global communities of OpenInfra and the Linux Foundation.

• Security

  • Integrity/Availability/Authenticity

    • LRT ☛ Lithuanian suspected of defrauding Amazon of €2.5m

      Lithuanian authorities have arrested a man suspected of orchestrating an elaborate fraud scheme that exploited Amazon’s refund policy to steal more than 2.5 million euros, according to the Lithuanian Criminal Police Bureau.

  • Privacy/Surveillance

    • JURIST ☛ Federal court blocks further DOGE access to social security records

      In a 137-page ruling, the US District Court for the District of Maryland granted a temporary restraining order (TRO) on Thursday blocking MElon’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from having continued unlimited access to sensitive social security information of millions of Americans.

    • Marcy Wheeler ☛ Judge Hollander Tells DOGE to Stop Hitting Flies with Sledgehammers at Social Security

      MElon keeps making false claims of fraud at Social Security. Those false claims have served to get at least ten DOGE boys -- some whose background clearances haven't been completed -- access to highly personal data of all Americans.

    • ACLU ☛ Machine Surveillance is Being Super-Charged by Large Hey Hi (AI) Models

      Imagine an America where multiple police officers and security guards stand watch on every block, in every park, in every store, and in every other public space around the clock. Imagine these officers watching us constantly, not only scrutinizing our every move for signs of “suspicious” behavior, but also noting many details about us — such as what we’re wearing and carrying, who we’re with and what our relationship appears to be with them — and recording those details in a searchable database.

    • Federal News Network ☛ Inside one of the lawsuits against Convicted Felon administration actions

      "It is a violation of privacy and a violation of various federal statutes when that wrongful disclosure occurs," said John Davisson.

• Defence/Aggression

  • France24 ☛ 'This is the key moment to bring peace to Gaza and the Middle East': UNOPS chief

    The EU is adapting to a new security situation, not just on its own continent, but also in the Middle East. Hopes of a more peaceful Syria after the ouster of Bashar al-Assad have so far been dashed, with sectarian massacres happening on the Syrian coast earlier in March – killings that have triggered an exodus of thousands of people across the border into Lebanon. Lebanon itself remains extremely fragile, economically and socially.

  • Photo of the Week: Surviving the Khmer Rouge reign of terror

    Sum Sok Ry is one of four RFA staffers who have told their stories of surviving the Khmer Rouge.

  • NYPost ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man revokes security clearance for Joe Biden and entire family, Kamala Harris, Hillary Clinton and other political foes

    “I have determined that it is no longer in the national interest for the following individuals to access classified information,” Convicted Felon wrote in the memo to the heads of executive departments and agencies, before naming those he's barring from receiving classified information.

  • New York Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man Shuts Down 3 Watchdog Agencies Overseeing Immigration Crackdown

    The move comes as the Convicted Felon administration ramps up its deportation campaign, in some cases removing people with little to no due process.

  • France24 ☛ Women in Syria: Could the future be female?

    In a special edition, we focus on Syria, a nation emerging from decades of a brutal dictatorship. The country's interim leader Ahmed al-Sharaa has signed a constitutional declaration, laying out rights for women and freedom of expression. This after his Islamist-led rebels toppled Bashar al-Assad's government last December. Yet sectarian violence still threatens to split the country apart as we saw recently with those attacks directed at the Alawite community, treated as associates of Assad. We report on the fears of Syrian women that their new-found freedoms may be under threat with the rise of religious observance. Annette Young also talks to Mariam Jalabi, a co-founder of the Syrian Women's Political Movement, an umbrella organisation representing women from all communities and pushing for them to have a seat at the table.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea says it agreed with US to swiftly resolve ‘sensitive country’ status

    The US Department of Energy has not explained why it put its Asian ally on the watchlist.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea opposition brings motion to impeach Acting President

    The move is likely to escalate recent political strife in the country.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Taiwan to give pay rises for its military in bid to tackle manpower shortages

    Taiwan will give pay rises to some service members in a bid to tackle manpower shortages, officials said on Friday, as the island faces intensifying military pressure from China. Beijing claims democratic Taiwan as part of its territory and has threatened to use force to bring the self-ruled island under control.

  • Taiwan’s annual military drills to simulate 2027 as year of Chinese invasion

    The island’s leader also promised an increase in defense spending.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Japan, China, South Korea meet at a geopolitical ‘turning point in history’

    The meeting is the first between the countries' top diplomats since 2023.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Taiwan names Japan’s former defence chief as Cabinet consultant

    China lodged protests with the Japanese side over the appointment.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Beijing’s tough talk on Taiwan: Posturing or prelude to war?

    The tough words came after Taiwan President Lai Ching-te labelled China a “foreign hostile force” for the first time.

  • New York Times ☛ Why the Pentagon Scuttled Its Briefing of MElon on China War Plans

    “You wouldn’t show it to a businessman,” Hell Toupée said in denying that MElon was to be briefed on top-secret plans in the event of war with China.

  • Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine

    • Meduza ☛ Russian animation fest screens film about baby tank who dreams of war

    • Meduza ☛ Ethnic discrimination in Russia is often written right into government contracts

    • LRT ☛ ‘One should be careful with words’ – Lithuanian PM responds to ‘fifth column’ intimations

      After Parliament Speaker Saulius Skvernelis said that there is a “fifth column” of Russia sympathisers in the Lithuanian parliament, Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas says such accusations are unfounded and only sow division.

    • JURIST ☛ Rights group urges Russia to protect imprisoned journalist from self-harm

      Russian online media RusNews revealed Wednesday two letters from an imprisoned journalist and anti-war activist, Maria Ponomarenko, which demonstrate her suicidal tendency. Amnesty International urged the authorities to protect her from further self-harm and release her immediately. >

    • Meduza ☛ Ukraine and Russia trade blame for attack on Sudzha gas metering station — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Russian authorities’ new list of cities eligible for preferential mortgages includes Ukrainian ones not under Moscow’s control — Meduza

    • LRT ☛ Ukrainian students face a daunting task – taking the Lithuanian exam

      This year, Ukrainian students will have to take the Lithuanian exam in order to graduate from school. Some educators say it is virtually impossible to prepare for the exam on a par with native speakers in three years.

    • New York Times ☛ Russian Energy Sites Burn as Kyiv and Moscow Trade Blame

      As Russia and Ukraine prepare to discuss a possible cease-fire on power infrastructure, each side appears to be trying to portray the other as untrustworthy.

    • RFERL ☛ Russian Strikes Cut Power In Odesa During Visit By Czech President Petr Pavel

      Russian drone strikes targeted civilian infrastructure in Ukrainian Black Sea port of Odesa, leaving at least three people injured and several districts of the city battling power cuts while Czech President Petr Pavel was visiting the city for talks with officials.

    • JURIST ☛ UN commission finds Russia committed crimes against humanity in Ukraine

      The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine concluded on Wednesday that Russia’s widespread use of enforced disappearances and torture during its full-scale invasion of Ukraine constitutes crimes against humanity. The announcement marks a significant development in the war, as crimes against humanity constitute one of the most serious classifications of international crimes.

    • JURIST ☛ OHCHR concludes Russia violated Ukraine children’s rights amid Ukraine war

      The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on Friday reported that the prolonged hostilities and occupation of parts of Ukraine by the Russian Federation have caused large-scale human rights violations against children. Between February 24, 2022 and December 31, 2024, the OHCHR documented 669 murders of children and 1,883 injuries.

    • France24 ☛ 'Coalition of the willing': Macron announces new Ukraine 'coalition' summit in Paris

      French President Emmanuel Macron said leaders of the coalition backing Ukraine would meet again next week, hoping to finalise plans to secure a potential truce in the war with Russia. For in-depth analysis and a deeper perspective, FRANCE 24's William Hilderbrandt welcomes Dr Gavin Hall, NATO expert and Teaching Fellow in Political Science and International Security at the University of Strathclyde.

    • France24 ☛ North Korean prisoners of war in Ukraine: Why does South Korea want to take them in?

      South Korea has discussed repatriating North Korean prisoners of war held in Ukraine to Seoul. The two young soldiers in question are among the more than 10,000 troops sent from Pyongyang to support Russia's war on Ukraine, although neither Moscow nor Pyongyang officially recognises their deployment. FRANCE 24's Yuka Royer speaks to Ethan Hee-Seok Shin, legal analyst at the Transitional Justice Working Group, about Seoul's aims and the dangers facing those soldiers and their families.

    • France24 ☛ Tackling under-investment in EU defence: Is the bloc putting its money where its mouth is?

      Just about everyone in the EU institutions and national capitals can agree that business as usual is no longer an option when it comes to security. With the US stepping back from Europe and NATO, and Ukraine under great pressure, the EU is mulling what looks like an ambitious plan to overhaul its defence policy. In theory, ReArmEU will raise €800 billion for this effort. But it is not clear exactly how all that money is going to be made available, nor how fast the effects of this overhaul are going to be felt. We unpack the EU's defence reforms with two MEPs who work on foreign affairs and security matters at the European Parliament.

    • France24 ☛ A Trio of Truce Talks & “Oopsie…too late”

      This week, a high-stakes call between Russian and U.S. leaders shaped the Ukraine conflict, with Russia claiming a diplomatic victory while key issues remained unresolved. In Gaza, Israeli airstrikes reignited violence, killing over 600 Palestinians, including children, and deepening Netanyahu’s political crisis. Meanwhile, after 287 days in space, astronauts Butch and Suni finally returned to Earth, splashing down off the Florida coast. Their mission, originally planned for just eight days on the ISS, was extended by nine months due to a fault in Boeing’s Starliner rocket.

    • Digital Music News ☛ Neil Young Cancels Ukraine Concert Over Safety Concerns — “Changing Situation on the Ground Was Too Much”

      Neil Young cancels his free concert in Ukraine, saying he couldn’t ‘in good conscience’ take his crew to the war-ravaged country. Young announced the concert earlier this month but without specific details, such as a venue or date. Now he’s cancelling the event, citing safety concerns due to the war.

    • Meduza ☛ Before Trump call, Putin told businesses not to expect quick peace deal

    • LRT ☛ MEP: Sanctions are the best leverage we have over Putin – opinion

      Europe’s sanctions on Russia are working and we should not loosen the screws now, insists Rasa Juknevičienė, a Lithuanian member of the European Parliament (EPP).

    • The Straits Times ☛ Top Russia official discussed Ukraine with North Korean leader Kim, TASS says

      Russian President Vladimir Putin's top security adviser Sergei Shoigu discussed Ukraine with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, the TASS news agency reported on Friday, his latest visit amid advances in security ties between the countries.

    • Meduza ☛ Kremlin uses high unemployment to keep Ingushetia dependent

• Environment

  • The Straits Times ☛ Over 13,000 evacuated in Johor as floods mar Hari Raya plans

    Johor Bahru has the highest number of evacuees.

  • Hackaday ☛ Producing Syngas From CO2 And Sunlight With Direct Air Capture

    There is more carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere these days than ever before in human history, and while it would be marvelous to use these carbon atoms for something more useful, capturing CO2 directly from the air isn’t that easy. After capturing it would also be great if you could do something more with it than stuff it into a big hole. Something like producing syngas (CO + H2) for example, as demonstrated by researchers at the University of Cambridge.

  • Energy/Transportation

    • The Straits Times ☛ No power banks in overhead compartments, says Malaysia Airlines

      Charging or using power banks is strictly prohibited throughout any flights.

    • New York Times ☛ UK Counterterrorism Police Investigating Fire Near Heathrow

      With counterterrorism police leading the investigation, the possibility of sabotage was being taken seriously, though officials say there is no evidence of foul play.

    • Atlantic Council ☛ China’s exploitation of overseas ports and bases

      The control and administration of overseas ports and bases by China poses a serious risk to the United States in the event of a potential conflict. The Chinese People’s Liberation Army could exploit these ports and bases to challenge control of the sea.

    • The Straits Times ☛ Pro-Beijing newspaper urges HK tycoon Li Ka-shing to scrap Panama port sale

      The growing calls on Mr Li to reconsider the port sale highlight the political risks for companies based in Greater China.

    • The Straits Times ☛ Hawker turns boat into floating stall amid worsening floods in Malaysia

      A woman has been seen using a small boat to sell bean curd to flood-stricken residents.

  • Wildlife/Nature

    • Bruce Schneier ☛ Friday Squid Blogging: A New Explanation of Squid Camouflage

      New research:

      An associate professor of chemistry and chemical biology at Northeastern University, Deravi’s recently published paper in the Journal of Materials Chemistry C sheds new light on how squid use organs that essentially function as organic solar cells to help power their camouflage abilities.

  • Overpopulation

    • European Commission ☛ Statement by Commissioner Roswall on World Water Day

      Water is essential to all life. A stable global water cycle is crucial for the health and prosperity of both people and the planet. .

• Finance

  • France24 ☛ OECD Global Debt Report: Borrowing has nearly tripled since 2007

    The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has released its Global Debt Report for 2025, and the conclusion is that the world is practically drowning in debt at record levels. As European nations pledge to boost their defence spending in the face of a new transatlantic security reality, and as burgeoning trade wars threaten to raise prices faster, are countries able to achieve growth while keeping borrowing in check? FRANCE 24's Yuka Royer speaks to Carmine Di Noia, the OECD's Director for Financial and Enterprise Affairs.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Why are so many mainland Chinese making Malaysia their second home?

    Thousands of mainland Chinese are choosing Malaysia’s laid-back vibes over their stressful lives back home.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea presses US commerce chief for favourable treatment on tariffs

    South Korea's industry minister pressed U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick for favourable treatment on tariffs at their second meeting in less than a month, the ministry said on Saturday, as Seoul seeks to blunt the effect of U.S. President The Insurrectionist's measures.

• AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

  • Press Gazette ☛ Google says experiment shows news has ‘no measurable impact’ on its ad revenue

    Google conducted test in response to reports it said "vastly overestimate" value of news content.

  • New Yorker ☛ What Gavin Newsom’s Embarrassing Podcast Suggests About the Democratic Party

    There’s a new strategy of disavowal emerging among some progressive politicians—and it is destined to fail.

  • New Yorker ☛ Kaitlan Collins Is Not “Nasty”; She’s Just Doing Her Job

    The CNN anchor and chief White House correspondent talks with the guest host Clare Malone about covering Convicted Felon’s Administrations—and how his circle isn’t as hostile as it seems.

  • New Yorker ☛ A West Bank Family on the Verge of Annexation

    Soon after October 7th, Hisham Awartani and two Palestinian friends were shot on the street in Vermont. At home in the West Bank, he contemplates the prospect of Israeli annexation.

  • Atlantic Council ☛ Italy can play a role in the Indo-Pacific—but must do it its own way

    Rome should focus on a pragmatic approach to the Indo-Pacific that balances regional commitments with national priorities, including security concerns closer to home.

  • EXPLAINED: Why March is a sensitive month for Tibetans

    Crackdowns and higher security have marked the month with several key dates in Tibet’s struggle against China.

  • Freedoms wither in Hong Kong

    A year after the enactment of a harsh national security law, citizens whose rights have been under attack.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Hong Kong mulls over strengthening year-old security law as critics slam repression of dissent

    Activists are planning a protest on Article 23’s first anniversary – in Taipei.

• Censorship/Free Speech

  • Rlang ☛ Template To Handle Code of Conduct Incidents Reports [Ed: "healthy and inclusive community" by banning people...]

    Handling reported incidents related to a Code of Conduct (CoC) is a complex and delicate task. Managing reports timely and with care is crucial for maintaining a healthy and inclusive community.

  • Federal News Network ☛ Lawmakers urge Defense Secretary not to erase troops’ historic accomplishments

    The four lawmakers signed onto the letter are veterans who serve on the Senate Armed Services Committee.

  • Digital Music News ☛ Tony Buzbee Has Withdrawn from Several Diddy Lawsuits—Blames Jay-Z

    Texas attorney Tony Buzbee has withdrawn from more than a dozen lawsuits he filed against Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs. He blames a grievance that Jay-Z filed against him for being unable to continue.

  • Digital Music News ☛ Drake Legal Team Fires Back Against UMG in Discovery Dispute, Says ‘Not Like Us’ Caused ‘Millions’ to Believe the Rapper Is Actually a Pedophile

    Do millions believe that “Not Like Us” actually accuses Drake of being a pedophile? He and his legal team think so, and they’re making as much clear amid a discovery dispute with Universal Music Group (UMG). Drake and his counsel just recently expressed the view when pushing back against UMG’s motion to stay discovery.

  • JURIST ☛ Rights group warns against North Dakota jury verdict ordering Greenpeace to pay $660m in liability

    Amnesty International warned against a “chilling verdict” returned by a North Dakota jury on Thursday in a lawsuit against Greenpeace. The verdict orders Greenpeace, an environmental advocacy organization, to pay Energy Transfer, a fossil fuel company, $660 million US in defamation liability.

  • JURIST ☛ Australia court convicts first man for transmitting extremist material online

    The Perth District Court convicted a 19-year-old man for sharing Islamic State beheading videos online via social control media on Thursday. The conviction, following a 3-year imprisonment, marks the first since the enactment of the counterterrorism laws in 2024.

• Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press

  • France24 ☛ Outrage after Convicted Felon silences pro-democracy media outlets Voice of America, Radio Free Europe

    For decades, there had been bipartisan support for Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. These pro-democracy media outlets were a form of soft power, spreading American values but also providing an independent media to audiences living under censorship. But the Convicted Felon administration has moved to stop financing for the outlets, sparking outrage. This week's guest on FRANCE 24's media show Scoop is Nicola Careem, Editor-in-Chief at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

  • ‘Now this is the sort of news we like’

    The dismantling of RFA has accomplished what China, North Korea and others tried to do for more than 25 years.

  • New York Times ☛ What Evie Magazine, a ‘Conservative Cosmo,’ Thinks Women Want

    The Evie reader can work. She can be a mom. It’s her choice. It’s just not feminism.

  • Press Gazette ☛ Dotdash Meredith CEO Neil Vogel: ‘If you make yourself essential, you will be fine’

    CEO of the biggest print and online publisher in US reveals key changes which made the business work.

  • BIA Net ☛ Court removes İstanbul Bar board over statement on killed Kurdish journalists

    The president and board members of the bar association are standing trial for condemning the killing of two journalists in an airstrike in northern Syria.

• Civil Rights/Policing

  • BIA Net ☛ Zaynab from Latakia: We just want to live in security and peace

    “When we went downstairs, our blood ran cold at the sight we saw. My father-in-law was lying on the floor, covered in blood. My husband and his brothers were executed where they were sitting.”

  • ACLU ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man's Attempt to Deride NLRB Won't Stop Power of Collective Actions

    On March 6, a federal judge ruled that President The Insurrectionist illegally fired former National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) chair Gwynne Wilcox. The judge ordered that she be restored and allowed to fulfill her duties as a duly-appointed member of the NLRB. With its quorum now re-established, the NLRB can resume its mission enforcing workers’ rights under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). Hell Toupée has opposed this important work, as shown by his email purporting to fire Wilcox, who is the only Black woman to ever serve on the NLRB.

  • Inmates of Vietnamese prison stage hunger strike over filthy water, feeding method

    They say they’d rather go hungry than accept ‘first come first served’ system.

• Internet Policy/Net Neutrality

  • Public Knowledge ☛ The Fight for Digital Inclusion: Digital Navigators Push for Funding Connectivity [Ed: Promoting Microsoft under the guise of "equality"?]

    Digital navigators from across the country flock to Capitol Hill in a push to save the Digital Equity Act.

Monopolies/Monopsonies

• JURIST ☛ European Commission: Fashion Company Apple and Surveillance Giant Google violate the Digital Markets Act

  The European Commission announced preliminary findings against Fashion Company Apple and Google, charging them with two violations of the Digital Markets Act on Wednesday. The Digital Markets Act (DMA) is the EU’s law to regulate the power of large digital platforms to ensure a fair and contestable market.

• Security Week ☛ Industry Reactions to Surveillance Giant Google Buying Wiz: Feedback Friday

  Industry professionals comment on Surveillance Giant Google acquiring cloud security giant Wiz for $32 billion in cash.

• Patents

  • Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ New PTAB Informative Decision Demands MPF Construction and Parallel Litigation Consistency

    In a decision newly designated as "informative" by the USPTO, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) provided important guidance on the procedural requirements for inter partes review (IPR) petitions, particularly consistency between IPR proceedings and parallel litigation.

    Cambridge Mobile Telematics, Inc. v. Sfara, Inc., IPR2024-00952, Paper 12 (P.T.A.B. Dec. 13, 2024).

  • Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ Tax Victory for Generic Drug Companies: Federal Circuit Affirms ANDA Litigation Expenses are Deductible

    In a significant win for the generic pharmaceutical industry, the Federal Circuit recently affirmed that legal expenses incurred defending Hatch-Waxman patent monopoly litigation can be deducted immediately as ordinary business expenses rather than capitalized. The decision in Actavis Laboratories FL, Inc. v. United States, No. 2023-1320 (Fed. Cir. Mar. 21, 2025), affirms the earlier ruling by Court of Federal Claims Judge Ryan Holte in favor of Actavis.  The U.S. Government will now need to issue a tax refund of about $12 million just for 2008-2009.

  • Kluwer Patent Blog ☛ Patent case: Biogen MA Inc. vs. Sandoz B.V., Neuraxpharm Pharmaceuticals S.L. and Mylan B.V., Netherlands

    Biogen has had mixed success in Europe in enforcing its patent monopoly on a second medical use of dimethylfumarate for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. In the present Dutch case, an attempt to obtain an injunction against three different generic companies resulted in a counterclaim for revocation of the (Dutch part of the) European patent.

• Trademarks

  • Digital Music News ☛ Gibson Wins a Second Ruling in Trademark Case Against Dean Guitars, But May Lose ‘Generic’ ES Body Shape Trademark

    A second jury has found Dean Guitars guilty of trademark infringement of Gibson’s guitar designs. But the verdict is not a slam dunk for Gibson. Dean Guitars’ parent company Armadillo was found guilty of trademark infringement and counterfeiting of Gibson’s designs in a second jury trial after Armadillo appealed the first ruling.

  • TTAB Blog ☛ TTAB Lets Stand Bifusal of Leveling Leg Configuration: De Jure Functional and Non-Distinctive

    The Board upheld two refusals to register the product configuration shown below as a trademark for "Food service equipment levelers of metal," finding the proposed mark to be de jure functional under Section 2(e)(5), and, alternatively, lacking in acquired distinctiveness. Applicant Kason's ownership of a design patent monopoly for the same design "presumptively indicated that the design is not de jure functional," In re Becton, Dickinson and Co., but utility patent monopoly evidence overcame that presumption. In re Kason Industries, Inc., Serial No. 97602791 (March 18, 2025) [not precedential] (Opinion by Judge Thomas L. Casagrande).

• Copyrights

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea court blocks K-pop group NewJeans from leaving agency

    A South Korean court issued an injunction on Friday to stop members of K-pop group NewJeans from pursuing independent projects, marking the latest twist in a long-running dispute between the stars and their label that has gripped fans.

  • New York Times ☛ South Korean Court Blocks K-pop Band NewJeans From Going It Alone

    The court sided with the girl group’s record label, Ador, barring the quintet from planning commercial pursuits after trying to cut ties. The band vowed to appeal.

  • Digital Music News ☛ Ador Scores Temporary Injunction in NewJeans/NJZ Contract Dispute — Group Still Set to Headline ComplexCon Hong Kong

    A Seoul court has granted Ador’s request for an injunction against NewJeans/NJZ, thereby preventing the group from engaging in professional activities (among them performances and advert deals) without the Hybe-owned agency. South Korean outlets were first to report the development, and the story is just now beginning to gain traction stateside.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Hong Kong indie band An Id Signal on new album born out of 2019 protests and Covid-19 pandemic curbs

    Having its roots in Hong Kong’s underground music scene, An Id Signal has never adhered to any mainstream playbook. Since their emergence from the depths of Hong Kong’s industrial spaces in 2006, the four-piece band has maintained a memorable presence by performing in live houses and throwing guerrilla gigs.