Leftovers

• Thibault Martin: Deep Work reconciled me with personal growth books

  I'm usually not a huge fan of personal growth books. As I pointed out in my Blinkist review, most books of this genre are 300 pages long when all the content would fit on 20. I read Deep Work by Cal Newport, with an open but skeptical mind.

• Jim Nielsen ☛ Language Needs Innovation

  In his book “The Order of Time” Carlo Rovelli notes how we often asks ourselves questions about the fundamental nature of reality such as “What is real?” and “What exists?”

  But those are bad questions he says. Why?

  the adjective “real” is ambiguous; it has a thousand meanings. The verb “to exist” has even more. To the question “Does a puppet whose nose grows when he lies exist?” it is possible to reply: “Of course he exists! It’s Pinocchio!”; or: “No, it doesn’t, he’s only part of a fantasy dreamed up by Collodi.”

  Both answers are correct, because they are using different meanings of the verb “to exist.”

• Science

  • Science Alert ☛ Breakthrough Gravity Explanation Is a Step Closer to 'Theory of Everything'

    A journey is built on single steps.

  • Science Alert ☛ Prescription Drug Combinations May Slow Alzheimer's, Study Suggests

    But they could worsen symptoms in some.

  • Science Alert ☛ Physicists Capture First-Ever Images of Free-Range Atoms

    A groundbreaking snapshot of quantum behavior.

  • Science Alert ☛ Should You Be Worried About Aspartame? Here's What The Research Says

    The complex truth, from an expert.

• Hardware

  • The Strategist ☛ Huawei drives and dominates Thailand’s digital ascent

    Thailand’s rapid ascent as a 5G leader in Southeast Asia has, in part, been powered by Huawei.

  • Silicon Angle ☛ After backlash, US scraps Biden administration’s curb on Hey Hi (AI) chip exports [Ed: There is no such thing as Hey Hi (AI) chips; it's just typically a marketing ploy for GPUs]

    The Forrest Dump administration is planning to overhaul regulations set by the Biden administration that would limit how many artificial intelligence chips countries can purchase from the U.S.

  • Hackaday ☛ Liquid Silicone 3D Printing Is No Joke

    They might call it Levity, but there’s nothing funny about Rapid Liquid Print’s new silicone 3D printer. It has to be seen to be believed, and luckily [3D Printing Nerd] gives us lots of beauty shots in this short video, embedded below.

  • Hackaday ☛ Superconductivity News: What Makes Floquet Majorana Fermions Special For Quantum Computing?

    Researchers from the USA and India have proposed that Floquet Majorana fermions may improve quantum computing by controlling superconducting currents, potentially reducing errors and increasing stability.

  • Hackaday ☛ Magic On Your Desk Via MagLev Toy

    Magnets aren’t magic, but sometimes you can do things with them to fool the uninitiated — like levitating. [Jonathan Lock] does that with his new maglev desk toy, that looks like at least a level 2 enchantment.

  • Hackaday ☛ Wireless USB Autopsy

    It might seem strange to people like us, but normal people hate wires. Really hate wires. A lot. So it makes sense that with so many wireless technologies, there should be a way to do USB over wireless. There is, but it really hasn’t caught on outside of a few small pockets. [Cameron Kaiser] wants to share why he thinks the technology never went anywhere.

  • Hackaday ☛ Big Chemistry: Cement And Concrete

    Not too long ago, I was searching for ideas for the next installment of the “Big Chemistry” series when I found an article that discussed the world’s most-produced chemicals. It was an interesting article, right up my alley, and helpfully contained a top-ten list that I could use as a crib sheet for future articles, at least for the ones I hadn’t covered already, like the Haber-Bosch process for ammonia.

  • CNX Software ☛ HydraLink USB-to-Automotive Ethernet dongle works over a single twisted pair (Crowdfunding)

    HydraLink is a compact USB-to-Automotive Ethernet dongle that supports 100BASE-T1 and 1000BASE-T1 standards over a single twisted pair (no large RJ45 connector needed) and providing a solution for diagnosing, testing, and prototyping automotive networks. The rational behind HydraLink is that the automotive sector is undergoing a shift from CAN-based systems to advance Automotive Ethernet networks like BroadR-Reach (802.3bw) that allows multiple in-vehicle systems to simultaneously access information over unshielded single twisted pair cables.  So as I understand it, the HydraLink is the modern equivalent of OBD-II USB scanners which relies on Ethernet instead.

• Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

  • WhichUK ☛ Which? Shorts podcast: how to beat the pharmacy crisis and get your medication

    What you can do to get what you've been prescribed

  • Pro Publica ☛ Sepsis Rates Vary Widely in Dallas and Houston Under Abortion Ban

  • Science Alert ☛ Brazilian Psychedelic Plant Emerges as Potential Depression Treatment

    "The response is rapid."

  • Science Alert ☛ Scientists Discovered a Cannabis Compound Inside a Totally Different Plant

    Hiding in plain sight!

  • Science Alert ☛ World's Richest 10% Caused Two-Thirds of Global Heating, Study Finds

    "One of the most powerful levers we have to reduce future harm."

  • Science Alert ☛ Scientists Discover New Bacteria That Conduct Electricity Like a Wire

    This could power a new era of bioelectric devices.

  • Science Alert ☛ Are Bone Broth's Bold Claims About Aging, Gut Health, And Weight Loss Backed by Science?

    Here's what you need to know.

• Proprietary

  • Security Week ☛ CrowdStrike Plans Layoffs to Pursue $10B ARR Target

    CrowdStrike said the planned cuts will affect approximately 500 employees and will span the first half of fiscal 2026.

  • Silicon Angle ☛ CrowdStrike cuts 500 jobs as Hey Hi (AI) reshapes company operations [Ed: Hey Hi (AI) is a lie; they try to make mass layoffs seem like a "winning move"]

    Cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike Holdings Inc. today announced the layoff of about 500 employees, accounting for 5% of its global workforce. The company said it’s part of a strategic initiative to enhance operational efficiency and focus on achieving $10 billion in annual recurring revenue by January 2026.

  • Scoop News Group ☛ CrowdStrike cuts 5% of workforce after revenue jumped 29% last year [Ed: Pouring positive spin on terrible news, as the media has no guts anymore, it's mostly an extension of the PR 'industry']

    CEO George Kurtz said the decision to cut about 500 jobs was driven by internal efficiency gains from Hey Hi (AI) and multibillion-dollar opportunities in new market segments.

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ Clippy resurrected as Hey Hi (AI) assistant — project turns infamous Abusive Monopolist Microsoft mascot into LLM interface

    New “software art” piece brings Clippy back to your desktop, serving up locally installed LLMs from the mouth of a paperclip.

  • TechRadar ☛ Google is cutting hundreds of jobs in a core business unit

  • India Times ☛ As Google layoffs continue, a look at Big Tech job cuts in 2025

    Per layoff tracker Trueup, so far in 2025, 284 layoffs have taken place at tech companies, affecting 53,399 employees. Last year, nearly 2.4 lakh tech employees were laid off in 1,115 job cuts in the tech industry. In the first five months of 2025, Google, Microsoft and Meta have fired employees due to unsatisfactory performance, streamlining and other reasons amid rising focus on AI development.

  • Google cuts 200 staffs in global business unit

    Google has laid off around 200 employees in its global business unit, which manages sales and partnerships. The layoffs were reported by The Information on May 6, 2025.

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) / LLM Slop / Plagiarism

    • New Yorker ☛ Decoding The Insurrectionist’s Love of Hey Hi (AI) Imagery

      The President loves posting Hey Hi (AI) images of himself. The staff writer Katy Waldman sees these often bizarre representations as the “statements of intent” of a budding authoritarian.

    • Major Hayden ☛ Vibe-free coding with AI

      It turns out that they’re often terrible at understanding nuance or stitching complex code relationships together.

      I use Hey Hi (AI) all the time when I write software, but I wouldn’t call it vibe coding.

• Security

  • Privacy/Surveillance

    • JURIST ☛ US jury orders NSO Group to pay WhatsApp $168M in damages over spyware use

      A California jury ordered NSO Group Technologies to pay WhatsApp $444,719 in compensatory damages and $167,254,000 in punitive damages on Tuesday. The jury found that “NSO engaged in malice, oppression, or fraud in violating the California Comprehensive Data Access and Fraud Act”.

    • EDRI ☛ Showing your ID to get online might become a reality – a closer look at the EU’s new age verification app

      Coming to a website near you this summer: the European Commission is close to a ‘solution’ that could force people to use their government-issued ID to get online. EDRi and EFF’s concerns about threats to everyone’s privacy and data protection, a chilling effect on access to information, and digital exclusion – harming the already most marginalised in society - remain unsolved.

    • EDRI ☛ EDRi-gram, 7 May 2025

      What has the EDRis network been up to over the past two weeks? Find out the latest digital rights news in our bi-weekly newsletter. In this edition: Fashion Company Apple & Meta fined for breaching DMA, civil society urges EU to act against Hungary’s pride ban, & more!

    • EDRI ☛ The blanket collection of metadata on communications in the Czech Republic is illegal. Iuridicum Remedium wins data retention dispute.

      The Municipal Court in Prague ruled in a dispute that lasted more than four years. EDRi member IuRe represented journalist Jan Cibulka in the case. He demanded an apology from the state for the Czech state collecting information about his whereabouts or with whom he calls and writes under the data retention regulation.

    • EDRI ☛ Digital trade: the new frontline in the fight for our rights

      The EU is signing digital trade deals that could undermine fundamental rights and block oversight of software systems shaping our lives. From data protection to algorithmic accountability, these agreements risk empowering opaque systems - used by both companies and governments - at the expense of the people most affected by them.

    • Security Week ☛ Spyware Maker NSO Ordered to Pay $167 Million Over WhatsApp Hack

      Meta has won its WhatsApp hacking lawsuit against Israeli spyware company NSO Group in an “important step forward for privacy and security”.

    • EDRI ☛ When technology is the problem, not the solution: Lessons from harmful consequences of techno-solutionism in digital surveillance

      AI-powered surveillance systems are being deployed globally - from Israel and Russia to EU member states. These systems target marginalised communities under the guise of improving security and efficiency.

    • Digital Music News ☛ TikTok Soothes Nervous Advertisers—Says It’s ‘Confident in the Future’

      TikTok is making a concerted effort to calm advertisers’ nerves as the platform faces its third extension of the looming U.S. ban. If the platform is ultimately banned in the United States—nearly $12 billion in ad revenue is at risk.

• Defence/Aggression

  • Defence Web ☛ Border protection soldiers seize R4 million in contraband, intercept 702 illegals in ‘quiet’ April

    April was, according to statistics supplied by the Joint Operations Division of the SA National Defence Force (SANDF), a “quiet” month for soldiers patrolling the country’s land borders with 702 illegal immigrants intercepted as opposed to the 2 700 plus having their unlawful entry halted in March.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Vietnam's shipments from China, to US reach record high amid trade fraud crackdown

    Vietnam's imports from China and exports to the United States both reached a post-pandemic record in April, amid talks with Washington to reduce Hanoi's trade surplus and a crackdown on Chinese goods being shipped to the U.S. via its territory.

  • The Strategist ☛ A British carrier group is coming to the Pacific—with doubts looming over it

    Operation Highmast got underway in late April, as the British aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales and supporting warships embarked on an eight-month deployment, also known as Carrier Strike Group 25, to the Pacific [...]

  • The Straits Times ☛ North Korea fires flurry of short-range ballistic missiles

    North Korea also fired multiple ballistic missiles back in March.

  • New York Times ☛ Friedrich Merz Has a Tough Job as Germany’s Chancellor. It Just Got Tougher.

    Friedrich Merz’s halting path to the chancellor’s office inflamed his challenges at home and abroad, including a threat from the far right.

  • CS Monitor ☛ Merz wins in vote that reveals the challenges ahead for Germany

    New Chancellor faces economic stall as the U.S. questions security alliance and stirs a trade war.

  • Digital Music News ☛ Four Women File Lawsuit Accusing Smokey Robinson of Sexual Assault and Rape

    Four anonymous women and former housekeepers of Smokey Robinson are suing the singer with allegations of sexual assault and rape. Motown singer-songwriter Smokey Robinson is being accused of sexual assault and rape, leading to a hostile work environment, in a lawsuit filed by four of his former housekeepers.

  • Digital Music News ☛ Jay-Z Says Rape Accusations Have Cost Him Nearly $200 Million

    Jay-Z says fighting rape allegations and pursuing his ongoing defamation suit against attorney Tony Buzbee has cost him $200 million.

  • Defence Web ☛ The window to salvage South Sudan’s peace process is closing fast

    On 26 March, security personnel led by South Sudan’s defence minister and national security chief entered First Vice-President Riek Machar’s home, disarmed and removed his security detail, and placed him under house arrest.

  • Security Week ☛ US Sanctions Myanmar Militia Involved in Cyber Scams

    The US has sanctioned Myanmar warlord Saw Chit Thu and his militia for their roles in cyber scams causing billions in losses to American victims.

  • France24 ☛ More than 90 killed in Gaza strikes as Israel prepares to ramp up offensive

    At least 92 people were killed by Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, one day after the Israeli government approved plans to seize territory and forcibly displace residents to the south of the Palestinian enclave.

  • New York Times ☛ Airstrikes Pound Gaza as Israel Announces Plans to Displace More Residents

    Israel’s plan to capture more land in Gaza and relocate thousands of civilians has heightened a sense of hopelessness among Palestinians.

  • New York Times ☛ Israel Downs Drone as Houthis Vow to Continue Tit-for-Tat Strikes

    The Israeli military said it had intercepted an unmanned vehicle a day after Hell Toupée said the U.S. would step back from conflict with the Iran-backed group.

  • New York Times ☛ Thursday Briefing: What’s Next for India and Pakistan?

    Plus, the power of siblings.

  • New York Times ☛ India’s Strikes in Kashmir and Pakistan: Photos and Video

    After weeks of tensions from a terrorist attack in Kashmir, India conducted strikes against Pakistan. Anger on both sides has the world bracing for an escalation.

  • The Strategist ☛ India and Pakistan must manage escalation after Pahalgam attack

    India has launched a retaliatory strike against the Pakistan-based groups responsible for a terrorist attack in Indian Kashmir two weeks ago.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Malaysia warns Kashmir tensions may affect rice supplies

    Nearly 40 per cent of the country’s imported rice comes from India and Pakistan.

  • The Straits Times ☛ KLIA passengers in limbo as flights scrapped over India-Pakistan conflict

    Malaysian carriers have rerouted and suspended flights due to escalating regional tensions.

  • New York Times ☛ How Tensions Between India and Pakistan Led to Strikes

    India said early Wednesday that it had conducted strikes on Pakistan, two weeks after a deadly terror attack killed more than two dozen civilians in Indian-administered Kashmir. To understand the conflict between the two nuclear-armed countries, New York Times senior writer Katrin Bennhold spoke with our South Asia bureau chief, Mujib Mashal, to get his perspective on the ground.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Blast heard in Pakistan's Lahore amid tensions with India, Reuters witness says

    A blast was heard in Pakistan's eastern city of Lahore on Thursday morning, according to broadcaster Geo TV and a Reuters witness, a day after Indian strikes at multiple locations in the country and fears of an escalation in conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbours.

  • France24 ☛ 'Dangerous situation': India's 'act of war' demonstrates their desire for 'military adventurism'

    Amid the worst cross-border violence in two decades between nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan, triggered by deadly missile strikes and fierce artillery exchanges, tensions are again flaring over the contested region of Kashmir. With New Delhi accusing Islamabad of orchestrating a deadly attack, an allegation Pakistan firmly denies, the stakes are perilously high. For deeper insight, FRANCE 24's François Picard is joined by our International Affairs Editor Leela Jacinto and is pleased to welcome Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, Pakistan’s Ambassador to France and Monaco. Her Excellency is also a Permanent Delegate to UNESCO.

  • France24 ☛ Why was India's strike on Pakistan called 'Operation Sindoor'?

    India hit Pakistan and Pakistani Kashmir with missiles on Wednesday and Pakistan said it had shot down five Indianaircraft and vowed to retaliate, in the worst fighting in more than two decades between the nuclear-armed neighbours. FRANCE 24's International Affairs Editor Leela Jacinto explains why India called its attacks "Operation Sindoor" in reference to the bright red vermillion powder worn by married Hindu women.

  • RFERL ☛ India-Pakistan War Drumbeat Quickens As Islamabad Accuses New Delhi Of Sparking 'Inferno'

    Indian and Pakistani forces have exchanged artillery fire after overnight Indian air strikes claimed multiple lives, as tensions between the two nuclear-armed regional powers threatened to boil over.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Pakistan warns it will ‘avenge’ deaths from Indian strikes

    At least 43 deaths have been reported so far.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Reduced to rubble: India strikes alleged HQ of militant groups in Pakistan’s heartland

    The attack destroyed an Islamic seminary, a mosque and adjacent administration building.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Misinformation adds more uncertainty to the fog of war around India’s strikes on Pakistan

    This includes claims around civilian casualties in India's air strikes, something the Indian government has denied

  • The Straits Times ☛ Who are Pakistan-based LeT and JeM groups targeted by Indian strikes?

    India has accused Pakistan of supporting Islamist militants, a claim Pakistan denies.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Residents of Pakistani Kashmir say they fled into hills during Indian air strikes

    India launched the strikes early on May 7, saying it was targeting “terrorist camps”.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Indian strike on Pakistan is worst fighting between neighbours in over 2 decades

    NEW DELHI - India struck nine Pakistani sites on Wednesday that it said comprised "terrorist infrastructure", two weeks after 26 people were killed in an attack in Indian Kashmir, which New Delhi blamed Islamabad for.

  • CS Monitor ☛ India and Pakistan have fought before. Why this skirmish has the world on edge.

    World leaders urge calm as India-Pakistan relations deteriorate to their worst state in six years. The scope of India’s attacks and vows of retribution from Pakistan have many in Kashmir preparing for the worst.

  • New York Times ☛ India and Pakistan May Have an Off-Ramp After Their Clash. Will They Take It?

    The question now, analysts say, is whether the two sides will claim victory as Pakistan asserts that it downed Indian jets and gauges the toll of India’s strikes.

  • New York Times ☛ The Indian Aircraft Pakistan Says It Shot Down

    Tensions between India and Pakistan have risen sharply in the weeks since a terrorist attack in Kashmir. On Wednesday, India hit Pakistan and appears to have lost aircraft in the strike.

  • New York Times ☛ India Strikes Pakistan After Kashmir Terrorist Attack: What We Know

    India’s actions came in response to a deadly terror attack two weeks ago in Kashmir, a territory that it has long fought over with Pakistan.

  • New York Times ☛ India Strikes Pakistan but Is Said to Have Lost Jets

    Officials and witnesses said that at least two Indian aircraft had crashed after India struck Pakistani targets, escalating the conflict between the nuclear powers.

  • France24 ☛ Dozens killed as India and Pakistan heighten violence over Kashmir

    At least 43 people were killed in India and Pakistan on Wednesday after India launched missile strikes on its longtime adversary on Tuesday, sparking an exchange of artillery fire between the two countries. As airlines cancelled and diverted flights, world leaders warned against an escalation of military conflict.

  • JURIST ☛ US states launch joint challenge against Convicted Felon wind project executive order

    A coalition of attorneys general from 17 US states and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit Monday challenging the implementation of President The Insurrectionist’s January 20 executive order stopping wind project approvals (Wind Directive).

  • New York Times ☛ Hegseth’s Use of Passwords Raises New Security Concerns

    Revelations about the defense secretary’s passwords came after he discussed details of planned U.S. airstrikes on a messaging app.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea’s Lee spared pre-election ruling, conservatives struggle to unite

    Election favourite Lee had nearly 50 per cent voter support, according to a May 6 survey.

  • The Straits Times ☛ North Korea fires short-range missiles possibly in performance test for export

    North Korea also fired multiple ballistic missiles back in March.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korean presidential candidate accuses party of pushing him out

    Mr Kim believed the party leadership was trying to “bring him down” in favour of another candidate.

  • The Straits Times ☛ More than half of South Koreans feel chronic resentment: Survey

    Nearly 70 per cent of respondents said they believe the world is unfair.

  • New York Times ☛ China Is Likely to Play Hardball in U.S. Tariff Talks

    Beijing says it will meet with American officials to discuss trade, but warned Washington against using the engagement to ratchet up pressure on China.

  • New York Times ☛ India vs. Pakistan Is Also U.S. vs. China When It Comes to Arms Sales

    Increasing Western military support to India, and China’s to Pakistan, signals a shift in global alignments — and another potential flashpoint for international tensions.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China’s trade czar He Lifeng takes centre stage in US tariff talks

    He will meet in Switzerland with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent after weeks of escalating tensions.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Citing military threats, Taiwan's Palace Museum says no China cooperation planned

    Taiwan's National Palace Museum, home to one of the world's biggest collections of imperial Chinese treasures, does not plan any joint events with China for its 100th anniversary due to Beijing's military threats, its director said on Wednesday.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China and US begin diplomatic dance in restarting trade talks

    This will be their first publicly known trade talks since the US ratcheted up tariffs on Chinese goods this year.

  • US, China in for protracted trade talks, warn experts ahead of crucial Geneva meet

    US Treasury Secy Scott Bessent to meet Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng this weekend, amid US-China trade tensions.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ China vows to defend ‘justice’ in looming trade talks with US in Switzerland

    China vowed Wednesday to defend “justice” in upcoming trade talks with the United States — their first since The Insurrectionist unveiled sweeping tariffs that shook global markets.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Hong Kong works on image overhaul to attract overseas visitors

    The city is trying to reestablish itself as an Asia hub to lure more international visitors beyond mainland China.

  • The Strategist ☛ The threat spectrum

    Planet A China has secured a five-year agreement with Cook Islands to explore seabed minerals. The deal, signed alongside broader economic cooperation agreements, consolidates China’s growing presence in Pacific island countries.

  • Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine

    • RFERL ☛ Vance Says Putin 'Asking Too Much,' Calls For Direct Talks As Russia, Ukraine Exchange Major Drone Strikes

      Russia fired ballistic missiles and dozens of drones at Ukraine overnight, killing at least two people and wounding several others in Kyiv in one of the heaviest attacks in recent weeks as Moscow's full-scale war grinds on despite a US effort to end it.

    • New Yorker ☛ How Russia and Ukraine Are Playing Convicted Felon’s Blame Game

      With the President intent on delivering a speedy end to the war, Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky are competing to make each other the subject of his ire.

    • New York Times ☛ Xi’s Visit to Russia Complicates China’s Courtship of Europe

      Xi Jinping, China’s leader, is reinforcing his bond with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia. But that could hurt Beijing’s efforts to repair ties with Europe.

    • France24 ☛ Putin's order for three-day truce with Ukraine comes into effect

      Russian President Vladimir Putin’s unilateral order for a three-day truce in Ukraine took effect Thursday, timed to coincide with Russia’s Victory Day commemorations. The Kremlin framed the move as a “test” of Kyiv’s willingness for peace, but Ukrainian officials rejected the gesture as mere political theatre and reiterated calls for a longer, 30-day truce.

    • European Commission ☛ Remarks by Commissioner Dombrovskis at the European Parliament on EU support for a just, sustainable and comprehensive peace in Ukraine

      Thank you for this important debate.

    • European Commission ☛ Speech by President von der Leyen at the EP plenary debate on EU support for a just, sustainable and comprehensive peace in Ukraine

      This week we celebrate 80 years since the end of the Second World War.

    • JURIST ☛ EU Commission announces new plan to end Russian oil and gas dependency

      The European Commission announced Monday that the EU will end its reliance on Russian energy exports, citing security concerns. This announcement coincided with the release of REPowerEU Roadmap, which serves as follow up to 2022’s REPowerEU Plan.

    • LRT ☛ Lithuania eyes buying Ukrainian sea drones

      Lithuania is in talks with Ukrainian manufacturers on the production of marine and missile drones, Defence Minister Dovile Sakaliene said on Wednesday.

    • LRT ☛ ‘We have differences,’ says Lithuanian president on relations with US

      Despite differing views between European and United States leaders on the war in Ukraine, this should not negatively affect bilateral relations between Vilnius and Washington, President Gitanas Nausėda said.

    • New York Times ☛ Families in Ukraine Wait for P.O.W.s to Come Home, at Last

      In a parking lot in Ukraine, hundreds of family members gathered to greet loved ones being repatriated from Russian prisons. Amid happy reunions, there was anguish, too.

    • New York Times ☛ Russia and Ukraine Trade Strikes Before Moscow’s Victory Day Parade

      The attacks came a day before a Russian-proposed cease-fire was to take effect and as Moscow prepared to welcome foreign dignitaries for a parade.

    • Meduza ☛ Passengers stuck on planes for hours as Russian airlines cancel and delay dozens of flights amid Ukrainian drone attacks — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Trump administration asked Ukraine to take third-country nationals deported from U.S. — The Washington Post — Meduza

    • Atlantic Council ☛ Putin’s parade cynically exploits WWII to justify his own criminal invasion

      Putin is expected to use this week's Victory Day parade marking 80 years since the defeat of Hitler to legitimize his current invasion of Ukraine. But if anyone is guilty of echoing the crimes of the Nazis, it is Putin himself, writes Peter Dickinson.

    • France24 ☛ Putin's order for three-day ceasefire with Ukraine enters force

      Russian President Vladimir Putin’s unilateral order for a three-day ceasefire in Ukraine took effect Thursday, timed to coincide with Russia’s Victory Day commemorations. The Kremlin framed the move as a “test” of Kyiv’s willingness for peace, but Ukrainian officials rejected the gesture as mere political theatre and reiterated calls for a longer, 30-day truce.

    • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Chinese leader Pooh-tin aims to beef up ‘no limits’ Putin partnership

      Chinese President Pooh-tin Jinping headed to Moscow on Wednesday for a key three-day visit including a grand Victory Day parade and a show of support for Vladimir Putin. Moscow and Beijing declared a “no limits partnership” weeks before Putin ordered Russia’s Ukraine offensive in February 2022.

    • RFERL ☛ Ukrainian Cities Quiet In Early Hours Of Kremlin-Backed Cease-Fire

      Ukrainian cities were quite early on May 8 after a three-day cease-fire declared by Russia came into effect, with no reports of long-range drones or missile launches after successive nights of bombardment.

    • Meduza ☛ ‘He pulled out an axe and started hitting me’: Russian ‘arms baron’ Mikhail Khubutia reportedly facing criminal charges over brutal attack on ex-girlfriend — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Two people killed in Kyiv in Russian attack — Meduza

    • LRT ☛ Police brace for May 9 in Vilnius

      Lithuania will observe Europe Day on May 9, with the police saying they are closely monitoring activities relating to the Victory Day events in Russia.

    • Meduza ☛ Serbian president’s plane reportedly denied Latvian and Lithuanian airspace for planned flight to Russia’s Victory Day celebrations — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Serbian president's Moscow-bound plane makes emergency landing in Baku due to Russia's flight restrictions amid drone attacks — Meduza

    • LRT ☛ Lithuania detains 31 irregular migrants at border with Belarus

      Lithuanian border guards detained 31 irregular migrants at the border with Belarus overnight and on Wednesday morning.

    • Latvia ☛ Belarus' Tsikhanouskaya to visit Latvia

      On May 8 and 9, 2025, the leader of the Belarusian democratic opposition, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, will be visiting Latvia, according to a release from the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

    • LRT ☛ Lithuania closes airspace to Serbian, Slovak leaders heading to Moscow

      Lithuania will not allow the leaders of Serbia and Slovakia to cross its airspace on their way to Moscow for Victory Day celebrations, sources confirmed to BNS on Wednesday.

    • Meduza ☛ 'We made a colossal mistake' Backlash from war supporters forces Moscow store to apologize for post complaining about altered hours for Victory Day — Meduza

• Transparency/Investigative Reporting

  • American Oversight ☛ American Oversight Demands Investigation Into Vulnerable Messaging App Use After Platform Reportedly Hacked

    The action follows alarming photos of then-National Security Adviser Mike Waltz using the TeleMessage app during a cabinet meeting.

  • Pro Publica ☛ DOGE’s Gavin Kliger Received Conflict Warnings Before CFPB Firings

    Last month, a Department of Government Efficiency aide at the nation’s consumer watchdog agency was told by ethics attorneys that he held stock in companies that employees are forbidden from owning — and was advised not to participate in any actions that could benefit him personally, according to a person familiar with the warning.

    But days later, court records show, Gavin Kliger, a 25-year-old software engineer who has been detailed to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau since early March, went ahead and participated in mass layoffs at the agency anyway, including the firings of the ethics lawyers who had warned him.

  • American Oversight ☛ American Oversight Settles Lawsuit with Gov. DeSantis Amid Scrutiny Over Transparency and Hope Florida Fallout

    Records released following American Oversight’s legal victory shed light on the central figures in the DeSantis scandal.

• Environment

  • The Straits Times ☛ Australian climate protesters disrupt Woodside's annual meet

    SYDNEY - Climate change protesters blew whistles and shouted on Thursday as they disrupted Australian Woodside Energy's annual general meeting, heckling Chief Executive Meg O’Neill and forcing several suspensions.

  • Energy/Transportation

    • New York Times ☛ States Sue Convicted Felon Administration Over Funding Freeze for EV Charging

      A lawsuit led by Washington, Colorado and California accuses the Convicted Felon administration of unlawfully withholding funds for new charging stations.

    • Silicon Angle ☛ Uber shares decline on mixed earnings results [Ed: Losing money to kill the competition (taxis)]

      Shares of Uber Technologies Inc. closed 2.5% lower today after it posted mixed financial results for its first quarter. The company generated net income of $1.78 billion in the three months ended March 31, or 83 cents per share on an adjusted basis. Analysts were expecting 50 cents a share.

    • Hackaday ☛ Germany’s Cabinentaxi: The Double-Sided Monorail That Wasn’t Meant To Be

      The 1970s was a perfect time for alternative modes of transport to be trialed that might replace cars in the wake of the global oil crisis. One of these was the Cabinentaxi, or C-Bahn as it was later called, which was a variation on the standard suspended and monorail concepts.

  • Wildlife/Nature

    • Latvia ☛ Bees in Latvia confused by weather

      Dandelions and apple trees bloom, but bees behave like it's winter and do not produce nectar. The prolonged cold spell in Kurzeme has put bees and beekeepers on hold, Latvian Radio reports on 8 May.

    • Science Alert ☛ Scientists Discover Wild Birds Behaving Suspiciously Like Friends

      Besties for life?

    • Science Alert ☛ We've Only Glimpsed 0.001% of Earth's Deep Seafloor, Study Reveals

      So much of the deep ocean remains a mystery. Like, all of of it.

• Finance

  • New York Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man’s Threat of ‘Foreign’ Film Tariffs Stirs Anxiety in the U.K.

    After struggling through pandemic shutdowns and twin Hollywood strikes, the British film and TV industry is worried that duties will wreak devastation.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Malaysian authorities seeking extradition of 1MDB-linked convicted financier

    Malaysian authorities reportedly submitted an extradition request for Tim Leissner in August 2024.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Malaysia Economy Minister Rafizi says ready to quit Cabinet

    Focus to turn to campaigning for the next general election that is due in early 2028.

  • France24 ☛ US Federal Reserve keeps rates unchanged despite pressure from Convicted Felon

    As widely expected, the US Federal Reserve has kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged despite pressure from President The Insurrectionist.  Fed chair Jerome Powell warned the risks of higher inflation and higher unemployment had risen. Plus, Disney announced a plan to build its first theme park in the Middle East, on Abu Dhabi's Yas island. But first, we take a look at how a 14-year civil war devastated Syria's economy, as interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa visited Paris.

• AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

  • European Commission ☛ Commission decides to refer SWEDEN to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to fulfil its obligations under EU maritime security acquis

    European Commission Press release Brussels, 07 May 2025 Today, the European Commission decided to refer Sweden to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to remedy an infringement in relation to the EU's legal framework on maritime security (Regulation (EC) No 725/2004, Directive 2005/65/EC and Commission Regulation (EC) 324/2008).

• Censorship/Free Speech

  • BIA Net ☛ Youtuber İlker Canikligil released after six weeks in custody over remarks targeting Erdoğan supporters

    Canikligil was arrested in late March after calling for “order 66” against Erdoğan’s supporters, referencing a mass extermination command from the Star Wars series.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Meta blocks access to Muslim news page in India

    The account’s founder denounced the move as “censorship” amid hostilities between India and Pakistan.

• Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press

  • Press Gazette ☛ 2025 journalism job cuts tracked: Two Los Angeles newsrooms make cuts

  • Press Gazette ☛ Mail publisher asks Prince Harry’s lawyers for ‘payment for evidence’ documents

    Preliminary hearing held in case of Harry, Doreen Lawrence and others against Associated Newspapers.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Hong Kong media outlet Channel C says bank account frozen, offers refund process for patrons

    Local media outlet Channel C has announced that it cannot access its bank account and has offered a refund process for its paid members.

• Civil Rights/Policing

  • Breach Media ☛ How Canadian media provide cover for racist acts

    Desmond Cole explains why establishment media’s practice of concealing the identity of perpetrators of racist acts isn’t just bad journalism but a gift to white supremacy

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Hong Kong police take in relatives of wanted activist Joe Tay for questioning

    Hong Kong police have taken in relatives of activist Joe Tay, who has a HK$1 million bounty on his head for alleged national security violations. Tay’s cousin and the cousin’s wife were brought from their home in Fo Tan to a police station on Thursday morning, according to local media.

• Internet Policy/Net Neutrality

  • APNIC ☛ Event Wrap: NZNOG 2025

    APNIC participated in NZNOG 2025, held in Napier, New Zealand from 9 to 11 April 2025.

  • Internet Society ☛ Community Snapshot—April

    Around the world, the Internet Society’s 130 chapters work locally, regionally, and globally to keep the Internet a force for good.

  • APNIC ☛ Co-Packaged Optics — a deep dive

    Guest post: Why CPOs? Why not LPOs?

  • LWN ☛ The end of the USENIX Annual Technical Conference

    On the 50th anniversary of the USENIX organization, its flagship Annual

    Technical Conference (ATC) is coming

    to an end.

Monopolies/Monopsonies

• Public Knowledge ☛ Public Knowledge Joins 16 Groups Urging FTC To Define Digital Ownership

  Today, Public Knowledge joined 16 other public interest, consumer rights, and library groups in a letter urging Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew Ferguson to protect consumers in the digital marketplace by establishing clear ground rules for digital ownership and sales of goods.

• Public Knowledge ☛ The Great Big Beautiful Lie (of Digital Purchases) [Ed: Microsoft conflict of interest therein]

  "Buy now" buttons for digital purchases are more than a little misleading.

• Patents

  • JUVE ☛ Gucci does not infringe Agfa leather printing patent [Ed: EPO leading to abusive, false, baseless legal actions again]

    Printing company Agfa sued luxury goods brand Gucci for patent monopoly infringement. The case concerns Agfa’s patent monopoly EP 3 388 490, which covers a manufacturing method for embellishing natural leather with decorative images.

  • Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ Estoppel Gutted: A Pelican’s Guide to Patent Litigation

    In a significant decision narrowing the scope of Inter Partes Review (IPR) estoppel, the Federal Circuit has held that a patent monopoly challenger who previously pursued an IPR can still rely on system prior art in district court litigation, even when that system was fully documented in publications that could have been raised during the IPR.  A key implication from this case is that despite the estoppel provision, a printed publication from an IPR can be later used in the litigation as part of the same combination of references used in the IPR, so long as the publications are categorized by the patent monopoly challenger in the litigation as proving that the invention was known/used/on-sale. Ingenico Inc. v. IOENGINE, LLC, No. 23-1367 (Fed. Cir. May 7, 2025).

  • JUVE ☛ Taylor Wessing launches Paris patent monopoly practice with team from Pinsent Masons [Ed: Seems like marketing spam (follow the money) framed as "news"]

    Full-service firm Taylor Wessing already has an IP team in the French capital focusing mainly on soft IP. The new dedicated patent monopoly team will launch with four litigators.

• Trademarks

  • TTAB Blog ☛ Petitioner Failed to Prove "Standing" for Cancellation of KINNEY SHOES Registration

    In this clash of pro se parties, both of whom appear to be in the business of disinterring defunct  trademarks (a/k/a "zombie" marks), Petitioner Superior Brands, LLC sought to cancel a Supplemental Registration owned by Retrobrands America LLC for the word mark KINNEY SHOES for "On-line retail store services featuring high-end designer shoes, orthopedic shoes, sailing shoes, and metal tipped work boots not including dancing shoes or any dancing related apparel." Superior claimed priority and likelihood of confusion with the mark shown below, for footwear, the subject of Superior's pending i-t-u application. Unfortunately for Superior, it failed to prove its entitlement to a statutory cause of action. Superior Brands, LLC v. Retrobrands America LLC, Cancellation No. 92081356 (April 29, 2025) [not precedential] (Opinion by Judge Thomas W. Wellington).

• Copyrights

  • Digital Music News ☛ Bakar’s Viral ‘Hell N Back’ Crashes Into Copyright Suit — Plaintiff Alleges ‘False Claim of Ownership’ on Sampled Track

    Bakar’s viral “Hell N Back” has crashed into a massive copyright monopoly infringement lawsuit for allegedly sampling a decades-old track without proper authorization. New York City-based Tuff City Records fired off the multifaceted complaint yesterday, naming as defendants not only Bakar, but Resnik Music Group, Sony Music UK, its Black Butter Records imprint, and others yet.

  • Public Domain Review ☛ Mudpots and Fumaroles: Lithographs of Yellowstone’s Thermal Springs (1883)

    Images gathered during a survey by Ferdinand V. Hayden, who was responsible for the designation of Yellowstone as a national park.

  • Public Domain Review ☛ Warburg’s Werewolf: An Anamnesis

    Aby Warburg spent his life finding forms that could hold their own against the flow of time. All the while, as Kevin Dann explores, he was churning on the brink of madness with the sense that he himself was changing — into a terrifying animal. What kind of history would a werewolf write?

  • Public Domain Review ☛ As Bright as a Feather: Ostriches, Home Dyeing, and the Global Plume Trade

    In the 19th century, dyed ostrich feathers were haute couture, adorning the hats and boas of fashionistas on both sides of the Atlantic. Whitney Rakich examines the far-reaching ostrich industry through a peculiar do-it-yourself-style book: Alexander Paul’s The Practical Ostrich Feather Dyer (1888), a text interleaved with richly colored specimens.

  • Public Domain Review ☛ A Popeless Situation: Now and Then #2

    Papal elections begin, in 2025 and 1268.

  • Public Domain Review ☛ Feather Tickler: Tiny Cryptic #8

    Eighth instalment in our series of extremely small and free-form cryptic crossword puzzles, themed on our latest essay.

  • Digital Music News ☛ Snapchat Finalizes a Broad Number of Music Publisher Licensing Agreements — Very Much Unlike Twitter/X

    Snapchat owner Snap Inc. has finalized a broad number of licensing agreements with major music publishers, according to details tipped to Digital Music News. The yellow ghost isn’t ghosting music publishers — according to signed agreement details shared with Digital Music News.