Links 20/05/2025: Biden's Cancer, GDPR Changes, and UK Defamation Cases (or SLAPPs) Fail Again
Contents
- Leftovers
- Science
- Career/Education
- Hardware
- Health/Nutrition/Agriculture
- Proprietary
- Pseudo-Open Source
- Security
- Defence/Aggression
- Transparency/Investigative Reporting
- Environment
- Finance
- AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics
- Censorship/Free Speech
- Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press
- Civil Rights/Policing Monopolies/Monopsonies
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Leftovers
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Science
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Stanford University ☛ YouTuber and former NASA engineer Mark Rober draws full crowd, speaks to scientific storytelling
On Friday evening, science communicator and former NASA engineer Mark Rober drew a filled Memorial Auditorium crowd to speak about the need for connecting through stories when sharing information.
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Science Alert ☛ NASA Mission Captures Eerie New View of The Moon And Sun
Here’s why it looks like that.
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Science Alert ☛ Unknown Species of Bacteria Discovered in China's Space Station
We're not alone.
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Science Alert ☛ Bored Capuchin Monkeys Are Kidnapping Howler Babies in Weird New 'Trend'
A strange and disturbing mystery.
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Science Alert ☛ TRAPPIST-1 Planets Could Be Swimming in Water, Study Shows
One of the most crucial elements for life!
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Science Alert ☛ Video of Orcas Stranded in Algae-Infested Pools Triggers Fresh Concerns
A growing emergency.
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Science Alert ☛ 9 Glorious Mysteries of Nature Continue to Attract Curiosity
Some answers lead to more questions.
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Science Alert ☛ World's First Bladder Transplant Gives Cancer Patient New Hope
“I was a ticking time bomb.”
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Science Alert ☛ Your Voice Could Hide The Tell-Tale Signs of Parkinson's Disease
Listen to your body.
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Science Alert ☛ Bright Streak Appears Over US During Aurora Storm, Mystifying Skywatchers
It's not STEVE.
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Career/Education
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Hong Kong Free Press ☛ US higher education cuts ‘opportune moment’ for Hong Kong to attract talent, says head of city’s top university
Funding cuts at top US universities offer an “opportune moment” for higher education institutions in Hong Kong to attract talent, the head of the University of Hong Kong (HKU) has said.
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Hardware
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The Straits Times ☛ China accuses US of undermining trade talks with warnings against Huawei chips
The Commerce Department has said the use of Huawei Ascend chips is a breach of US export controls.
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Tom's Hardware ☛ Suspected SK hynix HBM tech leaker arrested boarding flight to China
A man suspected of attempting to smuggle SK hynix tech secrets to China was apprehended at South Korea’s Incheon International Airport earlier this month
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Hackaday ☛ Keebin’ With Kristina: The One With The Wafer-Thin Keyboard
Image by [dynam1keNL] via redditBut sir! I can’t believe I missed [dynam1keNL]’s initial flat offering from about a year ago, the mikefive, which came about when he and some friends ordered switches directly from Kailh and Kailh were like, do you want to try these even lower-profile PG1316 laptop switches? It’s called the mikefive because it’s 5 mm thick.
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Hackaday ☛ Easy Panels With InkJet, Adhesives, And Elbow Grease
Nothing caps off a great project like a good, professional-looking front panel. Looking good isn’t easy, but luckily [Accidental Science] has a tutorial for a quick-and-easy front panel technique in the video below.
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Hackaday ☛ Overengineered Freezer Monitor Fills Market Void
A lot of projects we see around here are built not just because they can be built, but because there’s no other option available. Necessity is the mother of invention, as they say. And for [Jeff] who has many thousands of dollars of food stowed in a chest freezer, his need for something to keep track of his freezer’s status was greater than any commercial offering available. Not only are freezers hard on batteries, they’re hard on WiFi signals as well, so [Jeff] built his own temperature monitor to solve both of these issues.
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Health/Nutrition/Agriculture
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New York Times ☛ Biden’s Cancer Diagnosis Leaves Democrats With New Questions
The former president’s cancer diagnosis prompted an outpouring of well wishes and sympathy, as well as some whispered uncertainties that reflected a lack of trust in what he says about his health.
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PHR ☛ Attacks on Health Care in War Zones at All-Time High in 2024: Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition (SHCC)
*This press release is cross-posted from the Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition (SHCC), of which PHR is a Steering Committee Member. GENEVA – In 2024, attacks on health care in conflict reached the highest level ever recorded since the Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition (SHCC) began reporting over a decade ago.
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Medium ☛ Simon Quigley: Coffee and Adapting to your Environment
This morning, I went to make my usual cup of coffee. I was given an espresso machine for Christmas, and I’ve developed this technique for making a warm drink that hits the spot every time.
I’ll start by turning on my espresso machine and starting a single shot of espresso. It dispenses and drips while I’m working on the other parts.
I then grab a coffee cup. Usually one of the taller ones. For maybe the bottom inch or two of the cup, that gets sugar and chocolate milk. Microwave for 45 seconds, pour in the espresso, then wash out the actual espresso from the metal cup with milk. Pour all of that in, another 45 seconds in the microwave, a few quick stirs, and you’re all set.
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Proprietary
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Tom's Hardware ☛ Prominent Computex sign runs backdoored Windows 7, as Abusive Monopolist Microsoft insists we move on from backdoored Windows 10
A day before Computex officially starts, I spotted a sign near the main entrance that is running a version of backdoored Windows from 2009.
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) / LLM Slop / Plagiarism
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New Yorker ☛ Can Scam Altman Be Trusted with the Future? [Ed: No, he is a scam. He also faces a lawsuit from his younger sister for sexual abuses.]
The C.E.O. of Proprietary Chaffbot Company helped usher artificial intelligence into public life. Now, as fears and fortunes mount, his own transformation is just beginning.
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Social Control Media
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Digital Music News ☛ Entire Kanye West Album Leaked on Discord, Leakers Say Proceeds Will Benefit U.S. Holocaust Museum
An entire Kanye West album leaked onto the internet yesterday, prompting the rapper to respond. The announced album was once called WW3, but the rapper took to Ex-Twitter to say he renamed it to CUCK. Leakers say the benefit from the sale of the files went to the U.S. Holocaust Museum—with proof provided.
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Pseudo-Open Source
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Openwashing
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Linuxiac ☛ A New Era: Abusive Monopolist Microsoft Open Sources WSL [Ed: An era of misleading openwash and attacks on the real thing]
After years of anticipation, the backdoored Windows Subsystem for GNU/Linux is now fully open source—developers can build, enhance, and contribute to WSL starting today.
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OMG Ubuntu ☛ Microsoft Open-Sources backdoored Windows Subsystem for Linux [Ed: OMG Windows! These people celebrate openwashing]
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Neowin ☛ Microsoft open-sources backdoored Windows Subsystem for GNU/Linux ahead of 10-year anniversary [Ed: Falsely titled for a falsely named EEE-type attack on Linux]
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Security
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Privacy/Surveillance
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NYOB ☛ EU to make GDPR Procedures unworkable
EU to make GDPR Procedures unworkable
The Procedure Regulation that should harmonize GDPR enforcement but will introduce excessively long deadlines and overly complex procedures. noyb considers annulment procedure.
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Federal News Network ☛ Lawmaker calls for investigation into DOGE access to IRS systems
Connolly also highlighted potential issues with the IRS’s data-sharing agreements with the Department of Homeland Security.
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EDRI ☛ Open Letter: Reopening the GDPR is a threat to rights, accountability, and the future of EU digital policy
108 civil society organisations, academics, companies and other experts, including EDRi, are concerned about the proposals to reopen the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). They are calling on the European Commission to protect people’s rights and dignity in a data-driven world by reaffirming the GDPR as the cornerstone of EU’s digital law and supporting its rigorous enforcement.
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EDRI ☛ Welcoming our new Executive Director Amber Sinha
It is with great excitemenet that we announce the appointment of Amber Sinha as EDRi’s new Executive Director! Amber will join the organisation in the fourth quarter of 2025, as responsible for leading the organisation in achieving its mission and strategy, securing its financial sustainability and ensuring oversight, and the daily management of the operations.
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Internet Society ☛ Encryption Under Threat: The UK’s Backdoor Mandate and Its Impact on Online Safety
Encryption is an essential component of a safe and trustworthy Internet. Weakening it not only undermines personal privacy but also jeopardizes national security and global cybersecurity standards.
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Hong Kong Free Press ☛ M&S Hong Kong not responding to Privacy Commissioner’s Office after online customer data breach
The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (PCPD) has confirmed to HKFP that Marks and Spencer (M&S) Hong Kong has not informed it of a recent customer data leak, nor responded to its enquiries.
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AccessNow ☛ Access Now to EU: protect rights, make the GDPR enforceable
Access Now demands action on the proposed General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Procedural Regulation, ahead of its final trilogue.
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Defence/Aggression
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Atlantic Council ☛ Amid India-Pakistan tensions, the US must rebalance its security priorities in South Asia
The United States should make Pakistan’s Major non-NATO Ally status contingent on Islamabad’s counterterrorism performance and economic reform.
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The Straits Times ☛ South Korea presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo says open to discussing US troop cost
He said it should be more of Seoul’s concern to ensure the US military presence is well maintained in South Korea.
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The Straits Times ☛ Taiwan president offers peace with China but says island must strengthen defences
President Lai Ching-te said Taiwan is happy to have exchanges and cooperation with China as long as there is reciprocal dignity.
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The Straits Times ☛ Taiwan wants peace and talks with China but must strengthen defences, president says
President Lai Ching-te said Taiwan is happy to have exchanges and cooperation with China as long as there is reciprocal dignity.
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Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Buffeted by political chaos, Taiwan’s President Lai marks first year in office
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te celebrates his first year in office on Tuesday as his government grapples with Chinese military pressure, US tariff threats and domestic political turmoil.
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The Strategist ☛ China’s geopolitical dominance game in the South China Sea
For all the talk about the South China Sea’s complexity as a security issue, its geopolitical significance to China is simple: China wants to condition Southeast Asian states to subordinate status.
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The Straits Times ☛ Taiwan plans wealth fund to counter China with global expansion
Officials have long debated creating a sovereign wealth fund in Taiwan, which has US$582.8 billion (S$754.77 billion) of forex reserves.
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France24 ☛ Taiwan president calls for 'peace' with China but says island must prepare for war
Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te said on Tuesday he wanted peace and dialogue with China, but that the island nation must simultaneously strengthen its defences and prepare for war. China has ramped up military drills and war games around Taiwan in the past 12 months.
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The Straits Times ☛ World Health Organization countries don't invite Taiwan to annual assembly
GENEVA - Member states of the World Health Organization on Monday rejected a proposal to invite Taiwan to its annual assembly in Geneva after China voiced opposition.
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France24 ☛ No, China did not violate Israel’s aid blockade
Users a sharing a series of viral videos on social control media, claiming to show Chinese aircrafts dropping aid into Gaza, despite Israel’s aid blockade since March 2. We debunk these claims in this edition of Truth or Fake.
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Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Hong Kong gov’t rejects NGO’s plan to open homeless shelter in Cheung Sha Wan following public opposition
Hong Kong authorities have rejected an NGO’s application to open a homeless shelter in Cheung Sha Wan, just days after opposition from lawmakers, district councillors, and residents
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Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine
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The Strategist ☛ Indonesia has good reasons to reject Russian aircraft basing
Indonesia has plenty of reason to reject basing of Russian aircraft at its air force base on Biak, an island north of New Guinea at 1,400 km from Darwin.
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Meduza ☛ U.S. authorizes Australia to send decommissioned Abrams tanks to Ukraine — Meduza
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Meduza ☛ Zelensky rules out ceasefire if Russia insists on Ukrainian retreat from occupied regions — Meduza
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Meduza ☛ Trump says he has a 'red line' in talks with Russia and Ukraine — Meduza
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New York Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man Backs Off His Demand That Russia Declare a Cease-Fire in Ukraine
Hell Toupée once vowed to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine in 24 hours. Now he says the two sides should work it out themselves.
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LRT ☛ Lithuania takes Belarus to The Hague over migration crisis
Lithuania has filed a case against Belarus at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, accusing the regime of President Alexander Lukashenko of deliberately orchestrating a migrant crisis in violation of international law, the Foreign Ministry announced Monday.
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JURIST ☛ Lithuania takes Belarus to ICJ over migrant crisis
Lithuania filed a case against Belarus at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Monday, seeking damages in relation to the alleged large-scale smuggling of irregular migrants into Lithuania by the Lukashenko regime.
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Meduza ☛ Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office declares Amnesty International ‘undesirable’ — Meduza
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JURIST ☛ Russia labels Amnesty International as ‘undesirable’ organization
The Russian Prosecutor General’s Office categorized Amnesty International as an ‘undesirable’ organization on Monday. The Prosecutor General’s Office released a statement claiming that Amnesty International Limited is central to global Russophobic projects. Russia also argues that this international non-governmental organization is funded by accomplices of the Ukrainian government.
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RFERL ☛ Amnesty International Defiant In Face Of Russian Designation As 'Undesirable Organization'
Amnesty International pledged to redouble its efforts to expose human rights violations in Russia after Moscow labeled the group an "undesirable organization," effectively outlawing it and making it punishable under Russian law to have any association with it.
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Meduza ☛ 'That's with Napoleon, right?' Russian ultra-nationalists stumble over basic history questions from test for migrants — Meduza
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Meduza ☛ 'We automatically look over our shoulders': Nearly half of Russian LGBTQ people faced violence or threats in 2024, new report finds — Meduza
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New York Times ☛ Russia Beefs Up Bases Near Finland’s Border
Tents, shelters for fighter jets and warehouses for military vehicles show increased Russian presence near one of NATO’s newest members.
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LRT ☛ Lithuanian FM calls for expanded NATO mission in Baltic Sea
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys says last week’s incident off Estonia’s coast, that involved a tanker from Russia’s “shadow fleet”, shows the need to step up NATO’s presence in the Baltic Sea.
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CS Monitor ☛ In Romania, clean politics clean up
A surprise win for a graft-fighting candidate to be the next president shows the top priority of young Romanians. All the better to fend off Russian influence.
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RFERL ☛ French Intelligence Rejects Durov Allegation Of Romanian Election Meddling
Russian-born Pavel Durov said French intelligence asked him to ban Romanian right-wing comments on the Telegram messaging app he founded ahead of the weekend runoff presidential election in the Balkan country, an accusation the Directorate General for External Security (DGSE) rejected.
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France24 ☛ France ‘strongly refutes’ Telegram founder’s allegations of meddling in Romanian elections
France's intelligence service on Monday denied allegations by Pavel Durov, the Russian-born founder of the Telegram messaging app, of meddling in Romania's presidential election. Durov was detained in Paris in 2024 and is under formal investigation by French authorities over illegal content on his popular service.
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RFERL ☛ Nicusor Dan's Surprise Victory in Romanian Presidential Elections Signals Relief for EU, NATO
Nicusor Dan, the centrist and pro-European mayor of Bucharest, has been elected Romania’s new president. His victory over ultranationalist George Simion marks a decisive choice for pro-Western continuity, welcomed by the EU and NATO amid war in neighboring Ukraine.
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LRT ☛ Majority in Lithuania distrust US role in Ukraine-Russia peace talks, poll shows
As the United States intensifies pressure on Ukraine and Russia to negotiate an end to the war launched by Moscow in 2022, more than half of Lithuanians say they do not trust Washington’s mediation efforts, according to a new poll commissioned by BNS and conducted by the public opinion research firm Vilmorus.
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Hong Kong Free Press ☛ China has ‘a responsibility for global peace,’ Germany says
Germany said Monday that China has “a responsibility for global peace” after Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul discussed Russia’s war against Ukraine with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi.
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France24 ☛ In Ukraine, Russia intensifies strikes with drones and guided bombs
The Russian army is stepping up drone strikes in Ukraine and increasingly using Soviet-era glide bombs equipped with modern guidance systems. In Kharkiv, Ukrainian forces recovered an unexploded bomb, now under investigation. Officials say these weapons often target civilians. Here's a report from a France 2 team.
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NYPost ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man is getting the Ukraine-Russia war all wrong — and he’s making it even harder on himself
It was never going to be easy for Hell Toupée to bring an end to the Ukraine war, but it’s even harder when he’s operating under an erroneous theory of the conflict.
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Meduza ☛ Russia launches major drone attack against Ukraine on morning before Trump–Putin call — Meduza
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New York Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man and Putin Discuss Ukraine War in High-Stakes Call
A telephone call between the two leaders was the latest chapter in a flurry of diplomatic maneuvering over ending the three-year conflict.
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New York Times ☛ How the Ukraine War Ends Matters for America
The United States can stand up to the Kremlin in Ukraine now or later. But the cost of waiting could be high.
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Meduza ☛ Trump–Putin phone call has ended after more than two hours — Meduza
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Meduza ☛ ‘We’re moving in the right direction’: Putin summarizes his two-hour May 19 phone call with Trump — Meduza
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Meduza ☛ Trump told Putin, ‘Vladimir, you can call me anytime,’ according to senior Kremlin aide — Meduza
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Meduza ☛ Trump and Putin discussed possible Putin–Zelensky meeting, Kremlin says — Meduza
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RFERL ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man Says Moscow, Kyiv To 'Immediately' Begin Direct Talks Following Call with Putin
US President The Insurrectionist has begun a phone call with Russian leader Vladimir Putin as part of a renewed push by the White House to cement a cease-fire to halt shooting in the Ukraine war.
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France24 ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man calls Putin in push for Ukraine ceasefire
The Insurrectionist held a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, aiming to push for an end to the ongoing war sparked by Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The former U.S. president is hoping a direct personal appeal will persuade Putin to agree to a 30-day unconditional ceasefire with Kyiv. Meanwhile, US Vice President JD Vance says Ukraine talks are at 'an impasse'. FRANCE 24's international editor Philip Turle has more.
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France24 ☛ Russia drone attacks: A warning to EU, US 'it can't be kowtowed' without a reason to de-escalate war
One the eve of President The Insurrectionist's phone calls with Putin, Zelensky and NATO leaders, in an effort to halt the region's deadliest conflict since WWII, Russia carried out its largest drone attack of the war. For in-depth analysis and a deeper perspective, FRANCE 24's François Picard welcomes Dr Samuel Ramani, Associate Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute.
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France24 ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man struggling to push Putin because they 'have really built a friendship', researcher says
We speak to Natasha Lindstaedt, Deputy Dean and Professor in the Department of Government at the University of Essex, about the war in Ukraine and the negotiations for a ceasefire. She says that Convicted Felon and Putin 'have really built a friendship and that's made it difficult for Convicted Felon' to push hard for a ceasefire.
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Transparency/Investigative Reporting
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Press Gazette ☛ Coverage of UK courts threatening to become state-sponsored monopoly
Editors urged to to use independent reports rather than on-side police press releases.
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Environment
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The Straits Times ☛ Landslide at gold mine in Indonesia’s Papua kills six; 14 missing
Torrential rains forced a halt to the search for 14 missing at a gold mine.
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Science Alert ☛ Terrifying Video Shows Earth Cracking And Sliding During Myanmar Quake
Truly alarming.
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The Straits Times ☛ Record May heat scorches north, central China
Multiple cities logged all-time May highs this week as the mercury rose well above 40 deg C.
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Pro Publica ☛ Hurricane Helene’s Unheard Warnings in Yancey County, North Carolina
In their last phone call before bed, Janicke Glynn tries to reassure her husband. He is away visiting a sick relative, and a Weather Channel forecast of Hurricane Helene’s imminent collision with the North Carolina mountains is leaving him uneasy. The storm, more than 400 miles wide, is expected to strike their small community the next morning, Sept. 27.
Janicke encourages him to focus on his family up in Boston. That is more important. She is fine. It’s been raining a lot, but the house is fine. Everything is fine. He’ll fly home tomorrow. She will see him then.
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Energy/Transportation
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New York Times ☛ G.M. Stops Exporting Cars to China
The decision affects relatively few vehicles because the vast majority that General Motors sells there are made in that country.
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New York Times ☛ Chinese Battery Giant Surges in Hong Kong Market Debut
Shares of the company, CATL, surged in their first day of trading. Onshore U.S. investors were blocked from buying its stock as a “decoupling” of finance continued.
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The Straits Times ☛ From a Convicted Felon golf course to a $10.9b Chinese railway, Vietnam finds a way through US-China tensions
It is precariously balancing between the powers as it pursues its own growth and reform agenda.
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Hackaday ☛ The Nightmare Of Jailbreaking A ‘Pay-To-Ride’ Gotcha Ebike
Theoretically bicycle rental services are a great thing, as they give anyone the means to travel around comfortably without immediately having to rent a car, hail a taxi or brave whatever the local public transport options may be. That is until said services go out of business and suddenly thousands of increasingly more proprietary and locked-down e-bikes suddenly are at risk of becoming e-waste. So too with a recent acquisition by [Berm Peak] over at YouTube, featuring a ‘Gotcha’ e-bike by Bolt Mobility, which went AWOL back in 2022, leaving behind thousands of these e-bikes.
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Wildlife/Nature
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The Straits Times ☛ Malaysia sees rise in smuggling of exotic animals
Reasons for the increase include high demand for wildlife as pets and economic hardship.
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The Straits Times ☛ Tapirs top roadkill list in Malaysia
Between 2020 and 2024, 112 Malayan tapirs were struck down by vehicles in Malaysia.
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Finance
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New York Times ☛ In the Future, China Will Be Dominant. The U.S. Will Be Irrelevant.
Dihydroxyacetone Man’s fixation on tariffs while he undermines America’s competitive strengths is hastening the onset of the “Chinese Century.”
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New York Times ☛ EU and UK Strike a Deal: What to Know
Top officials from Britain and the European Union gathered in London on Monday to announce a “reset” of post-Brexit relations.
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New York Times ☛ UK and EU Strike Post-Brexit ‘Reset’ Deal
The agreement includes a new defense partnership and reduced checks on food and drink, removing some trade barriers after months of negotiations.
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Pro Publica ☛ Sean Duffy Sold Stocks Days Before Trump Announced a Plan for Reciprocal Tariffs
Two days before President Donald Trump announced dramatic plans for “reciprocal” tariffs on foreign imports, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy sold stock in almost three dozen companies, according to records reviewed by ProPublica.
The Feb. 11 sales occurred near the stock market’s historic peak, just before it began to slide amid concerns about Trump’s tariff plans and ultimately plummeted after the president unveiled the details of the new tariffs on April 2.
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AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics
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The Straits Times ☛ Two PKR leaders woo grassroots on nationwide tours amid power struggle in Malaysia’s ruling party
Party deputy president Rafizi Ramli is defending his post against Nurul Izzah, PM Anwar's eldest daughter.
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The Straits Times ☛ China fully respects Denmark’s sovereignty on Greenland, foreign minister says
Ties between China and Denmark are challenged by the latter's informal relations with Taiwan.
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LRT ☛ Former ambassador scolds Lithuanian Eurovision jury for not giving points to Israeli song
Former Israeli ambassador, Yossef Levy, has posted a strongly-worded message on Facebook, castigating some European juries, including in Lithuania, for not awarding any points to Israel’s entry at the Eurovision Song Contest. The post has elicited indignation from Lithuanian politicians.
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Misinformation/Disinformation/Propaganda
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MIT Technology Review ☛ Can crowdsourced fact-checking curb misinformation on social control media?
In a 2019 speech at Georgetown University, Mark Kapo-berg famously declared that he didn’t want Facebook (Farcebook) to be an “arbiter of truth.” And yet, in the years since, his company, Meta, has used several methods to moderate content and identify misleading posts across its social control media apps, which include Facebook, Instagram, and Threads.
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Censorship/Free Speech
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Press Gazette ☛ Man who said Guardian article ‘forced him into hiding’ has libel case thrown out
Suggesting that a person is gay is not defamatory, judge says.
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Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press
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The Straits Times ☛ South Korea police seek journalist arrest over martial law ‘fake report’
Yoon's declaration had fuelled a surge in misinformation and conspiracy theories online.
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JURIST ☛ Press freedom group condemns censorship of Pakistan journalist Ahmad Noorani
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) urged Pakistani authorities on Friday to restore domestic access to the YouTube channel of the exiled investigative journalist Ahmad Noorani, following the journalist’s recent criticism of the Pakistani army and continued journalistic activism.
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Civil Rights/Policing
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Bryan Lunduke ☛ Verizon Admits DEI is Discriminatory, Drops Diversity Policies
IBM.
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Federal News Network ☛ Appeals court allows Convicted Felon’s anti-union order to take effect
An appeals court has cleared the way for President The Insurrectionist’s executive order aimed at ending collective bargaining rights for hundreds of thousands of federal employees while a lawsuit plays out. The Friday ruling came after the Convicted Felon administration asked for an emergency pause on a judge’s order blocking enforcement at roughly three dozen agencies and departments. The majority ruled on technical grounds, finding that the unions don’t have the legal right to sue because Convicted Felon hasn't ended any collective bargaining agreements yet. The government says Convicted Felon needs the executive order so his administration can cut the federal workforce to ensure strong national security. Union leaders argue the order is designed to facilitate mass firings.
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Unicorn Media ☛ Google’s (and Others) Approach to Vendor Lock-In
Our Marco Fioretti shares his thoughts on Google's (and others') bad boy behavior against Nextcloud (and others).
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Patents
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Unified Patents ☛ Empire IP entity, IOT Innovations, IOT controller patent monopoly challenged
On May 16, 2025, Unified Patents filed an ex parte reexamination proceeding against U.S. Patent 8,085,796, owned and asserted by IOT Innovations, LLC, an NPE and Empire IP entity. The ‘796 patent monopoly relates to controlling communications with a user's various communication devices.
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Kluwer Patent Blog ☛ Visser’s Annotated EPC 2025 – major updates at a glance
As spring turns to summer and the days grow longer across EPC Member States (and, in some cases, banish darkness entirely with the midnight sun!), many of us in the IP community eagerly await the release of the new Visser, now in its 33rd iteration!
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Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ An IDS is Now the Best Defense Against IPRs: Ecto World v. RAI
In a significant development for PTAB practice, Acting USPTO Director Coke Morgan Stewart has issued a precedential decision that conclusively establishes IDS-cited art as grounds for discretionary denial while creating a narrow exception for "mega-IDSs." Ecto World, LLC v. RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc, IPR2024-01280_paper_13_20250519. The case places a burden on petitioners to demonstrate examiner error in situations where the ground for the IPR petition relies upon art that had been formally considered by the examiner during original prosecution.
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Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ Thin Ice That Held: Samsung’s IPR Strategy Survived Scrutiny at the Federal Circuit
Power2B, Inc. v. Samsung Elecs. Co., Ltd., Nos. 23-2184, 24-1399, 24-1400 (Fed. Cir. May 19, 2025)
Two key canons of claim construction are that of claim differentiation and claim term differentiation - each patent monopoly claim is presumed to have its own scope and coverage, as is each element of each claim. The use of different terms in different claims "connotes different meanings." CAE Screenplates Inc. v. Heinrich Fiedler GmbH & Co. KG, 224 F.3d 1308 (Fed. Cir. 2000). But, these are not an incredibly strong presumptions, and the court has regularly construed different terms in separate claims to cover the same subject matter. See, Edwards Lifesciences LLC v. Cook Inc., 582 F.3d 1322 (Fed. Cir. 2009) and Nystrom v. TREX Co., 424 F.3d 1136 (Fed. Cir. 2005).
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GAO Report Confirms Systemic Patent Quality Issues at USPTO
Last month, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) published a patent monopoly quality report finding “persistent examination and quality issues” at the USPTO.
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Kangaroo Courts
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JUVE ☛ UK barristers and the UPC: Bringing the British art of advocacy to the new court [Ed: UPC is illegal and after Brexit it's even more illegal; that JUVE is paid to promote this illegality is yet another scandal]
Richard Davis, barrister at Hogarth Chambers, is likely the first UK barrister to plead a case before the UPC. In late March, he represented Stanley Black & Decker before the Nordic Baltic local division in a dispute with Viking Arm over hand tools.
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Trademarks
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TTAB Blog ☛ Third-Party Registrations and Uses Yield TTAB Reversal of Section 2(d) Refusal
The Board reversed a Section 2(d) refusal to register the mark STADIUM SPORTS BAR & GRILL for “Bar and restaurant services inside of a casino" [SPORTS BAR & GRILL disclaimed], over the registered mark shown below for, inter alia, bar services [EAT • DRINK • SPORTS • GAMES disclaimed]. The services are legally identical (registrant's services encompassed applicant's services) and presumably are offered in the same channels of trade to the same classes of consumers. But in light of the weakness of the formative STADIUM, the Board found the marks sufficiently dissimilar to render confusion unlikely. In re Boyd Gaming Corporation, Serial No. 97838771 (May 14, 2025) [not precedential] (Opinion by Judge Cheryl S. Goodman).
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Copyrights
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Digital Music News ☛ Appeals Court Puts Lil Nas X Photo Infringement Case to Bed
In a significant ruling for the music industry and artists’ social control media practices, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has definitively dismissed a copyright monopoly infringement case levied against Lil Nas X over Instagram photos.
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Digital Music News ☛ Ed Sheeran Legal Team Petitions Against Supreme Court Review in ‘Thinking Out Loud’ Case Appeal
Ed Sheeran is firing back against a Supreme Court cert petition in one of multiple “Thinking Out Loud” copyright monopoly suits. As the artist and his team see things, reversing the courts’ prior decisions could set the stage for a tidal wave of speculative infringement actions.
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Digital Music News ☛ 87-Year-Old Connie Francis Reacts to Her 1962 Song ‘Pretty Little Baby’ Going Viral On TikTok
Connie Francis reacts to her 1962 song “Pretty Little Baby” becoming a viral hit on TikTok, 63 years after she recorded it. Connie Francis, 87, was surprised to learn her 1962 song “Pretty Little Baby” is having a massive resurgence, going viral on TikTok—even if she had to ask what exactly that meant.
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Monopolies/Monopsonies
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