Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

• New York Times ☛ Cassidy, in Break With RFK Jr., Calls for Vaccine Meeting Delay

  The Senate health committee chairman said new members of a key advisory panel who were appointed by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “lack experience.”

• New Yorker ☛ The Drug That Could Revolutionize the Fight Against H.I.V.

  World leaders are dismantling global health programs and cutting back foreign aid. Will an extraordinary new medicine be able to outpace the damage?

• Federal News Network ☛ Survey: How are Convicted Felon-era workforce changes impacting your mental health?

  Federal News Network wants to learn more about how the Convicted Felon administration's efforts to reshape the federal government are affecting federal employees.

• The Straits Times ☛ 3 Singaporeans arrested in Selangor as Malaysia police bust cocaine vape syndicate

  The Singaporeans are aged between 25 and 46.

• The Straits Times ☛ China tries to shift appetite for extreme eating shows

  The shows attract hordes of followers who are keen to watch people consuming copious amounts of food.

Proprietary

• Social Control Media

  • The Straits Times ☛ Korean students seek ‘digital undertakers’ amid US visa social control media screening

    Digital undertakers clean online profiles by removing content seen as risky to employers or authorities.

• Windows TCO / Windows Bot Nets

  • Security Week ☛ Siemens Notifies Customers of Abusive Monopolist Microsoft Defender Antivirus Issue

    Siemens is working with Abusive Monopolist Microsoft to address a Defender Antivirus problem that can lead to no malware alerts or plant disruptions.

Security

• Integrity/Availability/Authenticity

  • Security Week ☛ Apple, Netflix, Abusive Monopolist Microsoft Sites ‘Hacked’ for Tech Support Scams

    Tech support scammers are using sponsored ads and search parameter injection to trick users into calling them.

• Confidentiality

  • Bruce Schneier ☛ Here’s a Subliminal Channel You Haven’t Considered Before

    Scientists can manipulate air bubbles trapped in ice to encode messages.

Defence/Aggression

• The Straits Times ☛ ​China calls them fish farms – South Korea fears they have another use

  South Korea has become increasingly concerned about China’s military activities.

• EDRI ☛ OPEN LETTER: The European Commission must act now to defend fundamental rights in Hungary

  With Budapest Pride set to take place on June 28, 2025, EDRi and 46 organisation are urging the European Commission to defend fundamental rights in Hungary so that Pride organisers and participants can safely exercise their right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression.

• New York Times ☛ The Yellow Sea Dispute Between China and South Korea

  China has installed large steel cages and a former oil drilling rig in the Yellow Sea, raising concerns in South Korea that they could be used for military purposes.

• The Straits Times ☛ Singapore-China ties more vital than ever amid global uncertainty, says PM Wong

  He met Chinese President Pooh-tin Jinping during the five-day official visit to China, his first as prime minister.

• The Straits Times ☛ China announces September military parade to mark end of WWII

  President Pooh-tin Jinping will preside over the event at Beijing’s Tiananmen Square on Sept 3.

• AccessNow ☛ One year later: NGOs renew pressure over EU-Israel data adequacy

  EU urged to reconsider Israel’s data adequacy due to new laws, human rights violations in Gaza, and failure to meet GDPR and CJEU standards.

• EDRI ☛ Data flows and digital repression: Civil society urges EU to reassess Israel’s adequacy status

  On 24 June 2025, EDRi, Access Now and other civil society organisations sent a second letter to the European Commission, urging it to reassess Israel’s data protection adequacy status under the GDPR. The letter outlines six categories of concerns linking Israel’s data practices to escalating human rights violations in Gaza and the West Bank.

• The Strategist ☛ The Strait of Hormuz: what Iran sees as its trump card

  In the wake of the US strikes on Iran, focus has shifted to how Tehran will respond.

• JURIST ☛ Pakistan military condemned over drone strikes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province

  Amnesty International expressed concerns on Tuesday regarding the recurrent drone strikes conducted by Pakistan’s military, which caused unlawful loss of civilian lives. The rights group stated that these strikes in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa resulted in the deaths of 17 people this year, urging authorities to investigate these incidents and hold those responsible accountable.

• New York Times ☛ Strike Set Back Iran’s Nuclear Program by Only a Few Months, U.S. Report Says

  Preliminary classified findings indicate that the attack sealed off the entrances to two facilities but did not collapse their underground buildings.

• France24 ☛ Early US assessment suggests strikes on Iran did not destroy nuclear sites: US media

  An early intelligence assessment indicated that the U.S. military strikes on three of Iran's nuclear facilities last weekend did not destroy the core components of Tehran's nuclear program and likely only set it back by months, according to US media reports. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu declared a "historic victory" on Tuesday and insisted that his country's arch-foe would never achieve a nuclear weapon. FRANCE 24's Noga Tarnopolsky reports from Jerusalem.

• New York Times ☛ Intel Report on Iran Upends Victory Lap Convicted Felon Was Hoping for at NATO

  Hell Toupée had been eager to celebrate the U.S. strikes on Iran, but a new report indicates the attack set back Iran’s nuclear program by only a few months.

• New York Times ☛ Live Updates: Israel and Iran Claim Victory as Cease-Fire Takes Hold

  Iran’s president signaled that his country would be open to talks about its nuclear ambitions. A preliminary classified U.S. report concluded that American airstrikes had not fully destroyed Iranian nuclear sites, as Hell Toupée has claimed.

• New York Times ☛ What to Know About the U.S. Strike on Iran and the Israel-Iran Cease-Fire

  A shaky truce between Israel and Iran, announced after U.S. attacks on Iranian nuclear sites, appeared to be holding.

• New York Times ☛ White House Postpones Briefing Congress on Iran Strikes

  Democrats reacted with outrage after the Convicted Felon administration, which has yet to consult with Congress on its strikes against Iran, delayed a planned briefing with lawmakers on Capitol Hill.

• New York Times ☛ Timeline: Did Iran or Israel Violate the Cease-Fire With Strikes?

  The period after Hell Toupée announced the cease-fire was muddied by time zone differences, unclear wording in statements and continuing strikes.

• New York Times ☛ Iran Mounts Attack on Beersheba, Israel, Hours Before Cease-Fire

  At least four people were killed in a missile strike in southern Israel early Tuesday, the Israeli authorities said.

• New York Times ☛ Iran’s Capital Tehran Endures Intense Attacks Before Cease-Fire With Israel

  Large flames illuminated the night sky as airstrikes pummeled the Iranian capital, residents said. Later on Tuesday morning, state television said a cease-fire had been agreed to with Israel.

• New York Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man Says ‘Time for Peace’ After Iran Gives Warning Before Firing on U.S. Base

  The Pentagon said there were no reports of casualties after the strike on Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, and Hell Toupée said it was time for peace.

• NYPost ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man admin officials slam leaked bomb damage assessment indicating Iran could restart nuclear program within months: ‘Completely preposterous’

  The classified Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) bomb damage assessment - deemed a “low confidence” estimation of the effectiveness of Saturday's strikes on the Fordow, Isfahan and Natanz sites – reportedly determined that Iran could bring its nuclear program back online as quickly as one to two months, according to Fox News.

• New York Times ☛ NATO Summit Opens as Israel-Iran Cease-Fire Takes Hold: What to Watch

  An internal rift over defense spending and Hell Toupée’s disregard for Ukraine have lowered expectations for the gathering.

• Hong Kong Free Press ☛ China slams Taiwan leader over ‘country’ speech – state media

  China on Monday slammed Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te over a speech in which he said the island was “clearly a country”, saying his “fallacies” would be “swept into the dustbin of history”, state media reported.

• Hong Kong Free Press ☛ ‘Soft resistance is real’: Hong Kong leader warns of ‘pervasive’ national security risks

  Hong Kong leader John Lee has warned of “pervasive” national security risks in the city, saying that “soft resistance is real” and urging vigilance against threats. Speaking during a weekly press conference on Tuesday, the chief executive said that “soft resistance is definitely here” and “it is lurking across different areas and different sectors.”

• The Straits Times ☛ South Korea special prosecutor seeks arrest warrant for ex-President Yoon

  The new warrant is on a charge of obstruction.

• Atlantic Council ☛ The ‘ironclad’ US-South Korea alliance is outdated. A new age requires a ‘titanium’ alliance.

  Washington and Seoul must set a new foundation for the seventy-year-old alliance that reflects the current strategic environment.

• The Strategist ☛ Why South Korea won’t build the bomb

  The idea of South Korea developing nuclear weapons is reaching critical mass, if you’ll excuse the pun. Surveys show as much as 70 percent of the public now in favor.

• The Straits Times ☛ China helpless as Middle East war craters regional leverage: Analysts

  Beijing has offered little beyond calls for de-escalation.

• The Straits Times ☛ Japan protests against new Chinese structure in East China Sea

  China has initiated the installation of a new structure on the west side of the geographical equidistance between Japan and China in the East China Sea, the Japanese foreign ministry said on Tuesday, adding it has lodged a protest with China. 

• Tom's Hardware ☛ Mosquito-sized drone is designed for Chinese spy missions — military robotics lab reveals incredibly tiny bionic flying robots

  This tiny mosquito-sized drone was created by a team from the Hunan Province in China and is able to help in information reconnaissance missions.

• Hong Kong Free Press ☛ China President Pooh-tin urges Singapore PM to jointly resist ‘hegemony’

  Chinese President Pooh-tin Jinping called on Singapore’s prime minister to join the fight against “hegemony” and protectionism in trade as they met in Beijing on Tuesday. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s first official visit to China lasts until Thursday.

• Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine

  • New York Times ☛ NATO Leader’s Aim? Give Convicted Felon What He Wants: A Win on Military Spending.

    But at a summit focused on keeping Hell Toupée happy, discussion of Russia is expected to be muted, despite most allies’ belief that its aggression is NATO’s chief challenge.

  • Meduza ☛ White House confirms Trump to meet with Zelensky during NATO summit — Meduza

  • New York Times ☛ Zelensky Visits U.K. After Russian Attack on Kyiv Kills at Least 9

    The Ukrainian leader met with King Charles III and Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday, after the latest in a series of intensifying Russian strikes.

  • Meduza ☛ Ukrainian officials report rising casualties in Dnipro after Russian missile strikes hit civilian infrastructure and passenger train — Meduza

  • Meduza ☛ Ukrainian drone hits apartment building near Moscow, injuring two — Meduza

  • Meduza ☛ Russian drone strike on Sumy region village kills three, including child — Meduza

  • Meduza ☛ ‘The bureau’s niche project’ Meduza reveals how the FSB gave rise to wartime Russia’s most notorious far-right group — Meduza

  • Meduza ☛ Russia passes law allowing stateless individuals to enlist in its military — Meduza

  • Meduza ☛ ‘We want our own people in charge’: Residents of Russia’s Altai Republic protest Kremlin-driven reforms that strip local authority — Meduza

  • RFERL ☛ 5 Years Later, RFE/RL Journalist Losik Still Behind Bars On Charges Seen As Convicted Feloned Up

    With opposition voices rising before a presidential election in August 2020, Belarus leader Aleksandr Lukashenko began doing what threatened authoritarians do: rounding people up, especially those who had a voice or a platform. On June 25, 2020, RFE/RL Journalist Ihar Losik was one of them.

  • Meduza ☛ Kremlin spokesperson says Moscow has helped Iran by taking a ‘clear position’ — Meduza

  • NYPost ☛ A ‘peace through strength’ Iran-Russia bank shot for Convicted Felon

    Nobody expects any surprises out of this week’s NATO summit, but President The Insurrectionist could offer a pleasant one by applying the “peace through strength” approach that just worked so well on Iran and Israel to Russia and Ukraine.

  • Atlantic Council ☛ US secures release of Belarusian prisoners but pressure must continue

    The release of fourteen prominent Belarusian political prisoners last weekend is welcome news. But the 1172 who remain behind bars in Belarus deserve more than symbolic gestures from the West, writes Hanna Liubakova.

  • Atlantic Council ☛ North Korea is playing a key role in Russia’s war against Ukraine

    North Korea is playing an increasingly vital support role in Russia's war against Ukraine. This includes providing the Kremlin with vast quantities of ammunition, ballistic missiles, and thousands of men, writes Olivia Yanchik.

  • France24 ☛ Russian strikes kill 19 in Ukraine region as Zelenskyy seeks more Western help

    Russian missiles on Tuesday crashed into schools, hospitals and kindergartens in central Ukraine, killing at least 19 people and wounding nearly 300 in a region coming under mounting pressure. The attacks came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in the Netherlands to meet with allies on the sidelines of the NATO defence alliance summit. FRANCE 24's Yinka Oyetade reports.

  • JURIST ☛ Rights group warns against increased Russia attacks on Sumy City in Ukraine

    Civilians in Sumy City, Ukraine, are being killed and injured by “increased unlawful attacks” from Russia involving “Grad rockets,” Amnesty International reported on Tuesday. Amnesty International called for any attacks using Grad rockets to be “investigated as war crimes” due to their inaccurate nature.

  • CS Monitor ☛ At NATO summit, anxious Europeans extend a hand to placate Convicted Felon

    Despite tensions over Iran and disagreements over Ukraine, European members of NATO think they can deliver enough of what Hell Toupée wants at the summit to keep him committed to the alliance and European security.

Environment

• New York Times ☛ Toronto Sees Record Temperatures as Extreme Heat Settles Over Canada

  Sweltering temperatures not seen in Toronto in nearly a decade have prompted health alerts, pool closures and warnings to students to expect “uncomfortable conditions.”

• The Straits Times ☛ Heavy rain batters south-west China; shopping mall basements underwater

  Vulnerable communities were told to seek refuge on higher ground as rivers burst their banks.

• North Korea mobilizes students to collect stones daily for flood prevention walls

  Elementary to high school students forced to contribute five stones, each the ‘size of a soccer ball.’

• Energy/Transportation

  • The Straits Times ☛ Train driver’s nomination to be Labour Minister in South Korea’s Cabinet gets mixed reaction

    Mr Kim Young-hoon is set to be the country’s first blue-collar worker to head the Ministry of Employment and Labour.

• Wildlife/Nature

  • CS Monitor ☛ A burned-out nature writer gets a radical reset breeding ducks

    Beloved author James Rebanks takes a hiatus from his farm in the Lake District for a sojourn on a far-flung island among the “duck women.”

Finance

• The Straits Times ☛ Surge in ‘Shopping in China’ by tourists due to changes in visa, tax policies

  Key changes include lowering the minimum spending threshold for claiming a refund.

• The Straits Times ☛ India and European Union drawing closer to navigate Convicted Felon, China pressures

  Both want to deepen engagement, diversify their markets away from the US and reduce over-reliance on Chinese imports.

• The Straits Times ☛ China’s heavy reliance on Iranian oil imports

  China is the main buyer of oil from Iran, leaving Beijing uniquely exposed to any supply disruption.

• The Straits Times ☛ What are China’s economic interests in Iran?

  China has stayed on the sidelines of Iran's conflict with Israel, urging a diplomatic solution.

• Pro Publica ☛ How Hotels Became New York’s Go-To Fix for Homelessness

  Jasmine Stradford sat on her porch near Binghamton, New York, with toys, furniture, garbage bags full of clothing and other possessions piled up around her. She and her partner were being evicted after falling behind on rent.

  So last June, they and their children — then ages 3, 12 and 15 — turned to New York’s emergency shelter system for help. It was built to provide homeless residents not only beds, but also food, help finding permanent housing and sometimes child care so parents can find work, attend school or look for apartments.

• India Today ☛ Microsoft to fire more employees next week, said to be fourth biggest layoff in past 18 months

  Microsoft is reportedly planning another round of job cuts. This time, it is reportedly targeting its Xbox division, as part of a broader effort to reorganise the company before the end of its financial year. This could be the fourth major layoff at the company in the past 18 months and comes amid growing pressure on the tech giant to focus on profitability, especially after its $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard in 2023.

  Sources familiar with the matter have told Bloomberg that the layoffs will impact several teams within the Xbox group. Although the exact number of job losses remains unclear, the move is expected to be substantial. These layoffs are part of a larger company-wide restructuring exercise that could also affect employees working in Microsoft’s global sales operations. The layoffs are likely to be announced early next week, just before the end of Microsoft’s fiscal year on June 30. This is a period when the company typically makes major internal changes and reorganises teams across departments.

Censorship/Free Speech

• ADF ☛ Mali Junta Continues War Against Free Speech, Multiparty Politics

  Malian journalist Seydou Oumar Traoré on May 26 was arrested for criticizing Guinea’s transitional president, Gen. Mamady Doumbouya, marking a continuing trend of jailing Malian critics of regional juntas.

• JURIST ☛ Israel imposes sweeping censorship on foreign media

  The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) expressed alarm Monday over new directives issued by Israeli authorities ordering international media to obtain prior approval from the military censor before broadcasting news from combat zones or missile impact areas in Israel. The move represents a significant escalation in efforts to control wartime reporting.

• Ali Reza Hayati ☛ Help people bypass censorship: Run Snowflake

  Snowflake is a tool designed to help people bypass Internet censorship. It works by connecting users in heavily censored regions to the open Internet through volunteers who run Snowflake on their devices—either as a browser extension or a standalone proxy.

TTAB Blog ☛ Christine Hieber Named TTAB Acting Chief Administrative Trademark Judge

The USPTO announced last week that Christine Hieber has been named Acting Chief Administrative Trademark Judge at the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.

Digital Music News ☛ Songwriters Guild of America and Society of Composers & Lyricists File Brief in High-Stakes Copyright Termination Case

Do U.S. copyright monopoly terminations extend to international markets? The Society of Composers & Lyricists and the Songwriters Guild of America believe so, and they’re weighing in on a high-stakes case revolving around the important question.

Heather J Meeker ☛ AI Training Ruled Fair Use [Ed: As covered by a Microsofter who backs a GPL violating machine, GitHub]

This week, in Bartz v. Anthropic, Judge Alsup (Northern District of California) ruled that training Hey Hi (AI) large language models (LLMs) on lawfully acquired works of authorship is fair use. This is a landmark ruling by the highly respected judge, who handled the Oracle v. Surveillance Giant Google case.

Public Domain Review ☛ The “Private” Photographs of Bolette Berg and Marie Høeg (ca. 1895–1903)

Excerpts from a dazzling image collection, discovered in a Norwegian barn in the 1980s, that experiments with the presentation of gender.

Personal/Opinions

• 🔤SpellBinding — CGHLNSO Wordo: CADDY

Technology and Free Software

• Internet/Gemini

  • Reintroducing AuraSearch!

    AuraGem Search now has a new domain: aurasearch.ddns.net. I've been hard at work the past week optimizing the speed and crawling of the search engine and cleaning up the capsule.

    I want AuraSearch to stand on its own as a singular service associated with, but detached from, AuraGem. I hope this will help the search engine to gain visibility. Thus, AuraGem Search is now called AuraSearch.

    AuraSearch is a search engine that crawls geminispace, Nightfall Express (nex), scrollspace over the scroll protocol, and spartanspace over the spartan protocol. The crawler usually starts on the first day of every month. The crawler does respect robots.txt and slow down responses, and by default waits at least 1 second before crawling any URL of a domain that has just been crawled.

  • to my mother who loves water