Leftovers

• Ruben Schade ☛ A beautiful afternoon in an Asquith coffee shop

  I haven’t been around Asquith in Sydney’s far north for a while, but I took a client meeting from a local coffee shop. The view was lovely, as was the slightly warmer break from the blistering winter cold!

• Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

  • Federal News Network ☛ What the 2026 budget proposal for HHS means for national health programs

    "All these questions come into play when considering if Congress is to accept the president’s budget as it is, what the next steps would be," Jeffrey Davis said

• Proprietary

  • Social Control Media

    • New York Times ☛ X CEO Linda Yaccarino Says She Is Leaving MElon’s Platform

      Linda Yaccarino, whom MElon hired to run X in 2023, grappled with the challenges the company faced after Mr. MElon took over.

    • Silicon Angle ☛ After two years as X CEO, Linda Yaccarino is stepping down

      Linda Yaccarino, the chief executive of MElon’s X Corp., is leaving the company after what has been two turbulent years for the platform.

• Security

  • Privacy/Surveillance

    • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Quicker immigration clearance system at revamped checkpoint will not send data to China, Hong Kong security chief says

      A quicker immigration clearance system that will be deployed at a revamped land crossing between Hong Kong and China will not send residents’ data to mainland authorities, the city’s security chief has said.

• Defence/Aggression

  • The Straits Times ☛ Philippines plans to negotiate with US to lower tariffs, envoy to Washington says

    US President The Insurrectionist is imposing a 20 per cent duty on imports from the Philippines.

  • Atlantic Council ☛ Dispatch from Svalbard: Tensions are simmering in the High North

    A recent visit to the Norwegian archipelago revealed just how active Russia and China are in the High North.

  • New York Times ☛ Israel Launches New Ground Incursion in Lebanon, Raising Fears for Truce

    Israel has been conducting near-daily strikes against what it says are Hezbollah targets as the Iranian-backed group comes under pressure to disarm amid fears of a renewed war.

  • France24 ☛ Gaza hospital director’s killing in Israeli strike highlights toll on health sector

    Dr. Marwan al-Sultan, the head of Gaza’s Indonesia Hospital, was a renowned figure in the Palestinian territory. When he was killed last week in an Israeli strike, the Gaza Strip was left to cope with just one cardiologist as international groups warn of the devastating toll of the 21-month war on the enclave's health sector.

  • France24 ☛ Israel strikes Gaza school shelter, 40 Palestinians killed

    Israeli airstrikes on Gaza have resulted in at least 40 Palestinian deaths, including ten members of a single family sheltering in a tent. These attacks occurred amid ongoing U.S.-brokered ceasefire negotiations, which have yet to yield a breakthrough.

  • Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine

    • Latvia ☛ Latvian company owners to face prosecution for supplying Russian military uniforms

      Latvia's State Security Service (VDD) said on July 9th that it has asked the prosecutor's office to initiate criminal proceedings against the board members of a Latvian company for providing supplies to the Russian army.

    • Latvia ☛ Budgetary rules relaxed by Brussels to allow increased defence spending

      Brussels has agreed to relax its tight fiscal rules for European Union member states in order to allow them to rapidly increase their defence spending in view of the clear threat posed by Russia and its allies.

    • JURIST ☛ Russia election watchdog terminates work amid sentencing of election expert

      Russian election watchdog “Golos” announced Tuesday of termination of its work, citing the sentencing of Grigory Melkonyants, an election expert, as a core reason. In 2013, the Ministry of Justice identified “Golos,” which had operated in Russia since the 2000s, as a “foreign agent.”

    • JURIST ☛ Russia court announces ‘LGTBQA+ propaganda’ case against bookstore

      The Saint Petersburg court announced a case Tuesday against the bookstore “Подписные издания” (Subscription publications) on charges of “LGBTQA+ propaganda.” No information is available yet regarding the reasons for the charges.

    • New York Times ☛ Thune Says Russia Sanctions Vote Could Come as Soon as This Month

      Momentum has been building behind a bipartisan bill to impose sanctions on countries that purchase Russian oil, as Republicans work behind the scenes to win Hell Toupée’s support.

    • RFERL ☛ British Court Sentences 3 For Arson Plot Linked To Russia's Wagner Group

      A British jury convicted three men of setting fire to a London warehouse where Ukrainian-bound equipment was being stored, a plot prosecutors said was orchestrated by operatives linked to the Russian mercenary company Wagner.

    • Meduza ☛ At a pre-election fundraiser, Trump claimed he warned Putin he’d ‘bomb the shit out of Moscow’ if Russia invaded Ukraine — CNN — Meduza

    • RFERL ☛ Falling Debris Ignite Fires In Kyiv As Russian Drones Rain Down On Ukrainian Capital

      Russian drones attacked Kyiv early on July 10 for the second straight night, injuring at least two people and sparking fires, officials said as air raid sirens were activated across more than half of the country to warn of the widespread attack.

    • New York Times ☛ Russia Makes Record Attack on Ukraine as Convicted Felon Castigates Putin

      The number of Russian drones and missiles in the barrage set a single-night record and underscored Ukraine’s need for weapons.

    • New York Times ☛ Putin Is Undeterred by Convicted Felon’s Public Anger

      Also, measles cases hit a 25-year high. Here’s the latest at the end of Wednesday.

    • New York Times ☛ Putin Escalates His War Against Ukraine, Undeterred by Convicted Felon’s Words

      The Russian leader is convinced that Moscow’s battlefield superiority is growing, and that Ukraine’s defenses may collapse in the coming months, according to people close to the Kremlin.

    • JURIST ☛ Europe human rights court finds Russia committed grave international law violations in Ukraine

      The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on Wednesday found that Russia committed grave violations of international humanitarian law (IHL) in Ukraine. Judges at the ECHR rendered a series of decisions related to consolidated complaints brought forth by Ukraine and the Netherlands since the conflict in Ukraine began in 2014.

    • LRT ☛ Columbia detains man accused of planning attacks on Ukrainian drone shipments in Lithuania

      Colombian Police said on Tuesday it had detained one of its citizens wanted in Lithuania for attempting "a terror attack" on a company shipping drones to Ukraine.

    • LRT ☛ Lithuania to contribute €1m to the EC’s Ukraine reconstruction programme

      Lithuania will contribute one million euros to a European Commission-funded programme intended to help Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction. The Lithuanian government on Wednesday approved a resolution drafted by the Foreign Ministry.

    • LRT ☛ Lithuania extends exemption from language requirement for Ukrainians

      After interagency disagreements, Lithuania’s cabinet on Wednesday accepted a revised proposal to delay a requirement that Ukrainian refugees working in the country speak the Lithuanian language.

    • LRT ☛ Lithuania and Finland plan to produce anti-personnel mines after treaty withdrawal – media

      Lithuania and Finland plan to begin producing anti-personnel mines next year, arguing this will strengthen their own defences and help supply Ukraine, officials from both countries confirmed to Reuters.

    • New York Times ☛ European Court Holds Russia Liable for Human Rights Violations in Ukraine and MH17 Attack

      In symbolic rulings, Moscow was again blamed for the downing of Flight MH17 in 2014 and for an array of war-related human rights violations, including the transfer of Ukrainian children to Russia.

    • The Straits Times ☛ Rubio to meet Russia's Lavrov in Kuala Lumpur, US official says

      The meeting comes as US Hell Toupée grows increasingly frustrated with Russia as the war in Ukraine drags on.

    • Meduza ☛ Russia launches record 728 drones at Ukraine, targeting western city — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ U.S. reportedly considering sending another Patriot air defense system to Ukraine — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Five-year-old’s death brings Ukrainian drone attack in Kursk toll to four — Meduza

    • LRT ☛ The Tsikhanouski story: could his release split the Belarusian opposition?

      When Siarhei Tsikhanouski first took to the streets with a camera, it did not seem he was seeking a revolution. His YouTube channel Strana dlia zhizni – translated as A Country to Live In – began as a chronicle of discontent, a platform where ordinary people could speak freely.

    • Meduza ☛ Moscow court issues arrest warrant in absentia for Meduza co-founder and publisher Galina Timchenko — Meduza

• Environment

  • The Straits Times ☛ Record July temperatures in South Korea with many people affected by heat-related illnesses

    More than a thousand people have been affected by heat-related illnesses.

  • Pro Publica ☛ Texas Flash Flood Is a Preview of Climate Chaos to Come

    On July 4, the broken remnants of a powerful tropical storm spun off the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico so heavy with moisture that it seemed to stagger under its load. Then, colliding with another soggy system sliding north off the Pacific, the storm wobbled and its clouds tipped, waterboarding south central Texas with an extraordinary 20 inches of rain. In the predawn blackness, the Guadalupe River, which drains from the Hill Country, rose by more than 26 vertical feet in just 45 minutes, jumping its banks and hurtling downstream, killing 109 people, including at least 27 children at a summer camp located inside a federally designated floodway.

    Over the days and weeks to come there will be tireless — and warranted — analysis of who is to blame for this heart-wrenching loss. Should Kerr County, where most of the deaths occurred, have installed warning sirens along that stretch of the waterway, and why were children allowed to sleep in an area prone to high-velocity flash flooding? Why were urgent updates apparently only conveyed by cellphone and online in a rural area with limited connectivity? Did the National Weather Service, enduring steep budget cuts under the current administration, adequately forecast this storm?

  • Pro Publica ☛ California’s Disaster Funding May Be in Jeopardy Under Trump’s FEMA

    In January, Katie Clark’s one-bedroom rental of more than 15 years, and nearly everything inside, was incinerated by Los Angeles County’s Eaton fire, one of the most destructive wildfires in California history. For her troubles, she received a one-time payment of $770 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which she used to replace clothes, food and a crate for her dog. While it was only a fraction of what she needed, the money was at least available while she waited for other funding.

    As an organizer with the Altadena Tenants Union who has been helping renters with their FEMA applications, Clark knows just how common her experience has been for fire survivors. She believes federal and local agencies severely underestimated the need and cost of housing for the 150,000 people displaced by the fires, leaving many still struggling to recover. A FEMA spokesperson denied the accusation, saying the agency’s “ongoing assessments indicate that the current Rental Assistance program is effectively meeting the housing needs of survivors eligible for FEMA assistance.”

  • Wildlife/Nature

    • New York Times ☛ Wildfires Scar Syria Anew

      The country is experiencing its worst drought in decades, which has set the conditions for the blazes to scorch an area the size of Washington, D.C.

    • Science Alert ☛ New Cell Discovered in Pythons Allows Them to Completely Digest Bones

      Waste not, want not, and all that.

    • New York Times ☛ How Elephants Say They Like Them Apples

      Researchers found that the animals are capable of using their trunks to make a range of gestures that express their intentions and wants.

    • European Commission ☛ Speech by Commissioner Lahbib at the European Parliament on the Upcoming Wildfire and Droughts Season

      Today our European continent faces record heat, prolonged drought, and devastating wildfires.

• Finance

  • Mexico News Daily ☛ CIBanco, Intercam and Vector win temporary reprieve from US money laundering sanctions

    Mexico-based financial institutions CIBanco, Intercam and Vector will have 45 more days to meet certain standards before receiving sanctions, the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced on Wednesday. 

  • New York Times ☛ Philadelphia Union Reaches Deal to End Strike That Led to Trash Pileup

    The city’s largest public sector union and the mayor reached a tentative deal, ending a work stoppage that led to piles of trash on the streets.

  • New York Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man Discusses Economic Investment With African Leaders at White House Meeting

    The administration is aiming to strike deals to expand the United States’ access to critical minerals and to counter China’s rising influence in Africa.

  • Federal News Network ☛ New data on TSP withdrawals and social security sustainability for federal retirees

    "In the area of reducing benefits, Social Security has always been a system that's been kind of tilted towards the lower wage earner" said Tammy Flanagan

• AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

  • France24 ☛ France’s far-right RN under investigation for misuse of campaign funds

    French police have raided the headquarters of the far-right National Rally (RN) as part of an investigation into the misuse of public campaign funds. The probe centres on allegations of inflated invoices and irregular financing linked to recent elections, including the 2022 presidential and 2024 European campaigns. Party leader Jordan Bardella denounced the inquiry as political harassment.

  • Misinformation/Disinformation/Propaganda

    • NYPost ☛ Overwhelming majority of Convicted Felon voters back Hey Hi (AI) guardrails — with nearly 90% concerned about deepfakes: poll [Ed: Disinformation is the issue, not slop per se (it's not "AI")]

      “The data is clear that Convicted Felon voters have big concerns about Hey Hi (AI) misuse, and they want to see leaders in Washington take action,” Global Strategy Group Vice President of Research Katie Drapcho said in a statement.

• Censorship/Free Speech

  • The Straits Times ☛ China detains female erotica writers in porn crackdown, stirring sympathy for low-earning authors

    The detentions have triggered debate on social control media about the limits of free speech.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Pakistan seeks YouTube ban on more than two dozen critics, including opposition, journalists

    A local court is seeking to ban them for being “anti-state”.

• Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ 10 Years of HKFP: New, free mobile news apps for Android and iOS

    Download HKFP’s Android and iOS mobile apps – newly revamped for 2025, and free of charge thanks to our monthly supporters. Enable notifications for the latest updates. Spot any bugs? Drop us a line.

• Civil Rights/Policing

  • JURIST ☛ Government reform urged amid upcoming UN rights review for Vietnam

    Human Rights Watch said in its submission to the United Nations Human Rights Committee on Monday that UN member states should use the upcoming review of Vietnam’s record on civil and political rights to pressure the country’s government to end its crackdown on dissenting speech and other fundamental human rights.

  • AccessNow ☛ Vodacom must launch an investigation into Safaricom for enabling potential human rights abuses

    Vodacom must investigate Safaricom’s role in human rights abuses in Kenya, including data sharing with police and risks to user privacy and safety.

  • AccessNow ☛ Halt human rights abuses: Safaricom and its shareholders must ensure transparency and accountability in Kenya

    Access Now, alongside several human rights organisations, is calling on the Vodacom Group, as a major shareholder in Safaricom, to launch an urgent, independent, and publicly accessible assessment into the company's role in potential human rights violations in relation to the ongoing protests in Kenya. 

• Internet Policy/Net Neutrality

  • APNIC ☛ Event Wrap: MyNOG 12

    APNIC supported and participated in MyNOG 12, held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 11 June 2025.

  • APNIC ☛ Upcoming actionable, hands-on workshops at APNIC 60

    Register by 31 July for discounted registration in APNIC Academy Training Workshops on Advanced Routing or Network Management, Monitoring and Security at APNIC 60 in Da Nang, Viet Nam.

  • TI-20250709-0001: IPv4 traffic failures for Techaro services

    Techaro services were down for IPv4 traffic on July 9th, 2025. This blogpost is a report of what happened, what actions were taken to resolve the situation, and what actions are being done in the near future to prevent this problem. Enjoy this incident report! [...] The Uptime Kuma instance that caught this incident runs on an IPv4-only network. If it was dual stack, this would not have been caught as quickly.

    The ingress-nginx logs print IP addresses of remote clients to the log feed. If this was not the case, it would be much more difficult to find this error.

  • Thibault Martin: Kubernetes is not just for Black Friday

    I self-host services mostly for myself. My threat model is particular: the highest threats I face are my own incompetence and hardware failures. To mitigate the weight of my incompetence, I relied on podman containers to minimize the amount of things I could misconfigure. I also wrote ansible playbooks to deploy the containers on my VPS, thus making it easy to redeploy them elsewhere if my VPS failed.

    I've always ruled out Kubernetes as too complex machinery designed for large organizations who face significant surges in traffic during specific events like Black Friday sales. I thought Kubernetes had too many moving parts and would work against my objectives.

Monopolies/Monopsonies

• Patents

  • Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ Prior Art Document vs. Prior Art Process: How Lynk Labs Exposes a Fundamental Ambiguity in Patent Law

    The upcoming Supreme Court petition in Lynk Labs, Inc. v. Samsung Electronics Co., 125 F.4th 1120 (Fed. Cir. 2025), presents more than just another dispute about inter partes review scope. In my mind, it highlights a fundamental conceptual tension that has largely gone unnoticed in patent monopoly law discourse: the ambiguity in what we mean by "prior art" itself. This manifests as a clash between two competing frameworks that I call "prior art as document" versus "prior art as process." This distinction is crucial because it explains why seemingly straightforward statutory language in 35 U.S.C. § 311(b) becomes so contentious when applied to the "secret" or "springing" prior art under § 102(a)(2).

  • Unified Patents ☛ Patent Dispute Report: 2025 Mid-Year Report

    In the first six months of 2025 – as Unified had flagged last quarter – discretionary denials increased sharply at the PTAB, the result of changes by USPTO Acting Director Coke Morgan Stewart to the PTAB’s rules and procedures for evaluating inter partes review (IPR) and post-grant review (PGR) petitions. These changes include a bifurcated process for deciding whether to institute an IPR or PGR, emphasizing director discretion, and the expansion of the considerations for discretionary denial, including the reinstatement of the Fintiv factors and several new factors, including “settled expectations,” compelling public interests, and the extent to which the petition relies upon expert testimony.

    In the federal district courts, the Eastern District of Texas remains the predominant venue for patent monopoly case filings, followed by the Western District of Texas and the District of Delaware. The E.D.Tex. continues to be the most popular venue for NPEs.

  • Kangaroo Courts

    • JUVE ☛ Powell Gilbert to open office in Düsseldorf with Vossius partner [Ed: UPC is illegal and this seems like marketing spam for a sponsor lookng to profit from this illegality]

      Until now, Powell Gilbert’s UPC strategy has primarily focused on the Irish route. This route is risky while the ratification of the UPC Agreement in Ireland is still up in the air. A separate continental European office with German lawyers, however, closes the gap in the firm’s UPC strategy.

• Trademarks

  • TTAB Blog ☛ TTAB Affirms Five Refusals of SHYFT Marks for Beer and Flavored Malt Beverages: Confusable with SHIFT for Wine

    In these five consolidated appeals, the Board upheld the USPTO's Section 2(d) refusals to regsiter the mark SHYFT - in standard character form, in stylized form, and in the form shown immediately below - for beer and flavored malt-based beverages, excluding beer, finding confusion likely with the registered mark SHIFT for wine. There was little dispute over the relatedness of the goods, and the applicant did not address the channels of trade or classes of consumers. Applicant focused the bulk of its argument on the sixth DuPont factor, relying on third-party use and registration of marks containing the word SHIFT. In re Star Catcher LLC, Serial Nos. 97759143, 98032414, 98032430, 98032440, and 98032445 (July 1, 2025) [not precedential] (Opinion by Judge Thomas L. Casagrande).

• Copyrights

  • Public Domain Review ☛ Splitting Hairs: Chinese Immigrants, the Queue, and the Boundaries of Political Citizenship

    As Chinese immigration to California accelerated across the 19th century, the hairstyle known as the queue — a long, braided pony tail — became the subject of white Americans’ fascination, disgust, and legal regulation. Sarah Gold McBride explores why hair served as an index of political subjecthood, and how the queue exposed cracks in American norms regarding gender, economy, and citizenship.