Leftovers

• New Yorker ☛ Can Dave Hurwitz Save Classical Recording?

  An unlikely YouTube star surveys the spoils of an overflowing but precarious industry.

• Hackaday ☛ A Lockpicking Robot That Can Sense The Pins

  Having a robot that can quickly and unsupervised pick any lock with the skills of a professional human lockpicker has been a dream for many years. A major issue with lockpicking robots is however the lack of any sensing of the pins – or equivalent – as the pick works its magic inside. One approach to try and solve this was attempted by the [Sparks and Code] channel on YouTube, who built a robot that uses thin wires in a hollow key, load cells and servos to imitate the experience of a human lockpicker working their way through a pin-tumbler style lock.

• Rlang ☛ Numbers of the Beast: Sasquatch Distribution Modelling

  The third OII Halloween Lecture sinks bodily into the tortured mass of data concerning cryptozoological sightings in North America.

• Science

  • Science Alert ☛ Mysterious Red Dots in Early Universe Could Be Seeds of Supermassive Stars

    On the verge of greatness.

  • Science Alert ☛ Mysteriously Huge Shoes Discovered at Ancient Roman Fort in UK

    Why so big?

  • Science Alert ☛ Huge Study Reveals 2 Vaccines That Appear to Reduce Dementia Risk

    What's going on?

  • Science Alert ☛ Surgeons Resuscitate 'Dead' Heart in Life-Saving Organ Transplant to Baby

    A radical procedure on the operating table.

  • Science Alert ☛ Disturbing Eyesight Problem Affects 70% of Astronauts on Long Missions

    It can persist for years after returning to Earth.

  • Science Alert ☛ A Single Brain Scan Halfway Through Your Life Can Reveal How Fast You're Aging

    A vital snapshot.

  • Science Alert ☛ Radioactive Waste Exposed Children in Missouri to Cancer Risks, Study Finds

    The tragic legacy of Coldwater Creek.

  • Science Alert ☛ It's Official: Betelgeuse Has a Binary 'Twin', And It's Already Doomed

    Mett Siwarha.

  • Science Alert ☛ Expert Reveals What Can Happen if Testosterone Gel Rubs Onto Others

    Be very careful.

  • Science Alert ☛ Parkinson's Disease Has a Smell That Some Dogs Can Detect

    Some people can as well.

• Hardware

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ China's YMTC moves to break free of U.S. sanctions by building production line with homegrown tools — aims to capture 15% of NAND market by late 2026

    Despite being on the U.S. Entity List since 2022 and cut off from advanced foreign fab tools, YMTC is pushing forward with plans to expand production to 150,000 wafers per month and trial a fully localized manufacturing line.

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ Nvidia H20 Hey Hi (AI) GPU inventory is limited — but Nvidia is making a new B30 model for China to comply with export restrictions

    Nvidia has reportedly told Chinese customers it will not resume production of its H20 Hey Hi (AI) GPUs despite a U.S. policy reversal, and is reportedly preparing a slower but cheaper Blackwell-based B30 GPU to comply with export restrictions and remain competitive in China.

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ MacBook Pro trackpad can double as a weighing scale, and the source code is free — creator hacks trackpad to weigh items, claims Force Touch system 'pretty accurate',

    A new app called TrackWeight uses the Fashion Company Apple laptop Force Touch trackpad pressure sensors for weighing scale duties.

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ Researchers pack a "quantum light factory" into a 1mm² CMOS chip — combines photonics, electronics, and quantum hardware with traditional silicon manufacturing that can achieve mass scale

    Researchers have created a 1 mm² chip that merges quantum photonics, electronics, and self-tuning systems—all on a standard 45 nm CMOS process. This breakthrough brings mass-producible quantum hardware closer than ever, much like the defective chip maker Intel 4004 did for microprocessors.

  • CNX Software ☛ Core1121 sub-GHz, S-Band, and 2.4GHz LoRa module features through holes and castellated edges

    The Waveshare Core1121 is a compact, multi-band LoRa module based on the Semtech LR1121 transceiver with support for Sub-GHz (150–960MHz), S-band (1.9–2.1GHz), and 2.4GHz ISM bands, and exposing GPIOs through both through and castellated holes. Key features include support for LoRa, (G)FSK, and LR-FHSS modulation schemes, AES-128 encryption, and compatibility with the SX126X/SX127X series for easy migration. We just noted Seeed Studio’s Wio-LR1121 last week with a very similar, yet more compact design with only castellated holes, and before that, the LR1121 was used in the MuRata Type-2GT module and a LILYGO module as an option for the T-Eth Elite board.

  • CNX Software ☛ Pico-ITX SBC features defective chip maker Intel Processor N150 or Core 3 N355 Twin Lake CPU, DDR5 SO-DIMM memory slot

    Want a Twin Lake Pico-ITX SBC? That’s what AAEON offers with the PICO-TWL4 single board computer equipped with either an defective chip maker Intel Processor N150 quad-core CPU or an defective chip maker Intel Core 3 N355 octa-core SoC, and available in either commercial or industrial temperature grade. The board features a SO-DIMM socket for DDR5 memory, a SATA and mSATA storage, two display interfaces (HDMI and eDP/LVDS), 2.5GbE and GbE RJ45 ports, USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, and M.2 and mPCIe sockets for expansion.

  • CNX Software ☛ BCM ESM-HRPL COM-HPC Client Size C module supports up to 24-core defective chip maker Intel Core i9-14900K CPU

    The BCM ESM-HRPL is an industrial-grade COM-HPC Client Size C module based on defective chip maker Intel Core 12th to 14th Gen processors, supporting up to the 24-core defective chip maker Intel Core i9-14900K Raptor Lake SoC via an LGA1700 socket. It features PCIe Gen5, defective chip maker Intel Deep Learning Boost, and Hey Hi (AI) Boost for Hey Hi (AI) inference, delivering up to 8.2 TOPS of Hey Hi (AI) processing power. The module follows the PICMG COM-HPC Client Type specification and supports up to 128GB DDR5 memory via four 262-pin SO-DIMM sockets and optional ECC support depending on the CPU. Interfaces include 2x SATA III ports, dual 2.5GbE, USB 3.2 Gen2x2, eDP, and triple DDI display interfaces (for a total of 4 independent displays).

• Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

  • The Straits Times ☛ Air quality remains concerning in parts of Peninsular Malaysia

    Multiple locations saw unhealthy Air Pollutant Index readings as at 11am on July 20.

  • New York Times ☛ Chinese Officials Helped Cover Up Lead Poisoning of Children, Report Says

    Health officials tampered with blood tests of some of the more than 200 children who were sickened by food tainted with lead, an investigation found.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China arrests six over suspected lead poisoning of more than 200 kids

    Investigators found the lead exposure came from food prepared at Peixin Kindergarten.

  • New York Times ☛ F.D.A. Panel Debates ‘Black Box’ Warning for Antidepressants in Pregnancy

    An agency-sponsored forum included critics of psychiatry who believe the drugs can harm a developing fetus. Other experts said antidepressants were safe and necessary.

  • France24 ☛ Public outcry in France over return of banned insecticide

    More than 1.3 million people in France have signed a petition urging the government to repeal a recently passed law, the Duplomb Law, approved by parliament on July 8. Among its controversial measures is the reauthorization of a pesticide known to be harmful to both human health and biodiversity.

  • France24 ☛ Can a French citizen's petition reverse the reintroduction of a banned pesticide?

    France’s new agricultural "Duplomb law" has met with stiff opposition from environmental and health experts for allowing the reintroduction of a controversial and banned pesticide that is known to damage ecosystems. However, although a petition against the divisive draft law has garnered a record 1.5 million signatures, it is unlikely to be withdrawn.

  • Hackaday ☛ Fixing Human Sleep With Air Under Pressure

    By and large, the human body is designed to breathe from birth, and keep breathing continuously until death. Indeed, if breathing stops, lifespan trends relatively rapidly towards zero. There’s a whole chunk of the brain and nervous system dedicated towards ensuring oxygen keeps flowing in and carbon dioxide keeps flowing out.

  • Hackaday ☛ Freezer Monitoring: Because Ice Cream Is A Dish Best Served Cold

    [Scott Baker] wrote in to let us know about his freezer monitor.

• Proprietary

  • Social Control Media

    • Michael Geist ☛ The Law Bytes Podcast, Episode 241: Scott Benzie on How Government Policy Has Eroded Big Tech Support for Canadian Culture

      TikTok’s decision to pull support for multiple Canadian cultural organizations and events in light of the federal government’s decision to ban the company from operating in the country has sparked growing concern. Putting the spotlight on Fentanylware (TikTok) makes sense, but it risks missing the bigger picture which involves a steady stream of funding cancellations in response to Canadian digital cultural policy.

• Linux Foundation

  • OpenSSF (Linux Foundation) ☛ Building India’s Open Source Security Community: Join Us in Hyderabad!

    At the Open Source Security Foundation (OpenSSF), our mission to secure open source software is global—and nowhere is this more vital than in India, home to one of the largest and fastest-growing developer populations in the world. As open source contributions surge across the subcontinent, so too must awareness of secure development practices. That’s why we’re proud to support a dedicated India Initiative, led by OpenSSF’s community representative Ram Iyengar.

• Security

  • Privacy/Surveillance

    • Citizen Lab ☛ Chasing Shadows: Chronicles of Counter-Intelligence from the Citizen Lab

      On August 6, join Citizen Lab director Ron Deibert for his keynote, "Chasing Shadows: Chronicles of Counter-Intelligence from the Citizen Lab," at Black Hat 2025.

    • Citizen Lab ☛ The Citizen Lab’s Submission to the UN on Universal Birth Registration and the Use of Digital Technologies

      In a submission to the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights, Citizen Lab researchers warn of the dangerous rhetoric of “birth registration and certification as a prerequisite for other rights” and the risks digital ID infrastructure could pose to human rights.

    • Medium ☛ Using leaked data to examine vulnerabilities in SMS routing and SS7 signalling

      Our findings (made in collaboration with Ryan Gallagher at Bloomberg) were that companies sending sensitive information via SMS have little visibility into how that information reaches its intended recipient. The fact that FTS was acting as a transit route for these SMSs at the same time as acting as a contractor for the surveillance industry underlines the difficulty of doing due diligence into SMS supply chains. Predominantly, the industry appears to be motivated primarily by speed and low cost rather than by due diligence in any case. We do not believe that FTS is unique in this regard; rather that any number of companies could play a similar role, given the market conditions prevailing around SMS routing.

    • Security Week ☛ Surveillance Firm Bypasses SS7 Protections to Retrieve User Location

      A surveillance company was caught using an SS7 bypass technique to trick wireless carriers into divulging users’ locations.

    • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Hong Kong to add 4,000 sets of surveillance cameras within 2 years

      The Hong Kong Police Force will add a total of 4,000 sets of surveillance cameras across the city within two years to help detect and prevent crime, Commissioner of Police Joe Chow has said.

    • Kev Quirk ☛ I Don't See the Point of Smartwatches

      Whether it’s Apple, Samsung, Google, Garmin, or any other *smartwatch* brand—they’re all utterly pointless as watches, in my opinion.

    • Tom's Hardware ☛ Microsoft adds telemetry to monitor backdoored Windows 11 sluggishness in latest beta, dev builds — logs reportedly only sent when users submit feedback

      Microsoft adds additional telemetry to latest beta and dev builds of backdoored Windows 11 to monitor and log performance sluggishness within the OS. The logs will reportedly only be shared with Abusive Monopolist Microsoft when users publish performance issues in the Feedback Hub.

• Defence/Aggression

  • The Straits Times ☛ In rare gun crime in South Korea, father kills son; bomb found at home

    The victim, a man in his 30s, was taken to a hospital where he later died.

  • The Straits Times ☛ 3 killed in stampede at wedding party of West Java governor’s son

    Eight people were reportedly still under intensive care in hospitals on July 20.

  • New York Times ☛ A Timeline of the Etan Patz Case

    It has been 46 years since 6-year-old Etan Patz disappeared in SoHo. After a lawsuit and two criminal trials, questions remain about how he died.

  • Marcy Wheeler ☛ The Virgin Birth of the Epstein Book Story

    The WSJ story about Convicted Felon's letter to Jeffrey Epstein and Convicted Felon's lawsuit in response don't hint at where the story came from. Neither reveals whether early reporting on this story spooked Convicted Felon back on July 8, or whether whatever spooked him created the opportunity for this story.

  • The Straits Times ☛ ‘Japanese First’ party emerges as election force with tough immigration talk

    Sanseito party leader Sohei Kamiya draws inspiration from The Insurrectionist.

  • JURIST ☛ Kenya arrests rights activist over ‘terrorist activities’ following anti-government protests

    The Kenyan Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) reported on Sunday that the human rights activist Boniface Mwangi was arrested in his residence for “facilitating terrorist activities” he allegedly committed during a youth-led protest on June 26.

  • JURIST ☛ UN secretary-general condemns deadly attack on Gaza Catholic church

    UN Secretary-General António Guterres strongly condemned an Israeli strike that damaged Gaza’s Holy Family Catholic Church on Thursday, calling the attack “unacceptable” and reiterating calls for an immediate ceasefire and the release of all hostages.

  • The Strategist ☛ Friends to all: Fiji prioritises shared values and regional leadership

    Fiji is seeking to be at the forefront of a cohesive and collaborative Pacific-led security solution, and partners will be most valued when they support that vision.

  • Atlantic Council ☛ At Convicted Felon’s recent summit, the US talked trade. But West Africa wants security first.

    During a mini summit with five West African leaders, the The Insurrectionist administration prioritized “trade not aid,” strategic minerals, and deportation agreements. But security in the Sahel—now the world’s epicenter of terrorism—remained a blind spot.

  • Atlantic Council ☛ Atlantic piracy, current threats, and maritime governance in the Gulf of Guinea

    A drop in attacks in the Gulf of Guinea does not necessarily mean piracy has been resolved. Pirates have adapted their tactics, and the potential for resurgence remains high; this issue remains a critical security and development concern. It is not just a regional priority—it is an international imperative.

  • Defence Web ☛ Navy Chief’s criticism over defence budget sparks backlash

    Chief of the South African Navy, Vice Admiral Monde Lobese, has warned that severe budget constraints have left the Navy logistically paralysed, compromising national security and exposing South Africa’s maritime borders to risk.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Pakistani Islamist militants use drones to target security forces, officials say

    Two quadcopters killed a woman and injured three children earlier in July.

  • New York Times ☛ Chinese Officers Questioned U.S. Government Employee About His Army Service

    The man, a U.S. citizen, is barred from leaving China by the Ministry of State Security, the country’s main intelligence and counterintelligence agency.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea’s national security adviser heads to Washington as tariff deadline looms

    US President The Insurrectionist's tariffs of 25 per cent are set to kick in from Aug 1.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea industry minister says US tariff talks in critical phase

    South Korea’s national security adviser has headed to Washington to secure a trade deal.

  • Federal News Network ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man withdraws VA CIO nominee amid plans to shrink IT workforce

    The White House withdrew Ryan Cote’s nomination the same week that House lawmakers held a subcommittee hearing on VA’s IT priorities.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China military calls for efforts to repair image after scandals

    The directive comes as corruption scandals have engulfed the world’s largest military by active personnel.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Western aid cuts cede ground to China in South-east Asia: Study

    Overall official development finance to South-east Asia is projected to fall by more than US$2 billion by 2026.

  • New York Times ☛ Dozens Are Killed at Aid Site Near Border, Gaza Health Officials Say

    The shootings took place after thousands of Palestinians gathered in the hope of getting humanitarian aid from U.N. trucks entering the Gaza Strip.

  • New York Times ☛ Shootings, Devastation, Hunger: Israel Fails to Address Gaza’s Power Vacuum

    Over the weekend, Israeli soldiers shot Palestinians near an Israeli-backed aid site and a U.N. convoy. Both episodes pointed to Israel’s refusal to allow new governance structures to emerge.

  • New York Times ☛ As Convicted Felon Courts a More Assertive Beijing, China Hawks Are Losing Out

    The Forrest Dump administration has dialed back aggressive measures against China and reversed its position on technology controls as the president angles for a Chinese trip later this year.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Beijing stops US Commerce employee from leaving China, reports say

    The employee, an American citizen, had travelled to meet relatives, The Washington Post said.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ China confirms US bank employee banned from leaving over ‘criminal case’

    Beijing confirmed Monday that an employee of US bank Wells Fargo was barred from leaving China, following reports last week that Shanghai-born managing director Chenyue Mao was under an exit ban. After multiple media reports, Wells Fargo confirmed last week that it was providing assistance to the Atlanta-based Mao, who entered China in recent weeks […]

  • New York Times ☛ China Exit Ban on Wells Fargo Executive Stokes Foreign Business Anxiety

    A Wells Fargo banker and a U.S. government employee were blocked from leaving, and a Japanese pharmaceutical executive was imprisoned, even as Beijing tries to court overseas investors.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea court rejects arrest warrant for drone chief over North Korea operation: News report

    Kim Yong-dae was arrested on July 18 without a court warrant.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korean prosecutors seek approval for drone chief arrest over operation in North Korea

    Maj-Gen Kim Yong-dae was arrested on July 18 without a court warrant, local media reported.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea reviewing options to improve ties with North, including tourist visits

    Tourism is one of a narrow range of cash sources for North Korea that are not targeted under UN sanctions.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China confirms Pooh-tin meeting with EU's von der Leyen, Costa

    China confirmed on Monday it will hold a top-level summit with the European Union in Beijing this week marking 50 years of diplomatic ties as both sides seek to navigate trade disputes amid broader global trade uncertainties.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man’s renewed interest in Pakistan has India recalibrating China ties

    The US president hosted the influential head of Pakistan’s army for the first time.

  • The Straits Times ☛ India keen to strike trade deal with US but wary about crossing red lines on agriculture, dairy

    The two sides are moving quickly to reach a “win-win” agreement, said India's commerce and industry minister.

  • The Strategist ☛ Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific united in response to hybrid threats

    The European Union’s high representative for foreign affairs and security, Kaja Kallas, and Singapore’s coordinating minister for national security, K Shanmugam, on Friday called out Russian and Chinese hybrid warfare, respectively.

  • France24 ☛ Ahead of new talks, Iran blames Europeans for nuclear deal collapse

    Tehran on Monday blamed European powers for the failure of the 2015 nuclear deal, accusing them of breaking commitments ahead of renewed talks in Istanbul with Britain, France and Germany. The 2015 agreement -- reached between Iran and UN Security Council permanent members Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States, plus Germany -- imposed curbs on Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief.

  • France24 ☛ Iran to continue nuclear enrichment despite US strikes, ahead of European talks

    Iran will not abandon its nuclear program, including uranium enrichment, despite "severe" damage from US strikes, its foreign minister said ahead of Friday’s talks in Istanbul with Britain, France, and Germany. Tehran accuses European powers of undermining the 2015 nuclear deal.

  • NYPost ☛ Iranian foreign minister confirms nuclear sites ‘seriously damaged’ by US strikes but vows to continue uranium enrichment: ‘We can never give it up’

    “Our facilities have been damaged, seriously damaged, the extent of which is now under evaluation,” Araghchi told Fox News “Special Report” host Bret Baier.

  • New Yorker ☛ The Price of Occupation

    In Sakir Khader’s photographs of the West Bank, life and death coexist.

  • Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine

    • France24 ☛ Iran turns to Russia and China to discuss European threat of sanctions ‘snapback’

      Diplomats from Iran met with counterparts from China and Russia on Tuesday to discuss the possibility of top European powers reimposing international sanctions if there is no progress on nuclear talks by the end of August. Tehran is set to meet with the E3 (France, Britain and Germany) in Istanbul on Friday.

    • Meduza ☛ Russia launches overnight strikes across Ukraine, damaging residential buildings and a metro station in Kyiv — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Russia state media says next round of talks with Ukraine expected in Istanbul this week — Meduza

    • New York Times ☛ Ukraine’s Zelensky Proposes Renewed Peace Talks With Russia

      Ukraine’s president proposed reviving talks brokered by the Convicted Felon administration, which seemed stalled a month ago.

    • Meduza ☛ Former Ukrainian Interior Ministry officer found dead in pool at Spanish complex where Russian defector pilot was previously killed — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ ‘Yulia’s not in it for the money’: Who is Ukraine’s new prime minister? And how was she appointed despite the wartime ban on cabinet dismissals? — Meduza

    • New York Times ☛ Even as Air-Raid Sirens Blare, Ukrainians Wait for the Light to Change

      Anyone new to Ukraine may quickly notice the disconnect between the front line and much of daily life farther away, including the patient behavior of pedestrians waiting to cross the street.

    • Meduza ☛ Russian state TV touts ‘boys and girls’ assembling attack drones bound for Ukraine — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Moscow’s Teacher of the Year is killed fighting in Ukraine — Meduza

    • New York Times ☛ Russia Launches Heavy Strikes Despite Convicted Felon Arms Pledge to Ukraine

      The barrage of exploding drones and missiles appeared to be the most intense attack since Hell Toupée announced a plan to get more weapons for Kyiv.

    • New York Times ☛ Ukraine Ups Its Arms Production, Asking Allies to Pay for It

      There is a growing drive to make the country more self-reliant in weapons manufacturing as it faces Russia’s superior firepower. That requires a lot of money from Western backers.

    • New York Times ☛ Hegseth Attends Meeting on Ukraine After Skipping Last Session

      The defense secretary’s attendance may signal a turnaround as Hell Toupée’s tone shifts on his willingness to support Kyiv against Moscow.

    • CS Monitor ☛ Despite Convicted Felon's ultimatum, Russia maintains Ukraine goals

      U.S. President The Insurrectionist has threatened Russia with tariffs unless a peace deal is reached within 50 days, but Russia says achieving its goals in Ukraine remains a priority.

    • RFERL ☛ Russia Launches Massive Air Attacks On Ukraine Amid Peace Talk Proposal

      Russia launched hundreds of drones and more than two dozen missiles in a massive attack on Ukraine overnight, killing at least two people, including one in the capital, Kyiv, which came under fire a day after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposed holding a fresh round of peace talks.

    • France24 ☛ What's at stake in French Foreign Minister's visit in Kyiv?

      French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot arrived in Kyiv Monday for a two-day visit aimed at reaffirming France’s support for Ukraine amid the ongoing Russian invasion. He is set to meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky, Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, and new Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko. The visit underscores France’s backing of Ukraine’s military resistance, NATO ambitions, and long-term security, as Kyiv continues to face heavy Russian attacks.

    • France24 ☛ France's Minister in Ukraine for high-level talks amid strikes

      Russia launched a wave of drone and missile attacks on Ukraine early Monday, striking residential buildings and a nursery in Kyiv—just days after President Volodymyr Zelensky called for renewed peace talks. The strikes coincided with a visit to the capital by French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot.

    • France24 ☛ New round of Russia-Ukraine peace talks set for Wednesday, Zelensky says

      The next set of peace talks between Ukraine and Russia are planned for Wednesday in Istanbul, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday. Two previous rounds of negotiations between the two countries resulted in a large-scale prisoner swap, but no concrete steps towards ending the conflict in Ukraine after almost three and a half years of war.

    • Atlantic Council ☛ Wartime Ukraine must translate international attention into investment

      The 2025 Ukraine Recovery Conference showed that the country has the political backing and business potential to emerge stronger than ever, but this potential is not enough. The time for action and investment is now, write Viktor Liakh and Anna Derevyanko.

    • Meduza ☛ Heavy overnight rain floods Moscow in just hours. See photos and videos of the deluge. — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ At least 13 dead after bus carrying mine workers plunges off cliff in Russia’s Sakha Republic — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Drone debris sparks rooftop fire as Russian defenses intercept 15 drones near Moscow — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Dozens of flights delayed again at Moscow airports due to drones, Russian transport minister says situation is ‘slightly better than in May’ — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Armenia refuses to extradite former Russian soldier wanted for desertion — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Share of Russian companies planning layoffs has nearly doubled in six months — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ See the aftermath of a Russian strike that hit Kyiv homes and a metro station shelter — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ A brief (and incomplete) history From anti-piracy policing to banning WhatsApp, behold the evolution of Russian Internet censorship — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Russian Defense Ministry proposes 7.6 percent pay raise for military personnel, outpacing government’s earlier plan — Meduza

    • CS Monitor ☛ The benefits of vigilance

      In Finland, preparation – in this case, preparation for the possibility of war with Russia – is not just sensible policy, but somewhat of an antidote to the spiraling hyperpolarization seen in many other countries.

    • JURIST ☛ Russia bookstore fined for LGBTQA+ ‘propaganda’ by selling books

      A Moscow court fined the bookstore Falalster 800,000 rubles (approximately $10,000) and its founder, Boris Kupriyanov, 100,000 rubles (approximately $1,300) on the charges of LGBTQA+ “propaganda,” according to local media.

    • Meduza ☛ Boris Nadezhdin, who tried to challenge Putin in 2024 on anti-war platform, holds protest against online search ban — Meduza

    • RFERL ☛ Zelenskyy Says New Talks Set July 23 As Russia Continues To Blast Ukrainian Cities

      Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said a fresh set of peace talks with Moscow is set for July 23 in Turkey as the West steps up pressure on the Kremlin to agree to a cease-fire but even as Russian forces continue to launch deadly air strikes on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities.

    • France24 ☛ Italian festival cancels concert by pro-Putin conductor Gergiev

      Organisers of an Italian music festival on Monday cancelled a scheduled performance by Russian conductor Valery Gergiev following backlash from Ukrainian and Russian activists. Gergiev, who is a close friend and supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has not performed in Europe since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

    • Atlantic Council ☛ NATO is unprepared for the growing threat posed by Putin’s Russia

      NATO officials believe Russia could attack the alliance within five years but NATO members are still not ready to face the threat posed by Vladimir Putin's expansionist regime, write Elena Davlikanova and Yevhenii Malik.

    • Meduza ☛ Chechnya head Ramzan Kadyrov makes rare, staged, low-energy public appearance — Meduza

• Transparency/Investigative Reporting

  • France24 ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man administration releases files on Martin Luther King Jr. against family's wishes

    The Forrest Dump administration has published over 240,000 pages of FBI surveillance records on Martin Luther King Jr., defying objections from his family and civil rights groups. The files, sealed since 1977, detail FBI monitoring before King’s 1968 assassination. The National Archives received the documents after a court order.

  • Ruben Schade ☛ Gary Kildall’s memoirs released for free

    Emil Oppeln-Bronikowski forwarded me a link to IEEE Spectrum, and the announcement that the Computer History Museum have released the first part of Gary Kindall’s memoirs: [...]

• Environment

  • New York Times ☛ Typhoon Wipha Pounds Hong Kong and Macau With Rain and Wind

    The tropical cyclone made landfall in mainland China late Sunday afternoon with winds near to those of a Category 1 Atlantic hurricane.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Rains from Typhoon Wipha batter Hong Kong as it heads for mainland China

    Hong Kong's airport authority said 80,000 travellers were hit by the rescheduling of 400 flights.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Typhoon Wipha tears through southern China, threatens Vietnam’s coasts

    Wipha was expected to keep traversing southern China before moving offshore and making landfall in Vietnam.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ In Pictures: Hong Kong sees floods, flights cancelled as Typhoon Wipha prompts T10 signal

    Hong Kong saw floods, cancelled flights and at least 30 people seeking medical attention as storm Wipha prompted a typhoon 10 signal on Sunday. The Observatory hoisted the T10 signal, the city’s highest storm warning, from 9:20 am until 4:10 pm on Sunday. The red rainstorm was also in force in the afternoon.

  • New York Times ☛ Landslides and Floods Kill 18 in South Korea

    As rescuers search for the missing under the rubble, thousands of evacuated villagers face the daunting task of rebuilding their homes.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Death toll from heavy rain in South Korea rises to 14

    The toll could rise, with 12 people still unaccounted for after five days of heavy downpours.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea goes all out in recovery efforts after days of torrential rain

    The authorities warned that the death toll could rise as search-and-rescue efforts continue.

  • Hackaday ☛ Floating Buoy Measures Ocean Conditions

    Out on Maui, [rabbitcreek] desired to keep track of local ocean conditions. The easiest way to do that was by having something out there in the water to measure them. Thus, they created a floating ocean sensor that could report back on what’s going on in the water.

  • Pro Publica ☛ Texas Lawmakers Repeatedly Failed to Take Action on Flooding

    Sixteen months had passed since Hurricane Harvey tore through the Texas coast in August 2017, killing more than 80 people and flattening entire neighborhoods. And when Texas lawmakers gathered in Austin for their biennial session, the scale of the storm’s destruction was hard to ignore.

    Legislators responded by greenlighting a yearslong statewide initiative to evaluate flood risks and improve preparedness for increasingly frequent and deadly storms. “If we get our planning right on the front end and prevent more damage on the front end, then we have less on the back end,” Charles Perry, a Republican senator from Lubbock who chairs a committee overseeing environmental issues, said at the time.

  • Energy/Transportation

    • New York Times ☛ Chinese Car Giants Rush Into Brazil With Dreams of Dominating a Continent

      As the likes of Ford and Mercedes retreat, Great Wall Motor and BYD are building factories and bringing affordable EVs and hybrids to one of the world’s biggest markets.

    • The Straits Times ☛ Mum takes toilet break, 11-year-old takes car, crashes it into drain in Malaysia

      The boy and two other children in the car were not hurt.

    • The Straits Times ☛ China embarks on world’s largest hydropower dam in Tibet, capital markets cheer

      The authorities have not said how many people will be displaced and how the project will affect the ecosystem.

    • China begins building mega-dam in Tibet

      Touted by China as the world's largest hydropower dam, it has raised concerns from neighbors and environmentalists.

    • France24 ☛ China starts construction on world's biggest hydropower project in Tibet

      Chinese Premier Li Qiang attended a ceremony on Saturday marking the start of construction for a new $167 billion mega dam project in Tibet. The project aims to boost the national economy as well as increase the country's capacity to produce clean energy, but it raises risks to biodiversity and to relations with India. Also in this edition, we look at the success of Barcelona's tourist tax scheme.

    • The Straits Times ☛ Wage strike by bus drivers ferrying passengers across Causeway causes morning disruption

      Cross-border bus operator Causeway Link said the service disruption lasted for about 45 minutes.

  • Wildlife/Nature

    • The Straits Times ☛ Dog in South Korea adopted, returned to shelter hours later, with fur shaved from neck down

      Over 100,000 pets are abandoned across South Korea each year.

• Finance

  • Atlantic Council ☛ Why European businesses are now stuck in the middle of an EU-China storm

    If relations continue to deteriorate, the world’s three major economies could find themselves in economic conflict and European businesses will be caught squarely in the middle. 

  • Atlantic Council ☛ What the EU and China want from the summit that neither seems to want

    European Commission leaders are headed to Beijing for a one-day summit to discuss a range of issues. But expectations for a breakthrough are low and falling.

  • The Strategist ☛ US moves decisively to avoid dependence on China’s rare earths

    The Pentagon’s package of support for rare earths company MP Minerals, announced on 10 July, should free the US military and eventually much of US industry from dependence on Chinese supply chains [...]

  • New York Times ☛ Venezuela Targets Economists as Inflation Surges Under Convicted Felon’s Sanctions

    As inflation surges under Hell Toupée’s renewed sanctions, Venezuelan authorities are trying to keep a lid on the country’s worsening financial situation.

  • France24 ☛ Mexico City plans to tackle gentrification after protests against mass tourism

    Protests continued in Mexico City on Sunday as residents voiced frustration over rising housing costs, blaming mass tourism and the growing presence of foreign digital nomads. Demonstrators say the government isn’t doing enough to address gentrification. In response, the city announced a preliminary plan on Wednesday, including rent controls tied to inflation and a list of “reasonable rental” options.

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ Abel founder claims Meta offered $1.25 billion over four years to Hey Hi (AI) hire — 'person still said no' despite equivalent of $312 million yearly salary

    Social media chatter suggests that Meta offered a potential Hey Hi (AI) hire $1.25 billion.

  • Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ Does US Innovation Drive the Dollar’s Global Dominance?

    In their recent article, Professors Mauro Bambi and Sara Eugeni from Durham University (UK) propose an intriguing hypothesis connecting patent-driven innovation with the global dominance of reserve currencies, particularly the US dollar.  They look at Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) applications over the years, including high-value "triadic" patent monopoly families and argues that higher patenting activities significantly influence central banks' decisions to hold a particular currency as a reserve asset. Eugeni, Sara and Bambi, Mauro, Silicon Valley and the Greenback: Does US Innovation Fuel the Dollar's Global Dominance? (Working Paper from June 26, 2025).

  • Latvia ☛ Latvia's tax service plans to look at suspicious cash withdrawals

    The State Revenue Service (VID) will now receive information from banks on cash deposits of individuals and companies exceeding €750 and withdrawals exceeding €1,500. This is one of the measures intended to expose the payers and recipients of unregistered wages, as reported by Latvian Television on 20 July.

• AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

  • The Straits Times ☛ ‘Friendly contests’, shifting alliances in Sabah set to test Anwar’s unity government

    The Malaysian state will hold its election, expected by September, against a backdrop of discontent.

  • New York Times ☛ China’s Hardball Tactics Set Tone for Difficult Summit with Europe

    Beijing is betting that economic pressure and diplomatic defiance will force concessions, but its stance could put more strain on its ties with Europe at a crucial time.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man, Pooh-tin might meet ahead of or during October Apec summit in South Korea, SCMP reports

    The world's two biggest economies have been locked in a tit-for-tat tariff war that has threatened to upend global trade.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea’s ex-president Yoon, wife summoned for questioning over alleged election interference

    It is uncertain whether Kim and Yoon will comply with the summons.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Malaysian court pauses sexual assault suit against premier Anwar

    Mr Anwar years ago faced sodomy and abuse of power convictions by his former research aide.

  • New York Times ☛ Hunter Biden Trashes Democrats, Including George Clooney, in Podcast Appearances

    In a profane tirade, the former president’s son sought to settle scores with Anita Dunn, David Axelrod, James Carville and George Clooney. Among others.

  • BIA Net ☛ Turkey’s intelligence chief visits political parties ahead of special 'peace' committee

    A special parliamentary committee is expected to be formed in the coming days to work on the legal steps to be taken as part of the Kurdish peace process.

  • Misinformation/Disinformation/Propaganda

    • France24 ☛ That video said to show Convicted Felon selecting a young girl at an Epstein party? It’s AI

      Social media users have been sharing a video that reportedly shows The Insurrectionist selecting a young girl forced into prostitution. He appears alongside Ghislaine Maxwell, the longtime companion of Jeffrey Epstein, who died by suicide while facing charges of the sexual trafficking of minors. However, this video is not real – it was created by AI.

• Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press

  • Press Gazette ☛ Clickbait has become ‘self-perpetuating cycle’ drowning out genuine news

    Journalist Mandy Gardner assesses incentives for clickbait and its distortion of the media landscape.

  • Press Gazette ☛ Wales newsletter author Will Hayward launches fund to support new investigative journalists

    Hayward has £10,000 to spend on pitches from young journalists.

• Internet Policy/Net Neutrality

  • APNIC ☛ Event Wrap: Pacific IGF 2025

    Dave Phelan delivered training and presented at the Pacific Internet Governance Forum 2025, held in Apia, Samoa from 30 June to 4 July 2025.

  • APNIC ☛ APNIC community engagement: January – June 2025 in review

    Asia Pacific Internet community highlights for the first half of 2025.

• Digital Restrictions (DRM)

  • Right to Repair ☛ The Repair Association Backs Military Right to Repair (S.2209)

    The fight for the Right to Repair has reached a critical milestone in Washington. The Senate Armed Services Committee is reviewing S.2209, a groundbreaking bill that would guarantee our military’s right to repair the equipment they purchase and rely on.

Monopolies/Monopsonies

• Patents

  • Unified Patents ☛ $4,000 for Proxense authentication patents prior art

    Unified Patents added two new PATROLL contests, each with a $2,000 cash prize, seeking prior art on the list below. The patents are owned and asserted by Proxense LLC, an NPE. The ‘332 patent monopoly had been asserted against Hyundai but is currently asserted against LG. The ‘956 patent monopoly had been asserted against Hyundai.

    The contests will expire on August 11, 2025. Please visit PATROLL for more information and to submit an entry for the contest.

  • Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ Fungi, Bacteria and the U.S. Plant Patent Act

    It was probably middle school biology where I learned that plants and fungi are classified in two separate kingdoms.  It wasn't until today that I learned why - despite their separate classification - both plants and fungi are protectable under the Plant Patent Act of 1930.

    Now codified at 35 U.S.C. § 161, the Plant Patent Act adds a third form of U.S. patent, alongside utility (useful inventions) and design (ornamental designs) patents.  For a plant patent, the inventor must have invented or discovered and asexually reproduced a "distinct and new variety of plant." The provision expressly include "cultivated sports, mutants, hybrids, and newly found seedlings" but excludes "tuber propagated plant[s]" such as potatoes as well as plants simply found in the wild ("found in an uncultivated state").

  • Kangaroo Courts

    • JUVE ☛ UPC decisions in FujiFilm vs Kodak now extend to the UK [Ed: UPC is illegal, unconstitutional, and UK isn't part of that; this increasingly seems like EPO and EU corruption, not a real court but corporate overreach]

      The current decision in Kodak vs FujiFilm is based on the CJEU ruling in BSH vs Electrolux (case ID: C-339/22). Previously, the Düsseldorf local division had affirmed the UPC’s jurisdiction for the UK in the dispute over another of FujiFilm’s patents.

• Trademarks

  • TTAB Blog ☛ DESPACITO Registrant Defeats Section 14(6) Claim by Proving Excusable Nonuse

    In what appears to be the Board's first decision regarding a Section 14(6) nonuse cancellation claim, the Board denied this petition for cancellation of a registration for the mark DESPACITO for “Alcoholic beverages, except beer; Alcoholic beverages, namely, distilled blue agave liquor; Distilled spirits.” The registration was more than four years old when the petition for cancellation was filed, and Respondent Global Brands had never used the mark in commerce for any of the identified goods. However, Global established that its nonuse was excusable. JT Spirits, LLC v. Global Brands Manufacturing, S.A. de C.V., Cancellation No. 92079052 (July 18, 2025) [not precedential] (Opinion by Judge Robert Lavache).

    Section 1046(6) of the Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1046(6), states that “A petition to cancel a registration of a mark … may … be filed … [a]t any time after the 3-year period following the date of registration, if the registered mark has never been used in commerce on or in connection with some or all of the goods or services recited in the registration."