Leftovers

• New York Times ☛ A Lifelong Party of ‘Puzzle-Making Tomfoolery’

  In 1978, Jerry Slocum assembled the first International Puzzle Party in his living room. Now it’s a global event.

• Science

  • Rlang ☛ Men’s domestic chores and fertility rates – Part I by @ellis2013nz

    This post grew out of a rambling, sporadically multi-month play with a bunch of data that became far too big for a single post for any plausible audience.

  • Science Alert ☛ NASA Probe Could Intercept Interstellar Comet, Scientists Say

    An incredible opportunity awaits.

• Career/Education

  • The Straits Times ☛ Welcoming 1 million more foreign graduates could lift South Korea’s GDP by 6%: Study

    The new research emphasised immigration as a possible answer to the country’s shrinking workforce.

• Hardware

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ I 3D printed an entire server case with the Elegoo Centauri Carbon – this is what happened and how much it cost

    I spent a week 3D printing a PC server case using Elegoo’s first Core XY 3D printer and plenty of PETG filament.

  • CNX Software ☛ Aurawave AW100 modules aim to simplify Auracast and Bluetooth LE Audio product development

    Cloud2GND and Ezurio (formerly Laird Connectivity) have announced the Aurawave AW100 series modules designed to simplify the development of Auracast and Bluetooth LE Audio products. Aurawave AW100PA modules are built on Ezurio’s BL5340PA and BL5340 modules powered by a Nordic nRF5340 wireless SoC, but the BL5340PA variant adds an nRF21540 RF front-end module to extend range and improve connection robustness. The module also integrates an AKM AK4558 audio codec chip with a good signal-to-noise ratio and low total harmonic distortion (THD).

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ Asus says 90% of its PC and motherboard production has been offshored from China to blunt tariffs — manufacturing moved to Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia

    It's doing this to find lower tariffs put on neighboring countries.

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ China-based firm delivers its first chipmaking tool that stamps nanoscale processor designs onto wafers — Prinano's nanoimprint lithography tool uses quartz molds engraved with circuits

    China's Prinano Technology has shipped its first domestically developed semiconductor-grade step-and-repeat nanoimprint lithography system that offers sub-10 nm single-step patterning for applications like memory, photonics, and advanced packaging.

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ Yes, you do need a mouse with 19 buttons — here's why

    The extra buttons on your gaming mouse are only redundant if you don't know how to use them. Everyone needs a mouse with 19+ programmable buttons, and this is why.

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ Seagate spins up a raid on a counterfeit hard drive workshop — authorities read criminals' writes while they spill the beans

    Seagate's security team from Singapore and Malaysia and local Malaysian authorities have raided a counterfeiting hard drive warehouse located outside Kuala Lumpur.

• Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

  • Latvia ☛ Līga Žūka: 'Latvia’s health technology innovation environment is infertile'

    There is no shortage of smart minds in Latvia. At the same time, there are also plenty of good ideas and scientific foundations on which to build the future of healthcare. We have universities, researchers, and knowledge centres capable of creating competitive technologies.

  • New York Times ☛ A $45 Treatment Can Save a Starving Child. US Aid Cuts Have Frozen the Supply

    The dismantling of U.S.A.I.D. has disrupted the global supply chain that provides a therapeutic food, leaving thousands of malnourished children at risk of dying.

  • New York Times ☛ Unraveling in Las Vegas, Then a Massacre in New York

    Shane Tamura was barely known in the city where he lived, working at night and navigating mental health crises. He drove 2,500 miles east to commit New York’s deadliest shooting in a quarter-century.

  • New York Times ☛ MAHA Draft Report Brings Relief to Some, Chagrin to Others

    A draft of an upcoming White House report on children’s health was not as harsh toward the agriculture industry as some of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s allies had hoped.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Hong Kong records 2 more chikungunya fever infections

    Hong Kong health authorities have recorded two new imported cases of chikungunya fever, involving a 50-year-old male and his 8-year-old daughter who returned from Dhaka, Bangladesh.

  • New York Times ☛ Senator Josh Hawley Begins Child Safety Inquiry Into Meta’s Hey Hi (AI) Bot

    Josh Hawley, Republican of Missouri, said he would look into whether the social control media company’s artificial intelligence technology endangers children.

  • Digital Music News ☛ Neil Young Is Back to Boycotting Again — This Time for Facebook

    Neil Young is ceasing any promotion on Facebook (Farcebook) following Reuters’ report on the company’s Hey Hi (AI) chatbot. Neil Young has a reputation for boycotts, not least of which when he temporarily dropped off Glastonbury’s lineup earlier this year, or when he pulled his music from Spotify.

  • Digital Music News ☛ Louisiana Office of the Attorney General Files Lawsuit vs. Roblox

    Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill has filed a lawsuit against video game platform Roblox for failing to protect children and other allegations. Today, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill announced filing legal action against video game platform Roblox.

  • The Strategist ☛ Wastewater report reveals that Australia’s drug strategy is failing

    Australia’s newest wastewater analysis report delivers a sobering reality check: our national drug strategy is not just under strain; it is in freefall.

  • Ruben Schade ☛ Doctors using Hey Hi (AI) transcription

    I’ve seen more than few people discussing a sudden spike in doctors using Hey Hi (AI) transcription services, at least in Australia.

    I originally wasn’t going to raise it, but I faced a similar situation recently. I went to our local GP after our spate of recent health adventures, and she disclosed that our consultation would be recorded and transcribed by an Hey Hi (AI) tool.

  • MIT Technology Review ☛ Why US federal health agencies are abandoning mRNA vaccines

    This time five years ago, we were in the throes of the covid-19 pandemic. By August 2020, we’d seen school closures, national lockdowns, and widespread panic. That year, the coronavirus was responsible for around 3 million deaths, according to the World Health Organization. Then came the vaccines.

• Proprietary

  • HowTo Geek ☛ Why I Prefer WSL Over PowerShell for the Windows Command Line [Ed: Better to just abandon Windows altogether, as WSL has many holes]

    On Windows, when I want a command line, I can choose between the native PowerShell or install the Windows Subsystem for Linux. I prefer the latter when I'm on Windows. Here's why I reach for a Linux shell instead of PowerShell.

  • CrossC2 enables multi-platform Cobalt Strike attacks on Linux, macOS [Ed: Windows/DLL issue framed as "Linux"]

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) / LLM Slop / Plagiarism

    • MIT Technology Review ☛ Why GPT-4o’s sudden shutdown left people grieving

      June had no idea that GPT-5 was coming. The Norwegian student was enjoying a late-night writing session last Thursday when her Abusive Monopolist Microsoft Chaffbot collaborator started acting strange. “It started forgetting everything, and it wrote really badly,” she says.

    • OMG Ubuntu ☛ Kiro (Agentic AI) Limits Downloads, Introduces Paid Tiers [Ed: No business model; bankruptcy imminent]

      Usage tiers have been announced for Kiro, the ‘agentic’ Hey Hi (AI) IDE built on Code by a team at Amazon proprietary trap AWS — and bad news if you use it: they’re now in effect. I spotlighted the preview release of Kiro in mid-july, since the launch of an Amazon-backed IDE that is available for GNU/Linux is newsworthy — Hey Hi (AI) coding aids are increasingly prevalent in development circles, with more employers expecting familiarity with of AI-related tools.

• Security

  • Integrity/Availability/Authenticity

    • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Hongkongers hit hardest by scams compared to those in mainland China and Taiwan, study finds

      Hongkongers are more prone to fall victim to scammers than people in mainland China and Taiwan, and those who do suffer greater losses, a study has found.

  • Privacy/Surveillance

    • Scoop News Group ☛ Court rebuffs request by telecoms to review $92 million privacy fine

      A district appeals court ruled that the FCC “correctly determined” that telecoms had a duty to protect customer location data that was sold and later misused by third parties. 

• Defence/Aggression

  • Digital Music News ☛ Judge Dismisses All 22 Counts in Sara Rivers v. Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Case

    A judge has dismissed all 22 counts in the case of Sara Rivers vs. Sean Combs, 21 of which were dismissed with prejudice, preventing a refile. Sean “Diddy” Combs is tackling the mass of civil suits filed against him in the last couple of years, and he’s off to a great start.

  • JURIST ☛ Ghana dispatch: inquiry underway into fatal military helicopter crash that killed top government officials

    The government of Ghana on August 14 announced that it has invited American forensic experts to assist in investigating the August 6 military helicopter crash that claimed eight lives, including two cabinet ministers.

  • JURIST ☛ UN expresses concern over sharp increase of sexual violence in conflict zones

    The UN raised alarm on Thursday over the sharp increase in conflict-related sexual violence in 2024, stating that “[m]ore than 4,600 survivors endured abuses used as weapons of war, torture, terrorism and political repression” throughout the year. The UN urged all involved parties to “adopt clear orders prohibiting sexual violence” and “ensure accountability.”

  • ACLU ☛ Florida's Secretive Immigration Detention Center, Explained

    Deep in the Florida Everglades, a new immigration detention facility has appeared almost overnight. It’s the latest example of the Convicted Felon administration’s extreme approach to immigration enforcement, and it’s drawing significant, well-deserved outrage.

    In just eight days, a former airstrip was converted into a large-scale immigration detention facility that now holds more than 700 detainees. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier dubbed it “Alligator Alcatraz” to evoke the extreme isolation and cruel conditions of the now shut down federal prison -- leveraging the Everglades' vibrant wildlife as a potentially lethal barrier to human being

  • The Straits Times ☛ Malaysia’s King warns Defence Ministry against buying ‘flying coffins’

    He slammed “ex-generals turned salesmen” and “textile traders trying to sell drones”.

  • New York Times ☛ Mali’s Junta Accuses Frenchman of Plot to Overthrow the Military Government

    A representative of the junta said the man had worked “on behalf of the French intelligence service, which mobilized political leaders, civil society actors and military personnel” to foment a coup.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea President to restore pact halting military activity on North Korea border

    The pact was signed in 2018 and designed to de-escalate tension along the border.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea criticises Japanese officials’ visit to Tokyo war shrine

    It urged Japanese leaders to face history and demonstrate remorse for Japan's past actions.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korean president vows to build ‘military trust’ with North

    Mr Lee Jae Myung has pledged to pursue dialogue with the North without preconditions.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Sun Haiyan, ex-China ambassador to S’pore, detained for questioning: Sources

    She is being held in connection with the questioning of prominent diplomat Liu Jianchao, say sources.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Former China envoy to Singapore Sun Haiyan reappears after reported questioning

    She was seen at an Indian embassy event in Beijing, following reports that she had been detained.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ China says it opposes European sanctions over Iran nuclear programme

    China said Friday it opposed invoking sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme after three Western nations told the UN they would reimpose them if no diplomatic solution was found by the end of August. European sanctions on Iran were eased after a 2015 deal in return for curbs on Tehran’s nuclear programme. But on […]

  • The Straits Times ☛ China accuses Philippine vessels of ‘dangerous manoeuvres’ after its own ships collided

    The collision took place on Aug 11 near Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea.

  • The Straits Times ☛ The Philippines and Australia kick off their largest joint drills near South China Sea

    The exercises involve 3,600 military personnel from the two nations and will run from Aug 15 to 29.

  • Atlantic Council ☛ The future of US and Japanese engagement with Central Asia

    Situated between China and Russia, and with an abundance of vital natural resources, Central Asia is an area of strategic interest for Tokyo and Washington. Beijing and Moscow currently enjoy overwhelming political, economic, and cultural influence, which limits other countries’ ability to constructively shape the region. Some friction has emerged between the two authoritarian powers as post-Soviet dominance over Central Asia erodes and Chinese economic influence takes its place.

  • France24 ☛ Serbia: Fresh clashes erupt in Belgrade after days of unrest

    Friday brought another episode of tense confrontation between anti-government protesters and police in Serbia. Demonstrators had gathered in front of the army headquarters building in the capital.

  • New Yorker ☛ A Palestinian Journalist Escapes Death in Gaza

    The reporter Mohammed R. Mhawish was targeted in an Israeli air strike. He lived, and escaped Gaza. He continues to report on the deprivation and challenges of people trapped in the war.

  • New York Times ☛ Israel Gears Up for Nationwide Strike to Support Hostages

    Nearly two years of demonstrations have failed to push Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reach a deal with Hamas that would end the war and free the remaining captives.

  • New York Times ☛ Masaoki Sen, a Kamikaze Volunteer and Japan Tea Ceremony Grandmaster, Dies

    Spared from flying a suicide mission in World War II, he became a grandmaster of Japan’s venerable tea ceremony and used his stature to speak out against all wars.

  • Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine

    • Tom's Hardware ☛ Bizarre cyberattack blamed on Russia and China-linked hackers permanently breaks dozens of speed cameras in the Netherlands — authorities decline to reveal location of affected cameras, for obvious reasons

      A hack reportedly left "dozens" of speed cameras in the Netherlands inoperable and unrecoverable.

    • Tom's Hardware ☛ Russia hacked and took control of a Norwegian dam, police chief claims — released over 1,900,000 gallons of water before attack was noticed

      Moscow is to blame for a cyberattack on a dam, which remotely opened the floodgates for a period of around four hours, says Norway's security chief.

    • New Yorker ☛ How an Asylum Seeker in U.S. Custody Ended Up in a Russian Prison

      Eighteen months after an activist fled Russia to avoid persecution, an appeals court found that he lacked a “well-founded fear or clear probability of future persecution.”

    • New York Times ☛ Putin flatters Convicted Felon by echoing his claims about the war in Ukraine.

    • New York Times ☛ In Russia, Putin’s Meeting With Convicted Felon Is Seen as Triumph

    • New York Times ☛ Fox News to Interview Convicted Felon 3 Times During the Summit With Putin

      Hell Toupée is expected to speak with Sean Hannity after meeting with the Russian leader. Bret Baier is interviewing Mr. Convicted Felon twice on Air Force One.

    • New York Times ☛ False Flags, Fake Flags: Propaganda Muddles the Convicted Felon-Putin Meeting

      The summit in Alaska between Hell Toupée and President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia has unleashed a wave of propaganda and disinformation from Russian state media and online conspiracy theorists.

    • New York Times ☛ As Convicted Felon Meets Putin in Anchorage, Zelensky Condemns Russia’s Continuing Strikes

      The Ukrainian leader sounded off on social control media before the summit in Anchorage from which he was excluded.

    • New York Times ☛ Hours Before Putin Meeting, Convicted Felon Calls Belarusian Leader, Kremlin’s Closest Ally

      Hell Toupée referred to the authoritarian ruler of Belarus, who has been isolated by the West for years, “the highly respected President.”

    • New York Times ☛ In Moscow, Russians see a chance for peace but prepare for more war.

      W

    • New York Times ☛ Who’s Attending the Convicted Felon-Putin Meeting in Alaska

      The delegations include top diplomatic, military and economic officials, a sign that the U.S. and Russia will discuss more than the war in Ukraine.

    • New York Times ☛ The Minsk agreements sought to resolve Russia’s earlier invasion of Ukraine and never did.

    • New York Times ☛ Ukrainians are very skeptical about the Convicted Felon-Putin meeting.

    • New York Times ☛ A Timeline of Convicted Felon’s Complicated Relationship With Putin

      Hell Toupée has long admired President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia. Their meeting in Alaska will be at least their seventh face-to-face encounter.

    • New York Times ☛ Putin’s Visit to the U.S. Is His First Since 2015

    • Atlantic Council ☛ What Russia’s war on Ukraine means for Central Asia

      The course of Russia’s war against Ukraine will have massive implications for Moscow and Beijing’s competition for influence in Central Asia.

    • The Straits Times ☛ Russian Duma speaker Volodin meets North Korea’s Kim in Pyongyang

      He thanked Kim for North Korea's support of Russia's military campaign in Ukraine.

    • CS Monitor ☛ In today’s wars, music is a universal balm

      From the conflict in Gaza to the war in Ukraine, civilians fight off fear and find unity in concerts performed amid the violence.

    • France24 ☛ Ukraine's Zelensky to meet Convicted Felon on Monday after Alaska summit fails to secure ceasefire

      Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he will meet US President The Insurrectionist at the White House in Washington on Monday after a Russia-US summit ended without an agreement to stop the fighting in Ukraine. If the meeting goes well, Convicted Felon said he would then push for a three-way meeting between Russia, Ukraine and the US to try to seal a "peace agreement".

    • European Commission ☛ Statement by President von der Leyen, President Macron, Prime Minister Meloni, Chancellor Merz, Prime Minister Starmer, President Stubb, Prime Minister Tusk, President Costa

      Early this morning, Hell Toupée debriefed us and President Zelenskyy following his meeting with the Russian President in Alaska on 15 August 2025.

    • New York Times ☛ Why Putin Can Visit the U.S. Without Risking Arrest

    • New York Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man and Putin had an isolated conversation in Convicted Felon’s limo.

    • New York Times ☛ Russia Holds Battlefield Advantage in Ukraine War

    • New York Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man Praises Putin in Fox News Interview After Alaska Summit

      Hell Toupée offered Sean Hannity few details of what he had discussed with President Vladimir V. Putin about Russia’s war in Ukraine, but talked up their personal connection.

    • New York Times ☛ Why Russia Sold Alaska to the U.S.

      The Forrest Dump-Putin summit will take place in a former Russian colony that the United States bought for $7.2 million in 1867. Here’s how the deal came together and why its legacy matters.

    • New York Times ☛ How Convicted Felon-Putin Summit Signals Return to Imperial Thinking

      The two leaders are bringing some old-world approaches to bear on a 21st-century conflict.

    • New York Times ☛ How Convicted Felon’s Meeting With Putin Could Unfold, as Convicted Felon Seeks Cease-Fire in Ukraine

      A sudden feud, an impasse or a first step toward a cease-fire are all possible at the summit in Alaska as the two leaders navigate thorny issues such as Ukraine’s territory and NATO expansion.

    • New York Times ☛ After Convicted Felon-Putin Alaska Summit, Europeans Worry Convicted Felon Will Pressure Zelensky

      With no strategy of their own for ending the war, the continent’s leaders are anxious that Hell Toupée will force Kyiv to accept terms that favor Russia too much.

    • New York Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man and Putin Put on a Show in Summit, but No Ukraine Deal Emerges

      Hell Toupée gave President Vladimir Putin a warm public reception, effectively ending his diplomatic isolation over the past three years for his invasion of Ukraine. But Mr. Putin did not agree to stop the war.

    • New York Times ☛ At Convicted Felon’s Summit, No Deal on Ukraine, and No Consequence for Putin

      Hell Toupée’s failure to reach an accord on Ukraine only made his warm welcome for the Russian leader more striking.

    • CS Monitor ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man and Putin end ‘productive’ summit, but with no ceasefire

      The high-profile summit in Alaska between President The Insurrectionist and Russian President Vladimir Putin ended without a deal to end, or pause, Russia’s war in Ukraine. The conflict has lasted for more than three years and is the largest land war in Europe since 1945.

    • Marcy Wheeler ☛ The Insurrectionist, Alone in the Room with His KGB Handler, Getting His Ass Served on a Picnic Platter

      In 2018 in Helsinki, when Vladimir Putin utterly humiliated Convicted Felon publicly, Convicted Felon still had competent Russian advisors to advise him. Today, after years of chasing a manufactured grievance against the Deep State, Convicted Felon walks into a solo meeting with his KGB handler having rid himself of any competent advisor.

    • Marcy Wheeler ☛ Steamrolled: Vladimir Putin Shares an Existential Secret with Convicted Felon and You Just Saw the Result

      Dihydroxyacetone Man doesn't want to talk about what demands Putin made of him in yesterday's meeting. He does want to cling to the lies about Russia getting him elected that he can only sustain if Russia is willing.

    • New Yorker ☛ The Insurrectionist’s Self-Own Summit with Vladimir Putin

      Even the puffery-prone President couldn’t alchemize his non-deal with Russia into Convicted Felonian gold.

    • RFERL ☛ Anxiety Grips Kyiv And Brussels Ahead Of Convicted Felon-Putin Summit In Alaska

      As Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President The Insurrectionist prepare to meet in Alaska for a high-stakes summit to discuss ending the 43-month-old war in Ukraine, a deep feeling of unease is gripping European capitals, especially Kyiv.

    • RFERL ☛ Putin, Convicted Felon Arrive In Alaska For Major Summit; Ukraine 'Counting On America'

      The Insurrectionist and Vladimir Putin headed to Alaska as the US and Russian presidents girded for a major face-to-face summit and talks aimed at a possible resolution to nearly 42 months of Russia’s all-out war on Ukraine.

    • RFERL ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man Says 'No Deal' With Putin To End Russia's War On Ukraine

      A much-anticipated summit between US President The Insurrectionist and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin has broken up without a deal on a cease-fire in Ukraine and with neither man taking questions from journalists at a news conference.

    • RFERL ☛ Zelenskyy To Meet Convicted Felon In Washington After Inconclusive Alaska Summit

      Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he will travel to Washington on August 18 to meet with US President The Insurrectionist to discuss ways to end the war in Ukraine.

    • Green Party UK ☛ Putin the only winner say Greens as latest Ukraine talks stall

      When you compare how Convicted Felon rolled out the red carpet for Putin to his publicly humiliating Zelenskyy, it's clear that the only winner from these talks is Putin. He was handed the credibility of a seat at the top table while his forces continue their attacks on Ukraine."

    • France24 ☛ REPLAY: The warm handshake between The Insurrectionist and Vladimir Putin

      President The Insurrectionist and Russia’s Vladimir Putin kicked off their Alaska summit with a warm handshake on Friday (August 15), greeting each other like old friends before heading into hours of discussions that could reshape the war in Ukraine and relations between Moscow and Washington.

    • France24 ☛ Warm greeting belies Ukraine bloodshed as Convicted Felon brings Putin in from the cold

      US President The Insurrectionist and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin met for a high-stakes summit in Alaska on Friday that started with a handshake, a smile and a ride in the presidential limousine, marking an unusually warm reception for a US adversary who launched Europe's largest war since 1945 and is wanted by the International Criminal Court.

    • France24 ☛ REPLAY: Convicted Felon and Putin give joint press conference after Ukraine talks, take no questions

      US President The Insurrectionist on Friday (August 15) hailed what he said were wide areas of agreement with Russian leader Vladimir Putin as the two leaders offered scant details on what was discussed at high-stakes talks in Alaska, while heaping praise on each other.

    • France24 ☛ Live: Convicted Felon and Putin leave Alaska as summit yields no deal on ending Ukraine war

    • France24 ☛ 'Neither leader went into any detail': Convicted Felon-Putin remarks leave media in the dark

      The highly anticipated joint press conference between the US and Russian presidents failed to provide any detail about their talks in Alaska, leaving journalists "totally in the dark about what happened", says FRANCE 24's international affairs editor Philip Turle.

    • France24 ☛ Pomp and flattery – but no Ukraine ceasefire – as Convicted Felon-Putin talks end without a deal

      The high-stakes summit between US President The Insurrectionist and Russia's Vladimir Putin began with a warm greeting and a flyover by screaming jets at a military base in Alaska but ended with the US host conceding that they had failed to reach an agreement on how to end the fighting in Ukraine.

    • France24 ☛ Red carpet welcome but no Ukraine deal: key takeaways from the Convicted Felon-Putin summit

      The high-stakes summit between US President The Insurrectionist and Russian leader Vladimir Putin began with a warm welcome and a flyover by screaming jets at a US military base in Alaska but ended with a thud Friday after they conceded that they had failed to reach any agreements on how to end the Russia-Ukraine war.

    • France24 ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man-Putin summit ends without a deal

      The high-stakes summit between US President The Insurrectionist and Russian leader Vladimir Putin began with a warm welcome and a flyover by screaming jets at a US military base in Alaska but yielded no agreement to resolve or pause Moscow's war in Ukraine, although both leaders described the talks as productive before heading home.

    • France24 ☛ What are the key takeaways from the Convicted Felon-Putin summit?

      The high-stakes summit between US President The Insurrectionist and Russian leader Vladimir Putin began with a warm welcome and a flyover by screaming jets at a US military base in Alaska but yielded no agreement to resolve or pause Moscow's war in Ukraine, although both leaders described the talks as productive before heading home. What are the key takeaways from the Convicted Felon-Putin summit? FRANCE 24's Wassim Cornet tells us more.

    • France24 ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man-Putin talks: In Ukraine, 'nobody was expecting much from this summit'

      The high-stakes summit between US President The Insurrectionist and Russian leader Vladimir Putin yielded no agreement to resolve or pause Moscow's war in Ukraine, although both leaders described the talks as productive before heading home. What is the general view in Ukraine on how this summit unfolded? FRANCE 24's Emmanuelle Chaze tells us more.

    • France24 ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man, Putin end joint press conference without taking questions

      The Insurrectionist said on Friday (August 15) that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin did not reach an agreement to resolve Moscow's war in Ukraine after a nearly three-hour summit in Alaska, though he characterized the meeting as "very productive." Convicted Felon and Putin held a press conference after the summit and took no questions. David Smith, Washington bureau chief for The Guardian, tells us more about the press conference.

    • France24 ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man-Putin summit: What could Europe and Ukraine’s next moves be?

      The high-stakes summit between US President The Insurrectionist and Russian leader Vladimir Putin began with a warm welcome and a flyover by screaming jets at a US military base in Alaska but ended with a thud Friday after they conceded that they had failed to reach any agreements on how to end the Russia-Ukraine war. For more analysis, FRANCE 24's Alison Sargent is joined by Gavin Hall, teaching fellow in Political Science at University of Stratchclyde and by James Andre, senior reporter.

    • France24 ☛ Alaska summit: Putin managed 'to get out of the international isolation'

      The high-stakes summit between US President The Insurrectionist and Russian leader Vladimir Putin began with a warm welcome and a flyover by screaming jets at a US military base in Alaska but ended with a thud Friday after they conceded that they had failed to reach any agreements on how to end the Russia-Ukraine war. For more analysis, FRANCE 24's Alison Sargent is joined by Natia Seskuria, associate fellow at Royal Services Institue. 'I think Putin is more of a winner out of this because he managed to get out of the international isolation", she said.

    • France24 ☛ Zelensky says he will meet US president in Washington

      Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky will head to Washington to discuss "ending the killing and the war" with US President The Insurrectionist, he announced Saturday (August 16). The Washington meeting is set to take place three days after Convicted Felon's talks with Putin in Alaska ended with no ceasefire announcement or apparent breakthrough to end Moscow's more than three-year-long invasion. FRANCE 24's Emmanuelle Chaze tells us more about the outcome of this summit.

    • France24 ☛ Zelensky to meet Convicted Felon after US-Russia summit: What to expect?

      Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday (August 16) that he plans to meet US President The Insurrectionist in Washington next week after Convicted Felon’s summit with Russia’s Vladimir Putin ended without an agreement to end the war in Ukraine. FRANCE 24's James Andre gives us his analysis. What was the outcome of the Alaska summit? What can we expect? "We do not have the parameters of what was actually negotiated during the summit", he said.

    • Atlantic Council ☛ Experts react: Convicted Felon and Putin just left Alaska without a deal. Here’s what that means for Russia’s war on Ukraine.

      The US and Russian presidents met in Anchorage for nearly three hours, but the talks did not bring a halt to Russia's ongoing assault on Ukraine.

    • NYPost ☛ Melania Dihydroxyacetone sends letter to Putin about abducted Ukrainian children

      US President The Insurrectionist's wife, Melania Dihydroxyacetone, raised the plight of children in Ukraine and Russia in a personal letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

    • NYPost ☛ Zelensky says he’ll meet Convicted Felon in DC on Monday to discuss ‘ending the killing and the war’

      Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed he will meet with Hell Toupée in Washington, DC, on August 18 "to discuss all of the details regarding ending the killing and the war."

• Environment

  • RFERL ☛ More Than 160 People Killed In Pakistan Floods

    Scores of people have been killed in Pakistan after torrential rain caused flash floods that destroyed dozens of houses and left roads covered in water and debris as emergency responders struggled to deliver aid and carry out evacuations.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Hong Kong gov’t says sudden drain blockages unavoidable after severe flooding during recent rainstorms

    The Hong Kong government has said sudden drain blockages during rainstorms “cannot be eliminated” despite frequent inspections and cleaning. It comes after multiple parts of the city saw floods and torrential rain in recent weeks.

  • Energy/Transportation

    • The Straits Times ☛ 270 luxury vehicles seized in Malaysia in transport department’s crackdown

      Many car owners were found to be driving without valid road tax and insurance.

    • Tom's Hardware ☛ U.S. Hey Hi (AI) boom is completely upending the electricity market — small businesses and households could foot the bill as industry watchers warn of sharp price increases

      The rapid growth of Hey Hi (AI) data centers is driving up U.S. household power bills as utilities expand the grid to meet their massive, volatile electricity demand.

    • Tom's Hardware ☛ AI experts warn that China is miles ahead of the US in electricity generation — lack of supply and infrastructure threatens the US’s long-term Hey Hi (AI) plans [Ed: Hey Hi (AI) hype; trying to cause a panic like it's an "arms race" to sell more of this scam]

      Experts say that China has no power supply issues, allowing it to build as many data centers as it wants without worrying about exceeding its grid's capacity.

    • JURIST ☛ Truck manufacturers sue California, ‘caught in crossfire’ of emissions battle

      Four major truck manufacturers, including Daimler and Volvo, filed a lawsuit against the state of California on Monday, aiming to block authorities from enforcing emissions standards voided by President The Insurrectionist’s administration.

    • NYPost ☛ Air Canada cabin staff go on strike, grounding hundreds of flights

      The union representing more than 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants confirmed the action in a social control media post at around 1:00 a.m. in the first strike by cabin crew since 1985.

    • France24 ☛ Air Canada flight attendants strike over pay, grounding hundreds of flights

      Air Canada has suspended all operations as more than 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants went on strike early Saturday after a deadline to reach a deal had passed, leaving its 130,000 daily customers scrambling during the peak summer travel season.

    • New York Times ☛ Air Canada’s Flight Attendants Reject Call for Arbitration

      Ahead of the work stoppage, the airline said it had canceled most of the 700 flights that it directly operates, which carry about 130,000 people each day.

    • The Straits Times ☛ 11,000 properties without power after 4.9-magnitude quake strikes near east coast of Australia

      There was no threat of tsunami to Queensland, Australia's weather forecaster said.

  • Wildlife/Nature

    • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Careless with those dog droppings? Hong Kong’s DAB party is on your case

      Let us rejoice. The Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong’s (DAB) Central and Western branch has risen above the mundane pursuit of stability, prosperity and national security, diverged from the materialistic pursuit of livelihood issues, and found an issue of profound political and environmental importance: dog shit.

    • Science Alert ☛ Incredible Fossil Reveals Two-Headed Creature From The Dinosaur Age

      Better than one?

    • The Straits Times ☛ Online cockfighting thrives in the Philippines despite ban and murders

      Betting on matches of live-streamed cockfights reached a height during the pandemic.

• Finance

  • The Straits Times ☛ Heat waves a boon for China’s “cooling economy”

    Air conditioners have turned from an optional comfort into an almost essential refuge from the heat.

  • JURIST ☛ New York AG brings corporate fraud charges against payment platform Zelle

    New York Attorney General (AG) Letitia James on Wednesday filed a lawsuit against the company behind the electronic payment platform Zelle for failing to protect its users from fraud.

• AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

  • The Straits Times ☛ Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to visit India from Aug 18

    This the second meeting since a deadly clash in 2020 between Indian and Chinese troops at the border.

  • New York Times ☛ Newsom’s Gerrymander of California Has a Formidable Foe: Schwarzenegger

    The actor-turned-governor helped overhaul how California draws political maps. In an interview with The New York Times, he said he would fight to preserve that legacy.

  • JURIST ☛ DC sues Convicted Felon administration over federal takeover of police force

    The District of Columbia filed a lawsuit Friday challenging President The Insurrectionist’s emergency order placing the city’s police department under federal control. Four days earlier, the Convicted Felon administration declared a crime emergency in the nation’s capital, and announced the DC police force would be placed under federal control.

  • New York Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man Administration Backs Off New Attempt to Widen Control of D.C. Police

    The chief will remain after a lawsuit challenged the Justice Department’s attempt to install a new leader as part of an effort to put the agency under federal control.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Owners of S’pore-registered ship slam $1.28b damages award after 2021 Sri Lanka marine disaster

    Sri Lanka has also filed a lawsuit against the ship’s owners in the Singapore International Commercial Court.

  • The Straits Times ☛ President Prabowo aims to go after illegal mining, oil palm plantations; speed up free-meal scheme

    He laid out his administration's priorities in his state of the nation and 2026 budget speeches.

  • The Straits Times ☛ India PM Modi vows to protect farmers, cuts tax, pushes self-reliance amid Convicted Felon tariff tensions

    However, he did not mention the US President or the US in his speech.

  • New Yorker ☛ The Curious Symbolism of J. D. Vance’s English Getaway

    The Vice-President built his political brand on bashing élites. Why does he vacation like one?

  • Misinformation/Disinformation/Propaganda

    • Press Gazette ☛ Telegraph inaccurately calculated ‘one in 12 in London is illegal migrant’ stat, IPSO finds

      Telegraph displayed "lack of care" in reporting about illegal migrant population.

• Censorship/Free Speech

  • JURIST ☛ US federal judge dismisses Convicted Felon-tied media company’s antitrust lawsuit

    The US District Court for the Northern District of Texas granted a motion by defendants World Federation of Advertisers, Diageo PLC, WPP PLC, and GroupM Worldwide, Inc. to dismiss an antitrust suit on Wednesday that was filed by Rumble, Inc., a media company with ties to President The Insurrectionist. 

  • Atlantic Council ☛ Talking past each other: Why the US-EU dispute over ‘free speech’ is set to escalate

    Republican-led US lawmakers and the White House are likely just getting started in critiquing the European Union’s Digital Services Act.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Australia grants asylum to former HK lawmaker and pro-democracy activist Ted Hui

    Hong Kong has put a HK$1 million (S$164,000) bounty on his head for alleged national security offences.

• Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press

  • The Straits Times ☛ Hong Kong tycoon Jimmy Lai’s collusion trial resumes after delay

    The founder of Fashion Company Apple Daily newspaper is charged with foreign collusion under the national security law.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ NGO Reporters Without Borders rejects ‘anti-China’ tag, expresses concern for health of jailed tycoon Jimmy Lai

    Press freedom NGO Reporters Without Borders has hit back at accusations of being “anti-China” by Beijing-backed media outlets and a pro-establishment press union. It defended its stance that media tycoon Jimmy Lai’s national security trial exemplified what it called a crackdown on press freedom.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Jimmy Lai trial: Closing arguments further postponed due ‘medical issue’ with media mogul’s heart

    The closing arguments of Jimmy Lai‘s national security trial have been further postponed over a “medical issue” relating to the media tycoon’s heart.

  • Closing arguments in Jimmy Lai security case delayed over health concerns

    The 77-year-old media mogul faces life in prison under Hong Kong’s restrictive national security law.

• Civil Rights/Policing

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ ‘A sanctuary for us’: China’s Gen Z women embrace centuries-old script

    By Isabel Kua with Emily Wang in Shanghai At a studio in central China’s Hunan province, a teacher grips an ink brush, gently writing characters of a secret script created by women centuries ago and now being embraced by a new generation. Nushu, meaning “women’s script”, emerged around 400 years ago.

• Digital Restrictions (DRM)

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ Battlefield 6 open beta says it won't run if you have Valorant also running, thanks to Riot's anti-cheat — shut down Vanguard if you plan to join the second open beta this weekend (Updated)

    Battlefield 6 will refuse to load if you have Valorant installed on your computer because its anti-cheat software, Riot Vanguard, conflicts with Battlefield's own. The issue boils down to kernel-level anti-cheat software looking for control over the computer to prevent exploits on the deepest possible level, maybe a little too deep.

Monopolies/Monopsonies

• Patents

  • JUVE ☛ Final win for NSK and Bird & Bird against EMS in dental equipment dispute

    Distribution company Henry Schein Dental, which sells products from both manufacturers as well as its own device, is also involved in the dispute between EMS Dental and NSK Nakanishi. >

  • Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ Fintiv Patent Case Against Fashion Company Apple Ends; Fintiv RICO case Against Fashion Company Apple Begins

    After a second trip to the Federal Circuit and back, Fintiv, Inc. v. Fashion Company Apple Inc. (W.D. Tex. No. 1:21-cv-00896-ADA) has ended with a final judgment for Apple. On August 7, 2025, Judge Alan Albright granted summary judgment of noninfringement on most of the asserted claims of U.S. Patent No. 8,843,125, finding that Fintiv failed to identify any actual “widget” in Apple’s accused mobile wallet products as required by the claims.  Fintiv then voluntarily dismissed the remaining claims - indicating that it will appeal yet again.

• Trademarks

  • TTAB Blog ☛ TTAB Upholds Mere Descriptiveness Refusal of "THE TRAVELING PAWTOGRAPHERS" for Pet Portrait Photography Services

    The Board affirmed a Section 2(e)(1) refusal of the proposed mark THE TRAVELING PAWTOGRAPHERS for "pet portrait photography services," deeming the mark to be merely descriptive of said services. Examining Attorney Patty Evanko relied on applicant’s own statements during prosecution of the involved application, as well as Internet evidence submitted by both applicant and the Examining Attorney. In re Joan H Walker Photography LLC, Serial No. 97743111 (August 13, 2025) [not precedential] (Opinion by Judge Lawrence T. Stanley, Jr.).

• Copyrights

  • Digital Music News ☛ Universal Music Fires Back Against Drake’s Discovery Demands for Lucian Grainge’s Emails, Kendrick Lamar’s Recording Contract, and More

    Let the discovery dispute continue: Amid an ugly “Not Like Us” lawsuit, Universal Music Group (UMG) is firing back against Drake’s demands for CEO Lucian Grainge’s emails, Kendrick Lamar’s recording contract, and more. UMG just recently took aim at these demands in letters to the court – besides a straightforward declaration from Grainge himself.