Leftovers

• Science

  • Science Alert ☛ Earth Has Picked Up a New 'Quasi-Satellite' – But It Won't Be Here Long

    It'll be our travel buddy for the next 128 years.

  • Science Alert ☛ Meditation And Mindfulness Have a Dark Side We Don't Often Talk About

    Adverse effects are not rare.

  • Science Alert ☛ Mysterious Alien-Looking Larva Identified as a Probable Parasite

    We've still never seen its adult form.

  • Science Alert ☛ There's a 90% Chance We'll See a Black Hole Explode in The Next 10 Years, Study Says

    "It would completely revolutionize physics."

• Career/Education

  • The Strategist ☛ This is not the time to lower scrutiny of Australian unis’ deals with China

    A review of Australia’s law on sub-national foreign relations has erred in suggesting that universities should face less scrutiny over their transnational education programs.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Policy Address 2025: Hong Kong to hike non-local student quota at public universities to 50%

    Hong Kong will increase the quota for admitting non-local students to the city’s public universities to 50 per cent next year, Chief Executive John Lee has said.

• Hardware

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ Chinese giant Tencent announces domestic Hey Hi (AI) chip push — says it has fully adapted infrastructure to support homegrown silicon in blow to Nvidia

    Tencent says it has “fully adapted” its Hey Hi (AI) computing infrastructure to support Chinese-designed processors

• Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Policy Address 2025: Hong Kong to expand student suicide emergency mechanism to upper primary

    Hong Kong’s emergency mechanism, designed to identify and support students at risk of suicide, will be expanded to cover upper primary school pupils, Chief Executive John Lee has announced.

  • Atlantic Council ☛ The Americas are falling behind in new agricultural technologies. Here’s how to catch up.

    If the United States and other countries in the Western Hemisphere hope to maintain their competitiveness, then governments should find ways to advance research and development.

  • WhichUK ☛ How worried should you be about microplastics?

    With alarming headlines about the health impacts of microplastics in our bodies, homes and environments, what's the evidence and how can we reduce our exposure

  • Latvia ☛ Health authority official and IT company head fined for data breach

    The Kurzeme Regional Court has decided to overturn the acquittal of the District Court and to find guilty an official of a state institution for disclosing confidential information and a board member of a company for inciting a public official to disclose this information, Latvian Television reports on 17 September.

  • JURIST ☛ New York state judge dismisses terrorism charges against Luigi Mangione

    A New York state judge on Tuesday dismissed terrorism charges against Luigi Mangione, alleged shooter of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Mangione faces multiple federal and state charges after he was accused of stalking and killing Thompson in New York City at an investor conference on December 4, 2024.

  • NYPost ☛ This dental issue can fuel problems throughout your body — the stakes are higher than most people realize

    "The reality is that nearly half of American adults (47.2%) suffer from some form" of this condition, Dr. Jason Auerbach told The Post.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea requires firms to use recycled plastic in drink bottles from 2026 but concerns remain

    Out of roughly 200 beverage producers nationwide, the new rule applies to 10 major companies.

  • NYPost ☛ Costa Rica’s new Estée Lauder Skin Longevity Institute turns back the clock on aging

    Unexpected. That’s the first thought that springs to mind upon hearing that Estée Lauder has opened its first Skin Longevity Institute in the Americas in Pérez Zeledón, a wildly lush, remote patch of Costa Rica teeming with coffee farms. But then one learns that the Institute, centered around the brand’s age-defying Re-Nutriv skin-care collection, is...

  • Science Alert ☛ Breast Cancer Often Returns – But We May Have a New Way to Stop It

    A potentially revolutionary treatment.

  • Science Alert ☛ Volunteers Lose Up to 25% Body Weight in High-Dose Wegovy Trials

    Pushing beyond the limits.

• Proprietary

  • Zimbabwe ☛ iOS 26’s “Liquid Glass” Could Cook Your iPhone (and Your Battery), Tests Show

    Apple is rolling out iOS 26, this time showing off a flashy “liquid glass” design. On paper, it looks sleek, dynamic, and very Fashion Company Apple to some and somewhat ugly to […]

    The post iOS 26’s “Liquid Glass” Could Cook Your iPhone (and Your Battery), Tests Show appeared first on Techzim.

  • Scoop News Group ☛ Apple addresses dozens of vulnerabilities in latest software for iPhones, iPads and Macs

    The tech giant doesn’t provide details about the severity of vulnerabilities it discloses, but none of the new defects are under active attack.

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ Microsoft will force install the Copilot Hey Hi (AI) app for users with desktop versions of 365 apps like Word and Excel — coming October, with no way to opt out for personal users

    Microsoft 365 users will now have Copilot installed on their systems, whether they like it or not.

  • ZDNet ☛ Hate Windows 11's vibe? Make it look more like Linux or MacOS - here's how [Ed: It's not about looks. The back doors and screen logger etc. are still there.]

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ ASRock's revamped AI Quickset WSL virtualization tool makes it easy to run Linux AI apps on Windows [Ed: Because all that people need is back doors that cost money instead of something free that works more reliably?]

  • KitGuru ☛ ASRock AI QuickSet brings popular Linux AI tools to Windows [Ed: A hard sell. Geeks who can code are not afraid of GNU/Linux.]

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) / LLM Slop / Plagiarism

    • OpenSSF (Linux Foundation) ☛ New OpenSSF Guidance on Hey Hi (AI) Code Assistant Instructions

      AI code assistants are powerful tools. They can speed up development, suggest solutions, and help explore alternatives. But they also create security risks, because the results you get depend heavily on what you ask. These systems’ models are trained on vast amounts of code (much of it insecure), they don’t truly understand context, and they can confidently produce wrong or vulnerable results. If you want secure code, you need to give instructions that focus on this. Bad prompts are more likely to lead to insecure results.

  • Social Control Media

    • New York Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man Delays Fentanylware (TikTok) Ban Again as a Deal Takes Shape

      As Hell Toupée extended for a fourth time a deadline to determine TikTok’s future in the United States, details of an agreement to address concerns about the app began to emerge.

    • New York Times ☛ Social Platforms Duck Blame for Inflaming Divisions Before Charlie Kirk’s Death

      After authorities said Mr. Kirk’s suspected shooter had been “radicalized” online, Meta, Reddit, Fentanylware (TikTok) and other platforms have stayed quiet — though not MElon, who owns X.

    • New York Times ☛ YouTube Expands its Livestreaming Tools In Push for More Live Video

      The world’s largest and most influential video platform wants to persuade a lot more content creators to broadcast live.

    • Jeff Geerling ☛ Digging deeper into YouTube's view count discrepancy

      For a great many tech YouTube channels, views have been markedly down from desktop ("computer") users since August 10th (or so).

    • Digital Music News ☛ YouTube Music Launches New Fan Engagement Features — As DSP ‘Superfan’ Perks Continue to Emerge

      YouTube announces three new fan-engagement features coming to YouTube Music, designed to deepen the connection between artists and their superfans. To celebrate its 20th anniversary, YouTube’s Made On event this week unveiled three new features coming to YouTube Music.

• Security

  • Privacy/Surveillance

    • WhichUK ☛ 7 things you didn't know you could do with a [Surveillance] plug

      Whether you're looking to improve your home security setup or want to make your appliances more accessible, a smart plug can get the job done

• Defence/Aggression

  • The Straits Times ☛ 3.5 tonnes of Ecstasy worth $183 million seized in Malaysia’s largest drug bust this year

    The drugs were meant for the local market and overseas, including Australia and Indonesia.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Indonesian court finds no procedural flaws with law expanding military’s role

    One petitioner said he would file another complaint challenging the substance of the laws.

  • New York Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man’s Second U.K. State Visit Draws Protests

    As Hell Toupée arrived in Britain on Tuesday night, protesters unveiled visual stunts aimed at highlighting his ties to Jeffrey Epstein, while a march was planned for Wednesday.

  • New York Times ☛ Israel Strikes Houthi Sites at Hudaydah Port amid Gaza City Assault

    Israel has accused the militant group of using the vital port to transfer Iranian weaponry used in recent attacks amid the wider regional war.

  • New York Times ☛ Israel’s Ground Offensive in Gaza City Capped Months of Strikes and Threats

    After intensified operations over the past week, the military said troops would gradually advance into the city, believing that at least 2,000 Hamas fighters remain there.

  • France24 ☛ Israel military presses on with its new ground offensive on Gaza City

    Israeli forces pressed on with a new ground offensive in Gaza City Wednesday as strikes overnight across the Palestinian territory killed at least 16 people, including women and children, hospital officials said.

  • NYPost ☛ Clues to Kirk shooter motive, Luigi Mangione terror charges dropped, drug boat strike tip-off

    Charlie Kirk’s alleged murderer has been charged and new evidence may shed light on his motive. The DA in the Luigi Mangione is dealt a blow as top state charges are dropped. Hell Toupée announces a third strike on suspected drug trafficking boat.

  • New York Times ☛ Rubio Says ‘Time Is Running Out’ for Gaza Deal

    Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke about Gaza ahead of a short Tuesday visit to Qatar, which is angry over an Israeli strike against Hamas leaders on its territory.

  • France24 ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man in the UK: Starmer seeks to solidify friendly ties and trade deals

    U.S. President The Insurrectionist arrived in the United Kingdom on Tuesday for a state visit during which the British government hopes a multibillion-dollar technology deal will show the trans-Atlantic bond remains strong despite differences over Ukraine, the Middle East and the future of the Western alliance.

  • New York Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man’s New Plan to Target Liberal Groups, and a Shouting Match in the Senate

    Plus, Robert Redford’s legacy.

  • The Straits Times ☛ TikTok, rare earths, Taiwan: Convicted Felon-Xi call to run the gamut

    Taiwan remains a major source of friction in the US-China relationship.

  • New York Times ☛ A Note, a Gun and a Mother’s Conscience Led to an Arrest in Kirk’s Killing

    The man accused of shooting Charlie Kirk left a trail of evidence and had no way to outrun his parents’ recognition, court documents showed.

  • JURIST ☛ Utah seeks death penalty in Kirk killing

    Utah County prosecutors revealed Tuesday that the state of Utah will seek the death penalty against the man who allegedly shot and killed Charlie Kirk. The state and lead attorney Jeffrey Gray charged Tyler Robinson with seven offenses, including aggravated murder with a targeted victim enhancement.

  • France24 ☛ What we know so far about the murder case against Charlie Kirk's suspected shooter

    Law enforcement officials have revealed a detailed rundown of the investigation into the murder of Charlie Kirk, whose main suspect is Tyler Robinson. Here are the key details Utah County Prosecutor Jeffrey Gray has so far released about the case.

  • Marcy Wheeler ☛ Tyler Robinson: Guns, Gaming, and Gay

    Tyler Robinson's sole stated motive for killing Charlie Kirk, per the charging document, was Kirk's hatred.

  • France24 ☛ Kirk suspect, Tyler Robinson, faces death penalty for aggravated murder charge

    Tyler Robinson fired a single fatal shot from the rooftop of a building overlooking the outdoor venue where Kirk was speaking to about 3,000 people on Sept. 10, investigators say. Afterward, prosecutors say he texted with the partner, who he lived with near St. George, Utah, about 240 miles (387 kilometers) southwest of the campus.

  • France24 ☛ UN reports 78% of Gaza Strip buildings are partially or fully destroyed

    The death count in Gaza is nearing 65,000 Palestinians since the war began Oct. 7, 2023, with a Hamas-led attack on Israel, according to health officials in the enclave.

  • RFERL ☛ 2 Men Wanted For Attempting To Smuggle Arms To China, Harassing Dissident Flee House Arrest In Serbia

    Two men accused of attempting to smuggle US military technology to China and harassing a dissident Chinese-American artist have escaped house arrest in Serbia, sparking an international search.

  • Chinese, Philippine ships collide in South China Sea

    Officials traded accusations as tensions rise near the disputed Scarborough Shoal.

  • Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine

    • ADF ☛ Russian Mercenaries’ Failure in Mali Sparks Resentment

      When the infamous Russian mercenary Wagner Group announced its departure from Mali earlier this year, it claimed on social control media that its “mission was accomplished.”

    • JURIST ☛ US and China agree to Fentanylware (TikTok) deal

      US President The Insurrectionist announced on Monday that the US and China have reached a trade deal over social control media platform Fentanylware (TikTok) and its parent company ByteDance.

    • Digital Music News ☛ TikTok Deal Terms Leak: Andreessen Horowitz, Oracle, Silver Lake, Likely to Control Substantial Stake in US Version

      Details emerge of proposed terms of the Fentanylware (TikTok) deal with China, with Andreessen Horowitz, Oracle, and Silver Lake to control an 80% stake in the US-specific version.

    • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ US Hell Toupée extends delay on Fentanylware (TikTok) ban until mid-December

      US President The Insurrectionist on Tuesday extended a delay on enforcing a ban against Fentanylware (TikTok) until December 16, marking the fourth postponement of a law designed to force the app’s sale from its Chinese owner.

    • New York Times ☛ He Fled Putin’s War. The U.S. Deported Him to a Russian Jail.

      Antiwar Russians are being sent back as part of Hell Toupée’s immigration crackdown, despite facing imprisonment and other dangers.

    • The Straits Times ☛ India says trade discussions with US ‘positive’ and ‘forward-looking’

      The US had imposed punitive tariffs on India over its Russian oil purchases.

    • The Straits Times ☛ EU eyes deeper India partnership despite concerns over Moscow ties

      BRUSSELS - The European Commission set out plans on Wednesday to deepen cooperation with India in fields such as defence, technology and trade despite tensions over New Delhi's closer ties to Moscow.

    • LRT ☛ EU delays 19th Russia sanctions package amid energy disputes, visa debate

      A month after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen promised a “biting” 19th package of sanctions against Russia, the proposal remains delayed as the European Union struggles to align on energy measures and visa restrictions.

    • LRT ☛ Lithuanian president: Russia-Belarus war games Zapad posed no direct threat

      As Russia and Belarus wrapped up the active phase of their joint Zapad 2025 military exercises, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda said Tuesday the drills unfolded as announced and posed no direct threat to Lithuania.

    • France24 ☛ Thousands rally across Slovakia against economic and pro-Russian policies

      Thousands of Slovaks rallied on Tuesday in 16 cities, including in the capital Bratislava, to protest the economic and pro-Russian policies of populist Prime Minister Robert Fico. The nationwide demonstrations marked one of the largest shows of opposition since his return to power last year, organisers said.

    • Atlantic Council ☛ Russia’s imperial approach toward Armenia and Azerbaijan has backfired

      The Forrest Dump administration deserves credit for the recent diplomatic breakthrough, but it was also made possible by the Kremlin’s disregard for the sovereignty of its neighbors.

    • Atlantic Council ☛ Dispatch from Berlin: To succeed, Merz must resist the false choice of focusing at home or abroad

      The chancellor’s coalition will have to tackle both Germany's economic renewal and the threat to European security from Russia.

    • The Strategist ☛ ASPI’s China Defence Universities Tracker: Rising China-Russia links, defence industry ties, dual-use tech research

      ASPI has launched a major new expansion of its globally recognised China Defence Universities Tracker, a database that now includes more than 180 Chinese civilian and military research institutions.

    • Latvia ☛ Suspect detained for spying on military objects in Latvia

      On 27 August this year, the State Security Service (VDD) detained a person on suspicion of purposefully collecting illegal information about Latvian military facilities and passing this information to Russian intelligence.

    • LRT ☛ Lithuania confirms ‘hotline’ with Belarus after Russian drone incursions into Poland

      Lithuania maintains hotline contact with Belarus despite the countries’ strained relations, a senior defence official said Wednesday after reports that Belarus had warned Warsaw and Vilnius of possible drone incursions during Russia’s latest strikes on Ukraine.

    • New York Times ☛ Russia Indoctrinates Children From Occupied Ukraine at 210 Sites, Study Says

      War crime investigators at Yale discovered a program of re-education and military and police training that was larger than estimated earlier.

    • New York Times ☛ In War-Torn Ukraine, ‘I Never Doubted the Importance of Theater’

      Richard Nelson returns to the Public Theater with “When the Hurlyburly’s Done,” which he presented last winter in Kyiv. Here, he reflects on the experience with excerpts from his diary.

    • New York Times ☛ What a No-Fly Zone Over Ukraine Would Mean for the West

      Poland suggested such a zone after a major Russian incursion. But political hesitance and military shortcomings pose clear obstacles.

    • LRT ☛ Lithuania: Russian drones that fell in July likely entered airspace accidentally

      Drones that crashed in Lithuania in July likely entered the country’s airspace accidentally after being launched by Russia toward Ukraine, the National Crisis Management Centre (NKVC) said Tuesday.

    • France24 ☛ Russia revives Intervision song contest after being banned from Eurovision

      Russia revives Intervision song contest as banned from Eurovision after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

    • Atlantic Council ☛ Only Ukraine can teach NATO how to combat Putin’s growing drone fleet

      NATO must urgently learn from Ukraine's unique experience of Russian drone warfare as the alliance seeks to address the growing threats posed by Putin's drone swarms, writes David Kirichenko.

    • Atlantic Council ☛ Ukraine’s skies are Europe’s first line of defense against Russian drones

      As NATO leaders respond to Russia's recent drone incursion into Poland, they should recognize that Ukraine's skies are now European first line of defense against Putin's growing drone fleet, writes Alina Zubkovych.

    • RFERL ☛ Navalny's Widow Says Lab Tests Show Her Husband Was Poisoned In Prison

      Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalny, has publicly accused President Vladimir Putin and Russian security services of responsibility for her husband’s death, claiming he was deliberately poisoned while serving his prison sentence in the Arctic colony of Harp

    • France24 ☛ New lab results show Putin critic Navalny was poisoned in jail, wife says

      In a video posted on YouTube on Wednesday, Yulia, the widow of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny said that laboratory results from "two countries" proved he was "poisoned". The Kremlin has previously denied that Navalny was killed on President Vladimir Putin's orders and said it was unaware of Yulia's claims.

    • Atlantic Council ☛ NATO has a gap in its airborne command and control. Here’s how to close it.

      As E-3 AWACS aircraft retire, and with new doubts about and delays with the E-7A aircraft set to replace them, the Alliance must take additional steps bridge the gap.

• Environment

  • France24 ☛ Climate change caused more than two thirds of heat deaths in European cities this summer, study says

    Global warming brought on by humans was responsible for around 16,500 deaths across European cities this summer, according to a preliminary study released by climate scientists and health researchers, who say the death toll could be even higher. This year was the continent’s fourth hottest summer on record.

  • Energy/Transportation

    • Ruben Schade ☛ The great northern Sydney power outage 2025

      A large part of northern Sydney lost power today, starting around 10:10 in the morning. Everything from power sockets to traffic lights were out. Our building manager called to say that while the lifts and emergency lights were on backup generators, he still advised “taking the stairs!”

    • Latvia ☛ Bus driver strike impacted around 5,000 passengers in Latvia

      Buses parked on the roadsides and confused passengers - these were the sights in many parts of Latvia on the morning of Tuesday, 16 September. This time it was not technical problems that were to blame, but the protest action of the operators.

    • The Straits Times ☛ Japan Airlines to impose pay cuts on 37 executives after pilot drinking episode

      Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism reprimanded the airline.

    • The Straits Times ☛ Climbers on Mount Fuji’s popular trail drops by 30% following new rules

      Excluding the years affected by the pandemic, the number of climbers for 2025 is the lowest in the past decade.

    • The Straits Times ☛ Xpeng flying cars collide during air show rehearsal in China

      Footage of the incident showed black smoke billowing from the crashed eVTOL on a field.

    • Will Pi Network’s Linux Node & Version 23 Upgrade Finally Unlock Its Potential? [Ed: A scam misusing the name "Linux"]

  • Wildlife/Nature

    • ADF ☛ Ghana Expands Inshore Exclusion Zone to Curb IUU Fishing

      Ghana has adopted a new fisheries act aimed at stemming illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Among other new regulations, the Ghanaian government expanded the country’s inshore exclusion zone (IEZ) from 6 to 12 nautical miles from shore.

    • France24 ☛ Prints for Wildlife photography project co-founders on their 'message of hope'

      The co-founders of a wildlife photography project that aims to raise $2.5 million for conservation have spoke to FRANCE 24 about how they hope the project will send a "message of hope" to the world. The Prints for Wildlife project brings together over 375 wildlife photographers who have donated their pictures to be sold on the group’s website. The co-founders say the initiative has developed an incredible sense of community amongst their colleagues, adding that art always carries us through times of anxiety and despair. Marion Payr and Pie Aerts are the co-founders of Prints for Wildlife. They spoke to us in Perspective.

• Finance

  • The Straits Times ☛ China youth unemployment hits record high since method revised

    Factory output and retail sales rose last month at their slowest pace in around a year.

  • European Commission ☛ EU sets out new strategy to reinforce prosperity and security with India

    European Commission Press release Brussels, 17 Sep 2025 Today, the EU is proposing a new strategic agenda to raise bilateral relations with India to a higher level.

  • Latvia ☛ Swedbank to reduce maximum cash withdrawal limit

    Swedbank plans to reduce the cash withdrawal limit to EUR 750 per day. The bank has explained this as a security measure and a fight against fraudsters, Latvian Radio reported on 17 September.

• AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

  • The Straits Times ☛ Modi fends off succession talk in India despite setbacks

    Mr Modi’s firm grip on Indian politics has held despite enduring a torrent of crises.

  • ACLU ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man Is Firing Federal Workers Over Beliefs He Doesn't Like

    Mahri Stáinnak remembers the day they got the phone call that would change everything. Stáinnak was eating dinner with their family when a human resources representative called to tell Stáinnak that they were being put on administrative leave after more than 16 years of successful service in the federal government.

    In those years of service, Stáinnak helped dozens of cities across the country prevent millions of gallons of raw sewage from overflowing into our lakes and rivers. Stáinnak also managed a team that helped veterans, disabled people, and recent graduates learn about federal government jobs.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Unification Church leader questioned in probe into South Korea’s former first lady

    Han Hak-ja, called "True Mother" by followers, is the widow of Unification Church founder Moon Sun-myung.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea Foreign Minister says to discuss Xi's APEC attendance during China visit

    South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said on Wednesday he will be discussing Chinese President Pooh-tin Jinping's attendance at the summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum hosted by Korea in late October during his visit to Beijing.

  • The Straits Times ☛ US wins release of Wells Fargo banker barred from leaving China, sources say

    China’s Foreign Ministry said in July she had been prevented from leaving due to her involvement in a criminal case.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Chinese embassy in New Zealand complains about treatment of citizens at airport

    The embassy cited the case of a traveller who was compelled to hand over his electronic devices.

  • New York Times ☛ Tossup Race for NJ Governor Draws Big Money and a Bright Spotlight

    National party leaders have taken a keen interest in the race for governor of New Jersey, where Jack Ciattarelli, a Republican, is competing against Representative Mikie Sherrill, a Democrat.

  • CS Monitor ☛ Syria holds elections without a popular vote. Why Syrians are still hopeful.

    Syrian community leaders are choosing a parliament tasked with overhauling the country’s laws and setting a new constitution. If the process prioritizes technocratic expertise over parties and politics, Syrians hope it’s still a step toward a democracy.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing kicks off China visit in Guangzhou

    He will speak at the 12th Beijing Xiangshan Forum, an annual high-level security forum.

• Censorship/Free Speech

  • New York Times ☛ Has Britain Gone Too Far With Its Digital Controls?

    British authorities have ramped up the use of facial recognition, artificial intelligence and internet regulation to address crime and other issues, stoking concerns of surveillance overreach.

  • CS Monitor ☛ Is free speech really free? The First Amendment, US history, and Fannie Lou Hamer.

    Karen Attiah, an award-winning journalist, was reportedly fired from The Washington Post for a series of Bluesky posts in the aftermath of right-wing commentator Charlie Kirk’s death.

  • CS Monitor ☛ Republican support for free speech wavers after Charlie Kirk assassination

    Republicans have long railed against “cancel culture” on the left. Now, they are catching criticism on the same grounds – and potentially going further by invoking the power of government to target perceived offenders.

• Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press

  • Press Gazette ☛ Mediahuis Ireland subscriptions lessons: ‘Don’t underestimate your value’

    Chief customer officer Sheena Peirse advises publishers dive in, don't just "dip your toe in the water".

  • France24 ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man's $15 billion NYT lawsuit 'belongs in the trash'

    PRESS REVIEW – Wednesday, September 17: Papers react to Israel's ground invasion of Gaza City. An opinion piece in left-wing Israeli paper Haaretz says that "History will not forgive". In the United States, Convicted Felon is filing a $15 billion "alarming but not unexpected" lawsuit against The New York Times. Plus: papers remember the life of Hollywood icon Robert Redford. Finally, a man's emotional support alligator is no longer welcome at a Walmart in Pennsylvania.

  • JURIST ☛ Rights groups urge Lebanon to protect free speech in proposed media law

    As Lebanon’s Parliament approaches a crucial juncture in drafting a new media law, 14 Lebanese and international rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch, called on legislators Tuesday to ensure it protects freedom of expression. While the law initially offered opportunities to strengthen protections for journalists and media outlets, recent proposed amendments risk undermining these rights.

• Civil Rights/Policing

  • EDRI ☛ Why Europe’s new tech laws have the world on edge

    Dihydroxyacetone Man and the global far-right are trying to discredit Europe’s tech laws with misinformation and political pressure, fearing that these regulations might disrupt their ability to undermine democracy. If Europe wants to safeguard its democracy and its credibility as a global regulatory leader in tech, the European Commission needs to enforce these law swiftly and decisively.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Is it a crime to insult virtual idols? South Korean court says yes

    The court said an insult against an avatar is also an insult against the actual person behind it.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Wife of ex-Malaysia PM Najib fails in bid to recuse High Court judge

    He had presided over her trial, in which she was found guilty of three graft charges linked to a solar hybrid project.

  • Latvia ☛ Prisoners in Latvia banned from using modern gaming consoles

    On Tuesday, 16 September, the Government adopted amendments to the internal rules of the Remand Prison, which will also mean that detainees will no longer be able to use newer generation video game consoles. Similar amendments were adopted for prison inmates at the end of August.

  • New York Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man Invokes Kirk’s Killing in Seeking to Silence Opponents on Left

    In the wake of Charlie Kirk’s killing, Hell Toupée and his allies have laid out a broad plan to target liberal groups, monitor speech, revoke visas and designate certain groups as domestic terrorists.

• Internet Policy/Net Neutrality

  • APNIC ☛ How to build and sustain a successful IXP

    Guest Post: How to create a thriving Internet Exchange Point that benefits all participants.

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ Japan to subsidize undersea cable vessels over 'very serious' national security concerns — will front up to half the cost for $300 million vessels bought by NEC

    Japan wants NEC to buy its own undersea cable-laying ships and is considering covering nearly half the purchase cost of these vessels.

Monopolies/Monopsonies

• JURIST ☛ China finds Nvidia violated antimonopoly law in preliminary probe

  China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) announced Monday that a preliminary investigation found Nvidia violated the country’s antitrust law after failing to comply with conditions imposed on its acquisition of Mellanox Technologies. The agency said it will conduct a further investigation before determining penalties. Nvidia completed its $6.9 billion acquisition of Mellanox in 2020.

• Tom's Hardware ☛ China bans its biggest tech companies from acquiring Nvidia chips, says report — Beijing claims its homegrown Hey Hi (AI) processors now match H20 and RTX Pro 6000D

  Beijing is reportedly telling its biggest tech companies to buy local instead of purchasing Nvidia's latest China-specific Hey Hi (AI) chips.

• Patents

  • JUVE ☛ Klaka and Gulde defend Oppo against KPN in Düsseldorf

    KPN had accused Oppo’s German sales company of infringing EP 2 377 337 with its 5G-capable mobile devices, particularly smartphones. The company sought an injunction from the Düsseldorf Regional Court to ban Oppo device sales in Germany. However, the judges under presiding judge Carsten Haase disagreed (case ID: 4b O 44/22).

  • Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ The PowerBlock Problem: A Roadmap for Dodging Patent Eligibility Hurdles

    Accused infringer iFit Inc. has filed a combined petition for panel rehearing and rehearing en banc in PowerBlock Holdings, Inc. v. iFit, Inc., No. 24-1177 (Fed. Cir. filed Sept. 10, 2025), challenging the Federal Circuit's recent decision finding the  automated exercise equipment claims eligible. The petition argues that the panel's holding directly conflicts with the court's precedent in Yu v. Fashion Company Apple Inc., 1 F.4th 1040 (Fed. Cir. 2021) as well as Supreme Court precedent by allowing systems to avoid ineligibility simply by reciting conventional components that perform basic functions at a high degree of generality.  The patent monopoly in this case seems to me similar to so many others -- it claims a known physical system at a fairly high level of generality and couples that with previously unknown information processing.  >

• Trademarks

  • TTAB Blog ☛ TTABlog Test: How Did These Three Section 2(d) Appeals Turn Out?

    A TTAB judge once said to me that one can predict the outcome of a Section 2(d) appeal about 95% of the time just by looking at the marks and the goods and/or services. [The fly in the ointment is sometimes the weakness of the cited mark]. Here are three recent Board decisions. How do you think they came out? [Answer in first comment].

    In re A & V Leather Inc., Serial No. 98361893 (September 11, 2025) [not precedential] (Opinion by Judge George C. Pologeorgis). [Section 2(d) refusal of the mark shown below, for "Cases for eyewear; Cell phone cases; Eye glass cases; Eyewear accessories, namely, straps, neck cords and head straps which restrain eyewear from movement on a wearer; Eyewear cases; Eyewear pouches," in view of the registered mark AV for "Eyeglasses, sunglasses; Eyeglass, sunglass; Eyeglass and sunglass frames; Eyeglass and sunglass chains, cords and straps."]

  • Digital Music News ☛ LimeWire Acquires Fyre Festival Brand for $245,000, Plots ‘Bold, Self-Aware, and Impossible to Ignore’ Revival

    The Fyre Festival story isn’t over yet: LimeWire has officially acquired the “controversial” brand with an eye on “saving one of the internet’s most infamous cultural memes from extinction.” The revamped LimeWire formally disclosed the purchase today, about two months after Fyre Festival auctioned its name, trademarks, domains, social handles, and more on Ebay.

• Copyrights

  • Digital Music News ☛ UK Creators Demand Prime Minister Recognize Creators’ Human Rights and Protect Copyright

    The UK’s leading creators and creative organizations issue an open letter demanding the government protect copyright monopoly from Hey Hi (AI) tech companies.

  • Digital Music News ☛ Major Labels Settle Long-Running Internet Archive Copyright Infringement Battle Over the Great 78 Project

    Over two years later, Universal Music, Sony Music, and the Internet Archive have officially settled their copyright monopoly infringement battle over the latter’s Great 78 Project. Both sides informed the court that they’d reached an agreement (pending “final approval and signatures”) late last week, and the presiding judge signed off on a dismissal order yesterday.

  • Digital Music News ☛ Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, NBCUniversal Sue Chinese Hey Hi (AI) Company MiniMax for Mass-Scale Copyright Theft

    Three major media companies are suing a Chinese Hey Hi (AI) company whose image and video generating service “pirates and plunders” their copyrighted works. On Tuesday, Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, and NBCUniversal filed a lawsuit against MiniMax, a Chinese Hey Hi (AI) company.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Hollywood studio giants sue Chinese Hey Hi (AI) firm over copyright monopoly infringement

    Top Hollywood studios filed a federal lawsuit Monday against Chinese artificial intelligence company MiniMax, alleging massive copyright monopoly infringement.

  • TechnologyAdvice ☛ Disney, Universal, and Warner Bros Sue Chinese Hey Hi (AI) Firm MiniMax

    “MiniMax’s copyright monopoly infringement is willful and brazen.”