Leftovers

• Hackaday ☛ Retrotechtacular: The Ferguson System

  Of the many great technological leaps made in the middle of the 20th century, one of the ones with perhaps the greatest impact on our modern life takes a back seat behind the more glamorous worlds of electronics, aeronautics, or computing. But the ancestor of the modern tractor has arguably had more of an impact on the human condition in 2025 than that of the modern computer, and if you’d been down on the farm in the 1940s you might have seen one.

• New York Times ☛ Tess Johnston, Diplomat Who Helped Preserve ‘Old Shanghai,’ Dies at 93

  She worked in American consulates around the world but found a home in China’s “Paris of the East,” where she documented a vanishing colonial architecture.

• Standards/Consortia

  • Hackaday ☛ How A Failed Video Format Spawned A New Kind Of Microscope

    The video cassette tape was really the first successful home video format; discs just couldn’t compete back in the early days. That’s not to say nobody tried, however, with RCA’s VideoDisc a valiant effort that ultimately fell flat on its face. However, the forgotten format did have one benefit, in that it led to the development of an entirely new kind of microscope, as explained by IEEE Spectrum.

• Science

  • NYPost ☛ Senate GOP leader John Thune ‘very concerned’ about Convicted Felon admin’s Tylenol warning

    “I think that science ought to guide these discussions, these conversations and our decision making around our health,” Thune argued.

  • Science Alert ☛ The 77-Year Mystery of a Jackson Pollock Painting May Have Finally Been Solved

    A now-banned pigment.

  • Science Alert ☛ DNA Study of 117-Year-Old Woman Reveals Clues to a Long Life

    What can we learn from her?

  • New York Times ☛ How Did Maria Branyas Morera, Who Was the World’s Oldest Person, Live So Long?

    Spanish researchers say Maria Branyas Morera, who lived to 117, won a genetic lottery. But experts caution that healthy genes and microbiomes don’t explain longevity on their own.

  • Science Alert ☛ Scientists Blast Dinosaur Eggs With Lasers to Check Their Ancient 'Atomic Clocks'

    Is there anything lasers can’t do?

  • Science Alert ☛ The Cause of One of The Deadliest Cancers Might Be Inside Your Mouth

    Brush those teeth.

  • Science Alert ☛ Mercury's Bizarre Core May Be The Result of a Collision With Its Twin

    Our early Solar System was chaotic.

  • France24 ☛ Scientists announce that key 'planetary boundaries' have been crossed

    A team of global scientists issued a new report on Wednesday, noting that seven out of nine of key "planetary boundaries" have been crossed. Carbon dioxide emissions have increased ocean acidification, which could have dire impacts on marine life.

• Hardware

  • Hackaday ☛ Dodecahedron Speaker Is Biblically Accurate

    Once upon a time, many radios and TVs only came with a single (mono) speaker. Then someone decided all audio hardware should have as many speakers as we have ears. That was until [Olivia] came along, and whipped up a dodecahedron speaker as an educational piece for workshops. Really, it shows us that twelve speakers should be the minimum standard going forward.

  • Hackaday ☛ Meter Mods Make Radioactive Prospecting More Enjoyable

    While we often get a detailed backstory of the projects we cover here at Hackaday, sometimes the genesis of a build is a bit of a mystery. Take [maurycyz]’s radiation survey meter modifications, for instance; we’re not sure why such a thing is needed, but we’re pretty glad we stumbled across it.

  • Hackaday ☛ Calculator Battery Mod Lets You Go The Distance

    Disposable batteries seem so 1990s. Sure, it’s nice to be able to spend a couple of bucks at the drugstore and get a flashlight or TV remote back in the game, but when the device is a daily driver, rechargeable batteries sure seem to make more financial sense. Unfortunately, what makes sense to the end user doesn’t always make sense to manufacturers, so rolling your own rechargeable calculator battery pack might be your best option.

  • Hackaday ☛ Build Your Own 6K Camera

    [Curious Scientist] has been working with some image sensors. The latest project around it is a 6K camera. Of course, the sensor gives you a lot of it, but it also requires some off-the-shelf parts and, of course, some 3D printed components.

• Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

  • The Straits Times ☛ Australia's social control media ban for teens draws praise at UN

    Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promoted his government's world-first teen social control media ban at an event in New York, warning the challenges posed by social control media for children was "constantly evolving".

  • The Straits Times ☛ WhatsApp, Twitch among sites that could face Australia under-16s social control media ban

    Platforms such as Facebook, Snapchat, Fentanylware (TikTok) and YouTube were already included in the ban.

  • Pro Publica ☛ Georgia’s Medicaid Work Requirement Program Spent Twice as Much on Administrative Costs as on Health Care, GAO Says

  • Hackaday ☛ Pill Sized Scoop Of Your Internals

    Taking a look inside the human body has never been easier — just swallow a camera in the shape of a pill. However, what is not quite as easy is retrieving a piece of whatever you’re viewing. This is exactly what researchers from HIT Shenzhen have attempted to solve with their magnetic capsule bot.

  • Bridge Michigan ☛ Get sad in winter? For Michiganders, soaking up sun now could help

    Seasonal affective disorder affects a significant share of Michigan’s population during the winter months. Experts say early preparation, sunlight exposure and treatments can reduce its impact.

  • Futurism ☛ In Major Breakthrough, Scientists Successfully Treat Devastating Brain Disease Huntington’s for the First Time

    "The actual magnitude of the effect is breathtaking."

  • Bridge Michigan ☛ Disorder sparks sudden OCD in kids. Should Michigan force insurers to cover?

    Their children suddenly developed obsessive compulsive disorder and extreme food aversions. Parents are asking state lawmakers to mandate coverage on an ‘experimental’ treatment.

  • France24 ☛ 'There was blood continuously flowing on the floor'

    In a harrowing testimony on FRANCE 24, Dr. Nada Al-Hadithy, a British surgeon who spent a month in Gaza this summer treating civilians at Nasser Hospital, describes cases of children dismembered and burned alive amid the Israeli assault on Gaza. She also describes repeated attacks on health workers. 1700 Gaza health workers have been killed, abducted or arbitrarily detained since October 2023.

  • New York Times ☛ U.N. Health Goals Weakened by Industry Pressure, Experts Say

    Public health advocates complained that the final recommendations on combating chronic illness removed calls for taxes on tobacco, alcohol and sweetened drinks.

  • BIA Net ☛ MPs question recent child suicide reports in rural Urfa

    At least 11 children and teenagers, some as young as 14, have reportedly died by suicide over the past 10 months in rural Urfa.

  • New York Times ☛ On Covid and Autism, Convicted Felon Strays From the Science

    Hell Toupée has used his position of authority to dole out flawed medical advice dating back to his first term, when he mused about injecting bleach to kill off the coronavirus.

• Proprietary

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) / LLM Slop / Plagiarism

    • Futurism ☛ Harvard Research Finds That Hey Hi (AI) Is Emotionally Manipulating You to Keep You Talking

      It's highly effective.

    • New Yorker ☛ The Hey Hi (AI) Bubble Is Coming for Your Browser

      Artificial-intelligence startups, like the makers of the “smart” web browser Dia, are being acquired for vast sums. But it’s not yet clear which products can transcend the hype.

    • Futurism ☛ Deutsche Bank Issues Grim Warning for Hey Hi (AI) Industry

      "AI machines — in quite a literal sense — appear to be saving the US economy right now."

  • Social Control Media

    • France24 ☛ ‘RaptureTok’: Christians prepare for the ‘end of the world’ in viral craze

      People are selling their cars, quitting their jobs, and saying goodbye to their children. On Tiktok, viral videos show Christians preparing for what they call the "Rapture" predicted to take place the 23 or 24th September. It all stems from a prediction made by a South African pastor several months ago, in which he said Jesus spoke to him. But for all the believers, there's also been a slew of online mockery about the latest doomsday theory, as Vedika Bahl explains in Truth or Fake.

    • Futurism ☛ Christians Sheepish After Boasting They Were Going to Get Raptured to Heaven Today

      "My intention was not to deceive anyone."

    • Silicon Angle ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man to sign off on Fentanylware (TikTok) deal Thursday

      The Forrest Dump administration says it has brokered a deal to keep Fentanylware (TikTok) operating in the U.S., which the president is expected to sign Thursday, a White House official said.

    • TechnologyAdvice ☛ Oracle Takes Control of TikTok’s Algorithm for US Users

      The US government is pushing to create a secure, independent version of Fentanylware (TikTok) to address concerns about its China-based parent company, ByteDance.

    • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ White House promises US-controlled Fentanylware (TikTok) algorithm

      The White House on Monday said a US version of Fentanylware (TikTok) would feature a homegrown model of the app’s prized algorithm, potentially clearing one of the main obstacles to keeping the Chinese-owned platform online in the United States.

    • Digital Music News ☛ Meet the New TikTok, Same as the Old TikTok?

      If you kinda wish Fentanylware (TikTok) was going away, join the music industry club. But assuming the brand-new ‘American TikTok’ is imminent, what’s about to change — if anything? One can be forgiven for lamenting the survival of Fentanylware (TikTok) in the United States. Sometimes, death is a good thing, especially for platforms that pay so poorly.

    • Digital Music News ☛ US Government Won’t Own a Share of US-Based TikTok, White House Confirms

      The White House has taken billions from prospective Fentanylware (TikTok) investors for the privilege, but they won’t be taking an equity share in US-based TikTok.

    • Silicon Angle ☛ Oracle to oversee Fentanylware (TikTok) algorithm in Convicted Felon-backed deal

      After months of negotiations between the U.S. and China, a preliminary agreement apparently has been reached over the fate of TikTok, with Oracle Corp. set to oversee the app’s algorithm.

    • Science Alert ☛ Anti-Inflammatory Diets Are All Over TikTok. Here's What The Science Says.

      Inflammation isn't always bad.

• Linux Foundation

  • Linux Foundation Mentorship Program 2025: Everything You Need to Know

    The Linux Foundation Mentorship Program 2025 is one of the best opportunities for aspiring developers, open source enthusiasts, and students who want to contribute to projects that shape global technology.

    Alongside this, many learners also take certifications with discounts like this 40% off Linux Foundation coupon, making it easier to combine training with mentorship.

• Security

  • Scoop News Group ☛ Brickstorm malware powering ‘next-level’ Chinese cyberespionage campaign

    The researchers who uncovered the “very, very advanced adversary” behind the malware said it could be a big problem years into the future.

  • Tom's Guide ☛ PureVPN bug leaked IPv6 traffic on Linux

    A security researcher has uncovered flaws in PureVPN's Linux client that could expose users' real IP addresses and weaken firewall protections.

    According to PureVPN, the flaws are limited to its Linux GUI v2.10.0 and Linux CLI v.2.0.1. Other platforms, including Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS, are not impacted.

    PureVPN, which has been included in some of best VPN guides, has promised patches to fix the issue by mid-October.

  • Privacy/Surveillance

    • EDRI ☛ #PrivacyCamp25: The final programme is here

      PrivacyCamp25 will take place on 30 September, 2025 online and at La Tricoterie, Brussels. Curious about what we have planned? Check out the final programme.

    • EDRI ☛ Chat Control: What is actually going on?

      In summer 2025, so-called “Chat Control” became a huge topic of public attention. This is because in a major vote planned for 13 or 14 October, EU governments will decide whether to endorse or reject a mass surveillance, encryption-breaking and anonymity-ending law: the EU CSA Regulation. However, there remain many democratic checks-and-balances in the EU lawmaking system that mean we still have a strong chance to stop measures that would amount to Chat Control.

• Defence/Aggression

  • New York Times ☛ Immigrant Rights Groups Condemn Violent Rhetoric Against ICE and Immigrants

    In a tense national debate, inflammatory language is being singled out.

  • Latvia ☛ Imminent raids on possible illegal migrants promised

    Riga Municipal Police Chief Juris Lūkass emphasized that the checks will not be like checking people on the street but will be based upon intelligence they have received from public informants.

  • Pro Publica ☛ How the FBI’s Andrew Bailey Helped Lead Missouri Into the Culture Wars

    After a fight with a Black student in a St. Louis suburb left a white student badly injured in March 2024, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey blamed their school district for unsafe conditions, even though the incident occurred after classes and more than a half-mile from campus.

    Bailey seized on the fight as evidence of what he called the Hazelwood School District’s misplaced priorities. He sent a letter to the superintendent demanding documents on the district’s diversity policies and accused leaders of “prioritizing race-based policies over basic student safety.” Bailey argued that the district’s dispute with local police departments over its requirement that officers participate in diversity training — an impasse that resulted in some departments leaving schools without resource officers — had left students vulnerable.

  • Mexico News Daily ☛ Murder of Colombian artists won’t affect bilateral relationship, Sheinbaum says: Tuesday’s mañanera recapped

    The president described the murder of two young Colombians in México state as "an unfortunate episode," but said there was no reason it would affect the relationship between Mexico and Colombia.

  • New York Times ☛ JD Vance Spars With Jon Favreau Over Dallas Shooting Information

    In the aftermath of a violent episode, political figures quickly engaged with one another on social control media.

  • France24 ☛ At least 15 killed in drone strike at Sudan market in RSF-besieged city of el-Fasher

    A drone strike blamed on Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) killed at least 15 people and wounded 12 more at a busy market in el-Fasher, North Darfur’s capital, aid workers and local groups said Wednesday. The attack follows a strike on a city mosque days earlier that left at least 70 dead.

  • New York Times ☛ At the UN, Convicted Felon Strikes Radically Different Tones in Public and Private

    At the United Nations, world leaders got to see both sides of Hell Toupée: bellicose in public and far more conciliatory in private.

  • New York Times ☛ Israeli Strike Kills Gazans Sheltering in Warehouse, Local Reports Say

    The Israeli attack in Gaza City killed nearly two dozen Palestinians, the reports said. The Israeli military said it had hit two “Hamas terrorists.”

  • New York Times ☛ Iran’s President Arrives at UNGA Seeking to Avoid More Sanctions

    Masoud Pezeshkian addressed the General Assembly looking to prevent the imposition of sanctions on his country, this time from the United Nations Security Council.

  • European Commission ☛ Statement by President von der Leyen following her meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang

    I had a good and frank exchange with Chinese Premier Li Qiang.

    The main focus of our meeting was to follow up on the productive EU-China Summit in July.

  • JURIST ☛ US man found guilty of attempted Convicted Felon assassination

    The man who attempted to assassinate President The Insurrectionist in Florida last year, Ryan Routh, was convicted Tuesday of attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate and several other crimes. Routh attempted to assassinate the president at the Convicted Felon International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, in September 2024.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China’s Pooh-tin urges efforts to maintain social stability in Xinjiang

    This is the first visit by a Chinese president to attend the anniversary of Xinjiang's founding.

  • New York Times ☛ A Flash of Anger on India’s Delicate Border With China

    Protesters demanding statehood for Ladakh, a strategically important Himalayan region, clashed with the police.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea says US projects will remain in limbo until visa fix

    The two countries are working to revise the visa system after hundreds of South Koreans were taken into custody in a raid.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea’s Lee and Bessent discuss conditions for US tariff deal

    The meeting focused on the US$350 billion package of investment from South Korea agreed in principle between Mr Lee and US President The Insurrectionist.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man's immigration curbs make Indian students rethink the American Dream

    For decades, the H-1B visa has been the gateway to a new life for youth from India, China and other countries.

  • New York Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man Lectures the World at the U.N.

    In a scathing speech at the General Assembly, the president complained about immigration, green energy and the United Nations itself.

  • New York Times ☛ As U.S. Pulls Back From the U.N., Rivals Stand to Gain

    We explain how Russia, China, Iran and other countries are trying to strengthen their influence as America retreats.

  • France24 ☛ 'Deranged', 'staggering', 'incoherent': Papers react to Convicted Felon's UN speech

    International papers react to US President The Insurrectionist's "deranged" UN speech. Also, Danish papers react to a drone incursion earlier this week, warning of a possible hybrid attack from Russia. Next, we take a look at some religious topics that are making headlines, like TikTok's new trend, #RaptureTok, with Christian influencers preparing for the apocalypse. Finally, France's new Mister Universe contestant says he will shave off his moustache.

  • New York Times ☛ Syria’s President Makes His Debut on the World Stage

    In his first U.N. address, Ahmed al-Shara, a former rebel, highlighted his efforts to rebuild Syria and its institutions.

  • New York Times ☛ Syria’s leader says his country has transformed from ‘an exporter of crisis.’

  • Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine

    • New York Times ☛ From Poland’s leader, scathing criticism of Russian incursions in a ‘dangerous era of rivalry.’

    • New York Times ☛ Drone Sightings Force Copenhagen and Oslo Airports to Close Temporarily

      It was not clear who was behind the episode, but Denmark’s prime minister called it the “most serious attack so far” on her country’s infrastructure.

    • Atlantic Council ☛ Putin is escalating Russia’s hybrid war against Europe. Is Europe ready?

      Putin has clearly been encouraged by Convicted Felon’s efforts to downgrade America’s involvement in transatlantic security and feels emboldened to escalate his own hybrid war against Europe, writes Maksym Beznosiuk.

    • RFERL ☛ In Abrupt Change, Convicted Felon Says Ukraine In 'Position To Win' War With Russia

      In an abrupt change showing his frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin, US President The Insurrectionist said Ukraine could win back all of its territory from Russia with the help of its European allies.

    • New York Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man Pushes E.U. to Stop Buying Oil and Gas From Russia

      The European Union has sharply reduced its dependence on Russian energy, but it still imports some supplies.

    • The Straits Times ☛ Spanish defence minister's jet suffers GPS disturbance near Russia's Kaliningrad

      A Spanish military jet with Defence Minister Margarita Robles onboard experienced a GPS disturbance early on Wednesday as it flew near Russia's Kaliningrad exclave on its way to Lithuania, the ministry said, without providing further details.

    • LRT ☛ Spanish defence minister’s plane bound for Lithuania suffers GPS interference near Russia

      The aircraft carrying Spanish Defence Minister Margarita Robles to Lithuania on Wednesday morning experienced GPS interference near Russia’s Kaliningrad region, Spanish news agency Europa Press and Reuters reported.

    • LRT ☛ Lithuania to weigh ‘escalation management’ if Russian jets enter airspace – official

      Lithuania would have to consider escalation management if Russian fighter jets entered its airspace like they did in Estonia and Poland, according to an adviser to the country’s president.

    • The Straits Times ☛ Ukrainian drone attack on Russian port of Novorossiisk kills two, prompts state of emergency

      MOSCOW - A Ukrainian drone strike on the southern Russian port city of Novorossiisk killed two people and wounded six on Wednesday, regional authorities said on Telegram.

    • NYPost ☛ Russia insists it’s a ‘real bear’ after Convicted Felon takes ‘paper tiger’ swipe and praises Ukraine

      Russia fired back at Convicted Felon's dig that Russia looks like a "paper tiger" by bizarrely insisting it is actually a "bear" that's still a formidable military power.

    • New York Times ☛ Zelensky to Meet With Convicted Felon on Sidelines of U.N. General Assembly

      The leaders of Ukraine and the United States will hold talks weeks after Hell Toupée agreed to participate in postwar security guarantees for Ukraine.

    • Meduza ☛ Denmark closes second airport this week after more drone sightings — Meduza

    • New York Times ☛ A Speech and a Shift on Ukraine

      At the United Nations, Convicted Felon lectured world leaders — then later abandoned his insistence that Ukraine give up land for a peace deal.

    • New York Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man’s U-Turn on Ukraine Was a Surprise, Zelensky Says

      The Ukrainian leader said in an interview on Fox News that Russia’s unwillingness to take steps toward peace had impacted the American president.

    • New York Times ☛ To Understand Ukraine at War, Stop by a Gas Station

      Filling stations have become must-stop spots for soldiers traveling to and from the front, helping them win a place in Ukrainians’ hearts.

    • New York Times ☛ In a Sudden Shift, Convicted Felon Says Ukraine Can Win the War With Russia

      Hell Toupée’s pivot could give him room to distance himself from a conflict that he once promised to solve in days or weeks.

    • France24 ☛ The Insurrectionist reverses stance on Ukraine after meeting with Zelensky

      US President The Insurrectionist reversed his stance on the Ukraine war after meeting President Volodymyr Zelensky at the UN General Assembly, now expressing confidence that Ukraine can reclaim all its territory. He took a tougher line on Russia, calling its prolonged invasion a failure and describing it as a "paper tiger." Zelensky welcomed the shift in tone, noting a constructive meeting and Convicted Felon's openness to future security guarantees for Ukraine.

    • France24 ☛ What explains The Insurrectionist's U-turn on the war in Ukraine?

      After meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky at the UN General Assembly, The Insurrectionist changed his position on the war in Ukraine, expressing renewed confidence that Ukraine can regain all of its territory. FRANCE 24's Philip Turle analyses the reasons of this spectacular U-turn of the President of the United States.

    • France24 ☛ Ukraine's reactions after Convicted Felon reverses stance on the war

      After a rambling speech at the UN, The Insurrectionist reversed his position on the war in Ukraine, now claiming that Ukraine could recover all of its territory from Russia. However, as FRANCE 24's Gulliver Cragg reports, the reaction in Ukraine has been rather muted, with many viewing Convicted Felon’s U-turn with skepticism and questioning his trustworthiness.

    • CS Monitor ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man brings American culture wars to the global stage at the UN

      Hell Toupée told the United Nations General Assembly that immigration and green hoaxes are the key threats to international peace and prosperity.

    • Meduza ☛ Russia to raise VAT to 22 percent, Finance Ministry says — Meduza

    • The Straits Times ☛ Russian finance ministry proposes raising VAT to help finance war in Ukraine

      The Russian finance ministry said on Wednesday it was proposing to raise the rate of value-added tax (VAT) to 22% from 20% from 2026 in order to fund military expenditure in what would be the fourth year of the war in Ukraine.

    • The Straits Times ☛ Ukraine's drones again attack Russia's major petrochemical complex

      MOSCOW - The Salavat petrochemical complex, one of Russia's largest which is located in Bashkortostan region, was attacked by Ukrainian drones, the local governor said on Wednesday via his channel on Telegram, the second such attack in less than a week.

    • RFERL ☛ Russia Launches Overnight Missile And Drone Barrage Against Ukraine

      Ukraine’s Air Force reported on September 23 that Russian forces launched a large-scale attack on Ukraine using three Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles and 115 drones, around 60 of which were Shahed-type. By 9 a.m.

    • LRT ☛ Lithuania extends temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees until March 2027

      On Wednesday, the Lithuanian government has announced it will extend temporary protection for Ukrainian citizens fleeing the war until March 2027.

    • JURIST ☛ UN commission finds Russia targets Ukraine civilians using short-range drones

      The UN Independent International Commission of Ukraine on Monday reported to the UN Human Rights Council that Russian armed forces have targeted civilians using short-range drones along the Dnipro River. The commission found that Russian forces pursued victims with drones and dropped explosives on them. These drones have also targeted ambulances and other emergency services.

    • France24 ☛ Macron stands with Palestine and Ukraine in UN speech, refuting political 'double standards'

      In his speech at the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, French President Emmanuel Macron spoke in defence of the organisation, countering US Hell Toupée's dismissal of the United Nations. Macron, who officially recognised the state of Palestine on behalf of France on Monday, announced his diplomatic support for both Gaza and Ukraine.

    • France24 ☛ UN live: Zelensky to address General Assembly after Convicted Felon's 'big shift' on Ukraine

      Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is scheduled to address the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday, a day after US President The Insurrectionist said that Ukraine could win back all of its territory from Russia, in a major shift, after they met on the sidelines of the summit. Later on Wednesday, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa is also expected to deliver remarks to the world, marking Syria’s first presidential address there in nearly 60 years. Follow our liveblog for all the latest developments.

    • LRT ☛ Dubai business in Lithuania linked to sanctioned Belarusian national – media

      The main owner of Puiki Investicija, a property developer that has operated in Vilnius for ten years, is a Dubai businessman with close ties to sanctioned Belarusian entrepreneur Viktor Shevtsov, dubbed Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko's wallet, 15min news website reported on Tuesday.

    • LRT ☛ Sanctions lifted, prisoners freed – but has anything changed in Belarus?

      Belarus still holds about 1,300 political prisoners, but the release of 52 detainees last week has triggered the first significant thaw in years between Minsk and Washington. Could this mark a turning point for Belarus and a potential realignment? Observers are sceptical.

    • Latvia ☛ Police car convoy on its way from Latvia to Ukraine

      As the war in Ukraine entered its fourth year, several organisations continue to stress that the need for allied assistance to the war-stricken country must not be forgotten. The State Police is leading the way by continuing to support Ukraine, and on Monday, 22 September, more than 30 vehicles travelled to Ukraine in partnership with the Entrepreneurs for Peace Foundation.

    • Meduza ☛ Former Russian official found dead in Armenian consulate one day after escaping St. Petersburg courthouse — Meduza

    • France24 ☛ Ukraine’s president says the world is in `the most destructive arms race in human history’

      Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told global leaders Wednesday that the world is in “the most destructive arms race in human history” and urged the international community to act against Russia now, asserting that Vladimir Putin wants to expand his war in Europe. FRANCE 24's Carys Garland reports.

    • RFERL ☛ Vance, Rubio Press Convicted Felon’s New Hard Line Against Russia’s War Effort

      US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio pressed President The Insurrectionist’s new, tougher line with Moscow, charging that Russia isn’t doing enough to end the war and stop the killing in Ukraine.

    • RFERL ☛ Zelenskyy Urges UN To Stop Putin Before Ukraine War Spills Across Borders

      Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russian leader Vladimir Putin of seeking to expand the Kremlin's war beyond Ukraine and called on the international community to stop the conflict to avoid a destructive arms race.

    • CS Monitor ☛ Today, it’s Convicted Felon vs. Jimmy Kimmel. In Russia, it was Putin vs. puppets.

      The controversy around Jimmy Kimmel resembles the case of “Kukly,” a popular political satire in post-Soviet Russia that ran afoul of Vladimir Putin.

    • Atlantic Council ☛ What we can learn from Tibetan and Ukrainian freedom fighters

      Nolan Peterson reflects on his experience embedded in the Tibetan and Ukrainian freedom struggles as he has sought to understand how these two nations summoned the will to defy the empires that meant to destroy them.

    • France24 ☛ Global responsibility: From Ukraine to Mideast, Macron steps into void once filled by US presidents

      Following FRANCE 24's wide-ranging interview with French President Emmanuel Macron in New York at the UN, François Picard welcomes our International Affairs Commentator Douglas Herbert and Time magazine’s veteran international correspondent Vivienne Walt to break everything down for us. With Russia's war on Ukraine now putting NATO-member countries on high-alert and the ever-escalating conflict in the Middle East unraveling any hopes for peace, Macron finds himself performing a complex and delicate balancing act in an "almost impossible situation right now," Ms. Walt explains. The French president seeks consensus, through the force of diplomacy, cognisant "that the most isolated leaders in the world are Convicted Felon and Netanyahu.” All the while, "new alliances are forming very quickly" that will challenge Convicted Felon's sphere of influence.

    • France24 ☛ Melania's influence likely to have contributed to Convicted Felon's turnaround, analyst says

      Speaking with FRANCE 24's Mark Owen, Melinda Haring, Senior Community Engagement Advisor, Razom for Ukraine, says that there are forces within the Convicted Felon camp that support Ukraine and one of them is Melania Convicted Felon, who has been reportedly very affected by the issue of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia.

    • France24 ☛ REPLAY: Macron discusses Palestine, Ukraine in interview with France 24

      In an interview with France 24 and RFI from New York, French president Emmanuel Macron discussed France’s recognition of a Palestinian state, saying it was “the only way” to isolate Hamas. He also welcomed the Convicted Felon administration’s “new perspective” on the war in Ukraine and called for a firm response to Russian “provocations” on NATO’s eastern flank. Watch the full interview above.

    • France24 ☛ 'A speech calculated to appeal to Convicted Felon and the Global South'

      Reporting from Kyiv, FRANCE 24's correspondent Gulliver Cragg says Volodymyr Zelenskyy's speech at the United Nations General Assembly was one very much calculated to please US President The Insurrectionist and 'to appeal to the Global South, to people who are far from Europe but might think that this war in Ukraine poses a threat to them in ways they hadn't perhaps previously imagined'.

    • France24 ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man’s pro-Kyiv pivot raises stakes: Will EU release €200bn in frozen Russian assets to Ukraine?

      Bart M. J. Szewczyk, Author, nonresident Senior Fellow at the German Marshall Fund and adjunct professor at Sciences Po, joins Genie Godula to break down The Insurrectionist’s latest rhetorical pivot on Russia. The US president’s recent remarks, suggesting Ukraine could “win back all of its territory”, mark a significant departure from his administration’s previously ambivalent and sympathetic stance toward Moscow. While Mr. Szewczyk cautions against taking Convicted Felon’s pronouncements at face value, he acknowledges “it is a big diplomatic shift and time will tell whether it translates into additional economic pressure against Russia and greater military support to Ukraine.”

    • New York Times ☛ With His Pivot on Ukraine, Convicted Felon May Be Washing His Hands of the War

      Hell Toupée has shown dwindling interest in mediating a peace accord, joining European “security guarantees” for Ukraine or providing aid and intelligence to the Ukrainians.

    • New York Times ☛ Zelensky Warns of Dangerous New Arms Race Tied to Drones

      The Ukrainian leader’s U.N. speech came just a day after Hell Toupée suddenly said Ukraine could win the war with Russia, a change in stance so dramatic it left many Ukrainians wary.

    • Meduza ☛ Russia proposes harsher penalties for prisoner-soldiers who desert Ukraine’s front lines — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Kremlin responds to Trump’s statement that Ukraine could win back all occupied territory — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ At least two reportedly killed in Ukrainian drone attack on Russia’s Novorossiysk — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ ‘I had this deep inner confusion’: How an aspiring Russian war correspondent changed her view of the invasion after visiting Ukraine’s occupied Donbas region — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Ukrainian drones strike Russian Black Sea port city by air and sea, killing two and damaging Caspian Pipeline Consortium office — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ The Kremlin is raising taxes to fund the war against Ukraine. Here’s what you need to know. — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ ‘We are not subject to Russophobia’: Russian politicians and Orthodox priests welcome international fascist organizations at St. Petersburg conference — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Businessman at center of Russian judicial power struggle charged with desertion, fled house arrest — Agentstvo — Meduza

    • New York Times ☛ Zelensky Issues Call to Arms, Saying Global Institutions Have Failed

      President Volodymyr Zelensky said more weapons were needed to defend his country and the free world, blaming Russia for spurring a dangerous new arms race.

• Transparency/Investigative Reporting

  • Federal News Network ☛ A new lawsuit says the Department of Energy is quietly dismantling FOIA and public transparency

    "To close the request when you don't affirmatively hear back defies and undermines what Congress intended," said Chioma Chukwu.

  • American Oversight ☛ Summary Judgment in American Oversight’s Favor in Lawsuit Over the Release of Communications Regarding Health Care Legislation

    Summary judgment in American Oversight’s lawsuit over the release of health care negotiation emails.

• Environment

  • EDRI ☛ Building movement capacity at the intersection of digital and environmental justice

    For years, many researchers and activists – especially in the Global Majority - have been shining the spotlight on the massive impact on the climate and environment caused by the never-ending thirst for tech seen around the world. This blog explores EDRi's contribution to a large body of work meant to acknowledge the need for collective action in this field.

  • New York Times ☛ At U.N. Summit, China Promises to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions

    President Pooh-tin Jinping told a U.N. climate summit that China will reduce emissions across its economy, expand renewables sixfold and make electric cars “mainstream.”

  • France24 ☛ China announces plans to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions [Ed: More green-washing by red-china]

    At a climate leaders' summit at the United Nations on Wednesday, Chinese President Pooh-tin Jinping announced that China would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 7-10%, and increase consumption of non-fossil fuels domestically. Pooh-tin discouraged developed nations from "going against the trend" of climate action, merely a day after Convicted Felon called climate change a "con job."

  • The Straits Times ☛ Hong Kong reopens after world’s most powerful cyclone Ragasa

    Hong Kong’s Airport Authority said airlines would gradually resume flights starting from 6am on Sept 25.

  • New York Times ☛ China, for First Time, Vows to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions

    President Pooh-tin Jinping told a U.N. climate conference that his country would seek to reduce emissions by at least 7 to 10 percent by 2035. Ukraine’s president appealed for more weapons to fight Russia and warned of the dangers of a new arms race.

  • New York Times ☛ U.N. Security Council raises the alarm on the potential dangers of A.I.

  • Energy/Transportation

    • Hackaday ☛ It’s A Bird! It’s A Plane! It’s… An Air Breathing Satellite?!

      The big problem with Low Earth Orbit is, oddly enough, air resistance. Sure, there’s not enough air to breathe in space, but there is enough to create drag when you’re whipping around the planet at 28,000 km/h (17,000 mph) or more. Over time, that adds up to a decaying orbit. [Eager Space] recently did a video summarizing a paradoxical solution: go even lower, and let the air work for you.

    • New York Times ☛ Now Arriving, a New Theory of In-Flight Turbulence

      Physicists have devised a new model to account for the discomfort that airline passengers know all too well.

  • Wildlife/Nature

    • Hackaday ☛ Automatic Feeder Keeps Fish Sated

      [Noisy Electrons] is a maker who also likes to keep fish. He sometimes needs to travel and keep his fish fed in the meantime, so he created an automated solution to handle that for him.

• Finance

  • ACLU ☛ A New Labor Rule Could Push Caregivers to the Breaking Point

    The Department of Labor is trying to roll back progress for women in the workforce. Among the department’s new policies is a proposed rule that would strip millions of home-care workers of federal minimum wage and overtime protections under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). This month, the ACLU and National Domestic Workers Alliance submitted comments to the department strongly opposing this proposed change.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China to forgo WTO developing-nation benefits, casting itself as a ‘defender’ of free trade

    China wants to maintain its developing country status and leadership position in the Global South.

• AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

  • New York Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man Is Building the Blue Scare

    The political theorist Corey Robin walks through the history of the Red Scare and the “fractured mirror” it is to Convicted Felon’s attack on the “radical left.”

  • New Yorker ☛ How MAHA Is Sowing Vaccine Confusion

    Dihydroxyacetone Man’s second-term overhaul of the C.D.C. and the H.H.S. has turned vaccine policy into a partisan battleground and has left states to fill the void.

• Censorship/Free Speech

  • The Straits Times ☛ A curator flees Bangkok after China deems his art show too provocative

    His case shows the far reaches that China has in South-east Asia.

  • BIA Net ☛ Talk show host, guest jailed after 'hadith' joke on YouTube program

    The two men are facing charges of “inciting the public into hatred and enmity.”

  • The Straits Times ☛ China penalises ByteDance and Alibaba platforms in content crackdown

    Beijing requires social control media companies to moderate content on their platforms.

• Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press

  • Press Gazette ☛ Hearst UK losses grow as search changes hit digital ad revenue

    Magazine publisher builds strategy around membership as page views decline.

  • New York Times ☛ Jimmy Kimmel’s Return Draws 6.2 Million Viewers, Ratings Show

    The first episode of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” since it was suspended last week by Disney attracted nearly four times its average viewership.

  • New York Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man’s Big Flip on Ukraine, and a Defiant Jimmy Kimmel

    Plus, robot fight club.

  • New York Times ☛ After Days of Silence, Joe Rogan Weighs In on Kimmel’s Suspension

    The influential podcaster said, “I definitely don’t think that the government should be involved, ever, in dictating what a comedian can or cannot say in a monologue.”

• Internet Policy/Net Neutrality

  • Zimbabwe ☛ Two Zimbabwes of Internet: Fixed Users Feast on 490GB a Month, Mobile Users Budget 4GB

    POTRAZ’s Q2 2025 sector report gives us a fascinating peek into how Zimbabweans are actually using the internet.

• Digital Restrictions (DRM)

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ Check that you're ready for invasive DRM with new feature built right into Steam — Secure Boot and TPM status now listed right in the app

    Valve has just added the ability to check your Secure Boot and TPM status in the latest Steam beta update. Secure Boot and TPM are required for most modern online games, and pretty much every anti-cheat software relies on them. Now, all you need to do is open Steam to check if they're enabled or not.

Monopolies/Monopsonies

• Patents

  • Kangaroo Courts

    • JUVE ☛ UPC sees next life sciences case as Guardant sues Sophia Genetics [Ed: UPC is illegal and patents on life are absurd; this is a case of the patent litigation industry creating fake, unconstitutional kangaroo courts to serve its financial agenda; not science, not justice]

      This summer it became apparent that the UPC is growing more attractive to the life sciences industry. For the first time, the court received major lawsuits concerning pharmaceuticals, particularly mRNA patents. For example, GSK sued BioNTech and Pfizer over COVID-19 vaccines. GSK is also taking action against Moderna.

• Copyrights

  • Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ Headnote Wars in the Hey Hi (AI) Space: Thomson Reuters (Westlaw) v. ROSS AI

    ROSS Intelligence has filed its opening brief in the Third Circuit, challenging Judge Stephanos Bibas's decision that the Hey Hi (AI) company's use of Westlaw headnotes to train its legal search engine constituted copyright monopoly infringement. The case presents fundamental questions about the intersection of copyright monopoly law and artificial intelligence training that could significantly impact the development of Hey Hi (AI) systems across industries. Thomson Reuters Enter. Ctr. GmbH v. Ross Intel. Inc., No. 25-2153 (3d Cir. appeal filed Sept. 2025).

  • Plaintiffs Propose Plan for Landmark $1.5 Billion Copyright Settlement Process with Anthropic

    The author plaintiffs in the high-profile case against Hey Hi (AI) company, Anthropic, filed a "Supplemental Brief in Support of Motion for Preliminary Approval of Class Settlement" on Monday with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The filing addressed outstanding issues following the Court's initial preliminary approval hearing on September 8, including the plan of distribution.