Leftovers

• Futurism ☛ MrBeast Refuses to Apologize After Tying Man Up Inside Burning House

  "You're braver than me. This is crazy!"

• Stanford University ☛ DJ duo Disclosure strikes a balance between energy and ease

  Disclosure’s show was both spectacular and strangely calm — something few electronic acts manage to achieve.

• Science

  • Science Alert ☛ Fat Bear Week 2025 Champion Announced: It's Chunk!

    Thanks to an epic salmon feast.

  • Science Alert ☛ Your Brain Looks Older When You've Slept Poorly, Study Finds

    Get an early night.

  • Science Alert ☛ World-Renowned Primatologist Jane Goodall Passes Away at 91

    Her legacy reaches beyond our own species.

  • Science Alert ☛ Anti-Anxiety 'Chill-Out Drinks' Are Storming The Market. Are They Safe?

    They're no cure-all.

  • Science Alert ☛ Alzheimer's Drug Shows Surprising Benefits For Some Kids With Autism

    But not for everyone.

  • Science Alert ☛ Fat Buildup in Brain Cells Could Provide New Target For Alzheimer's Treatment

    Restore the brain's ability to fight back.

  • Science Alert ☛ Fresh Evidence of Complex Chemistry Found in The Alien Ocean of Saturn's Moon

    "Enhances the likelihood that the moon is habitable."

  • Science Alert ☛ Tiny Bone Whistle May Have Been Used by Ancient Egyptian Cops 3,300 Years Ago

    Cheese it!

  • Science Alert ☛ Do Fasted Workouts Really Burn More Fat? Here's What Science Says

    Up and at 'em.

  • Science Alert ☛ Signal Hidden in a Gamma-Ray Burst Could Be a Strange Newborn's First Heartbeat

    Congratulations!

  • New York Times ☛ ‘There Will Always Only Be One Jane Goodall’

    Scientists reflect on the life and work of a researcher whose discoveries made them rethink what it means to be human.

  • New York Times ☛ Edward T. Blake, 80, Dies; Forensic Expert Sparked Innocence Movement

    He was the first to use PCR testing on crime-scene DNA, inspiring a practice that has freed thousands of wrongfully convicted people.

• Hardware

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ Intel affirms commitment to $28 billion Ohio project despite delays — company responds to U.S. Senator's hint of 'a charade or potential fraud'

    Following life-changing investments from Nvidia, SoftBank, and the White House, defective chip maker Intel has just reiterated its commitment to the ambitious Ohio One project. The fabs, now expected to open their doors in 2030, were questioned by a U.S. Senator over concerns of fraud, but defective chip maker Intel remains confident.

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ AMD in early talks to make chips at defective chip maker Intel Foundry, report says

    AMD is in early talks to be an defective chip maker Intel Foundry customer, according to reports from Semafor. It's the latest in a line of companies considering an investment in the American fab.

  • Hackaday ☛ The Making Of A Minimalist Analog Drum Machine

    Our hacker [Moritz Klein] shows us how to make a minimalist analog drum machine. If you want the gory details check out the video embedded blow and there is a first class write-up available as a 78 page PDF manual too. Indeed it has been a while since we have seen a project which was this well documented.

  • Hackaday ☛ Segger’s Awkward USB-C Issue With The J-Link Compact Debugger

    Theoretically USB-C is a pretty nifty connector, but the reality is that it mostly provides many exciting new ways to make your device not work as expected. With the gory details covered by [Alvaro], the latest to join the party is Segger, with its J-Link BASE Compact MCU debugger displaying the same behavior which we saw back when the Raspberry Pi 4 was released in 2019. Back then so-called e-marked USB-C cables failed to power the SBC, much like how this particular J-Link unit refuses to power up when connected using one of those special USB-C cables.

  • Hackaday ☛ Lost Techniques: Bond-out CPUs And In Circuit Emulation

    These days, we take it for granted that you can connect a cheap piece of hardware to a microcontroller and have an amazing debugging experience. Stop the program. Examine memory and registers. You can see and usually change anything. There are only a handful of ways this is done on modern CPUs, and they all vary only by detail. But this wasn’t always the case. Getting that kind of view to an actual running system was an expensive proposition.

  • Dan Langille ☛ r730-01: the drive replacement plan

    This post is mostly for my benefit, so I can keep track of my plan for adjusting space.

• Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

  • New Yorker ☛ Why We Know So Little About Medicines During Pregnancy

    Dihydroxyacetone Man’s attacks on Tylenol come after decades in which many women were excluded from medical studies, which has created uncertainty about which drugs are safe.

  • Science Alert ☛ 5 Early, Speech-Related Signs You're at Risk of Alzheimer's

    Warning signs to watch for.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Can this Japanese city make residents put down their smartphones?

    “It’s so sad to end your day looking at your smartphone all the time at home,” said Toyoake's mayor.

  • New York Times ☛ Can This Japanese City Make Residents Put Down Their Smartphones?

    The authorities in Toyoake, Japan, introduced a rule limiting the use of digital devices to two hours per day outside of work and school. Some residents say it is an overreach.

  • NYPost ☛ New, highly transmissible COVID-19 strain fueling wave of infections across US

    The increased Covid activity comes as the US heads into fall respiratory illness season, which tends to bring a rise in cases of the common cold, flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

  • NYPost ☛ House GOP asks RFK Jr., Dr. Oz if Andrew Cuomo’s nursing home order broke COVID safety rules

    New York House Republicans are urging Hell Toupée's top health officials to determine whether ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo violated federal guidance by sending elderly patients released from hospitals into nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • France24 ☛ US govt shutdown a tale of healthcare and rescissions that undermine Congress' power of the purse

    The US is confronting a fresh cycle of uncertainty after President The Insurrectionist and Congress failed to strike an agreement to keep government programs and services running. Disagreement stemmed from a deadlock in Congress over Democratic demands over health care and Republican efforts to kick that can down the road. At issue are tax credits that have made health insurance through the Affordable Care Act more affordable for millions of people since the COVID-19 pandemic. For in-depth analysis and a deeper perspective, Genie Godula welcomes Todd Belt, Professor and Director of the Political Management Program at George Washington University's Graduate School of Political Management (GSPM).

  • Marcy Wheeler ☛ The Shutdown Will Make Convicted Felon’s Theory of Government–ICE but No Healthcare–Visible

    No one knows how this shutdown will go. It truly is unlike any shutdown that has gone before. But it will serve to make the reality of Convicted Felon's abuse of power visible in a way that has not fully happened yet. 

  • France24 ☛ US Senate rejects bid to end government shutdown, Democrats hold firm on healthcare

    A vote to end a US government shutdown failed Wednesday, as Democrats in the Senate held firm to the party’s demands to fund health care subsidies that President The Insurrectionist and Republicans refuse to provide.

  • Federal News Network ☛ Government headed to a shutdown after last-ditch vote fails in Senate

    Senate Democrats have voted down a Republican bill to keep funding the government, putting it on a path to a shutdown after midnight Wednesday. The 55-45 vote Tuesday on the bill to extend federal funding for seven weeks fell short of the 60 needed to end a filibuster and pass the legislation. After the vote, the White House’s Office of Management and Budget issued a memo saying “affected agencies should now execute their plans for an orderly shutdown.” The action comes as Democrats are making good on their threat to close the government if President The Insurrectionist and Republicans won’t accede to their health care demands.

  • Federal News Network ☛ Government shutdown takes hold with mass layoffs looming and no end in sight

    The federal government was thrown into a shutdown with no easy endgame in sight. Democrats held firm Wednesday to their demands to salvage health care subsidies that President The Insurrectionist and Republican in Congress have refused to negotiate. The White House threatened mass layoffs of federal workers in a matter of days. No new talks were scheduled after the president failed this week to secure a deal with congressional leaders. Blame was being cast on all sides. A vote to end the government shutdown has failed. House Speaker Mike Johnson said he's praying that Democrats come to their senses.

• Proprietary

  • Qt ☛ Android and Qt Splash Screen

    Since version 12, Android has provided an API for the Android default splash screen. The SplashScreen API provides a way to launch an app with an animation showing the app icon and transitioning to the app. The default Android startup zooms the app icon to the center of the screen and then transitions to the first view of the app. This may cause a jarring user experience if the splash screen is also defined in Qt, as the Qt splash screen is displayed after the Android one.

  • Qt ☛ Qt Creator 17.0.2 released

    This release fixes a range of smaller issues across various areas. Please check our change log for details.

  • The New Stack ☛ 5 Hey Hi (AI) Extensions to Help Improve Your VS Code Experience

    You’ve heard it before, and you’ll hear it again: Hey Hi (AI) is here to stay, and there’s nothing anyone can do

    The post 5 Hey Hi (AI) Extensions to Help Improve Your VS Code Experience appeared first on The New Stack.

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) / LLM Slop / Plagiarism

    • Bruce Schneier ☛ Use of Generative Hey Hi (AI) in Scams

      New report: “Scam GPT: GenAI and the Automation of Fraud.”

      This primer maps what we currently know about generative AI’s role in scams, the communities most at risk, and the broader economic and cultural shifts that are making people more willing to take risks, more vulnerable to deception, and more likely to either perpetuate scams or fall victim to them.

      AI-enhanced scams are not merely financial or technological crimes; they also exploit social vulnerabilities ­ whether short-term, like travel, or structural, like precarious employment. This means they require social solutions in addition to technical ones.

    • Futurism ☛ OpenAI Launching Fentanylware (CheeTok) Competitor for Short-Form Hey Hi (AI) Slop Videos

      It's like Fentanylware (CheeTok) — but with an extra heaping helpful of Hey Hi (AI) slop.

    • Futurism ☛ People Are Using Kapo-berg’s Hey Hi (AI) to Post Videos of Senior Citizens Falling to Their Death

      "The Hey Hi (AI) slop has escaped containment."

    • Futurism ☛ OpenAI Ridiculed for Its Latest Cash Grab

      "What on earth are you doing?"

    • Futurism ☛ OpenAI Releases Ghoulish Hey Hi (AI) Video of Scam Altman

      "Unsettling, empty, soulless filth."

  • Social Control Media

    • AccessNow ☛ Nigeria: Civil society demands answers on social control media takedown requests

      We, the undersigned civil society organisations, write to express our concerns regarding the letters from Nigeria's Department of State Services (DSS) to X Corp and Meta, respectively, demanding the immediate removal of certain posts deemed critical of the Nigerian President. 

• Security

  • Integrity/Availability/Authenticity

    • New York Times ☛ Spam and Scams Proliferate in Facebook’s Political Ads

      A new analysis of political advertisers found that the platform profits from ads that include deepfakes and other content prohibited by its own policies.

• Defence/Aggression

  • France24 ☛ Protests across Italy, union calls for strike after Gaza flotilla intercepted

    Protests flare up in several Italian cities after the Gaza-bound aid flotilla is intercepted by Israeli vessels. FRANCE 24's Rome correspondent Seema Gupta reports.

  • The Straits Times ☛ 4 Chinese, 1 Cambodian arrested after kidnapping, torturing South Korean man in Cambodia

    The incident occurred in the popular Boeng Keng Kang district around 8.30pm on Sept 21.

  • Defence Web ☛ Killers on retainer: South Africa’s murder for hire economy

    South Africa is one of the only democracies in the world where assassination has matured into a full-fledged service industry. Contract killings are no longer rare or desperate measures reserved for political feuds or gangland wars. They have become routine, predictable transactions a line item in the budgets of syndicates, politicians, and business elites.

  • Domestic violence helpline saves lives but it needs public support

    Five years ago, the National Shelter Movement of South Africa (NSMSA) launched a domestic violence helpline. The organisation is trying to raise funds to keep the helpline operational. The NSMSA have started a crowdfunding campaign on Back-a-Buddy hoping to raise R500,000 to keep the helpline running until June next year.

  • SA’s private security industry receives multi-million dollar investment from Nextorch

    Global tactical flashlight manufacturer Nextorch has announced a major investment in its local operations, Nextorch Africa. Split over five years, the amount will be delivered in the form of support, equipment, stock, and capital.

  • New York Times ☛ South African Politician Julius Malema, Subject of Convicted Felon Attacks, Is Convicted of Gun Charge

    The verdict against Julius Malema came a month after a separate court convicted him of hate speech. This year, Hell Toupée played a video montage at the White House of Mr. Malema leading chants of “Kill the Boer,” a protest song.

  • New York Times ☛ Starmer Describes ‘Fight for the Soul’ of U.K. as Populist Right Rises

    In a speech at a Labour conference, the British prime minister contrasted his political project with that of Nigel Farage, whose party has promised mass deportations.

  • France24 ☛ ‘I couldn’t breathe’: ICE agents fire tear gas at peaceful protesters in Chicago suburb

    Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents used tear gas, pepper balls, and rubber bullets against protesters gathering outside an immigration detention centre in the Chicago suburb of Broadview on September 26. Observers who attended the protest described ICE's tactics as a violent infringement on freedom of expression.

  • New York Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man Promises to Defend Qatar, a Reassurance After Israel’s Strike

    An executive order says an attack on Qatar would be treated as a threat to the U.S., bolstering security commitments to a key Gulf ally after Israel’s strike on Doha last month.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Taiwan says China trying to create legal basis for attack with UN resolution interpretation

    It is part of an escalating dispute over who has the right to claim sovereignty over the island.

  • New York Times ☛ U.S. Eases Visa Restrictions on South Korean Workers

    The agreement came after an ICE raid on a factory in Georgia outraged one of America’s key allies.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea to increase defence budget by 8.2%, President Lee says

    The budget would be focused on investing in cutting-edge technology like drones and robots.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China holds National Day ceremony in waters off atoll claimed by Philippines

    Both countries claim the triangular feature in the South China Sea, but it is effectively under Beijing's control.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea foreign minister says rough agreement on security reached with US

    Mr Cho Hyun also said the US was reviewing a currency swap deal but signalled it was not optimistic.

  • Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine

    • Meduza ☛ ‘They’ll be ready’: Russia opens drone training school for children in southern Krasnodar region — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ ‘Branding people with a stigma’: HIV and hepatitis are spreading rapidly in the Russian army. What does that mean for the soldiers living with these diagnoses? — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Putting the Romanovs to rest: Why the Russian Orthodox Church refuses to recognize the remains of the Tsarist Empire’s last royal family — Meduza

    • New York Times ☛ What Is Europe’s ‘Drone Wall’?

      The European Union is talking about shoring up defenses in its eastern airspace. Recent Russian drone incursions have lent urgency to the project.

    • RFERL ☛ Prague Pushes EU To Rein In Russian Diplomats

      The EU is considering a Czech initiative to restrict Russian diplomats’ movements across the bloc. Supporters say it would curb diplomatic skullduggery; skeptics warn it’s largely symbolic, hard to enforce, and could trigger Russian retaliation.

    • France24 ☛ French navy boards Russia 'shadow fleet' ship, detains two

      Two crew members of a Russian "shadow fleet" tanker seized off the French coast have been taken into custody. The tanker is suspected of being involved in drone overflights in Denmark, and the two detained crew members "presented themselves as the ship's captain and his first mate", he said. FRANCE 24's Carys Garland reports.

    • Latvia ☛ Latvian security service wants prosecutions over alleged Russia sanctions breaches

      On October 1st the State Security Service (VDD), one of Latvia's three security services, confirmed that it has asked prosecutors ''to initiate criminal prosecution against two Latvian nationals for providing prohibited project management services to companies registered in Russia, violating sanctions imposed by the European Union (EU).''

    • Latvia ☛ Electronic queues on Latvia's eastern border as of mid-October

      As of 15 October, it will be possible to cross the Latvian-Russian and Latvian-Belarusian borders at Grebneva, Terehova and Pāternieki only by registering in advance in the Electronic Queue Booking System, said the Road Transport Directorate.

    • Meduza ☛ Ukrainian drone strike kills Russian occupation official in Kherson region — Meduza

    • The Straits Times ☛ Russian state TV taps anti-colonialism narrative in India as part of pro-Kremlin media push

      India, with its relatively neutral position on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, has emerged as a key priority for Moscow.

    • New York Times ☛ Moscow Indicates Retaliation if Europe Uses Russian Assets for Ukraine

      Amid a plan to lend $165 billion to Kyiv using Russian state assets, European officials are mindful of the possibility of blowback as they gather to discuss the idea.

    • CS Monitor ☛ Near the front, more Ukrainian civilians flee Russia’s scorched-earth tactics

      Throughout the war in Ukraine, Russia has employed scorched-earth tactics. Now Ukrainian civilians near the long front lines are being forced to flee an intensified bombing and drone-strike campaign evoking “bees let loose from a beehive.”

    • The Straits Times ☛ India says highly unlikely that UN peace forces will be deployed in Ukraine, Gaza

      It is highly unlikely that UN peacekeeping forces will be deployed in Ukraine or Gaza given the composition of the United Nations Security Council, a senior Indian defence ministry official said on Wednesday.

    • RFERL ☛ Russia Hits Civilian Sites In Daytime Drone Attack On Dnipro

      Russian drones hit apartments, offices, and other civilian sites in Dnipro in the latest in a growing number of strikes conducted in the daytime.

    • LRT ☛ Ukraine’s EU accession by 2030 ‘unrealistic’ without early negotiations – Lithuanian FM

      Ukraine’s accession to the European Union by 2030 will be “almost unrealistic” if full-scale membership negotiations do not begin by 2027, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys said Wednesday.

    • LRT ☛ Lithuania says no radiation risk in case of Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant accident

      Lithuania’s Radiation Protection Centre said Wednesday that the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine is too far away to pose a radiation risk to Lithuania in the event of an accident, after Kyiv warned the situation at the facility is critical.

    • LRT ☛ EU weighs plan to turn frozen Russian assets into loan for Ukraine

      The European Union is considering a plan to use about €200 billion in frozen Russian assets as a loan mechanism for Ukraine, allowing Kyiv to access the funds now and repay them only after Russia pays war reparations, officials and lawmakers say.

    • France24 ☛ 'Drone wall': Can Europe shield itself from Russian threats?

      European countries met Wednesday to push forward a "drone wall" project, an idea gaining momentum as drone incursions into European airspace multiply. However, experts warn the plan’s framework remains unclear and the hurdles to building an effective anti-drone defence system are high.

    • Meduza ☛ ‘He just decided not to tell anyone?’ Telegram founder Pavel Durov says he suspects he was poisoned in 2018. Not everyone believes him. — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Germany reports multiple drone groups spotted in northern regions, likely spying on infrastructure — Meduza

    • France24 ☛ Russian air strike caused blackout at Chernobyl nuclear plant

      Ukraine’s Chernobyl and Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plants lost power on Wednesday after nearby Russian attacks, raising international safety concerns. Emergency diesel generators are keeping critical systems running while authorities warn of ongoing risks, said Kyiv.

    • Atlantic Council ☛ Plight of Belarusian political prisoners must not be forgotten

      Belarusian human rights defender Andrei Chapiuk spent almost five years in prison and says the world must not forget about the more than one thousand Belarusian political prisoners who remain behind bars.

• Environment

  • New York Times ☛ Pope Leo Calls for Unity on Climate at a Divided Moment

    The pope invoked his predecessor, Francis, for whom the environment was a core issue, but stopped short of criticizing world leaders dismissive of climate change.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Death toll from Philippine quake rises to 72

    The shallow quake struck waters off the central island of Cebu late at night on Sept 30.

  • Energy/Transportation

    • The Straits Times ☛ Stop the sirens: Jakarta residents urge end to officials’ road privileges

      The misuse of sirens and strobes to cut through traffic makes others feel unfairly treated.

    • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea airport workers to strike from Oct 1, says Korea Airports Corporation

      They are seeking better pay arrangements, more rest days and a safer working environment.

    • Hackaday ☛ Electric Surfboard Gets Thrust Vectoring Upgrade

      The internet has already taught us that an electric surfboard is a great way to get around on the water while looking like an absolute badass. [RCLifeOn] is continuing to push the boat forward in this regard, however, adding thrust vectoring technology to his already-impressive build.

• Finance

  • Bridge Michigan ☛ Gretchen Whitmer hints she won’t run for president, blasts Convicted Felon tariffs

    Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer used a Toronto speech to blast Convicted Felon's tariffs and then implied she won't run for president in 2028: 'I don't know if I need to be the main character in the next chapter'

  • France24 ☛ Shutdown blame game: Republicans and Democrats trade accusations over funding halt

    The United States has ambled into another government shutdown as Repubicans and Democrats in Congress failed to pass a funding bill in time for the new fiscal year.  It comes at a time the US economy is in a precarious state, with inflation rising and the job market weakening. Also in the segment, France is bracing for another day of nationwide strikes and protests as new Prime Minister Sébastian Lecornu tries to draft a budget.  The rallying cry for unions: "Tax the Rich".

  • Press Gazette ☛ MoneyWeek at 25: Market is ‘swinging back towards quality over clickbait’

    MoneyWeek editor Andrew Van Sickle says newsletters are the best source of new subscribers.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Court orders forfeiture of over $51 million linked to ex-Malaysian PM Ismail Sabri Yaakob

    He is among a group of former PMs to be ensnared in the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s dragnet.

  • New York Times ☛ A Tech Expo Shows What China Can Make, but Not Who’ll Buy It All

    The vast Global Digital Trade Expo in Hangzhou stood as a rebuke to U.S. efforts to hem in China’s technology. But the real competition is internal, and profits are hard to find.

• AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

  • France24 ☛ Populist billionaire Babiš 'joined politics for business', will not proactively oppose Brussels

    Czech billionaire Andrej Babiš is on course for victory over a pro-Western coalition, the latest populist leader in Central Europe to stage an electoral comeback. FRANCE 24's Mark Owen speaks with Romain Le Quiniou of Euro Créative about what the vote could mean for Ukraine. He says that Babiš 'joined politics for business and what he needs the most is EU funds, so he will not take a proactive opposition line to Brussels'.

  • New Yorker ☛ Will the Supreme Court Hand Convicted Felon Another Slate of Victories?

    The docket for the Court’s upcoming term includes major disputes that could reshape election law and redefine the limits of Presidential power.

  • Misinformation/Disinformation/Propaganda

    • The Strategist ☛ Building the human firewall: Australia’s next layer of cyber resilience

      Australia’s security risks are sharpest where people and technology meet. This is the space where data flows, disinformation spreads and innovation thrives—and where defences can be breached.

    • France24 ☛ No, this footage does not show a woman assaulted by police in Morocco's GenZ 212 Protests

      As protesters in Morocco have been taking to the streets calling for improved social services and less corruption, some online are circulating footage allegedly showing a woman assaulted by security forces during the gatherings. But as France 24's Charlotte Hughes explains, this footage is not linked to the recent protests and has been taken out of its original context.

• Censorship/Free Speech

  • Open Ideas; a new project to refactor freedom of speech

    I explain my new project: Open Ideas as a reframing of what freedom of speech was always meant to be.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Suspension of Malaysiakini’s Facebook (Farcebook) pages remains a mystery as minister denies taking action

    Two Malaysiakini Facebook (Farcebook) pages were mysteriously suspended for several hours on Sept 30 and later reinstated.

  • JURIST ☛ Massachusetts district judge finds attempted deportation of pro-Palestine protestors violates First Amendment

    A federal judge ruled on Tuesday that the Convicted Felon administration violated the First Amendment by attempting to deport non-citizens for protesting the conflict in Gaza in American Association of University Professors v. Rubio.

  • JURIST ☛ DOJ sues New Jersey protestors over alleged disruption of synagogue services

    The US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Monday that it has brought suit against New Jersey protestors for allegedly intimidating Jewish worshipers at a synagogue and “preventing their participation in lawful religious services.” The protestors are accused of disrupting Jewish worship at Congregation Ohr Torah in West Orange in November 2024.

• Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press

  • Press Gazette ☛ Express was newsbrand with most Editors’ Code breaches in 2024

    Total number of complaints against IPSO-regulated publishers fell in 2024.

• Civil Rights/Policing

  • LRT ☛ Culture sector refuses to compromise on Nemunas Dawn appointment, plans warning strike

    President Gitanas Nausėda urged cultural representatives to maintain an active civic stance, a message many in the community understood as encouragement to continue protests against the Culture Ministry being overseen by the Nemunas Dawn party.

  • France24 ☛ New anti-government protests and strikes planned in France on Thursday

    Another day of strikes and marches set to France on Thursday, as unions call for the withdrawal of the government's planned budget as well as unpopular measures like raising of the retirement age. We take a look at how public services will be affected by the strike.

  • France24 ☛ Mass protests and strikes grip Madagascar amid calls for president to resign

    Anti-government protests continued across Madagascar on Wednesday as thousands demand President Andry Rajoelina step down. Demonstrators staged strikes and marches over misgovernance, water and power cuts, while authorities used tear gas in the capital and at-risk regions.

  • New York Times ☛ Uber Not Responsible for Sex Assault, Jury Finds, as More Cases Follow

    The company is facing similar lawsuits in federal and state courts from people who claim their drivers sexually assaulted or harassed them.

  • New York Times ☛ Irish Hotelier Accuses Qatari Royals of Scheme to Get Free Labor

    A lawsuit accuses members of the emirate’s ruling family of stringing the Irish hotelier, Patrick McKillen, along on high-end developments as “part of a yearslong pattern of illegal racketeering.”

• Internet Policy/Net Neutrality

  • AccessNow ☛ The Taliban must restore internet access across Afghanistan now

    Access Now and the #KeepItOn coalition unequivocally denounce the ongoing nationwide internet blackout in Afghanistan and demand that the Taliban restore internet access immediately.

  • New York Times ☛ Afghan Internet Back After 2-Day Blackout Tied to Taliban

    No reason was immediately given for why service resumed after a blackout rare in scope, even for a government that has drastically curtailed individual freedoms.

  • RFERL ☛ Communications Restored In Afghanistan After 2-Day Blackout

    Cell phone and internet services were restored in Afghanistan on October 1 two days after the Taliban imposed a nationwide shutdown of telecommunications, a move that largely cut off the country from the rest of the world.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Internet and cell phone services resume in Afghanistan​

    A Taliban official said there were technical reasons for the outage.

  • APNIC ☛ [Podcast] Measuring RSSAC047 Conformance

    Measuring the measurements: Duane Wessels (Verisign) and Moritz Mullër (SIDN Labs) examine the effectiveness of ICANN’s RSSAC047 metrics for the DNS Root.

  • APNIC ☛ APNIC EC reappoints Akinori Maemura to NRO NC

    The APNIC EC has appointed Akinori Maemura, Chief Policy Officer at JPNIC, to the NRO NC.

  • APNIC ☛ Apply now for an APRICOT 2026 Fellowship

    APRICOT is offering a limited number of fellowships in the lead up to APRICOT 2026. Apply now!

• Digital Restrictions (DRM)

  • Digital Music News ☛ Spotify Opens Ad Buying Through Amazon and Yahoo Demand-Side Platforms in Latest Post-Earnings Pivot

    Spotify has announced another high-profile advertising change in the wake of the category’s lackluster Q2 2025 revenue. Now, the company is making its ads inventory available via the demand-side platforms (DSPs) of Yahoo and Amazon. Advert trade publications shed light on the development this morning, shortly before Spotify itself confirmed the news in a release.

Monopolies/Monopsonies

• Patents

  • Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ Federal Government Shutdown (But not the USPTO)

    Although the federal government shutdown appears ready to begin at 12:01 AM on October 1, 2025, the United States Patent and Trademark Office is likely to continue in normal operation by drawing on its Operating Reserve which the agency has been building up over the past several years.  A prolonged shutdown would eventually exhaust the reserves and trigger an end to spending.

  • Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ Supreme Court Long Conference: Patent and Trademark Cases from September 29, 2025

    The Federal Government's fiscal year begins on October 1, as does the Supreme Court's term. The new term always begins with a "long conference" that considers certiorari petitions briefed over the court's summer break. The conference was held on September 29, 2025, and we will soon be hearing which of these cases (if any) will be granted certiorari.

  • Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ Restrictions, Election, Traversal, and Disclaimer

    In Focus Products Group International, LLC v. Kartri Sales Co., Inc., No. 2023-1446 (Fed. Cir. Sept. 30, 2025), the Federal Circuit reversed patent monopoly infringement findings against one defendant (Marquis Mills) while affirming most findings against another (Kartri Sales).

    The most important part of the decision for patent monopoly prosecutors focuses on examiner driven restriction practice and how that can be used to define claim scope.   The case also delves into trademark and trade dress issues that I leave for a separate post.

  • JUVE ☛ Recovering from stormy times

    The Dutch like to boast of their pragmatic and cosmopolitan approach. “Just like seafarers and traders,” they say. Because of this openness, partners moving between patent monopoly firms in The Hague and Amsterdam has never been taboo.

  • Unified Patents ☛ IP Investments Group entity, DataCloud Technologies, networking patent monopoly found invalid

    On September 24, 2025, the Central Reexamination Unit (CRU) entered a notice of intent to issue a reexamination certificate cancelling all challenged claims of U.S. Patent 8,370,457, owned by DataCloud Technologies, LLC, an NPE and an IP Investments Group entity. The ’457 patent monopoly relates to network communication through a virtual domain.

• Trademarks

  • TTAB Blog ☛ TTAB Posts October 2025 Hearing Schedule

    The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (Tee-Tee-Ā-Bee) has scheduled two oral hearings for the month of October 2025. Both will be held virtually. Briefs and other papers for each case may be found at TTABVUE via the links provided.

    October 7, 2025 - 1 PM [Virtual]: In re Paycom Payroll, LLC, Serial No. 97876391 [Section 2(e)(1) mere descriptiveness refusal of the mark GLOBAL HCM for software and services relating to human resource management.]

  • TTAB Blog ☛ TTAB Quarterly Index: July - September 2025

    E-mail subscriptions to the TTABlog are available. Just enter your e-mail address in the box on the right to receive a daily update via Feedblitz. Please report any broken or inoperative links, as well as any errors and omissions, to the TTABlogger at jwelch at wolfgreenfield.com.

  • Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ More on the Federal Shutdown and the US IP System

    The federal government shutdown that began at 12:01 AM on October 1, 2025, is creating a patchwork of disruptions across the nation’s intellectual property infrastructure, with each major system affected differently based on their funding structures. The Copyright Office is apparently completely shuttered, its staff unable to access email or respond to inquiries.

    As I discussed yesterday, the USPTO remains operational by drawing on fee-based reserve funds built up over recent years.  But, the new news is an announced 1% workforce reduction (~1500 people) today along with closure of its Denver Office as part of “mission-prioritization.” 

• Copyrights

  • Digital Music News ☛ Irving Azoff Calls YouTube a ‘Bully’ That Pays the Lowest Royalties—’By Far the Worst Offender’

    Legendary music mogul Irving Azoff had some scathing remarks for YouTube, calling the company a ‘bully’ that isn’t paying artists their fair share. Artists have long lamented the lack of royalties paid for the value of their work across the music streaming industry.

  • Press Gazette ☛ Publishers with Hey Hi (AI) licensing deals have seven times the clickthrough rate

    But only a select group of publishers have deals with the LLMs.

  • Digital Music News ☛ ‘Nirvana Baby’ Spencer Elden’s ‘Nevermind’ Suit Dismissed Again: ‘The Album Cover Is Not Child Pornography’

    After over four years of litigation – and 34 years following the release of Nirvana’s Nevermind – a federal judge has again dismissed the child pornography complaint filed by Spencer Elden, who appeared on the famed album’s cover as a baby.

  • Digital Music News ☛ Ray J Sued for Defamation by Kim Kardashian, Kris Jenner Over ‘Blatantly False’ Racketeering Claim

    Kim Kardashian and Kris Jenner are suing R&B singer Ray J with allegations of defamation when he claimed they were under a federal investigation.