Leftovers

• Hackaday ☛ Sending TOSLINK Wirelessly With Lasers

  TOSLINK was developed in the early 1980s as a simple interface for sending digital audio over fiber optic cables, and  despite its age, is still featured on plenty of modern home entertainment devices. As demonstrated by [DIY Perks], this old tech can even be taught some new tricks — namely, transmitting surround sound wirelessly.

• Hong Kong Free Press ☛ HKFP Lens: Hong Kong marks China’s National Day with giant character lantern displays

  A 12-metre-tall lantern based on a fictional fairy character has been set up at Hong Kong’s West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD) in celebration of China’s National Day. With Hong Kong’s signature skyline as its backdrop, the large-scale lantern sits on the lawn of WKCD’s harbourside Art Park.

• Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Hong Kong shelves HK$700 million exhibition hall showcasing Northern Metropolis

  Hong Kong has shelved a HK$700 million exhibition hall in Wan Chai to showcase the Northern Metropolis, a massive infrastructure project along the city’s border with mainland China.

• Science

  • Futurism ☛ Scientists Say They Detected Something Huge Shifting Inside the Earth

    "It has to come from very deep."

  • Latvia ☛ RTU scientists establish MedTech company

    Kristaps Klavins, lead researcher at the Riga Technical University (RTU) Faculty of Natural Sciences and Technologies, together with Professor Janis Locs, has established the medical technology startup “Metabonet“ reports Labs of Latvia.

  • Science Alert ☛ Record-Smashing Rogue Planet Caught Growing at 6 Billion Tons Per Second

    Like a star in miniature.

  • Science Alert ☛ 117-Year-Old Woman's Diet Could Help Us All Live Longer

    Her gift to humanity.

  • Science Alert ☛ Cosmic Mystery Deepens as 'Biosignature' Molecule Seen in Failed Star

    "It's definitely a puzzle!"

  • Science Alert ☛ An Early Warning Signal of Dementia Risk May Keep You Up at Night, Study Says

    Sleep tight.

  • Science Alert ☛ New Weight Loss Mechanism Could One Day Trick Your Body Into Thinking You've Exercised

    Wouldn't that be nice?

  • Science Alert ☛ Losing Your Sense of Smell Could Be an Early Warning Sign of Parkinson's

    More than a passing symptom.

  • Science Alert ☛ Gifted Dogs Show They Can Learn Language Skills Thought Unique to Humans

    Clever canines.

  • Science Alert ☛ Century-Old Viral Therapy Could Help Us Out of an Impending Superbug Crisis

    Quite the comeback.

  • Science Alert ☛ Some 'SPF 50+' Sunscreens May Be as Weak as SPF 4, Tests Find

    Here's what to know.

• Hardware

  • Ruben Schade ☛ When to replace hard drives

    Joe, Jim, and Allan answered a listener question about hard drive longevity on the 2.5 Admins podcast recently, and my experience tracks with their points as well. The episode also made me wonder what my typical drive life span is, and when I consider swapping them out.

  • Dan Langille ☛ Adding in new NVMe cards and sticks

    Today I removed two existing NVMe cards, each with a 1TB stick on it. Those sticks were added to these cards: If you want the same hardware, you can use these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. These are all links to Amazon.

  • Hackaday ☛ How Hydraulic Ram Pumps Push Water Uphill With No External Power Input

    Imagine you have a natural stream running through a low-lying area on your farm. It’s a great source of fresh water, only you really need it to irrigate some crops sitting at a higher elevation. The area is quite remote from fixed utilities, complicating the problem.

  • Hackaday ☛ On 3D Scanners And Giving Kinects A New Purpose In Life

    The concept of a 3D scanner can seem rather simple in theory: simply point a camera at the physical object you wish to scan in, rotate around the object to capture all angles and stitch it together into a 3D model along with textures created from the same photos. This photogrammetry application is definitely viable, but also limited in the sense that you’re relying on inferring three-dimensional parameters from a set of 2D images and rely on suitable lighting.

  • Hackaday ☛ Building A Functional Aliens Motion Tracker

    Aliens is the second film from the legendary science-fiction series about, well… aliens. Naturally, it featured some compelling future-tech — such as the M314 Motion Tracker. [RobSmithDev] wanted to recreate the device himself, using modern technology to replicate the functionality as closely as possible.

• Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

  • Bridge Michigan ☛ ACLU seeks release of Michigan immigrant with life-threatening leukemia

    The man has been held in custody since August and his wife says he didn't receive medication for 22 days.

  • On being wrong

    I go through some of the arguments I had regarding COVID-19 testing to show how people were wrong, using data from 2025. But not amount of evidence ever makes anyone accept they were wrong.

    [...]

    People are still in denial mode, so they are not yet ready to accept how wrong they were, but the data doesn’t lie, and it’s only getting worse as the years pass.

    I already wrote an article about the outcomes of COVID-19 (in particular about Mexico), but it was censored by Google, so pretty much no one has seen it. This time I’m going to focus only on one claim: more testing meant less deaths.

    I argued at the time that it was nonsensical to believe that more testing somehow was going to result in less deaths, but corporate media, politicians, and the experts, all said otherwise. “Everyone” believed them, and said I was wrong.

  • New York Times ☛ FDA Approves Generic Version of Abortion Pill Mifepristone

    The decision enraged opponents of abortion, who have been pressuring the Convicted Felon administration to restrict access to abortion medication.

  • New York Times ☛ Kennedy Fires N.I.H. Scientist Who Filed Whistle-Blower Complaint

    Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo, who was on administrative leave, alleged that the Convicted Felon administration had defied court orders and undermined vaccine research.

  • Futurism ☛ RFK Jr. Sneezes Loudly While Convicted Felon Is Speaking

    Dihydroxyacetone Man asked the Pfizer CEO if he had any Paxlovid on him.

    The post RFK Jr. Sneezes Loudly While Convicted Felon Is Speaking appeared first on Futurism.

  • Science Alert ☛ Study Traces Autism's Origin to The Rise of Human Intelligence

    A uniquely human condition.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ US Hell Toupée says to push China’s Pooh-tin on soybeans as American farmers struggle

    President The Insurrectionist signaled Wednesday that he plans to push Chinese leader Pooh-tin Jinping on US soybean purchases when they meet, as American farmers grapple with fallout from his trade wars.

  • Latvia ☛ This is not the year of the apple in Latvia

    This autumn's apple harvest in Latvia is significantly smaller than in other years, with hail and disease damaging the fruit in many places. The warehouses, which were full last year, are now only partially filled, Latvian Television reported on 1 October.

• Proprietary

  • Qt ☛ Qt Creator 18 Beta2 released

    We are happy to announce the release of Qt Creator 18 Beta2.

  • Qt ☛ Student project: Remote push notifications

    Introduction

    
    From left to right: Jakob Mats Emil Wirén, Bror Wetlesen Vedeld, Aksel Matashev

    In Spring 2025, three students from NTNU Gjøvik; Jakob Mats Emil Wirén, Aksel Matashev, and Bror Wetlesen Vedeld, carried out a bachelor’s project hosted by the Qt office in Oslo. Our goal was to investigate how native push notification services could be integrated into Qt applications in a cross-platform manner.

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) / LLM Slop / Plagiarism

    • TechnologyAdvice ☛ AI Hasn’t Dented US Jobs, Yale Budget Lab Study Finds

      “While the occupational mix is changing more quickly than it has in the past, it is not a large difference and predates the widespread introduction of Hey Hi (AI) in the workforce."

    • Ravgeet Dhillon: Building an AI-Powered Function Orchestrator: When Hey Hi (AI) Becomes Your Code Planner

      As developers, we constantly face a dilemma: **how do we make our code flexible enough to handle natural human requests without hardcoding every possible scenario?**

      While working on various automation projects, I kept running into the same pattern—users would ask for something in plain English, like *"Can you calculate 2+25-4^2?* or *"Process these files and send me a summary",* but my code was rigid, expecting specific formats and predefined workflows.

    • Digital Music News ☛ Disney Sends Cease & Desist to Character.ai—Over Inappropriate Chats With Kids

      Disney has issued a cease and desist letter to artificial intelligence company Character.ai after reports of chatbots imitating Disney characters were involved in harmful and inappropriate conversions with children.

    • Futurism ☛ Creator of “AI Actress” Responds to Near-Universal Backlash

      "She is not a replacement for a human being."

    • Tom's Hardware ☛ AI-generated security camera feed shows Scam Altman getting busted stealing GPUs from Target — ironic video shows Proprietary Chaffbot Company CEO saying he needs it for Sora inferencing

      OpenAI showcased the capabilities of Sora 2 by getting its CEO busted.

• Linux Foundation

  • Linux Foundation launches Newton with Disney, DeepMind and Nvidia to advance robotics AI

    The Linux Foundation, the nonprofit organization enabling mass innovation through open source code, has launched Newton, an open source, GPU-accelerated, extensible physics engine that enables faster, more scalable simulations to lower the barrier to robotics research.

• Security

  • Privacy/Surveillance

    • TechnologyAdvice ☛ New Spyware Masquerading as Messaging Apps Hits UAE Users

      The campaigns use fake websites and social engineering to spread malware, with evidence pointing to a primary focus on UAE residents.

    • Scoop News Group ☛ Android spyware disguised as legitimate messaging apps targets UAE victims, researchers reveal

      The campaign involves apps posing as Signal and the defunct ToTok, according to ESET.

• Defence/Aggression

  • Pro Publica ☛ Chicago Cop Who Blamed an Ex-Girlfriend for Traffic Tickets Pleads Guilty

    A former Chicago police officer facing trial for perjury and forgery has admitted he lied under oath dozens of times when he used an audacious alibi to get out of numerous speeding tickets and other traffic violations. Over more than a decade, he repeatedly blamed an ex-girlfriend for stealing his car and racking up the tickets — and each time, the story was bogus.

    Jeffrey Kriv, one of Chicago’s most prolific drunk-driving enforcers during his more than 25 years as a cop, was sentenced to 18 months’ probation and ordered to pay $4,515 in restitution after pleading guilty last week to a lesser charge of felony theft. A plea agreement with prosecutors in Cook County, where Chicago is located, allowed Kriv to avoid jail time and ended the criminal case against him, but the implications of his actions go far beyond his own case.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Laos’ president to visit North Korea for celebration of ruling Workers’ Party of Korea

    The Oct 10 holiday in North Korea commemorates the founding of the Workers' Party of Korea.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea President Lee orders crackdown on anti-Chinese, anti-foreigner rallies

    He ordered a crackdown on activities that threaten the safety of foreign tourists.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Malaysia demands release of citizens, condemns Israel’s seizure of Sumud flotilla bound for Gaza

    Malaysia’s PM condemns the interception of the aid flotilla as trampling on Palestinians’ rights.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Taiwan tracking China activity but cannot say if there will be more drills post-national day

    Taiwan, formally called the Republic of China, celebrates its national day on Oct 10.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Philippines says watching China’s actions on South China Sea nature reserve

    Manila has called China’s plans for a reserve at the shoal a “clear pretext for occupation”.

  • New York Times ☛ Security is increased at Jewish sites across the U.K.

  • France24 ☛ US engaged in 'armed conflict' with drug cartels, Convicted Felon tells Congress

    President The Insurrectionist has declared that the United States is in “armed conflict” with drug cartels, his administration said in a notice to Congress after recent strikes on boats off the coast of Venezuela. The letter, obtained by AFP, seeks to justify operations that killed 14 amid tensions with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

  • France24 ☛ Russia-linked oil tanker stopped by France resumes voyage, according to vessel trackers

    The Boracay, a tanker from Russia's "shadow fleet" that was detained by the French navy, resumed its journey towards the Suez Canal, data from maritime websites Marine Traffic and Vesselfinder showed Friday. Russian President Vladimir Putin denounced the tanker's detention as an act of piracy and alleged that Paris had initiated the move for domestic policy reasons.

  • Ruben Schade ☛ The dubious Nagorno-Karabakh anniversary

    Last month marked the two-year anniversary of the Artsakh war, in which hundreds of thousands of ethnic Armenians were cleansed of their homes, livelihoods, and history. As with Latvia, Armenia has had an oversized influence on my life (worth it’s own post at some point), so I’ve decided to do more of a serious post today and finally tackle something I believe warrants far more attention than it’s received, at least in the famously myopic Anglosphere.

    Armenia sits in the Caucusus region between the Black and Caspian seas. To the north west sits Georgia, and the east Azerbaijan. Like the Baltic States, this collection of independent nations were seized by the USSR and became Soviet Republics, only achieving their independence in the early 1990s (to say I’m glossing over a lot of history would be an… understatement).

    The area likely rings a bell for people my age or older due to the war in Chechnya that broke out near the border with Russia in 1994. I remember sitting at home seeing pictures of the bombed-out buildings in Grozny, and asking my mum why anyone would do this. I don’t remember her reply exactly, but I think it was the first time I heard her swear (at the TV, mind).

  • France24 ☛ Generation Z is stirring up rebellion across borders, from Morocco to Madagascar

    Gen Z, the first generation to have grown up in the internet age, has been at the forefront of anti-government protests in several countries of the Global South. Madagascar and Morocco are the latest countries to be hit by these youth-led movements, which use digital tools to communicate anger at corruption and underfunded social services.

  • Indian and South African navies engage on Indian Ocean maritime security

    Ongoing co-operation and engagements with the Indian Navy saw Rear Admiral Handsome Matsane, SA Navy (SAN) Flag Officer Fleet (FOF) [...]

  • ACLU ☛ Federal Judge Blocks Convicted Felon Effort to Bar Some Immigrant Families From Head Start

    A federal judge in Seattle granted the ACLU’s request to block a directive from the Convicted Felon administration that sought to exclude certain immigrant families from Head Start for the first time in the program’s 60-year history.

    “Immigrants are threaded through the fabric of our communities and threatening them tears communities apart,” says Clarissa Doutherd, a leader in parent advocacy.

    Head Start is a federal program providing free education and development services to families and children from birth to age five who come from low-income families – around 40 million children and families across the country. The Forrest Dump administration has banned any activities related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, and carried out mass layoffs of staff and closures of offices tasked with supporting Head Start providers. These actions have hindered programs from fulfilling their mission. The ban has allowed the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to weaponize its administrative function to enforce compliance with ambiguous and undefined terms.

  • CS Monitor ☛ ‘If I leave ... what is left?’ Why officers battle Hegseth for women’s right to fight.

    High-ranking women say they are watching the gains they spent their careers building being erased. Despite Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s speech on Tuesday, they are determined to keep serving their country.

  • New York Times ☛ Why Pete Hegseth Summoned Top Military Leaders

    Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth faced a room of hundreds of generals and admirals whom he had summoned from across the globe, and made his case for shaking up a force that he said had gone soft and “woke.” Greg Jaffe, the Pentagon reporter for The New York Times, discusses Hegseth’s speech.

  • Citizen Lab ☛ We Say You Want a Revolution: PRISONBREAK – An AI-Enabled Influence Operation Aimed at Overthrowing the Iranian Regime

    We investigate a coordinated network of inauthentic X accounts that is spreading AI-generated content to induce revolt in Iran. The network has been active since 2023, but increased activity during the Iran-Israel conflict in June 2025.

  • New York Times ☛ A 2017 terror attack in Manchester was one of Britain’s deadliest.

    A suicide bombing at Manchester Arena killed twenty-two people, several of them children, and injured hundreds more.

  • France24 ☛ Netanyahu, Hamas under immense pressure: 'Any successful peace deal is a victory for all sides'

    The US-Israel peace plan for Gaza is where idealism, ideology, dogma and realpolitik collide. For Hamas, the plan "isn’t a peace deal so much as a conditional capitulation," explains Dr. Nick Westcott, Professor of Practice in the Department of Politics and International Studies at SOAS, University of London. And for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he finds himself in the most unenviable position, a veritable checkmate, "squeezed between US pressure and his own coalition: to yield is betrayal, but to resist is political suicide.” While this is a very "tough sell" for both sides, this proposal remains "the only conceivable pathway out of this war.”

  • Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine

    • Meduza ☛ Modified Russian ballistic missiles now able to evade Patriot defense system — FT — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Send in the cavalry: The Russian army plans to formalize its use of horses on the battlefield in Ukraine, media reports — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Russia’s Zaporizhzhia savior scheme: How Moscow could use an ongoing blackout to switch Europe’s largest nuclear plant from Ukraine’s grid to its own — Meduza

    • LRT ☛ Lithuania extends restricted airspace near Belarus border until December

      Lithuania has extended the closure of part of its airspace along the border with Belarus until December 1, citing security concerns and the need for new legislation to guide military operations, the army said Thursday.

    • France24 ☛ 🔴 Russia-linked oil tanker stopped by France resumes voyage, according to Vessel Tracker

    • New York Times ☛ Flights Halted at Munich Airport After Drone Sightings

      The airport in Germany was the latest in Europe to shut because of drone sightings that officials have blamed on Russia, which has denied the accusations.

    • LRT ☛ Public more sensitive to drones after Russian incursions – Lithuanian police chief

      Lithuania’s police chief said Thursday that residents have become increasingly sensitive to drone activity following recent Russian drone incursions into the country and other parts of Europe.

    • JURIST ☛ France to prosecute captain of suspected Russia oil ship

      French authorities announced Thursday that they will bring to trial the captain of the ship Boracay, a suspected Russian oil transport vessel that has been blacklisted by the EU as a part of Moscow’s “shadow fleet,” which circumvents sanctions placed on Russian oil exports.

    • France24 ☛ French court to try Chinese captain of suspected Russian ‘shadow fleet’ tanker

      A French court will try the Chinese captain of a Russian-linked oil tanker early next year after the vessel, part of Moscow’s so-called “shadow fleet,” was intercepted off the French coast, prosecutors said Thursday. The Boracay, blacklisted by the EU, was scheduled to arrive in India, according to a marine traffic tracker, and is under investigation for sanctions violations.

    • Latvia ☛ Latvian resident to be prosecuted for working for Russian companies

      On 19th September, the State Security Service (VDD) asked the Prosecutor's Office to initiate criminal prosecution against a Latvian resident for unauthorised work for Russian companies in violation of the sanctions imposed by the European Union (EU), the VDD said on 2 October.

    • The Straits Times ☛ Defeat of Ukraine would embolden China towards Taiwan, Taiwanese officer says in Poland

      Taiwan has been studying how Ukraine has been able to fight Russia, drawing lessons for how it could deal with China.

    • France24 ☛ Drone incursions show Russia seeking to escalate war, Zelensky warns Europe

      Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned European leaders on Thursday that recent drone incursions signaled Russia’s intent to “escalate” its aggression, offering Ukraine’s battlefield experience to counter the threat at a Copenhagen summit attended by nearly 50 nations under tight security after Denmark’s mystery drone flights.

    • Atlantic Council ☛ Drone superpower Ukraine is teaching NATO how to defend against Russia

      Ukraine's unrivaled experience of drone warfare makes it a key partner for NATO and an indispensable ally in the defense of Europe as the continent faces up to the mounting threat posed by an expansionist Russia, writes David Kirichenko.

    • New York Times ☛ As Russian Drones Menace Europe, Putin Says Moscow Has No Plans to Invade

      President Vladimir V. Putin lashed out at “European elites” for “whipping up the hysteria” about the “Russian threat.”

    • RFERL ☛ Ukraine Battles To Restore Power As Russian Strikes Batter Grid Sites

      Ukrainian emergency crews were battling to restore power to northern parts of the country as Russian forces continued to attack crucial infrastructure with drone and rocket attacks, while Ukraine's strategic Pokrovsk region remained under pressure.

    • France24 ☛ Putin calls detention of Russia-linked tanker by France 'piracy'

      Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday slammed the detention of a Russia-linked oil tanker by France as "piracy". French President Emmanuel Macron called on Europe Thursday to take coordinated action against Russia's so-called shadow fleet, and follow his country's lead in detaining vessels used to bust western sanctions and fuel Moscow's war in Ukraine. FRANCE 24's Eliza Herbert reports.

• Environment

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea sees second-warmest September on record

    October is also projected to be hotter than previous years.

  • The Straits Times ☛ ‘Wiped out our entire village’: Cebu quake survivors appeal for help as death toll climbs

    Bogo City, where nearly half of the recorded fatalities occurred, has emerged as the hardest-hit area.

  • WhichUK ☛ Are you bankrolling the climate crisis?

    As banks backtrack on environmental pledges, Which? reveals how your money could be funding climate change – and where to move it

  • Energy/Transportation

    • The Straits Times ☛ Up in smoke: Work documents of 191,000 civil servants lost in data centre fire in South Korea

      The cloud-based repository for government employees' work-related documents had never been backed up.

    • The Straits Times ☛ China railway trips hit record on first day of national holiday

      China is expected to see around 2.36 billion passenger trips nationwide during the holiday period.

    • The Straits Times ☛ India and China to resume direct flights after five-year freeze

      There have been no direct flights between China and India since 2020.

    • LRT ☛ Lithuania keeps energy sector wary of Chinese components despite seeking thaw with Beijing

      As Lithuania’s government seeks to restore diplomatic relations with China, Energy Minister Žygimantas Vaičiūnas said Thursday that Beijing remains a threat and vowed that Chinese-made components will not be used in Lithuanian energy facilities.

    • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Over 232,000 mainland visitors in Hong Kong on National Day, but hotel prices may deter tourism spending

      An industry representative has warned that high hotel prices in Hong Kong may hamper tourism spending, despite over 232,000 mainland Chinese visiting the city on Wednesday, the first day of the National Day “Golden Week.”

    • Pro Publica ☛ SpaceX Took Money Directly From Chinese Investors: Company Insider

      Elon Musk’s SpaceX has taken money directly from Chinese investors, according to previously sealed testimony, raising new questions about foreign ownership interests in one of the United States’ most important military contractors.

      The recent testimony, coming from a SpaceX insider during a court case, marks the first time direct Chinese investment in the privately held company has been disclosed. While there is no prohibition on Chinese ownership in U.S. military contractors, such investment is heavily regulated and the issue is treated by the U.S. government as a significant national security concern.

    • Hackaday ☛ Kei Truck Becomes Tiny RV

      Tent camping lets you explore places on foot you could never reach another way, but sometimes you want to camp with a bit more luxury. [Levi Kelly] decided to see how small you could make an RV. [via Autopian]

    • FAIR ☛ ‘Media Need to Report on the Real Cost of Data Centers’: CounterSpin interview with Jai Dulani and Vivek Bharathan on data center opposition

      Janine Jackson interviewed MediaJustice’s Jai Dulani and Vivek Bharathan of the No Desert Data Center Coalition about data center opposition for the September 26, 2025, episode of CounterSpin. This is a lightly edited transcript.

    • The Straits Times ☛ China’s Golden Week crowds underscore tourism boom and safety strains

      Domestic tourism numbers, which are nearly back to pre-pandemic levels, is a lifeline and a stress test.

  • Wildlife/Nature

    • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Canada blocks theme park from sending 30 beluga whales to China

      Canada on Wednesday denied a request from a controversial theme park to export 30 beluga whales to China, saying the refusal was necessary to protect the mammals from exploitation.

• Finance

  • Mexico News Daily ☛ Analysts foresee long-term rate cuts as inflation creeps up

    While actual figures for July have offset the recent positive growth forecasts from organizations like the OECD and IMF, private analyst predictions remain mildly positive.

  • Breach Media ☛ Why Mark Carney is putting Canada Post on the chopping block

    Dru Oja Jay breaks down how dismantling Canada Post fits into Mark Carney’s austerity agenda

  • FAIR ☛ NPR’s Economics Lessons Come With Neoliberal Spin

    For six seasons now, NPR’s Planet Money, the network’s economics and finance program, has aired a Summer School miniseries that offers its audience a “crash course in economics for your ears.”

  • Scoop News Group ☛ North Korea IT worker scheme swells beyond US companies

    Okta Threat Intelligence uncovered a large-scale and sustained operation, reflecting the North Korean regime’s pursuit of any opportunity that allows for remote employment.

  • JURIST ☛ Three-quarters of Europeans back corporate accountability amid EU rollback

    Three-quarters of Europeans believe large companies should be held accountable for human rights and environmental violations across their global supply chains, even as the European Union moves to weaken corporate sustainability laws, according to new polling reported Thursday by Amnesty International.

  • Latvia ☛ Foreign investors' lobby in Latvia calls for less union protection, reduced overtime rates

    The influential Foreign Investors Council in Latvia (FICIL) business lobby called on October 2nd for wide-ranging reforms of Latvia's existing labour laws which it described as "outdated".

  • France24 ☛ Tens of thousands protest public spending cuts across France

    Nearly 600,000 people participated in nationwide protests across France on Thursday, according to the CGT union, responding to a strike call by trade unions opposing proposed spending cuts in next year’s budget. The French interior ministry offered a lower estimate, reporting around 195,000 protesters, including 24,000 in Paris.

  • Latvia ☛ Expect extra verification of bank payments from next week

    A requirement to verify the name and account number before a bank payment will become applicable from next week, the Latvian central bank (Latvijas banka, LB) is reminding people.

  • Latvia ☛ Latvians less likely to be savers than Estonians and Lithuanians

    Latvian residents save for unforeseen expenses less often than in neighbouring countries, according to a survey conducted on behalf of Luminor bank.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Bualoi death toll rises to 51 in Vietnam, banks told to support affected firms

    Vietnam's central bank urged banks to support affected businesses.

• AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

  • The Straits Times ☛ China lays out ‘must-nots’ for top US diplomat in Hong Kong

    The diplomat reportedly invited pro-democracy former politicians to her inaugural receptions.

  • New York Times ☛ Madagascar’s President Rajoelina Dissolved His Government, but Calls for His Resignation Continue

    A growing protest movement on the African island, despite deadly clashes with security forces, vows to keep fighting until Andry Rajoelina is ousted.

  • JURIST ☛ US municipalities sue Convicted Felon administration over conditions on disaster relief grants

    A coalition of more than 25 US cities and counties filed suit Monday to challenge new conditions on federal emergency management grants, alleging that the Convicted Felon administration has unlawfully threatened $350 million in congressionally approved FEMA and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funds.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ China’s top diplomat in Hong Kong cautions new US consul general against colluding with ‘anti-China forces’

    China’s top diplomat in Hong Kong has warned the new US consul general in Hong Kong, Julie Eadeh, not to “collude with anti-China forces” and interfere with national security cases.

  • 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.

• Censorship/Free Speech

  • New York Times ☛ Apple Takes Down ICE Tracking Apps Amid Convicted Felon Pressure Campaign

    Dihydroxyacetone Man administration officials have issued several legal threats over ICEBlock, a popular app that allows users to alert others to the presence of nearby immigration agents.

  • JURIST ☛ Massachusetts federal judge finds deportation of pro-Palestine protesters violates First Amendment

    A US federal judge ruled on Tuesday that President The Insurrectionist’s administration violated the First Amendment by attempting to deport non-citizens for protesting the conflict in Gaza.

  • New York Times ☛ At Saudi Comedy Festival, American Free Speech Becomes the Punchline

    American comics used Saudi Arabia’s first global comedy festival to skewer a debate raging at home. Critics said the event was part of Saudi efforts to draw attention away from a political crackdown.

  • France24 ☛ Freedom of speech: Can you say anything you want in France?

    In this week's show, we take a deep dive into freedom of speech. It's been in the news stateside following the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and the temporary suspension of stand-up comedian Jimmy Kimmel. In France, free speech is seen as a fundamental freedom that dates back to the Revolution of 1789. It is often described as a "liberté surveillée" (a supervised freedom) because while it grants wide-ranging freedom, it also sets strict legal limits. In France, freedom of expression is not absolute. So what are some of the things punishable by French law? We take a closer look.

• Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press

  • Press Gazette ☛ The Guardian tells marketers to stop buying intrusive online ads

    Publishers says it turns down millions in ad revenue which would spoil user experience.

  • Press Gazette ☛ CEO of Danish publisher Zetland: ‘It’s bullshit to say young people aren’t willing to pay for news’

    Zetland has 70,000 members paying for long-form digital journalism.

  • Press Gazette ☛ Information about Prince William’s 21st birthday party could have been ‘blagged’ for Daily Mail, High Court hears

    Mail publisher Associated Newspapers in bid to have parts of legal action against it thrown out.

  • Press Gazette ☛ UK’s biggest podcast producer Goalhanger is now a video company

    Goalhanger co-founder Jack Davenport on the rise of Youtube and why its presenters are so well paid.

• Civil Rights/Policing

  • The Straits Times ☛ ‘Young 40s’ crowd in South Korea getting roasted for acting half their age

    The term “young 40s” is used to describe middle-aged adults who try a little too hard to look younger.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korean President apologises for overseas adoptions failures

    International adoptions began after the Korean War as a way to remove mixed-race children from society.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korean President Lee urges North to consider resuming family reunions

    The last family reunions between the two Koreas were hosted in August 2018.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Johor wedding creatives in limbo over Singapore ban

    Malaysian couples planning pre-wedding shoots in Singapore are also worried about breaking the law.

  • JURIST ☛ Amnesty International condemns continued persecution of Tishreen activists by Iraq authorities

    Amnesty International condemned Iraqi authorities on Tuesday for their continued persecution of activists and protesters six years after the nationwide Tishreen demonstrations. The organization also criticized the Iraqi authorities for failing to deliver meaningful justice for the killings of hundreds and disappearances of protesters by security forces and militias.

  • JURIST ☛ Amnesty International decries China courts’ violations of fundamental civilian freedoms

    Amnesty International, in a report released on Wednesday, revealed that Chinese courts are utilizing ambiguous laws to crack down on civilians’ freedoms of speech and association, subjecting individuals to arbitrary arrests and violations of fair trial rights.

  • LRT ☛ Lithuanian cultural activists reject talks, plan strike over new culture minister

    Lithuanian cultural activists said Wednesday they will not join Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė’s proposed negotiating group and will move forward with a warning strike to protest the Nemunas Dawn party taking charge of the Culture Ministry.

  • France24 ☛ France sees third day of strikes amid budget impasse

    France braced for a new wave of protests Thursday as unions, grassroots groups and civic activists took to the streets against proposed austerity measures and spending cuts. The Eiffel Tower closed to the public after a "large majority" of its employees expressed support for the unions' strike action. France24 journalist Antonia Kerrigan tells us the latest.

• Internet Policy/Net Neutrality

  • APNIC ☛ APRICOT 2026 Call for Presentations open now

    If you have an interesting presentation to share on Internet operations, submit a paper for APRICOT 2026.

  • APNIC ☛ The quantum Internet: A new frontier for networking

    Guest Post: We stand at the brink of another revolution shaping itself in the form of the quantum Internet. This post shares highlights from a paper surveying the fundamental concepts of the quantum Internet.

  • APNIC ☛ Cyber risk is business risk: Lessons from the recent airport cyberattack

    Guest Post: Cross-disciplinary efforts lead to sharper decisions and stronger outcomes during disruptions.

  • WhichUK ☛ Virgin Media announces new price hikes: can you avoid them?

    New broadband and TV customers are set to see even bigger price hikes next year

  • New York Times ☛ We Finally Have Free Anti-Robocall Tools That Work

    A new feature for iPhones screens calls, similar to a technology available for Android users. Here’s how to activate it.

Monopolies/Monopsonies

• JURIST ☛ US Federal Trade Commission files antitrust lawsuit against Zillow and Redfin

  The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on Tuesday announced a lawsuit against Zillow and Redfin, alleging the real estate technology companies violated federal antitrust laws through agreements that eliminated competition in the online rental advertising marketplace.

• Patents

  • Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ Proven Infringement, Zero Recovery: Federal Circuit Once Again Cancels a Jury Verdict for the Patentee

    In Rex Medical, L.P. v. Intuitive Surgical, Inc., No. 2024-1072 (Fed. Cir. Oct. 2, 2025), we find yet another decision involving the Federal Circuit overturning a jury's damages verdict.  A jury had awarded $10 million for the infringement that was reduced to nominal damages of $1.

  • Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ Contradictory Expert Testimony and Director Review

    by Dennis Crouch

    In his first Director Review decision, new USPTO Director John Squires has gone the extra mile -- in addition to granting director review and reversing the Board's decision favoring the patent monopoly challenger, Dir. Squires also ordered immediate termination of the proceedings based upon unreliable expert testimony.

    Interactive Communications Int’l, Inc. v. Blackhawk Network Inc., IPR2024-00465. [IPR2024-00465 Director Review Decision]

  • Kangaroo Courts

    • JUVE ☛ Nokia sues Paramount at UPC and in Germany [Ed: UPC is totally illegal and Nokia has its own salaried staff sitting as judges, so it's not just a kangaroo court but clearly corruption spreading from the EPO to the EU]

      After its successful series of lawsuits against Amazon’s video streaming services, Nokia is now taking aim at another industry giant. This week, Nokia sued film production company Paramount and its streaming services in Europe. Nokia filed a lawsuit at the UPC’s Mannheim local division and at Munich Regional Court.

• Trademarks

  • TTAB Blog ☛ Weakness of "BNB" Brings Cancellation Denial: "COMPLETE BNB" Not Confusable with "AIRBNB"

    Alan Tillman, appearing pro se, successfully warded off Airbnb's Section 2(d) attack on his registration for the mark COMPLETE BNB for, inter alia, "booking of temporary accommodation" [BNB disclaimed], finding confusion unlikely with the registered mark AIRBNB for "arranging temporary housing accommodations." The Board found the services to be identical and therefore presumably offered through the same trade channels to the same classes of customers. The Board also found that that AIRBNB mark falls on the "strong side of the distinctiveness spectrum" and is entitled to a broad scope of protection. Airbnb's survey results also favored a finding of likely confusion, but the Board found the term BNB to be highly descriptive of the common services, and the differences between the marks "too great for confusion to be likely." Airbnb, Inc. v. Alan Tillman, Cancellation No. 92083886 (September 30, 2025) [not precedential] (Opinion by Judge Elizabeth A. Dunn).

• Copyrights

  • Digital Music News ☛ Rod Wave Slapped With $27 Million Lawsuit Over Allegedly Stolen Tour Funds

    Rapper and singer Rod Wave allegedly owes more than $27 million in funds from his unfinished tour, according to a lawsuit filed by Grizzly Touring. Rod Wave faces a lawsuit accusing the rapper and singer of owing over $27 million to Grizzly Touring, a promoter of “large-scale events for hip-hop and other musical artists.”

  • Digital Music News ☛ DOJ, FTC Move to Pause Live Nation/Ticketmaster Lawsuits Amid Government Shutdown — Other Cases May Also Be Impacted

    The DOJ and the FTC have moved to stay their lawsuits against Live Nation and Ticketmaster due to a shutdown-fueled funding lapse, which may also impact different cases. The Justice Department yesterday submitted a motion seeking to pause its much-publicized Live Nation/Ticketmaster antitrust action.