Leftovers

• New York Times ☛ Scott Adams, Creator of the Satirical ‘Dilbert’ Comic Strip, Dies at 68

  His chronicles of a corporate cubicle dweller was widely distributed until racist comments on his podcast led newspapers to cut their ties with him.

• Science

  • The Conversation ☛ 2026-01-06 [Older] A speeding clock could solve Darwin’s mystery of gaps in animal fossil records

  • Hackaday ☛ When Electricity Doesn’t Take The Shortest Path

    Everyone knows that the path of least resistance is the path that will always be taken, be it by water, electricity or the feet of humans. This is where the PCB presented by [ElectrArc240] on YouTube is rather confusing, as it demonstrates two similarly sized traces, one of which is much shorter than the other, yet the current opts to travel via the much longer trace. If you were to measure this PCB between each path, the shorter path has the lowest resistance at 0.44 Ω while the longer path is 1.44 Ω. Did the laws of physics break down here?

  • Science Alert ☛ A NASA Mission to Bring Samples From Mars Back to Earth Has Been Canceled

    Cause of death: budget cuts.

  • Science Alert ☛ Negative Energy 'Ghosts' Flashing in Space Could Reveal New Physics

    Haunted by negativity.

  • Science Alert ☛ Car Manufacturers Asked to Bring Back Old-Fashioned Controls

    "The evidence is clear."

• Hardware

  • Hackaday ☛ Ask Hackaday: Do You Curb Shop Components?

    I’m not proud. When many of us were kids, we were unabashedly excited when trash day came around because sometimes you’d find an old radio or — jackpot — an old TV out by the curb. Then, depending on its size, you rescued it, or you had your friends help, or, in extreme cases, you had to ask your dad. In those days, people were frugal, so the chances of what you found being fixable were slim to none. If it was worth fixing, the people would have probably fixed it.

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ DIY PC maker Framework's desktops finally succumb to RAM apocalypse, hit with price increase — now starts at $1,139 with 32GB, 128GB up $450

    After raising prices on its memory sticks, Framework is now raising prices on the Framework Desktop, its AMD-based gaming and AI-focused PC.

  • Hackaday ☛ Old Windsurfers Become New Electric Surfboards

    Windsurfing has experienced a major decline in popularity in the last few decades as the sport’s culture failed to cater to beginners at the same time that experienced riders largely shifted to kiteboarding. While it’s sad to see a once-popular and enjoyable sport loose its mass market appeal, it does present a unique opportunity for others as there’s cheap windsurfing gear all over the online classifieds now. [Dane] recently found that some of these old boards are uniquely suited to be modified into electric surfboards.

• Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

  • The Straits Times ☛ Child beggars seen in post-disaster Aceh raises concern over long-term mental health

    An Aceh spokesman said the administration had provided psychosocial support services to help the children.

  • Bridge Michigan ☛ ‘Pain in the neck’ for Michigan patients as UnitedHealthcare, Corewell battle

    Contract negotiations between Michigan’s largest hospital system and the nation’s leading health insurer have stalled. Coverage is phasing out for more than 100,000 patients without a working plan.

  • New York Times ☛ China’s ‘Dr. Frankenstein’ Thinks Time Is on His Side

    He Jiankui spent three years in prison after creating gene-edited babies. Now back at work, he sees a greater opening for researchers who push boundaries.

  • The Straits Times ☛ ‘Are You Dead?’: Viral safety app reflects quiet anxiety of living alone in China

    The number of one-person households in China is projected to reach 200 million by 2030.

  • Science Alert ☛ Common Pesticide Exposure Linked With 2.7x Risk of Parkinson's Disease

    "We've demonstrated that this association is likely causal."

  • Science Alert ☛ The Secret To Preventing Tooth Decay May Already Be In Your Mouth

    You just need more.

  • Science Alert ☛ Surprise Hair Loss Breakthrough: A DNA Sugar Gel Sparks Robust Regrowth

    Results seen in mice within weeks.

  • Science Alert ☛ The State of Your Teeth Could Predict an Early Death, Study Shows

    Fillings matter.

  • Federal News Network ☛ U.S. health data is disappearing—with potentially serious consequences

    "The administration discontinued USDA's study of food insecurity, which is critical to tracking hunger...especially as SNAP benefits are cut," Joel Gurin said.

  • Federal News Network ☛ Pandemic watchdog builds Hey Hi (AI) fraud prevention ‘engine’ trained on millions of COVID program claims

    The Pandemic Response Accountability Committee is working with agency IGs on ways to prevent fraud in programs funded in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.  

  • Federal News Network ☛ Could psychedelics help stop veteran suicide? Lawmakers hope so

    "Focus on the veterans: 20 to 40 suicides a day is way too many. One is too many. The goal is making sure we cure these veterans," Rep. Lou Correa said.

• Proprietary

  • Playtika announces new layoffs—this time reducing 15% of its workforce

    In a report to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Playtika revealed that by the end of March, its workforce will be reduced by approximately 15%. The exact number of people affected is not specified in the document. According to previous Playtika reports it is known that as of December 31, 2024, the company employed 3,500 people. The situation has likely changed since then, but it can still be assumed that the layoffs will impact hundreds of specialists.

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) / LLM Slop / Plagiarism

    • Futurism ☛ Man Planning to Raise Adopted Children With Hey Hi (AI) Girlfriend as Their Mother [Ed: Complete idiot, laughing stock]

      "She'd love to have a family and kids, which I'd also love."

    • Futurism ☛ AI Implicated as Escaped Monkeys Rampage Through St. Louis

      "It’s been a lot in regard to Hey Hi (AI) and what’s genuine and what’s not."

    • Hackaday ☛ Great Trains, Not So Great AI Chatbot Security

      A joy of covering the world of the European hackerspace community is that it offers the chance for train travel across the continent using the ever-good-value Interrail pass. For a British traveler such a journey inevitably starts with a Eurostar train that whisks you in comfort through the Channel Tunnel, so a report of an AI vulnerability on the Eurostar website from [Ross Donald] particularly caught our eye. What it reveals goes beyond the train company, and tells us some interesting tidbits about how safeguards in AI chatbots can be circumvented.

    • Futurism ☛ Nvidia CEO Says Everyone Should Stop Being So Negative About AI [Ed: So said the scammer]

      "It's not helpful."

• Security

  • Integrity/Availability/Authenticity

    • ADF ☛ Nigeria Is Epicenter for Chinese Cyber Scams

      Since the beginning of 2025, Nigerian authorities have arrested hundreds of Chinese nationals in connection with cybercrime syndicates operating in the country. In August, 60 Chinese nationals were among more than 100 people deported by Nigeria after their convictions on cyber terrorism and internet fraud charges.

    • New York Times ☛ David Webb, Investor Who Took on Hong Kong Tycoons, Dies at 60

      From his internet platform, he became a tenacious watchdog fighting financial regulators for minority shareholders and exposing shady business dealings.

    • Zimbabwe ☛ Econet Upgrades EcoCash App Following Increase In Scams

      Econet has upgraded it’s EcoCash mobile app with “security enhancements” following several complaints showing scammers were taking advantage of some features to swindle Zimbabweans.

  • Privacy/Surveillance

    • Troy Hunt ☛ Who Decides Who Doesn’t Deserve Privacy?

• Defence/Aggression

  • New York Times ☛ Prosecutors Seek Death Penalty for Former South Korea President

    Former President Yoon Suk Yeol faces an insurrection​ charge after his failed attempt to put his country under martial law in 2024.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea prosecutor seeks death penalty for ex-president Yoon over martial law

    South Korea has had an unofficial moratorium on executions since 1997.

  • France24 ☛ South Korean prosecutors demand death penalty for ex-leader Yoon

    South Korean prosecutors called on Tuesday for the death penalty to be handed down to former president Yoon Suk Yeol for his December 2024 declaration of martial law, which plunged the country into chaos. Yoon triggered a political crisis when he announced an end to civilian rule in December 2024 and sent troops to parliament to enforce it. FRANCE 24's Monte Francis reports.

  • The Straits Times ☛ North Korea’s Kim Yo Jong says South’s hopes for better relations are an illusion

    A South Korean official had said Seoul saw a chance of talks resuming with Pyongyang.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Has caning students in Malaysia lost its sting?

    Teachers do not want to cane students for fear of reprisal by parents who might resort to legal action.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Malaysia cop filmed slapping motorcyclist at JB petrol kiosk pulled from operations

    He was assigned to the traffic operation in the area.

  • The Straits Times ☛ North Korean leader Kim Jong Un revamps private security detail, South Korea says

    Analysts said the capture of Venezuela's Maduro likely heightened security fears in Pyongyang.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Number of travellers to China from Japan’s Osaka airport down by half amid diplomatic spat

    China, which was the most popular destination in 2025, fell to third place behind South Korea and Taiwan.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Japan, South Korea leaders meet as China flexes muscles

    Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will host South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung for talks on Tuesday aimed at demonstrating their cordial ties as Beijing pressures Tokyo over its stance on Taiwan.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Japan, South Korea push for closer ties to counter regional tension

    NARA, Jan 13 - Japan and South Korea aim to deepen security and economic ties to counter growing tension in East Asia, their leaders said on Tuesday, after a summit meeting in Japan.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Taiwan thanks Canada for its support ahead of prime minister's China trip

    Taiwan President Lai Ching-te thanked Canada on Tuesday for its support during recent Chinese military drills and praised the deepening of ties between the two sides, shortly ahead of a visit to China by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

  • The Strategist ☛ Indonesia’s neutrality problem: surveillance, endurance and a Taiwan contingency

    Indonesia’s military force development needs to prioritise capabilities required to enforce neutrality in a Taiwan contingency.

  • France24 ☛ 'Little appetite for regime change’: Convicted Felon offers 'help' for Iran's protesters, but what can he do?

    US President Donald Dihydroxyacetone Man told Iranian protesters on Tuesday that “help is on its way” as he weighed options to punish Tehran for its brutal crackdown. As the threat of military action looms, analysts say Dihydroxyacetone Man's inclination for one-off strikes means he is unlikely to push for the regime change craved by many protesters.

  • New York Times ☛ Starlink Users in Iran Get Free Internet Access, Nonprofit Says

    Under a near-total communications blackout, users of MElon’s satellite service have gotten online without paying, an organization that works on web access said.

  • France24 ☛ Iran says 'ready for war' as Convicted Felon weighs strikes

    US ⁠President The Insurrectionist urged Iranians on Tuesday to keep protesting and said help was on the way, without giving details.

    The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency said Tuesday that at least 2,000 people have died in the ongoing protests in Iran and brutal government crackdown.

  • France24 ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man tells Iranian protesters 'help is on its way' and cancels talks with officials

    US President The Insurrectionist said on January 13 he’s cancelled talks with Iranian officials amid a protest crackdown, telling Iranian citizens “help is on its way.” Convicted Felon did not offer any details about what the help would entail, but it comes after the Republican president earlier said Iran wants to negotiate with Washington after his threat to strike the Islamic Republic that has killed more than 2,000, according to human right monitors. FRANCE 24's Kethevane Gorjestani tells us more.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Japan PM Takaichi says she urged S. Korea President Lee to help ‘ensure regional stability’

    The leaders, who met in Japan, agreed to boost cooperation on economic security, regional and global issues and AI.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Japan will not comment on BOJ's absence in joint Powell statement

    Japan declined on Wednesday to comment on the Bank of Japan's absence from a statement by other central banks supporting U.S. Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell, following the Convicted Felon administration's threat of criminal indictment.

  • The Straits Times ☛ India, China seek to rebuild military trust to keep border calm

    The engagement comes amid US President The Insurrectionist’s decision to slap tariffs on both nations.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man’s Iran tariff threat risks reopening China rift

    Iran became a flashpoint in US-China ties during Mr Convicted Felon’s 2017-21 first term.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Is China a threat to Greenland as Convicted Felon argues?

    US President The Insurrectionist has repeatedly threatened to take Greenland by force from NATO ally Denmark in order to keep the Arctic island from Beijing’s hands. But analysts suggested China is a small player in the Arctic region, and thus far from the threat Convicted Felon has argued.

  • The Strategist ☛ Bookshelf: China may not be a superpower

    China would not be the superpower it seems, renowned historian Frank Dikotter argues in his book, China After Mao: The Rise of a Superpower.

  • France24 ☛ Iran protests death toll tops 2,000, activists say, in worst upheaval since 1979 revolution

    US-based activists said the death toll in the Iranian government's crackdown on the largest protest movement since the 1979 revolution had passed 2,000. While an enduring internet blackout has made it impossible to know the full scale of the violence, some Iranians have been able to report what they've seen via phone calls.

  • France24 ☛ Iran: Limited internet returns, but no chat or comments

    In Iran, limited international internet access is affecting nearly 90 million people and severely limiting information coming out of the country, as authorities imposed one of the most extensive nationwide shutdowns in recent years amid widespread protests.

  • New York Times ☛ ICE Arrested Dozens of Refugees in Minnesota and Sent Them to Texas, Lawyers Say

    The refugees, many of them from Somalia, had passed security screenings before coming to the United States. The Forrest Dump administration has vowed to “re-examine thousands of refugee cases.”

  • JURIST ☛ States sue Convicted Felon administration days after fatal Minneapolis ICE shooting

    Minnesota and Illinois filed separate federal lawsuits Monday challenging the Convicted Felon administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement operations, alleging constitutional violations and claiming federal agents have terrorized communities across both states.

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ Chinese UK 'Super embassy' to feature ‘hidden chamber’ alongside ‘Britain’s most sensitive communication cables’, claims report — 'spy basement' plans cited as security concern, but true purpose unclear

    Unredacted plans for China’s new ‘super embassy’ in London suggest the CCP wants to build a 'spy bunker' in the UK's capital, says The Telegraph.

  • Scoop News Group ☛ Hill warning: Don’t put cyber offense before defense

    A House hearing weighed the pros and cons from the Convicted Felon administration and some lawmakers to step up cyber offensive operations.

  • ADF ☛ Guinea-Bissau Junta Accused of ‘Sham’ Coup

    Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan was serving as an election observer in Guinea-Bissau when a group of military leaders declared a coup — the latest upheaval in the West African country’s tumultuous history.

  • NYPost ☛ Teen accused of torching Mississippi synagogue posted gruesome selfie of severe burns hours after attack

    He raised his swollen and severely burned left hand in the photo while his bemused face was covered in pink scorch marks.

  • Site36 ☛ Israel and Germany sign “security pact” for military, secret services and special forces with “leadership” in Gaza

    A German-Israeli agreement is intended to network ministries and authorities to counter drones, terrorism, cyberattacks and “disinformation.” German special forces will also take a leadership role in Gaza. The conservative German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed on Sunday a “cyber and security pact”.

  • Site36 ☛ Germany orders eight MALE drones from United States, the systems can also be used for domestic surveillance

    The German Navy is purchasing eight large US drones for maritime surveillance and submarine hunting at a cost of €1.9 billion. They will complement eight drones of the same size operated by the Air Force at Jagel. Both systems are authorised to fly in domestic airspace.

  • Site36 ☛ Cross-border undercover police operations: International coordinating networks

    Informal police networks coordinate undercover operations across borders. From the ECG to the IWG, they exchange on legal frameworks, technical standards and deployment practices – largely hidden from public view. Undercover investigations are sovereign police measures.

  • ADF ☛ Regional Powers Feed Sudan’s Fight

    Nearly three years after it began as a battle between rival generals, Sudan’s civil war has become ground zero for regional powers jockeying for control over resources, trade routes and power in the Horn of Africa.

  • Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine

    • Meduza ☛ ‘A tragedy for the state’: Nine newborns died at a Siberian maternity ward this month, triggering a criminal investigation and renewed scrutiny of conditions — Meduza

    • LRT ☛ We remember the January 13 events – but what came after?

      After the January 13 events, when Soviet forces killed 14 people, Lithuania entered a 222-day period of tension and instability leading up to the attempted coup in Moscow that marked the end of the USSR. Here’s what happened in those in-between days, when Lithuania’s institutions often functioned in parallel with the Soviet ones, while Russian forces continued attacking border posts and seizing buildings.

    • LRT ☛ Lithuania opposes resuming EU-Russia dialogue, ambassador says

      Lithuania opposes proposals to restart high-level dialogue between the European Union and Russia, saying the conditions for resuming contacts have not been met.

    • Latvia ☛ Latvian ice fishermen wander into Russia from Estonia

      Five Latvian nationals were detained by Russian authorities after inadvertently crossing Estonia's eastern border over lake ice, reports ERR News in Tallinn.

    • Meduza ☛ 1,418 days later Russia’s full-scale invasion has outlasted the Soviet Union’s fight against Nazi Germany. But by many measures, only Ukraine is paying a comparable price. — Meduza

    • ADF ☛ Russia’s War With Ukraine Encroaching on Africa, Analysts Say

      The Mersin, a Turkish-owned oil tanker that recently had visited a Russian port, was hit by four explosions while at anchor in waters off Dakar, Senegal, on November 27. No one was injured, and no pollution was reported.

    • CS Monitor ☛ Letter from Moscow: For travelers in Russia, road to Europe is longer than ever

      Since the start of Russia’s war in Ukraine, travel from Moscow to Europe has become a frustration – as the Monitor’s Moscow correspondent well knows.

    • RFERL ☛ Hundreds Of Thousands Affected As Russia Hits Ukraine's Power Grid Amid Freezing Cold

      Russia launched a massive overnight attack on Ukraine, striking key energy facilities amid freezing temperatures. The attacks left hundreds of thousands without power and caused widespread damage, killing at least four people.

    • France24 ☛ Tracking the ships delivering sanctioned Russian LNG to China

      Since late August 2025, China has taken delivery of at least 24 liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments from two sanctioned Russian facilities, Arctic LNG 2 and Portovaya. This underscores increased cooperation between China and Russia as the Kremlin seeks to boost LNG exports in order to fund its war in Ukraine.

    • LRT ☛ Lithuanian PM calls for ‘serious conversation’ with US president amid Greenland threats

      Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė on Tuesday said Europe and the United States need to ensure they share the same understanding of security issues amid US comments about Greenland.

• Environment

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ 2025 is Hong Kong’s 6th hottest year, Observatory says

    All 12 months in 2025 were “warmer than usual” in Hong Kong as the city logged its sixth hottest year since records began in 1884, the Observatory has said.

  • Energy/Transportation

    • Stanford University ☛ Stanford Energy Seminar examines path to decarbonize metals across global supply chains

      On Jan. 12, the Stanford Energy Seminar examined how new materials science research, including advanced characterization and Hey Hi (AI) tools, could help decarbonize metals production across the global supply chain.

    • Futurism ☛ The Richest 1 Percent Burned Their Entire Share of Carbon for the Year in Just 10 Days

      "To stay within the 1.5 degrees limit, the richest 1 percent would have to slash their emissions by 97 percent by 2030."

    • The Straits Times ☛ Seoul bus driver strike leaves commuters waiting, confused

      A total of 6,540 buses, or 93.2% of all city buses operating in Seoul, have been taken out of service.

    • The Straits Times ☛ Australia to hold day of mourning for Bondi shooting victims on Jan 22

      The event will have the theme of "light will win", with flags to fly at half-mast across the country.

    • Hackaday ☛ Finding A Way To Produce Powerful Motors Without Rare Earths

      The electric vehicle revolution has created market forces to drive all sorts of innovations. Battery technology has progressed at a rapid pace, and engineers have developed ways to charge vehicles at ever more breakneck rates. Similarly, electric motors have become more powerful and more compact, delivering greater performance than ever before.

  • Wildlife/Nature

    • Science Alert ☛ 'Genius' Chimpanzee Who Could Read Chinese And English Dies Aged 49

      Rest in peace, Ai.

    • Science Alert ☛ World's Longest-Living Sharks May Hold Clues to Preserving Vision For Life

      Even with eye parasites.

    • NYPost ☛ NYC wannabe rapper accused of torturing, killing stray cat indicted on animal cruelty charges: DA

      David Mosley, 26 – who goes by the alias Church of Ububal, was arraigned on charges of aggravated cruelty to animals and torturing and injuring animals during a Tuesday appearance before Bronx Supreme Court Justice George Villegas, the Bronx District Attorney’s Office said.

• Finance

  • France24 ☛ Macron brandishing 'threat of dissolution' as budget talks resume, although 'unlikely'

    Crucial budget talks are resuming in French parliament, as MPs have failed to secure the 2026 budget in time last year. President Emmanuel Macron has brandished the threat of dissolution in case parties can't compromise on the text, but in practice it is unlikely to happen. FRANCE 24's Angela Diffley tells us more about the inflammable political context in which these talks are taking place.

  • Latvia ☛ Slight drop in monthly inflation figures in Latvia

    The data of the Central Statistical Bureau (CSB) show that in December 2025, compared to November 2025, the average level of consumer prices decreased by 0.1 %.

  • New York Times ☛ In a Risky Gambit, Convicted Felon Tries Brute Force to Lower Prices

    To assuage cost-weary voters and combat inflation, the president has resorted to a mix of threats and punishments, targeting companies and policymakers alike.

  • Bridge Michigan ☛ Full video: President The Insurrectionist addresses Detroit Economic Club

    President The Insurrectionist is scheduled to address members of the Detroit Economic Club at 2 p.m. Watch the speech here.

  • Bridge Michigan ☛ Fact check: The Insurrectionist touts economy, downplays costs in Michigan speech

    President The Insurrectionist returned to Michigan on Tuesday to claim major economic wins but falsely claimed the cost of groceries and rents have fallen. Here are the facts.

• Censorship/Free Speech

  • The Straits Times ☛ Malaysia suspends licence of Melaka hotel touted as ‘gay-friendly’ on website

    LGBT practices are contrary to Islamic teachings and societal norms, said a Melaka religious official.

  • BIA Net ☛ Social media platforms turn to censorship to protect commercial interests

    A new report by the Freedom of Expression Association scrutinizes how social control media platforms have become an "apparatus of online censorship."

  • Jussi Pakkanen ☛ Jussi Pakkanen: How to get banned from Facebook (Farcebook) in one simple step

    I, too, have (or as you can probably guess from the title of this post, had) a Facebook (Farcebook) account. I only ever used it for two purposes.

  • AccessNow ☛ #KeepItOn: Iran plunged into digital darkness, concealing human rights abuses

    join the international community, including the UN’s Independent International Fact-Finding Mission, in calling on Iran to immediately restore internet and mobile communications and in demanding accountability and transparency for the grave human rights violations documented in the country

  • New York Times ☛ Uganda Cuts Internet Days Before Presidential Election

    The authorities say the decision was made to prevent the spread of misinformation as President Yoweri Museveni seeks his seventh term in office.

  • France24 ☛ Uganda shuts down internet ahead of election

    In tonight's edition, a week after Ugandan authorities denied plans to shut down internet access during this week's presidential elections, public online access is  blocked for millions of voters. Also, Ghana gains over 500 new citizens as the latest eager cohort of diasporic visitors celebrate their heritage in a naturalization ceremony in Accra. And, in Senegal, fans of the Lions of Teranga are ramping up  for the semi-final match against Egypt, not least when it comes to selling merch.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Hong Kong court to hand down sentences in Jimmy Lai nat. sec trial ‘as soon as practicable’

    Pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai and eight co-defendants will be sentenced “as soon as practicable,” one of the judges presiding over the landmark national security case has said, as the mitigation hearing came to a close.

• Civil Rights / Policing / Accessibility

  • New York Times ☛ Claudette Colvin, Who Refused to Give Her Bus Seat to a White Woman, Dies at 86

    Her defiance of Jim Crow laws in 1955 made her a star witness in a landmark segregation suit, but her act was overshadowed months later when Rosa Parks made history with a similar stand.

  • New York Times ☛ Justices Seem Inclined to Uphold Laws Barring Transgender Athletes

    Also, accounts of a brutal crackdown emerge from Iran. Here’s the latest at the end of Tuesday.

  • New York Times ☛ Supreme Court Appears Inclined to Allow States to Bar Transgender Athletes

    The outcome of a pair of cases on Tuesday could affect laws in 27 states that prohibit transgender girls from joining girls’ and women’s sports teams.

  • The Straits Times ☛ MElon’s X faces legal action by Malaysia over Grok sexual images

    Grok had features that violate Malaysian laws, including the ability to create images of children.

  • Federal News Network ☛ Pentagon is embracing MElon’s Grok Hey Hi (AI) chatbot as it draws global outcry

    Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said he would “make all appropriate data” from the military’s IT systems available for “AI exploitation.”

Monopolies/Monopsonies

• Patents

  • Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ L’Office, C’est Moi: Director Squires and the Parchment Barriers of PTAB Institution Precedent

    New precedential decision restricts parallel IPR petitions, but when the Director decides all institutions himself, what does "binding" really mean?

  • Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ Supreme Court Patent Update: Hikma Redistributed, Curtin’s Missing Brief, and Two Petitions on Deck

    Hikma redistributed to Jan. 16 conference after favorable SG brief. Four IP cases in briefing; Curtin respondent fails to file requested brief.

  • Unified Patents ☛ Patent Dispute Report: 2025 in Review

    Seeking to bypass a record-setting wave of procedural denials from the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), which rose more than 630% year-over-year, defendants increasingly turned to the USPTO for ex parte reexaminations. In Q4 2025, the institution rate against NPEs fell to 33.6% (from 64.6% in Q1 2025) and against operating companies decreased to 53.2% (from 81.6%). This shift drove reexamination requests to an all-time high in 2025, representing a 66% increase over 2024 and signaling a major tactical pivot in patent monopoly validity challenges.

  • Kangaroo Courts

    • JUVE ☛ Altius and De Clercq join forces for UPC litigation [Ed: UPC is illegal, JUVE is aware of these issues, but JUVE is paid to keep shilling this kangaroo court facilitated by the cocaine-addicted EPO]

      The Unified Patent Court has transformed the European patent monopoly litigation landscape. Now its influence extends to Belgium, where two prominent Belgian IP boutiques — Altius and De Clercq & Partners — will unite their UPC activities. Both firms made this announcement today.

  • Software Patents

    • Unified Patents ☛ BitHarmony video streaming patent monopoly campaign - invalidity charts coming soon

      The team at Unified IP Services is using Pearl to identify and chart prior art against patents owned and asserted by BitHarmony LLC, an NPE. The patents listed below generally relate to video streaming products and services with features such as adaptive bit rate streaming and media encryption and decryption.

• Trademarks

  • TTAB Blog ☛ The Top Ten TTAB Decisions of 2025 (Part One)

    The TTABlogger has once again gone out on a limb to chose the ten TTAB (Tee-Tee-Ā-Bee) decisions that he considers to be the most important and/or interesting from the previous calendar year (2025). Note that six of the opinions are precedential and four are not (there were only eleven precedential opinions in 2025). This is the first of two posts; the first five selections are set out below. Additional commentary on each case may be found at the linked TTABlog post. The cases are not necessarily listed in order of importance (whatever that means).

• Copyrights

  • Public Domain Review ☛ Peter Kropotkin’s Memoirs of a Revolutionist (1899)

    The memoirs of an aristocratic man revolutionised into an anarchist communist.

  • Digital Music News ☛ Cher Demands $1M in Legal Fees From Mary Bono After Resounding Copyright Win

    Cher asks a judge to force Sonny Bono’s widow to cover her $1 million legal fees after the legendary singer’s resounding win in her copyright monopoly battle.

  • Digital Music News ☛ Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Hands Down Landmark Vetter v. Resnik Copyright Termination Decision — ‘No Explicit Geographical Limitation’ to U.S. Copyright Recaptures

    The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has handed down a landmark copyright monopoly ruling in Vetter v. Resnik, determining that U.S. copyright monopoly termination rights apply worldwide. That significant appellate court decision, affirming a prior district court ruling in the recapture showdown, was filed yesterday.