Leftovers

• Science

  • The Conversation ☛ 2026-01-30 [Older] Some people gain confidence from thinking things through, others lose it – new research

  • The Conversation ☛ 2026-01-29 [Older] Curious kids: how old is fire on Earth?

  • The Conversation ☛ 2026-01-29 [Older] Did a tsunami hit the Bristol Channel four centuries ago? Revisiting the great flood of 1607

  • The Conversation ☛ 2026-01-28 [Older] Is time a fundamental part of reality? A quiet revolution in physics suggests not

• Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

  • France24 ☛ 'It's not if there will be another pandemic, but when': Dr Christian Happi

    "It's not if there will be another pandemic, but when it will happen." Dr Christian Happi and his team have just won a $100 million grant that enables them to expand their vital work to try to identify threats to provide the world with an early warning system for future pandemics. His project comes as many of his colleagues are facing huge funding cuts, with money being withdrawn from global health funding. The renowned professor of molecular biology and genomics spoke to us in Perspective.

  • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2026-01-27 [Older] Plastic emissions could double health damage by 2040

  • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2026-01-28 [Older] Inside the Philippines' struggle for rural health care

  • The Conversation ☛ 2026-01-26 [Older] What an ancient jellyfish can teach us about the evolution of sleep

  • The Conversation ☛ 2026-01-27 [Older] Scientists once thought the brain couldn’t be changed. Now we know different

  • The Conversation ☛ 2026-02-02 [Older] Drastic water shortages and air pollution are fuelling Iran’s protests

  • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2026-01-28 [Older] Environmental crises add to Iran's mounting troubles

  • The Conversation ☛ 2026-02-02 [Older] The healing power of poisonous plants

  • BIA Net ☛ 2026-01-26 [Older] Crime ring with 230 million dollars in bread sector transactions dismantled in southern Turkey

  • CBC ☛ 2026-02-01 [Older] FDA warns ‘Dr. Goodenowe’ health centre founder that his recent supplement study put patient health at risk

• Proprietary

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) / LLM Slop / Plagiarism

    • Project Censored ☛ 2026-01-29 [Older] The Hidden Cost of [Slop]: How Data Centers Are Straining Water, Power, and Communities

    • CBC ☛ 2026-01-30 [Older] AI, data centre companies will have to compete for electricity in B.C. [Ed: Slop steals energy, not only information or works of actual people]

  • Social Control Media

    • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2026-01-27 [Older] France's lawmakers vote to ban social media for under-15s

    • US News And World Report ☛ 2026-01-27 [Older] TikTok Settles Social Media Addiction Lawsuit Ahead of Trial Against Meta, YouTube

    • CBC ☛ 2026-01-27 [Older] TikTok settles landmark lawsuit over youth addiction claims

    • Vox ☛ 2026-01-28 [Older] The new TikTok is freaking people out

    • Scheerpost ☛ 2026-01-29 [Older] New US TikTok Spinoff Will Be Controlled by Cheeto Mussolini-Aligned Billionaires

• Security

  • Integrity/Availability/Authenticity

    • 2026-01-27 [Older] Savannah Best Buy employee says ‘hacker group’ blackmailed him into theft ring scheme

  • Privacy/Surveillance

    • The Conversation ☛ 2026-01-30 [Older] Facial recognition technology used by police is now very accurate – but public understanding lags behind

    • EDRI ☛ Open Letter: Civil society concerned about extensive and indiscriminate data retention regime in Switzerland

      19 civil society organisations have penned a letter to the Swiss Federal Department of Justice and Police (FDJP) to express serious concerns about their plans to extend the Swiss Data Retention regime. They call on the Federal Councilor to align Swiss legislation with the highest standards of protection for people’s privacy.

  • Confidentiality

    • 2026-01-28 [Older] AI “digital helper” Lena Health breach exposed some Houston Methodist patients’ medical info (1)

• Defence/Aggression

  • JURIST ☛ Rights group condemns US Military attack on Venezuela and President Maduro’s crimes

    Amnesty International on Tuesday condemned the January 3 attack by the US military on Venezuela and the prosecution of the Maduro government. On January 3, the Convicted Felon administration claimed that it conducted a large strike on Venezuela, resulting in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores. 

  • France24 ☛ Dozens die in Nigeria's deadliest attack in months

    In tonight's edition, gunmen set fire to  shops and homes in a suspected extremist attack on two villages in Nigeria's Kwara State. Also, a Doctors Without Borders hospital is hit in an airstrike by government forces in South Sudan. And Quidditch takes off in Uganda as the team sport dreamed up for the pages of JK Rowling's magical series has morphed into quadball in real life.

  • Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine

    • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2026-01-31 [Older] Belarus: Snow and cold used to torture political prisoners

    • LRT ☛ Testing waters? Lithuanian officials signal possible shift in approach to Belarus

      Lithuanian officials have made public comments about easing sanctions or changing the country’s approach to the authorities in Minsk, only to retract them shortly afterwards. Observers say the remarks may indicate an attempt to test whether public opinion is shifting.

    • LRT ☛ Lithuanian police detain 28 suspects, including 5 ringleaders, in smuggler balloon probe

      Lithuanian law enforcement authorities have identified 28 suspects in a pretrial investigation into cigarette smuggling using balloons from Belarus, including five alleged ringleaders, officials said Wednesday.

    • RFERL ☛ US Congress Approves Funds For Baltics As Russia Tests NATO's Eastern Flank

      The US Congress has approved $200 million in security assistance for the Baltic states as Russian activity along NATO’s eastern flank intensifies.

    • RFERL ☛ First Day Of Ukraine-Russia Peace Talks In Abu Dhabi End, Will Head To Second Day

      The first day of US-facilitated peace talks between Ukraine and Russia in the United Arab Emirates ended as they look to move toward a deal to end their war as the fighting nears its fourth anniversary.

    • France24 ☛ Macron's envoy met with Russian officials for peace talks in Moscow

      French President Emmanuel Macron’s most senior diplomat travelled to Moscow on Tuesday for talks with Russian officials, as European leaders explore ways to re-engage with the Kremlin over the war in Ukraine.

    • Latvia ☛ Rally in support of Ukraine to take place in Rīga 24th February

      On February 24th, four years will have passed since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. A rally in support of Ukraine, "Together until Victory!", will take place in Rīga at the Freedom Monument, the organisers said in a release.

• Transparency/Investigative Reporting

  • France24 ☛ Epstein emails claim Famous Criminal Bill Gates contracted STD, had sex with Russian girls

    The latest Jeffrey Epstein file dump by the US Department of Justice saw a number of high profile individuals named, one of them being Abusive Monopolist Microsoft founder Famous Criminal Bill Gates. The documents alleged new details of his ties to the sex offender, including claims Gates hid a sexually transmitted disease from his wife after contact with 'Russian girls.' Gates has denounced the emails as false and says he 'regrets' knowing Eptein. Vedika Bahl goes through what we know in Truth or Fake.

• Environment

  • The Age AU ☛ 2026-01-30 [Older] How the record-breaking ‘heat dome’ enveloped Australia

  • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2026-01-27 [Older] Australian Open tennis encounters extreme heat

  • The Local SE ☛ 2026-01-29 [Older] Most Swedes want government action on climate change

  • CBC ☛ 2026-01-29 [Older] Hikers spot hundreds of flowers blooming on Jan. 1 in U.K.

  • Futurism ☛ 2026-01-28 [Older] Scientists Scramble to Set Up Outpost on Rapidly Melting Glacier

  • Energy/Transportation

    • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2026-01-30 [Older] China to take 'necessary action' after Panama port ruling

    • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2026-01-31 [Older] The hidden money behind deep-sea mining

    • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2026-01-31 [Older] DRC: Many killed in coltan mine disaster in east — rebels

    • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2026-02-01 [Older] Germany news: Energy cooperation with Saudi Arabia to expand

    • CBC ☛ 2026-01-30 [Older] Hyundai interested in Canada's hydrogen energy as it bets on decarbonized cars

    • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2026-01-26 [Older] Germany news: Bounty offered over Berlin power grid attack

    • Zooko Wilcox-O’Hearn: Crypto’s future may mirror Linux’s decline, the cypherpunk vision has largely failed, and user experience is key to mass adoption | Bankless [Ed: Calling Linux a "movement" and asserting it declines is misguided]

      Crypto's future may favor corporations over individuals, echoing the decline of the Linux movement.

    • Firstpost ☛ Boeing layoffs: Aircraft maker cuts 300 defence supply-chain jobs

      Boeing is set to lay off around 300 workers in its defence division’s supply-chain group, a move that forms part of a broader workforce realignment even as the aerospace giant continues to recruit in other areas.

      The cuts, affecting multiple sites across the United States, were confirmed by people familiar with the matter and mark a notable adjustment for a company that has expanded its operations in recent years.

      The job reductions come as Boeing prepares for contract negotiations with large unions later this year, and just days after the planemaker informed employees that it will move substantial engineering work on its 787 Dreamliner programme to South Carolina.

    • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2026-01-29 [Older] Colombia plane crash: All 15 passengers on board killed

  • Wildlife/Nature

    • Vox ☛ 2026-01-29 [Older] Something very unexpected is happening to Norway’s polar bears

    • CBC ☛ 2026-01-29 [Older] No sea ice, no problem for these Barents Sea bears — for now

    • NL Times ☛ 2026-01-28 [Older] Dutch government ordered to protect Bonaire residents from climate change, court rules

    • CBC ☛ 2026-01-28 [Older] Netherlands must cut CO2 to protect Caribbean island of Bonaire, court rules

    • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2026-01-28 [Older] Court faults Netherlands over Caribbean island climate risks

    • US News And World Report ☛ 2026-01-28 [Older] Dutch Government Is Ordered to Protect Residents on Caribbean Island of Bonaire From Climate Change

    • US News And World Report ☛ 2026-01-28 [Older] Court Orders Dutch to Do More to Mitigate Climate Change Impact on Bonaire Island

    • The Revelator ☛ 2026-01-28 [Older] Animals Are Climate Allies. So Why Are We Leaving Them Out of Climate Policy?

    • Vox ☛ 2026-01-29 [Older] America’s wildfire risk data quietly puts millions of homes in danger

• Finance

  • CBC ☛ 2026-02-01 [Older] Nova Scotia's credit rating downgraded amid deficit concerns

  • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2026-01-28 [Older] How Germany's skilled worker gap exposes migration hurdles

  • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2026-01-27 [Older] Germany news: Shadow economy grows to over $500B

  • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2026-01-28 [Older] Germany news: Deutsche Bank raided in money laundering probe

  • US News And World Report ☛ 2026-01-27 [Older] Amazon to Close Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh to Concentrate on Whole Foods and Grocery Delivery

  • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2026-02-01 [Older] Turkey's textile industry in crisis

  • Jacobin Magazine ☛ 2026-01-31 [Older] Coupang, South Korea’s Amazon, Is Copying Its Worst Habits

  • US News And World Report ☛ 2026-01-28 [Older] Amazon Cuts About 16,000 Corporate Jobs in the Latest Round of Layoffs

  • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2026-02-02 [Older] Why gold and silver prices suddenly collapsed

• AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

  • EDRI ☛ UK adequacy decision: a risk for the future and a lesson to be learnt

    As the UK adequacy renewal comes to an end, EDRi member Open Rights Group reflects on its outcome and the broader implications for the future of EU-UK relatiopnships.

  • Misinformation/Disinformation/Propaganda

    • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2026-01-29 [Older] The EU takes on Musk's AI that 'undresses' women. Can it protect its citizens?

• Censorship/Free Speech

  • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2026-02-01 [Older] Philippines: Are terror laws being used to silence critics?

  • Jacobin Magazine ☛ 2026-01-28 [Older] The ACLU Wants to Shrink Workers’ Speech Protections

  • Off Guardian ☛ 2026-01-29 [Older] Free speech for me but not for thee

  • US News And World Report ☛ 2026-01-27 [Older] US National Parks Told to Remove Signs on Mistreatment of Native Americans, Climate, Wash Post Reports

  • 2026-01-29 [Older] You’re not paranoid: lawyers ARE coming to get you.

  • The Conversation ☛ 2026-01-30 [Older] Regulating sexual content online has always been a challenge – how we got here

• Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press

  • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2026-01-27 [Older] South Korea's 'fake news' law tests press autonomy

  • CPJ ☛ 2026-01-28 [Older] Threats, exile, censorship: DRC journalists besieged in year of rebel rule

  • The Local SE ☛ 2026-01-30 [Older] Sweden denies Turkey request to hear journalist facing terror charges

  • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2026-01-30 [Older] Don Lemon arrested after filming protest at Minnesota church

  • BIA Net ☛ 2026-01-28 [Older] Report highlights survival struggle of independent media in Turkey amid pressure, uncertainty

  • Open Access/Content

    • Simon Willison ☛ Spotlighting The World Factbook as We Bid a Fond Farewell

      There's not even a hint as to why they decided to stop maintaining this publication, which has been their most useful public-facing initiative since 1971 and a cornerstone of the public internet since 1997.

      In a bizarre act of cultural vandalism they've not just removed the entire site (including the archives of previous versions) but they've also set every single page to be a 302 redirect to their closure announcement.

    • CIA ☛ Spotlighting The World Factbook as We Bid a Fond Farewell - CIA

      One of CIA’s oldest and most recognizable intelligence publications, The World Factbook, has sunset. The World Factbook served the Intelligence Community and the general public as a longstanding, one-stop basic reference about countries and communities around the globe. Let’s take a quick look into the history of The World Factbook.

• Civil Rights / Policing / Accessibility

  • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2026-01-28 [Older] Hungary: Cabinet member uses vulgar slur to insult Roma

  • US News And World Report ☛ 2026-01-30 [Older] US Federal Court Says Energy Dept Climate Group Violated Law

  • CBC ☛ 2026-01-30 [Older] ‘Targets on their back’: Trading card shops, collectors face rising thefts

  • CBC ☛ 2026-01-30 [Older] Accessible cabs in Toronto are dwindling. One company says the city is failing to support drivers

  • US News And World Report ☛ 2026-02-01 [Older] Black History Centennial Channels Angst Over Anti-DEI Climate Into Education, Free Resources

  • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2026-01-26 [Older] Ye aka Kanye West apologizes for antisemitic remarks

  • Deutsche Welle ☛ 2026-01-26 [Older] Berlin's young Jews reveal complex experiences with antisemitism

• Internet Policy/Net Neutrality

  • APNIC ☛ Thousands of LEO satellites won’t save us (but good regulation will)

    Guest Post: This post explores how different economies approach LEO satellite regulation, why these choices matter, and what a balanced, future-proof framework should look like.

  • APNIC ☛ NetGent: Agent-based automation of network application workflows

    Guest Post: NetGent is a deterministic, UI-agnostic workflow engine for generating consistent application traffic at scale, even as interfaces change.

  • EDRI ☛ The EU Commission is gutting net neutrality

    The European Commission’s new Digital Networks Act threatens to dismantle nearly a decade of net neutrality protections in Europe. What is being presented as a technical update could actually give politicians control power over the open internet, create paid fast lanes, and weaken independent regulators.

  • IP Kat ☛ 2026-02-01 [Older] ‘You can’t always get what you want’ from a borderless VPN-driven internet

  • APNIC ☛ [Podcast] BGP in review for 2025

    Geoff Huston discusses BGP trends in 2025 and how they may reshape our understanding of BGP’s place in the Internet’s technology adoption curve.

• Digital Restrictions (DRM)

  • Digital Music News ☛ EU Legislators Call for an End to ‘Coercive Rights Buy-Outs’ by American VOD Giants Like Netflix

    European policymakers gather to discuss how to end so-called “coercive buy-out practices” in a broader move to balance the copyright monopoly framework.

Monopolies/Monopsonies

• Copyrights

  • Digital Music News ☛ NVIDIA Claps Back Against Authors’ Expanded Copyright Infringement Claims Amid Dismissal Push

    NVIDIA has fired back against authors’ updated copyright monopoly class action – including a claim that the chip-making giant pirated books via Anna’s Archive. The defendant company just recently took aim at the infringement complaint with multiple dismissal arguments.

  • IP Kat ☛ 2026-01-27 [Older] [Guest Book Review] A Feminist Reconstruction of Intellectual Property Laws in Music [Ed: Copyright maybe, not "Intellectual Property"]

  • Digital Music News ☛ Time for a $3.1 Billion (and Change) Mega-Case? Court Considers Consolidating Concord v. Anthropic Infringement Lawsuits

    Is it time to consolidate music publishers’ monster copyright monopoly lawsuits against Anthropic? Now seeking over $3 billion in damages across two distinct cases, Universal Music and Concord have raised the question in an administrative motion. We initially covered the first of those cases soon after its October 2023 kickoff.