Leftovers

• Science / Mathematics / Computer Science

  • Funding Quantum Hardware, Forsaking Research Talent: The Deepening Crisis in Australian Science [Ed: Money down the drain]

    It has been just over two years since the Australian and Queensland governments announced their near-billion-dollar joint venture to fund PsiQuantum. Back in April 2024, policymakers excitedly pitched the construction of a utility-scale quantum computer at Brisbane Airport as an ‘anchor’ for the next industrial revolution. I did not write about it then.  Like many, I assumed the inevitable collision with technical and logistical reality would happen quietly, behind closed doors, perhaps eventually leading to a scaled-back scope or an extended timeline.

  • Science Alert ☛ Feeling Tired After Vivid Dreams? Science Says Something Else Is to Blame

    Here's what actually wears you out.

  • Science Alert ☛ A Hidden Virus Found in Gut Bacteria Is Linked to Colorectal Cancer

    A new layer of understanding.

  • Science Alert ☛ Scientists Find Signs of Active Life in Ötzi The Iceman

    Quietly teeming.

  • Science Alert ☛ Growing 'Cancer Crisis' Requires Millions More Healthcare Workers, Report Warns

    "This is a wake-up call, no matter where you are in the world."

  • Science Alert ☛ A Common Gut Microbe May Help Prevent Weight Regain, Study Finds

    Keeping weight off can be even harder than losing it.

  • Science Alert ☛ Experimental Brain 'Pacemakers' May Rewire Circuits Linked to Depression

    Could this be a new way to treat it?

  • Science Alert ☛ Promising Anti-Aging Drug May Cause Brain Damage, Scientists Warn

    Proceed with caution.

  • Science Alert ☛ It Turns Out Birds Masturbate Too, And Evolution May Explain Why

    Scientists say it’s not a sign of boredom.

• Proprietary / SaaS

  • So-Called 'Artificial Intelligence' ('AI') / LLM Slop / Plagiarism

    • Futurism ☛ Now You Gotta Buy a Second Computer Just for Your Hey Hi (AI) Agent, Nvidia Declares

      Nvidia says it's "reinventing the personal computer."

    • Digital Music News ☛ How Many Tracks Were Used to Train Suno? Hey Hi (AI) Music Platform Fights to Keep Training Data Sealed Amid Broader Major Label Legal Battle

      Exactly how many tracks were used to train Suno’s generative models? The world may never know – at least if the company gets its way. Amid an ugly legal battle with the non-Warner majors, the Hey Hi (AI) music platform is fighting to conceal the figure.

    • Futurism ☛ Film Community Aghast as Martin Scorsese Extolls Hey Hi (AI) Startup, Says He Now Uses Hey Hi (AI) for Storyboards

      "Cannot stress enough how disappointing it is that Martin Scorsese is collaborating with an Hey Hi (AI) company and putting a stain on his name so late in his life and career."

    • Press Gazette ☛ OpenAI not planning to share advertising revenue with publishers

      VP of media partnerships at Proprietary Chaffbot Company says talks with publishers progressing (despite lawsuits).

    • Futurism ☛ State of Florida Sues OpenAI, Saying Scam Altman Showed “Utter Disregard for the Risk to Human Life”

      "This litany of harms is driven by Defendants' insatiable quest to win the Hey Hi (AI) arms race and amass large fortunes, despite knowing the danger of ChatGPT."

• Security

  • Privacy/Surveillance

    • New York Times ☛ New Intelligence Role Puts Bill Pulte’s Housing Agenda in Doubt

      Mr. Pulte has had difficulty boosting the housing market as head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency. Now he will also serve as acting intelligence director.

    • Marcy Wheeler ☛ Democrats Should Give Convicted Felon a Choice: Bill Pulte at DNI or Section 702 Reauthorization

      FISA 702 expires on June 12. That provides Democrats leverage to force Convicted Felon to find someone besides Bill Pulte to serve as Acting Director of National Intelligence.

• Defence/Aggression

  • The Straits Times ☛ Japan rejects Taiwan’s demand for talks over delimitation with Philippines

    Tokyo reiterated the view that the delimitation will not cause any problem under international laws.

  • France24 ☛ UK: Outrage grows after police handcuff dying student

    British police faced national backlash over the inflammatory case of an 18-year-old student who was handcuffed as he lay dying from stab wounds after his killer falsely alleged a racist attack. The killing of Henry Nowak happened in December, but the story got renewed attention after the killer was sentenced to life in prison on Monday, and video was released that showed police not believing Nowak when he said that he had been stabbed.

  • Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine

    • RFERL ☛ US House Advances Ukraine Aid Bill As Rubio Says Russia Failing To Meet War Goals

      The US House of Representatives voted on June 3 to advance legislation providing new military assistance to Ukraine, overcoming opposition from the administration and marking the first major Ukraine support measure to gain traction in Congress since The Insurrectionist's return to office.

    • New York Times ☛ House Advances New Sanctions on Russia and Aid to Ukraine

      After G.O.P. leaders blocked additional aid to Ukraine, six Republicans and an independent joined Democrats to force the measure to the floor against the wishes of the speaker.

    • CS Monitor ☛ Russia: A case study for sanctions not working as planned

      If there’s any country that shows sanctions’ unforeseen consequences, it’s one that has rebuilt self-sufficiency and forged new trade under pressure.

    • France24 ☛ Ukraine pushed Russia back in May for second month running, ISW finds

      Ukraine recaptured more territory than it lost to Russian forces in May for the second straight month, according to data from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). Speaking with FRANCE 24's Mark Owen, Christina Harward, Russia Deputy Team Lead at ISW, says that successful tactical counterattacks as well as ramping up of long range missile and drone strikes in Russian territory have been key in slowing down the advance in Eastern Ukraine.

    • France24 ☛ Ukrainian strike kills three in Crimea after Kyiv targets St. Petersburg energy, military sites

      A Ukrainian strike killed at least three people in Crimea, Moscow-installed authorities said on Thursday, a day after Kyiv targeted energy and military facilities in Saint Petersburg during Russia's flagship economic forum. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned of a "real" risk of escalation, while Ukraine described the attacks as justified retaliation for intensified Russian strikes on its territory.

    • New York Times ☛ Ukraine’s Daily Moment of Silence

      Every day at 9 a.m., Ukrainians observe a minute of silence to honor people killed during the Russia-Ukraine war. Our reporter, Maria Varenikova, who has covered the hostilities since 2014, takes us to her hometown to experience this moment.

    • New York Times ☛ Bombs Raining Down on Ukraine Can’t Hide Signs of Russia’s Faltering War

      The war has not been going the Kremlin’s way, with battleground losses and growing casualties. With fiercer strikes, Moscow hopes to gain a better position for negotiations.

    • New York Times ☛ Russia Launches Deadly Strikes on Kyiv After Threatening Ukraine for a Week

      Moscow’s repeated warnings of a major strike, combined with the delay before it happened, seemed intended to inflict a psychological toll on the Ukrainian capital.

    • RFERL ☛ Death Toll Mounts From Russia's Massive Air Offensive On Ukraine

      A large-scale overnight Russian missile and drone attack on Kyiv killed at least four people and injured dozens, including children, Ukrainian officials said.

    • RFERL ☛ Ukrainians Face The Devastation After Massive Russian Attacks

      At least 13 people were killed and scores hurt throughout Ukraine following a massive missile and drone barrage on the country in the early hours of June 2.

    • RFERL ☛ Ukraine Attacks Energy, Military Sites In St. Petersburg Ahead Of Russia's Economic Forum

      Ukrainian drones attacked energy and military sites in St. Petersburg as Russia's major economic forum was set to kick off in the city, a day after Moscow killed 23 people across Ukraine in devastating air attacks.

    • LRT ☛ Lithuania and Ukraine join forces on defence innovation

      Lithuania and Ukraine have signed an agreement to launch a joint defence innovation programme, bringing together startups, researchers and defence companies from both countries to fast-track the development of new military technologies.

    • LRT ☛ Lithuania to provide €4m for solar power projects in Ukrainian schools and Hospitals

      Lithuania is to allocate an additional €4 million to support the installation of solar power systems and energy storage facilities in Ukrainian public institutions, with the European Union contributing an additional €3 million, the country's Energy Ministry has announced.

    • LRT ☛ German troops in Lithuania fit tanks with anti-drone cages

      Germany has equipped its tanks deployed in Lithuania with anti-drone cages that were first seen – and ridiculed – during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

    • France24 ☛ Russia: Ukraine drones hit Saint Petersburg

      Ukrainian drones hit energy and military sites in Saint Petersburg early Wednesday morning as officials gathered for a flagship economic forum in the city, Russian and Ukrainian authorities said.

    • France24 ☛ Ukraine's attack on Saint Petersburg 'brings war back to Russia'

      Volodymyr Zelensky called Kyiv's attack on Saint Petersburg a 'fair' response to the deadly Russian strikes on several Ukrainian cities a day earlier. It is also a testimony to Ukraine's growing capacity to strike further inside Russia. FRANCE 24's Douglas Herbert tells us what that means for Russia.

    • ADF ☛ Russia’s Shadowy ‘Air Wagner’ Uses African Air Bases to Skirt Sanctions

      Russian cargo aircraft were tracked making at least 167 flights to five Algerian air bases between March 2025 and April 2026. Many of Moscow’s aircraft using the bases are connected to the United Aircraft Corp., Russia’s state-owned maker of military jets.

    • New York Times ☛ Ukraine Strikes St. Petersburg on First Day of a Marquee Putin Event

      As an annual economic conference was set to begin, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine had targeted a navy base and an oil terminal in the region that includes Russia’s second-largest city.

    • The Straits Times ☛ Putin squeezes Armenia as Russia seeks to retain global clout

      MOSCOW, June 3 - President Vladimir Putin has read long-term ally Armenia the riot act: persist in wanting to join the European Union and you can kiss goodbye to cheap Russian oil and gas.

• Environment

  • Science Alert ☛ El Niño Could Soon Fuel Extreme Weather, UN Warns

    "The world must treat it as the urgent climate warning it is."

  • Energy/Transportation

    • The Straits Times ☛ Bangladesh raises electricity prices in latest Middle East war-related hike

      Repeated price hikes have added strain on people struggling with long-running inflation.

• Finance

  • San Fancisco ☛ Uber lays off 23% of HR and recruiting team after executive reshuffle

• Civil Rights / Policing / Accessibility

  • JURIST ☛ Egypt dispatch: historic overhaul of personal status laws sparks fierce debate over family stability

    Dr. Mohamed Gomaa is a PhD candidate at the Faculty of Law, University of Hamburg, and a JURIST Correspondent covering Egypt. In a milestone legislative move, the Egyptian Cabinet officially approved and referred two comprehensive personal status bills—laws that govern domestic and familial matters—to the House of Representatives on May 25.