Leftovers

• Science / Mathematics / Computer Science

  • New York Times ☛ How Does One Brain Speak Two Languages?

    A new study of bilingual speakers suggests that a single “grammatical engine” in the brain can power multiple languages at once.

  • Science Alert ☛ Your Cat May Not Ease Stress The Way You Think, Study Finds

    Pets could affect mood in ways scientists didn't expect.

  • Science Alert ☛ Scientists Finally Discover How Venus Flytraps Snap Shut So Fast

    Exceeding the plant 'speed limit'.

  • Science Alert ☛ Success! Physicists Build The World's First Clocks Powered by Atomic Nuclei

    Timekeeping may never be the same.

  • Science Alert ☛ The Link Between Vitamin C And Brain Health Just Got Even Clearer

    An "exciting hypothesis".

  • Science Alert ☛ Nearly 80 Headless Human Skeletons Discovered At A Spooky Stone Age Site

    The heads are nowhere to be found.

  • Science Alert ☛ A 'Useless' Organ That Doctors Often Remove May Actually Fight Cancer

    You may not even know you have one.

  • Science Alert ☛ Popular 'Ice' Vape Flavors May Have a Hidden Effect on Your Heart

    They could do more than feel cool.

  • Science Alert ☛ Watch The Moon Cover Venus in a Rare Daytime Sky Event This Week

    Here's how to see it.

• Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

  • The Straits Times ☛ North Korea’s push for dry-field rice reflects drought concerns: Experts

    Experts said the latest report suggested drought conditions remain severe in the country.

  • New York Times ☛ Kennedy Seeks to Expedite Appeal of Ruling That Blocked His Vaccine Policies

    The health secretary is trying to restart the work of a panel that advises the government on vaccines, after a judge froze its decisions and prevented it from meeting.

  • Futurism ☛ Woman “Seriously and Permanently Injured” by Egg McMuffin, Lawsuit Alleges

    “Wholly unfit for human consumption."

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Hong Kong health authority urges vulnerable groups to get free Covid jabs before gap in supply

    Vulnerable Hongkongers are being urged by the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) to get their Covid-19 jabs before current stocks expire. The renewed call comes after the government confirmed two severe paediatric cases of Covid-19 infection, involving a one-year-old boy and a 19-month-old boy.

• Proprietary / SaaS

  • Los Angeles Times ☛ Studios in Microsoft’s Xbox division brace for closures

    Several studios in Microsoft Corp.’s Xbox gaming division, including Montreal-based Compulsion Games and San Francisco-based Double Fine, are in active negotiations to spin off as they try to thwart closure, according to people familiar with the company’s plans.

    Cambridge, England-based Ninja Theory, the maker of Hellblade, is also in conversations with Xbox, as are several other studios across the portfolio that are at risk of being shuttered.

    The studios may still have the opportunity to buy themselves back from Xbox and go independent, although many employees will probably lose their jobs as a result, said the people, who asked not to be named because they were not authorized to speak to the press.

  • Rumour: Gaming Industry 'Bloodbath' Imminent, as Sony, Microsoft, and More Brace for Mass Layoffs

    A summer of utter carnage reportedly awaits the games industry, as mega publishers like Sony, Microsoft, and others look to cut entire studios loose.

    This is according to reputable French journalist Sylvain Trinel, who took to social media overnight in response to the ongoing chaos over at Xbox.

    Trinel comments that Xbox's (frankly unforgivable) situation — in which several active development outfits are facing imminent closure — is "just the beginning of a massive bloodbath for studios owned by publishers".

    He then highlights French companies like Don't Nod and Quantic Dream, before making a broader claim that mass layoffs are "expected in many well-known studios".

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

    • Scoop News Group ☛ Cybersecurity experts don’t think Anthropic’s Fable 5 presents a unique threat

      Dozens of practitioners said the decision to place export controls on the foreign use of Fable are misguided, and recent jailbreak reports don’t show the model providing unique hacking capabilities.

    • Futurism ☛ Meta’s Super Expensive New Hey Hi (AI) Team Is Already a Complete Catastrophe

      "It's literally the gulag."

    • Futurism ☛ CEOs Now Being Forced to Reverse Course, Cut Hey Hi (AI) Spending

      The age of "tokenmaxxing" didn't last long.

    • AccessNow ☛ Joint statement on Hey Hi (AI) in warfare

      We, the undersigned organizations and individuals, are deeply alarmed by the rapid militarization of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. Hey Hi (AI) systems embedded into military kill chains are accelerating the speed and scale of military assaults in a manner that creates significant new risks for accountability in conflict and risks facilitating violations of international criminal, human rights, and humanitarian law.

    • AccessNow ☛ AI-accelerated warfare must stop

      As AI-accelerated warfare is rapidly becoming a means of rubber-stamping killing at unprecedented speed and scale, Access Now, Amnesty International, and more than 200 civil society organizations and individuals are calling attention to the militarization of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies and for an immediate halt to the use of Hey Hi (AI) systems in the military kill chain.

  • Social Control Media

    • Green Party UK ☛ Green Party reaction to social control media ban for under-16s

      Reacting to the announcement by Keir Starmer of a ban from social control media for under-16s, a Green Party spokesperson said: “The Green Party welcomes action to address the harms social control media can cause to young people.

    • GamingOnLinux ☛ The under-16 social media ban marks the end of the open UK internet | GamingOnLinux

      We've got the Online Safety Act in the UK, and now we're about to have new rules "to protect children online" - although it mostly affects social media. This is not the usual sort of news we would cover here on GamingOnLinux, but these type of laws tend to have a lot of knock-on effects.

    • JURIST ☛ Starmer sets spring 2027 target for under-16 social control media ban

      Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Monday that the UK will ban children aged under 16 from using a range of social control media apps to protect them from harmful content and excessive screen time. The government expects the rules to take effect in spring 2027.

    • The Straits Times ☛ From Australia to Europe, countries move to curb children's social control media access

      Australia in December became the world's first country to ban social control media for children under 16, blocking them from platforms including TikTok, Alphabet's YouTube and Meta's Instagram and Facebook.

• Security

  • Confidentiality

    • Bridge Michigan ☛ Do Michigan parents have a right to see everything in kids’ medical records?

      In Michigan, parents may face limited access to certain medical records, such as substance abuse treatment, as their children get older. State Rep. Joe Aragona, R-Clinton Township, would change that.

• Defence/Aggression

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ FBI dismantles Chinese phishing service that coached buyers to generate scam sites using Hey Hi (AI) —$88 cybercrime product linked to $1.9 billion in losses, 3.87 million stolen cards

    The FBI, Google, and Lumen Technologies say they’ve dismantled a China-based phishing-as-a-service operation called Outsider Enterprise.

  • Digital Music News ☛ Judge Dismisses Diddy Sexual Assault Case Filed by MTV ‘Making the Band’ Contestant Dawn Richard

    A federal judge has dismissed singer Dawn Richard’s sexual abuse and breach of contract lawsuit against Sean Combs, citing the statute of limitations. A federal judge has dismissed all 18 causes of action in singer Dawn Richard’s sexual abuse and breach of contract lawsuit filed against Sean “Diddy” Combs, ruling that the majority of these […]

  • The Straits Times ☛ Chinese-linked hackers targeted US, Canadian research facilities for a year, Surveillance Giant Google says

    The hackers sought information related to defence intelligence and military strategy in the Indo-Pacific, among others, from 2023-2025.

  • JURIST ☛ Civil society coalition warns Hey Hi (AI) warfare erodes humanitarian law safeguards

    More than 200 civil society groups and advocates on Monday called for an immediate halt to the use of artificial intelligence systems in military kill chains, warning that AI-accelerated warfare risks facilitating violations of international criminal, human rights, and humanitarian law.

  • CS Monitor ☛ US-Iran ceasefire leaves Israelis feeling sidelined, their war aims unachieved

    The U.S.-Iran ceasefire deal leaves many Israelis feeling vulnerable and abandoned by their most important ally. They voiced concern for Israel’s security, and some criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for failing to achieve his war aims.

  • France24 ☛ France shuts down twelve Israeli stands at defence trade show

    A dozen Israeli company stands were shut down Monday at a major international defence and security exhibition held outside Paris, sparking outrage from authorities in Israel. Tensions have persisted in French-Israeli relations, with France recognising Palestinian statehood last year and two far-right Israeli ministers banned from entering the country in recent weeks. FRANCE 24's Jennie Shin reports.

  • The Straits Times ☛ UN Security Council extends Afghan mission, calls for review

    The United Nations Security Council on Monday voted to extend the mandate of the U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) for one year amid calls to streamline the operation and strong criticism of the country's Taliban rulers.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Taiwan launches website to collect intelligence from Chinese nationals

    Taiwan has launched a website for Chinese citizens to leak intelligence, inviting those “who share the same values of democracy” to collaborate on reporting on Beijing.

  • Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine

    • LRT ☛ Lithuania to maintain Belarus border pushbacks despite EU migration pact

      Lithuania will continue pushing back migrants at its border with Belarus despite the entry into force of the EU's Migration and Asylum Pact, Interior Minister Vladislavas Kondratovičius has said, though the new rules will mean longer processing times for migrants who have entered via Latvia.

    • LRT ☛ Lithuania moves to scrap unimplemented border travel deal with Belarus

      Lithuania's parliament has begun the process of formally scrapping a 2010 agreement with Belarus on border zone travel that was never implemented, in a move the Foreign Ministry says aligns with the country's national security interests.

    • New York Times ☛ Two Men Found Guilty in Arson Attacks Targeting U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer

      The men were convicted of conspiring to set fire to properties and a car linked to the prime minister after one of them was recruited on a Russian-language Telegram account.

    • CS Monitor ☛ If the US stops policing sanctions, can anyone else fill that role?

      With the United States showing erratic commitment to sanctions on Russia, questions arise about whether others can hold the line without Washington.

    • New York Times ☛ As Russia Strikes Ukraine, a Cultural Symbol Catches Fire

      The latest casualty in the war is a centuries-old cathedral. President Volodymyr Zelensky called it “one of the largest Russian crimes against Christian culture.”

    • New York Times ☛ How Ukraine Uses Hey Hi (AI) to Knock Deadly Russian Drones Out of the Skies

      Interceptors show Ukraine’s embrace of autonomous technologies trained on immense troves of wartime data.

    • New York Times ☛ With Its Biggest E.U. Opponent Gone, Ukraine Is Advancing in Its Bid to Join

      Even though negotiations are beginning for Ukraine to join the bloc, the path ahead is a long one.

    • New York Times ☛ After Russia Attacks Kyiv With Missiles and Drones, Historic Orthodox Cathedral Burns

      A bishop reported that many holy items had been recovered from the church, at the site of the Perchersk monastery, a revered place for the Ukrainian and Russian Orthodox faiths.

    • The Straits Times ☛ Turkey's foreign minister to visit Moscow for talks on Ukraine, Black Sea

      Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will repeat Turkey's offer to host talks between Russia and Ukraine on a visit to Moscow this week at which he will also discuss Black Sea shipping safety and the South Caucasus, a diplomatic source said on Monday.

    • LRT ☛ Lithuania backs EU-wide entry ban for Russians who fought in Ukraine

      Lithuania has expressed support for a European Union proposal to bar Russian soldiers who have fought in Ukraine from entering the bloc, Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys announced on Monday.

    • LRT ☛ Lithuanian president and Orthodox Church condemn attack on Kyiv's Pechersk Lavra

      Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda has called for increased international pressure on Russia following missile strikes that killed nine people across several Ukrainian cities and caused a fire at the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

    • France24 ☛ G7 leaders to meet Zelensky as Convicted Felon signals possible Ukraine breakthrough

      G7 leaders will hold talks with President Volodymyr Zelensky on Ukraine on Tuesday, as US President The Insurrectionist suggested there may be room for progress after more than four years of war with Russia. The summit in Evian will also address Iran, amid renewed diplomacy and continued fighting in Ukraine following Russian strikes.

    • Security Week ☛ Ukrainian Man Pleads Guilty in US to Conti Ransomware Charges

      Oleksii Oleksiyovych Lytvynenko admitted to working on the development of a loader for the Conti gang.

    • RFERL ☛ Iconic Kyiv Cathedral Set Ablaze Amid Deadly Russian Strikes On Ukraine, Hours After Convicted Felon-Putin Call

      The UNESCO-protected Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, Ukraine's most important Orthodox monastery, was set ablaze during a massive overnight missile and drone barrage that killed at least 11 people and injured dozens across the country.

    • France24 ☛ Ukraine: Kyiv's historic cathedral set ablaze in Russian attack

      One of #Ukraine's most important religious landmarks was hit in an overnight Russian attack on June 15. Ukrainian President Volodymyr #Zelensky visited the cathedral and called for more pressure on Russian President Vladimir #Putin ahead of his attendance at the #G7 summit in #Paris.

• Environment

  • Energy/Transportation

    • France24 ☛ 'Let the oil flow!': Can US and Iran actually strike lasting deal?

      If The Insurrectionist calls it a peace deal, does that make it so? 'Let the oil flow,' trumpeted the US president after agreeing on the day of his 80th birthday to a memorandum of understanding with Iran. Convicted Felon quick to schedule a signing ceremony - this one next Friday in Switzerland, across from where he’s flown in for a G-Seven summit on the French side of Lake Geneva.

    • The Straits Times ☛ 6.6-magnitude quake strikes southern Philippines, no damage expected

      The quake originated along the Philippine Trench and is not connected to the 7.8-magnitude quake.

• Finance

  • BIA Net ☛ Prosfygika hunger strikers continue 'strike to death'

    A proposed state-run social housing program would still remain incompatible with the vision of the squatted community because their structures function independent of the state.

• AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

  • The Straits Times ☛ The Gen Z Wildcard: How youth voters could swing state polls in Malaysia

    Analysts say youth voting behaviour is increasingly transactional and issue-based, rather than tied to party loyalty.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China embraces Myanmar’s president as former junta chief seeks legitimacy

    Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing’s state visit to China is set to give the former junta chief a significant diplomatic boost.

  • New York Times ☛ China Moves the Price of Oil, Even When It Buys Less

    China is the world’s largest purchaser of oil. But three months after the war with Iran began, it cut its imports, cushioning the global market.

  • The Straits Times ☛ South Korean President Lee calls for restraint in election protests, rejects rigging claims

    Controversy erupted when ballot paper shortages led to a delay and temporary suspension of voting.

  • New York Times ☛ U.K. Ban on Pro-Palestinian Protest Group Is Lawful, Court of Appeal Rules

    The decision overturned a lower-court ruling that had found that banning Palestine Action as a terrorist group had breached free speech rights.

• Civil Rights / Policing / Accessibility

  • Fortune ☛ IBM’s $17 million DOJ settlement makes the case for civility

    On April 10, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that IBM agreed to pay $17,077,043 to resolve False Claims Act allegations connected to nondiscrimination obligations in its federal contracts — the first resolution under its Civil Rights Fraud Initiative. IBM denied liability. The claims remain allegations only, with no determination of liability.

  • BIA Net ☛ Private school teachers launch hunger strike demanding equal rights in Ankara

    Dozens of teachers were detained in two days of protests against lower payments and poor working conditions compared to public school teachers.

  • OpenRightsGroup ☛ This refugee week, take courage!

    Courage! That is the theme of World Refugee Week this year, and it has never been more needed. One in every 70 people on earth has been forced to leave everything behind, flee their home and escape persecution, war or conflict.

• Monopolies/Monopsonies

  • Futurism ☛ Google CEO Humiliated by Graduating Stanford Students as They Walk Out of His Speech in Protest

    "Take a stance against war profiteering. Tell the Surveillance Giant Google CEO that he is not welcome."

  • Patents

    • Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ Has the Late-Continuation Surcharge Shifted Filing?

      Sixteen months after USPTO's late-continuation surcharge took effect, data show a January 2025 rush and a sustained drop in long-EBD filings.

    • Tom's Hardware ☛ China's supreme court bans Infineon from selling GaN power chips in China — market-leader Innoscience secures major victory in multi-region patent monopoly war

      China's Supreme People's Court on Friday upheld an injunction prohibiting Infineon from selling disputed GaN products in mainland China.

  • Trademarks

    • New York Times ☛ Taking on Neo-Nazis, One Trademark at a Time

      In Germany, a campaign called Rights Against the Right is securing trademarks for right-wing symbols and phrases, aiming to cut into a revenue stream that sustains hate groups.

  • Copyrights

    • Press Gazette ☛ Publishers to bill Hey Hi (AI) firms for unwanted scraping – and take them to court if they don’t pay

      Search-only contracts added to website terms open up new front in war with Hey Hi (AI) companies.

    • Digital Music News ☛ Ricky Martin’s FIFA Anthem ‘Vida’ Was Released in 2014—and There’s Still a Raging Lawsuit Over Who Wrote It

      A songwriter’s lawsuit against Ricky Martin over his 2014 hit “Vida” has been revived on appeal in a “perpetual quest” for “copyright justice,” sending the case back to trial for another round of litigation. Songwriter Luis Adrián Cortés-Ramos has been granted the revival of his copyright monopoly infringement lawsuit against singer Ricky Martin.