Leftovers

• FSF / Software Freedom / Digital Sovereignty

  • Linux Foundation ☛ The Impact of Digital Sovereignty on Open Source Companies

  • BoingBoing ☛ Dutch government to replace Microsoft Windows with NixOS-based operating system

    The government of the Netherlands plans to replace Microsoft's Windows and other software with a custom Linux-based operating system and IT suite named DAWO (Digitaal Autonome Werkomgeving Overheid).

  • It's FOSS ☛ The Netherlands Built a Nix-Basd Linux Desktop Because Microsoft Cut Off the ICC

    It is a framework that looks to tackle the government's digital stack, covering the OS, an office suite, collaboration apps, cloud services, IT management tools, and AI, with all of it being built around a NixOS foundation.

  • XDA ☛ The Netherlands joins Europe's gradual migration from Windows to Linux on government PCs

    We saw Denmark's government move from Windows to Linux back in 2025, followed by France and Switzerland earlier this year. Now, it's the Netherlands ' turn to declare that it's beginning to transfer government systems from Windows to Linux.

• Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

  • The Straits Times ☛ That matcha in your cup? It probably didn’t come from Japan

    As the world’s thirst for matcha surges beyond what Japan can readily supply, China is stepping in.

  • The Straits Times ☛ India orders crackdown on nicotine pouches, citing health risks

    A federal study in June called them “a largely unregulated public health concern”.

  • MIT Technology Review ☛ Young organs may not be a fountain of youth for recipients

    Around this time last year I was attending an aging conference in Manchester, listening to a talk about fly aging, when my phone started pinging. News outlets were reporting that a hot mic had caught Russia’s and China’s leaders discussing the possibility of living forever.

• Proprietary / Vendor Lock-in / Malware

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

    • The Straits Times ☛ Australia steps up response to Hey Hi (AI) after Proprietary Chaffbot Company bot breaches health system database

      New regulations may include mandatory reporting for Hey Hi (AI) companies if their products engage in security breaches

    • New York Times ☛ OpenAI Agents Hacked Into an Australian Government Website. Who’s Responsible?

      The first known breach of a government website by rogue artificial intelligence agents has prompted global calls for more regulation of the technology.

    • Stanford University ☛ CBS News misuses photo of Stanford Daily reporter in segment on students’ Hey Hi (AI) alteration

      A chorus of online commenters were quick to point out the error.

    • Futurism ☛ Judges Warn That AI-Generated Lawslop Is Getting So Bad It’s Threatening Courts’ Ability to Function

      "An Hey Hi (AI) supercomputer would struggle to find meaning in some of the prose used in this case."

    • Tom's Hardware ☛ New Jersey hits Microsoft-linked Hey Hi (AI) data center with record fine for 62 unpermitted power generators, issues 45-day shutdown deadline

      The DataOne data center is facing a record fine of $1.07 million for operating portable turbine generators without permission. Residents say that the penalty is a drop in the bucket for these big tech companies.

    • Futurism ☛ Nvidia CEO Says Hey Hi (AI) Companies Will Be Sued to Death If Their Frontier Models Keep Doing Horrible Things

      "The liability's incredible."

    • Futurism ☛ Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang Says That Sacrificing Our Children’s Minds to Hey Hi (AI) Is a Price He’s Willing to Pay

      "Does it matter?"

    • Breach Media ☛ At Canada’s largest Hey Hi (AI) summit, who’s buying the hype?

      >Marcus Werner hit the floor—and the street outside—to speak with politicians, executives, and protesters

    • Futurism ☛ Murder Trial Struggles to Keep Composure as Lawyers Play Horrendous Love Songs Caleb Flynn AI-Generated for His Mistress

      "Know that you still own every piece of my soul," wailed a plaintive Hey Hi (AI) voice.

    • Trail of Bits ☛ Don't let TEEs break your MPC

      Threshold signature schemes, a form of multi-party computation (MPC) that lets a set of parties sign together without any one of them holding the key, are increasingly deployed inside trusted execution environments (TEEs). The combination is intended to amplify security for sensitive computations: MPC distributes trust across multiple independent parties, while TEEs root trust in the hardware manufacturer and its attestation infrastructure. But subtle issues can arise when running an MPC protocol inside a TEE without accounting for the untrusted host: for example, a malicious host could roll back the filesystem state after a threshold signer deletes a used pre-signature, causing the signer to reuse their nonce share and disclose their private key share.

  • Social Control Media

    • New York Times ☛ TikTok to Pay Alabama $100 Million to Settle Social Control Media Addiction Claims

      The settlement, which also includes changes to the platform’s features, is the latest in a string of agreements by companies to address child addiction.

• Security

  • Integrity/Availability/Authenticity

    • Stanford University ☛ Stanford updates package retrieval system following security concerns

      The previous QR code system raised concerns of possible theft.

    • The Straits Times ☛ Cambodia to target scam ‘masterminds’ as critics question crackdown’s effectiveness

      Cambodia emerged after the Covid-19 pandemic as a hub for industrial-sized scam centres.

  • Privacy/Surveillance

    • Security Week ☛ Windows, Linux, Android File Notification Systems Leak User Activity

      Researchers show that file-change notification systems can leak keystroke timing, browsing activity, and WhatsApp media events.

    • TechRadar ☛ 'Decades-old' bugs found affecting Windows, Android, macOS and Linux — but the OS makers don't see it as a big deal

      Microsoft even said it was by design

    • Privacy International ☛ PI’s response to the UK Department for Science, Innovation & Technology on data regulation in the age of Hey Hi (AI) and other data-intensive technologies

  • Confidentiality

    • Tom's Hardware ☛ Asus confirms eShop data breach exposed customer order records and contact details

      Asus eShop hit by data breach — customer contact details and order information revealed

• Defence/Aggression

  • PHR ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man Administration Sanctions on International Criminal Court (ICC) Harm Atrocity Survivors in DRC, Gaza, Myanmar, Ukraine: PHR Amicus Brief

    The Forrest Dump administration’s sanctions (Executive Order 14,203) on the International Criminal Court (ICC) will lead to “direct, irreparable harm” to survivors of grave human rights abuses around the globe, Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) argues in a new amicus brief filed at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York [...]

  • JURIST ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man administration asks Supreme Court again to allow expedited third-country deportations

    The Forrest Dump administration asked the US Supreme Court on Thursday to allow it to continue expedited deportations of immigrants to third countries, seeking emergency relief from a lower court ruling requiring the government to provide individuals with a meaningful opportunity to raise fears of persecution or torture before removal.

  • JURIST ☛ Supreme Court sides with Convicted Felon administration on voter citizenship checks

    The US Supreme Court on Friday allowed the federal government resume checking voters’ citizenship against Social Security records, reviving a system a lower court ruled violated privacy laws. The decision comes less than six weeks before the Nov.

  • Scoop News Group ☛ Supreme Court permits states to use SAVE database for citizenship checks

    Three justices wrote in a dissent that longstanding privacy laws protecting sensitive personal data held by the government should prevent the use of the database.

  • BIA Net ☛ How was a 15-year-old able to bring a rifle to school?

    MP Gülizar Biçer Karaca highlighted concerns over school security, children’s access to firearms and existing safety measures following her review of the Turgutlu shooting that injured 11 students.

  • JURIST ☛ Colombia’s anti-drug policies could deepen racial discrimination, UN experts warn

    The UN International Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice and Equity in Law Enforcement on Thursday urged Colombia to ensure that its security and drug-control policies do not reinforce systemic racism against people of African descent. The warning comes as Colombia faces pressure to strengthen its response to drug trafficking, armed groups and criminal organizations.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Pakistan thwarts border attack, several Taliban dead, security sources say

    Pakistan has thwarted an attempted Afghan attack in its border area of Gulistan, killing several members of the Afghan Taliban, Pakistani security sources said on Friday, without detailing the planned attack.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Explainer-What is 'Taiwan independence' and is Taiwan already independent?

    China's Pooh-tin Jinping told President The Insurrectionist on Thursday that he hoped the US will adhere to the \"correct position\" of opposing Taiwan independence, and that the Chinese stance on "reunification" is clear-cut.

  • New York Times ☛ Netanyahu Said to Have Been Warned by Emirati Leader About Hamas Attack Before Oct. 7

    The warning from the leader of the United Arab Emirates, which lacked specific details about the nature of an attack, never reached the chiefs of Israel’s security establishment, Israeli officials said.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Cold War comrades Vietnam, North Korea pledge to deepen defence cooperation

    The two countries have maintained diplomatic ties dating back to the Cold War.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Philippines accuses China of obstructing resupply mission in South China Sea

    It said China’s actions were inconsistent with international law and a 2016 arbitral ruling.

  • New York Times ☛ Saudi Arabia Open to Possibly Developing Nuclear Weapons

    An intelligence assessment examined Saudi Arabia’s military ambitions as Congress reviews a new civilian nuclear deal between the U.S. and the kingdom.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Pakistani, Saudi, Turkish chiefs discuss closer military ties

    The military chiefs of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey discussed enhancing intelligence sharing, military coordination and capability integration at a meeting in Riyadh on Friday, according to statements from Saudi Arabia's Defence Ministry and Pakistan's military.

  • France24 ☛ Telecoms disruption raises fears as heavy fighting strikes Ethiopia

    First, fighting continues between the Ethiopian forces and the Tigray People's Liberation Front as fears of a regional spillover continue to mount. Then, both the opposition and the ruling UDPS party continue to blame each other for the violence in the latest mass protest. And, the Authenticity and Modernity party looks now to form a coalition to address the top voter issues including the cost of living crisis in Morocco.

  • Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine

    • LRT ☛ PM urges Lithuanian banks to prepare for payments during national mobilisation

      Lithuanian Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius has urged commercial banks to ensure payment systems are ready to operate during a national mobilisation, particularly so people can continue buying medicine and fuel, the government press office said.

    • RFERL ☛ Deadly New Strikes In Russia's War On Ukraine As Spillover Concerns Mount

      Russia kept up its pattern of relentless attacks on Kyiv, killing a 14-year-old boy and injuring seven other people in a drone strike on an apartment building in the capital on September 25, Ukrainian authorities said.

    • JURIST ☛ Zelenskyy calls for pressure on Russia, warns that war’s impact is spreading beyond Ukraine

      In his address to the UN General Assembly on Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged countries to increase pressure on Russia nearly five years into its full-scale war against Ukraine.

    • France24 ☛ EU releases €6.6 billion for members arming Ukraine as seven killed in Kyiv

      European Union countries have agreed to release €6.6 billion from a fund meant to reimburse member states that have  provided arms to Ukraine, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Friday. At least seven people were killed in Russian strikes on Kyiv earlier in the day, according to local authorities.

    • LRT ☛ Lithuania and Philippines agree to coordinate labour migration

      Lithuania and the Philippines have agreed to strengthen cooperation on labour migration as Vilnius seeks to attract workers to sectors facing labour shortages while ensuring better oversight of migration, Social Security and Labour Minister Inga Ruginienė said Friday.

    • LRT ☛ EC says it is ‘carefully assessing’ Baltic request for €500 million in drone defences

      The European Commission is “carefully assessing” a request from the Baltic states for 500 million euros to strengthen defences against drones, saying it understands the security concerns facing Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania and takes them “very seriously”.

    • LRT ☛ Lithuania launches largest annual mobilisation drills, tests wartime supply system

      Lithuania on Friday launched its largest annual national mobilisation exercise, Vyčio Skliautas 2026 (Vytis Vault 2026), testing how the country would respond to a deteriorating security situation and transition to a wartime mobilisation regime.

    • Latvia ☛ Three for the Weekend: Symphony, Ukraine, Anatomy

      Here comes our selection for this weekend!

    • New York Times ☛ Russian Attacks Destroy Ukrainian Books

      Our reporter Kim Barker goes inside a storied Kyiv book market that was hit by an air strike. Russian attacks have damaged millions of books in Ukraine in the last few months.

    • New York Times ☛ Stuck on the Battlefield, Russia Wages ‘Total War’ on Ukraine’s Economy

      The economic damage from Russian strikes, resulting in lost sales, disrupted workdays and logistical snarls, is in the billions of dollars.

    • New York Times ☛ Russian Attacks Destroy Millions of Books, the Heart of Ukrainian Culture

      A publisher whose warehouse was hit twice said Moscow “thinks that books are more dangerous for them than military equipment.”

    • CS Monitor ☛ Childhood in wartime

      The war in Ukraine has had a disproportionate impact on the country’s children. In our magazine this week, we revisit families helping young people maintain resilience.

    • Latvia ☛ Russian city names found painted over on Latvia's road signs

      Several painted-over road signs have been spotted on the A12 motorway near Rēzekne, on which references to the Russian cities of Moscow and Ostrov have been obscured. The damaged road signs were spotted on Monday, 21 September, but it is not known exactly when they were painted over.

    • New York Times ☛ A Russian Software Company Duped the Secret Service, U.S. Prosecutors Say

      Executives from a Russian-owned company are accused of misrepresentation in order to secure U.S. government contracts.

    • LRT ☛ Can we still call Russia’s strategy against the EU hybrid?

      Europe has so far avoided accusing Moscow of committing acts of war, writes Charles Cohen for Euractiv, partners of LRT English.

• Environment

  • New York Times ☛ Beaches Are Disappearing in Southern California as El Niño Bears Down

    Beachfront homeowners and beachcombers are watching the sand vanish into the ocean as torrid waves strike the coast.

  • Wildlife/Nature

    • The Straits Times ☛ Scientists in Malaysia discover gecko species unknown to science in Sabah

      Their findings were published on Sept 22 in the international taxonomic journal Zootaxa.

    • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Gov’t refutes animal activist’s claims over stray dog culling following fatal mauling

      Hong Kong authorities have dismissed an animal rights activist’s claims that captured stray dogs will be subject to “convenience culling,” as eight unattended canines from Yuen Long were caught in a joint operation following a fatal mauling incident last week.

    • The Straits Times ☛ Haze in Malaysia: Kuching marathon cancelled

      Registered participants may collect finisher medals and T-shirts at Plaza Merdeka starting Sept 26.

    • New York Times ☛ On This Mexican Island, Raccoons Make and Play With Toys (and Also Sip Margaritas)

      Scientists observed a family of pygmy raccoons near a Cozumel beach club learning from one another how to craft balls from paper, an indication that the animals have a culture.

• Censorship/Free Speech

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Questioning Hong Kong’s lack of a banned book list is ‘soft resistance’ – outgoing nat. security police chief

    Questioning why the government will not release a list of books banned in Hong Kong or specify where the red lines lie for seditious content is a form of “soft resistance,” the outgoing head of the police’s national security department has said.

  • Stanford University ☛ Empty tolerance: Stanford’s real free speech problem

    Ahn argues that Stanford students lack the motivation to embrace bold debate.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Hong Kong 47: Ex-district councillor says he has ‘no regrets’ after release from prison

    A former pro-democracy district councillor has become the latest among those jailed in the landmark “Hong Kong 47” national security case to be released from prison, after spending five years and seven months behind bars for conspiracy to subvert state power.

• Internet Policy/Net Neutrality

  • APNIC ☛ APNIC 62 Policy SIG reviews seven policy proposals, with two reaching consensus

    APNIC 62 Policy SIG discussed seven proposals covering IPv4, IPv6, and Internet abuse-related issues.

• Monopolies/Monopsonies

  • Patents

    • JUVE ☛ UPC Court of Appeal rules on its jurisdiction over pre-granted patents [Ed: UPC is itself illegal]

      Many a patent monopoly is already a thorn in the side of competitors before the patent monopoly holder even has it in their hands.

  • Copyrights

    • Tom's Hardware ☛ Nintendo wins $4.5 million lawsuit against Switch pirate by default

      A Washington court granted Nintendo of America a $4.5 million default judgment after the defendant failed to appear in court and respond to the allegations. The company claimed that it sent a cease-and-desist letter and the respondent even answered via email saying they will comply and cooperate, but they have since cut-off communications.