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● 02.08.23

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● Links 08/02/2023: Transmission 4.0.0 Released and Mass Layoffs at Zoom

Posted in News Roundup, Site News at 7:47 am by Dr. Roy Schestowitz

GNU/Linux

Desktop/Laptop

=> ↺ Linux Format 299

• Power up your devices and revive your old phones with open source Android and even a full-fat Linux desktop! We guide you through using LineageOS – the best Android spin – to revive and protect older phones and tablets alongside full-fat Linux options.

Server

=> ↺ How IBM’s new supercomputer is making AI foundation models more enterprise-budget friendly

• IBM has built out a cloud-native AI supercomputer from affordable, commodity hardware for foundation model–training R&D initiatives.

=> ↺ The On-Premises Empire Strikes Back At AWS

• Anybody who can read a financial report knows they are paying too much for compute, storage, networking, and software at Amazon Web Services.

Applications

=> ↺ Transmission 4.0 Open-Source BitTorrent Client Released, Here’s What’s New

• After being in development for more than a year and coming more than two and a half years after Transmission 3.0, the Transmission 4.0 release is here to introduce support for BitTorrent v2 and hybrid torrents, support for IPv6 blocklists, as well as a revamped Web client with mobile support.

• Other new features include an option to omit potentially-identifying information like User-Agent and date created when creating new torrents, the ability to set “default” trackers that can be used to announce all public torrents, and the ability to specify the piece size when creating new torrents.

=> ↺ The Wait is Over: Transmission 4.0 Finally Released Today!

• After a long wait, Transmission 4.0 was finally released today! It is the latest version of the popular torrent client and promises to be a major leap forward in terms of usability, security, and performance.

=> ↺ Transmission 4.0.0 Released with BitTorrent v2 Support, Code Cleanups

• Anew major release, Transmission 4.0.0, is out now after more than a year of development. This release brings dozens of new features, hundreds of bug fixes and much-needed code cleanups. Thanks to many contributors and developers, the “go-to” torrent client has become much more stable and advanced.

• Here’s what’s new.

=> ↺ How to Create Your Own Self-Hosted Office 365 with Cryptpad

• Cryptpad is an open-source office suite program that you can self host on your server. It is similar to Office 365 that allows you to access an office suite right from the browser. The main difference is that Cryptpad focuses on user privacy and allows you to create and share documents without the risk of leaking any personal information.

=> ↺ Whisper – Simple App to Listen to Microphone in Linux

• Want to hear your sound in microphone? Here’s a stupid simple tool to the job in Linux. It’s Whisper, a new free and open-source GTK4 application, allowing listen to microphone through your speaker.

Instructionals/Technical

=> ↺ How to Install FirewallD GUI on Rocky Linux EL9 or EL8

• FirewallD is a highly regarded firewall solution utilized by many Rocky Linux users. It provides robust control over the firewall’s accessibility to ports, services, and protocols. Despite the simplicity of its command line interface, some individuals may prefer a graphical user interface for firewall management.

=> ↺ How to Install Chamilo LMS on Ubuntu 22.04

• Chamilo is an open-source learning management system (LMS) used for delivering online courses and training programs.

=> ↺ Find Expiring SSL Certs

• Just like domain name registrations, SSL certificates need to be renewed regularly. Let’s look at ways to monitor SSL expiry, from using a hosted service like https://prettygoodping to doing it ourselves in curl, Go and Perl.

=> ↺ How to connect the Compass GUI to a Docker-deployed MongoDB database

• MongoDB is a widely used NoSQL database that can function well in containers if you know how to set it up. Learn how to connect the Compass GUI here.

=> ↺ How to Install ImageMagick on Ubuntu 22.04 or 20.04

• ImageMagick is a powerful, open-source software used to create, edit, and manipulate images. This versatile software is widely used by graphic designers, photographers, and web developers to perform various image-related tasks, from resizing images to adding special effects.

=> ↺ How to Install LightZone on Ubuntu 22.04 or 20.04

• Lightzone is a free and open-source photo editing software that provides users with a comprehensive set of tools to enhance their images. It is available for various operating systems, including Ubuntu, and is well-suited for amateur and professional photographers.

=> ↺ Generate File of Specific Size on Linux (With Commands)

• Generating files of a specific size can be useful for testing purposes. There are several different commands in Linux that can create files of certain sizes. Check out the commands and examples below to learn how.

=> ↺ What is the /etc/mtab File in Linux

• The /etc/mtab file is an important component in the Linux operating system. It contains a record of the currently mounted file systems, including the device name, mount point, and file system type.

=> ↺ Adam Young: perf option to test branch records

=> ↺ Gary Benson: The other AWS IAM SSO problem

• The other thing you’ll run into using IAM users in AWS CLI is that a lot of things don’t support SSO sessions anyway.

=> ↺ How to Install Postgresql 14 on Ec2 Amazon linux 2

• PostgreSQL, also widely known as Postgres, is a powerful but open-source relational database management system. It is widely used for web applications, data warehousing, and analytics due to its scalability and robust features.

=> ↺ Peter Czanik: Syslog-ng 101, part 6: Destinations and log path

• This is the sixth part of my syslog-ng tutorial. Last time, we learned about syslog-ng source definitions and how to check the syslog-ng version. Today, we learn about syslog-ng destinations and the log path. At the end of the session, we will also perform a quick syntax check.

=> ↺ How to Install PHP 8.2-7.4 on RHEL & CentOS Stream 9

• PHP is a popular scripting language that is used to develop dynamic web applications. It is an open-source programming language that can be easily installed on a variety of operating systems, including CentOS 9.

=> ↺ How to Install MySQL 8.0 on RHEL & CentOS Stream 9

• MySQL is an open-source relational database management system that is widely used for storing and organizing data. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and CentOS Stream are two popular Linux distributions used by many developers and system administrators.

=> ↺ Install PDF Mod – A tool for modifying PDF documents

• Hello, friends. In this post, you will learn how to install PDF Mod on Ubuntu and thus edit PDF files on the system. According to the tool’s website: PDF Mod is a simple application for modifying PDF documents.

WINE or Emulation

Wine development release 8.1 is now available for Linux FreeBSD and macOSThe Wine development release 8.1 is now available. What’s new in this release:Windows version set to Windows 10 for new prefixes.Many code cleanups that were deferred during code freeze. Various bug fixes.The source is available now. Binary packages are in the process of being built, and will appear soon at their respective download locations.

=> ↺ Gamebert: a Game Boy emulator built by Robert

• I’m a professional computer programmer, but I don’t often do all that much computer programming. Instead I spend much of my time futzing around with config files, other people’s frameworks, and other people. This makes it easy to forget how much fun it is to write a long program that truly interests you and watch it do something a little bit astonishing.

Desktop Environments/WMs

GNOME Desktop/GTK

=> ↺ Profiling & optimizing GNOME Software

• Over the past few months, the Endless OS Foundation has been putting focus on improving GNOME Software’s reliability and performance. Endless OS is an OSTree-based immutable OS, and applications are entirely distributed as Flatpaks. GNOME Software is the frontend to that, and since our target userbase is definitely not going to use a terminal, we need to make sure GNOME Software delivers a good experience.

• This focus has been materializing with Philip’s long effort to switch GNOME Software to a different threading model, more suitable to what Software does these days; and more recently, I’ve been tasked to look at GNOME Software’s performance from a profiling perspective.

Distributions and Operating Systems

BSD

=> ↺ “Devotion and Corrosion” Kickstarter now live

• The Kickstarter for my new collection, Devotion and Corrosion, is live.

PCLinuxOS/Mageia/Mandriva/OpenMandriva Family

=> ↺ Betterbird 102.7.1

• Betterbird is a fork of the Mozilla Thunderbird client and has been updated to 102.7.1 in the software repository.

=> ↺ youtube-music-for-desktop

• youtube-music-for-desktop has been updated to version 0.10.9.

=> ↺ Telegram 4.6.1

• Telegram is an Open Source instant messaging platform for mobile and desktop focused on privacy.

=> ↺ Kernel 6.1.10 and 5.15.92

• Kernels 6.1.10 and LTS 5.15.92 are now available in the software repository.

=> ↺ xorg-server updated to 21.1.7

• The xorg-server has been updated to 21.1.7 for PCLinuxOS and shipped to go to the software repository.

SUSE/OpenSUSE

=> ↺ Create SUSE Linux Enterprise images for OCI from keg-recipes

• This article describes how to generate SUSE Linux Enterprise Server image descriptions from keg-recipes and how to use those to build binary images for use in Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, either using KIWI directly, the Open Build Service, or SUSE Manager.

Fedora Family / IBM

=> ↺ Fedora 38 to Offer Unrestricted Flathub Integration

• Fedora 38 is bringing in unfiltered access to the Flathub applications. Learn more about it here.

=> ↺ Red Hat equips the DoD with improved battlefield capabilities from the edge

• More factors play a profound role in defense and military strategies today, and technology is one of them. Lockheed Martin Corp. and the United States Department of Defense have leaned on Red Hat Inc. and its artificial intelligence chops to keep as many soldiers as possible alive on the battlefield.

=> ↺ Q&A: Red Hat addresses complex cloud security issues

• When it comes to the accelerated advancement of technology implementation like Kubernetes containers, cloud adoption and app modernization – security conversations are at an all-time high as enterprises address complex security issues that mean changing the way its been done in the past.

=> ↺ 7 ways to eliminate boredom in the workplace

=> ↺ CIO role: 6 ways to do more with less

Devices/Embedded

=> ↺ ESP32 MPY-Jama is a MicroPython IDE for ESP32 boards

• ESP32 MPY-Jama is a cross-platform MicroPython IDE specifically designed for ESP32 boards with a file manager, a  REPL terminal, real-time dashboards, and various ESP32-specific features. The IDE is an open-source Python program using pyWebView and pySerial plus some JavaScript for the user interface, and the developer of the program, Jean-Christophe Bos, provides binaries for Windows 64-bit and macOS 64-bit Arm or x86.

=> ↺ A Survey of Bluetooth Vulnerabilities Trends (2023 Edition), (Tue, Feb 7th)

• The use of Bluetooth-enabled devices remains popular. New products (such as mobile phones, laptops and fitness trackers) still support this protocol and have even launched with more recent versions (e.g. Samsung S23 family of phones, iPhone 14 and 14 Pro, Apple Watch Series 8/SE/Ultra all shipped with Bluetooth 5.3).

Open Hardware/Modding

=> ↺ Programming Microcontrollers: A Beginner’s Guide

• Microcontrollers are small electronic systems that are designed to control electronic devices and machines. These tiny devices have the ability to interact with the environment

Mobile Systems/Mobile Applications

=> ↺ Moto E13 with Android 13 Go Edition, 5000 mAh battery launched: Price, offers and more – Times of India

=> ↺ OnePlus 11 review: rapid Android with long battery life | Smartphones | The Guardian

=> ↺ Make Your Android Phone Read Articles, Books, News, and Other Text Out Loud to You

=> ↺ Google makes major change to millions of Android phones and users will notice a difference | The US Sun

=> ↺ Android Auto gets a full weather app [Video]

Free, Libre, and Open Source Software

=> ↺ Nix management startup flox raises $16.5M, launches open-source platform

• Nix environment management startup FloxDev Inc. said today it has raised $16.5 million in new funding and has launched its new open-source flox platform to expand on Nix’s unique approach to package management and system configuration. Nix is a cross-platform package manager that employs a functional deployment model where software is installed in unique directories.

=> ↺ MinIO treats object storage as a first-class citizen for enhanced Kubernetes performance

• To accelerate the application modernization journey, enterprises are taking the multicloud route and Kubernetes is a key facilitator. Since multicloud enterprises running Kubernetes need object storage, high-performance object storage company MinIO Inc.

Web Browsers/Web Servers

Mozilla

=> ↺ Debugging Firefox on Android

• I just figured out how to get my Android phone recognised byAndroid Debug Bridge (adb)on my MacBook, which finally allowed me to remote debug websites on Firefox Android. Just so I don’t forget what I did, this is a short documentation of the steps needed to get everything to work. Hopefully it will stay relevant for a good while.

SaaS/Back End/Databases

=> ↺ pgFormatter v5.5 released

• Lome, Togo – February 04, 2023

• Version 5.5 of pgFormatter, a free and reliable tool used to format SQL and PL/pgSQL code, has been officially released and is publicly available for download. A demonstration site is available online at

• http://sqlformat.darold.net/

• pgFormatter is the most advanced SQL and PL/pgSQL code formatter and beautifier dedicated to PostgreSQL. It is provided as a CLI or a CGI program.

PostgreSQL ☛ pg_dumpbinary v2.9 releasedZurich, Switzerland – February 4th, 2023pg_dumpbinarypg_dumpbinaryis a program used to dump a PostgreSQL database with data dumped in binary format. The resulting dump must be restored usingpg_restorebinarythat is provided with this tool.pg_dumpbinary 2.9 was released today, this is a maintenance release of version 2.8 published some days before. This releases add some new features to pg_restorebinary and fix some issues reported by users.Force pg_restorebinary to stop on pg_restore or psql system command error, print the failing command and exit with code 1.Add option -f, –outfile to generate a restore file usable with psql. The purpose of this option is to be able to debug pg_dumprestore by looking at the generated DDL and \copy commands.

Programming/Development

=> ↺ The “Hello World” Challenge: Printing in 20 Different Programming Languages

• Programming is a highly sought-after skill in today’s digital world. Whether you’re looking to start a new career or simply expand your existing skillset, learning to code is an excellent way to open up new opportunities. One of the simplest, yet most impactful, programs you can write as a beginner is ‘Hello World’.

Leftovers

=> ↺ Family Confirms Missing 74-Year-Old Florida Lyft Driver Dead

• The daughter of a South Florida Lyft driver who went missing more than a week ago has confirmed that the man has died

=> ↺ Mexico sends rescue brigade to Turkey in earthquake aftermath

• A Mexican Air Force (FAM) plane bound for Turkey took off Tuesday morning with a delegation (human and canine) to support rescue efforts.

=> ↺ Why should Myanmar put its cards on Bangladesh

• With Myanmar being the 6th country to recognize the independent Bangladesh on 13th January 1972, it has been more than 50 years that Myanmar and Bangladesh has officially began their bilateral relation.

=> ↺ “The devastating earthquake compounds crises for Syrians”: PHR

• In response to the earthquake Monday in Türkiye and Syria, the following statement is attributable to Houssam al-Nahhas, MD, MPH, Middle East & North Africa researcher at Physicians for Human Rights (PHR), who worked in the region until 2019 and now conducts research on human rights and public health in Syria [...]

=> ↺ Live: Death toll from Turkey-Syria earthquake surpasses 7,000 as rescue efforts continue

• Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared a three-month state of emergency across 10 provinces as rescuers in Turkey and Syria struggled to find survivors on Tuesday with the death toll from both countries surpassing 7,800. Follow the latest developments on our live blog below. All times are Paris time (GMT+1).

=> ↺ Syrian hospitals overwhelmed with injured after quake: ‘They can’t take any more’

• Medical personnel and rescue workers have been stretched to their limits after a devastating earthquake hit southern Turkey and northwestern Syria in the early morning of February 6. Opposition-controlled northern Syria has been particularly affected, and doctors report a shortage of medical facilities to treat the injured.

Science

=> ↺ 5 Technologies That 5 Billion Will Use by 2050

• Possibly changing the way we live just as profoundly as the internet did.

=> ↺ Neuroscientists listened in on people’s brains for a week. They found order and chaos.

• Our brains exist in a state somewhere between stability and chaos as they help us make sense of the world, according to recordings of brain activity taken from volunteers over the course of a week.

Hardware

=> ↺ Japan rolls out ‘humble and lovable’ delivery robots

• From April, revised traffic laws will allow self-driving delivery robots to navigate streets across Japan.

Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

=> ↺ New generation of artificial hearts promises lifeline to patients

• The human heart beats 100 000 times a day, every beat circulating blood, oxygen and nutrients to all parts of the body. Heart failure happens when the fist-sized organ is unable to perform this vital function properly. Most people with the condition are forced to seek long-term mechanical support for blood circulation.

=> ↺ White House Opposes Congressional Effort To End COVID Vaccine Mandate for Foreign Travelers

• More than four months after President Joe Biden declared the pandemic to be over, the White House is fighting efforts to lift lingering and nonsensical COVID rules.

=> ↺ Masks Make ‘Little or No Difference’ on COVID-19, Flu Rates: New Study

• The Cochrane Library’s review of masking trials should sound the death knell for mask mandates everywhere.

=> ↺ Hong Kong’s Democratic Party urges HK$15K handouts, ‘long Covid’ subsidies ahead of city’s annual budget

• Hong Kong’s Democratic Party has urged the government to hand out HK$15,000 to each resident to help them meet day-to-day needs amid rising inflation.

=> ↺ The Promise of a New Alzheimer’s Drug

• For decades, scientists have debated the causes of cognitive decline. Is an effective treatment finally around the corner?

=> ↺ Unpredictable weather in Malaysia causing vegetable shortage, price woes

• Prices of some vegetables are said to have increased by “between 40% and more than 100%”.

=> ↺ New Zealand Recovers $300 Million of Cocaine Floating at Sea

• New Zealand authorities said on Wednesday they had recovered 3.2 tonnes of cocaine worth more than $300 million…

=> ↺ Trudeau Says Canadian Health Care Isn’t Living up to Promise

• Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada’s health care system isn’t living up to its promise, and he plans to add billions more in funding

Proprietary

=> ↺ Microsoft will wipe free Teams business users’ data if they don’t upgrade to a paid tier

• Now that Microsoft has launched its Teams Premium service, it’s shaking up the free offering for work — and not everyone will be happy. The company is retiring the existing Teams Free version for small business in favor of the similarly-titled Teams (free) on April 12th, and legacy data won’t carry over. Your office will have to pay for at least the Teams Essentials plan ($4 per user per month) to preserve chats, meetings, channels and other key info.

• As Windows Central explains, the new Teams (free) tier will require a new account. Data in the old app, now rebadged as Teams Free (classic), will be deleted. Anything you haven’t saved by then will be gone, including shared files you haven’t downloaded.

=> ↺ Zoom is laying off around 1,300 workers

• Zoom to the long list of major tech companies that have laid off employees in recent times. It’s letting go around 1,300 employees, which equates to 15 percent of the workforce.

=> ↺ Scammers impersonate Microsoft to target Hotmail users with dodgy emails

• Discover how to spot and report scam emails

=> ↺ If you want to reduce ChatGPT mediocrity, do it promptly

• My son Cole, pictured here as a goofy kid many years ago, is now six feet six inches tall and in college. Cole needed a letter of recommendation recently so he turned to an old family friend who, in turn, used ChatGPT to generate the letter, which he thought was remarkably good. As a guy who pretends to write for a living, I read it differently. ChatGPT’s letter was facile but empty, the type of letter you would write for someone you’d never met. It said almost nothing about Cole other than that he’s a good kid. Artificial Intelligence is good for certain things, but blind letters of reference aren’t among them. The key problem here has to do with Machine Learning.

Security

=> ↺ Toyota sealed up a backdoor to its global supplier management network

• Hacker praises carmaker’s prompt response to the (mercifully) good-faith pwnage

=> ↺ The U.S. secretly passed a medical cybersecurity law

• Surprise! During the end-of-year rush to pass the federal spending bill, a piece of legislation with more than 4,000 pages apportioning out $1.7 trillion of spending, legislators included a section that helps make connected medical devices more secure.

=> ↺ CISA Releases ESXiArgs Ransomware Recovery Script

• CISA has released a recovery script for organizations that have fallen victim to ESXiArgs ransomware. The ESXiArgs ransomware encrypts configuration files on vulnerable ESXi servers, potentially rendering virtual machines (VMs) unusable.

=> ↺ CISA Releases One Industrial Control Systems Advisory

• CISA released one Industrial Control Systems (ICS) advisory on February 7, 2023. This advisory provides timely information about current security issues, vulnerabilities, and exploits surrounding ICS.

=> ↺ After Hive takedown, could the LockBit ransomware crew be the next to fall?

• As international law enforcement agencies turn up the heat on ransomware gangs, LockBit’s high-profile cyberattacks make it a prime target.

=> ↺ Russian ransomware money launderer pleads guilty to funneling Ryuk payments

• A Russian man extradited to the U.S. last year pleads guilty to attempting to conceal ransom payments that resulted from attacks on Americans.

=> ↺ Emailing error causes former Blue Cross Blue Shield customers to receive claims

• Many former customers of Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) health plans woke up on Friday to discover they had been notified of insurance claims despite not being covered by the provider for some time, causing concerns that a security breach could have leaked customer information.

=> ↺ More lawsuits filed over Knox College ransomware attack

• By early December 2022,  Hive ransomware gang had not only claimed responsibility for an attack on Knox College…

=> ↺ Suspected Ransomware Attack Disables Some Systems At Ross Memorial Hospital

• News has learned a suspected ransomware attack has hit Ross Memorial Hospital disabling some important diagnostic systems and access to medical files.

• Patients in the Emergency Department notified Kawartha 411 this morning calling the situation “crazy”. Patients say staff aren’t able to access the systems needed for treatment and they say even the parking machines aren’t working properly.

=> ↺ Russian e-commerce giant exposed buyers’ delivery addresses

• A leading electrical engineering company in Russia, Elevel, has exposed its customers’ personally identifiable information (PII,) including full names and addresses.

=> ↺ Saolta confirms data breach at LUH – Highland Radio

• Saolta has confirmed that Letterkenny University Hospital is managing a data breach incident arising from the removal of one list of patients from the hospital premises.

=> ↺ LockBit ransomware gang claims Royal Mail cyberattack

• The LockBit ransomware operation has claimed the cyberattack on UK’s leading mail delivery service Royal Mail that forced the company to halt its international shipping services due to “severe service disruption.”

• This comes after LockBitSupport, the ransomware gang public-facing representative, previously told BleepingComputer that the LockBit cybercrime group did not attack Royal Mail.

=> ↺ Clop ransomware has now found a new target

=> ↺ Clop ransomware flaw allowed Linux victims to recover files for months

=> ↺ Hong Kong police and Interpol uncover servers and apps used by global phishing syndicate | South China Morning Post

• Hong Kong police have cracked the local operation of an international phishing syndicate that used 563 bogus mobile applications to spy on phones globally and steal information.

=> ↺ Optus breach: Sydney man avoids jail over scam texts using hack data

• A 20-year-old man has evaded a potentially decade-long jail sentence after trying to scam $2000 from Optus customers affected by its September data breach.

• Dennis Su, 19 at the time, pleaded guilty in November to texting 92 Optus customers and demanding they transfer $2000 to a CBA bank account “or face their personal information being used for financial crimes”.

=> ↺ Sydney man to perform community service over Optus scam bid

• “The AFP-led Joint Policing Cybercrime Centre continues to work around the clock to protect customers affected by recent data breaches who are at risk from identity fraud.”

• Optus announced the breach on 22 September last year, and there were fears that the data of as many as 9.8 million Australians could have been exposed.

• Eleven days after this announcement, Optus finally made it clear that 2.1 million of its customers had some form of ID exposed.

• The attacker initially exposed the data of some 200 customers, presumably as some kind of lure.

• Later, he/she said that the data of 10,000 people would be made public for five days, and released the first lot.

• But soon after that, the attacker appeared to develop cold feet and deleted all the data, issuing an apology as well.

=> ↺ Security flaw in EE Smart Hub router fixed after Which? report

• A major household router was patched after Which? testing revealed it could be

• exploited – here’s what to do if you own one

=> ↺ Which banks have the best online and app security?

• Which? reveals the most secure homes for your money, whether you bank online or via an app

=> ↺ Malware Delivered through Google Search

• Criminals using Google search ads to deliver malware…

=> ↺ Causing incidents with in-flight entertainment systems

• Some odd things have happened on airplanes recently. The voice on the PA system on an American Airlines flight was one of these.

=> ↺ Therapy centre extortion suspect held in France requests Finnish attorney

• Julius Kivimäki is suspected of crimes including aggravated computer breach, aggravated attempted extortion, aggravated dissemination of information violating personal privacy, extortion, among others.

Privacy/Surveillance

=> ↺ Russia Legalizes Massive DNA Collection Without Oversight

=> ↺ A New Federal Bill Could Require You To Show Facebook and Twitter Your Government ID

• The age verification proposal is a disaster for both children and adults.

=> ↺ Biden will call for action on privacy rights in State of the Union

• President Biden will call for stronger privacy protections and increased algorithmic transparency from tech companies in his State of the Union address Tuesday night, repeating his message from last year’s address about the need to strengthen privacy rights.

=> ↺ Major Cybercrime Crackdown: Encrypted Messenger Exclu Seized

• So far, authorities have arrested 48 people in connection with Exclu, discovered two drug labs and a cocaine-processing facility, and confiscated $4.3 million, several kilograms of drugs, and luxury items.

Defence/Aggression

=> ↺ NYC’s homeless services chief Gary Jenkins resigning as migrant crisis surges past 44K

• New York City has accepted over 44,700 migrants from the southern border since the spring with over 28,800 housed in 88 city-run shelters and emergency hotels – the majority are overseen by Jenkins’ agency.

=> ↺ Despite His Record, Donald Trump Plans To Run as an Anti-War Republican

• A big part of Trump’s appeal in 2016 was his forthright opposition to military interventionism. His record in office didn’t match the rhetoric.

=> ↺ What would happen if Sweden and Finland split up their NATO bids?

• Finland proceeding without Sweden should be a last resort because of all the strategic and logistical difficulties it would create.

=> ↺ Eastern DRC remains flashpoint

• A weekend attempt to shoot down a South African military transport helicopter in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is a further example of what the senior United Nations (UN) representative in the country called “a dramatic deterioration” in security.

=> ↺ Africa is less safe and secure than ten years ago

• Almost 70% of Africa’s population lives in a country where the security and rule of law environment is worse in 2021 than in 2012, mostly driven by a worsening security situation, the Mo Ibrahim Foundation has said in its latest report.

=> ↺ Live: New German defence minister arrives in Kyiv on surprise visit

• Germany’s new defence minister, Boris Pistorius, made an unscheduled visit to Kyiv on Tuesday, two weeks after Berlin agreed to provide Leopard tanks to help Ukraine counter Russian forces, according to the Ukrainian government.

=> ↺ Germany: To Supply 14 Leopard 2 Tanks to Ukraine End of March

• Berlin will deliver 14 Leopard 2 battle tanks to Kiev by the end of March, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced during his visit to the Ukrainian capital.

=> ↺ Paris mayor backs banning Russia from 2024 Olympics unless Ukraine war ends

• Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo changed her stance on Russian competitors at the 2024 Olympics on Tuesday saying they should be banned “while the war continues” in Ukraine, her office said.

=> ↺ Nordic Countries ‘Stand Firm’ In Opposing Russian, Belarusian Athletes At Paris Olympics

• Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo is opposed to Russian competitors at the 2024 Olympics “while the war continues” in Ukraine, her office said on February 7.

=> ↺ Finland’s National Preparedness Day is a reminder of what every home should have — just in case

• People should have enough supplies in stock to last at least 72 hours in case of an emergency such as a natural disaster or a military attack.

=> ↺ China refused call with Pentagon after downing of suspected spy balloon, says US

• Beijing rejected a request for a secure call between Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin and his counterpart on the day an American warplane shot down a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon, a US Department of Defense spokesman said Tuesday.

=> ↺ UN peacekeeper killed and another severely injured after helicopter comes under fire in DRC

• A UN peacekeeper Sunday was killed and another injured after their helicopter came under fire in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

=> ↺ Australia must take action against Myanmar’s military junta, Human Rights Watch says

• A Human Rights Watch (HRW) report Sunday criticized Australia’s inaction since the military junta took over Myanmar in a military coup two years ago. According to the report, Australia has yet to impose sanctions on the junta in response to their human rights violations.

=> ↺ Lithuanians trained Ukrainian troops to use anti-aircraft gun

• The Lithuanian military has trained Ukrainian troops to use a Swedish L70 anti-aircraft gun and carry out military police operations.

=> ↺ Israeli ambassador slams Lithuanian politician’s Jewish joke as ‘hurtful’

• Israeli Ambassador Hadas Wittenberg Silverstein has called for an apology from a Lithuanian conservative politician for making inappropriate Jewish comments.

=> ↺ U.S. Approves Sale Of HIMARS Rocket Launchers, Ammunition To Poland

• The U.S. State Department has approved the potential sale of long-range missiles and rockets to Poland in a deal valued at up to $10 billion, the Pentagon said on February 7.

=> ↺ Russia Asks Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters To Speak At UN On Arms Shipments To Ukraine

• Russia has asked Roger Waters, co-founder of the rock band Pink Floyd, to speak to the UN Security Council on February 8 at a meeting to discuss the delivery of weapons to Ukraine.

=> ↺ Fire Breaks Out At Drone-Making Factory In Latvia

• A fire broke out on February 7 at a drone factory in Latvia that has built drones for Ukraine’s military and NATO allies.

=> ↺ Ukraine To Receive 100 Leopard 1 Battle Tanks, German Defense Minister Says In Kyiv

• Russian invading forces continue to launch attacks along the front lines in eastern Ukraine, Kyiv’s military reported on February 7, as Ukrainian officials continued to warn that Moscow was preparing for a fresh offensive in the region.

=> ↺ Almost 8 Million People Have Fled Ukraine, UN Aid Chief Says

• The UN’s emergency relief coordinator, Martin Griffiths, said that nearly 8 million people have fled Ukraine since the beginning of Russia’s invasion almost a year ago.

=> ↺ UN chief Guterres fears world is heading towards a wider war

• The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterressaid on Monday he fears the world was heading for a “wider war” as the potential for escalation of the Ukraine war continues.

=> ↺ A Visit to a Ukrainian Battlefield: The Last Undertakers of Bakhmut

• Russia is intent on taking the strategically unimportant town of Bakhmut and it has been under fire for weeks. But some residents are still there, and the funeral home continues to operate. Why haven’t they left?

=> ↺ Kiwi pilot taken hostage in Indonesia

• Rebels set fire to a small plane carrying six people after it landed in Papua province.

=> ↺ North Korean Leader Kim Encourages Troops With Daughter

• North Korean leader Kim Jong Un lauded the “limitless strength” of his nuclear-armed military as he visited troops with his daughter to mark the 75th founding anniversary of his army

Environment

=> ↺ Finland’s lake ice thinner than usual, experts warn

• People venturing on icy lakes should be careful around clear and slushy ice cover, a Syke hydrologist tells Yle.

Energy/Transportation

=> ↺ Battery design from PNNL could help integrate renewables into the grid

• The molten salt battery design has the potential to charge and discharge faster than other conventional high-temperature sodium batteries.

=> ↺ US Natural Gas Production in 2023 Forecast To Hit Record High

• The Henry Hub natural gas spot price will average 3.40 U.S. dollars per million British thermal units (MMBtu) in 2023, down almost 50 percent from last year, the report forecast.

=> ↺ FTX Founder Heads to Court After Judge Rejects Bail Request

• FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried will be in a New York courtroom Thursday for a bail-related hearing despite his lawyers claims that they’ve settled their differences with prosecutors

Wildlife/Nature

=> ↺ ‘Collapse of habitats’: 40 percent of animals in US at risk of extinction, says report

• Some 40 percent of animals and 34 percent of plants across the USA are at risk of extinction, a new report has warned, with whole ecosystems at risk of collapsing due to a combination of factors including habitat loss, pollution and climate change.

Overpopulation

=> ↺ Boiling Frogs

• Human population growth has exploded during the last century, decimating wildlife and devastating ecosystems. Without honest conversations about overpopulation, continued growth will likely condemn most wild animals to extinction and leave us with a much poorer planet By Brad Meiklejohn “Fewer people, more wild animals.

Finance

=> ↺ Key Facts US Deliberately Ignores About African Debt

• According to the World Bank, multilateral financial institutions and commercial creditors hold nearly three-quarters of Africa’s total external debt.

=> ↺ Biden’s new dodgy tax scheme would only hurt the already shaky economy

• The prez wants a new “billionaires tax,” forcing high earners to pay a minimum in taxes to ensure they “pay their fair share.”

=> ↺ Federal Appeals Court Rejects Rent Control Challenge, Says Government Has Wide Powers To Regulate Land Use

• The 2nd Circuit reasoned that the government hasn’t necessarily taken a landlord’s property when it forces him or her to operate at a loss while renting to a tenant he or she never agreed to host.

=> ↺ Zoom lays off 15% of its workforce as growth slows

• Zoom Video Communications Inc. today announced plans to lay off 1,300 employees, or about 15% of its workforce. All the company’s core business units are affected. The organizational structure of some units will be updated to streamline business operations.

=> ↺ The French Ask Macron to Withdraw His Pension Reform

• If the National Assembly approves his bill, a worker will need 43 years of social security contributions to receive a full pension.

=> ↺ More than 750,000 protest against pension reform across France

• Trade unions launched a third wave of nationwide strikes on Tuesday against President Emmanuel Macron’s plans to make the French work longer before retirement, a day after parliament began debate on the bill.  Read our live blog below to see how all the day’s events unfolded.

=> ↺ Zoom Slashes 15% of Staff in Latest Tech Layoffs – CNET

• CEO Eric Yuan says the cuts are due to economic uncertainty.

=> ↺ Federal judge preliminarily approves settlement in United Airlines wage statement suit

• A judge for the United States District Court for the Central District of California Monday gave preliminary approval to a settlement between United Airlines and a class of former flight attendants in a case brought by the flight attendants alleging that the airline issued insufficiently detailed wage statements.

=> ↺ UN report: unemployment is major motivator for participation in southern Sahara extremist groups

• The UN Development Programme Tuesday reported that unemployment plays a key role in pushing people to join extremist groups in the Southern Sahara. The report indicates a 92 percent increase in the number of volunteer recruits pushed to such groups due to lack of jobs since the last such study conducted in 2017.

=> ↺ US appeals court upholds New York rent stabilization law

• The US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit Monday affirmed two consolidated cases upholding New York rent stabilization laws.

=> ↺ Inflation tops 40% in Laos, squeezing state employees

• Workers in the normally cushy public sector are demanding salary increases

=> ↺ Value of exports of goods increased by 18.2 per cent in 2022, volume of exports decreased by 5.2 per cent

• Customs has published preliminary data on the international trade in goods in 2022. According to preliminary data on international trade on goods available to Finnish Customs, the value of Finnish exports of goods increased by 18.2 per cent in 2022. The volume of exports decreased by 5.2 per cent and the prices of exports rose by 24.2 per cent. The value of exports amounted to 81.5 billion euros. The value of imports increased by 26.5 per cent in comparison with 2021.

AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

=> ↺ Richard Woolcott: a great Australian diplomat

• With Richard Woolcott, you always had to take the smooth with the smooth. No rough edges for this wattle-proud Australian who was one of our greatest diplomats.

=> ↺ Rapid changes in Fiji require a delicate balance of support

• It’s been just over a month and a half since Fiji’s new coalition government, headed by former coup leader Sitiveni Rabuka, was sworn in to parliament. The December election was a tight race, as many …

=> ↺ How Australia withstood China’s campaign of economic warfare

• It’s too soon to declare an end to China’s economic war against Australia, but the signs are all pointing in that direction…

=> ↺ Tweets of the Union: Live expert analysis of Biden’s big address

• Find the best Twitter analysis by Atlantic Council experts of President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address as he takes on Russia, China, and more.

=> ↺ The UAE and Israel have a history of strong female leadership. Women must take substantial roles in the next phase of the Abraham Accords.

• To have a sustained and enduring peace in the region after the signing of the Abraham Accords, women must also be equally included and reflected in policy-making, decision-making, and programming.

=> ↺ The Belarusian opposition can help defeat Putin in Ukraine

• Belarus has played a key supporting role in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine but the democratic Belarusian opposition recognizes that defeating Putin can lead to the downfall of their own dictator Alyaksandr Lukashenka.

=> ↺ Twitter reportedly had only 180,000 subscribers in the US last month

• Elon Musk may have to think of a lot more ways to make Twitter Blue appealing to potential subscribers if he wants the subscription service to be a major source of revenue.

=> ↺ GB News host Mark Steyn exits channel with anti-Ofcom tirade

• Ofcom currently has two investigations open into claims made on Steyn’s GB News show.

=> ↺ Appeal court told Carole Cadwalladr has ‘doubled down’ on Arron Banks ‘covert Russian relationship’ claim

• Arron Banks is appealing a libel judgment in Carole Cadwalladr’s favour from June 2022.

Misinformation/Disinformation/Propaganda

=> ↺ Women can fix Europe’s tech talent challenge

• A new study by McKinsey Digital reveals that Europe could solve its talent gap if more women chose to work in tech. By doubling the share of women in tech would also mean a large GDP increase.

• By 2027, European companies risk a gap of nearly four million employees with tech skills. The growing demand cannot be met with the current recruitment base, which has a predominance of men. European leaders thus need to recruit and retain women for tech roles to stay competitive.

Censorship/Free Speech

=> ↺ Libel Lawsuit (Related to Causing-Suicide Allegations) Between Two Trans Political Commentators,

• “Defendant White would go on to accuse Ms. Erlick of sexually abusing and—most importantly, including by Defendant White’s own reckoning—causing the death of the person (Danie) who made the accusation.”

=> ↺ First Amendment Protects Right to Livestream Police Stops

• From Sharpe v. Winterville Police Dep’t, decided today by Judge Julius Richardson, joined by District Judge Michael Nachmanoff: This case asks whether a town’s alleged policy that bans video livestreaming certain interactions with law enforcement violates the First Amendment…. Defendants have thus far failed to establish that the alleged livestreaming policy is sufficiently grounded in,…

=> ↺ DEI Inc. v. Academic Freedom

• Amna Khalid and Jeffrey Aaron Snyder argue that we should not kid ourselves about the threat university DEI bureaucracies pose to academic freedom, but is there a better way?

=> ↺ Roman Polanski Can’t Block IMetPolanski.com Site

• From the WIPO Arbitration & Mediation Center Administrative Panel Decision in Polanski v. Uziel (Arbitrators Brian J. Winterfeldt, Warwick A. Rothnie & Marie-Emmanuelle Haas), decided two weeks ago but just posted on Westlaw: In 1977, the Complainant [film director] was arrested in the United States and charged with unlawful sex with a minor. The Complainant…

=> ↺ People need the internet during emergencies: #KeepItOn in Iraq

• Authorities in Iraq must immediately reinstate full internet access — including social media — across the nation.

=> ↺ “We were in an information vacuum”: internet shutdowns in Central Asia

• Internet shutdowns negatively impact ordinary people’s lives. These stories from Central Asia show just how damaging cutting off the internet can be.

=> ↺ Twitter Temporarily Suspends Sen. Steve Daines’ Account Over Hunting Photo – CNET

• Elon Musk, the social network’s owner, says Twitter is tweaking a policy against showing blood in profile pictures.

=> ↺ Greg Abbott Announces Plan to Ban TikTok on Texas Government Devices

• Greg Abbott announces a plan to ban TikTok on Texas government devices after an initial ban on the app from Texas government employees’ devices late last year.

=> ↺ INTERVIEW: ‘There is light at the end of the tunnel’

• Malaysia’s former foreign minister speaks to RFA about the crisis in Myanmar

=> ↺ Beijing police pressure high-profile dissident over skeptical social media post

• Ji Feng is ordered to delete comments critical of a police claim that high-schooler Hu Xinyu took his own life.

=> ↺ Taiwan petition calls for solidarity with Hong Kong subversion defendants

• A former Hong Kong bookstore manager says the democratic island is well-placed to resist Beijing’s growing power.

=> ↺ Xi recalibrates approach to Taiwan ahead of island’s pivotal presidential vote

• China’s preferred negotiating partner, Taiwan’s Kuomintang party, has a shot at winning the vote.

=> ↺ Moscow Court Upholds Decision To Withdraw Novaya Gazeta Newspaper’s License

• The Moscow City Court has upheld the decision of a lower court to withdraw the licenses of the Novaya gazeta newspaper and its Novaya rasskaz-gazeta magazine, two of the last independent media outlets in the country, amid a crackdown on the free press during the Kremlin’s war against Ukraine.

=> ↺ Rights Watchdog Calls Iranian Government’s Anniversary Celebrations ‘Shameful,’ Banners Burned

• Protesters in several Iranian cities, including the capital, Tehran, have set fire to government banners commemorating the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution as rights group Amnesty International chided the country’s leaders for “decades of mass killings and cover-ups.”

=> ↺ China tries to play down balloon dispute with censorship and memes

• Some quipped that the balloon was a misunderstood attempt at wishing Americans a happy Lantern Festival.

=> ↺ Wikipedia Unblocked In Pakistan

• Wikipedia was accessible in Pakistan on February 7, days after the country’s media regulator had blocked the free online encyclopedia.

=> ↺ Prosecutor Seeks Nine Years In Prison For Siberian Journalist Charged With ‘Discrediting’ Russian Armed Forces

• A prosecutor has asked a court in the Siberian city of Barnaul to convict and sentence journalist Maria Ponomarenko to nine years in prison on a charge of discrediting Russia’s armed forces with “fake” social media posts about the war in Ukraine.

=> ↺ Tibetan political prisoner and monk dies in Chinese custody

• Geshe Phende Gyaltsen served as mediator in conflicts and was active in renovating a monastery

Civil Rights/Policing

=> ↺ Migrant rights group to stage protest at Vilnius Airport over asylum seekers’ deportation

• Sienos Grupė (Border Group) is organising a rally near Vilnius Airport to protest deportation of seven asylum seekers to Nigeria, the group said in a press release on Tuesday.

=> ↺ Faith Leaders Urge Independent Review of Alabama Executions

• More than 170 pastors and other faith leaders have urged Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey to authorize an independent review of death penalty procedures, as other states have done following problems with executions

Internet Policy/Net Neutrality

=> ↺ Fate of Internet May Hang With Supreme Court Case

• This month, Section 230 is going before the Supreme Court for the first time in Gonzalez v. Google

Digital Restrictions (DRM)

=> ↺ Netflix introducing new anti-password sharing measures soon, your mooching days are over

• It was promised and as the months rolled by we forgot it was coming. We have been rudely reminded that it’s coming and that it’s almost here. Our days of sharing Netflix passwords are numbered.

Monopolies

Patents

=> ↺ AIM Sport wins infringement case against Supponor over advertising technology

• The UK High Court has found that London-based company Supponor infringes a patent owned by competitor AIM Sport, with the court also upholding the patent as valid (case ID: HP-2020-000050).

=> ↺ BlackBerry 3GPP patent challenged in EPO

=> ↺ Bandspeed’s frequency-hopping patent challenged

=> ↺ Earthquake in Türkiye and Syria

• EPO staff and management express their sympathy for the victims.

Trademarks

=> ↺ TTAB Grants Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings Due to Vast Dissimilarity Between Marks

• Rarely does the Board grant a motion for judgment on the pleadings (FRCP 12(c)), but that’s what happened in this opposition proceeding. Opposer Jackson Family Farms claimed that the word-and-design mark shown below, for “wines made from grapes from Côtes de Provence in accordance with adapted standards” is likely to cause confusion with its common law markVERITÉfor wine and with its registered markVERITÉfor “alcoholic beverages except beers.”

Copyrights

=> ↺ Many-Colored Misdirection: Concealing-Coloration in the Animal Kingdom (1909)

• A exposition on camouflage that believes all animal coloration is an attempt to blend in.

=> ↺ Second MediaMuv Scammer Accepts Plea Deal in $23 Million Royalty-Theft Case

• MediaMuv fraudster Jose Teran, who was in 2021 accused of stealing $23 million worth of royalties by falsely claiming ownership of more than 50,000 songs, has accepted a plea deal.

=> ↺ Getty Images files lawsuit against artificial intelligence company over misuse of images

• Getty Images Monday filed a complaint against Stability AI, an open artificial intelligence platform, for allegedly misusing the stock photo company’s images without its permission.

Gemini* and Gopher

Technical

=> ↺ Package Management – Introduction

• As I’m working through one project, I’m frequently planning the next. I noticed that a number of my future ideas, fantasies as you will, all have one thing in common: packages. It doesn’t if it is a game idea or working on programming calendars[1] or Author Intrusion[2], they all need some form of package management.

=> ↺ A timeline of Unix commands

• i recently had occasion to mention my experience of someone assuming that any command ending in ‘-d’ is a systemd thing[a]. It made me wonder when Unix first started using that suffix for daemons: 6th Edition Unix introduced ‘cron’ rather than ‘crond’. i asked on the TUHS (Unix Heritage Society)[b] mailing list, and it turns out that 2nd Edition had ‘dpd’, ‘data-phone daemon’.

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