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● 02.15.23

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● Links 15/02/2023: PL/Haskell 2.0 and Politics

Posted in News Roundup at 2:27 am by Dr. Roy Schestowitz

GNU/Linux

Applications

=> ↺ 8 Useful Free and Open Source Network Configuration Management Tools

• Network configuration management (NCM) is a process that every device on the network is subjected to throughout its life cycle.

=> ↺ Mini review – Metadata Cleaner is a simple but powerful metadata cleaner app for Linux

• There are many applications available for Linux that only focus on just one or a limited number of related simple tasks.

Instructionals/Technical

=> ↺ How to Install Sensu Monitoring Solution on Ubuntu 22.04

• Sensu is an open-source infrastructure and application monitoring system designed for both container and non-container monitoring and multi-cloud infrastructure. In this guide, you will set up the Sensu Monitoring Solution on an Ubuntu 22.04 server.

=> ↺ Perfect Server Automated ISPConfig 3 Installation on Debian 10, Debian 11, Ubuntu 20.04 and Ubuntu 22.04

• This tutorial shows you how to easily set up a web, email and DNS server with ISPConfig 3 using the ISPConfig auto-installation script.

=> ↺ How to Install Brave Browser on Fedora Linux

• Brave Browser is a free, open-source web browser designed with privacy and security. Developed by Brave Software, the Browser has gained immense popularity since its inception in 2016. Its user-friendly interface, faster speed, ad-blocking feature, and built-in privacy features have made it a popular choice for many users.

=> ↺ How to Install Telegram on Fedora Linux

• Telegram is a cross-platform messaging app that has recently gained popularity thanks to its user-friendly interface, end-to-end encryption, and extensive features. With over 500 million active users worldwide, Telegram is fast becoming the messaging app of choice for individuals and businesses alike.

=> ↺ How to Install Spotify on Fedora Linux

• Spotify is a popular music streaming platform that has taken the music industry by storm since its inception in 2008. With over 320 million monthly active users and 144 million paid subscribers worldwide, it has become one of the most sought-after music streaming services.

=> ↺ Linux Package Manager Cheatsheet

• A package manager is the bread and butter of every Linux distribution. It serves as the link between the traditional UNIX system and external third-party programs. It also lets you customize your system for any function and purpose.

• At its core, a package manager is a program that adds, removes, and keeps track of any third-party program in your system. Further, it also eases the load ofmanaging programs through version downgradingand calculating dependencies.

=> ↺ How to Install R and RStudio on Fedora Linux

• R programming language is a popular tool for data analysis, machine learning, and statistical computing. It is an open-source language that offers a wide range of statistical and graphical techniques and is used by data analysts, statisticians, and researchers.

=> ↺ How to Enable BBR on Ubuntu 22.04 or 20.04

• BBR (Bottleneck Bandwidth and Round-trip propagation time) is a TCP congestion control algorithm that Google developed. It was designed to improve the performance of high-speed networks and to provide better utilization of the available bandwidth.

=> ↺ How to Install OpenJDK 17 on Ubuntu 22.04 or 20.04

• Java is a popular, object-oriented, class-based programming language that was first released in 1995. It is a high-level language that allows developers to write portable code that can run on any device with a Java Virtual Machine (JVM) installed.

=> ↺ How to Increase DNF Speed on Fedora Linux

• DNF, short for Dandified YUM, is a next-generation package manager for Fedora and other Linux distributions. It’s designed to be faster and more efficient than its predecessor, YUM, and has been the default package manager for Fedora since version 22.

=> ↺ How to Install phpMyAdmin with LEMP on Ubuntu 22.04 or 20.04

• PHPMyAdmin is a free, open-source, web-based graphical user interface (GUI) tool for managing and administering MySQL and MariaDB databases.

=> ↺ How to Enable Open_File_Cache on Nginx in Linux

• When it comes to optimizing the performance of your Nginx web server, enabling open_file_cache is one of the most effective methods. Open_file_cache is an Nginx feature that caches frequently used files in memory, reducing the number of disk I/O operations required to access those files.

=> ↺ How to Fix: Could not find OpenSSL Error in Ubuntu and Other Linux

• Thousands of open-source applications use the OpenSSL library to implement features which require secure connectivity between components over the web. Hence it’s a critical package and is needed when compiling any source package that implements OpenSSL.

• If you don’t have it in your system, you may run into OpenSSL error during compilation.

• Here’s how to fix it.

Desktop Environments/WMs

GNOME Desktop/GTK

=> ↺ Joe Brockmeier: My new favorite GNOME extension: quake-mode

• Guake has long been a favorite application of mine. If you’re new toGuake, it’s a terminal application for Linux that stays out of site until it’s summoned with a hotkey, like the console in Id Software’s Quake games.

• Hit F12 or whatever combo you set up for it, and it slides into view over the top of other windows. When you’re done, bang the hotkey again and it slides back up out of sight. I find it super useful.

• But, I’ve long wanted to be able to do that with other applications. Specifically, I’ve really craved a text editor that would be easy to summon like Guake so I could keep running notes and scratchpads for little snippets of text.

• Technically I could just use Vim for that in Guake, but I wanted something a bit easier to copy and paste text in and out of. My previous searches never turned up anything I loved, so I stopped looking.

Distributions and Operating Systems

SUSE/OpenSUSE

=> ↺ Mitigate the Complexity of Kubernetes Operations with Rancher Prime and Asserts

• SUSE guest blog authored by: Steve Waterworth, The Mechanic at Asserts & Kubernetes (K8s) has continued to explode in popularity with everyone from small startups to large multinational corporations running their business-critical applications on it.

Fedora Family / IBM

=> ↺ Fedora Community Blog: Help shape the Fedora strategy

• TheFedora.Next strategywas a key part of the success we’ve enjoyed over the last few years. But we can’t stop there. It’s time to develop a strategy to meet our goal for the next five years: doubling the number of active contributors. To do this, there are a number of technical and community objectives we need to drive. It looks like that number is 18. The Fedora Council developed a list of 18 objectives to support the impacts we’re looking for. Now it’s your turn. Let us know what you think in theDiscussion thread.

=> ↺ Migrating to Ansible Automation Platform 2: How we did it

• Learn about the expected and unexpected factors Red Hat IT encountered when migrating from Ansible Tower to Ansible Automation Platform 2.

Devices/Embedded

=> ↺ T-Display-S3 Touch ESP32-S3 board adds a touchscreen panel

• T-Display-S3 Touch is an update to the T-Display-S3 “Basic” ESP32-S3 board that adds a 320×170 touchscreen using a CST816 I2C touchscreen sensor. The rest of the specifications remains the same with an ESP32-S3R8 dual-core WiFi and Bluetooth LE microcontroller, 16MB flash, a 1.9-inch 320×170 color display, a USB Type-C port, a few I/Os, and support for a LiPo battery.

=> ↺ Arduino-programmable EtherCAT master runs FreeDOS on Vortex86EX2 x86 processor

• ICOP QEC-M-01 is an EtherCAT master system running FreeDOS…

Mobile Systems/Mobile Applications

=> ↺ Popular smartphones from Samsung, OnePlus, Realme and Oppo running the latest Android operating system | Gadgets Now

=> ↺ Android 14 wants to keep you in the loop on what apps are doing with your private location data

=> ↺ Samsung One UI 5.0 (Android 13) update and bugs tracker (cont. updated)

=> ↺ Android 13 coming soon to Chromebooks, bringing Material You

=> ↺ Best Ways To Remove Duplicate App Icons On Android

=> ↺ How to Screen Record on Android

=> ↺ How to restore a deleted Android work profile | TechTarget

=> ↺ People are just realizing Android phones have ‘hidden’ button – and users are learning long list of things it can do | The US Sun

=> ↺ 4 Ways to Record Audio on Android

=> ↺ Top 8 Ways to Fix Unable to Log In to Instagram on Android and iPhone – Guiding Tech

Free, Libre, and Open Source Software

Programming/Development

=> ↺ 6 Online Resources to Learn C/C++ Programming

• C and C++ are powerful programming languages but notoriously difficult to learn. It isn’t just a programming language that you can pick up on your own; you need quality educational content to get a handle on C/C++.

=> ↺ PL/Haskell v2.0

• We are pleased to announce the release of version 2.0 of thePL/Haskell extension. This extension allows users to write PostgreSQL functions in the Haskell functional programming language.

Leftovers

Education

=> ↺ Lithuania wants to teach kids Polish instead of Russian – but doesn’t have enough teachers

• Lithuania’s prime minister recently suggested that the country’s students should be taught Polish instead of Russian as a foreign language. The plan, however, might run into logistical difficulties.

Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

=> ↺ French study links Covid-19 to sharp rise in depression among young people

• A major French mental health study has found a huge rise in the number of young people reporting depression, with the most likely cause seen as Covid-19 and restrictions to control the disease.

=> ↺ US appeals courts denies hazard pay to federal employees exposed to COVID-19 in workplace

• The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit Tuesday issued a 10-2 opinion affirming a lower court’s decision to dismiss claims for federal hazard pay based on exposure to COVID-19 made by a group of federal correctional officers from Connecticut.

=> ↺ Third of nightclub-goers in Lithuania have tried drugs – survey

• More than a third of nightclub-goers in Lithuania have tried drugs at least once, according to a new survey by the Drug, Tobacco, and Alcohol Control Department, published on Tuesday.

Proprietary

=> ↺ Is Your Chromebook Running Slow? Try These 18 Tips to Speed It Up

• If you’re looking for help with a slow Chromebook, we have the help you’re looking for. This guide shares different ways to make your Chromebook run faster and reveals the reasons behind the slowing down of your laptop.

Linux Foundation

=> ↺ StarRocks analytical DB heads to Linux Foundation

• The StarRocks online analytical processing (OLAP) database is getting a new home today, at the Linux Foundation.

Security

USCERT ☛ Adobe Releases Security Updates for Multiple ProductsOriginal release date: February 14, 2023Adobe has released security updates to address multiple vulnerabilities in Adobe software. An attacker can exploit these vulnerabilities to take control of an affected system.CISA encourages users and administrators to review the following Adobe Security Bulletins and apply the necessary updates.After Effects APSB23-02Connect APSB23-05FrameMaker APSB23-06Bridge APSB23-09Photoshop APSB23-11InDesign APSB23-12 Premiere Rush APSB23-14Animate APSB23-15Substance 3D Stager APSB23-16

=> ↺ Thai activists to sue government over Pegasus spyware use

=> ↺ Russian cybersecurity expert convicted of charges in $90M hack-to-trade case

• Vladislav Klyushin had sensitive connections to the Russian government and Russian military hackers, prosecutors said.

=> ↺ Why the US needs the Bureau of Cyber Statistics right now

• The agency could serve as a vital data repository for cyber incidents that would inform public and private sector decision-making.

=> ↺ Ransomware attacks surge against US manufacturing plants

• Cyberattacks against critical infrastructure continues to increase and some sectors, such as manufacturing, take the brunt of abuse.

=> ↺ Citrix Releases Security Updates for Workspace Apps, Virtual Apps and Desktops

• Original release date: February 14, 2023

• Citrix has released security updates to address high-severity vulnerabilities (CVE-2023-24486, CVE-2023-24484, CVE-2023-24485, and CVE-2023-24483) in Citrix Workspace Apps, Virtual Apps and Desktops. A local user could exploit these vulnerabilities to take control of an affected system.

=> ↺ CISA Adds Four Known Exploited Vulnerabilities to Catalog

• Original release date: February 14, 2023

• CISA has added four new vulnerabilities to itsKnown Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, based on evidence of active exploitation. These types of vulnerabilities are frequent attack vectors for malicious cyber actors and pose significant risks to the federal enterprise.Note: To view the newly added vulnerabilities in the catalog, click on the arrow in the “Date Added to Catalog” column, which will sort by descending dates.

=> ↺ Microsoft Releases February 2023 Security Updates

• Original release date: February 14, 2023

• Microsoft has released updates to address multiple vulnerabilities in Microsoft software. An attacker can exploit some of these vulnerabilities to take control of an affected system.

=> ↺ Apple Releases Security Updates for Multiple Products

• Original release date: February 14, 2023

• Apple has released security updates to address vulnerabilities in multiple products. An attacker could exploit these vulnerabilities to take control of an affected device.

=> ↺ Update your Apple devices now to patch a security flaw

=> ↺ CISA Releases One Industrial Control Systems Advisory

• Original release date: February 14, 2023

• CISA released one Industrial Control Systems (ICS) advisory on February 14, 2023. This advisory provides timely information about current security issues, vulnerabilities, and exploits surrounding ICS.

=> ↺ Mozilla Releases Security Updates for Firefox 110 and Firefox ESR

• Original release date: February 14, 2023

• Mozilla has released security updates to address vulnerabilities in Firefox 110 and Firefox ESR. An attacker could exploit these vulnerabilities to take control of an affected system.

=> ↺ Clop ransomware claims it breached 130 orgs using GoAnywhere zero-day

• The security flaw, now tracked as CVE-2023-0669, enables attackers to gain remote code execution on unpatched GoAnywhere MFT instances with their administrative console exposed to Internet access.

=> ↺ Hackers take down Bahrain airport website | Al Arabiya English

• Hackers said they had taken down the website of Bahrain’s international airport on Tuesday which was unavailable until at least 1:45 p.m. GST. It briefly

=> ↺ Arizona Priority Care and AZPC Clinics notify 10,978 patients of malware attack

• According to APC’s substitute notice, on December 2, employees noted difficulty accessing some servers. The breach was discovered on December 5, and malware was detected on some servers. An investigation revealed that the malware was used to access and exfiltrate data.

=> ↺ If you’re going to “attack” a public school district, learn what FERPA permits districts to make public anyway

• Student email addresses may not be as easy/convenient to get as staff information, but they are not that difficult. In some districts, if you know the format system used to generate email addresses and the students’ names, you can figure out their email addresses. DataBreaches is not sure that is true for SPPS, however.

=> ↺ Second verse, same as the first: Minuteman Senior Services reports another breach of an employee email account

• Minuteman Senior Services (“MSS”) in Massachusetts notified the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on January 27 that they experienced a breach affecting 500 patients. The “500” is simply a marker that indicates that the reporting entity knows they have to report a breach to HHS within 60 days of discovery but they do not yet really know how many patients were affected. They only know or estimate that it is more than the 500 trigger to report to HHS.

=> ↺ What Will It Take?

• What will it take for policy makers to take cybersecurity seriously? Not minimal-change seriously. Not here-and-there seriously. But really seriously. What will it take for policy makers to take cybersecurity seriously enough to enact substantive legislative changes that would address the problems? It’s not enough for the average person to be afraid of cyberattacks. They need to know that there are engineering fixes–and that’s something we can provide.

Integrity/Availability/Authenticity

=> ↺ T-Mobile outage affected thousands of users across the US

• T-Mobilesuffered network outages on Monday night, leading to intermittent issues with its voice, text and data services, according toReuters. Based on reports submitted toDowndetector, over 80,000 subscribers in several areas in the US were experiencing problems by around 10:14PM ET on February 13th.

Privacy/Surveillance

=> ↺ European Commission Approves Telco Ad Platform Plan

=> ↺ California lawmaker seeks to end to ‘reverse warrants’ that could pinpoint abortion seekers

• Lawmakers say the overly broad surveillance tool poses a major threat to reproductive privacy.

=> ↺ India’s Government Wants Total Control of the Internet

=> ↺ Instagram shuts down live shopping on March 16th

• From that day on, shops can’t tag products during livestreams — you’ll have to wait until afterward (or rely on less-than-elegant links) to buy must-have items.

=> ↺ How to Pump the Brakes on Your Police Department’s Use of Flock’s Mass Surveillance License Plate Readers

• Working with police departments, neighborhood watches, and other private customers, Flock not only allows private camera owners to create their own “hot lists” that will generate alarms when listed plates are spotted, but also runs all plates against state police watchlists and the FBI’s primary criminal database, the National Crime Information Center (NCIC). Flock’s goal is to expand to “every city in the United States,” and its cameras are alreadyin usein over 2,000 cities in at least 42 states.

=> ↺ FL: Brooks Rehabilitation notifies patients of pixel tracking breach

• On January 30, Brooks Rehabilitation (“Brooks”) in Florida disclosed that in December, they discovered tracking technology vendors that provide services to Brooks were able to view/access individually identifiable health information (IIHI) provided when a website user provided contact information or feedback via a Brooks website. The data transmitted could have included information such as name; phone number; email address; computer IP address; other information provided under the comment section; and Brooks sites visited while visiting their website.

Defence/Aggression

=> ↺ The US shoots down 4 strange flying objects in 6 days, suspected to be Chinese spying objects

• What is going on on this planet of ours? The developed nations seem hell-bent on starting World War 3. The Russia-Ukraine situation persists and every day you get the feeling we are one bruised ego away from the whole thing descending into nuclear warfare.

=> ↺ Is the choice Multilateral or Minilateral constellations or do we need both?

• Can we have greater diplomatic synergy through minilateralism? What are we learning from the Ukrainian crisis reverberating through the multilateral system and regional and minilateral groups?This month, Edit Morin-Kovacs, Programme Manager for the Foundation’s Multilateral project reflects on these pivotal questions. She previously worked in Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine.

=> ↺ Are Israel and Iran on a collision course?

• Hostility between Israel and Iran has potentially reached a tipping point.

=> ↺ State of Southeast Asia Survey 2023: It takes three to tango

• A tango for two is an intricate, demanding affair, often daunting even for the most skilled dancers.

=> ↺ China’s balloon blunder shows the shortcomings of its national security apparatus

• The composition of China’s security structures indicates that the military did not want to disrupt a major diplomatic moment and thought the balloon would be undetected.

=> ↺ Kroenig on France 24 discussing diplomacy with Israel

• On January 31, Scowcroft director Matthew Kroenig was interviewed by Monte Francis of France 24 on Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to Israel and recent violence in the West Bank.

=> ↺ Russia’s new offensive will test the morale of Putin’s mobilized masses

• Vladimir Putin’s desperation to regain the military initiative in Ukraine is leading to suicidal tactics that are undermining morale among hundreds of thousands of recently mobilized Russian troops, writes Peter Dickinson.

=> ↺ ECHR ruling confirms Russian invasion of Ukraine began in 2014

• A recent ECHR ruling recognizing Russian control over so-called separatist republics in eastern Ukraine since 2014 is an important step forward in the quest to hold Moscow accountable for aggression against Ukraine.

=> ↺ The path to peace in Ukraine runs directly through Putin’s red lines

• As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine approaches the one-year mark, the Western response is still being undermined by exaggerated fears of escalation and misplaced concerns over the dangers of “provoking Putin,” writes Oleksiy Goncharenko.

=> ↺ Marais and Hill-Lewis come out with guns blazing against Ex Mosi II

• Outspoken Democratic Alliance (DA) shadow defence and military veterans minister Kobus Marais maintains the upcoming Exercise Mosi II is “a nonsensical decision by the ANC government”.

=> ↺ If Putin succeeds in Ukraine, NATO borders will ‘no longer be an obstacle’, warns Khodorkovsky

• Former Russian oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who served 10 years in prison on tax and fraud charges that many believe were politically motivated, spoke to FRANCE 24 from London, where he now lives in exile. Khodorkovsky said that while a “direct confrontation with NATO” was not part of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s plan, Putin will be emboldened enough if Russia succeeds in Ukraine that NATO borders will “no longer be an obstacle” to his ambitions.

=> ↺ Will a deal with the UK allow Kyiv to make Western weapons in Ukraine?

• British arms executives have reportedly travelled to Kyiv for discussions to set up joint ventures to manufacture British arms and military vehicles in Ukraine. Analysts agree that such a deal is on the cards, with the UK as Ukraine’s leading partner due to their close ties – and that such an agreement would ease strains on weapons supplies to Kyiv. But analysts do not expect it to be a short-term game changer, especially as long as Russian air strikes would threaten any Ukrainian weapons factories.

=> ↺ Thailand: Law on Torture, ‘Disappearance’ Delayed

=> ↺ The Snail’s Pace of Military Justice in Cameroon

=> ↺ US Justice Department arrests four more men in connection with Haiti president assassination

• US Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Tuesday that a further four men, three Americans and one Colombian US permanent resident, have been arrested over their alleged involvement in the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse.

=> ↺ Serbia, Montenegro Request Clarification After Moldova Warns Of Possible Russian Provocation

• Serbia and Montenegro have asked Moldova for a clarification of statements made by Moldovan President Maia Sandu about information she said she received from Ukraine regarding Russian plans to carry out destabilizing actions with the participation of citizens of Serbia and Montenegro.

=> ↺ UK troops contributing to Malian security

• The United Kingdom (UK) is the 59th country to contribute troops and equipment to the United Nations (UN) mission in Mali – MINUSMA. A 350-strong British battle group comprising infantry, light cavalry, explosives experts, remotely piloted air systems (RPAS) pilots and medical personnel touched down in the landlocked West African country late last year.

Transparency/Investigative Reporting

=> ↺ Why pay transparency could help with journalism’s class and nepotism problem

• ‘Nepo babies’ are the latest journalism hot topic – but class is even more important.

=> ↺ $185k for a media editor? New York and California journalist salaries charted

• Who in US media is hiring and what are the salaries on offer?

Environment

Energy/Transportation

=> ↺ Ford plans $3.5b plant to produce LFP batteries for its electric vehicles

• Ford said it would introduce LFP batteries on Mustang Mach-E this year and F-150 Lightning in 2024.

=> ↺ EU gives final approval to 2035 ban on sales of new fossil fuel cars

• The European Parliament on Tuesday gave its final approval to a ban on new sales of carbon-emitting petrol and diesel cars by 2035, with a view to getting them off the continent’s roads by mid-century.

=> ↺ New York financial regulator orders crypto firm Paxos to halt issuance of token

• Crypto firm Paxos Trust Company LLC Monday announced the New York Department of Financial Service (NYDFS) ordered them, effective February 21, to cease issuing new BUSD tokens with fellow crypto firm Binance.

=> ↺ 240W charging phone now official, charges from 0-100% in less than 10 minutes

• In the early days of smartphones, they competed for battery life king status by just chucking in larger and larger batteries. A bigger battery meant better battery life and it was as simple as that.

Overpopulation

=> ↺ In bid to boost childbearing, North Korea offers sporadic extra food

• ‘Who in her right mind would have three or more children, like a fool?’

Finance

=> ↺ Uber and Lyft driver pay isn’t keeping up with soaring fares, study says

=> ↺ Tesla Autopilot workers are seeking to unionize in New York

• A group of Tesla workers in New York has sent company chief Elon Musk a letter stating their intention to unionize, according toBloomberg. It could end up being the first Tesla union if successful, seeing as previous attempts fizzled out before organizers could petition for a vote. The employees involved in the campaign are in charge of labeling data for Tesla’s Autopilot technology at the company’s Buffalo, New York facility.Bloombergsays the group is asking for better pay, job security and a better work environment that eases the production pressures placed on them.

• Workers told the news organization that they’ve been skipping bathroom breaks, since Tesla keeps a close eye on their every move. Apparently, the company monitors their keystrokes to see how long they spend on each particular task and how much time they spend working per day. They also said that the company shut down an internal chatroom where they can air their grievances, such as the how Tesla handles snow days. It was after that happened that the group started talking about unionizing.

=> ↺ Starbucks loses unfair labor practices case after firing two workers engaged in organizing union

• The US National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ruled Monday that Starbucks violated federal labor laws by firing two workers who were planning to organize a union at a Philadelphia store in 2020.

=> ↺ Lithuania reports annual inflation of 20% in January

• The prices of consumer goods and services were 20 percent higher this January compared to the same month last year, the State Data Agency said.

=> ↺ Interest rates a ‘nimble’ tool to tame inflation: Lowe

• Reserve Bank governor Philip Lowe says interest rates are a more nimble tool for managing demand in the economy compared to government policy. Speaking at a parliament committee hearing in Canberra, Dr Lowe said aggregate demand growth was too strong and that interest rates are a “blunt” but “nimble” policy tool to bring inflation under […]

=> ↺ New off-budget funds won’t fuel inflation: Treasury

• The top Treasury official has dismissed concerns the federal government’s off-budget funds will fuel the immediate inflation challenge.

=> ↺ Consumers fret over new year of interest rate hikes

• The latest interest rate hike has shaken consumers as businesses report a strong start to the year. Weekly and monthly consumer confidence surveys capture the February rate hike dragging confidence towards lows last seen in the early days of the pandemic.

=> ↺ Supermarket margins are not to blame for food inflation – Bank of Lithuania

• With food price rises as one of the main driving forces behind Lithuania’s soaring inflation, the central bank has conducted a study, concluding that retailers did not use the situation to shore up their profit margins.

=> ↺ Housing Solutions for Health Equity series highlights intersection between health care and housing insecurity

• Around 70 attendees logged onto the University of Michigan’s Housing Solutions for Health Equity initiative’s virtual webinar Friday afternoon to learn about the intersection between housing instability and health care.

=> ↺ Russian Businessman Found Guilty In Hacking, Insider-Trading Scheme

• A Russian millionaire with ties to the Kremlin was convicted on February 14 of participating in an elaborate $90 million insider-trading scheme using secret earnings information from companies such as Microsoft that was stolen from U.S. computer networks.

=> ↺ Slump at Chinese factories will lead to greater labor unrest: report

• Manufacturing hit by souring Sino-US ties, zero-COVID policy and weakening global demand

=> ↺ China launches visa scheme to lure professionals to Hong Kong

• Will mainlanders replace Hong Kongers in top jobs, creating a new ‘governing class’?

=> ↺ Russian Ruble Dips To 10-Month Low Versus Dollar

• The Russian ruble struck its weakest mark since late April on February 14, hurt by lower foreign currency revenue inflows from hydrocarbon exports and a continued recovery in imports as companies build new supply chains.

AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

=> ↺ Prosecutors refuse to investigate leak allegations in Lithuanian MP’s sexual abuse case

• Lithuania’s Prosecutor General’s Office has refused to open an investigation into a suspected leak of information to former MP Kristijonas Bartoševičius about a criminal investigation against him.

=> ↺ UN efforts in Myanmar fail in implementation: Shadow government, aid groups

• The UNOCHA must expand its assistance to conflict areas where need is greatest, they say.

=> ↺ Illegal gold mining expanding unchecked under junta in Myanmar’s Kachin state

• Residents say administrators take bribes to look the other way as their livelihoods are destroyed.

=> ↺ Xinjiang governor cancels Europe trip after outcry from politicians and activists

• Erkin Tuniyaz is widely seen by activists as a Uyghur puppet of Beijing

=> ↺ Israel’s Crisis of Democracy: “Netanyahu’s Party Consists Primarily of Extremist Ideologues”

• Israel’s new right-wing government has plunged the country into its deepest crisis since its founding, argues sociologist Eva Illouz. She says it is time for the world to take notice and act.

Misinformation/Disinformation/Propaganda

=> ↺ Kremlin-Linked Leader Of Wagner Mercenary Group Acknowledges Ownership Of ‘Troll Factory’

• The head of the Russian mercenary group Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, has acknowledged for the first time that he owns the Internet Research Agency — a so-called “troll factory” in St. Petersburg specialized in creating fake social-media accounts and spreading disinformation and propaganda.

Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press

=> ↺ Hong Kong’s free-to-air broadcasters ordered to transmit 30-mins of patriotic and security programming per week

• Hong Kong’s free-to-air television and radio broadcasters have been ordered by the government to air at least 30-minutes of patriotic and national security programming per week. The Communications Authority’s recommendations were accepted by the Chief Executive in Council on Tuesday as part of a mid-term review.

=> ↺ Hong Kong outlet Stand News did not give democrat a ‘platform’ to defend her actions, sedition trial hears

• The former top editor of Stand News has denied the prosecution’s accusation that the now-defunct online outlet had served as a “platform” for democrats taking part in an election primary to clear controversies, a Hong Kong court has heard during the ongoing sedition trial against the publication. The sedition trial against Stand News’ former chief […]

=> ↺ Canada police face lawsuit over alleged wrongful arrest of journalist

• Canadian independent news outlet The Narwhal and journalist Amber Bracken Monday announced a lawsuit against the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) concerning the RCMP’s arrest of Bracken, another journalist and multiple indigenous persons at an indigenous environmental rights protest.

Civil Rights/Policing

=> ↺ Israel dispatch: protesters mass outside Knesset as controversial ‘judicial reform’ legislation advances

• Yael Iosilevich is a law student in the Buchmann Faculty of Law at Tel Aviv University and JURIST’s Staff Correspondent in Israel.

Gemini* and Gopher

Personal

=> ↺ Christoffel Words

• Christoffel words probably have utility for field-of-view in roguelikes among other, less important purposes. Here they are abused to produce rhythmic variations. The implementation comes by way of the book “Creating Rhythms” (Hollos, 2014) and associated code.

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