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● 02.20.23

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● Links 20/02/2023: Microsoft’s Outlook Broken Again

Posted in News Roundup at 9:17 pm by Dr. Roy Schestowitz

GNU/Linux

Kernel Space

=> ↺ Linux Kernel 6.2 is out with Intel Arc and Sony PlayStation controller support

• Linux Kernel 6.2 is now available.

=> ↺ Linux Kernel 6.2 is here, and it now has mainline support for Apple M1 chips

• Version 6.2 of the Linux operating system has been released, and while those expecting sweeping feature additions might be disappointed, one change will stand out for many.

• In a short blog post (opens in new tab), Linux founder and lead developer Linus Torvalds explained that, in the lead up to the release, there had been a few small fixes, stating: “I wasn’t going to apply any last-minute patches that weren’t actively pushed by maintainers”.

=> ↺ Linux Kernel 6.2 Released with New Hardware Support

• The latest, greatest Linux kernel has arrived and it includes a number of improvements for hardware support, performance, and security.

• In a recent email to the LKML mailing list, Linus Torvalds had this to say: “But in the meantime, please do give 6.2 a testing. Maybe it’s not a sexy LTS release like 6.1 ended up being, but all those regular pedestrian kernels want some test love too.”

• Although 6.2 might not be “sexy,” it still has plenty to offer. First up are hardware improvements that include out-of-the-box support for Intel Arc graphics and Intel’s On-Demand driver. As well, Skylake CPUs have gained a significant performance increase with an addition that’s designed to address the Retbleed CPU vulnerability.

=> ↺ Linux Kernel 6.2 Officially Released: Exciting Changes and Improvements

• In a statement sent out to the Linux kernel developer mailing list (LKML) introducing Linux Kernel 6.2, Linus Torvalds enthusiastically invites people to try it out.

=> ↺ Linux Kernel 6.2 Released! How to Install in Ubuntu 22.04 / Linux Mint 21

• Linux Kernel 6.2 was release this Sunday. Linus Torvalds announced it at lkml.org: So here we are, right on (the extended) schedule, with 6.2 out. Nothing unexpected happened last week, with just a random selection of small fixes spread all over, with nothing really standing out.

=> ↺ Linux 6.3 Merge Window: A Sneak Peek into the Exciting New Features Coming Your Way

• Get ready, as the Linux 6.2 merge window is about to be unveiled! This will mark the official commencement of a two-week period in which all new features and changes for Linux 6.3 are incorporated into one release.

Applications

=> ↺ Stream YouTube Music on Linux Desktop with ‘Monophony’

• Looking to jam to some of your favourite music on YouTube, but don’t want to use a web browser to do it?

Instructionals/Technical

=> ↺ How to Install Mousepad Text Editor on Linux Mint 21

• To Install Mousepad on Linux Mint 21 there are three ways: through Apt, through Flatpak. Read this guide for a complete guide.

=> ↺ How To Install Nmon on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS

• In this tutorial, we will show you how to install Nmon on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS. For those of you who didn’t know, Nmon (Nigel’s performance Monitor) is a popular performance monitoring tool for Linux operating systems.

=> ↺ Vim Spell Check

• Practical tutorial on how to enable the Vim spell-check feature using the commands that allow us to navigate through the misspelled words along with examples.

=> ↺ Vimrc Tutorial

• Tutorial on the customization of the Vim editor in the .vimrc configuration file using different configuration settings, programming language, file types.

=> ↺ Linux File Encryption

• Practical guide on how to use the GPG utility to encrypt and decrypt the Linux files to prevent the unauthorized access to delicate information using examples.

=> ↺ How to Install the Vim Plugins

• Guide on the method to install the Vim plugins in Linux to add a functionality to the text editor using the plugin manager by implementing practical examples.

=> ↺ How to Change DNS in Linux and Windows for Secure and Fast Response

• It only takes a few easy steps to modify the DNS settings on a Linux or Windows machine to get the most secure and fastest response times when using the internet.

=> ↺ Installing DDoS Deflate to evade DoS attacks

• Hello, friends. In this post, you will learn how to install DDoS Deflate to evade DoS attacks on your system. This simple tool can help save your server.

=> ↺ Jeff Layton: Using kdevops to test the Linux kernel NFS server

• A few months ago, I transitioned from working on CephFS full time back to helping maintain the Linux kernel NFS server (aka knfsd). Chuck Lever (the primary maintainer) and I have a long-term goal to improve testing of incoming changes. In particular, we’d like to have some sort of continuous integration (CI) to help catch regressions.

• After reviewing a few options, I settled on kdevops since it’s being adopted by several filesystem teams, and configuring and running it uses tools familiar to kernel developers. It’s configured using the same Kconfig system that the Linux kernel uses, and provisioning and running machines is done using make targets.

• Importantly, it is (supposedly) infrastructure-neutral. It can spin up virtual machines locally, using vagrant, or in several major cloud environments using terraform. In principle, it should be possible to run the same set of tests in either environment without any modifications.

=> ↺ Kushal Das: Networking in podman 4.x

• podman 4.0 has a new networking stack. It uses Netavark for network setup (this is a direct replacement for CNI), and also uses Aardvark DNS server. Both of these tools are written from scratch in Rust keeping the requirements of podman in mind.

• At the time of writing this blog post, we have podman-4.4.1 in Fedora 37, and podman-4.2.0 in Almalinux9.

=> ↺ Why do we use Homebrew on Ubuntu Linux?

• Are you an Ubuntu user looking for a more efficient and fast package management solution apart from the default APT? If so, installing a Homebrew setup on your Linux machine is the way to go.

=> ↺ How to Install Discord on Fedora Linux

• Discord is a free voice, video, and text chat app used by millions of people ages 13+ to talk and hang out with their communities and friends.

=> ↺ How to Install PyCharm on Fedora Linux

• PyCharm is a popular integrated development environment (IDE) for programming in Python. It is known for its user-friendly interface and robust features, which make it a preferred choice for developers over other competing software options. One of PyCharm‘s standout features is its intelligent code completion, saving developers significant time when writing and debugging code.

=> ↺ How to Install Python on Fedora Linux

• Python is a high-level programming language that has gained tremendous popularity over the years. Created in the late 1980s by Guido van Rossum, Python is known for its simplicity, readability, and ease of use.

=> ↺ How to Install Linux Kernel 6.2 on Rocky Linux EL9 or EL8

• The Linux operating system is a popular open-source platform used by developers, businesses, and individuals for its stability, security, and flexibility. Linux Kernel 6.2 is the latest version of the Linux Kernel, officially released by its creator, Linus Torvalds.

=> ↺ How to Install MySQL 8.0 on Fedora Linux

• MySQL 8.0 is a popular and widely used open-source relational database management system. It was first released in April 2018 and was developed and maintained by Oracle Corporation. MySQL 8.0 is a major update that includes significant improvements in performance, security, and scalability.

=> ↺ How to Install Firefox Nightly on Fedora Linux

• Firefox Nightly is a pre-release version of the popular Mozilla Firefox browser designed for developers and advanced users who want to test the latest features and capabilities of the browser.

=> ↺ ExifTool – Read, Write and Manipulate Image, Audio, Video and PDF Metadata

• Every multimedia whether in a form of image, audio, or video comes with specific information that we call metadata…

=> ↺ How to Install Vue.js on Ubuntu 22.04

• Vue.js is a popular open-source JavaScript framework used for building user interfaces and single-page applications.

=> ↺ How to Install Google Chrome on Fedora Linux

• Google Chrome is a popular web browser developed by Google. It was first released in 2008 and has gained a significant market share, becoming the most widely used browser globally. The browser is available for Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android and is known for its speed, simplicity, and security features.

=> ↺ How to Install LXDE on Fedora Linux

• LXDE, short for Lightweight X11 Desktop Environment, is a free and open-source desktop environment designed for low-resource computers, such as older machines, netbooks, and embedded systems. It is built using the GTK+ toolkit and offers a clean and simple interface that is easy to navigate.

=> ↺ How to Install VLC Media Player on Fedora Linux

• VLC media player is a popular and versatile multimedia player that is free and open-source. It is available on various platforms, including Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS.

=> ↺ How to Install GIMP on Fedora Linux

• GIMP, or the GNU Image Manipulation Program, is a powerful open-source image editing software that can be used for many creative tasks, from photo retouching to graphic design. It is available for multiple operating systems, including Linux, Windows, and Mac.

Desktop Environments/WMs

K Desktop Environment/KDE SC/Qt

=> ↺ Tokodon 23.02.0 Released: Enhancing Your Mastodon Experience on Linux

• Tokodon 23.02.0 has been released, and it is an exciting update for Linux users who use Mastodon, the popular open-source social network. Tokodon is a Mastodon client designed specifically for Linux users, offering an easy-to-use interface and seamless integration with the Mastodon platform.

Distributions and Operating Systems

=> ↺ Users Are Worried: What’s Going On with SolusOS

• Solus is a fully-fledged, independent rolling release Linux distribution targeted at desktop users. It is unique because it is written from scratch and has its repositories and package manager, EOPKG. In addition, the distro is traditionally associated with Budgie as its flagship desktop environment.

• While receiving less attention than other leading desktop-oriented Linux distros such as Ubuntu, Fedora, Linux Mint, and others, Solus has a devoted fan base concerned about what has been happening to their favorite distro in the last month. Here’s what it is all about.

=> ↺ Porting Helios to aarch64 for my FOSDEM talk, part one

• Helios is a microkernel written in the Hare programming language, and the subject of a talk I did at FOSDEM earlier this month. You can watch the talk here if you like:

• A while ago I promised someone that I would not do any talks on Helios until I could present them from Helios itself, and at FOSDEM I made good on that promise: my talk was presented from a Raspberry Pi 4 running Helios. The kernel was originally designed for x86_64 (though we were careful to avoid painting ourselves into any corners so that we could port it to more architectures later on), and I initially planned to write an Intel HD Graphics driver so that I could drive the projector from my laptop. But, after a few days spent trying to comprehend the IHD manuals, I decided it would be much easier to port the entire system to aarch64 and write a driver for the much-simpler RPi GPU instead. 42 days later the port was complete, and a week or so after that I successfully presented the talk at FOSDEM. In a series of blog posts, I will take a look at those 42 days of work and explain how the aarch64 port works. Today’s post focuses on the bootloader.

• The Helios boot-up process is:

Canonical/Ubuntu Family

=> ↺ You Can Now Install Linux Kernel 6.2 on Ubuntu, Here’s How

• Linux kernel 6.2 was announced by Linus Torvalds just the other day and now it’s been successfully compiled by the Ubuntu Kernel Team into binaries for amd64 (x86_64), AArch64 (ARM64), ARMhf, PowerPC 64-bit Little Endian (ppc64el), and IBM System z (s390x) architectures on the official Ubuntu Kernel Archive.

• I don’t recommend installing a mainline kernel on an Ubuntu LTS (Long-Term Support) edition, such as Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, so I’ve only tested the install on Ubuntu 22.10, but it can be installed on any supported Ubuntu release. Here’s how!

Devices/Embedded

=> ↺ moteus clock synchronization

• The moteus controller, when it implements its control algorithms, uses the internal RC oscillator of the onboard STM32G4 microcontroller to calculate things like velocity and to advance position over time. Typically, this is accurate to within 0.5% which is more than sufficient for most applications. However, there are cases where it does matter

=> ↺ ODROID-H3+ SBC review with “Unlimited Performance” mode and 2.5GbE Net Card

• Hardkernel have added Intel Alder Lake mini PCs to their ODROID-H series and they are known as the ODROID-H3 and ODROID-H3+. Like the discontinued ODROID-H2/H2+, this new series also supports the Net Card which will add four extra 2.5 gigabit Ethernet ports. Hardkernel kindly sent an ODROID-H3+ together with a selection of accessories for review and I’m going to look at the effect on performance when changing the Power Limit values in the UEFI (BIOS) together with the network performance of the Net Card.

=> ↺ Sparkfun NanoBeacon low power Bluetooth 5.3 beacon module supports Bosch BME280 and BMA400 sensors

• Sparkfun NanoBeacon is a module equipped with InPlay IN100 NanoBeacon Bluetooth 5.3 beacon SoC, a Qwicc connector, and a few GPIOs designed to work with Bosch Sensortec BME280 3-in-1 humidity sensor, measuring humidity, air pressure, and ambient temperature, and the BMA400 ultra-low power accelerometer sensor.

=> ↺ Harry Potter and the Raspberry Pi Powered Wand

• You too can be a witch or wizard with this “charming” project that merges, Bluetooth, Raspberry Pi and USB HID with real magical movements.

Mobile Systems/Mobile Applications

=> ↺ Android phones in India only need the Play Store

=> ↺ Top 8 Ways to Fix Wi-Fi Login Page Not Showing on Android – Guiding Tech

=> ↺ How to download Arena Breakout Lite version for Android phone�

=> ↺ Samsung Galaxy S23+ review: Almost Ultra

=> ↺ People are just realizing Android has secret ‘icon warning’ that millions should never ignore – it could be dangerous | The US Sun

=> ↺ Google Pixel 6/7 series phones get Android 13/LineageOS 20 support – Gizchina.com

Free, Libre, and Open Source Software

Programming/Development

=> ↺ Isdigit() Function in C Language

• Guide on how to use the isdigit() function in C language, the theoretical description of this function, its syntax, input and output arguments, and data type.

=> ↺ How to Get the Current Timestamp in JavaScript

• In JavaScript, there are several ways to retrieve the current timestamp. One of the simplest and most efficient ways to do this is by using the built-in Date.now() method.

=> ↺ Lambda Expressions in JavaScript

• A lambda expression is a code you enter to define a short function.

=> ↺ How to loop through an array using forEach in JavaScript ?

• Iterating through an array in JavaScript can be done in multiple ways. One of the most common methods is using the traditional for loop.

=> ↺ What are the Built-in Methods?

• In programming, a method is a block of code that performs a specific task or action. Built-in methods, also known as native methods or standard methods, are pre-defined methods that are included as part of a programming language.

Perl / Raku

=> ↺ 2023.08 Gherkining

• Anton Antonov created a new Raku module (Gherkin::Grammar), expanding on the work that the late Robert Lemmen did on integrating Gherkin as a test methodology in the Raku Programming Language. And posted an introduction to it.

Python

=> ↺ Pandas to HTML

• Tutorial on how to alter a Pandas DataFrame into an HTML table using the “pandas.DataFrame.to_html()” method by designing the DataFrame that renders into HTML.

=> ↺ Pandas Rolling Correlation

• Tutorial on how to compute the rolling correlation on a Pandas DataFrame and find the rolling correlation using the “DataFrame_object.rolling().corr()” method.

=> ↺ Pandas Exponential Moving Average

• Tutorial on the concept of calculating the exponential weighted moving average in Pandas to compute the averages of distinct subsets of the entire dataset.

=> ↺ Pandas Fill Nan with 0

• Practical tutorial on how to change the NaN values in a row or column of a Pandas DataFrame to 0 using fillna() and replace() methods to reduce the complexity.

=> ↺ Pandas Export to CSV

• Tutorial on how to utilize the “to_csv()” Pandas method to export a Pandas DataFrame into a CSV file as a comma-separated value (CSV) datatype to your machine.

=> ↺ Pandas Filter by Index

• Comprehensive tutorial on how to retrieve the DataFrame rows based on their indexes in Pandas using the syntax of the filter() function along with examples.

Standards/Consortia

=> ↺ Here’s where the CSA’s new health effort should focus

• After successfully bringing together more than 500 companies to create the Matter smart home interoperability standard, the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) has set its sights on an audacious new standards plan.

Leftovers

=> ↺ Helpful People

• Last night I was at an event in a school gymnasium. I sat in the bleachers high and to the right. Three hours into the evening, I dropped my phone and it found the space between the bleachers and the wall. I heard it bounce off metal and hit the floor twenty-five feet below.

• There was nothing to be done but to find someone on staff at the event and ask permission to go retrieve the phone. “This is embarrassing, but…” What was wonderful is the people I talked to had empathy, offered to help right when the event was complete, and even found me in the crowd ten minutes later when it was okay for me to sneak under the bleachers to look for my device.

=> ↺ Commissioner Lenarčič participates in the Ministerial Roundtable Understanding and communicating existing and future risks: ensuring evidence-based communication part of the European Forum for Disaster Risk Reduction Roadmap Action Dialogue

• Commissioner Lenarčič participates in the Ministerial Roundtable Understanding and communicating existing and future risks…

Science

=> ↺ Stanford researchers discover barrier to future batteries

• Stanford research shows why solid-state electrolyte batteries, a fast-charging, fireproof version of current batteries, have been failing.

=> ↺ In ‘Kerbal Space Program 2′, the Fun Is in the Failure

• A preview event at the European Space Agency’s main technology center highlighted that the game is almost as hard as real space travel, but very fun.

Education

=> ↺ College admissions is in danger: Here’s how we fix it

• “Congratulations! I am pleased to inform you that you have been admitted to the University of Michigan!” is a phrase any high school student applying to the University of Michigan hopes to see come decision day.

Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

=> ↺ Do Hospitals That Drop Mask Requirements Risk Liability?

• Prof. Nina Kohn and I argue that they do

=> ↺ Russia’s War in Ukraine Threatens Starvation for the World’s Poor

• Global hunger declined for decades before pandemic policies and Russia’s invasion broke the world.

=> ↺ Opinion | Don’t pass the sugar: Asians and type 2 diabetes

• Juliana Fong breaks down the science behind Asian people’s increased risk for type 2 diabetes — as well as the lifestyle changes that can help mitigate it. “We all need to be aware of what our own ethnic heritage predisposes us to,” she writes, “so that we can take action.”

Proprietary

=> ↺ Microsoft is getting ready to defend its Activision Blizzard acquisition to EU regulators

• Microsoft has a chance to argue its case to buy Activision in front of the European Union’s antitrust authorities.

=> ↺ Microsoft’s Outlook spam email filters are broken for many right now

Security

=> ↺ Fortinet Patches Critical Code Execution Vulnerabilities in FortiNAC, FortiWeb

• Fortinet releases 40 security advisories to inform customers about patches, including for critical code execution vulnerabilities in FortiNAC and FortiWeb.

=> ↺ Coinbase Attack Linked to Group Behind Last Year’s Twilio, Cloudflare Hacks

• Coinbase was recently targeted in a sophisticated phishing attack and the cryptocurrency exchange linked the hack to the 0ktapus group.

=> ↺ ‘Most web API flaws are missed by standard security tests’ – Corey J Ball on securing a neglected attack vector

• API security is a ‘great gateway’ into a pen testing career, advises specialist in the field

=> ↺ OneNote Suricata Rules, (Sun, Feb 19th)

=> ↺ Bash security tips: securing your scripts and preventing vulnerabilities

• As the use of Bash scripting becomes increasingly common, it’s important to consider the security risks associated with these scripts. Bash scripts can be an easy target for attackers, who may attempt to exploit vulnerabilities in your code to gain access to your system or execute malicious commands. In this article, we will discuss some tips for securing your Bash scripts and preventing vulnerabilities.

=> ↺ Lehigh Valley Health Network reveals attack by BlackCat

• The Lehigh Valley Health Network has been the target of a cyberattack from a suspected Russian ransomware group.

• In a statement issued Monday morning, LVHN President and CEO Brian A. Nester said, “Lehigh Valley Health Network has been the target of a cybersecurity attack by a ransomware gang, known as BlackCat, which has been associated with Russia. As of today, the attack has not disrupted LVHN’s operations. Based on our initial analysis, the attack was on the network supporting one physician practice located in Lackawanna County. We take this very seriously and protecting the data security and privacy of our patients, physicians and staff is critical.”

=> ↺ Data Leak Hits Thousands of NHS Workers

• An estimated 14,000 employees at a Liverpool NHS hospital trust have been informed that their data was leaked via email due to human error, according to reports.

• A file containing sensitive payroll information was sent to hundreds of NHS managers and 24 external accounts, according to an apology letter to victims from trust chief executive, James Sumner, seen by the Liverpool Echo.

• “The spreadsheet file included a hidden tab which contained staff personal information,” the letter read. “Whilst it was not visible to those receiving the email, it should not have been included in this spreadsheet. The information in this hidden tab included names, addresses, DOBs, NI numbers, gender, ethnicity, salary, it did not include bank account details.”

• Each of the 24 external recipients have been notified and confirmed deletion of the file, Sumner reportedly added.

=> ↺ Fake Ethereum Denver website linked to notorious phishing wallet

• Hackers continue to create fake Web3-enabled websites to fleece unsuspecting victims’ browser-based wallets, with ETHDenver being the latest victim.

Privacy/Surveillance

=> ↺ India issued new digital IDs in Jammu Kashmir, Surveillance concerns

• India is moving towards digitization  as the government is now planning to develop new digital ids in 2023 in Indian administrative Kashmir. According to the government, the new database will enhance the approach to public welfare,but many Muslim Kashmiris view this step of the government as expansion of its influence over their lives.

Defence/Aggression

=> ↺ The Global Footprint of Chinese Cyber Warfare and Espionage

• Turning the pages of history concerning the gradual progress of humankind, right from the ancient to the modern world, a common connecting link can be found. It is called War. But what makes this fact more interesting is the perpetually changing nature of war.

=> ↺ Japan To Give Ukraine $5.5 Billion, Host Online G7 Summit With Zelenskiy

• Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has announced a new $5.5 billion financial aid package for Ukraine and will mark the first anniversary of the war on February 24 by hosting an online Group of Seven summit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

=> ↺ Kremlin Warns Moldova As Tensions Rise Following Coup Plot Allegations

• The Kremlin has urged Moldova to exercise caution in its statements about Russian forces stationed in the breakaway Transdniester region just days after a new pro-Western government led by Prime Minister Dorin Recean was sworn in.

=> ↺ Swedish Military Intelligence Says Threat From Russia Has Increased

• Russia poses a clear military threat in Sweden’s immediate area but its forces are largely tied up in the war in Ukraine, the Swedish Military Intelligence and Security Service (MUST) said on February 20

=> ↺ Nigeria demands Finland to stop Lahti councillor’s armed revolt in southeastern Nigeria

• Nigeria has called on Finland to stop a Finnish politician from leading an armed revolt in southeastern Nigeria. Simon Ekpa, a local Lahti city councillor representing the National Coalition Party, is calling on millions of people to boycott upcoming Nigerian general elections next weekend, using social media. Ekpa is the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a separatist movement agitating for the secession of Biafra in southeastern Nigeria. IPOB also comprises the Eastern Security Network, which is a paramilitary group.

=> ↺ Central African Troops, Russians Inflicted Abuse In Central Africa, Says UN Expert

• Government forces and Russian allies in the Central African Republic have abused civilians, and Russian operatives have hampered peacekeeping operations there, a UN rights expert said on February 20. “

=> ↺ Biden Makes Surprise Trip to Ukraine Amid Anti-war Rally at Home

• “Billions of taxpayers’ dollars are being torched at the altar of U.S. hegemony, the military-industrial complex, and a corrupt Congress,” people protesting in Washington DC said.

=> ↺ White House gives Moscow heads-up about Biden’s Ukraine visit

• ​The White House said it gave Russia a heads up about President Biden’s surprise visit to Ukraine on Monday to avoid heightening tensions between the two nuclear powers.

=> ↺ Estonia Prime Minister demands accountability for alleged Russia war crimes

• Estonia’s Prime Minister Kaja Kallas Sunday asserted that Russia must be prosecuted for crimes of aggression when the war in Ukraine comes to an end. In an interview with the Associated Press, Kallas rejected the idea of ending the conflict with a peace deal and insisted that Moscow be held accountable for war crimes.

=> ↺ Lithuania to liquidate organisation that visited Minsk and Moscow

• A Vilnius court on Monday ruled to liquidate the International Forum of Good Neighborhood, an organisation co-founded by Algirdas Paleckis, a controversial Lithuanian figure convicted for spying for Russia.

=> ↺ Lithuanian FM calls for sanctions on Russia’s Rosatom

• Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis has called for sanctions against Russia’s state-owned energy corporation Rosatom.

=> ↺ Lithuanian Orthodox Church defies order to reinstate priests

• The Lithuanian Orthodox Church says if the five formerly defrocked priests return to serve, they would be committing a sin. The comment comes following the decision by the Patriarchate of Constantinople to reinstate the five priests who were fired from the church allegedly for their opposition to the war in Ukraine.

=> ↺ 600 German brigade troops to come to Lithuania for training

• Around 600 troops from the German brigade assigned to Lithuania are set to arrive in Lithuania this week to take part in the first exercise of the year, the Lithuanian Armed Forces said on Monday.

=> ↺ Wagner may test West’s response by attacking Baltics – Lithuanian president’s aide

• Russia’s mercenary group Wagner may try to test Western defence mechanisms by attacking the Baltic states, Kęstutis Budrys, President Gitanas Nausėda’s chief national security advisor, has said.

=> ↺ Lithuania mulls simplifying private land takeover for military infrastructure

• Lithuania’s Defence Ministry last week proposed simplifying the existing procedures for taking private land for public needs to develop military infrastructure.

=> ↺ Lithuanian president tried to derail Belarus sanctions, new book alleges

• A new book titled The Whistleblower and the President (Pranešėjas ir Prezidentas), published earlier this month, reveals more details about Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda’s conflict with the then foreign and defence ministers, Linas Linkevičius and Raimundas Karoblis.

=> ↺ Arrivals from Ukraine in Lithuania on decline, despite predictions of new refugee wave

• As winter approached, Lithuania started preparing for a new wave of refugees from Ukraine. However, these predictions did not materialise.

=> ↺ Record 6,542 Guns Intercepted at US Airport Security in 2022

• Last year saw a record number of guns intercepted at airport checkpoints across the country

=> ↺ China’s militarisation of meteorological balloons

• China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs was quick to claim that a spy balloon breaching US territorial airspace and flying close enough to military sites to monitor them…

=> ↺ Experts react: One year after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Biden meets with Zelenskyy in Kyiv

• Atlantic Council experts share their insights on the importance of Biden’s surprise trip to Kyiv and more at the one-year mark of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

=> ↺ China-Iran relations are warming. Here’s what the rest of the world should know.

• While much of the world is focused on Chinese balloons violating US airspace, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi recently flew to Beijing to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

=> ↺ Russian frigate pays “courtesy visit” to Durban

• Russian Navy frigate Admiral Gorshkov (pennant number 454) ported briefly in Durban en route to Richards Bay and Exercise Mosi II in what the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) said was “a courtesy visit”.

=> ↺ French sailor rescued by Russian Navy arrives in Cape Town

• A French national rescued in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean by a Russian Navy tanker heading for Exercise Mosi II with South Africa, has safely arrived in Cape Town, disembarking on Friday 17 February. The medium sea tanker Kama is supporting the frigate Admiral Gorshkov on a long-distance naval deployment in the Atlantic Ocean.

=> ↺ Guinea and Indonesia exploring aviation cooperation

• Indonesian Transport Minister Budi Karya Sumadi and his Guinean counterpart Felix Lamah in January signed a Letter of Intent (LoI), the first step in the two countries’ commitment to explore cooperation in the aviation sector. The initial cooperation agreement between the two countries will then be followed up at the technical level.

=> ↺ Live: ‘US will remain with Ukraine as long as it takes,’ Biden says on surprise Kyiv visit

• US President Joe Biden said his country would remain with Ukraine “as long as it takes” during a surprise visit to Kyiv, just days ahead of the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Washington has expressed concern that China may be considering supplying weapons to Russia, with Beijing’s top diplomat due to visit Moscow shortly.

=> ↺ President Joe Biden makes unannounced visit to Kyiv

• President Joe Biden has made an unannounced visit to Kyiv ahead of the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

=> ↺ War in Ukraine tests long-standing neutrality of some European nations

• Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022 not only brought war to Europe once again but saw Sweden and Finland formally apply for NATO membership, a decided shift away from the long-standing policies of neutrality cherished by several European countries.

=> ↺ US urges Turkey to green-light Sweden and Finland’s NATO applications

• Washington strongly supports Sweden and Finland’s quick NATO accession given steps they have already taken, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday, even as his Turkish counterpart stressed the need for more concrete action.

=> ↺ French army officially ends operations in Burkina Faso

• Burkina Faso announced on Sunday that operations by the French army in the jihadist-hit West African state were officially over, after bilateral relations soured in recent months.

=> ↺ Halyna Hitchins’ widower set to testify in Alec Baldwin’s manslaughter case

• Matthew Hutchins was added to the witness list after earlier saying he “will fully cooperate with this prosecution” of Baldwin.

Environment

=> ↺ Fragile ice sheets could raise sea level by metres, study finds

• Parts of Earth’s ice sheets that could lift global oceans by metres will likely crumble with another half degree Celsius of warming, and are fragile in ways not previously understood, according to new research.

Energy/Transportation

=> ↺ China unveils hydrogen-powered bicycle

• Chinese enterprise Youon Technology has launched a hydrogen-powered bicycle.

=> ↺ Denmark uses new method to collect debt from public

• Last year saw Denmark’s public debt collection agency Gældsstyrelsen collect a record amount from people with debts to the state.

=> ↺ Danish consumers paid ’60 million kroner too much’ for energy

• Around 600 companies who transport energy in Denmark have not been sufficiently checked for correct pricing, according to the Danish state auditor.

=> ↺ 230,000 workers in Danish industry get pay rise in bargaining agreement

• A new collective bargaining agreement between an employers’ association and trade union will push wages up by four percent over the next two years.

Finance

=> ↺ Families ditch lifestyle homes for affordability

• Families are gravitating towards affordable, city-fringe locations as cost of living pressures take a toll on household budgets. The latest version of Domain’s school zone report revealed shifting priorities among Australian families from catchments with a lifestyle appeal, such as near the coast or national parks, to less expensive locations.

=> ↺ US fashion sector proving resilient so far for Future

• The company said it sees “huge headroom” for growth in the segment.

=> ↺ Why demographics and not interest rates are to blame for property prices

• Interest rates may contribute to short-term jumps in house prices, but over the long term, factors such as population growth have a much bigger impact.

=> ↺ French Pension Reform Resentment Seen Boosting Le Pen

=> ↺ UK Healthcare Strikes to Intensify as Junior Doctors Vote to Walk Out

AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

=> ↺ A Qatari bid for Manchester United raises issues for European soccer

• A Qatari royal and one of the UK’s richest people submitted bids for Manchester United, one of the world’s most successful soccer clubs, currently owned by the US Glazer family.

=> ↺ The MSM Never Was Objective—and It Never Questioned Power, Either

• Iain Davis In his excellent exposé of the recent decision by the Knight-Cronkite News Lab (KCNL) to advocate journalism that goes beyond objectivity, and in light of the report from the Columbia Journalism Review (CJR) confirming that RussiaGate was fabricated nonsense, genuinely independent researcher, writer and filmmaker James Corbett made a number of very salient points.

=> ↺ Presidents’ Day Is a Good Reminder To Treat the Presidency With Skepticism

• While the office was created with “modest authority and limited responsibilities,” the modern president has increasingly unchecked power and authority.

=> ↺ Black Hand – A Match Made in Hell

• How the satanic-themed sex parties of Horace Dibben helped collapse the British government.

=> ↺ Stand News trial: Article caused ‘groundless’ concern over Hong Kong security law, says prosecution

• A Hong Kong veteran journalist began testifying over an allegedly “seditious” profile of a now-detained democrat on Monday, as the sedition trial against a shuttered news outlet Stand News entered its 33rd day.

=> ↺ Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai asks court to prevent Beijing ruling from affecting his hiring of UK lawyer

• Pro-democracy media mogul Jimmy Lai has asked the High Court to prevent Beijing’s recent interpretation of the national security law from affecting an earlier ruling that allowed him to be represented by a UK lawyer at his upcoming trial. T

=> ↺ Members of Hong Kong pro-democracy party plead not guilty to collecting donations without permit

• The leader and two members of the League of Social Democrats (LSD) – one of the few active pro-democracy groups remaining in Hong Kong – have pleaded not guilty to collecting donations without a permit at street booths in Mong Kok.

=> ↺ Black cobra caught at Malaysia PM Anwar’s home in Kajang

• The snake is about 1m long and weighs about 800g.

=> ↺ Leading UK publishers increase investment in Ozone share advertising platform

• News publishers announce new investment in the Ozone Project.

Misinformation/Disinformation/Propaganda

=> ↺ Fox News 2020 Election Coverage Decisions Demonstrate that Demand for Misinformation is a Bigger Problem than the Supply

• Major Fox talk show hosts knew that Trump’s claims of a stolen election were false, but chose not to say so on air, for fear that it would anger their audience.

=> ↺ Finnish grammar foils pro-Russia trolls

• Attempts by trolls to write the sentence “Nato cannot save Finland” in Finnish failed because the language has two different words for ‘save’, with two completely different meanings.

=> ↺ Nato chief Stoltenberg headed to Finland

• Stoltenberg is scheduled to attend a Nordic Social Democratic parties meeting on 28 February.

=> ↺ Finland spends €11m on sniper rifles

• The TRG M10 precision rifle systems can hit a variety of targets at ranges exceeding 1,400 metres, according to the Ministry of Defence.

Censorship/Free Speech

=> ↺ Salman Rushdie calls changes to Roald Dahl books ‘absurd censorship’

• Author Salman Rushdie on Monday decried the editing of Roald Dahl’s children’s books by so-called sensitivity experts looking to appease a modern audience, calling the changes “absurd censorship.”

=> ↺ The Most Censored Stories of The Year, with Andy Lee Roth

• Andy Lee Roth joins Lee Camp to cover Project Censored’s annual Top 25 Most Censored Stories of the past year that are underreported or neglected by mainstream media.

Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press

=> ↺ Hong Kong journalist Bao Choy launches new media outlet amid ‘collapsing’ press freedom

• Hong Kong journalist Bao Choy has vowed to “monitor the rich and powerful” and “seek truth” with her newly launched media outlet The Collective HK.

Civil Rights/Policing

=> ↺ CRO’s Helpline: a direct line and a European database on online gender-based violence

• An official helpline for victims of online violence is active on the CRO Cyber Rights Organization website: “A direct line between survivors of cybercrime and gender-based online violence and the legal and IT cyber assistance activities of our team of international experts”, explains Director Annachiara Sarto. 

=> ↺ WaPo Columnist Says The Quiet Part Out Loud About Attacks On The Judiciary

• “A sustained campaign of condemnation isn’t going to push these judges to write liberal opinions, but it could chasten them toward more moderate ones.”

=> ↺ Hong Kong’s homeless population needs better psychiatric support, NGO says

• Psychiatrists should be included in government-funded homeless outreach teams in Hong Kong to help refer street sleepers with mental illness to public hospitals for treatment, an advocacy group has said.

=> ↺ Myanmar: Prominent Religious Leader on Trial

=> ↺ Judge Orders Closed-Door Trial Of Belarusian Activist Belavus

• A court in Minsk has granted a prosecution request to hold a closed-door trial of journalist Paval Belavus on charges related to his participation in anti-government protests.

=> ↺ Belarus Expels Three Polish Diplomats As Tensions Mount

• Belarus has expelled three Polish diplomats, the Polish Foreign Ministry confirmed on February 20, according to the Onet.pl news service.

=> ↺ Iranians Stage Fresh Anti-Government Protests Despite Security Crackdown

• Iranian protesters have staged new anti-government protests in several neighborhoods of the capital, Tehran, in a continued show of defiance amid unrest over the death of a young woman while in police custody for allegedly wearing a head scarf improperly.

=> ↺ South Sudanese Refugee Goes Missing in Kenya

=> ↺ Tunisia court should quash convictions against homosexuality, says Amnesty International

• Amnesty International Sunday called for a Tunisian lower court to quash convictions against two LGBTQ+ individuals who were convicted for homosexuality. A transgender woman and gay man were arrested along with six others December 11, 2022 in a raid carried out by the Gorjeni Judicial Police Brigade.

Internet Policy/Net Neutrality

=> ↺ Google faces Supreme Court in case that could decide future of Section 230

• Open arguments before the nine justices are scheduled to begin on Tuesday.

=> ↺ Google Supreme Court Case Tests Whether Tech Firms Are Liable for User Content

• Section 230 helped the internet flourish. Now its scope is under scrutiny.

Monopolies

Patents

=> ↺ PATCEPTA Kick Off Meeting a Success!

• On February 16, 2023, Unified Patents marked the kick off of PATCEPTA, a new open source rules engine for improving patent prosecution and management through automation. We invite any interested party to join in order to help foster a new generation of IP management practices using open source software.

• Additionally, this meeting marked the announcement of the publication of the first open source patent and trademark ruleset (https://github.com/patcepta/.github). 

Gemini* and Gopher

Politics

=> ↺ Mandatory Planet-Wrecking

• Right wing think tanks (like ALEC and TPPF) are pushing laws that would prevent state agencies from contracting with financial companies unless they prop up fossil fuels, and Texas has already signed into law an implementation of their model bill.

• “Free trade, free speech for me but not for you” seems to be their motto. “Regulation, overreach for you but not for me”, their jam.

Technical

=> ↺ Random SSL Things

• One is that we’re supposed to call it TLS; apparently Microsoft had too much pride to take a knee and use a Netscape protocol, and so SSL had to be renamed.

=> ↺ Eyeball-Minute Land

• Just as we pay our electric company by the kilowatt-hour, modern media, from cable channels to newspapers to recipe blogs to social media, is paid by the eyeball-minute. More eyeball-minutes equal more ads equal more money. It’s not enough for a site to have good content, provide it to their users, and then have those users fuck off and do something else. The pool of new users to extract eyeball-minutes from would run dry quickly. Users must instead be kept “engaged” with new content which is constantly evolving to their tastes.

=> ↺ Internet Office Hours, a new podcast

• @frotz@mstdn.games, @phf@tabletop.social and I recorded a podcast episode! The podcast has exactly one episode. No promises for more. But we had fun doing it, and I like the format: We all come unprepared, everybody can propose a topic and then we decide what to talk about. This time we decided to talk about the idea of having rules without a setting.

=> ↺ Yak Attak

• My biggest coup in this regard is getting OpenJDK 19 running. I have little grokage as to what the actual differences are amongst the arm architectures. My system is 64 bit on Raspi 4B, and it seems to be able to handle aarch64 “sometimes”, if I respecify that as armhf.

=> ↺ Freezr “P.E.B.C.A.K.”

• I already had a similar board before: the Pine64 Rock64 (4GB); that I bought for the same reason (cheap price) and I sold right after for the same issue I am having right now: poor OS support.

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