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● 03.05.23

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● Links 05/03/2023: Linux 6.3 RC1 and GStreamer 1.22.1

Posted in News Roundup at 9:39 pm by Dr. Roy Schestowitz

GNU/Linux

=> ↺ Linux Around The World: Bulgaria

• We cover user groups that are running in Bulgaria. This article forms part of our Linux Around The World series.

Kernel Space

=> ↺ Linus Torvalds Announces First Linux Kernel 6.3 Release Candidate

• The two-week merge window for Linux kernel 6.3 opened automatically with the release of Linux 6.2, and now, the first Release Candidate (RC) development version is available for early adopters, distro maintainers, and bleeding-edge users who want to get a glimpse of what’s about to be included in the final release.

• As expected, Linux kernel 6.3 will introduce several new features and improvements, as well as new and updated drivers for better hardware support.

=> ↺ Linux 6.3-rc1

Applications

GStreamer: GStreamer 1.22.1 stable bug fix release The GStreamer team is pleased to announce the first bug fix release in the stable 1.22 release series of your favourite cross-platform multimedia framework! This release only contains bugfixes and it should be safe to update from 1.22.0. Highlighted bugfixes:audio channel-mix: allow up to 64 channels (instead of up to 63 channels)avfvideosrc: Don’t wait on main thread for permissions requestavvidenc: avoid generating inaccurate output timestamps, especially with variable framerate streamsAV1 video codec caps signalling improvements in various elementscodectimestamper: Fix timestamping on sequence updated3d11overlaycompositor: fix texture width and heightd3d11videosink: Fix rendering on external handledashdemux2: fix seek operation taking a log time to finish for some streamsnvencoder: Fix B-frame encoding on Linux and min buffers in auto GPU modeplaybin3: fixing buffering for live pipelinesplaybin: fix potential deadlock when stopping stream with subtitles visibleredenc: fix setting of extension ID for twccrtspsrc: improved compatibility with more broken RTSP serversv4l2h264dec: Fix Raspberry Pi4 will not play video in applicationvtdec: fix jittery playback of H.264 Level 4.1 movies in macOSvtdec: Fix non-deterministic frame output after flushing seeksvtenc: fix handling of interlaced ProRes on Apple M1 hardwarevtenc: don’t advertise ARGB/RGBA64 input caps on M1 Pro/Max with macOS <13wasapi2src: Fix loopback capture on Windows 10 Anniversary Updatetools: better handling of non-ASCII command line arguments on Windowsgst-libav: fix build against newer ffmpeg versionsgst-python: Use arch-specific install dir for gi overridescerbero: Fix setuptools site.py breakage in Python 3.11macOS packages: Fix broken binaries on macos < 11.0various bug fixes, memory leak fixes, and other stability and reliability improvements

=> ↺ ‘Please’ is a Motivational ‘Start Page’ for Your Terminal

=> ↺ Linux GIF Recorder ‘Peek’ Discontinued by Developer

• Animated GIF screen recorder Peek makes it super-easy to capture a section of your screen and save it as a GIF online — but development has come to an end.

=> ↺ Top 10 Kali Linux Tools for Ethical Hackers

• Kali Linux is a popular and powerful penetration testing operating system used by ethical hackers to identify vulnerabilities and secure computer networks. It provides a comprehensive suite of tools that are designed to perform various types of security assessments.

=> ↺ Open Source Screen Readers for Visually Impaired users

• In today’s digital age, computers and the internet are integral parts of our daily lives. However, for individuals with visual impairments, accessing computers and the internet can be a significant challenge. Screen readers are crucial tools that make it possible for visually impaired individuals to use computers and access the

Instructionals/Technical

=> ↺ 2023-03-04 Sweet Home 3D 7.1 Released, How to install it for Linux

• The popular free interior design software Sweet Home 3D announced the 7.1 release a day ago. Here’s how to install it in Ubuntu Linux.

=> ↺ The beginner’s guide to using terminal on Linux Mint

• Linux Mint is an open-source operating system known for its ease of use, reliability, and security. It is based on Ubuntu and Debian and comes with various pre-installed software packages that make it suitable for personal and professional use. One of the most powerful and versatile tools in Linux Mint is its renowned terminal, which allows users to interact directly with the system through a command-line interface.

=> ↺ How to install and use Flatpak on Linux Mint

• Linux Mint is a popular open-source operating system that offers users a stable and reliable computing experience. While it comes with a wide range of pre-installed applications, there may be times when you need to install additional software to meet specific needs and requirements. This is where Flatpak comes in – a universal packaging format that makes it easy to install and run applications on Linux.

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

• Zoom is a video conferencing platform that has gained immense popularity recently due to its ease of use, reliability, and scalability. It competes with other video conferencing solutions, including Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, Cisco Webex, and Skype. Microsoft Teams is an all-in-one communication and collaboration platform that integrates with Microsoft’s suite of productivity tools.

=> ↺ How to Install Microsoft Edge on Ubuntu 22.04 or 20.04

• Microsoft Edge is a web browser developed by Microsoft and was first introduced in 2015 as the default browser for Windows 10. Since then, it has become popular among users due to its advanced features and clean interface.

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

• TeamViewer is a popular software application that allows users to access and control computers and mobile devices remotely. It is a cross-platform solution that can be used on various operating systems, including Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS.

=> ↺ Install LAMP Stack on Rocky Linux 9 {Step by Step}

• LAMP is a popular stack in software development that combines various software technologies to create a platform for both static and dynamic web applications. Developers love LAMP for its ease of deployment and customization. It was introduced by Michael Kunze in 1998, and its acronym stands for Linux, Apache, MySQL (or MariaDB), and PHP.

=> ↺ 2023-03-04 Taking a Better Photo of a CRT Screen with a Phone

=> ↺ 2023-03-03 Enabling IPFire for 5G

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

• Geeqie is a free, open-source image viewer and organizer for Linux, Unix, and MacOS systems. It provides users with advanced features like image file format support, color management, and batch processing. Geeqie was initially released in 2008 as a fork of the GQview image viewer, which was discontinued.

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

• Wine, also known as WineHQ (Wine Is Not an Emulator), is a compatibility layer that enables users to run Windows applications on Unix-like operating systems such as Linux, macOS, and FreeBSD. Instead of emulating a complete Windows environment, Wine translates Windows application programming interface (API) calls into POSIX (Portable Operating System Interface) calls.

=> ↺ How to Install Draw.io on Manjaro Linux

• Draw.io is a web-based diagramming tool that allows users to create, collaborate and share diagrams easily. It offers a wide range of features and templates that make it easy to create professional diagrams for various purposes, including flowcharts, network diagrams, UML diagrams, and more.

=> ↺ 15 essential Bash networking tools for troubleshooting and optimization

• Regarding networking on the command line, Bash provides a wide range of tools that can be incredibly useful for network troubleshooting, monitoring, and optimization. From basic tools like ping and traceroute to more advanced tools like hping3 and socat, these tools can be used to diagnose network connectivity issues, monitor network traffic and bandwidth usage, scan your local network for connected devices, and even create complex network configurations.

=> ↺ How to Use RecoverPy to Rescue Deleted Files on Linux

• Accidentally deleting a file on your Linux system can completely ruin your day, and wreck your productivity. While there are dedicated tools and even complete distros for recovering accidentally erased files, RecoverPy is the quickest and easiest way to recover deleted files on Linux.

=> ↺ How to rename a GIT branch

• Hello, friends. This post is quite short, but it can help more than one novice programmer. Today, you will learn how to rename a GIT branch. Let’s go for it. When we as programmers work with GIT, there can always be an innocent mistake when creating development branches.

=> ↺ Mastering Linux inxi Commands: A Comprehensive Guide

• Linux is a powerful and versatile system that can be used for a wide range of applications. One of the key advantages of Linux is the vast array of command-line tools and utilities available to users.

=> ↺ Sweet Home 3D 7.1 Released, How to install it for Linux

• The popular free interior design software Sweet Home 3D announced the 7.1 release a day ago. Here’s how to install it in Ubuntu Linux.

=> ↺ Install VirtualBox Guest Additions on Linux Mint 21

• Follow through this tutorial to learn how you can easily install VirtualBox guest additions on Linux Mint 21. VirtualBox guest additions consist of device drivers and system applications that optimize the guest operating system for better performance and usability.

=> ↺ Easy way to Install Linux Mint 21 on VirtualBox

• How to install Linux Mint Cinnamon virtual machine? Follow through this tutorial to learn an easy way to install Linux Mint 21 on VirtualBox.

=> ↺ How to Set Up and Use Syncthing to Sync Files on Linux

• Keep your files in sync across multiple devices with Syncthing on Linux. Follow our step-by-step guide to get started today.

=> ↺ How to Work with Containers in TrueNAS

• TrueNAS is a Network Attached Storage software you can deploy to your LAN or a third-party cloud host.

=> ↺ How To Install GitHub Desktop on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS

• In this tutorial, we will show you how to install GitHub Desktop on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS. For those of you who didn’t know, GitHub Desktop is a graphical user interface (GUI) for Git version control.

=> ↺ How To Install VLC Media Player on Fedora 37

• In this tutorial, we will show you how to install VLC Media Player on Fedora 37.

Distributions and Operating Systems

BSD

=> ↺ New mirror

• There’s a new DragonFly mirror in Portugal, noted on the mirrors page.

Fedora Family / IBM

=> ↺ Testing ChatGPT Ansible playbooks, building RHEL homelabs, and more tips for sysadmins

• Check out Enable Sysadmin’s top 10 articles from February 2023.

Devices/Embedded

=> ↺ PineTab 2 Linux Tablet Price & Potential Release Date

• Been pining to hear more about the PineTab 2 Linux tablet?

Mobile Systems/Mobile Applications

=> ↺ How to Read Classic Literature for Free on Android: The 4 Best Apps

=> ↺ 9to5Google Weekender: Why you should lock down your Android phone and this week’s top stories

=> ↺ The best Android versions ever, ranked – Android Authority

=> ↺ The first detail about Android 15 has already been leaked!

Free, Libre, and Open Source Software

Programming/Development

=> ↺ Cross build and packaging

• Introduction Let’s start by clarifying what we mean by cross-building and cross-packaging. Cross-compilation is the process of compiling source code on one platform, called the host, in order to generate an executable binary for a different target platform. The emphasis here is on the word “different”. The target platform may have a different CPU architecture, such as when we work on an x86 computer and want to build software for a Raspberry Pi board with an ARM CPU.

=> ↺ Advanced Bash Scripting Techniques for Linux Administrators

• Bash is a powerful scripting language that is widely used in Linux and Unix environments for automation and system administration. With Bash scripting, system administrators can automate repetitive tasks, manage servers, and perform complex operations. However, mastering Bash scripting requires more than just basic knowledge of syntax and variables.

=> ↺ Keyboard Shortcuts in Nano

• Nano is a popular text editor used on Unix-based operating systems like Linux.

=> ↺ 20 Common JavaScript Interview Questions and Answers

• JavaScript is one of the most popular programming languages in the world. As a result, it is also one of the most frequently asked topics in technical interviews.

=> ↺ AWK: String functions

• Awk is a powerful text processing tool that is commonly used for manipulating and analyzing data in Unix and Linux environments. One of the key features of awk is its ability to manipulate strings using a wide variety of built-in functions.

Leftovers

=> ↺ Tultepec’s ‘castles’: an art born from Mexico’s fireworks obsession

• While today, pyrotechnics displays are mostly managed by computers, in places like Tultepec, México state, they’re still the work of artisans.

=> ↺ Depressed in paradise? You’re not alone

• Language and culture differences make getting help difficult, but then there’s also admitting that you’re unhappy in your dream destination.

=> ↺ Cultural lag: A depressed society

• Culture- a word that implies a specific society’s normative beliefs, customs, values, disciplinary chains, way of conduct, and behavior pattern also. In the simplest word, Culture is what we are. Before having a grave air in this discussion, let’s have a break by taking a deep breath into the fresh air.

=> ↺ Penis Enlargement and Hair Loss Cures

• Todd Hayen I don’t know about you, but I am flooded with emails that are touting some miracle cure for the two male issues pointed out in the title above and a multiplicity of other such “miracles.” The title suggests things men might be more interested in (ya think?)…

=> ↺ New product: EAMaster Extended Attribute manager and editor

• Keith Merrington has released a new graphical tool for managing all sorts of EAs on files, from Single Value EAs to Multi-Value EAs, with a variety of content.

=> ↺ How to Integrate Weather Data into Your IoT Devices for Better Performance

• Combining IoT devices with weather APIs can be very powerful, as it allows businesses and individuals to gather detailed information about the weather conditions in a specific location and use this data to make more informed decisions.

=> ↺ IoT board supports WiFi, Bluetooth, NB-IoT, Cat-M and GNSS with ESP32-S3 and SIM7080G modules

• LILYGO T-SIM7080G-S3 is an ESP32-S3 WiFi and Bluetooth IoT board with a SIMcom SIM7080G LTE Cat-M (eMTC), NB-IoT, and GNSS module for low-power long-range connectivity and asset tracking. The board also comes with a 18650 battery holder, a solar panel input, a microSD card slot, a camera port, and several I/Os and provides an alternative to the TTGO T-Beam ESP32 board that relies on LoRaWAN for long-range connectivity instead.

=> ↺ ‘Erdogan resign!’: Earthquake fallout threatens strongman’s chances

• With elections in May, Erdogan has been kissing babies and asking for forgiveness, but criminal complaints and voters are pinning the scale of the disaster on him.

=> ↺ Organising DOS software and drivers in an ISO

• 8-bit Commodore computers aside, my first love is still probably DOS. It was the first OS I had experience with as a kid, even before the old Apple IIs my primary school inherited. We’re spoiled for choice when it comes to virtualising it on our contemporary systems, and there’s still (mostly) a wide availability of software and drivers available.

• (If I could tap into my inner Amelia Watson or Ouro Kronii, I’d travel back to the early 1990s and whisper AMIGA into my dad’s ear before he bought home our first family PC clone. But then, he specifically bought a PC because he used XTs and ATs at work, so that would likely have not made a difference. One can dream).

• But in another form of what I dub the Buffet Problem, you end up downloading a ton of stuff into various folders, and it quickly becomes unwieldy. As an example, I’ll buy a EGA graphics card for an old machine, and soon my current desktop is full of archives and folders of various drivers, utilities, and versions of those drivers and utilities to try. Being from different places and times, there’s no consistency to their naming, or archive type. Even if something works, I soon forget which it was, and the whole exercise repeats.

=> ↺ Gideon The Ninth

Education

=> ↺ A top university doesn’t guarantee top graduates – let’s treat rankings with a degree of scepticism

• Legislators have been making a fuss over the inclusion in Hong Kong’s “Top Talent Pass” scheme of a work visa for He Jiankui. Professor He has a criminal record, albeit a rather exotic and unusual one: he was convicted of doing unauthorised research after editing the genes of unborn babies.

Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

=> ↺ As masks come off, Hong Kong children may struggle to face the world

• As a kindergarten principal in Hong Kong, Reann Lau was used to seeing children’s smiles when they laughed, and their pouts in moments of sulky silence. But the last time she walked into a classroom full of facial expressions was over three years ago, before Covid-19 arrived in the city and residents masked up.

=> ↺ Social workers experienced depression during pandemic, finds study

• Concerning rates of depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety among social workers have been uncovered in a new study published in the journal International Social Work.

• Stressors related to COVID-19 were the strongest factors associated with negative mental health outcomes.

=> ↺ India relaxes rules to support right to ‘die with dignity’

• NEW DELHI – Back in December 2020, Dr Nikhil Datar pledged to donate his organs and hopefully save lives even after his death. He took another step recently – this time to ensure his death is as painless and dignified as possible.

Security

=> ↺ Medicare under attack: Healthcare data breaches increase fraud risks

• Stealing Medicare beneficiary identification numbers has become the latest goal for cybercriminals who see this data as even more valuable than stolen credit cards

• A South Florida man pled guilty in federal court in late-January to “conspiring to buy and sell more than 2.6 million Medicare beneficiary identification numbers” and other personal information. His guilty plea was one of the first prosecutions under the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015, which makes it “illegal to buy, sell, or distribute Medicare beneficiary identification numbers without proper authority.”

=> ↺ Tennessee State, Southeastern Louisiana universities hit with cyberattacks

• Two universities in Tennessee and Louisiana are struggling with cyberattacks that have crippled campus services and left students scrambling to find alternative tools.

• Tennessee State University — a public historically black land-grant university in Nashville — notified its more than 8,000 students on Wednesday that its IT systems were brought down by a ransomware attack. […]

• The attack on Tennessee State was preceded by another cyberattack on Monday affecting Southeastern Louisiana University, which initially reported network issues five days ago.

• On Tuesday, the university confirmed in a statement that the incident was a cyberattack. The school did not respond to questions about whether ransomware was involved but noted that it had taken the entire campus network offline “as a preventative measure.”

Privacy/Surveillance

=> ↺ ‘Down with the police state,’ chant thousands of protesters in Tunisia

• Thousands of people marched through Tunisia’s capital on Saturday, decrying an expanding crackdown on opposition voices and rising inflation as the country’s largest trade union called on President Kais Saied to accept “dialogue”.

=> ↺ 3 Hong Kong Tiananmen vigil group activists convicted of refusing national security data demand

• Three former leaders of a group which organised Hong Kong’s annual Tiananmen vigil have been convicted under the Beijing-imposed national security law for failing to give police information on members and other data.

=> ↺ Google audit reveals steps taken by the company to protect civil rights

• Google Friday released a report that analyzed the effects of the company’s policies and procedures on civil rights of its staff and consumers. The audit pointed out Google’s efforts in ensuring anti-discrimination is practised in its hiring and recruitment process as well as its retention program.

Confidentiality

=> ↺ Hacker stole bank account, Social Security numbers, and health plan info of Colorado school district employees

• Personal information belonging to some 15,000 Denver Public Schools (DPS) employees was stolen in what the district is calling a “cybersecurity incident” that went on for a month.

• In a message shared on the DPS website Friday, DPS said employees discovered in January that data had been taken from the district’s network by an “unauthorized actor.” […]

• The information stolen included the names and Social Security numbers of current and former participants in the DPS employee health plan, employee fingerprints, bank account numbers or pay card numbers, driver’s license numbers, passport numbers and health plan enrollment information.

=> ↺ City of Modesto to notify people whose people information was accessed in last month’s ransomware attack

• On Thursday, the city said that it has been responding to a ransomware attack since last month and that a “limited amount” of the personal information of some people was compromised.

• That information included social security numbers, state-issued identification numbers, phone numbers, and driver’s license information.

• The city said it would begin notifying by mail next week those who may have been impacted by the attack and will provide them with free credit monitoring services.

=> ↺ The Chautauqua Center notifies patients of breach; changes EMR provider

• The Chautauqua Center (TCC) in New York has disclosed a HIPAA breach by a business associate. The business associate’s error resulted in the protected health information of 747 physical and occupational therapy patients being made accessible to other covered entities.

• According to their notification letter to those affected, the breach occurred on December 22nd at WebPT. WebPT provides electronic medical records (EMR) services for Chautauqua Physical and Occupational Therapy.

Defence/Aggression

=> ↺ China will spend 7.2% more on defence in 2023

• China’s defence spending will grow by 7.2 per cent in 2023 to 1.55 trillion yuan (S$302 billion), a shade higher than the 7.1 per cent hike in 2022.

=> ↺ 2023-03-05 Companies circumvent Russia sanctions by exporting to third countries: 45 criminal investigations

=> ↺ I Read the Biden Administration’s New Cyber Policy So You Don’t Have To

• Since taking office, Joe Biden has made it known that he’s going to take cybercrime seriously. It’s not the case that Biden is the world’s most tech-savvy octonarian, rather, he’s simply responding to security challenges that have developed on his watch—most notably a string of increasingly destructive cyberattacks…

=> ↺ Top Bug Bounty Hackers in 2022

• In the past few years, especially the last decade, the real major hero are the guys in the chair. They’re as much the heroes as the ones in capes or tuxedoes who they help from the shadows.

=> ↺ One year later, why do Russians still support the war?

• After February 24, 2022, it became apparent that most Russians supported what Putin called “a special military operation.” Yet, weeks later, most Russians still supported an obvious full-scale war with a neighboring nation, the war that killed thousands and split families apart.

=> ↺ Maritime Cybersecurity: A Potential Threat to India’s National Security

• India has a huge coastline of 7516.6km comprising 13 major ports (including one private port) and more than 200 minor ports across the coastline. It is a very known fact that the maritime sector is very crucial for India’s security, stability, economy, and sustainable development.

=> ↺ Russia Has Lost Soft Power War with Ukraine – Global Soft Power Index 2023

• Russia is the world’s only nation brand to lose soft power over the past year, while Ukraine has seen the strongest soft power improvement, according to the Global Soft Power Index 2023 released today.

=> ↺ Sub-Saharan migrants in Tunisia living in ‘climate of fear’ after surge in racist attacks

• Hundreds of sub-Saharan migrants fled Tunisia on repatriation flights Saturday after a surge in racist attacks in the North African country following a controversial speech from President President Kais Saied. As tensions reach boiling point, FRANCE 24 talked to Patrick*, a Congolese student who decided to stay despite fearing for his safety.

=> ↺ In DR Congo, Macron pledges aid, warns of sanctions if peace efforts are derailed

• French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday pledged 34 million euros ($36 million) as part of an EU aid package to conflict-hit eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. On the final stop in Kinshasa of his four-nation African tour, Macron said any party seeking to derail peace efforts should face sanctions.

=> ↺ Threat to kill Jewish members of Michigan government allegedly included Attorney General Dana Nessel

• A Michigan man allegedly threatened, on Twitter, to kill Jewish members of the Michigan State Government in February, according to the FBI. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel claimed on Thursday that she was one of the individuals targeted.

=> ↺ North Korea says UN should demand end to South’s military drills with US

• Drills are raising tensions that threaten to spiral out of control, says North’s foreign ministry.

=> ↺ Iran vows to restore nuclear cameras, boost inspections, says IAEA chief

• The head of the U.N.’s nuclear agency said Saturday that Iran pledged to restore cameras and other monitoring equipment at its nuclear sites and to allow more inspections at a facility where particles of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade were recently detected.

=> ↺ Ukrainian forces cling to Bakhmut under severe Russian pressure

• Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu on Saturday has carried out an inspection of the front line in eastern Ukraine, according to the ministry, as fighting raged around the besieged city of Bakhmut. Ukrainian forces defending the eastern city are facing increasingly strong pressure from Russian forces, British intelligence said. Read about the day’s events as they unfolded on our liveblog.

=> ↺ Hundreds of West African migrants flee Tunisia after President Saied’s controversial crackdown

• Some 300 West African migrants were set to leave Tunisia on repatriation flights Saturday, fearful of a wave of violence since President Kais Saied delivered a controversial tirade last month.

=> ↺ Germany’s Scholz announced tectonic policy shifts, but a year on, not much has budged

• German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited Washington for talks with US President Joe Biden on Friday, with Ukraine the sole item on the agenda. This comes just over a year after Scholz’s momentous “Zeitenwende” speech in reaction to the Russian invasion, in which he vowed radical changes to Germany’s defence and security policies. But analysts say Germany is failing to meet the expectations Scholz set.

=> ↺ EU announces new tribunal to prosecute Russia crimes of aggression from Ukraine war

• The EU Saturday agreed to establish a new tribunal to prosecute Russian crimes of aggression committed during the war in Ukraine. The tribunal, the International Center for the Prosecution of Crimes of Aggression against Ukraine (ICPA), is designed to fill in any gaps in prosecution from the International Criminal Court (ICC).

=> ↺ US sanctions 6 individuals connected with ‘arbitrary detention’ of Russia anti-war critic

• The US Treasury Department Friday sanctioned six people involved in the arbitrary detention of Russian war critic Vladimir Kara-Murza. Kara-Murza is currently detained in a Russian prison awaiting trial on several criminal charges, which the US claimed are the product of the “Kremlin manipulating Russia’s legal system to silence dissent.”

=> ↺ Lithuania signs cybersecurity cooperation agreement with Israel

• Lithuania’s Defence Ministry and the Israel National Cyber Directorate have signed an agreement providing for bilateral expert consultations and cooperation in strengthening the resilience of critical infrastructure.

=> ↺ Aussies in hot water as smart meters slash power bills

=> ↺ Russia Reportedly Set To Mothball Damaged Nord Stream Gas Pipelines

• Russia’s ruptured undersea Nord Stream gas pipelines are set to be sealed up and mothballed as there are no immediate plans to repair or reactivate them, sources familiar with the plans have told Reuters.

=> ↺ EU Official Warns Of Sanctions If China Crosses ‘Red Line’ And Arms Russia

• It would be an absolute “red line” if China provided weapons to Russia, a senior European Union official said on March 3, adding that the EU would respond with sanctions.

=> ↺ Hungary’s delegation to meet Swedish and Finnish lawmakers for talks on NATO accession bid ratification

• Hungary has once again delayed a vote on the ratification of Sweden and Finland’s NATO accession bids, further frustrating Western allies. Hungary is the only NATO member, aside from Turkey, that has not yet approved the two Nordic countries’ bids to join the alliance. The latest delay pushes the vote back by two weeks to the parliamentary session beginning March 20.

=> ↺ The Threat and the Allure of the Chinese Balloons

• Even balloons launched for scientific reasons have always carried political ballast.

=> ↺ Premature peace with Putin would be disastrous for international security

• Perhaps the best way to illustrate the perils of appeasing Putin with a premature peace deal is by imagining where the world would be today if Ukraine had indeed fallen one year ago, writes Peter Dickinson.

=> ↺ Russian War Report: DFRLab confirms increased Russian air force activity as Kremlin strives to achieve air dominance

• Russia intensified its air power in recent weeks across airfields in Crimea and Rostov Oblast. Elsewhere, Russia continues to pressure Bahkmut.

Environment

=> ↺ Number of flood evacuees in Malaysia soars to nearly 49,000

• The continuous rain has caused rivers to break their banks and drown villages, roads and vehicles.

=> ↺ Inaccessible roads hampering flood relief efforts in Malaysia

• Nearly 41,000 people were sheltering in hundreds of relief centres all over the country.

=> ↺ The environmental disaster inside your sweet chocolate treat

• When you sit down to enjoy some chocolate, you should know that it has already gone through an environmental and ethical minefield.

Energy/Transportation

=> ↺ Guy Embezzles Cool $9 Million From Poop-to-Energy Ponzi Scheme

• Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: A guy embezzled nearly $9 million by convincing investors he was turning cow poop into green energy—and then not building any of the machines at all.

=> ↺ Soldiers nab cable theft suspect at Camden power station

• That foot patrols remain integral to military operations and taskings is shown again by part-time soldiers temporarily stationed at Camden power station outside Ermelo in Mpumalanga. The soldiers on duty there are from the Barberton-based General Botha Regiment and support Eskom security personnel.

=> ↺ Bankman-Fried can have flip phone on bail, US proposes

• Sam Bankman-Fried should be allowed while on bail to have a flip phone with no internet capability and a basic laptop with limited functions but be forbidden from using other electronic communication devices, the US Department of Justice says.

=> ↺ Iran Announces Discovery Of Large Lithium Deposit

• Iran has announced the discovery of a large deposit of lithium, a key component of batteries for electric vehicles and electronic devices, state media reported on March 4.

Wildlife/Nature

=> ↺ Illegal trade of pangolins and their parts widespread online in Laos

• The armadillo-like anteaters are in demand for the supposed medicinal benefits of their scales.

=> ↺ Man in China forced to eat faeces after he allegedly abused cats to death

• Local authorities from Suzhou said they take this case seriously and have launched an investigation into the matter.

Finance

=> ↺ A New Luxury Destination Planned to be “Silicon Valley’s Answer to Rodeo Drive

• Stephen and Jared Silver, principals of Stephen Silver Fine Jewelry, are opening Silicon Valley’s most significant new luxury retail and dining destination in Fall of 2023.

=> ↺ China Proffers ‘Peaceful Reunification’, Taiwan Says Respect Our Democracy

=> ↺ 2023-03-04 Canada Doesn’t Need More Renters, It Needs Public Housing

=> ↺ German Sanctions Against Russian Oligarchs Advancing Slowly

• Germany is making slow progress in enforcing sanctions against Russian oligarchs and institutions, according to government numbers seen by Reuters on March 5.

=> ↺ Finland’s economy suffers from technical recession and inflation surge

• Finland’s economy has been hit by a technical recession and a surge in inflation, according to Statistics Finland. The economy shrank by 0.2 percent in the fourth quarter of 2022, making it two consecutive quarters of contraction. The decline was attributed to weakened expectations among both consumers and businesses, which began to be realized in the latter half of the year. Inflation reached 8.4 percent in January, affecting the purchasing power of consumers and businesses.

=> ↺ German Firm In Talks To Build Tank Plant In Ukraine

• Arms manufacturer Rheinmetall is holding “promising” talks to build a tank factory in Ukraine following the Russian invasion, the head of the German company said in an interview published on March 4.

=> ↺ European Parliament Chief Says Talks On Ukraine’s EU Membership Should Start ‘This Year’

• The president of the European Parliament has called for Ukraine to start negotiations on membership in the European Union as early as this year and urged Kyiv’s allies to expand arms deliveries to the Ukrainian armed forces as they continue to fight Russia’s unprovoked invasion.

=> ↺ China Expands Defense Budget 7.2%, Marking Slight Increase

• China has expanded its defense budget by 7.2%, up slightly from last year’s 7.1% rate of increase

=> ↺ China Stresses Tech Self-Reliance Target, Firms Should Lead Innovation

=> ↺ Balancing Power in the Global Tech Industry: China and Taiwan’s Battle for Semiconductor Dominance

• In recent years, tensions between China and Taiwan have escalated to new heights, with both sides vying for dominance in key industries such as technology and semiconductor manufacturing.

=> ↺ Alison Pennington on Australian housing afforadbility

• While Australia encourages the wealthiest households to build housing assets, it forces young and low-income households into an increasingly pressured private rental market. Over 60% of people aged under 30 are renting.

• Australian landlords demand a return on their investment as a matter of entitlement. As a class, they pocket billions in housing tax concessions, contribute to rising prices, and then demand their poorer tenants keep up with rents.

=> ↺ Amazon pauses construction on HQ2 office campus in Virginia

=> ↺ China Sets This Year’s Economic Growth Target at ‘Around 5%’

• China’s government has set this year’s economic growth target at “around 5%” as it tries to rebuild business activity following the end of anti-virus controls that kept millions of people at home

=> ↺ China sets GDP growth target of around 5% for 2023

• M

• Economic recovery is high on Beijing’s agenda after a lacklustre 2022 beset by Covid-linked disruptions.

AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

=> ↺ Global Challenges and Failed G20 Talks

• The Group of Twenty (G20) is the world’s top intergovernmental platform for economic collaboration. The forum plays critical role  in shaping and strengthening the global management and infrastructure and most importantly International economic problems.

=> ↺ Centre Party leaders deny allegations surrounding Minister Lintilä’s alcohol use

• Finnish Minister of Finance and Centre Party Chair Annika Saarikko dismissed rumours about Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä’s alcohol use as “harsh and anonymous”.

=> ↺ Bus strikes end as pay deal reached

• Bus operators say services are returning to normal, but there may be some disruption until Monday.

=> ↺ 5 Transformations that took place during the Russo-Ukrainian War

• As the Russo-Ukrainian War completed a year on the 24th of February 2023, the world and Europe in particular once again witnessed the ravages of war on European soil after decades. The event significantly transformed the European region and brought back many characteristics of the 20th century.

=> ↺ The Snooping Dragon: How China Keeps its Pulse on Tibet and Around the World

• The 21st century has accelerated the digital transformation of various countries. Data analytics for business is no longer optional, but a strategic imperative. High-quality data management and protection are fundamental for policy-making, efficient resource allocation, and effective undertaking of public services.

=> ↺ Sinister TikTok and more: Letters to the Editor — March 5, 2023

• Rikki Schlott is right on the mark again in her revealing and indeed frightening description of the evils perpetuated against our youth by China’s TikTok.

=> ↺ How Lithuanian instructors turn Ukrainian conscripts into soldiers

• Thousands of Ukrainians are receiving training in the United Kingdom, where Lithuanian instructors form a core group of instructors. After five weeks of basic training, the Ukrainian troops will then head into battle; many of them will not be seen again.

=> ↺ Lithuanian police chief warns of aging officer corps: half are entitled to retire

• Every other police officer in Lithuania is eligible for retirement and the rising average age is a problem, says Police Commissioner General Renatas Požėla.

=> ↺ The serene hypocrisy of Nikki Haley

• Republican presidential hopeful Nikki Haley wants to capture the base that yearns for Trumpism – and to occupy the moral high ground of the post-Trump era.

Censorship/Free Speech

=> ↺ Why freedom of speech is no longer a progressive cause

• Freedom of speech used to be an article of faith for progressives, but no longer. Anything that offends those on the left is now glibly labelled ‘hate speech’.

Civil Rights/Policing

=> ↺ 2023-03-05 Urfa Bar Association: Detainees were tortured in Suruç

=> ↺ 2023-03-05 HPG reports ongoing Turkish attacks on guerrilla areas

=> ↺ Bahrain prosecutes religious reformers: traditionalists fight back

• Gulf autocrats are trying to squash calls for reform of Islamic law with three Bahraini men on trial. Redha Rajab, his son Mohamed Rajab, and researcher Jalal al-Qassab are members of the Al-Tajdeed Society, which encourages discussion and questioning of Islamic law.

=> ↺ Nevada legislature considers ‘Homeless Persons’ Bill of Rights’

• The Nevada Senate Judiciary Committee Friday considered Senate Bill 142, also called the “Homeless Persons’ Bill of Rights.” Mirroring the US Constitution’s Bill of Rights, the senate bill outlines a set of rights for unhoused people in Nevada.

=> ↺ Myanmar suffering from ‘intensified violence’ and ongoing human rights abuses, UN human rights office reports

• The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Friday released a report highlighting numerous human rights violations in Myanmar two years after the military coup. The report states: Myanmar’s conflict landscape has changed dramatically, highlighting concerns for the protection of civilians.

=> ↺ ‘We feel ignored’: Lithuanian Mufti on why there is still no Mosque in Vilnius

• The Muslim community in Lithuania is growing, but the Vilnius municipality still ignores it and refuses to build a mosque, says Mufti Aleksandras Beganskas. He speaks to LRT.lt about religion, Islamophobia, and migration in Lithuania.

=> ↺ Authorities Ban Women’s Day March In Pakistan’s Lahore

• Authorities in Pakistan’s eastern city of Lahore have refused permission for a rally on March 8 to mark International Women’s Day, which regularly meets a fierce backlash in the conservative, patriarchal country.

=> ↺ Parents Of Girls Afflicted With Mysterious Illness Stage Protests Amid Reports Of Fresh Cases

• Parents of Iranian students affected by a wave of mysterious illnesses at girls’ schools across the country staged more protests on March 4 amid reports of fresh cases.

=> ↺ Germany’s Scholz Denounces Violence Against Women In Iran And Afghanistan

• German Chancellor Olaf Scholz denounced violence against women in Iran and Afghanistan in a video message ahead of International Women’s Day on March 8.

Internet Policy/Net Neutrality

=> ↺ The Internet’s Richest Fitness Resource Is a Site from 1999

• Exrx.net is little changed since the days of Yahoo GeoCities and dial-up and saying “www” aloud. Yet beneath its bare-bones interface is a deep physiological compendium.

Monopolies

Patents

=> ↺ Models of Forum Shopping

• Thoughts relevant to the Texas district courts.

Gemini* and Gopher

Personal

=> ↺ Christina’s 5 questions for March

• I once asked in a newsagents in Waterford if they had any plain crisps. The man behind the counter said “The only plain flavour we’ve got is cheese and onion.” If I have to be a packet of crisps, I’ll be stale and well past my sell-by date because otherwise you might devour me. But if I want you to eat me, I’ll be prawn cocktail flavour.

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