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● 03.29.23

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● Links 29/03/2023: InfluxDB FDW 2.0.0 and Erosion of Human Rights

Posted in News Roundup at 7:25 pm by Dr. Roy Schestowitz

GNU/Linux

Desktop/Laptop

=> ↺ System76 Announces New Gazelle Linux Laptop with a 13th Gen Intel CPU, 64GB RAM

• The new Gazelle Linux laptop is powered by a 13th Gen Intel Core i9 13900H CPU with 14 cores, 20 threads, 24 MB cache, integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics, and up to 5.4 GHz clock speed and features the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 dedicated graphics card, which makes it ideal for gaming and high-performance CUDA workloads on-the-go.

• The Gazelle comes with a sleek design in 15-inch and 17-inch thin bezel Full HD matte display flavors featuring 144Hz refresh rate, as well as wide viewing angles and vivid colors, support for up to three external displays, support for up to 64GB dual-channel 3200 MHz DDR4 RAM, as well as support for up to 4TB of PCIe 4.0 and 4TB of PCIe 3.0 NVMe storage for a total of 8TB NVMe storage.

=> ↺ System76 refreshes Gazelle Linux laptop with Intel Core i9-13900H CPU and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 GPU

• Today, System76 unveils the latest generation of its Gazelle laptop. The Gazelle is a powerful and versatile laptop that is perfect for a wide range of users. It is a great choice for creative professionals, gamers, and anyone who needs a powerful laptop for work or play.

• The Gazelle is powered by the 14-core Intel Core i9-13900H processor, which offers a max clock speed of 5.4Ghz. This new CPU provides up to 8 percent better performance compared to the previous generation of the Gazelle laptop. The computer also features an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 GPU, which delivers exceptional performance for both gaming and graphics-intensive tasks.

=> ↺ System76 Gazelle Laptop Has Linux and an RTX 3050

• System76 sells a lot of desktops and laptops built with desktop Linux in mind, like the compact Meerkat desktop that was just updated. Now the company is bringing back its Gazelle mobile workstation, complete with a Core i9 CPU and RTX 3050 graphics.

• The Gazelle is one of the company’s high-end workstation laptops, with the previous model having a 12th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, a 15.6 or 17.3-inch screen, up to 64 GB RAM, and an RTX 3050, 3050 Ti, or 3060. The new model replaces the CPU with an Intel Core i9-13900H processor, which has 14 cores, 20 threads, and a maximum clock speed of 5.4 GHz. That’s a lot of power in a PC that is still (somewhat) portable. For graphics, System76 has trimmed back the GPU options to a single choice: the RTX 3050.

=> ↺ System76 announce new Gazelle laptop, 13th Gen Intel paired with NVIDIA

• What System76 said is their “most budget-friendly laptop which features a discrete GPU”, the new Gazelle laptop has been announced. I continue to be a big fan of their work, as their hardware always looks great. They continue to be one of the leading manufacturers of Linux hardware, and software with their Pop!_OS and open firmware work too.

• “Designed to unleash your engineering or creative potential, you can do your best work and watch progress unfold in each stage of production across four displays (incl. up to three external displays). With its sleek design available in a 15” or 17” 144Hz display and RTX-powered graphics, the Gazelle is capable of beautiful gaming and high-performance CUDA workloads on-the-go.” — System76

Server

=> ↺ Architecting and Managing Cloud-Native Infrastructure

• Becoming a cloud architect is a challenge. To become a cloud architect, you must have knowledge and experience above what other architects have. Cloud architects are expected to be experts in cloud technology and be the cloud thought leaders within their organization.

=> ↺ Release Makes Shifting SaaS Apps to Private Clouds Simpler

• Release today made generally available a Release Delivery platform that uses a container description to create a full environment that enables cloud applications to be deployed in a private cloud computing environment.

=> ↺ Simplifying cloud-native with container management and orchestration

=> ↺ Beyond Kubernetes: Exploring the full ecosystem of container orchestration tools

=> ↺ Simplification, agility and scale drive Platform9’s vision for Kubernetes and cluster management

Audiocasts/Shows

=> ↺ Late Night Linux – Episode 222

• Docker damages what little FOSS goodwill it has left, the Internet Archive inevitably loses a legal fight, GitHub’s SSH key snafu, Microsoft fails to read the room regarding crypto, Mozilla’s foray into AI raises an eybrow or two, a national treasure takes the piss out of Félim, and more.

Instructionals/Technical

=> ↺ Install & Try out Ubuntu’s New Fonts in Ubuntu 22.04 | 20.04

• The Ubuntu design team is working on new Ubuntu fonts and proposes to use as default in the upcoming Ubuntu 23.04. For testing purpose, the team posted the .deb packages for the new fonts in this thread.

=> ↺ Command Line e-Book Readers for Linux, Mac, and more

• Because sometimes reading in a terminal is darned pleasant.

=> ↺ The Ultimate Guide to Using Gzip on Linux: Simplify Your File Compression

• Have you ever come across a large file on your Linux system that you needed to share or upload, but it was just too big?

=> ↺ How to refresh and reload group membership on Linux without a reboot or logging in again

• Do you want to refresh and reload the group membership on Linux without rebooting the Linux machine or logging in again? Try the newgrp command to log in to a new group without logging in again or reboot the system.

=> ↺ How to work with a list of dictionaries in Ansible

• How to work with a list of dictionaries in Ansible

=> ↺ How to Install Zoom Client on Manjaro Linux

• As a Manjaro Linux user, you might seek a reliable and user-friendly video conferencing platform for daily communication. Look no further, as Zoom is the perfect solution for you!

=> ↺ How to install and use the Cockpit desktop client for easier remote Linux administration

• Make administering all your Cockpit-enabled servers even easier with the help of the Cockpit Client desktop application.

=> ↺ How to install and use Terminator Terminal on Ubuntu

• In this step-by-step guide, we will show you how to install Terminator on Ubuntu and get started using its many features. From customizing your layout to using keyboard shortcuts, we will cover everything you need to know to use Terminator like a pro.

Desktop Environments/WMs

K Desktop Environment/KDE SC/Qt

=> ↺ This Month in Plasma Mobile: March 2023

• We have been busy these past two months!

• The last version of Plasma 5 was released in February, and so development work has shifted toward Plasma 6. This involves porting from Qt5 and KDE Frameworks 5 to Qt6 and KDE Frameworks 6. As a result, development is quite chaotic right now, but we are hard at work!

• There is no set timeline for when the first version of Plasma 6 will come out, but it is expected to be within a year.

• For applications, they are now part of the regular KDE Gear releases and will have a release next month (KDE Gear 23.04).

• In other news, we (and the rest of KDE) have a new forum! General discussion and support can now take place there, which will provide an alternative to the current matrix room and mailing list.

• Devin also attended SCaLE 20x in California, and was able to demo a bunch of devices running Plasma Mobile!

=> ↺ Plasma, GwenView, increase sidebar font size

• GwenView is the default image viewer – and sort of image manipulation – program in Dolphin. It’s pretty decent. But in Kubuntu 22.04, the way it’s configured by default, as I’ve explained it in my Slimbook Titan review, the usability is subpar. You have no menu, no buttons for quick actions. But Plasma is awesome, and you can customize things as much as you need or like. So, I quickly remedied the initial shortcomings. I added a menu, I added a bunch of buttons to the toolbar, disabled video view, added checkered background to images with transparency, and changed shortcuts for quicker action and work, like Esc for exit, s for save, c for crop, and similar.

• The one thing I wasn’t able to instantly fix is the sidebar. The stuff there is simply too small. The interface obeys my HD scaling all right, so there isn’t an issue there, but for some reason, the folder contents, image details or image manipulation operations listed on the left side are rendered in tiny font. The text is too small to comfortably “see”, and there isn’t a toggle/option anywhere in GwenView’s menu. OK, let’s rectify that.

=> ↺ KDE’s Plasma Mobile Gets Ported to KDE Frameworks 6 and Qt 6

• While the KDE Project is also working hard on the Plasma 6 desktop environment series, Plasma Mobile users will be happy to learn that repository for Plasma Mobile packages was already ported to KDE Frameworks 6 and Qt 6.

• But during this porting a lot of things were rewritten and improved, including the brightness slider in the action drawer for smoother user interaction, the task switcher, which is now a KWin effect and can be opened if there’s no apps running, and the audio overlay to open much faster when pressing the audio buttons on your device.

Distributions and Operating Systems

=> ↺ Best Linux Distros for Security and Privacy

• When it comes to internet security and privacy, Linux operating systems (distros) are the best option. But with so many Linux distros available, it can be difficult to know which one will provide you the anonymity you so require.

=> ↺ Proxmox Backup Server 2.4 Adds LDAP Realm Authentication

• Proxmox Backup Server is an open-source backup solution that allows users to back up and restore virtual machines, containers, and physical hosts. It is designed to work with Proxmox Virtual Environment, a powerful open-source virtualization platform.

• The software provides a web-based user interface for managing backups, creating backup jobs, and restoring data. It supports various backup types, including full, incremental, and differential backups, and can store backups locally or remotely.

• Today, Proxmox Server Solutions GmbH released a new version of its backup management platform, Proxmox Backup Server 2.4, so let’s check what’s new.

SUSE/OpenSUSE

=> ↺ Maximizing Edge Performance: The Power of the KubeMQ, Rancher Prime, and K3s Integration

Canonical/Ubuntu Family

=> ↺ Ubuntu Touch OTA-1 Focal mobile operating system released

• UBports has this week announced the release of the latest update to the Ubuntu Touch mobile operating system specifically created to provide users with a privacy and freedom-respecting mobile operating system. Ubuntu Touch OTA-1 Focal is now available for the following Fairphone 4, Google Pixel 3a, Vollaphone 22, Vollaphone X and Vollaphone.

Devices/Embedded

=> ↺ Raspberry Pi Powers Commodore 64 Expansion Cartridge, Plays Doom

• Bringing the power to a 40+ year old vintage computer, the Raspberry Pi provides CPU horsepower and more RAM than the Commodore 64 could ever dream of.

=> ↺ Raspberry Pi GPIO Pinout: What Each Pin Does on Pi 4, Earlier Models

• The Raspberry Pi has 40 GPIO pins that connect to sensors, lights, motors and other devices. Here’s a map and detailed explanation of what each does, including on the Pi 4.

Open Hardware/Modding

=> ↺ New Automatic Power-On firmware for Librem Mini

• Our latest coreboot/SeaBIOS and PureBoot releases bring new firmware configurations for the Librem Mini v1 and v2! Many users use the Librem Mini as a headless server and have asked for firmware that would boot up automatically when powered, like an appliance.

• Once enabled, the setting persists as long as the RTC battery is plugged in. The setting is in the EC’s battery-backed RAM, and the new BIOS configurations enable this setting during boot.

Mobile Systems/Mobile Applications

=> ↺ People are just realizing they’re texting on Android totally wrong – five reckless mistakes no one should be making | The US Sun

=> ↺ How to Download an Email as a PDF in Gmail on Android

=> ↺ Everything new in Android 13 QPR3 Beta 2 [Gallery]

=> ↺ Android 13 QPR3 Beta 2 is out now for your Google Pixel phone

=> ↺ Android 13 QPR3 Beta 2 brings improved Adaptive Charging and welcome bug fixes

=> ↺ Android 13 QPR3 Beta 2 is Here for Pixel Phones

=> ↺ Android 13 QPR3 Beta 2 rolling out to Pixel

=> ↺ Android 14 will make it easier to hide your phone’s PIN from shoulder surfers

=> ↺ Android 14 bringing app actions to share sheet, more

=> ↺ Nexus Android Malware Targets 450 Financial Applications

=> ↺ Wallpaper Wednesday: Android wallpapers 2023-03-29 – Android Authority

=> ↺ Android Auto Problems and Bugs Tracker: Check the Latest Status

=> ↺ Dozens of Android apps are draining your battery – check ‘vampire’ list to kill them as soon as possible | The US Sun

=> ↺ Evolution Digital and OpenSync Partner on First Android TV Set-Top Box Integration | Business Wire

Free, Libre, and Open Source Software

=> ↺ 2023 State of Open Source Report: key findings and analysis

=> ↺ OpenLogic is a Microsoft proxy

=> ↺ people who took over OSI

SaaS/Back End/Databases

=> ↺ InfluxDB FDW 2.0.0 released

• We have just released version 2.0.0 of the Foreign Data Wrapper for InfluxDB. This release can work with PostgreSQL 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15. This release improves following item (from 1.2.0): [...]

Programming/Development

=> ↺ R config: How to Manage Environment-Specific Configuration Files

• How many times have you encountered a file path issue when running your code on a different environment? Probably far too many. It doesn’t need to be the case anymore – The R config package is here to allow you to manage environment-specific configuration files.

=> ↺ What is in Qt Insight 1.0?

• Qt Insight is a product analytics solution providing real-world data into how people use a software application or a digital device. The first version of Qt Insight for General Availability was released in March 2023. Qt Insight consists of three major components: The Qt Tracker software library embedded in the Qt application, the Qt Insight Cloud Services, and the Qt Insight Console for analyzing behavioral data in a web browser.

Leftovers

=> ↺ Pareidolia and pattern matching

• You know that feeling when you see a book online or in a store, and you buy it because it looks interesting, only for it to sit on a shelf or your ebook list forever? I’ve been plowing through them lately, and turns out that Ruben guy was right, these were interesting!

• Two entirely unrelated books, one about German philosophy, and another about what a glorious con Bitcoin is, mentioned the phenomena of Pareidolia. It sounded more like a small European flower than a psychological phenomena, but I wanted to check it out.

=> ↺ 4 ways to win at work during layoffs

• In the short span since 2023 began, more than 100,000 of the world’s most skilled workers are reported to have had their jobs abruptly terminated.

=> ↺ First Directly Elected UAW President Vows ‘War Against Our One and Only True Enemy: Multibillion Dollar Corporations’

• Shawn Fain, running as part of a reform slate of candidates, swept the ballot to take control of a union that has been marred by corruption.

=> ↺ Want to Curb City Crime? Evict Fewer Tenants, Study Says

• Rising evictions rates pose a threat to social cohesion and public safety, a new report concludes.

Science

=> ↺ JWST Gives Us Our Best Look Yet at Earth-Sized Exoplanet TRAPPIST-1b

• We’ve never been able to observe like this before.

=> ↺ Scientists Created a New Recyclable Plastic Not Made From Crude Oil

• We need more solutions like this.

Hardware

=> ↺ DRAM Prices Dropped 20% in Q1 2023, Will Keep Falling in Q2

• TrendForce says DRAM prices down 20% in Q1 2023, will continue to fall in Q2 2023.

Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

=> ↺ The Horrifying Epidemic of Teen-Age Fentanyl Deaths in a Texas County

• Students have overdosed during class, in bathrooms, and in an elementary-school parking lot.

=> ↺ 6 surprising foods and drinks that could affect your medication

• What you eat or drink can affect how well your medication works, and can even be dangerous

=> ↺ Well-Known Buffer Against Cognitive Decline Has Zero Effect, Study Finds

• This is so puzzling.

=> ↺ World First: Dementia Linked to Brain Abnormalities From High Blood Pressure

• It matches up.

=> ↺ Hospitals: healthcare services might only be provided for a fee this year

• The lack of money for regional and local hospitals causes uncertainty about their future. After a meeting of the Latvian Hospital Association on March 27, hospitals estimate that medical services might only be provided for a fee starting from the autumn, Skrunda Television reported Monday.

=> ↺ ANALYSIS: Why four in five Swedes off sick with stress are women

• Gender inequality in workplaces, household chores and healthcare prejudices are all factors behind Sweden’s gender gap in stress-related sick leave, according to experts.

=> ↺ Brazil hits 700,000 virus deaths, 2nd highest in the world

• Brazil’s government has reported the 700,000th death from COVID-19 in the South American nation, which has the second most victims of the virus after the United States. Brazilian health experts say most people dying of COVID-19 in recent days are either unvaccinated or suffer from other debilitating diseases. Health Minister Nisia Trindade criticized former President Jair Bolsonaro for his handling of the pandemic. Bolsonaro refused to take the vaccine during the pandemic and flouted health restrictions.

=> ↺ Wyoming abortion clinic fire suspect to go free pending case

• A woman accused of setting fire to a Wyoming abortion clinic will be released from jail while her case proceeds. A judge ruled Tuesday that 22-year-old Lorna Roxanne Green must live with her parents and continue as a college student. On social media, the Casper woman posted details including competing in a bike race and visiting a butterfly garden but showed no anti-abortion views. Investigators say Green told them the planned clinic in Casper was giving her anxiety and nightmares, so she decided to burn it down last May. Her attorney, Ryan Semerad, said he’s pleased Green is being released and looks forward to defending her.

=> ↺ Man charged with firebombing Wisconsin anti-abortion office

• Federal prosecutors have charged a man with firebombing a prominent Wisconsin anti-abortion lobbying group’s office last year. The U.S. attorney’s office in Madison announced that 29-year-old Hridindu Sankar Roychowdhury was arrested Tuesday at Boston’s Logan International Airport and charged with one count of attempting to cause damage by means of fire or an explosive. Prosecutors believe Roychowdhury threw Molotov cocktails into the Wisconsin Family Action office in Madison on May 6. The attack came about a week after a draft opinion suggesting the U.S. Supreme Court would overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion leaked. The court did overturn the ruling in June. Online court records did not list an attorney for Roychowdhury.

=> ↺ ’No quick fix’ for Danish cancer waiting lists: health minister

• Health Minister Sophie Løhde said on Thursday that she “deeply regrets” missed deadlines for bowel cancer treatment at Aarhus University Hospital, but that the government does not have an immediate fix for the problem.

=> ↺ New Avian Flue Case Is Detected In China’s Canton Province

• The infected woman, who is 56 years old, had exposed to live poultry before contracting the disease.

=> ↺ Lithuania to discard 1.5m Covid vaccines, to donate 2.3m

• Some 1.5 million Covid-19 vaccines are ready for disposal in Lithuania, while another 2.3 million jabs have been or will be donated to other countries, 15min.lt reported on Tuesday, citing data from the Health Ministry.

Proprietary

=> ↺ Elon Musk and others sign open letter calling for pause on AI — True Story

• The prevalence of AI has increased massively in recent years, with systems such as chatbot ChatGPT quickly becoming part of everyday life.

=> ↺ Surprise! ChatGPT Turns Out to Be Terrible at Wordle

• The shocking truth is revealed.

Security

=> ↺ 3 reasons why OTA updates are important [Part II]

• Devices are everywhere but they all need maintenance. Maintaining household gadgets such as laptops, printers and smart watches has become easier over the years as update technology evolves. Today, users do not have to even think about updates – they can seamlessly take place in the background or overnight. These updates take place over-the-air (OTA) and have revolutionised the way that we keep hardware, software or firmware maintained. Now devices can easily stay updated, even when distributed across a city, country or continent.

=> ↺ CVE-2023-28755: ReDoS vulnerability in URI

• We have released the uri gem version 0.12.1, 0.11.1, 0.10.2 and 0.10.0.1 that has a security fix for a ReDoS vulnerability. This vulnerability has been assigned the CVE identifier CVE-2023-28755.

• A ReDoS issue was discovered in the URI component. The URI parser mishandles invalid URLs that have specific characters. It causes an increase in execution time for parsing strings to URI objects.

• The uri gem version 0.12.0, 0.11.0, 0.10.1, 0.10.0 and all versions prior 0.10.0 are vulnerable for this vulnerability.

=> ↺ Hackers used spyware made in Spain to target users in the UAE, Google says | TechCrunch

• Security researchers say they have seen hackers targeting victims using spyware developed by a Spanish company.

=> ↺ New Zealand intelligence agencies concerned over foreign nation cyberattacks

• The New Zealand Intelligence and Security Committee Monday held its annual review, with cyberattacks being the primary concern across reports.

=> ↺ Twitter source code leaked on GitHub has been removed

• A portion of the social media site’s source code was posted on GitHub shortly after widespread layoffs at Twitter.

=> ↺ Security Vulnerabilities in Snipping Tools

• Both Google’s Pixel’s Markup Tool and the Windows Snipping Tool have vulnerabilities that allow people to partially recover content that was edited out of images.

=> ↺ Network Data Collector Placement Makes a Difference, (Tue, Mar 28th)

• A previous diary [1] described processing some local PCAP data with Zeek. This data was collected using tcpdump on a DShield Honeypot. When looking at the Zeek connection logs, the connection state information was unexpected. To help understand why, we will compare data from different locations on the network and process the data in a similar way.

Privacy/Surveillance

=> ↺ Amazon opens developer access to its Sidewalk wireless network

=> ↺ No Pseudonymity for Plaintiff in Lawsuit That Would Further Publicize His Criminal History

• From Doe v. HireRight LLC, decided yesterday by Judge Stephen McNamee (D. Ariz.): Four years ago, Plaintiff was charged with two felonies. As part of a plea agreement, he pled guilty to both charges in exchange for one of the charges being downgraded to a misdemeanor.

=> ↺ The Government Is Turning Border Surveillance on Everyday Americans

• As the government sets its sights on migrants crossing the border, native-born Americans have also come under its watchful eye.

=> ↺ CISA director says cutting agency’s budget would return it to ‘pre-SolarWinds world’

• Director Jen Easterly said that if the agency’s proposed budget for FY 2024 dropped to pre-2022 totals, it would put the nation at risk.

=> ↺ U.S. Hardware Is Fueling Russia’s Facial Recognition Crackdown on Anti-War Dissidents

• According to a new report, Russia’s facial recognition systems are powered by American technologies.

Defence/Aggression

=> ↺ Memorial to Latvia’s defenders pulled over in Bauska

• A monument to Latvia’s defenders against the second Soviet occupation has been toppled in Bauska, Latvian Television reported on March 27.

=> ↺ 39 migrants killed in fire at Ciudad Juárez detention center

• A total of 68 Central American and South American men were being held at the detention center in the Chihuahua city opposite El Paso, Texas.

=> ↺ Dozens killed in fire at migrant detention center on Mexico-US border

• At least 39 migrants died in a fire that broke out at an immigration detention center in a Mexican city on the US border, the Mexican government said Tuesday.

=> ↺ 40 killed in fire at immigration detention center in Mexico

• Migrants fearing deportation set mattresses ablaze at an immigration detention center in northern Mexico, starting a fire that killed at least 40 people. That’s according to the Mexican president. It was one of the deadliest events ever at a Mexican immigration lockup. Hours after the fire broke out late Monday, rows of bodies were laid out under sheets outside the facility in Ciudad Juarez, which is across from El Paso, Texas, and a major crossing point for migrants. Ambulances, firefighters and vans from the morgue swarmed the scene. Twenty-nine people were injured. At the time of the blaze, 68 men from Central and South America were being held at the facility.

=> ↺ Defence capability and the ‘not used since Vietnam’ critique

• One of the most used quotes in support of the argument that the Australia Defence Force has no need for tanks…

=> ↺ Latvia signs up for European joint Ukraine ammunition procurement

• On Monday, March 27, 2023, Latvian Minister of Defense Ināra Mūrniece signed an agreement on Latvia’s accession to the planned procurement of the European Defense Agency (EDA) for the joint purchase of ammunition by Norway and EU member states for Ukraine.

=> ↺ Belarus Alleges Western ‘Pressure’ Prompted Decision To Host Russian Nukes

• Belarus claims it was “forced” to agree to host Russian tactical nuclear weapons on its territory in response to what it called “unprecedented political, economic, and information pressure” from the West.

=> ↺ IOC To Decide Russian, Belarusian Participation In Paris Olympics ‘At Appropriate Time’

• The executive board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) says it will make a decision “at the appropriate time” on whether to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete at next year’s Paris Olympics.

=> ↺ IAEA Chief Grossi Says Deal To Protect Ukrainian Nuclear Plant ‘Close’

• A deal to protect Europe’s largest nuclear power plant from a catastrophic accident due to fighting in Ukraine could be “close,” said the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi.

=> ↺ Russia Says It Will Keep Calling For Nord Stream Probe After UN Failure

• The Kremlin said on March 28 that it would keep demanding an international investigation into explosions that damaged the Nord Stream gas pipelines under the Baltic Sea last year, after failing to win backing for a probe at the United Nations.

=> ↺ Russia and Belarus Strengthen Their Integration

• Meanwhile, Germany delivered Ukraine the first batch of Leopard 2 tanks.

=> ↺ Latvian Olympic chief – IOC will continue to tread water on Russia issue

• The International Olympic Committee (IOC) does not plan to make immediate decisions on the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in the Paris Games, President of the Latvian Olympic Committee (LOK) Žoržs Tikmers told Latvian Radio March 28.

=> ↺ Latvia-Belarus border fence construction slower than planned

• The construction of a permanent fence on the Latvian–Belarusian border has been carried out throughout winter without interruption. The planned length has not been achieved though, due to insufficient freezing for the construction works to take place in swampy areas, Latvian Television reported March 28.

=> ↺ Police: Nashville shooter fired indiscriminately at victims

• Police say the Nashville school shooter legally bought seven firearms in recent years and hid the guns from their parents before killing three children and three adults at a Christian school. Police on Tuesday said the shooter did not specifically target their victims during the shooting at The Covenant School on Monday. The victims included three 9-year-olds and the head of the school. Shooter Audrey Hale was a former student at the school. Authorities say Hale was not known to them before the attack. Police say Hale was under a doctor’s care for an undisclosed emotional disorder.

=> ↺ We Don’t Have To Choose Between Nuclear Madmen

• The announcement by Vladimir Putin over the weekend that Russia will deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus marked a further escalation of potentially cataclysmic tensions over the war in neighboring Ukraine.

=> ↺ The Best Way To Protect US Troops in Syria

• Last week saw a sharp increase in attacks on US troops occupying northeastern Syria, with a drone strike against a US base blamed on “pro-Iran” forces and a US counter-strike said to have killed at least 19 people. After the US retaliation, another strike by “pro-Iran” forces hit a number of US sites in Syria.

=> ↺ The Ukraine War Enters the 2024 US Presidential Election – Stage Right

• Opposition to Joe Biden’s proxy war to destroy Russia has entered the 2024 US Presidential election – from stage Right. And the growing anti-interventionist sentiment among grass roots conservatives and libertarians is alarming Establishment warhawks on both “left” and “right.” They are furious.

=> ↺ Russia’s Ukraine invasion is eroding Kremlin influence in Kazakhstan

• The invasion of Ukraine was meant to advance Vladimir Putin’s vision of a revived Russian Empire. Instead, it is forcing other neighboring countries like Kazakhstan to urgently reassess their own relationships with Moscow.

=> ↺ Bulgaria Suspects Russian Role In Bomb Threats Closing Schools For Second Day

• Dozens of Bulgarian schools were closed for a second day on March 28 following bomb threats with investigators saying they were looking into potential Russia-linked terror actions meant to disrupt the upcoming snap parliamentary elections scheduled for April 2.

=> ↺ EU Official Calls On Kyrgyzstan To Prevent Russia From Evading Sanctions

• David O’Sullivan, the European Union’s special envoy for the implementation of sanctions, has called on Kyrgyzstan and other nations in Moscow’s political and economic sphere to avoid assisting Moscow’s attempts to evade sanctions imposed on Russia over its ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

=> ↺ Lithuania, Estonia deny profiting from EU’s Ukraine aid reimbursements

• On Tuesday, Politico reported that six EU countries, including Estonia and Lithuania, are profiting from sending military aid to Ukraine. According to the Lithuanian and Estonian governments, the report is misleading.

=> ↺ Russia Fires Supersonic Missiles At Mock Target In Sea Of Japan

• Missile ships of the Pacific Fleet fired Moskit cruise missiles at a mock enemy sea target.

=> ↺ UN committee urges Lithuania to review sanctions on Belarusian potash

• A UN committee has urged Lithuania to review its decision to ban the transit of Belarusian fertilisers, saying that it leads to food insecurity in Africa and Latin America.

=> ↺ Estonia raises eyebrows claiming reimbursement for aid to Ukraine – media

• Tensions grow in the European Union over some countries’ military aid to Ukraine. Estonia is allegedly sending old weapons to Ukraine but is being reimbursed by the European Peace Facility (EPF) as if for new ones, Politico reported on Tuesday.

=> ↺ Amnesty scolds Lithuanian, Western ‘hypocrisy’ following Ukraine invasion

• Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 unleashed numerous war crimes and generated a global energy and food crisis, but it also laid bare the hypocrisy of Western states that reacted to the Kremlin’s aggression, Amnesty International said in its annual report on human rights.

=> ↺ Amnesty Report Says ‘Hypocrisy’ Of Western States Laid Bare By Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine

• Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 unleashed numerous war crimes and generated a global energy and food crisis, but it also laid bare the hypocrisy of Western states that reacted to the Kremlin’s aggression, Amnesty International said in its annual report on human rights.

=> ↺ Russia Launches Fresh Wave Of Drones Against Ukraine

• Russia launched another wave of Iranian-made drones on Kyiv and its surroundings, but Ukraine’s air defenses shot down almost all of them and there were no immediate reports of casualties, the military said on March 27, as heavy fighting continued in and around Bakhmut.

=> ↺ U.S. To Withhold Some Nuclear Data From Russia After Moscow’s Treaty Suspension

• The United States has told Russia it will withhold some data on its nuclear forces in response to Moscow’s suspension of participation in the New START nuclear arms treaty.

=> ↺ North Korean robbers kill two women as crime wave intensifies

• Residents say that starvation is causing more people to resort to robbery and theft.

=> ↺ N. Korea’s Kim calls for ramping up production of ‘weapon-grade nuclear material’

• North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called for his country to expand production of “weapon-grade nuclear materials” and build more powerful weapons, state media reported Tuesday.

=> ↺ UK raises Northern Ireland terror threat rating to ‘severe’ ahead of Biden visit

• The UK government raised the terror threat level in Northern Ireland to “severe” on Tuesday, ahead of an expected visit by US President Joe Biden to mark the 25th anniversary of a landmark peace accord.

=> ↺ Scottish parliament confirms Humza Yousaf as new first minister

• Scotland’s parliament on Tuesday confirmed Humza Yousaf will replace Nicola Sturgeon as first minister, the devolved nation’s youngest and the first Muslim leader of a government in western Europe.

=> ↺ Two dead in knife attack at Islamic centre in Lisbon, assailant shot by police

• An attacker armed with a knife killed two women on Tuesday at an Islamic centre in the Portuguese capital Lisbon before being shot and wounded by police, authorities said.

=> ↺ Myanmar junta dissolves Aung San Suu Kyi’s political party

• Myanmar’s junta-stacked election commission on Tuesday announced Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party would be dissolved for failing to re-register under a tough new military-drafted electoral law, state media said.

=> ↺ 🔴 Live: IOC recommends return of Russian athletes to sports but delays decision on Paris Olympics

• A decision on whether athletes competing for Russia and Belarus will be able to participate in the Paris 2024 Olympics will be taken “at the appropriate time”, said Olympic chief Thomas Bach on Tuesday, as he defended plans to get athletes from the two countries to join sports competitions as “neutral parties”

=> ↺ Ukraine: Shortage of prosthetic limbs as casualties mount

• As the war in Ukraine grinds on, a prosthetics clinic in Kyiv is doing its best to provide artificial limbs to the stream of wounded Ukrainian servicemen passing through its doors. But the clinic, like others around the country, is struggling to keep up with demand and fears more wounded may soon need its help amid talk of a new Ukrainian counteroffensive in the east.

=> ↺ UN delegation meets senior Ugandan military officers in search for peace

• A United Nations (UN) delegation seeking facts on peace and security in the troubled Great Lakes part of Africa was hosted by the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Force (UPDF) at the weekend.

=> ↺ ISS: South Africa’s police must prioritise trust

• The South African public has low and declining trust and confidence in its police. This impedes efforts to reduce crime, deliver quality services, and lay the foundation for economic growth. Last year, the South African Human Sciences Research Council reported that just 27% of citizens had some trust in the police.

=> ↺ Belgium arrests eight in ‘terror attack’ probe following house raids

• Police have detained eight people during investigations into an alleged plot to commit “terrorist attacks” in Belgium, the federal prosecutor’s office said Tuesday.

Environment

=> ↺ Earth Futures Institute Logo Competition

• The UCSC Earth Futures Institute at UCSC needs a logo. The UC Santa Cruz (UCSC)Earth Futures Institute needs a logo. We would love to see your ideas. The first prize is $750, the second prize is $500, and the third prize is $250.

Energy/Transportation

=> ↺ Finland’s Fortum and Outokumpu co-operate on small modular reactors

• FORTUM and Outokumpu have entered into a partnership to explore the possibilities of building a small modular reactor in Finland.

• The Finnish duo will look into a number of collaborative approaches along with the economic, regulatory and technological feasibility of small modular reactors with a view to finding answers within a couple of years, Heikki Malinen, the CEO of Outokumpu, stated to YLE on Thursday, 23 March.

=> ↺ Reuters: US ultimatum to Mexico over energy dispute imminent

• The U.S. wants to see “clear progress” on the energy issue, Reuters reported Monday; an escalation could lead to tariffs against Mexico.

=> ↺ Australia should hedge its bet on battery manufacturing

• Australia is assured of rapid growth in exports of the key minerals needed to make modern batteries…

=> ↺ Country spotlight: Unlocking a high-energy future for Zambia

• Smart investment in Zambia could drive a high-energy, high-growth future as the country reforms. This could make Zambia a model for neighboring countries looking to strike out on their own energy transformations.

=> ↺ Germany has successfully watered down a planned EU ban on the sale of combustion-engine cars

• European Union members formally approved a ban on the sale of new carbon dioxide (CO2)-emitting cars by 2035. What was meant to be a milestone legislation towards the decarbonization of the European car industry was watered down by Germany to provide an exemption for cars running on e-fuels.

=> ↺ BYD profit surged by 400% last year as the electric vehicle market keeps going in China

• BYD—China’s largest electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer—announced that it sold a record number of cars last calendar year, boosting the company’s profit by more than four times.

=> ↺ Bicycle

• There is something delightful about riding a bicycle. Once mastered, the simple action of pedaling to move forward and turning the handlebars to steer makes bike riding an effortless activity. In the demonstration below, you can guide the rider with the slider, and you can also drag the view around to change the camera angle:

• Compared to internal combustion engines or mechanical watches, bicycles are fairly simple machines – most of their parts operate in plain sight.This article has many interactive demonstrations which are best seen on the website.

=> ↺ The US is accusing Sam Bankman-Fried of bribing Chinese officials with crypto

• Sam Bankman-Fried, the disgraced former CEO of the cryptocurrency exchange FTX, has been charged with bribing Chinese officials with $40 million in cryptocurrency in a new superseding indictment in the Southern District of New York (SDNY).

=> ↺ SBF Accused of Bribing Chinese Officials With $40 Million in Crypto

• Sam Bankman-Fried allegedly sent a “bribe payment” of $40 million to a private crypto wallet to attempt to get FTX accounts unfrozen.

=> ↺ FTX founder charged with bribing China officials to unfreeze assets

• US federal prosecutors Tuesday charged Samuel Bankman-Fried, former CEO and co-founder of crypto trading platform FTX, with bribing Chinese government officials in early 2021 as part of a superseding indictment.

=> ↺ Spring favorable for hydropower production in Latvia

• This year, Latvia’s rivers have experienced the largest floods in the last ten years, which has allowed the Daugava hydroelectric power plant (HES) to produce a large amount of electricity, the operational information of the transmission company Augstsprieguma tīkls shows, according to weatherman Toms Bricis.

=> ↺ Green hydrogen production plant begins operations in South Wales

• Protium and its partner organisations has announced the start of green hydrogen operations at Baglan Energy Park, South Wales.

Wildlife/Nature

=> ↺ Enormous sperm whale skull stolen from NSW museum

• NSW Police are investigating the theft of a sperm whale skull outside a museum on the South Coast.

=> ↺ Cherry blossoms are blooming earlier than expected

• Spring is just beginning but the cherry blossoms have already reached peak bloom in Washington, DC. The National Park Service documented peak bloom on March 23 this year, two weeks earlier than April 4, which is the historical average peak bloom date since 1921.

Overpopulation

=> ↺ The world “population bomb” might not go off after all

• When the global population passed the 8 billion mark on Nov. 15 last year, demographers had a peak in sight: 10.4 billion, around the year 2080.

Finance

=> ↺ ASX slides lower as banks falter; $A jumps

• The Australian sharemarket dropped on Wednesday as the financials sector fell, and after Wall Street slid lower.

=> ↺ Singapore-China project in Guangzhou to speed up expansion

• The second phase of the China-Singapore Smart Park will be completed in June ahead of its October timeline.

=> ↺ 37 million euros invested in 248 startups from Finnish angel investors

• In 2022, Finnish angels invested 37 million euros in 248 growth companies, says the latest study conducted by the Finnish Business Angels Network (FiBAN), collecting answers from 450 private investors out of FiBAN’s 670 members. 7% of FiBAN members’ investments were made outside of Finland. The most popular countries were Estonia, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

=> ↺ Tariffs on Baby Formula Returned. So Did the Shortages.

• Huh, what a wild coincidence.

=> ↺ airBaltic luxury car purchase raises eyebrows

• Transport Minister Jānis Vitenbergs (National Alliance) will demand explanations from the national airline airBaltic in relation to the costly purchase of the 2022 “E-tron” electric car in leasing for the company, the Transport Ministry Communications Department said in a release on March 28.

=> ↺ Survey: Majority supports reduced VAT on catering in Latvia

• A reduction of the value-added tax (VAT) rate for public catering from 21% to 5% or 12% is supported by 83% of Latvian residents, according to a survey conducted by the Latvian Restaurant Society (LRB), the Latvian Hotel and Restaurant Association (LVRA) and the public opinion research center SKDS in March this year, LSM’s Latvian language service reported.

=> ↺ Micron posts biggest-ever loss, but says generative AI will drive new demand for memory chips

=> ↺ Disney abandons metaverse division amid layoffs

=> ↺ Disney’s first round of layoffs knocked the metaverse off its priority list

• The Mouse House is moving away from the metaverse.

=> ↺ Russia Will Not Leave WTO

• “…there are grounds to remain in the organization as a full member in order to maintain stable relations with developing countries…”

=> ↺ Gonfreville Refinery Shutdown In France

• The 240 000 barrels per day (bpd) refinery supplies the entire Ile-de-France region.

=> ↺ Fuel Shortages Reach Almost 16% Of France’s Gas Stations

• The departments of Loire-Atlantique, Mayenne, Ille-et-Vilaine and Maine-et-Loire are hardly affected by fuel shortages.

=> ↺ A look back at when French protesters defeated government reform plans

• Anger at President Emmanuel Macron’s pension reform shows no sign of abating, with protests, strikes and unrest set to continue and both sides digging in their heels. To shed some light on the current stand-off, FRANCE 24 looks back at the last times the unions successfully forced the government to U-turn on changing the system: over pension reform in 1995 and over a youth labour law reform in 2006.

=> ↺ ‘Abandoned by all’: Why small-town France is up in arms over Macron’s pension reform

• France’s small and mid-size towns have been at the forefront of the battle against President Emmanuel Macron’s contentious pension reform, in some places staging the biggest rallies in living memory. In the former Yellow Vest bastion of Montargis, where protesters rallied for a tenth time on Tuesday, the deeply unpopular reform has exacerbated resentment of the government.

=> ↺ Debt ceiling impasse: McCarthy presses Biden to negotiate

• Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy says he’s growing increasingly concerned about President Joe Biden’s unwillingness to negotiate on lifting the nation’s borrowing authority. He says in a letter to the president dated Tuesday that the White House position “could prevent America from meeting its obligations and hold dire ramifications for the entire nation.” The White House says McCarthy and the Republicans are to blame, refusing to put forward their own budget plan before formal negotiations. The Treasury Department has resorted to “extraordinary measures” to avoid default on the nation’s $31.4 trillion borrowing authority. But those measures will run out, possibly as early as June.

=> ↺ China ramping up bailout loans to Belt and Road countries, report says

• China has handed out $240 billion worth of bailout loans to 22 developing countries at risk of default over the past two decades, with the trend accelerating in recent years, a report said Tuesday.

=> ↺ French financial prosecutors search bank offices over dividend stripping

• French authorities on Tuesday searched offices of several large banks, including Societe Generale, BNP Paribas and HSBC on the suspicion of money laundering and fiscal fraud, a spokesperson of the PNF financial prosecution office told Reuters.

AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

=> ↺ France Becomes the Latest Country to Ban TikTok On Government Devices, Citing National Security Concerns

• Days following TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew’s appearance before Congress, France has become the latest country to prohibit the video-sharing app’s use on government devices.

=> ↺ Twitter Will Remove Legacy Blue Checks on April 1 — What Does It Mean?

• Twitter announces it will be winding down its legacy verification program and removing legacy verified checkmarks on April 1 in favor of its paywalled Twitter Blue. Twitter announced the end of its legacy verification program on April 1,

=> ↺ Banning TikTok Is a Power the Federal Government Doesn’t Deserve

• Today, TikTok. Tomorrow, who knows?

=> ↺ N.C. board removes election officials who refused to certify

• North Carolina’s state elections board has removed two county election officials who had refused to certify the 2022 election results after state officials determined they violated their duty to comply with state law. The state board voted unanimously Tuesday to dismiss Surry County elections secretary Jerry Forestieri and board member Timothy DeHaan in one of the strongest disciplinary actions taken against local officials who’ve delayed or refused to certify election results. Forestieri and DeHaan had questioned the legitimacy of state election law and court decisions disallowing photo ID checks and voter residency challenges. DeHaan ultimately signed on to certify the vote, while Forestieri did not.

=> ↺ Traffic up but revenue down for The Tab publisher as UK online ad downturn bites

• The Tab and Entertainment Daily publisher reported a 3% year-on-year drop in gross profits.

=> ↺ Australian state passes landmark legislation giving Indigenous population a first ‘voice to Parliament’

• In a special sitting Sunday, the Parliament of the Australian state of South Australia passed the First Nations Voice Bill 2023, amending the state’s constitution to enable representatives elected by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of the state to directly address ministers and government departments on specific legislation and reforms…

=> ↺ President Biden warns Israel ‘cannot continue down this road’ in judiciary standoff

• US President Joe Biden on Tuesday warned Israel it “cannot continue” pressing for deeply controversial judicial reforms — now on hold — which have prompted months of unrest and criticism among Western allies.

Misinformation/Disinformation/Propaganda

=> ↺ Montenegro’s President: EU’s Neglect Gave Russia A Platform

• Montenegro’s pro-Western president criticized the European Union for allegedly allowing Russia to spread its influence in the Western Balkans, saying the volatile region has become a “platform” for anti-EU policies due to the bloc’s “negligence.”

Censorship/Free Speech

=> ↺ Displaying swastikas, other hate symbols in Qld could result in jail

• A series of incidents has prompted the Palaszczuk government to move to ban the display of symbols such as the swastika, including on social media.

=> ↺ Wendy Sherman on the United States’ priorities as it takes the helm of the Freedom Online Coalition

• US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman outlined the priorities for the world’s democratic tech alliance, from protecting fundamental freedoms online to building resilience against digital authoritarianism.

=> ↺ The Latest Bill C-11 Debate: Sacrificing Freedom of Expression for Quebec Culture Lobby Support

• The Bill C-11 debate continued for hours in the House of Commons yesterday with a dispiriting discussion featuring MPs from all sides ignoring or exaggerating the implications of the bill.

=> ↺ Congressmen urge Elon Musk to address rising hate speech on Twitter since takeover

• US Representatives Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Mark Takano (D-CA) Tuesday urged Twitter CEO Elon Musk to address the rise in hate speech on the social media platform since he purchased it in October 2022.

=> ↺ Is the David porn? Come see, Italians tell Florida parents

• The invitation comes after the school principal was forced to resign following parental complaints that an image of the nude Renaissance masterpiece was shown to a sixth-grade art class.

=> ↺ Father Of Russian Sixth Grader Who Drew Anti-War Picture Escapes House Arrest, Given Prison Term In Absentia

• A man in Russia’s western region of Tula whose daughter last year drew an anti-war picture at school has been sentenced to two years in prison in absentia on a charge of discrediting Russia’s armed forces.

=> ↺ U.S. Performances By Pro-Kremlin Opera Singer Canceled

• Two venues in the United States have canceled performances by Russian opera singer Ildar Abdrazakov over his open support of the Russian government’s policies.

=> ↺ Hong Kong ice hockey body suggests preventing play until correct anthem confirmed after protest song blunder

• Hong Kong’s ice hockey body has said it may ask athletes not to enter the rink until they had confirmed that sporting event organisers would play the correct anthem.

Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press

=> ↺ Texas Observer journalists raise $270,000 in bid to save publication | Texas | The Guardian

• Magazine’s editors asked board not to lay off anyone for a month if staff raised $200,000 after Friday’s vote to cease publication

=> ↺ Hong Kong press freedom groups condemn harassment of journalists

• Press freedom groups in Hong Kong, including Hong Kong Journalist Association (HKJA) and Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Monday condemned the region’s harassment of journalists.

=> ↺ Hong Kong press group receives more reports of reporters being tailed, as police slam ‘unverified speculation’

• Hong Kong’s largest journalists group has said it received several recent reports of journalists being tailed, as police slammed the group over “unverified speculations” that those following journalists were suspected of being members of law enforcement.

=> ↺ Union calls for probe after Hong Kong journalists followed by unidentified men

• Two men evade questions about their identities after following a court reporter to work

=> ↺ Activist sentenced to 6 years for giving interviews to U.S.-based program

• Truong Van Dung was convicted under Article 88, used to target dissidents.

=> ↺ FRANCE 24 strongly deplores the suspension of its broadcasting in Burkina Faso

• FRANCE 24 was informed on March 27, 2023, via a press release from the Burkina Faso government, of the indefinite suspension of the broadcasting of its programmes in the country. FRANCE 24’s management strongly deplores this decision and refutes the unfounded accusations that call into question the channel’s professionalism.

=> ↺ Hong Kong court denies bail to Portuguese national under security law

• A Portuguese national, who allegedly managed social media accounts for the Hong Kong Independence Party, has been ordered to remain in custody pending trial under the Beijing-enacted national security law.

Civil Rights/Policing

=> ↺ Amnesty International annual report: Finland’s border measures threaten asylum rights, double standards in human rights combat

• Amnesty International’s yearly report on the state of human rights around the world reveals the double standards and inadequacy of the international system in combating human rights abuses in 2022. While Finland receives praise for reforms to sexual assault and abortion laws, there is still room for improvement regarding the right to protest. The Russian invasion of Ukraine had a massive impact on the realization of human rights in many ways, including war crimes committed by Russian forces, such as forced transfers and indiscriminate attacks on civilians, as well as exacerbating global energy and food crises.

=> ↺ Has Benjamin Netanyahu’s Assault on Israeli Democracy Been Stopped?

• In the face of mass protests, the Prime Minister has backed down from his plan to overhaul the judiciary—for now.

=> ↺ Caution in crisis-hit Israel after Netanyahu pauses reform

• Caution prevailed in Israel Tuesday after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to pause controversial judicial reforms which sparked a general strike and mass protests, with the crisis far from over.

=> ↺ Ex-Californian sentenced for child mutilation-sex scheme

• A former Southern California man who convinced troubled girls as young as 12 to perform masochistic acts and urged one to become his sex slave has been sentenced to 27 years in federal prison. Matthew Locher was sentenced in Los Angeles on Tuesday by a judge who called him “a parent’s worst nightmare.” Prosecutors say the former Redondo Beach man got into online conversations with girls suffering from mental health issues, grooming them to harm themselves and send him images. Authorities also say that, encouraged by Locher, a 12-year-old girl ran away from her Ohio home after setting it on fire in a failed bid to kill her parents.

=> ↺ Jamelle Bouie: What the Republican push for ‘parents’ rights’ is really about

• “Parents’ rights,” like “states’ rights,” is quite particular.

=> ↺ Jonathan Bernstein: Wisconsin judicial election is bad for democracy

• The most expensive judicial election ever.

=> ↺ Danish government to increase tax break for trade union members

• The Danish government says it wants trade union membership to be made cheaper by increasing tax subsidies given on membership fees.

=> ↺ The French Keep on Protesting Despite Police Brutality

• During the tenth day of protest against the Macron’s pension reform, the spirits of the French continue to burn throughout the country.

=> ↺ The Macron Administration Lashes Out at Environmental Activists

• The verbal attack against environmental rights defenders comes amid a display of unprecedented police brutality.

=> ↺ The Beneficiary of Bedlam: Marine Le Pen Surges as Macron’s Star Fades

• The intense protests against President Emmanuel Macron’s pension reform in France have put him on the defensive. Right-wing populist Marine Le Pen is reaping the benefits.

=> ↺ French PM agrees to talks with union leaders as 740,000 protest pension reform

• After a tenth day of nationwide protests against pension reforms, French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne has offered to meet leaders from eight unions for talks early next week. Hundreds of thousands of people took part in Tuesday’s strikes and protests across France, nearly two weeks after French President Emmanuel Macron forced an unpopular pension reform through parliament.

=> ↺ Fresh strikes, protests kick off in France as Macron stands firm on pension reform

• France Tuesday braced for another day of strikes and protests with President Emmanuel Macron remaining defiant over the controversial pensions reform that has sparked turmoil in the country.

=> ↺ Malaysia measures to abolish mandatory death penalty introduced in parliament

• Malaysia’s Parliament Monday began its consideration of two bills introduced to abolish mandatory death penalties for certain sentences. The Abolition of Mandatory Death Penalty Bill of 2023 would reverse prior laws that require a mandatory death sentence for 33 different offenses.

=> ↺ Prominent Afghan Girls’ Education Advocate Detained By Taliban

• A prominent activist for the right to education for Afghan girls, Matiullah Wesa, has been detained by the Taliban, his brother and the United Nations said on March 28.

=> ↺ Founder of Afghan girls’ education project arrested in Kabul, says UN

• The founder of a project that campaigned for girls’ education in Afghanistan has been detained by Taliban authorities in Kabul, his brother and the United Nations said Tuesday.

=> ↺ Russian Court Cancels Acquittal Of LGBTQ Activist In Case Of ‘Pornographic’ Art

• A court of appeals in Russia’s Far Eastern city of Vladivostok has canceled the acquittal of LGBTQ activist and artist Yulia Tsvetkova in a high-profile pornography case involving nude drawings and other artwork.

=> ↺ Bosnian Serb Entity Says Controversial Draft Law Will Monitor NGOs’ Financial Flows

• A controversial draft law approved by the government of Republika Srpska that would require nonprofit organizations funded from abroad and active in Bosnia-Herzegovina’s Serb entity to register and report on their work will require them to submit their “financial flows” to the Justice Ministry.

=> ↺ Former President Ma Ying-jeou’s trip to China undermines Taiwan government: critics

• Ma’s visit comes as his opposition Kuomintang chooses rapprochement with Beijing despite rejecting Chinese rule.

=> ↺ Ex-president ruffles feathers with claim that Taiwanese are ‘ethnically Chinese’

• Ma’s comments echo Beijing’s ‘unification’ claim that people in Taiwan, China come from the same family

=> ↺ Public gatherings must be ‘in accordance with the law,’ Hong Kong’s John Lee says after protesters made to wear tags

• Hong Kong’s Chief Executive John Lee has said that all public gatherings must be conducted “orderly, peacefully and in accordance with the law.

Digital Restrictions (DRM)

=> ↺ New York Lawmakers Want To Use a ‘Netflix Tax’ To Pay for the Subway

• From delivery fees to streaming taxes, New York can’t stomach having MTA users actually pay for the system themselves.

=> ↺ Network Usage Fees: A Tax in Search of a Purpose

• Pleas from broadband networks for a so-called “fair share” of content providers’ revenue….

Monopolies

=> ↺ Google wins partial relief in Android antitrust case in India | TechCrunch

• Google received some relief in its key market of India after a tribunal court set aside four of 10 directives from the country’s competition regulator.

=> ↺ Germany sours on Microsoft again, launches antitrust review • The Register

Patents

=> ↺ Hoffmann Eitle and MGI prevail as Boards of Appeal revoke Illumina patent

• Illumina’s EP 3 002 289, which the Boards of Appeal revoked due to added subject matter, is one of several patents protecting “modified nucleotides for polynucleotide sequencing”. The BoA judges argued that the literal claim construction could not be amended by reference to the description.

=> ↺ Dominion Harbor entity Liberty Peak Ventures RFID patent held invalid

• On March 23, 2023, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) issued a final written decision in Unified Patents, LLC v. Liberty Peak Ventures LLC holding all challenged claims of U.S. Patent 8,066,181 unpatentable.

=> ↺ IPVal entity Rosen Technologies thermostat patent likely invalid

• On March 23, 2023, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) instituted trial on all challenged claims in an IPR filed by Unified against U.S. Patent 7,156,318, owned and asserted by Rosen Technologies LLC, an NPE and entity of IP Valuation Partners.

Software Patents

=> ↺ AV1 Live Streaming Is Finally Coming To YouTube

• A preview of YouTube’s new AV1 live stream support was tested by EposVox, showing amazing video quality results with the new codec.

=> ↺ EPO Patent Index shows green energy and communication driving record growth

• Today, the European Patent Office has published its EPO Patent Index 2022. For the fifth consecutive year, the office has recorded a growth in patent applications. Numbers increased by 2.5% compared to 2021, reaching 193,460 patent applications in total.

=> ↺ J A Kemp hires new partner to strengthen biotech practice

• Andreas Theisen (41), who has joined J A Kemp as a partner, is a qualified microbiologist. As such, he specialises in biological therapeutics and diagnostics, and in particular therapeutic antibodies, gene therapy and cell-therapy products. J A Kemp gains partner Theisen began his career as a technical assistant at patent attorney firm Mathys & Squire.

Copyrights

=> ↺ Defamation and Copyright

• Several commenters asked: If AI companies don’t have a copyright in works created by their programs, how can they be held liable under defamation law? Defamation law and copyright law are two different bodies of law, aimed at serving different interests, and with different definitions.

=> ↺ China arrests 4 over major anime piracy site, Japanese lobby group says

• A major website for pirated Japanese anime has shut down after Chinese authorities arrested four people accused of involvement, according to a Tokyo-based lobby group that hailed the move as “groundbreaking”.

Gemini* and Gopher

Personal

=> ↺ Zettelkasten

• A Zettelkasten is a physical slipbox of note cards.

• Technically my li’l box of index cards for D&D counts as a Zettelkasten although it’s not organized that way at all, instead it uses a double-alpha system.

• Zettelkästen enabled these researchers to do a couple of new things with text, but we don’t need them today.

=> ↺ Summer time again

• Recently there was another time shift. This time it was from a winter time to the summer time (oops, too much mentions of “time” in just one sentence!) so we lost one hour of sleep.

• Obviously, everyone is a bit sleepy this week (including myself).

• And my electronic gadgets dislike the shift ever more. As usual, most of Linux devices handle the change automatically (usually thanks to the NTP, I thing). Even the Pebble smartwatch changed the time without my intervention. (but it is not a Linux device, of course)

=> ↺ How I use index cards for D&D

• I cleaned out my box of A7 index cards. Turns out it was pretty well sorted already. I’ve been kind of messed up about what goes where, records-wise.

• Now, I often think A7 was a little small, so don’t take this as a reco for that size. But, I’m leaning towards sticking with them.

=> ↺ aphantasia II: do personal projects matter?

• I recently thought about my childhood and if maybe, my ability to envision stuff wasn’t as bad in my childhood. I remember reading lots of books, big books even for a 7-8 year old, and having at least some idea of what the characters and scenery looked like for me. When I remember these books and try to think of their plot, I see what I imagined the characters and parts of the plot or world to look like. Rather blurry and only for a few seconds, but I do. I remember being disappointed when movie versions had things differently than the image in my head. That means it must have worked back then, right? At least partially?

• So, what changed?

• [...]

• What held me back the most is that my self esteem was shattered back then by various different forces, and I was very much a person that needed to do everything perfectly immediately and the prospect of failing scared me hard. Everything made me immediately cry and quit, if I started at all. These are not good for developing any kind of hobby that makes you create instead of just consume other people’s work. You need to be comfortable with failure for that, and be proud and happy you worked on it at all. It helps if you have fun during the process regardless of the outcome, but mentally, I wasn’t there at all. All I cared about was the final product (and it being good enough to be posted, probably). I also find it is hard to engage in creative hobbies when you feel like you have to hide yourself away at home. My mother is the queen of unsolicited brutally honest “advice”, so I was afraid of creating anything around her or letting her see anything I do.

Technical

=> ↺ Runit vs S6

• Since the init subject seems to have gotten people talking, I thought it might be worth going a little more in depth about the lineage, similarities, and differences between Runit and S6. Or, at the very least, my experience in relation to the subject.

• [...]

• Interestingly, SysV Init has this same capability built in. A service can be specified in /etc/inittab with the respawn option and it will be automatically restarted if it dies. However this functionality was never adopted by any major operating system that I know of, being relegated to use only as a way of respawning tty logins through the getty and later agetty programs.

• Bernstein had some interesting ideas on software development that he passed on to his disciples. One of his tenets was that if an interface sucked, then you write a better interface and use that instead. Laurent Bercot definitely took that to heart and replaces a lot of libc functionality and low level primitives with his skalibs distribution, which is required for most of the other software that he writes (including S6 and Execline).

=> ↺ Why can’t I just setup the damn blog

• I just can’t seem to set up my blog. I have plenty of things to write about, ideas I want to share, projects I want to write up. A good few of these projects are even underway right now, with post skeletons sitting in a folder in my notes application. I even have a domain name already, a fun domain hack that I originally bought for a different site. However, when it comes to the actual blog itself, I keep getting hung up on small quibbles.

=> ↺ mosque favourites

• i’ve been going to the small little corner mosque (tucked between squat shawarma places and immigration firms) pentadaily, lately. i, being small and relentless, have given nicknames (completely in my head, i don’t actually know any of their names) to my favourite visitors.

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