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● 04.14.23

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● Links 14/04/2023: Godot 3.6 Reaches Beta, OSI Celebrates Proprietary Money

Posted in News Roundup at 1:32 pm by Dr. Roy Schestowitz

GNU/Linux

Audiocasts/Shows

=> ↺ A new Era on Linux Has Dawned, Teaser 6 …

• Enjoy our latest Teaser of our upcoming Max release…

Instructionals/Technical

=> ↺ How do I Install & Uninstall MySQL in Linux?

• MySQL is one of the most famous relational database management systems in the current market. The capabilities of this RDBMS are not only amazing but also quite user-friendly. Many people prefer MySQL over other alternatives available in the market. Often, installing MySQL and removing it from a Linux-based operating system can be quite daunting for new beginners. If that is the case, then this post will be your friend and guide you through the process. Let’s Begin.

=> ↺ Top Tips for Optimizing Kali Linux After Installation

• If you have just installed Kali Linux, there are some essential tips to optimize its performance. Here are some of the best things you can do after installation.

=> ↺ How To Install Krita on Debian 11

• In this tutorial, we will show you how to install Krita on Debian 11. Are you a digital artist looking for powerful and versatile painting software for your Linux-based system? Look no further than Krita!

=> ↺ How To Install AnyDesk on Rocky Linux 9

• In this tutorial, we will show you how to install AnyDesk on Rocky Linux 9.

=> ↺ How To Install KDE Plasma on Linux Mint 21

• In this tutorial, we will show you how to install KDE Plasma on Linux Mint 21. Are you tired of the default user interface on your Linux Mint 21?

=> ↺ How to Convert Raw Camera Images (cr3, crw) to jpg in Ubuntu

• Having a raw image? Want to know how to convert a cr2, cr3, or crw format image to jpg, then you can use dcraw, rawtherapee, or darktable.

=> ↺ How To Install Pluma Text Editor on Ubuntu 20.04 | 22.04 LTS

• Pluma is a lightweight and easy-to-use text editor that is designed to be used in Linux-based operating systems. It is a fork of the Gedit text editor and comes with many of the same features that users have come to love from that application.

=> ↺ How To Install XCache on Ubuntu 22.04

• XCache is an open-source opcode cacher for PHP that can help improve the performance of PHP applications by caching compiled code in memory. In this article, we will explain how to install XCache on Ubuntu 22.04.

=> ↺ How To Install Webuzo on Ubuntu 20.04 | 22.04 LTS

• Hi. Today you will learn how to install Webuzo on Ubuntu. Webuzo is a web hosting control panel that simplifies the process of managing websites and web applications on a server. It allows users to easily install and configure popular web applications such as WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, Magento, and more.

=> ↺ How To Install Nikto Web Scanner on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS

• Nikto is an open-source web scanner that helps to identify potential vulnerabilities and security issues in web servers and applications. In this tutorial, we will walk through the steps to install Nikto web scanner on Ubuntu 22.04.

=> ↺ How To Install Apache Nifi on Ubuntu 20.04 | 22.04 LTS

• Hi, folks. Today you will learn how to install Apache Nifi on Ubuntu 20.04 | 22.04 Apache NiFi is an open-source data integration platform that enables users to easily transfer data between systems, stream data in real-time, and process data in near real-time.

=> ↺ How to install OTRS (OpenSource Trouble Ticket System)

• ORTS or Open-Source Trouble Ticket system is a free and completely open-source customer support module that help businesses and organizations to manage customer support requests.

=> ↺ How to Install Portainer on Debian 11

• Portainer is a web-based container management platform that can work with Docker and Kubernetes to manage and deploy containerized applications and services more easily and efficiently. This tutorial will show you how to install Portainer on the Debian 11 server.

=> ↺ 2 Ways to Install GitHub Desktop on Debian 12/11/10

• Are you a developer who is looking for GUI for Git then you probably want to install the GitHub GUI Desktop app on your Debian-based Linux systems such as Bookworm (12) and Bullseye (11).

=> ↺ Steps to Install Opera Browser on Debian 12 Bookworm Linux

• Browsers are not merely just a website browsing instrument, you can do a lot more. Here in this article, we learn the steps to install Opera Browser in Debian Linux such as Bookworm 12 and Bullseye 11.

=> ↺ How to Install MariaDB 10.5 on Fedora Linux

• MariaDB 10.5 is a Long-Term Support (LTS) release designed to provide reliable and consistent database management for businesses and developers. As an LTS release, MariaDB 10.5 is maintained and supported by the MariaDB Foundation alongside the more recent MariaDB 10.6 LTS.

=> ↺ Master Docker: 10 Essential Commands for Container Management

• As a developer, you might have often encountered the term “Docker” in recent years. It has revolutionized how we develop, deploy, and manage applications by providing a consistent and efficient environment for running software. If you’re new to Docker or looking to deepen your understanding, this article is for you.

=> ↺ Essential Utilities: Reclaiming Disk Space (GUI Tools)

• Linux offers an unsurpassed breadth of open source small utilities that perform functions ranging from the mundane to the wonderful. These tools help make Linux a compelling operating system.

=> ↺ How to get started with Ansible Private Automation Hub

• Learn how to use Red Hat Ansible Automation Private Automation Hub.

=> ↺ How to deploy a Podman container with persistent storage

• If you’re either transitioning to Podman or are new to container development, Jack Wallen shows you how easy it is to deploy a container with persistent storage.

=> ↺ How to Install Bluefish Editor 2.2.13 via PPA in Ubuntu 22.04 | 20.04

• The bluefish text editor released version 2.2.13 recently. Here’s how to install it in Ubuntu via PPA. Bluefish is a powerful GTK3 text editor for web and software development. It supports many programming and markup languages, but it focuses on editing dynamic and interactive websites. The development of Bluefish editor is quite slow.

Games

=> ↺ Dev snapshot: Godot 3.6 beta 1

• It’s time to start testing the next feature release of Godot 3, packed with over 500 fixes and enhancements which don’t require any compatibility breaking changes!

=> ↺ 8 Touch-Friendly Linux Apps for Your Steam Deck

• With the Steam Deck being such a lap-friendly device, it makes sense to want to use the touchscreen from time to time. You’re welcome to use the joysticks and touchpads for everything, but it’s often much easier to poke at the screen.

• The Steam Deck runs KDE Plasma, and there are plenty of touch-friendly Plasma Mobile apps that can feel right at home on the Steam Deck in desktop mode. And if you expand your options beyond the Plasma ecosystem, there is even more touch-friendly Linux software for you to explore.

Distributions and Operating Systems

SUSE/OpenSUSE

=> ↺ Frameworks, Shotwell, systemd update in Tumbleweed

• Six openSUSE Tumbleweed snapshots have been released since last Friday updating some GNOME applications, KDE’s Frameworks, the LLVM compiler and several other packages.

• The rolling release updated several new and some older software packages.

• GNOME webcam application cheese updated from version 43.0 to 44.0 in snapshot 20230412. The photo and video program updates translations and avoids creating duplicate camera devices, which was related to GStreamer emitting a call. GNOME’s widow manager Mutter 44 had some changes to make it more resilient and avoid a type of crash on gnome-shell. An update of the development library SDL2 2.26.5 fixed a crash on Linux Kernel if dbus can’t be initialized. It also added mapping for the DualSense Edge Wireless Controller on Linux. An update of apache2 2.4.57 and its subpackages fixed regressions introduced in the previous version. An updated version of yast2-storage-ng 4.6.5 adjusted detection of Dell BOSS devices. AV1 encoder rav1e 0.6.4+0 had the most changes of all the packages that arrived in the snapshot. The package enables AVX2 12-bit Inverse Transform x86 assembly as well as a new SSE4.1 HBD Inverse Transform x86 assembly.

Fedora Family / IBM

=> ↺ Fedora Project Launches Revamped Website

• The Fedora Project, an open-source, community-driven Linux distribution, has announced the launch of its newly revamped website, available at fedoraproject.org. The project, which Red Hat sponsors, aims to provide users with a reliable, secure, and cutting-edge operating system that is free to use and modify.

• The project has existed since 2003, and over the years, it has gained a reputation for being one of the most innovative, trustworthy, and user-friendly Linux distributions available.

• With the launch of its new website, the Fedora Project hopes to make it even easier for users to get involved with the community and stay up-to-date with the latest developments.

=> ↺ How to deploy Open Policy Agent for API authorization

• In this article, we will demonstrate how to deploy Open Policy Agent in server mode into a Red Hat OpenShift cluster. We will then set up simple Rego policies to validate a JWT token and provide authorization to specific APIs.

=> ↺ Red Hat: Biggest Linux company of them all turns 30

=> ↺ 3 IT leadership mistakes to avoid

• As a business leader, community leader, father, and friend, I’ve made my share of mistakes. Some have been small and relatively inconsequential; others have had real consequences for me, my company, or my family. The one common element of each mistake is the learning and growth that comes from it.

=> ↺ Building IT teams that facilitate growth: 5 tips

• When opportunity knocks, talent talks. But without the right IT skills in place, growth will take a walk.

• In fact, according to a 2021 Korn Ferry report, the U.S. could miss out on $162 billion in annual revenues if it doesn’t rustle up more tech workers. And if you think tech industry layoffs have changed things, think again: A recent Gartner survey showed nearly 90 percent of CIOs said they are facing greater competition for candidates, nearly three quarters adding they’re worried about IT talent attrition.

=> ↺ 5 ways to optimize your journey to the cloud

• David Linthicum, managing director and chief cloud strategy officer at Deloitte Consulting LLP, and I recently discussed how companies can take a collaborative approach to their cloud journey. The aim is to ensure that it reflects the strategy of the business as a whole, not just the sum of its parts.

• Linthicum and I exchanged thoughts on optimizing the cloud for the entire enterprise. Following is a synopsis of our discussion, highlighting the patterns that emerged based on thought-provoking questions posed by Linthicum.

Canonical/Ubuntu Family

=> ↺ First Look at Edubuntu 23.04: Ubuntu Desktop Packed with Educational Software

• Previously known as Ubuntu Education Edition, Edubuntu was initially developed in collaboration with teachers and technologists as an official Ubuntu flavor designed for use in classrooms inside schools, homes, and communities, but the remake is being maintained by the developers of the Ubuntu Studio official derivative.

• The last Edubuntu release as we knew it several years ago was released as part of Ubuntu 14.04 LTS. Now, Edubuntu is making a comeback as part of Ubuntu 23.04 as we can only hope that it’s here to stay for many years to come as the educational flavor of Ubuntu Linux to teach our children.

=> ↺ Canonical Announces Livepatch Support for Ubuntu Hardware Enablement Kernels

• Until now, Canonical offered its Livepatch service to Ubuntu LTS (Long Term Support) systems running the standard Linux kernel that came with the initial release. In case you didn’t know, Livepatch lets you apply Linux kernel updates on your Ubuntu system without restarting it for uninterrupted service and minimal downtime.

• Of course, Livepatch makes sense mostly in Ubuntu Server installations, but it may also come in handy in mission-critical systems, and it’s supported for up to 10 years. Canonical offers the Livepatch service as part of its Ubuntu Pro offering, which is available for free for up to 5 computers or up to 50 machines for official Ubuntu Community members.

Devices/Embedded

=> ↺ 5 Raspberry Pi projects to do with this open source data tool

• Tiny computers are practically out-sized by their own potential. There’s seemingly nothing they can’t do, regardless of your industry or interest. For instance, did you know you could use a Raspberry Pi or Arduino to help you keep plants alive or to assist you in making tasty beer and barbecue?

• Over the years, my team at the open source data platform InfluxDB has realized that professional and novice developers can combine a Pi or Arduino with InfluxDB for some unique do-it-yourself projects.

• This article explores five exciting things you can do with a Raspberry Pi or Arduino and InfluxDB, whether you’re a seasoned developer or a beginner. Hopefully, these ideas inspire you (and maybe offer some laughs) ahead of your next tiny computer and InfluxDB project.

Open Hardware/Modding

=> ↺ This machine uses cornstarch to fashion biodegradable pottery

• The art of making pottery has existed for tens of thousands of years, and the materials used have stayed relatively similar as nearly all items were made from clay which was left to harden either from the sun or via a kiln.

Mobile Systems/Mobile Applications

=> ↺ Google warns all Android owners to check payments for ‘unauthorized transfer’ – spot sign your bank is in danger | The US Sun

=> ↺ Yes, LG really is pushing Android 13 to the LG Wing – Liliputing

=> ↺ Samsung is largely to thank for Android 13′s faster adoption – SamMobile

=> ↺ Android 14 can block apps from using full-screen notifications

=> ↺ How to detect and remove malware from an Android device | TechTarget

=> ↺ How to Run ADB Commands on Android Without a Computer

=> ↺ Moto G73 5G review: Can stock Android compensate for the lack of AMOLED? | Technology News,The Indian Express

=> ↺ What Chrome for Android needs to learn from Safari

=> ↺ When will Google TV’s 800+ free channels come to Android TV?

=> ↺ Android 14 Beta issues: What problems have you seen? [Poll]

=> ↺ The 5 Best Features in Android 14 Beta 1

=> ↺ Android Studio Flamingo stable released, things you need to know – Neowin

=> ↺ Google Chrome on Android just got a lot faster, but only on selected devices

=> ↺ How to record calls on Android phones – Geeky Gadgets

=> ↺ Firefox 112 for Android deals with an annoyance and gets a long-requested feature

=> ↺ 2019′s FairPhone 3 is now getting Android 13, but there’s more to come

=> ↺ This Xiaomi 13 Ultra accessory will surely make it the best Android phone camera | T3

=> ↺ Android 13 is now running on over 12% of Android phones

=> ↺ Severe Android and Novi Survey Vulnerabilities Under Active Exploitation

Free, Libre, and Open Source Software

=> ↺ Salesforce: Why we sponsor OSI

=> ↺ ICE (yes, babies kidnapped) and then lets them slip in a President for the OSI (Josh Simmons)

• This month, we’re pleased to spotlight one of our sponsors, Salesforce, and learn why  Open Source is important to their organization.

Events

=> ↺ Hackathon Wire EDM Build Really Works

• If you’ve ever short-circuited a car battery, you’ve seen the pitting and damage a few sparks can cause. Smart minds realised that controlled sparks could erode metal very accurately, in a process now known as electrical discharge machining. [Tanner Beard] decided to build just such a machine for a hackathon, and it works a treat.

Web Browsers/Web Servers

Mozilla

=> ↺ The Servo Blog: Layout 2013 and Layout 2020

• Servo currently has two independent layout engines, known as Layout 2013 and Layout 2020, which are named after when they began development. Layout 2020 was designed to fix several shortcomings in Layout 2013, but it’s not yet enabled by default, and this raises the question: which layout engine should Servo use going forward?

Leftovers

=> ↺ Automated Shusher Keeps Conference Loudmouths In Line

• Few things are more annoying than being at a conference and having an inconsiderate group conducting a vociferous sidebar that drowns out the speaker. More annoying still is the inevitable shushing; nobody likes being either the shusher or the shushed. So why not take the humans out of the loop and automate the chore of keeping the peace?

=> ↺ RTÉ Coverage of Historic Visit of President Biden to Ireland

• RTÉ is providing extensive coverage of the historic visit by President Biden to Ireland across this week.

=> ↺ Jamie McClelland: Doing whatever Gmail says

• As we slowly move our members to our new email infrastructure, an unexpected twist turned up: One member reported getting the Gmail warning:

• Be careful with this message The sender hasn’t authenticated this message so Gmail can’t verify that it actually came from them.

• They have their email delivered to May First, but have configured Gmail to pull in that email using the “Check mail from other accounts” feature. It worked fine on our old infrastructure, but started giving this message when we transitioned.

Science

=> ↺ Square-Wheeled Bike Is Actually An Amazing Tracked Build

• The invention of the wheel is considered one of the crowning achievements of early humanity. Squares don’t roll, after all. [The Q] decided to build a square-wheeled bike anyway, with a neat tracked setup that makes for an awesome visual gag.

Education

=> ↺ Help Us Report on Idaho’s Deteriorating Public Schools

• In Idaho’s aging schools, students often wear jackets in the winter to keep warm in the classroom. In late spring, they sweat, struggling to concentrate. At some schools, bathrooms are regularly closed because of deteriorating pipes. At others, staff spend hours blowing snow off the roof to prevent its collapse.

• State officials aren’t fully aware of the extent of the schools’ problems — the last full review of school buildings was done in 1993. It’s hard to repair even the problems that have been logged because in order to get funding for facilities, school districts in Idaho have to clear a higher bar than those in almost any other state.

=> ↺ Idaho Has the Worst-Funded Schools in the Nation

• Jan Bayer sank into the couch in the family room of her Bonners Ferry, Idaho, home and stared at her phone, nervously awaiting a call. Her twin teenage daughters were nearby, equally anxious.

• It was election night in March 2022, and Bayer, the superintendent of the Boundary County School District in a remote part of Idaho on the Canadian border, had spent months educating voters about a bond that would raise property taxes to replace one of her district’s oldest and most dangerous buildings: Valley View Elementary School. Built just after World War II, the school was falling apart.

Hardware

=> ↺ Vintage Computer Festival East Returns This Weekend

• Spring has sprung at the Jersey Shore, and for retrocomputer aficionados that can only mean one thing — the Vintage Computer Festival East is imminent. The East Coast’s premier event for classic computers and associated electronics kicks off tomorrow at the InfoAge Science and History Museum in Wall, NJ, and continues until Sunday. If you’re in the Northeast United States, and frankly, even if you aren’t, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better opportunity to experience the unique charms of early computer technology.

=> ↺ Congratulations Low-Power Winners

• Congratulations to the winners of the 2023 Hackaday.io Low Power Contest! We challenged you to show us how much you could do with how little, and you did not disappoint. Our judges have put their heads together, and thanks to Digi-Key, our contest sponsor, the top three entries will be taking home a $150 gift certificate for yet more hacking supplies.

=> ↺ Electric Volkswagen Adds Rooftop Solar

• Volkswagen has continually teased the release of a new Microbus in the same way that Duke Nukem Forever strung us all along in the 00s, but unlike the fated video game it seems as though Volkswagen is finally building a hip new van rather than continually teasing its release year after year. With the clunky name of I.D. Buzz, European drivers can expect to see them later this year while those in the North American market will have to wait until 2024. That release will have a camper-equipped option though, but you may also want to equip yours with some solar panels as well.

Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

=> ↺ EPA Proposes Air Pollution Reforms for Industrial Facilities

• The Environmental Protection Agency proposed a series of major reforms this past week to slash toxic air pollution at chemical plants and facilities that sterilize medical equipment, nearly 18 months after ProPublica reported how an estimated 74 million Americans were exposed to elevated cancer risk from these businesses.

• The first set of rules place stricter limits on roughly 80 air pollutants, according to EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. The list includes potent cancer-causing chemicals such as ethylene oxide, which is used to sterilize medical equipment, and chloroprene, an ingredient in synthetic rubber. The proposal, which would affect more than 200 manufacturers, requires routine air monitoring around these chemical plants, something local communities have long requested.

=> ↺ ‘A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing’: Experts Sound Alarm Over 5th Circuit Abortion Pill Ruling

• A three-judge panel of the conservative-dominated 5th Circuit Court didn’t allow a Texas judge’s sweeping attack on abortion medication stand in full, but that was cold comfort to rights advocates and legal experts who said Thursday that the ruling poses a serious threat to reproductive freedoms nationwide.

=> ↺ Jayapal Applauds Biden for DACA Healthcare Expansion

• U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal was among the immigrant rights advocates who praised an announcement by the Biden administration on Thursday regarding a rule change that will allow immigrants who arrived in the U.S. as children to obtain health coverage under the Medicaid and Affordable Care Act programs—a move that could benefit up to 580,000 people who are recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA.

=> ↺ DISCUSS: Arcturus – The latest “Covid variant”

• Late last night, the world was rocked – ROCKED – by the announcement of yet another variant of “covid”. XBB.1.16 – codenamed Arcturus for as yet obscure reasons – is actually just a sub-variant of Omicron, and is “fuelling a rise of infections in India” amid concerns it [...]

Proprietary

=> ↺ Microsoft is Slowly Rolling Out Ads in the Windows 11 Start Menu

Security

=> ↺ Reflections on certificates, Part 1

• Guest Post: Understanding the complexity, trust relationships, and tradeoffs of certificates can lead to better decision-making and more efficient operations.

=> ↺ Microsoft April 2023 Patch Tuesday fixes 1 zero-day, 97 flaws

=> ↺ Irrigation Systems in Israel Disrupted by Hacker Attacks on ICS

• Irrigation systems were disrupted recently in Israel in an attack that once again shows how easy it is to hack industrial control systems (ICS).

=> ↺ Microsoft Shares Resources for BlackLotus UEFI Bootkit Hunting

=> ↺ UEFI itself is the security hole

• Microsoft has shared details on how threat hunters can check their systems for BlackLotus UEFI bootkit infections.

=> ↺ New hacker advocacy group seeks to protect work of security researchers

• “There are advocacy groups for reptile owners but not hackers, so that seems like a miss,” said Ilona Cohen of HackerOne.

=> ↺ Nation-state actors are taking advantage of weak passwords to go after cloud customers, Google says

• Weak passwords accounted for nearly half of the security incidents affecting Google Cloud customers.

=> ↺ CISA and partners issue secure-by-design principles for software manufacturers

Privacy/Surveillance

=> ↺ Signal’s Meredith Whittaker voices EDRi’s concerns with the CSA Regulation

• Meredith Whittaker, the President of the Signal Foundation, delivered the closing keynote speech at EDRi’s 20th-anniversary celebration in March 2023. The tech professional focused on the “recent spate of regulatory proposals and misguided tech fixes [like the EU’s Child Sexual Abuse Regulation] that offer false and surveillant solutions to complex social problems – solutions that always seem to lump the right to privacy in with malfeasance, and offer to address bad actions by eliminating privacy.”

=> ↺ Internal markets MEPs wrestle with how to fix Commission’s CSAR proposal

• The European Union’s proposed CSA Regulation (Regulation laying down rules to prevent and combat child sexual abuse) is one of the most controversial and misguided European internet laws that we at EDRi have seen. Whilst aiming to protect children, this proposed law from the Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson, would obliterate privacy, security and free expression for everyone online.

Defence/Aggression

=> ↺ Event Wrap: TaiwanICDF and USAID Workshop on National Cybersecurity Strategies

• Adli Wahid shared his experiences in cybersecurity development at the TaiwanICDF and USAID Workshop on National Cybersecurity Strategies, held in Suva, Fiji from 27 to 29 March 2023.

=> ↺ Russian FSB alleges Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation inspired murder of pro-war blogger Vladlen Tatarsky — Meduza

• The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) has said that Daria Trepova, who was arrested in connection with the explosion that killed pro-war blogger Vladlen Tatarsky in St. Petersburg in early April, carried out the murder in response to “repeated [public] calls” from Anti-Corruption Foundation leaders Leonid Volkov and Ivan Zhdanov to engage in “subversive activities” in Russia, according to the state news agency RIA Novosti.

=> ↺ Anti-Corruption Foundation Director Ivan Zhdanov says FSB implicating him in pro-war blogger’s death as pretext for increasing Navalny’s prison sentence — Meduza

• Ivan Zhdanov, the director of Alexey Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK), said Thursday that he believes the Russian authorities’ allegation that the organization was involved in the April 2 killing of pro-war blogger Vladlen Tatarsky is part of a strategy to extend Navalny’s prison sentence.

=> ↺ Drones, planes, and airborne troops go into action The changing shape of the battle for Bakhmut and Avdiivka on our updated combat map — Meduza

=> ↺ Jack Teixeira: Why 21-year-old airman has been detained in Pentagon leak probe

• US authorities have arrested a 21-year-old information technology specialist called Jack Teixeira in connection with the disclosure of highly classified military documents about the Ukraine war and other top national security issues.

=> ↺ Next stop Bauska for ex-occupier tank

• From April 14 to 27, the Russian T-72B tank destroyed by the Ukrainian armed forces, which was previously stationed in Rīga in front of the Russian embassy, then in Liepāja, can be viewed in Bauska at 5, Parka Street.

=> ↺ Biden says U.S. “getting close” in Pentagon leak investigation

• President Biden vowed Thursday that the U.S. is “getting close” to getting answers in the investigation into the leak of a trove of classified Pentagon documents.

• Why it matters: The leaked documents contained stunning revelations about the extent of the U.S.’ knowledge of Russia’s intelligence and security services, but also outline U.S. efforts to spy on some of its allies.

=> ↺ U.S. arrests Pentagon suspected document leaker

• The FBI has arrested the suspected leaker of a trove of classified Pentagon documents, identified as a 21-year-old member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard, Attorney General Merrick Garland confirmed Thursday.

=> ↺ From ‘only professionals’ to closing the borders for draft evaders A timeline of Russia’s official statements on who it’s sending to war — Meduza

• Russian President Vladimir Putin says that “only professionals — officers and contract soldiers — are taking part” in the “military operation” in Ukraine. He assures Russians that “not even a single conscript” is involved in the war and says the Russian authorities have no intention of deploying any. Putin thanks citizens who have reported to enlistment offices to volunteer, but he says “their help is currently not needed.” “And I’m confident we’re not going to need it,” he adds.

=> ↺ State Duma clears out dead bill to exclude death penalty from Russian Criminal Code — Meduza

• The State Duma Council has decided to return a draft law on excluding the death penalty from Russia’s Criminal Code to its co-authors. Vedomosti reported on the change in the legislature’s public records on Wednesday.

=> ↺ Navalny calls for Saakashvili’s release from prison for medical treatment — Meduza

• From prison, Alexey Navalny called on the authorities of Georgia to release politician and former president Mikheil Saakashvili from prison for medical treatment. Navalny’s team published the message on Navalny’s social media channels.

=> ↺ German embassy denies Schengen visa to Moscow resident, arguing he might be subject to military service in Russia — Meduza

• The Russian investigative reporter Andrey Zakharov has tweeted a fragment of an official letter, in which a German embassy denies a Russian national a Schengen tourist visa, on the grounds that his age may possibly make him subject to military mobilization in Russia, which might “significantly reduce his willingness to return to his home country before the visa’s expiry date.”

=> ↺ Daria Trepova’s host prosecuted for not reporting terrorist attack in wake of Tatarsky assassination — Meduza

• After Daria Trepova’s arrest in the wake of the explosion that killed the war blogger Vladlen Tatarsky on April 2, a St. Petersburg resident who hosted Trepova around the time of the assassination has been charged with not reporting his knowledge of a terrorist attack.

=> ↺ Moscow French embassy receives bone-filled package from Crimea, deceased Italian film producer Pietro Notarianni listed as sender — Meduza

• The French embassy in Moscow has received a package sent from Crimea and containing some bones and a syringe, as reported by RIA Novosti and Baza. The sender’s name on the package is Pietro Notarianni, a reference to the celebrated Italian film producer who died in 2006.

=> ↺ Azovstal: A history Journalist Konstantin Skorkin tells the story of the steelworks that lay at the heart of Mariupol life — Meduza

• One year ago, Russian forces were laying siege to Mariupol. Its famous Azovstal Iron and Steel Works had come to serve as a stronghold for the last Ukrainian soldiers defending the encircled city, as well as a refuge for desperate civilians. Those who managed to escape Mariupol said the Russian assault turned their hometown into “hell on earth.” Journalists report that as many as 75,000 people were killed in Mariupol alone; villages on the city’s outskirts now harbor sprawling mass graves. 

=> ↺ North Korea claims missile fired on Thursday was a new, solid-fuel ICBM

• The statement confirms South Korea’s initial assessment that this was a new type of ballistic missile. The launch prompted an emergency ‘seek shelter’ order for the Japanese island of Hokkaido.

=> ↺ Uneasy Coexistence on Guam: Military Buildup and an Indigenous Upwelling

• The U.S. military is increasing its presence just as the island’s Chamorro people are trying to strengthen their bonds.

=> ↺ Poland’s prime minister says Ukraine needs South Korean artillery shells.

=> ↺ Ukraine presses allies for more aid before an expected spring counteroffensive.

Environment

Energy/Transportation

=> ↺ The Hague’s Arbitration Tribunal orders Russia to pay $5 billion to Ukrainian state gas company for loss of Crimean assets — Meduza

• The Hague’s Arbitration Tribunal at the Permanent Court of Arbitration has ordered Moscow to pay $5 billion to the Ukrainian state-owned oil and gas company Naftogaz in compensation for damage caused by Russia’s annexation of Crimea, the company’s head, Oleksiy Chernyshov, said on Thursday.

=> ↺ State aid: Commission approves €1.4 billion Dutch scheme to support energy-intensive companies in the context of Russia’s war against Ukraine

• European Commission Press release Brussels, 13 Apr 2023 The European Commission has approved a €1.4 billion Dutch scheme to support energy-intensive small and medium-sized enterprises (‘SMEs’)facing increased energy costs in the context of Russia’s war against Ukraine.

=> ↺ World’s 60 Largest Banks Have Dumped $5.5 Trillion Into Fossil Fuels Since Paris Accord

• Since 2016, the year the Paris agreement took effect, the world’s 60 largest private banks have provided $5.5 trillion in financing to the fossil fuel industry, contravening their pledges to put themselves and their clients on a path to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions as the window to avert the worst effects of the climate crisis rapidly closes.

=> ↺ State aid: Commission approves €1 billion Hungarian scheme to support companies facing increased energy costs in the context of Russia’s war against Ukraine

• European Commission Press release Brussels, 13 Apr 2023 The European Commission has approved a €1 billion (approximately HUF 379 billion) Hungarian scheme to support companies facing increased energy costs in the context of Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Finance

=> ↺ You’ve Probably Never Heard Of It, But India’s Other Big IT Project Might Be A World Beating One

• China and India are widely expected to be two of the most powerful global players in the decades to come. In some ways, they are alike. As Techdirt has reported, both have dismal records when it comes to Internet freedom, online censorship and privacy. But they differ in terms of their impact on the IT sector outside their home countries. China has produced a worldwide success story in TikTok, alongside well-known Internet giants such as Alibaba, Baidu and Tencent. India, by contrast, is chiefly famous in the computing world for its vast digital biometric identity system, Aadhaar. That may be about to change, thanks to another Indian creation, the Unified Payments Interface (UPI).

=> ↺ State pension rise – why your payments won’t increase until next month

• Find out what your state pension payments should be in 2023-24

=> ↺ Brazil’s Lula criticises US dollar and IMF during China visit

• The two countries have recently announced a deal to trade in their own currencies, dropping the dollar as an intermediary. Lula also criticised the IMF, accusing it of ‘asphyxiating’ the economy of certain countries.

=> ↺ French court approves Macron’s unpopular plan to raise pension age

• France’s highest constitutional court has approved Emmanuel Macron’s proposals to raise the minimum pension age from 62 to 64.

• The ruling means the government can pass Macron’s unpopular plans to raise the minimum eligible pension age as early as next week, to be in force by the end of this year.

=> ↺ Macron’s pension reform faces key constitutional test after months-long battle

• France’s top constitutional court is to rule Friday on whether to approve President Emmanuel Macron’s deeply unpopular pensions overhaul after three months of strikes and mass protests.

=> ↺ After layoffs, the morale crisis

• Laying off thousands of people, while announcing more job cuts to come, might make you friends on Wall Street — but inside your company…not so much.

• What’s happening: Workers at the company formerly known as Facebook are facing a morale crisis, per the New York Times.

=> ↺ Swiss banks reportedly warning clients their accounts will be closed if they pay taxes to Russia — Meduza

• Swiss banks have begun warning Russian customers that their accounts will be closed if they continue paying taxes to Russia, the outlet RBC reported on Thursday, citing two Swiss lawyers who work with Russian clients and a source from the country’s banking sector.

=> ↺ Hungary exits Russian ‘spy bank’ after US sanctions

• The Hungarian government decided to exit the Russia-controlled International Investment Bank (IIB) after the United States imposed sanctions on three senior officials of the financial institution. Russian nationals Nikolay Kosov, the bank’s former chairman, Georgy Potapov, and Imre Laszloczki a Hungarian citizen, were named on the sanctions list.  

• Before Budapest’s decision the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria, and Romania have already quit or started the withdrawal process from the bank that is often referred to as Moscow’s trojan horse’ in the European Union. 

=> ↺ How NATO states sponsored ICC prosecutor’s Putin arrest warrant

=> ↺ Clarence Thomas Travels First Class

• Bon voyage to the Justice and Ginni!

=> ↺ Clarence Thomas Never Disclosed Property Deal With Billionaire Benefactor

• New revelations about U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas’s business dealings with Texas Republican megadonor Harlan Crow on Thursday led to intensified calls for the right-wing justice’s impeachment, as ProPublicareported on a previously undisclosed real estate transaction between the two men.

=> ↺ French Pension Defenders Rally on Eve of High Court Ruling

• Workers opposed to French President Emmanuel Macron’s deeply unpopular plan to raise the nation’s retirement age from 62 to 64 hit the streets Thursday in a final display of anger before the country’s top court rules on the measure’s constitutionality.

=> ↺ Clarence Thomas Didn’t Disclose Harlan Crow Real Estate Deal

• In 2014, one of Texas billionaire Harlan Crow’s companies purchased a string of properties on a quiet residential street in Savannah, Georgia. It wasn’t a marquee acquisition for the real estate magnate, just an old single-story home and two vacant lots down the road. What made it noteworthy were the people on the other side of the deal: Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and his relatives.

• The transaction marks the first known instance of money flowing from the Republican megadonor to the Supreme Court justice. The Crow company bought the properties for $133,363 from three co-owners — Thomas, his mother and the family of Thomas’ late brother, according to a state tax document and a deed dated Oct. 15, 2014, filed at the Chatham County courthouse.

AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

=> ↺ Inside the GOP’s 100-day “weaponization” war

• 100 days into their majority, the House GOP’s top two investigative panels have issued nearly three dozen subpoenas — plowing forward in a range of aggressive probes even as Democrats and federal agencies claim foul play.

• Why it matters: Republicans vowed on the campaign trail to hold the Biden administration accountable and investigate the alleged “weaponization” of government — a conservative cause that has taken on new urgency in the wake of former President Trump’s indictment.

Misinformation/Disinformation/Propaganda

=> ↺ Fox Hit With Sanctions For Withholding Information In Dominion Libel Lawsuit

• It doesn’t look like Fox News is going to get away with badmouthing Dominion Voting Systems for weeks following Donald Trump’s unsurprising loss in the 2020 election. Evidence already handed over to Dominion in its libel lawsuit shows many Fox News executives — as well as anchors and commentators — were aware the claims were false but chose to give them airtime anyway.

Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press

=> ↺ Try Fedi Friday: Just One Day A Week, Experiment With Alternative Social Media

• It’s not at all surprising why tons of people, including journalists, are sticking around Twitter even if they shouldn’t. Part of it is inertia. People were settled into what worked before, and change is difficult. Partly because of that, people are loathe to switch. Even those who have switched over to alternatives like Mastodon in the Fediverse find it difficult to do so. There’s a bit of a chicken-and-egg problem in which, when people first sign up, it feels “empty” because there’s no algorithm pumping their feed full of content (though I’ve found Mastodon to be quite engaging, to an almost overwhelming degree that I can’t keep up). You have to do a little bit of work, and that can feel like a lot.

=> ↺ Court accepts indictment against 18 Kurdish media workers

• Sixteen of the suspects have been remanded in custody since June. The prosecutors have charged the suspects with “being a member of an illegal organization.”

=> ↺ Climate Activists Targeted by Fossil Fuel Industry Spies at Standing Rock

• A private security firm that worked with law enforcement to suppress the Indigenous-led movement against the Dakota Access Pipeline targeted peaceful activist groups including the 350.org climate campaign as part of a sweeping surveillance effort, according to a report published Thursday by The Intercept.

=> ↺ Why Are We Even Talking About Guns? Dr. Gaetz Will See You Now

• In a stunning display of stupid merged with hateful, Matt Gaetz, aka “Dr. Rapey McForehead,” the creepy MAGA carnival barker who barely evaded charges of sex trafficking minors so he can now focus on repeatedly voting against mental health support and other programs to help children, just had the “courage” to argue the carnage of our school shootings is the regrettable result of godless kids on medication – who also, just sayin’, should be kept separate from “normal” kids. And what guns?

=> ↺ 6-Week Abortion Ban Heading to Desk of Ron DeSantis, Likely 2024 GOP Contender

• Reproductive rights defenders on Thursday braced for a near-total abortion ban in Florida as Republican state lawmakers sent legislation outlawing the medical procedure after six weeks to governor and likely GOP presidential candidate Ron DeSantis’ desk for his all-but-certain signature.

=> ↺ Why I Keep Working at Starbucks Despite Its Union-Busting

• On a warm summer afternoon, my coworkers and I huddle around a single phone outside of my Starbucks, watching as our union election votes are counted. Everyone has a noise maker gathered from the dollar store between their lips, blowing into it at every time a ‘yes’ is announced, altering our other coworkers that are inside the building of our results. We make a noise for every vote that has been counted, until we get to the end, a second of silence passes until we all begin to jump, cheer, and hug, celebrating our unanimous victory.

=> ↺ Abusive Governments (And The Criminals They Employ) Are Going To LOVE The UN’s Cybercrime Treaty

• Various treaties and multi-national proposals to combat cybercrime have been around for years. I’m not exaggerating. These have been floating around for more than a decade. (Do you want to feel old? This cybercrime treaty proposal would be old enough to legally obtain a social media account in the United States if it were still viable.)

=> ↺ White House slams Florida’s six-week abortion ban

• The bill, which will make abortions illegal before many women usually find out that they’re pregnant, has been signed by Governor Ron DeSantis.

=> ↺ DeSantis signs Florida’s 6-week abortion ban into law

• Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed legislation on a six-week abortion ban into law on Thursday night, becoming the latest Southern state looking to bar access after the bill passed in the state legislature earlier in the day.

Internet Policy/Net Neutrality

=> ↺ In The Last Six Months Techdirt’s Antispam Algorithm Has Stopped Over A Million Spam Comments; Should We Lose 230 Protections For That?

• The Supreme Court is currently deliberating whether or not algorithms deserve protections under Section 230. And I hear from lots of people that maybe Section 230 wasn’t meant to cover algorithmic policing and recommendations of content. But that’s utter nonsense.

=> ↺ Time Warner Discovery Execs Are Excited About Their Plan To Distance Themselves From The Popular HBO Brand And Further Dumb Down Their Streaming Service

• We’ve noted in detail how the AT&T/Time Warner/Discovery mergers have been an apocalyptic mess that aptly demonstrates the U.S. obsession with utterly pointless megadeals and the “growth for growth’s sake” mindset. Hundreds of billions of dollars later and the companies have produced a product that’s notably shittier than when they started, laying off thousands of people, cancelling popular shows, and leaving the company’s catalogs with new, weird gaps due to a refusal to pay residuals.

=> ↺ Understanding the Dark Web: What it is and How to Stay Safe

• The internet is a vast network of websites, services, and applications, but it’s not all accessible through a simple Google search. The Dark Web is a part of the internet that is not indexed by search engines and requires specific software to access.

=> ↺ Budget Session 2023: A Digital Rights Review

• The Budget Session was adjourned sine die on April 06, 2023 in both Houses of Parliament amidst protests from the Opposition and treasury benches. In this post, we take a look at the disruptions during the Session, and analyse how the Parliament fared with respect to digital rights.

Digital Restrictions (DRM)

=> ↺ ‘Smart’ Garage Door Company Nukes Key Feature After Ignoring Vulnerability For Months

• It will never stop being humorous uncovering just how many smart products are run by dumb companies. If you’re going to roll out a product that connects to the internet, you would think that the very basics of IT/internet security in those products would be taken into account. You would also think that there would be intelligent contingency plans proactively thought out for when something inevitably goes wrong or the unexpected is uncovered.

Monopolies

Patents

=> ↺ ITC Reforms Deserve a Higher Priority

• Global competition is a key political issue, particularly the rivalry between the United States and China. These superpowers are locked in a struggle for leadership of the global economy. Last year, the Congress passed the $280 billion CHIPS Act in an attempt to bolster economic growth in key industrial sectors.

Copyrights

=> ↺ C. P. Cranch’s Very Literal Illustrations of Emerson’s Nature (ca. 1837–39)

• In these illustrations, Emerson’s words are interpreted literally, repurposed for cheeky, teasing, and toothless ends.

Gemini* and Gopher

Personal

=> ↺ Suicide Is Painless

• I remember one time on LinkedIn when I see another post about improving one’s chances to get the job. Or maybe it is an invitation to attend a workshop. No. I don’t want to go through that path of CV, interview and maybe a job anymore. I reply with a link to a song I remember from the good old days when I am younger: Suicide Is Painless by Jonny Mandel (https://vimeo.com/247626434)

=> ↺ Yretek – Rsync > SSH

• Forgive me if I’m wrong, amateur coder at the wheel, but it surprises me to see quite a few people talking about ssh’ing into their capsules. I don’t think that’s the best approach.

=> ↺ 🔤SpellBinding: WGILNTD Wordo: SWIR

Technical

=> ↺ Trying a Systemd Distro Again

• I hope I don’t start another week-long Systemd post train again.

• So today was my first full day off in a couple weeks so I decided to finally distro-hop and try out a Systemd distro like I had mentioned I wanted to do.

Internet/Gemini

=> ↺ The Ebbs and Flows of Gemini

• I’ve only been on Gemini just over a year and I’ve already seen some ebbs and flows. It seems every couple of months an article will pop up with some hate or distaste for Gemini and it’ll cause some heartache. I’m already starting to see the same arguments, which kind of goes like this…

• Gemini (Primer) links can be opened using Gemini software. It’s like the World Wide Web but a lot lighter. Share in other sites/networks: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages. Permalink  Send this to a friend

=> Techrights

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