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● Links 17/04/2023: Top-Level Microsoft Exits and Worse

Posted in News Roundup at 12:53 pm by Dr. Roy Schestowitz

GNU/Linux

Audiocasts/Shows

=> ↺ The Lunduke Big Tech Show – Apr 16, 2023 – Hour 1

• Listen now (46 min) | How boring is Ubuntu 23.04? The answer will shock you!

=> ↺ The Lunduke Big Tech Show – Apr 16, 2023 – Hour 2

• Listen now (46 min) | Hunting the Wumpus, BBSing over LoRa Wireless, & the future of content publishing platforms.

=> ↺ Three Wild and Crazy Topics | LINUX Unplugged 506

• We surprise each other with three secret topics, with one big catch.

Applications

=> ↺ Graphical Frontends for ImageMagick

• ImageMagick is a software suite to create, edit, and compose bitmap images. All manipulations can be achieved through shell commands.

• The software can read, convert and write images in a huge variety of formats including DPX, EXR, GIF, JPEG, JPEG-2000, PDF, PhotoCD, PNG, Postscript, SVG, and TIFF.

• ImageMagick is often used in industries such as web development, graphic design, and video editing, as well as in scientific research, medical imaging, and astronomy. Its versatile and customizable nature, along with its robust image processing capabilities, make it a popular choice for a wide range of image-related tasks.

• ImageMagick includes a command-line interface for executing complex image processing tasks, as well as APIs for integrating its features into software applications.

• The popularity of ImageMagick has spawned a number of offshoot projects which add a graphical frontend. Here’s our survey of these GUI tools captured in a legendary LinuxLinks-style ratings chart. All the software is free and open source goodness.

=> ↺ Junction – application/browser chooser

• Junction is an application/browser chooser. It’s designed to improve your workflow by making it easier to switch applications.

• This utility is designed to streamline opening files and links with different apps. Think of Junction as an alternative to the system’s default “Open with” menu option. But there are other ways this JavaScript tool seeks to improve your productivity.

• The easiest way to install Junction is to use Flatpak. This is an open source containerized package format similar to Snap. While Snap relies on a central repository for software, Flatpak can be installed from different sources. The primary source is Flathub.

Instructionals/Technical

=> ↺ Finding files that have been modified recently in Linux

• In this article, we’ll explore different ways to find files that have been modified recently in Linux using various command line tools. We’ll cover commands such as the find, grep, and locate commands, as well as tips and tricks to enhance your productivity and troubleshoot any issues you may encounter.

=> ↺ 6 VirtualBox Alternatives for Running a Virtual Machine on Your PC

• Virtualization programs can be extremely helpful if you require an additional OS on your computer without dealing with the hassles of a dual boot system. Out of the myriad of programs available, VMware’s VirtualBox stands out thanks to its ease of use and free distribution.

• However, depending on what you’re looking for, VirtualBox might not be the virtualization software for you. Besides, it’s far from perfect and can suffer from performance issues and a lack of features offered by other (often paid) alternatives.

=> ↺ How to Make A FiveM Server for Free (Linux and Windows)

• FiveM is a modification for Grand Theft Auto V (GTA V) that allows you to play multiplayer on customized dedicated servers.

=> ↺ Iustin Pop: Quick note: nftables and TCP MSS clamping

• Another short note to myself, and whomever cares/searches later for nft or nftables, tcp mss clamping.

• Somewhat surprising, many/most of the instructions found by Google are still related to iptables. I guess people stopped writing blog posts by the time nftables became widely used?

=> ↺ How To Fix ‘Got permission denied while trying to connect to the Docker daemon socket’ Error In Ubuntu

• In Ubuntu 22.04 LTS If are you going through the following issue while trying to run Docker on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS or in any other version of Ubuntu then you are […]

=> ↺ How To Use Indexes in MySQL

• Before we delve into the intricacies of using indexes in MySQL, it’s essential to understand the importance of database performance optimization. Database management is a critical aspect of modern web applications, and ensuring that queries run efficiently is vital to provide a seamless user experience.

=> ↺ How to Set Up Password Authentication in Nginx

• In today’s world, online security is of paramount importance. Whether you’re managing a personal blog or an enterprise-level application, protecting sensitive information and resources should be a top priority. One way to achieve this is by implementing password authentication for your web applications.

=> ↺ How to Set Up Nginx Rate Limiting

• In today’s highly connected world, web applications and APIs are under constant attack from bots and malicious users.

=> ↺ Python Machine Learning: Concepts and Examples

• Python has become a top choice for machine learning projects thanks to its simplicity, flexibility, and extensive library ecosystem. In this in-depth guide, we will explore how to use Python for machine learning, from selecting the right libraries to implementing essential algorithms and techniques.

=> ↺ Elevate Your Terraform Game: Helpful Tools for Linux Users”

=> ↺ How to Install VirtualBox on Fedora Linux Step-by-Step

• In this post, we will cover how to install VirtualBox on Fedora Linux step by step.

Desktop Environments/WMs

GNOME Desktop/GTK

=> ↺ Sick of GNOME, Snap and Flatpak? You might like Linux Lite, but beware rough edges

• Linux Lite version 6.4 is the latest point release from this Ubuntu remix aimed at new migrants from Windows.

• The updates in this version are fairly modest. For instance, although it’s based on Ubuntu 22.04.2, the latest point release of the current Long Term Support version, it doesn’t include that version’s HWE (Hardware Enablement) kernel. As we noted when we looked at the new Ubuntu Real Time edition, the upstream distro uses kernel 5.19, but Linux Lite 6.4 sticks with the original “Jammy Jellyfish” kernel, 5.15. That’s a legitimate choice: kernel 5.15 is a LTS kernel and it’s still getting updated, whereas 5.19 reached its end of life back in October.

• We looked at Linux Lite 6.0 when it came out and again at the first update, version 6.2. Along with the older kernel, it also has Xfce 4.16 – in some ways, the project hews closer to its parent distro than, say, Linux Mint, the next point release of which will have Xfce 4.18.

Distributions and Operating Systems

Fedora Family / IBM

=> ↺ How would you change Fedora is you were its supreme leader

• TLDR: If some magic wizard would make me Fedora’s supreme ruler, I’d morph the release model into one similar to that of Firefox or the Linux kernel. I’d also dramatically increase relations to RPM Fusion, so that we together can finally make things easy and robust that Fedora itself can’t or doesn’t want to provide. And of course: immutable operating systems FTW!

• Nearly 20 years ago I became interested in contributing to what just a few months later morphed into the Fedora Project. These became my first steps as an Open Source contributor. Despite this I managed to become a teeny tiny bit known in the Fedora world and might even have influenced a little. My focus after some years shifted to the Linux kernel, but Fedora is still dear to my heart. Its upcoming anniversary hence made me wonder multiple times…

=> ↺ Still struggling with the Flatpak sandbox

• I have posted that Flatpak does not work with ext4 fscrypt:

• https://bkhome.org/news/202304/flatpak-does-not-work-with-ext4-folder-encryption.html

• I have hunted, found some discussion, but no solution. For example:

• https://github.com/flatpak/flatpak/issues/4281

• So for Easy 5.2.2, had to resort to placing the app home path in an unencrypted folder.

Debian Family

=> ↺ Jens Schmalzing (jensen) & Debian accidental death

• Personally, I resigned from some of my voluntary Debian activities at a time when I lost two family members. Some of the other volunteers have been incredibly rude to my family at the most painful time. It is not unusual to feel alone at such a time but Debian-related rudeness can make those feelings a lot worse. The connection between isolation and suicides has been examined in some of my blogs about the Debian Day volunteer suicide, the death of Lucy Wayland and the suicide of Richard Rothwell.

• It turns out that maybe I am not so alone: in private, there was extraordinary rudeness towards the family and friends of Jens Schmalzing. It reminds me of the Debian rudeness my family experienced in 2018 and beyond. In other words, there are a wide range of people who have been insulted by Debian group behavior, either in private or in public.

Canonical/Ubuntu Family

=> ↺ Ubuntu Budgie 23.04: Best New Features

• Ubuntu Budgie, the official Ubuntu flavour of the Budgie desktop, plans to release version 23.04, “Lunar Lobster”, based on Ubuntu 23.04. This latest version comes with the newest budgie-desktop v10.7.1, bringing some exciting updates.

• Ubuntu Budgie 23.04 is currently undergoing beta testing, and the release is planned on April 20, 2023.

• Here are the new features.

Devices/Embedded

=> ↺ Sony IMX500-based smart camera works with AITRIOS software

• Raspberry Pi recently received a strategic investment from Sony (Semiconductor Solutions Corporation) in order to provide a development platform for the company’s edge AI devices leveraging the AITRIOS platform.

Mobile Systems/Mobile Applications

=> ↺ Top 3 Ways to Blur a Part in Picture on Android – Guiding Tech

=> ↺ How to remove Android’s Discover page?

=> ↺ With Android 14 on the horizon, only 12% of devices have Android 13 installed

=> ↺ Delete cookies: How to delete cookies on Android in 2023

=> ↺ Google Banned 36 Popular Android Apps For Being Malicious – Delete Them Immediately! – Gizchina.com

=> ↺ The iPhone vs Android battle isn’t about technology, it’s about us | TechRadar

Free, Libre, and Open Source Software

=> ↺ LibreArts Weekly recap — 16 April 2023

• Week highlights: new versions of Curtail, Pitivi, and Zrythm, new features in GIMP, UX/UI updates in FreeCAD, updates of Krita and Blender add-ons.

=> ↺ 2023-04-08 [Older] Mastodon CEO Eugen Rochko With Nilay Patel on Decoder

Web Browsers/Web Servers

Mozilla

=> ↺ The Firefox snap: Updates and Upgrades

• The official Firefox snap offers a number of benefits to daily users of Ubuntu, as well as a range of other Linux distributions. It improves security, delivers cross-release compatibility and shortens the time for improvements from Mozilla to get into the hands of end-users.

• Since the user experience of our default browser is imperative to our work, we’ve made significant improvements to snap startup times and identified a number of additional issues to resolve along the way.

• It’s been a while since our last update, but both Mozilla and the Canonical team have continued to make further improvements to the Firefox snap experience over the last few months.

• With some key features recently landed, we thought it was time to give the community a roundup of fresh news and fixes as we ramp up to the release of Ubuntu 23.04! Let’s start with our most… highly requested feature.

Programming/Development

Perl / Raku

=> ↺ 2023-04-14 [Older] Perl Weekly Challenge 212: Rearrange Groups

=> ↺ 2023-04-12 [Older] Perl Weekly Challenge #212 – Spinning Letters and Chopping Numbers

=> ↺ 2023-04-11 [Older] Data::Table – Weekly Travelling in CPAN

=> ↺ 2023-04-11 [Older] Perl Weekly Challenge 212: Jumping Letters

=> ↺ 2023-04-10 [Older] Perl Weekly Challenge 211: Toeplitz Matrix and Split Same Average

=> ↺ 2023-04-10 [Older] Perl Weekly Challenge #211

=> ↺ 2023-04-08 [Older] Reinvent the REST

=> ↺ 2023-04-08 [Older] This week in PSC (103)

Rust

=> ↺ Rust Basics Series #4: Arrays and Tuples in Rust

• In the fourth chapter of the Rust series, learn about compound data types, Arrays and Tuples.

Leftovers

=> ↺ Australia man Lucas Helmke beats world record with insane number of push-ups

• Lucas Helmke, 33, managed an insane number push-ups during his successful world record attempt in a Brisbane gym, which has now been officially recognized by Guinness World Records.

Science

=> ↺ What Caused This Strange Glowing Spiral Over Alaska? There’s a Simple Answer

• Not an alien jellyfish.

=> ↺ Humans Are Erasing Billions of Years of Data From Ancient Meteorites

=> ↺ Endometriosis Appears to Be Linked to The Immune System. Here’s What We Know.

• It’s complex and debilitatingly painful.

=> ↺ Evidence of Modified Gravity May Exist Within Earth Itself, Researchers Say

• Right under our noses?

=> ↺ Astronomers Just Spotted 2 Supermassive Black Holes on The Brink of an Epic Collision

• Big bada boom.

=> ↺ We May Finally Know How Our Eyesight Evolved, And It’s Not From Our Branch of Life

• A stolen gene 500 million years ago.

Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

=> ↺ Cleanup begins after freight train derailment, fire in Maine

• Canadian Pacific is leading cleanup and track repairs following a freight train derailment and fire in Maine. Officials said Sunday that three rail workers were treated and released from the hospital after three locomotive engines and six cars carrying lumber and electrical wiring went off the track near Rockwood, a community on Moosehead Lake. Some hazardous materials were on board the train, but first responders on Saturday determined they were secure. Officials say there’s no threat to public safety. Jim Britt from the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry said Canadian Pacific is leading the cleanup, salvage and repair in partnership with state agencies and local fire and rescue. It was unclear how long that will take.

=> ↺ With rising Covid-19 cases, health experts urge Malaysians to mask up

• Those who are at high risk of developing severe Covid-19 are encouraged to wear masks.

=> ↺ ‘Era has passed’ as Beijing subway drops mandatory Covid-19 mask rule

• Experts said it was unlikely China would experience another big wave of infections nationwide.

Proprietary

=> ↺ Israeli spyware company QuaDream expected to close down – report

• Israeli cybersecurity company QuaDream reportedly summoned many of its 40 employees to a pre-termination hearing on Monday ahead of widespread layoffs, according to Globes.

=> ↺ Linkedin Ireland boss Sharon McCooey announces retirement

• LinkedIn’s country manager for Ireland, Sharon McCooey, has announced her retirement. The executive, in her mid-50s, is to step down from her position at the end of June, after 13 years in the role.

=> ↺ Halo’s Franchise Director Has Seemingly Departed 343 Industries

• There’s been a lot of controversy surrounding Halo developer 343 Industries in recent months, and a number of high-profile creatives have departed the company in that span. Well, you can apparently add franchise director Frank O’Connor to that list, as his LinkedIn says that his tenure at Microsoft ended in April 2023. We’ve reached out to Microsoft for comment.

=> ↺ Report: Halo director O’Connor has left Microsoft

• That’s according to Windows Central, which has spotted that his LinkedIn page has been updated to say he left the Big M this month. That would bring the end to an almost 19-and-a-half-year-long stint working on the Halo franchise. His LinkedIn now says that he is a franchise creative director ‘NA’.

=> ↺ Halo franchise director leaves Microsoft

• 343 Industries has gone through some major changes this year. A round of layoffs at Microsoft in early 2023 saw the majority of the campaign team let go and other major studio leads have also departed the studio in recent months. Now, Frank O’Connor, the franchise director for Halo, is also leaving.

Security

=> ↺ Google Chrome update addresses vulnerability being exploited in the wild

=> ↺ What eBPF Means for Container Threat Detection

• With eBPF monitoring container activity from the kernel layer, many of the challenges associated with observability in the cloud are solved.

=> ↺ 2023-04-07 [Older] Loss and waste management in supply chains

Defence/Aggression

Axios ☛ 4 killed, “multitude” of injuries in Alabama birthday party shootingA shooting at a birthday party in an eastern Alabama town on Saturday left at least four people dead and 28 others injured — some critically, police said Sunday evening. The big picture: The mass shooting is the 32nd to occur this month in the U.S., and the ninth of the weekend, according to statistics compiled by the Gun Violence Archive.Per the Gun Violence Archive, 13 people died in mass shootings on April 15 across the U.S., including the four victims in Dadeville, Alabama.

=> ↺ Putin signs new law making it harder for Russian conscripts to escape military service

• Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday signed a new federal law aimed at making it easier for authorities to track potential military conscripts amid Moscow’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, which continues to deplete Russian troop numbers, in addition to untold humanitarian costs.

=> ↺ China minister hails ‘strong’ Russia ties in meeting with Putin

• Chinese Defence Minister Li Shangfu on Sunday hailed ties with Moscow during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin. “We have very strong ties. They surpass the military-political alliances of the Cold War era… They are very stable,” he said in translated remarks broadcast on Russian TV. Read our live blog to see how all the day’s events unfolded. All times are Paris time (GMT + 2).

=> ↺ Iran Seizes Foreign Ship Allegedly Smuggling Fuel

• Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has captured a foreign vessel allegedly carrying smuggled fuel in the Persian Gulf, Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported on April 16.

=> ↺ China’s relationship with Europe will be determined by Beijing’s behaviour, EU policy chief says

• Mr Josep Borrell described China as a “partner, competitor and systemic rival”.

=> ↺ Putin Meets Chinese Defense Minister, Both Sides Hail Military Cooperation

• Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu in Moscow on April 16 and both men hailed military cooperation between the two nations, which have declared a “no limits” partnership.

=> ↺ US warship sails through Taiwan Strait following China war games

• The USS Milius conducted a ‘routine Taiwan Strait transit’, the US Navy said.

=> ↺ South Korea, US, Japan to hold missile defence drills to counter North Korea

• Monday’s drills will be held in international waters between South Korea and Japan.

=> ↺ U.S. warship sails in Taiwan Strait as G7 diplomats gather in Japan to discuss China threats

• An American warship sailed through the Taiwan Strait Sunday — days after China’s military conducted live-fire drills around the island and as diplomats from the Group of Seven nations gathered in Japan to discuss increasing threats from Beijing.

• The big picture: The U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet in a statement Monday described the guided-missile destroyer the USS Milius’ transit through the strait as a “routine” demonstration of “the United States’ commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.”

=> ↺ France seeks to reassure Taiwan over Macron’s controversial remarks

• The French parliament is set to send two delegations to visit Taiwan this month after President Emmanuel Macron’s controversial remarks on China and Taiwan sparked criticism at home and abroad after his trip to State Visit to Beijing.

=> ↺ US warship sails through Taiwan Strait after China war games around island

• The US warship USS Milius sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Sunday, the US Navy said on Monday, describing it as a “routine” transit, but coming just days after China ended its latest war games around the island.

=> ↺ BREAKING: Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong jailed for 3 months over doxxing police officer involved in Sai Wan Ho shooting

• Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong has been jailed for three months for doxxing a police officer involved in a live-round shooting during the 2019 extradition bill protests. Wong, 26, appeared in front of Judge Russell Coleman for sentencing at the High Court on Monday.

=> ↺ Putin meets with China’s defense minister in Moscow

• Russian President Vladimir Putin has met with China’s defense minister in Moscow. Sunday’s meeting underscored China’s strengthening engagement with Russia. China has largely aligned its foreign policy with Russia in an attempt to diminish the influence of the United States and other Western democracies. Putin and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu met with Gen. Li Shangfu less than a month after Chinese leader Xi Jinping held a three-day state visit to Moscow. China has refused to criticize Russia’s military actions in Ukraine and blames the United States and NATO for provoking Moscow. But China’s foreign minister said last week that China wouldn’t be helping Russia with weapons, as the U.S. and other Western allies have feared.

=> ↺ At least 33 people killed by gunmen in northwest Nigeria

• A local official in Nigeria says that at least 33 people have been killed by gunmen in the country’s northwest. The official said Sunday that more than 35 houses were destroyed in the violence on Saturday evening in Runji in the state of Kaduna. State authorities confirmed the violence but wouldn’t comment on the number of dead. No group has claimed responsibility for the killings. But gangs of bandits have been accused of being responsible for attacks in the region that include the kidnapping for ransom and killing of civilians. Gunmen kidnapped 10 students earlier this month about a 30-minute drive by car from where Saturday’s attack occurred.

=> ↺ Shooting at Alabama birthday party kills 4; ‘multitude’ hurt

• The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency says four people have been killed and multiple people injured during a shooting at a teenager’s birthday party Saturday night in Dadeville. Sgt. Jeremy Burkett of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency says the shooting happened at a birthday party at about 10:30 p.m. The state Law Enforcement Agency released little information about the shooting. There was no initial confirmation about what led to the shooting and it was not immediately known if a suspect was in custody. Dadeville is about 57 miles northeast of Montgomery, Alabama. Investigators continued gathering evidence Sunday.

=> ↺ Deadly mass shooting at teen birthday party in Alabama dance studio

• At least four people were killed and more than 20 others injured, mostly teens, in a Saturday night shooting at a birthday party in Alabama, officials said, in the latest spasm of American gun mass violence.

=> ↺ Shooting at Alabama birthday party kills 4 people, wounds 28

• Law enforcement officers are imploring people in an Alabama town to come forward with information about a shooting that killed four people and injured 28 others during a teenager’s birthday party. Among those killed was a high school senior who planned to play college football and was celebrating at his sister’s 16th birthday Saturday night when gunfire erupted in Dadeville. Philstavious “Phil” Dowdell was a Dadeville High School senior who committed to Jacksonville State University. He was celebrating at his sister Alexis’ party before he was shot to death, his grandmother Annette Allen tells The Montgomery Advertiser. Police gathered evidence Sunday at a dance studio where the party was held. They did not immediately say if a suspect was in custody.

=> ↺ Alabama Birthday Party Shooting: 4 Dead and 28 Injured

• The authorities did not offer any details about a motive for the shooting on Saturday night in Dadeville, Ala.

=> ↺ Under the Shadow of War, Kyiv Celebrates Orthodox Easter

• Thousands of Christians gathered in the Ukrainian capital to mark Holy Week, one year after Ukraine’s army forced Russian troops back from the area around Kyiv.

=> ↺ 2023-04-14 [Older] Germany calls on China to avoid ‘horror’ in Taiwan Strait

=> ↺ Lack of security for Japanese prime minister surprised many

• The fishermen who tackled the man suspected of the second attack on a Japanese politician in less than a year said Sunday that they were surprised by the lack of security for Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Fisherman Tsutomu Konishi was watching Kishida at a campaign event at this fishing port when an object flew overhead and landed near the prime minister, Konishi said. A security officer covered the object with a bulletproof briefcase, said Konishi, 41. The fishermen swarmed the attacker. The prime minister was unhurt but like many others in Japan Konishi was mulling Sunday what the country should do to better protect public figures.

=> ↺ Lack of security for Japanese prime minister surprised many

• “I just want to ask the suspect why he had to come here to make trouble.”

=> ↺ Killing of Atiq Ahmed in India Renews Alarm About Extrajudicial Violence

• The victim was a former politician, a notorious criminal and a Muslim. Afterward, two government officials described the killing as akin to divine justice.

=> ↺ Sudan Fighting Escalates Amid Fears of Civil War

• The civilian death toll is climbing and concern over a broader conflict is growing as rival generals vie for control of Africa’s third-largest country.

=> ↺ Dozens killed as army, rivals battle for control of Sudan

• The Sudanese military and a powerful paramilitary group are battling for control of the chaos-stricken nation for a second day. The two forces are led by former allies-turned-rivals who say they are not willing to end hostilities despite mounting diplomatic pressure to cease fire.  At least five civilians were killed Sunday, bringing the two-day toll to 61. A doctors’ group says it believes there are dozens more dead among the rival forces and that more than 670 people have been injured since the fighting began. In Sudan’s capital, heavy fighting was reported around the airport, the military headquarters and the state TV compound.

=> ↺ Fighting continues in Sudan despite humanitarian pause

• Fierce fighting raged in Sudan’s capital despite an hours-long pause Sunday to address humanitarian needs including the evacuation of wounded, on the second day of battles that left three UN staff among more than 50 civilians killed throughout the country.

=> ↺ Three aid workers among 56 feared dead in Sudan violence

• Leaders of the two warring factions in Sudan have agreed to a three-hour ceasefire on humanitarian grounds Sunday, as the World Food Programme (WFP) announced that three of its aid workers are among scores killed in the fighting.

=> ↺ Armed fighting in Sudan raises concern over already precarious humanitarian situation in the country

• Conflict between the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group (RSF) and the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) on Saturday raised concern over the aggravation of the already precarious humanitarian and economic situation in the country.

=> ↺ Army bombs paramilitary base in Sudan as power struggle continues

• Sudan’s army appeared to gain the upper hand on Sunday in a bloody power struggle with rival paramilitary forces, pounding their bases with air strikes, witnesses said, and at least 59 civilians were killed including three UN workers.

=> ↺ E.U. Cries Foul as Poland and Hungary Ban Ukraine Grain Imports

• The European Union lifted tariffs on Ukrainian grain last year. But farmers say they are suffering from a glut of produce in Europe.

=> ↺ EU Says Unilateral Action On Trade ‘Unacceptable’ After Import Bans On Ukraine Grain

• Unilateral action on trade by European Union member states is unacceptable, a European Commission spokesperson said on April 16, after Poland and Hungary announced bans on grain and other food imports from Ukraine to protect the local agricultural sector.

=> ↺ Poland and Hungary ban Ukrainian grain amid glut from neighbor

• Poland and Hungary have banned imports of grain and other food products from Ukraine following a surge in cheap goods. The Polish prime minister’s office said the move was “to protect the Polish agricultural market against destabilization.”

=> ↺ Journalists Confirm More Than 20,000 Russian Dead In Ukraine War

• An open-source project run jointly by the BBC and the Mediazona website has confirmed the deaths of more than 20,000 Russian service personnel in Ukraine, about one-third of them mercenaries recruited by the ostensibly private Wagner security firm.

=> ↺ Zelenskiy Calls For ‘Security Guarantees’ For Ukraine As Putin Ally Urges Moscow To End Fighting

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has called for “effective security guarantees for Ukraine” immediately, even as rescue work continues following a Russian air strike in the Donetsk region city of Slovyansk that left at least 11 civilians dead.

=> ↺ Ukrainian Foreign Minister Scheduled To Visit Baghdad

• Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba is scheduled to visit the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, on April 17, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said.

=> ↺ Syria’s dictator comes in from the cold

• More than a decade after long-departed Western leaders called for his removal from office as a precondition for any resolution to the Syrian crisis, Bashar al-Assad is on the verge of reintegrating into the region. …

=> ↺ The Urgency for Trust: A Look at Germany and America in 1933, and Today

• This is the edited transcript of the presentation by Mr. McGovern to the Schiller Institute’s Jan. 10, 2023 symposium, “What About International Law, Mrs. Merkel?” Mr. McGovern is a former CIA analyst and is co-founder of Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS).

=> ↺ Noam Chomsky and David Barsamian, When Lunatics Run the Asylum

• I’m proud to have lived through the last 20-odd years at TomDispatch with Noam Chomsky, now a remarkable 94. In the wake of the 9/11 terror attacks and the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan, I stumbled into creating this site and, in October 2003, first posted a piece of his about how the U.S. had for so long terrorized Cuba. It was taken from a book of his that had just been published. By 2007, he was writing directly for TomDispatch on the way the U.S. had brought a campaign of terror to Iran. (“What If Iran Had Invaded Mexico?“) In February 2008, for another article of his, “The Most Wanted List,” in which he put the very idea of terrorism into perspective, I began my introduction this way: “One of Noam Chomsky’s latest books — a conversation with David Barsamian — is entitled What We Say Goes. It catches a powerful theme of Chomsky’s: that we have long been living on a one-way planet and that the language we regularly wield to describe the realities of our world is tailored to Washington’s interests.”

=> ↺ Colombia’s FARC dissidents ‘ready’ for peace talks next month

• An armed dissident group of Colombia’s disbanded FARC guerrillas said Sunday it was “ready” to start peace talks with the government next month in an apparent boost for leftist President Gustavo Petro’s quest for “total peace.”

=> ↺ Iran Sentences 10 Military Members To Prison In 2020 Downing Of Ukrainian Airliner That Killed 176

• Iran has sentenced 10 members of the armed forces to prison on charges of involvement in the 2020 downing of a Ukrainian airliner that killed 176 people, according to the Iranian judiciary’s website.

=> ↺ 2023-04-14 [Older] Brazil Judge Orders Police to Question Bolsonaro on Uprising

=> ↺ 2023-04-15 The Trudeau Liberals Can’t Stop Themselves From Selling Arms to Antidemocratic Gulf States

Environment

=> ↺ Germany says Indonesia will join G-7 nations in climate club

• The addition of South-east Asia’s biggest economy would add heft to the club.

=> ↺ Kent State presents final report for climate study on race

• The Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion held a presentation Wednesday detailing key results of the 2021 Climate Study on Race: Our Voices Count final report. The study looked at the impact race has on our climate through a survey of open-ended questions to all members of the Kent State community.

=> ↺ 2023-04-15 B.C. wine industry projecting 50% fewer wine grapes this year because of winter vine damage

Energy/Transportation

=> ↺ Europe’s most powerful nuclear reactor kicks off in Finland

• Finland’s much-delayed and costly new nuclear reactor has completed a test phase lasting more than a year and has started regular output. It has significantly boosted the Nordic country’s electricity self-sufficiency. The Olkiluoto 3 reactor has 1,600-megawatt capacity and is Europe’s most powerful by production capacity. The reactor was connected into the Finnish national power grid in March 2022 and kicked off regular production on Sunday. Operator Teollisuuden Voima known as TVO tweeted that “Olkiluoto 3 is now ready” after a delay of 14 years from the original plan. It will help Finland achieve its carbon neutrality targets and increase energy security at a time when European countries have cut oil, gas and other power supplies from Russia which borders Finland.

=> ↺ Super funds investing billions into new coal and gas

• Billion of dollars worth of Australians’ retirement savings are being invested into new fossil fuel projects although several super funds are starting to push big polluters to act on climate change.

=> ↺ Climate authority backs carbon storage under land, sea

• Australia could fail on emissions reduction commitments unless climate engineering technologies are accepted, a federal body is warning. Technically feasible, cost effective and socially acceptable routes to net zero must combine ambitious emissions reductions with “carbon dioxide removals” at far greater scale than at present, according to Brad Archer, CEO of the Climate Change Authority (CCA).

=> ↺ Australia wins plaudits for move on multinational tax dodgers but much more is needed on fossil front

• Amid fossil fuel corporate fury at any move to tax them or cap their soaring price rises, the tax reform moves of the Albanese government have been yet modest. The country-by-country reporting initiative however has drawn international plaudits. Callum Foote and Michael West report on the progress and the challenges in funding Australia’s future.

=> ↺ 2023-04-15 [Older] German politicians split as last nuclear plants close

Overpopulation

=> ↺ Bear more children – they’re like consumer durables, Chinese economist urges

• Comments spark backlash as Beijing tries to lift flagging birth rate with various perks

Finance

=> ↺ New builder to complete hundreds of Porter Davis homes

• Another home builder has signed on to complete close to 400 unfinished Porter Davis properties. Liquidators Grant Thornton on Monday confirmed Nostra Property Group had entered into a sales agreement for Porter Davis’ multiple dwelling business.

=> ↺ Global uncertainty to cast shadow over federal budget

• The lowest levels of global economic growth in almost two decades will cast a shadow over the upcoming federal budget, the treasurer has warned. Jim Chalmers said the 2023/24 budget would include predictions of economic uncertainty in international markets, showing the weakest level of growth since the global financial crisis and the height of COVID.

=> ↺ Why Lithuanian government wants to introduce windfall tax on banks

• The Lithuanian government wants to introduce a so-called temporary solidarity contribution by banks that should fund military projects. How would it work and why did the Lithuanian Banking Association file a complaint to the European Commission?

=> ↺ 2023-04-13 [Older] The Potential Impact of Large Language Models on Jobs

=> ↺ 2023-04-13 [Older] Rising wages could thwart Bank of Canada’s plans for low inflation

=> ↺ Barclays Joins the Layoffs Bandwagon, Cuts 100 Jobs in Investment Banking

• Barclays Plc is to be the next investment banking giant to decide to cut jobs in its ranks, according to Bloomberg, citing people familiar with the matter who wish to remain anonymous. Previously, UBS, Credit Suisse, and Goldman Sachs decided to make a similar move.

=> ↺ Best Buy Layoffs 2023: What to Know About the Latest BBY Job Cuts

• Best Buy (NYSE:BBY) layoffs are the talk of Wall Street today as the struggling electronics retailer opts to cut hundreds of its employee roles in the face of waning demand this year.

• Indeed, on Friday the Wall Street Journal reported that Best Buy intends to eliminate hundreds of “consultant” roles — store workers who specialize in the sale of certain specific products, like laptops and cell phones. A Best Buy spokesperson later confirmed the report.

• “As we shared last month, we’re evolving our stores and the experiences we offer to better reflect the changes in customer shopping behavior, as well as how we organize our teams to ensure we continue to provide our expertise, products and services in the best way possible,” the spokesperson told Barron’s.

=> ↺ More than 170,000 tech-sector employees have lost their jobs since the start of 2023

• This year has already surpassed 2022 for global tech redundancies

• More than 170,000 global technology-sector employees have been laid off since the start of 2023, according to data compiled by the website Layoffs.fyi.

• The website’s tally of 2023 global tech layoffs has gone up more than sixfold since mid-January.

• Related: Electronic Arts becomes latest tech-sector company to announce layoffs

• The data show that 2023 has surpassed 2022 for global tech redundancies, with 589 tech companies laying off 170,611 employees since the start of the year. Last year, 1,024 tech companies laid off a total of 154,336 employees, according to Layoffs.fyi.

AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

=> ↺ WATCH: Meeting People is Easy – #SolutionsWatch

• Previously on #SolutionsWatch James Corbett has looked at Building Community as a key part of the solution to the issues that we face . . . but how do you find that community in the first place?

=> ↺ Support for Japan PM Kishida jumps, but his govt’s policies still a hard sell: Survey

• About 80 per cent did not think the government’s childcare plans would do much to solve the low birthrate problem.

=> ↺ Thousands turn out for Czech anti-government protest

• Thousands of people have rallied again in the Czech capital to protest high inflation and demand the government’s resignation. It was the second such rally at Prague’s Wenceslas Square after one on March 11 that was organised by a new political party known as PRO under an “against poverty” banner.

=> ↺ 2023-04-15 [Older] ‘If Erdoğan falls, prices will also fall’, says Green Party election poster

Twitter/Misinformation/Disinformation/Propaganda

=> ↺ 2023-04-13 [Older] Elon Musk wants to sell Twitter, claims running it ‘quite painful’

=> ↺ 2023-04-14 [Older] Here Are 14 Characters Who Would Absolutely Pay for Twitter Blue

=> ↺ 2023-04-14 [Older] The Latest Push for Monetization at Twitter Is Here

=> ↺ 2023-04-14 [Older] Twitter increases paid users’ tweet limit to 10,000 characters

=> ↺ 2023-04-14 [Older] Pay up or lose your Twitter blue tick as Elon Musk sets new deadline

=> ↺ 2023-04-14 [Older] Inside the Hunt for the Discord Leaker, and Twitter Chaos Updates

=> ↺ 2023-04-13 [Older] PBS has also quit Twitter over its ‘government-funded media’ label

=> ↺ 2023-04-13 [Older] NPR Is Going Dark on Twitter | Future Tech

=> ↺ 2023-04-13 [Older] Matt Taibbi Turns to Truth Social Following Fall Out With Elon Musk

=> ↺ 2023-04-13 [Older] Twitter Partners with eToro to Let Users Buy and Sell Stocks, Crypto

=> ↺ 2023-04-13 [Older] Twitter teams up with eToro to make it easier to buy stocks and crypto

=> ↺ 2023-04-13 [Older] Twitter replaces ‘Super Follows’ with ‘Subscriptions’

=> ↺ 2023-04-13 [Older] Twitter launches way for users to charge for access to their content

=> ↺ 2023-04-12 [Older] Elon Says He’s Sleeping on the Couch at Twitter and That His Dog is CEO in Surprise BBC Interview

=> ↺ 2023-04-12 [Older] NPR Ditches Twitter After Elon Labeled Its Account ‘State-Affiliated’

=> ↺ 2023-04-12 [Older] NPR is ditching Twitter over ‘government-funded media’ label on its main account

=> ↺ 2023-04-11 [Older] Former Twitter Executives Are Suing Elon’s Twitter Over Legal Fees

=> ↺ 2023-04-11 [Older] Twitter Is Dead: It’s All ‘X Corp’ Now

=> ↺ 2023-04-11 [Older] Former Twitter execs sue company over unpaid legal fees

=> ↺ 2023-04-11 [Older] Substack’s Twitter-esque Notes feature has officially launched

=> ↺ 2023-04-10 [Older] Elon Musk Painted Over the ‘W’ on the Twitter Headquarters Sign, Which Now Reads ‘Titter’

=> ↺ 2023-04-10 [Older] Is Twitter Circles Broken?

=> ↺ 2023-04-10 [Older] Justice Department Recently Looked Into Twitter, Lawsuit Says

=> ↺ 2023-04-09 [Older] Elon Musk Decides NPR Is Not State Propaganda After All

=> ↺ 2023-04-09 [Older] Twitter stops throttling tweets with Substack links

=> ↺ 2023-04-08 [Older] Twitter removes ‘US state-affiliated media’ label from NPR account

=> ↺ 2023-04-08 [Older] [Guest post] SIAE vs Meta: no more Italian music available on Facebook and Instagram?

=> ↺ 2023-04-10 [Older] ‘Facebook Rapist’ on the run

Censorship/Free Speech

=> ↺ ‘Bring me his head’: The frightening Twitter hunt for a Saudi dissident in exile

• When a former colonel in the Saudi police force, now seeking asylum in the United Kingdom, took to TikTok in mid-March to explain live why he had left the police, internet vigilantes immediately put a price on his head. In the time since, a horde of Twitter accounts has been harassing the 44-year-old online, calling him a “traitor” and “doxxing” him, revealing information about his whereabouts. He says he now fears for his life.

=> ↺ Kremlin Critic Kara-Murza Set To Hear Verdict In Treason Trial Condemned By Rights Groups

• A Russian court is expected to deliver a verdict in the trial of journalist Vladimir Kara-Murza, who faces 25 years in prison on charges of treason and spreading false information. Rights groups say the trial is an attempt by the Kremlin to persecute one of its most prominent critics.

=> ↺ Is Public Television the Israeli Government’s Next Target?

• Kan, a multimedia network of news, prestige TV and niche language radio, is prepared to fight for its life.

=> ↺ Activists implore Armenia government to protect internet access, free expression

• A group of human rights organizations on Saturday, wrote an open letter urging top Armenian officals to oppose a proposed law that would restrict access to internet services, thus limiting the population’s freedom of expression.

=> ↺ The Moral Center Is Fighting Back on Elite College Campuses

• Universities are pushing back against attacks on academic freedom.

=> ↺ Court overturns police sergeant’s dismissal over offensive WhatsApp messages

• At least five police officers have been fired in recent years due to inappropriate, racist messages discovered during a probe of a far-right network.

=> ↺ UN secretary general: ‘Hate speech is an alarm bell’ on anniversary of Rwanda genocide

• The UN Secretary-General António Guterres Friday called for increased digital accountability to combat hate speech on the internet. Guterres made a statement in remembrance of the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda.

Civil Rights/Policing

=> ↺ Spain’s leader apologizes to victims of sexual consent law

• Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has apologized to the victims of a government-sponsored sexual freedom law passed last October that was aimed at increasing protection for women, but inadvertently allowed hundreds of convicted sex offenders to have their sentences reduced. The legislation is known as the “only yes means yes” law. It’s is set to undergo reform this coming week to address the legal loophole following months of debate in the country and tension between the two left-wing coalition partners in the government. They are the majority Socialist party and Unidas Podemos which is the junior party that sponsored the law. Sánchez said Sunday that “I apologize to the victims and we will find a solution to these unintended effects.”

=> ↺ PIFtopia open call

• PIFcamp is a 7-day international summer camp in the Slovenian nature, where art, technology and knowledge meet.

=> ↺ More-than-human exhibition (Curated by Jane Tingley)

• more-than-human presents media artworks at the intersection of art, science, Indigenous worldviews, and technology that speculatively and poetically use multimodal storytelling as a vehicle for interpreting, mattering, and embodying more-than-human ecologies.

=> ↺ Union President Deb Smith responds to Senate Bill 83

• Senate Bill 83 may cause university faculty to leave the state for employment in addition to banning Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging and striking for university employees, said Deb Smith, President of the Kent State Chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP-KSU), after a faculty forum Thursday. The AAUP-KSU-sponsored forum was held Thursday…

=> ↺ Australia opposition leader accused of misrepresenting sexual abuse in Alice Springs

• Several Australian MPs Sunday accused Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton of misrepresenting the prevalence of sexual abuse in Alice Springs.

=> ↺ Hong Kong Film Awards: Controversial doc ‘To My Nineteen-Year-Old Self’ wins best movie

• Coming-of-age documentary To My Nineteen-Year-Old Self won best film at the 41st Hong Kong Film Awards on Sunday. Screenings of the controversial movie were axed earlier this year amid an ethics row.

=> ↺ 2023-04-14 [Older] Canada’s Public Servants Are Ready to Strike

=> ↺ 2023-04-11 [Older] Human Trafficking Linked to Illegal Fishing in Gulf of Guinea

Internet Policy/Net Neutrality

=> ↺ Observations on RIPE Atlas API ‘anti-patterns’

• Guest Post: How to improve the use of RIPE Atlas APIs.

Monopolies

=> ↺ Live Nation / Ticketmaster Retains Joe Biden Ally Mark Pryor as D.C. Lobbying Spending Spree Continues

• Live Nation retains Joe Biden-ally Mark Pryor as the company’s lobbying hiring spree to combat government scrutiny over Ticketmaster continues.

Patents

=> ↺ 2023-04-12 [Older] Are consumables component parts of a complex product?

=> ↺ 2023-04-10 [Older] Construing the claims to include technical effects mentioned in the description (T 1924/20)

=> ↺ 2023-04-15 [Older] Delhi High Court says no FRAND trial needed to obtain SEP injunction in Intex v Ericsson

=> ↺ 2023-04-15 [Older] Poland’s preliminary injunctions set to become a scarce commodity

Trademarks

=> ↺ 2023-04-13 [Older] Multimedia trade marks: EUIPO says that “Super Simon” is distinctive

=> ↺ 2023-04-14 [Older] When Camembert went to war

Copyrights

=> ↺ 2023-04-11 [Older] Lamenting the closure of Book Depository

Gemini* and Gopher

Personal

=> ↺ just quotes

Technical

=> ↺ monorepo

• multilang monorepos are cool.

• gonna use buckv2 and reindeer.

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=> Techrights

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