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● 05.02.23

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● Links 02/05/2023: Speculations About XBox Being Shut Down This Year, US Government Warns It’ll Run Out of Cash Next Month

Posted in News Roundup at 8:39 pm by Dr. Roy Schestowitz

GNU/Linux

Desktop/Laptop

=> ↺ TUXEDO Computers Announces InfinityBook Pro 14

• With the new generation of their popular InfinityBook Pro 14, TUXEDO upgrades its ultra-mobile, powerful business laptop with some impressive specs.

Audiocasts/Shows

=> ↺ Linux User Space Episode 3:20: A Timepiece of Pi

• Coming up in this episode

• 1. The History of ~~Raspbian~~ Raspberry Pi OS

• 2. What we’ve been doing with Pi’s

• 3. And we run something over the break

• Watch the video for this episode on Youtube (https://youtu.be/nLPuojqJbK4)

• https://youtu.be/nLPuojqJbK4

• 0:00 Cold Open

• 1:36 SBC, One, Two, Three

• 17:24 Raspberry Pi History: The Early Days

• 19:55 2006 – 2012

• 22:22 2012 – 2014

• 26:26 2014 – 2017

• 33:28 2017 – 2020

• 37:05 2020 – 2023

• 43:12 Hot Pis and Hot Takes

• 1:07:41 Next Season: A Twofer

• 1:16:36 Stinger

=> ↺ This Week in Linux 223: Linux 6.3, Ubuntu 23.04, Fedora 38, Solus Returns & more Linux news!

• On this episode of This Week in Linux, we take a look at the latest release of the Linux kernel with Linux 6.3. Ubuntu – Fedora released brand new versions of their Linux distros. The Solus Project has officially returned. KDE released the latest version of their application suite.

Applications

=> ↺ OBS Studio 29.1 Released with Support for Streaming AV1/HEVC over Enhanced RTMP

• Highlights of OBS Studio 29.1 include support for streaming AV1/HEVC over RTMP for YouTube, support for surround sound for AJA capture cards, new lossless audio recording options for FLAC, ALAC, and PCM (including 32-bit float), as well as support for multiple audio tracks in Simple output recording.

• For Linux users, OBS Studio 29.1 significantly improves the screen capture performance on machines with dedicated Intel GPUs, updates the JACK inputs to display “OBS Studio” in their name to clarify their origin, and improves virtual camera support and the V4L2 source.

Instructionals/Technical

=> ↺ How To Install Google Chrome on Fedora 38

• In this tutorial, we will show you how to install Google Chrome on Fedora 38. Are you a Fedora 38 user looking to enhance your browsing experience? Look no further than Google Chrome! In this post, we’ll explore the benefits of using Google Chrome on Fedora 38, including its speed, security features, and user-friendly interface.

=> ↺ Mistyping a Vim plugin on my FreeBSD laptop

• I think it’s important to share one’s mistakes. It might help someone with a specific issue. More broadly, I hope it reassures new people in the industry that we’re all human.

• Spock: “I find that remark… insulting.”

• Today’s mistake was extremely silly. I was configuring a fresh FreeBSD install on my laptop, like a gentleman, when I got stuck trying to define some text snippets. It just… wouldn’t work. GAH.

=> ↺ How To Install GCC on Fedora 38

• In this tutorial, we will show you how to install GCC on Fedora 38. Do you want to install GCC on Fedora 38 but don’t know where to start? Look no further! In this article, we’ll walk you through the process of installing GCC on Fedora 38. GCC (GNU Compiler Collection) is a powerful compiler…

=> ↺ How to List All Valid IP Addresses Connected and Available to Use in a Local Network

• Here we have listed five tools to list all valid IP addresses connected to your network. Network administrators or enthusiastic Linux users always want to know what IPs are connected to their local network and what IPs are not.

=> ↺ Things To Do After Installing Fedora 38

• Fedora releases a new version approximately every 6 months. Each new version is supported with updates for 13 months in total. The distribution is a good place to get the latest stable software and technologies consistently. The latest stable version is currently Fedora 38, you can download it from the Fedora official website.

=> ↺ Fscrypt v2 working in initrd

• On April 29, posted about migrating from ext4 fscrypt v1 to v2:

• https://bkhome.org/news/202304/preliminary-support-for-fscrypt-v2.html

• Then to improve encryption security, added argon2 to hash the password: [...]

=> ↺ How to Use Nano Command Line Text Editor in Linux

• Nano is a simple yet powerful command line-based text editor, very popular among beginner Linux users for its simple-to-use interface. As a command-line editor, it offers a lightweight alternative to more complex graphical text editors. In this article, we will explain how you can use the nano text editor in Linux, right from installing it to editing documents with it.

=> ↺ How to use Ping command on Windows, Linux & macOS

• Using Ping on Windows, Linux and macOS is an easy way to check whether there’s a working connection between two PCs on a network. Here’s how to do it on Windows, Linux and MacOS.

Distributions and Operating Systems

Fedora Family / IBM

=> ↺ Google Now Offering Committed Use Discounts for RHEL/RHEL for SAP

• Google Cloud announced the availability of committed use discounts (CUDs) for Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and RHEL for SAP.

• CUDs can help cloud customers control their costs, especially those customers with predictable and consistent workloads. According to Google Cloud, CUDs can help RHEL customers save as much as 24% over pay-as-you-go pricing.

=> ↺ How to set up event-driven microservices using Knative Eventing

• Many modern application designs are event-driven, aiming to deliver events quickly. This article describes how to orchestrate event-driven microservices using standards like CNCF CloudEvents and Kubernetes APIs for Knative to simplify EDA-style application development.

• The Event Driven Architecture (EDA) allows the implementation of loosely coupled applications and services. In this model, event producers do not know for which event consumers are listening, and the event itself does not know the consequences of its occurrence. EDA is a good option for distributed application architectures.

• Figure 1 illustrates an example of an event-driven application consisting of three services, producing and consuming different events with an event bus responsible for the orchestration and routing of the events. Note that “Service 3” produces an event indicating the business process finished, but there is no consumer for the event.

=> ↺ Why service mesh and API management are better together

• When it comes to managing microservices, the possibilities are truly endless with service mesh and API management. You might think service mesh and API management are competing technologies—however, they are actually complementary and can help revolutionize the way you manage and secure your microservices and APIs.

• In this article, we will explore the benefits of using service mesh and API management together, using a fictitious travel company as an example. 

• Service mesh is a dedicated infrastructure layer that gives you the power to manage and control communication between microservices, with features like traffic management, service discovery, load balancing, and security.

• API management refers to the process for creating, publishing, and managing APIs that connect applications and data across the enterprise and across clouds. This approach lets you control access to your APIs with authentication, authorization, rate limiting, and monitoring.

• Together, service mesh and API management can improve the reliability, scalability, security, and performance of your microservices and APIs, as we’ll see in the following scenarios.

Canonical/Ubuntu Family

=> ↺ Edubuntu: The Ubuntu-based OS that brings Linux to the classroom (and home)

• The goal of Edubuntu is to bring the freedom of Linux and open-source software into the classroom. But the operating system is not limited to K-12 within the hallowed halls of schools. Edubuntu is also a great platform for kids (of all ages) at home.

• Think of Edubuntu this way: It’s an open-source operating system that includes the software you need to learn. Whether you’re looking to focus on math, science, art, social sciences, or technology, Edubuntu has something up its sleeve for you.

Mobile Systems/Mobile Applications

=> ↺ Billions of Android phone owners warned to beware five ‘bank-emptying’ sentences – one means you’re in immediate danger | The US Sun

=> ↺ Surprise! Nothing Phone 1 will soon get Android 14 Beta 1 early access | Mobile News

=> ↺ The Best Upcoming Gacha Collaborations on Android – Droid Gamers

=> ↺ How to Turn Off Gmail’s In-App Browser on Android

Free, Libre, and Open Source Software

FSF

=> ↺ FSF Blogs: April GNU Spotlight with Amin Bandali: Eighteen new GNU releases

=> ↺ cpio @ Savannah: GNU cpio version 2.14

• GNU cpio version 2.14 is available for download.

• New in this version:

• Valid in copy-out mode, it instructs cpio to ignore the actual number of links reported for each directory member and always store 2 instead.

• The –reproducible option implies –ignore-dirlink.  In other words, it is equivalent to –ignore-devno –ignore-dirnlink –renumber-inodes.

=> ↺ FSF Events: LibrePlanet Workshop – May 8 – LeanWeb: A ruby (out of rails) web framework for static and dynamic content by Felix Freeman

Programming/Development

=> ↺ Configuring Maui

• This new entry will cover ways to configure global preferences for Maui Apps and Maui Shell.

• MauiMan stands for Maui Manager, and exists for setting, saving, and syncing the configuration preferences for the Maui Apps ecosystem. These configurations are global, and some of them can be overridden by the apps themselves, but more about that later. To store the configurations MauiMan uses the MauiMan.conf config file, located at your local config path: for example ~/.config/Maui/MauiMan.conf.

• (!) The settings modifications are only written/saved when using the MauiMan API directly.

• MauiMan consists of two parts, a (1) background server that syncs and broadcasts the preference properties changes to all the running Maui Apps, and a (2) public API, that allows app developers to easily hook their apps to the system preferences. The MauiMan server program is named MauiManServer and uses the DBus IPC.

• The public API and the server are divided into modules: for different setting categories, such as Theme, Background, Accessibility, FormFactor, etc.

=> ↺ VBA Project References, (Tue, May 2nd)

• I was asked where one can find VBA project references inside an ole file with VBA code.

=> ↺ 10 of the Best Programming Languages for IoT

• Sure, no-code and low-code IoT platforms are a thing. But chances are you’ll need to write some code at some point. You may be able to get by running someone else’s code if you’re building a common project, but for the most part, you’ll need to be acquainted with code. /blockquote>

Perl / Raku

=> ↺ Rakudo Weekly 2023.18 Thank You, Moritz

• Moritz Lenz is a long time Raku collaborator (3.4K+ commits in the Rakudo, 3.4K+ documentation commits, 1.3K+ commits in roast). Which in itself already deserves a big Thank You! They also have been a TPRF Grant Committee member for a long time. But would like to step down from the Grant Committee soon.

Python

=> ↺ How to Access Environment Variables in Python

• Environment variables are a crucial aspect of any programming environment. They store configuration settings, system paths, and other essential data that applications rely on. As a Python developer, understanding how to access and manage these variables is vital to creating robust, adaptable, and maintainable applications.

Rust

=> ↺ Linux’s sudo and su Are Being Rewritten in Rust

• Two of the most important Linux utilities are being rewritten in Rust to provide greater memory safety for the critical functionality they provide.

• Linux is a mult-user operating system with a root account that has ultimate access to the system. When a normal user needs to perform a task that would normally require root access, they can use sudo or su to temporarily elevate their privileges. This is a much safer option than logging into the root account directly.

Leftovers

=> ↺ How virtuosos are made: Behind the mystery of mastery

• By trying to learn to draw, dance, and drive, New Yorker Editor Adam Gopnik unlocks the secret to learning, and mastering, a new skill in “The Real Work: On the Mystery of Mastery.”

Science

=> ↺ How an MIT scientist paved the way for women in science

• In 1999, women in science celebrated a major victory when MIT admitted to gender discrimination and became a pacesetter for equality. Kate Zernike recounts the inspiring story in, “The Exceptions: Nancy Hopkins, MIT, and the Fight for Women in Science.”

Education

=> ↺ These EV-savvy high schoolers could help California meet green tech goals

• This border-town high school is revving up students for an EV workforce. It’s an effort well suited to California’s green technology goals.

=> ↺ Why is it so hard to transfer community college credits?

• How can better aligning course offerings among schools help community college transfer students complete four-year degrees?

Hardware

=> ↺ Logitech Q4 Sales Plunge 22% as Economic Downturn Worries Weigh

Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

=> ↺ Pigs on Indonesian farm that exported to S’pore confirmed to have African swine fever virus

• Singapore stopped importing live pigs from Pulau Bulan after a batch sent here was found to have the virus on April 20.

=> ↺ US to end COVID vaccination requirements for international travelers on May 11

• The United States will end its COVID-19 vaccination requirements for international travelers and federal workers on May 11, when the coronavirus public health emergency ends, the White House said on Monday.

=> ↺ ‘This must end’: Radical plan to stop children vaping

• A major public health campaign will be launched to crack down on vaping in a bid to prevent the next generation of “nicotine addicts”, and to stamp out the “number one” behavioural issue among Aussie teens.

=> ↺ Australia to ban recreational vaping in e-cigarette crackdown

• Under the new rules, vapes will be sold only in pharmacies and require “pharmaceutical-type” packaging.

=> ↺ Australia to Ban Recreational Vaping in E-Cigarette Crackdown

=> ↺ U.S. Will End Most Covid Vaccine Mandates on May 11

• The requirements helped end the public health emergency. But they also prompted a politically charged debate.

=> ↺ Biden Administration to End Many COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates Next Week

• The Biden administration will also end the controversial Title 19 travel restrictions.

=> ↺ Finnish public health organisations voice alarm about public’s physical fitness

• PUBLIC HEALTH ORGANISATIONS in Finland have expressed their alarm with the deteriorating physical fitness of Finns.

• The Finnish Federation for Social Affairs and Health (Soste), Finnish Olympic Committee and Finnish NCD Alliance on Thursday issued a joint press release demanding that the next government take action to address the issue.

Proprietary

=> ↺ Landlord Software Is Making Life Hell for Renters, Report Says

• Property technology, or proptech, is allowing big landlords to buy homes at scale, raise rents, and evict tenants remotely.

=> ↺ Samsung bans staff’s AI use after spotting ChatGPT data leak

• Samsung is the latest big company to express concern about the technology.

=> ↺ Morgan Stanley planning to cut 3,000 jobs, second mass layoff in months

• After cutting around two per cent of its workforce in December, Morgan Stanley is reportedly planning to pull out the axe again.

• Sources have told major news outlets, including Bloomberg and CNBC, that the bank is looking to lay off approximately 3,000 employees, or five per cent of its workforce, by the end of June.

• The majority of the cuts are expected to affect banking and trading workers. Financial advisors and support staff will remain unscathed.

• A person with knowledge of the plans told Reuters on May 1 that “slow dealmaking and a tough economic environment are prompting [Morgan Stanley] to look at its headcount.”

• According to reports, the bank had more than 82,000 employees at the end of March.

=> ↺ Is Xbox Shutting Down in 2023?

• Rumors of Xbox shutting down in 2023 are not unfounded. Microsoft has been hit hard over the last year, and first-party Xbox games during this time have been largely a disappointment. A lot of fans were looking to the Xbox console exclusive Redfall by Arkane Studios to bring some excitement back to the Xbox catalog, but reviews have called the game middling at best. Both the quantity and quality of first-party games have dampened the future of Xbox Series X|S. In addition, the UK’s CMA has recently prevented the merger between Microsoft and Activision, a deal that both companies expected would be approved.

=> ↺ Universal USB Installer 2.0.1.5

• Universal USB Installer is a Live Linux USB Creator that allows you to choose from a selection of Linux Distributions to put on your USB Flash Drive. The Universal USB Installer is easy to use. Simply choose a Live Linux Distribution, the ISO file, your Flash Drive and, Click Install. Upon completion, you should have a ready to run bootable USB Flash Drive with your select operating system installed. Other features include; Persistence (if available) – note that casper persistence will only work with fat16 or fat32 formatted drives.

Security

=> ↺ “Passive” analysis of a phishing attachment, (Mon, May 1st)

• When it comes to analysis of malicious code, one often has to weigh the potential benefits of a quick, dynamic analysis, which might cause the code to interact with infrastructure operated by a threat actor…

=> ↺ FBI cites risk of Chinese hackers in request for additional cybersecurity funding

Privacy/Surveillance

=> ↺ Public Knowledge Urges Congress To Reconsider Child Protection Bill Provisions Risking Platform Security, Encryption

• Recently, Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced the “Strengthening Transparency and Obligation to Protect Children Suffering from Abuse and Mistreatment Act of 2023” (STOP CSAM Act), a bill intended to provide additional, valuable protections for victims of online child sexual exploitation.

=> ↺ ‘BouldSpy’ Android Malware Used in Iranian Government Surveillance Operations

• The Iranian government has been using the BouldSpy Android malware to spy on minorities and traffickers.

• /blockquote>

=> ↺ CISA Asks for Public Opinion on Secure Software Attestation

• CISA has opened proposed guidance for secure software development to public review and comment.

Confidentiality

=> ↺ Companies Increasingly Hit With Data Breach Lawsuits: Law Firm

• Lawsuits filed against companies that have suffered a data breach are increasingly common, with action being taken even for incidents affecting less than 1,000 people.

Defence/Aggression

=> ↺ Why fighters from post-Soviet world flock to Ukraine’s banner

• What motivates foreigners to fight and die for Ukraine? Those from Chechnya, Belarus, and Georgia say their countries will never enjoy freedom or democracy unless Russia is defeated.

=> ↺ The Mud Stands in the Way of a Ukrainian Counteroffensive

• The unusually wet ground is one obstacle that the Ukrainian military, for all of its ingenuity, is finding difficult to overcome as it prepares for a counteroffensive against Russian forces.

=> ↺ In Israel, McCarthy Pledges Continued Support for Ukraine

• The speaker, who warned last year there would be no “blank check” for Ukraine, told a Russian reporter he would continue support to Kyiv against Russia’s invasion.

=> ↺ Australia to pay soldiers bonus to stay as strategic risks rise

• The retention bonus will be paid to personnel who stay after completing a mandatory period of service.

=> ↺ U.S. Says 100,000 Russian Casualties in Ukraine in Past 5 Months

• About half of the dead were mercenaries for the Wagner group, a paramilitary force that recruited heavily from Russian prisons.

=> ↺ HRW Says Actions By Kyrgyz, Tajik Forces In 2022 Conflict ‘Likely Amount To War Crimes’

• Actions carried out by Kyrgyz and Tajik forces during a four-day conflict along the Central Asian countries’ contested border that left more than 100 civilians and soldiers dead in September included “serious violations of the laws of war by both sides,” Human Rights Watch said.

=> ↺ Myanmar troops raze two-thirds of homes in Sagaing village

• ‘It was as if our houses had been cleared away by a big broom.’

=> ↺ UN Sends Relief Chief to Sudan Over Dire Humanitarian Crisis

• Goods essential for people’s survival are becoming scarce in the hardest-hit urban centers. Families are struggling to access water, food, fuel and other critical commodities,

=> ↺ Death Toll In Sudan Clashes Rises To 436 – Doctors Committee

• According to the United Nations (UN), the actual death toll must be much higher.

=> ↺ Battlefield Update: Russia and Ukraine Both Claim Gains in Bakhmut

• The fight for Bakhmut, the ruined city in eastern Ukraine, has become a focal point of the war as both sides have poured troops into battle and sustained heavy casualties.

=> ↺ Explosion Derails Freight Train in Bryansk Region of Russia, Local Official Says

• The blast was the latest in a spate of apparent attacks to hit the area bordering Ukraine.

=> ↺ Russian Freight Train Derailed After Explosion Hits Tracks

• This is the first time that the Russian authorities have reported a train derailment on their territory since February 2022.

=> ↺ Moldovan Prosecutors Say Top Official With Pro-Russian Political Party Detained At Airport

• A top official in a pro-Russian political party was detained at a Moldovan airport as she prepared to leave the country.

=> ↺ Defending press freedom, an eye on China and more on Ukraine’s grain: What to watch for this week.

=> ↺ Are Russian schools in Latvia ready to teach in official language?

• As of September 1, schools which have taught in Russian so far will have to gradually transition to teaching solely in the state official language – Latvian. Not much time is left to prepare. The readiness among different schools varies, Latvian Radio reported on May 2.

=> ↺ New ‘Lobshot’ hVNC Malware Used by Russian Cybercriminals

• Russian cybercrime group TA505 has been observed using new hVNC malware called Lobshot in recent attacks.

=> ↺ Gripen and Hawk to headline SAAF Museum air show

• The sharp end of the South African Air Force (SAAF) in the form of its Gripen and Hawk jet combat aircraft will take part in the SAAF Museum air show next week at the Air Force Mobile Deployment Wing, formerly Air Force Base (AFB) Swartkop.

=> ↺ Russia and Ukraine Step Up Attacks Amid Signs That Counteroffensive Is Near

• Russian forces were reportedly moving into defensive positions, as Ukraine’s defense chief said the military was “reaching the finish line” for a major push to reclaim occupied land.

=> ↺ After Waco, the Radical Right Declared War on the U.S. Government

• Behind the Oklahoma City bombing and even the January 6th attack was a military-style assault in Texas that galvanized the far right.

Transparency/Investigative Reporting

=> ↺ Scott Morrison’s secrecy fetish exposed by release of National Cabinet papers

• Secrecy has shrouded Scott Morrison’s National Cabinet. In an epic transparency battle, Rex Patrick has finally managed to blow open the vault, forcing the Government to hand over the agenda and minutes of the first 20 meetings

Environment

Wildlife/Nature

=> ↺ Africa’s oceans are being protected to serve the interests of big foreign corporates

• Africa’s valuable ocean resources have drawn the interest of foreign nations, particularly those in the West and Asia. How they exploit these resources can be problematic because these oceans offer a wide range of important resources – from fish to minerals and hydrocarbons – that are also crucial to the continent’s economy and food security.

Finance

=> ↺ Australian university staff protest underpayment and understaffing in week strike

• University staff across Australia are striking from Monday as academics protest for improved job security, manageable workloads and wages in line with the increased cost of living. /blockquote>

=> ↺ University of Minnesota graduate student workers approve unionizing

• More than 2,400 eligible workers voted in favor of unionization, while only 70 voted against the effort.

=> ↺ California Sues Elk Grove Over Housing Project for Homeless

• California officials are suing a local government for not approving an apartment complex for people experiencing homelessness

=> ↺ Judge Says JPMorgan Could Be Liable for Epstein Sex Trafficking if Staley Knew About It

=> ↺ Finance Ministry proposes legislative change to cut government spending

• The ministry has previously calculated that Finland will need to find 9 billion euros in spending cuts and tax rises over the next two governmental terms.

=> ↺ JPMorgan Deal Forces Biden Administration to Defend Record on Mergers

=> ↺ War-Induced Inflation and PM Meloni Irritate Italian Workers

• “May Day is our’s day of struggle. No Council of Ministers can use it as a catwalk!,” an Italian teacher stressed.

=> ↺ World’s workers rally to mark May Day as France sees fresh pension protests

• People squeezed by inflation and demanding economic justice took to streets across Asia, Europe and the Americas on Monday to mark May Day, in an outpouring of worker discontent not seen since before the worldwide COVID-19 lockdowns.

=> ↺ Treasurer pledges broad cost-of-living relief

• Australians can expect a broader cost-of-living package than has been speculated in the lead-up to the federal budget. Treasurer Jim Chalmers has declined to confirm the latest talk that welfare recipients aged 55 and older will receive a boost to JobSeeker payments.

=> ↺ Aussie shares hit three-week low after RBA hikes rates

• The local share market has dropped to its lowest level in over three weeks after the Reserve Bank announced its 11th interest rate hike in the past 12 board meetings.

=> ↺ Reserve Bank fires off another interest rate hike

• The Reserve Bank has shifted gears again and hiked by 25 basis points in May following a pause in the month prior. The return to hiking follows still-high inflation data that, while easing, was not enough to convince the board to keep the cash rate on hold for the second month in a row.

=> ↺ Is China engaged in dollar diplomacy?

• Beijing has used promises of aid and investment to get countries to switch recognition from Taiwan

=> ↺ This Is Why Politicians Like to Change the Subject

• Debt ceiling? Running mate? Surely there’s something else we could talk about.

=> ↺ New Qantas boss eyes clean slate with unions

• Incoming Qantas chief executive Vanessa Hudson will seek to reshape the airline’s relationship with unions after a turbulent run with long-standing chief Alan Joyce. Ms Hudson, now chief financial officer, was unveiled as Mr Joyce’s successor on Tuesday, the first female to step into the top job in Qantas’ century-long history.

=> ↺ May Day march against pension reform: Protesters determined to ‘give it our all’

• Thousands marched across Paris and other French cities in what unions hoped would be one of the biggest May Day demonstrations in years. Galvanised by previous protests against President Emmanuel Macron’s pension reform plans, including raising the retirement age from 62 to 64, protesters marched with a sense of determination.

=> ↺ US could default on debt as soon as June 1 if Congress fails to act, says Yellen

• The US Treasury warned on Monday that the federal government could run short of cash to pay all of its bills as soon as June 1 without a debt limit increase, adding urgency to a bitter fiscal fight between congressional Republicans and Democrats and the White House.

=> ↺ Yellen: U.S. Could Run Out of Cash as Soon as June 1

• Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned that the government will be unable to pay its bills as soon as June 1 if Congress does not take action on the debt ceiling.

=> ↺ Savannah State Leader Resigning Amid Declining Enrollment

• The president of Georgia’s oldest historically Black public university is resigning amid financial challenges that sparked employee layoffs and a faculty revolt against one of the top administrators

=> ↺ Late-Night Negotiating Frenzy Left First Republic in JPMorgan’s Control

• The resolution of First Republic Bank came after a frantic night of deal making by government officials and executives at the country’s biggest bank.

=> ↺ Biden calls meeting amid fears US to run short of cash

• The US Treasury has warned it could soon run short of cash to pay all of the government’s bills without a debt limit increase, prompting President Joe Biden to summon the top four congressional leaders to the White House to try to avert a fiscal crisis.

=> ↺ Debt Ceiling: U.S. Could Run Out of Cash by June 1, Yellen Warns

• President Biden said he would meet with lawmakers on May 9 to discuss ways to avoid a default.

=> ↺ Hollywood writers go on strike in fight over fair pay

• Television and movie writers declared late Monday that they will launch an industrywide strike for the first time in 15 years, as Hollywood girded for a walkout with potentially widespread ramifications in a fight over fair pay in the streaming era.

=> ↺ Hollywood writers in last-minute talks with studios to avert walkout

• Negotiators for Hollywood writers and film and television studios engaged in 11th-hour contract talks on Monday to try and avert a strike that would disrupt TV production across an industry grappling with seismic changes.

=> ↺ What Happens to Your Favorite Show? Answers to Questions About the Writers’ Strike.

• What you need to know about the first Hollywood strike in 16 years.

=> ↺ Hollywood Writers Will Go on Strike, Halting TV and Film Production

• The dispute, which pits 11,500 television and screenwriters against the major studios, has shattered 15 years of labor peace in the entertainment business.

=> ↺ Police Attack the French on International Workers’ Day

• “Never has the 1st of May mobilized as many people as today. Unity between unions has never lasted so long… We will continue to the end,” a French worker said.

=> ↺ French police fire teargas as clashes erupt at May Day pension protests

• Police fired teargas in Paris and other cities as protesters turned out for May Day rallies across France on Monday amid anger over the passage of President Emmanuel Macron’s unpopular pension reform. Interior ministry figures estimated the number of protesters at 782,000 nationwide; unions put the number much higher, at 2.3 million. Read our live blog to see how all the day’s events unfolded. All times are Paris time (GMT+2).

=> ↺ Welfare payment boost expected for people aged over 55

• Welfare recipients aged 55 and above are expected to receive a boost to their JobSeeker payments in a plan designed to help older women and the long-term unemployed. The top-up payments first reported by the Seven Network would impact about 227,000 people and complement other changes to Centrelink.

AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

=> ↺ Time for China to set boundaries with Europe for greater international ties

• Last month, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen was in Beijing to meet with Chinese Premier Li Qiang and address ongoing trade issues.

=> ↺ French finance minister raises eyebrows with racy novel, ‘Fugue américaine’

• A new novel by French President Emmanuel Macron’s Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire – containing one breathlessly erotic passage that has gone viral – has forced the government to explain how he finds the time for such a project in a period of economic trouble for so many.

=> ↺ US House speaker says Biden should invite Netanyahu to White House

• US House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy said on Monday Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should be invited to the White House for an official visit following months without an invitation from Washington.

=> ↺ Fifth of Lithuanians take negative view of president after he admits Communist Party membership

• A fifth of Lithuanians have reported a negative shift in their opinion of President Gitanas Nausėda after he admitted he had joined the Communist Party in the late 1980s, a new survey shows.

=> ↺ Over 1 million ‘yes’ votes needed for Lithuania to allow multiple citizenship – MP

• Over a million Lithuanian citizens would have to vote in favour of constitutional amendments for the right to dual nationalities to be approved, MP Dalia Asanavičiūtė, head of a joint commission of the Seimas and the Lithuanian World Community (LWC), said on Friday.

=> ↺ US Supreme Court takes up major case on powers of federal government

• The US Supreme Court agreed Monday to consider a case challenging the authority of federal agencies to create regulations.

=> ↺ In White House visit, Marcos seeks to strengthen military alliance

• The U.S. and Philippines, two longtime allies, look to build on ‘historic momentum’ in bilateral ties.

=> ↺ ABC News and CNN Manage to Demonstrate Exactly What Not To Do with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

• A disastrous series of choices when interviewing the anti-vaccine activist and presidential candidate.

=> ↺ Investigation Launched Into Roadside Explosion That Appeared To Target Bulgaria’s Chief Prosecutor

• The prosecutor-general in Bulgaria is investigating a roadside explosion on May 1 that struck as the car of Chief Prosecutor Ivan Geshev passed by on a highway.

=> ↺ Foreign Ministers Of Armenia And Azerbaijan Open Talks In Washington On Nagorno-Karabakh Dispute

• A U.S.-hosted meeting of the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan has begun in Washington as part of an effort to quell tensions over a checkpoint that Baku recently set up on the only road leading to Nagorno-Karabakh.

=> ↺ More opposition defections lift Cambodia’s ruling party ahead of July election

• Three opposition figures send hand-written apologies and pre-recorded videos to Hun Sen in recent days.

=> ↺ UN rights expert raises concern over training programs, forced labor in Tibet

• The situation is likened to that of the Uyghurs in Xinjiang.

Censorship/Free Speech

=> ↺ India has blocked 14 mobile messenger apps on security fears

• India has blocked 14 mobile messenger apps apparently being used by terrorist groups in Jammu and Kashmir to communicate with people in Pakistan.

=> ↺ Police issue national security ‘reminders’ to Labour Day activists as mass demos axed

• Hong Kong activist groups holding small rallies outside government headquarters on Labour Day were warned by police not to harm national security as part of an eight-point list of reminders. It comes after pro-Beijing and pro-democracy May 1 protests were canceled.

=> ↺ Gov’t watchdog to probe HKFP’s complaint over handling of media bans at press event

• The government watchdog has agreed to investigate HKFP’s complaint against the Information Services Department (ISD) over their handling of a press event which saw several government-registered outlets barred from attendance without explanation.

=> ↺ North Carolina Obscenity Bill Gets OK in Senate Vote

• The punishment in North Carolina for distributing what state law calls obscene literature or performances could be higher when done in a child’s presence in legislation that the state Senate has approved unanimously

Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press

=> ↺ Vice Is Said to Be Headed for Bankruptcy

• The company, which was once valued at $5.7 billion, has been struggling to find a buyer this year.

Civil Rights/Policing

=> ↺ How public sector workers redistribute wealth and promote equality

• Equality, stability, services—the things people like about Canada—are tied to the public sector, writes Dru Oja Jay

=> ↺ ‘Landlords Are People Too’: Landlords Bravely Protest to Evict People Faster

• Landlords took to the streets in Canada to protest for what they called “justice,” or overhauling tenant law to evict more people.

=> ↺ Yangon student activist sentenced to another 10 years by Myanmar prison court

• The Yangon Revolution Force member now faces a total of 84 years behind bars.

=> ↺ Police In Almaty Detain Demonstrators Gathered For Anti-Government Rally

• Police in Almaty on May 1 detained about a dozen people at an opposition rally called by fugitive Kazakh oligarch and opposition politician leader Mukhtar Ablyazov.

=> ↺ Myanmar village turns into ghost town as villagers hide out in jungle

• ‘We fled from our village because we were afraid of the soldiers and their raids’

=> ↺ Nyani Nkrumah on racism: ‘It’s so difficult to break these chains’

• Nyani Nkrumah explores racism and colorism in her debut novel, “Wade in the Water.” Her findings upend traditional thinking on the topic.

=> ↺ A May Day of mental liberation in Cuba

• The cancellation of the Communist Party’s traditional May Day celebration only highlights popular aspirations for democratic renewal.

=> ↺ Police panel election for union staff member open through May 14

• The election for the union staff representative to serve on the U-M Police Department Oversight Committee is underway and continues through May 14.

=> ↺ Uzbek Officials Say Constitutional Changes Extending President’s Term Overwhelmingly Approved

• Uzbek officials said voters approved a series of constitutional amendments that, among other things, pave the way for President Shavkat Mirziyoev to stay in office until 2040.

=> ↺ France under fire at UN for police violence, racial and religious discrimination

• Several nations voiced concern at the United Nations Monday over police violence, including against protesters, in France, as the country headed into another day of mass demonstrations.

=> ↺ Canada Treasury Board and union agree to end strike but revenue agency workers stay on picket lines as tax returns come due

• The Government of Canada’s Treasury Board and the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) Monday announced that they have reached a tentative agreement for more than 120,000 public service workers to end their strike and return to work.

Internet Policy/Net Neutrality

=> ↺ Must-Carry Policies Would Damage Intermediaries, Brands and the Digital Advertising Economy

• Policymakers around the world are increasingly considering “must-carry” policies, which require digital intermediaries to carry all legal third-party content…

Monopolies

=> ↺ It’s hard to feel sorry for Microsoft over Activision deal • The Register

Gemini* and Gopher

Personal

=> ↺ Grumbling

• I try to wake up a half hour before my first meeting of the day. Today I woke up to find that the meeting had been pushed back half an hour, to the very minute that I was waking up. That one is followed by back-to-back meetings until lunchtime.

=> ↺ Routine Happiness

• After being stretched too thin earlier this year, it was nice to have a stint where I could really relax.

• Once I got that 5Th shift dropped and my schedule got shuffled around, my week opened up dramatically. I found myself being able to sleep in most days and having Thursdays practically all to myself. It was nice at first, being able to just take my mornings slow and do my schoolwork if I had any. However, every day that I spent relaxing made it all the more hard to not do the same the next day. It just felt like no matter how much I relaxed I nevertheless was still tired.

• Then I started writing on Gemini again. I didn’t draw the connection immediately but I suddenly started feeling way more well-rested on the days I posted. I almost made it a routine, wake up, make coffee, sit down and write for a couple hours, shower, go to work. This was pretty good, but I found myself prioritizing my writing over school, chores, and other responsibilities. I could have been doing more than just writing, but the fact I was getting up at 10:00 left me only a few hours before work. I kept procrastinating, putting off things that didn’t have true due dates, like renewing my divers license.

=> ↺ RE: Attainable food crafts

• Obviously, this is a big one which I can’t believe they didn’t mention!

• Pretty much everyone who cooks at home should have at least a small herb garden, even just some window pots. Herbs are expensive to buy, spoil very quickly once chopped, and can be quite wasteful if you only need a little at a time. Rosemary, sage, thyme, basil, oregano, and much else besides are all worth growing.

• Tomatoes are probably the next worth doing, even if all you have is a balcony. Home grown tomatoes actually taste of something. Even farmers’ markets don’t compare, and grocery store tomatoes are just so very bland. If you’ve never eaten a home grown tomato then you’ve never eat a tomato; not one worth having anyway.

Technical

Programming

=> ↺ Algorithms

• I want to talk about algorithms.

• Specifically, I want to talk about algorithms that want us to like them.

• For a long time machines didn’t care about us, whether we loved them or hated them.

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