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● 06.24.23

Gemini version available ♊︎

● Links 24/06/2023: EasyOS 5.4.3 and antix 23 Beta 2

Posted in News Roundup at 4:03 am by Dr. Roy Schestowitz

GNU/Linux

Server

=> ↺ Spot by NetApp Adds Argo to Cloud Operations Portfolio

• Spot by NetApp today added a continuous delivery (CD) platform for Kubernetes environments to its portfolio of cloud operations management offerings. Kevin McGrath, vice president and general manager for Spot for NetApp, said Spot Ocean CD is based on the open source Argo CD software.

=> ↺ IT Wire ☛ Most cloud pros saw at least one security incident in last year: survey

• The company announced the results of the survey at SUSECON, its annual conference which is being held in Munich this week.

• The survey found IT decision-makers had experience an average of four cloud-related security incidents in the last year, with the number being five for those in the US and three for those in Germany.

• Nearly a third of those surveyed said data stores hosted by cloud vendors or third parties were the top cloud security concern.

Audiocasts/Shows

=> ↺ Tux Digital ☛ n8n Automates

Applications

=> ↺ Linux Links ☛ Best Free and Open Source Alternatives to Apple Voice Memos

• Voice Memos is an audio recording app. It’s designed to save recordings of sound with built-in or attached microphones for later playback. It also provides basic editing functionality.

• Voice Memos is proprietary software and not available for Linux. We recommend the best free and open source alternatives.

Instructionals/Technical

=> ↺ Linux Links ☛ Alternatives to popular CLI tools: age

• This article spotlights free and open source alternative tools to age, a popular utility to encrypt and decrypt.

=> ↺ HowTo Forge ☛ Step-by-Step Guide: Installing PostgreSQL on AlmaLinux 9

• PostgreSQL is an advanced and enterprise-class RDBMS (Relational Database Management System). In his tutorial, you will learn how to install PostgreSQL on AlmaLinux 9. In addition, you will also learn how to set up PostgreSQL authentication, the basic usage of PostgreSQL for creating database and user, and some basic queries for creating tables, inserting and retrieving data, updating and deleting.

=> ↺ Trend Oceans ☛ How to Install ImageMagick 7 on Ubuntu/Debian

• There are a number of things you can do with ImageMagick, but for that, you need to learn how to install ImageMagick on your Debian/Ubuntu system. If you are an editor and editing images is part of your daily life, then you should try the ImageMagick tool.

=> ↺ FOSSLinux ☛ Exploring hibernation challenges in the Linux environment

• Hibernation is a power-saving state designed to help users save and resume their work without loss. While intuitive on many platforms, hibernation in Linux can often seem perplexing. Join us as we demystify Linux hibernation, providing insights that could help you utilize this feature more effectively.

=> ↺ Make Tech Easier ☛ What is Nostr and How to Use It in Linux

• Nostr is a new and innovative internet protocol that aims to simplify how people use social media. Instead of a single website, Nostr uses relays and public key cryptography to decentralize the broadcast of messages over the internet.

• This article will show you how you can install a Nostr client in Linux. Further, it will also show you how to create your own unique keypair in order to participate in the Nostr network.

=> ↺ HowTo Forge ☛ What if William Shakespeare had written a Linux LAMP tutorial?

• If you’ve ever wondered what a Linux tutorial might look like if William Shakespeare wrote it, check out the text below. The text was written by ChatGPT, of course. The commands in the guide are working, so the tutorial can even be used to install a server.

=> ↺ FOSSLinux ☛ Customizing your Ubuntu Desktop with Themes and Icons

• Ubuntu, one of the most popular Linux distributions, is known for its adaptability and the degree of customization it offers. However, if you’re new to the Ubuntu ecosystem, you may be unsure about how to change its look and feel. This guide aims to remove that uncertainty.

Distributions and Operating Systems

New Releases

=> ↺ Barry Kauler ☛ EasyOS Kirkstone-series version 5.4.3 released

• See download and release notes:

• http://distro.ibiblio.org/easyos/amd64/releases/kirkstone/2023/5.4.3/

• Now have Symphytum personal database and KeePassXC password manager builtin, see blog announcements: [...]

BSD

=> ↺ FreeBSD ☛ Celebrating 30 Years of FreeBSD: Licensing

• We’re celebrating FreeBSD Day all week long by focusing on a different aspect of FreeBSD each day! Today’s Theme: Licensing Many choices are available when it comes to deciding on what license to use for your latest project.

SUSE/OpenSUSE

=> ↺ SUSE’s Corporate Blog ☛ Add more power to Prometheus

• A while ago I published this article: https://www.suse.com/c/discover-the-hidden-treasure/ . Today, I would like to share my most recent experiences with you. This post will show you the value collectd can provide for your Prometheus-based observability solution. Let me give you a brief introduction of collectd.

Arch Family

=> ↺ Arco Linux ☛ Everything you need to know about Sofirem

Fedora Family / IBM

=> ↺ FOSS Post ☛ Red Hat is Shooting Itself in the Foot, Again

• 3 long years have passed since the CentOS project – directed by Red Hat after being acquired by IBM – announced the shift towards CentOS Stream and ending support for its regular CentOS releases. A lot has happened since. Derivative communities emerged like Rocky Linux, Alma Linux and others.

=> ↺ Remi Collet ☛ Remi Collet: PHP version 8.1.21RC1 and 8.2.8RC1

• Release Candidate versions are available in testing repository for Fedora and Enterprise Linux (RHEL / CentOS / Alma / Rocky and other clones) to allow more people to test them. They are available as Software Collections, for a parallel installation, perfect solution for such tests, and also as base packages.

• RPM of PHP version 8.2.8RC1 are available

Debian Family

=> ↺ Systemd Free ☛ antiX 23 next stable based on debian’s bookworm is here already

• antix-23-beta2-iso-files-for-testing/ (release announcement and sourgeforge or is it sourceforce .. repository of images) Based on the announcement above we tested the runit based full image with an urge to hunt and find something to criticize, constructively of course.

=> ↺ Russell Coker ☛ Russell Coker: Cheap Peripherals for Work

• A problem with a lot of the purchase of peripherals is that they don’t match the needs of the users and often get thrown away long before they wear out.

• At many companies when a new employee starts they are given a laptop (expensive corporate asset), a cheap headset for video calls, and optionally a keyboard and mouse for people who don’t like the laptop keyboard and/or touchpad.

• When an employee leaves the company their laptop can be assigned to someone else if it isn’t too old. Headsets and mice often show signs of wear if they have been used for a year or two and while keyboards often have a long service life they will be dirty after a couple of years and they are cheap to replace. So every time someone leaves and returns all company hardware there will be a headset and mouse owned by the company that ends up as e-waste and sometimes a keyboard too. Often people leave and just keep the headset, mouse, and keyboard expecting that no-one at their former employer will demand them back – this is a reward for dishonesty.

Canonical/Ubuntu Family

=> ↺ 9to5Linux ☛ Ubuntu 23.10 (Mantic Minotaur) Is Now Powered by Linux Kernel 6.3

• Ubuntu 23.10’s development kicked off in late April based on the current interim release, Ubuntu 23.04 (Lunar Lobster), which means that the first daily build ISO images of Mantic Minotaur shipped with pretty much the same core components and apps, including Linux kernel 6.2.

• Now, two months into the development cycle, the latest Ubuntu 23.10 daily build ISO images are powered by Linux kernel 6.3. This is great news for those who plan on installing the upcoming Ubuntu release on their personal computers and want to test their hardware against Linux 6.3.

=> ↺ OMG Ubuntu ☛ Want to Try Ubuntu’s All-Snap Desktop? Here’s How

• If you scoot along to the Ubuntu Core Desktop GitHub page, check out the actions tab, find a (completed) build job, then scroll down to the ‘artefacts’ you’ll see a ZIP. Download and extract the ZIP, then extract the tarball inside.

• Et voila: a ~12GB image you can boot in a VM1 or flash to a USB drive (16GB+).

• All of this is public knowledge thanks to ex-Canonical employee (and immutable distro champion) Jorge Castro. Ubuntu’s Ken VanDine popped around Jorge’s gaff to show him progress on the all-snap sandboxed desktop effort and Jorge tooted about it at length.

• —I know, right: there you were about to congratulate me on my first big scoop™ 🍦 in, what, a decade? Still, other Linux blogs will be relieved they don’t need to acknowledge this site’s existence if covering this news. It’s okay guys, you can pretend you heard about this elsewhere.

Free, Libre, and Open Source Software

=> ↺ Medevel ☛ Organizr: Open-source System Service

• Organizr lets you set up “Tabs” that load all on one webpage, making it easier to work on your server. Want to give users access to some Tabs? No problem, enable user support and have them create an account. Want guests to be able to visit too?

=> ↺ OSI Blog ☛ Digital activists and open movement leaders share their perspective with Open Future in new research report, “Shifting tides: the open movement at a turning point”

• Open Future conducted a study to gain a better understanding of the current state of the open movement, as seen through the eyes of people actively involved in its endeavors and leading organizations within the movement. Open Future believes that a shared movement identity and a shared advocacy agenda can make the collective effort stronger

Events

=> ↺ Collabora ☛ Ready to embark for Embedded Open Source Summit

• Taking place at the Prague Congress Centre from June 27 to 30, this new 4-day umbrella event brings multiple conferences, including Automotive Linux Summit (ALS) and Embedded Linux Conference (ELC), all under one roof.

GNU Projects

=> ↺ GNU ☛ a2ps @ Savannah: a2ps 4.15.5 released [stable]

Programming/Development

=> ↺ Barry Kauler ☛ Symphytum personal database compiled in OE

• More than that, it is also going to be builtin in the next release of EasyOS.

• The LibreOffice database is a challenge to use, whereas Symphytum is very easy. OK, Symphytum does not have all the features as big professional database systems, but it sure works nice for a personal database. Forum member Subito Piano agrees: [...]

=> ↺ Qt ☛ Qt Creator 11 Beta2 released

• We are happy to announce the release of Qt Creator 11 Beta2!

=> ↺ Wasmer 4.0

• Today we are thrilled to release Wasmer 4.0, shipping with amazing features that have been in the making for a few months.

Python

=> ↺ Deep Dive into Python’s assertEqual() Method: Ensuring Accuracy in Testing

• Testing is a crucial component in software development. It ensures that the software product meets the desired standards and satisfies user requirements. Testing helps identify errors, bugs, or issues before production release, saving both time and resources. With the increasing complexity of software systems, sound testing practices have become necessary for ensuring quality, reliability,

=> ↺ The Art of Precision: Understanding Python’s assertAlmostEqual() Method

• Programming is all about accuracy and precision. As software developers, we strive to create programs that are not only functional but also reliable. Inaccurate or imprecise coding can lead to errors in data processing, incorrect output, and even system crashes.

=> ↺ A Study on Identity Testing in Python: The assertIs() Method

• As a Python developer, you are likely familiar with the concept of testing your code to ensure its correctness and reliability. One crucial aspect of software testing is identity testing, which determines if two objects are the same or not. In Python, this can be achieved using the assertIs() method.

=> ↺ assertIsInstance() in Python: Validating Object Classes in Unit Testing

• Unit testing is an essential part of software development. It involves testing small, isolated units of code to ensure that they are working as expected. This process is critical as it helps developers catch any bugs or errors early on in the development cycle.

=> ↺ The Role of assertIsNone() in Python Testing: A Detailed Guide

• Software testing is a crucial aspect of software development that ensures the quality, reliability, and performance of software products. It involves the process of identifying defects or bugs in a program to ensure it meets the requirements and specifications set out by stakeholders.

=> ↺ Proving Truthfulness with Python: A Look at assertTrue() Method

• When it comes to programming, truthfulness is a fundamental concept that cannot be overlooked. In essence, truthfulness refers to the accuracy and integrity of the code that developers create. A truthful program is one that performs exactly as intended, with no errors or unexpected results.

=> ↺ Navigating Python’s assertIn() Method: A Key to Efficient Testing

• Software testing is an integral part of the software development process. It ensures that the application behaves as expected, meets the requirements and specifications, and is reliable for end-users. Testing can uncover bugs, errors, or vulnerabilities that can lead to unexpected behavior or crashes in the application.

=> ↺ Mock Objects in Python: Enhancing Test Flexibility and Control

• Mock objects play an essential role in enhancing flexibility and control over software testing scenarios while reducing dependencies on external systems or components. They provide improved speed and efficiency during test execution. However, it is essential to avoid overuse or misuse of mock objects to prevent false positives and negatives.

=> ↺ Unveiling the Power of patch(): Dynamic Alterations in Python Testing

• Throughout this article, we explored the power of patch() function in achieving dynamic alterations in Python testing. We defined the patch() function and provided a step-by-step guide to using it for mocking and side effects.

=> ↺ Stubs in Python: A Practical Approach to Test Dummies

• Stubs are a powerful tool for simplifying tests involving complex dependencies. The use of these dummies allows developers to test code more efficiently and effectively while also improving maintainability during an SDLC. As with any tool, it is important not to overuse stubs to ensure tests cover all cases effectively and avoid false positives that could lead to issues in real-world scenarios.

Leftovers

=> ↺ How many people are still missing after the February 6 earthquakes?

• Tülay Hatimoğulları, the Adana MP of the Green and Left Party submitted a parliamentary question about the people who are still missing, the number of dead buried without being identified, and if the debris removal was being carried out taking into account the information on missing people.

=> ↺ Luis Bazan: Unifi – Enable ICMP Request/Reply – WAN.

=> ↺ Axios ☛ The rise of extreme tourism

• Adventurers around the world are shelling out big bucks to travel to remote — and often dangerous — parts of the Earth.

• The big picture: Several factors, including new technologies and post-pandemic demand, are driving a surge in extreme tourism.

=> ↺ CS Monitor ☛ All on board Titan submersible died, US Coast Guard says

• The missing submersible that set out to explore the Titanic’s wreckage imploded, killing all on board, the United States Coast Guard said. Debris found during the several-day search for the vessel is consistent with a catastrophic loss of pressure.

=> ↺ New York Times ☛ 5 Aboard Missing Titanic Sub Presumed Dead After ‘Catastrophic Implosion’

• The vast multinational search for the missing submersible ended after pieces of it were found on the ocean floor, 1,600 feet from the bow of the Titanic.

=> ↺ New York Times ☛ ‘Catastrophic Implosion’ Likely Killed 5 Aboard Submersible

• Pieces of the missing Titan vessel were found on the ocean floor, about 1,600 feet from the bow of the Titanic, the Coast Guard said. OceanGate Expeditions, the vessel’s operator, said, “Our hearts are with these five souls.”

=> ↺ Axios ☛ U.S. Coast Guard says Titanic tourist submersible suffered “catastrophic loss”

• OceanGate Expeditions, the company that operated the missing Titanic tourist submersible, said Thursday it believes the pilot and four passengers aboard the vessel have died.

• The latest: After the sub’s disappearance on Sunday, the U.S. Navy detected sounds it suspected to be the Titan imploding using a military acoustic detection system, multiple outlets reported, citing a senior American Navy official.

=> ↺ The Atlantic ☛ Scenes From the 2023 Special Olympics World Games

• Images from the many competitions taking place at the 2023 Special Olympics World Games, in Berlin

=> ↺ New York Times ☛ SmileDirectClub to Release Customers From NDAs in Settlement

• The telehealth company is stopping its practice of asking some customers to sign nondisclosure agreements as part of their refunds.

=> ↺ New York Times ☛ ‘Titanic’ Director James Cameron Points to Flaws in Titan Sub’s Design

• The “Titanic” director and diving expert said he’d had concerns from the start about the vehicle’s hull composition and claims about its network of hull sensors.

=> ↺ The Atlantic ☛ How Could This Have Happened?

• Five people died in a submersible that was only loosely regulated and may not have been inspected for safety.

=> ↺ Hackaday ☛ Forgotten Chemical Photography

• Much to the chagrin of Eastman Kodak, the world has moved on from chemical photography into the realm of digital, thanks to the ease of use and high quality of modern digital cameras. There are a few photographers here and there still using darkrooms and various chemical processes to develop film, and the most common of these use some type of chemistry based on silver to transfer images to paper. There are plenty of alternatives to silver, though, each with their unique style and benefits, like this rarely-used process that develops film using platinum.

=> ↺ CS Monitor ☛ Shoots of green integrity

• Corruption risks in extracting metals for green technologies are encouraging transparency and better governance in companies and countries.

Science

=> ↺ Hackaday ☛ Ask Hackaday: The Turing Test Is Dead: Long Live The Turing Test!

• Alan Turing proposed a test for machine intelligence that no longer works. The idea was to have people communicate over a terminal, with another real person and with a computer. If the computer is intelligent, Turing mused, most people will incorrectly identify the computer as a human. Clearly, with the advent of modern chatbots, that test is now broken. Despite the “AI” moniker, chatbots aren’t sentient or even pre-sentient, but they certainly seem that way. An AI CEO, Mustafa Suleyman, is proposing a new test: The AI has to take a $100,000 budget and earn $1,000,000.

=> ↺ Science Alert ☛ Radical New Theory Gives a Very Different Perspective on What Life Is

• This changes everything.

=> ↺ Science Alert ☛ Hit Songs Do Something to Your Brain, And It Could Be The Future of Music

• “Nothing close to this accuracy has ever been shown before.”

=> ↺ Science Alert ☛ American Kids’ Math Ability Has Gone Backward by Decades

• Test scores have plunged across the board.

=> ↺ Science Alert ☛ Humans Have Pumped Up So Much Water It’s Altered The Planet’s Spin

• Everything has an effect.

=> ↺ Science Alert ☛ Alcohol No Longer The Most Abused Drug by American Children

• Times have definitely changed.

=> ↺ Science Alert ☛ Global Ecosystems Risk Collapsing Decades Before We Predicted

• A drastic new timetable emerges.

=> ↺ Science Alert ☛ Gangs of Tiny Worms Ride Electrical Fields to Hitchhike on Passing Bees

• Beats walking.

Education

=> ↺ The Straits Times ☛ South Korea cracks down on private academy irregularities

• Reports against the private academies can be filed on the Education Ministry’s website until July 6.

Hardware

=> ↺ CNX Software ☛ Qualcomm S3 Gen 2 Sound Platform supports LE Audio and Auracast broadcast audio

• The Qualcomm S3 Gen 2 Sound Platform (QCC5181) is a Bluetooth 5.4 audio solution designed for dongles and adapters with ultra-low latency (<20 ms) and support for the latest LE Audio and Auracast broadcast audio standards. The platform was introduced last year, but the company says it has now launched a “newly enhanced solution” optimized for gaming that “combines Snapdragon Sound and LE Audio to deliver ultra-low latency of less than 20ms for lag-free wireless audio with voice back-channel for in-game chat”.

=> ↺ CNX Software ☛ Qualcomm 212S and 9205S Satellite IoT modems target remote monitoring and asset tracking

• Qualcomm has just unveiled the Qualcomm 212S and Qualcomm 9205S Satellite IoT modems developed in collaboration with Skylo, an NTN service provider, to enable IoT devices connectivity across satellite and cellular networks for remote monitoring and asset tracking. At the beginning of the year, Qualcomm launched Snapdragon Satellite for two-way messaging on smartphones, but the company has now expanded its use of satellite data connectivity with the Qualcomm 212S and 9205S modems optimized for 5G IoT use cases relying on NTN (Non-Terrestrial Networks).

Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

Axios ☛ Federal health care rulings highlight court shoppingA handful of conservative judges, mostly in the South, are wielding outsized influence over health care policy in the Biden era.Why it matters: Thanks in part to former President Trump’s record of judicial appointments, conservatives have ended up with an express lane of friendly judges who have issued sweeping decisions.The big picture: The advocacy groups that coordinate big, politically charged cases almost always try to get those cases in front of a judge who they “think is favorable for the outcome they’re looking to achieve,” said Michele Goodwin, a professor of law at the University of California, Irvine.In this “court shopping” practice, “litigants might be looking for a judge who has a history of being affiliated with the movement that they’re a part of,” Goodwin added. Court shopping is not exclusively done by conservatives.“This was increasingly common during the Trump administration,” said Paul Nolette, a political science professor at Marquette University. “Democrats used it to their advantage, and now the shoe’s on the other foot.”

=> ↺ Federal News Network ☛ Biden is getting endorsements from 3 abortion rights groups as Democrats bank on the issue in 2024

• President Joe Biden’s campaign is banking on reproductive rights to be an early galvanizing issue for voters in the 2024 presidential election. He’s collecting a trio of top-level endorsements and hosting a rally Friday, one day ahead of the anniversary of the Supreme Court decision that overturned federal abortion protections. The endorsements are coming from Planned Parenthood Action Fund, NARAL Pro-Choice America and Emily’s List. The groups are throwing their early support behind Biden’s reelection effort in part to highlight the importance of the issue for Democrats heading into the election year.

=> ↺ teleSUR ☛ FAO Warns of Rift Valley Fever Outbreak in East Africa

• Conditions suitable for vector multiplication are expected to persist due to favorable forecasts for the months of June to August.

=> ↺ [Old] Neritam ☛ New Zealand passes legislation banning cigarettes for future generations

• The Government will ban young people from ever being able to purchase tobacco in their lives under world-leading plans to make New Zealand smokefree.

=> ↺ WhichUK ☛ E-cigarettes: the vape debate explained

• With concerns swirling about the rise in young people vaping, health experts are pushing for tighter controls on sales

=> ↺ teleSUR ☛ Chinese Medical Team Provides Free Service To Ghanaian Workers

• “We hope to use our skills to help the Ghanaian workers to achieve better health”

=> ↺ Axios ☛ 3M agrees to $10.3 billion settlement in “forever chemicals” claims

• 3M has struck a $10.3 billion settlement with U.S. cities and towns over claims of water pollution from “forever chemicals,” the chemical and manufacturing company announced Thursday.

=> ↺ The Atlantic ☛ Go Ahead, Try to Explain Milk

• No one can define it, much less fully replicate it.

Proprietary/Artificial Intelligence (AI)

=> ↺ Business Insider ☛ Microsoft’s cloud boss faces tough questions about pay and low morale, leaked messages show

• Microsoft’s cloud boss, Scott Guthrie, is facing tough questions about the company’s decision to pause raises and cut bonuses and stock awards ahead of an employee meeting for the Cloud + AI organization.

=> ↺ Windows Central ☛ Xbox admits defeat in ‘console wars | Windows Central [Ed: OK, so this was spot-on]

=> ↺ Windows Central ☛ Xbox admits defeat in ‘console wars | Windows Central [Ed: OK, so this was spot-on]

• The courtroom showdown between the FTC and Microsoft rages on and Xbox says it’s “losing the console wars.”

=> ↺ The Business Journals ☛ Boeing moves up the ranks of Washington’s largest employers [Ed: The headline said, "Boeing overtakes Microsoft as Washington's second-largest", but they've since then changed it. Why?]

=> ↺ New York Times ☛ Microsoft Says it Could Abandon Activision Deal if Judge Delays It

• A five-day hearing over Microsoft’s $70 billion acquisition, which the Federal Trade Commission hopes to block, began Thursday in federal court.

=> ↺ Techdirt ☛ FTC Cites ‘Starfield’ Exclusivity In Response To Microsoft’s Opposition To Injunction Motion

• Actions, as they say, have consequences. Or potential consequences, at least, in the case of Microsoft battling with the FTC. In the ongoing drama that is Microsoft’s attempted purchase of Activision, the FTC filed for a temporary restraining order barring the consummation of the purchase while its lawsuit remains unresolved. The first trial date in the case is upcoming and Microsoft filed an opposition to the preliminary injunction barring the deal, arguing against all manner of items in the FTC’s suit. I will embed the FTC’s response below so you can read the entire thing, but the regulator is explicit in eviscerating Microsoft’s motion. A sample from the opening includes:

=> ↺ Tom’s Hardware ☛ Microsoft Acknowledges High CPU Utilization Bug in Windows 11 File Explorer

• Microsoft says that the File Explorer bug can cause high CPU utilization that requires logging off or rebooting the machine.

=> ↺ YottaDB ☛ Connect Microsoft Analytics and Business Intelligence Tools to Octo [Ed: Microsoft works for the NSA et al. Do not connect anything to it.]

• Features for Octo to be desirable in enterprise environments include support for SQL Views to simplify complex underlying data relationships to convey meaningful information, paginated reports for administrative and regulatory reports, and dashboards for real-time analytics.

=> ↺ Axios ☛ Today’s AI models flunk EU’s draft rules, study finds

• A team of Stanford researchers is warning that leading AI models are woefully non-compliant with responsible AI standards, represented by the EU’s Artificial Intelligence Act.

• Driving the news: The House Science Committee meets Thursday to probe AI executives on how to develop AI “towards the national interest.”

=> ↺ Democracy Now ☛ How AI Is Enabling Racism & Sexism: Algorithmic Justice League’s Joy Buolamwini on Meeting with Biden

• We speak with Dr. Joy Buolamwini, founder of the Algorithmic Justice League, who met this week with President Biden in a closed-door discussion with other artificial intelligence experts and critics about the need to explore the promise and risk of AI. The computer scientist and coding expert has long raised alarm about how AI and algorithms are enabling racist and sexist bias. We discuss examples, and she lays out what should be included in the White House’s “Vision for Protecting Our Civil Rights in the Algorithmic Age.”

=> ↺ The Atlantic ☛ Generative AI Should Not Replace Thinking at My University

• I’m dismayed that any academic institution would encourage us to use chatbots rather than our intellects.

Pseudo-Open Source

=> ↺ CNX Software ☛ Banana Pi BPI-R4 WiFi 7 router board is powered by a MediaTek Filogic 880 processor

• Banana Pi BPI-R4 is a WiFi 7 router board powered by the MediaTek MT7988A (Filogic 880) quad-core Arm Corex-A73 processor with 4GB DDR4 RAM, 8GB eMMC flash, and 128MB SPI-NAND flash. The board also comes with two 10GbE SFP cages, four Gigabit Ethernet RJ45 ports, a USB 3.2 port, as well as an M.2 socket for a 4G/5G modem or an NVMe SSD, and two mini PCIe slots with PCIe 3.0 to support WiFi 7.

Security

=> ↺ IT Wire ☛ Apple fixes two flaws used to attack Kaspersky employees

• In 2015, Kaspersky exposed an entity it called the Equation Group, which has been long rumoured to be an internal NSA unit. The company also detailed how the Stuxnet operation was carried out to cripple Iran’s nuclear reactors.

=> ↺ Silicon Angle ☛ Deep Instinct uncovers new JavaScript-based malware dropper

=> ↺ Security Week ☛ China-Linked APT15 Targets Foreign Ministries With ‘Graphican’ Backdoor

• A Chinese hacking group flagged as APT15 is targeting foreign affairs ministries in the Americas with a new backdoor named Graphican.

=> ↺ Security Week ☛ North Korean Hackers Caught Using Malware With Microphone Wiretapping Capabilities

• A hacking group linked to the North Korean government has been caught using new malware with microphone wiretapping capabilities.

=> ↺ Security Week ☛ PoC Exploit Published for Cisco AnyConnect Secure Vulnerability

• A security researcher has published proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit code targeting a recent high-severity vulnerability (CVE-2023-20178) in Cisco AnyConnect Secure.

=> ↺ 14 Important Chromium Use-After-Free, Type Confusion Bugs Fixed

• Fourteen important vulnerabilities have been discovered in Chromium, including multiple use-after-free and type confusion bugs. With a low attack complexity and a high confidentiality, integrity and availability impact, these issues have received a National Vulnerability Database severity rating of ”High”.

=> ↺ Security Week ☛ Bipartisan Bill Proposes Cybersecurity Funds for Rural Water Systems

• A new bill proposes to increase cybersecurity funding for rural water systems by $7.5 million dollars per year.

=> ↺ Scoop News Group ☛ Federal incentives could help utilities overcome major cybersecurity hurdle: money

• A new rule that would give electric utilities incentives for investing in cybersecurity is set to go into effect next month.

=> ↺ Hectic Geek ☛ 8 Trends in the Cybersecurity World

• Ever since the rise of technological advancements, the world has seen many benefits. However, there have been numerous cyber threats too. 2020 and 2021 saw several US government agencies and multinational companies succumb to the attacks by these mysterious cybercriminals.

=> ↺ Bleeping Computer ☛ Microsoft Teams bug allows malware delivery from external accounts

• Security researchers have found a simple way to deliver malware to an organization with Microsoft Teams, despite restrictions in the application for files from external sources.

=> ↺ Michael West Media ☛ Australia’s first cybersecurity boss to combat hackers

• Australia has appointed its first national cybersecurity coordinator who will be responsible for tackling one of the nations biggest national security challenges. 

• Air Vice-Marshal Darren Goldie has been selected after a four-month search for potential candidates and will start in the role next month. 

Privacy/Surveillance

=> ↺ IT Wire ☛ Chinese firm BYD launches what it claims is Australia’s cheapest EV

• “Given that ChatGPT’s standard configuration retains all conversations, this could inadvertently offer a trove of sensitive intelligence to threat actors if they obtain account credentials. At Group-IB, we are continuously monitoring underground communities to promptly identify such accounts.”

• Satnam Narang, senior staff research engineer at security firm Tenable, said: “Information stealing malware, such as Raccoon, Vidar and Redline are capable of stealing sensitive information stored in Web browsers, which includes user credentials (username/email and password), session cookies and browser history.

=> ↺ RFA ☛ China’s facial recognition technology hinders North Korean escapees

• With cameras at every train station, avoiding detection is almost impossible, experts say.

=> ↺ Marcy Wheeler ☛ Walt Nauta Testified to the Grand Jury before DOJ Obtained Surveillance Video

• Walt Nauta testified to the grand jury days before DOJ subpoenaed surveillance footage.

Defence/Aggression

=> ↺ The Strategist ☛ Germany’s national security strategy misses the mark

• After a significant delay, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz last week unveiled the country’s first national security strategy.

=> ↺ RFA ☛ Malaysia to charge Thai nationals over mass graves found in 2015

• Four suspects were extradited following a six-year joint operation between the two neighbors.

=> ↺ New York Times ☛ Korean Youth Hostel Once a Site of Interrogation and Torture

• A building where South Korean dissidents were interrogated and tortured by a powerful government agency is now home to a popular youth hostel.

=> ↺ Atlantic Council ☛ The ‘de-risk’ is in the details: A look at Europe’s ambitious new economic security strategy

• The European Commission has just released its European economic security strategy, which is aimed at reducing threats from China and others to supply chains, critical infrastructure, and digital technology.

=> ↺ Federal News Network ☛ They fled the war in Nigeria’s northeast. Then bulldozers levelled their homes at a camp in Abuja

• Hundreds of people remain homeless in Nigeria’s capital of Abuja after losing their shanties to government bulldozers. Authorities say the demolitions seek to rid the city of crime and restore Abuja’s master plan — a conceptual layout meant to promote growth of this oil-rich Western African nation. But they have put the lives of many Nigerians who fled the fighting in the country’s northeast and for years sheltered in the improvised displacement camps at risk. Amnesty International says the demolitions are illegal, and describes them mainly as “an attempt to take over land from the poor” and give “to the rich.”

=> ↺ Defence Web ☛ SANDF chief visiting China as PLA delegation arrives in South Africa

• Chief of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), General Rudzani Maphwanya, is in Beijing where he is meeting with China’s defence minister General Li Shangfu to discuss strengthening military-to-military relations.

=> ↺ RFA ☛ Marcos slammed for conciliatory remarks on Beijing’s fishing ban in Manila’s waters

• China cannot prohibit activities in Philippine waters, fishers’ group and former Supreme Court justice say.

=> ↺ Democracy Now ☛ Biden Calls Xi Jinping a “Dictator”: China-U.S. Relations and a Growing Multipolar World

• Officials in Beijing have denounced U.S. President Joe Biden for describing Chinese President Xi Jinping as a “dictator,” calling it a breach of diplomatic protocol. Biden’s remark at a fundraising event this week came just days after Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited China to help thaw relations at a time of growing competition and suspicion between the two superpowers. “What Biden said, in fact, is true in every word,” says Ho-fung Hung, professor of political economy and sociology at Johns Hopkins University, though he adds that China’s response is also expected, as Biden’s comments are a “violation of diplomatic protocol.”

=> ↺ The Straits Times ☛ US combat ship to make rare port call in Vietnam amid South China Sea tensions

• The visit of the USS Ronald Reagan is only the third for a US aircraft carrier since the end of the Vietnam War.

=> ↺ ACLU ☛ State and Local Governments Must Take Responsibility for Police Violence

• Last week, the Department of Justice issued a report finding that the Minneapolis Police Department routinely used excessive force against Black and Indigenous people, and that George Floyd’s murder arose from this pattern of misconduct. They will now negotiate a consent decree with the city of Minneapolis to institute reforms. The report is damning, and it offers a view into an often-obscured problem of police violence.

• Police violence is common across police departments, and it leads to trauma, injury, and killings in primarily Black, Latinx, and Indigenous communities. State and local authorities — who are responsible for most of America’s police — should not wait for a federal investigation before they address police violence. They can start now by building interlocking reforms that advance three key goals: reduce, rectify, and repair.

War in Ukraine

=> ↺ European Commission ☛ Factsheet: EU solidarity with Ukraine

• European Commission Factsheet Brussels, 28 Apr 2023 Factsheet: EU solidarity with Ukraine Factsheet: EU solidarity with Ukraine

=> ↺ European Commission ☛ EU adopts 11th package of sanctions against Russia for its continued illegal war against Ukraine

• European Commission Press release Brussels, 23 Jun 2023 The Commission welcomes the Council’s adoption of an 11th package of sanctions against Russia. This package will ensure that EU sanctions against Russia are even better enforced and implemented, based on the lessons learned from implementation over the past year.

=> ↺ Atlantic Council ☛ Russian War Report: Wagner attempts to draft gamers as drone pilots

• Russian PMC Wagner Group is encouraging gamers to apply to serve as drone pilots in the war against Ukraine while Ukrainian forces advance on the eastern front.

=> ↺ Atlantic Council ☛ Will Ukraine join NATO? Here’s a top Ukrainian official and former NATO leader’s game plan for the Vilnius summit.

• Andriy Yermak and Anders Fogh Rasmussen detail what they expect from the Alliance at the Vilnius summit, from security guarantees to a clear pathway for membership.

=> ↺ Atlantic Council ☛ Ukraine’s counteroffensive is a marathon not a blitzkrieg

• Ukraine’s summer counteroffensive has barely begun and already some are dismissing it as a failure due to lack of immediate progress. In reality, the unfolding campaign is a marathon and not a blitzkrieg, writes Peter Dickinson.

=> ↺ Atlantic Council ☛ Turkish-Ukrainian defense partnership in a new geopolitical realm

• The Turkish-Ukrainian strategic partnership would mark a promising opportunity for Western military industries in the post-Soviet space.

=> ↺ France24 ☛ Ukraine counteroffensive: Recaptured village in Donetsk now a new front line

• Ukraine is in the first phase of its long-awaited counteroffensive, which aims to reclaim territory occupied by Russian forces since the war began in February 2022. FRANCE 24’s Gwendoline Debono and Amar Al Hameedawi report from Blahodatne, a recaptured village in the Donetsk region.

=> ↺ LRT ☛ Lithuania spent 1.4% GDP on Ukraine support – ministry

• Lithuania’s total support to Ukraine since it was invaded by Russia has reached a billion euros, the Ministry of Economy and Innovation said on Thursday.

=> ↺ LRT ☛ Baltic Antifascists – Latvia cracks down on Russian ‘influence agents’

• After Russia invaded Ukraine last year, a Telegram channel Baltic Antifascists was created in Latvia. Five people behind the disinformation network are now being tried in the Baltic country.

=> ↺ RFERL ☛ Council Of Europe Demands Olympic Ban For Russia And Belarus

• Europe’s leading human rights watchdog on June 22 demanded a total ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes from the 2024 Olympics “as long as Russia’s war of aggression” in Ukraine continues.

=> ↺ France24 ☛ 🔴 Live: Ukraine says it downed Russian cruise missiles headed towards airfield

• Ukrainian forces downed 13 Russian cruise missiles in the early hours of Friday that were headed towards a military airfield in the western Khmelnitskyi region, Ukraine’s air force said.

=> ↺ RFERL ☛ Ukraine Says It Fends Off Missile Strike On Airfield Amid ‘Massive’ Wave Of Russian Attacks

• An attempted Russian air strike on a Ukrainian airfield was parried by Ukraine’s air defenses, the military said on June 23, as Moscow launched more swarms of missiles and Iranian-made drones in what the General Staff said was another “massive” overnight wave of attacks.

=> ↺ RFERL ☛ Ukrainian President Fires Ambassador To Belarus

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has dismissed Ihor Kyzym from the post of ambassador to Belarus.

=> ↺ RFERL ☛ Countries That Haven’t Condemned Russian Invasion Of Ukraine Invited To Copenhagen

• Denmark will host a meeting this weekend of national-security advisers from Western countries backing Ukraine and countries that have not condemned the Russian invasion.

=> ↺ RFERL ☛ UN Puts Russia On List Of Shame Over Children Killed In Ukraine

• The United Nations has put Russian military forces and armed proxy groups on its list of shame over violations of children’s rights in its war in Ukraine.

=> ↺ RFERL ☛ Russian Anti-War Protester With Cancer Sentenced To More Than Seven Years In Prison

• A court in Russia’s far western exclave of Kaliningrad on June 22 sentenced to 7 1/2 years in prison 64-year-old anti-war activist Igor Baryshnikov after finding him guilty of spreading “fake” information about Russia’s armed forces involved in the war on Ukraine.

=> ↺ teleSUR ☛ Ukraine Losses in Counteroffensive Are Significant, Moscow Says

• “It seems that Ukraine’s Western allies have indeed decided to fight Russia to the last Ukrainian,” Vladimir Putin said.

=> ↺ RFERL ☛ EU Announces 1.5 Billion Euros In Macro-Financial Assistance To Ukraine

• The European Commission is allocating another 1.5 billion euros ($1.64 billion) of macro-financial assistance to Ukraine, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said on June 22.

=> ↺ New York Times ☛ Missiles Strike Russian-Held Bridge Far Behind Ukraine Front Line

• The attack damaged a bridge in the Russian-occupied Crimean Peninsula that Moscow uses to resupply its forces in Ukraine.

=> ↺ Axios ☛ Biden bets big on India despite friction on Ukraine and human rights

• India is undercutting President Biden’s strategy on Ukraine and backsliding on the human rights and democracy issues at “the core” of Biden’s foreign policy — but U.S. officials are anxious to demonstrate this week that relations have never been better.

• Why it matters: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit underscores the stakes of the bet the U.S., and some major U.S. companies, are placing on the world’s most populous country.

=> ↺ Quartz ☛ Modi’s visit would be the perfect time to make the lives of Indian workers in the US easier

• For nearly two decades, H-1B visa holders have had to exit the US to get their visas renewed—either by returning to their home country or getting it done at US embassy or consulate elsewhere.

=> ↺ Meduza ☛ ‘He wants to cleanse himself’ Billionaire Alexander Mamut left Russia after the invasion of Ukraine and allegedly plans to launch a liberal media outlet in exile — Meduza

• Russian billionaire and former owner of the tech and media company Ramber Group Alexander Mamut left Russia shortly after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Now, multiple sources tell Meduza that the businessman intends to open a liberal media enterprise of some kind and has evidently consulted Russian exile and anti-war economist Sergey Guriev on related issues. Though Mamut has almost no profitable assets left in Russia, he has previously had multiple ties to Kremlin-controlled and state-owned enterprises. Here’s what we know about Mamut’s apparent plans.

=> ↺ New York Times ☛ Bridge to Russian-Occupied Crimea Is Damaged

• A Russian-backed official blamed Ukraine for a strike on a bridge to the peninsula, a region vital to Moscow’s war effort.

=> ↺ RFERL ☛ Hungary’s Orban Calls For More EU Money For Western Balkans, Not Only Ukraine

• Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on June 22 that the European Union should offer quicker membership to Bosnia-Herzegovina and other Western Balkans countries and should channel more funds to the region, not only to war-torn Ukraine.

=> ↺ RFERL ☛ Moldova Summons Russian Ambassador Over Statement By Moscow-Installed Official In Ukraine

• The Moldovan Foreign Ministry has summoned Russian Ambassador Oleg Vasnetsov over a statement by the Moscow-installed head of the Russian-controlled part of Ukraine’s Kherson region, Volodymyr Saldo.

=> ↺ RFERL ☛ German Foreign Minister Demands Algeria Call Russia Aggressor In War Against Ukraine

• German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has said Algeria must clearly name Russia as the “aggressor” in the war with Ukraine.

=> ↺ Meduza ☛ ‘I don’t know what to do’ Flooding from the Kakhovka dam collapse displaced thousands of Ukrainians. Many are still missing. — Meduza

• On the night of June 6, the dam at Ukraine’s Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant exploded. (The evidence suggests Russian forces blew it up from the inside, according to The New York Times.) The disaster endangered at least 40,000 people and flooded 45 settlements, 14 of which are located on the Dnipro River’s Russian-controlled east bank. Rescue workers from Russia’s Emergency Ministry didn’t arrive until June 7, a day after the dam burst, while Russian occupation authorities have barred volunteers from entering some areas and have forced boats carrying humanitarian aid to turn back. Some people with relatives living in the affected areas have been unable to find their missing loved ones even two weeks after the explosion. The Russian outlet Cherta Media asked some of these people to share their stories. Meduza is publishing abridged excerpts from the interviews.

=> ↺ Meduza ☛ Wagner Group to recruit former law enforcement officers for ‘military police’ in occupied Ukraine — Meduza

• Independent Russian publication Verstka reports that Wagner Group posted a job ad on Russia social networking site VKontakte seeking former employees of various Russian law enforcement agencies. Vertska didn’t provide a link to the VKontakte page in question, but based on a post on the publication’s Telegram channel the report seems to refer to the page Vakansii v ChVK Wagner [Wagner Group Openings].

=> ↺ Scheerpost ☛ Scott Ritter: On Horseradish & Nuclear War

• When Vladimir Putin was recently asked about the potential use of nuclear weapons in the context of Ukraine, an understanding of back-alley Russian slang was needed to understand his response.

=> ↺ Scheerpost ☛ Zelensky Says Ukraine’s Counteroffensive ‘Slower Than Desired’

• The Ukrainian leader says the war is not a ‘Hollywood movie.”

=> ↺ LRT ☛ ‘It’s their business’ – ice dancer Drobiazko on moves to strip her of Lithuanian citizenship

• On Tuesday, Lithuanian MPs initiated the process of stripping ice dancer Margarita Drobiazko of her Lithuanian citizenship as she continues to perform in Russia. She is not familiar with the situation, Drobiazko told Russian TV.

=> ↺ RFERL ☛ Russian Supreme Court Rejects Navalny’s Motion Over Prison Withholding Pen And Paper

• Russia’s Supreme Court on June 22 rejected jailed opposition leader Aleksei Navalny’s motion against the Justice Ministry over his prison’s refusal to allow him to have pen and paper.

=> ↺ RFERL ☛ Czech University Opens Master’s Degree Program In Russian Studies

• Charles University in Prague has opened a master’s degree program on the study of Russian and the former Soviet republics, the university in the Czech capital said on June 21.

=> ↺ RFERL ☛ Navalny Associate Aleksandr Zykov Sentenced To Five Years In Prison In Absentia

• A court in the Russian city of Kostroma on June 22 sentenced in absentia the former coordinator of jailed opposition politician Aleksei Navalny’s team in the city.

=> ↺ New York Times ☛ Russian Court Denies Evan Gershkovich’s Appeal to End Detention

• Evan Gershkovich, an American journalist who has been based in Russia for years, was arrested in March and charged with spying, which he denies.

=> ↺ RFERL ☛ Russian Court Denies U.S. Reporter Gershkovich’s Appeal Against Pretrial Detention

• The Moscow City Court has rejected U.S. reporter Evan Gershkovich’s appeal against his pretrial detention on charges of espionage, which he, his newspaper The Wall Street Journal, and the U.S. government have strongly denied.

=> ↺ TwinCities Pioneer Press ☛ Moscow court rules US journalist Evan Gershkovich must stay in jail until late August

• A Moscow court has ruled that Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich must remain in jail on espionage charges until at least late August, rejecting the American journalist’s appeal to be released. The 31-year-old U.S. citizen was arrested in late March while on a reporting trip. A Moscow court agreed last month to keep him in custody until Aug. 30. Defense lawyers challenged the decision, but the Moscow City Court rejected the appeal on Thursday. Gershkovich and his employer have denied he spied in Russia. The U.S. government has declared him to be wrongfully detained and demanded his immediate release.

=> ↺ New York Times ☛ Belarus Is Fast Becoming a ‘Vassal State’ of Russia

• Allowing Moscow to place tactical nuclear weapons on its soil is just the latest sign of its loss of sovereignty to the Kremlin, military experts and pro-democracy activists say.

=> ↺ Meduza ☛ Russian government stops reporting federal budget’s operative expenditures. This data helped determine budget spending on secret programs. — Meduza

• Russia’s official federal budget website has stopped publishing current data on budget expenditures. The independent news outlet The Bell has pointed out the change.

=> ↺ Meduza ☛ Russian demand for shawarma more than doubled over the last year. Experts cite its low price. — Meduza

• Russia’s food delivery services and grocery stores have recorded a sharp rise in demand for shawarma over the last year, according to the business newspaper Vedomosti.

=> ↺ Michael West Media ☛ Russian embassy site squatter ‘not a security threat’

• The prime minister is confident authorities will be able to take control of the site ruled out for a Russian embassy despite a diplomat squatting on the site.

• But the opposition is calling for action to remove the person, who leaders have said is making a “fool” of Australia. 

=> ↺ The Straits Times ☛ Australia PM says no threat from Russian diplomat squatting on site of proposed embassy

• June 23, 2023 11:00 AM

• The man could not be evicted as he holds diplomatic immunity. 

Environment

=> ↺ Federal News Network ☛ The Paris summit on finance and climate comes to an end. Time for concrete steps?

• The aim of a two-day climate and finance summit in Paris was to set up concrete measures to help poor and developing countries better tackle issues like poverty and climate change. The gathering of world and financial leaders that wraps up Friday has no mandate for formal decisions. But French President Emmanuel Macron has pledged a to-do list that should come with ways to track what gets done. Activists want rich countries to commit to debt relief, including cancellation of loans. One young activist, Ineza Grace of Rwanda, said wealthier nations must acknowledge how current financial structures are reproducing the old colonial structure.

=> ↺ France24 ☛ Exclusive: France’s Macron calls for international taxation in push for climate solidarity

• In a exclusive interview with FRANCE 24, RFI and franceinfo, French President Emmanuel Macron outlined his vision for tackling the twin issues of climate change and the fight against extreme poverty. Speaking from the Summit for a New Global Financing Pact, which he hosted in Paris, Macron answered questions from Stéphane Ballong (FRANCE 24), Mounia Daoudi (RFI) and Marc Fauvelle (franceinfo).

=> ↺ France24 ☛ Macron says global lending system must adapt to fight climate change at Paris summit

• French President Emmanuel Macron told global leaders Thursday that no country should have to choose between tackling poverty and dealing with climate change at a summit tasked with reimagining the world’s financial system.

=> ↺ teleSUR ☛ Gustavo Petro Calls for a Marshall Plan Against Climate Change

• The Colombian leader proposes financing actions against global warming through resources generated by a tax on financial transactions and special debt issues for climate investments.

=> ↺ teleSUR ☛ Global Financing Summit to Address Climate-Related Issues

• Paris Summit participants are expected to lay the groundwork for funding action against growing inequality, poverty, and climate change.

=> ↺ New York Times ☛ Global Climate Economy Conference Begins in Paris

• Hundreds of representatives from about 80 countries are gathering in Paris to talk about rebuilding a monetary system many say is ill-suited to a changing planet.

=> ↺ ‘Adopt a Mediterranean Beach’ project starts in order to combat plastic waste in the basin

• The project launched to monitor and raise awareness about plastic waste in the Mediterranean basin will be coordinated by WWF Turkey, WWF Tunisia, and WWF Greece.

Energy/Transportation

=> ↺ Quartz ☛ Where the EPA’s smart new renewable fuel standards fall short

• The EPA has finalized its new Renewable Fuel Standards (RFS) aimed at phasing out oil used for transportation, heating, and airplanes in favor of cleaner sources.

=> ↺ European Commission ☛ The EU and the International Partners Group announced a Just Energy Transition Partnership with Senegal combining climate and development goals

=> ↺ Michael West Media ☛ Billions for green hydrogen but no idea on break-even

• Taxpayers are on the hook for long-term tax breaks for hydrogen even though there’s no timeline for the new industry to stand on its own feet.

• “We don’t know at what point they’ll be able to make a profit,” Jo Evans, deputy secretary at Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, told a federal inquiry.

=> ↺ Federal News Network ☛ NASA opposes lithium mining at tabletop flat Nevada desert site used to calibrate satellites

• The latest challenge to lithium mining in Nevada in the push for cleaner energy comes from a place where no opposition has arisen before: space. At NASA’s request, U.S. land managers have withdrawn about 36 square miles of federal land from potential mineral exploration and mining at a desert site 250 miles northeast of Las Vegas. The U.S. space agency says the unusually flat desert tract above the lithium deposit must be left undisturbed because the unique topography is used to calibrate razor-sharp measurements for hundreds of satellites orbiting overhead. A Nevada congressman has introduced legislation opposing the removal of the tract as a potential lithium mining site.

=> ↺ Latvia ☛ Electric scooters will require license and registration in Latvia

• Electric scooters will only be allowed to be used from the age of 14 with a cycling or any other category license. Scooters will also require registration, according to amendments to the Road Traffic Law supported by the Saeima on Thursday, June 22.

=> ↺ Latvia ☛ Rail Baltica project to get another billion euros of funding

• RB Rail AS, the Baltic states’ joint venture to build the Rail Baltica high-speed rail link, confirmed June 22 it had been approved to receive nearly a billion euros of European Union funding.

Wildlife/Nature

=> ↺ MIT Technology Review ☛ What “rewilding” means—and what’s missing from this new movement

• In Colombia, there’s a national debate about what to do with Pablo Escobar’s feral “cocaine hippos.”

=> ↺ Overpopulation ☛ Wildlife in decline: the impact of human population growth and consumption

• In a short film about wildlife loss, Nastaran Rahnama takes a broad approach, investigating food sold in the UK, its production far away, and the links to population growth and declining large mammals.

Finance

=> ↺ Forbes ☛ 2023 Layoff Tracker: Ford Reportedly Planning New Job Cuts

• Less than a year after cutting roughly 3,000 office and contract employees, automotive giant Ford is reportedly planning a new round of U.S. layoffs, the Wall Street Journal reported this week, following major cuts this month at Uber, Oracle, Grubhub and Spotify

=> ↺ Ritual lays off 45% of employees one year after last cuts: sources

• Samfiru Tumarkin LLP has learned that Toronto-based food ordering app Ritual laid off 40 employees on June 21, representing approximately 45 per cent of the tech company’s team.

=> ↺ Mexico News Daily ☛ Inflation slows to 5.18% in first half of June

• Numbers released Thursday morning in advance of a central bank meeting show inflation has slowed to its lowest level in over two years.

=> ↺ Pro Publica ☛ Biotech Execs and Investors Make Exquisitely Timed Trades in Health Care Stocks

• The case was a bold step for the Securities and Exchange Commission.

• In 2021, the agency accused Matthew Panuwat of insider trading. Five years earlier, he had learned that his own company, a biopharma operation called Medivation, was about to get acquired. But instead of buying shares in his employer, he bought options in a competitor whose stock could be expected to rise on the news. The agency says he made $107,000 in illicit profits.

=> ↺ New York Times ☛ Turkey Raises Interest Rates as Erdogan Aims to Tame Inflation

• In his choices of top officials, and with a leap in interest rates, Mr. Erdogan aims to tame inflation and defuse a looming economic crisis.

=> ↺ Turkey hikes interest rates for first time in 27 months

• The 650-basis point hike following the latest MPC meeting demonstrates a shift in the bank’s approach under a new leadership after the elections.

=> ↺ Reason ☛ New York City Orders Inflation-Adjusted Rent Cuts at Rent-Stabilized Buildings

• The country’s largest legacy rent-control policy is pushing building owners to the breaking point.

=> ↺ WhichUK ☛ Bank of England base rate rises to 5% – how will your mortgage and savings be impacted?

• The 13th consecutive increase is much higher than expected as the Bank battles

• inflation

=> ↺ Michael West Media ☛ Asia stocks slide as growth outlook darkens

• Asian stocks are heading for their worst week in three months as a string of hotter-than-expected inflation prints and hawkish central bank surprises make investors nervous about the economic toll of taming runaway prices.

• MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan fell 0.7 per cent in early trade on Friday and is down 3.6 per cent for the week, its worst since March. 

=> ↺ teleSUR ☛ Survey Finds Housing Costs Behind California Homeless Crisis

• UCSF researches found that lost or reduced income, more than addiction, mental health, poor decisions or other factors, was the main cause of homelessness.

=> ↺ RTE ☛ Statement by the RTÉ Board – June 22, 2023

• In late March of this year during a routine audit of RTÉ’s 2022 accounts, an issue was identified in relation to the transparency of certain payments.

=> ↺ Axios ☛ Bad news for bears

• The outlook for corporate profits is looking better.

• Why it matters: It’s another reason the bulls of the market appear to have the bears on the run.

AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

Axios ☛ Top GOP senators bristle at House impeachment effortsSeveral members of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell‘s (R-Ky.) leadership team on Thursday expressed reluctance about potentially being drawn into an impeachment trial.Why it matters: The upper chamber skepticism cuts against growing energy in the House GOP towards impeaching either President Biden or one of his officials.Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas has emerged as the most plausible target of an eventual impeachment push during this Congress.

=> ↺ New York Times ☛ Biden Hosts Modi at the White House, Seeking to Bolster India Ties

• At the White House, the president emphasized common ground with India’s prime minister and announced joint initiatives without making progress in enlisting help against Russian aggression.

=> ↺ Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Hong Kong security law Article 23 will ‘definitely’ be enacted this year or next, leader John Lee says

• Hong Kong leader John Lee has said that Article 23 – the city’s own security law – would “definitely” be enacted within this year, or next year at the latest.

=> ↺ Hong Kong Free Press ☛ ‘Salute’: Hong Kong police, officials launch accounts on Chinese social media platforms

• Hong Kong police have opened an account on Xiaohongshu, a Chinese social media platform similar to Instagram, after the city’s security chief and chief secretary earlier launched accounts on the same platform. Commissioner of Police Raymond Siu greeted “friends on Xiaohongshu” on Tuesday in the first post from the Hong Kong Police Force account.

=> ↺ CS Monitor ☛ How ‘Congressman Nobody’ got 2.2 million users on TikTok

• Freshman Rep. Jeff Jackson of North Carolina is carving out an alternative to outrage politics with his kitchen-table videos about Congress behind the scenes.

=> ↺ RFERL ☛ Kyrgyz Parliament Allows Investigation Of Opposition Lawmaker Madumarov

• A Kyrgyz parliamentary commission on June 22 decided to allow the launch of a probe against opposition lawmaker Adakhan Madumarov over his role in signing a Kyrgyz-Tajik border deal in 2009 when he led the country’s Security Council.

=> ↺ RFA ☛ Beijing looms large as Modi visits White House

• US efforts to charm India as a counterbalance to China will be limited by New Delhi’s own interests, analysts say.

=> ↺ The Straits Times ☛ Ahead of election, Cambodia amends law to bar non-voters from contesting in future

• Critics have expressed alarm over what they see as a campaign of intimidation and public threats.

=> ↺ The Straits Times ☛ Kuala Lumpur High Court orders ex-minister to pay PKR $2.9m for defecting

• The judge found that the bond Zuraida Kamaruddin signed was a valid and binding contract.

=> ↺ The Straits Times ☛ Indonesia’s entrepreneurs cash in on TikTok live selling spree

• Indonesian users spent more money on the app than anywhere else in South-east Asia over the past year.

=> ↺ The Straits Times ☛ Malaysian nonagenarian impresses netizens with Chinese dialects, Tamil and Thai languages

• A one-minute TikTok video showed the hijab-clad lady conducting a conversation in Hokkien.

=> ↺ Atlantic Council ☛ How regime security is set to dominate Saudi-UAE interaction over economic competition and political rivalry

• The Middle East has been a critical area of Saudi and UAE interaction and cooperation, especially at the onset of the 2011 Arab Spring.

=> ↺ The Atlantic ☛ The Forgotten Element of Strategy

• Without incorporating time into our calculations, we will always be too late.

=> ↺ Digital Music News ☛ As Major Streamers Flee, Twitch Introduces Hype Chats — A YouTube Rip-Off

• As major streamers flee the platform, Twitch is introducing new monetization features. Introducing hype chats—or YouTube Super Chats with a worse revenue split.

=> ↺ Axios ☛ Exclusive poll: Latinos drift from Dems, as many think neither party is more caring

• A plurality of Latinos now says “neither” when asked which major political party cares more about them, according to the latest Axios-Ipsos Latino Poll in partnership with Noticias Telemundo.

=> ↺ Atlantic Council ☛ Prospects for US-Turkish convergence on Syria

• Syria has long been a point of deep contention in US-Turkish relations. Is there a potential for change?

=> ↺ New York Times ☛ With a Hand From the U.S. Military, Aid Finally Reaches a Syrian Camp

• “I saw people eating plants that are usually only used to feed animals,” said one resident of a camp for displaced Syrians that sits in the shadow of an American military base but has been cut off from aid for years.

=> ↺ The Straits Times ☛ Two Koreas speed up drone race after unprecedented incursions

• The two sides have let each other know they intend to step up their drone programmes.

=> ↺ France24 ☛ Main suspect in Khashoggi killing reappears in public as MBS visits Paris

• One of the main suspects in the 2018 assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi has emerged from the shadows as Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) visits Paris in an effort to rebrand his image in the West. Several videos circulating on social media have shown Saoud al-Qahtani, MBS’s former “media adviser”, making a widely noticed appearance in Jeddah.

=> ↺ Atlantic Council ☛ Unfulfilled potential and budding prospects in Turkish-American ties

• The Defense Journal by Atlantic Council IN TURKEY explores the opportunities and challenges of restarting and advancing the US-Turkey defense partnership.

• /blockquote>

=> ↺ Atlantic Council ☛ Continuity and change in Turkish foreign policy

• Internal and external dynamics have prompted Turkey to restore clearheadedness in foreign policy.

=> ↺ Atlantic Council ☛ Can the US, Israel, and Turkey collaborate to contain Iran?

• All three actors are, or at least should be, concerned about the challenges posed by Iran.

=> ↺ Atlantic Council ☛ Prospects for an improved US-Turkish strategic relationship

• US approval of the sale of F-16s, aircraft modernization kits, and return of Turkey to the F-35 program are key to improving ties.

=> ↺ Federal News Network ☛ Twitter faces ‘stress test’ of Europe’s tough new Big Tech rules

• A top European Union official is in Silicon Valley to check whether Twitter is ready to comply with sweeping new standards that the world’s biggest online platforms must obey soon. Thierry Breton, who oversees digital policy, is the EU’s point person working to get tech companies in line for the Digital Services Act, which kicks in Aug. 25. The law, along with regulations in the pipeline for data and artificial intelligence, has made Brussels a trailblazer in the growing movement to clamp down on Big Tech. The voluntary mock exercise is a simulation of how Twitter copes with the DSA’s requirements, including protecting children online and detecting and mitigating risks like disinformation.

Misinformation/Disinformation/Propaganda

=> ↺ The Nation ☛ Just Another RFK Jr. Lie. I Know, Because It’s About Me.

• I’ve been doing my best to ignore the farcical presidential candidacy of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. His noxious views on vaccines, the origin of AIDS, the alleged dangers of wi-fi and other forms of junk science deserve no wide hearing. Polls showing he’s favored by 20 percent of likely Democratic voters over President Biden are almost as laughable as Kennedy’s views. It’s early; he’s got iconic American name recognition; and there’s almost always an appetite, among Democrats anyway, for anybody but the incumbent. His lies have been thoroughly debunked by Judd Legum at Popular Info, Michael Scherer in The Washington Post, Naomi Klein in The Guardian, and Brandy Zadrozny on NBC News.

=> ↺ YLE ☛ Consumer group files greenwashing complaint against Finnair and 16 other airlines

• A European-wide consumer organisation wants airlines to reimburse customers who paid extra ‘green’ fees due to misleading claims.

Censorship/Free Speech

=> ↺ RFA ☛ Shanghai dissident stands trial for ‘insulting China’s leaders’ during lockdown

• Activist had urged Shanghai party chief Li Qiang – now China’s premier – to quit

=> ↺ RFERL ☛ Jailed Kazakh Journalist Charged Again Instead Of Being Released After Serving Sentence

• Kazakh journalist Duman Mukhammedkarim has been remanded in custody on a new charge instead of being released as expected after serving out a 25-day jail term for a video on his YouTube channel that called for Kazakhs to protest against a deal giving visa-free travel to Chinese nationals.

=> ↺ Reason ☛ Drag Is Protected Speech, Federal Judge Rules

• It should be obvious that drag performances are protected by the First Amendment, but that hasn’t kept government officials from trying to ban them.

=> ↺ Reason ☛ Journal of Free Speech Law: “Saving the News,” by Prof. Ramsi A. Woodcock

• Just published as part of the symposium on Media and Society After Technological Disruption, edited by Profs. Justin “Gus” Hurwitz & Kyle Langvardt.

=> ↺ RFA ☛ Singapore newspaper article on Biden’s ‘dictator’ comment blocked in Hong Kong

• The Lianhe Zaobao also appears to be limiting access to mentions of the anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen massacre.

=> ↺ Project Censored ☛ The US’ Illegal War on Venezuela / Is Free Press Officially Dead Now? – The Project Censored Show

=> ↺ Project Censored ☛ The Project Censored Newsletter—June 2023 – Newsletters

• “We’re just thrilled by this response,” said Andy Lee Roth, one of the book’s ten co-authors. “As we were writing Media and Me, we imagined how it could make a difference in young people’s lives. But I don’t think any of us ever dreamed that a group of teachers this large would end up using it to engage and empower their students.”

=> ↺ RFA ☛ Myanmar junta arrests 50 social media users for ‘anti-regime’ posts

• The week-long roundup focused on popular platforms, including Facebook.

=> ↺ The Straits Times ☛ Malaysia to sue Meta over ‘undesirable content’ on Facebook

• Authorities said the social media platform failed to remove offending content despite repeated requests.

Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press

=> ↺ Journalist Sezgin Kartal released after 160 days

• In the second trial hearing, Kartal denied the allegations of ‘disguising himself as a journalist’ to write articles promoting a ‘terrorist organization’. He was subsequently released with a travel ban imposed.

Civil Rights/Policing

=> ↺ JURIST ☛ ECJ rules against Hungary over restrictive Covid-19 asylum law

• The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled Thursday that Hungary’s restrictive asylum laws passed during the COVID-19 pandemic violated European Union (EU) law. The law requires that foreign nationals seeking international protection in Hungary first submit declarations of intent at the Hungarian embassies in Belgrade, Serbia or Kyiv, Ukraine.

=> ↺ Hong Kong Free Press ☛ HKFP Lens: Thousands flock to see return of Hong Kong’s Dragon Boat Festival races

• Around 1,600 people signed up to race during Hong Kong’s Dragon Boat Festival – or Tuen Ng Festival – on Thursday. Crowds gathered in Stanley to watch over 56 teams brave the heat, after a three-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

=> ↺ Reason ☛ Brickbat: Guests from Hell

• San Francisco officials have agreed to pay up to $19.5 million to the owners of Hotel Whitcomb to pay for damages caused by homeless people housed there as part of the city’s emergency shelter program during the COVID-19 pandemic. All told, officials say they expect to pay out some $26 million for damages to hotels…

=> ↺ ACLU ☛ Police Should Not Be Allowed to Compel Our Cell Phone Passwords

• Our cell phones and other digital devices play a central role in our private lives, storing an unprecedented amount of our most personal information. While Carpenter v. United States, which the ACLU argued before the Supreme Court, applied Fourth Amendment protections to our cell phone location data and declared that old-world legal rules don’t automatically apply in the digital age, the role of Fifth Amendment protections in the digital age has left lower courts divided.

=> ↺ Helsinki Times ☛ Finland’s new economic affairs minister criticised for suspected fascist sympathies

• TWO DAYS is all it took for a cabinet member to come under criticism for suspected fascist sympathies following the swearing-in of the government of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (NCP) on Tuesday.

• Minister of Economic Affairs Vilhelm Junnila (PS) on Thursday issued an apology over his remarks in the run-up to last spring’s parliamentary elections and a speech he delivered at a nationalist event in Turku in 2019, report YLE and Helsingin Sanomat.

=> ↺ YLE ☛ Finns Party minister apologises over far-right comments and connections

• The new Minister of Economic Affairs Vilhelm Junnila (Finns) gave a speech for a neo-Nazi umbrella organisation in 2019 and joked about the number ’88,’ a symbol for extremist movements.

=> ↺ Mexico News Daily ☛ Supreme Court strikes down sweeping electoral reform law

• The government’s so-called Plan B electoral reform, already partially invalidated six weeks ago, saw its death knell Thursday in a 9-2 vote.

=> ↺ Mexico News Daily ☛ Court: anyone ‘with capacity to gestate’ can dispute abortion laws

• A citizen does not have to be pregnant in order to legally challenge state laws criminalizing abortion, the Supreme Court ruled Wednesday.

=> ↺ Erdoğan to opposition leader: ‘You are pro-LGBT, and those with you are pro-LGBT too’

• At a recent parliamentary gathering, Turkey’s President labeled the opposition ‘pro-LGBT,’ alleging their proximity to ‘terrorists’ and accusing them of employing ‘fascist and racist’ tactics during the elections.

=> ↺ RFERL ☛ Iranian Official Tells Mosque In Zahedan To Prove Allegations Of Attempt On Imam’s Life

• The head of the judiciary in Iran’s eastern Sistan-Baluchistan Province has told a local mosque it must provide proof to back up claims of an assassination attempt on the Sunni imam of Zahedan, Molavi Abdolhamid, or face legal consequences.

Monopolies

Patents

=> ↺ Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ An Overview of Proposed Changes in the ‘Patent Eligibility Restoration Act of 2023’ [Ed: Misleading name]

• Senators Tillis and Coons have released their “Patent Eligibility Restoration Act of 2023” designed to overturn the Supreme Court case of Mayo and Alice Corp.  The impact here is to return eligibility doctrine back to the mid 2000s when almost any useful advance was likely patent eligible.

=> ↺ Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ Claim Construction and the Power of Preferred Embodiments

• The basic question in the case is whether a “drive server” requires computing capabilities, or is storage capacity enough.  Although the plain language of “server” suggests computing capacity, the court agreed with the PTAB that the intrinsic evidence, including the claim language and the specification, supported the broader interpretation.  In the IPR, Broadcom was seeking the narrower construction in order to avoid prior art.  Under the broader construction, the claims were found invalid as obvious.

• The important part of the case serves as a reminder of the power of “preferred embodiment” language within the patent specification.  In this case, Qualcomm had included a preferred embodiment of a DVD drive server, also known as a disk library, that contained a number of DVD drives and associated disks.  Broadcom admitted that its proposed construction would exclude this preferred embodiment if the disk library contained no additional computer. 

=> ↺ Update of Boards of Appeal decisions search [Ed: Boards of Appeal = kangaroo courts, controlled by the criminals]

• Changes to the search engine and results listings are part of ongoing efforts to modernise the EPO website.

Trademarks

=> ↺ TTAB Blog ☛ Recommended Reading: Professors Farley and Ramsey: “Raising the Threshold for Trademark Infringement to Protect Free Expression”

• Professor Christine Haight Farley of American University – Washington College of Law, and Professor Lisa P. Ramsey of the University of San Diego School of Law have just published an article on a very timely topic: “Raising the Threshold for Trademark Infringement to Protect Free Expression,” 72 American University Law Review 1179 (2023).

Copyrights

=> ↺ Digital Music News ☛ RIAA Subpoenas Discord for the Identities of Multiple ‘AI Hub’ Server Users Over Allegedly Infringing Content

• With artificial intelligence (and soundalike tracks) becoming increasingly prevalent in the music space and beyond, the RIAA has officially subpoenaed Discord in an effort to ascertain the identities of “AI Hub” server users who allegedly infringed upon protected media.

=> ↺ IT Wire ☛ Canada passes online content law, Meta says no more publishing of news

• The Canadian parliament has approved a law that will force digital platforms such as Facebook and Google to pay publishers for the news they use.

• report said the Online News Act was approved by the Senate, the upper chamber of the parliament, on Thursday and was expected to be approved shortly.

• In response, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, said: “Today, we are confirming that news availability will be ended on Facebook and Instagram for all users in Canada prior to the Online News Act taking effect.”

=> ↺ France24 ☛ Meta to end news access in Canada after media bill passes

• Facebook and Instagram users in Canada will be blocked from viewing Canadian news, parent-company Meta said Thursday, after Ottawa passed a bill requiring digital giants to pay for such content.

=> ↺ New York Times ☛ Canada’s Online News Act Targets Facebook and Google

• A new Canadian law will require technology companies to license news content. Facebook’s owner said it would drop news from the platform.

=> ↺ CS Monitor ☛ How the changing world affected Mozart’s music, piece by piece

• From the Enlightenment to the French Revolution, the ideas swirling through Europe were absorbed and transmuted by Mozart into peerless music.

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