● 06.30.23

Gemini version available ♊︎

● Links 30/06/2023: Fairphone’s CEO Leaves, Rocky Works Around IBM’s Red Bait Code Restrictions

Posted in News Roundup at 1:39 am by Dr. Roy Schestowitz

GNU/Linux

Desktop/Laptop

=> ↺ Medium ☛ Windows who? I am with Zorin now. A woman goes Linux

• I believe everyone deserves to feel free and in control over their lives.

• Without being snooped on and sold out.

• You deserve a life devoid of being strategically psychologically manipulated into seeing the world through a prefabricated lens that serves someone else’s purposes and not yours.

• You deserve to unleash yourself with a crisp Linux experience that any tech newbie can master.

Audiocasts/Shows

=> ↺ Shoutout From Destination Linux

• Tellico received a nice shoutout from the Destination Linux team, in episode 328. The Software Spotlight portion starts around 59 minutes into the video.

Applications

=> ↺ OMG Ubuntu ☛ Festival is an Open Source Music Player with a Unique UI

• The ‘unique’ user-interface won’t suit everyone’s tastes. But in terms of functionality Festival does everything a music player needs to (with a few minor exceptions).

• Plus, Festival is blazingly fast — even when processing substantial local music collections. Files, folders, tags, artwork all blink into view instantaneously. Memory usage during playback (on my system) was on par with Rhythmbox, so it’s not quite the lightweight dream – but it’s more nimble than Spotify et al.

• I’ve written about a lot of music players over the years – you’ve no doubt read about a lot. Suffice to say there’s no shortage. But while almost all such apps do the same core thing (i.e. play music), differentiation is made through features, integrations, presentation, management etc.

=> ↺ Linuxiac ☛ InkBox 2.0 eBook Reader Is Here with a Host of Improvements

• Announced as the “Biggest release of InkBox OS ever,” the free and open-source eBook reader, InkBox 2.0, impresses with many new features.

=> ↺ Djalel Oukid ☛ What are the best open-source fonts (sources & families)?

• As a content creator, I need to choose fonts carefully, especially concerning licenses, and this is why I mainly resort to using fonts with open-source licenses that allow me to publish my modest designs without fear of legal prosecution.

=> ↺ Linux Links ☛ Machine Learning in Linux: Audiocraft – audio processing and generation with deep learning

• Audiocraft is Python-based software which provides the code and models for MusicGen, a simple and controllable model for music generation.

=> ↺ Real Linux User ☛ A first look at the new Zorin OS Upgrader

• It should come as no surprise by now that one of my favorite Linux distributions is Zorin OS.

Instructionals/Technical

=> ↺ How to Install yakyak on Ubuntu?

• Yakyak is a popular application that enhances the Google Hangouts experience on Ubuntu. In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through the installation process of Yakyak on both Ubuntu 20.04 and the latest release, Ubuntu 22.04. By default, there is no Google Hangouts application. Instead, you need to install Yakyak, which acts as the Desktop Chat client for Google Hangouts. How to Install Google Hangouts/Yakyak on Ubuntu 22.04/20.04 The Yakyak is not available in the apt package repository by default.

=> ↺ ID Root ☛ How To Install Git on Debian 12

• In this tutorial, we will show you how to install Git on Debian 12. For those of you who didn’t know, Git’s powerful version control capabilities will now empower you to manage your projects efficiently and collaborate seamlessly with other developers.

=> ↺ Include also moc files of headers

• While talking about the build time improvements seen by avoiding the use of Qt module header includes Volker Krause wondered: in chat

=> ↺ Beebom ☛ How to Set the PATH Variable in Linux (2 Ways) | Beebom

• The PATH Variable in Linux is an important component that contains the list of directories containing the commands that can be input using the command line interface. It is similar to Environmental Variables on Windows. Most modern-day apps with a GUI interface do not require you to specify a PATH variable. You can modify the PATH variable to tell the Linux machine in which directories to look for commands to execute. In this guide, let’s look at how to set the PATH variable in Linux.

=> ↺ Network World ☛ Finding files on Linux in all sorts of ways

• The Linux find command can locate files based on almost any criteria that you might need. This post describes the many criteria you can use to find what you’re looking for – even when you can’t remember what you named a file or when you last changed it or added content.

=> ↺ Linux Capable ☛ How to Install Ungoogled Chromium on Manjaro Linux

• In the vast landscape of web browsers, Ungoogled Chromium stands out as a prime choice for those prioritizing privacy and data security. This variant of the widely-used Chromium browser eliminates all Google service integrations, thus offering enhanced privacy controls while maintaining high-performance standards.

=> ↺ Trend Oceans ☛ How to Install CMake on Debian 10/11/12

• Here you will find two different methods to install CMake on your Debian machine. While building the application from the source, I get the error occurs CMake: command is not found, and due to that, I cannot install OBS-Studio on my Debian 12. This error mainly occurs when your system does not have CMake installed.

=> ↺ How to Add a User to sudo Group in Debian 12 Linux

• As a Debian 12 user after installing it the first time, you might be in a situation where the system would not let you perform Administrative tasks because your current is not part of the Sudoers group.

=> ↺ Linux Capable ☛ How to Install Nerd Fonts on Manjaro Linux

• The technical landscape is vast and continuously evolving, providing endless opportunities to expand our toolset and improve our productivity. Among these vast resources, the spotlight today falls on Nerd Fonts, a collection of over 50 patched fonts specifically tailored to suit the needs of developers and tech enthusiasts.

=> ↺ ZDNet ☛ How to enable Linux on your Chromebook (and why you should)

• Want to get more from your Chromebook? Add Linux support!

Games

=> ↺ Boiling Steam ☛ New Steam Games with Native Linux Clients with Shogun Showdown, Kingdom Eighties and Silicon City – 2023-06-28 Edition

• Between 2023-06-21 and 2023-06-28 there were 24 New Steam games released with Native Linux clients.

Distributions and Operating Systems

New Releases

=> ↺ 9to5Linux ☛ Nitrux 2.9 Released with New Upgrade Tool, Latest KDE Software, and Much More

• Highlights of Nitrux 2.9 include the brand-new Nitrux Update Tool System (nuts) to finally make it easier to upgrade and roll back your installations, the latest KDE software including KDE Plasma 5.27.6 LTS, KDE Frameworks 5.107, and KDE Gear 23.04.2, as well as Linux kernel 6.3.9-Liquorix.

• Nitrux 2.9 also ships with extra firewall rules to enable the pairing of the KDE Connect mobile app with your Nitrux desktop by default, enables NVMe multipath for all new installations by default, and adds several new modules and improves support for GTK apps to the Fcitx5 input method framework.

Fedora Family / IBM

=> ↺ Slashdot ☛ Red Hat Tries To Address Criticism Over Their Source Repository Changes

• Upsetting many in the open-source community was Red Hat’s announcement last week that they would begin limiting access to the Red Hat Enterprise Linux sources by putting them behind the Red Hat Customer Portal and publicly would be limited to the CentOS Stream sources. In turn this causes problems for free-of-cost derivatives like AlmaLinux moving forward. Red Hat this week issued another blog post trying to address some of the criticism.

=> ↺ FUDZilla ☛ Red Hat in full spin mode after restrictions on Enterprise Linux sources

• Red Hat is finding itself with a rebellion on its hands after it announced it would limit access to the Red Hat Enterprise Linux sources by putting them behind the Red Hat Customer Portal and limited to the CentOS Stream sources.

• This move causes problems for free-of-cost derivatives like AlmaLinux and has been greeted with the same unbridled joy from open sourcers as Tsar Putin had when he heard his former cook was marching on Moscow.

• Red Hat this week issued another blog post by Mike McGrath, the VP of Core Platforms Engineering at Red Hat. In the post, he talks up “Red Hat’s commitment to open source” in which he said that the outfit did make its hard work readily accessible to non-customers.

=> ↺ The Register UK ☛ Rocky Linux claims to have found ‘path forward’ from CentOS source purge

• The backlash against Red Hat’s decision to stop distributing the source code of RHEL for free to non-customers continues to widen.

• Last week, we reported that Red Hat would pull the sources of its enterprise distribution from its public Git servers. To quote Douglas Adams once again: “This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move.” So much so, in fact, that Mike McGrath, the Hatter who announced the change, has felt compelled to publish a response defending it.

=> ↺ DebugPoint ☛ Rocky Linux Finds Solutions to RHEL Source Code Restrictions

• In response to Red Hat’s recent decision to restrict access to the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) source code, the Rocky Linux distribution has revealed its plan to secure the necessary source code for its project without compromising its commitment to open-source principles. With these steps, Rocky Linux aims to ensure 1:1 RHEL compatibility while avoiding the limitations imposed by the Red Hat Customer Portal.

=> ↺ Red Hat ☛ How to develop and deploy OpenShift console dynamic plugin

• Dynamic plugins allow you to extend the Red Hat OpenShift UI at runtime, adding custom pages and other extensions. They are based on the webpack module federation. Plugins are registered with the console using the ConsolePlugin custom resource and enabled in the console operator config by a cluster administrator.

=> ↺ Red Hat ☛ What’s new in Ansible Automation Platform 2.4

• Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2.4 is generally available (GA). It is a simple, agentless automation platform that improves your current processes, integrates event-driven automation, and provides a sneak peek at how artificial intelligence (AI) will improve automation in the future. This article describes the new features you’ll find in Ansible Automation Platform 2.4.

• Announced as developer preview during AnsibleFest 2022, Event-Driven Ansible is now available with Ansible Automation Platform 2.4. Event-Driven Ansible is a scalable, responsive automation capability that processes events containing discrete, actionable intelligence. It empowers teams to determine the appropriate response to an event and execute automated actions to address or remediate it.

• Event-Driven Ansible frees teams from mundane tasks to focus on innovation while enabling more responsive and resilient IT services through the faster resolution of requests. It can work with multiple data sources and trigger required actions automatically. You can incorporate Event-Driven Ansible to any use case, such as networking, infrastructure, security, edge, cloud, application automation, and beyond.

Canonical/Ubuntu Family

=> ↺ 9to5Linux ☛ Canonical Releases New Ubuntu Kernel Security Updates to Fix 3 Vulnerabilities

• For all supported Ubuntu releases, the new Linux kernel security updates address CVE-2023-35788, an out-of-bounds write vulnerability discovered by Hangyu Hua in Linux kernel’s Flower classifier implementation, which could allow an attacker to cause a denial of service (system crash) or execute arbitrary code.

• Only for Ubuntu 22.10 and Ubuntu 22.04 LTS systems running Linux kernel 5.19, the new Linux kernel security updates address CVE-2023-2430, a security vulnerability discovered by Xingyuan Mo and Gengjia Chen in Linux kernel’s io_uring subsystem, which could allow a local attacker to cause a denial of service (system crash).

Open Hardware/Modding

=> ↺ Adafruit ☛ Breadbee: building a Linux single board computer #Linux #SBC @WillyTarreau

• Breadbee is a single board computer (SBC) designed and developed by Daniel Palmer (aka ‘dgp’). The board has many unique particularities that appealed Willy Tarreau…

Mobile Systems/Mobile Applications

=> ↺ Fairphone: Eva steps down

• I have made the decision to step down as CEO of Fairphone.

Free, Libre, and Open Source Software

=> ↺ OSI Blog ☛ Open Policy Alliance: A new program to amplify underrepresented voices in public policy development [Ed: The irony of this being said by the OSI, now a front group of criminals from Microsoft]

=> ↺ It’s FOSS ☛ FOSS Weekly #23.26: Linux Kernel 6.4, Red Hat Lock Down, Exodia OS and More

• Red Hat’s upsetting trend continues. Among other things, learn about Exodia OS, a new Linux distro.

GNU Projects

=> ↺ FSF ☛ FSF Blogs: June GNU Spotlight with Amin Bandali: Twelve new GNU releases!

Programming/Development

=> ↺ Rlang ☛ Machine Learning workflow with tidymodels in R workshop

• Join our workshop on Machine Learning workflow with tidymodels in R, which is a part of our workshops for Ukraine series! 

Python

=> ↺ Linux Hint ☛ Seaborn Lineplot

• In Python, the “seaborn.lineplot()” function of the “Seaborn” module is used to plot single or multiple continuous line plots.

=> ↺ Linux Hint ☛ Seaborn Histplot

• The “seaborn.histplot()” method is used to plot the univariate or bivariate histogram based on the specified “bins” value.

=> ↺ Linux Hint ☛ Seaborn Figure Size

• The “matplotlib.pyplot.subplots()” method with “figsize={width, height}” and “seaborn.set()” method is used to change the seaborn figure size in Python.

=> ↺ Linux Hint ☛ SciPy Convolve

• In Python, the “scipy.signal.convolve()” function of the “scipy.signal” module is used to perform convolution on two arrays.

=> ↺ Linux Hint ☛ Remove Punctuation from String Python

• The “string.translate()” method, “for” loop, “re.sub()” function and “filter()” function is used to remove punctuation from a string.

=> ↺ Linux Hint ☛ The Python Sort List of Tuples

• The “sorted()” function and the “list.sort()” method are used to sort the list of a tuple in ascending, descending or based on the key value.

=> ↺ Linux Hint ☛ Reverse order of a List in Python

• The “reverse()” method, “List Comprehension”, “slice()” function and the “for” loop are utilized to reverse the order of a Python list.

=> ↺ Linux Hint ☛ Python String ljust() Method

• In Python, the “string.ljust()” method is utilized to left justified/align the specified string with the given returned string length value.

=> ↺ Linux Hint ☛ SciPy ANOVA One-Way

• The “scipy.stats.f_oneway()” function of the “seaborn” library is employed to perform a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test.

=> ↺ Linux Hint ☛ SciPy Optimize Root

• In Python, the “scipy.optimize.root()” function of the “seaborn” library is utilized to determine the root of a vector function.

=> ↺ Linux Hint ☛ Seaborn Boxplot

• The “seaborn.boxplot()” method of the “seaborn” library in Python is used to draw/plot the distributions with respect to categories.

=> ↺ Linux Hint ☛ Remove Item From List Python

• The “list.remove()” method, “pop()” method, “clear()” method, “del” keyword and “List Comprehension” are used to remove the item from the list.

=> ↺ Linux Hint ☛ Python String translate() Method

• The “string.translate()” method in Python takes the translation table and returns a string mapped to the character values.

Rust

=> ↺ Rust Weekly Updates ☛ This Week In Rust: This Week in Rust 501

• Hello and welcome to another issue of This Week in Rust!

Leftovers

=> ↺ Daniel Pocock ☛ Daniel Pocock: Jane Robinson: from Murray River Canoe Marathon to World Rowing Championships

• One of the legends of Australian sport is the story of Jane Robinson. The Murray River Canoe Marathon is an event for canoes and kayaks, paddling 400km in the peak of a hot and dry Australian summer. Many of them compete as relay teams, dividing up the work such that each athlete only paddles a quarter of the distance each day. Robinson is different: she committed to row the full 400km herself, not in a canoe but in a single scull. In other words, that is 400km going backwards. A typical rowing race, as we can see in the video below, is only two kilometers.

Hardware

=> ↺ It’s Ubuntu ☛ TUXEDO InfinityBook Pro 16 Gen 8 Full Specs | Pre-Order Now

• TUXEDO InfinityBook Pro 16 Gen 8 Linux laptop is now available for pre-order. This version of InfinityBook is thin, light, and powerful Linux laptop that will comes up with newer NVIDIA GPUs.

=> ↺ CNX Software ☛ Qualcomm IPQ9574 “AL02” router board support WiFi 7 modules, 10GbE networking

• The recent Linux 6.4 release included initial support for the AL02 WiFi 7 router board powered by a Qualcomm IPQ9574 quad-core Cortex-A73 processor part of the Qualcomm Networking Pro 1620 platform with the board featuring 2GB DDR4 RAM and 256MB NAND flash. A couple of weeks ago, I was contacted by Wallystech about their DR9574 WiFi 7 board based on the IPQ9574 processor, but I ended up not writing about it due to the lack of information and low-quality photos.

=> ↺ CNX Software ☛ $19.90 nRF52840 Connect Kit board supports Bluetooth LE, NFC, Zigbee, and Thread connectivity

• Makerdiary nRF52840 Connect Kit is a development board based on Nordic Semi nRF52840 multiprotocol wireless microcontroller with support for Bluetooth Low Energy, Bluetooth Mesh, NFC, Thread, Zigbee, 802.15.4, ANT, and 2.4 GHz proprietary connectivity. The nRF52840 Connect Kit comes in a compact form factor with a USB-C port for power and programming, a 64 Mbit QSPI flash, flexible power management, and a rich set of features.

Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

=> ↺ YLE ☛ Research: Loneliness grew even after Covid

• Finns are increasingly lonely despite the end of pandemic-related restrictions, according to new research.

=> ↺ New York Times ☛ Pandemic Divisiveness in the U.S. Wasn’t What It Seemed

• When Covid arrived, partisanship had little to do with how officials responded.

=> ↺ Axios ☛ Malaria cases in Florida and Texas mark first U.S. spread since 2003

• Malaria has been spread by mosquitos locally in the U.S. for the first time in 20 years, per a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention alert issued Monday.

• Driving the news: Four people in Sarasota County, Florida, and a person in Cameron County, Texas, contracted the potentially deadly disease over a period from late May to late June through local transmission, according to the CDC. “All patients have received treatment and are improving,” per a CDC statement.

• /blockquote>

=> ↺ NYPost ☛ ‘SNL’ Legend Dana Carvey hits Dr. Fauci with stinging impression: ‘I’m introducing the daily COVID shot’

• Legendary “Saturday Night Live” alum Dana Carvey mocked former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director Dr. Anthony Fauci on a podcast with former “SNL” colleague David Spade.

=> ↺ uni Michigan ☛ ‘Subway Surfers’ sludge isn’t the end of our attention spans

• It’s no shock that online spaces want to harvest attention. Many of the biggest tech companies — such as ByteDance (TikTok), Meta (FaceBook and Instagram), Snap Inc. (Snapchat) and Alphabet (Google and YouTube) — essentially run adaptive advertisement columns attached to creators, rewarding them for their ability to keep users’ eyes locked on their screens.

Proprietary/Artificial Intelligence (AI)

=> ↺ Bleeping Computer ☛ Microsoft Teams outage blocks access to web and desktop clients

• Microsoft is investigating an ongoing outage blocking customers from accessing and using the Microsoft Teams communication platform via web and desktop clients.

Security

=> ↺ Krebs On Security ☛ U.K. Cyber Thug “PlugwalkJoe” Gets 5 Years in Prison

• Joseph James “PlugwalkJoe” O’Connor, a 24-year-old from the United Kingdom who earned his 15 minutes of fame by participating in the July 2020 hack of Twitter, has been sentenced to five years in a U.S. prison. That may seem like harsh punishment for a brief and very public cyber joy ride. But O’Connor also pleaded guilty in a separate investigation involving a years-long spree of cyberstalking and cryptocurrency theft enabled by “SIM swapping,” a crime wherein fraudsters trick a mobile provider into diverting a customer’s phone calls and text messages to a device they control.

=> ↺ Pen Test Partners ☛ Black Basta Ransomware

• What is Black Basta Ransomware? Black Basta is a threat group that provides ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS).

=> ↺ IT Wire ☛ Personal data leaks as Perpetual hit by ransomware attack

• On its website, Perpetual lists Tech Mahindra as its registry provider. The Indian firm has suffered a ransomware attack that came to light in March 2021, when its Smart City Project in Pune crippled 25 of its servers.

• Perpetual has about $210 billion in funds under management. The company said it had previously reported an extended outage as a result of the incident.

=> ↺ Akira Ransomware Expanded its Toolkit to Attack Linux Machines [Ed: The issue here is VMware, not Linux, but Microsoft-connected sites are running anti-Linux campaigns for Microsoft lately]

• A newly emerged ransomware known as Akira expands its operations to target Linux-based platforms which add the “.akira” file extension to each compromised file.

=> ↺ Bleeping Computer ☛ Linux version of Akira ransomware targets VMware ESXi servers

• By targeting ESXi servers, a threat actor can encrypt many servers running as virtual machines in a single run of the ransomware encryptor.

=> ↺ LWN ☛ Security updates for Thursday [LWN.net]

• Security updates have been issued by Debian (chromium and maradns), SUSE (iniparser, kubernetes1.23, python-reportlab, and python-sqlparse), and Ubuntu (accountsservice and linux, linux-aws, linux-aws-hwe, linux-azure, linux-azure-4.15, linux-dell300x, linux-gcp, linux-gcp-4.15, linux-hwe, linux-kvm, linux-oracle, linux-raspi2, linux-snapdragon).

=> ↺ Lumberton ISD cyberattacked, personal information stolen

• Global hackers that took aim at a foreign government have also claimed responsibility for a data breach at Lumberton ISD, according to an email sent to an East Texas newspaper. Wanting to warn the local school district’s stakeholders about the compromised intel, staff from the out-of-town daily reached out to The Examiner with the news on June 26. […]

• According to Edwards, the email from Rhysida contained attachments showing W-9 files, Social Security cards, Texas Driver licenses, passports, a substitute teacher’s application form, spread sheets that appear to contain Social Security numbers of students or employees, a vendor form with a Social Security number and tax identification number, and addresses from Lumberton ISD.

=> ↺ Data Breaches ☛ Barrow County notifies people of a breach that began more than a year ago

• The notice does not state when they first discovered the breach, but only that “Upon learning of the incident, Barrow County promptly began an internal investigation and engaged a forensic security firm to investigate the incident and secure its computer and email systems.”

=> ↺ Ransomware attack at Chattanooga State affects data of 1,244 people

• A ransomware attack discovered at Chattanooga State Community College in May compromised the personal information of 1,244 people, according to the college.

• The majority of the people affected had taken the GED test at the college’s testing center in 2012 and 2013, the college said in a news release Tuesday.

=> ↺ Dark Reading ☛ Pilot Applicant Information for American, Southwest Hacked

• The attack exposed personal information from pilot applicants, prompting both airlines to ditch their third-party provider and move services internally.

=> ↺ ABAJournal ☛ Lawyer censured for using TeamViewer to snoop on former firm’s business activity

• A lawyer in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, has been censured after acknowledging that he “fell into stupid” and accessed his former law firm’s computer system to monitor his former partner’s business activity.

• The New Jersey Supreme Court censured lawyer Justin L. Scott in a May 31 order, Law360 reports.

• The New Jersey Supreme Court’s disciplinary review board had recommended a censure in an October 2022 decision.

=> ↺ The Independent UK ☛ More than a million NHS patients’ details compromised after cyberattack

• NHS details of more than a million patients have been compromised in a cyberattack, senior health chiefs have been warned.

• A recent ransomware attack on the University of Manchester affected an NHS patient data set that holds information on 1.1 million patients across 200 hospitals, leaks to The Independent have confirmed.

• Among the details potentially exposed are NHS numbers and the first three letters of patients’ postcodes.

=> ↺ The Spokesman Review ☛ Federal lawsuit blames Whitworth University for ransomware attack last summer, loss of data

• A Whitworth University student is asking a federal judge to approve a class action against the school for damages stemming from a ransomware attack discovered in July 2022 that affected more than 65,500 people.

• The lawsuit, filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Spokane, alleges Whitworth was negligent in allowing a still-unidentified attacker to access health, financial and personal data of past and present students, staff and faculty. It was filed by Patrick Loyola, identified in court documents as a student at the time of the attack. The university initially reported the incident as a “sophisticated security issue” in August before informing the Washington attorney general’s office in October that a ransomware attack had occurred.

=> ↺ TechCrunch ☛ High school changes every student’s password to ‘Ch@ngeme!’

• After a cybersecurity audit mistakenly reset everyone’s password, a high school changed every student’s password to “Ch@ngeme!” giving every student the chance to hack into any other student’s account, according to emails obtained by TechCrunch.

• Last week, Oak Park and River Forest (OPRF) High School in Illinois told parents that during a cybersecurity audit, “due to an unexpected vendor error, the system reset every student’s password, preventing students from being able to log in to their Google account.”

=> ↺ Data Breaches ☛ Henrietta Johnson Medical Center patients affected by breach at Delaware Health Network

• The Henrietta Johnson Medical Center in Delaware has posted notice that some patient data was involved in a breach at Delaware Health Network (“DHN”). DHN is a healthcare-controlled network provider and electronic health records management provider that provides services to Henrietta Johnson Medical Center (“HJMC”) and other entities.

• According to HJMC’s notice, DHN experienced a “cyber event” that began on April 5. That incident involved unauthorized access to systems and the copying of certain files. And also according to their notice, to date, DHN has not identified the precise patient data that may have been impacted. Unsurprisingly, then, HJMC submitted a report to HHS on June 27 that indicated 500 patients were affected, which DataBreaches interprets as a marker for “Hey, we know we have more than 500 patients affected and we have to report within 60 days, so we’re letting you know we had a breach.”

Privacy/Surveillance

=> ↺ Techdirt ☛ Australian Government Apparently Willing To Follow In UK Government’s Client-Side Scanning Footsteps

• The UK government desires direct control of the internet. This has been the plan for years. A bill that would criminalize encryption while mandating client-side scanning to control the spread of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) has been on the front burner for years.

=> ↺ Defence Web ☛ Enhancing data security in the defence industry through encryption

• In today’s digital era, data has become an invaluable asset for businesses across all industries. However, with this increased reliance on data comes a heightened risk of cyber threats, particularly in the defence industry, where sensitive information must be protected from adversaries.

=> ↺ The Hindu ☛ Google stops work on augmented reality glasses: Report – The Hindu

• Google has reportedly stopped work on its augmented reality (AR) glasses under Project Iris.

=> ↺ Permanent Injunction Imposed on Online Education Platform Company Edmodo, LLC for Alleged Violations of Children’s Privacy Law

• The Department of Justice, together with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)…

Defence/Aggression

=> ↺ The Straits Times ☛ Australian defence minister in Solomon Islands for security talks

• Mr Richard Marles’ visit comes as China takes a bigger role in the Solomon Islands police force.

=> ↺ RFERL ☛ Iranian Security Forces Arrest Two Kurdish Citizens Amid Rising Tensions

• Two Kurdish people from the western Iranian city of Saqqez have been arrested by Iranian security forces and subsequently transferred to an undisclosed location, a Kurdish rights group based in France said on June 27.

=> ↺ LRT ☛ Documents found in Wagner headquarters link to ‘information attack’ against Lithuania – intelligence

• Documents found during searches at the Wagner headquarters in Saint Petersburg show that the private military group was linked to an information attack against Lithuania, the State Security Department (VSD) said on Wednesday.

=> ↺ JURIST ☛ India government orders Manipur to restore peace amidst ongoing ethnic violence

• The Indian federal government ordered the Chief Minister of Manipur N. Biren Singh to restore peace amidst ongoing ethnic violence which has continued for close to 50 days, despite a heavy security presence in the state.

=> ↺ France24 ☛ UN vote to end Mali peacekeeping mission delayed due to ongoing talks

• A vote by the Security Council to end a UN peacekeeping mission in Mali, at Mali’s own request, was postponed to later this week due to ongoing talks, diplomatic sources said Tuesday.

War in Ukraine

=> ↺ Meduza ☛ Russia declares Novaya Gazeta Europe ‘undesirable’ organization — Meduza

• The Russian Prosecutor General’s Office has designated Novaya Gazeta Europe an “undesirable” organization, reports Interfax.

=> ↺ Meduza ☛ Ivanovo governor confirms crew of an Il-22 aircraft killed during Wagner rebellion — Meduza

• The authorities of Russia’s Ivanovo region have confirmed that the crew of an Il-22 aircraft died during Wagner Group’s rebellion. The aircraft was based in the region.

=> ↺ New York Times ☛ Who Knew About Prigozhin’s Wagner Revolt Before It Happened?

• Some Russian generals and foreign intelligence agencies appear to have gotten early signals of the mercenary leader’s plans.

=> ↺ European Commission ☛ Remarks by Commissioner Várhelyi at the Structured Dialogue organized by the AFET Committee of the European Parliament

• European Commission Speech Brussels, 28 Jun 2023 Honourable Chairs,

=> ↺ Latvia ☛ European Citizen’s Prize goes to Twitterconvoy leader and LAMPA festival

• This year two winners from Latvia – the organizer of ‘Twitterconvoy for Ukraine’ Reinis Pozņaks and the LAMPA conversation festival have received the European Parliament’s European Citizen’s Prize, LSM’s Latvian-language service reported Wednesday.

=> ↺ New York Times ☛ Lukashenko Proves Once a Tool, Always a Tool

• The Belarusian leader is once again trying to burnish his global image after the failed coup in Russia.

=> ↺ New York Times ☛ Images Show Construction at a Belarus Military Base. Is It Wagner’s New Home?

• The images reveal a possible location for the mercenaries who were given the option of relocating to Belarus after the group’s failed rebellion against President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia.

=> ↺ YLE ☛ Finland to further tighten entry restrictions for Russians

• The new policy is expected to increase thresholds for entry of Russians who own land in Finland, and limiting visas for Russians aiming to take school entrance exams.

=> ↺ New York Times ☛ Putin Moves to Punish Prigozhin Allies

• Russia’s president indicates that associates of the Wagner group’s leader in government and the military will face punishment.

=> ↺ The Atlantic ☛ The World’s Most Important App (for Now)

• Telegram played a central role in Yevgeny Prigozhin’s revolt—and in so many other chaotic events that have defined recent history.

=> ↺ RFERL ☛ Russian IT Expert Detained In Kazakhstan At U.S. Request As Moscow Pressures Almaty

• Kazakhstan has detained a Russian IT expert at the request of the United States for cybercrimes, setting up another showdown between Washington and Moscow over extradition.

=> ↺ France24 ☛ ‘It looks like the end of the world’: Russia bombards rebel zones in Syria

• Intense air strikes by Russia, an ally of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, have targeted the rebel-held Idlib region in northwestern Syria since June 20. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), air strikes on June 25 killed at least 13 people, including children, and one attack hit a fruit and vegetable market near Idlib. The SOHR considers these strikes to be the deadliest since the beginning of the year. Our Observer, an Idlib resident, documented their impact through videos.

=> ↺ France24 ☛ Russia’s top generals disappear from public view after failed Wagner rebellion

• Russia’s most senior generals have dropped out of public view following a failed mercenary mutiny aimed at toppling the top brass, amid a drive by President Vladimir Putin to reassert his authority and unconfirmed reports of at least one arrest.

=> ↺ Atlantic Council ☛ The Wagner rebellion is over—for now. But how will the events reverberate in the Middle East and North Africa?

• The June 23-24 rebellion led by Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin—aimed, he claimed, at replacing the Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov (not Russian President Vladimir Putin)—has ended.

=> ↺ Reason ☛ Russia Looks Increasingly Medieval After the Coup That Wasn’t

• Feudal-style squabbling with the control of nuclear weapons at stake.

=> ↺ Michael West Media ☛ Morrison approved money for Ukraine before advice given

• Former prime minister Scott Morrison approved grants in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine before the spending was known to have met government rules.

• The auditor-general on Thursday released a review of how Defence handled Australia’s assistance commitments, finding the department’s overall response was largely effective. 

=> ↺ The Nation ☛ “Life Didn’t Prepare Us for the Tanks”

• Waking up early on Saturday, June 24, I held on to the hope that everything would be fine despite the news that had emerged on Friday evening. Every hour, I would wake up and read the news. At 7 am, I learned that the city where I had lived my whole life before the start of the war in Ukraine had been seized by armed mercenaries. A tank was stuck at the gates of the circus, which I passed by every day on my way to school. I watched live as the most dangerous people in the world took over my hometown. Yevgeny Prigozhin, whose existence was known mostly to journalists before the war, was previously recognized as Putin’s chef, involved in all Putin’s black operations, ranging from attacks on opposition figures to operations in Africa and Syria, and interference in the 2016 US presidential election. Suddenly, it turned out that he was not only Putin’s confidant for special assignments but also an opposition politician respected by many Russians.

=> ↺ Meduza ☛ Russian Iskander missile destroys pizzeria in center of Kramatorsk 11 people killed, more than 50 injured — Meduza

• According to the latest information from Ukrainian authorities, at least ten people were killed in a missile strike on Kramatorsk, Donetsk region, on the evening of June 27. Two 14-year-old sisters and one 17-year-old girl are among the dead, says Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin.

=> ↺ Meduza ☛ Russian authorities acknowledge casualties in Belgorod region: 14 troops killed by pro-Ukrainian militias, Pskov governor first to admit — Meduza

• Pskov Governor Mikhail Vedernikov has posted a video on his social media, acknowledging previously undisclosed military casualties in Russia’s Belgorod region. Speaking of the armed incursion of pro-Ukrainian militias that took place in early June, Vedernikov admitted that at least 14 Russian servicemen had been killed during the event.

=> ↺ New York Times ☛ Death Toll Climbs in Kramatorsk Restaurant Hit by Russian Missile

• The Ria Lounge eatery, known to many as Ria Pizza, was a long-running haunt popular with Ukrainian soldiers, foreign journalists and aid workers.

=> ↺ New York Times ☛ Sunny Bunny, Ukraine’s First Ever LGBTQ Film Festival, Held in Kyiv

• A landmark happening in its own right, the seven-day event also took place during a war — one that rights advocates said has increased visibility and acceptance of the L.G.B.T.Q. community.

=> ↺ New York Times ☛ Missile Strike Kills 11 in Restaurant in Kramatorsk, Ukraine

• A Russian missile strike on a popular restaurant in Kramatorsk, Ukraine killed at least 11 people, wounded dozens more, and showed the peril of trying to claim pieces of ordinary life during war.

=> ↺ New York Times ☛ Putin, Projecting Control, Tries to Contain Fallout From Mutiny

• As President Vladimir V. Putin emphasized Russian unity after a brief uprising, the Kremlin’s spokesman said a New York Times report that a top general knew of the revolt beforehand was “gossip.”

=> ↺ teleSUR ☛ Russia Does Not Attack Civilian Targets in Ukraine: Peskov

• The Kremlin spokesman also assured that the Russian forces have always taken measures to protect minors since the special military operation began.

=> ↺ RFERL ☛ Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister Confirms Exports Of Sanctioned Dual-Use Technology To Russia

• Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister Serik Zhumangharin has confirmed reports saying that Kazakhstan exported sanctioned dual-use technology to Russian companies that, according to investigative journalists, are involved in supporting Moscow’s war in Ukraine.

=> ↺ RFERL ☛ Rescuers Hunt For Survivors After Deadly Russian Strike On Kramatorsk Restaurant

• Rescue workers continued to search for survivors following a deadly June 27 Russian missile strike on the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk. At least four children were among those who were killed when a crowded restaurant and shopping center was hit. A second Russian missile struck a village on the outskirts of the city. Numerous houses, shops, cafes, and other businesses were damaged near the place of impact in the city center.

=> ↺ RFERL ☛ Zelenskiy Replaces Chief Of Ukroboronprom Defense Industry Firm Amid Ongoing War

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has replaced the chief of Ukroboronprom — a state conglomerate that comprises defense industry firms — amid Moscow’s ongoing war against Ukraine.

=> ↺ RFERL ☛ Belarus Gave Ukrainian Businessman Firtash Diplomatic Immunity To Prevent His Extradition To U.S., Report Finds

• Belarusian authorities have reportedly provided Ukrainian businessman Dmytro Firtash with diplomatic immunity to prevent his extradition from Austria to the United States, where he is wanted on corruption charges.

=> ↺ RFERL ☛ Switzerland Widens Sanctions On Russia, In Step With EU

• Switzerland has expanded financial and travel sanctions against Russian entities and persons in step with the most recent sanctions imposed by the European Union on Moscow after the invasion of Ukraine.

=> ↺ RFERL ☛ British Government Hoping To ‘Expedite’ Chelsea Sale Funds To Ukraine

• The British government has said it is seeking to expedite the process of funds raised by the sale of the Chelsea Football Club being used to support Ukrainians.

=> ↺ RFERL ☛ Croatian Parliament Recognizes Holodomor As Genocide

• The Croatian parliament voted on June 28 to recognize as genocide the Holodomor — the starvation of millions in Ukraine in the 1930s under Soviet leader Joseph Stalin.

=> ↺ RFERL ☛ Russian Prosecutors Seek Nine Years In Prison For Self-Exiled Media Manager

• Prosecutors asked a court in Moscow on June 28 to sentence noted media manager Ilya Krasilshchik, who resides in Berlin, to nine years in prison on a charge of discrediting Russia’s armed forces involved in Moscow’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

=> ↺ LRT ☛ Lithuania bans transit of dual-use goods to keep them out of Russia

• The government on Wednesday imposed a temporary ban on road shipments of dual-use goods that can end up in Russia and Belarus and be used in the war against Ukraine.

=> ↺ RFERL ☛ Reports On Surovikin’s Whereabouts Persist Despite Kremlin Labeling Them ‘Speculation’

• Russian media reports on June 28 continued to speculate about the whereabouts of the deputy commander of Russian armed forces’ united group, Sergei Surovikin, and his role in the weekend revolt despite Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov’s dismissal of the reports.

=> ↺ RFERL ☛ Death Toll In Kramatorsk Rises To 12 As Ukraine Arrests ‘Russian Spy’ Linked To Missile Strike

• Ukrainian rescuers have pulled another body from the rubble of a restaurant and shopping center targeted by a Russian missile strike in the eastern city of Kramatorsk, taking the death toll in the June 27 attack to 12, officials said on June 29.

=> ↺ RFERL ☛ Czechs Ban All Russian Athletes From Local Competitions

• The Czech government said late on June 28 it had banned all athletes representing Russia from taking part in local competitions as the Russian invasion of Ukraine continued.

=> ↺ LRT ☛ We must use Wagner mutiny to bring Ukraine closer to NATO – Nausėda in Kyiv

• Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda, who left for an unscheduled visit to Kyiv on Wednesday, says he and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky have agreed that NATO must take advantage of the internal turmoil in Russia following the Wagner mutiny to bring Ukraine closer to the alliance.

=> ↺ JURIST ☛ UN human rights office details widespread detention, torture, and killing of Ukrainian civilians by Russian armed forces

• The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine on Tuesday released a report which details the arbitrary detention, torture, and occasional killing of civilians by Russian armed forces in the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The report describes the Russian Federation’s widespread practice of arbitrarily detaining civilians in Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine.

=> ↺ France24 ☛ 🔴 Live: EU leaders to discuss Russia’s aborted rebellion, further Ukraine support in Brussels

• European Union leaders will on Thursday discuss the repercussions of the Wagner Group’s aborted rebellion in Russia as they pledge further support for Ukraine in its war against Moscow’s invasion at a summit in Brussels. The leaders will also talk with NATO head Jens Stoltenberg and discuss what role the EU could play in Western commitments to bolster Ukraine’s security.

=> ↺ Defence Web ☛ Opposition parties seek Parliamentary answers on African Peace Mission

• Predictably, the South African Parliament in the form of its International Relations and Co-operation Portfolio Committee, “applauded” the mid-month Cyril Ramaphosa-led African peace mission to Russia and Ukraine.

=> ↺ Atlantic Council ☛ Wagner drama drags Belarus deeper into Russia’s wartime turbulence

• News that Wagner chief Yevgeniy Prigozhin and many of his battle-hardened troops will be exiled to Belarus has sparked concerns that the country is being dragged further into Russia’s wartime turmoil, writes Hanna Liubakova.

Environment

=> ↺ France24 ☛ France badly hit by climate change and ill-prepared for its effects, warns report

• France is being badly hit by climate change, is not prepared for its effects and is failing to sufficiently reduce its emissions, an independent climate body warned Wednesday.

=> ↺ H2 View ☛ Spain targets 11GW of electrolysis by 2030 in draft revision of energy and climate plan

• Spain has proposed plans to almost triple its green hydrogen production targets to 11GW by 2030.

=> ↺ RFA ☛ Asia-Pacific jobs at risk from climate change, but cleaning up can lift growth-report

• China and India are best situated to benefit from green policies, says Deloitte Asia Pacific.

=> ↺ New Yorker ☛ Climate and Conflict Converge in “The Fire Brigade”

• David Alexander’s documentary follows Malian refugees fighting wildfires, and attempting to put down roots, in Mauritania.

=> ↺ New York Times ☛ Research Assigns Wildfire Smoke Back to Its Source

• An upcoming study links smoke pollution across the United States to individual wildfires and could help predict which fires will be most harmful to public health.

=> ↺ New York Times ☛ Climate Change Is Making Floods and Landslides More Likely, Study Finds

• High-altitude regions will get more extreme rain than previously thought, making floods and landslides more likely, a study finds.

=> ↺ New York Times ☛ Climate Change Is Common Thread for Heat and Smoke Crises

• Human-caused climate change is making high temperatures more common and intensifying the dryness that fuels catastrophic wildfires.

=> ↺ Axios ☛ Over 200 million under extreme weather alerts as heat and smoke pummel U.S.

• Much of the U.S. is under siege from extreme weather.

• The big picture: Heat warnings and watches are in effect for over 120 million people as a record-breaking heat wave sweeping the southern U.S. continues to expand. Meanwhile, air quality alerts have been issued for an estimated 80 million others as wildfire smoke from Canada chokes much of the Northeast.

=> ↺ European Commission ☛ Speech of EVP Timmermans at the Mission for Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities conference 2023

• European Commission Speech Brussels, 27 Jun 2023 The interesting thing about this issue is that the earlier you invest, the quicker you take the measures, the lower the cost will be. The longer you wait, the higher the cost, the bigger the damage, the more people will die. You will be able to show Europe what cities of the future can look like.

=> ↺ New York Times ☛ Pumping Groundwater Has Changed Earth’s Spin, Study Finds

• Scientists knew the planet’s centerline could move. But it took a sharp turn sometime around the start of the 2000s.

=> ↺ uni Michigan ☛ SEAS names inaugural director of sustainable climate action engagement

• Liesl Eichler Clark will be U-M’s first director of sustainable climate action engagement, leading an initiative to link the university’s expanding sustainability research, collaborations and engagement with external partners.

=> ↺ uni Michigan ☛ We’re not going to fix climate change

• For what I can only describe as my entire waking life, climate change has existed as a looming yet distant threat. Despite its steady presence, it has never been something that I have felt the need to worry about.

=> ↺ Axios ☛ Texas sets new power use record as dangerous heat sweeps southern U.S.

• Heat-related emergency room visits are spiking in Texas, as forecasters warn the dangerously high temperatures will continue to expand into the Lower Mississippi Valley and Mid-South through Thursday.

• State of play: Texas saw an average of 837 heat-related emergency department visits per 100,000 from June 18-24 amid ongoing triple-digit temperatures in the record heat wave that’s now in its third week — up from 639 visits per 100,000 ER visits for the same period last year, per the CDC.

=> ↺ Axios ☛ Smoke from unprecedented Canadian wildfires chokes upper Midwest

• Smoke from raging wildfires in Canada triggered poor air quality alerts in several cities across the upper Midwest on Tuesday, with Chicago, Minneapolis and Detroit recording some of the worst air pollution levels of any major city in the world.

=> ↺ Michael West Media ☛ Resourcing tomorrow with more mines, more responsibly

• Rio Tinto has used an international mining conference to spruik its climate and cultural credentials, pledging to drive change at every level of its business.

• Geologist Sinead Kaufman, Rio’s chief executive of minerals, said she appreciates “many are sceptical about the ability of the mining industry to deliver on the climate front, beyond issuing ambitious and long-dated targets.”

=> ↺ Michael West Media ☛ Resourcing tomorrow with more mines, more responsibly

• The world needs critical minerals and Australia has them, but consumers don’t want a ‘dirty’ electric car or cheap labour in their solar panels.

• “The climate is changing and we have decided as a community to face climate change,” Martin Perez de Solay, CEO of rapidly growing lithium producer Allkem, told an international mining conference on Wednesday.

=> ↺ The Nation ☛ Virginians Are Fighting Climate Change Through Down-Ballot Races

• An off-year primary election used to be a quiet affair. But last week’s Virginia primaries caught national attention—even races that played out in humble settings and small locales—as the front lines in fights over everything from former president Donald Trump’s popularity to abortion access.

=> ↺ Axios ☛ Deforestation’s hot spots in 2022

• Despite global commitments to halt the loss of tropical forests, the world lost 10% more primary rainforest in 2022 than it did the year before.

• Why it matters: The world’s tropical rainforests are a vast terrestrial carbon sink, but they are in jeopardy from logging, agricultural expansion and the effects of climate change, which is altering precipitation patterns.

=> ↺ European Commission ☛ Remarks by Executive Vice-President Timmermans and High Representative/Vice-President Borrell on the new outlook on threats of climate change and environmental degradation on peace, security and defence

• European Commission Speech Brussels, 28 Jun 2023 Remarks by Executive Vice-President Timmermans

• It’s abundantly clear that the growing impacts of the climate crisis and environmental degradation around the wor…

Energy/Transportation

=> ↺ Quartz ☛ Oil and gas exports are complicating the US-China relationship

• This week, the Texas-headquartered liquefied natural gas (LNG) producer Cheniere Energy inked a 20-year deal to supply China’s ENN Natural Gas with the chilled fuel.

=> ↺ Michael West Media ☛ State and federal partnership to replace NSW coal power

• The federal government will help attract vital private investment to state and territory renewable energy transitions, including NSW’s replacement of ageing coal-fired power stations.

• Energy Minister Chris Bowen on Thursday announced the Capacity Investment Scheme will deliver an additional 550 megawatts of firming capacity, on top of the state’s existing plan to add 380MW, for “when the wind isn’t blowing and the sun isn’t shining”.

=> ↺ DeSmog ☛ High-Profile Allies of Anti-Net Zero Parliamentary Group Revealed in Telegraph Letter

• New allies of the Net Zero Scrutiny Group (NZSG) of MPs and Lords have today been revealed in a letter published by the Telegraph. 

• The NZSG campaigns against the UK’s legally binding net zero commitments. The letter reveals new supporters among influential Conservative MPs and peers not previously known to back the group including former Business and Energy Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg, Lord Frost, Iain Duncan Smith, Andrea Jenkyns, Jonathan Gullis, and Miriam Cates. 

=> ↺ YLE ☛ Energy Authority defines “reasonable” price of electricity

• The energy watchdog clarified rules around reasonable pricing and said firms must offer an alternative to spot-price contracts.

=> ↺ teleSUR ☛ 8th OPEC International Seminar To Be Hold in July

• “…Participants will address key issues and challenges facing the oil and energy industry…”

=> ↺ Atlantic Council ☛ Building a biofuels industry in Africa

• In numerous African nations, the expansion of the biofuels industry could serve as a solution, albeit a partial one, to support the interlocking imperatives of achieving universal access to modern energy services and attaining a high-growth, low-carbon economy.

=> ↺ Latvia ☛ Latvia’s energy consumption down on year; more renewable energy produced

• Provisional data published on June 28 by the Central Statistical Bureau (CSB) show that in 2022 gross energy consumption in Latvia was 187.5 petajoules (PJ), which is 2.8 % less than in 2021.

=> ↺ The Strategist ☛ Opportunities for Australia–ASEAN collaboration on critical minerals

• Southeast Asia’s energy transition is coming to life as the development of green technologies accelerates across the region. Securing critical minerals will be crucial to this process, and Australia should work with Southeast Asia [...]

=> ↺ H2 View ☛ PowerCell to supply ColGar Energy with hydrogen fuel cells

• PowerCell has signed a five-year frame agreement with ColGar Energy for the serial deliveries of hydrogen fuel cell systems.

Wildlife/Nature

=> ↺ Axios ☛ Canada wildfires darken skies in Midwest, Ohio Valley

• First, the record Canadian wildfire season exposed residents of the biggest cities in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic to hazardous air quality. Now low-level smoke is taking aim at the Midwest and Ohio Valley.

• Why it matters: Wildfire smoke is a public health hazard that can aggravate chronic conditions and pose risks for even healthy populations.

=> ↺ Axios ☛ Smoke from historic Canadian wildfires again triggers air alerts across U.S.

• Smoke from unprecedented wildfires in Canada triggered poor air quality alerts over swaths of the U.S. again on Wednesday, with multiple cities reporting some of the worst air pollution levels of any major city around the world.

• The latest: While continuing to choke the Great Lakes region and the upper Midwest Wednesday, the low-lying smoke also drifted southeast and began affecting Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic cities.

Finance

=> ↺ Michael West Media ☛ Surge in clients seeking help with energy bill hardship

• More households are struggling to pay their power bills even as electricity and gas prices pull back slightly in the first three months of the year.

• The number of customers accessing hardship programs has grown by roughly 20 per cent between January and March. 

=> ↺ Quartz ☛ Results are in from the Fed’s first bank stress tests since SVB collapsed

• The results of the Federal Reserve’s latest bank stress tests are in (pdf) and they show that the eight largest banks in the US are protected from the conditions that caused the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank.

=> ↺ Michael West Media ☛ New Zealand passes law to guarantee bank deposits

• New Zealand has passed a law guaranteeing bank deposits up to $NZ100,000 ($A91,893) – a move the government says will strengthen and protect its financial system.

• The Deposit Takers Bill will cover some 93 per cent of all depositors in New Zealand in banks, credit unions, building societies and finance companies, Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in a statement on Thursday.

=> ↺ Axios ☛ More see U.S. as top global economy over China in post-COVID reversal

• Data: Pew Research Center; Chart: Simran Parwani/Axios

• In countries around the world, people are now more likely to name the U.S. as the world’s leading economic power, rather than China, according to a new Pew Research Center report published Tuesday.

=> ↺ The Straits Times ☛ World Bank approves $1.5b Indonesia loan, funding for clean energy and health

• World Bank said the project would mobilise private sector finance for Indonesia’s energy transition.

=> ↺ The Verge ☛ Niantic lays off staff and shuts down games as it focuses on Pokémon Go

• Niantic is making some major organizational changes, including layoffs, game shutdowns, and the closure of its Los Angeles studio, according to an email from Niantic CEO John Hanke shared on the company’s website. The changes are designed to narrow the company’s focus, especially on developing and maintaining its cash cow, Pokémon Go.

• Pokémon Go is nearing its seventh birthday, and it’s still incredibly relevant; according to Sensor Tower data shared in June 2022, the game has earned about $1 billion in revenue per year. But it’s shut down later attempts to recapture lightning in a bottle, including games based on Harry Potter, Catan, and four other titles as part of layoffs last year. Other companies haven’t had much success with the genre, either; Microsoft shut down Minecraft Earth, and CD Projekt Red is officially shuttering its AR game in The Witcher series on June 30th.

=> ↺ Yahoo News ☛ Candy Digital Confirms Layoffs, Reveals Merger With Palm NFT Studio

• Candy Digital and Palm NFT Studio have merged in a combination of leading licensed digital collectible providers in sports and entertainment, the companies announced today.

• The firm will continue under the Candy Digital name. Candy’s incumbent CEO Scott Lawin will remain in the same role, while Palm NFT Studio co-founder and CEO Daniel Heyman will serve as president of the combined company. The merger has been completed, a Candy representative said.

• Candy Digital confirmed to Decrypt that it laid off employees as part of the process. A source with knowledge of the events told Decrypt that about 30 employees were let go, but a Candy spokesperson declined to specify the number of people affected.

=> ↺ The Wall Street Journal ☛ Niantic Is Laying Off 230 Employees, Shutting Down Some Games

Civil Rights/Policing

=> ↺ Axios ☛ Summer of strikes heats up

• It’s shaping up to be a summer of strikes: Workers are walking off the job across a remarkable range of industries from Starbucks baristas to factory workers making parts for jets to Amazon drivers.

• Why it matters: The worker activism sparked by the pandemic seems to be increasing, thanks in part to a still-tight labor market and a relatively strong economy.

=> ↺ Digital Music News ☛ Colleen Ballinger, AKA YouTube Personality Miranda Sings, Denies Underage Grooming Allegations

• Colleen Ballinger, the YouTube creator behind the character Miranda Sings, has publicly responded to accusations that she formed inappropriate relationships with underage fans. YouTube content creator Colleen Ballinger, whose character Miranda Sings brought her internet fame, has publicly responded to accusations that she formed inappropriate relationships with underage fans.

Internet Policy/Net Neutrality

=> ↺ Quartz ☛ An ad research firm found that 80% of Google’s TrueView video ads don’t meet Google’s own quality standards

• A new report claims that Google violated its own standards when placing video ads on other sites. Google runs video ads on YouTube and third-party sites via Google Video Partners (GVP).

Monopolies

=> ↺ IT Wire ☛ Group asks FTC to investigate Microsoft ‘anti-competitive’ licensing

• In the statement, the Coalition pointed out that nearly 30 years ago, the US Department of Justice had found Microsoft guilty of violating US anti-trust law for tying its Internet Explorer browser to its desktop operating system.

• It accused Microsoft of tying numerous products to Windows, Office, and Azure.

Patents

=> ↺ Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ Guest Post by Kevin Ahlstrom: Closing the Gender Innovation Gap with Guided Inventor Sessions [Ed: Gender Innovation Gap = how to multiply patent lawsuits. Old propaganda slant.]

• Guided invention sessions not only increase idea submission rates but also transform individuals’ perception of themselves as inventors. By creating a supportive environment and equipping participants with the necessary tools, these sessions pave the way for gender equality in patenting.

• Women submit ideas for patenting at a lower rate than men

• In 2021, I noticed that most of the ideas I received for patenting came from men. At Meta, employees are encouraged to submit patent ideas through an inventor portal. Women submitted less than 10% of the ideas I received, despite making up more than 30% of the technical and design roles in the organizations I supported. I was chatting with a research scientist about this, and I asked her why she didn’t submit more of her ideas for patenting. She said, “I tend to minimize my contributions compared to others on my team.

=> ↺ H2 View ☛ Hydrogen Optimized establishes scientific advisory board to develop electrolysis tech

• Canadian-based Hydrogen Optimized has established a new Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) to support the development of its patented RuggedCell™ electrolysers.

Software Patents

=> ↺ Unified Patents ☛ Velos Media video codec patent reexam granted

• On June 27, 2023, about a month after Unified filed an ex parte reexamination, the Central Reexamination Unit (CRU) granted Unified’s request, finding substantial new questions of patentability on the challenged claims of U.S. Patent 10,390,013, owned by Velos Media, an NPE. The ’013 patent generally relates to encoding syntax elements that indicate tile information into a slice header.

Trademarks

=> ↺ TTAB Blog ☛ CAFC Reverses TTAB’s “FL FLEX” Decision Due To Errors In Assessing the Strength of the Opposer’s Marks

• The CAFC vacated and remanded the Board’s decision in Flex Ltd. v. Spireon, Inc., Opposition No. 91252138 (Feb. 10, 2022) [pdf here], wherein the Board found confusion likely between Spireon’s mark FL FLEX for electronic devices for tracking the location of mobile assets, and Flex’s registered marks FLEX, FLEX (Stylized), and FLEX PULSE for supply chain and logistics management services. The court concluded that the Board erred in its assessment of the strength of Flex’s marks, both as to conceptual and commercial strength, by failing to consider all relevant evidence. The Board also erred when, in comparing the marks at issue, it mistakenly analyzed Spireon’s mark against the mark FLEX PLUS instead of the correct mark FLEX PULSE. Spireon, Inc. v. Flex Ltd., 2023 USPQ2d 737 (Fed. Cir. 2023) [precedential].

Copyrights

=> ↺ Digital Music News ☛ Copyright Infringement Lawsuit vs. Lil Uzi Vert, Young Thug, and Gunna Settled Out of Court

• A copyright infringement lawsuit vs. Lil Uzi Vert, Young Thug, and Gunna has been settled out of court, according to signed legal documents shared with Digital Music News. Here’s the latest. Sun City Publishing launched the lawsuit in January 2023 for allegedly sampling Blackout’s 1995 song, “Dim Da Lights” on their collaborative track “Strawberry Peels.”

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