Links 19/12/2023: Kim's ICBM Adventure and Jimmy Lai's Bogus Trial (Persecution)
Contents
- Distributions and Operating Systems
- Free, Libre, and Open Source Software
- Leftovers
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Distributions and Operating Systems
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Fedora
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Weekly status of Packit Team: Week 50 in Packit
We have fixed a bug preventing a release from being synced downstream if the changelog to be set is empty. >
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Free, Libre, and Open Source Software
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Funding
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Linux Gizmos ☛ OpenCV 5 Extends Crowdfunding Campaign
The OpenCV team has extended their crowdfunding campaign for an additional 15 days, aiming to support the release of OpenCV 5. This version represents the largest update to the world’s most extensive computer vision library used in academic research and industry applications.
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Leftovers
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Science
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Science Alert ☛ Physicists Discover Surprising Quantum-Like Behavior in Tiny Bouncing Droplets
Ripples in reality.
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Science Alert ☛ Tantalizing Organic Molecules Detected Erupting From Enceladus
The ice world is revealing its secrets.
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Hardware
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Science Alert ☛ World's First Human 'Brain-Scale' Supercomputer Will Go Online in 2024
A game-changer is coming next year.
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Tom's Hardware ☛ AMD's next-gen server chips appear with 192 Zen 5c cores — EPYC Turin can also have up to 128 standard Zen 5 cores, new chips pictured and detailed in leak
A next-gen AMD Epyc Turin server processor with 192 Zen 5c cores has been photographed for the first time. Chip diagrams have been shared too.
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Health/Nutrition/Agriculture
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Science Alert ☛ The Cause of Alzheimer's May Be Coming From Inside Your Mouth
It's not just a disease.
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Science Alert ☛ Common Forever Chemicals May Trigger Cancer Cells to Spread
More concerning PFAS evidence emerges.
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Science Alert ☛ A Hidden Pattern in Children's Eyes Can Reveal if They Have Autism
A window to the brain.
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New York Times ☛ Tongue Tie Surgery: Inside the Business of Cutting Babies’ Tongues
Dentists and lactation consultants around the country are pushing “tongue-tie releases” on new mothers struggling to breastfeed.
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MIT Technology Review ☛ The hunter-gatherer groups at the heart of a microbiome gold rush
We’re all teeming with microbes. We’ve got guts full of them, and they’re crawling all over our skin. These tiny, ancient life forms have evolved with us. And over the last couple of decades, scientists have come to realize just how important they are to our health and well-being.
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Latvia ☛ Will Latvia succeed in cutting medicine prices?
Another attempt to cut medicine prices, announced by the Ministry of Health (VM), has, as usual faced opposition from the industry, especially its big players. So far, efforts by the ministry to change things have ended with plan postponement for several years. Latvian Television's De Facto attempted to figure out whether this time would be different in its show aired December 17.
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Security
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Privacy/Surveillance
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OpenRightsGroup ☛ FOI request reveals extent of Prevent data sharing
An FOI request has revealed that the data of people who are referred to Prevent is being shared more widely than previously known, including with airports, ports and immigration services. Data is also being re-used after cases have been marked ‘no further action’.
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Privacy International ☛ International Migrants Day 2023 - A Year in Review
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NYPost ☛ Insta-famous plastic surgeon botched procedures, violated patients’ privacy: report
One patient of Mowlavi even died back in 2018 days after undergoing surgery for liposuction, breast implants and other work, the LA Times reported.
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Defence/Aggression
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The Straits Times ☛ China vows ‘countermeasures’ after latest $400m US arms sales to Taiwan
December 18, 2023 6:30 PM
The defence package seeks to beef up Taiwan’s battle command and control system.
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Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Organisers of 2021 China ultramarathon that saw 21 deaths amid freezing rain sentenced to jail
Organisers of a 2021 ultramarathon in northwest China during which 21 runners died in extreme weather conditions have been sentenced to years in prison for their roles, state media reported.
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New York Times ☛ The Overlooked Crisis in Congo: ‘We Live in War’
Six million have died, and more than six million are displaced after decades of fighting and the ensuing humanitarian crisis in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo, drawing in neighbors, mercenaries and militias. An upcoming election is inflaming tempers.
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The Strategist ☛ Australia needs a dedicated, autonomous national security adviser
The world is less stable and less predictable than it has been in generations, marked by profound and disruptive change, with the unsettling promise of more to come.
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France24 ☛ Biden's motorcade hit by car outside Delaware campaign headquarters
A car crashed into a vehicle attached to Joe Biden's motorcade on Sunday, with the security scare startling the US president as he left his campaign headquarters in Delaware.
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RFA ☛ Japan, ASEAN step up security cooperation amid South China Sea tensions
A significant part of the summit between Tokyo and the bloc is dedicated to maritime security cooperation.
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France24 ☛ N. Korea test-fires ICBM with range to strike US; second launch in two days
North Korea launched another long-range ballistic missile on Monday with a potential capability of striking the United States, Seoul and Tokyo officials said, extending a record-breaking number of weapons tests this year that have been condemned by the West.
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The Straits Times ☛ Explainer: What are solid-fuel missiles, and why is North Korea developing them?
North Korea test-fired a intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) powered by solid fuel on Monday, South Korean officials said, in what would be the third such test this year to boost capabilities for launching with little preparation.
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RFA ☛ N Korea fires apparent long-range ballistic missile
The launch seems to show Pyongyang’s intent on its strong counter-response stance, expert says.
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NYPost ☛ North Korea fires ICBM after condemning US ‘war’ moves
North Korea fired an intercontinental ballistic missile on Monday that has a range to hit anywhere in the United States, said South Korea and Japan, marking its second launch in hours as Pyongyang condemned a U.S.-led show of force as "war" moves.
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The Straits Times ☛ China, North Korea hold high-level meeting amid missile launches
China said it always views its ties with North Korea from a strategic and long-term perspective.
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France24 ☛ N. Korea test-fires ballistic missile, blasts US for provoking 'preview of nuclear war'
North Korea fired an unidentified ballistic missile on Sunday, Japan's Coast Guard and the South Korean military said, as Pyongyang condemned U.S.-led military shows of force as tantamount to "a preview of a nuclear war".
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New York Times ☛ North Korea Missile Was an ICBM, South Says
South Korea’s military said the ICBM, launched from near Pyongyang, flew high into space before landing in waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan.
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The Straits Times ☛ North Korea fires ICBM after condemning US ‘war’ moves
The missile has a potential to travel over 15,000km, meaning it can reach Japan and the mainland US.
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Hong Kong Free Press ☛ China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi and a North Korean official express ‘firm support,’ trust Beijing-Pyongyang ties
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and a North Korean official expressed firm support and trust in their nation’s ties during a meeting on Monday, Beijing said, as other countries condemned Pyongyang’s latest missile test.
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RFA ☛ Two dead, 3 injured in airstrikes on central Myanmar village
Around 8,000 people have been forced to flee three townships.
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Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine
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Environment
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Energy/Transportation
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RFERL ☛ Riot Police Brought To Kazakh Town Amid Ongoing Oil Workers' Strike
Kazakh authorities have brought an additional number of riot police troops from other parts of the Central Asian nation to the town of Zhetybai in the western region of Manghystau as hundreds of oil-industry workers continue their strike launched last week.
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The Straits Times ☛ Philippine jeepney drivers on 12-day strike to protest shift to EV-powered minibuses
Public transport operators are also asking for more financial support to make the shift.
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The Straits Times ☛ Sinkhole outside KL homes ‘swallows’ four cars
The occupants of nine houses closest to the sinkhole were also forced to evacuate.
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The Straits Times ☛ China to conduct sea trials for its first ultra-deep-water drilling ship
It is capable of drilling at depths of more than 10,000m.
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Ruben Schade ☛ Acoustic bikes and scooters
Jos Yule of The Organization (RSS feed) asked:
I was intrigued by the idea of “acoustic scooters”… are these special kinds that make specific noises? I’m reminded of that child’s toy that has the clear dome filled with balls and makes a satisfying click/pop sound as you drag it behind yourself.
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Wildlife/Nature
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Science Alert ☛ Scientists Contact Whales in World-First Communication Experiment
The seeds of alien communication begin in the ocean.
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YLE ☛ Finland's wolverine population grows by 12%
Since the 1990s, the wolverine population has increased tenfold.
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Overpopulation
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The Straits Times ☛ Only 1 in 4 women in their 20s in South Korea want to get married, says report
Women across all age groups tended to view marriage less positively than men.
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Finance
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TwinCities Pioneer Press ☛ Brainerd lakes area grocery workers announce intent to strike this week
The strike is to be held from December 22 through Christmas at Cub Foods Brainerd and Baxter, Super One in Baxter and Crosby, and Pequot Lakes SuperValu.
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Latvia ☛ Latvian central bank plans to provide future crypto services
The Council of Latvijas Banka, the Latvian central bank (LB) has approved an initiative that will enable non-bank payment service providers – payment and e-money institutions – and in the future also crypto-asset service providers to open an account with Latvijas Banka for the segregation of their customer funds, LB said in a release December 15.
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Latvia ☛ ECB flags 'potential negative consequences' of Latvia's mortgage relief law
The European Central Bank has published its view on measures already announced by Latvia which are supposed to help homeowers meet their increased mortgage obligations.
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Latvia ☛ Latvian bank profits in nine months of 2023 at €564.4 million
The Latvian banking sector made a profit of 564.406 million euros in nine months this year, which is 2.6 times more than in the same period of 2022, according to data released by the Latvian central bank (Bank of Latvia) on December 18, newswire LETA reports.
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AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics
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The Straits Times ☛ South Korean police investigating graffiti found on Seoul’s main palace
December 18, 2023 3:05 PM
At least 20 government workers are removing the graffiti, which officials say will take about a week.
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RFA ☛ Police clamp down on carrying cell phones in public
Authorities say the scrutiny is to keep ‘national secrets’ from leaking, but residents are skeptical.
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The Straits Times ☛ US sees no impact on Vietnam ties from Hanoi-Beijing defence pledges
The United States will continue to closely cooperate with Vietnam, a U.S. official said after Hanoi announced last week strengthened ties with China, including on defence and security, as the two great powers compete for influence.
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Latvia ☛ Longtime Defense Ministry official resigns
Jānis Garisons, the state secretary [senior civil servant] at the Latvian Ministry of Defense, has tendered his resignation to Defense Minister Andris Sprūds (Progressives) and will leave his job at the ministry in a month's time, according to a lengthy post by Garisons on Facebook.
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Misinformation/Disinformation/Propaganda
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France24 ☛ Adele holding the Palestinian flag at a concert? Watch out for false claims
In mid-December, several accounts on X claimed that a video of British singer Adele showed her holding a Palestinian flag.
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Censorship/Free Speech
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Reason ☛ Social Control Media Censorship: Jay Bhattacharya vs. Kate Klonick
Stanford's Jay Bhattacharya debates St. John University's Kate Klonick on the federal government's role in social control media censorship.
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The Straits Times ☛ Pakistan’s jailed Imran Khan uses AI-crafted speech to call for votes
The audio was played over an AI-generated image of Khan during an Internet rally held by his party.
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RFERL ☛ Jailed Former Pakistani PM Khan Uses AI-Generated Speech To Call For Votes
Pakistan's jailed former prime minister, Imran Khan used an audio clip generated by artificial intelligence (AI) late on December 17 to address a virtual rally in the first event of its kind in the country.
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Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press
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The Straits Times ☛ Britain and US call for Jimmy Lai’s release as Hong Kong trial begins
Jimmy Lai's long-awaited national security trial opens in Hong Kong on Dec 18.
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RFA ☛ Jimmy Lai’s security trial begins in Hong Kong amid international uproar
The pro-democracy media tycoon has been in jail for three years, accused of ‘collusion with foreign forces.’
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Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Sedition charge against Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai ‘out of time,’ defence says as security trial starts
The sedition charge laid against detained Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai was “out of time” as it fell outside a six-month statute of limitations, the defence has argued as the high-profile national security trial finally got underway.
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France24 ☛ US, UK call for release of Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai as national security trial begins
The US and British governments called for the release of pro-democracy tycoon Jimmy Lai, who stood trial Monday in Hong Kong for national security charges that could send him to jail for life.
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Hong Kong Free Press ☛ National security trial against Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai begins amid heavy police presence
Around a hundred people, many wrapped up warm to keep wintry temperatures at bay, waited outside a monolithic Hong Kong court building on Monday morning for tickets to watch the landmark national security trial against pro-democracy media mogul Jimmy Lai begin from the public gallery.
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Hong Kong Free Press ☛ US, UK governments call for release of Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai ahead of landmark national security trial
The US and British governments called for the release of pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai, who is standing trial Monday in Hong Kong for national security charges that could send him to jail for life.
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The Straits Times ☛ Security tight as landmark trial for media tycoon Jimmy Lai opens in Hong Kong
Queues outside West Kowloon Law Courts Building on night before trial, scores of police deployed.
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Civil Rights/Policing
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Off Guardian ☛ This Week in the New Normal #78
Our successor to This Week in the Guardian, This Week in the New Normal is our weekly chart of the progress of autocracy, authoritarianism and economic restructuring around the world.
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Internet Policy/Net Neutrality
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James G ☛ My year in blogging
In 2023, I started asking myself: what new types of content could I write on this blog? I wanted to explore new ideas. I was finally ready to challenge the notion that this blog should be primarily about coffee or technology, a sentiment I held in my mind for a long time. Reading blogs like Rubenerd's blog, which focuses on no specific topic, helped me feel that I, too, could step out of my comfort zone and explore different topics.
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Monopolies/Monopsonies
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