Links 02/07/2024: Jennifer Robinson Turns to Free Press in Hong Kong, Calls for an Assange Pardon
Contents
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Leftovers
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Science
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Health/Nutrition/Agriculture
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Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Covid-19 left a deadly legacy, but poverty plays a prime role in growing disease burden – including in Hong Kong
By David Owens It is notoriously difficult to compare mortality data from different locations and even from the same place over time. Differences in reporting and in geographical, socio-economic and demographic factors confound direct comparisons.
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Gizmodo ☛ 2024-06-25 [Older] Oklahoma Man Gets 9 Years in Prison for Moving Weed in Fake Amazon Van
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CBC ☛ 2024-06-27 [Older] Ontario trucker found at border with as much as $29M worth of meth sentenced to 12 years
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CBC ☛ 2024-06-25 [Older] Man pleads guilty to assaulting CBC camera operator during 2022 protest against COVID restrictions
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CBC ☛ 2024-06-27 [Older] $4M worth of prescription opioids disappeared from an Ontario pharmacy. No one can say where they went
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Proprietary/Artificial Intelligence (AI)
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Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Google Translate adds Cantonese support, thanks to Hey Hi (AI) advancement [Ed: Now they spin same old Google Translate as Hey Hi (AI)]
The Surveillance Giant Google Translate app has been expanded to include Cantonese, thanks to generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) advancements. In 2022, Surveillance Giant Google began using Zero-Shot Machine Translation to expand its pool of supported languages.
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America Online ☛ Novant Health to slash over 170 jobs in the Carolinas, including in the Charlotte area
The health care company’s layoffs affect 90 workers at 6237 Carolina Commons Drive in Indian Land, S.C., just south of Charlotte, and 81 employees at 101 N. Cherry St. in Winston-Salem, according to Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) notices filed this week in each state. The layoffs are effective Aug. 25.
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International Business Times ☛ 2024-06-25 [Older] Users Lost $60M To Microsoft-related Scams In 2023: Here Are 4 Other Companies Scammers Use To Steal Your Money
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Gizmodo ☛ 2024-06-24 [Older] Apple Is Struggling to Make Us Care About a Weaker, Cheaper Vision Pro [Ed: Apple Vision Pro was alwats DoA, vapourware followed by plasticware with heavy marketing]
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Gizmodo ☛ 2024-06-24 [Older] Apple Could Be Fined $30 Billion for Violating Competition Laws
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International Business Times ☛ 2024-06-27 [Older] Man Blames Apple For Divorce; Suing Them For $6M After Ex Found His 'Deleted' Messages To Sex Workers
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Gizmodo ☛ 2024-06-26 [Older] The Green Bubble Nightmare Is Over, Apple Messages Now Support RCS
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Defence/Aggression
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The Strategist ☛ The ADF should recruit in PNG, and here’s how to do it
We should look to Papua New Guinea as we open up Australian Defence Force recruitment to foreign citizens, and we may be able to learn from Britain on how to get the process right.
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The Strategist ☛ Australia needs a national centre for strategic intelligence warning
Even mindboggling actions typically have a logic that’s discoverable, whether Hitler declaring war on America after Pearl Harbor or Putin invading Ukraine. That’s why ‘strategic warning’—informed by ‘strategic warning intelligence’—is so important.
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New York Times ☛ At Least 18 People Killed in Multiple Suicide Bombings in Nigeria
Three female attackers detonated devices at a wedding and at a funeral in a city once ruled by Boko Haram, emergency service officials said. So far, no group has claimed responsibility.
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France24 ☛ Multiple suicide bombings kill at least 18 people in northeast Nigeria
Coordinated suicide attacks claimed the lives of at least 18 people in northeastern Nigeria on Saturday. The Islamist group Boko Haram, which has not officially claimed responsibility for the explosions, has been waging violence in the region for more than ten years.
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ANF News ☛ 2024-06-28 [Older] CPT: Turkey deployed 300 military tanks in South Kurdistan
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HRW ☛ 2024-06-27 [Older] Iraq: Unlawful Deportations of Syrians
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ANF News ☛ 2024-06-25 [Older] ISIS exploits crises and conflicts for resurgence
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Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine
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Meduza ☛ Making bank How Gazprombank’s Luxembourg subsidiary has made record profits since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine — Meduza
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New York Times ☛ Russia Maintains Punishing Pace of Deadly Strikes on Ukrainian Cities
A barrage on Vilniansk, a town in the south, killed seven, including three children, as attacks across Ukraine in the past few days have left dozens dead, according to local authorities.
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RFERL ☛ Zelenskiy Says More Air Defenses Needed Against 'Russian Terror' As Vilnyansk Casualty Toll Tops 40
Ukraine's State Emergency Service on June 30 raised the number of injured to more than 35 in an apparent Russian rocket attack the previous night that killed seven people in the city of Vilnyansk, in the southern Zaporizhzhya region.
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JURIST ☛ Weapons expert presents evidence to UN Security Council linking North Korea to missile use in Ukraine
Jonah Leff, Director of Conflict Armament Research (CAR), presented evidence to the United Nations Security Council on Friday linking North Korean-manufactured weapons to the those found to have been launched during Russia’s conflict in Ukraine.
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RFERL ☛ Orban-Led Hungary To Assume EU Presidency Amid Concerns Of Far-Right Rise
Hungary, led by right-wing nationalist and Russia-friendly Prime Minister Viktor Orban, takes over the EU's rotating presidency on July 1, raising concerns in much of the West amid signs of the rising strength of the far right throughout the continent.
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RFERL ☛ Pro-Kremlin Priest Picked To Lead Bulgarian Orthodox Church
A council of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church has elected Metropolitan Daniil of Vidin as the church's new patriarch, a man seen as a pro-Russian who is close to Moscow.
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RFERL ☛ Kanye West Reportedly Spotted In Moscow
Russian media, including a VKontakte social control media account reportedly belonging to Kanye West, said on June 30 that the always-controversial American rapper is in the Russian capital.
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Environment
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Joachim Breitner: Do surprises get larger?
The setup
Imagine you are living on a riverbank. Every now and then, the river swells and you have high water. The first few times this may come as a surprise, but soon you learn that such floods are a recurring occurrence at that river, and you make suitable preparation. Let’s say you feel well-prepared against any flood that is no higher than the highest one observed so far. The more floods you have seen, the higher that mark is, and the better prepared you are. But of course, eventually a higher flood will occur that surprises you.
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DeSmog ☛ A Plea to the Next Government From Young People: We Need Spaces to Learn the Difficult Truth About Climate, Together
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US News And World Report ☛ 2024-06-23 [Older] More Than 1,300 People Died During Hajj, Many of Them After Walking in the Scorching Heat
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CBC ☛ 2024-06-23 [Older] More than 1,300 Hajj pilgrims have died this year amid scorching heat, Saudi Arabia says
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Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-06-23 [Older] Over 1,300 pilgrims died during Hajj, Saudi authorities say
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HRW ☛ 2024-06-25 [Older] Deaths During Annual Hajj in Saudi Arabia Underscore Extreme Heat Dangers
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Energy/Transportation
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Wildlife/Nature
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Finance
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JURIST ☛ Australia treasurer approves $4.9B ANZ takeover of Suncorp Bank amidst competition concerns
Australia Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers approved ANZ’s $4.9 billion takeover of Suncorp’s banking division on Friday. The approval overturned the national consumer watchdog’s previous decision due to competition concerns. Introduced in 2022, the proposal sought to integrate Suncorp’s banking operations into ANZ’s portfolio, allowing Suncorp to focus on its insurance business.
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WhichUK ☛ Be wary of whisky cask 'investments'
Banking on Scotch can leave a bad taste in the mouth - and a hole in your wallet
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CBC ☛ 2024-06-27 [Older] This woman spends 100% of her income on rent
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CBC ☛ 2024-06-26 [Older] WestJet strike averted after federal labour minister imposes binding arbitration
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CBC ☛ 2024-06-26 [Older] WestJet mechanics issue strike notice for possible job action Friday
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CBC ☛ 2024-06-26 [Older] After early struggles, federal refugee employment program gains traction with employers
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Censorship/Free Speech
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Trial of pro-democracy campaigner Jimmy Lai, press freedom and democracy in Hong Kong at centre of National Press Club address
Human rights lawyer Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC has spoken at the National Press Club on Monday alongside Sebastien Lai, son of Jimmy Lai, the pro-democracy campaigner currently on trial in Hong Kong under the controversial new National Security Law.
Speaking in Canberra on Monday, the pair discussed the particulars of Mr Lai’s case, press freedom and democracy in the special administrative region of China.
Award-winning barrister Jennifer Robinson, who represents Julian Assange, also appeared on the panel.
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Assange lawyer urges support for Hong Kong's Jimmy Lai
In the name of free speech, Julian Assange is a convicted criminal and Jimmy Lai awaits trial for sedition in a Hong Kong prison, but despite their struggles both men want the world to heed a call to arms.
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Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press
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CPJ ☛ 2024-06-25 [Older] After 8 months in detention, Syrian journalist Sleman Ahmed faces spying charges in Iraq
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Irish Times ☛ Julian Assange – the case for a pardon – The Irish Times
Sir, – Anybody interested in a peaceful world will celebrate the belated release from prison of the political prisoner and award-winning journalist and publisher Julian Assange, whose work in the public interest has served the cause of peace-making (“Assange arrives in Australia after being freed by US court”, World, June 26th).
Anyone with any doubts should just watch the online video that shows the targeted killing of nine Iraqi civilians, including two Reuters war correspondents, and the injuring of two children in Baghdad in July 2007, by the crew of two Apache AH-64 helicopter gunships, who can after the killing spree be heard gloating at their actions.
Julian’s work sought to bring transparency and accountability to the dark, corrupt, and criminal activity of governments and militaries, particularly the war crimes of the US government in Iraq and Afghanistan.
His work endangered nobody.
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LA Progressive ☛ Press Freedom Still at Risk Until Assange Is Pardoned
Without ever having a chance to vindicate his right to freedom of the press, being incarcerated for 14 years (in asylum and prison), dealing with his health failing, and being denied the companionship of his wife and two young sons, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange pled guilty on Wednesday to a single felony count of illegally conspiring to obtain and disclose U.S. national defense secrets. Under the deal’s terms, he was sentenced to the five years already served in prison in the U.K. and allowed to immediately return to Australia.
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Assange charges ‘should never have been brought’, says IBAHRI
The International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) has welcomed the release from prison of Julian Assange following a 14-year legal battle as a result of the publication of thousands of leaked US government documents.
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The Hindu ☛ When material from WikiLeaks were used by newspapers - The Hindu
Free speech activist and founder of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange, was straight and upfront, says N. Ram at the inaugural of Media Perspectives: ‘Julian Assange and WikiLeaks: a new paradigm of journalism’
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Former U.S. representative says persecution of Julian Assange was one of the biggest attacks on freedom of the press
Former Representative Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii) defended WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange after he was released from prison, calling his charges “one of the biggest attacks on freedom of the press.”
“His prosecution, the charges against him, are one of the biggest attacks on freedom of the press that we’ve seen and freedom of speech,” Gabbard said on “Real Time with Bill Maher.”
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Civil Rights/Policing
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CBC ☛ 2024-06-27 [Older] Entrepreneur removed from Toronto police board after CBC investigation into seemingly fabricated employees
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CBC ☛ 2024-06-27 [Older] Edmonton Public Schools adding 25 seclusion rooms despite promise to phase them out
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ANF News ☛ 2024-06-24 [Older] 8 women killed in Turkey in the last three days
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BIA Net ☛ 2024-06-25 [Older] PACE delegation urges Turkey to comply with ECtHR rulings on Demirtaş, Kavala
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Deutsche Welle ☛ 2024-06-27 [Older] Turkey: a democratic future or sharia?
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BIA Net ☛ 2024-06-25 [Older] Turkey releases German citizen after 6.5 years in prison for alleged ties to Syrian Kurds
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Internet Policy/Net Neutrality
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APNIC ☛ Event Wrap: VNNIC Internet Conference 2024
APNIC actively participated in the VNNIC Internet Conference 2024 held in Hanoi, Viet Nam from 4 to 7 June 2024.
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Forbes ☛ Paramount Global Shuts Down Cable Network Websites
At the end of first quarter 2024, Paramount+, which was launched in 2021, had 71 million global subscribers, a quarterly increase of 3.7 million. Despite the steady increase, the streaming unit has yet to become profitable. In first quarter 2024 Paramount’s streaming unit lost $286 million. On a positive note, the losses have subsided. In first quarter 2023 Paramount’s direct-to-consumer division reported a loss of $511 million. According to Nielsen’s Gauge Report for May, Paramount+ had a TV audience share of 1.2%, below rival streamers; YouTube, Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, Disney+, Tubi and Roku and comparable to Max and Peacock.
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Monopolies/Monopsonies
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