Thailand police arrest 14-yr-old suspected gunman after 3 killed at luxury mall. According to the article, chaos erupted after gunfire was reported at the upscale Siam Paragon mall in Bangkok. Three people were killed and four others injured in the shooting. Police arrested a 14-year-old boy suspected of being the gunman. Hundreds of people, including children, were seen pouring out of the mall in torrential rain. Gun violence is not uncommon in Thailand, with the incident coming a year after a nursery shooting killed 36 people, including 22 children.

Siam Paragon is Thailand’s most famous mall, known for its high-end stores and popular food court.

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Temperatures in Spain shattered heat records for early October according to the country’s meteorological agency AEMET. Nearly 40% of weather stations recorded highs above 89.6 degrees Fahrenheit to start the month. Two cities, Badajoz and Montoro, broke continental Spain’s record for the warmest October temperature with readings of 38 and 38.2 degrees respectively, surpassing the previous mark of 37.5 degrees. Most of the Iberian Peninsula saw temperatures 7 to 14 degrees above normal. Even Madrid’s historic Retiro Park matched its October heat record of 30 degrees from 1930. The weather expert noted almost 100 individual records were broken just on October 1st alone. If the trends continue, future summers may not only be hotter but also longer, extending well into autumn which is usually milder.

The article notes that scientists widely attribute the rising global temperatures to human activity.

Archive.today link to www.reuters.com

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Dutch regulator rejects Apple’s objections to fines is about a decision by the Dutch Competition Authority (ACM) regarding Apple. The ACM had previously ruled that Apple violated competition laws in the Dutch dating app market and fined them 50 million euros for failing to comply with orders to open its App Store payment options. Apple objected to the fines but the ACM rejected all of Apple’s objections in a July 2023 decision. While Apple has complied with most demands, it has not met a still undisclosed third condition. Apple disagrees with the original order and says it does not support user privacy or security. The company will appeal the decision in Dutch courts. The ACM said it would disclose the undisclosed part of the proceedings if Apple loses its court appeal.

In summary, the Dutch regulator upheld sizable fines against Apple for noncompliance related to payment options for dating apps in the Netherlands.

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Indonesia is launching Southeast Asia’s first high-speed railway connecting the capital Jakarta with Bandung. Largely funded by China under its Belt and Road Initiative, the 142 km railway will cut travel time from 3 hours to around 40 minutes on the Whoosh bullet trains reaching speeds up to 350 kph. The $7.3 billion project was constructed by a Chinese-Indonesian joint venture and faced delays due to land and environmental issues. Indonesian President Joko Widodo championed the project and will inaugurate commercial operations on Monday. During test runs, Chinese and Indonesian leaders rode the trains and were comfortable even at top speeds.

However, some experts question the financial viability of the high-speed rail for such a short route, as existing transportation is far cheaper.

Archive.today link to apnews.com

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Cloudflare’s DDoS protections can be bypassed through a specific attack process uncovered by researchers. By setting up a free Cloudflare account and pointing the domain to a victim’s IP address, an attacker can disable protections and route traffic through Cloudflare’s infrastructure, bypassing the company’s security checks. This is possible due to flaws in Cloudflare’s use of a shared certificate for all customers and reliance on traffic originating from its IP ranges. A proof-of-concept demonstrated how easy it is to leverage these logic gaps. While the issues were reported to Cloudflare in March, they have not committed to fixing the problems.

If left unaddressed, these vulnerabilities could render Cloudflare’s protections less effective at stopping attacks on its clients.

Archive.today link to www.bleepingcomputer.com

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Major advances in AI voice technology were announced this week, including ChatGPT gaining voice capabilities and Meta introducing AI characters with celebrity voices. This marks a shift where synthetic voices may become more common in social contexts. While companionship apps could benefit lonely users, mixing AI into social media feeds raises questions about feeling authentic versus hollow. OpenAI and Meta show interest in consumer-focused AI is growing, though challenges remain around regulating harmful uses and compensating creators. Advances in generative AI, virtual reality, and AI tools for content creators were also announced at industry events. However, executives largely avoided substantive discussions about mitigating AI risks at scale.

Overall, the week highlighted rapid progress and interest in blending AI into media and social platforms.

Archive.today link to www.platformer.news

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Mainstream Western media frequently engages in relentless China-bashing by regurgitating trivial or fabricated stories without evidence. Positive stories about China are rare. Reporting typically adheres to three ideas - that China is a threat, must be linked to all global issues, and that curbing its rise is legitimate despite hundreds of millions gaining a better life. This betrays an imperial view that the West decides which nations participate in the global economy. The media war is powered by technology in a new propaganda era, with Western outlets assuming conflict is inevitable rather than promoting multilateralism.

Dismantling the dominance of Western media will be difficult but investing in alternative sources worldwide could provide more balanced views for local audiences.

Archive.today link to thediplomat.com

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Panasonic plans to start selling all-solid-state batteries for drones and factory robots by 2029. The new batteries will initially target industrial applications but may eventually be used in electric vehicles. Panasonic’s chief technology officer Tatsuo Ogawa revealed the plans, noting some solid-state battery technologies could apply to automotive uses. Companies like Toyota are racing to develop solid-state batteries as a safer alternative to lithium-ion batteries in EVs. Solid-state batteries allow for faster charging times, potentially charging drone batteries within minutes. Panasonic will produce the batteries at its factory in Wakayama Prefecture.

The announcement shows progress towards next-generation batteries with improved safety and performance characteristics.

Archive.today link to asia.nikkei.com

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Brazil’s Supreme Court issued a landmark ruling rejecting efforts to restrict indigenous land rights. The case involved the Xokleng people who were forcibly removed from their ancestral lands in southern Brazil in the late 19th century. While the Xokleng were granted rights to a 15,000 hectare reservation in 1996, they argued this land represented only a fraction of their original territory. The ruling sets a precedent against the “marco temporal” argument that indigenous groups must prove occupancy of disputed lands as of 1988. This decision will impact hundreds of similar land disputes and represents a boost for indigenous rights amid attacks on these rights during Jair Bolsonaro’s presidency. Anthropologists have documented the brutal tactics used to drive the Xokleng from their lands, including mercenaries collecting the ears of those killed.

The Supreme Court victory was met with celebrations and tears of joy from indigenous groups nationwide.

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The article discusses how the rise of AI may impact computer science careers going forward. While coding jobs have long been seen as stable career paths, chatbots can now generate code in various languages. Developers are using AI tools like Copilot to accelerate routine coding tasks. Within a decade, coding bots may be able to do much more than basic tasks. However, programmers will still be needed to guide AI toward productive solutions. Teaching coding is also becoming more challenging, as students could use chatbots to cheat. Conceptual problem-solving skills will remain important for programmers to apply their expertise where AI falls short. The future may belong to those who can think entrepreneurially about how technology solves problems.

In the end, what students study may matter less than their ability to apply knowledge to technology challenges.

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The DOJ has finally posted meeting notes from a Google vice president that the company tried to conceal during an antitrust trial. In the notes, Michael Roszak likened Google’s search advertising business model to illicit drug markets in its profitability. Roszak claimed the notes were exaggerated and not his true beliefs. The document suggests Google was able to ignore consumer demand due to its search monopoly. This concerned the DOJ that Google lacks incentives to protect user privacy and innovation. While Google said the notes don’t reflect its views, the judge found them relevant and embarrassing. He denied redactions and released Roszak’s related testimony. The parties agreed Google could object to exhibit posts, otherwise the DOJ could post them after each trial day.

The DOJ then posted Roszak’s notes, allowing the public to read the content at the center of debate.

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French authorities raided Nvidia’s offices as part of an antitrust investigation into the cloud computing sector. The regulator is concerned that large cloud firms could use their dominance to hinder smaller players. While companies rely on Nvidia’s AI chips, its market share was estimated to be over 90% by analysts at Citi, highlighting its dominance in this area. The raid on Nvidia comes months after a report by the Competition Authority recommended monitoring established companies for potential hindrance of new entrants using emerging technologies like AI. As demand grew for Nvidia’s components, its valuation surpassed $1 trillion in June. The inquiry focuses on Nvidia but is part of a larger examination of anticompetitive practices in cloud computing.

Nvidia’s overwhelming market share in AI chips appears to have triggered scrutiny from French regulators.

ASML, a leading Dutch semiconductor equipment manufacturer, plans to open a support center in Hokkaido, Japan in 2024. The center will provide support to Rapidus, a newly established Japanese chip producer located in Chitose, Hokkaido. ASML will send around 40-50 engineers to the center to assist Rapidus. ASML is uniquely capable of supporting Rapidus as the only manufacturer of extreme ultraviolet lithography machines, which are essential for producing advanced chips. Rapidus was formed in 2021 as a joint venture between 8 major Japanese companies including Toyota and Sony, to develop a domestic source of next-generation semiconductors. The Japanese government strongly supports Rapidus in pursuit of supply chain and economic security.

Notably, Rapidus aims to begin test production of cutting-edge 2-nanometer chips from its new Chitose factory as early as April 2025.

Divided loyalties examines the fragmented political landscape in Somalia. The country was once governed by a nationalist party after independence, but clans soon dominated. Siad Barre then instituted a military dictatorship promoting socialism and irredentist nationalism. After his regime fell in 1991, new clan-based polities emerged like Puntland and Somaliland declared independence. The adoption of federalism in 2012 further incentivized clan divisions. Al-Shabaab also vies for control, exploiting clan grievances despite rejecting clan politics. Meanwhile, diaspora Somalis still hope for reunification despite the entrenched political rivalries.

In short, Somalia faces deep challenges overcoming clan divisions and forging a cohesive national identity after decades of conflict and decentralization.

JPMorgan Chase will pay $75 million to settle a lawsuit brought by the US Virgin Islands over Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking operation. The lawsuit alleged that JPMorgan was complicant as Epstein was a client from 1998 to 2013, withdrawing up to $750,000 per year. While the settlement does not admit liability, JPMorgan regrets its association with Epstein. This is the first time a bank has paid an enforcement action related to human trafficking. The US Virgin Islands has also secured over $165 million in other settlements from Epstein’s estate and those connected to his crimes.

The agreement recognizes JPMorgan’s efforts to fight human trafficking through anti-money laundering programs.

Mexican auto parts workers at VU Manufacturing formed an independent union in 2022 called La Liga after years of domination by company-friendly unions. In retaliation, the company shut down operations in Piedras Negras, Mexico this year, leaving 400 workers jobless and 71 without legally-mandated severance pay. These workers now face blacklisting from other local factories. The case poses a challenge to new labor protections in the USMCA. Blacklisted former VU workers have struggled to find new jobs amidst employer reluctance to hire union activists. Auto manufacturing is highly interconnected between Mexico, the US and Canada, so Mexican workers’ conditions impact others across borders. As Mexican unions gain strength, companies threaten to relocate production. US unions have supported Mexican workers’ rights to organize independently.

A protest is planned at VU’s US headquarters to demand severance pay and an end to blacklisting in Piedras Negras.

The document discusses the concept of antisemitism and its relationship to Zionism and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It interviews author Rebecca Ruth Gould about her book “Erasing Palestine”, which analyzes how the definition of antisemitism has been expanded by some organizations to include all criticism of Israel in an attempt to shield it from scrutiny. Gould describes her own experience being accused of antisemitism over an article she wrote about the occupation, and how this led her to explore issues of free speech, Jewish identity, and the silencing of pro-Palestinian views.

The interview touches on Gould’s rediscovery of her Jewish roots and draws parallels between the oppression of Jews and Palestinians.

Iraqi torture survivors who were detained and abused by U.S. forces at Abu Ghraib prison and other sites nearly 20 years ago continue to seek compensation and recognition from the U.S. government. While investigations have documented widespread torture, around 500 criminal probes led to charges for only 11 soldiers. Survivors have found no clear path to redress through the U.S. court system or compensation programs due to legal obstacles. The report profiles one survivor, Taleb al-Majli, who describes being tortured and continues to suffer physical and psychological impacts, lamenting the toll it has taken on his family. It argues the abuses stemmed from Bush-era policies that circumvented torture prohibitions and the U.S.

has yet to fully acknowledge responsibility or provide remedy for Iraqi victims.

Secret documents reveal that the US helped Pakistan secure a controversial IMF bailout loan through a secret arms deal to supply weapons to Ukraine. Pakistan sold munitions to the US to support Ukraine’s military, which helped cover Pakistan’s financing gap that the IMF required to approve the loan. This prevented an economic crisis in Pakistan and allowed its new government, installed after the US reportedly encouraged removing Imran Khan, to crack down on dissent. However, the harsh IMF-mandated austerity measures sparked widespread protests. The weapons sales were brokered by a controversial arms dealer and helped Pakistan gain both economic relief from the loan as well as political goodwill from the US.

However, questions remain about how secret military deals factored into the IMF’s assessment, and the crackdown has damaged Pakistan’s troubled democratic process in the aftermath of Khan’s ouster.

China is spreading disinformation in Taiwan ahead of the upcoming presidential election in January. Much of the disinformation aims to portray America, not China, as Taiwan’s greatest threat. The disinformation narratives are finding their way into Taiwanese media and influencing talk shows. A study found that while Chinese actors help spread most of the US-skepticism narratives, over half appear to have Taiwanese origins, suggesting China piggybacks on existing fears in Taiwanese society. China has developed systematic means of spreading falsehoods on Taiwanese social media that then get amplified by mass media, sometimes within half a day. However, surveys still show Taiwanese are warier of China than America.

The disinformation campaign underscores China’s insidious efforts to mislead Taiwanese voters, though its actual impact on the election remains uncertain.

Germany banned a far-right group called Artgemeinschaft and carried out raids across the country. The group had about 150 members and sought to indoctrinate children with Nazi ideology using racist and anti-Semitic literature. Police raided 26 apartments belonging to 39 members of the group in 12 states. The interior minister said this was a further blow against right-wing extremism and those who still spread Nazi ideologies today. Germany has seen a rise in the number of people involved in the far-right extremist spectrum, according to a government report.

It highlighted the disturbing nature of this group attempting to radicalize youth.

Meta today announced its new $500 Meta Quest 3 virtual reality headset, which features improved resolution, processing power, and comfort over the Quest 2. Meanwhile, Apple is preparing to launch its high-end $3,500 Vision Pro mixed reality headset next year with 4K displays offering 23 million pixels. The Quest 3 uses Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chip and improved cameras for augmented reality experiences similar to the Vision Pro. Weighing over a pound, the Quest 3 includes updated lenses and fabric strap for comfort. Its controllers offer haptic feedback and camera-based navigation. Both headsets last around two hours per charge but the Vision Pro can run all day when wired to a power source.

Pre-orders for the Quest 3 start today ahead of shipments beginning in October.

Raspberry Pi has announced the launch of the Raspberry Pi 5, coming at the end of October. The new model features a faster quad-core processor clocked at 2.4GHz, improved GPU, and is over twice as fast as the previous model. It has been designed in-house in Cambridge and includes new chips designed specifically for it. Notable features include dual 4K display support, USB 3.0 ports, and PCIe and MIPI interfaces for expansion. Accessories like an active cooler, upgraded power supply and camera cables are available. Owners of MagPi magazines and existing customers will have priority access to the new device.

Of interest is that it includes the first Raspberry Pi chip designed entirely in-house.

In the 1950s, psychologist Harry Harlow conducted experiments showing that baby monkeys preferred to spend time with a soft cloth surrogate mother rather than a wire one, demonstrating the importance of physical affection. Today, many people spend more time with the “digital wire mother” of the internet rather than real social connections. While technology can supplement relationships, it cannot replace true human interaction and risks supplanting meaningful socialization. Over-reliance on online platforms reduces opportunities for building robust support networks. However, digital connections may provide temporary relief for those lacking community.

The essay calls for vigilance in ensuring technology supplements rather than replaces real-world relationships.

Engineers have developed a passive solar desalination system that mimics ocean circulation to produce freshwater from seawater. The design uses sunlight to heat saltwater and induce swirling eddies that evaporate water while rejecting salt. Testing showed a single stage could produce 5 liters of drinking water per hour. A scaled-up version is estimated to have a lifetime of several years without maintenance. As it requires no electricity, the system could produce water cheaper than tap water, potentially addressing water scarcity in coastal communities. An innovative aspect is how it circulates saltwater in a manner similar to ocean currents to effectively separate salt without clogging.

The passive design makes it well-suited for household water production in off-grid areas.

The article discusses how hate speech and misinformation spread on Facebook contributed to real-world violence against Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar starting in 2012. Activists had warned Facebook for years about this issue but the company was slow to act. Anti-Rohingya rhetoric intensified on Facebook after incidents like the murder of a Buddhist woman, with posts calling Rohingya “subhuman” and “terrorists.” Influential Buddhist monk Ashin Wirathu used Facebook to spread his anti-Muslim messages. Despite continued warnings from NGOs about posts inciting violence, Facebook did not take strong enough action until years later. The piece examines Facebook’s role in the deterioration of the situation and eventual genocide against the Rohingya population in Myanmar.

It highlights how slow and inadequate responses by the platform allowed hate speech to proliferate and likely contributed to deadly attacks.

Poland’s data protection authority has opened an investigation into ChatGPT and its creator OpenAI in response to a GDPR complaint. The complainant claimed ChatGPT provided inaccurate personal information about them and OpenAI failed to rectify it. Several other European agencies had also expressed concerns about ChatGPT’s compliance with GDPR regulations. Italy initially blocked the chatbot before allowing it back with privacy changes, while Spain and a group of Latin American authorities launched probes into its data practices. Regulators across Europe, Canada, and the US have increased scrutiny of OpenAI as ChatGPT raises issues around personal data protection and reputational risks for users. The new EU Artificial Intelligence Act is also designed to regulate privacy in AI systems.

This growing wave of investigations could result in major fines for OpenAI.

An iPhone to HDMI adapter was discovered that, when plugged in, runs a program prompting users to download an app. This EZ Cast app collects extensive personal data and sends it to China for ad targeting. It requires location access, photos, and installs tracking cookies. The adapter appears designed to mimic official Apple products. While its intentions are unclear, it demonstrates how such devices could enable privacy risks by introducing untrusted software into a user’s devices. Analysis of a similar EZCast dongle found it was vulnerable and not designed with security in mind. Reviews complain the app is useless or a scam. The adapter may have originated as unsold Amazon returns later acquired by electronics recyclers.

Its existence relates to concerns about privacy and navigation issues on online marketplaces.

Senator Dianne Feinstein, the oldest member of Congress, died at the age of 90 after months of declining health. She had a long career as the first woman to serve as mayor of San Francisco and the first woman to represent California in the U.S. Senate. Feinstein held many leadership positions over her 30 years in the Senate, including as chair of the Senate Rules Committee and Senate Judiciary Committee. She played a key role in passing the 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban. The document outlines Feinstein’s political career from her start in local politics in San Francisco in the 1960s through her time in the Senate. It highlights her role in investigating the CIA’s detention and interrogation program after 9/11 and releasing the Senate torture report in 2014. During her later Senate career, Feinstein faced some criticism over her handling of Supreme Court confirmation hearings.

She remained active in the Senate until near the end of her life.

Lawmakers say a government shutdown appears inevitable as the deadline of midnight Sunday approaches. Senate conservatives want to delay a vote on a stopgap funding bill to give the House leverage to negotiate spending cuts. It’s unclear if the House will pass its own funding measure or accept the Senate’s bill. Senators expect votes through the weekend to pass a funding bill to the House. Rand Paul says he will object to expedite a vote without Ukraine aid. A shutdown now seems likely and federal workers could go without pay for a week or two. Negotiations between the House and Senate could last days or weeks if they need to compromise on a stopgap bill.

The document highlights Rand Paul’s threat to slow down passage of the funding stopgap unless Ukraine aid is removed, indicating one senator’s objection may be enough to cause at least a brief government shutdown.