It Wont Replace a Laptop, But the CrowPi2 Is a Powerful Learning Tool – Gizmodo Australia

Posted on August 28, 2020 by admin

My kids love laptops. They especially love laptops that play Minecraft and let them watch YouTube for hours at a time. But, I wondered, would they like a laptop that features a four-segment LED display, motion sensor, and RFID programmer? Further, would they like a laptop that looks, at first glance, unlike any other laptop theyve seen?

That laptop is the $US270 ($368) CrowPi2 ($US450 ($613) in the configuration I tested), a STEAM learning platform that consists of a screen, a built-in Raspberry Pi, and a large breadboard like I/O system that lets you run experiments and test components using a wireless keyboard and mouse. Its just like those 100-in-1 electronics kits you probably had as a kid, but far more powerful.

At its core, the CrowPi2 is simply a case for a Raspberry Pi 4 Model B, the latest open-source, single-board educational computer. In addition to the included accessories joysticks, a keyboard, a wireless mouse, IR remote control you get an 11-inch, 1080p screen and a built-in 2-megapixel camera. The model I tested came preloaded with Raspbian, a powerful Raspberry Pi OS that gives you a simple, usable desktop OS without much hassle.

The OS includes Scratch for simple programming, a Python IDE for coding experiments, and an Arduino IDE for more granular device coding. It also includes Minecraft Pi, a slimmed-down version of Minecraft for smaller computers, and a Chromium web browser.

The case itself is mostly hollow since the raspberry Pi resides in a slot at the bottom left corner of the laptop. There is no battery and it runs off power that plugs directly into the side of the laptop. Aside from the open USB ports on the Raspberry Pi, it has one micro USB port and a headphone jack. The keyboard fits into a slot on the case and is removable, allowing you to access the sensors and buttons underneath.

A Raspberry Pi-powered laptop intended to teach kids how to code.

$US270 ($368); Tested at $US450 ($613)

Great 22-in-1 electronics kit built in, and super intuitive software to teach kids coding.

There are much cheaper alternatives if you just want use a Raspberry Pi as a computer. It's definitely too advanced for younger kids.

There are two ways to interact with the CrowPi2 software. The default is a simple kiosk mode that lets you perform experiments and learn about the laptops various features. You can close this kiosk mode to access the operating system itself and even open a terminal so you can code using more traditional editors like Vim and Emacs.

My eight-year-old immediately clicked the Minecraft button in Kiosk mode and then played some games in Scratch. My older son looked at the laptop and went back to his gaming PC. He knows nerfed hardware when he sees it.

Frustrated, I asked the kids to run through a few tutorials, which they begrudgingly did.

Based on my testing, I found that this laptop is for older kids. While its nice to imagine a precocious eight-year-old coding and hacking Arduino using this thing, its definitely aimed at a pre-teen to High School demographic. While Scratch, the grade school programming language, is front and centre in the Kiosk mode, most of the more complex features are aimed at older kids who can program Python or in Arduinos own scripting language.

For example, the kit comes with cardboard cutouts that contain RFID chips. When you move these cutouts to the RFID reader, you can automatically build houses and TNT boxes in Minecraft. The whole thing would be a great project for your youngest Minecrafters but its not a solo project for anyone under twelve.

Once you begin exploring the whole package, however, you discover a wealth of sensors and controls.

The kit features 22 components on a nicely-laid out board. It has tilt sensors, ultrasonic distance sensors, an even a few LCD and LED readouts. You can program an included RFID dongle wirelessly and it even supports AI-based camera APIs for facial recognition. The board works seamlessly with the Raspberry Pi, which means you can access these controls from almost any part of the operating sytem.

A very cool state LED readout shows you what pins are active on your Raspberry Pi and you can even control higher-voltage systems with a switching relay. In all, its a surprisingly powerful package.

Thankfully the system includes a number of tutorials that let you walk through simple to complex coding examples step-by-step. As a test, I asked my eight-year-old and fourteen-year-old to make the LCD screen do something without my help. In a few minutes they ran through a tutorial and made the machine say You really smell like a farts. Mission accomplished.

But thats not all! Because this runs a Raspberry Pi you can easily load video game emulators, robotics controllers, and even mine bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. And because it doubles as a real laptop you can use LibreOffice, a free MS Office clone, and visit web pages as you would on any other laptop. The Raspberry Pi is surprisingly powerful and the whole system works surprisingly well.

That word surprisingly is key. In all the years Ive built DIY Raspberry Pi powered-hardware, Ive always been disappointed in the quality and the utility. Elecrow, in the case of the CrowPi2, offers both.

But who exactly is this laptop for? At $US450 ($613) with built-in Raspberry Pi, youre definitely getting into cheaper laptop pricing. Further, all of the features this system includes are available as separate components from sites like Adafruit. Finally, as a STEAM system for kids this thing is worryingly complex and potentially fragile. You wont be sticking this into a book bag and dragging it to school.

That said, if you want to teach your kids advanced electronics and let them try Linux, I havent seen anything better. While you can easily get a Raspberry Pi, keyboard, and mouse, having all these things in one package is a superior proposition. Elecrow did a good job with the case and the accessories, essentially taking the best of the Shenzhen electronics markets and putting them together, shanzai-style, into a working product.

The system is very specifically for a kid between the ages of ten and fifteen who shows some interest in deep coding. I imagine anyone who tries this thing will eventually move onto more complex systems and probably assemble their own breadboard based electronics, but this is definitely a nice introduction.

I rarely recommend STEAM toys because the creators seem to neither understand technology or the needs of young students. Elecrow, quite surprisingly, has done both and I really enjoyed the features, the usability, and the educational software included in this clever, compact learning computer.

CrowPi2 is a clever little laptop for kids

Powerful Raspberry Pi computer with lots of features

A 22-in-1 electronics kit built-in

Plays Doom

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It Wont Replace a Laptop, But the CrowPi2 Is a Powerful Learning Tool - Gizmodo Australia

Julian Assange in ‘a lot of pain’ and losing weight in Belmarsh, partner says – Telegraph.co.uk

Posted on August 28, 2020 by admin

Ms Morris said her partner is still suffering from a frozen shoulder, and had recently sprained his ankle. "He is in a lot of pain," she added.

His supporters claim that he is confined to his cell for 23 hours a day and they are worried for his physical and mental health. He is said to suffer from a chronic lung condition which makes him particularly vulnerable to coronavirus.

The extradition hearing is due to start at the Old Bailey on September 7 and could last three or four weeks.

He is facing 17 charges under the Espionage Act and one of conspiracy to commit computer intrusion in the US.

The charges relate to 700,000 classified documents former US intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning handed to Wikileaks in 2010 which officials in Washington claim endangered the lives of American agents who were working in the field.

Ms Moris, a South African-born lawyer who was working on his case when the couple began their relationship, said that he is facing a prison sentence of 175 years if he is sent to the US and found guilty.

She has launched a crowdfunding appeal to try to raise 600,000 towards the cost of legal fight.

She has described it as a battle of David v Goliath with unthinkable ramifications. Around 47,000 has been raised so far.

Ms Moris expressed concern about Covid-related health measures as Assange is transported to and from the court every day.

She added that he has not had a face-to-face meeting with his legal team since lockdown began in March and only has limited access to the huge amount of paperwork generated by the case.

Assange has been held at Belmarsh since April last year after the Ecuadorians lost patience with their guest and invited officers from Scotland Yard into the embassy to arrest him.

Last Week Tonight: John Oliver Talks Unconventional DNC And Senates Trump-Russia Report While Blasting Danbury Again – Deadline

Posted on August 28, 2020 by admin

Its become normal that John Oliver starts every episode of Last Week Tonightby saying A lot happened this week because it is wildly accurate. It seemed that this week he was speaking a mile-a-minute in order to try to fit in pertinent news at the top of the show.

First on the list was the Democratic National Convention which many were calling an unconventional convention, thinking that they were the ones that coined that phrase. It was unconventional because it was a virtual affair with delegates coming up with fun ways to showcase their states during the roll call. Oliver particularly put the spotlight on Rhode Island, who was one of the most memorable as they were bragging about calamari as a masked man, Oliver referred to as the calamari ninja presented a plate of the tasty appetizer.

I had no idea that calamari was Rhode Islands official state appetizer, he said. It might be the first thing Ive learned about that state that I have actually liked.

He then took an opportunity to, once again, take some unexplained jabs at Danbury, Connecticut. Aside, of course, that it doesnt include the city of Danbury, Connecticut. Ive said it before, Ill say it again: f*** Danburybabies, elderly, pets, buildings all of you can go f*** yourselves. Of course, this comes after the Danbury mayor recently named their sewage plant after Oliver. This is an unlikely and funny feud that will be providing us with entertainment for weeks to come.

With the DNC, Oliver pointed out that the convention was trying its best to steer in the middle of the road. Although there were appearances by noteworthy progressivs like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Stacey Abrams, a lot of real estate was given to Republicans such as Meg Whitman, Colin Powell and John Kasich.

Its hard to convince progressive voters that youre a foward-looking party when your convention feels like a Zoom cast reunion except the show is the 2008 RNC, he said.

Oliver observed that Bidens nomination speech also played it safe. He showcased warmth and empathy and name-checked broad goals like expanding child care and ending racism. However, his speech was light on details. Instead, he leaned heavily on lines like this: This will determine what America is going to look like for a long, long time. Character is on the ballot, compassion is on the ballot, decency, science, demo theyre all on the ballot. To which Oliver responded: Now normally Id point out that compassion and decency are not concrete policy agendas but considering open authoritarianism is also on the ballot, sure, wtfadequate vs evil lets go.

The DNC spent the four days pointing out that Biden is not Trump. Oliver argued that spending most of the convention saying that Trump is not fit for office may have been redundant because 45 spent the entire week making that case for them by continuing to show his distrust of voting by mail, boycotting Goodyear and refusing to disavow the QAnon conspiracy theory.

Oliver pivoted to what we should have been paying more attention to: Senates report confirming that Trumps campaign was uncomfortably close to Russian intelligence. Its something we already knew, but its nice to have it in writing, he quipped.

New details cited Paul Manaforts willingness to share information with individuals closely affiliated with the Russian intelligence services as a grave counterintelligence threat. The report also details how Roger Stone tried to get WikiLeaks to drop damaging emails from Hilary Clintons campaign chair just as Trumps infamous Access Hollywood tape came out.

Oliver added that while Trump denied knowledge of Stones activities to Robert Mueller, the report put one hell of an asterisk on that. Contrary to what 45 claims, the committee accessed that Trump did speak to Stoneabout WikiLeaks on multiple occasions.

The bipartisan report comes from a Republican-led senate committee is a truly damning indictment of Trumps character, underscoring just how important the election in November is, said Oliver, and as much as the DNCs platform of Biden is not Trump should be an overwhelmingly successful strategy, the truth is Trump still has a real chance at reelection.

Oliver goes back to the calamari ninja who was interviewed and said he didnt know if he would vote for Biden because he doesnt know him well.

The host gave some sobering truths about this: While your instinctive reaction might be, how can anyone still be undecided? the sad fact is, lots of people still are so I really hope the DNC strategy this week of wooing undecided voters with the star power of John Kasich and Meg Whitman pays off because if the Democrats just spent a week trying to appeal to conservatives who ultimately end up voting Republican then this will actually turn out to be a depressingly conventional convention.

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Last Week Tonight: John Oliver Talks Unconventional DNC And Senates Trump-Russia Report While Blasting Danbury Again - Deadline

Texas Governor Says State Avoided The Worst Of Laura’s Destruction – KNBA

Posted on August 28, 2020 by admin

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Thursday afternoon the state had dodged a bullet, sustaining less damage than was expected from Hurricane Laura.

Abbott said that storm surge across the southeast Texas coast turned out to be much less severe than projected, which gave the state a break in terms of the devastation.

"It could've been far worse," he said, during a press conference in the town of Orange. "When you consider the magnitude of the damage that did occur here, we did dodge a bullet."

After surveying the damage this morning, it was clear that Orange County bore the brunt of Laura's power, Abbott said.

"The most significant damage I was able to observe from the sky was in Orange," he said. "You saw more rooftops ripped off. You saw big pieces of steel framing wrapped around trees. You saw some roads still inundated, impassable from water."

Abbott said officials still had much work to do in addressing the areas most impacted by the storm.

Search and rescue teams, including National Guard troops, are already on the ground in the areas impacted by the storm, Abbott said. So far, there are no confirmed deaths in Texas from the storm.

Texas officials stand ready to monitor potential flash flooding and tornadoes that could arise as Laura moves north and exits the state, Abbott said.

More than 160,000 utility customers were affected by power outages in the region affected by the storm as of Thursday afternoon.

The governor said almost 8,500 people evacuated the most vulnerable areas and were provided shelter throughout the state. More than 3,000 people were sheltered in hotel rooms. Abbott urged evacuees to listen to local officials for information about when it is safe to return to their homes.

Abbott credited local officials for implementing evacuation orders and praised residents for following them. Heeding those warnings helped save lives and property, he said.

"That is a miracle," Abbott said. "It shows that prayers were answered and that preparation paid off."

Texas Governor Says State Avoided The Worst Of Laura's Destruction - KNBA

Julian Assange receives first visitors in six months: He is in a lot of pain – WSWS

Posted on August 28, 2020 by admin

By Oscar Grenfell 28 August 2020

Julian Assange received his first visitors in six months, less than a fortnight out from British court hearings for the extradition of the persecuted WikiLeaks publisher to the US, where he faces life imprisonment for exposing American war crimes.

Stella Morris, Assanges partner and an internationally-respected human rights attorney, was allowed to meet with the WikiLeaks founder earlier this week, after authorities at Londons Belmarsh Prison eased restrictions introduced in response to the coronavirus pandemic. It was the first time that Morris and their two young children Gabriel and Max had seen Assange since March 22.

The visit is welcome news for all supporters of Assange and democratic rights. But it has underscored the brutal conditions in which he is held by the British authorities, despite not having been convicted of any crime, and has sparked renewed fears that his health is continuing to deteriorate.

In comments to the PA news agency after the visit, Morris said that the experience had been incredibly stressful but that she was relieved to have been able to see Assange.

We had to keep social distancing and Julian was told he would have to self-isolate for two weeks if he touched the children, Morris said. Julian said it was the first time he had been given a mask because things are very different behind the doors.

She added: At least he got to see the children, even though he couldnt touch them. The children were both calm. We all remained seated the whole time.

Morris said that the older of the boys, Gabriel, who is three-years old, showed off his abilities to count and to recite the alphabet. Gabriel was born when Assange was a political refugee in Ecuadors London embassy, where his arbitrary detention was enforced by British threats to arrest him if he set foot outside the building.

The infant child was immediately targeted for intrusive surveillance and other human rights violations by the US Central Intelligence Agency. Max, who is one-year-old, first met Assange in 2019 at Belmarsh, a facility dubbed Britains Guantnamo Bay.

Speaking of Assanges physical condition, Morris said: He is in a lot of pain. She stated that he continues to suffer from a frozen shoulder, a long-term condition compounded by a lack of adequate medical treatment. He had also recently sprained his ankle.

I could not see him very clearly because of the visors, but he looked a lot thinner. He was wearing a yellow armband to indicate his level of prisoner status, and you could see how thin his arms were, Morris explained.

The confirmation that Assange has not been provided with a mask is evidence that the British state wants him dead. That the most high-profile political prisoner in the world, detained in a country falsely held up as a beacon of democracy, was not provided with the most basic protection during an unprecedented global pandemic sums up the criminality of the decade-long persecution of Assange.

At the height of the crisis, hundreds of prison staff and inmates at penitentiaries across the country were struck down by the virus, including in Belmarsh. Warnings from medical experts that Assange was particularly susceptible to succumbing to COVID-19, given his chronic respiratory issues, were ignored and an application for bail contemptuously dismissed.

The calls for Assanges release on medical grounds during the pandemic followed statements of concern by doctors from around the world since November last year that Assange could die in Belmarsh due to a lack of adequate treatment.

United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture Nils Melzer has repeatedly condemned Assanges imprisonment as a continuation of government abuses that have resulted in the WikiLeaks founder displaying the medically-verifiable symptoms of psychological torture.

The latest indications of Assanges physical condition follow reports that he looked poorly when he attended his last court hearing by video link on August 14. Assange was reportedly coughing through much of his brief appearance and appeared to be unwell.

As the WSWS wrote in a perspective article, the August 14 hearing made clear, if any further proof was needed, that the prosecution of Julian Assange is a shameful and degrading show trial, intended to railroad an innocent man to prison or death for revealing the crimes of US imperialism.

In a blatant violation of legal procedures and due process, the US filed a superseding indictment of Assange days before the hearing, and more than a year after the deadline elapsed for them to present a final charge sheet. This is a transparent attempt to prevent Assanges legal team from presenting any defence.

The new indictment contains no new information or charges. It is the tortured product of American intelligence agents and two of their informants, including one previously convicted of impersonating Assange and stealing money from WikiLeaks.

The gross abuse has not been condemned by any of the official political parties in Britain, the US or Australia. By their silence, all of them, including Labor and the Greens in Australia and the British Labour Party, have given their blessing to the show trial that Assange is set to be subjected to when extradition hearings recommence on September 7.

The unprecedented persecution of the WikiLeaks publisher has also been treated as a non-event by the corporate media, which enjoy the closest ties with the military and intelligence agencies that have spearheaded the pursuit of Assange.

The substantial public support that Assange enjoys, which stands in marked contrast to the stance of the political and media establishments, has been expressed in the response to an online fundraiser for his legal expenses, initiated last week by Morris.

The initial target of 25,000 was achieved within days. A stretch goal of 50,000 has since been surpassed and the appeal is well on its way to the new target of 75,000. As of this writing, almost 68,000 has been contributed by 1,563 people from around the world.

Morris provided an update on Wednesday, writing: Julian wanted me to thank you personally for all of the help you have provided in covering his legal fees to fight the extradition to the USA, where he faces 175 years in prison.

Authoritarianism in Australia: right-wing politics in the antipodes – DiEM25

Posted on August 28, 2020 by admin

Australia is widely perceived as a liberal democratic and also egalitarian country. Yet erosions of democracy in the antipodes are occurring in an incremental yet rapid manner. As Elisabeth sbrink notes in Made in Sweden, a reputation for social democracy can obscure the undermining of democratic norms.

Australiahas a federal and parliamentary system of government, and the two major political parties are Liberal and Labor respectively. In the Australian context, the Liberal Party is broadly regarded as conservative and centre-right and the Labor Party as progressive and centre-left. With its coalition partner the National Party which represents a largely rural constituency the Liberal Party was returned to federal office in 2019 on a slim policy platform which openly appealed to fears of what a radical Labor government might entail.

A clear move to the political right now challenges the conventional reading of the Australian Liberal Party as centrist. Critics observe that the Coalition hand victories directly to the far right whenever it is expedient to do so. In a stark assessment, Jason Wilson says the fact that, unlike Trumps administration, the Coalition is generally regarded as a normal, mainstream conservative government, should be no comfort [and] should be a reminder of how far things can go under the guise of normalcy.

In response to the coronavirus, the Federal Coalition has implemented a massive stimulus package to now unemployed workers, which is supported across party and ideological lines. As recently as a few months ago, such a measure would have been unthinkable by any government claiming conservative credentials. The advent of COVID-19 has signalled a degree of bipartisanship on the management of public health in Australia.

But the emergence of COVID-19 also deflects attention from rising authoritarianism across a number of areas. The pandemic has also increased the anti-democratic incursions of right-wing politics which were already visible.

The following authoritarian measures, policies, and events constitute only some of those which could be cited. Their cumulative impact under cover of coronavirus risks receiving insufficient attention in terms of the challenges posed to the health of Australian democracy:

Prominent cases include those of Witness K (a former intelligence officer who disclosed the bugging by the Australian government of the government of Timor-Leste for the purpose of trade treaty advantage), Richard Boyle (a former debt collection officer who exposed recovery tactics by the Australian Taxation Office), and David McBride (a lawyer whose provision to the national broadcaster of documents regarding the conduct of Australian special forces in Afghanistan led to raids on the ABC by the Australian Federal Police).

In an extraordinary and unprecedented step, the lawyer of Witness K, former ACT Attorney General Bernard Collaery is also being prosecuted: In all three cases, the whistleblowers went through the appropriate steps to raise their concerns internally within government, before frustration at inaction led them into going public.

The Commonwealth has intervened to require closed trials in key whistleblower cases. National security, as Chomsky has long argued, is often invoked to conceal abuses of government power. This costly exercise of government intrusion, through which members of the legal profession including a former judge have spoken out, has caused controversy in a string of cases in recent years.

Described by the President of the Law Council of Australia as a highly extraordinary and unusual measure, the proposed bill is likely to take effect on or before 7 September 2020. This is a timeframe which impedes parliamentary scrutiny of measures wide-ranging in their impact.

Recent media raids by the Australian Federal Police (one of which was subsequently ruled to be unlawful) has led to concern that investigative journalism is being put in [the] same category as criminality. In combination with stringent budget cuts to the ABC which have occurred consistently under Liberal Federal Governments, these raids further erode the capacity of the public broadcaster to report on topics and events of national significance as a robust democracy requires.

Despite the high stakes in so many regards, the silence of the Australian government in relation to the untenable situation of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange continues. Increasing intolerance of whistleblowers and longstanding bipartisan belief that the security alliance with the United States is sacrosanct explains but does not excuse this shameful response regarding the literally tortuous treatment of Assange who is an Australian citizen. For the federal government Coalition of the land down under and notwithstanding the chilling implications for press freedom worldwide there is literally nothing to see.

The (mis)treatment of asylum-seekers, already draconian in the pre-COVID period, has reached calamitous proportions during the pandemic. Concerns over national security are used to deny humane policy to asylum seekers. This is even at a time of pandemic in which public health issues challenge conventional notions of what security entails.

The Minister for Home Affairs, Peter Dutton (a minister that heads a vastly expanded portfolio intersecting the Australian Security and Intelligence) may be guilty of contempt of court due to failure to administer the Migration Act in accordance with law [and to] have deliberately decided to administer that legislation in a manner contrary to law. The presiding judge in this case has said that the stance of the Minister makes a mockery of any concept of the Minister acting as a model litigant.

Federal government encouragement of Australians to download a surveillance app for the purpose of reducing transmission of COVID-19 is one of many instances of such encroachment. The rationale for this particular measure is obvious. But as Australian Human Rights Commissioner Edward Santow notes in the context of policing, such technologies can unfairly disadvantage people based on attributes like their race or gender.

Both targeting of vulnerable groups and misapplication of technology are apparent in the `Robodebt debacle. `Robodebt an automated debt repayment system which generated debt notifications to vast numbers of Australians dependent on welfare support damaged and destroyed many lives. Not only has it been found to be unlawful, but the Federal government was apparently aware of its illegality well in advance of this court determination. So egregious is the catalogue of concerns regarding the Robodebt fiasco that there are calls for a Royal Commission to address them.

The need for a national integrity commission with sufficient `teeth to investigate ministerial and politician misconduct has been called for by many over a long period. An independent Tasmanian senator has accused both major political parties of attempting a snow job which would result in limited inquiry into key potential areas of corruption.

Currently disclosure of financial contributions to political parties at the federal level does not occur until months after the elections they influence (and in the case of the 2019 Federal election significantly sway). Government attempts to retain weak federal laws on political donations are opposed by many, including the Australian Greens and independent crossbench politicians.

Federal government refusal to release conflict-of-interest statements of the COVID-19 Coordination Commission is especially concerning in that this body is headed by the former chief of Fortescue Metals. Gas development is also being promoted by the Commission as a means of increasing economic growth into the future. The continuing absence of a Federal government policy on climate change, and the disproportionate influence of a subgroup within the Coalition which continues to support the coal industry and opposes reduced dependence on fossil fuels, is a source of ongoing dismay to many.

Lack of openness by the ruling Federal Coalition is also apparent in many other regards, often and again on the ground of national security.

Intensification of movement towards right-wing authoritarianism under the current Federal Liberal-National Coalition is also apparent in contrasting government responses to freedom of expression. Articulation of right-wing views is regarded as unproblematic while left-wing perspectives are decidedly unwelcome.

The religious discrimination bill proposed by the Federal government is another instance in which ostensibly neutral upholding of the right to freedom of expression can enable active discrimination in this case in the name of faith against those whose beliefs, behaviours and life-styles may not accord with what is considered acceptable by dominant groups.

The several points above describe authoritarian incursions into contemporary Australian life. These profoundly anti-democratic incursions advance the goals of the political right.

In the current period of COVID-19, escalating global tension, collapsing economies and increased surveillance, they are also particularly insidious. This is because under cover of both public health and national security, such incursions can rapidly proliferate.

Similarly to European and other countries, Australia faces the undermining of democratic processes and institutions. Hence, the Democracy in Europe Movement (DIEM25) and its recently founded Progressive International with the Sanders Institute in its emphasis on genuine egalitarianism and internationalist solidarity is a forum by which the rise of neoliberal authoritarianism can be contested in Europe and the world.

Pictured: Whistleblower Bernard Collaery. Photo Source: MEFAFN.

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Authoritarianism in Australia: right-wing politics in the antipodes - DiEM25

nCipher nShield HSMs Achieve Red Hat Container Certification – Business Wire

Posted on August 27, 2020 by admin

CAMBRIDGE, England & SUNRISE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--nCipher Security, an Entrust Datacard company and world leader in hardware security modules (HSMs), announces its nShield HSMs are now available as a Red Hat OpenShift certified container, delivering enhanced security and providing a root of trust for containerized applications. The new optimization is the latest in a ten-year technology collaboration between the companies that includes nShield HSM integrations with Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Red Hat Certificate System, and Red Hat OpenStack Platform.

Red Hat OpenShift is an enterprise-ready Kubernetes platform that helps developers manage hybrid cloud and multi-cloud deployments. On-premises nShield HSMs or nShield as a Service can now run on OpenShift, together with the nShield Container Option Pack, to help enhance the security of containerized applications using cryptographic services. Applications requiring scalable, dynamic cryptography to generate keys or to sign and encrypt data can now use nShield HSMs to deliver these services with confidence that the solution is Red Hat certified and fully supportable for production use.

Developers use Red Hat OpenShift because it includes everything they need for hybrid cloud, enterprise container, and Kubernetes development, says Lars Herrmann, senior director, Red Hat Partner Connect, Red Hat. As the use of containerized applications grows, so do the instances where higher-assurance security is required. OpenShift provides a platform to run the nShield Container Option Pack, giving third-party container applications access to nShield HSMs for key generation, decrypt and encrypt operations.

Application development teams increasingly rely on containers and Kubernetes because they deliver the flexibility and scalability required to meet todays demands, says Juan Asenjo, Director of Product, Solutions and Partner Marketing, nCipher Security. Applying cryptography when developing containerized applications is critical for security. nShield HSMs provide high-assurance security on Red Hat OpenShift to create a root of trust, generate encryption keys and sign, verify, and encrypt sensitive data.

nCipher nShield HSMs and nShield as a Service are among the highest-performing, most secure and easy-to-integrate HSM solutions available, facilitating regulatory compliance and delivering the highest levels of data and application security for enterprise, financial and government organizations. The unique Security World key management architecture provides strong, granular controls over the access and usage of key policies.

About nCipher Security

nCipher Security, an Entrust Datacard company, is a leader in the general-purpose hardware security module (HSM) market, empowering world-leading organizations by delivering trust, integrity and control to their business-critical information and applications. Todays fast-moving digital environment enhances customer satisfaction, gives competitive advantage and improves operational efficiency it also multiplies the security risks. Our cryptographic solutions secure emerging technologies such as cloud, IoT, blockchain, and digital payments and help meet new compliance mandates. We do this using our same proven technology that global organizations depend on today to protect against threats to their sensitive data, network communications and enterprise infrastructure. We deliver trust for your business-critical applications, ensure the integrity of your data and put you in complete control today, tomorrow, always. http://www.ncipher.com

Red Hat and OpenShift are trademarks or registered trademarks of Red Hat, Inc. or its subsidiaries in the U.S. and other countries. The OpenStack Word Mark is either a registered trademark/service mark or trademark/service mark of the OpenStack Foundation, in the United States and other countries, and is used with the OpenStack Foundation's permission. Red Hat is not affiliated with, endorsed or sponsored by the OpenStack Foundation, or the OpenStack community.

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nCipher nShield HSMs Achieve Red Hat Container Certification - Business Wire

Data Loss Prevention Market Outlook, Recent Trends and Growth Forecast 2020-2026 – CueReport

Posted on August 27, 2020 by admin

The latest Data Encryption Market Analysis report is comparative coverage of key players qualitative and quantitative information highlighting key market developments, challenges, competition and growth opportunities available in the Data Encryption Market. The report expects to provide front-line Data Encryption market intelligence and help business professionals to take growth-oriented decision for their organizations. Along with the Data Encryption Market analysis data this report incorporates and tracks emerging trends in the current industry.

The report provides insights on the following sections:

Request Sample Copy of this Report @ https://www.cuereport.com/request-sample/40383

In the report, we have covered two proprietary models, the Data Encryption Positioning Matrix and Competitive Strategic Window. The Data Encryption Positioning Matrix analyses the competitive marketplace for the players in terms of product fulfilment and business strategy they adopt to sustain in the Data Encryption market. The Competitive Strategic Window analyses the competitive landscape in terms of Data Encryption markets, applications, and geographies. The Competitive Strategic Window helps the vendor define an alignment or fit between their capabilities and opportunities for future growth prospects. During a forecast period, it defines the optimal or favorable fit for the vendors to adopt successive merger and acquisitions strategies, geography expansion, research & development, new product introduction strategies to execute further business expansion and growth in Data Encryption market.

Request Sample Copy of this Report @ https://www.cuereport.com/request-sample/40383

The report also presents the market competition landscape and a corresponding detailed analysis of the major vendor/manufacturers in the market. The key manufacturers covered in this report:

Major Highlights from Table of contents are listed below for quick lookup into Data Encryption Market report

Chapter 1. Competitive Landscape

Chapter 2. Company Profiles

Chapter 3. Methodology & Scope

Chapter 4. Executive Summary

Chapter 5. Data Encryption industryInsights

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Data Loss Prevention Market Outlook, Recent Trends and Growth Forecast 2020-2026 - CueReport

Telegram tries to blend security with usability – The Economist

Posted on August 27, 2020 by admin

Aug 29th 2020

THE OFFICIAL story is that Alexander Lukashenko, Belaruss president, won a sweeping victory. On August 9th some 4.7m people, 80% of Belarusian voters, cast their ballots for him. Just 10% voted for Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, a former English teacher who replaced her jailed dissident husband on the ballot. But few in the benighted country believe the official account, which is why Belarus has seen nearly three weeks of protests demanding Mr Lukashenkos resignation.

As has become de rigueur in the 21st century, many of the demonstrations are co-ordinated online. One app in particular, Telegram, has become a vital tool. Users share inspiring videos and plans for marches. One message shows employees of the National Academy of Sciences protesting in defiance of their bosses, and proposes a rally in support. Another reminded readers that August 25th marked the 29th anniversary of Belaruss independence from the Soviet Union, set out the days celebrations, and promised a message from Ms Tikhanovskaya.

It is not just Belarus. Telegram, with more than 400m monthly users, has been used by Black Lives Matter protesters in America, as well as anti-government demonstrators in Hong Kong and Iran. Silicon Valley venture capitalists flaunt it as a symbol of fashionable edginess. Pavel Durov, its creator, makes no secret of his sympathies. A message in his public channel, which has 356,000 subscribers, shows a poster claiming that memes can topple regimes. It is a sentiment straight from the internets idealistic early days, when the assumption was that freedom and democracy would flow down the wires alongside the bits and bytes. Telegram did not respond to The Economists request for comment.

Although Telegram remains behind WhatsApp and WeChat, which boast 2bn and 1.2bn monthly users, respectively, it is booming. In April it said it had added 100m users in the preceding 12 months. It has three selling points. The first is simply that it is a rather good piece of software, slick and easy to use. It was the most-downloaded chat app in Belarus before the protests and recently took the top spot from WhatsApp in Russia, according to SensorTower, an app-analytics firm. As with WeChat, Telegram users can design third-party programs to run on top of its service, letting people while away the time with video games, quizzes and the like. Whereas WhatsApp chats are limited to 256 participants, Telegrams user-created public channels can host unlimited numbers. One of the most popular is Hindi HD movies, which points its 6m subscribers towards pirated copies of popular films.

Telegrams second virtue is its promise to protect users from governments prying eyes. Experts debate exactly how secure Telegram is. Like WhatsApp, it offers end-to-end encryption, which prevents third parties, including the app itself, from deciphering messages. But unlike WhatsApp, this is not Telegrams default setting, and it does not work with many of the apps features. Messages are still encrypted, but Telegram retains a copy of the key. Authorities that persuade the firm to divulge that key could read a users messages. (Telegram says this has never happened and that it would resist if it did.) The app also relies on its own custom cryptography rather than battle-tested code favoured by experts.

Telegrams third, and perhaps main, attraction is that it is not owned by Facebook (as WhatsApp is) or Tencent (the Chinese giant which controls WeChat). The app trumpets its independence from internet titans, which netizens view with growing suspicion. Its business model is simple: it does not have one. It says that running costs are covered by Mr Durov, who made a fortune with VKontakte, a popular Russian social-media platform he founded in 2006. Profit, the firm declares, will never be an end-goal, and commercial interests will never interfere with our mission. Such claims are lent credibility by Mr Durovs background. At VKontakte he refused to hand over details of opposition politicians websites. He was fired by the board in 2014 as part of a claimed takeover by allies of Vladimir Putin, Russias president. Mr Durov bought citizenship of St Kitts & Nevis, and began work on Telegram.

However, preserving privacy and security is becoming trickier. Encrypted chat apps are viewed with suspicion even in democracies. America and Britain have repeatedly threatened to ban end-to-end encryption, because it frustrates the work of the police and intelligence agencies.

Autocrats, for their part, have learned how to harness chat apps to spread misinformation, as well as genuine news. The Hong Kong protests saw Telegram channels dedicated to posting the personal addresses of prominent dissidents. By seizing demonstrators phones and forcing them to reveal passwords the police can get their hands on lists of contacts to be arrested or intimidated. A booming market for private hacking allows governments to buy software that can bypass encryption by breaking into phones and reading information straight off their screens. One knowledgeable observer says it would be foolish to assume that big chat apps are not targeted by national spy agencies. That goes for Telegram, too.

If Telegram persuades users that it is both more fun and safer than WhatsApp and WeChat, it could nibble away at their supremacy. But for that to happen, it must first survive. It is unclear how long Mr Durovs money will last. Since 2017 Telegram has tried to raise $1.7bn by selling its own cryptocurrency. Americas Securities and Exchange Commission halted the sale on the grounds that Telegram was dealing in unregistered securities and ordered it to return most of the cash to investors. That has put paid to plans for an alternative to bitcoin that may, if boosters are to be believed, one day supplant VISA, Mastercard or WeChats e-payments. Telegram thinks it can nevertheless get by even once the Durov largesse runs out, by charging for non-essential upgrades. Prospective regime-topplers are keeping their fingers crossed that it is right.

This article appeared in the Business section of the print edition under the headline "For your eyes only"

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Telegram tries to blend security with usability - The Economist

COVID-19 Impact On Email Encryption Market 2020: Global Industry Share, Size, Business Growth, SWOT Analysis by Top Manufacturers, Demand and Forecast…

Posted on August 27, 2020 by admin

TheGlobal Email Encryption Marketwas valued to be more than USD xx million in 2017, and is expected to grow at a CAGR of around 19.7% by 2025.

Increasing use of emails across corporates as well as for personal use is driving the demand for global email encryption market.

Top Key Companies Analyzed inGlobal Email Encryption Market are BAE systems, Cisco Systems, Inc., Micro Focus, Sophos, Symantech, Zoho Corporation, Barracuda Networks, Inc., R Mail, ProtonMail, and CounterMail, among others.

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What you can expect from our report: Total Addressable Market [ Present Market Size forecasted to 2026 with CAGR ] Regional level split [North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, Middle East & Africa] Country wise Market Size Split [Important countries with major market share] Market Size Breakdown by Product/ Service Types [ ] Market Size by Application/Industry verticals/ End Users [ ] Market Share and Revenue/Sales of 10-15 Leading Players in the Market

Production Capacity of Leading Players whenever applicable Market Trends Emerging Technologies/products/start-ups, PESTEL Analysis, SWOT Analysis, Porters Five Forces, etc. Pricing Trend Analysis Average Pricing across regions Brandwise Ranking of Major Market Players globally

Emails can contain sensitive information, such as someones personal data or an organizations classifies information. These, if not protected, can be accessed by unwanted or unidentified sources, which can further cause harm to the person or organization. Email encryption helps protect emails from unwanted access, spyware, malware, viruses, and such. These solutions also prevent data theft and loss. These features help boost the market growth for email encryption.

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Global Email Encryption Industry 2019 Market Research Report is spread across 121 pages and provides exclusive vital statistics, data, information, trends and competitive landscape details in this niche sector.

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Target Audience:

Research Methodology:

The market is derived through extensive use of secondary, primary, in-house research followed by expert validation and third party perspective, such as, analyst reports of investment banks. The secondary research is the primary base of our study wherein we conducted extensive data mining, referring to verified data sources, such as, white papers, government and regulatory published articles, technical journals, trade magazines, and paid data sources.

For forecasting, regional demand & supply factors, recent investments, market dynamics including technical growth scenario, consumer behavior, and end use trends and dynamics, and production capacity were taken into consideration.

Different weightages have been assigned to these parameters and quantified their market impacts using the weighted average analysis to derive the market growth rate.

The market estimates and forecasts have been verified through exhaustive primary research with the Key Industry Participants (KIPs), which typically include:

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Major Points Covered in Table of Contents:

1 Executive Summary

2 Methodology And Market Scope

3 Global Email Encryption Market Industry Outlook

4 Global Email Encryption Market Type Outlook

5 Global Email Encryption Market Deployment Mode Outlook

6 Global Email Encryption Market Regional Outlook

7 Competitive Landscape

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COVID-19 Impact On Email Encryption Market 2020: Global Industry Share, Size, Business Growth, SWOT Analysis by Top Manufacturers, Demand and Forecast...