Non-IT News Thread
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Russian hackers are targeting US embassies, according to new report
The attacks likely weren’t state-sponsored
Russian hackers recently attacked a number of US embassies around the world by emailing malicious attachments disguised as official State Department documents to officials, according to a new report from Check Point Research. -
@scottalanmiller said in Non-IT News Thread:
BBC News - Sri Lanka attacks: Death toll soars to 290
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-48008073I have a friend named Arun who is Sri Lankan. When everyone came back from summer vacation in highschool he told me a story of how he went back to visit his family. Travelled by plane to India and waited for the next plane to take him to Sri Lanka. 45 minutes before his plane was supposed to land terrorists blew up the airport he was headed to.
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Samsung delays Galaxy Fold launch after early display issues
Samsung is delaying the release of its first foldable smartphone, the Galaxy Fold.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Samsung won’t release the Galaxy Fold until “at least next month” due to issues with review units that technology reporters have revealed. A string of reviewers found problems with the display, with it failing for a number of reasons. -
Here’s what we know, and what we don’t, about the Crew Dragon accident
The company undoubtedly had a busy Easter weekend.
During a series of engine tests of SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft this past Saturday, the vehicle experienced what the company has characterized as an "anomaly." -
“Natural” bottled water has natural arsenic contamination, testing finds
Investigation also raises questions about testing and regulations.
Several brands of bottled water contain concerning levels of arsenic contamination, according to an investigation by Consumer Reports. -
@mlnews said in Non-IT News Thread:
“Natural” bottled water has natural arsenic contamination, testing finds
Investigation also raises questions about testing and regulations.
Several brands of bottled water contain concerning levels of arsenic contamination, according to an investigation by Consumer Reports.Interesting note.... NJ allows twice the level of arsenic in bottled water as in tap water!
"Additionally, some public health experts and researchers say the federal threshold is too high. As such, some states have set different arsenic standards for their water. New Jersey, for instance, set the maximum allowable arsenic level in tap water at 5ppb. But the Garden State still goes by the federal 10ppb limit for bottled water."
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Supercooled water in “snowball chamber” might be able to find dark matter
Ingenious new detector design inspired by YouTube videos and the movie Frozen.
Like many people, physicist Matthew Szydagis has been amused by all those YouTube videos showing people banging on a bottle filled with water, causing it to quickly freeze in response to the blow. -
There’s just no getting away from microplastic contamination
And we still don’t know where a huge portion of our plastic waste even ends up.
Microplastics may be having a moment in the spotlight, as the public is increasingly aware of their presence in the environment around us. -
A web art exhibit forces visitors to confront the past
If a digital tree falls and no one bothers to search for it, does it still exist?
Saved emails, Geocities pages, an emulation of Windows 98. These are all parts of the deleted web — the web that can’t be easily accessed anymore. -
PayPal and GoFundMe banned a militia group that detained migrants at the US border
The group relied on outside donations to operate
Earlier this week, The New York Times reported that a right-wing militia group, operating in New Mexico was detaining migrants at gunpoint before turning them over to US officials. -
Tesla gets restraining order on short-seller who photographed employees
A strange new development in Elon Musk’s war with Tesla short-sellers
Tesla has hit one of its prominent Twitter critics and short-sellers of the company with a restraining order — the same person who recently spotted and photographed a Model 3 being filmed by Tesla . -
Iran oil: US to end sanctions exemptions for major importers
US President Donald Trump has decided to end exemptions from sanctions for countries still buying oil from Iran.
The White House said waivers for China, India, Japan, South Korea and Turkey would expire in May, after which they could face US sanctions themselves. -
Hanna TV adaptation sacrifices magic of original film for typical teen angst
But strong finale sets up what could be a much more interesting second season.
An isolated teenaged girl genetically engineered to be an assassin must elude rogue CIA agents intent on terminating her in Hanna, Amazon's adaption of the 2011 film of the same name. -
Cryptocurrency needs government's help, says presidential hopeful Andrew Yang
Clearer rules for bitcoin and other virtual currencies will help the US innovate, argues Yang, a Democratic candidate for president.
You're probably most familiar with cryptocurrency by way of bitcoin, which soared in value in 2017 then mostly collapsed in 2018. -
@mlnews said in Non-IT News Thread:
Cryptocurrency needs government's help, says presidential hopeful Andrew Yang
Clearer rules for bitcoin and other virtual currencies will help the US innovate, argues Yang, a Democratic candidate for president.
You're probably most familiar with cryptocurrency by way of bitcoin, which soared in value in 2017 then mostly collapsed in 2018.Clearly Yang doesn't understand the foundation of Cryptocurrency and how it is not supposed to be based on any central government. . .
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Apple promotes mangrove conservation efforts on Earth Day
The company's support comes in response to illegal farming, fishing and logging activities that threaten the forest's viability
To celebrate Earth Day today and promote its own conversation efforts, Apple has posted an in-depth account of its partnership with Conservation International to support a 27,000-acre mangrove forest in Colombia. -
BBC News - UAE woman wakes up after 27 years in a coma
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-48020481 -
Bug in French government’s WhatsApp replacement let anyone join Élysée chats
Researcher found bug in email validation that let him log in and join "rooms" in Tchap app.
On April 17, the French government introduced an Android application meant to be used by government employees as an internal secure channel for communications. Called Tchap, it was touted as a replacement for WhatsApp and Telegram, providing (in theory) both group and private messaging channels to which only people with government email addresses could join. -
Donald Trump's state visit to the UK set for 3 June
US President Donald Trump will make a three-day state visit to the UK from 3 to 5 June, Buckingham Palace has announced.
The president and First Lady Melania Trump will be a guest of the Queen and attend a ceremony in Portsmouth to mark the 75th Anniversary of D-Day. -
Sri Lanka attacks: Mass funerals held as nation mourns
Sri Lanka has held its first mass funeral amid a day of mourning for the victims of Sunday's bomb blasts.
The death toll from the attacks on churches and hotels has risen to 321 with about 500 wounded, police said.
