In September 2021, the U.S., the UK and Australia established the AUKUS alliance, under which the U.S. and the UK will assist Australia in acquiring nuclear-powered submarines. China and many other countries have repeatedly expressed concerns over the transfer of nuclear weapon materials involved in the trilateral pact.
Archiv: standards / norms / models / procedures
EU parliament majority now in favor of banning AI surveillance in public
(23.09.2022)
According to the document, some EU countries are pushing to add more exemptions for law enforcement.
These include the police being able to use real-time facial recognition (RTFR) to prevent any “substantial threat” to critical infrastructure. The exceptions join the list, which already includes searching for kidnapping victims and suspects of crime.
German liberal Svenja Hahn told Politico that negotiations are still ongoing, but the EU parliament will formally try to secure its position on the matter by the end of the year.
A guide to the AI Act, the EU’s upcoming AI rulebook you should watch out for
(28.08.2022)
The unfolding of this is being attentively watched by other global players as the law will also have an effect outside the EU.
Currently, the EU Parliament and EU Council are each negotiating the draft written by the EU Commission within their own institutions. After this, the three bodies will go into trilogue negotiations.
Here is a guide for you to understand this new regulation and the political processes around it.
Quietly, without any announcement, the Commission’s #ChatControl #CSAM scanner draft legislation has been added to the agenda of the EU Parliament. My Civil Liberties Committee will be in the lead:
Supreme Court as Rubber Stamp
The role of the High Court is to oversee and restrain the Shin Bet, not to become its abject servant. This week the court showed it fails in this duty, and also made a laughingstock of itself.
The JCPOA Nuclear Deal 2.0 is coming any day now – opinion
The “new” deal will maintain the original JCPOA’s rotten sunset clauses; will whitewash all of Iran’s nuclear program violations to-date (like enriching uranium to the 60% level); allow Iran to keep its nuclear enrichment infrastructure and other military weaponization projects; will not guarantee “anytime and anywhere” inspection by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of Iranian nuclear installations; and will not allow for the “snapback” of Western sanctions.
Hadash Elects First Candidates for Its List for the Knesset Elections
Hadash’s electoral platform calls for: an end to Israel’s occupation of all Palestinian territories conquered in the June 1967 war as well as the Golan Heights taken from Syria, and for achieving a just, comprehensive, and stable peace between Israel and an independent Palestinian state to be created in those same occupied Palestinian territories; the protection of workers’ rights; the development of advanced and egalitarian social services (health, education, housing, welfare, culture, and sports), and for full equality for the Arab-Palestinian national minority in Israel.
Among Hadash’s additional goals are: the eradication of ethnic discrimination in all fields; the defense of the interests of residents of disadvantaged neighborhoods and development towns; the protection of democratic freedoms in Israeli society; full equality between the sexes in all fields; the protection of the environment and environmental justice; and the eradication of all nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons in Israel and throughout the Middle East.
Former Trump official Michael Caputo blasts FBI’s Mar-a-Lago raid: ‚Full-blown constitutional crisis‘
„America is in a full-blown constitutional crisis. The American people have endured a slow, creeping attack on our nation. I had a front row seat in the Russia hoax, and I’ve watched it get steadily and methodically worse ever since,“ Caputo said.
„With this militant raid on President Trump’s home, we have become Russia. The FBI is the KGB. I should know. I’ve seen them both in action and I see no difference at all,“ he said.
Exclusive: Inside the Military’s Secret Undercover Army
(17. May 2021)
No one knows the program’s total size, and the explosion of signature reduction has never been examined for its impact on military policies and culture. Congress has never held a hearing on the subject. And yet the military developing this gigantic clandestine force challenges U.S. laws, the Geneva Conventions, the code of military conduct and basic accountability.
Revealed: US spy operation that manipulates social media
(17 Mar 2011)
The discovery that the US military is developing false online personalities – known to users of social media as „sock puppets“ – could also encourage other governments, private companies and non-government organisations to do the same.
The Centcom contract stipulates that each fake online persona must have a convincing background, history and supporting details, and that up to 50 US-based controllers should be able to operate false identities from their workstations „without fear of being discovered by sophisticated adversaries“.
’super‐Europe’
(Nov. 9, 1978)
While the dollar was falling and rising, the Europeans were negotiating a new form of monetary union: the creation of a kind of deutschemark zone in Western Europe. This was no coincidence.
Just as the sovereignty of the nationstate is personified by the ability to create money, so the form and status of international money is an expression of changing power relationships. The events of the last few weeks merely confirm America’s decline and the growing importance of Western Europe, dominated by West Germany.
The Problem of Censorship
The military censor operates as a veil behind which anonymous security and intelligence sources can hide after “advising” the censor when to make use of his authority. In fact, these sources dictate the policy of censorship and exposure without any transparency or public responsibility. The time has come for the new chief censor, Brig. Gen. Kobi Mendelblit, to internalize the High Court of Justice ruling that censorship is only justified in cases of “certainty of clear damage to state security.”
Not Just Netanyahu: Why Do Billionaires and Politicians Make Such Good Friends?
It seems that there is no better, no more characteristic demonstration of the huge gap between the aggressively marketed image and what really occupied Netanyahu in his years at the helm. He is obviously not the only politician who likes the proximity of tycoons. Ariel Sharon, Ehud Barak, Shimon Peres and Ehud Olmert also liked being close to rich people and the pampering they could provide.
Netanyahu Trial | Milchan Said He Got Netanyahu to Make Yossi Cohen National Security Adviser, Aide Testifies
„One Friday, I received a call from Arnon and he said to me, ‚Speak to Yossi Cohen and tell him that Sara likes him,'“ Klein continued. „‚Tell Yossi what Sara says about him.‘ Arnon told him that he spoke with the Netanyahus. And then Arnon met with [then-Mossad chief] Tamir Pardo on Friday afternoon. He told Pardo that he spoke to the Netanyahus and they both approved this appointment, and Tamir told Milchan: ‘You did something bad for the State of Israel.’”
Supreme Court deals Biden climate agenda serious blow with EPA decision
The 6-3 decision limits how far the executive branch can go in forcing new environmental regulations on its own.
„Capping carbon dioxide emissions at a level that will force a nationwide transition away from the use of coal to generate electricity may be a sensible ‘solution to the crisis of the day,’ But it is not plausible that Congress gave EPA the authority to adopt on its own such a regulatory scheme in Section 111(d),“ Chief Justice John Roberts said in the Court’s opinion, referencing Section 111 of the Clean Air Act.
U.S. Supreme Court limits federal power to curb carbon emissions
The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday imposed limits on the federal government’s authority to issue sweeping regulations to reduce carbon emissions from power plants in a ruling that undermines President Joe Biden’s plans to tackle climate change and could constrain various agencies on other issues.
Ex-Amazon Cloud Worker Found Guilty in Capital One Hack: The huge hack affected more than 100 million US customers.
(June 18, 2022)
„She wanted data, she wanted money, and she wanted to brag,“ Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Friedman said in closing arguments, according to the release. The Justice Department didn’t identify the other organizations affected by Thompson’s activity.
China says only those with a qualification can post online about topics such as health and law
The release also contained other rules for live streamers. They are not allowed to post content that distorts or weakens the CCP, like using deep fake technology on state and party leaders.
Influencers are also prohibited from showing an extravagant lifestyle, excessive food wastage, sexually provocative or suggestive content, and a lot of luxury goods.
We can ‘neither confirm nor deny’ we’re spying on Congress
(16.05.2022)
Government attorneys assert it is legal for their agencies to simply open the government purse and buy our data scraped from apps and social media, no warrant needed. When further challenged, the government’s ultimate fallback is a claim that a Reagan-era executive order, known as E.O. 12333, means that it needs no statutory authority to look at whatever it wants.
It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Congress created the Freedom of Information Act in 1967 at a time when lawless surveillance of Americans by the FBI and CIA was rampant.
C.I.A. Is Collecting in Bulk Certain Data Affecting Americans, Senators Warn
(Feb. 10, 2022)
The C.I.A. kept censored the nature of the data when it declassified the letter.
Report Shows FBI Spied On 3.3 Million Americans Without A Warrant, GOP Demands Answers
In a May 25 letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray, Reps. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Mike Turner (R-Ohio) asked Wray to explain why his agency had wiretapped and gathered personal information on over 3.3 million Americans without a warrant (pdf).
Limited authority to gather foreign intelligence information is granted by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).
People’s Party Blocks Liberal Takeover Attempt
(23.02.2022)
Other members of the board and I were told that any attempt to intervene in the hijacking of the party’s message and purpose, including holding a party-wide vote on vaccine mandates, would be construed as “retaliation” against the accuser, in further acts of collusion between her and those on the board.
When the hostile members of the board and contractors realized that the investigation was not going their way, they encouraged the accuser to escalate her claims. The accuser’s original complaint had not even used the words “sexual harassment,” but they told her to allege rape. This shocked the investigative committee, and one of the members later told me, “Every time I spoke with her, I got a different story. Every time I spoke with you, I heard the same thing.” Another member of the investigative committee put together a list of dozens of inconsistencies between her own accounts.
The original investigation was supposed to last about a week, but because it had not arrived at the predetermined conclusion sought by the hostile board members, they prolonged it week after week for two months, pressuring committee members to alter their conclusions, attempting to censor and expel committee members who objected to the political motives behind the allegations, fabricating new charges of “retaliation” for supporting a party-wide vote on vaccine mandates, and most seriously, engaging in a sustained campaign to replace the legal board of the organization with a partial one that subtracted Rodrigo and me, an attempt that our General Council affirmed was illegal.
Had there been any actual evidence, the investigation would have concluded quickly. Because there was none, they resorted to manufacturing the new charges, further revealing their political motives. But the more her allegations fell apart, the more brazen the hostile faction on the board became. They abandoned their responsibilities in other areas of the party, including organizing, tech, and finance, and focused obsessively on attempting to remove me.
Meanwhile, they were also trying to enact their liberal agenda on the National Organizing Committee. They inserted a provision into the draft charter of the People’s National Committee which would have allowed registered Democrats to control every seat on about forty People’s Party state committees and a supermajority on our national committee, effectively inviting Democratic Party infiltrators. When populist delegates overwhelmingly struck down their provision, they were furious.
Ukraine will develop like Israel as country always ready for war – expert
(today)
Oleksandr Komarov, the president of the Kyivstar mobile operator, believes that even under the best scenario, Ukraine will develop like Israel, becoming a country always ready for war.
„My vision of the future is this: even in the best scenario, Ukraine will develop like Israel, becoming a country always ready for war. And this factor should be taken into account in planning. We do not invest for a year, our horizon is 7-10 years. And therefore, all these factors must be taken into account.
Rights Groups Demand Israel Stop Arming neo-Nazis in Ukraine
(Jul. 9, 2018)
A group of more than 40 human rights activists have filed a petition with the High Court of Justice, demanding the cessation of Israeli arms exports to Ukraine.
They argue that these weapons serve forces that openly espouse a neo-Nazi ideology and cite evidence that the right-wing Azov militia, whose members are part of Ukraine’s armed forces, and are supported by the country’s ministry of internal affairs, is using these weapons.
The Truth About Israel, Iran and 1980s U.S. Arms Deals
(Nov. 26, 2010)
In the aforesaid period Netanyahu served as deputy to Moshe Arens, when he was Israel’s ambassador to Washington, D.C. (1982-83 ).
(…)
The recently revealed documents deal with an operation dubbed „Tipped Kettle,“ involving weapons the Israel Defense Forces looted from the Palestine Liberation Organization during Operation Peace for Galilee in Lebanon, and their transfer to the Contras – opponents of the socialistic Sandinista regime in Nicaragua.
(…)
Part II was patently illegal – a blatant effort by the White House to violate a Congressional order and to cook up a strange deal involving the sale of American weapons (originally supplied to the IDF ) to anti-American Iran, for use in its war with Iraq; the release of Western hostages being held in Lebanon by Iranian-controlled Hezbollah; and the financing of Contras‘ activities thanks to the difference between the sum paid by the Iranians and the true value of the weapons – minus a profit for those engaged in the deal.
(…)
The CIA had direct intelligence connections with the Mossad, but in the affair of the captured weapons the American agency preferred to hide behind the Pentagon.
Allegations of CIA drug trafficking
Several conspiracy theories assert that the CIA used Mena Intermountain Municipal Airport to smuggle weapons and ammunition to the Contras in Nicaragua, and drugs back into the United States.[19][20] Some theories even invoke the involvement of political figures, including Oliver North and former presidents George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton.[20][21]
The CIA’s self-investigation, overseen by the CIA’s inspector general, stated that the CIA had no involvement in or knowledge of any illegal activities that may have occurred in Mena.
EU, UK join US in Launching Online ‘Disinformation’ Policies, ‘One-World Governance’ of Social Media
These steps come as part of a broader crackdown on the “spread of disinformation” called for by the Act, requiring platforms to “flag hate speech, eliminate any kind of terrorist propaganda” and implement “frameworks to quickly take down illicit content.”
Regarding alleged “disinformation,” these platforms will be mandated to create a “crisis response mechanism” to combat the spread of such content, with the Act specifically citing the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and the “manipulation” of online content that has ensued.
I’m on NPR, warning smaller platforms that they need to start gearing up for DSA compliance and singing the praises of career civil servants in Brussels.
The EU has proposed the most sophisticated mass surveillance system ever deployed outside of China & the USSR. It will mandate device-scanning, including encrypted messages.
(11.05.2022)
@matthew_d_green will dive into the details on tomorrow’s live show, 4pmEDT
Digital Services Act
On 22 April 2022, European policymakers reached an agreement on the Digital Services Act.[7] The final stage before the two bills come into law, is the vote by representatives of the individual parliaments and policymakers from the 27 member nations, which is considered to be a formality.
EU poised to impose sweeping social media regulation with Digital Services Act
The DSA, and its partner regulation, the Digital Markets Act, were introduced to the European Parliament in 2020. The European Commission said the regulations were intended to accomplish two goals: “create a safer digital space in which the fundamental rights of all users of digital services are protected” and “establish a level playing field to foster innovation, growth, and competitiveness, both in the European Single Market and globally.”
Replying to @matthew_d_green The term „grooming“ is being actively used in right-wing US political speech to indicate *any* advocacy for liberal values. So the potential for this sort of surveillance project to spiral truly out of control into abject political fascism is bounded only by the imagination.
This document is the most terrifying thing I’ve ever seen. It is proposing a new mass surveillance system that will read private text messages, not to detect CSAM, but to detect “grooming”. Read for yourself.
(May 10, 2022)
The EU wants to scan all chat messages, using the guise of combating child abuse
The proposal states that, at the request of a government agency, “Providers of hosting services and providers of interpersonal communication services that have received a detection order shall execute it by installing and operating technologies to detect” CSAM.
We obtained a copy of the proposal for you here.
Minister for European Affairs and Property Management Tyutti Tuppurainen – on payment for Russian gas: „We have made a decision in the government committee on economic policy that Finland will not accept ruble payments.“ 94% of Finland’s gas comes from Russia.
How to check for TLS version 1.3 in Linux, Windows, and Chrome
(Dec 8, 2020)
Due to the retirement of OpenSSL v1.0.2 from support. This will result in the addition of support for TLS v1.3 and its cipher suites, as well as 37 new cipher suites for TLS v1.2. There are several performance and security enhancements in TLS v1.3 when upgraded products are at both ends of the connection.
TLS 1.3: Slow adoption of stronger web encryption is empowering the bad guys
(April 6, 2020)
Asymmetric encryption is used during the “handshake”, which takes place prior to any data being sent. The handshake determines which cipher suite to use for the session – in other words, the symmetric encryption type – so that both browser and server agree. The TLS 1.2 protocol took multiple round trips between client and server, while TLS 1.3 is a much smoother process that requires only one trip. This latency saving shaves milliseconds off each connection.
It’s not hypocrisy. It’s hierarchy.
PATRONS hold the line at Bar Wunder in Toowoomba QLD refusing to back down to Police Government tyranny they shouted „GET OUT“ repeatedly as Police tried to enter the premises. 15 January 2022.
Full video here:
If you suspect being targeted with Pegasus, get in touch by January 7: Supreme Court panel
The committee constituted by the Supreme Court to look into allegations of snooping using the Pegasus spyware invited all citizens who suspected their mobile phones had been targeted to contact the panel by noon on January 7.
“The committee requests any citizen of India who has reasonable cause to suspect that his/her mobile has been compromised due to specific usage of NSO Group Israel’s Pegasus software to contact the technical committee appointed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, with reasons as to why you believe your device may have been infected with Pegasus malware, and whether you would be in a position to allow the Technical Committee to examine your device,” the three-member panel said in an advertisement in several national dailies.
Germany is trying to turn the EU into a ‚Fourth Reich‘, says head of Poland’s ruling party as Brussels SUES to stop the country over-ruling European laws
– One of Poland’s leaders said Germany is trying make EU a ‚German Fourth Reich‘
– Jaroslaw Kaczynski, 72, is the head of Poland’s ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party
– He added: ‚If we agreed with this modern-day submission we’d be degraded‘
Bravo! #Austria Translation: „#Vienna, citizens tear down fences and enter the area intended for those who have a vaccine passport.“
Summers is arguing that @mikepompeo ’s decision to categorize @wikileaks as a Foreign Non-State Intelligence Agency has legal implications as it allows the @CIA to direct actions against WL and #Assange without congressional oversight.
Poland’s Constitution of 1997
Article 4
1.Supreme power in the Republic of Poland shall be vested in the Nation.
2.The Nation shall exercise such power directly or through their representatives.
Article 5
The Republic of Poland shall safeguard the independence and integrity of itsterritory and ensure the freedoms and rights of persons and citizens, the security ofthe citizens, safeguard the national heritage and shall ensure the protection of thenatural environment pursuant to the principles of sustainable development.
(…)
Article 7
The organs of public authority shall function on the basis of, and within the limits of,the law.
Article 81
.The Constitution shall be the supreme law of the Republic of Poland.
2.The provisions of the Constitution shall apply directly, unless the Constitutionprovides otherwise.
Why Is Poland Fighting the Supremacy of European Union Courts?
(08.10.2021)
Poland threw down the gauntlet to the European Union on Thursday when its Constitutional Tribunal issued a judgment that the Polish Constitution in some cases supersedes rulings by the bloc’s highest court.
The Polish judgment, which is a direct challenge to the primacy of European law, one of the cornerstones of the European Union, will only take effect once it is published by the government in an official journal, which could take some time.
What Is the Fundamental Key to Happiness?
(2016)
When our minds are still, all is well. We don’t suffer when we’re not creating negative mental stories. We must remember that these harmful stories are in our minds and when we quiet our minds, all our suffering ends.
Belief in conspiracy theories and overconfidence are two tendencies linked to hasty thinking.
The fear of coronavirus is changing our psychology
(2nd April 2020)
For weeks, almost every newspaper has stories about the coronavirus pandemic on its front page; radio and TV programmes have back-to-back coverage on the latest death tolls; and depending on who you follow, social media platforms are filled with frightening statistics, practical advice or gallows humour.
As others have already reported, this constant bombardment can result in heightened anxiety, with immediate effects on our mental health. But the constant feeling of threat may have other, more insidious, effects on our psychology. Due to some deeply evolved responses to disease, fears of contagion lead us to become more conformist and tribalistic, and less accepting of eccentricity.
Transformation: The collective psychology of coronavirus
(17 March 2020)
All this makes me think about the stuff I’ve been working on over the last couple of years in the Collective Psychology Project (CPP), which I set up in 2018 – and in particular the importance of whether we respond to perceived threats by going into fight-or-flight or tend-and-befriend mode.
Fight-or-flight – or more accurately, fight / flight / freeze – is a natural reaction to threat or feelings of overwhelm. But it’s not particularly helpful in the face of a collective threat like coronavirus. It’s a primal response, not a considered one. It focuses on the interests of the individual, not the collective.
After a drone strike in Kabul killed 10 civilians, Democratic senators want Biden to scrap the practice
It’s hard to know exactly how many civilians have been killed by drones. One analysis by Airwars, a harm monitoring group, estimated that at least 22,000 civilians have been killed based off the U.S. military’s assertion that it has conducted 100,000 airstrikes since 2001. However, the same analysis noted that the number could be as high as 48,000.
Tory MPs need ‘Covid passport’ to meet Boris Johnson at No 10
Boris Johnson has ordered Tory MPs who want to meet him in 10 Downing Street to bring „Covid passports“.
World watches Israel’s controversial third-dose vaccination strategy
(30.08.2021)
Those with two shots are still getting sick with what are called breakthrough infections.
Half those in Hadassa Hospital in Jerusalem are double vaccinated, a statistic that is less surprising when you take into account that more than 60 per cent of the population are fully vaccinated.
#Breaking: Israel no longer considers people who have received 2 Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines „vaccinated.“ As of September 1, only 3x vaccinated are considered immune.
(29.08.2021)
Merriam-Webster gives „vaccine“ a new definition
(April 30, 2021)
Prefatory note: In this post, I take the noun „vaccine“ as the basic word under discussion, but also consider other cognate terms („vaccinate“, „vaccination“).
Here’s a standard dictionary entry for „vaccine“:
n.
1. any preparation of weakened or killed bacteria or viruses introduced into the body to prevent a disease by stimulating antibodies against it.
2. the virus of cowpox, used in vaccination, obtained from pox vesicles of a cow or person.
3. a software program that helps to protect against computer viruses.
[1800–05; < New Latin (variolae)vaccīnae cowpox = vacc(a) cow + -īnae, feminine pl. of -īnus -ine] Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary (cited) Let us compare that with the new M-W entry for "vaccine": : a preparation that is administered (as by injection) to stimulate the body’s immune response against a specific infectious disease:
EU Digital COVID Certificate and UK NHS COVID Pass added to IATA Travel Pass
Harmonization of digital vaccine standards is essential to support the safe and scalable restart of aviation, avoid unnecessary airport queues and ensure a smooth passenger experience.
Building on the EU DCC success, IATA has called on the World Health Organization (WHO) to revisit its work to develop a global digital vaccine standard.
Merriam-Webster gives „vaccine“ a new definition
(April 30, 2021)
Prefatory note: In this post, I take the noun „vaccine“ as the basic word under discussion, but also consider other cognate terms („vaccinate“, „vaccination“).
Here’s a standard dictionary entry for „vaccine“:
n.
1. any preparation of weakened or killed bacteria or viruses introduced into the body to prevent a disease by stimulating antibodies against it.
2. the virus of cowpox, used in vaccination, obtained from pox vesicles of a cow or person.
3. a software program that helps to protect against computer viruses.
[1800–05; < New Latin (variolae)vaccīnae cowpox = vacc(a) cow + -īnae, feminine pl. of -īnus -ine] Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary (cited) Let us compare that with the new M-W entry for "vaccine": : a preparation that is administered (as by injection) to stimulate the body’s immune response against a specific infectious disease:
When You’ve Been Fully Vaccinated
(27.08.2021)
– If you’ve had close contact with someone who has COVID-19, you should get tested 3-5 days after your exposure, even if you don’t have symptoms. You should also wear a mask indoors in public for 14 days following exposure or until your test result is negative. You should isolate for 10 days if your test result is positive.
(…)
What We Know
– COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective at preventing COVID-19, including severe illness and death.
– COVID-19 vaccines are effective against severe disease and death from variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 currently circulating in the United States, including the Delta variant.
– Infections happen in only a small proportion of people who are fully vaccinated, even with the Delta variant. When these infections occur among vaccinated people, they tend to be mild.
– If you are fully vaccinated and become infected with the Delta variant, you can spread the virus to others.
– People with weakened immune systems, including people who take immunosuppressive medications, may not be protected even if fully vaccinated.
Covid-19: C.D.C. Reverses Testing Advice for Fully Vaccinated
Published July 28, 2021
Updated Aug. 12, 2021
Anyone who has been potentially exposed to the virus should get tested, the C.D.C. now says. Previous guidance recommended testing only for fully vaccinated people who were symptomatic.
PfizerLeak – What If the Pfizer Contracts Were Declared Illegal?
These clauses raises up the following urgent questions:
1) Does a government, which is the executive branch in democracy, have the right to make an obligation to restrict the legislative branch (the parliament), as well as restrict the Judiciary branch of democracy (courts)?
2) Can a government make an obligation to foreign entities that they will have a right to oversight and vet the decisions of the legislative branch (the parliament), as well as decide whether or not the decisions of the Judiciary branch of democracy (courts) are valid or not?
3) Does these contracts represent a danger to democracy, especially as they were done in secrecy?
Covid Vaccines: The “LEAKED” Pfizer Contract
(29.07.2021)
Since it was posted by Ehden, other “contracts” have leaked, which contain similar language and clauses. But, as these aren’t 100% proven genuine either, it would be wrong to use them to corroborate each other.
Stronger evidence can be found on the website of the Israeli Ministry of Health, where they have a (heavily redacted) copy of their “REAL-WORLD EPIDEMIOLOGICAL EVIDENCE COLLABORATION AGREEMENT” with Pfizer (we downloaded a copy of that too, just in case.)
These two documents do have some strong similarities.
מגה סקופ: הסודות בחוזים החשאיים של פייזר נחשפים (PFIZERLEAK)
07/08/2021 by Ehden Biber
אני עומד לחשוף לפניכם את הסודות הכי גדולים שהמדינה שלכם מסתירה מכם, המוסתרים בחוזה שלהם עם פייזר. מה שאתם עומדים לקרוא לא פורסם בשום כלי תקשורת ישראלי, ולכן החשיבות שלו היא ענקית.
שלום,
-PFIZERLEAK
We need to talk about PfizerLeak – Why I’ve committed a career suicide by posting leaked documents online?
(04.08.2021)
If you haven’t heard about the #PfizerLeak, I congratulate you for listening only to mainstream media. So for those who have no idea what’s going on, here is a brief summary:
Pressure builds for full FDA approval of vaccines
(11.08.2021)
The latest mandate came Monday, when Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced he would move to make the vaccine mandatory for troops by mid-September but would act “immediately” if it received full approval before then.
Anthony Fauci, the government’s top infectious diseases expert, added to the chorus on Sunday, when he expressed hope that the approval would move quickly.
Pentagon will seek to mandate Covid vaccine for 1.4 million troops
(09.08.2021)
DoD officials have made several calls to key lawmakers in recent days to gauge support for the mandate, according to a congressional source and a senior administration official familiar with the talks.
Pentagon to seek approval to make COVID-19 vaccines mandatory
(09.08.2021)
The Pentagon on Monday said that it will seek U.S. President Joe Biden’s approval by mid-September to require 1.3 million military members to get vaccinated against COVID-19, anticipating full regulatory clearance for a vaccine by then.
EKSKLUZIVE- Kontrata sekrete e qeverisë me “Pfizer” për vaksinat
(January 19, 2021)
Kontrata e shumëpërfolur ndërmjet qeverisë shqiptare dhe korporatës farmaceutike “Pfizer” është siguruar ekskluzivisht nga “Gogo.al”.
Thank you @ninaturner for your fearlessness and your unrelenting commitment to truth telling. These are the qualities that make you powerful and there is no super pac that can change that.
Nina lost for a very simple reason. In the closing stretch THIS happened: „Democratic Majority for Israel, a hybrid PAC/super PAC that has spent $1.2 million on ads supporting Brown and opposing Turner“ – & the ads viciously lied about her. The lies stuck
Turner Vs. Brown: A Showdown Between Progressive And Establishment Dems
The special election in Ohio featuring candidates Nina Turner and Shontel Brown has become a reportedly „acrimonious and bitter“ battle between the progressive and establishment wings of the Democratic party, as these factions go all out to support their preferred candidate. Journalists Eugene Robinson and Jeremy W. Peters join The ReidOut with their analysis.
There’s a fight for the future of the Democratic Party happening in Ohio
South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn, the third-ranking Democrat in the House, told CNN recently that Biden needed all the allies he could get in the House, a clear shot at Turner’s past negative comments about the 46th President.
Third Way, a centrist Democratic group, is spending $500,000 on a series of ads driving that same message.
Sen. Cruz Fights to Block the American Government from Establishing COVID Vaccine Passports
(28.07.2021)
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today participated in a committee markup on three bills, one of which seeks to create a fund for global health initiatives. Sen. Cruz introduced two amendments to prevent the federal government from creating a vaccine passport system and vaccine database to track Americans based on their vaccination status. Read excerpts of his remarks below.
Australia uses helicopters and the ARMY to enforce its ‚Zero Covid‘ lockdown as thousands of police flood Sydney to enforce the rules and hand out $500 no-mask fines – with just 17% of adults vaccinated
Five million people under strict stay-at-home order because of a surge of nearly 3,000 infections since June
LIVE: Paris – new round of demonstrations against health passes, mandatory COVID vaccination
Live from Paris on Saturday, July 31 as people gather for a new set of demonstrations against coronavirus lockdowns and mandatory vaccination.
France sees third weekend of protests against obligatory ‚health pass‘
Authorities estimated that some 150,000 demonstrators would take part in Saturday’s demonstrations. Some 161,000 people gathered at similar protests last week and 110,000 took to the streets a week earlier.
C.D.C. Internal Report Calls Delta Variant as Contagious as Chickenpox
The Delta variant is more transmissible than the viruses that cause MERS, SARS, Ebola, the common cold, the seasonal flu and smallpox, and it is as contagious as chickenpox, according to the document, a copy of which was obtained by The New York Times.
The immediate next step for the agency is to “acknowledge the war has changed,” the document said. Its contents were first reported by The Washington Post on Thursday evening.
I refuse to be imprisoned by an incompetent Government invoking bogus science
The „amber plus“ regime for those returning from France is on one level a trivial detail, hardly newsworthy when set against the magnificent fiasco of the British pingdemic.
Yet nothing quite so illustrates the bureaucratic incoherence of Britain’s post-vaccination policy as this lunatic quarantine rule for travellers.
Furthermore, it is slightly alarming to see the authorities deploy the coercive power of the state so breezily, in such a random fashion, and in violation of the known scientific data. Bad habits are being formed.
More than FIFTY Tory MPs are ready to vote against ‚misguided‘ Covid passports after Government is accused of introducing them ‚by stealth‘ by quietly updating NHS app – as Dominic Raab says they ‚make sense‘ for returning to the office
– Many Tory MPs are ‚horrified‘ by proposals to introduce mandatory passports
– They say it will create a ‚two-class society‘ and plan to block the plans
– Britons with both Covid-19 jabs can now add vaccine certificate to Apple Wallet
– ‚Get your NHS Covid Pass‘ section of the NHS App leads to ‚domestic‘ or ‚travel‘
– ‚Domestic‘ section will display name, date of birth and QR code confirming jabs
– ‚Travel‘ section has same information along with nine extra details for each dose
– Lib Dems: Government has ‚introduced Covid ID Cards by stealth onto phones‘
Thousands Around Globe Protest COVID-19 Shots, Lockdowns
Tens of thousands of people protested in Australia, France, Italy and Greece on Saturday, sparking clashes with police as they railed against COVID-19 measures and government sanctions against the unvaccinated aimed at prodding more people into getting their shots.
Thousands protest amid global anger against COVID restrictions
People take to the streets in Australia, France, Italy and the UK in protests against lockdowns and vaccine pass schemes.
Big protests mark global anger at Covid restrictions
(video)
Protesters chant ‘shame on you’ at police during ‚rally for freedom‘ march through city centre and Arndale
The group were holding up banners including one which read: “Don’t believe the hype”.
It is thought that the protesters had gathered under the banner of the ‘World Wide Rally For Freedom’.
Cities around the world are said to be taking part.
Hundreds gather in Belfast for freedom march against Covid restrictions
Hundreds of anti mask and vaccine passport protestors have gathered in Belfast City Centre in a freedom march.
The crowd assembled outside Belfast City Hall and marched towards Botanic Gardens in the south of the city.
Large Covid-related protests hit France, Italy and Australia.
Over 160,000 demonstrators took to the streets in France on Saturday to protest the government’s Covid-19 health pass policy, with brief clashes between largely unmasked protesters and police officers in Paris followed by wafts of tear gas that were reminiscent of the Yellow Vest turmoil of several years ago.
Similarly, in cities across Italy, thousands of people protested the government’s requirement that, as of Aug. 6, they show a so-called green pass, an extension of the European Union’s digital Covid certificate, to enter many venues.
Australia COVID LIVE updates: NSW Police open probe into lockdown protests; federal government to buy 85m Pfizer booster doses
NSW Police have received more than 5,000 tips off and identified more than 200 people who took part in Saturday’s anti-lockdown protest in Sydney.
“Police are currently following those people up to take appropriate action,” Deputy Commissioner Mal Lanyon said on Sunday.
Anti-vaxxers, Yellow Vests, and Macron critics protest across France
Demonstrations against the health pass brought together more than 15,000 people in the south of France in the cities of Marseille, Nice and Montpellier, to cries of „Freedom, Freedom“, while protesters in Paris clashed with police.
France leads Europe in making life unpleasant for the unvaccinated, prompting complaints that President Emanuel Macron is curtailing liberty
(23.07.2021)
Thousands in Italy protest against tougher regulations to contain coronavirus
Some 3,000 people in Rome gathered to protest against what is known as the “green pass,” according to ANSA news agency. The EU’s digital coronavirus certificate is also called the green pass in Italy.
There were also demonstrations in Milan, Turin and Naples, according to Corriere della Sera newspaper.
Italy imposes ‘green pass’ restrictions on unvaccinated people
(today)
Draghi told a press conference on Thursday that the country needed to act quickly to avoid the kind of infection levels that are being seen in the UK and elsewhere in Europe, as well as to protect the economy.
From 6 August, entry to stadiums, museums, theatres, cinemas, exhibition centres, swimming pools and gyms will only be allowed upon presentation of a “green pass”.
Filthy liar! German TV reporter is fired after being caught smearing herself in mud before filming report saying she helped the clear-up efforts in flood-devastated town
(22.07.2021)
Susanna Ohlen, 39, muddied herself to pretend she had lent a hand with the clean up effort in Bad Munstereifel following heavy flooding that claimed at least 128 lives in Germany.
RTL.de had published an article titled ‚Cleaning up after the flood: RTL presenter lends a hand in Bad Munstereifel‘, which featured Ohlen.
She was caught out after an onlooker posted the incriminating video online on Thursday.
We have to do something dramatic to protect the US against Covid-19, expert says
Experts like Dr. Anthony Fauci have said that local vaccine mandates could be helpful in protecting the US from further surge. And such mandates could become easier for private companies as vaccines move further along.
(…)
With so many people hesitating or resisting the vaccine and vaccination rates dropping, restrictions to work and school may be key to motivating the public to reach the necessary threshold to slow or stop the spread., experts have said.
The Commons will tomorrow be asked to vote on ‘draft Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2021’ Sounds fairly innocuous, no? These are actually the Regulations to bring in compulsory vaccination – not just for care staff…
…but based on preliminary intentions I am aware of in @DHSCgovuk, this will also mandate vaccination for those eg carrying out deliveries/servicing the boilers at such care homes…
Boris Johnson urges use of Covid vaccine passports
Prime Minister says venues with large crowds will be asked to adopt certification ‘as a matter of social responsibility’
Press review: Russia, EU seek mutual okays on ‘vaccine passports’ and OPEC+ impacts ruble
Top stories from the Russian press on Friday, July 9th
EU Commission Recognises Swiss COVID-19 Vaccination Passports As Equivalent to Those Issued By EU Members
The European Commission has decided to recognise Switzerland’s EU Digital COVID-19 Vaccination Passport as equivalent to those issued throughout the EU and EEA countries, starting from today, July 9.
In Greece Flag of Greecethey’re guided by a bio-ethics committee. Ancient Greeks would be proud.
“Greece’s bio-ethics committee had recommended compulsory shots for health workers & staff at nursing homes „as a last resort measure“ if efforts to encourage inoculation proved ineffective.”
France to tackle fourth Covid wave with stricter border controls, health passports and compulsory vaccines
French president Emmanuel Macron has announced a package of measures to help France control a fourth wave of Covid cases, including stricter border controls, the extension of the health passport for more everyday activities and making the vaccine compulsory for all healthcare workers.
France will require people to use a ‚health passport‘ to enter a restaurant or attraction this fall
The country will be using a „health passport“ program in which people can share a QR code or certificate with establishments to show they are vaccinated against COVID-19, recently recovered from the virus, or have had a recent negative COVID-19 test.
Coronavirus latest news: Vaccine passport plan ‚will be fourth lockdown‘ for pubs
“You would be putting door control on every pub, bar, restaurant, coffee shop, hotel, nightclub and music venue in the country [to check certificates] and that’s simply not happening at the moment,“ she told Sky News.
“You would see high levels of business failure, high levels of business closure unless there was substantive Government support.”
Boris Johnson may tone down ‘freedom’ rhetoric amid reopening jitters
The final decision about 19 July will be taken on Monday morning, based on modelling from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) about Covid cases and pressures on the NHS.
Covid passports ‚WILL be compulsory in pubs‘: Ministers ‚plan to force bars, clubs and restaurants to demand proof of two jabs or negative test from autumn‘ to help tackle fourth wave of the virus
The government had decided not to enforce Covid passports now because it would discriminate against younger people who have not been able to receive their second vaccination yet, The Times reported.
There are also fears it could damage the economy with people being turned away from the struggling hospitality industry.
But ministers believe that all over 18s will have been offered both doses by September and therefore vaccine passports can be enforced in venues where social distancing is not possible.
Germany could lift all Covid-19 restrictions in August: FM
Berlin, July 7 – German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Tuesday said that he supported the lifting of all Covid-19 restrictions once a vaccine has been offered to everyone in the country.
When this is achieved, there is „no longer a legal or political justification for any kind of restriction,“ Maas told the German Press Agency on Tuesday, adding that he expected this to happen during August.
Covishield: India puts pressure on EU for vaccine pass approval
Covishield is the Indian-made version of AstraZeneca’s Vaxzevria jab, which has been authorised in the EU.
India’s Serum Institute, which is making the vaccine, is seeking emergency authorisation in the European Union for its jab.
The vaccines currently eligible for the green pass have all been approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA).
Supreme Court declines to expand police power to enter home without warrant
The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to grant police more authority to enter the home of a fleeing suspect following a minor offense.
The unanimous ruling adopts a legal test that involves weighing the circumstances of a warrantless search to determine its lawfulness under the Fourth Amendment.
Release the Transcripts of Israel’s COVID Cabinet Meetings
The Supreme Court is currently deliberating over Haaretz’s petition, drafted by attorney Tal Lieblich, to release transcripts of cabinet and ministerial committee meetings on the coronavirus. For more than a year, this battle has been wending its way through the courts. In addition to its demand that the full transcripts be released for public scrutiny, the petition seeks to mount a challenge in principle to a rule that automatically defines all ministerial meetings as classified – a rule that leads to documentation being buried in the archives for at least 30 years.
Can Netanyahu say just what he likes?
(25.10.2015)
The storyteller said he was convinced at that moment that Netanyahu himself believed it.
If apocryphal, it is definitely in character. Netanyahu regularly embraces bad ideas or even lies so totally that he convinces himself of their rightness. Others start to believe them too. His outlandish idea, uttered in a speech, was that Hitler would have been happy with just expelling Jews if a Palestinian, the then grand mufti of Jerusalem, had not suggested annihilation instead.
Our epidemic is over, so why are we slower to unlock than countries with higher infection rates?
The BBC has worked out that 44 per cent of local authority areas in England, and more than half in Scotland, did not record a single Covid fatality in April. Hardly surprising given the low incidence of the virus. According to the ONS, around one person in a thousand was infected in the week up to 24 April – down from one in 50 in January.
Why, then, are we being so slow to open up?
COVID-19: Coronavirus passports for foreign travel will be available ‚as soon as possible‘
A Department for Transport spokeswoman said: „We are working on a solution to enable residents to prove their COVID-19 status, including vaccination status, to other countries on the outbound leg.
„We are working on this as a priority and intend to have the solution ready as soon as possible.“
COVID-19: Lockdown is main reason for drop in coronavirus cases and deaths – not vaccinations, says Boris Johnson
(14.04.2021)
The PM suggests the millions of jabs given over the past few months was not key to the reduction in COVID levels.
The brutal attack on me because Israeli security forces allowed Ma’aleh Ahuvia to rebuild after evacuating it yesterday, and didn’t stop the flocks from entering Dir Jarir lands to eat (steal) what is growing there.
(08.04.2021)
Settler Brutally Assaults Rabbi Defending Palestinian Bedouin
The former president of Rabbis for Human Rights was violently assaulted by a far-right Israeli settler on Wednesday, April 7 near the illegal Maale Ahuvia outpost in the occupied Palestinian territories. Video footage of the brutal attack shows Rabbi Arik Ascherman conversing with a masked settler, then suddenly being attacked by another who repeatedly beats him with a long wooden club while, off-camera, cries of “No violence” are intoned.
According to Zo Haderech, Ascherman arrived at the scene after he had been contacted by local Palestinians.
Boris Johnson: bumbling authoritarian
A year into the pandemic – and despite a world-leading vaccine rollout that is de-risking Covid more and more by the day – we are moving glacially out of lockdown. What’s more, we are told that social distancing may be here to stay for a long while yet. Even worse, the introduction of domestic vaccine passports – the transformation of Britain into a ‘papers, please’ society – now seems inevitable.
Parliament hasn’t even been guaranteed a vote on them, as Boris, doughty liberal that he is, continues to rule by decree.
The Telegraph – Covid pass could be used by grandparents to screen birthday party guests
(03.04.2021)
Jake Hurfurt, head of research and investigations at Big Brother Watch, said:
“Netcompany’s chilling endorsement of segregated events and biosurveillance of our family members is a warning of the road Covid passes would lead us down.
“This contract shows that ministers misled Parliament and the public, claiming for months there were no plans for Covid passes and still claiming today that no decision has been made. This contract exposes the reality that work began on Covid certificates a long time ago.“
Poll: 53 percent of voters support having ‚vaccine passports‘
Democrats were more likely than Republicans to support a vaccine passport, while independent voters were evenly split on the issue.
Roughly 70 percent of Democratic voters said the government should create such a system, while 60 percents of Republican voters said the opposite.
Why ARE we still in lockdown? UK’s Covid outbreak is now in a similar position as it was in JULY as figures show cases are falling in every age group, only ONE area saw a tiny rise and 94% of over-70s now have antibodies following vaccination drive
– Study shows Britain’s cases, deaths and hospitalisations has fallen to levels as low as those seen last July
– Epidemiologist professor Tim Spector of King’s College says UK’s figures are among the lowest in Europe
– University College London modelling suggested UK could pass threshold for herd immunity next week
– Tory MPs said increasingly positive data should result in Boris Johnson speeding up exit from lockdown
Covid passports are authoritarian, illogical, vile
The Covid passport is a revolting idea. Authoritarian. Discriminatory. Un-British. The PM will give us more details in a press conference today but it’s a mark of how far lockdown has warped our values that it’s already being hailed as a “freedom pass”. The public is all for it, of course: these are the people who call the cops when they see a queue outside a church. We’ve become so used to control that being permitted to do something that in ordinary times would be quite normal, like go to the theatre or attend a football match, is treated as a benign act of mercy by an all-loving state.
Vaccine passports show the state is reaching too far into our lives
There are, though, some people who can’t take the vaccine or, like pregnant women, are advised against it.
Banning these people from concerts and football matches would be divisive and discriminatory. As we plan for the peace, we should be vigilant in defence of liberty, where the state has reached too far into our lives, we should kick it out. No government in future should have the power to tell you whether you can see your children or grandchildren, nor should it be able to force you to publish your medical records as a condition for living a normal life.
Boris ‚wants vaccine passports up and running by JUNE 21‘ but could fail to get legislation past Parliament as he ‚promises Tory rebels they WILL get a vote‘ and Labour says scheme is like using ‚a sledgehammer to crack a nut‘
Boris Johnson wants domestic Covid passports in place by June 21 – but faces the prospect of an embarrassing Commons defeat after promising Tory rebels a vote on their introduction.
Michael Gove is said to have made the offer to furious backbenchers appalled at the idea of forcing Britons to prove their vaccination status to enter pubs and other social hubs.
Boris Johnson wants the scheme to be up and running for June 21, when the last social distancing measures are expected to be swept away.
Boris Johnson to give go-ahead for trials of Covid passports
News of the trial events comes as senior Tories among a cross-party group have declared they will oppose the use of vaccine certificates, with 72 MPs signing a pledge to oppose the “divisive and discriminatory” scheme. Some have described their use as the creation of “checkpoint Britain”. A government scientific adviser has also warned that they could give people a false sense of security.
The size of the rebellion could create problems for the government, should it conclude that legislation is needed to introduce Covid passports
ChristenUnie rules out a new coalition with Rutte as prime minister
ChristenUnie leader Gert-Jan Segers said in an interview with the Nederlands Dagblad …
ACCESS DENIED – The Case against a two-tier Britain under covid certification
Freedom is not a reward for compliance. Freedom is not a gift to be meted out by the state according to the performance of its policies or public institutions. Freedom is innate in each of us, and our constitution. There is a common goal for the country to be healthy, safe and free – but we cannot arrive at freedom through compulsion.
There will be strong pushes for ever-inflating controls on individuals from industries that stand to profit, whether from the growing digital infrastructure those controls rely on, or the short-term boost in consumer ‘confidence’ – but the long-term impact on the economy, equality, social cohesion and the liberties that define our country cannot be under-estimated.
It would be an irrecoverable mistake to give in to these authoritarian impulses and allow our society to be divided. We urge the Government to bring the country together rather than drive groups apart – to protect citizens, prevent discrimination and safeguard our freedoms – to reject COVID-status certification.
FORTY rebel Tories including six ex-Cabinet ministers join forces with opposition MPs in bid to block ‚divisive and discriminatory‘ vaccine passports
– Unlikely alliance condemned vaccine passports as ‚divisive and discriminatory‘
– Members of coalition were organised by the pressure group Big Brother Watch
– Signed a pledge to oppose the idea if it is brought forward by ministers
– Signatories include Jeremy Corbyn, Sir Iain Duncan Smith and Esther McVey
Biden Pushes Mask Mandate as C.D.C. Director Warns of ‘Impending Doom’
The president’s comments came only hours after the C.D.C. director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, appeared to fight back tears as she pleaded with Americans to “hold on a little while longer” and continue following public health advice, like wearing masks and social distancing, to curb the virus’s spread.
Privacy by Default: p=p security
Support for all established encryption methods. And all your devices. Fully automatic. For your peace of mind. And your convenience.
How to check for TLS version 1.3 in Linux, Windows, and Chrome
(Dec 8, 2020)
Due to the retirement of OpenSSL v1.0.2 from support. This will result in the addition of support for TLS v1.3 and its cipher suites, as well as 37 new cipher suites for TLS v1.2. There are several performance and security enhancements in TLS v1.3 when upgraded products are at both ends of the connection.
How to enable or disable TLS 1.3 in Windows 10
– Type inetcpl.cpl in the Run prompt (Win + R) and press the Enter key
– It will open the Internet Properties window. Switch to the Advanced section
– Under the security section, check the box against TLS 1.3
– Restart the browser
TLS 1.3: Slow adoption of stronger web encryption is empowering the bad guys
(April 6, 2020)
Asymmetric encryption is used during the “handshake”, which takes place prior to any data being sent. The handshake determines which cipher suite to use for the session – in other words, the symmetric encryption type – so that both browser and server agree. The TLS 1.2 protocol took multiple round trips between client and server, while TLS 1.3 is a much smoother process that requires only one trip. This latency saving shaves milliseconds off each connection.
Another characteristic of TLS 1.3 is that it can operate alongside DNS over HTTPS (DoH).
Top Court Strikes Down COVID Restrictions on Citizens‘ Entry and Departure From Israel
In a damning verdict, the judges noted that „Israel is the only democratic country in the world where the right of citizens to enter their country has been so sweepingly restricted.“
On the figure of 3,000, the judges stated that this was set by the government before they had gathered data on the number of nationals who were stuck abroad, and ordered any future restrictions to be based on updated and comprehensive facts.
Right-wing Central American leaders praise neoliberal ‘Biden Plan’ to strengthen US ‘sphere of influence’
Right-wing Central American politicians are applauding Plan Biden, a US strategy promising corporate investment in return for neoliberal reforms. They pledge to remain in the US “sphere of influence” and isolate China and Russia, while calling for regime change against Nicaragua’s leftist government.
Privacy by Default: p=p security
Support for all established encryption methods. And all your devices. Fully automatic. For your peace of mind. And your convenience.
As Israel Reopens, ‘Whoever Does Not Get Vaccinated Will Be Left Behind’
(18.02.2021)
New government and business initiatives are moving in the direction of a two-tier system for the vaccinated and unvaccinated, raising legal, moral and ethical questions.
What Angela Merkel’s Retirement This Year Means for Israel
Laschet is committed to Chancellor Merkel’s famous sentence, which she uttered when addressing the Knesset in Jerusalem in 2008, that Israel’s security is part of Germany’s raison d’être. According to Speich, “it is Laschet’s fundamental foreign policy conviction that Germany must commit itself to the security of Israel. It is a political obligation.”
SolarWinds, Microsoft, FireEye, CrowdStrike defend actions in major hack – U.S. Senate hearing
Lawmakers started the hearing by criticizing Amazon representatives, who they said were invited to testify and whose servers were used to launch the cyberattack, for declining to attend the hearing.
Running your own DNS service? There may be changes ahead.
(22.01.2021)
As a consequence of this directive’s quite broad definition of DNS, every organisation or individual running their own DNS will have to comply by registering their DNS service with ENISA, the EU agency for Cyber Security. This applies not only to top level domain DNS, but also to universities, companies of all sizes and ICT-enthusiasts who run their own DNS service at home.
New EU Cybersecurity Strategy: European Commission Accelerates Push for EU to Lead in Cybersecurity Regulation
(24.12.2020)
Broadening the extra-territorial effect already in place under the current regime, selected providers of digital infrastructure or digital services who do not have a European establishment, but offer services in the EU, will also fall under the scope of the proposed NIS 2 Directive (and, to that end, will have to designate a representative in the EU). This will affect DNS service providers, TLD name registries, cloud computing service providers, data centre service providers and content delivery network providers, as well as providers of online marketplaces, online search engines and social networking services platforms.
Proposal for directive on measures for high common level of cybersecurity across the Union
(16.12.2020)
The Commission proposal establishes a basic framework with responsible key actors on coordinated vulnerability disclosure for newly discovered vulnerabilities across the EU and creating an EU registry on that operated by the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA).
Meet the ECCC – the EU’s new cybersecurity competence center
(18.02.2021)
Cybersecurity and cyber-resilience has been an overarching priority of EU financial services policymakers and an area that the European Commission has been seeking to improve for all market participants in the EU’s Single Market. This issue has increased in priority in line with the exponential growth in cyber-incidents and threats, including throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
SolarWinds breach launched from within the United States
Neuberger notably said the attack, which compromised „9 federal agencies and about 100 private companies,“ was launched from inside the United States.
SolarWinds shares are down 1.4%. Two security names closely tied to the hack, FireEye (FEYE -3.2%) and CrowdStrike (CRWD -2.5%), are also in the red.
Biden administration says investigation into SolarWinds hack is likely to take „several months“
The US government’s probe into the devastating SolarWinds breach is likely to take „several months“ at least, according to the top White House cybersecurity official, speaking to reporters Wednesday in the Biden administration’s first public assessment of the gravity of the suspected Russian spying campaign.
Facebook Blocks News In Australia Over Government Plan To Force Payment To Publishers
The moves are a response to proposed legislation that would force social media platforms to pay Australian news organizations for links shared on its sites.
Google Is Suddenly Paying for News in Australia. What About Everywhere Else?
(17.02.2021)
Pathbreaking legislation showed that even a small nation can get the tech giant to bend.
Google threatens to shut down in Australia over proposed tech law
(22.01.2021)
Google has threatened to shut down its search engine in Australia if the government there passes a new law to force big tech companies to pay local news producers for use of their content. The proposed Australian legislation, known as the News Media Bargaining Code, is the first of its kind in the world, and it’s being seen as a test case of the power governments have to regulate big tech firms.
Government declares new state of emergency
Although the lower house refused to extend the state of emergency it in a vote on Thursday, the government acted in response to a request from the governors of the country’s 14 regions who argued that a state of danger would not give them adequate powers to enforce the necessary restrictions needed to keep the coronavirus epidemic in check.
Empty roads during curfew; meanwhile riots escalate in Urk
Reportedly, the youngsters took to the streets, played loud music, and drank alcohol. At least a hundred young people had gathered in the center around 9 p.m. From there, they marched through the streets chanting “dictatorship.” They were addressed by someone with a megaphone who said, “today is the first day that we let you know that we are done.” The protestors also lit fireworks with which they attacked the police.
The police struggled to bring the situation on the control and had to call in the riot control unit. What followed was a game of ‘cat and mouse’, in which the police with long batons ran through the streets and groups of protestors repeatedly managed to escape via side streets.
Riot police called to Urk, youngsters protest in Limburg as curfew comes into force
The first curfew in the Netherlands since the occupation during World War II began smoothly in most part of the country but riot police were drafted in to restore order on the staunchly Protestant former island of Urk after youths went on the rampage.
Curfew effective in the Netherlands from Saturday, January 23
Why does the Netherlands need a curfew?
The weekly report from the National Institute for Public Health and Environment (RIVM) suggested that the number of coronavirus infections in the Netherlands was dropping, as they observed that the effects of the national lockdown announced on December 14 could finally be seen. However …
EU postpones issuing ‘vaccination passports’
The EU decided Thursday to postpone the issuing of vaccination certificates to people immunized against COVID-19 and opted to strongly deter all unnecessary travel within the bloc and with third countries to curb the spread of the virus.
Leaders of the EU met via videoconference to discuss the novel coronavirus pandemic and vaccination efforts in member states.
Travel latest news: Vaccine passports for travellers ‘unavoidable’
Vaccine passports for holidaymakers will soon be ‘unavoidable’ as more countries make Covid immunity a condition of entry, a leading travel health expert has claimed.
Dr Richard Dawood, a specialist in travel medicine at the Fleet Street Clinic in London, also suggested that tight border controls will remain in place while countries feel ‘insecure’ about the risks posed by the virus.
European Commission Working On Standard COVID Passports
(20.01.2021)
The European Commission is exploring proposals to introduce vaccine passports, a move that will facilitate greater travel across borders within the EU. Member states will discuss the idea at a summit this week, with many already signaling their approval for a passport-style document.
European leaders to discuss vaccination speed and immunity passports
Amid rising infections and new strains of COVID-19, EU leaders will meet on Thursday (January 21) to discuss how best to tackle the pandemic. It comes amid continued criticism that the vaccination drive has been too sluggish.
PETER HITCHENS: Guess where Professor Lockdown got his ideas … China’s police state
Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, said at the time that it was ‘just not possible’ for Ferguson to continue advising the Government. But this was not true. The professor was said to have resigned from the SAGE advisory committee. But did he? Not really. A current State website lists him as a member of the ‘New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group’ (NERVTAG). Minutes suggest he was only ever away from that for a few weeks.
Congress barrels toward veto clash with Trump
Trump’s threat to veto the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) could scramble Congress’s year-end schedule; lawmakers had been hoping to leave town once they pass a forthcoming deal to fund the government and provide year-end coronavirus relief.
But leaders are warning that if Trump vetoes the bill they are prepared to return to Washington to vote on trying to override.
Trump contradicts Pompeo, plays down alleged Russian role in cyberattack
Trump’s comments in the form of Twitter posts on Saturday went against comments his secretary of state made less than 24 hours earlier.
SolarWinds, the company at the center of the attack, has not yet blamed any one country.
SolarWinds breach raises stakes for NDAA Trump still threatens to veto
Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) said the breach makes a clear case for the work of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission and the cyber provisions that made it into the annual defense policy bill passed by the House and Senate.
“This is the most important bill on cyber ever passed by Congress, and that’s why I’m really hoping that the president will either sign the bill or let it become law without a signature, because there is so much critically important material in the bill,” King said during an annual summit hosted by Defense One.
Cyberspace Solarium Commission
The Cyberspace Solarium Commission (CSC) was established in the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 to „develop a consensus on a strategic approach to defending the United States in cyberspace against cyber attacks of significant consequences.“ The finished report was presented to the public on March 11, 2020.
Our Report
The Cyberspace Solarium Commission’s proposes a strategy of layered cyber deterrence. Our report consists of over 80 recommendations to implement the strategy. These recommendations are organized into 6 pillars:
– Reform the U.S. Government’s Structure and Organization for Cyberspace.
– Strengthen Norms and Non-Military Tools.
– Promote National Resilience.
– Reshape the Cyber Ecosystem.
– Operationalize Cybersecurity Collaboration with the Private Sector.
– Preserve and Employ the Military Instrument of National Power.
Israel said considering restrictions on those who refuse COVID vaccine
Under the proposal being considered, those who refuse to be inoculated will only be allowed to fly, attend certain events, dine at restaurants or frequent cultural venues by providing a recent negative result from a coronavirus test, according to Channel 12 news, which quoted unnamed senior officials.
Health officials were also reportedly considering barring medical personnel who refuse vaccination from working in coronavirus wards or intensive care units.
AP FACT CHECK: Trump wrong on Georgia voter signature checks
When a voter requests an absentee ballot on a paper application, he or she must sign it. Election officials compare that signature to the signature in voter registration files before a ballot is sent to the voter, Raffensperger said.
When those ballots are returned, the required signature on the outer envelope is compared to signatures in the voter registration system.
U.S spied on allies, including Netherlands, through Denmark
According to the Danish broadcaster, the NSA and Danish military service FE signed an agreement in 2008, which stated that the Americans would help Denmark tap internet cables in the European country. In return, the NSA gained access to internet cables to Eastern Europe. Together they processed the data in a data center near Copenhagen Airport, which was built for that purpose.
But the United States also used that internet access to spy on Denmark itself, and surrounding countries including the Netherlands, Germany and Sweden, the whistleblower, a former employee of the FE, said to DR.
The head of Denmark’s spy program has been fired for snooping on citizens and lying about it
(26.08.2020)
The government in Denmark has fired 3 top officials from the country’s foreign intelligence agency, the Forsvarets Efterretningstjeneste (FE), following revelations from a whistleblower. The officials, including the head of the agency, Lars Finden, have been “relieved of duty for the time being” following the release of a trove of documents. The documents detailed that the FE has been illegally spying on Danish citizens in the last six years and were released by an unnamed whistleblower to the independent regulator of Danish security services which is known as Tilsynet med Efterretningstjenesterne (TET).
Having election voting data as an open standard makes it easy to develop programs that can input election data and output election data. With knowledge of these data types, you could theoretically make black box programs that could modify election data.
Something to look for is whether the Image Cast Central (ICC) system stores this JSON data as plaintext or in an encrypted form.
If this json is stored as plain text, then modifying election data before it is turned into the custody of the county is trivial.
NIST Special Publication 1500-100: Election Results Common Data Format Specification
(December 2019)
1.1 Why this specification is needed The purpose of this specification is to provide a comprehensive, flexible, and interoperable pre-election setup and post-election results reporting XML and JSON format for manufacturers to integrate into their voting equipment and for election offices, the media, and other groups to use in their own software. Some advantages of using this specification are that:
• election results can be reported directly from election offices in this format regardless of voting system manufacturer, thus enabling interoperability;
• the need for custom software and custom reporting formats is greatly reduced;
• jurisdictions that use multiple versions of EMSs and tabulators can more easily combine and transfer information between systems
It seems election votes are tallied then stored as a DOUBLE in JSON. „can include a factional [sic] component in special cases“
If it is proven that Dominion uses this standard in their machines, then that is proof that votes are stored ultimately as double length floating point numbers.
‚No Pandemic Exception To The Constitution‘: Court Rejects Minn. Ballot Extension
„The rule of law, as established by the United States Constitution and the Minnesota Legislature, dictates these rules must be followed notwithstanding the Secretary’s instructions to the contrary,“ the assenting judges wrote in explaining their decision.
„There is no pandemic exception to the Constitution.“
LIVE: updates after new three-tier Covid system is announced
– A new three-tier strategy of local lockdown measures for England has been announced by Boris Johnson in efforts to curb rising Covid-19 rates
– Different areas of England will be split up into medium, high and very high alert levels
– These areas will be subject to the same national measures which currently apply across the country including a 10pm curfew for pubs and restaurants and the ‚rule of six‘
Three-tier Covid plan for England: what it means and how it may work
Any details of the plan are based solely on leaks to the media over the last week, including a document dated 30 September that was seen by the Guardian.
The draft traffic-light-style plan is designed to simplify the current patchwork of localised restrictions, which apply to about a quarter of the UK.
After Restrictions, anti-Netanyahu Protests Continue at Hundreds of Locations Around Israel
The Black Flag movement estimated that 100,000 people have taken part in Saturday’s protests against Netanyahu in cities and towns across the country. Clashes between protesters and police broke out in Tel Aviv, with arrests taking place. At least seven arrests have been reported.
Anti-Netanyahu Protests Have No Leaders. That’s Why They’re Getting Stronger
At Saturday evening’s protest, one person was put in charge of a logistical situation room that handled arrests as well as the photographers, “so we can tell our story rather than what the police and the media are saying,” as one person described it.
Speaking before the demonstration, he said “the situation room will help connect the many groups, but in the end, everyone will do what they want.” He also expressed confidence that there was no need for leadership of the protests, and in fact, opposed such leadership.
At anti-Netanyahu protests, no clear leaders — and that’s how activists like it
“The failure of 2011 was due to their inexperience. They attempted to create a single leadership, which promptly embarked on egotistical internal struggles,” said 65-year-old Avi Ofer, a longtime activist involved in the anti-Netanyahu protests.
Most protesters who spoke to The Times of Israel echoed Elyakim and Ofer. According to 70-year-old Eli Brook, the Jerusalem protests are “more like a network, a web. There is no central organization, central command; there are many different groups.”
So…Why Hasn’t There Been A COVID Spike From The Protests?
(24.06.2020)
The problem with masks, Hassig said, is the psychological element.
She called it a “normative behavior” much like littering.
Brazil’s Proposed ‚Fake News‘ Law Says Internet Users Are Guilty Until Proven Innocent, Demands Constant Logging From ISPs
Brazilians will pretty much need a license to communicate with others — something achieved by turning platforms and app makers into bouncers at the internet nightclub.
Victory for free speech as France’s supreme court crushes authoritarian “hate speech” laws
France’s Supreme Court equivalent rejected most parts of a bill that would obligate social media companies to remove so-called hate speech within 24 hours.
The ruling by the Constitutional Council on Thursday, June 18, 2020, is a win for free speech and even for big social media companies such as Twitter and Facebook.
Louisville city council unanimously pass ‚Breonna’s Law‘ to ban no-knock warrants
The unanimously passed ordinance, which still needs to be approved by the mayor, bans any search warrant that does not require police to announce themselves and their purpose at the premises. It requires any Louisville Metro Police Department or Metro law enforcement to knock and wait a minimum of 15 seconds for a response.
Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer vowed to pass the ban as “soon as it hits my desk.”
Operation ‚Addictive Candy‘: How Israel Silenced a Spy Privy to One of Its Darkest Intelligence Debacles
How do you convince someone to become an agent or informant?
“You can offer humanitarian and family aid; you can compensate him. Everything is possible. We live in the State of Israel, but next to the State of Israel is another state: the State of Intelligence. The State of Israel is nothing compared to the State of Intelligence. Their people can enter any place and do whatever they want.”
Nick’s bar was live
„45 minutes after the bars open in Wisconsin…“
Lockdown for ANOTHER MONTH??? Who the hell voted for that Jackass IGE??? I hope the Hawaii Supreme Court sets us free like they did in Wisconsin! #endthelockdown #frickinggovernor #gestapostate
Our story tonight. Wisconsin’s Supreme Court brings an end to statewide stay at home order…and there are celebrations in places that have been off limits for weeks: bars.
Wisconsin’s supreme court has ruled that the governor’s ordered lockdown of the state is unconstitutional. Bars and restaurants threw their doors open to willing customers and the celebration was like the end of prohibition.
Five Republican governors: Our states stayed open in the covid-19 pandemic. Here’s why our approach worked.
Mark Gordon is governor of Wyoming. Pete Ricketts is governor of Nebraska. Asa Hutchinson is governor of Arkansas. Kim Reynolds is governor of Iowa. Mike Parson is governor of Missouri. They are all Republicans.
The legal reason why Sweden did not impose lockdown
Even if the country wants to do so, it has legal limitations that need to be overcome.
In other words, the legal framework within which the government of Sweden operates does not directly allow it to impose draconian measures, such as a widespread or nationwide shutdown.
This is because there is no provision in the Swedish constitution that allows the imposition of a state of emergency during peacetime crisis.
הפגנת הדגלים השחורים להצלת הדמוקרטיה – הערב בכיכר הבימה – מבט על וידאו:
(16.04.2020)
Israelis demonstrating under corona restrictions in Tel Aviv. The black flag demonstration to save democracy.
Israelis demonstrate over ‚loss of democracy‘ during pandemic crisis
Some thousands of Israelis participated on Thursday night in a Tel Aviv demonstration against the interim government headed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the “loss of democracy.”
Democracy beats the coronavirus in South Korea as voters turn out in record numbers
Even as the COVID-19 pandemic puts civic life on hold in many countries around the world, South Koreans turned out in record numbers to vote in their country’s parliamentary elections Wednesday, setting aside fears of the coronavirus in a democratic show of force.
High Court upholds lockdown of Bnei Brak as legal
„It is not our place to interfere with the government’s decision,“ the Court concluded.
C.D.C. Weighs Advising Everyone to Wear a Mask
Dr. Robert Redfield, the director of the C.D.C., confirmed in an interview with WABE in Atlanta, a National Public Radio member station, on Monday that the agency was reviewing its guidelines on who should wear masks. Citing new data that shows high rates of transmission from people who are infected but show no symptoms, he said the guidance on mask wearing was “being critically re-reviewed, to see if there’s potential additional value for individuals that are infected or individuals that may be asymptomatically infected.”
NEW: CDC guidance on masks expected to change in next 10 days. Americans will be advised to wear masks in everyday life. Current recommendation is for high-risk groups only.
(28.03.2020)
CDC @CDCgov Mar 28 Replying to @DrMattMcCarthy:
CDC does not have updated guidance scheduled to come out on this topic. See current CDC guidance regarding the use of facemasks:
Not wearing masks to protect against coronavirus is a ‘big mistake,’ top Chinese scientist says
(27.03.2020)
Science has tried to interview George Gao, director-general of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), for 2 months. Last week he responded.
Infected but Feeling Fine: The Unwitting Coronavirus Spreaders
As many as 25 percent of people infected with the new coronavirus may not show symptoms, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns — a startlingly high number that complicates efforts to predict the pandemic’s course and strategies to mitigate its spread.
In particular, the high level of symptom-free cases is leading the C.D.C. to consider broadening its guidelines on who should wear masks.
Location data likely to play limited role in fighting coronavirus
As COVID-19 worsens, though, expect to see a greater willingness to trade privacy for effective health surveillance, just as 9/11 led to a tightening of security around airports and other public spaces.
„A situation like the pandemic creates a fundamental shift in how people react to technology. This is the direction we are going to be moving in.“
— Labhesh Patel, chief technology officer at Jumio, an ID verification company
The bottom line: We’ve already given up so much in the fight against COVID-19. Some elements of personal privacy may be the next to go — and don’t expect the surveillance to end when the pandemic does.
Coronavirus, Surveillance And The Redefinition Of The Social Contract
We should listen to somebody who grew up in a society where there were no civil rights, Angela Merkel, talk about how the current situation justifies restricting our movements. And matters will not stop there: people might have been shocked when they saw China use apps and geolocation to control the movements of its population during the spread of the infection, but we now see Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan following suit: their success is being used to justify population control measures that would be completely unacceptable under normal circumstances.
#Retraites #Retrait #greve11janvier On est 150 000 aujourd’hui dans Paris
Why do rich people in France live much longer than the country’s poorest?
(08.02.2018)
À #Rennes les #GilletsJaunes ouvrent le cortège de la #manifestation de la #greve11janvier contre la #reformedesretraites. Images de @JBourrieau pour @LeMediaTV
? Tous Ensemble à #Nantes avant d’arriver à la #Préfecture ?✊? #greve11janvier #GreveGenerale
Thousands of #GiletsJaunes and unions are marching to protest in #Toulouse. This will not be shown on mainstream TV. #greve11janvier #Acte61
“This Strike Is Uniting the Resistance Against Macron”
A government bid to cut back pensions has pitched France into its longest strike in decades. But as one railworker organizer tells Jacobin, the dispute is about more than retirement insurance — it’s about stopping Emmanuel Macron’s whole agenda.
1/ #ViolencesPolicieres : nous sombrons vite. Jeudi 9 janvier, un voile supplémentaire s’est levé sur la réalité de ce qu’est la Police. #manif9janvier #paris
Vidéo complète : https://www.facebook.com/cerveauxnondisponibles/videos/2585958411689021
Iraq asks United States to set up mechanism for troop withdrawal
In a phone call with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi asked the United States to send a delegation to Iraq to set up a mechanism for U.S. troop withdrawal from the country, a statement from the prime minister’s office said Friday.
The request followed a vote by the Iraqi parliament to expel thousands of U.S. troops, a direct consequence of a U.S. drone attack that killed senior Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani and nine companions in Baghdad a week ago.
ICC Should Not Delay Investigating Israeli War Crimes
Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda has established an unnecessary condition that slows down the process, writes Marjorie Cohn.