ICT news

• SpaceX Launches a Billionaire To Conduct the First Private Spacewalk

  10-09-2024 23:20 via science.slashdot.org
  
  An anonymous reader quotes a report from the Associated Press: A daredevil billionaire rocketed back into orbit Tuesday, aiming to perform the first private spacewalk and venture farther than anyone since NASA's Apollo moonshots. Unlike his previous chartered flight, tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman shared the cost with SpaceX this time around, which included developing and testing brand new spacesuits to see how they'll hold up in the harsh vacuum. If all goes as planned, it will be the first t
  
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• A Surgeon General Warning Label Must Appear on Social Media Apps, 42 State Attorneys General Demand

  10-09-2024 22:41 via news.slashdot.org
  
  It's hard to get 42 states to agree on much. But a bipartisan group of attorneys general on Tuesday demanded that Congress require Surgeon General warning labels on social media apps to help curtail addiction and a mental health crisis among young adults. From a report: "As state Attorneys General, we sometimes disagree about important issues, but all of us share an abiding concern for the safety of the kids in our jurisdictions -- and algorithm-driven social media platforms threaten that safety
  
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• China's Huawei Shows the World Its $2,800 'Trifold' Phone

  10-09-2024 22:00 via slashdot.org
  
  An anonymous reader shares a report: Over successive administrations, the U.S. government has used stiff trade restrictions to try to stifle the Chinese telecom giant Huawei. In turn, the company never misses an opportunity to show that it is still standing. Last year, at the tail end of a visit to China by Gina Raimondo, the U.S. commerce secretary, Huawei unveiled a smartphone that was powered by an advanced semiconductor made in China. The chip was exactly the kind of technology that the Unit
  
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• Malaysia's Plan To Block Overseas DNS Dies After a Day

  10-09-2024 21:20 via yro.slashdot.org
  
  Malaysia's telecom regulator has abandoned a plan to block overseas DNS services a day after announcing it, following a sharp backlash and accusations of government overreach. From a report: Last Friday, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) published an FAQ that stated it had instructed all ISPs to redirect traffic headed for offshore DNS servers to services operated by Malaysian ISPs -- a move it claimed would prevent access to malicious and harmful websites such as tho
  
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• Russia To Spend $646 Million To Block VPNs

  10-09-2024 20:41 via tech.slashdot.org
  
  An anonymous reader shares a report: Russia's communications watchdog Roskomnadzor plans to spend 59 billion rubles ($644 million) over the next five years to upgrade its internet traffic-filtering capabilities, the Russian edition of Forbes reported on Tuesday. The money will be used to upgrade hardware used to filter internet traffic, as well as block or slow down certain resources, Forbes reported, citing documents.
  Russia passed a law in 2019 to enable the country to cut itself off entirely
  
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• Microsoft Performs Operations With Multiple Error-Corrected Qubits

  10-09-2024 20:02 via tech.slashdot.org
  
  Microsoft today announced significant strides in its Azure Quantum Cloud service, including the demonstration of logical operations using the largest number of error-corrected qubits ever achieved. This progress brings the industry closer to building reliable quantum computers capable of solving complex problems beyond the reach of classical systems, the company said.
  In a significant partnership, Microsoft is collaborating with Atom Computing to integrate their neutral-atom hardware into Azure
  
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• Sony Unveils $700 PlayStation 5 Pro

  10-09-2024 19:22 via games.slashdot.org
  
  Sony has officially revealed the long-rumored mid-generation upgrade model for the PlayStation 5, the PlayStation 5 Pro. Set for release on November 7 at a price point of $699.99, the upgraded model, styled like the "slim" PS5 but with a triple groove design, will be available only in an all-digital version compatible with Sony's existing add-on optical drive. The console boasts a larger GPU and faster memory, delivering 45% faster rendering than the base PS5. It also features advanced ray traci
  
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• A Robot Begins Removal of Melted Fuel From the Fukushima Nuclear Plant. It Could Take a Century

  10-09-2024 18:41 via slashdot.org
  
  A robot entered a damaged reactor at Japan's Fukushima nuclear power plant on Tuesday, beginning a two-week mission to retrieve melted fuel debris for the first time since the 2011 disaster. The operation marks a crucial step in the decades-long process to decommission the plant and address the highly radioactive material inside three damaged reactors.
  The robot, maneuvered remotely due to lethal radiation levels, will collect less than 3 grams of debris using tongs. This sample will provide vit
  
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• Apple Must Pay $14 Billion Tax Bill To Ireland, EU Court Rules

  10-09-2024 18:00 via apple.slashdot.org
  
  Bruce66423 shares a report: The European Union's top court ruled against Apple Tuesday in the tech company's protracted legal battle over contested back taxes in Ireland. The ruling means Apple will be forced to pay Ireland up to $14.4 billion in back taxes and represents the latest setback in Europe for the tech giant. Earlier this year, Apple became the first company to be accused of violating the EU's new major tech competition law. The tax case stretches back to 2016, when the European Commi
  
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• 'Oracle's Missteps in Cloud Computing Are Paying Dividends in AI'

  10-09-2024 17:20 via developers.slashdot.org
  
  Oracle missed the tech industry's move to cloud computing last decade and ended up an also-ran. Now the AI boom has given it another shot. WSJ: The 47-year-old company that made its name on relational database software has emerged as an attractive cloud-computing provider for AI developers such as OpenAI, sending its long-stagnant stock to new heights.
  Oracle shares are up 34% since January, well outpacing the Nasdaq's 14% rise and those of bigger competitors Microsoft, Amazon.com and Google.
  It
  
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• Antarctic Sea Ice on Cusp of Record Winter Low For Second Year Running

  10-09-2024 16:40 via news.slashdot.org
  
  Sea ice surrounding Antarctica is on the cusp of reaching a record winter low for a second year running, continuing an "outrageous" fall in the amount of Southern Ocean that is freezing over. From a report: The Antarctic region underwent an abrupt transformation in 2023 as the sea ice cover surrounding the continent crashed for six months straight. In winter, it covered about 1.6m sq km less than the long-term average -- an area roughly the size of Britain, France, Germany and Spain combined. Sc
  
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• Google's 2.4 Billion Euro Fine Upheld By Europe's Top Court in EU Antitrust Probe

  10-09-2024 16:03 via tech.slashdot.org
  
  Europe's top court on Tuesday upheld a 2.4 billion euro ($2.65 billion) fine imposed on Google for abusing its dominant position by favoring its own shopping comparison service. From a report: The fine stems from an antitrust investigation by the European Commission, the executive arm of the European Union, which concluded in 2017. The commission said at the time that Google had favored its own shopping comparison service over those of its rivals. Google appealed the decision with the General Co
  
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• Australia Plans Age Limit To Ban Children From Social Media

  10-09-2024 15:00 via tech.slashdot.org
  
  An anonymous reader quotes a report from Agence France-Presse: Australia will ban children from using social media with a minimum age limit as high as 16, the prime minister said Tuesday, vowing to get kids off their devices and "onto the footy fields." Federal legislation to keep children off social media will be introduced this year, Anthony Albanese said, describing the impact of the sites on young people as a "scourge." The minimum age for children to log into sites such as Facebook, Instagr
  
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• Microsoft Releases September 2024 Security Updates

  10-09-2024 14:00 via cisa.gov
  Microsoft released security updates to address vulnerabilities in multiple products. A cyber threat actor could exploit some of these vulnerabilities to take control of an affected system.
  CISA encourages users and administrators to review the following and apply necessary updates:Microsoft Security Update Guide for September
  
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• Ivanti Releases Security Updates for Endpoint Manager, Cloud Service Application, and Workspace Control

  10-09-2024 14:00 via cisa.gov
  Ivanti released security updates to address multiple vulnerabilities in Ivanti Endpoint Manager, Cloud Service Application 4.6, and Workspace Control. A cyber threat actor could exploit some of these vulnerabilities to take control of an affected system. 
  CISA encourages users and administrators to review the following Ivanti advisories and apply the necessary guidance and updates: Ivanti Endpoint Manager
  Ivanti Cloud Service Application 4.6
  Ivanti Workspace Control
  
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• Citrix Releases Security Updates for Citrix Workspace App for Windows

  10-09-2024 14:00 via cisa.gov
  Citrix released security updates to address multiple vulnerabilities in the Citrix Workspace App for Windows. A cyber threat actor could exploit some of these vulnerabilities to take control of an affected system. 
  CISA encourages users and administrators to review the following and apply necessary updates: Citrix Workspace app for Windows Security Bulletin for CVE-2024-7889 and CVE-2024-7890
  
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• Cisco Releases Security Updates for Cisco Smart Licensing Utility

  10-09-2024 14:00 via cisa.gov
  Cisco released security updates to address two vulnerabilities (CVE-2024-20439 and CVE-2024-20440) in Cisco Smart Licensing Utility. A cyber threat actor could exploit one of these vulnerabilities to take control of an affected system. 
  CISA encourages users and administrators to review the following advisory and apply the necessary updates: 
  Cisco Smart Licensing Utility Vulnerabilities
  
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• Americans Lost $5.6 Billion Last Year In Crypto Fraud Scams

  10-09-2024 12:00 via news.slashdot.org
  
  Americans lost over $5.6 billion to cryptocurrency fraud schemes in 2023, with investment fraud accounting for the majority of losses, according to the FBI (PDF). The Associated Press reports: The FBI received nearly 70,000 complaints in 2023 by victims of financial fraud involving bitcoin, ether and other cryptocurrencies, according to the FBI. The most rampant scheme was investment fraud, which accounted for $3.96 billion of the losses. "The decentralized nature of cryptocurrency, the speed of
  
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• Household Brands Want To Redefine 'Recyclable' To Include Products Virtually Impossible To Recycle

  10-09-2024 09:00 via news.slashdot.org
  
  Most kitchen products use plastics that are practically unrecyclable, yet a trade group representing major brands is pressuring regulators to allow companies to label such items as "recyclable," even though they are likely to end up in landfills. Experts warn this could worsen the plastic crisis and misleading labels could further deceive consumers about the true recyclability of these products. ProPublica reports: The Consumer Brands Association believes companies should be able to stamp "recyc
  
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• Pacific Islands Submit Court Proposal For Recognition of Ecocide As a Crime

  10-09-2024 03:25 via yro.slashdot.org
  
  Vanuatu, Fiji, and Samoa have proposed a change to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to recognize ecocide as a crime, allowing for the prosecution of individuals responsible for significant environmental harm. If successful, the change would recognize ecocide as a crime alongside genocide and war crimes. The Guardian reports: Vanuatu, Fiji and Samoa have proposed a formal recognition by the court of the crime of ecocide, defined as "unlawful or wanton acts committed with knowledge that ther
  
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• Roblox Announces Open Source AI Tool That Builds 3D Environments From Text

  10-09-2024 02:45 via games.slashdot.org
  
  Scott J Mulligan writes for MIT Technology Review: Roblox plans to roll out a generative AI tool that will let creators make whole 3D scenes just using text prompts, it announced today. Once it's up and running, developers on the hugely popular online game platform will be able to simply write "Generate a race track in the desert," for example, and the AI will spin one up. Users will also be able to modify scenes or expand their scope -- say, to change a daytime scene to night or switch the dese
  
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• US Proposes Requiring Reporting For Advanced AI, Cloud Providers

  10-09-2024 02:02 via yro.slashdot.org
  
  An anonymous reader quotes a report from Reuters: The U.S. Commerce Department said Monday it is proposing to require detailed reporting requirements for advanced artificial intelligence developers and cloud computing providers to ensure the technologies are safe and can withstand cyberattacks. The proposal from the department's Bureau of Industry and Security would set mandatory reporting to the federal government about development activities of "frontier" AI models and computing clusters. It w
  
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• Sleep Apnea Detection Is Coming To the Apple Watch

  10-09-2024 01:20 via science.slashdot.org
  
  Apple announced today that it's adding sleep apnea detection to the Apple Watch, including the Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2. The Verge reports: Sleep apnea is a disorder that causes you to stop breathing as you sleep. Sleep apnea is a feature that wearables makers have been working on for some time, with Samsung getting cleared by the FDA for sleep apnea tracking with the Galaxy Watch earlier this year. Apple says it's using the accelerometer on its watches to monitor
  
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• CrowdStrike Hopes Legal Threats Will Fade As Time Passes

  10-09-2024 00:40 via it.slashdot.org
  
  CrowdStrike CFO Burt Podbere says the cybersecurity firm has not faced lawsuits over July's global IT outage. Speaking at a conference, Podbere emphasized efforts to shift customer focus from legal threats to business discussions. The Register: There were dark rumblings from Delta Air Lines last month, for example, threatening litigation over alleged gross negligence. At the time, CrowdStrike reiterated its apologies, saying: "Public posturing about potentially bringing a meritless lawsuit again
  
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• James Earl Jones, Beloved Actor and Voice of Darth Vader, Dies

  10-09-2024 00:20 via entertainment.slashdot.org
  
  James Earl Jones, the beloved actor best known for his roles in "Field of Dreams," "The Lion King," and "Star Wars," has died at the age of 93. Deadline reports: Widely regarded as among the world's great stage and screen actors Jones is one of the few entertainers to have won the EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony), though his Academy Award was Honorary. Jones has received two Primetime Emmy Awards, a Daytime Emmy, a spoken-word Grammy Award in 1977 and three Tony Awards.The actor amassed nearly 2
  
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• US Prepares To Challenge Google's Online Ad Dominance

  10-09-2024 00:00 via tech.slashdot.org
  
  An anonymous reader quotes a report from the New York Times: For years, Google has faced complaints about how it dominates the online advertising market. Many of the concerns stem from the internet giant's suite of software known as Google Ad Manager, which websites around the world use to sell ads on their sites. The technology conducts split-second auctions to place ads each time a user loads a page. The dominance of that technology has landed Google in federal court. On Monday, Judge Leonie B
  
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