Video: Decentralized Social Media: What you need to know about #DaeSO?

 

 

Just consider it that a post submitted to Instagram, TikTok, or Twitter and etc belongs to these corporations, rather than the creator who posted it. And the monetization goes predominantly to these corporations as a result.

In contrast, according to the DeSO protocol, DeSO stores all of its data on a public blockchain, which means that anyone in the world can run a node that exposes their own curated feed. Today, bitclout.com operates one such node, but there are over 100 other projects running nodes and building apps on DeSo Blockchain as well.

DeSo, short for "decentralized social," is the first and only blockchain custom-built from the ground up to power and scale a new category of decentralized social applications to one billion users.

 DeSO holds much promise for value creation.

Click to Open your profile page now on DESO

What is DeSo (Decentralized Social)?

It’s like Facebook. But decentralized.

• A Layer-1 blockchain built to decentralize social media applications at scale

• A token supporting BitClout, the crypto social network that allows each creator to have their own tokens that can be bought and sold by followers


Join DeSO now and have your profile set-up

Use cases of DeSo

• Decentralizes the normally centralized data collected by social media applications.
• Puts content and intellectual property ownership back into the hands of creators on social.
• Creates a way for creators to have direct relationships with followers without intermediaries, unlocking new ways to engage and monetize audiences without ads.
Why is DeSo getting attention?

• October 4th, 2021 saw the longest Facebook outage in the company’s history, sparking discussions of more resilient technologies.

History of DeSo

• The DeSo blockchain was created by Nader Al-Naji, who started work on the project in early 2019.
• Al-Naji worked in high-frequency trading at D. E. Shaw and as an engineer on Google Search prior to raising $133 million for Basis, his previous company, which was building a decentralized dollar.
• Al-Naji is also the creator of BitClout, a high-profile social app built on the DeSo blockchain.


Join DeSO now to open your profile

Source: blockchain.com

Armed bandits reportedly enter the Axione telecommunication company near Paris, police op underway

Armed men have reportedly enter the Axione telecommunication company near Paris, France.RT reported.

According to the report, Police operations are underway and a perimeter has been established after a man, believed to be armed, broke into an office belonging to the French telecommunications company, Axione, in the Malakoff commune southwest of Paris.


On Tuesday, French police were called to an emergency on Boulevard Camélinat, in the Malakoff district of southern Paris. Reports suggest an armed man broke into an office belonging to the French telecommunications company Axione.

Footage shared online shows heavily armed police, donning body-armor, deployed to the streets around the building. The road appears to be blocked at either end and no traffic is passing through.

MODERN BATTLE NOT LIMITED TO LAND, AIR AND MARITIME DOMAIN - COAS

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya has said that modern battles are no longer fought only on land, sea and air, as warfare have been taken to the cyberspace. He made this known while inaugurating the maiden Digital Literacy Internet and Core Computing Certification Course (IC3) and the establishment of the Nigerian Army Cyber Warfare School (NACWS) Basic Cyber Laboratory on Friday 8 October 2021 at Giri, Abuja.

The COAS, who was represented by the Director General, Land Forces Simulation Centre, Major General Felix Omoigui said this development has brought to the fore, the need to properly defend the territorial integrity of the nation in the cyberspace. Hence, the establishment of the Nigerian Army Cyber Warfare Command (NACWC).

According to him, NACWC and other cyber affiliated formations were established to combat cyber threats and cybercrimes within the Nigerian Army sphere of influence. However, he said there is need for requisite manpower to effectively operate in that space. This he further said, is necessary to build capacity that will enhance the proficiency of personnel to counter these threats. He noted that to this end, NACWS among other roles, was established to provide specialist training for cyber warriors, aimed at inducting trained cybersecurity specialists to the NACWC and other cyber affiliated formations in support of Nigerian Army operations.

The Army Chief stated that the course was designed to equip the participants with basic competencies required to manipulate current and future Information Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure.

General Yahaya added that the nation’s security dynamics imply that efforts must be re-doubled with needed cyber products and competencies to defeat all forms of cyber threats confronting the nation. He charged personnel across board to be resolute and patriotic in discharging their responsibilities in service to the nation and humanity.

He commended the Commandant of the school, Brigadier General Adewale Adetoba for the establishment of Basic Cyber Laboratory in the school, reiterating that it is a step in the right direction. This he said will lead to the actualization of the mandate of the school.

The Commandant, Brigadier General Adewale Adetoba while addressing the participants, disclosed that the course was the first of its kind, aimed at developing the capacity and improving the skills of Nigerian Army personnel on cyber related activities, in line with the vision of the COAS in tackling various security challenges confronting the country.

The Commandant disclosed that the IC3 course had a total of 30 students drawn from various units within Abuja, adding that it was a global benchmark for basic computer literacy and specialist certification. He implored the participants to take the course seriously, so as to imbibe the expertise that would improve their performances in their respective formations and units.

ONYEMA NWACHUKWU

Brig Gen

Director Army Public Relations

9 October 2021

Octane $50m developers fund: How to Apply for Funding

The Octane Fund is a $50 million fund to fuel the already-thriving Decentralized Social developer ecosystem, according to the deso.org.

Learn how to apply for funding today!

Now, armed with $50 million in cash, the Octane Fund will focus on the following initiatives:

Backing founders who are in "idea" stage at very favorable terms. To be considered for this funding, you must ideally build a demo that uses the DeSo blockchain in some way and submit your info to this very short form here.

Backing existing companies that are considering integrating DeSo features into their product. To be considered for this funding, please apply here.

Running multiple global hackathons focused on building out key components of the DeSo ecosystem, with large non-dilutive cash prizes and even larger equity investments for winning projects.

And the Octane Fund is only the beginning. In the coming weeks, we are excited to announce separate initiatives geared toward funding NFT artists on the DeSo blockchain as well as smaller creators via their social tokens. Stay tuned!

Source

#DESO: The Octane Fund dedicates $50M to devs building on DeSo, Apply today - @Nader

The big announcement has been made and indeed DeSO is on track of history.

The Octane Fund is a $50 million fund to fuel the already-thriving Decentralized Social developer ecosystem.

 According to deso.org , the DeSo Foundation is committed to supporting the decentralization of social media, with a strong focus on supporting the DeSo blockchain, the first blockchain custom-built to scale social applications to one billion users.

To support its mission, the DeSo Foundation has over $200 million in backing from Sequoia, Social Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, and many others. Now, as our first major initiative, we are proud to announce that we are launching a $50 million developer fund that we're calling The Octane Fund.

Why Octane? Because this fund is all about fueling and accelerating the already-rapid growth of the DeSo developer ecosystem. Even though the DeSo blockchain has only been in beta for six months, there are already over 100 apps building on DeSo, including Flick, created by Nigel Eccles, co-founder and former-CEO of FanDuel, Pulse, backed by Social Capital, and Polygram.cc, a first-class NFT marketplace

Listen to @Nader Sl-Nani, head of DeSO foundation: 

"Until today, there was only one way to run a social network: One company controlling everything. Now there's a new model: Thousands of independent devs building on the DeSo blockchain."

The Octane Fund dedicates $50M to devs building on DeSo. Apply today!

deso.org/blog/a-50-million-fund-to-fuel-the-decentralized-social-developer-ecosystem

Before DeSo, you had to be a cog in the machine to develop new social products, and there were only three apps to work on.

DeSo presents a new model where YOU control your destiny, and where you can build a future that we can't even imagine today.

Let's break free of the machine.

If you have an idea for a new kind of social app, apply to the Octane Fund, and we'll help you start your own social media company.

If you've ever felt like the conglomerates have eaten everything, and there's no room left for a little entrepreneur to compete...

If you've been thinking about starting a company but not sure anyone would support you...

Now is the time.

We're here for you, and we can't wait to see what you build.

docs.deso.org

@Nader concluded.

This announcement is one of it's kind and very earthshaking fothe devs world! 

To put the records straight, it should be noted that before #DeSo emergence, it would be nearly impossible to find funding for a new social media platform/app. 

According to @Krassenstein in his words: "This was because every project would start with 0 data and need to attract users in order to start building data."

"What Deso does is providing every developer on the chain with a firehose of data, and lets them concentrate on the actual development, rather than user acquisition, to build out the data they would need to succeed."

Amazing, Native video is here on DeSo Chain

As a big announcement is underway today for the Decentralized Social media, the future of native video has been added to the DeSO Blockchain.

It looks amazing as @maebeam uploaded the first of it's kind on the DeSo chain.

See the sample here.

Keep #DeSo Community safe: List of Authentic and fake #SCAMALERTS

 FAKE #SCAMALERT HANDLES

1. @Scam_Identified_DONT_BUY

2. @scam_alert

AUTHENTIC #SCAMALERT HANDLES

1. @SCAM_DETECTED

We will be updating this page as soon as we can confirmed a Scam Alert page to be authentic or fake. Members of the community can also tage @LatestNewsPlus for any suspicious or authentic page of scamer alert page.

Correctly, there are a lot of such pages on DeSO which can't just categorized either as authentic or fake.

But unlike the confirmed authentic page above, they are all out to make profit by destroying other creator coin via false flags without any due diligent search.

They too can and should be flagged and added up here for people to know which is which.

#DESO: @nader Explains how Blockchain powers the new social media platform (Video)

 DESO means "Decentralized social media"

BitClout now to be known as DeSO: An announcement that sets the coin on fire as a DeSO is now over $100

The latest announcement about the BitClout had it that the blockchain powering BitClout, and the over 100 apps building on top of it (bithunt.com/explore), will now be known as the DeSo blockchain.

DeSO is an acronym for "decentralized social." According to @DiamondHands in a statement on his profile on BitClout.

Since the announcement, in less 24hours, it has been a boom upward trending for the coin. Indeed it has been a Big day, aBig news for the BitClout community on the DeSo chain.

Creator Coins have also been gaining as the DeSo clamb new record trading price both on the BitClout and on Blockchain.com and it's exchange. We always had faith a developer focussed fund would be a smart decision over the long term. 

Read the Full announcement by @DiamondHands: 
BitClout family, today is a very big day for the project. Perhaps the biggest day since we launched in March.

Today, several critical things are happening:

* The blockchain powering BitClout, and the over 100 apps building on top of it (bithunt.com/explore), will now be known as the DeSo blockchain, short for "decentralized social." Check out deso.org!

* We are creating a non-profit called the DeSo foundation that will support the blockchain, and further a broad mission of decentralizing social media.

* The foundation will use a $200 million treasury raised from Sequoia, Social Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, and many others to support its mission. There is also a strategy to support everybody from developers, to NFT artists, to smaller creators and their coins, and we're very excited to announce all of those plans very soon.

Why are we doing this?


For over two years, I've been working on the blockchain that powers BitClout. It's the only blockchain that can scale social apps to one billion users because it's custom-built for this use-case.


This blockchain is the same one that powers the over 100 apps listed on bithunt.com/explore, and it's really something special. But until now, the blockchain didn't have a name, and most people who used these apps didn't even know it existed!


There is an amazing story here about the technology we're developing behind the scenes, so we felt it's time to separate the blockchain out into its own entity and give it its own name: DeSo, short for "decentralized social."


So, from now on, the blockchain that powers BitClout and all the other apps in the ecosystem will be known as the DeSo blockchain. And apps like BitClout will be referred to as "powered by DeSo."


DeSo is a blockchain, BitClout is one of over 100 apps *built on that blockchain.*


Now, with DeSo as its own separate brand, we can speak more directly to the developers that are so critical to growing the decentralized social movement we've started here together.


Developers can also feel more comfortable building on DeSo, knowing that they're getting access to the exact same data and API's that BitClout is getting.


BitClout is now no different and no more special than Pulse, Flick, Polygram, or any of the other amazing projects building on DeSo.


Importantly, nothing changes for users of any apps, except that we're going to call the underlying currency $DESO instead of $CLOUT. The supply is still fixed at ~10.8 million like it was before, and if you had X CLOUT before, you have X DESO now. We're just renaming to distinguish DeSo the blockchain from BitClout the app.


We felt renaming the currency was important to further reinforce that "BitClout the app" is not the same as "DeSo the blockchain."


In addition to this, it has always been our top priority to put a public and transparent support structure in place for the ecosystem, but we were concerned that setting up a formal structure too early would compromise decentralization by creating too much reliance on a single entity.


Now that the DeSo blockchain is running on thousands of nodes, and there are over a hundred projects building on the blockchain, we feel comfortable setting up an entity to formally and officially support the decentralized social ecosystem.


The DeSo Foundation is a non-profit, and it will be using a $200 million treasury raised from some of the top investors in the world to support the DeSo ecosystem.


Expect some big announcements about how we're going to use this treasury very soon!




There is also ..... One more thing....


As you all know, I've been working on this project anonymously for some time now. And during this time we've all achieved so much together, and made so many memories in the process.


But now, as we look to take BitClout, DeSo, and the ecosystem of apps built on it to the next level, we need a public figure that the mainstream can look to for guidance. Someone who can share our vision with the public at a much broader scale than what I'm capable of as a pseudonymous figure. And so, with both excitement and a heavy heart, it's time to pass the torch.




Today, I'm proud to announce that @nader will be your guide through phase 2 of our journey. I hope you'll give him a warm welcome, and that you'll have as much fun with him as I had with you all.


Going forward, @nader will be responsible for leading both the development of the DeSo blockchain, as head of the DeSo Foundation, and the development of the BitClout app.


Announcements about the platform will come from him going forward, and you should all be hearing from him very soon.


Really, it's crazy how much we've all achieved together. And even though our family has only been together for six months, it feels like I've known you all my whole life.


I'll still be around here and there, and even though my time as your leader is over, the journey is just beginning. It's a new era for this project, just don't forget why we're all here:


docs.deso.org


Just like the Bitcoin, DeSO developers remained anonymous.

Credit: @DiamondHands and @LetestNewsPlus 

UI SHINES AT "HUAWEI ICT GLOBAL CHALLENGE" AS THE COMPANY PROMISES TO SET UP DIGITAL ACADEMY IN THE INSTITUTION

The University of Ibadan's contingent who participated in the 2020 edition of Huawei ICT Global Challenge emerged as Global Champions.

The Country Manager, Talent Ecosystem Development, Huawei Technologies Company Nigeria Limited, Mr. Kenneth Igwe, said the excellent performance of the UI's students in the competition shows that the institution's students are talented, skilled, creative, gifted, passionate and zealous for information and communication technology for sustainable development.

He made this commendation during a courtesy call on the Acting Vice-Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Prof. Adebola Babatunde Ekanola, in his office, on Wednesday, 18 August, 2021.

Mr. Igwe remarked that the Huawei ICT Global Challenge is a competitive ICT talent exchange event geared towards a healthy development of ICT ecosystem among universities' students globally.

"In the 2020 edition of the competition, the University of Ibadan, alongside Ahmadu Bello University and the University of Port Harcourt emerged as global champions in the National and Cloud Categories."

"The three champions from the University of Ibadan: Toheeb Adeniyi Badiru, Bolaji Olaide Abideen and Sulaiman Damilare Olubiyi, all of the Department of Electrical Electronics, Faculty of Technology, who are currently participating in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme displayed outstanding digital skills and values impacted in UI's students. Hence, our request for internship, graduate training and coaching section."

The Country Manager further explained that collaborating with UI on the project will involve at least ten companies, not only Huawei, saying that the project is tagged "Huawei Partners".

According to him, the "Huawei Partners" project is to deep hands into the talent resources that are abound in UI and give the students internship, graduate training and employment opportunities.

Due to the excellent performance of UI's students in the 2020 edition of the competition, Mr. Igwe said: "I am in UI to coach your students on the requirements for the 2021 Challenge, agree on a date  to organise students'  job fair in the University community and to discuss a proposal to establish a digital academy in UI."

Responding, the Acting Vice-Chancellor,Prof. Adebola Babatunde Ekanola indicated the readiness of the University of Ibadan to collaborate with Huawei in its "Huawei Partners" project for internship, graduate training and coaching to bolster the institution’s effort in promoting teaching, learning and research through information and communication technology (ICT).

"UI is willing to collaborate with Huawei in achieving and sustaining the goal, since IT is now a great tool for teaching, learning, research and administrative work."

The Acting VC also drew the attention of the ICT expert to the efforts by the management, staff and students to strengthen the town and gown relationship that will bring about mutual benefits in the areas of internship, graduate training and coaching section for both UI and Huawei in a statement by the University's Director of Public Communication, Mr. Olatunji Oladejo.

In line with the mutual benefits expected from the collaboration, Prof. Ekanola,  requested Huawei to make known to the UI's management the needs and challenges facing the company so that UI can engage its research capacity to attend to these challenges.

" I specially thank Huawei for partnering with the University in the past, for taking cognizance of the excellent performance of  UI's students in the 2020 Huawei competition, and for being anxious to have an enduring relationship with UI."

"Huawei's desire to coach UI's students and host an academy in the University is due to the impression created by the performance of UI's students in the last competition. This success and other feats are achieved due to the system of our merit-driven policy of admitting students and dedicated staff, has been an added advantage", the Acting VC said.

Founded in 1987, Huawei is a leading global provider of information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure and smart devices. It is committed to bringing digital to every person, home and organisation for a fully connected intelligent world. It operates in more than 170 countries and regions, serving more than three billion people around the world. Huwaei's end-to-end portfolio of products, solutions and services are both competitive and secure.

Present at the occasion were the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Prof. Kayode Adebowale; Registrar, Mrs. Olubunmi O. Faluyi; Acting Bursar, Mr. Olayiwola Abimbola; Dean, Students Affairs, Prof. 'Keye Abiona; Deputy Dean, Students Affairs, Dr. ‘Demola Lewis; Dr. Olusegun Ajide, Sub-Dean (Postgraduate), Faculty of Technology; Deputy Registrar, Office of the Vice-Chancellor, Mr. Oluwole Dada; Director, University Advancement Centre, Mr. Adebowale Adeosun and the Deputy Director,  Training, Research and Development, Directorate of Information Technology and Media Services (ITeMS), Mr. Soji Adisa.

Ghana Is Eating Nigeria’s Lunch

By Bámidélé Adémólá-Olátéjú  

“Twitter is now present on the continent. 

Thank you Ghana and Nana Akufo-Addo”. 

Those were the words of the co-founder and CEO of Twitter, Jack Dorsey, in a tweet yesterday. 

Within two minutes, yes two minutes, the President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo tweeted: 

“The choice of Ghana as HQ for Twitter’s Africa operations is EXCELLENT news. Government and Ghanaians welcome very much this announcement and the confidence reposed in our country”.

Why Ghana? 

Jack Dorsey gave insightful reasons for their choice of Ghana. 

The statement reads: 

‘’As a champion for democracy, Ghana is a supporter of free speech, online freedom, and the Open Internet, of which Twitter is also an advocate. 

Furthermore, Ghana’s recent appointment to host The Secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area aligns with our overarching goal to establish a presence in the region that will support our efforts to improve and tailor our service across Africa.”

It important to note that Nana Akufo-Addo sealed the deal in a virtual meeting on April 7. 

It takes foresight, digital literacy and continuous interest in learning to engage in such deals. 

Can our president understand the nuances of cutting edge technology and its import for jobs and innovation? 

Can the stone age polymorph, Isa Pantami pull off a deal this juicy? 

Will Alhaji Lai Mohammed make any sense of the future without recourse to the consequences of free speech?

Nigerian Twitterattis were downcast on seeing Ghana trending, preening, and basking in the euphoria of their win. 

Their win is our loss. 

Nigeria is the market, Ghana is the hub. Nigeria has 25 million Twitter users, while Ghana’s combined social media presence is a measly eight million. 

How did that uppercut feel? 

Michelin left for Ghana, 

Dunlop left for Ghana, and many others. 

Soon Nigeria’s monied elite will start buying up Ghana the same way they financed Dubai, instead of fixing Nigeria. 

Twitter will, of course, hire many Nigerians and they will have Ghana as their base.

Twitter’s advertisement for several positions requiring deep knowledge of Nigeria’s major languages is already out there. 

The major benefits will go to Ghana. 

Businesses follow reason and facts, not emotions or wishful thinking. 

They exist to make money, not to feed fat cats or go to risky places. 

Why would smart money choose Nigeria when Ghana gives incentives such as 15-year tax holidays, free land and other policy initiatives, which would help drive their businesses? 

Why would Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) go to Nigeria with a rank of 131 in the ease of doing business, compared to Ghana’s rank of 118?

In Nigeria:

Insecurity ✔️

Religious strife ✔️

Unfavorable regulatory and legal environment ✔️

Unstable Macroeconomic policies ✔️

Why would any business choose Nigeria, the home of Boko Haram, the second deadliest terror group in the world to Ghana? 

When Fulani herdsmen wanted to start their murderous rampage in Ghana, it took a single policy directive for them to know Ghana is a no-go area. 

No good company whose best assets are its employees, would want to spend an unreasonable amount of money on life insurance and armed escorts to protect those in its employ for fear of kidnapping and outright slaughter.

How about the see-saw monetary policies, high inflation and unemployment? Only last week, Governor Godwin Obaseki lamented the printing of sixty billion naira (N60 bn) for sharing by the three tiers of government to finance the budget deficit. 

Are the consequences of unguarded quantitative easing lost on the government? 

Are they unconcerned with inflation depreciation and loss in bonds caused by their “ways and means” abracadabra?

Is a place notorious for religious hypocrisy, and ethnic strife the best place for a social media behemoth? 

How about our arbitrary, knee-jerk and counterproductive regulatory environment? 

The whole world paid attention to Nigeria’s treatment of Uber and Gokada. 

They could be business school case studies on how not to stifle innovation. 

If Twitter were to consider Nigeria, what our folks would have demanded in bribes would have killed any enthusiasm the company may have had. 

Nigeria’s reputation precedes it as a prodigious and prodigal consumer, instead of a shrewd and calculating producer. 

From a political and economic perspective, our commitment to the rule of law is a charade and the world knows it. 

Same for our understanding of property, intellectual and contractual rights.

Ghana is eating our lunch and we seem incapable of defending our portion. 

The crises facing Nigeria are extraordinary, requiring the smartest, and most patriotic minds to tackle. 

We missed the mark long ago and we don’t seem to realise how big a hole we have dug ourselves in. 

How we respond, going forward, will set the trajectory for coming decades. 

Nothing can save us except well meaning reforms and restructuring. 

No one will take a country enmeshed in selective policies like closing southern borders, while the northern ones are open seriously. 

Most of West African trade pass through the Seme/Odiroko border. 

Nigeria should reopen all its land borders.

Playing favourites with the foreign exchange rate is not only wicked, it kills competition. 

Let the naira have a market-driven exchange rate and ease forex restrictions on business. 

Subsidies for the rich and the middle class must end, to curb luxurious consumption. 

This can be done by the complete floating of petroleum product prices. 

Efforts to fix the power sector is commendable but a lot still needs to be done.

Finally, the rent mentality has to be erased from our memory by reforming the tax system. 

If we pay reasonable taxes, chances are, we will demand accountability and responsibility. 

We will be able to reject a system of collecting taxes in Lagos to fund projects in Yobe State. 

Let each State eat, what it kills. 

It will be painful at the first but the pain can be assuaged by direct cash transfers to the vulnerable and poor. 

By all indicators, Ghana is leading. 

Will Nigeria fold its arms?

Bámidélé Adémólá-Olátéjú a farmer, youth advocate and political analyst writes this weekly column, “Bamidele Upfront” for PREMIUM TIMES.

Cold War Continues as Washington declares China's Huawei threat to national security

The United States' Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has deemed Chinese telecom giant Huawei a threat to American national security, maintaining pressure on Beijing that some believed could ease under the new Biden administration.

According to the announcement made Friday by the FCC, the Huawei as well as four other Chinese companies, pose “an unacceptable risk to US national security or the security and safety of US persons.”

Jessica Rosenworcel who is the incumbent FCC’s acting chief said that the move would help “restore trust” in US communications networks. 

Rosenworcel did not explain what specific actions would be taken against the Chinese companies while Huawei has not yet responded to the designation.

The decision comes just a day after Bloomberg reported that the Biden administration issued new restrictions on Huawei, preventing US firms from supplying the Chinese telecom with products that can be used in 5G devices. 

American businesses had previously been allowed to supply Huawei with components, provided that they sought permission from the US government. 

Beijing slammed the new rule as “unreasonable suppression” aimed at Chinese companies, and accused Washington of “violating the principles of market economy and fair competition.”

Huawei’s designation as a national security threat matches the hardline policy implemented by the preceding administration under Donald Trump. 

In June, the FCC blacklisted the firm as a danger to US interests, blocking American firms from using an $8.3 billion government fund to purchase equipment from companies. Huawei filed a legal challenge against the designation last month.

The Chinese tech giant had expressed hope that the new administration would take a different approach to trade issues. 

Victor Zhang, the company’s vice president, said in an interview in November that the attacks on Huawei were politically motivated and part of a “trade war” between the US and China, adding that Washington’s tune might change once Biden takes office.

As it launched a tariff war against Beijing, the Trump administration pressured Washington’s allies to reject business with Huawei and avoid using Chinese technology as they develop their 5G networks.

 Both the Chinese government and Huawei have repeatedly denied that the firm poses a threat to the US or any other nation. 

The economic war and confrontations between the two most developed economies has been the major  indices before the emergency of COVID-19 Pandemic in 2019.

Source

Russia's Ultrafast Manned Soyuz MS-17 Spacecraft Docks to International Space Station - Video

 On Wednesday, Russia's Soyuz-2.1a carrier with Soyuz MS-17 spacecraft was launched from the Baikonur spaceport and is set to reach the International Space Station (ISS) in a record-breaking three hours.

This is owing to its ultrafast two-orbit flight plan, according to Sputnik report. The Soyuz MS-17 spacecraft, carrying Russian cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergey Ryzhikov and NASA astronaut Kathleen Rubins, is due to dock at the ISS at 11:52 a.m. Moscow time (08:52 GMT). 

The crew is expected to deliver equipment that will allow to detect and eliminate an air leak, previously discovered in the Russian Zvezda module.

U.S. hypersonic missile prototype destroyed after ‘inadvertently’ falling from B-52 bomber during flight test

A hypersonic missile prototype under development at the Pentagon’s shadowy research arm reportedly detached from a heavy bomber in mid-flight during a test, destroying the high-tech and secretive munition.

The ill-fated test saw the missile – a Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept (HAWC), a joint project of the Air Force and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) – “inadvertently” separate from the B-52 carrying it and crash to the ground below, according to a report at Aviation Week.

Though DARPA declined to provide further details, stating all information on the flight demonstration is classified, the mishap is thought to have occurred near Edwards Air Force Base in California, where the military conducts tests on a number of new systems, including Lockheed Martin’s F-35 fighter jet.

It’s unclear where the missile landed, but the report suggested it may have crashed over a “designated testing range” near Edwards AFB, where its pieces were collected after impact. A range at nearby China Lake was proposed as another possible candidate.

DARPA’s HAWC program, which seeks to develop a scramjet-powered missile capable of hypersonic speeds, has fallen behind schedule by several months, missing its debut test flight originally planned for last year. Using oxygen from the atmosphere for propulsion rather than from onboard tanks, scramjets allow for smaller, lighter and faster munitions, and operate more efficiently at speeds in excess of Mach 5. With the recent testing accident, however, there’s apparently more work to be done on the cutting-edge weapon.

Russian space agency boss says not upset by manned SpaceX launch, but BOEING should be

The US finally getting a crewed spaceship in no way means the end of Russia’s space program, Roscosmos chief Dmitry Rogozin said, insisting that the Soyuz still remains the most cost-efficient way to get people to the ISS.

After SpaceX’s Crew Dragon delivered two astronauts to the International Space Station – the first US spaceship to do so after nine years – at the end of May, US media not only praised Elon Musk’s company, but also piled scorn on the Russian space program.

It was “strange” when some in the US, including NASA officials, “started making wreaths for the ‘funeral’ of Russian Soyuz,” Rogozin wrote in an opinion piece for Forbes magazine, published Monday. While the Russian space chief’s social media rivalry with Musk and his past quotes played a role in the reaction, he made a stand for the iconic Russian spacecraft that ferried US astronauts to orbit all those years after the Space Shuttle program shut down.

Rogozin rejected the claim that the manned launches by SpaceX – which said it would charge the astronauts for seats starting from $55 million – would be so cheap that Russia would start reserving Crew Dragon seats for its cosmonauts.

The US officials repeating that claim “just got bedeviled in a mass of figures,” he said. While Russia did charge the US $90 million a seat for Soyuz launches, Rogozin maintains the Russian crewed rocket launches still remain more cost-efficient than those of SpaceX's Falcon 9.

While SpaceX has made partial reusability of the Falcon a key marketing point, both Crew Dragon and Boeing’s Starliner – which is only expected to carry out its first mission next year – are launched to orbit by heavy rockets, while Soyuz requires a cheaper medium class booster, he said.

“Therefore, our space launches cost much less than the American ones,” making Soyuz “unparalleled” when it comes to delivering people to the ISS, Rogozin wrote.

He even compared the spaceship to the AK-47 rifle, saying that both Soviet designs were not only extremely reliable, but also continuously improved all the time. Soyuz is such a workhorse that it will continue to fly even after Russia’s next-generation Orel (Eagle) spaceship is introduced.

It’s not our mood that Elon Musk spoiled on May 30, but that of his countrymen from Boeing, by starting flight tests ahead of them. It’s their war, not ours. Our space transport system has been operational for a long time and without interruptions.

He did point out that SpaceX could hardly argue to be the “first private company” to launch humans into space, given that NASA had subsidized both SpaceX and Boeing to the tune of $8 billion to develop rivaling spaceships. Musk’s company was the first to complete testing and perform its launch.

Roscosmos decided to maintain cooperation with NASA even in the face of sanctions introduced by Washington against Moscow – including Rogozin personally – and continued delivering Americans to the ISS for years at the expense of Russia's own crews, Rogozin reminded.

It’s only because of Russia that NASA “didn’t have to use a trampoline” to launch astronauts to space, Rogozin wrote, referencing his notorious joke from six years ago.

(RT)

US Sanctions: Iran to unveil new domestic-made fighter jet ‘in near future’

Islamic Republic of Iran in a response to the U.S. aggressive sanctions, is seeking to unveil a new domestic-made fighter jet to enhance their military capabilities.

Iranian Air Force commander, Mohammad Zalbeigi said on Sunday Iran is creating another domestically-made fighter jet to compliment their previous one that was released in August of 2018.

Zalbeigi told the semi-official Mehr News Agency that the Iranian Air Force has made “considerable progress in designing various types of aircraft, thanks to the efforts of the IRIAF personnel and knowledge-based companies”. “God willing, we will witness the designing and production of [one more] aircraft built at the IRIAF in the near future”, he added, pledging that the new plane will be unveiled soon.

He singled out the Iranian-made fighter jet Kowsar, which is already in service with the country’s air force and which the Iranian commander said can be seen as an example of the IRIAF’s progress. “During the parade held last year everyone witnessed the flight of Kowsar aircraft”, he said, referring to the jet’s equipment that “conforms to the world’s most advanced [aerial] systems”.

The Kowsar was unveiled by Iran’s Defence Minister Amir Hatami during a ceremony in August 2018. Hatami said at the time that Tehran was acting within the framework of the active deterrence strategy to “acquire whatever is necessary for defence” and that apart from warplanes, Iran will also develop domestically-made surface-to-air missile systems.

The latest remarks by Zalbeigi’ came amid growing tensions between Tehran and Washington, which escalated after top Iranian General Qasem Soleimani was assassinated in a US drone strike in Baghdad on 3 January 2020 that was authorised by President Donald Trump. Iran retaliated with missile strikes against the US /NATO military bases in Iraq.

The tensions have existed since President Donald Trump announced Washington’s unilateral withdrawal in May 2018 from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal with world powers and Germany.

The US also reinstating harsh economic sanctions against the Persia. Iran, in May last year announced that it had begun suspending some of its JCPOA obligations, adding that the steps are reversible.



Sources: Mehr News, Sputnik

Iran foiled massive Israeli cyberattack in Bandar Rajai port: IRNA

According to the Islamic Republic’s News Agency (IRNA) of Iran, computers in the southern Iranian port of Bandar Rajai were subjected to a ‘failed’ Israeli cyber attack last week.

The cyberattack created kilometres-long line-ups of vehicles outside the port and vessels stuck in the harbour.
“A failed attack on computers in the Bandar Rajai port was a result a result of the Israeli cyber attack last week,” an official told the agency.

The agency noted that “the attack did not lead to any disruption in the work of the port thanks to the full readiness of the civil defense units and the quick and effective confrontation of the defect caused by the attack,” the official said.

Meanwhile, the Washington Post revealed earlier, according to sources, that Israel was involved in a cyber attack on the Rajai port in the Iranian city of Bandar Abbas on May 9.

The WP reported Monday citing foreign and US officials, said Israel was likely behind the hack that brought the “bustling Shahid Rajaee port terminal to an abrupt and inexplicable halt” on May 9.

The American newspaper stated that the work of the Iranian strategic port in the Strait of Hormuz was suddenly interrupted on that day by the departure of the computer responsible for navigation in the region.

“Computers that regulate the flow of vessels, trucks and goods all crashed at once, ­creating massive backups on waterways and roads leading to the facility,” the Post reported, adding that it had seen satellite photos showing miles-long traffic jams leading to the port and ships still waiting to offload several days later.“A recent cyber attack failed to penetrate the PMO’s systems and was only able to infiltrate and damage a number of private operating systems at the ports,” Mohammad Rastad, managing director of the Ports and Maritime Organization, said in a statement carried by Iran’s ILNA news agency.




A US official with access to classified files also said that Israelis were believed to have been behind the attack. The officials said it was apparently carried out in retaliation for an Iranian cyberattack that targeted Israel’s water infrastructure.

There was no comment from the Israeli embassy in Washington or the Israel Defense Forces, the report said.An unnamed Western official also told Israeli TV on Tuesday morning that the cyberattack was retaliation for Tehran’s failed attempted assault in April on Israel’s water infrastructure.

The response appeared to indicate that Israel has adopted a “tit-for-tat” strategy in responding to Iranian cyber warfare, a tactic already used by the Israeli military with physical, or kinetic, attacks, this official said.

“The cyberattack on the [Shahid Rajaee port] in Iran was an Israeli response to the cyber attack that [the Iranians] carried out against Israel two weeks before against Mekorot [national water company] components — an attack that failed,” the official told Channel 12 news, on condition of anonymity.

“Israel hopes that [the Iranians] stop there. They attacked water infrastructure components. They didn’t really cause damage — but they crossed a line and [Israel] needed to retaliate,” the official said.

Israel was reportedly aghast at the Iranian attack on its water infrastructure.

A May 7 meeting of the high-level security cabinet, the first to be held in months, dealt in part with the Iranian attempt, Israeli television reported.

Quoting unnamed senior officials, Channel 13 news said on May 9 that the attack in late April was viewed as a significant escalation by Iran and a crossing of a red line because it targeted civil infrastructure.

“This is an attack that goes against all the codes of war. Even from the Iranians we didn’t expect something like this,” an official was quoted as saying.

The attack did minimal damage, though problems were reported at some facilities in local councils, the officials said.

Israel was weighing how and if to respond, the network said at the time.

According to the report, ministers who took part in the security cabinet meeting had to sign nondisclosure agreements.

Experts have recently warned that the coronavirus pandemic has created a perfect storm for cyberattacks, with millions of people working in unfamiliar, less secure circumstances and eager for information about the virus and with new organizational policies being implemented.

Russian military developing new material that enemy radars are unable to detect

Russian experts have been able to develop a special “cloth” that absorbs radio waves and is able to effectively block military vehicles from enemy radars in winter conditions.

The media office of the Russian company “Electronica Radio” said that the factory where this type of fabric was developed is preparing to launch industrial production on the basis of threads intertwined with very fine magnetic metal wires.

The media office indicated that the mentioned factory had manufactured the experimental batch of the mentioned material.

The company said that innovation reduces the ability of enemy radars to detect camouflaged weapons, to a large extent.

They pointed out that the new fabric is resistant to climatic fluctuations and is resistant to low temperatures, and one of its most prominent properties is its ability to absorb radar radiation by 99.5%, so that the reflected wave does not enable the radar to determine the location of the hidden machine and identify it.


Source: Novosti

President Putin calls Russia a ‘distinct civilization’ that needs to be SAVED with homegrown high-tech

President Vladimir Putin has compared his multi-ethnic and multi-faith nation to an entire civilisation, saying that if Russia is to maintain that status in the globalist world, it has to develop its own cutting-edge technologies.

In an interview that aired on Sunday, Putin told the Rossiya-1 channel that Russia was “more than merely a country, but truly a distinct civilisation.” Being “a multi-ethnic country with many traditions, cultures and faiths,” the nation has to maintain its status and power by nurturing modern tech, he said.

If we want to preserve this civilisation, we need to focus on high technologies and their future development.

The interview was recorded in late September, but has only now been made public. It focused on Russia’s need to lead the research into technologies such as artificial intelligence and advanced genetics to maintain a competitive edge and defend its independence.

The development of hypersonic weapons systems that no other nation currently has in service showcases Russia’s solid scientific and engineering foundation, Putin said.

(RT)