If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The long quest to produce a competitive, viable phone/phone OS alternative to Big Tech’s Apple/Google duopoly, that above all meets the needs of privacy and security-oriented users, continues. A new effort in this direction comes in the shape of collaboration between Apostrophy OS (AphyOS) – an Android Open Source Project (AOSP) -based mobile operating system – with end-to-end encrypted messaging app Threema. Operating systems building on AOSP are also known as “de-Googled” Android – that which out the gate lacks the Google Mobile Services (GMS) package, the heart of Google’s grip on your phone’s data. But this also means the absence of handy features like easily accessing apps on Play Store – and this is one of the reasons Google works so hard to keep third-party stores out, and also, a major obstacle to overcome by the said privacy-first operating systems. By entering into a partnership with Treema, Apostrophy is clearly trying to make its OS a more attractive proposition by building in an end-to-end encrypted messenger, that is, the “Libre” (a reference to free software) version that does not rely on closed-source, proprietary libraries. To those running Apostrophy on a select number of phones that are fully compatible with the OS, this open version of Treema is available for “free, as in beer” – i.e., without the need to purchase a license. (For anybody interested in using this version of Treema on another OS/device, it can be found in the free and open source alternative to Play Store, F-Droid). Meanwhile, Apostrophy, that is marketing its endeavors as, “privacy meets usability,” comes pre-installed and tested for compatibility on a number of phones, notably Punkt MC02. To mark its partnership with Apostrophy, Treema said it was giving away ten of these devices. All three companies are based in Switzerland, stressing a minimalist approach to both hardware and software, which helps delivers on the usability and privacy promise, combined with Apostrophy’s stress on privacy. Beside excluding Google Mobile Services, the OS also offers a built-in VPN, and what it says is a “unique and intuitive” way for users to grant permissions to apps, called “Data Ledger.” If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The post Apostrophy Android Partners with Threema Libre for Free, Privacy-Focused Messaging appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The use of automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) in the UK is now reportedly producing mass surveillance on a truly massive scale – cameras are capturing number plates close to 44.5 times per second. That translates to more than one billion times a year, privacy and civil rights group Big Brother found out via freedom of information act (FOIA) requests, that concerned eight local or regional authorities. This makes for “one of the biggest surveillance networks in the world,” is how the group summed up the situation. APNRs are there to enforce green driving schemes (Clean Air Zones, CAZ; in London, this is known as the Ultra Low Emission Zone, ULEZ) by deploying mass surveillance and collecting data on drivers that can be retained for up to a year. And this comes on top of the police capturing number plates for their own purposes, said to be happening billions of times per year. The declared reason for the use and proliferation of surveillance cameras in these ULEZ-like schemes is to control how much emissions drivers are allowed to create. The authorities have the right to charge penalties – but in thousands upon thousands of cases, reports say this is based on erroneous data. Data hoovered up by APNRs is connected to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). One of the fears privacy advocates have is that this data will be used for purposes other than protecting the environment and that this is already happening as some of it is available to the police. According to Big Brother Watch, Birmingham City Council had struck a secretive, and apparently ongoing deal with West Midlands Police before the 2022 Commonwealth Games which let the police access the Council’s ANPR network. The response to this FOIA request, however, did not specify how much data was given to law enforcement thanks to this agreement, which the privacy advocates say, provided “unfettered access to number plate data.” Meanwhile, Transport for London (TfL) data captured from 163.2 vehicles driving past its live CCTV cameras was requested by the Metropolitan police between August 2023 and June 2024. “Millions of innocent people’s car journeys are captured by automated cameras every day and this level of surveillance is a threat to everyone’s privacy,” warned Big Brother Watch Head of Research and Investigations Jake Hurfurt. If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The post Surveillance on the Road: Why Britain’s Massive Camera Network Has Privacy Advocates on Edge appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

On 25 October 1415, Henry V of England took on the mighty French forces at the Battle of Agincourt. Despite being heavily outnumbered, his troops won. It would become one of the most legendary victories in English history. But how much of the story we know today is true? In Agincourt: The Real Story, historical conflict analyst Dr Mike Livingston journeys through northern France in the footsteps of Henry V and his army, from Harfleur to Agincourt. Sign up to watch Livingston argues that the traditionally recognised site of the battle incorrectly locates the English position in the French position. Additionally, he wonders if Henry’s strategy alone won him the battle – or whether forces beyond his control proved pivotal. In the battle, Henry arranged his archers into low long wings either side of his centre, where his dismounted men-at-arms stood between further groups of archers. “As the French approached, they would be shot at from both sides while the surrounding woods and stakes would prevent his archers from being overrun,” Livingston explains. Livingston reconstructs the battle with Dr Marina Viallon, medieval arms and armour expert. Ultimately, it saw Henry win a total victory against the French, losing just hundreds of men compared with the thousands of French losses. Although the French men-at-arms facing them would have been eager and fully protected, wearing a combination of mail and plate armour, and the distinctive pointed helmet known as the pig’s nose bascinet, they had a problem. “The Dauphin had not yet arrived on the battlefield,” explains Viallon. “Instead the French were being led by various dukes of the realm, and they didn’t always get along. So a lot of other factions were actually fighting for power around the king and so you have four or five different leaders in this army.” This was their biggest problem, says Viallon. “The English had a clear and strong leader. And the French basically had too many cooks in the kitchen, but no chef.” Dr Mike Livingston meets with master arrowsmith and fletcher Will Sherman in Agincourt: The Real StoryImage Credit: History Hit The result was confused command, and commitment to a foiled plan even as conditions on the battlefield turned muddy and difficult. In this light, victory at Agincourt was not a foregone conclusion for the English, but almost a fluke. “Henry did not even want a fight,” says Livingston. “He tried his best to avoid it but the French caught up to him.” In Agincourt: The Real Story, Livingston explores the vital role of Henry’s archers, and works with master arrowsmith and fletcher Will Sherman to explore the finely honed technology that helped win the day. He also investigates whether Henry was seeking battle or running away, exploring whether illness among his troops motivated a return home. Livingston considers how Agincourt permeated as a tale of bravery and triumph against all the odds, inspiring Shakespeare and thereafter everyone from Churchill to Kenneth Branagh. Sign up to History Hit to watch original documentaries and ad-free listening to History Hit podcasts. Sign up to watch

2024 Election Roundup: Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics

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Remote and on-location observations by a Chinese mission provide further evidence for that scenario.

They came from surprisingly far away.

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The region was witness to a large-scale attempt to capture orcas, which was fatal for some of them.

In Brazil and Paraguay, they are called "urutaú", from the Guaraní words for bird and ghost.