Hotznplotzn

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/49841840

• The European Union has switched on parts of its secure satellite communications network for government and military use.
• Elements of the IRIS2 and GOVSATCOM networks began limited operations for government and military use, with Ukraine requesting access.
• The IRIS2 network will eventually have satellites in multiple orbits and is scheduled to be fully operational by 2030, serving both private customers and governments.

The European Union has switched on parts of its homegrown secure satellite communications network for the first time, as part of a €10.6 billion push to provide an alternative to Starlink and wean itself off US support amid growing tensions.

Elements of the IRIS2 and GOVSATCOM networks began limited operations last week for government and military use, Defense and Space Commissioner Andrius Kubilius said at the European space conference in Brussels on Tuesday. Ukraine has requested access, and provisions to do so are under way, he said.

“All member states can now have access to sovereign satellite communication. Military and government. Secure and encrypted. Built in Europe — operated in Europe, under European control,” Kubilius said. “Experts are saying it would be better than Starlink. This is our ambition.

[...]

Archive link

• The European Union has switched on parts of its secure satellite communications network for government and military use.
• Elements of the IRIS2 and GOVSATCOM networks began limited operations for government and military use, with Ukraine requesting access.
• The IRIS2 network will eventually have satellites in multiple orbits and is scheduled to be fully operational by 2030, serving both private customers and governments.

The European Union has switched on parts of its homegrown secure satellite communications network for the first time, as part of a €10.6 billion push to provide an alternative to Starlink and wean itself off US support amid growing tensions.

Elements of the IRIS2 and GOVSATCOM networks began limited operations last week for government and military use, Defense and Space Commissioner Andrius Kubilius said at the European space conference in Brussels on Tuesday. Ukraine has requested access, and provisions to do so are under way, he said.

“All member states can now have access to sovereign satellite communication. Military and government. Secure and encrypted. Built in Europe — operated in Europe, under European control,” Kubilius said. “Experts are saying it would be better than Starlink. This is our ambition.

[...]

Archive link

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/49828000

Archived

Russia is putting “all vessels at risk” of collision or shipwreck by jamming navigation systems, Britain and other countries around the Baltic and North Sea have warned.

A letter sent to the International Maritime Organisation says Russia is interfering with safety-critical GPS signals, causing accidents and endangering ships around the world.

While the GPS jamming of aircraft by Russia has been reported before, the letter reveals the extent of the risks to shipping.

A report by the Royal Institute of Navigation (Rin) says that hundreds of vessels are affected every day. The most common methods of interference include jamming — blocking or overwhelming the satellite signals with noise so that ships cannot get a position — or spoofing, broadcasting false satellite signals.

[...]

Last week, Britain provided France with intelligence before the French navy took control of a stateless tanker laden with Russian oil in the Mediterranean.

Russia’s shadow fleet is considered a serious risk to maritime safety, since it primarily uses underinsured and ageing tankers, which have been linked to spoof satellite signals and other forms of interference.

[...]

A survey of ships’ crew by Rin found that, among those who had experienced satellite interference, 86 per cent were concerned it had an impact on safety. In 14 per cent of cases, ships had been led into an unsafe or unlawful situation by the interference.

Ivana-Maria Carionni-Burnett, a sea captain and chair of the Rin maritime navigation group, said the danger could not be overcome by traditional navigation techniques.

“These are no longer isolated incidents and pose a real risk to life: people, property and the environment. We must do more to safeguard our seas today and the shipping of tomorrow,” she said.

[...]

The British government’s letter calls on all states and maritime bodies to recognise GPS jamming and false signals as a threat to safety, and to start developing alternative safety systems that can be used when Russia jams signals.

[...]

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/49828000

Archived

Russia is putting “all vessels at risk” of collision or shipwreck by jamming navigation systems, Britain and other countries around the Baltic and North Sea have warned.

A letter sent to the International Maritime Organisation says Russia is interfering with safety-critical GPS signals, causing accidents and endangering ships around the world.

While the GPS jamming of aircraft by Russia has been reported before, the letter reveals the extent of the risks to shipping.

A report by the Royal Institute of Navigation (Rin) says that hundreds of vessels are affected every day. The most common methods of interference include jamming — blocking or overwhelming the satellite signals with noise so that ships cannot get a position — or spoofing, broadcasting false satellite signals.

[...]

Last week, Britain provided France with intelligence before the French navy took control of a stateless tanker laden with Russian oil in the Mediterranean.

Russia’s shadow fleet is considered a serious risk to maritime safety, since it primarily uses underinsured and ageing tankers, which have been linked to spoof satellite signals and other forms of interference.

[...]

A survey of ships’ crew by Rin found that, among those who had experienced satellite interference, 86 per cent were concerned it had an impact on safety. In 14 per cent of cases, ships had been led into an unsafe or unlawful situation by the interference.

Ivana-Maria Carionni-Burnett, a sea captain and chair of the Rin maritime navigation group, said the danger could not be overcome by traditional navigation techniques.

“These are no longer isolated incidents and pose a real risk to life: people, property and the environment. We must do more to safeguard our seas today and the shipping of tomorrow,” she said.

[...]

The British government’s letter calls on all states and maritime bodies to recognise GPS jamming and false signals as a threat to safety, and to start developing alternative safety systems that can be used when Russia jams signals.

[...]

Archived

Russia is putting “all vessels at risk” of collision or shipwreck by jamming navigation systems, Britain and other countries around the Baltic and North Sea have warned.

A letter sent to the International Maritime Organisation says Russia is interfering with safety-critical GPS signals, causing accidents and endangering ships around the world.

While the GPS jamming of aircraft by Russia has been reported before, the letter reveals the extent of the risks to shipping.

A report by the Royal Institute of Navigation (Rin) says that hundreds of vessels are affected every day. The most common methods of interference include jamming — blocking or overwhelming the satellite signals with noise so that ships cannot get a position — or spoofing, broadcasting false satellite signals.

[...]

Last week, Britain provided France with intelligence before the French navy took control of a stateless tanker laden with Russian oil in the Mediterranean.

Russia’s shadow fleet is considered a serious risk to maritime safety, since it primarily uses underinsured and ageing tankers, which have been linked to spoof satellite signals and other forms of interference.

[...]

A survey of ships’ crew by Rin found that, among those who had experienced satellite interference, 86 per cent were concerned it had an impact on safety. In 14 per cent of cases, ships had been led into an unsafe or unlawful situation by the interference.

Ivana-Maria Carionni-Burnett, a sea captain and chair of the Rin maritime navigation group, said the danger could not be overcome by traditional navigation techniques.

“These are no longer isolated incidents and pose a real risk to life: people, property and the environment. We must do more to safeguard our seas today and the shipping of tomorrow,” she said.

[...]

The British government’s letter calls on all states and maritime bodies to recognise GPS jamming and false signals as a threat to safety, and to start developing alternative safety systems that can be used when Russia jams signals.

[...]

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/49815844

Archived

Sir Keir Starmer and his entire team are taking “burner” phones and laptops to China in an attempt to stop their hosts from spying on them.

The Times understands that dozens of disposable devices have been issued to the government delegation tasked with building bridges with Beijing this week.

New mobile phones, temporary Sim cards and throwaway laptops are being issued to the prime minister, attachés, special advisers, the No 10 policy team and digital media staffers before they departed on Tuesday night.

Sources suggested that no government equipment at all will be taken to the country over concerns about Chinese Communist Party snooping. Starmer and other officials have also been told not to bring any personal devices, in case they are compromised.

[...]

Government sources said officials were given iPhones that were barcoded and marked with red “security” stickers. Staff were instructed to return the phones immediately to security personnel on their return to the UK. They were advised to avoid charging devices with USB sockets, regarded as a potential route for digital attacks, and told to use only conventional plugs.

The China trip was understood to have been contingent on the approval of the mega-embassy. Ministers gave the go-ahead on Tuesday after more than a year of deliberations.

[...]

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/49815844

Archived

Sir Keir Starmer and his entire team are taking “burner” phones and laptops to China in an attempt to stop their hosts from spying on them.

The Times understands that dozens of disposable devices have been issued to the government delegation tasked with building bridges with Beijing this week.

New mobile phones, temporary Sim cards and throwaway laptops are being issued to the prime minister, attachés, special advisers, the No 10 policy team and digital media staffers before they departed on Tuesday night.

Sources suggested that no government equipment at all will be taken to the country over concerns about Chinese Communist Party snooping. Starmer and other officials have also been told not to bring any personal devices, in case they are compromised.

[...]

Government sources said officials were given iPhones that were barcoded and marked with red “security” stickers. Staff were instructed to return the phones immediately to security personnel on their return to the UK. They were advised to avoid charging devices with USB sockets, regarded as a potential route for digital attacks, and told to use only conventional plugs.

The China trip was understood to have been contingent on the approval of the mega-embassy. Ministers gave the go-ahead on Tuesday after more than a year of deliberations.

[...]

Der chinesische Staatschef Xi Jinping bezeichnete dieses Netzwerk 2021 als "magische Waffe", um das chinesische Volk weltweit zu vereinen.

Dabei tritt die Einheitsfront selten offen auf. Sie agiert subtil über Kulturvereine, Wirtschaftsverbände und persönliche Kontakte und versucht so sicherzustellen, dass auch unter Auslandschinesen niemand dem Machtanspruch der Partei gefährlich wird. Illegale "Polizeistationen" und Parallelstrukturen

Besonders brisant: 2022 berichten verschiedene Medien, China soll weltweit illegal sogenannte Polizeistationen betreiben. Sie stützen sich auf Recherchen der spanischen NGO Safeguard Defenders. Auch in Deutschland wurden mindestens sechs Personen bekannt, die für solche sogenannten Polizeistationen gearbeitet haben. Zum Beispiel in Frankfurt, Düsseldorf – und München. Bei vier von ihnen können wir nachweisen, dass sie Verbindungen zur Einheitsfront haben.

Der deutsche Verfassungsschutz spricht in seinem Jahresbericht 2022 von "illegitimen Parallelstrukturen", die Informationen über Exilchinesen sammeln und ideologische Leitlinien verbreiten. Auf Nachfrage teilt die chinesische Botschaft damals mit, es habe sich lediglich um "freiwillige Unterstützungsangebote" engagierter Überseechinesen gehandelt, die aber eingestellt worden seien.

[...]

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/49815844

Archived

Sir Keir Starmer and his entire team are taking “burner” phones and laptops to China in an attempt to stop their hosts from spying on them.

The Times understands that dozens of disposable devices have been issued to the government delegation tasked with building bridges with Beijing this week.

New mobile phones, temporary Sim cards and throwaway laptops are being issued to the prime minister, attachés, special advisers, the No 10 policy team and digital media staffers before they departed on Tuesday night.

Sources suggested that no government equipment at all will be taken to the country over concerns about Chinese Communist Party snooping. Starmer and other officials have also been told not to bring any personal devices, in case they are compromised.

[...]

Government sources said officials were given iPhones that were barcoded and marked with red “security” stickers. Staff were instructed to return the phones immediately to security personnel on their return to the UK. They were advised to avoid charging devices with USB sockets, regarded as a potential route for digital attacks, and told to use only conventional plugs.

The China trip was understood to have been contingent on the approval of the mega-embassy. Ministers gave the go-ahead on Tuesday after more than a year of deliberations.

[...]

«Strahlend weisse Zähne in 15 Sekunden»: Das verspricht die Schweizer Firma Elixavita. Der PR-Spruch steht auf einer Kartonschachtel, in der aktuell die Zahnkosmetik-Produkte den Kundinnen und Kunden der Schweizerischen Post präsentiert werden.

Die Hoffnung der Post: Während man wartet, um den Brief oder das Paket am Schalter aufzugeben, könnte der Eine oder die Andere einen Spontankauf tätigen. Zum Beispiel einen Elixavita-Dental-Schaum. Oder einen Elixavita-Propolis-Spray, der «wohltuend und ideal für frischen Atem» sein soll.

Auf der Schachtel, in der die einzelnen Elixavita-Produkte in Reih und Glied stehen, ist das Logo der Firma zu sehen. Diese besteht aus einem grünen Blatt und der Schweizer Flagge: Weisses Kreuz auf rotem Hintergrund. Gleich daneben ist die Schweizer Website notiert: Elixavita.ch.

[...]

So manche Kundinnen und Kunden könnten also den Eindruck erhalten, dass sie es hier mit einem Schweizer Produkt zu tun haben. Doch dem ist nicht so. Denn wer sich die einzelnen Verpackungen genauer ansieht, erfährt, dass die Artikel in China hergestellt wurden. Die Firma Elixavita aus Schindellegi vertreibt diese bloss. Tatsächlich sind auf den einzelnen Verpackungen keine Schweizerkreuze angebracht.

Doch wird mit der grösseren Kartonschachtel, auf der das Schweizerkreuz sehr wohl prangt, eine Schweizer Herkunft suggeriert? Handelt es sich um eine Veräppelung der Kundschaft? Das rot-weisse Kreuz ist seit 2017 im Swissness-Gesetz streng geschützt. Es darf nur verwendet werden, wenn der Gebrauch nicht irreführend ist. Ganz verboten ist der Gebrauch des staatlichen Wappens, also des weissen Kreuzes im roten Dreiecksschild.

[...]

Marija Bucher, Direktorin des Schweizerischen Kosmetik- und Waschmittelverbandes, will sich zum konkreten Fall nicht äussern. [...] Sie hat von Elixavita noch nie gehört. Sie betont, dass sich ihre Organisation für einen wirksamen Schutz der Herkunftsangabe Schweiz einsetze. «Swissness ist ein wertvolles Qualitätsmerkmal, das nur dann seine volle Wirkung entfalten kann, wenn Missbräuche im In- und Ausland konsequent verfolgt werden.»

Auch die Schweizerische Post scheint sich der Sache nicht ganz sicher zu sein. «Wir sind mit dem Lieferanten in Kontakt, um das Produkt und die geltenden Richtlinien zu prüfen», sagt Sprecher Patrick Stöpper. Zwar sei auf dem Produkt selbst kein Schweizerkreuz angebracht, auf dem Warenträger, also dem Kartonbehälter, jedoch schon. «Wir haben den Lieferanten darauf aufmerksam gemacht, die Herkunftskriterien und damit verbundenen Swissness-Gesetzgrundlagen zu prüfen und gehen dem Hinweis nach.»

[...]

Aktuell [werden] die Elixavita-Produkte in 451 Filialen verkauft. Umsatzzahlen sind keine bekannt. Entwickelt werden solche lokalen Kooperationen direkt durch die Mitarbeitenden der Post in den Regionen zusammen mit dem Leitungsteam.

[...]

Elixavita-Geschäftsführer Peter Schönbächler gibt sich derweil unbeirrt. Das Firmenlogo mit dem Schweizerkreuz diene «ausschliesslich der Unternehmens- und Markenidentität» und komme insbesondere «im unternehmerischen Kontext» zum Einsatz, zum Beispiel für die Firmenpräsentation oder die Geschäftskorrespondenz.

[...]

Gut möglich, dass ein Gericht diese Aussage bestätigen muss, damit Schönbächler das Lachen nicht vergeht. Trotz Elixavita-Zahn-Schaum.

Archived

Sir Keir Starmer and his entire team are taking “burner” phones and laptops to China in an attempt to stop their hosts from spying on them.

The Times understands that dozens of disposable devices have been issued to the government delegation tasked with building bridges with Beijing this week.

New mobile phones, temporary Sim cards and throwaway laptops are being issued to the prime minister, attachés, special advisers, the No 10 policy team and digital media staffers before they departed on Tuesday night.

Sources suggested that no government equipment at all will be taken to the country over concerns about Chinese Communist Party snooping. Starmer and other officials have also been told not to bring any personal devices, in case they are compromised.

[...]

Government sources said officials were given iPhones that were barcoded and marked with red “security” stickers. Staff were instructed to return the phones immediately to security personnel on their return to the UK. They were advised to avoid charging devices with USB sockets, regarded as a potential route for digital attacks, and told to use only conventional plugs.

The China trip was understood to have been contingent on the approval of the mega-embassy. Ministers gave the go-ahead on Tuesday after more than a year of deliberations.

[...]

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/49774183

The original article is in German, this is an automated translation with minimal edits.

Archived (in German)

Swiss Post is afraid of an avalanche of fake stamps from China. It has therefore filed a criminal complaint with the Federal Prosecutor’s Office. According to a report in Swiss media, the criminals are to punish for “high-quality counterfeits” that would be “be made in China ... in large numbers” and offered “for sale via AliExpress”.

The September complaint is against an “unknown perpetrator” to ensure that blocked stamps are “confiscated for destruction”.

[...]

Swiss Post and Swiss Customs could block the delivery of stamps worth only 188,000 francs so far, but it is assumed that the “total number of delivered stamps is much higher”, so the Post in their criminal complaint.

The total “damage incurred can not yet be quantified”, the Post tells the Federal Prosecutor.

[...]

“In late summer 2025, various import shipments with counterfeit stamps were seized at customs,” a post office spokeswoman confirmed on request.

At that time, a first criminal complaint was filed. Since then, further criminal charges have been and continue to be filed whenever we become aware of counterfeits, Swiss Post says.

‘Stamps purchased by unofficial traders may be counterfeit. Caution is especially required for offers below the franking value and for offers from abroad.‘

[...]