Author: space4knews

In Russia’s parliamentary elections, President Vladimir Putin’s party, United Russia, secured more than 58 percent of the vote, ensuring it wins more than three-quarters of the seats in the State Duma. This election, the first since the invasion of Ukraine, included voters from four Ukrainian regions occupied by Russia, with around 60 percent voter turnout. As Russia did not invite OSCE observers, countries including the European Union, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Canada labeled the elections as fake and unfair.

Kathmandu, September 22 – United Russia, President Vladimir Putin’s party, has achieved a historic landslide victory in Russia’s parliamentary elections. The final official results from this tightly controlled election, which largely excluded opposition parties, revealed this outcome. After a three-day voting period beginning Sunday, the Monday announcement showed United Russia winning over 58 percent of the votes and securing more than 75 percent of the seats in the lower house, the State Duma. This party has dominated Russian politics for the past 25 years.

This was the first parliamentary election since the Russian military invaded Ukraine in 2022. Residents of four Ukrainian regions illegally annexed by Moscow participated for the first time. According to Al Jazeera, the estimated high turnout of around 60 percent allows Moscow to portray the results as popular support for its policies, especially its continuation of the war in Ukraine.

Regarding opposition parties, Ella Pamfilova, head of Russia’s Central Election Commission, noted that Yabloko—the only registered anti-war party in Russia—failed to win any seats nationally. Last month, Russia’s Supreme Court barred the party from the ballot, limiting Yabloko to fielding candidates in only a few single-member constituencies. However, Yabloko did secure representation in the regional parliament of Novgorod in western Russia. The party announced via social media it received around 12,000 votes (over 6 percent), sufficient for entry into the regional legislature.

The Communist Party also issued some criticisms yet refrained from overtly challenging Putin. The party complained that many of its observers were expelled from polling stations. In the election, the Communist Party won 40 seats in the Duma, capturing 13.8 percent of the vote. The nationalist LDPR party secured 25 seats, and the New People party obtained 20 seats.

This time, Russia excluded European security and cooperation organizations from election observation. The Russian Foreign Ministry accused the OSCE of double standards. Pär Jonsson Pons, Chair of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, stated that removing observers violates Russia’s commitments as a member.

Many Russian citizens appeared unsurprised by the results. Tatiana, a resident of Moscow, said, “I saw that United Russia was winning this morning. That’s probably no surprise to anyone.” Asked what changes she expected, she responded, “The most serious issue is the war in Ukraine. I hope it ends soon and peacefully.”

Because of the ongoing war’s effects on ordinary Russians, government-supportive policies may become stronger, and this huge parliamentary majority may struggle to reverse that trend. Tatiana Stanovaya of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center wrote online that although demands to end the war are rising, Putin will portray United Russia’s victory as continued public backing for the war. The key question now is what happens next—there are deep concerns about increased military actions, repression, tightening controls, and rising tensions.

Western nations condemned the elections. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas, stated, “The Kremlin suppressed voices of dissent, banned the only registered party opposing the Ukraine war, and excluded international observers. Now there is only a facade of democracy left in Russia.” A joint statement by five countries including Australia, the United Kingdom, and Canada condemned the Russian ‘fake’ parliamentary election conducted in the occupied Ukrainian regions, calling it part of an “occupation regime.” (In collaboration with Al Jazeera)

The U.S. White House announced on Monday the launch of Trump TV, a digital network that will broadcast content related to the Trump administration 24/7. This move follows restrictions imposed by Trump on CNN, MS Now, and Politico from entering the White House, which led other American television networks to halt their shared coverage of the White House. CNN, MS Now, and Politico have filed lawsuits in U.S. federal court seeking restoration of their access and expedited hearings.

On September 18, Trump banned CNN, MS Now, and Politico from White House access, accusing these media outlets of spreading false news and warning other media houses of similar consequences. In protest of these restrictions, American television networks ceased live broadcasts from the White House. Notably, recent events like the inauguration of the new White House helipad were not broadcast live by these networks.

The White House held the new helipad inauguration on Monday. Typically, television networks provide video coverage of such events, but due to the refusal of shared coverage this time, the White House had to release the footage directly. Television networks’ cameras and microphones were absent at the venue, resulting in unclear audio of Trump’s speech. Going forward, the White House has developed its own digital platform to cover such events, which can be broadcast through Trump TV.

Additionally, the U.S. newspaper The New York Times announced on Monday that it will not publish or share photographs from the White House’s photo pool in solidarity with journalists expelled from the White House. However, the newspaper affirmed it will continue independent coverage of Trump’s visits to New York to ensure free media review of governmental activities. Since 2016, Trump has labeled CNN’s news as “fake news,” continually criticizing the network.

CNN, Politico, and MSNBC have filed a lawsuit in a Washington D.C. federal district court challenging the Trump administration’s decision to bar their entry to the White House, calling the move unconstitutional. President Trump had imposed the ban accusing these media outlets of publishing “false and fabricated” news. Following the ban, ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox News, and NBC jointly announced their withdrawal from the White House television press pool. On September 22, Kathmandu, after the Trump administration barred its journalists from White House access, three major media organizations including CNN have initiated legal action against the administration.

On Monday, CNN, Politico, and MSNBC filed a suit in the U.S. District Court in Washington, deeming the administration’s ban unconstitutional. In a joint statement, these media outlets asserted that the government should not deny journalists access based on unfavorable coverage. They stated that they are pursuing legal recourse to uphold the principle that the government cannot decide what the press may report. President Trump announced the ban on CNN, Politico, and MSNBC from the White House last Friday.

Following the revocation of their access to the White House television press pool, the major U.S. television networks announced their collective withdrawal from the press pool. ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox News, and NBC declared in a joint statement that everyone has a fundamental right to receive accurate and independent information about the government. CNN’s White House press studio was empty on Monday, and instead, CNN’s crew broadcast live from the public street outside the White House security perimeter.

CNN, Politico, and MSNBC said their press credentials and White House access were revoked without prior notice or due process. They warned that failure to challenge this decision would pose a threat to press freedom and independent journalism. The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution protects press freedom, and courts have ruled that the government may not discriminate against media outlets simply because it dislikes their reporting.

News Brief: A UNICEF report reveals that approximately 1.5 million children in Pakistan fall victim to online sexual abuse annually. According to the report, about 85 percent of perpetrators are known to the victims, and 71 percent of the affected children do not disclose the incidents to anyone. In response, the Punjab government has proposed a ban on social media use for children under 16 years of age. October 5, Islamabad (AFP).

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has highlighted in a recent report that nearly 1.5 million children in Pakistan are subjected to online sexual abuse each year. Due to social stigma, shame, and fear of family or societal backlash, most victims remain silent about their experiences. A 17-year-old girl, identified as Zara Shah for security reasons, described how she encountered an attempt at sexual abuse while playing an online game. According to Zara, the perpetrator initially gained her trust through friendly behavior, later invited her to meet and demanded nude pictures. When she refused, she was threatened with the dissemination of their private conversations to her family.

The UNICEF report states that approximately 85 percent of offenders are familiar individuals. These perpetrators exploit online games, friendly chats, gifts, money, or promises of love to gain children’s trust. It further notes that around 71 percent of victims choose not to report these incidents to anyone. None of the survey participants had filed formal complaints with the police, helplines, or social workers. Mehak Naeem, director of the child rights organization Pehchan, explained that about 44 percent of reported cases occur entirely online, with Snapchat and WhatsApp being the most commonly used platforms.

With roughly 74 percent of children aged 12 to 17 in Pakistan using the internet, online safety presents a growing challenge. Meanwhile, the Punjab government has proposed prohibiting social media use for children under 16, a move that digital rights activist Usama Khilji believes will be difficult to enforce and may restrict children’s freedom of expression. Tahira Afrasiab, spokesperson for Muslim Hands, emphasized that while legal frameworks exist in Pakistan to prevent technological misuse against children, enforcement remains ineffective. Human rights lawyer Salman Afridi noted that perpetrators exploit economic vulnerabilities, using technology to gain trust, tempt, threaten, and even produce and distribute abusive material involving children. Zara Shah shared that her traumatic online gaming experience has left her living in fear. “I was afraid then, and I am still afraid,” she said.

Election Summary

In the Russian parliamentary elections conducted amidst cyber attacks and Ukrainian drone raids, the ruling United Russia party secured approximately 57.5 percent of the vote with about 71 percent of the ballots counted. The election, held for the 450 seats in the State Duma, also saw the Communist Party receive 14 percent of the votes and the LDPR garner 8.7 percent. On the final day of voting, Russian officials reported at least two fatalities following an estimated 1,600 drone strikes launched by Ukraine targeting Moscow and its surrounding areas.

Ala Pamfilova, Chair of the Central Election Commission, stated that the election infrastructure faced over 1,000 DDoS cyber attacks. Moscow, October 5 – Despite ongoing Ukrainian drone attacks, Russia held its parliamentary elections with President Vladimir Putin’s ruling United Russia party gaining a decisive lead. Official sources confirm that with nearly 71 percent of votes counted, United Russia secured approximately 57.5 percent of the vote.

This election for the State Duma’s 450 seats is significant as Russia’s first parliamentary vote following its large-scale military operation against Ukraine in 2022. Preliminary results indicate the Communist Party earned 14 percent, and the nationalist LDPR received 8.7 percent of the vote. State news agency TASS reports the ruling party is on track to maintain a two-thirds majority. The anti-war Yabloko party was barred from registering federal list candidates by the Supreme Court a few weeks prior, though some of its candidates still competed in single-member constituencies.

Voting also took place in Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia. On the election’s final day, Russian officials reported a large-scale Ukrainian drone assault on Moscow and neighboring areas. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin revealed that about 1,600 drones were launched, with around 450 aimed at the capital. The attacks resulted in at least two deaths and caused damage to residential buildings and oil processing facilities. Complementing these reports, Central Election Commission Chair Ala Pamfilova confirmed that over 1,000 DDoS cyber attacks targeted Russian electoral infrastructure in multiple phases. She noted that coordinated groups employing artificial intelligence were involved in these attacks. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the drone strikes as effective, while the Russian Defense Ministry warned it would intensify counterattacks on military targets in Kyiv in response. Final election results are expected to be announced on Monday.

5 Ashoj, Wellington (RASS/AFP) – The black robin, a species critically endangered in New Zealand, has been declared this year’s ‘Bird of the Year.’ This competition attracted over 105,000 votes. The black robin found on Chatham Island, approximately 800 kilometers east of the South Island’s east coast, was once on the brink of extinction. In the 1980s, only five black robins remained, including a single breeding female. Today, it is estimated that roughly 350 individuals exist within two protected areas.

The black robin secured first place by surpassing the flightless parrot kākāpō and the native New Zealand falcon (kārearea), receiving over 26,000 votes. The annual contest, organized by the independent conservation group Forest & Bird, has previously faced controversies. In 2019, hundreds of votes originating from New Zealand IP addresses raised concerns of foreign interference, particularly from Russia. However, the organization confirmed that the majority of votes were legitimate.

This year, Forest & Bird’s Rebecca Hatch clarified that there was no foreign interference contributing to the increased voter turnout. According to her, 105,000 people voted for their favorite native bird. “New Zealanders have truly raised their voices in support of nature. Approximately one in every 50 people cast a vote,” she said. Previously, in 2023, the humorous support of comedian John Oliver helped the puaiohi win the title. The Chatham Islands Landscape Restoration Trust has been actively campaigning to preserve the black robin and plans to establish an additional protected habitat to boost its population and biodiversity.

September 21, Kathmandu – Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to travel to the United States starting September 23, according to an announcement made by China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday. The ministry’s statement confirmed that President Xi’s official visit will take place from September 23 to 25.

President Xi’s visit comes at the invitation of U.S. President Donald Trump. Earlier, during a press conference held at the White House last Friday, Trump was asked about the dates of Xi’s visit. Trump responded, “Our relationship is good, he will be coming next week. Our meeting will be very productive.” He also indicated that several agreements are expected to be made between the United States and China during the visit.

This visit follows a May trip by President Trump to China, during which the two leaders held discussions in Beijing.

China has commenced large-scale production of a ‘super coating’ paint that can reduce the temperature of building walls by as much as 25 degrees Celsius during hot weather. Testing conducted over six months at a petrochemical plant in Hainan Province demonstrated that the new coating maintained surface temperatures 25 degrees Celsius lower than those with ordinary paint. This innovative paint works by reflecting solar heat and utilizing the principle of “radiative cooling,” requiring no electricity, water, or other cooling agents.

Citing China’s state media outlet Science and Technology Daily, the South China Morning Post reported that this paint effectively lowers surface temperatures without the use of any electrical or additional cooling resources. During the summer tests, surfaces coated with the new paint registered temperatures up to 25 degrees Celsius cooler compared to surfaces with conventional coatings. For example, on a day with an ambient temperature around 30 degrees Celsius, the temperature of tanks painted with the new coating was 25 degrees Celsius cooler than those with standard paint.

The temperature reduction is achieved through two processes. First, the coating reflects a significant portion of sunlight and heat, unlike traditional dark paints or conventional building materials which absorb solar heat. Second, it employs the radiative cooling principle, releasing absorbed heat as infrared radiation back into space. Conventional air conditioning systems consume electricity to cool building interiors, thereby increasing energy demand, costs, and carbon emissions.

China indicated that this coating is suitable for application in homes, offices, factories, warehouses, and public infrastructure. It is especially beneficial for metal tanks, warehouses, and factory walls, which often experience excessive heat. The report claims that the coating’s performance surpasses that of similar products worldwide. However, independent scientific testing, detailed technical specifications, and comparative studies across diverse climatic and building conditions remain limited in public disclosure.

05 October, Kathmandu – Three cybersecurity researchers of Indian origin have discovered security vulnerabilities in OpenAI’s system by utilizing Anthropic’s AI model ‘Claude.’ They successfully exploited these weaknesses to gain control over some ChatGPT and Codex accounts belonging to OpenAI staff and demonstrated a potential path to access the company’s internal software repository. This was not a malicious cyberattack but an official security test conducted under OpenAI’s bug bounty program. After reporting the weaknesses to OpenAI, the company resolved the issues and awarded the researchers $6,500.

Who are the three researchers involved? The security test was conducted by Mohan Pedapati, Harsh Jayswal, and Rahul Mehni, researchers at the cybersecurity startup Hacktron AI. They began testing on July 25 and reportedly gained employee account access in less than 72 hours. Various reports indicate that their research cost under $3,000, including the use of AI tools. The investigation began by exploiting vulnerabilities in Discourse software used on OpenAI’s public community forum.

After gaining access to the forum server, the researchers found another vulnerability in OpenAI’s ‘Sign in with OpenAI’ system. This login method used for the community forum was connected to other services like ChatGPT and Codex. Due to a shared Single Sign-On (SSO) system, authentication tokens issued for forum login were also valid for other OpenAI services. These tokens function like digital credentials, allowing users to access services without entering passwords.

One employee Codex account controlled by the researchers was linked to OpenAI’s private GitHub group, revealing the possibility of accessing internal software repositories. However, the researchers did not read, modify, merge source code, or access customer data. They only created secure and harmless pull requests as evidence of their access. According to Hacktron, this level of access could have potentially posed risks to other systems such as Slack, email, and additional employee-linked services beyond GitHub.

OpenAI has addressed and fixed the vulnerability in their login system, revoked affected tokens and sessions, and implemented additional security controls on the shared login system. On September 1, OpenAI awarded Hacktron a $6,500 bug bounty. The company clarified that this payout was for the vulnerability found in its own identity and login system, not the Discourse platform flaw.

This incident raises two key questions about security systems at AI companies: First, why was internal employee account access exposed through vulnerabilities in an external public forum? Second, what risks remain when public and sensitive internal services are connected through a single SSO system, allowing compromise of one to extend access to others?