MIT Grieves Shooting Death of Renowned Director of Plasma Science Center
An anonymous reader quotes a report from the Guardian: The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) community is grieving after the “shocking” shooting death of the director of its plasma science and fusion center, according to officials. Nuno FG Loureiro, 47, had been shot multiple times at his home in the affluent Boston subu … ⌘ Read more
Linux Exposing Support For Lenovo ThinkPads Being Able To Detect Hardware Damage
Newer Lenovo ThinkPads are adding the ability to detect and report varying degrees of hardware damage. The Lenovo ThinkPad ACPI driver for Linux is being adapted for being able to communicate said hardware damage to user-space Linux software… ⌘ Read more
Repeal Section 230 and Its Platform Protections, Urges New Bipartisan US Bill
U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse said Friday he was moving to file a bipartisan bill to repeal Section 230 of America’s Communications Decency Act.
“The law prevents most civil suits against users or services that are based on what others say,” explains an EFF blog post.
“Experts argue that a repeal of Section 230 could … ⌘ Read more
‘Free Software Awards’ Winners Announced: Andy Wingo, Alx Sa, Govdirectory
This week the Free Software Foundation honored Andy Wingo, Alx Sa, and Govdirectory with this year’s annual Free Software Awards (given to community members and groups making
“significant” contributions to software freedom):
Andy Wingo is one of the co-maintainers of GNU Guile,
the official extension language of the GNU operating … ⌘ Read more
Doom Studio id Software Forms ‘Wall-To-Wall’ Union
id Software employees voted to form a wall-to-wall union with the CWA, covering all roles at the Doom studio. “The vote wasn’t unanimous, though a majority did vote in favor of the union,” notes Engadget. From the report: The union will work in conjunction with the Communications Workers of America (CWA), which is the same organization involved with parent company ZeniMax’s … ⌘ Read more
AMD ROCm’s TheRock 7.10 Released
TheRock is an interesting open-source build platform for ROCm and HIP that has taken shape over the past year. It’s become an official ROCm effort albeit still in early stages and relying on community contributions for enhancements for different consumer GPU targets and more. To date its users have largely relied on running the latest TheRock Git while today TheRock v7.10 was tagged… ⌘ Read more
Microsoft Is Back To Working On “Hornet” Security For eBPF Programs On Linux
Earlier in the year Microsoft proposed the “Hornet” Linux security module to provide signature verification capabilities for eBPF programs to provide for better system security. It’s been months since hearing anything more about it and not being merged, but yesterday they “reintroduced” it to the Linux kernel community… ⌘ Read more
NASA Loses Contact With MAVEN Mars Orbiter
NASA has lost contact with its MAVEN Mars orbiter after it passed behind Mars. When it remerged from behind the planet, the spacecraft never resumed communications. SpaceNews reports: MAVEN launched in November 2013 and entered orbit around Mars in September 2014. The spacecraft’s primary science mission is to study the planet’s upper atmosphere and interactions with the solar wind, inc … ⌘ Read more
Rubio Orders Diplomats To Return To Using Times New Roman Font
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Reuters: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday ordered diplomats to return to using Times New Roman font in official communications, calling his predecessor Antony Blinken’s decision to adopt Calibri a “wasteful” diversity move, according to an internal department cable seen by Reuters. The department … ⌘ Read more
North Queenslanders split over new crocodile management plan
The new management plan sees the expansion of crocodile removal zones across north and far north Queensland. Some say it will not increase safety without better community education. ⌘ Read more
Sitting in his car while saltwater rains down, Paul has stayed to defend his home
As a bushfire rages on Tasmania’s east coast, bayside resident Paul Worsteling shelters in his car, charging his phone while saltwater rains down on the roof. ⌘ Read more
Wells says ‘gut reaction’ to travel claims fair but she has ‘upheld’ rules
Communications Minister Anika Wells accepts her taxpayer-funded travel claims have prompted a “gut reaction” in people, after a week of scrutiny over her expenses. ⌘ Read more
Child who survived deadly snake bite sells cows to raise money for helicopter
This 10-year-old is selling her family’s cows to help raise funds for those who rescued her when she suffered a potentially deadly snake bite. ⌘ Read more
New bushfire threat for Tasmanian town, as people told ‘leave immediately’
On the same day that residents in one Tasmanian community are returning to find if their homes are still standing after a bushfire last week, residents in one area are told to ‘leave immediately’ due to a new threat. ⌘ Read more
Death of 10yo in state care may have been accident not suicide, inquest told
An inquest hears the 2024 death of a 10-year-old Indigenous boy while he was under the care of the Department of Communities may have been an accident, not suicide. ⌘ Read more
Toddler’s septic tank death ‘likely would have been prevented’ with maintenance
A coroner’s report has found there were multiple missed opportunities to improve or replace the public housing septic system, which the NT government had responsibility for. ⌘ Read more
Dolphin Sands resident ‘frustrated’ by bushfire communication
More questions have been raised about the official warnings ahead of a bushfire that destroyed 19 homes in a tiny Tasmanian seaside community where there is one road in and out. ⌘ Read more
Grim outlook for river spanning four states if nothing is done to combat climate’s impact
Water needs for river communities will be under increasing pressure over the next 25 years, according to predictions from the Murray-Darling Basin Authority. ⌘ Read more
Police did not mean to imply Jewish community supported Tel Aviv fan ban, force says
A West Midlands Police chief told MPs Jewish community members supported the ban on Maccabi fans. ⌘ Read more
Police did not mean to imply Jewish community supported Tel Aviv fan ban, force says
A West Midlands Police chief told MPs Jewish community members supported the ban on Maccabi fans. ⌘ Read more
Police did not mean to imply Jewish community supported Tel Aviv fan ban, force says
A West Midlands Police chief told MPs Jewish community members supported the ban on Maccabi fans. ⌘ Read more
Naked man smashes ambulance windscreen in Kalgoorlie-Boulder
A video circulated on social media shows a naked male using his head to smash the windscreen of a moving ambulance. ⌘ Read more
Despite another fire crisis, residents at ‘heaven on earth’ won’t live anywhere else
It is beautiful and remote, with one road in and out. And that is part of the deadly bushfire risk of living in this seaside community. ⌘ Read more
Prime minister’s office approved Wells’s almost-$100,000 flights
The furore over Communications Minister Anika Wells’s expenses continues, with just three days until the government’s much-anticipated social media ban for under 16s comes into force. ⌘ Read more
Community raises funds after two children charged over Geraldton fire
While police say the investigation is over, the local community is still trying to move forward from the devastation. ⌘ Read more
Princess Kate celebrates community work at annual Christmas service
Heir to the throne, Prince William, was due to deliver a reading before 1,600 guests along with actors Kate Winslet, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Joe Locke, as well as actor and comedian Babatunde Aléshé. ⌘ Read more
How 4ZZZ kept Brisbane loud and proud with the help of bands, battles and beer
Brisbane community radio station 4ZZZ has withstood political, social and financial pressure for 50 years and it’s still thriving as a loud and proud beacon of counterculture. ⌘ Read more
The XMPP Standards Foundation: The XMPP Newsletter November 2025
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Welcome to the XMPP Newsletter, great to have you here again!
This issue covers the month of November 2025.
The XMPP Newsletter is brought to you by the XSF Communication Team.
Just like any other product or project by the XSF, the Newsletter is th … ⌘ Read more
Residents told to stay away as fire on Tasmania’s east coast remains active
Evacuated residents of a beachside community on Tasmania’s east coast are warned it is unsafe to return to their homes as a bushfire remains active. ⌘ Read more
‘Not becoming of a president’: Somali-Americans respond to Trump’s ‘garbage’ remarks
Somali-Americans tell of their heightened fear after the US president intensified his criticism of the community. ⌘ Read more
‘Irresponsible and harmful’: News Corp attacked by school leaders over NAPLAN
Forty-one signatories to an open letter say they are “dismayed” and that school rankings cause “harm to our communities”. ⌘ Read more
Jewish leaders attend Melbourne synagogue for anniversary of firebombing
Leaders of international Jewish communities have walked through the debris of an Melbourne synagogue a year after it was firebombed as two accused men faced court. ⌘ Read more
Residents’ 6-day mobile outage leaves them without essential services
Porongurup businesses are frustrated by what they describe as a lack of communications and urgency surrounding a 6-day mobile outage. ⌘ Read more
Breaking: Six foreign nationals found in remote WA detained by Border Force
A group of six foreign nationals are detained by authorities after two of their group were found in WA’s remote Kalumburu community by an off-duty police officer. ⌘ Read more
36-hour recovery saves $400k food delivery for remote community
A mammoth effort by community members saves five months’ worth of food for a remote community, but the incident reignites the debate about the condition of WA’s most remote roads. ⌘ Read more
India Pulls Its Preinstalled iPhone App Demand
India has withdrawn its order requiring Apple and other smartphone makers to preinstall the government’s Sanchar Saathi app after public backlash and privacy concerns. AppleInsider reports: On November 28, the India Ministry of Communication issued a secret directive to Apple and other smartphone manufacturers, requiring the preinstallation of a government-backed app. Less than a we … ⌘ Read more
First community-designed, culture-first home arrives in Tennant Creek
A one-of-a-kind home, designed with the input of Tennant Creek families, has rolled up the Stuart Highway from Adelaide on a convoy of trucks. It is part of a new initiative aiming to transform housing in remote First Nations communities. ⌘ Read more
Reform politician’s racist Chinese slur ‘caused a lot of hurt’
Members of Wales’ Chinese community say seeing a politician use a racist slur is “very upsetting”. ⌘ Read more
Air force and Olympians team up for special Christmas exercise
With Olympians on board and a cargo of presents, the Royal Australian Air Force is getting a head start on Santa with Exercise Christmas Hop. ⌘ Read more
Cyclone catastrophe in Sri Lanka awakens volunteer spirit
Fishing boats deliver relief supplies to flooded suburbs as community kitchens churn out food aid. ⌘ Read more
Humanitarian migrants in US fear being deported into danger following shooting
The Trump administration’s escalating restrictions on humanitarian migration are leaving some of the United States’s most vulnerable diaspora communities terrified for their futures. ⌘ Read more
Australian Olympian hopes to reconnect with birth country via new scheme
Indonesia’s new visa scheme is being touted as a solution to dual citizenship. But some in the Indonesian community say the visa has “no real benefit” and amounts to a government revenue grab. ⌘ Read more
Supreme Court Hears Copyright Battle Over Online Music Piracy
The Supreme Court appears inclined to side with Cox Communications in a major copyright case, suggesting that ISPs shouldn’t be held liable for users’ music piracy based solely on “mere knowledge,” given the risk of forcing outages for universities, hospitals, and other large customers. The New York Times reports: Leading music labels and publishers who … ⌘ Read more
‘Hopefully it’s not like the Spirits’: Opinions mixed as Hobart stadium vote looms
By the end of this week, Tasmania will know whether or not Hobart will have a new AFL stadium. Many Tasmanians are still making up their own minds about whether they support it or not. ⌘ Read more
AI Is Being Used To Help Modernize The Ubuntu Error Tracker
While some Linux distributions have begun establishing AI policies, we haven’t seen any communicated from the Ubuntu camp yet but will apparently be permitted at least for project infrastructure. AI is being used currently in an effort to help modernize the Ubuntu Error Tracker… ⌘ Read more
More than 1,000 dead after extreme flooding across Asia
Indonesia, Thailand and Sri Lanka are reeling from flooding that has killed hundreds in each country and destroyed communities. ⌘ Read more
Councils in wind farm information race as shift to renewables ramps up
As approvals for multi-billion-dollar projects land on agendas at country local government meetings, staff and elected representatives battle to ensure their communities are prepared to benefit. ⌘ Read more
The XMPP Standards Foundation: 2025 Annual Meeting and Voting Results
Every year the members of the XSF get together to vote on the current quarter’s new and renewing members. Additionally, elections for both XMPP Council and Board of Directors have been held.
This year’s election meeting wa … ⌘ Read more
Sensitive parliament communications handed to contractor without security clearance
A contractor that was the victim of a Russia-linked hack did not have the necessary security clearance when it received thousands of sensitive communications between politicians and parliamentary staff, in a mistake the department has now conceded. ⌘ Read more
Meet Shiloh, the last dog on Christmas Island
Dogs were banned some years ago to protect the unique wildlife of Christmas Island, but one very special chocolate labrador remains, and she is shared by the whole community. ⌘ Read more