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Time Is Money

Jul 7, 2024 • 6 min read

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Australian Private Cloud
Japanese Train Maintenance Robot

Week Recap:

The Supreme Court has ruled that presidents are immune from criminal prosecution for actions taken while in office. This decision grants presidents "presumptive immunity" for official acts performed during their tenure, which complicates special counsel Jack Smith's election interference case against former President Donald Trump. However, the court specified that this immunity does not cover "unofficial acts," meaning not all presidential actions are protected.
NASA has awarded SpaceX a $69 million contract to launch the Compton Spectrometer and Imager (COSI) mission. This mission is set for August 2027 and will use a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The COSI mission, featuring a wide-field gamma-ray telescope, will explore energetic phenomena in the Milky Way and beyond. It will study the creation and destruction of matter and antimatter, the final stages of star life cycles, the origins of galactic positrons, nucleosynthesis sites, gamma-ray polarization, and counterparts to multi-messenger sources.
The parent company of Redbox, the red DVD rental kiosks, has filed for bankruptcy after struggling financially for several months. Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment (CSSE) revealed in a filing that it is nearly $1 billion in debt, owing millions to entertainment companies like the BBC and Sony Pictures, as well as retailers including Walmart and Walgreens.
At the end of June, the LockBit cyber gang announced that it had breached the systems of the Federal Reserve of the United States and exfiltrated 33 TB of sensitive data, including Americans’ banking secrets. However, it was later confirmed that the leaked data actually belonged to Arkansas-based Evolve Bank & Trust. The analysis of the data on the LockBit group's Tor leak site on June 26 verified that the documents were from Evolve Bank & Trust.
In June, the ShinyHunters hacking group announced on the relaunched BreachForums website that they had leaked 33 million random phone numbers linked to Twilio’s two-factor authentication app, Authy. This data leak also included account IDs and other non-personal information of Authy users. Twilio confirmed the breach in a security alert posted on its website. The company revealed that threat actors accessed data associated with Authy accounts, including phone numbers, through an unauthenticated endpoint.
Several North American department stores are set to merge as Hudson's Bay Co. (HBC) acquires Neiman Marcus for $2.65 billion, integrating it into a larger business with other upscale retailers. Announced on Thursday, this deal grants HBC control of the Dallas-based Neiman Marcus Group, which operates 38 luxury stores under the Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman brands, both known for their high-end apparel, accessories, and home goods.

Australian Private Cloud:

Amazon has been awarded a $1.3 billion contract to develop a secret cloud-computing system for the Australian government. This initiative aims to enhance the country’s capacity for information sharing and analysis while bolstering defense communications. Over the next decade, Australia will invest at least 2 billion Australian dollars ($1.3 billion) to establish and operate this secure cloud system. The project is a strategic partnership between the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD), responsible for cybersecurity, and Amazon Web Services (AWS).
Rachel Noble, director general of the ASD, highlighted that the new cloud infrastructure will create an advanced collaborative environment for storing and accessing classified data. This private cloud will be a dedicated, secure network isolated from the public internet, ensuring that sensitive information remains protected from external threats. The private cloud will facilitate improved cooperation with the United States and support Australian military operations by integrating technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning.
The private cloud being developed will serve as a state-of-the-art collaborative space for Australia's intelligence and defense communities, allowing them to securely store and access top-secret data. This system will be equipped with advanced encryption and security measures to protect against unauthorized access and cyber threats. By creating a highly secure and resilient environment, the Australian government aims to safeguard its critical information infrastructure and ensure the continuity of its defense operations.

Japanese Train Maintenance Robot:

Japan has introduced a new humanoid robot to help maintain its train lines, developed by West Japan Railway. The 12-meter high machine, equipped with large arms and a Wall-E-like head with coke bottle eyes, can be fitted with tools such as blades and paint brushes. Despite its appearance, the robot is intended for tasks like painting and trimming trees along the railway.
Starting this month, the robot will be used for maintenance work, mounted on a truck that can drive on rails. The operator controls the robot from a cockpit on the truck, using cameras to see through the robot's eyes and remotely operate its limbs. With a vertical reach of 12 meters, the robot can handle objects up to 40 kilograms and perform tasks like painting and cutting tree branches.
This technology aims to address worker shortages in Japan's aging population and enhance safety by reducing accidents such as falls and electric shocks. West Japan Railway's president, Kazuaki Hasegawa, mentioned that the company plans to expand the use of machines for various maintenance operations in the future, potentially setting a model for addressing labor shortages in other industries.

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