SMART General President Joseph Sellers opened the inaugural SMART Leadership Conference on Monday, with local leaders from sheet metal and transportation gathering in San Francisco for four days of hard work on behalf of SMART members across North America. The theme, “Growth Through Unity,” encompassed the focus of the day: in the joint session, sheet metal and Transportation Division sessions, and breakouts, SMART leadership focused on how to secure the future of our union – together.

Leaders emphasize unity in joint session

In his opening remarks, General President Sellers summarized the many events of the last several years for attendees, noting that political developments in both the United States and Canada have created unprecedented opportunity for our union – as well as the labor movement at large.

He began by counting some of the legislative victories achieved for SMART members across North America: huge investments in the union transportation and sheet metal industries in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, pension protection in the American Rescue Plan, project labor agreements on federal projects above $35 million in the United States; and the achievement of the Labor Mobility Tax Credit and real apprenticeship funding for SMART brothers and sisters in Canada. He also noted the recently proposed rule for two-person crews and the importance of working together, across sheet metal and transportation, to secure that victory for SMART rail workers.

SMART General Secretary-Treasurer Joseph Powell

“We must be proactive and seize our opportunities to strengthen and grow our union,” Sellers said. “We must build our capacity and capitalize on union-friendly administrations in both the US and Canada.”

That being said, he pointed out, all those gains will be in danger if anti-labor politicians take back Congress. Elections in battleground states don’t only matter for locals in those states – they will impact the future of our entire union.

“Either we determine the future of our union, or our adversaries will do it for us,” Sellers declared. “So let’s organize, mobilize, recruit and fight like hell to increase our density and our market share across industries.”

General Secretary-Treasurer Joseph Powell elaborated on General President Sellers’ speech, noting the need to accelerate our union’s growth while touching on the battles facing the Transportation Division and the ways SMART has used technology to expand member services without increasing expenses. The general secretary-treasurer pointed out that, given the growth in construction jobs, sheet metal locals need to increase their organizing, recruitment and retention.

“We have learned at this point that we can’t predict the future,” he said. “But two things we know for certain. One is that there is an enormous amount of opportunity ahead. The other is that we will need to work hard to make the most of that opportunity. Together, we will do just that.”

SMART TD President Jeremy Ferguson

Jeremy Ferguson, president of the SMART Transportation Division, used his opening remarks to reflect on the massive efforts to bring SMART together in the past – particularly the 2019 General Convention – and vowed to work tirelessly across sheet metal and transportation to make our union stronger than ever. Ferguson also spoke on the furious fight to safeguard and expand working conditions for Transportation Division members against corporate onslaught, particularly the Class 1 freight railroads.

“When things get tough, I know that the one thing we’re not afraid to do in the face of adversity is to show up and step up,” he said. “We’re not fearful of the challenges that we see ahead, after what we’ve been through.”

Ferguson touched on the ways the Transportation Division has dedicated itself to better serving members, from an app that allows workers to report safety violations, to the rolling out of SMART University, to the improvement of the Transportation Newspaper – including a column written by Ferguson titled “What your union is doing for you.” All of these initiatives, he explained, are part of the Transportation Division’s effort to strengthen, to unify, to come together and meet the needs of the membership as a whole.

Through all the difficulties of the last several years, a bright spot has emerged: friendly figures in government and federal agencies. Ferguson noted that, thanks to relationships with FRA Administrator Amit Bose, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and others, SMART members have a voice in the halls of power. And most importantly, he declared, the unity and solidarity of SMART provides a road map to a better future for all members.

“The changes we made in 2020 that we were all a part of have opened the doors to lasting progress for our organization and hope, even as we fight through all that the carriers and their Wall Street oligarchs throw at us to grind us down, such as Draconian attendance policies,” Ferguson said.

Also speaking during Monday’s joint session were SMART TD California State Legislative Director (SLD) Louie Costa and SMART SM Local 104 (San Francisco) Business Manager Rick Werner. In each of their speeches, Costa and Werner touched on the histories of union transportation and sheet metal in California: the challenges, the battles fought and won, the ongoing struggles and the great potential for growth across all SMART crafts. Notably, both Costa and Werner recounted specific instances where unity – between different locals, and between sheet metal and transportation industries – helped spur the success of SMART.

“It is only together, as one, in all crafts, that we can, and will, solidify the theme of this year’s conference: ‘Growth Through Unity,'” Costa said.

GP Sellers, San Francisco Mayor London Breed, GST Powell

To cap off Monday’s joint session, the SMART Leadership Conference welcomed San Francisco Mayor London Breed and United States Surface Transportation Board (STB) Chair Marty Oberman – both figures who have showed themselves to be allies of working people and SMART. In her speech, Mayor Breed recapped the efforts of the San Francisco government, under her leadership, to bolster the rights of organized labor, including raises for union city employees and the CityBuild program – a pipeline for people from underserved communities to enter the unionized construction trades. She also addressed the city-wide project labor agreement signed into law in 2019.

“Having a strong PLA is important to ensure not only that we get these projects done, but the men and the women who work to push these projects through are supported through good living wages,” Breed said. “I know that’s what you all represent.”

Oberman, meanwhile, discussed the STB’s efforts to investigate the decline of freight rail service in the United States. Pointing to the reckless workforce slashing that has helped spur current freight rail disruptions, Oberman noted that much of the railroads’ difficulties hiring the workers needed to keep America’s supply chain running resulted from current working conditions – no business, he added, could function on the back of a nearly 30% workforce cut.

“It’s quite clear that the main force driving how the railroads are being managed these days are the pressures of stockholders,” he said.

Following Oberman’s speech, General President Sellers closed the joint session – but the day’s work had only begun, as sheet metal and Transportation Division leaders separated for industry-specific breakout sessions. Read more here.

STB Chair Marty Oberman

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SMART General President Joseph Sellers opened the inaugural SMART Leadership Conference on Monday, with local leaders from sheet metal and transportation gathering in San Francisco for four days of hard work on behalf of SMART members across North America. The theme, “Growth Through Unity,” encompassed the focus of the day: in the joint session, sheet metal and Transportation Division sessions, and breakouts, SMART leadership focused on how to secure the future of our union – together.

Leaders emphasize unity in joint session

In his opening remarks, General President Sellers summarized the many events of the last several years for attendees, noting that political developments in both the United States and Canada have created unprecedented opportunity for our union – as well as the labor movement at large.

He began by counting some of the legislative victories achieved for SMART members across North America: huge investments in the union transportation and sheet metal industries in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, pension protection in the American Rescue Plan, project labor agreements on federal projects above $35 million in the United States; and the achievement of the Labor Mobility Tax Credit and real apprenticeship funding for SMART brothers and sisters in Canada. He also noted the recently proposed rule for two-person crews and the importance of working together, across sheet metal and transportation, to secure that victory for SMART rail workers.

SMART General Secretary-Treasurer Joseph Powell

“We must be proactive and seize our opportunities to strengthen and grow our union,” Sellers said. “We must build our capacity and capitalize on union-friendly administrations in both the US and Canada.”

That being said, he pointed out, all those gains will be in danger if anti-labor politicians take back Congress. Elections in battleground states don’t only matter for locals in those states – they will impact the future of our entire union.

“Either we determine the future of our union, or our adversaries will do it for us,” Sellers declared. “So let’s organize, mobilize, recruit and fight like hell to increase our density and our market share across industries.”

General Secretary-Treasurer Joseph Powell elaborated on General President Sellers’ speech, noting the need to accelerate our union’s growth while touching on the battles facing the Transportation Division and the ways SMART has used technology to expand member services without increasing expenses. The general secretary-treasurer pointed out that, given the growth in construction jobs, sheet metal locals need to increase their organizing, recruitment and retention.

“We have learned at this point that we can’t predict the future,” he said. “But two things we know for certain. One is that there is an enormous amount of opportunity ahead. The other is that we will need to work hard to make the most of that opportunity. Together, we will do just that.”

SMART TD President Jeremy Ferguson

Jeremy Ferguson, president of the SMART Transportation Division, used his opening remarks to reflect on the massive efforts to bring SMART together in the past – particularly the 2019 General Convention – and vowed to work tirelessly across sheet metal and transportation to make our union stronger than ever. Ferguson also spoke on the furious fight to safeguard and expand working conditions for Transportation Division members against corporate onslaught, particularly the Class 1 freight railroads.

“When things get tough, I know that the one thing we’re not afraid to do in the face of adversity is to show up and step up,” he said. “We’re not fearful of the challenges that we see ahead, after what we’ve been through.”

Ferguson touched on the ways the Transportation Division has dedicated itself to better serving members, from an app that allows workers to report safety violations, to the rolling out of SMART University, to the improvement of the Transportation Newspaper – including a column written by Ferguson titled “What your union is doing for you.” All of these initiatives, he explained, are part of the Transportation Division’s effort to strengthen, to unify, to come together and meet the needs of the membership as a whole.

Through all the difficulties of the last several years, a bright spot has emerged: friendly figures in government and federal agencies. Ferguson noted that, thanks to relationships with FRA Administrator Amit Bose, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and others, SMART members have a voice in the halls of power. And most importantly, he declared, the unity and solidarity of SMART provides a road map to a better future for all members.

“The changes we made in 2020 that we were all a part of have opened the doors to lasting progress for our organization and hope, even as we fight through all that the carriers and their Wall Street oligarchs throw at us to grind us down, such as Draconian attendance policies,” Ferguson said.

Also speaking during Monday’s joint session were SMART TD California State Legislative Director (SLD) Louie Costa and SMART SM Local 104 (San Francisco) Business Manager Rick Werner. In each of their speeches, Costa and Werner touched on the histories of union transportation and sheet metal in California: the challenges, the battles fought and won, the ongoing struggles and the great potential for growth across all SMART crafts. Notably, both Costa and Werner recounted specific instances where unity – between different locals, and between sheet metal and transportation industries – helped spur the success of SMART.

“It is only together, as one, in all crafts, that we can, and will, solidify the theme of this year’s conference: ‘Growth Through Unity,'” Costa said.

GP Sellers, San Francisco Mayor London Breed, GST Powell

To cap off Monday’s joint session, the SMART Leadership Conference welcomed San Francisco Mayor London Breed and United States Surface Transportation Board (STB) Chair Marty Oberman – both figures who have showed themselves to be allies of working people and SMART. In her speech, Mayor Breed recapped the efforts of the San Francisco government, under her leadership, to bolster the rights of organized labor, including raises for union city employees and the CityBuild program – a pipeline for people from underserved communities to enter the unionized construction trades. She also addressed the city-wide project labor agreement signed into law in 2019.

“Having a strong PLA is important to ensure not only that we get these projects done, but the men and the women who work to push these projects through are supported through good living wages,” Breed said. “I know that’s what you all represent.”

Oberman, meanwhile, discussed the STB’s efforts to investigate the decline of freight rail service in the United States. Pointing to the reckless workforce slashing that has helped spur current freight rail disruptions, Oberman noted that much of the railroads’ difficulties hiring the workers needed to keep America’s supply chain running resulted from current working conditions – no business, he added, could function on the back of a nearly 30% workforce cut.

“It’s quite clear that the main force driving how the railroads are being managed these days are the pressures of stockholders,” he said.

Following Oberman’s speech, General President Sellers closed the joint session – but the day’s work had only begun, as sheet metal and Transportation Division leaders separated for industry-specific breakout sessions. Read more here.

STB Chair Marty Oberman

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RSA Conference 2022 again has two keynote stages: The West Stage featuring sponsor keynotes, panels and esteemed guest speakers, and the South Stage which brings highly coveted sessions from industry experts to a broader audience. Both stages open today June 6th with a notable lineup of prominent speakers.

“We’ve always been proud to say that the RSA Conference is where the cybersecurity industry comes together, and we could not be more excited to be able to convene in-person again this year for our 31st annual conference,” said Linda Gray MartinVP, RSA Conference. “Cybersecurity is core to every business and whether you’re joining us in-person, online, or year-round through RSAC 365, we’re committed to keeping the global community informed 24/7.”

In addition to its keynotes, RSA Conference will feature over 600+ speakers, 25 track sessions, 350+ sessions, and 400+ exhibitors from across the industry. Additional highlights include:

• RSAC Innovation Sandbox – Today, the highly competitive RSAC Innovation Sandbox program culminates with one finalist recognized as “RSA Conference 2022’s Most Innovative Startup”.
• RSAC Sandbox – RSA Conference Sandbox explores various disciplines of cybersecurity in new and innovative ways. RSAC 2022 will feature seven different sandboxes with dozens of interactive experiences, starting Tuesday, June 7thand is available for Full Conference Pass or Expo Plus Pass holders.
• Inclusive Security – As part of creating an environment where all voices are brought together for positive and inclusive dialogue, RSAC has introduced this seminar that’s open to all pass holders and includes a collection of sessions developed and presented with our community partners. The seminar will focus on increasing the representation of diverse voices throughout our industry and will take place Tuesday, June 7.
• RSAC College Day – Taking place on Thursday, June 9thCollege Day welcomes hundreds of students, recent graduates, and faculty from leading universities with a free, one-day pass that gives them access to dozens of sessions and keynotes plus two experiences tailored just for them.
• Executive Security Action Forum – Members meet every year at the ESAF Annual Meeting held in conjunction with RSA Conference. The RSAC Executive Security Action Forum (ESAF) is an invitation-only, closed-door forum where 100+ top information security executives from Global 1000 companies and government agencies can gather to candidly share insights, discuss key issues, and find actionable solutions to today’s information risk management challenges.
• EFraud Global Forum – RSA Conference eFraud Global Forum (eFG) is an exclusive closed-door, invitation-only forum created to help facilitate information sharing within the global anti-fraud ecosystem. Approximately 125 senior anti-fraud executives from business, security, and technical functions at some of the world’s largest enterprises will gather to confidentially discuss online fraud and how to prevent it.
• The Hugh Thompson Show Featuring Katie Couric, Chris Krebsand Rashad Robinson – To close out RSA Conference 2022, join Hugh Thompson and co-chairs of the Aspen Institute’s Commission on Information Disorder as they explore the topic of information disorder and discuss why it is one of the most important problems of our time.

RSA Conference would like to extend its thanks to its 2022 sponsors: Cisco, RSA, VMware, CrowdStrike, Forcepoint, Fortinet, IBM Security, Mandiant, Microsoft Security, Palo Alto Networks, Splunk, Trellix, AT&T Cybersecurity, BlackBerry, Check Point, Code42 , Digital Guardian by Help Systems, ExtraHop, F5, Keysight Technologies, Recorded Future, Sectigo, TeleTrusT – IT Security Association Germany, Tenable, Tufin, Varonis, Verizon, CyberArk, Delinea, Elastic, Entrust, Exabeam, FireMon, Forescout Technologies, Inc ., HUMAN, Illumio, Invicti Security, Juniper Networks, Malwarebytes, Mimecast, OneTrust, Ping Identity, Proofpoint, Rapid7, SentinelOne, Sumo Logic, Synopsys, Thales, ThreatLocker, Tripwire, Utimaco, Acronis, BigID, BrandShield, CDW, CybelAngel, CyberGRX, Devo, DNSFilter, Infoblox, Ivanti, Kenna Security, Keyfactor, LastPass, Lookout, Morphisec, Onapsis, Pindrop, PKWARE, Reciprocity, ReversingLabs, RiskIQ, SafeBreach, SailPoint, Secureworks, Security Compass, Team Cymru, Tessian, Thinkst Canary, ThreatConnect, and Yubico.

For those who are unable to travel or who would like to view and engage with content online, RSA Conference also offers a Digital Pass, which grants individuals access to the Innovation Sandbox Contest, Keynotes, Sponsor Briefings and recorded Track sessions which will all be available on-demand within 24 hours of a session running live at RSAC 2022.

For the health and safety of everyone, RSA Conference requires all attendees and staff to show proof of initial COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test for entry. Additionally, RSA Conference continues to monitor and adhere to local protocols to provide a safe and rewarding in-person experience. For the latest on RSAC’s onsite health and safety measures, visit www.rsaconference.com/usa/health-and-safety.

About RSA Conference
RSA Conference is the premier series of global events and year-round learning for the cybersecurity community. RSAC is where the security industry converges to discuss current and future concerns and have access to the experts, unbiased content and ideas that help enable individuals and companies to advance their cybersecurity posture and build stronger and smarter teams. Both in person and online, RSAC brings the cybersecurity industry together and empowers the collective “we” to stand against cyberthreats around the world. RSAC is the ultimate marketplace for the latest technologies and hands-on educational opportunities that help industry professionals discover how to make their companies more secure while showingcasing the most enterprising, influential, and thought-provoking thinkers and leaders in cybersecurity today. For the most up-to-date news pertaining to the cybersecurity industry visit www.rsaconference.com. Where the world talks about security.

SOURCE RSA Conference

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Warriors headed to Western Conference finals after big win at Chase Center

Fans at the Chase Center were ecstatic Friday night as the Golden State Warriors eliminated the Memphis Grizzlies to advance to the Western Conference finals.

SAN FRANCISCO – On Friday night, fans left Chase Center ecstatic that the Golden State Warriors won Game 6 to advance to the Western Conference Finals.

“The Warriors played with a spirited effort. And we won it for the Bay,” said one fan outside the arena.

“I’m proud of them guys. I want them to bring the championship back home,” said Trell Brooks of Vallejo.

“It was a great game. We’re so excited that they won. I was a little nervous, but they made it and that’s all that matters,” said Jen Packard who’s also from Vallejo.

Dub Nation turned up the volume for the pivotal Game 6, arguably the most important Warriors game so far to be played at Chase Center.

“The Warriors are back. We’re going to be in the finals this year. It’s going to happen,” said Kevin Sawyer from Hayward.

Fans sat glued to their seats, relishing the fact that the team is playing at home.

“There’s so much energy. People are exited. People are such fans of Curry, Dray and Klay. We’ve been watching these guys for years. It never gets old. You can never get tired of watching the Warriors,” said Julie Anderson from San Francisco.

Many came after a day at work, looking for the fever pitch excitement that post season play brings.

“I love everything about being here. It’s exciting. It’s always great to cheer for the warriors. They’re an awesome team,” said Clara Kwong from Los Gatos.

This Friday night game attracted some fans who live outside the Bay Area.

“We came from Clovis. We’re confident because We’re Warriors fans, die hard. Even though we don’t live here anymore, we still support the Warriors,” said Jenea Levy.

“I’ve been supporting them for a long time. They do what they do. They don’t make it, they don’t make it. We’re still standing with them. But for now, my mind set is we got This. That’s what we’re riding with,” said Nadine Jenkins of Oakland.

“No doubts at all they’re going to win the finals right here, the finals,” said John Dykzeul of Millbrae as he gave a thumbs up.

We won’t know who they play next until Sunday’s game between the Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns.

Warriors officials announced that pre-sale tickets go on sale Saturday. Tickets for the general public go on sale Sunday at 10 am.

Amber Lee is a reporter with KTVU. Email Amber at Amber.Lee@Fox.com or text/leave message at 510-599-3922. Follow her on Facebook @AmberKTVU or Twitter @AmberKTVU

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SAN FRANCISCO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The 2022 Game Developers Conference (GDC), the world’s largest and longest-running event serving professionals dedicated to the art and science of making games, concluded its 36th edition today, after a week of networking, learning and inspiration. The conference was the largest in San Francisco in the past two years, with a total of 12,000 industry professionals attending at San Francisco’s Moscone Convention Center from March 21-25 and a further 5,000 joining on the virtual platform of the conference, which was available to increase attendee accessibility, for a total of 17,000 attendees. The conference prioritized health and safety for all attendees and required proof of vaccination and face masks to be worn indoors. GDC will be returning to the Moscone Convention Center Monday, March 20 to Friday, March 24, 2023. The call for submissions for GDC 2023 will open in the summer.

GDC 2022 featured over 1,000 speakers across over 600 lectures, workshops and roundtable discussions and networking events, physically reuniting the game development community. More than 200 exhibitors showcased their newest technologies, software and services on the GDC Expo Floor, including industry leaders such as Amazon, AMD, ARM, Google, Nintendo, Unity, Wemade and more. The Expo Floor also provided attendees with the opportunity to play some of the most exciting and boundary-pushing independent games, meet the developers at the Independent Games Festival (IGF) Pavilion and to experience the uniquely experimental games of the alt.ctrl.GDC exhibit that is home to games that use alternative controllers.

The conference featured sessions full of insights from some of the biggest names in electronic entertainment. Josh Wardle, creator of the international phenomenon Wordle, gave a talk on how he created, grew and sold the ubiquitous word game, with a focus on all the mistakes made along the way to its status as a huge hit. Top voices spoke on learnings from the creation of hit games including, Baldur’s Gate 3, Clash of Clans, Horizon Forbidden West, Life is Strange: True Colors, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, Psychonauts 2, Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, Sable, the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser experience at Disney World, classics such as Wolfenstein 3D and Q-bert and much more.

A centerpiece of GDC was the multi-part presentation “GDC Main Stage: The Developer’s Renaissance,” which focused on the future of game development and the evolving workplace with esteemed speakers from Eidos-Montréal, PlayStation Studios and Devolver Digital/DeepWell DTx. The speakers discussed finding the right balance in a remote/hybrid work environment, taking a stronger approach to addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace and empowering developers to “kill it with kindness.”

GDC 2022 celebrated the top developers of the past year with the 24th annual Independent Games Festival (IGF) Awards and the 22nd annual Game Developers Choice Awards. Daniel Mullins Games’ genre-bending, deck-building roguelike game, Inscryption, made history by being the first game ever to win both the Seumas McNally Grand Prize in the IGF Awards and the Game of the Year Award in the Game Developers Choice Awards in the same night. An archive of the IGF and GDCA ceremonies can be viewed at http://twitch.tv/gdc.

“It’s been an honor to reunite the exceptional video game development community at GDC 2022 and to share in the love for games and each other that has brought so many people to San Francisco this week,” said Katie Stern, who oversees the GDC as VP of Entertainment Media at Informa Tech. “The learnings, accomplishments and people that have made up GDC 2022, have made it clear that the video game industry community is stronger than ever and we’re already so excited for what is to come in GDC 2023.”

For more details on the Game Developers Conference visit www.gdconf.com. The GDC Vault website – www.gdcvault.com – will offer access to a wide variety of GDC lectures and sessions in the coming weeks. GDC All Access Pass holders and individual Vault subscribers will get access to hundreds of video sessions from GDC 2022 and previous GDC shows. Official photos of the conference are available via the GDC Flickr account: www.flickr.com/photos/officialgdc/.

About GDC

The Game Developers Conference® (GDC) is the world’s largest professional game industry event with market-defining content for programmers, artists, producers, game designers, audio professionals, business decision makers, and others involved in the development of interactive games and immersive experiences . GDC brings together the global game development community year-round through events and digital media, including the GDC Masterclass, GDC Vault, gamedeveloper.com, Game Career Guide, Independent Games Festival and Summit, and the Game Developers Choice Awards.

GDC is organized by Informa PLC, a leading B2B information services group and the largest B2B events organizer in the world. To learn more and for the latest news and information visit www.informa.com.

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WhatsApp and Telegram are two of the last social media apps remaining in Russia. And while the odds that the Kremlin cracks down on them are unlikely, it’s not impossible.

After Facebook parent company Meta said it would allow posts calling for violence against Russian soldiers, the country blocked access to both Facebook and Instagram. A Russian court later declared Meta guilty of “extremist” activities. Twitter has also been softly blocked in the country. Now, WhatsApp and Telegram are two of the last apps standing.

As of August 2021, around 38 million Russians were using Telegram, while close to 77 million Russians were on WhatsApp, according to data from Statista. Those numbers are presumably much higher in the wake of Instagram and Facebook’s ban. WhatsApp likely hasn’t been banned yet due to its popularity: It’s the most widely-used messaging app in the country, and Russians don’t really have an alternative to the platform (although the country is reportedly trying to make ICQ messenger a thing again). Russia more notably doesn’t seem too concerned about people using WhatsApp for mass communication or information gathering. When a Russian court declared Meta “extremist,” it said: “The decision does not apply to the activities of Meta’s messenger WhatsApp, due to its lack of functionality for the public dissemination of information.”

Russia’s intention to block platforms used for mass communication means that WhatsApp is pretty much at the bottom of the priority list for a potential ban, according to Eva Galperin, the director of Cybersecurity at the Electronic Frontier Foundation. If Russia did decide to ban another platform, Telegram would likely be first on the chopping block. It’s gotten way more internet traffic than WhatsApp in recent weeks (although more people use WhatsApp overall), and it offers public-facing channels that allow for mass communication. But Galperin said a ban on Telegram probably won’t happen either, because it’s being used by Kremlin-backed accounts.

“This is just not very high on Russia’s list of priorities; they’ve got a whole bunch of other stuff to block first,” Galperin said, pointing to Twitter and censorship circumvention technologies.

Telegram’s complicated history with the Russian government is another reason why it’s likely to stick around. Russia banned Telegram in 2018 after the platform refused to hand over its encryption keys, which the country argued were needed to monitor potential terrorist activity. It took Telegram to court over the issue, but the ban was lifted two years later after Telegram expressed “willingness” to help the country fight terrorism and extremism.

“There are all kinds of speculations and rumors circulating about Telegram cooperating with the Russian government and giving them data,” said Natalia Krapiva, a tech-legal counsel at civil rights nonprofit Access Now. The group published an open letter to Telegram in December calling on the platform to create better safety measures, like implementing end-to-end encryption by default to protect human rights leaders.

“And that’s why Telegram will not be touched,” Krapiva said. She added that Telegram’s chats also aren’t end-to-end encrypted by default, which has led to speculation that the Russian government could press Telegram to hand over available user information.

With Telegram being widely used by Russian citizens, government officials and news organizations alike, there could be more room for a platform like WhatsApp to slide under the radar for users to speak out against the Russian government, Krapiva said. Take Lebanon as an example: When the country approved a tax hike on the platform in 2019, one protester noted that WhatsApp is their only way to “vent our frustrations.” In Sudan, the platform emerged as a way for people to voice their dissent against their government.

The Russian government doesn’t like that kind of resistance, and it’s arresting anyone who tries to pick a fight. A law in Russia that went into effect earlier this month made independent war reporting and protests against the war illegal. Thousands of people in Russia have been arrested for anti-war actions, according to OVD-Info.

If Russian officials pick up on the fact that people are using WhatsApp to speak out against the country, Krapiva said that could also lead the country to cut off access to the platform. But again, that’s unlikely to happen because Russians mostly use WhatsApp to communicate with friends and family and seek privacy — not to organize uprisings.

“That public organizing has now been largely extinguished, so you cannot really openly call people for protests,” Krapiva said. “Now, we are seeing more and more informally organizing happenings. If the government sees more evidence of those kinds of organizing activities happening quietly on these platforms, that might give them a reason to go after [WhatsApp].”

Russia could always choose to ban both WhatsApp and Telegram, regardless of its current reasons for allowing them. The country is moving toward a so-called “splinternet,” which refers to Russia’s increased digital distance from the rest of the world, faster than ever. Alena Epifanova, a research fellow at the German Council on Foreign Relations, said Russia would only do away with more platforms if the war escalates.

“I can imagine they will shut off everything that they can’t control,” Epifanova told Protocol.

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SAN FRANCISCO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The 2022 Game Developers Conference (GDC), the world’s longest-running event for professionals dedicated to the art and science of making games, begins its 36th edition today, in-person at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco. The week-long conference, which also includes a virtual component, will feature more than 200 exhibitors, over 1,000 speakers and more than 600 lectures, tutorials, roundtable discussions and networking events. Safety is a priority for the conference, with proof of vaccination required at the event and face masks worn indoors in compliance with California and local requirements.

The GDC kicks off with two days of Summits, March 21 and 22, each of which offers in-depth insight on a wide range of game development disciplines, including: advanced graphics, AI, animation, art direction, community management, fair play, free-to-play games, game career, game narrative, game storytelling, independent games, level design, machine learning, math in game development, game educators, online game technology, open source game development, programming, production essentials, technical artistry, tools, visual effects, UX and VR/AR.

Following the GDC Summits, the main GDC conference will kick off on Wednesday, March 23 with the multi-part presentation “GDC Main Stage: The Developer’s Renaissance,” which this year will focus on the future of game development and the evolving workplace. Esteemed speakers from Eidos-Montréal, PlayStation Studios and Devolver Digital will talk on topics including finding the right balance in a remote/hybrid work environment, taking a stronger approach to addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace and empowering developers to “kill it with kindness.”

The main conference also features sessions full of insights from some of the biggest names in electronic entertainment. Top designers will lead sessions on Baldur’s Gate 3, Clash of Clans, Horizon Forbidden West, Life is Strange: True Colors, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, Psychonauts 2, Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, Sable, the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser experience at Disney World, Wolfenstein 3D, Q-bert and much more. Even Josh Wardle, creator of the international phenomenon Wordle will be in attendance to lead a talk on how he created, grew and sold the ubiquitous word game.

The 24th annual Independent Games Festival (IGF) Awards, which honor the most promising developers and projects from the world of independent video games, and the 22nd annual Game Developers Choice Awards (GDCAs), which recognizes and celebrates the creativity, artistry and technical ingenuity of the finest developers and games of the last year, will both take place back-to-back on Wednesday, March 23, starting at 6:30pm PT. Both the IGF and GDCA ceremonies are available to attend for all GDC 2022 pass holders and will be livestreamed on the GDC’s official Twitch channel.

“We are incredibly excited for this week and what it signals: the video game industry is able to join together again to share their learnings, celebrate their successes and breathe a collective sigh of relief,” said Katie Stern, who oversees the GDC as VP of Entertainment Media at Informa Tech. “This is the first GDC of many to come that will again be a space for game industry to meet and where professionals can learn and grow.”

GDC 2022 features an expo floor where top game industry companies exhibit their latest and meet with attendees, as well as special spaces such as the alt.ctrl.GDC and the IGF Pavilion. Returning for its eighth year, the alt.ctrl.GDC is an acclaimed exhibit where visitors can play games using alternative controllers and meet the developers behind these uniquely interesting projects. The IGF Pavilion hosts the finalists of the IGF Awards, providing attendees with a chance to play some of the most exciting and boundary-pushing independent games.

For more details on the Game Developers Conference, please visit the GDC’s official website, or subscribe to regular updates via Facebook, Twitter, or RSS. Official photos are available via the Official GDC Flickr account: www.flickr.com/photos/officialgdc/.

About GDC

The Game Developers Conference® (GDC) is the world’s largest professional game industry event with market-defining content for programmers, artists, producers, game designers, audio professionals, business decision makers, and others involved in the development of interactive games and immersive experiences . GDC brings together the global game development community year-round through events and digital media, including the GDC Masterclass, GDC Vault, gamedeveloper.com, Game Career Guide, Independent Games Festival and Summit, and the Game Developers Choice Awards.

GDC is organized by Informa PLC, a leading B2B information services group and the largest B2B events organizer in the world. To learn more and for the latest news and information visit www.informa.com.

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LAS VEGAS — Just about an hour before tipoff Saturday night at Orleans Arena, ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi articulated, very concisely, what was on the line for BYU in the West Coast Conference quarterfinals against San Francisco.

Everybody already knew that it was a massive game. But when Lunardi speaks, everybody pays attention.

“A BYU win … against San Francisco should result in a record four bids for the WCC,” Lunardi tweeted, and he had the Cougars moving into “Last Four In” the Big Dance.

Unfortunately for no. 5 seeded BYU (22-10), it squandered an opportunity — a Golden opportunity — for a Quad 1 victory and a chance to bolster its resume and get on the right side of the NCAA Tournament bubble.

No. 4 San Francisco led almost the entire game and defeated the Cougars 75-63.

Afterward, Lunardi tweeted, “BYU slides out of the projected field with the loss against San Francisco.”

The Dons (24-8), meanwhile, may have clinched their spot in the NCAA Tournament.

“I’m proud of my guys. This was a big game for a multitude of reasons. If you’d been listening to the media all week, they were trying to build this up as an elimination game. I didn’t feel that that was the case with our body of work. We left no doubt tonight,” said USF coach Todd Golden.

“We controlled the game after the first four minutes. These guys (Khalil Shabazz and Jamaree Bouyea) are the two best guards in the league. I’m really excited that this team is going to be dancing.”

Golden called it “one of the biggest wins in the last 35 years” in program history.

“It secures our (NCAA) Tournament bid,” he added.

As for BYU? Its NCAA Tournament hopes remain precarious at best. The Cougars could be headed for the National Invitation Tournament.

BYU had no answer for Shabazz and Bouyea. Shabazz poured in 22 points, including 5 of 9 from 3-point range, while Bouyea finished with 18 points and four assists.

What impact did Shabazz and Bouyea have on the outcome?

“Everything is run through them. A big impact,” said BYU guard Spencer Johnson. “They made shots and a lot of tough shots. They were good tonight.”

“They’re terrible players. They’re dangerous,” said coach Mark Pope. “They complement each other really well. They’re also a really disruptive force on the defensive end in different ways.”

BYU, meanwhile, shot just 38% from the field, including a miserable 3 of 20 from 3-point range.

Combined, Gideon George, Caleb Lohner and Trevin Knell hit only 2 of 18 from the floor.

The Cougar offense, which looked so sharp in Friday’s second-round win over LMU, sputtered most of the night against USF.

Alex Barcello ended up with 19 points but hit only 1 of 5 from 3-point territory. Fousseyni Traore recorded another double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds and Johnson added 11 points on 4 of 4 shooting.

“There were some things that we didn’t do as well tonight as we had the last two weeks, some point of attack things that were a little bit surprising that we didn’t manage as well as we had,” Pope said.

“We were 3 of 20 from the 3-point line. Part of that was because we’ve just got to find ways to find each other shots more consistently.”

The game was close throughout the first half as the Dons took a 27-24 lead into the locker room at halftime.

Early in the second half, the Cougars trailed 31-29, but then Barcello and Te’Jon Lucas picked up their third and fourth fouls, respectively.

The Dons seemed to get stronger as the game went on.

With 13 minutes left, BYU missed three 3s on one possession as Trevin Knell banged a shot off the side of the backboard, Lohner missed another one and then Lucas airballed a 3 that went out of bounds.

Moments later, USF went on an 11-0 run, capped by a Shabazz 3-pointer to grab a 15-point lead, 54-39.

With a little more than four minutes remaining, a floater by Barcello pulled to within eight points, 60-52.

But seconds later, Shabazz responded with another 3-pointer, pushing USF’s lead back to double-digits, 63-52.

“We gave up some easy buckets in transition and it kind of got them going,” Johnson said. “It was nothing huge. Some rebounds we didn’t come up with and didn’t bounce our way.”

In the closing seconds of the game, Bouyea took a pass after a steal and instead of running out the clock, he jammed a resounding dunk. His histrionics after the slam drew a technical foul.

As Golden said later, that was an exclamation point on a convincing win, one that meant a lot to USF’s program.

The victory also meant a lot to Don big man Volodymyr Markovetskyy, a Ukrainian whose father is defending his homeland in Ukraine against Russian forces.

Markovetskyy only scored three points but he made life tough for BYU inside Saturday night.

For the Cougars, it was a forgettable performance.

They made only 11 of 18 free throws in the second half and were outrebounded, 41-37.

Pope described the locker room after the disappointing loss.

“Incredibly competitive guys that put their whole heart and soul into this. Guys played with a great edge the last three weeks, trying to resurrect themselves after taking some hits,” he said.

“They did an unbelievable job fighting back. When you invest that much, it’s hard to lose. They understood the opportunity they had in front of them tonight and they put everything they had into it… It hurts.”

USF is good, Johnson said, but so is his team.

“Credit to them. They played really well. Playing against high-level teams is always a battle,” he said.

“They came out and hit some shots. It just didn’t go our way tonight, but I totally think we’re a tournament team. We have the guys and the resume. We’ll bounce back. We always do and we always want.”

Now the Cougars will wait, a full week, until Selection Sunday, to find out their postseason fate.

“We’re excited to keep playing,” Pope said. “It’s a special group. We’re hopeful.”

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SACRAMENTO (AP) – Unspecified “family obligations” prompted California Governor Gavin Newsom to suddenly cancel his trip to Scotland on Friday for the United Nations’ annual climate change conference, a huge gathering of international leaders on a subject that is one of his highest priorities.

Newsom, who has four children, ages 5 to 12, will attend the gathering virtually, spokeswoman Erin Mellon said. Mellon declined to comment when asked to provide details about what caused Newsom to change its plans.

Newsom asked Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, a Democrat colleague, to lead the California delegation to Glasgow. In an interview with The Associated Press, Kounalakis said she spoke to Newsom on Thursday and felt that she might be asked to leave.

“The governor has a young family and we should all understand, especially those of us who have been there,” said Kounalakis, who has two grown sons.

Democratic Senator Bob Hertzberg, who is attending the conference, said he suspects Newsom will be very disappointed not to leave.

“He loves this topic, it is very important to him,” said Hertzberg. “It’s a big deal for him and I’m sure he was dying to go.”

Newsom has spoken passionately about the need to take decisive action on climate change issues. Last month, while surveying the damage caused by one of the state’s many recent major forest fires, he said, “I literally have no patience with climate change deniers,” adding, that view is “totally inconsistent … with the reality of the field.”

California has long been a global leader on climate issues, dating back to the 1960s when the state first regulated emissions from cars and trucks. While President Donald Trump was in office, California filed more than 100 lawsuits against the federal government, mostly over environmental issues.

Newsom has sought to build California’s influence through a series of ambitious executive orders that, if survived a lengthy and controversial rulemaking process, could transform the way people live. So far, Newsom has proposed banning all new gasoline cars in California by 2035, banning all oil drilling by 2045, and banning gas-powered lawn equipment sales by 2024 or whenever state regulators determine it is feasible.

Most recently, Newsom proposed a ban on new oil and gas wells within 3,200 feet of schools, homes and hospitals in the country’s largest buffer zone in a state that is the country’s seventh largest oil producer.

Newsom, who is not attending the conference in person, will affect the state’s influence “to some extent,” said State Assembly spokesman Anthony Rendon, a Democrat from the Los Angeles area. But he said Newsom doesn’t have to be in Scotland to be a leader on climate change.

Even so, Rendon said he was frustrated that the state was not moving faster.

“Our aggressive actions were cool when we thought the problem was progressing at a certain pace. Now I’m not sure if they are aggressive enough or immediate enough, ”said Rendon, who will be attending the UN conference. “It’s an opportunity to talk about what we’ve done, but at the same time light a fire under the bums of some of our MPs and develop a sense of urgency on an issue that is not just existential, but that is” immediately . “

Last month, Newsom easily pushed back a Republican-backed recall election aimed at removing him from office and cemented his power in the nation’s most populous state. The trip to Scotland would have been his most significant international trip as governor and would have given him a global platform to highlight his agenda and urge others to follow California’s lead.

Newsom is up for re-election in 2022 and is a strong favorite for a second term. Under California law, governors are limited to two terms.

It is unlikely that the cancellation of the trip would harm him politically, said Sherry Bebitch Jeffe, professor of public policy communication at the University of Southern California. In fact, Newsom could have been harmed both politically and personally if he had participated, she said.

“The look of leaving the country, assuming something happens that requires his attention at home, would be completely negative,” she said.

“He won’t be able to socialize and network, but he will be visible,” she added. “As long as there is Zoom, as long as there is a means of virtual face-to-face communication, I don’t think it will go off the radar screen.”

Newsom had recently decided to attend the conference and was sending staff, media organizations and other lawmakers out to prepare for the trip. His decision not to go was just as abrupt and more surprising.

Hertzberg credits Newsom for putting his children first.

“At some point you will be human, as much as we want to be out there in politics. You have to take care of your family. And he does it, and I think that’s a good thing, ”said Hertzberg.

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