Samsung apologises for Russian app download error

Phone-maker Samsung has apologised for a software update sent to UK customers stating Russian government-mandated apps had been downloaded.

It blamed a technical error for the incorrect wording and said no Russian apps had been installed.

A new law in Russia that demands smartphones offer software from the country came into effect in April.

One expert said that Samsung had not fully explained what went wrong and that customers would be concerned.

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Andrew Edmans bought a second-hand Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 phone from Amazon Marketplace three weeks ago, and ran an official Samsung update.

After the installation had completed, he noticed the wording which read: “As part of the implementation of the requirements of the decree of the government of the Russian Federation No 1867 of 18/11/2020, the download of mandatory applications has been added. Some of these apps will only be installed if the device is reset to factory settings.”

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Concerned, he contacted Samsung who promised a reply within 48 hours.

He got nothing and called again four days later.

“Finally a tech remote-accessed my phone and confirmed the update, and stated he’d never seen it before and referred me to customer solutions.”

This was escalated to head office and Mr Edmans was eventually told it was “a notification error”.

Samsung told the BBC: “We can confirm that the wording of the message was incorrect and shared with a limited number of UK customers due to a technical error.

“The upgrade received was UK-specific and no third-party apps from Russian have been installed on devices, or have access to the device itself

“We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused by this.”

Mr Edmonds said that he was “disappointed” with the way Samsung had handled the issue.

“All I know is, as of this morning, my Samsung Fold 2 device still states it has a Russian Federation update on it,” he said.

“I suffer from bipolar and anxiety disorders and this concern over security on my phone has only compounded those issues.”

Russian restrictions

IMAGE SOURCE,GETTY IMAGES

Image caption,President Putin wants to promote Russian tech firms and have more control over the internet

Prof Alan Woodward, a computer security expert at University of Surrey, said that it was hard to understand what technical error could have caused such a message to be sent by mistake.

But, he added, it offered an insight into how Samsung was dealing with the Russian law.

“The good thing about this warning – assuming it is meant for you – is that Samsung is being transparent by giving you links to the Russian Federation decree that mandates such software.”

But privacy expert Pat Walshe said he thought the issue had been badly handled by Samsung.

“I do not believe that Samsung handled this matter appropriately, or considered the anxiety and distress this caused Mr Edmans, and the fact that he could not trust the install.

“How many customers received the notice? How did the error occur? How can individuals be confident that erroneous software was not installed on their device?”

Russia has tightened its rules on the internet in recent years, including requiring search engines to delete some results and calling on messaging services to share encryption keys. ISPs are required to install network equipment that can filter content.

It has also tested an unplugged version of the internet, which would give the Kremlin the ability to switch off connections to the worldwide web if it felt the country was under threat.

The law requiring smartphones, computers and smart televisions sold in the country to have Russian alternatives to their normal software installed became effective in April 2021.

It was designed to help Russian software firms promote their smartphones, although some have raised concerns that the Russian-made software could be used to spy on users.

Samsung agreed to pre-install these apps but rival Apple did not – instead it offers users the option to install the Russian alternatives, which is not compulsory.

Initially it had refused to comply at all but, after pressure from Moscow, agreed to that compromise.

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Nigeria’s Tiwa Savage reveals sex tape blackmail

Nigerian Afrobeats star Tiwa Savage has revealed she is being blackmailed over a sex tape but says she won’t pay.

She said the video was accidentally posted on Snapchat by her lover who deleted it after he realised his error but it had already been downloaded by a stalker.

She said she cried when she first saw the video and feared the reaction.

Savage, 41, is one of the world’s biggest Afrobeats stars and is signed to Universal Music Group.

She is know for songs such as Kele Kele and Eminado and was part of Don Jazzy’s Mavin Records in Nigeria, where she was known as First Lady.

“I am not going to call it a sex tape but it’s a tape between me and the person I am dating right now,” she told radio host Angie Martinez of Power 105.1 in New York.

She revealed that the incident happened last month and that the person tried extorting money from her but that she was not going to allow anyone to blackmail her “for doing something that is natural.”

“I am that crazy I could put it out myself – you are not making any money off me,” she said.

She is currently in the US where she is promoting her latest album Water and Garri, which has collaborations with US stars such as Brandy and Nas.

She remained calm through the interview but said she was going through internal turmoil, and that she could not sleep when she first received the video on Wednesday.

“Why now, when the music is so good and I don’t want this to overshadow what’s going on,” she said.

She says she was worried about how she would be perceived by her fans, friends and family but that she was not going to give in to extortion.

Savage was married to artist manager, Tunji “Teebillz” Balogun in 2013 but she filed for divorce in 2018 after the pair publicly fell out two years earlier over accusations of infidelity.

They have a six-year-old son and Savage says she is worried about the impact the video could have on him and her mother.

“I am going to talk to him and for me it is even later on when he’s about 15 and someone is trying to be rude to him… I just have to brace him up,” she said.

Revenge porn or non-consensual pornography – sharing intimate images or videos of someone has become an increasing problem, especially for young women in many parts of the world.

In Nigeria victims are protected by a 2015 cyber-crime act that made it an offence with up to three years in jail, and two years ago a man was convicted for sharing photos of his lover on Facebook.

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Nobel Peace Prize: Journalists Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov share award

Journalists Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov have won the Nobel Peace Prize for their fights to defend freedom of expression in the Philippines and Russia.

The Nobel committee called the pair “representatives of all journalists who stand up for this ideal”.

They are known for investigations that have angered their countries’ rulers, and have faced significant threats.

Both spoke in defence of freedom of the press following their win.

Ms Ressa, who co-founded the news site Rappler, was commended for using freedom of expression to “expose abuse of power, use of violence and growing authoritarianism in her native country, the Philippines”.

The Nobel committee said Mr Muratov, the co-founder and editor of independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta, had for decades defended freedom of speech in Russia under increasingly challenging conditions.

“Free, independent and fact-based journalism serves to protect against abuse of power, lies and war propaganda,” the committee said in a statement.

“Without freedom of expression and freedom of the press, it will be difficult to successfully promote fraternity between nations, disarmament and a better world order to succeed in our time,” it added.

Award-winning journalist Ms Ressa was convicted last year of libel in a case seen as a test of Philippine press freedom.

In a live broadcast by Rappler, she said she was “in shock”.

“This shows that the Nobel Peace Prize committee realised that a world without facts means a world without truth and trust,” she said.

• Why do the Nobel prizes matter?
• Who is Philippine news boss Maria Ressa?

Mr Muratov dedicated his prize to reporters at Novaya Gazeta who had been killed because of their work. The award came a day after the 15th anniversary of the killing of Anna Politkovskaya – one of the paper’s top investigative reporters and vocal critic of Russia’s war in Chechnya, who was shot in a lift in her block of flats.

“I can’t take all the credit. This is thanks to Novaya Gazeta and those who died while defending people’s right to freedom of speech,” he told Russian news agency Tass.

The winners of the prestigious prize, worth 10m Swedish krona (£836,000; $1.1m), were chosen out of 329 candidates.

What do we know about the winners?

Maria Ressa, 58, co-founded Rappler in 2012. The site now has 4.5 million followers on Facebook, and has become known for its intelligent analysis and hard-hitting investigations.

It is one of the few Philippine media organisations to be openly critical of President Rodrigo Duterte and his policies.

Rappler has published extensively on the populist president’s deadly war on drugs, as well as taking a critical look at issues of misogyny, human rights violations and corruption. Ms Ressa has personally reported on the spread of government propaganda on social media.

Ms Ressa has faced numerous legal cases, which she says are politically motivated. The government has maintained their legitimacy.

In a statement, Rappler said it was “honoured and astounded” that its chief executive had been given the prize.

“It could not have come at a better time – a time when journalists and the truth are being attacked and undermined,” it said.

Dmitry Muratov, 59, co-founded Novaya Gazeta in 1993 and has since worked as its editor.

Novaya Gazeta is one of the few remaining newspapers in Russia to be highly critical of the ruling elite, particularly President Vladimir Putin.

Published three times a week, it regularly runs investigations into alleged corruption and other malpractice in ruling circles, and highlights the plight of people it considers victims of official abuse.

The newspaper has been subjected to threats and harassment, including over its reporting of human rights abuses in Chechnya.

Ms Politkovskaya is one of the six Novaya Gazeta journalists and contributors to have been killed in connection with their work since 2000.

The Kremlin, which has frequently opposed the paper, congratulated Mr Muratov.

“He persistently works in accordance with his own ideals, he is devoted to them, he is talented, he is brave,” spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

However, allies of jailed opposition figure Alexei Navalny criticised the Nobel committee’s choice.

“Instead of pretentious and hypocritical speeches about ‘freedom’, they could protect a person who survived an assassination attempt and has been taken hostage by the murderers,” Ruslan Shaveddinov tweeted.

Nobel laureates ‘speak truth to power’

Alistair Coleman, BBC Monitoring

Both Nobel laureates have been a thorn in the side of their respective governments for years.

Maria Ressa and Rappler have faced concerted attacks from Rodrigo Duterte’s government, and her conviction last year for “cyber-libel” was one of a string of cases ranging from defamation to tax avoidance.

If Mr Duterte is trying to silence her, it hasn’t worked. Rappler continues reporting on his administration, and this award will be a huge embarrassment.

In her own words, Ms Ressa says: “I’ve committed no crime but to speak truth to power.”

And congratulations from the Russian government to Dmitry Muratov surely came through gritted teeth.

He fully understands the risks that come with standing up to the state but he remains optimistic, saying of state crackdowns on opposition groups: “It’s impossible to kill dissent”.

Who has won previously?

Ms Ressa and Mr Muratov are the 102nd winners of the prize.

Last year’s winner was the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), which was awarded for its efforts to combat hunger and improve conditions for peace.

Then US President Barack Obama took the prize in 2009 and other notable winners include child education activist Malala Yousafzai (shared 2014); the United Nations and its secretary-general at the time, Kofi Annan (shared 2001); and Mother Teresa (1979).

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A psalm of Asaph

.Psalm 50

1 The Mighty One, God, the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to where it sets. 2 From Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth. 3 Our God comes and will not be silent; a fire devours before him, and around him a tempest rages. 4 He summons the heavens above, and the earth, that he may judge his people: 5 “Gather to me this consecrated people, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice.” 6 And the heavens proclaim his righteousness, for he is a God of justice. 7 “Listen, my people, and I will speak; I will testify against you, Israel: I am God, your God. 8 I bring no charges against you concerning your sacrifices or concerning your burnt offerings, which are ever before me. 9 I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens, 10 for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. 11 I know every bird in the mountains, and the insects in the fields are mine. 12 If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it. 13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats? 14 “Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, 15 and call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.” 16 But to the wicked person, God says: “What right have you to recite my laws or take my covenant on your lips? 17 You hate my instruction and cast my words behind you. 18 When you see a thief, you join with him; you throw in your lot with adulterers. 19 You use your mouth for evil and harness your tongue to deceit. 20 You sit and testify against your brother and slander your own mother’s son. 21 When you did these things and I kept silent, you thought I was exactly like you. But I now arraign you and set my accusations before you. 22 “Consider this, you who forget God, or I will tear you to pieces, with no one to rescue you: 23 Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor me, and to the blameless I will show my salvation.”

How to live in order to please God

1 Thessalonians 4

4 Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.

2 For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.

3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:

4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;

5 Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:

6 That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.

7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.

8 He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.

9 But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.

10 And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more;

11 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;

12 That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.

13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

COVID-19: Infection rates highest among young secondary school pupils, data shows

One in 15 children in school years 7 to 11 are estimated to have had coronavirus in the week up to 2 October.

Children who are 11-16 have the highest COVID-19 positivity rate for any age group, according to the latest data.

Around one in 15 youngsters in school years 7 to 11 in England are estimated to have had coronavirus in the week up to 2 October, compared with one in 20 the previous week, figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show.

The COVID-19 rates have also increased for people aged 35-49 and over-70s.

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In England overall, around one in 70 people in private households had COVID in the week to 2 October, up from one in 85 the previous week.

One in 70 is the equivalent to about 786,300 people.

The percentage of positive tests decreased for those in school year 12 to people aged 24 but the trend was uncertain for those aged two to school year 6, people aged 25-34 and those aged 50-69.

 

The ONS figures correlate with government data released on 5 October which showed that the number of children out of school with a confirmed case of COVID-19 topped 100,000 in England last week.

The Department for Education (DfE) found the number of pupils out of school for coronavirus-related reasons increased by two thirds in a fortnight.

More than 204,000 – 2.5% of all pupils – were not in class for reasons connected to COVID-19 on Thursday last week.

This is up from 122,300 children, or 1.5% of all pupils on 16 September – a 67% rise from two weeks ago.

The figures come as heads reported “a high level of disruption”, with a school leaders’ union warning that self-isolation rules are “actively contributing” to the spread of the virus in schools.

England’s COVID-19 weekly reproduction “R” number was estimated to be between 0.9 and 1.1, slightly higher than last week’s 0.8 and 1.1.

An R number between 0.9 and 1.1 means that for every 10 people infected, they will on average infect between nine and 11 other people.

The daily growth of infections also ticked up, as it was estimated to be between -1% and +2%, compared with -3% and +1% last week.

According to the ONS analysis on regional COVID-19 cases, the number of positive cases has increased in all regions, except the East of England where the trend is uncertain.

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Yorkshire and the Humber and the East Midlands had the highest proportion of people likely to test positive in the week to 2 October – around one in 55.

London and eastern England had the lowest at around one in 90.

In Wales, around one in 55 people are estimated to have had the virus, the highest since 23 December.

Sara Crofts, head of analytical outputs for the ONS COVID-19 infection survey, said: “There is a mixed picture of infection trends across the UK once again, with the largest increase seen in England.

“This has been largely driven by a notable increase among secondary school pupils, likely reflecting their return to school in September.”

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