From the Trenches World Report
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TOKYO (AP) — A volcanic eruption has raised an island in the seas to the far south of Tokyo, the Japanese coast guard and earthquake experts said.
Advisories from the coast guard and the Japan Meteorological Agency said the islet is about 200 meters (660 feet) in diameter. It is just off the coast of Nishinoshima, a small, uninhabited island in the Ogasawara chain, which is also known as the Bonin Islands. Continue reading “Volcano raises new island far south of Japan”
The governing council for Hawaii (or Big) Island Tuesday banned biotech companies from operating on the island while barring growth of genetically modified organisms.
The Hawaii County Council approved Bill 113 by a vote of 6-3, which would mandate a possible 30 days in jail and up to a $1,000 fine for any violator of the ban on growing genetically modified organisms (GMOs) on Big Island, officially known as Hawaii Island, the largest and southernmost of the Hawaiian state. Continue reading “Hawaii’s Big Island bans biotech companies, GMO crops”
The New Jersey attorney general’s office announced Tuesday a $1 million settlement with an online video gaming company that used malicious software to monitor subscribers’ computer activity and illegally mine bitcoins when users were absent.
The settlement with E-Sports Entertainment, LLC, of Commack, New York stems from the creation and deployment of a bitcoin trojan as well as software designed to gain full administrative access to subscribers’ computers. Continue reading “Online gaming co. fined $1mn for turning users’ computers into bitcoin-mining slaves”
The chemical weapons arsenal Syria agreed to surrender to the international community could be destroyed at sea, according to a new report citing officials familiar with the on-going negotiations.
Representatives from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical weapons (OPCW), along with Western officials, told Reuters on Tuesday that the group is considering whether to destroy the chemical weapons in the ocean, either on a ship or by loading them onto an offshore rig. Continue reading “Syrian chemical weapons likely to be destroyed at sea – report”
Russia’s Central Bank (CBR) has revoked the license of Master Bank over $61 million in alleged illegal banking transactions. Over 1000 ATMs are frozen, and the head office is being raided by police.
Massive money laundering operations and shady aсcounting prompted the regulator to withdraw the license, part of a larger overhaul to close down corrupt banks in Russia. Continue reading “Record $1bn payout expected as Russian regulator pulls plug on ‘dubious’ bank”
After the 2014 pullout from Afghanistan, NATO is set to stage huge European war games involving 40,000 troops, about seven times the size of the recent drills in the Baltic, with critics in the crisis-hit EU calling it a waste of money.
The Western alliance claims this is to test the members’ capability and teamwork, mainly for reasons of matching America’s commitment to the alliance, as well as keeping their edge after the Afghan mission is over. Continue reading “40,000 NATO troops to stage massive European war games”
While some police officers would like to be able to use GPS trackers on suspects without a warrant, being on the receiving end of surveillance is taken quite differently. Boston cops are concerned about the pending use of trackers on their cars.
The devices would monitor the movement of cruisers in real time, and their adoption comes following negotiations between the city and the patrol officers union, reports The Boston Globe. The installation needs the approval of the city council, but is likely to happen. Continue reading “Watchers watched: Boston cops grumpy over GPS trackers on cruisers”
A pact between the United States and Afghanistan to keep American troops inside the country is in danger of falling apart.
According to a report by Reuters, Afghan President Hamid Karzai has rejected a provision in the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) that would grant the United States authority to unilaterally carry out military operations within the country, including the search of civilian homes. Continue reading “US-Afghan security pact collapsing after Karzai refusal”
Search giant Google is to pay $17 million to settle a dispute with 37 American states and the District of Columbia after it bypassed Safari browser privacy settings to place ad cookies.
Under the settlement, announced Monday, Google pledged not to use any code capable of overriding browser settings without user consent, unless for security, fraud or technical issues, and to work on raising consumer awareness about how cookies work. Continue reading “Google to pay extra $17 mln to states over privacy-violating Safari cookies”
Five foreign Greenpeace activists were granted bail by Russian court in the city of St. Petersburg. A total of eight out of 30 crewmembers detained over the protest at an oil rig in the Barents Sea have had bail approved.
Brazilian Ana Paula Alminhana Maciel, Argentinian Miguel Hernan Perez Orsi, New Zealander David John Haussmann and Poland’s Tomasz Dziemianczuk are to be released while awaiting trial as soon as Greenpeace makes bail for them. Continue reading “Russian court grants bail to 5 foreign Greenpeace activists”
BEIRUT (AP) — Twin suicide bombers detonated explosions outside the Iranian Embassy in a mainly Shiite district of the Lebanese capital on Tuesday, killing 23 people, including the Iranian cultural attaché, apparently in retaliation for the Lebanese group Hezbollah’s support of Syrian President Bashar Assad.
The bombings appeared to be another strike in an intensifying proxy battle over Syria’s civil war that is rattling its smaller neighbor Lebanon. An al-Qaida-linked Sunni extremist group claimed responsibility for the attack, saying more would follow unless the Iranian-backed Shiite Hezbollah withdraws fighters that have helped Assad’s military score key victories over Syrian rebels. Continue reading “Suicide blasts near Iran Embassy in Beirut kill 23”
Amid public outcry over China’s increasingly unsustainable levels of pollution and environmental destruction, the government is reconsidering its ‘economic growth at all cost’ strategy.
The ruling Communist Party has announced it will place more emphasis on environmental protection when monitoring the performance of local officials, holding them directly responsible for excessive levels of pollution and ecological damage, Reuters reported. Continue reading “Smog-choked China shifts gears in effort to reverse environmental damage”
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA’s newest Martian explorer is on its launch pad in Florida, ready to soar.
The Maven spacecraft was scheduled to blast off aboard an unmanned Atlas V rocket Monday afternoon. NASA is sending Maven to Mars to study its upper atmosphere. Scientists want to know why Mars went from being warm and wet during its first billion years, to the cold and dry place it is today. Continue reading “NASA launching robotic explorer to Mars”
Indonesia is recalling its ambassador to Australia over allegations that Canberra listened in on phone conversations of the Indonesian president.
Indonesia said the ambassador was being called to Jakarta for“consultations”.
The move by Jakarta comes as the Australian Department of Defence and the Defence Signals Directorate, or DSD, (now known as the Australian Signals Directorate), has been accused of monitoring the phone calls of Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, his wife Kristiani Herawati, as well as eight other high-ranking officials, including the vice president, Boediono. Continue reading “Indonesia recalls its Australian ambassador alleging phone-taps on President Yudhoyono”
HONG KONG (AP) — When Hong Kong intercepted yet another huge shipment of illegal African ivory in early October, it added to a growing headache for authorities: What exactly do you do with one of the world’s biggest stockpiles of elephant tusks?
Government warehouses in the former British colony are holding more than 30 metric tons of ivory seized since 2008, as customs agents intercept a surging amount of endangered animal products being smuggled to mainland China to meet demand from the country’s newly wealthy. Continue reading “Ivory seizures swell hidden Hong Kong cache”
TORONTO (AP) — Beset by scandal, Toronto Mayor Rob Ford faces another likely setback Monday as the City Council takes up a motion to strip him of most of his remaining powers.
Under the motion, already endorsed by a majority of council members, Ford would in effect become mayor of Canada’s largest city in name only. The council does not have the power to remove Ford from office, barring a criminal conviction. It is pursuing the strongest recourse available after recent revelations that Ford smoked crack cocaine and his repeated outbursts of erratic behavior. Continue reading “Toronto council poised to strip mayor of powers”
TACLOBAN, Philippines (AP) — When a newspaper for Filipino workers in New Zealand told readers how to donate to the typhoon relief effort in their homeland, it mentioned agencies like the Red Cross but not a list of government bank accounts that the Philippine Embassy had sent over.
“I’m not going to mince words,” said Mel Fernandez, the editorial adviser for the Filipino Migrant News. “We would like every cent to reach those poor people there rather than getting waylaid.” Corruption is a concern after any major natural disaster, as millions of dollars in cash and goods rush in from around the world. But those worries are especially acute in the Philippines, where graft has been a part of life for decades. Continue reading “Philippine corruption magnifies effects of typhoon”
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