From the Trenches World Report

Huffington Post – by Agence France Presse

Iran on Monday unveiled a missile-equipped drone with a range of 2,000 kilometres (1,200 miles), the official IRNA news agency reported.

“The Fotros drone has an operational range of 2,000 kilometres and can fly at an altitude of 25,000 feet, with a flight time of 16 to 30 hours,” Defence Minister Mohammad Dehgan was quoted as saying.   Continue reading “Fotros Drone With ‘2,000 Kilometer Range’ Unveiled By Iran”

Pat Dollard

Excerpted from CBS News: Vigilantes belonging to a “self-defense” movement took over another town in the Mexican state of Michoacan Saturday amid confrontations that left two people dead and three wounded.

State prosecutor’s spokeswoman Magdalena Guzman said the clash took place in a hamlet near the town of Tancitaro, where “self-defense” patrol members occupied the town hall and main square in a bid to kick out the western state’s dominant Knights Templar drug cartel.   Continue reading “Civilian Militia Captures Towns From Mexican Drug Cartel”

Redress Information & Analysis

While Israel and the Palestinian Authority are locked in the futile sideshow euphemistically known as the “peace process”, in the real world of the occupation it’s business as usual.

On 15 November Israeli occupation forces in the West Bank village of Kfar Qaddum detained and handcuffed four Palestinian children aged five to nine years, the French news agency AFP reported, citing Palestinian witnesses.   Continue reading “Israeli troops attack children with stun grenades then handcuff them”

BBC News

Workers at Japan’s stricken Fukushima nuclear plant have begun removing fuel rods from a storage pond at the Unit 4 reactor building.

The delicate operation is seen as a necessary step in stabilising the site.

It will take about two days to remove the first 22 fuel rod assemblies, plant operator Tepco says.   Continue reading “Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant begins fuel rod removal”

MassPrivateI

An interactive map of dangerous dogs may soon be available for citizens of Orange County, Calif., pinpointing exact locations of the county’s estimated 150 potentially dangerous or vicious dogs.

Dog owners will have their addresses and names appear on a public map labeling them as having a dangerous dog. (how long before police have maps of dangerous citizens/activists etc.?)   Continue reading “Big Brother’s latest excuse to spy on you: Interactive maps of dangerous dogs & their owners”

MassPrivateI

Pandora recently adopted its own cookie replacement, and it has been pitching its data to ad exchanges for the past few weeks, according to AdAge.

When a user registers for a Pandora account, the provides his or her age, gender, and zip code. The Internet radio company plans to go through its data and develop demographics it believes advertisers will find more attractive than the imperfect browsing habits collected by cookies.   Continue reading “Pandora is spying on 70 million users & giving your private info. to advertising companies”

MassPrivateI

Under Maryland law, jurisdictions that operate speed cameras face strict limits on how much revenue can be generated and what local officials can buy with the money. Last month, the city council in Salisbury voted unanimously to take the automated ticketing cash and buy Glock training handguns, Tasers and a device that police can use to crack passwords and download data off the cell phones of motorists during a traffic stop.   Continue reading “Police use speed camera cash to Taser, shoot & spy on motorists”

RT News

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”

Mail.com

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”

RT News

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”

Mail.com

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”

Mail.com

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”