Friday, 13 December 2024
New Zealand plans to ban greyhound racing, citing high injury rates
Sunday, 27 October 2024
Facebook owner Meta to face more lawsuits in Japan over fake ads
Tokyo, October (IANS): Facebook and Instagram owner Meta Platforms Inc. will face fresh lawsuits in Japan over advertisements that fraudulently solicited investment funds with fake endorsements from celebrities, local media reported.
Around 30 plaintiffs will seek at least 300 million yen (about $2 million) from the US technology giant and its Japanese arm, arguing they failed to do enough to prevent the scams, Kyodo News reported on Wednesday, citing lawyers for the plaintiffs.
The damages suits will be filed with five district courts across the country, including Saitama, Chiba, and Osaka, the report said.
Among the names of noted people used in the adverts are Japanese entrepreneur Yusaku Maezawa, founder of online fashion retailer Zozo Inc., the report added.
The plaintiffs viewed the fake advertisements before being directed to transfer money to designated investment accounts, the lawyers said, arguing that Meta is obliged to investigate the content of adverts and not allow them to be posted on social media if it can foresee the risk of harm to users, Xinhua news agency reported.
Meta was sued earlier this year in a similar suit filed in Kobe by a group of four people.
The company is seeking dismissal of the damages claim of 23 million yen ($150,500). Source: https://www.morungexpress.com/facebook-owner-meta-to-face-more-lawsuits-in-japan-over-fake-ads
Friday, 2 August 2024
Only 15 known underwater internet cables connect Australia to the world – and they’re under threat from fishing boats, spies and natural disasters
Undersea Internet cable in Atlantic shore. Laiotz/shutterstock
The Australian government this week announced it would spend A$18 million over four years on a new centre aimed at keeping safe the undersea cables that power the nation’s internet.
The Cable Connectivity and Resilience Centre is tasked with protecting the critical undersea telecommunications cables throughout the Indo-Pacific region from deliberate interference from malicious actors, or accidental damage.
This is a crucial undertaking. The internet directly contributes $167 billion or more a year to the Australian economy. These cables enable everything from mundane social media updates to the colossal transactions that drive the global economy.
But what is driving Australia’s urgency to better protect these crucial cables now?
The backbone of the internet
Undersea telecommunications cables are laid on the ocean floor at depths down to 8,000 metres. They trace their origins back to the mid-19th century, driven by business interests and the need for imperial control.
The British Empire invested in these cables to connect and control its distant territories. In fact, they were referred to as the “nervous system of the British Empire”.
The first transatlantic cable in 1858 demonstrated the potential for rapid communication between continents. This revolutionised business and governance.
Map of the first Transatlantic submarine cable. Howe's Adventures & Achievements of Americans/Wikimedia Commons
These cables are typically no wider than a garden hose. They contain optical fibres wrapped in a thick layer of plastic for protection. They can transmit data from one end of the cable to the other at speeds of up to 300 terabits per second.
For context, 20 terabits per second can stream approximately 793,000 ultra-high-definition movies at the same time. With a capacity of 300 terabits per second, the possibilities for handling digital data are virtually limitless.
There are currently around 1.4 million kilometres of submarine cables in service globally. Only 15 known international cables manage 99% of Australia’s data traffic.
What will the new centre do?
The new centre will provide technical assistance and training across the Indo-Pacific. It will also support other governments in the region to develop better policy regarding undersea cables.
This continues Australia’s longstanding commitment to protecting undersea cables from threats such as accidental damage by fishing activities or attacks by malicious actors, including both state and non-state entities.
International submarine cables connecting Australia. ACMA
In 2011, Australia was the first country to join the International Cable Protection Committee (which works to improve the security of undersea cables).
Australia has designated protection zones and stringent regulations for undersea cables. Other countries and industry bodies see this as the gold standard.
Australia has established the new Cable Connectivity and Resilience Centre to address vulnerabilities posed by its growing dependency on the internet.
But global techno-political developments have also played a significant part.
New threats
Artificial intelligence (AI) has become the defining feature of the United States-China competition for technological dominance. And we have access to internet based AI tools because of undersea cables.
Breakthroughs in AI also could revolutionise productivity, industry and innovation. AI is already being used in medical research, diagnosis, banking and to streamline workflows. And the defence sector is growing increasingly reliant on AI for data analysis and advanced weaponry.
This further underscores the urgent need for robust data protection – which includes keeping undersea cables safe.
So the new Cable Connectivity and Resilience Centre is not merely an economic necessity. It is also crucial to national security. It allows Australia to position itself as a key digital security provider in the region.
Nuance is needed
But the specialised nature of undersea cable technology requires a nuanced approach.
Though staffed by Australian public servants, the new centre’s success hinges on close collaboration with private sector experts experienced in manufacturing, laying and monitoring cables.
This partnership is crucial for addressing physical and digital vulnerabilities, while navigating complex industry and geopolitical dynamics.
The dominance of tech giants such as Google and Amazon is another complicating factor. They control more than 20% of new subsea cable installations in the cable industry.
The government’s new centre must balance national interest with industry control to avoid power concentration. This is particularly crucial as big tech grows more influential.
The government has said the new centre is an important contribution to Quad– a diplomatic partnership between Australia, India, Japan and the US. But the centre will need to engage with other international partners, too.
For example, Australia can learn from countries such as Singapore, which has ambitious cable management strategies. These include plans to double Singapore’s cable network by 2033.
Engaging with countries beyond Quad will also bolster Australia’s digital infrastructure resilience.
A new way forward
The newly announced Cable Connectivity and Resilience Centre heralds a shift in Australia’s approach to digital infrastructure security.
Historically, Australia has taken a confrontational stance towards containing Chinese tech. This is exemplified by its 2016 rejection of Huawei’s bid to build the Coral Sea Cable, citing national security concerns.
However, the fact the new centre sits within the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade signifies a transition towards a more diplomatic approach.
It reflects Australia’s intent to mitigate China’s influence over subsea infrastructure, AI and technology standards while balancing national security with diplomatic engagement.
Will it work? Only time will tell. But the shift from confrontation to diplomacy is a welcome development. It will likely help Australia navigate an increasingly complex global technological landscape.
Cynthia Mehboob, PhD Scholar in Department of International Relations, Australian National University
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Friday, 14 June 2024
'Europe in miniature': Welcome to Baarle, world's strangest border
BAARLE - If ever a place encapsulated the glorious complexity and sometimes paradoxical nature of the European Union, it would be Baarle, just on the Dutch side of the Netherlands-Belgium border.
The town of just under 10,000 people is split in two, Baarle-Nassau (which is Dutch) and Baarle-Hertog (a Belgian enclave surrounded by the Netherlands).
The international border runs through the town, marked by a series of white crosses in the pavement that sometimes even bisects buildings -- including the town hall.
And come European election day, the Dutch parts of the town voted on June 6 whereas their Belgian neighbours have to wait three days later to cast their ballot.
"Anyone Dutch? Come and vote in here," cried a volunteer outside the "Stembureau" (polling station) when AFP visited on Dutch election day.
Literally a few metres across the road is Belgium, a snack bar offering "Fresh Belgian Fries".
Dutch and Belgian election posters stand a stone's throw apart with a completely different set of candidates and parties.
The town's split identity is much more complex than a single borderline. There are several separate chunks of land scattered around the town belonging to one country or the other.
There are 22 Belgian enclaves in total, the smallest the size of half a football pitch, and six Dutch "counter-enclaves" within these Belgian enclaves.
AFP | JOHN THYS
This means the border snakes haphazardly around the town, resulting in a bizarre patchwork quilt effect on international maps.
Visiting every enclave would mean crossing the Dutch-Belgian border 60 times in a few kilometres (miles), explained Ad Tuijtelaars from the local tourist office.
- 'World's strangest border' -
Anecdotes abound about the peculiarities of the town, which describes itself as "Europe in Miniature" or the "World's Strangest Border Situation."
Couples tying the knot in the town hall have to decide which country to get married in. Left side of the room: Belgium. Right side: Netherlands.
In one house split by the border, a 90-year-old woman lives on the Belgian side. Her son just down the corridor ... in the Netherlands.
People seize upon different laws and tax regimes, said Tuijtelaars, a 75-year-old retired Dutch businessman.
"Petrol is cheaper in Belgium. Cigarettes are cheaper in Belgium. But food tends to be cheaper in the Netherlands," he told AFP.
AFP | JOHN THYS
In the Netherlands, fireworks can only be purchased in the run-up to New Year, but all year round in Belgium, meaning people flock to Baarle-Hertog to stock up on bangers.
Different national closing times once meant diners at a restaurant split by the border had to move across to the other side of the room to finish their meals.
The border runs through one of the supermarkets with a sign promising Belgian mayonnaise 25 metres to the left, Hagelslag (Dutch chocolate sprinkles) 30 metres to the right.
Covid sparked pandemonium -- in Baarle-Hertog, masks were compulsory but in Baarle-Nassau, only on public transport.
Tuijtelaars, born and bred in Baarle, recalls walking to school -- crossing through Belgium several times along the way.
"It was just normal for us as kids. It was only when I grew up and travelled abroad that I realised it was quite a unique situation," he said.
- 'No need for conflict' -
The geographical oddity, which attracts thousands of tourists every year from all over the world, has its roots in the Middle Ages.
The territory was first carved up in 1198 when Henry I, Duke of Brabant, handed some of his land to Godfried of Schoten, Lord of Breda.
The border question came to the fore in 1830 when Belgium became independent from the Netherlands and the issue was only finally settled in 1995.
Voting in the "Cafe in Holland", a pub-cum-polling station on the outskirts of the town, Theo van der Veerdonk, a 64-year-old lecturer, said Baarle offered lessons for Europe to come together.
"We have a town here of two nationalities and I think Europe should be one. You see in a town such as this that Europe actually isn't one at all. I think that's a pity," he told AFP.
"I want more Europe and more integration, to make Europe closer and better... Here we've got two town halls, two police services, two fire services... and that's completely crazy."
But Tuijtelaars said Baarle showed how neighbours can live together in harmony despite nationality and borders.
"If you live so close to each other, why should you quarrel? There's no need for conflict -- well, apart from when Belgium plays the Netherlands at football," he joked.by Richard Carter in Baarle-nassau and Jan Hennop in Baarle-hertog' Europe in miniature': Welcome to Baarle, world's strangest border
Thursday, 26 November 2020
Armenian FM resigns under pressure
Armenia’s Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan has resigned amid ongoing protests against the ceasefire in the country, a foreign ministry spokesman said in a Facebook post on Monday.
Al Jazeera reports that Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire last week to resolve the ongoing conflict in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.
Thousands of Armenians began protesting the ceasefire and demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. This increased the intense pressure on the Pashinyan government. The prime minister has refused to step down, however, his foreign minister has resigned.
More than 2,300 members of the Armenian military were killed in clashes that lasted six weeks before the ceasefire. No casualties were reported from Azerbaijan.
The agreement between the three countries states that Azerbaijan will control several areas, including the city of Shusha - which Armenians see as a betrayal.
Pashinyan took the responsibility of losing the territory through the agreement. They had agreed to sign the agreement to prevent further casualties, the Armenian premier claimed.
A number of former officials have been arrested for plotting to assassinate the prime minister, Armenia’s National Security Agency said on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Richard Giragosian, a researcher at the Center for Regional Studies in the Armenian capital Yerevan, warned of growing instability in the country.
He said the government’s efforts were not enough to deal with the massive loss of life in the conflict. Tensions are rising and, sadly, the situation is becoming more volatile.
The Nagorno-Karabakh region is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan. But ethnic Armenians are the majority in the region. The two countries have been at war for decades over Armenian opposition to Azerbaijani rule in the region.Russia has military bases in military ally Armenia. Azerbaijan also has close ties with Russia. On the other hand, Turkey has been supporting Azerbaijan. Source: https://www.daily-bangladesh.com/
Tuesday, 24 November 2020
New Zealand unemployment rate hits record 5.3 pc due to COVID-19
The number of unemployed people rose by a record of 37,000 to reach 151,000 in the September 2020 quarter, as the impact of COVID-19 hit the labor market, New Zealand’s statistics department Stats NZ said on Wednesday. -reports Xinhua
In the September 2020 quarter, there were 37,000 more unemployed people, an increase of 32.5 percent since the June 2020 quarter, Stats NZ said.
There were 22,000 fewer employed people this quarter than in the June 2020 quarter, with the unemployment rate hitting 5.3 percent due to COVID-19. The underutilization rate rose to 13.2 percent, it said.
This 37,000 rise is the largest quarterly rise in unemployment since the series began in 1986, statistics showed.
The next largest rise in a single quarter was recorded in the June 2009 quarter during the global financial crisis, when the number of unemployed people rose by 18,000, Stats NZ said.
Women have fared worse than men across key labor market measures since COVID-19 and alert level measures began impacting New Zealand’s labor market, Stats NZ said.
“Unemployment rates for men and women rose by similar amounts over the quarter, up 1.2 and 1.3 percentage points, respectively, but looking at quarterly changes right now only tells part of the story,” labor market manager Andrew Neal said.“The March 2020 quarter captured New Zealand’s labor market prior to the impact of COVID-19. Changes between then and the September 2020 quarter show that while both sexes have been negatively impacted, women have been worse affected.” Source: https://www.daily-bangladesh.com/