TULUM, Mexico: Tulum is the kind of beach that vacation dreams are made of - turquoise water, white sand and an ancient Mayan pyramid overlooking it all.But an unwelcome visitor has invaded this Caribbean paradise: Sargassum, a thick seaweed that has turned the crystalline water brown, filled the air with a rotten-egg smell and washed up on the beach in enormous piles.It is an almost postcard-perfect day at the tropical beach on Mexico's southeastern coast. But hardly anyone is swimming in the water, and few people are relaxing on the sand.Aside from the hardy few willing to swim 50m to reach the clear water beyond the seaweed, the tourists have mostly taken refuge at their hotel swimming pools."I had no idea how bad it was," says Chase Gladden, 28, an American business executive from San Francisco, as he walks along a 10-meter-wide carpet of Sargassum stretching to the horizon."And if they don't take it away, it starts to smell - it smells really bad. I can imagine you would … [Read more...] about Stinky seaweed threatens Mexico’s pristine beaches
Marine research institute
Hobbling Huawei
CANBERRA: In early 2018, in a complex of low-rise buildings in the Australian capital, a team of government hackers was engaging in a destructive digital war game.The operatives – agents of the Australian Signals Directorate, the nation's top-secret eavesdropping agency – had been given a challenge. With all the offensive cyber tools at their disposal, what harm could they inflict if they had access to equipment installed in the 5G network, the next-generation mobile communications technology, of a target nation?What the team found, say current and former government officials, was sobering for Australian security and political leaders: The offensive potential of 5G was so great that if Australia were on the receiving end of such attacks, the country could be seriously exposed. The understanding of how 5G could be exploited for spying and to sabotage critical infrastructure changed everything for the Australians, according to people familiar with the deliberations.Mike … [Read more...] about Hobbling Huawei
Special Report: Hobbling Huawei
CANBERRA: In early 2018, in a complex of low-rise buildings in the Australian capital, a team of government hackers was engaging in a destructive digital war game.The operatives – agents of the Australian Signals Directorate, the nation's top-secret eavesdropping agency – had been given a challenge. With all the offensive cyber tools at their disposal, what harm could they inflict if they had access to equipment installed in the 5G network, the next-generation mobile communications technology, of a target nation?What the team found, say current and former government officials, was sobering for Australian security and political leaders: The offensive potential of 5G was so great that if Australia were on the receiving end of such attacks, the country could be seriously exposed. The understanding of how 5G could be exploited for spying and to sabotage critical infrastructure changed everything for the Australians, according to people familiar with the deliberations.Mike … [Read more...] about Special Report: Hobbling Huawei
‘People’s Emperor’ steps down with words of gratitude to public
Japan's highly revered Emperor Akihito stepped down yesterday after an eventful three-decade reign, during which he humanised the monarchy and became the country's foremost icon of peace. It was a testament to his legacy, marked by his deep remorse for a brutal war waged in his father's name, that the leaders of countries such as China, Russia, Singapore, South Korea and the United States offered salutations. The 85-year-old Emperor expressed gratitude in his final address to the Japanese public, delivered in the brief Taiirei Seiden no Gi ceremony that began at 5pm and lasted only 12 minutes. It was held in the Seiden Matsu no Ma, or State Room, in the Imperial Palace. "Since ascending the throne 30 years ago, I have performed my duties as the Emperor with a deep sense of trust in and respect for the people, and I consider myself most fortunate to have been able to do so," he said in the nationally televised ceremony, with Empress Michiko, 84, beside him. "I sincerely thank the people … [Read more...] about ‘People’s Emperor’ steps down with words of gratitude to public
News China’s vast fleet is tipping the balance in the Pacific
TAIPEI - A generation ago, from mid-1995 into early 1996, China lobbed missiles in the waters around Taiwan as the self-governing island prepared to hold its first fully democratic presidential election. Washington forcefully intervened to support its ally, sending two aircraft carrier battle groups to patrol nearby. The carriers, then as now the spearhead of American power, intimidated Beijing. The vote went ahead. The missiles stopped. How China is replacing America as Asia's military titan Today, with tension again running high, Washington still backs Taiwan. Chinese President Xi Jinping on January 2 renewed Beijing's longstanding threat to use force if necessary to restore mainland control over the island. But the United States is now sending much more muted signals of support. On Sunday, American ships sailed through the Taiwan Strait. This was the seventh passage of U.S. warships through the narrow, strategically sensitive waterway since July. Each time, though, just two U.S. … [Read more...] about News China’s vast fleet is tipping the balance in the Pacific