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Where I find hope amid the hurt and heartache

Around The Globe - Sun, 01/05/2025 - 07:25
Amid the horror of watching genocide unfold day after day, the words of a Palestinian pastor gave me a reason to hope.

Tesla data helped police after truck explosion; experts have privacy concerns

Technology - Sun, 01/05/2025 - 02:09
NEW YORK — Your car is spying on you.  That is one takeaway from the fast, detailed data that Tesla collected on the driver of one of its Cybertrucks that exploded in Las Vegas, Nevada, earlier this week. Privacy data experts say the deep dive by Elon Musk's company was impressive but also shines a spotlight on a difficult question as vehicles become less like cars and more like computers on wheels.  "You might want law enforcement to have the data to crack down on criminals but can anyone have access to it?" said Jodi Daniels, CEO of privacy consulting firm Red Clover Advisors.   Many of the latest cars not only know where you've been and where you are going, but also often have access to your contacts, your call logs, your texts and other sensitive information thanks to cell phone syncing.  The data collected by Musk's electric car company after the Cybertruck packed with fireworks burst into flames in front of the Trump International Hotel Wednesday proved valuable to police in helping track the driver's movements.  Within hours of the New Year's Day explosion that burned the driver beyond recognition and injured seven, Tesla was able to track Matthew Livelsberger's movements in detail from Denver to Las Vegas — and confirm that the problem was explosives in the truck, not the truck itself. Tesla used data collected from charging stations and from onboard software.  "I have to thank Elon Musk, specifically," said Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Sheriff Kevin McMahill to reporters.   Some privacy experts were less enthusiastic.  "It reveals the kind of sweeping surveillance going on," said David Choffnes, executive director of the Cybersecurity and Privacy Institute at Northeastern University in Boston. "When something bad happens, it's helpful, but it's a double-edged sword. Companies that collect this data can abuse it."  General Motors, for instance, was sued in August by the Texas attorney general for allegedly selling data from 1.8 million drivers to insurance companies without their consent.  Cars equipped with cameras to enable self-driving features have added a new security risk. Tesla itself came under fire after Reuters reported how employees from 2019 through 2022 shared drivers' sensitive videos and recordings with each other, including videos of road rage incidents and, in one case, nudity.  Tesla did not respond to emailed questions about its privacy policy. On its website, Tesla says it follows strict rules for keeping names and information private.  "No one but you would have knowledge of your activities, location, or a history of where you've been," according to a statement. "Your information is kept private and secure."  Auto analyst Sam Abuelsamid at Telemetry Insight, said he doesn't think Tesla is "especially worse" than other auto companies in handling customer data, but he is still concerned.  "This is one of the biggest ethical issues we have around modern vehicles. They're connected," he said. "Consumers need to have control over their data."  Tensions were high when the Cybertruck parked at the front doors of Trump's hotel began smoking, then burst into flames. Just hours earlier, a driver in another vehicle using the same peer-to-peer car rental service, Turo, had killed 15 people after slamming into a crowd in New Orleans, Louisiana, in what law enforcement is calling a terrorist attack.  Shortly before 1 p.m., the Las Vegas police announced they were investigating a second incident.  "The whole Tesla senior team is investigating this matter right now," Musk wrote on X. "Will post more information as soon as we learn anything."  Over the next few hours, Tesla was able to piece together Livelsberger's journey over five days and four states by tracking, among other things, his recharging stops in various locations, including Monument, Colorado, Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Flagstaff, Arizona. 

Can Europe and Syria do business and what does each want?

Around The Globe - Sat, 01/04/2025 - 21:49
European foreign ministers meet Syria's de facto leader in Damascus.

Arsenal held at Brighton while Man City bounce-back continues

Around The Globe - Sat, 01/04/2025 - 21:48
Arsenal were held to a 1-1 draw at Brighton to dent their Premier League title hopes, while holders Man City win again.

Austrian chancellor to resign after coalition talks collapse

Around The Globe - Sat, 01/04/2025 - 21:47
Nehammer says his People's Party would not support measures that it believes would harm the economy or new taxes.

Biden notifies US Congress of planned $8bn arms sales to Israel: Reports

Around The Globe - Sat, 01/04/2025 - 19:57
Package to include precision-guided munitions, artillery shells and air-to-air missiles, according to US media reports.

Russia promises retaliation after saying Ukraine fired US-supplied missiles

Around The Globe - Sat, 01/04/2025 - 18:48
Outgoing US President Joe Biden has authorised Kyiv to use the long-range weapons against Russia.

Silence on Israel’s massacres of journalists is dangerous to all

Around The Globe - Sat, 01/04/2025 - 15:48
International media's reluctance to show solidarity with Palestinian journalists could backfire.

World’s oldest person dies in Japan aged 116

Around The Globe - Sat, 01/04/2025 - 15:43
Tomiko Itooka died on December 29 at a care home in Ashiya, Hyogo prefecture, in central Japan.

Rival camps protest in South Korea as authorities press for Yoon’s arrest

Around The Globe - Sat, 01/04/2025 - 13:19
Prosecutors ask acting president to order security forces to comply with arrest warrant for impeached leader Yoon.

Could a board game help prepare Taiwan for war with China?

Around The Globe - Sat, 01/04/2025 - 11:43
The latest development in a growing trend for 'military boardgames' gives players the chance to 'defend' Taiwan.

Israeli forces kill teenager amid intensified raids in occupied West Bank

Around The Globe - Sat, 01/04/2025 - 11:41
Military installs snipers on rooftops surrounding Balata camp during fierce raid that killed Muhammad Medhat Amin Amer.

Fire at market in northern China kills at least eight people and injures 15

Around The Globe - Sat, 01/04/2025 - 11:06
Authorities are investigating the cause of the blaze at a busy market in the city of Zhangjiakou, Hebei province.

New Orleans attacker: How false claims about the suspect spread

Around The Globe - Sat, 01/04/2025 - 10:56
A Fox News report fuelled the spread of misinformation online - including a claim the suspect was an illegal immigrant.

India shrug off Bumrah injury to claim first-innings lead in Australia

Around The Globe - Sat, 01/04/2025 - 10:26
India captain Jasprit Bumrah is forced off with injury on Day Two of the fifth Test but Australia fail to capitalise.

Syria’s FM to head to UAE, Qatar and Jordan to ‘build partnerships’

Around The Globe - Sat, 01/04/2025 - 10:11
War-torn country reaches out for much-needed investment, as Saudi Arabia also set to play a big role in reconstruction.

Israel orders evacuation of Gaza’s critical Indonesian, al-Awda hospitals

Around The Globe - Sat, 01/04/2025 - 09:14
Many of those being treated or seeking shelter at the two hospitals came from the destroyed Kamal Adwan Hospital.

The US soldiers returning to Vietnam in search of mass graves

Around The Globe - Sat, 01/04/2025 - 07:46
American veterans help former Vietnamese enemies locate mass burial sites 50 years after the war.

Myanmar’s military regime to free thousands of prisoners in amnesty

Around The Globe - Sat, 01/04/2025 - 06:51
Myanmar's military rulers announced an amnesty for 5,864 prisoners to mark Independence Day, state media reports.

‘I feel helpless’: India-Bangladesh tensions deny patients medical access

Around The Globe - Sat, 01/04/2025 - 05:19
India has scaled back visa operations in Bangladesh, hitting thousands of patients who rely on its hospitals for care.

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