North Korea Threatens Nuclear Test Over UN Vote
North Korea is threatening to conduct a fresh nuclear test in response to a U.N. committee's condemnation of Pyongyang's alleged human rights abuses.
In a statement Thursday, the North's foreign ministry said Pyongyang will be "unable to refrain any longer" from conducting a fourth nuclear test after the U.N. General Assembly's Third Committee passed a resolution on the Communist state's rights situation.
The resolution recommends the Security Council refer North Korea to the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity. It was based on a U.N. Commission of Inquiry that found Pyongyang was committing abuses on a scale "unparalleled" in the modern world.
In its statement, North Korea said the resolution was "filled with vicious slanders and calumnies" and said its passage represents a "grave political provocation." It accused the United States of leading efforts to humiliate Pyongyang and overthrow its leadership.
North Korea has conducted three nuclear tests in recent years, the latest of which was in February 2013. There are signs that it may be preparing to back up its threats to conduct a fourth test.
In a report Wednesday, the U.S.-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University said the North appears to be restarting a facility for processing weapons-grade plutonium. The report relied on satellite photos that show steam coming from the Yongbyon plant.
In addition to the nuclear test, the North said its "military deterrence will be beefed up limitlessly to guard against U.S. military intervention." The North has repeatedly made such threats in recent years, ostensibly because it is concerned about a U.S. invasion.
The foreign ministry's comments were similar to those made earlier this week by a North Korean envoy, who also threatened a nuclear test if the U.N. approved the resolution.
Ferry Operator Gets 10 Years in Jail
A South Korean court has given a ten-year jail sentence to the head of the company that operated the ferry that capsized in April, killing over 300 people.
Chonghaejin Marine CEO Kim Han-sik was found guilty Thursday of negligence for allowing the Sewol ferry to be overloaded with improperly stored cargo.
The 6,800-ton ferry, which officials say was top-heavy, capsized while making a routine turn, killing 304 people, mostly students on a school outing.
The 71-year-old Kim denied the charges, saying the responsibility for the disaster lies with his boss, whose decomposed body was found in June.
Investigators could not determine the cause of death of Chonghaejin Marine owner Yoo Byung-eun, who was the subject of a weeks-long manhunt.
The court found Kim guilty of diverting $2.6 million over the past four years to Yoo. Several other employees were also found guilty of embezzlement.
The disaster, South Korea's worst in decades, prompted public outrage at the owners, as well as the government for lax safety standards and an unsuccessful rescue operation.
Last week, the court in Gwangju sentenced the Sewol's captain and 15 other crew from five to 36 years in prison for abandoning the vessel.
Source-VOA News
Marine Forecast for Wednesday through to Friday.
WINDS: SOUTHWEST TO WEST AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS AHEAD OF THE FRONT BECOMING NORTH TO NORTHEAST AT 15 TO 25 KNOTS BEHIND THE FRONT OVER OPEN WATERS.
SEAS: 2 TO 4 FEET AHEAD OF THE FRONT BUILDING 5 TO 8 FEET BEHIND THE FRONT OVER THE OCEAN.
WEATHER: SCATTERED SHOWERS AND POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORMS.
SMALL CRAFT CAUTION IS IN EFFECT
WINDS: EASTERLY AT 15 TO 20 KNOTS OVER OPEN WATERS
SEAS: 4 TO 6 FEET OVER THE OCEAN
WEATHER: A FEW ISOLATED SHOWERS
MOONSET: 3:31PM MOONRISE: 4:36AM THUR.
LOW TIDE: 11:26AM HIGH TIDE: 5:17PM
LOW TIDE: 11:28PM HIGH TIDE: 5:48AM THUR.
EXTENDED FORECAST: REMNANTS OF THE FRONT WILL DRIFT WEST ON THURSDAY AND DISSIPATE FRIDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS EASTWARD NORTH OF THE BAHAMAS. MODERATE TO FRESH WINDS OVER MUCH OF THE AREA THROUGH FRIDAY AND WILL BECOME FRESH TO STRONG OVER THE WEEKEND.
FORECAST FOR THURSDAY
SMALL CRAFT CAUTION IN EFFECT FOR THE TCI & NORTHWEST AND SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS
WINDS: NORTH TO NORTHEAST AT 15 TO 20 KNOTS IN THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS, NORTHEAST TO EAST AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS IN THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS AND EASTERLY AT 15 TO 20 KNOTS IN THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS OVER OPEN WATERS.
SEAS: 4 TO 6 FEET IN THE NORTHWEST AND SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS AND 2 TO 4 FEET IN THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS OVER THE OCEAN.
WEATHER: WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWERS AND POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORMS MAINLY IN THE NORTHWEST AND CENTRAL BAHAMAS.
FORECAST FOR FRIDAY
SMALL CRAFT CAUTION IN EFFECT FOR THE TCI & NORTHWEST AND SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS
WINDS: NORTHEAST TO EAST AT 15 TO 20 KNOTS IN THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS, NORTHEAST TO EAST AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS IN THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS AND EASTERLY AT 15 TO 20 KNOTS IN THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS OVER OPEN WATERS
SEAS: 4 TO 6 FEET IN THE NORTHWEST AND SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS AND 2 TO 4 FEET IN THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS OVER THE OCEAN
WEATHER: WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWERS AND POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORMS MAINLY IN THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS
TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK: TROPICAL CYCLONE FORMATION IS NOT EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT FIVE DAYS.
Honda shows off new hydrogen fuel cell car
Honda is planning to release a hydrogen-powered car in March 2016 that, in an emergency, could even power your house.
The clean-energy car called the FCV, which emits only water as a waste product, will have a range of 300 miles (480km) and seating for up to five people
But problems with hydrogen fuel, such as a lack of infrastructure to support a nationwide fleet of cars, will need to be solved before the technology is adopted.
Hydrogen fuel has been heralded as the future of automobiles, and possibly leading to a ‘hydrogen economy’ where many things run on the element, as it is a zero-emission fuel.
Cars employing the fuel use electrochemical cells or combustion to turn it into heat, with the only by-product being water.
Many car manufacturers have been toying with the idea of hydrogen cars including Toyota and BMW.
And now Honda’s latest effort, the successor to their FCX Clarity hydrogen fuel car, will soon be on its way.
There is no news yet on the price of the car or what its top speed will be, but the release date of March 2016 in Japan is known.
Honda says a release in the US and Europe will then follow.
The car has a power output of more than 100kW and an increased ‘power density’ of 60 per cent over its predecessor.
This gives the car its impressive range of 300 miles (480km).
The FCV also apparently has an external power feeder than, during an emergency, could be used to power an entire home.
Source-Mail Online
Samsung to stop making so many phones
Samsung is rethinking its spaghetti-on-the-wall strategy for smartphones.
Robert Yi, Samsung's head of investor relations, recently told analysts that the company would trim the number of phones it makes by as much as 30%.
Samsung has released 52 unique smartphones in 2014 alone. By contrast, HTC brought 23 new phones to market, Nokia unveiled 20, Motorola released 10 handsets and Apple unveiled two.
The strategy isn't working. Samsung's profit fell by 60% last quarter, dragged down by slumping top-of-the-line Galaxy-branded smartphones.
Though many of the 52 devices are aimed at specific markets, Samsung has also made some curious smartphone choices this year.
For example, the Galaxy Note Edge has a screen that curves around the right side of the phone. The Samsung Galaxy K Zoom is essentially a Galaxy S5 smartphone with a telescopic zoom lens attached to the back.
Even the not-so-weird phones raise some question marks about Samsung's spray and pray method.
The Galaxy Alpha is a smaller, thinner, metal version of the Galaxy S5. The Galaxy S5 mini is like the Galaxy Alpha, only plastic. The Galaxy Note 4 is like a monstrous Galaxy S5 with a pen -- but not as monstrous as the Galaxy Mega.
Samsung's more disciplined strategy doesn't mean Samsung will model itself after Apple, producing two take-it-or-leave-it smartphones each year. ZDNet reports Samsung will produce a phone with a foldable display in 2015.
Source-CNN
Apple Watch apps on the way
The Apple Watch is still months away, but developers can start writing apps for the wrist starting today.
Apple (AAPL, Tech30) released its WatchKit software to developers on Tuesday. It allows app makers to create Apple Watch notification features for their mobile apps, including vibrations and on-screen notifications.
Active notifications are alerts that wearers can respond to directly from the watch screen. Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom says that Instagram Apple Watch notifications will let users see and like a photo or leave an emoji comment.
Glances are another type of notification that just flash on the screen, like breaking news or appointment reminders. American Airlines (AAL) is going to show Glances for flight times and other travel updates.
Developers cannot yet create apps that run exclusively on the watch, although Apple says that will be allowed later in 2015. The watch is expected to be released early in the year, so there will be a period of time when the device will only run Apple apps.
The company previewed some of its own apps when it unveiled the watch in September, including a new kind of messaging app that lets you communicate with doodles, vibrations and your heartbeat.
Source-CNN
Two men arrested in deaths of Honduran beauty queen
A Honduran beauty queen and her sister were found dead Wednesday, police said, and the sister's boyfriend and another man have been arrested.
The bodies of María José Alvarado Muñoz, the reigning Miss World Honduras, and her sister, Sofia Trinidad Alvarado, were found buried in a shallow grave in a mountainous area beside a river, Honduran authorities told CNN affiliate Televicentro.
The bodies of the sisters, who had been missing for several days, were found on top of each other, Santa Barbara Mayor Juan Alvarado told the outlet.
Plutarco Antonio Ruiz Rodriguez and Aris Valentin Maldonado Mejia are now in police custody, and investigators believe more people are involved in the sisters' deaths, Police Deputy Commissioner Rolando Casco Torres told Televicentro.
Ruiz was Sofia's boyfriend, police say, according to CNN en Español.
The sisters disappeared Thursday night after going to a spa for a birthday party for Ruiz in Santa Barbara, northwest of the capital of Tegucigalpa, police told CNN en Español.
Source-CNN
Ex-prosecutor wanted to charge Bill Cosby
A former prosecutor who declined to bring charges against Bill Cosby a decade ago said Wednesday that he wishes he could've nailed the comedian on an allegation that he drugged and molested a woman at his Pennsylvania home.
Bruce Castor also told CNN that he believed Cosby -- a beloved figure who, with his wit and boyish smile, has charmed audiences as a family-friendly stand-up comic, the voice of Fat Albert, the host of "Picture Pages" and the star of a wildly popular eponymous sitcom -- lied to authorities.
In January 2004, Andrea Constand, then a 31-year-old staffer for the women's basketball team at Temple University, Cosby's alma mater, was at the comedian's Cheltenham, Pennsylvania, home when Cosby provided her medication that made her dizzy, she alleged the following year.
She later woke up to find her bra undone and her clothes in disarray, she further alleged to police in her home province of Ontario in January 2005.
Cosby's attorney in the case, Walter M. Phillips Jr., called the allegations "utterly preposterous" and "plainly bizarre" at the time, yet in a civil filing, Constand's lawyers said they had found 13 "Jane Does" with similar stories. Cosby settled the civil suit in 2006.
The terms of the settlement were not disclosed, but when journalist and publicist Joan Tarshis came forward with another similar story this weekend, Cosby attorney John Schmitt denied her claim and others', labeling them "decade-old, discredited allegations." Schmitt later amended that statement to say he wasn't referring to Constand, who resolved her differences "to the mutual satisfaction of Mr. Cosby and Ms. Constand years ago."
Source-CNN
Windies Women suffer ODI whitewash against Aussies
West Indies Women suffered an excruciating 148-run clobbering at the hands of Australia Women in the fourth and final One-Day International here yesterday.
The defeat meant the West Indies Women finished the series winless as the Australians revel in a 4-0 series whitewash on the heels of similar success in the preceding four-match Twenty20 series.
A promising start by West Indies on the hunt to surpass a challenging 275 for five back-fired on the misfortune of a spectacular batting collapse at the Bradman Oval.
Hayley Matthews, with three half-centuries already to her credit, top-scored with 37 as the Caribbean girls reached 104 for two in the 18th over before the crash.
Matthews faced 47 balls accounting for seven fours and a six, while Britney Cooper smashed 33 from 47 balls, including three sixes and two fours.
Deandra Dottin chipped in with 27 from 14 balls hitting three fours and two sixes before she was caught.
West Indies lost eight wickets for 23 runs, with Megan Schutt and Ellyse Perry destroying the middle and lower order, sharing seven wickets between them to skittle West Indies in 24.5 overs.
Half-centuries from Meg Lanning and Ellyse Perry powered Australia to a huge total as they continued their rampaging form against their Caribbean rivals.
Lanning struck 12 fours in her 84 off 79 balls, while Perry was unbeaten on 74 off 75 deliveries and Jess Jonassen struck 38 off 25 balls in an aggressive finish to the innings.
Stafanie Taylor, Subrina Munroe, Anisa Mohammed and Shakera Selman each picked up a wicket for West Indies.
Perry was named player of the match and player of the series.
Reggae Boyz defeat T&T to take 2014 Caribbean Cup
Jamaica won the Caribbean Football Union Cup last night after outscoring Trinidad and Tobago 4-3 on penalties in front of a vociferous crowd at the Montego Bay Sports Complex.
After neither team was able to find the target during 90 minutes of regulation plus 30 minutes of extra time, goalkeeper Andre Blake gave Jamaica the ideal start in the shoot-out when he saved Trinidad and Tobago captain Kenwyne Jones' kick from the spot.
Jermaine Taylor, Jobi McAnuff, Demar Phillips and captain Rodolph Austin, who was named man-of-the-match, were on target for the Reggae Boyz, who were winning their sixth title. Teenager Michael Seaton was the only player to miss from 12 yards.
This was Jamaica's first win since lifting the trophy under the guidance of coach Theodore Whitmore in Martinique in 2010, giving German coach Winfried Schaefer his first title since being appointed head coach.
Source-JamaicaObserver
Contributor-Ian Burnett