News of the World

[kyonides]

Robert Levinson: Iran told to pay $1.45bn to missing American's family

A US judge has ordered Iran to pay $1.45bn (1.23bn euros; £1.12bn) to the family of an ex-FBI agent who vanished during a visit to the country in 2007.
A ruling awarded Robert Levinson's wife and children $1.35bn in punitive damages and $107m in compensatory damages for kidnapping.
There was no immediate response from the Iran government, which has always denied knowing his status or location.
US authorities and Mr Levinson's family believe he died in Iranian custody.

As if Iran ever cared to make any payments.

Flooding hits six million people in East Africa
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-54433904

Nearly six million people have been affected this year with 1.5 million of them forced from their homes.
Parts of the region are recording the heaviest rains in a century.
In 2019, a big temperature differential between the east and west sides of the Indian Ocean was blamed for heavy rainfall.

Sophie Pétronin: Hopes rise for release of French hostage in Mali
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-54433395

Sophie Pétronin, 75, was abducted in Mali in December 2016 and after almost four years in detention is known as the last French hostage in the world.
Now, there are reports of her imminent release, alongside a veteran Malian politician, as part of a prisoner swap for more than 100 jihadists.

They're releasing jihadists!?
Let me tell you they'll regret they ever agreed to set them free.

Anti-virus creator John McAfee arrested over tax evasion charges

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-54431726

Anti-virus software entrepreneur John McAfee has been arrested in Spain and faces extradition to the US where he has been charged with tax evasion.
Prosecutors say he failed to file tax returns for four years, despite earning millions from consulting work, speaking engagements, crypto-currencies and selling the rights to his life story.
None of the income is connected with the software firm which bears his name.
DOJ stated Mr McAfee allegedly evaded tax liability by having his income paid into bank accounts and cryptocurrency exchange accounts in the names of nominees. As a result, it is alleged, he failed to file any tax returns from 2014 to 2018.

So hacking iPhones for the FBI is not on their lists at all.

Killer of Chinese millionaire Gang Yuan jailed
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-54430116

A man who killed a Chinese millionaire and chopped up his body has been sentenced to jail in Canada, in a case that has gripped China.
Li Zhao had been found guilty of manslaughter after he shot dead his relative Gang Yuan in 2015 during a violent quarrel between the two men.
On Monday a court sentenced Zhao to 10 years and six months in jail.

The robot shop worker controlled by a faraway human
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-54232563

In a quiet aisle of a small supermarket in Tokyo, a robot dutifully goes about its work. Reaching down, it grabs yet another bottle of a flavoured drink that humans like, lifts it and places it on the shelf of a refrigerated unit. Then the next one. People come and go.
It looks like a well-integrated autonomous mechanical worker, but that is something of an illusion. This robot doesn't have a mind of its own. Several miles away, a human worker is controlling its every movement remotely and watching via a virtual reality (VR) headset that provides a robot's eye view.

So instead of simply connecting to the company's network through some VPN connection to open a simple window, you now have to telework by controlling a robot?
Honestly I would prefer to show up at my workplace instead. Sometimes being lazy is not a good idea after all.