North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, 67, has life-threatening pancreatic cancer, South Korean broadcaster YTN said on Monday, citing information gathered from Chinese and South Korean intelligence sources. The report raises questions about leadership in Asia’s only communist dynasty and who will
Posts Tagged ‘north’
North Korea Army, Lab 110, Suspected Over Cyber Attacks
July 11th, 2009 |
No Comments
SEOUL, South Korea — A North Korean army lab of hackers was ordered to “destroy” South Korean communications networks _ evidence the isolated regime was behind cyberattacks that paralyzed South Korean and American Web sites _ news report…
North Korea launched cyber attacks, says south
July 11th, 2009 |
No Comments
Intelligence service claims document shows hackers across border waged internet war on Seoul and the US
South Korea has obtained intelligence that North Korea ordered a military institute of computer hackers known as Lab 110 to “destroy” its neighbour’s communications networks last month, news reports said.
The National Intelligence Service told parliament of its finding on Friday, the JoongAng Ilbo newspaper reported, citing evidence the north was behind cyber attacks that paralysed major South Korean and US websites in recent days.
The newspaper, citing unidentified members of the parliament’s intelligence committee, said Lab 110, which is affiliated with the north’s defence ministry, received an order to “destroy the South Korean puppet communications networks in an instant”.
The JoongAng Ilbo said Lab 110 specialised in hacking and spreading malicious programmes.
The NIS – South Korea’s main spy agency – said it could not confirm the report. Calls by Associated Press to several key intelligence committee members went unanswered.
South Korea’s Yonhap news agency carried a similar report, saying the NIS obtained a North Korean document issuing the order on 7 June. The report, quoting an unidentified senior ruling party official, said the North Korean institute was affiliated with the people’s army.
The state-run Korea Communications Commission said it had identified and blocked five internet protocol (IP) addresses in five countries used to distribute computer viruses that caused the wave of website outages, which began in the US on 4 July.
The addresses point to computers distributing the virus that triggered the “denial of service” attacks in which many computers try to connect to a single site at the same time, overwhelming the server. They were in Austria, Georgia, Germany, South Korea and the US, a commission official said on condition of anonymity.
The attacks targeted high-profile websites, including those of the White House and South Korea’s presidential Blue House.
Though fingers were immediately pointed at the north, the IP addresses themselves provide little in the way of clarity. It is likely the hackers used the addresses to conceal their identities – for instance, by accessing the computers from a remote location. IP addresses can also be faked or masked, hiding a computer’s true location.
South Korean media reported in May that a North Korean internet warfare unit was trying to hack into American and South Korean military networks to gather confidential information and disrupt service. The Chosun Ilbo newspaper reported that the north had between 500 and 1,000 hackers.
Members of the parliamentary intelligence committee have said in recent days that the NIS also suspects North Korea because of a threat it made in state media last month where it boasted of being “fully ready for any form of hi-tech war”.
The fact that some of the attacked sites – such as that of the ruling party and the office of President Lee Myung-bak – have links to the South Korean government’s hardline policies toward the north were further cited.
The north has drawn repeated international rebukes in recent months for threats and actions seen as provocative by the international community. Those include a nuclear test in May and short-range ballistic missile launches on 4 July.
guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Ashes live – England v Australia
July 11th, 2009 |
No Comments
First Ashes Test, Cardiff, day four:
England v Australia
LIVE TEXT COMMENTARY (all times BST)
By Ben Dirs
606: DEBATEYour thoughts on the action
e-mail tms@bbc.co.uk (with ‘For Ben Dirs’ in the subject), text 81111 (with "CRICKET" as the first word) or use 606. (Not all contributions can be used)
AUSTRALIA FIRST INNINGS
"Poor Michael! If he sends his bank details and $500.00 administration and bank fees then we will gladly help. Paul in Lancs, good to see you are about, Sarahs, where are you"
Miss Ruby, Perth, in the TMS inbox1119 – 498-5 Broad is called for a wide… tennis ball bounce, the ball looped about two feet above Haddin’s lid. Over-pitched from Broad and Haddin laces him through the covers for four. Haddin picks up a single with a carve to point, before Broad goes round the wicket to North. North clips to mid-wicket for one, Australia disappearing serenely into the distance like a ruddy great ocean liner… "Sorry to disappoint you folks, but Freddie isn’t fit to polish Beefy’s boots. Lord Botham could sink 20 pints, steer a pedalo through Sydney Harbour in peak hour and still rip into any of our finest 11 with results. That’s why we respect Beefy, he’s a proper cricketer, a sneering laughable rogue, worthy of an Aussie passport."
Johnny Rocket in the TMS inboxBBC Sport’s Tom Fordyce on Twitter:"Is that Richie Benaud in the Cardiff press box There’s no mistaking that tanned visage – all hail the greatest commentator of all time."1115 – 490-5 Short from Anderson and North rocks backs and tugs him away for a single, before Haddin drops into the off-side for one.
BBC Sport’s Tom Fordyce in Cardiff: "The best-selling item outside the ground this morning Ponchos – plastic ones, not the Peruvian alpaca sort. It might not be raining now, but the locals know a downpour when it’s brewing."
"With the money involved in sport nowadays, I wonder if it would be feasible to use ‘rain-prevention technology’, as in, firing those rockets up to disperse the rainclouds. Even if it’s only for big matches such as these."
Sir_Blitzo on 606
Join the debate on 606
1110 – 488-5 Broad to bowl from the Cathedral Road End… come on Broady, got to be better than yesterday… leg-side delivery flicked away for four by Haddin… bouncer top-edged for four by Haddin… Broad’s frustration gets the better of him, as he shies for the stumps with Haddin rooted in his crease. Haddin snaps his gum and narrows his eyes… "little boys," you can almost hear him thinking, "little boys…"1104 – 480-5 England skipper Strauss has a big grin on his face as he bounds down the pavilion steps, and it’s Jimmy Anderson to bowl first. Too straight, and Haddin flicks his first ball away for a single. North may be a new name to many, but he’s been around for some time now – 130 first-class matches, 9,247 runs, averages 44.67. Tidy opening over, North playing it cool.1057: Broad could do with a couple more wickets today, he really hasn’t dazzled so far. A yard or two short, he’s been well and truly sorted out by the Aussie batsmen, and we could well see Harmison and Onions coming in at Lord’s. It’s Haddin and North at the crease this morning, and here they come, as Blowers struggles to make himself heard over an ear-quivering Jerusalem.TMS’s Alison Mitchell on Twitter:"Aaaah, watching a touching embrace between TMS’s Jason Gillespie and Brett Lee on the outfield (well, a manly sort of hug)"1048: The early Pub Pontification chat in my office centres on whether Andrew Flintoff is overrated or not. The man next to me thinks he’s a marvellous cricketer, but that the hubbub surrounding him whenever he’s thrown the ball or he comes out to bat seems a bit out of proportion. The man opposite reckons he’s not fit to light Botham’s panatella. Obviously, I have no opinion on the matter.
"If and when England learn to pitch the ball up and only use the short one as a surprise they might get somewhere. It isn’t rocket science – look what happened to Katich and Hussey when Anderson pitched it up."
rhiannan05 on 606
Join the debate on 6061037: Michael… have you been fibbing If you email in and can prove to me what these "other valuable things" were, then I’ll wire you the money. As for the cricket, it’s pretty difficult to know what to talk about to be honest – if we were going to get a full day’s play in, then we’d surely be chatting about how long the Aussies should bat for, but the weather forecast is so dirty, I’m not sure how relevant that chat’s going to be. "Interestingly, Michael, who needs a loan, was at a seminar here in Holland yesterday, according to an email I received. Poor lad lost his wallet two days on the trot"
Alex, hoping the rain stays away from his home ground in Leiden, the Netherlands, in the TMS inbox1031: The video scorecard has just been inserted at the top of the page, but you’ll have to manually refresh the page to see it…1028:The weather forecast from Cardiff couldn’t really be much worse:the BBC reckon it’s going to be an out and out wash-out, although they’ve already got it wrong to be fair – they were predicting drizzle from 1000 BST, and we haven’t seen any yet. Anyone got $2,500 they can lend Michael I’ve got his email address in case you’re worried about him not paying it back. "Hello. How are you doing I am sorry that i didn’t inform you about my traveling to England for a Seminar. I need a favor from you as soon as you recieve this e-mail because i misplaced my wallet on my way to the hotel where my money,and other valuable things were kept, i will like you to assist me with a loan urgently. I will be needing the sum of $2,500 to sort-out my hotel bills and get myself back home. Your reply will be greatly appreciated."
Michael in the TMS inbox1014: Hello. It looks as if we’ll be starting on time, which might be a surprise to many of you. However, after lunch Fish and his mob reckon it’s going to rain and rain and rain..
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
North Korea army behind South web attack: report
July 11th, 2009 |
No Comments
North Korea’s military is behind a series of cyber attacks against South Korean and US websites that slowed or disabled access by saturating them with traffic this week, a South Korean news report said on Saturday. The attacks on dozens of US and South Korean government and business sites
Michael Clarke piles on the pain
July 10th, 2009 |
No Comments
England 445; Australia 479-5
It was a silent crowd that wended its way along the banks of the Taff, through Sophia Gardens, thismorning. Gone, from those not sporting the green and gold favours of Australia, was the chatter and the anticipation of a good day to come, and it had been replaced by a sullen gloom. They might have been going to a wake.
For a brief while in the morning, while the second ball was new and there was something in the air and off the pitch, the spirits were lifted. Simon Katich went for 122 to end a second-wicket partnership of 239 with Ricky Ponting, and so too did Mike Hussey for a bargain-basement price. Both fell to James Anderson. And then Ponting went as well, for 150, chopping Monty Panesar on to his stumps with the only duff shot he played in five and a quarter hours. Three wickets for 32 runs in the space of 10 overs represented a fair return for a more spirited England effort and with Australia’s first-innings deficit still 104, there was a glimmer of hope for Andrew Strauss.
There, though, the feelgood factor ended. Michael Clarke and Marcus North, run-scorers in the warm-up match at Worcester and nicely in tune as a result, landed another right-left combination punch during the afternoon. They batted their way through to tea and beyond, until rain showers interrupted proceedings with the fifth-wicket stand worth 132. After the rain-break Clarke was caught behind by Matt Prior off Stuart Broad for 83 but Australia, 44 runs ahead when the teams finally trudged off , still have this match by the scruff.
If England were to force their way back into the match, it had to be with the advent of the second new ball, available to them after nine overs of the morning. For all the dominance of Ponting and Katich on day two, Australia were still 186 runs adrift when play began. Games can turn on a single, inspirational spell of bowling.
If Anderson’s first efforts with the new ball were off beam as he strained too hard, perhaps, then just as suddenly he began to find his rhythm. With it came movement. Katich, who could have claimed squatter’s rights on his off stump, so immovable did he seem from the vicinity, suddenly found a fast yorker swerving into him to elude his bat and strike him full on the toe. Billy Doctrove thought about it, as if to give a hint that the spirit of Steve Bucknor is dead, but raised his finger nonetheless.
The England celebrations were of relief as much as joy and in an instant there was a spring in the collective step that had not been evident before. At the other end, Andrew Flintoff had begun his day with a wide every bit as preposterous as that propelled so infamously by his best mate, Steve Harmison, in Australia last time out, but now he began to rumble in, five and a half ounces of ball hitting the bat as if five and a half pounds. Yet it was Anderson who took a second wicket, this time of Hussey, who like North came into the match with a confidence-boosting hundred to offset memories of a career that has plummeted since a prolific start. But he had made just three runs when he nibbled outside off stump as Anderson slanted the ball across him and Prior took the low catch.
Four overs later, the prized wicket of Ponting went to Panesar. The second day had not seen a happy England return for the Northamptonshire spinner, who was unable to find the right pace for the pitch, too readily dragging the ball down to be cut to ribbons. Today Ponting recognised the need to unsettle him once more. Panesar’s fifth delivery was short, if only fractionally, but this time Ponting’s forcing shot was mistimed, the inside edge deflecting on to his stumps.
If the Australian captain was furious with himself for an indiscretion, then he had produced a batting master class – scarcely a sweep, no extravagance and just one shot lifted from the turf. That one, a hook as Flintoff dropped a no-ball short, flew over the head of Panesar at fine leg for six. It was the sort of display that should be compulsory viewing for all aspiring batsmen, even those in the England dressing room unable to grasp that the simple things often work best.
For England that was as good as it got. The ball got softer, movement ceased, the pitch reverted to a nature as sluggish as the river beyond the boundary and batting became easier once more. Clarke and North, in reaching 74 and 51 respectively by the time the rain came, played with a freedom that Katich and Ponting had denied themselves. Only one bowler, Paul Collingwood, threatened, his medium pace cutters gripping and ripping. Don Shepherd, the pride of Glamorgan, might have been unplayable.
There is some mystery surrounding the condition of Anderson, however. After lunch, he reappeared for five minutes and then left the field, not to return for a further half hour or more. Officially, there was nothing wrong with him, which begs the question of why the umpires allowed him off in the first place. Then it was said that he had been taking on fluids, as if this was Colombo and he a camel. You do not leave the field specifically to take on fluids and especially not after a 40-minute lunch break. If, as seems likely, he is carrying an injury, a bit more honesty would be helpful.
guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
‘Angel of the north syndrome’
July 9th, 2009 |
No Comments
It’s a big day tomorrow. Maybe not so big outside Britain, but for those of us here, of a certain age, it’s a big one. The Jaguar XJ is getting a re-do and is being officially shown to grunt journalists (after a rollout to Jay Leno, some celebs and a few biggie journos this evening, as I write). But this one is going to be a shock for a few. It’s already attracted some flak from some people who can’t quite cope with the idea that the XJ, yes, the Xf’ingJ, Jag’s flagship saloon, has actually cut loose from the design lineage that goes back to XJ6 in 1968 (and arguably, even further). This is a proper re-do. Clean sheet of paper. It’s not trad Jag.
Pictures have been leaked all over the web today. It’s a brave look. I think it might work, but a guy who has seen even more big launches than me has some wise words (see below link to Autocar, where there are also pics of the car). Is that C-pillar and use of crome quite right? Not sure. Might be inspired, might look odd. But as Mr Cropley says, let’s wait and see it in the flesh, in the street.
It took a while for many people to except Gormley’s ’Angel of the North’, a massive sculpture off the A1 in the north of England. But accept it they did.
With my business head on, I wonder what sales prospects for the XJ look like? Tough market segment and a tough time. Will it turn heads? In a good way? I think – and sincerely hope – it will. Looking foward to seeing it tomorrow morning at the Saatchi Gallery.