Page 54 - English Tehelka Issue 1&2

around the w rLd Here is a round-up of international news to update our readers on everything

important that’s happening in different parts of the world.

angry Iranian youths take to the streets move underlines that ComPuter security
experts have discovered
Washington’s relations
to vent out economic, social frustrations with Islamabad have two major security flaws
deteriorated since
in the microprocessors
Trump took office
inside nearly all of the
and it echoes several world’s computers. The
previous rifts between two problems, called
the countries over Meltdown and Spectre,
Iran was shaken by agreed not to hold any Pakistan’s role as a could allow hackers to
massive political unrest as joint military exercises sanctuary for extremist steal the entire memory
thousands of citizens took with South Korea during groups — a role that contents of computers,
to the streets and violently its Winter Olympics. has affected relations between the two countries since including mobile devices,
clashed with security The two Koreas held the terrorist attacks of September 2001. The US is urging personal computers and servers running in so-called
forces over several days the negotiations at the Pakistani government to cut off contact with militants cloud computer networks. There is no easy fix for Spectre,
as pent-up economic the border village and reassign intelligence agents with links to extremists, which could require redesigning the processors, according
and political frustrations of Panmunjom, as among other measures. to researchers. As for Meltdown, the software patch
boiled over in the broadest proposed by the South. needed to fix the issue could slow down computers by as
display of discontent Kim Jong-un, the North much as 30 percent — an ugly situation for people used
in years. The Iranian Korean autocratic to fast downloads from their favourite online services.
government responded leader, also proposed us PresIdent Donald Trump courted controversy yet Meltdown is a particular problem for the cloud computing
with conciliatory words from President Hassan Rouhani, that his country participate in the Winter Olympics to be again by endorsing that Washington favoured shifting services run by the likes of Amazon, Google and Microsoft.
but also an increasing security clampdown on protesters, held in February in Pyeongchang County, South Korea. the country’s embassy in Israel from its current capital Google and Microsoft said they had updated their systems
most of them youths. Even as Rouhani urged people to Kim made the offer during his New Year’s Day speech, Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, the disputed territory between to deal with the flaw.
avoid violence, he defended their right to protest. At least in which he also called for easing military tensions on Israel and Palestine which is one of the most contentious
21 people were killed, including an 11-year-old, and several the divided Korean Peninsula. That unleashed a series international conflicts across the globe. The decision could
others were injured. About 450 people were arrested in of interactions between the two Koreas, which raised have ramifications for
capital Tehran, that was not even the centre of protests, hopes of an improvement in inter-Korean relations. The the proposed two-state at least 13 people died and over two dozen were
since the demonstrations began on December 30. There development assumes significance as not only has the solution for the Israel- injured as a vast area in the US city of Los Angeles, that
were also arrests in provincial towns. The protests are the North been refusing to abandon its nuclear program, Palestinian conflict that recently scorched in the state of California’s largest
largest in Iran since 2009 and suggest a rejiggering of it has also accelerated the pace of nuclear and peace loving leaders wildfire on record, became the scene of another disaster
some traditional divisions. The widespread anger is being missile tests. and activists have been as a driving rainstorm, the heaviest in nearly a year,
attributed to the failure of President Rouhani, a moderate pressing for. In a Special triggered floods and mudslides. Authorities have warned
in the Shia country controlled by hardliners, to deliver Session held on the that the toll is expected
greater political changes and economic opportunity, issue, the United Nations to rise. The wreckage of
despite the lifting of some of the curbs against the country the trumP administration in the US announced that General Assembly the downpour, coming so
as part of the nuclear deal. Young people, who constitute it would suspend nearly all security aid to Pakistan, an denounced the US for soon after the wildfires,
most of the country’s population, are especially angry. across-the-board freeze that is the most tangible sign yet deciding to recognise was not a coincidence
of Washington’s frustration with the country’s refusal to Jerusalem as Israel’s but a direct result of
crack down on terrorist networks operating on its soil. capital and ignored Trump’s threats to retaliate by cutting the charred lands, left
The decision, which could affect as much as USD 1.3 aid for countries that vote against it. Both the Palestinians vulnerable to quickly
north and south Korea held their first face-to- billion in annual aid, came three days after US President and the Israelis claim Jerusalem as their capital. Though forming mudslides.
face talks in two years just a few days into the new year. Donald Trump tweeted that Pakistan had “given us Israel’s Parliament and the prime minister’s home are in Several natural disasters
Pyongyang and Seoul had agreed to hold high-level nothing but lies & deceit” and accused it of providing Jerusalem, they sit in West Jerusalem, on the side of the have struck California
talks, moving towards a possible thaw, after Washington “safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan.” The city Israel has controlled since 1949. recently..

Tehelka / 31 january 2018 54 www.Tehelka.com Tehelka / 31 january 2018 55 www.Tehelka.com

54-55 World News.indd 2-3 12/01/18 4:14 PM