This And That

China carrier a show of force as Japan tension festers TOKYO/BEIJING (Reuters) - China sent its first aircraft carrier into formal service on Tuesday amid a tense maritime dispute with Japan, a show of naval force that could worry its neighbors. China's Ministry of Defense said the newly named Liaoning aircraft carrier would "raise the overall operational strength of the Chinese navy" and help Beijing to "effectively protect national sovereignty, security and development interests". ... more info...

Apple supplier's factory back up after China brawl A Chinese factory owned by the manufacturer of Apple's iPhones has resumed production after a brawl involving 2,000 workers highlighted chronic labor tensions in a country that prohibits independent unions. more info... Victim of Guatemalan civil war massacre wins asylum in U.S. LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - One of two known survivors of a notorious Guatemalan civil war massacre of 250 men, women and children in his small farming village has been granted political asylum to stay in the United States, his lawyer said on Monday. Oscar Ramirez Casteneda, 33, who learned only last year that he had been kidnapped as a young boy by a Guatemalan army lieutenant during the 1982 bloodshed and raised by the man's family, was notified in a letter on Saturday that he had won asylum, attorney Scott Greathead said. ... more info... NKorea raises schooling period to 12 years fro...

China announces formal handover of first aircraft carrier BEIJING (Reuters) - China's first aircraft carrier officially entered service on Tuesday and the Defense Ministry said it would help project maritime power and defend Chinese territory. The handover of the vessel comes as China and Japan are embroiled in a dispute over islands they both claim and China is concerned over renewed U.S. military interest in Asia. The carrier, called the Liaoning, was originally purchased from Ukraine and has undergone extensive renovation in the Chinese port of Dalian. ... more info... On Facebook, NFL Can't Decide What to Do About Controversial Ending Look above this sentence. That's a screenshot of the NFL's Facebook page about an hour after one of the most controversial endings in league history. To the left is a fairly innocuous post about how Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was roughed up during the game, but doesn't a...

Replacement ref furor grows after wild Seattle win The furor over the work of replacement officials reached a fevered pitch during Week 3 in the NFL, especially Monday night when Seattle beat Green Bay on a desperation pass that many thought was an interception. more info...

Seahawks lead Packers 7-6 after 3 quarters Seattle sacked Aaron Rodgers eight times but the Seahawks held just a 7-6 lead over the Green Bay Packers after three quarters Monday night. more info...

White House said to plan executive order on cybersecurity SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The White House is preparing to direct federal agencies to develop voluntary cybersecurity guidelines for owners of power, water and other critical infrastructure facilities, according to people who said they had seen recent drafts of an executive order. ... more info... Seahawks lead Packers 7-0 at halftime Seattle sacked Aaron Rodgers eight times and Russell Wilson connected with Golden Tate for a 41-yard touchdown pass and the Seahawks took a 7-0 lead over the Green Bay Packers after the first half Monday night. more info...

Olympus former executives plead guilty in scandal trial TOKYO (Reuters) - Three former executives of Japanese camera and endoscope maker Olympus Corp pleaded guilty on Tuesday after being charged in connection with a $1.7 billion accounting cover-up in one of the biggest corporate scandals in Japan. Prosecutors charged ex-chairman Tsuyoshi Kikukawa, former executive vice-president Hisashi Mori and former auditor Hideo Yamada with inflating the company's net worth in financial statements for the fiscal years ended March 2007 and 2008, in violation of the Financial Instruments and Exchange Law. ... more info...