The following is a rundown of the day’s news drawn from other media sources with topics curated just for Money and Markets readers: personal security and freedom, business, technology and more!
World at war
China Creates Air Defense Zone Over Japan-Controlled Islands
Aircraft are expected to provide their flight plan, clearly mark their nationality, and maintain two-way radio communication allowing them to "respond in a timely and accurate manner to the identification inquiries" from Chinese authorities.
Japan Warns of ‘Unpredictable Events’ Over China’s New Air Zone
Japan cannot accept the Chinese measure, calling it "a one-sided action which leads us to assume the danger of unpredictable events on the spot," said Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida.
Israel Vows ‘Whatever Is Necessary’ to Stop Iran
“We are not in a position of making a mistake or to gamble with our future. If we see that Iran continues with the effort to build a nuclear bomb, we will do whatever is necessary to protect ourselves.”
President of Afganistan:Â U.S. Forces Killed Civilians in a Raid
“Misleading statements like this do not help to finalize the bilateral security agreement as soon as possible this year, which is essential to the future of Afghanistan,” a United States official said.
Thousands in Pakistan Protest American Drone Strikes
The country’s interior minister contended that the government had been about to enter into peace talks with the insurgents and that the killing had jeopardized the nascent peace process.
Personal security and freedom
‘Knockout Game’ Leads to Arrests, More Police Patrols
Dangerous "knockout" attacks on strangers are leading to arrests, more officers flooding the streets and more warnings for vigilance by an unsuspecting public.
Police: Attack of Cyclist Was Not Part of "Knockout Game"
After being hit, the cyclist says he asked the group — made up of five teen boys and three teen girls — why they hit him. Without answering, the group then continued beating the man.
I Was a Victim of the Knockout Game
The brutal game — sometimes called “polar bear hunting” — has been on the rise across the country, with bystanders, usually white, sucker-punched for sport by black youths. In Brooklyn, religious Jews appear to be the targets.
NSA Report Outlined Goals for More Power
Officials at the National Security Agency, intent on maintaining its dominance in intelligence collection, pledged last year to push to expand its surveillance powers, according to a top-secret strategy document.
Meet the Spies Doing the NSA’s Dirty Work
When the media and members of Congress say the NSA spies on Americans, what they really mean is that the FBI helps the NSA do it, providing a technical and legal infrastructure that permits the NSA, which by law collects foreign intelligence, to operate on U.S. soil.
Business and technology
‘Digital Lollipop’ Will Allow Users to Taste Virtual Objects
The researchers still need to add a number of simulated tastes, including more sweet and sugary flavors, and add smell and texture, which would help fool the brain into believing a taste is real.
Scientists Say Blue Lights May Keep You Alert Better Than Caffeine
Researchers at Mid Sweden University compared the effects of caffeine and blue light on the brain and found them both to have a positive effect. Interestingly, people exposed to blue light performed better on tests of brain function that included a distraction.
U.S. Banks Warn Fed That Interest-Rate Cut Could Force Them to Charge Depositors
Depositors already have to cope with near-zero interest rates, but paying just to leave money in the bank would be highly unusual and unwelcome for companies and households.
Richard Branson: Buy Your Space Flight With Bitcoins
“Virgin Galactic is a bold entrepreneurial technology. It’s driving a revolution. And Bitcoin is doing just the same when it comes to inventing a new currency."
Bogus Accounts Dog Twitter
"Twitter is where many people get news," says Sherry Turkle, director of the MIT Initiative on Technology and Self. "If what is trending on Twitter is being faked by robots, people need to know that. This will and should undermine trust."
Best wishes,
The Money and Markets Team
