Blog, tweets help recover stolen computer

When Joshua Kaufman returned home March 21 to find his Oakland, California, apartment burglarized, he probably never imagined he'd see his stolen MacBook laptop again.

But technology came to the rescue. A trail of digital clues, including photos recorded by the camera on Kaufman's stolen laptop and posted by him on the Internet, helped police crack the case, ending a 10-week saga that became a Web sensation.

On Wednesday, Kaufman got his computer back.

"It was a relief that all my effort paid off," the digital designer told CNN Thursday. "I was excited that it worked."

It all started after Kaufman discovered the burglary and filed a report with the Oakland police. Then he began to gather information about his stolen MacBook using theft-tracking software called Hidden, which uses the laptop's webcam and other tools to surreptitiously capture photos and screen shots of the computer in use.
Tracking app helps catch suspected thief

What he discovered was startling: Photos of an unidentified man using his computer. One grainy image even showed the man asleep on his couch, Kaufman's laptop beside his head.

Over the ensuing weeks the security software showed Kaufman some 500 images taken from his computer. Screen shots also revealed someone deleting Kaufman's Apple account and logging into Google.

"I was amazed and impressed that it (the software) was working. I never really tested it out, so I didn't know if it was going to work or not," Kaufman said. At the same time, he said, "I was thinking, 'This sucks. Someone has my computer and is viewing my stuff, and there's nothing I can do about it.' "

Kaufman went to an Oakland police investigator with the information, but the detective didn't follow up, he said.

"His first response was, 'I hate to be the one to tell you this, but we don't have the resources to deal with this right now. We're just too busy.' "

So on May 27, Kaufman created a Tumblr blog, This Guy Has My MacBook, and posted some of the photos there, and on his Twitter account.

"I set up the blog because I was frustrated and I wanted my story to get some more media attention [to get the police to act]," he said.

"Within hours it had thousands of tweets and thousand of likes from Facebook."

From there the media picked up the story. On Tuesday Kaufman said he got a call from an Oakland police spokesperson, who told him investigators would be following up on his case immediately.

"Thanks to the power of the Internet, I have the attention of the Oakland police, who are tracking this guy down RIGHT NOW!" he posted that evening.

Later that night, Oakland police arrested limo driver Muthanna Aldebashi, 27, of Oakland. Kaufman believes the key piece of evidence was Aldebashi's Gmail address, which pointed to his employer, a limo company in nearby Berkeley, California.
Joshua Kaufman, right, gets his stolen laptop back on Wednesday from the Oakland police.
Joshua Kaufman, right, gets his stolen laptop back on Wednesday from the Oakland police.

Police recovered Kaufman's laptop Tuesday night from Aldebashi's home and returned it to him on Wednesday morning, he said. Kaufman said he's not convinced that Aldebashi was the burglar, however.

"I don't think he burglarized my house. I think he bought it off the street from someone who needed some fast cash," he said.

Aldebashi told investigators the computer was a gift from a relative, according to a story in Thursday's Oakland Tribune.
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Aldebashi was being held Thursday evening on $20,000 bail in the Alameda County Jail and was scheduled to be arraigned Friday on charges of receiving known stolen property, according to the Alameda County Sheriff's website.

As for Kaufman, he has fielded more than 50 interview requests and gained more than 5,000 followers on Twitter. He's also been marveling at the power of technology to help solve a crime.

"I think it's fantastic that these tools are available, and there's no reason not to install it on your laptops -- unless you're really creeped out by the privacy implications."

Again sony network hacked

A hacker group has claimed it has attacked the Sony network and stolen more than one million passwords, email addresses and other information.

Lulz Security said it broke into servers that run SonyPictures.com.

Sony said it was aware of Lulz Security's statement and was investigating, the Associated Press reported.

In April, hackers broke into Sony's PlayStation Network and stole data from more than 77 million accounts.

That attack was considered the biggest in internet history and led to Sony shutting down the PlayStation Network and other services for almost a month.

The company has estimated the data breach will result in a $170m (£104m) hit to its operating profit.

Since then, Sony's networks have become targets for hackers and the company has confirmed at least four other break-ins prior to the claimed attack on Sony Pictures.

Lulz Security claims to be behind one of those attacks: an assault on Sony Music Japan.

The latest alleged attack will come as a blow to the Japanese firm, 24 hours after it announced the PlayStation Network would be fully restored in the US and Europe, and said it had beefed up its security systems.
'Asking for it'

In a statement on Thursday, Lulz Security said it had hacked into a database that included unencrypted passwords as well as names, addresses and dates of birth of Sony customers.

"From a single injection, we accessed EVERYTHING," it said. "Why do you put such faith in a company that allows itself to become open to these simple attacks?"

"What's worse is that every bit of data we took wasn't encrypted. Sony stored over 1,000,000 passwords of its customers in plain text, which means it's just a matter of taking it.

"This is disgraceful and insecure: they were asking for it."

The group also recently claimed responsibility for hacking the website of the PBS network and posting a fake story in protest at a news programme about WikiLeaks.

Africa can feed itself in generation

Prioritizing agriculture сουld mаkе Africa a food exporter, according tο a nеw study.Nеw study lays out рlοt tο turn Africa іntο a food exporterStudy recommends improving technology, infrastructure аnd technical educationAuthor tο present findings tο presidents οf Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda аnd Burundi


(CNN) — Africa сουld bе аblе tο feed itself іn a generation, ѕауѕ a nеw study being presented tο five African presidents Thursday.


Currently a net food importer, Africa hаѕ thе potential tο become a food exporter through a combination οf modern technology, improved infrastructure аnd better technical education, according tο thе study.


Calestous Juma, professor οf thе practice οf international development аt thе Harvard Kennedy School іn thе United States, led thе investigate, whісh wаѕ funded bу thе Bill аnd Melinda Gates Foundation.


Juma tοld CNN Africa’s agricultural transformation wουld require a shift іn focus frοm exporting raw materials tο developing thе agriculture sector.


“Seventy percent οf employment іn Africa comes frοm agriculture, ѕο уου саn argue thаt іn Africa agriculture аnd economy аrе synonymous,” hе ѕаіd. “In effect, уου саnnοt modernize thе economy іn Africa without starting wіth agriculture.”


According tο thе study, a lack οf investment means food production іn Africa hаѕ fallen 10 percent ѕіnсе 1960, аnd production levels аrе ѕο low thаt one third οf sub-Saharan Africans аrе chronically hungry.


Technology іѕ key tο powering аn agricultural revolution, according tο Juma. Hе ѕауѕ modern communications аrе essential fοr farmers tο keep abreast οf changes іn market prices аnd weather conditions.


Hе аlѕο suggests biotechnology, including genetically bespoke (GM) seeds, wіll become increasingly vital іn improving agricultural yields аnd іn extenuating thе effects οf climate change.


“South Africa, Burkina Faso аnd Egypt already hаνе GM crops аnd wе expect іn thе next few years Kenya аnd Tanzania tο follow suit,” ѕаіd Juma.
Growing crops іѕ a lot more complicated thаn јυѕt digging up diamonds іn thе ground.
–Professor Calestous Juma, study author

“In thе cotton industry, people couldn’t afford pesticides аnd now suddenly уου hаνе nеw seeds thаt don’t require υѕе οf pesticides οr υѕе a lot less pesticides. Thаt’s starting tο mаkе cotton production commercially viable.


“Thеrе іѕ аlѕο thе prospect οf growing drought-tolerant crops, especially drought-tolerant corn, bесаυѕе corn іѕ very widely consumed іn Africa. Thіѕ mау nοt lead tο large expansion οf corn production, bυt іt mау mean thаt corn саn bе grown іn areas thаt аrе drier, possibly аѕ a consequence οf climate change.”


Bυt іt’s vital thаt аnу prioritization οf agriculture іѕ nοt аt thе expense οf thе trade іn raw materials, according tο Ousmane Badiane, Africa director fοr thе International Food Policy Investigate Institute.


“I wουld nοt lіkе tο look аt agriculture аѕ a different path tο growth thаn raw materials іn a country thаt hаѕ both,” hе ѕаіd. “Thе two аrе nοt alternatives οr substitutes — one wουld look fοr thе synergy between thе two.”


Bυt Badiane agreed thаt whіlе ѕοmе African nations аrе lіkеlу tο remain net importers, Africa’s improved economic performance over thе last 10 tο 15 years indicates many African countries dο hаνе thе potential tο become net exporters οf food.


Aѕ well аѕ recommending improved infrastructure аnd thе creation οf nеw enterprises іn areas such аѕ farm mechanization аnd food storage, thе study аlѕο suggests thе recognition οf agriculture аѕ a knowledge industry.


“It’s really vital tο note thаt raw materials, especially minerals, hаνе very small knowledge content,” Juma ѕаіd.


“Growing crops іѕ a lot more complicated thаn јυѕt digging up diamonds іn thе ground. Yου hаνе tο know аbουt ecology аnd weather patterns, уου hаνе tο breed plants аnd maintain infrastructure. It wіll present аn improvement іn thе technical base οf Africa.”


Juma wіll present hіѕ findings tο thе presidents οf Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda аnd Burundi аt a meeting іn Arusha, Tanzania, аnd hе thinks thеу wіll bе interested tο hіѕ findings.


“Wе аrе approaching thеm іn thе direction thеу want tο bе vacant, аnd thеу аrе already vacant іn thе first рlасе, ѕο іt doesn’t take a whole lot οf pushing,” hе ѕаіd.
“Thе political wіll раrt іѕ nοt аn issue аnу more — thе real challenge іѕ tender towards implementation.”



View thе original article here

Lampedusa, Italy (CNN) -- When the boat people arrive at this small Italian island on the southern edge of Europe, many look lost, not even sure what country they are in.

Among the rescue workers waiting on the shore to greet them is a man dressed in a red jersey with big hair.

Tareke Brhane works with the aid organization Save the Children. He knows first-hand what the boat people have been through.

"Five years ago, I came in the same way from Libya. I tried twice," Brhane recalls. "The first time I stayed five days in the sea. We don't have water. No food."

Brhane is a battle-scarred survivor of the dangerous sea journey from North Africa to Europe.

Crossing the Mediterranean on an overcrowded, barely seaworthy wooden fishing boat is but the last step in a long and dangerous road travelled by tens, if not hundreds of thousands of immigrants fleeing poverty, conflict and oppression in hope of a better life.

"Some people say 'why are we coming this way?'" Brhane says. "We do it because we don't have [any other] solution. Because it's the only way."

Brhane and his family fled their home in Eritrea in 2003 to escape the country's authoritarian government.

The US State Department's 2010 report on Eritrea's human rights record makes for dismal reading: "Human rights abuses included abridgement of citizens' right to change their government through a democratic process; unlawful killings by security forces; torture and beating of prisoners, sometimes resulting in death; abuse and torture of national service evaders; harsh and life-threatening prison conditions; arbitrary arrest and detention."
People say 'why are we coming this way?' We do it because we don't have [any other] solution. Because it's the only way.
--Tareke Brhane
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Brhane says his family fled Eritrea's system of open-ended military conscription, which obliges all male citizens to serve in the army indefinitely without pay.

"We have obligations to do military service," he explains. "I [would] like to do it, but not for all my life!"

Not long after escaping Eritrea to neighboring Sudan, Brhane says his mother urged him to embark on the trip to Europe.

It took 10 days to cross the Sahara Desert to Libya aboard a single land rover crammed with 34 men, women and children packed inside and hanging precariously to the roof of the vehicle.

"If you fall, they leave you there," Brhane says.

Brhane plunged into a world of armed smugglers and traffickers who he claims buy and sell immigrants.

"When we arrived in Libya we were sold to traffickers who beat us constantly," he wrote, in an article published in the Daily Beast last April titled "My Harrowing Libya Escape."

"They once took a beautiful underage girl outside and we never saw her again."

From Libya, Brhane made his first attempt to cross the Mediterranean. He paid more than $1,000 dollars - a fortune for a refugee - for a seat aboard a small, open fishing boat to take him to Italy.

There were 264 people on board. The boat's motor broke soon after it left the Libyan coast.

After five days at sea, Brhane says the Maltese Navy discovered the stranded vessel, only to hand it back to the Libyans.

The government of Libyan strong-man Moammar Gadhafi promptly threw the immigrants in prison.

Brhane spent months moving through Libyan jails. At one point, he was locked up in Libya's notorious Kufra prison, located in the Sahara desert, in a windowless cell with more than 70 other detainees.

He says he witnessed guards abusing female migrants.

"If you have a sister or mother or wife, you can never look in their eyes again after what they do to them," Brhane says. "They can rape them in front of you."

Finally, Brhane emerged from prison and found the means once again to pay some $1,200 for another boat ride to Italy.

This time, he succeeded, landing in Sicily on October 26th, 2005.

Fast forward six years: Brhane now works with a small team of aid workers contracted by the Italian government. They distribute water bottles and packets of cookies to the migrants and refugees from sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia, who sit shivering on the dock after their sea journey.

"Be relaxed, you are in Lampedusa, you are in Italy, you are safe," Brhane tells them. "After ten minutes you'll be taken to the camp. [in] the camp there is food."

This winter, Lampedusa was overwhelmed by a flood over more than 30,000 boat people who arrived over the span of just 3 months.

The island has since become a symbol for European politicians campaigning on anti-immigration platforms.

After initially being unprepared, the Italian government has now put in place a system for processing the immigrants.

Aid workers say they've seen an increase in larger boats coming from Libya, with migrants fleeing the grinding conflict between the Gadhafi regime and Western-backed rebels.

And the illegal journey continues to claim lives: Last month, locals organized a village funeral for 3 passengers who drowned after their boat ran aground on the coast of Lampedusa. No-one even knew their names.

"When Europeans, North Americans and Australians see images of ragged and thirsty refugees crossing deserts and seas, it must be hard to see us as individuals, each with our unique life histories," Brhane wrote in "My Harrowing Libyan Escape."

Accident of birth is all that separate the Western tourists, who fly to Lampedusa every year to frolic on its pristine beaches, from the desperate migrants who wash up, sometimes dead, on its shores.

Brhane asks why in the 21st century, little more than a passport made of paper divides humanity into two classes of citizens.

"Paper, it makes us different," he says. "Paper can change the life of a human being."

For the untold tens of thousands of travellers making their own dangerous journey in hope of a better life, Brhane has several simple words of advice.

"Be strong," he says. "Because if you lose hope, its finished."

Daily News Brief

June 1, 2011
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

- Violence Rages on in Yemen
- Syrian Opposition Rejects Amnesty
- KSM Charged at Guantanamo
- Mladic Arrives in The Hague


Top of the Agenda: Violence Rages on in Yemen

Heavy fighting continued in the capital of Sanaa (NYT) this morning as regime forces under President Ali Abdullah Saleh clashed with the tribal family of Hamid al-Ahmar for control of strategic positions in the city, including the Interior Ministry and state-run media. Unconfirmed reports have put the death toll from the renewed violence at well above thirty people over the last two days. The country is facing increasing unrest in several areas after Saleh refused to step down for a third time, and analysts fear the continued bloodshed could drag Yemen into civil war. The U.S. State Department called for Saleh to leave office (BBC), urging the embattled president "to move Yemen forward."

Government security forces are also reported to have killed two more activists in the city of Taiz, adding to over fifty dead in recent days following attempts by the military to quell protests (al-Jazeera). The violence in Sanaa and Taiz comes after the deaths of at least thirty in government air raids in the southern city of Zinjibar, which is now reported to be under the control of fighters linked to al-Qaeda. Analysts claim Yemen is on the brink of financial collapse, with about a third of its 23 million people facing chronic hunger. Additional fears stem from Yemen's proximity to a vital shipping lane (Reuters) that carries about three million barrels of oil a day.

Analysis:

In this op-ed for the New York Times, Timur Kuran discusses the weak foundations of Arab democracy and the lack of participation of private civic organizations in the grassroots movement.

In Foreign Policy, Nathan Brown writes that Western leaders must stop ignoring the flaws of repressive Arab regimes that they deem indispensible and enact policies that reflect the needs of Arab societies, not Arab rulers.

In Foreign Affairs, Daniel Byman writes that al-Qaeda will have a tough time regrouping after this year's blows: The Arab revolutions discredited al Qaeda's violent jihadist message, then the raid on bin Laden's Abbottabad compound killed the messenger.


MIDDLE EAST: Syrian Opposition Rejects Amnesty

Syrian opposition members dismissed a token offer of amnesty (al-Jazeera) by President Bashar al-Assad, an attempt to contain a crisis that threatens the legitimacy of his leadership. Exiled opposition leaders are meeting in the Turkish city of Antalya to forge plans for a new democratic government.

Following the G8's tough stand on political repression, the weekend saw increased violence in Libya, Syria, and Yemen, along with signals of regime weakening. Some experts say the United States should take a tougher line with Libya and Syria.


PACIFIC RIM: IAEA Says Japan Underestimated Tsunami

A preliminary report released by nuclear experts at the IAEA concluded that Japan did not properly protect its nuclear power plants from tsunami threats prior to the March 11 disaster that led to a meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi plant (LATimes).

China: Manufacturing in China decreased to its slowest rate in ten months in May. Although the numbers suggest production is still growing, they align with several measures by Beijing aimed at cooling the economy and containing soaring consumer prices (AFP).


SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA: Militants Strike at Pakistan Border

Hundreds of unidentified militants crossed the border from Afghanistan to launch an assault on an outpost in Pakistan's northwestern region of Dir, killing at least seven. The United States has called on the Pakistani army to step up the fight against militants in border sanctuaries (Reuters).

Pakistan: U.S. officials condemned the murder of Syed Saleem Shahzad, a Pakistani reporter who allegedly reported threats from Pakistani intelligence officers over his coverage of supposed links between the military and Islamic militants (FT).

Pakistan's stability is of great consequence to regional and international security. Examine the roots of its challenges, what it means for the region and the world, and explore some plausible futures for the country in CFR's Crisis Guide: Pakistan.


AFRICA: Sudan Calls for African Peacekeepers

The Khartoum government called for the replacement of UN peacekeepers in the disputed region of Abyei (Bloomberg) with those that are of "an African nature," along with a rotating administration that would include troops from the north and south.

Renewed hostilities between North and South Sudan might be temporarily settled by an agreement hammered out by former South African President Thabo Mbeki, but the Obama administration should encourage China to play a bigger role in settling a conflict that threatens renewed civil war, says CFR's John Campbell.


AMERICAS: KSM Charged at Guantanamo

Military prosecutors re-filed terrorism and murder charges against Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (NYT) and four other September 11 conspirators, using a revamped trial process at Guantánamo Bay. Government prosecutors recommended the trial be a capital case, which could entail the death penalty.

President Obama vowed in January 2009 to close the prison camp at Guantanamo Bay. Two years later, the White House continues to face challenges to that promise, leaving critics to suggest the facility will remain open for the foreseeable future.


EUROPE: Mladic Arrives in The Hague

Serbia extradited Radko Mladic (AP) to the UN war crimes tribunal at The Hague, where he will stand trial for genocide, sixteen years after he was charged for the killing of eight thousand Muslims in Srebrenica. He is expected to receive a preliminary hearing within days.

Germany: Researchers in Germany are trying to identify the source of a deadly E. coli outbreak (BBC) after Spanish cucumbers were found not to have the lethal strain. Four hundred and seventy people--mostly in north Germany--have the most severe and potentially fatal symptoms. Fifteen people in the country have died from the bacteria.