Japan may use detection vehicles at sea
The Japanese government is considering introducing unmanned underwater vehicles capable of detecting submarines and other vessels with a view to beefing up warning and surveillance capabilities against subs dispatched by the Chinese military or by other countries to the East China Sea, where the Senkaku Islands of Okinawa Prefecture are located.
The Defense Ministry intends to start developing prototype models in fiscal 2019 and aims to start operations using the unmanned vehicles in fiscal 2025.
The government plans to advance projects to further the use of unmanned underwater vehicles and aircraft. When the National Defense Program Guidelines are revised at the end of the year, they will likely emphasize greater use of such vehicles.
The unmanned underwater vehicle the government envisions using in warning and surveillance activities will be 10 to 15 meters long and able to be programmed to self-navigate in a specific area for up to about a week.
It will have the ability to detect submarines and surface ships with its sonar and will be able to use its artificial intelligence to self-navigate and pursue those vessels. It will not be given attack capabilities.
According to the ministry, unmanned underwater vehicles for surveillance of submarines are also being developed by a U.S. company, and a prototype exists. The U.S. Navy is said to be considering the introduction of this model.
Migrant spurs rescue
TIJUANA, Mexico — Authorities in San Diego launched two helicopters and at least one rescue boat Thursday night to investigate a report — which ultimately turned out to be unfounded — of about a dozen people struggling in the ocean near the U.S.-Mexico border, officials said.
The false alarm was sparked by a single man rescued by Tijuana lifeguards while he apparently was trying to swim into the U.S., according to Luis Hernandez, operations chief for Tijuana’s lifeguards.
A municipal source in Tijuana identified the would-be border crosser as a 30-year-old Honduran migrant.
He was apparently drunk, and upon being rescued, told lifeguards that at least 10 others had been with him in the water, Mr. Hernandez said. His statement led to the large bi-national emergency response.
Gold held in Britain
Venezuelan opposition leaders are asking the Bank of England to keep 14 tons of Venezuelan bullion safely locked up in Britain rather than return it to the administration of President Nicolas Maduro because, they said, he’s likely to steal or squander it amid the country’s economic collapse.
In a letter sent Friday, former National Assembly President Julio Borges and Carlos Vecchio, the political coordinator for the Voluntad Popular party — both in exile — asked bank governor Mark Carney to refuse Venezuela’s request for the gold.
The Times of London has reported that the Bank of England is dragging its feet, and perhaps refusing, to send the gold back. The bank has not made any public statements about the issue.
The bank holds about 400,000 gold bars for central banks around the world, making it the second-largest depository of the metal after the New York Federal Reserve. For it to refuse a request from one of its clients would be highly unusual.