NATIONAL BRIEF
FBI warns against heartbreaking virus
A Valentine's Day e-card from an unknown sender may contain an unexpected "Storm Worm" virus, which infects a user's computer to steal his or her personal information, the FBI warned Tuesday. "With the holiday approaching, be on the lookout for spam e-mails spreading the Storm Worm malicious software (malware)," FBI officials said in a press release. So-called "Trojan horse" e-mails require the recipient to click on a link to receive the e-card. But instead of delivering a romantic message, malware is downloaded and the computer becomes infected as part of the Storm Worm "botnet," according to the press release.
Botnets are networks of infected computers under the control of a single user, who generally acts as a facilitator of illegal activity, such as identity theft or the spreading of malware to other computers, according to the FBI.
The FBI further warned Internet users to be cautious of any e-mails from unknown senders and encouraged anyone who has experienced a cyber crime to visit the Internet Crime Complaint Center's Web site, www.ic3.gov.
-Christopher Cottrell
SG BRIEF Undergraduate Senate passes election results bill
The Undergraduate Senate passed "A Bill to Ensure the Credibility of Election Results" during their meeting Sunday in Kogod 118. This bill amends the Student Government bylaws to allow for the election results to be presented by the Board of Elections no later than two weeks after the election. The bill also allows the senate to nullify all election results with a three-quarters vote.
While the senate passed the bill 17-3, Vidulich said he disagrees with the bill. He said he believes it is the Board of Elections' job to look at the elections because they are impartial and have no interest in the elections. The Board of Elections should create more stringent laws for election reforms, not the senate, he said.
"The senate can invalidate their own elections that they lost, and that is not their place," Vidulich said.
The senate also unanimously passed "A Resolution to Commemorate the Inauguration of Cornelius M. Kerwin."
Charlie Biscotto, class of 2008 senator, presented the symbolic resolution as a way to congratulate Kerwin on his inauguration as the first president who is an AU alumnus.
SG elections will take place March 4 and 5, said SG Secretary Caitlin Douglas. Students interested in running for SG president, vice president, comptroller or secretary must attend one of the election information sessions in Mary Graydon Center 200 - Saturday at 6 p.m., Tuesday at 10 p.m. or Wednesday at 10 p.m., she said.
-REBECCA KERN
INTERNATIONAL BRIEF
Obama city rallies for Democratic candidate
The city of Obama, Japan, cheered Democratic presidential candidate and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama in a drive to boost its tourism industry, Reuters reported yesterday.
Residents have launched support campaigns for Sen. Obama in the central Japanese city so that the city that shares his name may also increase its popularity worldwide, an Obama resident told Reuters.
"So far, we have been unilaterally giving him 'love calls,' as we have a close affinity with him, although we have not met him," a tourism official told Reuters.
Obama supporters have so far sent the senator lacquered chopsticks and an invitation to visit the city. They have also been producing T-shirts with "I Love Obama" printed on them.
Obama first learned of the city when a customs official said upon examining his passport, "I'm from Obama," Reuters reported.
-C.C.
