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Contaminated land registers: environmental contention

Article Abstract:

The proposal for local authorities to compile registers of potentially contaminated land as required by the Environmental Protection Act 1990 is drawing strong public reaction. The requirement is likely to have a significant impact on the entire business community, not just the firms owning contaminated land. Expenses stemming from clean-ups would have to be considered when making business decisions, particularly those pertaining to mergers and acquisitions. Corporate accountants are also likely to encounter difficulties in evaluating accounts where land is material. The Department of the Environment is proposing that land registration be limited to 10% to 15% of the 100,000 sites in the UK suspected of being contaminated. Environmental groups are objecting to this proposal, arguing that a large number of potentially unsafe sites will remain unknown and will pose as a hazard to the public.

United Kingdom, Real estate, Environmental aspects, Corporations, Real property, Corporations, British

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Phone fraudsters keep operators engaged

Article Abstract:

Cellular telephone fraud is a major problem all over the world. Majority of the crimes being committed involve rechipping, where telephone numbers and electronic serial numbers (ESNs) of stolen analog handsets are changed to give them new identities. A variance of rechipping is cloning, which involves scanning the airwaves with the use of electronic scanners and recording subscriber ESNs and telephone numbers, and programming these digits into stolen phones. Although rechipping and cloning are more common in analog sets, digital handsets are not immune. Subscriber Identification Module cards in digital sets are being tampered to allow a fraudster to ring up bills without being charged. Steps are already being taken although there is no certainty that fraudsters will not be able to go around these measures.

Usage, Evaluation, Cellular telephones, Wireless telephones, Commercial crimes

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