French bank ratings downgraded by Moody's
Credit rating agency Moody's has downgraded two French banks because of their exposure to Greek debt. Credit Agricole was cut from Aa1 to Aa2 and Societe Generale from Aa2 to Aa3. A third bank, BNP Paribas, was kept on review for a possible downgrade. Moody's said it was also planning to extend its review of all three banks "to consider the implications of the persistent fragility in the bank financing markets, given the banks' continued reliance on wholesale funding". This further review could result in an additional one-notch downgrade, the agency warned. The markets for short-term cash lending between European banks have become increasingly stressed in recent days, while share prices in European banks have fallen sharply. Credit Agricole and Societe Generale have seen their share prices fall by about two-thirds since February, while BNP has fallen by more than half. If the French government were to provide an open-ended willingness to underwrite the enormous balance sheets of French banks, then the perceived strength of the balance sheet of the French state would be undermined.
Jackie Kennedy post-assassination interviews released
Audio tapes of Jackie Kennedy, made just months after the assassination of her husband president John F Kennedy, have been released for the first time. In the interviews with a White House historian, she says civil rights leader Martin Luther King is "a terrible man". Jackie Kennedy, who died in 1994, is scathing about JFK's vice-president Lyndon Johnson and world leaders. In the eight hours of tapes, she recalls, too, how her husband joked about the threat of assassination.
Lufthansa pilots win ageism case at European court
Europe's top court has ruled that a ban by Lufthansa on pilots flying past the age of 60 is illegal, in a case brought by three flight captains. The EU Court of Justice found mandatory retirement at 60 went against international and German laws that fix the pilot retirement age at 65. Lufthansa's age limit is contained in its collective agreement. The court found that Lufthansa's age limit represented a "disproportionate requirement" in light of international and German legislation. Germany's federal labor court had asked whether the collective agreement was compatible with EU law.
Brazil judge halts Sao Paulo airport terminal work
A federal court in Brazil has ordered an immediate halt to work on a new terminal at the main international airport in Sao Paulo. The judge said the state airport authority ignored the proper bidding process when awarding the contract for the project at Guarulhos airport. The terminal is designed to double the airport's capacity. Brazil is trying to boost facilities in time for the 2014 football World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games. Correspondents say the latest ruling will worry the Brazilian government.
EU boosts powers of border agency Frontex
The European Parliament has voted to increase the powers of the EU border control agency, Frontex, enabling it to respond better to emergencies. It should now be able to deploy larger numbers of border guards, and more quickly, in response to crises at the EU's external frontiers. Some Mediterranean EU states struggling with illegal immigration have accused the agency of being ineffective. Frontex will also appoint an inspector to ensure respect for human rights. Frontex, which has no standing force of border guards of its own but borrows them from member states, will have new powers to oblige countries to contribute.
US poverty rate hits record high
The number of Americans living in poverty rose to 46.2 million last year - nearly one in six people - according to the US Census Bureau's annual report. The poverty rate was the highest since 1983, and tied with the level in 1993. The US definition of poverty is an annual income of $22,314, or less for a family of four, and $11,139 for a single person.
Church abuse victims seek justice at World Court
A group representing victims of abuse by clerics of the Catholic Church are asking the International Criminal Court to investigate the Vatican. The group says high-level officials should be prosecuted for what it calls a "widespread or systematic attack directed against a civilian population."
Authors groups sue over digitizing copyright-protected books
Three authors groups on Monday sued HathiTrust and five universities in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York over the digitizing of millions of copyright-protected books. The universities received permission from Google to scan approximately 7 million copyright-protected books and started a program allowing unlimited downloads for students and faculty of certain protected book deemed "orphans" by the university. The first group of 27 "orphan" books is scheduled to be released on October 13 to approximately 250,000 students. An additional 140 books will be released in November.
Both sides in Libya conflict committed war crimes
Both the government of ousted Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and the newly formed NTC - National Transitional Council have committed war crimes during the conflict in the country, AI - Amnesty International reported Tuesday.
Military Court upholds sentence of al Qaeda media director
The US Court of Military Commission Review on Friday ruled that Ali Hamza Ahmad Suliman Al Bahlul, media secretary of Osama bin Laden, was properly convicted of being a propagandist and should spend the rest of this life in prison. The 7-0 vote rejects the 2009 appeal of his conviction and life sentence for conspiring with al Qaeda, soliciting murder and providing material support for terrorism. His Pentagon-appointed defense lawyers argued that his constitutional rights were violated because a supposed al Qaeda recruitment film he released is protected speech under the First Amendment.
Italy seeks damages for Nazi crimes at UN tribunal
The ICJ - International Court of Justice at The Hague on Monday began hearing arguments from Germany and Italy, which is seeking damages from Germany for crimes committed by Nazis during World War II. In November 2008, Germany filed a lawsuit against Italy in the ICJ in a bid to block new claims for personal damages resulting from Nazi actions in World War II. Germany is arguing that an October 2008 decision by Italy's Court of Cassation which ordered Germany to pay 1 million euros (US$1.3m) in damages to relatives of civilians killed in the town of Civitella during the war, violated the principle of state immunity. The lawyers representing Germany argued before the court that international law would be "atomized" and "politicized" if the ICJ were to accept the Italian court's decision. Germany further argues that it has already compensated Italy for Nazi-related damages pursuant to a 1961 treaty. The ICJ is not expected to hand down its decision for several months.
Italy parliament set for final vote on austerity plan
Berlusconi's 54 billion-euro ($74bn) austerity plan may receive final approval in Parliament today as Italy seeks to avert contagion from Europe's debt crisis. "To restore confidence in financial markets, the plan's "adoption is important, not only for Italy but for all of the euro zone."
Regulators fear legal challenges to derivatives rules
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission is moving to safeguard dozens of derivatives regulations from legal challenges after a federal appeals court recently struck down a new rule for corporate America. The agency is rewriting its so-called position limits rule, among others, to account for the regulation's economic impact on the financial industry. The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit rejected the so-called proxy access rule by the Securities and Exchange Commission, rebuking that agency for not fully evaluating the rule's economic effects. But the commodity trading commission's cost-benefit analyses are still not up to snuff.
Marshals Service blasted over handling of Madoff assets
The agency does not have adequate procedures to manage, supervise, track and keep records of seized and forfeited assets, an audit says.
NATO-led forces secure Kabul after attacks
Al Jazeera, Doha, Qatar
Mrs.Al Qaeda denies charges, confirms allegiance to Saudi King
Asharq Al-Awsat, Pan-Arab daily, London, England
'Day of anger' in Syria over Russian support for Assad
Egyptian Gazette, English-language, Cairo, Egypt
Former U.S. president Carter: Israel-Egypt peace deal not in danger
Haaretz, Liberal daily, Tel Aviv, Israel
'Egypt extends alleged spy Grapel's remand 45 days'
JPost, Conservative, Jerusalem, Israel
Unions call for UK-wide strikes
BBC News, Centrist newscaster, London, England
Taliban attack in Kabul ends with militants' deaths
CNN International, London, England
Probe 'will not hit Murdoch empire'
Daily Express, Conservative tabloid, London, England
Young women putting off starting a family fearing it will damage their looks, career and lifestyle
Daily Mail, Conservative daily, London, England
Kirstie Alley, 60, is the surprising star of the catwalk at New York Fashion Week 2011
Daily Mail, Conservative daily, London, England
American 'spies' to be freed
EuroNews, International news, Ecully Cedex, France
FRANCE - JUSTICE: Paris court upholds Villepin acquittal in Clearstream case
France 24, Issy-les-Moulineaux, France
Taliban siege of Kabul ends with 14 dead
Hurriyet Daily News, (Liberal, English-language), Istanbul, Turkey
Video: Train crashes into bus
Independent The, London, England
Bumber grain harvest predicted
Moscow News The, Independent, Moscow, Russia
Egypt on high alert after deadly attack on the Israeli embassy in Cairo
Telegraph The, Conservative daily, London, England
Amy Winehouse's fiancé: 'She was a domestic, normal girl'
Telegraph The, Celebrity news, London, England
Airport CCTV footage led to arrest
Bangkok Post, Independent, Bangkok, Thailand
Diabetes affects 366 million in global epidemic: officials
China Post, English-language daily, Taipei, Taiwan
Changing Marriage Trends Send Worrying Signal
Chosun Ilbo, Conservative daily, Seoul, South Korea
'Bomb kills 15 Iraqi soldiers, wounds 20'
Hindustan Times, New Delhi, India
Unidentified body found in Varapuzha river
India Times, Conservative daily, New Delhi, India
Lower House OKs four-day extra session despite opposition
Japan Times, Independent centrist, Tokyo, Japan
Gunman robber 'Gumby' has surrendered
New Zealand Herald, Conservative daily, Auckland, New Zealand
9 killed, 85 injured in train accident in south India
People's Daily Online, English-language, Beijing, China
5.9 magnitude earthquake rumbles off Chile coast: USGS
Straits Times, Pro-government, Singapore
Bloods thicker than water
Sydney Morning Herald, Centrist daily, Sydney, Australia
Philippines welcome miners but not polluters
Taiwan News, English-language daily, Taipei, Taiwan
China Vice-Premier Li: Global risks rising
The Economic Times, Business, Mumbai, India
B.C. child abduction suspect arrested for kidnapping
Canadian Broadcasting Centre, Toronto, Ontario
Lethal drones strike at our very heart
Globe and Mail The, Centrist daily, Toronto, Canada
Census: U.S. Poverty Rate Escalates to Nearly 1 in 6
International Business Times, Business news organization, New York, U.S
MEXICO: Peace Caravan 'Has Made Us Feel Stronger'
IPS Latin America, International cooperative of journalists, Rome, Italy
European stocks, euro reverse losses
Reuters, Business News, New York, U.S
Car bomb kills at least 15 in southern Iraq
Reuters, World News, New York, U.S
Ford considering service cuts, says mayor's press secretary
Toronto Star, Toronto, Ontario
Gaddafi son 'in capital of Niger'
BBC News, Centrist newscaster, London, England
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