July 23, 2014 nº 1,521 - Vol. 12
"The more you reason the less you create."
Raymond Chandler
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MH17 victims begin long journey home
The first in a series of planes carrying bodies of the victims of the Malaysia Airlines crash left Ukraine on Wednesday for the Netherlands, where forensics experts will begin the complex task of identifying the bodies and returning them to their loved ones. Meanwhile, the black boxes from Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 have been taken to Britain where they will be analyzed at the Air Accidents Investigation Branch in Farnborough. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said that the proposal to move police to the crash site was made by Dutch Prime Minister "to provide security at the crash scene and surrounding area in order to ensure an independent international investigation into the reasons for the catastrophe."
UN warns of Israel Gaza 'war crimes'
The UN's top human rights official has condemned Israel's military actions in the Gaza Strip, saying that war crimes may have been committed. Navi Pillay told an emergency debate at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva that Israel's military offensive had not done enough to protect civilians. She also condemned Hamas for "indiscriminate attacks" on Israel.
FGM summit : Parents to be prosecuted under new measures
Parents will face prosecution if they fail to stop their daughters undergoing female genital mutilation (FGM) under new measures being announced. Prime Minister David Cameron said FGM and forced marriage were "abhorrent" practices ; he is unveiling a £1.4m prevention program aimed at ending the practice at a global summit in London. An "international charter" calling for the eradication of FGM and forced marriage within a generation is also being unveiled, along with programs to identify child and forced marriage in 12 developing countries. The Girl Summit is also looking at ways to end forced marriage.
Investors to directors, 'can we talk ?'
What if lawmakers never spoke to their constituents ? Oddly enough, that's exactly how corporate America operates. Shareholders vote for directors, but the directors rarely, if ever, communicate with them. Within the clubby world of directors, communicating with shareholders, big or small, is overtly frowned upon : "We endorse the principle that direct engagement involving directors should not be a routine method of engagement for most US companies and for most investors," according to the Conference Board Governance Center Task Force on Corporate/Investor Engagement. That's why it was so unusual for the chairmen of at least 1,000 large United States public companies to receive a letter this month from a group of shareholders representing more than $10 trillion in assets with a demand: Talk to us. The letter, signed by representatives of some of the biggest investment groups, including BlackRock, Vanguard and Calstrs, insisted that boards open up. "Engagement between public company directors and their company's shareholders is an idea whose time has come," wrote the group, known as the Shareholder-Director Exchange. "We believe that US public companies, in consultation with management, should consider formally adopting a policy providing for shareholder-director engagement."
US courts conflict on Obamacare law
Two US appeals courts have given conflicting rulings regarding a federal regulation implementing key subsidies of Obama's signature healthcare law. The subsidies provide cash help to low and middle income earners buying health insurance on federal exchanges. The rulings are the latest in a series of legal challenges to key planks of Obama's health care law. The decisions are open to appeal, so nothing will change immediately.
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China signs Venezuela oil deal
Chinese President Xi Jinping has signed a series of oil and mineral deals with Venezuela. They include a $4bn credit line in return for Venezuelan crude and other products. The agreements came on the latest stop of a four-country visit to Latin America.
China suspends McDonald's and KFC's meat supplier
Chinese branches of fast food chains, including McDonald's and KFC, have stopped using meat from a supplier in Shanghai following allegations it sold them out of date meat. Authorities in Shanghai have ordered the suspension of operations at Shanghai Husi Food Co. Reports by local media said that Husi had re-processed expired meat products.
Quarantine over China plague death
Part of a city in north-west China is sealed off and dozens of people placed in quarantine after a man died of bubonic plague, state media say.
China Desk
Brazil is the most important investment destinations in China, with projects of $8.43 billion in 2012/13. For this opportunity, Demarest Advogados create the Chinese Department, area specialized in Chinese customers. The expectation of office is attract 15 new clients until December.
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Carros
La fabricante surcoreana de automóviles Kia Motors está en conversaciones con México para invertir al menos US$ 1,500 mlls. en la instalación de una nueva planta. La fábrica tendría una capacidad de 300,000 vehículos al año y sería construida en el noreste de la ciudad de Monterrey.
Materia prima
El Banco de China anunció que prestará US$691 mlls al principal productor de petróleo de Venezuela para financiar la investigación de depósitos minerales en el país sudamericano. De acuerdo con el convenio firmado por el Banco de China, CITIC Group y Petróleos de Venezuela S.A. el dinero financiará al CITIC Group para que realice estudios geológicos y de viabilidad sobre el desarrollo de minerales de oro y de cobre en el país.
Walmart
La cadena de supermercados, Walmart, abrirá este año entre cinco y seis tiendas en Guatemala. Marcio Cuevas, gerente de Asuntos Corporativos de la firma, dijo que el cumplimiento de las proyecciones dependerá de la obtención de los permisos.
Energía
El ministro de Energía de Chile, Máximo Pacheco, se reunió en Quito con su colega de Ecuador, Esteban Albornoz, con quien firmó una declaración que "sienta las bases" para un acuerdo bilateral de compra venta de energía entre privados. Ecuador quiere vender energía eléctrica a Chile, dado el superávit eléctrico proyectado en el país para el período 2017-2020.
(Presione aqui)
Before Snowden : the whistleblowers who tried to lift the veil
The NSA is overseen by Congress, the courts and other government departments. It's also supposed to be watched from the inside by its own workers. But over the past dozen years, whistleblowers have had a rough track record. Those who tried unsuccessfully to work within the system say Edward Snowden - the former National Security Agency contractor who shared top-secret documents with reporters - learned from their bitter experience. Bill Binney worked at the National Security Agency nearly three decades as one of its leading crypto-mathematicians. He then became one of its leading whistleblowers. For Binney, the decision to quit the NSA and become a whistleblower began a few weeks after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, when he says he discovered the spy agency had begun using software he'd created to scoop up information on Americans - all without a court order. Since Snowden made off with the NSA's secrets, the rules for whistleblowers have changed. Obama has issued a directive aimed at giving greater protections to whistleblowers working for intelligence agencies, since they did not have the protections covering other federal employees. The Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act says you can't retaliate against someone for blowing the whistle but provides no remedy when you are retaliated against. That retaliation can take the form of being stripped of your security clearance, making it impossible to do your job. Binney’s advice for anyone thinking of doing what he did is "The first thing is get a lawyer, get legal advice." The other thing, Binney added, is never compromise your character and integrity.
Dutch prosecutors open war crimes probe into Malaysia Airlines crash
A spokesperson for the Dutch Public Prosecutor said Monday that their office has opened a war crimes investigation into last week's crash of Malaysia Airlines MH17 in Ukraine. Prosecutors are investigating allegations of murder, war crimes and intentionally downing an airliner, and a representative is reportedly in Ukraine as part of the investigation. Under the Netherlands' Law on International Crimes, the government can prosecute any individual who committed crimes against a Dutch citizen. Of the 298 passengers and crew members killed in the crash, 193 were Dutch citizens. (Click here)
Turkey police held over Erdogan spying allegations
At least 67 police officers have been detained in Turkey on suspicion of spying and illegal wire-tapping. The allegations involve police who were part of a corruption investigation that targeted PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan's inner circle. Among those arrested in raids that took place across Turkey are two former heads of Istanbul's anti-terror police. One of the two men, Yurt Atayun, told reporters : "They handcuffed me from behind. It's all political." The Istanbul prosecutor said that thousands of people had had their phones tapped, including the prime minister, senior ministers and the head of Turkish intelligence. Arrest warrants had been issued for more than 100 suspects, he said. The corruption inquiry emerged last December and led to the sons of three ministers being detained and, ultimately, four ministers leaving their jobs.
Argentina debt : Judge orders non-stop negotiations
A US judge has ordered Argentina and its creditors to meet "continuously" to avoid the nation defaulting on its debts. District Judge Thomas Griesa told the parties to meet on Wednesday to hammer out a deal. Argentina has been in a legal dispute with investors holding debt from the nation's default in 2001-2002. It has until 30 July to find a solution or possibly default again. Argentina has been reluctant to pay the investors describing them as "vulture funds". It also fears that a settlement would prompt claims from other investors, who felt short-changed by the original debt restructuring. (Click here)
France criticizes 'anti-Semitic' riot
French Prime Minister Manuel Valls has condemned "anti-Semitic" violence that broke out during a protest against Israel's action in Gaza. Jewish-owned businesses and a synagogue were targeted in the suburb of Sarcelles, just outside Paris. Such an outpouring of violence had never been seen in the suburb before, he said. Roger Cukierman, head of the umbrella group Crif that represents French Jewish organisations, said : "What's happened in the past few days is terrible. They're shouting 'Death to the Jews' and attacking synagogues. It's completely out of control." Pro-Palestinian rallies also took place at the weekend in London, Vienna and Berlin.
Saudi Arabian stock market to open to foreign investors
Saudi Arabia's stock market will open up to foreign investors for the first time. The move, which should happen in the first half of 2015, sparked a 3% rise in the Tadawul index in early trading. The Saudi market is the biggest in the Middle East and the second biggest in the world, next to China, that is closed to direct foreign investment. Currently, foreigners can only gain exposure to Saudi stocks through derivatives and investment funds. After the market is opened up, foreigners will be able to buy Saudi stocks directly on the Tadawul. The move is part of wider government efforts to diversify the Saudi economy away from oil.
YouTube star sued over copyright
A leading YouTube entrepreneur is facing legal action for alleged copyright infringement in her videos. Ultra Records, which has musicians Kaskade, deadmau5 and Calvin Harris on its books, is suing Michelle Phan. The label and its publishing arm claim she has used about 50 of their songs without permission in her YouTube videos and on her own website. But one of the artists whose work she is alleged to have used has said he supports Phan. Kaskade, whose work features most prominently in the record label's complaint, said : "Copyright law is a dinosaur, ill-suited for the landscape of today's media."
1 million net neutrality comments filed, but will they matter ?
The Federal Communications Commission received more than 1 million public comments on the issue of net neutrality during a five-month commenting period that ended Friday. It's the the FCC has ever gotten on a policy matter in such a short period, and the second most commented-upon FCC issue, period. The proposal would allow cable companies to charge content providers extra fees to deliver faster service. Now it's the agency's job to help cull and make sense of the 1,067,779 comments that came in over a five-month period. A record-setting number of Americans weighed in with their thoughts on this matter. But there's one problem : "The vast majority of the comments are utterly worthless." A lot of these comments are one paragraph, two paragraphs, they don't have much substance beyond, "we want strong net neutrality." This has been studied quite a bit by some very good academics. And the studies show that rule-making or policymaking tends to be systemically biased to favor the industries that are affected by the regulation.
US hospital in $190m 'abuse' payout
Johns Hopkins Hospital in the US state of Maryland has agreed to pay $190m after some 8,000 women joined a legal case claiming a gynaecologist had secretly recorded them. Dr Nikita Levy, who killed himself last year, reportedly used cameras in pens and key fobs to tape patients. Lawyer Jonathan Schochor said all of the women had been "brutalised" and described it as a "betrayal". The settlement is believed to be the largest of its kind in US history.
Credit Suisse posts quarterly loss
Swiss banking giant Credit Suisse reports its biggest quarterly loss in almost six years after being hit by its settlement with US authorities over tax evasion charges.
Judge Kozinski : bring back the firing squad
One of the nation's most prominent judges is urging states that have the death penalty to abandon lethal injection and switch to the "more primitive" but "foolproof" firing squad as their primary method of executing death-row inmates.
Brazil and EU inch closer to free trade deal
Brazil and EU have tried to negotiate a shared free trade deal sought by both sides for years. But there are more than just import and export considerations at stake. Both delegations announced talks would take place about financing an internet cable to run directly between Europe and Brazil. European Commission President Manuel Barroso, told is that absurd Brazil doesn’t have trade agreements with the EU.
Obama signs order protecting some gay workers
Obama has signed an order banning federal government contractors from discriminating against gay and transgender workers. The executive order follows years of pressure from gay rights groups. Obama cannot extend the protection to all American workers, however. The order comes after far broader anti-discrimination legislation stalled in the Republican-led House of Representatives. But it still applies to nearly a quarter of US workers. The order also extends anti-discrimination protection to transgender workers in the federal government itself. Gay federal workers are already protected against discrimination. (Click here)
Dodd-Frank law still far from finished
Four years after President Barack Obama signed landmark legislation aimed at preventing another financial crisis, regulators still haven't completed key parts, including standards for the mortgage-securities market and tougher regulations for credit-rating firms. Turnover and lost court battles have held back some regulators, notably the Securities and Exchange Commission, which faces more mandates under the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial law than any of the other agencies charged with writing rules. Only 44% of the SEC's rules are final or nearly final, according to law firm Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP. That is the smallest percentage among the main financial regulators. Top SEC officials say they are working to complete their rules. The SEC is still working on issues at the heart of the financial crisis, including transparency regulations for the derivatives and asset-backed securities markets and tougher rules for credit-rating firms. It has finished work related to oversight of the hedge-fund industry, protections for brokerage customers and a crackdown on conflicts of interest in state and local bond transactions.
Members of UK Parliament call for judicial review of data retention law
Two members of the British Parliament are seeking judicial review of a surveillance law that extends UK data retention rules and was rushed through by the government. David Davis and Tom Watson are working with UK human rights organization Liberty to get the law reviewed. Liberty contends that the Data Retention and Investigatory Powers Act 2014, also known as DRIP, which was adopted last week, is incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, which cover fundamental privacy rights. DRIP was fast-tracked by the UK government after EU laws requiring communications providers to retain metadata were ruled invalid by the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) in April because they seriously interfered with fundamental privacy rights. Under the EU's Data Retention Directive, communication service providers had to retain communications data for periods of between six months and two years for law enforcement purposes. That directive was transposed into UK law and the CJEU's ruling directly affected the legislation. DRIP was introduced to allow law enforcement agencies to access telecommunications data.
Hungary allows drunk cycling
In a country with zero tolerance for driving under the influence, a Hungarian government decree that allows cyclists to drink and ride on major roads came as a surprise over the weekend. Hungary, which fines drunk drivers heavily, takes away licenses, bans them from driving and locks them up in jail if they've caused an accident, since Saturday allows cycling regardless of the level of intoxication provided that cyclists are capable of steering. The government decision, published in its official gazette with the signature of Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Friday, follows a 2012 modification of the traffic regulations that said cyclists could ride minor, secondary roads after drinking but there were banned from major roads.
Israel pounds Gaza amid renewed truce efforts
Al Jazeera, Doha, Qatar
British MP faces disciplinary action for tweet condoning Gaza rockets
Haaretz, Liberal daily, Tel Aviv, Israel
Hollande meets with religious leaders after synagogue attack
JPost, Conservative, Jerusalem, Israel
MH17 victims begin long journey home
BBC News, Centrist newscaster, London, England
NFLers call cops on ex-Beyonce backup
CNN International, London, England
Katie Price launches Twitter rant at women who had affairs with Kieran Hayler
Daily Mail, Conservative daily, London, England
Finally shown some respect: First bodies of MH17 victims leave Ukraine on transport plane as they begin trip to the Netherlands for painstaking identification process
Daily Mail, Conservative daily, London, England
Passengers disrupted by suspension of Tel Aviv flights
EuroNews, International news, Ecully Cedex, France
Video: Fear, death and mourning in Gaza's Khan Younis
France 24, Issy-les-Moulineaux, France
Iraqi Turkmens 'left for dead' in desert
Hurriyet Daily News, (Liberal, English-language), Istanbul, Turkey
South Africa rhino poacher jailed for 77 years
Independent The, London, England
Major Ukrainian TV provider drops Russian channels
Moscow News The, Independent, Moscow, Russia
Games of Thrones: USA offers university course
Telegraph The, Conservative daily, London, England
A horrific history that has repeated itself for Peaches
Telegraph The, Celebrity news, London, England
Indonesia's Prabowo to challenge election result in court
China Post, English-language daily, Taipei, Taiwan
Ineptitude on a Mind-Boggling Scale
Chosun Ilbo, Conservative daily, Seoul, South Korea
Defying US flight ban Kerry lands in Israel to broker ceasefire
Hindustan Times, New Delhi, India
RTI activists holding hunger strike in Chennai
India Times, Conservative daily, New Delhi, India
More than 3,000 people taken to hospital for heat ailments last week
Japan Times, Independent centrist, Tokyo, Japan
Afghans rally to denounce conflict in Gaza
New Zealand Herald, Conservative daily, Auckland, New Zealand
Ukraine President cancels trip over protests in eastern Ukraine
Straits Times, Pro-government, Singapore
'Hell beyond hell, our babies are not here'
Sydney Morning Herald, Centrist daily, Sydney, Australia
Bank of England: rates to rise only gradually
Taiwan News, English-language daily, Taipei, Taiwan
Volkswagen boss says 'urgently' need higher profit to fund future growth
The Economic Times, Business, Mumbai, India
The 'Russia crisis' through the prism of everyday chaos: Brian Stewart
Canadian Broadcasting Centre, Toronto, Ontario
Ukrainian jets shot down by pro-Russian rebels, Kiev says
Globe and Mail The, Centrist daily, Toronto, Canada
Liberty Reserve Brought Down By 'Joe Bogus': How The Feds Arrested Arthur Budovsky
International Business Times, Business news organization, New York, U.S
Spain: A Precarious Gateway to Europe for Syrian Refugees
IPS Latin America, International cooperative of journalists, Rome, Italy
GSK cuts outlook as weak lung drug sales and strong pound hit
Reuters, Business News, New York, U.S
Plane with first coffins of Malaysian airliner victims leaves Ukraine
Reuters, World News, New York, U.S
Ford Fest denied liquor licence
Toronto Star, Toronto, Ontario
Key bridge blown up in Nigeria
BBC News, Centrist newscaster, London, England
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