September 21, 2015 nº 1,672 - Vol. 13
 

 "It is part of the greatness and beauty of science that we can learn through our own critical investigations that the world is utterly different from what we ever imagined – until our imagination was fired by the refutation of our earlier theories."

Karl Popper

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  • Top News

Japan's Parliament approves landmark laws to expand military's role

Japan's upper house of parliament has approved unprecedented measures that clear the way for the country to deploy troops abroad for the first time since World War II, a move pushed hard by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The ruling party faced three days of intense debate over the measures to circumvent Japan's post-war pacifist constitution, allowing its Self-Defense Forces (SDF) to operate overseas. Anger erupted inside and outside the chamber, with protesters opposing the changes rallying on the streets and on Thursday, heated arguments erupted into a brawl in parliament, with normally sedate lawmakers getting caught up in a shoving match. Abe has said the changes are needed to meet regional challenges, such as China and to strengthen Tokyo's close alliance with the United States. As The Telegraph notes, "They are the latest in a series of moves by to renegotiate Japan's place on the world stage."

UN rights experts urge greater efforts to find disappeared persons

The UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances on Friday urged countries to increase efforts to search for disappeared persons. Chairman of the group Ariel Dulitzky, in addressing the 47 members of the UN Human Rights Council, stated, "One person is probably being disappeared in one of your countries as we are talking." Dulitzky also said: In many countries, governments have more information on the number of mobile phones there than on the number of disappeared persons. ... The time for words and promises is over. It is now the time for action on behalf of relatives to support their fight for truth, justice, reparation and memory. He noted that it is worrisome that the Working Group continues to receive daily cases of disappeared persons around the world. Dulitzky also visited the Western Balkans to present the Working Group's reports on disappeared persons, following up visits to Mexico and Timor-Leste on the same topic.

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  • MiMIC Journal

US repatriates first Chinese Sky Net suspect

The United States has repatriated one of China's most wanted criminal suspects, China's Communist Party said. Yang Jinjun, who is accused of bribery and embezzlement, fled to the US in 2001, state media said. He is the first alleged fugitive to be brought to China under the high-profile Sky Net initiative, the party's internal disciplinary body said. The plan is aimed at helping bring to justice corrupt Chinese officials who have fled overseas. In April, Beijing published a list of 100 wanted economic fugitives.

China calls on North Korea to halt planned space launch, nuclear test

Beijing says "all parties" involved in the North Korean nuclear issue should refrain from actions that could increase tensions.

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  • Brief News

Syriza secures clear victory in Greek vote

With just under half of the votes counted, Syriza was on 35.3 per cent of the vote, giving it 145 seats in the 300 member parliament, well ahead of center-right New Democracy on 28 per cent and 75 seats. Tsipras's clear win secures his place as the pre-eminent figure in Europe's far-left anti-austerity movement and is likely to galvanize sympathizers including Spain's Podemos and Jeremy Corbyn, the hard-left leader of Britain's Labour party. The Greek prime minister defied predictions that his capitulation to creditors' demands in return for a bailout in July and the damaged inflicted on the Greek economy by the protracted negotiations would erode his support. "We have difficulties ahead, but we are also on firm ground. We won't recover from the struggle by magic, but it can happen with hard work," he said.

The White House plan that could get millions of immigrants to vote

The Obama administration is kicking off a campaign to encourage legal immigrants in the country to become citizens, which could potentially swell voter rolls by millions before Election Day.

British scientists seek permission to edit DNA in human embryos

After Chinese scientists announced in April that they had edited the genes in human embryos, many researchers said it shouldn't be done. Scientists in London say they want to do it for research only.

US judge dismisses suit filed by ex-Ukraine PM

A judge for the US District Court for the Southern District of New York on Friday dismissed a civil lawsuit filed by former Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko, who alleged that Ukrainian businessman Dmytro Firtash perpetuated a racketeering scheme in the US that led to her imprisonment in 2011. The court ruled that Tymoshenko could not prove that Firtash laundered money in the US to pay supporters and legal costs for Viktor Yanukovych, who defeated Tymoshenko for the Ukrainian presidency in 2010.

Brazil Supreme Court bans corporate funding of political candidates

The Federal Supreme Court of Brazil on Thursday banned corporate entities from providing funding to political candidates in the future. The court found that the large role corporations played in campaign funding was unconstitutional and compromised the legitimacy of the elections. The Superior Electoral Court conducted a study that calculated 76 percent of the total campaign funding in 2014 came from large corporations. Three of the eight justices who voted to maintain corporate funding said they found nothing in the constitution to prohibit it.

Ben Carson: No Muslims as president

US Republican presidential hopeful Ben Carson says he does not believe a Muslim should become president. "I would not advocate that we put a Muslim in charge of this nation. I absolutely would not agree with that," he said. The retired neurosurgeon has been running high in the polls. It follows widespread condemnation of Republican frontrunner Donald Trump's failure to correct a supporter who said Barack Obama was a Muslim.

Nepal adopts secular constitution

Nepal has formally adopted a new constitution, nearly a decade after the country ended a long-running civil war. Members of parliament applauded as President Ram Baran Yadav signed the document in the capital Kathmandu. Earlier on Sunday police fired on protesters in the south, where some members of ethnic minorities oppose the constitution. At least one person died. The document defines the majority Hindu nation as a secular republic divided into seven federal provinces. It was agreed by parliament last week, after years of political wrangling.

Volkswagen to recall 500,000 pollution-hiding cars in US

German carmaker Volkswagen has been ordered by US regulators to recall half a million cars because of a device that disguises pollution levels. The "defeat device" allows cars to pass lab testing even though they actually emit 40 times the emissions standard. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been taking a more aggressive stance on car pollution and violations of the country's Clean Air Act. The recall could cost the carmaker up to $18bn. It affects 2009-2014 Jettas, Beetles, Audi A3s and Golfs and 2014-2015 Passats. "Using a defeat device in cars to evade clean air standards is illegal and a threat to public health," the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance said. The illegal system allowed cars to detect when they were undergoing smog emission test and lowered the rate of pollution. Those emission controls were then turned off during ordinary use.

US moves to ease Cuban trade embargo and open businesses

The US has announced eased restrictions on business and travel with Cuba, the latest move by President Barack Obama to improve relations with the country. The rules, which go into effect on Monday, relate to travel, telecom, internet-based services, business operations, banking and remittances. US businesses will now be allowed to open up locations in Cuba.

Obama to nominate first openly gay military service secretary

Eric Fanning is President Obama's choice to lead the Army, which could make him the first openly gay secretary of one of the military branches.

Coca-Cola says IRS is demanding $3.3 billion in taxes following audit

Coca-Cola Co. received notice from the Internal Revenue Service that it owes about $3.3 billion in extra taxes, plus interest, becoming the latest global company to clash with the agency over profits booked in foreign countries. The IRS's move follows an audit of the tax years 2007 through 2009, Coca-Cola said in a regulatory filing posted Friday. The IRS hasn't demanded any penalties, and the beverage giant said it believes the assessment is without merit. The agency told Coca-Cola that the matter has been brought to the IRS's top lawyer with the recommendation that it be litigated, according to the filing. Coca-Cola is one of several large American corporations to get embroiled with the IRS over profits recorded in foreign countries, which critics say can unfairly shield money from US taxes. The IRS also is fighting with Amazon.com Inc. and Microsoft Corp. on their intra-company transactions. Coca-Cola's dispute centers on licensing of properties to foreign-based businesses, which manufacture, distribute and sell products.

Washington, D.C. gun registration law ruled partly unconstitutional

The District of Columbia's attempt to limit registration of pistols to one a month was ruled unconstitutional by a federal appeals court that upheld other restrictions on gun ownership.

US targets tax evaders using Belize accounts

US law-enforcement officials are targeting undeclared accounts in Belize-based banks in an expansion of their hunt for US taxpayers who are hiding money abroad, the Justice Department said. This week, Judge Ursula Ungaro of the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida in Miami authorized the Internal Revenue Service to serve "John Doe" summonses on Bank of America NA and Citibank NA, seeking information about US taxpayers with accounts at Belize Bank International Ltd., Belize Bank Ltd. or Belize Corporate Services. According to the Justice Department statement, the three Belize entities are subsidiaries of BCB Holdings Ltd. The Citigroup Inc. and Bank of America Corp. units aren't accused of wrongdoing. Federal authorities can use information from correspondent accounts that the US banks maintained for the Belizean entities to trace people who may be evading US taxes.

  • Weekly Magazine Review

Time
The gospel of Bernie

Newsweek
Tsipras Returns to Power With Win in Greek Election

Business Week
Was Tom Hayes Running the Biggest Financial Conspiracy in History?

The Economist
Britain’s Labour Party: Backwards, comrades!

Der Spiegel
Mutter Angela: Merkels Politik entzweit Europa

L'Espresso
Renzomandati

  • Daily Press Review

US to accept tens of thousands more refugees
Al Jazeera, Doha, Qatar

'Transparent' and 'Veep' win big at Emmys
Haaretz, Liberal daily, Tel Aviv, Israel

UK guarantees GBP 2bn China nuclear deal
BBC News, Centrist newscaster, London, England

2 Americans freed in Yemen
CNN International, London, England

Lady Gaga shows off sideboob at the Emmys 2015 in black gown
Daily Mail, Conservative daily, London, England

Olivia Culpo almost faints on Emmys red carpet 2015 in 100F heat†
Daily Mail, Conservative daily, London, England

100,000 attend 'anti-terrorism rally' in Istanbul, Turkey
EuroNews, International news, Ecully Cedex, France

Left-wing Syriza party wins Greece election
France 24, Issy-les-Moulineaux, France

Dissident artist Weiwei opens major London show
Hurriyet Daily News, (Liberal, English-language), Istanbul, Turkey

Japanese princess found secretly living in Leicester
Independent The, London, England

Pope Francis goes off-script in Cuba to deliver passionate homily on poverty
Telegraph The, Conservative daily, London, England

Suspicious bust-ups and suspect deals: Sunday's X Factor talking points
Telegraph The, Celebrity news, London, England

Ko suggests the use of homeless policy on strays
China Post, English-language daily, Taipei, Taiwan

Japanese Foreign Ministry Deletes War Shame from Website
Chosun Ilbo, Conservative daily, Seoul, South Korea

Muslims unfit to be US president: Republican candidate Carson
Hindustan Times, New Delhi, India

As leaders bicker, no train too full in desperate Europe sanctuary quest before cold sets in
Japan Times, Independent centrist, Tokyo, Japan

Big Emmy wins for 'Olive Kitteridge,' 'Transparent,' 'Veep'
New Zealand Herald, Conservative daily, Auckland, New Zealand

Ukraine President cancels trip over protests in eastern Ukraine
Straits Times, Pro-government, Singapore

Beat the post holiday blues
Sydney Morning Herald, Centrist daily, Sydney, Australia

Latest technology from Google helps to protect elephants in Kenya's Samburu reserve
The Economic Times, Business, Mumbai, India

Ben Carson, Republican hopeful, says America should not have a Muslim president
Canadian Broadcasting Centre, Toronto, Ontario

Merkel calls on Europe for joint responsibility on refugee crisis
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

Asian shares dip on global growth concerns, U.S. selloff
Reuters, Business News, New York, U.S

Colombia's Santos goes to Venezuela meeting without 'great expectations'
Reuters, World News, New York, U.S

TIFF 2015 closes with love for 'best audience in the world'
Toronto Star, Toronto, Ontario

Burkina junta rules out standing down
BBC News, Centrist newscaster, London, England

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