November 12, 2007 nº 563 - Vol. 5
"An idea not coupled with action will never get any bigger than the brain cell it occupied."
Arnold Glasow
Insider's view: see how local concerns shape up the global world. Read the daily press reviewin Migalhas International
Read Migalhas LatinoAmérica every Tuesday and Thursday. Visit the website at www.migalhas.com/latinoamerica
Internet control by U.S. promises to be hot topic at U.N. forum
When hundreds of technology experts from around the world gather in Rio this week to hammer out the future of the Internet, the hottest issue won't be spam, phishing or any of the other phenomena that bedevil users everywhere. Instead, ending U.S. control over what's become a global network will be at the top of the agenda for many of the more than 2,000 participants expected at the UN Internet Governance Forum. With the Internet now dominating nearly every aspect of modern life, U.S. control of the medium has become a sensitive topic worldwide. In nations that try to control what people can see and hear, the Internet often is the only source of uncensored news and opinion. U.S. officials say that keeping Internet functions under their control has protected that free flow of information. U.S. government officials also argue that keeping the Internet under centralized control of ICANN is best for users.
Lula Says Brazil Oil Find May Lead to OPEC Membership
Oil took center stage in some discussions at Ibero-American summit in Chile, especially after Brazil's announcement last week that it had discovered a huge offshore oil deposit. Chavez jokingly called his Brazilian colleague Lula "an oil tycoon" and invited Brazil to join his "Petroamericas" initiative, which aims to build a regional energy alliance as world oil prices surge. Lula told reporters his country could eventually join the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, where it may lobby for cuts in oil prices. "Brazil needs to prepare for this global world in order to influence decisions," he said.
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China moves to cool its inflation
China's central bank has moved to cool inflation by raising the proportion of funds that the county's lenders must keep in reserve rather than lend out. Aiming to cut the levels of yuan in circulation, the People's Bank of China is increasing the banking reserve ratio by half a percentage point to 13.5%. October's data is expected to show that inflation has risen again to 6.4%.
Paikistan's President Sets New Date for Elections
Musharraf says that the state of emergency rule will create a stable environment for the vote. This immediately raises new questions about the vote’s legitimacy.
Ex-U.S. Attorneys Continue to Scrutinize Gonzales
The National Association of Former U.S. Attorneys is meeting this weekend in Miami, for the first time since the scandal over allegations the Justice Department fired U.S. attorneys for political reasons. Some of the fired prosecutors were in Miami for the event. At least one of the prosecutors sees grounds to file criminal charges against former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.
'Shut up!' Spanish king tells Chávez
When Chávez is in full flow, politicians and diplomats know better than to try and cut him dead. But not kings. As the Venezuelan president was in mid-harangue, excoriating his "fascist" foes at a summit of leaders from the Latin world, Juan Carlos, the Spanish monarch, could take no more. He flashed a withering look at the president and uttered five words likely to go down in diplomatic history: "Why don't you shut up?" The stunning breach of protocol, did shut up the socialist revolutionary. For about two seconds.
Revisiting Oversight
The Justice Department told a judge it sees no reason to extend restrictive antitrust oversight of Microsoft Corp., countering a recent move by a group of states to extend oversight for another five years. "There is no basis for the court to order a five-year extension of the final judgments," the department said, citing a lack of evidence that such oversight is justified.
Weak dollar cuts US trade deficit
The US trade deficit has narrowed to its lowest level in more than two years, driven by record exports boosted by the weaker dollar. The difference between what the US exports and imports shrank to $56.5bn in September, down 0.6% from August's revised $56.8bn. Exports of goods and services rose 1.1% in September to a record $140.1bn, said the Commerce Department. As the dollar has hit record lows, it has made US exports more competitive.
IP row delays Harry Potter lexicon
A judge in New York has issued an order barring completion, distribution, marketing or advance sales of of a Harry Potter encyclopedia after being sued by author JK Rowling. Entitled Harry Potter Lexicon, it is based on material from an internet fan site of the same name. Rowling had supported the Lexicon website, but she and Warner Bros said they saw a difference between fans publishing information for free on the internet, and selling it in the form of a book.
France divided as Sarkozy woos US
Nicolas Sarkozy is France's most pro-American president in generations. For supporters, he is quite properly correcting a historic imbalance in French-US relations - bringing to an end the knee-jerk hostility of his predecessors, both Gaullist and Socialist. But for his critics, the president's admiration for America is a dangerous obsession. They see France abandoning its duty to provide the world with an alternative conception of power, as their besotted leader realigns foreign policy behind the dreaded Bush. The France of Sarkozy may be a reliable ally, but it should not be mistaken for an envious friend.
Google sued over patent
Google faces a federal patent infringement lawsuit by Northeastern University and Jarg Corp. over technology used in its core Web search system, according to legal papers filed last week. The complaint was filed on Nov. 6 in Marshall, Texas -- the U.S. court with a history of decisions that are highly favorable to plaintiffs in patent cases. Michael Belanger, president and co-founder of Jarg, said in a phone interview that his company had become aware of the infringement several years ago, but lacked the resources to press its case until it found a law firm willing to fund the case on a contingency-fee basis. Northeastern then signed on. A spokesman for Google said it believed the suit was without merit.
New Facebook ad techniques raise privacy concerns
Just days after Facebook unveiled plans for a new advertising network that relies on user-provided details about themselves for marketers to target their ads, some legal experts said the system may violate privacy laws. The networking site's 'social ads' use draft endorsements on the fly.
Brazil strikes oil, but OPEC ambitions may prove costly
Brazil's announcement that it has found new oil reserves maybe vast enough to give it OPEC-style clout is certainly good long-term news for its economy and the state-controlled oil giant Petrobras. But Brasilia shouldn’t be looking to elbow its way alongside neighbor Venezuela or the petro-rich Arab countries anytime soon, analysts warned. That’s because the precious oil and gas deposits lie deep undersea way off Brazil’s southeast coast — making recovery a costly and time-consuming prospect.
Patent firm lays global plans
Intellectual Ventures LLC, a low-profile investment firm run by former Microsoft Corp. executive Nathan Myhrvold, is laying plans to go global: It hopes to raise as much as $1 billion to help develop and patent inventions, many of them from universities in Asia. The move could help the firm, formed seven years ago to purchase patents and help inventors dream up new ones, expand its already-vast store of patents. But the new push also could exacerbate concerns that Intellectual Ventures will begin launching lawsuits to pressure companies to pay for use of its intellectual property. Myhrvold said that his firm hasn't sued anybody for patent infringement but that he can't rule it out in the future.
Sudan announces criminal charges against detained opposition politicians
The government of Sudan Sunday announced it had laid criminal charges against 25 opposition politicians. The announcement came one month after the country's Court of Appeal rejected a request for the release of the members of the opposition Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and the Umma Party for Reform and Renewal. The charges include illegal possession of firearms, organizing terrorist groups, abetting mutiny, holding illegal military training and calling for opposition to public authority using criminal force. Sudan's Criminal Procedure Act of 1983 allows for the detention of suspects under investigation for up to two weeks before they must be released or charged. The suspects, all taken at gunpoint from their homes, were in custody for almost four months after a flurry of arrests before being charg
Senate panel to weigh telecom eavesdropping immunity
The US Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to decide this week if a bill to amend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) will grant immunity from prosecution to telecommunications companies that assisted in government eavesdropping between 2001 and 2007. The bill would replace the Protect America Act 2007, legislation passed in August that temporarily gave the executive branch expanded surveillance authority while Congress worked on long-term legislation to “modernize” FISA. Kenneth Wainstein, an assistant attorney general with the US Department of Justice, called on the Senate two weeks ago to include a provision granting blanket immunity to the companies and to eliminate a proposal to extend the jurisdiction of the court that administers FISA to cover surveillance of United States citizens located outside the country. The White House has promised to veto any bill that does not meet the immunity condition.
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Time
What Hilary believes. Her opponents say she tries to have it both ways. Pundits charge that she's slippery. Joe Klein sits down with the New York Senator to hear her side
Newsweek
1968 How the year that changed everything echoes today
Business week
I Want My iTV. But a truly personal TV won't be coming anytime soon. While all the technology to create it is in place, players—from cable companies to film studios—can't agree on the business model to make it happen
The Economist
Time’s up Mr Musharraf. No longer the potential solution, General Pervez Musharraf has become a big part of Pakistan's proble.
L'Express
Sarkozy et l’argent de l’Elysée
Der Spiegel
Eine verhängnisvolle Urlaubs-Affäre. Das deutsch-englisch-türkische Justizdrama. Der Fall Marco Weiss - das Protokoll einer verhängnisvollen Affäre
Talks fail to end Sudan stand-off
BBC News, Centrist newscaster, London, England
Congo arrests after toxic dumping
CongoPlanet.com, Independent online news aggregator
Three persons die in motor accident at Tema Community eight
GhanaWeb, Online news portal, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Somalia: Mogadishu Clashes Devastating Civilians
Human Rights Watch (Africa), International news press releases
Durban man shot for cellphone
iafrica, Online news portal, Cape Town, South Africa
'We build now, pay fines later'
Independent Online, News portal, Cape Town, South Africa
Mbeki: Govt not behind Johncom bid
Mail & Guardian Online, Liberal, Johannesburg, South Africa
Taxi ploughs into pedestrians
News24.com, Online news portal, Cape Town, South Africa
South Africa to boost trade with Cuba
Brazil Sun, Independent online news aggregator
Panday to blame for PNM victory
Caribbean News Portal, Online news aggregator
US: Guantanamo Judge Allows Military Commissions to Proceed in Khadr Case
Human Rights Watch (Americas), International news press releases
Brazil: Biofuel Revolution Reaches Airline Industry
IPS Latin America, International cooperative of journalists, Rome, Italy
'I know you're hurting' - Wave of woes hits Golding government - PM cites punishing price hikes
Jamaica Gleaner, Independent daily, Kingston, Jamaica
Peru: National Tourist & Tourism Report
Living in Peru, News portal, Lima, Peru
Barbs not bards on Broadway
The Globe and Mail, Centrist daily, Toronto, Canada
Remembering the fallen
Toronto Star, Liberal daily, Toronto, Canada
Minister Lukman Edy meets KPK's summons
Antara News, News agency, Jakarta, Indonesia
Lee's Ex-Business Partner to Come Home This Week
Chosun Ilbo, Conservative daily, Seoul, South Korea
Yeddyurappa's journey from farming to chief ministership
India Express, News portal, Mumbai, India
Campus jobs for DU students
India Times, Conservative daily, New Delhi, India
Tokyo Motor Show falls short of attendance target
Japan Times, Independent centrist, Tokyo, Japan
Fisherman gets jail, rotan for raping teen
Malaysian Star, Online news portal, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
First votes cast in remote outback community
New Zealand Herald, Conservative daily, Auckland, New Zealand
U.S. voices support for Cote d'Ivoire peace process
People's Daily Online, English-language, Beijing, China
Hundreds pay tribute to Charmaine
Sydney Morning Herald, Centrist daily, Sydney, Australia
'Elections before January 9'
The Hindu, Left-leaning daily, Chennai, India
Cameron to call for tougher rape laws
BBC News, Centrist newscaster, London, England
Accordion note-perfect at Navan
BreakingNews.ie, Online news portal, Cork, Ireland
Salmond: I'll wage war on Games criminals
Daily Express, Conservative tabloid, London, England
5,000 illegal immigrants working as security guards in UK's most sensitive buildings
Daily Mail, Conservative daily, London, England
Vodafone Portugal launches mobile internet package
DMeurope, Online news portal, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Binmen in strike Ballot
icLiverpool, Online news portal, Liverpool, England
UN panel to set new path on climate at meeting
International Herald Tribune, Independent daily, Paris, France
Coastal homes evacuated as tidal surge nears
The Telegraph, Conservative daily, London, England
Spot the difference: one of these Michelangelos is said to be fake
Times Online, Conservative daily, London, England
New Technological Park to Be Dedicated at Ben Gurion U.
Arutz Sheva, Online, right-wing, Tel Aviv, Israel
NZ minister's kin killed in Afghanistan
Gulf News, Independent daily, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Labour-Iran: Sugar Industry Strikes Bespeak Bitter Conditions
IPS Middle East, International cooperative of journalists, Rome, Italy
Saudi Stocks Fall Slightly
Middle East North African Network, Online financial portal, Amman, Jordan
Ecological Disaster After Oil Tanker Sinks in Black Sea
Nahamet, Online news portal, Beirut, Lebanon
Maliki: amnesty for 'deceived' insurgents
The Daily Star, Independent daily, Beirut, Lebanon
Protests escalate as opposition calls for nationwide revolution
Yemen Times, Independent weekly, Sana'a, Yemen
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The messages that appear in this newsletter are for informational purposes only. They are not intended to be and should not be considered legal advice nor substitute for obtaining legal advice from competent, independent, legal counsel in the relevant jurisdiction.
Transmission of this information is not intended to create, and receipt does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship. The information contained on this list may or may not reflect the most current legal development.