December 10, 2007 nº 574 - Vol. 5
“A gentleman is one who puts more into the world than he takes out.”
George Bernard Shaw
Insider's view: see how local concerns shape up the global world. Read the daily press review in Migalhas International
Read Migalhas LatinoAmérica every Tuesday and Thursday. Visit the website at www.migalhas.com/latinoamerica
EU ministers debate Kosovo future
EU foreign ministers will meet to discuss the future of Kosovo, as the UN's deadline for an agreement on the province's final status arrives. Kosovo is still a province of Serbia, but ethnic Albanian leaders there have threatened to declare independence unilaterally after the deadline passes. Nato - fearing a violent Serb reaction - has said it will keep 16,000 troops in Kosovo to deter any clashes. Ministers will also discuss Iran, in preparation for this week's EU summit.
World views on free press mixed
In some countries people do not trust the media; the world opinion is divided on the importance of having a free press. Of the 11,344 people interviewed in 14 countries interviewed, 56% thought that freedom of the press was very important to ensure a free society. But 40% said it was more important to maintain social harmony and peace, even if it meant curbing the press's freedom to report news truthfully. In most of the countries surveyed, press freedom (including broadcasting) was considered more important than social stability. The strongest endorsement came from North America and Western Europe, where up to 70% put freedom first, followed by Venezuela, Kenya and South Africa, with over 60%. In India, Singapore and Russia, by contrast, more people favored stability over press freedom. In those countries, around 48% of respondents supported controls over the press to ensure peace and stability. Although people in Britain value freedom of the press, when we asked about the media's truth and accuracy, respondents were critical.
S America set to launch new bank
South America leaders signed agreements setting up a new regional bank, the Banco do Sul. The body is designed to lessen the dependence on the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the U.S., seen by many as responsible for failed policies in the region. Funded by regional powers such as Brazil, Argentina and Venezuela, it will aid economic and social projects. Each member will have one vote, irrespective of its size or funding. Set up by Brazil, Venezuela, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Ecuador and Bolivia, the Banco del Sur will have its headquarters in Caracas, with offices in Buenos Aires and La Paz. They hope to start with $800m and eventually gather $7bn, with funds to deal with natural disasters and develop joint scientific and economic projects across the region. Unless they leverage their funds like other banks, their capital will quickly disappear. None of the bank's supporters have an investment grade credit rating. Both the World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank enjoy AAA credit ratings because of the backing of the U.S. The Corporacion Andina de Fomento has an A+ credit rating from Standard & Poor's.
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China firm cans toxic tinned meat
One of China's best-known food companies has halted exports of all tinned food, after toxic chemicals were found in canned meat products. Food safety officials in Hong Kong have discovered a banned antibiotic, nitrofurans, in tins of Ma Ling brand pork luncheon meat and pork ribs.
China's Inflation Likely to Hold at Decade High
China's inflation probably held at the its highest level in more than a decade, adding pressure on the central bank to raise interest rates for a sixth time this year or let the yuan appreciate faster. Consumer prices rose 6.5 percent in November from a year earlier.
Bolivians approve draft charter
A majority in Bolivia's constituent assembly approves a draft constitution, despite an opposition boycott.
Germany moves to ban Scientology
Germany's federal and state interior ministers have declared the Church of Scientology unconstitutional, clearing the way for a possible ban. The ministers have asked Germany's domestic intelligence agency to examine whether the Church's legal status as an association could be challenged. Scientology is not recognized as a religion in Germany. A Church of Scientology statement said the ministers were "completely out of step with the rest of the world". Critics accuse the organization of cult-type practices and exploiting followers for financial gain.
Iran protests over US 'espionage'
Iran has sent a formal protest letter to the United States, accusing it of spying on Iran's nuclear activities.
US lawmakers approve energy bill
An energy bill that would require the first rise in vehicle fuel efficiency in more than 30 years has been passed by the US House of Representatives. The bill, which is expected to face resistance from the Senate and White House, also imposes $13bn in taxes on big energy companies. It would raise vehicle fuel economy by 40% by 2020 and require greater use of greener energy sources such as ethanol.
CIA Tapes May Spark Criminal Investigation
The Justice Department has started a preliminary inquiry into the CIA's destruction of videotapes. Former colleagues say it is unlikely that ex-clandestine service chief Jose Rodriguez made the decision to destroy the tapes without higher-level approval.
Brazil deforestation slows again
Deforestation in the Amazon rainforest fell by 20% between August 2006 and July 2007, according to interim figures released by the Brazilian government. It is the third year in a row that there has been a fall. Lula said the new figures were good, but felt Brazil could have done more. Environmental groups said the government is celebrating a past achievement when it knows the rate of deforestation is on the increase again. While the rate of deforestation has dropped dramatically over the past few years, it remains alarmingly high and new threats loom, among them corporate farms armed with the latest agricultural technology to grow soy, raise cattle and plant crops for biofuels. The reasons for the rain forest's survival have more to do with economics and a political change of fortune than because of the worldwide environmental campaign to save the Amazon.
Candid Cameras
The spread of cell phone cameras is providing new ammunition in criminal investigations, thanks to simple human behavior. Apparently even criminals like snapping cell phone photos of themselves, and the result in many police precincts is an unexpected windfall.
Firms Use RICO to Fight Union Tactics
Employers are using laws originally aimed at organized crime to combat aggressive union organizing efforts that they claim amount to extortion. Two lawsuits filed by employers in the past two months invoked the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, or RICO, to claim unions have tried to damage their reputations and businesses through public-relations campaigns and other tactics. In both suits, the companies claim the unions are spreading false and damaging information through flyers and the Internet and at demonstrations. The suits, which the unions say are baseless, mark escalating tensions over organizing methods. Unions want to organize workers by approaching them off company grounds and having them sign cards in favor of a union while the company remains neutral, a process companies say subjects employees to intense pressure. Companies generally favor a secret-ballot election, which is held on company property and usually follows months or years of expensive, time-consuming and negative campaigning by both sides. RICO was passed in 1970 to make it easier to prosecute organized-crime leaders when they couldn't be directly tied to murders or other crimes but when a pattern of racketeering existed. Civil RICO claims became common in the 1980s and have been filed in a variety of contexts, often against corporations, alleging fraud or illegal competition. The law allows for the recovery of triple damages.
Rhode Island high court rules against same-sex divorce
The Rhode Island Supreme Court Friday ruled that a lesbian couple legally married in Massachusetts does not have the right to divorce in Rhode Island because Rhode Island does not explicitly recognize same-sex marriage. In Chambers v. Ormiston , Rhode Island residents Cassandra Ormiston and Margaret Chambers sought to end their 2004 Massachusetts marriage. Lawyers for the couple had argued that if the divorce was not permitted in Rhode Island, the couple's only recourse is to move to Massachusetts and establish residency for a divorce in that state, which lawyers said would be an unfair burden.
Responsible Consumers Decry Mortgage Bailout
The White House plan to help struggling subprime borrowers has an unexpected backlash. It's coming from consumers who say reckless borrowers in trouble should not be rescued. But housing advocates believe subprime borrowers deserve to be helped, because so many were misled by deceptive or fraudulent lenders.
Malaysia police detain lawyers in raids following anti-government protests
Malaysian police detained 21 lawyers, activists and opposition figures Sunday after nationwide raids in response to continuing demonstrations against the country's government. The police arrested 12 members of an opposition coalition for participating in a November 10 rally for electoral reforms. The rally drew about 30,000 people and was part of a widening protest movement against the government of Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi , who will soon be up for reelection. Officials detained eight other people, including four lawyers, earlier Sunday for participating in a small human-rights march, violating a ban on assembly and an order to disperse. The remaining detainee, a lawyer, was arrested after trying to stop officials from removing posters marking International Human Rights Day. Badawi maintains that anti-government protests and demonstrations must stop because they benefit neither the government nor the Malaysian people. Nevertheless, Malaysian opposition parties plan to hold another protest Tuesday outside parliament, where protesters will submit a memorandum demanding free and fair elections.
Pakistan lawyers convention calls for election boycott, judges reinstatement
A national convention of Pakistani lawyers meeting in Lahore Saturday called on its members to boycott upcoming parliamentary elections in the country and urged political parties to do the same. The All Pakistan Lawyers' Representatives Convention said that efforts must be focused on restoring the suspended 1973 constitution and reinstating judges ousted after President Pervez Musharraf imposed emergency rule on the country on November 3. The group unanimously passed resolutions refusing to recognize new judges appointed under the Provisional Constitution Order, condemning the eviction of the deposed judges from their official residences, and calling for the release of all lawyers still detained or under house arrest. It also condemned as unlawful recent changes to the Army Act allowing court-martial of civilians and amendments to the Legal Practitioners and Bar Council Act giving judges more disciplinary authority over lawyers.
Profit Slump Fuels Recession Fears
Corporate profits are being hit by both the slowing economy and credit-market turmoil, sharpening fear of a recession.
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Time
Iran's Nukes: Now They Tell Us? It turns out Iran may not, after all, be making nuclear weapons. What that reveals about our intelligence network, the White House and the battle between them.
Newsweek
Holy Huckabee! The unlikely rise of a preacher politician, and the Mormon-evangelical divide within the GOP.
Business Week
Future seed. Monsanto: Winning the Ground War. How the company turned the tide in the battle over genetically modified crops.
The Economist
The end of cheap food. Rising food prices are both a threat and a huge opportunity.
L'Express
Leurs solutions pour sauver la planete
Der Spiegel
Die gekaufte Revolution. Wie Kaiser Wilhelm II. Lenins Oktoberrevolution finanzierte.
Trade row mars EU-Africa talks
BBC News, Centrist newscaster, London, England
One day plea by Congolese women for equal representation
CongoPlanet.com, Independent online news aggregator
Aussie Miner Defiles Girl
GhanaWeb, Online news portal, Amsterdam, Netherlands
EU-Africa: Summit Should Take Concrete Steps to Tackle Rights Abuses
Human Rights Watch (Africa), International news press releases
Mugabe slams 'arrogant' EU critics
iafrica, Online news portal, Cape Town, South Africa
I still love Trevor, says unfazed Mo
Independent Online, News portal, Cape Town, South Africa
Explosive Selebi allegations revealed
Mail & Guardian Online, Liberal, Johannesburg, South Africa
Zuma: I will accept defeat
News24.com, Online news portal, Cape Town, South Africa
Earthquake kills girl in Brazil
Brazil Sun, Independent online news aggregator
Mavado Birthday Bash halted by Jamaica Police
Caribbean News Portal, Online news aggregator
Venezuela: Proposed Amendments Threaten Basic Rights
Human Rights Watch (Americas), International news press releases
Anti-Immigrant Surge Tramples Int'l Norms
IPS Latin America, International cooperative of journalists, Rome, Italy
Montego Bay outlaw killed
Jamaica Gleaner, Independent daily, Kingston, Jamaica
Peru: Photo of the day - Fujimori's Trial on Television
Living in Peru, News portal, Lima, Peru
UBS takes $10-billion writedown, raises new capital
The Globe and Mail, Centrist daily, Toronto, Canada
Pickton guilty of six murders
Toronto Star, Liberal daily, Toronto, Canada
Finance ministers meet on sidelines of climate talks
Antara News, News agency, Jakarta, Indonesia
Stop Mudslinging, Start Discussing Policies
Chosun Ilbo, Conservative daily, Seoul, South Korea
Boxer Joe Calzaghe voted BBC sports personality of the year
India Express, News portal, Mumbai, India
Delhiites wake up to cloudy morning
India Times, Conservative daily, New Delhi, India
Gradually recovering Crown Princess Masako turns 44
Japan Times, Independent centrist, Tokyo, Japan
Water dept manager to be charged
Malaysian Star, Online news portal, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
Ice storm in US grounds planes, cuts power
New Zealand Herald, Conservative daily, Auckland, New Zealand
NYC councilman wants to ban Central Park carriages
People's Daily Online, English-language, Beijing, China
Chaos as massive ice storm sweeps US
Sydney Morning Herald, Centrist daily, Sydney, Australia
Notices issued to Sonia, Digvijay
The Hindu, Left-leaning daily, Chennai, India
Time up for Kosovo status talks
BBC News, Centrist newscaster, London, England
Man held after fatal hit-and-run in Kildare
BreakingNews.ie, Online news portal, Cork, Ireland
Banks raise home hopes
Daily Express, Conservative tabloid, London, England
The moment Mrs Darwin realised the game was up as the Mail brought her to face police
Daily Mail, Conservative daily, London, England
RRsat to distribute Supreme Master TV in 5 continents
DMeurope, Online news portal, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Millions of US viewers to watch 08 launch - thanks to Ringo
icLiverpool, Online news portal, Liverpool, England
A difficult question for Kosovars: Who are we?
International Herald Tribune, Independent daily, Paris, France
The Kings of Beijing: On the Trail of China's Hot Art Market
Spiegel International, Liberal newsmagazine, Hamburg, Germany
Brown calls on Google to help the world's poor
The Guardian, Liberal daily, London, England
Lloyds takes 200 million hit
The Irish Times, Centrist daily, Dublin, Ireland
U.S. TV network VH1 asks who wants to be a telenovela star?
The Scotsman, Moderate daily, Edinburgh, Scotland
David Cameron vows to protect Union
The Telegraph, Conservative daily, London, England
First Lady of television, Oprah Winfrey, gives Barack Obama the ultimate celebrity endorsement
Times Online, Conservative daily, London, England
Rabin's Cadillac on Display in Rabin Center
Arutz Sheva, Online, right-wing, Tel Aviv, Israel
Gaza's Hamas government torches confiscated drugs in public bonfire
Asharq Al-Awsat, Pan-Arab daily, London, England
Myanmar warns Hajj pilgrims to stay out of politics
Gulf News, Independent daily, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Hamas leader Meshal visits Riyadh for talks on Palestinian row
Haaretz, Liberal daily, Tel Aviv, Israel
Laptop of Death: Revising the NIE on Iran
IPS Middle East, International cooperative of journalists, Rome, Italy
Emirates Aluminum to sell $2b bonds to finance project
Middle East North African Network, Online financial portal, Amman, Jordan
Heavy Fighting Erupts in Mogadishu
Nahamet, Online news portal, Beirut, Lebanon
Turkey mulls new amnesty for PKK
The Daily Star, Independent daily, Beirut, Lebanon
Aden to be slum-free by 2020
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.