March 15, 2010  Nº 882 - Vol. 8

"A long dispute means both parties are wrong"

Voltaire

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  • International Arbitration Express

Fears over non-Muslim's use of Islamic law to resolve disputes

In the UK, the Muslim Arbitration Tribunal (MAT) said that there had been a 15% rise in the number of non-Muslims using sharia arbitrations in commercial cases this year. Last year, more than 20 non-Muslims chose to arbitrate cases at the network of tribunals. "95% of the people who come to us for arbitration do not feel they need legal representation." These tribunals deal mainly with civil and commercial cases. Campaigners have voiced concerns over a growing number of non-Muslims using Islamic law to resolve legal disputes in Britain despite controversy over the role of sharia law. "Our campaign is focusing on sharia but we are against all religious tribunals including the Jewish beth din," said Maryam Namazie, a spokeswoman for the One Law for All Campaign, which campaigns against sharia law in Britain. "Human rights are non-negotiable and religious tribunals puts religion before people's rights and their freedoms. Law based on any religion - whether the Bible, Torah or the Quran - is completely antithetical to rights woman have in this day and age. Many of the rights women have now result in the UK is the result of a hard fight to wrestle control out of church hands."

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MiMIC Journal

Chinese oil firm buying 50% stake in Argentine group

China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) is paying $3.1bn (£2bn) for a 50% stake in Argentine oil and gas group Bridas Corporation. CNOOC president Yang Hua said Bridas was "a very good beachhead for us to enter Latin America". Bridas has proven oil reserves of 636 million barrels, with production activities across Argentina, Bolivia and Chile. China's demand for oil is continuing to surge as its economy grows strongly.

China warns Google to comply with censorship laws

China's top internet official has warned that Google will "pay the consequences" if it continues to go against Chinese law. Google announced in January that it would no longer comply with China's internet censorship laws. Authorities warned that Google's partners must comply with censorship laws even if the search giant does not

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  • Brief News

US bank regulation bill due to be unveiled

A new bill to tighten regulation of US banks is due to be unveiled on Monday, but it is unclear if it will succeed in gaining Senate support. The legislation is being presented by Democratic Senator Christopher Dodd, chairman of the Senate Banking Committee. It is widely expected to propose that the US central bank, the Federal Reserve, is given extensive new powers to regulate the commercial lenders. It is also tipped to propose giving the government the power to seize and dismantle a large failing bank, or other such financial company.

Lula in Israel at start of Middle East tour

Lula has arrived in Israel where he begins a tour of the Middle East. He is visiting Israel, the Palestinian territories and Jordan ahead of a more controversial visit to Iran in May. While in the region Lula will throw his country's growing diplomatic weight behind the Middle East peace process. A top aide to Obama, David Axelrod, said on Sunday that the move was an "insult" to the United States and "destructive" to the peace process. Lula has said the peace process requires "someone with neutrality" to speak to all sides. Newspapers in Brazil have observed that this is the first time a Brazilian head of state has been to this region since a journey by the last Emperor of Brazil, Dom Pedro II, in 1876.

Dog's lavish taste

Man's best friend in doghouse for eating girl's best friend, a diamond. A dog in the US caused his owners a panic after swallowing a diamond worth $20,000 in a jewelers shop. A diamond dealer had brought the precious stone to the store but dropped it and Soli the golden retriever wolfed it down.

Calls to raise age of criminal responsibility rejected

Calls to raise the age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 12 have been rejected by the UK government. England's children's commissioner Maggie Atkinson had told the Times that most criminals under 12 did not fully understand their actions. But the Ministry of Justice said those over 10 knew the difference "between bad behavior and serious wrongdoing". The age of criminal responsibility in many European countries ranges between 14 and 16, but in England, Wales and Northern Ireland remains at 10.

Vatican defends Pope Benedict in German abuse scandal

The Vatican has denounced attempts to link Pope Benedict XVI to a child abuse scandal in his native Germany. A spokesman said there had been "aggressive" efforts to involve the Pope, but added: "It's clear that these attempts have failed." The Holy See's prosecutor meanwhile said that "to accuse the current Pope of hiding is false". The Pope's former diocese earlier said he once unwittingly approved housing for a priest accused of child abuse.

Wal-Mart, attorneys at law

The barriers and complications to getting legal aid in the U.S. has created a system in which many Americans simply give up their legal battles-even if that means not seeing their children or sacrificing their homes. That's the argument of Harvard visiting professor of law and professor of economics and law at the University of Southern California Gillian Hadfield made in an editorial in today's Washington Post. In England, where non-lawyer professionals can offer specialized expertise, 5% of survey respondents with legal problems said they do nothing to seek a resolution. In the U.S., however, legal advice is limited to those with law degrees and between 30-40% of survey respondents say they do nothing to resolve legal issues. Britain spends far more public funds on ensuring access to justice -- $76 in legal aid per capita compared with $13 in the States (including charitable contributions). But the critical difference is the widespread and diverse availability of help in Britain and other advanced-market democracies for people with legal troubles -- not just criminal arrest but issues such as foreclosure, divorce, child custody, employment and bankruptcy. The United States urgently needs to expand capacity for non-lawyers to meet the legal needs of ordinary Americans in innovative and less costly ways. Lawyers typically argue that barriers to entry are necessary to save consumers from quack legal advice. Hadfield has a counter-argument at the ready. "There's nothing wrong with ensuring quality of service, but attacks on innovative providers in the United States go well beyond what can be justified in a world that looks so much to law to organize everyday life." If Hadfield is correct, opening regulations would be a win-win for both the legal industry and the non-legal industry that could crop up in providing legal aid.

Regulators cited human error as Ford led non-Toyota acceleration deaths

U.S. regulators have tracked more deaths in vehicles made by Ford Motor Co., Chrysler Group LLC and other companies combined than by Toyota Motor Corp. during three decades of unintended acceleration reviews that often blamed human error.

Do criminal charges await Lehman Crew?

So now that we've digested the entire 2,200 page report by Lehman Brothers, where, exactly are we? Are we going to see former chief executive Dick Fuld (pictured) in cuffs? Former CFO Erin Callan working the chain gang? The allegations lodged by a bankruptcy-court examiner have raised questions about whether prosecutors could build a case against former Lehman executives.

  • Weekly Magazine Review

Time

10 Ideas for the Next 10 years
A thinker's guide to the most important trends of the new decade
 

1 The Next American Century
Don't believe the prophets of doom

2 Remapping the World
Good borders make good neighbors. Bad ones make wars

3 Bandwidth Is the New Black Gold
And it's a scarce resource

4 The Dropout Economy
The future of work looks a lot like unemployment

5 China and the U.S.: The Indispensable Axis Their frenemy-ship will shape the decade

6 In Defense Of Failure
Making mistakes is a great American freedom

7 The White Anxiety Crisis
America is getting a new minority

8 TV Will Save the World
In a lot of places, it's the next big thing. Popular TV Shows Overseas. A gallery of what they're watching overseas

9 The Twilight of the Elites
Why we have entered the post-trust era

10 The Boring Age
The times, they aren't a-changin'

Newsweek

Feed your children well. Michelle on a Mission. How we can empower parents, schools, and the community to battle childhood obesity.

Business Week

Revenge of the Cable Guys. If you think online TV will be free forever, think again. The cable companies have a plan to keep control-and stick you with the bill.

The Economist

Europe's engine. Why Germany needs to change, both for its own sake and for others.

Le Nouvel Observateur

Où va l'argent de votre région. Chaque année, 22 milliards d'euros sont injectés dans l'éducation, les transports, l'économie, l'apprentissage... Notre palmarès exclusif

Der Spiegel

Die Weizsäckers - Revolutionäre, Nazis, Staatsmänner: Eine deutsche Familie

  • Daily Press Review

Red shirts up pressure on Thai PM
Al Jazeera, Doha, Qatar

'Iraq PM Leads Poll Count' in Province of Basra
Asharq Al-Awsat, Pan-Arab daily, London, England

Man disabled in car crash wins best driver award
Gulf News, Independent daily, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Israel envoy: U.S. ties at their worst in 35 years
Haaretz, Liberal daily, Tel Aviv, Israel

MIDEAST: Israel Lands in Public Relations Nightmare
IPS Middle East, International cooperative of journalists, Rome, Italy

Fatah holds ceremony naming square after terrorist
JPost, Conservative, Jerusalem, Israel

UAE Volunteers Scale Mount Kilimanjaro
Khaleej Times, English-language daily, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Ganic arrest figures in Silajdzic talks
Middle East North African Network, Online financial portal, Amman, Jordan

U.S. Cautious on Removing Cold War-era Nuclear Arms from Europe
Nahamet, Online news portal, Beirut, Lebanon

Panel formed on Lebanon poll law
Saudi Gazette, English-language daily, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Netanyahu seeks to ease row with US over settlement plans
The Daily Star, Independent daily, Beirut, Lebanon

Lebanese Druze leader makes Syrian overture
Times of Oman, English-language daily, Muscat, Oman

Call for better rape victim care
BBC News, Centrist newscaster, London, England

D'Arcy hopes to make Scotland game
BreakingNews.ie, Online news portal, Cork, Ireland

Hats off to Rab C for helping Johnny nail Glasgow accent
Daily Express, Conservative tabloid, London, England

Ed Balls 'wants to expand 50p tax rate' to double the number of earners hit
Daily Mail, Conservative daily, London, England

Nigeria orders review of Nitel sale
DMeurope, Online news portal, Amsterdam, Netherlands

FRANCE: Socialists triumph over Sarkozy's party in regional elections
France 24, Issy-les-Moulineaux, France

Critical approach toward human feelings
Hurriyet Daily News, (Liberal, English-language), Istanbul, Turkey

Topshop's Hot New Charity Vests
Look Magazine, London, England

England rugby star to make Brampton school visit
News & Star, Independent daily, Carlisle, England

Beckham's World Cup Agony After Injury
Sky News, Independent newscaster, Middlesex, England

Sarkozy's Crisis: A Weary French President Battons Down Hatches for Tough Regional Elections
Spiegel International, Liberal newsmagazine, Hamburg, Germany

Brown wades into British Airways strike
The Guardian, Liberal daily, London, England

Sarkozy's party humbled by left in French vote
The Independent, London, England

Car bomb kills seven in western Iraq
The Irish Times, Centrist daily, Dublin, Ireland

Spoof Report of Russian Attack Causes Panic in Georgia
The Moscow Times, Independent daily, Moscow, Russia

Cheats at Royal Mail fix delivery times
The Telegraph, Conservative daily, London, England

Coronation Street actor voted off Dancing on Ice
The Telegraph, London, England

Acknowledging Aborigines as traditional owners of Australia is 'tokenism' says Tony Abbott
Times Online, Conservative daily, London, England

Joint military-police anti-terror exercise closed
Antara News, News agency, Jakarta, Indonesia

Thai protesters march on army headquarters
China Post, English-language daily, Taipei, Taiwan

10th Seoul International Financial Forum Kicks Off
Chosun Ilbo, Conservative daily, Seoul, South Korea

'Nato must assist in halting cross-border flow'
Dawn, English-language daily, Karachi, Pakistan

Nazarbayev assigned regional and Astana and Almaty akims to check dams to prevent accidents
Gazeta.kz, Official online newspaper, Kazakhstan

Interceptor missile trial fails as target falls into sea
India Express, News portal, Mumbai, India

11 MNS workers held over 'extortion' bid
India Times, Conservative daily, New Delhi, India

Kano cruises to victory in Nagoya
Japan Times, Independent centrist, Tokyo, Japan

TNB to resume construction work on car project
Malaysian Star, Online news portal, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

Thousands flee Fiji cyclone, NZers urged to register
New Zealand Herald, Conservative daily, Auckland, New Zealand

Chilean quake has effects on movement of Earth: U.S. scientist (2)
People's Daily Online, English-language, Beijing, China

Yemen detains suspected Iranian drug-running ship: ministry
Sify News, Chennai, India

Stephanie Rice Inc
Sydney Morning Herald, Centrist daily, Sydney, Australia

China promises to boost imports
Taiwan News, English-language daily, Taipei, Taiwan

National Palace Museum opens to filmmakers
Taiwan Today, Government Information Office, Taipei, Taiwan

Charlie Sheen hires MJ's former lawyer
Thaindian News, Bangkok, Thailand

Development & people's welfare are our 'two eyes'
The Hindu, Left-leaning daily, Chennai, India

ROAD FATALITY #1...Young teacher, mother of two dies in crash
Antigua Sun Online, Independent daily, St. John's, Antigua

B.C. avalanche missing accounted for: RCMP
Canadian Broadcasting Centre, Toronto, Ontario

CITA backs force to stop crime
Cayman Net News, Online news portal, George Town, Cayman Islands

2010 Dominican Census to count 10 million inhabitants
Dominican Today, Independent daily, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

RIGHTS-GUATEMALA: 'Our Lives Are Cut Short at a Stroke'
IPS Latin America, International cooperative of journalists, Rome, Italy

Prison boss' D-DAY
Jamaica Gleaner, Independent daily, Kingston, Jamaica

Peru: 'Contracorriente' (Undertow) earned Audience Award at Miami Festival
Living in Peru, News portal, Lima, Peru

Quebec polling news
The Globe and Mail, Centrist daily, Toronto, Canada

Teenager assaulted by female relative
Trinidad Guardian, Independent daily, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad

French hostages 'freed in Darfur'
BBC News, Centrist newscaster, London, England

Tresor Mputu named Best African Player on the continent
CongoPlanet.com, Independent online news aggregator

NALAG should fulfil development aspirations of the people- Mr Aidoo Mensah
GhanaWeb, Online news portal, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Irish cleric won't quit
iafrica, Online news portal, Cape Town, South Africa

Malema comments found to be hate speech
Independent Online, News portal, Cape Town, South Africa

Ethiopian Ambassador wants apology from BBC
Jimma Times, Online news portal, Jimma, Ethiopia

Malema guilty of hate speech
Mail & Guardian Online, Liberal, Johannesburg, South Africa

Malema guilty of hate speech
News24.com, Online news portal, Cape Town, South Africa

Muslim media practitioners, students condemn Jos killings
Vanguard, Independent daily, Lagos, Nigeria

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