March 17, 2010 Nº 883 - Vol. 8
"You are never given a wish without also being given the power to make it come true. You may have to work for it, however."
Richard Bach
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Broadband plan for high speed internet sent to US Congress
A plan to help the US lead the world in providing its citizens with super-fast internet has been officially released. The Federal Communications Commission, FCC, aims to ensure every American in the country has broadband connections by 2020. It claims a third of all US households - 100 million Americans - do not have a broadband connection. Congress will now consider whether to introduce legislation to enact some parts of the 360-page plan. Some of the 200 recommendations will be decided on by other government agencies such at the Federal Trades Commission and Homeland Security department. The FCC's five commissioners did not vote to approve the document because not all agree on its recommendations. The FCC has called this the "greatest infrastructure challenge of the 21st century" and said it represents a "foundation for economic growth, job creation, global competitiveness and a better way of life". One thorny issue will be the cost of implementing the plan which has been estimated at $350bn. Another issue that is likely to result in a major fight is how the FCC will wrest spectrum from TV companies to wireless carriers.
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1 - Sarkozy's party battered in French elections (Click here)
2 - Contractors Tied to Effort to Track and Kill Militants (Click here)
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Google's china advertising agents demand compensation in event of pullout
Google Inc. received demands from advertising agents in China to provide compensation plans for companies threatened to go out of business by a possible shutdown of the U.S. company's Web site in the country.
China Convicts Dissident Lawyer
China's foreign minister said Tuesday that one of the country's highest-profile dissident lawyers has been convicted of subversion.
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EE.UU. - México
El Gobierno de Estados Unidos retiró 50 millones de dólares en financiamiento para un polémico "muro virtual" diseñado para reforzar la frontera con México y congeló fondos adicionales para el proyecto que están pendientes de revisión, dijeron el martes autoridades.
Concesiones - Camarón
El Grupo Quirola, empresa exportadora de camarón, revirtió al estado de Ecuador una concesión de 85 hectáreas camaroneras en la isla de Puná. El gobierno informó que la acción fue producto de un acuerdo mutuo tras constatarse la existencia de irregularidades en el contrato. Grupo Quirola exporta sus productos a Norteamérica, Europa y países asiáticos.
Gasoducto
La Corporación Andina de Fomento (CAF) lanza convocatoria internacional hasta el 22 de marzo para la realización de un estudio de prefactibilidad de la construcción de la interconexión gasífera entre Bolivia, Paraguay y Uruguay, que incluye el nuevo gasoducto del Noreste de Argentina. La consultora seleccionada deberá desarrollar un análisis sobre las distintas alternativas de interconexión gasífera entre los cuatro países. (Presione aquí)
Brazil to break patents on U.S. films, books, drugs
Brazil will seek to break intellectual property rights on U.S.-made prescription drugs, music, books, software and movies in a bid to force the U.S. government to end cotton subsidies that violate global trade rules. Brazil's government submitted a list of products that may have royalties, copyrights and patents suspended as part of $829 million in retaliatory sanctions authorized by the World Trade Organization.
Mexico head seeks US drug support
Mexican President Felipe Calderon has called for the US to share responsibility in the battle against drug traffickers.
Hedge fund rules vote to be delayed
European finance ministers have delayed plans to vote on a controversial new directive regulating hedge funds and venture capital investment. The issue was taken off Tuesday's agenda in Brussels because more time was needed to reach a consensus. London-based fund managers have said the proposals will make it impossible for funds based outside the EU to raise funds within Europe. And the US government has also argued the plans are protectionist.
Clinton affirms US support for Israel after row
Hillary Clinton has dismissed the idea that US-Israeli relations are in crisis amid a row over Jewish settlers in Arab East Jerusalem. She said the two nations had a "close, unshakeable bond" but made clear the US wanted both Israel and the Palestinians to prove their commitment to peace.
France court opens neo-Nazi trial
The trial of 14 members of a neo-Nazi group, Nomad 88, opened Monday before the criminal court of Evry, in the Parisian suburbs. Founded in 2008 to "purge" the suburbs, the group gained public attention in May 2008 when three members went on a shooting spree in an area with a strong population of immigrant origin. Following their arrest, the police seized a haul of weapons, including machine guns, along with a large quantity of ammunition and extremist literature. During the hearing, one of the defendants claimed they wanted to "clear out" the "no-go" areas in the suburbs. The trial is expected to last through Friday.
Egypt constitutional court allows women judges in state court system
Egypt's Supreme Constitutional Court ruled Sunday that female judges can serve on the State Council (Maglis id-Dowla), an administrative court system with jurisdiction over cases involving the state. In its ruling, the court emphasized the equality of all citizens. Last month, the general assembly of the State Council voted to bar the appointment of female judges to the court. The council's supervisory committee later overruled that bar, which led Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif to ask the Supreme Court to rule on the issue. Sunday's ruling stated that the general assembly did not have the authority to determine who can serve on the court and that only the supervisory committee can approve new judges. The supervisory committee is expected to review the issue later this month.
US interest rates 'to stay low'
The US Federal Reserve has repeated its pledge to keep interest rates at record lows in order to nurture the economic recovery. The Fed said its main interest rate would be kept at the current 0% to 0.25% range, as widely expected.
Cyber crime losses in US almost 'double' during 2009
US losses to online crime almost doubled during 2009, reveals a report. Losses totalled $560m in 2009, up from $265m in 2008, showed the annual report by the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). Complaints about online fraud grew 22% during 2009 and the IC3 received more than 336,655 reports of high-tech crime incidents from victims. The most popular scams involved requests for advanced fees and non-delivery of merchandise
Lehman hid money with help of global rules
Lehman Brothers' now notorious Repo 105 scheme depended on forum shopping. The investment bank wasn't able to persuade its lawyers in the United States that the relevant repurchase agreements constituted real sales. So it routed them through its British subsidiary. That meant they came under the British legal system, and the law firm Linklaters was able to opine that the transactions counted as sales. United States accounting standards apparently did the rest, allowing Lehman to shuffle $50 billion of assets off its balance sheet. Regulators in different jurisdictions need to cooperate to close all such gaps that they can. Forum shopping, also known as regulatory arbitrage, is undesirable, but smart bankers are always going to do it. The Lehman case shows, for one thing, how bankers exploited weaknesses in United States accounting standards - seemingly without objection from the firm's auditor, Ernst & Young. Although the transactions concerned came under British law, they were reported under generally accepted accounting principles in the United States. Those standards have lots of detailed rules, but they don't catch every eventuality. Things can slip through the cracks.
Iraq election race tightens
Al Jazeera, Doha, Qatar
Saudi Authorities to Seize Bank Accounts Raising Funds Unofficially
Asharq Al-Awsat, Pan-Arab daily, London, England
Fire breaks out in Al Sadda Publishing building in Dubai
Gulf News, Independent daily, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
U.S. and Israel seek to downplay row after stormy week
Haaretz, Liberal daily, Tel Aviv, Israel
MIDEAST: U.S.-Israeli Tensions Escalating Quickly
IPS Middle East, International cooperative of journalists, Rome, Italy
'Israel planning to destroy al Aksa'
JPost, Conservative, Jerusalem, Israel
UAE Volunteers Scale Mount Kilimanjaro
Khaleej Times, English-language daily, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Iraq- Pure water tank constructed for ID64b
Middle East North African Network, Online financial portal, Amman, Jordan
Thai Protesters Hurl Own Blood at PM's House
Nahamet, Online news portal, Beirut, Lebanon
Panel formed on Lebanon poll law
Saudi Gazette, English-language daily, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Allawi gains on Maliki as Iraq counts more votes
The Daily Star, Independent daily, Beirut, Lebanon
China more concerned about Iran, wary on sanctions
Times of Oman, English-language daily, Muscat, Oman
Schools urge action on legal drug
BBC News, Centrist newscaster, London, England
Dow Jones up
BreakingNews.ie, Online news portal, Cork, Ireland
Winfrey to face former headmistress in court
Daily Express, Conservative tabloid, London, England
Foreign doctor's fatal blunder: 'Negligent' German surgeon flown in to tackle NHS staff crisis left grandmother dead
Daily Mail, Conservative daily, London, England
Ono revenues fall 7.2% to EUR 372 mln in Q4
DMeurope, Online news portal, Amsterdam, Netherlands
FRANCE: ETA suspected in killing of French police officer
France 24, Issy-les-Moulineaux, France
Innovative university in Gaziantep
Hurriyet Daily News, (Liberal, English-language), Istanbul, Turkey
Rosie Huntingdon-Whiteley's Looking Hot In Next's Latest Swimwear
Look Magazine, London, England
Allerdale council names its November floods heroes
News & Star, Independent daily, Carlisle, England
Suicide Bombers Shot Dead In Southern Afghan Town
Radio Free Europe, Prague, Czech Republic
Unite In US Talks As Strike Battle Goes Global
Sky News, Independent newscaster, Middlesex, England
Picture This: Toad Taxiz
Spiegel International, Liberal newsmagazine, Hamburg, Germany
25% of NHS trusts failing on hygiene, says watchdog
The Guardian, Liberal daily, London, England
US heir charged over deaths of Britons
The Independent, London, England
Bohemians come back from the brink
The Irish Times, Centrist daily, Dublin, Ireland
Some Surprises as United Russia Sweeps Vote
The Moscow Times, Independent daily, Moscow, Russia
Amsterdam 'the new Costa del Crime' for Britain's most wanted fugitives
The Telegraph, Conservative daily, London, England
Kate Winslet becomes latest leading actress to separate from husband after winning Oscar
The Telegraph, London, England
Australia's earliest film seen for the first time
Times Online, Conservative daily, London, England
Maluku to exploit Indonesia cooperation with Southwest Pacific
Antara News, News agency, Jakarta, Indonesia
Thai protesters hurl own blood at PM's house
China Post, English-language daily, Taipei, Taiwan
10th Seoul International Financial Forum Kicks Off
Chosun Ilbo, Conservative daily, Seoul, South Korea
Militants blow up Nato tanker in Khyber
Dawn, English-language daily, Karachi, Pakistan
Group of Majilismen asks government to interfere in conflict between OzenMunaiGas management and strikers
Gazeta.kz, Official online newspaper, Kazakhstan
Maya challenges I-T probe with another currency garland
India Express, News portal, Mumbai, India
2 cops shot dead, contract killer freed
India Times, Conservative daily, New Delhi, India
An indirect solution for a Palestinian state?
Japan Times, Independent centrist, Tokyo, Japan
RMAF's Nuri chopper makes emergency landing at school
Malaysian Star, Online news portal, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
Beautiful cyclones bring living hell
New Zealand Herald, Conservative daily, Auckland, New Zealand
Australia introduces new laws to protect consumers
People's Daily Online, English-language, Beijing, China
Reliance MediaWorks to help restore Japanese classics
Sify News, Chennai, India
Winslet: the other woman
Sydney Morning Herald, Centrist daily, Sydney, Australia
China again tells Google to obey the law
Taiwan News, English-language daily, Taipei, Taiwan
Taiwan tourist denied entry into Canada
Taiwan Today, Government Information Office, Taipei, Taiwan
Charlie Sheen resumes shooting for ‘Two and a Half Men'
Thaindian News, Bangkok, Thailand
Women get one-third share in Gadkari team
The Hindu, Left-leaning daily, Chennai, India
Antigua and Barbuda to receive fiscal boost...$124M FROM IMF
Antigua Sun Online, Independent daily, St. John's, Antigua
Charges possible in B.C. avalanche deaths
Canadian Broadcasting Centre, Toronto, Ontario
Rotary Club presents 2010 Camelot Charity Auction
Cayman Net News, Online news portal, George Town, Cayman Islands
Women groups recognize first Dominican in N.Y. Supreme Court
Dominican Today, Independent daily, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
CUBA: Human Rights at the Eye of the Storm
IPS Latin America, International cooperative of journalists, Rome, Italy
War zone
Jamaica Gleaner, Independent daily, Kingston, Jamaica
Peru: Cusco, Arequipa, Piura and Tacna join Earth Day 2010 campaign
Living in Peru, News portal, Lima, Peru
Elderly men in street brawl
The Globe and Mail, Centrist daily, Toronto, Canada
?Gender factor works for Kamla
Trinidad Guardian, Independent daily, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad
Uganda royal tombs gutted by fire
BBC News, Centrist newscaster, London, England
DRC make winning CHAN start
CongoPlanet.com, Independent online news aggregator
NALAG should fulfil development aspirations of the people- Mr Aidoo Mensa
GhanaWeb, Online news portal, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Red Shirts lose momentum
iafrica, Online news portal, Cape Town, South Africa
Journalists blocked from Jub Jub trial
Independent Online, News portal, Cape Town, South Africa
Drogba named African Footballer of the Year
Jimma Times, Online news portal, Jimma, Ethiopia
Pakistan bars cricketers from foreign competitions
Mail & Guardian Online, Liberal, Johannesburg, South Africa
Jub Jub 'on cocaine, morphine'
News24.com, Online news portal, Cape Town, South Africa
Warri calm after bomb blast
Vanguard, Independent daily, Lagos, Nigeria
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