June 14, 2010 Nº 918 - Vol. 8
"I try to learn from the past, but I plan for the future by focusing exclusively on the present. That's were the fun is."
Donald Trump
Insider's view: see how local concerns shape up the global world. Read the daily press review in Migalhas International
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Genocide law on trial
Peter Erlinder, the US defense lawyer at the international court for Rwanda (ICTR), was arrested for breaking the law on genocide denial in Rwanda. This is not a matter of "repression" of freedom of expression by the government in Kigali (Rwanda genocide tribunal under threat after US lawyer's detention, 9 June). Erlinder has made clear in speeches defending key genocide perpetrators at the ICTR, and at conference events such as that held in Belgium two weeks ago which welcomed wanted Rwandan genocide suspects alongside him as speakers, that he believes there was no organized genocide in 1994. Would Germany, with its strict Holocaust denial laws, be expected to allow genocide deniers to work and promulgate their views in its society and open court? Yet again it seems there is one law for the west and one for Africa when it comes to genocide. The western media would do better to focus on the dozens of Rwandan suspects living in Europe with the apparent complicity – or at least judicial and political apathy – of governments here.
Google tells Congress data collection was lawful mistake
Google claims that its collection of private information over Wi-Fi networks for its Street View maps was inadvertent and did not violate any laws, according to a letter released Friday by the Energy and Commerce Committee of the US House of Representatives. Last month, committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA), Ranking Member Joe Barton (R-TX) and Representative Edward Markey (D-MA) sent a letter to Google outlining several questions regarding the company's data harvesting practices and its use of the collected payload data. In Google's letter, the Internet giant claimed that the collection of private data was a "mistake" and apologized for collecting fragments of e-mails, search requests and other online activities over unencrypted Wi-Fi networks. Google also claims that its inadvertent data collection was lawful.
ICC nations define crime of aggression
The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Friday adopted an amendment to the Rome Statute including a definition for the crime of aggression and creating jurisdictional conditions for prosecution. The amendment was adopted after ICC nations reached a compromise on the definition and implementation of the offense as the Review Conference of the Rome Statute came to a close in Kampala, Uganda. Under the new amendment, the UN Security Council will serve as the primary body in determining whether a crime of aggression has occurred. If the Security Council fails to make a determination, the ICC prosecutor is authorized to commence an investigation on his own initiative or upon a request from an ICC state party. The Security Council can halt an investigation of a crime of aggression at any time through a resolution, but this resolution must be reinstated every 12 months. Non-state parties do not fall under ICC jurisdiction when the prosecutor initiates the investigation, and state parties can exempt themselves from jurisdiction over the crime of aggression by submitting a declaration of non-acceptance to the court. These exemptions, however, do not apply when the Security Council has determined that a crime of aggression has occurred. The new amendment will not applicable until 2017 at the earliest.
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MiMIC Journal
Is the era of cheap Chinese labour almost over?
A string of suicides at the Foxconn plant in southern China that makes iPads and iPhones for Apple has focused attention on wages and conditions there. Now the Taiwanese company has said it will more than double the wages of staff by October. The announcement follows a double-digit pay increase for workers at some of the factories that supply Honda in China following their industrial action. Some say these stories show there is a limit to what Chinese workers are willing to put up with these days, and that the era of cheap labor in China is coming to an end. Wages here have a long way to increase before they reach the levels of those in other emerging economies. China's pay packets are on average still just a quarter of the size of those in Brazil for example. Higher wages should encourage people here to save a little less, to spend a little more, which is good for the economy. But they could feed the suspicion many poorer Chinese have that this is becoming a more unfair, less equal society.
China's inflation rate rises but economic output slows
The inflation rate in China has surpassed the government's 3% target, creating a policy dilemma for Beijing. More importantly, producer price inflation - the cost of goods at the factory gate - hit 7.1%. Urban fixed investment - a measure of construction of houses and factories - also slowed in May, while bank lending fell 17% versus the previous month.
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BP bosses to hold dividend talks
BP directors will discuss later whether to suspend dividends to shareholders, following the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. The firm is under intense pressure from the US government, which wants BP to use the money to pay for the Gulf of Mexico clean-up. No decision is expected to be announced immediately, with BP bosses due to meet Obama on Wednesday.
BP faces containment deadline as Obama demands escrow account for damages
BP Plc faces a U.S. deadline today for a plan to raise oil-containment capacity as Obama demands an escrow account for damages claims related to the worst environmental disaster in the nation's history. BP Plc may lose control of its U.S. oil and natural gas wells and be barred from doing business with the federal government as punishment for the worst oil spill in U.S. history
Guatemalan attorney general sacked
The top court in Guatemala has dismissed the country's attorney general amid allegations of corruption and links to drug traffickers. The Constitutional Court annulled the selection of Conrado Reyes, who has been in the post for less than a month. The court's decision comes days after a judge heading a UN-backed commission investigating corruption in Guatemala accused Reyes of having links with criminal gangs.
Brazil sees silver lining in BP spill: more rigs
Brazil could benefit from the BP Gulf of Mexico spill as a U.S. moratorium on offshore drilling boosts available rigs for the country's deep water oil exploration program. Even as an ecological catastrophe makes the future of U.S. offshore drilling less certain, Brazil is plowing ahead with a $220 billion five-year plan to tap oil fields even deeper than BP's ill-fated Gulf well, which is still leaking crude. With an estimated 35 rigs idled in the Gulf of Mexico, Brazil is already receiving inquiries from companies looking to move their rigs here, where vast discoveries in recent years may soon turn the country into a major crude exporter. "What is bad for some may be good for others. Since operators are shutting down at least temporarily in the U.S. Gulf, some companies are planning to move their rigs to Brazil now," said Fernando Martins, Latin America Vice President for GE Oil and Gas.
Brazil to buy as many Petrobras shares as possible
Brazil's government will buy as many shares as possible in Petroleo Brasileiro SA's planned sale.If minority shareholders buy all the shares they have a right to, the government's stake in the company will remain the same. If there is stock left over, the government will step in and increase its stake. Brazilian lawmakers voted last week to allow Petrobras, as the company is known, to issue new shares in exchange for the rights to tap government reserves off the South American country's coast. The company is seeking to fund as much as $220 billion in spending through 2014.
Italian bill to limit wiretaps draws fire
Italy's government is pushing a bill through parliament that would curb wiretapping, saying the measure is necessary to protect privacy. But opposition politicians, magistrates and the media are deeply opposed to the bill. Privacy versus the right to know. Led by Berlusconi, the government argues that magistrates and prosecutors are ordering too many taps, and newspapers and other media are publishing too many of the results. The authoritative Max Planck Institute has calculated that in 2006, 76 out of every 100,000 Italians had their phones tapped. The next nearest European country was the Netherlands, with 62 out of every 100,000, followed by Switzerland with 32 people out of every 100,000. Supporters of the wiretapping bill say that if you count all those with whom the people that have their phones tapped are speaking, millions of Italians have had their conversations listened to. It all makes Italy the eavesdropping centre of Europe.
Arizona officials ask judge to dismiss case challenging new immigration law
Arizona Governor Jan Brewer and Attorney General Terry Goddard on Friday filed a motion in the US District Court for the District of Arizona to dismiss a case challenging the validity of the the state's controversial immigration law. The suit was filed by Washington-based researcher Roberto Frisancho, alleging that SB 1070 would lead to him being harassed when he visits Arizona because he is a US-born Hispanic. The defendants' motion claims that the action filed by Frisancho should be dismissed because the plaintiff's injury claim is not ripe and lacks standing.
Israel PM appoints former Supreme Court judge to head flotilla raid probe
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday announced the composition of an internal probe into the May 31 Israeli raid on several Turkish ships bound for the blockaded Gaza Strip. To head the probe, Netanyahu appointed former Israeli Supreme Court Justice Yakov Tirkel, along with Shabbtai Rosen, an international law professor and former Israeli diplomat, and retired Major General Amos Horev, a former Israeli army leader. Due to the "exceptional circumstances" of the events in question, the commission will also be overseen by two international observers, Nobel Prize laureate David Trimble and former Canadian military prosecutor Ken Watkin, to ensure the impartiality of the inquiry.
It all depends on meaning of war as Israel faces critics of Gaza blockade
Israel has responded to criticism of its deadly raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla by saying it acted to enforce a legal blockade that prevents the Hamas-controlled enclave "from becoming a giant arsenal."
RIM settles with Motorola
Research In Motion will pay Motorola an undisclosed amount and continuing royalties in a deal to end patent litigation between the two cellphone makers.
Sri Lanka cabinet votes to remove presidential term limits
The Sri Lankan government announced Friday that the country's Cabinet has voted to remove presidential term limits that restricted presidents from serving more than two terms in office. The Cabinet also approved changes to the Sri Lankan Constitution to give the president the power to appoint the members commissions that oversee elections and human rights violations and those that oversee police and corruption cases. The Sri Lankan Parliament must pass the changes by a two-thirds majority before they take effect. The changes are expected to be approved because the ruling coalition of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the United People's Freedom Alliance, controls 144 seats of the 225 member body and has the support of opposition defectors. If approved by parliament, the changes will allow Rajapaksa to run for office again at the conclusion of his current term in 2016.
Time
How to clean up the mess. The Spreading Stain. A combination of industry recklessness and regulatory failure led to the Gulf of Mexico catastrophe. It will happen again unless Washington, business and the rest of us change.
Newsweek
How Much Does a Gallon of Gas Cost? To understand the true price, think "externality."
Business Week
Grrrrr! Time to Slip into Something Less Comfortable? The bearish forecasters who rose to fame in the market crash of 2008 have, for the most part, not surrendered their pessimism. Their moment could be coming back around.
The Economist
What's wrong with America's right. Too much anger and too few ideas. America needs a better alternative to Barack Obama.
Le Nouvel Observateur
De Gaulle intime.
Der Spiegel
Aufhören!
Red Cross: Gaza blockade illegal
Al Jazeera, Doha, Qatar
Five Killed as Bombs Target Iraq Central Bank
Asharq Al-Awsat, Pan-Arab daily, London, England
Fire erupts at factory in Ajman industrial area
Gulf News, Independent daily, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Netanyahu: Gaza flotilla probe will show the world Israel acted legally
Haaretz, Liberal daily, Tel Aviv, Israel
New Footage Depicts Attack on Mavi Marmara
IPS Middle East, International cooperative of journalists, Rome, Italy
B'tselem: Gaza economy collapsing
JPost, Conservative, Jerusalem, Israel
Ajman to install cameras on roads
Khaleej Times, English-language daily, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
MP eyes more jobs for Kuwaitis
Middle East North African Network, Online financial portal, Amman, Jordan
Relentless Ethnic Violence in Kyrgyzstan Claims Hundreds of Lives
Nahamet, Online news portal, Beirut, Lebanon
Panel formed on Lebanon poll law
Saudi Gazette, English-language daily, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Dutch plan to open World Cup campaign in style, Italy looks to defend title
The Daily Star, Independent daily, Beirut, Lebanon
Iran approves 'peace pipeline' deal with Pakistan
Times of Oman, English-language daily, Muscat, Oman
An 11th-hour opportunity
Yemen Observer, Sana'a, Republic of Yemen
The OPEC Fund for International Development Scholarship
Yemen Times, (Independent weekly), Sana'a, Republic of Yemen
UK growth set to be downgraded
BBC News, Centrist newscaster, London, England
Keating aims to salvage marriage with house move
BreakingNews.ie, Online news portal, Cork, Ireland
Travolta and Preston donate to Mandela's charity
Daily Express, Conservative tabloid, London, England
4 people shot in Birmingham's Custard Factory nightclub sparking gang warfare fears
Daily Mail, Conservative daily, London, England
Arcep opens consultation on nationwide FTTH network sharing
DMeurope, Online news portal, Amsterdam, Netherlands
BELGIUM: Flemish separatists in Belgian parliamentary election victory
France 24, Issy-les-Moulineaux, France
Tea, the drink which has created empires…
Hurriyet Daily News, (Liberal, English-language), Istanbul, Turkey
Jessica Biel's Week Of Style
Look Magazine, London, England
Brampton Live festival cancelled
News & Star, Independent daily, Carlisle, England
Swiss Man Returns Home After Two Years Held In Libya
Radio Free Europe, Prague, Czech Republic
Labour's Growth Figures 'Too Optimistic'
Sky News, Independent newscaster, Middlesex, England
They'll Put a Spell on You: The Witchdoctors of African Football
Spiegel International, Liberal newsmagazine, Hamburg, Germany
Huge disparity in NHS death rates revealed
The Guardian, Liberal daily, London, England
35 feared drowned as boat capsizes in India
The Independent, London, England
Kyrgyzstan tense after clashes
The Irish Times, Centrist daily, Dublin, Ireland
Dvorkovich, Chess Robot Go 1-1
The Moscow Times, Independent daily, Moscow, Russia
I've let nation down
The Sun, London, England
JK Rowling in the doghouse over kennels
The Telegraph, London, England
Afghanistan: beginning of the end
The Telegraph, Conservative daily, London, England
Afghanistan 'holds $1 trillion in mineral deposits$'
Times Online, Conservative daily, London, England
Palembang's Arjuna hotel gutted by fire
Antara News, News agency, Jakarta, Indonesia
Report: US finds mineral riches in Afghanistan
China Post, English-language daily, Taipei, Taiwan
10th Seoul International Financial Forum Kicks Off
Chosun Ilbo, Conservative daily, Seoul, South Korea
Musharraf says will return to Pakistan soon
Dawn, English-language daily, Karachi, Pakistan
Euro bondholder haircuts would help
Gazeta.kz, Official online newspaper, Kazakhstan
Kanishka inquiry report to be released on Thursday
Hindustan Times, New Delhi, India
Dozen Maoists possibly killed in Jharkhand encounter
India Express, News portal, Mumbai, India
Man kills wife for casting 'wrong' vote
India Times, Conservative daily, New Delhi, India
India's post-Bhopal recklessness
Japan Times, Independent centrist, Tokyo, Japan
Former MIED CEO Chithirakala ordered to surrender passport
Malaysian Star, Online news portal, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
Man leaves $38,000 in Vietnam taxi
New Zealand Herald, Conservative daily, Auckland, New Zealand
Commander surrenders
Pajhwok Afghan News, (Independent news agency), Kabul, Afghanistan
WB offers 30 mln dollars loan for drainage projects in Egypt
People's Daily Online, English-language, Beijing, China
30 militants lay down arms in Afghanistan
Sify News, Chennai, India
Life behind the lens
Sydney Morning Herald, Centrist daily, Sydney, Australia
3 civilians killed
Taiwan News, English-language daily, Taipei, Taiwan
Taipei, Beijing to launch ECFA committee
Taiwan Today, Government Information Office, Taipei, Taiwan
Anti-Maoist offensive intensified, 10 rebels killed in Jharkhand
Thaindian News, Bangkok, Thailand
Centre attempting to pauperise our governments, says BJP
The Hindu, Left-leaning daily, Chennai, India
Landslide levels 5 homes in B.C. Interior
Canadian Broadcasting Centre, Toronto, Ontario
First storm of season may be forming
Caribbean360, Online news portal, St. Michael, Barbados
White collar crime soars
Cayman Net News, Online news portal, George Town, Cayman Islands
Inapa begins second phase of Nagua's potable water system
Dominican Today, Independent daily, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
/UPDATE/CUBA: Variety of Viewpoints Expected at Church Conference
IPS Latin America, International cooperative of journalists, Rome, Italy
Ghana draw first blood for Africa
Jamaica Gleaner, Independent daily, Kingston, Jamaica
Peru: Lambayeque region plans to export honey
Living in Peru, News portal, Lima, Peru
Dutch treated to spotlight
The Globe and Mail, Centrist daily, Toronto, Canada
André Marin keeps ombudsman job
Toronto Star, Toronto, Ontario
Players back keeper as Capello considers switch
Trinidad Guardian, Independent daily, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad
Durban police clash with stewards
BBC News, Centrist newscaster, London, England
Uniting the CPP and PNC Holding Joint Congress in 2010
GhanaWeb, Online news portal, Amsterdam, Netherlands
BP to set up claims fund
iafrica, Online news portal, Cape Town, South Africa
A sprinkling of snow for Table Mountain?
Independent Online, News portal, Cape Town, South Africa
Ethiopia sweeps race at NY Grand Prix meet
Jimma Times, Online news portal, Jimma, Ethiopia
Zimbabwe's elites use violence to exploit diamonds
Mail & Guardian Online, Liberal, Johannesburg, South Africa
Bafana 'going for the kill'
News24.com, Online news portal, Cape Town, South Africa
Adedibu's Will to be executed June 27
Vanguard, Independent daily, Lagos, Nigeria
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