"The eyes of others our prisons; their thoughts our cages."

Virginia Woolf

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Read Migalhas LatinoAmérica in Spanish every Tuesday and Thursday. Visit the website at www.migalhas.com/latinoamerica

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• Top News

Obama sees global fight for U.S. jobs

Obama challenged Americans on Tuesday night to unleash their creative spirit, set aside their partisan differences and come together around a common goal of outcompeting other nations in a rapidly shifting global economy. In a State of the Union address to a newly divided Congress, Obama outlined what he called a plan to "win the future" — a blueprint for spending in critical areas like education, high-speed rail, clean-energy technology and high-speed Internet to help the United States weather the unsettling impact of globalization and the challenge from emerging powers like China and India. "The rules have changed," he said. But at the same time he proposed budget-cutting measures, including a five-year freeze in spending on some domestic programs that he said would reduce the deficit by $400 billion over 10 years. After two years of battles over his health-care overhaul and other major initiatives, and the rise of the opposition Tea Party movement, Obama again offered the possibility of greater cooperation. He also shifted his sights from enduring the economic recession to prevailing in global competition. "The future is ours to win," Obama said. "But to get there, we can't just stand still." Celebrating the creativity and imagination of "the nation that put cars in driveways and computers in offices; the nation of Edison and the Wright brothers; of Google and Facebook," he said competition from abroad for jobs "shouldn't discourage us. It should challenge us."

UN expert calls for international maritime piracy court

The UN Secretary-General's special adviser on maritime piracy Jack Lang warned Security Council members on Monday that more needs to be done to bring Somali pirates to justice, proposing an international piracy court. In his report, set to undergo debate in the UN Security Council Tuesday, Lang encouraged members to take steps and allocate resources to reduce piracy levels through the implementation of tougher security measures, as well as the establishment of an international tribuanl. The report cited the increase in Somali pirate attacks and the associated costs, estimated at more than $7 billion a year, as the strongest justifications for a new approach to the problem. While warships from numerous countries already patrol shipping lanes near Somalia, Lang called for closer patrol covering areas known to be hideouts as a part of his plan to increase security against attacks. Lang also suggested the creation of a court which would be located in a foreign country but remain under Somali jurisdiction to assist in prosecuting cases of alleged piracy, a responsibility which has overwhelmed certain countries in the past. However, in a move being applauded and viewed as a step forward in deterring piracy, both Malaysia and South Korea plan to prosecute 12 Somali pirates captured in two separate raids last Friday.

I.M.F. says European debt still a threat to world recovery

The International Monetary Fund says the global recovery is continuing apace, but that financial uncertainty on the European periphery continues to pose a serious risk.

Financial crisis was avoidable, inquiry finds

A Congressional inquiry said bankers and regulators could have seen the 2008 crisis coming and stopped it.

Before you open the door to the boardroom, peek through the keyhole!

Michael Page specializes in the placement of candidates in permanent, contract, temporary and interim positions within client companies around the world. Have a look at the new section of the Migalhas website and discover the professional development opportunities with large corporations, in legal and business fields, presented by Michael Page International. Click here to peep through the hole!

• Crumbs

1 - A taxonomy of Supreme Court humor - Click here.

2 - Murder trial of 13-year-old Jordan Brown could violate International Law - Click here.

3 - Woman confesses to 1987 Harlem baby kidnapping - Click here.

4 - First gay couple to have civil partnership recognised - Click here.

5 - Ex-Siemens director in graft trial - Click here.

6 - No Russian art for U.S. - Click here.

7 - Former CIA spy gets 8 more years - Click here.

8 - Prison visitor arrested after drugs found - Click here.

9 - Mother fined for letting drink drive son behind the wheel - Click here.

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100% Migalhas: www.migalhas.com

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Inversiones

Las francesas Ibis y Accor anuncian inversiones en Colombia, tras visita del presidente colombiano, Juan Manuel Santos, a Paris donde sostuvo reuniones con empresarios.

Metro

Empresa chilena Sonda que se adjudicó la administración del Metro en Panamá es observada por el sistema de tarjetas electrónicas que debe empezar a ser distribuidas en el mes de agosto.

• Brief News

Davos 2011: World leaders set to tackle Globalisation 3.0

Business leaders will tackle topics like "Globalisation 3.0" and the economic rise of India and China. The mood is expected to be much more optimistic than in the past two years, with many expecting a boom in 2011. A survey of chief executives published on the eve of the annual event suggests that business confidence is nearly as strong as before the start of the global financial crisis. Some economists coming to Davos will argue that the world economy is set for long-term growth.

Law firm ACS: Law stops 'chasing illegal file-sharers'

A lawyer has dramatically withdrawn from pursuing alleged illegal file-sharers in the middle of a court case he brought. The patent court in London is currently scrutinizing 26 cases brought by ACS: Law on behalf of its client MediaCAT. The law firm had sent thousands of letters to alleged file-sharers. Those who received such letters may pursue ACS: Law for harassment, said law firm Ralli, which represents some of the defendants. In a statement read to the court, solicitor Andrew Crossley said he had now ceased all such work. He cited criminal attacks and bomb threats as reasons.

UN defends Ban Ki-moon rights record after critical report

The UN defended the human rights record of Secretary-General Ban-Ki Moon Monday after criticism from Human Rights Watch (HRW). HRW released an annual report Monday, which claimed that EU member states and the UN have failed to adequately respond to human rights abuses and violations. The report criticized Ban for not putting pressure on countries with poor human rights records.

Toyota recalls 1.7m cars globally

Japanese car manufacturer Toyota is to recall nearly 1.7 million vehicles worldwide over fuel leakage concerns.

Venezuela funeral limbo continues

The body of the former Venezuelan president Carlos Andres Perez is to stay in a funeral home in Miami until a legal dispute over where he should be buried is settled, a judge rules.

Supreme Court rules against summary judgment appeal after full trial

The US Supreme Court ruled unanimously Monday in Ortiz v. Jordan that a party may not appeal an order denying summary judgment after a full trial on the merits. Petitioner Michelle Ortiz was sexually assaulted by a corrections officer in prison and then placed in solitary confinement in retaliation for reporting the assault. She brought a § 1983 claim against respondents Paula Jordan, a case manager at the prison, and Rebecca Bright, who was responsible for Ortiz's time in solitary confinement. The district court denied respondents' motion for summary judgment, and they went ahead with trial without appealing. At the conclusion of the trial, the jury awarded Ortiz more than $600,000. Jordan and Bright subsequently appealed the denial of summary judgment.

Supreme Court rules third party may sue employer for retaliation

The US Supreme Court ruled unanimously Monday in Thompson v. North American Stainless that a third party can sue his employer for retalation. Eric Thompson was fired from North American Stainless (NAS) after the company learned that his fiancee, Miriam Regalado, had filed an action under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 alleging sex discrimination. The court granted certiorari to determine if Thompson could file a claim under the anti-retaliation provision of Title VII even though he was not the individual directly aggrieved by the sex discrimination and, if so, if he had standing to file a claim. The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky and the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit both determined that the statute "does not permit third party retaliation claims." The Supreme Court, in an opinion written by Justice Antonin Scalia, reversed and remanded stating that the language of the Title VII anti-retaliation provision, which makes it unlawful for an employer to discriminate against "any of his employees" for engaging in protected conduct, was broad enough to include the firing of Thompson. The court further determined that Thompson had standing to sue under Article III because he was directly aggrieved by the employer's action:

In split vote, S.E.C. adopts corporate pay rules

While these rules let investors vote on executive compensation at publicly traded companies, boards do not necessarily have to listen since the votes are nonbinding.

NYC prosecutor: Boost security fraud law sentences

Perpetrators of million-dollar stock and bond swindles should be forced to go to prison, one of the city's top prosecutors said Tuesday as he called for boosting penalties for breaking a wide-ranging state securities fraud law. By imposing the same punishment on a small-time schemer who gains $500 and a sweeping, sophisticated fraudster who costs investors millions of dollars, New York's law "is marred by overly lenient penalties," Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. said. He said he'll push state lawmakers to make sentences increase with the size of a securities scheme, and he said he's eyeing broader application of the securities law in the future.

• Daily Press Review

Three dead in Egypt protests
Al Jazeera, Doha, Qatar

Erekat: I am prepared for any investigation
Asharq Al-Awsat, Pan-Arab daily, London, England

Protests Mark Appointment of New PM in Lebanon
IPS Middle East, International cooperative of journalists, Rome, Italy

Police fill square with tear gas as Egypt clashes continue
JPost, Conservative, Jerusalem, Israel

New Tunisia Cabinet to be unveiled Wednesday, ministers say
The Daily Star, Independent daily, Beirut, Lebanon

State of the Union 2011: Obama says this is our 'Sputnik' moment
Daily Mail, Conservative daily, London, England

USA: Obama calls for innovation to 'win the future' in State of Union speech
France 24, Issy-les-Moulineaux, France

Germany overtakes UK as top pick for property funds
Hurriyet Daily News, (Liberal, English-language), Istanbul, Turkey

Secret papers reveal MI6 drew up plan for crackdown on Hamas
The Guardian, Liberal daily, London, England

Toyota recalling nearly 1.7 million vehicles
The Independent, London, England

Blast Kills 34 at Domodedovo
The Moscow Times, Independent daily, Moscow, Russia

PFI: GBP 70m bill for schools that had to close
The Telegraph, Conservative daily, London, England

Illegal RI migrant worker dies in Malaysia
Antara News, News agency, Jakarta, Indonesia

Why did Duvalier return to Haiti?
Japan Times, Independent centrist, Tokyo, Japan

Google, blogger sued by fish head curry restaurant operator in KK
Malaysian Star, Online news portal, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

Obama speech lays agenda for re-election fight
New Zealand Herald, Conservative daily, Auckland, New Zealand

Poll fraud cases being probed: Haqiq
Pajhwok Afghan News, (Independent news agency), Kabul, Afghanistan

Brazil's Petrobras announces new pre-salt discovery
People's Daily Online, English-language, Beijing, China

Ram Baran Yadav - a man who saw three revolts in two nations
Sify News, Chennai, India

New Taipei traffic chief shows no one is above the law
Taiwan Today, Government Information Office, Taipei, Taiwan

Baby Doc: I'm putting Haiti before myself
Caribbean360, Online news portal, St. Michael, Barbados

Environment Ministry trains on prevention of forest fires
Dominican Today, Independent daily, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

ECUADOR: Seven Foreign Oil Companies to Pull Out
IPS Latin America, International cooperative of journalists, Rome, Italy

'Rare' guilty verdict for cops in police brutality case
Toronto Star, Toronto, Ontario

Palestinians condemn plan to settle refugees in Chile
Mail & Guardian Online, Liberal, Johannesburg, South Africa