Poll shows narrow support for Palestinian state
A global poll suggests more people back UN recognition of Palestine as an independent state than oppose it. Across the 19 countries surveyed, 49% supported the proposal while 21% said their government should oppose it. The Palestinians say they will ask for full membership at the UN this week but the US says it will veto the move. They are seeking international recognition of their state based on 1967 borders - the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip. The Palestinian statehood bid pits Obama against allies. Israel and the US say a Palestinian state can only be achieved through direct negotiation. The last round of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians broke down a year ago.
Siemens to quit nuclear industry
German industrial and engineering conglomerate Siemens is to withdraw entirely from the nuclear industry. The move is a response to the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan in March; it is the firm's answer to "the clear positioning of German society and politics for a pullout from nuclear energy".
Strauss-Kahn to give 1st TV interview since arrest
The former head of the International Monetary Fund and a one-time leading potential Socialist Party contender for the French presidency said he committed a "moral fault" and apologized to his family, friends, and to "the French people." "What happened was more than an inappropriate relation; it was an error." Before he was charged in New York, Strauss-Kahn had been planning to run in the primaries for the Socialist Party nomination for the 2012 presidential vote, DSK said last night. Fifty-three percent want Strauss-Kahn to leave politics, a poll said. Sixty-four percent of those asked want Strauss-Kahn to give his views and solutions to the economic crisis.
Sony asks gamers to sign new terms or face PSN ban
Sony is preparing to ban gamers from the PSN - PlayStation Network unless they waive the right to collectively sue it over future security breaches. The firm has amended PSN's terms and conditions and users have to agree to them next time they log in. The move comes months after a string of hacking attacks compromised over 100 million accounts of the PlayStation Network subscribers. It is, however, possible to opt out of the agreement within the next 30 days. Gamers will now have to try to resolve any legal issues with an arbitrator picked by Sony, before being able to file a lawsuit.
U.S. underwhelmed with emerging powers at U.N.
The Obama administration has courted the world's emerging powers. But now that India, South Africa and Brazil have rotating seats on the U.N. Security Council, U.S. officials and human rights activists complain they're not living up to expectations.
Court rules insurance companies not liable for global warming
The Virginia Supreme Court ruled Friday that the effects of global warming are not covered by a standard liability insurance policy. The AES Corporation, a power company, is facing a suit, Kivalina v. Exxon Mobil Corp., for its contributions to global warming. AES expected that its insurance company, Steadfast, would defend this suit as part of their liability coverage. The Virginia Supreme court ruled that they are under no duty to do so, due to no single "accident" or "occurrence" forcing the suit, but intentional actions.
UBS raises loss to $2.3bn
UBS faces questions on oversight after a trader lost $2,3bn. UBS said the alleged activity by trader Kweku Adoboli was uncovered after UBS began making inquiries. For the past three months, big bets were placed on future movements in stock-market indices, the S&P 500, the Dax and the EuroStoxx. This was speculation on the future direction of share prices. Adoboli entered "fictitious" hedges against these positions into UBS' risk management system, while in reality he had no hedge in place and was breaching the risk limits that the bank required him to work within. According to UBS, the size of the bets was hidden by the manufacture of fictitious offsetting investments via financial products called Exchange Traded Funds. To put it another way, the impression was created that UBS was taking no more risk than usual, when in reality it was taking huge risks on stock-market bets. The trader was charged with fraud and false accounting at a London court on Friday.
Egypt court convicts former Mubarak regime minister in corruption case
An Egyptian court on Sunday convicted Zohair Garanah, the former tourism minister under the Hosni Mubarak regime, on corruption charges. As a result of the guilty verdict, the court sentenced him to three years in prison. The conviction of Garanah, a businessman before joining Mubarak's cabinet, closely followed that of Ahmed Ezz, who was also highly involved in the ruling party and convicted on Friday on charges of corruption.
Venezuela president criticizes human rights court ruling
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Saturday criticized the IACHR - Inter-American Court of Human Rights for ruling in favor of presidential hopeful Leopoldo Lopez, thereby allowing him to run for office. A Venezuelan anti-corruption official had barred Lopez from running for office after conducting a corruption investigation in 2005. Chavez called the IACHR ruling politically motivated. He further claimed that the Costa Rica-based international court is part of a system that protects corrupt behavior and is influenced by the US and the wealthy. The Venezuelan presidential primary election, where voters will select an opposition leader to challenge Chavez, will be held in February, and the presidential election will be held in October 2012.
Samsung countersues Apple in Australia
Samsung Electronics widened a sprawling global patent dispute with Apple by filing a countersuit in Australia, while also appealing a ruling in Germany that prevents the sale of a Samsung tablet computer there.
Seven states join DOJ lawsuit opposing AT&T, T-Mobile merger
Seven states, including California, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Washington, on Friday joined an antitrust lawsuit initiated by the US DOJ - Department of Justice attempting to block a proposed $39bn acquisition of cellular carrier T-Mobile USA by Telecom giant AT&T. The lawsuit, filed by the DOJ in August, cites the important role T-Mobile has played in keeping prices down by creating pressure on the other large carriers, including not only AT&T, but also Verizon Wireless and Sprint Nextel.
Barroso to put forward eurobonds
European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso has said he will put forward moves to tackle the eurozone debt crisis, which he called "the most serious challenge of a generation". He said he would urge the 17 eurozone nations to issue joint bonds, allowing them to borrow money collectively. Eurobonds have been backed by Italian Finance Minister Giulio Tremonti and investor George Soros. However, Germany has repeatedly expressed its opposition to the idea."
Behind the wave of bank suits: statutes of limitation
The clock is running down on investors looking to sue the nation's biggest banks over now-soured mortgage-backed securities. Statutes of limitation are creeping up quickly, a factor in the recent wave of lawsuits by investors against banks that has unnerved investors in the past several months, lawyers are saying. Key points in time for investors looking to sue are the dates they bought mortgage-backed bonds—and the dates it became clear, from a legal standpoint, that the bonds had problems due to heavy defaults by borrowers. For instance, recent lawsuits against 17 banks by the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the regulator for housing giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, came as the FHFA pressed to beat the three-year anniversary of Fannie's and Freddie's failure last week, ensuring the regulator didn't miss a possible deadline. The statute for federal securities suits can be as short as one year, and in many cases is already up, say lawyers. Claims that allege information documents for mortgage-backed securities were faulty fall under different laws, and start timing out two years after discovering the fraud or five years after the sale.
Netherlands to propose burqa ban
Dutch PM Mark Rutte announced on Friday that the government will propose legislation to ban burqas and other face coverings. The proposal is being submitted in cooperation with conservative politician Geert Wilders and the Party for Freedom. The government contends that the proposed legislation does not represent a restriction on religious freedom but rather is an attempt to promote gender equality.
UK passes law limiting arrests under universal jurisdiction
The UK Parliament on Thursday approved the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill, making it more difficult for ordinary citizens to obtain arrest warrants for suspected war criminals present in the UK. The controversial act removes the exclusive power of granting arrest warrants from local magistrates, requiring that all such warrants receive approval from the DPP - Director of Public Prosecutions. Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke of the UK Ministry of Justice said about the bill, "[w]e are clear about our international obligations and these new changes to existing law will ensure the balance is struck between ensuring those who are accused of such heinous crimes do not escape justice and that universal jurisdiction cases are only proceeded with on the basis of solid evidence that is likely to lead to a successful prosecution." The amendment is seen as a move by the UK government to improve relations with foreign countries such as China and Israel, after several government officials were forced to cancel trips to the UK out of fears of being arrested.
Federal judge blocks Florida law restricting doctors from asking patients about firearms
A judge for the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida on Wednesday temporarily enjoined a Florida law restricting what physicians can ask or say about firearms to their patients as violative of the doctors' First Amendment rights. Under the FOPA - Firearm Owners' Privacy Act, violating doctors risk losing their medical license and up to a $10,000 fine for "asking questions concerning the ownership of a firearm" or "unnecessarily harassing a patient about firearm ownership." Judge Marcia Cooke rejected Florida's argument that the law was about protecting Second Amendment rights.
Oil spill report boosts case against BP, others
A U.S. government report largely blaming BP for the Gulf of Mexico oil spill could provide fresh ammunition to plaintiffs in mass litigation against BP, Transocean and Halliburton.
Time
Rick Perry's Mission. The rise of Rick Perry. Aggie yell leader. Texas governor. Onetime Democrat. Since launching his campaign for president, Rick Perry has turned the Republican Party upside down. Can he win over the Tea Party without making independent voters cringe?
Newsweek
Where women are winning. Global Women’s Progress Report. Fair hiring in China. Literacy in Mali. Newsweek’s rankings reveal where women are winning—and where the gains are slow to come.
Business Week
America isn’t working. Can Retraining Give the Unemployed a Second Chance?
Americans looking for employment often lack the skills they need. Retraining works. Sometimes.
The Economist
How to save the Euro.
Der Spiegel
Der Unbelehrbare - Ein Papst lässt die Deutschen vom Glauben abfallen.
L'Espresso
Forza Cina. Tremonti il cinese. La fatica di finanziare il debito. L'assedio dei falchi tedeschi. I capitali che vanno in Svizzera. Ecco perché il ministro è costretto a far la corte a Pechino. Nella speranza che compri un po' dei nostri Btp.
Dozens of protesters shot dead in Yemen
Al Jazeera, Doha, Qatar
Holy Land clerics bless Palestinian UN bid
Asharq Al-Awsat, Pan-Arab daily, London, England
Libya readies new cabinet as Sirte battle rages
Egyptian Gazette, English-language, Cairo, Egypt
Israeli social protesters mull fighting court order to dismantle tent cities
Haaretz, Liberal daily, Tel Aviv, Israel
Barak meets Fayyad in attempt to stop UN bid
JPost, Conservative, Jerusalem, Israel
Bailiffs set to clear Dale Farm
BBC News, Centrist newscaster, London, England
Pakistani Taliban target police official
CNN International, London, England
BBC Farsi staff arrested in Iran
Daily Express, Conservative tabloid, London, England
Dale Farm eviction: As bailiffs prepare to move in, travellers organise 'war meetings'
Daily Mail, Conservative daily, London, England
Emmy Awards 2011 The Brits are coming! Kate Winslet and Downton Abbey reign supreme and win big at the Emmy Awards
Daily Mail, Conservative daily, London, England
Sudan and South Sudan sign border deal
EuroNews, International news, Ecully Cedex, France
FRANCE: Strauss-Kahn calls NY hotel maid liaison 'moral failing'
France 24, Issy-les-Moulineaux, France
Scorsese's Harrison documentary to premiere in Liverpool
Hurriyet Daily News, (Liberal, English-language), Istanbul, Turkey
Suicide bomber targets top policeman in Pakistan
Independent The, London, England
Russia's residential property price drop tops world
Moscow News The, Independent, Moscow, Russia
Tory MPs demand referendum on Europe
Telegraph The, Conservative daily, London, England
The Emmy Awards: quotes
Telegraph The, Celebrity news, London, England
25 blast victims still in hospital
Bangkok Post, Independent, Bangkok, Thailand
Obama to propose 'Buffett Tax' for millionaires
China Post, English-language daily, Taipei, Taiwan
Korea's Costly Blunder in Iraq
Chosun Ilbo, Conservative daily, Seoul, South Korea
Protests against Ahmadinejad's arrival in New York
Hindustan Times, New Delhi, India
Class 4 kid sets junior on fire in Bihar
India Times, Conservative daily, New Delhi, India
Shikoku's Muroto area wins UNESCO geopark status
Japan Times, Independent centrist, Tokyo, Japan
Strong quake hits India, Nepal - 48 dead
New Zealand Herald, Conservative daily, Auckland, New Zealand
Police detain 126 people over pro-Kurdish protest in Istanbul
People's Daily Online, English-language, Beijing, China
Australian foreign minister fights for his Vegemite in US
Straits Times, Pro-government, Singapore
China Vice-Premier Li: Global risks rising
The Economic Times, Business, Mumbai, India
Crime, economy top Parliament's agenda as MPs return
Canadian Broadcasting Centre, Toronto, Ontario
Fundraising pitfalls: Somalia still needs us
Globe and Mail The, Centrist daily, Toronto, Canada
U.S.-Sino Relations on the Brink of Collapse?
International Business Times, Business news organization, New York, U.S
SOUTH AMERICA: Uneven Progress in Child Health
IPS Latin America, International cooperative of journalists, Rome, Italy
Greece braces for more austerity to avert default
Reuters, Business News, New York, U.S
Landslides hamper rescue efforts after Himalaya quake
Reuters, World News, New York, U.S
Teen suspected in friend's death dies of his injuries
Toronto Star, Toronto, Ontario
Battle for Libya city intensifies
BBC News, Centrist newscaster, London, England
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