March 3, 2010 Nº 877 - Vol. 8
"Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus."
Alexander Graham Bell
____________
Read Migalhas LatinoAmérica in Spanish every Tuesday and Thursday. Visit the website at www.migalhas.com/latinoamerica
_____________
Europe officials urge new international court for communist crimes
An international court to prosecute crimes against humanity committed by communist regimes should be created by the European Union (EU), the participants of the Prague Crimes of the Communist Regime Conference said in a joint statement Friday. The participants in the conference, organized by the Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes, said that the new court should be established because such crimes, which are not subject to a statute of limitations under international law, fall outside the jurisdiction of current international courts. The statement also characterized the prosecution of communist crimes over the past 20 years as "extremely unsatisfactory." The three-day conference, attended mostly by government officials from eastern and central Europe, focused on current communist regimes and their threat to democracy. In the statement, the participants also called for the erection of a memorial to the victims of communism in Europe and the dedication of European-wide Day of Remembrance of the victims of all totalitarian and authoritarian regimes on August 23.
Ethiopia famine aid 'spent on weapons'
Millions of dollars earmarked for victims of the Ethiopian famine of 1984-85 went on buying weapons. An investigation found claims that a rebel movement in Ethiopia diverted the aid to fund its attempt to overthrow the government of the time. Rebel soldiers said they posed as merchants as "a trick for the NGOs". Documents released by the CIA confirmed aid was "almost certainly being diverted for military purposes".
Toyota hearings may lead to new auto safety rules
After skewering top Toyota executives in three congressional hearings, lawmakers and federal safety officials will now decide if the auto industry needs new regulations to ensure that the company's huge safety recalls aren't repeated. There are signs that Toyota's recall of 8.5 million vehicles will result in new rules, new spending and changes to vehicle safety laws passed after the last big safety debacle a decade ago, involving Firestone tire blowouts.
Turkish PM to unveil constitutional reforms toward EU membership bid
The Turkish government will submit a European Union (EU) reform package with proposed constitutional changes to Parliament by the end of March, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Sunday, following a meeting of the EU Reform Watch Group. The Watch Group, overseen by Minister and Chief EU Negotiator Egemen Bag?s, was created to guide Turkey's accession to the EU. Erdogan said that the amendments, necessary for continuing EU negotiations, would focus on judicial reform. Other areas of potential reform include the formation of an ombudsman's office and the election system in Turkey, including political parties. Erdogan condemned opposition parties and the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK) for opposing a constitutional amendment, and said the government will seek a public referendum if an agreement for the constitutional amendments cannot be reached.
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!
1 - Supreme Court hears arguments in gun rights case (Click here)
2 - Supreme Court rules federal courts have jurisdiction over copyright settlements (Click here)
3 - Supreme Court rules in oil franchise dispute (Click here)
_____________
100% Migalhas: www.migalhas.com
_____________
MiMIC Journal
China firm on Iran nuclear talks
China again calls for talks on Iran's nuclear dispute, as US diplomats arrive in Beijing seeking support for new sanctions.
Local Chinese governments masking debt risks financial crisis
China's hidden borrowing may push government debt to 96 percent of gross domestic product next year, increasing the risk of a financial crisis in the world's third-biggest economy, Professor Victor Shih said.
China overtakes the U.S. as world's largest real-estate investment market
China overtook the U.S. as the world's biggest property investment market last year and will probably keep the lead in 2010 on economic growth and a lower reliance on debt.
Google wants U.S. to weigh WTO challenge against China internet censorship
The Obama administration is weighing the merits of taking China's censorship of Google Inc. to the World Trade Organization as an unfair barrier to trade, a move that could further raise diplomatic tensions.
_____________
Tell your friends and colleagues you've read it in Migalhas International
_____________
Terremoto - Seguros
La aseguradora británica RSA Insurance Group anunció un costo estimado de aproximadamente 30 millones de libras -US$ 44,7 mlls-, netos de reaseguros, por los reclamos ante el terremoto de 8,8 puntos en la escala de Richter registrado en Chile el fin de semana.
Malvinas
El gobierno de Gran Bretaña dijo que "es innecesaria" una eventual mediación de Estados Unidos entre Londres y Buenos Aires por el tema Malvinas, como lo comprometiera la Secretaria de Estado Hillary Clinton, toda vez que es clave y se respeta el derecho de la "autodeterminación, pues los isleños decidieron ser ingleses. (Presione aquí)
China - Perú
Tratado de libre comercio (TLC) entre China y Perú, entró en vigor desde ayer. El embajador e Perú en China, Harold Forsyth, dijo que el acuerdo impulsará en gran medida el comercio bilateral.
Wal-Mart settles gender discrimination complaint
Wal-Mart agreed to pay about $12 million in back wages and damages as well as hire more female applicants for warehouse jobs to settle a sex discrimination lawsuit.
UN warns HIV/Aids leading cause of death in women
HIV has become the leading cause of death and disease among women of reproductive age worldwide, the UN program on HIV/Aids says. At the start of a 10-day conference in New York, UNAids launched a five-year action plan addressing the gender issues, which put women at risk. One of the key issues, it says, is that up to 70% of women worldwide have been forced to have unprotected sex. UNAids says such violence against women must not be tolerated.
Pleas for calm amid Chile rubble
Chile's president calls for calm in the quake-hit city of Concepcion, vowing a stern response to any more looting and violence.
German court orders stored telecoms data deletion
Vast amounts of telephone and e-mail data held in Germany must be deleted, the country's highest court has ruled. The constitutional court overturned a 2008 law requiring communications data to be kept for six months. The law - designed to combat terrorism and serious crime - required telecoms companies to keep logs of calls, faxes, SMS messages, e-mails and internet use. But nearly 35,000 Germans lodged complaints against it, arguing that the law violated their right to privacy. Responding to the thousands of formal complaints, Germany's constitutional court described the law as a "particularly serious infringement of privacy in telecommunications". However, it did not rule against data retention in principle.
Rwanda president's widow held in France over genocide
The widow of former Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana, whose assassination triggered the Rwandan genocide, has been arrested in France. Agathe Habyarimana is accused by the current Rwandan government of helping to plan the 1994 genocide, and has long been sought by prosecutors there. Habyarimana, who has been living in France for several years, denies the accusations. More than 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus died in the massacres of 1994. French officials said Habyarimana was detained in the Paris region by police executing a Rwandan-issued international arrest warrant.
Apple sues HTC over phone patents
Apple has taken legal action against phone maker HTC, alleging it has infringed patented technology. HTC has been accused of infringing 20 patents owned by Apple that are used in the iPhone. Apple said the patent infringements covered technology used in the iPhone interface as well as its "underlying hardware and architecture." HTC makes phones for many firms including Google and was behind the Nexus One handset. In its legal filing, Apple is seeking a lasting injunction which would effectively bar HTC from selling phones that use the disputed technology in the US. (Click here)
Obama 'open to Republican healthcare ideas'
Obama has said he is considering four ideas floated by Republicans at last week's Washington summit on healthcare reform.
SCOTUS will not stop D.C. gay marriage law
An emergency appeal to stop a District of Columbia gay marriage law from taking effect Wednesday was denied by Chief Justice John Roberts late Tuesday afternoon. Roberts says it is the practice of the Supreme Court to defer to the rulings of D.C. courts matters that are of local concern. He also notes that Congress with its authority to overrule D.C. laws within 30 days has refused to do so. Roberts writes that "while these considerations are of course not determinative of the legal issues, they do weigh against granting petitioners' request for a stay..."
EU moves to prevent 'shock' mobile internet bills
A new Europe-wide rule to prevent mobile phone users from building up large bills for surfing the internet via their handset has come into force. Customers can now require their phone firm to cut them off when their bill reaches a certain level after accessing the internet in other European nations. The Commission added that if service providers did not honor people's set spending limits, national regulators would deal with complaints and impose any necessary sanctions.
Brazil's IPO market retains its allure
Brazil has become a favored international investor destination because of its resilience during the crisis and its vibrant recovery. The economy is widely expected to grow more than 5% in 2010. But while interest in Brazilian assets remains high, the only two IPOs held locally this year proved something of a failure, with Multiplus SA, a unit of Brazilian airline TAM SA, and Aliance Shopping Center SA both being forced to price below initial estimates. OSX's IPO will be one of the largest ever in Brazil, although well behind the current record of $8 billion raised by the Brazilian unit of Spanish bank Banco Santander SA at the end of 2009.
US senator freezes unemployment payment
Some 2,000 construction workers building road projects across the US have been sent home after a senator blocked a bill to extend payments. Republican Jim Bunning single-handedly blocked the legislation, saying it would add to the deficit. He used procedural tactics to delay the bill and a new vote will now have to be taken, possibly next week. No-one has supported Sen Bunning so far.
GM recalls 1.3m cars over power steering fault
General Motors (GM) is recalling 1.3 million small cars in North America because of a power steering problem that has been linked to 14 crashes. GM blamed the fault on a supplier partially owned by Toyota.
Supreme Court rules federal courts have jurisdiction over copyright settlements
The US Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled in Reed Elsevier v. Muchnick that a federal law requiring copyright holders to register their works before suing for copyright infringement does not remove federal court jurisdiction if the copyright holder failed to register. The US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit had invalidated a lower court's approval of a settlement in a class action lawsuit on the grounds that the court lacked jurisdiction.
France court seeks high court ruling on constitutionality of police custody
The Paris Criminal Court on Monday asked the highest court of appeal, the Court of Cassation, to determine the constitutionality of police custody under article 63-4 of the code of criminal procedure. The request follows Monday's entry into force of a constitutional amendment allowing individuals indirectly to seek review before the French Constitutional Council by appealing to the highest courts of the country. The Court of Cassation will have three months to decide whether the question should be submitted to the Constitutional Council. The application was initiated by an association of Paris bar lawyers, which has called for lawyers around France to follow its lead in order to pressure the government to reform the criminal procedure. French Justice Minister Michele Alliot-Marie will present a reform project to the unions representing judges and lawyers on Tuesday.
Mudslide destroys Ugandan village
Al Jazeera, Doha, Qatar
Muslim Leader Issues Anti-Terror Fatwa
Asharq Al-Awsat, Pan-Arab daily, London, England
IDF's newest heroes: Women spotters on Gaza border
Haaretz, Liberal daily, Tel Aviv, Israel
MIGRATION: France Urges EU to Tighten Mediterranean Borders
IPS Middle East, International cooperative of journalists, Rome, Italy
Hamas aide: Assassinated leader smuggled weapons
JPost, Conservative, Jerusalem, Israel
Chaos, Accidents, Tailbacks and Flooded Roads
Khaleej Times, English-language daily, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Dubai- Structural changes to drive growth in insurance sector
Middle East North African Network, Online financial portal, Amman, Jordan
Troops Thwart Looters in Quake-hit Chile
Nahamet, Online news portal, Beirut, Lebanon
Panel formed on Lebanon poll law
Saudi Gazette, English-language daily, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Iran says new UN nuclear chief biased but leaves door ajar
The Daily Star, Independent daily, Beirut, Lebanon
China sticks to diplomatic approach on Iran
Times of Oman, English-language daily, Muscat, Oman
Bulger killer 'where he belongs'
BBC News, Centrist newscaster, London, England
Suicide blasts kill six in Iraq
BreakingNews.ie, Online news portal, Cork, Ireland
Jilted lover wants GBP 500,000 from ex she hoped to wed
Daily Express, Conservative tabloid, London, England
James Bulger killer Jon Venables secretly sent back to jail... 17 years after toddler's murder shocked Britain
Daily Mail, Conservative daily, London, England
PLDT's net income rises 15% in FY 2009
DMeurope, Online news portal, Amsterdam, Netherlands
CHILE EARTHQUAKE: Authorities step up search for victims
France 24, Issy-les-Moulineaux, France
Rihanna Wears Topshop
Look Magazine, London, England
Motorcyclist dies in road crash on A66 in Cumbria
News & Star, Independent daily, Carlisle, England
Italy Makes Arrests For Arms Trafficking To Iran
Radio Free Europe, Prague, Czech Republic
Bulger Mother: Killer Back Where He Belongs
Sky News, Independent newscaster, Middlesex, England
Incest Warning: Knut Should be Castrated, Animal Rights Group Says
Spiegel International, Liberal newsmagazine, Hamburg, Germany
New demands for a full tax inquiry into Ashcroft affair
The Guardian, Liberal daily, London, England
Dozens killed by Uganda landslides
The Independent, London, England
German retail sales flat
The Irish Times, Centrist daily, Dublin, Ireland
Son of Ex-Policeman Says He's Victim of Police Tricks
The Moscow Times, Independent daily, Moscow, Russia
James Bulger killer Jon Venables returned to prison
The Telegraph, Conservative daily, London, England
Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe insists: 'I'm not gay'
The Telegraph, London, England
Widow of ex-Rwandan President Juvénal Habyarimana arrested in France
Times Online, Conservative daily, London, England
Reshuffle may disadvantage Yudhoyono's government: observer
Antara News, News agency, Jakarta, Indonesia
10th Seoul International Financial Forum Kicks Off
Chosun Ilbo, Conservative daily, Seoul, South Korea
Troops kill suicide jacket supplier near Peshawar
Dawn, English-language daily, Karachi, Pakistan
Prime Ministers of Kazakhstan and Russia to discuss development prospects in space, transport branches
Gazeta.kz, Official online newspaper, Kazakhstan
Navy plane crashes; pilot dead, four injured
India Express, News portal, Mumbai, India
AI staffer molests 9-yr-old girl
India Times, Conservative daily, New Delhi, India
A toast to Canada
Japan Times, Independent centrist, Tokyo, Japan
13 suspected militants arrested in Aceh
Malaysian Star, Online news portal, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
NZ giving $500,000 in Chile quake aid
New Zealand Herald, Conservative daily, Auckland, New Zealand
Police fail to find bomb in Wellington CBD
People's Daily Online, English-language, Beijing, China
Top Dems looking to Obama for health care momentum
Sify News, Chennai, India
'She's my angel forever'
Sydney Morning Herald, Centrist daily, Sydney, Australia
Top China officials charged in graft probe
Taiwan News, Taipei, Taiwan
Health insurance hike to affect only upper strata
Taiwan Today, Taipai, Taiwan
Stone Age man used ostrich eggshells for communication
Thaindian News, Bangkok, Thailand
Opposition steps up offensive on price hike
The Hindu, Left-leaning daily, Chennai, India
MID-AFTERNOON PILE UP
Antigua Sun Online, Independent daily, St. John's, Antigua
Economy, deficit control focus of throne speech
Canadian Broadcasting Centre, Toronto, Ontario
Premier, MLAs salaries to be cut
Cayman Net News, Online news portal, George Town, Cayman Islands
Hillary Clinton, Dominican leader to meet Friday in Guatemala
Dominican Today, Independent daily, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
URUGUAY: New President Aims for Leap in Development
IPS Latin America, International cooperative of journalists, Rome, Italy
'Dudus defence'
Jamaica Gleaner, Independent daily, Kingston, Jamaica
Radisson may open another hotel in Peru
Living in Peru, News portal, Lima, Peru
Tom ‘T-Bone' Wolk, long-time bass player for Hall & Oates, dies
The Globe and Mail, Centrist daily, Toronto, Canada
?Sweet parang but sour results at Music Festival
Trinidad Guardian, Independent daily, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad
Whistler Medals Plaza to host world's best Paralympians and world-class talent at 2010 Paralympic Winter Games - News Releases : Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics
Vancouver 2010 Olympic News, Vancouver, British Columbia
Ethiopia aid 'spent on weapons'
BBC News, Centrist newscaster, London, England
Southern African countries move to single visa zone
CongoPlanet.com, Independent online news aggregator
NALAG should fulfil development aspirations of the people- Mr Aidoo Mensah
GhanaWeb, Online news portal, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Plane crashes at air show
iafrica, Online news portal, Cape Town, South Africa
Mboweni wins Equality Court case
Independent Online, News portal, Cape Town, South Africa
2010 Election Symbols of opposition parties in Ethiopia
Jimma Times, Online news portal, Jimma, Ethiopia
Man caught robbing same bank twice in 24 hours
Mail & Guardian Online, Liberal, Johannesburg, South Africa
Uganda: 50 students among the dead or missing
News24.com, Online news portal, Cape Town, South Africa
Benue House suspends 12 LG chairmen
Vanguard, Independent daily, Lagos, Nigeria
______________
How are we doing?
We would like to hear from you how we perform. What you like and what we should change or add. Send us an email; we aim to please!
Tell your friends and associates.
to subscribe to Migalhas International! www.migalhas.com
Express yourself
Want to share your opinion, your experience, your questions? You are welcome to do so. This forum is yours. Please contact the editor: [email protected]
Events
We welcome information about your events or conferences to come. Please contact the editor.
Sponsors
Become a sponsor. Spread your name in the business and legal spheres around the world in Migalhas International.
Subscription
To subscribe: Register your name and your address at https://www.migalhas.com
To unsubscribe: Send your name and e-mail address to in the subject line. We will remove your name soonest.
Address changes: If you want to continue to receive Migalhas International, please make sure we have your current e-mail address.
Contact
Michael Ghilissen, editor: [email protected]
Miguel Matos, publisher: [email protected]
Please feel free to send your comments, questions and suggestions to the editor.
Your comments
We always welcome information, articles, testimonials, opinions and comments about something you've read in Migalhas International. Please forward your contributions to the editor.
Confidentiality
When you add your name to Migalhas International, you can be sure that it's confidential. We do not share, trade, rent or sell this list. Our "privacy policy" contains no fine print. No one gets our list. Period. Your e-mail address is safe with us.
Sharing Migalhas International
If you'd like to share this Migalhas International with friends and colleagues, feel free to forward this issue including the copyright notice. Or, invite them to subscribe so they receive their own Migalhas International every week.
Sources
The content of the Miglhas International newsletter is edited for purposes of news reporting, comments and education from several sources, including: The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe, The London Times, Le Monde, Frankfurter Allgemeine, The Financial Times, Radio Netherlands Worldwide, Google News, International Herald Tribune, Paper Chase (jurist.law.pitt.edu), The World Press Review: https://www.worldpress.org, Forbes, Fortune, Time, Newsweek, Harvard Business Review, American Bar Association, American Lawyer Media, FindLaw.com, The National Law Journal, Reuters, Associated Press, Internet Business Law Services, Folha de Sao Paulo, O Estado do Sao Paulo, Lexis Nexis, West Law, CNN, The Globe and Mail, The Los Angeles Times, Wikipedia and more.
Fair use notice
This newsletter contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of legal, environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material in this newsletter is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.
The messages that appear in this newsletter are for informational purposes only. They are not intended to be and should not be considered legal advice nor substitute for obtaining legal advice from competent, independent, legal counsel in the relevant jurisdiction.
Transmission of this information is not intended to create, and receipt does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship. The information contained on this list may or may not reflect the most current legal developments.
www.migalhas.com
Copyright 2010 - Migalhas International