Mainstream News

Credit card donations to WikiLeaks once again flowing through Iceland

"International credit card donations to WikiLeaks are flowing again after an Icelandic court ruling forced MasterCard’s and Visa’s local agent to process payments, the companies involved in processing the funds said. One of WikiLeaks’ most important sources of funding – donations made from Visa and MasterCard users around the globe – was cut off in 2010 when the firms stopped processing donations to WikiLeaks’ direct payment line in Iceland. Their move came after criticism by the United States of the anti-secrecy organization’s release of thousands of sensitive U.S. diplomatic cables, which embarrassed Washington." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingCredit card donations to WikiLeaks once again flowing through Iceland

Swisscom boss pledges data is safe

"Swisscom has never released data to the US authorities, he assured the paper. Information is only released in response to requests from the Swiss police request on the basis of a court order. However, Schloter estimated that just 10 to 15 per cent of data linked to all Swiss internet users is actually stored in Switzerland. The rest is stored in data centres abroad, 'mainly in the United States, via Google, Facebook or Twitter'. Meanwhile one in four Swiss internet users said they would change their online behaviour following revelations of far-reaching US surveillance of personal data." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSwisscom boss pledges data is safe

Glenn Greenwald: ‘Obama Admin Using Snowden as an Example in War on Whistleblowers’

"Glenn Greenwald, The Guardian newspaper columnist who first published Edward Snowden's revelations about the NSA surveillance programs, joined Fox and Friends this morning and said that there are many more secrets still to come to light. While he declined to specifically say what they were at this time, he did say, 'There are vast programs of both domestic and international spying that the world will be shocked to learn about that the NSA has engaged in with no democratic accountability.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingGlenn Greenwald: ‘Obama Admin Using Snowden as an Example in War on Whistleblowers’

Military air tankers join fight against deadly Arizona wildfire

"The US military ordered four air tankers to join fire-dousing efforts in Arizona, where firefighters were battling a still out-of-control inferno which killed 19 of their comrades. The Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System (MAFFS) planes will be redeployed from other states to help tackle blazes including the Yarnell Hill fire, which remained zero percent contained despite a doubling of ground crews fighting it. The extra firefighting aircraft, which are specially-equipped military C-130 planes, can drop 3,000 gallons of water or fire retardant in less than five seconds, and can be refilled in less than 12 minutes." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingMilitary air tankers join fight against deadly Arizona wildfire

Egypt’s Tamarod protest movement

"Tamarod is a new grassroots protest movement in Egypt. The group, whose name means 'rebel' in Arabic, claims it has collected more than 22 million signatures for a petition demanding President Mohammed Morsi step down and allow fresh presidential elections to be held. Following Sunday's massive demonstrations, in which millions of people took to the streets in Cairo and other cities, Tamarod gave the president an ultimatum to resign or face a campaign of 'complete civil disobedience'. It urged 'state institutions including the army, the police and the judiciary, to clearly side with the popular will as represented by the crowds'." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingEgypt’s Tamarod protest movement

Obama administration pushes new public health research agenda on gun control

"Americans who own or want guns likely will be subject to rafts of new questions from social scientists, medical researchers and law enforcement officials intent to discover just what guns they own, why they own them and what they intend to use them for — not to mention where and how they keep them. They will also likely have more researchers poring over such issues as whether childhood education programs against gun violence actually work; whether there actually is any relationship between violence in the media and in real life; and whether school safety plans drawn up by in the wake of highly publicized mass shootings actually are effective." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingObama administration pushes new public health research agenda on gun control

State Department bureau spent $630,000 on Facebook ‘likes’

"State Department officials spent $630,000 to get more Facebook 'likes,' prompting employees to complain to a government watchdog that the bureau was 'buying fans' in social media, the agency's inspector general says. The department's Bureau of International Information Programs spent the money to increase its 'likes' count between 2011 and March 2013. Despite the surge in likes, the IG said the effort failed to reach the bureau's target audience, which is largely older and more influential than the people liking its pages. Only about 2 percent of fans actually engage with the pages by liking, sharing or commenting." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingState Department bureau spent $630,000 on Facebook ‘likes’

Dell’s Cash Overseas Is Needed at Home, But U.S. Taxes Loom Large

"Advisers working on Dell Inc.'s $24.4 billion buyout are trying to solve a problem: how to use the computer maker's foreign cash without paying a $2.6 billion U.S. tax bill. That could be the cost levied to use the money held in foreign subsidiaries. The efforts highlight a current bind of corporate America: While U.S. companies are holding more cash than ever, the tangle of U.S. tax policies and corporate cash-preservation strategies means much of it isn't readily available for some of the most important corporate decisions, such as returning cash to shareholders or mergers and acquisitions." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingDell’s Cash Overseas Is Needed at Home, But U.S. Taxes Loom Large

French competition watchdog raids Apple stores

"French competition authorities last week raided several stores of US tech giant Apple following a complaint by failed local firm eBizcuss of unfair trade practices, officials said Tuesday. Officials from the Autorite de la Concurrance confirmed the raids but did not say where they took place and how many outlets were affected. Apple did not comment. The Les Echos financial daily said the the investigators wanted to probe Apple’s relations with its distributors. The firm has been accused of favouring its own stores with the supply of new devices." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFrench competition watchdog raids Apple stores

EBay’s double tax base prompts calls for investigation

"Britain and Germany may have missed out on a combined $1 billion in sales tax since online marketplace eBay picked a tiny Luxembourg office as its base for EU sales, a shift that lawmakers say should now be investigated. EBay, which is headquartered in San Jose, California, moved into Europe in 1999 when it established eBay International in Berne. Switzerland's low income tax regime for foreign companies was highly beneficial for the auction site. The Swiss base also meant, initially, that the company didn't have to charge EU customers VAT. But in 2003, Brussels changed the rules." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingEBay’s double tax base prompts calls for investigation