p2pnet World Headlines: Jan 17, 2011
Google fights Spanish court order over libel Deutsche Welle
On Monday, Spain’s data protection authority (AEPD) has ordered Google to remove links to over 100 Spanish online articles that it considers potentially defamatory in a move that has stoked up concerns about freedom of speech and the role of online search engines. Google will challenge the decision in a Madrid court this week, but should the decision go against the Internet giant, critics fear a dangerous precedent could be set. The ruling has been issued because of Spain’s freedom of press laws.
MySpace Cuts Staff In China ChinaTechNews
The American social networking website MySpace has cut two-thirds of its staff in China and several executives in the Chinese division have departed their positions. According to reports in Chinese local media, the layoffs began last month and over 30 employees — two-thirds of total staff in MySpace.cn — were involved. In addition, MySpace.cn’s chief executive officer Wei Lai and operating vice president Lei Zhenjian have departed the company. Gao Qunyao, executive chairman for the board of directors, is now acting CEO.
Risks of cyber war ‘over-hyped’ says OECD study BBC
The vast majority of hi-tech attacks described as acts of cyber war do not deserve the name, says a report. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development study is part of a series considering incidents that could cause global disruption. While pandemics and financial instability could cause problems, cyber attacks are unlikely to, it says. [Famous last words?]
Nokia Stops Unlimited Music Service in Most Markets Bloomberg News
Nokia Oyj, the world’s biggest maker of mobile phones, has discontinued the offer of unlimited music packages in most of the markets where it appeared. The company will continue to offer 12-month unlimited music packages with the purchase of certain handsets in China, India and Indonesia and six-month subscriptions in Brazil, Turkey and South Africa, Tomi Kuuppelomaeki, a spokesman, said by e-mail. Espoo, Finland-based Nokia stopped selling the packages in other markets at the end of 2010, he said.
Zimbabwe AG probing Tsvangirai over WikiLeaks disclosures CNN
The attorney general in Zimbabwe has set up a team of lawyers to investigate whether Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai can be charged with treason or conspiracy related to revelations by the website WikiLeaks. WikiLeaks published U.S. cables last week saying Tsvangirai and his party leadership were planning with U.S. diplomats for Washington to contribute to a fund to buy-off security service chiefs to achieve regime change in Zimbabwe.
Man tunnels into GameStop, steals games Thinq.co.uk
Computer game piracy is big business, but there are still those who prefer to get their games the old-fashioned way: by digging a tunnel into their local games shop and making off with as much stock as they can carry. At least, that’s the slightly bizarre approach taken by a man from Greeneville, Tennessee, who was arrested late last week after being caught tunnelling into his local GameStop store from an empty adjoining building. The heist, which would perhaps have been more suited to robbing a bank than a games retailer, resulted in Steven Archer, 33, making off with almost $300 in cash and around $5,400 in games – hardly the scam of the century, but a pretty good haul nevertheless.
Conservatives launch attack ads Reuters
The Conservatives launched a series of biting attack ads on Monday, taking aim at opposition parties ahead of a possible election in the first half of the year. The Conservatives won power in January 2006 and again in October 2008, but have never managed to capture a majority of seats in the House of Commons. That means they have to rely on the support of opposition legislators to pass key measures such as budgets. Political analysts are divided on whether the three opposition parties will unite to defeat the government over its next budget, due in late February or early March. That would trigger an immediate election. Polls show that the most likely result of an election now would be a third consecutive minority Conservative government.
Mountie may face assault charge for kick to face Vancouver Sun
Abbotsford police are recommending a charge of assault causing bodily harm against a Kelowna RCMP officer in connection with a videotaped incident showing an officer kicking a compliant man in the face during an arrest. The announcement was made Sunday morning, shortly before a noon-hour protest in Kelowna in response to the arrest of Buddy Tavares on Jan. 7. About 300 people marched from Kelowna City Park to the RCMP detachment in a protest that remained peaceful in spite of earlier police concerns that it might get out of hand. [Also see Mountie boots BC man in the face]
Toronto woman dies after calls for help ignored CBC
A 66-year-old woman with dementia who wandered outside in bone-chilling temperatures has died hours after her calls on an east-end Toronto street were ignored, police say.
More cheaters booted from Swedish colleges The Local
The number of students expelled from Sweden’s colleges and universities for cheating went up by nearly 50 percent in 2010 compared to the year before, new statistics show. A total of 506 students were forced to leave Sweden’s 26 largest institutions of higher learning last year, according to a review of statistics by the TT news agency. Linköping University in central Sweden had the highest number of expulsions, while the University of Gävle in eastern Sweden experienced the largest increase in expelled cheaters between 2009 and 2010. In addition, Jönköping University in central Sweden expelled 16 students in 2010, double the figure from the previous year, TV4 reported earlier this month. The most frequent types of cheating reported were plagiarism of essays or final exams.
January, 2011
First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win ~ Mahatma Gandhi
World War III will be a global information war with no division between civilian & military participation ~ Marshall McLuhan
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January 18th, 2011 at 12:45 am
“Nokia Stops Unlimited Music Service in Most Markets”
Another C.R.A.P. bites the dust.
People don’t want DRM tracks, even for free!