Apple Is Fighting The Release Of A Video Of Steve Jobs, Saying The Media Wants To See 'A Dead Man' | ||
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Apple's lawyers are doing everything they can to prevent the release of a video that shows Steve Jobs giving testimony, The Verge reports. The video is part of the iPod antitrust case against Apple, in which the company is accused of deleting music from iPods without telling customers. The plaintiffs claim Apple wiped music that wasn't downloaded from iTunes off of iPods without telling customers. One of the most important parts of the case is video testimony by Apple cofounder Steve Jobs. Recorded in 2011, the video shows Jobs being grilled in a deposition about Apple's iTunes service. The team of lawyers representing Apple in the antitrust lawsuit really don't want the video to be made public. Here's what one lawyer representing Apple said last night: The marginal value of seeing him again, in his black turtleneck — this time very sick — is small. What they they want is a dead man, and they want to show him to the rest of the world, because it's a judicial record. It's understood that the video of Jobs was recorded in 2011, the year of his death. That means that Jobs will likely appear unwell in the video, as his pancreatic cancer forced him to take a leave of absence from Apple at the start of that year. Apple was notoriously cagey about Jobs' health while he was suffering from cancer. It insisted that his health was a private matter — even though he was the founder and CEO of the company with the most widely held stock in the world — and tried as hard as it could to avoid releasing details of his cancer treatment. It's not the contents of the video that Apple wants to avoid being released (the media has already reported on a segment of the video shown in court). Instead, it feels that the media is seizing upon the video for its own purposes. Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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This Mind-Boggling Profile Of Osama Bin Laden Came Out 21 Years Ago | ||
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This article from Dec. 6, 1993, by Robert Fisk of The Independent, titled, "Anti-Soviet warrior puts his army on the road to peace," is stunning to consider 20 years later. Osama bin Laden, fresh off the US-backed mujahadin's victory over Russia in 1989, flew his men, materials and money down to Sudan, ostensibly to start public works projects. When asked if they were militant training camps, the "Saudi entrepreneur" and future leader of al Qaeda told Fisk: "I am a construction engineer and an agriculturalist. If I had training camps here in Sudan, I couldn't possibly do this job."
Some key lines:
Bin Laden's work in Sudan purportedly involved overseeing a 500-mile highway from Khartoum to Port Sudan. Fisk reported that "Bin Laden has brought the very construction equipment that he used only five years ago to build the guerrilla trails of Afghanistan." SEE ALSO: How Navy SEAL Matt Bissonnette Describes The Bin Laden Raid Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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BP to restructure as oil prices plunge | ||
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London (AFP) - British energy giant BP on Wednesday announced a major restructuring of the company's operations faced with sliding revenues from plunging oil prices. BP said it would take a restructuring charge totalling about $1.0 billion (800 million euros) over the next year "as part of its wider ongoing group-wide programme to simplify across its upstream and downstream activities and corporate functions". It added it would provide further details in upcoming earnings statements. Reports say BP could cut jobs as part of the restructuring plan. The company has been hit hard in recent months by plunging oil prices, which have collapsed by more than 40 percent since June to strike five-year low points this week. It comes after BP -- which was devastated by the catastrophic Gulf of Mexico oil spill in 2010 -- has been forced to sell off billions of dollars of assets to meet the clean-up bill. "We have already been working very hard over these past 18 months or so to right-size our organisation as a result of completing more than $43 billion of divestments," chief executive Bob Dudley said in Wednesday's statement. "We are clearly a more focused business now and, without diverting our attention from safety and reliability, our goal is to make BP even stronger and more competitive. "The simplification work we have already done is serving us well as we face the tougher external environment. We continue to seek opportunities to eliminate duplication and stop unnecessary activity that is not fully aligned with the group’s strategy." Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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General Mills Is Coming Out With A Cheerios And Quinoa Cereal | ||
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In January, General Mills will be introducing a new ingredient to its classic Cheerios cereal: Ancient grains. Yum. NPR reports "the new version of Cheerios will contain small amounts of quinoa, Kamut wheat and spelt along with the traditional oats." A serving of the new "Cheerios + Ancient Grains" cereal will have five grams of sugar. The company is hoping this addition to its cereal line will help rejuvenate the brand. Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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Apple Is Fighting The Release Of A Video Of Steve Jobs, Saying The Media Wants To See 'A Dead Man' | ||
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Apple's lawyers are doing everything they can to prevent the release of a video that shows Steve Jobs giving testimony, The Verge reports. The video is part of the iPod antitrust case against Apple, in which the company is accused of deleting music from iPods without telling customers. The plaintiffs claim Apple wiped music that wasn't downloaded from iTunes off of iPods without telling customers. One of the most important parts of the case is video testimony by Apple cofounder Steve Jobs. Recorded in 2011, the video shows Jobs being grilled in a deposition about Apple's iTunes service. The team of lawyers representing Apple in the antitrust lawsuit really don't want the video to be made public. Here's what one lawyer representing Apple said last night: The marginal value of seeing him again, in his black turtleneck — this time very sick — is small. What they they want is a dead man, and they want to show him to the rest of the world, because it's a judicial record. It's understood that the video of Jobs was recorded in 2011, the year of his death. That means that Jobs will likely appear unwell in the video, as his pancreatic cancer forced him to take a leave of absence from Apple at the start of that year. Apple was notoriously cagey about Jobs' health while he was suffering from cancer. It insisted that his health was a private matter — even though he was the founder and CEO of the company with the most widely held stock in the world — and tried as hard as it could to avoid releasing details of his cancer treatment. It's not the contents of the video that Apple wants to avoid being released (the media has already reported on a segment of the video shown in court). Instead, it feels that the media is seizing upon the video for its own purposes. Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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Reedie tells AFP new illegal substances fuelling sports cheats | ||
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Monaco (AFP) - A huge number of new illegal substances are fuelling a surge in sports doping and "smarter" testing techniques are needed to catch cheats, according to the head of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). China is the source of many of the new drugs despite efforts by the Chinese authorities to clampdown, WADA president Craig Reedie told AFP. New allegations of widespread doping in Russia and looming sanctions against the Tour de France winning Astana cycling team have cast a fresh spotlight on international efforts to stop drug cheats. International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach called this week for a renewed focus on the "evils" of doping and protection of "clean athletes." Doping could also become a key topic in the election for the presidency of the International Athletic Associations Federation next year. WADA is introducing a new code with tougher sanctions on January 1. But Reedie said the battle is far from won. "On a very regular basis an enormous number of unknown, untested substances appear on the market," Reedie said in an interview. "The internet is a wonderful, wonderful benefit to mankind but it means you can pick up whatever you want from practically anywhere before we even know that it is on the market." "The scale of the problem is not getting any smaller," Reedie said. "A lot of it comes from China, for example. We have discussions with the Chinese authorities at the very highest level. They understand the issue, but it is a real struggle for a country to manage that process." WADA could still appeal against a three month ban imposed against Olympic champion Sun Yang who failed a doping test at the national championships in May while the sanction was only announced in November. But Reedie said "The China Anti-Doping Agency is a good one. All the evidence I have is that they take this seriously." Steroids and erythropoietin (EPO) blood boosters are all produced in backstreet factories in China and other Asian countries, according to experts. New drugs to cover up performance enhancing substances are also being developed. - Drug Ban Doubled - More than 200,000 tests of athletes are reported to the agency each year, with about 1.3percent failing. But Reedie said all countries must step up efforts. "I really think we need to move on from the standard way of detection which is the analysis of blood and urine. "We need to be smarter, we need to do it better because quite honestly we haven't been able to completely eradicate the problem using the systems that we currently use." WADA investigators are now looking to see which drug is prevalent in each sport to plan individual campaigns with better targeted testing. From January 1, the WADA code doubles the maximum ban for doping to four years and includes stronger powers to punish coaches who help athletes dope. There will also be more emphasis on investigations away from drug tests to catch cheats, such as work which caught US cycling champion Lance Armstrong, But many experts predict widespread legal challenges by athletes. "I think there will be some interesting legal debate probably on appeals on some of the terms of the higher sanctions -- the business of intent, what does that actually mean," said Reedie. But he stressed that there were two years of consultations on the code, now backed by China, the United States and all major countries, and that athletes had been at the forefront of calls for tougher punishment. "Many of them wanted life bans, but that's not proportionate. Four years, that is twice what the maximum was, our advice was that would be proportionate whereas a life ban would probably be challenged in court right away." WADA also backs proposals by countries such as Germany to criminalise doping. But Reedie said there must be no criminal action against athletes. "We are very comfortable with legislation that allows investigations, we are comfortable with legislation that hits at traffickers and allows organisations to deal with the entourage, if they have been wrong. "What we do not want is criminal law in any country to apply to an athlete that would apply for example a custodial sentence." Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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Ukraine Faces Bankruptcy If It Cannot Secure A $15 Billion Bailout 'Within Weeks' | ||
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The Ukraine economy is on the brink of collapse after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) identified a $15 billion shortfall in government funding that will need to be plugged "within weeks", according to the Financial Times. The shortfall comes after Ukraine's gross domestic product (GDP) fell by 5.3% in the third quarter of 2014 as the country, the State Statistics Service reported on Wednesday. This comes a drop of 4.7% in the second quarter and a 1.1% contraction in Q1. In short, the country is in deep trouble. Analysts are predicting a total contraction of around 7% through 2014 as a whole and the country looks set to continue its decline next year. Under IMF rules, the fund is not allowed to provide capital to a donor country, even if it has already been pledged, unless it is confident that the country can meet its financing obligations for the next 12 months. This means that the bailout is currently on hold until donors sign off on the increase in funding — but the desire for such a large increase is sorely lacking. In fact the country's recovery could still be years away, according to Bank of America Merrill Lynch. "In the scenario of stabilisation, the recovery is likely to start only in 2017 and we project growth to be around 3-4% in 2017-19, close to its potential level. In this scenario, the debt-to-GDP ratio would rise further but would stabilise below 90% in 2017-19E, if fiscal consolidation reforms continue and UAH devaluation slows." That is, assuming that the ongoing conflict with pro-Russian rebels in the east of the country doesn't intensify and that the fragile new government is able not only to announce but also to implement thoroughgoing economic reforms and clamp down on corruption then the economy might — just might — start to grow again at a modest pace in 2017. This is a world away from the optimistic scenarios for Ukraine that supporters of the Maidan protests in Kiev envisaged at the start of the year.
These forecasts now look wildly optimistic. The government in Kiev has effectively lost control of regions accounting for some 16% of Ukraine GDP to rebels, while the costs of fighting continue to mount. And now it's running out of money. In response, the country's central bank has been forced to burn through its foreign-currency reserves to meet government spending commitments as the economy struggles. Last week it announced that reserves had fallen below $10 billion, its lowest point in a decade according to the Wall Street Journal. The situation is now hitting crisis point. Finance ministry officials from G-7 countries met last week to decide upon a new $4 billion loan package for Kiev but doubts linger over the ability of the new government in Kiev, which only took office last week following elections in October, to deliver on its commitments. Any new money is likely to be made conditional on the swift passing of a new budget due on December 20th that is likely to require significant spending cuts. Such is the scale of the problem that European Union ministers were reported to be considering petitioning Russia to roll over its $3 billion loan to Ukraine, despite EU sanctions against the country over its role in supporting the rebels. One possibility being floated is that Ukraine be allowed to begin negotiations to restructure its debts (that is, seek forgiveness of some of the debt) coupled with any new injection of funds. That way the debt sustainability question that is a potential huge stumbling block to the IMF programme would at least be resolved, even if it comes at a cost to those holding Ukraine government debt. So far there has been predictably strong resistance among bondholders to this idea, but they may be on the wrong side of the argument. After all, getting some money back from Ukraine in an organised manner is better than getting nothing in the case of a sovereign default. Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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So what went wrong? The IMF has pledged $17 billion of funding for the country and other donors have also chipped in with pledges of another $10 billion, of which Ukraine has so far received $8.2 billion. This was deemed sufficient to ensure that the immediate funding needs of the country would be met and, once the country had stabilised government debt (which leapt up from 40% of GDP in 2013 to around 70% this year) would be left on a sustainable footing. Palestinian official dies 'after beating by Israeli forces' | ||
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Ramallah (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - A senior Palestinian official died Wednesday after being beaten by Israeli forces during a protest march in the West Bank, medical and security sources told AFP. Ziad Abu Ein, who was in charge of dealing with the issue of Israeli settlements within the Palestinian Authority, "was martyred after being beaten in the chest," said Ahmed Bitawi, the director of the Ramallah hospital. A Palestinian security source told AFP that Israeli forces beat Abu Ein with the butts of their rifles and their helmets during a protest march in the village of Turmus Ayya near Ramallah.
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The Orthodox Church Has Stopped A Giant 'Eye Of Sauron' Being Built Over Moscow | ||
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The Russian Orthodox Church has succeeded in shutting down a giant "Eye of Sauron" installation on top of a Moscow tower intended to promote the Hobbit movie trilogy. The exhibit would have featured a giant red eye as a symbol of Sauron, the evil lord of the Middle Earth, on top of one of Moscow's new skyscrapers. It would have been launched tonight as Moscow gets ready for the premiere of The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, the latest movie of the saga of the Ring. The conservative Orthodox church didn't like it one bit. The Russian state-funded broadcaster RT writes that the church's spokesperson, Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin, took to Govorit Moskva radio to say that: "such a symbol of triumphant evil rising above Moscow and becoming one of the tallest objects in the city … is it good or bad? I am afraid it’s mostly bad. One shouldn’t be surprised if something goes wrong with the city after that." He went on to call the eye a symbol of Satan. The piece of art would have measured 1 metre in diameter and would have been put on the roof of the “IQ-quarter” complex in Moscow International Business Center "Moscow-City." In the novel from JRR Tolkien, the red eye symbolises the evil lord's wish to control everything, an allusion that many critics link to state surveillance. The installation, designed by Russian art group "Svechenie" attracted quite a buzz on Twitter: After the condemn from the Orthodox church, Sputnik news agency tweeted that the project was cancelled: More to follow. Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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There's Going To Be An Insane BBC Theme Park In Kent | ||
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The BBC is going to build a theme park in Kent. People are reacting with utter astonishment to the news. "BBC THEME PARK!!! This is too much for a Wednesday morning," wrote Will Sigsworth on Twitter. "OMG! OMG! OMFG!" was another typical Twitter reaction. Plans include rides based on the UK's favourite shows, like Top Gear and Dr Who, a monorail connecting Ebbsfleet International Train Station with the resort, and a 5,000-room hotel. (Will there be a spooky "Tunnel of Jeremy Clarkson" rollercoaster? It's unconfirmed.) According to The Telegraph, BBC Worldwide has now signed a deal with London Resort Company Holdings (LRCH) and the "London Paramount Entertainment Resort" is set to open in 2020. Landscapers CBA Studios says the scheme has a budget of £2 billion and will be one of the largest entertainment districts in Europe. The planners describe it as "film based" and programmes will be its predominant feature. However, alongside the likes of Jeremy Clarkson's cars and low-budget sci-fi, a water park, theatres, music venues, and events spaces are also part of the project.
BBC Worldwide's Stephen Davies tells The Telegraph that "the resort is a really exciting way of celebrating the very special place the BBC has in British culture." And LRCH director David Testa adds: "We are delighted to bring the world's leading public service broadcaster on board this project". CBA explains the resort will "transform 870 acres" of brownfield land on the Swanscombe Peninsular, just south east of London in north Kent. It'll be a "significant contribution to urban regeneration and environmental improvement", it says. The BBC put extended plans for the theme park on show this month as part of its public consultation. London Paramount Entertainment Resort is expected to create 27,000 jobs, and attract 15 million visitors by its fourth year of opening. Kent Online even notes its 2-hour population catchment is the same size of Disneyland Paris. The theme park will be the first of its kind in the UK, inspired somewhat by similar Hollywood-styled resorts. London Paramount explains there will be 12 major rides — so it could be that you're riding in a Tardis or solving a mystery with Sherlock in the near future. Here's a timeline of the project:
And here's a rendering of what the whole resort will look like:
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