Links: 2013-02-16
News links for 16 February 2013
Finmeccanica chairman resigns after arrest in corruption scandal | Reuters
“Giuseppe Orsi, the chairman of Italian air defense group Finmeccanica who was arrested this week over his alleged involvement in a corruption scandal, has resigned his position, Orsi’s lawyer said on Friday.”
Video: Senator takes embarrassed bank regulators to task – Telegraph
“Senator Elizabeth Warren in her first public appearance as a member of the Senate Banking Committee makes federal regulators look distinctly uncomfortable for failing to take banks to court over financial abuses.”
Xoom Soars in Trading Debut – WSJ.com
“Investors banking on the latest advances in international money transfers bid up shares in the IPO of Xoom Corp., which lets customers wire cash across borders using the Web.
Xoom’s shares closed at $25.49 on the Nasadaq Stock Market, jumping 59% from their $16 offer price.”
Jesse Jackson Jr. Accused of $750,000 Campaign Fund Fraud – Bloomberg
“Former Illinois Representative Jesse Jackson Jr. was charged by U.S. prosecutors with misusing $750,000 in campaign funds for purchases including a Michael Jackson hat and an Eddie Van Halen guitar.
Jackson, a 47-year-old Democrat and the son of the civil- rights leader, was charged today in federal court in Washington with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, mail fraud and making false statements. Jackson intends to plead guilty, one of his lawyers, Brian Heberlig of Steptoe & Johnson LLP, said in an e-mail.”
BBC News – UK retail sales fall unexpectedly in January
“Heavy snowfall put people off from going out to the shops, the ONS suggests
UK retail sales fell unexpectedly in January, confounding economists’ expectations for a rise.”
Vier codenamen arts Fuentes gekraakt – bekijk het dopingschema Pantani :: nrc.nl
Pantani and Frank Schleck shown to be clients of the famous Dr. Fuentes of Operacion Puerto fame
Galaxy S4 specs leaked: Quad-core Exynos processor and more
“We can guarantee that the Samsung Galaxy S4 will be one of the year’s top devices, just like its predecessors during their time. We are expecting to see an announcement as soon as March 15 so you know the rumors are getting hot by now, and we have a few more for you today. Some of these specs we have already heard about while some of them are still up for debate, so let’s check them out.”
Congresswoman Proposes Ban On Armed Drones In U.S., Regulating Surveillance | TechCrunch
“With the looming threat of faceless drones buzzing around American cities, congress has proposed banning armed drones and regulating their use for law enforcement surveillance. The Preserving American Privacy Act introduced by U.S. Rep. Zoe Lofgren (CrunchGov Grade: A) would require warrants for unmanned aircraft systems to collect personally identifiable information and a public notice to collect information in public areas.
At least one state, Virginia, has already proposed a two-year moratorium on drones, while lawmakers can craft sound policy regulating their use (i.e. so they can figure out what to do with this crazy new technology).”
Apple’s iPhone 5 and Samsung’s Galaxy S III now equals in North American web use, study says
“Fresh information from the Chitika ad network points to a near 50/50 split when comparing the North American web share of Apple’s iPhone 5 and Samsung’s Galaxy S III, but overall, iOS devices still account for a majority of the market.”
Opera Buying Rival Mobile Browser Skyfire in Cash and Stock Deal – Ina Fried – Mobile – AllThingsD
“The cash-and-stock deal calls for Skyfire to get an upfront $50 million payment, with performance-based clauses over three years that could eventually make the deal worth $155 million.”
Facebook’s Never Had A Big User Data Breach, But May Never Recover When It Does | TechCrunch
“It’s not if, but when. Between crooks, hackers and foreign governments, Facebook probably can’t avoid a serious user data breach forever. When it happens, Facebook may never be able to quiet fears that “personal data isn’t safe there.” That could cause a chilling effect on sharing, jeopardize its future in commerce, and cut short its lifetime.”
“In his first inaugural address, back in 2009, Barack Obama announced: “To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect.” Improving how the US was perceived among the world’s 1.6 billion Muslims was not about winning an international popularity contest but was deemed as vital to US national security. Even the Pentagon has long recognized that the primary cause of anti-American Terrorism is the “negative attitude” toward the US: obviously, the reason people in that part of the world want to attack the US – as opposed to Peru or South Africa or China – is because they perceive a reason to do so.”
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