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New Zealand's top court takes Kim Dotcom appeal |
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Written by Associated Press
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Thursday, 16 May 2013 06:37 |
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WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand's highest court ruled Thursday that it will hear an appeal by Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom and three colleagues as they seek to avoid extradition to the United States.
The appeal to the New Zealand Supreme Court involves a ruling on evidence and represents one strand of the complex legal case against executives from the file-sharing site.
U.S. prosecutors shut down Megaupload last year, accusing the executives of racketeering by facilitating massive copyright fraud. Dotcom says he's innocent and can't be held responsible for those who chose to use the site to illegally download songs or movies.
Dotcom and his colleagues had sought access to all the U.S. evidence against them. A lower court ruled in their favor, but an appeals court overturned that ruling, saying extensive disclosure at the extradition stage would bog down the process and that a summary of the U.S. case would suffice.
The extradition hearing against the four men has been postponed once, from March to August, due to legal wrangling and now may now be postponed further. Dotcom and the others remain free on bail pending the hearing.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.
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Freeh hired by plaintiffs against Browns owner |
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Written by Associated Press
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Thursday, 16 May 2013 06:25 |
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Former FBI Director Louis Freeh's firm has been hired by trucking companies suing Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam's company, Pilot Flying J.
Pilot Flying J, the nation's largest diesel fuel retailer, has been alleged to have bilked customers out of rebates.
Plaintiffs attorney Mark Tate confirmed to WBIR-TV in Knoxville and to the Plain Dealer in Cleveland on Wednesday that Freeh has agreed to work on the lawsuit filed after federal agents raided Pilot's headquarters last month.
Jimmy Haslam bought the Browns last year. He is the brother of Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam.
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Japanese economy grew at 3.5 percent pace in 1Q |
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Written by ELAINE KURTENBACH, AP Business Writer
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Thursday, 16 May 2013 06:35 |
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TOKYO (AP) — Japan's economy grew by a stronger-than-expected 3.5 percent in annual terms last quarter, giving Prime Minister Shinzo Abe a boost as his government tackles reforms needed to ensure a sustained recovery from two decades of malaise.
Stronger consumer spending and public works investment coupled with aggressive monetary easing lent oomph to the recovery that began in the last quarter of 2012, when annual growth was 0.3 percent.
The preliminary data for January to March showed the world's third-largest economy grew 0.9 percent on a quarterly basis, the fastest pace in a year, according to figures reported by the Cabinet Office on Thursday.
Abe took office in late December after voters fed up with years of economic misery returned his Liberal Democratic Party to power. His policies have helped push share prices to their highest levels in over five years, fueled by strong liquidity and expectations of improved profitability for listed companies.
But the real test will be whether the gains can be sustained in the longer run, said Masamichi Adachi, an economist with JP Morgan in Tokyo.
"It's not what we can see from just one quarter's growth," he said.
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Trade group slams safety pact for Bangladesh |
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Written by ANNE D'INNOCENZIO, AP Retail Writer
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Thursday, 16 May 2013 06:22 |
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NEW YORK (AP) — The largest U.S. retail-industry group on Wednesday criticized an international pact aimed at improving factory conditions in Bangladesh's garment industry, saying it was a "one-size-fits-all" approach promoted by special interests.
The National Retail Federation's statement came as more global retailers signed on to the pact backed by about 30 brands including Swedish retailer H&M and French retailer Carrefour. The five-year, legally binding contract requires them to help pay for fire safety and building improvements in Bangladesh.
Based on the number of companies participating, the plan will now cover more than 1,000 of the 5,000 garment factories in Bangladesh., according to IndustriALL Global Union, a Geneva based-labor union that was involved in the negotiations
IndustriALL had set a deadline of 6 p.m. EDT Wednesday for companies to sign the pact.
"The companies who signed up are to be applauded," said Jyrki Raina, the group's general secretary said. "We will not close the door on brands who want to join the accord after the deadline, but we will be forging ahead with the implementation plan."
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