This ^ is why people live in California. ;-) Taken at the SFBay Kos's dinner for me!!!!
Welcome to the Overnight News Digest ! We have a rotating crew of regulars and guest hosts. Founded by Magnifico and currently strong-armed by Neon Vincent! As others have noted, we each have our own styles, and my style even varies a bit from night to night.
Zip around the world, and pause in Utah with me!!
THE WAR ZONE
India offers strong support to Afghan president
India offered its unambiguous support to Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Monday as the embattled Afghan leader comes under increasing international pressure over his plan to include some Taliban leaders in reconciliation talks to end the nearly nine-year-old war in Afghanistan.
An estimated 1,400 Afghans representing Afghanistan's myriad of ethnic, regional and political factions are scheduled to gather for a so-called ''peace jirga'' next month to reach a national consensus for talking with the Taliban insurgents.
Although India has deep reservations about what have come to be known as the differentiation between ''good Taliban'' and ''bad Taliban,'' Prime Minister Manmohan Singh assured Karzai about India's support.
Airstrike kills Taliban commander, 2 advisors in N. Afghanistan: NATO
Airstrike carried out by NATO-led forces against militants left a senior Taliban commander along with his two advisors dead in northern Afghanistan's Kunduz province on Monday, the alliance said in a press release.
"The senior insurgents were driving through a rural desert area approximately 18 miles northeast of Kunduz City the capital of same name Kunduz province when they were struck by precision air fire, killing all three," the press release emphasized.
It said that the senior Taliban commander was involved in all aspects of military operations in Kunduz province. "He was responsible for setting target priorities, weapons distribution and directing attacks against coalition and Afghan forces.
Airport row sparks Najaf-Baghdad tensions
The extended closure of a busy airport in the holy city of Najaf has local officials threatening boycotts and demonstrations over lost profits.
The government suspended overseas flights at Najaf International Airport on April 7 due to an ongoing investigation into an alleged terrorist plot that security officials linked to a local branch of al-Qaeda. Two airport workers, including a pilot, have been arrested in connection with the case, which reportedly involved crashing hijacked planes into the sacred Iman Ali shrine in Najaf.
But local officials are now complaining about the length of the closure, the transparency of the investigation process and the loss of revenue for the Najaf provincial authority.
According to airport manager Sadik al-Laban, a sit-in organized last week by the provincial council was called off at the last minute because of a visit from a delegation from Baghdad - but talks of demonstrations and boycotts continue.
AROUND THE WORLD
Beijing defines 'commercial secret' in aftermath of Rio Tinto trial
CHINA has offered broad examples of what constitutes a commercial secret, following criticism during a recent trial of Rio Tinto executives that its framework lacked transparency.
The trial highlighted the issue as a major vagary of doing business in China. Even after the four men were found guilty, almost nothing was known of what commercial secrets they allegedly stole, offering little guidance for companies moving forward.
However, the fresh parameters offered in the overnight statement by the state-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission were wide-ranging and vague, and may have done little to clarify matters.
The government mainly emphasised how companies hold responsibility. Chinese companies "should attach great importance to the protection of trade secrets", said the commission, which oversees the government's holdings in more than 120 of the country's biggest business groups.
Melbourne on target to be our biggest city
MELBOURNE will overtake Sydney as Australia's largest city within three decades, because Victoria is building new homes at twice the rate of NSW and is attracting immigrants in record numbers.
The finding comes from a study that reveals the economic slide of the most populous state. It cites evidence of a "three-speed" economy in the past decade: the resources tearaways of Queensland and Western Australia leading the pack, the one-time rustbelt states of Victoria and South Australia growing strongly, and NSW slipping into the slow lane.
On current trends, the study finds that by 2020 NSW could enter a downward spiral as the nation faces the demographic challenges of an ageing population - poor housing affordability, lower immigration, less workers, a diminishing tax base and "a greater likelihood economic growth will decline alarmingly".
Watch for Sydney-siders to begin saying "Melbourne may be bigger, but we're better!"
Clegg push to be PM in Labour deal
THE leader of Britain's resurgent Liberal Democrats has suggested he could keep a defeated Labour Party in power after the election in exchange for becoming prime minister.
Nick Clegg hinted that Labour could have to sacrifice the keys to No. 10 Downing Street in exchange for his support in a hung parliament.
Mr Clegg's comments were his most ambitious claim yet following his party's recent jump in the polls.
In a BBC television interview, he said opinion polls suggested Labour might come third in terms of the number of votes cast, yet still have the largest number of MPs. In that case, he said, Labour would have to give up No. 10. But he did not say that the party would have to relinquish power altogether.
War possible if Colombia's Santos elected: Chavez
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who for years has had tense relations with neighbouring Colombia, has warned of worse ties, and even possible military hostilities, if Bogota's ex-defence chief Juan Manuel Santos wins the presidency.
A victory by Santos in the May 30 presidential election "could lead to war" in the region, said Chavez on his "Hello Mr President" weekly television and radio broadcast.
"Santos as president -- that could lead to war in this part of the world," the firebrand leftist leader said speaking about the conservative candidate, a close political ally of current president Alvaro Uribe.
4th most popular read story at Times of India right now.
Thailand's 'Yellow Shirts' call for martial law
Thailand's pro-establishment "Yellow Shirts" called on Monday for the imposition of martial law to end mass anti-government protests by the rival "Red Shirts", warning they may take action themselves.
The Reds were on alert for a crackdown by the security forces on their fortified camp in the heart of Bangkok, where tensions remained high after a grenade attack late on Sunday on the house of a former premier injured 11 people.
Twenty-six people have died and almost 1 000 have been injured in the capital this month in Thailand's bloodiest civil violence in almost two decades, despite a state of emergency in Bangkok and surrounding areas.
The Yellows, formally known as the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), have said they will take action to "protect the country" if authorities do not deal with the thousands of anti-government "Red Shirt" protesters.
The Yellow Shirts support the current government. The Red Shirts support the previous government, which was ousted in a rather calm coup ~ 12-15 months ago.
When the State Cracks the Glass Ceiling: Norway's Novel Approach to Bringing Equality to the Board Room
By making it mandatory that women fill 40 percent of the seats on company boards, Norway has become a pioneer in workplace equality. When the law was passed, many criticized it as both impractical and unwise. But now many countries are rushing to enact similar legislation.
When reviewing "Nora," the magnum opus of his contemporary Henrik Ibsen, Norwegian journalist Halvdan Koht wrote that it "pronounced a death sentence on accepted social ethics." The play, originally staged in 1879, tells the story of a woman who breaks free from her roles as a mother and wife. Viewers found her behavior so immoral that, when it had its German premiere a year later in Hamburg, Nora's character was altered to make her sheepish from guilt in the presence of her husband and children.
These days, it's rather rare for Norwegians to cause any international stirs, preferring instead to enjoy life in the shadows of their Scandinavian neighbors, the Danes and the Swedes. But, recently, they've been grabbing international headlines once again. And, once again, they have women -- or, rather, their policies related to women -- to thank for it.
Police search home of Gizmodo editor Jason Chen over lost iPhone 4G
California police have taken six computers and other items from the house of Jason Chen, the editor of the gadget blog Gizmodo who appeared on a video on the site showing off a lost Apple iPhone prototype which, it transpired, had been bought from a middleman for about $5,000.
The search was carried out last Friday evening, but Gizmodo only revealed that it had happened on Monday evening. Chen was not present when the police entered the house.
The police seizure, which would have been the decision under the criminal code of California of the district attorney for San Mateo - and not Apple - may turn into a test of the US "shield law" for journalists, which allows them to protect their sources. The New York Times reported last Saturday that "charges would most likely be filed against the person or people who sold the prototype iPhone, and possibly the buyer."
Catholic sex abuse scandal could trigger donations slump, Vatican warns
Vatican officials fear the clerical sex abuse scandal could have a devastating effect on the finances of the Italian church, undermining what until now has been a bastion of the faith.
Italian taxpayers have until the end of July to declare their income for 2009 and, under a system in force in several European countries, they can opt for a proportion of their taxes to be paid to the church.
In Italy, 0.8% of income tax revenue is divided between state-run aid organisations and recognised denominations and religions according to the preferences expressed by taxpayers on their returns.
"The media always talk of class actions, compensation for the victims of abuse by the clergy and the legal fees which, since 2001 have forced the American dioceses to sell schools, hospitals, convents and universities," the daily La Stampa quoted a Vatican source as saying. "But in fact the biggest economic damage is done by the collapse in donations."
Picture, with me, a certain famous photo of an owl with a smart-alecky expression. ;-)
US Extradites Former Panamanian Leader Noriega and CIA Recruit to France
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton signed a "surrender warrant" after all judicial challenges were resolved. French officials later confirmed he was on board an Air France flight to Paris. A court in France convicted Manuel Noriega in his absence in 1999 for laundering money through French banks, though it says he will be granted a new trial.
The 76-year-old had wanted to be sent back to Panama after finishing his 17-year jail sentence in 2007. But in February the US Supreme Court rejected his final appeal against extradition to France.
Panama's government said it respected the "sovereign decision" the state department took to extradite Noriega. But it insisted it would seek his return to serve outstanding prison sentences there. Noriega was escorted onto an Air France passenger jet at Miami International Airport on Monday afternoon, shortly after Mrs. Clinton signed the extradition order, US officials said.
This is your "faces from the past" story of the week.
AROUND THE COUNTRY
V is for Virginia and volunteerism
Perhaps it has something to do with the "V" in her first name.
After all, can it really be coincidental that Virginia and volunteerism start with the same letter?
For Virginia Lee, volunteerism has become as much a part of who she is as her love for the color green.
So when Lee leaves her long-time post as volunteer coordinator for Salt Lake County this month, she will leave a legacy that, according to Mayor Peter Corroon, has been felt by many thousands of people.
"The best things in life," Lee explained, "aren't things."
Lee recently announced she's retiring after nearly a dozen years of overseeing a service corps that has delivered hot meals to homebound seniors, cleaned community parks, joined search and rescue teams and laid out communities as members of local planning commissions.
Lawmaker wants to bring Arizona immigration law to Utah
As protests in Arizona over an anti-immigration law heat up, one conservative Utah lawmaker wants to bring the law to this state, and says he has the support to do it.
Rep. Stephen Sandstrom, R-Orem, is drafting a bill that would require immigrants to carry proof of status and require law enforcement officers to question anyone they believe is in the country without documentation. The bill also would target employers who hire or transport undocumented immigrants as a preventive measure against the swell of undocumented immigrants he predicts would come to Utah from Arizona once the law there takes effect.
"Utah is seen as state that welcomes illegal immigrants. We almost encourage it with driving privilege cards and in-state tuition for illegals," Sandstrom said. "With Arizona making the first step in this direction, Utah needs to pass a similar law or we will see a huge influx of illegals. The real issue is just establishing a rule of law in our state."
Corrections creating commemorative coin for Ronnie Lee Gardner execution
They sit forgotten and dusty in a storage room on the top floor of the Utah Department of Corrections' administration building that overlooks the state prison.
Once on display in the lobby of the nearby Fred House Academy, the three shadowbox frames contain rows of pins earned by Corrections staff over the years for "service beyond their ordinary daily duties."
One pin recognizes those who developed the prison's medical master plan. Others acknowledge those who helped apprehend escaped inmates, transferred prisoners from Utah to Texas or quelled a prison riot.
And then there are the pins that represent participation in the execution of a condemned man.
But no pin will be issued to commemorate Ronnie Lee Gardner's execution, which is scheduled to occur June 18.
WTF? There is some small portion of taxpayer money going to fund the creation of a commemorative coin for the FIRING SQUAD EXECUTION ?????
Oil still spewing in Gulf after oil rig explosion last week
Working to stem the flow of oil
Much of the effort on Monday was aimed at stemming the flow of oil at its source: the well more than 5,000 feet below the surface of the Gulf that is spewing an estimated 42,000 gallons of oil into the water daily. Officials with BP have been using remotely operated submersible vehicles aimed at triggering the blowout preventer, a 450-ton device on the well that is intended to prevent spills of this kind.
The vehicles have been examining the blowout prevention device for more than a day, but a BP executive said the company has not been able to determine whether the device can ultimately be activated.
So the company is also moving ahead with two other approaches to stop and contain the leak: drilling a separate "relief well" nearby to plug the flow of oil at a different spot below the blowout preventer; and building underwater domes that would contain the rising plume of oil and allow it to be pumped to separate storage tanks for disposal.
OTHER
Political Cartoons
Pat Bagley for the Salt Lake Tribune
Sports Headlines
Jazz: These days, 'Booz' sounds like cheers Go JAZZ!!!! Although, for a while this morning, 6 or the top 10 Most-Read articles at the Trib were about the Jazz ;-)
Cyclist Mark French wins $200k defamation payout Please note that Barry Bonds is not filing suits for libel/defamation/etc.
Links
Navajo Nation celebrates sovereignty with holiday Happy Navajo Day!
Premature ejaculation will soon be history IIRC, some in India were kind of freaked out by an onstage kiss, then the Times of India has all these sex-oriented headlines frequently. ;-)