Fuse, Shota

Payroll Tax Holiday Debates Continue in Senate

2011-12-05T02:27:23Z

Republican and Democrat in Senate failed Thursday to gain bipartisan supports for two different bills for extension of a payroll tax relief.

A Democrat-sponsored bill did not gain Republican supports, but Republican-sponsored bill did not generate supports from both Republican and Democrat, according to the National Public Radio reported.

While the Democrat-sponsored bill included extension of the payroll tax cut with new tax on millionaires, the Republican-sponsored bill included fixed federal pay and reduction of federal jobs up to 200,000, the Public Broadcast Service reported.

The Public Broadcast Service said that Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, minority leader, said that federal employees have become more bigger and richer so that rather than going to take some actions on private-sector workers, the government should take some actions on the employees.

Some of Republicans wondered to what extent the renewal of the payroll tax cut has impact on economy and Social Security, but Republican Rep. John Boehner of Ohio, house speaker, said there is no doubt that the payroll tax relief would stimulate economy and that would be a good thing for every worker, according to the National Public Radio.

Paradox of roles in the Congress comes in term of payroll tax. Democrat is in favor of tax cut, but Republican, known as anti-tax groups, insisted on raising tax. If renewal of the payroll tax relief would not be done by next month, average American family would lose $900 earnings a year, the National Public Radio said.

After Reassessment, Cain Suspended His campaign

2011-12-05T02:17:11Z

Reassessing his presidential campaign, Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain announced Saturday his major decision in Atlanta that he would suspend his campaign amid continued sexual accusations.

One of focal points of his dropout from the presidential candidate race is how he reached the decisions. Aljazeera and CBS News do not explicitly say how the decision made, but readers can infer from the news that the sexual allegations are related to his decisions.

CBS News interviewed Cain and shared what Cain said in the interview about his interaction with his wife, Gloria. The news organization said that Cain said he understood the pain existing inside her when she assured that she was on his side and did not want his wife and family to endure the pain caused by sexual accusations. Aljazeera included a similar story but did not mention his wife thus failed to capture his feelings toward his wife and family .

The announcement would affect Cain's supporters in various ways. While CBS news reported reactions from supporters gathered at the rally, Aljazeera paid attention to how support would move. Aljazeera said that Newt Gingrich would be likely to gain more support because Cain, even though he did not say whom he endorsed, would be likely to support Gingrich.

Also, the difference between CBS News and Aljazeera appeared in term of policies. CBS News mentioned Cain's domestic tax plan that would fix income, sale and corporation tax at 9 percent, but Aljazeera reported his ignorance of policy issues.

Gloria said after the announcement that he decided to withdraw from the Republican candidate Friday before he arrived at his home, according to CBS News.

The Fox News said Cain would launch an organization to promote his agendas, such as the tax plan and his foreign policy.

Marking the Highest Turnout, but Dissatification Exists.

2011-12-05T01:59:53Z

Egyptian officials said Friday that first round of voting in Egyptian parliamentary election resulted in the highest turnout in Egypt's history, but fears still remained among Egyptian constituents.

The turnout was 62 percent, meaning that approximately eight million constituents of Egypt voted in the first round election to choose officials of the lower House, Aljazeera reported.

The Freedom and Justice Party, backed by the Muslim Brotherhood, expected that two candidates from the party would win the election, and the party predicted that the conservative Salafi Al-Nur Party was believed to gain 30 percent of the vote, Euronews reported.

Euronews said that protesters that overturned a military regime by former leader Hosni Mubarak concerned that the religiously oriented party would get advantage out of revolution to prevail their extreme religious views even if the regime no longer wielded power to control citizens.

Dissatisfaction with rises of religiously motivated party came from women. 29 year-old Egyptian human right activist Dalia Ziada who has run for a representative of the Hizb EIAdl Party established by young people for the sake of promotion of middle ground in religious and political issues said that if the parties gained majority, they would discourage equal rights by excluding articles designed for the rights from constitutions, the National Public Radio reported.

Aljazeera said that a female candidate Nihal Aahdi said that a reason women could not participate in the first round election is attributable to religious parties.

In the electoral system, the votes have rights to cast two votes for individual candidates and one vote for a party, according to Aljazeera.

Executive Chairman Inspired University Students and Business People of Minneosta

2011-12-05T01:46:31Z

Executive chairman of Google visited Minnesota Wednesday to share his knowledge to students of the University of Minnesota and small business owners.

At the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, Google chairman Eric Schmidt said that in order to solve copyright violations, Congress should find who actually post the copyright works rather than taking some actions against companies that provides sites with the illegally obtained materials posted by the violators, the FOX 9 News reported.

Also, Schmidt shared one of projects that Google has currently worked on, which gave audience at the University of Minnesota ideas of how the new product would work, Kare11 News reported.

Kare 11 News said that the chairman had a talk with Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and local business owners at the CoCo (Co-working and Collaborative space), where Grain Exchange was once operated.

Inside the CoCo, Schmidt said to the crowd of entrepreneurs that Google provides the means of increasing both customers and revenues with a small amount of money, CBS Minnesota reported.

Started his career in Google as CEO in 2001 and served nearly 10 years, Schmidt positions an executive chairman of the company as an adviser, Kare11News said.

Construction Halfway, but Challenges Remains

2011-12-05T01:37:27Z

While traffic density on the University Avenue came to less intense as most parts of construction on half of the avenue was compete Wednesday, but business still faced challenges.

Light rail project spokesperson Laura Baenen said the contractor promised that they would be able to complete the roadway by Nov. 30, but they would close the road temporarily to work on incomplete projects of the roads and sidewalks that would end during December, KSTP-TV reported.

St. Paul City Council member Russ Stark said it way happy to see the new paved road, but casted doubt on whether the contractor Walsh Construction could meet the deadline because construction was behind the plan, the Minnesota Public Radio reported.

The firm struggled with completing construction in accordance with the plan. The Minnesota Public Radio said that the Metropolitan Council acknowledged that the delay happened due to a lack of construction workers for months.

Walsh Construction would face rigid penalty if they could not have finish the construction by Nov 30, which was deadline, according to the Minnesota Public Radio.

Small business owners complained constructions. Business owners said that loans provided by the city were not enough to compensate the loss of the profits from the construction, the Minnesota Public Radio reported. They have asked judges to stop the construction because study on the impact of the project on business is not sufficient.

Finished the construction between Emerald Street and Hamline Avenue, construction between Hamline Avenue and Rice Avenue is expected to heavy once winter gets mild, KSTP-TV reporter Tim Sherno said.

Stalemate Over Budget Talk But Time Ticks

2011-11-21T04:11:56Z

Members of a joint committee found themselves on Sunday that it would be difficult to break the stalemate over $1.2 trillion federal budget deficit deals by the deadline, criticizing each other for their stubbornness about taxation and entitlement spending.

While Democrats said that Republicans had little willingness to compromise on new taxes for revenues, Republican Rep. Jeb Hensarling of Texas, co-chairman of the committee, countered Democrats by saying that the stalemate continued because of the Democrat's inflexibility to accept reduction in Medicare and Social Security, the New York Times said.

The New York Times mentions this to clarify what disputes between Republican and Democrats and frame the conflicts between them over the deficit-reduction talk. The New York Times, illustrates how divided the committee is by quoting members' words from talks on TV.

While the New York Times pays attention to conflicts, the Los Angeles Times look at what kind of deals members have offered in the bipartisan talk.

The Republican had $640 billion a debt-reduction plan on the table. The Los Angeles Times reported. The offer would contain $542 billion spending cut and $98 billion savings generated by lowering interest payments on the national debts.

The Los Angeles Times said that Sen. Democrat John F. Kerry of Massachusetts said Democrats offered $4 trillion reductions on important programs that would likely to stir anger in public.

The New York Time said that the Congressional Budget Office estimated that automatic spending cut would result in 7.8 percent budget cut in domestic programs and 10 percent cut in defense program that considered to be the largest cut if the committee cannot reach the deal.

Peaceful Protesters were arrested in Minnesota

2011-11-20T02:08:19Z

11 protesters were arrested Thursday for impeding traffic on a bridge near the University of Minnesota.
The protest took place on the bridge at 10th Avenue to demand some actions for jobs and racial equality, the Pioneer Express reported.
Sgt, Bill Palmer said protest organizers notified the police when and where the protest would take place so that the protester anticipated the likelihood of the arrest, according to the Pioneer Express.
at least 30 university students participated in the protest, but there is no information that students were arrested, the Minnesota Daily reported.
The Minnesota Daily said that in the Thursday's afternoon, students, organizers and citizens repeated loudly their agendas, such as an affordable tuition, no cutting spending on education and corporations' avarice, at Northrop Plaza.
Pioneer Express identified that there were at least 40 people and said protesters cried "Up with people" and down with greed."
The Minnesota Daily reported that one of the protesters gathered at Northrop Plaza was holding an American flag that put corporations'' trademarks instead of stars.
The protest on the bridge lasted no more than 30 minutes, The Minnesota Daily said.

Fire Destroyed Commercial Building

2011-11-20T01:57:47Z

A south Minneapolis commercial building collapsed Thursday morning because of a fire.
Firefighters came to the building around 5:30 a.m. after a Metro Transit bus driver notified the fire, the Star Tribune reported.
The fire in the commercial building North American Carrousel Co. on 27th Street and 28th Avenue spread and emitted other chemicals so that firefighters struggled with getting inside, myFOX9.com reported.
Myfox9.com said that a spokeswoman for Centerpoint Energy said the cause of the fire was believed to be natural gas.
The company has dedicated to games and rides for renaissance festivals nationwide, according to myFOX9.
Due to Thursday's cold temperature, the building destroyed by the fire gave shiny surface caused by ice, and as firefighters continued to melt down the ice, only visible inventory was huge body of a horse, according to the Star Tribune.

Wall Steet Protesters Never Give Up

2011-11-20T01:52:59Z

While Zuccotti Park regained peace after Wall Street protesters were evicted, The Wall Street protesters planned Thursday new demonstrations.
Even though police retained barricades to prevent protesters from conducting more aggressive protests on Wall Street and Zuccotti Park, they would plan to start protests on Wall Street and to meet in the park again, the Wall Street Journal reported.
City officials said that it would cost $3 million to keep police present to maintain safety at Zuccotti Park a month if protesters conduct demonstration in the park, the New York Time reported.
The New York Times said that Marc La Vorgna, a spokesman for Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg said barricades was once removed two weeks ago but reinstalled because of concerns that protesters might show up again.
Wall Street Journal said protesters at the park were aggressive. On Wednesday, police arrested 29-year-old Bronx man Nkrumah Tinsley on charge of uttering threats in a violent way.
The Wall Street Journal said that anti-rich movement on Wall Street has had impact on Wall Street and a few areas like Zuccotti Park, but has not impeded commuters and city's operations.

London respond to Zuccotti Park incident

2011-11-20T01:35:22Z

London city officials said Tuesday that anti-capitalist protesters living in camps outside St. Paul's Cathedral would face legal actions that would result in removing the camps.

Authorities in the cathedral and the City of London Corporation, the London city governing body, initiated legal actions that postponed two weeks ago and denied that the actions were not motivated by eviction taken place in Zuccotti Park where Occupy Wall Street protesters camped, the Washington Post reported.

What motivated authorities to restart the legal actions were unclear but the decisions might be made under necessity of bringing back to normal that is shared by opponents of Occupy Wall Street, according to the New York Times.

Stimulated by the news about Zuccotti Park eviction and restart of legal actions, London protesters marched outside U.S. embassy to protest violent actions taken place at Occupy Wall Street and to request a meeting with an ambassador, Time reported.

The Washington Post said the London protest started on Oct. 15, and the failure to solve the protest led to resignations of both cathedral's dean and senior priest.

200 protesters lived in tents near the cathedral, and having oatmeal and a cup of coffee became routine for many of those, New York Times said.

Gold is not here, but in Asian-Pacific

2011-11-14T05:19:39Z

The United States and eight Asian-Pacific nations reached Saturday a broad agreement that would facilitate liberalization of trade among the countries.

The agreement is called the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). It is designed to remove tariffs to facilitate free-trade between the United States and Asian-Pacific countries.

One of the focal points in the agreement that media frame is a relationship between the United States and China. While the United States attempted to attract Asian-Pacific nations by saying that the United States would keep its economic primacy, President Hu Jintao competed the vision by saying that China would transform into an innovative country that has potential and capital, the Washington Post reported.

The Washing Post said that China must abide by rules, but does not clearly mention what the rules are, but the New York Times reported what rules the United States asked China to follow. It said that Obama said China would have to adjust their currency rate accordingly and improve intellectual property rights.

While both companies mainly focus on China, The New York Times features different angles. It said that the agreement is important for the United States in term of political debates and 2012 re-election because GOP presidential candidates have criticized Obama through bashing economic relationship between the United States and China. Also, in the meeting, security concerns about Iran's nuclear program rose.

On the other hand, the Wall Street Journal deals with what the agreement means to Japan, which is not covered by the Washington Post and the New York Times. The agreement is beneficial for export-oriented countries like Japan because the pact would facilitate competition in the sector of electronics and auto companies, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Liberation of trade does not necessarily mean that it generates benefits for Japan. Japanese opponents of TPP said that liberation of trade would have impacts on agriculture and universal health insurance, the Wall Street Journal reported.

However, the Wall Street Journal shows to what extent agriculture contributes to the economy. It said that Agriculture only occupies 1.4 percent of the economy while manufactures occupy 20 percents. It costs $60 billion for the Japanese government to protect farmers from overseas agricultural products through tariffs and other policies.

Go Big, Germany.

2011-11-14T05:09:19Z

Meanwhile Greece and Italy, members of the European Unions, passes austerity measures to overcome economic crisis, Germany, the largest economy in Europe, decided Friday that they would pursue more spending.

Germany would borrow €26.1 billion ($35.5 billion) next year, which is nearly 16 percent increase as compare with borrowing this year, Bloomberg reported.

Despite an economic slowdown, Germany can focus on spending thanks to its own domestic policies and an economic stability. In term of growth of gross domestic product, Germany would see nearly 1 percent growth, which is 2 percent lower than this year, but Germany has maintained 7 percent unemployment rate and increased revenue from taxation, privatizations and labor cost cut from public sectors, the Wall Street Journal reported.

German government would use the borrowing to improve infrastructures and invest in efficient energy technology that the government has allocated €26.9 billion, according to Bloomberg.

Chancellor Angela Merkel would include several social programs in order to gain political trusts among constituencies. Those social programs would be a subsidy for parents and minimum wages that she once opposed, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Bloomberg said the Germany would spend up to nearly €307 billion in 2012, which is same amount as 2011.

Not all about watching who wins and loses

2011-11-14T04:57:22Z

In the middle of a notable Penn State Jon Paterno's scandal of sexual abuse, a Saturday college football game between Penn State and Nebraska came as unusual.

It was the striking moment that both team gathered in the middle of the field, kneed and listened to Nebraska running back coach Ron Brown's short speech, The Washington Post reported.

Even though Paterno's scandal came to the public, not all fun was disappointed by it. Thousands of students came to the stadium with an appearance that was alike Paterno and greeted the quarterback coach and Joe's son Jay Paterno when he came out from a bus, according to the New York Times.

Besides the support for the Jon Paterno, people who came to the stadium also could observe supports for prevention for child abuse. The stadium covered with blue, which is a symbolic color for prevention for child-abuse, and more than $20,000 was donated for the prevention, according to the Washington Post.

A solo protest was happening outside the stadium. A 34-year-old Penn State graduate John Matko, standing near an entrance gate, protested because he could not stand that children were abused, The New York Times reported.

Joe Paterno had dedicated himself to Penn State as head coach since 1965, and it was for the first time for Penn State that they played a game without him, the New York Times reported.

The stronger cannot always prey upon the weaker

2011-11-14T04:49:31Z

The Badgers gained triumph over the Gopher by 3-1 on Friday night at the Kohl Center in Madison, taking all goals in the second period with tight defense.

Minnesota Daily said the key point of the game would be which defense is better because both team only had five chances to shot in the first period.

However, in the second period, the game moved in favor of the Badgers. The team's first and third goals were attributed to the Gopher's defense breakdown, StarTribune said. The Badgers brought game to 3-0 only on eight shots.

Defense battle came to the third period again. Minnesota daily said the Gopher broke up the shutout by 3-1 thanks to Jake Hansen, but there were several opportunities to score more in the period.

StarTribune said the Gopher has ranked national No. 1 hockey team in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) series that scores 4.8 goals per game, and the Badgers was out of the rank.

Gophers coach Don Lucia said that the game was to some extent boring, and the game was lacking with contact, StarTribune reported.

Christopher & Banks closes retail stores to surive in current economic woes

2011-11-14T04:37:48Z

Christopher & Banks Corp Friday made a decision that it would close its retail stores up to 100 nationwide to increase profits, which would affect 1,000 of its workers.

The company's sales declined five percent, and it struggled with a loss of $13 million between April and August, Minnesota Public Radio news reported.

Looking at the company's management biannually, the company, even though it increased its profit up to $3.8 million, has suffered from the loss of $ 11.1 million, according to the StarTribune.

StarTribune said the decision came within two weeks after a hedge fund Southpoint Capital Advisors gained a nearly 5.6 percent, or 2 million, share of the apparel company in market. Christopher & Banks Corp would have to bear additional $5 million to $7 million losses for severance payment and termination of leases.

MPR said the apparel company has not decided to which stores would be closed, but the closures will end before February 2012.