News Briefs

Megaupload Shutdown by US government

Hong Kong-based  company Megaupload was shut down on Jan. 19 by the US Department of Justice and four of its executives were taken into custody in New Zealand on charges of copyright infringement. The arrest comes only one day after congress decided to postpone the debate and voting on the controversial Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect Intellectual Property Act (PIPA). The hacktivist group Anonymous has called this "the single largest Internet attack in its history". They responded with denial of service attack on the US Justice Department  that shutdown their services for about an hour. Megaupload is rumoured to have made $175 million from pirated movies and music since its inception in 2005, and accounted for as much as four per cent of the Internet's content.

Islamist parties win election in Egypt

The final results in Egypt's first parliamentary elections since the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak have confirmed an overwhelming victory for Islamist parties. The Muslim Brotherhood, a party that was banned under Mubarak's regime, won the biggest share of parliamentary seats (38 per cent), according to the High Elections Committee. The Revolution Continues Coalition, dominated by youth groups at the forefront of the protests that toppled Mubarak, attracted less than a million votes and took just seven seats.

France suspends all army operations in Afghanistan

France has suspended all operations with the Afghan army and threatened to withdraw its forces early from the country after an Afghan soldier killed four French troops on Jan. 21. The four soldiers were allegedly unarmed and killed during a training exercise at the Gwan military base in Kapisa province. The attack comes after a similar attack last month in which an Afghan soldier killed two members of the French Foreign Legion. French President Nicolas Sarkozy ordered an immediate review of security for troops training Afghan soldiers. If Sarkozy is not satisfied, France may withdraw its troops Afghanistan early.

Rick Perry drops out of GOP race

On Jan. 19, Texas Governor Rick Perry ended his presidential bid and endorsed Newt Gingrich for the next leader of the Republican party for the 2012 election. Perry surged to the top of the polls when he entered the race in the summer of last year, quickly faltered and his campaign became known for terrible debate performances and speaking gaffes. This makes Perry the fourth member of the GOP race to abandon his campaign after Michele Bachman, Herman Cain and John Huntsman did the same. The remaining candidates are Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum.   

Niagara Falls arena up for sale

Niagara Falls City Councillors will be considering, in a closed-door meeting on Jan. 24, an offer from V2 Niagara Inc. for the purchase of the Niagara Falls Memorial Arena for $1.4 million – or about $400,000 less than the arena's appraised price. The arena had been declared redundant in the City's budget following the construction in 2010 of the $38 million Gale Centre. The Memorial Arena, at 5145 Centre St., had been twice put up for auction by the City, which wanted to use the money to pay down the debt incurred from its replacement. The bidding, however, has not resulted in any acceptable offers. As the discussion involves a land transfer, councillors are able to conduct the arrangements "in camera" – or away from the public. News of the decision is therefore unlikely to come out until the arrangements are final.

London protestors hold rally

Locked-out workers at the Electro-Motive manufacturing plant in London, ON staged a rally on Jan. 21 to protest demands from the industrial giant Caterpillar, which owns the plant, to accept a nearly 50 per cent pay cut and the loss of nearly all of their benefits – the rejection of which lead the plant to lock out its 420 workers. Estimates on the number of people attending the rally varied widely – from about 15,000 according to the organizers to about 5,000 according to the police. Though the number of workers locked-out is relatively small, they have attracted significant support from labour leaders worried that the lock-out's success would set a precedent. Demonstrators frequently called for the intervention of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who has so far remained silent on the issue.

Construction nearly finished on new hospital

The Niagara Health System's new hospital already looks finished — the workers having finished the exterior — but construction still continues on the inside of the almost one million square foot facility, which is now about 85 per cent complete. The complex, located on Fourth Avenue, is expected to be finished by early 2013, and has recently started undergoing reviews of the parts of its interior that have already been finished. Equipment is already being purchased to fill the new building, and instruments from the old St. Catharines General are being prepared for transfer. According to official statements, the construction is both on-schedule and on-budget.

Federal crime bill priced at $1 billion

The Progressive-Conservative Party's proposed restructuring of the justice system will cost Ontario approximately $1 billion, said the provincial government. Much of the cost would be incurred in improving the province's prison system, which is already operating at 95 per cent capacity with about 8,500 people behind bars; the province estimates that the bill will add another 1,500 people to the system. The estimated price of the expansion is $900 million initially with an additional $60 million every year for the upkeep. The new legislation enacts several new rules expected to increase the number of prisoners, including mandatory minimum sentencing and reduced latitude for judges to offer sentencing outside the prison system, such as in house-arrest.