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New York Man Pleads Guilty to Criminal Copyright Infringement for Selling Pirated Computer Software Using the Internet

A New York man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Va., to criminal copyright infringement for selling more than $250,000 worth of pirated copies of popular business, engineering and graphic design software programs.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Justice Department Requires Key Divestiture in Election Systems & Software/Premier Election Solutions Merger

The department said that today’s settlement will restore competition in voting equipment systems in the U.S. and that, without the divestiture, the acquisition would result in higher prices, lower quality and a reduced incentive to innovate.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Father and Son Plead Guilty to Selling Counterfeit Software Worth $1 Million

Robert D. Cook, 56, and his son, Todd A. Cook, 23, both of Wichita Falls, Texas, pleaded guilty late yesterday to criminal copyright infringement and conspiracy to commit criminal copyright infringement before U.S. District Court Judge T.S. Ellis III, in Alexandria, Va.



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Internet Seller of Pirated Software Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Criminal Copyright Infringement

Robert Cimino, 60, of Syracuse, N.Y., was sentenced to 18 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga in the Eastern District of Virginia for his sales of more than $250,000 worth of pirated software.



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Texas Man Who Was Part of Father and Son Team of Pirated Software Sellers Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison

Todd Alan Cook, 24, of Wichita Falls, Texas, was sentenced today to 18 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge T.S. Ellis III for selling more than $1 million worth of pirated computer software through the Internet, in violation of criminal copyright infringement laws.



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Detroit Area Strip Club Owner Pleads Guilty to Using Computer Software Program to Delete Club’s Sales in Order to Cheat on Taxes

Nicholas J. Faranso of Farmington Hills, Mich., pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Court Judge John Corbett O’Meara in the Eastern District of Michigan to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, the Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Justice Department Requires Google Inc. to Develop and License Travel Software in Order to Proceed with Its Acquisition of ITA Software Inc.

In order for Google Inc. to proceed with its proposed acquisition of ITA Software Inc., the Justice Department will require Google to develop and license travel software, to establish internal firewall procedures and to continue software research and development.



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Michigan Woman Pleads Guilty to Selling More Than $400,000 in Counterfeit Business Software

A Michigan woman pleaded guilty today to selling more than $400,000 worth of counterfeit computer software.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Microsoft Antitrust Final Judgment Expires May 12

As a result of the Department of Justice Antitrust Division’s efforts in the Microsoft case and final judgment, the competitive landscape changed allowing the marketplace to operate in a fair and open manner bringing about increased innovation and more choices for consumers.



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Justice Department Resolves Citizenship Status Discrimination Charge Against New Jersey Employer Iflowsoft LLC

The Justice Department announced today that it has reached a settlement agreement with Iflowsoft LLC, a computer programming services provider in Iselin, N.J., to settle allegations that Iflowsoft engaged in a pattern or practice of citizenship status discrimination by preferring to hire temporary visa holders over U.S. citizens.



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Cincinnati Man Pleads Guilty to Selling More Than $1 Million in Counterfeit Tax Preparation Software

A Cincinnati man pleaded guilty yesterday to selling more than $1 million worth of counterfeit financial and tax preparation software through an Internet auction site.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Michigan Woman Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Selling More Than $400,000 in Counterfeit Business Software

Jacinda Jones, 31, of Ypsilanti, Mich., also was ordered by U.S. District Court Judge David M. Lawson in Detroit to serve three years of supervised release following her prison term and to pay $441,035 in restitution.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Statement of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division on Its Decision to Close Its Investigations of Google Inc.’s Acquisition of Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc. and the Acquisitions of Certain Patents by Apple Inc., Microsoft Corp. and Research in

The Antitrust Division closed its investigations into Google Inc.’s acquisition of Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc., the acquisitions by Apple Inc., Microsoft Corp. and Research in Motion Ltd. (RIM) of certain Nortel Networks Corporation patents, and the acquisition by Apple of certain Novell Inc. patents.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Michigan Man Charged with Selling Counterfeit Microsoft Software Worth More Than $1.2 Million

Bruce Alan Edward, 48, of Atlanta, Mich., was charged in an indictment returned on Oct. 24, 2012, and unsealed on Nov. 1, 2012, by the federal grand jury in Bay City, Mich.



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President of Higher Education Software Provider Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Hack into Competitors’ Computer Systems

The president and chief executive officer of Virginia-based Symplicity Corporation pleaded guilty today to conspiring to hack into the computer systems of two competitors to improve his company’s software development and sales strategy.



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United States Intervenes in Whistleblower Suit Against Symantec Corporation Alleging False Claims for Computer Software

The United States has intervened in a law suit against Symantec Corporation, alleging that Symantec submitted false claims to the United States on a General Services Administration (GSA) software contract, the Justice Department announced today



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Software Developers Invited to Join 2020 APEC App Challenge

The challenge: Innovative mobile apps and platforms that empower the aging society




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UCLA softball is on 'really big high' with return of Rachel Garcia and Bubba Nickles

UCLA, the NCAA champion in 2019 and the No. 1 team in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, got a boost with the return of Rachel Garcia and Bubba Nickles.




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Yokogawa Releases Plant Resource Manager (PRM) R4.03, a Software Package in the OpreX Asset Management and Integrity Family

Yokogawa Electric Corporation (TOKYO: 6841) announces the November 14 release of Plant Resource Manager (PRM) R4.03, the latest version of a software package in the OpreX Asset Management and Integrity family that facilitates the monitoring and control of plant operations by centralizing the management of large volumes of data from instrumentation and manufacturing equipment. PRM R4.03 features powerful device diagnostic functions that help to optimize plant maintenance and ensure safe operations.




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Yokogawa Releases Exaquantum R3.20 Plant Information Management System, a Software Package in the OpreX Asset Operations and Optimization Family

Yokogawa Electric Corporation (TOKYO: 6841) announces the release of Exaquantum R3.20, an enhanced version of its plant information management system (PIMS) software package in the OpreX Asset Operations and Optimization family.




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Yokogawa Releases AI-enabled Versions of SMARTDAC+ Paperless Recorders and Data Logging Software, and Environmentally Robust AI-enabled e-RT3 Plus Edge Computing Platform for Industry Applications

Yokogawa Electric Corporation (TOKYO: 6841) announces the release of artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled versions of the GX series panel-mount type paperless recorders, GP series portable paperless recorders, and GA10 data logging software, which are components of the highly operable and expandable SMARTDAC+data acquisition and control system. This new AI functionality includes the future pen, a function developed by Yokogawa that enables the drawing of predicted waveforms. Yokogawa is also releasing a new CPU module for the e-RT3 Plus edge computing platform that is environmentally robust and Python compatible. The GX/GP and e-RT3 release is set for April 8, and the GA10 software will be released on May 13. The SMARTDAC+ system is a product in the OpreX Data Acquisition family, and the e-RT3 Plus is part of the OpreX Control Devices family.






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The software that powers scientific illustration




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The Young African Leaders Initiative: Soft power, smart power


In 2010, Africa’s leaders gathered at the African Union in Addis Ababa to celebrate 50 years of independence. In Washington, President Barack Obama marked the occasion by hosting a town hall meeting of young African leaders from nearly 50 countries.

What looked at the time to be a curious way to mark a significant moment in the continent’s history was in fact the genesis of what could become the most innovative Obama initiative in Africa. 

When asked during the session by a young woman from Mali why he had convened such a meeting, Obama said that he wanted “to communicate directly to people who may not assume that the old ways of doing business in Africa are the ways that Africa has to do business.” The president added that he wanted the young leaders to meet each other, to develop a network of like-minded people working for a better future, and to reinforce each other’s goals and aspirations.

That town hall marked the launch of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI). Over the next two years, YALI engaged Africa’s youth, principally through events coordinated by U.S. embassies throughout the region. Then, during a speech in 2013 in South Africa, Obama announced the establishment of the Washington Fellowship. Subsequently renamed the Mandela Washington Fellowship (MWF), the program initially was designed to bring 500 young leaders to the U.S. for six weeks of executive leadership training at U.S. universities and four days in Washington to meet with each other, leaders in the administration, and to have a town hall with the president. In 2016, the program was increased to 1,000 fellows.

The fellows

When USAID put the application online for the first class of fellows in December 2013, the response was extraordinary. Nearly 50,000 applied for 500 slots. Similar numbers have applied for the two subsequent classes. Over the course of three classes of fellows, there have been 119,000 applications for 2,000 openings.

The U.S. government kept the qualifications relatively simple. Young men and women from each of sub-Saharan Africa’s 49 countries are eligible to participate, including from countries on which the U.S. has sanctions, such as Sudan, Eritrea, and Zimbabwe. Applicants generally have to be between 25 and 35, proficient in English, possess a proven record of leadership, and have a commitment to return to the continent. Fellows apply for one of three tracks: business and entrepreneurship, civic leadership, or public management.

A review of the program found that in the first cohort, the gender split was 50/50, nearly 40 percent owned a business, and a similar number ran a nonprofit organization. Eighty percent of the class had never traveled to the U.S., and more than half grew up outside capital cities.

The key element of the fellows’ program occurs during the specialized six weeks of leadership training that takes place at nearly 40 universities across the U.S. At the universities, the fellows, in cohorts of 20, are exposed not only to programs tailored specifically for their interests, but to other young Africans who share a passion for making a difference in their communities and countries. For most fellows, meeting other young Africans from different countries is one of YALI’s key benefits, as is forging genuine ties with Americans and U.S. institutions.

The narratives of the 2,000 Mandela Washington Fellows illustrate some of the most compelling stories and realities on the African continent today.

Importantly, the MWF program is cost-efficient, as the average cost of a fellow coming to the U.S. is $24,000. At least half is paid by the participating U.S. universities and a host of companies, including Coca-Cola, IBM, the MasterCard Foundation, AECOM, Microsoft, Intel, McKinsey & Company, GE, and Procter & Gamble, who have made grants or in-kind contributions to the fellowships and the YALI program.

YALI’s broader impact

YALI is having an impact on its participants. An initial assessment by IREX, USAID’s implementing partner, found that over 80 percent of male and female fellows who owned businesses reported an increase in earnings in the year following their fellowship in the U.S. Business fellows also leveraged more than $3 million in new sources of support through loans, grants, equity financing, and in-kind contributions.

Fellows who participated in the civic leadership training reported that the impact of their nonprofit organizations nearly tripled to over 1.6 million beneficiaries, with an average contact per fellow increasing from less than 3,000 to just fewer than 15,000 beneficiaries.

Over 80 percent of the fellows reported that they remained in contact with other fellows during the course of the year, and 70 percent indicated they continued to be involved with their host university. The ongoing connectivity is helped by the three regional conferences in Africa that USAID convenes for program alumni, more than 200 internships on the continent—most sponsored by corporate partners—as well as funding for fellows to attend conferences and other programs after they have returned to Africa.

As part of YALI’s broader reach, USAID created four Regional Leadership Centers (RLCs)—in South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, and Senegal—that offer distance and in-class leadership training to about 3,500 participants annually.

The YALI Network (Figure 1) was established in 2013 as a means to stay connected online to the tens of thousands of young Africans who applied for the fellowship but were not selected as well as others interested in the initiative. The network, which provides access to global leaders in relevant fields and opportunities for collaboration on a range of activities, has attracted nearly 250,000 members. Participants in the RLCs and the YALI Network can earn certificates in various courses, including climate change, women’s empowerment, and the election processs.

Figure 1.


Source: YALI Network

YALI, of course is not without its challenges. Recruiting from 49 countries can be exceedingly difficult, and the quality of Skype and telephone connectivity can vary significantly, which impacts the interview process. Due to the high volume of applicants, embassies have learned that they need more time to review applications. Extra efforts have been needed to accommodate fellows with disabilities. YALI’s biggest challenge, though, is winning the support of African leaders who generally have yet to embrace the program due to its unilateral launch.

What’s next?

YALI is a cost-efficient and effective way to invest in Africa’s future, especially as it concerns deepening trade and commerce with the region, strengthening democratic institutions and empowering civil society. If the next administration continues to invest in the program, YALI could become an enduring legacy program of the Obama administration much like the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and the President’s Emergency Program on AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) are, respectively, for the Clinton and Bush administrations. Over time, YALI inevitably would contribute to a new generation of transformative African leadership and deeper ties between the U.S. and Africa in a way that few other programs do.

      
 
 




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The U.S. External Deficit: A Soft Landing, Doomed or Delayed?

ABSTRACT The objective of this paper is to explore how the external balance of the United States might evolve in future years as the economy emerges from the recession. We examine the issue both from the domestic perspective of the saving and investment balance and from the external side in terms of the basic determinants…

       




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Eurozone desperately needs a fiscal transfer mechanism to soften the effects of competitiveness imbalances


The eurozone has three problems: national debt obligations that cannot be met, medium-term imbalances in trade competitiveness, and long-term structural flaws.

The short-run problem requires more of the monetary easing that Germany has, with appalling shortsightedness, been resisting, and less of the near-term fiscal restraint that Germany has, with equally appalling shortsightedness, been seeking. To insist that Greece meet all of its near-term current debt service obligations makes about as much sense as did French and British insistence that Germany honor its reparations obligations after World War I. The latter could not be and were not honored. The former cannot and will not be honored either.

The medium-term problem is that, given a single currency, labor costs are too high in Greece and too low in Germany and some other northern European countries. Because adjustments in currency values cannot correct these imbalances, differences in growth of wages must do the job—either wage deflation and continued depression in Greece and other peripheral countries, wage inflation in Germany, or both. The former is a recipe for intense and sustained misery. The latter, however politically improbable it may now seem, is the better alternative.

The long-term problem is that the eurozone lacks the fiscal transfer mechanisms necessary to soften the effects of competitiveness imbalances while other forms of adjustment take effect. This lack places extraordinary demands on the willingness of individual nations to undertake internal policies to reduce such imbalances. Until such fiscal transfer mechanisms are created, crises such as the current one are bound to recur.

Present circumstances call for a combination of short-term expansionary policies that have to be led or accepted by the surplus nations, notably Germany, who will also have to recognize and accept that not all Greek debts will be paid or that debt service payments will not be made on time and at originally negotiated interest rates. The price for those concessions will be a current and credible commitment eventually to restore and maintain fiscal balance by the peripheral countries, notably Greece.


Authors

Publication: The International Economy
Image Source: © Vincent Kessler / Reuters
     
 
 




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Microsoft Using Biogas Fuel Cell to Power Wyoming Data Center

The fuel cell is part of Microsoft's Data Plant project to build a zero carbon data center.




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Fabric softener sales plummet, thanks to uninterested Millennials

Proctor & Gamble blames it on Millennials not knowing how to do laundry, but it's more likely that they don't feel like paying to infuse their clothes with nasty chemicals.




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How to get soft, fluffy towels without fabric softener

Because sometimes it's the little things...




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Microsoft puts disposable wifi routers into magazine advertisement

Microsoft decided that a good way to advertise its cloud-based Office 365 software would be to actually put a T-Mobile wifi router with 15 days of free wifi inside a magazine advert.




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Teddylux Recycled Cashmere Soft Toys

Abandon not all ye moth-eaten and shrunken cashmere sweaters—designer Brooke Serson Cernonok of Teddylux can sprout an entire menagerie from your castoffs.




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Cork bath toys are a great alternative to soft plastic ones

They're non-toxic, waterproof, and cute.




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Soft, fuzzy sculptures hint at the plight of world's coral reefs

Concerned about the threats facing coral reefs, this artist is creating bright, tactile reminders of what healthy corals look like.




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Microsoft sank a data center in the ocean. On purpose.

The underwater data center is an innovative attempt by the company to create more sustainable, energy efficient data centers.




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Image recognition software for sharks tells them apart by their fins

A shark's fin is like its fingerprint, with each animal having its own unique patterns and scars.




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Microsoft's data centers in Ireland are getting an influx of wind power

The tech giant just agreed to purchase all of the energy from GE's Tullahennel wind farm.




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Microsoft cutting emissions by 75% by 2030

The action will prevent 10 million metric tons of carbon emissions.




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Microsoft submerges data center off Scotland's Orkney Islands

This is the second deployment of the tech company's underwater data center project.




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Why you don't need fabric softener

It's bad for the clothes, your health, and the planet. There is no good reason to use it.






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Amazon and Microsoft trade barbs over JEDI contract appeal

The JEDI, or Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure, deal worth up to $10 billion has become one of the most tangled contracts for the Department of Defense.




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Ousted WeWork CEO Adam Neumann is suing SoftBank — Here's why

Founder and former CEO of WeWork Adam Neumann is suing SoftBank, the company's biggest investor. CNBC's Deidre Bosa reports.




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WeWork's Adam Neumann once said he had a 'beautiful relationship' with SoftBank's Masa Son; now he calls out 'abuse of power' in lawsuit filing

In the lawsuit, Neumann accuses Softbank of backing out of a key provision of its nearly $10 billion bailout agreed to in October. Neumann was the biggest beneficiary of the deal that would have seen him cash out $970 million worth of his stake in the coworking startup.




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Sanctions send soft signals to Russia: Pro

Stephen Yates, CEO at DC International Advisory, says the sanctions that have slapped on Russia have not been hard-hitting at all.




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Microsoft's shift is a 'welcome change': Pro

Norman Young, Senior Equity Analyst at Morningstar, says Microsoft's release of the Office for iPad app reflects a strategy shift in the software company under its new chief executive officer, Satya Nadella.




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Why Renaissance Capital is cautious on Kingsoft's 'growth-at-all-costs' model

While there has been "quite a bit of interest" in Kingsoft Cloud's IPO filing, investors should be cautious about the high-growth tech company operating on negative margins and the generally poor performance of Chinese IPOs, says Kathleen Smith, founding principal of Renaissance Capital.




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NYT: EU bows to pressure to soften criticism of how the Chinese government pushed disinformation about the coronavirus

New York Times reporter Matt Apuzzo discusses his piece on how Beijing moved to tamp down criticism from the West over its response to the coronavirus pandemic.




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Microsoft plans a new browser brand

CNBC's Dominic Chu and S&P Capital IQ analyst Angelo Zino discuss the expected new web browser being developed at Microsoft.