| Nokia, Qualcomm Joust
Nokia Corp. and Qualcomm Inc. both made surprise maneuvers to gain leverage in high-stakes negotiations over patent royalties that are approaching an important deadline. The two cellular kingpins have filed several lawsuits against each other and have vowed more litigation if a licensing agreement between the companies expires late Monday without a new deal. Nokia is pressing Qualcomm for lower royalties than the Finnish cellphone maker pays under the current pact. Qualcomm, a San Diego chip maker, gets most of its profits from patent royalties on handsets. It is known for a technology called CDMA, for code-division multiple access. Though ... .
Hotel Franchise Agreements: Mediation, Arbitration or Litigation ...
Many hotel franchise agreements stipulate arbitration over litigation. At first glance, this may appear to be more beneficial to franchisees but nothing could be further from the truth. Compulsory arbitration protects franchisor interests while diluting franchisee remedies. What are the disadvantages of arbitration? First, in court you can obtain a jury trial assuming that you have not waived this right elsewhere in the agreement. Having a dispute resolved by a jury of your peers is a valuable right which should not be underestimated. Arbitrators are usually lawyers who may be friendly with your franchisor or its attorneys since arbitration clauses typically require arbitration to take place in the city where the franchisor's headquarters are located. Second, arbitration is very expensive, even as compared to litigation.
China's security officials urge stability for upcoming CPC ...
China's top security official ordered authorities of various levels to dissolve social conflicts and meanwhile, continue to crackdown on crimes to ensure that the Communist Party's 17th national congress is held in a peaceful environment. Luo Gan, director of the Central Committee for the Comprehensive Management of Public Security, urged local Party and government officials to do more mediation in dealing with social disputes or conflicts. "Reasoning, consultation and negotiation should be applied in a comprehensive way to dissolve social conflicts," said Luo, echoing the call from a Party newspaper urging the government to reduce the use of force to deal with social unrest. Speaking at a two-day national security meeting which ended Tuesday in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Luo asked local officials to listen to and work on the complaints and pleas raised by the masses "to ensure their problems can be effectively resolved".
Row on Jamia Hafsa Islamabad to be Resolved via Peaceful Means
ISLAMABAD: Central Working Committee of Pakistan Muslim League met here Sunday at the Prime Minister House and discussed the political and economic situation of the country.
The meeting was presided over by President PML Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and hosted by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, while it was attended by over 200 committee members from all over the country.
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz briefed the meeting about the political and economic situation, his recent visit to India to attend SAARC Summit, his forthcoming visit to China and recent visit of Russian Prime Minister to Pakistan.
Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain briefed the meeting about the development on the issue of Jamia Hafsa and Lal Masjid, while Senator Wasim Sajjad gave briefing on the issue of reference against Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and its proceedings by the Supreme Judicial Council.
Facilities await student use
The Eli Luria Library has been looking for ways to intrigue students to use the facility, according to Library Director Kenley Neufeld.
"Re-branding publicity is something that the library staff and I are trying to accomplish," said Neufeld. "It is difficult at the moment because there are only four people on staff."
The shortage has not stopped staff with ideas on how to improve library traffic. The library offers activities and helpful resources in order to better accommodate students, such as the coffee shop.
The Buzz Shack offers snacks and beverages to give students a break from studies. Neufeld said it helps create a warm, inviting atmosphere inside the library.
It closed for three weeks, beginning March 19, due to the need for construction.
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