Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin urged lawmakers Tuesday to pass an antitrust bill that would impose criminal penalties for unfair competition. The Federal Anti-Monopoly Service said that the current law is too vague and prevents criminal punishment. The draft bill seeks to amend current legislation to clarify the definition of unfair competition, establish administrative liability [...]

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Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende said Tuesday that the Netherlands would be willing to consider accepting Guantanamo Bay detainees, despite earlier statements to the contrary. Meeting with US President Barack Obama in Washington, DC, Balkenende said that his country might accept transferred detainees if it would help to close the detention facility . The [...]

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The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is engaging in more vigorous enforcement of its rules and policies in order to address the financial crisis and improve investor protection, Chairman Mary Schapiro testified before the US House of Representatives Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Insurance and Government-Sponsored Enterprises Tuesday. Schapiro testified that proposed policy changes will [...]

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The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) reported on Wednesday that pirate attacks around the globe have doubled in the first half of 2009. The bulk of the upsurge has come from increased activity in the Gulf of Aden and Somali coastal waters, where 130 incidents occurred since January. The report attributes a lull in activity in [...]

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