June 30, 2003

Apple would beg to differ In the announcement of its campaign to oppose the RIAA’s attempts to combat file sharing by widespread lawsuits, the Electronic Frontier Foundation states: The problem is that there is no adequate system in place that allows music lovers access to their favorite music while compensating artists and copyright holders. iTunes anyone? Update: There is a post with a similar take on this announcement with resptect to iTunes on Slashdot. 11:06:21 PM

Scifi Wire reports that Marvel is suing Sony, producers of the Spider-man movie series for excess of $10 million in damages. Marvel claims that Sony's electronics unit refused to license Spider-Man for use on its consumer electronic products and that it instructed its sister company, Sony Pictures, not to license Spider-Man to any of Sony Electronics' competitors thus costing Marvel expected revenue. 10:54:30 PM

After numerous deployments of ships to the Arabian Sea and Persian Gulf as part of ant-terrorist operations, the Canadian Navy has announced it needs the next year off. Meanwhile the navy has taken possession of HMCS Corner Brook, a revamped slightly used British diesel-electric submarine. Canada has three more of this Victoria class subs. 10:54:14 PM

The Jerusalem Post reports that the United States is sending a team including two two generals to the Middle East to monitor Palestinian Authority action to dismantle terrorist organizations. Ensuring that terrorist organizations such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad are dismantled during the three-month intra-Palestinian cease-fire rather than being able to use the time to rest and rearm is a key Israeli and US demand for progress in the peace plan. Meanwhile US National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice has expressed opposition to the construction of the separation fence because of a preference for agreements rather than unilateral actions. Israeli officials however are adamant that the fence is needed because to would be needed to stop suicide bombers if the current truce fails. 10:35:30 PM

Haaretz reports that Israeli police have started to allow non-Muslims to enter the Temple Mount grounds in the Old City of Jerusalem under police escort, despite the fact that the Muslim Religious Trust (Waqf) has not agreed to the move. 10:33:35 PM

Initial Palestinian violations of the cease fire agreement: Murder of a Bulgarian labourer in the northern West Bank. Shooting at an Israeli Army post in Gaza. 10:33:18 PM