China orders apple supplier plant closure over environmental concerns

CHINESE AUTHORITIES have ordered an Apple supplier to close part of its plant in Suzhou after residents living nearby raised significant environmental concerns.

The Chinese government, widely criticised for its poor policies on environmental issues, has taken a tough stance with the Taiwanese company Catcher Technology, which makes metal casings for notebook computers including Apple's Macbook Air and Macbook Pro. The company also makes chassis for Acer, Dell, Lenovo and Sony.

The shutdown follows complaints from local residents, who said that they could smell foul odours emanating from the plant.

Catcher Technology is now attempting to address concerns by refurbishing the affected part of the plant, which it hopes to complete by the end of the month. However, it will then need regulator approval before it can reopen, which could delay things considerably.

The ordered closure might mark a change in government tactics in efforts to improve China's reputation at home and abroad. While this is good news for the environment, it could be terrible news for the technology industry, which is largely dependent on a number of Chinese companies and manufacturing plants to meet demands.

"Even assuming its competition can somehow make up for the supply shortfall with additional output while Catcher's production is disrupted, we believe the news is generally bad for the overall [PC] sector," said Jenny Lai, head of Taiwan research at HSBC, according to the Financial Times.

This is the latest supply setback to affect Apple. Earlier this year it was hit by supply issues after the earthquake and tsunami in Japan put some suppliers temporarily out of business.

This is also not the first environmental concern to hit Apple. In August a report was released by Chinese environmental groups that accused a number of Apple suppliers of polluting the environment. Apple's 2010 audit also found that 80 facilities used by its suppliers were not up to scratch. Some of these might now be forced to address long-standing concerns, but if so, this will likely come at a temporary cost of lower supply to the world's top computer makers.

China orders apple supplier plant closure over environmental concerns- The Inquirer:

Protesters Plan to Picket Obama's Hotel

We're waiting to see whether

President Obama cites the anti-Wall Street protesters during his bus trip through North Carolina and Virginia.

And how much the Wall Street protesters cite Obama.

A group called Occupy Greensboro --modeled after the Occupy Wall Street protests -- seeks a meeting with Obama and may picket the hotel where the president plans to spend the night, reports the Greensboro News & Record.

The newspaper says, "The group voted to ask Obama to meet tonight with some members -- a delegation bearing letters of 'individual grievances.'"

"We wished to invite you to visit with our assembly and hear why the people gathered here are upset with our government," the letter said.

White House spokesman Jay Carney declined to say whether Obama would address the Wall Street protests, but he said the president understands the frustrations behind the demonstrations.

"One, the frustrations that regular folks --middle-class Americans -- feel about the state of the economy, the need for growth to improve, and certainly the need for job creation to improve," Carney said.

"And,' he said, "there is a related frustration that a lot of Americans feel about the idea that Wall Street in the past played by different rules than Main Street."

Occupy protesters seek to meet Obama

China's trade growth slows

China's export growth fell in September in a sign of the West's malaise and a setback for hopes Chinese demand will help prop up a shaky global economy.

The slump in Western nations will hurt struggling Chinese exporters and raise the specter of politically sensitive job losses. Economies such as Australia and Japan that supply raw materials and components to China also might suffer because its export manufacturers account for half of Chinese imports and are cutting orders.

Export growth fell to 17.1 percent over a year earlier, down from August's 24.5 percent, customs data showed Thursday. Import growth also fell, while China's politically sensitive trade surplus narrowed to $14.5 billion.

The Associated Press: China's trade growth slows, surplus narrows

Despite divisiveness, Congress passes 3 trade pacts

After a debate marked by disagreement among Democrats, both houses approve free-trade deals with Panama, Colombia and South Korea, a key victory for President Obama.

NW medical school doctors paid by drug companies

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Computer virus hits US Air Force drone program; Pentagon mum on impact

Report: Computer virus hits US Air Force drone program; Pentagon mum on impact - The Washington Post

WikiLeaks Cable Shows John McCain Pushed to Arm Gadhafi

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As Ed Schultz noted earlier this week, it looks Sen. John McCain, who's done nothing but criticize President Obama at every turn for his handling of the situation in Libya, has a little explaining to do. This Friday, Chris Hayes went after him for talking tough and playing the bully, when in reality he's just another deal making politician who will cozy up with dictators if he feels it's necessary.

Here's more on the leaked cable from Politico --Leaked cable: John McCain pushed to arm Qadhafi:

A leaked U.S. diplomatic cable shows that Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain promised to help Libyan dictator Muammar Qadhafi obtain U.S. military hardware in 2009.

The cable, released by the open information group WikiLeaks, reveals the pledge came at meeting that was attended by other prominent members of Congress, including Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.).

In the meeting, Muatassim Qadhafi, the Libyan leader’s fifth son and national security adviser, requested U.S. assistance in obtaining military supplies, both lethal and non-lethal.

The cable indicates that McCain was the dominant voice among the congressional delegation in a push for military hardware for Qadhafi.

“Sen. McCain assured Muatassim that the United States wanted to provide Libya with the equipment it needs for its … security,” according to the cable.

McCain said that he understood the need for Libya to upgrade its existing ranks of C-130 Hercules aircraft. Libya had bought eight of the military cargo aircraft in the 1970s, but as bilateral relationships with the United States deteriorated, a ban of arms sales prevented the aircraft from being moved to North Africa. McCain pledged to do what he could to move the issue forward in Congress.

McCain stressed that Libya needed to fulfill its commitments of giving up its weapons of mass destruction in order for bilateral engagement to go forward.

Brian Rogers, communications director for McCain, said in a statement to POLITICO that the Arizona Republican never made any promises to Libya and never acted to help the Qadhafi regime.

“At no point did Senator McCain ever promise to help the Qaddafi regime secure U.S. military assistance. Upon the his return to Washington, there were no follow-up discussions and no action taken by Senator McCain or his staff to provide the Qaddafi regime with C-130s or any other military assistance,” said Rogers. “There has been no greater champion than Senator McCain for Libya’s democratic revolution and for the toppling of the brutal Qaddafi regime.”

Source: WikiLeaks Cable Shows John McCain Pushed to Arm Gadhafi