Bay/CA
>>Goodwin Liu renominated to Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals
U.C. Berkeley School of Law Professor and Associate Dean Goodwin Liu has been renominated to the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. If confirmed by the Senate, Liu will be the only Asian American sitting as an active judge on the court.
In February, President Obama nominated Liu for the position, which was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee on a 12-7 party-line vote on May 13. However, because the nomination was not acted upon by the full Senate during the session, Liu’s nomination was returned to the president for reconsideration.
Liu grew up in Sacramento and is the son of Taiwanese immigrants. He is a former O’Melveny & Myers appellate litigator in Washington, D.C. In 2003, Liu joined U.C. Berkeley’s faculty and was awarded the university’s Distinguished Teaching Award, the university’s highest honor for teaching.
For more information, visit http://www.metnews.com
Arts
>>KSW’s Transforming Fictions hosts reception at the de Young
San Francisco- On Friday, September 24, KSW ‘s Transforming Fictions will be hosting a reception at the de Young Museum. The public is encouraged is come and meet ad interest with Kearny Street Workshop artists-in-residence Ala Ebtekar (visual artist), Julie Chang (visual artist), Pireeni Sundaralingam (scientist/poet), and Erika Chong Shuch (choreographer).
In a workshop environment, the four interdisciplinary artists work with Kearny Street Workshop in the Young Artist Studio to deleop new projects that draw from their own ideas and those of their neighbors.
When: Friday, Sept. 24, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Where: De Young Museum Kimball Education Gallery, 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr., S.F.
Cost: Free
For more information, visit kearnystreet.org
Commerce
>>Japan offers loan for California high-speed rail project
Japan- California Governor Arnold Schwarznegger visited Tokyo as part of an Asian tour to find contractors and funds to support the state’s more than $40 billion high-speed rail project, which includes a route between Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Japan’s transport minister has offered loans to support California’s railway project. Japan Bank for International Cooperation is prepared to lend funds for California’s rail project, stated Transport Minister Seiji Maehara according to a Bloomberg article.
California won $2.3 billion of federal funds as part of President Obama’s funding program. The state expects bids from approximately 10 trainmakers for the railway project. Construction may start as early as the first half of 2012, according to the California High Speed Rail Authority.
For more information, visit http://www.bloomberg.com
Global
>> NLD dissolved by Burma’s Election Committee
Burma- Burma’s National League for Democracy (NLD) has been dissolved by the Election Committee (EC) under the circumstance of not timely registering as a political party for Burma’s Nov. 7 elections. The EC dissolved five parties in total for the same reason, including the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy, the Union Pa-O National Organization, the Shan State Kokang Democratic Party, and the Wa National Development Party.
In total, ten parties were dissolved by the EC. The state media stated that the ten parties in question could no longer participate in the upcoming elections.
In 1990, the NLD leader Suu Kyi helped the party to win the country’s last election, but was never allowed to take power. Suu Kyi is scheduled to be released on Nov. 13, a short six days after the scheduled general elections.
For more information, visit http://www.irrawaddy.org
