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[ Global update | King cuts nation off from world BY BINAJ GURUBACHARYA THE ASSOCIATED PRESS KATMANDU, Nepal — King Gya nendra dismissed Nepal’s government Tliesday and declared a state of emer gency, closing off his Himalayan na tion from the rest of the world as tele phone and Internet lines were cut, flights diverted and civil liberties se verely curtailed. Britain and India both expressed concern, saying the king’s actions un dermined democracy. This was the second time in three years the king has taken control of the tiny South Asian constitutional monarchy, a throwback to the era of absolute power enjoyed by mon archs before King Birendra, Gyanendra’s elder brother, intro duced democracy in 1990. King Gyanendra denied his takeover was a coup, although sol diers surrounded the houses of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and other government leaders. The king also suspended several provisions of the constitution, includ ing freedom of the press, speech and expression, peaceful assembly, the right to privacy, and the right against preventive detention, according to a statement from the Narayanhiti Palace. “We will oppose this step,” Deuba, who was not allowed to leave his home, told reporters. “The move di rectly violates the constitution and is against democracy.” Another bump in Nepal’s political road Nepal’s government has been crippled by instability since the June 2001 killing spree that ended the lives of much of Nepal’s royal family, including the king, at the hands of the crown prince. June 4,2001 - Slain king’s brother, Prince Gyanendra, takes throne July - Maoist rebels step up violence July - Prime Minister, Sher Bahadur Deuba, announces truce with rebels. November - Maoists kill 24 police in 15 attacks; king declares state of emergency May 2002 - U.S. pledges $20 million to fight the rebels. Maoists offer truce, government declines. May 22 - King dissolves lit,. Parliament, orders fresh elections; Deuba remains interim prime minister. King Gyanendra Aug. 28 - Government lifts state of emergency. Oct. 4 - King fires Deuba Jan. 29, 2003 - Rebels declare cease-fire May 30 - New prime minister resigns June 4 - King appoints monarchist Surya Bahadur Thapa, 75, as new prime minister. Aug. 27 - Rebels call off cease fire; fighting resumes. May 7, 2004 - Prime minister resigns, in face of pro-democracy pressure June 2 - King reappoints Deuba as prime minister with the task of holding elections. August - Nepalese rebels blockade Katmandu, demanding the government free jailed guerrillas. Feb. 1, 2005 - King dismisses government and declares a state of emergency, taking control of the kingdom. AP Online auction sites generate complaints in record numbers BY GENARO C. ARMAS THE ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON, D.C. — Ameri cans are increasingly turning to In ternet auction sites to buy and sell goods from around the world, and a growing number think they might be getting a raw deal online. The number of complaints filed with the Federal TVade Commission over Internet auctions has nearly doubled from 51,000 in 2002 to more than 98,000 last year, the agency said Tliesday in its annual report on consumer fraud and iden tity-theft complaints. The online complaints cover everything from the failure of sell ers to deliver goods or services to consumers claiming their purchases weren’t worth the price they paid. Complaints for all types of fraud have grown since 2002, according to the FTC report. Internet auction grievances comprised 13 percent of the 403,000 total fraud complaints in 2002; in 2004, it made up 16 per cent of the 635,000 grievances. Americans are becoming more wary of potential scams, heeding the advice of public awareness campaigns, said Betsy Broder, a lawyer with the FTC’s consumer protection bureau. “We like to think that people are more savvy about shopping online. They’ve learned to take precau tions, that just because it’s on the Internet doesn’t mean that it’s legit imate,” Broder said. ■ The only other category in which more complaints were filed in 2004 was identity theft — 39 percent, more than 246,000 of the total com plaints, down slightly from 40 per cent in 2002. It was the fifth straight year that identity theft topped the list of consumer concerns. Identity theft involves stealing someone’s personal information for financial gain. The most common cases involve credit cards, followed by telephone or utility, bank and workplace fraud. Consumers and businesses ap pear to be taking more caution in protecting credit card information, Broder said. In 2004, 17 percent of identity theft complaints involved someone trying to use a victim’s personal information to open a credit account, down from 24 per cent in 2002. Neil Creighton, president of GeoT rust, a Needham, Mass.-based firm that secures online credit card trans actions, said more companies are us ing electronic authentication servic es like security “certificates” to protect their sites and consumers. Fraud, identity theft complaints on rise Consumers reported 635,173 complaints of fraud and identity theft in 2004, according to government statistics. HHI Fraud complaints ■I Identity theft complaints 700 thousand 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 161,8% 241,792 215,093 327.285 246,570 388,603 2002 2003 2004 Leading complaint categories, 2004 Internet auctions ■■H1 16% Shop-at-home/catalog sales ■■■8% Internet services/computers Foreign money offers ■■6% Credit card fraud Phone/utilities fraud Bank fraud Employment fraud 13% 28% SOURCE: Federal Trade Commission AP Advertise mtke ODE classifieds Call 346-4343 or place your ad online www.dailyemerald.com Need Money for College? Come learn how to Really Compete for scholarships at this FREE seminar 0212Z0 Thursday, February 3rd 3-4 pm Alsea Room in the EMU Don’t miss the OSAC application deadline: March I, 2005 Sponsored by the I/O Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships, and the Oregon Student Assistance Commission www.GetCollegeFunds.org .
