[NEWS] Some Tuesday news links

[rfmcdonald]

Everyone, welcome [NEWS]! I'll find a suitable icon as quickly as I can.

The New York Times reports on the growing global demand for the element lithium, so critical in battery manufacture.

Canada's responding maturely to criticism of the seal hunt, the Times of London reports, by putting seal meat on the menu of the federal parliament's cafeteria.

Perhaps nore maturely on the same topic, a Nunavut legislator wants to ban the import of European Union-made alcoholic beverages to the territorial liquor stores in retaliation for the ban.

Mexico's oil and natural gas riches aren't being effectively exploited by PEMEX, since the state-owned monopoly lacks the skills necessary for deep-water and other potentially lucrative but challenging methods of fuel extraction.

The Toronto Star's Thomas Walkom calls Ontario premier Dalton McGuinty a heir to the "Red Tory" tradition, the vein of moderately progressive and somewhat state-centered conservatism that once found its home in Canada's Progressive Conservative party.

Even though Bulgaria has its fiscal house in order, the dependence of its financial sector on Greece's very troubled banks may yet trigger catastrophe.

The Japanese government won't support a ban on bluefin tuna fishing, and a Japanese village subject of a documentary for its very bloody dolphin hunt isn't inclined to change its way.

Singapore is responding to popular anti-immigration sentiments in a time of recession by placing new restrictions on immigration, especially on unskilled immigrants.

The Wall Street Journal reports on Mario Balotelli, a 19 year of Italian of Ghanaian parentage whose soccer skills are making hom a lightning rod for the subjects of sports and national identity in Italy.