Sun may have violated bribery laws

Sun Microsystems, which is in the middle of a $5.6 billion acquisition by software giant Oracle, said in its 10-Q quarterly financial filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that it may have broken bribery laws overseas, reports The Register.

The 10-Q filing also put some numbers on what Sun will have to pay if the Oracle acquisition does not go through.

Sun was pretty vague in the filing about exactly what was going on and where, but it said in the legal proceedings section (which appears in all 10-Q and 10-K reports for major companies because they are usually suing or being sued) that during fiscal year 2009 (which ends this June) it "identified activities in a certain foreign country that may have violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act”.

Broadband operators are likely to be able to restrict access to services and applications at their discretion from next year, after the European Parliament voted through the controversial Harbour Report this week as part of a wider reform of European telecoms legislation, says Computing.co.uk.

"Now the ball is in the court of the Council of Telecoms Ministers to decide whether or not to accept this package of reforms," said European commissioner Viviane Reding in a statement on her Web site.

The Telecoms Council will cast the final decision on the Telecoms Package 2002 in a meeting on 12 June, but its focus will be on an amendment to the Framework Directive, rather than on issues already passed by the European Parliament, according to an EU spokeswoman.

Solar company Konarka has developed a transparent solar cell that it hopes will be built onto electricity-generating windows, reports CNet.

The Massachusetts-based company said it has reached an agreement with Arch Aluminum & Glass to use Konarka's plastic solar cells in building materials, including windows.

Under its Arch Active Solar Glass development, the company has built prototypes of windows with the solar cells between two panes of glass. The photovoltaic cells can be tinted different colours.

Children's charities are backing a plan to make Web retailers ensure young people cannot buy age-restricted goods, says The BBC.

A private members' Bill, going through the House of Lords, is calling for it to be mandatory for Web retailers to adopt age verification systems.

The Bill on age checking has the backing of charities; they say it is too easy for children to buy alcohol, knives and violent video games online.