Mr Chalabi, who has been flown into southern Iraq with 700 American-trained fighters, complained that Jay Garner, a retired American general chosen to run an interim Iraqi government, had not yet arrived in the country, and said that faster action was needed to restore electricity and water supplies, and to supply humanitarian aid.

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However, due to the nature of distributed computing, ongoing transactions between individuals and companies would be technically outside the scope of potential regulatory action as long as there is electricity and internet connectivity.

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The energy regulator Ofgem had previously warned that Britain could face electricity blackouts in the next three years if action was not taken soon.

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The stimulation came in two forms: pulses of electricity and pulses of chemicals that mimic the action of serotonin and dopamine, two molecules that transmit messages between nerve cells.

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The electricity generators operate like wind turbines but with blades driven by tidal wave action.

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Police can also take action if other offences, such as breaking doors or windows to gain entry or stealing electricity, have taken place.

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The first predator he met was the Zambian government: the estates had not been paying their bills for two years, but the electricity and telephone companies, being fellow state-owned organisations, had not taken any action.

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