After crushing defeat, Shinzo Abe holds on as political gridlock looms
Financial Times (UK) Jul 30, 07 4:59 AM CDT
(Newser)
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Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will keep his job despite a humiliating defeat for his ruling party in Sunday's election, party officials said today. Only 10 months into his term, Abe and his Liberal Democratic Party lost their majority as voters reacted to a series of government scandals. Now government gridlock looms as the entering party clashes with the embattled leader.
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Nacchio's insider-trading penalty includes paying $71M
Bloomberg Jul 27, 07 5:43 PM CDT
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Qwest's former CEO was sentenced to 6 years in prison today for engaging in insider trading while the company's stock plummeted. Joseph Nacchio committed "crimes of overarching greed,'' a federal judge in Denver said as he fined him $19 million in addition to the $52 million he must forfeit, then denied Nacchio's request for both probation and bail.
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De Villepin will be grilled over Sarkozy smear campaign
BBC Jul 27, 07 4:47 PM CDT
(Newser)
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Dominique de Villepin, France's former PM and a longtime rival of president Nicolas Sarkozy, will undergo a formal investigation for his alleged role in improperly smearing Sarkozy. De Villepin denies involvement in the scandal which may also implicate former president Jacques Chirac, but the announcement is seen as a step towards criminal charges.
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Even performance by new leader is
called "suspicious"
Associated Press Jul 27, 07 6:26 AM CDT
(Newser)
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The Tour de France limped along yesterday under a growing storm of criticism and calls that the event be halted. Three top riders were booted in 30 hours this week in a growing doping scandal. Even the performance by the race's new leader, Spain's Alberto Contador, was called "very suspicious" by a rival team manager.
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He heard it in 'rap music or something'
Providence Journal Jul 17, 07 6:49 AM CDT
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The chairman of a Rhode Island university who recently resigned after 40 years acknowledged that he used the N-word at a meeting in May, saying it just "slipped out." Ralph Papitto insisted in a radio interview that his resignation was unrelated to the resulting scandal, and that he's never used the slur before, the Providence Journal reports.
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Slugger is 4 away from Aaron record; Reds still win 7-3
Associated Press Jul 4, 07 5:06 AM CDT
(Newser)
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Slugger Barry Bonds blasted his 751st home run on his third swing of the game against Cincinnati last night, but the Reds rallied to win 7-3 in their first matchup under new manager Pete Mackanin. Bonds ripped his homer in the same city where Hank Aaron hit his 714th run in 1974 to tie Babe Ruth's all-time record.
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Bush invokes executive privilege
in Senate probe of US attorney firings
New York Times Jun 28, 07 5:35 PM CDT
(Newser)
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The White House shot down attempts to subpoena internal documents concerning the US attorney firings today by invoking executive privilege. Though not a surprise, the refusal moved the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee to accuse the administration of "Nixonian stonewalling." If the committee doesn't back down, the Times reports, the next step is a Congressional resolution on contempt citations.
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Robert Zoellick to take over July 1
BBC Jun 26, 07 5:48 AM CDT
(Newser)
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Declaring that he's looking forward to "encouraging hope, opportunity and dignity," Robert Zoellick was elected yesterday to succeed the embattled Paul Wolfowitz as new chief of the World Bank. The Goldman Sachs investment banker and former US deputy secretary of state will officially step into office July 1.
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Defense teams charge
political motivation in broad array of cases
Los Angeles Times Jun 18, 07 10:28 AM CDT
(Newser)
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Months after the scandal over eight US Attorney firings first hit, the accusation of politically motivated justice has reached federal courtrooms around the country. Defense attorneys are invoking the controversy to call indictments into question in cases from bank fraud to child pornography, the LA Times reports.
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Government loses track of 64M checks, enraging voters
Economist Jun 14, 07 1:31 PM CDT
(Newser)
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A pension scandal rocking Japan threatens to bring down the ruling party, and it could take PM Shinzo Abe with it. Sixty-four million pension payments—in a country of 130 million—have gone missing, and that's riling Japan's growing gray-haired population. The pensioners may pay Abe back with a vote for the opposition in next month's elections, reports the Economist .
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Congress calls Miers, another ex-official
Associated Press Jun 13, 07 12:42 PM CDT
(Newser)
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The congressional investigation of the US attorney firings reached the White House today as the judiciary committee in each chamber subpoenaed a different former high-level official. Lawmakers subpoenaed documents from the White House chief of staff, the AP reports, but Karl Rove has not been served because Democrats are still building the case against him.
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Judge cites insufficient evidence in 25-year-old mafia hanging
Times (UK) Jun 6, 07 9:17 PM CDT
(Newser)
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A judge in Rome exonerated five suspects on trial for the 1982 murder of Roberto Calvi, citing a lack of evidence. Calvi—known as "God's banker" for his closeness to the Vatican— was found hanged under Blackfriars Bridge in London in a presumed suicide. Newly discovered forensic evidence led authorities to suspect foul play and reopen the case.
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Offers $1-million for proof of sexual hijinks in high places
Guardian (UK) Jun 4, 07 9:34 AM CDT
(Newser)
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The porn king is trolling for scandal again: In an ad in yesterday's Washington Post , Larry Flynt asked: "Have you had a sexual encounter with a current member of the United States Congress or a high-ranking government official?" If so—and you can prove it —a million dollars awaits.
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