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Carolyn Kay
MakeThemAccountable.com
Top Story
Europeans Delay Decision on Role Inside Lebanon
The cease-fire suffered another blow when European countries balked over sending troops for what they said was an ill-defined mission.
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The World
Lebanon warns against inciting Israel
BEIRUT, Lebanon - Lebanon's defense minister said Sunday he is certain Hezbollah will not break the cease-fire but warned all militant groups of harsh measures and a traitor's fate if they incite Israeli retaliation by firing rockets into the Jewish state.
20 Shiite Pilgrims Shot to Death in Iraq
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - Snipers lurking on buildings and in a cemetery sprayed bullets into Shiite Muslim religious processions in the capital Sunday, killing at least 20 people in another spasm of sectarian bloodletting that many Iraqis fear is pushing them toward civil war.
Saddam goes on trial for genocide against Kurds
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Saddam Hussein refused to enter a plea as he and six former army commanders went on trial in Baghdad on Monday on charges of killing tens of thousands of Kurdish villagers in a genocidal campaign in 1988.
Iran Defiant On Nuke Program
Iran braced for more confrontation with the West as the Foreign Ministry said it wouldn't even consider abiding by a U.N. resolution that calls for a freeze of uranium enrichment and the army tested a new missile during large military maneuvers.
Pakistan denies arrest of Al-Qaeda militant
ISLAMABAD (AFP) - Pakistan rejected reports that wanted Al-Qaeda militant Matiur Rehman had been arrested and denied that he was linked to an alleged plot to blow up US-bound airliners.
Both candidates declare win in Mexico
TUXTLA GUTIERREZ, Mexico - Two candidates declared themselves the winner of a tight governor's race Sunday in Mexico's poorest state — the latest political battleground for the leftist party that is disputing the results of last month's presidential election.
Leading French presidential hopeful sneers at Bush's 'axis of evil'
FRANGY EN BRESSE, France (AFP) - France's leading candidate for the presidency, Segolene Royal, described US President George W. Bush's "axis of evil" as simplistic and the invasion of Iraq as a mistake.
Ethiopian troops arrive in Somalia
NAIROBI, Kenya - Officials allied with Somalia's U.N.-backed government said that Ethiopian troops arrived in the country Sunday to bolster the weak leadership body.
The Nation
I.R.S. Enlists Help in Collecting Delinquent Taxes
If you owe back taxes to the federal government, the next call asking you to pay may come not from an Internal Revenue Service officer, but from a private debt collector. Within two weeks, the I.R.S. will turn over data on 12,500 taxpayers — each of whom owes $25,000 or less in back taxes — to three collection agencies. Larger debtors will continue to be pursued by I.R.S. officers.If you thought third-party meter maids were bad, just wait. —Caro
U.S. military calling back troops who've been out of uniform for years
According to the U.S. Army Reserve, approximately 14,000 soldiers on "inactive ready reserve" status have been called to active duty since March 2003 and about 7,300 have been deployed to Iraq.
Former Bush official seeks new trial
WASHINGTON - A former Bush administration official convicted of hiding details of his relationship with disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff has asked for a new trial.
Politicians face tricky task over Iraq
WASHINGTON - Voters are clearly unhappy with the war in Iraq and increasingly pessimistic about its prospects, polls indicate. And they're uneasy about abandoning that country to terrorists and chaos.
Sen. Hagel says GOP has lost its way
WASHINGTON - Republicans have lost their way when it comes to many core GOP principles and may be in jeopardy heading into the fall elections, Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb. says. Hagel, a possible presidential candidate in 2008, said Sunday that the GOP today is very different party from the one when he first voted Republican.
Lamont Confident He Can Broaden Base
Despite a poll showing him behind Sen. Joe Lieberman, Connecticut Democratic candidate Ned Lamont says he can also draw support from moderates, independents and Republicans. The poll showed independent Lieberman leading Lamont 53 percent to 41.
Lieberman calls on Rumsfeld to resign
WASHINGTON - Sen. Joe Lieberman, attacked by fellow Democrats as being too close to the White House on the Iraq War, on Sunday called on Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to resign but said the United States cannot "walk away" from the Iraqis.Too little, too late, Joe. —Caro
Democrats Shake Up Primary Schedule
Democrats agreed to shake up tradition Saturday by wedging Nevada between Iowa's leadoff caucuses and the New Hampshire primary in the 2008 presidential nominating calendar and adding South Carolina soon afterward.
Economy & Business
Energy, health costs mask strong US economy: Paulson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said on Friday that high energy and health care costs were interfering with Americans' ability to feel the benefits of a solidly growing economy.Well, uh, pardon me for asking, but aren’t energy and health care PART of the economy? Take out all the weak parts and yeah, you’ve got a great economy. Always. —Caro
Oil Prices Rise in Asia Trading
Oil prices rose Monday as traders awaited Iran's official response to a package of incentives on its nuclear program and rebounded from declines the week before.
Dollar Falls in Asia
The dollar slipped in Asia Monday as investors bought the euro on expectations that European interest rates will rise faster than those in Japan and the U.S.
Media
Conrad Black to face more charges
CHICAGO (Reuters) - A grand jury has handed up additional charges against toppled media baron Conrad Black and three associates, alleging their fraud caused Hollinger International Inc. to file false income tax returns.
Science & Technology
Could a Blimp Improve Communications?
PALMDALE, Calif. (AP) - Bob Jones has a lofty idea for improving communications around the world: Strategically float robotic airships above the Earth as an alternative to unsightly telecom towers on the ground and expensive satellites in space.
Court Blocks Order to Turn Off Dish DVRs
DALLAS (AP) - EchoStar Communications Corp. rushed to a federal appeals court Friday in a successful bid to avoid shutting down more than 3 million digital video recorders used by customers of its Dish satellite-TV service. But the victory could be only temporary.
A Move to Secure Data by Scattering the Pieces
New software divides digital documents and other files into slices that can only be reassembled by the computer that created them, then stores the slices on the Internet.
