International brief ~ UN refugee chief facing sexual harassment scandal
In Friday's international brief, multiple allegations of sexual harassment have arisen against UN High Commissioner for Refugees Ruud Lubbers . Lubbers, a former Dutch prime minister, allegedly harassed five different female employees under his supervision according to an...
The corruption trial of former Turkish Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz began Wednesday, making Yilmaz the first head of government to be tried by Turkey's Supreme Court. Yilmaz and former Economics Minister Gunes Taner are accused of pre-determining the winner...
US official says US knew of problems in UN Oil-for-Food program
US Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations Patrick Kennedy told a Senate committee Tuesday that US officials knew of problems in the Iraq Oil-for-Food Program but chose to remain silent. Kennedy said the officials were...
In Thursday's international brief, West African regional organization ECOWAS has refused to recognize Faure Gnassingbe as the legitimate leader of Togo and threatened sanctions against the country unless it returned to its prior...
Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin testified Thursday before a judicial inquiry commission on his role in a corrupt government program originally intended to promote national unity following a close referendum on separation by Quebec....
Ruling on $280B RICO claim against tobacco industry [DC Circuit]
USA v. Philip Morris, US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit, February 4, 2005 . Excerpt:A group...
Federal appeals court says DOJ can't seek $280 billion from tobacco industry
The Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia has ruled that federal law does not permit the goverment to seek a $280 billion penalty in its racketeering case against the tobacco industry. In its opinion [PDF...
Iraq's Human Rights Minister Bakhtiar Amin Friday praised the United Nations' preliminary report into corruption within the Oil-for-Food program , and called for those who participated to stand trial. The program's former director, Benon Sevan, is accused of...
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan says he expects to see "harsh judgments" of the UN in an interim report to be released Thursday on the purported mismanagement of the $64 billion Oil-for-Food program. Annan set up a...
Corporations & securities brief ~ First Parmalat trial begins
Leading Thursday's corporations and securities brief,The trial of two former Parmalat auditors, Maurizio Bianchi and Lorenzo Penca, who both worked for auditing firm Grant Thornton, began today in Milan, Italy. This is the first trial since the...
