Saturday, July 24, 2010
Pay czar won’t try to recoup bonuses
WASHINGTON
For all his tough talk about excessive pay for bankers, the Obama administration’s pay czar let the executives go without a fight.
Kenneth Feinberg announced Friday that he would not try to recoup $1.6 billion in compensation given to top executives at bailed-out banks because he thought shaming them was punishment enough.
His decision to go easy on 17 banks that made “ill-advised” payments to their executives is likely to fuel concerns about how he will oversee the $20 billion oil-spill compensation fund created by BP.
Church in Italy blasts gay priests
ROME
The Catholic Church in Italy, still reeling from the clerical sex-abuse scandal, lashed out Friday at gay priests who are leading a double life, urging them to come out of the closet and leave the priesthood.
The Diocese of Rome issued the strongly worded statement after the conservative Panorama newsweekly said in a cover story and accompanying video that it had interviewed three gay priests in Rome and accompanied them to gay clubs and bars and to sexual encounters with strangers, including one in a church building.
Venezuela breaks ties with Colombia
CARACAS, Venezuela
Venezuela’s defense minister on Friday warned Colombia against provoking a conflict after President Hugo Chavez severed ties with the neighboring country and placed his military on alert.
Defense Minister Carlos Mata read a statement on state television promising “a strong response” if foreign forces cross into Venezuelan territory.
Chavez announced he was breaking off diplomatic relations Thursday, accusing Colombia’s U.S.-allied government of fabricating evidence showing Colombian rebel bases inside Venezuela.
Senate denies cash to black farmers
WASHINGTON
Black farmers, due $1.2 billion for a legacy of discrimination by the Agriculture Department, suffered a new and disheartening setback this week, despite the national spotlight provided by the quickly disavowed firing of a black department worker.
The Senate refused again to pay the bill.
Opponents say it’s a question of where the money would come from, and that’s a a major issue with an election nearing and voters up in arms about federal spending.
Gonzales angry about investigation
WASHINGTON
Former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales told CNN on Friday he’s angry about being put through a long-running criminal investigation into his role in the firings of U.S. attorneys.
The investigation by career prosecutor Nora Dannehy that began in September 2008 found the Justice Department’s actions in the firings of U.S. attorney David Iglesias of New Mexico during the Bush administration were inappropriately political but not criminal. Al-Qaida says it’s behind bombings
BAGHDAD
Al-Qaida in Iraq claimed responsibility for twin suicide bombings against its former insurgent allies that killed almost 50 people July 18 and said in an Internet statement posted Friday that it hoped the attacks would inspire others to “martyrdom.”
In another setback in their battle with the group, Iraqi officials disclosed Thursday that four suspected al-Qaida members had escaped from a prison that the U.S. had handed over to Iraq a week earlier.
Associated Press