Several high-ranking Maryland government officials have testified in federal court in recent weeks that they had no idea that Sen. Ulysses Currie was being paid by a grocery chain that stood to benefit from his high-level intervention. Yet, some of the same witnesses suggested that the efforts of the once-powerful Prince George’s Democrat had little, if any, influence on the outcome of proposed development deals, traffic light requests and other projects supported by Shoppers Food Warehouse. Read full article > >

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Defense to begin in bribery trial of Md. Sen. Ulysses Currie

Several high-ranking Maryland government officials have testified in federal court in recent weeks that they had no idea that Sen. Ulysses Currie was being paid by a grocery chain that stood to benefit from his high-level intervention. Yet, some of the same witnesses suggested that the efforts of the once-powerful Prince George’s Democrat had little, if any, influence on the outcome of proposed development deals, traffic light requests and other projects supported by Shoppers Food Warehouse. Read full article > >

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Defense to begin in bribery trial of Md. Sen. Ulysses Currie

(Originally published Oct. 7) Leslie Knope has never won a Nobel Prize. Sadly, neither has Ron Swanson. But it turns out there is a connection between one of the recently announced winners of the Nobel Peace Prize and NBC’s “ Parks and Recreation .” Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf — the country’s first female president — was named as one of three Nobel Peace Prize recipients this year, for her efforts to establish peace and bolster women’s rights in Liberia. And Sirleaf happens to be the aunt of Retta, the sassy, speed-dating master Donna Meagle on “Parks and Recreation.” (Retta’s full name? Retta Sirleaf.) Read full article > >

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What’s the connection between a Nobel Prize winner and ‘Parks and Recreation’?

The Rev. Fred L. Shuttlesworth, 89, one of the bravest and most dynamic leaders of the civil rights movement, who survived bombings, beatings and dozens of arrests in his efforts to end segregation in Birmingham, Ala., and throughout the South, died Oct. 5 at a Birmingham hospital. His daughter Carolyn Shuttlesworth said the cause of death was not known. Rev. Shuttlesworth had been in poor health since having a stroke four years ago. Read full article > >

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Fred L. Shuttlesworth, courageous civil rights fighter, dies at 89

The State Department has released a new series of e-mails about the controversial Keystone pipeline proposal that show a friendly relationship between a U.S. Embassy official in Ottawa and Transcanada’s Washington lobbyist. At times, State Department official Marja D. Verloop–who oversees energy, science and environmental issues at the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa–appears to be cheering on TransCanada’s Washington lobbyist Paul Elliott in his efforts to enlist congressional support for the pipeline extension. Read full article > >

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Keystone Pipeline e-mails show friendly exchanges

A Saudi-born American of Pakistani heritage who was raised in Queens, N.Y., was reportedly among those killed in a U.S. drone strike targeting radical cleric and fellow U.S. citizen Anwar al-Aulaqi. A self-proclaimed traitor to America, Samir Khan contributed to the efforts of al-Qaeda’s Yemen offshoot to promote itself among English-speakers. He was apparently a major force behind the widely-read English-language magazine Inspire , a mixture of ideology, first-person accounts of operations and do-it-yourself jihad advice. Copies of the magazine’s bomb-making and other sections have been found in the possession of several would-be attackers in the U.S. and Britain . Read full article > >

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A ‘proud traitor’: Samir Khan reported dead alongside Aulaqi

The government officials and economists who put together a bailout for Greece in May of last year knew there was a substantial chance the program would fail but were unprepared for how fast their efforts unraveled, putting Europe’s economy again at risk , according to people involved with the talks and others who closely followed them. The three-year, $160 billion program was admittedly ambitious, requiring Greece to make deep cuts to its social programs, slash public payrolls and sell state-owned property and businesses. Read full article > >

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Greece’s 2010 bailout falls flat, puts nation back on brink of default a year later

A major wildfire in Arizona continues to grow as strong winds hamper the efforts of more than 2,300 firefighters to contain it.

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Arizona wildfire ‘still growing’

Republicans and Democrats face plenty of obstacles in their efforts to reach a bipartisan deal to cut the deficit and raise the debt limit. They disagree on taxes. They disagree on spending. They disagree on Medicare. They have opposing economic philosophies. To all those hurdles, add another, unexpected one: the schedule. Because Republicans imposed a new legislative calendar when they took control of the House in January — with longer workweeks and more frequent recess periods — the two chambers are often not in sync when it comes to being in or out of session. Read full article > >

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Forget the budget: House, Senate can’t even agree on recess

Network Rail and police step up their efforts to catch rail metal thieves in Wales, claiming they cost the railways around £1m a year.

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Crackdown on theft of rail metal

Prince William’s dad — also known as Charles, the future king of England — knows a bit about taking verbal punches. Promoting sustainable farming and green living has been one of his life’s missions. But because he’s a royal with easy access to carbon-hogging jets, a handful of estates, flotillas of attendants and all sorts of resource-gobbling goodies, his oft-praised crusade tends to get lampooned with some frequency. “I have been venturing into extremely dangerous territory by speaking about the future of food,” the Prince of Wales told an audience Wednesday at Georgetown University, evoking an image that could just as easily apply to his efforts to promote reducing dependence on fossil fuels. “I have the scars to prove it!” Read full article > >

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Prince Charles attends Future of Food conference at Georgetown

As states stage raids to entice companies to move, business leaders say the efforts only help companies at taxpayer expense.

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Businesses Stand to Gain Most in Rivalry of States

As states stage raids to entice companies to move, business leaders say the efforts only help companies at taxpayer expense.

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Businesses Stand to Gain Most in Rivalry of States

West Ham vow to not “leave a stone unturned” in their efforts to sign Tottenham striker Robbie Keane.

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West Ham to pursue Keane signing

Don’t let a decade of vaccine controversy overshadow a decade of miracles.

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Global vaccine efforts offer hope to millions