 Renee Weese has reached an enviable goal — she's become a millionaire. But like many others whose net worth has risen in recent years to seven figures, she doesn't feel particularly wealthy. Not that long ago, the word "millionaire" conjured up visions of chauffeured limousines and extravagant shopping trips and elegant yachts. These days, a millionaire is more likely to be the guy or gal next door who saved carefully — and perhaps benefited from the sharp run-up in housing prices — but still worries about covering the exploding costs of children's educations, caring for aging parents and funding their own retirements. Weese, 51, of Atlanta, credits her good financial fortune to good-paying jobs and windfalls when her startup insurance company went public and, later, when it was taken over by a bigger insurer. Still, Weese worries about how far the money will go. As she puts it: "I know I have more money than a lot of people do. But I don't feel I can sit back on my heels. ...
http://www.cbsnews.com
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Editor - 09:27:00 03-21-07
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 Iraq 'should talk to militants' |
The vice-president of Iraq, Tareq al-Hashemi, has called for talks to be opened with the country's insurgents in an attempt to bring peace. "I do believe that there is no way but to talk to everybody" with the exception of al-Qaeda, he said. He told the BBC that militants were "just part of the Iraqi communities". Mr Hashemi, a Sunni, has personal experience of Iraq's violence. Last year his sister and two of his brothers were killed. But he told the BBC that the only way for Iraq to make progress is for negotiations to take place. Apart from al-Qaeda, which he said was "not very much willing in fact to talk to anybody", all parties "should be invited, should be called to sit down around the table to discuss their fears, their reservations". ...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6473575.stm
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Editor - 09:20:00 03-21-07
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| Nigeria graft shock resignations |
Members of a Nigerian Senate committee probing graft allegations against the president and his deputy have resigned. They say Senate leaders were interfering with their investigations. They also say there had been pressure on them to "water down" their report which alleges money belonging to a government agency was misappropriated. Vice-President Atiku Abubakar is barred from running in next month's presidential poll and is challenging an indictment in court. A government ministerial panel accused him of diverting money belonging to the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF). The country's anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) which examined the PTDF financial records accused Mr Abubakar of diverting some $125m to his personal businesses. Mr Abubakar denies all the charges and is in court challenging his exclusion from the presidential election....
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6474577.stm
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Editor - 09:14:00 03-21-07
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| House panel subpoenas White House aides Move sets up a constitutional showdown over firings of U.S. attorneys |
A House panel on Wednesday defied the White House and authorized subpoenas for President Bush’s political adviser, Karl Rove and other top aides, setting up a constitutional showdown over the firings of eight federal prosecutors. By voice vote and without objection, the House Judiciary subcommittee on commercial and administrative law decided to compel the president’s top aides to testify publicly and under oath about their roles in the firings. The White House has refused to budge in the controversy, standing by embattled Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and insisting that the firings were appropriate. White House spokesman Tony Snow said that in offering aides to talk to the committees privately, Bush had sought to avoid the “media spectacle” that would result from public hearings with Rove and others at the witness table....
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17717399/
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Editor - 09:11:00 03-21-07
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| Total boss quizzed in Iran probe |
The boss of French oil giant Total is being questioned by police as part of a probe into alleged corruption in Iran. Total said Christophe de Margerie and two employees were being interviewed about the firm's role in the South Pars natural gas project in Iran. The company said it was "confident" the investigation would not uncover any illegal activities. The inquiry concerns allegations that illegal payments were made to win the gas contract in 1997. Mr de Margerie was also placed under investigation last year over claims he paid bribes to win bids in Iraq. Between 1995 and 1999 he headed Total's Middle East operations, then became head of exploration and production before taking the role of chief executive. ...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6474251.stm
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Editor - 09:09:00 03-21-07
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| Heavy fighting erupts in Somalia |
Heavy fighting has broken out in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, between government forces backed by Ethiopian troops and armed insurgents. Photos appear to show angry crowds dragging dead soldiers' bodies through the streets and setting them alight. A BBC correspondent says seven people were killed in the battle, the heaviest since the Islamists fell last year. Some 1,200 African Union troops were deployed to Mogadishu this month to try to bring stability to the city. Dozens have been killed during insurgent attacks in Mogadishu in the past two-and-a-half months, which the government blames on remnants of the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC). Ethiopian troops, who have been in the city since December supporting Somali forces loyal to the transitional government, have been gradually handing over responsibilities to the AU force. ...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6474029.stm
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Editor - 09:07:00 03-21-07
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