There are a million and one things that people can do to try to end the U.S. wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, and to prevent new ones in Iran and elsewhere, as well as to close U.S. military bases in dozens of other nations around the world. Certain people are skilled at or interested in particular approaches, and nobody should be discouraged from contributing to the effort in their preferred ways. Far too often proposals to work for peace are needlessly framed as attacks on all strategies except one. But where new energy can be created or existing resources redirected, it is important that they go where most likely to succeed. In my analysis, we should be focusing on three things, which for purposes of brevity and alliteration I... more

AUGUSTA, GA—Edmund A. Booth, Jr., United States Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, announced that Jimmie W. Williamson, age 48, the former Sheriff of Telfair County, Georgia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Dublin, Georgia, before U.S. District Judge Dudley H. Bowen, Jr. to 36 months' imprisonment. Booth noted that Williamson was charged by a criminal Information in December 2008 with devising a scheme to deprive the citizens of Telfair County of his honest services as their Sheriff from approximately 2004 to the present through a variety of corrupt activities, including: * the embezzlement of fine and bond money paid by individuals arrested in Telfair County for his own personal use instead of prop... more

CAMDEN, NJ—A Willingboro man pleaded guilty today to crack cocaine distribution and gun charges, Acting U.S. Attorney Ralph J. Marra announced. Eric Williams, 25, a.k.a. "Eric Bryant," pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Noel L. Hillman to a two-count Information that charges him with distribution and possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine and illegal possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon. Judge Hillman continued the defendant's detention and scheduled sentencing for Oct. 9. Williams was arrested on Feb. 25, 2009, by Special Agents with the FBI and ATF, along with Investigators with the Burlington County Prosecutor's Office, on a federal criminal Complaint. The next day, on Feb. 26, Williams m... more

GRAND RAPIDS, MI—Clifford Francis Gould, Jr., a/k/a "Dulo", 47, of Peshawbestown, Michigan, was sentenced to life in prison, following his conviction for aggravated sexual assault of three tribal children, each a female member of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, U.S. Attorney Donald A. Davis announced today. Gould was sentenced by the Hon. Janet T. Neff, U.S. District Judge in Grand Rapids, and must serve the entire life sentence, as there is no parole in the federal system. Gould was convicted of four counts of aggravated sexual abuse and one count of abusive sexual conduct following a four-day trial in Grand Rapids, in March of this year. Gould lived on the Grand Traverse Band reservation which is located o... more

United States Attorney Michael L. Levy announced today the filing of a one-count indictment charging Lenny Tavarez with destruction of an aircraft or aircraft facilities. According to the indictment, Tavarez was involved in an incident on October 2, 2008 during which he shined a laser into the cockpit of a Philadelphia Police Department helicopter during routine patrol, striking a pilot in the eyes. Tavarez faces a maximum sentence of 20 years' imprisonment, three years' supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Philadelphia Police Department.... more

CINCINNATI—Frederick D. Purvis, 42, of Hamilton, pleaded guilty in United States District Court here today to one count of making a bomb threat in the Southern District of Ohio and one count of making a bomb threat in the Eastern District of Kentucky for messages he sent in November 2008 threatening to blow up seven Cincinnati area landmarks including the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. Gregory G. Lockhart, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, James A. Zerhusen, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Keith L. Bennett, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Cincinnati Division, and Timothy D. Cox, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Louisville Divi... more

WASHINGTON—Tijani Ahmed Saani, a former civilian employee of the U.S. Department of Defense, pleaded guilty today to filing false tax returns for tax years 2003 through 2007, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division and Assistant Attorney General Christine A. Varney of the Antitrust Division. Saani, 53, a former resident of Kuwait City, Kuwait, worked as a contracting officer in Kuwait from 1994 until his arrest in May 2008. According to the indictment to which Saani pleaded guilty, he worked on detail from 2002 to 2007 at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait. Saani pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia before Judge Richard J. Leon to a five-count indictment, admitting he fi... more

PORTLAND, OR—U.S. Attorney Karin J. Immergut announced today that Donnico T. Johnson, 37, of Portland, Oregon, made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dennis J. Hubel on charges of sex trafficking, transportation of a minor, and coercion and enticement of a 16-year old female with the purpose of prostitution. On June 16, 2009, a federal grand jury issued a superseding indictment charging Johnson and co-defendant Lisa Miles, 30, who were arrested last Thursday in Portland. Both defendants are in custody pending trial, which is set for August 11, 2009. The indictment alleges that Johnson and Miles transported the minor female from Seattle, Washington to Portland, Oregon with the intent that she engage in prostitution... more

In an eighteen-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in February 2009 and unsealed this morning, 34 defendants are charged with narcotics and firearms violations arising from an alleged conspiracy to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine in and around San Bernardino and Redlands under the oversight of the Mexican Mafia. The indictment was announced today by Thomas P. O'Brien, United States Attorney in Los Angeles, and Salvador Hernandez, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI in Los Angeles, on behalf of the San Bernardino-based Gang Impact Team (GIT), which includes the full-time participation of the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, the San Bernardino Police Department, the Redlands Police Department and the San B... more

CHICAGO—A former northwest suburban man who was arrested in March was indicted this week on federal charges for stealing trade secrets from his former employer, Valspar Corp., in Wheeling, federal law enforcement officials announced today. The defendant, David Yen Lee, was charged with five counts of theft of trade secrets in violation of the federal Economic Espionage Act in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury on Tuesday, announced Patrick J. Fitzgerald, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Robert D. Grant, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Lee, 52, formerly of Arlington Heights and now of Great Neck, N.Y., has been free on bond since he wa... more

Monica Conyers, 44, of Detroit, pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery before United States District Judge Avern Cohn, United States Attorney Terrence Berg announced today. Berg was joined in the announcement by Andrew G. Arena, Special Agent In Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Maurice Aouate, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service. According to records filed at the time of the plea, Ms. Conyers' admitted to misusing her office of Detroit City Council President pro tem, and her position as a trustee of the City of Detroit General Retirement System pension, for personal gain. Specifically, according to the records, Ms. C... more

WASHINGTON—Miami physician Roberto Rodriguez, 54, was sentenced today to 97 months in prison for his role in a Medicare fraud scheme involving HIV infusion services, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Jeffrey H. Sloman of the Southern District of Florida and Daniel R. Levinson, Inspector General of the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS). Rodriguez was also ordered to pay more than $9 million in restitution to the Medicare program during today's sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge Paul C. Huck. Rodriguez pleaded guilty before Judge Huck on March 23, 2009, to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud. In his guilty plea, Rodriguez admitted that he was a c... more

WASHINGTON — National Taxpayer Advocate Nina E. Olson today delivered a report to Congress that identifies the priority issues the Office of the Taxpayer Advocate will address in the coming fiscal year. Among the key areas of focus will be working with the IRS to improve taxpayer services, enhancing IRS oversight of federal tax return preparers, improving the accessibility of the offer in compromise program, and working with the IRS to improve its ability to administer refundable tax credits effectively. The report notes that FY 2010 will mark the ten-year anniversary of the Taxpayer Advocate Service, which began operations in March of 2000. "As TAS enters its tenth year, both TAS and the IRS face a difficult environment for achi... more

McALLEN, TX—The manager of the la Familia Adult Day Care Center in Harlingen, Texas, has been convicted of receiving kickbacks and illegally referring Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries to Fabian Aurignac, M.D., United States Attorney Tim Johnson announced today. Martha Garcia Alaniz, 53, formally indicted on May 6, 2009, pleaded guilty today to Count 19 of a superseding indictment which accused her of receiving and cashing a $200 check from the Cardiology Care Center signed by Fabian Aurignac, M.D. to improperly refer La Familia's Medicaid client to Aurignac and his staff for fraudulent and medically unnecessary cardiac services in connection with the client's diagnosis and treatment. Alaniz has admitted to allowing Aurignac's st... more

LEV L. DASSIN, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that GREGG CAVALUZZI, 34, a former Pelham middle school teacher who was arrested on May 31, 2009, in Elmsford, Westchester County, New York, was charged today in a one count indictment with attempting to entice a minor... specifically, an undercover officer posing as a 15 year old girl...to meet with him for the purpose of engaging in sexual intercourse. If found guilty of that offense, CAVALUZZI faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life. Mr. DASSIN praised the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Westchester County Police Department in the case. A... more

Nora R. Dannehy, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a federal jury in Hartford has found ANTONIO MIGUEL ARIAS, also known as "Miguel" and "Gilberto Miranda," 38, a citizen of the Dominican Republic last residing in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, guilty of importing large amounts of cocaine into the United States. Specifically, the jury found ARIAS guilty of one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, and one count of attempting to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. The trial began on Monday, June 22, and the jury returned the verdicts this afternoon after less than two hours of deliberation. This matter stems f... more

DALLAS—Following a three-day trial before Chief U.S. District Judge Sidney A. Fitzwater, a federal jury found Rigoberto Mata, 43, guilty of money laundering, announced Acting U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks of the Northern District of Texas. Mata, and 20 co-defendants, were charged in a federal indictment with offenses related to their role in a cocaine trafficking conspiracy. Mata's 20 co-defendants have entered guilty pleas; most are awaiting sentencing. In mid-September 2008, law enforcement made numerous arrests as part of "Project Reckoning," a multi-agency law enforcement effort led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), that targeted the Mexican drug trafficking cartel known as the Gulf Cartel, which is responsible for t... more

NEW ORLEANS, LA—PAUL HENRY BORITZER, a/k/a John I. Michaels, age 46, a resident of New York, New York, was indicted yesterday for interfering with a flight crew and impersonating a Federal Air Marshal while he was traveling from New York to New Orleans for Mardi Gras, announced U.S. Attorney Jim Letten. According to the indictment, on February 20, 2009, BORITZER, while onboard JetBlue flight 119, created a disturbance by refusing to obey the lawful instructions of the flight attendants and the Captain. BORITZER intimidated and threatened a flight attendant after he was denied alcoholic beverages during the flight and falsely claimed he was a Federal Air Marshal to the flight crew. If convicted, BORITZER faces a possible maximum ... more

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Harriette Monica Walters, 52, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced this morning in federal court to 17 years, six months of incarceration for her eighteen-year-long, $48 million fraud scheme at the District of Columbia Office of Tax and Revenue, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Channing D. Phillips, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein, Joseph Persichini, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Washington Field Office, Charles Willoughby, Inspector General for the District of Columbia, Special Agent in Charge C. Andre' Martin of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division, J. Russell George, Inspector General for Tax Administration of the U.S. Treasury Dep... more

DALLAS—Matthew Weigman, 19, and Sean Paul Benton, 23, were sentenced late Friday afternoon by U.S. District Judge Barbara M.G. Lynn, on their convictions related to their involvement in a swatting conspiracy, announced Acting U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks of the Northern District of Texas. Judge Lynn sentenced Weigman to 135 months, and Benton to 18 months, in prison. Weigman, of Revere, Massachusetts, who, according to documents filed in the case, is blind, has been in federal custody since his arrest in Boston in May 2008 on related charges. Benton was ordered to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons in August 2009. Specifically, Weigman, a/k/a "Little Hacker" and "Hacker," pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to retaliate against ... more

LUBBOCK, TX—Rod Cameron Stringer, of Lamesa, Texas, pleaded guilty this morning before U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings to one count of money laundering in relation to an investment fraud scheme he ran, announced Acting U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks of the Northern District of Texas. Stringer, 43, faces a maximum statutory sentence of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and restitution. Judge Cummings ordered a pre-sentence investigation with a sentencing date to be set after its completion. Following his plea, Stringer was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal. According to documents filed in court today, Stringer admitted that from at least January 2001, until January 2009, he ran a "Ponzi" investment scheme in which a... more

ATLANTA, GA—CHAUNSAY BECKWITH, 46, of Tucker, Georgia, was sentenced today by Senior United States District Judge Marvin H. Shoob to serve nearly five years in federal prison on a charge of health care fraud. United States Attorney David E. Nahmias said of the case, "Hyperbaric chambers have a number of legitimate medical uses, as varied as helping burn victims and scuba divers in their recovery. This defendant turned a hyperbaric chamber into a scheme for generating over a million dollars in fraudulent claims. Health care fraud raises the costs of health care for everyone, and those responsible for such fraud may end up prison like this defendant." BECKWITH was sentenced to four years, eight months in prison to be followed by t... more

PHOENIX—Gilbert Holmes, 29, of Parker, Ariz., and a member of the Colorado River Indian Tribes, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge G. Murray Snow to 406 months in federal prison for murdering a 40-year-old woman with whom he had a child. On April 29, 2008, Holmes broke through the front window of the victim's home. He then went into the bedroom of the victim where he saw his daughter sleeping. Two other young children, sons of the victim, were also in the house that night. Holmes assaulted the victim's boyfriend, who fought back. The victim began to scream for her boyfriend to call the police. When her boyfriend left to call the police from a neighbor's house, Holmes attacked the victim. Initially, he beat her numerous time... more

SAN JOSE, CA—A former employee of Data Resource Group, a company based in Salisbury, Mass., plead guilty today to defrauding Cisco Systems Inc. of computer networking equipment through Cisco's SMARTnet warranty program, United States Attorney Joseph P. Russoniello announced. Damian Prescott, 34, of Amesbury, Mass., admitted that from approximately June 2003 to February 2007, he conspired with Michael Daly, the owner and operator of Data Resource Group, in a scheme to defraud Cisco by submitting fraudulent SMARTnet service contract claims to receive replacement parts that Data Resource Group was not entitled to. Prescott admitted to assisting Daly in creating fictitious company names, obtaining e-mail accounts related to those names... more

NORFOLK, VA—John Joseph Rendzia, Jr., age 42, of Norfolk, Virginia, pled guilty today to embezzlement and conversion of an airline passenger's laptop computer that came into Rendzia's possession in the execution of his office as a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). United States Magistrate Judge James E. Bradberry immediately sentenced Rendzia to two years probation, a $500 fine, and ordered restitution to the victims for the loss of the embezzled computer. Dana J. Boente, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Mark J. Laria, Area Port Director for CBP, made the announcement after the plea and sentencing. In accordance with the plea agreement... more

BRADLEY A. GARNER, 51, a Canadian citizen who resides in Palm Desert, California, was convicted of Wire Fraud and Theft of Honest Services, Mail Fraud, and Unlawful Monetary Transaction today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma, Washington. GARNER was convicted of public corruption charges involving a scheme to misappropriate expensive federal property such as boats, planes, vehicles and computers. The jury deliberated about ten hours, following a three week jury trial. U.S. District Judge Benjamin Settle ordered Garner detained pending sentencing scheduled for September 28, 2009. GARNER's co-conspirator, his half-brother Steven B. Smith, a former employee of the Federal Aviation Administration is scheduled for trial on October 6, 2009. Acc... more

NEWARK—A ranking member of the Nine-Three set of the Bloods was sentenced today to 27 years in federal prison for a 2006 armed home-invasion robbery in Newark, Acting U.S. Attorney Ralph J. Marra, Jr., announced. U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler sentenced Stanley Foote, 29, of Newark, to the statutory maximum of 20 years in prison for convictions related to the conspiracy and the attempt to commit the armed robbery of drugs and money. He was sentenced to an additional mandatory minimum of seven years, to run consecutively, for his conviction on a charge of carrying and brandishing a weapon during the attempted robbery (the weapon was actually carried by an accomplice, but Foote was equally responsible under the law). On Fe... more

CAMDEN—The leader of a Camden drug trafficking organization was sentenced to life in federal prison today for his conviction on a federal drug conspiracy charge, Acting U.S. Attorney Ralph J. Marra, Jr. announced. U.S. District Judge Joseph E. Irenas, who presided over the nine-week trial, ruled that Mack Jones, 36, a.k.a. "Bear," of Camden, faced a mandatory life sentence because of his two prior felony drug convictions. Jones was convicted by a federal jury on March 7, 2008, along with co-defendants Jevon Lewis, 34, of Cherry Hill, a.k.a. "V" and "Cool V," and Ahmed Judge, 32, of Camden, a.k.a. "Edy" and "Bleek." After only seven hours of deliberations, a federal jury found Jones guilty of one count of drug distribution conspi... more

A 21-year-old Warren man was sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment today, the statutory maximum for distributing child pornography, United States Attorney Terrence Berg announced. Berg was joined in the announcement by Andrew G. Arena, Special Agent-In-Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Detroit field office. Joshua Andrew Dorothy was first identified by undercover FBI agents through undercover Internet Relay Chats (IRC). Using a fictitious screen name, Dorothy sought out others on the Internet claiming to have an interest in sex with children. Dorothy also stated that he had child pornography to trade. On June 2, 2008, Dorothy transferred nearly 40 child pornography video files, depicting the sexual assault of children, to an ... more

Nora R. Dannehy, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that a Hamden couple who defrauded the federal Food Stamp Program were sentenced today in Bridgeport federal court. On January 22, 2009, NADIA ALI HAIDER, 29, and her husband, ABDUL HAKIM MUSAED, 45, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit Food Stamp fraud. HAIDER and MUSAED own and operate Lucky 7, located at 253 Davenport Avenue in New Haven. Lucky 7 was registered as an authorized participant in the Food Stamp Program. Today, United States District Judge Janet C. Hall sentenced MUSAED to four months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release during which MUSAED must spend four months in home confinement. HAIDER ... more

Nora R. Dannehy, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that ATTILA B. KNOTH, 48, a citizen of Hungary formerly residing in Hartford, pleaded guilty today before United States District Judge Christopher F. Droney in Hartford to one count of bank fraud and one count of wire fraud stemming from a scheme to defraud two banks and a finance company of nearly $600,000 in 1997. According to documents filed with the Court and statements made in court, in 1997, KNOTH owned and operated a dental laboratory, Interdental Studio, located for a time at 810 Maple Avenue in Hartford and later at 333 Pleasant Valley Road in South Windsor. In pleading guilty, KNOTH admitted that he defrauded Fleet Bank (now Bank of ... more

Kyle, SD - As part of the Obama Administration's continued investment in economic development in communities around the country through the Recovery Act, Treasury's Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund Director Donna J. Gambrell today announced $8 million in financial assistance awards for 10 CDFIs committed to serving economically distressed Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian communities across the nation. "These Native CDFIs are transforming their communities by helping to create businesses and needed jobs, provide affordable housing and build vital community facilities in places that desperately need them. They are providing personal financial education and developing business skills in communities... more

BOSTON, MA—Alleged underboss of New England crime family has reached an agreement with federal and state authorities to plead guilty to federal and state charges. Acting United States Attorney Michael K. Loucks, Jonathan W. Blodgett, Essex County District Attorney, Warren T. Bamford, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Boston Field Division, and Colonel Mark Delaney, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police, announced today that CARMEN S. DINUNZIO (a/k/a "Cheeseman"), age 51, of Boston, MA reached an agreement with federal and state authorities under which DINUNZIO will serve 6 years in federal prison. DINUNZIO pled guilty today to federal charges of conspiring to bribe a state official in co... more

BIRMINGHAM, AL—Joyce White Vance, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama, Charles E. Regan, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Reginael McDaniel, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, announce that a federal jury returned a verdict finding GREGORY JOHN KATOPODIS guilty on 97 counts of mail and wire fraud in connection with his scheme to defraud and steal over $162,000 from Jefferson County and from Computer Help for Kids (CHK), a Jefferson County based charity. "This verdict is especially appropriate and just given the egregious nature of the defendant's crimes. To steal money intended to help disadvantaged children have a better fu... more

PHOENIX—Evelyn James, 54, of Tuba City, Ariz. and a Tribal Council member of the San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe in Arizona, pleaded guilty today to False Statements, Theft from a Tribal Government Receiving Federal Funds and Money Laundering. In the course of her guilty plea, she admitted to stealing almost $300,000 in tribal funds. Sentencing is set before U.S. District Judge Frederick J. Martone on September 28, 2009 at 1:30 p.m. James intermittently served as the Tribal President of the San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe and in that capacity, completed, signed and submitted false statements and records to obtain funds for the tribe from the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program. Administered through the Department of J... more

Jeffrey H. Sloman, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Jonathan I. Solomon, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Miami Field Office, and Christopher B. Dennis, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Miami Regional Office, announced that defendants Jose Luis Perez, of Golden Beach, FL, and Reinaldo Guerra, of Miami, FL, were indicted on June 30, 2009 on charges of conspiracy to commit Medicare fraud, Medicare fraud, and aggravated identity theft. According to the Indictment unsealed today, the fraud involved durable medical equipment (DME), which is equipment that can be used in the home on a repeated basis for a medical purpo... more

BALTIMORE, MD—After a twelve-person federal jury was unable to reach an unanimous verdict as to whether to impose the death penalty for Melvin Gilbert, age 34, and James Dinkins, a/k/a "Miami," age 36, both of Baltimore, U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz sentenced Gilbert to five consecutive mandatory life sentences, plus 40 years and sentenced Dinkins to four consecutive mandatory life sentences, plus 40 years, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein. On June 11, 2009 the jury found Gilbert and Dinkins guilty of the murders of federal witness John Dowery and Shannon Jemmison, and also convicted Dinkins of the murder of Michael Bryant and a non-fatal shooting of John Dowery on October 19, 20... more

LEV L. DASSIN, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and JOSEPH M. DEMAREST, JR., the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation ("FBI"), announced that BERNARD L. MADOFF was sentenced today in Manhattan federal court to 150 years in prison for perpetrating a Ponzi scheme that resulted in billions of dollars of losses to thousands of investor-victims. United States District Judge DENNY CHIN, in sentencing MADOFF, stated: "Objectively speaking, the fraud was staggering" and that "the breach of trust was massive." Judge CHIN described MADOFF's crimes as "extraordinarily evil" and said that MADOFF's was "not merely a bloodless crime that takes place on ... more

WASHINGTON—A former executive of Philadelphia-based Nexus Technologies Inc. pleaded guilty today in connection with his participation in a conspiracy to bribe Vietnamese government officials in exchange for lucrative contracts to supply equipment and technology to Vietnamese government agencies, in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Michael L. Levy of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Joseph T. Lukas, 60, a resident of New Jersey, was a partner in Nexus Technologies Inc. until 2005. According to court documents, Nexus Technologies Inc. was a privately owned export company that identified U.S. vendors for contracts... more

Frank M. Lombard, 42, has been charged with attempt to persuade a person he did not realize was an task force officer from the Metropolitan Police Department to travel to North Carolina to have sex with Lombard's 5-year-old adopted child, announced MPD Chief Cathy L. Lanier and Joseph Persichini, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Washington Field Office. Lombard, 42, is charged by complaint with a violation of 18 USC 2242(a); an offense that could result in a maximum sentence of 20 years. The complaint was signed June 24, 2009 in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. The complaint alleges Task Force members were told by a confidential source that he/she had witnessed on t... more

DALLAS—A man from Arlington, Texas, who worked as a contract security guard at the Carrell Clinic on North Central Expressway in Dallas, has been arrested on felony charges outlined in a criminal complaint, announced Acting U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks of the Northern District of Texas. Late Friday evening, agents with the FBI arrested Jesse William McGraw, a/k/a "GhostExodus," "PhantomExodizzmo," "Howard Daniel Bertin," "Howard William McGraw," and "Howard Rogers," age 25. McGraw appeared yesterday afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Wm. F. Sanderson, Jr., for his initial appearance. He was detained until his probable cause and detention hearing set for Wednesday, July 1, 2009, at 2:30 p.m., before Judge Sanderson. According... more

KNOXVILLE, TN—On Wednesday, July 1, 2009, John Reece Roth, 72, of Knoxville, Tennessee, was sentenced to 48 months in prison for violating the Arms Export Control Act by conspiring to illegally export, and actually exporting, technical information relating to a U.S. Air Force (USAF) research and development contract. The sentencing, announced today by United States Attorney Russ Dedrick, took place in U.S. District Court in Knoxville, Tennessee, by the Honorable Thomas A. Varlan, Jr., United States District Court Judge. Upon his release from prison, Roth will serve a term of two years supervised release. These illegal exports by Dr. Roth of technical information, known as "technical data," related to his illegal disclosure and tran... more

EVANSVILLE, IN—Jarvis Brown, 28, of Indianapolis, Indiana, was sentenced to five consecutive life imprisonment sentences, plus an additional 20 year sentence, late yesterday by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young, according to Timothy M. Morrison, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. Brown previously pleaded guilty on March 17, 2009, to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, one count of interference with commerce by threats or violence; three counts of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime or crime of violence resulting in death, and one count of tampering with a witness resulting in death. The case was the result of a coordinated state and feder... more

A federal grand jury indictment unsealed today charges FRANK COLACURCIO, SR, his son FRANK COLACURCIO, JR, and four of their close associates with a Racketeering Influenced Corrupt Organization (RICO) scheme to promote prostitution at the strip clubs they operate in the greater Seattle area. The indictment follows the restraining order filed just over a year ago, preventing the transfer of various Colacurcio properties pending the investigation of criminal activity at the strip clubs. "With the indictment unsealed today, we take an important step in this racketeering investigation," said Jeffrey C. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the Western District of Washington. "Our trial team has interviewed more than 200 witnesses, reviewed th... more

WASHINGTON—Arthur Sease IV, a former Memphis Police Department officer, was sentenced today to a prison term of life plus 255 years by Chief Judge Jon P. McCalla in Memphis, Tenn. A jury convicted Sease in February 2009 of 44 counts of civil rights, narcotics, robbery, and firearms offenses. "The peace and prosperity of our nation hinge on the integrity of our law enforcement officers," said Loretta King, Acting Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. "We will continue to vigorously prosecute police corruption both to protect the rights of individuals and to maintain faith in our legal system." "Effective law enforcement begins with honest law enforcement," said U.S. Attorney Lawrence J. Laurenzi. "We will aggressively p... more

WASHINGTON—Herbert L. Corn, the former superintendent of the city of Rochester Wastewater Treatment Plant in Rochester, Ind., pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in South Bend, Ind., to falsifying monthly discharge monitoring reports that concealed violations of the Clean Water Act at the Rochester plant, the Justice Department announced. Corn pleaded guilty to a five-count felony information charging him with making false statements in discharge monitoring reports submitted to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM). He admitted that from September 2004 and continuing through May 2007, he submitted at least five reports containing false data for treated water that is discharged from the Rochester plant in... more

KANSAS CITY, MO—Matt J. Whitworth, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that an Ottawa, Kan., man pleaded guilty in federal court to the attempted commercial sex trafficking of a child. This conviction is the result of Operation Guardian Angel, a unique undercover law enforcement investigation targeting the demand for child prostitutes in the Kansas City metro area. As a result of this investigation, a total of seven defendants were indicted in the nation's first-ever federal prosecution of the alleged customers of child prostitution under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act. Richard J. Oflyng, 32, of Ottawa, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Scott O. Wright on Monday, Ju... more

GREENBELT, MD—U.S. District Judge Alexander Williams sentenced Eduardo Puentes, a/k/a "Carlos," a/k/a "The Colombian," age 43, of Rockville, Maryland, today to 41 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to transport at least 100 women from New York and New Jersey to Maryland to employ them as prostitutes, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein. According to testimony at his one and a half week trial, each week from September 2003 to November 2005, Puentes conspired with others to transport women from New York and New Jersey to Maryland to employ them as prostitutes. Witnesses testified that Puentes and his co-conspirators communicated with these wom... more

CHICAGO—The former chief executive officer of the shuttered Rock Creek Center in southwest suburban Lemont and an internal medicine physician who was affiliated with the privately owned psychiatric facility that closed in 2002 were convicted today by a Federal Court jury of participating in a bribery and kickback conspiracy. The defendants, Wendy Mamoon, 50, of Milwaukee, the former CEO, and Dr. Roland Borrasi, 56, of Burr Ridge, were each found guilty on all counts on the second day of deliberations, following a three-week trial in U.S. District Court, announced Patrick J. Fitzgerald, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. Mamoon and Borassi were each convicted of one count of conspiracy to offer and receive... more

CORPUS CHRISTI, TX—A Corpus Christi resident has been sentenced to prison for receiving and distributing child pornography, United States Attorney Tim Johnson announced today. Jesus Celeri Sancheznoriega, also known as Jesus Celeri Sanchez, 33, was sentenced to 109 months in federal prison to be followed by a ten-year-term of supervised release by United States District Judge Hayden Head following a late afternoon sentencing hearing held Tuesday, June 30, 2009. Sancheznoriega, who has been in custody without bond since his December 2008 arrest, was previously convicted of receiving and distributing child pornography. During yesterday's hearing, the court heard testimony from a Corpus Christi Police Department computer forensic e... more

UN SECRETARY general Ban Ki-moon faced a barrage of criticism last night for apparently praising the Burmese junta without winning any concessions over human rights or a move towards democracy. more

LONDON - Serena Williams fell to her knees on the grass, eyes closed, arms raised, and threw back her head. more

San Diego, CA (Sports Network) - Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Manny Ramirez spoke to the media Friday, prior to making his scheduled return to the majors following his 50-game suspension. more

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon asked the Myanmar military junta Friday for a meeting with dissident leader Aung San Suu Kyi. more

MICHAEL Jackson's fans have been urged to stay away from his memorial service in Los Angeles next Tuesday unless they are among 17,500 to receive tickets. more

FORMER REPUBLICAN vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin will step down as governor of Alaska at the end of this month, more than a year ahead of the end of her term in office. more

LATIN AMERICAN diplomats yesterday delivered an ultimatum to Honduras to reverse a coup within 24 hours or face becoming an international pariah. more

THE WILLIAMS sisters have played one another 20 times and are tied at 10 wins apiece - so today someone will sneak ahead. more

BRITAIN'S row with Iran deepened last night after the Tehran government threatened to put British Embassy staff on trial. more

San Diego, CA (Sports Network) - Manny Ramirez returned from a 50-game suspension and played only 5 1/2 innings, going 0-for-3 with a walk, two groundouts and a pop out, but the rest of his Dodger teammates picked up the slack and used a five-run first inning to defeat the Padres, 6-3, in front of a partisan crowd at Petco Park. more

Jul. 4--TEGUCIGALPA -- The newly installed Honduran government withdrew from the Organization of American States Friday night, after a tense visit from the hemisphere's top diplomat who urged the return of the nation's deposed leader. more

Jul. 4----Record Tracker blog: Palin, Obama and public records more

LONDON - Serena Williams beat her big sister Venus 7-6 (3), 6-2 on Saturday for her third Wimbledon title and 11th Grand Slam championship. more

MONACO - Seven-time champion Lance Armstrong began his comeback at the Tour de France on Saturday by taking an early lead in the first-stage individual time trial in Monaco. more

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin was facing a tough road ahead in serving out her term in office had she chosen to stay on the job, political analysts said. more

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki says the United States' help isn't needed in reconciling the country's political and ethnic factions. more

Tokyo complained to Pyongyang Saturday as North Korea test-fired seven missiles into the Sea of Japan, officials said. more

Jul. 4--SAN DIEGO -- The suspension is over, but the questions persists: more

Jul. 3--Trevor Ariza makes the Rockets younger, faster and better. more

Missiles fired Friday from a suspected unmanned drone targeting militants' facilities in Pakistan's tribal area killed several people, officials said. more

Jul. 3--NEW YORK -- Harvey Miller, General Motors Corp.'s top bankruptcy lawyer, told a federal judge Thursday that opponents of the government plan to quickly create a new company were asking the court to "play Russian roulette" with thousands of jobs and billions in taxpayer money and risk forcing a liquidation of the automaker. more

A public memorial service for Michael Jackson is planned for Tuesday in Los Angeles, but it's unclear who will pay for it, city officials say. more

Venus and Serena Williams have the biggest stage in tennis to break their head-to-head tie as they meet Saturday in Wimbledon's women's title match. more

An attorney representing General Motors Corp. bondholders told U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Robert Gerber the government was bluffing with a July 10 deadline. more

Jul. 3--WIMBLEDON, England -- There is one and only one Andy who matters in Great Britain this week, and it's not the American in the alligator shirt. more

Jul. 3--The spouse is out of the house. more

MICHAEL JACKSON'S mother and exwife are set for a bitter courtroom battle for custody of his kids. more

The Williams sisters will contest tomorrow's ladies final. more

"WHERE WE go we will stay and where we stay we will hold, build and work toward transition of all security responsibilities to Afghan forces". more

THE US poured 4,000 marines into Afghanistan's Helmand province yesterday in its biggest operation for five years to try to wrest the poppy-filled river valley permanently from the Taliban. more

Russell Branyan ended his frustrating strikeout streak, and helped end the New York Yankees' seven game winning streak while he was at it.. more

Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Free agent forward Ron Artest is leaving the Houston Rockets to join the Los Angeles Lakers and will provide the team with more offensive firepower next season, as he'll join Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol on the defending NBA champions. more

Jul. 3--LONDON -- Nobody would have bet against Roger Federer being the first man into the semi- finals of Wimbledon this year. more

Debbie Rowe - the human incubator who bore Michael Jackson's first two kids and then signed over all parental rights - vowed yesterday to fight his mother for custody now that the Gloved One is gone. more

LONDON - Five-time champion Roger Federer delivered a masterful grass-court performance Friday to beat Tommy Haas in straight sets and reach his seventh straight Wimbledon final, putting him within one win of a record 15th Grand Slam title. more

Iranian authorities indicated Friday they planned to put some members of the British Embassy staff in Tehran on trial, officials said. more

Palin stepping down as Alaska governor more

Federer, Roddick reach Wimbledon finals more

ANCHORAGE, Alaska _ Gov. Sarah Palin stunned Alaska and the nation Friday by abruptly announcing her resignation from office. more

LONDON - Rising, rising, rising, high above the most famous patch of grass in tennis, Roger Federer channelled Pete Sampras on match point in the Wimbledon semifinals Friday, tucking both feet back beneath his body and uncorking an overhead smash. more

Honduran soldiers were caught on video shooting the tires of buses carrying protesters supporting deposed President Manuel Zelaya. more

WASILLA, Alaska _ Gov. Sarah Palin announced Friday that she will resign in a few weeks. more

The same person is believed responsible for four killings around the small city of Gaffney, S.C., investigators said Friday. more

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin announced Friday she will resign as governor by the end of July and will not seek a second term in 2010. more

Investigators found the powerful anesthetic drug Diprivan in pop icon Michael Jackson's Los Angeles home, ABC News reported. more

Jul. 3--Gov. Mark Sanford did not misuse taxpayer dollars on any of his trips to see his Argentine lover, South Carolina's top law enforcement officer said Thursday. more

Jul. 3--WIMBLEDON, England -- Who says American tennis is in decline? more

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden emerged from meetings with Iraqi leaders Friday predicting "a hard road ahead" to bring about long-term stability to the country. more

LONDON - Five-time champion Roger Federer reached his seventh straight Wimbledon final Friday and will face Andy Roddick for a chance at a record 15th Grand Slam title. more

U.S. President Barack Obama will seek Russian cooperation in preventing climate change through better energy technology in a Moscow visit, officials said. more

Jul. 4--A second lightning strike in as many nights did not end nearly as well for the Salina Hawks. more

Jul. 4--The largest crowd in the history of the Gold Sox saw the unlikeliest of players become a hero. more

Jul. 4--The second day of the Kansas Grand Slam Tournament turned into a day off for the Salina Pestinger Falcons. more

Jul. 4--Work can wait for Whitney Humphreys. more

(Sports Network) - Right-hander Brad Thompson starts against the Cincinnati Reds for the second time this season today when the St. Louis Cardinals head to Great American Ball Park for the middle test of a three-game series with their National League Central Division rivals. more

Jul. 4--Illini coach wins another trip to PGA -- Mike Small has done it again. more

Jul. 4--If there is one thing sports fans love, it's a curse. more

Jul. 4--Lance Armstrong and the powerful Astana team may receive the lion's share of attention as the 2009 Tour de France gets under way today. more

Jul. 4--A franchise-record crowd of 3,796 came out to Gesa Stadium on Friday to see a fireworks show. more

(Sports Network) - Rookie phenom Tommy Hanson looks for a fifth straight victory today when the Atlanta Braves visit our nation's capital for a holiday afternoon game with the host Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. more

Jul. 4--You might say Clayton Heery is a bit player in what we might call the American Dream. more

(Sports Network) - With the return of Manny Ramirez now behind them, the Los Angeles Dodgers can get back to business, as they continue their three-game series with the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. more

(Sports Network) - The Detroit Tigers will try to put distance between them and the Minnesota Twins when the two teams collide this afternoon in the second matchup of a three-game series at the Metrodome. more

You can't have an All-Star Game in St. Louis without Stan the Man. more

Jul. 4--It set up nicely for Burlington Royals center fielder Guelin Beltre by the bottom of the ninth inning Friday night. more

Jul. 4--DURHAM Junior forward Kyle Singler floated a possibility that seems to make sense for Duke's unusually configured basketball team. more

Jul. 4--Laura Diaz took a trip down memory lane late yesterday afternoon and said there was a time she was, and we quote, an OK pro golfer. more

Jul. 4--Joey Meyer's current favorite DVD collection is not available in stores. more

Jul. 4--Yuma completed its four-game series with a 3-2 extra-innings loss to the Long Beach Armada on Friday. more

Jul. 4--CINCINNATI -- Mark DeRosa has been with the Cardinals less than a week, but he already knows he's seen it all. more

Jul. 4--BETHESDA -- U.S. Open champion Lucas Glover moved into contention during Friday's second round of the AT&T National at Congressional Country Club. more

Jul. 4--ROHRERSVILLE -- Imagine if NASCAR driver Tony Stewart was forced to compete in a big race with someone else's car. more

Jul. 4--The Bemidji Mudcats evened the city series at 1-1 Friday night, scoring a 1-0 victory over the Blue Ox at the BSU diamond. more

When Major League Baseball names its All-Star teams Sunday, the usual suspects will be rounded up and some ambitious newcomers will receive validation they have craved. more

Jul. 4--In the opening weekend of July, the Spirit of America softball tournament is once again bringing together local teams and those from other parts of Alabama and surrounding states. more

(Sports Network) - The Chicago Cubs have picked the perfect time to get hot. more

Jul. 4--BETHESDA -- Tiger Woods began the week talking about his desire to be the "greedy host" for this week's AT&T National at Congressional Country Club. more

(Sports Network) - In his second start since coming off the disabled list, Roy Halladay will take the mound for the Blue Jays when Toronto takes on the New York Yankees in the second matchup of a four-game stint at Yankee Stadium. more

Jul. 4--The Colorado Avalanche sent the team's leading scorer to the Los Angeles Kings on Friday night for two defenseman and a late-round draft pick. more

Jul. 4--College Station opened the District 33 baseball tournament for Senior Boys with a 14-6 victory over Bryan Bonham on Friday at the Bryan West ballpark. more

Jul. 4--BOULDER, Colo. -- To kids across America, little league baseball can mean hitting home runs, eating hot dogs or just picking flowers in the outfield. more

Jul. 4--BARBOURSVILLE, W.Va. more

Jul. 4--One of the most disappointing developments of the first half of the Twins' season was the regression of Alexi Casilla. more

ST. LOUIS -- A 30-minute talk with two coaches and some intense film study helped Todd Wellemeyer rebound impressively from his worst start of the season. more

Jul. 4--BOSTON -- One can easily hear the thinking catcher in Rob Johnson come out as he tries to describe how he pulled off an offensive feat even he likely never imagined would happen this season. more

(Sports Network) - Streaking Colorado right-hander Aaron Cook makes his 20th career appearance against the Arizona Diamondbacks tonight, when the Rockies host their National League West Division foes at Coors Field for the middle test of a three-game series. more

Jul. 4--Mace Green considers himself a surprising leader after 36 holes in the 59th edition of the Golden Isles Invitational at the Brunswick Country Club. more

Jul. 4--Josh Towers pitched more than well enough to win. more

Jul. 4--NORTH CANTON: Team New Zealand hasn't won a game during the IFAF World Championship. more

Tulsa World Sports Writer Matt Doyle lists this weekend's five must-see televised sporting events: more

MELBOURNE, July 4 AAP - The Western Bulldogs effectively ended Hawthorn's AFL title defence after keeping the reigning premiers goalless to halftime en route to an 88-point thrashing on Saturday night at Etihad Stadium. more

(Sports Network) - Still trying to work out some kinks, the Tampa Bay's phenom lefty David Price will take the hill this evening against the hard- hitting Texas Rangers in the second contest of a three-game stint. more

It was the bottom side's second win for the season, their highest score this year and they had beaten their average tackle count per match before halftime. more

WORCESTER, England--Umpire Jeff Evans collapsed towards the end of the England Lions' four-day game against Australia on Saturday, prompting the Ashes warmup match to be called off. more

SAN DIEGO -- Manny Ramirez will be back in the big leagues on Friday night after a 50-game suspension for violating baseball's drug policy. more

SAINT-QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES, France--Rafa Echenique of Argentina shot a 1-under 70 Saturday to maintain his lead at the French Open after three rounds. more

(Sports Network) - Tim Lincecum hopes for the same type of run support San Francisco provided Ryan Sadowski in the opener of this set when the Giants play the middle test of their three-game series with the Houston Astros at AT&T Park. more

AFL BULLDOGS HALFTIME UPDATE more

The Knights were shattered after coming so close to victory, especially after they went into the match without key players, second rower Steve Simpson (flu) and Adam MacDougall (flu/knee) who were ruled out late in the week. more

WIMBLEDON, England--A year ago, plenty of people were feeling sorry for Roger Federer. more

NEW YORK - That old saying "cash is king" certainly rings true these days. more

Jul. 3--ClearAccess Inc. more

Jul. 4--If Wall Street's collapse threw a monkey wrench into your retirement plan, then the repair job might call for a BRIC. more

The shares of Motapa Diamonds Inc. (TSXVN:MTP) will be removed from more

Jul. 4--For Oregonians, many employers owe more benefits than their retirement plans can pay more

Jul. 4--U.S. Bancorp and Weyerhaeuser try unconventional approaches with their pension money and get burned more

Complete coverage: Read all the stories and documents related to the SemGroup collapse. more

ProStrakan Group, a specialty pharmaceutical company, has signed an agreement with Aventis Pharma settling a tax issue that had arisen between the two companies. more

A recent Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) global survey of 227 executives--in government, education, professional services, life sciences, and financial services--suggests that organizations in the private and public sector believe that increasing both centralized control and local autonomy is needed for organizations to run efficiently and for employees to perform their jobs effectively. more

Jefferies, an independent, full-service global securities and investment banking firm, has served companies and their investors for more than 45 years. more

Zapa Technology, a new Irish company set up by former Alphyra chief executive John Nagle, has secured [euro]2.5 million in venture capital. more

LOS ANGELES, July 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Of the thousands of podcasts available on iTunes, "The Gold Show" radio program featuring Capital Gold Group, Inc. CEO, Jonathan Rose, is the most listened to podcast about gold investing. more

PERTH, July 3 AAP - Emergent Resources Ltd has entered into a confidential, non-binding deal with a Chinese firm that includes $200 million in funding for the development of the junior iron ore explorer's Beyondie project in Western Australia. more

Jul. 3--A New Market resident has launched a financial investment advisement firm. more

About Mavrix Fund Management Inc. more

HearAtLast Holdings has announced that it will be developing 25 new Hearing Store locations in various markets in the US and Canada. more

FINANCE BRIEFS 3 (REOPENS) more

INSIDE POLITICS: How is the Government to make tough decisions if people object so strenuously to a modest tax on second homes? more

Jul. 4--FCStone Group Inc., a Kansas City commodities risk management company, is merging with International Assets Holding Corp., a global financial services firm. more

THE GOVERNMENT will rely on the legal principles underpinning the social and affordable housing scheme to shield the National Asset Management Agency (Nama) against court challenge from developers. more

MELBOURNE, July 3 AAP - Underwriters for Rio Tinto Ltd's Australian market capital raising have found buyers for all of the shares that remained unsold from the offer, the company has said. more

The project near Kalgoorlie, Western Australia is near the Black Swan nickel mine, which Russia's Norilsk Nickel mothballed in February due to the slumped nickel price. more

MARKETS REPORT 3 SYDNEY more

Former Insight Investment multi-managers Patrick Armstrong, Ana Cukic Armstrong and Toby Hayes are launching Ucits III multi-asset funds and a qualified investor fund range for their new venture, Armstrong Investment Management. more

03-07 1003 more

MELBOURNE, July 3 AAP - Woodchipper Gunns Ltd has acquired a 17.9 per cent stake in Forest Enterprises Australia Ltd (FEA) at 10 cents per share. more

TORONTO, July 3 /CNW/ - more

TORONTO, July 3 /CNW/ - Canada Dominion Resources 2009 Limited Partnership (the "Partnership") announces the completion of its initial public offering of limited partnership units ("Units") pursuant to which 1,601,165 Units were issued for gross proceeds of $40,029,125. more

Sydney - Friday - July 3: (RWE Australian Business News) - Ashburton Minerals Ltd (ASX:ATN) today said its Brazilian subsidiary, Trans Pacific Gold Mineracao Ltda (TPGM), had signed an agreement to sell all of its interest in the Cuiaba Gold Project in the state of Mato Grosso to a Brazilian national company for $US5m ($A6.2m) in cash. more

(AEAVO) AVOCA HAS RECORD more

SYDNEY, July 3 AAP - Rio Tinto Ltd shares are in a trading halt as its bank underwriters offload shares that were not taken up under its Australian equity raising, which attracted acceptances for 94.76 per cent of the new stock on offer. more

VANCOUVER, July 2 /CNW/ - Freegold Ventures Limited (TSX: ITF, OTCBB: FGOVF, Frankfurt: FR4) announces that is has closed a non brokered private placement of 3,462,500 units ("Units") at a price of $0.12 per Unit for aggregate gross proceeds of $415,500. more

In the end, the neighborhood and property rights were both winners in the case of a South Side property that the city had threatened to obtain through eminent domain. more

DRUMMONDVILLE, QC, July 3 /CNW Telbec/ - CVTech Group Inc. (Toronto Stock Exchange: CVT) ("CVTech" or the "Corporation") is pleased to announce that Laurentian Bank Securities Inc. ("LBS") has exercised the underwriter's option granted to it pursuant to the underwriting agreement entered into between the Corporation and LBS on June 22, 2009 to acquire 2,162,500 additional subscription receipts (the "Subscription Receipts") at a price of $1.60 per Subscription Receipt (the "Additional Subscription Receipt Financing"). more

Sydney - Friday - July 3: (RWE Aust Business News) - UraniumSA is has successfully completed a share placement of 3.3 million fully paid ordinary shares at 7c to raise $231,000 before costs. more

Jul. 3--When Dan Cap decided it was time to take his 10-year-old Blount County company to the next level, the owner of Nature's Gifts International turned to a business coach. more

CEMEX, S.A.B. de C.V. (NYSE: CX), announced today that on Wednesday, July 1, 2009, CEMEX received notice from Strabag SE that it was withdrawing from the Share Purchase Agreement signed between the companies on June 30, 2008. more

COMNEWS EMG SYDNEY 1001/1/1 EMG - Company Announcement $gen0 3 July 2009 Part 1/1 --- more

ProfitBase, a provider of data warehouse, business analytics, budgeting and planning software solutions, and GoIWx, a provider of IT hosting services, have formed a partnership to bring Hosted Software as a Service Business Intelligence solution to businesses in North America. more

VANCOUVER, July 3 /CNW/ - Solex Resources Corp. (TSX-V: SOX) ("Solex" or the "Company") today announced an extension of the previously announced offering of up to 15,000,000 units ("Units") on a private placement basis at a price of $0.15 per Unit to raise gross proceeds of $2,250,000 ("the Offering"). more

(AEGBT) GBST DETAILS SHA more

(AEFSE) FIRESTONE'S NEW more

The latest RDR consultation paper has split the sector into independent advice, restricted advice and non-advised sales and introduced a new definition of independence. more

Enterprise software and services provider CDC Software has announced plans to expand its compliance offerings with the formation of a joint venture with billing and revenue management applications provider Softrax. more

Stocks got slammed in extremely light trading Thursday following the employment report, which revealed more weakness for job trends ahead of the long July 4 holiday weekend. more

The idea of devising new rules for managers isn't just a casual thought or theoretical exercise for me. more

The UK's Financial Services Authority has announced a new operational structure designed to align its internal operating model to its core activities of identifying and mitigating risk, supervision and enforcement. more

Jul. 4--STANDARD and Poor's (S&P) on Friday said it is keeping its current credit score of below-investment grade or junk on the Philippines, adding that this rating would likely persist in the next six months to a year. more

Jul. 3--FORT WALTON BEACH -- The City Council has decided to keep next year's tentative millage the same as the current rate, but property owners still could see lower tax bills. more