Baucus Reportedly Gave $14000 Raise to Staffer Girlfriend

FOXNewsSen. Max Baucus gave a $14,000 raise last year to the female staffer he was dating and took her on a government-funded trip to Asia and the Middle East, Politico.com reported Friday.The Montana senator and chairman of the Senate Finance Committee acknowledged a week ago that he was in a relationship with Melodee Hanes when he nominated her for U.S. attorney. Hanes withdrew her nomination… Read more

Airbus A400M Needs States’ Help to Continue, CEO Says

BloombergDec. 11 (Bloomberg) — Airbus SAS’s A400M military transport, which performed its maiden flight today in Seville, isn’t viable without a “significant contribution” from government customers, the planemaker’s chief executive said.Airbus Chief Executive Tom Enders said his company’s first military plane and thousands of jobs connected with depend on the governments’… Read more

US STOCKS-Futures rise as data on consumer eyed

Forbes* Reports on retail sales, consumer sentiment on tap* Boeing ( BA – news – people ) says 787 Dreamliner test flight may come Dec. 15* Futures up: S&P 5.8 pts, Dow 53 pts, Nasdaq 7.5 pts(Adds details, quote, byline, updates prices)NEW YORK (Reuters) – U.S. stock index futures rose Friday as investors awaited data that could provide a look at the health of the consumer, including reports… Read more

US judge declares Swiss banker, lawyer fugitives

sacbeeWEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A federal judge in Florida has declared a banker and lawyer from Switzerland who were indicted on fraud charges as fugitives from justice.U.S. District Judge Daniel T.K. Hurley signed the order against banker Hansruedi Schumacher and attorney Matthias Rickenbach on Thursday in West Palm Beach.Schumacher and Rickenbach are accused of helping rich Americans evade… Read more

Brown Defends Deficit Reduction Plan

Wall Street JournalLONDON — The U.K.’s deficit reduction plan is more “detailed” than those of most other countries, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Friday.Speaking at a press conference at the end of a European Council meeting in Brussels, Mr. Brown said he believes the markets understand that the U.K. must get the economy back to growth, as well as drive down its deficit over time.”I… Read more

EU offers 7.2 bln euros in climate aid

Yahoo! NewsBRUSSELS (AFP) – European Union nations have agreed to give 7.2 billion euros (10.6 billion dollars) to help developing nations tackle climate change, the Swedish EU presidency announced on Friday."The EU total is equal to 2.4 billion euros per year," over the next three years, with voluntary pledges coming in from all 27 EU member states, Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik… Read more

EU vows climate aid to poor nations

Al Jazeera EnglishEuropean leaders have agreed to give $10.6bn to developing countries over the next three years in a bid to help them tackle climate change.The funding, agreed by all 27 member states at a meeting in Brussels on Friday, is also an attempt to encourage poorer nations to sign up to a deal at the UN climate summit in Copenhagen.Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, said the offer… Read more

Senate Committee Passes Shield Law

New York TimesA bill to protect reporters’ confidential sources in federal court cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee on a 14-to-5 vote, ending months of stalemate. If the full Senate approves the legislation, it will have to be reconciled with a different version approved earlier by the House. The bill does not give journalists absolute authority to protect sources, providing for exceptions in… Read more

KAR Auction IPO raises less than hoped

ForbesKAR Auction Services Inc. shares will make their trading debut Friday, but the auctioneer of used and salvaged vehicles raised less than it had hoped in its initial public offering. The company’s IPO priced well below its expected range at a time of deep uncertainty in the auto industry.Vehicle sales in the U.S. have been at historic lows this year as the recession weighed on consumers’… Read more

Rule 5 Draft

According to David Lennon of Newsday, a scout said teams had been trying to move up to select RHP Carlos Monasterios, who the Mets drafted then immediatly traded to the Dodgers. …by the way, the Mets just announced the trade in a press release… Updated at 10:32 am: The major-league phase of the Rule 5 Draft is over. …i will do a recap of the minor-league phase later in the day…… Read more

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