Read a little. Learn a lot. • Tightly-written news, views and stuff • Follow us on Twitter • Be a Facebook Fan • Tumble us!

19 May 2011 11:12

tags

U.S.: State Department: No immunity for Dominique Strauss-Kahn

  • what The U.S. State Department declined to give diplomatic immunity to now-former IMF head Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who faces sexual assault charges in New York.
  • why According to the State Department, he wasn’t on official business with the IMF when he was arrested. If he were in another country, he would probably have immunity. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

19 May 2011 00:35

tags

World: Dominique Strauss-Kahn resigns from IMF amid scandal

  • I want to protect this institution which I have served with honor and devotion, and especially —especially — I want to devote all my strength, all my time, and all my energy to proving my innocence.
  • Dominique Strauss-Kahn • In a letter revealing his resignation as the International Monetary Fund’s head. “I think at this time first of my wife—whom I love more than anything—of my children, of my family, of my friends,” he also stated in the note. “I think also of my colleagues at the Fund; together we have accomplished such great things over the last three years and more.” Strauss-Kahn’s arrest on sexual assault charges has thrown French politics in a tizzy in the past week, due to his prominent status, and this letter will only continue to drive the conspiracy theories around the case in France. (h/t ProducerMatthew, Samuel Rubenfeld) source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

18 May 2011 11:19

tags

World: Poll: Many French people think Dominique Strauss-Kahn was set up

  • 57% of French voters think Dominique Strauss-Kahn was set up in the IMF leader’s sexual assault case
  • 70% of French voters in the Socialist Party (the politician’s own party) think the same thing source
  • » Another conspiracy theory flourishes: French society is one where conspiracy theories like this can flourish — in part due to mistrust of business and political elites. But the fall of a man expected to run for president has many in absolute disbelief. “It highlights France’s denial . . . People do not want to believe it and it is interesting from the collective psychology point of view,” said Jérome Sainte-Marie of the polling group CSA. If it makes you feel better, French people, the U.S. loves its conspiracy theories too.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

18 May 2011 10:43

tags

World: Slate’s French site names victim in Dominique Strauss-Kahn case

  • Did you guys know there was a French version of Slate? It’s true. And while it shares the same hue of purple as the mothership, it’s editorially independent and the Slate company owns a tiny 15 percent share of the product. Anyway, the site yesterday published an article noting the reported victim’s name in the Dominique Strauss-Kahn scandal (which we will not link directly here; if you’re interested, you can dig yourself) — a usual no-no in the world of journalism. And one that a few other outlets have also broken. But why Slate.fr, which carries the rep of a highly-regarded site that would never do something like that? According to an interview by The Atlantic Wire, the site’s founder, Eric Leser, says they did it to fight buck against the conspiracy theories that have grown around the story in France. “The story that we have published is proving that all of [these] theories are false,” he said. “That’s our main reason.” Do you guys agree with this stance? Do you think Slate.fr is making a mistake by publishing this? source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

17 May 2011 11:29

tags

World: Dominique Strauss-Kahn case creates trouble for French TV stations

  • The principle of freedom of expression and right to information shouldn’t ignore the fact that such images can harm a person’s dignity.
  • A statement from the French broadcasting authority • Reminding television networks in the country that they should be careful in showing images of IMF leader Dominique Strauss-Kahn wearing handcuffs. While it’s illegal to shoot photos or video inside French courtrooms (and photographers can’t shoot people in handcuffs unless the person has been convicted), it’s not in American courtrooms, creating a complicated situation — and a rare sight on French television. It’s not clear that the French government could fine television stations that show the images, but officials are looking into it. But either way, it appears that the stations may be violating the spirit of the 2000 law (designed to encourage a presumption of innocence), if not the letter of it. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

15 May 2011 22:36

tags

World: Three signs Dominique Strauss-Kahn’s case is a media circus

  • one The Business Insider wrote a piece noting that DNA evidence was found in the hotel room, while hinting at something else. Well, of course there was! He stayed in the hotel overnight!
  • two Today, when presented a lineup, the maid at the center of the sexual assault charged picked the French political figure. Paparazzi surrounded her as she left the police station.
  • three The IMF leader’s lawyer has a long list of high-profile clients, including P. Diddy, NFL star Plaxico Burress (who shot himself in the leg) and blingmaster “Jacob the Jeweler.” source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

15 May 2011 11:01

tags

World: French politicians react to Dominique Strauss-Kahn’s arrest

  • He’s definitely discredited. The case and the charges mark the end of his campaign for the presidency, and will likely prompt the IMF to ask him to leave his post.
  • French National Front party leader Marine Le Pen • Sticking the dagger into Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the International Monetary Fund leader charged with the attempted sexual assault of a maid in a NYC hotel. Le Pen is not an unbiased party: Strauss-Kahn, a member of France’s Socialist party, was a likely favorite in the 2012 elections in France, and his arrest puts Le Pen’s own party at a major advantage. But that said, other politicians in the country are reacting with shock about the whole thing. For example, Bernard Debré, a member of Nicolas Sarkozy’s UMD party, calls the charges “a humiliation and an affront to the honor of France. Everyone will now say, ‘Look at what the French do.'” Strauss-Kahn’s own Socialist party is keeping mum for now. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

15 May 2011 02:30

tags

World: Three ways Dominique Strauss-Kahn’s arrest complicates things

  • His powerful influence makes the sexual assault case all the more complicated. The man has a wide array of influence on global politics due largely to his current position, which leads a group that oversees the global financial system. And with a significant piece of evidence — Strauss-Kahn’s cell phone — reportedly left at the scene, there is said to be enough evidence to charge him. (EDIT: They have — with charges including attempted rape.) He reportedly plans to plead not guilty. This isn’t just a tabloid fodder-type story, though the New York Post, shown above, is certainly having fun with it. A few broader implications of Dominique Strauss-Kahn’s arrest:
  • one With the global financial and debt crises still major problems, the International Monetary Fund plays a huge role in global politics — especially in countries like Greece. And Strauss-Kahn leads the IMF.
  • two While he hasn’t officially announced his plans to run for president of France, he has been polling the best against the unpopular Nicolas Sarkozy. He could leave the Socialist party in a bit of a bind.
  • threeStrauss-Kahn’s charges could force the IMF to pick a new leader on the fly — which could have a ripple effect on the debt crisis. He’s considered conservative; his successor may take a harsher stance. source
  • » To put it another way: The decisions the IMF makes have strong direct and indirect effects on world economies. Last year, for example, the IMF and the EU twisted Greece’s arm so the country would put in place strong austerity measures in exchange for a massive long-term loan. And here is this guy, in charge of a group that indirectly caused rioting in the streets of a major city, accused of a crime that’d make Bill Clinton’s whole impeachment fiasco seem like nothing. It makes you grit your teeth thinking of what that means for global economies.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

14 May 2011 19:47

tags

U.S.: IMF leader Dominique Strauss-Kahn accused of sexual assault

  • A French presidential candidate. A leader of a powerful financial organization. A suspect in the sexual assault of a maid. Dominique Strauss-Kahn has a lot to lose with the just-breaking scandal, which involved his arrest at the airport before making a trip to France. According to reports, Strauss-Kahn attempted to assault the maid in a hotel room, she ran away, and he immediately booked it to the airport. Ironically, the Socialist party in France just accused Nicolas Sarkozy’s party of a smear campaign against the International Monetary Fund’s managing director, whom the New York Daily News refers to as “the great seducer.” Now they have bigger problems. (photo via the World Economic Forum’s Flickr page) source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

09 Feb 2011 10:50

tags

World: Rough budget conditions behind Pakistan’s dissolving cabinet

  • 60 the number of ministers and junior ministers that just stepped down from the Pakistani cabinet
  • under 40 the number of folks that will likely replace those 60 people, according to reports source
  • » Why did they dip out? Budget issues. The International Monetary Fund gave the country a stern warning back in December to avoid slippage in their financial situation. Their budget deficit is forecasted to be 4.7 percent of gross domestic product for the current fiscal year. To convince Pakistan to fix their situation, they withheld part of its loan to the country.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
<< newer 
top tags
older >>