Saturday headlines

State and Local

Crooked MZM executive Mitchell Wade -- with links to Republican representatives "Duke Jailbird" Cunningham and Katherine "Cover Girl" Harris, now running for the US Senate -- got $400,000 in state and local tax breaks in 2004. Cunningham went to jail, and Harris has donated $50,000 in tainted money to charity. Jeb!'s office refuses "by law" to release documents or to answer questions. (Republicans still hate removing the feeding tubes, especially their own.) -LINK-

Florida legislators want to restrict academic travel. -LINK-

Hernando County sinkholes force families out. -LINK-

Resources are few for poor local residents with mental illness. (links to series of articles on Polk County's neediest residents) -LINK-

Sex tapes end decorated officer's career. -LINK-

Student peed; teacher faces suspension. -LINK-

National

Maryland churches break IRS rules; at least 115 churches have given to 40 candidates since 2000. -LINK-

The "Duke" Cunningham gets 8+ years for bribery. -LINK-

Environmental Protection Agency and other federal agencies improperly withheld $471 million of funds appropriated by Congress last year. -LINK-

Confusion reigns among the Defense Department, the Senate and U.S. Special Operations Command over the leadership and chain of command of the nation’s most elite special operations units. -LINK-

Pentagon, under court order, releases partial list of Guantanamo detainees. After four years confinement, only 10 have been charged with a crime. -LINK-

Couple cited in fake penis case (bizarre news). -LINK-

World

Troubled Pakistan hopes for Bush bonus. -LINK-

Another U-turn for Bush: US drops staunch opposition to a proposed gas pipeline from Iran to India via Pakistan. -LINK-

Hamas praises Russian mediation efforts -LINK-

US State Department thanks Russia for talks with Hamas. -LINK-

China's military budget jumps 14%. -LINK-