Taiwan court convicts former President Chen Shui-bian of graft, imposes life sentence

TAIPEI, Taiwan — A Taiwan court sentenced former President Chen Shui-bian to life in prison after convicting him on graft charges Friday, a spectacular fall from grace for a man who rode to power on promises to end decades of corruption and deepen the island’s de facto independence.

Taiwan court convicts former President Chen Shui-bian for graft, imposes life sentence

TAIPEI, Taiwan — A Taiwan court imposed a life sentence on former President Chen Shui-bian after convicting him of corruption Friday, marking a watershed in the island’s turbulent political history.

Taiwan court convicts former President Chen Shui-bian on graft charges, imposes life sentence

TAIPEI, Taiwan — A Taiwan court imposed a life sentence on former President Chen Shui-bian after convicting him of corruption Friday, marking a watershed in the island’s turbulent political history.

South Carolina GOP asks Gov. Mark Sanford to resign following questions on affair, travel

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Leaders of South Carolina’s Republican Party voted Thursday to ask Gov. Mark Sanford to resign, joining an increasing number of GOP officials upset with the governor’s June vanishing act to see his mistress and questions about his travel while in office.

Calif. lawmaker caught talking about affairs tarnishes Legislature’s damaged reputation

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A scandal involving a family-values legislator caught boasting about his sexual escapades with his lobbyist mistresses created an embarrassing distraction for lawmakers Thursday, further diverting attention from California’s major policy issues in the crucial final days of their session.

Berlusconi dismisses idea of resigning over sex scandal, calls himself Italy’s best premier

ROME — Premier Silvio Berlusconi brushed off questions about any possible resignation over his sex scandal Thursday, saying he has been Italy’s best premier ever.

Former Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian awaits verdict in graft trial, faces life sentence

TAIPEI, Taiwan — A Taiwan court will decide Friday if former President Chen Shui-bian is guilty of corruption, in a trial widely seen as a key test of the island’s young democracy.

61 SC House Republicans join effort to get GOP Gov. Mark Sanford to resign following affair

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Sixty-one South Carolina House Republicans asked Gov. Mark Sanford to resign Wednesday, questioning his ability to lead the state since his unannounced summertime trip to see a mistress in Argentina and investigations of his state and private travel that followed.

60 SC House Republicans sign letter asking Gov. Mark Sanford to resign following affair

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Sixty South Carolina House Republicans asked Gov. Mark Sanford to resign Wednesday, questioning his ability to lead the state since his unannounced summertime trip to see a mistress in Argentina and investigations of his state and private travel that followed.

Blagojevich: Words on FBI tape were taken out of context but prison is still a worry

CHICAGO — Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich said Tuesday that statements he made on secret FBI wiretap tapes were taken out of context by prosecutors and that he might try to call senators and a top White House official as witnesses at his racketeering and fraud trial to back his version of events.

Hartford, Conn., mayor and 3 others arraigned for alleged roles in corruption probe

HARTFORD, Conn. — The mayor of Hartford, Conn., and three others charged in a corruption investigation last week have made a brief appearance before a state judge.

Ousted Illinois Gov. Blagojevich renews denial of wrongdoing as he promotes book

CHICAGO — Ousted Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich is on a media blitz as his book hits the shelves.

Teen, 2 others arrested for allegedly killing candidate, family in Mexican Gulf state

VILLAHERMOSA, Mexico — Police have arrested a 16-year-old boy and two young men for allegedly killing a state congressional candidate and his family.

Federal police in western Mexico arrest another mayor for alleged links to drug cartel

MORELIA, Mexico — Federal police detained a small-town mayor on Friday on suspicion of aiding drug traffickers in the same western Mexico state where eight other city chiefs have been arrested since May on similar charges.

Obama granted attorney general an ethics waiver to investigate handling of Stevens case

WASHINGTON — Attorney General Eric Holder has received an ethics waiver to investigate government lawyers who prosecuted former Sen. Ted Stevens, the White House disclosed Friday.

Police arrest Iraqi deputy minister in corruption sting, say he was filmed taking bribe

BAGHDAD — Iraqi police arrested the deputy transport minister after he was allegedly filmed taking a bribe in a sting operation, a lawmaker said Thursday.

Ambushers kill No. 2 security official and 3 others in home state of Mexico’s president

MORELIA, Mexico — Gunmen killed the No. 2 security official in President Felipe Calderon’s home state, where the government is locked in an intensifying battle with a ruthless drug cartel blamed for a string of assassinations of police and soldiers.

Afghanistan’s deputy intelligence chief among 23 people killed in Taliban suicide attack

KABUL — A Taliban suicide bomber attacked officials leaving a mosque east of the capital Wednesday, killing the country’s deputy intelligence chief and 22 other people in a major blow to Afghanistan’s security forces.

Pakistani president’s popularity is sliding despite successes against Islamic militants

ISLAMABAD — President Asif Ali Zardari’s plunging popularity has led to questions over whether he can finish his term, raising the possibility that political turmoil could undercut Pakistan’s recent gains in the fight against al-Qaida and the Taliban.

Hartford mayor arrested for 2nd time this year in corruption probe; 3 others also charged

HARTFORD, Conn. — Mayor Eddie Perez on Wednesday surrendered to state police for the second time this year to face corruption charges, this time on allegations he and a former state lawmaker tried to extort money from a real estate developer.

Hartford mayor, already awaiting bribery trial, surrenders to Conn. police in corruption probe

HARTFORD, Conn. — Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez has surrendered to Connecticut State Police for the second time this year amid a corruption investigation of city government.

Taiwan court convicts former first lady on perjury charges, sentences her to 1 year

TAIPEI, Taiwan — The wife and adult children of Taiwan’s former president were convicted of perjury and sentenced to prison for lying to investigators in a high-profile corruption case against the ex-leader.

Swiss president under pressure to resign as row with Libya over detained businessmen escalates

GENEVA — Switzerland’s president faced growing pressure to resign Tuesday, as the government failed to secure the release of two citizens detained in Libya since the arrest of Moammar Gadhafi’s son in Geneva last year.

Hartford, Conn., mayor says warrant signed for his arrest in corruption probe; he won’t resign

HARTFORD, Conn. — Mayor Eddie Perez, already scheduled to go on trial on bribery charges, said Monday a state judge had signed a new arrest warrant accusing him of wrongdoing involving a former state lawmaker.

Renegade ex-Rep. Traficant out of prison on Wednesday, faces uneven welcome home in Ohio

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — Renegade ex-congressman James A. Traficant Jr., who delighted in “Star Trek” references and polyester suits, is to be released Wednesday from a federal prison in Minnesota after serving seven years for corruption.

Justice Department beset once again by charges of playing politics, this time under Democrats

WASHINGTON — Besieged during the Bush administration for bending to the White House’s will, the Justice Department is again accused of playing politics with cases — this time in investigating whether CIA interrogators illegally abused terror suspects.

Major fraud allegations double in Afghanistan’s presidential vote

KABUL — Major fraud complaints in the Afghan presidential election surged Sunday to nearly 700, raising concern that the volume of cases that must be investigated will delay announcement of a winner and formation of a new government.

Former Pa. state senator, convicted on fraud charges, headed to federal prison Monday

PHILADELPHIA — A former Pennsylvania state senator convicted on fraud charges is scheduled to report to federal prison in Kentucky on Monday.

Federal prosecutors won’t dismiss charges against former Alaska lawmakers in corruption case

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Federal prosecutors have decided against dismissing charges against two former Alaska lawmakers who say their corruption convictions in a bribery case resulted from prosecutorial misconduct.

SC Republican legislators vent anger over governor’s affair, call for resignation, impeachment

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — Republican legislators fumed Saturday over Gov. Mark Sanford’s affair and questionable travel, though they stopped short of trying to force his resignation or impeachment before they return to the Statehouse in January.