Judgment day for Wolfowitz

The World Bank's executive board will meet on Tuesday to decide the future of the organization's president, Paul Wolfowitz, after an internal panel concluded he had violated staff rules by arranging a promotion and pay rise for his girlfriend and and suggested the bank was suffering "a crisis in leadership."

The special ad hoc committee looked into allegations Wolfowitz broke conflict of interest rules in dealing with his girlfriend, Shaha Riza, who left the World Bank when Wolfowitz took over the top spot in 2005.

While findings show Wolfowitz broke bank rules in arranging a handsome pay package for his girlfriend, the White House came to the defense of the embattled World Bank president Tuesday, saying his behavior did not amount to "a firing offense," an Associated Press report said.

According to the committee report, released Monday evening on its Web site, the executive board of the organization must consider whether Wolfowitz "will be able to provide the leadership needed" to effectively carry out the mission of the World Bank.

Tony Snow, a White House spokesman, said he did not think Wolfowitz's actions warranted his resignation, according to an AP report. Snow also said Wolfowitz continued to enjoy the support of U.S. President George W. Bush.

After Wolfowitz took over at the World Bank, Riza was transferred to a State Department foundation and received a government salary of almost $194,000 a year, tax free.

Wolfowitz has rebutted statements from former World Bank officials who claimed he ignored Bank ethics committee directions on the Riza case and acted improperly. He blames what he calls "ambiguous bank rules and unclear governance mechanisms."

The panel concluded that Wolfowitz's role in the matter "went beyond the informal advice" given by the bank's ethics committee, and that he "engaged in a de facto conflict of interest," according to the report.

"I am very disappointed that the ad hoc committee that insisted on confidentiality put its report on its Web site before the full board had a chance to consider the report," Wolfowitz's attorney, Robert Bennett, told CNN.

The meeting of the 24-member World Bank board on Tuesday will have the final say on Wolfowitz's future. A decision could come this week and could include reprimanding him, asking him to step down, or firing him.

Siege ends at Russian Embassy in Costa Rica

A 20-year-old Kazakhstan native turned himself over to police Friday, ending a three-hour standoff and safely releasing a man he had been holding at the Russian Embassy in Costa Rica, authorities said.
Roman Bogdanyants covered his face as he was escorted by police from the building, followed by a Russian man that police spokesman Francisco Ruiz identified as a former hostage.
Officials originally reported an armed man had seized eight hostages, quickly releasing five.
But Russian Ambassador Valery Nikolayenko told Channel 7 Telenoticias in a phone interview during the standoff that he and three other officials had remained in the building to help negotiate a peaceful end to the situation.
Immigration spokeswoman Heidi Bonilla told The Associated Press that Bogdanyants arrived in Costa Rica in 2005. Police earlier had described him as an Uzbek.
A family friend, Artur Mitiniani, told Channel 7 that the family had lost $54,000 because of problems with a Russian citizen whom Bogdanyants met at the embassy.
In July 2004, a Costa Rican security guard took several hostages at the Chilean Embassy where he worked in San Jose, eventually killing himself and three embassy employees. The guard, Orlando Jimenez, 54, was upset about a pending transfer.

Rampant Roma hit six against Inter

AS Roma scored four goals in the first half hour to beat holders Inter Milan 6-2 in an extraordinary first leg of the Italian Cup final on Wednesday.
Captain Francesco Totti, whose team now take a healthy lead into next Thursday's second leg at the San Siro, gave the home side a dream start when he slammed in Rodrigo Taddei's pullback in the first minute.
Roma, who lost to Inter in the last two finals, were desperate to avoid a third straight defeat and quickly doubled their lead when Daniele de Rossi diverted a volley from Philippe Mexes into the net on five minutes.
Simone Perrotta soon made it 3-0 when he slid in to convert Cristian Chivu's low cross, which completely outwitted a dormant Inter defense.
The match had been brought forward to an early evening kickoff because of fears of crowd trouble and league champions Inter finally woke up when Hernan Crespo took advantage of a defensive error to round goalkeeper Doni to make it 3-1.
The unusually open Italian final refused to revert to type in the second half with both defenses leaving wide open spaces at the back.
Roma's raiding right back Panucci made it 5-1 on 54 minutes before Crespo hit back almost immediately when he nodded home Maicon's perfectly-flighted cross from a quick break.
"We made a terrible start to the match and they started very well," Inter coach Mancini told RAI television. "Roma probably had more incentive than us. We have a match to play and we will see what we can do. We need a miracle."

Pleas, anger in missing girl hunt

The anguished parents of Madeleine McCann, the British girl missing for more than a week after appparently being snatched from a Portuguese vacation resort, have made a fresh appeal for her return.

"Words cannot describe the anguish and despair that we are feeling," said Madeleine's father, Gerry McCann.

"Please, please, do not hurt her. Please do not scare her, please tell us where to find her," the girl's mother, Kate McCann, said in a video plea for the girl's release.

Police say Madeleine, who turns four on Saturday, was abducted from her parent's resort apartment in Portugal's Algarve. The McCanns had left their daughter in bed as they dined nearby.

Amid fierce media criticism in the UK of Portuguese police efforts to find the toddler, Portugal's ambassador in London , Antonio Santana Carlos, released a statement Friday saying, "Trust the authorities. They're doing their best."

But British media filming roadblocks on Portugal's border with Spain caught police sitting in their cars and waving vehicles by during a recent rainshower.

Andrew Forrester, from Wales, was helping search for Madeleine and found the effort of Portuguese police underwhelming.

Portuguese police said they were following procedures and that they operated differently than their counterparts in the UK.

Armando Ferreira, president of the National Police Union, also defended the search.

"Portuguese police are making a great effort. I have colleagues volunteering during their days off to help," he said, according to a Reuters news service report.

"We're doing everything to find the child alive," Reuters quoted Portugal's President Anibal Cavaco Silva as saying.

Hilton plans to appeal ruling, rehires publicist

Paris Hilton has rehired the publicist she dumped over the weekend after being sentenced to 45 days in jail.

Elliot Mintz confirmed to The Associated Press on Tuesday that he is again representing the 26-year-old socialite, who was ordered to report to county jail by June 5 for violating the terms of her probation in an alcohol-related reckless driving case.

Mintz, 62, wouldn't elaborate on why he reunited with Hilton. The publicist, whose clients have included John Lennon and Bob Dylan, issued a statement Sunday night that he and Hilton had parted ways over an apparent "misunderstanding she received from me regarding the terms of her probation."

In a court appearance Friday, Hilton told the judge Mintz informed her it was all right to drive on a suspended license for work obligations. Mintz also testified Hilton believed she was allowed to drive. The judge called Mintz's testimony worthless.

Hilton -- star of reality TV show "The Simple Life" on the E! network -- has parlayed her party lifestyle into worldwide fame.

She has called the sentence unfair, and her fans have posted a petition on the Internet urging Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to pardon her.

The petition, which had more than 900 signatures by Tuesday morning, urges the California actor-turned-governor to pardon Hilton because she provides "beauty and excitement to (most of) our otherwise mundane lives."

Meanwhile, Hilton's lawyers have filed a notice with the court indicating their intent to appeal the decision. The document is required before a formal appeal can be lodged.

Toyota set to overtake GM

Toyota Motor Corp. posted a stronger-than-expected 8.9 percent rise in quarterly net profit on buoyant sales in Western markets, and forecast modest growth this year as it adds production capacity all over the world.
Demand for Toyota's cars has climbed steadily in sputtering U.S. and European markets, driven by segment-leading models such as the Camry sedan and RAV4 crossover, while local brands have struggled to hold their own.
Toyota is set this year to end General Motors Corp.'s 76-year reign as the world's biggest automaker after the U.S. group last week forecast global sales of 9.2 million vehicles against Toyota's plan to move 9.34 million.
Toyota has ensured steady growth by spending on new factories, added capacity and research and development -- all of which has kept profit margins in check.
Given this level of spending, a possibly stronger yen and high input costs, Japan's top automaker forecast a modest rise in profits for this year, joining its local rivals in providing cautious guidance.
Toyota forecast annual operating profit of 2.25 trillion yen, up 0.5 percent from 2.239 trillion yen last year, for a seventh straight year of record earnings.
Net profit for January-March -- a quarter that saw Toyota overtake GM in global sales volume -- was 440.1 billion yen, well ahead of a consensus estimate for 416.1 billion yen. GM earned a net $62 million that quarter.
Excluding China, Toyota's sales in Asia declined last year along with the broader market, but the automaker is set to crank up volumes in 2007 with a new factory in Thailand. Toyota will also open a new plant in China soon to meet surging demand.

Sarkozy`s `scandalous` yacht trip

Nicolas Sarkozy, France's president-elect, was criticized by political enemies Wednesday after refusing to apologize for a post-election luxury yacht trip amid violent protests over the election result.
Sarkozy whisked his wife and son off for a tour around Malta a day after his election Sunday. However, even before dropping anchor as expected by Wednesday evening, he defended his mini-vacation aboard the 60-meter (nearly 200-foot) yacht on loan from billionaire investor Vincent Bollore as a reasonable right.
"I have no intention of apologizing," he said by telephone to Europe-1 radio, adding that he had a full week before taking on "the supreme responsibilities of president of the Republic in as calm a mood as possible.
"I'm taking two and a half days. I don't think anyone can argue with that."
Outgoing President Jacques Chirac is to turn over power to Sarkozy on May 16 after 12 years in office. Chirac held his final Cabinet meeting Wednesday.
Former Socialist Justice Minister Elisabeth Guigou called Sarkozy's escapade "scandalous" and "indecent."
"All this money when he pretends to be the ... president of all French (people)," she said on the TV station iTele.
Former Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin also defended Sarkozy's retreat, saying the president-elect needed to "recharge his batteries" after a grueling campaign.
"Nicolas Sarkozy has the right to three days of happiness with his family," Raffarin said on RTL radio. "It's from May 16 that the French will judge the new president."