Is the British “loser pays” rule sweeping America? The idea is popular in polls, and already it is in effect in Alaska and some parts of Florida.
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Geoffrey Robertson, QC, head of Doughty Street Chambers, acted for the author Sir Salman Rushdie, who received unreserved apologies from the publisher and ghost writer for allegations made in a book by Ron Evans who was his police protection officer. Four thousand copies of the book have been pulped and a declaration of falsity was accepted, but no damages were sought.
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Is a judge's private life relevant to his court rulings? In a dissenting judgment in 2001, Judge Alex Kozinski, of the United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, stated that the private life of a judge was not relevant to the validity of a decision he had made in court. His colleagues disagreed, rejecting Judge Kozinski’s warning: “Welcome to the fishbowl.” Now the private life of Judge Kozinski himself is under investigation.
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No such thing?
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Peter Lodder, QC, paints a grim picture of the justice system as it faces its own credit crunch. Well-publicised criminal trials are in jeopardy because of a dispute over barristers’ fees, courts are hit by a cash crisis and the Bar risks becoming the enclave of the wealthy. The courts, says the new chairman of the 4,000-strong Criminal Bar Association, were already pared to the bone — even before the £90 million black hole of debt revealed last week.
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Reuters - Britain will launch its biggest retail bank rescue on Monday when the four largest, HBOS, Royal Bank of Scotland, Lloyds TSB and Barclays, ask for a combined 35 billion pound ($60.5 billion) lifeline, the Sunday Times reported.

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AP - Jason Arnott scored two power-play goals and had an assist, and the Nashville Predators beat the Dallas Stars 3-1 in their home opener Saturday night.

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AP - Tim Buckley threw for 378 yards and accounted for four touchdowns to lead Alcorn State to a 35-21 victory over Mississippi Valley State on Saturday night.
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About 2,500 flee toxic cloud after chemical leak at plant in western Pennsylvania
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AP - A corrosive liquid overflowed from a tank at a chemical plant in western Pennsylvania on Saturday, evaporating into a toxic cloud that snaked along the ground and forced about 2,500 to flee. At least three residents were believed to be injured.
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Gordon Brown promises Britain will "lead the way" through the global financial crisis, ahead of an emergency EU summit in Paris.
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Gordon Brown promises Britain will "lead the way" through the global financial crisis, ahead of an emergency EU summit in Paris.
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Gordon Brown promises Britain will "lead the way" through the global financial crisis, ahead of an emergency EU summit in Paris.
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For $30 million, Richard Garriott gets two weeks in space and a risky ride home.
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AP - After North Korea relented on nuclear inspection demands, the U.S. on Saturday erased from a terrorism blacklist the communist country President Bush once branded part of an "axis of evil."

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Reuters - The IMF warned on Saturday the world's financial system was near meltdown and France promised that a meeting of European leaders in Paris will detail measures to keep a market panic from triggering the most severe global downturn in decades.

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AP - Hundreds of terrified Christian families have fled Mosul to escape extremist attacks that have increased despite months of U.S. and Iraqi military operations to secure the northern Iraqi city, political and religious officials said Saturday.

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LONDON (Reuters) - Britain will launch its biggest retail bank rescue on Monday when the four largest, HBOS, Royal Bank of Scotland, Lloyds TSB and Barclays, ask for a combined 35 billion pound ($60.5 billion) lifeline, the Sunday Times reported.

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Trillions in stock market value - gone. Trillions in retirement savings - gone. A huge chunk of the money you paid for your house, the money you're saving for college, the money your boss needs to make payroll - gone, gone, gone.
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LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The Los Angeles Kings have signed center Anze Kopitar to a seven-year contract extension, the NHL team said on Saturday.

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DETROIT/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Chrysler LLC has had talks with General Motors Corp about a deal to combine the No. 1 and No. 3 American automakers at a time when both are struggling to cut costs and shore up cash, according to three people familiar with the matter.

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SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea welcomed while Japan derided on Sunday the U.S. decision to remove North Korea from a terrorism blacklist and salvage a faltering nuclear deal in the final months of the Bush administration.

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The IMF warned on Saturday the world's financial system was near meltdown and France promised that a meeting of European leaders in Paris will detail measures to keep a market panic from triggering the most severe global downturn in decades.

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AP - Lisa Marie Presley is a mom again. A publicist says the 40-year-old singer gave birth Tuesday to twin girls, whose names were not released. One baby weighed 5 pounds, 15 ounces and the other came in at 5 pounds and 2 ounces.

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AP - Evan Longoria and B.J. Upton homered off Josh Beckett and Carl Crawford delivered a go-ahead single, giving the Tampa Bay Rays a 4-3 lead over the Boston Red Sox after three innings of Game 2 in the AL championship series Saturday night.

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