“Shaking up Washington,” McCain’s Fight In his speech, McCain promised to “shake up Washington” and that this country’s citizens should “Fight with me. Fight for what’s right for our country. Fight for the ideals and character of a free people.” CNN reprinted bits of the speech in which the senator also praised his VP choice Sarah Palin, describing her as someone who has “tackled tough problems like energy independence and corruption” as well as an individual who “stands up for what’s right and she doesn’t let anyone tell her to sit down.” Not the most mellifluous speaker, McCain concentrated on conveying other strengths, such as the battles he has fought and will “fight” (see above) for the country.

The Femmempire Strikes Back As Sarah Palin picks up steam and a following, Hillary Clinton may be bearing her claws and preparing to fight back to woo those who stood by her for the 18 million cracks she made in the glass ceiling, but who could begin to dance to the tune Palin’s piping if, The New York Times wrote, they see the Alaskan as a glass-breaker. Clinton, on the way to Florida to campaign for Obama, has not lashed out against Palin, and Clinton’s advisors have emphasized she will not be doing so. We’ll know soon enough. The Times highlighted the fact that Clinton may be a huge asset to Obama, but likely fears too much association with him as much as she does a face-off with Palin, both people/situations presenting potential for Clinton reputation-damage should Obama lose the election and Palin win that theoretical confrontation.

Egyptian Embroglio Lebanese singer Suzanne Tamim’s (pictured left) brutal murder (stabbed multiple times, throat slashed) in Dubai spurred a series of theories that Egyptian real-estate tycoon Hisham Talaat Moustafa paid to have the singer, possibly his former lover, killed. CNN reported that because Egyptians feel their government is in bed with its businessmen, many were very surprised to read that Moustafa had been arrested. But any corruption fears his arrest quelled have been revived by citizen-spawned musings, as the article described, regarding their country much along the lines of ‘if that’s what a typical mogul, who has so much power here, is up to, what else is rotten in the upper echelons of this state?’

Berlusconi and The Economist’s Legal Tussle Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, the third longest running PM for the Mediterranean republic, also serving in that office in 2001, pursued a lawsuit against British The Economist in that year after the self-described newspaper published a piece titled “An Italian Story” in the edition bearing “Why Silvio Berlusconi is unfit to lead Italy” on its cover. Shockingly, the politician found both the line and the article unsavory. As of today, however, the paper gleefully announced Berlusconi will be paying it recompense as the Court in Milan rejected his claims. The Economist didn’t specify how much Berlusconi would have to cough up, but the judgment can be found (if in Italian) here.