| US elections 2004
For supporters of John Kerry, who have seen allegations about the Democratic candidate's military record sap his campaign, it must have seemed like a case of just deserts. The president, George Bush, was last week looking vulnerable on the same grounds after CBS's flagship current affairs show, 60 Minutes, broadcast a report claiming he had been suspended from pilot duties for failing to meet the required standards. It was also claimed that a commanding officer had been put under pressure to "sugar coat" Mr Bush's performance reviews. But while CBS stands by its story, allegations have now surfaced that 60 Minutes based a large part of the report on forged documents. Although what one man - even a presidential candidate - did more than 30 years ago can seem rather trivial, the US election is being fought between a self-declared "war president" and a man who, in stump speeches, claims he would defend his country as president in the way he had defended it as a young man.
Risks in Fed's Deeper Interest Rate Cuts
It would follow up a rare three-quarter-point reduction, ordered last week at an emergency session Bernanke convened after stocks worldwide plummeted, intensifying fears the U.S. was on the brink of a recession or had fallen into one. To bolster the economy, the Fed probably will keep dropping rates for much of the year, economists predict. .
Tennis: Djokovic wins Australian Open
Novak Djokovic survived an early onslaught from Frenchman Jo Wilfried Tsonga for a breakthrough Australian Open championship early this morning. He became the first Serb to win a Grand Slam title - in four sets over the tournament bolter, in a little over three hours. .
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