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Liberal Party of Canada officials have literally auctioned access to members of Parliament. This from Democracy Watch’s Duff Conacher (a Global Integrity contributor), who notes that a “huge loophole still exists in the Canada Elections Act that allows secret, unlimited donations to nomination race and party leadership candidates, if they don’t use what is donated…

The International Herald Tribune has a recap of a traumatic week in Timor Leste, following the shooting of President José Ramos-Horta and death of rebel leader Alfredo Reinado, who was buried today. IHT reports that emergency rule has been extended another ten days. For background on Timor Leste’s political history, see our corruption timeline, part…

“Anytime people come across the trouble,” my father, a peasant in Anhui province, said, “the first thing they have to consider is not ‘Am I right?’ but ‘Do I know someone who is in charge? How much money must I spend to avoid the unfair treatment?’” Read more in the Global Integrity Report…

Following a caucus vote that will help decide who is the Republican presidential candidate, the Washington state Republican party decides to quit counting votes with only 87 percent of precincts reporting, calling the race for Senator John McCain. His margin of victory? Only 242 votes. But who’s counting? For context, you have to consider that…

Susan Aaronson examines prospects for trade and accountable government in light of a new initiative to increase transparency around extractive resources. Might the Resource Curse be exorcised? The promise of free trade to elevate living standards in poor countries has driven international development policy since WWII. Countries rich in oil, gas or minerals sell them…

Prime Minister Edward Lowassa has resigned Friday, following the completion Wednesday of a Parliamentary investigation into his dealings with the supposedly U.S.-based Richmond Development Company (RDC). The company turned out to be non-existent, with assets barely more than a post-office box. The government’s ill-fated hiring of RDC to provide badly needed electrical power plants was…