Köhler resigns after correctly connecting war to economics
from the local: German President Horst Köhler announced his surprise resignation on Monday after appearing to suggest the country’s unpopular Afghanistan mission was partly motivated by commercial interests. “I announce my resignation from the office of the federal presidency with immediate affect,” Köhler said in Berlin. He said the decision came after withering criticism of comments he made connecting Germany’s military deployment in Afghanistan with the country’s economy.

Hatoyama resigns over US military base on Okinawa
from japan today: The Liberal Democratic Party demanded that a general election be called as opposition parties intensified their attacks on the ruling Democratic Party of Japan and the government Wednesday after Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama announced his decision to resign. “Not one problem has been solved” with Hatoyama’s decision … Hatoyama said he has decided to step down to take responsibility for his failure to resolve a dispute over relocating a U.S. military base in the way he promised, as well as scandals over political funds involving himself and other DPJ members.