|
Older News Archivescom0116
NEWS SUNDAY, MARCH
14, 2010 NEWS
Daylight Savings Time - Change Clocks One
Hour Forward
VOA VIEW: The concept is dumb and
costly - swapping less am daylight for less needed pm daylight.
Lesbian
Blames Police For Military Discharge
Jene Newsome played by the rules as an Air Force sergeant: She never
told anyone in the military she was a lesbian. The 28-year-old's honorable
discharge under the "don't ask, don't tell" policy came only after police
officers in Rapid City, S.D., saw an Iowa marriage certificate in her home
and told the nearby Ellsworth Air Force Base. Newsome and the American
Civil Liberties Union filed a complaint against the western South Dakota
police department, claiming the officers violated her privacy when they
informed the military about her sexual orientation. The case also highlights
concerns over the ability of third parties to "out" service members, especially
as the Pentagon has started reviewing the 1993 "don't ask, don't tell"
law. MSNBC
VOA VIEW: The police violated Newsome's
civil rights and she should not have been discharged.
Brown
Bemoans "Entire Year Gone To Waste"
Newly arrived Republican Sen. Scott Brown of Massachusetts accused
President Barack Obama and Democrats on Saturday of a "bitter, destructive
and endless" drive to pass health overhaul legislation that Brown warned
would be disastrous. "An entire year has gone to waste," Brown said in
the weekly GOP radio and Internet address. "Millions of Americans have
lost their jobs, and many more jobs are in danger. Even now, the president
still hasn't gotten the message. CBS
Newspapers
Cutting Comic Strips
No matter how bad the news, no matter how grim the headlines, you could
always count on a smile from at least one corner of the daily newspaper:
the comics. Comic strips, once a staple of most newspapers, are being cut
by many papers in an effort to save money. But in this day when we could
use a laugh more than ever, the reality facing the comics section is anything
but funny. With the newspaper business hemorrhaging readers and money,
newspapers are slicing the number of strips they carry. ABC
VOA VIEW: Liberal news IS comical.
Pentagon
Gun Was From Memphis Police
Two guns used in high-profile shootings this year at the Pentagon and
a Las Vegas courthouse both came from the same unlikely place: the police
and court system of Memphis, Tenn. Law enforcement officials told The Associated
Press that both guns were once seized in criminal cases in Memphis. The
officials described how the weapons made their separate ways from an evidence
vault to gun dealers and to the shooters. San
Diego Union
Brighter
Education Futures For Kids
President Barack Obama is promising parents and their kids that with
his administration's help they will have better teachers in improved schools
so U.S. students can make up for academic ground lost against youngsters
in other countries. A plan to overhaul the 2002 education law championed
by President George W. Bush was unveiled by the Obama administration Saturday
in hopes of replacing a system that in the last decade has tagged more
than a third of schools as failing and created a hodgepodge of sometimes
weak academic standards among states. Indy
Star
VOA VIEW: This promise will not be kept,
as most others.
Many
WTC Responders Show Early Signs Of Heart Woes
Law enforcement officers who worked near ground zero after the World
Trade Center attacks seem to show early signs of heart problems at a higher
rate than would be expected for their age, a new study suggests. Nearly
half of about 1,200 law enforcement workers who went to Mount Sinai Medical
Center's program in New York to monitor medical effects from the Sept.
11, 2001, terrorist attack showed some impaired heart function on ultrasound
tests. The study was released Saturday at an American College of Cardiology
conference. Kansas
City Star
PLEASE DO BUSINESS WITH THOSE WHO DO BUSINESS
WITH US -- OUR ADVERTISERS.
Congress
Is Long Overdue For Serious Effort At Tax Reform
Congress is ready for a nap. The financial crisis was a year-long emergency.
Health-care reform has been a seemingly endless grind. No one quite knows
what to do about jobs. Cap-and-trade seems doomed in the Senate, which
means all the work the House did to pass its bill was for nothing. The
election looms. There's not a lot of enthusiasm for taking on another big,
complicated issue that will be distorted by interest groups and screamed
about on cable networks and ripped apart on op-ed pages. Washington
Post
At
Afghan Outpost, Marines Gone Rogue Or Leading The Fight Against Counterinsurgency?
With Obama's July 2011 deadline to begin reducing U.S. forces looming
over the horizon, the Marines have opted to wage the war in their own way.
The Marines are pushing into previously ignored Taliban enclaves. They
have set up a first-of-its-kind school to train police officers. They have
brought in a Muslim chaplain to pray with local mullahs and deployed teams
of female Marines to reach out to Afghan women. Washington
Post
Vatican
Defends Pope Over Abuse Scandal
The Vatican on Saturday denounced what it called aggressive attempts
to drag Pope Benedict XVI into the spreading scandals of pedophile priests
in his German homeland, and contended he has long confronted abuse cases
with courage. In separate interviews, both the Holy See's spokesman and
its prosecutor for sex abuse of minors by clergy sought to defend the pope.
After decades of similar scandals in the United States, Ireland and elsewhere,
the sex abuse scandal moved closer to Benedict in recent days.
CBS
VOA VIEW: They can't defend the indefensible
- cover-up.
Hearts
May Swoon When Stocks Do
Stock market slides may hurt more than your savings. New research suggests
they might prompt heart attacks. Duke University researchers found a link
between how a key stock index performed and how many heart attacks were
treated at their North Carolina hospital shortly after the recession began
in December 2007 through July 2009, when signs of recovery emerged. ABC
Parliamentarian’s
Task: Referee Senate Health Care Fight
Alan Frumin may be unknown outside the corridors of Washington, but
he is having an outsized influence over the fate of President Obama’s health
care proposal. Frumin labors in relative obscurity as the Senate’s chief
parliamentarian, a post he has held under both Democratic and Republican
majorities. His job: making sure Capitol Hill combatants play by the rules.
Already, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate majority leader Harry Reid
are wrestling over Frumin’s procedural verdicts. It is with Frumin’s guidance
that Democrats must engineer a legislative triple bank shot to win a health
care bill — first passing a Senate version of the proposed law in the House
and then pushing through a set of repairs to the measure, which must pass
both chambers. Boston
Globe
THANK YOU FOR VISITING OUR WEB PORTAL. PLEASE
TELL A FRIEND.
U.S.
Still The Last Major Metric System Holdout
With the Metric Conversion Act of 1975, the U.S. started down the road
to measuring in liters, meters, celsius and grams, but in everyday life
Americans are still miles away from embracing the measuring system used
around the world. To compete in the world market, for convenience and in
some cases by law, many U.S. industries have switched to designing and
producing products with specifications and sizes based on the metric system.
Tampa
Tribune
Driver's
Runaway Prius Story Couldn't Be Replicated
Investigators with Toyota Motor Corp. and the federal government were
unable to make a Toyota Prius speed out of control as its owner said it
did on a California freeway, according to a draft memorandum obtained Saturday
by The Associated Press that casts doubt on the driver's story. James Sikes,
61, called 911 on Monday to report losing control of his Prius as the hybrid
reached speeds of 94 mph. A California Highway Patrol officer helped Sikes
bring the vehicle to a safe stop on Interstate 8 near San Diego. During
two hours of test drives of Sikes' car Thursday, technicians with Toyota
and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration failed to duplicate
the same experience that Sikes described, according to the memo prepared
for the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. USA
Today
Obama,
Medvedev Happy On Arms Pact
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and President Barack Obama are satisfied
with the "high level of consensus" on a new pact to cut nuclear arms and
it is now possible to talk of a firm date for signing a treaty, the Kremlin
said on Saturday. Russia and the United States have been negotiating for
nearly a year a new treaty to reduce their arsenals of nuclear weapons.
The pact is a cornerstone of Washington's efforts to improve relations
with Moscow. Reuters
VOA VIEW: Obama is endangering national
security.
Divided
Party? It’s Not Just GOP, But Also Dems
For all the evidence of a divided Republican Party, the Democratic
Party has its own widening cracks that could make a potentially bleak election
year even more dour. In just the past two weeks, Arkansas Sen. Blanche
Lincoln became the latest Democratic incumbent to attract a primary challenger,
anti-abortion Democrats fought hard to derail President Barack Obama's
health care measure, and civil rights advocates and environmentalists likened
the Democratic president to George W. Bush. MSNBC
Ohio
Opponents Would Fight ACORN Attempt To Return
The community organizing group ACORN is not expressly prohibited from
returning to Ohio under a settlement reached in a lawsuit that claimed
it used fraudulent voter registration practices. But a lawyer for a group
that filed the lawsuit says it would fight in court any attempt by ACORN
to reopen its doors in Ohio for voter registration purposes because "it's
inherent in the nature of their practice to submit unlawful voter registration
forms." Las
Vegas Sun
YOU can speak
out and be heard by having your own "Column"
- Visit the "Public Opinion"Section
above
Obama
Says He Will Push For Education Overhaul
President Barack Obama, already battling for healthcare reform, jobs
and financial regulation, said on Saturday he was also about to push forward
on a major overhaul of U.S. education. Obama said he would send a blueprint
to Congress on Monday to update the country's elementary and secondary
schools, in an effort to boost standards and redo the "No Child Left Behind"
law of his predecessor George W. Bush, which has lapsed. Reuters
Former
Astronauts Criticize US Moon Decision
Two former astronauts have said they are disappointed with the U.S.
government's decision to cancel NASA's moon landing program. Jim Lovell,
who led the Apollo 13 mission in 1970, told the BBC the cancellation could
be disastrous. Eugene Cernan, part of the 1972 Apollo 17 mission, said
the U.S. has a responsibility to lead the world in space exploration and
technology and that he hopes people will be back on the moon "sooner than
later." Las
Vegas Sun
Yellen,
Raskin, Diamond May Help Bernanke Exit Stimulus
President Barack Obama’s likely nomination of three Federal Reserve
governors will help Chairman Ben S. Bernanke plan an exit from record monetary
stimulus and strengthen banking supervision and consumer protection. Janet
Yellen, an economist who heads the Fed Bank of San Francisco, is Obama’s
choice for central bank vice chairman in Washington. The administration
has also approached Sarah Bloom Raskin, Maryland’s commissioner of financial
regulation, and Peter Diamond, an economics professor at the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, to fill two vacancies on the Board of Governors.
Bloomberg
VOA VIEW: Obama's picks are a major mistake.
Agencies
Lag In Following Obama's Openness Order
President Barack Obama is having difficulty getting all federal agencies
to follow his order to deliver "a new era of open government," according
to a study of how they administer the Freedom of Information Act. The National
Security Archive, a private group that publishes declassified government
information and uses the act and lawsuits to pry out official records,
found a decidedly mixed record in an audit of how 90 agencies responded
to Obama directives to open more records, and the guidelines and training
sessions that followed from the Justice Department. Houston
Chronicle
Mini
Clip Is Safer Than Heart-Valve Surgery
Many Americans with leaky heart valves soon might be able to get them
fixed without open-heart surgery. A study showed that a tiny clip implanted
through an artery was safer and nearly as effective as surgery, doctors
reported Sunday. The device is already on sale in Europe, and its maker,
Abbott Laboratories, hopes to win approval to sell it in the United States
next year. Atlanta
Journal
WE ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK ALL OUR SOURCES
FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS IN MAKING US AMERICA'S NUMBER ONE NEWS & INFORMATION
PORTAL.
Boehner
Says GOP Has Chance Of Recapturing House
House Republican leader John Boehner says his party has a shot at recapturing
the House majority it lost to Democrats in 2006. The Ohio lawmaker says
winning back the House this November will be "a steep climb, but it's doable."
Democrats hold a 253-178 advantage in the House, with four vacancies. Boehner
says the GOP expects to be outspent. But he says Republicans have more
and better candidates this year and the party is in good position to help
candidates. Charlotte
Observer
Iran
Shuts Down Opposition Network
Iran said Saturday it has dismantled several U.S.-backed opposition
networks that were gathering information on nuclear scientists and finding
ways to circumvent controls on the Internet meant to deprive the opposition
of its most crucial tool. A judiciary statement carried on the official
IRNA news agency said the networks were set up by Iranian opposition groups,
including the People's Mujahedeen, and that 30 of their members were arrested.
"A number of organized American cyber war networks were dismantled and
30 influential suspects were arrested ... in a series of complicated security
operations in the information technology and communications field," IRNA
quoted the statement as saying. SF
Gate
Georgia
Considers Outlawing Abortions Based On Race, Gender
Are health care providers using abortion to curb the growth of the
U.S. black population? That question will be at heart of a debate among
Georgia lawmakers, who are poised to take up a controversial bill that
would outlaw abortions prompted by the baby's race or gender. The issue
that has inspired a billboard campaign claiming a racial conspiracy is
behind the termination of pregnancies. The billboards have drawn national
attention for claiming black babies are an "endangered species." Fox
News
VOA VIEW: Another alleged dumb anti black
conspiracy.
Deadly
Blasts Rock Southern Afghanistan
A series of explosions rocked southern Afghanistan's volatile Kandahar
province on Saturday, killing at least 35 people and wounding 47 others,
local officials said. Provincial Gov. Toryalai Wesa confirmed the blasts
hit four locations. One of the explosions struck near the police headquarters
in Kandahar, said Wesa's spokesman, Zalmai Ayoubi. Another blast struck
near the province's prison and caused the collapse of some residences.
CNN
China
PM Defends Assertive Trade, Foreign Policy
China vowed Sunday to remain alert to any renewed signs of economic
crisis and forcefully defended its currency, trade and more assertive foreign
policies as helping global rebalancing, not undermining it. Premier Wen
Jiabao repeatedly took issue with United States, whose relations with Beijing
have soured in recent months. To U.S. criticisms that China keeps its currency
undervalued and thus harms U.S. exports, Wen said Beijing opposed "finger-pointing
or taking strong measures to force" a readjustment of the yuan. Likewise,
he said the recent White House reception to Tibet's exiled Dalai Lama and
U.S. arms sale to Taiwan "caused serious disturbance in relations." Detroit
News
ATTENTION TALK SHOW HOSTS:We
are honored that many radio talk show hosts use our Web Portal for their
"show prep." We would appreciate your occasional mention of our site
to your audience. Thanks!
Toyota
Blew Off Warning
Toyota was asked by regulators in 2007 to install software to prevent
their vehicles from accelerating out of control, but waited until the beginning
of this year to take action, according to a report. The National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration asked the car-makers to install a "brake
override" in their automobiles after drivers complained about wild acceleration,
the Los Angeles Times said. But the company, which has never acknowledged
a fault in its cars' electronic throttle systems, blew off the advice because
there was "no requirement to do so," an executive wrote, according to the
paper. NY
Post
Senate
Republicans Stall Obama 's Ambassador Pick Over Cuba Concerns
Senate Republicans have slammed the brakes on the confirmation of President
Obama's nominee for ambassador to El Salvador over concerns about her ties
to Cuba. Mari Carmen Aponte, who was nominated by Obama in December, withdrew
her nomination to another diplomatic post in the Clinton era following
questions about her past relationship with someone who had apparently caught
the attention of the FBI. Fox
News
VOA VIEW: All Obama picks are questionable.
Ice
Tour Denies Snubbing Johnny Weir Over Sexual Orientation
American figure skater Johnny Weir says he doesn't understand why the
only ice skating tour in the United States doesn't want him. "I'm not going
to get on the ice and strip down naked and roll around," said Wier, a three-time
U.S. ice skating champion. Weir keeps his sexuality private, but his flamboyant
costumes and routines at the Winter Olympics in February drew comments
about his lack of masculinity. The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Discrimination
(GLAAD) launched a protest against the Stars on Ice tour, claiming Weir's
rejection was because he was deemed "not family friendly." CNN
Lehman’s
Hidden Leverage ‘Shenanigans’ May Haunt Fuld
Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc.’s Richard Fuld exuded confidence as he
briefed analysts on June 16, 2008, four days after demoting his firm’s
finance chief in the wake of a $2.8 billion quarterly loss. “I am the one
who ultimately signs off and I’m comfortable with our valuations at the
end of our second quarter,” then- Chief Executive Officer Fuld said on
the conference call. “We have always had a rigorous internal process.”
Bloomberg
13
Killed, Some Beheaded, Around Acapulco
At least 13 people were killed Saturday, some beheaded, in the Acapulco,
Mexico, area as foreign tourists began arriving at the beach resort, officials
say. Those killed included five police officers who were ambushed while
patrolling the outskirts of the city early in the morning, The Los Angeles
Times reported. UPI
Strong
Earthquake Rattles Buildings Around Japan
A strong magnitude 6.6 earthquake hit off the eastern coast of Japan
on Sunday, rattling buildings across a broad swath of the country, including
the crowded capital. There were no reports of casualties, with only light
damage to structures near the epicenter, according to local officials.
The quake hit at 5:08 p.m. and was felt most strongly in central Fukushima
prefecture about 130 miles (210 kilometers) northeast of Tokyo, according
to the Japan Meteorological Agency. Seattle
Times
Kandahar
Governor Demands More Afghan Forces
The governor of Kandahar province demanded more security around Afghanistan's
largest southern city Sunday after a series of explosions killed dozens
of people in the Taliban heartland — the target of the war's next major
offensive by Afghan and international forces. The blasts, which occurred
one after another for 25 minutes across Kandahar city Saturday night, indicate
that the insurgents remain a potent force in the area where NATO plans
an assault later this year, the follow-up to an operation that has driven
militants from a key stronghold in neighboring Helmand province. Sun
Sentinel
ADVERTISEMENT:If
you want to advertise your business or web site on this Web Site, send
us an email by clicking on to "Contact" above. It could be the best
business decision you make.
Teens
Riot In Jerusalem Over Temple Mount
Some Arab teenagers rioted near the Nablus Gate in Jerusalem's Old
City Saturday because police limited prayer at the Temple Mount, officials
say. Ynetnews said police stopped the violence, and the few dozen teenagers
agreed to pray at a nearby spot. Also Saturday, a few dozen Palestinians
attempted to break through a checkpoint on the West Bank after Israel closed
it, the report said. UPI
PM Convenes
Ministers Amidst Crisis With US
ADL slams Obama administration: We cannot remember an instance when
such harsh language was directed at a friend and ally of the United States.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu convened his top ministers for a meeting
Saturday evening to discuss the fallout of an announcement on construction
in Jerusalem made during the visit of US Vice President Joe Biden. During
Biden’s visit, the Interior Ministry announced that 1,600 housing units
will be built in Jerusalem’s Ramat Shlomo neighborhood. Jerusalem
Post
'EU
May Push Israel Into Peace Talks'
The European Union might use its trade ties with Israel as leverage
to pressure it into renewing peace talks with the Palestinians, Catherine
Ashton, the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
at the EU said on Saturday. Ashton was speaking at an EU foreign minister
conference held in Spain. Swedish Foreign Minister, Carl Bildt, said that
Israel’s announcement on building in east Jerusalem during United States
Vice President Joe Biden’s visit last week was intentional and not coincidental.
Jerusalem
Post
Ancient
Wooden Sarcophagus Returned To Egypt From US
A 3,000-year-old wooden sarcophagus stolen from Egypt more than 125
years ago has been returned from the US. It was confiscated at Miami airport
by customs officials after it arrived in a shipment from Spain in 2008
and the importer was unable to prove ownership. The sarcophagus dates back
to the 21st Dynasty (1070-945BC) and is thought to have belonged to a noble
called Imesy. BBC
Thousands
Attend Anti-Berlusconi Protest In Rome
Tens of thousands of Italians have been taking part in a protest in
Rome's main square against the government of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.
The demonstrators, called out by the opposition and unions, accused him
of changing laws for his own benefit. The protest organisers also called
for employment, education and health to be at the centre of campaigning
for this month's regional elections. A recent opinion poll showed only
low levels of support for Mr Berlusconi. BBC
Embattled
Sarkozy Facing New Blow At Hands Of French Voters
President Nicolas Sarkozy faces a severe drubbing in midterm regional
elections tomorrow which will – temporarily at least – scramble the arithmetic
of French politics. According to the final opinion polls, the much-divided
and quarrelsome main opposition party, the Socialists, will replace Mr
Sarkozy's centre-right as the most popular single political force in France.
In alliance with a booming Green movement, the centre-left seems certain
to win 20 of the 22 French regions in the second round of the elections
next weekend. Independent
Joe
Biden: The Likeable Joe
The moment when Joe Biden began to metamorphose from senator into the
future Vice-President can be precisely dated, to 26 April 2007, in the
midst of one of those mostly forgettable TV debates between the candidates
for the Democratic nomination the following year. Indeed, it may be traced
to a single word. Would he have the self-discipline to be president, the
famously loquacious and gaffe-prone Biden was asked. Quick as a flash came
the reply, a clipped and terse "Yes". The audience, well aware of the senator's
propensity to give windy and interminable answers to the simplest of questions,
howled with laughter – but the point was made. Independent
Plans
For Abolition Of House Of Lords To Be Unveiled
Jack Straw, the Justice Secretary, is this weekend consulting cabinet
colleagues on a blueprint which would represent the biggest change to the
way Britain is governed for several decades. The proposals, which have
been leaked to The Sunday Telegraph and which are expected to be announced
soon, would sweep away centuries of tradition and set ministers on a collision
course with the current 704-member House of Lords, which is resolutely
opposed to having elected members. Telegraph
Israel
Arrests Top Hamas Official
Israeli forces arrested a senior Hamas figure on Sunday after a raid
in the town of Ramallah, the seat of the West Bank-based Palestinian government,
the Israeli military said. A military statement described Maher Audi as
a founder of Hamas in the West Bank and said he was responsible for the
death of 10 Israelis. There was no immediate comment from the Palestinian
Authority. Hamas, an Islamist group that controls the Gaza Strip, has carried
out dozens of suicide bombings against Israelis. It controls the Gaza Strip
coastal enclave that is blockaded by Israel. NY
Times
George
Osborne's Little Joke About Nicolas Sarkozy Puts Entente Cordiale In Jeopardy
George Osborne provoked laughter at a conference hosted by The Spectator
when he ostentatiously removed a stool from behind the lectern at which
he was about to speak and joked that it was "the Sarkozy box". Sadly, Nicolas
Sarkozy did not see the funny side when he read about the shadow chancellor's
quip in September and it is now understood that a formal complaint was
made to the British Government on behalf of the diminutive French president.
Telegraph
Top
UN Official For Afghanistan Arrives In Kabul To Begin Work
The experienced international diplomat Staffan de Mistura arrived on
Saturday in Kabul to take up his post as the top United Nations official
in Afghanistan, saying he was starting work at a “very critical period
in Afghan history.” Mr. de Mistura, who now heads the UN Assistance Mission
in Afghanistan (UNAMA), told journalists at Kabul airport after his arrival
that the UN remained fully committed to helping Afghans rebuild their country
and consolidate constitutional democracy. UN
News
UN-Backed
Global Conference On Trade In Endangered Species Begins
A United Nations-backed conference aimed at regulating international
trade in endangered species such as elephants, polar bears, sharks and
bluefin tuna kicked off today in Qatar with a warning that stronger action
must be taken to protect wildlife at risk. Some 1,500 delegates from more
than 170 governments, businesses, non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
and indigenous groups are attending the triennial summit of the Convention
on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
in the Qatari capital, Doha. UN
News
ABC Online Canada
National Post Daily
TelegraphThe Observer Wired
News Xinhua News
VOA VIEW -- Is
the opinion of Voice of America, Inc. The founding fathers of this
great nation gave us the First Amendment. You too can express your
opinion on this web site. Click on the blue "Public Opinion" button
at the top of this page for full details. The opinions expressed
are not necessarily the opinions of the ownership or advertisers of this
web site.
|
