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Older News Archivescom0116
NEWS SUNDAY, JULY
5, 2009 NEWS
EARLY EDITION
Biden
Dismisses N.K. Launch As "Attention Seeking Behavior'
Vice President Joe Biden today dismissed North Korea's launch of seven
Scud-type ballistic missiles in an apparent act of July 4th defiance against
the U.S. "Look, this has almost become predictable behavior. Some of it
seems like almost attention-seeking behavior," Biden told me during our
exclusive interview in Iraq airing Sunday on "This Week."
ABC
Europe’s
Free, State-Run Health Care Has Drawbacks
As President Barack Obama pushes to overhaul the American health care
system, the role of government is at the heart of the debate. In Europe,
free, state-run health care is a given. The concept has been enshrined
in Europe for generations. Health systems are built so inclusive that even
illegal immigrants are entitled to free treatment beyond just emergency
care. Europeans have some of the world's best hospitals and have made great
strides in fighting problems like obesity and heart disease. But the system
is far from perfect. Costs have skyrocketed and in some cases, patients
have needlessly suffered and died. Las
Vegas Sun
VOA VIEW: Obama's plans can cause catastrophic
heath care problem for all Americans.
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Dollar
Rises Versus Euro On Signs Economic Rebound Is Faltering
The dollar rose against the euro this week as speculation the economic
recovery is faltering boosted demand for the safety of the U.S. currency.
The Dollar Index, which tracks the currency against six major U.S. trading
partners, advanced to near the highest in a week after a report showed
U.S. employers cut more jobs last month than economists forecast. Bloomberg
More
Homeowners Appealing Property Taxes
More U.S. homeowners are appealing increased property tax bills or
seeking reassessments as home values drop, officials say. Jacqueline Byers,
research director for the National Association of Counties, said a recent
study found 76 percent of large counties report budgetary woes due to declining
property tax revenue. UPI
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Cynthia
McKinney To Appear In Israeli Court After Gaza-Bound Boat Is Seized
Former U.S. lawmaker Cynthia McKinney is due to appear in an Israeli
court Sunday after she and 20 other activists were taken into custody this
week when their relief boat was seized by an Israeli naval ship. The 2008
Green Party presidential candidate says the group, "Free Gaza Movement,"
was trying to deliver humanitarian supplies to Gaza, but Israel says the
boat attempted to sail through a navy blockade. Israel said it would free
the crew and passengers as soon as they were checked, but McKinney and
the others say they refused to sign deportation forms because it would
have entailed admitting they violated Israel's blockade. Fox
VOA VIEW: McKinney is a trouble maker.
Palin
Is Alaska's 'Greatest Gift' To U.S.
Alaskan Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell, who will succeed Gov. Sarah Palin after
she leaves office this month, called Palin Alaska's greatest gift to the
United States on Saturday. "I was very surprised at first," he said of
Palin's decision to resign, which he said she told him Wednesday. "But
then as she began to explain why she was doing it, I began to see it was
Sarah Palin, once again, moving to put Alaska's interest first," Parnell
told CNN. CNN
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Madoff
Hires Consultant To Find Best Possible Jail
Bernard Madoff has hired a veteran prison consultant to help him to
find the best possible jail in which to serve his 150-year sentence for
Wall Street’s biggest fraud. After his sentencing this week Madoff, now
Prisoner No 1727-054, met Herb Hoelter, of the National Center for Institutions
and Alternatives, whose previous clients include the jailed Sotheby’s chairman
Alfred Taubman and the financiers Michael Milken and Ivan Boesky. The draconian
maximum sentence imposed by the judge means that Madoff, 71, will be assigned
to a tougher category of prison than most white-collar criminals. Fox
News
Ahmadinejad
Says He Wants Public Talks With Obama
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said he wants to engage President
Obama in "negotiations" before international media, a semi-official Iranian
news outlet reported on Saturday. Speaking at a meeting of medical school
deans, Ahmadinejad said Iran "will soon pursue a new round of diplomatic
activity" amid a new position of strength for the Iranian government, the
Iranian Student News Agency quotes him as saying. CNN
Swiss
Banks Drop U.S. Clients Due To UBS Case
Swiss banks including ZKB and Mirabaud are pulling out of business
with individuals who pay U.S. taxes, newspaper Neue Zuercher Zeitung (NZZ)
reported on Saturday. The banks are reacting to pressure from U.S. authorities,
who are waging a legal battle with UBS to try to force it to give up the
names of tens of thousands of Americans suspected of cheating the U.S.
government by concealing accounts abroad, the newspaper said. Reuters
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Baby
Pool Toys Recalled
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said that Aqua-Leisure
Industries would recall about 4 million floating baby pool toys that pose
a drowning risk. The commission said consumers should immediately stop
using the floats. Leg straps in the seat of the float are prone to tearing,
which can cause children to fall into or under the water. So far, the commission
has received 31 reports of torn seats; no injuries have been reported.
The floats, which were made in China, were sold at Target, Toys "R" Us,
Wal-Mart, Dollar General, Kmart, Walgreens, Ace Hardware and Bed Bath &
Beyond from December 2002 to June 2009. CBS
Schwarzenegger
Signals Key Budget Concession
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, optimistic California can finish its
budget negotiations in a few days, is willing to reconsider his proposed
cuts to education in hopes of averting a cash crisis, the San Francisco
Chronicle said on Saturday. A compromise between the Republican governor
and Democratic lawmakers may help clear the way for an agreement on an
overdue state budget and avert a cash crisis for the government of the
most populous U.S. state. California already is issuing billions of dollars
in "IOUs" and, without a deal, is on track to run out of cash this month.
Reuters
Obama,
McCain Give Dueling Holiday Addresses
In dueling holiday addresses, President Barack Obama appealed for public
support of his domestic programs and Sen. John McCain said Americans should
side with Iranian election protesters. The 2008 rivals for the White House
both cited the spirit of the nation's founders in their Fourth of July
radio and Internet broadcasts on Saturday. Obama said an "unyielding spirit
is what defines us as Americans" and led people during the nation's history
to explore the West, persevere during the Depression and build a robust
industrial economy. MSNBC
60
Votes Not So Super For Obama, Senate Democrats
Congress returns for its midsummer session Monday with a Senate supermajority
not super enough for President Barack Obama's top priorities to pass without
Republican support. The seating of Minnesota Sen. Al Franken will give
Democrats the filibuster-proof 60-40 majority in the Senate, but only on
paper. Absences by two ailing senators mean the party can count only 58
votes, and then only if Majority Leader Harry Reid can herd two independents
and the independent streaks of 55 others behind Obama's biggest initiatives:
expanded health care coverage and cleaner but more expensive energy. Las
Vegas Sun
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India
Joins Russia, China In Questioning U.S. Dollar Dominance
Suresh Tendulkar, an economic adviser to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh, said he is urging the government to diversify its $264.6 billion
foreign-exchange reserves and hold fewer dollars. “The major part of Indian
reserves is in dollars -- that is something that’s a problem for us,” Tendulkar,
chairman of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council, said in an
interview yesterday in Aix-en-Provence, France, where he was attending
an economic conference. Bloomberg
Maliki:
No U.S. Political Help Needed
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki says the United States' help isn't
needed in reconciling the country's political and ethnic factions. Meeting
with U.S. Vice President Joe Biden Friday in Baghdad, Maliki made it clear
he didn't want Americans as closely involved in the Iraqi political process
as U.S. forces prepare to depart next year, the Los Angeles Times reported.
UPI
US
To N. Korea: Don't Aggravate Tensions
In the first US response to North Korea's test-firing of seven apparently
Scud-type missiles early Saturday, State Department Karl Duckworth spokesman
called on Pyongyang not to "aggravate tensions." Speaking to reporters
on Saturday afternoon, Duckworth was quoted as calling the launches "not
helpful," stressing that ""North Korea should refrain from actions that
aggravate tensions and focus on denuclearization talks and the implementation
of its commitments from the September 19, 2005 joint statement." Jerusalem
Post
'Nuke
Could Wipe Israel Out In Seconds'
Recently appointed ambassador to the United States Michael Oren warned
over the weekend that an Iranian atomic bomb could "wipe Israel off the
map in a matter of seconds," and that the Iranians could "accomplish in
a matter of seconds what they denied Hitler did, and kill 6 million Jews,
literally." Oren was speaking to The Atlantic journalist Jeffrey Goldberg
in a forum at the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado. Jerusalem
Post
VOA VIEW: Israel will do whatever it takes
to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear power.
UK
Threatens New Burma Sanctions
Mr Ban expressed "deep disappointment" after Burma's top general rejected
his request to meet with detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. In
London, Mr Brown attacked the "obstinacy" of the regime and raised "the
possibility of further sanctions". He reacted after Mr Ban's two-day visit
to Burma ended with little progress. BBC
Zelaya
Vows To Return To Honduras
Ousted President Manuel Zelaya has vowed to return to Honduras on Sunday,
despite being threatened with arrest. In a speech on the regional TV channel,
Telesur, Mr Zelaya said he would arrive along with several other presidents.
Mr Zelaya, who was forced out by the military on Sunday, criticised the
leaders of the interim government and described them as traitors. The Organization
of American States is holding an extraordinary session and is expected
to vote to suspend Honduras. BBC
British
Embassy Staff To Stand Trial Over Protests
A leading Iranian cleric sharply and unexpectedly raised the temperature
in the crisis over the detention of British embassy staff yesterday by
announcing that the two employees still being held would be forced to stand
trial for inciting post-election violence against the Islamic regime. The
threat prompted a coordinated European Union protest to Iran and a warning
that all EU member states may recall their ambassadors in retaliation.
Independent
Should
Hajj 2009 Be Cancelled?
Swine flu has hit the hajj and the Saudi health ministry is telling
the unfit to stay away to avoid catching it, but performing the pilgrimage
is an obligation for Muslims. What should they do? Earlier this week Saudi
health minister Abdullah al-Rabeeah called for the old, the infirm, the
pregnant and the very young to stay away from the hajj in order to minimise
their risk of being exposed to swine flu. The announcement follows a prevention
and precaution workshop in Jeddah ahead of a busy pilgrimage season, kicking
off with Ramadan next month and then going full throttle in November with
hajj. Guardian
Alan
Johnson Opens Damaging New Rift With Prime Minister Gordon Brown
Johnson stunned the Prime Minister and his senior advisers by declaring
that holding an identity card would never be compulsory for British citizens.
The Sunday Telegraph has established that Number 10 had no idea that the
Home Secretary would arbitrarily change the previous policy – that ministers
would legislate to make ID cards compulsory once a certain proportion of
the population held them. Telegraph
Cooperatives
Can Help Pull World Out Of Recession
Cooperatives, based on the principles of self-help and reciprocity,
have the potential to help address the global economic crisis, especially
among the world's most vulnerable, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today.
Cooperatives' economic model is not based on charity, he said, noting that
in countries affected by the turmoil, cooperative banks and credit unions
have expanded lending when other financial institutions have scaled back.
UN
News
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