Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/13092
Thursday, July 8, 2010 – Daily News – 5A WORLD BRIEFING Spies readied for exchange WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. and Russian officials met secre- tively on two continents Wednes- day in a likely prelude to one of the largest swaps of accused spies in decades, a Cold War remix showing the high-stakes race for covert intelligence between East and West endures in the new cen- tury. Five suspects charged with spying in the U.S. were hurriedly ordered to New York, joining five others already behind bars there, after a Russian arms-control researcher convicted of spying for the West came out of the cold of his forlorn penal colony by the Arctic Circle and was transferred to Moscow. Researcher Igor Sutyagin signed a confession even while continuing to assert his innocence, his brother said, describing that event as one in a series laying the groundwork for Russia to release him and others accused of espi- onage in exchange for members of an alleged spy ring broken in the U.S. Officials in neither country would confirm a swap was in the works. But the machinations — including a meeting in Washing- ton between U.S. officials and the Russian ambassador — had all the hallmarks as the two former Cold War antagonists moved to tamp down tensions stirred by the U.S. arrests. The trade could be the largest since 25 prisoners in Poland and East Germany and four in the United States were exchanged in 1985, the convicted or accused spies leaving their captors on the Glienecke Bridge between East Germany and West Berlin in the waning years of the Soviet Bloc. New Medicaid director in place WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama bypassed the Senate Wednesday and appointed Dr. Donald Berwick, a Harvard professor and patient care specialist, to run Medicare and Medicaid. The decision to use a so-called recess appointment to install Berwick as administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medic- aid Services drew immediate fire from the GOP. Republicans have raised concerns about Berwick’s views on rationing of care and other matters and said it was wrong for Obama to go around the normal Senate confirmation process. That view was echoed by a key Democratic committee chairman, although the recess appointment is a tool used by presidents of both parties. Berwick has wide support in the medical community but some Democrats feared the GOP would use his confirmation hearings as an opportunity to reopen last year’s divisive health care debate. Obama defended the decision to appoint Berwick and two other officials, one to a pension board and the other to a White House science post. ‘‘It’s unfortunate that at a time when our nation is facing enor- mous challenges, many in Con- gress have decided to delay criti- cal nominations for political pur- poses,’’ Obama said in a statement Wednesday. ‘‘These recess appointments will allow three extremely qualified candidates to get to work on behalf of the Amer- ican people right away.’’ Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell accused Obama of trying to ‘‘arrogantly circumvent the American people’’ with Con- gress out of town for its annual July Fourth break. Berwick could serve through next year without Senate confirmation. Oil sticks to toes GULF SHORES, Ala. (AP) — There’s a dirty secret buried under Gulf of Mexico beaches after cleanup workers scrape away the oil washing ashore. Walk to a seemingly pristine patch of sand, plop down in a chair and start digging with your bare feet, like everyone does at the beach. Chances are you’ll walk away with gooey tar between your toes. So far, cleanup workers hired by BP have skimmed only the sur- face, using shovels or sifting machines to remove oil. The com- pany is planning a deeper cleaning program that could include wash- ing or incinerating sand once the leak is stopped off the coast of Louisiana. Some experts question whether it’s better to just leave it alone and let nature run its course, in part because oil that weathers on beaches isn’t considered as much of a health hazard as fresh crude. Some environmentalists and local officials fret about harm to the ecosystem and tourism. Should gov’t deport all illegals PHOENIX (AP) — On paper, Arizona’s controversial new immigration law is not that differ- ent from the federal version. But the key difference is this: Arizona wants every illegal immi- grant caught and deported. The federal government says treating all 11 million of the nation’s ille- gal immigrants as criminals would overwhelm the system. In its lawsuit challenging the Arizona law, the Justice Depart- ment says its policy is to focus on dangerous immigrants: gang members, drug traffickers, threats to national security. Law- abiding immigrants without doc- umentation would largely be left alone. Homeland Security officials say the government cannot possi- bly find, arrest and deport every- one who is here illegally.