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Wednesday, October 16, 2013 – Daily News 5A WORLD BRIEFING Yet another House GOP shutdowndebt plan WASHINGTON (AP) — Time growing desperately short, House Republicans pushed for passage of legislation late Tuesday to prevent a threatened Treasury default, end a 15-day partial government shutdown and extricate divided government from its latest brush with a full political meltdown. There was no immediate reaction from the White House to the measure, which was revised from a version unveiled only hours earlier that had been stocked with conservative priorities and had drawn swift condemnation from Democrats. While the House readied for a possible Tuesday night vote, the immediate result was to impose a daylong freeze on Senate negotiations on a bipartisan compromise that had appeared ready to bear fruit. As a day of secret meetings and frenzied maneuvering unfolded in all corners of the Capitol, Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., stood on the Senate floor at midafternoon and declared, ''We are 33 hours away from becoming a deadbeat nation, not paying its bills to its own people and other creditors.'' The New York Stock Exchange fell 133 points after rising a day earlier when optimism spread that a deal might be at hand. Separately, Fitch Ratings announced after the markets had closed it was putting the government's AAA bond rating on watch because of uncertainty over the debt limit. Fitch puts US 'AAA' credit rating under review for downgrade WASHINGTON (AP) — The Fitch credit rating agency has warned that it is reviewing the U.S. government's AAA credit rating for a possible downgrade, citing the impasse in Washington that has raised the threat of a default on the nation's debt. Fitch placed the U.S. credit rating on negative watch Tuesday, a step that would precede an actual downgrade. The agency said it expects to conclude its review within six months. The announcement comes as House and Senate leaders face a Thursday deadline to raise the nation's $16.7 trillion borrowing limit. Fitch says it expects the debt limit to be raised soon. But it adds, ''the political brinkmanship and reduced financing flexibility could increase the risk of a U.S. default.'' A Treasury Department spokesman said the announcement ''reflects the urgency with which Congress should act to remove the threat of default hanging over the economy.'' Fitch is one of the three leading U.S. credit ratings agencies, along with Standard & Poor's and Moody's Investors Service. S&P downgraded U.S. long-term debt to ''AA+'' in August 2011. alleged terrorist to face civilian prosecution in federal court in New York, the scene of several such convictions. Al-Libi, wearing a thick gray beard, looked frail and moved slowly as he was led into the heavily guarded courtroom in handcuffs. An attorney said he had come to court from a New York hospital, where he was treated for three days for hepatitis C and swollen limbs. The 49-year-old alLibi was captured by American commandos during an Oct. 5 military raid in Libya and questioned for a week aboard the USS San Antonio. He was indicted more than a decade ago in the twin 1998 bombings at the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania that killed 224 people, including a dozen Americans. If convicted, he could get life behind bars. Nuclear safety violations Al-Qaida suspect pleads not guilty BOSTON (AP) — The number of safety violations at U.S. nuclear power plants varies dramatically from region to region, pointing to inconsistent enforcement in an industry now operating mostly beyond its original 40-year licenses, according to a congressional study awaiting release. Nuclear Regulatory Commission figures cited in the Government Accountability Office report show that while the West has the fewest reactors, it had the most lower-level violations from 2000 to 2012 — more than 2 1/2 times the Southeast's rate per reactor. The Southeast, with the most reactors of the NRC's four regions, had NEW YORK (AP) — An alleged al-Qaida member who was snatched off the streets in Libya and interrogated for a week aboard an American warship pleaded not guilty to bombing-related charges Tuesday in a case that has renewed the debate over how quickly terrorism suspects should be turned over to the U.S. courts. Despite calls from Republicans in Congress to send him to Guantanamo Bay for indefinite interrogation, Abu Anas al-Libi became the latest Gold Exchange 413 Walnut Street, Red Bluff Business 2013 of the year 2012 530 528-8000 Join With Us To Support Tabs 4 Toby All makes and models. 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RETIREMENT SALE 50% OFF Starting October 16th, 2013 at 10 a.m. • Furniture • Lanterns • Glassware • Clock • Pottery • Figurines • Collectibles • Jewelry • Art Work • Photographs • Anvils • Vices • Cast Iron Items • Fishing Poles, Reels & Lures • Purses • Vintage Clothes • Knives • Cameras • Pocket Watches • Wrist Watches • Indian Baskets AND MANY MORE ITEMS...... Think Christmas!!!!! 629 Main St., Red Bluff, CA (530) 527-0360 the fewest such violations, according to the report, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press. The striking variations do not appear to reflect real differences in reactor performance. Instead, the report says, the differences suggest that regulators interpret rules and guidelines differently among regions, perhaps because lower-level violations get limited review. The study also says that the NRC's West region may enforce the rules more aggressively and that common corporate ownership of multiple plants may help bolster maintenance in the Southeast. Iran says it wants to leave 'dark path' of isolation GENEVA (AP) — Declaring that Iran no longer wants to ''walk in the dark'' of international isolation, Iranian negotiators put forward what they called a potential breakthrough plan Tuesday at the long-stalled talks on easing fears that Tehran wants atomic arms. Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the Iranian plan's formal name was ''An End to the Unnecessary Crisis and a Beginning for Fresh Horizons.'' He described it as having many new ideas but added negotiators had agreed to keep the details confidential during the morning bargaining session. ''We think that the proposal we have made has the capacity to make a breakthrough,'' he told reporters. Alluding to the international pressure over Iran's nuclear program that has driven the country into near-pariah status, he said: ''We no longer want to walk in the dark and uncertainty and have doubts about the future.'' Iran's version of a grand bargain is for painful international sanctions to be lifted in exchange for possible concessions it had been previously unwilling to consider, such as increased monitoring and scaling back on uranium enrichment — a potential path to nuclear arms and the centerpiece of the impasse with the West. Obama bestows Medal of Honor WASHINGTON (AP) — A former Army captain whose heroic actions in a deadly Afghan battle were captured on video received the nation's highest military award, the Medal of Honor, from President Barack Obama at the White House Tuesday. Obama placed the award around the neck of William D. Swenson for his actions in a lengthy battle against the Taliban in the Ganjgal valley near the Pakistan border four years ago, which claimed the lives of five Americans, 10 Afghan army troops and an interpreter. Obama noted that although the honor has been bestowed nearly 3,500 times in U.S. history, never before had Americans been able to witness of a small part of the bravery that led to it. The video captured from cameras mounted on the helmets of evacuation helicopter pilots showed Swenson delivering a severely wounded soldier to the helicopter and placing a kiss on his head as he placed him inside. Swenson, 34, retired from the military in February 2011 and has been living in Seattle. But two U.S. officials told The Associated Press that Swenson has asked to return to active duty, and the Army is working to allow it. Swenson was serving as a trainer and mentor embedded with the Afghan National Security Forces in Kunar Province in eastern Afghanistan when they came under fire near dawn on Sept. 8, 2009. Obama recounted how Swenson dodged enemy fire, without a helmet, and risked his life to recover bodies and help save fellow troops. ''Will Swenson was there for his brothers,'' Obama said. In bullyingsuicide case, sheriff arrests 2 girls WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (AP) — After 12-year-old Rebecca Sedwick committed suicide last month, one of her tormenters continued to make comments about her online, even bragging about the bullying, a sheriff said Tuesday. The especially callous remark hastened the arrest of a 14-year-old girl and a 12-year-old girl who were primarily responsible for bullying Rebecca, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said. They were charged with stalking and released to their parents. '''Yes, I bullied Rebecca and she killed herself but I don't give a ...' and you can add the last word yourself,'' the sheriff said, quoting a Facebook post the older girl made Saturday. Frontier Village Farmers Market Celebrating with new Winter hours 9:00am-1:00pm (beginning Nov. 02) Come visit Red Bluff's only Year Round Farmers Market at 645 Antelope Blvd (across from the Tehama District Fairgrounds) at Frontier Village www.frontiervillagefarmersmarket.com Cowdog Rodear Competition Oct. 26, 2013 • 10AM Tehama District Fairgrounds Nine Handlers - Nine Dogs - One Amazing Event! "Showcasing the brilliance of the cowdog and the compassion of the cattleman for his dog, his horse and the livestock they handle." FREE ADMISSION This will be a fundraising event, featuring a Calcutta auction to benefit the Back to School Project of Tehama County. All proceeds will send local disadvantaged schoolage children on a shopping trip to purchase new clothing, shoes and backpacks For sponsorship opportunities, call For more info. check out our website: 530-529-4074 www.backtoschoolproject.com Presented by Crystal Rose Cowdog College in association with Rodear America and the Back to School Project