Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/207411
Thursday, November 7, 2013 – Daily News 5A WORLD BRIEFING Sebelius: health care website needed couple of hundred fixes WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans blistered Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on Wednesday over the nation's controversial health care law, bluntly challenging her honesty, pushing for her resignation and demanding unsuccessfully she concede that President Barack Obama deliberately misled the public about his signature domestic program. ''We're not in it to just give you a rough time. We're in it to try and hopefully get it right,'' said Sen. Orrin Hatch, RUtah, at a hearing where Republicans — all of whom had voted against ''Obamacare'' — focused on the program's flawed sign-up website as well as costs, policy cancellations, security concerns and other issues. During two hours in the Senate Finance Committee witness chair, Sebelius parried some thrusts and listened impassively to others. Treated more gently by Democrats than Republicans, she said at one point: ''Clearly the opposition is still quite ferocious, and I'm just hoping that people understand what their options are, what their benefits could be and what their opportunities are.'' She offered few if any concessions about a program she pointedly observed ''passed both houses of Congress, was signed by the president and upheld by the Supreme Court.'' Nor did she provide much in the way of new information about the launch of a website that she has conceded was deeply flawed. She disclosed that the so-called punch list for repairs had included ''a couple of hundred functional fixes'' at the time the administration launched its urgent rescue mission last month. Obama meets with Senate Democrats to discuss health care WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama met Wednesday with Senate Democrats facing re-election next year to discuss the problem-plagued health care rollout that could affect their races. The White House confirmed Obama and Vice President Joe Biden met with 16 senators to describe fixes that are being made to the website for Americans to sign up for insurance under his signature health care law. One attendee, Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware, said Obama ''didn't hesitate to accept responsibility for the issues that have slowed the law's implementation and laid out the White House's strategy for fixing them.'' Another Democrat, Sen. Mark Pryor, said he told Obama and Biden to ''fix the website immediately,'' address problems with the law and hold accountable those at fault for the mistakes. ''I won't let up until these problems are fixed,'' said Pryor, who faces a difficult re-election next year in conservative-leaning Arkansas. Scientists find possible evidence that Arafat was poisoned RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — Swiss scientists have found evidence suggesting Yasser Arafat may have been poisoned with a radioactive substance, a TV station reported Wednesday, prompting new allegations by his widow that the Palestinian leader was the victim of a ''shocking'' crime. Palestinian officials have long accused Israel of poisoning Arafat, a claim Israel has denied. Arafat died under mysterious circumstances at a French military hospital in 2004, a month after falling ill at his Israelibesieged West Bank compound. The findings reported Wednesday appear to be the most significant so far in an investigation into Arafat's death initiated by his widow, Suha, and the satellite TV station AlJazeera. Last year, Switzerland's Institute of Radiation Physics discovered traces of polonium-210, a deadly radioactive isotope, on some of Arafat's belongings. Soil and bone samples were subsequently taken from Arafat's grave in the West Bank. On Wednesday, the TV station published the Swiss team's 108-page report on the soil and bone samples. The results ''moderately support the proposition that the death was the consequence of poisoning with polonium210,'' the report said. New DNA evidence at Knox murder trial fails to prove that kitchen knife was murder weapon FLORENCE, Italy (AP) — U.S. student Amanda Knox's defense got a boost on Wednesday when a new DNA test on a kitchen knife failed to conclusively prove that it was the murder weapon used to kill her British roommate. An expert witness testified that the minuscule DNA trace on the knife handle near the blade showed ''considerable affinity'' with Knox's own DNA. That confirmed what was already known from two previous trials: that Knox's DNA was on the knife handle, identified through another trace. No DNA belonging to the slain British student, Meredith Kercher, was identified. Previous genetic evidence on the blade linked to Kercher had been contested at earlier stages. Outside the court, Knox defense lawyer Carlo Dalla Vedova told The Associated Press that the testimony confirms his contention that the knife was used by Knox solely for preparing food. ''The report confirms that this is a kitchen knife. It is not a murder weapon,'' Dalla Vedova said. Navy nominee ensnared in Senate fight over military policy WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama's nominee for a top civilian job in the Navy is in the crosshairs of female senators determined to overhaul the military justice system to stanch the increasing number of sexual assaults. Jo Ann Rooney, tapped to be undersecretary of the Navy, responded to a Senate panel last month and offered her opinion on a proposal to remove commanders from the process of deciding whether serious crimes, including sexual misconduct cases, go to trial. That judgment would rest instead with seasoned trial lawyers who have prosecutorial experience and hold the rank of colonel or above. ''A judge advocate outside the chain of command will be looking at a case through a different lens than a military commander,'' Rooney said. ''I believe the impact would be decisions based on evidence rather than the interest in preserving good order and discipline.'' Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., chief proponent of that far-reaching change, was furious and is blocking Rooney's nomination. ''The United States legal system is based on evidence, justice and due process. Why isn't this good enough for our service members who risk everything to protect those freedoms?'' Gillibrand said, adding, ''Jo Ann Rooney's testimony should send chills down the spine of any member of the armed services seeking justice.'' Russian fireball shows meteors are bigger threat to Earth than they realized WASHINGTON (AP) — Scientists studying the terrifying meteor that exploded without warning over a Russian city last winter say the threat of space rocks smashing into Earth is bigger than they thought. Meteors about the size of the one that streaked through the sky at 42,000 mph and burst over Chelyabinsk in February — and ones even larger and more dangerous — are probably four, five or even seven times more likely to hit the planet than scientists believed before the fireball, according to three studies published Wednesday in the journals Nature and Science. That means about 20 million space rocks the size of the Chelyabinsk one may be zipping around the solar system, instead of 3 million, NASA scientist Paul Chodas said at a news conference. Until Chelyabinsk, NASA had looked only for space rocks about 100 feet wide and bigger, figuring there was little danger below that. This meteor was only 62 feet across but burst with the force of 40 Hiroshima-type atom bombs, scientists say. Its shock wave shattered thousands of windows, and its flash temporarily blinded 70 people and caused dozens of skin-peeling sunburns just after dawn in icy Russia. More than 1,600 people in all were injured. Ex-players wonder why User burnout no players could threaten intervened in Dolphins case Twitter DAVIE, Fla. (AP) — A leadership vacuum may prosperity have contributed to the trou- LOS ANGELES (AP) — They loved it. Now they hate it. A growing number of celebrities, athletes and selfpromoters are burnt out and signing off of Twitter. Many have gotten overwhelmed. Some people built big audiences on the short messaging service only to have their followers turn against them. Others complain that tweets that once drew lots of attention now get lost in the noise. As Twitter Inc. prepares to go public this week, the company is selling potential investors on the idea that its user base of 232 million will continue to grow along with the 500 million tweets that are sent each day. The company's revenue depends on ads it inserts into the stream of messages. But Wall Street could lose its big bet on social media if prolific tweeters lose their voice. ABC News says anchor Elizabeth Vargas being treated for alcohol NEW YORK (AP) — Veteran ABC News reporter and ''20/20'' anchor Elizabeth Vargas is in treatment for alcohol dependency, the network said Wednesday. Vargas, who is 51 and married to singer-songwriter Marc Cohn, last appeared on ABC in October. The network confirmed a New York Daily News story that said she has been in a treatment facility for a few weeks and has a few weeks more to complete the program. ''Like so many people, I am dealing with addiction,'' Vargas said. ''I realized I was becoming increasingly dependent on alcohol.'' She said she was grateful to her family, friends and employers for support. She and Cohn have two children. ''Like so many others, I will deal with this challenge a day at a time,'' she said. ''If coming forward today gives one other person the courage to seek help, I'm grateful.'' BENNY BROWN'S Red Bluff Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram is pleased to announce that Bren Brown has joined our sales staff. Bren has many years experience in New and Used Car Sales, and he invites you to come on in and see him for a great deal on a New Or Used Car. 545 Adobe Rd., Red Bluff 530-366-3166 Cell 530-736-1482 A part of: bled relationship between Miami Dolphins offensive linemen Jonathan Martin and Richie Incognito, which has left both players sidelined and the team in turmoil. The ongoing saga has raised questions about whether coach Joe Philbin and his staff were negligent in allowing issues between Martin and Incognito to fester. Current and ex-players around the NFL say the situation reflects a lack of leadership because teammates of Martin and Incognito didn't intervene. NFL officials are trying to determine who knew what when, and whether Incognito harassed or bullied Martin. A second-year tackle from Stanford, Martin left the team last week and is with his family in California to undergo counseling for emotional issues. Incognito has been suspended indefinitely. A senior partner in a New York law firm with experience in sports cases was appointed Wednesday by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to investigate possible misconduct in the Dolphins' workplace and prepare a report that will be made public. The team built by Philbin and general manager Jeff Ireland has undergone heavy roster turnover after losing records each of the past four years. Of the 53 players on the squad, 20 are new to Miami this season. Third Navy officer arrested in bribery SAN DIEGO (AP) — Federal officials say a third senior U.S. Navy official has been arrested in connection with a massive bribery scheme in Asia that helped a Malaysian defense contractor overbill the Pentagon by millions of dollars in exchange for prostitutes, luxury trips and other bribes. Federal prosecutors said U.S. Navy Commander Jose Luis Sanchez was arrested Wednesday in Tampa, Fla. In a criminal complaint, Sanchez is accused of accepting prostitutes, luxury travel and $100,000 cash from a foreign defense contractor in exchange for classified and internal U.S. Navy information.