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4A – Daily News – Tuesday, February 1, 2011 WORLD BRIEFING Egypt’s military promises not to use force CAIRO (AP) — Egypt’s military promised Monday not to fire on any peaceful protests and rec- ognized ‘‘the legitimacy of the people’s demands,’’ a sign army support for President Hosni Mubarak may be unraveling. Pro- testers planned a major escalation, calling for a million people to take to the streets to push Mubarak out of power. More than 10,000 peo- ple beat drums, played music and chanted slo- gans in Tahrir Square, which has become ground zero of seven days of protests demanding the ouster of the 82-year-old president who has ruled with an authoritarian hand for nearly three decades. With the organizers’ calling for a march by one million people Tuesday, the vibe in the sprawling plaza — whose name in Arabic means ‘‘Libera- tion’’ — was intensifying with the feeling that the upheaval was nearing a decisive point. ‘‘He only needs a push,’’ was one of the most frequent chants, and one leaflet circulated by some protesters said it was time for the military to choose between Mubarak and the people. The latest gesture by Mubarak aimed at defus- ing the crisis fell flat. His top ally, the United States, roundly rejected his announcement of a new government Monday that dropped his interior min- ister, who heads police forces and was widely denounced by the protest- ers. The crowds in the streets were equally unimpressed. ‘‘It’s almost the same government, as if we are not here, as if we are sheep,’’ sneered one pro- tester, Khaled Bassyouny, a 30-year-old Internet entrepreneur. He said it was time to escalate the marches. ‘‘It has to burn. It has to become ugly. We have to take it to the pres- idential palace.’’ Fla. judge sides with 26 states, strikes down Obama health plan PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) — A federal judge declared the Obama admin- istration’s health care over- haul unconstitutional Mon- day, siding with 26 states that argued people cannot be required to buy health insur- ance. Senior U.S. District Judge Roger Vinson agreed with the states that the new law violates people’s rights by forcing them to buy health insurance by 2014 or face penalties. He went a step further than a previous ruling against the law, declaring the entire thing unconstitutional if the insur- ance requirement does not hold up. Attorneys for the admin- istration had argued that the states did not have standing to challenge the law and that the case should be dis- missed. Justice Department spokeswoman Tracy Schmaler said Monday the department strongly dis- agrees with Vinson’s ruling and intends to appeal. ‘‘There is clear and well- established legal precedent that Congress acted within its constitutional authority in passing this law and we are confident that we will ulti- mately prevail on appeal,’’ she said in a statement. US seeks set of reforms for Egypt, hopes Mubarak gives up on re-election bid WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States has a vision for Egypt’s transition to real democracy: President Hosni Mubarak ends the state of emergency that has underpinned three decades of iron rule and gives up any lasting ambitions on win- ning re-election. Administration officials said Monday that the U.S. government would prefer Celebrate Valentines Day with a gift that lasts a lifetime The Gold Exchange 413 Walnut St., Red Bluff Come in and be treated like family 528-8000 10am-5:30 pm Sat. 11 am-4 pm M-F that Mubarak, 82, not run in presidential voting sched- uled for September. But they won’t say that publicly for fear of destabilizing Egypt amid increased signs that the regime may fall. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of diplomacy and the difficult situation the Obama admin- istration finds itself in, torn between pro-democracy protesters and an ally who has backed the U.S. for over three decades on issues from Arab-Israeli peace to coun- terterrorism. Publicly, the administra- tion would not be drawn out on the subject of Mubarak’s future, officials saying only that the elections should be open and fair. ‘‘The United States gov- ernment does not determine who’s on the ballot,’’ White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said. ‘‘I don’t think that people that seek greater freedom are looking for somebody else to pick what and how that change looks like.’’ Winter storm takes aim at one-third of United States COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — A monster winter storm took aim at a third of the nation Monday, threatening to lay a potentially deadly path of heavy snow and ice from the Rockies to New England, followed by a wave of bitter, bone-rattling cold that could affect tens of millions of people. Cities including St. Louis, Kansas City and Mil- waukee could be hardest hit, with expected midweek snowfalls of up to 2 feet and drifts piled 5 to 10 feet. Even hardy Chicago could be in for its third-worst blizzard since record-keeping began. ‘‘I wouldn’t want to be on the road in open areas tomorrow night,’’ WGN forecaster Tom Skilling said. ‘‘I don’t think I’d want to be driving in the city either. The fact is people die in these things. They skid off the road and go wandering around in whiteout condi- tions.’’ Warmer areas were not safe, either. The system could spawn tornadoes in the South. While record snowfalls have pounded the Northeast in one of that region’s most brutal winters, the Midwest has been comparatively unscathed, until now. Report says computer worm has penetrated Iranian nuke plant, warns of disaster VIENNA (AP) — The control systems of Iran’s Bushehr nuclear plant have been penetrated by a com- puter worm unleashed last year, according to a foreign intelligence report that warns of a possible Cher- nobyl-like disaster once the site becomes fully opera- tional. Russia’s envoy to NATO, Dmitry Rogozin, also has raised the specter of the 1986 reactor explosion in Ukraine, but suggested last week that the danger had passed. The report, drawn up by a nation closely monitoring Iran’s nuclear program and obtained by The Associated Press, said such conclusions were premature and based on the ‘‘casual assessment’’ of Russian and Iranian sci- entists at Bushehr. With control systems dis- abled by the virus, the reac- tor would have the force of a ‘‘small nuclear bomb,’’ it said. ‘‘The minimum possible damage would be a melt- down of the reactor,’’ it says. ‘‘However, external damage and massive environmental destruction could also occur ... similar to the Chernobyl disaster.’’ *NOW OPEN* Bareroot Trees and Berries are in! Time to plant 1 1/2 miles South of Red Bluff 12645 Hwy 99E (530) 529-2546 Huntsman to leave post WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. ambassador to China Jon Huntsman, a Republican with potential presidential ambitions, has Linda M. Fourby, LUTCF Your Red Bluff Agent advised officials that he intends to leave the post dur- ing the first part of this year, the White House said Mon- day. Huntsman, a former gov- ernor of Utah, was appoint- ed ambassador by President Barack Obama in 2009. Huntsman’s plans have gen- erated considerable atten- tion in political circles because his foreign policy experience could stand out in a crowded GOP field. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Hunts- man has informed officials of his desire to end his diplo- matic assignment. Huntsman, 50, surprised many Republican strategists when he accepted the post in China, considered one of the United States’ key diplo- matic assignments. A fluent Mandarin speaker from his time as a Mormon mission- ary, he earned high marks from the Democratic admin- istration but perhaps dam- aged his own political stand- ing should he seek the GOP nomination in 2012 or 2016. The early primaries will have a strong role for con- servatives and tea party- style activists, and Hunts- man could be criticized as a member of Obama’s admin- istration — a charge even the president joked might be enough to stop Huntsman before he even starts. Huckabee weighs in on Jewish settlement JERUSALEM (AP) — Potential 2012 U.S. presi- dential candidate Mike Huckabee told Jewish set- tlers Monday that attempts to prevent them from building in east Jerusalem are as outrageous as hous- ing discrimination in the United States.‘‘I cannot imagine, as an American, being told I could not live in certain places in Ameri- ca because I was Christ- ian, or because I was white, or because I spoke English,’’ he said. Huckabee dismissed the notion that Jewish set- tlements on land the Pales- tinians want for a future state are obstacles to peace. 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ACE Certified & Senior Fitness Assn. Certified Personal Trainer (530) 941-2832 821 Walnut St. Red Bluff Wall Street NEW YORK (AP) — Energy stocks led indexes higher Monday, the first day of trading since the growing unrest in Egypt caused the largest one-day drop in the broad stock market in more than three months. Exxon Mobil Corp. gained 2.1 percent after it reported its most profitable quarter since 2008. Massey Energy Co. jumped 9.8 per- cent after Alpha Natural Resources Inc. said that it would buy the coal producer in a $7.1 billion deal. Alpha Natural Resources fell 7.2 percent. The Massey deal sug- gests ‘‘maybe coal isn’t dead,’’ said Kim Caughey Forrest, equity research ana- lyst at Fort Pitt Capital Group. It also raises hopes for similar deals in the future, she said. Concerns remained over Egypt’s impact on oil prices. The country is not a major producer of oil, but it plays a key role in the industry because it controls the Suez Canal, a major route for oil tankers and cargo ships. Crude oil prices rose 3 per- cent to $92.19 a barrel. The Dow Jones industri- al average gained 68 points, or 0.6 percent, to close at 11,891.93. The broader Standard and Poor’s 500 index rose 10, or 0.8 per- cent, to 1,286.12. The Nas- daq composite index gained 13, or 0.5 percent, to 2,700.08. Nine of the 10 company groups that make up the S&P index rose. Energy companies gained 2.6 per- cent, the most of any group. Bond prices fell slightly, sending their yields higher. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note rose to 3.38 percent from 3.33 percent late Friday. Bond prices rose Friday because investors sought less risky assets. Stronger economic data in the U.S. also helped push stocks higher. The Com- merce Department reported that consumers increased their spending in December by more than analysts had predicted. Spending for all of 2010 rose by the largest amount in three years. Two stocks rose for every one that fell on the New York Stock Exchange. Con- solidated volume came to 4.38 billion shares. Stocks fell broadly Friday due to escalating protests in Egypt and disappointing earnings reports from Amazon.com Inc. and Microsoft Corp. The Dow fell 166.13 points, or 1.4 percent, to close at 11,823.70. The S&P index on Friday fell 23.20, or 1.8 percent, to 1,276.34. That was the broad market index’s largest fall since Aug. 11. The Nasdaq com- posite fell 68.39, or 2.5 per- cent, to 2,686.89. Alan Wylie Inspector 4950 Mountain Lakes Blvd #B Redding, CA 96003 Mobile: 530/638-1015 TERMITE INSPECTION FREE & UP TO 15% OFF TERMITE TREATMENT SERVICE* or PEST EVALUATION FREE & SAVE 10% OFF PEST CONTROL SERVICE* Rosser’s Bakery & Specialty Foods