Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/25480
Saturday, February 19, 2011 – Daily News – 3B WORLD BRIEFING Bahrain security forces fire on crowds MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) — Security forces opened fire Friday on Bahraini protesters for a second straight day, wounding at least 50 peo- ple as thousands defied the government and marched toward Pearl Square in an uprising that sought to break the politi- cal grip of the Gulf nation’s leaders. Once again, Bahrain authorities showed no hesitation in using force against demonstrators who ramped up demands to bring down the whole ruling monarchy. U.S. President Barack Obama condemned the use of violence against the protesters in Bahrain, as well as in Libya and Yemen, where heavy crackdowns by old-guard regimes were reported. A Libyan doctor said 35 protesters were killed in the eastern city of Beng- hazi during a confronta- tion with security forces, while three people were killed and 48 were wounded during protests called as part of a ‘‘Friday of Rage in Yemen. The continuing wave of anger in the Arab world followed successful uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt, where hundreds of thousands of people cele- brated the downfall of President Hosni Mubarak one week ago. Critically injured pro- testers were again rushed to Manama’s main Salmaniya hospital, which also received the dead and wounded after riot police smashed a protest encampment early Thursday in the landmark square. House GOP: Cut regs along with spending WASHINGTON (AP) — The Republican-con- trolled House voted to shield greenhouse-gas polluters and privately owned colleges from fed- eral regulators on Friday, strengthening the pro- business emphasis of leg- islation that also would chop $61 billion from government spending. But as a final vote neared on the sweeping measure, newly elected conservatives suffered a rare setback when a split among rank-and-file Republicans sank a move to cut an additional $22 billion. ‘‘The American people have spoken. They demand that Washington stop its out-of-control spending now, not some time in the future,’’ declared Rep. Tim Huel- skamp, R-Kan., one of the 87 newly elected Republi- cans who have moved thing wasn’t right, but I just thought I was tired. So when I opened my mouth, I thought, ’This is more than just being tired. Something is terribly wrong.’ I wanted to say, ’Lady Antebellum swept the Grammys.’ And I could think of the words, but I could not get them coming out properly.’’ Branson, who was diagnosed with migraine aura, said watching her- self in the clip is ‘‘trou- bling.’’ Judge delays records release in Ariz shooting aggressively to attack fed- eral deficits and reduce government’s reach. But for other Republi- cans, the extra $22 billion was a step too far. ‘‘Rather than make careful decisions on spe- cific program the. amend- ment hits everything indiscriminately in a heavy-handed way,’’ said Rep. Hal Rogers, R-Ky., and principal author of the broader measure. ‘‘We were elected to make choices, not run on auto- matic pilot.’’ Wis. Dems on the run could stay in hiding for weeks MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Democrats on the run in Wisconsin avoided state troopers Friday and threatened to stay in hid- ing for weeks, potentially paralyzing a state govern- ment they no longer con- trol. The party’s stand against balancing the state’s budget by cutting the pay, benefits and col- lective bargaining rights of public workers is the boldest action yet by Democrats to push back against last fall’s GOP wave. But the dramatic strat- egy that’s clogged the Capitol with thousands of protesters clashes with one essential truth: Republicans told every- one unions would be a target, and the GOP has more than enough votes to pass its plans once the Legislature can convene. The 14 Senate Democ- rats left the state Thurs- day, delaying action in that chamber on a sweep- ing anti-union bill. Sen. Jon Erpenbach, who was among those who fled, said Friday that the group was prepared to be away for weeks, although he would like the standoff to end as soon as possible. ‘‘That really, truly is up to the governor,’’ he told The Associated Press in an interview Friday at a downtown Chicago hotel. ‘‘It’s his responsibility to bring the state together. The state is not unified. It is totally torn part.’’ US vetoes UN resolution condemning settlements UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United States vetoed a U.N. reso- lution that would have condemned Israeli settle- ments as ‘‘illegal’’ and called for an immediate halt to all settlement building. The 14 other Security Council members voted in favor of the resolution in Friday’s vote. The Obama adminis- tration’s veto is certain to anger Arab countries and Palestinian supporters around the world. The U.S. opposes new settlements but says tak- ing the issue to the U.N. will only complicate efforts to resume stalled negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians on a two-state solution. The Palestinians say they will not resume peace talks until Israel halts settlement building in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, which it wants as its capital. Pennsylvania ex-judge convicted of racketeering SCRANTON, Pa. (AP) — A former juvenile court judge was convicted Friday of racketeering in a case that accused him of sending youth offenders to for-profit detention centers in exchange for millions of dollars in illic- it payments from the builder and owner of the lockups. Luzerne County ex- Judge Mark Ciavarella, 61, left the bench in dis- grace two years ago after prosecutors charged him with engineering one of the biggest courtroom frauds in U.S. history by using juvenile delinquents as pawns in a plot to get rich. Federal prosecutors accused Ciavarella and a second judge, Michael Conahan, of taking more than $2 million in bribes from the builder of the PA Child Care and Western PA Child Care detention centers and extorting hun- dreds of thousands of dol- lars from the facilities’ co-owner. Ciavarella insisted the payments were legal and denied that he incarcerated youths for money. A federal jury in Scranton returned a mixed verdict, convicting Ciavarella of 12 counts, including racketeering and conspiracy, and acquitting him of 27 counts, including extor- tion. The guilty verdicts related to nearly $1 mil- lion that the builder paid to the judges. Ciavarella was expres- sionless as the verdicts were being read. Prosecu- tors called him a flight risk and asked that he be held pending sentencing, but he was allowed to remain free. He is likely to get a prison sentence of more than 12 years, according to prosecutors. Study finds second language may delay Alzheimer’s WASHINGTON (AP) — Mastering a second language can pump up your brain in ways that seem to delay getting Alzheimer’s disease later on, scientists said Friday. Never learned to habla or parlez? While the new research focuses mostly on the truly long-term bilingual, scientists say even people who tackle a new language later in life stand to gain. The more proficient you become, the better, but ‘‘every little bit helps,’’ said Ellen Bia- lystok, a psychology pro- fessor at York University in Toronto. Much of the study of bilingualism has centered on babies, as scientists wondered why simply speaking to infants in two languages allows them to learn both in the time it takes most babies to learn Tehama County Businesses! Online Ballots Only at www.redbluffdailynews.com Five Lucky Voters will be selected at random from all eligible ballots on March 1. Each will receive a $100 Shopping Spree at the Tehama County business of their choice! Vote for your favorite one. Their brains seem to become more flexible, better able to multitask. As they grow up, their brains show better ‘‘exec- utive control,’’ a system key to higher functioning — as Bialystok puts it, ‘‘the most important part of your mind.’’ But does that mental juggling while you’re young translate into pro- tection against cognitive decline when you’re old? TV reporter says she was ‘terrified’ during report LOS ANGELES (AP) — A TV reporter who lapsed into gibberish dur- ing a live shot outside the Grammys said she was terrified when it happened and knew something was wrong as soon as she opened her mouth. KCBS-TV reporter Serene Branson’s inco- herence Sunday fueled Internet speculation that she suffered an on-air stroke. But doctors at the University of California, Los Angeles, where she went to get a brain scan and blood work done, ruled it out. Doctors said she suffered a type of migraine that can mimic symptoms of a stroke. Branson told CBS’ ‘‘The Early Show’’ in an interview Friday that she was terrified, scared and confused, and didn’t know what was going on. ‘‘I knew something wasn’t right as soon as I opened my mouth,’’ she said. ‘‘I hadn’t been feel- ing well a little bit before the live shot. I had a headache, my vision was very blurry. I knew some- SAN DIEGO (AP) — A federal judge decided Fri- day against a request by news organizations to unseal search warrant records listing the items seized from the home of the suspect in the Arizona shooting rampage that killed six people and wounded U.S. Congress- woman Gabrielle Giffords. U.S. District Judge Larry A. Burns cited the ongoing investigation and an expected superseding indictiment that is expected to hand down additional charges against 22-year-old Jared Loughner. Burns said he would take up the matter again after March 9, when hear- ing is scheduled. Burns said it would be clear then whether another indictment would come down with additional charges. He also opted Friday not to rule on a request to release a sec- ond mugshot of Loughner to the media, saying he was leaving the decision up to the U.S. Marshals Service. Defense attorneys had argued the release of the documents and mugshot would hurt the chance of a fair trial for Loughner. Burns said he was unsure of that argument, indicat- ing he may release the doc- uments after March 9. “It will likely be a dif- ferent story as of March 9,” Burns said. He also noted the investigation is ongo- ing. The company that oper- ates The Arizona Republic and the Phoenix TV station KPNX has been seeking records that show what items investigators took from Loughner’s house after the Jan. 8 shooting. Loughner has pleaded not guilty to federal charges of trying to assassi- nate Giffords and kill two of her aides. He was not at the hearing. 10 DAYS LEFT TO VOTE!