Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/31967
8A Daily News – Thursday, May 19, 2011 WORLD BRIEFING NY police on forensic trail in IMF case NEW YORK (AP) — Investigators cut out a piece of carpet in a painstaking search of a penthouse suite for DNA evidence that could cor- roborate a hotel maid’s claim that IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn tried to rape her, law enforcement officials said Wednesday. New York detectives and prosecutors believe the carpet in the hotel room may contain Strauss-Kahn’s semen, spat out after an episode of forced oral sex, the officials said, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. Meanwhile, Strauss- Kahn, who was ordered held without bail this week after prosecutors argued the well-connect- ed banker might try to flee to his native France and put himself beyond the reach of U.S. law, was scheduled for another bail hearing Thursday. He was arrested Friday and is being held in New York’s Rikers Island jail. In addition to examin- ing the Sofitel Hotel suite for further potential DNA evidence, investigators were looking at the maid’s keycard to deter- mine whether she used it to enter the room, and how long she was there, officials said. Gates: ’Somebody knew’ in Pakistan WASHINGTON (AP) — ‘‘Somebody’’ in Pak- istan knew Osama bin Laden was hiding there, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Wednesday. But he said he’s seen evi- dence that the country’s senior leadership was unaware the terror leader was in a compound a short distance from a Pak- istani military facility. Both Gates and Joint Chiefs chairman Adm. Mike Mullen, however, said the U.S. must contin- ue to work with and pro- vide aid to Pakistan. But, amid rising anger and dis- trust of Pakistan across America and on Capitol Hill, both men acknowl- edged that Islamabad must take concrete action to eliminate the safe havens where militants are hiding along the bor- der with Afghanistan. ‘‘I have seen no evi- dence at all that the senior leadership knew. In fact, I’ve seen some evidence to the contrary,’’ Gates told reporters at the Pen- tagon. ‘‘We have no evi- dence yet with respect to anybody else. My suppo- sition is, somebody knew.’’ Asked about congres- sional pressure to hold back aid until Pakistan moves against militants within its borders, Gates and Mullen said Islam- abad is already paying for its inaction. The Pakistan military’s image has been tarnished by the successful U.S. raid that sent U.S. SEALs deep into the country to kill bin Laden — all with- out the knowledge of the now humiliated Pakistani leaders, said Mullen. Gingrich begins bid with missteps ATLANTA (AP) — Hardly the start he’d hoped for, Newt Gin- grich’s first week as a presidential candidate has been riddled with mis- steps that have angered many of his fellow Republicans and exposed campaign vulnerabilities. The former U.S. House speaker disparaged House Republicans’ Medicare proposal as ‘‘right-wing social engineering’’ and was all but forced to apol- ogize after the conserva- tive outcry. He tied him- self in knots when he defended part of the Democrats’ health care law — which he says he opposes. And he refused to explain a $500,000 debt he once owed to the upscale Tiffany’s jewelry store though railing against President Barack Obama for what he calls excessive federal spend- ing. ‘‘He has severely dam- aged his campaign and his credibility,’’ said Debbie Dooley of Duluth, Ga., a national coordinator for the Tea Party Patriots who contended that Gingrich made things worse when he tried to explain his health care stance favor- ing a requirement that Americans have coverage. ‘‘If he continues with that position, for the most con- servative tea party Repub- licans ... it’s over,’’ she said. Gingrich’s team says he’s not changing. Advisers say Gingrich has repeatedly proven he can survive such troubles, and they insist there’s no need to recalibrate a cam- paign decades in the mak- ing. Life a tedious waiting game for flooded VICKSBURG, Miss. (AP) — For thousands of people forced from their A local event – part of a national campaign to promote physical activity for American Indians and Alaska Natives homes by the rising Mis- sissippi River, life has become a tedious waiting game: waiting for meals at shelters, waiting for the latest word on their flood- ed homes, waiting for the river to fall. The monotony of shel- ter life has taken a toll on victims who have already been displaced for weeks and may not be able to return for at least a month. The river is expected to crest Thurs- day in Vicksburg, but high water might not retreat in some areas until late June. ‘‘Lord only knows when it’s going to recede. It’s so much water,’’ said Steven Cole, who has stayed for nearly two weeks at a church being used as a Red Cross shel- ter. A series of non-competitive walks and runs open to families, individuals of all ages and people of all cultures. 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BARSTOOLS FROM $49 ONE OF A KIND CHAIRS $19 Cole’s bottom lip quiv- ered as he described how he ended up here: He wrecked the truck he uses for carpentry work while helping evacuate several families. Then the house he shared with a friend flooded. Without the shelter in Vicksburg, ‘‘I’d be out in the streets,’’ he said. Biden and lawmakers eye farm programs WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House and key lawmakers are con- sidering reductions in stu- dent loan subsidies, farm payments and support for federal workers’ pensions as they search for cuts that can clear the way for an increase in the national debt limit, according to officials in both parties. The negotiations are still in the early stages, with no final decisions made, these officials said Wednesday. While the amounts involved so far are relatively modest, the talks led by Vice Presi- dent Joe Biden appear likely to assume greater public prominence with the evident collapse of a freelance attempt by the ‘‘Gang of Six’’ senators to produce a sweeping bipartisan plan to reduce red ink. ‘‘We’re talking (about cuts totaling) $200 billion, $150 billion and we have to get up into the trillion range or more,’’ said Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., one of six other lawmakers taking part in the talks at Blair House across the street from the White House. ‘‘We have a long way to go if we’re struggling at this level with this amount,’’ he said, adding that so far, the talks have generally focused on areas of agreement. The group has yet to discuss military spending or deeper reductions in programs that already were trimmed in legisla- tion that narrowly averted a partial government shut- down in April. Christians, atheists swell ranks of naysayers For some, it’s Judgment Day. For others, it’s party time. A loosely organized Christian movement has spread the word around the globe that Jesus Christ will return to earth on Saturday to gather the faithful into heaven. While the Christian mainstream isn’t buying it, many other skeptics are milking it. A Facebook page titled ‘‘Post rapture looting’’ offers this invitation: ‘‘When everyone is gone and god’s not looking, we need to pick up some sweet stereo equipment and maybe some new furniture for the mansion we’re going to squat in.’’ By Wednesday afternoon, more than 175,000 people indicated they would be ‘‘attending’’ the ‘‘public event.’’ The prediction is also being mocked in the comic strip ‘‘Doonesbury’’ and has inspired ‘‘Rapture parties’’ to celebrate what hosts expect will be the failure of the world to come to an end. In the Army town of Fayetteville, N.C., the local chapter of the American Humanist Association has turned the event into a two- day extravaganza, with a Saturday night party fol- lowed by a day-after con- cert. ‘‘It’s not meant to be insulting, but come on,’’ said organizer Geri Weaver. ‘‘Christians are openly scoffing at this.’’ Gas prices widening gap between wealthy and everyone else NEW YORK (AP) — High gas prices are dri- ving a wider wedge between the wealthy and everybody else. The rich are back to pre-recession splurging: Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom customers are treating themselves to luxury items like $5,000 Hermes handbags and $700 Jimmy Choo shoes, and purchasing at full price. At Target and Walmart, shoppers are concentrat- ing on groceries and skip- ping little luxuries. BJ’s Wholesale Corp. said Wednesday that cus- tomers are buying more hamburger and chicken and less steak and buying smaller packs to save money.