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Friday, June 10, 2011 – Daily News 5A WORLD BRIEFING Gingrich campaign manager, aides resign WASHINGTON (AP) — The entire top echelon of Newt Gingrich’s presi- dential campaign resigned on Thursday, a stunning mass exodus that left his bid for the Republican nomination in tatters. But the former House speaker vowed defiantly to remain a candidate. ‘‘I am committed to running the substantive, solutions-oriented cam- paign I set out to run ear- lier this spring,’’ the Gin- grich said in a posting to his Facebook page. ‘‘The campaign begins anew Sunday in Los Angeles.’’ Rick Tyler, Gingrich’s spokesman, said that he, campaign manager Rob Johnson and senior strate- gists had all quit, along with aides in the early pri- mary and caucus states of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. Other officials said Gingrich was informed that his entire high com- mand was quitting in a meeting at his headquar- ters in Washington. They cited differences over the direction of the campaign. ‘‘We had a different vision for victory,’’ Tyler told The Associated Press. ‘‘And since we couldn’t resolve that dif- ference, I didn’t feel I could be useful in serving him.’’ Democratic women irked but dodge Weiner issue WASHINGTON (AP) — Pursed lips. Frosty glares. Polite demurrals. Icy silence. Women in politics are grappling with the distinctly unfunny choice of restraining themselves or letting rip what they really think about Rep. Anthony Weiner’s X-rated online conduct and whether he belongs in Congress. They’ll be vexed by the question awhile longer because the 46-year-old Democrat from New York City told the New York Post on Thursday he won’t resign. The scandal presents a maddening choice for these female leaders, none shy, between speaking out or keeping quiet about behavior that, at best, is disrespectful of women. ‘‘You’re right, I don’t like’’ questions about Weiner, Sen. Dianne Feinstein said with a smile. Feinstein, D-Calif., was elected in 1992, known as ‘‘the Year of the Woman.’’ She said she’s shocked and saddened by the matter, which grew Nicole Richardson Salon Bella Dona Full Service Salon June Special 30% OFF Located next to any service. Bud’s Jolly Cone Call for appt. 527-4843 (exp. June 30, 2011) workers using a federal system called E-Verify. ‘‘It is clearly unconsti- tutional. It’s mean-spirit- ed, racist, and we think a court will enjoin it,’’ said Mary Bauer, legal director for the Southern Poverty Law Center. It takes effect Sept. 1. Republican Gov. Robert Bentley, who signed it into law Thurs- day, expressed confidence it would withstand any legal challenges. Biden-led budget talks resume WASHINGTON (AP) worse as the week went on, and she wished she could say something lighthearted about it. Unrelenting heat bakes Eastern US SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (AP) — A third day of unseasonable heat blis- tered the eastern half of the country Thursday, making tornado cleanup miserable in Massachu- setts, sending country music fans in Tennessee to hospitals and leaving Special Olympians in Pennsylvania gulping gal- lons of water. The persistent heat has been blamed for at least seven deaths from the Plains to the East Coast, where authorities pre- pared emergency rooms and encouraged neighbors to check on the elderly as temperatures soared above 100 in spots. Some Northeastern schools canceled classes or closed early for a sec- ond day Thursday so stu- dents would not have to suffer with no air condi- tioning. Cooling centers opened in Chicago, Mem- phis, Tenn., Newark, N.J., and other cities as a refuge for those without air conditioning. It hit at least 101 degrees in Newark, two degrees higher than the previous record set in 2008. ‘‘I’d love to be indoors, but I don’t make any money that way,’’ said Jose Serrano, a landscape worker cutting lawns and trimming bushes in Toms River, N.J. ‘‘When it comes to working in these conditions, you just do what you have to do, you know?’’ Detroit power system has major failure DETROIT (AP) — Sections of downtown Detroit lost power Thurs- day afternoon after high demand for energy caused the city’s municipal power system to have a major failure, city offi- cials said. The outage forced the evacuation of the Cole- man Young Municipal Center, the McNamara federal building, the county courthouse, Cobo Center and some schools. The outages were spotty — traffic lights were out in certain areas but work- ing in other parts of the downtown district. Mayoral spokeswoman Karen Dumas told The Associated Press she was at her desk typing an email when the blackout occurred at 2:30 p.m. Dumas said the outage was due to extreme power demand in the last few days for air conditioning and city officials had been warned a brownout could occur. She said it could take at least 24 hours to fix the issue, though Detroit’s Chief Operating Officer Chris Brown said he hopes it can be restored by Thursday night. Brown said one of the five transmission lines from a power station on the city’s southwest side went down Wednesday, and two more went down Thursday. Alabama passes toughest immigration law in the US MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama vaulted past Arizona on Thursday with what is being called the most restrictive law in the nation against illegal immigration, requiring schools to find out if stu- dents are in the country lawfully and making it a crime to knowingly give an illegal immigrant a ride. Advocacy groups promised to challenge the sweeping measure, which like Arizona’s law also allows police to arrest anyone suspected of being an illegal immi- grant if the person is stopped for some other reason. In addition, it requires all businesses to check the legal status of Computer Classes • Beginning Computers • Digital Photos • Email and Internet Beginning Tuesday, June 14th Beginning Computers 2:00-3:30 (T-W-Th) Beginning Computers 3:30-5:00 (T-W-Th) Digital Photos Beginning Tuesday, July 12th Beginning Computers 2:00-3:30 (T-W-Th) Beginning Computers 3:30-5:00 (T-W-Th) Email and Internet 6:00-7:30 (T-W-Th) 6:00-7:30 (T-W-Th) $45 per session (3 weeks) Includes handouts. eScholar Academy, 715 Jackson St., Suite B, Red Bluff Space is limited, early registration is suggested. For more information call Christy Vail at 200-2661 — Vice President Joe Biden and GOP negotiators sparred over taxes Thursday in a closed-door meeting that exposed just how far apart they remain as the clock ticks on negotiations on a must-do measure to allow the government to resume borrowing more than $100 billion a month to pay its bills. Both sides hope to pass the measure well before an early August deadline to avoid a first-ever, market- rattling default on U.S. obligations. It was the sixth meeting between Biden and a handful of top lawmakers. With the talks moving slow- ly, they agreed to pick up the pace with three meet- ings next week. In the 2 1/2-hour meet- ing, Biden and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner made a pitch for more rev- enue, but Republicans res- olutely oppose anything that could be called a tax hike. ‘‘Any balanced pack- aged has to end big loop- holes like subsidies for the oil and gas industry,’’ said Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D- Md., who’s one of two House Democrats partici- pating in the talks. But asked whether Republicans are showing any willingness to consider tax increases, Van Hollen said, ‘‘I can’t say that would be true, no.’’ Last month, Biden told reporters: ‘‘I’ve made it clear ... revenues have to be in the deal.’’ Syrians flee across border, tell of revolt GUVECCI, Turkey (AP) — Syrian policemen turned their guns on each other, soldiers shed their uniforms rather than obey orders to fire on protesters, and three young men who tried to escape were behead- ed by forces loyal to Presi- dent Bashar Assad. As more than 2,400 Syr- ians streamed across the open Turkish borders on Thursday ahead of tanks and troops who surrounded their hometown, they brought with them the first accounts of a week of revolt, mutiny and mayhem in Jisra al-Shughour. The streets were deserted, leav- ing no resistance against a regime equipped for all-out battle. Even safe in Turkish camps 12 miles (20 kilome- ters) away, the Syrians said they feared the authoritarian government’s reach and refused to allow their full names to be used. A young man who iden- tified himself as Rami said the Syrian reinforcements were mobilized in response to a mutiny among police and soldiers, sharply divid- ed over how to disperse the protesters. ‘‘It all started with the killing of two protesters a week ago, then policemen who refused orders from the Alawite police chief to fire on civilians clashed at the Emin Asqari police sta- tion,’’ Rami said through an interpreter. Other Syrians nodded or interrupted with more details. Syria’s ruling elite, including the Assads, belong to the minority Alawite sect. Town protected but still at risk in Ariz. wildfire SPRINGERVILLE, Ariz. 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