Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/34552
4B Daily News – Wednesday, June 22, 2011 WORLD BRIEFING Atwist in health care law opens Medicaid to some making up to $64,000 WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama’s health care law would let several million middle-class people get nearly free insurance meant for the poor, a twist government number crunchers say they dis- covered only after the complex bill was signed. The change would affect early retirees: A married couple could have an annual income of about $64,000 and still get Medicaid, said offi- cials who make long- range cost estimates for the Health and Human Services department. Up to 3 million more people could qualify for Medicaid in 2014 as a result of the anomaly. That’s because, in a major change from today, most of their Social Security benefits would no longer be counted as income for determining eligibility. It might be compared to allowing middle-class people to qualify for food stamps. Medicare chief actuary Richard Foster says the situation keeps him up at night. ‘‘I don’t generally comment on the pros or cons of policy, but that just doesn’t make sense,’’ Foster said during a ques- tion-and-answer session at a recent professional society meeting. Obama expected to cut 10K troops WASHINGTON (AP) — Facing a war-weary pub- lic, President Barack Obama is expected to call for a major withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan Wednesday night, with roughly 10,000 coming home to the U.S. in less than a year. The phased drawdown is likely to start with 5,000 continue fighting for the Republican nomination for president ‘‘no matter what it takes.’’ He’s revamping his campaign, given the series of depar- tures. Corpses and rotting teeth on cigarette warning labels RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Rotting teeth and gums. Diseased lungs. A sewn-up corpse of a smoker. Cigarette smoke coming out of the tracheotomy hole in a man’s neck. troops recalled this summer and an additional 5,000 by winter or spring 2012, according to a senior U.S. defense official. Obama is also weighing a timetable for bringing home the 20,000 other troops he ordered to Afghanistan as part of his December 2009 decision to send reinforce- ments to reverse the Tal- iban’s battlefield momen- tum. The withdrawals would put the U.S. on a path toward giving Afghans con- trol of their security by 2014 and ultimately shifting the U.S. military from a combat role to a mission focused on training and supporting Afghan forces. Obama is to address the nation from the White House at 8 p.m. EDT Wednesday. The president reached his decision a week after receiving a range of options from Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan. Obama informed his senior national security advisers, including outgoing Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, of his plans during a White House meeting on Tuesday. Finance officials for Gingrich quit ATLANTA (AP) — Newt Gingrich’s top two fundraising advisers resigned on Tuesday, and officials said the Republi- can candidate’s hobbling presidential campaign carried more than $1 mil- lion in debt. The departures of fundraising director Jody Thomas and fundraising consultant Mary Heitman were the latest blow for the former House speaker who watched 16 top advisers abandon his campaign en masse earli- er this month, partly because of what people familiar with the cam- paign spending described as a dire financial situa- tion. These people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the campaign inner workings, said the former Georgia lawmaker racked up massive travel bills but money had only trickled in since he got into the race earlier this spring. These officials said that he is at least $1 mil- lion in debt. The current fundraising quarter ends June 30, and Gingrich will have to disclose his campaign finances by July 15. He is personally wealthy and could fund his campaign out of his own pocket, at least in the short term, to keep his campaign afloat. Gingrich has insisted that he will not abandon his troubled bid and will OH, Beautiful, For Spacious Skies …. A Tehama County Celebration of Independence Day Weekend, 2011 Advertising Reservations Deadline: Wednesday, June 22 Published with the full run of the Daily News on Friday, July 1 Plus 1,000 extra copies for local freestanding distribution! A compendium of events across the region honoring the birth of our nation and the freedoms we enjoy, which make us the greatest nation in the world. Fireworks Displays when and where, from Butte and Glenn Counties, Tehama and Shasta Counties Parades Public Events and Festivals Everything 4th of July happening July 1 through 4 in the North State, all in one publication. Full Page Size American Flag/Poster to Display In Your Window All Weekend! Winning Essays from the Daily News’ patriotic Essay Contest This year’s theme: “What Makes America Unique as a Nation?” Call your Daily News Advertising Representative TODAY! D NEWSAILY (530) 527-2151 RED BLUFF TEHAMACOUNTY Cigarette packs in the U.S. will have to carry these macabre images in nine new warning labels that are part of a cam- paign by the Food and Drug Administration to use fear and disgust to discourage Americans from lighting up. The labels, announced on Tuesday, represent the biggest change in ciga- rette packs in the U.S. in 25 years. At a time when the drop in the nation’s smoking rate has come to a standstill, the govern- ment is hoping the in- your-face labels will go further than the current surgeon general warn- ings toward curbing tobacco use, which is responsible for about 443,000 deaths a year in the U.S. ‘‘These labels are frank, honest and power- ful depictions of the health risks of smoking,’’ Health and Human Ser- vices Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said in a state- ment. Greek Prime Minister’s government survives vote ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou sur- vived a confidence vote in parliament early Wednes- day, winning a gamble on his government’s survival and the danger of a devas- tating debt default. Papandreou won more than the absolute majority of 151 votes he needed in the 300-member legisla- ture to face down an inter- nal party revolt and help him pass deeply disliked austerity measures that have provoked strikes, protests and a slump in his popularity. The vote was being conducted by roll call after a heated debate that saw sections of the oppo- sition briefly walk out A loss would have like- ly led to early elections and thrown into question whether Greece could pass the new austerity bill by the end of June as demanded by the coun- try’s international credi- tors. Unless the new mea- sures pass, Greece will not receive the next batch of funds from its bailout loans, and will face a dis- astrous default. Greece is being kept financially afloat by (euro) 110 billion ($157 billion) EU-IMF bailout fund. Huntsman joins GOP primary race JERSEY CITY, N.J. (AP) — Republican Jon Huntsman joined the presidential race Tuesday with the Statue of Liberty over his shoulder, assert- ing that he and President Barack Obama both love their country but have far different visions of its future. He pledged to halt an ‘‘un-American’’ fading of national confidence and power. Hoping to set himself taken until February 2009, more than seven weeks after the area was cleared of vegetation. He also showed Bock photos taken at the time of recov- ery and challenged her with more questions. ‘‘Clearly some of those leaves have been off the trees for longer than two weeks, were they not?’’ Ashton said. ’Jackass’ star Ryan Dunn, pal died from apart from other candi- dates, he also promised to run a civil campaign for the GOP nomination at a time of heated partisan rhetoric. The former Utah gov- ernor focused on Obama, not his Republican rivals, in his announcement address in the patriotic setting where Ronald Reagan launched his fall presidential campaign in 1980. Huntsman said, ‘‘The question each of us wants the voters to answer is, ‘Who will be the better president, not who’s the better American.’’’ As for his pledge of civility, he said, ‘‘Our political debates today are corrosive and not reflec- tive of the belief that Abe Lincoln espoused back in his day, that we are a great country because we are a good country.’’ The announcement was all formality for Huntsman, 51. His aides have been planning the bid for months, and the candidate himself has spent the weeks since he returned to the United States from China visiting early primary voting states, courting donors and building a full- fledged campaign. Forensic botanist testifies after delay in trial ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A forensic botanist tes- tified Tuesday that 2-year- old Caylee Anthony’s remains could have been in the woods for as little as two weeks when they were discovered in December 2008, a much shorter time period than prosecutors allege. As the murder trial of Caylee’s mother Casey entered Day 24, the defense witness told jurors she believed the roots could have grown through the bones, skull and a laundry bag in just two weeks. Jane Bock said she based her estimate ‘‘because of the pattern of leaf litter’’ she observed on photos of the scene in the woods where the remains were found. But Bock said she couldn’t tell just by looking at the photos how long the plants in the area had been there. Prosecutor Jeff Ashton seized on that uncertainty in his cross-examination and noted that photos Bock relied on to make her assessment weren’t impact, fire PHILADELPHIA (AP) — ‘‘Jackass’’ dare- devil Ryan Dunn and his passenger died from the impact of the violent car crash and the resulting fire, according to a coro- ner’s report Tuesday. The Chester County coroner listed blunt force trauma and thermal trau- ma as the official causes of death for both men. Toxicology results will take four to six weeks to complete, coroner’s office spokeswoman Patty Emmons said. The 34-year-old Dunn and passenger Zachary Hartwell died early Mon- day, shortly after leaving a pub in West Chester where Dunn had tweeted a photo of the pair and a third man drinking just hours before the crash. The photo has since been taken down. Barnaby’s of America manager Jim O’Brien declined through an employee to speak to The Associated Press. He told The Philadelphia Inquirer that Dunn was drinking with several friends at the bar but didn’t appear drunk. West Goshen Town- ship police declined Tues- day to discuss the ongo- ing investigation in detail but believe speed may have been a factor in the suburban Philadelphia crash. Utah man updated Facebook status during standoff SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Jason Valdez is no stranger to Utah police. His latest brush with the law, however, may have been the most public. An armed Valdez, 36, held a woman hostage at a motel in a tense 16-hour, overnight standoff with SWAT teams, all while finding time to keep his family and friends updated on Facebook, authorities said. He even got some help from the outside over the social network: A friend posted that a SWAT officer was hiding in the bushes. ‘‘Thank you homie,’’ Valdez replied. ‘‘Good looking out.’’ When officers swarmed the room, Valdez shot himself in the chest with a handgun, Ogden police said. On Tuesday, he was in critical condition. The Associated Press reviewed Valdez’s Face- book profile page on Tues- day. Police believe he wrote the messages during the standoff. It wasn’t immediately clear, however, whether police were following the posts in real-time, though the department spokeswoman said offi- cers routinely search the Internet and other sources for background on suspects. In all, Valdez made six posts and added at least a dozen new friends. His family and friends responded with 100 com- ments. Some people offered words of support, and others pleaded for him to ‘‘do the right thing.’’