Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/359768
ByJuliePace The Associated Press WASHINGTON President Barack Obama called on Af- rican nations Wednesday to forcefully tackle health cri- ses, security challenges and government corruption that could stymie the con- tinent's economic progress, as he concluded an unprec- edented summit. The summit, aimed in part at cultivating an Obama legacy on a conti- nent where his family ties run deep, also marked a rare return to Washington for former President George W. Bush, who launched a $15 billion HIV/AIDS initia- tive while in office and has made public health issues in Africa a priority since leaving the White House. Bush's institute part- nered with first lady Mi- chelle Obama to host a day- long event for spouses of the African leaders. "There's not many things that convince me to come back to Washington," said Bush, who now lives in Dal- las and steers clear of pol- itics. "The first lady's sum- mit, of course, is one." While Obama has con- tinued Bush's signature AIDS program, he has also been seeking his own leg- acy-building Africa initia- tives. This week's U.S.-Af- rica summit is seen as a cornerstone of that effort, bringing together leaders from about 50 countries for three days of talks. A centerpiece of the con- ference was an effort to re- cast the U.S. economic rela- tionship with Africa away from humanitarian aid and towardmoreequaleconomic partnerships. Obama an- nounced $33 billion in new U.S. commitments, mostly from the private sector, to boost investment in Africa, home to six of the world's 10 fastest-growing economies. Yet the summit's final day of discussions under- scored the challenges that could undermine that eco- nomic growth. African na- tions are still struggling with the HIV epidemic, ma- laria, and the current out- break of the deadly Ebola virus. Government corrup- tion remains a persistent problem. And a surge in vio- lent extremism, particularly in North Africa and the Sa- hel region, has sparked in- ternational concern. While Obama vowed that the U.S. would be a strong partner in tackling those is- sues, he emphasized a need for Africa to take the lead, particularly on the security front. During a private session on security, leaders were ex- pected to discuss Boko Ha- ram, the violent Islamist group in Nigeria that was responsible for the kid- napping of more than 200 schoolgirls earlier this year. Some have escaped and re- turned home, but most re- main captive. As Obama participated in summit meetings, his wife convened a gathering of African first ladies, talk- ing about investments in education, health and eco- nomic development. She was joined by Laura Bush, reprising an event the two American first ladies held last summer in Tanzania. Calling Africa "an under- appreciated continent," Mrs. Obama said it was incum- bent upon the world to de- velop a better understand- ing of what it has to offer. "This is the beginning of a lot of work that needs to be done," she said. Mrs. Obama and Mrs. Bush also focused on the need to educate girls. Mrs. Obama noted that 30 mil- lion girls in sub-Saharan Africa do not attend school. "We do need to make sure worldwide that all women are valued," Mrs. Bush said during the rare joint appearance that high- lighted the relationship that has developed between the two first ladies. George Bush also gave his endorsement for ef- forts to support women in Africa, declaring, "Tak- ing care of women is good politics." He announced that a global health part- nership that helped screen more than 100,000 women in Botswana, Tanzania and Zambia for cervical cancer in the past three years was expanding into Namibia and Ethiopia SUMMIT Obama,Africanleadersconfrontcrises CHARLESDHARAPAK‑THEASSOCIATEDPRESS President Barack Obama takes a question at a news conference at the end of the U.S. Africa Leaders Summit at the State Department in Washington on Wednesday. African heads of state are gathering in Washington for an unprecedented summit to promote business development. By Jennifer Agiesta The Associated Press WASHINGTON Congress has checked out, and the American people have no- ticed. Three-quarters of Amer- icans doubt the federal gov- ernment will address the important problems fac- ing the country this year, according to a new Associ- ated Press-GfK poll. All told, only 28 percent of Americans think the na- tion is heading in the right direction, the lowest level in August of an election year since 2008. It's about on par with 2006, when Dem- ocrats took control of the U.S. House amid a backlash to the Iraq war. This time around, it's not clear whether either party will benefit from the disaf- fection. One-third say they hope the Republicans take con- trol of Congress outright this fall — which the GOP can accomplish with a net gain of six seats in the U.S. Senate while holding the U.S. House. The same share want to see Democrats lead Congress — a far less likely possibility. The final third? They say it just doesn't matter who takes control of Congress. Overall, just 13 percent of Americans approve of the way Congress overall is handling its job. There are some signs in the new poll that Republi- cans have gained ground as the height of the cam- paign approaches. In May, they trailed Democrats a bit on who ought to con- trol Congress. Partisans are about equally likely to say they'd like to see their own in charge of Congress after November 4, with about three-quarters in each party saying they hope their side winds up in control. Democrats are a bit less apt to say they want their own party to win than they were in May, 74 percent in the new poll compared with 80 percent then. And the GOP now holds narrow advantages over Democrats on handling an array of top issues, includ- ing the economy, immigra- tion and the federal budget. But neither party is trusted much to manage the federal government, with 27 percent having faith in the GOP to 24 percent in Democrats. More people, 31 percent, say they trust nei- ther party to run the federal government. Fewer people have con- fidence in the federal gov- ernment's ability to make progress on the impor- tant problems and issues facing the country in 2014 than at the start of the year, with 74 percent saying they have little or no confidence. That's a slight change from the 70 percent who said so in a December AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research survey. That shift in confidence stems from a small drop-off among Dem- ocrats. While 56 percent lacked confidence in De- cember, 62 percent say the same now. Overall, few express faith in those currently on Capi- tol Hill. Just 36 percent say they'd like to see their own member of Congress re- elected, 62 percent say they want someone else to win this November. So far, just three House incumbents have been ousted in prima- ries this year, and none in the Senate. The Congressio- nal approval rating, 13 per- cent in the new poll, lags behind President Barack Obama's 40 percent. Though the economy pushed the nation's "right direction" figures to historic lows in the fall of 2008, that does not seem to be the cul- prit in the new poll. About a third (35 percent) say the economy is in good shape, about the same as in May, and 58 percent say the econ- omy has stayed about the same in the past month. The decline in optimism about the country's path in the new poll seems to mir- ror those in October 2013 and August 2011, when con- gressional inaction led to the threat of a government shutdown in 2011 and a par- tial one in 2013. Among Democrats, the share saying the nation is heading in the right direc- tion dipped 11 points since May, to 49 percent, while among independents, it's down slightly to 23 per- cent. Among Republicans, the 9 percent saying the coun- try is heading the right way is similar to May. The Oc- tober 2013 and August 2011 declines in right direction were also driven by sharp drops among Democrats and independents. ELECTION YEAR Po ll : US h ea de d wr on g wa y, m os t wa nt n ew l ea de rs The Associated Press DARMSTADT, GERMANY Turning what seemed like a science fiction tale into re- ality, an unmanned probe swung alongside a comet Wednesday after a 4-bil- lion mile chase through outer space over the course of a decade. Europe's Rosetta probe will orbit and study the gi- ant ball of dust and ice as it hurtles toward the sun and, if all goes according to plan, drop a lander onto the comet in the coming months. Rosetta turned up as planned for its "rendez- vous" with comet 67P/ Churyumov-Gerasimenko somewhere between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. The incredible trip, launched in 2004, marks a milestone in mankind's effort to understand the mysterious shooting stars that periodically flash past Earth, and which have of- ten been viewed with fear and trepidation. While the moon, Mars and even asteroids have been visited, no spacecraft has yet gotten so close to a comet. Having achieved this feat, Rosetta will go one step further and drop a lander on 67P's icy surface — a maneuver planned for November. "You can compare what we've done so far to finding a speck of dust in a big city," said Gerhard Schwehm, who was lead scientist on the Ro- setta mission until his recent retirement. That's probably an un- derstatement. To catch their quarry, scientists at the European Space Agency had to over- come a series of hurdles that included a last-minute change of destination — after a carrier rocket fail- ure delayed launch — and a tense hibernation period of 31 months during which the probe was out of contact with ground stations. Before Rosetta swung alongside 67P with a fi- nal thrust Wednesday, the spacecraft also had to ac- celerate to 34,000 mph — a speed that required three loops around Earth and one around Mars. Underlining the singular achievement, ESA's direc- tor-general Jean-Jacques Dordain told scientists and spectators at the mission control center in Darmstadt, Germany: "This is your only chance to have a rendezvous with a comet." Rosetta will now spend several months observing 67P from a safe distance of up to 100 kilometers (60 miles). This will give sci- entists time to find a safe place to land Rosetta's side- kick, Philae. This maneuver will pose an unprecedented challenge because there will be no sec- ond shot. Recent pictures of 67P show that its surface is porous, with steep cliffs and house-sized boulders. One person involved with Rosetta from the start said the landing was "mission impossible" with only a slim chance of success. He spoke on condition of anonymity to avoid harm- ing his employer. Even if the landing fails, Rosetta itself will remain in the comet's orbit until at least the end of 2015, gath- ering reams of data with its 11 on-board sensors. As 67P gets closer to the sun it will begin to fizz and release the cloud of dust and ice that most people associate with comets. "We're going to have a ringside seat to see, for the first time, a comet turn into a comet, to develop its tail and explain what for centu- ries mankind has been puz- zled by," said David South- wood, a former president of the Royal Astronomical So- ciety who was involved with the Rosetta mission from the start. Overall, scientists hope the €1.3 billion ($1.74 bil- lion) mission will help them learn more about the ori- gins of comets, stars, plan- ets and maybe even life on Earth, he said. Mark McCaughrean, a senior scientific advisor at ESA, predicted plenty of surprises ahead. "With this comet, every time we see a new image the jaws drop," he said. "Ev- erybody just can't believe how lucky we have been." ROSETTA European space probe to check out comet a er lengthy chase BORIS ROESSLER ‑THE ASSOCIATED PRESS An expert watches his screens at the control center of the European Space Agency, ESA, in Darmstadt, Germany, Wednesday. By Jim Heintz The Associated Press MOSCOW Russian Pres- ident Vladimir Putin on Wednesday hit back hard against countries that have imposed sanctions over the Ukraine crisis, order- ing trade cuts that an of- ficial said would include a ban on all imports of agri- cultural products from the United States. The full list of products to be banned or limited for up to one year is to be published Thursday. But the state news agency RIA Novosti quoted Alexei Alexeenko of Rus- sia's plant and veterinary oversight service as saying "from the USA, all products that are produced there and brought to Russia will be prohibited." Alexeenko also was quoted as saying he thinks all fruits and vegetables from European Union coun- tries will also be banned. Putin's order appears to show that Russia, although increasingly suffering the effects of Western sanc- tions, is disinclined to back down on Ukraine. It follows the latest round of sanc- tions against Russia im- posed by the EU last week, . The U.S. and the EU have accused Russia, which an- nexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in March, of fo- menting tensions in eastern Ukraine by supplying arms and expertise to a pro-Mos- cowinsurgency,andhaveim- posed asset freezes and loan bans on a score of individu- als and companies.. White House spokes- woman Laura Lucas Mag- nuson decried the import ban, saying "Retaliating against Western companies or countries will deepen Russia's international isola- tion, causing further dam- age to its own economy." SANCTIONS Report: Russia to block US agricultural imports PLEASE RECYCLE THIS NEWSPAPER. Thank you! C & C PROPERTIES AnIndependentlyownedandoperatedMemberof Coldwell Banker Residential Affiliates. 741 Main Street, Suite #2 Red Bluff, CA 96080 1-800-287-2187 (530) 527-2187 FOR24/7PROPERTYINFOCALL1-888-902-7253 TEHAMA COUNTY REAL ESTATE TEAM • OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK www.redbluffcoldwellbanker.com See All Tehama County Listings at 2B D 1 BA 840 Sq Ft 0 A C $ 53,000 Prop Code 4009 3 BD 1 BA 1,080 Sq Ft 0.17 AC $59,900 Prop Code 4229 2 BD 1 BA 840 Sq Ft 0 AC $84,900 Prop Code 4219 3 BD 2 BA 1,299 Sq Ft 1.84 AC $114,900 Prop Code 4339 3 BD 2 BA 1,180 Sq Ft 0.15 AC $129,900 Prop Code 4669 1 BD 2 BA 1,200 Sq Ft 0.64 AC $136,000 Prop Code 4729 3 BD 1 BA 960 Sq Ft 0.26 AC $139,500 Prop Code 4519 2 BD 2 BA 1,120 Sq Ft 0 AC $148,000 Prop Code 4299 3 BD 2 BA 1,102 Sq Ft 0.3 AC $149,500 Prop Code 4709 3 BD 2 BA 1,488 Sq Ft 0 AC $149,900 Prop Code 4109 2 BD 1 BA 1,024 Sq Ft 0.31 AC $150,000 Prop Code 4439 3 BD 2 BA 1,425 Sq Ft 0.27 AC $159,000 Prop Code 4009 3 BD 2 BA 1,242 Sq Ft 0.16 AC $159,500 Prop Code 4319 3 BD 2 BA 1,161 Sq Ft 0.16 AC $166,000 Prop Code 4079 3 BD 2 BA 1,490 Sq Ft 0.95 AC $169,900 Prop Code 4629 3 BD 2 BA 1,680 Sq Ft 2.15 AC $180,000 Prop Code 4349 3 BD 2 BA 1,589 Sq Ft 0.88 AC $185,000 Prop Code 4139 2 BD 2 BA 1,249 Sq Ft 0.18 AC $185,000 Prop Code 4479 3 BD 2 BA 1,518 Sq Ft 1.29 AC $189,500 Prop Code 4419 3 BD 2 BA 1,800 Sq Ft 0.6 AC $199,900 Prop Code 4569 3 BD 2 BA 1,314 Sq Ft 5 AC $210,000 Prop Code 4329 3 BD 2 BA 1,172 Sq Ft 1.54 AC $219,000 Prop Code 4509 3 BD 2 BA 1,718 Sq Ft 0.31 AC $225,500 Prop Code 4149 3 BD 2 BA 1,783 Sq Ft 1.08 AC $229,900 Prop Code 4179 2 BD 2 BA 1,821 Sq Ft 2.03 AC $265,000 Prop Code 4099 3 BD 2 BA 1,710 Sq Ft 0.34 AC $267,000 Prop Code 4659 3 BD 2 BA 1,831 Sq Ft 4.91 AC $275,000 Prop Code 4119 3 BD 1 BA 1,268 Sq Ft 10 AC $299,000 Prop Code 4269 4 BD 4 BA 2,918 Sq Ft 0.33 AC $299,900 Prop Code 4399 3 BD 2 BA 1,484 Sq Ft 5 AC $314,950 Prop Code 4039 3 BD 2 BA 1,944 Sq Ft 0 AC $324,000 Prop Code 4749 3 BD 2 BA 1,990 Sq Ft 4.04 AC $379,900 Prop Code 4019 3 BD 3 BA 1,790 Sq Ft 1.14 AC $389,500 Prop Code 4259 3 BD 3 BA 2,345 Sq Ft 0.71 AC $399,000 Prop Code 4309 3 BD 2 BA 1,968 Sq Ft 8.72 AC $399,000 Prop Code 24449 3 BD 3 BA 2,295 Sq Ft 17.84 AC $435,000 Prop Code 4489 4 BD 2 BA 3,700 Sq Ft 8.85 AC $585,000 Prop Code 4249 4 BD 3 BA 6,500 Sq Ft 0.76 AC $599,000 Prop Code 4199 THURSDAY, AUGUST 7, 2014 REDBLUFFDAILYNEWS.COM | NEWS | 5 B