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Tuesday, November 8, 2011 – Daily News 5A WORLD BRIEFING Greece to receive next bailout slice BRUSSELS (AP) — Greece can get a crucial (euro) 8 billion ($11 billion) slice of bailout money this month if the leaders of the two main parties both com- mit in writing to the terms of the country's two massive bailouts and the austerity measures and economic reforms that they require, eurozone finance chiefs said Monday. That payment, which has been delayed by two months, would head off a potentially disastrous default as early as Decem- ber. Jean-Claude Juncker, the Luxembourg prime minister who also chairs the euro- zone finance ministers meet- ings, said that ministers at their get-together in Brus- sels asked for a letter co- signed by the two party leaders that they will imple- ment that program. Such cross-party com- mitment is important as Greece gears up for new elections early next year. ''It is essential that the entire political class is now restoring the confidence that had been lost into the Greek commitment to the EU/IMF program and to the agree- ment of the 27th of Octo- ber,'' said European Union Monetary Affairs Commis- sioner Olli Rehn. He was referring to an agreement drawn up at a summit of European leaders last month in cooperation with the International Monetary Fund. Consumer borrowing rose in September WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans borrowed more in September to buy cars and attend college, but they charged less to their credit cards for a third straight month. The figures suggest that consumers are growing more cautious about taking on high-interest debt in a weak economy. Total consumer borrow- ing rose by $7.4 billion in September, the Federal Reserve said Monday. In August, it had fallen by the most in 16 months. The September increase reflected a 5.8 percent increase in borrowing in the category that includes car and student loans. But the category that covers credit card purchases dropped 1 percent after larger declines in July and August. Credit card use has sunk nearly 19 percent since Sep- tember 2008, the height of the financial crisis. For many consumers, adding debt with high interest rates is too risky when jobs are scarce, pay raises are few and unemployment has been stuck near 9 percent for more than two years. ''Households continue to prefer cash over credit as employment, income and wealth prospects remain feeble,'' said Gregory Daco, principal U.S. economist at IHS Global Insight. Voters to choose 2 governors COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Votes on immigra- tion, union rights and Presi- dent Obama's health care law could hold hints of the American public's mindset, four years into an economic downturn and one year from the presidential election. Tuesday's elections also include governors' races in Mississippi and Kentucky that will point to political prospects for 2012, when an additional 10 governorships will be contested. In both states, the governors' offices are expected to stay in the hands of incumbent parties, perhaps indicating that vot- ers aren't ready to abandon their loyalties. But regardless of the bal- lot questions and key politi- cal races, most experts agree the most important factor in 2012 remains the stubbornly weak economy. ''If the economy were to turn around in the next year, that's going to matter a lot more than what happens in ballot issues,'' said political analyst Justin Buchler. Lawmakers have tried to tie other issues, such as pub- lic employees' union rights, to their states' economic struggles. Tremors from drilling don't match up to power of natural ones WASHINGTON (AP) — Experts say the flurry of earthquakes in Oklahoma can't be blamed on man's thirst for oil and gas. The weekend quakes were far stronger than the weak tremors caused by drilling — especially the controversial practice of hydraulic fracturing, known as fracking. The shaking caused by drilling is usually so weak that it can't be felt. Experts say the Okla- Sunrise Rotary International Presents the 8th annual Soup & Salad Social Saturday, November 12th • 6-9 pm Veterans Hall • 735 Oak St, Red Bluff for more info. call 527-3092 Tickets: $25 pre-sale $30 at door Includes Soup & Salad plate from World Renowned Potter Mr. Randy Holbrook Proceeds go for Local Scholarships Counseling Center Giving Families Hope! Did you think we were just for children? • Individual & Family Counseling • Couple/Relationship Issues • Anger • Depression • Anxiety • Emotional Trauma • Family Relationships • Parenting Call our office for more info. 529-9454 Red Bluff 590 Antelope Blvd. Suite B-30 Corning Counseling Center 275 Solano Street #2 Visit redbluff.mercy.org or scan this code with a QR reader app on your smart phone to learn more information. homa quakes released near- ly 16,000 times more energy than the strongest attributed to hydraulic fracturing. Federal, state and acade- mic experts say preliminary readings show that the Okla- homa quakes are natural, following along the lines of a long-known fault. The drilling question has been raised because of recent small quakes in Okla- homa and neighboring oil and gas states. Former US official says cyber weaknesses should deter US from waging war on other nations WASHINGTON (AP) — A former top U.S. cyber- security official says Ameri- ca's computer systems are so vulnerable to attack that it should deter U.S. leaders from going to war with other nations. Richard Clarke, a top adviser to three presidents, joined a number of U.S. mil- itary and civilian experts Monday in offering a dire assessment of America's cybersecurity, saying the country simply can't protect its critical networks. Clarke says if he was a advising the president he would warn against attack- ing other countries because many could launch devastat- ing cyberattacks that could destroy power grids, bank- ing networks or transporta- tion systems. He says securing net- works will require more government regulation and a commitment by the U.S. to respond harshly to efforts by China and others that use cyberattacks to steal sensi- tive corporate or govern- ment data. Measure would reduce Social Security benefit increases WASHINGTON (AP) — Just as 55 million Social Security recipients are about to get their first benefit increase in three years, Con- gress is looking at reducing future raises by adopting a new measure of inflation that also would increase taxes for most families — the biggest impact falling on those with low incomes. If adopted across the government, the inflation measure would have wide- spread ramifications. Future increases in veterans' bene- fits and pensions for federal workers and military per- sonnel would be smaller. And over time, fewer people would qualify for Medicaid, Head Start, food stamps, school lunch programs and home heating assistance than under the current mea- sure. Taxes would go up by $60 billion over the next decade because annual adjustments to the tax brack- ets would be smaller, result- ing in more people jumping into higher tax brackets because their wages rose faster than the new inflation measure. Annual increases in the standard deduction and personal exemptions would become smaller. Despite fierce opposition from seniors groups, the proposal is gaining momen- tum in part because it would let policymakers gradually cut benefits and increase taxes in a way that might not be readily apparent to most Americans. Changes at first would be small — the Social Security increase would be cut by just a few dollars in the first year. But the impact, as well as savings to the government, would grow over time, gen- erating about $200 billion in the first decade and much more after that. Good deed quickly repaid MENOMONIE, Wis. (AP) — A Canadian man who had just helped a motorist change a tire in western Wisconsin had his good deed quickly repaid when, just minutes later, that same motorist helped to save his life. According to the Wisconsin State Patrol, Victor Giesbrecht, of Win- nipeg, was driving Saturday evening on Interstate 94 about 9 miles east of Menomonie when he stopped to help another motorist change a tire. Patrol Sgt. Michael Newton said that after driving off, Gies- brecht was stricken by a heart attack within a mile or two. His wife, Ann, helped bring their pickup truck to a stop, called 911 and waved her arms for help. At about the same time, the motorists they had just helped pulled up. The Star Tribune reported Monday that one of them, Lisa Meier, of Eau Claire, performed cardiopulmonary resuscita- tion on him until emergency personnel arrived. A state trooper and two Dunn County deputies took over and used an automated external defibrillator to help Giesbrecht regain a pulse and resume breathing. A medical helicopter took Giesbrecht to Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire. He was in serious condition Monday. Newton said if Gies- brecht hadn't helped with the tire change, his initial rescuer may have remained stranded for too long to play a life-saving role. ''If he had been a few more miles down the road and had his heart attack, it could have been a different outcome,'' Newton said.