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Tuesday, January 10, 2012 – Daily News 5A WORLD BRIEFING Rivals pounce on Romney NASHUA, N.H. (AP) — Republican front-run- ner Mitt Romney stum- bled down the home- stretch of the New Hamp- shire primary on Monday, declaring, ''I like being able to fire people who provide services to me'' as his rivals intensified already fierce criticism. ''Gov. Romney enjoys firing people. I enjoy cre- ating jobs,'' said former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, who has staked his candi- dacy on a strong showing in Tuesday's primary and has shown signs of gain- ing ground in recent polls. Adding insult to any injury, Texas Gov. Rick Perry posted a ringtone to his campaign website that consisted of Romney say- ing, ''I like being able to fire people,'' over and over. Romney is the odds-on favorite in New Hamp- shire, and Huntsman as well as other Republicans who are contesting the state have generally been content to vie for second place in hopes of emerg- ing as his main rival in the South Carolina primary on Jan. 21. ''Second place would be a dream come true,'' said former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, as he raced through a final full New Hampshire cam- paign day that began before sunrise and stretched for more than 14 hours. The former Penn- sylvania senator finished a surprising second in last week's Iowa caucuses, but without money for televi- sion ads he has appeared to struggle as he seeks to convert that into momen- tum. Obama announces resignation of chief of staff Daley WASHINGTON (AP) — In a jolt to the White House, President Barack Obama announced Mon- day that chief of staff William Daley was quit- ting and heading home, capping a short and rocky tenure that had been expected to last until Election Day. Obama budget chief Jack Lew, a figure long familiar with Washington's ways, will take over one of the most consuming jobs in Ameri- ca. Daley's run as Obama's chief manager and gatekeeper lasted only a year. It was filled with consequential moments for the White House, like the killing of al-Qaida terrorist leader Osama bin Laden, but also stumbles with Con- gress and grumbles that Daley was not the right choice to coordinate an intense operation of ideas, egos and decisions. Obama said he reluc- tantly accepted the news and at first refused to accept Daley's post-holi- days resignation letter last week. Daley did not waver, expressing to his boss a desire to get back to his family in Chicago, where Daleys have dominated local politics for decades. But he offered no expla- nation on Monday about what accelerated his deci- sion; he had committed to Obama that he would stay on through the election. It apparently became clear that the fit was no longer working for either side. Senior adviser Pete Rouse had already taken on more of the day-to-day management. US condemns Iranian death sentence for American WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama adminis- tration denied on Monday that an American man sentenced to death in Iran was a CIA spy, and sharply criticized the Islamic republic in Tehran for what it called a pattern of arresting innocent peo- ple for political reasons. White House spokesman Tommy Vietor FINDERS COMPLETE AUTO REPAIR All makes and models. We perform dealer recommened 30K, 60K, 90K SERVICES AT LOWER PRICES Smog Check starting at $ (most cars and pick-ups) 2595 + cert. Pass or FREE retest 527-9841 • 195 S. Main St. KEEPERS Thrift & Antiques 10% OFF All Clothing (excluding consignment) expires 1/15/12 In the Frontier Village Shopping Center Tue-Sat: 10am-5pm 645 Antelope Blvd. 530 527-7798 Complete Autobody Repair INTERCITY BODY & PAINT Factory Trained Specialists In: • Painting • Fiberglass Repair • Exotic Metals • Color Matching • Frame Repair • Spray-In Bedliners • All Auto Manufacturers • Rental Cars Available We accept all Insurance Carriers 530 529-2040 1355 Vista Way, Red Bluff said officials were still trying to learn the details of the sentence against Amir Mirzaei Hekmati. If true, the U.S. would con- demn the verdict, he said. Iran charged that Hek- mati received special training and served at U.S. military bases in Iraq and Afghanistan before heading to Iran for an intelligence mission. A court convicted him of working with a hostile country, belonging to the CIA and trying to accuse Iran of involvement in ter- rorism, according to a state radio report Monday. ''Allegations that Mr. Hekmati either worked for, or was sent to Iran by the CIA are false,'' Vietor said in a statement. ''The Iranian regime has a his- tory of falsely accusing people of being spies, of eliciting forced confes- sions, and of holding innocent Americans for political reasons.'' The 28-year-old for- mer military translator was born in Arizona and graduated from high school in Michigan. His family is of Iranian origin, and Hekmati claims dual citizenship. His father, Ali, a professor at a com- munity college in Flint, Mich., has said his son was visiting his grand- mothers in Iran. Agency confirms Iranian uranium enrichment VIENNA (AP) — The U.N. nuclear agency on Monday confirmed that Iran has begun enriching uranium at an under- ground bunker to a level that can be upgraded more quickly for use in a nuclear weapon than the nation's main enriched stockpile. Comment from the International Atomic Energy Agency came after diplomats said that centrifuges at the Fordo site near Iran's holy city of Qom are churning out uranium enriched to 20 percent. That level is higher than the 3.5 per- cent being made at Iran's main enrichment plant and can be turned into fis- sile warhead material faster and with less work. ''The IAEA can con- firm that Iran has started the production of uranium enriched up to 20 percent ... in the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant,'' said an agency statement, which used the alternate spelling for the site. The move was expect- ed, with Tehran announc- ing months ago that it would use the Fordo facil- ity for 20 percent produc- tion. Iran began to further enrich a small part of its uranium stockpile to near- ly 20 percent as of Febru- ary 2010 at a less-protect- ed experimental site, say- ing it needs the higher grade material to produce fuel for a Tehran reactor that makes medical radioisotopes for cancer patients. But with the time and effort reduced between making weapons-grade uranium from the 20-per- cent level, the start of the Fordo operation increases international fears that Iran is determined to move closer to the ability to make nuclear warheads — despite insistence by the Islamic Republic that it is enriching only to make reactor fuel. Suspected Islamic extremist arrested in Tampa-area TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — A Kosovo-born Muslim man was charged with plotting to attack crowded locations around Tampa, including nightclubs and a sheriff's office, with a CUSTOM WE HAVE MOVED TO 333 S. Main St. Suite H Refurbished HP Dual Core Laptop $ 3600n Color Laser Printer $ 225 200 We carry Copy & Printer Supplies 20% off with this ad Labor, Parts & Accessories 530-690-3331 MOULE'S TEHAMA COUNTY GLASS for Fireplace Glass 515 Sycamore St., Red Bluff • 529-0260 MON.-FRI. 8AM-6PM SAT. 8AM-5PM 345 So. 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In the video, Osmakac is seen cross-legged on the floor with a pistol in his hand and an AK-47 behind him. Osmakac said in the video that Muslim blood was more valuable than that of people who do not believe in Islam, according to the com- plaint. He said he wanted ''payback'' for wrong that was done to Muslims, the complaint said. There is no indication that Osmakac planned to attack the Republican National Convention, which will be held in Tampa in August, federal authorities said. The area's Muslim community helped pro- vide authorities with information, said Steve Ibison, the special agent in charge of the FBI's Tampa division. Local laws around the US thwart medical marijuana More and more states are saying yes to medical marijuana. But local gov- ernments are increasingly using their laws to just say no, not in our backyard. In California, with the nation's most permissive medical marijuana laws, 185 cities and counties have banned pot dispen- saries entirely. In New Jersey, perhaps the most restrictive of the 17 states that have legalized mari- juana for sick people, some groups planning to sell cannabis are strug- gling to find local govern- ments willing to let them in. Dispensaries have also been banned in parts of Colorado and have run into opposition in some towns in Maine. Local politicians have argued that pot is still ille- gal under federal law, that marijuana dispensaries bring crime, and that such businesses are just fronts for drug-dealing, supply- ing weed to people who aren't really sick. Cities and towns are prohibiting dispensaries outright or applying zon- ing ordinances so strict that they amount to the same thing. The ordi- nances typically set mini- mum distances between such businesses and schools, homes, parks and houses of worship. Annual growth in US health care spending at historic lows WASHINGTON (AP) — Is health-care relief final- ly in sight? Health spending stabi- lized as a share of the nation's economy in 2010 after two back-to-back years of historically low growth, the government reported Monday. Experts debated whether it's a fleeting consequence of the sluggish economy, or a real sign that cost controls by private employers and government at all levels are starting to work. The answers will be vital for Medicare's sustainabili- ty, as well as for workplace coverage. U.S. health care spend- ing grew by 3.9 percent in 2010, reaching $2.6 trillion, according to the report by the Health and Human Ser- vices department. 442 Walnut St., Red Bluff January Specials: Dayspring Valentine Cards are here Arch Books 5 for $10 530-527-7663 TEHAMA ESTATES PROVIDES: ◆ Independent Living ◆ Private Apartments ◆ Three Nutritious Meals Daily ◆ 24 Hour Secure Environment ◆ House Keeping Services ◆ Warm & Friendly Staff ◆ Recreational Programs ◆ Scheduled Transportation ◆ Private & Formal Dining Rooms EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY 750 David Avenue, Red Bluff • 527-9193 All Rosaries & Medals 15% off! Happy New Year Gift Certificates Now Available!! (530) 528-8288 firstlovetatto.com 648 Main St. Downtown Red Bluff