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4B Daily News – Friday, April 13, 2012 Republicans, Democrats vie for women WASHINGTON (AP) — The Mommy Wars in the middle of the 2012 presidential race? Ann Romney fought back Thursday after a Democratic consultant suggested she isn't quali- fied to discuss the econo- my because she ''hasn't worked a day in her life.'' The White House, in instant damage-control mode, declared that no one there was saying such a thing. Michelle Obama tweeted her personal sup- port of all mothers. With women's votes WORLD BRIEFING The press bus took a wrong turn Thursday. And suddenly, every- thing changed in the official showcase of North Korean achieve- ment. racial profiling and ''Stand Your Ground'' laws. For Mars Inc., the expected to be crucial in November, the remark by consultant Hilary Rosen ignited an immediate uproar: attacks by Mitt Romney's Republican campaign along with the disavowals from Presi- dent Barack Obama's allies. Republican presidential contender's wife, made her Twitter debut on Thursday in response to the contention she'd never worked: ''I made a choice to stay home and raise five boys. Believe me, it was hard work.'' Ann Romney, the The consultant apolo- gized later, on TV. Romney, once not in line with the NRA, now courts the gun group JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Running for the Senate in Massachu- setts, Mitt Romney once assured voters in a state with strong gun-control laws: ''I don't line up with the NRA.'' Now the likely Republican presi- dential nominee, Romney will headline the National Rifle Association's annu- al convention Friday and assure tens of thousands of gun-rights activists that he's squarely on their side. rival Rick Santorum dropped out of the nomi- nation race, the NRA con- vention in St. Louis pro- vides Romney an oppor- tunity to shore up his cre- dentials with an important conservative constituency that badly wants to oust Democratic President Coming just days after Barack Obama. Romney leads a list of prominent Republicans — including Santorum, Newt Gingrich, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker — who are scheduled to address more than 65,000 conven- tion registrants during a session billed as a ''cele- bration of American val- ues.'' Although Obama has virtually ignored gun issues during his term, the NRA considers him a foe and plans to mount an aggressive effort against him. The NRA has spent $20 million to $30 million in past presidential elec- tions, said NRA spokesman Andrew Aru- lanandam. It hopes to exceed that amount this year in an effort that is likely to include mail, phone calls and TV, radio, Internet and newspaper ads, he said. As the all-but-certain Republican presidential nominee, Romney hopes to reap the rewards of the NRA's broad network, which includes more than 4 million dues-paying members. Syrian opposition promises major Syria's opposition called for widespread protests Friday to test the regime's commitment to an inter- nationally brokered cease-fire that the U.N. chief described as so frag- ile it could collapse with a single gunshot. Regime forces halted protests BEIRUT (AP) — heavy shelling and other major attacks in line with the truce that began at dawn Thursday, though there were accusations of scattered violence by both sides. The government ignored demands to pull troops back to barracks, however, defying a key aspect of the plan, which aims to calm a year-old uprising that has killed 9,000 people and has pushed the country toward civil war. ''The onus is on the government of Syria to prove that their words will be matched by their deeds at this time,'' U.N. Secre- tary-General Ban Ki- moon told reporters in Geneva. He said the world was watching with skepti- cal eyes. ''This cease-fire process is very fragile. It may be broken any time,'' Ban added, saying ''another gunshot'' could doom the truce. began Thursday for the criminal trial of former presidential candidate John Edwards. Edwards sat at the defense table as about 180 potential jurors filed into a Greensboro, N.C., courtroom. U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Eagles then asked Edwards to stand and face them. He grinned and nodded as the judge intro- duced him. A cloud of brown dust swirled down deeply potholed streets, past concrete apartment buildings crumbling at the edges. Old people trudged along the side- walk, some with hand- made backpacks crafted from canvas bags. Two men in wheelchairs waited at a bus stop. There were stores with no lights, and side roads so battered they were more dirt than pave- ment. ''Perhaps this is an incorrect road?'' mum- bled one of the North Korean minders, well- dressed government officials who restrict reporters to meticulous- ly staged presentations that inevitably center on praise for the three gen- erations of Kim family who have ruled this country since 1948. So as cameras madly The presence of tanks and troops could discour- age any large gatherings, but the leader of the oppo- sition Syrian National Council, Burhan Ghalioun, urged Syrians to demonstrate peacefully on Friday. ''Tomorrow, like every Friday, the Syr- ian people are called to demonstrate even more and put the regime in front of its responsibilities — put the international community in front of its responsibilities.'' Jury selection begins in trial of former Sen. Edwards GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) — After years of investigation, denials and delays, jury selection The trial had been scheduled to begin in late January, but was delayed after Edwards' lawyers told the judge he had a serious heart problem that required treatment. Com- pared with the quick- smiling candidate of four years ago, the former U.S. senator, now 58, appeared slightly gaunt in the cheeks but still had no trace of gray in his care- fully parted hair. Edwards faces six criminal counts related to nearly $1 million in secret payments made by two campaign donors to help hide the married Democrat's pregnant mis- tress as he sought the White House in 2008. ''This is not a case about whether Mr. Edwards was a good hus- band or politician,'' the judge said from the bench. ''It's about whether he violated cam- paign finance laws. ... The Constitution says trial by jury, not trial by Internet or trial by gos- sip.'' Apeek behind the curtain in North Korea PY ONGYANG, North Korea (AP) — clicked, the drivers quickly backed up the three buses in the nar- row streets and headed toward the intended des- tination: a spotlessly clean, brightly-lit, extensively marbled and nearly empty building that preserves digital music recordings and makes DVDs. ists, invited into North Korea as it commemo- rates the centennial of founder Kim Il Sung's birth, arrived at the Hana Music Information Center, where a guide told them second-gener- ation leader Kim Jong Il made one of his last public appearances there before his Decem- ber death. The foreign journal- Primer for Primates WASHINGTON (AP) — Dan the baboon sits in front of a computer screen. The letters BRRU pop up. With a quick and almost dis- missive tap, the monkey signals it's not a word. Correct. Next comes, ITCS. Again, not a word. Finally KITE comes up. green oval to show it's a word. In the space of just a few seconds, Dan has demonstrated a mas- tery of what some experts say is a form of pre-reading and walks away rewarded with a treat of dried wheat. Dan is part of new research that shows baboons are able to pick up the first step in read- ing — identifying recur- ring patterns and deter- mining which four-letter combinations are words and which are just gob- bledygook. He pauses and hits a reading's early steps are far more instinctive than scientists first thought and it also indicates that non-human primates may be smarter than we give them credit for. ''They've got the hang of this thing,'' said Jonathan Grainger, a French scientist and lead author of the research. The study shows that Skittles latest food in DAILYNEWS RED BLUFF TEHAMACOUNTY redbluffdailynews.com/jobs controversy NEW YORK (AP) — It could've been Star- bursts, Twizzlers or Sour Patch Kids. But when Trayvon Martin was fatally shot, he hap- pened to be carrying a bag of Skittles. The 17-year-old's death at the hands of a neighborhood watch- man in February ignited nationwide protests and heated debate about privately held company that owns Skittles, the tragedy presents anoth- er, more surreal dimen- sion. Protestors carried bags of the chewy fruit- flavored candy while marching for the arrest of shooter George Zim- merman. Mourners pinned the bright red wrappers to their hood- ed sweatshirts at memo- rial services. On eBay, vendors sell $10 T-shirts with the words ''Justice for Trayvon Martin'' print- ed over a cartoon-like rainbow of pouring Skittles. Company —the unit of Mars that owns Skit- tles— issued only a brief statement offering condolences to Martin's friends and family, adding that it would be inappropriate to com- ment further ''as we would never wish for our actions to be per- ceived as an attempt of commercial gain.'' Wm. Wrigley Jr. Ala. judge orders man to jail for sagging pants PRATTVILLE, Ala. (AP) — A central Alabama judge ordered a man to serve three days in jail for contempt of court for wearing so- called saggy pants. Twenty-year-old LaMarcus D. Ramsey was in Autauga County Circuit Court on Tues- day to enter a plea on a charge of receiving stolen property. Circuit Judge John Bush told Ramsey his blue jeans were sagging too low and gave him the three-day stint. The judge told Ramsey to buy pants that fit or a belt when he gets out of the county jail. finds it disrespectful and a disruption when people wear pants below their waistline in his chambers. ''To me it's not any The judge says he different than if some- one stood up in court and started cussing everybody out,'' Bush said. ''It's disrespectful conduct and I think as judges we're expected to at least have some degree of control and respect for the court- room the people have given us charge of.'' Calls to Ramsey's public defender were not immediately returned. Cow escapes slaughter, will be spared PATERSON, N.J. (AP) — A cow that escaped from a New Jer- sey slaughterhouse will be spared. bovine was running through the streets of Paterson sometime after 8 p.m. Tuesday. The black-and-white Animal control offi- cer John De Cando tells The Record newspaper (http://bit.ly/IqWC6F) it was like ''Dodge City'' with police cars trying to corral the 750-pound animal. But the cow managed to break loose. De Cando tranquil- ized the cow after it became trapped between a fire hydrant and a truck. De Cando says the slaughterhouse owner has promised to take the animal to a farm. No one was injured.