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ByDebRiechmann The Associated Press WASHINGTON The White House said Friday that as many as 116 civilians have been killed by drone and other U.S. strikes in Pak- istan, Yemen and Africa since President Barack Obama took office in 2009. In its first public assess- ment, the administration said the death toll was be- tween 64 and 116 civilians between January 2009 and December 2015, which is significantly lower than ci- vilian casualty estimates by various human rights groups. Those range as high as 1,100 killed. The number of combat- ants killed in those 473 strikes was between 2,372 and 2,581. Seeking to create a prec- edent for his successor, Obama signed an executive order that details U.S. pol- icies to limit civilian casu- alties and makes protecting civilians a central element in U.S. military operations planning. The order requires an annual release of casualty estimates. It says the gov- ernment should include "credible reporting" by non- government groups when it reviews strikes to deter- mine if civilians were killed. But the directive won't necessarily be binding on the next president, who could change the policy with an executive order of his or her own. While sketchy details of- ten emerge about individual drone strikes, the full scope of the U.S. drone program has long been shrouded from view. It is a key tool of Obama's counterterror- ism strategy. The administration did not disclose where the ci- vilian deaths occurred, but said their numbers ex- cluded areas of "active hos- tilities" like Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria. Obama, who ramped up drone war- fare after taking office, has ordered CIA and Defense Department air attacks in Pakistan, Yemen, Libya and Somalia and possibly other locations. The num- bers do not include civil- ians killed during U.S. military operations where there are American forces on the ground. Human rights groups have long claimed that the administration under- counts civilian casualties and the new information is unlikely to satisfy them en- tirely. The London-based Bu- reau of Investigative Jour- nalism, for instance, has estimated anywhere from 492 to about 1,100 civilians killed by drone strikes in Pakistan, Yemen and So- malia since 2002. Federico Borello, exec- utive director of Center for Civilians in Conflict in Washington, applauded Obama for the executive or- der. He said his group prob- ably would call on Congress to codify it into law so that future presidents cannot throw it out. "This is something that we've been working on for 10 years," he said. Having civilian protections "in the heart of military planning is a big deal." DRONES US:Upto116civilianskilledinairattacks SUSANWALSH—THEASSOCIATEDPRESS President Barack Obama speaks in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on Thursday. By Eric Tucker The Associated Press WASHINGTON Attorney General Loretta Lynch is expressing regret that she sat down with Bill Clinton while his wife is under fed- eral criminal investigation, a chance encounter she ac- knowledges "cast a shadow" on the public's perception of a case bound to influence the presidential campaign. "I certainly wouldn't do it again," Lynch said of the meeting. For Hillary Clin- ton, the presumptive Demo- cratic nominee, the episode raised the risk that voters will see her anew as half of a power couple that makes its own rules. Lynch hastened to add that she would follow the recommendations of ca- reer prosecutors on whether to file criminal charges at the close of the investiga- tion into Hillary Clinton's emails, removing herself from that decision. The attorney general's remarks at a conference in Colorado were aimed at tamping down concerns that the investigation could be politically tainted or that Lynch, an Obama adminis- tration appointee, might overrule the findings of agents and prosecutors. They have spent months looking into the possible mishandling of classified information on the private email server Clinton used as secretary of state. Lynchsaidsheunderstood thatherprivatemeetingwith Clinton aboard her plane in Phoenix might be seen as compromising the neutral- ity of the investigation, even though she said the chat was largelysocialandherdepart- ment's probe of Hillary Clin- ton was not discussed. Asked what she was thinking in permitting the meeting to occur, Lynch said: "I completely get that question, and I think it is the question of the day." The outcome of the inves- tigation is likely to shape the presidential campaign, whether to Clinton's bene- fit if she emerges unscathed or to Republican rival Don- ald Trump's advantage in the event that she or any- one close to her winds up prosecuted. Bill Clinton's approach of the attorney general also could aggravate questions of trust that already hang over Hillary Clinton in the minds of some voters — even if she's never charged. Lynch said she had de- cided even before the tar- mac meeting to heed the recommendations of a team of federal agents and career prosecutors who have been working on the case. EMAIL CASE AG Lynch wishes she hadn't met with Bill Clinton By Julie Pace, Jonathan Lemire and Jill Colvin The Associated Press WASHINGTON Donald Trump wants a running mate who has what he lacks — political experi- ence. Hillary Clinton is putting a premium on di- versity as she searches for a No. 2. Yet the presidential ri- vals are running strikingly similar processes for tap- ping their vice presiden- tial picks: relying on prom- inent Washington lawyers to comb through the back- ground of top contenders, seeking guidance from a small circle of trusted ad- visers and family mem- bers, and weighing their personal chemistry with prospects. Trump, a wealthy businessman who has never held public office, is mulling a small num- ber of political veter- ans. He's seriously con- sidering former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions and Indi- ana Gov. Mike Pence, ac- cording to people with direct knowledge of the vetting process. "We're vetting a lot of good people and we have a lot of interest in people that want to leave high po- sitions and do this," Trump said Thursday. The presumptive Re- publican nominee appears less concerned about di- versity. His campaign chairman has said pub- licly that Trump is not in- terested in choosing a woman or minority for the sake of appealing to a particular segment of the electorate. The confirmed contenders are all white men over age 50. Clinton has said she wants a running mate who is well-prepared to become president. But Democrats say she's also giving pri- ority to diversity and has been weighing women, Hispanic and black candi- dates — a nod to the vot- ing blocs Democrats need to win in presidential elec- tions. Top contenders for the Democratic ticket include Massachusetts Sen. Eliza- beth Warren, one of Wash- ington's most prominent female lawmakers; Hous- ing and Urban Develop- ment Secretary Julian Cas- tro, a telegenic 41-year-old Hispanic politician; and Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine. New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, one of two black senators, was also being considered, though it's un- clear whether he is still in the running. It's rare that a running mate dramatically shifts the trajectory of a pres- idential race. Yet it's still among the most important decisions nominees face during the general election and their choice is viewed as a reflection of their pri- orities and values. Clinton has veteran Democratic lawyer James Hamilton overseeing her selection process, with in- put from longtime confi- dants John Podesta and Cheryl Mills. Clinton is expected to begin meet- ing with candidates her- self next week, according to two Democrats with knowledge of the process. Given Clinton's de- cades in the public eye, her advisers don't expect her selection of a run- ning mate to change her electoral prospects sig- nificantly. But one Clin- ton aide said it was im- portant that her running mate help tell the "story" of her candidacy. Clinton has increas- ingly said her campaign is about Americans being "stronger together" — a phrase intended to convey the importance of a diverse country fighting for com- mon goals. 2016 CAMPAIGN Priorities differ for Trump and Clinton in VP search P.O.Box220 Red Bluff, CA 96080 Support our classrooms, keep kids reading. DONATE YOUR VACATION newspaper dollars to the Newspaper In Education Program HELP OUR CHILDREN Formoredetailscall Circulation Department (530) 737-5047 Select"Subscribe"tabin lower right corner Complete information for automatic weekly delivery to your email inbox That's it! FREE online subscription to TV Select Magazine Digital edition emailed to you, every Saturday! Just go online to www.ifoldsflip.com/t/5281 (You'll only need to go there one time) • Fully searchable online, zoom in, print out pages and more! • No newspaper online subscription or website access required. • Best of all ... it's ABSOLUTELY FREE! 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