Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/7766
Obama denounces waste and fraud in health care ST. CHARLES, Mo. (AP) — President Barack Obama denounced waste, inefficiency and down- right fraud in the govern- ment's health care system Wednesday as he sought to rally public support for his revamped overhaul plan. "Improper payments cost taxpayers almost $100 billion last year alone," Obama said at a rally in this St. Louis sub- urb. He said such payments amounted to more than is spent on the Education Department and the Small Business Administration combined, and that if there was a "Department of Improper Payments" it would be "one of the largest agencies in the government." The president came to Missouri as an installment in presenting a closing argument on his health care overhaul. He says inaction would hurt Americans. It was his sec- ond health care speech outside Washington in a week. Obama cited abuses in the government-run Medicare and Medicaid and in other federal health care programs, citing "payments sent to the wrong person, sent for the wrong reason, sent in the wrong amount." Diplomatic row during VP visit RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — An open diplomatic row during the visit of Vice Presi- dent Joe Biden has shined a spotlight on the U.S. failure to rein in Israeli settlement ambi- tions and deepened Palestinian suspicions that the United States is too weak to broker a deal. Biden's handshakes and embraces gave way to one of the strongest rebukes of Israel by a senior U.S. official in years after Israel's announcement during his visit that it plans to build 1,600 homes in disputed east Jerusalem. Israel apologized for the poor timing but is sticking to its plan to build the homes, enlarging one of the settlements that have impeded negotiations with Palestinians. The vice president on Wednesday assured Palestinians the U.S. is squarely behind their bid for statehood and urged the sides to refrain from actions "that inflame ten- sions or prejudice the outcome of talks." "It's incumbent on both parties to build an atmosphere of support for negotiations, and not to complicate them," Biden said, standing alongside Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Israel's announcement was widely seen as a slap in the face to its all- important U.S. ally. It stirred significant anger among U.S. officials and widespread skepticism about whether the Obama administration would have the courage or the backing to take Israel to task as the U.S. relaunch- es long-stalled peace negotiations. The future of those talks was called into question late Wednesday when the Arab League recom- mended withdrawing support for them. 'Lost Boys' actor Corey Haim dies LOS ANGELES (AP) — Corey Haim, a 1980s teen heartthrob whose career was blighted by drug abuse, has died. He was 38. Haim died early Wednesday at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, Los Angeles County coroner's Lt. Cheryl MacWillie said. "As he got out of bed, he felt a little weak and went down to the floor on his knees," Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter said. His mother called paramedics. An autopsy will deter- mine cause of death. There was no evidence of foul play, police Sgt. Michael Kammert said. Haim, who gained attention for roles in "Lucas" and "The Lost Boys," had flulike symp- toms before he died and was getting over-the- counter and prescription medications, police Sgt. William Mann said. "He could have suc- cumbed to whatever (ill- ness) he had or it could have been drugs," Mann said. "He has had a drug problem in the past." WASP female aviators are honored WASHINGTON (AP) — They flew planes dur- ing World War II but weren't considered "real" military pilots. No flags were draped over their coffins when they died on duty. And when their ser- vice ended, they had to pay their own bus fare home. These aviators — all women — got long-over- due recognition on Wednesday. They received the Congression- al Gold Medal, the high- est civilian honor given by Congress, in a ceremo- ny on Capitol Hill. About 200 women who served as Women Airforce Service Pilots, or WASPs, were on hand to receive the award. Now mostly in their late 80s and early 90s, some came in wheelchairs, many sported dark blue uni- forms, and one, June Bent of Westboro, Mass., clutched a framed photo- graph of a comrade who had died. As a military band played "The Star-Span- gled Banner," one of the women who had been sit- ting in a wheelchair stood up and saluted through the entire song as a rela- tive gently supported her back. "Women Airforce Ser- vice Pilots, we are all your daughters; you taught us how to fly," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the first woman to serve as Speaker of the U.S. House of Represen- tatives. She said the pilots went unrecognized for too long, even though their service blazed a trail for other women in the U.S. military. Church abuse reaches the pope's brother VATICAN CITY (AP) — Church abuse scandals in Germany have reached the older brother of Pope Benedict XVI and are creeping ever closer to the pontiff himself. While there has been no suggestion of wrong- doing by Benedict, the launch of an inquiry by German Catholic officials after his brother admitted he slapped children years ago is stirring Vatican fears of a major crisis for the papacy. Benedict, 82, was archbishop of Munich from 1977 to 1982 when he was brought to the Vat- ican to head the body responsible for investigat- ing abuse cases. During that time, he came under criticism for decreeing that even the most serious abuse cases must first be investigated internally. Since then, Benedict has taken a strong stand against abuse by clerics in the Roman Catholic Church. Just weeks before he became pope, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger caused a stir when he denounced "filth" in the church and among priests — a con- demnation taken as a ref- erence to clerical sex abuse. Portait of dual life P H I L A D E L P H I A (AP) — Colleen LaRose spent long days caring for her boyfriend's father in a second-floor apartment in Pennsburg, a small town north of Philadelphia. But online, federal authorities say, the devot- ed caretaker developed a daring alter ego, refash- ioning herself as "Jihad Jane" while helping recruit and finance Mus- lim terrorists — and eventually moving over- seas to kill an artist she perceived as an enemy to Islam. LaRose, 46, was charged Tuesday with conspiring with jihadist fighters and pledging to commit murder in the name of a Muslim holy war, or jihad. The indict- ment was announced hours after authorities arrested seven suspected terrorists in Ireland allegedly linked to LaRose, who has been in prison since her Oct. 15 arrest while returning to the United States. In e-mails recovered by the FBI over 15 months, LaRose agreed to marry an online contact from South Asia so he could move to Europe. She also agreed to become a martyr, the indictment said. But perhaps she felt like one already. Senate extends jobless aid WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate voted Wednesday to extend a host of soon-to-expire elements of last year's economic stimulus mea- sure, including help for the jobless and money to help financially strapped states pay for health care for the poor. The 62-36 vote came over protests from conser- vatives who say the bill adds too much to the $12.5 trillion national debt. Six Republicans joined all but one Democ- rat, Ben Nelson of Nebraska, in voting for the bill. The plight of the job- less and the political power of an annual pack- age of tax breaks powered the measure through the Senate, even though it would add more than $130 billion to the budget deficit over the next year and a half. The measure is the sec- ond piece of the Democ- rats' much-touted "jobs agenda" to pass the Sen- ate this year, with more elements promised, such as help for small busi- nesses suffering from a credit crunch. Concern over out-of-control bud- get deficits are a big chal- lenge to the success of the agenda. The vote sends the measure into talks with the House, which is wary about some Senate provi- sions included to defray the measure's impact on the deficit since they may want to use such "offsets" to help finance an over- haul of the health care system. Midnight knitter puts sweaters in town's trees WEST CAPE MAY, N.J. (AP) — Someone is spinning quite a yarn over one New Jersey shore town. An unknown person dubbed The Mid- night Knitter by West Cape May residents is covering tree branches and lamp poles with little sweaters under cover of darkness. Mayor Pam Kaithern says police are looking into the guerrilla cro- cheting, which technical- ly is against the law because it is being done on public property with- out permission. The mayor and many residents admit they're enthralled by the rain- bow of colors that has popped up. Resident Susan Lon- gacre takes a walk each morning in Wilbraham Park, where several tree branches and light poles have gotten the treat- ment. She thinks it's great. Even those who aren't thrilled admit the yarn is better than spray-painted graffiti. 8A – Daily News – Thursday, March 11, 2010 Now Enrolling Children Recently expanded and moved near Bidwell Elementary License # 525405817 Ê(530) 209-8743 My qualifications include: B.A. in Elementary Education and experience teaching grades K-8. 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