Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/8157
Monday, March 22, 2010 – Daily News – 3B WORLD BRIEFING Thousands converge in DC to rally for reform WASHINGTON (AP) — Frustrated with the pace of action to over- haul the country’s immigration system, thousands of demonstra- tors descended on the nation’s capital Sunday, waving American flags and holding homemade signs in English and Spanish. President Barack Obama, who promised to make overhauling the immigration system a top priority in his first year, sought to reassure those at the rally with a video message present- ed on giant screens at the National Mall. The president said he was committed to working with Congress this year on a comprehensive bill to fix a ‘‘broken immi- gration system.’’ Obama said problems include families being torn apart, employers gaming the system and police officers strug- gling to keep communi- ties safe. The president, whose comments were released as he worked to get last- minute votes on a health care overhaul, said he would do everything in his power to forge a bipartisan consensus on immigration reform. Some demonstrators were disappointed immigration reform has- n’t come sooner. Voters say no to Sarkozy’s economic plan PARIS (AP) — The long-flailing French left made a big-time come- back Sunday, crushing Nicolas Sarkozy’s con- servatives in regional elections colored by vot- ers’ economic worries — and informally kicking off the 2012 presidential race. Cheers resounded from Socialist Party headquarters as leftists swept races from the French Riviera to Paris. With 93 percent of bal- lots counted, the Social- ists and their allies won 53.8 percent of the vote nationwide, while Sarkozy’s UMP party had 34.97 percent, according to the Interior Ministry. The results show what a rough road the dynam- ic but increasingly isolat- ed Sarkozy has ahead of him between now and 2012. Nationwide strikes are planned Tuesday by some of those who pun- ished his party Sunday: train drivers angry over pension reforms that are a pillar of his presiden- tial policy, and teachers angry over job cuts. Meanwhile, he faces new challenges from a popu- lar green movement and a re-invigorated extreme right. Sunday’s vote came close to the ‘‘grand slam’’ sweep of all 26 regions that the Social- ists were hoping for. Official results showed the conservatives hold- ing on to Alsace but los- ing control of Corsica. Those were the only two regions run by the right going into the vote, and two closely watched races. ‘‘These elections show that the French are worried,’’ Prime Minis- ter Francois Fillon said. ‘‘I take my share of the responsibility.’’ Fillon was to meet with Sarkozy first thing Mon- day to discuss the elec- tion results, but no major fallout was expected. Sarkozy will follow up the elections with a ‘‘modest reshuffle’’ of PAID ADVERTISEMENT the government, his chief of staff Claude Gueant said in an interview with the Catholic daily La Croix. Shareholders claim Toyata deception MIAMI (AP) — Toy- ota shareholders incensed over a sudden drop in the Japanese automaker’s stock price are heading to court with lawsuits claiming company executives deliberately misled investors and the public about the depth of accelerator problems in millions of its vehicles. At least three pro- posed class-action law- suits filed by Toyota investors say the com- pany gave false initial assurances that the sud- den acceleration prob- lem was a simple matter of floor mats trapping gas pedals, helping prop up the stock price. The shareholder cases are part of an avalanche of potentially costly lawsuits against Toyota Motor Corp. over the acceleration issue, including those filed by crash victims and their families and those brought by Toyota owners contending their vehicles are worth far less because of the recalls. The investor lawsuits say Toyota spread mis- leading information through press releases, conference calls with stock analysts and TV interviews to assure stockholders and the public that the accelera- tor problem was easily fixed or might be the driver’s fault. Instead, the lawsuits contend, top Toyota executives have known for nearly a decade that faulty electronic throttle controls caused vehicles to sometimes careen wildly out of control but covered it up to protect the company’s reputa- tion for safety — and its stock price. The compa- ny has not issued any recalls involving flaws in the electronic throt- tles and has repeatedly denied they are the problem. I For information on participation in Kids & Families call (530) 527-2151 P.A.W.S. (Partners for Animal Welfare & Safety) A Volunteer Program Dedicated to the Prevention of Litters, Not the Destruction of Unwanted animals. HOW CAN YOU HELP? CALL US! 528-8018 Please leave your number we WILL call you back P.O. Box 8908, Red Bluff CA 96080 THE VACUUM MAN 440 Antelope Boulevard Suite 6 VACUUMS (Hoover Spirit • Ready-Vac • Sharp • Sanyo • Panasonic) SEWING MACHINES NEW & RECONDITIONED, REPAIRS, BAGS, PARTS, ACCESSORIES V 1995 $ Service with coupon acuum 440 Antelope Blvd. Suite 6 Red Bluff, CA 96080 (530) 527-8644 Member of the Better Business Bureau P.A.W.S. (Partners for Animal Welfare & Safety) P.A.W.S. Says...Movie Night Fund Raiser a Success Thanks to everyone who supported our Tom Hanks Turner & Hooch Movie night at the State Theatre Friday night. Especially, the brave hearts who got square in the middle of the lightening, hail and thunderstorm on the way to the theatre! Animal lovers have exceptionally good humor and determination! Special thanks to: • Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson who gave the generous grant to the State Theatre for the Arts and to Venita Philbrick, director, who decided to share with 5 local non-profits. PAWS was one of those selected and we are sincerely grateful to be chosen. • To Marcy Mallory Bettinelli, a PAWS Board member, who organized this event for PAWS and to our loyal volunteers, all of who made the evening enjoyable to attend. • The Daily News who cooperated with the Theatre Group in advertising the event. We made $781 and that will help pay for 15 spay neuter certificates for PAWS to give out on the first of next month. THANK YOU! Accepting Enrollment for 2010-2011 Kindergarten through Eighth Grade Call (530) 527-7040 Serving Tehama County Since 1970 R H L C O O O H M C M S U N N T I A I Y S C T