Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/93928
8A Daily News – Friday, November 16, 2012 WORLD BRIEFING BP agrees to plead guilty and pay a record $4.5 billion over Gulf spill NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A day of reckoning arrived for BP on Thursday as the oil giant agreed to plead guilty to a raft of criminal charges and pay a record $4.5 billion in a set- tlement with the govern- ment over the deadly 2010 disaster in the Gulf of Mex- ico. Three BP employees were also charged, two of them with manslaughter. The settlement and the indictments came 2 1/2 years after the fiery drilling- rig explosion that killed 11 workers and set off the biggest offshore oil spill in U.S. history. The settlement includes nearly $1.3 billion in fines — the biggest criminal penalty in the nation's histo- ry. As part of the deal, the BP will plead guilty to charges involving the 11 deaths and lying to Con- gress about how much oil was spewing from the blown-out well. ''We believe this resolu- tion is in the best interest of BP and its shareholders,'' said Carl-Henric Svanberg, BP chairman. ''It removes two significant legal risks and allows us to vigorously defend the company against the remaining civil claims.'' Troops operation GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — Palestinian militants barraged Israel movements, reservists signal Israeli ground with more than 200 rock- ets on Thursday, killing three people as Israel pressed a punishing cam- paign of airstrikes on mil- itant targets across the Gaza Strip. Three rockets targeted the densely pop- ulated Tel Aviv area, set- ting off air raid sirens in brazen attacks that threat- ened to trigger an Israeli ground invasion of Gaza. Late in the day, Israel signaled a ground opera- tion may be imminent as forces moved toward the border area with Gaza. At least 12 trucks were seen transporting tanks and armored personnel carri- ers, and a number of buses carrying soldiers arrived. Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said he had authorized the army to call-up additional reservists for possible action. The army said it was prepared to draft up to 30,000 additional troops. ''I ordered the military today to widen the draft of reserve soldiers in order to be able to be ready for any development,'' Barak said. Military officials said the moves were to prepare for the possibility of a ground invasion, but stressed no decision had been made. Israel TV sta- tions, however, said a ground offensive was expected Friday. The fighting, the heav- iest in four years, has also killed 15 Palestinians in two days and brought life to a standstill on both sides of the border. School has been canceled and many were huddling indoors. largely observed an infor- mal truce for the past four years. But in recent weeks, the calm unrav- eled in a bout of rocket attacks on Israel from Gaza and retaliatory Israeli airstrikes. Israel and Hamas have media fight JERUSALEM (AP) — The hostilities between Israel and Hamas have found a new battleground: social Israel and Hamas wage media. Forces and Hamas mili- tants have fiery tweets throughout the fighting in a separate war to influence public opinion. The Israeli Defense exchanged rebuilding NEW YORK (AP) — President Barack Obama vowed Thursday to stick with New Yorkers still struggling 17 days after Superstorm Sandy ''until the rebuilding is complete'' after getting an up-close look at devastated neighbor- hoods rendered unlivable. Obama brought the spot- light to people still without heat or electricity and hugged many of those try- ing to rebuild their lives. He also delivered a postelection message of unity, nine days after a closely divided America gave him a second term. ''During difficult times Obama vows to stick with New Yorkers through reported an annual loss of a record $15.9 billion and forecast more red ink in 2013, capping a tumultuous year in which it was forced to default on billions in pay- ments to avert bankruptcy. The financial losses for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30 were more than triple the $5.1 billion loss in the pre- vious year. Having reached its borrowing limit, the mail agency is operating with lit- tle cash on hand, putting it at risk in the event of an unexpectedly large down- turn in the economy. ''It's critical that Con- gress do its part and pass comprehensive legislation before they adjourn this year to move the Postal Ser- vice further down the path toward financial health,'' said Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe, calling the situation ''our own postal fiscal cliff.'' Shortly after it launched its campaign Wednesday by killing Hamas' top military commander Ahmed Jabari, the Israeli mili- tary's media office announced a ''wide- spread campaign on ter- ror sites & operatives in the (hash)Gaza Strip'' on its Twitter account. It then posted a 10- second black-and-white video of the airstrike on its official YouTube page. Google Inc., which owns YouTube, removed the video for a time early Thursday, but reconsidered and restored it. spokesperson said: ''We recommend that no Hamas operatives, whether low level or senior leaders, show their faces above ground in the days ahead.'' like this, we're reminded that we're bound together and we have to look out for each other,'' Obama said from a Staten Island street that was demolished by the storm. ''And a lot of the things that seem important, the petty differences, melt away.'' Obama announced that Housing and Urban Devel- opment Secretary Shaun Donovan, a former chief of New York's Housing Authority, will be his point person to oversee long-term redevelopment in the region. 2012 was due to mounting mandatory costs for future retiree health benefits, which made up $11.1 bil- lion of the losses. Without that and other related labor expenses, the mail agency sustained an operating loss of $2.4 billion, lower than the previous year. Much of the red ink in Grudging acceptance of 'Obamacare' On a three-hour tour, the president encountered many still suffering in Sandy's aftermath and waiting in lines for food, supplies and other help. A tweet from (at)idf- Postal losses cap year of payment defaults WASHINGTON (AP) — The struggling U.S. Postal Service on Thursday spreads WASHINGTON (AP) — From the South to the heartland, cracks are appearing in the once-solid wall of Republican resis- tance to President Barack Obama's health care law. Ahead of a federal dead- line Friday for states to declare their intentions, Associated Press reporters interviewed governors and state officials around the country, finding surprising openness to the changes in some cases. Opposition per- sists in others, and there is a widespread, urgent desire for answers on key unre- solved details. The law that Republi- cans have derided as ''Oba- macare'' was devised in Washington, but it's in the states that Americans will find out if it works, deliver- ing promised coverage to more than 30 million unin- sured people. States have a major role to play in two of the over- haul's main components: new online insurance mar- kets for individuals and small businesses to shop for subsidized private coverage, and an expanded Medicaid program for low-income people. Friday is the day states must declare if they'll build the new insurance markets, called exchanges, or let Washington do it for them. States can also opt for a partnership with the feds to run their exchanges, and they have until February to decide on that option. leadership BEIJING (AP) — Long- anointed successor Xi Jin- ping assumes the leadership of China at a time when the Communist Party is con- fronting slower economic growth, a public clamor to end corruption and demands for change that threaten its hold on power. The country's political elite named Xi to the top party post on Thursday, and unexpectedly put him in charge of the military too, after a weeklong party con- gress and months of divisive bargaining. Xi Jinping assumes China's The appointments give him broad authority, but not the luxury of time. After decades of juggernaut growth, China sits on the cusp of global pre-emi- nence as the second largest economy and newest power, but it also has urgent domestic troubles that could frustrate its rise.