AP News in Brief
Obama to order review that could give states power over car emission standards
WASHINGTON (AP) — Plunging into energy policy, President Barack Obama is poised to give states a freer hand in curbing emissions from cars, and to get his government moving on fuel-efficiency standards that could remake the auto industry.
Obama will announce his plans Monday at the White House, according to officials familiar with the details who spoke on condition of anonymity to avoid pre-empting the president.
The attention to energy comes as Obama heads into his first full week as president, with an agenda dominated by economic woes and a push to get a huge stimulus plan through Congress.
In one key move, Obama is aiming toward letting California and other states set their own tailpipe emission standards, a tool for reducing the gases that contribute to global warming.
And in the other, Obama will order the Transportation Department to enact short-term rules on how automakers can improve fuel efficiency of their new models based on a 2007 law.
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Congress takes up Treasury nominee, economic stimulus package, as Obama starts first full week
WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress is set to tackle the economy this week by considering President Barack Obama’s choice to head the Treasury Department and by acting on legislation to spur economic growth.
The Senate could confirm Timothy Geithner as Treasury secretary as early as Monday, after delaying a vote because Geithner failed to pay some of his federal taxes earlier this decade. Geithner settled his delinquent taxes shortly before Obama nominated him, and senators from both parties have said they expect him to be confirmed. Geithner would oversee the financial industry bailout approved by Congress.
Senate committees are scheduled to take up the massive economic stimulus package Tuesday and the full House is expected to vote on its version of the $825 billion plan Wednesday. The packages dedicate about two-thirds to new government spending and the rest to tax cuts. The proposals would combine tax cuts for individuals and businesses, help for cash-strapped state governments, aid for the poor and unemployed, and direct spending by the federal government.
The goal is to infuse money directly into the economy in the hope of bringing the nation out of recession, while creating 3 million to 4 million jobs. It would be largest economic recovery package ever enacted.
“These problems weren’t made in a day or a week or a month or even a year, and they’re not going to get solved that fast,” said Lawrence Summers, a top economic adviser to Obama.
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Congo warlord pleads not guilty to using child soldiers at international court’s first trial
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — A Congolese warlord pleaded not guilty to recruiting child soldiers and sending them to fight and die in ethnic battles as the International Criminal Court began its historic first trial Monday.
The trial against Thomas Lubanga began six years after the world’s first permanent war crimes tribunal started work and six months later than planned after being derailed by fierce debate over confidential evidence.
Wearing a dark suit and red tie, Lubanga showed no emotion as his French lawyer, Catherine Mabille, said he pleaded not guilty to using children under age 15 as soldiers in the armed wing of his Union of Congolese Patriots political party in 2002-03.
Lubanga’s militia “recruited, trained and used hundreds of young children to kill, pillage and rape. The children still suffer the consequences of Lubanga’s crimes,” prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo told a three-judge panel in his opening statement. “They cannot forget what they suffered, what they saw, what they did.”
Lubanga claims he was a patriot fighting to prevent rebels and foreign fighters from plundering the vast mineral wealth of Congo’s eastern Ituri region.
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Ill. governor defending himself on TV rather than at impeachment trial that could oust him
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Though Illinois lawmakers are launching an impeachment trial Monday that could remove Gov. Rod Blagojevich from office, the governor himself will be far from the capitol building — instead chatting with Larry King and the women of “The View.”
The Democratic governor is refusing to take part in his own trial, arguing that the rules are so biased that he can’t possibly get a fair hearing.
“You can conceivably bring in 15 angels and 20 saints led by Mother Teresa to come in to testify to my good character, to my integrity and all the rest. It wouldn’t matter,” Blagojevich told “Today” in an interview scheduled to air Monday morning.
He also was to appear live on “Good Morning America,” “The View” and “Larry King Live,” part of an energetic public relations campaign after weeks of near-silence.
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin said Sunday that Blagojevich should be defending himself at the trial. “Barbara Walters is not on his jury,” the Illinois Democrat said, referring to the “View” co-host.
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AP NewsBreak: US was worried about media, congressional interest over Obama’s immigrant aunt
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Homeland Security Department still is requiring high-level approval before federal immigration agents can arrest fugitives, a rule quietly imposed by the Bush administration days before the election of Barack Obama, whose aunt has been living in the United States illegally.
The unusual directive from the Homeland Security Department came amid concerns that such arrests might generate “negative media or congressional interest,” according to a newly disclosed federal document obtained by The Associated Press.
The directive makes clear that U.S. officials worried about possible election implications of arresting Zeituni Onyango, the half-sister of Obama’s late father, who at the time was living in public housing in Boston. She is now believed to be living in Cleveland.
A copy of the directive, “Fugitive Case File Vetting Prior to Arrest,” was released to the AP just over two months after it was requested under the Freedom of Information Act. It does not mention President Obama or any members of his extended family.
The directive is still in place, Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Kelly Nantel told the AP. It originally was distributed Oct. 31 by e-mail to immigration officers by an assistant director at the agency. Obama was elected president five days later. Nantel said the directive called for close supervision over any cases that could be high profile. She said it was not specific to Obama’s relatives.
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Police say bomb attached to bicycle kills at least 5 people in northwestern Pakistan
DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan (AP) — A bomb rigged to a bicycle exploded in a northwest Pakistani city on Monday, killing at least five people and wounding 20 in the latest attack to rattle the volatile region, police said.
The explosion occurred on a major road in Dera Ismail Khan, and most of the victims were either walking by the parked bicycle or traveling in nearby vehicles, area police chief Saeed Ullah said.
Taliban and al-Qaida militants are suspected in scores of attacks in Pakistan’s northwest regions bordering Afghanistan. Dera Ismail Khan lies near the Waziristan tribal areas, which are insurgent strongholds and favorite targets for U.S. missile strikes.
But the rough and tumble city also has witnessed sectarian violence in the past.
Ullah refused to speculate on the motive behind the latest explosion, saying the investigation was continuing.
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Researchers find no risk of thimerosal in vaccines causing brain problems
CHICAGO (AP) — A new study from Italy adds to a mountain of evidence that a mercury-based preservative once used in many vaccines doesn’t hurt children, offering more reassurance to parents.
In the early 1990s, thousands of healthy Italian babies in a study of whooping cough vaccines got two different amounts of the preservative thimerosal (pronounced thih-MEHR’-uh-sawl) from all their routine shots.
Ten years later, 1,403 of those children took a battery of brain function tests. Researchers found small differences in only two of 24 measurements and those “might be attributable to chance,” they wrote in the February issue of the journal Pediatrics, which was released Monday.
Only one case of autism was found, and that was in the group that got the lower level of thimerosal.
Autism is a complex disorder featuring repetitive behaviors and poor social interaction and communication skills. Scientists generally believe genetics plays a role in causing the disorder; a theory that thimerosal is to blame has been repeatedly discounted in scientific studies.
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`Slumdog Millionaire’ continues its climb with top award from Screen Actors Guild
LOS ANGELES (AP) — “Slumdog Millionaire” continued its unlikely rise from low-budget underdog to the highest Hollywood heights, winning the Screen Actors Guild Award for best cast of a motion picture.
The prize, which is tantamount to best picture from the guild, follows top honors at the Golden Globes and the Producers Guild Awards.
On the television side, “30 Rock” swept with wins for comedy series cast, Alec Baldwin and Tina Fey. TV drama honors went to the cast of “Mad Men,” Hugh Laurie (“House”) and Sally Field (“Brothers & Sisters”).
“Slumdog,” the story of a teenage orphan from the slums of Mumbai who becomes the biggest winner ever on India’s version of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,” has been both a critical and commercial hit. Its victory drew enthusiastic applause from the star-studded crowd at the Shrine Auditorium Sunday night, and it’s looking like more of a front-runner than ever as it heads into the Academy Awards Feb. 22 with 10 nominations, including best picture.
Anil Kapoor, who played the movie’s smarmy game show host, spoke on behalf of the “Slumdog” cast and dedicated the honor to the film’s many young actors.
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Japanese stocks fall ahead of earnings, most Asian markets closed; Europe opens higher
TOKYO (AP) — Stocks fell Monday in Japan, the only major Asian market open amid a slew of regional holidays, as investors braced for earnings this week from Sony, Honda and other major names. European markets opened higher.
The benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average ended down 0.8 percent at 7,682.14 after tumbling 3.8 percent to a two-month low on Friday. The broader Topix index fell 0.7 percent to 768.28.
As trading in Europe opened, Britain’s FTSE 100 was 1.2 percent higher, France’s CAC-40 gained 0.5 percent and Germany’s DAX was flat.
U.S. stock index futures were down, suggesting Wall Street would open lower Monday. Dow futures fell 3 points to 7,970 and S&P500 futures slipped 2.1 points, or 0.3 percent, to 821.40.
On Friday, investors’ ambivalence about earnings reports produced a mixed performance on Wall Street, with the Dow Jones industrials falling 0.6 percent to 8,077.56, but broader stock indicators rising.
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Andy Murray ousted in 4th round; Nadal, Serena Williams reach quarterfinals at Australian Open
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Being a favorite with the British bookmakers worked against Andy Murray at the Australian Open.
No. 14 Fernando Verdasco of Spain rallied to beat the 21-year-old Scot 2-6, 6-1, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 on Monday to reach the quarterfinals at the season’s first major.
The fourth-seeded Murray saved two match points after falling behind 40-0 in the last game but wasn’t able to fend off a third, dumping a backhand into the net.
Murray, who lost in the U.S. Open final last year to Roger Federer, was attempting to become the first British man since 1936 to win a Grand Slam singles title.
After recent wins over No. 1-ranked Rafael Nadal and No. 2 Federer, Murray had become a favorite to beat them both for the Australian title.
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