Evening Edition

Evening Edition is an Open Thread

Now with 60 Top Stories.

From Yahoo News Top Stories

1 Armed clashes as Ivory Coast stand-off turns bloody

by Evelyne Aka, AFP

1 hr 44 mins ago

ABIDJAN (AFP) – Bloody clashes erupted in Abidjan and central Ivory Coast on Thursday, leaving at least 11 dead and many more hurt, as the stand-off between two self-declared presidents spread to the streets.

Supporters of Alassane Ouattara had intended to march on the headquarters of state television, held by his rival the incumbent Laurent Gbagbo, but fighting broke out when they were faced with heavily-armed security forces.

Former rebels loyal to Ouattara’s choice for prime minister, Guillaume Soro, fought fierce gunbattles with Gbagbo’s government security forces in Abidjan and in the central town of Tiebissou on the 2003 civil war ceasefire line.

2 Protesters shot as I.Coast stand-off spreads to street

by David Youant, AFP

Thu Dec 16, 7:29 am ET

ABIDJAN (AFP) – At least four demonstrators were shot dead in Abidjan Thursday as troops loyal to one Ivory Coast’s two self-declared presidents mobilised to thwart an attempt to storm state television headquarters.

Soldiers deployed by Laurent Gbagbo’s regime set up a cordon of armoured cars around the broadcaster’s Abidjan offices, as France and the United Nations called for restraint and warned of the dangers of a return to violence.

Young supporters of Gbagbo’s rival Alassane Ouattara massed in several poor city districts, throwing up street barricades and hurling stones at police and armed with assault rifles and backed by more armoured vehicles.

3 Europe paves way for lasting euro lifeline

by Roddy Thomson, AFP

55 mins ago

BRUSSELS (AFP) – Leaders granted struggling euro nations a lasting financial lifeline Thursday, ring-fencing their shared currency with an agreement to rewrite the European Union rule-book.

Changes to the Lisbon Treaty were demanded by Germany to enable a temporary, trillion-dollar rescue fund to be turned into a permanent umbrella that will allow governments who fall on hard times to seek and obtain help from currency partners.

While the holiday season is set to offer respite similar to that leaders experienced during the World Cup, market analysts are firmly anticipating the need to bail out Portugal next year, and possibly even Spain further down the line.

4 IMF approves 22.5 bln dollar loan for Ireland

AFP

21 mins ago

WASHINGTON (AFP) – The International Monetary Fund gave Ireland a green light Thursday to borrow 22.5 billion euros (30.1 billion dollars) to battle an economic and banking crisis.

About 5.8 billion euros is immediately available to Ireland, the IMF said in a statement.

The fund’s executive board approved a three-year loan for Ireland “to support the authorities’ economic adjustment and financial stabilization program,” the 187-nation institution said.

5 Europe acts to protect euro from debt shocks

by Laurent Thomet, AFP

Thu Dec 16, 12:26 pm ET

BRUSSELS (AFP) – Europe moved Thursday to shore up the euro despite divisions over how to bury market fears of a fresh debt crisis engulfing Portugal and Spain.

European Union leaders met behind closed doors to lay the foundation for a permanent financial rescue system from January 2013 to protect the eurozone — a new milestone in the evolution of the 27-nation EU.

“We all share the same objective: to ensure a stable Europe and currency,” German Chancellor Angela Merkel said, calling the future euro crisis umbrella a “big piece of solidarity between the states that share the euro.”

6 Divided Europe aims to shield the euro for good

by Laurent Thomet, AFP

Thu Dec 16, 8:07 am ET

BRUSSELS (AFP) – European leaders meet on Thursday divided on immediate steps to shield the euro from market fears that Portugal and Spain could be the next debt dominoes to fall after massive Greek and Irish bailouts.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged European Union partners to rally behind the single currency going into a two-day summit in Brussels, saying its success depended on their unity.

The summit is set to be a milestone of sorts in the evolution of the European Union and eurozone.

7 WikiLeaks’ Assange vows to clear name as freed on bail

by Alice Ritchie and Danny Kemp, AFP

45 mins ago

LONDON (AFP) – WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange vowed to clear his name of allegations of sexual assault and pursue his work with the whistleblowing website after he was freed on bail by a London court Thursday.

“I hope to continue my work and continue to protest my innocence in this matter and to reveal as we get it — which we have not yet — the evidence from these allegations,” Assange said on the steps of the High Court where he was greeted by a media scrum.

Assange and his lawyers insist that moves to extradite him from Britain to Sweden to face questioning over allegations he sexually assaulted two women are politically motivated.

8 US on track in ‘difficult’ Afghan war: Obama

by Stephen Collinson, AFP

2 hrs 1 min ago

WASHINGTON (AFP) – President Barack Obama said Thursday the US war plan in Afghanistan was “on track” but somberly warned that gains won by his surge strategy at a heavy human cost were fragile and reversible.

Unveiling a long-awaited policy assessment, Obama said progress was sufficient to permit a “responsible reduction” of US forces to begin in July, though the scope and size of the likely drawdown appear limited.

Despite warning the Afghan war remained a “very difficult endeavor,” Obama said a relentless US operation had Al-Qaeda under more pressure than ever and argued that US surge troops had made “considerable gains” in Afghanistan.

9 US war review cites gains against Taliban, Qaeda

by Stephen Collinson, AFP

Thu Dec 16, 7:03 am ET

WASHINGTON (AFP) – President Barack Obama’s Afghan troop surge has made progress in curbing the Taliban and severely weakening Al-Qaeda, but US gains are not yet durable and sustainable, a new policy review said Thursday.

The long-awaited assessment says that some aspects of the high-stakes strategy are working well, after a year of record bloodshed, but many of the advances in the nine-year war remain fragile and reversible.

The report, which Obama is set to unveil later Thursday, says that after a relentless US campaign Al-Qaeda’s leadership in Pakistan is weaker than at any stage of the war launched after the September 11 attacks in 2001.

10 Science of man-made life can proceed: US panel

by Kerry Sheridan, AFP

1 hr 19 mins ago

WASHINGTON (AFP) – A White House panel said on Thursday the controversial field of synthetic biology, or manipulating the DNA of organisms to forge new life forms, poses limited risks and should be allowed to proceed.

An expert commission convened by President Barack Obama advised vigilance and self-regulation as scientists seek ways to create new organisms that could spark useful innovations in clean energy, pollution control and medicine.

Critics, including environmental advocates, accused the panel of not taking their concerns seriously and said that allowing science to police itself was tantamount to offering no oversight at all.

11 Lochte wins second gold as swimming records tumble in Dubai

by Karien Jonckheere, AFP

2 hrs 44 mins ago

DUBAI (AFP) – American Ryan Lochte bagged his second gold medal of the world short course swimming championships here on Thursday as two new world records were set on the second night of competition.

Lochte, 26, was first to get in on the action, claiming his second title here, but more importantly also the first individual world record of 2010.

He sped to victory in the 400m individual medley in 3min 55.50sec, slicing close to two seconds off the previous mark set by Laszlo Cseh of Hungary in December last year.

12 US sues BP, eight others over Gulf oil spill

AFP

Wed Dec 15, 7:20 pm ET

WASHINGTON (AFP) – The United States filed suit Wednesday for the first time against BP and eight other companies for uncounted billions of dollars in damages from a massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the worst in US history.

The complaint was filed by the Justice Department with a federal court in New Orleans, where thousands of individuals and small businesses have already sued the oil giant.

Attorney General Eric Holder said the complaint alleges that “violations of safety and operational regulations” caused the April 20 explosion on the Deepwater Horizon rig, which sent nearly five million barrels of oil gushing into the Gulf.

13 South African bowlers rip through Indians

by Colin Bryden, AFP

Thu Dec 16, 12:24 pm ET

CENTURION, South Africa (AFP) – South Africa’s fast bowlers made up for lost time as they ripped through the Indian batting line-up on a rain-shortened first day of the first Test at SuperSport Park on Thursday.

Morne Morkel took four wickets and Dale Steyn three as India crashed to 136 for nine after being sent in on a green, damp pitch.

Only Sachin Tendulkar, who made an elegant 36 off 34 balls, looked at ease as Steyn and Morkel confirmed their credentials as the world’s most lethal new ball pair as they scythed through the side ranked number one in Test cricket.

14 ‘Fragile’ gains for US Afghan war strategy: report

by Stephen Collinson, AFP

Thu Dec 16, 12:09 pm ET

WASHINGTON (AFP) – A White House report said Thursday that its Afghan troop surge had made progress in curbing the Taliban and stifling Al-Qaeda, but warned gains won in a bloody year were “fragile” and reversible.

The long-awaited review of President Barack Obama’s escalation strategy said Al-Qaeda’s senior leadership in Pakistan was weaker than at any time since 2001 and judged a “responsible reduction” of US forces could begin next July.

But the study was short on details and supporting evidence, and did not include pointed criticisms of the Pakistani and Afghan governments which have featured US government documents leaked in recent months.

15 Human rights court condemns Ireland over abortion

by Marc-Antoine Badoux, AFP

Thu Dec 16, 11:39 am ET

STRASBOURG, France (AFP) – The European Court of Human Rights on Thursday condemned Ireland for forcing a woman suffering from cancer who feared a pregnancy would worsen her health to have an abortion abroad.

The court awarded 15,000 euros in damages to the complainant, a Lithuanian living in Ireland, saying her rights to privacy and family life had been violated.

But it dismissed the plea of two Irish women who also had to travel to Britain to end their pregnancies because Irish law makes abortion a criminal offence if there is no risk to the life of the mother.

16 Australia struggling in third Ashes Test

AFP

Thu Dec 16, 8:03 am ET

PERTH, Australia (AFP) – Australia face an uphill battle to regain the Ashes after another top order collapse on the first day of the crucial third Test at the WACA in Perth on Thursday.

England, who will retain the Ashes with victory in the match, won an important toss and reduced the hosts to 69-5 after sending them in to bat on a greenish pitch, before Australia’s tail wagged to take them to a modestly competitive total of 268.

In reply, England edged safely to 29-0 at stumps, with Alastair Cook on 17 and Andrew Strauss on 12, leaving the tourists well-placed to build a commanding first innings lead on the back of their earlier good bowling and brilliant fielding.

17 BP investors spooked by oil spill lawsuit

By Tom Bergin and Sarah Young, Reuters

2 hrs 12 mins ago

LONDON (Reuters) – Oil major BP was the biggest faller on Britain’s blue-chip board on Thursday, as investors fretted that a U.S. government lawsuit might mean the cost of its oil spill will be far higher than predicted.

Legal experts have said BP’s $40 billion estimate for the total cost of the oil spill — hitherto largely accepted by financial analysts — could double if the U.S. government managed to convince a court that BP had been grossly negligent.

BP and analysts had dismissed this possibility so far, but the harshly worded lawsuit filed on Wednesday by the Obama Administration spooked investors who in recent months have been betting on a BP recovery and a return to paying dividends.

18 Obama administration sues BP, others over Gulf spill

By Jeremy Pelofsky and James Vicini, Reuters

Wed Dec 15, 5:58 pm ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Obama administration on Wednesday launched a legal battle against BP Plc and its partners by suing them for the worst offshore oil spill in U.S. history, which could cost the companies billions of dollars.

The lawsuit seeks damages from the well owners BP, Anadarko Petroleum Corp and Mitsui & Co Ltd unit MOEX, and well driller Transocean Ltd and its insurer QBE Underwriting/Lloyd’s Syndicate 1036, part of Lloyds of London, for their roles in the Gulf of Mexico disaster.

“While today’s civil action marks a critical step forward, it is not a final step,” U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder told reporters at a news conference.

19 CFTC delays tough commodity speculation crack-down

By Christopher Doering and Ayesha Rascoe, Reuters

34 mins ago

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The futures regulator on Thursday unexpectedly delayed its most aggressive measures yet to prevent speculators from distorting commodity markets after it failed to find enough support for a procedural vote.

A draft proposal to apply position limits across commodity futures and swaps markets ran into objections both from commissioners who want the agency to act quicker to crack down and those who fear moving too fast will damage the market.

The surprise set-back for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s most contentious reform is the latest sign of slowing progress in implementing the sweeping Dodd-Frank bill, the biggest regulatory overhaul since the Great Depression. Republicans have stepped up calls to tap the brakes.

20 U.S. arrests 4 in widening insider trading probe

By Grant McCool and Matthew Goldstein, Reuters

9 mins ago

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Four people were arrested on charges of leaking secrets about technology companies to hedge funds, including details about Apple Inc’s iPad ahead of its launch, in a widening U.S. probe into insider trading.

Authorities said another person, a former employee of Dell Inc, had pleaded guilty on December 10 to charges he had provided inside information about the company.

The case is part of a widening insider trading probe that intensified with a string of raids on hedge funds last month and subpoenas for information about their activities.

21 Despite bloodshed, Obama touts Afghan war progress

By Missy Ryan and Ross Colvin, Reuters

1 hr 43 mins ago

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama told war-weary Americans on Thursday that enough progress was being made in Afghanistan to begin withdrawing U.S. troops in July, even as he faces growing doubts about his war strategy.

Obama, under pressure to show results after criticizing his predecessor George W. Bush for neglecting the war, insisted that U.S.-led forces were scoring gains against the Taliban and al Qaeda but warned they were fragile and reversible.

Obama said the United States was on course to meet his pledge to begin withdrawing troops by mid-2011 and transition to full Afghan security control by 2014.

22 House wrangles over Obama tax cut bill

By Richard Cowan and Donna Smith, Reuters

1 hr 53 mins ago

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – House Democrats demanding a chance to blast the tax cut deal President Barack Obama struck with Republicans delayed a vote on the massive tax measure on Thursday, but House leaders said they still expected to pass the bill.

Many Democrats derided as a giveaway to the wealthy the deal to extend across-the-board tax cuts. The $858 billion measure is seen as a likely boost to the economy, but would pile onto a federal debt that some fear is nearing dangerous levels.

Lacking the votes to pass a rule to govern floor debate, necessary before any major legislation can proceed, Democratic leaders abruptly pulled the measure, temporarily stopping debate.

23 Special Report: Is America the sick man of the globe?

By Nick Carey, Reuters

Thu Dec 16, 8:42 am ET

SAGINAW, Michigan (Reuters) – Not long ago, if you wanted steak for lunch at the Texan Restaurant, less than two minutes drive from the Nexteer Automotive assembly plant, you had to be in the door by 11 o’clock in the morning. If you arrived any later, you joined a long line with other laggards and waited for a table to open up.

With noon fast approaching on a recent day, however, only a handful of customers sat in one of the restaurant’s two sections and the other was closed.

Asked how the decline in the U.S. auto industry has affected the local economy, Tammy Maynard, a waitress here since 1988, waved a hand around at the empty tables and said: “You’re looking at it, sugar.”

24 WikiLeaks’ Assange walks free on bail in London

By Isabel Coles and Avril Ormsby, Reuters

1 hr 33 mins ago

LONDON (Reuters) – WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, fighting extradition to Sweden over alleged sex crimes, walked free on bail from a British jail on Thursday protesting his innocence and pledging to continue exposing official secrets.

A weary-looking Assange spoke to a crowd of journalists and supporters waiting in the snow outside Britain’s High Court five hours after a judge said he could be released on 200,000 pounds ($312,000) bail under stringent conditions.

“It’s great to smell fresh air of London again,” Assange, illuminated by a blizzard of photographers’ flashes, said.

25 ECB boosts capital; EU leaders set crisis fund

By Ilona Wissenbach and Jan Strupczewski, Reuters

29 mins ago

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Central Bank moved to increase its financial firepower to fight the euro zone debt crisis on Thursday, and European Union leaders agreed to change the EU treaty to create a permanent financial safety net.

The ECB, in charge of monetary policy in the 16-nation euro area, said it would almost double its capital to 10.76 billion euros to cope with bigger credit risk and market volatility. Euro zone members will provide the increase.

IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who has been critical of EU leaders’ disjointed response to the rolling crisis, said he was worried about slow growth and the threat of contagion in Europe.

26 ECB to nearly double capital with 5 billion euro hike

By Gavin Jones, Reuters

Thu Dec 16, 11:19 am ET

ROME (Reuters) – The European Central Bank said on Thursday it had decided nearly to double its subscribed capital by injecting 5 billion euros, citing greater market volatility, credit risk and a growing financial system.

ECB sources told Reuters this week the bank was considering a capital hike to cover the risk of losses on government debt of peripheral countries it has bought to support the 16-nation single currency area.

Yields on peripheral sovereign debt fell slightly after the ECB’s announcement. But analysts said the decision should be seen as a defensive measure and there was no reason to believe the bank was planning to step up its purchases.

27 EU hopes to seize debt crisis initiative at summit

By Luke Baker, Reuters

Wed Dec 15, 6:25 pm ET

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – European Union leaders meet on Thursday to try to agree the next steps in tackling a year-long debt crisis that has consumed Greece and Ireland and threatens to spread to Portugal and Spain.

After months of battling to put out fires, including a 110 billion euro bailout for Athens and an 85 billion euro aid package for Dublin, EU leaders will discuss changing the EU’s treaty to create a permanent crisis-resolution mechanism from 2013, and may look at enlarging their existing crisis fund.

The two-day summit comes as market pressure on the sovereign debt of peripheral euro zone states has fallen marginally before year-end, but EU officials are conscious that any failure to take decisive action could be interpreted as weakness, with the threat of further bond market fallout early next year.

28 Special Report: Seven Samurai of new Japan Inc

Reuters

Thu Dec 16, 6:31 am ET

TOKYO (Reuters) – For decades, their ability to sell masses of cars and oodles of televisions was how corporate Japan, and its government at home, benchmarked its progress in conquering overseas markets.

Car builders led by Toyota, and gadget makers such as Sony or Panasonic became global brands. Left behind in Japan were thousands of firms, big and small, that for the most part were content to vie for their share of a big home market.

The emergence of aggressive Korean and Chinese rivals has dimmed the global manufacturing stars of Japan Inc. For the rest who plumped for a domestic existence, the pickings have become slimmer after years of recession and consumption-sapping deflation.

29 BofA negotiating with mortgage investors

By Al Yoon, Reuters

Thu Dec 16, 5:53 am ET

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Bank of America Corp has started negotiating with powerful mortgage investors that accused the bank of failing to buy back bad home loans, in an apparent shift in the lender’s stance.

Previously, Bank of America had said it would not be shy about fighting investors.

Bank of America on Wednesday said the investors have agreed to continue negotiating instead of putting it into technical default over $16.5 billion of bonds.

30 Analyst view: CFTC limits speculative commodity positions

Reuters

1 hr 30 mins ago

NEW YORK (Reuters) – The Commodity Futures Trading Commission on Thursday released a long-awaited proposal to set position limits in commodity markets.

The agency took heed of fierce objections raised by Wall Street since it first put forward a plan to cap the influx of investor capital that some blamed for driving oil and grain prices to record highs in 2008.

But the core principle remained unchanged: restricting the number of swaps and futures contracts that speculators can hold in energy, metals and agricultural derivative markets, a rule it estimated could affect nearly 80 agricultural traders and dozens of metals and energy players.

31 CFTC issues position limits, SEF rules

Reuters

1 hr 41 mins ago

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The following are highlights from a U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission hearing on Thursday that introduced rules for swap execution facilities, and limits for speculative positions held by commodity traders.

It was the eighth meeting the CFTC has held as part of a broader push by the agency to implement rules to overhaul the $600 trillion over-the-counter swaps market under the Dodd-Frank financial law enacted in July.

Speakers at the hearing include Chairman Gary Gensler and commissioners Michael Dunn, Jill Sommers, Bart Chilton and Scott O’Malia.

32 CFTC takes another shot at swap trading plan

By Christopher Doering and Rachelle Younglai, Reuters

2 hrs 46 mins ago

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The chief U.S. derivatives regulator on Thursday proposed a new plan to make trading in the most popular swaps as transparent as stock exchanges, while trying to ensure that requirements for less popular swaps don’t end up killing them.

Dozens of firms, such as IntercontinentalExchange Inc, hope to qualify as swap trading venues as the opaque swaps market is forced onto the public stage as part of the Wall Street financial overhaul mandated by the U.S. Congress.

How market regulators define these Swap Execution Facilities, or SEFs, will determine who will be in the business of trading and brokering the swap contracts.

33 China PM on India charm offensive, offers trade boost

By Sui-Lee Wee and Abhijit Neogy, Reuters

Thu Dec 16, 7:58 am ET

NEW DELHI (Reuters) – Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao pressed on with a charm offensive in India on Thursday, offering support for New Delhi’s bid for a greater role in the United Nations and agreeing on an ambitious target of $100 billion in trade between the rising Asian powers by 2015.

Relations between the world’s two fastest growing major economies are tense, despite the booming trade relationship between them. Nearly 40 years after they fought a war there are still rifts over disputed borders, and suspicion in New Delhi over China’s regional ambitions and its close ties with arch-rival, Pakistan.

But both Wen and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh exchanged vows of amity and goodwill, appearing to brush under the carpet a series of differences that have dogged relations for decades.

34 Basel regulators give some countries extra leeway

By Huw Jones, Reuters

Thu Dec 16, 6:18 am ET

LONDON (Reuters) – Global regulators said on Thursday that banks in low debt countries like Australia and Denmark will get more leeway to comply with tough new liquidity rules.

World leaders agreed in Seoul last month that the Basel III bank capital and liquidity rules would be phased in between 2013 and 2018. They replace Basel II which failed to ensure banks had enough capital to withstand the credit crunch, leaving taxpayers to inject trillions of dollars to shore up the financial system.

The rules were authorized by the global Basel Committee on Banking Supervision which published its final text on Thursday.

35 U.S. and China make progress on beef, software trade

By Doug Palmer and Paul Eckert, Reuters

Wed Dec 15, 8:55 pm ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Top U.S. and Chinese officials said on Wednesday they had made progress on beef, software and other bilateral trade irritants, reducing some friction ahead of a presidential summit next month.

“The understandings that we reached today will help to protect American jobs and bolster America’s competitiveness and help to grow our economy,” U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk said at the conclusion of two days of talks.

Beef exporters hailed Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan’s statement that China, in accordance with scientific principles and quarantine standards, would “resume the imports of American beef, both deboned and bone-in, under the age of 30 months.”

36 Twitter financing values company at $3.7 billion

By Alexei Oreskovic, Reuters

Wed Dec 15, 7:28 pm ET

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Twitter has raised $200 million of financing in a deal that values the microblogging company at $3.7 billion, less than a year after it began its first serious efforts to make money.

The funding, from Silicon Valley venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and existing Twitter investors, underscores the high hopes that investors have for Internet social networking companies.

“It’s a huge multiple. But the idea is that (Twitter’s) scale can be monetized,” said BGC Partners analyst Colin Gillis, who estimated that Twitter’s annual revenue was currently under $100 million.

37 House votes to end military’s policy on gays

By Thomas Ferraro, Reuters

Wed Dec 15, 7:24 pm ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Democratic-led House of Representatives Wednesday passed a bill to repeal a ban against gays serving openly in the U.S. military.

On a largely party-line vote of 250-175, the House sent the legislation supported by President Barack Obama to the Senate, where the prospects for approval are uncertain.

The House vote came just a week after Senate Republicans blocked a similar measure to end the policy — known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” — as part of an annual defense bill.

38 Lehman creditors file competing reorganization plan

By Dena Aubin, Reuters

Wed Dec 15, 7:13 pm ET

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc bondholders filed a rival plan to parcel out the bank’s estimated $58 billion in assets in the largest U.S. bankruptcy reorganization on record.

Hedge fund Paulson & Co, the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (Calpers) and other bondholders that filed the plan on Wednesday said the reorganization proposal offered by Lehman in March favored large banks over other creditors.

The bondholder plan, filed with a U.S. bankruptcy court in Manhattan, would combine the claims and assets of Lehman’s various units and pay creditors from a single pool. Lehman’s plan would treat each entity separately, allotting payouts to creditors from the entity that owed them money.

39 Final hurdle for tax bill: Is the end in sight?

By DAVID ESPO, AP Special Correspondent

29 mins ago

WASHINGTON – House Democratic leaders struggled Thursday night to clear legislation aimed at avoiding a Jan. 1 increase in income taxes, even as rank-and-file liberals argued vehemently it included an unforgivable giveaway to the rich.

“This bill is largely a mishmash of rejected Republican ideas that cost too much to accomplish too little,” said Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas. “The Republicans will rule the House for the next two years; let’s not give them an early start today.”

Doggett made his comments as the House began debate, but the speechmaking was interrupted after an hour so leaders could reassess the legislation’s prospects.

40 Obama: US on track in Afghanistan, issues remain

By ROBERT BURNS, AP National Security Writer

18 mins ago

WASHINGTON – Though mostly upbeat, the Obama administration’s assessment of war progress in Afghanistan suggests tough combat will continue for years and if the president begins to bring U.S. troops home next summer, as promised, the numbers will be small.

The internal review of President Barack Obama’s year-old war strategy unveiled Thursday says that Taliban momentum has been halted in many parts of Afghanistan and that al-Qaida leaders who are thought to be plotting further terrorist attacks on the U.S. from Pakistan sanctuaries have suffered grievous losses.

But the review makes clear that further progress won’t come easily. And it indicates that ultimate success depends heavily on factors beyond Obama’s control, such as Pakistan’s effectiveness in eliminating al-Qaida and Taliban havens on its side of the border.

41 Assange free from prison, back to leaking secrets

By CASSANDRA VINOGRAD, Associated Press

29 mins ago

LONDON – WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was released on bail Thursday – confined to a supporter’s 600-acre estate but free to get back to work spilling U.S. government secrets on his website as he fights Sweden’s attempt to extradite him on allegations of rape and molestation.

The silver-haired Australian, who surrendered to British police Dec. 7, will have to observe a curfew, wear an electronic tag and report to police in person every day.

But there are no restrictions on his Internet use, even as U.S. authorities consider charges related to thousands of leaked diplomatic cables and other secret documents WikiLeaks has released. The site has released just 1,621 of the more than 250,000 State Department documents it claims to possess, many of them containing critical or embarrassing U.S. assessments of foreign nations and their leaders.

42 20 states ask judge to throw out Obama health law

By MELISSA NELSON, Associated Press

35 mins ago

PENSACOLA, Fla. – Attorneys for 20 states fighting the new federal health care law told a judge Thursday it will expand the government’s powers in dangerous and unintended ways. The states want U.S. District Judge Roger Vinson to issue a summary judgment throwing out the health care law without a full trial. They argue it violates people’s rights by forcing them to buy health insurance by 2014 or face penalties.

“The act would leave more constitutional damage in its wake than any other statute in our history,” David Rivkin, an attorney for the states, told Vinson.

President Barack Obama’s administration counters that Americans should not be allowed to opt out of the overhaul because everyone requires medical care. Government attorneys say the states do not have standing to challenge the law and want the case dismissed.

43 Military leaders dispute GOP on arms control pact

By DONNA CASSATA, Associated Press

52 mins ago

WASHINGTON – U.S. military leaders dismissed Republican claims that a new arms treaty with Russia would hamper America’s missile defense efforts as supporters tried Thursday to nudge the pact toward ratification in the Senate.

President Barack Obama has pushed for approval of the treaty in Congress’ lame-duck session, a chance for a foreign policy victory to cap a politically difficult year. Conservative Republicans stand in the way, asserting that the United States made too many concessions in negotiations with Russia and the treaty would limit U.S. defense options.

“They get everything out of it,” insisted Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz. “I don’t know what we get out of it except for the president to say he made another arms control deal with Russia.”

44 At least 20 killed in Ivory Coast clashes

By MARCO CHOWN OVED, Associated Press

1 hr 24 mins ago

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast – Forces loyal to the two men claiming Ivory Coast’s presidency clashed in the streets of the commercial capital Thursday, killing at least 20 people and bolstering fears that the world’s top cocoa producer is on the verge of another civil war.

Explosions and gunfire were heard throughout Abidjan – once known as the “Paris of Africa” for its cosmopolitan nightlife and chic boutiques.

An errant rocket-propelled grenade struck an outer perimeter wall of the U.S. Embassy, but no injuries were reported and the damage was minor, State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said in Washington.

45 Spiders, snakes? Brain-damaged woman knows no fear

By MALCOLM RITTER, AP Science Writer

12 mins ago

NEW YORK – Meet SM, a 44-year-old woman who literally knows no fear.

She’s not afraid to handle snakes. She’s not afraid of the “The Blair Witch Project,” “The Shining,” or “Arachnophobia.” When she visited a haunted house, it was a monster who was afraid of her.

SM isn’t some cold-blooded psychopath or a hero with a tight rein on her emotions. She’s an ordinary mother of three with a specific psychological impairment, the result of a very rare genetic disease that damaged a brain structure called the amygdala (uh-MIG’-duh-luh).

46 Senators vote to ban earmarks – then grab them

By ANDREW TAYLOR, Associated Press

6 mins ago

WASHINGTON – Twenty-five senators, most Republicans, who recently voted to ban homestate projects are claiming hundreds of earmarks in an almost $1.3 trillion bill to fund most federal programs and agencies into next fall.

Republicans are calling the 1,924-page bill a pork-filled mess and accusing Democrats of trying to jam it through Congress with minimal debate and little if any opportunity to make changes. Some GOP senators voiced outrage but made no effort to dump their own earmarks from the legislation, which has been in the works for months.

The earmark-free approach promised by 39 Republicans and Democrats was adopted well after work got under way on the bill that’s coming to the Senate floor Thursday and has been endorsed by President Barack Obama. But with just a few exceptions, senators have not paired their opposition with requests to strip their earmarks from the bill.

47 Military jury: Prison, dismissal for Army birther

By JESSICA GRESKO, Associated Press

7 mins ago

FORT MEADE, Md. – An Army doctor who disobeyed orders to deploy to Afghanistan because he questioned President Barack Obama’s eligibility to be commander in chief was sentenced by a jury Thursday to six months in a military prison and dismissal from the Army.

The military jury spent nearly five hours deliberating punishment for Lt. Col. Terrence Lakin on Thursday after three days of court martial proceedings at Fort Meade, outside Baltimore.

Lakin was convicted of disobeying orders – he had pleaded guilty to that count – and missing a flight that would have gotten him to his eventual deployment. An Army commander, Maj. Gen. Karl Horst, still has to approve the sentence returned by the jury. Upon approval of the sentence, Lakin is granted an automatic appeal that would be considered by the Army Court of Criminal Appeals. He was to begin serving his sentence immediately.

48 Almost no oil recovered from sand berms

By CAIN BURDEAU and HARRY R. WEBER, Associated Press

8 mins ago

NEW ORLEANS – The big set of sand barriers erected by Louisiana’s governor to protect the coastline at the height of the Gulf oil spill was criticized by a presidential commission Thursday as a colossal, $200 million waste of BP’s money so far.

Precious little oil ever washed up on the berms, according to the commission – a finding corroborated by a log of oil sightings and other government documents obtained by The Associated Press through a public records request.

Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal ordered the berms built over the objections of scientists and federal agencies – and secured money from BP to do it – out of frustration over what he saw as inaction by the Obama administration. During the crisis, Jindal boasted that the sand walls were stopping oil from coming ashore, and the idea proved popular in Louisiana.

49 At least 20 killed in Ivory Coast clashes

By MARCO CHOWN OVED, Associated Press

1 hr 38 mins ago

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast – Forces loyal to the two men claiming Ivory Coast’s presidency clashed in the streets of the commercial capital Thursday, killing at least 20 people and bolstering fears that the world’s top cocoa producer is on the verge of another civil war.

Explosions and gunfire were heard throughout Abidjan – once known as the “Paris of Africa” for its cosmopolitan nightlife and chic boutiques.

An errant rocket-propelled grenade struck an outer perimeter wall of the U.S. Embassy, but no injuries were reported and the damage was minor, State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said in Washington.

50 Vick says he would like a pet dog, renewing debate

By GEOFF MULVIHILL, Associated Press

1 hr 23 mins ago

PHILADELPHIA – Michael Vick is barred from owning a dog for a year and a half, but the star quarterback’s comment that he’d like to bring one into his house generated renewed outrage – and support.

The convicted dogfighting ring operator told the news site TheGrio.com that he genuinely cares about animals and would like to have one for a pet again.

“I think it would be a big step for me in the rehabilitation process,” he said.

51 New report calls for online privacy bill of rights

By JOELLE TESSLER, AP Technology Writer

2 hrs 43 mins ago

WASHINGTON – The Commerce Department is calling for the creation of a “privacy bill of rights” for Internet users to set ground rules for companies that collect consumer data online and use that information for marketing and other purposes.

The proposal, outlined in a report Thursday, is intended to address growing unease about the vast amounts of personal information that companies are scooping up on the Internet – from Web browsing habits to smart phone locations to Facebook preferences. That data is often mined to target advertising.

The new report is intended to guide lawmakers, industry and a White House group looking at the issues surrounding Internet privacy.

52 Court: Irish abortion ban violates women’s rights

By SHAWN POGATCHNIK, Associated Press

Thu Dec 16, 2:54 pm ET

DUBLIN – Ireland’s constitutional ban on abortion violates pregnant women’s right to receive proper medical care in life-threatening cases, the European Court of Human Rights ruled Thursday, harshly criticizing Ireland’s long inaction on the issue.

The Strasbourg, France-based court ruled that a pregnant woman fighting cancer should have been allowed to get an abortion in Ireland in 2005 rather than being forced to go to England for the procedure.

The judgment put Ireland under pressure to draft a law extending abortion rights to women whose pregnancies represent a potentially fatal threat to their own health. But Catholic leaders and anti-abortion activists insisted that Ireland had no legal obligation to do anything despite the court ruling.

53 Number of homes taken back by lenders tumbles

By ALEX VEIGA, AP Real Estate Writer

Thu Dec 16, 6:18 am ET

LOS ANGELES – The number of U.S. homes taken back by lenders dropped to the lowest level in 18 months in November, the result of foreclosure freezes enacted by several banks following allegations that evictions were handled improperly.

Home repossessions dropped 28 percent from October and 12 percent from November last year, foreclosure listing firm RealtyTrac Inc. said Thursday.

The 67,428 homes lenders took back last month were the fewest since May 2009. But even with the decline, it was enough to push the total number of repossessions so far this year to more than 980,000 – the highest annual tally of properties lost to foreclosure on RealtyTrac’s records dating back to 2005.

54 After 25 years, King is giving up his CNN throne

By FRAZIER MOORE, AP Television Writer

Thu Dec 16, 7:38 am ET

NEW YORK – Early last June, CNN celebrated 25 years of “Larry King Live” with a week of shows whose A-list guests included President Barack Obama, LeBron James, Bill Gates and Lady Gaga.

It was hyped to the hilt and suitably eventful, even as King and Lady Gaga regarded each other with the bemusement of a human encountering an alien life form.

Then, at the end of June, King suddenly announced he was retiring from his show – a weeknight fixture at 9 p.m. Eastern since June 1, 1985. He told viewers, “It’s time to hang up my nightly suspenders.”

55 House votes again to lift restrictions on gays

By JIM ABRAMS, Associated Press

Thu Dec 16, 1:48 pm ET

WASHINGTON – The Senate will get one last chance to dismantle the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy before going home for the year.

The House on Wednesday sent senators legislation that would end the 1993 law that forbids recruiters from asking about sexual orientation and troops from acknowledging that they are gay.

But supporters in the Senate say there might not be enough time left on the legislative calendar to get the bill through before the end of the session. And failure could mean a lengthy delay for efforts to repeal the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy requiring thousands of uniformed gays to hide their sexual identity.

56 Feds sue BP, other companies for oil spill damages

By MICHAEL KUNZELMAN and HARRY R. WEBER, Associated Press

Thu Dec 16, 6:16 am ET

NEW ORLEANS – A powerful plaintiff has joined the hundreds of people and businesses suing BP and other companies involved in the Gulf oil spill: the Justice Department.

The government, in an opening salvo in its effort to get billions of dollars for untold economic and environmental damage, accuses the companies of disregarding federal safety regulations in drilling the well that blew out April 20 and triggered a deadly explosion on the Deepwater Horizon rig. Wednesday’s lawsuit is separate from a Justice Department criminal probe that has not resulted in any charges.

“The department’s focus on investigating this disaster and preventing future (spills) is not over,” Attorney General Eric Holder said during a news conference in Washington. “Both our civil and criminal investigations are ongoing.”

57 EU agrees on rescue plan for future euro crises

By GABRIELE STEINHAUSER, AP Business Writer

2 hrs 17 mins ago

BRUSSELS – European Union leaders agreed Thursday to change the bloc’s main treaty to allow a permanent rescue plan for countries that run into financial trouble, but the region still faces rising pressure to solve its immediate debt woes.

Ratings agencies revealed new worries about Greece, where protests against debt-driven austerity measures turned violent Thursday. The far-larger Spanish economy is also facing worryingly higher borrowing costs.

The EU set up a temporary bailout fund this year but investors have been demanding stronger assurances that the bloc’s divided leaders will protect their shared currency.

58 Pa. girls fight ‘boobies’ bracelet ban in US court

By MARYCLAIRE DALE, Associated Press

33 mins ago

PHILADELPHIA – In a test case of whether breast cancer fundraising bracelets that proclaim “I (heart) boobies!” can be banned in public schools, one district is calling the slogan a sexually charged double entendre.

The free-speech case involves Easton Area Middle School, whose principals struggled on the witness stand Thursday when asked if T-shirts with the words “breast cancer” should be permitted on the school’s Breast Cancer Awareness Day.

The middle school, a 90-minute drive north of Philadelphia, suspended two girls in October for refusing to remove the colorful rubber bracelets, which have become wildly popular among teens across the country.

59 Fed. officials plan stepped-up fight against carp

By JOHN FLESHER, AP Environmental Writer

1 min ago

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. – Federal officials promised a stepped-up fight Thursday to keep Asian carp out of the Great Lakes by better tracking their movements, blocking potential migration pathways and killing any that manage to evade a network of new and improved barriers.

A $47 million battle plan for 2011 calls for refining technologies that detect the presence of Asian carp by identifying their DNA in water samples, and for developing better means of trapping, netting or starving carp already in waterways that lead to the lakes. It also pledges to continue initiatives begun this year, such as researching ways to prevent the unwanted fish from breeding.

“The Obama administration has taken an aggressive, unprecedented approach to protect our Great Lakes and the communities and economies that depend on them from the threat of Asian carp,” said John Goss, the White House Council on Environmental Quality’s carp program director.

60 Courts may not get last word in health care fight http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/201…

By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR, Associated Press

Thu Dec 16, 12:45 pm ET

WASHINGTON – Opponents of President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul law are a cheering a federal court ruling that one of its core provisions is unconstitutional. They may not realize that Obama has a fallback option that also could do the job.

Even if the Supreme Court ultimately agrees that government cannot require individuals to carry health coverage, the Obama administration could borrow a strategy that Medicare has used for decades to compel consumers to join new insurance groups.

Medicare’s coverage for doctor visits is voluntary and carries a separate premium, yet more than nine in 10 older people sign up. The reason is simple: Those who opt out when they first become eligible face a lifelong penalty that escalates the longer they wait.

2 comments

  1. Assange Prepares For US Espionage Indictment

    Breaking News

    10:58pm UK, Thursday December 16, 2010

    Assange Prepares For US Espionage Indictment

    WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is preparing for indictment for espionage in the US after being released on bail.

    Speaking upon arrival at the Suffolk country mansion where he was bailed to by the High Court, he said the American legal action “had yet to be confirmed” but was “very serious”.

    Sweden wants the Australian extradited over alleged sex offences committed in Stockholm while he was visiting the city in August.

    But he is also expecting charges in the US related to the thousands of American embassy cables revealed on his website, WikiLeaks.

    He told Sky News: “We have heard today from one of my US lawyers that there may be a US indictment for espionage for me coming from a secret grand jury investigation.”

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