American News Blog

NYC Opening Tourism Offices in Asia

Tue, 26 Jun 2007 12:20:07 +0000

NEW YORK (AP) -- New York City tourism officials have reached a deal with the Chinese government to join a select group of American destinations with permission to promote themselves in the Communist nation. Under the agreement, the city will not be able to advertise directly to Chinese citizens, but will hire industry representatives to work with local travel agencies and other providers, George Fertitta, CEO of the city's tourism office, said in advance of a formal announcement scheduled f...

Payless ShoeSource to Sell Dexter Brand

Tue, 26 Jun 2007 12:20:07 +0000

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Payless ShoeSource Inc. will become the exclusive U.S. seller of Dexter brand shoes, adding a big piece to Payless' strategy of distancing itself from its bargain-bin shoe past, the companies said Tuesday. Formerly found at retailers such as Kohl's Corp. and J.C. Penney Co., the 50-year-old brand will begin appearing in Payless' 4,600 stores in a limited men's line this Christmas. A full line of men's and women's casual and dress shoes will go on sale next year, Payl...

Study: 'BRICs' Overtake U.S. in Energy

Tue, 26 Jun 2007 12:20:07 +0000

SEC to Be Asked About Its Leanings

Tue, 26 Jun 2007 12:20:07 +0000

WASHINGTON (AP) -- All five members of the Securities and Exchange Commission are being asked by Congress to defend the watchdog agency against accusations that it may be tilting toward business interests and away from investors. A hearing Tuesday by the House Financial Services Committee, under Democratic Chairman Barney Frank of Massachusetts, marks the first time in more than a decade that all SEC commissioners have been called to testify together. Business interests have been pressing fo...

S.Korea: U.S. Beef Companies Can Export

Tue, 26 Jun 2007 12:20:07 +0000

SEOUL, South Korea - South Korea lifted a suspension on imports of American beef from two U.S. meat companies Tuesday after the U.S. confirmed that three shipments meant for domestic consumption were exported by mistake, officials said.

South Korea shut its doors to American beef in December 2003 after an outbreak of mad cow disease in the U.S. It partially reopened its market last year, but agreed to accept only boneless meat from cattle under 30 months old, which are thought to be less at risk of carrying the illness.

Seoul in late May and early June suspended imports from six facilities of two U.S. meat companies: Minneapolis, Minn.-based Cargill Inc. and Springdale, Ark.-based Tyson Foods Inc. for exporting beef that was intended for U.S. domestic consumption.

Report: Muslim integration crucial to US

Tue, 26 Jun 2007 12:20:07 +0000

A better-integrated Muslim population would better serve the United States as it navigates critical domestic and foreign-policy challenges involving Muslim populations, a new report argues. Sponsored by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, the report released Tuesday says that greater U.S. Muslim involvement in the public square is crucial to the nation's security and well-being, and that Muslims are largely responsible for finding ways to make themselves heard. The report by a 32-member natio...

Iwo Jima flag raiser Lindberg dies at 86

Tue, 26 Jun 2007 12:20:07 +0000

RICHFIELD, Minn. (AP) - 1 of the US Marines who raised the first American flag over Iwo Jima during World War Two has died.

Charles Lindberg was 86. He died Sunday at a hospital in suburban Minneapolis.

It was Lindberg's patrol that raised the first American flag on Mount Suribachi in 1945 -- not to be confused with the second flag-raising captured in the famous Associated Press photograph.

Alleged Afghan abuse investigated

Tue, 26 Jun 2007 12:20:07 +0000

KABUL, Afghanistan --U.S. military officials opened an investigation into allegations that American and Afghan soldiers threatened to drag an Afghan detainee from a car earlier this month, NATO said Monday.

The German news magazine Focus reported Sunday that two of its journalists embedded with troops from the 82nd Airborne Division in Ghazni province witnessed the alleged incident on June 10.

The magazine said the suspect was detained during the search of a village by a patrol led by an Afghan soldier. When the suspect refused to talk, the platoon leader tied one end of a rope to the his foot and the other end to a vehicle, then threatened to drag the man, the magazine said.

BAE Systems subject to investigation

Tue, 26 Jun 2007 12:20:07 +0000

LONDON (AP) -- BAE Systems PLC said Tuesday that the U.S. Department of Justice has begun an investigation of the company's dealings with Saudi Arabia. BAE's brief announcement said the investigation related to the company's compliance with anti-corruption laws. BAE shares opened 6 percent lower on the London Stock Exchange at $8.30. The company has denied accusations that it paid illegal kickbacks to members of the Saudi royal family as part of the $86 billion Al-Yamamah aircraft deal negot...

Funeral held for Austin beating victim

Tue, 26 Jun 2007 12:20:07 +0000

AUSTIN (AP) - More than 200 people attended the funeral of an Austin house painter who was beaten to death when he tried to protect a driver who had struck and injured a toddler.

Police say they still have no suspects in the beating of David Rivas Morales.

The 40-year-old was riding in a car that entered an apartment complex parking lot last week and struck a 2-year-old boy.

Effort to revive immigration bill faces another vote in Senate

Tue, 26 Jun 2007 12:20:07 +0000

Senators urging the passage of a bill that would legalize millions of illegal immigrants hope to revive bipartisan support for the embattled measure and push it to passage by week's end.

President Bush's team is predicting victory Tuesday on the effort to allow the bill — among the president's top domestic priorities — to go forward.

"We're optimistic," said Joel Kaplan, Bush's deputy chief of staff. "Our intelligence suggests that there will be the votes there."

Pivotal vote looms on immigration

Tue, 26 Jun 2007 12:20:07 +0000

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Senators urging the passage of a bill that would legalize millions of illegal immigrants hope to revive bipartisan support for the embattled measure and push it to passage by week's end. President Bush's team is predicting victory Tuesday on the effort to allow the bill - among the president's top domestic priorities - to go forward. "We're optimistic," said Joel Kaplan, Bush's deputy chief of staff. "Our intelligence suggests that there will be the votes there." Conservat...

AMA Supports Allergy Medicine at School

Tue, 26 Jun 2007 12:20:07 +0000

CHICAGO (AP) -- The American Medical Association voted Monday to lobby for laws allowing severely allergic children to bring lifesaving medicine to school. Many school districts have policies prohibiting children from bringing medicine to school and 18 states have similar bans, said Dr. Duane Cady, a member of the AMA's Board of Trustees. When it comes to serious food allergies, denial of medicine at school can be a matter of life and death, according to a measure AMA delegates adopted at th...

China rejects tainted US food

Tue, 26 Jun 2007 12:20:07 +0000

BEIJING (AP) - China has rejected two US food products that Beijing authorities say contain excessive bacteria.

The government says inspectors have seized shipments of American made orange pulp and dried apricots with high levels of bacteria and preservatives.

A Web site announcement by China's main food safety monitor says importers have been asked to make sure food safety requirements are met so that trade risks are lowered.

Brewers farmhand pitches perfect game in Triple-A

Tue, 26 Jun 2007 12:20:07 +0000

Milwaukee Brewers farmhand Manny Parra pitched a perfect game Monday night, leading the Nashville Sounds to a 3-0 victory over Round Rock in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League.

Making his second start at Triple-A, Parra struck out 11 and threw 77 of his 107 pitches for strikes against the Express, a Houston Astros affiliate. It was the eighth perfect game in the PCL's 104-year history — but only the third in a nine-inning game. The others came in seven-inning games.

The last pitcher to throw a nine-inning perfect game in the PCL also was a member of the Sounds. John Wasdin, now with the Pittsburgh Pirates, accomplished the feat on April 7, 2003, against Albuquerque. Tacoma's John Halama did it in July 2001.

Japan, U.S. to Hold Meetings Over Beef

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 05:28:00 +0000

World Bank board to name next president

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 05:28:00 +0000

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Robert Zoellick, President Bush's former trade chief and No. 2 diplomat, appeared certain to win approval as the World Bank's next president. The World Bank's 24-member board scheduled a closed-door meeting Monday to take up Zoellick's nomination, which was put forward by Bush. No other countries nominated candidates. Zoellick would succeed Paul Wolfowitz, who will step down on June 30, ending a stormy two-year tenure at the poverty-fighting institution. Wolfowitz courted ...

Americans set record for donations in 2006

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 05:28:00 +0000

NEW YORK (AP) -- Americans gave nearly $300 billion to charitable causes last year, setting a new record and besting the 2005 total that had been boosted by a surge in aid to victims of hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma and the Asian tsunami. Donors contributed an estimated $295.02 billion in 2006, a 1 percent increase when adjusted for inflation, up from $283.05 billion in 2005. Excluding donations for disaster relief, the total rose 3.2 percent, inflation-adjusted, according to an annual ...

Chavez warns of resistance war with U.S.

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 05:28:00 +0000

CARACAS, Venezuela—President Hugo Chavez urged soldiers on Sunday to prepare for a guerrilla-style war against the United States, saying that Washington is using psychological and economic warfare as part of an unconventional campaign aimed at derailing his government.

Dressed in olive green fatigues and a red beret, Chavez spoke inside Tiuna Fort—Venezuela's military nerve-center—before hundreds of uniformed soldiers standing alongside armored vehicles and tanks decorated with banners reading: "Fatherland, Socialism, or Death! We will triumph!"

"We must continue developing the resistance war, that's the anti-imperialist weapon. We must think and prepare for the resistance war everyday," said Chavez, who has repeatedly warned that American soldiers could invade Venezuela to seize control of the South American nation's immense oil reserves.

Video post shows captured BBC reporter

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 05:28:00 +0000

U.S. Questions Strength of Iraqi Forces

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 05:28:00 +0000

BAQOUBA, Iraq - The U.S. commander of a new offensive north of Baghdad, reclaiming insurgent territory day by day, said Sunday his Iraqi partners may be too weak to hold onto the gains.The Iraqi military does not even have enough ammunition, said Brig. Gen. Mick Bednarek: "They're not quite up to the job yet."His counterpart south of Baghdad seemed to agree, saying U.S. troops are too few to garrison the districts newly rid of insurgents. "It can't be coalition (U.S.) forces. We have what we hav...

Scarifications Fade in Modern Nigeria

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 05:28:00 +0000

IBADAN, Nigeria (AP) -- The wail of 6-week-old Quari Babaola cut through the air like the blade that had just sliced through his chin. His mother Kafilat shuddered but kept a determined grip on the tiny limbs as a traditional healer smeared the cuts on her baby's hands, feet, back and chest with a sticky black paste of ground-up charcoal and chanted incantations to stop the oozing blood. "Marks will help him to be part of the family ... all the family used to do it," the 28-year-old said in ...

Gen. Grant's Sword Draws $1.6M Bid

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 05:28:00 +0000

GETTYSBURG, Pa.—A diamond-adorned sword once owned by Gen. Ulysses S. Grant brought a winning bid of more than $1.6 million in an auction of Civil War items.

The sword given to Grant, who later became the 18th president, was one of the marquee items among the 750 to be auctioned Sunday and Monday by Heritage Auction Galleries of Dallas.

Another showcase item up for bid was Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer's frayed battle flag, which was auctioned for $896,250. Another item of note was a "Bonnie Blue" flag carried by the 3rd Texas State Cavalry, which drew a bid of $47,800.

At least 16 killed in Iraq bombings

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 05:28:00 +0000

BAGHDAD (AP) - Suicide bombings in Iraq have killed at least 16 people today and wounded dozens more. 2 of the attacks were aimed at US military targets but there's no word of any American casualties.

Eight people died in a suicide car bombing in Hillah, 60 miles south of Baghdad. It's the second deadly attack there in three days.

Six civilians were killed when a truck bomber struck a police station in Beiji, 155 miles north of Baghdad.

Religious groups take lead for gay pride

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 05:28:00 +0000

NEW YORK (AP) -- Religious groups led the city's gay pride parade on Sunday, lending gravity to an often outrageous event that also featured a jumble of drag queens in feather boas, marching bands, motorcycle-riding lesbians, rugby players and samba dancers. "We stand for a progressive religious voice," said Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum of New York City's Congregation Beth Simchat Torah. "Those who use religion to advocate an anti-gay agenda, I believe, are blaspheming God's name." The annual para...