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Groups hit back against billionaire's birth control comment

Women's advocacy groups fired back after a major Rick Santorum donor stirred controversy Thursday with a now-viral comment about contraception. Calling his comments "insulting and irresponsible," Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards said "birth control is basic health care and used almost universally by women. It is not something to belittle on national TV." Foster Friess, a billionaire mutual fund manager, made headlines earlier in the day when he joked women used Bayer aspirin as birth control "back in (his) days." "The gals put it between their knees, and it wasn't that costly," Friess said on MSNBC. He has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to a pro-Santorum super PAC, the Red, White, and Blue Fund. Later Thursday night, Friess said in another interview on MSNBC that it was merely a joke and denied that he was giving any medical advice for birth control. "A lot of people who are younger than 71 didn't get the context of that joke," he said. "Back in my days, they didn't have the birth control pill, so to suggest that Bayer aspirin could be considered a birth control is pretty ridiculous and quite funny. So I think that was the gist of that story." Meanwhile, National Organization for Women President Terry O'Neill called on Friess to "immediately apologize" to woman. "Mr. Freiss' comments today on MSNBC that women use aspirin between their knees for contraception were not only offensive, but demeaning and disrespectful to women," O'Neill said in a statement to CNN. "Santorum should also use this time to renounce his anti-birth control stance." Asked Thursday night in an interview on Fox News, Santorum called the comment a "stupid" and "off-color" joke that does not reflect on him or his campaign.

Published: Fri, 17 Feb 2012 03:38:11 GMT

Poll: Half oppose Obama birth control insurance plan

Half of all Americans say they oppose the Obama administration's new policy concerning employer-provided health insurance plans and their coverage of contraceptive services for female employees including those at religiously affiliated institutions, according to a new national survey. The push by the White House has been sharply criticized by Catholic Church officials, and many political pundits have said that the controversy could hurt President Barack Obama's re-election chances with Catholic voters. But a CNN/ORC International poll released Thursday also indicates that the vast majority of Catholic Americans say they don't always follow church teachings on such issues as abortion and birth control, and few Americans Catholics believe artificial means of birth control are wrong. According to the survey, 50% of the public disapproves of the Obama administration policy, with 44% saying they approve of the plan. The margin is right at the edge of the poll's sampling error. Surveys on this topic tell a mixed story because many Americans know little about the issue. Recent CBS and Fox polls indicate support for the new policy, using questions that describe the new policy in some detail. But in the CNN poll, when asked their opinion of the Obama policy with no details spelled out, support was much less and a large partisan divide emerged. A recent Pew poll also suggests Americans are closely divided, and that poll may hold the key to the differences. Nearly four in ten Americans say they have heard nothing at all about this controversy. "The CNN poll illustrates the road ahead for the White House," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "If the administration can't inform more Americans about the details of the policy - details that some other polls show to be popular - the public is likely to split along party lines. Many will dislike the plan simply due to the fact that this is an Obama initiative." "It's a lot like President Obama's overall health care measure, which most Americans say they oppose even though they approve of many of the specific programs in the new law - opponents can use it against the president as long as they can keep the focus on who made the policy rather than what the policy actually does," adds Holland. The President announced an accommodation Friday in the dispute. Under the new plan, religiously affiliated universities and hospitals will not be forced to offer contraception coverage to their employees. Insurers will be required, however, to offer complete coverage free of charge to women who work at such institutions. Female employees at churches themselves will have no guarantee of any contraception coverage -- a continuation of current law. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops denounced Obama's compromise last week soon after the president's announcement, saying the proposal raises "serious moral concerns," according to a statement posted on its website. But the poll indicates that Americans, including American Catholics, are unconcerned about contraception and birth control. Roughly eight in ten disagree with the belief that using artificial means of birth control is wrong, and nearly nine in ten American Catholics say that they don't feel the need to obey Church teachings on moral issues like abortion and birth control. "This is not a new phenomenon," says Holland. "Polls have found widespread support for artificial means of birth control since the 1980s, and since the 1990s, polls have found that American Catholics believe that they should make up their own minds on moral issues rather than always following Church teachings on those issues." According to the survey, there's also a partisan divide on the issue, with seven out of ten Democrats supporting the new Obama administration policy, independent voters divided, and the vast majority of Republicans opposed. Both congressional Republicans and the GOP presidential candidates have been critical of the president and the White House on this issue. The CNN poll was conducted by ORC International from February 10-13, with 1,026 adult Americans questioned by telephone. The survey's overall sampling error is plus or minus three percentage points.

Published: Fri, 17 Feb 2012 03:37:15 GMT

Congress could reduce unemployment benefits

The 99ers? Call them the 73ers. Beginning later this year, the maximum number of weeks the jobless can collect unemployment benefits would be reduced to 73 weeks, under a new deal being hammered out in Congress. Under the agreement, which also extends the payroll tax cut, unemployment insurance would be reduced in two stages. States with lower jobless rates would see federal benefits trimmed starting in June. The full cut would go into effect in September. The deal revamps part of the unemployment insurance system, by allowing drug tests of certain recipients and permitting states to use the funds to subsidize employment. It would also create national job-search requirements for everyone collecting either state or federal benefits. The jobless have been able to collect up to 99 weeks of benefits since November 2009, as part of the nation's unprecedented response to the Great Recession. While long-term unemployment remains a problem, a growing chorus of experts and lawmakers have called for the easing of the safety net as the economy slowly recovers and the federal government looks to rein in spending. Republicans, in particular, had looked to reduce the number of weeks the jobless could collect benefits and tighten eligibility requirements. The current bill, which should be voted on by the House and Senate shortly, costs $30 billion. Americans have collected a total of $434 billion in unemployment benefits over the past four years, with the federal government footing $185 billion of the tab. If the bill passes, the jobless in states with unemployment rates below 6%, such as North Dakota and Vermont, would get a maximum of 40 weeks of checks starting in September. Now they get as much as 60 weeks. Those in the 6% range would get no more than 54 weeks, a reduction of as much as 32 weeks. Unemployed residents of states around the national average, currently 8.3%, would get a maximum of 63 weeks, which equates to a drop of as much as 36 weeks. The jobless living in states with unemployment rates above 9% would top out at 73 weeks, down 26 weeks from the current 99-week maximum. These states include Florida, California and Nevada. This could equate to a loss of thousands of dollars for the jobless. In Washington, for instance, where unemployment is just above the national average, a nine-month reduction in checks could total more than $13,650 if the rate is the same in September. The federal-benefits pullback follows the curtailing of some state benefits last year. At least six states reduced the number of weeks the jobless could receive state benefits from the standard 26. "The graduated approach will avoid the shocks to the economy and to unemployed workers that there would have been with a sharp cutoff" of federal benefits, said George Wentworth, senior staff attorney at the National Employment Law Project. "It keeps the program functioning as the effective lifeline it needs to be." The agreement would also allow states to screen applicants for illegal drugs if they lost their job due to a failed or refused drug test, or if they are applying for a position that requires testing. States will also be able to apply for waivers enabling them to implement reforms, such as using unemployment insurance funds to subsidize employment. Up to 10 states will be allowed to test Georgia Works-type programs, which place the jobless in training positions while they continue to collect weekly checks. The deal also mandates the creation of national job-search requirements for all recipients, in order to eliminate the state-by-state approach currently in existence. States would also receive $1 billion to assist with skills testing for the long-term unemployed, underemployed and self-employed. The U.S. Department of Labor already provides funding to assess the work-readiness of the unemployed, but the agreement makes it a requirement for those who have been jobless for more than 26 weeks. Republicans trumpeted the fact that these changes made it into the final bill. But President Obama had also called for several of these adjustments in his American Jobs Act proposal last September.

Published: Fri, 17 Feb 2012 03:36:27 GMT

General Assembly passes resolution on Syria as deaths mount

The United Nations General Assembly passed Thursday by an overwhelming margin a nonbinding resolution endorsing the Arab League plan for the Syrian president to step down. The vote was 137 in favor and 12 against, with 17 abstentions. "Today, the U.N. General Assembly sent a clear message to the people of Syria: the world is with you," said U.S. Ambassador Susan E. Rice in a statement. "Bashar al-Assad has never been more isolated. A rapid transition to democracy in Syria has garnered the resounding support of the international community. Change must now come." "For France, this is a new step towards the end of the martyrdom of the Syrian people," said French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe in a statement. "With our partners, we will do our utmost in all instances to make sure this resolution is fully implemented." "This is an unambiguous message to the Syrian regime that the violence must stop, they must withdraw the armed forces from the towns and cities of Syria, they must stop the repression of their people and they must allow for the possibility of a political dialogue to start and for a political transition to democracy in Syria," said British Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant. "We hope that the regime will listen to this overwhelming message from the international community today." The symbolic resolution that condemns President Bashar al-Assad's violent crackdown in Syria was introduced into the assembly after China and Russia blocked the Security Council from approving enforceable measures aimed at curbing the violence. China and Russia were among the no votes on Thursday. Syria's U.N. Ambassador Bashar Jaafari lashed out at the vote, calling the League of Arab States "broken, both politically and morally." He added that, "If things continue in this manner ... the United Nations will collapse -- morally first and entirely second." Asked after the vote about the possibility that Syria would implement a 24-hour ceasefire in the besieged city of Homs to let women, children and the wounded depart the city, he said, "Ceasefire? We are not in a civil war! We are not in an armed conflict!" The resolution marks the strongest U.N. statement to date condemning al-Assad's regime. It calls on Syria to end human rights violations and attacks against civilians immediately, and condemns violence by al-Assad's forces and the opposition. For nearly a year, al-Assad has denied reports that his forces are targeting civilians, saying they were fighting armed gangs and foreign fighters bent on destabilizing the government. But the vast majority of accounts from within the country say that Syrian forces are slaughtering civilians as part of a crackdown on anti-government opposition calling for al-Assad's ouster. It is unclear what, if any, effect the resolution will have on what many world leaders see as a relentless campaign by al-Assad's forces to stamp out opposition. The General Assembly's vote followed news that France is bringing another resolution before the U.N. Security Council. "We are currently renegotiating a resolution at the U.N Security Council to see if we can persuade the Russians," French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe told radio station France Info on Wednesday. Russia is seen as the linchpin in winning passage of a resolution that could force change in Syria because it could open al-Assad's regime up to U.N. sanctions. It also could expose the president and his inner circle to possible prosecution by the International Criminal Court. Syria is not a signatory to the Rome Statute, which established the ICC's authority. The Security Council is the only world body that can refer crimes against humanity to the international court. Russia, a Soviet-era ally with trade and arms ties to Syria, has been adamantly opposed to a resolution that calls for al-Assad to step down, saying it amounts to a mandate for regime change. Russia has given mixed messages as to whether it would accept a U.N. arms embargo or economic sanctions, even though it has said it is concerned about the prospect of a Syrian civil war. Meanwhile, China announced Thursday that it was sending an envoy to Syria in an attempt to help defuse the crisis, according to state-run China National Radio (CNR). Vice Foreign Minister Zhai Jun is scheduled to travel Friday to Syria for a two-day visit, CNR said. The report did not say with whom the minister would meet. The diplomatic developments come amid reports Thursday that Syrian forces shelled the flashpoint city of Homs for a 13th consecutive day, targeting the opposition stronghold neighborhoods of Bab Amr, Inshaat and Khailidya, according to the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition activist group. But Syrian security forces appeared to be losing their tight grip in the northern region. Government troops were stretched thin in their effort to control all fronts in the volatile country, where the revolt has entered its 12th month. Heavy sustained bombardment that resumed around 5 a.m., and dozens of injuries were reported. In Idlib province in the northwest, people appeared to be preparing for the possibility of a military offensive. Much of the region is in open revolt with villages and towns in the north out of government control for months. At least 70 people died Thursday across several provinces, according to the Local Coordination Committees of Syria, an opposition activist group. They include 38 in Idlib, 12 in Hama, and others in Rif Damashq -- the Damascus suburbs, Homs, Daraa , Deir Ezzor and Raqqah. The LCC said the casualties included 36 unidentified bodies, 13 soldiers and three women, at least one of whom was pregnant. Col. Malek Al Kurdi, deputy head of the Free Syrian Army, reported shelling by government forces in Hama and Daraa province. He cited civilian and FSA casualties. Among the dead are 10 military defectors in Hama, activists say. Ahmed, an activist in Damascus who said he had been in contact with LCC members in Hama, said about 100 people were arrested in the city, where bread, gasoline, electricity and medical supplies were in short supply. He said some 60 people had been killed in the area during the prior 11 days, 47 of them on Thursday in the village of Kafranbode village outside Hama. The approximately 200 people who were wounded were not taken to hospitals for fear that security forces would abduct them, he said. In Idlib, the bodies of 19 people who had tried to flee to Turkey were found. The LCC said they were arrested and executed by security forces. The LCC also said security forces and pro-government militias attacked mourners at a funeral in Damascus. Security forces raided homes in the city of Zabadani, outside Damascus, and arrested more than 250 people. Shops were looted, houses were burned and regime gunfire rang out in the city, in its 20th day without access to medicine, water or electricity, the LCC said. The LCC said a father and son died in Zabadani after regime forces burned their home. CNN cannot independently confirm opposition and government reports of violence because the Syrian government has severely restricted the access of international journalists. Arrests in central Damascus on Thursday reportedly targeted local journalists. The regime's security forces raided the office of activist and journalist Mazen Darwish, the director of the Syrian Center for Media and Free Expression, the LCC said. Darwish, his wife, U.S.-born blogger Razan Ghazzawi, and freelance journalist Hanada Zahlout, blogger Hussein Ghreir and 10 others were arrested. The Committee to Protect Journalists voiced alarm at the arrests and said the group has played a "key role in getting out information about daily developments in Syria, as foreign journalists are virtually banned from the country." "These arrests are a blatant attempt to close off a vital source of information not only for Syrians but for the international media," said CPJ Deputy Director Robert Mahoney. "Anyone, whether a professional journalist or citizen with a mobile phone, who dares to report on the unrest in Syria is in danger of arrest or physical violence. Damascus should immediately release all those detained and stop its brutal crackdown." The uprising in Syria -- influenced by the Arab Spring movement that forced regime change in Egypt and Tunisia -- was sparked about a year ago in the southern city of Daraa with demonstrators angered by the arrests of young people who scrawled anti-government graffiti. Their grievances and calls for reforms were met with a violent security crackdown, and the unrest there served to catalyze anti-government protests across the nation. Thousands have died in the crackdown -- more than 5,000, according to the United Nations, but the LCC puts the toll at more than 7,000. Syria's actions have been denounced around the world. But international powers have backed the Arab League's efforts to deal with the uprising and some countries and groups, such as the Arab League, Turkey, the United States and the European Union, have initiated sanctions against al-Assad's government. James Clapper, the U.S. director of national intelligence, predicted that Syria's president will not leave or change course, short of a coup. Clapper testified Thursday before the Senate Armed Services Committee, saying the regime, despite economic problems, continues to have the support of the military. Prior to Thursday's vote, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said that he "is now considering all the necessary options once either the General Assembly or the Security Council takes a decision on Syria." He met Thursday with Juppe. Ban said the top priority was to stop the violence and establish humanitarian access. He said all relevant U.N. agencies were coordinating efforts to provide humanitarian help to the people of Syria. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has indicated Moscow may be open to supporting a Security Council resolution that stipulates -- under certain conditions -- that peacekeepers could be deployed to Syria. "If the issue is about stopping gunfire, everything is possible," Lavrov said at joint a news conference with his Dutch counterpart Uri Rosenthal, according to state-run RIA-Novosti news agency.

Published: Fri, 17 Feb 2012 03:21:30 GMT

NORAD intercepts drug plane in restricted airspace

If you're planning to transport marijuana in a private plane, you may want to check the president's schedule before taking off. That was the apparent lesson Thursday when two fighter jets under the direction of the the North American Aerospace Defense Command intercepted a general aviation plane that had flown Thursday into temporarily restricted air space over Los Angeles, NORAD said. The restriction of the airspace coincided with travel to the West Coast by President Barack Obama. The F-16s were scrambled from March Air Reserve Base in Riverside, California, and intercepted the errant Cessna 182 around 11:30 a.m. (2:30 p.m. ET), said NORAD. Accompanied by the F-16s, the Cessna 182 landed without incident, where it was met by local law enforcement, NORAD said. A law enforcement official said 10 kilograms of what appeared to be marijuana were found on the plane. Secret Service spokesman Max Milien said only that "some type of narcotics" was found. The Secret Service concluded that the pilot was "of no protective interest to us," meaning the individual was not considered a threat, and was therefore turned over to the Long Beach Police Department. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, which helped question the pilot, said police were expected to refer the case to state prosecutors. The White House had no comment.

Published: Fri, 17 Feb 2012 02:45:49 GMT

Steel beams fall at WTC construction site

Three 60-foot steel beams fell 40 stories at the World Trade Center construction site Thursday after a crane cable snapped. Authorities said no one was injured when the beams -- each weighing several tons -- came hurtling down from one of the new towers being built at the site of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. "The cable of a crane broke, causing the steel it was lifting to fall approximately 40 stories back onto the flatbed truck that had transported the steel into the World Trade Center site," said a statement from John Gallagher, spokesman for Tishman Construction, which manages the site. "The incident occurred within an enclosed section of the site, which is not accessible to the public." The 72-story building, which will face the World Trade Center memorial park honoring the victims of 9/11, is scheduled to officially open in the fall of 2013, according to the World Trade Center website. "Fortunately... nobody was hurt," New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said at a news conference Thursday. Gallagher said in his statement that the construction company was "investigating the matter in full cooperation" with authorities including the New York fire department, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the city's Department of Buildings. "The job is partially shut down pending the investigation," Gallagher said.

Published: Fri, 17 Feb 2012 01:50:02 GMT

Payroll tax deal heads to final House, Senate votes

A bipartisan group of congressional negotiators signed off on an agreement Thursday to extend the payroll tax cut and unemployment benefits while avoiding a fee cut for Medicare doctors for the rest of the year. The measure, a top priority of President Barack Obama, now goes to the House and Senate for final votes that could come as soon as Friday. Obama has said he will sign it if it reaches his desk, and he issued a statement Thursday urging Congress to send it to him without delay. "I thank the many Americans who lent their voices to this debate in recent months," Obama said in reference to his calls for people to pressure their elected representatives to pass the deal. "You made all the difference." However, none of the three Republican senators on the 20-member House-Senate conference committee that negotiated the compromise signed it, signaling possible GOP resistance when the measure comes up in the Senate. Other panel members including Senate Democrats and member of both parties in the House signed the deal to provide the needed majority for approval. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, earlier called the deal "a fair agreement and one that I support," while House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-California, said: "I don't see a scenario where our members will vote against it." Senate Democratic leaders also expressed support for the deal and noted the apparent split over it between Republicans in the Senate and House. "I don't get how not one Senate Republican conferee would sign a deal negotiated by their own party and endorsed by Speaker Boehner," Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-New York, told reporters. Each party's top member on the conference committee also endorsed the plan, with Democratic Sen. Max Baucus of Montana calling it "very good for the country" while GOP Rep. Dave Camp of Michigan said he was "confident this can be concluded ... and we're moving forward." The roughly $100 billion payroll tax cut, a key part of Obama's economic recovery plan, has reduced how much 160 million American workers pay into Social Security on their first $110,100 in wages. Instead of paying in 6.2%, they've been paying 4.2% for the past year and two months -- a break worth about $83 a month for someone making $50,000. The agreement came together this week after House Republicans dropped a key demand Monday, saying they would accept the extended payroll tax cut without including spending cuts elsewhere to pay the $100 billion cost. According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, the agreement would increase the federal deficit by $89 billion over 10 years, mostly through decreased tax revenue. Boehner defended the decision to move forward with an unpaid payroll tax cut extension, a move previously opposed by Republicans, by arguing it was the only way to prevent a tax hike demanded by Democrats to help pay the cost. "We were not going to allow Democrats to continue to play games and cause a tax increase for hardworking Americans," Boehner told reporters on Wednesday. "We made a decision to bring them to the table so that the games would stop and we would get this worked out." While a number of conservatives are upset that the deal will add to the deficit, some GOP House members have nevertheless said they expect the package to ultimately pass with support from a majority of Republicans as well as Democrats. "It's the art of a deal. I mean, it's a compromise," said Rep. Steve Latourette, R-Ohio. "You have people that didn't get ... 100% of what they wanted." The agreement covers all three measures -- the payroll tax cut, the unemployment benefits extension, and the so-called "doc fix" -- for the rest of 2012. The latter two measures -- costing a combined $50 billion -- will be paid for. Funding sources to pay for the benefit extension and the doc fix include savings from broadband spectrum sales, increased pension contributions by new federal employees, and cuts to Medicare hospital and specialist fees that would not affect patients, according to the House Ways and Means Committee. One top House Democrat -- Maryland Rep. Steny Hoyer -- said he would vote against the package because, in his opinion, it treats federal employees unfairly by requiring new hires to pay a larger percentage of their salary for their pension. Under the terms of the deal, in states with unemployment rates higher than the national average of 8.3%, the maximum time an unemployed person can receive benefits will drop from 99 to 73 weeks. The maximum length of benefits for people in states with an average unemployment rate or lower will drop to 63 weeks or as far down as 40 weeks. The jobless have been able to collect up to 99 weeks of benefits since November 2009 as part of the nation's unprecedented response to the recession. In addition, states will be allowed to perform drug tests on individuals applying for unemployment benefits if those people lost their previous job because they either failed or refused an employer's drug test. Individuals receiving unemployment assistance could also be tested if they are seeking a job that generally requires a drug test. Also, welfare beneficiaries will be banned from accessing public assistance funds at ATMs in strip clubs, liquor stores, and casinos. The payroll tax cut, unemployment benefits and enhanced doc fix payments are currently set to expire at the end of February -- a timeline put in place through a short-term agreement reached by Congress in December. That agreement also set up the conference committee that resumed negotiations last month on a longer-term deal. Monday's decision by House GOP leaders to drop their insistence that the tax cut extension be paid for by offsetting spending cuts was a sharp turnaround for House Republicans. Top party members previously insisted that a failure to fully pay for the tax break would be financially reckless. But the debate over whether and how to extend the tax cut has been a political loser so far for the Republicans. Democrats have gleefully highlighted the GOP's reluctance to hold down the payroll tax rate, using the issue to portray Republicans as defenders of the rich who are indifferent to the plight of the middle class. Political analysts believe the showdown over the payroll holiday has eroded GOP strength on the party's core issue of lower taxes. Fearing negative repercussions, Republican leaders have now backtracked on the issue twice: dropping their opposition to the two-month extension last December and dropping their insistence on paying for a longer extension on Monday. "December was a debacle," Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, said Wednesday. "We don't want to repeat that." "I think the GOP has read the writing on the wall when it comes to the payroll tax cut," said Brown University political scientist Wendy Schiller. "Americans are benefiting from it, and to take it away at this juncture leaves them open to charges of raising taxes. ... It would severely hamper the GOP presidential nominee's effort to defeat Obama." Boehner and other top House GOP leaders tried Monday to separate the payroll tax extension from provisions dealing with unemployment benefits and the doc fix, but quickly backed away from the proposal. Democrats objected loudly to the idea.

Published: Fri, 17 Feb 2012 01:46:19 GMT

Hezbollah denies it had role in recent bombings of Israeli targets

The head of Hezbollah denied involvement Thursday in attacks this week on Israeli targets in India, Georgia and Thailand. "We are not afraid to say that we had nothing to do with these explosions," Hassan Nasrallah said in a televised address from an undisclosed location in Lebanon. He denied that the death of a Hezbollah commander in 2008 in an explosion in Damascus, Syria, inspired the attacks. "The blood of Imad Mogniyeh will always haunt the Israelis," he said, referring to the commander whose death Hezbollah blamed on Israel, and Israeli denied. Hezbollah has longstanding close ties with Iran and Syria. "It is quite insulting to accuse Hezbollah of plans to kill average Israeli civilians in retaliation of killing our leaders," Nasrallah continued. "Those who we will take our revenge from know themselves very well and they will need to keep taking precautions for their safety." Hezbollah is a Shiite Muslim group active in Lebanon that the United States views as a terrorist organization. Nashrallah's remarks came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blamed Tehran for the attacks. "Iran is a threat to the stability of the world; they are targeting innocent diplomats," he said. "The international community has to denounce the Iranian actions and to indicate red lines concerning the Iranian aggression." But Ramin Mehmanparast, a spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, "condemned the blasts and said that Israeli agents are often the perpetrators of such terrorist acts," Iran's state-run Press TV said on its website. And state-run Iranian news agency IRNA quoted an analyst as saying the Israeli allegations against Iran involving the bombings in India and Thailand represent "a prelude to terrorist attacks against the Islamic Republic." Thai state-run MCOT Television said Thursday that the country's criminal court had issued arrest warrants for four Iranians on charges related to Tuesday's Bangkok bomb incidents. The approval came after police submitted closed-circuit television pictures, explosive devices seized from their rented house and testimony of witnesses, MCOT reported. Thai authorities said they are holding three Iranian suspects -- Saeid Moradi, 28, whose legs were blown off by his own bomb -- and Mohammad Hazaei, 42, who was taken into custody Tuesday at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport as he tried to board a plane to Malaysia. Masoud Sedaghatzadeh, 31, was arrested Wednesday by Malaysian authorities in Kuala Lumpur, MCOT said. All three face charges that include joint assembling of explosive devices, joint possession of explosive devices without permits and causing an explosion injuring other persons. Moradi also faces charges of attempted killing of state officials on duty and the intentional attempted killing of other persons, it said. A fourth Iranian, a woman identified as Rohani Leila, remained at large. She is suspected of renting the house where the first device exploded, apparently by accident, MCOT said. A Thai police official said Wednesday that Israeli diplomats were the intended target of the Bangkok blasts. "I can tell you that the target of the operation of this group is specifically aimed at Israeli diplomats," Police Gen. Priewpan Damapong told CNN affiliate Channel 3. His comments came after a senior Thai security official had drawn a tentative link between the Bangkok blasts and attacks aimed at Israeli officials in India and Georgia, saying the materials used in the explosive devices were similar. Last month, Thai authorities charged a Lebanese man they said they believed was a member of Hezbollah with possession of explosive materials. The police charged the man, Atris Hussein, after finding outside Bangkok "initial chemical materials that could produce bombs." The authorities said they believed Hussein was trying to attack spots in Bangkok popular with Western tourists. In the events Monday, a device attached to an Israeli Embassy van in New Delhi exploded, wounding four people. Another device, found on an embassy car in Tbilisi, Georgia's capital, was safety detonated. Indian police said Thursday that they have not established an Iranian tie to the New Delhi bombing. The materials used in the Bangkok bombs were similar to those used in India, the Thai National Security Council said. The attacks and accusations come amid tensions between Israel and Iran. Israel had made clear it is considering attacking Iran's nuclear facilities. Israel, the United States and other countries have expressed concern that Iran is seeking to build nuclear weapons, despite Tehran's insistence that its nuclear program is intended solely for peaceful purposes. Iranian officials have openly antagonized Israel, and Israeli officials have described the regime in Tehran as an existential threat.

Published: Fri, 17 Feb 2012 01:21:05 GMT

Baseball great Gary Carter dies after cancer battle

Baseball Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter, who played 19 Major League seasons and won a World Series with the New York Mets in 1986, died Thursday in Florida after battling brain cancer, according to Carter's family and the Hall of Fame. He was 57. "He is in heaven and has reunited with his mom and dad," said a message on the family's online journal chronicling Carter's health. "I believe with all my heart that dad had a standing ovation as he walked through the gates of heaven to be with Jesus." Carter's death comes less than a month after the family announced that more tumors were found on Carter's brain. Carter initially was diagnosed with inoperable brain tumors in May. Carter, an 11-time All-Star and two-time All-Star Game MVP, batted .262 with 324 home runs and 1,225 runs in a career that began and ended with the Montreal Expos (1974-1984; 1992), who retired his No. 8 in 1993, 10 years before he would be elected to the Hall of Fame. He also played for the Mets (1985-1989), the San Francisco Giants (1990) and the Los Angeles Dodgers (1991). MLB Commissioner Bud Selig said Carter, driven by a remarkable enthusiasm for the game, "became one of the elite catchers of all time." "'The Kid' was an 11-time All-Star and a durable, consistent slugger for the Montreal Expos and the New York Mets, and he ranks among the most beloved players in the history of both of those franchises," Selig said in a statement released Thursday. "Like all baseball fans, I will always remember his leadership for the '86 Mets and his pivotal role in one of the greatest World Series ever played." During his first run with the Expos, from 1974 to 1984, he frequently was among the National League's top 20 batters in home runs, slugging percentage and runs batted in, even leading the league in RBI in 1984. One of his career highlights came in 1986, when Carter was a key part of one of the wildest rallies in World Series history. With the Mets one out away from losing the series to the Boston Red Sox, who were ahead 5-3 in the bottom of the 10th in Game 6, Carter singled and eventually was driven home with the singles of two teammates. Later that inning with the score tied -- in one of baseball's most memorable moments -- the Mets' Mookie Wilson hit a grounder that slipped through the legs of Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner, allowing the Mets' Ray Knight to score the winning run. That improbable victory kept the Mets alive for Game 7, which they won. Earlier, Carter was a hero of Game 4, hitting two home runs and a double in the Mets' 6-2 win. Wilson and other baseball stars from Carter's playing days recalled his enthusiasm for the game Thursday. "The one thing I remember about Gary was his smile," Wilson said in a statement released by the Mets. "He loved life and loved to play the game of baseball." "No one enjoyed playing the game of baseball more than Gary Carter," pitching great Tom Seaver said through the Mets, one of Seaver's former teams. "He wore his heart on his sleeve every inning he played. He gave you 110% and played the most grueling position on the field and that was something special." Mets officials said Carter's nickname, "The Kid," captured "how Gary approached life." "He did everything with enthusiasm and with gusto, on and off the field," said Mets chairman and CEO Fred Wilpon, President Saul Katz and COO Jeff Wilpon in a statement released after Carter's death. "His smile was infectious. He guided our young pitching staff to the World Series title in 1986 and he devoted an equal amount of time and energy raising awareness for a multitude of charities and community causes. He was a Hall of Famer in everything he did." Jane Forbes Clark, chairman of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, said Carter's "enthusiasm, giving spirit and infectious smile will always be remembered in Cooperstown," the Hall of Fame's home. "Our thoughts are with ... the entire Carter family on this very sad day," Clark said.

Published: Fri, 17 Feb 2012 01:16:26 GMT

New Jersey Gov. faces critics for Houston honor

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie announced earlier this week that he plans to have the state's flags fly at half-staff on Saturday, the day funeral services will be held in the state for Jersey native Whitney Houston. Since then, Christie has been standing ground against critics who disagree with his choice to use a tribute typically used to honor fallen soldiers or first responders. Some of Christie's detractors contacted him via his Twitter account, with one saying, "cultural icon, she can have that, but that US flag is above her service....I just think there are lots of [people] who have set better examples who deserve this honor." Another Twitter user weighed in, "Our flag is to be used to honor true American heroes, the ones you just disrespected." To that response, Christie seemed to agree to disagree. "Many in the state are mourning the loss of a cultural icon in NJ's history," he wrote. "We are recognizing her for those contributions." And to those who raised Houston's issues with substance abuse in their critique, Christie said, "Flag being lowered for her cultural contributions as an artist and a New Jerseyan. Her struggles with substance abuse [are] a [different] topic." Moving his argument offline Wednesday, the Los Angeles Times reports that Christie stood firm by his decision. "For those people who say, 'I don't think she deserves it,' I say to them, 'I understand that you don't think that. I do, and it's my executive order," he said. "I've seen these messages and emails that have come to me disparaging her for her troubles with substance abuse. What I'd say to everybody is: 'There but for the grace of God go I.'"

Published: Fri, 17 Feb 2012 01:05:38 GMT

Woman found in Kenny Chesney's home with wine

A Southern California woman has reportedly been accused of breaking into country singer Kenny Chesney's home in Wednesday's early hours, but it doesn't appear that she was looking for anything other than companionship - and maybe a few glasses of wine. According to CNN San Diego affiliate 10 News, police say a woman by the name of Melissa Mansfield had a strategy in place to gain access to Chesney's Nashville home. According to investigators, Mansfield hopped a bus from Knoxville to Nashville and then took a limo to the country singer's home. Mansfield claims that she knows Chesney, and that he sent her the limo. A rep for Chesney, however, says the singer doesn't know the woman. When she arrived at the home around 2 a.m. on Wednesday morning, Chesney wasn't there. According to the report, Mansfield found a way around Chesney's gate, which triggered his alarm system. When police arrived, they found Mansfield in a restroom on the property with "at least one, if not two bottles of wine with her." Hugh Tharpe, speaking for the Williamson County Sheriff's Office, said that Mansfield "claims to have come from east Tennessee at the invitation of the homeowner," who was out of state. "She did claim to have a relationship with Chesney but that wasn't confirmed at all," Tharpe continued. Mansfield was reportedly arrested on suspicion of public intoxication and criminal trespassing, and posted a $1,000 bail.

Published: Fri, 17 Feb 2012 00:51:47 GMT

Christmas Day bomber sentenced to life in prison

The man who smuggled a bomb in his underwear aboard a commercial airliner on Christmas Day in 2009 has been sentenced to life in prison, months after he pleaded guilty for his role in what officials later determined was an al-Qaida plot. U.S. District Judge Nancy Edmunds imposed a life sentence Thursday on Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab, who entered the courtroom in Detroit wearing an oversized white T-shirt and a white skull cap. His hands were unshackled once he entered. He argued a life sentence would be "cruel and unusual punishment," as well as unconstitutional. The judge rejected the argument. Prosecutors brought a video showing the detonation of a replica of the device AbdulMutallab attempted to use. The judge ruled that the video will be shown during the sentencing hearing. In the sentencing report, prosecutors called now 25-year-old Nigerian "an unrepentant would-be mass murderer, who views his crimes as divinely inspired and blessed." AbdulMutallab previously pleaded not guilty to the eight charges against him, which include attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction and conspiracy to commit an act of terrorism. On Dec. 25, 2009, passengers aboard a Northwest Airlines flight from Amsterdam heard a loud noise on the plane as it descended toward Detroit. Witnesses described it as sounding much like a firecracker. The device failed, but AbdulMutallab became enveloped in a fireball that spread to the wall and carpeting of the plane. Four passengers quickly restrained him and helped put out the fire, witnesses said, and he was escorted up to the first-class section of the plane and taken into custody by authorities when it landed. AbdulMutallab later acknowledged in a courtroom statement that he had traveled to Yemen and was "greatly inspired" to participate in such a plot by U.S.-born militant cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, who was killed by a U.S. drone strike in Yemen in September. U.S. officials later said the terror group al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula had helped foment the failed attack."I carried with me an explosive device to avenge the killing of innocent Muslims," AbdulMutallab said in the statement, adding that the failed plot was in retaliation for "U.S. tyranny and oppression of Muslims. "The flight was carrying 289 people.The decision to try AbdulMutallab in a civilian court prompted controversy at the time, particularly among Republican lawmakers pushing for a military tribunal. He's been held at a Michigan federal prison since 2009. Prosecutors, however, said the case demonstrated the value of civilian courts. "We should not limit ourselves to military tribunals," said U.S. District Attorney Barbara McQuade. The case shows "the world that our system of justice works."CNN's Kiran Khalid contributed to this report.

Published: Fri, 17 Feb 2012 00:16:10 GMT

Fire chief: 382 died as flames tore through Honduran prison

The death toll from a prison fire in central Honduras rose to 382 Thursday, as new details emerged about what happened when flames tore through the overcrowded facility. Officials transported bodies from the prison in Comayagua to the capital, Tegucigalpa, where investigators worked to identify the victims. The cause of the fire remained unknown, and the federal government asked for patience during its inquiry. But desperate families said they didn't want to wait to recover the remains of their loved ones. "What we are hoping for is that they give them to us so we can leave because we cannot stand the hunger, too," said Francisca Gomez, the sister of one of the victims. "We have our children with us and you know that we've been here waiting and no one gives us answers." The Comayagua fire department gave the new death toll, and said that it remained unknown if others escaped or would be added to the casualty list. The hypothesis that a mattress fire started the blaze was gaining traction, fire operations chief Jorge Turcios said Thursday. Comayagua's governor said she received a call from an inmate inside the prison reporting the fire. "What I know, according to what I've been told, is that someone lit a mattress on fire and said, 'We're all going to die,'" Gov. Paola Castro said. Inmates have also complained that guards were slow to open doors for them to escape. Prisoners broke out of the facility any way they could, one survivor said. "The authorities should have opened the gates," said Odalis Aleyda Najera, a relative of a victim. "It is preferable to face the responsibility for a mass escape of prisoners and avoid situations like this where there are more than 300 dead inmates." Outrage over the fire increased after the president of the country's supreme court admitted that only 40% of the inmates in the prison had been convicted. The majority were awaiting trial or waiting for charges to be filed against them. "Honduras passed an anti-gang law, and what it allowed police to do is to sweep anybody off the streets ... who they had a suspicion was a member of a gang, but really had no proof. So the prison population swelled," said Vikki Gass of the Washington Office on Latin America. "And so in the case of Comayagua, you don't have enough magistrates or judges to process the people who are being detained." Authorities have not determined what caused the fire, but the nation's electric utility will review wiring in all prison facilities as a "preventative measure," Honduran President Porfirio Lobo said, "because that can be one of the causes of these types of disasters." The prison facility was well over capacity, said Rodrigo Escobar Gil of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. "The prisoners slept on the floor and they had to share cells in truly deplorable conditions," he said. At the request of Honduran officials, arson experts from the United States were expected to arrive in Honduras Thursday to lend a hand, Turcios said. The team from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) will reconstruct the scene, conduct interviews and sift through debris to obtain evidence and determine the origin of the blaze, the agency said in a statement. Teams from El Salvador, Chile and Mexico were also expected to help Honduran authorities. Tuesday night's blaze was the third fatal prison fire in recent years in the country. In 2003, 61 prisoners were killed in a fire at a prison in La Ceiba. In 2004, 107 died in a fire at a San Pedro Sula prison. The U.S. State Department published a report last April criticizing conditions at Honduras' 24 prisons. Prisoners "suffered from severe overcrowding, malnutrition, and lack of adequate sanitation," the report said, citing human rights groups.

Published: Fri, 17 Feb 2012 00:09:59 GMT

Josh Powell won't be buried with slain sons, his mother says

Josh Powell, the Washington man accused of killing himself and his children in a fiery murder-suicide this month, will not be buried with his two slain sons, his mother said Thursday. Authorities say Powell snatched the children from a social worker delivering them for a supervised visit, locked the doors and hacked them with a hatchet before an explosion engulfed his home on February 5. The gas-fueled blast killed Powell and his sons, Charles, 7, and Braden, 5, a grisly end to a story that started with the 2009 disappearance of the boys' mother. "We have tried so hard to be loving and considerate and respectful in making Josh's burial arrangements. We love our little Charlie and Braden and want their resting place to be a place of peace and comfort," Terri Powell, Josh Powell's mother, said in a statement. "We have made the determination that Josh will not be buried at Woodbine Cemetery, but are in the process of making other arrangements," she added. Earlier, an anti-crime group in Washington rallied to block Powell's relatives from burying him near the two sons he killed. Powell's relatives had previously wanted him laid to rest near his sons at Woodbine Cemetery in their hometown of Puyallup, and expressed interest in a plot there, CNN affiliate KOMO reported Wednesday. But the mother's side of the family said having the father buried near the children would be an outrage, and pledged to derail the plans. "I just can't see this happening ... and I just hope it goes away quickly," said Charles Cox, the boys' maternal grandfather. In an attempt to block the move, Crime Stoppers and the local sheriff bought the plots on both sides of where the boys are buried, according to the affiliate. The nonprofit, which works with local police, announced plans to buy the plots on its website and asked for donations to help cover the cost. Extra funds will go toward beautification of the site and supporting other crime victims in the area, the group said. "The plan here is not for us to own grave sites, it's to stop Josh Powell or anybody that doesn't deserve to be next to those boys there," said Ed Troyer, a spokesman for the Pierce County Sheriff's Office. An attorney for the boys' maternal grandparents planned to seek a temporary restraining order to block the burial. The grandparents, Charles and Judy Cox, were engaged in a long and bitter child custody battle with Powell at the time of his death. Utah authorities have said he was under investigation in the disappearance of the boys' mother, Susan Cox-Powell. While she has not been found, the Coxes have suggested they are certain she is dead. Charles Cox said of his grandsons, "We know that they are with their mother." The boys were buried Saturday in a service attended by hundreds.

Published: Thu, 16 Feb 2012 23:38:55 GMT

NJ approves same-sex marriage bill; Christie vows veto

New Jersey lawmakers have passed a bill that would provide same-sex couples the right to wed -- a move put forth in defiance of the state's Republican governor, who's vowed to veto the measure and has instead called for a referendum to settle the issue. State assembly members on Thursday voted 41-33, with two members abstaining, in favor of the "Marriage Equality and Religious Exemption Act." The Senate approved the measure on Monday by a 24 to 16 count. But Gov. Chris Christie, the subject of political speculation as a possible GOP vice presidential candidate, has said the issue "should not be decided by 121 people in the statehouse in Trenton." The governor is expected to "act swiftly" to knock it down when the bill reaches his desk, said Michael Drewniak, a spokesman for Christie. Recent polling, meanwhile, suggests that New Jersey voters are slightly in favor of legalizing such unions. Fifty-two percent of state voters approve the measure, according to a recent Quinnipiac University poll. Still, Christie's push for a referendum may offer a few insights into the governor's political acumen, which continues to excite the Republican party. A popular vote would largely absolve him from making good on a pledge to veto a bill coming from a Democrat-controlled legislature -- a move, analysts say, that may help preserve his conservative credentials for the national stage while also adhering to the apparent will of New Jersey voters. But Christie's Democratic opponents argue that a referendum shouldn't be used to decide civil rights issues, pointing to historic legislative and judicial decisions regarding the rights of African-Americans and women. If Christie vetoes the measure, "the battle for overriding the veto begins," said Steven Goldstein, a spokesman for the organization Garden State Equality, which has lobbied for the bill. Lawmakers would need a two-thirds majority in both houses to override a veto and will have until the legislative session ends in January 2014 to do so. But the bill's opponents have pledged to the block the potential override. "Since the legislature will have two years to come up with the votes to override the veto, there will be significant pressure placed upon those legislators," said Carlos Ball, a law professor at Rutgers University in Newark. At the same time, lawmakers in New Jersey are expected to pay close attention to upcoming state elections in New York, looking for signs of fallout after four Republican state senators sided with Democrat Gov. Andrew Cuomo to legalize same-sex marriage. New Jersey currently allows for civil unions, which Christie says he supports, though a series of discrimination lawsuits are also currently working their way through the state courts. With Hawaii and Delaware joining the list last month, five other states currently recognize civil unions. A similar battle is also shaping up in Maryland, where Gov. Martin O'Malley -- a Democrat -- has pushed for his state to join the seven others that allow same-sex couples to marry. Washington state, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Iowa, New York and the District of Columbia, currently allow such marriages. Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire signed a bill to change the law on Monday.

Published: Thu, 16 Feb 2012 22:26:37 GMT

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