tagged w/ world news and politics
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Amanda Guyton, a mother of a 6-year-old boy with autism, was "incredibly happy" with the decision and said it reaffirmed her belief that her son's autism has nothing to do with vaccines.
"We're ready for them to get on real research like educational strategies and help for kids," she said. "An awful lot of money and effort and time were spent on vaccines when three or four studies said no, there isn't a link."
Meanwhile, John Best, the father of a 12-year-old boy with autism, said: "The whole thing stinks."
Guyton and Best were not involved in the cases, but were following the news because of their interest in autism.
Three families -- the Cedillos, the Hazlehursts and the Snyders -- had sought damage awards from the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program for their children who have autism, a disorder that the parents contend was triggered by the vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella combined with vaccines containing thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative. Watch Campbell Brown's take on the controversy »
The panel of "special masters" ruled that these petitioners had not presented sufficient evidence to prove that the childhood vaccines caused autism in their children.
A vocal segment of autism parents has contended that childhood vaccinations recommended by the government cause the disorder. Health agencies and the scientific community have disputed that notion. In defending its conclusion that no link exists, the Institute of Medicine cited five large studies that have failed to prove any connection between autism and thimerosal and 14 large studies finding no link between the MMR vaccine and autism.Amanda Guyton, a mother of a 6-year-old boy with autism, was "incredibly... more
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Venezuela on Friday expelled a Spanish member of the European Parliament after he called President Hugo Chavez a dictator and criticized Chavez's handling of a referendum on term limits that the lawmaker had been set to observe.
Venezuela's Hugo Chavez, center, is flanked by Bolivia's Evo Morales, right, and Nicaragua's Daniel Ortega.
In a statement, Venezuela's Foreign Ministry said it had invited Luis Herrero, who represents the right-wing Partido Popular (Popular Party) in the European Parliament, to leave the country to preserve a "peaceful climate" before the Sunday referendum.
An opposition party, staunchly against Chavez, had asked Herrero to observe the referendum on a change to the constitution that would allow unlimited terms for elected officials.
Venezuela's Globovision television reported that Herrero was escorted to the Maiquetia airport on Friday by what appeared to be members of the national guard.
"Following his comments, in a sequestering operation, they took him by force from the hotel without even allowing him to take his personal belongings and his passport," opposition member Luis Ignacio Planas told Globovision.Venezuela on Friday expelled a Spanish member of the European Parliament after he... more
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Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is mounting a new push to expand in Chicago, hoping that its promises of jobs and sales-tax dollars will prove more tempting in the recession than when city leaders first rebuffed the discount chain earlier this decade.
The world's largest retailer, which so far has been able to build only one store in the nation's third-largest city, hopes to open a half-dozen more in the coming years, according to the company and politicians familiar with its plans. It has been heavily courting Chicago leaders and is studying a dozen potential sites.
Wal-Mart, whose stores are largely concentrated in rural and suburban markets, has long struggled to penetrate the largest American cities amid fierce opposition from politicians sympathetic to organized labor and small business groups concerned the discounter would steal sales from smaller retailers.Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is mounting a new push to expand in Chicago, hoping that its... more
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KABUL: One by one, the perforated and mangled bodies of the Taliban attackers were carried out on stretchers. Hours earlier, the men had seized control of the Afghan Justice Ministry. Now they were viscous heaps of flesh, with large gashes and bullet holes, some with arms ripped partly from shattered shoulders.
The security men carried each stretcher to the open rear doors of ambulances that had been backed into the forecourt of the Justice Ministry. But the security men did not place the corpses in the ambulance.
Instead, with a heave, the men dumped each body on the concrete forecourt. Several corpses landed face down. Quickly the men grabbed those corpses and threw them on their backs, face up.
It was meant as a sign of deep disrespect to the Taliban gunmen. But it also seemed to be a way to let the hundred or so Afghan soldiers, police and intelligence officers gathered in the forecourt gaze for a moment at the guerrillas who had penetrated deep into the sanctums of the Afghan government, just a few hundred meters from the gates of the presidential palace.KABUL: One by one, the perforated and mangled bodies of the Taliban attackers were... more
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Plunging oil prices threaten Chavez revolution as vote looms
The drive by Venezuela's autocratic president, Hugo Chavez, to export his brand of socialism across Latin America and remain in power indefinitely is being jeopardised by tumbling oil prices.
By Philip Sherwell in New York
Last Updated: 12:52AM GMT 11 Feb 2009
Hugo Chavez regional influence built on oil largesse Photo: AFP/GETTY
The firebrand populist has used the proceeds of Venezuela's vast oil reserves to prop up left-wing governments and politicians across the region, fomenting anti-Americanism and expanding his personal influence.
Fidel Castro in Cuba, Bolivian leader Evo Morales and Daniel Ortega, the Sandinista revolutionary who returned to power in Nicaragua in 2006, have all benefited from Mr Chavez's oil-fuelled largesse.
But after 10 years in power, Mr Chavez is now fighting an increasingly desperate campaign to win Sunday's referendum on changing the constitution to scrap term limits. His proposal would allow him to stay in office indefinitely if he keeps winning elections run after his current final term expires in 2013.
He has been forced to remove a reported $12 billion (£8 billion) from Venezuela's central bank's foreign currency reserves - one third of its total - to stave off deep spending cuts necessitated by falling oil revenues until after the vote.
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I realize George Bush was a terrible president!! But when we allow despots to come to our country like Ahmadinejad and Chavez, and the American taxpayer have to pay for their security, as they rip our entire system? It gets me mad!!!Plunging oil prices threaten Chavez revolution as vote looms
The drive by... more
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Police arrested a man near the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday after he drove up to one of the building's barricades with a rifle in his vehicle and told officers that he had a delivery for President Obama, a Senate spokesman said.
A man drove to the Capitol with a rifle and said he had a delivery for Preisdent Obama, police said.
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The man was arrested and transported to Capitol Hill police headquarters for further processing. Charges against him are pending.
Threats against Obama have led to arrests in previous cases.
In one, federal prosecutors concluded that three people arrested with drugs and weapons in a suburban Denver, Colorado, motel posed a "true threat" to Obama during the Democratic National Convention.
In the second, a Florida man was charged with threatening bodily harm against the then-candidate in August. He has pleaded not guilty.Police arrested a man near the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday after he drove up to one of the... more
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Pedro Pablo slowly folds up his American flag blanket and stuffs it in his duffel bag. With it goes his American dream.
Pedro Pablo, an illegal immigrant from Guatemala, headed home recently due to the bad U.S. economy.
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"I left my family and lost four years with them. I will ask them to forgive me," he said.
Pablo is an illegal immigrant from Guatemala who came to the United States to support his wife and five sons back home. When he arrived, construction jobs were plentiful. Over the last year, he says, he's worked three days.
He recently boarded a bus with a one-way ticket home, paid for by the Guatemalan consulate in Los Angeles. "I thought I could get ahead here. I regret coming." Watch day laborers head home »
Across the United States, tens of thousands of immigrants -- those here legally and illegally -- are facing a similar dilemma: Do they continue to search for jobs in a struggling U.S. economy or return home to an even bleaker economic situation?
"Things are very dire, and I think it's impacting those at the very bottom even more so," said Abel Valenzuela, a professor at the University of California-Los Angeles who has spent years studying day laborers.
"Day laborers are being really, really impacted."Pedro Pablo slowly folds up his American flag blanket and stuffs it in his duffel bag.... more
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JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Early exit polls showed a surprise narrow lead for the centrist Kadima party as voting ended in Israel's elections Tuesday, Israeli television networks reported.
iReporter Daniel Dreifuss captured the scene as Israelis headed to the polls in Jerusalem.
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Kadima, led by Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, appeared to have an edge over the conservative Likud bloc led by former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
But CNN correspondent Ben Wedeman and Israeli political analysts warned that exit polls had been wrong in past elections.
Pre-election opinion polls had suggested that right-wing parties may benefit from Israel's recent military campaign in Gaza.
It was Livni's inability to form a ruling coalition last year that prompted Tuesday's vote.
Kadima's partner in the current coalition, the Labor Party, appeared to be running fourth in Tuesday's elections, with the exit polls indicating that the right-wing Yisrael Beiteinu party is in third place.
No single party is expected to win an overall majority in the Knesset, Israel's parliament, so whoever wins the most seats still faces the challenge of building a governing coalition.JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Early exit polls showed a surprise narrow lead for the centrist... more
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Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner on Tuesday unveiled a new bank rescue plan that includes a "new consumer business lending initiative to leverage up to $1 trillion dollars to kick start the secondary lending markets."
The department also announced plans for "a new website, FinancialStability.gov, to detail where federal funds are going and whether they are succeeding in stabilizing the financial system and promoting new lending." The administration has already begun posting contracts on the Internet.
Here are details of the program, as released by the Obama administration:
OVERVIEW OF FINANCIAL STABILITY PLAN:Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner on Tuesday unveiled a new bank rescue plan that... more
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Analysis: A decisive president's possible dilemma
By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
What happens if Livni gets more seats but more party-leaders recommend Netanyahu build the coalition?
By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
The prestigious edition is one of the most coveted covers in the modeling world.
Both parties claim victory and race to form rival coalitions
Kadima expected to win 30 mandates, Likud - 28, Israel Beiteinu - 15 and Labor only 13; right-wing bloc slated to win 63-64, left-wing 56-57.
Lieberman: I prefer right-wing coalition
Israel Beiteinu leader says his top priority for the next government is to topple Hamas in Gaza.
Kadima, Likud claim election victory
Both Livni and Netanyahu say they will be "next PM of Israel," Barak says he'll continue leading Labor.
'The Left was hit hard in this election'
Barak: Shattered system of government must be changed; Meretz leader Oron: Expectations too high.
Abbas aide: Building freeze before talks
Defense officials: Hamas interested in continuing talks with Israel regardless of who tops polls.
1/3 of Europeans: Jews caused meltdown
ADL survey: 74% in Spain say Jews hold too much sway over economy, fear Jews loyal to Israel first.
'Lieberman isn't racist, Hamas is'Analysis: A decisive president's possible dilemma
By JERUSALEM POST STAFF... more
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Has Barack Obama’s presidency already failed? In normal times, this would be a ludicrous question. But these are not normal times. They are times of great danger. Today, the new US administration can disown responsibility for its inheritance; tomorrow, it will own it. Today, it can offer solutions; tomorrow it will have become the problem. Today, it is in control of events; tomorrow, events will take control of it. Doing too little is now far riskier than doing too much. If he fails to act decisively, the president risks being overwhelmed, like his predecessor. The costs to the US and the world of another failed presidency do not bear contemplating.
What is needed? The answer is: focus and ferocity. If Mr Obama does not fix this crisis, all he hopes from his presidency will be lost. If he does, he can reshape the agenda. Hoping for the best is foolish. He should expect the worst and act accordingly.
Yet hoping for the best is what one sees in the stimulus programme and – so far as I can judge from Tuesday’s sketchy announcement by Tim Geithner, Treasury secretary – also in the new plans for fixing the banking system. I commented on the former last week. I would merely add that it is extraordinary that a popular new president, confronting a once-in-80-years’ economic crisis, has let Congress shape the outcome.Has Barack Obama’s presidency already failed? In normal times, this would be a... more
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Watch live video of killer twister slamming into Oklahoma City
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SHANGHAI (AP) - China's monthly vehicle sales surpassed those in the United States for the first time in January, moving this country closer to becoming the world's biggest auto market, data released Tuesday showed.
With its growing middle class and vast potential as a consumer market, China is vital for General Motors Corp., Volkswagen AG and Toyota Motor Corp. as they count on demand here to offset weakness in the U.S. and elsewhere.
But China's ascent in the global auto market has been hastened by the plunge in U.S. auto sales, which tumbled 37 percent in January to a 26-year low of 656,976 units.
Chinese vehicle sales also have cooled, but hardly as dramatically. In January, 735,000 vehicles were sold, down 14.4 percent from a monthly record 860,000 in January 2008, the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers said.
China's vehicle market has grown dramatically in recent years, overtaking Japan in 2006 to become the world's second-largest by annual sales. With 1.3 billion people, China will inevitably leapfrog the U.S., with a population of 300 million, into the No. 1 spot, industry experts say.SHANGHAI (AP) - China's monthly vehicle sales surpassed those in the United... more
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