World/Nation Briefs 5.24.2012
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
WASHINGTON (AP) — Food stamp recipients are ripping off the government for millions of dollars by illegally selling their benefit cards for cash — sometimes even in the open, on eBay or Craigslist — and then asking the government for replacement cards. The Agriculture Department wants to curb the practice by giving states more power to investigate people who repeatedly claim to lose their benefit cards.
It is proposing new rules Thursday that would allow states to demand formal explanations from people who seek replacement cards more than three times a year. Those who dont comply can be denied further cards.
‘‘Up to this point, the state’s hands have been tied unless they absolutely suspected fraudulent activity,’’ said Kevin Concannon, the departments undersecretary for food, nutrition and consumer services.
Overall, food stamp fraud costs taxpayers about $750 million a year, or 1 percent of the $75 billion program that makes up the bulk of the department’s total budget for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
Most fraud occurs when unscrupulous retailers allow customers to turn in their benefits cards for lesser amounts of cash. But USDA officials are also concerned about people selling or trading cards in the open market, including through websites.
———
Missouri plans to use untested single drug for executions; involved in Michael Jackson’s death
ST. LOUIS (AP) — The same anesthetic that caused the overdose death of pop star Michael Jackson is now the drug of choice for executions in Missouri, causing a stir among critics who question how the state can guarantee a drug untested for lethal injection wont cause pain and suffering for the condemned.
Last week the Missouri Department of Corrections announced it was switching from its longstanding three-drug method to use of a single drug, propofol. Missouri would be the first state ever to use propofol as an execution drug.
‘‘This is very, very concerning with a drug that we don’t know, and seeing the problems of the one-drug method,’’ said Kathleen Holmes of Missourians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty.
Until recently, the 33 states with the death penalty used a virtually identical three-drug process: Sodium thiopental was administered to put the inmate to sleep, then two other drugs stopped the heart and lungs. But makers of sodium thiopental have stopped selling it for use in executions. Supplies mostly ran out or expired, forcing states to consider alternatives.
Most states have retained the three-drug method but turned to pentobarbital as a replacement for sodium thiopental. Pentobarbital, a barbiturate used to treat anxiety and convulsive disorders such as epilepsy, has been used in roughly 50 executions over the past two years, said Richard Dieter, executive director of the Washington-based Death Penalty Information Center.
———
Casting call: Republicans audition to be Romney’s running mate by taking on role of attack dog
WASHINGTON (AP) — Mitt Romney’s vice presidential search has entered a new phase: auditions.
As his campaign evaluates potential running mates, Republicans with a possible shot at the No. 2 spot on the presidential ticket are starting to engage in unofficial public tryouts for the traditional vice presidential role of attack dog.
Democratic President Barack Obama is ‘‘the most ill-prepared person to assume the presidency in my lifetime,’’ New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie declared at a speech in Kentucky this week. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio told South Carolina Republicans that Americans hadn’t seen such a ‘‘divisive figure in modern American history’’ as Obama.
Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan, speaking Tuesday at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library — it’s a favorite venue for Republicans seeking more attention — said Obama ‘‘wants to take us further in the wrong direction.’’ And in an Alabama appearance earlier this month, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal called Obama ‘‘the most incompetent president since Jimmy Carter.’’
Not that any of them — or any of the others who may have landed a spot on Romney’s list — are talking about becoming vice president. Nor are any of them acknowledging they’re trying out for the role or saying the Romney campaign has asked them to do so. Top Romney aides are sworn to secrecy, as are potential running mates and their staffs — an example of the Romney campaign’s closely controlled, no-leaks culture.
———
Eurogroup head admits possibility Greece could ditch euro, though ’working assumption’ is no
BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union leaders concluded their latest summit early Thursday with few concrete steps to fix the continent’s festering financial crisis even as the potential for a messy Greek exit from the euro appears to be rising. Some leaders stressed the importance of planning for just such an event but offered no measures that might help Greece avoid it.
Also left unresolved was what Europe should do to spark economic growth and restore the confidence of investors, who have driven some countries’ borrowing costs to unsustainable levels. The fiscal austerity agenda that Germany has promoted as the solution to Europe’s problem of too much government debt has been met with rising skepticism in other euro countries.
The leaders of the 27 EU countries agreed to give institutions such as the European Investment Bank the task of drawing up proposals for growth in time for another summit in June. But there was discord over more aggressive actions promoted by some leaders heading into the summit, such as issuing bonds jointly as a way of reducing borrowing costs for heavily indebted nations among the 17 countries that use the euro.
The perception that European leaders lack the political will to tackle the continent’s financial and economic problems has left markets on edge for weeks. Recession is spreading. Banks are under pressure. The biggest fear is that if Greece cannot be saved, other larger economies — like Spain or Portugal — might face the same fate.
The euro countries ‘‘have to consider all kinds of events,’’ Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker told reporters after a European Union summit, but insisted that ‘‘the working assumption’’ was that Greece would remain part of the euro. Leaders gathered in Brussels recognized that Greece had endured significant hardships and promised to release development funds aimed at spurring growth.
———
Beset by years of woes as they pick a new leader, Egyptians search for a superman
CAIRO (AP) — Egyptians say they want their next leader to be honorable, smart, a knight, a man with a heart, a military man, a religious man, one who goes down and meets with the people. What they are really looking for is a superman.
Egypt’s next president is facing an incredibly tall order of problems, from a tumbling economy and a beat-up security force to decrepit schools and hospitals that can’t even provide enough incubators for premature babies.
Turning out in large numbers to vote for the first time in free and competitive presidential elections, a deeply engaged population have a lot of expectations from the leader that will replace the longtime leader Hosni Mubarak, whom they ousted in a popular uprising last year.
‘‘We want a flawless president. We want him strong, just, respectable, clean, someone who feels for the poor. We basically want a superman,’’ said Heba el-Sayed, a 42-year old teacher who was asking her colleagues outside a polling station in the popular neighborhood of Sayeda Zeinab who they voted for.
Egyptians have never had the chance to pick a leader. Mubarak, who was often derisively labeled as ‘‘pharaoh’’ by Egyptians, came to power in 1981 after the assassination of President Anwar Sadat at the hands of Islamic militants, mostly because he signed a peace treaty with Israel. He was re-elected multiple time after that, mainly in yes-or-no referendums in which he was the only candidate.
———
Private supply ship flies near space station in critical test, actual docking on Friday
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — The world’s first private supply ship drew close to the International Space Station on Thursday in a critical fly-by-without-stopping test in advance of the actual docking.
The SpaceX Dragon capsule was directed to stay at least 1 1/2 miles away from the orbiting lab as it got started on a practice lap and checkout of its communication and navigation systems.
The historic linkup is scheduled for Friday, assuming success on Thursday.
It is the first U.S. vessel to visit the space station since NASA’s shuttles retired last summer. The space station astronauts struggled with bad computer monitors and camera trouble as the Dragon zoomed toward them. A NASA spokesman said the problem would not hold up the operation.
SpaceX’s near-term objective is to help stockpile the space station, joining Russia, Europe and Japan in resupply duties. In three or four more years, however, the California-based company run by the billionaire who co-founded PayPal, Elon Musk, hopes to be launching station astronauts.
———
UN panel claims evidence of illegal killings, torture by Syrian forces, armed opposition
GENEVA (AP) — A U.N.-appointed panel of human rights experts says it has documented cases of unlawful killings, torture and abuses by Syrian government forces and anti-government armed groups.
The members of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria said in a report Thursday that since March the Syrian government forces have killed people unlawfully during anti-government demonstrations in Idlib, Homs, Aleppo, Hama, Damascus and Dara and in ‘‘numerous villages throughout the country.’’
They also say that anti-government armed groups also have killed army and security forces and suspected informers that they have capture.
———
After strong GOP hauls, Obama and his Democrats redoubling fundraising efforts to keep edge
ATHERTON, Calif. (AP) — His cash advantage threatened, President Barack Obama and his party are redoubling their fundraising efforts after robust hauls by Republican rival Mitt Romney and a slew of GOP-leaning super PACs that are raking in cash from the party faithful highly motivated to topple the Democrat.
Obama still has a significant edge, but it’s shrinking rapidly.
That explains why the president, fresh off of back-to-back international summits, plunged back into his re-election race Wednesday with a series of fundraising events in Denver and California’s Silicon Valley. The president was looking to stockpile cash to pay for his coast-to-coast organization, advertising to spread his message and get-out-the-vote operations in key states.
‘‘We’re going to have to contend with even more negative ads, even more cynicism and nastiness and just plain foolishness,’’ Obama said in Denver. ‘‘But the outcome of the election is ultimately going to depend upon all of you.’’ A woman shouted, ‘‘We’ll just have to work harder.’’
It’s the start of an extensive money push by Obama in the coming weeks that will feature a series of high-end fundraisers, including New York events with former President Bill Clinton and actress Sarah Jessica Parker and a Los Angeles trip to raise money among gay and lesbian supporters. Smaller-dollar pushes also are under way.
———
Phillip Phillips is the new ’American Idol’ as viewers pick guitar man over teenage diva
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Phillip Phillips, a bluesy Georgia guitar man, was crowned the new ‘‘American Idol’’ on Wednesday after defeating teenager Jessica Sanchez in record viewer voting. He was the fifth male ‘‘Idol’’ winner in a row.
Phillips, 21, a pawn shop worker from Leesburg, Ga., looked stunned when host Ryan Seacrest announced his name, then wordlessly accepted a hug from Sanchez and congratulations from his fellow finalists.
He dissolved into tears as he sang ‘‘Home,’’ the song that may be his first single.
Phillips retained his humble, self-effacing demeanor to the end, and beyond.
‘‘I have no idea why I won, man,’’ he said in his backstage dressing room. ‘‘I guess some people liked the music that I was doing. I’m just lucky. ... I was just doing my thing each week.’’
———
Quick questions at the Indy 500: Who will win, and what’s with those really slow cars?
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indianapolis 500 will be run on Sunday in what’s believed to be the most wide-open race in years. There are no clear favorites and there’s a group of new faces vying for attention. And with no Danica Patrick, there’s a chance for some new stars to be born in the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.
The late Dan Wheldon will be honored throughout the weekend, and the absence of the two-time winner and defending champion will be felt long after the checkered flag falls.
A quick look at the big questions at Indy:
———
WHO WILL WIN? The front two rows for the start of the race are stacked with drivers from Penske Racing and Andretti Autosport, so it could very well be a shootout between those six guys. Penske has Ryan Briscoe on the pole, with Will Power and three-time race winner Helio Castroneves in the second row. Andretti has spots two through four with James Hinchcliffe and Ryan Hunter-Reay on the front row, and Marco Andretti in the second row. The nod should go to a Penske driver, though: The team is undefeated so far this season, with four wins and five poles.
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WASHINGTON (AP) — Food stamp recipients are ripping off the government for millions of dollars by illegally selling their benefit cards for cash — sometimes even in the open, on eBay or Craigslist — and then asking the government for replacement cards. The Agriculture Department wants to curb the practice by giving states more power to investigate people who repeatedly claim to lose their benefit cards.
It is proposing new rules Thursday that would allow states to demand formal explanations from people who seek replacement cards more than three times a year. Those who dont comply can be denied further cards.
‘‘Up to this point, the state’s hands have been tied unless they absolutely suspected fraudulent activity,’’ said Kevin Concannon, the departments undersecretary for food, nutrition and consumer services.
Overall, food stamp fraud costs taxpayers about $750 million a year, or 1 percent of the $75 billion program that makes up the bulk of the department’s total budget for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
Most fraud occurs when unscrupulous retailers allow customers to turn in their benefits cards for lesser amounts of cash. But USDA officials are also concerned about people selling or trading cards in the open market, including through websites.
———
Missouri plans to use untested single drug for executions; involved in Michael Jackson’s death
ST. LOUIS (AP) — The same anesthetic that caused the overdose death of pop star Michael Jackson is now the drug of choice for executions in Missouri, causing a stir among critics who question how the state can guarantee a drug untested for lethal injection wont cause pain and suffering for the condemned.
Last week the Missouri Department of Corrections announced it was switching from its longstanding three-drug method to use of a single drug, propofol. Missouri would be the first state ever to use propofol as an execution drug.
‘‘This is very, very concerning with a drug that we don’t know, and seeing the problems of the one-drug method,’’ said Kathleen Holmes of Missourians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty.
Until recently, the 33 states with the death penalty used a virtually identical three-drug process: Sodium thiopental was administered to put the inmate to sleep, then two other drugs stopped the heart and lungs. But makers of sodium thiopental have stopped selling it for use in executions. Supplies mostly ran out or expired, forcing states to consider alternatives.
Most states have retained the three-drug method but turned to pentobarbital as a replacement for sodium thiopental. Pentobarbital, a barbiturate used to treat anxiety and convulsive disorders such as epilepsy, has been used in roughly 50 executions over the past two years, said Richard Dieter, executive director of the Washington-based Death Penalty Information Center.
———
Casting call: Republicans audition to be Romney’s running mate by taking on role of attack dog
WASHINGTON (AP) — Mitt Romney’s vice presidential search has entered a new phase: auditions.
As his campaign evaluates potential running mates, Republicans with a possible shot at the No. 2 spot on the presidential ticket are starting to engage in unofficial public tryouts for the traditional vice presidential role of attack dog.
Democratic President Barack Obama is ‘‘the most ill-prepared person to assume the presidency in my lifetime,’’ New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie declared at a speech in Kentucky this week. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio told South Carolina Republicans that Americans hadn’t seen such a ‘‘divisive figure in modern American history’’ as Obama.
Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan, speaking Tuesday at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library — it’s a favorite venue for Republicans seeking more attention — said Obama ‘‘wants to take us further in the wrong direction.’’ And in an Alabama appearance earlier this month, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal called Obama ‘‘the most incompetent president since Jimmy Carter.’’
Not that any of them — or any of the others who may have landed a spot on Romney’s list — are talking about becoming vice president. Nor are any of them acknowledging they’re trying out for the role or saying the Romney campaign has asked them to do so. Top Romney aides are sworn to secrecy, as are potential running mates and their staffs — an example of the Romney campaign’s closely controlled, no-leaks culture.
———
Eurogroup head admits possibility Greece could ditch euro, though ’working assumption’ is no
BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union leaders concluded their latest summit early Thursday with few concrete steps to fix the continent’s festering financial crisis even as the potential for a messy Greek exit from the euro appears to be rising. Some leaders stressed the importance of planning for just such an event but offered no measures that might help Greece avoid it.
Also left unresolved was what Europe should do to spark economic growth and restore the confidence of investors, who have driven some countries’ borrowing costs to unsustainable levels. The fiscal austerity agenda that Germany has promoted as the solution to Europe’s problem of too much government debt has been met with rising skepticism in other euro countries.
The leaders of the 27 EU countries agreed to give institutions such as the European Investment Bank the task of drawing up proposals for growth in time for another summit in June. But there was discord over more aggressive actions promoted by some leaders heading into the summit, such as issuing bonds jointly as a way of reducing borrowing costs for heavily indebted nations among the 17 countries that use the euro.
The perception that European leaders lack the political will to tackle the continent’s financial and economic problems has left markets on edge for weeks. Recession is spreading. Banks are under pressure. The biggest fear is that if Greece cannot be saved, other larger economies — like Spain or Portugal — might face the same fate.
The euro countries ‘‘have to consider all kinds of events,’’ Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker told reporters after a European Union summit, but insisted that ‘‘the working assumption’’ was that Greece would remain part of the euro. Leaders gathered in Brussels recognized that Greece had endured significant hardships and promised to release development funds aimed at spurring growth.
———
Beset by years of woes as they pick a new leader, Egyptians search for a superman
CAIRO (AP) — Egyptians say they want their next leader to be honorable, smart, a knight, a man with a heart, a military man, a religious man, one who goes down and meets with the people. What they are really looking for is a superman.
Egypt’s next president is facing an incredibly tall order of problems, from a tumbling economy and a beat-up security force to decrepit schools and hospitals that can’t even provide enough incubators for premature babies.
Turning out in large numbers to vote for the first time in free and competitive presidential elections, a deeply engaged population have a lot of expectations from the leader that will replace the longtime leader Hosni Mubarak, whom they ousted in a popular uprising last year.
‘‘We want a flawless president. We want him strong, just, respectable, clean, someone who feels for the poor. We basically want a superman,’’ said Heba el-Sayed, a 42-year old teacher who was asking her colleagues outside a polling station in the popular neighborhood of Sayeda Zeinab who they voted for.
Egyptians have never had the chance to pick a leader. Mubarak, who was often derisively labeled as ‘‘pharaoh’’ by Egyptians, came to power in 1981 after the assassination of President Anwar Sadat at the hands of Islamic militants, mostly because he signed a peace treaty with Israel. He was re-elected multiple time after that, mainly in yes-or-no referendums in which he was the only candidate.
———
Private supply ship flies near space station in critical test, actual docking on Friday
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — The world’s first private supply ship drew close to the International Space Station on Thursday in a critical fly-by-without-stopping test in advance of the actual docking.
The SpaceX Dragon capsule was directed to stay at least 1 1/2 miles away from the orbiting lab as it got started on a practice lap and checkout of its communication and navigation systems.
The historic linkup is scheduled for Friday, assuming success on Thursday.
It is the first U.S. vessel to visit the space station since NASA’s shuttles retired last summer. The space station astronauts struggled with bad computer monitors and camera trouble as the Dragon zoomed toward them. A NASA spokesman said the problem would not hold up the operation.
SpaceX’s near-term objective is to help stockpile the space station, joining Russia, Europe and Japan in resupply duties. In three or four more years, however, the California-based company run by the billionaire who co-founded PayPal, Elon Musk, hopes to be launching station astronauts.
———
UN panel claims evidence of illegal killings, torture by Syrian forces, armed opposition
GENEVA (AP) — A U.N.-appointed panel of human rights experts says it has documented cases of unlawful killings, torture and abuses by Syrian government forces and anti-government armed groups.
The members of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria said in a report Thursday that since March the Syrian government forces have killed people unlawfully during anti-government demonstrations in Idlib, Homs, Aleppo, Hama, Damascus and Dara and in ‘‘numerous villages throughout the country.’’
They also say that anti-government armed groups also have killed army and security forces and suspected informers that they have capture.
———
After strong GOP hauls, Obama and his Democrats redoubling fundraising efforts to keep edge
ATHERTON, Calif. (AP) — His cash advantage threatened, President Barack Obama and his party are redoubling their fundraising efforts after robust hauls by Republican rival Mitt Romney and a slew of GOP-leaning super PACs that are raking in cash from the party faithful highly motivated to topple the Democrat.
Obama still has a significant edge, but it’s shrinking rapidly.
That explains why the president, fresh off of back-to-back international summits, plunged back into his re-election race Wednesday with a series of fundraising events in Denver and California’s Silicon Valley. The president was looking to stockpile cash to pay for his coast-to-coast organization, advertising to spread his message and get-out-the-vote operations in key states.
‘‘We’re going to have to contend with even more negative ads, even more cynicism and nastiness and just plain foolishness,’’ Obama said in Denver. ‘‘But the outcome of the election is ultimately going to depend upon all of you.’’ A woman shouted, ‘‘We’ll just have to work harder.’’
It’s the start of an extensive money push by Obama in the coming weeks that will feature a series of high-end fundraisers, including New York events with former President Bill Clinton and actress Sarah Jessica Parker and a Los Angeles trip to raise money among gay and lesbian supporters. Smaller-dollar pushes also are under way.
———
Phillip Phillips is the new ’American Idol’ as viewers pick guitar man over teenage diva
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Phillip Phillips, a bluesy Georgia guitar man, was crowned the new ‘‘American Idol’’ on Wednesday after defeating teenager Jessica Sanchez in record viewer voting. He was the fifth male ‘‘Idol’’ winner in a row.
Phillips, 21, a pawn shop worker from Leesburg, Ga., looked stunned when host Ryan Seacrest announced his name, then wordlessly accepted a hug from Sanchez and congratulations from his fellow finalists.
He dissolved into tears as he sang ‘‘Home,’’ the song that may be his first single.
Phillips retained his humble, self-effacing demeanor to the end, and beyond.
‘‘I have no idea why I won, man,’’ he said in his backstage dressing room. ‘‘I guess some people liked the music that I was doing. I’m just lucky. ... I was just doing my thing each week.’’
———
Quick questions at the Indy 500: Who will win, and what’s with those really slow cars?
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indianapolis 500 will be run on Sunday in what’s believed to be the most wide-open race in years. There are no clear favorites and there’s a group of new faces vying for attention. And with no Danica Patrick, there’s a chance for some new stars to be born in the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.
The late Dan Wheldon will be honored throughout the weekend, and the absence of the two-time winner and defending champion will be felt long after the checkered flag falls.
A quick look at the big questions at Indy:
———
WHO WILL WIN? The front two rows for the start of the race are stacked with drivers from Penske Racing and Andretti Autosport, so it could very well be a shootout between those six guys. Penske has Ryan Briscoe on the pole, with Will Power and three-time race winner Helio Castroneves in the second row. Andretti has spots two through four with James Hinchcliffe and Ryan Hunter-Reay on the front row, and Marco Andretti in the second row. The nod should go to a Penske driver, though: The team is undefeated so far this season, with four wins and five poles.
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