World/Nation Briefs 5.9.2012
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
WASHINGTON (AP) — Over the past three years, al-Qaida bomb makers in Yemen have developed three fiendishly clever devices in hopes of attacking airplanes in the skies above the United States.
First, there was the underwear bomb that fizzled over Detroit on Christmas 2009. Next, terrorists hid bombs inside printer cartridges and got them on board cargo planes in 2010, only to watch authorities find and defuse them in the nick of time.
Then last month, officials say, al-Qaida completed a sophisticated new, nonmetallic underwear bomb — and unwittingly handed it over to the CIA.
The would-be suicide bomber, the man al-Qaida entrusted with its latest device, actually was a double agent working with the CIA and Saudi intelligence agencies, officials said Tuesday. Instead of sneaking it onto a plane in his underwear, he delivered it to the U.S. government and handed al-Qaida its latest setback.
The extraordinary intelligence operation was confirmed by U.S. and Yemeni officials who were briefed on the plot but spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss it.
———
AP-GfK Poll: Support for war in Afghanistan at new low of 27 percent
WASHINGTON (AP) — Support for the war in Afghanistan has reached a new low, with only 27 percent of Americans saying they back the effort and about half of those who oppose the war saying the continued presence of American troops in Afghanistan is doing more harm than good, according to an AP-GfK poll.
In results released Wednesday, 66 percent opposed the war, with 40 percent saying they were ‘‘strongly’’ opposed. A year ago, 37 percent favored the war, and in the spring of 2010, support was at 46 percent. Eight percent strongly supported the war in the new poll.
The poll found that far fewer people than last year think the killing of Osama bin Laden by U.S. troops increased the threat of terrorism against Americans. Overall, 27 percent say the al-Qaida leader’s death resulted in an increased terror threat, 31 percent believe his death decreased the threat of terrorism and 38 percent say it has had no effect. The poll was conducted before the revelation this week of a recent al-Qaida plot to blow up a U.S.-bound airliner with an underwear bomb.
Chris Solomon, an independent from Fuquay-Varina, N.C., is among the respondents who strongly oppose the war. He said the military mission has reached the limits of its ability to help Afghans or make Americans any safer, and he would close down the war immediately if he could. While the rationale for the war is to fight al-Qaida, most of the day-to-day combat is against an entrenched Taliban insurgency that will outlast the foreign fighters, he said.
‘‘What are we really doing there? Who are we helping?’’ he said in an interview.
———
Indiana senator’s loss shows incumbency is out, GOP is split in warnings for Obama and Romney
VALPARAISO, Ind. (AP) — Veteran Sen. Richard Lugar’s loss in the Indiana GOP primary provides warnings for President Barack Obama and his Democrats as well as Mitt Romney and fellow Republicans six months before the November election.
In one state at least, anti-incumbent sentiment is coursing through the electorate, a potentially ominous sign for the incumbent Democratic president seeking a second term and lawmakers of all political stripes. The GOP also remains deeply split between the establishment wing and insurgent tea party, a fissure that underscores the challenge the presumptive Republican presidential nominee and other GOP candidates face in the months ahead to unite the party.
‘‘We are experiencing deep political divisions in our society right now,’’ Lugar, 80, one of the nation’s longest-serving senators, said in a statement after the results were known. ‘‘These divisions have stalemated progress in critical areas. But these divisions are not insurmountable.’’
The loss of Lugar — who boasted of strong conservative credentials but was lambasted by critics for working with Democrats — also highlights the degree to which deal-makers are becoming a rarity on a Capitol Hill often consumed by partisan gridlock. He follows Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, a moderate known for bipartisanship, in leaving the Senate at year’s end. Others too, including former Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., have left in recent years.
Ultimately, it was Lugar’s efforts to cross party lines and his longevity in Washington — two issues that tea party-backed challenger Richard Mourdock used against him — that proved too much for Indiana Republicans.
———
Looking back on Munich 1972: Tourists partied as deadly drama played out in Olympic Village
It began as a glorious late summer’s day — clear blue sky, shorts and shirt-sleeve kind of weather. Sunlight twinkled off the acrylic glass at the Olympic stadium. Tourists lounged beneath the umbrellas of outdoor cafes, chatting and sipping beer.
The scene in Munich’s Olympic Park on Sept. 5, 1972, was idyllic — except for a helicopter from the German border police circling over buildings of the nearby village where the athletes lived.
If you shaded your eyes, squinted against the blinding sunlight and knew where to look, you could just make out the images of armed uniformed German police standing on the buildings. Turn away and the horror of what was unfolding seemed to disappear.
Forty years later, the stark images of what became known as the Munich Massacre remain seared in my memory.
Eight Palestinian gunmen from the Black September organization had broken into the Olympic Village. There they seized 11 Israeli athletes, coaches and officials in their apartments.
———
FDA takes steps to help ensure kids don’t get unnecessary radiation from common medical tests
WASHINGTON (AP) — The government is taking steps to help ensure that children who need CT scans and other X-ray-based tests don’t get an adult-sized dose of radiation.
Too much radiation from medical testing is a growing concern, especially for children, because it may increase the risk of cancer later in life.
Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration proposed guidelines urging manufacturers to design new scanners to be safer for the youngest, smallest patients — and put new advice on its website to teach parents what to ask about these increasingly common tests.
‘‘We are trying to ensure that patients get the right dose at the right time, and the right exam,’’ FDA physicist Thalia Mills told The Associated Press.
The use of CT scans, which show more detail than standard X-rays but entail far more radiation, and other medical imaging has soared in recent years. The tests can be lifesaving, and specialists say people who really need one shouldn’t avoid it for fear of future risk from radiation.
———
Milwaukee Mayor Barrett to face Walker in Wis. recall that’s rematch of 2010 governor’s race
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The candidates may be the same, but Wisconsin isn’t.
In the tumultuous 18 months since Republican Scott Walker defeated Democrat Tom Barrett in the 2010 governor’s race, Wisconsin has been rocked with massive protests over workers’ rights, recall elections over a contentious union rights law and a partisan divide that’s strained families and friendships.
Now, Walker and Barrett are headed for a rematch.
Barrett, the mayor of Milwaukee since 2004, easily won the Democratic primary Tuesday and will take on Walker in the June 5 recall a short four weeks away. Walker defeated Barrett by 125,000 votes, or 5 percentage points, in 2010 as part of a GOP sweep into power that also saw them take the Legislature and knock off Democratic U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold.
The recall drive was sparked when Walker and Republicans passed a law that effectively ended collective bargaining rights for most public workers and forced them to pay more for health insurance and pension benefits. Walker contends the moves were necessary to help balance a state budget shortfall of $3.6 billion.
———
Fidelity: Retired couple needs $240,000 for health costs, up 4 percent from 2011 estimate
BOSTON (AP) — Couples retiring this year can expect their medical bills throughout retirement to cost 4 percent more than those who retired a year ago, according to an annual projection released Wednesday by Fidelity Investments.
The estimated $240,000 that a newly retired couple will need to cover health care expenses reflects the typical pattern of projected annual increases. The Boston-based company cut the estimate for the first time last year, citing President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul. Medicare changes resulting from that plan are expected to gradually reduce many seniors’ out-of-pocket expenses for prescription drugs.
But Fidelity says overall health care cost trends are on the rise again, so it’s raising its cost estimate from last year’s $230,000 figure.
‘‘As long as health care cost trends exceed personal income growth and economic growth, health care will still be a growing burden for the country as a whole and for individuals,’’ says Sunit Patel, a senior vice president for benefits consulting at Fidelity, and an actuary who helped calculate the estimate.
However, this year’s 4 percent rise is relatively modest. Annual increases have averaged 6 percent since Fidelity made its initial $160,000 calculation in 2002.
———
Maurice Sendak’s legacy lives on in bedtime rituals around the world
NEW YORK (AP) — The claws and teeth of wild things are a near-nightly affair at bedtime for Gregg Svingen’s 2-year-old, Tessa.
Almost every evening, she raises a tiny index finger and issues a clear and forceful ‘‘Be still!’’ to knock Maurice Sendak’s monsters into shape.
‘‘This evolved into telling anything scary or threatening a confident ‘No!’, again with an empowered toddler digit,’’ says Svingen, an American living in the Belgium capital Brussels who keeps two copies of Sendak’s book ‘‘Where the Wild Things Are’’ on hand.
Svingen and other grateful parents — and their kids — were among those around the world to bid Sendak a fond farewell Tuesday, when he died in Danbury, Connecticut, at age 83. Many devoured his books as children themselves.
‘‘Sendak reminds adults about the best parts of childhood: the freedom, the boundless energy, the possibilities, the security, the fantasies, a time where the rules can bend any way your imagination desires,’’ said Nicole Forsyth, whose 4-year-old, Audrey, likes ‘‘In the Night Kitchen’’ the best.
———
From ’mess’ to masher, Hamilton calls 4 HR game ’amazing’
BALTIMORE (AP) — Josh Hamilton expects it will take some time before he realizes the significance of becoming the 16th player in baseball history to hit four home runs in a game.
He does, however, appreciate how fortunate he was to be playing baseball at Camden Yards on Tuesday night as a member of the Texas Rangers. Because, before his epic performance against the Baltimore Orioles, Hamilton had to do something even harder than launching a quartet of two-run homers.
He needed to save himself from personal ruin.
Hamilton went from first-round draft pick by Tampa Bay in 1999 to out of baseball altogether because of drug and alcohol addiction.
He recovered and returned to the majors in 2007 with Cincinnati, and was traded to the Texas, where he has become a star — the AL MVP in 2010 — while still battling his addiction. He had a relapse before this season, but is off to a torrid start.
———
Granger scores 25 points to lead Pacers past Magic 105-87; Indiana wins series 4-1
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Danny Granger and the Pacers are getting some well-deserved time off and he plans to spend some of it rooting for the Knicks against the Heat.
It’s not that Indiana’s forward wants to see them win. He’s just hoping New York can extend the series against Miami so the teams keep beating up on each other in a series the Heat lead 3-1.
Granger ensured the Pacers will be fresh for whichever team advances, scoring 25 points to help Indiana eliminate the Orlando Magic with a 105-87 victory in Game 5 on Tuesday night.
‘‘We haven’t been in this position for six, seven years,’’ he said. ‘‘Just to finally be back in the playoffs, finally to be competing for a championship as a high seed, is a great place for us to be right now.’’
It was Indiana’s first series win since 2005 and its first clincher on its home court since the first round of the 2000 playoffs. Darren Collison scored 15 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter and George Hill added 15 points for the Pacers, who trailed by two at the end of the third quarter but outscored the Magic 36-16 in the final 12 minutes.
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WASHINGTON (AP) — Over the past three years, al-Qaida bomb makers in Yemen have developed three fiendishly clever devices in hopes of attacking airplanes in the skies above the United States.
First, there was the underwear bomb that fizzled over Detroit on Christmas 2009. Next, terrorists hid bombs inside printer cartridges and got them on board cargo planes in 2010, only to watch authorities find and defuse them in the nick of time.
Then last month, officials say, al-Qaida completed a sophisticated new, nonmetallic underwear bomb — and unwittingly handed it over to the CIA.
The would-be suicide bomber, the man al-Qaida entrusted with its latest device, actually was a double agent working with the CIA and Saudi intelligence agencies, officials said Tuesday. Instead of sneaking it onto a plane in his underwear, he delivered it to the U.S. government and handed al-Qaida its latest setback.
The extraordinary intelligence operation was confirmed by U.S. and Yemeni officials who were briefed on the plot but spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss it.
———
AP-GfK Poll: Support for war in Afghanistan at new low of 27 percent
WASHINGTON (AP) — Support for the war in Afghanistan has reached a new low, with only 27 percent of Americans saying they back the effort and about half of those who oppose the war saying the continued presence of American troops in Afghanistan is doing more harm than good, according to an AP-GfK poll.
In results released Wednesday, 66 percent opposed the war, with 40 percent saying they were ‘‘strongly’’ opposed. A year ago, 37 percent favored the war, and in the spring of 2010, support was at 46 percent. Eight percent strongly supported the war in the new poll.
The poll found that far fewer people than last year think the killing of Osama bin Laden by U.S. troops increased the threat of terrorism against Americans. Overall, 27 percent say the al-Qaida leader’s death resulted in an increased terror threat, 31 percent believe his death decreased the threat of terrorism and 38 percent say it has had no effect. The poll was conducted before the revelation this week of a recent al-Qaida plot to blow up a U.S.-bound airliner with an underwear bomb.
Chris Solomon, an independent from Fuquay-Varina, N.C., is among the respondents who strongly oppose the war. He said the military mission has reached the limits of its ability to help Afghans or make Americans any safer, and he would close down the war immediately if he could. While the rationale for the war is to fight al-Qaida, most of the day-to-day combat is against an entrenched Taliban insurgency that will outlast the foreign fighters, he said.
‘‘What are we really doing there? Who are we helping?’’ he said in an interview.
———
Indiana senator’s loss shows incumbency is out, GOP is split in warnings for Obama and Romney
VALPARAISO, Ind. (AP) — Veteran Sen. Richard Lugar’s loss in the Indiana GOP primary provides warnings for President Barack Obama and his Democrats as well as Mitt Romney and fellow Republicans six months before the November election.
In one state at least, anti-incumbent sentiment is coursing through the electorate, a potentially ominous sign for the incumbent Democratic president seeking a second term and lawmakers of all political stripes. The GOP also remains deeply split between the establishment wing and insurgent tea party, a fissure that underscores the challenge the presumptive Republican presidential nominee and other GOP candidates face in the months ahead to unite the party.
‘‘We are experiencing deep political divisions in our society right now,’’ Lugar, 80, one of the nation’s longest-serving senators, said in a statement after the results were known. ‘‘These divisions have stalemated progress in critical areas. But these divisions are not insurmountable.’’
The loss of Lugar — who boasted of strong conservative credentials but was lambasted by critics for working with Democrats — also highlights the degree to which deal-makers are becoming a rarity on a Capitol Hill often consumed by partisan gridlock. He follows Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, a moderate known for bipartisanship, in leaving the Senate at year’s end. Others too, including former Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., have left in recent years.
Ultimately, it was Lugar’s efforts to cross party lines and his longevity in Washington — two issues that tea party-backed challenger Richard Mourdock used against him — that proved too much for Indiana Republicans.
———
Looking back on Munich 1972: Tourists partied as deadly drama played out in Olympic Village
It began as a glorious late summer’s day — clear blue sky, shorts and shirt-sleeve kind of weather. Sunlight twinkled off the acrylic glass at the Olympic stadium. Tourists lounged beneath the umbrellas of outdoor cafes, chatting and sipping beer.
The scene in Munich’s Olympic Park on Sept. 5, 1972, was idyllic — except for a helicopter from the German border police circling over buildings of the nearby village where the athletes lived.
If you shaded your eyes, squinted against the blinding sunlight and knew where to look, you could just make out the images of armed uniformed German police standing on the buildings. Turn away and the horror of what was unfolding seemed to disappear.
Forty years later, the stark images of what became known as the Munich Massacre remain seared in my memory.
Eight Palestinian gunmen from the Black September organization had broken into the Olympic Village. There they seized 11 Israeli athletes, coaches and officials in their apartments.
———
FDA takes steps to help ensure kids don’t get unnecessary radiation from common medical tests
WASHINGTON (AP) — The government is taking steps to help ensure that children who need CT scans and other X-ray-based tests don’t get an adult-sized dose of radiation.
Too much radiation from medical testing is a growing concern, especially for children, because it may increase the risk of cancer later in life.
Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration proposed guidelines urging manufacturers to design new scanners to be safer for the youngest, smallest patients — and put new advice on its website to teach parents what to ask about these increasingly common tests.
‘‘We are trying to ensure that patients get the right dose at the right time, and the right exam,’’ FDA physicist Thalia Mills told The Associated Press.
The use of CT scans, which show more detail than standard X-rays but entail far more radiation, and other medical imaging has soared in recent years. The tests can be lifesaving, and specialists say people who really need one shouldn’t avoid it for fear of future risk from radiation.
———
Milwaukee Mayor Barrett to face Walker in Wis. recall that’s rematch of 2010 governor’s race
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The candidates may be the same, but Wisconsin isn’t.
In the tumultuous 18 months since Republican Scott Walker defeated Democrat Tom Barrett in the 2010 governor’s race, Wisconsin has been rocked with massive protests over workers’ rights, recall elections over a contentious union rights law and a partisan divide that’s strained families and friendships.
Now, Walker and Barrett are headed for a rematch.
Barrett, the mayor of Milwaukee since 2004, easily won the Democratic primary Tuesday and will take on Walker in the June 5 recall a short four weeks away. Walker defeated Barrett by 125,000 votes, or 5 percentage points, in 2010 as part of a GOP sweep into power that also saw them take the Legislature and knock off Democratic U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold.
The recall drive was sparked when Walker and Republicans passed a law that effectively ended collective bargaining rights for most public workers and forced them to pay more for health insurance and pension benefits. Walker contends the moves were necessary to help balance a state budget shortfall of $3.6 billion.
———
Fidelity: Retired couple needs $240,000 for health costs, up 4 percent from 2011 estimate
BOSTON (AP) — Couples retiring this year can expect their medical bills throughout retirement to cost 4 percent more than those who retired a year ago, according to an annual projection released Wednesday by Fidelity Investments.
The estimated $240,000 that a newly retired couple will need to cover health care expenses reflects the typical pattern of projected annual increases. The Boston-based company cut the estimate for the first time last year, citing President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul. Medicare changes resulting from that plan are expected to gradually reduce many seniors’ out-of-pocket expenses for prescription drugs.
But Fidelity says overall health care cost trends are on the rise again, so it’s raising its cost estimate from last year’s $230,000 figure.
‘‘As long as health care cost trends exceed personal income growth and economic growth, health care will still be a growing burden for the country as a whole and for individuals,’’ says Sunit Patel, a senior vice president for benefits consulting at Fidelity, and an actuary who helped calculate the estimate.
However, this year’s 4 percent rise is relatively modest. Annual increases have averaged 6 percent since Fidelity made its initial $160,000 calculation in 2002.
———
Maurice Sendak’s legacy lives on in bedtime rituals around the world
NEW YORK (AP) — The claws and teeth of wild things are a near-nightly affair at bedtime for Gregg Svingen’s 2-year-old, Tessa.
Almost every evening, she raises a tiny index finger and issues a clear and forceful ‘‘Be still!’’ to knock Maurice Sendak’s monsters into shape.
‘‘This evolved into telling anything scary or threatening a confident ‘No!’, again with an empowered toddler digit,’’ says Svingen, an American living in the Belgium capital Brussels who keeps two copies of Sendak’s book ‘‘Where the Wild Things Are’’ on hand.
Svingen and other grateful parents — and their kids — were among those around the world to bid Sendak a fond farewell Tuesday, when he died in Danbury, Connecticut, at age 83. Many devoured his books as children themselves.
‘‘Sendak reminds adults about the best parts of childhood: the freedom, the boundless energy, the possibilities, the security, the fantasies, a time where the rules can bend any way your imagination desires,’’ said Nicole Forsyth, whose 4-year-old, Audrey, likes ‘‘In the Night Kitchen’’ the best.
———
From ’mess’ to masher, Hamilton calls 4 HR game ’amazing’
BALTIMORE (AP) — Josh Hamilton expects it will take some time before he realizes the significance of becoming the 16th player in baseball history to hit four home runs in a game.
He does, however, appreciate how fortunate he was to be playing baseball at Camden Yards on Tuesday night as a member of the Texas Rangers. Because, before his epic performance against the Baltimore Orioles, Hamilton had to do something even harder than launching a quartet of two-run homers.
He needed to save himself from personal ruin.
Hamilton went from first-round draft pick by Tampa Bay in 1999 to out of baseball altogether because of drug and alcohol addiction.
He recovered and returned to the majors in 2007 with Cincinnati, and was traded to the Texas, where he has become a star — the AL MVP in 2010 — while still battling his addiction. He had a relapse before this season, but is off to a torrid start.
———
Granger scores 25 points to lead Pacers past Magic 105-87; Indiana wins series 4-1
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Danny Granger and the Pacers are getting some well-deserved time off and he plans to spend some of it rooting for the Knicks against the Heat.
It’s not that Indiana’s forward wants to see them win. He’s just hoping New York can extend the series against Miami so the teams keep beating up on each other in a series the Heat lead 3-1.
Granger ensured the Pacers will be fresh for whichever team advances, scoring 25 points to help Indiana eliminate the Orlando Magic with a 105-87 victory in Game 5 on Tuesday night.
‘‘We haven’t been in this position for six, seven years,’’ he said. ‘‘Just to finally be back in the playoffs, finally to be competing for a championship as a high seed, is a great place for us to be right now.’’
It was Indiana’s first series win since 2005 and its first clincher on its home court since the first round of the 2000 playoffs. Darren Collison scored 15 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter and George Hill added 15 points for the Pacers, who trailed by two at the end of the third quarter but outscored the Magic 36-16 in the final 12 minutes.
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