The Democratic White House hopefuls took to the airwaves Friday to battle over national security credentials, with Hillary Clinton’s campaign releasing a tough new ad that pegged her as the presidential candidate best-prepared to take on foreign crises, and Barack Obama’s team responding with the re-release of a spot that painted him as the White House hopeful with the best judgment to be commander-in-chief.
“It’s 3 a.m. and your children are safe and asleep. But there’s a phone in the White House, and it’s ringing. Something’s happened in the world,” says the announcer in the 30-second Clinton spot, which is set begin running in Texas Friday. A phone rings insistently over images of sleeping children.
“Your vote will decide who answers the call. Whether it’s someone who already knows the world’s leaders, knows the military. Someone tested and ready to lead in a dangerous world.
“It’s 3 a.m. and your children are safe and asleep. Who do you want answering the phone?”
The Clinton campaign said the new ad — titled “Children” — is meant to make voters ponder “who they want in the White House during a crisis.”
Within roughly an hour of the ad’s debut, the Obama campaign announced that it was re-releasing “Gulf,” a 30-second spot that first ran prior to the Iowa caucuses. The ad features retired Air Force Gen. Merrill McPeak, a former combat pilot who was the service’s highest-ranking uniformed officer during the first Gulf War.
“As a combat pilot and Air Force chief during Desert Storm, lives depended on the judgments I made,” McPeak says in the spot. “And judgment is what we need from our next commander in chief. Barack Obama opposed this war in Iraq from the start, showing insight and courage others did not.”
Friday, February 29, 2008
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Bush pressures Congress on FISA
President Bush on Thursday urged Congress to vote on an update to the terrorist surveillance bill, which allows the intelligence community to conduct surveillance on foreigners without a warrant.
A temporary update the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act expired more than a week ago.
Bush has been pressing Congress to pass a permanent update, arguing that its delayed passage hurts national security.
The Senate passed a bill, but members of the House have taken issue with a provision in the Senate version that grants retroactive immunity from prosecution for telecommunications companies that assisted the government in its surveillance program.
Democrats have said that the existing 1978 law gives the government all the authority it needs to carry out surveillance and that passage of the final bill can wait until the House and Senate reconcile their differences.
Both the House and Senate versions of the bill would allow U.S. intelligence to tap into phone and Internet traffic overseas without obtaining a judge's warrant, even if the calls were routed through communications centers in the United States.
The Senate version contains a controversial measure that grants legal immunity to telecommunications companies that cooperated with the no-warrant wiretapping program Bush acknowledged in 2005. The immunity would apply retroactively.
A temporary update the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act expired more than a week ago.
Bush has been pressing Congress to pass a permanent update, arguing that its delayed passage hurts national security.
The Senate passed a bill, but members of the House have taken issue with a provision in the Senate version that grants retroactive immunity from prosecution for telecommunications companies that assisted the government in its surveillance program.
Democrats have said that the existing 1978 law gives the government all the authority it needs to carry out surveillance and that passage of the final bill can wait until the House and Senate reconcile their differences.
Both the House and Senate versions of the bill would allow U.S. intelligence to tap into phone and Internet traffic overseas without obtaining a judge's warrant, even if the calls were routed through communications centers in the United States.
The Senate version contains a controversial measure that grants legal immunity to telecommunications companies that cooperated with the no-warrant wiretapping program Bush acknowledged in 2005. The immunity would apply retroactively.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Clinton, Obama clash over campaign tactics in debate
Democrats Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama sparred with each other over negative campaigning, health care and free trade Tuesday, a week before key primaries in Texas and Ohio.
Those contests are must-wins for Clinton if she is to continue to contest Obama for the nomination, as even former President Clinton suggests.
Debating at Cleveland State University, Clinton repeated angry claims from the campaign trail that Obama mischaracterized her stances on health care and NAFTA in political material mailed to voters in Ohio.
"I have a great deal of respect for Sen. Obama, but we have differences," she said. "In the last several days, some of those differences in tactics and choices that Sen. Obama's campaign has made regarding fliers and mailers and other information that has been put out ... have been very disturbing to me."
The mailers, which Obama defends, claim that Clinton's health care plan would force people who don't want insurance to buy it. They also say she has been inconsistent on NAFTA, which many in industrial states like Ohio blame for shipping blue-collar jobs overseas.
Those contests are must-wins for Clinton if she is to continue to contest Obama for the nomination, as even former President Clinton suggests.
Debating at Cleveland State University, Clinton repeated angry claims from the campaign trail that Obama mischaracterized her stances on health care and NAFTA in political material mailed to voters in Ohio.
"I have a great deal of respect for Sen. Obama, but we have differences," she said. "In the last several days, some of those differences in tactics and choices that Sen. Obama's campaign has made regarding fliers and mailers and other information that has been put out ... have been very disturbing to me."
The mailers, which Obama defends, claim that Clinton's health care plan would force people who don't want insurance to buy it. They also say she has been inconsistent on NAFTA, which many in industrial states like Ohio blame for shipping blue-collar jobs overseas.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Bosnian Serbs try to attack U.S. consulate
Police fired tear gas at Bosnian Serb rioters Tuesday to prevent them from storming the building of the U.S. Consulate after protests against Kosovo's independence.
A smaller group split away from the almost 10,000 peaceful protesters in Banja Luka and headed toward the U.S. Consulate, breaking shop windows along the way and throwing stones at police who blocked the streets leading to the building with armored vehicles.
Several officers were seen limping after a rain of stones poured down on them before police fired tear gas to disperse the crowd.
Police were also seen detaining several demonstrators as they withdrew to a nearby park.
A smaller group split away from the almost 10,000 peaceful protesters in Banja Luka and headed toward the U.S. Consulate, breaking shop windows along the way and throwing stones at police who blocked the streets leading to the building with armored vehicles.
Several officers were seen limping after a rain of stones poured down on them before police fired tear gas to disperse the crowd.
Police were also seen detaining several demonstrators as they withdrew to a nearby park.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Visiting sites of tragedy to touch history, ease grief
On a blustery January day, a few tourists gather at the spot where the World Trade Center once stood in New York City. In pictures, words and a roll call of the dead, an area of kiosks and signs near the eastern edge of the site recounts the events of September 11, 2001.
These days, the 16-acre hole in the ground -- known to the world as ground zero -- is partially obscured by tall mesh-wire fences that surround a busy construction site. Yet one visitor is visibly moved by a photo taken during a fireman's funeral, one of the many images found on the information panels.
"I feel a little ashamed to be so curious," says Esther Winter, a tourist from Ringsted, Denmark, "but we watched it on television and were so shocked. I had to come here and get the feeling."
Like Winter, many visitors to New York City now include a trip to the World Trade Center site on their agenda. In 2006, more than 5.6 million toured the downtown site, a figure expected to double once the WTC memorial and museum are completed in 2010. Ground zero is just one of many destinations for "grief tourism," a relatively new term for an age-old human inclination -- that of traveling to and bearing witness at the sites of terrible or tragic events.
These days, the 16-acre hole in the ground -- known to the world as ground zero -- is partially obscured by tall mesh-wire fences that surround a busy construction site. Yet one visitor is visibly moved by a photo taken during a fireman's funeral, one of the many images found on the information panels.
"I feel a little ashamed to be so curious," says Esther Winter, a tourist from Ringsted, Denmark, "but we watched it on television and were so shocked. I had to come here and get the feeling."
Like Winter, many visitors to New York City now include a trip to the World Trade Center site on their agenda. In 2006, more than 5.6 million toured the downtown site, a figure expected to double once the WTC memorial and museum are completed in 2010. Ground zero is just one of many destinations for "grief tourism," a relatively new term for an age-old human inclination -- that of traveling to and bearing witness at the sites of terrible or tragic events.
Friday, February 22, 2008
No survivors in Venezuela plane crash
Rescue teams on Friday found the wreckage of a plane that crashed Thursday night in the mountains of Venezuela, but none of the 46 people aboard survived, an official said.
Witnesses saw the Santa Barbara Airlines plane go down, according to Antonio Rivero, Venezuela's national director of civil protection.
Harsh weather and rough terrain in the Andes Mountains likely will make the job of emergency crews difficult, Rivero said on a state-run television station.
The plane went missing while flying from Merida to the international airport near Caracas, an official said.
The pilot did not check in with controllers 20 minutes into the flight, as scheduled, suggesting the plane encountered problems shortly after takeoff.
Nelson Marquez, chief of civil defense for Merida, said the plane was carrying 43 passengers and three crew members.
Witnesses saw the Santa Barbara Airlines plane go down, according to Antonio Rivero, Venezuela's national director of civil protection.
Harsh weather and rough terrain in the Andes Mountains likely will make the job of emergency crews difficult, Rivero said on a state-run television station.
The plane went missing while flying from Merida to the international airport near Caracas, an official said.
The pilot did not check in with controllers 20 minutes into the flight, as scheduled, suggesting the plane encountered problems shortly after takeoff.
Nelson Marquez, chief of civil defense for Merida, said the plane was carrying 43 passengers and three crew members.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Boxing legend's sister found frozen to death
The 92-year-old sister of boxing great Joe Louis was found frozen to death outside her apartment at an assisted-living center, authorities said.
The body of Vunies High, who had Alzheimer's disease, was found Monday outside The Heatherwood retirement complex in Southfield, a Detroit suburb, said Capt. Tom Colombo of Southfield emergency medical services.
High, who spent 25 years as a teacher and counselor for Detroit Public Schools, was last seen Sunday.
When she was found, she was dressed only in pajamas and was wearing one shoe, with the other lying nearby.
An autopsy shows she died of hypothermia.
An official at Swanson's Funeral Home in Detroit confirmed that High was Louis' sister. A message seeking comment was left Wednesday at The Heatherwood.
Southfield police Lt. Nick Loussia told The Detroit News that there was no indication of any crime.
Louis, who transcended racial divisions 1930s and 1940s, remains a local hero in Detroit, where he grew up. The arena where the NHL's Detroit Red Wings play bears his name, and one of the city's most famous landmarks -- a bronze sculpture of an arm and fist -- is dedicated to his memory. He died in 1981.
The body of Vunies High, who had Alzheimer's disease, was found Monday outside The Heatherwood retirement complex in Southfield, a Detroit suburb, said Capt. Tom Colombo of Southfield emergency medical services.
High, who spent 25 years as a teacher and counselor for Detroit Public Schools, was last seen Sunday.
When she was found, she was dressed only in pajamas and was wearing one shoe, with the other lying nearby.
An autopsy shows she died of hypothermia.
An official at Swanson's Funeral Home in Detroit confirmed that High was Louis' sister. A message seeking comment was left Wednesday at The Heatherwood.
Southfield police Lt. Nick Loussia told The Detroit News that there was no indication of any crime.
Louis, who transcended racial divisions 1930s and 1940s, remains a local hero in Detroit, where he grew up. The arena where the NHL's Detroit Red Wings play bears his name, and one of the city's most famous landmarks -- a bronze sculpture of an arm and fist -- is dedicated to his memory. He died in 1981.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Obama, McCain extend winning streaks
Wisconsin and Hawaii handed Sen. Barack Obama his 9th and 10th consecutive wins Tuesday, CNN projects, while Sen. John McCain picked up two more states in his march to the Republican nomination.
"The change we seek is still months and miles away," Obama said Tuesday night in Houston, Texas.
He's emerged as the Democratic front-runner over Sen. Hillary Clinton after a split-decision on Super Tuesday two weeks ago.
"It is going to require more than rousing speeches. ... It is going to require something more, because the problem that we face in America today is not the lack of good ideas. It's that Washington has become a place where good ideas go to die," he said.
Obama and Clinton have turned their attention to Ohio and Texas, which hold contests March 4. Early voting began in Texas on Tuesday.
In the Republican race, Wisconsin gives McCain at least 13 more delegates; 24 more delegates are to be awarded to the winner of each congressional district.
The remaining three GOP delegates are unpledged Republican National Committee members.
McCain also picked up a win in Washington state's primary.
McCain and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee were competing for 19 delegates in Washington. Eighteen delegates were awarded earlier in the state's caucuses.
As Obama has edged ahead of Clinton in the Democratic race, McCain has increasingly directed criticism toward the Illinois senator.
"The change we seek is still months and miles away," Obama said Tuesday night in Houston, Texas.
He's emerged as the Democratic front-runner over Sen. Hillary Clinton after a split-decision on Super Tuesday two weeks ago.
"It is going to require more than rousing speeches. ... It is going to require something more, because the problem that we face in America today is not the lack of good ideas. It's that Washington has become a place where good ideas go to die," he said.
Obama and Clinton have turned their attention to Ohio and Texas, which hold contests March 4. Early voting began in Texas on Tuesday.
In the Republican race, Wisconsin gives McCain at least 13 more delegates; 24 more delegates are to be awarded to the winner of each congressional district.
The remaining three GOP delegates are unpledged Republican National Committee members.
McCain also picked up a win in Washington state's primary.
McCain and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee were competing for 19 delegates in Washington. Eighteen delegates were awarded earlier in the state's caucuses.
As Obama has edged ahead of Clinton in the Democratic race, McCain has increasingly directed criticism toward the Illinois senator.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Delta-Northwest deal could mean fewer cheap seats
It may be time to wave goodbye to some of those discount fares. If Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines complete a merger to form the largest U.S. airline, travelers can expect fewer deals and higher fares on some remote routes.
A combination has been rumored for weeks and reports Tuesday indicated that a deal was close.
Airlines generally try to keep flights as full as possible, and the proposed new carrier would continue that trend. "If all the planes are full," said Rick Seaney, founder of fare search site FareCompare, "they can increase prices and have them stick."
With fewer available seats, airlines cut back on the supply of cheapest seats first.
Small and mid-size markets will likely be the first to feel the squeeze, said airline consultant Michael Boyd. For example, Delta (DAL, Fortune 500) or Northwest (NWA, Fortune 500) handle most of the flights for Roanoke, Va. - those fares would likely rise as travelers' options are reduced, Boyd said.
But prices aren't likely to change much at major hubs like New York or Los Angeles, since they're already served by a large number of airlines, creating plenty of competition.
The potential for higher fares is one reason a Delta-Northwest deal would get a lot of scrutiny from antitrust regulators and Congress. At a Senate hearing a year ago, many senators expressed concern that any airline merger would produce other deals that could leave about 80% of the nation's air traffic handled by only three new mega-carriers.
A combination has been rumored for weeks and reports Tuesday indicated that a deal was close.
Airlines generally try to keep flights as full as possible, and the proposed new carrier would continue that trend. "If all the planes are full," said Rick Seaney, founder of fare search site FareCompare, "they can increase prices and have them stick."
With fewer available seats, airlines cut back on the supply of cheapest seats first.
Small and mid-size markets will likely be the first to feel the squeeze, said airline consultant Michael Boyd. For example, Delta (DAL, Fortune 500) or Northwest (NWA, Fortune 500) handle most of the flights for Roanoke, Va. - those fares would likely rise as travelers' options are reduced, Boyd said.
But prices aren't likely to change much at major hubs like New York or Los Angeles, since they're already served by a large number of airlines, creating plenty of competition.
The potential for higher fares is one reason a Delta-Northwest deal would get a lot of scrutiny from antitrust regulators and Congress. At a Senate hearing a year ago, many senators expressed concern that any airline merger would produce other deals that could leave about 80% of the nation's air traffic handled by only three new mega-carriers.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Military man arrested with grenades at airport
A 20-year-old member of the military was arrested after trying to get through airport security with two training grenades in a carry-on bag, police said.
Transportation Security Administration agents saw the grenades using a belt scanner at Yakima Air Terminal around 11:15 a.m. Sunday, Police Sgt. Tim Bardwell said.
The grenades contained live fuses but had no explosives packed around them, Bardwell told the Yakima Herald-Republic. The man was released Sunday afternoon while prosecutors and the FBI look into the incident.
Police locked down the small airport for a few minutes, then evacuated about 30 or 35 people while explosive experts from the Army's Yakima Training Center dismantled the grenades. All scheduled incoming flights stayed on the ground at other airports.
Authorities said the man lives on a military base in California, but Bardwell would not disclose his name, his branch of service or details about his questioning.
Police temporarily allowed the only incoming flight that was already in the air to land. Passengers were offloaded at the police precinct, a few hundred yards away from the terminal, Bardwell said.
Normal operations resumed around 12:45 p.m.
Transportation Security Administration agents saw the grenades using a belt scanner at Yakima Air Terminal around 11:15 a.m. Sunday, Police Sgt. Tim Bardwell said.
The grenades contained live fuses but had no explosives packed around them, Bardwell told the Yakima Herald-Republic. The man was released Sunday afternoon while prosecutors and the FBI look into the incident.
Police locked down the small airport for a few minutes, then evacuated about 30 or 35 people while explosive experts from the Army's Yakima Training Center dismantled the grenades. All scheduled incoming flights stayed on the ground at other airports.
Authorities said the man lives on a military base in California, but Bardwell would not disclose his name, his branch of service or details about his questioning.
Police temporarily allowed the only incoming flight that was already in the air to land. Passengers were offloaded at the police precinct, a few hundred yards away from the terminal, Bardwell said.
Normal operations resumed around 12:45 p.m.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Shootings at Northern Illinois University
A former student opened fire in a lecture hall Thursday at Northern Illinois University, shooting 21 people before fatally shooting himself. Seven people died, including the gunman.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Friend questioned in therapist's slasher slaying
A law enforcement official says NYPD investigators are in Pennsylvania questioning a man in the slaying of a psychologist hacked to death in her office with a meat cleaver.
The man being questioned met victim Kathryn Faughey at a guitar camp six years ago with her husband and were friends but not romantically linked,according to an official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing.
Pennsylvania State Police spokeswoman Cpl. Linette Quinn confirmed that New York detectives conducted an interview related to the case Thursday morning inside the agency's Bethlehem barracks.
The man is in his 40s and has not been arrested. Further details about the man are not known, including whether he is an actual suspect in the killing itself.
Faughey was stabbed 15 times in her office Tuesday evening. A psychiatrist who works in the building was badly injured by the attacker.
Police released a detailed sketch and grainy surveillance footage of him entering and leaving the Upper East Side building where Faughey was killed.
The man being questioned met victim Kathryn Faughey at a guitar camp six years ago with her husband and were friends but not romantically linked,according to an official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing.
Pennsylvania State Police spokeswoman Cpl. Linette Quinn confirmed that New York detectives conducted an interview related to the case Thursday morning inside the agency's Bethlehem barracks.
The man is in his 40s and has not been arrested. Further details about the man are not known, including whether he is an actual suspect in the killing itself.
Faughey was stabbed 15 times in her office Tuesday evening. A psychiatrist who works in the building was badly injured by the attacker.
Police released a detailed sketch and grainy surveillance footage of him entering and leaving the Upper East Side building where Faughey was killed.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
The Suns Make Room For Daddy
He took part in his first Suns practice Monday, and first practice anywhere in almost a month. And while Shaquille O’Neal said he was happy with the progress of his injured hip, his conditioning may keep him on the sidelines until the team returns from the All-Star break next week.
“It was terrible. I’m not going to sit here and tell you otherwise,” said O’Neal, who hasn’t played since Jan. 21 and hadn’t been on a practice floor until Sunday.
“I haven’t done anything in a month, but I’m in pretty good shape. It’ll probably take me a few more days … the good thing about these guys here is they tell me when I’m comfortable, when I’m at 100 percent, I can join them.”
The final decision is still pending, but O’Neal has all but ruled out Wednesday’s game against Golden State in Oakland, Calif.. And any appearance in Thursday’s home game against Dallas — Phoenix’s last before taking a six-day break that includes All-Star weekend — would likely be a cameo.
“It was terrible. I’m not going to sit here and tell you otherwise,” said O’Neal, who hasn’t played since Jan. 21 and hadn’t been on a practice floor until Sunday.
“I haven’t done anything in a month, but I’m in pretty good shape. It’ll probably take me a few more days … the good thing about these guys here is they tell me when I’m comfortable, when I’m at 100 percent, I can join them.”
The final decision is still pending, but O’Neal has all but ruled out Wednesday’s game against Golden State in Oakland, Calif.. And any appearance in Thursday’s home game against Dallas — Phoenix’s last before taking a six-day break that includes All-Star weekend — would likely be a cameo.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Candidates eye prize of Potomac primaries
Sen. Barack Obama heads into Tuesday's so-called Potomac primaries looking to sustain the momentum he mustered in his sweep of five Democratic contests last weekend.
The demographics in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia primaries suggest the senator from Illinois could pull off a political hat trick Tuesday over rival Sen. Hillary Clinton. However, the senator from New York said Obama's recent success doesn't faze her because future primaries will swing her way.
On the Republican side, Mike Huckabee is coming off big wins in Kansas and Louisiana, but Sen. John McCain of Arizona scoffed at the notion that the former Arkansas governor could close the roughly 500-delegate gap that separates the two GOP contenders.
The demographics in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia primaries suggest the senator from Illinois could pull off a political hat trick Tuesday over rival Sen. Hillary Clinton. However, the senator from New York said Obama's recent success doesn't faze her because future primaries will swing her way.
On the Republican side, Mike Huckabee is coming off big wins in Kansas and Louisiana, but Sen. John McCain of Arizona scoffed at the notion that the former Arkansas governor could close the roughly 500-delegate gap that separates the two GOP contenders.
Monday, February 11, 2008
'Jaws' actor Roy Scheider dies
Roy Scheider, the actor best known for his role as a police chief in the blockbuster movie "Jaws," has died. He was 75. Scheider died Sunday at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences hospital in Little Rock, hospital spokesman David Robinson said. The hospital did not release a cause of death.
However, hospital spokeswoman Leslie Taylor said Scheider had been treated for multiple myeloma at the hospital's Myeloma Institute for Research and Therapy for the past two years.
Scheider received two Oscar nominations, for best-supporting actor in 1971's "The French Connection" in which he played the police partner of Oscar winner Gene Hackman, and for best-actor for 1979's "All That Jazz," the autobiographical Bob Fosse film.
However, he was best known for his role in Steven Spielberg's1975 film, "Jaws," the enduring classic about a killer shark terrorizing beachgoers and well as millions of moviegoers.
Widely hailed as the film that launched the era of the Hollywood blockbuster, it was also the first movie to earn $100 million at the box office. Scheider starred with Richard Dreyfuss, who played an oceanographer.
In 2005, one of Scheider's most famous lines in the movie "You're gonna need a bigger boat" -- was voted No. 35 on the American Film Institute's list of best quotes from U.S. movies.
That year, some 30 years after "Jaws" premiered, hundreds of movie buffs flocked to Martha's Vineyard, off the southeastern coast of Massachusetts, to celebrate the great white shark.
The island's JawsFest '05 also brought back some of the cast and crew, including screenwriter Carl Gottlieb and Peter Benchley, who wrote the novel that inspired Spielberg's classic. Spielberg, Scheider and Dreyfuss were absent.
Scheider was also politically active. He participated in rallies protesting U.S. military action in Iraq, including a massive New York demonstration in March 2003 that police said drew 125,000 chanting activists.
However, hospital spokeswoman Leslie Taylor said Scheider had been treated for multiple myeloma at the hospital's Myeloma Institute for Research and Therapy for the past two years.
Scheider received two Oscar nominations, for best-supporting actor in 1971's "The French Connection" in which he played the police partner of Oscar winner Gene Hackman, and for best-actor for 1979's "All That Jazz," the autobiographical Bob Fosse film.
However, he was best known for his role in Steven Spielberg's1975 film, "Jaws," the enduring classic about a killer shark terrorizing beachgoers and well as millions of moviegoers.
Widely hailed as the film that launched the era of the Hollywood blockbuster, it was also the first movie to earn $100 million at the box office. Scheider starred with Richard Dreyfuss, who played an oceanographer.
In 2005, one of Scheider's most famous lines in the movie "You're gonna need a bigger boat" -- was voted No. 35 on the American Film Institute's list of best quotes from U.S. movies.
That year, some 30 years after "Jaws" premiered, hundreds of movie buffs flocked to Martha's Vineyard, off the southeastern coast of Massachusetts, to celebrate the great white shark.
The island's JawsFest '05 also brought back some of the cast and crew, including screenwriter Carl Gottlieb and Peter Benchley, who wrote the novel that inspired Spielberg's classic. Spielberg, Scheider and Dreyfuss were absent.
Scheider was also politically active. He participated in rallies protesting U.S. military action in Iraq, including a massive New York demonstration in March 2003 that police said drew 125,000 chanting activists.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Six dead as gunman 'goes to war' with Missouri city
A gunman killed five people and wounded two Thursday night at a police station and City Council meeting in suburban St. Louis before officers shot and killed him, police said.
Two police officers were among the dead, said Tracy Panus, spokeswoman for the St. Louis County police.
Witnesses identified the gunman as Charles Lee "Cookie" Thornton, a man who they said regularly disrupted meetings to make complaints, though he didn't make it clear what his concerns were.
Police have not identified the suspect. No one has made an official statement on Thornton's behalf, but his brother said Thornton "went to war tonight with the people that were of the government."
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, citing police, said the dead included police officers Tom Ballman and William Biggs, Councilwoman Connie Karr and Public Works Director Kenneth Yost.
Two police officers were among the dead, said Tracy Panus, spokeswoman for the St. Louis County police.
Witnesses identified the gunman as Charles Lee "Cookie" Thornton, a man who they said regularly disrupted meetings to make complaints, though he didn't make it clear what his concerns were.
Police have not identified the suspect. No one has made an official statement on Thornton's behalf, but his brother said Thornton "went to war tonight with the people that were of the government."
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, citing police, said the dead included police officers Tom Ballman and William Biggs, Councilwoman Connie Karr and Public Works Director Kenneth Yost.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Britney Spears' life at risk after discharge, parents say
Pop star Britney Spears is an "adult child in the throes of a mental health crisis" whose "life is presently at risk," her parents said Wednesday night after the singer was released from a hospital.
Jamie and Lynne Spears said in a statement that they were dismayed to learn that their daughter had been discharged from the University of California-Los Angeles Medical Center Wednesday over the recommendation of her psychiatrist.
They said the hospital could "best care for her and keep her safe."
"We are deeply concerned about her safety and vulnerability and we believe her life is presently at risk," the statement added.
"There are conservatorship orders in place created to protect our daughter that are being blatantly disregarded. We ask only that the court's orders be enforced so that a tragedy may be averted."
Spears left the Los Angeles hospital Wednesday afternoon, nearly a week after being admitted in the latest stage of an extraordinary public meltdown.
Jamie and Lynne Spears said in a statement that they were dismayed to learn that their daughter had been discharged from the University of California-Los Angeles Medical Center Wednesday over the recommendation of her psychiatrist.
They said the hospital could "best care for her and keep her safe."
"We are deeply concerned about her safety and vulnerability and we believe her life is presently at risk," the statement added.
"There are conservatorship orders in place created to protect our daughter that are being blatantly disregarded. We ask only that the court's orders be enforced so that a tragedy may be averted."
Spears left the Los Angeles hospital Wednesday afternoon, nearly a week after being admitted in the latest stage of an extraordinary public meltdown.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
No rest for Clinton, Obama; 7 more contests fast approach
With Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton almost even in delegate counts, the two Democratic presidential candidates will focus on several weekend contests and then a trio of primaries in the Washington area next Tuesday.
Super Tuesday delivered a split decision for the Democrats. CNN estimates showed Clinton earned a handful more delegates than Obama, who surprised observers by taking states where the senator from New York had large polling leads until recently.
The latest estimate gave Clinton 582 of the 1,681 delegates at stake Tuesday, compared with 562 for Obama. It will take time to determine the final distribution because of complicated formulas.
CNN's overall count showed Clinton leading at this point in delegates with 823 to Obama's 731. They'll need 2,025 to secure their party's nomination.
Both candidates fly to Washington on Wednesday afternoon for Senate votes, but the next day Obama holds a major rally in New Orleans ahead of this weekend's Louisiana primary.
Washington state and Nebraska also hold caucuses Saturday, and Maine will holds its caucuses Sunday.
Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia hold their presidential primaries next Tuesday.
Super Tuesday delivered a split decision for the Democrats. CNN estimates showed Clinton earned a handful more delegates than Obama, who surprised observers by taking states where the senator from New York had large polling leads until recently.
The latest estimate gave Clinton 582 of the 1,681 delegates at stake Tuesday, compared with 562 for Obama. It will take time to determine the final distribution because of complicated formulas.
CNN's overall count showed Clinton leading at this point in delegates with 823 to Obama's 731. They'll need 2,025 to secure their party's nomination.
Both candidates fly to Washington on Wednesday afternoon for Senate votes, but the next day Obama holds a major rally in New Orleans ahead of this weekend's Louisiana primary.
Washington state and Nebraska also hold caucuses Saturday, and Maine will holds its caucuses Sunday.
Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia hold their presidential primaries next Tuesday.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Democrats in dead heat as voters cast Super Tuesday ballots
The Democratic presidential candidates waited Tuesday for the voters' verdict, as a new poll showed the race in a virtual dead heat nationally. Sen. Hillary Clinton started her day with several broadcast interviews, then voted in Chappaqua, New York.
Sen. Barack Obama also appeared in a broadcast interview, and picked up an early victory as American expatriates in Indonesia gave him 75 percent of their votes.
Clinton took just nine seconds behind a closed curtain to cast her vote in New York's Democratic presidential primary.
She arrived at the polling station in Chappaqua's Douglas Grafflin Elementary School at 8 a.m. with her husband and daughter.
When a poll worker joked, "I just want to confirm, you're a Democrat, right?" Clinton responded, "I am, true blue."
"The stakes are huge for our country, a lot of big challenges, but America's up to it," Clinton said after casting her vote.
"We just need a president who's ready on day one to turn the economy around and become commander in chief and get our country back on the right track."
Sen. Barack Obama also appeared in a broadcast interview, and picked up an early victory as American expatriates in Indonesia gave him 75 percent of their votes.
Clinton took just nine seconds behind a closed curtain to cast her vote in New York's Democratic presidential primary.
She arrived at the polling station in Chappaqua's Douglas Grafflin Elementary School at 8 a.m. with her husband and daughter.
When a poll worker joked, "I just want to confirm, you're a Democrat, right?" Clinton responded, "I am, true blue."
"The stakes are huge for our country, a lot of big challenges, but America's up to it," Clinton said after casting her vote.
"We just need a president who's ready on day one to turn the economy around and become commander in chief and get our country back on the right track."
Monday, February 4, 2008
Giants upset Patriots to win Super Bowl XLII
The New York Giants won Super Bowl XLII with a last-minute touchdown, upsetting the New England Patriots' hopes of becoming the first team since 1972 to complete a National Football League season undefeated.
The Giants beat the Patriots 17-14 in Sunday night's championship game, giving New York its first NFL title since 1991.
Giants quarterback Eli Manning was named the game's Most Valuable Player -- a year after his brother, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, took the same honor.
''There's something about this team,'' Eli Manning told The Associated Press. ''The way we win games, and performed in the playoffs in the stretch. We had total confidence in ourselves. The players believed in each other.''
The heavily favored Patriots, who have won three of the last seven Super Bowls, went undefeated in the regular season and playoffs.
A win Sunday would have made them the first team since the 1972 Miami Dolphins to go undefeated.
The Giants beat the Patriots 17-14 in Sunday night's championship game, giving New York its first NFL title since 1991.
Giants quarterback Eli Manning was named the game's Most Valuable Player -- a year after his brother, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, took the same honor.
''There's something about this team,'' Eli Manning told The Associated Press. ''The way we win games, and performed in the playoffs in the stretch. We had total confidence in ourselves. The players believed in each other.''
The heavily favored Patriots, who have won three of the last seven Super Bowls, went undefeated in the regular season and playoffs.
A win Sunday would have made them the first team since the 1972 Miami Dolphins to go undefeated.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Giant storm pounds Midwest, barrels toward Northeast
A huge storm that stretched from Texas to the Great Lakes blanketed the nation's midsection with snow, tying up air travel and making roads treacherous, and headed for the Northeast on Friday.
Five inches of snow was reported at Chicago's Midway Airport by early Friday and more was expected to begin around rush hour.
More than 600 flights were canceled Thursday at O'Hare International Airport, where low visibility continued to be a problem Friday, officials said.
Between eight to 12 inches of snow was forecast for the Chicago area by Friday afternoon.
"It looks like this morning's rush hour is going to be really impacted," National Weather Service meteorologist Paul Merzlock said. "With what's going to be coming down at the rate it'll be coming down, all the roads are going to be snow-packed and snow-covered."
Elsewhere, Indianapolis received less than 2 inches of snow overnight, despite predictions for much more.
But the National Weather Service said northern Indiana could get up to a foot of snow. Fort Wayne had received 4 inches by early Friday.
Hundreds of schools in Michigan canceled class Friday in anticipation of the storm, which was expected to drop as many as 13 inches of snow in the southeastern portion of the state. Up to 4 inches had fallen by early Friday.
Billowing snow in the Texas Panhandle caused a 40-car pileup on Interstate 40 on Thursday that killed at least person. Three other deaths were blamed on the storm, two in Texas and one in Oklahoma.
Five inches of snow was reported at Chicago's Midway Airport by early Friday and more was expected to begin around rush hour.
More than 600 flights were canceled Thursday at O'Hare International Airport, where low visibility continued to be a problem Friday, officials said.
Between eight to 12 inches of snow was forecast for the Chicago area by Friday afternoon.
"It looks like this morning's rush hour is going to be really impacted," National Weather Service meteorologist Paul Merzlock said. "With what's going to be coming down at the rate it'll be coming down, all the roads are going to be snow-packed and snow-covered."
Elsewhere, Indianapolis received less than 2 inches of snow overnight, despite predictions for much more.
But the National Weather Service said northern Indiana could get up to a foot of snow. Fort Wayne had received 4 inches by early Friday.
Hundreds of schools in Michigan canceled class Friday in anticipation of the storm, which was expected to drop as many as 13 inches of snow in the southeastern portion of the state. Up to 4 inches had fallen by early Friday.
Billowing snow in the Texas Panhandle caused a 40-car pileup on Interstate 40 on Thursday that killed at least person. Three other deaths were blamed on the storm, two in Texas and one in Oklahoma.
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