The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Wednesday, January 26, 2011 - 3A
The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom Wednesday, January 26, 2011 - 3A
NEWS BRIEFS
WASHINGTON
Unemployment
rises in 20 states,
falls in 15 others
The unemployment rate rose in
20 states last month as employers
in most states shed jobs.
The Labor Department says
the unemployment rate rose in
20 states and fell in 15. It was
unchanged in another 15 states.
That's nearly the same as in
November, when the rate rose in
21 states, fell in 15 and was the
same in 14.
The report is evidence that the
job market is barely improving
even as the economy grows. Most
economists expect hiring to pick
up this year, although the unem-
ployment rate will likely remain
high.
TRENTON, N.J.
Governor: State
won't repay U.S.
for tunnel work
Gov. Chris Christie said yester-
day that New Jersey will contin-
ue its fight to avoid repaying the
federal government $271 million
spent on the Hudson River rail
tunnel project that he canceled in
October.
The deadline for the state to
repay the money or file a formal
appeal was last night.
Christie said on an appearance
on West Trenton news radio sta-
tion 101.5 that the state does not
intend to pay.
Christie spokesman Michael
Drewniak said the administration
would have more details today on
an appeal.
The $8.7 billion project was the
most expensive public works proj-
ect in the country when Christie
spiked it. It would have doubled
the capacity for trains travel-
ing between New York City and
New Jersey, routes that are now
close to capacity and frequently
delayed.
MOGADISHU, Somalia
With draught,
Somalis march to
demand aid
Hundreds of Somalis are
marching through the capital
demanding aid for their drought-
stricken country.
The aid group Oxfam says
half a million Somalis have been
affected by the drought. The U.N.
says one in six children is acutely
malnourished.
Somalia has been torn apart
by civil war for 20 years and the
ongoing conflict is hampering
relief efforts. Insurgents issued
restricted which led the U.N.
to stop distributing aid in areas
under their control.
Those who held the demon-
stration in Mogadishu yesterday
say they do not understand why
they are notbeinghelped because
they live in a part of the city out-
side insurgent control.
HARARE, Zimbabwe
Wildlife director
reports sharp rise
in rhino poaching
Poachers are using aircraft to
hunt and kill rhinoceros, Zimba-
bwe's wildlife chief said yester-
day, as demand in Asia for their
horns' supposed medicinal ben-
efits grows.
Seven endangered rhinos were
killed in southern Zimbabwe
from early December to Jan. 19,
representing about one-third of
all 22 rhinos poached throughout
2010, Parks and Wildlife director
general Vitalis Chidenga.
He said the poachers, including
localrecruits,were well-equipped
with sophisticated weapons. Five
of the rhino were shot in one park
in the southwestern Matabele-
land province, he said.
Rhino horn is prized in Asia as
a traditional cure for everything
from colds to impotence and it is
used to fashion ceremonial dag-
ger handles in oil-rich countries
in the Middle East.
-Compiled from
Daily wire reports
Russian gov. ratifies
historic arms pact
with United States
NASSER NASSER/AP
A protester throws a tear gas canister toward police at a demonstration in Cairo, Egypt yesterday.
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violent riots side-streets and filling the
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AIRO (AP) - Egyptian Discontent with life in
e fired tear gas and beat Egypt's authoritarian police
esters to clear thousands state has simmered under
ople from a central Cairo the surface for years. How-
re yesterday after the ever, it is Tunisia's popular
est demonstrations in uprising, which forced that
s against President Hosni nation's autocratic ruler from
arak's authoritarian rule. power, that appears to have
least three people were pushed young Egyptians into
d in the nationwide dem- the streets, many for the first
rations inspired by Tuni- time.
uprising, which also "This is the first time I am
anded a solution to Egypt's protesting, but we have been
ding poverty and were a cowardly nation. We have to,
y to fuel growing dissent in finally say no," said Ismail Syed,
sidential election year. a hotel worker who struggles to
obilized largely on the live on a salary of $50 a month.
net, the waves of protest- "We want to see change, just
lled Cairo's central Tahrir like in Tunisia," said 24-year-
Liberation - Square yes- old Lamia Rayan.
y, some hurling rocks and Dubbed a "day of revolution
bing atop armored police against torture, poverty, cor-
ks. ruption and unemployment,"
own with Hosni Mubarak, yesterday's protests in cities
n-withtheayrat-hanted across Egypt began peace-
crowds. "We don't want fully, with police at first show-
they screamed as thou- ing unusual restraint in what
S of riot police deployed appeared to be a calculated
massive security operation strategy to avoid further sul-
failed to quell the protests. lying the image of a security
night fell, thousands apparatus widely criticized as
emonstrators stood their corrupt and violent.
nd for what they vowed With discontent growing
d be an all-night sit-in in over economic woes and the
'ir Square just steps away toppling of Tunisia's presi-
parliament and other dent resonating in the region,
rnment buildings - block- it was an acknowledgment of
he streets and setting the the need to tread softly by an
for even more dramatic Egyptian government that
normally responds with swift
retribution to any dissent.
But as crowds filled Tahrir
Square - waving Egyptian and
Tunisian flags and adopting
the same protest chants that
rang out in the streets of Tunis
- security personnel changed
tactics and the protest turned
violent.
At one point, demonstrators
attacked a water cannon truck,
opening the driver's door and
forcing the man out of the vehi-
cle. As protesters hurled rocks
and dragged metal barricades,
officers beat them back with
batons.
Protesters emerged stum-
bling amid clouds of acrid tear
gas, coughing and covering
their faces with scarves. Some
had blood streaming down
their faces. One man fainted.
Police dragged some away and
clubbed a journalist, smash-
ing her glasses and seizing her
camera.
START treaty
limits number of
U.S., Russia
nuclear aresenals
MOSCOW (AP) - Russia's
lower house of parliament rati-
fied a landmark nuclear arms
pact with the United States yes-
terday, virtually assuring pas-
sage of an agreement President
Barack Obama has described as
the most significant arms control
deal in nearly two decades.
The State Duma voted 350-96
with one abstention to pass a bill
to ratify the New START treaty,
which was approved by the U.S.
Senate late last year. The treaty
will now go to the upper house
for final approval.
The New START would limit
each country to 1,550 strategic
warheads, down from the cur-
rent ceiling of 2,200 and also
re-establish a system for moni-
toring that ended in December
2009 with the expiration of the
1991 Strategic Arms Reduction
Treaty signed by Soviet Presi-
dent Mikhail Gorbachev and
President George H.W. Bush.
The treaty's passage has never
been in doubt in the Kremlin-
controlled parliament, but
Russian lawmakers wanted to
counter a U.S. Senate resolu-
tion raising some Republican
concerns that accompanied the
December ratification by adding
on a similar motion.
Obama pressed strongly for
the pact's approval, and Demo-
crats sought to appease some
Republican senators by allow-
ing them to raise their concerns
about the treaty in the accompa-
nying resolution.
Neither the Senate, nor the
Duma resolution would affect
the text of the treaty, which is a
centerpiece of Obama's efforts to
"reset" ties with Russia.
While the Senate resolution
said the treaty shouldn't restrict
U.S. plans to develop a missile
defense system, the Duma rati-
fication bill states that the treaty
can only be fulfilled if emerging
missile defenses don't erode the
Russian nuclear deterrent.
The Russian draft bill also
mimics the Senate resolution's
concerns that the remaining
nuclear arsenal is effective by
emphasizing the need to mod-
ernize Russia's nuclear forces.
The Russian legislators said
they felt obliged to present their
view of the treaty's provisions,
given the Senate interpretation.
"The State Duma proceeds
from the assumption that the
New START- treaty can be
functioning and viable only
in conditions when there is
no quantitative and qualita-
tive buildup of the U.S. mis-
sile defense systems, developed
independently or jointly with
other countries," the Duma said
in a statement accompanying the
passage of the ratification bill.
NATO has approved a plan
for a U.S.-led missile defense in
Europe last fall and invited Rus-
sia to join. Russia's President
Dmitry Medvedev was receptive
of NATO's proposal but didn't
makea definitive commitment.
Medvedev has warned that
the failure to reach agreement on
a joint European missile shield
with Moscow may force Russia
to deploy new offensive weapons
and trigger a new arms race.
In its statement yesterday, the
Duma also turned a cold shoul-
der to the U.S. push for a quick
start of U.S.-Russian talks to cut
short-range nuclear weapons.
White House officials
prepare long-term
transportation plan
Transit bill to will propose and how officials
plan to pay for it. Any plan
include $50B to that increases transportation
spending without a means to
hire construction pay for it, or which raises taxes,
is likely to get a cold reception
workers from House Republicans.
White House and Trans-
WASHINGTON (AP) - portation Department officials
Obama administration offi- declined to answer questions
cials are preparing a long-term about the plan.
highway and transit spending Obama sees greater trans-
plan even though they've had portation spending as one of
to dip into the general treasury the important levers govern-
just to keep the current pro- ment can turn to jumpstart
gram afloat and Republicans job creation. Last Labor Day,
are demanding that govern- he laid out a plan to invest $50
ment shrink. billion in highways, bridges,
Transportation lobby- transit, high-speed rail and
ists and interest groups said airports, adding it to the first
administration officials have year of a six-year transporta-
indicated in public forums tion bill. Congress didn't act on
and private conversations in the proposal before adjourning
recent weeks that they expect last year, but White House and
to unveil a transportation plan Transportation Department
after President Barack Obama officials appear determined to
presents his budget to Con- stay the course.
gress in mid-February. Roy Kienitz, the Transpor-
Transportation Secretary tation Department undersec-
Ray LaHood told a recent busi- retary for policy, laid out some
ness conference in Atlanta that of the key themes of the admin-
the six-year bill will include istration's plan at a meeting
a $50 billion "upfront invest- last week of the U.S. Confer-
ment to help employ the nearly ence of Mayors. They included
one in five construction work- support for high-speed trains
ers that are still out of a job," and the administration's liva-
according to a transcript of his bility initiative, which seeks to
remarks. He has also said he foster communities that have
wants Congress to put a trans- densely-built housing mixed
portation bill on Obama's desk with office, retail and enter-
for signature by August. tainment development, as well
What's unclear is how large as an array of transportation
a program the administration alternatives to driving.