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Looking ahead 15 Dec 2008 20:19:58 -0500

Tuesday's notables: • The Federal Reserve's Open Market Committee is to announce whether it will cut a key interest rate — to a record low of 0.5%, or even 0%. • Economic data: Consumer Price Index for November, plus last month's housing starts and building permits. • The World Meteorological Organization releases its annual statement on the status of the global climate. • President Bush welcomes President Elias Antonio "Tony" Saca of El Salvador to...

Hollywood private eye sentenced to 15 years for wiretapping 15 Dec 2008 19:55:46 -0500

A private eye to the stars has been sent to prison for 15 years for illegally wiretapping Hollywood celebrities, lawyers and executives. Anthony Pellicano, 64, was convicted in two criminal trials earlier this year of 78 counts, including wiretapping, computer fraud and wire fraud. U.S. District Judge Dale Fischer ignored the Los Angeles Probation Department's recommendation of a five-year, 10-month term. Prosecutors argued that Pellicano violated fundamental privacy rights of hundreds of people and chipped...

U.S. homes to lose more than $2 trillion in value this year 15 Dec 2008 19:31:10 -0500

The real estate Web site Zillow.com predicts that by the time this raggedy year finally ends, U.S. homeowners will have lost more than $2 trillion in home values. As The Wall Street Journal writes, by the end of September, $1.9 trillion in value had vanished. That number is derived by taking the difference between the sum of all estimated home values in January compared with the end of the third quarter. About 11.7 million American...

Sources: Colo. Sen. Salazar picked to head Interior Dept. 15 Dec 2008 19:00:14 -0500

One more drip from the Obama transition's leaky pipeline: Sources are telling reporters that Colorado Sen. Ken Salazar is the president-elect's choice for Interior Secretary. He said he would announce his nominee later this week. Salazar is a former director of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources. Gov. Bill Ritter, a fellow Democrat, would name Salazar's replacement if he's confirmed. The Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News have this scoop, along with The Associated Press.

Reports: Chicago schools chief to be education secretary 15 Dec 2008 18:19:34 -0500

Chicago schools chief Arne Duncan is President-elect Obama's choice to be education secretary, transition officials are telling news outlets. Obama will make the announcement tomorrow in Chicago. The Chicago Tribune notes that Obama and Duncan are friends and play basketball often. The Associated Press and Chicago Sun-Times also have this scoop.

Feds: Arsonist poured flammables around Palin's church 15 Dec 2008 18:09:31 -0500

An arsonist poured a flammable liquid at several spots outside Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's church before setting the building alight while five congregants were inside, federal agents said today. Accelerants were found at the entrances and exits of the Wasilla Bible Church, but everyone escaped the Friday evening fire, which caused about $1 million damage. Lab test are being conducted to determine what was used. "It's kind of odd to do in the evening hours,"...

Obama announces nominees for top energy, environment posts 15 Dec 2008 17:18:41 -0500

President-elect Obama is in Chicago introducing his nominees for the nation's top environmental and energy jobs. Steven Chu — the director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and a Nobel Prize winner — has been tapped as energy secretary. Lisa Jackson, chief of staff to New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine and the former head of the state's Department of Environmental Protection, was chosen as administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency. If confirmed, she will be...

N.Y. governor proposing 'obesity tax' on sugary soft drinks 15 Dec 2008 17:03:48 -0500

Looking to fill in a yawning $15 billion budget hole, New York Gov. David Patterson wants to levy an "obesity tax" on sugar-charged, non-diet soft drinks. The 15% tax, among revenue measures the governor is to announce tomorrow, would raise about $404 million a year. Milk, juice, diet soda and bottled water would be exempt. "It looks like a money grab," the voice of the beverage industry tells Advertising Age. The Daily News, The New...

Stocks close down on light volume 15 Dec 2008 16:35:48 -0500

Investors were chewing their nails and selling shares today as they worried about the real fallout from the alleged $50 billion Ponzi scheme run by a fallen pillar of Wall Street. They also weren't pacified by the latest report on manufacturing or the anticipated losses from two big financial players. The Dow Jones lost .75% (65 points) to close at 8,564; the S&P; 500 slid 1.27% (11 points) to 868; the Nasdaq fell 2.1% (32...

Cheney: Obama 'not likely to cede ... authority back to the Congress' 15 Dec 2008 16:08:16 -0500

Vice President Dick Cheney says he thinks the new administration will come to "appreciate some of the things we've put in place." Speaking on The Rush Limbaugh Show, Cheney expressed pride this afternoon in the fact that al-Qaeda has not been able to mount an attack inside the USA since 9/11. He also defended some of the administration's most controversial initiatives, including its surveillance and interrogation programs. "My guess is, once they get here and...

Report tracks Pentagon's spending on 'global war on terrorism' 15 Dec 2008 15:38:57 -0500

The Defense Department has received about $808 for the "global war on terrorism" since 2001, according to a new report from the Government Accountability Office. Following are two graphics from the report: Figure No. 1 shows the increase in spending over time. Figure No. 2 breaks down the Pentagon's terrorism-related spending in Iraq, Afghanistan and the USA.

Russian warships headed to Cuba 15 Dec 2008 14:53:46 -0500

Three Russian warships will visit Cuba later this week, RIA-Novosti, the state-run news agency, reports. AFP says the vessels will be in Havana from Friday to Tuesday. Russian Navy Capt. Igor Dygalo tells the Associated Press that this is the first time Russian warships have visited Cuba since the end of the Cold War. DPA identifies the vessels as the "Admiral Chabanenko missile destroyer and two support ships." (Photo of the Admiral Chabanenko taken Saturday...

Four police officers killed in Mexican border city 15 Dec 2008 14:12:37 -0500

Gunmen killed four police officers in four separate attacks yesterday in the Mexican border city of Ciudad Juarez, AP reports. The murders took place within a 30 minute period, raising suspicions that they were coordinated. "Dozens of Ciudad Juarez police have been killed this year in attacks blamed on drug gangs trying to consolidate territory. Many officers have quit out of fear for their lives, often after their names have appeared on hit lists left...

Report: Caroline Kennedy pursuing N.Y. Senate seat 15 Dec 2008 13:52:40 -0500

Caroline Kennedy "has decided she will pursue" the Senate seat held by Hillary Clinton, according to The New York Times. The paper, citing an unidentified source who was "told of her decision," says JFK's daughter will ask N.Y. Gov. David Paterson to appoint her to the position if Hillary Clinton resigns to become secretary of state under President-elect Barack Obama. "Kennedy has been making calls this morning to alert political figures to her interest," the...

New Illinois House panel eyes impeachment of governor 15 Dec 2008 13:15:10 -0500

Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan just announced that he's appointing a special committee to look into the "possible impeachment of Governor Blagojevich." Madigan, a vocal opponent of the governor, a fellow Democrat, says the committee will begin work tomorrow. It will include 12 Democrats and nine Republicans. "I know the gentleman very well. I know his record in office," the speaker says. "At the same time, I treat today's action as a very significant governmental...

Cholera death toll nears 1K in Zimbabwe 15 Dec 2008 12:36:33 -0500

BBC News says cholera has killed 978 people in Zimbabwe since the summer, according to the latest figures compiled by the United Nations. The U.N. says at least 18,413 people are thought to be suffering from the diarrheal illness. Just last week, Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe announced that the epidemic was over. This map shows the extent of the deadly outbreak. (Photo by Justine Gerardy, AFP/Getty Images.)

U.K. woman told to remove lights 'because they might offend non-Christian neighbors' 15 Dec 2008 11:44:16 -0500

Dorothy Glenn says she was told to remove her Christmas lights "because they might offend non-Christian neighbors" at a public housing complex in northern England, The Journal reports. "I told him that I am far from racist and that I wouldn’t be taking the lights down. I'm shocked, annoyed and upset. At the end of the day, it’s the festive season and they’re staying," Glenn says. South Tyneside Homes has since apologized for the worker's...

Supreme Court lets smokers sue over 'light' cigarettes 15 Dec 2008 11:14:19 -0500

USA TODAY's Joan Biskupic reports that the Supreme Court ruled this morning that federal regulation of cigarette labels does not prevent smokers from bringing state lawsuits against tobacco companies for fraud in the marketing of "light" and "low tar" cigarettes. The somewhat surprising decision, given a recent trend in the court's cases, allows a group of Maine residents who smoked Marlboro Lights and Cambridge Lights to press their lawsuit based on state anti-fraud law against...

Siemens AG to pay $1.6 billion to settle bribery charges 15 Dec 2008 11:11:14 -0500

The Justice Department says it will announce "a landmark Foreign Corrupt Practices Act enforcement action" this afternoon in Washington. Officials from the SEC, IRS and FBI are scheduled to participate in the 1 p.m. ET news conference. The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act prohibits companies from paying bribes to foreign officials. Here's more about the law. Update at 2:57 p.m. ET: Siemens AG agreed to plead guilty to violating U.S. anti-bribery statutes and will pay more...

Today's video: Barney's annual White House Christmas reel 15 Dec 2008 10:57:20 -0500

The White House just released the First Dog's annual Christmas movie. Enjoy: Click here if the video doesn't work in your browser.

Latest from Illinois on Blagojevich scandal 15 Dec 2008 10:46:07 -0500

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich headed to work this morning, despite persistent calls for him to resign in the face of federal corruption charges. The Associated Press reports that Blagojevich, a Democrat, told reporters he will "sign a bill to give tax credits to film makers if they come to Illinois." Down in Springfield, members of the state legislature are gathering to consider measures that would remove Blagojevich from office and strip the governor of his...

Browns fan charged with driving unlicensed couch 15 Dec 2008 10:27:26 -0500

Mike Meredith is charged with driving an unregistered couch to the Nov. 23 Cleveland Browns game. The Plain Dealer says Meredith "and a couple of buddies converted a riding mower into a mobile couch in 2005 because 'I was wasting time walking around when I could be sitting here eating hot dogs and drinking beer.'" Meredith pleaded not guilty to the charges. He's due in court tomorrow. "He has prepared a defense, walking the couch...

Today's photo: Remembering veterans with 'wreaths across America' 15 Dec 2008 10:01:00 -0500

Victor Calzada of the El Paso Times took this photo as Isela Ortiz knelt at her husband's grave Saturday in Fort Bliss National Cemetery. Volunteers placed wreaths at thousands of military gravesites across the USA as part of the Wreaths Across America program. "It’s about remembering some soldiers who you’ve never seen before, but you think they’ve done a good job," Javonte Green, a 14-year-old from suburban Washington, tells Stars and Stripes.

Watch the markets move throughout the day 15 Dec 2008 09:39:08 -0500

See more charts in USA TODAY's Money section.

News roundup: Economy's woes; insults hurled at Bush; icy temperatures 15 Dec 2008 08:31:55 -0500

It's Monday, Dec. 15 and these are among the stories making headlines this morning: Economy: USA TODAY writes that "unemployment is now the cause of almost half of all foreclosures on conventional mortgages, raising concerns that mounting joblessness will stall any housing recovery and could cause more foreclosures next year." The New York Times weighs in on the rapidly evaporating reserves in states' unemployment insurance programs. Bush: The president visited U.S. and foreign troops in...

News Roundup: Iraq's rebuilding woes; Cuba struggles, too 14 Dec 2008 08:45:49 -0500

Good morning. It's Sunday, December 14. Here is a look at some enterprise from websites across the nation: The New York Times reports on a 513-page, unpublished government draft report that chronicles a litany of missteps in the effort to rebuild Iraq. The report says the effort was "crippled before the invasion by Pentagon planners who were hostile to the idea of rebuilding a foreign country, and then molded into a $100 billion failure by...

News Roundup: Obama taps N.Y. housing official to head HUD 13 Dec 2008 09:55:08 -0500

Good morning. It's Saturday. Economy: Most major sites continue to look at the White House's and Treasury Department's announcements that they won't let automakers fail after a bailout package failed in the Senate. Transition in Washington: President-elect Barack Obama announced New York City housing commissioner Shaun Donovan as his pick for secretary of Housing and Urban Development. The New York Times reports that President Bush's aides turned down a request from Obama to move from...

Looking ahead 12 Dec 2008 20:27:12 -0500

Saturday • The Heisman Trophey will be awarded tonight. The favorites: Oklahoma's Sam Bradford and Florida's Tim Tebow. • South Africa hosts the Miss World pageant. Sunday • President Bush attends a Christmas in Washington program. • A memorial service will be held in Farber, Va., for Alan Scherr and his 13-year-old daughter, Naomi, members of a meditation community who died in the Mumbai terrorist attacks. Monday • The official presidential election takes place. The...

W. Va. mine where 12 died will be sealed 12 Dec 2008 19:36:23 -0500

The Sago Mine in West Virginia, where 12 men died after a methane gas explosion in 2006, will be abandoned and permanently sealed early next year, the owner announced today. International Coal Group stopped producing coal from the mine in March 2007. The company did not give a specific date for when it will seal the mine, The Associated Press says.

Former Illinois governor apologizes (from prison) for his crimes 12 Dec 2008 19:20:05 -0500

In his first public apology, former Illinois Gov. George Ryan told the people of Illinois that "I want to make things right in my heart, with God, with my family and with those that I have hurt." Ryan, a Republican, was convicted of corruption in 2006 for a racketeering fraud scheme and is serving a 6½-year sentence. As the Chicago Sun-Times notes, the three-page apologia is not entirely altruistic. Ryan, 74, is seeking early release...