WASHINGTON — A Senate panel found former presidential adviser Karl Rove and current White House Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten in contempt of Congress on Thursday for refusing to testify and turn over documents in the investigation of the firings of nine U.S. attorneys last year. The Senate Judiciary Committee approved contempt citations against Rove and Bolten on a 12-7 vote, rejecting the White House position that the work of two of Bush’s closest advisers is covered by executive privilege. Two senior Republicans, Sens. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., and Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, supported the contempt charges.
@3. Headline Briefs 14 no:Prices for U.S. visas are going up
America’s admission price is going up. Even though the dollar is weak overseas, beginning in January most people will have to shell out more money for U.S. visas. The higher charges will help pay for increased processing costs caused by new security measures imposed after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The State Department said Thursday it will raise application fees for tourist, business and student visas by 31 percent, from $100 to $131, and for immigrant visas by 6 percent, from $335 to $355, on Jan. 1.
@3. Headline Briefs 14 no:Bill extends pilots’ retirement age
The Senate voted late Wednesday to extend the retirement age for commercial pilots to 65, sending the measure to the president’s desk. The bill would change a 1960 Federal Aviation Administration regulation forcing pilots to leave the cockpit at age 60. The House passed the legislation unanimously Tuesday. The legislation would put the U.S. retirement age in line with international standards. The International Civil Aviation Organization adopted a retirement age of 65 in November 2006.
New Hampshire: Clinton adviser
A top campaign adviser to Hillary Clinton resigned Thursday, a day after suggesting Democrats should be wary of nominating Barack Obama because his teenage drug use could make it hard for him to win the presidency. Clinton herself apologized to Obama as they waited to fly to Iowa for a debate. Bill Shaheen, a national co-chairman for Clinton and a prominent New Hampshire political figure, had raised the issue of Obama’s youthful drug use during a Wednesday interview, published at washingtonpost.com.
Florida: Terror suspect acquitted
One of seven Miami men accused of plotting to join forces with al-Qaida to blow up Chicago’s Sears Tower was acquitted Thursday, and a mistrial was declared for the six others after the federal jury deadlocked. A federal prosecutor said the government planned to retry the six next year, and the judge said a new jury would be picked starting Jan. 7. Lyglenson Lemorin, who had been accused of being a “soldier” for alleged ringleader Narseal Batiste, was acquitted and buried his face in his hands when the verdict was read.
@3. Headline Briefs 14 no:NASA sets back launch of shuttle
NASA on Thursday delayed the launch of space shuttle Atlantis to Jan. 10 to give workers time off at Christmas. After back-to-back delays caused by errant fuel gauges, shuttle managers had been targeting a liftoff no earlier than Jan. 2. Launch attempts on Dec. 6 and 9 were scuttled late in the countdown after some of the hydrogen fuel gauges in Atlantis’ external fuel tank failed. The gauges are part of a backup safety system to keep the main engines from running on an empty tank, a potentially catastrophic situation.
California: Arrests for wildfire
Arrest warrants have been issued for five men accused of causing a Malibu fire that destroyed more than 50 homes and caused more than $100 million in losses, authorities said Thursday. Investigators used surveillance video, receipts and food wrappers to track down the men who were believed to have been at the cave where the fire started, the Los Angeles County sheriff said. Officials said investigators found evidence that indicated revelers had triggered the blaze by setting a campfire at a popular party spot by a cave in Corral Canyon, which abuts Malibu Creek State Park.
Pakistan: Emergency rule to end
President Pervez Musharraf will end emergency rule on Saturday as promised, but first he will amend the constitution to protect his decisions from court review, Pakistan’s attorney general said Thursday. Attorney General Malik Mohammed Qayyum said government legal experts were finalizing the amendments and that the changes would be announced before the state of emergency is lifted. “The president will lift the emergency to restore the constitution and the fundamental rights,” Qayyum said.
Colombia: Bandits burn riders
Bandits set fire to a bus during a botched robbery near Colombia’s capital, burning to death 10 people, authorities said Thursday. The head of the highway police said three young assailants tried to commandeer the bus Wednesday on a highway near Sogamoso, 93 miles northeast of Bogota. When the passengers resisted the robbery attempt, the thieves doused the interior of the bus with gasoline before setting it on fire. The blaze killed 10 people, including two of the assailants and the bus driver. The bandits were among the 22 passengers on the bus.
From Herald news services
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