Photos: Kilauea Lava Reaches the Sea









































































































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Geithner on Fiscal Cliff: Ball Is in GOP's Court


Dec 2, 2012 9:00am







abc timothy geithner jp 121130 wblog Timothy Geithner on the Fiscal Cliff: The Ball Is in the GOPs Court

(ABC News)


With the fiscal cliff looming and no deal to resolve it in sight, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner expressed confidence that a compromise could be reached during my interview with him on “This Week,” but said the burden is now on Republicans to help find a solution to avoid a potential economic crisis.


(More from Sunday’s show HERE.)


“I actually think that we’re gonna get there. I mean, you know, just inevitably gonna be a little political theater in this context,” Geithner said, when asked whether Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell laughed after hearing President Obama’s plan to avert the fiscal cliff. ”Sometimes that’s a sign of progress. Think we’re actually making a little bit of progress, but we’re still some distance apart.”


Echoing widespread Republican rejection of the White House’s proposal last week, House Speaker John Boehner said after meeting with Geithner that ” the White House has to get serious.”


“And at this point though — you gotta recognize that they’re in a very difficult place. And they recognize they’re gonna have to move on a bunch of things.  But they don’t know really how to do it yet. And how to get support from the — from the members on the Republican side,” he said, adding later that the proverbial ball was “absolutely” in the GOP court. “And, you know, when they come back to us and say, ‘We’d like you to consider this.  And we’d like you to consider that,’ we’ll take a look at that.”


Geithner — who met with top GOP leaders this week to present the White House’s proposal to end the fiscal standoff — predicted support from “the business community” and “from the American people” for a deal approximating the one being offered, which reportedly includes tax hikes on the wealthy, cuts to Medicare and some stimulus spending.


However, if there is no agreement by the end of the year, the treasury secretary told me going over the cliff would be “very damaging.”


“Look, there’s a huge amount at stake here in this economy, George.  And there’s just no reason why 98 percent of Americans have to see their taxes go up because some members of Congress on the Republican side want to block tax rate increases for 2 percent of the wealthiest Americans.  Remember, those tax rates, those tax cuts, cost a trillion dollars over 10 years,” he said.


Geithner said the White House plan offered a “good mix” of increased taxes and spending cuts. He also added that Social Security reform would not be part of the discussion to resolve the fiscal cliff.


“We think we have a very good plan, a very good mix of tax reforms that raise a modest amount of revenue on the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans, combined with very comprehensive, very well designed, very detailed savings that get us back to the point where our debt is stable and sustainable,” he said. “We’re prepared to, in a separate process, look at how to strengthen Social Security.  But not as part of a process to reduce the other deficits the country faces,” he said.


Finally, with Geithner wrapping up his time in the president’s cabinet, I asked him if banking executive Jamie Dimon – who has  billionaire Warren Buffett’s endorsement — should be named the next treasury secretary, but Geithner declined to answer directly.


“George, the president’s gonna choose somebody very talented to lead the Treasury for his next four years.  And– I’m very fortunate I’ve been able to work with him to help solve these problems in the country over this period of time.  And I’m very confident he’s gonna have somebody in place– in January to succeed me,” he said.



SHOWS: This Week







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Sen. Ayotte offers GOP an influential new voice



The first two were prominent national security heavyweights, Arizona’s John McCain and Lindsey O. Graham of South Carolina. Then the third senator, Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, stepped forward. A freshman in her second year and ranked 99th in seniority, Ayotte said she had not been swayed by the administration’s efforts to explain how and why U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice had initially suggested the attack was the result of a spontaneous street protest, instead of a coordinated terrorist attack.

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US warns against 'highly provocative' N. Korean launch






WASHINGTON: The United States urged North Korea on Saturday to scrap plans to launch a rocket later this month, warning the "highly provocative" move would destabilize the region.

"Devoting scarce resources to the development of nuclear weapons and long-range missiles will only further isolate and impoverish North Korea," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said in a statement.

Her comments came after Pyongyang announced it would conduct between December 10 and 22 its second long-range rocket launch this year following a much-hyped but failed attempt in April.

As in April, the North said it would be a purely "peaceful, scientific" mission aimed at placing a polar-orbiting earth observation satellite into orbit.

The announcement was certain to ratchet up tensions with South Korea, which is just days from a presidential election.

The US and its allies insist the launches are disguised tests for an inter-continental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of carrying a nuclear warhead.

As such, they would contravene UN resolutions triggered by Pyongyang's two nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009.

"A North Korean 'satellite' launch would be a highly provocative act that threatens peace and security in the region," Nuland said.

"We call on North Korea to comply fully with its obligations under all relevant UNSCRs," she added, referring to UN Security Council resolutions.

Washington and its allies say the North's Unha-3 rocket is actually a three-stage variant of the Taepodong-2 ICBM that Pyongyang has been developing for years but has never tested successfully.

"The path to security for North Korea lies in investing in its people and abiding by its commitments and international obligations," Nuland added.

She said Washington was "consulting closely" with its allies on a response.

- AFP/lp



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FDI in retail to safeguard international market mafias' interest: BJP

NEW DELHI: India's main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today said retail reform is a step taken by the Congress led-federal government to safeguard the interests of the international market mafias at the cost of national interest.

BJP vice president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said on Saturday that voting inside the parliament would decide as to who is in favour of national interest and who is working for international interests.

"The government feels that their responsibility is to safeguard the interest of international market mafias instead of national interest and for saving the interest of international market mafias, the government is ready to compromise with national interests. Now, the parliament will decide as to who is in support of international market mafias and who are supporting national interests," said Naqvi.

The government's decision to allow foreign supermarket chains such as Wal-Mart had triggered protest not only from opposition parties but also from some of its allies.

BJP had sought debate on the issue of allowing Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the retail sector, under the rule that entails voting after discussions.

Meanwhile, Minister in the Prime Minister Office (PMO), V Narayanaswamy said the government would answer all the queries raised by the opposition parties in the parliament and will explain the benefits of allowing FDI in retail sector.

The lower house of parliament has set December 04 and 05 as the date to vote and debate on FDI. The dates for the upper house are yet to be decided.

Narayanaswamy said the government is confident of becoming victorious in the debate.

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Photos: Kilauea Lava Reaches the Sea









































































































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Obama: Don't Hold Middle-Class Tax Cuts Hostage


Dec 1, 2012 6:00am







ap obama fiscal cliff lt 121130 wblog Obama Accuses House GOP of Holding Middle Class Tax Cuts Hostage

AP Photo/Charles Dharapak


President Obama is urging Congress to extend tax breaks for the middle class, saying it’s “unacceptable for some Republicans in Congress to hold middle class tax cuts hostage simply because they refuse to let tax rates go up on the wealthiest Americans.”


With the clock ticking toward the so-called “fiscal cliff,” Obama asked lawmakers in his weekly address to “begin by doing what we all agree on” and extend the middle class tax cuts set to expire at the end of the year.


Read: Cliff Dive: A Stalemate and a Scrooge Christmas


“With the issue behind us, we’ll have more time to work out a plan to bring down our deficits in a balanced way, including by asking the wealthiest Americans to pay a little more, so we can still invest in the things that make our nation strong,” he said from a toy manufacturing facility in Hatfield, Pa., where he delivered a similar message to workers Friday.


The president has launched a public campaign to try and force Republicans to sign on to his position on the expiring Bush tax cuts, asking them to pass a Senate bill that would maintain low middle class tax rates while allowing them to go up on the top income earners.


“If we can just get a few House Republicans on board, I’ll sign this bill as soon as Congress sends it my way,” he said.


Read: Could Outgoing Republicans Hold Keys to ‘Fiscal Cliff’?


Earlier this week, the White House put forth a deficit reduction proposal to avert the looming tax increases and spending cuts set to kick in on Jan. 1, which included $1.6 trillion in tax increases over the next 10 years, $50 billion in new stimulus spending, $400 billion in unspecified Medicare cuts, and a measure to effectively end Congress’s ability to vote on the debt limit.  The offer, which closely mirrors the president’s previous deficit-reduction plans, lacked concessions to Republicans, including detailed spending cuts, and was strongly rejected.


Since then, as House Speaker John Boehner put it, negotiations between the White House and House Republicans have come to a “stalemate.”



SHOWS: World News







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Bird flu kills 4,000 wild ducks in Russia






MOSCOW: Around 4,000 wild ducks have been found dead in Russia's southern Krasnodar region, officials said on Friday, blaming H5 bird flu for the mass deaths.

"This is the H5 virus, the strain is being confirmed," a spokeswoman for the Krasnodar region branch of Russian agriculture watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor told AFP.

The birds' remains were now being tested, she added.

The dead birds have been found on lakes near the Black Sea resort town of Anapa.

The region has gone on high alert, with poultry and humans now being vaccinated.

"All of these are protective measures, it's better to be on the safe side," the spokeswoman added.

- AFP/de



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Savita Halappanavar death case: NHRC and IHRC register case

NEW DELHI: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken up the case of Savita Halappanavar, who died in Ireland on October 28 after doctors refused to terminate her miscarriage pregnancy on the ground that Ireland is a Catholic Country.

Acting on a complaint filed by Odisha based Organisation India Media Centre (IMC) the NHRC has a registered a case on the matter. Meanwhile Irish Human Rights Commission (IHRC) in Dublin also taking the issue for its attention on a complaint of IMC. Senior Enquiry and Legal Officer of the IHRC confirmed this, said Akhand, managing trustee of IMC, who had sent the petition on behalf of IMC.

"Abortion in Ireland is available only when the life of the mother is at risk. In this case Savita's life was in risk, but doctors refused to abortion. It is a case of medical negligence by the medical staff. As India has a diplomatic relation with Ireland, so both country are responsible to safe guard of citizen of each other. So Indian officials should take up the issue with Ireland. As it is a case of human right violation, NHRC may intervene in this matter, so that the Indian Government will act promptly to give justice to the victim's family," he said.

"We have requested the NHRC to issue notice to Indian Ambassador in Dublin, Irish Ambassador in India and Ministry of External Affairs, Govt of India, to submit a factual report on this matter. Order for an inquiry by a Special team of Govt. of India official or Special Investigation team of NHRC and a compensation of Rs.20 lakh to the victim's family are also prayed before the NHRC," he added.

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Pictures: Inside the World's Most Powerful Laser

Photograph courtesy Damien Jemison, LLNL

Looking like a portal to a science fiction movie, preamplifiers line a corridor at the U.S. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's National Ignition Facility (NIF).

Preamplifiers work by increasing the energy of laser beams—up to ten billion times—before these beams reach the facility's target chamber.

The project's lasers are tackling "one of physics' grand challenges"—igniting hydrogen fusion fuel in the laboratory, according to the NIF website. Nuclear fusion—the merging of the nuclei of two atoms of, say, hydrogen—can result in a tremendous amount of excess energy. Nuclear fission, by contrast, involves the splitting of atoms.

This July, California-based NIF made history by combining 192 laser beams into a record-breaking laser shot that packed over 500 trillion watts of peak power-a thousand times more power than the entire United States uses at any given instant.

"This was a quantum leap for laser technology around the world," NIF director Ed Moses said in September. But some critics of the $5 billion project wonder why the laser has yet to ignite a fusion chain reaction after three-and-a-half years in operation. Supporters counter that such groundbreaking science simply can't be rushed.

(Related: "Fusion Power a Step Closer After Giant Laser Blast.")

—Brian Handwerk

Published November 29, 2012

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