Headlines

Politics

• Obama Angling To Stave Off Another Damaging Blue-Collar Loss In Indiana
• McCain Under Fire From The New York Times For Using Wife’s Corporate Jet
• Party Tables Turned: McCain Says Obama Insensitive To Poor People
• Obama’s Controversial Pastor: I’m Descriptive Of America, Not Divisive

US

• Sharpton-Led Protesters Promise To Shut Down NYC Over Police Shooting Acquittal
• Missing Pilot’s Laptop Causes Security Scare Across National Airports
• Early LA Wildfire Sends Hundreds Fleeing
• Hannah Montana In Semi-Nude Vanity Fair Photo Flap

International

• Horror: Father Kept Daughter Detained In Cellar For 20 Years, Fathering 6 Grand/Children
• Iran Demands Azerbaijan Deliver Russian Nuclear Equipment Shipment
• Taliban Make Assassination Attempt On President Karzai
• US Kills 22 Militia Members In Baghdad Fighting
• At Least 66 Dead, Hundreds Wounded In Head-On Train Collision In China
• Fellow Police-State N. Korea Hosts First, Tightly-Orchestrated Chinese Olympic Torch Relay
• Recount Confirms Mugabe Lost Zimbabwe’s Presidential Election
• Somali Pirates Free Ship After Spanish Government Pays $1.2 Million Ransom

Business & Economics

• Economy May Be On Recovery Upswing
• Microsoft’s Deadline For Yahoo Takeover Quietly Expires
• M&M Mars To Close Deal With Buffett For Wrigley
• Banks Fighting Back Against Proposed Tighter Mortgage Rules

Video of the Day

Bush makes fun of himself, the press, and the Presidential candidates at the annual White House Correspondent’s Dinner over the weekend.

Politics

Obama Angling To Stave Off Another Damaging Blue-Collar Loss In Indiana

“Senator Barack Obama is making subtle changes to his campaign style and message in an effort to strengthen his appeal to blue-collar voters and to avoid a defeat in Indiana that aides fear could give Democratic Party leaders further pause about his viability in a general election. On Sunday, Mr. Obama went to a Methodist church in Indianapolis, the kind of event rarely on his public schedule. He suited up for a game of basketball on Friday night before television cameras. And the big, energy-filled stadium rallies that were the bread and butter for most of his campaign have once again given way to smaller town-hall-style meetings, where he is seen talking with people and not at them. Mr. Obama is seeking to absorb the lessons of his defeat in Pennsylvania. The changes reflect concern that he is being portrayed by Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton as distant and culturally out of touch with many working-class Democrats, a worry underlined by her lopsided victory among many of those voters in that state on Tuesday and last month in Ohio.”

McCain Under Fire From The New York Times For Using Wife’s Corporate Jet

“Given Senator John McCain’s signature stance on campaign finance reform, it was not surprising that he backed legislation last year requiring presidential candidates to pay the actual cost of flying on corporate jets. The law, which requires campaigns to pay charter rates when using such jets rather than cheaper first-class fares, was intended to reduce the influence of lobbyists and create a level financial playing field. But over a seven-month period beginning last summer, Mr. McCain’s cash-short campaign gave itself an advantage by using a corporate jet owned by a company headed by his wife, Cindy McCain, according to public records. For five of those months, the plane was used almost exclusively for campaign-related purposes, those records show. Mr. McCain’s campaign paid a total of $241,149 for the use of that plane from last August through February, records show. That amount is approximately the cost of chartering a similar jet for a month or two, according to industry estimates. The senator was able to fly so inexpensively because the law specifically exempts aircraft owned by a candidate or his family or by a privately held company they control.”

Party Tables Turned: McCain Says Obama Insensitive To Poor People

“Republican presidential candidate John McCain on Sunday called Democratic rival Barack Obama insensitive to poor people and out of touch on economic issues. The GOP nominee-in-waiting rapped his Democratic rival for opposing his idea to suspend the tax on fuel during the summer, a proposal that McCain believes will particularly help low-income people who usually have older cars that guzzle more gas. ‘I noticed again today that Sen. Obama repeated his opposition to giving low-income Americans a tax break, a little bit of relief so they can travel a little further and a little longer, and maybe have a little bit of money left over to enjoy some other things in their lives,’ McCain said. ‘Obviously Sen. Obama does not understand that this would be a nice thing for Americans, and the special interests should not be dictating this policy.’”

Obama’s Controversial Pastor: I’m Descriptive Of America, Not Divisive

“Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama’s former pastor told an audience of thousands at an NAACP dinner Sunday that he was ‘descriptive’ but ‘not divisive’ when he talks about race relations in America. ‘I describe the conditions in this country,’ the Rev. Jeremiah Wright said during his lively keynote address at the 53rd NAACP’s Freedom Fund dinner in Detroit, Michigan. ‘Conditions divide, not my descriptions,’ he said. ‘I am sorry your local political analysts and your neighboring county executives think my being here is polarizing and my sermons are divisive, but I’m not here to address an analyst’s opinion,” he said. “I am here to address your 2008 theme … (of) change is going to come.’”

US

Sharpton-Led Protesters Promise To Shut Down NYC Over Police Shooting Acquittal

“Hundreds of angry people marched through Harlem on Saturday after the Rev. Al Sharpton promised to ‘close this city down’ to protest the acquittals of three police detectives in the 50-shot barrage that killed a groom on his wedding day and wounded two friends. Sharpton was joined by the family of 23-year-old Sean Bell - a black man - and a friend of Bell who was wounded in the 2006 shooting outside a Queens strip club. Two of the three officers charged were also black.”

Missing Pilot’s Laptop Causes Security Scare Across National Airports

“A pilot’s laptop, filled with top secret security information was reported missing at Dulles Airport and the ripple effects were felt across the country. The Mesa Airlines employee couldn’t find the personal laptop he brought with him while co-piloting a United Express flight from Birmingham, Alabama to Dulles International Airport. 17 airports were forced to make emergency changes to access codes at Dulles, Atlanta, Phoenix, Chicago’s O’Hare and San Antonio. Various officials within the airline industry admit that with these access codes, someone who went though security could, with the touch of a few buttons, get onto a plane or get outside, right below a plane.”

Early LA Wildfire Sends Hundreds Fleeing

“An early season wildfire slowly chewed its way through dense brush near Los Angeles on Sunday, forcing more than 1,000 people from homes in the foothills. More than 400 firefighters attacked the 350-acre fire, aided by two helicopters and water-dropping air tankers, said Elisa Weaver of the Arcadia Fire Department. Residents evacuated at least 550 homes Saturday night and Sunday, but none had burned. ‘This is pretty serious,’ Weaver said. ‘Some of these areas have not burned in over 40 years.’”

Hannah Montana In Semi-Nude Vanity Fair Photo Flap

“Miley Cyrus, the 15-year-old star of ‘Hannah Montana,’ said she is ‘embarrassed’ by a provocative photo spread shot by famed photographer Annie Liebovitz that is appearing in the upcoming issue of Vanity Fair. ‘I took part in a photo shoot that was supposed to be “artistic” and now, seeing the photographs and reading the story, I feel so embarrassed,’ she said in a statement released today. ‘I never intended for any of this to happen and I apologize to my fans who I care so deeply about.’ Cyrus, the daughter of country music star Billy Ray Cyrus, is the singing and acting sensation known to her legions of teenage fans from the Disney Channel series ‘Hannah Montana.’”

International

Europe

Horror: Father Kept Daughter Detained In Cellar For 20 Years, Fathering 6 Grand/Children

“Austrian police believe a 73-year-old man held his daughter captive in his cellar for the past two decades and fathered at least six children with her, according to police and state-run news reports Sunday. The woman, identified as 42-year-old Elisabeth F., has been missing since 1984, when she was 18 years old, police said at a news conference. The situation came to light earlier this month after her daughter — a 19-year-old woman, identified as Kristen F. — was hospitalized in Amstetten after falling unconscious, according to police.”

Middle East

Iran Demands Azerbaijan Deliver Russian Nuclear Equipment Shipment

“Iran demanded Sunday that Azerbaijan deliver a Russian shipment of nuclear equipment blocked at its border with Iran for the past three weeks. Azerbaijan has said it was seeking more information about the shipment due to fears that it might violate any of the three sets of U.N. Security Council sanctions imposed on Iran over its failure to halt uranium enrichment.”

Taliban Make Assassination Attempt On President Karzai

“Taliban militants opened fire at a military ceremony in the capital Sunday morning. A lawmaker, tribal leader and 10-year-old child were killed, but President Hamid Karzai escaped unhurt, according to an official and a statement from Karzai’s office. The attack also wounded more than 12 people, including a member of parliament, a Health Ministry official said. The attack occurred at a Mujahedeen Victory Day ceremony, observing the 16th anniversary of Afghanistan mujahedeen fighters’ overthrow of President Mohammad Najibullah’s Soviet-backed regime. Small arms fire erupted as a military band played the Afghan national anthem and as soldiers fired a 21-gun salute with artillery rounds.”

US Kills 22 Militia Members In Baghdad Fighting

“U.S. and Iraqi soldiers killed 22 ‘criminals’ — a reference to Shiite militia fighters — during a battle in northeastern Baghdad Sunday evening, the U.S. military said. The street battle started at about 6:35 p.m. Sunday when ‘a large group of criminals’ attacked Iraqi and American soldiers at a security checkpoint, the military said. U.S. soldiers responded with Abrams tanks and small-arms fire, killing 22 attackers and ‘forcing remaining enemy forces present to retreat,’ the military said. No U.S. or Iraqi soldiers were wounded or killed in the attack, the military said.”

Asia

At Least 66 Dead, Hundreds Wounded In Head-On Train Collision In China

“The death toll in a collision between two passenger trains rose to at least 66 in eastern China’s Shandong province on Monday, according to China’s official news agency. More than 400 were injured, 70 of them in critical condition, Xinhua cited railway authorities as saying. Among them were four French citizens, according to Xinhua. The wreck happened in the city of Zibo at 4:43 a.m., the report said. A train from Beijing bound for Qingdao derailed and crashed into a train traveling from Yantai to Xuzhou, Xinhua reported.”

Fellow Police-State N. Korea Hosts First, Tightly-Orchestrated Chinese Olympic Torch Relay

“The Olympic torch held its first-ever run Monday in North Korea, where the flame was assured of a trip free of the anti-Chinese protests that marked other legs of the relay. An attentive and peaceful crowd of thousands watched the start of the relay in Pyongyang, some waving Chinese flags, in live footage from broadcaster APTN. The event was presided over by the head of the country’s rubber-stamp parliament who often acts as a ceremonial state leader, Kim Yong Nam. The North, an ally of communist neighbor China, has been critical of disruptions to the torch relay elsewhere and has supported Beijing in its actions against violent protests in Tibet. North Korea is one of the world’s most tightly controlled countries, where citizens are not allowed to travel freely and civil rights are restricted by the iron-fisted regime.”

Africa

Recount Confirms Mugabe Lost Zimbabwe’s Presidential Election

“A recount of Zimbabwe’s disputed legislative seats has confirmed the opposition party’s control of parliament and should be completed Monday, allowing the release of results from last month’s presidential election, state media reported. The Sunday Mail newspaper, a government mouthpiece, said the state Electoral Commission planned to invite President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai to a final ‘verification and collation exercise’ on Monday. The opposition and an independent Zimbabwean observer group say that Tsvangirai won the presidential race, and Mugabe has been accused of using delays, fraud and violence to hold onto power. On Sunday, Jendayi Frazer, the top U.S. envoy for Africa called on the international community to intervene.”

Somali Pirates Free Ship After Spanish Government Pays $1.2 Million Ransom

“Somali pirates freed a Spanish fishing boat and its 26-member crew after a ransom of $1.2 million was paid, a Somali official said. Suspected pirates armed with rocket-propelled grenades had seized control of the tuna-fishing boat from Spain’s Basque region last Sunday about 200 nautical miles off the coast of Somalia, a region where piracy has escalated recently. The pirates released the ship Saturday, authorities said. The crew was freed after Spanish authorities paid the ransom, Abdi Khalif Ahmed, chairman of the Haradhere local port authority in central Somalia, said late Saturday.”

Business & Economics

Economy May Be On Recovery Upswing

“Across Wall Street, the turmoil that for months racked bond and stock markets now shows signs of fading, a signal, albeit tentative, that the worst of the credit crisis might be passing. The past two weeks have brought dramatic reversals in a range of markets, including several where investors had been seeking safety. If sustained, the change in sentiment could mark an important early step in what is likely to be a long healing process for financial markets and the economy.”

Microsoft’s Deadline For Yahoo Takeover Quietly Expires

“A Microsoft deadline for Internet service company Yahoo to accept its $44.6 billion acquisition offer expired at midnight Saturday, setting the stage for a hostile takeover bid by the software giant. The expiration of the Sunday 0700 GMT deadline — without comment from either side — was likely to pave the way for an ugly proxy battle — a fight by Microsoft for a vote by Yahoo shareholders to place pro-Microsoft officials on its board of directors. In an open letter to the Yahoo board of directors on April 5, Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer gave the Internet pioneer three weeks to accept the 31 dollars-a-share takeover offer or face a proxy fight. Ballmer also warned that any further delays could result in a less attractive offer for Yahoo.”

M&M Mars To Close Deal With Buffett For Wrigley

“Mars, the makers of M&M’s, was near a deal last night to acquire the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company, the chewing gum concern, for more than $22 billion, people involved in the talks said. The transaction would create a confectionery behemoth and could pressure rivals into a cascade of other mergers. The Mars-Wm. Wrigley Jr. deal has an unusually famous financier: Warren Buffett. Mr. Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway is helping finance the transaction for Mars, these people said. Mr. Buffett has a long history with iconic food and beverage businesses. He was an early investor in Coca-Cola and is already a candy owner in Sees Candies. The deal is expected to be announced as early as Monday, these people said, though they cautioned that the transaction could still be postponed or collapse entirely.”

Banks Fighting Back Against Proposed Tighter Mortgage Rules

“The mortgage industry, facing the prospect of tougher regulations for its central role in the housing crisis, has begun an intensive campaign to fight back. As the Federal Reserve completes work on rules to root out abuses by lenders, its plan has run into a buzz saw of criticism from bankers, mortgage brokers and other parts of the housing industry. One common industry criticism is that at a time of tight credit, tighter rules could make many mortgages more expensive by creating more paperwork and potentially exposing lenders to more lawsuits. To the chagrin of consumer groups that have complained that the proposed rules are not strong enough, the industry’s criticism has already prompted the Fed to consider narrowing the scope of the plan so it applies to fewer loans.”