News for Friday, July 6, 2012

US economy adds 80,000 jobs in another weak month

The American job machine has jammed. Again.

Pena Nieto’s win confirmed by Mexico vote count

The official count in Mexico’s presidential election concluded on Friday with results showing former ruling party candidate Enrique Pena Nieto won by a 6.6 percentage-point margin, almost exactly the same lead as a vote-night quick count gave him.

Libya: Helicopter downed, killing election worker

Gunmen shot down a helicopter carrying voting materials near the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi on Friday, killing one election commission worker, a spokesman for the country’s ruling council said.

Marlins beat Cardinals 3-2 for 3rd in row

Ricky Nolasco allowed an unearned run in six innings and Jose Reyes got the go-ahead RBI with an infield hit in the seventh, leading the Miami Marlins to a 3-2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday.

Brunner backs Romney during Mo. Senate debate

Missouri businessman John Brunner enthusiastically endorsed Mitt Romney for president Friday night, but his two rival GOP Senate candidates appeared more hesitant to do so as they clashed during the first — and perhaps last — televised debate before the August primary election.

Smyly strikes out 10 in Tigers win over Royals

Rookie Drew Smyly struck out a career-high 10 in six impressive innings and Delmon Young homered as the Detroit Tigers beat the Kansas City Royals 4-2 Friday night.

Yahoo, Facebook strike patent truce, ad alliance

Facebook and Yahoo have agreed to settle a months-long patent dispute, averting a potentially expensive battle over the technology running two of the Internet's most popular destinations.

Tepid jobs data set a tone for presidential debate

Disappointing job growth jolted the presidential campaign four months before Election Day, and the candidates quickly put their vastly different views on display, underscoring the economy as the central issue between President Barack Obama and Republican rival Mitt Romney.

Mogul Murdoch steps up visibility in US politics

Rupert Murdoch has never been shy about voicing a political opinion, using his worldwide empire of television and newspaper outlets to promote conservative causes. Now, with a raft of complaints about Republican Mitt Romney, the billionaire media baron is signaling that he intends to boost his visibility in U.S. politics_even if it comes at the expense of the man conservatives hope can defeat President Barack Obama.

FDIC closes small bank in Georgia

Federal regulators have closed a small bank in Georgia, bringing the number of U.S. banks that have failed so far this year to 32.

AMR sues retired workers over health benefits

American Airlines and its parent company are suing to stop providing health care and life insurance benefits to current retirees. AMR Corp. and American filed the lawsuit Friday as part of their bankruptcy case in federal court in New York.

Best Buy to cut 2,400 jobs in turnaround effort

Electronics retailer Best Buy Co. is laying off 600 staffers in its Geek Squad technical support division and 1,800 other store workers as it seeks to restructure operations and improve results, the company said Friday.

Justin Bieber cited for speeding, claims chase

Heartthrob singer Justin Bieber has been ticketed for speeding on a Los Angeles freeway after being chased by at least one other vehicle, authorities said.

Federer's record 8th Wimbledon final, Murray's 1st

Roger Federer is back in the Wimbledon final for the first time since 2009. If that seems like a long gap for the six-time champion, imagine how all of Britain feels: Andy Murray is the first man from the host country to play for the title at the All England Club in 74 years.

Holliday replaces Molina on All-Star team

Matt Holliday is replacing St. Louis Cardinals teammate Yadier Molina on the National League All-Star team.

Peter Sagan wins crash-filled 6th stage of Tour

Peter Sagan of Slovakia avoided a bloody, across-the-road pileup to capture a stage for the third time at the Tour de France on Friday while Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland also steered clear of the mayhem to keep the yellow jersey.

Tour de France crash decimates Garmin-Sharp team

The Garmin-Sharp team was decimated after a massive crash during the sixth stage of the Tour de France on Friday, with two riders being hospitalized with serious injuries and Giro d'Italia champion Ryder Hesjedal out of realistic title contention.

Bailed-out AIG wants $30.2 million in tax interest

American International Group, the insurance giant saved by a massive federal bailout, wants some tax money back — from 1991.

Book Review: 'Ransom River' is well-plotted thriller

"Ransom River" (Dutton), by Meg Gardiner

Unemployed and nearly broke, Rory Mackenzie returns home to Ransom River only to find a jury duty summons for what promises to be the case of the century for the small California town: the shooting of an allegedly unarmed man by an off-duty police officer.

Volvo Penalized for Delayed Reporting of Recalls in 2010, 2012

The automaker has agreed to pay more than a million dollars in civil fines

Volvo Cars North America, LLC will pay $1.5 million in civil penalties in response for failing to report safety defects and noncompliances to the federal government in a timely manner.

Cole Co. trial judge upholds governors’ budget powers

A judge has upheld the authority of Missouri governors to control spending, while concluding that a common budgeting tactic runs afoul of the state constitution.

Missouri Lottery reports nearly $1.1B in sales

The Missouri Lottery says it sold nearly $1.1 billion worth of tickets during the past year.

Nixon signs changes to Mo. sentencing laws

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon has signed legislation that could shorten the time some nonviolent offenders have to spend behind bars and on parole or probation.

SW Mo. wildfire mostly contained

Officials in southwestern Missouri say a fire in the Mark Twain National Forest has been mostly contained after charring more than 1,200 acres.

Mo. House leader rejects call for special session

House Speaker Steven Tilley says there is no need for a special session to decide whether Missouri should opt out of a Medicaid expansion.

New Mo. law backs cellphone tracking for police

Missouri law enforcement agencies could track people’s cellphone signals during emergencies more easily under a measure signed by Gov. Jay Nixon.

Your Opinion: Obama fails to spur job creation

We the people are being deceived!

Your Opinion: Pragmatic approach to horse slaughter

I was wondering when this can of worms would be opened and now that it has the horse slaughter issue needs to be addressed pragmatically and not emotionally.

Your Opinion: Highway changes heighten dangers

Regretfully, having lived in the area of U.S. 54 and Buffalo Road I am aware of the fatalities and injuries that have taken place.

Our Opinion: Respect guidelines for watering lawns

Prolonged dry spells remind us water is a commodity, subject to precepts of supply and demand.

UPDATED: Suspect and victim identified in Jefferson City shooting

Man charged after early morning shooting

Cole County prosecutors Friday afternoon charged one man with first-degree assault, armed criminal action and unlawful possession of a firearm after an early morning domestic dispute led to another man being shot.

Kellner sentenced to life in wife’s killing

After denying a motion for a new trial, Cole County Presiding Circuit Judge Pat Joyce on Thursday ordered Keith Kellner to serve life in prison without parole for killing his wife at a Jefferson City McDonald’s restaurant in December 2010.

Garden of native wildflowers provides a steady diet for butterflies

The hot, dry weather isn’t a problem for Missouri native wildflowers.

Salute hailed as a success with huge crowds, shows

Wednesday’s Salute to America was “just fantastic,” according to event planner Jill Snodgrass.

River race moves up starting time

When the heat is stuck securely in the triple digits, the river can be a welcoming spot.

Scott Peterson appeals death sentence

Scott Peterson on Thursday filed the automatic appeal of his 2004 death sentence to the California Supreme Court, maintaining as he always has that he had nothing to do with the murders of his wife Laci and unborn son Connor.

Utility: Scam seeks Social Security numbers

Ameren is reissuing an alert that con artists are once again looking to scam customers in an effort to illegally obtain Social Security numbers.

Capital to be featured on weekend TV shows

Times for CDT viewing

If you’re wanting to catch the CSPAN shows featuring Jefferson City this weekend, you may want to tune in an hour earlier.

Area players earn spots on all-state baseball teams

Deion Hughes helped lead the Helias Crusaders to within a game of the Final Four. Now he’s an all-stater. Hughes was one of 10 area baseball players selected to the Missouri Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association all-state baseball teams released today.

US accuses China over duties on auto exports

The United States launched a trade complaint Thursday against China at the World Trade Organization, accusing Beijing of unfairly imposing duties on more than $3 billion in exports of American-produced automobiles.

Farm parody of 'Sexy and I Know It' goes viral

Three brothers from Kansas have become Internet sensations with their farm parody of LMFAO's "Sexy and I Know It."

Classmates.com: Has It Graduated and Gone Straight?

Consumers remember Classmates and find similar experiences in Memory Lane

It can be nice to connect with old classmates. Before social sites like MySpace, and Facebook existed, people had to wait until their 10- or 20-year reunion to connect with old school chums.

US seeks fiber-optic cable for Guantanamo Bay

The U.S. military hopes to install a $40 million underwater fiber-optic cable that could improve communications at Guantanamo Bay, a military official said Thursday.

US Presbyterians reject Israel divestment

By a razor-thin margin, the largest Presbyterian group in the United States rejected a proposal Thursday to divest from three companies that do business with Israel. Pro-Palestinian advocates vowed to try again.

Sheriff: Man booked in missing student case

A registered sex offender has been booked on a charge of first-degree murder in connection with the disappearance last May of a Louisiana college student, authorities said.

Google phasing out 'iGoogle' in latest purge

Google is phasing out a service that allows millions of people to personalize its home page with applications such as weather updates and stock quotes.

Jerry Seinfeld to debut Web series set in cars

Jerry Seinfeld is going back on the road.

Iraq warns al-Qaida flowing into Syria

Iraq asserted Thursday that al-Qaida insurgents are streaming out of the country to carry out attacks in Syria, an ominous development as the Syrian conflict enflames an already hostile region.

Developing a Survival Plan for Power Outages

Planning ahead will make life a little easier after a disaster strikes

Recent storms that devastated parts of the Mid-Atlantic region underscore the need for individual consumers to be prepared when disaster strikes.

Rihanna sues ex-accountants for millions in losses

Rihanna sued her former accountants Thursday, blaming them for tens of millions of dollars in losses, shoddy bookkeeping, a failure to recommend she trim expenses when a 2009 tour was losing money and an ongoing audit by the Internal Revenue Service.

HBO abandons plans for film on Fox News Channel

HBO is dropping its plans to make a film on Roger Ailes and the rise of Fox News Channel.

New Safety Standard for Play Yards

Stability tests and lock and latch mechanisms are included in the new standard

Children’s play yards should be a lot safer now that the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has approved a new federal mandatory standard to improve the safety of play yards and to prevent injuries and deaths to children.

Samsung tips record-high profit for 2nd quarter

Smartphones powered Samsung Electronics Co. to record quarterly earnings, but its shares fell Friday as lower-than-expected overall sales underlined the threat from Europe's economic malaise.

Art historians claim to find new Caravaggio works

Two Italian art historians claim to have discovered as many as 100 works, most of them drawings, by a very young Caravaggio in a collection long attributed to a master Milanese artist he studied under while a boy in the late 1500s.

Chavez withdraws military attaches from Paraguay

President Hugo Chavez said Thursday that he ordered his country’s military attaches to leave the Venezuelan Embassy in Paraguay, citing threats against diplomats amid growing tensions between the two governments.

Nuclear energy powers Japan again, blamed anew

Nuclear power returned to Japan’s energy mix for the first time in two months Thursday, hours before a parliamentary panel blamed the government’s cozy relations with the industry for the meltdowns that prompted the mass shutdown of the nation’s reactors.

Libya’s election a giant step toward democracy

Abdel-Hakim Belhaj is a former rebel commander and a jihadist who once fought the Russians in Afghanistan.

Mexico destroys 1 million chickens for bird flu

An outbreak of the H7N3 bird flu virus in western Mexico has infected about 2.5 million chickens and led authorities to destroy or dispose of almost a million birds.

Solar, wind energy a missed opportunity for Cuba

The sleepy country setting that farmer Juan Alonso calls home hasn’t changed much since he was born 74 years ago, with the two rustic wooden houses nestled among palm trees against a backdrop of green hills and clear skies.

Car-Sharing: A Growing Trend But Is It For You?

There are pluses and minuses to car-sharing and on-demand rentals

If you’ve noticed, car-sharing companies are growing in popularity, and many find them to be a more convenient alternative to rental car agencies.

House bill would cut food stamps, farm subsidies

The House Agriculture Committee on Thursday unveiled its approach for a long-term farm and food bill that would reduce spending by $3.5 billion a year, almost half of that coming from cuts in the federal food stamp program.

Court to decide whether 'Sister Wives' suit stands

A federal judge scheduled arguments later this month on whether the stars of "Sister Wives" can continue challenging Utah's polygamy ban even though they won't be charged under it.

Digital album sales up; Adele's '21' still No. 1

Overall U.S. music album sales dropped slightly in the first six months of the year, but digital album sales are up more than 13 percent over a year ago.

Thursday's National League Capsules

NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP: David Wright singled off Jonathan Papelbon with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, lifting the New York Mets to a 6-5 comeback victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday night that preserved R.A. Dickey's 11-game winning streak.

Thursday's American League Capsules

AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP: Rookie Jose Quintana allowed two hits in eight stellar innings, Kevin Youkilis came through again with a go-ahead homer and the Chicago White Sox completed a three-game sweep of the Texas Rangers with a 2-1 victory Thursday.

Friday's WNBA Capsules

WNBA ROUNDUP: Sophia Young scored all 18 of her points in the second half and the San Antonio Silver Stars defeated the Washington Mystics 78-73 on Friday night for their sixth straight victory.

Thursday's WNBA Capsules

WNBA ROUNDUP: Kristi Toliver scored 29 points and Candace Parker had 28 points and 13 rebounds as the Los Angeles Sparks beat the Minnesota Lynx 96-90 on Thursday.

Thursday's Golf Capsules

PRO GOLF ROUNDUP: Americans Cristie Kerr, Brittany Lincicome and Lizette Salas shot 3-under 69 on Thursday to share the first-round lead in the U.S. Women's Open.

More oil exploration in SW Mississippi

Pike County supervisors are suggesting southwest Mississippi take a regional approach to address the growing oil exploration in the area.

Frank Ocean lauded for revealing same-sex love

The music industry is showing support to R&B singer Frank Ocean after he revealed that his first love was a man.

Aide: Palestinian leader wants more on Arafat

Digging up Yasser Arafat’s bones may offer the best shot at learning if the legendary Palestinian leader was poisoned, as many of his old comrades-in-arms claim, but Palestinian officials signaled Thursday they’re not rushing into an autopsy.

Faulty data misled pilot in Brazil-France crash

A pilot facing faulty data and deafening alarms in an oversea thunderstorm pitched his plane sharply up instead of down as it stalled, then lost control, sending the Air France jet and all 228 people aboard to their deaths in the Atlantic Ocean in 2009.

The Best Veggie Burgers and Dogs for Summer Eating

You can chow down without eating meat

Hey everyone, look around. We're right smack dab in the middle of summer. During these summer months many people leave the hot and stuffy kitchen for the cool open space of backyards and porches to cook their meals.

Reports: Smaller, Cheaper iPad On The Way

But some technology experts say they've heard this one before

The iPad, the first of the modern tablet computers, has plenty of company these days, especially with the entry of Google and Microsoft into the market.

Boeing delivers 150 planes in 2Q, including 6 787s

Boeing Co. said on Thursday that it has delivered 287 commercial airplanes so far this year, including a total of 11 of its new 787s.