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U.S. to Iraq: Curb Use of Shiite Militias Thursday November 17, 2005 11:46 PM By ROBERT H. REID Associated Press Writer BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - The Iraqi government has promised to investigate detention facilities across the country to ensure prisoners are not tortured, the United States said Thursday, sharply warning Iraqi officials against allowing Shiite militias a role in the security services following allegations of torture of Sunni Arabs. The Interior Minister, who is in charge of the facilities and security forces, said torture claims were exaggerated. Sectarian rhetoric sharpened four days after U.S. troops found up to 173 malnourished...

Blair to curb human rights in war on terror By George Jones (Filed: 06/08/2005) Tony Blair served notice yesterday that he was ready to renounce parts of the European convention on human rights if British and European judges continued to block the deportation of Islamic extremists in the wake of the London bombings. In a significant shift away from the human rights policies championed by Labour since 1997, Mr Blair indicated that he was no longer prepared to allow Britain to be a haven for Muslim extremists whose presence in London has resulted in its being dubbed "Londonistan". Tony Blair...

WASHINGTON - Upset by the millions of dollars that outside groups spent in the 2004 election, a House panel on Wednesday took a step toward limiting such organizations. The House Administration Committee, on a 5-3 vote, sent a bill to the full House that would place tax-exempt partisan groups under the same fundraising and spending limits that apply to political action committees. The House is expected to act on the legislation sponsored by Reps. Christopher Shays, R-Conn., and Martin Meehan, D-Mass., next month. In the last election, the groups, commonly known as 527s for the section of the tax law...

Shootings may lead to security guard curb By Adrian Blomfield in Baghdad (Filed: 11/06/2005) Iraq's interior ministry said yesterday it wanted to impose legal boundaries on the private security business after American contractors twice opened fire on US marines. The move may be supported by the US military, whose patience with the contractors has been tested. They were angered by an incident late last month in Fallujah, the former insurgent stronghold recaptured by US forces last year. The marines say one of their combat teams came under fire from guards in a convoy of four-wheel-drives belonging to Zapata Engineering, a...

President Bush strongly suggested Congress pass a highway bill that does not exceed $284 billion. The House complied. The Senate? It approved a $295 billion bill on May 17. What’s the extra $11 billion for anyway? Hasn’t Sen. Robert Byrd been able to pave West Virginia yet? Actually, it’s the Republicans who were largely behind the added dollars, with the Democrats urging them on. The approval margin was overwhelming: 89-11. But if the GOP isn’t going to demonstrate a little fiscal restraint, then who is? The media and the political pundits get all warm and fuzzy over bipartisan bills. They...

Study: Herb Helps Curb Binge Drinking By MICHAEL KUNZELMAN, Associated Press Writer Tue May 17, 8:25 PM ET BOSTON - A group of 20-something drinkers seemed to lose the urge to binge-drink when they took pills made from kudzu, that ubiquitous vine that blankets the South, researchers reported. The finding, described as groundbreaking by one expert, might one day lead to a way to attack the binge-drinking problem. Researcher Scott Lukas, with Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital, had no trouble finding volunteers for the study, which required them to hang out in an "apartment," complete with television, recliner and fridge stocked with...

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. — Gov. Mitch Daniels visited Vigo County, where the production of methamphetamine has been prolific, to sign legislation Tuesday that will restrict the sale of cold medicines containing ingredients used to make the drug. The law is similar to a Vigo County ordinance that has been in effect since January. State police reported that authorities found 166 meth labs in the county last year, the most among Indiana's 92 counties. The county also topped the state list in 2002 and 2003. The new law, enacted unanimously by the General Assembly last month, places restrictions on the sale...

US in border battle to curb Iraq insurgency By Oliver Poole, Iraq Correspondent (Filed: 10/05/2005) American forces were engaged in fierce battles near the Syrian border last night in an attempt to stop infiltration by foreigners who are increasingly seen by the US military as forming the backbone of the insurgency. US intelligence has noted a rise in the number of fighters coming into the country and believes that they have taken the lead from Ba'athists loyal to Saddam Hussein. The US operation was the largest since the battle for Fallujah Supported by jets and attack helicopters, a 1,000-strong force...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - For all the deadly foes he vanquished on the silver screen, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger may be finally meeting his match - the growing medical bills of poor people. In his rookie year, Schwarzenegger tried simply to slash the state's costs by $900 million, then backed down after roars of protest. Now he's back with a new attack, one of many experiments proposed by U.S. governors to cut states' soaring medical costs. Schwarzenegger would limit a poor Californian's dental work to $1,000 a year, steer nearly 1 million more people into managed care networks and make families...

In a sworn statement to be made public Tuesday, University of Colorado President Elizabeth Hoffman said a four-letter word used toward women can sometimes be used as a "term of endearment." The comment comes from Hoffman's latest sworn testimony in connection with a federal lawsuit against the university. The suit was filed by women who say they were sexually assaulted by CU football players and recruits. A lawyer for one of the women asked Hoffman about former CU kicker Katie Hnida being called the "c- word" by a teammate. That player was later disciplined by coach Gary Barnett for making...

LOS ANGELES (June 1) - "Curb Your Enthusiasm," an HBO show known for its acerbic wit, accidentally helped deliver a happy ending to a man who had been charged with murder. Juan Catalan spent 5 1/2 months in jail on murder charges before his attorney found video footage taken by the show at Dodger Stadium that backs up his client's claims of innocence. Police arrested Catalan in August, alleging he killed Martha Puebla, 16, in the San Fernando Valley on May 12, 2003, because she had testified against his brother in another case. Catalan insisted he and his 6-year-old daughter...

PARIS, Jan 31 (Reuters) - France will soon pass a law to curb anti-Semitic television broadcasts coming from the Middle East and fine satellite operators who distribute anti-Jewish programmes, Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin said on Saturday. Raffarin told the annual dinner of the Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions (CRIF) that he and several cabinet ministers had seen some of these broadcasts and found them "unbearable to watch (and) revolting". This followed an appeal by CRIF President Roger Cukierman to block anti-Semitic broadcasts from the Middle East, which officials here say encourage Muslim youths in France to attack Jews to...

The votes by Turkey's Parliament last week to curb the political power of the military and increase freedom of expression are a significant step away from army domination of Turkish politics. The challenge now for the government, dominated by moderate Islamists of the Justice and Development Party, is to ensure that the new measures are carried out. Not long ago, Turkey's military would have responded to such initiatives by seizing power — the armed forces removed four governments in the last four decades. That is less likely today because of broad support in Turkey for democratic rule, but these reforms...

Posted on Fri, May. 30, 2003 Kneel! It's the King of Rude Larry David's vulgar. He's cranky. And he can't change a tire. Finally, a hero for our time! By Douglas Perry Star-Telegram Staff Writer Larry David is a man who sticks to his principles, regardless of the bizarre outcome. I want to be Larry David. Yes, that's right, the annoying guy on HBO. Sure, David is bald and schlubby. True, few people like him -- and a lot of people downright can't stand him. But it's worth all that. And not because the Seinfeld co-creator is worth about a...

Taiwan closes borders to curb spread of infection By Jeremy Laurance, Health Editor 28 April 2003 Taiwan became the first country yesterday to close its borders to visitors from areas affected by Sars as it recorded its first death from the disease. Authorities said visitors from China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Canada would be barred in a drastic attempt to curb the spread of the infection. China has also attempted to slow the spread of the disease by closing cinemas, theatres, internet cafés and other public venues. Canada was offered some hope by the World Health Organisation, which said it...

<p>WASHINGTON -- Legislation that would block most lawsuits against the gun industry for harm caused by misuse by others of firearms or ammunition has passed the U.S. House with healthy prospects for approval in the Senate.</p> <p>Many Senate Democrats, led by California's Sen. Dianne Feinstein, are vowing a spirited campaign to scuttle the legislation, saying it would give the gun industry unparalleled protection from lawsuits.</p>

Ecstasy found to 'curb Parkinson's disease shaking'Ecstasy is being hailed by scientists as the key to a breakthrough for Parkinson's sufferers. Researchers testing the drug on monkeys have found it can dramatically curb the uncontrollable movements associated with the neurological disease, New Scientist magazine reports. Parkinson's experts at the University of Manchester conducted the tests following a Panorama documentary that researched the dramatic effects of the drug on former stuntman Tim Lawrence. His story won the attention of the nation after television pictures showed ecstasy (MDMA) enabling him to win control of his violent shaking for hours at a time,...