Ill. woman's death in drug study probed By CARLA K. JOHNSON, Associated Press Writer

Ill. woman's death in drug study probed By CARLA K. JOHNSON, Associated Press Writer
2 hours, 33 minutes ago



CHICAGO - A woman whose death in a gene therapy study shut it down and prompted a review of the safety of 28 other studies was experiencing multiple organ failure when she got to the hospital, a spokesman said.

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Jolee Mohr, 36, died July 24, 22 days after receiving her second injection of an experimental drug made of genetically engineered viruses she hoped would help her arthritis.

Robb Mohr said he believes his wife thought the drug would help her, even though the research was to determine the drug's safety, rather than its effectiveness. The University of Chicago Medical Center, where Jolee Mohr died, is investigating the cause of death.

"By the time she got to us, she was in liver failure and kidney failure, she was on a ventilator and she was septic" or responding to severe infection, hospital spokesman John Easton told The Associated Press. The hospital will send tissue samples to multiple labs for testing.

Targeted Genetics Corp. of Seattle has halted the study, and more than 100 patients involved are being evaluated, said company spokeswoman Stacie Byars. The company believes it's too early to speculate on the woman's cause of death, Byars said.

Alan Milstein, a New Jersey attorney who is representing Robb Mohr in a possible civil lawsuit, said Jolee Mohr believed the experimental therapy would be in her best interests.

"She wasn't going to risk her life for science or medicine or the profits of some company," Milstein told The Associated Press on Saturday. "She had mild rheumatoid arthritis."

Milstein also represented 18-year-old Jesse Gelsinger, who died in 1999 in his fourth day of a gene therapy experiment at the University of Pennsylvania. Gelsinger had suffered from an inherited disorder that blocks the body from properly processing nitrogen. The Food and Drug Administration concluded that the gene therapy injection intended to try to cure him instead killed him.

Milstein said he's not sure who's to blame for Jolee Mohr's death, but "we certainly believe the death was connected to the research trial she was in."

The experimental drug uses a virus to try and block a substance that fuels the joint inflammation behind crippling forms of arthritis.

Twenty-eight other gene therapy studies have been reported to the FDA that used, or are using, the same virus, called adeno-associated virus or AAV.

The FDA has said that it was not aware of any serious side effects in any of the AAV studies but that as a precaution, officials are reviewing the ones still actively treating patients.

In addition, the National Institutes of Health's advisory committee on gene therapy will meet in September to discuss the potential scientific implications of Mohr's death.

Co-executor of James Brown's will quits 2 hours, 1 minute ago

Co-executor of James Brown's will quits 2 hours, 1 minute ago



AIKEN, S.C. (AP) — A trustee accused of misappropriating $350,000 of James Brown's money resigned and handed over a check for that amount during a court hearing, a newspaper reported.

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David Cannon also resigned Friday as co-executor of the late soul singer's will during a four-hour hearing before Circuit Judge Jack Early, The Augusta (Ga.) Chronicle reported Saturday.

Cannon has an unlisted telephone number and another trustee, Buddy Dallas, did not immediately return a message seeking comment.

A follow-up hearing has been scheduled for Sept. 24 as various people wrangle over the late soul singer's estate.

It's not clear how much money is left in the estate, said Louis Levenson, an Atlanta attorney representing several of the singer's children. Before he died Christmas Day at age 73, Brown had been on an allowance of $100,000 a month.

Levenson said his firm is trying to find out where the singer's money went.

Brown's former pastor has filed a motion to intervene on behalf of needy children who are supposed to benefit from the James Brown "I Feel Good" Trust. That is one of two trusts Brown had set up: One to pay for poor children in South Carolina and Georgia to attend school; the other would pay for Brown's grandchildren to go to school.

The Rev. Larry Fryer said he's worried the money meant for poor children is being squandered by the court battles. "If we're paying all of the money to all of the legal sources," Fryer said, "what's left for the children?"

One of Brown's grandchildren, Forlando Brown, accused his aunts and uncles of trying to break the trusts to get their father's money.

"People are greedy," the West Georgia University student told The Augusta Chronicle.

Forlando Brown said he, his brother and his father, Terry Brown, have been ostracized by the rest of the family for siding with the trustees.

Romney wins Iowa straw poll as expected By MIKE GLOVER, Associated Press Writer

Romney wins Iowa straw poll as expected By MIKE GLOVER, Associated Press Writer
8 minutes ago



AMES, Iowa - Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney won an easy and expected victory in a high-profile Iowa Republican Party Straw Poll on Saturday, claiming nearly twice as many votes as his nearest rival.

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Romney had been expected to win the test because he spent millions of dollars and months of effort on an event that was skipped by two of his major rivals.

Romney scored 4,516 votes, or 31.5 percent, to outpace former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee who had 2,587 votes, or 18.1 percent. Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback was third with 2,192 votes, 15.3 percent.

Announcement of the results was delayed for 90 minutes because a hand count was required on one of the 18 machines.

The biggest loser of the evening likely was former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson, who finished in 6th place with 1,039 votes. He had said repeatedly that if he didn't finish in the top two his campaign was likely to end. He left the event before the results were announced, and there was no announcement from his campaign.

The missing big names got only a handful of votes.

Former Sen. Fred Thompson of Tennessee got 203 votes. He was on the ballot, although not an officially declared candidate.

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani received 183 votes and Sen. John McCain of Arizona got 101.

Romney was quick to claim the prize he had spent so much effort to win.

"The people of this great state have sent a message to the rest of the country," said Romney. "Change starts in Iowa."

Huckabee said his showing was impressive because he had little money to spend.

"You have taken a minimum amount of resources and made a maximum amount of gain," Huckabee told backers.

Brownback and Huckabee had waged a fierce competition for the loyalty of influential social and religious conservatives, and Huckabee's showing gave him new credibility.

Brownback put the best face on his showing.

"I think this is a ticket forward for us," said Brownback. "It was pretty close. We were both right in there together."

Colorado Rep. Tom Tancredo has made illegal immigration his signature issue, and scored a fourth place showing with 1,961 voltes, while Texas Rep. Ron Paul, who has developed an Internet-driven following, came in fifth with 1,305 votes.

Filling out the field, Rep. Duncan Hunter got 174 votes, while Chicago businessman John Cox got 41 votes.

"Activists turned out in great numbers to support their candidate despite a heat index exceeding 100 degrees," said Republican Party of Iowa Chairman Ray Hoffmann.

In all, there were 14,302 ballots cast, nearly 10,000 fewer than when a similar straw poll was held in 1999. Then-Gov. George Bush won that straw poll with roughly 7,400 votes, and went on to win the caucuses and the White House.

State Republican officials had predicted as many as 40,000 activists would attend the event, but said 33,000 eventually showed up. Many of those were from out of the state and not eligible to vote in the straw poll.

Supporters of Paul had sought to block voting, arguing that vote-counting machines had fundamental weaknesses, but a federal judge refused to grant an injunction on Friday. The matter was appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit, which on Saturday upheld the ruling, said Matt McDermott, attorney for the Republican Party of Iowa.

The grounds around Iowa State University's basketball arena took on a carnival atmosphere on the steamy day as candidates erected huge air-conditioned tents where they courted activists with food, prizes and plenty of rhetoric.

The National Rifle Association, anti-abortion groups and other organizations also were on hand to capture a slice of the spotlight.

Mary Tiffany, spokesman for the state Republican Party, said about 40,000 people were expected at an event that could raise more than $1 million for the party. For their $35 ticket — and an ID proving they were Iowans — activists could cast a ballot throughout the day for their favorite presidential candidate.

Candidates consider the straw poll a vital chance to demonstrate support that could help them this winter when Iowans hold precinct caucuses, an event that leads off the presidential nominating process.

For some candidates, a poor showing could prompt them to drop out of the race.

The scale of the spectacle was so immense — event organizers planned for the arrival of 375 buses — that even Iowa Democratic Chairman Scott Brennan decided to take a look. State Democrats don't hold anything similar, arguing the event is more about raising money than selecting candidates.

McCain and Giuliani opted to skip the event, but their names were on the ballot.

McCain, campaigning in Milton, N.H., called the straw poll "a great way to raise money for the Iowa Republican Party" and said he doesn't criticize it.

"But I think I can do my campaign and me personally better by being here in New Hampshire, talking to people, having the town hall meetings, and responding to their questions and concerns," he said.

Voting security was tight. Before voting, activists had to show ID and tickets, both of which were scanned to ensure they hadn't been used before. Stealing a page from the Iraqis, those casting ballots dipped their thumbs in purplish indelible ink to make sure they couldn't vote again.

___

Associated Press writer Amy Lorentzen in Ames contributed to this report.

Clinton courts union support By JUAN A. LOZANO, Associated Press Writer

Clinton courts union support By JUAN A. LOZANO, Associated Press Writer
35 minutes ago



HOUSTON - Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton, continuing her efforts to secure the endorsement of unions, told a crowd of nearly 1,100 people at a labor hall Saturday that she will fight to help the middle class if elected.

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"Nobody works harder than Americans. Wages aren't up. Benefits aren't secure. But corporate profits are up. It's not the rich who made America great. It's the hard working middle class," Clinton said as the crowd at the Communications Workers of America hall cheered.

While Clinton's nearly half-hour speech touched on a variety of issues, including the war in Iraq, lessening America's dependence on foreign oil and offering more support for the country's police officers and military veterans, the New York senator's comments focused mainly on her support of the working middle class and the labor movement.

"This is a house that labor built," she said. "The American middle class owes a lot to the labor movement."

___

CONWAY, N.H. (AP) — Frustration over illegal immigration followed Republican presidential candidate John McCain on Saturday as he finished a three-day campaign trip to eastern New Hampshire.

At a VFW hall in Conway, a woman who had questioned the Arizona senator the night before in Wolfeboro confronted him again, pushing him to support making English the nation's official language.

"I'm terribly concerned there's real danger we're going to lose our country from within," said the woman, who refused to give her name. "Even if we make English the national language, what difference does it make if you can vote (in Spanish), if where everywhere you go, the hospitals are obliged to provide interpreters? We need one language."

McCain said he believes more must be done to require immigrants to learn English, but addressed her suspicions with some of his trademark straight talk.

"I understand your concern that our traditions and our culture and background are being overwhelmed by another culture, but I believe we're stronger than that," he said.

___

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards lashed out Saturday against the suggestion by President Bush's new war adviser that it is worth considering a return to a military draft.

The adviser, Army Lt. Gen. Douglas Lute, suggested Friday in an interview with National Public Radio's "All Things Considered" that a draft might relieve the frequent tours for U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan that have stressed the all-volunteer force.

Edwards, a former North Carolina senator said that Lute's remarks show "the true danger of the administration's breathtaking failures in Iraq and around the world," according to a campaign statement.

"Now, instead of ending this war and doing what is right for our troops, their families and the nation, President Bush is floating the idea of a draft that would send more young Americans to Iraq," Edward said.

___

AMES, Iowa (AP) — The wife of GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul was hospitalized Saturday with an irregular heartbeat, a campaign spokesman said.

Carol Paul became ill on Saturday morning and was taken to an area hospital, said Jesse Benton, a Paul spokesman. A Republican congressman from Texas, Paul was delayed in arriving at the high profile Republican straw poll in Ames on Saturday in order to stay with his wife.

Benton told The Associated Press that Mrs. Paul was recovering at a hospital in Des Moines from a heart condition that causes her heart rate to get very slow.

"Her heart rate is back to normal and she is doing much better and she will make a full recovery," he said.

___

CHICAGO (AP) — Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama on Saturday served as grand marshal of the annual Bud Billiken Parade, an event founded in 1929 by the Chicago Defender newspaper to celebrate area children.

Before the parade began, Obama said he was glad to be on the South Side.

"Everybody here has looked after me for years," Obama said.

Asked if participating in the parade was part of a strategy to court black voters, Obama said, "This is my crew. I don't worry about them. We're doing fine."

___

BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean said Saturday that the party will launch an unprecedented "voter protection" effort to try to avoid election irregularities like those seen in Florida in 2000 and alleged in Ohio in 2004.

"We're going to spot trouble before it happens this time, instead of wait for trouble and then respond when it happens," said Dean, a former Vermont governor.

Some 200 party staffers in the various states will be surveying county election officials in the coming months to find out their rules for checking voter identification, how many voting machines they have in each precinct, and other nut-and-bolts issues related to election administration, Dean said.

The party also will have a team of 7,000 volunteer lawyers around the country ready to go to work on Election Day to defend voters who say they are being improperly barred from casting ballots.

___

Associated Press writers Holly Ramer in Concord, N.H., David Gram in Burlington, Vt., and Dan Strumpf in Chicago contributed to this report.

Taliban: 2 female Koreans to be freed By AMIR SHAH, Associated Press Writer

Taliban: 2 female Koreans to be freed By AMIR SHAH, Associated Press Writer
2 hours, 48 minutes ago



GHAZNI, Afghanistan - A Taliban spokesman said Saturday that two sick, female South Korean hostages would be released "soon" for the sake of good relations between the Taliban and South Korea. Neither the international Red Cross or the Afghan government could immediately confirm the claim.

The spokesman, Qari Yousef Ahmadi, said the two women would be freed because they are sick. He said the decision had been made by the Taliban's high commanders, but he said it had not yet been decided when the women would be freed.

Two Taliban leaders and four South Korean officials met Saturday for the second day of face-to-face talks over the fate of 21 South Korean hostages being held since July 19 by the militants. The two said earlier Saturday that the Koreans would "definitely" be released and possibly as soon as "today or tomorrow."

"The Taliban's big commanders have decided for the sake of good relations between the Taliban and the Korean people that without any conditions they are soon going to release two sick women," Ahmadi said.

Franz Rauchenstein, an official with the International Committee of the Red Cross, said neither the Taliban nor South Korean officials had talked to the Red Cross about facilitating the release of hostages, and that he could not confirm that two women were to be freed.

Marajudin Pathan, the local governor, said he had not heard that two women would be released and that it hadn't been discussed during negotiations Saturday. He said talks would continue on Sunday.

"Qari Ahmadi (the Taliban spokesman) is somewhere in Pakistan," Pathan said. "He's just running his mouth. They (the Taliban) are always giving contradictory statements."

Pathan said he didn't think the hostage crisis would be resolved by prisoner release, "but we'll see if it's by some other avenue." He refused to specify if that meant a ransom payment, though he has said previously he thought money would resolve the situation.

Mullah Qari Bashir, one of the Taliban negotiators, said the face-to-face talks were going well and that the Taliban were sticking with their original demand — that 21 Taliban prisoners be released from prisons in Afghanistan.

"God willing the government (of Afghanistan) and the government of Korea will accept this," Bashir said outside the Ghazni office of the Afghan Red Cross, which is acting as a neutral intermediary. "Definitely these people will be released. God willing our friends (Taliban militants in prison) will be released."

Asked when the Koreans might be freed, he said: "Hopefully today or tomorrow."

"I'm very optimistic. The negotiations are continuing on a positive track," Bashir said.

South Korea took a cautious approach to the negotiations.

"A quick release is a good thing but we don't see that the possibility of the quick release is high," a South Korean official in Seoul told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity, citing the sensitivity of the issue.

Another Taliban spokesman, Zabiullah Mujaheed, said the government in Kabul gave the Taliban leaders — Bashir and Mullah Nasrullah — a written guarantee also signed by American and other foreign officials that the two Taliban would be safe.

Separately, Taliban militants attacked a small U.S. base in southern Afghanistan early Saturday for the second time in a week, and the U.S.-led coalition said the insurgents could be probing for intelligence for a future attempt to overrun the outpost.

Four militants were killed during the attack on Firebase Anaconda, the coalition said. The fighters' actions "could possibly be a rehearsal for a much bigger attack, possibly an attempt to completely overrun the post," the coalition said.

"The insurgents are paying a high price to test our response to attacks on our bases," said Army Capt. Vanessa R. Bowman, a coalition spokeswoman. "Though direct attacks are an unorthodox method for Taliban fighters, we remain prepared to fight them in any way they choose, though we find they are regularly unprepared for our methods of combat."

A group of 75 Taliban attacked Anaconda on Tuesday from three sides, a rare frontal assault that left 23 militants dead. Taliban militants usually shun head-on fights, preferring instead to attack foreign forces with suicide blasts and roadside bombs.

(This version CORRECTS the spelling of the Taliban spokesman's name to Ahmadi.)

Bush: Iraq strategy sees good results By BEN FELLER, Associated Press Writer

Bush: Iraq strategy sees good results By BEN FELLER, Associated Press Writer
38 minutes ago



KENNEBUNKPORT, Maine - President Bush, presiding over a nation dispirited by wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, on Saturday cast both conflicts in terms of "encouraging news." In stating his case, the president emphasized enemy deaths.

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"Our new strategy is delivering good results," Bush said of Iraq in his weekly radio address, taped at his parents' summer home on the rocky coast of Maine.

The president said his buildup of U.S. forces in Iraq, designed to provide security for the Iraqi government, was taking hold and showing gains. He acknowledged again, though, that Iraq has made frustratingly slow political progress.

Bush's comments came as Washington, like much of the nation, has shifted into vacation time. He said that in an otherwise slow news month, the war against terrorists rages on.

Bush's address amounted to another appeal for patience and upbeat view of events.

He noted the death of Haitham Sabah Shaker Mohammed al-Badri, an al-Qaida leader who was behind the bombing of twin minarets at Iraq's prized Golden Dome shrine in Samarra. Al-Badri was killed in a U.S. operation this month.

"His death is a victory for a free Iraq, and a sign that America and the Iraqi government will not surrender the future of Iraq to cold-blooded killers," Bush said.

Overall, Bush said al-Qaida and other extremists are under withering attack.

"Since January," he said, "each month we have killed or captured an average of more than 1,500 al-Qaida terrorists and other enemies of Iraq's elected government."

Bush faces sustained skepticism from Congress and the American people. Democratic lawmakers, and many Republican ones too, have lost patience in Iraq's leadership.

The next pivotal step for Bush comes in September with an update from Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, and Ryan Crocker, the U.S. ambassador to Iraq.

"Iraqi forces have taken responsibility for security in a number of areas," Bush said. "They are taking losses at a much higher rate than we are. And they're making these sacrifices willingly, because they are determined to see their children live in freedom."

Despite U.S. pressure, Iraq's parliament went on vacation for a month after failing either to pass legislation to share the nation's oil wealth or to reconcile differences among the factions. And the legitimacy of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has grown more tenuous.

On Afghanistan, Bush voiced confidence in Afghan President Hamid Karzai, with whom he met at the Camp David presidential retreat earlier in the week.

Bush, echoing Karzai, said the resurgent Taliban is not a threat to the government of Afghanistan. "The Taliban fighters can still launch attacks on the innocent, but they cannot stop the march of democracy in Afghanistan," Bush said.

Embattled AG Gonzales visits Baghdad 39 minutes ago

Embattled AG Gonzales visits Baghdad 39 minutes ago



WASHINGTON - Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, under fire at home with calls for his resignation, is spending some time in Iraq.

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The Justice Department said that Gonzales arrived in Baghdad on Saturday for his third trip to Iraq to meet with department officials who have been there to help fashion the country's legal system.

"I am pleased to see firsthand ... the progress that the men and women of the Justice Department have made to rebuild Iraq's legal system and law enforcement infrastructure," Gonzales said in a statement released by the department.

His optimistic assessment came despite the frequent sectarian lawlessness and killings in the country.

The attorney general was accompanied by Michael Sullivan, director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and John Clark, director of the U.S. Marshals Service, and other department staff.

Gonzales got an update from Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, and also planned to meet with Ryan Crocker, the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, and other U.S. and Iraqi officials, the statement said.

The trip comes at a difficult time personally for Gonzales. Both Democrats and Republicans in Congress have called for his resignation.

They have questioned his truthfulness on a variety of issues including discrepancies about the purge of federal prosecutors and issues related to a domestic eavesdropping program.

Gonzales also was an architect of U.S. policy on the treatment of prisoners abroad and author of a 2002 memo saying the president had the right to waive laws and treaties that protect war prisoners.

President Bush has staunchly defended the attorney general.

Bush, Sarkozy look for better relations By BEN FELLER, Associated Press Writer

Bush, Sarkozy look for better relations By BEN FELLER, Associated Press Writer
17 minutes ago



KENNEBUNKPORT, Maine - It is not a summit, not even a working lunch. Just a social meal between two world leaders who happen to be vacationing near each other in New England.

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That, at least, is how the White House describes Saturday's sit-down between President Bush and French President Nicolas Sarkozy. But there is more to it than a get-to-know-you.

By welcoming Sarkozy to his parents' seaside home, Bush is laying a foundation for what he hopes are drastically improved relations with France over the rest of his term. In turn, the newly elected Sarkozy is eager to bond with Bush and display a pro-American mind-set.

The event got smaller even before it got started.

White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said Sarkozy's wife, Cecilia, called first lady Laura Bush in the morning to tell her that she and her kids were not feeling well and would not be coming to the lunch. The president is still coming, she said.

"It would be impossible to think of Jacques Chirac stopping by Kennebunkport for lunch," said Charles Kupchan, a senior fellow for Europe studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. "This speaks volumes for the desires on both sides to try to turn the page."

Chirac, the former French president, had a bitter relationship with Bush. He opposed the war in Iraq and clashed with Bush over climate change and other matters.

Sarkozy, by contrast, has promised that the United States "can count on our friendship," while reminding Bush that friendship means respecting differing views.

So this lunch, casual as it may be, marks the symbolic start of something more: the "new era of relations with the French," as White House spokesman Tony Snow put it.

In a telling sign, Sarkozy apparently never considered postponing the date even after he had to dash from his New Hampshire vacation spot back to Paris for a funeral on Friday.

Sarkozy flew back to the United States right after, arriving Friday night. He is expected to get to the Bush compound late Saturday morning and visit for a couple of hours.

The French president will likely be offered a spin on a Bush speedboat. The lunch will be some all-American picnic fare — hot dogs and hamburgers.

Sarkozy gives Bush a chance to shore up support in the core of Europe, although the new leader has clearly echoed Chirac's opposition to the Iraq war.

"Bush realizes that Europeans have either left Iraq or they're heading for the exits," Kupchan said. "And the Europeans may not think the war was a wise move, but they've stopped the finger-pointing. I think it's safe to say that both sides have put Iraq behind them."

That still leaves plenty of ground for Bush to build new ties with France. Building pressure against Iran to halt its suspected nuclear weapons pursuits is one area; pushing the U.N. Security Council to speed up humanitarian efforts in the Darfur region is another.

Then there's Afghanistan, where Sarkozy has shown ambivalence about the French mission.

"I don't think the French are getting ready to pull their troops out," Kupchan said. "But the last thing Bush wants is for the French, the Germans or others to go wobbly on Afghanistan. If a major country were to do so, the whole coalition could start unraveling."

Sarkozy is expected to discuss such matters formally with Bush in Washington this fall.

As for Saturday's lunch, there is no agenda, except for an effort to keep it private.

White House aides say the two leaders may discuss world hot spots — Iran, Lebanon, Sudan. Yet they have no plans to take questions or issue comments afterward. Perino told reporters to expect few details from the White House.

"I know there's always an appetite for more and more information," she said. But the invitation was for "a nice casual lunch during the Sarkozy's vacation."

Laura Bush extended the offer to the Sarkozys more than two months ago in Germany, during a meeting of world leaders. President Bush had his first true get-together with Sarkozy at that meeting. It was cut short, though, when Bush got a bad stomach bug.

In France, Sarkozy caused a considerable stir by opting to be in the United States for his first extended vacation as president. He chose Lake Winnipesaukee in Wolfeboro, N.H., about 50 miles from the rocky shores of the Bush compound known as Walker's Point.

Sarkozy said he wanted to see the real America — small towns and tranquility. He made unintended news, however, by getting into a public flap with American photographers.

In his brief stop in Maine, he is in for a true Bush experience.

His hosts will be former President George H.W. Bush and his wife, Barbara. The extended Bush family will be there, too, including the current president's brother, Jeb; sister, Doro Koch Bush; and twin daughters, Barbara and Jenna.

Anti-war protesters have long scheduled a demonstration in Kennebunkport on Aug. 25. But Bush will be gone by then, and with Sarkozy coming to town, some protesters plan to hold a peace vigil Saturday morning at the police checkpoint near the Bush compound.

Meanwhile, Bush has been enjoying himself in vacation mode. Since arriving in Maine on Thursday, he has been fishing and mountain biking, and has held no public events.

Democrat Rep.: Troops need more rest By ERICA WERNER, Associated Press Writer

Democrat Rep.: Troops need more rest By ERICA WERNER, Associated Press Writer
32 minutes ago



WASHINGTON - Democrats on Saturday touted legislation to guarantee troops time at home between deployments to Iraq. In the party's weekly radio address, Rep. Ellen Tauscher, D-Calif., criticized President Bush for threatening to veto the bill, contending his administration's policies on troop deployments have weakened the military.

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"The president's surge has sent many of our Army units to Iraq for the second and third time. We are asking our troops to make heroic sacrifices — yet as soon as they return we rush them back into battle," said Tauscher, author of the bill that passed the House Aug. 2 on a vote of 229-194.

The measure would require that regular military units returning from the war receive at least as much time at home as they spent in Iraq. Reserve units would get a home stay three times as long as they spent in the war zone.

Under the Pentagon's current policy, active-duty troops typically serve deployments of up to 15 months, with a year at home in between. National Guard and Reserve ground units generally can be called up for as long as two years, to be followed by six years at home.

Bush's war adviser, Lt. Gen. Douglas Lute, said Friday the Pentagon needs to reevaluate deployment lengths.

"Come the spring, some variables will have to change — either the degree to which the American ground forces, the Marines and the Army in particular, are deployed around the world to include Iraq, or the length of time they're deployed in one tour, or the length of time they enjoy at home," Lute said in an interview on National Public Radio.

Bush complained that Tauscher's bill would put arbitrary constraints on Pentagon commanders. But Tauscher noted that the measure includes waivers enabling the president to disregard the required intervals between troop deployments in the interest of national security.

"If we are honest about wanting to support our troops, there is no better place to start than with the rest and training they require to complete their mission and return home safely," said Tauscher.

In the Senate, similar legislation by Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., won a majority vote of 56-41 in July but fell four short of the 60 votes needed to advance.

The vote on Tauscher's bill shortly before Congress left Washington for its August recess was the latest challenge to Bush from Democrats aiming to end an unpopular war. Democratic leaders plan to renew the challenge in September, when Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, delivers a long-awaited report on the state of the conflict.

The president vetoed legislation this spring that included a timeline for a troop withdrawal.

Petraeus told lawmakers visiting Iraq this month that a U.S. presence in Iraq is likely to be needed for another nine to 10 years, said Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., who met with the general along with Democrat Tom Allen of Maine and four House Republicans. Petraeus has made similar remarks in the past, noting that the question is how many troops would be needed.

Schakowsky, a member of the Out of Iraq caucus, said she returned from the trip convinced more than ever the U.S. should set a deadline for troop withdrawals.

"Calling for patience, at this point, I don't believe is going to work with the American people," she told reporters in a conference call from Germany on Friday.

Taliban: 2 female Koreans to be freed By AMIR SHAH, Associated Press Writer

Taliban: 2 female Koreans to be freed By AMIR SHAH, Associated Press Writer
16 minutes ago



GHAZNI, Afghanistan - A Taliban spokesman said Saturday that two sick, female South Korean hostages would be released "soon" for the sake of good relations between the Taliban and South Korea. Neither the international Red Cross or the Afghan government could immediately confirm the claim.

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The spokesman, Qari Yousef Ahmadi, said the two women would be freed because they are sick. He said the decision had been made by the Taliban's high commanders, but he said it had not yet been decided when the women would be freed.

Two Taliban leaders and four South Korean officials met Saturday for the second day of face-to-face talks over the fate of 21 South Korean hostages being held since July 19 by the militants. The two said earlier Saturday that the Koreans would "definitely" be released and possibly as soon as "today or tomorrow."

"The Taliban's big commanders have decided for the sake of good relations between the Taliban and the Korean people that without any conditions they are soon going to release two sick women," Ahmadi said.

Franz Rauchenstein, an official with the International Committee of the Red Cross, said neither the Taliban nor South Korean officials had talked to the Red Cross about facilitating the release of hostages, and that he could not confirm that two women were to be freed.

Marajudin Pathan, the local governor, said he had not heard that two women would be released and that it hadn't been discussed during negotiations Saturday. He said talks would continue on Sunday.

"Qari Ahmedi (the Taliban spokesman) is somewhere in Pakistan," Pathan said. "He's just running his mouth. They (the Taliban) are always giving contradictory statements."

Pathan said he didn't think the hostage crisis would be resolved by prisoner release, "but we'll see if it's by some other avenue." He refused to specify if that meant a ransom payment, though he has said previously he thought money would resolve the situation.

Mullah Qari Bashir, one of the Taliban negotiators, said the face-to-face talks were going well and that the Taliban were sticking with their original demand — that 21 Taliban prisoners be released from prisons in Afghanistan.

"God willing the government (of Afghanistan) and the government of Korea will accept this," Bashir said outside the Ghazni office of the Afghan Red Cross, which is acting as a neutral intermediary. "Definitely these people will be released. God willing our friends (Taliban militants in prison) will be released."

Asked when the Koreans might be freed, he said: "Hopefully today or tomorrow."

"I'm very optimistic. The negotiations are continuing on a positive track," Bashir said.

South Korea took a cautious approach to the negotiations.

"A quick release is a good thing but we don't see that the possibility of the quick release is high," a South Korean official in Seoul told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity, citing the sensitivity of the issue.

Another Taliban spokesman, Zabiullah Mujaheed, said the government in Kabul gave the Taliban leaders — Bashir and Mullah Nasrullah — a written guarantee also signed by American and other foreign officials that the two Taliban would be safe.

Separately, Taliban militants attacked a small U.S. base in southern Afghanistan early Saturday for the second time in a week, and the U.S.-led coalition said the insurgents could be probing for intelligence for a future attempt to overrun the outpost.

Four militants were killed during the attack on Firebase Anaconda, the coalition said. The fighters' actions "could possibly be a rehearsal for a much bigger attack, possibly an attempt to completely overrun the post," the coalition said.

"The insurgents are paying a high price to test our response to attacks on our bases," said Army Capt. Vanessa R. Bowman, a coalition spokeswoman. "Though direct attacks are an unorthodox method for Taliban fighters, we remain prepared to fight them in any way they choose, though we find they are regularly unprepared for our methods of combat."

A group of 75 Taliban attacked Anaconda on Tuesday from three sides, a rare frontal assault that left 23 militants dead. Taliban militants usually shun head-on fights, preferring instead to attack foreign forces with suicide blasts and roadside bombs.

Bombing in southern Iraq kills governor By HAMID AHMED, Associated Press Writer

Bombing in southern Iraq kills governor By HAMID AHMED, Associated Press Writer
1 hour, 1 minute ago



BAGHDAD - A powerful roadside bomb on Saturday killed the governor and police chief of a southern province that has seen fierce internal fighting between Shiite factions, officials said.

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The bomb struck a convoy carrying the Khalil Jalil Hamza, the governor of the Qadisiyah province, and the provincial police chief home from a funeral service for a tribal sheik at about 5 p.m., army Brig. Gen. Othman al-Farood said.

Hamza and the police chief, Maj. Gen. Khalid Hassan, were killed, along with their driver and a body guard who were in the same SUV, according to al-Farood, the commander of the Iraqi army division in charge of the area.

The attack occurred in the town of Aajaf, as the convoy was headed back to the provincial capital of Diwaniyah, 80 miles south of Baghdad.

Diwaniyah has been the site of heavy clashes between U.S.-Iraqi security forces and Shiite militia fighters. The area also has seen a rise in internal rivalries between rival militia forces, including the Mahdi Army that is loyal to radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.

In Baghdad, militants bombed the house of a prominent anti-al-Qaida Sunni cleric, seriously wounding him and killing three of his relatives in what appeared to be an increased campaign against Sunnis who have turned against the terror network.

That attack, which was followed by a fierce firefight, came after Sheik Wathiq al-Obeidi called on residents in the northern Baghdad neighborhood of Azamiyah to rise up against foreign fighters, a reference to al-Qaida in Iraq, which recently has seen a surge in opposition from fellow Sunnis.

A Sunni insurgent umbrella group threatened the cleric on Tuesday, calling him a traitor and accusing him of working with the Anbar Salvation Council, an alliance of Sunni tribal leaders who are fighting al-Qaida in Iraq in the province of the same name west of Baghdad.

"The so-called Wathiq and his followers ... are a legitimate target for mujahedeen (holy warriors)," the statement said.

Followers denied the cleric, a former preacher at the Abu Hanifa mosque, was linked to the U.S.-backed Anbar group.

But he issued his own call against al-Qaida in Iraq last week during a funeral prayer for two nephews killed by militants believed to be linked to the group.

"We have to fight foreign fighters in our city," witnesses quoted him as saying. "We have to fight those linked to al-Qaida in Azamiyah."

The explosion struck al-Obeidi's house before dawn and was followed by gunfire that resounded across the predominantly Sunni neighborhood.

The cleric, a former preacher at the Abu Hanifa mosque, was seriously wounded and his brother and two female relatives were killed, according to the head of the neighborhood council Dawood al-Azami.

Azamiyah is one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Baghdad and has been surrounded by a security barrier as the U.S. and Iraqi militaries try to assert control over the area.

On the political front, the largest Sunni bloc in Iraq welcomed the international community's decision to expand the U.N. role in Iraq and open the door for the world body to promote talks to ease Iraq's sectarian bloodshed.

The broader U.N. initiatives on Iraq — which could begin next month — were supported by Washington in an apparent bid to bring together Iraqi factions and neighboring countries under an international umbrella rather than struggling on its own to bridge the many religious, ethnic and strategic battles opened by the five-year-old war.

The resolution adopted Friday by the Security Council authorizes the United Nations — at the request of the Iraqi government — to promote political talks among Iraqis and a regional dialogue on issues including border security, energy and refugees as well as help tackling the country's worsening humanitarian crisis which has spilled into neighboring countries.

The United States and Britain, co-sponsors of the resolution, believe the world body should do more to use its perceived neutrality to promote dialogue on Iraq.

"The U.N. is a neutral party that can play a good role in Iraq. They have played good role previously and now, we need them to re-activate that role and expand it, so we welcome this renewed chance for them here in Iraq," said Salim Abdullah, a spokesman for the Iraqi Accordance Front, the largest Sunni political bloc in parliament.

"Finding a third party, however, does not lift the responsibility from the shoulders of the American administration," he added. "It should be clear for the political powers inside Iraq that they cannot completely rely on the U.N., which should have a complementary role."

Separately, the U.S. military on Saturday reported the death of a Task Force Lightning soldier in a non-combat incident.

In other violence reported by police:

• The bodies of four men abducted a week ago were found chopped into pieces in Dujail, 50 miles north of Baghdad.

• A roadside bomb killed one civilian and wounded another while they were driving on the highway south of Baghdad.

The officials who reported the violence spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information.

___

Associated Press writer Bushra Juhi in Baghdad contributed to this report.

Chris Noth to reprise Mr. Big role 2 hours, 1 minute ago

Chris Noth to reprise Mr. Big role 2 hours, 1 minute ago



NEW YORK - Mr. Big and Carrie Bradshaw will be together again, this time on the big screen. Chris Noth, who played Sarah Jessica Parker's love interest on HBO's "Sex and the City," is slated to reprise his role in a feature film spun from the long-running TV series.

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Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon will also reprise their roles for the romantic comedy, to be distributed by New Line Cinema in association with HBO.

"There is no need for funeral arrangements," said Michael Patrick King, who will direct the film. "I assure you that Mr. Big is a very `big' part of the `Sex and the City' movie."

"While I have not spoken to him myself, Chris Noth assures me that Mr. Big is alive and well and ready to report to the set in September," King said in a statement Wednesday.

King was one of the executive producers of the TV series, which ended in 2004.

Noth, 50, plays police Detective Mike Logan on NBC's "Law & Order: Criminal Intent."

___

HBO is a unit of Time Warner Inc. New Line Cinema is a subsidiary of Time Warner Inc.

___

On the Net:

HBO:

http://www.hbo.com

NBC:

http://www.nbc.com

High-risk mortgages become toxic mess By MICHAEL LIEDTKE, AP Business Writer

High-risk mortgages become toxic mess By MICHAEL LIEDTKE, AP Business Writer
Sat Aug 11, 12:14 AM ET



SAN FRANCISCO - When Linda Martin refinanced the mortgages on three different houses nearly three years ago, she thought the lower monthly payments would help her save more money for retirement.

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Instead, the Lakewood, Colo. skin-care specialist is sinking in financial quicksand amid a widening mortgage morass that's pulling down home prices and threatening to drag the U.S. economy into a recession.

"I'm hanging on by a thread, not knowing whether I am going to be living in a car in six months," said Martin, who declined to reveal her age.

Martin is among the hundreds of thousands of borrowers saddled with "option" adjustable rate mortgages, risky loans that dangled bargain-basement introductory payments and also let borrowers defer a portion of interest payments until later years.

Millions of other borrowers are wrestling with another type of adjustable rate mortgage, or ARM, called "interest-only." These loans allowed borrowers to pay just enough each month to cover the interest owed on the loan, leaving the balance of the outstanding debt unchanged.

While most of the mortgage market worries so far have focused on the huge losses flowing from the subprime home loans made to people with bad credit, the option and interest-only ARMs held by more creditworthy borrowers loom as another calamity in the making.

If the worst fears about these loans materialize, the economic damage would likely extend well beyond the United States because much of the debt has been packaged into securities sold to pension funds, banks and other investors around the world who were hungry for high yields. The fallout could also further depress housing prices, leaving U.S. consumers feeling poorer and less likely to buy the merchandise imported from overseas.

So far, less than 4 percent of the option and interest-only ARMs are delinquent, well below the 14 percent rate for the subprime market, where about $1.5 trillion in home loans are still outstanding, according to the most recent data from the research firm First American LoanPerformance.

But there is still reason to be alarmed because the trouble with option and interest-only ARMs still appears to be in its early stages. Many industry observers suspect the biggest problems will emerge during the next 16 months as shoddily underwritten ARMs made near the real estate market's peak in 2005 and 2006 climb to higher interest rates.

"Those loans are begging to blow up. This is a true financial crisis," said Christopher Thornberg, a principal with Beacon Economics, a consulting firm that has followed real estate market's ups and downs.

Lenders made an estimated $581 billion in option ARM loans during 2005 and 2006 while doling out nearly $1.4 trillion in interest-only ARMs, according to LoanPerformance. A recent study estimated about $325 billion of these loans will default, leading to more than 1 million homeowners relinquishing their property to lenders. By comparison, about $212 billion in subprime loans were delinquent through May.

The initially low monthly payments on these exotic ARMs enabled more people to buy homes and enticed other borrowers to refinance their existing mortgages to free up cash for other purposes.

Now, the exotic ARMs are tormenting overextended homeowners, reckless lenders and shortsighted investors as the teaser rates rise, dramatically driving up monthly loan payments against a backdrop of declining property values.

The conditions have deteriorated so much that Angelo Mozilo, chief executive of mortgage lender Countrywide Financial Corp., recently described the current real estate slump as the worst since the Depression ended nearly 70 years ago.

Countrywide sent out another distress signal late Thursday in a regulatory filing that warned it's being forced to hold on to more loans than it wants to keep. "We believe the current environment of rapidly changing and evolving credit markets may provide increasing challenges for the financial services sector, including Countrywide," the Calabasas-based company said.

Washington Mutual Inc., another major lender of option and interest-only ARMs, echoed those concerns in a similarly bleak Securities and Exchange Commission filing that warned the subprime problems are cropping up in higher-quality mortgages, too.

Option ARMs like Martin's are especially toxic when home prices start to shrivel.

Here's why: When borrowers pay the minimum monthly amount on an option-ARM, they aren't covering the amount of interest accruing on the loan. To compensate, lenders add the amount of unpaid interest to the mortgage's outstanding debt.

Option-ARMs also allow for a higher monthly payment to reduce the loan's principal, but most borrowers only make the minimum installment. At some lenders, 80 to 90 percent of the option-ARM borrowers are paying the minimum amount.

So, a homeowner who originally borrowed $250,000 under an option-ARM could end up owing an additional $5,000 to $10,000 after making the minimum monthly payment for a year, depending on the terms.

The negative amortization isn't as troubling when home prices are rising because the borrower could still be building more equity than debt.

But now that real estate prices are sliding, the additional debt created by option-ARMs raises the chances that the property will be worth less than the remaining amount owed on the loan — a perilous position known as being "upside down." The situation only becomes more worrisome as the teaser rates on the loans adjust upward.

It's a scary scenario because many borrowers obtained their loans with little or no down payment, meaning they only had a small amount of equity to start. Nearly 18 percent of the first mortgages originated last year went to borrowers with no equity in the property, up from 5 percent in 2002, according to an analysis by First American CoreLogic, a research firm affiliated with LoanPerformance.

Other borrowers eroded their equity with second loans known as "piggyback" mortgages or lines of credit secured by their properties.

That means many ARM borrowers unable to afford their higher loan payments after their loans reset probably won't be able to extricate themselves by selling their homes. And refinancing into a more manageable mortgage is becoming increasingly difficult as suddenly leery lenders stop accepting application in an effort to avoid further headaches.

"It's a perfect storm that is going to lead to more foreclosures with severe downward pressure on home values," said George McCarthy, a housing economist with the Ford Foundation.

Martin doesn't think she is upside down on her loans yet, but knows she is getting uncomfortably close as home prices around her neighborhood continue to sag.

When Martin refinanced the mortgages on her home and two rental properties in October 2004, she said she owed a total of $735,000. The combined debt now stands at $777,000 and is growing by more than $2,000 each month.

Martin says she would have never refinanced if a mortgage broker hadn't misled her about how the new loans worked — a frequent complaint among borrowers with option-ARMs.

As she contacts lawmakers and attorneys in search of help, Martin isn't focused on retirement any more. She is more worried about making sure she won't lose her home.

"I very well may be looking at a foreclosure case," she said. "I may just have to walk away from these loans."

Martin's situation isn't unique.

Although they have been around since 1981, option-ARMs weren't common until the past few years. They previously had been aimed at high-paid workers who depended on large commissions and bonuses.

But option-ARMs began making their way into the mainstream in 2004 as commission-hungry brokers and profit-driven lenders tried to capitalize on intense home-buying demand driven by soaring real estate prices.

Last year, negative amortization loans accounted for 9.9 percent, or $350 billion, of all mortgages nationwide, up from just 0.4 percent as recently as 2003, according to LoanPerformance.

The mortgages were particularly popular in high-priced real estate markets like California or areas like Nevada, Arizona and Florida, where speculators were buying homes as investments instead of places to live.

Option-ARMs accounted for nearly 22 percent of the mortgages made in California during 2006, according to LoanPerformance. Other hot spots included: Nevada (15 percent), Hawaii (13.3 percent), Florida (12.2 percent), Washington (10.9 percent) and Arizona (10.6 percent).

If many of those loans go bad, major option-ARM lenders will likely be forced to erase some of the profits that they have already booked from the exotic mortgages. Under an accrual accounting method allowed by regulators, option-ARM lenders routinely record the uncollected interest as income even though the money may never be paid.

This phantom income has swelled along with the use of option-ARMs. For instance, Washington Mutual recognized $706 million in uncollected interest from negative amortization loans during the first half of this year, a 61 percent increase from the same time last year.

Investors already appear to be seeking shelter from the possible financial storm ahead.

Washington Mutual's stock price has dropped by 21 percent so far this year while Countrywide's shares have shed 34 percent. Another major option-ARM lender, IndyMac Bancorp Inc., has been even harder hit, with its stock plunging by 55 percent since the end of last year. The sharp downturn in those three stocks alone have wiped out a combined $24 billion in shareholder wealth.

Thornberg is among the economists who believes the mortgage market turmoil could lead to a recession during the next year. "This snowball is just 20 percent down the hill. It's nowhere near the bottom," he said.

The biggest risks appear concentrated among ARMs that began with an initial interest rate of 4 percent or less. CoreLogic estimates 1.4 million ARMs totaling $521 billion fell into this danger zone from 2004 through 2006. That represented nearly 10 percent of the $5.38 trillion in home loans originated during that period.

Christopher Cagan, CoreLogic's director of research and analytics, predicts about 1.1 million ARMs totaling $325 billion will sink into foreclosure as rising monthly payments squeeze borrowers. After accounting for the money recovered through property sales, he expects the losses from the fallout to total $112 billion, with the damage spread out over six years.

Although significant, the losses won't be large enough to topple the United States' $12 trillion economy, Cagan said. "This is the turning of a business cycle," he said. "There will be some pain, but most people will be fine and most lenders will be fine."

That's little consolation to homeowners like Andrew Villaruz, a 43-year-old hospital administrator who said he refinanced into an option-ARM late last year without understanding what he was getting into. His loan balance quickly grew from $364,000 to $370,000, a shift that become even more disturbing to him as he watched more foreclosure signs go up around his Sacramento neighborhood.

Coupled with other costs lumped into the loan, Villaruz figures he lost about $25,000 by the time he found another lender willing to refinance him into a more conventional mortgage. He sheepishly acknowledged he had never heard of a negative amortization loan until he had one. He knows enough now to stay away from them.

"They might be good for people who make a lot of money, but they don't pan out for the average person," he said. "They just don't make sense."

___

AP Business Writer Sandy Shore in Denver contributed to this story.

Health clinics expand in retail settings By ANNE D'INNOCENZIO, AP Business Writer

Health clinics expand in retail settings By ANNE D'INNOCENZIO, AP Business Writer
2 hours, 54 minutes ago



NEW YORK - Increasingly, American consumers are shopping for health care the way they buy a hamburger or milk shake at a fast-food chain: By standing in line at a local store under a menu.

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Store-based health clinics — which are staffed mostly by nurse practitioners and offer quick services for routine conditions from colds and bladder infections to sunburn — aren't just a health care fad anymore, but fast becoming a serious industry.

About 7 percent of Americans have tried a clinic at least once, according to an estimate by the Convenient Care Association, an industry trade group formed last year. That number is expected to increase dramatically, as major pharmacy operators like Wal-Mart Stores Inc., CVS Corp., Target Corp. and Walgreen Co., partner with miniclinic providers like RediClinic and MinuteClinic to expand operations. The trade group estimated there will be more than 700 by year-end, up from the more than 400 now, and 2,000 by the end of 2008.

With the nation's $2 trillion health care system in need of repair, such an express approach to health care — which offers a wait time averaging about 15 minutes and evening and weekend hours — is being heralded as serving up a cheaper and quicker alternative than a doctor's office or an emergency room. A physical exam costs on average $60, while a flu shot typically costs about $20. A strep throat test has a price tag of about $15.

"I was frankly very impressed with how thorough (the examination) was," said Susan Anthony, who visited a clinic at a Phoenix, Md., Target for a dry cough. "And it was fast. I walked in at 10:30 a.m. and was in my car a little after 11:00 a.m."

The American Medical Association said a growing number of medical practices are extending their office hours or forming their own clinics to compete. But concerns about quality of care are rising among physicians and some industry experts say the clinics' services need to be more comprehensive if they are going to have a big impact on reducing overall health care costs.

The competition is already spawning expanded services as well as new spinoffs. Consumer Health Services Inc. — founded by a former investor of MinuteClinic, considered the pioneer in the industry — just started rolling out walk-in doctor's offices at Duane Reade Inc. drugstores in the New York City area. The clinics offer broader services that include wart removal and treatment for sprained ankles.

The ventures are promising enough that big-shot investors are jumping into the game. RediClinic got an undisclosed cash infusion from Revolution LLC, the investment house launched by AOL founder Steve Case.

Support among health insurance companies is also growing; about 40 percent to 50 percent of clinics accept insurance from providers like Humana Inc., UnitedHealth Group Inc. and Aetna Inc., according to CCA.

"(Store-based clinics) provide another access point for our members," said Allen Karp, vice president of health care delivery for Aetna.

But concerns are rising in the medical industry that these operations remain largely unregulated and are prone to conflicts of interest. Some physicians are also concerned that the clinics could disrupt the continuity of care and result in serious underlying health conditions going undetected.

In June, the American Medical Association urged state and federal agencies to look into whether pharmacy chain-owned clinics urge patients to get their prescriptions filled on site. That followed buyouts of miniclinics by two big-name pharmacy operators: Walgreen bought Conshohocken, Pa.-based Take Care Health Systems in June, and CVS acquired Minneapolis-based MinuteClinic last year.

Dr. Peter Carmel, a trustee on the AMA board, said "the path of abuse is wide open," and the clinics need to be better regulated.

A growing number of states have passed legislation to better define the role of the nurse practitioner at these clinics, but store-based clinic executives say some of the state rules are too burdensome and hinder growth. According to the American College of Nurse Practitioners, approximately 23 states allow nurse practitioners to treat patients on their own. The remainder requires some formal relationship with a physician, which varies from supervision to collaboration. In Texas, for example, the physician is required to be at the site for 20 percent of the time a clinic is open.

Store-based health clinics are held to the same high standards as doctors' offices, said Tine Hansen-Turten, executive director of the Convenient Care Association. She pointed out that store clinics are either monitored by a state board of nursing or board of medicine, and sometimes by both.

AMA also wants to ban the practice of health insurance companies waiving or lowering co-payments for clinic patients, which it calls a conflict of interest.

Dr. David Plocher, the senior medical officer at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota, said that "the normal market forces should determine such things." His company has reduced or waived co-payments for 25 member companies who use MinuteClinics and several other store-based clinics.

The savings can be significant.

A visit to a store-based clinic averages about $60, but a doctor's visit costs twice as much, particularly in urban markets, according to Barry Barnett, a health care consultant for PricewaterhouseCoopers. That compares to about $300 for an emergency room visit, according to Barnett.

About 40 percent to 50 percent of clinics take insurance. Hansen-Turten estimated 50 percent of clinic customers pay cash, but she noted that the majority have insurance.

Like many of his industry peers, Michael Howe, president and CEO of MinuteClinic, said the concerns about quality are overblown.

"I wouldn't call it express care. I would call it efficient care," added Howe.

The AMA denies that its criticism of these clinics is being driven by economic interests, though there's no doubt that primary physicians could lose some business as their insured patients go elsewhere for minor ailments.

But health care consultants say that while the clinics may help save customers money and time, their ability to reduce overall health care costs will probably be limited given that they are really tackling the most minor of health problems.

A bigger effect lies in increased worker availability as employees don't have to take as much time out of their work schedules to go to a doctor's office, according to Dr. Tim Newman, senior medical consultant for Watson Wyatt Worldwide.

The growing number of onsite clinics at workplaces, staffed by physicians, actually have more of a potential to reduce overall health care costs since they focus on disease management, not episodic illnesses. The onsite clinics are not part of the Convenient Care Association's total count, since they are not store-based clinics and have a different model.

Store clinics are proving to be good business; they take about 12 to 18 months to break even. For retailers, the highest-margin products continue to be pharmaceutical, and clinics average about one drug prescription per patient, according to clinic providers. Also, stores can enjoy additional sales when sick customers pick up other items.

But it's still big challenge to gain trust among consumers wary about being treated at a local drug store. Dr. Susan Bowers-Johnson, the medical director for the current four clinic locations at Duane Reade, said that a father recently brought in his 4-year-old child who had a sore on his hand. He said if she was going to prescribe antibiotics, he would rather get them through his family physician.

"Many people are skeptical," she acknowledged.

___________________

On the Web:

http://www.ama-assn.org

http://www.chscorp.com

http://www.convenientcareassociation.org

http://www.minuteclinic.com

http://www.rediclinic.com

http://www.takecarehealth.com

Giuliani: I misspoke about ground zero By LIBBY QUAID, Associated Press Writer

Giuliani: I misspoke about ground zero By LIBBY QUAID, Associated Press Writer
38 minutes ago



WASHINGTON - Republican presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani said Friday that he misspoke when he said he spent as much time, if not more, at ground zero exposed to the same health risks as workers combing the site after the Sept. 11 attacks.

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"I think I could have said it better," he told nationally syndicated radio host Mike Gallagher. "You know, what I was saying was, 'I'm there with you.'"

The former New York mayor upset some firefighters and police officers when he said Thursday in Cincinnati that he was at ground zero "as often, if not more, than most of the workers."

"I was there working with them. I was exposed to exactly the same things they were exposed to. So in that sense, I'm one of them," he told reporters at a Los Angeles Dodgers-Cincinnati Reds baseball game.

Fire and police officials responded angrily, saying Giuliani did not do the same work as those involved in the rescue, recovery and cleanup from the 2001 terrorist attacks, which left many workers sick and injured.

On Friday, Giuliani said he was trying to show his concern for the workers' health.

"What I was trying to say yesterday is that I empathize with them, because I feel like I have that same risk," he said.

"There were people there less than me, people on my staff, who already have had serious health consequences, and they weren't there as often as I was," Giuliani said, "but I wasn't trying to suggest a competition of any kind, which is the way it come across."

Giuliani's explanation further angered his ground zero critics, prompting several to issue a statement demanding an apology.

"He is such a liar, because the only time he was down there was for photo ops with celebrities, with politicians, with diplomats," said deputy fire chief Jimmy Riches, who spent months digging for his firefighter son.

"On 9/11 all he did was run. He got that soot on him, and I don't think he's taken a shower since."

Harold Schaitberger, president of the International Association of Fire Fighters, a union that fiercely opposes Giuliani, said he doubted Giuliani misspoke.

"I think he was simply showing what his true character is — a self-absorbed, self-deluded promoter who got caught and is now just simply trying to backtrack," Schaitberger said.

Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards offered his own criticism of the former mayor. "That's all we need is another person trying to exploit the tragedy of 9/11," Edwards said while campaigning in Las Vegas. "What he ought to be talking about instead is trying to explain why the firefighters and the first responders didn't have the equipment ... to get the job done."

A former deputy mayor, Joe Lhota, said the critics are politically motivated and wrong.

"They're taking their anger out in the wrong direction," Lhota said. "He was literally there four and five times a day; he did anything but run away.

"They're losing sight of the fact that this country, and this city, was attacked on that day by terrorists; it's their fault. Rudy Giuliani coordinated efforts in this city like no one had ever seen before."

Also Friday, Giuliani named another former deputy mayor, Rudy Washington, chairman of his campaign in New York City. Washington played a role in ground zero operations for weeks after Sept. 11 and received medical coverage for debilitating asthma and other health complications.

___

Associated Press writer Devlin Barrett contributed to this report.

Army reprimands in Tillman case mild By MARTHA MENDOZA, AP National Writer

Army reprimands in Tillman case mild By MARTHA MENDOZA, AP National Writer
36 minutes ago



SAN FRANCISCO - Official reprimands issued to three high-ranking Army officers are only mildly critical of their mistakes after the friendly fire death of Pat Tillman and at times praise the officers.

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The Army also said it would not include the reprimands in the officers' military records, according to documents reviewed by The Associated Press.

Tillman's direct superiors knew within hours of his April 2004 death in Afghanistan that the former football star had been killed by fellow Army Rangers, but the truth was kept from the public and Tillman's family for five weeks — in direct violation of Army regulations.

"You should not consider this as an adverse action," letters to the officers say. "This document will not be filed in any system of records maintained by the Army."

Tillman's death attracted widespread attention because he had turned down an NFL contract with the Arizona Cardinals to join the military after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Subsequent investigations into his death and congressional hearings raised questions both about the circumstances of his death and the immediate follow-up.

Last week, the Army announced that seven officers would be disciplined for critical errors related to the incident. The military laid most of the blame on Philip Kensinger, a retired three-star general who led Army special operations forces after Sept. 11.

Kensinger was censured for "a failure of leadership" and accused of lying to investigators. A stinging disciplinary letter recommending his demotion was released by the Army last week.

But according to three more "memorandums of concern" obtained by the AP, Kensinger was the only one to receive such harsh criticism.

Retired Brig. Gen. Gary Jones, who led one of the early investigations, was criticized by Army Commanding Gen. William Wallace for accepting Kensinger "at his word" and for incorrectly characterizing Tillman's actions in describing why he should be awarded a Silver Star.

The letter from Wallace includes broad compliments, telling Jones he approached his investigation with "due vigor, diligence and professionalism." Wallace writes that misleading Army leaders, members of Congress and the Tillman family was "a fundamental mistake" with "significant consequences," but he says he understands it was "unintentional."

Brig. Gen. Gina Farrisee, director of military personnel management at the Pentagon, was criticized for failing to respond to "red flags" raised by medical examiners who doubted Tillman's mortal head wounds were caused by enemy fire.

"Had you acted differently once the medical examiners raised the red flags, many of the Tillman family's valid complaints that ensued could have been avoided," Wallace wrote.

He continued: "I know that all of this is much clearer with the benefit of hindsight. I suspect that, upon reflection, you wished you had done more to act on the medical examiners' concerns."

Brig. Gen. James Nixon, Tillman's former regimental commander, is cited for his "well-intentioned but fundamentally wrong" decision to keep information about Tillman's death limited to just his staff.

"I am mindful that you never intended to deprive the Tillman family of the truth and only intended to delay notification until you had the facts," Wallace wrote.

Nixon is now a brigadier general and director of operations at the Center for Special Operations at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida.

Pentagon investigators recommended in March that Army officials consider disciplinary action against nine officers for their roles in the case. Possible steps by the Army could have included demotions, dishonorable discharges, jail, courts-martial or letters of reprimand.

Asked why the memorandums are not going to be included in the officers' military records, Army spokesman Paul Boyce said Friday: "That was the determination by the courts-martial convening authority in this matter."

Some of the details that emerged after Tillman's death included that he was close enough to see the men shooting at him when he was killed; his uniform was burned after his death; medical examiners' suspicions about the bullet holes in his head were ignored; and comrades were also ordered not to discuss his death.

Also, just one day after approving a medal citation claiming Tillman had been cut down by "devastating enemy fire" in Afghanistan, a high-ranking general tried to warn President Bush that the story might not be true.

Messages seeking comment were left with the Tillman family.

The Army has not released a memorandum of concern issued to Lt. Col. Jeff Bailey, Tillman's battalion commander, for his handling of the punishment against the Rangers involved in the shooting of Tillman. Nor has the Army released names or disciplinary letters received by two other unnamed officers.

3 men die in Indiana mine accident By KEITH ROBINSON, Associated Press Writer

3 men die in Indiana mine accident By KEITH ROBINSON, Associated Press Writer
52 minutes ago



PRINCETON, Ind. - Three men being carried in a construction bucket fell out and plunged 500 feet down an air shaft at a coal mine Friday, killing them, authorities said.

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No one else was injured, said George Zugel, director of safety and health for Frontier-Kemper Constructors Inc., which is building the 550-foot vertical ventilation shaft at the Gibson County Coal mine in southern Indiana.

The open-top bucket was somehow upset as it was descending in the shaft, and the three men fell to the bottom, Zugel said.

The "sinking bucket" can hold six to 10 people and is about 6 feet high, worker John Ervin said.

"I don't understand how this could have happened," Ervin said.

The three men were the only people in the bucket, state Fire Marshal Roger Johnson said.

At the start of a shift, the bucket typically takes about six people down to the work area at the bottom of the shaft, Ervin said. The bucket is inspected daily, he said.

The three bodies had been removed from the shaft, said Gibson County Sheriff Allen Harmon. The victims' names were being withheld until their families could be notified.

The mine, owned by Tulsa, Okla.-based Alliance Resource Partners, is about 30 miles north of Evansville.

Debbie King, executive assistant for investor relations at Alliance, said the accident was not connected to the mine.

"It is a construction accident. We can't report on it because it's not our accident," she said.

Officials from the Indiana Department of Labor and the Indiana Bureau of Mines are investigating at the mine, said Labor Department spokesman Sean Keefer.

The air shaft was being built as part of an expansion at the coal mine, which began production in July 2000. The last fatality was in November 2001, according to the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration. The miner died after being pinned by equipment, and operator error was cited as the cause.

Last year, the mine administration cited the company for 353 safety violations, 127 of which were deemed "serious or significant," said Rodney Brown, a spokesman for the agency. The mine has faced 292 citations this year, 84 of which were considered serious and significant.

In 2006, the company produced more than 3.5 million tons of coal, ranking second among the state's coal producers, according to the Indiana Coal Council.

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Associated Press writers Rick Callahan and Deanna Martin contributed to this story.

Second drill heads toward trapped miners By JENNIFER DOBNER, Associated Press Writer

Second drill heads toward trapped miners By JENNIFER DOBNER, Associated Press Writer
15 minutes ago



HUNTINGTON, Utah - A second drill slowly bored closer toward the presumed location of six workers trapped after a mine collapse in Utah, the latest in a series of frantic efforts to save the men deep inside a mountain.

Mine officials revealed Friday that a smaller drill carrying a microphone that had reached a void where the men were believed to be trapped yielded no sounds of life. Air samples from that bored hole detected barely any oxygen.

Rescuers hoped a second, larger drill — wide enough to carry a sophisticated camera, and perhaps food and water — would reach the same area and offer clues to the men's fate. The drill, which was about 240 feet from its target late Friday, wasn't expected to break through until sometime Saturday morning, said Christopher Van Bever, an attorney for Murray Energy Corp., a co-owner of the Crandall Canyon Mine.

Initial readings from the smaller drill hole showing oxygen levels above a very breathable 20 percent were samples from the bore hole itself and not the mine, said Bob Murray, chief of Murray Energy.

When the drill was raised a few feet to clear it from debris, the oxygen readings fell to just over 7 percent — too low to sustain life — and have remained there, said Richard Stickler, head of the Mine Safety and Health Administration.

There was no sign of carbon dioxide to indicate that people below were exhaling. But mine officials kept up hope, saying the miners may have fled to a nearby 1,000-foot-long exit tunnel that could have more oxygen.

Mine officials said the drill drifted on its long descent through the hard sandstone and speculated that it had penetrated an old, sealed-off work area, where low oxygen levels would be expected. Further measurements showed the drill actually hit an active mining section.

When the second drill hits the area, rescuers will drop down audio and visual equipment that could pick up signs of life. The 1,886-foot hole would also be big enough to send down food and water, Stickler said.

Crews also continued their tireless horizontal dig toward the miners, struggling to remove the rubble from the mine shaft. It could take another week to actually reach the men and bring them out.

The mother of missing miner Don Erickson refused to be discouraged.

"We keep getting these other bits and pieces that are encouraging, so we're going to hold onto that for now," said the 69-year-old woman, who asked that her name not be used because she did not want to receive calls.

Around Huntington, a rugged town of around 2,000, the men's plight evoked a similar, understated reaction, reflecting perhaps the stoicism of a community well-acquainted with the risks of digging coal deep below the earth's surface.

That changed somewhat Friday night, when some 300 people attended a candlelight vigil honoring the workers. Outside the Huntington elementary school, residents left well-wishing notes on poster boards bearing large pictures of the miners.

Anika Farmer, 30, the wife of a coal miner from a different nearby mine, wiped away tears as she addressed the vigil crowd.

The mining company has not identified the miners, but The Associated Press has learned they are a crew of veterans and novices. According to family and friends, they are: Carlos Payan, in his 20s; Kerry Allred, 57; Manuel Sanchez, 41; Brandon Phillips, 24; Luis Hernandez, 23; and Erickson, 50.

"When the news spread of this earthquake, the wives of all miners dropped to their knees in prayer and begged the Lord that this was not our husband, not our sons," Farmer said, her voice cracking. "As the six families were located and told of who was in the mines, six wives couldn't get off their knees."

Huntington displayed signs of hope for the miners. Red, yellow and blue ribbons hung from light poles, and over Earl's Bargains furniture store a sign declared, "We believe." Another sign read: "Light up your porch until they come home."

Married to wife Nelda for about a dozen years, Erickson is a father of two and stepfather to his wife's three children, she said. Nelda Erickson told the AP that her husband loved the outdoors, camping and four-wheeling.

Payan had not worked very long at the mine and planned to return soon to Mexico, according to two friends. A sister lives in Huntington, and their parents traveled from Mexico after the cave-in.

"He wasn't out a lot. He just worked and worked and worked," said family friend Iliana Sebreros, 13.

Sanchez, 41, from the Mexican state of Chihuahua, has been a miner for 15 years.

Phillips and Allred had attended high school in Castle Dale, near Huntington.

Allred, who played in a rock band while in high school, has three children, all adults, acquaintances said. Marcey Wilson, a neighbor of Phillips in Orangeville, said her husband, who works at the mine, trained Phillips three weeks ago. "He was a sweet, sweet guy," Wilson said.

Hernandez, originally from the Mexican state of Sinaloa, is married with a 1-year-old daughter, his uncle Clemente Hernandez said. The miner has been working in U.S. mines for about two years and in Crandall Canyon since June, he said.

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Associated Press writers Pauline Arrillaga, Brock Vergakis, Garance Burke, Alicia Caldwell, Jennifer Dobner and Chris Kahn contributed to this report.

Cuban prisoner released after 13 years By WILL WEISSERT, Associated Press Writer

Cuban prisoner released after 13 years By WILL WEISSERT, Associated Press Writer
2 hours, 12 minutes ago



HAVANA - A prominent Cuban government opponent imprisoned for allegedly revealing state secrets was suddenly freed Friday, two years shy of completing his 15-year sentence, a fellow human rights activist said.

Francisco Chaviano, now 54, was released on parole after serving 13 years, three months and three days, said Elizardo Sanchez of the Cuban Commission for Human Rights and National Reconciliation.

"He was among the longest-held prisoners of conscience in the world," Sanchez wrote in a statement.

Chaviano was president of the Cuban National Council for Civil Rights when he was arrested in May 1994. He was sentenced behind closed doors by a military court about a year later for allegedly revealing state secrets while documenting the cases of rafters who disappeared or died trying to leave Cuba. Chaviano denied revealing state secrets, and his supporters said no defense evidence was presented during the trial.

As Chaviano's release was being announced, a group of other top dissidents told international journalists at the Havana residence of U.S. Interests Section head Michael Parmly that repression continues for critics of the communist government, even though the number of political prisoners has dipped in recent years.

Sanchez's commission has reported that the number of political prisoners had dropped by more than 20 percent in the year since Raul Castro took power from his ailing elder brother Fidel.

The commission said 246 political prisoners were being held as of June 30, compared with 283 at the beginning of 2007 and 316 a year ago.

At Parmly's residence, former political prisoner Martha Beatriz Roque said the statistics do not provide a full picture, and that government harassment of critics continues unabated.

"There is a general tendency to confuse partial statistics showing a drop in the number of political prisoners with an improvement in the human rights situation," Roque said.

Cuban officials dismiss dissidents as "mercenaries" for the U.S., charges Roque and others deny.

Taliban: Koreans release could come soon By AMIR SHAH, Associated Press Writer

Taliban: Koreans release could come soon By AMIR SHAH, Associated Press Writer
1 minute ago



GHAZNI, Afghanistan - A Taliban leader taking part in hostage negotiations for the lives of 21 South Koreans said Saturday that the hostages would "definitely" be released and possibly as soon as "today or tomorrow."

Mullah Qari Bashir said that face-to-face negotiations with four Korean officials that began Friday were going well and that the Taliban were sticking with their original demand — that 21 Taliban prisoners be released from prisons in Afghanistan.

"God willing the government (of Afghanistan) and the government of Korea will accept this," Bashir said outside the Afghan Red Cross office in Ghazni. "Definitely these people will be released. God willing our friends (Taliban militants in prison) will be released."

Asked when the Koreans might be freed, he said: "Hopefully today or tomorrow."

"I'm very optimistic. The negotiations are continuing on a positive track," Bashir said.

Four South Korean officials and two top Taliban leaders met in person Saturday for a second round of talks over the fate of the 21 members of a church group held hostage for three weeks.

The six officials met for four hours Friday evening in their first face-to-face talks. The South Korean president's office confirmed the meeting but declined to give details, citing the safety of the captives.

"They are healthy and happy and secure," Bashir said of the Korean captives.

A Taliban spokesman, Zabiullah Mujaheed, said Saturday that the government in Kabul gave the Taliban leaders — Bashir and Mullah Nasorullah — a written guarantee also signed by American and other foreign officials that the two Taliban would be safe.

The talks are being held at the Afghan Red Cross office in Ghazni. Red Cross officials drove the Korean delegates and the Taliban leaders to the office Saturday in separate vehicles.

Marajudin Pathan, the local governor, said Friday that the Afghan government has "given them the freedom of secrecy to talk with each other." He said no Afghan officials were taking part in the talks.

He said the government had guaranteed the Taliban members' "safety and security."

Though Pathan has said the crisis was likely to be resolved by a ransom payment, the Taliban leaders on Saturday said they were still demanding that 21 militant prisoners be released. The Afghan government has said previously that it would not release the prisoners out of fear it would encourage future kidnappings.

The kidnapping of the 23 Koreans — the largest group of foreign hostages taken in Afghanistan since the 2001 U.S.-led invasion — underscores the rise of the Taliban's power in rural Afghanistan the last two years, a time of increasing violence driven by a rise in suicide blasts and roadside bombings.

The remaining captives — volunteers from a church group who planned to do health work in Afghanistan — include 16 women and five men. Two male captives were executed by gunfire.

Nasorullah, the other Taliban leader taking part in the talks, appealed to Afghan President Hamid Karzai and President Bush to release Taliban prisoners. He acknowledged that people in Korea are sad for their hostages but said he was sad for his militants friends in prison.

"I want to say to the world and Karzai and Bush to release my friends," Nasorullah said.

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Associated Press Writer Rahim Faiez in Kabul contributed to this report.