World/Nation Briefs January 19, 2010

Duvalier faces embezzlement, corruption case

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti - Former Haitian dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier was hauled into court to answer questions Tuesday as a legal case was opened against him nearly 25 years after he was ousted from power in a popular uprising against what was widely regarded as a brutal and corrupt regime.

Defense attorney Gervais Charles said the former Haitian dictator known as "Baby Doc" is facing accusations of corruption and embezzlement for allegedly pilfering the treasury before his 1986 ouster.

Charles said the case is now in the hands of a judge of instruction who will decide whether there is enough evidence to go to trial. That process can take up to three months.

Congress dials down hostility after shooting

WASHINGTON - Born of bloodshed, a self-proclaimed Age of Civility dawned in Congress on Tuesday. Republicans and Democrats of the House spoke without angry shouts and debated legislation to repeal the nation's year-old health care law without rancor.

By unspoken agreement, manners mattered, although there were few overt references to the reason - the shooting rampage in Arizona 10 days ago that left six dead, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords wounded and lawmakers of both parties stunned.

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., said no directives had gone out to rank-and-file lawmakers cautioning them about their behavior as the House convened to debate a highly controversial bill.

China's presidentarrives in U.S.

WASHINGTON - Chinese President Hu Jintao has landed at Andrews Air Force base for a state visit to the United States. He was welcomed upon his arrival by Vice President Joe Biden and a military color guard.

Hu comes to the U.S. amid tensions between the two world powers over economic, trade and security issues. President Barack Obama has arranged for Hu to be greeted with full pomp, complete with a state dinner on Wednesday. That's a change from Hu's previous visit in 2006.

China is an emerging world power. It has strategic national security importance for the United States. Its trade and currency policies have frustrated the U.S. business community, which sees China as huge market for American exports.

Sargent Shriver dies at age 95

BETHESDA, Md. - R. Sargent Shriver, the Kennedy in-law whose career included directing the Peace Corps, fighting the War on Poverty and, less successfully, running for office, died Tuesday. He was 95.

Shriver, who announced in 2003 that he had Alzheimer's disease, had been hospitalized for several days. The family said he died surrounded by those he loved.

His death came less than two years after his wife, Special Olympics founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver, who died Aug. 11, 2009, at age 88. The Kennedy family suffered a second blow that same month when Sen. Edward Kennedy died.

Ministers quit new Tunisian government

TUNIS, Tunisia - At least four opposition ministers quit Tunisia's day-old unity government Tuesday, aligning themselves with demonstrators who insist democratic change is impossible while so many supporters of the freshly ousted president are hoarding posts of power.

Police in riot gear forcefully put down a demonstration of the sort that toppled the North African country's longtime autocratic leader last week, pummeling a demonstrator with batons and boot kicks - and highlighting a question on many minds: Is the new regime really much different?

As Tunisia struggles to move past the rioting, looting and score-settling that has marked the political transition, there was a growing sense Tuesday that it will be difficult for the interim government to hold together and pave the way toward elections expected within six to seven months.

- The Associated Press