World/Nation Briefs July 15, 2011

Debt-limit

talks resume

WASHINGTON - With time growing short and warnings more dire, the first, fragile signs emerged Thursday of a possible compromise to raise the nation's debt limit and avert a potentially catastrophic default on Aug. 2.

Under a plan discussed by the Senate's top two leaders, President Barack Obama would receive enhanced authority to raise the debt limit while procedures would be set in motion that could lead to federal spending cuts.

Dayton willing to take budget offer

ST. PAUL, Minn. - Minnesota's Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton offered major concessions Thursday in a bid to end a government shutdown, dropping his pursuit of tax hikes to say he was willing to accept - with conditions- a Republican proposal made before the state closed for business two weeks ago.

Dayton said Republicans must drop a list of policy changes and a plan to reduce the state workforce by 15 percent. In exchange, he would sign off on their proposal that would raise $1.4 billion, half by delaying state aid checks to school districts and the other half by selling tobacco payment bonds.

Kennedys mull compound future

HYANNIS PORT, Mass. - For the Kennedys, the family compound has long been a place to relax, to celebrate and to grieve. Members of America's most glamorous political dynasty played touch football on the lawn, walked the beach and sailed the sound.

The cluster of white-clapboard homes on Cape Cod served as the summer White House when Jack was president. It was there that the family retreated after his assassination. And it was there that Caroline held her wedding reception and Ted spent his final days.

Now, as the Kennedys gather for another wedding there, the family is divided over the future of the compound.

On Friday, Patrick Kennedy, a former eight-term congressman from Rhode Island and the son of the late Sen. Edward Kennedy, will marry New Jersey schoolteacher Amy Petitgout in a small, private ceremony presided over by Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer. At the same time, the Kennedys are split over what is to become of this Camelot-by-the sea.

Murdochs agree to be questioned

LONDON - Rupert Murdoch and his son James first refused, then agreed Thursday to appear before U.K. lawmakers investigating phone hacking and police bribery, while in the U.S., the FBI opened a review into allegations the Murdoch media empire sought to hack into the phones of Sept. 11 victims.

Those two developments - and the arrest of another former editor of a Murdoch tabloid - deepened the crisis for News Corp., which has seen its stock price sink as investors ask whether the scandal could drag down the whole company.

Murdoch defended News Corp.'s handling of the scandal, saying it will recover from any damage caused by the phone-hacking and police bribery allegations. The 80-year-old told The Wall Street Journal - which is owned by News Corp. - that he is "just getting annoyed" at all the recent negative press.

Paul campaign notes debt ceiling

AUSTIN, Texas - Republican presidential hopeful Ron Paul is using his first campaign television ad to promote his long-time opposition to raising the federal debt limit.

In the ad released Thursday and set to run in early primary states, the Texas congressman criticizes both Republicans and Democrats for striking deals in the past and says Congress should not compromise this time. Paul also notes that he always has voted against raising the federal limit on borrowing.

Freeway closure triggers warnings

LOS ANGELES - The alarms have been sounded and the preparations have been made.

Now, only two questions remain: Will "Carmageddon," the shutdown of a 10-mile stretch of one of the busiest highways in the United States, on one of the city's busiest of summer weekends, bring the City of the Angels to its knees?

Or will this too come to pass, just like so many other predictions of the apocalypse? (Remember the Oakland radio preacher who just last spring put up billboards promising the world would end on May 21.)

Law adds lessons about gay history

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Gov. Jerry Brown has signed a bill making California the first state in the nation to add lessons about gays and lesbians to social studies classes in public schools.

Brown, a Democrat, signed the landmark bill requiring public schools to include the contributions of people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender in social studies curriculum. The Democratic-majority Legislature had passed the bill last week on a largely party-line vote.

"History should be honest," the governor said in a statement Thursday. "This bill revises existing laws that prohibit discrimination in education and ensures that the important contributions of Americans from all backgrounds and walks of life are included in our history books."

Brown signed the bill Wednesday, but announced on Thursday that he had done so.

- The Associated Press