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Show 2 Wednesday, Sept. 13,2006 797-1769 statesman@cc.usu.edu Today's Issue Dedications Today is Wednesday, Sept.* 13, 2006. Today's issue of The Utah Statesman is published especially for Dillon Wright, a freshman majoring in crop science from Burley, Idaho. Clarifications And Corrections " r The policy of The Utah Statesman is to correct any error made as soon as possible. If you find something you would like clarified or find unfair, please contact the editor at 797-1762 or TSC 105. National Briefs A Quick Look Hurricane Florence weakened over cooler waters MIAMI (AP) - Hurricane Florence sped toward its demise in the cooler waters off Canada's maritime provinces Tuesday, while Tropical Storm Gordon strengthened over the open Atlantic. A new tropical depression also formed off the coast of Africa, forecasters said. Florence, the season's second hurricane, blew out windows, peeled off roofs and knocked out power to thousands in Bermuda on Monday as it sideswiped the British island chain before heading out over the Atlantic. At 5 p.m. EDT, Florence had top sustained wind of 75 mph, 1 mph over the minimum for a hurricane, according to the National Hurricane Center. It was expected to pass just southeast of Newfoundland in the next day or so, the hurricane center said in its final advisory about Florence. Gordon, which grew to named storm status Monday, had top sustained winds near 65 mph and could strengthen into a hurricane Tbesday or Wednesday, the hurricane center said. Animal welfare activists locked up TRENTON, N. J. (AP) - Three animal-rights activists convicted of using their Web site to incite threats and harassment against a company that tests products on animals received prison sentences ranging from four to six years Tbesday. They were also ordered to pay a total of $1 million in restitution to the company and people they terrorized. Three other members of Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty are awaiting sentencing within the next two weeks. Along with the organization itself, the six activists were convicted in March of using a Web site to incite threats, harassment and vandalism against Huntingdon Life Sciences, a company that tests drugs and household products on animals. The government charged that the group waged a five-year campaign against the company, posting personal information of Huntingdon employees and those who do business with the company. Militants attack U.S. Embassy in Syria; no Americans hurt DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) Syrian guards foiled an attempt by suspected al-Qaida-1 inked militants to blow up the U.S. Embassy on Tuesday, exchanging fire outside the compound's walls with gunmen shouting "God is great" who tried to storm in with automatic weapons and hand grenades. No Americans were hurt and the embassy was not damaged in the brazen, midmorning attack, which came amid high tension between Washington and Damascus. But the assault could highlight the Syrian regime's weakening grip on militants, who have battled Syrian security forces repeatedly in recent years. Sunni Muslim extremists such as al-Q.aida fiercely despise President Bashar Assad's regime AP Photo/Bassem Teltawi because of its secular ideology and because his father, the late SYRIAN SECURITY OFFICERS GATHER in front the U.S Embassy after an attack in Damascus, Syria, Tuesday Sept. President Hafez Assad, led a 12,2006. Armed Islamic militants attempted to storm the U.S. Embassy in a bold attack using automatic rifles, crackdown on Muslim funda- hand qrenades and at least one van ricqed with explosives, the government said. Three of the attackers were Embassy in Washington said in mentalists that killed thousands smation of a prominent politia statement. "The U.S. should ... cian in Lebanon. in the city of Hama in 1982. start looking at the root causes "I do think that the Syrians They also reject Assad's rule of terrorism and broker a combecause he belongs to the Shiite reacted to this attack in a way that helped to secure our people, prehensive peace in the Middle Alawite sect of Islam. East* and we very much appreciThree attackers and a Syrian ate that," Secretary of State It curtly said that Syria "perguard were killed in Tuesday's Condoleezza Rice said. formed its duties" under the attempted bombing in a heavWhite House spokesman Tony Geneva Conventions to protect ily guarded neighborhood of the embassy. Snow also thanked Syrian offiDamascus where several foreign cials and called for Damascus to Anti-American sentiment has embassies and Assad's office and "become an ally and make the been rising across the Middle residence are located. A fourth choice of fighting against terror- East since Israel's 34-day blitz attacker was wounded and ists." of Hezbollah in Lebanon that arrested. ended nearly a month ago, on But Syria responded with a The rapid response by Syrian top of turmoil in Iraq that many sharp criticism of the United guards won rare praise from the here blame on the United States. States, blaming its policies United States, which accuses in Lebanon, Iraq and the There was no immediate Assad's government of supPalestinian territories for claim of responsibility for the porting terrorism in its backincreasing Islamic militancy. attack, but suspicion immediateing of Hezbollah guerrillas and ly fell on a little-known al-Qaida "It is regrettable that U.S. Palestinian militants. The U.S. offshoot called Jund al-Sham, policies in the Middle East have withdrew its ambassador from fueled extremism, terrorism and Arabic for Soldiers of Syria. Damascus last year to protest anti-U.S. sentiment," the Syrian Syria's ambassador to the Syria's alleged role in the assas- Bush's Sept. 11 speech ignites furor WASHINGTON (AP) - Republicans and Democrats tore into each over war policy Tuesday, set off by a presidential speech the White House insisted was nonpolitical. A GOP leader said Democrats seemed "more interested in protecting the terrorists" than shielding fellow Americans. The Democrats contended the president had used a prime-time address commemorating the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks to make partisan arguments bolstering support for the Iraq war. "I wonder if they are more interested in protecting the terrorists than protecting the American people," said House Majority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio. "They certainly do not want to take the terrorists on and defeat them." Trading barbs, House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, who had criticized the president's speech as inappropriately political, called Boehners criticism "cynical tactics." "Rather than try to defend their own failed record, Republicans have resorted to the desperation politics of fear," said Pelosi, D-Calif. "It is long past time for Republicans to be honest with American people and stop questioning the patriotism of those who recognize that the president's Iraq policy has not worked, is making us less safe and must be changed." The White House tried to steer clear of the tussle. In fact, Bush spokesman Tony Snow took issue with Boehners contention that Democrats may be looking out for the terrorists' interests. Snow said it was unfortunate but perhaps inevitable that "there will be some name calling" in the months before this fall's election as Republicans and Democrats battle for control of Congress. At the same time, the White House vigorously defended Bush against Democratic charges that the president inappropriately used Monday's televised speech, marking the fifth anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, to try to bolster support for the divisive war in Iraq. Snow said very little of the president's 17-minute address contained controversial statements, and that "this was not an attempt to stir the hornets nest." Democratic leaders called the speech a political argument try- ing to justify the war by linking it to the terrorists responsible for the Sept. 11 attacks. The Democrats contend mismanagement of the war calls for a change in congressional leadership. "The president spoke for his administration, not for the nation," said Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. "This was a political move, designed to tap the overwhelming public sentiment to destroy al-Qaida as a way to bolster sagging public support for the war in Iraq." Reid and Pelosi circulated a letter they sent to the television networks and cable news channels asking for equal coverage of Democratic viewpoints on terrorism and Iraq. "There has been a complete absence of balance in the news coverage of national security issues," they wrote. In response, representatives for ABC and CBS said the networks cover news fairly and accurately and will continue to do so. Bush's address paid tribute to the nearly 3,000 victims of the Sept. 11 attacks and described the enemy as a global network of extremists who hate freedom and tolerance. People NEW YORK (AP) - Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes threatened to upstage the action on the field on Monday when they watched the Washington Redskins season opener as , . ... , VIP guests CruiseandHoimes, Late Night Culture Comments David Letterman, Sept. 1O, 2002 Top Ten Good Things About Being Obese 10. You get to help the troubled airline industry by buying two tickets on Southwest Airlines. 9. Everyone knows hottest new fashions hit plus-sized stores first. 8. Your Greek wedding in guaranteed to be even bigger and fatter. 7. You can gain, like, 100 pounds without anybody noticing. 6. Never get called hurtful names like "string bean" or "averageweight guy." 5. Guaranteed as many appearances on "Ricki" as you want. 4. Many famous movie stars are obese, such as... Hey look, a donut. 3. How many people can say they're visible from space? 2. Hey, at least you're not fat (dumb obese people only). 1. Your heart does more by 9am than most peoples do all day. 31 \}v $1OFF Golf, Halo or Pool with USU Student ID Card We have: 18-hole glow-in-the-dark Mini-Golf, Pool Hall and Halo Rooms, Pizza, Pop, Lots of Arcades & Air Hockey. Pick up a monthly calendar with upcoming events. Mon-Thu:3:00-10:30pm Fri-Sat: Open till Midnight 140 S. Main, Logan of Cruise's new business partner, Redskins owner Dan Snyder. On the ESPN premiere of Monday Night Football, the couple were seen sitting in the owner's box, both decked out in shades, They watched the Redskins lose to the Minnesota Vikings 19-16. The couple were joined by Cruise's daughter Isabella, 13, and son Connor, 11. The family yes, even Vanity Fair cover-baby Suri is staying at the Potomac, Md., home of Snyder, the Washington Post reported Tuesday. Days after Cruise was publicly dumped by Paramount Pictures last month, the actor's production company signed a deal to finance movies through Snyder and others in the investment firm First and Qoal LLC. On Sunday, Cruise and Snyder went to the Snyder-owned Six Flags amusement park in Washington, the Post reported. NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) - Police investigating the death of Anna Nicole Smith's 20-year-old son said they had no evidence that he had suffered a heart attack or that drugs were involved. A hospital official, meanwhile, said medical personnel applied CPR and other measures for 22 minutes to try to save Daniel Smith, who was found unresponsive Sunday in a hospital room where his mother was recuperating from giving birth to a baby girl three days earlier. |