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Show Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2010 Page 2 World&NatiOn ,),41L: ► Utah State University • Logan, Utah • www.aggietownsquare.com Clarify Correct 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 statesmaneditor@aggiemail.usu.edu Celebs&People NEW YORK (AP) — The Winter Olympics ruled in the ratings last week, treating NBC to an average audience roughly three times the size of its nearest rival, Fox. NBC's coverage of the Winter Games held seven of the top eight spots for the week, the Nielsen Co. said Tuesday. But Fox didn't come up empty. Its dual editions of "American Idol" placed fifth and ninth in the week's Top 10 rankings. NewsBriefs Two injured in Colo. school shooting LITTLETON, Colo. (AP) — Two teenagers were shot Tuesday afternoon at a suburban Denver middle school that's just a few miles from Columbine High School, the site of one of the nation's deadliest school shootings, authorities said. An adult suspect has been arrested, the Jefferson County Sheriffs Office said on its Web site. One victim, a male, was shot inside Deer Creek Middle School in Littleton, while a female victim was shot just outside the school, the sheriff's office said. The two victims are believed to be students and are expected to survive, West Metro Fire officials said. LateNiteHumor Thursday, Feb. 11, 2010 Top 10 Surprises In "The Wolfman," presented by Benecio del Toro: 10. 10 percent of my dialogue is (makes growling sound). 9. Wolfboy is bar mitzvahed and becomes a wolfman. 8. Transformation into werewolf triggered by peanut allergy. 7. To save money on fake blood and dummies, we actually killed people. 6. It's about a tax attorney named "Greg Wolfman." 5. I don't know what this means, but they told me to say it's in 4-D. 4. At the end of the movie, I realize I'm not a wolfman, I needed the Mach 3 razor. 3. Based on a true story — well, everything except the wolfman part. 2. My howling at the moon sounds like Regis singing. 1. Town finally kills wolfman by giving him a new Toyota. Toyota recalls aren't complete solution WASHINGTON (AP) — Massive recalls of popular Toyota cars and trucks still may "not totally" solve frightening problems of sudden, unintended acceleration, the company's American sales chief conceded Tuesday, a day before the Japanese president of the world's largest automaker must confront angry U.S. lawmakers. House members listened in rapt silence Tuesday to the tearful testimony of a woman whose car unaccountably surged to 100 mph, then they pressed James Lentz, president of Toyota Motor Sales USA Inc., on the company's efforts to find and fix the acceleration problems — actions many suggested were too late and too limited. Lentz apologized repeatedly for safety defects that led to recalls of some 8.5 million Toyota cars and trucks, and he acknowledged the changes the company is making probably aren't the end of the story. Putting remaining doubts to rest is of vital importance to millions more Toyota owners in the United States and elsewhere, who have continued to drive but with serious concerns about their cars. Toyota sales have suffered, too, and a small army of dealers showed up on Capitol Hill Tuesday, arguing that this week's high-profile hearings are unfairly targeting their company. "We are vigilant and we continue to look for potential causes," Lentz told the House Energy and Commerce Committee. That search had better continue, a number of lawmakers said, openly questioning Toyota's insistence that the problems are mechanical, not linked to the vehicles' sophisticated electronics. Without a more vigorous investigation of the possibility that electronics are involved, Texas Republican Rep. Joe Barton said of Toyota's probe: "In my opinion, it's a sham." The U.S. government is pursuing the electronics question, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood told the panel. "We're going to go into the weeds on that" and come up with answers, LaHood said. He said the company's recalls were important but "we don't maintain that they answer every question." Lentz's appearance set the stage for Toyota's president — Akio Toyoda, grandson of the company's founder — to apologize in person on Wednesday. Toyoda will accept "full responsibility" for the halting steps that led to the recall, according to prepared testimony released in advance. He also will offer his condolences over the deaths of four San Diego, Calif., family members in a crash of their Toyota in late August. "I will do everything in my power to ensure that such a tragedy never happens again," Toyoda will tell the House Government Oversight Committee. "My name is on every car. You have my personal commitment that Toyota will work vigorously and unceasingly to restore the trust of our customers." "Quite frankly, I fear the pace at which we have grown may have been too quick" and led to safety defects at the heart of the recall, Toyoda says in his prepared testimony. There were repeated displays of emotion at Tuesday's daylong hearing — both from the Tennessee woman who survived a 2006 sudden acceleration incident when she was unable to control her runaway Lexus and from Lentz himself, who choked up while discussing the death of his own brother more than 20 years ago in a car accident. JAMES E. LENTZ, president and chief operating officer of Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc., testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 23 before the House Oversight and Investigations subcommittee hearing on Toyota. AP photo "I know what those families go through," Lentz said. Rhonda Smith, of Sevierville, Tenn., said her Lexus raced out of control to speeds up to 100 miles an hour, and that nothing she did to try to stop it worked — including braking and shifting into neutral. "I prayed to God to help me," she said, fighting back tears. "After six miles, God intervened" and slowed the car, Smith said. She said she was finally able to pull off the road onto a median and turn off the engine. She said it took a long time for Toyota to respond to her complaints and even then it was dismissive. "Shame on you, Toyota, for being so greedy," Smith said as Lentz sat grimfaced with other Toyota officials in the first row of the committee room awaiting his turn to testify. She directed a second "shame on you" at federal highway safety regulators "for not doing your job." "Listening to Mrs. Smith, I'm embarrassed for what happened," Lentz said. Pressed by committee members as to why Toyota had not had its technicians pour over the Smith car to determine what actually caused the malfunction, Lentz said he wasn't sure where the car was now but "We're going to go down and talk to them and get the car so that they feel satisfied. I want her and her husband to feel safe about driving our products." LaHood, the transportation secretary, told the panel the U.S. government knew the exact whereabouts of the car and would share the information with Toyota. "All of this has been a big wakeup call for Toyota," LaHood said. Toyota has recalled some 8.5 million vehicles worldwide — more than 6 million in the United States — since last fall because of unintended acceleration problems in multiple models and braking issues in the Prius hybrid. Sudan and Darfur rebel rou si n keytruce CAIRO (AP) — Darfur's most powerful rebel group and the Sudanese government on Tuesday signed a truce after a year of internationally sponsored negotiations, raising hopes the bloody seven-year conflict could draw to a close. Rebel leader Khalil Ibrahim of the Justice and Equality Movement announced the cease-fire would begin that night as the international sponsors of the talks announced a $1 billion development fund for the war ravaged region. The once bitter enemies, Ibrahim and Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, shook hands and embraced after the signing. The ceremony, hosted by Qatar's Emir Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, was attended by U.S., U.N., African and Arab representatives among others. The next challenge for the mediators will be getting the dozens of other rebel splinter groups to join the process as the arduous power and wealth-sharing talks begin, especially since JEM is primarily a military movement without the popular base of other rebel groups. Previous cease-fires and partial peace deals have been short-lived. "This framework agreement is a very important step," Ibrahim said. "We point out, however, that the road to peace still needs much patience and honest concessions from both sides." Al-Bashir said he hoped to see a IN THIS JUNE 14, 2006, file photo, Sudanese women take part in a military exercise in a show of power at the rebels under control village of Gallap, West of the Darfur town of Al-Fasher, Sudan. AP photo full peace agreement by mid-March and praised the presence of other rebel groups at the ceremony, saying recent steps by them to unify their fractious positions was "good news." "With this agreement, we take a major step toward ending the war," he said. The U.N. estimates that some 300,000 people have died and 2.7 million have been displaced since ethnic African tribesman in the vast arid western Darfur region took up arms against the Arab-dominated central government complaining of discrimination, lack of political representation and neglect. "The agreement represents an important step toward an inclusive and comprehensive peace agreement for Darfur, which will address the underlying causes of the conflict and the concerns of all Darfurian communities," U.N. spokesman Martin Nesirky said, citing Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. In the last year, violence has ebbed and government forces have gained control of much of France-sized territory. The framework agreement, which will guide the upcoming talks, was initialed last week in Chad, Sudan's eastern neighbor which it once accused of harboring Darfur rebels. The end of the long-running animosity between Sudan and Chad — which sponsored the truce only days after declaring the end to its long proxy war with Sudan — could be the deciding factor in this agreement's longevity. HELISEDE MAMOI zelyegy Femoclaed m§ggry apartmeM-s • 8 Private Bedrooms, Fully Furnished • Desk, Bed and Bookcase in each Bedroom • TV, DVD, VCR • 2 New Modern Kitchens • • • • • • "This is a point of transformation in the nature of the conflict," said Omar Hasballah, a former Sudanese intelligence officer. "Removing the threat of military operations is important and alone opens the way for dealing with issues of development, representation and compensation." Al-Bashir, meanwhile, faces a tough international challenge. He is the first sitting head of state to be wanted by the Hague-based International Criminal Court, where he stands accused of war crimes committed in Darfur. A settlement in Darfur would defuse criticism abroad and boost his legitimacy at home ahead of the crucial April national elections — the first multiparty elections in the country in decades. AlBashir is also running for re-election. Tahir al-Faki, a JEM senior official, said the agreement commits the government to release all of its fighters currently on death row — nearly 100 — for their role in a massive attack on the capital in 2008. According to the framework agreement, JEM would take part in the government's executive, judicial and legislative branches. "We agreed that JEM shall transform itself into a political party," he told The Associated Press. "As time goes on, and if the agreement is implemented well, then JEM forces will be integrated into the Sudanese Armed Forces." Al-Faki said the goal is to work out the details before March 15. HAVE YOUR OWN FRATERNITY OR SORORITY Laundry Facilities Large Living Room Cable TV Jacks in each Bedroom Wireless Internet Service Air Conditioning No Parking Hassles Accepting Applications for Summer and Next School Year FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL DARLA • (435) 755-8525 • PAGER (435) 206-1926 • darladclark@pcu.net 676 EAST Goo NORTH |