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PARIS (AP) _ French police had a second trader in custody Friday in their probe of trades that led to massive losses at bank Societe Generale, respected daily Le Monde reported. Police were unavailable to immediately confirm the report that they were questioning the trader. The newspaper reported, citing unspecified sources, that the trader was being questioned about his relationship with Jerome Kerviel, a futures trader accused by Societe Generale of massive unauthorized bets on European markets. ___ Consumer Confidence Sinks Even Lower WASHINGTON (AP) _ People's confidence in the economy sank even lower amid heightened fears about shrinking job opportunities and the possibility the country is falling into recession. According to the RBC Cash Index, confidence dropped to a mark of 48.5 in early February, from 56.3 last month.
Radio & TV Talk
When I asked why he never brought in Howard Stern, he said Mel Karmizan simply told him no and he doesn't really know why. (Conspiracy theorists have at it!) Since I was the cause of the first tiff between management and the Regular Guys, I asked how they were going to manage the Regular Guys, who have been taken off the air twice already with Clear Channel. His response: "They are radio professionals. I believe there's a definite understanding. We'll give them all the latitude they need to make great radio." Will there be diminishing returns for a show that didn't quite get back its ratings when it came back a second time at 96rock? He said the show, with "Southside" Steve back, is much better for it and he expects ratings will do as well as they did on the stronger 96.1 signal.
US elections 2004
For supporters of John Kerry, who have seen allegations about the Democratic candidate's military record sap his campaign, it must have seemed like a case of just deserts.
The president, George Bush, was last week looking vulnerable on the same grounds after CBS's flagship current affairs show, 60 Minutes, broadcast a report claiming he had been suspended from pilot duties for failing to meet the required standards. It was also claimed that a commanding officer had been put under pressure to "sugar coat" Mr Bush's performance reviews.
But while CBS stands by its story, allegations have now surfaced that 60 Minutes based a large part of the report on forged documents.
Although what one man - even a presidential candidate - did more than 30 years ago can seem rather trivial, the US election is being fought between a self-declared "war president" and a man who, in stump speeches, claims he would defend his country as president in the way he had defended it as a young man.
Stanford hospital successfully treats conjoined sisters
Yurelia and Fiorella Arocha-Arias, two-year-old conjoined twins who will undergo seperation surgery at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital in Palo Alto, the first surgery of this kind to be conducted there. The girls are joined at the chest and abdomen. (Courtesy Lucile Packard Children's Hospital) .
Minnesotans could save billions in health care costs, task force says
Gov. Tim Pawlenty said there's much he likes in the wide-ranging recommendations he received Tuesday from a task force he appointed to find ways to improve health care in Minnesota. But he stopped short of endorsing some of the panel's recommendations, such as requiring Minnesotans to buy health insurance or raising the cigarette "health-impact fee" to discourage smoking. "I think we've done enough to smokers for now" by banning smoking in most bars and restaurants and adding the 75-cent fee, he said. And requiring everyone to have insurance might "criminalize poor people" who can't afford it, he added. Still, Pawlenty said the task force report "can be the framework for a significant health care reform initiative in Minnesota." The broad range of recommendations would link doctors, hospitals, employers, patients, insurers, schools, communities and policy makers in initiatives aimed at paring $12.3 billion from health care costs otherwise projected to soar from about $30 billion now to $57.4 billion by 2015.
Bush Addresses Policy on Africa
FIRST LADY LAURA BUSH: Thank you very much, Mark. I get to speak first and introduce the President. Thank you, Mark, for your efforts to lead our country's efforts to defeat HIV/AIDS. Thank you very, very much for everything you do around the world. .
Obamania clobbers Clinton
They argued that McCain could actually win in November and keep the GOP hold on the White House, depending on the outcome of several big ifs. The biggest is having Hillary Clinton as the Democrats' nominee, followed by damped-down U.S. casualties in Iraq. Think again. A few hours later, at the Madrona School and other venues across the state, an estimated 200,000 Democrats gave themselves to Obamania. The Clintons, who have courted this state for 16 years, saw their support dissolve like a soap bubble. The 37th District is the state's most Democratic. Bill Clinton dropped by the neighborhood in 2008 to attend a Hillary fundraiser hosted by Starbucks chief Howard Schultz. The count at Madrona precincts told the story: 79-34 for Barack Obama in precinct 37-1913, Clinton's best showing.
Hotline activated for needy in region
A new hotline makes finding social services as easy as calling police or firefighters. Beginning today, anyone in the Bay Area who needs help with food, housing, employment or health care can simply dial 211. The three-digit hotline began operating in San Francisco nearly two years ago; and since then six other Bay Area counties - Solano, Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa and Santa Clara - have been in various stages of operation. But as of this morning, the service is officially up throughout the seven-county region. Among the newcomers is Contra Costa County, where 211 has operated in test mode until today. Still, operators at the Contra Costa Crisis Center have been fielding hundreds of calls a month. "Near Concord? OK, let's see, hmm," specialist Minerva Blaine told a caller Friday, scrolling through a computer database to find affordable housing units for the homeless mother of a new baby.
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