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Stories under consideration for Oakland Press 7/27
The Oakland Press will consider the following stories for the 7/27 print edition
Nation/world at 11:30
NEW & DEVELOPING
— NORWAY-MASSACRE-FAR RIGHT — APNewsBreak: Leader of U.K. fringe group mentioned by Breivik says attacks highlight anger.
— BRITAIN-AMY WINEHOUSE — Friends and family say goodbye to Amy Winehouse with prayers, tears, laughter and song at a funeral ceremony in London. AP photos.
— EAST AFRICA-FAMINE — Somali 7-month-old who weighs as little as a newborn sheds light on scope of famine. AP photos.
— MOROCCO-PLANE CRASH — Moroccan state news agency says 78 killed in military transport plane crash; 3 survivors.
— STREET CROSSING DEATH — Ga. woman gets a year of probation in death of 4-year-old son killed crossing busy street.
TOP STORIES
DEBT SHOWDOWN
WASHINGTON — One week from a potentially debilitating debt crisis, Democrats and Republicans clash over rival plans to slash spending and increase the nation’s borrowing ability despite President Barack Obama’s endgame appeal for compromise. Financial markets register their nervousness with the stalemate. By Jim Kuhnhenn.
AP photos, videos. An interactive on the federal budget and the deficit has an updated timeline of President Obama’s speech to the nation.
NORWAY-MASSACRE
OSLO, Norway — The man who confessed to the massacre that has rocked Norway is unaware of the impact of the attacks and asked his defense counsel how many people he had killed, the lawyer tells The Associated Press, adding that his client is likely insane. That chilling question furthers the emerging portrait of Anders Behring Breivik: The judge in his case described him as very calm, a police officer said he was merciless in his spree, and his lawyer adds that he’s very cold, but sees himself as a savior.
AP photos, graphic, video. An interactive about last week’s twin attacks in Norway has been updated with excerpts of Anders Behring Breivik’s manifesto.
CENSUS-WEALTH GAP
WASHINGTON — The wealth gaps between whites and minorities have grown to their widest levels in a quarter-century. The recession and uneven recovery — including the slump in housing prices — have erased decades of minority gains, leaving whites on average with 20 times the net worth of blacks and 18 times that of Hispanics, according to analysis of new Census data.
AP graphic.
PTSD: THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT?
WASHINGTON — When terrifying battlefield memories come rushing back to mind, in night sweats, flashbacks or a panic attack, some troops and vets now find comfort by reaching for their smart phones. Using new-age technology to cope with age-old wounds of war, they tap into mobile phone applications designed to help with post-traumatic stress and brain injuries.
AP photos.
POSTAL PROBLEMS
WASHINGTON — Already strapped for cash, the Postal Service is considering closing more than one in 10 of its retail outlets. The financially-troubled agency announces that it will study 3,653 local offices, branches and stations for possible closing.
NFL LABOR
WASHINGTON — Let’s talk Peyton Manning touchdown passes, not antitrust lawsuits. Let’s talk Troy Polamalu interceptions, not court interventions. And let’s talk football, not lockout. Finally, 4 1/2 months after the NFL’s first work stoppage in 24 years, Commissioner Roger Goodell could say the words fans awaited: “Football’s back.” With a frenzy. By Pro Football Writer Barry Wilner.
AP photos, video.
BOSNIA BULLFIGHT
CEVLJANOVICI, Bosnia-Herzegovina — The bulls used to be beaten to the point of fury before entering the ring, their horns given steel extensions to increase the ferocity. These days the battles are a mellower affair, changed three years ago as part of a package of reforms aimed at burnishing Bosnia’s credentials for European Union membership. By Aida Cerkez.
HUNTSMAN-NEW HAMPSHIRE
CONCORD, N.H. — Jon Huntsman is taking the fight to Mitt Romney in New Hampshire, where he has quietly assembled a campaign of nearly two dozen paid staffers to challenge the former Massachusetts governor. Huntsman isn’t yet well known in the first-in-the-nation primary state. His staff says that will change as he launches what may end up being the largest paid GOP primary operation in state history.
AP photo.
ALASKA BEAR MAULINGS
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — A grizzly pounced so furiously on a group of teenagers in the Alaska wilderness that they did not have time to pull out their bear deterrent spray to defend themselves, the father of one of the boys says. In some ways, the kids did what they’d been trained to do at the survival camp. But some of them reacted as anyone might when one sees a mother Grizzly. They ran. That goes against training, which says people should not act like prey around bears.
AP photos, video.
WAL-MART-VIDEO STREAMING
NEW YORK — Now playing: Movies at Walmart.com. The world’s largest retailer on Tuesday starts streaming many movies the same day they come out on DVD, in a second bid for a share of popular movie rental and streaming website Netflix Inc.’s business and just two weeks after Netflix announced new price increases. By Retail Writer Mae Anderson.
AP photo.
PEOPLE-MATARAZZO
NEW YORK — Heather Matarazzo has played some tough parts in her career — from Dawn Weiner in “Welcome to the Dollhouse” to Sadie Atkins in the upcoming “Manson Girls.” But now she plans to wed longtime girlfriend Carolyn Murphy. But the couple had no desire to make history by getting married on the first day the law took effect. “I always wanted a wedding,” Murphy admits. “Not a trip to City Hall.” By John Carruci.
AP photo.
ALSO GETTING ATTENTION
— GIANTS FAN ATTACKED — LAPD seek others possibly assaulted a stadium on same day San Francisco Giants fan was beaten. AP photos.
— SMARTPHONE OBSESSION — As more Americans embrace do-it-all phones, the real challenge will be putting them down. AP photos, graphic.
— RANGERS ROUT — Texas Rangers rout the Minnesota Twins, 20-6, pounding out the most runs and hits in the majors this season. AP photos.
— MARINERS-SOUR 16 — The Seattle Mariners record their 16th straight loss, 10-3, to the New York Yankees. AP photos.
Among the Business News stories from The Associated Press
TOP STORIES:
SMARTPHONE OBSESSION
NEW YORK — While smartphone users worry about mobile hacking and other security threats that are making news these days, psychologists and others are concerned about another equally troubling issue: the growing addiction among people who would much rather interact with their smartphones than other human beings. By Ellen Gibson. AP Photos.
CONSUMER CONFIDENCE
NEW YORK — A private research group is reporting that U.S. consumers’ confidence rose slightly in July as their concerns about jobs and income eased somewhat. The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index edged up to 59.5 in July, from a revised 57.6 in June that marked a seven-month low in the measure.
MCDONALD’S-HAPPY MEAL CHANGES
NEW YORK — McDonald’s Corp. is adding apples to all its Happy Meals and launching a nutrition-focused mobile phone app as part of a broader health push. The changes underscore how the restaurant industry is reacting to the demands of customers and regulators who blame it for health ills ranging from childhood obesity to diabetes. By Christina Rexrode.
MARKETS & ECONOMY:
DEBT SHOWDOWN
WASHINGTON — Rival Democratic and Republican plans to raise the government’s borrowing ability have thrust Congress into a standoff just one week away from a potentially devastating debt crisis. President Barack Obama made a last ditch call for compromise, but House Speaker John Boehner said negotiations with the White House had been futile. By Jim Kuhnhenn.
HOME PRICES
WASHINGTON — Home prices in major U.S. cities rose for the second straight month in May, propped up by an annual flurry of spring buyers. The Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller home-price index showed that prices rose in 16 of the 20 cities tracked. But after adjusting for seasonal factors, prices fell in a majority of markets. By Derek Kravitz.
NEW HOME SALES
WASHINGTON — Fewer people bought new homes in June, evidence that the housing market remains weak. Sales of new homes fell 1 percent last month to an annual rate of 312,000, the Commerce Department said Tuesday. That’s less than half the 700,000 homes sold per year that economists say is typical in healthy markets. By Martin Crutsinger.
— POSTAL PROBLEMS — The Postal Service is considering closing more than one in 10 of its retail outlets.
WALL STREET
NEW YORK — Stocks are falling as U.S. lawmakers remain in a bitter stalemate over raising the country’s borrowing limit. Republican and Democratic lawmakers have offered competing proposals to avoid a catastrophic default on the government’s debt. A resolution still appears a long way off. . By Chip Cutter.
— OIL PRICES — Oil prices rise to near $100 a barrel as the dollar continued to weaken on the back of the failure of U.S. leaders to make progress in raising the government debt limit ahead of next week’s deadline.
EARNINGS:
EARNS-FORD
DEARBORN, Mich. —Ford’s ambitious plans to grow in Asia and retake the luxury market in the U.S. took a toll on its second-quarter profit, with higher costs offsetting rising sales. The company said it earned $2.4 billion, or 59 cents per share, down 8 percent from $2.6 billion, or 61 cents per share, a year earlier. By Auto Writer Dee-Ann Durbin.
WITH:
— EARNS-CHRYSLER — Chrysler retreated to a loss for the second quarter, but only because the expense of shedding its government debt erased what would have been a modest profit. By Auto Writer Tom Krisher.
EARNS-UPS
UPS Inc. said it still expects to grow earnings this year despite an “uneven economic environment,” and it’s keeping its forecast for the year after reporting second-quarter earnings rose 26 percent. By Samantha Bomkamp.
BRITAIN-EARNS-BP
LONDON — BP PLC reported lower than expected earnings for the second quarter as it struggled to lift production in the wake of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. By Robert Barr.
EARNS-KODAK
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Eastman Kodak Co. said its second-quarter loss widened to $179 million as a sharp rise in sales of consumer inkjet printers was more than offset by slumping revenue from digital cameras and film. The photography and printing company also projected a bigger loss for all of 2011 than it previously forecast. By Ben Dobbin.
EARNS-3M
MINNEAPOLIS — 3M says its second-quarter profit rose 3.4 percent as slowing demand for films for LCD televisions dampened strong growth across its other businesses. By Josh Freed.
— EARNS-HERSHEY — Hershey raised its outlook for the full year after its second-quarter profit nearly tripled. The nation’s second-largest candymaker predicted that sales will rise by 6 percent and earnings will jump by 10 percent.
— EARNS-LOCKHEED MARTIN — Lockheed Martin Corp. says its second-quarter profit dropped 10 percent. But its results still topped analysts’ expectations.
— EARNS-JETBLUE — JetBlue says its second-quarter earnings fell 19 percent as rising costs for fuel and maintenance overshadowed a steep uptick in revenue due to higher fares.
— EARNS-SUPERVALU — Supervalu Inc.’s first-quarter net income rose 10 percent on cost-cutting, evidence that the grocery chain’s turnaround plan appears to be bearing fruit.
— EARNS-LAS VEGAS SANDS — Las Vegas Sands Corp. reports quarterly financial results after the market close.
— EARNS-NORFOLK SOUTHERN — Norfolk Southern Corp. reports quarterly financial results after the market close.
— EARNS-OCCIDENTAL — Occidental Petroleum Corp. says its second-quarter profit jumped 71 percent as the company took advantage of higher oil prices.
RETAIL:
WAL-MART-VIDEO STREAMING
NEW YORK — Now playing: Movies at Walmart.com. The world’s largest retailer started streaming many movies the same day they come out on DVD, in a bid for a share of popular movie rental and streaming website Netflix Inc.’s business. By Retail Writer Mae Anderson.
— BORDERS-BOOKS-A-MILLION — Bookstore chain Books-A-Million Inc. says its last-minute talks to buy the leases and assets of 30 Borders bookstores out of bankruptcy have fallen through.
AUTOS:
CHINA-NISSAN
BEIJING — Nissan announced an $8 billion expansion plan for China as part of a global strategy to focus on faster-growing emerging markets and reduce reliance on the United States. By Business Writer Joe McDonald.
TECHNOLOGY AND MEDIA:
PTSD: THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT?
WASHINGTON — When terrifying battlefield memories come rushing back, causing night sweats, flashbacks or a panic attack, some troops and vets now find comfort by reaching for their smartphones. Using new-age technology to cope with age-old wounds of war, they tap into mobile phone applications, or “apps,” designed to help with post-traumatic stress and brain injuries. By Pauline Jelinek.
— BRITAIN-PHONE HACKING — Britain’s Trinity Mirror newspaper group announced a review into its editorial procedures following the explosion of the tabloid phone hacking scandal at its News International rival.
— CHINA-EARNS-BAIDU — Baidu Inc., which operates China’s dominant search engine, said its quarterly profit jumped 95 percent on traffic growth and strong spending by big advertising customers.
INTERNATIONAL:
— GERMANY-EARNS-DEUTSCHE BANK — Deutsche Bank’s second-quarter earnings underperformed market expectations as it wrote down the value of its Greek assets in the wake of last week’s agreement to bail out the country for the second time.
— SWITZERLAND-EARNS-UBS — Swiss bank UBS AG lowered its annual earnings forecasts and announced more job cuts after posting a sharply diminished second-quarter net profit of $1.2 billion.
— BRITAIN-EARNS-GLAXOSMITHKLINE — A big reduction in administrative costs and strong sales in Japan helped GlaxoSmithKline PLC return to profit in the second quarter of the year. The pharmaceutical company reported a $1.8 billion profit.
— DUBAI-PORTS — DP World, the Dubai port operator, said cargo volumes at its docks rose 11 percent in the first half of the year as trade picked up at home and in other emerging economies.
— SPAIN-FINANCIAL CRISIS — Spain paid sharply higher interest rates in order to raise $4.3 billion in two short-term bond auctions.
— GERMANY-ECONOMY — A new survey finds that German consumer confidence is slipping amid unease about the potential impact of the eurozone debt crisis.
— BRITAIN-ECONOMY — Britain’s economic recovery remains lackluster. The economy grew only 0.2 percent in the second quarter from the first three months of the year.
— INDIA-RATE HIKE — India’s central bank raised its key interest rate by half a percentage point, the 11th hike in less than a year and a half, as it warned about inflation.
— ISRAEL-ECONOMIC PROTEST — Israel’s prime minister offered a crash program to speed up housing construction in an effort to defuse a growing wave of protests that has brought about a sharp drop in his approval ratings.
Nation/world
NEW & DEVELOPING
— HOME PRICES — Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller issues its 20-city index of home prices for May at 9 a.m.
— DEMPSEY — Hearing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m.
— NEW HOME SALES — The Commerce Department reports the number of people who bought new homes in June at 10 a.m.
— CONSUMER CONFIDENCE — The Conference Board issues the Consumer Confidence Index for July at 10 a.m.
— POLYGAMIST LEADER — Jury selection is scheduled to resume at 10 a.m.
— POSTAL PROBLEMS — A briefing is scheduled for 10 a.m.
— BRITAIN-AMY WINEHOUSE — Winehouse family prepares to hold private funeral for singer, as autopsy proves inconclusive; funeral set to start at about 11 a.m.
TOP STORIES
DEBT SHOWDOWN
WASHINGTON — Rival Democratic and Republican plans to raise the government’s borrowing ability have thrust Congress into a standoff just one week away from a potentially devastating debt crisis. President Barack Obama made a last ditch call for compromise, but House Speaker John Boehner said negotiations with the White House had been futile. By Jim Kuhnhenn.
AP photos, videos. An interactive on the federal budget and the deficit has an updated timeline of President Obama’s speech to the nation.
— WORLD MARKETS — U.S. debt deadlock weighs further on stock markets, dollar as deadline looms. AP photo.
NORWAY-MASSACRE
OSLO, Norway — The defense lawyer for Anders Behring Breivik says the terror suspect claims he is part of an organization with several cells in Western countries and his attacks in Norway were necessary because he’s in a state of war. Norway’s justice minister tells reporters that employees from his department are still missing after a bombing at government headquarters in Oslo and a shooting spree on a nearby island that killed at least 76. Police plan to start publicly naming the dead for the first time Tuesday. By Ian MacDougall and Louise Nordstrom.
AP photos, graphic, video. An interactive about last week’s twin attacks in Norway has been updated with excerpts of Anders Behring Breivik’s manifesto.
CENSUS-WEALTH GAP
WASHINGTON — The wealth gaps between whites and minorities have grown to their widest levels in a quarter-century. The recession and uneven recovery — including the slump in housing prices — have erased decades of minority gains, leaving whites on average with 20 times the net worth of blacks and 18 times that of Hispanics, according to analysis of new Census data. By Hope Yen.
AP graphic.
PTSD: THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT?
WASHINGTON — When terrifying battlefield memories come rushing back to mind, in night sweats, flashbacks or a panic attack, some troops and vets now find comfort by reaching for their smart phones. Using new-age technology to cope with age-old wounds of war, they tap into mobile phone applications designed to help with post-traumatic stress and brain injuries. By Pauline Jelinek.
AP photos.
POSTAL PROBLEMS
WASHINGTON — Already strapped for cash, the Postal Service is considering closing more than one in 10 of its retail outlets. Last year the post office lost $8 billion. The agency is preparing to announce Tuesday that it will take a look at more than 3,600 local offices, branches and stations for possible closing. By Randolph E. Schmid.
NFL LABOR
WASHINGTON — Let’s talk Peyton Manning touchdown passes, not antitrust lawsuits. Let’s talk Troy Polamalu interceptions, not court interventions. And let’s talk football, not lockout. Finally, 4 1/2 months after the NFL’s first work stoppage in 24 years, Commissioner Roger Goodell could say the words fans awaited: “Football’s back.” With a frenzy. By Pro Football Writer Barry Wilner.
AP photos, video.
MORE ON DEBT SHOWDOWN
DEBT SHOWDOWN-GETTING TO YES
WASHINGTON — For all the debt deal dynamics in Washington, a final agreement really comes down to a gang of four. It’s this quartet — Speaker John Boehner and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi in the House; Majority Leader Harry Reid and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, in the Senate — who will have to draw on their experience, skill and charm to find the deal and the votes to pass it for averting an unprecedented government default. By Laurie Kellman and Donna Cassata.
INTERNATIONAL
AFGHANISTAN
KABUL, Afghanistan — Afghan and NATO forces battling insurgents say 35 people — most of them insurgents — are killed in escalating violence as the Taliban try to regain territory lost during the winter months to the U.S.-led coalition.
AP photos.
BOSNIA BULLFIGHT
CEVLJANOVICI, Bosnia-Herzegovina — The bulls used to be beaten to the point of fury before entering the ring, their horns given steel extensions to increase the ferocity. These days the battles are a mellower affair, changed three years ago as part of a package of reforms aimed at burnishing Bosnia’s credentials for European Union membership. By Aida Cerkez.
— BRITAIN-PHONE HACKING — Britain’s Trinity Mirror newspaper group announces a review into editorial practices following the explosion of the tabloid phone hacking scandal at its News International rival.
— LIBYA — UN mission says Gadhafi-held part of Libya is vulnerable, faces food and fuel shortages. AP photos.
— AFGHANISTAN — Afghan official says 22 insurgents, 2 police officers killed in clashes in Helmand province. AP photos.
WASHINGTON
HUNTSMAN-NEW HAMPSHIRE
CONCORD, N.H. — Jon Huntsman is taking the fight to Mitt Romney in New Hampshire, where he has quietly assembled a campaign of nearly two dozen paid staffers to challenge the former Massachusetts governor. Huntsman isn’t yet well known in the first-in-the-nation primary state. His staff says that will change as he launches what may end up being the largest paid GOP primary operation in state history. By Steve Peoples.
AP photo.
— WU-SEX SCANDAL — Democratic Rep. David Wu won’t run again, pressured to step down after sexual allegation.
— AVIATION SHUTDOWN — No end in sight for FAA shutdown, with Democrats, Republicans unwilling to compromise.
— AP-GFK POLL-STRESSING OVER DEBT — Stresses over personal debt return as public doubts on economic recovery grow.
— WILDERNESS-BABBITT — Former interior secretary calls GOP land proposal ‘giveaway of our great outdoors.’ AP photo.
— DEMPSEY — New and newer: Recently installed Army chief expected to become next Joint Chiefs chairman. AP photo.
— CENSUS-WEALTH GAP — Census data show wealth of whites is 20 times that of blacks, widest U.S. gap in quarter-century.
NATIONAL
ALASKA BEAR MAULINGS
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — A grizzly pounced so furiously on a group of teenagers in the Alaska wilderness that they did not have time to pull out their bear deterrent spray to defend themselves, the father of one of the boys says. In some ways, the kids did what they’d been trained to do at the survival camp. But some of them reacted as anyone might when one sees a mother Grizzly. They ran. That goes against training, which says people should not act like prey around bears. By Rachel D’Oro and Mark Thiessen.
AP photos, video.
RECRUITERS SHOT
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — An unexpected plea deal for a man who killed one Arkansas soldier and wounded another comes after family members of the victims agreed, sparing him the death penalty. After pleading guilty to murder and other charges, Abdulhakim Muhammad is sentenced to life in prison without parole for capital murder, with 11 more life sentences on the remaining charges and an additional 180 years in prison. By Jeannie Nuss.
AP photos.
BUSINESS
WAL-MART-VIDEO STREAMING
NEW YORK — Now playing: Movies at Walmart.com. The world’s largest retailer on Tuesday starts streaming many movies the same day they come out on DVD, in a second bid for a share of popular movie rental and streaming website Netflix Inc.’s business and just two weeks after Netflix announced new price increases. By Retail Writer Mae Anderson.
AP photo.
ENTERTAINMENT
PEOPLE-MATARAZZO
NEW YORK — Heather Matarazzo has played some tough parts in her career — from Dawn Weiner in “Welcome to the Dollhouse” to Sadie Atkins in the upcoming “Manson Girls.” But now she plans to wed longtime girlfriend Carolyn Murphy. But the couple had no desire to make history by getting married on the first day the law took effect. “I always wanted a wedding,” Murphy admits. “Not a trip to City Hall.” By John Carruci.
AP photo.
ALSO GETTING ATTENTION
— GIANTS FAN ATTACKED — LAPD seek others possibly assaulted a stadium on same day San Francisco Giants fan was beaten. AP photos.
— BRITAIN-AMY WINEHOUSE — Family and friends of Amy Winehouse will gather for a private funeral for the troubled 27-year-old singer. AP photos.
— SMARTPHONE OBSESSION — As more Americans embrace do-it-all phones, the real challenge will be putting them down. AP photos, graphic.
— RANGERS ROUT — Texas Rangers rout the Minnesota Twins, 20-6, pounding out the most runs and hits in the majors this season. AP photos.
— MARINERS-SOUR 16 — The Seattle Mariners record their 16th straight loss, 10-3, to the New York Yankees. AP photos.
Nation/world at 11:30
NEW & DEVELOPING
— NORWAY-MASSACRE-FAR RIGHT — APNewsBreak: Leader of U.K. fringe group mentioned by Breivik says attacks highlight anger.
— BRITAIN-AMY WINEHOUSE — Friends and family say goodbye to Amy Winehouse with prayers, tears, laughter and song at a funeral ceremony in London. AP photos.
— EAST AFRICA-FAMINE — Somali 7-month-old who weighs as little as a newborn sheds light on scope of famine. AP photos.
— MOROCCO-PLANE CRASH — Moroccan state news agency says 78 killed in military transport plane crash; 3 survivors.
— STREET CROSSING DEATH — Ga. woman gets a year of probation in death of 4-year-old son killed crossing busy street.
TOP STORIES
DEBT SHOWDOWN
WASHINGTON — One week from a potentially debilitating debt crisis, Democrats and Republicans clash over rival plans to slash spending and increase the nation’s borrowing ability despite President Barack Obama’s endgame appeal for compromise. Financial markets register their nervousness with the stalemate. By Jim Kuhnhenn.
AP photos, videos. An interactive on the federal budget and the deficit has an updated timeline of President Obama’s speech to the nation.
NORWAY-MASSACRE
OSLO, Norway — The man who confessed to the massacre that has rocked Norway is unaware of the impact of the attacks and asked his defense counsel how many people he had killed, the lawyer tells The Associated Press, adding that his client is likely insane. That chilling question furthers the emerging portrait of Anders Behring Breivik: The judge in his case described him as very calm, a police officer said he was merciless in his spree, and his lawyer adds that he’s very cold, but sees himself as a savior.
AP photos, graphic, video. An interactive about last week’s twin attacks in Norway has been updated with excerpts of Anders Behring Breivik’s manifesto.
CENSUS-WEALTH GAP
WASHINGTON — The wealth gaps between whites and minorities have grown to their widest levels in a quarter-century. The recession and uneven recovery — including the slump in housing prices — have erased decades of minority gains, leaving whites on average with 20 times the net worth of blacks and 18 times that of Hispanics, according to analysis of new Census data.
AP graphic.
PTSD: THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT?
WASHINGTON — When terrifying battlefield memories come rushing back to mind, in night sweats, flashbacks or a panic attack, some troops and vets now find comfort by reaching for their smart phones. Using new-age technology to cope with age-old wounds of war, they tap into mobile phone applications designed to help with post-traumatic stress and brain injuries.
AP photos.
POSTAL PROBLEMS
WASHINGTON — Already strapped for cash, the Postal Service is considering closing more than one in 10 of its retail outlets. The financially-troubled agency announces that it will study 3,653 local offices, branches and stations for possible closing.
NFL LABOR
WASHINGTON — Let’s talk Peyton Manning touchdown passes, not antitrust lawsuits. Let’s talk Troy Polamalu interceptions, not court interventions. And let’s talk football, not lockout. Finally, 4 1/2 months after the NFL’s first work stoppage in 24 years, Commissioner Roger Goodell could say the words fans awaited: “Football’s back.” With a frenzy. By Pro Football Writer Barry Wilner.
AP photos, video.
BOSNIA BULLFIGHT
CEVLJANOVICI, Bosnia-Herzegovina — The bulls used to be beaten to the point of fury before entering the ring, their horns given steel extensions to increase the ferocity. These days the battles are a mellower affair, changed three years ago as part of a package of reforms aimed at burnishing Bosnia’s credentials for European Union membership. By Aida Cerkez.
HUNTSMAN-NEW HAMPSHIRE
CONCORD, N.H. — Jon Huntsman is taking the fight to Mitt Romney in New Hampshire, where he has quietly assembled a campaign of nearly two dozen paid staffers to challenge the former Massachusetts governor. Huntsman isn’t yet well known in the first-in-the-nation primary state. His staff says that will change as he launches what may end up being the largest paid GOP primary operation in state history.
AP photo.
ALASKA BEAR MAULINGS
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — A grizzly pounced so furiously on a group of teenagers in the Alaska wilderness that they did not have time to pull out their bear deterrent spray to defend themselves, the father of one of the boys says. In some ways, the kids did what they’d been trained to do at the survival camp. But some of them reacted as anyone might when one sees a mother Grizzly. They ran. That goes against training, which says people should not act like prey around bears.
AP photos, video.
WAL-MART-VIDEO STREAMING
NEW YORK — Now playing: Movies at Walmart.com. The world’s largest retailer on Tuesday starts streaming many movies the same day they come out on DVD, in a second bid for a share of popular movie rental and streaming website Netflix Inc.’s business and just two weeks after Netflix announced new price increases. By Retail Writer Mae Anderson.
AP photo.
PEOPLE-MATARAZZO
NEW YORK — Heather Matarazzo has played some tough parts in her career — from Dawn Weiner in “Welcome to the Dollhouse” to Sadie Atkins in the upcoming “Manson Girls.” But now she plans to wed longtime girlfriend Carolyn Murphy. But the couple had no desire to make history by getting married on the first day the law took effect. “I always wanted a wedding,” Murphy admits. “Not a trip to City Hall.” By John Carruci.
AP photo.
ALSO GETTING ATTENTION
— GIANTS FAN ATTACKED — LAPD seek others possibly assaulted a stadium on same day San Francisco Giants fan was beaten. AP photos.
— SMARTPHONE OBSESSION — As more Americans embrace do-it-all phones, the real challenge will be putting them down. AP photos, graphic.
— RANGERS ROUT — Texas Rangers rout the Minnesota Twins, 20-6, pounding out the most runs and hits in the majors this season. AP photos.
— MARINERS-SOUR 16 — The Seattle Mariners record their 16th straight loss, 10-3, to the New York Yankees. AP photos.
Among the Business News stories from The Associated Press
TOP STORIES:
SMARTPHONE OBSESSION
NEW YORK — While smartphone users worry about mobile hacking and other security threats that are making news these days, psychologists and others are concerned about another equally troubling issue: the growing addiction among people who would much rather interact with their smartphones than other human beings. By Ellen Gibson. AP Photos.
CONSUMER CONFIDENCE
NEW YORK — A private research group is reporting that U.S. consumers’ confidence rose slightly in July as their concerns about jobs and income eased somewhat. The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index edged up to 59.5 in July, from a revised 57.6 in June that marked a seven-month low in the measure.
MCDONALD’S-HAPPY MEAL CHANGES
NEW YORK — McDonald’s Corp. is adding apples to all its Happy Meals and launching a nutrition-focused mobile phone app as part of a broader health push. The changes underscore how the restaurant industry is reacting to the demands of customers and regulators who blame it for health ills ranging from childhood obesity to diabetes. By Christina Rexrode.
MARKETS & ECONOMY:
DEBT SHOWDOWN
WASHINGTON — Rival Democratic and Republican plans to raise the government’s borrowing ability have thrust Congress into a standoff just one week away from a potentially devastating debt crisis. President Barack Obama made a last ditch call for compromise, but House Speaker John Boehner said negotiations with the White House had been futile. By Jim Kuhnhenn.
HOME PRICES
WASHINGTON — Home prices in major U.S. cities rose for the second straight month in May, propped up by an annual flurry of spring buyers. The Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller home-price index showed that prices rose in 16 of the 20 cities tracked. But after adjusting for seasonal factors, prices fell in a majority of markets. By Derek Kravitz.
NEW HOME SALES
WASHINGTON — Fewer people bought new homes in June, evidence that the housing market remains weak. Sales of new homes fell 1 percent last month to an annual rate of 312,000, the Commerce Department said Tuesday. That’s less than half the 700,000 homes sold per year that economists say is typical in healthy markets. By Martin Crutsinger.
— POSTAL PROBLEMS — The Postal Service is considering closing more than one in 10 of its retail outlets.
WALL STREET
NEW YORK — Stocks are falling as U.S. lawmakers remain in a bitter stalemate over raising the country’s borrowing limit. Republican and Democratic lawmakers have offered competing proposals to avoid a catastrophic default on the government’s debt. A resolution still appears a long way off. . By Chip Cutter.
— OIL PRICES — Oil prices rise to near $100 a barrel as the dollar continued to weaken on the back of the failure of U.S. leaders to make progress in raising the government debt limit ahead of next week’s deadline.
EARNINGS:
EARNS-FORD
DEARBORN, Mich. —Ford’s ambitious plans to grow in Asia and retake the luxury market in the U.S. took a toll on its second-quarter profit, with higher costs offsetting rising sales. The company said it earned $2.4 billion, or 59 cents per share, down 8 percent from $2.6 billion, or 61 cents per share, a year earlier. By Auto Writer Dee-Ann Durbin.
WITH:
— EARNS-CHRYSLER — Chrysler retreated to a loss for the second quarter, but only because the expense of shedding its government debt erased what would have been a modest profit. By Auto Writer Tom Krisher.
EARNS-UPS
UPS Inc. said it still expects to grow earnings this year despite an “uneven economic environment,” and it’s keeping its forecast for the year after reporting second-quarter earnings rose 26 percent. By Samantha Bomkamp.
BRITAIN-EARNS-BP
LONDON — BP PLC reported lower than expected earnings for the second quarter as it struggled to lift production in the wake of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. By Robert Barr.
EARNS-KODAK
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Eastman Kodak Co. said its second-quarter loss widened to $179 million as a sharp rise in sales of consumer inkjet printers was more than offset by slumping revenue from digital cameras and film. The photography and printing company also projected a bigger loss for all of 2011 than it previously forecast. By Ben Dobbin.
EARNS-3M
MINNEAPOLIS — 3M says its second-quarter profit rose 3.4 percent as slowing demand for films for LCD televisions dampened strong growth across its other businesses. By Josh Freed.
— EARNS-HERSHEY — Hershey raised its outlook for the full year after its second-quarter profit nearly tripled. The nation’s second-largest candymaker predicted that sales will rise by 6 percent and earnings will jump by 10 percent.
— EARNS-LOCKHEED MARTIN — Lockheed Martin Corp. says its second-quarter profit dropped 10 percent. But its results still topped analysts’ expectations.
— EARNS-JETBLUE — JetBlue says its second-quarter earnings fell 19 percent as rising costs for fuel and maintenance overshadowed a steep uptick in revenue due to higher fares.
— EARNS-SUPERVALU — Supervalu Inc.’s first-quarter net income rose 10 percent on cost-cutting, evidence that the grocery chain’s turnaround plan appears to be bearing fruit.
— EARNS-LAS VEGAS SANDS — Las Vegas Sands Corp. reports quarterly financial results after the market close.
— EARNS-NORFOLK SOUTHERN — Norfolk Southern Corp. reports quarterly financial results after the market close.
— EARNS-OCCIDENTAL — Occidental Petroleum Corp. says its second-quarter profit jumped 71 percent as the company took advantage of higher oil prices.
RETAIL:
WAL-MART-VIDEO STREAMING
NEW YORK — Now playing: Movies at Walmart.com. The world’s largest retailer started streaming many movies the same day they come out on DVD, in a bid for a share of popular movie rental and streaming website Netflix Inc.’s business. By Retail Writer Mae Anderson.
— BORDERS-BOOKS-A-MILLION — Bookstore chain Books-A-Million Inc. says its last-minute talks to buy the leases and assets of 30 Borders bookstores out of bankruptcy have fallen through.
AUTOS:
CHINA-NISSAN
BEIJING — Nissan announced an $8 billion expansion plan for China as part of a global strategy to focus on faster-growing emerging markets and reduce reliance on the United States. By Business Writer Joe McDonald.
TECHNOLOGY AND MEDIA:
PTSD: THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT?
WASHINGTON — When terrifying battlefield memories come rushing back, causing night sweats, flashbacks or a panic attack, some troops and vets now find comfort by reaching for their smartphones. Using new-age technology to cope with age-old wounds of war, they tap into mobile phone applications, or “apps,” designed to help with post-traumatic stress and brain injuries. By Pauline Jelinek.
— BRITAIN-PHONE HACKING — Britain’s Trinity Mirror newspaper group announced a review into its editorial procedures following the explosion of the tabloid phone hacking scandal at its News International rival.
— CHINA-EARNS-BAIDU — Baidu Inc., which operates China’s dominant search engine, said its quarterly profit jumped 95 percent on traffic growth and strong spending by big advertising customers.
INTERNATIONAL:
— GERMANY-EARNS-DEUTSCHE BANK — Deutsche Bank’s second-quarter earnings underperformed market expectations as it wrote down the value of its Greek assets in the wake of last week’s agreement to bail out the country for the second time.
— SWITZERLAND-EARNS-UBS — Swiss bank UBS AG lowered its annual earnings forecasts and announced more job cuts after posting a sharply diminished second-quarter net profit of $1.2 billion.
— BRITAIN-EARNS-GLAXOSMITHKLINE — A big reduction in administrative costs and strong sales in Japan helped GlaxoSmithKline PLC return to profit in the second quarter of the year. The pharmaceutical company reported a $1.8 billion profit.
— DUBAI-PORTS — DP World, the Dubai port operator, said cargo volumes at its docks rose 11 percent in the first half of the year as trade picked up at home and in other emerging economies.
— SPAIN-FINANCIAL CRISIS — Spain paid sharply higher interest rates in order to raise $4.3 billion in two short-term bond auctions.
— GERMANY-ECONOMY — A new survey finds that German consumer confidence is slipping amid unease about the potential impact of the eurozone debt crisis.
— BRITAIN-ECONOMY — Britain’s economic recovery remains lackluster. The economy grew only 0.2 percent in the second quarter from the first three months of the year.
— INDIA-RATE HIKE — India’s central bank raised its key interest rate by half a percentage point, the 11th hike in less than a year and a half, as it warned about inflation.
— ISRAEL-ECONOMIC PROTEST — Israel’s prime minister offered a crash program to speed up housing construction in an effort to defuse a growing wave of protests that has brought about a sharp drop in his approval ratings.
Nation/world
NEW & DEVELOPING
— HOME PRICES — Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller issues its 20-city index of home prices for May at 9 a.m.
— DEMPSEY — Hearing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m.
— NEW HOME SALES — The Commerce Department reports the number of people who bought new homes in June at 10 a.m.
— CONSUMER CONFIDENCE — The Conference Board issues the Consumer Confidence Index for July at 10 a.m.
— POLYGAMIST LEADER — Jury selection is scheduled to resume at 10 a.m.
— POSTAL PROBLEMS — A briefing is scheduled for 10 a.m.
— BRITAIN-AMY WINEHOUSE — Winehouse family prepares to hold private funeral for singer, as autopsy proves inconclusive; funeral set to start at about 11 a.m.
TOP STORIES
DEBT SHOWDOWN
WASHINGTON — Rival Democratic and Republican plans to raise the government’s borrowing ability have thrust Congress into a standoff just one week away from a potentially devastating debt crisis. President Barack Obama made a last ditch call for compromise, but House Speaker John Boehner said negotiations with the White House had been futile. By Jim Kuhnhenn.
AP photos, videos. An interactive on the federal budget and the deficit has an updated timeline of President Obama’s speech to the nation.
— WORLD MARKETS — U.S. debt deadlock weighs further on stock markets, dollar as deadline looms. AP photo.
NORWAY-MASSACRE
OSLO, Norway — The defense lawyer for Anders Behring Breivik says the terror suspect claims he is part of an organization with several cells in Western countries and his attacks in Norway were necessary because he’s in a state of war. Norway’s justice minister tells reporters that employees from his department are still missing after a bombing at government headquarters in Oslo and a shooting spree on a nearby island that killed at least 76. Police plan to start publicly naming the dead for the first time Tuesday. By Ian MacDougall and Louise Nordstrom.
AP photos, graphic, video. An interactive about last week’s twin attacks in Norway has been updated with excerpts of Anders Behring Breivik’s manifesto.
CENSUS-WEALTH GAP
WASHINGTON — The wealth gaps between whites and minorities have grown to their widest levels in a quarter-century. The recession and uneven recovery — including the slump in housing prices — have erased decades of minority gains, leaving whites on average with 20 times the net worth of blacks and 18 times that of Hispanics, according to analysis of new Census data. By Hope Yen.
AP graphic.
PTSD: THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT?
WASHINGTON — When terrifying battlefield memories come rushing back to mind, in night sweats, flashbacks or a panic attack, some troops and vets now find comfort by reaching for their smart phones. Using new-age technology to cope with age-old wounds of war, they tap into mobile phone applications designed to help with post-traumatic stress and brain injuries. By Pauline Jelinek.
AP photos.
POSTAL PROBLEMS
WASHINGTON — Already strapped for cash, the Postal Service is considering closing more than one in 10 of its retail outlets. Last year the post office lost $8 billion. The agency is preparing to announce Tuesday that it will take a look at more than 3,600 local offices, branches and stations for possible closing. By Randolph E. Schmid.
NFL LABOR
WASHINGTON — Let’s talk Peyton Manning touchdown passes, not antitrust lawsuits. Let’s talk Troy Polamalu interceptions, not court interventions. And let’s talk football, not lockout. Finally, 4 1/2 months after the NFL’s first work stoppage in 24 years, Commissioner Roger Goodell could say the words fans awaited: “Football’s back.” With a frenzy. By Pro Football Writer Barry Wilner.
AP photos, video.
MORE ON DEBT SHOWDOWN
DEBT SHOWDOWN-GETTING TO YES
WASHINGTON — For all the debt deal dynamics in Washington, a final agreement really comes down to a gang of four. It’s this quartet — Speaker John Boehner and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi in the House; Majority Leader Harry Reid and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, in the Senate — who will have to draw on their experience, skill and charm to find the deal and the votes to pass it for averting an unprecedented government default. By Laurie Kellman and Donna Cassata.
INTERNATIONAL
AFGHANISTAN
KABUL, Afghanistan — Afghan and NATO forces battling insurgents say 35 people — most of them insurgents — are killed in escalating violence as the Taliban try to regain territory lost during the winter months to the U.S.-led coalition.
AP photos.
BOSNIA BULLFIGHT
CEVLJANOVICI, Bosnia-Herzegovina — The bulls used to be beaten to the point of fury before entering the ring, their horns given steel extensions to increase the ferocity. These days the battles are a mellower affair, changed three years ago as part of a package of reforms aimed at burnishing Bosnia’s credentials for European Union membership. By Aida Cerkez.
— BRITAIN-PHONE HACKING — Britain’s Trinity Mirror newspaper group announces a review into editorial practices following the explosion of the tabloid phone hacking scandal at its News International rival.
— LIBYA — UN mission says Gadhafi-held part of Libya is vulnerable, faces food and fuel shortages. AP photos.
— AFGHANISTAN — Afghan official says 22 insurgents, 2 police officers killed in clashes in Helmand province. AP photos.
WASHINGTON
HUNTSMAN-NEW HAMPSHIRE
CONCORD, N.H. — Jon Huntsman is taking the fight to Mitt Romney in New Hampshire, where he has quietly assembled a campaign of nearly two dozen paid staffers to challenge the former Massachusetts governor. Huntsman isn’t yet well known in the first-in-the-nation primary state. His staff says that will change as he launches what may end up being the largest paid GOP primary operation in state history. By Steve Peoples.
AP photo.
— WU-SEX SCANDAL — Democratic Rep. David Wu won’t run again, pressured to step down after sexual allegation.
— AVIATION SHUTDOWN — No end in sight for FAA shutdown, with Democrats, Republicans unwilling to compromise.
— AP-GFK POLL-STRESSING OVER DEBT — Stresses over personal debt return as public doubts on economic recovery grow.
— WILDERNESS-BABBITT — Former interior secretary calls GOP land proposal ‘giveaway of our great outdoors.’ AP photo.
— DEMPSEY — New and newer: Recently installed Army chief expected to become next Joint Chiefs chairman. AP photo.
— CENSUS-WEALTH GAP — Census data show wealth of whites is 20 times that of blacks, widest U.S. gap in quarter-century.
NATIONAL
ALASKA BEAR MAULINGS
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — A grizzly pounced so furiously on a group of teenagers in the Alaska wilderness that they did not have time to pull out their bear deterrent spray to defend themselves, the father of one of the boys says. In some ways, the kids did what they’d been trained to do at the survival camp. But some of them reacted as anyone might when one sees a mother Grizzly. They ran. That goes against training, which says people should not act like prey around bears. By Rachel D’Oro and Mark Thiessen.
AP photos, video.
RECRUITERS SHOT
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — An unexpected plea deal for a man who killed one Arkansas soldier and wounded another comes after family members of the victims agreed, sparing him the death penalty. After pleading guilty to murder and other charges, Abdulhakim Muhammad is sentenced to life in prison without parole for capital murder, with 11 more life sentences on the remaining charges and an additional 180 years in prison. By Jeannie Nuss.
AP photos.
BUSINESS
WAL-MART-VIDEO STREAMING
NEW YORK — Now playing: Movies at Walmart.com. The world’s largest retailer on Tuesday starts streaming many movies the same day they come out on DVD, in a second bid for a share of popular movie rental and streaming website Netflix Inc.’s business and just two weeks after Netflix announced new price increases. By Retail Writer Mae Anderson.
AP photo.
ENTERTAINMENT
PEOPLE-MATARAZZO
NEW YORK — Heather Matarazzo has played some tough parts in her career — from Dawn Weiner in “Welcome to the Dollhouse” to Sadie Atkins in the upcoming “Manson Girls.” But now she plans to wed longtime girlfriend Carolyn Murphy. But the couple had no desire to make history by getting married on the first day the law took effect. “I always wanted a wedding,” Murphy admits. “Not a trip to City Hall.” By John Carruci.
AP photo.
ALSO GETTING ATTENTION
— GIANTS FAN ATTACKED — LAPD seek others possibly assaulted a stadium on same day San Francisco Giants fan was beaten. AP photos.
— BRITAIN-AMY WINEHOUSE — Family and friends of Amy Winehouse will gather for a private funeral for the troubled 27-year-old singer. AP photos.
— SMARTPHONE OBSESSION — As more Americans embrace do-it-all phones, the real challenge will be putting them down. AP photos, graphic.
— RANGERS ROUT — Texas Rangers rout the Minnesota Twins, 20-6, pounding out the most runs and hits in the majors this season. AP photos.
— MARINERS-SOUR 16 — The Seattle Mariners record their 16th straight loss, 10-3, to the New York Yankees. AP photos.
posted by Roger Wingelaar at
7:29 AM
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