[December 22, 2011] CNN Wire Outlook [St. Joseph News-Press (MO)] Tweet (St. Joseph News-Press (MO) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) (CNN) -- Supervising News Editor Monte Plott -- 404-827-1401 UPCOMING POL-Payroll-Tax-Conference-Committee. By Tom Cohen. ETA 7 p.m. ET In the world of the U.S. Congress, the House and Senate appoint a conference committee to resolve their differences when each chamber has passed its own version of legislation. House Republicans now are calling on President Barack Obama and Democratic leaders to agree to such a panel to end the impasse over extending the payroll tax cut before it expires at the end of the year. Speaker John Boehner has named eight House members as negotiators, or conferees, and he wants Obama to order the Senate to do likewise. However, there are several reasons why that approach won't happen, and they involve politics and procedure. POL-Congress-Payroll-Tax-Cut. By Alan Silverleib and Tom Cohen (will update) President Barack Obama called House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid Wednesday as part of an ongoing -- and so far unsuccessful -- effort to resolve a partisan standoff over how best to extend the expiring payroll tax cut, according to the White House. Texas-Drone-Strike-Victim By Moni Basu Her caretaker named her Shakira, which means thankful. She was thankful to be alive, the only one of three girls found severely injured in a trash dump in a village in Pakistan's restive Swat Valley. She is believed to have been a victim of a U.S. drone strike. After three years at a Lahore hospital, little Shakira landed in the United States last week for reconstructive surgery, the first step to a new life in the United States. Iran-Jailed- American An Iranian-American ex-Marine jailed as a suspected spy in Tehran helped develop an electronic translator for use by the U.S. military, a onetime colleague said Wednesday. Florida-A&M-Investigation By Michael Martinez A final autopsy report Wednesday shows that Florida A&M University drum major Robert Champion Jr. died from muscle injuries commonly seen in such events as car accidents, prolonged seizures, child abuse and torture, an expert said. PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED STORIESCNN SHOWCASENorth-Korea-Succession -- By Josh Levs Kim Jong Un, successor to his father's dictatorship over North Korea, will have to find ways to balance political factions and generate revenue -- or he may not remain in power for long, analysts said Tuesday. Shrouded in mystery and believed to be only in his late 20s, Kim marks the third generation in his family to officially reign over the so-called Hermit Kingdom. "It's unprecedented in modern times," said John Park, an expert on the region with the Harvard Kennedy School's Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. A popular expression, Park said, summarizes one central reason that third-generation dynasties don't occur. "The first generation makes the wealth; the second generation manages the wealth; the third generation squanders the wealth," he said. US-Top-General-Iran -- By Barbara Starr As General Martin Dempsey toured around the globe over the last eight days, one issue was prominent -- Iran's nuclear intentions. Dempsey, in an exclusive interview with CNN, warned that Iran is playing a dangerous game that could ensnare the Middle East, the United States and others into conflict and a renewed nuclear arms race. From Iraq to Afghanistan, Kuwait to Saudi Arabia, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff heard about growing concerns about Iran's ambitions. INTERNATIONALNorth-Korea-leader Kim Jong Un issued his first military orders as leader of North Korea just before the death of his father was announced, a South Korean state-run news agency said Wednesday. UK-Phone-Hacking-Scandal Phone hacking was widespread at the Daily Mirror newspaper when Piers Morgan was editor of the paper, a former employee testified Wednesday, stopping just short of saying Morgan definitely knew about it. Mercosur-Falklands The regional bloc Mercosur announced it is standing behind member Argentina's dispute with Britain over the Falklands and announced they will ban access to their ports to any ships carrying a Falklands flag. Finland-Ship-Missiles Finnish authorities have launched an investigation after impounding 69 Patriot missiles from a ship bound for China. Syria-Unrest Syria's major opposition group condemned Bashar al-Assad's regime Wednesday for "brutal massacres" this week and urged the U.N. Security Council to protect civilians against "acts of genocide." Czech-Republic-Havel-Funeral Admirers of the late Czech President Vaclav Havel lined Prague's famous Charles Bridge Wednesday as his coffin was moved to Prague Castle ahead of his state funeral Friday. Japan-Nuclear Japanese officials unveiled a decades-long plan Wednesday to decommission the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, where reactor cooling systems failed after the country's devastating earthquake and tsunami in March. Iran-Accused-American An Iranian-American man held on spying charges in Iran must be tried there, the spokesman for a key parliamentary committee said Wednesday, according to the semi-official Mehr news agency. Iraq-VP-Arrest Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki warned the county's Kurdish government Wednesday that it is responsible for handing over Iraq's vice president to the judiciary in Baghdad. MED- Breast-Implants The French government will pay for tens of thousands of women to have breast implants removed over concerns about a possible link to a rare form of cancer, the Ministry of Health said Wednesday. Spain-Prime-Minister Conservative leader Mariano Rajoy was sworn in Wednesday as Spain[superset of]1;s new prime minister, to begin work on what he lists as his top priority -- pulling the nation out of its deep economic crisis. Pakistan-Journalists Pakistan is the world's deadliest country to work in for journalists, a dubious distinction it has earned for the second year in a row, the Committee to Protect Journalists said. Libya-Gadhafi The son of Libya's former dictator Moammar Gadhafi, Saif al-Islam Gadhafi, should have immediate access to a lawyer, Human Rights Watch said Wednesday. Hong-Kong-Bird-Flu The Hong Kong government said Wednesday that more than 17,000 chickens were being culled at a poultry market after a chicken carcass tested positive for avian flu. Ethiopia-Swedish-Journalists Two Swedish journalists charged with supporting terrorism in Ethiopia were found guilty Wednesday, the Swedish Foreign Ministry said. The pair could face up to 15 years in prison. UK-Hepworth-Sculpture-Theft An artwork by Barbara Hepworth, one of the most highly regarded sculptors of the 20th century, has been stolen from a park in London, amid what art experts fear is a metal theft "epidemic." MONEY-World-Markets-Ecb Shares in Europe jumped Wednesday, after the European Central Bank announced strong demand for a key lending program meant to address the eurozone debt crisis. MONEY-Japan-Olympus-Raid Japanese authorities on Wednesday raided offices of Olympus, the camera and medical instruments maker that is embroiled in a vast accounting scandal, the company said. Philippines-Storm-Toll The death toll in the Philippines from a tropical storm that struck the south of the country over the weekend has risen above 1,000, a government official said Wednesday. Russia-Space-Station A Russian rocket is scheduled to lift off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Wednesday, with a crew of three bound for the International Space Station. China-Village-Standoff Residents of the southern Chinese village of Wukan held talks with government officials on Wednesday to try to defuse a tense standoff with the authorities following violent protests over land rights. Iraq-VP-Arrest Tariq al-Hashimi, Iraq's Sunni vice president, disputes the government's charges that he organized a death squad targeting government and military officials, saying the false claims are politically motivated and he has never and will never be involved in violence. SPORT-England- Terry-Charge England soccer captain John Terry will be charged with racially abusing another player, the UK's Crown Prosecution Service said Wednesday. NATIONALUS-Soldiers-Charged Eight U.S. soldiers have been charged in connection with the death of a fellow soldier in October, the Army said in a news release Wednesday. Maine-Missing-Girl The father of a missing toddler in Maine has issued a public statement, saying he has no idea what happened to his daughter or who might be responsible for her disappearance. MONEY-Bank-America-Settlement The Justice Department announced a $335 million settlement with Bank of America Wednesday over discriminatory lending practice at Countrywide Financial. New-York-Bout-Trial A federal judge on Wednesday struck down an attempt by lawyers for convicted arms dealer Viktor Bout to overturn his verdict on the grounds that a juror was tainted by his notoriety. Nevada-Mayweather-Sentence Boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. was sentenced to serve three months in jail and fined $2,500 Wednesday in connection with a domestic violence incident, court officials said. California-Obama-Posting U.S. Secret Service said Wednesday it was following up after a California man used Facebook to make a profane threat against President Barack Obama. US-Bradley-Manning-Hearing After four days of testimony and 20 prosecution witnesses, Pfc.Bradley Manning's defense attorney spent only 35 minutes Wednesday questioning just two witnesses before resting their case. US-Mexico-Suspect-Extradition An alleged Mexican drug cartel operative has been extradited to the United States to face charges in the death of one U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent and the attempted murder of a second, authorities said Wednesday. US-Facebook-Father-Battery A 21-year- old man in Chicago is charged with battery after allegedly binding his toddler's wrists, ankles and mouth with tape and posting a photo online. POL-Congress-Payroll-Tax-Cut President Barack Obama called House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid Wednesday as part of an ongoing -- and so far unsuccessful -- effort to resolve a partisan standoff over how best to extend the expiring payroll tax cut, according to the White House. TRAVEL-Pilot-Fatigue- Rule The U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration announced Wednesday a sweeping final pilot fatigue rule governing how much time off commercial passenger pilots must have between work shifts, ensuring they have a longer opportunity for rest before they enter the cockpit. MONEY-Unemployment-Benefits- Extension The long-term unemployed are running out of time. In 11 days, a provision will expire that could cause millions of jobless Americans to lose a critical lifeline next year. MONEY-Oracle-Tech- In-Trouble A dismal quarter from software giant Oracle dragged technology stocks down on Wednesday, but tech analysts say the sell- off is overdone. Oracle's key sales metric, revenue from new software licenses, rose a measly 3% last quarter, compared to the 11% that Wall Street analysts had expected. Last year, new license sales increased 21% in the same quarter. MONEY-Home-Sales-Revised Existing home sales during the housing bust were actually 14.3% worse than previously reported, a revision to Realtors' group numbers shows. On Wednesday, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) revised home sale counts back to 2007 due to flaws in their original data analysis. MONEY-State-Taxes-2012 While the fate of the payroll tax extension is still uncertain on Capitol Hill this week, at least some Americans can look forward to tax breaks at the state level when 2012 rolls around. Afghanistan-US-Troops Soldiers who just returned from Iraq are among several thousand being ordered to Afghanistan in six months as part of a mission designed to beef up Afghan forces ahead of a planned 2014 U.S. military withdrawal, officials said. Illinois-Blagojevich Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich is appealing his corruption conviction and 14-year prison sentence, according to a notice filed by his attorneys late Tuesday. POL-CNN-Poll-Iraq Most Americans agree with the decision to end the war in Iraq, according to a CNN/ORC International poll released Wednesday. Almost eight in ten said they support removal of combat troops from that country by the end of this year. POL-Family- Leader-Bachmann Prominent Iowa faith leader Bob Vander Plaats asked Michele Bachmann to dramatically alter her White House plans, according to the Bachmann campaign, including the possibility of dropping her presidential bid altogether. POL-Gingrich-SuperPAC- Romney Newt Gingrich pressed on White House rival Mitt Romney Tuesday to condemn super PACs from engaging in negative campaign tactics on a candidate's behalf. TRAVEL-Winter-Storm A winter storm that dumped mounds of snow across parts of the Rockies and the Plains tapered off early Wednesday. FEATURES & COMMENTARY US-Carl-Fields-Job It is just before noon on a Sunday and Carl Fields is rushing through narrow aisles in a busy kitchen at a rehabilitation center. He dodges between tall metal serving carts and workers ladling steaming mashed potatoes. Plates of roast beef are coming off the food line to be capped with white plastic domes, set on trays and loaded onto carts. "You said 'coleslaw,' Reg?" Fields yells to another man in the kitchen, as they dash around to find the missing slaw and get meals out to 125 residents. "Cart up," he yells each time a stack of trays heads toward the dining halls. N-Korea-China-Border I'm so close I feel I could almost reach out and touch it. In the distance I see smoke stacks from shut down factories, grey stark buildings, and the odd old truck. Set against an austere, cold ice blue sky and bare trees, the few people visible can be seen walking slowly, speaking in small groups. This is my glimpse of the 'hermit kingdom', the strange, secretive, forbidding North Korea. We've come to Dandong, a Chinese border town home to North Korean officials, workers and some terrified defectors. London-Sustainable-Industries-Park On a brownfield site in east London, not far from the site of the 2012 Olympic Park, a new green vision is emerging from the ashes of the UK capital's dirty industrial past. Once the home of a coal-fired power station, the London Sustainable Industries Park (SIP) at Dagenham Dock is creating the largest concentration of environmental businesses in the UK. Brazil-Lures-Immigrants In the heart of Sao Paulo, Brazil's largest city, the Little Peruvian Corner turns out spicy lomo saltado -- or jumping sirloin -- for a fast-growing immigrant population. Edgar Villar is the proud owner. After nine years in Brazil, often working illegally for next to no pay, he has opened his own restaurant. He sends $150 to $500 a month to his mother in Lima, Peru. ENT-Review-the-Adventures-of-Tintin "The Adventures of Tintin" is the first of two Steven Spielberg movies to hit theaters this week, the second being "War Horse," on Christmas Day. "Tintin" is the obvious popcorn movie of the two, the crowd- pleaser: "Jurassic Park" to the other's prestige-hungry "Schindler's List." It's also the better of the two -- a buoyant, breathlessly- paced motion capture animated adventure that puts the last "Indiana Jones" movie to shame. FEA-Natural-Hair-Barbie his holiday season, one group of women in Columbus, Georgia, decided to try a new, kinky hairstyle on one of pop culture's most enduring beauty icons: Barbie. FEA-Holiday-Survival-Divorced-Parents David Murphy hasn't started shopping for his two boys yet, and he knows he had better get started. The divorced father of two boys, ages 11 and 14, has custody for a full week around Christmas Day this year and needs to get a tree and start buying presents. Every other year, Murphy (who didn't want his real name used to protect his children's privacy) doesn't have Christmas custody. So, he tries to do something completely different. Divorced for four years, he has traveled with his mother to visit England, where she was born. He has joined his father and stepmother on a trip to Carmel, California. TRAVEL-Five- Hot-Springs There's nothing like soaking in the hot springs while soaking in the culture of a place that loves its bathing. If you're traveling first class, why not head to Japan or Iceland to enjoy a country whose people celebrate the waters and can pinpoint their various healing properties? If domestic travel is more your speed and budget, there are delightful natural spas to be had in the United States. And to spend even more time in nature but less in dollars, camping near a historic hot springs may be the way to go. COMMENTARY-Saberi-Iran-Religion In March 2009, when I was detained in Evin Prison in Iran, two evangelical Christians were arrested. I never met them but spotted them a few times through the barred window of my cell as they walked back and forth to the bathroom down the hall. I would later learn that Maryam Rostampour and Marzieh Amirizadeh had converted from Islam to Christianity and faced charges of spreading propaganda against the Islamic Republic, insulting religious sanctities, and committing apostasy. They resisted severe pressure to renounce their faith, and in November 2009, after an international outcry, the two women went free. COMMENTARY-navarrette-perry-arpaio I bet it sounded like a good idea at the time. Now, not so much. "It" was the ill-conceived decision by GOP presidential hopeful Rick Perry to hitch his wagon to the clownish Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio, an opportunist who in recent years has taken to rounding up illegal immigrants and parading them outside his jail to catch the attention of television cameras. COMMENTARY-goldberg-marriage A couple of years ago, my daughter and I were playing the classic board game "Life," and her little car reached the roadblock at which everybody -- absolutely everybody -- gets married. Needless to say, given a new set of striking statistics last week that showed a record low of 51% of American adults are married, "Life" was designed many decades ago. The study by the Pew Research Center further found that 40% of births these days are to unmarried mothers, and a similar percentage of Americans say marriage is becoming obsolete. COMMENTARY-theriault-gingrich- congress-gridlock The current squabbling between the House and the Senate on the payroll tax cut extension perfectly epitomizes why congressional approval is in the single digits. Highlighting this debacle, Newt Gingrich ends his first television ad in Iowa proclaiming that by "working together, we can and will rebuild the America we love." Expecting Newt Gingrich to work together with Democrats and Republicans to end the partisan deadlock in Washington is a bit like asking the fox to guard the chicken coop. (c) 2011 ProQuest Information and Learning Company; All Rights Reserved. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]