LITTLE ROCK — QUOTE OF THE DAY
“We need to change the way we do business in the Senate. Right now, we have gridlock.
We have delay.We have obstruction, and we don’t have any accountability.”
Sen. Tom Udall of New Mexico,
a Democrat, on a possible rule change to minimize the minority party’s ability to block legislation Article, 4AList in hand, Obama pops by bookstore
ARLINGTON, Va. - President Barack Obama made a quick trip Saturday afternoon to a Virginia bookstore for some Christmas shopping.
The president took his daughters, Sasha and Malia, to One More Page Books in Arlington.
The White House said Obama was promoting an effort called Small Business Saturday to encourage shoppers to patronize mom-and-pop businesses after Thanksgiving.
At the store, Obama held up his BlackBerry, apparently looking up a book title as he spoke with shop owner Eileen McGervey. He said “preparation” was the key to his shopping.
Obama brushed off a reporter’s question about the looming “fiscal cliff,” saying, “We’re doing Christmas shopping.”
The White House said Obama bought 15 children’s books that will be given as Christmas gifts to family members.
State Department fire leaves 3 hurt
WASHINGTON - Three people were seriously injured after a fire broke out Saturday at the State Department headquarters in Washington, fire officials said.
Fire and emergency-services spokesman Lon Walls said the fire broke out about 11 a.m. in the duct work on the seventh floor as crews were working on the building.
Workers put the fire out before firefighters arrived, but not before three people suffered burns.
Walls said one person suffered life-threatening injuries and two others had serious but non-life-threatening injuries. All three were taken to Washington Hospital Center.
There were few federal employees in the building because of the holiday weekend.
Turmoil puts off Mideast-nukes forum
WASHINGTON - The U.S. has said a proposed conference on banning nuclear weapons in the Middle East cannot be convened at this point because of conditions in the region.
State Department spokesman Victoria Nuland said in a statement released Friday that the U.S. will continue to work to create conditions that could result in a successful conference. But she cited political turmoil in the region and Iran’s defiant stance on nonproliferation.
She said the U.S. supports the goal of a Middle East free of weapons of mass destruction. But she said such a conference should discuss a broad agenda of regional security and have some sort of consensus among the nations in the region on how to approach the conference.
The Associated Press reported earlier this month that the meeting, planned for Helsinki before the end of the year, had been called off. A diplomat, who demanded anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter ahead of a public announcement of the cancellation, said Israel had decided not to attend. Key sponsors had said that the meeting was possible only if all countries, especially Israel, would participate.
Israel declined to participate because of positions taken by Arab countries, the diplomat said.
Suspect in 4 deaths caught in Mexico
LOS ANGELES - One of the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives was arrested in Mexico and returned to Los Angeles on Friday night to face charges of murder, kidnapping and rape, U.S. officials said.
Reputed Los Angeles gang member Joe Luis Saenz was taken into custody in Guadalajara late Thursday after a joint operation with the Mexican government, said Bill Lewis, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles office.
Investigators said Saenz shot and killed two rival gang members in July 1998 to retaliate for an assault on one of his associates.
Saenz suspected Sigrieta Hernandez, his girlfriend and the mother of his daughter, was going to tell police about the slayings, investigators said. He is accused of kidnapping, raping and killing her less than two weeks later.
Saenz also is believed to have killed Oscar Torres at his home in suburban Whittier in October 2008 because he failed to repay $600,000 in drug money after police seized the cash during a traffic stop.
Saenz, who is about 37 years old, was believed to be hiding in Mexico, working as an enforcer and hit man for a Mexican drug cartel.
Front Section, Pages 6 on 11/25/2012