|
|
|
Obama backs out of public campaign funds; McCain says rival breaking word (U.S., 48 articles)
|
His decision to break an earlier pledge to take public money will quite likely transform the landscape of presidential campaigns, injecting hundreds of millions of additional dollars into the race and raising doubts about the future of public financing for national races. The Democrat became the first presidential candidate from a major party to bypass public campaign funds for the general election since the system was created in the Watergate era. WASHINGTON - Democrat Barack Obama raised $22 million in May for his presidential campaign, his weakest fundraising month this year, and ended the month with $43 million cash on hand, while former rival Hillary Rodham Clinton sank deeper in debt. The Illinois senator's campaign said it had $43.1 million in the bank at the end of the month, with debts of about. The Obama campaign team said Mr McCain was already using privately-raised funds in his campaign and that the public finance system was "broken". With the possibility of spending perhaps $500 million just in the final two months of the campaign, Obama will be the first major-party candidate to enjoy a spending edge in the general election in more than 30 years.
|
Other stories about Obama, McCain and campaign:
|
|
|
| |
|
|
China to raise fuel, electricity prices; global oil market takes notice (U.S., 13 articles)
|
China, which has been keeping fuel costs for consumers below market rates with billions of dollars in subsidies, said retail gasoline prices as of today would rise more than 16% and diesel prices would jump 18%. Oil prices have rebounded as investors begin to consider that a fuel price rise in China may actually increase demand there. HONG KONG - Faced with increasingly severe fuel shortages and the prospect of power failures during the summer air-conditioning season, the Chinese government unexpectedly announced sharp increases late Thursday night in regulated prices for gasoline, diesel and electricity.
|
Other stories about oil, prices and drilling:
| |
Troops blast debris slowing China quake lake drain :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: World (World, 31 articles)
|
China says death toll in quake more than 51K BEICHUAN, China China said the death toll from last week's powerful earthquake jumped to more than 51,000, as it appealed Thursday for millions of tents to shelter homeless survivors. Three weeks after the quake struck Sichuan province, the Health Ministry said authorities were working to ensure the safety of drinking water and food, checking public health conditions and were disinfecting bodies. BEICHUAN, China Shoddy construction and poor planning contributed to the toll from China's devastating earthquake, engineers studying the disaster for the government said Thursday, as a lake still swelling behind a wall of debris threatened communities downstream.
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Europe Pushes Ireland to Help Save Treaty (World, 26 articles)
|
European chief executives believe the Irish No vote in a referendum on the Lisbon treaty is bad for business as it weakens the European Union on the global stage against the Middle East, Russia and Asian countries. The treaty was rejected by Irish voters in a referendum on 12 June 2008 and, under EU rules, it cannot enter into force if any of the 27 member states fails to ratify it. Since then, the Czechs have suspended their parliamentary ratification vote pending a constitutional court ruling, and ratification by the UK parliament is being delayed until a court rules on a legal challenge.
|
Other stories about EU, European and Ireland:
| |
First day of Hamas-Israel truce passes quietly (World, 20 articles)
|
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Wednesday said that Israel would do its part to implement a cease-fire deal in the Gaza Strip, but warned that the truce was " fragile and likely to be short-lived. The prime minister said that Israel would "go forward in implementing this calm" but that its military was readying its response should Palestinian rocket attacks continue. JERUSALEM (CNN) Palestinian militants and the Israeli military traded violent attacks Wednesday, a day before a truce was scheduled to take effect, according to the Israeli military and Hamas.
|
Other stories about Israel, defense and officials:
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
| |
| |
blaster@cs.columbia.edu
|
