Change war-powers law, bipartisan group says

Change war-powers law, bipartisan group says

WASHINGTON — The next time the president goes to war, Congress should be consulted and vote on whether it agrees, according to a bipartisan study group chaired by former secretaries of state James Baker III and Warren Christopher.

In a report released Tuesday, the panel says the current law governing the nation’s war powers has failed to promote cooperation between the executive and legislative branches. It says the 1973 resolution should be repealed and replaced with new legislation that would require the president to inform Congress of any plans to engage in “significant armed conflict,” or noncovert operations lasting longer than a week.

In turn, Congress would act within 30 days, either approving or disapproving the action.

California fires flare up in inland parts of state

LOS ANGELES — Firefighters on Tuesday faced worsening weather conditions that pushed flames across firebreaks in parts of inland California and chased residents out of one small community.

Along the coast, however, an evacuation order was lifted for a lengthy section in the scenic Big Sur area.

The weather change came from a high pressure system setting up over the entire West, said Mike Smith, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Sacramento.

Oil prices tumble for second time this week

NEW YORK — Oil tumbled more than $5 a barrel Tuesday in its second big drop this week, hurling crude back to levels not seen since June 26 as traders wary about the health of the global economy cashed in gains from oil’s recent rally.

Light, sweet crude for August delivery fell $5.33 to settle at $136.04, after earlier slumping as low as $135.14. The decline followed a $3.92 slide Monday, bringing oil’s two-day drop to more than $9.

The market’s bearish turn this week erases, at least for the time being, the effect of a rally that pushed prices past $145 in a string of record-setting sessions before the Fourth of July.

Jack Kevorkian qualifies to run for Congress

PONTIAC, Mich. — Assisted suicide advocate Jack Kevorkian has collected enough signatures to be on the November ballot as a congressional candidate in Michigan.

Joe Rozell, director of elections for Oakland County, says Kevorkian had about 3,200 valid signatures. Kevorkian needed to collect 3,000.

The 80-year-old in March announced plans to run as an independent for the 9th Congressional District seat held by Republican Joe Knollenberg. Democrat Gary Peters, a former state lottery commissioner, also is in the race.

Kevorkian, nicknamed “Dr. Death,” was released from prison last year after serving eight years for helping an Oakland County man with Lou Gehrig’s disease die in 1998.

Uranium-tainted liquid leaks from nuclear site

PARIS — Liquid containing traces of unenriched uranium leaked Tuesday at a nuclear site in southern France, and some of the solution ran into two rivers, France’s nuclear safety agency said.

Authorities banned the consumption of well water in three nearby towns and the watering of crops from the two rivers. Swimming, water sports and fishing were also banned.

A spokeswoman for the nuclear safety agency, Evangelia Petit, said about 7,925 gallons of solution containing uranium spilled at a factory at the Tricastin nuclear site, about 25 miles from the historic city of Avignon.

Mexico City officials resign in raid scandal

MEXICO CITY — Mexico City’s police chief and its top prosecutor were forced out of office Tuesday after a botched nightclub raid that resulted in the deaths of 12 people, including a 13-year-old girl.

Mayor Marcelo Ebrard said the resignation of Police Chief Joel Ortega was the first step in a plan to reconstruct the police force. Ortega had held the post since 2004, when he replaced Ebrard — who was fired in a different police scandal.

The mayor made the announcement shortly after Mexico City’s Human Rights Commission presented a report alleging rampant misconduct by officials in the June 20 raid on the News Divine nightclub that it said “created a death trap.”

Associated Press