Could Bill Clinton replace wife in the U.S. Senate?

Could Bill Clinton replace wife in the U.S. Senate?

ALBANY, N.Y. — Sen. Bill Clinton? Sen. Mario Cuomo? Don’t completely rule it out.

The former president and the former New York governor are among several boldface names being touted as possible “caretakers” for New York’s Senate seat — people who would serve until the 2010 elections but wouldn’t be interested in running to keep the job. As the process of picking Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s replacement gets messier, the option may become increasingly attractive to Gov. David Paterson, who has sole authority to name a successor.

A spokesman for Bill Clinton, Matt McKenna, said Wednesday that the former chief executive isn’t interested in the job and plans to continue the work of his foundation. Cuomo declined through a spokesman to discuss the Senate seat.

Nightclub fire kills dozens

BANGKOK, Thailand — A fire swept through a high-class nightclub jammed with several hundred New Year’s revelers early today, killing at least 59 people and injuring about 130, officials said.

A number of foreigners were among the casualties from the blaze that erupted shortly after midnight at the Santika Club in Bangkok’s entertainment district.

Victims died from burns, smoke inhalation and injuries during the stampede to escape from the club, which had only one door for the public, police Maj. Gen. Chokchai Deeprasertwit said. Firefighters said a door at the rear was known only to the staff. Video footage of the disaster showed bloodied, bruised and burned victims being dragged out of the burning club or managing to run through the door or shattered windows.

Mexico extradites drug smugglers to U.S.

MEXICO CITY — Mexico sent 10 reputed drug smugglers to the United States on Wednesday, capping an already record year for extraditions between the two countries.

Several were high-ranking members of Mexico’s most powerful drug gangs, including the Gulf and Tijuana-based Arellano-Felix cartels, Mexico’s attorney general’s office said in a news release. The suspects will face charges in California, Texas, Florida and Georgia.

U.S. Ambassador Tony Garza praised the action as another example of President Felipe Calderon’s resolve to go after cartels. Since taking office in 2006, Calderon has made it a priority to extradite drug suspects, who previously would operate from their Mexican jail cells.

Militant confesses role in Mumbai terror attacks

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — A militant arrested in Pakistan has confessed involvement in the Mumbai terror attacks and is giving investigators details of the plot, a senior Pakistani government official said Wednesday.

The revelation could add to pressure on Islamabad to either bring Zarar Shah and other suspects to trial or extradite them to India.

“[Shah] has made some statement that he was involved,” said the government official, without providing specific details. “I can tell you that he is singing.”

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the disclosure, which was first reported in the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday.

Tainted-milk scam exec pleads guilty, faces death

BEIJING — An executive for the dairy company at the heart of China’s tainted milk scandal admitted knowing there were problems with Sanlu-brand products for months before she informed authorities and pleaded guilty Wednesday to charges that could lead to the death penalty, state media reported.

The trial of Tian Wenhua, former board chairwoman and general manager of Sanlu Group Co., was the most high-profile yet in a food safety crisis widely seen as a national disgrace, highlighting corporate and official malfeasance.

At least six babies died and nearly 300,000 were sickened by infant formula tainted with the industrial chemical melamine, while panicked parents across China rushed their children to hospitals for health checks.

Associated Press