G8 turns attention to global warming
L'AQUILA, Italy, July 9 (UPI) -- World leaders attending the Group of Eight meeting in Italy turned their attention to global warming Thursday during the economic summit.
U.S. President Barack Obama was to take the lead in the climate-focused Major Economies Forum at the meetings in L'Aquila, CNN reported.
The group of G8 nations (Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States), along with Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa, are responsible for 80 percent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, experts say.
Thursday's session follows the Group of Eight leaders' pledge to "join a global response to achieve a 50 percent reduction in global emissions by 2050 and to a goal of an aggregate 80 percent or more reduction by developed countries" by then.
Despite the leaders' vow to slash emissions, the G8 acknowledged developing nations may not follow suit, CNN said.
The leaders "called upon major emerging economies to undertake quantifiable actions to collectively reduce emissions significantly below business-as-usual by a specified year," the White House said.
Pope Benedict XVI receives G8 first ladies
L'AQUILA, Italy, July 9 (UPI) -- Wives of the Group of Eight leaders visited with Pope Benedict XVI at Vatican City while their spouses met in L'Aquila.
During his general audience before meeting with the spouses Wednesday, the pope asked the faithful to pray for the summit attendees, the Italian news agency ANSA reported Thursday.
"This important world summit can lead to decisions useful for the progress of all peoples, especially the poorest," Pope Benedict XVI said.
All of the first ladies dressed in black and wore veils, except for South African President Jacob Zuma's wife, who wore traditional clothing, the news agency said.
U.S. first lady Michelle Obama did not attend the meeting because she and her husband, President Barack Obama, were to have a private audience with the pontiff Friday. France's first lady Carla Bruni did not arrive in Italy until Thursday. Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso and his wife met the pope Tuesday.
Stimulus road funds limited for cities
NEW YORK, July 9 (UPI) -- A study of 5,274 approved transportation projects shows the 100 largest U.S. metropolitan areas are not receiving even 50 percent of stimulus road funds.
The New York Times said Thursday its analysis of the projects planned by U.S. states found major population areas nationwide will receive less than half of the $16.4 billion in stimulus funds tabbed for such transportation improvements.
While the federal stimulus funds were tabbed for use on transportation projects such as bridges and highways, states were given the final say on how to use the appropriated funds.
The project planning comes as the nation's top 100 metropolitan areas account for 75 percent of the economic activity in the United States, the Times said.
Robert Puentes of the Brookings Institution said states would be best served to focus funding efforts on these areas to help improve the nation's struggling economy.
"But states take this peanut-butter approach, taking the dollars and spreading them around very thinly, rather than taking the dollars and concentrating them where the most complex transportation problems are," the Metropolitan Policy Program senior fellow said.
H1N1 cases at prison prompt precautions
SAN RAFAEL, Calif., July 9 (UPI) -- The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said precautions are in place following a swine flu outbreak at San Quentin State Prison.
The state department said after four probable H1N1 influenza cases were identified and 47 prisoners exhibited flu-like symptoms, a hold on accepting new prisoners was implemented, the Los Angeles Times said Wednesday.
The hold from 19 Northern California counties was accompanied by the suspension of all inmate transfers to other correctional facilities, corrections agency officials added in a statement.
The swine flu outbreak at the prison near San Rafael, Calif., has resulted in nearly 50 percent of the site's 5,153 inmates living in quarantine.
Members of the public are not being permitted to visit the affected housing units as an additional precaution, the Times reported.
Iran vows 'crushing response' for protest
TEHRAN, July 9 (UPI) -- Iranian authorities warned those who planned to take part in a demonstration Thursday they would be met with a "crushing response."
Thursday was the 10th anniversary of violent confrontations when protesting students were beaten and jailed.
Officials also were concerned the protests could rekindle the demonstrations that followed the disputed June 12 elections, The New York Times said.
Following the election victory of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran became the scene of opposition rallies with some protests turning violent. At least 20 people lost their lives and hundreds of others were injured.
Hoping to keep things quiet, authorities were trying to encourage people to leave Tehran for the weekend because of severe hazy weather conditions, CNN reported.
Iranian officials said they had released 2,000 people who were arrested for participating in the post-election protests, but still held 1,500 prisoners who were to be put on trial, the state-run Press TV reported.
