Nation and World briefs for April 21

Senate OKs bill to promote wide variety of energy sources

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate overwhelmingly approved a far-reaching energy bill Wednesday that reflects significant changes in U.S. oil and natural gas production over the past decade and boosts alternative energy sources such as wind and solar power.

The bill also would speed federal approval of projects to export liquefied natural gas to Europe and Asia, where prices are higher than in the U.S. following a yearlong boom in domestic gas production.

With its 85-12 vote, the Senate backed its first ambitious energy bill in nearly a decade.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, an Alaska Republican and chairwoman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, said the bill represented “energy modernization” on a broad scale, reflecting almost a decade’s worth of changes in technologies and markets in the energy sector.

“Moving forward with this act will help America produce more energy, help Americans save more money and bring us one step closer to becoming a global energy superpower,” Murkowski said.

3 officials charged in Flint water crisis

FLINT, Mich. (AP) — The Flint water crisis became a criminal case Wednesday when two state regulators and a city employee were charged with official misconduct, evidence-tampering and other offenses over the lead contamination that alarmed the country and brought cries of racism.

“This is a road back to restoring faith and confidence in all Michigan families in their government,” state Attorney General Bill Schuette said in announcing the first charges to come out the disaster, blamed on a series of bad decisions by bureaucrats and political leaders.

He warned there will be more charges — “That I can guarantee” — and added: “No one is off the table.”

For nearly 18 months, the poor, majority-black city of 100,000 used the Flint River for tap water as a way to save money — a decision made by a state-appointed emergency manager — while a new pipeline was under construction. But the water wasn’t treated to control corrosion. The result: Lead was released from aging pipes and fixtures as water flowed into homes and businesses.

Gov. Rick Snyder didn’t acknowledge the problem until last fall, when tests revealed high levels of lead in children, in whom the heavy metal can cause low IQs and behavioral problems.

Up to 500 feared dead in Mediterranean shipwreck last week

GENEVA (AP) — As many as 500 people are feared dead after a shipwreck last week in the Mediterranean Sea, two international groups said Wednesday, describing survivors’ accounts of panicked passengers who desperately tried to stay afloat by jumping between vessels.

The disaster happened in waters between Italy and Libya, based on accounts from 41 survivors who were rescued Saturday by a merchant ship, according to the U.N refugee agency and the International Organization for Migration.

The tragedy ranks among the deadliest in recent years on the often-treacherous sea voyage along the central Mediterranean by refugees and migrants from Africa, the Middle East and beyond who have traveled in droves hoping to reach relatively peaceful and wealthy Europe.

While accounts provided by IOM and UNHCR varied slightly, both organizations said up to 200 people left the coastal town of Tobruk last week headed for a larger vessel already carrying hundreds of people in the Mediterranean.

IOM said the 200 people had left on several small boats, while UNHCR said 100 to 200 people left in a single 30-meter boat. The discrepancy in the accounts could not be immediately explained.

Obama pushes Saudis, Gulf allies to step up Iraq aid

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — With fresh friction wearing on an old alliance, President Barack Obama pressed Saudi Arabia and Persian Gulf nations on Wednesday to step up efforts to defeat the Islamic State group and help rebuild war-torn Iraq.

Obama huddled privately with Saudi King Salman at Erga Palace as Defense Secretary Ash Carter appealed to other Gulf nations for more economic and political support for Iraq, echoing themes Obama planned to emphasize personally in talks with Gulf leaders at a regional summit. In addition to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Oman and Qatar are participating.

The president’s visit came at a difficult time for such requests. U.S. relations with Gulf allies, particularly Saudi Arabia, are under new strains due to differences over Iran, the conflicts in Syria and Yemen, and Obama’s public complaints that allies not carrying their weight.

Carter asked the Gulf countries to help with the reconstruction of the cities of Ramadi and Hit as well as Anbar province, areas that have been won back from IS militants but were left in near-shambles. He said helping the Iraqi people go home and rebuild their lives would lead to a more lasting victory and promote a more inclusive government.

“What we would like, and what we discussed today, is to do more,” Carter said at Diriyah Palace.

Source: VW, gov’t ink deal to pay owners of cheating diesels

DETROIT (AP) — Volkswagen, the U.S. government and private lawyers have reached a deal for the automaker to spend just over $1 billion to compensate owners of about 600,000 diesel-powered cars that cheat on emissions tests, including buyback offers to some owners, according to a person briefed on the matter.

The “deal in principle” includes a maximum amount of spending, but the final details, like how much each owner would get, are still being worked out, according to the person, who asked not to be identified because the deal hasn’t been made public.

Some owners would get a choice of having VW repair their cars or buy them back, but that would vary by model year and engine type, the person said. The deal does not yet include plans on how to repair the cars, the person said. The cars can spew out harmful nitrogen oxide at 40 times the allowable limit, the person said.

The agreement is likely to be announced Thursday morning during a federal court hearing in San Francisco. The person says it will not include plans to fix the cars. Those plans, and the cost of the fixes, apparently are still under negotiation.

“They’ve agreed on a maximum amount of money, over $1 billion” for compensation, said the person. “How it’s allocated and distributed, that remains to be seen.”

BYU students investigated by school after reporting rape

PROVO, Utah (AP) — Madeline MacDonald says she was an 18-year-old freshman at Brigham Young University when she was sexually assaulted by a man she met on an online dating site.

She reported the crime to the school’s Title IX office. That same day, she says, BYU’s honor code office received a copy of the report, triggering an investigation into whether MacDonald had violated the Mormon school’s strict code of behavior, which bans premarital sex and drinking, among other things.

Now MacDonald is among many students and others, including a Utah prosecutor, who are questioning BYU’s practice of investigating accusers, saying it could discourage women from reporting sexual violence and hinder criminal cases.

Some have started an online petition drive calling on the university to give victims immunity from honor code violations committed in the lead-up to a sexual assault.

This week, BYU announced that in light of such concerns, the school will re-evaluate the practice and consider changes.

Cubans fleeing in high numbers despite new diplomatic ties

WASHINGTON (AP) — While more than 50 years of enmity between the United States and Cuba is slowly vanishing, the renewed relationship is raising concerns among some on the communist island nation that the U.S. could also erase a unique immigration policy that favors Cubans.

Those fears are largely unfounded, yet tens of thousands of Cubans have fled since President Barack Obama announced the normalization of relations between the countries in late 2014. The rush to leave has led to the highest number of people trying to make the dangerous sea crossing in the past eight years, according to internal Homeland Security Department documents obtained by The Associated Press.

“The perception is that the time is now. Given all that is going on, I could see how that perception would exist,” said Coast Guard Capt. Mark Gordon.

The rapprochement between the Cold War foes could have benefits for people in each country. But Cubans worry that once U.S. tourists and businesses flock to Havana, American politicians will move to end an immigration policy that basically allows any Cuban who can make it to U.S. soil to stay.

Cubans can get permanent resident status after living in the U.S. for a year and can later become a citizen as part of the decades-old Cuban Adjustment Act. No other immigrant community is afforded the same on-arrival treatment. Most foreigners trying to come to the United States without a visa try to cross the Mexican border illegally, and typically are arrested and face deportation.

Little help for survivors of Central African Republic abuses

BANGUI, Central African Republic (AP) — The peacekeepers motioned to the teenage girl weaving through the sprawling camp in the baking afternoon sun selling bananas from a plate atop her head. Soon their real intentions were clear: They yanked her inside their tent and began unbuttoning their pants.

Just 16 years old, she cried and pleaded with them to let her go, telling them she was menstruating in hopes it would dissuade them. Then three men gang-raped her one by one. As she trembled on the ground afterward in fear, they laughed and ate the bananas on her plate. Then they shouted at her to leave.

The attack she alleges happened that day did not kill her, but the torment and stigma that followed just might, she says. A few of her peers saw what happened and it wasn’t long before the taunts began, unspeakably cruel even when coming from the mouths of children. They still call her “Miss Sangaris,” a reference to the name of the French peacekeeping mission that implies she is the soldiers’ girlfriend.

She has never reported to any authorities what happened to her that day — even the very sight of another peacekeeper walking by sends her stomach into knots, she says.

“I want to be anywhere but here, to go someplace where no one knows me and I can start over,” she says softly, looking down at her folded hands.