US & World News, Tuesday 6/24

US& World Summary --- Don Imus Defends Controversial Remarks (New York, NY) -- Radio host Don Imus says his comment about suspended NFL player Adam "Pacman" Jones was meant to show how Jones is being targeted because of his race. Yesterday, Imus generated controversy when he asked sportscaster Warner Wolf about the race of the Dallas Cowboys cornerback following his six arrests since being drafted. When Wolf said Jones is African-American, Imus responded, quote, "Well, there you go. Now we know." Imus was fired last year for controversial comments about the Rutgers womens basketball team. --- California Firefighters Battle Unprecedented Number Of Fires (Fairfield, CA) -- Progress is being made by California firefighters who are battling an unprecedented number of grass fires, sparked by lightning over the weekend. At one time, more than 800 fires were burning from the Oregon border to Monterey County. As of last night, the Wild Fire burning northwest of Fairfield was 60-percent contained. A wildfire in Lake County broke out late Sunday afternoon and has burned eight-thousand acres. In addition, two fires burning in Santa Clara County west of Gilroy are nearly out. --- Deadly Suicide Attack In Iraq (Baghdad) -- At least six Iraqis, two U.S. soldiers and two U.S. citizens have been killed by a suicide bomber in Iraq. The incident occurred today at an Iraqi council meeting in Sadr City. One of the civilians worked for the U.S. State Department, the other for the Department of Defense. It comes one day after a gunman killed two U.S. soldiers and wounded three others as they left a council building southeast of Baghdad. In that incident a local official in the town of Madaen reportedly turned his gun on U.S. soldiers who had gone to visit him. --- Military To Name First Woman Four-Star General (Washington, DC) -- The Pentagon has announced the U.S. military is giving a woman another star, promoting her to the rank of four-star general. Lieutenant General Ann Dunwoody has been nominated to receive a fourth star. Defense Secretary Robert Gates described Dunwoodys nomination as "historic" and called her "exceptionally qualified" for the position. Dunwoodys nomination must be confirmed by the Senate. There are 57 active-duty female generals, five of whom have three-star rankings. --- Supreme Court Expected To Rule This Week On DC Gun Ban (Washington, DC) -- An opinion should come this week from the United States Supreme Court on the handgun ban in the nations capital. In March, justices heard arguments in the case that could overturn the Districts ban which has been in place since 1977. Washington, DC officials believe without the ban, violent crime would increase. Lawyers challenging the ban say it does nothing to stop violence and prevents law abiding citizens from protecting themselves in their homes. --- NASA Scientist Pushes For Carbon Tax (Washington, DC) -- In an effort to cut greenhouse gases, a NASA scientist wants lawmakers to create a tax on carbon emissions. During a Congressional briefing yesterday, James Hansen said a carbon tax would be the best way to decrease global warming emissions. Hansen is perhaps best known as the scientist who first warned Congress 20 years ago that the Earths climate was warming. Testifying on Capitol Hill yesterday, Hansen claimed urgent action is necessary to stop global warming, adding that world leaders have only one or two years to act before the Earth suffers major climate consequences. --- Microsoft Founder Bill Gates Stepping Down Friday (Redmond, WA) -- Microsoft founder Bill Gates will end his day-to-day duties with the company this Friday. Microsoft became the worlds largest software company with Gates at the helm, reporting more than 14-billion-dollars in profits last year. Gates isnt leaving the company completely. He will stay on as chairman and take part in selected projects on a part-time basis. Gates will make his full time job the operation of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Gates and friend Paul Allen started the company over 30 years ago when Gates wrote the MS-DOS operating system which would power IBMs entry into the personal computer market. (Copyright 2008 by Newsroom Solutions) RNS-06-24-08 0845CDT