Today's News Highlights 08.16.11

TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS
CT scans for lung cancer ignite debate
Proponents say screening could save thousands of lives, while critics of wide-scale testing argue that it’s not clear whether benefits outweigh risks.
(By Rob Stein)

Obama wants government to keep big mortgage role
President Obama has directed a small team of advisers to develop a proposal that would keep the government playing a major role in the nation’s mortgage market, extending a federal loan subsidy for most home buyers, according to people familiar with the matter.
(By Zachary A. Goldfarb)

Perry takes aim at Bernanke
Texas Gov. Rick Perry, making his maiden campaign swing in Iowa after jumping into the race for the Republican presidential nomination, suggested Monday night that Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke would be committing an act of treason by printing more money between now and November 2012.
(By Philip Rucker)

Slain D.C. woman, 91, sought protection against husband
Viola Drath, who was found dead in her Georgetown home Friday, had a tumultuous relationship with her much younger husband, court documents show.
(By Josh White and Allison Klein)

Gaddafi isolated amid setbacks
With rebels reaching within 30 miles of Tripoli, the Libyan leader’s government suffered its latest apparent defection.
(By Leila Fadel)

POLITICS
Perry warns of Fed treason
Candidate says Ben Bernanke would be committing a “treasonous” act if the Fed ordered printing of more money before the 2012 election.
( by Dan Balz , The Washington Post)

400 hidden cameras show Earth's real wild side _ up-close look at jaguars, gorillas, elephants
WASHINGTON — They are the hidden family portraits of Earth’s most remote jungles finally revealed: A touching snapshot of an endangered female mountain gorilla carrying an infant on her back. A giant anteater sticking its enormous snout practically in your face. Soulful eyes of a curious chimpanzee, a speedy jaguar and a rare tapir staring back at you.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

400 hidden cameras show Earth's real wild side _ up-close look at jaguars, gorillas, elephants
WASHINGTON — They are the hidden family portraits of Earth’s most remote jungles finally revealed: A touching snapshot of an endangered female mountain gorilla carrying an infant on her back. A giant anteater sticking its enormous snout practically in your face. Soulful eyes of a curious chimpanzee, a speedy jaguar and a rare tapir staring back at you.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

McDonnell to lead GOP governors group
The new role gives the Va. governor a greater platform to fundraise, network and gain national attention.
( by Anita Kumar and John Wagner , The Washington Post)

US officials: Gadhafi forces fire first Scud missile in Libyan conflict; no one hit
WASHINGTON — Libyan government forces tapped into their stores of Scud missiles this weekend, firing one for the first time in this year’s conflict with rebels, but hurting no one, U.S. defense officials said Monday.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

STYLE
Ask Amy: Block, lock or ‘unfriend’ this Facebook buddy
Her friend’s dad “friended” her on Facebook, but his comments are not at all friendly.
(, Tribune Media Service)

Miss Manners: Shower for married niece may be politely unattended
Her niece had a quick, low-key marriage. A bridal shower invite came long after the event.
(, Universal Press)

Hints From Heloise: Capsule countdown
One reader’s mom took pill-counting to an extreme.
(, King)

Interested in a dad, but not his daughter
She’s dating a divorced father with a daughter, but has no interest in “the mommy role.” Can this relationship work?
(, The Washington Post)

Rembrandt theft ‘well-planned’
A Rembrandt drawing titled “The Judgment” has disappeared from an exhibit near Los Angeles and police say the theft was “well-planned.”
( Reuters , The Washington Post)

SPORTS
Anti-corruption group responds to Blatter's request with tough advice on FIFA reform program
ZURICH — Invited by FIFA to propose reforms, Transparency International has urged world soccer’s governing body to order independent investigations into past corruption allegations to help overcome a “crisis of trust.”
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Monday's Sports in Brief
DETROIT — Jim Thome hit his 600th home run an inning after he hit No. 599 to help the Minnesota Twins outslug the Detroit Tigers 9-6.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Rebuilt Houston defense looks solid in preseason opener
HOUSTON — Houston coach Gary Kubiak brought in Wade Phillips to rebuild the Texans’ defense.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Shane Beamer returns to Virginia Tech, hopes to help father win elusive national title
BLACKSBURG, Va. — Every day, Shane Beamer thinks about the night he could have won a national championship with Virginia Tech.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Rookie WR Randall Cobb continues to stand out for Packers
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Packers rookie Randall Cobb turned some heads in practice, then made some plays during Green Bay’s preseason loss at Cleveland on Saturday.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

WORLD
Russia opens top air show aimed at showing off its aviation achievements, nabing new contracts
ZHUKOVSKY, Russia — Lines of sleek combat jets and gleaming airliners filled an air base outside Moscow on Tuesday for Russia’s top air show, as the country aimed to burnish the image of its aviation industries and secure new export contracts.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

In Helmand, local leaders wield levers of a fragile Afghan government for 1st time
SIRAQULA, Afghanistan — The local Afghan leader’s community meeting was off to an unpromising start.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Royal Dutch Shell says is struggling to stop second, smaller oil leak in North Sea
LONDON — Royal Dutch Shell has shut down the main leak at one of its North Sea oil rigs but said Tuesday it is struggling to stop a secondary spill in a hard-to-reach part of the ocean floor.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Zimbabwe Gen. Mujuru, power broker in President Mugabe's fractured party, dies
HARARE, Zimbabwe — Former military chief Gen. Solomon Mujuru, one of Zimbabwe’s main political power brokers and husband of the vice president, has died, relatives and family friends said Tuesday. Mujuru was 63.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

US and South Korea start annual military drills slammed by North Korea as a provocation
SEOUL, South Korea — The United States and South Korea on Tuesday began joint war games that North Korea has warned would choke off budding diplomacy and drive the Korean peninsula to war.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

LIVE DISCUSSIONS
Ask Boswell
Sports Columnist Tom Boswell will take your questions about baseball, the Redskins, the Wizards and more.
(, vForum)

ComPost Live with Alexandra Petri
The Compost, written by Alexandra Petri, offers a lighter take on the news and political in(s)anity of the day.
(, vForum)

Opinion Focus with Eugene Robinson
Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson discusses his recent columns and the latest news in a live Q&A.
(, vForum)

Debt Ceiling drama: Why Jonathan Capehart thinks your voice needs to be heard
In his Post-Partisan blog post today, Opinion writer Jonathan Capehart said that "Folks should be marching on the Capitol" in protest of the way the debt issue is being handled. Do you agree?
(, vForum)

Chatological Humor: Monthly with Moron
Gene Weingarten takes polls and chats about his recent columns.
(, vForum)

TECHNOLOGY
UK’s ICO ‘Satisfied’ With Google’s Privacy Policy Improvements, Asks For More

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com)

Daily Crunch: Gundamcraft

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com)

Screw The Rich (Here’s How)

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com)

“Defending Android”

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com)

BART Shuts Down Cell Service To Thwart Rumored Protests, Gets Actual Protests (And Has To Close Stations)

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com)

BUSINESS
UK’s ICO ‘Satisfied’ With Google’s Privacy Policy Improvements, Asks For More

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com)

Rising rents push UK consumer price inflation up to 4.4 percent
LONDON — Rising rents and banking fees pushed Britain’s annual inflation rate up to 4.4 percent in July.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Eurozone sees growth sag to anaemic 0.2 percent in Q2 as officials struggle with debt crisis
FRANKFURT, Germany — Economic growth in the 17 countries that use the euro sagged to a lackluster quarterly rate of 0.2 percent in the second quarter as a previously robust expansion in Germany almost ground to a halt.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Global stocks lose steam on weak German growth and dashed eurobond hopes to tackle debt crisis
MILAN — After an optimistic start to the trading week, global stock markets lost their steam Tuesday after subdued German growth figures reinforced fears over the global economy.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Eurozone economic motor Germany sees growth rate drop to 0.1 percent
FRANKFURT, Germany — Germany’s economic growth nearly ground to a halt in the second quarter, in another downbeat sign for the global economy.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)