Far and Wide

Fast Focus: Cristina Fernandez vs. Hillary Clinton

(AP Photos/Eduardo Di Baia/Charles Dharapak)

It's not an episode of "Wife Swap." It's Argentina's presidential election. Partial election results indicate that President Nestor Kirchner and first lady Cristina Fernandez will switch roles in December. That would make Fernandez the country's first elected female president. Sound sorta familiar?

In this audio clip, the AP's Niko Price discusses the comparisons between Fernandez and Sen. Hillary Clinton.

Read Price's story about the election here.

-- Derrik J. Lang

In the news Saturday

(AP Photo/Eric Gay)

SoCal wildfire pollution poses health threat

Auto workers OK 4-year pact with Chrysler

Democrats lash out at GOP over children's health program

Turkish prime minister vows fight with Kurds 'when needed'

Red Sox a mile high in Denver with 2-0 lead

Caption:The Colorado Rockies take batting practice at Coors Field in Denver on Friday The Rockies will face the Boston Red Sox in Game 3 today of baseball's World Series. Boston leads the best-of-seven games series 2-0.

--Paul Chavez

In the news Friday

(AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Straight from the AP wires:

Fire evacuees seek return to normal
Astronauts begin first spacewalk
Fight over child health care persists
Mideast leaders work on joint statement
Fenway happy as Red Sox lead series 2-0

-- Jaime Holguin

Brew ha-ha: Sam Adams vs. Sam Adams

In one corner of the ring we have the Boston brewers of Sam Adams beer. In the other, Sam Adams, the mild-mannered bicycle rider who wants to be Portland's next mayor.

The slogan "Sam Adams for Portland Mayor" is already on his Web site (www.samforpdx.com) and soon may grace yard signs and bumper stickers for the 2008 election.

"They say they've been using this trademark since 1984," Adams said. "I've been using it since 1963."

Game on.

For more, check out this AP story.

-- Jaime Holguin

In the news Thursday

(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Straight from the AP wires:

Calif. fires may be at a turning point
Military may get control of contractors
Iraqi delegation to visit Turkey
Looking for an excuse? Company has many
Red Sox cool off Rockies 13-1 in Game 1

-- Jaime Holguin

Wars may cost U.S. $2.4 trillion over decade

(AP Photo/Sgt. Timothy Kingston, U.S. Army)

The number crunchers at the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office have tallied how much the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan will cost over the next decade: $2.4 trillion.

Just to be clear, that's $2,400,000,000,000.

WHITE HOUSE REACTION:

"It's just a ton of speculation," said White House press secretary Dana Perino. "We don't know how much the war is going to cost in the future."

SPENDING SO FAR: According to the analysis, the U.S. has spent about $604 billion on the wars, including $39 billion in diplomatic operations and foreign aid.

For more on the spending forecast, read this report filed today out of Washington by Anne Flaherty.

Caption: Two U.S. Army soldiers from Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 10th Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division dismount from the back of a Bradley Fighting Vehicle earlier this month to conduct a cordon and search at a brick factory in Narahwan, Iraq.

--Paul Chavez

"CDC considers climate change a serious public health concern"

To be clear, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is the government's premier disease monitoring agency.

Its director, Dr. Julie Gerberding,  testified before a Senate hearing yesterday on the impact of climate change on health.

What she'd planned on saying was this:

" ... scientific evidence supports the view that the earth's climate is changing" and that many groups are working to address climate change. "Despite this extensive activity, the public health effects of climate change remain largely unaddressed. CDC considers climate change a serious public health concern."

But after she submitted her draft for White House review, the paragraph was axed.  In all, six pages of details about specific disease and other health problems that might flourish if the Earth warms, were never delivered at the hearing, documents obtained by The Associated Press show.

The White House on Wednesday denied that it had "watered down" her congressional testimony.

For more, check out this AP story by H. Josef Hebert.

-- Jaime Holguin

In the news Wednesday

(AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

Straight from the AP wires:

Calif. firefighters hope winds slacken
Rice says Iran an obstacle to U.S. goals
Bush touting Cuban life after Castro
Turkey shells Kurd rebels in Iraq
World Series opens tonight in Boston

-- Jaime Holguin

Castro says Bush is bad

(AP Photo/Javier Galeano)

Fidel Castro wrote a statement attacking President Bush a day before the White House was to announce new plans to get Cuba away from communism.

Castro wrote: "The danger of a massive world famine is aggravated by Mr. Bush's recent initiative to transform foods into fuel."

Read more in this story by the AP's Will Weissert.

In the photo: A polling station during Cuba's municipal elections in Havana on Sunday: the first cycle without Fidel Castro in charge.

-- Hillary Rhodes 

In the news Tuesday

(AP Photo/Chris Park)

Straight from the AP wires:

Calif. wind-fueled fires force mass evacuations
Heavy rains flood parts of New Orleans
Czech government favors hosting U.S. missile defense
Ahmadinejad criticized over nuclear envoy
Marie Osmond faints onstage during "Dancing with the Stars"

PHOTO: People who were recently evacuated from their homes during the San Diego wildfires try to get some sleep while others arrive and set up camp at Qualcomm Stadium on Monday.

-- Jaime Holguin