Friday, May 2, 2008

Congress Passes Ban on Using Genetic Data Against Workers

Companies would no longer be able to use genetic information like a person's predisposition for breast cancer, sickle cell disease or diabetes to make insurance or job decisions under a bill passed by Congress yesterday. President Bush is expected to sign it into law.

The House voted 414 to 1 for the legislation a week after it passed the Senate 95 to 0.

The bill would bar health insurance companies from using genetic information to set premiums or determine enrollment eligibility. Similarly, employers could not use genetic information in hiring, firing or promotion decisions. Rep. Ron Paul (R-Tex.) was the only member of Congress to vote against the bill.

Army Sergeant Acquitted in Iraqi's Death

FORT HOOD, Tex. -- A military jury acquitted an Army sergeant of premeditated murder in the death of an unarmed Iraqi insurgent who was killed in Muqdadiyah, which was overrun by al-Qaeda operatives. The family of Sgt. Leonardo Trevino sobbed after the verdict in his court-martial was read. The 31-year-old from San Antonio also was cleared on charges of attempted murder, solicitation to commit murder and three counts of obstruction of justice.

Sierra Nevada Snowpack Declines

LOS ANGELES -- The snowpack in the Sierra Nevada range fell sharply in the last four weeks as parched soil from last year's dry weather absorbed large amounts of the state's water supply, California officials said. In April, snow depth and water content declined markedly to 67 percent of normal levels, the California Department of Water Resources said in its final snow survey of the season.

U.S. Releases Al-Jazeera Cameraman

Al-Jazeera cameraman Sami al-Hajj was released from detention at Guantanamo Bay after more than six years in custody and was being repatriated to Sudan, his lawyers said. The Sudanese cameraman was seized by Pakistani forces on Dec. 15, 2001, apparently at the behest of the U.S. authorities who suspected he had interviewed Osama bin Laden. A Pentagon spokesman, Navy Cmdr. Jeffrey Gordon, declined to comment on the report.

Teenager Charged in Planned Attack

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- A teenager accused of planning a Columbine-style attack on his northern Indiana high school was charged with a juvenile count of conspiracy to commit murder. Prosecutors filed a petition alleging delinquency against the 16-year-old Penn High School student. It is the juvenile equivalent of a criminal charge in adult court, where conspiracy to commit murder would be the most serious class of felony.

Barges on Mississippi Hit Two Bridges

DES MOINES -- Several fully loaded barges broke loose on the flood-swollen Mississippi River, struck two bridges and forced a halt to highway and railroad traffic. Three of the five barges that came loose hit the U.S. Route 34 bridge that connects Burlington, Iowa, and Gulfport, Ill., said Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Tim Whalen. The landmark bridge, opened in 1993, is also known as the Great River Bridge.

-- From News Services