News

By AP

WASHINGTON (AP) – WASHINGTON (AP) - Canada and the European Union are complaining loudly, warning that protectionist moves by Congress could poison global trade relations.

Businesses abroad complain they've already been shut out of U.S. markets because of the "Buy American" provision in the massive stimulus bill, which requires the use of American-manufactured products.

EU and Canadian officials are expressing concern that the practice is widening, as Congress considers adding similar provisions to other spending bills.

By AP

FORT WORTH, TX (AP) – Pianists from Japan and China have won gold medals in the 13th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in Fort Worth, Texas. It marks the first time that someone from an Asian country has taken the prize.

Twenty-year-old Nobuyuki Tsujii of Japan and 19-year-old Haochen Zhang of China
were winners. Tsujii also made history as the first blind pianist to win.

Twenty-three-year-old Yeol Eum Son of South Korea won the silver medal on Sunday.

By AP

EAST LANSING, MI (AP) – A new crop of would-be film industry workers picks up credentials this week in Michigan.

The state has become a magnet for movie business since creating a refundable tax credit of up to 42 percent on production expenses in Michigan. It's the most lucrative in the country.

Michigan State University, Lansing Community College and Capital Area Michigan Works sponsored the training program, which started May 18. A $195,000 state grant paid for it.

By AP

WASHINGTON (AP) – WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama, back from a four-nation trip, gets back to work on the economy today.

Obama and Vice President Joe Biden are scheduled to meet with Cabinet members to discuss specific plans over the next several months for spending stimulus money.

By AP

RECIFE, Brazil (AP) –

RECIFE, Brazil (AP) - The Pentagon says a Navy team leaves for Brazil today with two high-tech devices that can detect emergency beacons to a depth of 20,000 feet.

The devices are expected to aid French searchers looking for Air France Flight 447's black box recorders. Meantime, officials say the recovery of debris and 17 bodies
from the Atlantic Ocean confirms searchers have located the wreckage.

By Laura Weber, Michigan Public Radio Network

LANSING, MI – LANSING, MI (MPRN) - Michigan residents have more confidence in the federal government than the state government. Michigan State University conducted a survey that shows federal ranking above state government for the first time since the quarterly study began 15 years ago.

By AP

DETROIT (AP) – DETROIT (AP) - Clete Thomas' grand slam broke an eighth-inning tie and the Detroit Tigers took advantage of a key error by first baseman Kendry Morales in a 9-6 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.

The Angels led 5-4 going into the bottom of the eighth, but Jose Arredondo (1-3) walked Ryan Raburn and Adam Everett with one out. Jason Bugler came on and walked Curtis Granderson, loading the bases.

By AP

PITTSBURGH (AP) – PITTSBURGH (AP) - You'd think the Pittsburgh's inability to deal with Pavel Datsyuk and the disappearance of their own stars would be enough for the Penguins to fret about.

But they also might have to admit that Marian Hossa was right.

Hossa's better chance of winning the Stanley Cup was in Detroit, not in Pittsburgh.

By AP

WASHINGTON (AP) – WASHINGTON (AP) - Three Indiana state pension and construction funds are asking the Supreme Court to block Chrysler's sale to Fiat so they can pursue an appeal in hopes of getting a better deal.

They claim the current agreement unfairly favors the interests of Chrysler's unsecured stakeholders ahead of those of secured debtholders.

By Melissa Ingells, WKAR News

LANSING, MI (WKAR) – The Lansing Lugnuts blanked the West Michigan Whitecaps 2-0, in the second game of a doubleheader after falling in the opener, 5-4, on Sunday at Oldsmobile Park. The shutout was the first of the season for Lansing, coming in the club's 55th game. On Monday night, the two squads play the fourth game in the five-game series at 7:05 p.m. at Oldsmobile Park.

By AP

Baton Rouge, LA – Baton Rouge, LA (AP) - Louisiana Attorney General Buddy Caldwell says he's found violations in the way General Motors Corp. is treating its dealerships. Caldwell said Friday the bankrupt automaker has sent letters to dealers imposing new restrictions that appear to violate Louisiana regulations.

Caldwell's office will take part in a teleconference with other state attorneys general on Monday, to develop a strategy of making their case before the New York bankruptcy court that's handling the GM case.

By Rick Pluta, MPRN

Lansing (MI) – Lansing, MI (MPRN) - The state will close three prisons by the end of the year, including one maximum security prison in northern Michigan. The Department of Corrections will also close five minimum security prison camps.

It's all part of Governor Granholm's efforts to reduce corrections costs, which make up one-fifth of the state's discretionary spending. The administration estimates the cuts announced Friday will save taxpayers $120 million as the state battles a budget deficit.

By Laura Weber, Michigan Public Radio Network

Lansing, MI – Lansing, MI (MPRN) - State lawmakers say healthcare reform is necessary now more than ever in light of GM and Chrysler bankruptcies. They say more than a million people are uninsured in Michigan, and that number is bound to grow as automakers make cuts. Nearly 9,000 GM employees in the state lost their jobs with the company's bankruptcy.

By Rick Pluta, MPRN

LANSING, MI – The state Department of Corrections announced today that it will close three prisons and five prison camps by the end of the year. It's part of Governor Granholm's drive to find big savings by closing prisons and reducing the number of inmates. Administration officials say the closings will save taxpayers $120,000,000 without compromising public safety.

By Rick Pluta, MPRN

LANSING (MI) – The state Department of Corrections will close three prisons, including a maximum security facility in the Upper Peninsula. The state will also shut down five minimum security camps, and lay off more than 1,000 corrections officers.

The prisons are the maximum security Standish Correctional in the Upper Peninsula, the medium security Muskegon Correctional Facility in west Michigan, and the minimum security Hiawatha Correctional Facility Facility near Kincheloe in the Upper Peninsula.

By Laura Weber, Michigan Public Radio Network

LANSING, MI (MPRN) – LANSING, MI (MPRN) - State Superintendent Michael Flanagan testified Thursday for the state House Education Committee. The committee is discussing major education reform bills.

The superintendent supports the reform bills, which would target 35 of Michigan's failing schools. The schools would be given a year to show improvement in test scores or risk either being shut down or competing with a charter school.

By Scott Pohl, WKAR News

LANSING, MI (WKAR) – LANSING, MI (WKAR) - The administration at Lansing Community College is proposing the layoffs of 30 people, to help meet a multi-million dollar budget shortfall.

A projected deficit of more than $9,000,000 has been trimmed to $3,300,000.

No faculty cuts are planned. Instead, administrators and supervisors are being targeted.

By AP

NEW YORK (AP) – NEW YORK (AP) - General Motors Corp. strikes a tentative deal to sell its Saturn brand to former race car driver and auto dealer Roger Penske.

Penske, who owns the Penske Automotive Group dealership chain, told reporters on Friday that he plans to offer all 350 Saturn dealerships new franchise agreements. He says Saturn's 13,000 employees will stay on with the company for at least the immediate future.

He declined to name the price for the deal.

By AP

PARIS (AP) – PARIS (AP) - France's transportation minister says so far there have been no signs of debris from Air France Flight 447.

Yesterday, the Brazilian air force said it had plucked a cargo pallet from the Atlantic Ocean. But it later said the pallet was not from the Airbus A330 that went down Sunday with 228 people on board.

By AP

TORONTO (AP) – TORONTO (AP) - Canada has refused a request from the Obama administration to take men cleared for release from the U.S. military prison in Guantanamo Bay.

Kory Teneycke, a spokesman for Prime Minister Stephen Harper, said Friday recent inquiries concerning 17 Chinese Muslims called Uighurs at Guantanamo were rejected.

Teneycke says Canada won't take any detainees. He says they have no connection to Canada and there are security concerns.