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Rights groups vow to hunt Bush over torture

GENEVA (AFP) – Human rights groups vowed Monday to pursue George W. Bush wherever he travels, claiming that the former US president had cancelled a trip to Switzerland over fears that he could be probed for torture.

Bush was due to attend a fund-raising gala evening in Geneva this week, but organisers said Saturday that he had cancelled because of the risk of disturbances.

"The reach of the Convention Against Torture is wide -- this case is prepared and will be waiting for him wherever he travels next," said Katherine Gallagher, an attorney and vice-president of the Paris-based International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)

Human rights groups pointed out that two "torture victims" were to have filed a criminal complaint in Geneva against Bush, who was due to speak at the gala here on February 12.

"Swiss law requires the presence of the torturer on Swiss soil before a preliminary investigation can be opened," said the FIDH, the European Centre for Constitutional and Human Rights and the Centre for Constitutional Rights.

"When Bush cancelled his trip to avoid prosecution, the human rights groups who prepared the complaints made (them) public and announced that the Bush torture indictment would be waiting wherever he travels next," they added in a statement.

In his memoirs published last year, Bush claimed that use of the water boarding technique -- which simulates drowning -- had directly prevented terror attacks in Britain and the United States.

He also said in an interview with the British newspaper The Times it was "damn right" that he had authorised use of the controversial method on Al-Qaeda's 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.

"Waterboarding is torture, and Bush has admitted, without any sign of remorse, that he approved its use," said Gallagher.

"Torturers -- even if they are former presidents of the United States -- must be held to account and prosecuted. Impunity for Bush must end."

Gavin Sullivan, a lawyer at the European Centre for Constitutional and Human Rights, added that Bush "bears ultimate responsibility for authorizing the torture of thousands of individuals at places like Guantanamo and secret CIA ?black sites?.

"As all states are obliged to prosecute such torturers, Bush has good reason to be very worried," he said.

Human Rights Watch said in New York that the US authorities themselves should be pursuing Bush.

"The US government should take the lead to investigate former US President George W. Bush and other senior officials for authorizing torture of terrorism suspects rather than leaving prosecutions to other countries," the organization said.

"The US government needs to demonstrate that no official, including an ex-president, is above the law," said Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch.

Steelers score, Packers lead 21-17 in 3rd qtr.

ARLINGTON, Texas – Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers have taken a 21-17 lead into the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl.

Yet, the Pittsburgh Steelers — going for their third Super Bowl championship in six seasons, and seventh overall — started the final 15 minutes Sunday with the ball. They had already cut deeply into what was an 18-point deficit just before halftime.

Steelers' quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw two interceptions in the first half that led to Green Bay touchdowns. But Big Ben threw an 8-yard TD pass to Hines Ward with 39 seconds left before halftime to get Pittsburgh within 21-10.

After Green Bay started the second half with three penalties and a punt, Pittsburgh went 50 yards in five plays. Rashard Mendenhall started that drive with a 17-yard run and capped it by bulling into the end zone from 8 yards out to get within 21-17.

The Steelers had a chance to get closer but Shaun Suisham was wide left on a 52-yard field goal attempt late in the third quarter. That came a play after Frank Zombo sacked Roethlisberger.

Roethlisberger's touchdown pass came just before the 32-minute halftime break highlighted by the Black Eyed Peas performing. R&B star Usher and former Guns `N Roses guitarist Slash made special appearances as part of the set.

Rodgers' second TD pass was a 21-yarder to Greg Jennings with 2:31 left in the first half to make it 21-3. That score came four plays after Jarrett Bush set the Packers up with an interception near midfield.

The Steelers then went 77 yards in seven plays, the last two passes to Ward — for 17 yards and then the 8-yard touchdown when he made a leaping two-handed catch in the back of the end zone.

UK banks 'to pay out 6 bln in bonuses'

LONDON (AFP) – Britain?s biggest banks are poised to pay out a combined 6 billion in bonuses despite government demands for restraint on City pay, the Sunday Times reported, without identifying its sources.

The size of the payout will embarrass George Osborne, the chancellor, who is hoping to announce a peace deal with the City this week that will include targets for lending to small businesses and curbs on pay.

Those talks, codenamed Project Merlin, could still founder, the newspaper cited senior sources as saying. They will not be helped by the disclosure that Barclays, HSBC, Royal Bank of Scotland and Standard Chartered are lining up big paydays for their traders and investment bankers, the report said.

Bob Diamond, chief executive of Barclays, is likely to be one of the big winners in spite of flat profits at the bank, the Sunday Times said, adding that the bank?s board meets this week to sign off on a bonus worth up to 9.5m.

Diamond, who is worth an estimated 95 million and was once described by Lord Mandelson as the unacceptable face of banking, recently told a Treasury Select Committee of MPs: "There was a period of remorse and apology for banks and I think that period needs to be over."

Stuart Gulliver, chief executive of HSBC, is estimated to be in line for a payout of as much as 10m ? although a decision on the bonus is still three weeks away, according to the report..

Stephen Hester, chief executive of Royal Bank of Scotland, is expected to receive a bonus of about 2m, paid in shares, the newspaper added..

All the bank bosses are predicted to take their bonuses after two years in which they have waived the payments or given them to charity. Diamond in particular is said to see no point in making such gestures. His proposed bonus is believed to be about half of what he is entitled to receive under the terms of his contract,the Sunday Times said.

The Project Merlin talks are forecast to conclude this week. The banks are expected to pledge to lend between 160 billion and 190 billion this year. Price Waterhouse Coopers, the accountancy firm, is likely to be asked to make sure the banks stick to their promises, the report predicted.

HSBC said its remuneration committee has not met, so Gulliver's bonus has yet to be decided.

The bank said more than 90% of its profits are made outside the UK, it has paid out more than $24 bln (14.9 bln) in dividends since the financial crisis began and has paid over 5 bln in tax over the past five years.

Ford to Upgrade Kansas City-Area Plant with $400 Million Investment

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Ford has announced it will put $400 million into a largeassembly plant outside Kansas City in order to modernize certain aspectsof vehicle production.The high-profile news comes three months after Fordsaid it would keep the plant open.

quoted Gov. Jay Nixon as saying it was an "historic day" for Missourians.

Thereports Fordvice president Jim Tetreault said the tax incentives, which amount to$150 million over 10 years, was a factor in the company's decision toinvest so much money in the plant.

Fordwill receive tax incentives for keeping the plant open.There werefears inthat Ford may shutter the plant altogether when itannounced one of the two vehicles assembled there would be moved toKentucky.The Ford Escape/Mercury Mariner line was moved to a plant inLouisville.

TheFord F-150 Pickup would be the only vehicle left for the nearly 4,000workers to build.Then in December Ford said it would add anothervehicle to the plant.Ford has not decided what will be produced at theClaycomo plant in the future as of yet.

Theinvestment is a telling sign Ford is moving forward with its promises. Earlier this month, the automaker said it plans on hiring 7,000 moreworkers in the next two years.

Gov.Nixon called a special session of the General Assembly last year inorder to pass the Missouri Manufacturing Jobs Act.The law would allowthe state to offer companies incentives to stay as long as they maintaincurrent employment levels.

Fordwas the only U.S. automakerandhas since been a leader and industry model for coming back from hardtimes.Auto sales were up to 11.5 million units in 2010 and the autoindustry is hoping for more in 2011.

Missourianscan now breathe a sigh of relief.A huge manufacturing plant has beensaved with hopefully more incentives for other companies to follow.Asthe economic engine in America moves sluggishly forward every bit ofnews helps.

Ford'sstock has risen gradually since a year ago.Today'swas around$18.65 per share after being just below $10 in July 2010.Ford's valuehas almost doubled in just seven months thanks to car sales reboundingand the stability of Ford's investments.

HopefullyFord's news will bolster the confidence of consumers and job seekers inMissouri even further.A recent announcement that the unemploymentrate for Missouri was stillwas stark in contrast to theretail shopping season in December.Now that companies have seen stocksgo up, it's time to bring back the jobs to American consumers.

WilliamBrowning, a lifelong Missouri resident, writes about local and stateissues for the Yahoo! Contributor Network. Born in St. Louis, Browningearned his bachelor's degree in English from the University of Missouri.He currently resides in Branson.

Republicans threaten to withhold U.N. funding

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Republicans threatened on Tuesday to use their new power as the majority in the House of Representatives to withhold funding for the United Nations as they accused the world body of waste and bias.

The chairwoman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, said she would reintroduce legislation that would condition U.S. contributions to the U.N. on "real, sweeping reform," including changing the U.N. budget so that member governments can offer to fund only the programs they like.

"That way, U.S. taxpayers can pay for the U.N. programs and activities that advance our interests and values, and if other countries want different things to be funded, they can pay for it themselves," she said in a statement read at a hearing on U.N. reform.

Ros-Lehtinen organized the meeting, but could not attend at the last minute because her mother was ill.

The United States has had a history of being reluctant to pay its U.N. dues, with critics of the world body charging it has a bloated and sometimes corrupt bureaucracy. A U.N. spokesman said on Tuesday that the United States has paid off more than a third of the nearly $1.2 billion in payments it owed the United Nations at the end of last year.

Criticism is being revived on Capitol Hill just at a time when lawmakers are looking for ways to reduce the United States' trillion-dollar-plus deficit.

"The U.N. should be one of our prime targets for reducing expenditures in order to bring down this deficit in the next few years," Representative Dana Rohrbacher, a California Republican, told the hearing.

U.N. spokesman Martin Nesirky said the world body shared U.S. goals of a stronger, more efficient, effective and accountable United Nations. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon would visit Washington and meet with congressional leaders, Nesirky said, but no date has been set.

DEMOCRATS AGREE REFORM IS NEEDED

Currently, contributions to the U.N. are levied by the U.N. and countries are obliged to pay the percentage they are assessed. The assessments are uneven, with the United States paying billions while dozens of countries pay less than $35,000 a year, Brett Schaefer of the conservative Heritage Foundation think-tank told the hearing.

Ros-Lehtinen complained of waste, mismanagement and bias at institutions such as the U.N. Human Rights Council, which she said was "dominated by human rights violators." The council's membership includes Cuba, China, and Russia.

In fiscal year 2009 the United States, he biggest donor to the United Nations, contributed over $6 billion despite high unemployment and skyrocketing U.S. deficits, she said.

Washington is responsible for roughly one-quarter of the U.N. peacekeeping budget and slightly less than a quarter of the separate U.N. regular budget.

Ros-Lehtinen also introduced U.N. reform legislation in the last, Democratic-majority Congress. But as a committee chair she is now in a better position to advance her priorities. Although her committee does not control spending, it writes a policy blueprint for House appropriators who do.

Ultimately, however, House spending decisions must be agreed with the Democratic-majority Senate, and signed into law by President Obama. It's unlikely Obama would approve withholding funds from the United Nations even given the current search for ways to cut the U.S. budget, analyst Mark Quarterman said.

"I think the Obama administration would definitely resist withholding U.S. funds ... We have learned that withholding funds lessens U.S. influence in the U.N. and makes the work of the U.N. more difficult," said Quarterman, a senior adviser with the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Democrats agreed on Tuesday that U.N. reform was needed, but said the United States should "work inside the U.N. with like-minded nations," as Representative Howard Berman put it.

(Additional reporting by Lou Charbonneau and Patrick Worsnip in New York; Editing by Jackie Frank and Cynthia Osterman)