Nation briefs 12/23/03

Magnitude-6.5 quake rocks California; two dead

PASO ROBLES, Calif. -- An earthquake rocked California's central coast Monday and shook the state from Los Angeles to San Francisco, collapsing old downtown buildings in this small town and killing at least two people in the rubble. The 11:16 a.m. quake -- its magnitude measured at 6.5 -- pitched the roof of Paso Robles' 1892 clock tower building into the street, crushing a row of parked cars in this San Luis Obispo County town about 20 miles east of the epicenter. It was the most powerful quake to strike California since a 7.1 quake rocked the desert near Joshua Tree more than four years ago. No one was killed in the 1999 quake.

Diesel soot contributing to global warming

WASHINGTON -- Soot mostly from diesel engines is blocking snow and ice from reflecting sunlight, which is contributing to "near worldwide melting of ice" and as much as a quarter of all observed global warming, top NASA scientists say. The findings about the snow and ice albedos -- their power to reflect light falling on the surface -- raise new questions about human-caused climate change from the Arctic to the Alps. Soot comprises carbon particles that are, along with salts and dust, byproducts of burning fossil fuels and vegetation. In developed countries, the biggest source is diesel fuel. Elsewhere, burning wood, animal dung, vegetable oil and other biofuels is a major source of soot.

Presidential campaigns next target for reformers

WASHINGTON -- Rescuing an enfeebled presidential election funding system before 2008 by enlarging the pot of matching funds for primaries and giving the money to candidates earlier is emerging as the next goal of finance reformers. Fresh off a victory this month in the Supreme Court, the lawmakers who wrote the new limits on campaign donations and restrictions in place for the 2004 elections see an urgent need in shoring up the system for providing government money to campaigns. The four men linked by years of work on campaign spending -- Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Russ Feingold, D-Wis., and Reps. Christopher Shays, R-Conn., and Marty Meehan, D-Mass. -- have other ideas on improving electioneering rules, including replacing the Federal Election Commission. None, however, is more timely than the presidential public financing issue.

Savings accounts for health care begin Jan. 1

WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration advertised new tax-free health savings accounts, which will be available beginning next week, as a way for Americans to gain greater control of health-care spending. To escape taxation on both contributions and withdrawals, dollars set aside in the accounts must be spent for medical expenses. However, guidance issued Monday by the Treasury Department limits eligibility for the special savings accounts to people who have health insurance policies with annual deductibles -- the amount paid to cover expenses before benefits begin -- of at least $1,000 for individuals and $2,000 for families. In addition, Americans 65 years and older cannot open the new health accounts.

-- From wire reports