Calif. Lowers Auto Emissions Rule

California air regulators on Thursday slashed the number of battery-powered and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles that must be sold in the state, a setback for environmentalists and health advocates.

The decision is expected to affect 12 other states that had adopted California's target for zero-emission vehicles.

The California Air Resources Board voted to lower by 70 percent the number of those vehicles that automakers must sell here and in the states that intended to follow California's get-tough rules for vehicle emissions.

Instead, the air board said the six largest automakers must sell nearly 60,000 hybrid vehicles while they develop the more …

UCLA cans Toledo after weak finish

Bob Toledo was fired as UCLA's football coach Monday because first-year athletic director Dan Guerrero felt the program wasn't headingin the right direction and wouldn't turn around unless a coachingchange was made.

"We need to raise the bar, we need to start winning Pac-10championships again," Guerrero said at a campus news conference. "Theissue was clearly one I had to make in the best interests of theprogram. The tough thing was this was Bob Toledo. He's a good man."

The Bruins are 7-5 this season, including a 52-21 loss to No. 5USC on Nov. 23 and a 48-27 loss to No. 7 Washington State onSaturday.

Toledo won't coach UCLA in the Dec.25 Las Vegas Bowl, where …

Welcome to Brandtville, BC: an in-the-woods live demo near Kamloops, BC displays Brandt iron and commitment. It was a heck of a show too

The BC resort community of Sun Peaks was transformed into 'Brandtville' over the July 12[Symbol Not Transcribed] weekend when approximately 1 500 people converged on the mountain village to take part in 'Brandt In The Woods', a three-day extravaganza showcasing Brandt Tractor's line of forestry equipment.

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Brandt banners placed throughout the village and signs in most of the shops and restaurant windows welcomed the guests, who were primarily Brandt forestry customers. Along with a number of Brandt Tractor staff members, there was also a large contingent of John Deere and Timberjack employees on hand to co-host the event, and to answer questions and …

Pakistan army chief criticizes US raid

Pakistan's military chief on Wednesday lashed out at the United States over cross-border raids by American troops from Afghanistan and said his country's sovereignty will be defended "at all cost."

In an unusually strong public statement, Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani said a raid last week into Pakistan's South Waziristan region killed innocent civilians and could backfire on the anti-terror allies.

Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman would not comment directly on Kayani's remarks. But he said the U.S. military is working closely with the Pakistanis in regard to the border region.

"We have a shared common interest with respect to …

Source: Obama to skip jury duty in Chicago suburbs

A White House official says President Barack Obama will be skipping jury duty after being summoned in Illinois.

The administration official confirmed to The Associated Press on Sunday that the president alerted the court weeks ago that he won't be able to make it. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because she was not authorized to speak publicly.

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Sox claim Perry from Devil Rays to join 3B fray

Stockpiling third basemen seems to be the White Sox strategy in aneffort to solve a defensive dilemma.

The latest to join the mix will be Herbert Perry, 30, claimed offwaivers Friday from Tampa Bay, where he was hitting .214 with one RBIin seven games. He will join the Sox Sunday, and manager Jerry Manuelexpects to start him then.

The Sox won't make the required player move to make room for Perryuntil Sunday.

General manager Ron Schueler said he made the move to "add depthat third base. We think he can help us.

"Herbert had a terrific spring at the plate and is healthy,"Schueler said. "It was just a case where he was caught in a numbersgame at third base …

EU decries no-show of Farinas for rights prize

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union parliament has criticized Cuba for not allowing a dissident protester to travel to collect its biggest human rights award.

EU Parliament President Jerzy Buzek said Tuesday that Guillermo Farinas, whose 134-day hunger strike helped draw attention to the plight of Cuban political dissidents, would be represented by an empty chair at the midweek ceremony to …