GM plans refund strategy

Soldier shoots, kills 5 others

<b>First Posted:</b> 7/18/2009<br><br>Bombs killed a dozen people, including a British soldier and five children, in southern Afghanistan, authorities said Friday, as U.S. and British officials consider sending more troops to combat the growing Taliban insurgency.

The five children were among 11 people who died Friday when a roadside bomb struck their vehicle in the Spin Boldak district of southern Kandahar province near the border with Pakistan, according to police Gen. Saifullah Hakim.
The victims, all members of an extended family, were traveling to a local Muslim religious shrine for Friday prayer services, Hakim said.
Kandahar is the birthplace of the Taliban, and Hakim blamed the Islamic militants who plant bombs along roads in the area to target Afghan and foreign troops for Friday&amp;rsquo;s blast.
WASHINGTON
Nominee wins GOP support
Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor won her first public pledges of support from Senate Republicans and one prominent GOP opponent, after a smooth performance at her confirmation hearings that has placed her firmly on track to become the high court&amp;rsquo;s first Latina and the first Democratic-named justice in 15 years.
Three centrist Republicans announced they&amp;rsquo;d support Sotomayor even as the Senate&amp;rsquo;s minority leader, Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, said he&amp;rsquo;d vote no. The split was a vivid reflection of the divisions in the GOP as the party faces a tricky vote on Sotomayor, wary of alienating its conservative base but equally afraid to anger Hispanic and women voters.
WASHINGTON
Committees OK health care
Health care legislation atop President &amp;rsquo;s domestic agenda cleared two House committees on Friday, but the White House as well as rebellious Democratic conservatives called quickly for changes to rein in the skyrocketing cost of care.
Given the complexities, as well as fresh calls for delay in the Senate, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., opened the door to pushing off a vote past an early August timeline she and Obama laid out weeks ago.
HARRISBURG
Rendell still wants tax hike
Gov. Ed Rendell said Friday he has not abandoned his proposal for a temporary increase in the state&amp;rsquo;s personal income tax, calling it the fairest and easiest way to balance Pennsylvania&amp;rsquo;s overdue budget.
The idea of increasing any broad-based tax has run into stiff headwinds from Republicans as well as a fair number of Democrats worried about how it might affect the economy or their own re-election prospects, prompting rumors that the proposal was dead.
A weak revenue year and the possibility of deep cuts to government programs has led Rendell and his Democratic allies to float a number of tax increase proposals. And that&amp;rsquo;s a major sticking point as negotiators attempt to find common ground on a state spending plan already 17 days past due.

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