Way to go, Arnie

Last Updated: Friday, 9 November 2007, 01:00 GMT
BBC: California sues US over car fumes

California is suing the US federal government over its failure to back the state's tough new anti-pollution laws regulating greenhouse gas emissions.

Two years ago, California passed legislation requiring car-makers to cut vehicle emissions by 30% by 2016.

But for the measure to take effect, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must give its approval.

State governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said there was no legal basis for the EPA to stand in California's way.

An EPA spokeswoman said the agency planned to make a decision on the legislation by the end of December.

If the legal action is successful, 11 other US states have said they will follow California's lead on emissions levels, and five more are considering the move.

'Our future'

California needs the EPA to grant a waiver because the state's legislation seeks to implement stricter standards than imposed those under national law.

Speaking at a news conference, Mr Schwarzenegger accused the federal government of "ignoring the will of tens of millions of people" by failing to approve the legislation.

He said: "Our future depends on us taking action on global warming right now.

"There's no legal basis for Washington to stand in our way."

The 16-page lawsuit filed by the state attorney general's office warns that greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles are rising more quickly than from any other source.

"The longer the delay in reducing these emissions, the more costly and harmful will be the impact on California," it said.

US car-makers are fighting California's plans to cut emissions levels in the courts.

Industry groups say the proposed standards would raise the cost of vehicles and could force America's embattled car makers into further difficulties.

In April, the US Supreme Court ruled that the EPA, which had challenged the California law, was wrong to say that it did not have the power to regulate exhaust gases from new cars and trucks.

In a separate move, Mr Schwarzenegger last year signed a bill making California the first US state to impose limits on the state's greenhouse gas emissions, with a target of 25% by 2020.

Way to go, Arnold. You know what should have been the title of this new article? "The Terminator terminates pollution". That's what it should have been. Get your act together, BBC. Meanwhile, on the other side of the globe...


Last Updated: Wednesday, 7 November 2007, 17:50 GMT
BBC: Vietnam 'thugs' advertised on web
By Nga Pham
BBC Vietnamese service

A group of youngsters who allegedly used a website to offer services including violence and intimidation has been arrested in Vietnam, reports say.

Police in the city of Buon Ma Thuot suspect the gang of several attacks, the Lao Dong
newspaper reported.

The gang apparently offered to "threaten with violence, beat up or even maim people for a negotiable price", the paper claimed.

The police closed the website down and reportedly arrested four people.

The paper said the ringleader and three gang members were caught with knives and
machetes.

Police discovered and promptly shut the gang's website, where "potential customers" were invited to place their orders online.

Lao Dong's reporter, Dang Ba Tien, told the BBC from Buon Ma Thuot that there were 30 youngsters in the gang.

He said: "The internet is becoming more and more popular in Vietnam, but this is the first time it's being used by criminals like a marketing tool.

"Luckily their website was closed down just days after it was launched."

He added that he believed the gang had been active for only a few months.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the introduction of the internet into Vietnam.

Since then, web usage has grown at an average annual rate of 30% and almost 16 million Vietnamese are currently connected.

Awesome. I've always said that you could find anything on the internet. I haven't? Well I meant to.