World briefs 3/7/06

Administration trying to avoid debt limit

WASHINGTON -- Treasury Secretary John Snow notified Congress on Monday that the administration has now taken "all prudent and legal actions," including tapping certain government retirement funds, to keep from hitting the $8.2 trillion national debt limit. In a letter to Congress, Snow urged lawmakers to pass a new debt ceiling immediately to avoid the nation's first-ever default on its obligations.

S.D. governor signs law banning most abortions

PIERRE, S.D. -- Gov. Mike Rounds signed legislation Monday that would ban most abortions in South Dakota, a law he acknowledged would be tied up in court for years while the state challenges the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion. The bill would make it a crime for doctors to perform an abortion unless the procedure was necessary to save the woman's life. It would make no exception for cases of rape or incest.

New AT&T would cut up to 10,000 jobs

NEW YORK -- One way AT&T Inc. hopes its $67 billion proposed merger with BellSouth Corp. will pay off is by allowing it to get rid of redundant operations. That means up to 10,000 job cuts over three years, mostly through normal employee turnover rather than layoffs, AT&T chief financial officer Rick Lindner said Monday. Several of the nation's largest consumer groups said Monday they would oppose the merger. Consumers Union and the Consumer Federation of America said they would urge the Justice Department to block AT&T Inc.'s offer.

Iraq parliament won't hold session Sunday

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Iraq's president failed in a bid Monday to order parliament into session by March 12, further delaying formation of a government and raising questions whether the political process can withstand the unrelenting violence or disintegrate into civil war. The deadlock came as snipers assassinated Maj. Gen. Mibder Hatim al-Dulaimi, the Sunni Arab in charge of Iraqi forces protecting the capital. A torrent of bombings and shootings killed 25 more Iraqis on Monday.

British court OKs Dubai company's port takeover

LONDON -- The controversial takeover of British shipping company P&O by Dubai's state-owned DP World received the green light Monday when Britain's Court of Appeal dismissed Miami-based Eller & Co.'s objection to the deal. The Court of Appeal declined to hear an appeal from Eller & Co., which had tried to have the deal barred on technical grounds, arguing that U.S. concerns about a United Arab Emirates company owning significant operations at six major U.S. seaports could harm its business.

-- From wire reports