1. Cain campaign dealt new blow by affair claim
Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain, and at right, Ginger White, a Georgia woman who claims the two had a 13-year affair. (CBS/AP)
(AP)
the station reported. Cain said White had his number because he was trying to help her financially.
ATLANTA - Republican candidate Herman Cain declared "Here we go again" as he faced the latest crisis in his presidential campaign: an accusation of a 13-year extramarital affair with an Atlanta businesswoman.
On Monday, Ginger White said in an interview with Fox 5 Atlanta that her affair with Cain ended not long before the former businessman from Georgia announced his candidacy for the White House.
"It was fun," said White, 46, as she described how Cain had bought her plane tickets for a rendezvous in Palm Springs, Calif. "It was something that took me away from my sort of humdrum life at the time. And it was exciting."
Cain went on television to deny White's claims even before the report aired. It was a faster and more deliberate response than he had managed when it was reported that three women alleged he had sexually harassed or groped them when he was the president of the National Restaurant Association in the mid- to late 1990s. The trade group paid settlements to two women who had worked there.
"Here we go again," Cain told CNN as he denied White's accusation. "I didn't do anything wrong."
Video: How damaging is the Cain affair claim?
Woman alleges 13-year affair with Herman Cain
Cain preemptively denies new sex allegation
Woman alleges 13-year affair with Herman Cain
Cain preemptively denies new sex allegation
Cain avoided reporters and their questions when he attended a fundraising event Monday night in the Virginia suburbs of Washington. That may be more difficult Tuesday, when he is scheduled to speak to students at Hillsdale College in Michigan, or Wednesday, when he is scheduled to begin a bus tour through Ohio.
As some conservative Republicans sought an alternative to Mitt Romney, Cain surged in the polls while pushing his 9-9-9 tax plan and providing tough criticism of President Barack Obama during televised debates.
But as the harassment stories surfaced, Cain stumbled in explaining his views about U.S. policy toward Libya and other foreign policy issues, creating an opening for rival Newt Gingrich to assert himself as a more reliable, seasoned politician to challenge Romney and even Obama. Cain fell in the polls and Gingrich began to rise.
Although Cain said Monday there had been no affair with White, his lawyer issued a public statement that included no such denial and suggested that the media — and the public — had no business snooping into the details of consensual conduct between adults.
After the initial report and Cain's denial, White told The Associated Press that Cain was not being truthful when he said there had been no affair.
"That would be false," White said. "What I said in the interview was true."
At her apartment in Dunwoody, Ga., White declined to elaborate on her statements during a brief interview with the AP. "I can't make any comment on this," she said. "We're trying to be slightly sensitive."
In its report, Fox 5 Atlanta said White had Cain's name in her cell phone contacts, and when its reporter sent a text message to the number, Cain called right back.
"He told us he knew 'Ginger White' but said these are more false allegations,"
2. Iran students storm U.K. Embassy in Tehran
Iranian protesters break into the British embassy and bring down the British flag, in Tehran on November 29, 2011. (ATTA KENARE/AFP/Getty Images)
(AP)
The protesters broke through after clashing with anti-riot police and chanting for its takeover. "Death to England," some cried in the first significant assault of a foreign diplomatic area in Iran in years. More protesters poured into the compound as police tried to clear the site.
Last Updated 9:14 a.m. ET
TEHRAN, Iran - Hard-line Iranian students stormed the British diplomatic compounds in Tehran on Tuesday, bringing down the Union Jack flag and throwing documents from windows in scenes reminiscent of the anger against Western powers after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
The mob surged past riot police into British Embassy compound two days after Iran's parliament approved a bill that reduces diplomatic relations with Britain following London's support of recently upgraded Western sanctions on Tehran over its disputed nuclear program.
Less than two hours later, police appeared to regain control of the site. But the official IRNA news agency said about 300 protesters entered the British ambassador's residence in another part of the city and replaced British flags with Iranian ones.The British Foreign Office harshly denounced the melee and said Iran has a "clear duty" under international law to protect diplomats and offices.
"We are outraged by this," said the statement. "It is utterly unacceptable and we condemn it."
It said a "significant number" of protesters entered the compound and caused vandalism, but gave no other details on damage or whether diplomatic staff was inside the embassy, although the storming occurred after business hours.
The semiofficial Mehr news agency said embassy staff had left the compound before the mobs entered.
Iranian protesters break the windows of a British Embassy building, in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2011.
(Credit: AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
Smoke rose from some areas of the embassy grounds and the British flag was replaced with a banner in the name of 7th century Shiite saint, Imam Hussein. Occupiers also tore down picture of Queen Elizabeth II.
The occupier called for the closure of the embassy calling it a "spy den" — the same phrase used after militants stormed the U.S. embassy in Tehran in 1979 and held 52 hostages for 444 days. In the early moments of the seige, protesters tossed out papers from the compound and hauled down the U.S. flag. Washington and Tehran have no diplomatic relations since then.
The rally outside the British Embassy — on a main street in Tehran downtown — included protesters carrying photographs of nuclear scientist Majid Shahriari, who was killed last year in an attack that Iran blamed on Israeli and British spy services.
Outside the embassy, students from some universities and seminaries burned British flags on fire as clashing with police.
State TV reported that another group of hard-line students gathered at the gate of British ambassador's residence in northern Tehran, at the same time.
Britain's Foreign Office said it was in contact with embassy officials. Officials were still checking on the well-being of workers and diplomats, a spokeswoman said on condition of anonymity in line with standing policy.
3. American Airlines files for bankruptcy
(CBS/AP)
Last Updated 10:10 a.m. ET
DALLAS - American Airlines, the nation's third largest airline, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy this morning.
The Texas-based AMR Corporation, the parent company of American Airlines and American Eagle, announced that the company and certain of its U.S.-based subsidiaries (including both carriers) today filed voluntary petitions for Chapter 11 reorganization in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, "in order to achieve a cost and debt structure that is industry competitive and thereby assure its long-term viability and ability to continue delivering a world-class travel experience for its customers."
It says the move is in the best interest of both companies and its shareholders.
American also said its CEO Gerard Arpey will step down. He's being replaced by Thomas Horton, currently the company's president.
The Chapter 11 reorganization process would enable to airline to continue normal business operations.
American said it is operating normal flight schedules, honoring tickets and reservations as usual, and making normal refunds and exchanges.
"American's customers are always our top priority and they can continue to depend on us for the safe, reliable travel and high quality service they know and expect from us," said Thomas W. Horton, chairman, chief executive officer and president of AMR and American Airlines.
American lost $868 million during the first nine months of this year, and was the only major U.S. airline to lose money last year.
In a press release this morning, AMR said it has approximately $4.1 billion in unrestricted cash and short-term investments, which it is said is "more than sufficient to assure that its vendors, suppliers and other business partners will be paid timely and in full for goods and services provided during the Chapter 11 process."
The company's current cash position means the need for debtor-in-possession financing is not anticipated.
"Our board decided that it was necessary to take this step now to restore the Company's profitability, operating flexibility, and financial strength," said Horton. "We are committed to working as quickly and efficiently as possible to appropriately restructure American so that it can emerge from Chapter 11 well-positioned to assure the Company's long term viability and its ability to compete effectively in the marketplace."
American has been unable to reach a new cost-saving contract with its pilots. It has been trying to upgrade its aging fleet of planes, and has not merged with another carrier, unlike many of its competitors.
Captain Dave Bates, president of the Allied Pilots Association (APA), wrote to the organization's members that the bankruptcy filing "a truly somber occasion for the 8,000 pilots of American Airlines."
Bates wrote that pilots should not see any changes in their pay and benefits under the APA-AA collective bargaining agreement, but added, "The 18-month timeline allotted for restructuring will almost certainly involve significant changes to the airline's business plan and to our contract."
The union head noted that AA pilots have found themselves at "an airline that has lost its way.
"In 2003 American Airlines' pilots provided management with significant cost savings that were characterized as essential to avoiding bankruptcy at that time. We agreed to sacrifice based on the expectation that our airline would regain its leadership position. What has transpired since has been nothing short of a 'perfect storm.'"
Besides higher labor costs, American also struggled with rising jet fuel costs. Jet fuel cost an average of $3 per gallon so far this year - a record according to government data that goes back to 1990. The average price of jet fuel was $1.92 per gallon in 2006.
American lost $162 million in the third quarter and has lost money in 14 of the last 16 quarters.
American was the only major U.S. airline that didn't file for bankruptcy protection after the 2001 terrorist attacks.
SOURCE:http://www.cbsnews.com
TV'S Top 3 News Stories 11/29/2011
1) Today American Airlines has filed bankruptcy. The airline which has been struggling to stay afloat and been battling to settle labor contracts, has finally filed chapter 13. They have watched as other airlines have filed bankruptcy, and became leaner stronger businesses. Last year the airline lost an estimated half billion dollars. The bankruptcy will force painful cuts to labor and benefits for employees. The airline says they do not expect passengers to see any difference in the services they provide.
2) Presidential candidate Herman Cain has informed staffers that he will be campaigning the next few days and watching to see if new allegations have damaged his support. This is the first time Cain has acknowledged the possibility of ending his race for the presidency. This all comes one day after a women makes allegations that she had a 13 year affair with Cain. She said she decided to talk about the allegations after many of the accusers were treated badly y the press and Cain. Although Cain still denies that they were more then friends, he finally acknowledges that these attacks are harming his public support.
3) Iranians have stormed the British embassy today. Protesters in Iran began to take over the British Embassy in retalliation for the sanctions applied by the British Government. One of the most damaging sanctions was the discontinuation of business with the Bank of Iran, which occurred last week. The US and even Russia have spoken out about this attack.
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