San Francisco

Schwarzenegger says to ‘close the borders’

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Tuesday the nation’s policy on preventing illegal immigration was too lax, telling a group of newspaper publishers the United States needed to “close the borders.”

“Close the borders in California and all across Mexico and in the United States,” Schwarzenegger said at the annual meeting of the Newspaper Association of America. “Because I think it is just unfair to have all those people coming across, have the borders open the way it is, and have this kind of lax situation.”

Schwarzenegger’s remarks were later clarified by his spokeswoman, who said the governor supported greater security along the nation’s borders but was not calling for their complete closure.

“The governor has talked before about the need to ensure that immigrants are put on a path toward fully participating in California’s economy,” spokeswoman Margita Thompson said. “But he feels they need to enter the country the right way, and must not undermine important security issues. He feels that the border needs to be secure.”

Washington, D.C.

DeLay slams Supreme Court justice

House Majority Leader Tom DeLay intensified his criticism of the federal courts on Tuesday, singling out Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy’s work from the bench as “incredibly outrageous” because he has relied on international law and done research on the Internet.

DeLay said he thought there were a “lot of Republican-appointed judges that are judicial activists.”

The No. 2 Republican in the House has openly criticized the federal courts since they refused to order the reinsertion of Terri Schiavo’s feeding tube. And he pointed to Kennedy as an example of Republican members of the Supreme Court who were activist and isolated.

“Absolutely. We’ve got Justice Kennedy writing decisions based upon international law, not the Constitution of the United States? That’s just outrageous,” DeLay told Fox News Radio.

Canada

Nation approves medical marijuana spray

Canada became the first nation Tuesday to approve a pharmaceutical spray derived from the cannabis plant, a move that could rattle the medical marijuana debate in the United States.

The new drug, dubbed Sativex, is being produced by GW Pharmaceuticals of Britain and is expected to be available on pharmacy shelves in Canada within weeks, principally for the treatment of pain from multiple sclerosis.

The company isn’t expected to apply in the United States until late this year. An exhaustive examination of the drug’s merits could take three to five years.

Bush administration officials declined to comment but have said privately that approval of a prescription form of cannabis in the United States might ease wrangling by drawing a bright line between real patients and recreational users.

Beijing

Public told to avoid unapproved protests

After weeks of sometimes-violent anti-Japanese protests, China’s foreign minister called on the public Tuesday to remain calm and to stay away from unapproved demonstrations.

Similar comments were made last week by Beijing city police officials, but Tuesday’s televised comments marked the first time a member of the central government had spoken out against the demonstrations.

“Do not participate in unapproved marches and other activities and do not do anything that will affect the social stability,” Li Zhaoxing said.

“Express yourselves calmly, rationally and in an orderly fashion,” Li said in a speech.