Syria clashes erupt, up to 850 dead since uprising says U.N.

(CNN) -- Demonstrators hurling rocks and security forces firing tear gas clashed Friday in a Syrian city, the latest expression of unrest amid a nationwide wave of anti-government rage.

The fighting took place in Hama, a western city where the government suppressed an uprising by Sunni Muslims in 1982, and there were also demonstrations in the western city of Homs.

Protesters have taken to the streets every Friday recently after the weekly Muslim prayers, and security forces were deployed in force to greet the turnouts. A U.N. official says that as many as 850 people may have died since protests began in mid-March, but there were no immediate reports of casualties on Friday.

Activists have labeled this "The Friday of Free Syrian Women," a commemoration of those females rallying for freedom and a remembrance of those who have been slain.

"This is history," said activist Wissam Tarif, executive director of the human rights group Insan. "This is a new Middle East, those are the people, the young people of the country standing up saying, 'We want to live with dignity, we want freedom and we want prosperity and we can do it. '"

"We have the capacity and we have the knowledge and we can do it. And we have an obstacle: the obstacles are oppression, are the regimes and the Syrian people are now standing up and saying it."

In Hama, thousands of demonstrators rallied for the end of the Bashar al-Assad regime and chanted anti-government slogans, two witnesses said.

Security forces responded by firing tear gas at the crowds while the protesters threw stones at the forces.

One of the witnesses said demonstrators tore down a large picture of al-Assad on a government building, and security forces beat protesters with sticks.

The Baathist government of Hafez al-Assad, Bashar's late father who once ruled Syria, crushed a revolt in Hama decades ago against the Sunnis, who are the majority religious group in Syria.

Estimates put the death toll anywhere between 10,000 and 30,000 people, though the exact number was never known.

The government has been dominated by the al-Assad family's Alawite community, a minority religious group that's an offshoot of Shiite Islam.

The memory of the fierce government action in 1982 is alive among protesters defying the regime.

One eyewitness in Homs, a retired teacher and a political activist, said a few thousand people demonstrated in the Bab Sebaa neighborhood after Friday prayers. He said security fired into the air to disperse protesters. He also saw a smaller demonstration in the Bab Amr district.

Videos of purported marches in Idlib, Homs, and Daraa also surfaced on Friday.

The government has been clamping down on street demonstrations over the past two months in Daraa, Homs, Banias and other cities, and deadly clashes have erupted during anti-government protests, in which citizens have denounced the lack of political freedom.

The regime has blamed armed groups for the violence and has reported the deaths of security personnel. But the demonstrators, emboldened by the tough crackdown and the mass anti-government rallies in other Arab nations this year, have blamed the killings on the government.

The number killed in clashes with government forces has been put by various human rights groups at between 700 and 850, according to Rupert Colville, a spokesman for the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Colville said thousands of arrests have been reported, including the detentions of many Syrian opposition leaders and activists. Two activists, Najati Tayara and Rayzan Zaytouni, were arrested this week.

"We cannot verify these numbers for sure, but believe they are likely to be close to reality," Colville told reporters during a briefing in Geneva, Switzerland.

Syria said many people have been arrested in what it calls "riots."

On Friday, the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency quoted an Interior Ministry official as saying that more than 5,077 people had turned themselves in to authorities and were freed "after pledging not to repeat any act(s) that harm security of the homeland and citizens."

The ministry had earlier urged those "who were misled into participating in or committing unlawful acts punishable by law to turn themselves in" before Friday and "inform about saboteurs and terrorists and the whereabouts of weapons."

Those who do "will be exempted from punishment and the legal consequences and prosecutions," the report said.

The Syrian regime has drawn international condemnation for its fierce reaction to peaceful demonstrations.

Demonstrations spread Wednesday to Aleppo University, where an activist said security personnel and pro-government forces roughed up demonstrations.

The U.N. human rights agency expressed concern over the shelling of the Bab Amr district in Homs.

"We urge the government to exercise utmost restraint, cease the use of force and of mass arrests to silence opponents," Colville said.

The agency is seeking the regime's cooperation in a fact-finding mission "to assess the situation on the ground" and noted that U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called President al-Assad and urged him to cooperate with the effort.

Britain on Friday called in the Syrian ambassador to Britain and expressed "profound concern" about "violent repression" of the citizenry, the Foreign Office said.

Foreign Office political director Geoffrey Adams called Sami Khiyami to the Foreign Office to express the UK's strong concerns about the ongoing situation in Syria.

Adams called on the authorities "to respect universal human rights, including freedom of expression" and "expressed concern about the continued denial of access of international media."

He urged "unhindered access" for humanitarian groups.

"Sir Geoffrey said that unless the Syrian government stopped the killing of protestors and released political prisoners, the UK along with its EU partners would take further measures to hold the regime to account. These measures would include further sanctions targeted at the highest levels of the regime, including travel bans and asset freezing," the Foreign Office said.

The European Union slapped sanctions on 13 top Syrian officials, including President Bashar al-Assad's brother, for "violence against demonstrators," it announced Tuesday.

Bashar al-Assad was viewed by many as a moderate solution to his father when he took control of the country 11 years ago, but many citizens believe the proper changes haven't emerged.

The younger Al-Assad has lifted the country's 48-year-old state of emergency and abolished the state security court, both of which were key demands of the demonstrators.

The emergency law permitted the government to make preventive arrests and override constitutional and penal code statutes. The security court was a special body that prosecuted people regarded as challenging the government.

Protesters have said more needs to be done.

Information Minister Adnan Mahmoud confirmed on Friday that a comprehensive national dialogue will be held in various provinces, and that the government is considering the implementation of political, economic and social reforms.

CNN's Rima Maktabi, Nada Husseini and Salma Abdelaziz contributed to this report

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U.S. tax burden at lowest level since '58

Americans are paying the smallest share of their income for taxes since 1958, a reflection of tax cuts and a weak economy, a USA TODAY analysis finds.

The total tax burden — for all federal, state and local taxes — dropped to 23.6% of income in the first quarter, according to Bureau of Economic Analysis data.

By contrast, individuals spent roughly 27% of income on taxes in the 1970s, 1980s and the 1990s — a rate that would mean $500 billion of extra taxes annually today, one-third of the estimated $1.5 trillion federal deficit this year.

The analysis comes as President Obama and Congress debate whether to cut federal spending, raise taxes or both.

The latest dip in the tax burden came from a Social Security tax cut included in a December budget deal between Democrats and Republicans. It will reduce taxes $100 billion this year.

"We have a 1950s level of taxation and a 21st-century-sized government," says Robert Bixby, executive director of the Concord Coalition, a deficit-reduction advocacy group.

The fall in taxes is almost entirely caused by a weak economy rather than lower rates, says Curtis Dubay of the conservative Heritage Foundation. "It's easy to draw the wrong conclusion," he says.

Federal, state and local government spending hit a $5.6 trillion annual rate in the first quarter. That's the highest ever but, as a share of the economy, slightly below last year.

USA TODAY examined the full range of taxes that individuals pay to all levels of government. That includes income taxes for Medicare, property taxes for schools and gas taxes for roads.

At the national average, a person with an income of $100,000 would pay $23,600 in taxes today vs. $28,700 in 2000 and $27,300 in 1990.

The recession of 2001 and tax cuts championed by President Bush started a decade-long trend of taxing less income. The 2007-09 recession and new tax cuts in Obama's stimulus effort accelerated the change.

The one-year Social Security tax cut reduces the worker's rate from 6.2% to 4.2% — or $2,000 a year on a $100,000 income.

That has boosted the economy short-term, says Chris Christopher, an economist at the IHS consulting firm. "It's helping absorb the cost of higher gas and food prices," he says.

Other findings:

•Taxes per person. Individuals paid taxes at an annual rate of $10,549 per person in the first quarter — about the same as individuals have paid since 1990 when adjusted for inflation. Incomes have grown; tax payments haven't.

•Spending per person. Government spent at an annual rate of $18,086 per person in the first quarter. That's up from $13,552 in 2001, adjusted for inflation. The difference between individual taxes and spending comes from corporate taxes, user fees and borrowing.

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Nungesser: One year since Gulf spill, 'Who's in charge?'

By Leinz Vales, CNN STORY HIGHLIGHTSPlaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser is among those dealing with the spill"A year later, I can't look you in the eye and tell you who's in charge," he saysOil continues to hit the shores of Louisiana, Nungesser tells CNN's Eliot Spitzer"We need full disclosure by BP and the Coast Guard, so this never happens again" (CNN) -- A year after the onset of the worst oil spill in U.S. history, one of the most prominent Louisiana figures dealing with the disaster's aftermath remains frustrated.

"A year later, I can't look you in the eye and tell you who's in charge," Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser said in an interview with CNN's "In The Arena" host Eliot Spitzer.

"They've changed out so many BP and Coast Guard people, just when you get somebody you think you can trust and make promises about cleaning...they're gone."

Nungesser pointed out that oil remains in the marshes. He admitted that although the amount of the oil is not at the same level as it was during the crisis, the oil continues to hit the shores of Louisiana, especially when a storm approaches the coast.

"The oil is being picked up off the bottom of Bay Jimmy, slammed into the marsh. It's killed the grass. There's nothing to hold the mud together." Nungesser added,

"We've begged for bank stabilization,...nothing's really been done out here."

In a BP video, "A Year of Change," Group Chief Executive Bob Dudley apologizes for the crisis and highlights what BP did in solving the problem.

"In everything we've done since that day, we've tried to act as a responsible company should. The short film explains what we've done." Dudley says,

"It shows how we responded to the accident. How we acted to stop the leak. It shows how we worked with thousands of local people to clean the ocean and the shoreline."

Two months after the Gulf oil spill, BP agreed to create a $20 billion fund to help victims who were affected by the oil spill. Since the incident, BP has reportedly spent over $16 billion in claims and clean up.

Spitzer pushed Nungesser to address reports of elected officials profiting off the recovery efforts.

"Anybody that took advantage of it should be prosecuted." Nungesser said. "But let's not throw the attention."

Nungesser said he wanted better transparency as to what is being done to continue the recovery of the Gulf Coast.

"We need full disclosure by BP and the Coast Guard, so this never happens again," said Nungesser.

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W.Va. marks 1 year since coal mine blast killed 29

By Kayana Szymczak, Getty Images

Friends, family, and community members participate in a candle light vigil at Marshfork Elementary School held for the deceased coal miners on April 10 in Montcoal, W.Va.

EnlargeCloseBy Kayana Szymczak, Getty Images

Friends, family, and community members participate in a candle light vigil at Marshfork Elementary School held for the deceased coal miners on April 10 in Montcoal, W.Va.

Massey Energy Co, which owns the Upper Big Branch Mine where the men died, shut down production at its other Appalachian sites as politicians, miners and family members turned out for a series of commemorations of the nation's worst coalfield disaster since 1970. Two miners survived the blast.

"We're here today to observe the sacrifice of 29 men," acting Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin said after laying a wreath at the state coal miners' memorial on the Capitol grounds. The wreath of yellow roses was adorned with a black banner saying, "From a grateful people."

OPINION: We can't let up on mine safetyPHOTOS: Community mourns lost minersUPPER BIG BRANCH MINE: String of safety lapses before explosion"Keep the miners' families in our payers as we go through the rest of the day," Tomblin said.

The small service was the first in a series of public and private events marking the first anniversary of the explosion. Others are planned for a Beckley church and an elementary school some eight miles from the site of the blast.

"We're a small community and so everybody knew somebody who was involved directly or indirectly," said Mick Bates, who is helping organize a public memorial in Beckley. They are asking people to wear stripes on their clothing to mimic the distinctive safety reflective tape miners have on while underground.

LAST YEAR: Mine too dangerous to send in rescue crewsGRAPHIC: Upper Big Branch mine at-a-glanceTomblin has asked churches across the state to ring their bells 29 times at the estimated time of the explosion. Regulators and Massey have said the explosion occurred at 3:02 p.m.

Massey also plans a moment of silence besides the safety stand down at 92 underground coal producing sections. Massey operates mines in West Virginia, Virginia and Kentucky.

The company, central Appalachia's largest coal producer, is the only one expected to stop production Tuesday, according to the West Virginia Coal Association.

As the first anniversary dawns, state and federal regulators are no closer to releasing the final determined cause of the blast deep inside the mine. Federal prosecutors are also investigating.

The federal Mine Safety and Health Administration has said the explosion occurred when methane gas was ignited. The agency theorizes highly explosive coal dust that had been allowed to accumulate in the mine mixed with the methane to create a blast so powerful it turned corners and rounded a 1,000-foot-wide block of coal, packing the power to kill men more than a mile away.

Massey denies any wrongdoing, blaming a sudden inundation of natural gas that overwhelmed all safety systems.

"The company remains fully committed to a thorough and comprehensive investigation that seeks to identify the primary causes of the explosion and provide answers to the UBB families and the communities we serve in Central Appalachia," Virginia-based Massey said Monday.

Federal officials say they hope to provide more insight into the explosion during a public meeting set for June 29.

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Traffic fatalities fall to lowest level since 1949

Experts say changes in car design and campaigns to create better drivers contributed to the decline in traffic deaths. STORY HIGHLIGHTSExperts cite numerous factors in the dropEmphasis on distracted driving has helped, transportation secretary saysThe recession and high gas prices are also a factorAt the end of 2010, fatalities began to trend back up Washington (CNN) -- The number of traffic fatalities continued its welcomed downward trajectory last year, falling 3% to its lowest levels since 1949, and a 25 percent drop from 2005, according to U.S. Department of Transportation estimates released Friday.

Preliminary figures show that 32,788 people died in traffic accidents last year, down from the 33,808 killed the previous year and significantly below the 43,510 people killed only six years ago, according to the DOT's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Experts attribute the change to a variety of reasons, including changes to cars -- such as vehicle rollover protection -- and programs to change driver behavior -- such as campaigns addressing drunk driving, distracted driving and seat belt use. Laws aimed at young people also likely have had an impact, notably older minimum drinking ages and graduated drivers' licenses.

"I think I'm going to take a little bit of credit here on our two years of really hammering on distracted driving," said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "We're not where we want to be, but we know with good laws and good enforcement, people will put their cell phones down and their Blackberries."

He also gave credit to stricter enforcement of driving laws and drivers taking personal responsibility for their safety.

Traffic fatalities in the United States peaked in 1972, with 54,589 killed, according to the DOT. But the rise and decline of the grim number has numerous peaks and dips, influenced by direct changes such as the national speed limit and indirect causes such as recessions.

In recent history, the most notable change was a 9.7 percent plummet in deaths in 2008. In a report examining that drop, DOT officials gave credit to DOT safety programs, but also noted that the drop coincided with a recession in the economy. The recession, and high unemployment rates among the young workforce, probably had a big impact on travel among young drivers, and it probably accounts for a steep decline in fatalities involving younger people, the DOT said.

The 2010 drop is notable because the decline comes despite an increase in the number of miles driven.

But figures also suggest the downward trend may be at its end. DOT figures show that fatalities declined in the first quarter of the year (down 11.4 percent) and second quarter (down 5 percent) compared for the same quarters the previous year, but increased in the third and fourth quarters, up 1.6 percent and 1.8 percent respectively.

Terry Kline, a professor at the Traffic Safety Institute at Eastern Kentucky University, said so many factors influence crashes that its difficult to assign credit or blame.

"Each one wants to say, 'Yes, it's my program that did it,' but it's very hard to prove," Kline said.

A number of factors are "taking more 16 year olds off the road," which could be having a significant impact on the statistics, he said. In many states, young drivers can only drive with an adult in the car, he said. And the recession and the high cost of cars and gas also are keeping teen-agers from jumping in the driver's seat.

The lack of uniformed police reports makes it difficult to compile reliable statistics, Kline said.

Secretary LaHood said the up-tick in traffic deaths in late 2010 does not portend higher figures this year.

"Absolutely not," he said. "We can never sit back on our laurels. We can never take for granted that people have gotten the message, not when 30-thousand people have lost their lives. So we're going to continue our efforts."

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