Watchdog Group Sues Volkswagen Over Diesel

Washington (ap) — A federal consumer watchdog sued Volkswagen on Tuesday, charging the company made false claims in commercials promoting its “Clean Diesel” vehicles as environmentally friendly.

The German automaker hastily pulled the ads following last year’s admission it had installed illegal software on its diesel vehicles to cheat emissions tests. U.S. regulators say Volkswagen’s engines spewed up to 40 times the allowed levels of air pollutants in real-world driving conditions.

The Federal Trade Commission alleges that Volkswagen deceived customers during a seven-year period by selling its diesel cars based on fraudulent claims made through its marketing campaigns. That campaign included Super Bowl ads, online social media campaigns and print advertising targeted to “environmentally conscious” consumers.

“Hybrids? They’re so last year,” Volkswagen proclaimed in a mailer to customers promoting its 2009 Jetta TDI. “Now going green doesn’t have to feel like you’re going green.”

The FTC’s action is the latest blow to Volkswagen, which also faces more than $20 billion in potential fines for violating U.S. clean air regulations. The Justice Department and the Environmental Protection Agency are also weighing potential criminal charges against the company and senior executives. The company also faces hundreds of class action lawsuits filed on behalf of angry customers.

Syria’s Assad Tries to Polish Image with Palmyra

Beirut — The recapture of Palmyra in central Syria from Islamic State militants puts government forces at the heart of the fight against the jihadist group — and not just geographically speaking.

For President Bashar Assad, recapturing the historic town represents a strategic political coup through which he hopes to convince the West that the Syrian army is a credible partner in combatting terrorism as it ramps up the fight against Islamic State. It is an awkward argument that the U.S. has repeatedly rebuffed. Officials in Washington are quick to point out that it was Assad’s brutal crackdown on his own people that created the kind of vacuum that allowed extremists like IS to flourish in the first place.

An alliance between the U.S.-led coalition fighting IS — similar to the assistance and training provided to the Iraqi military on the other front in the war — seems out of the question.

But with the international focus now on fighting the Islamic State group — and a partial cease-fire in place to facilitate that — there appears to be tacit U.S. approval for at least this part of Assad’s offensive in Syria to continue. If that is seen to develop, it could help the authoritarian ruler survive a ruinous 5-year-old conflict that has seen half the country’s population displaced.

Garland Holds First Meeting With Gop Senator

Washington — Mark Kirk on Tuesday became the first Republican senator to meet with Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland, criticizing GOP leaders’ refusal to hold confirmation hearings or a vote on the longtime federal judge and praising him as “one of the most eminent jurists in the country.”

There was no sign the session would erode Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s insistence on leaving the vacancy unfilled until President Barack Obama’s replacement names a selection next year. Even so, Kirk’s 20-minute session with Garland provided Democrats with a visual image — and words — that they hope will pressure other Republican senators to end their blockade.