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Washington Post
21 items
Closed-Door Deal Could Open Land In Montana
MISSOULA, Mont. -- The Bush administration is preparing to ease the way for the nation's largest private landowner to convert hundreds of thousands of acres of mountain forestland to residential subdivisions.
Churches Retool Mission Trips
Not long ago, the families of Fairfax Presbyterian Church spent thousands of dollars to fly their teens to Mexico for eight days of doing good. They helped build homes and refurbish churches as part of an army of more than 1 million mostly Christians who annually go on short-term international...
Chicago Gun Ban May Test Ruling
CHICAGO -- One small reflection of Chicago's bloody year is a sign outside a South Side school that says, "Congratulations Class of 2008. Stop the Violence." The school is not a college or a high school, but Carnegie Elementary in Woodlawn.
Bush Welcomes New American Citizens
CHARLOTTESVILLE, July 4 -- President Bush kicked off the Fourth of July at the hilltop estate of one of the nation's Founding Fathers, where he welcomed dozens of new American citizens from 30 countries.
Influential White House Staff Member Quits Job
Joe Hagin, the little known but influential White House staffer who supervised the renovation of the Situation Room and planned President Bush's secret trips to Iraq, surprised colleagues yesterday with his resignation.
U.S. Workforce Shrinks For 6th Straight Month
Employers cut 62,000 jobs in June, marking the sixth consecutive month that the nation has shed jobs, according to a government report released yesterday, deepening concern that the struggling U.S. economy could turn worse before it gets better.
Celebrity Passport Records Popular
Government workers repeatedly snooped without authorization inside the electronic passport records of entertainers, athletes and other high-profile Americans, a State Department audit has found. One celebrity's records were breached 356 times by more than six dozen people.
Debate Over Guantanamo's Fate Intensifies
The Bush administration is developing a long-range plan to empty the Guantanamo Bay military prison that could include asking Congress to spell out procedures for scores of suspected terrorists whom the government does not plan to bring to trial, administration officials and others familiar with...
Bush Opens New Chapter for Hospital
President Bush broke ground on a $1 billion expansion of the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda yesterday, a project that will elevate the campus into what federal officials say will be the nation's premier military medical site and a destination for wounded service members returning from...
15 Hostages Rescued in Colombia
Colombia's military yesterday rescued the most prominent of several hundred hostages held by Marxist rebels, a group of 15 that included the French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt and three American Defense Department contractors who had been imprisoned in remote jungle camps since 2003.
A Shortage Of Troops in Afghanistan
The nation's top military officer said yesterday that more U.S. troops are needed in Afghanistan to tamp down an increasingly violent insurgency, but that the Pentagon does not have sufficient forces to send because they are committed to the war in Iraq.
Lawsuit Leads to Release of Immigrant
A South Korean immigrant who was repeatedly denied timely medical care while in the immigration detention system was released from an Arizona jail yesterday.
San Francisco to Halt 'Sanctuary' Policy
LOS ANGELES, July 2 -- San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom announced Wednesday that the city would begin handing over for deportation juvenile illegal immigrants with drug convictions, reversing a controversial policy of flying the youths back to their home countries at the city's expense.
Toxicity in FEMA Trailers Blamed on Cheap Materials, Low Construction Standards
High levels of formaldehyde found in trailers provided to Hurricane Katrina evacuees on the Gulf Coast probably resulted from cheap wood and poor ventilation in designs used by manufacturers under permissive government standards, federal scientists reported yesterday.
Not So Quiet on the Third Front
At this rate, the October Surprise won't be very surprising.
Firings and Dismay After Woman's Death at Hospital
NEW YORK, July 2 -- It was a nightmare captured on surveillance video. A woman who had waited nearly 24 hours to be seen in a Brooklyn public hospital collapsed, fell face-down on the floor, convulsed and for nearly an hour -- while several hospital staff members looked at her and one staff member...
Bush Makes Final Push for Global Climate Deal
In his final months in office, President Bush is mounting a last-ditch effort to forge a new global deal to limit greenhouse-gas emissions but finds himself once again at odds with much of the rest of the world on how to address climate change.
Progress Cited on U.S.-Iraq Pacts
BAGHDAD, July 2 -- The United States and Iraq are making progress on complex political and security agreements that would allow U.S. troops to operate in the country next year, Iraq's foreign minister said Wednesday.
Fugitive Fund Manager Turns Himself In
A hedge-fund manager who faked his own suicide and went on the run after being convicted of defrauding investors of millions of dollars turned himself in yesterday at a police station in Massachusetts.
Southwest, FAA Relationship Cited in Probe
A cozy relationship between the Federal Aviation Administration and Southwest Airlines led to safety lapses last year that put thousands of passengers at risk, according to a government report released yesterday.
Pentagon's top investigator to resign
WASHINGTON -- The Pentagon's inspector general is resigning after just over a year in the job and at a time when defense spending has skyrocketed but personnel shortfalls in the oversight office have strained its ability to probe allegations of waste, fraud and abuse.
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New York Times
14 items
Employers Fight Tough Measures on Immigration
Businesses are proposing alternatives to laws with harsh punishments for hiring illegal immigrants, reopening a rift in the Republican Party.
Costly Cancer Drug Offers Hope, but Also a Dilemma
Avastin, which can cost as much as $100,000 a year, has become one of the most popular cancer drugs, but studies show it prolongs life by only a few months.
As Web Traffic Grows, Crashes Take Bigger Toll
As the Web has become an irreplaceable part of life, users have become less forgiving of even occasional outages.
A Ban on Cockfighting, but the Tradition Lives On
Fueled by cultural inertia and light penalties, cockfighting in New Mexico continues unabated in hidden venues.
At $100 for Tank of Gas, Some Choke on ‘Fill It’
Owners of large vehicles have hit an uncomfortable price milestone and are cutting back on recreational driving.
Virginia Weighs Future of Historic Fort After Army Leaves
Fort Monroe, a Union oasis where fugitive slaves flocked during the Civil War, will return to Virginia’s control in 2011 when the Army pulls out.
Hippie Arrests Draw A.C.L.U.’s Attention
The American Civil Liberties Union said on Saturday that it would investigate the actions of federal officers who had arrested five members of the Rainbow Family in western Wyoming during the group’s annual gathering.
McCain Battles a Nemesis, the Teleprompter
A politician who has thrived in informal settings is now trying to meet the more scripted speaking demands of a general election campaign.
Rising Convention Costs and Delays Worry Democrats
Planners of the convention in Denver may be forced to scale back on their original design or increase their fund-raising goals.
A Political Agitator Finds a Double-Edged Weapon
Senator Barack Obama’s social networking website has become a source of organized criticism of some of the candidates positions.
Economic View: Untying a Knot in Campaign Finance
Barack Obama campaign’s approach to reject public financing may offer the only realistic possibility of limiting the corrupting influence of money in politics.
Metrics: Cashing In on Obama and McCain
Nearly half of the $900 million presidential candidates have spent on their campaigns has been paid to just a few dozen companies.
The World: For Some Foes the Chat, Some the Cold Shoulder
The U.S. didn’t talk to Castro. But it did talk to Mao, and that is the path most taken.
Mind Games: Remembering Brainwashing
Cold war thinking: Communists can control minds. And we must catch up.
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Wall Street Journal
21 items
Jalapeños Probed in Salmonella Outbreak
Jalapeño peppers are a suspect in salmonella cases. Investigators are also looking at other ingredients used to make salsa, including cilantro and Serrano peppers. The CDC initially blamed tomatoes, leading to financial losses for that industry.
Buyout Banks Take Peace-Making Turn
A group of banks and buyout firms helped salvage the $52 billion takeover of Canadian telecom BCE. The compromise closes a year of bickering about how to fund boom-era deals and may help banks begin new lending commitments.
BP Sues TNK-BP Russia Partners
BP has sued its Russian partners at its TNK-BP joint venture to recover a $370 million debt in the latest dispute in a deepening rift.
U.S. Played Role in Colombia Rescue
New details have emerged about an important supporting role for the U.S. in Colombia's daring rescue of 15 hostages held by the country's Marxist guerrillas. Ingrid Betancourt received a hero's welcome in France.
Housing Steps Up Political Donations
The housing industry already has given more money to Congress this election cycle than in the entire previous cycle, while winning favorable provisions in an emergency housing bill.
McCain to Repackage Proposals
McCain is seeking to make his political message sharper as his campaign staff is in the midst of centralizing power.
NBC Nears Weather Channel Deal
The long-running auction of the Weather Channel is nearing an end. General Electric's NBC Universal and two financial partners are expected to conclude a $3.5 billion deal to buy the cable-television channel as soon as this weekend.
Mongolia Ends State of Emergency
Mongolia ended a four-day state of emergency after violent election riots last week left five people dead, 300 injured, and hundreds detained in this fledgling democracy.
Iran: Nuclear Program Unchanged
Iran's nuclear program remains unchanged, said a government spokesman, indicating that Tehran has no plans to meet the West's central demand that it stop enriching uranium.
Venus Williams Wins Wimbledon
Venus Williams won her fifth Wimbledon singles title, beating younger sister Serena Williams 7-5, 6-4 in the final.
Former Sen. Jesse Helms Dies
Jesse Helms, who built a career along the fault lines of racial politics and battled liberals, Communists and the occasional fellow Republican during 30 conservative years in Congress, died Friday. He was 86.
India's Singh Gains Nuclear Support
Indian Prime Minister Singh appears to have secured enough support to move forward with a heavily contested nuclear-cooperation pact with the U.S., saving his Congress Party-led coalition from the brink of possible collapse.
Bush Honors Troops in Address
Bush marked the nation's 232nd birthday by honoring the U.S. armed forces and celebrating the citizenship of new Americans.
Gunmen Kill Afghan Lawmaker
An Afghan lawmaker was assassinated by gunmen in southern Afghanistan. Separately, a roadside bomb that militants were planting detonated prematurely, killing 10 Taliban.
UBS Expects to Post Small Loss
UBS warned of a potential small second-quarter net loss, but reassured investors that it wouldn't have to raise capital for a third time this year as tax benefits will mitigate the effect of fresh write-downs related to the mortgage crisis.
Long-Term Unemployment Rises
The jobless rate held steady at 5.5% in June, but the number unemployed for six months or more has risen sharply over the past year.
Wildfires Rage on California Coast
Wildfires roared along California's central coast, chewing through opposite ends of a part of the Los Padres National Forest. Flames inched closer to Big Sur's historic vacation retreats despite cooler temperatures and light winds.
YouTube, Viacom Fight Over Users
Lawyers for Google asked Viacom for permission to better hide information that might help identify YouTube users before Google complies with a judge's demand that it hand over YouTube "user logs" to Viacom.
Countrywide Pact Nears Approval
A corporate-law judge granted preliminary approval to a settlement that ends a lawsuit over Countrywide's sale to Bank of America. The settlement at issue is between Countrywide and shareholders who sued challenging the sale price.
Coke Settles Suit Over Sales to Bottlers
Coca-Cola agreed to a $137.5 million settlement over a longstanding shareholder dispute that claimed the global beverage giant artificially inflated sales to boost its stock price.
Bloggers Score Against China's Censors
Chinese authorities fired four government officials over the alleged coverup of a murder, a change of stance that appears to be a direct result of pressure brought by journalists and Chinese bloggers.
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BBC News
34 items
Argentine MPs approve farm taxes
Argentina's lower house of Congress approves taxes on agricultural exports, which farmers have vowed to resist.
Pro-Chavez Catholics under fire
Religious leaders in Venezuela criticise a recently formed church that openly backs President Hugo Chavez's socialist politics.
Inquiry urged into UK island group
British MPs call for an inquiry into the administration of overseas territory the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Ancient Peruvian tomb unearthed
Archaeologists unearth an ancient tomb in northern Peru that could throw light on the pre-Columbian Moche Indian culture.
Progress in California fire fight
Crews trying to contain wildfires in California make progress and shift their focus to protecting Santa Barbara, officials say.
Betancourt's medical 'good news'
Ingrid Betancourt says she is delighted by the results of initial medical tests after her years as a hostage of Colombian rebels.
9/11 third tower mystery 'solved'
Fire caused the collapse of the third tower at the World Trade Center, a final report is expected to find.
Canada ruling boosts US deserter
A Canadian court orders a review of a US army deserter's failed asylum bid, in a case that may affect scores of others.
Ex-Senator Jesse Helms dies at 86
Former US Republican Senator Jesse Helms - a leading conservative politician - dies aged 86, officials say.
Time to end love affair with the car
Why it is time to end our love affair with the car
Tackling Zimbabwe
Matt Frei, presenter of BBC World News America, reflects on the international community's attempts to tackle Zimbabwe.
Athletics: Fall costs Gay 200m place
World champion Tyson Gay falls in the US 200m trials to end his hopes of winning an Olympic sprint double.
Tennis: Venus triumphs at Wimbledon
Venus Williams captures her fifth Wimbledon title by beating her sister Serena 7-5 6-4 in a high-quality final.
Kidnap ordeal
Colombia's pain over those still held hostage
Flip-flop guide
How Barack Obama and John McCain have changed tack
Jesse Helms
Outspoken and powerful US conservative dies
In pictures
The fires raging in northern and central California
Toilet to catwalk
Excrement clearers join top models in New York
Ties that bind
The White House hopefuls' Latin America policies
US loses 62,000 jobs during June
US firms cut jobs for a sixth month in June, stoking fears the world's largest economy is heading for a recession.
California fires threaten towns
Firefighters in California continue to battle huge wildfires that now threaten several towns in the US state.
Bush to attend Olympic ceremony
US President George W Bush will attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics, the White House says.
McCain urges more border security
White House hopeful John McCain tells Mexicans better border security must come before immigration reform.
Google must divulge YouTube log
Google must divulge the viewing habits of every user who has ever watched avideo on YouTube, says a US court.
Paulson admits regulatory errors
The system for regulating US banks should have performed better, US Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson admits.
Five to face Concorde crash trial
A US airline and five people are to be tried for manslaughter over the 2000 Concorde crash, French judicial officials say.
US 'to boost Afghanistan force'
US President George W Bush says more US troops will be deployed in Afghanistan by next year.
Dow Jones now a bear market
The Dow Jones Industrial Average closes more than 20% below its October peak, making it a bear market.
McCain urges Colombia trade deal
White House hopeful John McCain urges approval of a US free trade deal with Colombia as he tours the country.
US factory orders show weak rise
US factory orders grew by just 0.6% in May, the weakest growth for three months, the Commerce Department says.
Obama targets Republican South
How Obama is trying to win the Republican South
Democratic rivals unite
Democratic rivals hold joint rally in town of Unity
Who benefits from US gun ruling?
Who benefits from the US gun ruling?
Me and McCain
Vietnam jailer recalls chats with presidential hopeful
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CNN
10 items
Dozens hurt when fireworks misfire at show
Read full story for latest details.
Crews battle wildfires, exhaustion
Read full story for latest details.
FDA hunts for salmonella source in Mexico
Read full story for latest details.
Freed U.S. hostages feel 'overwhelmed'
The three Americans rescued after more than five years in captivity in Colombia say they are doing well but are "overwhelmed with emotion," according to a statement released on their behalf.
Lawn-chair balloonist drifts 200 miles to goal
Read full story for latest details.
91-year-old pinned under car for two days
Read full story for latest details.
University gets 50 tons of old recordings
Read full story for latest details.
Traditions -- fun and solemn -- mark July Fourth
Read full story for latest details.
Activists: National Mall in monumental disrepair
About half a million people are expected Friday on the National Mall in Washington for the nation's birthday celebration, but they may be shocked at what they see.
Police: Man clutches chest -- and wallet
Read full story for latest details.
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Reuters
10 items
California's wildfire in check -- for now
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Firefighters in California have fended off a blaze threatening more than 3,000 homes in and around the coastal town of Goleta and are turning their attention to preventing its spread toward the nearby picturesque city of Santa Barbara, officials said on Saturday.
Mississippi River reopens as flooding wanes
CHICAGO (Reuters) - The Mississippi River, the most important U.S. commercial waterway, reopened to water navigation on Saturday after much of it was closed for nearly a month due to the worst flooding in 15 years.
Cost of day-care sparks miscontent at Google HQ
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Google Inc is under fire from a handful of parents who work at the company's Silicon Valley offices for price hikes in the cost of on-site day care services, the New York Times reported on Saturday.
Gay crashes out of 200m trials
EUGENE, Oregon (Reuters) - World champion Tyson Gay's dream of an Olympics double ended in pain when he crashed out of the U.S. 200 meters quarter-finals on Saturday.
U.S. champion retains hot dog eating title
NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. defending champion Joey Chestnut won the annual Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest on Friday by downing 64 hot dogs in a competition that stretched into a first-ever overtime.
Phelps breaks world swimming record
OMAHA, Nebraska (Reuters) - Michael Phelps broke his own world record in the 200 meters individual medley at the U.S. Olympic swim trials on Friday, clocking a time of one minute, 54.80 seconds.
Alabama likely site of new VW plant: report
FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Alabama will be the likely home of a new Volkswagen manufacturing plant, beating two other states, German industry newsletter Automobilwoche said on Saturday, citing senior company sources.
New West Nile virus strain may worsen epidemic
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A new strain of West Nile virus is spreading better and earlier across the United States, and may thrive in hot American summers, researchers said on Thursday.
A tomato by any other name? Experts set food rules
GENEVA (Reuters) - Food safety experts agreed for the first time on the qualities defining a tomato, in a first step toward an international code on preventing fruit and vegetable contamination.
Despite high prices, farmers' markets still thrive
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Every year Chuck Geyer and his three children truck boxes upon boxes of their plump, juicy strawberries, raspberries and other produce to a bustling Saturday farmers market near Washington.
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AP
10 items
California wildfires strain state's resources
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- A wildfire threatening thousands of homes in Southern California spread slowly through scenic canyonlands Saturday, straining resources as crews struggled to contain hundreds of other blazes around the state....
3 freed US hostages give thanks for their rescue
SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- The three American hostages rescued by Colombia's military said in their first public statement that they are doing fine and are thrilled to "return home to the country we love."...
Americans' unhappy birthday: 'Too much wrong'
Even folks in the Optimist Club are having a tough time toeing an upbeat line these days. Eighteen members of the volunteer organization's Gilbert, Ariz., chapter have gathered, a few days before this nation's 232nd birthday, to focus on the positive: Their book drive for schoolchildren and an Independence Day project to place American flags along the streets of one neighborhood....
After DC gun ban overturned, city seeks new rules
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Dale Metta, who manages a gun shop just outside the District of Columbia limits in Maryland, has had to turn away dozens of city residents wanting to buy handguns in recent days. Never mind that the U.S. Supreme Court just struck down Washington's 32-year-old ban on possessing handguns....
Grief leads father to create bomb-defusing robot
TYNGSBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) -- The knock on Brian Hart's door came at 6 a.m. An Army colonel, a priest and a police officer had come to tell Hart and his wife that their 20-year-old son had been killed when his military vehicle was ambushed in Iraq....
Helms never changed on civil rights opposition
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- Jesse Helms forever changed North Carolina politics and the conservative movement. The former senator did it without ever changing much about himself....
Jones Beach evacuated after fireworks wash up
NEW YORK (AP) -- A popular beach on Long Island was evacuated at the height of a holiday weekend after stray, unexploded fireworks washed ashore the day after a July Fourth show, state parks officials said Saturday....
Accident at Iowa town's fireworks display hurts 37
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- A Fourth of July fireworks shell misfired in a northern Iowa town, sending a fireball skidding down a street into a crowd of spectators and injuring 37 people, officials said Saturday....
At root of most wildfires, by far: People
CROWN KING, Ariz. (AP) -- Playing with matches, being careless with a campfire, even burning a letter from an estranged husband: Some of the most devastating wildfires in the country's recent history have been started by people....
Ore. man completes flight of fancy - in lawn chair
BEND, Ore. (AP) -- Using his trusty BB gun to help him return to Earth, a 48-year-old gas station owner flew a lawn chair rigged with helium-filled balloons more than 200 miles across the Oregon desert Saturday, landing in a field in Idaho....
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USA Today
15 items
Two fires still raging along California's central coast
Cool, damp weather early Saturday helped crews gain ground on the huge wildfire that wiped out this coastal retreat's holiday ...
Two Mississippi River locks reopen as waters recede
The Army Corps of Engineers says two navigational locks along the Mississippi River have reopened after being closed because ...
Arrest made after FedEx sends drug to wrong place
FedEx prides itself on reliability. But a mistaken delivery tipped off police to a 200-pound shipment of marijuana that someone ...
Accident at Iowa town's fireworks display hurts 37
A Fourth of July fireworks shell misfired in a northern Iowa town, sending a fireball skidding down a street into a crowd of ...
A father's grief inspires maker of military robots
The knock on Brian Hart's door came at 6 a.m. An Army colonel, a priest and a police officer had come to tell Hart and his wife ...
Urban, rural communities lack supply of affordable produce
Millions of Americans live in "food deserts," areas unserved by grocery chains that can provide fresh foods at lower costs.
FDA reports more cases of salmonella illnesses
The government on Saturday increased the number of people reported being sickened in a record salmonella outbreak in which tomatoes ...
FBI probe latest setback for beleaguered Detroit
Auto industry cutbacks, double-digit unemployment and one of the nation's highest home foreclosure rates have left Detroit with ...
Sole survivor of Ariz. helicopter collision dies
Authorities say the lone survivor of a mid-air crash of two medical helicopters has died at a hospital in Arizona.
Hundreds remember 9/11 flight crews with sculpture
On a pedestal in a Texas intersection hundreds of miles from where terrorists crashed planes seven years ago, two flight attendants ...
Spitzer call girl drops lawsuit against 'Girls Gone Wild'
The call girl involved in a scandal that brought down New York's former governor has dropped a lawsuit claiming "Girls Gone Wild" ...
Statue of Liberty's crown may reopen to public
The National Park Service is considering reopening Lady Liberty's crown for the first time since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, ...
5 arrested in Rainbow Family clash with feds
About 400 members of the Rainbow Family threw rocks and sticks at 10 federal officers as they tried to arrest a member of the ...
Americans celebrate July 4th with fireworks, patriotism
Americans across the country mixed patriotism and plain old good fun to mark Independence Day on Friday, with solemn ceremony ...
Residents flee as wildfires creep toward Big Sur
A pair of out-of-control wildfires roared along California's central coast Friday, chewing through opposite ends of a parched ...
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