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Quote of the day. “I think it helps to level the playing field because, in many cases, workers have been disadvantaged. They've been intimidated, they've been harassed, and we have case after case after case that we can look at.” Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis on the Employee Free Choice Act. (Washington Post)
Breaking news. State Supreme Court rules for Franken, 5-0 “The Minnesota Supreme Court ruled today that Democrat Al Franken won the U.S. Senate election and said he was entitled to an election certificate that would lead to him being seated in the Senate.”
Civil rights ruling. Justices Rule in Favor of White Firefighters in Racial-Bias Case “The Supreme Court yesterday restricted how far employers may go in considering race in hiring and promotion decisions, a ruling that puts workplaces across the nation on notice that efforts to combat potential discrimination against one group can amount to actual discrimination against another.” Supreme Court Finds Bias Against White Firefighters “The Supreme Court ruled on Monday that white firefighters in New Haven were subjected to race discrimination when the city threw out a promotional examination on which they had done well and black firefighters poorly.” Ruling for white firefighters may alter hiring “In a closely watched case that could have a broad effect on hiring and promotion policies, the Supreme Court ruled Monday that white firefighters who earned top test scores were the victims of illegal discrimination when the city of New Haven, Conn., tossed out the results and denied them promotions.”
Health care reform. Ideological Diversity Among Democrats Means No Free Pass for Obama “After a series of early and relatively easy victories on Capitol Hill, the White House appears certain to face a more difficult road when Congress returns to work next week.” Obama Steers Health Debate Out of Capital “With Democrats deeply divided over health legislation, President Obama is trying to enlist the nation’s governors and his own army of grass-roots supporters in a bid to increase pressure on lawmakers without getting himself mired in the messy battle playing out on Capitol Hill.”
State budgets. States brace for shutdowns “Indiana is one of five states -- along with Arizona, California, Mississippi and Pennsylvania -- bracing for possible shutdowns this week as time runs out for lawmakers to close billion-dollar gaps in their fiscal 2010 budgets.”
Economy and Amish. Downturn puts Amish in bind “The economy has taken some toll on most of the USA's 400 Amish settlements, experts say, but none has seen such a widespread impact as the country's third-largest Amish settlement in northern Indiana.”
Drug war-Canada. Drug war on another border: Canada “Mexico's crackdown puts the squeeze on cocaine dealers in British Columbia. Up here, as the violence grows, bodies pile up.”
Honduras. New Honduran Leadership Flouts Worldwide Censure “Honduras's new government vowed Monday to remain in power despite growing worldwide condemnation of the military-led coup that ousted President Manuel Zelaya.” In Honduras, forces crack down on protesters “Honduran security forces Monday fired tear gas at angry protesters demanding the return of deposed President Manuel Zelaya, as leaders of the Western Hemisphere pressed for an end to Central America's first military coup in 16 years.” In a Coup in Honduras, Ghosts of Past U.S. Policies “The crisis in Honduras, where members of the country’s military abruptly awakened President Manuel Zelaya on Sunday and forced him out of the country in his bedclothes, is pitting Mr. Obama against the ghosts of past American foreign policy in Latin America.” U.S. treads carefully with Honduras crisis “After failing to stave off a military coup in Honduras, the Obama administration moved gingerly Monday to try to undo it, leaving key levers of U.S. influence untouched as it urged Hondurans and other countries in the region to seek a settlement.”
Iraq. U.S. forces pull out of Iraq's cities “Iraqi forces have assumed formal control of the capital, Baghdad, and other cities, six years after U.S.-led coalition forces invaded Iraq.” Jubilation in Iraq on Eve of U.S. Pullback -- Withdrawal of Combat Troops From Cities Also Stirs Fear “Iraqis danced in the streets and set off fireworks Monday in impromptu celebrations of a pivotal moment in their nation's troubled history: As of Tuesday, this is no longer America's war.” Iraqis in festive mood on eve of U.S. troop exit “Monday night was a time for Iraqis to bask in their sovereignty as they counted down to today, the formal departure date of U.S. forces from their cities.”
Iran. Iran Council Certifies Ahmadinejad Victory “The powerful Guardian Council touched off scattered protests in Tehran Monday night when it formally certified the re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to a second four-year term, saying there was no validity to charges of voting fraud.” Police block protests as Iran confirms election results "The Iranian government's electoral watchdog Monday confirmed President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's landslide victory in the disputed June 12 presidential election after police wielding batons and cables prevented more than a thousand demonstrators from organizing a rally to protest the results.” Iran council certifies election result “After quickly finishing a partial vote count it said confirmed the initial tally of ballots, Iran's Guardian Council on Monday pronounced as valid President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's June 12 reelection, which opponents say was marred by massive vote fraud.”
Pakistan. U.S. Resumes Surveillance Flights Over Pakistan “As Pakistan escalates military operations against a top Taliban leader, the United States has resumed secret military surveillance drone flights over the country’s tribal areas to provide Pakistani commanders with a wide array of videos and other information on militants.” Pakistan Taliban 'scrap peace deal' “Taliban fighters in a tribal region bordering Afghanistan say they have pulled out of a peace deal with the Pakistan government.”
Israel. Israel ministers divided on settlement halt “Defense Minister Ehud Barak will meet in New York today with U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell in an effort to agree on a compromise formula on settlement construction.”
Zimbabwe. China 'agrees huge Zimbabwe loan' “China has agreed to give Zimbabwe a loan of $950m (£573m) to help it revive its battered economy, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has said.”
Editorial. The First Deadline (New York Times) “Before its troops leave for good in 2011, the U.S. has a responsibility and a strong strategic interest to help Iraq emerge as a functioning, sovereign and reasonably democratic state.”
Opinion. The Court Changes the Game (Linda Greenhouse, New York Times) "Like that decision or hate it, cheer Monday’s ruling or deplore it, one thing that is clear from reading the Supreme Court’s 89 pages of opinions in the case is that Judge Sotomayor and her colleagues played by the old rules, and the court changed them.” Getting a second opinion on healthcare reform: There are voices besides the AMA (Rahul Rajkumar and Harold Pollack, Los Angeles Times) “If lawmakers really want to reach out to the medical profession, if the media really want to understand what doctors believe, we have some advice: Stop treating the AMA as if it's the only game in town.”
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