The latest news on Health Care, Abortion, Unemployment & Recession, Prof. Gates' Arrest, North Korea, Iraq, Afghanistan, Mideast, Honduras, South Africa & Nuclear Power, and Select Op-eds.

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Quote of the day. "You name the country, I've gotten prayers from them. I hope in some way that by tweeting their prayers, these people are helping themselves somehow. Once you figure out what you want, in 140 characters or less, you can start to take action." Alon Nil, founder of a Twitter address where prayers can be tweeted, then printed and placed in a crack in the ancient stones of the Western Wall in Jerusalem. (AP, Boston Globe)

Health care. Health Reform Deadline In Doubt "Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid acknowledged Thursday that his chamber is unable to pass health-care reform before its August recess, a move that highlighted internal Democratic divisions on the legislation and is likely to result in significant changes to the shape of the final bill." As Health Bill Is Delayed, White House Negotiates "White House officials negotiated furiously on Thursday to keep major health care legislation on track after the Senate majority leader, Harry Rei of Nevada, said his chamber would not vote on a health measure until after Congress returned from its summer recess." Senate healthcare legislation not expected soon "A day after President Obama made an aggressive public appeal for swift health-care reform, the Senate officially gave up on the notion that it can pass a comprehensive package before its scheduled recess early next month."

Abortion. House Democrats Seek Moderate Ground on Abortion "Democratic House members from both sides of the abortion debate are introducing legislation aimed at trying to reduce the number of abortions around the country." Abortion fight is 'enduring divide' "The incendiary debate over abortion rights endures and can be jarring, as when abortion opponents interrupted at several points the Senate Judiciary Committee session with Sotomayor. The controversy has boiled up in other ways in the days since then."

Unemployment & recession. Jobless Checks for Millions Delayed as States Struggle "Years of state and federal neglect have hobbled the nation's unemployment system just as a brutal recession has doubled the number of jobless Americans seeking aid." Hope Builds for the Economy, and Stock Market Surges "Companies that a few months ago were too fearful even to project their future earnings are now seeing glimmers of hope in the year ahead. The rate of home sales has risen for three straight months. And the number of people drawing unemployment insurance benefits has fallen back to April levels, having receded for the third straight week." Dow breaks 9,000 for the first time in 6 months "The stock market has been on a tear as investors have become increasingly convinced that the recession is waning despite the highest unemployment in decades and corporate profits that remain severely depressed."

Prof. Gates' arrest. Officer Tells His Side of the Story in Arrest of Harvard Scholar "What began as a prominent African American professor's dispute with a white police sergeant grew more complex Thursday as the officer spoke publicly for the first time and a fuller portrait of his life emerged." Obama eases stance on arrest of black Harvard professor "A day after saying that police 'acted stupidly' in arresting a black Harvard University professor in his own home, President Obama appeared to soften his stance Thursday, spreading the blame more equally between the police and the arrested man." Accomplished, but not insulated "There are legions of others who can share similar stories, affluent, accomplished, and academically distinguished African-Americans in Greater Boston who have suffered indignities that they doubt would befall their similarly successful white peers." Case Recalls Tightrope Blacks Walk With Police "In interviews here and in Atlanta, in Web postings and on television talk shows, blacks and others said that what happened to Professor Gates was a common, if unacknowledged, reality for many people of color."

North Korea. N Korea 'tests weapons on children' "Ex-special forces captain says biological and chemical weapons tested on human guinea pigs." The 'rude' v the 'infantile': Hillary Clinton and North Korea trade insults "This is not a family squabble, but a recent exchange of insults between two of the leading players in one of the world's most intractable diplomatic conflicts: the Government of North Korea and Hillary Clinton, the U.S. Secretary of State."

Iraq. Surviving, but Hardly Thriving "Water has begun flowing again through southern Iraq's fabled marshes, a vast reservoir in this arid region that had all but vanished by the time the U.S.-led invasion in 2003 gave it a lifeline."

Afghanistan. Serious Challenger Emerges in Afghan Race "When Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, the main election challenger to President Hamid Karzai, arrived here to campaign last weekend, thousands of supporters choked the six-mile drive from the airport. Cars were plastered with his posters." U.S. stops giving militant death tolls in Afghanistan "U.S. military officials in Afghanistan have halted the practice of releasing the number of militants killed in fighting with American-led forces as part of an overall strategy shift that emphasizes concern for the local civilian population's well-being rather than hunting insurgent groups."

Mideast. Netanyahu hails spirit of Arab peace initiative "Three days before a parade of senior Obama administration officials is due here to talk about everything from construction in Gush Etzion to Iran's building of a nuclear bomb, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Thursday expressed interest in the Arab Peace Initiative for the first time, but only if it is not a final, non-negotiable offer." Israeli warships' passage through Suez Canal causes a stir "The mission prompts speculation that Israel sought to send a message about its military might to Iran and give the impression of close cooperation with Egypt against regional security threats." Hamas Shifts From Rockets to Public Relations "Seven months after Israel started a fierce three-week military campaign here to stop rockets from being fired on its southern communities, Hamas has suspended its use of rockets and shifted focus to winning support at home and abroad through cultural initiatives and public relations."

Honduras. Zelaya begins Honduras return "Honduras's deposed president appears close to attempting another risky return home, having arrived at a Nicaraguan town near the border with his country." Exiled Zelaya prepares to return home "Honduras braced for a showdown between its rival leaders today as the exiled president, Manuel Zelaya, prepared another attempt to return home and reclaim power."

South Africa & nuclear power. South Africa plans three nuclear power stations "Despite objections from Greenpeace, the ruling ANC considers nuclear power plants to satisfy rising energy demands."

Opinion. Time for the Blue Dogs to Show Their True Colors (Steven Pearlstein, Washington Post) "Over the years, I've never been able to tell whether the Blue Dogs were the mushy kind of centrists just trying to reconcile the demands of liberal leaders with the demands of their more conservative rural districts, or radical centrists who reject the tired, interest-group-driven ideas of the left and right and seek fresh solutions based on free markets, balanced budgets and social compassion." Kill the Rhinos! (David Brooks, New York Times) "Forget the wonkery. Let's get primeval. Rising health care costs are a stampede of big ugly rhinos. They are trampling your crops, stomping on your children's play areas and spoiling your hunting grounds."