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Supreme Court. Obama Selects Sotomayor for Court “President Obama announced on Tuesday that he will nominate the federal appeals judge Sonia Sotomayor for the Supreme Court, choosing a daughter of Puerto Rican parents raised in Bronx public housing projects to become the nation’s first Hispanic justice.” Obama Chooses Sotomayor for Supreme Court “If confirmed, Sotomayor, 54, would be the first Supreme Court justice of Hispanic descent and only the third woman ever to sit on the panel.”
Climate change. Caps, Trades and Offsets: Can Climate Plan Work? “It sounds like alchemy, an act of bureaucratic magic. Under the climate-change bill just approved by a House committee, the U.S. government would literally make a commodity -- as tradable as a Pontiac or a pork belly -- out of thin air.”
Memorial Day. President Obama Gives His First Memorial Day Address as Commander in Chief “Jason Dudley didn't make it into the Memorial Amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetery yesterday, where a standing-room-only audience heard President Obama pay tribute to the nation's fallen in his first Memorial Day address as commander in chief.” Obama marks Memorial Day with tribute at Arlington “Obama laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery, a customary presidential undertaking on Memorial Day. He also had one sent to the Confederate Memorial there, a traditional practice but not well publicized. In addition, Obama took the unprecedented step of sending a wreath to the African American Civil War Memorial in Washington's historically black
National security. Showdown Looms Over Use of ‘State Secrets' Privilege in Wiretapping Case “President Obama vowed last week to rein in the use of a legal privilege that allows the administration to discard lawsuits that involve 'state secrets,' promising that a new policy is in the works that will quell criticism by civil libertarians.” President’s Detention Plan Tests American Legal Tradition “President Obama’s proposal for a new legal system in which terrorism suspects could be held in 'prolonged detention' inside the United States without trial would be a departure from the way this country sees itself, as a place where people in the grip of the government either face criminal charges or walk free.”
Foreclosures. Job Losses Push Safer Mortgages to Foreclosure “As job losses rise, growing numbers of American homeowners with once solid credit are falling behind on their mortgages, amplifying a wave of foreclosures.”
Gun control. Democrats in power hand victories to NRA “President Obama and his allies in Congress have given the gun lobby a string of victories - from forgoing new gun laws to easing restrictions already on the books - since Mr. Obama took office and Democrats assumed complete command of political power in Washington.”
Storefront churches. Storefront churches: Causing more economic harm than spiritual good? “With the nation in the grips of a dire economic recession, storefront churches in neglected African-American neighborhoods like North Lawndale are increasingly being called on to strengthen their traditional role as lifelines for the community. But some local business leaders question whether the area's nearly 200 churches, mainly storefronts, are causing more economic harm than spiritual good.”
Church and gay issues. Gay issues may splinter churches “The nation's mainline Protestant denominations have quarreled for years over the role of gay men and lesbians in church life, but those debates promise to grow even more intense and acrimonious this summer.”
North Korea. Tested Early by North Korea, Obama Has Few Options“Facing the first direct challenge to his administration by an emerging nuclear weapons state, President Obama declared Monday that the United States and its allies would 'stand up' to North Korea, hours after that country defied international sanctions and conducted what appeared to be its second nuclear test.” U.S., U.N. condemn North Korea nuclear test “The United States and allied powers threatened Monday to impose new penalties on North Korea after the defiant regime announced its second nuclear bomb test, but their leverage in derailing the weapons program appeared limited.” North Korean Nuclear Blast Tests Obama's Engagement Policy “President Obama came into office saying he wanted to demonstrate that engagement with hostile nations is more effective than antagonism, but North Korea's nuclear test now leaves the young administration with critical choices about its response.” North Korea defies world with Hiroshima-size nuclear device “The U.N. security council will begin behind-the-scenes negotiations today designed to strengthen sanctions against North Korea after the communist state appeared to have successfully tested a nuclear weapon as powerful as the one that destroyed Hiroshima.”
Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe cholera 'to top 100,000' “The number of cholera cases in Zimbabwe is forecast to reach 100,000 this week, according to the Red Cross.”
Darfur. 'Scores killed' in Darfur battle “Scores of rebel fighters have been killed as the Sudanese army fought off an attack on a military base in the North Darfur region, the country's army has said.”
Iraq. U.S. prepares to withdraw, Iraqi resistance prepares for battle “Now the dormant insurgent groups, with men, weapons and networks intact, are approaching their moment of truth. If their efforts to enter the mainstream fail, it appears almost inevitable that they will take up arms again, either after national elections early next year or sooner.”
Israel. Israeli legislation raises issue of loyalty “The ultranationalist party led by Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman has unveiled two bills targeting Israel's Arab minority, one that would outlaw the Arabs' traditional day of mourning over the birth of Israel and another that would require an oath of allegiance to the Jewish state.”
Aung San Suu Kyi - Burma. Suu Kyi testifies in Myanmar trial “Myanmar's detained opposition leader has denied violating her detention order, a charge she faces for allowing an American to stay at her home.” Aung San Suu Kyi denies charges "Ms. Suu Kyi said she was not immediately aware of the late-night visit but was informed later by her assistant."
Iran. Big Crowd for Moderate Reflects Serious Challenge to Iran’s Leader “The strongest challenger to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad attracted an unusually large and exuberant crowd of supporters on Monday during a campaign speech in this northwest city near the candidate’s birthplace, with only a few weeks before national elections that the incumbent stands a serious chance of losing.” Ashkenazi: Dialogue the best way to solve Iran nuclear threat “Dialogue with Iran is considered by the IDF as the most desirable way to prevent the Islamic Republic from attaining nuclear weapons, though there is only a small chance that the current dialogue between Washington and Teheran will actually succeed in that goal, IDF Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi said on Tuesday.”
Editorial. Dangerous legislation (Haaretz) “The endorsing of a bill criminalizing anyone who marks the Palestinians' Nakba Day on Israel's Independence Day, making it punishable by three years in prison, is a hasty and dangerous act.”
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