Weekly Issues Alert

July 7 - 13

"If the present Congress errs in too much talking, how can it be otherwise in a body to which the people send 150 lawyers, whose trade it is to question everything, yield nothing, & talk by the hour?" ---Thomas Jefferson

North Carolina General Assembly

Easley Signs $18.9 Billion Budget Plan

Gov. Mike Easley on Monday signed the budget agreement passed last week by the General Assembly for the 2006-2007 fiscal year. Read
Senate Panel Approves Moratorium On State Landfills

A Senate committee Wednesday unanimously approved an 18-month moratorium on new landfills to give state officials time to study the impact of solid waste disposal is having on North Carolina. Read
Incentive Changes OK In House, Job Credit Expansion OK In Senate

The state's primary incentives program would be consolidated, some unused tax credits programs eliminated and others tilted toward poorer counties in legislation tentatively approved Wednesday by the House. Read
House Approves Tax Increase Despite Objections About Process

Mecklenburg County will be allowed to raise its rental-car tax under a bill passed Wednesday by the House over the objections of lawmakers who said the approval circumvented the proper legislative process. Read
N.C. Senate Agrees To House Version Of Pledge Bill

The General Assembly approved Tuesday a requirement that school districts set time daily in school for students to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. The measure also required schools to teach about the meaning of the pledge. Read
State, Local Officials Take Tax-Backed Cruise At Festival

"I did not know it was going to be that lavish, with all the food and drink, when I got on," said state Rep. Pricey Harrison, D-Guilford. "It was really nice." Harrison said the cruise didn't appear to be appropriate, now that she thinks about it. She has advocated stiffer rules for gifts and ethics for members of the Legislature. Read
Lawmakers Approve Rule Requiring All Passengers To Use Seatbelts

Lawmakers Monday night finalized a proposal that requires North Carolina passengers in the back seat to buckle up. That measure now goes to the governor for his signature. Read
Senate Approves Innocence Commission

Seeking to patch any holes in North Carolina's criminal justice system, the state Senate approved a bill Monday to create an "innocence commission" that could override a court to free a prisoner. Read
Easley Approves Smoking Ban In General Assembly Buildings

Gov. Mike Easley signed a bill Monday to prohibit smoking in General Assembly buildings, as officials in the nation's largest tobacco-producing state continue to favor North Carolina's health over its heritage. Read
N.C. Minimum Wage Ready To Go $1 Higher

North Carolina's minimum wage is poised to rise to $6.15 an hour after the General Assembly gave final approval to a $1-per-hour increase Monday and Gov. Mike Easley said he was ready to sign it. Read
Long Balks At UNC Building Changes Given Initial Senate OK

The number of reviews performed on University of North Carolina campus construction projects would be reduced from six to one in a bill tentatively approved Monday by the Senate. Read
Senate Ethics Rolls Out Lottery Ethics Bill

The Senate rolled out an ethics bill that would create one state ethics commission that oversees all of portions of the three branches of government but still wouldn't have power to investigate complaints against lawmakers. Read
Legislation Grants More Power To State Medical Board

The North Carolina Medical Board oversees every health care provider in the state. It's a big job, which can potentially have a huge impact. Read
N.C. Senate Approves Complete Ban On Third-Party Checks

Responding to a campaign finance investigation into House Speaker Jim Black, the state Senate on Tuesday passed fundraising reforms that includes a ban on incomplete checks. Read
Cable TV Deregulation in Easley's Hands

It's now up to the governor to deregulate cable television service in North Carolina. New rules approved by state lawmakers today would enable the deregulation, which supporters say should lead to new video programming choices and lower prices for consumers. Read
Immigration Battle Rages in Raleigh

State lawmakers are looking at controversial bills that would make it more difficult for illegal immigrants to work and live in North Carolina. The law says that employers cannot hire illegal immigrants, but most employers, including the state and public schools, are not required to verify a new employee's legal immigration status. Read
N.C. House Cracks Down On Cell-Using Teen Motorists

Teens: End your phone calls before you start your engines. Following the lead of the Senate, the House on Wednesday voted 89-22 to prohibit some rookie drivers from using a cell phone in the car. Motorists under the age of 18 caught using a cell could face a $25 fine and an extension to their graduated driving period. Read
No ID? You Could Go to Jail By Gerrick Brenner

State lawmakers are considering a bill that would crack down on drivers not carrying identification. Read

North Carolina Politics

Attorney General Bypasses Governor Run For Re-Election

State Attorney General Roy Cooper has told supporters he plans to seek re-election in 2008, bypassing a potential run for governor. Read

Other North Carolina News

Voters Reject Mixed Drinks by Nearly 2-1

Salvador Abrego won't be serving margaritas in his Snow Hill restaurant any time soon since Greene County voters turned down liquor by the drink Read
WestPoint Plant In Scotland County To Lay Off Nearly 400

Nearly 400 people will lose their jobs when a WestPoint Stevens facility closes in 60 days in Scotland County. The plant — a weaving facility — is located in Wagram. It employs 370 people who make towels. Read
Duke Lacrosse Rape Suspect Convicted In D.C. Assault Case

One of the three Duke University lacrosse players accused of raping a woman at a team party in March was convicted in an unrelated assault that occurred last year in Georgetown. Read
Foes Of Public Smoking Seek Big Changes In Tobacco-Friendly N.C.

A recent report on the dangers of secondhand smoke could bolster anti-smoking efforts, especially at work sites, say health and government officials. Read
Lottery Commission Approves Two New Games

North Carolina's lottery commission approved two new in-state numbers games today. Read
Sex Offender Sentenced To 30 Years For Taking Rocky Mount Girl

A federal judge sentenced a man who had admitted taking a 12-year-old Rocky Mount girl as far as Iowa before releasing her to more than 30 years in prison Monday. Read
Immigration Hearing Postponed Again For N.C. State's Grant

An immigration hearing for North Carolina State basketball player Gavin Grant — in a case that could ultimately end in his deportation to Jamaica — was postponed Tuesday until September, a federal spokeswoman said. Read
1,700 Motorists Cited For Drunken Driving In Latest Campaign

More than 1,700 motorists were charged with driving drunk during the week of Fourth of July, the Governor's Highway Safety Program said on Tuesday. Read
N.C. Sets Execution Date For Samuel Flippen

A man convicted of murdering a 2-year-old girl is scheduled to die in August, state corrections officials said Tuesday. Read
Dozens Of Layoffs Reported At SAS

Dozens of people who work at SAS will be getting something that's not often handed out at the Cary company — pink slips. SAS is eliminating jobs in the marketing department, thanks to lower-priced competition. Read
Murder Suspect Shot and Killed in N.C. Courtroom by Law Enforcement

An inmate who got into a scuffle with law enforcement officers in a courtroom in Northampton County was shot and killed by authorities after the inmate allegedly took a gun from a correctional officer and shot a deputy, authorities said. The inmate had been transported from Raleigh for a court hearing Read

Congress

Senate to Vote on Stem-Cell Legislation Tuesday

It's the first floor debate on stem-cell research and cloning since Dolly the sheep was cloned. The Senate will debate three important bills dealing with stem-cell research and cloning beginning Monday. Read
Lumbee Recognition Bill Set for Senate Hearing (N. C. Family Policy Council)

The U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs has scheduled a hearing on a bill that would likely bring a gambling casino to eastern North Carolina. A hearing on S660-Lumbee Recognition Act, is scheduled for Wednesday, July 12, 2006 at 9:30 a.m. in Washington, D.C. in the Hart Office Building. Sponsored by Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R-NC) and cosponsored by Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC), the bill would grant full Federal recognition to the Lumbee Indian Tribe located in Robeson County. The North Carolina Family Policy Council does not oppose granting federal recognition to the Lumbee Tribe, but is opposed to allowing the tribe to conduct gambling on their lands, once recognition is granted. Action
'Pit Bull' of the House Latches On to Immigration

Representative F. James Sensenbrenner Jr., a feared and vital lawmaker, has no tolerance for illegal immigrants. Read
CWA: Senate Needs to End Detention of Haynes' Confirmation

Concerned Women for America (CWA) says that the U.S. Senate needs to end the detention of Jim Haynes' nomination to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. President Bush nominated Haynes on September 29, 2003. The Senate Judiciary Committee referred his nomination to the full Senate on November 19, 2003. However, a two-year filibuster has held Haynes hostage on the Senate floor, keeping him from receiving an up or down vote. Today, Haynes will endure a second hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Read
Republican Lawmakers Cite Shells as WMD Proof — Washington Times

Congressional Republicans are at odds with Democrats — and the Bush administration — over the significance of 500 munitions found in Iraq since 2003 and recently disclosed by the Pentagon. Read
House Passes Internet-Gambling Bill — Citizen Link

The House today passed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, H.R. 4411, on a 317-93 vote. Read
Related
Bickering Congress Thin on Passing Bills

Could a Republican-controlled Congress pass a bill to protect the words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance from court challenges?... Read
Congressman Criticizes Bush on UnderCover Activities

A high-ranking Republican lashed out at President Bush on Sunday, suggesting that the White House may have broken the law ... Read
Detainee Rights Create a Divide on Capitol Hill

Republicans differ on what rights terrorism suspects should have and how much deference should be shown the president. Read
Administration Prods Congress to Curb the Rights of Detainees

A day after accepting the Geneva Conventions, the White House pushed for a narrow definition of detainees' rights under them. Read
Tax Revenues Cutting Deficit Faster Than Planned

Even as President Bush cheered the surprisingly high tax revenues, he warned Congress against overspending. Read
Senate Approves Drug Import Plan

The Senate opened the way Tuesday to let Americans import prescription drugs into the United States from Canada, seeking to ease a regulatory ban on cheaper medicine crossing the border. Read
Pentagon Struggles With Cost Overruns and Delays

Both parties are concerned that runaway costs at the Pentagon threaten to weaken the armed forces. Read
Treasury Official Says Disclosure of Secret Banking Program Is Damaging

Stuart Levey, undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence at the Treasury Department, made the remarks before a House Financial Services panel today. Read
2 Sides Clash at Hearing on Legality of Deficit Law

A leading public interest group says the Deficit Reduction Act, which would cut $39 billion in spending over the next five years, is unconstitutional because of a clerical error. Read
Pork-Barrel Politics v. Property Rights: Why Are Conservative Republicans Standing With the Former?

Should property rights and federalism be sacrificed on the altar of tourism promotion? Some conservative lawmakers apparently think so. Read
President Bush Won't Meet with Pro-Embryonic Stem Cell Research Lawmaker

President Bush has declined to meet with a lawmaker who sponsored a bill to overturn his limits on using tax money for embryonic stem cell research. The Senate will soon vote on Rep. Diana DeGette's bill and she hoped to meet with the president to convince him not to veto it. Read

Courts

Briefly: 19 Acquitted of Forming anti-U.S. Terrorist Gang — Int'l Herald Tribune

Nineteen suspected members of Al Qaeda who are accused of plotting to assassinate Westerners and blow up a hotel used by Americans have been acquitted by a Yemen court, which also exonerated some of those fighting U.S. troops in Iraq. Read
Calif. Appeals Court to Hear Gay Marriage Case — Boston Globe

In nearly two years since John Lewis and Stuart Gaffney took part in this city's same-sex marriage movement, they have filed three rounds of tax returns, buried a mother, vacationed in Europe, and attended five weddings — four involving both a bride and a groom. Read
Federal Judge Rules Voter ID Card Law in Georgia Is Illegal

A law requiring voters to present government-issued ID cards would discriminate against minorities, the poor and the elderly, the judge found. Read
Mass. Court Backs Gay Marriage on Ballot — ABC News

The same court that made Massachusetts the first state to legalize gay marriage ruled Monday that a proposed constitutional amendment to ban future same-sex marriages can be placed on the ballot, if approved by the Legislature. Read
Judge Upholds F.B.I. Search of Lawmaker's Office

The search of William J. Jefferson's office did not violate the constitutional separation of powers, a judge ruled. Read
When Regulating Wetlands Means Ruining Lives

Writing in Human Events, Senior Fellow R.J. Smith's look at recent Supreme Court action regarding wetlands includes a few horror stories about small landowners who got caught in a regulatory apparatus run amuck. Read
Smuggling Charges Dismissed in Ariz. Court

A judge dismissed charges Tuesday against two Mexican men in the first trial of illegal immigrants charged as conspirators under a new Arizona smuggling law. The law targets immigrant smugglers, but a prosecutor has said that those who paid to be sneaked into the country also can be charged as conspirators to the crime. Read
Judge OKs Settlement in H.S. Drug Raid

A federal judge approved a $1.6 million class-action settlement to compensate students who were searched during a 2003 high school drug raid in which police with guns drawn ordered students to the floor. Read
Mom Gets 8 Years for Giving Baby Methadone

A woman who gave her infant daughter methadone to keep her from fussing was sentenced to eight years in prison for causing the baby's death. Read
Texas Inmates Not Entitled to Minimum Wage

Texas inmates working prison jobs aren't entitled to the federal minimum wage, an appeals court ruled in a case brought by a sex offender who works at a state prison laundry. Read
Judge Strikes Down Part of Alaska Pot Law

A judge on Monday struck down part of a new Alaska law criminalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana, saying it conflicts with past decisions by the Alaska Supreme Court. Read
Judge Hears Arguments in Spy Program Case

Government attorneys continued Monday to argue that state secrets would be breached if a lawsuit challenging President Bush's domestic spying program is heard in federal court. U.S. District Judge Anna Diggs Taylor listened to arguments, but gave no indication of whether she would dismiss the case brought by the American Civil Liberties Union against the National Security Agency. Read
Boy Scout Marina Case Appealed to Supreme Court

The Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF) is appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court a California Supreme Court decision that affirmed the Berkeley Marina's denial of free access for boats belonging to the Boy Scouts of America. Read
Appeals Court Upholds Pilots' Convictions

An appeals court Wednesday upheld the convictions and prison sentences of two pilots who got behind the controls of an America West plane while drunk. Thomas Cloyd and Christopher Hughes were arrested before the Phoenix-bound America West jetliner took off but after it had pushed away from the gate at Miami International Airport in 2002. Read

Christianity/Pro-Family/Religion/Ethics

Can Churches Follow this Advice Without Breaking the Law?

Project 21 Senior Fellow Deneen Moore and Project 21's Council Nedd, a bishop of the Anglican Diocese of the Chesapeake, are wondering if black churches can follow the advice of Reverends Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and Joseph Lowery without running afoul of IRS rules. Read
Bible Gets African Interpretation — BBC

Written by 70 contributors from 25 countries, the Africa Bible Commentary aims to explain the Bible from an African perspective. Read
Bhutan Christians "Disappear" After Showing 'Jesus' Film

Family and friends are searching for two Christian government workers jailed in Bhutan for showing the internationally acclaimed 'Jesus' film, a well informed source said Monday, July 10, on condition of anonymity for security reasons. Read
Islamic Violence Paralyzes Teenager, Churches in Nigeria

For two years Francis Yohanna Anche, 15, has been suffering from a brain injury he sustained when Muslim students in his high school in Zaria city attacked Christian students. His right hand and leg are still paralyzed from a machete cut to his head. Read
Mexico Releases Evangelicals Jailed Over Massacre

Mexican authorities have agreed to release some of 90 jailed men, including evangelical Christians, who were charged with involvement in killing 45 Tzotzil Indians in southeast Mexico in 1997, sources close to the negotiations said Monday, July 10. Read
Black Conservatives to Host Moral Reconstruction Conference

In the midst of another hurricane season, prominent black conservatives and other leading experts will gather in Washington D.C. this month to take part in the "Moral Reconstruction: A Model for Urban Transformation Conference" co-sponsored by BOND, the Brotherhood Organization of a New Destiny and The Heritage Foundation. The conference will be held on Wednesday, July 26, 2006, from 1-4 p.m. EST at The Heritage Foundation (214 Massachusetts Ave NE Washington D.C.). Read
Brooklyn Legislator Charged With Taking Bribes to Aid Land Deal

Diane M. Gordon, a state assemblywoman from Brooklyn, was accused of having sought a $500,000 home in return for city land. Read
House-Church Leader Gets 7-1/2 Years in Prison

Family members concerned over prominent Chinese pastor's health Read
SongTouch.com Announces New Partner Program with over 150 Christian Businesses Already Participating

Celebrating its one-year anniversary, SongTouch (www.songtouch.com), a digital entertainment internet site that offers music from major Christian record labels, spoken word recordings, and concert footage, is proud to offer Christian businesses the opportunity to provide customers with downloads from the SongTouch catalog. Read
Public Attitudes About Lying

Demographics and details about the AP-Ipsos poll on attitudes about lying. The results are taken from a poll of 1,000 adults conducted June 23-27 by Ipsos, an international polling firm. The survey has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points. Read

Abortion/Pro-Life

Scientists Grow Sperm from Stem Cells — London Telegraph

Scientists have turned stem cells from an embryo into sperm that are capable of producing offspring, it was announced yesterday. Read
Terri Schiavo Family Says Terry Wallis Case Shows Errors Diagnosing PVS

St. Petersburg, FL (LifeNews.com) — The family of Terri Schiavo says news about a man in a coma for 20 years who awoke from it and regained his speech and movement capabilities shows the limitations of diagnosing a permanent vegetative state. Doctors said Terry Wallis was PVS, but he was actually in a minimally conscious state similar to Terri. Read
British Health Official Proposes Ban on Sex-Selection Abortions

The British government has announced a new plan to ban sex-selection abortions there for non-medical reasons. The ban comes at a time when nations like India and China are struggling with the use of ultrasounds to determine the sex of the baby for abortions. Read
Terri Schiavo Former Husband will Host Fundraiser for Colorado Candidate

While Terri Schiavo's parents work to assist disabled people, Terri's former husband Michael moved into the political world after he successfully won the right to euthanize her. Michael formed a political action committee to target pro-life lawmakers who helped Terri's family and now is campaign for other candidates. Read

Alcohol/Drugs/Health

Meth Users, Attuned to Detail, Add ID Theft Habit

Methamphetamine users, not elaborate Internet schemes, are the everyday face of identity theft, some officials say. Read
Investigators Find Medicare Drug Plans Often Give Incomplete and Incorrect Data

Insurers' call centers failed to provide complete and accurate cost information more than 70 percent of the time, a Government Accountability Office study said. Read
Quadriplegic Turns Thoughts Into Action

A chip placed in his brain helps him play video games and use a mechanical arm. Read
Medical Pot Club Tests San Francisco Law

Fisherman's Wharf is home to cable cars, postcard views of Alcatraz and the scent of sourdough. And now the fragrance of fresh marijuana? City planners are considering whether to issue a permit for a medical marijuana dispensary in the heart of the city's tourist hub, despite outrage from neighbors and businesses. The Planning Commission is scheduled to vote Thursday, and some have vowed to appeal any permit the city grants. Read
FDA Approves First AIDS Drug that Requires Just One Pill a Day

Fulfilling a long-held goal of AIDS researchers, federal regulators on Wednesday approved the first anti-HIV drug Read

Education/Sex Ed/Teens/Children

Wis. School Lets Radical Instructor Teach

An instructor at the University of Wisconsin who has said he believes U.S. officials orchestrated the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, will be allowed to teach a course on Islam, the school said Monday. Some state politicians had called for the University of Wisconsin-Madison to fire part-time instructor Kevin Barrett after he spoke about his theories on a radio talk show last month. Read
Boy to Attend Kindergarten as a Girl

A counselor claims the student believes he is the opposite sex.After visiting a counselor, he was diagnosed as having gender dysphoria, a condition in which the person believes he or she is the opposite sex. Read
N.Y. Senator Subpoenas Execs Over SATs

A New York state senator has subpoenaed executives of the College Board over their refusal to release a report on scoring errors in the SAT college entrance exam. More than 4,400 high school students nationwide received incorrectly low scores on the SAT exam they took in October because of a computer scanning glitch blamed on excessive moisture on answer sheets due to wet weather. Read
Schoolbooks Are Given F's in Originality

This is how the 2005 edition of "A History of the United States," a high school history textbook by the Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Daniel J. Boorstin and Brooks Mather Kelley, relates the cataclysmic attacks of 9/11 for a new generation of young adults: James W. Loewen found similarities in high school textbooks while updating his own book about inaccuracies in history texts. "In New York City, the impact of the fully fueled jets caused the twin towers to burst into flames. The fires led to the catastrophic collapse of both 110-story buildings as well as other buildings in the area. The numbers of people missing and presumed dead after this assault was estimated to be 2,750." Read
Small Colleges, Short of Men, Embrace Football

Colleges eager to attract men to increasingly female campuses have found that football teams can be a lure. Read
Former Wrestling Coach Loses Teaching Certificate after Years of Complaints

When he touched and pinched female students, he said it was all in fun. When he called out, "Hey, good looking!" to them, he said it was to boost their self-esteem. When he held down a girl with lung disease, covering her mouth and obstructing her breathing, he called it a joke. Read
Homework: How Much Help from Parents is too Much?

Parents don't like to see their children struggle. They feel the pain of kids who are exasperated when they can't figure out a math problem, and they don't like to see kids bleary-eyed late at night while trying to finish a science project. Read
Former Ga. Schools Chief Gets 8 Years

Former Georgia schools superintendent Linda Schrenko was sentenced Wednesday to eight years in prison and ordered to pay nearly $415,000 in restitution in an embezzlement scheme that helped pay for her face lift and campaign for governor. Read
Accuser Testifies in Naval Academy Case

Former U.S. Naval Academy quarterback Lamar Owens Jr. and a female student who says he raped her agree on some basic facts — Owens was in the woman's dorm room early one January morning, and the two had sex. Read
Hearing Against Academy Grad to Resume

A judge is set to again consider a rape charge against an Air Force Academy graduate after the case that stemmed from the academy's sexual assault scandal became entangled in more than a year of delays. Read
Ohio University's Technology Chief Quits

Ohio University's chief technology officer is stepping down, saying someone with more energy is needed to help the school update a computer system that recently suffered five electronic break-ins. The breaches to computer systems managed by Bill Sams, associate provost for information technology, exposed about 367,000 files containing Social Security numbers, names, medical records and home addresses. Read

Gambling

Ex-Lehigh Student Pleads to Bank Robbery

A former university class president accused of robbing a bank to pay his online poker debts pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count of felony robbery. Greg Hogan, 20, the son of a preacher and former president of Lehigh University's class of 2008, was accused of holding up a Wachovia bank Dec. 9 by handing a teller a note demanding money and saying he had a gun. Read
Abramoff and 4 Others Sued by Tribe Over Casino Closing

An Indian tribe says the former superlobbyist mounted a fake religiously themed moral crusade against gambling in Texas to benefit a competing casino in Louisiana. Read

God and Country/National Security/Politics/Economy

Navy Calls Off Search for Missing Sailor

The Navy has called off its search for a sailor who fell from the deck of his ship near Japan, according to his family. Family of Airman Jason J. Doyle said Monday that the Navy told them it had halted search-and-rescue efforts and changed the Omaha man's status to "lost at sea." Read
U.S.-Mexico Merger Opposition Intensifies

Some see secret efforts to scrap dollar, end U.S. sovereignty, merge countries Read
3 is a Magic Number

Sound off on plans for a N. American union among U.S., Canada and Mexico Vote
Nation's Capital Declares Crime Emergency

Two groups of tourists were robbed at gunpoint on the National Mall, just hours after the police chief declared a crime emergency in the city in response to a string of violence that included the killing of a British activist. The activist, Alan Senitt, was attacked in the Georgetown area on Sunday, his throat was slit and police say the attackers attempted to rape his companion. It was the 13th homicide in the city this month. Robberies are up 14 percent, and armed assaults have jumped 18 percent in the past 30 days. Read
U.S. Urges China to Pressure North Korea — ABC News

The United States on Sunday pushed China to apply more pressure on North Korea to end its missile tests and return to international nuclear disarmament talks. A top diplomat said the aim is to show that Kim Jong Il's government has "no support in the world." Read
U.S. and Russia to Enter Civilian Nuclear Pact — Washington Post

President Bush has decided to permit extensive U.S. civilian nuclear cooperation with Russia for the first time, administration officials said yesterday, reversing decades of bipartisan policy in a move that would be worth billions of dollars to Moscow but could provoke an uproar in Congress. Read
Trans-Texas Corridor Paved with Campaign Contributions?

San Antonio construction firm, capital consortium from Spain stand to gain Read
Agency Recovers from Computer Break-Ins — AP

The State Department is recovering from large-scale computer break-ins worldwide over the past several weeks that appeared to target its headquarters and offices dealing with China and North Korea, The Associated Press has learned. Read
Paulson: U.S. Won't Retreat From Global Economy — ABC News

Henry M. Paulson took over Monday as the nation's 74th Treasury secretary, pledging to make sure the country does not retreat from the global economy. Read
US Set to Sign Russian WTO Deal Before G8 — ABC News

The United States and Russia are poised to sign a deal on the eve of the Group of Eight summit paving the way for Russia to join the World Trade Organization, officials and diplomats said on Tuesday. Read
Iran Could Have Enriched Uranium Above 20% — MENL

The International Atomic Energy Agency suspects that Iran could have produced or received uranium enriched to a level above 20 percent, far more than required for a nuclear energy program. Read
Inspector: Homeland Security Database Flawed

A Homeland Security database of national monuments, chemical plants and other structures vulnerable to terror attacks is too faulty to accurately help divide federal funds to states and cities, according to the department's internal watchdog. Much of the study by Homeland Security Inspector General Richard Skinner appears to have been completed before the department announced in May it would cut security grants to New York and Washington by 40 percent this year. Read
Consumer Services Pop Up to Fight ID Theft

For $110 a year, an Arizona company called LifeLock promises to "lock" your identity to keep it away from identity thieves — and offers a $1 million guarantee they will fix things if bad guys get it anyway. Identity Guard of Chantilly, Va., charges about $142 a year for a fraud-protection package that includes daily monitoring of your credit cards for evidence of misuse. Read
Four more U.S. Soldiers Charged with Rape, Murder in Iraq Attack

The U.S. military has filed charges against four American soldiers who, together with a former private in custody in the United States... Read
Minnesota Town Sees China as a Big Ally

Foreign investment revived an iron ore mine and 400-plus jobs. Even the union is aboard. Read
Airlines Plot Courses to Mexico

U.S. carriers are adding flights, hoping to cash in on an increase in travel between the countries. Read
Al-Qaida Group Claims GIs Killed Over Rape, Murders

An al-Qaida-linked group posted a Web video Tuesday purporting to show the mutilated bodies of two U.S. soldiers, claiming it killed them in revenge for the rape-slaying of a young Iraqi woman by American troops from the same unit. Read
US in $80m 'Cuba Democracy' Plan — BBC

US President George W Bush has approved an $80m (£43m) fund towards boosting democracy in Cuba. Read
Pentagon Struggles With Cost Overruns and Delays

Members of Congress from both parties are concerned that runaway weapons costs threaten to weaken the military. Read
Hidden Camera Video Shows Mice On Airplane

It's the busy summer travel season and a lot of families have vacations planned. But before you fly, you should see the hidden camera video obtained by NewsChannel 5's I-Team. The video was shot by a long-time employee at the overhaul base at Kansas City International Airport. The whistleblower did not want to be identified but did want to expose a hidden secret onboard a Boeing 767 passenger plane. Read
DEA Report: Minutemen Reduced Drug Trafficking

The Minuteman Project formed for one purpose: to protect the border, and it has, according to an internal Drug Enforcement Agency report. Read
EU fines Microsoft $357M, Threatens More

The European Union levied a second massive fine on Microsoft and threatened greater penalties in the future unless the world's largest software company obeys a 2004 antitrust order to share technical details of its Windows operating system with rivals. Read

Pornography/Homosexuality/Obscenity/Immorality/Sexual Abuse

(Mass.) Lawmakers Delay Vote on Gay Marriage Measure

With energetic demonstrators chanting in the street, state lawmakers yesterday delayed a vote on a proposed constitutional amendment to outlaw same-sex marriage until after the November election. Read
Higher Fines Move Broadcasters to Defend Against Indecency

Broadcasters are finally taking action after Congress passed legislation last month raising maximum fines for indecency ten-fold. Radio and TV stations are scrambling to find ways to keep out of trouble, the Washington Post reported. Read
Calif. Man Charged With Child Pornography

Trips to Disneyland. Movies. Gifts of dirt bikes, clothes and video games. Everything the children could want, plus a place to stay for their impoverished parents. Investigators say these were the tools a landlord used to win the trust of parents and lure their children to his residence, where he had equipped a room with bunk beds, video cameras and movies. Read
IFI Counters Chicago 'Gay Games' with 'Love and Truth Offensive'

Illinois Family Institute (IFI) will launch a "Love and Truth Offensive" July 15th to lovingly present an alternative Christian message countering the "Gay Games" (July 15-22) — culminating in a peaceful informational outreach in front of a Chicago gay bathhouse that is among the Games' official sponsors. Read
City, MKs Vie to Block Jerusalem Gay Parade — Jerusalem Post

As preparations for the World Pride Jerusalem event entered the final stretch, local municipality officials and right-wing Knesset members clashed Monday over who should take responsibility for stopping the parade. Read
College Athletes Arraigned in Sex Assault

Two junior college football players pleaded not guilty Wednesday to sexually assaulting an 11-year-old runaway in an attack that may have involved eight other men. Read

Other News

Israel Sends Tanks into Lebanon after Hezbollah Attack

Smoke fills the sky Wednesday from an Israeli shell fired at Jabel Blat in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah guerrillas killed seven Israeli soldiers and captured two more Wednesday, triggering Israeli airstrikes and military raids inside southern Lebanon, Israeli officials said. Read
Wolfowitz Plea for Global Trade Ahead of G8 Summit — BBC

World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz has called on leaders to push for agreement on a deal to free up global trade at the forthcoming G8 summit in Russia. Read
Abbas' Office Gets $50M >From Arab League — ABC News

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' office on Tuesday received $50 million from the Arab League, officials said, the largest amount of international aid to reach the Palestinians since the Hamas militant group won legislative elections in January. Read
'West Bank Rocket War'

Terror leader announces start of barrage nearing Israel's main population centers Read
Aksa Brigades Announce Female Suicide Bomber Unit — Jerusalem Post

A group belonging to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah party announced on Monday that it had recruited Palestinian women to launch suicide attacks against Israel. Read
Olmert 'Absolutely Determined' about Realignment — Ynet News

Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, said that it is still his intention to promote the Realignment plan, despite recent security tensions in Gaza. Olmert said that he is firm in his belief of the realignment plan as the strongest measure with which to promote processes in the Middle East, in a yearly press conference of foreign journalists in Jerusalem. Read
Ahmadinejad Warns of 'Islamic Explosion' — Ynet News

While the Palestinian Authority is trying to spur world opinion against the Israelioperation in the Gaza Strip, Tehran was more than ready to oblige, and thousands of Iranians marched through the city in support of their besieged Gazan brothers. Read
Video: 2 London Bombers al-Qaida Trained — ABC News

Two of the four suicide bombers who attacked London last July 7 spent time at an al-Qaida camp to prepare themselves for a suicide mission, the deputy leader of the terror network claimed in a video Friday. Read
'Terrorist' Bombay Train Bombs Kill More Than 130

India'a Major Cities On High Alert Read

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Index of Weekly Issues Alerts

2007

2006