WHO raises pandemic threat level as more flu cases confirmed in California
by Raw Story
Homeland Security Committee member calls for closure of U.S.-Mexico borderThe World Health Organization has raised its pandemic threat level regarding what has become known as swine flu to level four, but has not yet declared the spreading virus a global pandemic. Moments after the WHO’s announcement, four more cases of swine flu were confirmed across California. The virus has reportedly killed 149 in Mexico thus far. More than 2,000 are believed infected. |
Roll Call: Obama outreach to GOP ‘unusually high’
by Muriel Kane
Even as the Congressional Republican leadership blasts the Obama administration for its alleged lack of bipartisanship, some Republican members of Congress are praising the White House for its high level of outreach.In a registration-restricted story Monday, Roll Call quotes moderate Representative Fred Upton (R-MI) as saying, “President Reagan had a great relationship with several Democrats. … I think [Obama] is trying to follow that same model.” |
New FAS-FAX Shows (More) Steep Circulation Losses
by Jennifer Saba
NEW YORK The Audit Bureau of Circulations released this morning the spring figures for the six months ending March 31, 2009, showing that the largest metros continue to shed daily and Sunday circulation -- now at a record rate.According to ABC, for 395 newspapers reporting this spring, daily circulation fell 7% to 34,439,713 copies, compared with the same March period in 2008. On Sunday, for 557 newspapers, circulation was down 5.3% to 42,082,707. These averages do not include 84 newspapers with circulations below 50,000 due to a change in publishing frequency. |
At Fox, ‘American Idol’ trumps Obama’s 100th day
by Stephen C. Webster
The Fox television network has refused to air President Barack Obama’s primetime press conference on Wednesday night, scheduled to mark the president’s 100th day in office.“The address, scheduled for 8 p.m. (ET), could have possibly affected the ‘American Idol’ results show, which begins at 9 p.m., and the network did not want to risk that during the critical sweeps period for ratings, according to sources,” reported the Los Angeles Times. “Fox has historically not registered high ratings for presidential addresses and decided, given the nature of this particular press conference, not to show it, sources said. Fox aired Obama’s two previous primetime addresses.” |
Gambling no prize for schools
by Michael R. Vasquez
Backers of the proposed Seminole compact say it would benefit education, but previous expansions of gambling failed to prevent the current school-funding crisis.In the name of improving education, Florida voters have twice expanded gambling, first with the introduction of the lottery in the 1980s, and more recently by bringing slot machines to Miami-Dade and Broward parimutuels. |
Iraq PM: Deadly US Raid 'Breach' of Security Pact
by Agence France Presse
BAGHDAD - Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said a US raid on Sunday in which a policeman and a woman were shot dead was a "breach" of a landmark security pact with Washington."The prime minister condemns the killings which are in breach of the (US-Iraqi) security pact," Maliki said in a statement carried by Iraqi state TV. The premier "wants those responsible to be put on trial," it added. |
Non-Violent Protests Against West Bank Barrier Turn Increasingly Dangerous
by Rory McCarthy
Palestinian demonstrations intended to be peaceful met with Israeli teargas, stun grenades and sometimes live ammunitionBIL'IN - It began calmly enough with a march down the high street after midday prayers at the mosque. Palestinian villagers were surrounded by dozens of foreigners singing and waving flags. They turned and headed out to the olive-tree fields and up towards the broad path of Israel's West Bank barrier. There, behind a concrete hilltop bunker, the Israeli soldiers looked down on them. |
Screw 'em: We know when we're right
by Doug Thompson
In December 2005, a long-time friend who worked in the Bush White House tipped me on a meeting the President had with some top GOP leaders. During that meeting, a worried Republican aide told Bush that the USA Patriot Act represented a threat to the Constitution. |
Money for Nothing
by Paul Krugman
On July 15, 2007, The New York Times published an article with the headline “The Richest of the Rich, Proud of a New Gilded Age.” The most prominently featured of the “new titans” was Sanford Weill, the former chairman of Citigroup, who insisted that he and his peers in the financial sector had earned their immense wealth through their contributions to society. |
When Americans get kicked out of foreign countries
by Aimee Kligman
White supremacist and former Ku Klux Klan member David Duke was planning a lecture last Friday in the Czech Republic. Responding to an invitation by a neo-nazi group, he flew to Prague to promote the translation of his book "My Awakening."What were they thinking? |
Dealing with swine flu: My friend RALPH begs for help & the CDC gives advice
by Jane Stillwater
A friend of mine just called me. "Jane, I keep throwing up!" he whined into the phone. Oh crap. He's got the swine flu."What happened? What are your symptoms?""A friend of a friend of mine just got back from Mexico City last week. Then he got sick and then three days later my friend got sick. And now I'm sick. It all starts with throwing up." Throwing up? Yuck. |
Swine flu deaths spark worldwide health alert
by Chris Ayres and Tom Baldwin
Authorities from every part of the world were scrambling last night to contain a new strain of swine flu that has killed at least 103 people in Mexico.The virus has spread across the border to the United States with at least 20 cases confirmed yesterday, prompting the Obama Administration to declare a public health emergency and release 12 million doses of the anti-viral drug Tamiflu. Six cases were also confirmed in Canada and outbreaks are also suspected in Israel, France, Spain and New Zealand. |
Judge: It's 'high time' to legalize pot
by Stephen C. Webster
A judge and Vietnam veteran from Orange County, California is on a publicity crusade to get marijuana legalized.From NBC San Diego: Jim Gray is a Vietnam combat veteran who spent 25 years on Orange County's 'bench'. He's riled a lot of anti-drug crusaders with his critiques of America's war on narcotics. |
