Obama Sells Auto Bailout As Good News In Michigan
President Obama said Friday that the recent turnaround for U.S. automakers vindicated his unpopular decision to bailout the industry. With Americans facing a still-limping economy and potentially pivotal congressional elections in three months, Obama is seizing on the positive new trends in the auto industry as evidence of broader economic good news. He launched an intensive campaign to highlight the story as a concrete area of improvement with direct ties to his administration's actions. Fox News
VOA VIEW: Obama is a snake oil salesmen.

Obama Administration Giving Millions To States To Build Their New Health Insurance Exchanges
The Health and Human Services Department on Thursday moved ahead with its plans to establish “the health insurance marketplace of the future.” It announced “two key steps” in its effort to “partner with states” in setting up the new health insurance exchanges. Step one makes a total of $51 million in grants available for the states to set up “new, competitive, consumer-centered health insurance marketplaces.” States may apply for up to $1 million apiece by Sept. 1. econdly, HHS is calling for public input on how the health exchanges will be structured and run when they begin operating in 2014. CNS News
VOA VIEW: Government waste.

Court's Ruling On Iran Resistance Group Cheered
Iranians and Iranian-Americans crowded into the room to hear congressmen and lawyers congratulate them on an Iranian resistance group’s recent victory in a U.S. appellate court, which ruled last week that the State Department needed to reconsider its status as a terrorist group. The celebration, dubbed "A Victory for Justice," provided Iranian food and desserts while nine prominent leaders described the struggle to reach this point and their hopes for the future of the People’s Mujahedeen Organization of Iran, the primary resistance movement. Washington Times
VOA VIEW: Mad!

Rig Workers Get Whistleblower Protections In House Measure After BP Spill
The House passed legislation that would protect oil-rig workers who report health or safety concerns from retaliation by their employers. The measure, a response to BP Plc’s Gulf of Mexico oil spill, passed 315-93. The House today is debating a second bill that would rewrite deep-water drilling rules and tighten safety and environmental standards. The Gulf spill began April 20 when the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig, which BP leased from Transocean Ltd., exploded and caught fire, killing 11 workers and causing it to sink. The well gushed from 35,000 barrels to 60,000 barrels of oil a day before the leak was stopped on July 15. Bloomberg

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NY Congressman Calls For Probe Of Funding For Mosque Near Ground Zero And Its Promoter
Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) said a mosque should not be built near Ground Zero in Manhattan and that there should be an investigation into the funding for the proposed Islamic community center, as well as the imam who is promoting the initiative. "I don’t believe that there should be a mosque in the vicinity of Ground Zero,” King said on Wednesday. “This is such a sensitive issue, and it is offensive to so many people that I don’t think there should be a mosque there.” King, ranking Republican on the House Homeland Security Committee, made his remarks at the conservative Heritage Foundation at an event entitled, "Keeping America Free, Safe and Prosperous: Counterterrorism in the Obama Administration." CNS News
VOA VIEW: King is right and most Americans agree.

Oil Threat Recedes For East Coast
South Florida, the Florida Keys and the East Coast will likely be spared from any contamination from the ruptured BP oil well in the Gulf of Mexico, U.S. government scientists said on Friday. Scientists had issued dire warnings that the oil from the BP spill would float into the loop current in the Gulf of Mexico and then ride the powerful Gulf Stream current around the fragile islands at the southern tip of Florida and up the Atlantic Coast as far as North Carolina. But the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said on Friday that was now unlikely. No new oil has leaked from the well in 15 days and the oil that remains in the Gulf is hundreds of miles (km) from the loop current.  Reuters

FAA To Downgrade Mexico’s Air Safety Rating
U.S. aviation officials are downgrading Mexico's aviation safety rating, a move that could have economic consequences for some airlines. The action would not stop flights between the two countries, but it would prevent Mexican airlines from expanding service to the United States. An aviation official, who asked not to be named because the decision has not yet been announced, said the Federal Aviation Administration plans to announce the decision Friday.  Las Vegas Sun

Blagojevich Trial: Judge Declines Mistrial
A federal judge in Chicago Friday refused to declare a mistrial in the corruption case against former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich. The jury in the case began deliberations Wednesday. The request for a mistrial was made before jury deliberations began but U.S. District Judge James Zagel waited until Friday to turn down the motion. The judge also denied a jury request for witness transcripts, saying he would reconsider requests for transcripts of specific testimony, WBBM-AM, Chicago, reported. The jury Thursday sought a transcript of the prosecution's closing arguments, but the judge also denied that request, saying arguments are not evidence. UPI

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White House Urges Halt To Spilling Of War Secrets
The White House on Friday implored the website WikiLeaks to stop posting secret Afghanistan war documents and the Pentagon pressed its investigation of the leaks, bringing a soldier charged with handing over classified video back to the U.S. for trial. Obama administration officials said the investigation into the release of the documents -- 76,911 so far -- could extend beyond members of the military. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said posting the war logs on the Web jeopardized national security and put the lives of Afghan informants and U.S. military personnel at risk. Fox News

Northwest To Pay $38 Million Cargo Price-Fixing Fine
Northwest Airlines will plead guilty and pay a $38 million fine for conspiring to fix cargo rates, the Justice Department announced Friday. In a felony charge filed Friday, the Justice Department said Northwest Airlines Cargo earned more than $80 million from air cargo services between the United States and Japan after the company conspired to fix those rates in violation of federal antitrust laws. The alleged price-fixing occurred between July 2004 and February 2006, prior to Northwest's merger with Delta Air Lines (DAL, Fortune 500). CNN

OK To Look To Foreign Law For Ideas
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg says judges can look to foreign law for good ideas without diminishing their ability to apply U.S. law faithfully. Ginsburg told a meeting of international lawyers Friday that American judges can learn from their foreign counterparts when seeking solutions to "trying questions." Ginsburg said high court nominee Elena Kagan got it right when she told senators at her confirmation hearing that she was in favor of good ideas "wherever you can get them."
Ginsburg acknowledged that other justices, including conservative Antonin Scalia, are sharp critics of the use of foreign law in Supreme Court decisions. Still, she predicted the high court will continue to look to courts in other democracies for occasional help. MSNBC
VOA VIEW: Law should come from the U.S. Constitution.

Ethics Panel Recommends Reprimand For Charles Rangel
Texas Democratic Rep. Gene Green, the chair of the subcommittee investigating ethics charges against New York Democratic Rep. Charles Rangel, told CBS News Capitol Hill Producer Jill Jackson and other reporters Friday that the subcommittee is recommending that Rangel be reprimanded by the full House. An angry Rangel, walking to his office, said Green's claim is categorically untrue. "You know, it's so difficult when people have bad information for me to correct it," Rangel said, prompting a reporter to point out that the reprimand recommendation claim had come from the subcommittee chair. CBS

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Ariz. Governor Considers Changing Immigration Law
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer is asking legislators to consider whether they should change the state's immigration law in the wake of a judge's ruling blocking enforcement of parts of it. Brewer spokesman Paul Senseman confirmed Friday that the governor called top legislative leaders to broach the possibility of changing provisions of the law on Thursday, a day after U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton issued a preliminary injunction putting on hold parts of the new law that would have required officers to dig deeper into the fight against illegal immigration. MSNBC

GM Hikes Production Capacity For Volt By 50%
General Motors said Friday that it is boosting production capacity for its new Chevrolet Volt due to strong public interest in the electric car that goes on sale this year. GM will now have a production capacity of 45,000 vehicles in 2012, up from previous plans for 30,000 vehicles. The automaker made the announcement as President Barack Obama toured the Volt production facility in Detroit. The federal government sank $50 billion into GM as part of the broader rescue of the auto industry, giving taxpayers a majority stake in the nation's largest auto company. CBS
VOA VIEW: A reprimand is not strong enough.

Obama 'Scheming' On Immigrant Amnesty? Memo Draws Republican Fire
Critics of President Obama's immigration policy have pounced on an internal government memo they say shows the administration is trying to circumvent Congress on immigration reform and avoid deporting some illegal immigrants. Deported immigrants weigh the risk of one day returning to Arizona. An undated, internal draft memo by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services leaked Thursday outlines "administrative relief options to… reduce the threat of removal for certain individuals present in the United States without authorization." "In the absence of comprehensive immigration reform," it reads, "USCIS can extend benefits and/or protections to many individuals and groups by issuing new guidance and regulations." ABC
VOA VIEW: Obama is trying to sink the nation.

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Gulf Coast States Push For Offshore Oil Revenues
BP massive oil spill has given Gulf Coast lawmakers leverage to push for a larger share of the billions of dollars in royalties that oil companies pay to drill in U.S. waters. As a part of 2006 energy legislation, lawmakers like Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu secured a deal to direct a 37.5 percent share of U.S. offshore royalties to coastal states starting in 2017. The provision would net $650 million a year to Louisiana alone, with smaller amounts flowing to Alabama and Mississippi.
In spill-related legislation being debated by Congress, lawmakers are pushing to accelerate the timetable to allow the royalties to begin flowing to Gulf Coast states' coffers immediately. Reuters

Calcium Supplements May Carry Heart Attack Risk
Calcium supplementation -- without giving vitamin D at the same time -- appears to increase the risk of myocardial infarction, a new review of past research has shown. VCU Medical Center's Dr. Domenic Sica shares his thoughts on the study.Among studies of patients with or at risk of osteoporosis, those who received calcium supplements were about 30 percent more likely to have a heart attack than those who did not, Dr. Ian Reid, MD of the University of Auckland in New Zealand and colleagues reported online in BMJ. ABC

Wildfire Explodes In Rural Hills Near Los Angeles
Firefighters planned an aggressive air attack at first light Friday against a fast-moving wildfire that exploded in northern Los Angeles County, chewing through more than 7 square miles of dry brush, forcing thousands of evacuations and burning at least three structures. There is zero containment, authorities said. Three water-dropping helicopters and hundreds of firefighters worked through the night to get ahead of the blaze that broke out around 3 p.m. Thursday southwest of Palmdale. By early evening the winds picked up and pushed the flames north and east toward the suburbs of Los Angeles County's inland desert, authorities said. Washington Times

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Consumers Not Spending Like Drunken Sailors
The economy is heading nowhere fast. That's the bad news. But the good news is that it still seems like consumers may have actually learned a lesson or two about reckless fiscal behavior. Yes, the latest figures from the government prove what most people with a pulse already knew. The economy is slowing down. That may lead to more worries about a so-called double-dip recession. But that might be too gloomy of an outlook. When you look deeper into the numbers, it doesn't seem that the economy is suddenly running out of gas and on the verge of collapse. CNN

Democrats Take Lobbyist Cash As Obama Knocks Special Interests
As President Barack Obama thrashes Republicans for allowing “special interest takeovers of our elections,” his Democratic Party is benefiting from millions of campaign dollars brought in by lobbyists. Lobbyists raised at least $1.5 million in the first six months of the year to help elect Democrats to the House, according to a report from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. That was the most of any congressional fundraising committee and almost three times as much as House Republicans. As much as Obama rails against the influence held by lobbyists in Washington, candidates rely on them to help fund increasingly expensive campaigns. Reports released today show lobbyists also personally contributed to Democrats including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Bloomberg
VOA VIEW: Hypocrites.

Kan. Senate Race Turns Nasty As GOP Seeks Fighter
The big issue in Kansas' U.S. Senate race is which of two veteran Republican congressmen will fight hardest _ and loudest _ against President Barack Obama's agenda. The fiery contest is unusual in a state where politicians are better known for being polite. It also underscores Republicans' national strategy in 2010 _ find candidates who'll give Obama and his fellow Democrats no quarter whatsoever. Few races offer a more blunt example of the blueprint than Tuesday's primary fight between U.S. Reps. Jerry Moran and Todd Tiahrt. Neither has the burden of courting moderates, and because Democrats aren't likely to mount a serious challenge, the Republican nominee is all but certain to win in the general election in this GOP-leaning state. Las Vegas Sun

U.S. Closes Consulate In Mexico
The United States closed its consulate in Ciudad Juarez, allegedly the city in Mexico most affected by violent drug-war gangs, authorities said. A statement from the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City said it had received a "credible threat" and it would stay shut pending a security review, the BBC reported Friday. A statement on the consular Web site advised government employees from U.S. consulates in Tijuana, Nogales, Ciudad Juarez, Nuevo Laredo, Monterrey and Matamoros to depart those cities. "Resort areas and tourist destinations in Mexico do not see the levels of drug-related violence and crime reported in the border region and in areas along major drug trafficking routes. Nevertheless, crime and violence are serious problems.  UPI

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China Opposes EU's Iran Sanctions
China opposes the sanctions the European Union is imposing on Iran over its disputed nuclear program, saying it supports Iran's renewed efforts to hold talks on a possible swap of nuclear fuel, a spokeswoman for Beijing said Friday. China often says dialogue and diplomatic means are the best way to resolve the Iran nuclear issue, and a spokeswoman for China's Foreign Ministry, Jiang Yu, repeated that position in comments posted on the ministry's website. The European Union and Canada adopted new sanctions Monday against Iran that target its foreign trade, banking and energy sectors. Jerusalem Post

IAF Strikes Gaza Strip; Response To Ashkelon Missile Attack
The Air Force hit several targets in Gaza overnight on Friday, Army Radio reported. One of the targets hit was believed to be in the Tel al-Hawa neighborhood. This followed Friday morning's Grad missile attack in Ashkelon, for which the Aza Din al-Kassem Gazan terror group claimed responsibility on Friday. Locals witnesses said they that they heard several explosions, and that people had been injured, though the number of injured and the severity of wounds sustained were unknown. Jerusalem Post

Syrian And Saudi Leaders Call For Calm On Beirut Visit
The Syrian and Saudi leaders have called on Lebanon's rival factions to avoid turning to violence amid mounting political tensions in the country. The call came after unprecedented talks in Beirut between Saudi King Abdullah, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Lebanese President Michel Suleiman. They urged Lebanese to resolve issues through "legal institutions". The trip marks progress in relations between Saudi Arabia and Syria - two of the region's most influential powers. Lebanon and Syria only exchanged embassies for the first time last year, and entente between them is seen as crucial to stability in Lebanon. BBC

July Is Deadliest Month Of Afghanistan War For US
American forces have experienced their deadliest month in the nine-year-old Afghan war, with 66 US service members killed in July. The death toll crept up again on Friday as three more American soldiers died - two from a roadside bomb - in the south of the country, Nato confirmed. The previous most deadly month for the US was June this year, when 60 died. Meanwhile, hundreds of UK and Afghan troops have launched a major offensive against the Taliban in Helmand. BBC

BP's Incoming Boss Says Clean-Up Operation May Be Scaled Down
As the visible oil in the Gulf of Mexico dwindles, the incoming boss of BP has said it could be time to scale down the vast operation to clean up the damage wreaked by the company's Deepwater Horizon spill. Bob Dudley, who was named this week to replace BP's much maligned chief executive Tony Hayward, announced that the company was appointing a former head of the US federal emergency management agency, James Lee Witt, to help recover from the disaster. BP intends to attempt a "static kill" to permanently plug the well with cement on Tuesday. Guardian

Al Gore Will Not Face Charges
Al Gore will not face criminal charges after police said a "lack of credible evidence" means they will not pursue allegations of sex abuse made against the former vice president by a Portland massage therapist. In a story first reported by the National Enquirer, therapist Molly Hagerty had claimed Gore had assaulted her in a hotel room in Portland, in 2006. Portland detectives reopened an investigation last month and interviewed the 2000 Democratic party presidential candidate. Guardian

Lib Dems Fear Guilt By Association With Osborne
Liberal Democrat ministers have warned that the Conservatives will inflict lasting political damage to Nick Clegg's party if voters think the coalition Government is relishing the task of cutting public spending. Although the Cabinet has agreed to try to blame the cuts on its inheritance from Labour, senior Lib Dems are worried that some Tory politicians – including George Osborne, the Chancellor – give the impression they are on a Thatcherite mission to shrink the state. One Liberal Democrat minister warned yesterday: “If we look as though we are enjoying it, we’re dead. We have to take people with us.” Independent

Banks Ignore Pleas And Cut Ooans To The Real Economy Again
Despite attempts by the Government and the Bank of England to encourage the banks to lend to the "real economy", the supply of credit to businesses is still shrinking, while the supply of mortgages is only crawling ahead. The Bank of England data, released yesterday, showed that loans to non-financial companies fell by £7.7bn in June, or about 6.4 per cent a year. Lending to manufacturing decreased by £2.4bn. Although volatile, the figures do not present an encouraging picture of a banking sector returning rapidly to normal patterns of lending, and are the worst since the extraordinary £14bn contraction witnessed last July. Independent

Use Of Diabetes Drugs Rises 40 Per Cent In Five Years
Last year there were 35.5m prescriptions written for drugs to treat diabetes, costing around £650m, official figures have shown. This is a rise of more than 40 per cent since 2004/5. Experts said this is due to both an increase in prevalence of diabetes as obesity – which is linked to the type 2 form of the disease – continues to rise. The number of people suffering from type 1 diabetes, which is not linked to weight or lifestyle, is also increasing yearly. GPs have been given incentives to identify people with diabetes and treat them, increasing the proportion of people with the condition who have been diagnosed and are receiving treatment. Telegraph

Stem Cells Used In Windpipe Transplant For Cancer Patients
Doctors have successfully transplanted windpipes into two cancer patients in an innovative procedure that uses stem cells to allow a donated trachea to regenerate tissue and create an organ biologically close to the original. The 31-year-old Czech and 19-year-old British patients are in good condition and have been released from the hospital in Florence, Italy just weeks after the surgery. The British woman was speaking after only three or four days, said Dr Walter Giovannini, the director of the AOU Careggi hospital where the surgeries took place on July 3 and 13.  Telegraph

UN Hails Entry Into Force Of Global Pact Banning Cluster Munitions
United Nations officials have expressed their delight at Sunday’s entry into force of the international convention banning the manufacture, use and stockpiling of cluster munitions, calling it a “major advance for the global disarmament and humanitarian agendas.” Billions of these weapons – which are considered particularly dangerous, despite their lack of precision – are believed to exist around the world and many have been used in recent conflicts, killing or maiming countless civilians.
Thirty ratifications were needed to make the pact, which prohibits explosive remnants of war known either as cluster munitions or unexploded ordnance (UXO), a part of international law. UN News

UN Official Warns Terrorism And Organized Crime Increasingly Linked In Africa
Terrorism in Africa is increasingly linked to organized crime, and the continent’s governments must take stronger steps to try to break those connections, a senior United Nations official said as he called for countries worldwide to broaden their anti-terrorist strategies beyond involving only the military and law enforcement agencies. Jean-Paul Laborde, chairman of the UN Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF), said the recent killing of a French aid worker in West Africa and the suicide bombings in Kampala, Uganda, belied the traditional view that Africa was not a “hot spot” for terrorism. UN News

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