Court Won't Block U.S. Lawsuit By Apartheid Victims
The Supreme Court said that it can't intervene in an important dispute over the rights of apartheid victims to sue U.S. corporations in U.S. courts because four of the nine justices had to sit out the case over apparent conflicts. The result is that a lawsuit accusing some prominent companies of violating international law by assisting South Africa's former apartheid government will go forward. The court's hands were tied by federal laws that require at least six justices to hear any case before them. Short of the required number by one, the court took the only path available to it and upheld an appeals court ruling allowing the suit to proceed. Fox News

McCain Hopes To Attract Young Voters
He's a Republican, for starters. He describes himself as "older than dirt." And he makes no apology for an Iraq war that is especially unpopular on college campuses. Doesn't sound like a recipe for winning the hearts of young voters. And yet John McCain has vowed to make a serious play for the 18- to 29-year-old crowd that's often identified with "Obama-mania." Several polls, including a recent AP-Ipsos survey, show Democrats Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton faring far better with that age bracket when pitted individually against McCain. But in the last month or so, there've been blips in McCain's favor. One recent AP-Yahoo News poll found that 38 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds supported McCain, while 37 percent were for Obama. CNS

U.S. Outlook Is Worst Since '92
Americans are gloomier about the direction of the country than they have been at any point in 15 years, and Democrats hold their biggest advantage since early 1993 as the party better able to deal with the nation's main problems, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll. Despite more than eight in 10 now saying the country is headed in the wrong direction, coupled with growing disaffection with the Republican Party, Sen. John McCain, the GOP's presumptive presidential nominee, remains competitive in a hypothetical general-election matchup with Sen. Barack Obama, the favorite for the Democratic nomination, and he runs almost even with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. Washington Post

Gasoline And Diesel Prices Soar To Records
U.S. drivers dug deeper into their pockets to fill up at the pump, as the average price for gasoline skyrocketed 10.9 cents over the last week to a record of $3.72 a gallon, the federal Energy Information Administration said. The national price for regular, self-service gasoline was up 62 cents from a year ago due to soaring crude oil prices. Crude hit a record $126.40 a barrel at the New York Mercantile Exchange. Congress is hoping to give consumers some relief. Both the Senate and House of Representatives will vote on legislation today that supporters believe will help bring down oil and gasoline prices. Reuters

Senate Is Told Iraq Corruption Ignored
The Bush administration repeatedly ignored corruption at the highest levels within the Iraqi government and kept secret potentially embarrassing information so as not to undermine its relationship with Baghdad, according to two former State Department employees. Arthur Brennan, who briefly served in Baghdad as head of the department's Office of Accountability and Transparency last year, and James Mattil, who worked as the chief of staff, told Senate Democrats yesterday that their office was understaffed and its warnings and recommendations ignored. Philadelphia Inquirer

Bush Hits New Low As 'Wrong Track' Rises
Public disgruntlement neared a record high and President Bush slipped to his career low in the latest Washington Post poll. According to a new poll, the Bush's approval rating has dramatically dropped. Eighty-two percent of Americans now say the country's seriously off on the wrong track, up 10 points in the last year to a point from its record high in polls since 1973. And 31 percent approve of Bush's job performance overall, while 66 percent disapprove. The country's mood, and the president's ratings, are suffering from the double whammy of an unpopular war and a faltering economy. ABC News

Police Officer Deaths Jump 26 In '07
Fifty-seven police officers feloniously were killed in the line of duty during 2007, according to preliminary statistics released yesterday by the FBI, which also said 83 officers died in accidents. The 140 deaths for 2007, according to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting Program, are up from 2006. That year, 114 police officers died in the line of duty — 48 officers who were shot, stabbed or otherwise assaulted and 66 who died in accidents. Washington Times

Clinton Deadline Looms
Hillary Clinton may have a financial incentive to remain in the presidential race for a while. And she has Senator John McCain to thank for it. Clinton loaned her struggling campaign $11 million in recent months. A little-known provision of a 2002 campaign- finance law cosponsored by McCain prevents candidates who drop out of the race from raising money after the nominating conventions to repay themselves for personal loans. Should Clinton fail to come up with the funds by the Democratic convention in August, she'll be out the $11 million. If she quits the campaign before then, she may find it hard to get people to keep giving cash just so she can retire her debt. Bloomberg

Congress Eyes Major Expansion Of GI Bill
Congressional Democrats are pushing what could become the most dramatic expansion of college aid for military veterans since World War II, with a bill they hope will buoy them this election season and become an albatross for Republicans. Pitched by the Democrats is a plan that would essentially guarantee a full-ride scholarship to any in-state public university, along with a monthly housing stipend, for individuals who serve the military for at least three years. The proposal would give veterans 15 years to use the benefit, instead of the current 10-year limit, and would set up a new government program that matches financial aid by more expensive private institutions. CBS New

Cindy McCain Lags With Public Image
Before Cindy McCain equals the stature of Michelle Obama or Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, she will have to top Marge Simpson. The latest Fox 5/The Washington Times/Rasmussen Reports poll asked Americans which mother has "had the most positive influence on America," and Mrs. McCain trailed the pack, with just 4 percent — well below Mrs. Obama, Mrs. Clinton and top-choice first lady Laura Bush. She even trailed the fictional matriarch from "The Simpsons," who garnered 9 percent. Washington Times

Older Brains Don’t Benefit From Painkillers
Results from a large government experiment are dimming hopes that two common painkillers can prevent Alzheimer's disease or slow mental decline in older people. The arthritis drug Celebrex and the over-the-counter painkiller Aleve showed no benefit on thinking skills, new findings show. Earlier results from the same research showed the two drugs didn't prevent Alzheimer's, at least in the short term. Las Vegas Sun

Hundreds In Iowa Arrested In Immigration Raid
Federal immigration agents raided the world's largest kosher meatpacking plant Monday, arresting more than 300 people and housing many of them at a converted fairgrounds. The raid of the Agriprocessors plant in northeastern Iowa was the largest in state history and had been planned for months, said U.S. Attorney Matt Dummermuth. The raid, one of several conducted at meat-processing plants in recent years, was aimed at seeking evidence of identity theft, stolen Social Security numbers and people who are in the country illegally, immigration spokesman Tim Counts said. Seattle Times

Obama Touts Commitment To Israel
Democratic presidential leader Barack Obama said he regrets the division that has grown between Jews and blacks and he remains committed to ensuring Israel's security. Obama discussed his relationship with the Jewish community and Israel in an interview posted Monday on The Atlantic magazine's Web site, part of his continuing effort to reassure Jewish voters who have expressed some unease about his candidacy. The situation didn't improve as an adviser to the militant Palestinian group Hamas recently said they hope Obama wins the presidency. Newsday

Congress Takes Aim At Strategic Petroleum Reserve
Amid daily bipartisan sniping over high gas prices, Democrats and Republicans appear to agree on at least one thing: With oil over $120 a barrel, President Bush ought to stop buying crude for the government emergency reserve. Both the House and Senate are expected to approve, with bipartisan support, legislation today directing Bush to temporarily halt the shipment of about 70,000 barrels of oil a day to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Houston Chronicle

Marine Corps Surpasses Recruiting Goal
The Marine Corps far surpassed its recruiting goal last month and could eventually be more than a year ahead of schedule in its plan to grow the force to 202,000 members. All military services met or exceeded their monthly recruiting goals in April, with the Marine Corps signing 142 percent of the number it was looking for, the Pentagon said. The Army signed 101 percent of its goal, recruiting 5,681 against a goal of 5,650. The Navy and Air Force met their goals — 2,905 sailors and 2,435 airmen. The Marine Corps enlisted 2,233 recruits against a goal of 1,577. MSNBC

Florida Governor Declares Wildfire Emergency
Florida Gov. Charlie Crist declared a state of emergency as wildfires fed by drought conditions threatened homes and businesses and forced the closing of part of Interstate 95 in Brevard County. Seven to 10 structures, including some homes, have been destroyed by the largest of the fires, said Yvonne Martinez of the Palm Bay Fire Department. Three firefighters were injured, including one who was airlifted from the scene, but she did not know the nature of their injuries. Children from two schools in Palm Bay were sent home early because of the threat of smoke and fire. Martinez said those schools likely would be closed Tuesday. Gov. CNN

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Obama Defends Patriotism, Battles McCain On Veterans Benefits Bill
Addressing criticism he expects this fall, Sen. Barack Obama emphasized his patriotism and support for a strong and humane military, while Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton implored West Virginians to sustain her hopes of somehow denying him the Democratic presidential nomination. Obama expects Clinton to win Tuesday’s primary in West Virginia, which has large numbers of working-class whites, a group that usually backs the former first lady, as well as a strong military tradition. He used his visit to Charleston to combat critics’ claims that he is not particularly patriotic or ready to be commander in chief, in part because he never served in the military, no longer wears a lapel flag pin and opposed the Iraq war from the start. Fox News

Republicans Use Obama as Weapon in House Contest in Mississippi
Hoping to hang on to a Congressional seat in a tight special election here on Tuesday, Republicans in this mostly white and very conservative district are trying to make the vote more a referendum on Senator Barack Obama than on the candidates themselves. In advertisements and speeches, Republicans have repeatedly associated Travis Childers, the white Democrat threatening to take the seat away from the Republican Party, with Mr. Obama. Republicans say Mr. Obama’s liberal values are out of place in the district. But for many Democratic veterans here, the tactic is a throwback to the old and unwelcome politics of race, a standby in Mississippi campaigning. NY Times

Genetically Modified Human Embryo Stirs Criticism
News that scientists have for the first time genetically altered a human embryo is drawing fire from some watchdog groups that say it's a step toward creating "designer babies." The idea of designer babies is that someday, scientists may insert particular genes into embryos to produce babies with desired traits like intelligence or athletic ability. Some people find that notion repugnant, saying it turns children into designed objects, and would create an unequal society where some people are genetically enriched while others would be considered inferior. Las Vegas Sun

Efforts To Remove Detroit Mayor To Go To Vote
The Detroit City Council has spent weeks debating what to do with scandal-plagued Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick: force his ouster or slap him on the wrist. That talk could lead to action Tuesday when the nine-member group votes on three resolutions that may ultimately remove a defiant Kilpatrick from the office he's held for six years. Council members are to consider three possibilities: Remove Kilpatrick from office themselves, ask Gov. Jennifer Granholm to do it, or publicly censure the mayor. Sun-Sentinel

California City Will Be Litmus For Bankruptcy Cases
A northern California city that declared bankruptcy last week has thrust itself into the national spotlight as a test case for thousands of floundering cities desperate to unload their extravagant public employee contracts. There's a wave of this coming across the U.S., an adviser to struggling public entities. By declaring Chapter 9 bankruptcy, the city hopes to freeze its debts and gain time to renegotiate its police and fire contracts, which comprise about 74 percent of its $80 million general fund budget. It also hopes a judge will void part or all of the contracts, allowing the city and unions to start from scratch. SHNS

Energy Dept. Says Wind Power Could Be Savior
Windmills spinning over the Great Plains and along the coasts could supply 20 percent of U.S. electricity by the year 2030 and put a significant dent in greenhouse gas emissions, federal officials said Monday. Although wind farms now generate just 1 percent of the nation's electricity, a new report from the U.S. Department of Energy found that wind power could play a far larger role in the future. It could supply roughly the same percentage of the nation's power as nuclear plants provide today. SF Gate 

U.S. Obesity Rates Alarmingly High
New research shows "alarming levels" of obesity in most ethnic groups in the United States. The study also confirms the potentially deadly toll obesity exacts on the heart and blood vessels. Among 6,814 middle-age or older adults participating in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis, or "MESA" study, researchers found that more than two thirds of white, African American and Hispanic participants were overweight and one third to one half were obese. Obesity rates were far lower in Chinese Americans in the study, with 33 percent overweight and just 5 percent obese. Reuters

Former Republican Bob Barr Seeks Presidency As Libertarian
Former Republican Rep. Bob Barr launched a Libertarian Party presidential bid Monday, saying voters are hungry for an alternative to the status quo who would dramatically cut the federal government. His candidacy throws a wild card into the White House race that many believe could peel away votes from Republican Sen. John McCain given the candidates' similar positions on fiscal policy. Barr said he is not getting into the race to play spoiler or to make a point. CNS

Superdelegates Put Obama Within Reach
Barack Obama's wave of superdelegate endorsements puts him within reach of the Democratic presidential nomination by the end of the primary season on June 3 even if he loses half of the remaining six contests. The Illinois senator has picked up 26 superdelegates in the past week. At that pace, he will reach the number of delegates needed to clinch the nomination 2,025, in the next three weeks, when delegates from the remaining primaries are included. MSNBC

Democrats Say Let The Contest Go On
On the eve of the West Virginia primary, most Democrats nationally say Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton should continue the campaign, but more now say that it's time for Clinton to quit. In a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll, 55% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents also would like Illinois Sen. Barack Obama to choose Clinton as his running mate, although there's notable resistance among his backers. Clinton leads decisively in West Virginia polls but lags Obama in pledged delegates. He's also erased her edge among the party leaders known as superdelegates. USA Today

Gas Prices Making It Hard For Economy To Grow
U.S. President George W. Bush said on Monday that while the U.S. economy is expanding, soaring gasoline prices have hampered the level of growth. "It's just too darn bad because this economy was doing fine and then we had the housing issue and then this gasoline issue is making it even harder for the economy to recover," Bush said in a radio interview. "It's growing, don't get me wrong, but it could be a lot better with lower gasoline prices," he said. Reuters

Study Says Foreigners In U.S. Adapt Quickly
Immigrants of the past quarter-century have been assimilating in the United States at a notably faster rate than did previous generations, according to a study released today. Modern-day immigrants arrive with substantially lower levels of English ability and earning power than those who entered during the last great immigration wave at the turn of the 20th century. The gap between today's foreign-born and native populations remains far wider than it was in the early 1900s and is particularly large in the case of Mexican immigrants, the report said. The study, sponsored by the Manhattan Institute, a New York think tank, used census and other data to devise an assimilation index to measure the degree of similarity between the United States' foreign-born and native-born populations. Washington Post

Congress Divided On Energy Plan
As millions of people approach the summer vacation season under the threat of $4-per-gallon gasoline, Congress is scrambling to respond. But don't wait for anything that will drive down prices at the pump. A Senate vote on a GOP plan is scheduled, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has promised to bring up a Democratic package before the Memorial Day congressional recess. Except for halting the flow of oil into the government's Strategic Petroleum Reserve, neither plan is likely to go very far. Both will be challenged by filibusters by opponents, meaning they would require 60 votes to advance. CBS News

McCain Appeals To Independents With Environment Pitch
Kicking off a week-long push seen as outreach to independent and Democratic voters in crucial swing states, John McCain delivered a speech outlining his vision for combating global warming. Sen. John McCain's stance on global warming has put him at odds with some members of his party. McCain's commitment to fight global warming puts him at odds with some Republicans in Congress and with the Bush administration, which has not made climate change a top priority. CNN

N.Y. Farmers Fear A Shortage Of Skilled Workers
New York farmers say a shift in state policy is making it harder for them to hire experienced seasonal workers through federal guest-worker contracts. During a meeting with Gov. David Paterson on Monday, farmers said the state Labor Department is forcing less experienced domestic workers upon them by rejecting growers' applications to hire foreign workers on H-2A visas. The H-2A program allows employers to hire foreign workers temporarily if they show that they were not able to find U.S. workers for the jobs. Farmers said they doubt the new hires will possess the experience, skill and reliability of longtime workers from places like Jamaica and Mexico, and fear their crops and business will suffer. Boston Globe

Dems To Clinton: Don't Say Anything To Hurt Us
Sen. Hillary Clinton, pressed her campaign ahead of West Virginia primary as Democratic Party leaders warned her not to do or say anything that could hurt Democratic front-runner Sen. Barack Obama, in November. Clinton is considered likely to win West Virginia's primary, perhaps by as many as 30 percentage points, but the victory in the small state is not expected to shake Obama's apparent hold on the party's nomination. What Democrats fear could have a lasting impact is what Clinton might say about Obama that could split the party or be gleefully reused by Republican John McCain in the fall election. ABC News

Average Gas Prices Set Record At $3.72 A Gallon
The average price of gasoline jumped to $3.722 a gallon, the government said Monday, up a hefty 10.9 cents in a week and the fourth consecutive record. Diesel, the fuel of semi trucks, delivery vans and railroad locomotives, shot up 18.2 cents to $4.331 per gallon, guaranteeing higher shipping costs that could boost the price of everything from TVs to tostadas. Expensive fuel "is acting like a battering ram knocking at the economy," says Peter Beutel, head of energy-price consultant Cameron Hanover. USA Today

Bush's Promised Mideast Agreement Still Mission Unaccomplished
Six years after President George W. Bush's historic pledge to help create a Palestinian state, his habit of delving into Middle East peacemaking in fits and starts may yield little on the ground when he leaves office. Bush heads to the region tomorrow, on what will probably be his last trip there as president, mainly to celebrate Israel's 60th anniversary. While the president says he still wants to ease the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, years of U.S. neglect have diminished that prospect. Bloomberg

Gay Rights Groups Launch Hospital Rating System
Just over half of 88 hospitals got top marks under a new rating system created by two national gay-rights organizations which hope the standards will result in more compassionate treatment of gay and lesbian patients. Policies addressed in the ratings include patient nondiscrimination, visitation and decision-making rights for partners, diversity training for staff, and nondiscriminatory employment practices. The hospitals participated voluntarily, and the groups behind the report said there will be no effort to rate hospitals which don't want to respond. Instead, they hope many hospitals will strive for high ratings as the survey recurs annually. Called the Healthcare Equality Index, the ratings were designed by the Human Rights Campaign and the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association. Charlotte Observer

Concern Grows Over Veterans Suicide Figures
The number of veterans who commit suicide is growing, and it is causing major concern among veterans groups and lawmakers. A recent report now supported by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, indicates that an average of 18 veterans commit suicide every day nationwide. The suicide figures among veterans have caught congressional attention. Two senators have demanded the resignation of Ira Katz, the VA official who wrote "Shh" at the top of the e-mail dealing with suicide attempts and disputed the statistics in public testimony while confirming them in internal documents. A House committee has scheduled a hearing on veterans' suicides this week. SHNS

US Drops Charges Against Saudi In Sept. 11 Attacks
The Pentagon has dropped charges against a Saudi at Guantanamo who was alleged to have been the so-called "20th hijacker" in the Sept. 11 attacks, his U.S. military defense lawyer said Monday. Mohammed al-Qahtani was one of six men charged by the military in February with murder and war crimes for their alleged roles in the 2001 attacks. Authorities say al-Qahtani missed out on taking part in the attacks because he was denied entry to the U.S. by an immigration agent. But in reviewing the case, the convening authority for military commissions, Susan Crawford, decided to dismiss the charges against al-Qahtani and proceed with the arraignment for the other five, said Army Lt. Col. Bryan Broyles, the Saudi's military lawyer. Kansas City Star

Putin Announces Cabinet Line-Up
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is proposing the names of ministers in his new government, which will work with President Dmitry Medvedev. Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin will be retaining his post and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also keeps his position. Anatoly Serdyukov stays as Defence Minister and ex-PM Viktor Zubkov is First Deputy PM and Fisheries Minister. Mr Putin moved to the post of PM last week after his protege, Mr Medvedev, assumed the presidency. Mr Putin read out the names at a government meeting attended by reporters. BBC News

Israel Leaning Toward Gaza Cease-Fire
Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for Monday's attack, after which certain defense officials warned against accepting the Egyptian-proposed cease-fire with Hamas and called for a military response to the continued rocket fire. A half-dozen rockets fell in the western Negev area, including one that landed in Ashkelon. Jerusalem Post

Thousands Die In China Quake
Rescuers struggled this morning to reach victims of the devastating earthquake that killed thousands of people in central China and trapped thousands more in the rubble of collapsed schools, factories, hospitals and homes. Road, rail, air and phone links to the epicentre of the 7.8 magnitude shock were cut, hampering relief efforts and the flow of information on the scale of the catastrophe. Some Chinese troops were marching up to 100 miles through the night to reach affected areas. Guardian

Housing Market Worst For 30 Years
Confidence in Britain's housing market has sunk to its lowest level for more than 30 years, figures to be published today will reveal, as property prices continue to fall and mortgage lenders restrict home loan finance. The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors says that 95 per cent more surveyors reported a fall in house prices in April than a rise, the worst figure it has reported since it began publishing monthly property market surveys in January 1978. Independent News

UN Frustrated At Burma Response
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has expressed his "immense frustration" at Burma's slow response to the cyclone that hit the country nine days ago. Mr Ban said aid had been able to reach less than a third of all those at risk. He said he had still not been able to speak to the leader of Burma's military government, General Than Shwe. The official toll for the cyclone has risen to almost 32,000, although foreign aid workers say the real number of dead may be much higher. BBC

High-Powered US Delegation Gets Cool Reception
The most senior US aid and military delegation to visit Burma in years left Rangoon empty-handed yesterday after the regime refused to give any firm commitment about accepting increased aid for the victims of the cyclone disaster. The team that accompanied the first US flight loaded with emergency supplies met cabinet ministers from the ruling junta to offer relief, disaster management expertise and a muscular military capability to deliver aid to the hardest hit areas. Guardian

Violence Grips Lebanese City
Pro-government Sunni Muslim gunmen and militiamen loyal to Lebanon's Iranian-backed Shia Hizbollah have fought with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades in the northern city of Tripoli. Security sources said six people were wounded when Sunni government supporters in Tripoli's Bab Tebbaneh district exchanged machine gun and grenade fire with Alawite militiamen allied to Hizbollah in the nearby Jebel Mohsen area. Hizbollah and its pro-Syrian allies have swept through Beirut and hills to the east, defeating loyalists of the US-backed government before handing its conquests to the Lebanese army, which has stayed out of the fighting. Independent News

Abbas Viable Partner For Peace
US President George W. Bush said on Monday that he could not envisage the Middle East evolving "without a Palestinian state that's free and democratic." Bush, who flies to Israel on Tuesday, told The Jerusalem Post that he remains convinced that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is a partner for peace. And he went on to say, at a briefing with the Post and three other Israeli journalists in the Oval Office, that he was still convinced that an accord on Palestinian statehood was attainable this year. Jerusalem Post

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