Free Republic

A group of refugees is suing a Central Pennsylvania school district, saying the academy they were put in after their arduous journey to America is not up to snuff. Represented by the Pennsylvania branch of the American Civil Liberties Union, the six refugees sued Lancaster schools in federal court, saying they were dumped in a disciplinary school and are being denied access to a quality education. The students range in age from 17 to 21, and hail from Somalia, Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo and Burma. “[The] Plaintiffs are refugees who have fled war, violence, and persecution from their native...

DETROIT -- General Motors says it plans to invest $833 million in Canada for research and development. The company says it began spending the money in 2009 and will invest at least $150 million per year through 2016. Much of the money will go to a research center in Oshawa, Ontario.

Medscape Readers Vote on President, ACA The majority of readers who responded to a recent Medscape survey say that they're not clear on where Mitt Romney stands on healthcare, although many would vote for him anyway. But if Medscape readers had to vote today, they would re-elect Barack Obama to the presidency. Obama led by nearly 8 percentage points over Republican challenger Romney among the 8172 readers who responded to a survey administered between May 29 and June 13. Obama's lead in Medscape's survey, which targeted its nationwide network of physicians and other healthcare professionals, was much more decisive than...

The practice of defensive medicine -- the ordering of excessive tests and procedures by physicians -- is regularly targeted as a major contributor to the high costs of healthcare. But how widespread is it? A recent posting on Medscape's Physician Connect (MPC), an all-physician discussion group, asked the question: Do you practice defensive medicine? Most physicians responded with an emphatic YES. "Defensive medicine is practiced everywhere, everyday. And the costs have got to be simply enormous," says a radiologist. "Here in southeastern Michigan, home of [notable] malpractice attorneys, we practice defensive medicine every day, with every patient," replies a neurologist....

PORTLAND, Ore. – If any Americans are willing to fork over more to state governments in 2010, it might just be those of Oregon, where voters are deciding the fate of two proposed tax increases that target the wealthy and corporations. Oregon voters the past two weeks have been marking referendum ballots on two tax issues, one raising rates on people who make more than $125,000 a year in taxable income — $250,000 for joint filers —

It's been a week since Port-au-Prince was destroyed by an earthquake. In the days ahead, Haitians will undergo another trauma as rescue efforts struggle, and often fail, to keep pace with unfolding emergencies. After that—and most disastrously of all—will be the arrival of the soldiers of do-goodness, each with his brilliant plan to save Haitians from themselves. "Haiti needs a new version of the Marshall Plan—now," writes Andres Oppenheimer in the Miami Herald, by way of complaining that the hundreds of millions currently being pledged are miserly. Economist Jeffrey Sachs proposes to spend between $10 and $15 billion dollars on...

Americans want their government to create jobs through spending on public works, investments in alternative energy or skills training for the jobless. They also want the deficit to come down. And most are ready to hand the bill to the wealthy.

NEW YORK – Money on the table — perhaps $10 billion a year or more — could help close a deal in Denmark next month and keep climate talks moving toward a new global treaty in 2010. But if poorer nations see too little offered up front, the U.N. conference could end in discord.

MIDDLETOWN, Pa. - November 22, 2009 -- The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission says the small amount of radiation detected at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant is not significant.

BOSTON – The Massachusetts House of Representatives has given initial approval to a bill allowing Gov. Deval Patrick to name an interim appointment to the Senate seat left vacant when Edward Kennedy died last month. The House voted 97-58 in favor of the bill Thursday evening. It needs a second vote before it moves to the Massachusetts Senate, where its outcome remains unclear.

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Yale University has removed cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad from an upcoming book about how they caused outrage across the Muslim world, drawing criticism from prominent alumni and a national group of university professors. Yale cited fears of violence.

BOSTON – The push to name a successor to the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy gained momentum Monday, with state lawmakers scheduling a hearing on whether to allow an appointee to serve until a special election in January.

President Barack Obama may “own” the economy now — but he’s not ready to let anyone forget who left it to him.

She’s the 69-year-old speaker of the House of Representatives, second in the line of succession and the most powerful woman in U.S. history. But when you see Nancy Pelosi, the Republican National Committee wants you to think “Pussy Galore.”

Carson City - The Office of Governor Jim Gibbons was notified today that President Barack Obama has refused to meet with the Governor and key business leaders from Nevada. Governor Gibbons requested the meeting in a letter to President Obama so the President could address statements he made that were critical to Nevada and have caused economic damage to convention business and tourism business in the Silver State.

BRISTOL, CONN. (AP) —Former Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden is replacing Tony Kornheiser on ESPN’s Monday Night Football broadcast team. The network said Monday that Gruden will be in the booth with Mike Tirico and Ron Jaworski when the show starts its 40th season this fall. Kornheiser cited a fear of flying in his decision to leave after three years. Gruden led the Bucs to the 2003 Super Bowl title and was fired after this past season. He worked as a guest analyst this year with the NFL Network during the draft and scouting combine.

Pennsylvania lawmakers are considering a bill that would bar welfare recipients from using taxpayer-backed benefit cards to buy alcohol.

WASHINGTON — Marian Robinson, President Obama’s mother-in-law, moved into the White House “kicking and screaming,” said her son, Craig Robinson. She had never lived outside of Chicago and was reluctant to leave her beloved bungalow, her friends and family, her weekly yoga class and her familiar routines.

Tatenda Majiri, 22, hoists a calabash of home-brewed beer with some authority while discussing news of the day. But he has no confidence in the future. The social work student says he has lost hope of going back to school because the government-owned University of Zimbabwe (UZ) has been closed since last year. "Drinking is the only constructive activity I have," he says, as he passes the time in Nzvimbo rural township in Chiweshe, about 150 km north of the capital Harare. "What else can I do?"

111th CONGRESS 1st Session H. J. RES. 5 Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to repeal the twenty-second article of amendment, thereby removing the limitation on the number of terms an individual may serve as President. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 6, 2009