Free Republic

The U.S. Department of Education has warned Wisconsin officials that the state could lose about $233,000 if they don't fix shortcomings in the state's student testing system, including its alternate assessment for English language learners. Adopting a tough tone, the federal government has given the state until the end of the 2006-'07 school year to bring its tests into full compliance with the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act. But a November testing period means Wisconsin has only until fall to address the concerns or it risks losing 15% of the $1.5 million it hopes to receive to...

There is news breaking that the Dubai Ports firm is giving up its attempt to take over US ports by turning over control completely to an American firm: Dubai Company to Transfer U.S. Ports to American Company. However, the stories admit that: It was not immediately clear how the divesture would be handled or what U.S. company would take over the operation. One article, however, quotes a statement that "we will continue to hold our U.S. operations separate while this process continues." In other words, the Dubai corporation will maintain a separate incorporation status for the American subsidiary. A few...

Airdate: November 27, 2001 Senior Correspondent Ike Seamans POSTED: 12:34 p.m. EST March 21, 2002 UPDATED: 5:37 p.m. EST March 26, 2002 MIAMI -- They are ordinary people, getting rich beyond their dreams smuggling tons of drugs into South Florida. Only these are the last people and the last places you'd ever expect to be able to get away with it. For five months, NBC 6 and Senior Correspondent Ike Seamans have been investigating how some very public places, owned by local government, have become the biggest drug smuggling sites in South Florida. The Port of Miami and Broward's Port...

Former President Jimmy Carter downplayed criticism of White House support of an Arab-owned company's purchase of a major seaport-operations firm. BY LESLEY CLARK lclark@MiamiHerald.com WASHINGTON - President Bush is taking a battering from fellow Republicans, even the governors of New York and Maryland, over the administration's support for a decision that gives an Arab company control of some commercial operations at six major seaports -- including Miami-Dade's. But he got a boost Monday from an unlikely source, frequent critic and former president Jimmy Carter, who downplayed fears that the deal poses a risk. ''The overall threat to the United States...