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 | 2006 DECEMBER Dec. 30, 2006
 Saddam Hussein Executed for Role in Shiite Massacre Saddam Hussein, who brutally governed Iraq for a quarter century, was hanged in the pre-dawn hours Saturday for his role in the killing of 148 Shiite men and boys in the northern Iraqi city of Dujail in 1982.

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 | Dec. 29, 2006
 Saddam Execution May Take Toll on Situation in Iraq Lawyers for Saddam Hussein made last-ditch attempts to save his life Friday as news surfaced that the former dictator could be executed at any time. A reporter and a professor discuss the likely impacts of the execution.

     

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 | Dec. 29, 2006
 Retaliation Threats Mount as Officials Say Saddam's Execution Likely by Saturday Saddam Hussein will likely be executed by Saturday for the deaths of 148 Shiite men in 1982, U.S. and Iraqi officials say. A reporter gives an update on the fate of the former dictator.

     

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 | Dec. 26, 2006
 Iraqi High Court Upholds Saddam Death Sentence An Iraqi appeals court upheld a death sentence for Saddam Hussein Tuesday and ordered his execution within 30 days, although the decision must be ratified by President Jalal Talabani and Iraq's two vice presidents under Iraqi law.

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 | Dec. 21, 2006
 Marines Face Charges for Deaths of Iraqi Civilians Eight Marines have been charged in the massacre of 24 Iraqi civilians in the town of Haditha last year. Prosecutors claim the Marines went on a killing spree in retaliation for an attack that killed a comrade; the defense says the threat was real.

     

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 | Dec. 21, 2006
 The Opposition to Chavez It's been a bumpy road for the opposition to Chavez in the last eight years, and in light of Chavez's latest landslide victory, his political enemies are looking for options.

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 | Dec. 19, 2006
 Two States Put Lethal Injections on Hold A California judge has ruled that the state's lethal injection is unconstitutional, while Florida suspended executions after a botched one took 34 minutes and two tries. A critic and a defender of lethal injections discuss the developments.

     

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 | Dec. 19, 2006
 EU Condemns Libyan Death Verdict Bulgarian and European Union officials condemned the death sentences handed down Tuesday by a Libyan court to six foreign medical workers for intentionally infecting children with HIV.

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 | Dec. 18, 2006
 Cambodians Search for Justice after Pol Pot's Brutal Regime The people of Cambodia are still searching for justice three decades after former dictator Pol Pot's regime accused of forced labor, starvation and mass executions. The Bureau for International Reporting gives an update.

     

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 | Dec. 13, 2006
 Immigration Crackdown Results in 1,300 Arrests An immigration raid of meat plants in six states resulted in nearly 1,300 arrests of illegal immigrants Tuesday. Julie Myers, of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Mark Lauritsen, of the United Food and Commercial Workers, share their views on the surprise raid.

     

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 | Dec. 12, 2006
 New Orleans Crime Wave Taxes Louisiana's Police, National Guard In the midst of trying to rebuild, New Orleans faces a murder rate that exceeds that of Compton, Calif., in the latest FBI statistics. Officials have relied on the state's National Guard to help police, but at some point the troops will need to leave the city.

     

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 | Dec. 11, 2006
 Spy Poisoning Case Raises Questions About Russian Democracy Two weeks after the poisoning death of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko, more radiation poisoning cases have been discovered and Moscow is abuzz with rumors of political intrigue. NewsHour Correspondent Simon Marks reports on the criminal investigation and its implications for President Putin's future.

     

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 | Dec. 8, 2006
 House Panel Finds Lawmakers Did Not Break Rules in Foley Scandal The House ethics committee criticized members and aides for leaving male pages vulnerable to Rep. Mark Foley's improper sexual advances even though the first concerns were reported more than a decade ago.

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 | Dec. 4, 2006
 Supreme Court Revisits Race in Public Schools The Supreme Court heard arguments Monday about whether schools in Seattle, Wash., and Louisville, Ky., can consider race when placing students in public elementary and secondary schools. The National Law Journal's Marcia Coyle explains the cases that could affect millions of students nationwide.

     

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 | NOVEMBER Nov. 29, 2006
 Supreme Court Takes Up Global Warming Case The U.S. Supreme Court heard its first case on global warming Wednesday, with 12 states asking the court to mandate limits on greenhouse emissions from new cars and trucks. Experts discuss the case and analyze its significance.

     

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 | Nov. 27, 2006
 Justices Hear Both Sides of Wage Discrimination Case The Supreme Court heard arguments Monday on a case dealing with the statute of limitations on claims of gender discrimination in pay. Marcia Coyle of the National Law Journal explains the arguments.

     

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 | Nov. 17, 2006
 Drug Trade, Resurgent Taliban Fuel Intensified Attacks in Afghanistan Funded largely by a flourishing drug trade, Taliban fighters have stepped up their attacks on Afghan and international forces, killing more than 300 people a month on average in Afghanistan.

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 | Nov. 10, 2006
 Program Works to Find Ex-offenders Transitional Jobs Nearly 700,000 people leave prison each year, many times to be returned to society with no marketable skills and limited chances for employment. The Chicago-based Safer Program works to find ex-offenders transitional jobs in an effort to reduce recidivism rates.

     

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 | Nov. 8, 2006
 Court Hears Arguments on 'Partial-birth' Abortion Ban The Supreme Court on Wednesday heard oral arguments on the federal late-term abortion ban, the first major abortion issue before a more conservative court now that Samuel Alito has replaced retired justice Sandra Day O'Connor.

 

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 | Nov. 6, 2006
 Saddam Hussein's Death Sentence Will Be Appealed Saddam Hussein was sentenced to death by hanging Sunday for his role in mass killings in 1982, causing mixed reactions. Capital sentences in Iraq are automatically appealed. John Burns of The New York Times discusses the appeals process, which could conclude in January.

     

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 | Nov. 6, 2006
 Shiites, Kurds Celebrate Saddam Death Sentence; Sunnis Protest Saddam Hussein was convicted of crimes against humanity Sunday and sentenced to hang for the 1982 killings of 148 people in a Shiite town, prompting thousands to spill into the streets in either jubilation or protest.

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 | OCTOBER Oct. 25, 2006
 New Jersey High Court Clears Path for Gay Marriages The New Jersey Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that homosexuals are entitled to the same rights as heterosexuals, but left it up to the state legislature to legalize same-sex unions.

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 | Oct. 24, 2006
 Skilling Sentence Marks Latest Crackdown on Corporate Crimes Former Enron CEO Jeffrey Skilling was sentenced Monday to more than 24 years in prison for his part in accounting practices that led to the company's collapse. His is the latest in a series of cases of corporate corruption that have rocked the business world.

     

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 | Oct. 23, 2006
 Former Enron CEO Sentenced to 24 Years Former Enron CEO Jeffrey Skilling was sentenced Monday to 24 years and three months in prison for his part in crimes that led to the one-time energy giant's collapse.

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 | Oct. 19, 2006
 Congress Approval Rating Slides to Lowest Point in 14 Years A recent Wall Street Journal poll shows Congress' approval ratings at its lowest point in 14 years. With midterm elections nearing, public disapproval of the GOP-led Congress may have heavy costs for Republican candidates. Two experts discuss the public's views.

     

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 | Oct. 16, 2006
 President Bush Signs Law Banning Internet Gambling President Bush's signing of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act bans the use of credit cards, checks, and electronic transfers to place bets on gambling websites on the internet. Analysts discuss the implication of the recent law.

     

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 | Oct. 13, 2006
 President Signs Bill Aimed at Limiting Online Gambling The newly approved Safe Accountability for Every Port Act of 2006, which President Bush signed Friday, included a provision aimed at closing the doors of many of the over 2,500 online gambling casino web sites operating in the United States.

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 | Oct. 12, 2006
 House Ethics Committee Investigates Mark Foley E-mail Scandal The House Ethics Committee heard testimony from key witnesses in the Foley e-mail scandal Thursday. Roll Call senior editor Ben Pershing provides an update on Republicans and Democrats investigating the actions of former Representative Mark Foley.

     

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 | Oct. 3, 2006
 Spate of Shootings Raises School Safety Concerns Three shootings at schools in the past week, including the attack on an Amish schoolhouse near Lancaster, Pa., that claimed the lives of five girls, have heightened concerns about school safety nationwide. A reporter covering the Amish shooting and a professor who heads a youth violence project discuss the school shootings.

     

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 | Oct. 2, 2006
 Abortion, Race and Business Law on Supreme Court's New Docket The U.S. Supreme Court began its next term Monday with cases on late-term abortions, the use of race in school admissions, patent law and pollution control. Legal experts discuss the cases and the issues that will define the new term.

     

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 | SEPTEMBER Sept. 29, 2006
 Analysts Discuss Iraq War Views, Upcoming Elections Political analysts Mark Shields and David Brooks discuss the effects of the Iraq war on the public's view of the administration and on upcoming midterm elections, along with other political news of the week.

     

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 | Sept. 28, 2006
 Hewlett-Packard Officials Testify on Probe into Media Leaks Hewlett-Packard Chief Executive Mark Hurd and former Chairwoman Patricia Dunn testified in the House Thursday on the company's possibly illegal tactics when investigating media leaks.

     

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 | Sept. 28, 2006
 Senate Rejects Habeas Corpus in Interrogation Bill The Senate passed a bill Thursday on the prosecution and interrogation of suspected terrorists, rejecting an amendment that would have allowed the suspects to challenge their detention in court. Experts discuss this and other aspects of the legislation.

     

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 | Sept. 27, 2006
 Officials Investigate CEOs in Stock Options Scandals The NewsHour's economics correspondent Paul Solman reports on the stock scandals embroiling a number of companies and explains how stock option scams work.

     

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 | Sept. 27, 2006
 House Pushes Through New Detention, Tribunals Rules The House approved new rules for the interrogation and prosecution of terror suspects Wednesday, giving legal protections to interrogators, setting up military tribunals, and denying detainees the right to appeal their detentions. The measures now move on to the Senate.

     

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 | Sept. 26, 2006
 Supreme Court Justices Reflect on Judicial Independence Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer and former Justice Sandra Day O'Connor discuss judicial independence, the subject of a two-day conference this week at Georgetown University Law School.

     

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 | Sept. 26, 2006
 Former Enron CFO Fastow Sentenced to Six Years in Prison Former Enron chief financial officer Andrew Fastow, 44, was sentenced to six years in prison Tuesday, more than two years after he pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy for his involvement in the energy company's 2001 collapse.

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 | Sept. 22, 2006
 Hewlett-Packard Chairwoman Resigns Amid Investigation Scandal Hewlett-Packard Co.'s Chairwoman Patricia Dunn resigned Friday amid fallout from how she conducted an investigation into possible media leaks by board members. A journalist discusses the brewing scandal.

     

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 | Sept. 22, 2006
 Analysts Debate Deal on Terror Suspects, Congress Approval Ratings Political analysts discuss the agreement between the White House and GOP leaders on handling terror suspects, and recent poll numbers showing low approval ratings of Congress.

     

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 | Sept. 22, 2006
 White House, Senate Republicans Reach Deal on Detainee Bill The White House and Senate Republicans reached an agreement on a bill that would allow the CIA's interrogation of foreign terrorist suspects to continue. NewsHour correspondent Kwame Holman reports on the latest legislation regarding detainees.

   

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 | Sept. 20, 2006
 Inquiry Finds Canadian Terror Suspect Wrongly Accused and Tortured As Congress debates on how to treat terror suspects, an inquiry found that Maher Arar, a Canadian Muslim detained by U.S. authorities for suspected links to al-Qaida and sent to Syria, had no links to terrorism. The commission's lead counsel discusses the findings.

     

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 | Sept. 15, 2006
 Analysts Discuss President's Push for Military Tribunals and Iraqi Violence Political analysts Mark Shields and David Brooks discuss President Bush's push for tribunals, the continuing violence in Iraq and the fall election.

     

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 | Sept. 14, 2006
 House, Senate Committees Pass Opposing Tribunals Plans Despite President Bush's visits to GOP lawmakers at the Capitol, pushing his plan for military tribunals, the Senate Armed Services Committee voted late Thursday to recommend a bill differing from a version backed by the President and House.

     

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 | Sept. 12, 2006
 Hewlett-Packard Chairman Steps Down Amid Media Leaks Scandal Hewlett-Packard's chairman, Patricia Dunn, announced Tuesday that she would step down from the computer company's board in January after apologizing for her use of undercover investigators to discover the source of media leaks among other board members.

     

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 | Sept. 8, 2006
 Political Analysts Discuss Military Tribunals, Sept. 11 Anniversary Analysts David Brooks and Tom Oliphant discuss President Bush's proposal for military tribunals for terror suspects, how Republicans and Democrats are using terrorism as a political tool and their views on the world since the Sept. 11 attacks.

     

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 | Sept. 7, 2006
 President Bush Proposes Military Trial Process for Terror Suspects Following the announcement that terror suspects had been held in secret facilities, President Bush pressed Congress Thursday to approve military tribunals for terror suspects. Sens. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) and John Sununu (R.-N.H.) debate the proposal.

     

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 | Sept. 6, 2006
 President Asks Congress to Authorize Tribunals for Detainees President Bush announced that 14 terror suspects, including the alleged organizer of the 9/11 attacks, will be transferred from secret CIA facilities to the military prison at Guantanamo Bay. He also urged Congress to authorize the use of tribunals to comply with a Supreme Court decision.

     

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 | Sept. 1, 2006
 Pennsylvania Town Passes Illegal Immigration Law As immigration becomes a key topic during this year's elections, the town of Hazleton, Pa. has passed ordinances to fine businesses and landlords who employ or house illegal immigrants and require city documents be in English.

     

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 | AUGUST Aug. 30, 2006
 Former State Dept. Official Admits Role as CIA Leak Source Former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage confirmed that he was the primary source for Robert Novak's New York Times article that revealed the identity of a CIA officer and sparked a criminal leak investigation. A Washington correspondent discusses the story.

     

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 | Aug. 25, 2006
 New York Times Researcher Sentenced in China A New York Times researcher in China, Zhao Yan, was charged with revealing state secrets and has been detained by authorities in Beijing for almost two years. The court announced Friday that Yan will be given a three-year prison sentence. An expert discusses the fairness of the Chinese legal system.

     

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 | Aug. 22, 2006
 Immigration Attorney Highlights Legal Problems The last conversation in a series on immigration in the United States features the perspective of Priscilla Labovitz, an attorney who works with legal immigrants.

     

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 | Aug. 22, 2006
 Debate over Welfare Reform Lingers 10 Years Later Ten years ago, then-President Clinton signed into law major welfare changes that tightened restrictions on who could receive welfare and for how long. Experts assess the impact the law has had over the years.

     

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 | Aug. 21, 2006
 Arizona Sheriff Combats Illegal Immigration Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio talks about how imprisoning illegal immigrants serves as a deterrent in this fifth conversation on the topic of immigration in the United States.

   

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 | Aug. 21, 2006
 11 British Terror Plot Suspects Charged Eleven people were charged in Britain for allegedly plotting to blow up airliners going from Britain to the United States.

     

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 | Aug. 21, 2006
 Saddam Begins Trial for Ordering Deaths of Thousands of Kurds Former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein is being tried for ordering the genocide of thousands of Kurds in northern Iraq during his rule.

 

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 | Aug. 18, 2006
 Judge Finds Big Tobacco Guilty of Racketeering, Conspiracy A federal judge has ruled that five major tobacco companies violated racketeering laws and conspired to cover up the risks of smoking. Two analysts discuss the verdict.

     

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 | Aug. 18, 2006
 President Defends NSA Wiretapping After Court Calls It Unconstitutional President Bush said Friday he believes other U.S. courts will uphold the National Security Agency's warrantless surveillance program a day after a federal judge in Detroit ruled it unconstitutional.

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 | Aug. 16, 2006
 National Border Control Council Head Discusses Immigration In the second in a series on immigration in the United States, National Border Patrol Council President T.J. Bonner shares his views.

   

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 | Aug. 15, 2006
 Archbishop Discusses Catholic Church's Position on Immigration The first in a series on immigration in the United States features Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver, who is conducting a series of townhall meetings in northern Colorado to explain the Church's position on immigration.

   

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 | Aug. 15, 2006
 Arrests Cast New Light on British Anti-terror Policies London police announced Tuesday the arrest of a 25th suspect in the plot to bomb flights from the UK to the United States. Terrorism and law experts discuss the differences between U.S. and British anti-terror laws.

     

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 | Aug. 1, 2006
 Still Trailing in Polls, Santorum Hammers on Illegal Immigration For months, Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., has trailed Pennsylvania Treasurer Bob Casey in his fight for re-election and now the incumbent Republican has latched onto the immigration debate in hopes of finding an issue to rally support.

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 | JULY July 31, 2006
 One Month Recess in U.S. House Begins After Marathon Session Members of the U.S. House of Representatives began a one month hiatus after working all night Friday to wrap-up legislation. Congressional writer Alan Ota discusses some of the contentious legislation debated on before the break.

 

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 | July 24, 2006
 Guantanamo Detainees Rights Are Reexamined After the Supreme Court reversed the Bush administration's tactics for prosecuting terrorism suspects, Congress has been debating how to address the prosecution of detainees in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and other U.S. prisons.

     

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 | July 21, 2006
 Analysts Discuss the Middle East Crisis and the Stem Cell Veto Columnists David Brooks and Tom Oliphant discuss the continuing crisis in the Middle East and President Bush's first use of the veto on a stem cell research bill approved by Congress.

     

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 | July 19, 2006
 President Bush Vetoes Stem Cell Bill President Bush issued his first veto Wednesday on a bill that would have eased restrictions on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. Two political analysts discuss the use of the presidential veto.

     

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 | July 18, 2006
 Senate Questions Attorney General Gonzales on Wiretapping Program Attorney General Alberto Gonzales testified to the Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday that President Bush refused to grant security access to investigators looking into the National Security Agency's phone-tapping program.

     

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 | July 17, 2006
 President Bush Threatens to Veto Stem Cell Bill President Bush threatened to use his veto power after the Senate reopened debate Monday on a bill to lift restrictions on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. Two analysts discuss the medical research implications.

     

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 | July 14, 2006
 Poltical Analysts Discuss Middle East, G-8 Summit and Plame Lawsuit Columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks look at the Middle East conflict, the upcoming G-8 Summit, the Valerie Plame lawsuit against Dick Cheney and the new policy on terror detainees.

     

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 | July 13, 2006
 Former CIA Officer Sues Cheney and Rove over Leak Former CIA officer Valerie Plame, whose identity was leaked to reporters in 2003, filed a lawsuit against Vice President Dick Cheney and a dozen others Thursday, accusing them of conspiring to end her career.

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 | July 11, 2006
 U.S. to Comply with Geneva Treaty on Detainees In a policy shift outlined in a Pentagon memo, the Bush administration has decided to treat all detainees in compliance with the minimum standard spelled out by the Geneva Conventions. Senators discuss the change.

     

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 | July 7, 2006
 Discharged U.S. Soldier Pleads Not Guilty to Murder, Rape of Iraqi Civilian In a federal court in Kentucky Thursday, former army private Steven Green pleaded not guilty to murder and rape charges stemming from an incident in the Iraqi town of Mahmoudiya in March. A New York Times writer discusses the charges stemming from the misconduct.

     

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 | July 7, 2006
 U.S. Armed Forces React to Charges Against Troops in Iraq Amid continued allegations of misconduct by U.S. military servicemen in Iraq, including seven marines and one navy corpsman accused of killing an Iraqi civilian in April, the military has added ethics and "values training" into soldier exercises.

     

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 | July 7, 2006
 Three Arrested in Plot to Bomb New York City Tunnels New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly discusses the arrest of three al-Qaida followers suspected of plotting to set off explosives in the Holland Tunnel and PATH railway tunnels under the Hudson River this fall.

     

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 | July 6, 2006
 Death of Kenneth Lay Leaves Questions Unanswered Widely condemned for his role in the largest corporate bankruptcy in history, Enron founder Kenneth Lay, who died Wednesday at the age of 64, leaves behind many unanswered questions. Two experts discuss the unaswered questions of Lay's life and the Enron trial.

     

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 | July 6, 2006
 New York, Georgia Courts Deal Setbacks to Gay Marriage Top courts in New York and Georgia ruled independently Thursday that gay marriage is not allowed under their states' laws.

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 | July 5, 2006
 House Leaders Begin Field Hearings to Build Support for Immigration Bill NewsHour Correspondent Tom Bearden reports on the politics of immigration field hearings in Philadelphia, San Diego, and other towns led by House republicans in order to drive up support for the immigration bill passed in the House last year.

 

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 | July 3, 2006
 Hamdan, Redistricting Rulings Mark New Roberts Court's First Term The U.S. Supreme Court marked the last week of its 2005-2006 term with major rulings on Guantanamo's military tribunals, texas redistricting, and Kansas' death penalty law. Four legal experts review the high court's decisions over the past year.

     

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 | JUNE June 30, 2006
 Analysts Discuss Guantanamo Tribunals, Supreme Court Rulings, Media Leaks Columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks discuss the Supreme Court decisions on Guantanamo military tribunals and Texas redistricting, flag burning amendments in Congress and growing criticism towards the media

     

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 | June 29, 2006
 High Court Blocks Guantanamo Tribunals The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that the Bush administration's policy of trying terror suspects before military tribunals is illegal. The 5-3 ruling said that the tribunals violated U.S. military law and the Geneva Convention.

     

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 | June 29, 2006
 The Supreme Court Rejects Military Tribunals The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that the Bush administration's policy of trying terror suspects before military tribunals is illegal, saying it violated U.S. law and the Geneva Convention. Marcia Coyle of the National Law Journal discusses the specifics of the decision.

     

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 | June 28, 2006
 High Court Upholds Texas Redistricting Map The Supreme Court supported most of the Texas congressional map engineered by former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, but overturned one district on the grounds that Hispanics were denied fair representation. Marcia Coyle discusses the decision, followed by analysis from voting rights experts Spencer Overton and Roger Clegg.

     

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 | June 26, 2006
 Crime Increases in New Orleans as the City Recovers from Hurricane Katrina The National Guard has been called to New Orleans to contain a surging crime problem as the city fights to rebuild its justice system.

     

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 | June 26, 2006
 High Court Rules Against State Campaign Finance Law In two much-anticipated decisions, the Supreme Court struck down Vermont's stringent campaign finance limits while ruling that the Kansas Supreme Court had improperly ruled the state's death penalty law unconstitutional.

     

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 | June 23, 2006
 U.S. Government Monitors International Banking for Counterterrorism The Treasury Department has been using internet banking programs containing transactions of thousands of Americans to track terrorism money since September 11, 2001. The lead official at the Department of Treasury explains the need for the program.

     

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 | June 23, 2006
 Seven Charged in al-Qaida Plot to Blow up the Sears Tower Seven men were indicted Thursday by a federal grand jury for planning to bomb a number of buildings including the Sears Tower in Chicago and a federal building in Miami. Two experts discuss the arrests and what is known about their conspiracy.

     

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 | June 22, 2006
 Supreme Court Holds Employers Liable for Workplace Retaliation The U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously Thursday that an employee could collect monetary awards from her employer for retaliating against her for sexual harassment complaints, broadening worker protection under the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

     

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 | June 21, 2006
 Bill to Raise Minimum Wage Fails in Senate In a 52-46 vote, the Senate rejected a Democrat-proposed bill to increase the minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 an hour over two years, marking the ninth time since 1997 that legislation to raise the limit has been defeated.

     

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 | June 21, 2006
 Eight U.S. Troops Charged with Murder of Iraqi Civilian Seven U.S. Marines and one navy sailor were charged with murder, kidnapping, and conspiracy Wednesday over the April death of a disabled Iraqi man in Hamandiya, while a fourth soldier also was charged with murder in the deaths of three Iraqis in May.

     

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 | June 20, 2006
 Abramoff Associate Found Guilty of Felony Charges As part of the wider Jack Abramoff lobbying probe, former chief procurement officer David Safavian was found guilty of one count of obstructing justice and three counts of lying or concealing information from investigators. A reporter covering the trial explains today's events.

     

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 | June 20, 2006
 National Guard Troops Ordered to Patrol New Orleans Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco said Monday she would send National Guard troops to New Orleans following a weekend of violence that left six people dead.

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 | June 19, 2006
 High Court Returns Wetlands Cases to Lower Court, Agrees to Hear Abortion Appeal The Supreme Court on Monday narrowly voided a lower court's decision blocking two developments on wetlands in Michigan, and agreed to consider a second appeal to reinstate a federal ban on so-called partial-birth abortions.

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 | June 15, 2006
 The High Court Supports Police in No-Knock Search Case The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that evidence may be used in trials even if police officers failed to knock before entering a home.

     

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 | June 15, 2006
 Britain Agrees to Imprison Taylor if Ex-Liberian Leader Is Convicted Britain agreed to host former Liberian President Charles Taylor in one of its prisons if he is convicted of war crimes, a government official said Thursday, paving the way for the U.N.-backed court in Sierra Leone to transfer Taylor to The Hague.

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 | June 13, 2006
 CIA Leak Counsel Announced It Will Not Charge Karl Rove After a three year investigation and several appearances before the federal grand jury, White House adviser Karl Rove was told Tuesday that he would not face any criminal charges stemming from the leak of former covert CIA operative Valerie Plame's identity. Two former U.S. attorneys discuss the investigation.

     

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 | June 12, 2006
 Supreme Court Allows Lethal Injection Challenge In one of two major decisions handed down Monday, the Supreme Court ruled that inmates on death row could make last-minute claims that the chemicals in lethal injections are too painful and violate the Constitution's Eighth Amendment.

     

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 | June 12, 2006
 Guantanamo Suicides Stir Criticism of U.S. Policy Over the weekend, news of three suicides at the Guantanamo detention facility in Cuba raised new questions about the manner in which the United States is treating terror suspects.

     

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 | June 12, 2006
 High Court Allows Lethal Injection, DNA Evidence Challenges The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Monday that death row inmates may file last-resort challenges to lethal injections, citing them as cruel and unusual punishment.

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 | June 7, 2006
 House Approves Increase in FCC Fines for Indecency The House of Representatives authorized the Federal Communications Commission to fine over-the-air television and radio broadcasters up to $325,000 for violating decency standards, a tenfold increase over previous penalties. President Bush is expected to sign the measure.

 

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 | June 7, 2006
 Marine Corps Head Urges Patience in Haditha Investigations In his first public comments since allegations concerning Iraqi civilian deaths in Haditha and Hamdaniya, Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Michael Hagee took responsibility for the training of troops in Iraq, but said he would not resign. Two former Central Command Marine Corps generals analyze the accusations and reaction.

     

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 | June 5, 2006
 President Calls for Amendment to Ban Gay Marriage President Bush said Monday he was proud to back the supporters of a constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage. Political analysts consider the Republican drive to adopt the amendment and the possible role it may play in mid-term elections.

     

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 | June 5, 2006
 Government, Media Settle with Scientist over Privacy Lawsuit A nuclear scientist accused of spying has settled with media firms and the federal government.

 

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 | June 5, 2006
 Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Cases on Race in Schools The U.S. Supreme Court announced Monday that it would consider a pair of cases which takes race into account when assigning students to high schools.

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 | June 2, 2006
 Soldiers Cleared in Ishaqi Incident, Haditha Investigation Continues Despite the announcement late Friday that a military investigation had cleared soldiers in a March incident in the village of Ishaqi, the military is still conducting two investigations into the Haditha case, one to see if U.S. troops committed murder and a second to see if their actions were covered up.

     

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 | MAY May 31, 2006
 Plan for Omaha Schools Raises Segregation Concerns The Nebraska Legislature voted to divide Omaha's public schools into three racially identifiable districts, prompting the NAACP to file a lawsuit against the state arguing that the law "intentionally furthers racial segregation."

     

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 | May 26, 2006
 Political Analysts Shields and Brooks Discuss Blair Visit, Iraq and FBI Raids Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks discuss Prime Minister Blair's visit to the White House, immigration reform, Iraq, recent FBI raids on Capitol Hill and the Enron verdict.

     

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 | May 26, 2006
 Search of Congressman's Office Pits White House Against House Leaders The recent FBI search of U.S. Rep. William Jefferson's office and the seizure of files found there have angered Congressional leader within the president's own party who say the FBI's actions violate the separation of powers. Experts discuss the legal issues surrounding the seizure of Rep. Jefferson's documents.

 

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 | May 26, 2006
 Mexico's President Tours Northwest U.S., Urges Immigration Reform President Vicente Fox traveled to the Pacific Northwest to visit migrant workers and meet with business leaders as the Mexican leader continues to call for humane and border-friendly reform to the American immigration laws.

 

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 | May 26, 2006
 Senate Confirms Hayden as CIA Director By a 78-15 vote, the Senate on Friday confirmed Air Force Gen. Michael Hayden as the Central Intelligence Agency chief.

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 | May 26, 2006
 Chechen Militant Accused in Beslan Siege Gets Life in Prison A Russian judge sentenced the only known surviving hostage-taker of the 2004 Beslan school siege to life in prison, prompting an angry outburst from mothers of some of the victims who stormed the cage where the Chechen militant stood.

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 | May 25, 2006
 New Orleans Struggles to Rebuild Justice System after Hurricane Katrina The state of Louisiana is considering new ways to fund New Orleans' public defender system, which even before Katrina was criticized as one of the worst in the country. And the U.S. Justice Department has also promised funds.

     

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 | May 25, 2006
 Lay, Skilling Convicted in Sweeping Enron Verdict The former top two officials at the failed energy giant Enron were convicted of fraud and conspiracy Thursday for their role in the company's 2001 financial collapse. Guests analyze the verdict and possible implications for the business world.

     

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 | May 25, 2006
 Enron Top Officials Found Guilty of Fraud and Conspiracy Bethany Mclean of Fortune Magazine reports on the guilty verdict former top officials, Kenneth Lay and Jeffrey Skilling, former top officials. They were convicted of fraud and conspiracy Thursday for their role in the company's 2001 financial collapse.

  

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 | May 24, 2006
 Congress Moves Forward on the Immigration Border Bill Debate Congress is moving forward on a legislative solution to the immigration debate. The Republican-controlled Senate is on the verge of passing the most ambitious immigration reform bill in two decades.

 

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 | May 19, 2006
 U.N. Panel Urges Closure of Guantanamo Detention Center A United Nations panel on torture called on the United States Friday to close the detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and expressed concern over reports of secret prisons.

     

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 | May 19, 2006
 Immigration Battles Continue in Deeply Divided Senate A massive overhaul of the nation's immigration policies continued to move through the Senate this week as conservatives pushed for harsher measures against illegal immigrants and President Bush urged the Congress to balance between tighter borders and a guest worker program. Kwame Holman reports.

 

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 | May 17, 2006
 Enron Executives Finish Closing Arguments Lawyers in the trial of former Enron executives Jeffrey Skilling and Kenneth Lay finished their closing arguments Wednesday and the jury began deliberations.

     

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 | May 16, 2006
 Attorney General Rebuffs Critics of President's Immigration Plan Amid continued debate over immigration reform, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales hopes to see an immigration bill pass through the House and Senate by the end of the year. Gonzales comments on the criticism against President Bush's immigration plan and the NSA.

     

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 | May 16, 2006
 Conservatives, Liberals Take Aim at President's Immigration Plan President Bush's five-point immigration plan proposed in a national address Monday, drew criticism from both sides of the aisle as the Senate continued debate over its immigration reform bill. Two members of Congress debate President Bush's five points and current legislation.

     

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 | May 15, 2006
 President Deploys Troops to Border, Calls for Reform In a nationally televised address, President Bush introduced a five-point, $1.9 billion plan to secure the U.S.-Mexican border that includes deploying 6,000 National Guard troops and creating a "temporary worker" program.

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 | May 12, 2006
 Legality of NSA Phone Program Questioned President Bush and former National Security Agency head Gen. Michael Hayden defended the NSA's collection of domestic phone records amid questions about the program's legality. Two privacy law experts discuss the legal issues behind the NSA program and its implications on privacy.

     

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 | May 12, 2006
 Red Cross Criticizes Lack of Access to U.S. Secret Prisons The International Committee of the Red Cross criticized the Bush administration Friday for denying access by neutral visitors to those held in secret detention.

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 | May 11, 2006
 Africans Search for Better Lives in Europe The countries of Morocco and Spain are looking for solutions to stem the tide of thousands of Africans, who risk their lives traveling across deserts and straits to illegally immigrate to European shores.

     

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 | May 11, 2006
 NSA Wire Tapping Program Revealed An article in Thursday's USA Today reported that three of the largest U.S. phone companies have been providing the National Security Agency with phone records from millions of Americans since 9/11. Two senators discuss the program's legal and security issues now that the public is aware of it.

     

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 | May 10, 2006
 White House Lawyer Brett Kavanaugh Holds Judicial Nomination for D.C. Fed. Court A new round of Senate battles began Tuesday over President Bush's judicial nominations. White House lawyer Brett Kavanaugh went before the Senate Judiciary Committee to warrant a seat on the District of Columbia Federal Court of Appeals.

 

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 | May 9, 2006
 Legislative Aide Admits He Tried to Illegally Influence His Boss for Abramoff Neil Volz, a one-time chief of staff to Rep. Bob Ney (R-Ohio), admitted in court Monday that he tried illegally to influence his former boss on Jack Abramoff's behalf. Experts discuss the Abramoff trial and the impact of Volz's testimony.

  

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 | May 8, 2006
 Former Aide, Abramoff Associate Pleads Guilty in Lobby Probe A former congressional chief of staff and business associate of convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff pleaded guilty Monday to charges in connection with the wide-ranging corruption and influence-peddling investigation by the Justice Department.

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 | May 8, 2006
 Former Head of NSA Nominated as CIA Chief President Bush nominated Air Force Gen. Michael Hayden to serve as the next leader of the Central Intelligence Agency Monday, re-igniting the debate over domestic surveillance efforts that Hayden oversaw as head of the National Security Agency.

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 | May 5, 2006
 Analysts Debate Goss Departure, Federal Spending Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks debate the resignation of CIA chief Porter Goss, federal spending priorities and the immigration protests.

     

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 | May 4, 2006
 Relatives of the Sept. 11 Victims React to Moussaoui Sentencing Zacarias Moussaoui was formally sentenced Thursday to life in prison for his role in the Sept. 11 attacks. Family members of the victims discuss their reactions to the trial and the verdict.

     

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 | May 4, 2006
 Judge Formally Sentences Moussaoui to Life Without Parole Zacarias Moussaoui was formally sentenced Thursday to life in prison for his role in the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. A New York Times reporter, who was in the courtroom for the sentencing, discusses the day's events.

 

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 | May 3, 2006
 Moussaoui Sentenced to Life in Prison, Spared Death Penalty A federal jury sentenced Zacarias Moussaoui to life in prison Wednesday after failing to unanimously agree that he deserved to be executed for his role in the Sept. 11 attacks.

     

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 | May 3, 2006
 Moussaoui Gets Life Sentence for Role in 9/11 Attacks A federal jury decided Wednesday that al-Qaida conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui Wednesday should spend life in prison, rather than be put to death, for his role in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

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 | May 2, 2006
 Senagalese Student Lands in Public Eye Over Pending Deportation Amadou Ly, a Senegalese 18-year-old living alone in New York City, now faces deportation after revealing his illegal immigrant status on his way to his high school's robotics competition.

  

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 | May 2, 2006
 Publisher Pulls Harvard Student's Novel Over Alleged Plagiarism Little, Brown and Co. removed Kaavya Viswanathan's debut novel from book stores as the Harvard University sophomore continues to come under fire for allegedly plagiarizing. An industry expert talks about the allegations and the book publishing industry.

     

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 | May 2, 2006
 Former Enron CEO Battles Lawyers During Final Testimony Former Enron CEO Kenneth Lay faced off his prosecutors and his own defense lawyers during his sixth, and last, day testifying in his fraud and conspiracy trial. A reporter covering the trial discusses the events of the day.

  

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 | May 1, 2006
 Eminent Domain Law Upsets Californians California has been fighting over eminent domain laws since the Supreme Court's Kelo case resolved that a city could seize private homes for economic development projects.

     

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 | May 1, 2006
 Immigrants Organize Economic Boycotts Across United States Hundreds of thousands of immigrants participated in economic boycotts across the United States. Two guests discuss the motivations of the protesters and the future of illegal immigrants in the U.S.

     

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 | May 1, 2006
 Immigrants Protest Across U.S. Hundreds of thousands of immigrants protested across the United States in response to congressional battles over immigration reform. Correspondents from Los Angeles, Chicago and Washington, D.C. report on the protests and workplace boycotts.

  

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 | APRIL April 28, 2006
 Fall Midterm Elections Pose an Uphill Battle for Republicans The Republican Party is facing low approval ratings on issues from immigration to government spending. Gwen Ifill reports from Colorado on the challenges facing Republicans heading into this fall's midterm elections.

  

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 | April 26, 2006
 Justices Mull Lethal Injection Arguments Some Supreme Court justices posed tough questions to lawyers Wednesday about whether the use of lethal injection on Florida death row inmates causes excruciating pain.

  

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 | April 25, 2006
 Founder Kenneth Lay Testifies in Enron Case Enron founder Kenneth Lay spent a second day on the witness stand Tuesday. He has been charged with six counts of fraud in connection with the company's 2001 collapse. Frank Ahrens of The Washington Post, who has been at the courthouse in Houston covering the trial, discusses the testimony.

     

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 | April 25, 2006
 Leak Case Highlights Tensions Between Government and Media Central Intelligence Agency employee Mary McCarthy was fired Thursday for a pattern of leaking information. The firing of McCarthy and the clampdown on leaks comes amid new tensions between the government and the media.

 

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 | April 24, 2006
 U.S. Officials Continue Crackdown Against Latin American Gangs Both government and police officials in the U.S. and Central America are attempting to curb the violent activity of growing transnational street gang MS-13. An update from Los Angeles reports on anti-gang crackdowns.

 

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 | April 24, 2006
 CIA Cracks Down on Leaks, Fires Senior Official Central Intelligence Agency employee Mary McCarthy was fired for leaking information about CIA secret prison camps to the Washington Post. Two former CIA intelligence experts discuss the implications of the firing and the future of security at the CIA.

     

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 | April 24, 2006
 Jury Begins Deliberating Moussaoui's Fate The sentencing trial of 9/11 conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui went to the jury Monday in Alexandria, Virginia. Washington Post reporter Jerry Markon discusses the day's events

 

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 | April 20, 2006
 Presidents Hu and Bush Discuss Trade, Human Rights President Bush welcomed China's President Hu Jintao to the White House Thursday while anti-China protesters gathered outside. Experts discuss the political and economic implications of the visit.

     

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 | April 19, 2006
 High Court Considers Insanity Defense The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in a case involving a schizophrenic teenager in Arizona, convicted of killing a police officer. His attorney argued that proving insanity under the state's law was almost impossible. A law expert who was in the courtroom discusses the case.

     

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 | April 18, 2006
 China Continues Efforts to Limit Access to the Internet In Northern California, a Chinese-born computer scientist is waging a technological war on the Chinese government's Internet restrictions. Following a report on their efforts, two regional experts assess the Chinese government's efforts to control information within its borders.

     

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 | April 17, 2006
 Former Enron CEO Faces Stormy Time on Stand The defense questioned former Enron CEO Jeffrey Skilling about his role in the collapse of the energy giant. Fortune Magazine's Bethany McLean discusses the case and Skilling's changed demeanor.

     

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 | April 17, 2006
 Supreme Court Hears Discrimination Retaliation Case The Supreme Court heard arguments in a case that tests whether an employee who successfully sued for discrimination can also sue for the resulting retaliation. A law journalist who was in the courtroom discusses the case.

     

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 | April 17, 2006
 Pulitzers Honor Array of Investigative Reports Columbia University released the winners of the 89th annual Pulitzer Prize Monday. Two experts discuss the trends among the prize winners.

     

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 | April 17, 2006
 Illinois Community Struggles with Continued Industrial Pollution Exelon Corporation didn't publicly acknowledge at least six spills of water containing radioactive tritium until recently--even though the first one happened in 1996. Residents of Will County, Illinois are now outraged and worried about tritium's effect on their health.

 

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 | April 13, 2006
 Moussaoui Challenges Jury to Put Him to Death Zacarias Moussaoui took the stand in his death penalty trial Thursday. He is the only person who has been charged for playing a role in the September 11th attacks. A reporter who has been covering the trail discusses the events of the day.

 

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 | April 12, 2006
 Prosecution Rests in Moussaoui Trial Jurors heard recordings of the final moments of the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks as the prosecution wrapped up its case in the Zacarias Moussaoui death penalty trial. A reporter and a family member who lost someone during the attacks discusses the case against Moussaoui.

     

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 | April 11, 2006
 DNA Evidence Further Complicates Duke Rape Scandal The college town of Durham, N.C. has been shaken by allegations that three members of Duke University's predominately white men's lacrosse team raped a black woman. A reporter covering the case updates the situation.

     

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 | April 11, 2006
 Suspects Indicted in Madrid Train Attacks A Spanish judge charged 29 suspects with murder, terrorism and other crimes for their involvement in the March 11, 2004 train bombings in Madrid that killed 191 people and wounded more than 1,700.

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 | April 10, 2006
 Latino Communities Rally Over Immigration Reform With a controversial overhaul of immigration laws stalled in Congress, demonstrators marched in record numbers across the country as the growing Latino community mobilized into action.

     

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 | April 10, 2006
 Former Enron Official Testifies He Is 'Absolutely Innocent' Former Enron Corp. Chief Executive Jeffrey Skilling took the witness stand for the first time Monday in the Enron criminal trial, saying he is innocent of more than two dozen conspiracy, fraud and insider trading charges.

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 | April 7, 2006
 Analysts Consider Political Impact of the Immigration Deal Collapse Mark Shields and David Brooks discuss the failed immigration deal in the Senate, the CIA leak case, former House Majority Leader Tom Delay and other stories of the week.

     

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 | April 6, 2006
 Senators Hopeful About Immigration Deal After a week of debate, the Senate reached an agreement on an immigration bill. Following a report on the Senate's proposed reforms, two senators debate the deal as well as the potential compromise with a House immigration bill.

     

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 | April 6, 2006
 Graphic Testimony Marks Moussaoui Trial A jury in Alexandria, Va. heard testimony Thursday from family members of victims of the 9/11 attacks as they considered whether Zacarias Moussaoui, the alleged 20th hijacker, will be sentenced to death or life in prison.

 

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 | April 6, 2006
 Libby Says President Authorized Leak of Iraq Information Vice President Dick Cheney's former aide, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, told grand jury investigators that President Bush authorized the release of sensitive information about Iraq, according to court papers filed by prosecutors in the CIA leak case.

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 | April 5, 2006
 Taylor Trial Could Lead Way to More African War Crimes Tribunals Former Liberian President Charles Taylor became the first African leader to face war crimes charges when he stood before an international tribunal in the West African nation of Sierra Leone April 3.

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 | April 4, 2006
 Former House Majority Leader Delay Resigns from Congress Dogged by an ongoing corruption investigation and facing a difficult reelection campaign, former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, once viewed as one of the most powerful Republicans in Washington, announced he was resigning his seat and would not run again this fall.

  

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 | April 4, 2006
 Saddam, Six Others Face New Criminal Charges in Iraq The Iraqi special tribunal in charge of the Saddam Hussein trial announced Tuesday that it is bringing new charges.

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 | April 3, 2006
 Sept. 11 Conspirator Eligible for Death Penalty A federal jury deemed al-Qaida conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui eligible for the death penalty Monday, saying his lies to FBI agents led to at least one death in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

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 | MARCH March 31, 2006
 Public Opinion on Immigration A review of a new poll by the Pew Hispanic Center thats shows a majority of Americans agree that illegal immigration is a problem, but are split over how to solve it.

 

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 | March 31, 2006
 Immigration Threaten to Splinters GOP NewsHour analysts Mark Shields and David Brooks debate the split among Republicans on immigration reform, the resignation of White House chief of staff Andrew Card and the guilty plea of a former aide to Rep. Tom DeLay, R-Texas.

     

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 | March 31, 2006
 Former Delay Aide Pleads Guilty in Corruption Probe Tony Rudy, a former aide to ousted House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, pleaded guilty Friday to conspiracy and agreed to cooperate with a federal investigation into possible lobbying fraud.

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 | March 30, 2006
 House Minority Leader Pelosi Blasts GOP's Iraq Policy House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi discusses the Democratic plan for Iraq, immigration, and plans to take back the House of Representatives in November of 2006.

     

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 | March 30, 2006
 Mexico Looks At The U.S. Immigration Debate Mexico is paying close attention to the debate in Congress over immigration reform. Following a report on the ongoing Congressional debate, analysts consider how the political fight looks to those south of the American border.

     

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 | March 30, 2006
 Court Rules Out-of-State Gay Couples May Not Marry in Massachusetts Gay couples from states where same-sex marriage is banned may not marry in Massachusetts, the state's highest court ruled Thursday.

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 | March 29, 2006
 Former Liberian Leader Captured Along Nigerian Border Charles Taylor, the exiled former leader of Liberia who escaped custody days after Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo agreed to transfer him to face war crimes charges in Sierra Leone.

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 | March 28, 2006
 Wiretap Revelations Spur Presidential Powers Debate The Bush administration came under intense scrutiny in December 2005 when The New York Times revealed that the National Security Agency, under the authorization of President Bush, had been engaging in a wiretapping program without seeking court-ordered warrants.

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 | March 28, 2006
 Wiretap Revelations Spur Presidential Powers Debate The Bush administration came under intense scrutiny in December 2005 when The New York Times revealed that the NSA, under the authorization of President Bush, had been engaging in a wiretapping program without seeking court-ordered warrants.

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 | March 28, 2006
 Supreme Court Hears Challenge to War Powers The Supreme Court heard arguments in the case of Salim Ahmed Hamdan who is charged with conspiring to commit acts of terror with al-Qaida. The case raises question about the jurisdiction of the federal courts, and the powers of the president in war time.

     

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 | March 28, 2006
 French Labor Law Sparks Youth Riots A nationwide strike in France brought the country to a virtual standstill Tuesday. More than one million people protested a new law that makes it easier to fire young workers. A report on the clashes in the streets of France.

 

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 | March 28, 2006
 Warlord Charles Taylor Vanishes From Nigeria Charles Taylor, wanted for orchestrating the murder, rape and mutilation of more than 500,000 Africans, disappeared Monday, days after Nigerian leader Olusegun Obasanjo agreed to transfer him to a war crimes tribunal in Sierra Leone.

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 | March 27, 2006
 Moussaoui Offers Damning Testimony Against Self Facing the death penalty for his conviction in connection with the 9/11 attacks, Zacarias Moussaoui claimed a much wider role in the hijackings that killed nearly 3,000 people. His testimony could help bolster the federal government's argument that the French citizen should be executed.

     

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 | March 27, 2006
 Immigration Debate Pours onto the Streets The Senate debates an immigration bill already passed by the House, as protesters take to the streets around the country for a third straight day. A discussion on the implications of the bill and the brewing immigration controversy in the United States.

 

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 | March 24, 2006
 President Bush Launches New PR Offensive on Iraq Mark Shields and David Brooks analyze the Iraq war's impact on politics and public opinion. The two columnists also discuss President Bush's public relations offensive, and the debate over an immigration bill in the House.

     

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 | March 24, 2006
 Clashes Grow in France Over Labor Law Police clashed with hundreds of students in Paris Thursday during demonstrations over new laws passed in French parliament last month. Two guests discuss the causes of the latest unrest in France.

 

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 | March 23, 2006
 Converted Christian Sentenced to Death in Afghanistan A 41-year-old Afghan, Abdul Rahman, was born a Muslim but was sentenced to death for converting to Christianity. Jeffrey Brown discusses the religious trial with Washington Post editor Pamela Constable.

     

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 | March 22, 2006
 Minnesota Tackles Tough Immigration Issues Immigrant communities have grown to record levels in Minneapolis and St. Paul in recent years. NewsHour correspondent Fred de Sam Lazaro of Twin Cities Public Television reports on Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty's crackdown on illegal immigration and the debate over the issue in Minnesota.

  

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 | March 20, 2006
 Sentencing Trial for Moussaoui Resumes After Delay The sentencing trial of Zacarias Moussaoui, the only person charged in the 9/11 attacks, resumed Monday. Ray Suarez speaks with Laura Sullivan, a journalist covering the trial for National Public Radio, about the latest developments.

  

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 | March 20, 2006
 Supreme Court Rejects Cigarette Award Case The Supreme Court on Monday decided not to review a $50 million punitive damage award that lower courts in California enforced upon cigarette manufacturer Philip Morris USA.

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 | March 15, 2006
 California Prisons Wary of Desegregation Plan After the Supreme Court ruled penal desegregation unconstitutional, California is slowly implementing a plan to integrate its racially segregated prisons.

     

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 | March 15, 2006
 Guest Worker Program at Heart of Immigration Fight The House of Representatives has passed a bill that would focus enforcement efforts on illegal workers, which would include building 700 miles of physical barriers along the Mexican border. The Senate is considering a plan to let undocumented workers stay in the country as "guest workers."

     

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 | March 14, 2006
 Congress Continues to Debate New Lobbying Rules NewsHour congressional correspondent Kwame Holman reports on the quid pro quo of Washington lobbying and whether Congress will regulate lobbying practices.

     

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 | March 14, 2006
 Despite Government Errors, Moussaoui Trial Continues A federal judge ruled that the government may continue seeking the death penalty in the trial of Zacarias Moussaoui despite reports that several witnesses were improperly coached by a government lawyer.

     

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 | March 13, 2006
 Milosevic Death Ends Chapter in Troubled Balkans Retired General Wesley Clark discusses the life of former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic who died in the midst of a four-year trial for alleged war crimes in the Balkans.

   

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 | March 10, 2006
 Baltimore Port Safety Examined Ray Suarez reports from the port of Baltimore about the state of security at U.S. ports.

  

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 | March 9, 2006
 Defense Blasts Fastow's Enron Trial Testimony Enron's former Chief Financial Officer Andrew Fastow acknowledged Thursday that he had no record of conversations that proved he and former executive Jeffrey Skilling made secret deals to hide losses and inflate earnings.

     

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 | March 9, 2006
 Patriot Act Renewed With Some Privacy Protections President Bush signed a renewal of the USA Patriot Act into law Thursday, a day before 16 major provisions of the law were set to expire.

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 | March 7, 2006
 Fastow Testifies Against Former Enron Bosses Enron Corp.'s former chief financial officer Andrew Fastow took the stand in Houston Tuesday to testify against his former bosses. Ray Suarez discusses the Enron trial and Fastow's role as key witness with New York Times reporter Kurt Eichenwald.

     

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 | March 6, 2006
 High Court Rules in Favor of Military Recruitment on Campus The Supreme Court ruled unanimously that colleges that accept federal money must allow military recruiters on campus, despite some universities' objections to the Pentagon's "don't ask, don't tell" policy on gays. Gwen Ifill discusses the ruling with Marcia Coyle of the National Law Journal.

     

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 | March 3, 2006
 South Dakota Law Bans Most Types of Abortion South Dakota, already the state with the strictest abortion regulations, has passed a controversial law that prevents doctors from performing an abortion except in cases where the mother's life is in danger.

     

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 | March 1, 2006
 Senate Cracks Down on Mexican Border Crossings The Senate Judiciary Committee is set to start drafting comprehensive immigration reform with the hope of coming up with a plan that can gain a majority of votes in both houses of Congress. Congressional correspondent Kwame Holman reports on efforts to plug holes in the U.S.-Mexico border.

 

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 | March 1, 2006
 Supreme Court Hears Texas Redistricting Case The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments Wednesday in a controversial case centering on the Republican-lead redistricting in Texas that gave the GOP control of six seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.

     

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 | March 1, 2006
 Saddam Admits to Ordering Killings At least 30 more Iraqis died in and around Baghdad even as Saddam Hussein, on trial for his actions while Iraqi leader, admitted his role in some of the main allegations against him. Gwen Ifill speaks to Edward Wong of The New York Times in Baghdad about the day's events.

  

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 | March 1, 2006
 Senate Approves Patriot Act Changes The Senate voted Wednesday to renew the USA Patriot Act with some checks on government power, but some Democrats and civil liberties groups protest the act would still infringe on people's privacy.

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 | FEBRUARY Feb. 28, 2006
 Senate Holds Hearings on Dubai Port Deal Bush administration officials were questioned closely at two Senate hearings Tuesday about a seaport deal that would allow a Dubai company to take over shipping operations at six major U.S. ports. Kwame Holman reports on port politics at the capital.

     

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 | Feb. 28, 2006
 Campaign Finance Law Faces Supreme Court Scrutiny The Supreme Court heard arguments about a Vermont law that would limit contributions towards state election campaigns, and released a decision on the regulations on anti-abortion protests. Gwen Ifill talks to Marcia Coyle of the National Law Journal about Tuesday's action.

     

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 | Feb. 28, 2006
 Museums Face Criticism Over Stolen Art Jeff Brown reports on the efforts of some museums to make deals with foreign governments over the display and ownership of stolen and disputed artwork.

  

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 | Feb. 23, 2006
 Congress Mulls Lobbying Reform Since former lobbyist Jack Abramoff pled guilty to bribery charges a month ago and other issues have taken priority on Capitol Hill, some members of Congress no longer believe lobbying reform needs to be rushed.

     

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 | Feb. 21, 2006
 Officials Debate Impact of Dubai Port Deal President Bush defended a deal to allow a state-run business in the United Arab Emirates to run six U.S. ports despite opposition from Congress over domestic security concerns. Following a background report, two guests give their opposing views on the controversy.

     

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 | Feb. 21, 2006
 High Court Agrees to Hear Late-term Abortion Case The U.S. Supreme Court heard challenges Tuesday to federal environmental laws and scheduled arguments on state abortion restrictions. Ray Suarez discusses the arguments as well as Justice Samuel Alito's first day on the bench with Marcia Coyle.

     

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 | Feb. 21, 2006
 Alito Appearance Marks Shift in Court Two constitutional law professors discuss how Justice Alito's presence on the bench may sway the balance of the Supreme Court.

  

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 | Feb. 20, 2006
 Historians Consider Presidential Powers in a Time of War As the NSA surveillance program continues to draw heated debate, a panel debates the scope of presidential power.

     

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 | Feb. 15, 2006
 House Passes Legislation Calling for Fenced Border Correspondent Jeffrey Kaye of KCET-Los Angeles reports on the effort to build a barrier to stop illegal immigrants from entering the United States from Mexico.

  

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 | Feb. 14, 2006
 Saddam Hussein Protests Trial with Hunger Strike Saddam Hussein's trial continued with the deposed Iraqi leader's announcement that he and three of his co-defendants are refusing food in protest of the recently appointed chief judge. Following a background report, two lawyers react to the proceedings.

     

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 | Feb. 8, 2006
 Congress Granted Oversight for NSA Surveillance Program In a position reversal, the Bush administration announced it would brief all members of the House and Senate Committees on the NSA wiretapping program. Rep. Jane Harman and Sen. Lindsey Graham discuss the announcement.

     

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 | Feb. 7, 2006
 Vice President Cheney Defends Government's Wiretapping Program In a wide-ranging newsmaker interview, Vice President Dick Cheney defends the government's program of warrantless wiretapping of suspected terrorist communications as well as addresses the diplomatic standoff with Iran and the overall effectiveness of the Bush administration.

     

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 | Feb. 7, 2006
 Justice Samuel Alito Samuel Alito was sworn in as the 110th justice of the U.S. Supreme Court on Jan. 31, 2006, hours after one of the most divided Senate confirmation votes in modern history.

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 | Feb. 6, 2006
 Senate Examines Domestic Spying Program U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee in a hearing concerning the legal underpinnings offered by the Bush administration for conducting electronic surveillance of suspected terrorists without first seeking warrants.

     

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 | Feb. 1, 2006
 Experts and Politicians React to Bush's State of the Union Address Excerpts from the State of the Union address and reactions from members of congress, followed by a panel discussion with three former presidential advisors.

     

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 | JANUARY Jan. 31, 2006
 Senate Confirms Samuel Alito to Supreme Court Kwame Holman reports on the Senate voting 58-42 to confirm Samuel Alito as the 110th Supreme Court justice. Alito took the oath of office in a private ceremony a few hours later.

  

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 | Jan. 31, 2006
 Alito Becomes 110th Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito was sworn in as the 110th justice of the U.S. Supreme Court Tuesday, hours after one of the most divided Senate confirmation votes in modern history.

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 | Jan. 27, 2006
 Shields and Brooks Debate Alito's Nomination, Middle East Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks debate the Senate confirmation of Judge Samuel Alito to the U.S. Supreme Court, and discuss the week's dramatic developments in the Middle East.

     

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 | Jan. 27, 2006
 Senate Debates Supreme Court Nominee Alito A report on the Senate debate over Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito following a party-line vote for approval in the Senate Judiciary Committee. Democrats, who have been trying to rally support for a filibuster against the nominee, appear to lack the votes to succeed.

     

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 | Jan. 27, 2006
 Democratic Filibuster of Alito Nomination Seems Unlikely Since the Senate Judiciary Committee's party-line approval of U.S. Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito, some Democrats have pressed for continued debate on the nomination, but the chances of an all-out filibuster appear unlikely.

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 | Jan. 24, 2006
 Senate Panel Approves Alito Nomination The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 10-8, along party lines, to approve Judge Samuel Alito as a Supreme Court justice.

     

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 | Jan. 24, 2006
 Atrocities Serve as Evidence in Saddam Trial An excerpt from a Frontline/World report on on the search for evidence of mass murders ordered by Saddam Hussein.

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 | Jan. 23, 2006
 Senate Holds Hearings on Mine Safety Following the death of 14 miners in separate accidents in West Virginia, the Senate held hearings on mine safety Monday.

  

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 | Jan. 23, 2006
 Attorney General Defends Domestic Wiretapping Program White House officials launched a public defense of the National Security Agency domestic wiretap program. At the center of the defense is Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, who discusses the surveillance program.

     

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 | Jan. 23, 2006
 Leahy Challenges Domestic Spying Program In response to U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' defense of the National Security Agency's domestic surveillance program, Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., called the program illegal and said it threatens civil liberties in the United States.

     

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 | Jan. 20, 2006
 Google Rebuffs Government Subpoena A Media Unit report examines Google's fight against a government subpoena requesting access to the search records of millions of people. Two guests discuss what the case could mean for individual privacy protection in the 21st century.

     

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 | Jan. 19, 2006
 Investigation on Former Housing Secretary Ends The decade-long independent council investigation of former U.S. Housing Secretary Henry Cisneros ended Thursday. Cisneros was accused of lying to the FBI during his confirmation process background check about payments he made to a former mistress.

  

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 | Jan. 19, 2006
 Top Democrat Announces He Will Vote Against Judge Alito Sen. Patrick Leahy, ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said Thursday that he would oppose the confirmation of Judge Samuel Alito to the U.S. Supreme Court, joining several other senior Democrats.

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 | Jan. 18, 2006
 Congress Debates Changing Lobbying Rules Democrats and Republicans announced competing bills to reform lobbying practices on Capitol Hill in the wake of a corruption scandal surrounding lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

     

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 | Jan. 18, 2006
 Supreme Court Sends Abortion Case Back to New Hampshire The Supreme Court ruled unanimously Wednesday that a lower court was wrong to declare a New Hampshire abortion law unconstitutional and sent the case back to the lower court to find less drastic ways to repair the statute.

     

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 | Jan. 18, 2006
 Supreme Court Sidesteps Major Abortion Ruling In its first abortion ruling in five years, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously Wednesday that a lower court was wrong in striking down a New Hampshire law requiring that a parent be notified 48 hours before a minor has an abortion.

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 | Jan. 17, 2006
 Supreme Court Upholds Oregon Assisted Suicide Law The U.S. Supreme Court Tuesday upheld an Oregon law that allows doctor-assisted suicide. By a 6-3 vote, the court said the U.S. Justice Department may not use a federal drug law to override the state law.

     

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 | Jan. 13, 2006
 Shields and Brooks on Final Day of Alito Hearings Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks discuss the Senate confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito and the push to gain support in the Democratic party.

     

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 | Jan. 13, 2006
 Senate Judiciary Committee Concludes Alito Hearings The Senate Judiciary Committee concluding confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito on Friday with witness testimonies.

     

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 | Jan. 12, 2006
 Law Professors Analyze Alito Hearings Senators wrapped up their questioning in the fourth day of confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito. Two guests give their insight on the confirmation process and how the Senate Judiciary Committee handled the hearings.

     

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 | Jan. 12, 2006
 The Alito Hearings, Day Four This report features highlights from the fourth day of Samuel Alito's Senate confirmation hearings, including witness testimony.

     

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 | Jan. 11, 2006
 Alito Record Reveals Views on Abortion, Executive Power Two constitutional legal scholars analyze what the second day of questioning in Supreme Court confirmation hearings for Judge Samuel Alito revealed about his legal opinions on abortion and executive power.

     

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 | Jan. 11, 2006
 Senators Question Alito on Third Day of Hearings This report features highlights from the third day of U.S. Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito's Senate confirmation hearings.

     

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 | Jan. 10, 2006
 Judge Alito Answers Questions About Presidential Powers and Privacy Senators questioned Judge Samuel Alito on presidential powers, privacy and abortion during hearings on whether he should be confirmed as a Supreme Court justice. Two court watchers analyze what Alito revealed about his opinions.

     

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 | Jan. 10, 2006
 The Alito Hearings, Day Two This report features highlights from day two of the confirmation hearings of Samuel Alito to the U.S. Supreme Court.

     

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 | Jan. 9, 2006
 Judge Alito Makes Opening Statements at Confirmation Hearings Two constitutional law scholars analyze opening statements on the first day of Senate hearings for Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito, including questions over his judicial philosophy and views on executive power.

     

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 | Jan. 9, 2006
 Alito Confirmation Hearings Begin with Opening Statements This report includes highlights from the first day of the confirmation hearings of Samuel Alito to the U.S. Supreme Court.

     

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 | Jan. 6, 2006
 Shields and Brooks Discuss Abramoff Guilty Plea, Alito Hearing Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks discuss the guilty pleas of Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff and the upcoming confirmation hearings for Samuel Alito to the U.S. Supreme Court.

     

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 | Jan. 6, 2006
 Abramoff Case Highlights Problems with Washington Lobbying The recent guilty plea of Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff has thrown the spotlight on lobbying in Washington. Three experts, including two former lawmakers who are now lobbyists, take a closer look at the lobbying industry.

     

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 | Jan. 4, 2006
 Jack Abramoff Pleads Guilty to Federal Conspiracy Charges in Florida A day after pleading guilty on three charges in a deal with prosecutors Tuesday, former Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff pleaded guilty in Miami to federal conspiracy and wire fraud charges.

 

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 | Jan. 3, 2006
 Abramoff Pleads Guilty and Agrees to Cooperate in Probe Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiracy, fraud and tax evasion, and agreed to cooperate in a probe that may implicate members of Congress.

  

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