the latest reports on Iraq, North America summit, Iran, children’s health insurance, immigration, Medicare, White House in contempt, Darfur, global warming, and China-Africa

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Iraq-government. Senator Calls for Maliki’s Ouster “Declaring the government of Iraq “non-functional,” the influential chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee said that Iraq’s parliament should oust Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and his cabinet if they are unable to forge a political compromise with rival factions in a matter of days.” U.S. envoy unhappy with Iraq’s progress “The United States ambassador described Iraq’s progress on issues vital to national reconciliation as “extremely disappointing” as he laid out his thoughts in advance of delivering a status report to Congress next month.”

Canada-Mexico-US summit. Leaders of N. America hold talks “Against the backdrop of renewed angst over trade and immigration, President Bush began a two-day summit Monday with his Canadian and Mexican counterparts, seeking to enhance border security while keeping relations on an even keel.” Summit ends with agreement to ban unsafe products “Harper, U.S. President George W. Bush and Mexican President Felipe Calderon also acknowledged a need to balance the bonds of friendship with border security and trade following the two-day summit at the Chateau Montebello resort in Quebec on the banks of the Ottawa River.” Controversy follows three-country accord into Canada “To some, it is a “corporate coup d’etat,” a conspiracy by big business to turn Canada into the 51st state by stealth. Others see it as a plot to destroy the U.S. by forcing it into a North American union with “socialist Canada” and “corrupt Mexico.”

Iran . Iran frees detained US academic “An Iranian-American academic jailed during a visit to Tehran in May is freed on bail, Isna news agency says.”

Children’s health insurance. Rules May Limit Health Program Aiding Children “The Bush administration, continuing its fight to stop states from expanding the popular Children’s Health Insurance Program, has adopted new standards that would make it much more difficult for New York, California and others to extend coverage to children in middle-income families.” New Bush Policies Limit Reach of Child Insurance Plan “The Bush administration, engaged in a battle with Congress over whether a popular children’s health insurance program should be expanded, has announced new policies that will make it harder for states to insure all but the lowest-income children.”

Immigration. Immigration activist deported to Mexico “U.S. immigration officials announced Monday that Elvira Arellano, an illegal immigrant who symbolized inhumane treatment of migrants to some and brazen lawlessness to others, has been deported to her native Mexico, as immigrant-rights groups vowed to respond with massive protests.” Activist’s Arrest Highlights Key Immigrant Issue “The arrest and deportation to Mexico of an illegal immigrant who took sanctuary in a Chicago church to remain near her U.S.-born son has become the latest flashpoint in the nation’s immigration debate,”

Medicare. Medicare drugs too costly for many, survey finds “Most seniors who lacked prescription coverage in past years now have it, thanks to the Medicare drug benefit, but in a survey released today one in five enrollees said they had put off or even skipped getting some medications because of the program’s high costs.”

White House in contempt? Senator Threatens to Charge White House With Contempt“Senator Patrick J. Leahy threatened to pursue contempt charges against the White House over its response to a subpoena for documents on a surveillance program.”

Darfur . Darfur ‘militia leader’ warns UN “A Sudanese tribal leader accused of being at the centre of the conflict in Darfur has said that United Nations peacekeepers could face stiff resistance in the region.” Deadly clashes in camp in Darfur “A police officer is killed in clashes in a refugee camp in Darfur, Sudan’s UK ambassador tells the BBC.”

Global warming. Priority changes on green policies “Reflecting a shift in priorities under the Democratic majority, Congress is moving to spend as much as $6.7 billion next fiscal year to combat global warming, an increase of nearly one-third from the current year.”

China-Africa. In Africa, China Is Both Benefactor and Competitor“From South Africa’s manganese mines to Niger’s uranium pits, from Sudan’s oil fields to Congo’s cobalt mines, China’s hunger for resources has been a shot in the arm, increasing revenues and helping push some of the world’s poorest countries further up the ladder of development. But China is also exporting huge volumes of finished, manufactured goods – T-shirts, flashlights, radios and socks, just to name a few – to those same countries, hampering Africa’s ability to make its own products and develop healthy, diverse economies.”