The latest news on immigration, Presidential election, veto on children’s health insurance, cut corporate taxes, state budgets, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, and Korea.
+ Sign up to receive our daily news summary via e-mail »

Immigration. Whites Now Minority in 1 in 10 Counties “Whites are now in the minority in nearly one in 10 U.S. counties. And that increased diversity, fueled by immigration and higher birth rates among blacks and Hispanics, is straining race relations and sparking a backlash against immigrants in many communities.” Study: Outlook bleaker for migrants “Migrants from Mexico and Central America are finding it harder to get jobs and are living under a dramatically increased sense of siege, according to a study released Wednesday.”

Presidential election. Primary Season Getting Earlier “South Carolina’s Republican Party will move its 2008 presidential primary forward to Jan. 19, sources said yesterday, a decision almost certain to spark a cascade of calendar changes that could push the start of voting to New Year’s Day or even to before Christmas.” U.S. political climate ripe for grassroots groups “Email, blogs, virtual meeting spaces and rapid-fire links for like-minded people make it easier and faster for individuals to come together in letter-writing campaigns, petition drives, fund-raisers, meetings and marches.”

Veto children’s health insurance. Bush says he’ll veto children’s health funding “President Bush vowed to veto bipartisan legislation that would sharply increase funding for a popular health insurance program for poor children.”

Cut corporate taxes. Bush May Try to Cut Corporate Tax Rates “President Bush said yesterday that he is considering a fresh plan to cut tax rates for U.S. corporations to make them more competitive around the world, an initiative that could further inflame a battle with the Democratic Congress over spending and taxes and help define the remainder of his tenure.”

State budgets. Most states facing budget declines “The fiscal health of states is again in decline, with end-of-year balances down in the 2007 fiscal year and expected to drop again, according to a new report.”

Afghanistan. British Criticize U.S. Air Attacks in Afghan Region“A senior British commander in southern Afghanistan said in recent weeks that he had asked that American Special Forces leave his area of operations because the high level of civilian casualties they had caused was making it difficult to win over local people.”

Iran. In the Debate Over Iran, More Calls for a Tougher U.S. Stance “Fourteen months after Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice offered to talk to Iran, the failure of carrot-and-stick diplomacy to block Tehran’s nuclear and regional ambitions is producing a new drumbeat for bolder action, including the possible use of force.” Leader: Iran, Iraq must work together “President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki that Tehran and Baghdad share a “heavy responsibility” in establishing peace and security in the region, the official IRNA news agency reported Thursday.”

Iraq. Analyst Urges Patience on Iraq, Seeing Chance for Some Gains “Anthony H. Cordesman, a military expert and consistent critic of the Bush administration’s strategy in Iraq, released a report calling for “strategic patience” in the nation’s approach to the war, describing the U.S. military’s modest security gains amid dire assessments of the lack of political progress in Iraq.”

Pakistan. Musharraf rejects emergency rule “Pakistan’s President Musharraf decides against emergency rule, as a spokesman says elections are his priority.” Musharraf rules out emergency “Pervez Musharraf, the Pakistani president, appears to have backed away from declaring a state of emergency after mixed reports that he would opt for authoritarian rule.” Pakistanis Express Ire at Army and Musharraf “Conversations with ordinary Pakistanis reveal uncommonly outspoken anger and antipathy toward General Musharraf specifically and the military’s involvement in politics generally.”

Korea. Meeting between Korean leaders raises hopes of peace “The leaders of North and South Korea are to meet later this month for the first time in seven years in a surprise move hailed by the international community but denounced by conservatives in South Korea as political posturing.”