Archive - Jul 1, 2010

• Capital Hill wrap up with DC Editor Leigh Ann Caldwell
• Health Care changes take effect and Virginia lawsuit proceeds
• President Obama calls for immigration reform
• Hurricane Alex threatens to worsen BP spill, and EPA releases report on oil dispersants
• Agriculture losses due to Gaza blockade

• First flotilla aid arrives in Gaza
• European flooding leaves thousands displaced in Romania and Ukraine
• New compromise leads to expanded animal welfare rights in Ohio
• Report: US cities blocking efforts to feed homeless

In Washington DC, Congress is attempting to tie the bow on months of legislative struggle. There is a lot going on in Washington today and joining us to discuss some of the developments in DC is our DC Editor, Leigh Ann Caldwell.

Anthem Blue cross, which came under fire earlier this year for requesting insurance rate increases as high as 39 percent, has now announced a plan for smaller rate increases.  The new proposed premium hikes, which would go into effect September 1st, would average 14 percent, with a maximum increase of 20 percent.  Anthem's parent company, Wellpoint, had profits of almost 900 million dollars in the first three months of 2010.

President Obama outlined the problems of immigration policy in the United States, and called on elected officials to take action, at an address today at American University in Washington, DC.

After passing through the gulf of Mexico, Hurricane Alex has been down graded to a tropical storm.  The Hurricane made landfall late Wednesday in northeastern Mexico.  At least 3 people have died, and thousands of others evacuated from their villages.

Israeli warplanes raided a number of targets across the Gaza Strip today.  Israel claims the bombings were in retaliation to a rocket attack on a factory, and says the targets were terrorist tunnels, and a weapons manufacturing plant.  But an irrigation well in the North of Gaza was also destroyed.  With water and food already in short supply in Gaza due to the 3 year old blockade, the loss of a well or plot of farmland adds to the dire humanitarian situation.  Agriculture and fishing have shown a steep decline since 2007, and although Israeli officials recently announced they