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Obama: 'If Catholics Have Their Schools And Buildings And Protestants Have Theirs ... That Encourages Division'
Likening religious schools to segregation--a racist system that forced blacks to attend different schools and use different facilities than whites in the American South--President Barack Obama told a town hall meeting for youth in Belfast, Northern Ireland on Monday that there should not be Catholic and Protestant schools because such schools cause division. "Because issues like segregated schools and housing, lack of jobs and opportunity--symbols of history that are a source of pride for some and pain for others--these are not tangential to peace; they’re essential to it," said Obama. "If towns remain divided--if Catholics have their schools and buildings, and Protestants have theirs--if we can’t see ourselves in one another, if fear or resentment are allowed to harden, that encourages division. It discourages cooperation. CNS News
VOA VIEW: Obama is going madder by the day.

Men's Wearhouse Ousts Founder Zimmer
Clothing retailer Men's Wearhouse (NYSE: MW) on Wednesday, in a wholly unexpected move, fired George Zimmer, the company’s founder and longtime face of the business. For years the company’s television advertisements have ended with the bearded and nattily dressed Zimmer intoning, “You’re going to like the way you look. I guarantee it.” In a statement, the company gave no reason for terminating Zimmer, who served as executive chairman, saying only that the board “expects to discuss with Mr. Zimmer the extent, if any, and terms of his ongoing relationship with the company.” Fox News

HPV Rates Down More Than Expected
Cases of human papillomavirus (HPV) have significantly decreased since the advent of the HPV vaccine in 2006, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and numbers have outpaced even their greatest predictions. "The prevalence of the types of HPV that commonly cause cervical cancer in women has dropped by about half in girls ages 14 to 19," said Dr. Thomas Frieden, CDC director. "That decline is even better than we had hoped for." Specifically, rates of HPV types 6, 11, 16 and 18 – the four types covered by the vaccines – have decreased by 56% in young girls. CNN

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Small Business Confidence Hits One-Year High In May
Small business optimism rose to a one year-high in May, a hopeful sign for an economy that has hit a soft patch. The National Federation of Independent Business said on Tuesday its Small Business Optimism Index increased 2.3 points to 94.4 last month, the highest level since May last year. It was the second straight month of gains in the index. Eight of the index's 10 components advanced, but capital spending plans were unchanged and job creation plans dipped. The gains in the index suggest that while growth slowed early in the second quarter, the cooling in activity would probably be short-lived as the economy adjusts to higher taxes and deep government spending cuts. Reuter

Consumer Group Says Student Loan 'Debt Relief' Firms Misleading Borrowers
Struggling student loan debtors are being tricked into paying up to $1,600 in fees to private firms offering "debt relief" that they could get for free, according to a report issued Wednesday by the National Consumer Law Center. Student loan debt relief ads began crowding their way onto media in recent months. Consumers deep in credit card debt have heard the pitch for years, in seemingly incessant radio and late-night TV ads -- call, the ads promise, and debt relief firms can make those nasty debt collectors disappear. Now that total outstanding student loan debt has surpassed outstanding credit card debt, it's not surprising that similar deals are being hawked to former students drowning in bills they ran up to pay for college and graduate school. MSNBC

California Rep. Duncan Hunter Wants Audit Of U.S. Secrecy In Wake Of NSA Leak
A Republican congressman called Wednesday for an audit of all U.S. government secrecy, saying “classification inflation” is forcing federal agencies to issue more and more clearances, creating opportunities for leaks about truly vital programs. “Over-classification,” or labeling things secret that don’t really need it, “stands to dangerously expand access to material that should ordinarily be limited,” wrote California Rep. Duncan Hunter, a Marine combat veteran who sits on the House Armed Services Committee. Mr. Hunter said he was calling for the audit because of the recent leak about the National Security Agency’s top secret data-gathering about telephone and Internet communications. “The recent disclosure … requires a thorough assessment of the current classification system,” Mr. Hunter told the Government Accountability Office, Congress‘ investigative branch. Washington Times

Bernanke Holds The Line On Fed Monetary Policy
Ben Bernanke and other Federal Reserve officials are in no rush to take away the punch bowl. In a news conference, the Fed chairman said Wednesday that the U.S. economy continues to heal, but suggested that it is too soon to start tapering the central bank's $85 billion in monthly bond purchases. He also emphasized that monetary policy will continue to support growth even as the economy gathers strength. But Bernanke said the slowdown in purchases could start "later this year." The Fed could pull the plug on the program in mid-2014, when unemployment is forecast to be 7 percent. He also reiterated the Fed's previous message that tapering does not amount to raising interest rates, noting that there would be a gap in time between when the Fed ends the bond program and the first rate hike. Most FOMC members see that initial rate increase taking place no earlier than 2015, the chairman said. CBS

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Car Quality Dinged By Tech Glitches
Car buyers increasingly want high-tech features like voice recognition and navigation. But they're not very forgiving of the car company when those systems fail. The top complaints in J.D. Power's closely-watched survey of new vehicle owners, released Wednesday, involved technologies that drivers are clamoring for. Voice recognition systems either didn't recognize commands or didn't work at all. Bluetooth systems had trouble connecting with drivers' phones. The result: Just when automakers had reached their highest-ever levels of quality — as they did in J.D. Power's 2012 survey — technology glitches are dragging their scores down. ABC

IRS Employee Used Politics Standard Denied By Executive
The Internal Revenue Service used a numerical test for deciding whether nonprofit groups were too political to qualify for a tax exemption, said an agency employee, contradicting a former IRS executive’s statement. Groups that devoted no more than 49 percent of their activities to politics were deemed acceptable, IRS employee Elizabeth Hofacre told congressional investigators, according to a transcript reviewed by Bloomberg News. Those decisions are at the center of the controversy about the agency’s extra scrutiny of anti-tax Tea Party groups’ applications. “They can do 49 percent,” said Hofacre, a Cincinnati-based employee who assessed the first batch of Tea Party cases in 2010. Fifty-one percent of activities “have to be for the purpose of promoting social welfare,” she said. Bloomberg
 

Autism Tied To Air Pollution, Brain-Wiring Disconnect In Studies
Researchers seeking the roots of autism have linked the disorder to chemicals in air pollution and, in a separate study, found that language difficulties of the disorder may be due to a disconnect in brain wiring. Researchers from Harvard University's School of Public Health found that pregnant women exposed to high levels of diesel particulates or mercury were twice as likely to have an autistic... Newsday

Trafficking In Persons Report: U.S. Downgrades Russia, China
Secretary of State John Kerry hosted the release Wednesday of the State Department’s annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report. The TIP report ranks governments, including the United States, on their efforts to combat and prevent human trafficking. While Tier 1 is the highest ranking, it does not mean that a country has no human trafficking problem. The TIP report ranks countries into one of three tiers based on their level of compliance with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking as outlined in the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA). This year for the first time, the State Department was required by statute to move six countries off the Tier 2 Watch List; Azerbaijan, Congo-Brazzaville and Iraq were moved to Tier 2, while China, Russia and Uzbekistan were downgraded to Tier 3 and now face possible sanctions. UPI

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Bureau Uses Drones For Surveillance On US Soil
FBI Director Robert Mueller acknowledged Wednesday that the bureau has a limited number of drones that it uses for surveillance on U.S. soil. The practice, however limited, could raise further concern about government snooping amid the ongoing controversy over the administration's phone- and Internet-tracking programs. Mueller addressed the matter during a Senate hearing on Capitol Hill, under questioning from Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa. Asked if the FBI has drones, Mueller said, "Yes, and for surveillance." He later said they are deployed on U.S. soil, but clarified they are used in a "very, very minimal way and very seldom." Fox News

Check Your Freezer: 22,737 Lbs Of Beef Recalled
The United States Food Safety and Inspection Service announced Tuesday that 22,737 pounds of ground beef products are being recalled on fears that they may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. The recall is categorized by the FSIS as "Class I": a health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death. Recalled cases of beef from National Beef Packing Co. in Liberal, Kansas, include 10 pound packages of “National Beef” 80/20 Coarse Ground Chuck, package code “0481,” 10 pound packages of “National Beef” 81/19 Coarse Ground Beef, package code “0421” and 10 pound packages of “National Beef” 80/20 Fine Ground Chuck, package code “0484.” CNN

AMA Declares Obesity A Disease Needing Treatment
The American Medical Association declared obesity a disease, which means 90 million U.S. adults and children have a medical condition requiring treatment. After a debate Tuesday, members of the AMA's House of Delegates rejected advice of their own experts and extended the new status for obesity to a condition that affects more than a third of U.S. adults and 17 percent of U.S. children, the Los Angeles Times reported. "Recognizing obesity as a disease will help change the way the medical community tackles this complex issue that affects approximately 1-in-3 Americans," Dr. Patrice Harris, an AMA board member, told the Times. UPI

Fatah Warns US Against Exerting Pressure On PA To Resume Talks
The Fatah leadership warned the US administration on Wednesday against exerting pressure on the Palestinian Authority to resume peace talks unconditionally with Israel. The warning came as US Secretary of State John Kerry prepares to return to the region next week to continue his efforts to revive the stalled peace process. PA President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday briefed members of the Fatah Central Committee on the latest developments surrounding Kerry’s efforts. Following the meeting, the committee affirmed its opposition to “all forms of pressure on [Abbas] and the Palestinian leadership.” Jerusalem Post

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Natura Pet Products Recalls All Lots Of Dry Food Due To Salmonella Fears
Natura Pet Products is voluntarily recalling certain dry pet food items because it may be tainted with Salmonella. A press release on the Food and Drug Administrations website stated the products in question include all lot codes of: Innova Dry dog and cat food and biscuits/bars/treats; EVO dry dog, cat and ferret food and biscuits/bars/treats; California Natural dry dog and cat foods and biscuits/bars/treats; Healthwise dry dog and cat foods; Karma dry dog foods; and Mother Nature biscuits/bars/treats. They all have an expiration date prior to June 10, 2014. CBS

Federal Reserve Won't Change Interest Rates, Will Maintain Bond Buying
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said that the Fed may begin to pull back its stimulus if the economy continues to improve through the end of the year, adding that the unemployment rate will likely be 7 percent when the Fed begins to drawdown its stimulus. The Federal Reserve won't be making an immediate changes to its $85 billion a month bond purchasing stimulus program, but if the agency's expectations hold true there could be a change in policy announced as early as this fall. The Fed, which has injected trillions of dollars into the slowly recovering American economy, made an announcement on its intentions in three parts on Wednesday. This is the Fed's most closely watched announcement since a third round of its bond purchasing program, or "quantitative easing" in September last year. ABC

Bernanke Says Fed On Course To End Asset Buying In 2014
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke said the central bank may start dialing down its unprecedented bond-buying program this year and end it entirely in mid-2014 if the economy finally achieves the sustainable growth the Fed has sought since the recession ended in 2009. The Federal Open Market Committee today left the monthly pace of bond purchases unchanged at $85 billion, while saying that “downside risks to the outlook for the economy and the labor market” have diminished. Policy makers raised their growth forecasts for next year to a range of 3 percent to 3.5 percent and reduced their outlook for unemployment to as low as 6.5 percent. Bloomberg

New MERS Virus Spreads Easily, Deadlier Than SARS
A mysterious new respiratory virus that originated in the Middle East spreads easily between people and appears more deadly than SARS, doctors reported Wednesday after investigating the biggest outbreak in Saudi Arabia. More than 60 cases of what is now called MERS, including 38 deaths, have been recorded by the World Health Organization in the past year, mostly in Saudi Arabia. So far, illnesses haven't spread as quickly as SARS did in 2003, ultimately triggering a global outbreak that killed about 800 people. An international team of doctors who investigated nearly two dozen cases in eastern Saudi Arabia found the new coronavirus has some striking similarities to SARS. Unlike SARS, though, scientists remain baffled as to the source of MERS. Las Vegas Sun

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AMA Says Obesity Is A Disease; Warns Against 'Prolonged Sitting' At Work
The American Medical Association (AMA), the nation’s largest physician organization, voted to classify obesity as a disease at its annual meeting Tuesday in Chicago. “Recognizing obesity as a disease will help change the way the medical community tackles this complex issue that affects approximately one in three Americans,” said AMA board member Patrice Harris, M.D. “The AMA is committed to improving health outcomes and is working to reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, which are often linked to obesity.” Among other actions, the AMA also adopted a policy recognizing the potential risks of prolonged sitting -- and encouraging employers, employees and others to provide alternatives to sitting, such work stations where people must stand. CNS News

Murkowski Becomes Third Republican U.S. Senator To Back Gay Marriage
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska publicly backed gay marriage on Wednesday, becoming the third Republican senator to do so as she spoke out ahead of potentially landmark rulings from the Supreme Court on the issue. Murkowski, 56, wrote in an essay posted on her Senate website that her decision was swayed, in part, by meeting a lesbian couple from Anchorage, one of whom was in the National Guard, who had adopted four children. "This first-class Alaskan family still lives a second-class existence," Murkowski said in her essay. Reuters

Thousands Rally As Tea Party Groups Stage Major IRS Protest Outside Capitol
Anti-tax protesters staged a large rally on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol Wednesday to air their grievances against the Internal Revenue Service and what speakers described as an intrusive, overweening federal government. The rally comes amid multiple active probes into the improper targeting of conservative groups applying for tax-exempt status by IRS officials, and who in the Obama administration knew about the targeting. “Don’t you love the look of liberty?” Rep. Michele Bachmann, Minnesota Republican and a former IRS lawyer, asked the crowd. Washington Times

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Ya'alon: Iran Should Be Forced To Choose Between Nukes Or Survival
The Iranian regime will not cease its efforts to obtain nuclear weapons unless it understands that the international community is determined to stop it, Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon said Wednesday during a military ceremony. Speaking at an end-of-training event for IDF officers at a base in Mitzpe Ramon, Ya’alon said that “In recent days, the world has again turned its gaze to Tehran. “We are examining the new developments in Iran in light of the elections results, but are also sober about the ambitions of the Iranian regime to obtain nuclear weapons.” Iran openly speaks of Israel’s destruction, and has not felt until now that the international community is determined enough to stop it, Ya’alon added, calling for a “significant increase in pressure by Western countries to lead Iran to the dilemma of either having a bomb or surviving.” Ya’alon described Israel as a peaceseeking nation. Jerusalem Post
VOA VIEW:  True words.

Guantanamo Detainee Describes 'Ordeal' Of Force Feeding
A prisoner currently on hunger strike in Guantanamo Bay has described the pain and discomfort of the force feeding regime at the jail. Algerian detainee Ahmed Belbacha, in testimony given to the BBC, said the process "hurts a great deal" and many prisoners vomit. He has been held at the US military prison in Cuba for 11 years, but was cleared for release 6 years ago. Doctors have called for the detainees to receive independent medical care. On Wednesday, The Lancet published a letter signed by more than 150 doctors and medical professionals to US President Barack Obama saying the hunger strikers needed doctors they could trust. BBC

Kerry Calls Karzai To Defuse Tension Over Taliban
US Secretary of State John Kerry has spoken by phone to Afghan President Hamid Karzai to try to defuse tensions, an Afghan spokesman has told the BBC. Washington and Kabul had disagreed over a new Taliban office in Qatar. But the BBC has learned that Mr Karzai may now be willing to continue security talks with the US, which he had suspended in protest over the office. Mr Karzai said the opening of the building contradicted earlier US security guarantees to his government. The Taliban premises in Qatar opened on Tuesday, on the same day that Nato handed over security for the whole of Afghanistan to the Afghan government for the first time since the Taliban were ousted in 2001. BBC

Google's Chief Legal Officer Denies Company Is 'In Cahoots With NSA'
Governments must codify regulations on silent data gathering so that users around the world can regain confidence in the use of the internet, Google's chief legal officer, David Drummond, has said. Drummond also forcefully reiterated the company's position that it has not given the US National Security Agency (NSA) access to its servers, and that it did not know of the Prism programme before the Guardian revealed it last week. He said that the company would continue to push to be able to publish more information about secret requests for data. "But we don't write the laws," he said. Guardian

Barack Obama: NSA Is Not Rifling Through Ordinary People's Emails
Barack Obama has sought to address European concerns over internet privacy in the wake of the National Security Agency surveillance scandal, insisting US authorities are not "rifling through the emails" of ordinary people and he is confident the US intelligence services have "struck the appropriate balance" between security and civil rights. "I was a critic of the previous administration for those occasions in which I felt they had violated our values and I came in [to office] with a healthy scepticism about how our various programmes were structured," Obama told the press conference in Berlin's chancellery. But, he added, having examined how the US intelligence services were operating: "I'm confident that at this point we have struck the appropriate balance". Guardian

UN Special Envoy Angelina Jolie Appeals For More Aid To Help Syrian Refugees
Urging the international community to scale up aid to Syrian refugees, Oscar-winning actress Angelina Jolie, Special Envoy for the United Nations refugee agency, today said that the two-year conflict in Syria had sparked “the worst humanitarian crisis of the 21st century.” “The international response to this crisis falls far short of the vast scale of this human tragedy,” declared Ms. Jolie, who travelled to the Jordan-Syria border to sound the alarm about the staggering number of people forced to their flee their homes – estimated by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) at some 1.6 million, 540,000 of whom are in Jordan. UN News

UN Officials Voice Outrage At Deadly Attack On World Body’s Compound In Somali Capital
Top United Nations officials have voiced their outrage at today’s deadly attack on the world body’s compound in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, while reiterating that it will not deter the Organization from helping the country as it proceeds on the path to stability and development. According to the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), a pickup truck rigged with explosives was detonated outside the gate of the UN Common Compound – in which UN humanitarian and development workers reside and work – around 11:30 in the morning, and attackers then entered on foot. Gunfire and further explosions followed, as staff took refuge in secure areas. UN News

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