The Midday Quickie Edition.

Senate rejects award limits in malpractice; special interests and well-paid lobbyists win again.

Ex-aide with Abramoff ties pleads guilty to conspiracy; note to former aide Neil G. Volz: do not bend over to grab the soap while in prison.

Cuba plans offshore wells banned in U.S. waters; is Cuba the next to be invaded in "Operation Oil Grab"?

Unease raised over China research. Some 120 US-based Chinese scientists have expressed concern that research in China is improperly monitored. China and human rights/scientific research issues--say it isn't so....

UN elects new human rights body; several nations considered by activists to have poor human rights records have won election to the newly formed UN Human Rights Council (China, Cuba, Pakistan, Russia and Saudi Arabia-WTF?). Nice, a bit of irony, plus a major waste of time.

India and US to explore the Moon; McDonald's moonface man playing piano not impressed.

Darfur peace accord a battle of its own; with 450,000 dead and more than 2 million homeless, this peace agreement was long overdue.

No proposals in Iranian's letter to Bush; U.S. says, "Letter is dismissed as a negotiating ploy." One country here wants peace, the other wants war. You be the decider of whom is whom.

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