The Common Good

The Top 10 Stories of May 10, 2012

Quote of the day.
"SNAP participation at farmers'' markets helps provide fresh fruit and vegetables to families and expands the customer base for local farmers - a win-win for agriculture and local communities." - Kathleen Merrigan, deputy secretary of agriculture, on the growing number of farmers markets now able to accept food stamps.
(Associated Press)

1. Obama endorses gay marriage.
President Obama announced Wednesday that he believes same-sex couples should be granted the right to marry, becoming the first U.S. president in history to fully embrace that level of civil rights for gays.
(Washington Post)

2. Year shapes up to be big one for both sides of gay marriage battle.
Almost overnight, gay marriage has again emerged as a prominent national issue, and a series of coming ballot initiatives will test supporters’ and opponents’ sway over voters, lawmakers, courts and presidential candidates.
(McClatchy Newspapers)

3. Justice Dept. plans to sue Arizona sheriff Arpaio.
Federal authorities have said they plan to sue Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio and his office over allegations of civil rights violations, including the racial profiling of Latinos.
(Associated Press)

4. As U.S.-Taliban talks stall, hope for political solution dims.
After more than a year of sporadic contact, U.S.-Taliban talks have been stalled for months, deflating the Obama administration’s hopes that progress toward a political solution to the Afghan war would be well underway this spring.
(Washington Post)

5. Suicide bombers strike Syrian capital, killing 55. 
Two suicide blasts ripped through the Syrian capital Thursday, killing 55 people and leaving scenes of carnage in the streets in the deadliest bombing attack since the country''s uprising began 14 months ago.
(Associated Press)

6. Drone strikes in Yemen.
US drone strikes killed eight al Qaeda militants at a gathering of the jihadists in their southern Yemeni stronghold of Jaar.

7. Last-ditch attempt at Greek government.
Greek Socialist leader Evangelos Venizelos will make a last-ditch attempt to form a government today and avoid a new election after voters rejected a bailout deal and pushed Greece into a political crisis.

8. Sudan accused of border attacks.
South Sudan accuses Khartoum of bombing within its territory, in violation of a UN Security Council resolution to end hostilities.

9. Vladimir Putin calls off U.S. trip.
Vladimir Putin will miss a planned visit to the US this month for a key global summit and a much-anticipated meeting with President Barack Obama, the Kremlin has confirmed, as the Russian president faced pressure from protests and opposition criticism at home.

10. Blind dissident's family facing crazed reprisals.
Blind Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng and a family lawyer have accused local officials of detaining two of his relatives and hounding and harassing others in revenge for his recent escape from house arrest and for sparking an international furor.


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