For decades, Washington has failed to act as health care costs continued to rise, crushing businesses, families and placing an unsustainable burden on governments. Today the Senate HELP committee has produced legislation that lowers costs, protects choice of doctors and plans and assures quality and affordable health care for Americans. The Congressional Budget Office has now issued a more complete review of this bill, concluding that it will cost less and cover more Americans than originally estimated. It also contains provisions that will protect the coverage Americans get at work.

President Obama will meet with business leaders from both small and large companies to discuss job creation and ways to develop long term solution to strengthen our economy. The CEOs participating in the discussion will talk about what steps they have taken to increase productivity in their industry during a recession through innovation and technology.

Background on Business Leaders Meeting with The President

John Berger, Standard Renewable Energy, CEO

Vice President Biden has arrived in Iraq to visit U.S. troops and to meet with Iraqi leaders, including President Jalal Talabani, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and Speaker of the Council of Representatives Ayad al-Samarrai. The Vice President will reiterate the United States’ commitment to fully implement the Security Agreement and the Strategic Framework Agreement and to carry out President Obama’s plan to draw down U.S. forces. He will discuss with Iraq’s leaders the importance of achieving the political progress that is necessary to ensure the nation’s long-term stability.

President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals for key administration posts:

Jonathan Addleton, Ambassador to Mongolia
Gayleatha Beatrice Brown, Ambassador to Burkina Faso
Earl M. Irving, Ambassador to the Kingdom of Swaziland
Douglas Kmiec, Ambassador to the Republic of Malta
Fay Hartog-Levin, Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Forty-five years ago today, President Johnson signed into law historic legislation that moved America closer toward fulfilling the dream of our founding – a dream of opportunity, equality, and justice for all. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 ended legal discrimination, helping grant all Americans equal justice under the law – no matter what their gender or the color of their skin.

The White House today announced that Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, Education Secretary Arne Duncan, and Homeland Security Advisor John Brennan will host an all-day H1N1 Flu Preparedness Summit with states to further prepare this nation for the possibility of a more severe outbreak of H1N1 flu. The Summit will be held on July 9, 2009 at the Natcher Conference Center at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland.WHO:
Kathleen Sebelius, HHS Secretary
Janet Napolitano, DHS Secreatary

In his weekly address, President Barack Obama celebrated the unyielding American spirit that has defined our past and will lead us into the future. Even as we face daunting challenges - two wars, a deep recession, skyrocketing health care costs, and a dependence on foreign oil, we have always overcome long odds and faced down our trials. We must remember and renew that spirit as we confront and meet our current challenges.

A spokesman for the Department of Health (DH) said the department's Public Health Laboratory Services Branch (PHLSB) today (July 3) detected a strain of human swine influenza (HSI) virus which was resistant to oseltamivir (Tamiflu).

The virus was identified during PHLSB's routine sensitivity test of HSI virus to oseltamivir and zanamivir, the spokesman said.

"This is the first time Tamiflu resistance in HSI virus found in Hong Kong," he said, adding that similar cases were also reported in Denmark and Japan.

The Hong Kong Monetary Auththat there are currently 667 Lehman-Brothers-related cases under disciplinary consideration. These are cases which have gone through detailed investigation by the HKMA.

"A number of cases are at a very advanced stage of the enforcement process. Before making a final determination in these cases, we have to go through due process to ensure fairness, including giving the subjects of investigation an opportunity to be heard," said by an HKMA spokesperson.

A spokesman for the Department of Health said thereThe new cases involve 26 males and 18 females, aged between 2 and 81.

This brings to 901 the total number of human swine influenza cases (HSI) in Hong Kong.

The spokesman said that operating hours of the department's hotline for human swine influenza 2125 1111 was from 9am to 6pm, Monday to Sunday including public holidays.

"Callers ringing the hotline outside the operating hours may leave a message on the voice mailbox," he said.

had been 44 newly confirmed cases of human swine influenza (Influenza A H1N1).

Hindus have suggested interfaith prayers at the public memorial service for entertainment icon Michael Jackson, reportedly planned to be held on July seven in Los Angeles.

Acclaimed Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, suggested that as Michael Jackson belonged to the whole world and he did provide “joy” to the citizens of the world irrespective of their traditions and background, it was very befitting to have prayers read from sacred texts of major world religions and denominations at his public funeral service by their respective clergy.

MphasiS today announced the appointment of Ganesh Murthy as Chief Financial Officer. Ganesh Murthy takes over from Susanto Banerjee, who has been acting as interim CFO since January 2008. Susanto Banerjee has decided to pursue opportunities outside of MphasiS. Ganesh’s appointment is effective July 15, 2009.

For general public

· To introduce intercity double decker AC coaches

· To facilitate tickets from 5,000 post offices

· To facilitate connectivity to various tourist and pilgrim places in the country

· To introduce 50 mobile rail ticket vans

· To give automated ticketing systems at 200 stations

· To introduce new scheme with Rs 25 monthly ticket

· New scheme 'Izzat' for people with income below Rs 1,500 p.m.

· To introduce uniform ticket plan for distance up to 100 km

Minister for Information and Broadcasting,Qamar Zaman Kaira on Thursday condemned the Choohr Chowk blast in Rawalpindi which resulted in loss of some lives and caused injuries to several other persons.The Minister reiterated Government’s commitment to fight terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. “All such brutal acts of violence cannot weaken the commitment of the people of Pakistan to fight terrorism and extremism”,said the minister.

President Asif Ali Zardari has strongly condemned the bomb blast near Chur Chowk in Rawalpindi on Thursday, which killed and injured several people.The President in a message said the perpetrators of such heinous crime would not be spared.

He expressed condolences over the loss of innocent lives and said the government was committed to root out terrorism from the country.

The President has ordered an immediate inquiry into the incident. He also asked the concerned authorities to ensure the provision of best medical care to the injured.

Military Joint Chief of Staff to President of French Republic, Admiral Edouard Guillaud called on General Tariq Majid, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) on Thursday at Joint Staff Headquarters Chaklala.Both the leaders exchanged views on regional situation and discussed possible areas for expansion of defence and security cooperation between the two countries.

United Nations agencies have lauded the people of Pakistan for their “extraordinary generosity” in providing food, shelter and other resources to the displaced fellow countrymen. “The everyday people of Pakistan are the real heroes of this current crisis in Pakistan,” Martin Mogwanja, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Pakistan, told a news conference in Islamabad on Thursday, according to a transcript released at UN Headquarters in New York.

Security forces killed 23 terrorists while 5 were apprehended from Swat and Dir during past 24 hours,said an ISPR press release. In Swat, security forces during search operation at Kanju engaged terrorists hiding in the nullah and killed 5 terrorists. Security forces also engaged terrorists around Miana, Ahingro and Baba Ziarat area where one terrorist was killed and 2 were apprehended.

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira Thursday said that country’s intelligence agencies are working efficiently in their capacity and it was on the basis of their efforts that major successes were achieved in anti-militancy operation. Talking to a private television channel he said, the criminals break the regular state system to implement their nefarious designs world across and same is happening in Pakistan too.

Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani said the government is working on an extensive agenda for provision of basic facilities to the people in their localities. He was talking to delegations which came from Multan and other parts of the country here at the Prime Minister House on Thursday.

The Prime Minister intently listened to the issues raised by the participants and gave immediate orders on their applications.