National (U.S.)

"American troops going home from Iraq after seven painful years are leaving behind a legacy that is literally toxic."

"Billions of dollars of new business and tens of thousands of jobs will flow to four hub cities -- Los Angeles, Chicago, Orlando and Albany, N.Y. -- where plans for major high-speed rail networks are located, according to the U.S. Conference of Mayors."

"The oil spill spreading through the Gulf of Mexico has been declared the worst environmental catastrophe ever in the United States. But for American environmentalists, the distress may also bring opportunity."

"Lawmakers are taking direct aim at BP's decision-making process -- specifically, how the company weighed profits against safety concerns -- ahead of an upcoming congressional hearing on the Gulf oil disaster."

"Senate Democrats sent a letter to BP CEO Tony Hayward today calling on the company to set aside $20 billion in a special account to be used to pay for economic damages and cleanup costs of the ongoing oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico."

"President Obama promised residents of the Gulf Coast on Monday that 'things are going to return to normal' in the region, which has been devastated by the BP oil spill, and his administration said the British energy giant appears willing to meet a demand to establish a multibillion-dollar victims' compensation fund for those affected by the oil spill."

Some Americans are expressing their anger about the Gulf oil spill by protesting against local BP gas stations. But the pain of boycotts in many cases is felt by independent franchisees, not BP.

"A U.S. senator called on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Sunday to reveal findings about a possible link between a chemical found in most sunscreens and skin cancer."

"The first poll following Carly Fiorina's victory in the race for California's GOP Senate nomination shows three-term Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer in the lead by 48 percent to 43 percent with 5 percent preferring some other candidate and 5 percent undecided."

"After focusing for weeks on the causes of the Gulf oil spill and its economic and environmental impact, Congress shifted its attention Thursday to the dangers it poses to human health. The Senate Health Committee tackled proposals to protect oil industry workers, while the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Energy panel heard from experts on potential problems associated with exposure to oil, a carcinogen."