“The lottery is a tax on people who flunked math.”

Monique Lloyd

Insider's view: see how local concerns shape up the global world. Read the daily press review in Migalhas International

• Top News

Portugal takes over EU presidency

Portugal has taken over the rotating European Union presidency in a tenure likely to involve talks on Turkey's accession. In coming EU presidency, Jose Socrates, Portugal's prime minister, said he wanted to keep talks on Turkey's possible accession on track. French President Nicolas Sarkozy has vowed to block Turkish membership.

EU 'faces backlash from Turkey'

The European Union is risking an Islamic backlash in Turkey, according to the EU's enlargement commissioner, Olli Rehn. A survey showed attitudes in the country souring towards the West. "If you look at the current political situation in the Middle East, in Palestine, in Lebanon, not to speak of Iraq, we don't need another nationalist or Islamist problem in the neighborhood of Europe." The survey revealed Turkish approval of Europe to be falling rapidly. Just 27% of Turks have a favorable opinion of the European Union, compared to 58% in 2004.

US court admits Guantanamo cases

The US Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal by Guantanamo Bay detainees that they be allowed to challenge their confinement in federal courts. The move reverses the court's decision in April, when it refused to rule on whether the men had a right to take their cases to federal courts. This latest move is a blow to the US government, which wants the cases to be dealt with by military tribunals alone. Hundreds of men have been held without charge for years at Guantanamo Bay. The treatment of the men has been heavily criticized by international human rights bodies and foreign governments, including some allies of the US.

1964: President Johnson signs Civil Rights Bill

The Civil Rights Bill - one of the most important piece of legislation in American history - has become law. US President Lyndon B Johnson signed the bill creating equal rights in voting, education, public accommodations, union membership and in federally assisted programs - regardless of race, color, religion or national origin.

The bill has caused much controversy since it was introduced last year by President John F Kennedy. It was signed tonight in the White House five hours after the House of Representatives passed it by 289 to 126 votes.

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• Brief News

Argentine first lady bids to rule

The wife of Argentina's President Nestor Kirchner, Cristina, is to run for president in October's election, instead of her husband. Her official campaign will be launched later this month. Opinion polls suggest a victory in the first round of voting.

Speculation remains as to why this decision has been taken.

Police accused over Rio killings

Brazilian police have been accused of killing innocent people during a huge operation this week against drug gangs in a Rio de Janeiro shanty town. The human rights commission of the Brazilian lawyer's association said it had received complaints that innocent people were among those killed during the fierce fighting that erupted on Wednesday. Residents say three youths under 16 years of age were among those killed. The authorities have insisted their actions were justified to tackle the powerful drug gangs who control about half of Rio's 750 shanty towns.

Superfood 'ban' comes into effect

Products claiming to be superfoods will be banned under new EU rules coming into effect on Sunday - unless the claim can be proved. Blueberries, salmon, spinach and soy have all been hailed as so-called superfoods - foods rich in nutrients. Some say superfoods can protect against cancer and heart disease, but others say there is no evidence for this. The new laws will apply to all food or drink products made or sold for human consumption within EU nations.

England smoking ban takes effect

Smokers across England have sparked up at work and in the pub for the last time as the ban on smoking in enclosed public places begins. The new law, which came into effect at 06:00 AM, is intended to cut deaths from second-hand smoke.

Meetings Between Bush, Putin Underscore Tensions

Bush and Putin are set to begin two days of meetings at Kennebunkport, Maine. The meetings come at a time of increasing tensions between the United States and Russia — and between two leaders who once boasted of how close they were.

Group Working on Plan for Cell Phone Banking

In developing parts of the world, cell phone usage is increasing rapidly, but there are still many people who do not have bank accounts. A group associated with the World Bank is developing a system that will allow poor people to use their cell phones to save and transfer money.

Unibanco Sells Property Unit Stake for $494 Million

Uniao de Bancos Brasileiros SA, Brazil's fifth-largest financial group, sold a stake in a real estate unit to a subsidiary of Deutsche Bank AG for 950 million reais ($494 million) in cash. Deutsche's subsidiary acquired 49.1 percent of Unibanco Participacoes Societarias SA's capital, or 10 percent of voting stock. The 14.51 million shares are comprised of voting and non-voting stock.

Holding the Key

The final decision on whether to sell Dow Jones to News Corp. could well be made by lawyers from Hemenway & Barnes, who sit at the center of dozens of overlapping trusts that hold power over most of the Bancrofts' voting stake in the company.

Price-Floor Ruling May Have Small Effect

The Supreme Court decision allowing manufacturers to set and enforce minimum prices for their products upends a nearly 100-year-old ban on price agreements in American retailing, but experts say it isn't likely to upset pricing practices for autos, electronics, books or shampoos. The decision, a 5-4 ruling that split conservatives and liberals, lifts the threat of an automatic antitrust suit where price agreements are found, but doesn't require such agreements nor does it permit anticompetitive behaviors. Legal experts say the Justice Department could still bring cases where agreements are shown to reduce competition.

New US state laws take effect with fiscal year

New laws took effect in many US states Sunday with the start of the fiscal year on July 1, including a law in Virginia that requires convicted sex offenders to register e-mail addresses with the state, a law in California that bans the sales of soda in schools, and a law in Colorado that will ban abstinence-only sex education in all schools, except for one district. Mobile home owners in Indiana will now be required to have weather radio after a 2005 tornado in the southwest corner of the state killed dozens of people in a mobile home park. A new law taking effect in Kansas declares English as the state's official language . Laws in Nevada and Minnesota will encourage alternative energy and laws in Illinois, Michigan and Pennsylvania will bring higher minimum wages .

EU overhauls terror blacklist procedures after court annulled asset freeze

The Council of the European Union Friday released changes made to the procedure used in establishing and maintaining its list of terrorist entities. The revisions include a plan to send "letters of notification" to listed parties, who are subject to having their assets frozen, to explain why the individual or group was included on the list. Groups may also challenge their inclusion on the list through the European Court of First Instance . Finally, the council established a new Council Working Party to make list-related recommendations to the council. The revisions were made in response to the Court of First Instance annulling the asset freeze of Iranian opposition group People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI) , after the group launched a legal challenge to their placement on the list. The court said that the decision to freeze PMOI's assets was made without giving the group a fair hearing, and without giving a "sufficient statement of reason."

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• Daily Press Review

Summit focuses on African unity
BBC News, Centrist newscaster, London, England

Congo Court Clears Foreign Miners of War Crimes
CongoPlanet.com, Independent online news aggegator

Laurent Gbagbo arrives in Accra for AU summit
GhanaWeb, Online news portal, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Senegal Failing to Act on Trial of Hissène Habré
Human Rights Watch (Africa), International news press releases

Warning: Pretoria about to catch another cold
Independent Online, News portal, Cape Town, South Africa

Mbeki heats up leadership race
Mail & Guardian Online, Liberal, Johannesburg, South Africa

Hijacked mom grabs
News24.com, Online news portal, Cape Town, South Africa

Argentina win title, India bronze
Brazil Sun, Independent online news aggregator

Jacklisted Soca Warriors officially serve TTFF
Caribbean News Portal, Online news aggregator

Fidel took Caracas
Granma International, Communist Party weekly, Havana, Cuba

Brazil: Investigate Deaths in Rio Police Operation
Human Rights Watch (Americas), International news press releases

DEVELOPMENT: When It Comes to Aid, All Power to the People
IPS Latin America, International cooperative of journalists, Rome, Italy

Peru: Week in Review, Sunday June 24
Living in Peru, News portal, Lima, Peru

Blues sign Kariya to three-year deal
The Globe and Mail, Centrist daily, Toronto, Canada

Suspects linked to Al Qaeda
Toronto Star, Liberal daily, Toronto, Canada

15 ex Malaya University students wish to meet Yudhoyono
Antara News, News agency, Jakarta, Indonesia

Bangladesh election commission to finalize political reform proposals after consulting political parties
Bangladesh Journal, Independent news portal

'Qaeda planning terror spectacular'
India Express, News portal, Mumbai, India

Bus rams vehicles, kills 11-yr-old
India Times, Conservative daily, New Delhi, India

Ship officer fined for close proximity
Malaysian Star, Online news portal, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

Observers praise East Timor elections
New Zealand Herald, Conservative daily, Auckland, New Zealand

18,000 Nepali child workers working in high risk sector
People's Daily Online, English-language, Beijing, China

Wesfarmers buys Coles for $22b
Sydney Morning Herald, Centrist daily, Sydney, Australia

Glasgow, London events linked
The Hindu, Left-leaning daily, Chennai, India

Car bombings suspect 'on the run'
BBC News, Centrist newscaster, London, England

One hundred dead, one million homeless in Pakistan floods
BreakingNews.ie, Online news portal, Cork, Ireland

Two doctors held over bomb attacks
Daily Mail, Conservative daily, London, England

TeliaSonera's fixed-line services back on track
DMeurope, Online news portal, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Mersey top cop calls for booze buying age to be raised
icLiverpool, Online news portal, Liverpool, England

Britain arrests 5th suspect linked to failed bombings
International Herald Tribune, Independent daily, Paris, France

Games chaos goes on in rhodes
Isle of Wight County Press, Independent daily, Isle of Wight, England

Terror arrests on M6
Manchester Online, Independent daily, Manchester, England

Police blow up car at hospital
News & Star, Independent daily, Carlisle, England

Witness appeal
North-West Evening Mail, Independent daily, Cumbria, England

Who's afraid of black cats?
Radio Prague, Online news portal, Prague, Czech Republic

Two Terror Suspects Are Hospital Doctors
Sky News, Independent newscaster, Middlesex, England

German Cyclist Admits Doping: Jaksche to Become Witness in Investigations
Spiegel International, Liberal newsmagazine, Hamburg, Germany

Race to break terror cell
The Guardian, Liberal daily, London, England

Kilkenny flash ominous warning
The Irish Times, Centrist daily, Dublin, Ireland

Police arrest five following terror attacks
The Scotsman, Moderate daily, Edinburgh, Scotland

I just want you back for good
The Sun, Conservative tabloid, London, England

Britain's terror crackdown
The Telegraph, Conservative daily, London, England

Obama funds leave Clinton in shade
Times Online, Conservative daily, London, England

MK Orlev Hospitalized; Olmert Meeting Canceled
Arutz Sheva, Online, right-wing, Tel Aviv, Israel

Concern Mounts for Palestinians in Lebanon Siege Camp
Asharq Al-Awsat, Pan-Arab daily, London, England

6 villages in Balochistan swept away
Gulf News, Independent daily, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Israel transfers $118 million in tax revenues to Palestinian gov't
Haaretz, Liberal daily, Tel Aviv, Israel

US-IRAQ: Blackwater Blues for Dead Contractors' Families
IPS Middle East, International cooperative of journalists, Rome, Italy

GIH's private equity funds acquire 70% of Al Rayan- Kuwait
Middle East North African Network, Online financial portal, Amman, Jordan

Afghans: 62 Taliban, 45 Civilians Dead in Airstrikes
Nahamet, Online news portal, Beirut, Lebanon

Baghdad touts data showing civilian deaths on the wane
The Daily Star, Independent daily, Beirut, Lebanon

Mediation efforts stumble yet continue (Front)
Yemen Times, Independent weekly, Sana'a, Yemen

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