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National

Monday March 31, 2008

Obituaries

Filmmaker Jules Dassin, 96, Dies

March 31, 2008 • Acclaimed American filmmaker Jules Dassin, best-known for Topkapi and Never on Sunday, was blacklisted in Hollywood for his membership in the American Communist Party. He died Monday in Athens.

Filmmaker Jules Dassin, 96, Dies

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China and the World

Series Overview: China's Growing Influence

March 31, 2008 • Increases in international trade, tourism and cultural exchanges have given China a substantial national interest overseas. But China has not articulated a clear plan or strategy for the role it wants to play in the world.

News

Plan to Overhaul Financial Industry Outlined

March 31, 2008 • Treasury Department Undersecretary Robert Steel outlines how the Bush administration's proposal to overhaul government oversight of the financial industry would broaden the Federal Reserve's risk assessment role and define consumer protection goals.

Plan to Overhaul Financial Industry Outlined

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Politics

HUD's Crisis Management Evaluated

March 31, 2008 • Carol Leonnig of the Washington Post discusses how the Department of Housing and Urban Development has handled the crises brought on by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita through the subprime mortgage meltdown.

HUD's Crisis Management Evaluated

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Politics

HUD Secretary Jackson Steps Down amid Probe

March 31, 2008 • Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson resigns amid a criminal investigation following allegations of favoritism in HUD projects.

HUD Secretary Jackson Steps Down amid Probe

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Health Care

Canadian Doctors Cautious On Cholesterol Drug

March 31, 2008 • U.S. doctors have been quick to prescribe Ezetimibe, a powerful new drug to lower cholesterol. Canadian doctors have been taking a "wait and see" attitude because there's no evidence that the drug can effectively reverse heart disease like cholesterol-lowering statins can.

Canadian Doctors Cautious On Cholesterol Drug

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Economy

Independent Truckers Protest Diesel Prices

March 31, 2008 • Dan Little, owner of a small trucking company in Carrollton, Mo., says diesel's climb to more than $4 per gallon has wiped out his profits. He and others in the long-haul community want someone in Washington to address their concerns.

Independent Truckers Protest Diesel Prices

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Opinion

Echoes of 1968

40 Years Ago, LBJ Opts Not to Run, Stunning Nation

March 31, 2008 • On the night of March 31, 1968, President Lyndon B. Johnson announced at the end of a speech that he would not seek another term in office. The president hoped his move would spur a peace process in Vietnam.

40 Years Ago, LBJ Opts Not to Run, Stunning Nation

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Backroom Primary: Profiles of Superdelegates

Klobuchar Boosts Obama's Superdelegate Count

March 31, 2008 • Sen. Barack Obama has added another high-profile Democrat to his ledger of pledged superdelegates, Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota. She discusses her endorsement of Obama and the current state of the Democratic party.

Klobuchar Boosts Obama's Superdelegate Count

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Economy

Blueprint for Regulating Financial Industry Unveiled

March 31, 2008 • Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson issued a sweeping proposal to overhaul how U.S. financial companies are regulated. The proposal does not address the immediate crisis, but seeks to lessen the impact of crises in the future.

Blueprint for Regulating Financial Industry Unveiled

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Economy

A Sea Change for Real Estate Agents

March 31, 2008 • Real estate agents — average age 51, with the majority female — are facing career decisions in the current housing crisis. Three agents are profiled: One veteran is trying to ride out the slump, while two others are looking for new jobs now that the boom has gone bust.

A Sea Change for Real Estate Agents

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Politics

HUD Chief Jackson Resigns Under Pressure

March 31, 2008 • The Bush administration's top housing official resigned Monday amid a criminal investigation and a lawsuit over alleged favoritism in awarding contracts. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson, 62, has been fending off allegations of cronyism and favoritism involving HUD contractors for the past two years.

Election 2008

Election Roundtable: Race Matters

March 31, 2008 • Gustavo Arellano of AskaMexican.net, diversity consultant Carmen Van Kerckhove and the controversial Frangela take on the topic of race in the election.

Election Roundtable: Race Matters

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Election 2008

Why Bother Voting at All?

March 31, 2008 • Polls show Americans aren't satisfied with their politicians. So why do people still invest all their hopes in a presidential candidate every four years? L.A. Times columnist Gregory Rodriguez shares his thoughts.

Why Bother Voting at All?

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Election 2008

How Important Are Superdelegates?

March 31, 2008 • Superdelegates are bound to play a critical role in the Democratic nomination. 257 are still uncommitted — more than have declared for either Clinton or Obama. Some politicians are urging them to declare before the convention. Although it's a good idea on some level, analysts say, such a move would not be legally binding.

How Important Are Superdelegates?

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