Just a few years ago, President Obama refused to shop at Wal-Mart. But his wife now has other ideas.

First lady Michelle Obama joined executives from the big-box behemoth on Thursday to announce a new program to promote more healthful foods. The move was part of her signature campaign to fight childhood obesity, and Wal-Mart pledged to reduce sodium and sugar and eliminate trans fats in the packaged foods it sells to roughly 140 million customers each week – or, possibly now 140,000,002.

‘When I see a company like Wal-Mart launch an initiative like this, I feel more hopeful than ever before,’ the first lady said in a speech at THEARC in Southeast Washington in front of crates of fresh produce. ‘We can improve how we make and sell food in this country.’

The announcement amounted to a very public display of affection for a company that had long been a thorn in the side of Democrats. Five years ago, Wal-Mart was in the midst of a bruising battle with labor groups that accused it of paying low wages and providing stingy health benefits. Then-Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton returned a campaign contribution from the company, citing ‘serious differences.’ Michelle Obama resigned from the […]

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On the first anniversary of the Supreme Court’s ruling in Citizens United, which overturned nearly a century of restrictions on campaign spending, a progressive group has asked the Department of Justice to look into ‘conflicts of interest’ two justices may have had when issuing the ruling.

In a petition to be sent to the department this week, Common Cause will argue that Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas should have recused themselves from the campaign finance decision because of their involvement with Koch Industries, a corporation run by two conservative activists who many say directly benefited from Citizens United.

‘It appears both justices have participated in political strategy sessions, perhaps while the case was pending, with corporate leaders whose political aims were advanced by the decision,

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The U.S. economy appears to be coming apart at the seams. Unemployment remains at nearly ten percent, the highest level in almost 30 years; foreclosures have forced millions of Americans out of their homes; and real incomes have fallen faster and further than at any time since the Great Depression. Many of those laid off fear that the jobs they have lost — the secure, often unionized, industrial jobs that provided wealth, security, and opportunity — will never return. They are probably right.

And yet a curious thing has happened in the midst of all this misery. The wealthiest Americans, among them presumably the very titans of global finance whose misadventures brought about the financial meltdown, got richer. And not just a little bit richer; a lot richer. In 2009, the average income of the top five percent of earners went up, while on average everyone else’s income went down. This was not an anomaly but rather a continuation of a 40-year trend of ballooning incomes at the very top and stagnant incomes in the middle and at the bottom. The share of total income going to the top one percent has increased from roughly eight percent in the 1960s to […]

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Recent research finds that the next generation of the American family is more ethnically diverse, cash-strapped, cuisine-savvy, and health-concerned than ever before. An article in the January issue of Food Technology magazine identifies new culinary, health, and restaurant behaviors shaping the food choices of tomorrow’s family.

These new food trends in the American family include:

*The more children there are in a household, the more likely its members are to cook at home, use prepackaged convenience foods and cut back on restaurant visits.
*Gen X (ages 35-44) and Gen Y (ages 18-34) parents are an integral part of today’s foodie movement and have a penchant for freshness, cleaner labels and minimally processed foods.
*A third of all families with children have income less than twice the federal poverty line, meaning that affordable family meals are in great demand.
*For the majority of American families, the evening meal is not prepared at home an average of five times per week.
*Parents’ wish list for children’s snacks includes more nutrients, controlled portion sizes, fresh, lower fat, and lower calories.
*Six out of 10 families are practicing some form of healthy eating strategy, such as eating more fruits/vegetables, whole grain, and low fat dairy; limiting […]

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ALGERIA

Who’s in charge: Abdelaziz Bouteflika has been president of Algeria since 1999. In 2009, he amended the constitution to allow himself to run for a third term and was overwhelmingly reelected in a contest that was boycotted by the opposition. Concerns have recently been raised about the 73-year-old president’s health — the state of which is a carefully guarded state secret — and there are rumors that his brother is looking to succeed him. Bouteflika oversaw the end of the decade-long Algerian civil war and has worked to improve relations with European and African powers, but he has also been criticized for his failure to contain an Islamist insurgency associated with al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and the steady erosion of Algeria’s democratic institutions under his rule.

Warning signs: As in Tunisia, riots over food prices and widespread unemployment broke out in Algeria in early January. The unrest was sparked when the government announced a price hike on milk, sugar, and flour. Thousands of youths rioted in the capital city of Algiers, throwing rocks at security forces and burning down a police station. Algeria provides 20 percent of Europe’s gas needs, and citizens are increasingly frustrated that the revenues are […]

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