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Chicago passes a city ordinance that would require big retailers like Wal-Mart and Target to pay workers at least $13 an hour in wages and benefits within the next few years.Opponents are calling the measure illegal and planning to sue. Even Chicago's mayor is opposed. But for Chicago's poorest neighborhoods, the main question is whether the ordinance will bring better jobs or chase new ones away.

As millions of gallons of floodwater are pumped out of New Orleans and into Lake Pontchartrain, state and federal officials grapple with questions about what contaminants are in the water and how they'll affect people and the environment.

The levees of Southern Louisiana remain under the control of local districts, but Hurricane Katrina revived a call to join them under a central authority. Some question whether surrendering local power would prevent a levee failure in the future.

This week's bombings in London mark the first major assault on a U.S. ally in Europe since the Madrid bombings 16 months ago. Those attacks led to an about-face in Spanish foreign policy -- and the withdrawal of Spanish troops from Iraq. Though it's unlikely the British will follow suit, questions are arising over whether U.S. allies will increasingly consider the consequences of supporting Washington's policies overseas.

The White House defends its decision to wait 22 hours to inform the public that Vice President Cheney had accidentally sprayed his hunting partner with birdshot. President Bush found out about the incident Saturday evening, but the media wasn't informed until Sunday.

Many residents in south Florida may face power outages for a month or longer as a result of Hurricane Wilma. Damage in the area is now being assessed: Citrus growers report crop losses from the high winds, and storm damage kept the Miami Airport closed until late Tuesday.

West Virginia's coal mines are expected to temporarily shut down for safety reviews. West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin called for the halt in production after two miners were killed in separate incidents Wednesday. The state has seen 16 mine-related deaths since January. Anna Sale of West Virginia Public Broadcasting reports.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice heads to London amid a flurry of diplomatic activity over Iran's nuclear program. The U.S. and key European nations want to bring Iran before the United Nations Security Council, and they will be trying to convince Russian and Chinese officials to agree on that step.

Some of the technology used to treat Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro is new to the world of horse racing. Barbaro suffered a broken leg at the Preakness during the weekend, putting his life in danger. But a major operation on his leg may save the horse's life.

Internet search engine Google is drawing praise from civil libertarians for its refusal to hand over records about the search requests of millions of its users to federal prosecutors. Government lawyers say they need the information to defend a law meant to protect children from online pornography.