R&D: Military Plots the Repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, the U.S. Sanctions Gbagbo, and Congress Prepares to Pass Important Food Safety Bill

Here is your R&D for December 21st:

Beyond ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’: How is military planning to make it work? from the Christian Science Monitor
Now that Congress has repealed “don’t ask, don’t tell”, how is the military planning on putting the repeal into action?  This article from the Christian Science Monitor provides some answers.

U.S. Sanctions Ivory Coast Leader from the Wall Street Journal
The United States has imposed a travel ban on Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo, members of his family, and other members of his government after Gbagbo refused to concede the Ivory Coast’s recent presidential election.  The Ivory Coast has been plagued by violence over the election outcome.

Congress poised to pass ambitious food-safety bill from the Los Angeles Times
Congress is expected to pass a new safety bill aimed at giving the FDA more power over preventing tainted food from entering the U.S. supply chain.  Experts say this is one of the biggest food safety updates since 1938.

‘Already Flying the Flag of an Independent State’ from Der Spiegel
Ruben Marial Benjamin, Southern Sudan’s regional representative in Cairo, sits down with Der Spiegel for this interview piece, where he shares his thoughts on the independence referendum that is scheduled for early next year.

Toyota to pay $32.4 million fine for recalls from CNN
Toyota Motor Corporation will pay $32.4 million in civil penalties, the maximum allowed by the law, concerning the recall of almost five million vehicles that had accelerator problems.