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Organizers have said that thousands of people are in Detroit this week for the U. S. Social Forum, a gathering of labor, political and religious activists.

The Detroit Free Press has reported that the convention, which runs through Saturday, opened Tuesday with a march down Woodward Avenue.

It has been reported that Joan Jacobs of Port Huron, Mich., a member of the Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Nation, wore a beaded buckskin dress for the march. She was joined by her daughter, Marcy McDonald, and two granddaughters.

A judge has said that about 10,000 people who say their health was damaged at the World Trade Center site in New York must now decide on a $712.5 million settlement.

The New York Times has reported that at least 95 percent of the claimants must opt in for the settlement to take effect. The deadline is Sept. 30.

It has been reported that U. S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein gave formal approval to the plan after a daylong hearing that included testimony from those who support the settlement and those who do not.

It has been revealed by the reports that a nurse-anesthetist has pleaded innocent in Nevada to charges involving a hepatitis C outbreak linked to an endoscopy clinic.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal has reported that Ronald Lakeman, 63, appeared in court on Wednesday. He said little, on the advice of his lawyer, during the hearing and nothing afterward.

The board chairman has said that the Provincetown, Mass., school board will rethink its policy letting schoolchildren of any age get free condoms at school this fall.

School Committee Chairman Peter Grosso told The Boston Globe on Thursday, "We're going to revisit it."

Fox News also reported that his comments followed a rash of complaints from parents, a family-advocacy group and Gov. Deval Patrick, who is running for re-election.

It has been reported that a bill extending unemployment benefits failed on Thursday to win the 60 votes needed to bring it to the floor in the U. S. Senate.

According to the reports of The New York Times, Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., joined Republicans for the procedural vote. The final tally was 57-41.

Both Democratic and Republican leaders blamed the other party. He would not make another attempt next week to get the extension to the floor, said Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.

Oracle Corp, the world's second-biggest software manufacturer, has announced its fourth-quarter profit, which grew by 25% as compared to the corresponding period of the last year.

During the same period of 2009, the company's profit stood at $2.36 billion.

The figures declared on Thursday by the California-based company surpassed analysts' anticipations.

Sales during the three month period, which ended on May 31, remained up by 39% at $9.5 billion.