THE WEEK.

The article presents news briefs related to various political developments in the United States. The U.S. government has announced that in accordance with a 1995 Supreme Court decision, it would revise the guidelines for racial preferences in federal contracting. Minority-owned firms will be given preference by the government. Anti-abortion activists have been demanding that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration should not approve the abortifacient RU-486 drug. The ever-declining defense budget and the lack of a coherent national strategy have resulted in disputes between various military agencies.