As hundreds of thousands of Americans lost unemployment benefits yesterday Senate Republicans and Democrats traded barbs about who is to blame for cutoffs. Senators have said they’ll extend benefits when they come back from break but the blame game threatens to stall the process. Labor Secretary Hilda Solis launched an effort this week to encourage low-wage and immigrant workers to report wage and hour violations. Republicans have been pretty worried that the 2010 census will mean a loss of electorial power in the face of changing demographics. Now, the GOP appears concerned about fair representation as red states are showing low rates of return. Karl Rove appeared in a public service announcement this week to encourage people to mail the census back by the end of the month. Democracy Now reports the US continues to deport immigrant veterans despite military promises to stop the practice. Apartment rents rose in the year’s first quarter. While the Wall Street Journal reported it was a sign that the worst of the recession had passed but for renters already struggling with high rent and high unemployment, the news is not a positive one. The website WikiLeaks has released a video proving that the US Army killed a group of 12 Reuters journalists and other civilians in Iraq in 2007. The video includes the voices of the shooters casually discussing the killings as they shoot the men.