Daily News Digest

Second amendment, Child prostitution arrests, Zimbabwe, Second amendment, Child prostitution arrests, Death penalty, Immigration raid, Homeless, Southern Baptists, Zimbabwe, Climate change, Israel politics, Iraq, Pakistan, Iran-nuclear, North Korea-nuclear, U.S.-U.K. nuclear, Syria-nuclear, HIV-AIDS, and Comentary.

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Second amendment. "The Court's 5-4 ruling struck down the District of Columbia's 32-year-old ban on handguns as incompatible with gun rights under the Second Amendment."

Child prostitution arrests. "Hundreds of people have been arrested and 21 children rescued in what the FBI is calling a five-day roundup of networks of pimps who force children into prostitution."

Zimbabwe. "Former South African leader Nelson Mandela joined a growing chorus of African officials criticizing Zimbabwe's leadership, further shaking longtime President Robert Mugabe's grip on power."

Second amendment. Court rules in favor of Second Amendment gun right "The court's 5-4 ruling struck down the District of Columbia's 32-year-old ban on handguns as incompatible with gun rights under the Second Amendment. The decision went further than even the Bush administration wanted, but probably leaves most firearms laws intact."

Child prostitution arrests. 345 arrested, kids rescued in prostitution busts "Hundreds of people have been arrested and 21 children rescued in what the FBI is calling a five-day roundup of networks of pimps who force children into prostitution." Sweep saves 21 children from prostitution "The FBI said agents teamed with state and local police in 16 cities from Boston to Los Angeles to arrest 345 adults on charges of prostitution and pimping."

Death penalty. Justices Bar Death Penalty for the Rape of a Child "The death penalty is unconstitutional as a punishment for the rape of a child, a sharply divided Supreme Court ruled." High court refuses to allow death penalty for child rape "A divided Supreme Court effectively slammed the door on the prospect of expanding capital punishment in America, holding that the death penalty for violent crimes that do not end in a death is unconstitutional regardless of the victim's age."

Immigration raid. 160 Arrested in Immigration Raid at a Houston Plant "Federal immigration agents arrested 160 employees in a raid on a used clothing and rag exporting plant." Employer arrests could follow Houston immigration raid The early morning raid by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, while netting 166 undocumented workers, did not include arrests of company officials."

Midwestfloods. Rain Heightens Worries Along the Mississippi "A storm that federal forecasters had expected would quietly pass through here instead brought about six inches of rain in places along the Mississippi River overnight Tuesday, dashing expectations that the worst of the flooding was over" Rain prompts officials to adjust their projections "But heavy rain Tuesday night in northeast Missouri and west-central Illinois led the National Weather Service to predict the Mississippi to rise, not fall, at St. Louis and points upstream, including Winfield, until Friday at the earliest."

Homeless. New faces join ranks of nation's homeless "With more families on the cusp of having nowhere to live, thousands of both former homeowners and renters are winding up in shelters or turning to charities for food or other aid to get by. Nearly 61% of local and state homeless coalitions say they've seen a rise in homelessness since the foreclosure crisis began in 2007,"

Southern Baptists. Two faces of Southern Baptists "The nation's largest Protestant denomination is at a crossroads. After five decades of growth, membership fell last year and baptisms are dropping at an even faster clip. A growing number of Baptists see the apparent lack of relevance, and they blame not secular America and liberals but themselves for the problem."

Zimbabwe . Peacekeepers Urged for Zimbabwe "Zimbabwe's battered opposition called for the deployment of thousands of African Union peacekeeping troops to bring order to a nation ravaged by months of political violence as President Robert Mugabe clings to power after 28 years." Nelson Mandela condemns Zimbabwe's leadership "Former South African leader Nelson Mandela joined a growing chorus of African officials criticizing Zimbabwe's leadership, further shaking longtime President Robert Mugabe's grip on power." Mugabe minister rejects Mandela censure "A leading minister in Robert Mugabe's government has dismissed Nelson Mandela's criticism of the regime's "failure of leadership", saying the South African had bowed to pressure from the west in making his comments." Zimbabwe needs a champion ... "... But the one man who could help the most, South Africa's Mbeki, is reluctant to raise his voice."

Climate change. Climate change likely to trigger global destabilization, report says "Global warming is likely to have a series of destabilizing effects around the world, causing humanitarian crises as well as surges in ethnic violence and illegal immigration, according to an assessment released by U.S. intelligence agencies."

Israel politics. Israel's prime minister wins reprieve in 11th-hour deal with coalition partner "Ehud Olmert, the embattled Israeli prime minister, won a reprieve for a few more months when his key coalition partner withdrew a threat to force early elections after Olmert agreed to primaries in his Kadima party in September."

Iraq. 4 U.S. Soldiers, Interpreter Killed In Iraq Fighting "Four U.S. soldiers died in roadside bombings Tuesday and Wednesday, the U.S. military said, bringing to 10 the number of Americans killed in Iraq since Monday."

Pakistan. Pakistani Taliban Say They Killed 28 Men From Peace Group "The bodies of 28 members of a government-sponsored peace committee were found dumped on a road near the tribal area of South Waziristan, Pakistan officials said." Afghans See Pakistan Role in Karzai Plot "The Afghan government for the first time publicly accused the Pakistani intelligence service of organizing the failed plot to assassinate President Hamid Karzai at a parade in Kabul in April."

Iran-nuclear. Time running out for nuclear program talks, Iran warns "The powerful speaker of Iran's parliament warned that his nation could take drastic steps in response to economic, political and military pressure meant to halt controversial parts of its nuclear program."

North Korea-nuclear. Breakthrough: North Korea details nuclear activities "North Korea today handed over a long-overdue disclosure of its nuclear weapons activity, and Washington responded by pledging to give it relief from trade sanctions, stop labeling it a sponsor of terror and make moves to normalize relations." S. Korea: N. Korea submits nuclear list to China "South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan told reporters that the North had submitted its declaration to Chinese officials in Beijing. The North was set to blow up the cooling tower at its Yongbyon nuclear complex Friday," Washington to remove North Korea from rogue states list "George Bush today announced steps to remove North Korea from America's list of states that sponsor terrorism and the lifting of key sanctions against the secretive regime."

U.S.-U.K. nuclear. US removes its nuclear arms from Britain "The US has removed its nuclear weapons from Britain, ending a contentious presence spanning more than half a century, a report will say today. According to the study by the Federation of American Scientists, the last 110 American nuclear weapons on UK soil were withdrawn from RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk on the orders of President George Bush."

Syria-nuclear. 'Good start' to UN's Syria probe "The head of a UN team investigating allegations that Syria has been working on a secret nuclear weapons programme says their work is off to a good start."

HIV-AIDS. Aids epidemic a 'global disaster' "The Aids epidemic in some countries is so severe that it should be classified as a disaster, the Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC) has warned. The crisis fits the UN definition of a disaster as an event beyond the scope of any single society to cope with,"

Comentary.

Playing God with Mugabe (Timothy Garton Ash, Los Angeles Times) "Whether you believe in him or not, it's time to give God a helping hand. Robert Mugabe, the Catholic mission schoolboy turned tyrant, says "only God" can remove him from power in Zimbabwe. In that case, I'm rooting for God. Go for it, Lord."