Daily News Digest

the latest news on Sen. Kennedy, Democratic primaries, GI Bill, Farm bill, Ohio-payday lending, Immigration, Burma, China, Iraq, Israel-Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Ethiopia.

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Sen. Kennedy. Kennedy has malignant tumor;prognosis is uncertain at best " US Senator Edward M. Kennedy has been diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor, his doctors said yesterday, and the prognosis appears uncertain at best for the last surviving brother of the famed Kennedy clan, who has been an enormous force in American politics for nearly half a century." Kennedy Has Malignant Brain Tumor "Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), the liberal icon who has spent more than four decades at the forefront of social-change efforts in Congress, has a cancerous brain tumor," In D.C., a moment of anguished silence "The man who has enraged, impressed, frustrated, and inspired his colleagues in both parties for more than 45 years in the Senate drew but one bipartisan reaction yesterday as the news emerged that he is fighting a brain tumor: stunned silence, followed by tears."

Democratic primaries. Obama: Victory within reach "After months of exhaustive campaigning, rallies that drew thousands, dozens of debates and countless miles traveled, the Illinois senator on a glorious spring night in Iowa declared that his party's nod is finally "within reach." Obama Takes Delegate Majority "Sen. Barack Obama crossed another threshold last night in his march toward the Democratic presidential nomination, splitting a pair of primaries with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and claiming a majority of the pledged delegates at stake in the long nomination battle." Obama's strategy now faces a bigger test "Barack Obama declared that he has now secured a majority of the elected delegates in his pursuit of the Democratic presidential nomination. But just as important as reaching that landmark is the symbolism of where he chose to celebrate it -- in Iowa -- and where he will campaign today -- in Florida." Clinton Sees Many Reasons to Stay In "Rebuffing associates who have suggested that she end her candidacy, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton has made it clear to her camp in recent days that she will stay in the race until June because she believes she can still be the nominee - and, barring that, so she can depart with some final goals accomplished."

GI Bill. House approves financial relief for military personnel "Setting aside differences over the war in Iraq, the House voted unanimously to provide financial and tax relief to military personnel. The action came as the Senate debated a major expansion in college education benefits for veterans." What's behind the battle over the new G.I. Bill? "The GI Bill touted by recruiting posters and the Pentagon often falls short for more than a million troops returning from war, paying just over half the national average cost of a public college education."

Farm bill. Farm Bill's Subsidy Costs May Rise "A major new program in the recently enacted farm bill could increase taxpayer-financed payments to farmers by billions of dollars if high commodity prices decline to more typical levels,"

Ohio-payday lending. House passes payday-lending bill 70-24 "The House approved a final version of the bill by a 70-24 vote. The measure would slash payday-lending interest rates from the current 391 annual percentage rate ($15 per $100 on a two-week loan) to 28 percent ($1.08 per $100)."

Immigration. Homeland Security Stands by Its Fence "As the Department of Homeland Security pushes to complete 670 miles of fencing along the Mexican border by the end of this year, it is confronting the sharpest resistance yet while conceding that physical barriers alone do not stop illegal crossings." ICE defends workplace raids "An Immigration and Customs Enforcement official on Tuesday defended escalating workplace raids to arrest undocumented workers - operations that Democratic congressional critics say leave immigrants' children in the lurch."

Burma . UN chief heads for Myanmar "The secretary general of the United Nations is heading to Myanmar in an effort to step up relief efforts for survivors of Cyclone Nargis.Ethiopia. Six million Ethiopian children at risk of malnutrition as crops fail and prices rise "Up to 6 million children under the age of five are at risk of malnutrition in Ethiopia because of rising cereal prices and the failure of rains, the UN's children agency, Unicef, has warned."