Daily News Digest

the latest news on the University shooting, Bush to Africa, Republican campaign, Democrat campaign, surveillance, Billy Graham recovering, Contempt of Congress, Attacks on homeless people, Darfur-Chad, Canada-Afghanistan, Iran, Kenya, Climate change and oceans, Globalization and the church

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University shooting. 6th NIU student dies; 4 identified "The gunman dressed in black stormed into an oceanography class Thursday afternoon and opened fire with a shotgun and two handguns. In a matter of seconds, he killed six and wounded 15." Suspect Named in N. Illinois Slayings "The gunman who killed six people in a Northern Illinois University lecture hall before committing suicide was identified Friday as 27-year-old former student Steven Kazmierczak,"

Surveillance. House Defies Bush on Wiretaps "The House of Representatives defied the White House by refusing to make an expiring surveillance law permanent, prompting a harsh exchange between Republicans and Democrats as they prepared for an extended, election-year battle over national security." House Leaves Surveillance Law to Expire "The House broke for a week's recess without renewing terrorist surveillance authority demanded by President Bush, who warned of risky intelligence gaps while being accused of fear mongering."

Billy Graham recovering. Evangelist 'doing well' in recovery "Billy Graham was "doing well" Thursday as he recovers from surgery to install a new valve in the shunt that relieves pressure in his brain, according to his neurosurgeon."

Campaign-Republican. Romney Releases His Delegates, Backs McCain "Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney made a Valentine's Day endorsement of Sen. John McCain, ending a bitter, year-long rivalry and handing over almost enough delegates to guarantee McCain the Republican presidential nomination." Romney Backs McCain's Candidacy, Ending a Heated Campaign Feud "One of the bitterest feuds of the 2008 presidential race ended Thursday when Mitt Romney threw his support - and vowed to try to throw his delegates - behind his former archrival for the Republican nomination, Senator John McCain of Arizona."

Campaign-Democratic. Clinton, Obama sound populist themes in Midwest "The nation's economic anxieties took center stage in the increasingly rancorous Democratic presidential race as Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama tilted their campaigns toward blue-collar voters in the upcoming Wisconsin and Ohio primaries." Black Lawmakers Rethink Clinton Support "In a fresh sign of trouble for Hillary Rodham Clinton, one of the former first lady's congressional black supporters intends to vote for Barack Obama at the Democratic National Convention, and a second, more prominent lawmaker is openly discussing a possible switch." Can Howard Dean defuse the Clinton-Obama delegate feud? "But in this tense time, when Democrats are whispering and wondering about whether there's a wise man or woman out there who could step in and break the presidential candidates' deadlock, the Democratic Party chairman isn't being widely considered as a natural for that role."

Contempt of Congress. House Holds Bush Confidants in Contempt "The House voted to hold two of President Bush's confidants in contempt for failing to cooperate with an inquiry into whether a purge of federal prosecutors was politically motivated." House Votes to Issue Contempt Citations "The vote to hold Joshua B. Bolton, the chief of staff, and Harriet E. Miers, the former counsel, in contempt of Congress followed bitter partisan wrangling on the House floor, including a Republican walkout from the chamber,

Attacks on homeless people. Attacks on the Homeless Rise, With Youths Mostly to Blame "Nationwide, violence against the homeless is soaring, and overwhelmingly the attackers are teenagers and young adults. In Florida the problem is so severe that the National Coalition for the Homeless is setting up speakers bureaus to address a culture that sees attacking the homeless as a sport."

Bush to Africa. Bush prepares to visit Africa, where his legacy is brighter "In much of the world, President Bush's foreign policy will be remembered for the Iraq war. But in these emerald hills in central Africa, his legacy looks brighter." George Bush: a good man in Africa "As Bush arrives in Africa today at the start of a five-country tour he will be welcomed chiefly for an initiative which has gone largely unnoticed outside the continent but which has saved the lives of more than a million people with HIV." New life for African AIDS patients "Thanks to U.S. funding, antiviral drugs are available to those too poor to afford them." Bush Heads for Africa to Push Peace, Lobby for Expanded Relief Programs "President Bush vowed to use a week-long trip to Africa slated to start today to push for peaceful resolutions to conflicts in Kenya and Sudan, but he rebuffed calls to boycott the Summer Olympics in Beijing to pressure China into using its influence to stop the violence in Sudan's Darfur region."

Darfur-Chad. Bush defends US record on Darfur "US President George W Bush has defended his decision not to send troops to the Sudanese region of Darfur, despite what he calls a genocide taking place there." Chad declares state of emergency "Chad has declared a state of emergency for 15 days, granting extra government powers to restore order after recent rebel attacks." Chad Leader Declares State of Emergency "Chad's president declared a nationwide state of emergency Thursday, telling citizens that tightened controls are needed to restore order after recent rebel attacks."

Canada-Afghanistan. Top general wary of Liberal position "A senior Canadian general says fighting in Kandahar cannot be separated from providing security for reconstruction efforts and training the Afghan army - in effect dismissing the Liberal position on the mission as unrealistic."

Iran . U.S. to Produce Data on Iran's Nuclear Program "The Bush administration has agreed to turn over to international inspectors intelligence data it has collected that it says proves Iran worked on developing a nuclear weapon until a little more than four years ago,"

Kenya . Signs in Kenya of a Land Redrawn by Ethnicity"Ever since a deeply flawed election in December kicked off a wave of ethnic and political violence, hundreds of thousands of people have been violently driven from their homes and many are now resettling in ethnically homogenous zones."

Climate change and oceans. Study Finds Humans' Effect on Oceans Comprehensive "Human activities are affecting every square mile of the world's oceans, according to a study by a team of American, British and Canadian researchers who mapped the severity of the effects from pole to pole." Dead zones off Oregon and Washington likely tied to global warming, study says "Low-oxygen areas that show scant signs of sea life have expanded. 'We seem to have crossed a tipping point,' a scientist says."

Globalization and the church. Globalisation is reshaping the church, says WCC chief "New expressions of Christianity, the growing prominence of the global South, the impact of globalization and increasing religious diversity are radically changing the shape of the church says the head of the world's largest church body."