The latest news on Trafficking, Assasination Plot, Campaign, Women Soldiers, Global Economy, Death Penalty, U.S. Raid in Syria, Iraq, Iran, Congo, Nuclear Theft, and Select Op-eds.

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Trafficking. Child prostitution targeted "Law enforcement officers across the country have rescued 47 children from sexual exploitation and arrested scores of people on prostitution charges since Thursday." Court Rules Niger Failed by Allowing Girl's Slavery "A West African regional court ruled Monday that the government of Niger had failed to protect a young woman sold into slavery at the age of 12."

Assassination plot. ATF Says Racists Plotted to Kill Obama "Investigators disrupted an improbable plan to assassinate Sen. Barack Obama and kill 102 other African Americans in a spree fueled by white supremacist ideology, officials at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms said yesterday." News of plot to launch national killing spree targeting blacks, Obama stuns suspects' towns "In a rural Tennessee county where you can't buy alcohol or even find a Wal-Mart, residents of tiny Bells stopped each other to ask if anyone knew the pale-skinned young local accused of plotting to kill dozens of black people, including Barack Obama."

Campaign. Social conservatives fight for control of Republican Party "The social conservatives and moderates who together boosted the Republican Party to dominance have begun a tense battle over the future of the GOP, with social conservatives already moving to seize control of the party's machinery and some vowing to limit John McCain's influence, even if he wins the presidency." Party Lawyers Ready to Keep an Eye on the Polls " With heavy voter turnout expected on Election Day, both parties are amassing thousands and thousands of lawyers to keep an eye on the polls."

Women soldiers. Sexual abuse rates of deployed female soldiers detailed in study "One in seven female soldiers who were deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan and later sought healthcare for any reason reported being sexually harassed or assaulted during their military service, according to a study by Veterans Affairs researchers."

Global economy. Central Banks Slashing Rates As Investors Flee "Central banks around the world are moving to further slash interest rates as they seek to contain the damage from the bursting of the biggest credit bubble in history." Brown calls for increase in global bailout fund "Gordon Brown today called on countries with large reserves to increase the funds available to the International Monetary Fund to help nations struggling with the financial crisis."

Death penalty. Japan execution rate highest since 1975 "Japan defied international opinion today by executing two men on the same day as the U.N. was due to issue a report critical of its use of the death penalty."

U.S. raid in Syria. U.S. Calls Raid a Warning to Syria "U.S. troops in helicopters flew four miles into Syrian territory over the weekend to target the leader of a network that channels foreign fighters from Syria into Iraq, killing or wounding him and shooting dead several armed men." Officials Say U.S. Killed an Iraqi in Raid in Syria "A raid into Syria on Sunday was carried out by American Special Operations forces who killed an Iraqi militant responsible for running weapons, money and foreign fighters across the border into Iraq." Baghdad condemns 'U.S. Syria raid' "Iraq criticizes an apparent U.S. helicopter strike into Syria, saying it does not want to be used as a launch-point for attacks." Analysis: Purported U.S. raid into Syria complicates Iraq's ties, role in region "The deadly U.S. raid into Syria may complicate efforts to win approval for a new U.S.-Iraqi security deal by drawing attention to a fact many Iraqis detest - that they can't control everything American forces might do."

Iraq. Iraq Security Pact Highlights Battle Between U.S., Iran "A deal to authorize the presence of American forces in Iraq beyond 2008 is forcing Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to choose between two influential powers in this country: the United States and Iran." Fractures in Iraq City as Kurds and Baghdad Vie "A new Iraqi military offensive is under way in this still violent northern city, but the worry is not only the insurgents who remain strong here. American commanders are increasingly concerned that Mosul could degenerate into a larger battleground over the fragile Iraqi state itself." Iraq's female lawmakers making strides "Getting little notice amid the violence of the past several years is an astounding experiment that is nearly unheard of in the Middle East - Iraq's constitution mandates that women make up 25% of the parliament. That's a higher percentage than the U.S. Congress."

Iran. Iran 'opens naval base' near Gulf "Iran has opened new naval facilities east of the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow entrance to the Gulf which is key to oil supplies."

Congo. U.N. prepares for DR Congo evacuation "U.N. peacekeepers have begun evacuation plans for about 50 foreign aid workers from a town in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), in the face of an onslaught by Tusti anti-government fighters." Big battles near key Congo town "Government troops and U.N. forces have been involved fierce battles with Tutsi rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, around Kibumba village." 1 dead in Congo protest as residents stone U.N. compounds "One person was killed Monday after hundreds of angry civilians stoned U.N. peacekeeping bases in northeastern Congo, blaming the international troops for failing to stem violence in the rebellion-plagued region."

Nuclear theft. Rate of Nuclear Thefts 'Disturbingly High,' Monitoring Chief Says "Mohamed ElBaradei, the chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said in a speech on Monday that the number of reports of nuclear or radioactive material stolen around the world last year was "disturbingly high."

Commentary. Tutu's message to U.S.: We're all in this together (Cathleen Falsani, Chicago Sun-Times) "The archbishop's address was titled 'The Dawn of a New Moral Awakening,' but I don't think he meant it as a description of what already is happening. I believe Tutu came to Chicago to speak the truth to power -- to prophesy about what could be." A Voting Rights Disaster? (Christopher Edley Jr., Washingotn Post) "Next Tuesday is certain to be the mother of all turnout stories. The signs pointing to this include registration data, turnout in the primaries, polling data on public enthusiasm, early-voting volume, and Barack Obama's ground game. Polling sites should prepare to be overwhelmed, not underused."