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Massachusetts senator, John Kerry has emerged as the Democrats' front-runner in their battle to unseat President George W. Bush and his deputy. Democrats across the board however agree that the only person who can deliver is John Kerry but even they acknowledge that it would require a lot of hard work to unseat the incumbent President.

The article discusses several U.S. female political candidates, among them U.S. Senate candidates Sharron Angle and Christine O'Donnell, who have campaigned, at least in part, on an avowed willingness to protect the interests of children. Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin's anointing of these women as "mama grizzlies" has resonated with some voters. An examination of the candidates' records, however, indicate they have sometimes either opposed or been indifferent to policies that would have benefited children.

The article focuses on Nikki Haley, a 38-year-old Indian American who is the gubernatorial nominee in South Carolina. Comparisons are made to Sarah Palin, former governor of Alaska. Republicans are embracing Haley for her poise and physical attributes, as well as her political principles and capabilities. It is suggested that if she wins the November 2010 election, she will quickly gain national prominence and a favored spot within the Republican Party.

The article discusses Texas governor Rick Perry. In an era of rising federal spending under the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama, Perry appeals to voters who say they want more freedom and economic growth, and a smaller government. Professor David McComb believes Perry is also attractive to Texans made anxious by the declining proportion of whites in their state. Perry was an early supporter of the U.S. Tea party movement, and claims to have no interest in running for President in 2012.

The article discusses ramifications that have resulted due to efforts made by lobbyist Ron Book to stimulate legislation against U.S. sex offenders. The impetus for his career stems from an experience that Book had with a nanny who molested his daughter. Laws resulting from his efforts have led to sex offenders being perceived as social pariahs and excluded from entire cities. The author examines a group of sex offenders who have been forced to live beneath a bridge in Miami, Florida.

The article reports on drug cartel-related violence in cities like Phoenix, Arizona, Birmingham, Alabama, and Atlanta, Georgia, where it has migrated from southern border towns. The many kidnappings in Phoenix are related primarily to drug trafficking and human smuggling. Mexican gangsters called "bajadores" are blamed for these crimes. Public debate is questioning if Mexico is a failed state and due for collapse. Phoenix police have created a kidnapping squad to address its problems.

This article discusses incidents in which individuals from Ciudad Juárez, Mexico have been taken to the Thomason Hospital trauma center in El Paso, Texas for treatment after being violently injured in drug-related crimes. A total of 46 such patients were treated at Thomason in 2008, and it is stated that violence related to drug trafficking continues to grow.

The article discusses the political campaign of 2008 United States presidential candidate John Edwards. The author discusses Edwards's prospects on the eve of the Iowa caucus in January 2008, with Edwards trailing in public opinion polls. The author also offers biographical information concerning Edwards character and political motivations.

The article focuses on the shootings at Virginia Teach in Blacksburg, Virginia in April 2007, and the shooter Cho Seung-Hui. A videotaped manifesto that Cho sent to NBC news in New York is mentioned. Cho's background is described; his parents were Korean immigrants. Classmates and others who knew Cho describe him as a loner and "affectless." His writings included violent themes. He had been stalking two female students, and received an order from the court for psychiatric treatment.

The article examines the circumstances surrounding the crash of a U.S. military Black Hawk helicopter in Diyala Province, Iraq in January 2007. The article profiles the 12 individuals killed when the helicopter crashed. In addition the piece notes that owing to the crash the on which it occurred was the 3rd bloodiest for U.S. troops since the Iraq War began. The article evaluates the overall number of dead as a result of the war and speculates as to whether the sacrifice had been worth the high death toll.

The article discusses a kidnapping case resolved after 4 years. Shawn Hornbeck was allegedly kidnapped by pizza-parlor manager Michael Devlin. When asked on the "Oprah Winfrey Show" if Shawn had been sexually abused during his abduction, his parents, Pam and Craig Akers nodded. Dr. Terri Weaver, psychology professor at Saint Louis University, says child kidnappers create a paralyzing fear in their victims.

The article reports on the agreement made by radio host Rush Limbaugh to end the case against him for fraud and substance abuse. Limbaugh surrendered to authorities, pleaded not guilty on a single charge of obtaining prescription drugs fraudulently and was released on bail. The charges will be dropped after 18 months if Limbaugh commits no other crimes and continues to see a doctor for his addiction to painkillers. The article describes the case in detail.

The article focuses on controversial immigration reform legislation that has been proposed in both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives. Rather than being clearly distinguished as legal and illegal, many Mexican immigrant families are a complicated mixture of Americans by birth, legalized citizens, temporary workers with a variety of government issued visas, and illegal immigrants. The plight of Mexican workers who don't make it to the U.S. and details of 2006 legislation are discussed in detail.

The article reports on problems faced by Houston, Texas six months after it welcomed the largest number of evacuees from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Nearly 150,000 people settled in Houston after the hurricane, and the city responded by granting generous rent and utility vouchers, welcoming children in schools, and providing medical care. However, it has seen an increase in violent crimes including murder, clashes between students at high schools, and in infection rates for sexually transmitted diseases.

This article looks at the belief by many of New Orleans African-Americans that the city officials have no intention of rebuilding the twice flooded Lower Ninth section of the city. Floodwaters from Hurricane Rita had breached the levee along the Industrial Canal, inundating the poor New Orleans neighborhood that is, or was, home to 40,000 African-Americans. Cedric Richmond, the president of the Black Caucus in the Louisiana State Legislature, suggested that more than bad luck was at work. The city planners have big plans for the restoration of New Orleans, but the Lower Ninth is not in them. Over regular dinners in Baton Rouge restaurants like Gino's, an Italian eatery featuring recently transplanted musicians from the Big Easy, the heads of law firms and tourist businesses and conservation groups have been meeting with big real-estate developers. In addition to building a movie studio, new museums and a light-rail line, local developer Pres Kabacoff wants to tear down the poor and almost entirely black Iberville housing project which is situated close to the French Quarter and replace it with low-rise, mixed-income, racially diverse housing. In the narrow re-election of Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu in 2002, the black vote in New Orleans was crucial.

Reports on how modern medicine is increasingly turning towards plants and animals in tropical regions for treatments for diseases. Use of the venom from a cone snail in the treatment of chronic pain; Extraction of compounds from the plants and animals which are tested on cancer cells; Past use of plants in medicine; How aspirin is derived from the bark of the willow tree.

Examines the influence of Latino politicians in U.S. politics as of May 30, 2005. Comments of Antonio Villaraigosa on his election as the mayor of Los Angeles, California; Report that Villaraigosa's campaign motivated Latinos to vote in record numbers and created a multiethnic political coalition; Impact of the Latino community on the success of the Democratic Party; Discussion of the impact of Latino voters on the 2004 U.S. Presidential election; Description of campaigning among Latinos by President George W. Bush and the Republican Party during the 2004 campaign; Impact of religion on the voting behavior of Latinos; Planning among Democratic leaders to effectively campaign in Latino communities; Impact of relations between Latinos and African Americans on the political influence of each group.

Offers a look at the case of Terri Schiavo, a brain damaged woman who had her feeding tube removed. Lack of an advance directive about Schiavo's end-of-life wishes; Discussion of the legal battle between her husband, Michael, and her parents, Robert and Mary Schindler; History of Schiavo's eating disorder; Report that Schiavo suffered cardiac arrest due to the eating disorder; Therapies Schiavo received after the cardiac arrest; Care given to the brain damaged Schiavo by her husband; Report that Michael Schiavo filed a lawsuit and won against the obstetrician who failed to detect the warning signs that Schiavo might suffer cardiac arrest; Attempts of Schiavo's parents to slander Michael; Presentation of medical information regarding the state of Schiavo; Description of the 2002 trial where Michael fought successfully to have the feeding tube removed, though it was replaced after the parents appealed; Nationalization of the case by the Right to Life movement.

Profiles the Mara Salvatrucha gang and the efforts of law enforcement to combat their illegal activity. Details of several murders and violent acts attributed to the gang; Claim that the Mara Salvatrucha gang consists of nearly 10,000 members across 33 U.S. states; Report that the gang consists primarily of Central American immigrants in the U.S., with branches of the gang in Central America; Origins of the gang in Los Angeles, California among refugees from a civil war in El Salvador; Activities of the gang, including drug trafficking, theft, and violence; Efforts of the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to arrest and punish gang members.

Looks at senator John Edwards from North Carolina who is running for president of the United States. Ability of Edwards to charm people; Optimistic nature of Edwards during the campaign; Edwards' success in connecting with voters; Details of his career in law; Edwards life story an how he ran for senate.

Focuses on radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh, who admitted that he is addicted to prescription pain medication. Background on Limbaugh's exposure as a pain-pill addict; Decision to enter a rehabilitation center; Limbaugh's ideology of self-reliance; Biographical and career details; How Limbaugh acquired large supplies of painkiller pills; Possibility of a criminal trial; Importance of being open about his problem.

Discusses the death of Jésica Santillán who was given a heart-lung transplant on February 7, 2003 which ended in her death due to physician error. Background information on Jésica; How she had come to Duke University Hospital; How Jésica's blood is type O while the organs given her were type A; Issues of tort reform and medical malpractice; Report made by the Institute of Medicine in 1999 finding that medical errors cause between 44,000 and 98,000 deaths in the United States annually; How the doctors tried to cover up the mistake even though it was discovered while Jésica was still in the operating room; Acute organ rejection in patients; Legal issues faced by the hospital and surgeons.

Focuses on United States Special Forces and the battle they face in Afghanistan. How they opened the ground war against the Taliban; Role of Special Operations forces, who are trained to operate in extreme conditions; How this conflict will test them; Background on the Army Rangers, Green Berets, and Navy Seals; Debate over whether the elite troops will be effective in finding terrorist Osama bin Laden.

Introduces a series of articles on race and ethnicity in the United States as of 2000. How the ethnic composition of the US is shifting; Demographic statistics regarding foreign-born and minority residents of the US; Efforts of presidential candidates to cater to both white and nonwhite voters during the 2000 election; Features of the increasing number of Americans of mixed ethnic heritage.

Reports on the marital problems between New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and his wife Donna Hanover. Announcement of the mayor's desire for a legal separation; Relationship with another women, Judi Nathan; Diagnosis of prostate cancer; Effect of his marriage problems and health on his decision to run for the state Senate.

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