The latest news on Immigrants, Housing bill signed, AIDS bill signed, Consumer safety, Low-income workers, Olmert to resign, Darfur, Iran, Iraq, Terrorism, Brazil, Food crisis, Pakistan, Canada, E-mail, and Opinion.

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Immigrants. Decline Seen in Numbers of People Here Illegally "The number of illegal immigrants in the country has dropped by as much 1.3 million in the past year, an 11 percent decline since a historic peak last August, a research group said in a report." Study finds 11% drop in illegal immigrants "A report indicating a marked decline in the number of illegal immigrants in the U.S. fueled a widening national debate over the Bush administration's policy of immigration enforcement through aggressive workplace raids."

Housing bill signed. Avoiding public ceremony, Bush quietly signs measure offering mortgage relief for thousands "President Bush signed a housing bill Wednesday intended to rescue about 15 percent of the cash-strapped homeowners in fear of foreclosure in the next year or so."

AIDS bill signed. Bush OKs $48 billion for AIDS as famine looms "With the stroke of a pen Wednesday, President Bush will do more for the battle against AIDS than any other leader, past or present."

Consumer safety. House passes major consumer safety bill with ban on lead, other chemicals in toys "Alarmed by a year of recalls targeting millions of tainted toys, the House voted overwhelming Wednesday to ban lead and other dangerous chemicals from items such as jewelry and rubber ducks that could end up in kids' mouths."

Low-income workers. $70 Million Effort Seeks New Safety Net for Workers "Concerned that thousands of corporations have cut back on health coverage and pensions - partly because of competitive pressures fueled by globalization - the Rockefeller Foundation has begun a $70 million effort to help build a new social safety net for the nation's workers, especially the poorest and most vulnerable." Self-sufficiency proves a stretch "Commissioned by the Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies, the analysis shows how much income is necessary to be self- sufficient in each of Ohio's 88 counties for 70 types of families, including childless adults, single parents and couples with children."

Olmert to resign. Olmert to quit, leaving Mideast peace initiative to uncertain fate "Embattled Prime Minister Ehud Olmert announced that he will resign in September, bringing a premature end to his hopes of leading Israel into a stable era of peace with its Arab neighbors. What Olmert's exit means for peace talks "Despite his vows to overcome corruption allegations and to work with the Bush administration to conclude a Middle East peace deal, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert bowed to the inevitable Wednesday. Netanyahu calls for elections "The leader of Israel's rightwing Likud party, Benjamin Netanyahu, today called for fresh elections in Israel after the Kadima leader Ehud Olmert's decision to resign as the prime minister."

Darfur. Support for Darfur mission urged "The international community has been accused of failing to provide basic equipment vital to the peacekeeping mission in Sudan's Darfur region. U.N. council set to renew Darfur peacekeeping mandate "The U.N. Security Council is set to renew a mandate for peacekeepers in Darfur in a resolution that will echo African concerns at efforts to indictSudan's president for war crimes there." Activists urge world to send helicopters to Darfur "The world could easily provide helicopters needed by Darfur peacekeepers and NATO states alone could provide over six times the number required." World Shamed Over Darfur Helicopters "An international coalition of activists set out to name and shame governments around the world for their failure to provide even one of the additional helicopters needed for peacekeeping in Sudan's troubled Darfur region."

Iran. Iran vows to stay on 'nuclear path' "Iran will continue its nuclear 'path', the country's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, insisted yesterday, just days before a deadline set by world powers for Tehran to accept a deal that could defuse the dispute over its nuclear programme. Iran says to continue nuclear path before deadline "Western powers gave Iran two weeks from July 19 to respond to their offer to hold off on imposing more U.N. sanctions on Iran if Tehran would freeze any expansion of its nuclear work." Nonaligned conference backs Iran's right to enrich uranium "More than 100 nonaligned nations backed Iran's right to peaceful uses of nuclear power, an endorsement sought by Tehran in its standoff with the U.N. Security Council over its refusal to freeze uranium enrichment."

Iraq. Deal on a Security Agreement Is Close, Iraqis Say "Iraq and the United States are close to a deal on a sensitive security agreement that Iraqi officials said satisfies the nation's desire to be treated as sovereign and independent."

Terrorism. Gates Sees Terrorism Remaining Enemy No. 1 "Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates says that even winning the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan will not end the "Long War" against violent extremism and that the fight against al-Qaeda and other terrorists should be the nation's top military priority over coming decades."

Brazil. Strong Economy Propels Brazil to World Stage "Brazil, South America's largest economy, is finally poised to realize its long-anticipated potential as a global player, economists say, as the country rides its biggest economic expansion in three decades."

Food crisis. Half of Haitians Face Starvation "According to the UN, two-thirds of Haitians live on less than 50p a day and half are undernourished. 'Food is available but people cannot afford to buy it. If the situation gets worse we could have starvation in the next six to 12 months,' said Prospery Raymond, country director of the UK-based aid agency Christian Aid." N. Korean Food Crisis Spurs U.N. to Act "With shriveled harvests and a cutback in imports, North Korea has slipped back into a serious food shortage that is causing millions of people to go hungry."

Pakistan. NW Pakistan Clashes Intensify; Peace Deals at Risk, Taliban Says "Clashes between insurgents and Pakistani troops escalated Wednesday in the country's fractious northwest as Taliban leaders threatened to withdraw their support for peace deals brokered this year with Pakistan's new government." Deadly clashes in Pakistan's Swat "At least 12 civilians, including seven members of the same family, have been killed in fresh clashes between Pakistani troops and Taliban fighters in northwestern Pakistan."

Canada. Harper eggs on Liberals to bring down government "Prime Minister Stephen Harper dared the Liberal opposition to defeat his government and precipitate an election in which the Grits' proposed carbon tax would be the defining issue."

E-mail. You've got too much e-mail "According to a growing number of academics, 'technologists' and psychologists, our dependence on e-mail -- the need to attend to a constantly beeping in-box -- is creating anxiety in the workplace, adversely affecting the ability to focus, diminishing productivity and threatening family bonds."

Opinion. Time running out for US in Iraq (Bill Delahunt and Rosa DeLauro, Boston Globe) "A TIMETABLE for the withdrawal of US troops has long been a priority for Iraqis -- 70 percent want the United States out, according to the latest polls. This sentiment is also reflected in Parliament -- the only directly elected branch of government." Olmert's crimes (Akiva Eldar, Haaretz) "But at the top of the indictment that history will submit against Olmert will stand his criminal neglect of the Arab Peace Initiative. To date the Israeli cabinet has not even discussed the framework which for the first time offers Israel "normal ties" with all 22 members of the Arab League."