Cities Sue Gangs, African Diamond Smuggling

The Associated Press: Cities Sue Gangs in Bid to Stop Violence -- "Fed up with deadly drive-by shootings, incessant drug dealing and graffiti, cities nationwide are trying a different tactic to combat gangs: They're suing them."

The Christian Science Monitor: Fighting Diamond Smuggling in Africa -- "The diamond pits of Sierra Leone haven't changed much since the war ended five years ago. Spread across the muddy, cratered moonscapes, hundreds of hunched men still break their backs day after day sifting through wet gravel with crude shovels and sieves."

The New York Times: Handmade Alabama Quilts Find Fame and Controversy -- "Until a decade ago, worn-out quilts made by generations of black women in this remote, rural loop of land were stuffed under mattresses or burned to keep mosquitoes away. Bill Arnett, an art dealer, found a market for the handmade quilts."

The Washington Post: Minorities Start Fewer Businesses, Study Says -- "Black and Hispanic budding entrepreneurs face greater odds in opening a business than their non-minority counterparts, according to a new small business study."

Los Angeles Times: Filmmakers Put Their Faith in the Gospel -- "Jeff Clanagan wants to ride Tyler Perry's coattails. So does 20th Century Fox. They are pairing up to make several Gospel-inspired films that are much like the ones that have made Perry a sensation."

The New York Times: In Illinois, Obama Proved Pragmatic and Shrewd -- "Mr. Obama did not bring revolution to Springfield in his eight years in the Senate, the longest chapter in his short public life. But he turned out to be practical and shrewd, a politician capable of playing hardball to win election (he squeezed every opponent out of his first race), a legislator with a sharp eye for an opportunity, a strategist willing to compromise to accomplish things."

Geoffrey Bennett

12:12 PM ET | 07-30-2007 | permalink

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