From the Wire

South Africa President: Mandela is ImprovingNelson Mandela's health is improving but the 94-year-old beloved anti-apartheid hero remains in serious condition, South Africa's president said Thursday.
Meridian Schools Working on Discipline IssuesThe Meridian School Board is rewriting the school's system discipline policies to end what the Justice Department called discriminatory disciplinary practices in which black students face harsher punishment than whites for similar misbehavior.
Small Businesses Are Hiring Again, but CautiouslySmall business owners across the country want to add staffers, and many are hiring, but they're taking their time before they commit to a new employee.
Privacy, the Online Generation Wants ItAmid the debate over government surveillance, there's been an assumption: Young people don't care about privacy.
Leaker Snowden Alleges NSA Hacking on China, WorldFor months, China has tried to turn the tables on the U.S. to counter accusations that it hacks America's computers and networks. Now, former intelligence contractor Edward Snowden may have handed Beijing a weapon in its cyber war of words …
Thousands Flee Colo. Wildfire; 92 Homes DestroyedJaenette Coyne estimates she had five minutes to leave home after calling 911 to report forest fire smoke behind her home.
Turkish PM Vows to Rid 'Lawbreakers' from Park"Lawbreakers" will be removed from Istanbul's Taksim Square, Turkey's prime minister declared Thursday, rejecting the European Parliament's resolution condemning the excessive use of force by Turkish riot police against demonstrators.
Death Toll Nears 93,000 in Two Year Syrian WarNearly 93,000 people have been confirmed killed since Syria's civil war began more than two years ago, the U.N. said Thursday
Southern Baptists Officially Oppose Gay Scout RuleThe Southern Baptist Convention approved a resolution Wednesday expressing its opposition to the Boy Scouts of America's new policy allowing gay Scouts, though it doesn't explicitly call for churches to drop all ties with the organization.
2006 Surveillance Lawsuit Still UnheardMark Klein's allegations spawned dozens of consumer lawsuits over the fed's warrantless data gathering--seven years ago.
Southern Baptists Re-Elect First Black PresidentThe Southern Baptist Convention re-elected its first black president, the Rev. Fred Luter Jr., at its annual meeting Tuesday.
NCAA APR Again Hits Schools with Lesser ResourcesEighteen Division I teams will miss the postseason, and another 18 in men's basketball and nine other college sports will trade practice time for remedial classroom sessions under NCAA academic progress reports released Tuesday.
Slim Pickings on First Day of Miss. Shrimp SeasonSome of the shrimpers who set out at dawn Tuesday with high hopes for a huge catch came in hours later with just enough of the spiny crustaceans for a decent shrimp boil.
Feds: Morning-After Pill Appeal Officially on HoldThe Obama administration's appeal in the legal fight over morning-after pills has been officially put on hold until a judge weighs a new plan to allow girls of all ages to buy the contraceptives without a prescription, according to a …
World's Oldest Person Dies in Japan at 116Japan's Jiroemon Kimura, who had been recognized by the Guinness World Records as the world's oldest living person and the oldest man ever, died Wednesday of natural causes. He was 116.