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Poverty Forum. Fight against poverty unites Christian left and right "Christians from the right and the left have begun bridging political and religious differences to seek solutions to one of the nation's most persistent problems: poverty." Christians on Left, Right Push Plan to Aid the Poor "More than a dozen Christian leaders from across the political spectrum -- including members of both the Bush and Obama administrations -- will come together Tuesday to promote a grab bag of proposals designed to help the poor at a time of rising unemployment." Listen up, Obama: Ideas on getting rid of poverty "Just in case Barack Obama's new Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships Office needs a few ideas on how to handle poverty, there's a 16-member group of liberal and conservative Christians more than willing to help out." New Christian Poverty Forum Aims to Keep Focus on the Poor "A bipartisan group of 18 Christian leaders has developed a host of policy recommendations on poverty reduction that they hope will shape the actions of the Obama administration and Congress."
Economic stimulus. Obama Leaves D.C. to Sign Stimulus Bill "Warning that its passage into law 'does not mark the end of our economic troubles,' President Obama on Tuesday signed the $787 billion stimulus package, a measure he called the most sweeping financial legislation enacted in the nation's history." Obama calls stimulus 'beginning of the end' of economic downturn "Even as an aide hinted that another stimulus bill might be needed, President Obama on Tuesday signed into law the $787-billion package that is a cornerstone of his plan to reverse a dramatic economic downturn." Stimulus package tax credit should mean $8 to $10 a week "Here are answers to some basic questions about the mammoth bill -- one of the biggest in U.S. history -- and how it could affect you and your family:"
Housing. Housing plan aimed at keeping people in homes "President Obama will roll out his much-anticipated housing plan today in an effort to stem the tide of foreclosures that has triggered the worst recession in decades." Obama's housing fix: help banks modify loans - or allow judges to "President Barack Obama is expected Wednesday to take a carrot-and-stick approach with banks and other lenders when he unveils his new plan to stop the soaring nationwide home-foreclosure rate." Bailout Likely to Focus on Most Afflicted Homeowners "The long-awaited housing bailout will finally be announced on Wednesday. In a speech in Phoenix, a signature real estate boomtown gone bust, President Obama will explain his plan to reduce foreclosures."
Automakers. GM, Chrysler Seek Billions More in Aid "General Motors and Chrysler, two flagships of traditional American manufacturing, reported yesterday that the decline of the U.S. economy has outpaced their bleakest expectations of just two months ago, forcing them to significantly boost their request for billions of dollars in government aid." Automakers Seek $14 Billion More in Aid"The price tag for bailing out General Motors and Chrysler jumped by another $14 billion Tuesday, to $39 billion, with the two automakers saying they would need the additional aid from the federal government to remain solvent."
Hunger. More aid sought to fight hunger in Ohio "More than 1.8 million Ohioans came to a food pantry for groceries in the final three months of 2008. That's a 25 percent increase from the final quarter of the previous year and a demand that has overwhelmed the state's emergency food network."
Death penalty. U.S. states may axe executions to cut costs "In an unexpected twist to the economic crisis, several U.S. states are weighing whether to abolish the death penalty as the execution process proves too great a drain on dwindling resources."
MLK III to India. Son Marks Martin Luther King's 1959 Visit to India "Fifty years after his parents, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, traveled to India to study Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy of nonviolence, Martin Luther King III is in India to retrace his late father's footsteps."
Obama to Canada. Obama aims to rebuild alliances "U.S. President Barack Obama is embarking on his first foreign visit conveying a tone of courtship - hinting that he hopes progress in Afghanistan will convince Canada to keep troops there after 2011, but saying he won't ask Stephen Harper to commit this week." Building relationship main goal of visit: Obama "U.S. President Barack Obama won't pressure Prime Minister Stephen Harper to keep Canadian troops in Afghanistan beyond the 2011 deadline for withdrawal."
Clinton in Asia. Hillary Clinton goes to bat as top U.S. diplomat "In the opening hours of her first trip abroad in the new position, Clinton on Tuesday issued a warning to North Korea, signed a military agreement and conferred with senior Japanese officials about topics including the world financial crisis." North Korea will face sanctions if test goes ahead, says Seoul "The warning by South Korea's Foreign Minister, Yu Myung Hwan, came as the U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, continues a tour of Asia in which she is attempting to co-ordinate regional policy towards North Korea."
Afghanistan. Putting Stamp on Afghan War, Obama Will Send 17,000 Troops" President Obama said Tuesday that he would send an additional 17,000 American troops to Afghanistan this spring and summer, putting his stamp firmly on a war that he has long complained is going in the wrong direction." More Troops Headed to Afghanistan "President Obama has ordered the first combat deployments of his presidency, saying yesterday that he had authorized an additional 17,000 U.S. troops 'to stabilize a deteriorating situation' in Afghanistan." Obama orders more troops to Afghanistan "President Obama ordered his first major deployment of U.S. combat troops Tuesday, authorizing 17,000 additional soldiers and Marines for Afghanistan in what he described as an urgent bid to stabilize a deteriorating and neglected country." As more Afghan civilians die, so does trust of U.S. forces "No issue threatens to undermine the growing U.S. military mission in Afghanistan more than civilian casualties, which have turned more and more Afghans against international troops, created a rift between the U.S. and President Hamid Karzai and delivered Taliban insurgents an easy issue to exploit."
Iraq. Volatile Anbar province a test of Iraq's future "Now, after the provincial elections, Anbar is at the center of hopes that a unified, democratic Iraq can emerge from six years of sectarian strife."
Pakistan. Secrecy and denial as Pakistan lets CIA use airbase to strike militants "The CIA is secretly using an airbase in southern Pakistan to launch the Predator drones that observe and attack al-Qaeda and Taliban militants on the Pakistani side of the border with Afghanistan, a Times investigation has found." Pakistan Lends Support for U.S. Military Strikes "Pakistan's leaders have publicly denounced U.S. missile strikes as an attack on the country's sovereignty, but privately Pakistani military and intelligence officers are aiding these attacks and have given significant support to recent U.S. missions."
Israel-Gaza. Captive deal 'key to Gaza truce' "Israel's security cabinet has decided there will be no truce in Gaza until an Israeli soldier captured in 2006 is freed, Israel's interior minister says."
Iran. Report: Israel waging covert war against Iranian nuclear program "Israel is assassinating Iranian nuclear scientists as part of a covert war against the Islamic Republic's illicit weapons program, the Daily Telegraph reported yesterday, quoting Western intelligence analysts." Russia freezes sale of S-300 to Iran "Russia has frozen the sale of the state-of-the-art S-300 anti-aircraft missiles to Iran, the Russian newspaper Kommersant reported Wednesday."
Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe nominee will face trial "A magistrate in Zimbabwe has ruled that there is enough evidence for politician Roy Bennett to face charges including that of terrorism." Extended custody for MDC official "Police in Zimbabwe are to hold a leading member of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) for at least two more days after prosecutors failed to show up at court."
Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan War Nears End, but Peace Remains Distant "The government similarly declared victory here in Eastern Province 18 months ago. Though there are clear hints of reconstruction, the fear and lack of development apparent in the area reveal just how far the government still has to go to win the peace, even if its forces ultimately prevail on the battlefield."
Darfur. Peace hopes rise on Sudan prisoner swap deal "The strongest rebel group in Darfur signed an accord with the Sudanese Government yesterday, preparing the ground for future peace talks. Negotiators said that the two sides had agreed an exchange of prisoners in the first of a series of goodwill gestures."
Syria. Assad urges U.S. to rebuild diplomatic road to Damascus "Assad used a rare newspaper interview to set out his hopes for a new relationship with the U.S. now the Bush era is over - one he hopes will see Washington act as the 'main arbiter' in the moribund Middle East peace process. 'There is no substitute for the United States,' Assad said."
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