The latest news on the Economic Stimulus, Unemployment, Faith Office, Children's Health Insurance, President Visits Pentagon, Israel-Gaza, Sri Lanka, Iraq Election, Afghanistan Election, Iran, and Select Op-eds.

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Economic stimulus. House Passes Obama Stimulus Package "The House approved an $819 billion stimulus package on a near party-line vote yesterday, a plan breathtaking in size and scope that President Obama hopes to make the cornerstone of his efforts to resuscitate the staggering economy." House Passes Stimulus Plan Despite G.O.P. Opposition "Without a single Republican vote, President Obama won House approval on Wednesday for an $819 billion economic recovery plan as Congressional Democrats sought to temper their own differences over the enormous package of tax cuts and spending." Cross-party support fades as Barack Obama rescue passes first test "President Obama's $825 billion (£575 billion) plan to revive America's economy passed the House of Representatives last night - but in the face of unexpectedly fierce Republican opposition and partisan rancor." New political era? Same as the old one "Democrats talked about the jobs to come from modernizing the electric grid, weatherizing homes, and repairing roads and bridges. Republicans too had ideas for reviving the economy, focusing on tax cuts and carefully targeted spending."

Unemployment. Americans receiving jobless benefits hits record "The number of people receiving unemployment benefits has reached an all-time record, the government said Thursday, and more layoffs are spreading throughout the economy." First-time jobless claims up, continuing claims at high "The number of Americans filing for jobless benefits for the first time rose for the third consecutive week to 588,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday, at a time when companies from all sectors of the economy announced the dismissals of tens of thousands of more workers."

Faith office. Leaders Say Obama Has Tapped Pastor for Outreach Office "President Obama plans to name Joshua DuBois, a 26-year-old Pentecostal pastor and political strategist who handled religious outreach for the Obama campaign, to direct a revamped office of faith-based initiatives, according to religious leaders who have been informed about the choice."

Children's health insurance. Senate Likely to Pass Bill on Kids' Health Insurance "The Senate is expected to approve a bill today that provides health insurance to about 11 million low-income children, paving the way for President Obama to claim an early legislative victory and collect a quick down payment on his campaign pledge to guarantee care to every American child."

President visits Pentagon. At Pentagon, Obama Expresses Gratitude, Listens to Concerns "President Obama made another pilgrimage to a key policy outpost yesterday, crossing the Potomac River for the first time since his inauguration to visit the Pentagon, where he met the Joint Chiefs of Staff on their own turf." Obama meets with Joint Chiefs at Pentagon "President Obama said after meeting with top U.S. military leaders Wednesday that targeting extremists would be a top priority for the armed forces in Afghanistan." On Iraq, Obama Faces Hard Choices "As President Obama moves to redefine the nation's mission in Iraq, he faces a difficult choice: Is he willing to abandon a campaign promise or risk a rupture with the military? Or can he finesse the difference?"

Israel-Gaza. Gaza Violence Complicates Mitchell Mission "A day after President Obama's special Middle East envoy called for a consolidation of the fragile Gaza cease-fire, the truce came under new strain Thursday when the Israeli military said Palestinians fired a rocket into Israel at dawn and Israel launched an air attack into southern Gaza." U.S. peace envoy rolls up his sleeves in Israel "George J. Mitchell, the new U.S. envoy to the Middle East, arrived in Israel on Wednesday to begin testing his axiom that there's no such thing as a conflict that cannot be ended." Olmert, Barak and Livni tell Mitchell: We will respond to every Hamas violation of truce "Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni told United States Mideast envoy George Mitchell that Israel would respond to every Hamas violation of the cease-fire, be they rocket attacks, strikes along the border fence or smuggling through tunnels." U.S. envoy holds talks with Abbas "The U.S. special envoy to the Middle East has met the Palestinian president in the Israeli-occupied West Bank as part of a wider regional tour."

Sri Lanka. 250,000 Civilians Stuck in Sri Lanka War Zone, Red Cross, U.N. Say "With fighting intensifying and civilians trapped, the International Committee of the Red Cross is demanding that both Sri Lankan government troops and warring separatist rebels allow humanitarian workers into the war-shattered northeast of the South Asian island." Sri Lankans rescued from war zone "A U.N. convoy has removed hundreds of people wounded in the crossfire between Sri Lankan government forces and Tamil Tiger fighters, the world body says."

Iraq election. Iraq voters cast early ballots in provincial elections "Soldiers, police, prisoners and hospital patients cast early ballots Wednesday in provincial elections that are intended to redistribute power across Iraq and help quell sectarian and ethnic strife." Iraqi Women Vie for Votes and Taste of Power "Encouraged by security improvements throughout the country, thousands of women are running for council seats in the provincial elections. Of the estimated 14,400 candidates, close to 4,000 are women." Analysis: Saturday's elections a crucial test for Iraqi democracy "This Saturday, when Iraqis cast their ballots for 14 provincial councils, will be the first real test of Iraq's American-made democracy. Whether Iraqis reject or accept peaceful transfers of power will be the first credible indication of whether departing U.S. troops will leave behind a democratic Iraq or a failed state."

Afghanistan election. Afghanistan delays presidential elections "Afghanistan's presidential elections, due this year, were delayed by several months today and serious concerns remain about whether the polls can be held even by the new date in August." Afghanistan elections postponed "The decision to delay the elections, announced on Thursday by the Independent Election Commission, was attributed to a clause in the constitution citing that a lack of security makes a vote impossible."

Iran. Revealed: the letter Obama team hope will heal Iran rift "Officials of Barack Obama's administration have drafted a letter to Iran from the president aimed at unfreezing U.S.-Iranian relations and opening the way for face-to-face talks, the Guardian has learned."

Opinion. Putting Torture Behind Us (Nicholas D. Kristof, New York Times) "President Obama is resisting calls for an investigation into torture and other abuses during the Bush years, so the chance to learn from our mistakes is slipping away."

Editorial. How to feed the hungry billion (Christian Science Monitor) "Before the global economic crisis, there was the global food crisis. Last year, soaring prices for basic foods sparked riots in about 30 countries. In June, the U.N. held a summit to tackle it. In July, the G-8 pledged to act. But in the fall, the floor fell out from the financial markets. Now, like a mountain of maize, countries' economic worries threaten to bury their concerns about rising world hunger."