The latest news on Immigration, Congress, Stimulus Jobs, Recession Anxiety, Canada Unemployment, Obamas Seek Church, President's Council, Health Workers & Conscience, Creation, Protesting Priest, Iran, Iraq, Unity Against Taliban, and Somali Hostage.

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Immigration. Obama to Push Immigration Bill Despite the Risks "While acknowledging that the recession makes the political battle more difficult, President Obama plans to begin addressing the country's immigration system this year, including looking for a path for illegal immigrants to become legal." U.S. citizens caught up in immigration sweeps "Immigration raids of factories and other work sites often result in at least a short-term detention of lawful residents and even citizens, as agents seal targeted businesses and grill workers about their status."

Congress. Congress Ready to Slow Pace, Face Long-Term Issues "After approving more than $1.5 trillion to bail out Wall Street and stimulate the economy and nearly passing a $3.5 billion budget blueprint in its initial legislative sprint, Congress will return from a two-week break later this month at a definitive point for President Obama's ambitious goals."

Stimulus jobs. Blacks, women protest Obama order on use of union labor "A group of 50 advocacy organizations has asked President Barack Obama to issue an executive order that encourages the hiring and training of minorities, women and low-income residents to work on federal construction projects, particularly those funded by the economic stimulus package."

Recession anxiety. Recession Anxiety Seeps Into Everyday Lives "With economic damage expected to last months or years, such reactions are becoming common, experts say. Anxiety, depression and stress are troubling people everywhere, many not suffering significant economic losses, but worrying they will or simply reacting to pervasive uncertainty."

Canada unemployment. Jobless rate hits seven-year high "The recession ravaged the Canadian job market again in March, eliminating 61,300 jobs - all full time - and pushing the unemployment rate up to 8 per cent, the highest in seven years."

Obamas seek church. Obamas seek new church as Easter nears "With Easter four days away, the Great Church Search is on for the Obamas, who are seeking a presidential place of worship in Washington nearly a year after a divisive break from their Chicago church and the incendiary sermons of its controversial pastor."

President's Council. Obama's faith-based council still finding its footing "Advisers tapped to help guide the White House's revamped faith-based office say their role is still evolving as the initiative expands its portfolio and tries to find its footing in the young Obama administration." First look at faith council "A quasi-gathering of President Obama's new Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships council happened earlier this week, drawing an assortment of policy wonks, Washington insiders and outside-the-Beltway religious leaders."

Health workers & conscience. Health Workers and Religious Exemptions "A group of faith leaders, including five from the president's own hand-picked faith advisory group, just released a signed document calling for the Obama Administration to be much more specific about what kind of exemptions religious health care workers should be entitled to when it comes to tasks they morally oppose." Pro-life health workers fight for conscience protections "About 40 doctors, medical students, nurses and lab technicians - all dressed in white lab coats - lined up at the National Press Club on Wednesday to dramatize their opposition to rescinding the extra protections put into place last December by President Bush."

Creation. Israel celebrates blessing of the sun "Across this spectacular vista at this very moment, according to Talmudic calculations, the rising sun was returning to the exact position it occupied at the time of Creation, repeating a phenomenon said to occur every 28 years." Thanks for the sun, God "The tradition isn't really a blessing of the sun but rather of God for creating it and all of Earth."

Protesting priest. Protesting priest's path leads repeatedly to jail "Father Louis Vitale has lost track of how many times he has been arrested. More than 200, he figures, maybe 300. The gaunt Franciscan friar figures he's spent a year and a half behind bars. At 76, he is ready to go to jail again."

Iran. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad may claim Iranian nuclear advance "Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, is today expected to claim major progress in his country's nuclear program at a critical moment in U.S.-Iranian relations." U.S. to Join Future Talks on Iran "The United States said yesterday that it would directly participate 'from now on' in international talks with Iran over its nuclear activities, the latest move in the Obama administration's promised diplomatic outreach to the Tehran government." Iran to 'consider' nuclear talks "Iran will consider a 'constructive' offer issued by six world powers to hold talks on its nuclear program, an adviser to the country's president has said."

Iraq. Shia crowds decry U.S. role in Iraq "Tens of thousands of supporters of Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr have rallied against the U.S. presence in Iraq, six years after Saddam Hussein's fall."

Unity against Taliban. U.S. calls for unity against Taliban "The U.S. special representative to Pakistan and Afghanistan has said that India's government and Islamabad must work together to tackle Taliban- and al-Qaeda-linked fighters in the region."

Somali hostage. FBI in hostage talks with Somalis "The U.S. Navy has called in FBI hostage negotiators to help secure the release of a U.S. captain held by Somali pirates in a lifeboat in the Indian Ocean." U.S. Captain Is Hostage of Pirates; Navy Ship Arrives "A high-seas drama unfolded off the coast of Africa on Wednesday, as Somali pirates seized a United States-flagged cargo ship and held 20 American sailors hostage. The crew managed to retake the ship within hours, but not before the pirates had spirited away the ship's captain and held him for ransom."