The latest news on Obama and Pastors, Budget, Employee Free Choice Act, Bailout, Torture and Terrorism, Nonprofit Volunteers, Canadians Visit U.S. War Resister, El Salvador, Afghanistan, West Bank, Iraq, Darfur, Pakistan, Iran, Pope to Africa, and Select

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Obama and pastors. Without a Pastor of His Own, Obama Turns to Five "President Obama has been without a pastor or a home church ever since he cut his ties to the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. in the heat of the presidential campaign. But he has quietly cultivated a handful of evangelical pastors for private prayer sessions on the telephone and for discussions on the role of religion in politics."

Budget. Greatest threat to Obama spending plan? Moderate Dems "Government spending on most domestic programs is growing at its fastest pace in nearly 30 years, and a lot of worried Democrats are seeking ways to rewrite and reduce the size of President Barack Obama's budget proposals."

Employee free choice act. AFL-CIO pledges votes for Specter "Angling for a critical Senate swing vote to pass the 'card check' bill that would make it easier to form unions, Pennsylvania labor leaders promised Sen. Arlen Specter that they will switch union members from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party to help him win a tough 2010 primary election." Labor Union Bill Raises Broader Capitalism Issues "The Employee Free Choice Act seemed destined to be a relatively narrow clash between unions and employers. But amid the economic downturn, it is turning into a debate over fundamental questions of American capitalism."

Bailout. AIG names firms that got bailout cash "American International Group Inc. bowed to increasing pressure in Congress on Sunday and disclosed the names of dozens of banks and other institutions that benefited from the first chunk of $180 billion in bailout funds it received." Bracing for a Bailout Backlash "The Obama administration is increasingly concerned about a populist backlash against banks and Wall Street, worried that anger at financial institutions could also end up being directed at Congress and the White House and could complicate President Obama's agenda."

Torture and terrorism. Red Cross Described 'Torture' at CIA Jails "The International Committee of the Red Cross concluded in a secret report that the Bush administration's treatment of al-Qaeda captives 'constituted torture,' a finding that strongly implied that CIA interrogation methods violated international law, according to newly published excerpts from the long-concealed 2007 document." Cheney: Obama terrorism policies make U.S. vulnerable "Former Vice President Dick Cheney said Sunday that President Obama has intensified the nation's risk of terrorist attacks by jettisoning key elements of the Bush administration's aggressive approach."

Nonprofit volunteers. From Ranks of Jobless, a Flood of Volunteers "After being laid off, Ms. Traina, 50, enlisted in the growing army of the newly unemployed that have been marching into the offices of nonprofit organizations since the recession hit, looking to do some good, maybe network a little or simply fill the hours they used to be at the office."

Canadians visit U.S. war resister. Canadian Parliament members visit U.S. war deserter being held in brig in San Diego "Two Canadian Parliament members on Sunday visited a U.S. Army deserter being held in a brig in San Diego after unsuccessfully trying to seek refuge in Canada."

El Salvador. El Salvador elects first leftist president "Salvadorans on Sunday elected a former TV reporter as the country's first leftist president, unseating a conservative party that ruled for two decades and choosing a government that will be dominated by former guerrillas." Leftist Party Wins Presidency in El Salvador "El Salvador's F.M.L.N., the leftist party of the country's former guerrillas, won the presidential election Sunday after a bruising election campaign, marking a turning point after two decades of rule by the right."

Afghanistan. Roadside Bomb Kills 4 Troops in Afghanistan "A roadside bomb killed four American soldiers in eastern Afghanistan on Sunday -- new evidence of rising violence in a region where clashes and attacks in the first two months of 2009 more than doubled from the same period a year ago."

West Bank. Two policemen shot to death in W. Bank "Two police officers were killed last night by shots fired at their patrol car near the settlement of Masu'a, in the northern West Bank. Police suspect the shots were fired by Palestinian terrorists." West Bank shooting kills 2 Israeli police "Two Israeli policemen were shot to death Sunday while traveling in their vehicle near a Jewish settlement in the West Bank, and authorities said they suspected a Palestinian attack."

Iraq. In Iraq withdrawal, equipment poses a key logistical challenge "The American withdrawal from Iraq marks the beginning of one of the largest relocations of military hardware and manpower in recent years. But much of the equipment will not be returning to the United States."

Darfur. Captors free Darfur aid workers "The medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) has confirmed the release of four staff members abducted in Sudan's western Darfur region." Sudan to 'expel all aid groups' "Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir says he wants all international aid groups out of the country within a year." 'Leave aid at airport and go' Sudan workers told "Sudan's humanitarian crisis slipped further towards catastrophe today as President Omar al-Bashir announced that he planned to rid the country of all foreign aid workers within a year as part of a clamp down on 'spies.'"

Pakistan. Pakistan Leader Backs Down and Reinstates Top Judge "The Pakistani government agreed early on Monday to reinstate the independent-minded former chief justice of the Supreme Court, a stunning concession to the opposition leader Nawaz Sharif, who had been heading toward the capital in a convoy threatening to stage a mass protest over the issue after he broke free from house arrest at his residence near here." Pakistani Leader Bows to Pressure "Unable to crush street protests Sunday that spilled out of this city and threatened to reach the capital, the Pakistani government announced early Monday morning that it would restore the former chief justice of the Supreme Court and a group of other deposed judges in a major capitulation to opponents." Pakistan reinstates chief justice "Pakistan's government has announced the reinstatement of Iftikhar Chaudhry, the deposed chief justice, in a bid to defuse the country's political crisis and end a protest march that was threatening to turn into a violent confrontation."

Iran. Khatami may quit Iran presidency race "Former Iranian president Mohammad Khatami has said he may withdraw from the presidential election in June if another reformist candidate can pose a strong challenge to the country's hardline establishment."

Pope to Africa. On Africa Trip, Pope Will Find Place Where Church Is Surging Amid Travail "When Pope Benedict XVI embarks on his first trip to Africa as pontiff on Tuesday, traveling to Cameroon and Angola, he will be visiting the future of the Roman Catholic Church, if not its present."

Opinion. Left and Right Come Together on Service (E.J. Dionne Jr., Washington Post) "This week, the House is expected to pass a bill that would increase the number of federally funded service slots to 250,000, and the Senate will soon begin moving similar legislation. The proposals build on the initiatives of our past three presidents -- yes, this is an issue on which George W. Bush deserves credit, too -- and it may even produce that much prized but elusive Washington commodity: a large bipartisan majority." Mr. President, we need more than lip service (David Gushee, USA Today) "Centrist evangelicals like me embraced Barack Obama's campaign pledge to help bridge the gaps of the culture wars. Instead, the president's short record on abortion-related issues is familiar - and disappointing - rather than revolutionary."