The latest news on Obama in Canada, Faith-Based Sector Hurting, Budget, ELCA-Gay Clergy, Mexico Migration, Recession and Crime, Iran, North Korea Nuclear Talks, Irsael, Afghanistan, Darfur, and Missile Defense.

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Obama in Canada. A new era of co-operation "Barack Obama and Stephen Harper reset Canada-U.S. relations in three hours of meetings Friday, bending over backwards to dispel tension from the George W. Bush era and pledging to co-operate at the border and around the world." Leaders talk climate, economy in brief Obama visit "As they affirmed a friendship steeped in history, Barack Obama and Stephen Harper presented a sweeping agenda to tackle climate change, right the world economy and fight shoulder to shoulder -- at least until 2011 -- in Afghanistan." Adoring crowds greet Obama in Canada "President Obama made a seven-hour pit stop in this snow-draped Canadian capital Thursday, an inaugural foreign trip as president in which he sought to reaffirm good-neighborly relations and encountered crowds almost giddy at his presence." Obama Makes Overtures to Canada's Leader "President Obama charted a delicate course with Canada on Thursday, using the first foreign trip of his presidency to ease tensions over trade policy, climate change and the war in Afghanistan - all the while basking in his celebrity status in a nation where his approval ratings are so high that a local bakery named a pastry after him."

Faith-based sector hurting. Government Cutbacks Leave Faith-Based Services Hurting "Faith-based charities, which provide an enormous array of private social services to the nation's sick, elderly and poor, are facing unprecedented cutbacks from one of their biggest funders: the government." Newly Poor Swell Lines at Food Banks Nationwide "Demand at food banks across the country increased by 30 percent in 2008 from the previous year, according to a survey by Feeding America, which distributes more than two billion pounds of food every year." Charities Now Seek Bankruptcy Protection "Traditionally, insolvent organizations have simply closed their doors and filed a plan of dissolution with the charity regulator in their state. But in the last six months, nonprofit groups that include cultural institutions and social service agencies have filed to reorganize or liquidate themselves under the bankruptcy code."

Budget. Events Designed To Prepare Nation For Budget Plan "When President Obama rolls out his first budget proposal next week, it will contain some of the ugliest deficit numbers this nation has seen since the end of World War II." Obama Bans Gimmicks, and Deficit Will Rise "For his first annual budget next week, President Obama has banned four accounting gimmicks that President George W. Bush used to make deficit projections look smaller. The price of more honest bookkeeping: A budget that is $2.7 trillion deeper in the red over the next decade than it would otherwise appear." Congress Turns to Budget Bill "Unlike the emergency recovery plan rushed through Capitol Hill in a matter of weeks, this covers the regular functions of government, from education to agriculture."

ELCA-gay clergy. Lutheran panel supports gay unions and clergy "A task force of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America recommended Thursday that its leaders officially recognize same-sex unions and allow gays in committed relationships to serve as clergy." Lutherans consider actively gay clergy "America's largest Lutheran body inched closer to ordaining actively gay clergy with a recommendation Thursday that the 4.7-million-member church vote on the matter at its convention this summer."

Mexico migration. Government: Mexican migration abroad plunges by more than 50 percent in 1 year "Migration from Mexico, mainly to the United States, has fallen dramatically as fewer Mexicans leave their country to look for work abroad amid a global economic downturn, the government said Thursday."

Recession and crime. Rising crime could be the recession's next effect "Experts say that the next piece of collateral damage from the recession could be a spike in crime, as rising unemployment and widespread law-enforcement budget cuts begin to take their toll."

Iran. Iran Has More Enriched Uranium Than Thought "In their first appraisal of Iran's nuclear program since President Obama took office, atomic inspectors have found that Iran recently understated by a third how much uranium it has enriched, United Nations officials said Thursday." Iran has enough fuel for a nuclear bomb, report says "Iran has enough nuclear fuel to build a bomb if it decides to take the drastic steps of violating its international treaty obligations, kicking out inspectors and further refining its supply." Iran Easing Aspects Of Nuclear Program "Iran appears to be putting the brakes on key aspects of its controversial nuclear program, U.N. officials said yesterday in a report that nonetheless showed Tehran edging closer to nuclear-weapons capability." IAEA: Iran slowing down enrichment "The U.N. watchdog said that Tehran had increased the number of centrifuges refining uranium by only 164 from 3,800 in November."

North Korea nuclear talks. Clinton calls for N. Korea nuclear talks "The U.S. secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, today demanded that North Korea end preparations to launch a ballistic missile and warned that a rumored succession struggle in Pyongyang could have an unpredictable effect on the regime." Clinton anxious of power vacuum in North Korea "Hillary Clinton, the U.S. Secretary of State, today expressed anxiety about a power vacuum in North Korea, and warned that a change of leadership there could result in more uncertainty and provocative actions from the Pyongyang Government." Clinton Addresses N. Korea Succession "When Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton warned Thursday that a succession battle in North Korea could complicate nuclear negotiations with that country's government, she broke an informal taboo."

Israel. Netanyahu to rivals: Time to unite for Israel's sake "Likud Chairman Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday accepted a mandate to form Israel's next government and immediately called for a broad, national unity coalition with centrist and left-wing partners." Netanyahu chosen to be Israeli PM "Shimon Peres, Israel's president, has asked Benyamin Netanyahu, the leader of the Likud party, to form a new coalition government within six weeks." Israel ultranationalist Lieberman backs Netanyahu "Conservative opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday moved closer to winning the Israeli prime minister's post, gaining the endorsement of ultranationalist politician Avigdor Lieberman in a development likely to slow any movement toward a peace settlement with the Palestinians." As U.S. lawmakers visit, Mideast ponders what comes next "For the first time in nearly a decade, U.S. lawmakers toured the isolated, battle-scarred Gaza Strip Thursday in a high-profile visit that came as the new Obama administration in Washington is developing its diplomatic priorities for the Middle East."

Afghanistan. U.S. expands prison in Afghanistan "The U.S. military is about to complete a $60m expansion to its prison at the Bagram air base in Afghanistan, where it holds more than 600 so-called enemy combatants." A U.S. patrol finds anger and distrust in Afghanistan "Five miles from the muddy bazaar where smiling merchants offered tea to U.S. Army Col. David Haight and insisted that outsiders were making all the trouble, a deadly reception had been prepared for his five-vehicle patrol."

Darfur. Sudan rebels accuse army of attacks "Sudan's Justice and Equality Movement (Jem) has accused the army of attacks just hours after the rebel group signed a key agreement on Darfur with the government."

Missile defense. U.S. rethinking missile defense in Europe, Gates tells NATO "Easing the U.S. push for a European missile defense system, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told NATO allies Thursday that the Obama administration was reviewing plans for the controversial program and hoped to reopen talks with Moscow, which is bitterly opposed to the project."