The latest news on the Budget Resolution, Education, Employee Free Choice Act, Economy, Judicial Nominees, Border Fence, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Darfur, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Israel, and Select Op-eds.

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Budget resolution. Senate passes $410-billion spending bill "The Senate today passed the $410 billion omnibus spending bill that critics say also includes billions of dollars of political pork." Senate Approves $410 Billion Bill to Fund Federal Government "The Senate gave final approval last night to a $410 billion spending bill to fund most of the federal government for the remainder of the year after overcoming a resilient Republican opposition and several Democratic defections."

Education. Obama Criticizes U.S. Schools, Calls for Reform "President Obama sharply criticized the nation's public schools yesterday, calling for changes that would reward good teachers and replace bad ones, increase spending, and establish uniform academic achievement standards in American education." Public education in U.S. falls short, Obama says "President Barack Obama strongly condemned the state of public education Tuesday, calling for more charter schools, higher salaries for effective teachers and the faster firing of bad ones, an agenda that could put him at odds with some longtime Democratic stalwarts in teachers unions." Obama seeks higher standards for education "President Barack Obama on Tuesday laid out his vision for changes to the American education system, which includes a controversial plan to increase pay for high-performing teachers as well as more money for states that raise student standards, track student progress and cut the dropout rate."

Employee Free Choice Act. Fierce Lobbying Greets Bill to Help Workers Unionize "Business and organized labor unleashed what each called its biggest lobbying effort in history on Tuesday as Democrats in the House and Senate introduced legislation that would make it far easier for workers to unionize." Democrats open to compromise on card check "Democratic leaders hinted Tuesday that compromise may be needed to get wavering lawmakers on board for a bill to make union organizing easier. The Democrats insisted they are not losing support, but acknowledged that some changes might be needed."

Economy. 21% of Americans scramble to cover medical, drug bills "As the economy fell, the percentage who reported having trouble paying for needed health care or medicines during the previous 12 months rose from 18% in January 2008 to 21% in December, according to the poll of 355,334 Americans." As Jobs Vanish, Motel Rooms Become Home for Some "As the recession has deepened, longtime workers who lost their jobs are facing the terror and stigma of homelessness for the first time, including those who have owned or rented for years." U.S. states step up efforts to help jobless "Almost every day, governors announce new programs to help the growing ranks of the unemployed find jobs. New York State plans to give the rural unemployed gas cards to make it easier to get to job interviews, while Washington State will hold summer job-training programs for youth for the first time in 10 years."

Judicial nominees. Obama's Court Nominees Are Focus of Speculation "President Obama will soon begin naming nominees to the federal appeals courts, a step that will provide the first signs of how he plans to shape the nation's judiciary."

Border fence. 'Virtual fence' gets second chance on U.S. border "The Homeland Security Department is accelerating plans to build a costly and long-troubled 'virtual fence' of sensors and cameras along the U.S.-Mexican border, aided by $100 million from the economic stimulus package."

Iran. U.S., Israel at Odds Over Iran's Nuclear Weapons Aspirations "Iran has not produced the highly enriched uranium necessary for a nuclear weapon and has not decided to do so, U.S. intelligence officials told Congress yesterday, an assessment that contrasts with a stark Israeli warning days earlier that Iran has crossed the 'technological threshold' in its pursuit of the bomb." U.S.: Iran undecided on nuclear bomb "Iran has not decided whether to build a nuclear weapon bomb and does not have any highly enriched uranium to create one, senior U.S. intelligence officials say." U.S. may soon make overture to Iran leader "The Obama administration is leaning toward a major diplomatic overture to Iran before the country's presidential elections in June, two senior European diplomats say." Iran president's vulnerabilities showing "Bad news hammered Iran's hard-line president Tuesday as a restless parliament rejected major elements of his proposed budget, an ally lost a bid for a key post held by a powerful cleric and a former prime minister announced that he was gunning for his job in upcoming elections."

Afghanistan. Biden Asks NATO Allies for More Support in Afghanistan "Vice President Biden told NATO allies here Tuesday that the Obama administration wants their help building a new strategy in Afghanistan because growing security threats there affect all 26 countries in the alliance and because only by working together can they stop terrorist attacks." Fears grow Iraq violence will doom Obama's Afghan plan "As the U.S. military begins to shift its focus to a new battle against extremists in Afghanistan, a recent spike in violence in Iraq has some military commanders worried that their Afghan strategy could falter with the need to keep a large force in Iraq to quell the mayhem there." Al Qaeda's Afghanistan presence increasing, U.S. official says "Al Qaeda has expanded its presence in Afghanistan, taking advantage of the sinking security situation to resurface in the country it was forced to flee seven years ago, the top U.S. military intelligence official testified Tuesday." As U.S. Weighs Taliban Negotiations, Afghans Are Already Talking "Even as President Obama floated the idea of negotiating with moderate elements of the Taliban, Afghan and foreign officials here said that preliminary discussions with the Taliban leadership were already under way and could be developed into more formal talks with the support of the United States."

Pakistan. Pakistan bans protests in political crackdown "Pakistan launched early-morning raids on lawyers, activists and political opponents today and banned protests in its largest province ahead of planned rallies in a move that threatened to further destabilize the government's already shaky rule." Pakistan arrests ahead of protest "Police in Pakistan have arrested dozens of lawyers and opposition activists ahead of an anti-government protest march due to begin on Thursday.

Darfur. Millions of Darfuris at greater risk with aid groups' removal "Sudan's expulsion of more than a dozen international aid groups not only puts the lives of at least 1 million displaced Darfuris at risk of starvation, it could also set off a series of regional conflicts."

Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe's unity government faces huge hurdles "Tsvangirai promises reform and a better future, but he's trapped in a difficult situation. Without money from the West, his team has no hope of success. But he is unlikely to get that aid with Mugabe in power. And failure by Tsvangirai would suit Mugabe and his hard-line allies just fine."

South Africa. Waiting to Helm South Africa: President or Convict? Or Both? "If all goes as expected, South Africa will soon be led by a president who is also the defendant in a criminal case, a man accused of fraud and racketeering, legally empowered to select officials who could either drop his prosecution or push it forward."

Israel. For Israel, Sderot Symbolizes Conflict's Toll "Sderot, hard by the Gaza Strip and the frequent target of rocket attacks, has become central to Israel's telling of its conflict with the Palestinians. From a hill on the outskirts of town, one can easily see the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanoun."

Opinion. The coming evangelical collapse (Michael Spencer, Christian Science Monitor) "We are on the verge - within 10 years - of a major collapse of evangelical Christianity. This breakdown will follow the deterioration of the mainline Protestant world and it will fundamentally alter the religious and cultural environment in the West." This Is Not a Test. This Is Not a Test. (Thomas L. Friedman, New York Times) "Economically, this financial crisis is the big one. This is August 1914. This is the morning after Pearl Harbor. This is 9/12. Yet, in too many ways, we seem to be playing politics as usual."