The latest news on Economy, Republicans, Democrats, Homelessness, Family Leave Act. Wolfowitz is back, Gaza, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Sudan, Kenya, Editorial, and Opinion.

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Economy.  Bush, House Hammer Out $150 Billion Stimulus Bill "House leaders and the Bush administration reached agreement on a $150 billion economic stimulus package that would quickly send hundreds of dollars to poor and middle-class workers while offering businesses one-time incentives to invest in new equipment." Deal on economic stimulus reached "The centerpiece of the plan is a rebate of as much as $1,200 per household -- even more for families with children -- that could be mailed to most taxpayers as soon as late spring." Deal Spotlights Rarity Of Bipartisan Action "As they unveiled a $150 billion package of tax breaks for consumers and businesses, Republicans and Democrats hoped to rescue not only a troubled economy but also a government that increasingly has seemed as if it could not get anything done."

Republicans. Fiscal fix tops GOP debate "When the five Republican presidential candidates faced off in their final debate before Tuesday's Florida primary, the prime topic, just as on the campaign trail, was the floundering U.S. economy." Republicans Play to Right in Fla. Debate "Republican White House hopefuls called on President Bush to embrace deeper tax cuts to stimulate the economy, as each sought to portray himself to Florida voters as the true conservative" GOP rivals keep it calm "The extraordinary civility of a five-way Republican debate, staged just five days before a Florida primary election that will prove critical to the fates of most of the candidates, underscores how concerned all of these Republicans are about alienating any potential voters here." At Debate on the Economy, Republicans Become Kindest of Candidates "With the fiercely contested Florida primary election just days away, the Republican presidential candidates engaged in some decidedly gentle sparring as they all tried to cast themselves as able fiscal stewards who could steer the nation's increasingly precarious economy back to health."

Democrats. Clinton, Obama Back Off Attacks Sens. "Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama stepped back from the brink in their war of words, with each pulling harsh radio ads from local airwaves and seeking to play down intraparty tensions." Clinton, Obama focus on economy "Sen. Hillary Clinton promised voters that she would fight for college affordability, energy independence and health care, … Meanwhile, in his travels around the state, Sen. Barack Obama also focused on the economy," Democrats Test Messages in Early Nationwide Ads "A coast-to-coast onslaught of presidential campaign advertisements began rolling out this week, with Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton already spending millions on commercials in Feb. 5 nominating states on a scale more reminiscent of a general election."Kucinich abandons White House bid "Democrat Dennis Kucinich, whose second White House bid yielded only tepid support, now faces a fight to keep his job in Congress."

Homelessness. A Growing Desperation "Faith McHale lives at a Laurel shelter for women, and her husband stays at a nearby men's shelter. They lost their home after his carpentry work dried up. Shelter providers and advocates for indigent are conducting the eighth annual count of the region's homeless."

Family Leave Act. Changes in Family Leave Act Proposed "The Bush administration is proposing the first changes in more than a decade to regulations that give workers unpaid leave to deal with family or medical emergencies, a move that concerns some of the law's supporters who want to see it expanded." Labor Dept. Working on Changes for Families Coping With Illness and Military Duty "Labor Department officials said that they had proposed new regulations that address some corporate complaints that workers are abusing the Family and Medical Leave Act."

Segregation returns. Resegregation of U.S. schools deepening "It's a trend that is occurring around the country and is even more pronounced than expected in the wake of court cases dismantling both mandated and voluntary integration programs,"

Wolfowitz is back. Wolfowitz picked for arms control panel "Former World Bank chief Paul Wolfowitz will head a high-level advisory panel on arms control and disarmament, the State Department said Thursday."

Gaza. Egypt toughens stance at border "Egyptian troops today continued to reassert control of the border with Gaza by using water cannon and laying down barbed wire to block Palestinians from leaving the territory." Egypt moves to seal border with Gaza "Egyptian soldiers with dogs and water cannons moved to seal their nation's border Friday in a bid to bring an end to a frenetic two-day Palestinian shopping spree." Violence erupts at Gaza border "Thousands of Palestinians, many of them carrying empty fuel canisters, managed to push through several openings despite the presence of the Egyptians deployed nine rows deep in some places." Palestinians keep flooding into Egypt, but Cairo off limits "Egyptian authorities made it clear that they viewed Wednesday's razing of part of the border wall as a way to meet immediate humanitarian needs, not as a permanent solution to other issues such as limits on Gazans' freedom of movement." Gazans relish breach in blockade "As throngs of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip poured for a second day Thursday over a breached border into Egypt, bringing back truckloads of supplies, Egypt promised that order would soon be restored but did not stop the human tide."

Iraq. Iraq ready for "final" battle with al Qaeda "Iraqi security forces have begun a "decisive" final offensive against al Qaeda in Iraq to push the Sunni Islamist militants out of their last major stronghold in the north, Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said on Friday." U.S. Asking Iraq for Wide Rights on War"With its international mandate in Iraq set to expire in 11 months, the Bush administration will insist that the government in Baghdad give the United States broad authority to conduct combat operations and guarantee civilian contractors specific legal protections from Iraqi law," U.S. defends proposed Iraq accord "Bush administration officials sought to defuse criticism over a proposed agreement with the Iraqi government, saying the U.S. would seek neither permanent bases in Iraq nor a commitment to a set number of American troops." Bush plan for Iraq would be a first "President Bush's plan to forge a long-term agreement with the Iraqi government that could commit the US military to defending Iraq's security would be the first time such a sweeping mutual defense compact has been enacted without congressional approval,"

Iran. UN Powers Agree on More Iran Sanctions "Major U.N. Security Council powers have agreed on an incremental increase in sanctions on Iran, including a new restriction on exporters doing business with the country," UN Iran sanctions draft 'agreed' "A draft UN resolution on new sanctions against Iran will include curbs on trade and a travel ban for Iranian nuclear scientists," Iran reformists threaten to boycott vote "Moderate Iranian politicians barred from participating in upcoming parliamentary elections vowed to fight the disqualifications and threatened to boycott the vote."

Pakistan. US ready to send troops to Pakistan "Robert Gates, the US defence secretary, has said the United States is prepared to send troops to Pakistan to fight alongside the country's forces against Islamic fighters." Pakistani leader dismisses U.S. worries about al Qaida "While top U.S. military officials warn that al Qaida radicals are determined to destabilize Pakistan, President Pervez Musharraf said that his government had succeeded in all but eliminating the group from his country."

Sudan. U.S. Sudan envoy has sharp elbows "President Bush's new special envoy to Sudan does not lack for diplomatic experience, having held two senior ambassadorial posts and served as an assistant secretary of state."

Kenya. Kenya's Political Rivals Meet "For the first time since Kenya plunged into postelection chaos four weeks ago, the nation's warring political leaders met face to face, but afterward opposition leaders accused the president of being a fraud."

Editorial. The siege of Gaza has failed (Haaretz) "The diplomatic and security situation that arose on the Israeli-Egyptian border once the Egypt-Gaza border was flung wide open has apparently not yet penetrated the Israeli consciousness. But it is time to start asking pointed questions about the events of this week."

Opinion.

Turning the Triple Play(DAVID FRUM, New York Times) "WHY is the Republicans' three-legged stool wobbling? Why aren't economic, social and political conservatives pulling together during this primary season the way they have in the past?"

Apocalyptic politics (Philip Jenkins, Los Angeles Times)"Evangelical voters are deeply divided, and even religious voters who remain concerned about abortion and homosexuality are deeply unhappy about Iraq, charges of torture and runaway climate change. At least for the present, the dependable Republican coalition forged during the 1970s looks terminally ill."

Darfur's best hope: the ballot box (Nathaniel Myers, Christian Science Monitor) "The peacekeeping mission is urgently needed to improve immediate security, but lasting peace will come to Darfur and the rest of Sudan only when the country is led by a government genuinely committed to the cause. Remove the NCP from power and, as a senior UN official in Sudan told me recently, "the problem in Darfur is over."