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Waterboarding veto, Economy, Medicaid, Intelligence report, Immigration, Congressional election, Climate change, Black-owned farms, Us-Iraq, Pakistan, Israel-Palestine, Andes, Kosovo women, Darfur, Editorial, and selected Commentary.

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Waterboarding veto. Bush vetoes interrogation limits "USPresident George Bush says he has vetoed legislation that would stop the CIA using interrogation methods such as simulated drowning or "water-boarding". Bush's Veto of Bill on C.I.A. Tactics Affirms His Legacy "President Bush further cemented his legacy of fighting for strong executive powers, using his veto to shut down a Congressional effort to limit the Central Intelligence Agency's latitude to subject terrorism suspects to harsh interrogation techniques."

Economy. Sharp Drop in Jobs Adds to Grim Picture of U.S. Economy"The worst fears of consumers, investors and Washington officials were confirmed as deepening paralysis on Wall Street collided with stark new evidence of falling employment and a likely recession." Debate on Economy Grows More Urgent "A surprisingly bleak employment report sent tremors through Washington and roiled the presidential campaign, infusing new urgency into the debate over how to reverse an accelerating economic slide and fueling a political contest over who to blame for it."

Medicaid. White House, Congress to battle over Medicaid for the poor "As the last months of the Bush administration dwindle away, the White House might yet face another showdown with the Democratic Congress, this one over changes in Medicaid rules that could affect millions of low-income children and adults."

Intelligence report. Senate panel critiques prewar claims by White House After an acrimonious investigation that spanned four years, the Senate Intelligence Committee is preparing to release a detailed critique of the Bush administration's claims in the buildup to war with Iraq,"

Immigration. Hate Crimes Linked to Immigration Debate "Anti-immigrant sentiment is fueling nationwide increases in the number of hate groups and the number of hate crimes targeting Latinos," Illegal immigrants slip as hot voter issue "Once billed as the hot-button issue for the 2008 presidential race, pollsters and pundits expect illegal immigration to fade from the spotlight"

Congressional election. Foster win a big blow to GOP "The election of Democrat Bill Foster to a congressional seat held by Republicans for decades illustrated once again the power of timing in politics -- a contest framed by a sour economy that pitted a newcomer against a perennial candidate in a district shifting away from its GOP roots."

Climate change. Southern Baptists Fight Climate Change "In a major shift, a group of Southern Baptist leaders said their denomination has been "too timid" on environmental issues and has a biblical duty to stop global warming." Southern Baptists Back a Shift on Climate Change "Signaling a significant departure from the Southern Baptist Convention's official stance on global warming, 44 Southern Baptist leaders have decided to back a declaration calling for more action on climate change," EU told to prepare for flood of climate change migrants "according to the EU's two senior foreign policy officials, Europe needs to brace itself for a new wave of migration with a very different cause - global warming. The ravages already being inflicted on parts of the developing world by climate change are engendering a new type of refugee, the "environmental migrant".

Black-owned farms. Black farmers work to keep land "as Columbia [SC] expands ever outward, a group of local residents is launching an effort to help people hold on to their property and build an economy. The group, led by state Rep. Joe Neal, intends to teach people to pool resources in traditional farming cooperatives."

US-Iraq. US-Iraq Talks to Start "The United States and Iraq are opening negotiations in Baghdad on a blueprint for a long-term relationship, plus a narrower deal to define the legal basis for a U.S. troop presence," US and Iraq negotiate military ties "The US and Iraq are to start negotiations on a plan for a long-term relationship, as well as an agreement to define a legal basis for a continued military presence in the country,"

Pakistan. Pakistan's victors form government, vow reforms "Pakistan's opposition, victors in the elections last month, agreed to form a government and directly challenged the country's US-backed president, Pervez Musharraf, by pledging to restore the senior judiciary that he had sacked." Pakistan Rivals Join to Fight Musharraf "The leaders of the two major political parties here, in an unexpectedly strong show of unity against President Pervez Musharraf, agreed that they would reinstate the judges fired by the president and would seek to strip him of crucial powers." Pakistan's parties forge a coalition of the wary "As Pakistan's two main opposition political leaders forge a government after their victories in last month's historic elections, a look at their parties' track records suggest their coalition will face many challenges."

Israel-Palestine. Israel suspends Gaza air strikes "The Israeli prime minister, Ehud Olmert, has called a halt to air strikes and raids into the Gaza Strip in response to a drop in rocket fire from the territory," Hamas and Israel in truce mediation "Israeli and Hamas officials are discussing a possible ceasefire through Egyptian mediators after Ehud Olmert, Israel's prime minister, ordered a halt to raids on the Gaza Strip." IDF asked to curb strikes against Hamas "The government recently ordered the Israel Defense Forces to exercise restraint in operations in the Gaza Strip, pursuant to what a senior government official termed new rules of the game forged in the aftermath of last week's military operation in Gaza." Israel Approves Home Building in West Bank"The government of Israel said that it had approved the construction of hundreds of homes in a West Bank settlement north of Jerusalem, a move that could further complicate a peace effort already hobbled by violence."

Andes. Handshakes and a hug cool South American war talk "The microphone war between Colombia and the Ecuador-Venezuela alliance ended Friday with a hug and a handshake after a heated exchange at a summit meeting in the Domincan Republic." Colombia and Venezuela restore ties "The government in Caracas said it would immediately reinstate full ties with its southern neighbour, cut a week earlier when Colombia's military launched a bombing raid on a rebel camp just inside Ecuadorean territory."

Kosovo women. Kosovo's women suffer "Dominated by ethnic Albanians, Kosovo broke away from Serbia last month, proclaiming itself an independent nation, with fervent backing from Washington. Among Kosovo's many challenges, from building state institutions to combating rampant corruption, is improving its historically unjust and often criminal treatment of women."

Darfur. Bandit raids cut Darfur food aid "Food aid deliveries to Sudan's Darfur region have been reduced by 50% after a series of bandit attacks on convoys," Olympics near, China bends on Darfur "In recent weeks, Beijing has been pushing the Sudanese government to accept a peacekeeping force in its troubled Darfur region."

Editorial. Prison Nation (New York Times) "After three decades of explosive growth, the nation's prison population has reached some grim milestones: More than 1 in 100 American adults are behind bars. One in nine black men, ages 20 to 34, are serving time, as are 1 in 36 adult Hispanic men."

Commentary.

The new believers: Ecumenical, high-minded (Jim Wallis Minneapolis Star Tribune)"For decades, I have had journalists say to me, "So, you are a progressive evangelical? Isn't that a misnomer?" Now the misnomer is becoming a movement. And the media, so far, still doesn't get it."

A first step for the global poor - shatter six myths (Mark Lange, Christian Science Monitor - first of a series) Could it be possible to eradicate abject poverty in one lifetime? Ever since it was first asked, the question has seemed an improbable wish - a salve for the heart, untenable to the mind. But today, the answer is as clear as it is imperative: Yes.

The Iraq War Will Cost Us $3 Trillion, and Much More (Linda J. Bilmes and Joseph E. Stiglitz, Washington Post) "There is no such thing as a free lunch, and there is no such thing as a free war. The Iraq adventure has seriously weakened the U.S. economy, whose woes now go far beyond loose mortgage lending. You can't spend $3 trillion -- yes, $3 trillion -- on a failed war."

Culture Wars? How 2004. (E J Dionne, Washington Post)"When major crises intrude, culture wars can fade awfully quickly. They did so in 1936. There are many signs that they're fading again in 2008. We are at the beginning of a new era in which large, secular problems related to war and peace, economics and the United States' standing in the world will displace culture and religion as the electorate's central concerns."

American faith: A work in progress (Stephen Prothero, USA Today) "Numbers lie, but they also tell tales, untrustworthy and otherwise. So the key question stirring around the much discussed U.S. Religious Landscape Survey released in late February by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life is what tale does it tell about the religious state of the union."