The latest news on Economy, Papal visit, Divorce, Carter in Israel, Zimbabwe, and Editorials.

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Economy. Foreclosures surge "Home foreclosure filings surged 57 percent in the 12 month-period ended in March and bank repossessions soared 129 percent from a year ago, as homeowners struggled to make mortgage payments," Retailing Chains Caught in a Wave of Bankruptcies "The consumer spending slump and tightening credit markets are unleashing a widening wave of bankruptcies in American retailing, prompting thousands of store closings that are expected to remake suburban malls and downtown shopping districts across the country."

Food crisis. Bush releases $200 million in emergency food aid "President George W. Bush ordered the release of $200 million in U.S. emergency food aid to help alleviate food shortages in developing countries in Africa and elsewhere," UN body urges agriculture reforms to stave off food crisis "A UN body called on world leaders to urgently reform farming rules to boost the state of global agriculture and prevent a food crisis that could threaten international security and the fight against poverty." Fuel Choices, Food Crises and Finger-Pointing "a reaction is building against policies in the United States and Europe to promote ethanol and similar fuels, with political leaders from poor countries contending that these fuels are driving up food prices and starving poor people."

Papal visit. U.S. Catholics at a crossroads "If Benedict could visit just three places beyond his six jam-packed days in Washington and New York, he would see - in a struggling urban outpost in Boston, a Phoenix megachurch booming with Hispanics and two stalwart small-town Iowa parishes that share a priest - much of the promise and the problems in U.S. Catholic life today." Faith in Spotlight, Candidates Battle for Catholic Votes "The presidential candidates are in the middle of an escalating battle for Catholic voters - most immediately between Senators Barack Obama of Illinois and Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York in the Pennsylvania Democratic primary, but also between the two parties as they look ahead to the general election." Building Ties With Catholics A Bush Priority "it was striking that a Protestant president would see the Catholic Church as a rock. But it was also characteristic of a politician who has come to identify closely with Catholics and the powerful men who have led the church during his tenure in the White House."

Divorce. Study: Divorce, unwed parenting cost US $112B "Divorce and out-of-wedlock childbearing cost U.S. taxpayers more than $112 billion a year, according to a study commissioned by four groups advocating more government action to bolster marriages."

Carter in Israel. Carter calls on U.S. to start direct dialog with Iran "Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, defending a contentious plan to meet Hamas leader Khaled Meshal, said that he hoped to become a conduit between the militant group, Washington and even Israel." Israel's politicians snub Carter visit "Jimmy Carter faced a cold reception in Israel where senior political leaders avoided meeting him and the Israeli secret service declined to help the American agents guarding him." Carter gets no Shin Bet security "A visit to Israel by Jimmy Carter, already under a cloud because of his planned meeting in Syria with the leader of Hamas, soured further when a dispute erupted over the lack of Israeli secret service protection for the former U.S. president."

Zimbabwe. Muted response to Zimbabwe strike "Many Zimbabwean shops and businesses are open as usual despite opposition calls for a general strike to press for election results to be published." MDC calls Zimbabwean general strike "Zimbabwe's opposition has called an indefinite general strike from today after the high court rejected its attempt to force the immediate release of the results of the presidential election held 17 days ago." ANC warns Mugabe against run-off "Thabo Mbeki, the South African president, is contradicted by his own party on Zimbabwe as its leaders say fresh vote would be 'undemocratic and unprecedented'."

Editorial.

Our debt to Jimmy Carter (Haaretz) "Whether Carter's approach to conflict resolution is considered by the Israeli government as appropriate or defeatist, no one can take away from the former U.S. president his international standing, nor the fact that he brought Israel and Egypt to a signed peace that has since held."