the latest news on Economy, Sen. Obama-Rev. Wright, McCain's health plan, Iraq, Vets education, Child abuse, Payday lending-Ohio, New Orleansschools, Ethanol and food, Food crisis, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Zimbabwe, Tony Blair's faith, and Editorial.

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Economy. Foreclosures double, home prices tumble "The most severe real estate recession in decades appears far from over, with the pace of foreclosures rising, the fall in home prices accelerating and the pain spreading to nearly every major U.S. city." Economy puts heat on politicians "Rising anxiety over the economy, especially soaring gasoline and food prices, is forcing politicians from Capitol Hill to the White House to the campaign trail to scramble for a response." Myriad Crises on the Nation's Doorstep, but Inertia in Official Washington "Americans are pumping their paychecks into their gas tanks, and the economy is in a stall. Food scarcities threaten governments overseas and spur hoarding at home. Foreclosures are up, home sales are down. Progress in Iraq and Afghanistan is halting. Despite this confluence of crises on the nation's doorstep, official Washington is beset by election-year inertia."

Sen. Obama-Rev. Wright. Obama outraged by Wright "Engulfed in fresh controversy over new inflammatory remarks by his retiring pastor, Barack Obama made a public break with Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr., denouncing the minister's latest comments as "outrageous," "appalling" and a contradiction of the senator's life work." Obama's Break With Ex-Pastor Sets Sharp Shift in Tone "Senator Barack Obama broke forcefully with his former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr., in an effort to curtail a drama of race, values, patriotism and betrayal that has enveloped his presidential candidacy at a critical juncture." The Rev. Wright's comments alarm black ministers in Los Angeles "African American ministers in Los Angeles expressed angst and concern that a fresh round of comments by Sen. Barack Obama's former pastor was hurting the Democratic presidential candidate's campaign and skewing public understanding of the black church."

McCain's health plan. McCain offers health plan "Sen. John McCain rejected calls by his Democratic opponents for universal health coverage, instead offering a market-based solution with an approach similar to a proposal put forth by President Bush last year." Federal Money in Health Care Plan From McCain "Mr. McCain's health care plan would shift the emphasis from insurance provided by employers to insurance bought by individuals, to foster competition and drive down prices."

Iraq. U.S. Role Deepens in Sadr City "A four-hour battle between U.S. soldiers and Shiite militiamen left at least 28 Iraqis dead in the capital's Sadr City neighborhood, making it one of the bloodiest days in a month of sustained street fighting." Baghdad clashes 'leave 400 dead' "More than 400 people have been killed in fighting over the last month between Shia gunmen and US and Iraqi forces, hospital officials in Baghdad say." Gates: Lull in Iraq over as U.S. deaths reach 7-month high "U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates acknowledged that a seven-month lull in U.S. troops deaths in Iraq has come to an end and blamed the bloodshed on Shiite Muslim militiamen…" US troop deaths push monthly toll to 7-month high in Iraq "The killings of three U.S. soldiers in separate attacks in Baghdad pushed the American death toll for April up to 47, making it the deadliest month since September,"

Vets education. Lawmakers push revamp of vets' education benefits "An A-list group of lawmakers and veterans' advocates gathered behind Sens. Jim Webb and Chuck Hagel for a Capitol Hill rally to promote an overhaul of educational benefits for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans."

Child abuse. Child advocates seek more abuse data "Most states do not release adequate information on the deaths or serious injuries of abused and neglected children, two child advocacy groups say. That means child welfare systems cannot be held accountable nor future tragedies averted," States graded on reporting children's deaths "More than half the states received a "C+" or lower grade, including 10 states that got an "F," for what they disclose about the deaths or serious injuries of abused or disabled children."

Payday lending-Ohio. GOP bill stuns payday lenders "After months of debate over whether to cap payday-lending interest rates at 36 percent, House Republican leaders tossed a sharp curveball yesterday by proposing a 28 percent cap."

New Orleansschools. Against Odds, New Orleans Schools Fight Back "Dozens of new charter schools, a flood of idealistic young teachers from elsewhere around the country — now as many as 17 percent of the total here — and a hard-charging reform superintendent from Chicago are all arrayed to rescue one of America's most needy student bodies, which ranked at the bottom of a bottom-dwelling state even before Hurricane Katrina."

Ethanol and food. Siphoning Off Corn to Fuel Our Cars "Across the country, ethanol plants are swallowing more and more of the nation's corn crop. This year, about a quarter of U.S. corn will go to feeding ethanol plants instead of poultry or livestock. That has helped farmers … but it has boosted demand -- and prices -- for corn at the same time global grain demand is growing."

Food crisis. Tension in Egypt shows potency of food crisis "Tensions are continuing to build in this key U.S. ally, evidence that the global food crisis — the product of factors ranging from unusual weather in producing nations to increased competition for grains from biofuels programs — is now about much more than food." Soaring Food Prices Imperil Meals for Poor in Cambodia "Short of cash, the World Food Program, the United Nations agency that feeds the world's poorest people, can no longer supply 450,000 Cambodian children with a daily breakfast of domestically grown rice supplemented by yellow split peas from the United States and tuna from Thailand."

Afghanistan . US launches Afghan 'mini surge' "A strike force of US marines punched through Taliban frontlines in southern Helmand yesterday as part of an Afghan "mini surge" intended to weaken the insurgents' grip on the war-ravaged south."

Pakistan . Pakistan's Planned Accord With Militants Alarms U.S. "Bush administration officials are expressing increasing alarm that a deal being negotiated between the new Pakistani government and militant tribes in the country's unruly border area will lead to further unraveling of security in the region."

Zimbabwe. Security Council Voices Reluctance to Act on Zimbabwe "The Security Council heard what an American official called a "sobering" account of electoral stalemate and violence in Zimbabwe, but ended up discouraging proposals for direct United Nations involvement in the crisis." South Africa shields Robert Mugabe at UN "South Africa led efforts to block the dispatch of a UN envoy to Zimbabwe as the UN Security Council met on the election stand-off for the first time." U.N. response on Zimbabwe divided "A leader of Zimbabwe's opposition party demanded that the Security Council intervene in the country's electoral crisis and press President Robert Mugabe to step down."

Tony Blair's faith. Tony Blair details role of his faith "A cathedral is an odd place for a coming-out party. But not, as it turns out, if you're a former prime minister of Britain and you're preparing to tell the world that God was one of your senior advisors during your 10 years in power."

Editorial. Pulling Back the Immigration Posses (New York Times) "Many parts of the nation have tilted severely toward harsh, unyielding policies to catch and punish illegal immigrants, but not everyone has gone over the edge. Gov. Janet Napolitano of Arizona on Monday pushed back, vetoing a bill that would have required all police and sheriff's departments in the state to join the federal immigration posse."