The latest news on Bank plan, Health insurance, "Plan B", Catholics and politicians, Clean air, Clean energy, Nuclear weapons, Obama and G-20 Summit, Brown and G-20 Summit, Darfur, Climate change and famine, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Israel, Mexico, Po

Bank plan. U.S. to Help Investors Buy Bank Assets "Financial markets roared ahead yesterday as investors reacted with near-euphoria to the Obama administration's new trillion-dollar plan to stabilize banks by relieving them of their troubled assets and risky loans." U.S. Expands Plan to Buy Banks' Troubled Assets"The Obama administration's new plan to liberate the nation's banks from a toxic stew of bad home loans and mortgage-related securities is bigger and more generous to private investors than expected, but it also puts taxpayers at great risk."

Health insurance. Study: Workers less likely to find jobs with health insurance now than in 1990s "While just about all retirees are covered, and nearly 90 percent of children have health insurance, workers now are at significantly higher risk of being uninsured than in the 1990s,"

"Plan B." Judge orders FDA to let 17-year-olds use Plan B morning-after pill without prescription "The Food and Drug Administration let politics cloud its judgment when it denied teenage girls over-the-counter access to the Plan B morning-after pill, a federal judge said Monday as he ordered the FDA to let 17-year-olds obtain the medication."

Catholics and politicians. Notre Dame sticking with Obama for commencement "The University of Notre Dame is sticking with its invitation to President Obama to speak at its May 17 commencement despite criticism from some Roman Catholics that his views on abortion and stem cell research run counter to Catholic teachings." Sebelius in trouble with Catholic Church "President Obama's nominee to head the agency that guides federal abortion policy is the latest Roman Catholic politician to find herself torn between her political beliefs and her faith."

Clean air. EPA Presses Obama To Regulate Warming Under Clean Air Act "The Environmental Protection Agency's new leadership, in a step toward confronting global warming, submitted a finding that will force the White House to decide whether to limit greenhouse gas emissions under the nearly 40-year-old Clean Air Act." The Fight Plan for Clean Air "The Environmental Protection Agency, about to declare heat-trapping gases to be dangerous pollutants, has embarked on one of the most ambitious regulatory challenges in history."

Clean energy. Obama Plans More Than $200 Billion in Clean-Energy Spending "President Obama yesterday outlined plans to spend about $59 billion in economic stimulus funds and $150 billion from the federal budget to promote what he calls America's 'clean-energy future.'"

Nuclear weapons. Nuclear Security Official Hints at Leaner, Less Costly Weapons Complex "The best status report on the U.S. nuclear weapons program and its future was delivered last Tuesday at a session of the House Appropriations subcommittee on energy and water development, where the head of the program declared, 'We must stop pouring money into an old, Cold War complex that is too big and too expensive.'"

Obama-G-20 Summit. Obama calls for global economic cooperation "President Obama reached out to citizens of the world Tuesday, saying in an op-ed piece that ran in 31 newspapers around the globe that there is an urgent need for worldwide economic cooperation." Making the world work again(Barack Obama, Los Angeles TImes) "We are living through a time of global economic challenges that cannot be met by half-measures or the isolated efforts of any nation. Now, the leaders of the G-20 have a responsibility to take bold, comprehensive and coordinated action that not only jump-starts recovery but launches a new era of economic engagement to prevent a crisis like this from ever happening again."

Brown-G-20 Summit. Gordon Brown continues push for worldwide deal on economy "Gordon Brown will today continue efforts to secure a coordinated world response to the economic downturn at next week's G20 summit in London, meeting global bank chiefs, addressing MEPs and embarking on a foreign visit." In a crisis, Gordon Brown sees two opportunities "As world leaders prepare to gather next week for the crucial G20 economic summit in London, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has called for a reform of international financial institutions to provide 'global solutions to global problems.'"

Darfur. Warning as humanitarian crisis deepens in Darfur "Some of the most vulnerable people in Darfur face a high risk of "increased morbidity and mortality" since the expulsion of 16 aid agencies three weeks ago, the UN's humanitarian co-ordinator for Sudan warned today." Sudan bombs Darfur rebels - and civilians - amid calls for a 'no-fly' zone. "To oust JEM, who are supported by neighboring Chad, from Muhajirya, the Sudanese government launched an offensive, sending in ground troops and bombing the area for about three weeks." Sudan president travels abroad in defiance of warrant on war crimes charges in Darfur "Sudan's president traveled to Eritrea Monday, choosing one of Africa's most politically isolated nations for his first trip abroad since an international court sought his arrest on charges of war crimes in Darfur." Oil's decline threatens Sudan government "Ask a Sudanese citizen what troubles him these days and he might not even mention Darfur or the International Criminal Court arrest warrant against the president. To many here, it's the economy that is keeping them up nights."

Climate change and famine. Billion people face famine, predicts scientist "Famines affecting a billion people will threaten global food security during the 21st century, according to a leading US scientist. Nina Fedoroff, the US State Department chief scientist, is convinced that food shortages will be the biggest challenge facing the world as temperatures and population levels rise."

Afghanistan. Holbrooke unveils Afghanistan plan "The US administration yesterday unveiled its new thinking on Afghanistan as Richard Holbrooke, President Obama's troubleshooter for the war, outlined the White House policy review to Nato allies and senior European Union officials in Brussels." U.S. troops confront disciplined, wily, mobile Afghan insurgents "What transpired over 16 hours was the kind of clash that's led Lt. Jake Kerr's commanders in the Army's 10th Mountain Division to conclude that there's no 'victory' waiting around the next bend in Afghanistan, only a relentless struggle with a fleet-footed, clever enemy." ANALYSIS: Obama's warning for Karzai "President Obama, even as he prepares a battle-weary American public for a long war in Afghanistan, is sending a clear message to Hamid Karzai that it would be a mistake to take US military and economic support for granted."

Pakistan. U.S. plans to boost civilian aid to Pakistan "The Obama administration plans to dramatically increase civilian aid to Pakistan as part of its new strategy on Afghanistan and the surrounding region, hoping the overture will lead to more effective steps by the Pakistani military to shut down insurgent sanctuaries, U.S. officials said."

Iraq. String of deadly Iraq bombings reflects Kurdish-Arab tensions "A suicide bomber attacked mourners at a Kurdish funeral in a town north of Baghdad, killing at least 25 and injuring at least 45 in the worst of a series of four bombings around Iraq Monday. Altogether, 37 people were killed and 60 were wounded in the attacks." Sunni Fighters Say Iraq Didn't Keep Job Promises "These are among the signs that the fighters' patience is fraying badly at a difficult moment. After months of promises, only 5,000 Awakening members - just over 5 percent - have been given permanent jobs in the Iraqi security forces."

Israel. Netanyahu reaches deal with Barak "Benyamin Netanyahu, Israel's prime minister-designate and leader of the Likud party, has reached a coalition deal with Ehud Barak, the Labor leader." Labor rebels: Barak does not represent us in talks with Likud "Labor Party chairman and Defense Minister Ehud Barak will today face a dramatic political test, when he asks the 1,470 members of his party's central committee to approve a coalition deal he has hatched with Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu."

Mexico. Obama won't send troops to Mexican border - for now "More federal agents and law enforcement equipment will be sent to hot spots along the Mexico-U.S. border with the aim of reducing violence in both countries, officials with Homeland Security and the Justice Department announced Tuesday. But a request by the governors of Texas and Arizona for National Guard deployments is still being considered."

Pope ends trip to Africa. Pope's controversial Africa trip ends "Pope Benedict XVI ended his controversial trip to Africa today with a final appeal for an end to poverty, corruption and armed conflict in the 'continent of hope.'"

South Africaconference postponed. Dalai Lama ban halts conference "A peace conference for Nobel laureates in South Africa has been postponed indefinitely after Pretoria refused the Dalai Lama a visa, organisers say."