The latest news on the Budget, Stimulus, Economy, Immigration, Ted Kennedy, D.C. Vote, Climate Change, Sec. of State in Asia, Iran, Arms Sales to Middle East, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, South Africa, and Select Op-eds.

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Budget. Obama Has Plan to Slash Deficit, Despite Stimulus Bill "After a string of costly bailout and stimulus measures, President Obama will set a goal this week to cut the annual deficit at least in half by the end of his term, administration officials said." Obama Targets Budget Deficit "President Obama is putting the finishing touches on an ambitious first budget that seeks to cut the federal deficit in half over the next four years, primarily by raising taxes on businesses and the wealthy and by slashing spending on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan." President Obama's budget will seek to cut deficit in half "His federal budget blueprint also proposes to help reduce the deficit by eliminating waste and inefficiency in government, even as the administration launches ambitious and costly policy initiatives such as increasing access to healthcare and reducing greenhouse gas emissions."

Stimulus. Obama stimulus: More old school fix-ups, less New Deal grandeur "Quick spending to repair America's infrastructure is the priority for most of the bill's $787 billion. Instead of grand public works, officials seek to fix roads, schools, sewer lines and the like." Disagreements About Stimulus Embroil G.O.P. "Republican governors split sharply during the weekend over how to respond to the economic crisis, a debate whose outcome will go a long way toward shaping how the national party redefines itself in the wake of its election defeats of recent years."

Economy. 20% in Los Angeles County receive public aid "One in five Los Angeles County residents -- nearly 2.2 million people -- are receiving public assistance payments or benefits, a level county officials say will rise significantly over the coming months as the fallout from the recession continues." Job search is unemployed executive's full-time quest "Outside, in the dark of a January morning, streams of headlights guide thousands to work. Inside, in the basement of Prince of Peace Catholic Church in Olathe, 20 middle-aged men and women close their eyes, bow their heads and pray. For jobs."

Immigration. Walls closing in on immigrants "A worldwide economic crisis coupled with a surge in border enforcement at the end of the Bush administration is snuffing out the American dream for thousands of immigrants, legal and illegal, advocates and researchers say."

Ted Kennedy. Hold the Eulogies, Kennedy Says "Since the diagnosis of his brain cancer last May, Mr. Kennedy has been given all manner of tributes and testimonials, lifetime achievement awards, medals of honor and standing ovations. But even as those accolades have provided sweet solace - and even some dark humor - as he endures grueling treatments, Mr. Kennedy, who turns 77 on Sunday, has been intent on racing time rather than looking back on it."

D.C. vote. Voting rights near for District? "The District of Columbia House Voting Rights Act of 2009 is expected to be debated Monday in the Senate, then come up for a crucial preliminary vote Tuesday. A final Senate vote could come before Friday."

Climate change. Climate Fears Are Driving 'Ecomigration' Across Globe "The two men are at contrasting poles of a phenomenon that threatens to reshape economies, politics and cultures across the planet. By choice or necessity, millions of 'ecomigrants' -- most of them poor and desperate -- are on the move in search of more habitable living space."

Sec. of State in Asia. In first trip, Clinton brings different style to diplomacy "Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is bringing a new style to the post of America's chief diplomat. In her first overseas trip, a weeklong tour through Asia, Clinton rewrote the rulebook, employing gravitas with foreign leaders but leading a free-wheeling, campaign-like effort to mend what she says is a tattered U.S. image, prod people into saving energy, and serve as empowerment coach for women around the globe." Clinton's Candor Abroad Draws Mixed Reviews "Hillary Rodham Clinton's blunt and unadorned style of diplomacy has been evident throughout her first trip as secretary of state the past week in Asia. She questioned the efficacy of sanctions against the repressive junta in Burma, spoke openly about a possible succession crisis in North Korea and admitted that she expected to make little progress on human rights in China."

Iran. Iran plans test run of nuclear plant "Iran announced Sunday that it would turn on its Russian-built 1,000-megawatt nuclear power plant in the Persian Gulf city of Bushehr for a test run Wednesday, state media reported." Israel's new Iran policy: Sway Obama on Tehran talks "Israel regards Obama's decision to talk to Tehran about its nuclear program as a done deal. What it is trying to do, in a low-profile way, is to impact the way the Americans reach the point of dialogue."

Arms sales to Middle East. Amnesty International urges freeze on arms sales to Israel "More than 20 countries sold Israel weapons and munitions whose use during Operation Cast Lead could constitute war crimes and might pose serious infractions of international law, according to a report to be released by Amnesty International on Monday." Israel-Hamas arms embargo urged "Amnesty International has called for a freeze on arms sales to Israel and Palestinian groups such as Hamas following the recent Gaza conflict."

Afghanistan. Growing Public Hostility to Foreign Troops May Hurt U.S. Surge Plans in Afghanistan "The additional 17,000 troops the Obama administration is preparing to send to Afghanistan will face both an aggressive, well-armed Taliban insurgency and an unarmed but equally daunting foe: public opinion." Obama's biggest challenges in Afghanistan "President Obama's war strategy began to take shape with his announcement last week that 17,000 additional U.S. troops are headed to Afghanistan. But the thorniest problems still await him: persuading militants to lay down their arms, coaxing help from allies and eliminating extremist havens on the Afghan-Pakistan border."

Pakistan. Secret U.S. Unit Trains Commandos in Pakistan "More than 70 United States military advisers and technical specialists are secretly working in Pakistan to help its armed forces battle al Qaeda and the Taliban in the country's lawless tribal areas, American military officials said."

Iraq. Iraq faces a new war as tensions rise in north "A new war is threatening Iraq just as the world believes the country is returning to peace. While violence is dropping in Baghdad and in the south of the country, Arabs and Kurds in the north are beginning to battle over territories in an arc of land stretching from Syria to Iranian border." With Need Dire and Aid Scant, Iraq's Widows Struggle "As the number of widows has swelled during six years of war, their presence on city streets begging for food or as potential recruits by insurgents has become a vexing symbol of the breakdown of Iraqi self-sufficiency."

South Africa. Bishop chosen to fight Zuma in election "A breakaway faction of the ruling African National Congress has selected a Methodist bishop as its candidate for April's presidential election as the campaign focuses on morality and the corruption allegations engulfing South Africa's governing party and its leader, Jacob Zuma."

Opinion. A case for 'civil religion' (Tom Krattenmaker, USA Today) "Lear and his Born Again American initiative point the way to an inclusive, unifying form of public faith that will serve the country better than the divide-and-conquer religiosity of the old evangelical politics, and the no-religion-allowed excesses of modern liberalism." A Reconciliation on Gay Marriage (David Blankenhorn and Jonathan Rauch, New York Times) "In politics, as in marriage, moments come along when sensitive compromise can avert a major conflict down the road. The two of us believe that the issue of same-sex marriage has reached such a point now." This Is the Way the Culture Wars End (William Saletan, New York Times) "President Obama wants to end the culture wars. He recently called for 'common ground' on abortion reduction and an end to the 'stale and fruitless debate' over family planning. His joint address to Congress this week could be an opportunity to change that debate. But to make a real difference, he'll have to tell two truths that the left and the right don't want to hear: that morality has to be practical, and that practicality requires morals." Time for immigration reform is now (Ruben Navarrette Jr., CNN) "Obviously, President Obama has a lot on his plate: two wars, an ailing economy, the mortgage crisis and more. But that doesn't relieve him of the obligation to serve up his plan for immigration reform."