The latest news on Homeless Children, Stem Cells, Good Deeds, Bad Deeds, Ohio Budget Crisis, the Administration & Prayer, Immigration, Voting Rights, World Economy, Tibet, Iraq, Afghanistan, Sudan, Israel-Palestine, and Select Op-eds.

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Homeless children. Report: 1 in 50 American children homeless "One in 50 children is homeless in the United States every year, according to a report released Tuesday. The National Center on Family Homelessness estimates more than 1.5 million children are without a home." 1 in 50 American children experiences homelessness "One of every 50 American children experiences homelessness, according to a new report that says most states have inadequate plans to address the worsening and often-overlooked problem." Number of homeless children on the rise "A national study released Monday finds that one in 50 children in America is homeless. They're sharing housing because of economic hardship, living in motels, cars, abandoned buildings, parks, camping grounds or shelters, or waiting for foster care placement."

Stem cells. Barack Obama lifts restrictions on federal funding for stem cell research using human embryos "President Barack Obama made his most forceful break yet from his predecessor's controversial scientific agenda on Monday, opening the door to a major expansion of government-funded research on embryonic stem cells and ordering federal agencies to strengthen the role of science in their decision-making." Obama Lifts Federal Funding Ban on Embryonic Stem Cell Research "President Obama lifted the eight-year-old ban on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research yesterday, putting the weight of his office, he said, on the side of scientists who believe 'these tiny cells may have the potential to help us understand, and possibly cure, some of our most devastating diseases.'" Obama's Order on Stem Cells Leaves Key Questions to NIH "President Obama's open-ended order lifting limits on federal funding for stem cell research raises the prospect that taxpayer money could be used for a much broader, much more controversial array of studies than many scientists, officials and activists anticipated." Obama Puts His Own Spin on Mix of Science With Politics "President Obama's directive on Monday to 'guarantee scientific integrity' in federal policy making could have a far-reaching impact, affecting issues as varied as climate change, national security, protection of endangered species and children's health."

Good deeds. Good deeds in bad times "Mounting layoffs and tumbling stock prices are creating economic anxiety and forcing many people to cut back on charity, but the nation's woes also are inspiring people to make generous gestures to acquaintances, employees and even strangers."

Bad deeds. Economy fuels rise in crime, police say "As more people lose their jobs and savings to the swooning economy, police officers across the state are grappling with sharp rises in burglaries, larcenies, and car break-ins, which many of them believe are tied to the financial gloom."

Ohio budget crisis. Governor's cuts alarm agencies aiding poor "Money for county agencies that serve the poor is being slashed so much that the Strickland administration is creating a dangerous situation for Ohio's most vulnerable residents, human-services directors across the state told the governor yesterday."

The administration & prayer. Obama Raises Profile Of Prayer "Prayer has become more common at presidential appearances under the Obama administration, including at nonreligious events such as stimulus rallies."

Immigration. Immigration rights advocates focus on families "Two years after an overhaul of the nation's immigration laws failed in Congress, Latino leaders have revitalized the effort -- positioning children who were left behind when their parents were deported as the new face of the movement." Illegal hops over border dip sharply "Arrests of illegal immigrants on the U.S.-Mexico border have fallen to levels unseen since the 1970s as the ailing U.S. economy and enhanced enforcement appear to be deterring people from embarking on treks north."

Voting rights. Supreme Court Restricts Voting Rights Act's Scope "A fractured Supreme Court yesterday narrowed the protections of the Voting Rights Act, saying it does not require governments to draw electoral districts favorable to minority candidates in places where minorities make up less than half the population." Justices, 5-4, Set Limit on Sweep of Voting Law "Only election districts in which minorities make up at least half of the voting-age population are entitled to the protections of a part of the Voting Rights Act that seeks to ensure and preserve minority voting power, the Supreme Court ruled on Monday."

World economy. World economy set to shrink "The global economy will shrink this year for the first time since the second world war as the 'Great Recession' ravages businesses, consumers and financial institutions around the world, the International Monetary Fund warned today." Africa 'faces increased poverty' "Millions of Africans could be pushed back into poverty and conflict as a result of the global financial crisis, the head of the International Monetary Fund has said."

Tibet. Dalai Lama calls Chinese rule in Tibet 'hell on Earth' "Chinese rule in Tibet has created a 'hell on Earth' that has caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Tibetans, the Dalai Lama said today in a speech to mark the 50th anniversary of the failed uprising that sent him into exile." Tibet's season of protest may be foiled by fear "As sure as the melting of the snow on the Tibetan plateau, protests erupt about this time of year as Tibetans mark the anniversary of a failed uprising that began March 10, 1959, and led to their spiritual leader's exile." China Sees a Calendar Full of Trouble "Officially, Tuesday is an ordinary day here. Ordinary or not, however, the police will be on high alert, and some villages across Tibetan areas of western China will be under virtual military lockdown."

Iraq. 'Dozens dead' in Baghdad bombing "At least 33 people, including a local army chief, have died and 46 have been injured in a suicide attack on the western edge of Baghdad, officials say." Dozens killed in Iraq suicide blast "Tuesday's blast appeared to target a group of tribal leaders and security officials who were touring the crowded market in Abu Ghraib as part of an effort towards national reconciliation."

Afghanistan. U.S. Halted Some Afghan Raids Over Concern on Civilian Deaths "The commander of a secretive branch of America's Special Operations forces last month ordered a halt to most commando missions in Afghanistan, reflecting a growing concern that civilian deaths caused by American firepower are jeopardizing broader goals there." Russian advice: More troops won't help in Afghanistan "The old diplomat sighed as he recalled his years in Afghanistan, and then leaned forward and said in a booming voice that no escalation of troops would bring lasting peace."

Sudan. Sudan frees opposition leader "A Sudanese opposition leader has been released from prison, having been detained for two months for calling on Omar al-Bashir, Sudan's president, to hand himself over to the International Criminal Court (ICC)." Sudan Releases Opposition Figure "The Sudanese government released one of its most vociferous critics on Monday, a possible attempt to shore up domestic support now that the nation's president is wanted internationally on war crimes charges." Sudan opposition leader discusses detention "During an interview Monday with The Times, Turabi reiterated his support for the ICC case, called the Sudanese leader an 'autocrat' and said the crisis had left the government in disarray."

Israel-Palestine. Palestinians launch unity talks "Rival Palestinian factions are to meet in Cairo, at the start of a process they hope will pave the way for a national unity government." 'Netanyahu to focus first on PA' "Prime Minister-designate Binyamin Netanyahu has no intention of sidelining the Palestinian track in favor of a Syrian one, Dore Gold, one of Netanyahu's top foreign policy advisers, said Monday."

Editorials. Science and Stem Cells (New York Times) "We welcome President Obama's decision to lift the Bush administration's restrictions on federal financing for embryonic stem cell research. His move ends a long, bleak period in which the moral objections of religious conservatives were allowed to constrain the progress of a medically important science." New course on stem cells (Chicago Tribune) "Sensible barriers to federal funding for cloning and the creation of embryos for research purposes remain in place. On Monday, Obama asked lawmakers to provide the support that will put the country at the forefront of vital stem cell research. It's now up to Congress to get behind the scientists. All Obama did was get out of their way."

Opinion. Workers Without Borders (Jennifer Gordon, New York Times) "Americans are hardly in the mood to welcome new immigrants. The last thing we need, the reasoning goes, is more competition for increasingly scarce jobs. But the need for immigration reform is more urgent than ever. The current system hurts wages and working conditions - for everyone." Playing the race card today (Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune) "Rush Limbaugh's 'dittohead' fans might not seem to have much in common with embattled U.S. Sen. Roland Burris' mostly black and liberal supporters. Yet each group, in its own way, has shown us how the race card endures even in the age of Barack Obama."