Carter says Hamas may recognize Israel if Palestinians approve peace deal; Lugo ousts Paraguay's Colorado party after 61 years in power...

21 April :: Carter says Hamas leaders may be willing to recognize Israel's right to exist, in exchange for lasting peace, even if negotiated by rival Fatah group, so long as accord is submitted to Palestinian people in referendum; CNN cites Carter saying at the start of his trip: "I'm not a negotiator, I'm just trying to understand different opinions and communicate, provide communications between people that won't communicate with each other"... Paraguay opposition leader, Fernando Lugo, a former Roman Catholic bishop, won 40.9% of the vote, against ruling Colorado party candidate Blanca Ovelar's 30.7%; the win means a change in party for the first time in 61 years; some observers predict a volatile power struggle may ensue, though under Paraguay law, the candidate with the most votes wins, regardless of margin of victory... Obama goes on the offensive in Pennsylvania, characterizing Clinton as a "compromised Washington insider"; Clinton fires back that Obama's attacks are effort to cover for last week's controversial ABC debate, in which a barrage of personal questions put the frontrunner on the defensive; Obama has been outspending Clinton 2-to-1 in ads in PA, and has narrowed her lead from 16% to between 4% and 6% in just a few weeks; NYT reports "Mr. Obama was using his fund-raising advantage to pay for a multimillion-dollar campaign that included sophisticated demographic targeting to find supporters in smaller cities" but is "also relying on old-fashioned tools, including sending supporters door-to-door, renting sound trucks to drive through urban neighborhoods and having volunteers serve as “town criers” to pass out literature on city buses"; Hillary and Bill Clinton have appeared across the state, trying to ensure Obama doesn't gain in the delegate race... NYT reporting that "In Japan and South Korea, some manufacturers for the first time have begun buying genetically engineered corn for use in soft drinks, snacks and other foods"; mounting international food shortages, coupled with soaring prices are causing what could be a fundamental shift in food production methods, with as yet unforeseeable consequences; some critics believe genetically modified foods could cause negative genetic and health-related impact in the human population...

UN warns worldwide food crisis imminent, if action not taken fast; Carter meets Hamas exiles in Damascus, talks of peace...

19 April :: "The global food crisis became official yesterday [15 April] when the UN called for urgent intergovernmental action and farming reforms to tackle the soaring prices that are plunging millions of people into potentially deadly poverty", reports UK's Independent; reports of riots from southeast Asia to the Caribbean, along with multiple border crises in the Horn of Africa, are leading to speculation that food scarcity may now be close to provoking regional conflicts... To the dismay of US, Israeli leaders, fmr. US pres. and Nobel peace laureate Jimmy Carter, has met for a 2nd time with two Hamas leaders in exile in Damascus, Syria; he says the group may be willing to talk peace with Israel; according to the AP, "On Saturday, Marzouk said Carter and Mashaal discussed a possible prisoner exchange with Israel, as well as how to lift a siege imposed by the Jewish state on the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. Carter, who brokered the 1978 Israeli-Egyptian peace, is trying to secure the release of captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit"... FoxBusiness reports "Today John McCain, the ninth richest member of Congress, again showed the American people that his call for openness and accountability in government applies to everyone but himself. By only releasing two years of returns, he is the first nominee of either party since Ronald Reagan in 1980 to disclose that little information. And by failing to release his wife Cindy McCain's return, serious questions remain unanswered about how John McCain's position as a U.S. Senator may have benefited John and Cindy McCain's business ventures"; DNC Chairman Howard Dean said McCain's limited disclosure "continues a troubling pattern of thinking the rules don't apply to him"; Sen. Obama and his wife have released 8 years of returns, and Sen. Clinton and fmr. Pres. Clinton's returns dating back to 1977 are on public record, according to the same FoxBusiness report... Russian pres. Vladimir Putin denies rumors he secretly divorced his wife of 24 years for a star gymnast, 24-year-old Alina Kabayeva, whom his party named to sit in Parliament; the newspaper that printed the story has had its right to publish "suspended", officially for "financial" reasons...

Australia plans increase in food aid, due to soaring prices; Bhutan becomes democracy; new Tibet protests reported in Qinghai province, China...

24 March :: Australia's gov't is contemplating increases in food aid to poor regions, nations, after study of soarng food prices, mounting scarcity; SMH reports "A steep two-year rise in global food prices, which in Australia has triggered the Federal Government's inquiry into grocery prices, has taken a heavy toll on poorer populations, particularly in East Timor and Indonesia. Surging fuel prices, drought, changing diets and the use of arable land for biofuels have pushed average food prices up almost 40 per cent in the past year. Wheat prices have risen 80 per cent rise"... Crisis Policy Forum (a Sentido.tv sister publication) is now hosting an open discussion forum on food security in Africa, in hopes of achieving innovative new solutions to the complex multi-regional problem... Small Himalayan nation Bhutan votes today for National Assembly, will complete transition from monarchy to democracy; VOA reports "The two main parties vying for seats are both led by men close to the king, and analysts say they are ideologically similar. Both party leaders have already served terms as prime minister, and one of them, Sangay Ngedup, is a member of the royal family", the young king leading campaign for democracy, will become head of state under new constitution... Tibetan exile community has reported new protests in Qinghai province in western China against Tibet crackdown; reports of demonstrations against Beijing's Tibet policy in Sichuan province include rumors of troops firing into crowds of civilians, in one case allegations of 23 dead... In rough press day for Republican presidential candidate, USA Today alleges more than one-third of lobbyists who have contributed to McCain's campaign have worked as telecom lobbyists during the last decade; his campaign denies he does favors for lobbyists or special interests, and Sen. McCain has sponsored legislation to limit the influence of lobbyists in crafting legislation; NY Times reports it may have been McCain aides who approached Democrats about switching parties in 2001 and about running with Kerry in 2004, McCain camp continues to deny he approached Dems... US economic data visits worrying extremes: avg. price for 1 gallon regular unleaded gasoline hits all-time record of $3.26, with some surveys saying nationwide avg. is $3.28 and rising; CNN also reports increasing numbers of middle-aged adults (40 to 55) making arrangements to move back in with parents in wake of layoffs, foreclosures or financial straits...