Daily News Digest

The Top 10 Stories of February 10, 2012

Duane Shank — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
"It seems that the authorities are increasingly getting the upper hand online. Basically they are already shutting off access to all interesting Web sites. We will resemble an isolated island in a changing world if this happens." - Maysam, a prominent Iranian blogger, on Iran’s cyber police trying to get control over what is uploaded, posted, and discussed on the Internet.
(Washington Post)

The Top 10 Stories of February 9, 2012

Duane Shank — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
"You don’t have to be a technophobe or think corporations are evil to not want G.M.O.'s in your food." - Ashley Russell, a college student at a rally after a Manhattan court hearing on the use of GMOs (genetically modified organisms).
(New York Times)

The Top 10 Stories of February 8, 2012

Duane Shank — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.

"For the first time in our nation's history, a federal court heard arguments as to whether living, breathing, feeling beings have rights and can be enslaved simply because they happen to not have been born human.” - Jeffrey Kerr, a lawyer representing five killer whales in a lawsuit which argues they deserve the same constitutional protection from slavery as humans.

(BBC)

The Top 10 Stories of February 7, 2012

Duane Shank — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
"Dickens's humanity and compassion made an extraordinary impact on Victorian England through his writings, which remain immensely popular. This bicentenary should help renew our commitment to improving the lot of the disadvantaged of our own day." - The Very Reverend Dr John Hall, Dean of Westminster Abbey, on today’s 200^th anniversary of Charles Dickens’ birth.
(BBC)

The Top 10 Stories of February 6, 2012

Duane Shank — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
"In this special year, as I dedicate myself anew to your service, I hope that we will all be reminded of the power of togetherness and the convening strength of family, friendship and good neighbourliness, examples of which I have been fortunate to see throughout my reign…" - Queen Elizabeth II, in a message to the public on today’s 60^th anniversary of her accession to the throne.
(Guardian)

The Top 10 Stories of February 3, 2012

Duane Shank — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
"The situation is dramatic, the snow is up to five metres [16 feet] high in some areas, you can only see rooftops." - Dr. Milorad Dramacanin, who took part in helicopter evacuations in central Serbia, speaking of conditions in eastern Europe that have caused more than 120 cold-related deaths and at least 11,000 people trapped by heavy snow in mountain villages in Serbia.
(Guardian)

The Top 10 Stories of February 2, 2012

Duane Shank — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
"They don’t pay anything, because these are old folks whose income are very limited now. Not every Muslim likes us, because not every Muslim believes that Muslims and Jews should be like this." - Sheikh Moussa Drammeh, on why members of a small ultra-Orthodox congregation forced out of their storefront synagogue now worship in the Islamic Cultural Center of North America, home to the mosque he leads.
(The Tablet)

The Top 10 Stories of February 1, 2012

Duane Shank — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
"I'm alive. I’m very alive. To me, it’s stupid. I can’t die but one time. They have killed me four times." - Jerry Miller, Palm Bay, Fla., an Army veteran who has received four letters from the Veterans Administration informing his estate that he was no longer eligible for benefits due to his death.
(MSNBC)

The Top 10 Stories of January 31, 2012

Duane Shank — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
“At first, we were occupying parks, then homes. We are starting locally, but it’s a national movement.” - Sofia Teona, an organizer with Occupy Atlanta, on the movement now occupying homes and organizing protests at housing auctions to support those affected by the foreclosure crisis.
(Christian Science Monitor)

The Top 10 Stories of January 30, 2012

Duane Shank — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
“Loyalty that hides problematic conduct is a false loyalty, for it elevates reputation over reality, and esteems image over character. Though we may believe we are acting to protect the institution, in reality we do the institution and individuals far greater damage …” - Rev. John I. Jenkins, president of the University of Notre Dame, in an e-mail sent to students and employees reminding them of their obligation to report cases of suspected abuse and other questionable conduct.
(South Bend Tribune)

The Top 10 Stories of January 27, 2012

Duane Shank — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
"Who do we speak for? Are we willing to speak for the neighbour and for the stranger, for people like us and also people who are not like us? Are we willing to take risks alongside one another?” - Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, in a message for Holocaust Memorial Day.
(Christian Today)

The Top 10 Stories of January 26, 2012

Duane Shank — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
"This is the first time I’ve heard myself speak. It’s like I’m hearing myself talk. I’m healing myself through you guys." - Army Staff Sergeant Kenneth Sargent, seriously wounded in Iraq, after working with a professional songwriter to turn his experience into a song at a retreat led by Life-Quest Transitions, an organization helping vets readjust to civilian life through music.
(Washington Post)

The Top 10 Stories of January 25, 2012

Duane Shank — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
“This is the first time I’ve ever spoken to one of these. All my life, all I ever did was work. Work and hunt. I’m glad that they’ve let us speak on our beliefs.” - Derwayne Buffalo, a Cree father of eight from central Alberta, who testified at a Canadian hearing that a proposed oil pipeline would interrupt animal migration and put the environment at risk.
(Toronto Globe & Mail)

The Top 10 Stories of January 24, 2012

Duane Shank — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
"Corporate boards are tone deaf to the times, as are CEOs who justify this much compensation." - Roger Martin, dean of the University of Toronto Business School, on the growing number of CEOs making $50 million or more.
(USA Today)

The Top 10 Stories of January 23, 2012

Duane Shank — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
"I have more work to do on my recovery, so to do what is best for Arizona, I will step down this week. I''m getting better every day. My spirit is high. I will return and we will work together for Arizona and this great country." - Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, severely wounded by a gunshot a year ago, announcing her resignation from Congress.
(Arizona Republic)

The Top 10 Stories of January 20, 2012

Duane Shank — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
"If the only thing they did is enter illegally, they have established ties, they have U.S. citizen children, they are productive members of society, they have no criminal records, it makes prosecutors feel good when you know you can do something." - Corina Almeida, chief counsel for Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Denver, on a new review that allowed more than 1,000 undocumented immigrants to remain in the U.S.
(New York Times)

The Top 10 Stories of January 19, 2012

Duane Shank — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
“In recent months, the public have seen starkly different images of Christianity. On the one hand, there is the image of a church institution concerned with order and routine. On the other hand, there are Christians backing 'Occupy' and planning a ring of prayer.” - Symon Hill, associate director of Ekklesia, an independent British, not-for-profit think tank which examines the role of religion in public life.
(Ekklesia)

The Top 10 Stories of January 18, 2012

Duane Shank — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
"It’s a sign of trust. I have nothing to hide from him, and he has nothing to hide from me." - Tiffany Carandang, a high school senior in San Francisco, on the decision she and her boyfriend made to share passwords for e-mail and Facebook as a sign of their relationship.
(New York Times)

The Top 10 Stories of January 17, 2012

Duane Shank — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
“Student warning! Do your homework early. Wikipedia protesting bad law on Wednesday!” - Jimmy Wales, co-founder of Wikipedia, announcing that Wikipedia will go dark from midnight Tuesday to midnight Wednesday in protest of proposed legislation intended to limit copyright violations on the Internet.
(New York Times)

The Top 10 Stories of January 13, 2012

Duane Shank — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
"I find that 95 percent of people in the world are superstitious about something, and the other 5 percent are liars." - Tom Fernsler, University of Delaware math professor who sometimes goes by the name Dr. 13, speaking of people who suffer from paraskevidekatriaphobia -- the fear of Friday the 13th.
(USA Today)

The Top 10 Stories of January 12, 2012

Duane Shank — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
"The average Christian doesn't have to pick up his phone when it rings and think about somebody killing him or his children. The average Christian didn't have any of that." - Rev. C.T. Vivian, vice president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, on why Rev. Martin Luther King’s favorite hymns and spirituals helped carry him through troubled times.
(RNS/Huffington Post)

The Top 10 Stories of January 11, 2012

Duane Shank — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
"The wheels start moving. It starts picking up speed. It gets bumpy. You have nothing to hold on. But the hunger that you have to get to the United States just to be with your family, that's all that's in your head. I'm going to make it." - Luis Luna, 20, brought to the U.S. as a toddler, describing his attempt to return to the U.S. on the undercarriage of a boxcar after being deported.
(Los Angeles Times)

The Top 10 Stories of January 10, 2012

Duane Shank — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
"We are leaping before we are looking. Those who are drilling and extracting ... have not done the human health research and ecological studies to assure that the process and chemicals they use are the least hazardous possible." - Jerome Paulson, of the Mid-Atlantic Center for Children's Health and the Environment, at a conference focused on shale gas and public health.
(Reuters)

The Top 10 Stories of January 9, 2012

Duane Shank — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
"There's a reality that life is unpredictable, and that even in the best of times, our cherished friends, the good, the caring, the innocent among us, the closest and dearest people we know, can be taken from us." - Mark Kelly, at a commemoration of the first anniversary of the shooting in Tucson that killed 6 people and severely injured his wife, Rep. Gabby Giffords.
(Associated Press)

The Top 10 Stories of January 6, 2012

Duane Shank — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
"It's like an outward expression of a burden carried deep inside. I've never been asked about it. Ever.” - Jane Horton, Oklahoma, on the small Gold Star pin she wears to honor her husband, Christopher, who was killed in Afghanistan four months ago.
(USA Today)

The Top 10 Stories of January 5, 2012

Duane Shank — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
"Proportionately, that segment of the population pays more of their income toward utility bills. If we can cut those bills down. we can really help them." - Matt Clark, Habitat for Humanity's national director of construction technology, on why Habitat is putting a new emphasis on energy-efficient “green” houses for low-income families.
(USA Today)

The Top 10 Stories of January 3, 2012

Duane Shank — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
"We are in the midst of a fundamental debate about the proper role and scope of government that splits the public nearly in half. When you ask people if they want a bigger government doing more or a smaller government doing less, it's almost exactly down the middle." - Michael Dimock, associate director of the Pew Research Center, who has studied tens of thousands of voter interviews over the last year.
(Los Angeles Times)

The Top 10 Stories of December 22, 2011

Duane Shank — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 16:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
"We can''t afford another lost generation of people that don't complete high school. We are really trying to figure what is the next strategy with various systems that interact with children." - Leslie Strnisha, senior program director of a foundation run by the Sisters of Charity that started a Promise Neighborhood in Cleveland, one of more than twenty programs modeled on the Harlem Children's Zone.
(USA Today)

The Top 10 Stories of December 21, 2011

Duane Shank — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 16:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
"This is a great opportunity. What a great way to engage the new regime. Let's start on the most basic humanitarian principals." - David Austin, North Korea program director for Mercy Corps, saying Washington could send a strong humanitarian message by sending food aid to malnourished North Koreans following the death of leader Kim Jong Il.
(Los Angeles Times)

The Top 10 Stories of December 20, 2011

Duane Shank — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 16:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
“Why send a card through snail mail? There’s an app for that.” - Randall Martin Jr., Birmingham, Ala., who runs a technology business and extends his holiday wishes digitally.
(Chicago Sun-Times)

The Top 10 Stories of December 19, 2011

Duane Shank — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
"In [South] Africa the theme was the fight against Aids. Here we must spread the culture of peace and disarmament. We are still the country that most kills with firearms." - Renan Filho, Brazilian Member of Parliament, on a proposal for the 2014 Brazilian World Cup to give free or reduced-price tickets to fans who surrender guns, which would be destroyed and used to make goalposts for Cup matches.
(Guardian)

The Top 10 Stories of December 16, 2011

Duane Shank — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 16:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
“It was like an angel fell out of the sky and appeared in our store,” - Edna Deppe, assistant manager of a K-Mart store in Indianapolis, speaking of an anonymous donor who paid the layaway orders for as many as 50 people, especially toys and children’s clothes set aside by impoverished parents for Christmas gifts.
(AP/Washington Post)

The Top 10 Stories of December 15, 2011

Duane Shank — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 16:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
"This is the largest corporate step up to the challenge that is beginning to apply direct resources to the fight against slavery. … a game-changing investment." - Gary Haugen, president and CEO of International Justice Mission, which received one of a total $11.5 million in grants made by Google to organizations working to end modern-day slavery and human trafficking.
(CNN)

The Top 10 Stories of December 14, 2011

Duane Shank — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 16:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
"I regret Canada's withdrawal and am surprised over its timing. Canada has a moral obligation to itself and future generations to lead in the global effort." - Christiana Figueres, UN climate chief, commenting on Canada’s withdrawal from the Kyoto pact a day after committing to a legally binding deal at the UN climate summit.
(Guardian)

The Top 10 Stories of December 13, 2011

Duane Shank — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
“The NFL is my goal, not my dream. My dream is to have an impact on people. I think I'm doing that, and I'm not finished yet. All the trips to the pediatric hospital, to the Homeless Center. I'm not done yet.” - Manti Te'o, star Notre Dame linebacker, on why he has decided to return to college for his senior year rather than go to the NFL.
(South Bend Tribune)

The Top 10 Stories of December 12, 2011

Duane Shank — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
“It’s re-instilling some of the values I once had that I hope to have again… bringing up these old memories, of being an upstanding citizen.” - James White, former Marine gunnery sergeant, who has been in prison since 1996 for robbery, on a Florida prison program with separate dorms run with military ritual and discipline.
(New York Times)

The Top 10 Stories of December 9, 2011

Duane Shank — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
“I am speaking on behalf of the United States of America because my negotiators cannot. The obstructionist Congress has shackled justice and delayed ambition for far too long. I am scared for my future. 2020 is too late to wait.” - Abigail Borah, a Middlebury College junior, telling the climate change assembly in Durban that she would speak for the United States because U.S. envoy Todd Stern had forfeited the right to do so.
(New York Times)

The Top 10 Stories of December 8, 2011

Duane Shank — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
“All four gospels tell us that the message of the Resurrection was given to women to proclaim to men. That leads some of us to believe that is evidence that God just might call a woman to be pastor.” - Roger Gilbert, pastor of First Baptist Church of Mount Airy, N.C., explaining why he thinks a Baptist association’s vote to remove a church for calling a woman pastor isn’t what Jesus would do.
(Associated Baptist Press)

The Top 10 Stories of December 7, 2011

Duane Shank — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
"People ask me if I believe in global warming. I tell them, 'No, I don't,' because belief is faith; faith is the evidence of things not seen. Science is evidence of things seen." - Katharine Hayhoe, a rising star among climatologists, and an evangelical Christian, who speaks of concern over climate change as about protecting God's creation and loving one's neighbors.
(Los Angeles Times)

The Top 10 Stories of December 6, 2011

Duane Shank — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
“We grieve with those families for whom this is not a season of joy, and hold out the life of Jesus as a model for putting away violence. We also pray for all who work to make our community safe and just.” - Pastor Joe Phelps, Highland Baptist Church in Louisville, Ky., as 46 crosses were placed on its lawn, one for each of the city’s homicide victims so far this year.
(American Baptist Press)

The Top 10 Stories of December 5, 2011

Duane Shank — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
“You get desensitized to young people being killed. You become numb to it. Being up here has helped me realize it's not normal." - Rev. Corey Brooks, pastor of New Beginnings Church in Chicago, who is living in a tent atop an old motel as part of an effort to buy the building and convert the property into a community center for young people.
(Chicago Tribune)

The Top 10 Stories of December 2, 2011

Duane Shank — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
“Christians are a little bit countercultural when it comes to Advent. When much of the secular world is busy celebrating Christmas right now ... we’re busy being thoughtful and meditative and quietly joyful in getting ready for Christmas.” - Rev. Stanley Benecki, pastor of St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church on the Hilltop, Columbus OH.
(Columbus Dispatch)

The Top 10 Stories of December 1, 2011

Duane Shank — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
“When the history books are written, they will show that millions of people owe their lives to the Yankee tax dollar, to just a fraction of an aid budget that is itself less than 1 percent of the federal budget.” - Bono on World AIDS Day.
(New York Times)

The Top 10 Stories of November 30, 2011

Duane Shank — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
"Churches traditionally do charity pretty well, and this is a moment where that charity gets transformed into justice work and they can start to see that there are underlying causes here that we need to address." - Rev. Michael Ellick, a pastor at Judson Memorial Church in New York City on why churches should support the Occupy movement.
(RNS/Huffington Post)

The Top 10 Stories of November 29, 2011

Duane Shank — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
"It's also a sociological phenomenon that the time of the holidays when we're supposed to feel all of those [good] things, it's also a time of great angst and anxiety and pain and suffering for many people precisely because the hope and joy are lacking." - U.S. House Chaplain Father Patrick Conroy, describing the atmosphere in the House.
(Christian Post)

The Top 10 Stories of November 28, 2011

Duane Shank — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
"I hope that all members of the international community agree on a responsible and credible response to this worrisome and complex phenomenon, taking into account the needs of the poorest and future generations." - Pope Benedict XVI’s Sunday message for delegates attending this week's U.N. climate change conference.
(Huffington Post)

The Top 10 Stories of November 25, 2011

Duane Shank — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 14:00:00 +0000

The Daily Digest is not available today. But here are some links to Duane''s usual sources to browse until his return:

The New York Times
The Washington Post
The Washington Times
The Los Angeles Times
The Boston Globe
The Chicago Tribune
McClatchy
The Christian Science Monitor
The Wall Street Journal
USA Today
The Globe & Mail
Toronto Star
BBC
Guardian
Haaretz

Sojourners' Daily Digest is a compilation of the top news related to our commitments of life and peace, economic and racial justice, and care of creation, with a special focus on news of the engagement of faith in public life.

The Top 10 Stories of November 24, 2011

Duane Shank — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 14:00:00 +0000

The Daily Digest is not available today. But here are some links to Duane''s usual sources to browse until his return:

The Top 10 Stories of November 23, 2011

Duane Shank — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
"In my mind, it is a perversion of justice. I refuse to be a part of this compromised and inequitable system any longer and I will not allow further executions while I am governor." - Gov. John Kitzhaber of Oregon explaining why he placed a moratorium on all executions in the state.
(Portland Oregonian)

The Top 10 Stories of November 22, 2011

Duane Shank — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
"The economy will be in the forefront. Churches are dealing with the economy, too." - Rev. Terry Duvall, longtime pastor at Macedonia Baptist Church in Gaffney, S.C., when asked what overriding issue will spur conservative Christian believers to the polls on Jan. 21 in South Carolina.
(McClatchy News)

The Top 10 Stories of November 21, 2011

Duane Shank — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
"We’re going to speak about how this economic crisis continues to hurt everybody in society, particularly the poor. We need to make sure there are decent jobs with decent wages." - Msgr. Kevin Sullivan, executive director of Catholic Charities in New York City, on the archdiocese’s participation in a rally urging passage of a wage increase bill.
(New York Times)

The Top 10 Stories of November 18, 2011

Duane Shank — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
"We talked about how we were just down here as Americans trying to get things done. After the breakfast I said to him, does he have like-minded people he could bring to the table because I had some like-minded people, and the next meeting started with a few more and then there were a few more and now we are about 12." - Rep. James B. Renacci (R-OH) explaining how a regular bipartisan breakfast meeting began after he had breakfast with Rep.John Carney (D-DE).
(New York Times)

The Top 10 Stories of November 17, 2011

Duane Shank — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
“Given all the concern about childhood obesity, Congress should be helping schools serve healthier foods, not hurting that effort.” Margo Wootan, a director at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, on Congress overturning a USDA effort to limit the starchy vegetables and tomato paste served in school lunches, allowing school cafeterias to continue offering pizza and french fries.
(Washington Post)

The Top 10 Stories of November 16, 2011

Duane Shank — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
“I have no interest in retail; I have no interest in opening a bookstore. But I also have no interest in living in a city without a bookstore.” Ann Patchett, best-selling author, on why she is opening a bookstore in Nashville after several popular stores recently closed.
(New York Times)

The Top 10 Stories of November 15, 2011

Duane Shank — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
“Facebook has buckled! I’m Salman Rushdie again. I feel SO much better. An identity crisis at my age is no fun.” Author Salman Rushdie, successfully convincing Facebook to allow him to use his name after it had deactivated his account, demanded proof of identity and turned him into Ahmed Rushdie, which is how he is identified on his passport.
(New York Times)

The Top 10 Stories of November 14, 2011

Duane Shank — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
"We want social returns, as well as financial ones. When you look at the major financial institutions, you have to realize there is greed involved." - Sister Nora Nash of the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia and the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, on efforts to persuade banks and corporations to protect consumers, rein in executive pay, and remember the poor.
(New York Times)

The Top 10 Stories of November 10, 2011

Duane Shank — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
"The rules have changed in the past 25 years. Nuclear weapons don''t serve as a deterrent to the dangers of our post-Cold War era, which include rogue nations and terrorist groups." - Leith Anderson, president of the National Association of Evangelicals, on a resolution passed by the NAE Board calling for further steps to reduce nuclear weapons.
(RNS/Christianity Today)

See the top headlines inside.

The Top 10 Stories of November 9, 2011

Duane Shank — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
"We are taking care of people who are most in need at a time they're far away. We've had some soldiers deployed four and five times." - Father Donald Rutherford, U.S. Army chief of chaplains, on the role of military chaplains.
(Catholic News Service)

The Top 10 Stories of November 8, 2011

Duane Shank — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 18:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
"When extreme weather hits, we hear about the property damage and insurance costs. The healthcare costs never end up on the tab." - Kim Knowlton, a senior scientist at Natural Resources Defense Council, co-author of study estimating that deaths and health problems from floods, drought, and other U.S. disasters related to climate change cost an estimated $14 billion over the last decade.
(Reuters)

The Top 10 Stories of November 7, 2011

Duane Shank — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 18:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
“The greatest legacy one can pass on to one’s children and grandchildren is not money or other material things accumulated in one’s life, but rather a legacy of character and faith.” - Billy Graham, who turns 93 today.
(Christian Post)

1. Thousands protest Keystone oil pipeline.
"On a sunny, cloudless day, thousands of protesters encircled the White House Sunday in a show of numbers intended to persuade President Barack Obama to stop a proposed oil pipeline from being built."
(McClatchy News)

2. New portrait of poverty.
"The Census Bureau to release a long-promised alternate measure meant to do a better job of counting the resources the needy have and the bills they have to pay."
(New York Times)

3. U.S. wealth gap between young and old widest ever.
"The wealth gap between younger and older Americans has stretched to the widest on record, worsened by a prolonged economic downturn that has wiped out job opportunities for young adults and saddled them with housing and college debt."
(AP/Boston Globe)

4. Health coverage for children of low-income state workers.
"Now, as a result of the policy change, families of lower-income state workers who have struggled to pay for family coverage can qualify for the program."
(Washington Post)

5. Panetta faces pressure on military spending cuts.
"Under orders to cut the Pentagon budget by more than $450 billion over the next decade, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta is considering reductions in spending categories once thought sacrosanct."
(New York Times)

6. Issue 2 campaign still hot in last days.
"On Tuesday, voters across the state will head to the polls to cast judgment on Issue 2, the ballot measure for the Republican-backed limits to collective bargaining for about 360,000 public employees introduced through Senate Bill 5."
(Columbus Dispatch)

7. IAEA report to expose Iranian nuclear weapons design.
"The UN nuclear watchdog will unveil details of an advanced warhead blueprint and a site where it may have been tested, reports say."
(Guardian)

8. Arab League calls urgent talks over Syria.
"The Arab League has called for an emergency meeting on Syria after government forces there killed at least 13 civilians in attacks on pro-democracy protests in Homs after prayers on one of Islam's holiest days."
(Guardian)

9. Greek leaders reach deal on government.
"Prime Minister George A. Papandreou and his chief rival agreed Sunday night to create a new unity government, under a new prime minister, that will move ahead with the country’s debt-relief deal with the European Union and then hold new elections."
(New York Times)

10. Death toll in Thailand floods crosses 500.
"The death toll from Thailand's worst floods in half a century has climbed past 500, as advancing pools of polluted black water threatened Bangkok's underground railway system."
(Al Jazeera)

The Daily Digest is not available today. But here are some links to Duane's usual sources to browse until his return:

Duane Shank — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 17:00:00 +0000

The Daily Digest is not available today. But here are some links to Duane’s usual sources to browse until his return:

The Top 10 Stories of Nevember 3, 2011

Duane Shank — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 17:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
“If religious leaders and commentators in the U.K. and elsewhere could agree on these three proposals, not as a fixed agenda but as a common ground on which to start serious discussion, the struggles and questionings alike of protesters and clergy at St. Paul’s will not have been wasted.” - Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, endorsing a Vatican statement supporting a “Robin Hood” tax on financial transactions and a separation of retail and investment operations at banks.
(New York Times)

1. Deficit committee could seek more time.
"A top House Democrat said Wednesday that a bipartisan committee seeking ways to slash the budget deficit could seek an extension if it was unable to meet its deadline, just three weeks away."
(New York Times)

2. Oakland protest turns to chaos.
"A day of demonstrations in Oakland that began as a significant step toward expanding the political and economic influence of the Occupy Wall Street movement, ended with police in riot gear arresting dozens of protesters who had marched through downtown to break into a vacant building, shattering windows, spraying graffiti and setting fires along the way."
(AP/MSNBC)

3. Poorest poor in U.S. hits new record.
"The ranks of America's poorest poor have climbed to a record high — 1 in 15 people — spread widely across metropolitan areas as the housing bust pushed many inner-city poor into suburbs and other outlying places and shriveled jobs and income."
(AP)

4. Cain denies new allegations, accuses Perry of fueling stories.
"Former restaurant executive Herman Cain faced a new set of sexual harassment allegations Wednesday, with a report that a third former employee had described unwanted, sexually aggressive behavior from him and a Republican pollster saying he had witnessed at least two such incidents."
(Washington Post)

5. U.S.-born children take fight over tuition to court.
"State governments have been grappling with the question of whether to provide in-state college tuition rates to illegal immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children."
(USA TODAY)

6. Syria agrees to Arab League plan.
"The Syrian government has accepted several measures suggested by the Arab League aimed at halting the violence in the country, including the removal of tanks and armoured vehicles from the streets."
(Al Jazeera)

7. Kenyan forces gathering for push to seize port.
"Three weeks into their offensive against Somalia's Shabab Islamist militia, Kenyan forces are preparing for what's likely to be a decisive battle for the southern Somali port of Kismayo."
(McClatchy Newspapers)

8. Residents tear down Bangkok flood barrier.
"Residents in northeastern Bangkok have destroyed part of a canal floodgate in an attempt to divert floodwaters away from their homes amid allegations that authorities are allowing the outskirts of the city to flood to protect central areas."
(Al Jazeera)

9. Greek Prime Minister to offer to resign.
"Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou is expected to offer his resignation … Mr Papandreou will meet Greek President Karolos Papoulias immediately after an emergency cabinet meeting has finished."
(BBC)

10. British military steps up plans for Iran attack.
"Britain's armed forces are stepping up their contingency planning for potential military action against Iran amid mounting concern about Tehran's nuclear enrichment programme."
(Guardian)

The Top 10 Stories of November 2, 2011

Duane Shank — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 17:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
“To put such a motto on coins, or to use it in any kindred manner, not only does no good but does positive harm, and is in effect irreverence, which comes dangerously close to sacrilege.” - President Theodore Roosevelt, in 1907, explaining the logic behind leaving “In God We Trust” off a $10 gold coin. On Tuesday the House passed a resolution reaffirming “In God We Trust” as the nation’s official motto.
(New York Times)

1. Evangelical opposites to hold discussion on presidential race.
"In evangelical America, the Revs. Richard Land and Jim Wallis are odd bedfellows. … But the men will convene an unusual public “discussion” on Wednesday night in Washington to talk about something upon which they agree."
(Washington Post)

2. For U.S. Muslims, work-time prayer a struggle.
"While Muslims differ about what constitutes extenuating circumstances, many successfully integrate prayer into their workday, often with help from their employers. Still, employers and Muslim workers sometimes clash over prayers."
(RNS/Huffington Post)

3. Budget veterans have advice for super committee.
"Political heavyweights from past budget debates descended on the congressional "super committee" to deliver a tough message as the panel struggles to agree on a $1.5-trillion deficit reduction plan by its Thanksgiving deadline."
(Los Angeles Times)

4. Obama to make decision on controversial oil pipeline.
"President Obama said Tuesday that he will decide whether to approve or deny a permit for a controversial 1,700-mile Canadian oil pipeline, rather than delegating the decision to the State Department."
(Washington Post)

5. Cain's stumbles raise questions about his past, competence.
"While Cain has denied the allegations, his less-than-nimble series of responses could threaten his recent rise to the top of the Republican presidential primary race."
(McClatchy Newspapers)

6. Greek government teeters on brink of collapse.
"France and Germany battle to save the single currency as Europe is plunged back into turmoil days after rescue deal."
(Guardian)

7. Karzai warning at Afghan summit.
"Afghan President Hamid Karzai has warned a key global conference in Istanbul that there will be no peace for his country without strong regional co-operation on 'terror groups.'"
(BBC)

8. Euphoria turns to discontent as Egypt's revolution stalls.
"More than eight months after President Hosni Mubarak was toppled, the euphoria of Egypt’s political spring has surrendered to a season of discontent."
(New York Times)

9. Kenya warns of air strikes across Somalia.
"Kenyan forces plan to carry out air strikes on Islamist rebel camps across southern and central Somalia to destroy weapons the military says were flown into the anarchic Horn of Africa country in the past two days."
(Guardian)

10. United Nations warns of increasing use of mercenaries.
"Expert group sees major expansion in military and security companies operating without regulation or accountability."
(Al Jazeera)

The Top 10 Stories of November 1, 2011

Duane Shank — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 17:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
“It all reminds me of my weakness of not trusting God. Here I am a pro-life person, and isn't that 18- or 19-year-old just as much a gift from God as a baby in the womb?… I am just sick and tired of people sending young men and women to die when it's not justified." - Rep. Walter Jones, (R-NC) on why he has become antiwar and writes to the families of war dead as penance for his vote to authorize the use of force in Iraq.
(Catholic News Service)

1. Bishop of London dissociates St. Paul's cathedral from legal action.
"The move could strain relationships with the City of London, but is seen by the bishop as an attempt to rescue the Church of England from the damaging publicity surrounding its stance towards the Occupy London protest."
(Guardian)

2. Battle flares between White House, Catholic groups.
"A contentious battle between Catholic groups and the Obama administration has flared in recent days, fueled by the new health-care law and ongoing divisions over access to abortion and birth control."
(Washington Post)

3. Occupy activists across U.S. invited to Iowa.
"Iowa activists are inviting caravans of protesters from across the country to help them “occupy” all the presidential campaign headquarters in Iowa – and to shut the offices down if they feel their message about corporate greed is not being heard."
(Des Moines Register)

4. U.S. seeks injunction to block South Carolina immigration law.
"The lawsuit argues that the U.S. government is the only entity that can implement immigration policy and the state's immigration law could result in the harassment and detention of foreign visitors, legal immigrants and U.S. citizens."
(McClatchy Newspapers)

5. Cain trips on response to harassment report.
"Herman Cain was already struggling with the leap from campaign novelty to serious presidential contender when he was hit with sexual harassment charges. The contradictory statements he made in his defense seem likely to fan rather than quell the controversy."
(Los Angeles Times)

6. A revised strategy in Afghanistan.
"The United States is trying to fashion an exit that will not leave Afghanistan open to civil war or the reestablishment of terrorist bases."
(Washington Post)

7. Pakistan ties to militant network may trump U.S. pressure.
"Haqqani militants move about freely in Pakistan, indicating a degree of protection from the military and intelligence service that makes it unlikely American concerns will be addressed."
(New York Times)

8. U.S. cuts Unesco funding.
"The United States is cancelling funding for the UN cultural body Unesco after it voted to grant full membership to the Palestinians."
(BBC)

9. Thai flood frustration grows.
"Thai authorities tried to stem growing anger among flood victims on Tuesday as water swamped new neighborhoods and the government began mapping out a plan costing billions of dollars to prevent a repeat disaster and secure investor confidence."
(Reuters)

10. World on verge of new recession.
"The global economy is on the verge of a new and deeper jobs recession that may ignite social unrest, the International Labour Organization warns."
(BBC)

The Top 10 Stories of October 31, 2011

Duane Shank — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 17:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
"I'd rather keep myself working than get in trouble. My dad started from nothing. He worked hard, so I don't mind working hard too." - Geremias Romero, born in New Jersey to immigrant parents from El Salvador, who graduated from high school and has taken community college courses, but is unable to find a teaching job, so he's started working in the fields.
(Los Angeles Times)

1. Dressing up for Halloween without dressing down others.
"If your Halloween costume includes a sombrero, a feather headdress or black face paint, a group of Ohio University students wants you to know that you’ve crossed the line."
(Columbus Post-Dispatch)

2. Occupy London could be protected by Christian ring of prayer.
"Christian groups have drawn up plans to protect protesters by forming a ring of prayer around the camp outside St Paul's Cathedral, should an attempt be made to forcibly remove them."
(Guardian)

3. Election laws tightening in GOP-run states.
"Republicans in states like Florida are making it more challenging to vote. Democrats say it's an effort to disenfranchise students, the elderly, the poor, the disabled and minorities -- and to unseat Obama."
(Los Angeles Times)

4. Deficit reduction still a devil deal.
"Nov. 23 approaches and with it the devil’s bargain made last August when Washington pushed the nation to the brink of default and then created an Armageddon for itself if lawmakers fail to come up with a $1.2 trillion deficit-reduction plan by Thanksgiving."
(Politico)

5. Volunteer attorneys help Occupy protesters with legal system.
"As copycat Occupy Wall Street encampments around the country confront the inevitable legal tangles that come with a nationwide sit-in style protest, a growing army of First Amendment-loving lawyers is shepherding the demonstrators through the legal system at no charge."
(McClatchy Newspapers)

6. U.S. planning buildup in Gulf after Iraq exit.
"The Obama administration plans to bolster the American military presence in the Persian Gulf after it withdraws the remaining troops from Iraq this year."
(New York Times)

7. Gaza militants agree to truce.
"A round of Israeli air strikes and rockets fired at Israel from Gaza continued on Sunday, hours after Egypt brokered a truce following the deaths of nine Palestinian militants and an Israeli civilian."
(Guardian)

8. Kandahar suicide attack kills four.
"Four people have been killed in a suicide attack in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar, according to authorities, in the third bloody assault in a few days against targets associated with foreign missions in the country."
(Guardian)

9. Somali 'civilians killed' in Kenyan air raids.
"An air raid on a camp packed with displaced women and children has killed at least five people and wounded 45, mostly children and women, according to the aid agency Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF)."
(Al Jazeera)

10. World population hits 7 billion.
"It took only a dozen years for humanity to add another billion people to the planet, reaching the milestone of 7 billion Monday — give or take a few months."
(Los Angeles Times)

The Top 10 Stories of October 28, 2011

Duane Shank — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 17:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
"Whenever military service came up I couldn't truthfully say, 'Yeah, I'm a proud Marine.' I tried to say it and it wouldn't quite come out." - Joseph Smith, 87, didn't want to think or talk about his time in the Marine Corps as one of thousands of African Americans who joined the Marine Corps during World War II and then served in segregated support units commanded by white officers. The Marine Corps is now making their story part of its official history.
(USA Today)

1. Leaders find out how far food stamps go.
"Religious leaders and members of Congress this week are getting a firsthand taste of what it’s like to eat on $4.50 a day as part of the 'Food Stamp Challenge.'”
(Religion News Service/Ethics Daily)

2. Latest developments in Occupy protests.
"Some of the latest developments in the Occupy protests taking place in cities across the world."(Associated Press)

3. Republicans offer deficit alternative.
"After weeks of negotiating in secrecy, the 'super committee' on deficit reduction has allowed its proposals to spill into the open in a display of partisanship that shows how far apart Congress remains in striking a deal."
(Los Angeles Times)

4. Chilling effect in Alabama immigration law.
"The schools provision of the immigration law is a first step in a larger strategy to topple a 29-year-old Supreme Court ruling that all children in the United States are guaranteed an education."
(New York Times)

5. U.S. drone base in Ethiopia operational.
"The Air Force has been secretly flying armed Reaper drones on counterterrorism missions from a remote civilian airport in southern Ethiopia as part of a rapidly expanding U.S.-led proxy war against an al-Qaeda affiliate in East Africa."
(Washington Post)

6. Thousands flee Bangkok as flooding spreads.
"The bus and train stations were jammed in Bangkok on Thursday with tens of thousands of refugees racing away from a coming deluge."
(New York Times)

7. Clinton asks for patience on Afghanistan, Pakistan.
"'I will be the first to admit that working with our Afghan and Pakistani partners is not always easy,' Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton told the House Foreign Affairs Committee."
(Washington Post)

8. Kenya in first al-Shabab battle.
"Kenyan troops clash with Islamist militants inside Somalia for the first time since crossing the border nearly two weeks ago."
(BBC)

9. UN votes to end no-fly zone over Libya.
"Security Council members vote unanimously to end no-fly zone in place since March despite Libyan calls for a delay."
(Al Jazeera)

10. Fukushima released more radioactive material than thought.
"The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant may have released twice as much radiation into the atmosphere as previously estimated, according to a study that contradicts official explanations of the accident."
(Guardian)

The Top 10 Stories of October 27, 2011

Duane Shank — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 17:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
"The more the corporations focus on the wealthy, the more they worship the god of wealth, the more they're sacrificing the 99 percent. The crisis isn't just economic or political. Really, it's a spiritual crisis. For Christians, it's a matter of idolatry." - Lutheran pastor Tom Gaulke on why clergy from a variety of traditions are providing spiritual support for demonstrators of Occupy Chicago who have been on the streets since the beginning.
(Chicago Tribune)

1. Canon of St. Paul's London resigns.
"The canon chancellor of St Paul's Cathedral, the Rev. Dr. Giles Fraser, has resigned in protest at plans to forcibly remove protesters from its steps, saying he could not support the possibility of 'violence in the name of the church.'"
(Guardian)

2. Pope leads interfaith pilgrimage to Assisi.
"Taking 300 religious leaders with him on pilgrimage to Assisi, Pope Benedict XVI said people who are suspicious of religion cannot be blamed for questioning God's existence when they see believers use religion to justify violence."
(Catholic News Service)

3. Cities debate how to remove Occupy camps.
"More than a month into the Occupy movement, officials are beginning to talk openly of moving protesters out of their encampments in parks and public squares around the country."
(Los Angeles Times)

4. Supercommittee plans reveal chasm.
"Democrats and Republicans exchanged competing deficit reduction plans Wednesday with the biggest partisan split less over spending per se and more the willingness to find some solution to the impasse over tax revenues."
(Politico)

5. Facing hardship, jobless still have hope.
"Despite enduring hardships and being even more pessimistic about the nation’s economy than the general public, unemployed Americans remained optimistic about eventually landing jobs."
(New York Times)

6. U.S. keeps its lead over Russia in nuclear weapons.
"The United States has slightly reduced its numbers but continues to maintain a major advantage, according to figures from the State Department."
(Washington Post)

7. No federal help on Alabama immigration law.
"Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said the agency is not working with Alabama to help the state implement its controversial new immigration law and she expressed concerns about the impact of the measure on Hispanics."
(Politico)

8. U.S. sees 'power struggle' in Iran.
"US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton tells the BBC efforts to reach out to Iran have been hurt by confusion over who is ultimately running the country."
(BBC)

9. Pakistan drone attack kills top militants.
"A suspected US drone attack has killed the brother and a close relative of Maulvi Nazir, a Pakistani Taliban commander, in South Waziristan, a tribal district along the border with Afghanistan."
(Al Jazeera)

10. Egypt's NGO's face tough post-revolution reality.
"Egyptian NGOs hoping for greater freedoms and more space to operate after the fall of Hosni Mubarak's government say they have encountered just the opposite: an unprecedented clampdown by the post-revolution military rulers."
(Guardian)

The Top 10 Stories of October 26, 2011

Duane Shank — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 17:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
“I’m just really appalled to see this massive police presence, so we’re calling on the people of Atlanta to recall Mayor Reed for malfeasance in office because he is abusing the taxpayers’ money by having this massive show of force when it’s not needed.” - Joe Beasley, southern coordinator for the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, as mayors from Oakland to Atlanta raid and arrest Occupy encampments.
(Christian Science Monitor)

1. Egypt's military takes aim at anti-Christian violence.
"Egypt’s military prosecution has summoned two Egyptian activists for questioning over the Army’s attack on a mostly Christian protest two weeks ago, in another indication that the Army is seeking scapegoats for the violence that killed as many as 28 people."
(Christian Science Monitor)

2. Poverty's surge in the suburbs.
"The poor population in America’s suburbs — long a symbol of a stable and prosperous American middle class — rose by more than half after 2000, forcing suburban communities across the country to re-evaluate their identities and how they serve their populations."
(New York Times)

3. Top earners doubled share of nation's income.
"The top 1 percent of earners more than doubled their share of the nation’s income over the last three decades, the Congressional Budget Office said in a new report likely to figure prominently in the escalating political fight over how to revive the economy, create jobs and lower the federal debt."
(New York Times)

4. College prices up again as states slash budgets.
"Average in-state tuition and fees at four-year public colleges rose an additional $631 this fall, or 8.3 percent, compared with a year ago."
(AP/MSNBC)

5. Obama acts to ease burden of student loans.
"President Barack Obama is taking steps to ease the burden of student loans, the White House said on Tuesday, potentially helping millions of cash-strapped college graduates in a tough economy."
(Reuters)

6. Congress works to avert defense budget cuts.
"Weeks after agreeing to impose mandatory spending cuts on the federal government in exchange for raising the debt ceiling, members of Congress are hard at work to overturn a key element of the deal — the threat of automatic, steep cuts in the defense budget."
(Los Angeles Times)

7. Congressional Black Caucus targets state voter laws.
"Minority voters have long had problems simply exercising their right to vote in certain parts of the country — and minority lawmakers fear the situation will become worse in 2012."
(McClatchy Newspapers)

8. Biggest U.S. nuclear bomb dismantled in Texas.
"The last of the nation's biggest nuclear bombs, a Cold War relic 600 times more powerful than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, has been dismantled in what one energy official called a milestone in President Barack Obama's mission to rid the world of nuclear weapons."
(AP/Guardian)

9. Libyans ask NATO to stay.
"NATO should stay involved in Libya until the end of this year to help prevent loyalists of Muammar Gaddafi from leaving the country, Mustafa Abdel Jalil, the interim leader, has said."
(Al Jazeera)

10. Bangkok threatened by flood.
"All parts of Bangkok are now vulnerable to flooding, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has warned. In a televised address, she warned that parts of the capital could be inundated by up to 1.5m (5ft) of water."
(BBC)

The Top 10 Stories of October 25, 2011

Duane Shank — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 17:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
“People can’t talk about the environment without talking about population. Many of the environmental issues you talk about, whether it’s climate change or something else with the environment, people are in the center of it.” - Babatunde Osotimehin, executive director of the U.N. Population Fund, on how people are depleting the earth’s resources.
(Washington Post)

1. Vatican calls for global authority to regulate markets.
"A Vatican document called for the gradual creation of a world political authority with broad powers to regulate financial markets and rein in the 'inequalities and distortions of capitalist development.' Read the statement HERE."
(Catholic News Service)

2. Column: Rules for faith and politics 2012.
"We could use some constitutional rules of the road if America is to continue steering a path between theocracy on one side and hostility toward religion on the other."
(USA Today)

3. Police, Wall Street protesters fall into uneasy truce.
"After a rough start marked by mass arrests and allegations of heavy-handed behaviour, the New York Police Department has settled into an uneasy standoff with the protesters of Occupy Wall Street."
(Reuters)

4. Immigration a minefield in Republican race.
"Halting the flow of illegal immigrants into the country — and figuring out what to do about those already here — has become a major issue in the GOP presidential primary, triggering sparks between the dueling candidates."
(McClatchy News)

5. The GOP's very rapid response team.
"The insta-Tweet has revolutionized rapid response operations that just two years ago relied heavily on cable television, e-mails and news conferences to spread the word of the opposition, which often took a day or two to gain momentum."
(New York Times)

6. Gadhafi buried in secret grave.
"Libya's National Transitional Council has buried the deposed leader Muammar Gaddafi, his son Mutassim and a former aide at a secret location in the desert at dawn."
(Al Jazeera)

7. France to help Kenya's incursion.
"France will give logistical support to Kenyan forces pursuing Islamist militants across the border in Somalia."
(BBC)

8. Tunisian Islamists claim victory.
"The moderate Islamist party al-Nahda has claimed that it has won more than 40 per cent of seats in Tunisia's 217-member consitutent assembly, after the country's historic election."
(Al Jazeera)

9. U.S. pivots eastward to address uneasy allies.
"But this eastward pivot, meant to shore up Asian alliances and send a clear signal that the United States opposes China’s claims to island territories far beyond its shores, comes at a difficult time."
(New York Times)

10. Turkey earthquake toll passes 360.
"The death toll from an earthquake in eastern Turkey has risen to 366 people, officials said, as rescue teams raced to find survivors beneath the rubble."
(BBC)

The Top 10 Stories of October 24, 2011

Duane Shank — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 17:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
"I advocate military engagement when I think it’s necessary, but really you can get more bang for your buck from civilian programs than you can from military engagement most of the time. You’ve got to have more options than just dropping bombs on people." - South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, on why he’s working to protect foreign aid from budget cuts.
(McClatchy News)

1. GOP candidates appeal to Iowa's evangelical voters.
"Republican presidential candidates wooed evangelical voters Saturday, seeking the key voting bloc's backing by highlighting their faith and trying to chip away at the credibility of their rivals."
(Los Angeles Times)

2. Lobbyists swarm supercommittee.
"In just six weeks, nearly 200 companies and special interests have reported that they’re lobbying the 12-member supercommittee."
(Politico)

3. Women veterans unemployed and homeless.
"For returning women, the jobless rate spiked this summer to around 15 percent."
(McClatchy News)
"Women make up a growing number of homeless veterans, a group usually associated with combat-hardened men unable to cope with civilian life."
(Los Angeles Times)

4. Panetta's Pentagon, without the blank check.
"The biggest challenges ahead may be retrofitting the military for a new era of austerity and guarding Mr. Obama’s national security flank heading into a turbulent election year."
(New York Times)

5. Immigration issue a minefield in Republican race.
"Halting the flow of illegal immigrants into the country — and figuring out what to do about those already here — has become a major issue in the GOP presidential primary."
(McClatchy News)

6. U.S. troops to leave Iraq by year's end.
"President Obama announced on Friday that the last American soldier would leave Iraq by the end of this year, drawing to a close a divisive eight-year war that cost the lives of more than 4,400 troops."
(New York Times)

7. Tunisia counts votes in key poll.
"Tunisian election officials are counting votes after Sunday's election, the first free poll of the Arab Spring. More than 90% of registered voters turned out to cast their ballots."
(BBC)

8. Storm death toll rises in Central America.
"At least 105 people have been killed in flooding and landslides provoked by 10 days of heavy rains in Central America, officials have said. More than a million people have been affected in the region."
(Al Jazeera)

9. U.S. envoy leaves Syria over security fears.
"The US ambassador to Syria has left the country over security concerns, with Washington blaming Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government for what it called 'credible threats against his personal safety'"
(Al Jazeera)

10. Hamid Karzai claims his country will side with Pakistan.
"The US reacted with dismay on Sunday after the Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, said that he would side with Pakistan in the event of any war with America."
(Guardian)

#OccupyWallStreet: Rediscovering Values

God's Politics Editor — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 21:29:51 +0000

Editor’s Note: In light of the recent protests at #OccupyWallStreet and around the world, we have revisited Jim Wallis’ 2010 book Rediscovering Values: on Wall Street, Main Street, and Your Street and picked out some passages that are particularly pertinent to what we are seeing in our nation today.

The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. He told those who were selling the doves, “Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace!” His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.”
– John 2:13-17

Interestingly, in his turning over of tables, Jesus specifically targeted the merchants who were selling doves. Doves were the least expensive sacrifice permitted to be offered in the temple, and, therefore, were often bought by the poorest of the pilgrims.

It was a marketplace that took advantage of the poor, who had little other choice. It was a “subprime” marketplace in which a few accumulated great wealth for themselves at the expense of those who could least afford to pay. The money changers had taken a place reserved for the values of God, and used it to put their profits first. No doubt these money changers would have argued that they were only responding to a demand of the market, but Jesus didn’t seem to see it that way. What was happening in the marketplace was a spiritual and moral problem, not just an economic one…

[When Jesus turns over the tables] we see a man enraged at injustice and passionately confronting those who exploit the poor. We also learn that there are some things that we all should get angry about, that there are situations where the only appropriate response is confrontation…

First, we were sold a lie. We were sold an illusion that promised the American Dream was as close as our next purchase. That we could pursue our selfish interests without thought to the consequences, because the “invisible hand” would work it all out in the end. We were told that we did not need to work for wealth, that it would come if only we put our money in the hands of the right stock broker, mutual fund, or stock…

Second, the rules of the game failed. It was supposed to be simple. Work hard, get ahead, buy a home, and tuck some money away for the future in a 401(k). If you followed those rules, everything would work in your favor. But good jobs have disappeared, wages have been garnished, and 401(k) savings have disappeared. The rules of the game seem to have worked for those who set the rules, but not for those who played by them.

Third, our good was supposed to trickle down. We were promised that as the rich got richer, the rest of the country would prosper as well. If we handed our finances and ultimately our lives over to those who knew the market the best, it would benefit us all. If we took the virtues of the market and made them the virtues of our lives, we, too, would experience boundless prosperity. Fulfillment would come if we could just trust the market enough to work for us…

The market has become our “golden calf,” our idol of ultimate allegiance… This is when God—and then Moses—got angry. Why? Just because they built a golden calf? No. The calf could have been just a work of art, a statue to enjoy. What made the calf an idol was that the people gave the newly created calf the credit for leading them out of Egypt. They gave to the golden calf credit and attributes that belong only to God…

Today, instead of statues, we have hedge funds, mortgage- backed securities, 401(k)s, and mutual funds. We place blind faith in the hope that the stock indexes will just keep rising and real estate prices keep climbing. Market mechanisms were supposed to distribute risk so well that those who were reckless would never see the consequences of their actions. Trust, security, and hope in the future were all as close to us as the nearest financial planner’s office. Life and the world around us could all be explained with just the right market lens. These idols were supposed to make us happy and secure and provide for all our needs. Those who manage them became the leaders to whom we looked, not just for financial leadership, but direction for our entire lives. That is idolatry.

Rich and poor alike were sucked into making heroes out of those who seemed to be able to turn everything they touched into gold. Holocaust survivor and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Elie Wiesel lost virtually all of his personal wealth and his foundation’s, up to $37 million, to Bernie Madoffs Ponzi scheme. “We gave him everything, we thought he was God, we trusted everything in his hands.”‘

(All pictures are courtesy of Catholics United, who produced the ‘golden calf’. Extracts come from pages 19-29 of the hardcover edition of Rediscovering Values.)

The Top 10 Stories of October 21, 2011

Duane Shank — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 17:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
"The challenge for us is to distinguish between the offenders we are afraid of -- those who deserve to be locked up for life -- and those who we are just mad at and who can be handled outside of prison." - Texas state Sen. John Whitmire, who helped lead an effort to divert hundreds of offenders to less expensive treatment programs outside of prison.
(USA Today)

1. Evangelical conference preaches support of immigrants.
"Evangelicals are gathering at Cedarville University to talk about the importance of showing compassion to immigrants, whether they are documented or not."
(Columbus Dispatch)

2. Senate rejects bill to keep teachers, first responders on job.
"Republican-led opposition in the Senate blocked a key element of President Obama’s jobs plan Thursday night — a proposal to send $35 billion to cash-strapped states to keep public school teachers, police, and firefighters on the job."
(Los Angeles Times)

3. More women in Senate, but seats are at risk.
"The 2012 elections are likely to mark the new 'year of the woman' in the Senate. For better or worse."
(New York Times)

4. Poverty rates up in most U.S. states, cities.
"The ranks of the poor rose in almost all U.S. states and cities in 2010, despite the end of the longest and deepest economic downturn since the Great Depression the year before."
(Reuters)

5. Violent end to an era as Gadhafi dies in Libya.
"Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi was killed Thursday as fighters battling the vestiges of his fallen regime took control of his hometown of Surt after a prolonged struggle."
(New York Times)

6. Gadhafi burial delayed amid calls for probe.
"Libya's National Transitional Council has delayed the burial for Muammar Gaddafi in order to arrange a secret location and allow for an investigation into his death."
(Al Jazeera)

7. U.S. presses Pakistan on militants.
"Speaking in Islamabad after talks with Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, she also urged Pakistan to encourage the Taliban to enter talks 'in good faith.'"
(BBC)

8. Kenya reportedly didn’t warn U.S. of Somalia incursion.
"As fierce fighting spread to new areas of Somalia on Thursday, American officials said they had been taken by surprise by Kenya’s recent march into Somalia to battle Islamist militants."
(New York Times)

9. Greece adopts austerity bill amid protests.
"The mix of deep pay and pension cuts, tax hikes and changes to collective bargaining agreements has been bitterly opposed and at least 70,000 people joined protests in Athens' Syntagma Square in front of parliament."
(Reuters)

10. Chilean students storm Senate room.
"Dozens of students in Chile occupy the Senate headquarters for several hours to demand a referendum on education and other social policies."
(BBC)

The Top 10 Stories of October 20, 2011

Duane Shank — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 17:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
“There is risk in permitting and expecting the U.S. military to extend its powerful reach into areas traditionally reserved for civilian law enforcement in this country. The military should not and cannot be the only answer.” - Jeh Johnson, Defense Department general counsel, warning against the over-militarization of the country’s approach to counterterrorism.
(Washington Post)

1. Franciscans provide aid to poor along border fence.
"The compact car lifted a trail of dust as it traveled slowly along the 18-foot-tall chain-link fence, attracting the attention of the U.S. Border Patrol agent sitting in his green and white SUV."
(Catholic News Service)

2. Appropriations bedlam continues.
"With 30 days left before the government runs out of money again, the House is on recess this week, the Senate leaves next and just trying to make it across the floor before Friday is a $182 billion, multiheaded spending bill resembling Dr. Doolittle’s famous Pushmi-Pullyu."
(Politico)

3. Democrats press administration on pipeline issue.
"Democratic lawmakers, split over whether to support a massive oil pipeline crossing the U.S.-Canada border, continue to lobby the Obama administration on both sides of the question."
(Washington Post)

4. D.C. won’t cooperate with ICE.
"D.C. Mayor Vincent C. Gray reaffirmed Wednesday that District police and other public agencies will not cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, leaving it up to federal immigration officials to determine on their own whether a resident is in the country illegally."
(Washington Post)

5. Occupy Wall Street shares roots with tea party protesters.
"One rails against, among other things, the overarching power of wealthy banks, the other assails the federal government's overreach into businesses and people's lives. But a closer look reveals that the two movements are as much alike as they are different."
(McClatchy News)

6. Moammar Gadhafi killed in gun battle.
"Colonel Ahmed Bani, the military spokesman of the National Transition Council, has confirmed to Al Jazeera that Moammar Gadhafi has been killed."
(Al Jazeera)

7. Clinton issues warning to Taliban.
"U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visits Kabul and urges the Taliban to be part of a peaceful future in Afghanistan or 'face continuing assault.'"
(BBC)

8. U.S. and Afghan troops battle to control key route.
"American and Afghan troops have killed at least 115 insurgents as part of a tough fight to gain control of a critical corridor and resupply route to a key American base in northeastern Afghanistan."
(New York Times)

9. New U.S. envoy to talk with North Koreans.
"The United States will resume exploratory talks with North Korea next week in Geneva and has appointed a full-time envoy with a background in nuclear issues."
(New York Times)

10. Tewnty four hours in pictures.
"A selection of the best images from around the world."
(Guardian)

The Top 10 Stories of October 19, 2011

Duane Shank — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 17:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
"These are all adult carnivores, so when we talk about the lions and tigers as well as bears, they are all dangerous, especially that they are now out of their area, their enclosures that they were normally in, so they are panicking as well." - Tom Stalf, senior vice president of the Columbus, OH, zoo, about dozens of wild animals on the loose after apparently being set free from a private preserve by the owner who then committed suicide.
(MSNBC)

1. Rivals pile on Romney.
"Mitt Romney was thrown off balance for the first time in the 2012 race, as a gang of primary opponents assailed him on the issues of health care and immigration during Tuesday night’s GOP debate."
(Politico)

2. Tough immigration law raises fears in Alabama.
"Before the law chased them away, several dozen customers crowded into the Discount Grocery and Variety store here each morning, shopping for fresh avocados, telephone cards, Mexican DVDs or loaves of sweet bread."
(USA Today)

3. Latinos bear weight of deportation program.
"A deportation program that is central to the Obama administration’s immigration enforcement strategy has led disproportionately to the removal of Latino immigrants and to arrests by immigration authorities of hundreds of United States citizens."
(New York Times)

4. Deficit panel may need push.
"With just five weeks until its deadline, a secretive Congressional committee seeking ways to cut the federal deficit is far from a consensus, and party leaders may need to step in if they want to ensure agreement."
(New York Times)

5. Malaria vaccine trial raises hope.
"Infants given the prototype vaccine had about half the risk of getting malaria compared with those who did not receive the jab."
(BBC)

6. U.S. attacks Haqqani stronghold.
Explosions and gunfire erupted in the mountains of eastern Afghanistan Tuesday as U.S.-led international forces and Afghan soldiers began what seemed likely to become a new, coordinated offensive against insurgents whom American officials blame for a series of recent major terrorist attacks in Kabul."
(McClatchy Newspapers)

7. Middle East joy at prisoner exchange.
"Jubilant crowds in Israel and the Palestinian territories have been celebrating a historic prisoner swap."
(BBC)

8. Clinton details new aid package to Libya.
"The Obama administration offered millions of dollars in new aid to Libya as secretary of state Hillary Clinton encouraged the country's unsteady new leadership to commit to a democratic future free of retribution."
(Guardian)

9. Kenya says making gains against al-Shabab.
"Kenyan troops and pro-Somali government forces say they have captured a key base belonging to al-Shabab, the rebel Somalian Islamist group, and killed 75 of its fighters."
(Al Jazeera)

10. Chilean military in mass call-up.
"Chile has given nearly 57,000 18-year-olds one month to report for potential military duty, saying the government needs to fill gaps in its armed forces because a nationwide student protest movement has reduced the number of volunteers it usually gets."
(Guardian)