The latest news on Credit Squeeze, Ft. Hood Shooting, Afghanistan Policy, Immigration, Power From Old Weapons, Mideast, Sudan-Darfur, and Select op-eds.

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Quote of the Day. "Our stitching was perfection. So I never thought we'd lose our jobs to China. But we did. We did. Now what is everyone supposed to do?" Geraldine Ritch, 62, in western North Carolina, where the unemployment rate is now 15% as jobs have been shipped overseas. (Washington Post)

FAITH IN THE NEWS

Justice Revival starting tonight aims to unite Dallas-area churches, community “That's the hope anyway as large numbers of Christians gather across the usual dividing lines of race, denomination, theology and politics to focus attention on supporting public education and reducing homelessness.”

Church Leaders Recall Faith, Courage on Berlin Wall Anniversary “Church leaders paid tribute Monday to the faith and courage of ordinary men and women who helped unify Germany and end the Cold War on the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.”

Catholic Church Emerges as Key Player in Legislative Battle “Injecting itself aggressively into the health-care debate, the Roman Catholic Church in America has emerged as a major political force with the potential to upend a key piece of President Barack Obama's agenda.”

Opinion: In strong support of the House health-care bill (David Gushee, Associated Baptist Press) “From a Christian perspective aiming to advance human dignity at every stage of life, the version of the health-care bill that passed in the House Nov. 7 was a remarkable public-policy victory.”

Washington Sketch: Gingrich is no longer conservative about showing his religion (Dana Milbank, Washington Post) “It says much about the transformation of the Republican Party that even Newt Gingrich is now carrying the cross.”

Glorious vision in Kenya's sky melts away “Mt. Kenya's ice cap was so stunning that some began revering it as God's home. But most of the shining glacier has now disappeared, robbing communities of water and leading to a crisis of faith.”

NEWS AT HOME

Health Care & Abortion. Obama Seeks Revision of Plan’s Abortion Limits “President Obama suggested Monday that he was not comfortable with abortion restrictions inserted into the House version of major health care legislation, and he prodded Congress to revise them.” Abortion battle moves to the Senate “Liberals furious over a last-minute deal that secured passage of healthcare legislation in the House by restricting abortion coverage threatened Monday to derail the massive overhaul bill.” Coakley decries health care bill “Opening up a major fissure in the US Senate race, AG Martha Coakley said yesterday that she opposes the landmark health care bill approved by the House Saturday because it contains a provision restricting federal funding for abortion.”

Credit Squeeze. A Squeeze on Customers Ahead of New Rules “Banks are struggling to make money in the credit card business these days, and consumers are paying the price. Interest rates are going up, credit lines are being cut and a variety of new fees are being imposed on even the best cardholders.”

Ft. Hood Shooting. U.S. Knew of Fort Hood Suspect’s Tie to Radical Cleric “Intelligence agencies intercepted communications last year and this year between the military psychiatrist accused of shooting to death 13 people at Fort Hood, Tex., and a radical cleric in Yemen known for his incendiary anti-American teachings.” Hasan e-mails to Islamic cleric did not result in FBI inquiry “Maj. Nidal M. Hasan corresponded by e-mail late last year and this year with a radical cleric in Yemen who has criticized the United States for waging war against Muslims, but the contact did not lead to an investigation, federal law enforcement officials said Monday.” Malik Hasan ‘tried to contact al-Qaeda’ “Evidence of a terrorist link to the Fort Hood massacre mounted yesterday with reports that US intelligence officials knew for months before the shooting that Major Nidal Malik Hasan had been trying to contact figures associated with al-Qaeda.”

Afghanistan Policy. AP sources: Obama near decision on deploying nearly 40,000 additional troops to Afghanistan “President Barack Obama is nearing a decision to add tens of thousands more forces to Afghanistan, though probably not quite the 40,000 sought by his top general there.” Democrats torn on Afghanistan, women's rights “As President Obama considers the way forward in Afghanistan, factions within his party are increasingly torn between their strong wish to bring U.S. troops home and their equally passionate desire to protect Afghans -- particularly Afghan women -- from a return of the dark rule of the Taliban.”

Immigration. Undocumented students mobilize to win legal status “It's been just more than two years since the last version of the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act failed to pass the Senate. Reintroduced in both chambers of Congress in March, the most recent incarnation of the DREAM Act would provide a path toward legal U.S. residency for students...” Border Arrests Decline Again “The number of people caught illegally entering the U.S. dropped by more than 23% during the past year, continuing a longer trend, federal data shows.The struggling U.S. economy and rising joblessness are major factors behind the decline.”

Power From Old Weapons. Power for U.S. From Russia’s Old Nuclear Weapons “What’s powering your home appliances? For about 10 percent of electricity in the United States, it’s fuel from dismantled nuclear bombs, including Russian ones.”

NEWS AROUND THE WORLD

Mideast. Obama-Netanyahu talks see no result “The latest attempt by the US president to salvage the Middle East peace talks appears to have come to nothing after his meeting with Israel's prime minister ended with only a brief statement from the White House.” US and Israeli leaders hold talks “President Barack Obama has met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House as the US struggles to revive the Middle East peace process.” Netanyahu in Washington: I'm ready to offer Palestinians major concessions “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for an immediate return to peace negotiations with the Palestinian Authority yesterday, in his address to the United Jewish Communities General Assembly in Washington.” Future of Palestinian Authority Is in Question “The collapse of the Palestinian Authority, Israel’s negotiating partner, was raised as a possibility on Monday, as several aides to its president, Mahmoud Abbas, said that he intended to resign and forecast that others would follow.”

Afghanistan. Karzai hits back against critics “Afghanistan's president has come out fighting against calls by the US to crack down on corruption, arguing that his government is not solely to blame and saying that the West is in his country only for its own ends.”

Korea. Obama will send U.S. diplomat to North Korea for direct talks “President Obama has agreed to send a senior U.S. diplomat to North Korea for the first direct talks with the government there in more than a year, hoping the mission will lead to the renewal of multi-nation negotiations designed to end its nuclear program.” Korean naval ships clash at sea “A South Korean warship has exchanged fire with a North Korean naval vessel, reports from both countries say.” North and South Korean ships exchange fire “A North Korean naval ship suffered heavy damage Tuesday during an exchange of gunfire between the two Koreas along a disputed sea border off their western coasts, officials said.”

Sudan-Darfur. Al-Bashir cancels Turkey OIC trip “The president of Sudan has cancelled a visit to Turkey amid an EU push to arrest him for war crimes charges.”

OPINION

A Word, Mr. President (Bob Herbert, New York Times) “Reforming the chaotic and unfair health care system in the U.S. is an important issue. But in terms of pressing national priorities, the most important are the need to find solutions to a catastrophic employment environment that is devastating American families and to end the folly of an 8-year-old war that is both extremely debilitating and ultimately unwinnable.”

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.