The Top 10 Stories of February 8, 2012
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)
1. White House tries to quell birth control storm.
Polls show a new Obama administration rule that requires faith-based employers to offer workers free contraceptive coverage is popular, even among Catholics — but the actions of the president’s top advisers Tuesday showed just how worried they are about a backlash.
(Politico)
2. Hispanic churches coping with Alabama immigration law.
Hispanic congregations in Alabama are reporting declining numbers of worshippers under the enactment of the state's controversial immigration law, one of the strictest in the nation.
3. Court strikes down ban on gay marriage in California.
A federal appeals court panel on Tuesday threw out a voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage passed in 2008, upholding a lower court’s ruling that the ban, known as Proposition 8, violated the constitutional rights of gay men and lesbians in California.
4. Santorum's night ends with 3-state sweep.
Republican long shot Rick Santorum poked holes in Mitt Romney's aura of inevitability Tuesday night with a trio of upset victories that shifted the dynamic of the 2012 presidential contest.
5. Lawmakers help institutions tied to family.
EXCLUSIVE | Some members of Congress send tax dollars to companies, colleges and community groups where their spouses, children and parents work as salaried employees, lobbyists or board members, according to an examination of federal disclosure forms and local public records by The Washington Post.
6. West reluctantly weighs military aid for Syria rebels.
After diplomatic efforts at the UN failed Saturday, there is a growing consensus that supporting the rebel Free Syrian Army may be the only way to break the stalemate between Assad and his opponents.
7. CIA in Afghanistan and Iraq for the long haul.
The CIA is expected to maintain a large clandestine presence in Iraq and Afghanistan long after the departure of conventional U.S. troops as part of a plan by the Obama administration to rely on a combination of spies and Special Operations forces to protect U.S. interests in the two longtime war zones.
8. U.S. planning to slash Iraq embassy staff.
Less than two months after American troops left, the State Department is preparing to slash by as much as half the enormous diplomatic presence it had planned for Iraq, a sharp sign of declining American influence in the country.
9. Iran's parliament summons Ahmadinejad.
Iran's parliament has summoned President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for questioning over a long list of accusations including mismanagement of the nation''s economy. The summons was the first of its kind for an Iranian president since 1979.
10. Sudan launches Darfur peace body.
Sudan's president launches a governing body to oversee a peace deal intended to end the nine-year war in western region of Darfur.
(BBC)
