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Quote of the day. "The introduction of the books is a rather good way to decrease the popularity of the Communists among the young people." Lev Ponomaryov, who campaigns for Russia to repudiate Stalinism, on a decision by the Russian Education Ministry that excerpts of Alexander Solzhenitsyn's "The Gulag Archipelago," are to be required reading for students. (Associated Press)
FAITH IN THE NEWS
Many Women Targeted by Faith Leaders, Survey Says “One in every 33 women who attend worship services regularly has been the target of sexual advances by a religious leader, a survey released Wednesday says.”
Anti-Muslim bias persists, poll finds “Eight years after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the general public thinks Muslims are second only to homosexuals in being discriminated against, a new survey shows. Nearly six in 10 Americans -- 58 percent -- think Muslims are subject to 'a lot' of discrimination.”
NEWS AT HOME
Health care. Obama Vows to ‘Deliver on Health Care’“President Obama confronted a critical Congress and a skeptical nation on Wednesday, decrying the 'scare tactics' of his opponents and presenting his most forceful case yet for a sweeping health care overhaul that has eluded Washington for generations.” Obama Addresses Congress on Health-Care Reform “Declaring that the 'time for bickering is over,' President Obama sought to revive the prospects for far-reaching health-care legislation Wednesday night, pressing lawmakers to act this year on his signature domestic priority.” Obama pitches need for health overhaul to Congress “Casting himself as a voice of reason in a bitter debate, he says the parties must come together. He emphasizes that even Americans who have insurance would benefit, and that costs would be kept down.” Obama offers compromises to get health care bill passed “President Barack Obama on Wednesday laid out a series of compromises he's willing to make to get a health care overhaul through a nervous Congress this year, including diluting his vision for a new public insurance program and embracing ideas floated by Republicans.” Text: Obama’s Health Care Speech to Congress
Health care analysis. With Health-Care Reform on the Line, Obama Reframes Critical Debate “After a month of angry town hall meetings and dire predictions about the state of his top domestic priority, President Obama moved forcefully Wednesday night to take the initiative on health care -- and in the process rejuvenate his presidency and unite his fractious Democratic Party.” On healthcare, Obama juggles losses and gains “If the president's speech succeeds in reversing the public's declining confidence in his handling of the overhaul, he may also shift the balance of hope and fear among swing votes in Congress.”
Corporate campaign funding. Supreme Court hears arguments for corporate funding of candidates “The Supreme Court's conservative bloc sounded poised Wednesday to strike down on free-speech grounds a 102-year-old ban against corporations spending large amounts of money to elect or defeat congressional and presidential candidates.” Supreme Court justices skeptical of campaign limits “A divided Supreme Court on Wednesday appeared poised to overturn at least some restrictions on campaign finance. At the very least, the questioning during unusually long oral arguments revealed deeply seated judicial skepticism about congressional efforts to regulate campaigns.”
War funding. Bill by Key Senate Panel Increases Funding for Afghanistan's Army, Police “A key Senate subcommittee on Wednesday trimmed $900 million from the amount requested by the Obama administration to support Afghan security forces next year, but the $6.6 billion approved would still be a 20 percent increase over this fiscal year.”
Income gap shrinking. Income Gap Shrinks in Slump at the Expense of the Wealthy “The deepest downturn in the U.S. economy since the Great Depression may finally shrink the gap between the very best-off Americans and everyone else. If so, it won't be by lifting up the bottom. It will be by pulling down the top.”
NEWS AROUND THE WORLD
Child mortality rate drops. Child Mortality Rate Declines Globally “The number of children dying before their fifth birthdays each year has fallen below nine million for the first time on record, a significant milestone in the global effort to improve children’s chances of survival, particularly in the developing world, according to data that Unicef will release on Thursday."
French carbon tax. Sarkozy carbon tax 'to save humanity' “Nicolas Sarkozy today vowed to lead the fight to 'save the human race' from global warming, launching a carbon tax to encourage French families and industry to cut their use of fossil fuels.”
Afghanistan. Court to probe Afghan war crimes “The chief prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (ICC) says he is gathering information about possible war crimes in Afghanistan. Luis Moreno-Ocampo says that he will be examining claims relating to both Nato soldiers and Taliban insurgents.” European Leaders Call for High-Level Meeting on Afghanistan to Assess Progress “The leaders of France, Britain and Germany have called for a high-level international conference on Afghanistan, saying it is time to 'take stock of progress . . . and to evaluate the challenges that lie ahead.'" Plan for Afghanistan withdrawal could be set “Britain, France and Germany have called for 'timelines' to be set for a step-by-step handover of responsibility for Afghanistan to its people." Rescued journalist: Taliban was about to whisk him to Pakistan “Fears that the Taliban was about to move the British hostage Stephen Farrell across the border into Pakistan may have prompted yesterday's controversial commando raid in which his translator and a soldier were killed.” Afghanistan: Now the political fighting breaks out “The Prime Minister's strategy on Afghanistan is under mounting pressure from all three of the main parties as the political consensus on the war begins to crack.”
Iran. U.S. Envoy Says Iran Has Nearly Enough Low-Enriched Uranium for a Nuclear Weapon “Iran 'is now either very near or in possession' of enough low-enriched uranium to produce one nuclear weapon, a senior U.S. diplomat said Wednesday, as he offered some of the toughest remarks by an Obama administration official on Iran's nuclear ambitions.” U.S. Says Iran Has Ability to Expedite a Nuclear Bomb “American intelligence agencies have concluded in recent months that Iran has created enough nuclear fuel to make a rapid, if risky, sprint for a nuclear weapon.” Iran submits proposals for possible nuclear talks with world powers “Iran on Wednesday handed over a package of proposals for possible talks with world powers about its nuclear program, but it gave no indication that the offer would include discussions on halting its enrichment of uranium as demanded by the United Nations Security Council." Iran's overture given short shrift by western powers “Iran presented proposals yesterday which it said were intended to resolve mounting tensions with the west, but western officials said the package did not address the most contentious issue, Tehran's nuclear programme.”
Al Qaeda. Al Qaeda extends to Somalia, Yemen “While Osama bin Laden and his No. 2, Ayman al-Zawahiri, are believed to remain in a tribal redoubt along the Afghan-Pakistani border, midlevel al Qaeda leaders are fanning out, recruiting new middlemen and establishing stronger bases in Somalia and Yemen, U.S. and Pakistani officials say.”
Somalia. Somalia fighting continues to take toll on children “At an African Union hospital in Mogadishu, a third of the patients are children. They arrive with gunshot and shrapnel wounds, burns and other conflict-related injuries.”
Darfur. Darfur groups 'padded' death tolls “A group of former Sudanese activists says some of the figures of those reported dead and displaced in the conflict in Sudan's western Darfur region were exaggerated.”
OPINION
President Obama Steps Forward (Editorial, New York Times) “His speech to a joint session of Congress was rhetorically powerful in its insistence that reform must finally happen — for the sake of Americans’ health and the economic health of the country. We hope it was only the start of a sustained campaign to get this essential legislation passed.”
At Long Last, Obama Fires Back on Health Reform (E.J. Dionne Jr., Washington Post) “After a listless summer during which his opponents dominated the health-care debate, President Obama used a dramatic appearance before Congress on Wednesday to seize control of the autumn, the season of decision for the initiative he has turned into the central test of his presidency.”
Getting real about a Palestinian state (Daoud Kuttab, Los Angeles Times) “Something different is happening among the Palestinians. Their political leaders and civil servants are spending more time planning for a Palestinian state than criticizing the Israelis for their intransigence.”
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