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Quote of the day. "I do believe that we were wrong. Wrong to take Britain to war and we need to be honest about that. Wrong because that war was not a last resort, because we did not build sufficient alliances and because we undermined the United Nations." Ed Miliband, new leader of the British Labor Party. (Guardian)
RELIGION IN THE NEWS
As Muslim claim lingers, Obama talks up his faith in Jesus "After a poll found a growing number of Americans mistakenly think Obama's a Muslim, the president has become more public about his Christianity."
NEWS AT HOME
Census details. Census Bureau to release flood of numbers in coming weeks "Americans will be barraged in the coming weeks with different statistics released by the U.S. Census Bureau, an ongoing data dump likely to confuse some waiting for decennial population numbers that help redraw Congressional districts." Recession leaves marriage rate at new low "The recession seems to be socking Americans in the heart as well as the wallet: Marriages have hit an all-time low while pleas for food stamps have reached a record high and the gap between rich and poor has grown to its widest ever." Lifestyle changes deep, long-term "The nation's financial crisis is altering Americans' way of life from the home and the workplace to the highway and the altar, according to 2009 Census data released Tuesday." Details and analysis.
D.C. poverty. D.C., suburbs show disturbing increases in childhood poverty "Three out of 10 children in the nation's capital were living in poverty last year, with the number of poor African American children rising at a breathtaking rate, according to census statistics released Tuesday."
Senate gridlock. Senate enters total gridlock as Election 2010 nears "Democrats failed to move forward on a bill that would have ended a tax break critics say rewards companies who send jobs abroad. Legislation is going nowhere ahead of Election 2010."
Immigration. Dems embrace immigration fight "Two days before the Senate heads home, Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) is expected to introduce sweeping immigration legislation, a move seemingly designed to drive Hispanics and reform backers to the polls and remind them which party is still pushing for liberalized immigration laws. "
Campaigns. Ohio Tests Arguments of Midterms "The races for governor and the Senate offer a window into the opportunities and quandaries facing both parties, according to a New York Times/CBS News poll. "Tea-Party Movement Gains Steam "The tea party has emerged as a potent force in American politics and a center of gravity within the Republican Party, with a large majority of Republicans showing an affinity for the movement that has repeatedly bucked the GOP leadership this year, a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll has found."
Corporate rights. Supreme Court Takes Cases on Corporate Rights "Continuing to explore the limits of corporations' constitutional rights, the Supreme Court on Tuesday added cases to its docket that will test the scope of companies' rights to due process and privacy."
Gender gap. Gender gap persists for managers' pay "Nearly half a century after it became illegal to pay women less than men, females who become managers still struggle to earn equal pay. Women managers make 81 cents to a man's buck,"
Afghanistan policy. 'We need to make clear . . . the cancer is in Pakistan' "The third of three articles adapted from Bob Woodward's latest book, "Obama's Wars."
NEWS AROUND THE WORLD
Europe austerity protests. European cities hit by protests "Thousands of protesters from across Europe are taking part in a mass demonstration in Brussels against spending cuts by some EU governments. Other protests against austerity measures are being held in Greece, Italy, Ireland and Latvia." Workers in Europe Protest Austerity Measures "Spain struggled to cope on Wednesday with its first general strike in eight years as a day of labor unrest began across Europe, reflecting fears of unfamiliar austerity in lands once seen as among the world's most cosseted."
Europe terror plot. Europe terror plot 'foiled' "Western spy agencies have foiled an advanced plan linked to al-Qaeda to attack Britain, France and Germany, according to British and US media." Al-Qaeda terrorism plot uncovered "Small teams of militants were to seize and kill hostages, similar to the 2008 attacks in Mumbai, the sources said." 'Mumbai-style' terror attack on UK, France and Germany foiled "A plot to launch "commando-style" attacks on Britain, France, and Germany has been intercepted and foiled by drone attacks on militants based in Pakistan, security and intelligence sources said last night."
Attacks in Pakistan. NATO says bomb killed senior Al Qaeda commander, explosives expert in Afghanistan "An airstrike in eastern Afghanistan has killed a senior Al Qaeda commander who coordinated attacks by foreign fighters and arranged for them to travel to the region, and an Al Qaeda explosives expert," US missile strike 'kills al-Qaeda chief' in Pakistan "The officials said Sheikh Fateh took over as al-Qaeda's chief of operations for Afghanistan and Pakistan in May after al-Qaeda's number three leader Mustafa Abu al-Yazid was killed."
Pakistan politics. Generals in Pakistan Push for Shake-Up of Government "The Pakistani military, angered by the inept handling of the country's devastating floods and alarmed by a collapse of the economy, is pushing for a shake-up of the elected government, and in the longer term, even the removal of President Asif Ali Zardari and his top lieutenants."
Afghanistan. Karzai Names Peace Panel for Taliban Negotiations "Repeating his determination to find a peaceful solution to the war, President Hamid Karzai named a 70-member peace council on Tuesday, a long-awaited announcement that was the government's first concrete step to open formal contacts with the Taliban." Afghanistan president questions NATO mission in teary speech "President Hamid Karzai broke into tears Tuesday while delivering a speech in which he questioned the efficacy of the NATO military mission in Afghanistan and condemning an epidemic of violence gripping his country."
Haiti. Haiti waiting for pledged aid "Nearly nine months after the earthquake, more than a million Haitians still live on the streets between piles of rubble. One reason: Not a cent of the $1.15 billion the United States promised for rebuilding has arrived." US bishops' report details ongoing needs of Haitians in earthquake's aftermath "Haiti Advisory Group of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) released a report this week describing challenges the island nation continues to face, following a cataclysmic earthquake last January."
Israel-Palestine. Palestinian eviction threat comes at a sensitive moment "A threat to evict about three dozen Palestinians this week from their East Jerusalem homes to allow Jewish landowners to build housing in an Arab-dominated neighborhood is posing the latest threat to fragile Mideast peace talks."
British Labor Party. Ed Miliband: 'We are the optimists' "Ed Miliband today launched Labour on a five-year campaign to regain power, saying he will lead a new generation of radical optimists determined to take on established thinking, speak for the majority and reshape the centre ground of politics." The dawn of Generation Ed "In a modest, understated and sometimes awkward manner Ed Miliband delivered a leader's speech that was far more significant than it seemed."
North Korea. Key posts for N Korea leader's son "The youngest son of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has been appointed to two key party posts, in a move widely seen as part of a gradual transfer of power." North Korea succession plans prompt fears of turmoil "North Korea's totalitarian regime Tuesday lifted the curtain slightly on plans for a successor to ailing leader Kim Jong-Il, with an announcement that his son had been named a four-star general."
Plant extinction. One in five plant species face extinction "One in five of the world's plant species
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