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Quote of the Day. "Because it is an overtly religious place, it's not strange or weird to care about your religion here, to pray and make God a priority. They have the same values we do." Reef Al-Shabnan, a Saudi Arabian student at Catholic University, explaining why Muslim students are increasingly enrolling at Catholic schools. (Washington Post)
RELIGION IN THE NEWS
Many skip Christmas' religious aspect "Two new surveys find more than nine in 10 Americans celebrate the holiday - even if they're atheists, agnostics or believers in non-Christian faiths such as Judaism and Islam."
Evangelical Agency Says New Tax Plan Will Help Christian Charities "According to Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability President Dan Busby, the new tax package negotiated by U.S. President Barack Obama provides the public some certainty and will likely encourage charitable giving."
How parents keep the faith: The rock of belief is at home "Home is the primary setting where kids learn to make meaning of their place in the universe. That truth is never more poignant, it seems, than during the annual "December dilemma," when people of all faiths or no faith or mixed faith negotiate the Christmas rituals and images that loom so powerfully in American society."
In 2010, pope faced tough challenges inside and outside the church "Pope Benedict XVI will look back on 2010 as a challenging year for the priesthood and a time of trial for Christian minorities."
Astronomer Sues the University of Kentucky, Claiming His Faith Cost Him a Job "Whether his faith cost him the job and whether certain religious beliefs may legally render people unfit for certain jobs are among the questions raised by the case, Gaskell v. University of Kentucky."
For Year's Top Religion Stories, a Major Case of Déjà Vu (Kevin Eckstrom, Religion News Service) "The Roman Catholic Church wasn't the only institution battling a sense of deja vu, as some of the most controversial religion stories from the past 20 years returned to the headlines."
A Tough Season for Believers (Ross Douthat, New York Times) "Christmas is hard for everyone. But it's particularly hard for people who actually believe in it."
NEWS AT HOME
START. Democrats Scramble to Save Votes to Ratify Nuclear Pact "The top two Senate Republicans declared Sunday that they would vote against President Obama's nuclear treaty with Russia as the bipartisan spirit of last week's tax-cut deal devolved into a sharp battle over national security in the waning days of the session." Senate GOP's McConnell says he'll vote against New START "Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) announced Sunday that he will vote against a new U.S.-Russia nuclear-arms accord, a move that could pressure other Republicans in what is likely to be a close vote in the next few days." Republicans stiffen opposition to nuclear treaty with Russia "Senate Republican leaders Sunday took their most aggressive stance yet against a proposed arms control treaty with Russia, casting new doubts over its chances of approval during the remaining days of the current Congress."
DREAM Act blocked. Senate Blocks Bill for Illegal Immigrant Students "The Senate on Saturday blocked a bill that would have created a path to citizenship for certain young illegal immigrants who came to the United States as children, completed two years of college or military service and met other requirements, including passing a criminal background check." DREAM Act defeat reveals failed strategy "Whenever Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez (D-Ill.) and other immigrant-rights advocates asked President Obama how a Democratic administration could preside over the greatest number of deportations in any two-year period in the nation's history, Obama's answer was always the same." Immigration Vote Leaves Obama's Policy in Disarray "The vote by the Senate on Saturday to block a bill to grant legal status to hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrant students was a painful setback to an emerging movement of immigrants and also appeared to leave the immigration policy of the Obama administration, which has supported the bill and the movement, in disarray."
Don't ask, don't tell passes Senate. Senate Repeals 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' "The Senate on Saturday struck down the ban on gay men and lesbians serving openly in the military, bringing to a close a 17-year struggle over a policy that forced thousands of Americans from the ranks and caused others to keep secret their sexual orientation." 'Don't ask, don't tell' is repealed by Senate; bill awaits Obama's signing "The U.S. military will for the first time in history allow gays to serve openly after the Senate voted Saturday to repeal "don't ask, don't tell," the policy that has required such troops to hide their sexual identity or risk being expelled from the services."
Obama's base. Obama reaches out to base amid new tension "In the wake of President Obama's tax-cut deal with Republicans, the White House is moving quickly to mend its strained relationship with the Democratic base, reassuring liberal groups, black leaders and labor union officials who opposed the tax compromise that Obama has not abandoned them."
Budget battle next year. A Budget Battle Looms Next Year "The collapse of a government-wide spending package in the final days of this Congressional session sets up a politically charged fiscal showdown early next year, testing the determination of Republicans about to take over the House with promises to slash an array of domestic programs."
Pell grants. Unease Grows About Future of Financing for Pell Grants "With the lame-duck Congress winding down and a $5.7 billion gap in financing looming for next year's Pell grants - and a further $8 billion gap for the following year - there is growing uncertainty about the future of the grants, the nation's most significant financial-aid program for college students."
NEWS AROUND THE WORLD
South Korea military drills. North Korea 'will not hit back' "North Korea says it will not retaliate despite "reckless provocations" from the South, which held live-fire drills on the flashpoint island of Yeonpyeong." South Korea fires artillery into disputed waters despite warnings "The South Korean military today fired shells into disputed waters in the Yellow Sea in a live-fire drill that risked inflaming tensions with North Korea that have led to two deadly clashes this year." South Korea Conducts Live-Fire Drills Near the North "Defying North Korean threats of violent retaliation and "brutal consequences beyond imagination," South Korea on Monday staged live-fire artillery drills on an island shelled last month by the North."
Afghanistan attacks. Militants Kill Afghan Soldiers in 2 Attacks "Insurgents intensified pressure on Afghan security forces on Sunday, killing five Afghan Army training officers in a suicide attack in Kabul and attacking an army recruiting center in the northern city of Kunduz." Many killed in Afghan city attacks "Sunday's attacks, which Al Jazeera's correspondent in Kabul said "took place almost simultaneously", came as the death toll for foreign troops in Afghanistan hit 700 in 2010, by far the deadliest year of the near decade-long war."
Iraq government. U.S. plan to curb Maliki lagging as Iraq forms government "The plan aims to create a national strategic council to guide policy decisions. But after months of haggling, Iraqi lawmakers remain divided over how much power the council should have, who should sit on it and what it should be called." Politics in Iraq Casts Doubt on a U.S. Presence After 2011 "The protracted political turmoil that saw the resurgence of a fiercely anti-American political bloc here is casting new doubt on establishing any enduring American military role in Iraq after the last of nearly 50,000 troops are scheduled to withdraw in the next 12 months," Cleric's Anti-U.S. Forces Poised for Gains in Iraq "The Shiite cleric Moktada al-Sadr, who in the past decade has been both an anti-American insurgency leader and a behind-the-scenes power broker, is not expected to be personally in attendance whenever Iraq's leaders sketch out a new government."
Iran. Iran cuts fuel and food subsidies "Iran has cut energy and food subsidies, risking a repeat of angry protests which followed fuel rationing in 2007." Sacked minister slams Ahmadinejad "The former Iranian foreign minister has criticised Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the country's president, over his abrupt dismissal during a work visit to Africa last week."
Darfur fighting. Thousands flee fresh Darfur clashes "As many as 12,000 people have fled following fresh fighting between army and Darfur rebels in Sudan, according to the United Nations."
Ivory Coast. UN warns of Cote d'Ivoire abuses "The United Nations has said it is receiving growing reports of human rights abuses, including hundreds of reports of abductions in Cote d'Ivoire, which remains locked in a political crisis following last month's disputed election." Ivory Coast President Orders U.N. to Leave "The president of Ivory Coast ordered United Nations and French peacekeepers to leave the country immediately on Saturday, hours after men in military uniforms fired on a United Nations patrol."
Mideast. Does Israel have a peace partner after all? "It may be that the big news from Sunday's visit to Ramallah of the Geneva Initiative supporters is that somewhere, out there in the Palestinian territories and in Israel, there is still a peace camp that appeared to have entirely disappeared."
OPINION
Will the Afghanistan war break Obama's presidency? (Simon Tisdall, Guardian) "Obama is not yet the Rose Garden prisoner of a failed policy
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