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Quote of the day. "While the poor of the world continue knocking on the doors of the rich, the world of affluence runs the risk of no longer hearing those knocks, on account of a conscience that can no longer distinguish what is human." Pope Benedict XVI in Caritas Veritate, his new encyclical on the world economic system. (Guardian)
Economic stimulus. Power of Stimulus Slow to Take Hold “Five months after Congress approved a massive package of spending and tax cuts aimed at reviving an ailing economy, the jobless rate is still climbing and the White House is scrambling to reassure an anxious public that President Obama's prescription for economic recovery is on the right track.” Boost in Food-Stamp Funding Percolates Through Economy “While other stimulus money has been slow to circulate, the food-stamp boost is almost immediate, with 80% of the benefits being redeemed within two weeks of receipt and 97% within a month, the USDA says.” Did team Obama get it wrong on the stimulus? “Should the federal government be doing more to help the economy regain its footing?”
Health care. Blacks Getting Equal Health Care Are Still More Likely to Die From Some Cancers “African Americans are less likely than whites to survive breast, prostate and ovarian cancer even when they receive equal treatment, according to a large study that offers provocative evidence that biological factors play a role in at least some racial disparities.” Health Deals Could Harbor Hidden Costs “The deals, trumpeted loudly by the White House, would each help pay for a sweeping overhaul of the health care system. … But what has been little discussed is what the industry groups will be getting in return for their cooperation, whether or not the promised savings ever materialize.”
Papal encyclical. Pope Criticizes World Economic System, Calls for Social Responsibility “Pope Benedict XVI criticized the international economic system yesterday and called for a new global structure based on social responsibility, concern for the dignity of the worker and a respect for ethics.” Pope Urges Forming New World Economic Order to Work for the ‘Common Good’ “Pope Benedict XVI on Tuesday called for a radical rethinking of the global economy, criticizing a growing divide between rich and poor and urging the establishment of a 'true world political authority' to oversee the economy and work for the 'common good.'” Pope urges global action on economy “Pope Benedict XVI on Tuesday released an encyclical tackling the moral dimensions of the global economic crisis, just in time for the Group of Eight industrialized nations summit that begins Wednesday in L'Aquila, Italy.”
G8. Economy dominates G8 summit “Growing fears that the global economy could sink back into recession after a brief rally dominated the agenda as the leaders of the G8 nations gathered in Italy for their annual summit today.” G8 climate change deal stumbles at first hurdle “As world leaders sat down for a working lunch at the start of a three day meeting of the G8, it emerged that negotiations had failed to reach agreement on halving greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.”
U.S.-Russia. U.S.-Russia talks yield no breakthroughs “Obama came away from two days of talks with important, if not momentous, agreements to renew nuclear arms talks and allow U.S. warplanes to fly through Russian airspace on their way to Afghanistan. But long-standing differences -- on U.S. missile defense plans, human rights and the response to Iran's nuclear ambitions -- remained unbridged.” Obama Resets Ties to Russia, but Work Remains “But while Mr. Obama and President Dmitri A. Medvedev of Russia declared a reconciliation, they did so partly by agreeing to disagree on important issues and by selectively interpreting the same words in sharply different ways.”
Honduras. U.S. Enlists Costa Rican President to Try to Broker Peace in Honduras “Costa Rican President Oscar Arias, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987 for helping resolve Central America's civil wars, will mediate the increasingly volatile confrontation between deposed Honduran president Manuel Zelaya and the de facto government that ousted him.” Honduras rivals back peace moves “Costa Rican President Oscar Arias is to lead mediation to try to resolve the political crisis in Honduras.”
Pakistan. Drones 'kill dozens' in Pakistan “At least 40 people are killed in a suspected U.S. attack in NW Pakistan, officials say, as it steps up its fight against militants.” Fresh drone attacks in Pakistan reignite debate “Controversy over the suspected U.S. airstrikes on the Taliban is undermining the Pakistani government's ability to maintain public support while battling the militants.”
Afghanistan. Afghans: Taliban have escaped Helmand and Marines “Taliban fighters and their commanders have escaped the Marines' big offensive in Afghanistan's Helmand province and moved into areas to the west and north, prompting fears that the U.S. effort has just moved the Taliban problem elsewhere, Afghan defense officials have told McClatchy.”
Sudan. Appeal over Bashir genocide charges “Prosecutors at the International Criminal Court (ICC) have appealed against a decision by the body's tribunal not to charge Omar al-Bashir, Sudan's president, with conducting genocide.”
China. China riot city 'under control' “The situation in China's riot-torn city of Urumqi is now under control after the deployment of thousands of troops, local Communist officials have said.” Clashes in China Shed Light on Ethnic Divide “A wide variety of government policies here in the western desert region of Xinjiang, a lightly populated area that covers about a sixth of China’s total landmass, has for years led many of the area’s 10 million Uighurs to believe their culture and livelihoods were under assault by the Han Chinese, the dominant ethnic group in China.”
Iran. Iran's nuclear ambitions not democratic credentials occupy western minds “Iran's domestic crisis in the aftermath of June's disputed presidential election has dominated world headlines in recent weeks. But as the dust settles it is the international dimension of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's second term – and especially the future of the Islamic republic's nuclear program – that is concentrating minds in the U.S., Europe and Israel.” Ahmadinejad hails 'free' election “Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has defended his June re-election as the world's 'most free' despite ongoing opposition claims that it was rigged.” In Iran, a Struggle Beyond the Streets “The streets of Iran have been largely silenced, but a power struggle grinds on behind the scenes, this time over the very nature of the state itself.”
Michael Jackson. Michael Jackson: A requiem for a king “In the end, they brought Michael Jackson to the one place where his life always made sense -- beneath a spotlight and in front of his adoring fans. The superstar, in a gleaming gold coffin, was celebrated in a Staples Center memorial service that was beamed around the world and, like the icon himself, strove mightily to be all things to all people.” At Jackson Memorial, Music and Mourning “Thousands of fans — selected by lottery from the 1.6 million who applied for seats — came dressed on Tuesday in variations of Michael Jackson’s famed costumes over the years, but mostly in black. They cried, swayed, laughed and gawked in a memorial service that was religious pageant meets awards show.”
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