The latest news on Gabrielle Giffords, Crackdown on Illegal Workers, Increase in Army Guard Suicides, Guantanamo, Afghanistan, Tunisia, Iran, Tony-Blair Iraq, Southern Sudan, South Korea-North Korea, and Select Op-Eds.

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Quote of the Day. "So let us begin anew -- remembering on both sides that civility is not a sign of weakness, and sincerity is always subject to proof. Let us never negotiate out of fear, but let us never fear to negotiate. Let both sides explore what problems unite us instead of belaboring those problems which divide us." John F. Kennedy inaugural address, January 20, 1961. President Kennedy was referring to U.S.-Soviet relations, but the same admonition applies to political disagreements today. (American Rhetoric)

RELIGION IN THE NEWS

Catholic Bishops Won't Support Repeal of Health Care Law "The U.S. Catholic bishops will not join efforts to repeal the new health care law, even though they staunchly opposed the bill last year after concluding it permits federally funded abortions."

Last Christians Ponder Leaving a Hometown in Iraq "Here in Habbaniya Cece, residents talk about their town as an oasis of ethnic and religious harmony, where Christians and Muslims, Arabs and Kurds, Sunnis and Shiites all lived together for decades without friction."

Muslim prejudice 'seen as normal' in UK "Prejudice against Muslims has "passed the dinner-table test" and become socially acceptable in the UK, a top Conservative politician says."

Home office bars hardline US pastor from the UK "Previously obscure American extremist preacher Pastor Terry Jones has been barred from the United Kingdom, the Home Office said in an announcement yesterday."

NEWS AT HOME

House passes health repeal. House passes health repeal "In the first major act of the new Congress, the Republican-led House voted Wednesday to repeal the Democrats' health-care overhaul, fulfilling a pledge that GOP candidates made during the fall midterm campaigns. Three Democrats sided with a unified GOP in the 245 to 189 vote" House Votes for Repeal of Health Law in Symbolic Act "The House voted Wednesday to repeal the Democrats' landmark health care overhaul, marking what the new Republican majority in the chamber hailed as the fulfillment of a campaign promise and the start of an all-out effort to dismantle President Obama's signature domestic policy achievement." Nonprofits wading into healthcare repeal effort "Organizations that have designated themselves under tax law as social welfare groups can accept unlimited donations without identifying contributors. Some such groups are launching ads against the health law."

China's President admits human rights failings. Obama presses Chinese leader on rights "President Obama used his summit Wednesday with Chinese President Hu Jintao to place the issue of human rights front and center in the U.S. relationship with the world's preeminent ascending power. And Hu, in a rare concession, acknowledged that China needs to make more progress." Obama Pushes Hu on Rights but Stresses Ties to China "President Obama on Wednesday gently but pointedly prodded China to make progress on human rights, but he sought to focus most of the attention during a closely watched state visit with President Hu Jintao on the expanding economic relationship between the United States and its biggest economic rival." China's Hu admits rights failings "At meetings with US counterpart, Chinese leader says "a lot still needs to be done" on human rights in his country"

Gabrielle Giffords. Giffords standing on own feet, headed to Houston for rehab to relearn basic skills "Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was able to stand up with assistance, the latest milestone in the Arizona congresswoman's recovery as her family prepares to move her to Houston for extensive mental and physical rehabilitation from a bullet wound to the brain." Giffords to Move to Rehabilitation "Representative Gabrielle Giffords, who survived a gunshot through her head on Jan. 8, is likely to leave a hospital here on Friday and move to the TIRR Memorial Hermann rehabilitation hospital in Houston to continue her recovery"

Crackdown on illegal workers. Crackdown on Illegal Workers Grows "The Obama administration plans to intensify a crackdown on employers of illegal immigrants with the establishment of an audit office designed to bolster verification of company hiring records."

Increase in Army Guard suicides. Army reports big increase in Guard, Reserve suicides "Suicides among soldiers serving on active duty decreased modestly in 2010 for the first time in six years, even as the Army National Guard and Reserve saw a major increase in the number of soldiers taking their own lives." More Army Guard, Reserve soldiers committing suicide "An increase in suicides among National Guard soldiers largely in states across the Midwest - such as Missouri and Wisconsin - is responsible for a 24% increase in Army suicides last year, the service reported Wednesday."

Guantánamo. U.S. Prepares to Lift Ban on Guantánamo Cases "The Obama administration is preparing to increase the use of military commissions to prosecute Guantánamo detainees, an acknowledgment that the prison in Cuba remains open for business after Congress imposed steep new impediments to closing the facility."

NEWS AROUND THE WORLD

Afghanistan. Karzai Postpones Seating Parliament, Deepening Afghan Crisis "President Hamid Karzai ordered a month's delay in seating a new Parliament on Wednesday, heightening a constitutional crisis that threatens to fuel bitter infighting and potentially even violence among the country's rival factions." Modest US gains against Taliban "Many Afghans believe that the US will head for an exit, just as the former Soviet army did."

Tunisia. Tunisia cabinet holds first session "Tunisia's newly appointed cabinet has opened its first session amid an outcry over its inclusion of members of the regime of the ousted president." Tunisian Leaders Quit Ruling Party "In Tunisia's continuing tumult, security forces fired warning shots in the air on Thursday as protesters paraded outside the headquarters of the former ruling party demanding that the country break decisively with the symbols and structures of its past under Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, the ousted president."

Iran. Iran Faces Pressure at Nuclear Talks "The U.S. and other world powers meeting with Iran here this week will press Tehran to take concrete steps to ensure its nuclear activities are peaceful, American and European officials involved in the negotiations said." US considers more Iran sanctions "The US secretary of state has said the US is considering imposing additional unilateral sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programme." Iran: Military strike would not stop uranium enrichment "Iran will be able to carry out uranium enrichment even in the case of a military attack on its nuclear facilities, Iran's nuclear envoy said in Moscow on Thursday."

Tony Blair