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Quote of the Day. “When the starting gun sounded on the clean energy race, the United States stumbled.”  U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu, encouraging lawmakers on Capitol Hill to craft an ambitious climate change bill. (New York Times)

FAITH IN THE NEWS

Clinton discourages anti-defamation laws to protect religion “Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton criticized on Monday an attempt by Islamic countries to prohibit defamation of religions, saying such policies would restrict free speech.”

Barred From Field, Religious Signs Move to Stands “A new policy on religious messages by cheerleaders at high school football games in Fort Oglethorpe, Ga., has produced an unexpected result.”

Archbishop warns of possible genocide in El Salvador “Archbishop Jose Luis Escobar Alas of San Salvador expressed concern this week over the increase in violence in El Salvador and the likelihood that the government will employ military personnel to put an end to it.” 

NEWS AT HOME

Health Care. Reid says health-insurance bill will include opt-out public option “Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid announced Monday that he will include a government-backed insurance plan in the chamber’s health-care reform legislation, a key concession to liberals who have threatened to oppose a bill without such a public option.” Public Option Push in Senate Comes With Escape Hatch “His proposal came with an escape hatch: A state could refuse to participate in the public insurance plan by adopting a law to opt out.” Senate to add ‘public option’ to healthcare bill “In a dramatic sign of Democrats’ growing confidence that they have the votes to pass a far-reaching healthcare overhaul, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said Monday that the bill he intended to send to the Senate floor next month would include a "public option."

Trafficking. FBI, police rescue 52 children in series of prostitution raids “The raids are the latest in a long-running effort, Operation Cross Country, aimed at child prostitution rings around the country. Almost 1,600 agents and officers took part in the raids, which led to federal and state charges against a total of 691 suspects.”

Runaways. For Runaways on the Street, Sex Buys Survival "Most of the estimated 1.6 million children who run away each year return home within a week. But for those who do not, the desperate struggle to survive often means selling their bodies.”

Climate Change. Obama says momentum growing for climate change legislation “President Obama declared today that a ‘consensus is building’ around climate change legislation and characterized opponents as preoccupied with the past instead of a ‘clean energy future.’" Administration Steps Up Efforts on Climate Bill “The White House and its allies in the Senate intensified their campaign Tuesday, in the face of some determined opposition, to advance a bill that its supporters say will reduce global warming while making the United States more secure.”

Newspapers Decline. The accelerating decline of newspapers “U.S. newspaper circulation has hit its lowest level in seven decades, as papers across the country lost 10.6 percent of their paying readers from April through September, compared with a year earlier.” U.S. Newspaper Circulation Falls 10% “The two-decade erosion in newspaper circulation is looking more like an avalanche, with figures released Monday showing weekday sales down more than 10 percent since last year, depressed by rising Internet readership, price increases, the recession and papers intentionally shedding unprofitable circulation.”

Global Health Funds. Bill and Melinda Gates to Lobby for Global Health Funds "Bill and Melinda Gates will make an unusual personal appeal to Washington officials Tuesday night, asking them to continue funding global health initiatives despite the recession and to commit to nearly halve the number of child deaths worldwide by 2025."

NEWS AROUND THE WORLD

Afghanistan. Afghan bombs kill eight US troops “Eight US soldiers have been killed in bomb attacks in southern Afghanistan, say Nato-led forces.” Obama defends deliberate approach on troop levels for Afghanistan war “President Obama fired back Monday at critics who accuse him of taking too long to review war strategy in Afghanistan, telling an audience of military personnel he will not rush his decision on whether to send additional troops there.” Push for Afghanistan troop increase continues on deadly day “On a day when 14 U.S. servicemen and drug agents were killed in helicopter crashes in Afghanistan, the largest such toll in more than four years, momentum continued to build to send more troops to the war zone.” Kerry Calls for Patient Strategy in Afghanistan  “Calling for a broad, patient war strategy, John Kerry, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said Monday that Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the American military commander in Afghanistan, was trying to do too much in a relatively short time.” U.S. official resigns over Afghan war “When Matthew Hoh joined the Foreign Service early this year, he was exactly the kind of smart civil-military hybrid the administration was looking for to help expand its development efforts in Afghanistan.”

Iran. Iran ‘to accept UN nuclear deal’ “Iran will accept a UN draft deal on its nuclear programme if ‘very important changes’ are made, Iranian state media report.” Iran reportedly seeks to amend deal on overseas enrichment of its uranium “Iran will respond to an American-backed International Atomic Energy Agency proposal within 48 hours but its counteroffer will include ‘important adjustments,’ said Iran’s state-controlled Al Alam, citing unnamed sources.” Iran’s top officials appear split over sending uranium abroad “High-ranking Iranian officials appear divided over a draft proposal with the United States and other countries that would transfer the bulk of the Islamic republic’s enriched uranium stockpile out of the country.”

Pakistan. Pakistan advances in Taliban area “Pakistan’s security forces are continuing their push into Taliban strongholds in the South Waziristan region, military officials say.” Pressure From U.S. Strains Ties With Pakistan “The Obama administration is putting pressure on Pakistan to eliminate Taliban and Qaeda militants from the country’s tribal areas, but the push is straining the delicate relations between the allies.”

Sojourners’ Daily Digest is a compilation of the top news related to our commitments of life and peace, economic and racial justice, and care of creation, with a special focus on news of the engagement of faith in public life.