The latest news on the budget, immigration reform, poverty, abstinence education, Haiti, climate change, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Somalia, Sudan, and the Iraq-UK inquiry

Sign up to receive our daily news summary via e-mail »

FAITH IN THE NEWS

Possible US charges over adoption bid "Haitian and US officials are considering a trial in the United States for 10 Americans who were arrested while trying to bus ­children out of Haiti without documents or permission. The aborted Baptist "rescue mission" has become a big distraction for a crippled government trying to provide basic life support to millions of earthquake survivor." Case Stokes Haiti's Fear for Children, and Itself "Whatever their intentions, the Americans who were detained late Friday at the Dominican border with 33 children struck a deep emotional chord in this earthquake-ravaged country."

Pope: UK human rights policies breach natural law "The Vatican condemned Britain's proposed equality law yesterday, complaining that legislation to give homosexual equal rights "violates natural law"."

Why evangelicals want immigration reform this year (Galen Carey, Washington Post "On Faith") "Evangelicals support immigration reform because we treat the biblical injunctions to welcome the stranger not merely as good advice but as divine instruction for our good."

NEWS AT HOME

Budget. Obama budget calls for new spending to lower unemployment, help middle class "As President Obama announced his $3.8 trillion spending plan on Monday, Republicans savaged it as a recipe for fiscal disaster, while Democrats defended the call to drive record deficits even higher to finance measures aimed at putting people back to work." Obama's budget proposes $100-billion jobs plan, higher taxes on wealthy "President Obama on Monday sent Congress a $3.8-trillion federal budget that includes a $100-billion jobs package, more education spending, higher taxes on families earning more than $250,000 a year and a focus on controlling the deficit." Obama's budget sober on jobs, optimistic on growth "The Obama administration projects rosier economic-growth prospects than most mainstream economists do but a sobering jobless recovery, according to documents released Monday about underlying assumptions in the government's $3.83 trillion federal budget for 2011. Huge Deficits May Alter U.S. Politics and Global Power "In a federal budget filled with mind-boggling statistics, two numbers stand out as particularly stunning, for the way they may change American politics and American power." Interactive Graphic: Obama's 2011 Budget Proposal: How It's Spent President Obama's proposal for the 2011 budget.

Military budget. Pentagon budget calls for more unmanned aircraft "U.S. Defense officials outlined plans to double production of unmanned aircraft, part of an expanded 2011 budget unveiled Monday that emphasizes the importance of international hot spots and natural disasters as well as large-scale warfare, as provided under a new strategy document." Obama wants $192 billion in spending for wars "President Obama wants $192 billion in war spending for the next year and a half, a hefty sum aimed at escalating the war in Afghanistan, amid waning support at home." QDR: Pentagon revises its long-held two-war doctrine "A key Pentagon strategic document released Monday, called the Quadrennial Defense Review, increases the emphasis on a new range of threats, including cybersecurity. It departs from the military's traditional goal of being able to fight two conventional wars at once. "

Immigration reform. Latinos seek more support for immigration reform "A leading Latino lawmaker asserted Monday that Latinos, angered at President Obama for his failure to push immigration reform legislation, could stay home from the polls this year. "People are angry and disillusioned," U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) said in an interview."

Poverty. 1 in 8 get help at food banks "One in eight Americans - 37 million - received emergency food help last year, up 46% from 2005, the nation's largest hunger-relief group reports today. Children are hit particularly hard, according to the report by Feeding America, a network of 203 food banks nationwide." State health plans in jeopardy "The troubled economy is forcing Washington and other states to pare back health insurance programs for low-income people, even as growing joblessness boosts demand for help. Five of six states that use state funds to assist adults not covered by Medicaid are considering cuts, barring new enrollment or raising fees."

Abstinence education. Abstinence-only programs might work, study says "Sex education classes that focus on encouraging children to remain abstinent can persuade a significant proportion to delay sexual activity, researchers reported Monday in a landmark study that could have major implications for U.S. efforts to protect young people against unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases."

NEWS AROUND THE WORLD

Haiti. Medical teams in Florida ramp up to care for Haitians "Joseph Perno's cellphone started buzzing at 9 a.m. Monday. The county medical coordinator told him to stay sharp. A C-130 cargo plane, carrying 22 seriously injured Haitians, would be arriving at Tampa International Airport that night." Near Quake's Epicenter, a City Ready for Business "It is the thirst for normalcy, not gain, that seems to drive business here in the square, where more than 500 families - some 2,500 people - have moved since the earthquake, according to a list compiled by a committee of 10 chosen to help bring order to the camp."

Climate change. Countries Submit Emission Goals "The climate change accord reached at Copenhagen in December passed its first test on Monday after countries responsible for the bulk of climate-altering pollution formally submitted their emission reduction plans, meeting the agreement's Jan. 31 deadline." U.S., China, others join Copenhagen Accord on climate "The United States, China and dozens of other countries accounting for nearly 80% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions have signed onto a voluntary agreement to curb climate change."

Afghanistan. Afghan Official Dismisses Taliban Denial of Talks "The Afghan official in charge of reconciliation acknowledged Monday that the government had been in talks for some time with Taliban leaders to bring them into the government and end the war, dismissing the Taliban's denials."

Pakistan. Pakistan 'captures Taliban base' "A major Taliban base in the north-western tribal region of Bajaur has been captured by Pakistani troops after days of fierce fighting, officials say." Pakistani Taliban leader's death would be 'fatal blow' for group, analyst says "The reported death of the leader of the Pakistani Taliban, a violent Islamist group with close links to al-Qaeda, leaves the predatory and feared militia effectively decapitated, with its fighters on the run from the Pakistani army and public sympathy running low." Pakistan says it will help train Afghan forces "Pakistan has told U.S. military leaders it is willing to help train Afghan soldiers to fight Taliban forces, the country's army chief said Monday, a promising gesture by a government at times skeptical of Washington's strategy."

Iran. Iran, With Opposition Protests Continuing, Executes More Prisoners "With the government's opponents planning another large demonstration on Feb. 11, the country is bracing for another wave of executions." Iran's Mousavi vows to fight on "Iran's opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi has said he will continue his struggle against the government."

Somalia. Somali capital clashes claim lives "Anti-government fighters have fired mortar bombs at the presidential palace in the Somali capital, prompting return fire by troops that killed at least 16 people," Somalia's Militants Seek Al Qaeda Alliance "The militant group al Shabaab said it will ally with al Qaeda in a drive to establish an Islamic state in Somalia and fight for Muslims across East Africa, offering a fresh test for U.S.-backed African peacekeepers struggling to defend a weak Somali government."

Sudan. Big surge in south Sudan hunger "The number of people needing food aid in south Sudan has quadrupled in a year to more than four million, the UN's World Food Programme says."

Iraq-UK inquiry. British cabinet 'misled' over Iraq war "Ex-cabinet minister Clare Short tells the UK's Iraq war inquiry that the cabinet was misled on whether the 2003 invasion was legal." UK cabinet 'misled' over Iraq war "Clare Short, who is an outspoken critic of the war, on Tuesday said Peter Goldsmith, the attorney general at the time, did not tell the cabinet of his doubts about whether it would be against international law to invade Iraq."

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.