The latest news on Campaign Politics, Foreclosure Controversy, Health Care, Cleaner Energy Initiative, Nuclear Weapons, Iran, Aghanistan, Iraq-Iran, Pakistan, West Bank Olive Harvest and Select Op-Eds.

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

Quote of the day "There are a few of them who come in so broken and so sick that you're amazed that they're alive They come to realize that it wasn't their fault that they were hurt. As that shame starts to come off, the confidence comes out." Nancy Chand, a deputy public defender who acts as the attorney for women in California's Second Chance Women's Re-entry Court program, one of the first in the nation to focus on women facing a return to state prison for nonviolent felonies, who plead guilty to their crimes and enter treatment instead. (Los Angeles Times)

RELIGION IN THE NEWS

Chinese Delegates Barred from Travel Send Greetings to Lausanne Congress "In an emotional evening, participants of the Lausanne Congress heard the song that the travel-blocked Chinese had planned to sing at the conference and the Scripture verses that they picked out for their situation."

Crystal Cathedral files for bankruptcy protection "First came the layoffs, then the cutbacks in programming. Now the Crystal Cathedral, the beleaguered glass megachurch in Orange County, has filed for bankruptcy protection."

Some Religious Charities Receive More Despite Overall Drop "Several of the nation's largest religious charities reported increases in private support."

Justice Department says opposing Tennessee mosque could be a crime "For the second time in two months, the Obama administration has interjected itself into a dispute over a proposed Islamic center, warning local officials that opposing the mosque could violate the civil rights of its members and become a federal crime."

Ohio Democrat files election complaint over pro-life group's billboard "An Ohio congressman has filed a complaint with the Ohio Elections Commission charging that a pro-life political group has misrepresented him as a supporter of federal abortion funding. The pro-life group has asked a federal court to intervene."

A gap between faith and life (Jim Denison, Associated Baptist Press) "The Pew Forum for Religion & Public Life recently discovered an alarming gap between faith and many critical social issues."

NEWS AT HOME

Campaign politics. Democrats' Grip on the South Continues to Slip "Vulnerable House races across the South could continue a shift that began when white voters rebelled against the Civil Rights Act in 1964."

Foreclosure controversy. Largest Bank Will Resume Foreclosure Push in 23 States "Curtailing a moratorium sooner than expected, Bank of America said it would resume 102,000 foreclosures in 23 states where court approval is needed to go ahead." B of A ends foreclosure freeze in 23 states "It will begin asking for court approval to seize homes next week. In California and 26 other states, the bank will continue to review the legality of its foreclosure documents."

Health care. Ruling on Health Law Is Due by End of Year "Legal challenges to the health care overhaul are moving faster than expected."

Education. Dinner bell follows class bell at some D.C. schools "D.C. public schools have started serving an early dinner to an estimated 10,000 students, many of whom are now receiving three meals a day from the system as it expands efforts to curb childhood hunger and poor nutrition." Obama to renew Hispanic education initiative "President Barack Obama on Tuesday will renew a major initiative aimed at boosting academic achievement among Hispanic students. A stubborn achievement gap exists between Hispanic children and their white, non-Hispanic counterparts."

Cleaner Energy Initiative. In Kansas, Climate Skeptics Embrace Cleaner Energy "Instead of talking about global warming, a nonprofit invoked patriotism, thrift and religion to persuade residents to save energy."

Nuclear Weapons. The story of the B-53 'bunker buster' offers a lesson in managing nuclear weapons "Outside of the nuclear weapons communities, little notice was paid last week to the announcement that authorization had finally come through to begin dismantling the last of the minivan-size B-53s, the most powerful thermonuclear bombs ever deployed in the active U.S. stockpile."

NEWS AROUND THE WORLD

Chechen Militant Resistance. Gunmen attack Chechen parliament "At least six people are dead and 10 injured after militants attack parliament in the Russian republic of Chechnya."

French Pension Protests. French pension protests take violent turn "Masked youths clashed with police officers and set fires in cities across France on Tuesday as protests against a proposed hike in the retirement age took an increasingly radical turn." New France shutdown over pensions "Marchers mass as France sees a sixth national day of protests and strikes over plans to reform the country's pension system."

Iran. Iran's supreme leader calls for 'speedy formation' of new Iraqi government "Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's statement comes as Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki travels to Tehran, part of a tour aimed at winning regional support for his bid to remain in office. The visit underscores Iran's powerbroker role in Iraqi affairs." Iran joins session on Afghan war "Iran for the first time joined a U.S.- and NATO-dominated coordinating group on Afghanistan on Monday, sending midlevel officials to participate in discussions on coalition military and political strategy that included a closed-door report by Gen. David H. Petraeus."

Afghanistan. U.S. seeks a larger village police force in Afghanistan "U.S. commanders seeking to increase security in remote parts of Afghanistan are planning to arm and train at least 20,000 Afghans to serve as village police, a doubling of the force announced last summer."

Iraq-Iran. Maliki, Iran's leaders talk about the future of Iraq's government "Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on Monday met with senior Iranian leaders here, as Iran's vision for the next Iraqi government seems to be gaining more traction."

Pakistan. Meeting Pakistanis, U.S. Will Try to Fix Relations "The United States will try to mend a relationship damaged by its military's tough new stance in Pakistan." Pakistan suspends scores of MPs "Election body suspends 148 legislators for failing to declare assets as tensions grow between government and judiciary."

West Bank Olive Harvest. Current West Bank olive harvest most violent in years, defense document reveals "Despite these preparations, numerous incidents over the last two weeks have ended with trees on both sides being cut down, poisoned or torched. Thus far, some 500 Palestinian trees and 100 Jewish trees have been vandalized."

OPINION

Behind the attack ads (Editorial, Los Angeles Times) "Whatever the outcome of the November congressional elections, the voters are already the losers. They are being inundated by attack ads paid for by organizations with benign-sounding names that refuse to identify their donors. "

Leading article: The outlook is as bleak as ever (Editorial, The Independent) "We also need to recognise that the resources of our biosphere are finite and that without careful stewarding, we will lose them altogether. International co-operation on biodiversity and climate change can help