CP World Report: Gay Marriage, Religious Freedom Report, Allison Schmitt, India Blackout
US secretary of Defense Leon Panetta has been meeting with Israeli officials over Iran building nuclear weapons. Israeli Defense Minister Ahud Barak addressed Israel's options……Panetta talked about exhausting every effort with Iran before resorting to military action……
Supporters of Chick-fil-A are planning to eat at restaurants in the chicken chain as the company continues to be criticized for an executive's comments about gay marriage. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, declared yesterday national "Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day." Chick-fil-A president Dan Cathy said last month that the Atlanta-based company was "guilty as charged" for backing "the biblical definition of a family." That unleashed anger from gay rights groups and other supporters, who have called for boycotts and efforts to block the chain from opening new stores. Opponents of the company's stance are now planning a quote: "Kiss Mor Chiks" for Friday, when they are encouraging people of the same sex to show up at Chick-fil-A restaurants around the country and kiss each other.
According to a pew Research Poll, almost two–thirds of Democrats now support same-sex marriage, a 15 percentage point increase since 2008; while almost a quarter of Republicans support it. ….. a five percentage point increase since 2008. The poll shows increasing support for gay marriage among all Americans, who are now about evenly split on the issue.
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The 3-thousand member Coalition of African American Pastors have launched a campaign to support the traditional definition of marriage, which includes a petition of 100-thousand signatures. The group has chastised President Obama for his stance in support of same sex marriage, while Bishop Janice Hollis, of the Covenant of International Fellowship of Churches, called it a travesty.
A new report on the state of religious freedom around the world has been released. The annual International Religious Freedom Report found efforts to transition from dictatorship to democracy after the Arab Spring have endangered religious minorities. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave details on the findings.
The State Department report designates eight nations as countries of particular concern: China, Saudi Arabia, Eritrea, North Korea, Iran, Sudan, Uzbekistan and Myanmar, also known as Burma.
MEANWHILE….China responded to the International Religious Freedom report as quote: "full of prejudice, arrogance and ignorance."
Full power has been restored to northern India after the country's worst blackout in at least a decade.
Officials are trying to figure out what caused it.
Three power grids failed on Tuesday, leaving about 600-million people in the dark.
It was the second in two days. Analysts say the successive failures expose the government's struggle to upgrade the country's power grid to meet the demands of a growing population, second only to China.
IN SPORTS NEWS….
Across the UK, Christians are about to set their own record for the highest level of church involvement in the Olympics ever. That's according to "More Than Gold," the group coordinating church engagement in the Games. Large screen festivals being hosted by churches are expected to draw up to half a million people. Other planned community activities include family fundays, children's clubs, street parties, quiz nights, community cafes, special church celebrations and Holiday at Home for those who are housebound.
Our Olympic summary.
Allison Schmitt is turning into one of the biggest American stars of the games, picking up her second gold yesterday in the 200 meter free relay….to go along with a silver and a bronze. And… Seventeen-year-old Missy Franklin also claimed her second gold swimming the leadoff leg
The US has captured 29 medals in all so far: 12 Gold, 8 silver and 9 bronze; and the UK has won 9 medals in all. China has won the most at 30.
Brent Hayden of Mission, B.C.,captured the sixth medal for Canada in the 100-metre freestyle yesterday. He got a bronze. Earlier, Canada claimed its first silver medal in mens' rowing.
