CP World Report: Obama v. Romney, Syria, Gallaudet University

By World Report, The Christian Post in partnership with Crossroads, Thursday, October 18, 2012

The polls are in – who had the better debate: President Obama or Mitt Romney. Rene Marsh produced this report the day after the debate.

The Syrian government has indicated that it's interested in exploring a temporary ceasefire proposed by the UN and Arab League envoy, Lake-dar Bra-hemi. Mr Bra-hemi wants a truce over the Islamic holiday 'Festival of the Sacrifice' to allow a political process to develop. The holiday, in late October, is celebrated by Muslims to commemorate the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son Ishmael as proof of obedience to God. As a side-note, the Jewish and Christian faiths believe it was the son Isaac who was to be sacrificed.

Maryland's [Gal-luh-det] University's chief diversity officer was placed on leave because she signed a petition to challenge that States same-sex marriage law on the ballot. Angela McCaskill has called on the school to clear her name and dismiss the scandal that lead to her temporary removal.

This week, the school's president announced McCaskill could return to her job as long as she's willing to work with the campus in addressing the fallout of this situation. The Washington Post reports McCaskill is asking for compensation for emotional stress and damage to her reputation. She has worked at the university for the deaf and hard of hearing for 24 years.

Do the words "Family Planning" preclude the backing of Christians? The New Evangelical Partnership for the Common Good (NEP) argues in a new document that family planning strengthens families, enhances the health of women and children, and reduces abortions. This liberal evangelical group, NEP, urges fellow evangelicals to support programs that provide family planning services, that do NOT include abortion for the poor, both in the U.S. and abroad. The NEP argues that the association Christians ascribe between family planning & abortion, hinders support for non-abortion family planning services.

Flu season is here and doctors recommend getting a vaccine to keep from getting sick.
But, a University of Minnesota study finds that flu vaccines may not offer enough protection.