More than 50 people have died in days of fighting between Nigerian forces and suspected Islamist gunmen in the country’s north-east, officials say.
Boko Haram militants had suffered heavy casualties in a lengthy gun-battle in the town of Damaturu, said army chief of staff Lt Gen Azubuike Ihejirika.
“We killed over 50 of them,” said Lt Gen Ihejirika.
This video is only over 2 minutes long, so it has to involve choices of who to include and who to leave out (by my count they have ten). So before you look at the video, ask yourself who would be on your list for 2011. Then, after you watch, let us know what you may of their choices–did you have any that they didn’t and vice versa? Thanks–KSH.
[BOB] ABERNETHY: The last U.S. troops from Iraq have been coming back. What do you make, what do you all make of the welcome that they’ve received and people’s feelings generally about the end of the Iraq War?
[KIM] LAWTON: I’ve been surprised at the fact that prior to our entry into the Iraq War in the religious community this was a huge debate. Is this a just war? Should we be doing this? There were protests in the streets and now that’s it’s winding down I haven’t heard as much moral conversation from ethicists and religious leaders about what did it all mean now that it’s done and what did we leave behind? People were talking about do we have an ethical responsibility to that country and I don’t hear it being framed in that way and I found that interesting.
[KEVIN] ECKSTROM: And I think it’s a very different reception of the troops coming home from Vietnam obviously got and I think a lot of people are happy about that. They’re proud that their veterans are coming home, but I’ve been surprised at how muted the reaction has been.
Church of Ireland Primate, Archbishop Alan Harper:
A personal culture of kindness needs to be reclaimed in modern society. A kind word and a kind gesture can go a long way to making the lives of hard-pressed people bearable. It can light up a life and it says: “I’m someone, not no one.
“I count in the eyes of someone else….”
…the U.S. Supreme Court has already upheld a similar strict photo voter ID law in Indiana, according to S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson. Because of that, Wilson said he plans to ask the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., to overrule the Justice Department’s decision.“Nothing in this act stops people from voting, and I think the court will rule in South Carolina’s favor,” Wilson said in a prepared statement.
Supporters of the law, including Haley, have said the purpose of South Carolina’s voter ID law is to prevent voter fraud, such as someone who lives in another state claiming to be a voter in South Carolina.But in his letter to the S.C. Attorney General’s Office, U.S. Assistant Attorney General Thomas E. Perez noted that “the state’s submission did not include any evidence or instance of either in-person voter impersonation or any other type of fraud that is not already addressed by the state’s existing voter identification requirement and that arguably could be deterred by requiring voters to present only photo identification at the polls…..”
O God our heavenly Father, who by the birth of thy Son Jesus Christ has visited us with thy salvation: Grant that as we welcome our Redeemer his presence may be shed abroad in our hearts and homes with the light of heavenly joy and peace; and in all our preparations for this holy season help us to think more of others than of ourselves, and to show forth our gratitude to thee for thine unspeakable gift, even the same Jesus Christ our Lord.
Now before faith came, we were confined under the law, kept under restraint until faith should be revealed. So that the law was our custodian until Christ came, that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a custodian; for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.
–Galatians 3:23-29
Go here and download or listen to it from the December 22nd morning show. I found it very helpful–KSH.