OBAMA-REFUGEES
President Barack Obama says all God’s children worthy of compassion and care
WASHINGTON (AP) β President Barack Obama has used his weekly radio address as a Thanksgiving Day message to appeal for acceptance of Syrian refugees, saying “so much of our greatness comes from our generosity.”
In the broadcast Thursday, Obama noted his commitment to accept an additional 10,000 Syrian refugees this year and argued that the policy is in keeping with U.S. tradition.
Obama said that “Lady Liberty’s light” is shining when the nation sends the message that “all God’s children are worthy of our compassion and care.” The president said “That’s part of what makes this the greatest country on Earth.”
He said federal scrutiny of the Syrian refugees he has proposed bringing to the U.S. was already intense even before the terrorist attacks earlier this month in Paris.
135-w-34-(Ben Thomas, AP correspondent, with President Barack Obama in weekly media address)–This Thanksgiving, President Obama is asking the American people to welcome Syrian refugees who’ve fled the civil war in their homeland. AP correspondent Ben Thomas reports. ((alternate version of previous wrap)) (26 Nov 2015)
< 134-w-34-(Ben Thomas, AP correspondent, with President Barack Obama in weekly media address)–President Barack Obama is making a Thanksgiving appeal to the American people to accept Syrian refugees. AP correspondent Ben Thomas reports. (26 Nov 2015) < 119-a-12-(President Barack Obama, in weekly address)-“the case now”-In his weekly address President Barack Obama says he has been touched by the generosity of the Americans who have written him, offering to open their homes to refugees fleeing the brutality of ISIL. (26 Nov 2015) < WEALTHY HOMELESS DINNER Wealthy and homeless set to break bread at Manhattan church NEW YORK (AP) β Some Manhattan residents will leave luxury dwellings behind to dine shoulder to shoulder with the homeless on Friday at a church in a holiday event that seemed like an experiment when it was first held last year. Now, the Rev. Edward Sunderland says there is momentum aiding the effort at St. Bartholomew’s Church in midtown. This year, The Four Seasons restaurant is joining The New York Palace and The Waldorf-Astoria hotels in serving a gourmet meal to provide some relief and conversation for more than 250 homeless people. He said the dinner was aimed in part at helping society’s more well-to-do residents look differently at the homeless population, or look at it at all. Participants at last year’s gathering included law firm partners, investment professionals, executives, teachers, social workers, writers, musicians and retirees. A host at each table manages the atmosphere as the event is serenaded by a piano and saxophone. BLESS FRIDAY Churches providing alternative to Black Friday shopping rush with Bless Friday HOUSTON (AP) β A growing number of churches in Houston and elsewhere are offering an alternative to the usual Black Friday shopping rush as a way of celebrating the Christmas season. It’s called Bless Friday. Participants engage in service projects coordinated by participating congregations. Events include delivering cookies to patients and families at a medical clinic, preparing gifts for sailors arriving at the Port of Houston, cleaning a local prayer garden, decorating the homes of the mentally challenged and volunteering at homeless centers and food banks. Bless Friday was organized by Houstonian Chuck Fox, who says it’s easy to “lose sight of the real reason for Christmas, remembering and honoring Jesus.” Fox says the idea of service came during a sermon he heard. Bless Friday started in Houston in 2000. Fox says participating churches this year include some in Seattle and New York. 243-a-21-(Reverend Edward Sunderland, associate rector, St. Bartholomew’s Church, in AP interview)-“and lively conversation”-Reverend Edward Sunderland, of St. Bartholomew’s Church, says the dinner can be eye-opening, when it comes to the humanity of homeless people. ((note length)) (26 Nov 2015) < 241-a-14-(Reverend Edward Sunderland, associate rector, St. Bartholomew’s Church, in AP interview)-“aren’t great divisions”-Reverend Edward Sunderland, of St. Bartholomew’s Church, says the dinner is, in part, aimed at helping society’s more well-to-do residents look differently at the homeless population (26 Nov 2015) < 239-a-14-(Reverend Edward Sunderland, associate rector, St. Bartholomew’s Church, in AP interview)-“don’t know people”-Reverend Edward Sunderland, of St. Bartholomew’s Church, says the dinner allows those who are blessed financially to dine shoulder-to-shoulder with the homeless. (26 Nov 2015) < 240-a-11-(Reverend Edward Sunderland, associate rector, St. Bartholomew’s Church, in AP interview)-“hunger and homelessness”-Reverend Edward Sunderland, of St. Bartholomew’s Church, says the homeless and the well-off will share a dinner created by three luxury hotels. (26 Nov 2015) < 242-a-08-(Reverend Edward Sunderland, associate rector, St. Bartholomew’s Church, in AP interview)-“didn’t feel homeless”-Reverend Edward Sunderland, of St. Bartholomew’s Church, says one homeless man said last year’s dinner helped him escape his troubles, if only for a few hours. (26 Nov 2015) < AFRICA-POPE Pope speaks against human trafficking, poaching and illegal diamond trade NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) βPope Francis, who has made the fight against human trafficking a major priority, is denouncing other forms of illegal trafficking during his first-ever visit to Africa. In a speech Thursday to the regional U.N. headquarters, Francis said illegal trade in diamonds and other precious stones and metals, as well as the poaching of elephants for their ivory tusks “fuels political instability, organized crime and terrorism.” Francis also warned that it would be “catastrophic” if special interests get in the way of a global agreement to curb the fossil fuel emissions blamed for global warming at a meeting next week in Paris over climate change. Speaking at a Catholic school, Francis also urged Kenyan priests and nuns to serve others and not be served β and told seminarians if they’re not up to the task to go find a new job and start a family. 206-r-11-(Choir, singing at gathering for Pope Francis)–Sound of a choir singing at a gathering for Pope Francis. (26 Nov 2015) < 205-a-12-(Pope Francis, praying, in English, at Nairobi gathering)-“us ask Him”-Pope Francis prayed at a gathering at a Catholic school in Nairobi. (26 Nov 2015) < 159-a-17-(Pope Francis, speaking through interpreter, in speech at African U.N. headquarters)-“no carbon content”-Pope Francis, speaking through an interpreter, says next week’s international climate change summit in Paris represents an important stage in the push toward cleaner energy. ((note audio quality as fed from site)) (26 Nov 2015) < 160-a-19-(Pope Francis, speaking through interpreter, in speech at African U.N. headquarters)-“for human dignity”-Pope Francis, speaking through an interpreter, says he hopes leaders at next week’s international climate summit in Paris will reach an agreement based on the principles of solidarity, justice, equality and participation. ((note audio quality and length)) (26 Nov 2015) < 157-w-31-(Rita Foley, AP correspondent, with sound of Pope Francis, in Italian)–Pope Francis is tackling several controversial subjects on a trip to Africa. AP correspondent Rita Foley reports. (26 Nov 2015) < 158-v-30-(Rita Foley, AP correspondent)–Pope Francis is addressing several sensitive issues while on a visit to Africa. AP correspondent Rita Foley reports. (26 Nov 2015) < CHARLESTON SHOOTING Emanuel AME to donate $1.5M to church shooting victims CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) β The South Carolina church where nine parishioners were shot and killed in what police called a racially motivated attack earlier this year is sharing about half of the money donated to it with survivors of the attack and the families of those killed. Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church says it will donate about $1.5 million of the $3.4 million given to it in the wake of the June 17 shooting to the victims’ organization, called Charleston’s Hope Fund. That group has raised nearly $3 million on its own. Emanuel AME says it will use its share of the donated money for building improvements, a permanent memorial to the nine killed and five survivors and scholarships and community outreach projects. KILLINGS BY POLICE-CHICAGO Clergy, community leaders demand reforms in wake of fatal police shooting CHICAGO (AP) β Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has called on African-American clergy to advocate calm protests in the wake of the release of dashboard video showing a white officer fatally shooting a black teen. Officials say the teen was shot 16 times. The shooting occurred last October and the video was just released this week. While clergy have urged residents to remain peaceful as the criminal case proceeds against the officer, they are also demanding reforms within police administration. Bishop Larry Trotter, of Sweet Holy Spirit Church, says the year-long delay in releasing the video and the filing of charges in the case is part of a pattern in Chicago. BANGLADESH-MOSQUE SHOOTING Gunmen attack Shiite mosque in Bangladesh NEW DELHI (AP) β Police say at least five assailants opened fire Thursday on devotees during evening prayers at a Shiite mosque in northern Bangladesh, leaving at least one person dead and three others wounded. Police say a mosque official in his 70s who led the prayers died from bullet injuries and the three others were being treated at a hospital. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. Shiites are a minority in Sunni-majority Bangladesh, a Muslim-majority nation of 160 million people. The country has been rocked this year by a series of attacks allegedly carried out by Islamist radical groups. EUROPE-HEADSCARVES Rights court upholds French headscarf ban in hospital job PARIS (AP) β Europe’s top human rights court is upholding France’s headscarf ban in the case of a Muslim social worker who lost her hospital job because she would not remove her scarf. The case decided Thursday dates to 2000, when Christiane Ebrahimian was working in the psychiatric department at a public hospital in Nanterre. She learned that her contract would not be renewed because patients had complained about her refusal to remove her headscarf. France’s secular government bars public employees from displaying religious beliefs on the job β a ban that has since been extended to schoolchildren and even parents who want to accompany a class outing. The headscarf ban, which formally became a law banning “conspicuous” religious symbols in 2004, opened a rift with France’s Muslim community, the largest in Europe. BABY LEFT IN CHURCH Mother who left baby in NYC nativity manger won’t be charged NEW YORK (AP) β Prosecutors in New York say a mother who left her newborn baby in a Christmas manger inside a church will not be prosecuted. Queens District Attorney Richard Brown says the mother was located and interviewed and a review by his officer has determined that no criminal prosecution is warranted. A custodian at Holy Child Jesus Church in the Richmond Hill section of Queens County discovered the little boy when he heard it crying. Police said emergency crews brought the newborn to a local hospital, where he was in good health. New York has a so-called safe haven law that says a newborn can be dropped off anonymously at a church, hospital, police or fire station without fear of prosecution. But the law, known as the Abandoned Infant Protection Act, requires that the child be left with someone or for authorities to be called immediately. Police said that didn’t happen in this case, which led investigators to begin searching for the mother.
