Ahead of the curve: The next 7 days
June 10th, 2012
04:51 PM ET
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Ahead of the curve: The next 7 days

Here is a look at some of the stories that CNN plans to follow this week:

U.S. nuns, Vatican to meet over 'radical feminism' accusations

Leaders from the United States' largest group of Catholic nuns will head to the Vatican on Tuesday to address accusations that it strayed from church doctrine, according to CNN's Jim Roope.

An April report from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Catholic Church's watchdog on doctrine, said the Leadership Conference of Women Religious had allowed "radical feminism" to be espoused at their conferences unchecked.

The doctrinal assessment praised the sisters' work on social justice issues but said they were not doing enough on abortion, same-sex marriage and euthanasia. The Vatican report also was critical of the nuns because of their support for the United States' Affordable Care Act, which will require private health plans to cover artificial birth control, the use of which is against Catholic teaching.

The cardinal who heads the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith said he hopes the meeting in Rome will let the two sides "review the document together in a spirit of mutual respect and collaboration, hopefully thereby avoiding possible misunderstandings of the (assessment's) intent and scope."

JP Morgan CEO to testify on billions in losses

The CEO of JPMorgan Chase is scheduled to testify before the Senate Banking Committee this week about the bank's billions of dollars in trading losses that it reported last month.

Jamie Dimon is scheduled to testify Wednesday. The bank originally reported a $2 billion trading loss on May 10, but since then estimates of the size of the loss have risen, and some believe the losses could reach $6 billion to $7 billion, CNNMoney reported.

The news of the loss has renewed debate on Capitol Hill about financial reforms designed to stop big risky bets that could hurt the financial system. After JPMorgan disclosed the loss, the FBI and the Securities and Exchange Commission opened preliminary investigations looking into the matter. FULL POST

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Filed under: Ahead of the curve
June 10th, 2012
04:19 AM ET
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Syrian National Council elects Kurdish activist as new leader

Fifteen months into the Syrian crisis and with no end in sight, a prominent opposition body has elected Kurdish activist Abdul Baset Sieda as its new president in what could reinvigorate a political arm of the uprising.

Dozens of countries have recognized the SNC as a legitimate representative of the Syrian opposition, though many members of the group's leadership are expatriates.

But Syrian President Bashar al-Assad - who has received global disdain for lethally cracking down on dissidents seeking his ouster - has said he will not deal with opposition members influenced from the outside.

Meanwhile, renewed attacks on the anti-government bastion of Homs killed at least three people on Sunday, including citizen journalist Khaled Bakr, opposition activists said.

According to the LCC, random shelling tormented the Homs neighborhood of Talbiseh early Sunday, pausing every four minutes only to continue with artillery and mortars.

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Filed under: Arab Spring • Syria • World
Giffords stumps for former aide in rare public appearance
Former Arizona congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords holds hands with Arizona democratic congressional candidate Ron Barber.
June 10th, 2012
02:30 AM ET
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Giffords stumps for former aide in rare public appearance

Former Democratic Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords made a rare appearance before a cheering crowd  of supporters at a "get out the vote" concert in downtown Tucson.

Giffords was joined by her husband, Mark Kelly, at the Saturday event for a special election race for the seat from which she resigned.

The standing-room only crowd gathered at a theater cheered as she walked on stage with her husband, who spoke on her behalf.

"It was incredibly hard for her to resign," Kelly said as Giffords smiled and held hands with her former aide Ron Barber. "And the person she knew could represent this district like she did is standing to my right."

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Filed under: U.S.
June 10th, 2012
02:17 AM ET
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Evacuations ordered as Colorado fire grows to 8,000 acres

A raging wildfire that swelled within a day to 8,000 acres in northern Colorado, burning structures and forcing evacuations, will likely grow Sunday, fire officials said.

Firefighters battled the blaze, dubbed the High Park fire, that has been fanned by high temperatures and dry brush since it began Saturday morning 15 miles west of Fort Collins, according to InciWeb, the U.S. multi-agency Incident Fire Response website.

At least 200 firefighters backed air tankers and helicopters are battling the blaze, officials said.

Compounding the problem is a shortage of resources, said Larimer County Sheriff Justin Smith. He said a lot of regional resources are already deployed fighting other outbreaks, such as the Whitewater Baldy fire in New Mexico.

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Filed under: Colorado • U.S.