| Title | Word Count |
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United Nations Security Council Calls Meeting Over Syrian ViolenceThe Syrian government received a surge of backlash following their attack on protestors, which could prompt an intervention by the United Nations. Almost five months ago, protestors took to the streets, inspired by the recent government overthrows in Tunisia and Egypt. With barely any progress for either the protestors or the government, demonstrators vowed to temporarily forego their demonstrations in honor of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The Syrian government quickly took advantage of the demonstrators' silence by ordering a military assault on the city of Hama, killing almost 100 Syrians over the span of a weekend. |
528 |
United Nations Security Council Calls Meeting Over Syrian ViolenceThe Syrian government received a surge of backlash following their attack on protestors, which could prompt an intervention by the United Nations. Almost five months ago, protestors took to the streets, inspired by the recent government overthrows in Tunisia and Egypt. With barely any progress for either the protestors or the government, demonstrators vowed to temporarily forego their demonstrations in honor of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The Syrian government quickly took advantage of the demonstrators' silence by ordering a military assault on the city of Hama, killing almost 100 Syrians over the span of a weekend. |
528 |
Turkey's Military Chiefs Resign Marking New Era for the CountryFour Turkish military generals resigned from their positions amidst a controversy prohibiting them from receiving the promotions they believed they were entitled to. Along with 250 other soldiers, the generals are awaiting trial for allegedly staging a coup against the government. Their resignations were met with mixed emotions. On one hand, military figures rarely ever step down from their positions. Instead, they would overthrow the government if they wanted change. On the other hand, the generals' resignations signified the end of the military's powerful reign over the civilian government. |
521 |
Tentative Deal on Debt CrisisWith the August 2nd deadline looming over the heads of all the congressional leaders, President Obama announced a tentative compromise that will at least stave off the bankruptcy that America was headed for. The deal, which will take effect in two different steps, will boost the nation's debt ceiling to $14.3 trillion while also reducing government spending in the future. The first $1 trillion in spending will be cut in the next decade - the same amount that the debt ceiling will be raised (Jackson). Senators Harry Reid of Nevada and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky announced that a "framework" had been constructed. "We're moving forward together," the Senate's Democratic and Republican leaders said (Jackson) |
803 |
Syrian Government Attacks Hama on Eve of RamadanAlthough protestors around the world, particularly in Syria and Egypt, vowed to temporarily forego their demonstrations in honor of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, the Syrian army attacked the city of Hama, killing at least 113 people just one day before the month of fasting and prayer began. The army used primarily tanks to attack the citizens, resulting in one of the deadliest instances of violence since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad. |
795 |
Serial Killer Sowell Convicted of Murdering 11 WomenAnthony Sowell, the sex offender who was convicted of murdering 11 women, faces the death penalty unless his defense team can successfully convince the jury that Sowell was provoked by post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental illnesses. Sowell, who is an ex-Marine, abused the bodies after the women had died, and then stashed their bodies around his house, prompting neighbors to complain of a foul stench, which they believed was coming from a neighborhood sausage shop. On July 22nd, he was convicted of 11 counts of aggravated murder and more than 70 other charges, including abusing corpses and kidnapping. |
803 |
Somali Refugees Flee From Country Without International AssistanceStruck by a great famine caused by two decades of civil war and two seasons of drought, Somalis are now seeking refuge in the neighboring countries of Kenya and Ethiopia. The militia in Somalia, al-Shabab, which is associated with al-Qaeda, refuses to allow international aid agencies to lend a helping hand, accusing them of being Western spies or Christian crusaders. However, because the aid agencies have been slow to respond, despite the United Nations declaration that tens of thousands of people have died, many Somalis are walking hundreds of miles on the "roads of death" only to find no help on the other end. |
518 |
Raquel Nelson Sentenced to Probation and Community Service After Son is Killed JaywalkingRaquel Nelson, who was convicted of three charges after a hit-and-run driver killed her son as the family jaywalked across the road, decided to go forth with a new trial, according to her attorney David Savoy. Nelson was charged with homicide by vehicle in the second degree after she led her three children across a four-lane road 0.3 miles away from a crosswalk because she was "trying to hurry up and get home so we wouldn't have to be in the dark" (Garner). |
529 |
DaVita Faces Allegations of Medical FraudDaVita, one of the nation's largest providers of kidney dialysis, is facing allegations that they purposefully wasted medication in order to reap more profit from Medicare. According to a lawsuit filed by a former clinic nurse and a doctor, clinics intentionally used larger-than-necessary doses of drugs, such as Epogen and Zemplar, and wasted a good portion of the medicine. Medicare then paid the clinics for the medication, including the wasted portion. Recently, Medicare changed its payment plan. Instead of paying per medication, Medicare pays a predetermined amount for each treatment. In light of the new policy, many clinics changed their procedures regarding medication. |
525 |
Casey Anthony to Report for Probation for Fraudulent ChecksCasey Anthony, the 25-year-old who was recently found not guilty of murdering her toddler daughter and released from an Orlando, FL jail in July, has to serve a year of probation as required by a corrected order. In January of 2010, Anthony pleaded guilty to stealing a friend's checkbook and writing five fraudulent checks that totaled $644.25. She was sentenced to 412 days in jail but received credit for time served. However, she was also sentenced to a year of probation, but a misunderstanding granted her credit for that also. |
537 |
Violence in Afghan Increases Despite Mullen's Satisfaction with Progress in AfghanistanFollowing a series of political assassinations of Afghanistan's political leaders, the United States' military officers have seen dramatic improvement in securing the country. Following the assassination of Osama bin Laden, President Obama announced the hasty drawdown of the extra "surge" troops he ordered to finish off the al-Qaeda regime. However, there have been several recent acts of violence that have some officials worried. Following the assassination of Ahmed Wali Karzai, the president's half-brother, a suicide car bomber attacked a police headquarters, killing twelve policemen and a child. Kandahar mayor Ghulam Haidar Hameedi also became a target of a suicide bomber late in July. |
527 |
Abdo Arrested for Planning to Attack Fort HoodPfc. Naser Abdo, a soldier who went AWOL from Fort Campbell, was arrested in a Central Texas hotel room with all the makings to construct two bombs, which he admitted he planned on detonating inside a restaurant frequented by soldiers from Fort Hood. Abdo was scheduled to rejoin his brigade after staying behind to learn Pashto, a national language of Afghanistan. When he learned of his deployment, he petitioned that it was against his Muslim beliefs. He was scheduled to be discharged until the Army discovered child pornography on his government-issued computer. He was awaiting trial in a military court. |
813 |
Weprin to Run for Weiner's Seat in CongressFollowing Anthony Weiner's resignation, David Weprin earned the nod of approval to replace Weiner's seat in Congress. He will run for the Democratic Party in the special election scheduled for September 13th. Weprin is a current New York Assemblyman who formerly served as a member of the New York City council. Last year, he was elected to the state Assembly but failed in his campaign for city comptroller in 2009 (Carnia). Weprin will meet with Queens Democrats on July 7th to file paperwork announcing him as the Party's official pick. Weprin earned the candidacy because he was viewed as the "most loyal" to the local party, according to Capital Tonight. Weprin was chosen from a strong pool of politicians, including Assemblyman Rory Lancman and former Rep. Elizabeth Holtzman (Taylor). |
538 |
Casey Anthony Found Not Guilty in Murder TrialAfter eleven hours of deliberation, the jury composed of seven women and five men concluded that Casey Anthony did not murder her daughter, Caylee, by rendering her unconscious with chloroform, covering her mouth with duct tape to suffocate her, and then dumping her deceased body in the woods as prosecutors claimed. The two-year-old Caylee went missing on June 16, 2008. Casey then partied for the next month before being forced by her mother to report her child's disappearance. Casey cried as the jury read her convictions and announced that she was found guilty only of providing false information to law enforcement officers (Alvarez). |
563 |
Case Against Strauss-Kahn Weakened by Accuser's CredibilityThe sexual assault case brought against French politician, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, may not be as cut and dry as it first seemed. The housekeeper who Strauss-Kahn allegedly attacked in his Manhattan hotel suite in May has repeatedly lied, according to law enforcement officials. Forensic evidence concludes that a sexual encounter between Strauss-Kahn and the housekeeper undoubtedly occurred, but little else of what the accuser has said during the case is believable (Dwyer). The holes in the case include the housekeeper's asylum application and possible links to criminal activities, including drug dealing and money laundering. Senior prosecutors met with Strauss-Kahn's lawyers to discuss whether to dismiss the felony charges. State Supreme Court will convene in Manhattan on July 1st, and Justice Michael J. Obus is rumored to be considering easing the outrageous bail conditions he originally imposed on Strauss-Kahn. Strauss-Kahn stands to be released on his own recognizance and freed from house arrest. In turn, it is likely that the serious criminal charges he faces will be dropped. The district attorney's office is insisting that Strauss-Kahn plead guilty to a misdemeanor, but his lawyers will not allow it (Dwyer). |
840 |
Crack Cocaine Prisoners Released Early by Fair Sentencing LawApproximately 12,000 federal prisoners will be released early because of the U.S. Sentencing Commission's decision to retroactively apply the Fair Sentencing Act, which reduced prison terms for inmates convicted of crack-cocaine offenses. On a unanimous vote, "unfairly long sentences" for crack offenders, who are mostly African Americans, were reduced to be more compatible with sentences given to powder-cocaine offenders, who are often white and sometimes affluent (Serrano). Last year, Congress voted to lower the sentences given to crack-related crimes such as possession and trafficking. Many people believed the law was racially discriminatory because crack users are typically poor and living in a black neighborhood. On June 30th, the commission decided to apply the lesser sentences to those who are already in prison (Serrano). |
790 |
Congressman Weiner Resigns After Internet ScandalAfter putting off his resignation for as long as possible, Democratic Rep. Anthony Weiner officially stepped down on June 28th, 2011 in the wake of his sex scandal. After first trying to lie about his scandal, Weiner finally came clean about his sexually scandalous online communications in which he sent lewd photos of himself to women he befriended on Facebook and Twitter. Many of his colleagues encouraged him to resign, including President Barack Obama and House Speaker John Boehner (Bash). Weiner briefly addressed reporters and apologized "for the personal mistakes I have made and for the embarrassment I have caused" to his neighbors, to his constituents, and "particularly to my wife." He added, "Unfortunately, the distraction that I have created made it "impossible" to continue working in Congress. He then made a public announcement at a community center in his home district (Bash). |
839 |
Tea Party Divides Over School Choice LegislationThe Tea Party remains divided on one of its founding issues - school choice legislation. The bill provides vouchers to poor families who want better schools for their children. On one hand, many Tea Party groups oppose the bill because it does not grant universal school choice. They believe it offers an easy out for schools failing to educate children properly. The opposers also believe that the supporters of the bill, who are backed by a powerful Washington group that contributed greatly to the Tea Party's beginnings, are selling out to the politics-as-usual approach that the group formed to oppose. The supporters retaliated that those who oppose the bill do not understand that politics involve compromising (Zernike). |
1050 |
Three Terrorists Arrested in Questionable FBI Sting OperationA U.S. federal judge sentenced James Cromitie, 45, David Williams, 30, and Onta Williams, 35, all found guilty of planning to attack two synagogues and to shoot down US military planes, to 25 years each in prison on terrorism charges. The lawyers plan on appealing the charges. The three men were arrested in May of 2009 after a year-long sting operation led by the FBI and an informant who provided the men with three improvised explosive devices and 30 pounds each of inert C-4 plastic explosives. The same judge who sentenced the men also targeted the FBI for what she called "questionable" behavior during the sting operation (Messana). |
802 |
Rhode Island Approves Civil UnionsIn the immediate aftermath of the huge victory for gay rights in New York State, Rhode Island chose to make a smaller splash in the water by allowing civil unions for gay couples. In light of the bigger victories, gay rights advocates were outraged at the new legislation, which they called discriminatory. This bill allows gay and lesbian couples to enjoy most of the rights and benefits that married couples in Rhode Island enjoy (Goodnough), The bill has already passed in Rhode Island's House of Representatives, and the governor already expressed his willingness to sign it. However, it comes as a little too late for most gay rights advocates. The bill is intended to be a compromise after Gordon D. Fox, the openly gay speaker of the Democratic-controlled House, was unable to obtain enough votes to follow suit with New York and pass a same-sex marriage bill (Goodnough). |
781 |
Kansas Grants Planned Parenthood Abortion LicenseThe state of Kansas granted Planned Parenthood an abortion license, although the Kansas Department of Health and Environment paired several regulations with the license. The department tells abortion providers what drugs and equipment they must have on hand, how big some of their rooms must be, and the specific temperatures allowed in procedure and recovery rooms. These regulations are part of new licensing law that stems from a surge of anti-abortion legislation through Republican-controlled legislatures in many states. The new measures add legal, financial, and psychological aspects that make it even more difficult for women and doctors. For instance, the new regulations require rooms where abortions are performed to have at least 150 square feet of space, excluding fixed cabinets, and to keep their temperatures between 68 and 73 degrees. Each room must also have an adjoining janitor's closet that spans at least 50 square feet (Hanna). |
804 |
California Passes Law to Collect Sales Tax from Internet PurchasesCalifornia Governor Jerry Brown recently signed an online sales tax into law that allows the state's tax board to collect sales tax from online retailers that have relationships with an affiliate, typically in-state blogs that drive sales to the retailers in exchange for a small cut of the proceeds. Federal law has allowed online retailers to collect sales tax only if the seller has a physical presence in the state. Although California enacted this law, most consumers did not pay the sales tax, prompting many supporters of the legislation to argue that Amazon and other online retailers have the upper hand because their prices will always be lower (Hull). |
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Public Workers Appeal Senate Bill 5In April 2010, Republican governor of Ohio John Kasich signed Senate Bill 5 into effect, a measure than many felt personally attacked the 360,000 workers who provide public services. The law bans the right of public workers to strike; imposes large wage cuts by mandating workers to pay at least 15 percent of their health insurance costs; bases pay raises for teachers and other workers on performance instead of seniority; and facilitates the decertification of local unions. School districts, municipalities, and other government bodies are allowed to enforce their final offer in the case of a labor strike where negotiations cannot be reached (White). |
500 |
Cuomo Administration Emphasizes Shutting Down Indian Point PlantDespite former attempts to do so, New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced his resolve to shut down the Indian Point nuclear plant. Many politicians before Cuomo intended to shut down the plant before but were never able to carry out their plans. Experts believe he should have much easier time due to newly passed state legislation (Hakim). Entergy, the company that runs the Indian Point nuclear plant, called the first meeting with the Cuomo administration. Although Cuomo has announced his position in shutting down the plant in several speeches previously, he never delivered a direct message to the company, and company officials were caught off guard at his blunt message (Hakim). |
812 |
Lagarde to Become Managing Director and Chairman of the IMFChristine Lagarde, the finance minister of France, is set to begin her five-year term as the International Monetary Fund's managing director and chairman next month after defeating Mexican Central Bank chief Agustin Carstens. Lagarde was backed by the United Kingdom, Germany, and most European powers, as well as some Asian and African nations. The United States Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner joined the group of supporters right before Lagarde was voted in (Rooney) "Minister Lagarde's exceptional talent and broad experience will provide invaluable leadership for this indispensable institution at a critical time for the global economy," Geithner said (Rooney). |
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