Top al Qaeda leader Anwar al Awlaki has been killed; the Occupy Wall Street protests gain crucial support; Mexico City considers pre-determined marriage contracts; Senator Dick Durbin slams Bank of America’s new debit card fee; Maine’s Secretary of State sends a threatening letter to college students; and Ohio’s voting laws will now be on the 2012 ballot. Meanwhile, Disney may release more classics in 3D; and will we be Keeping Up with the Mandelas?
Coral + Caitlin
CRUCIAL:
Officials Thought They Might Kill Awlaki on 9/11 Anniversary, http://abcn.ws/o4Rmvm
Anwar al Awlaki, a top al Qaeda leader from Yemen, has been killed by the US. The US had been tracking him for months and had the chance to kill him on the anniversary of 9/11; however, officials waited for a moment when he was away from civilians. Awlaki was “very operational” and heavily involved in plotting terrorist attacks. He was killed in Yemen in a deliberate airstrike on his compound.
Occupy Wall Street Protests Poised to Grow Rapidly With Union Support, http://bit.ly/pEN6t8
Over the past few weeks, the Occupy Wall Street protests have consisted of a few hundred people; however, it is poised to grow larger as a number of major unions are planning to join the demonstrations. On Tuesday, over 700 uniformed pilots marched for better pay and on Wednesday, the New York Transit Workers Union executive board unanimously voted to support the protests. The union even took to its Twitter to ask its 38,000 followers to join a march on October 5.
‘Til 2013 do us part? Mexico mulls 2-year marriage, http://reut.rs/p3JUjM
Leftists in Mexico City are proposing reformation of the civil code so that couples can decide on the length of their marriages before tying the knot. The minimum contract would be for two years and include provisions on children and property in case of a split. Half of marriages in Mexico City end in divorce, and leftists claim these contracts would take the pain out of the process. The church, which is already angry with Mexico City’s legalization of gay marriage, calls the contract “absurd.”
Durbin Slams Bailed-Out Bank of America Over New Debit Card Fee, http://fxn.ws/nknqQS
Democratic Senator Dick Durbin is calling out Bank of America after it announced that it will charge a $5 monthly fee to all customers who make purchases on their debit cards. “It seems that old habits die hard for Bank of America. After years of raking in excess profits off an unfair and anti-competitive interchange system, Bank of America is trying to find new ways to pad their profits by sticking it to its customers,” Durbin said in a statement.
Board of Governors passes tuition for illegal immigrants, http://bit.ly/qPBaRq
On Monday, a Rhode Island state higher education board passed a law that allows illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition fees to attend Rhode Island public colleges and universities. Under the new policy, the students must have graduated from a Rhode Island high school and attended it for at least three years. They will also have to seek legal status as soon as they are eligible.
Maine Elections Chief Uses GOP List To Intimidate Student Voters And Encourage Them To Re-Register In Another State, http://bit.ly/q0cz7t
Last week, Republican Maine Secretary of State Charles Summers sent a threatening letter to out-of-state college students who are legally registered to vote in Maine. The letter noted that they could possibly be violating election law and should re-register in another state. The letter said that Summers “was presented with a list of 206 University of Maine students with out-of-state home addresses and asked to investigate allegations of election law violations.” In encouraging them to re-register elsewhere, he stated, “you are no longer claiming to be a Maine resident, I ask that you complete the enclosed form to cancel your voter registration in Maine.”
New Ohio elections law put on hold after groups deliver petitions to put issue on ballot, http://bit.ly/rgpO5d
A coalition of liberal organizations, voting activists, and labor groups submitted over 300,000 signatures to have an Ohio law that restricts early voting be put on the ballot in 2012. This means that Ohio voters will decide on the measure and the law will not be in effect for the the 2012 elections.
(via POLITICO Breaking News) Florida’s presidential preference commission has set the state’s primary for Jan. 31, a move certain to push the four states authorized to hold early-nominating contests into early January. Friday’s 7-2 vote came after 25 minutes of discussion regarding Jan. 3, Jan. 31 and March 6 as possible dates.
Republicans in Congress beat Democrats on tweets, http://wapo.st/obF317
With most Millennials living online and one-third of them using the internet to connect with government officials, it’s become increasingly important that politicians interact and engage with young people on Twitter. According to the Washington Post, young people see politicians who do not tweet as “almost insignificant.” Currently, 86% of House Republicans tweet compared to 75% of House Democrats. In the Senate, 47 Republicans use Twitter along with 41 of the 51 Democrats and 2 independents. It’s important that these politicians use Twitter as a source of interaction instead of a talking points platform. Heather Smith, President of Rock the Vote, touted having “a real conversation. Talk about the issues and engage [young people] in authentic ways….Be yourself, use the technology and people will write back.”
CULTURAL:
“Mother of Hip-Hop” Sylvia Robinson Dead at 75, http://bit.ly/nGQom2
“Lion King” spawns more 3D classic re-releases, http://bit.ly/qhculT
Nelson Mandela’s granddaughters to star in upcoming reality series, http://bit.ly/qVTjpy
Milestones in Literature: Courtney Love Is Penning a Memoir, http://ti.me/nFVTGP
