In today’s news, Putin blames Secretary Clinton for Russian unrest; former Penn State coach Jerry Sandusky has been arrested; Newt Gingrich’s sister says she’ll vote for Obama; and Elizabeth Warren is up 7 points in the polls. In entertainment news, Albert Pujols has signed with the Angels, and Coldplay announces its 2012 North American tour.
Coral + Caitlin
CRUCIAL
At House hearing Thursday, Corzine expected to plead the Fifth, http://nyp.st/s1dO9j
On Thursday, ex–MF Global chief and former Democratic Senator and Governor from New Jersey, Jon Corzine, will tell Congress that he simply does not know where the “many hundreds of millions of dollars” in MF Global client money has gone. The reported missing amount is $1.2 billion. “I sincerely apologize,” he will say in his testimony. Corzine is the first former Senator to be subpoenaed by Congress in 103 years. There has been speculation as to whether or not the former Senator will invoke his constitutional right against self incrimination; however he is not expected to say anything of substance at the hearings.
Russia PM Vladimir Putin accuses US over poll protests, http://bbc.in/vc4Xhr
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is accusing the United States of motivating the protests over the results of Russia’s parliamentary elections. Putin has specifically accused Secretary of State Hillary Clinton of fomenting Russia’s recent unrest, saying she “set the tone for some opposition activists” and “gave a signal.” The Secretary stands by her claim that her concerns were “well-founded.” Since the protests began on Sunday, about 1,000 people have been arrested in Moscow after alleging election fraud.
(via Associated Press) Inside Romania’s secret CIA prison: ‘For years, the CIA used a government building — codenamed “Bright Light” — as a makeshift prison for its most valuable detainees. There it held al-Qaida operatives Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, and others in a basement prison before they were ultimately transferred to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in 2006, according to former U.S. intelligence officials familiar with the location and inner workings of the prison.’ http://yhoo.it/vZ0JXa
American gets 2.5 years for insulting Thai monarchy, http://bit.ly/rA397F
Thai born American Joe W. Gordon, whose Thai name is Lerpong Wichaicommart, was sentenced to two and a half years in a Thai prison for insulting the country’s monarchy. He was arrested in May for posting a link to an unauthorized biography of the king, according to the Human Rights Commission. The charge of writing and posting articles that insult the monarchy can carry a sentence of up to 20 years in prison. Gordon moved back to Thailand last year after living in the U.S. for 30 years.
Why did Sandusky’s wife not come to help? http://bit.ly/w0NYl1
Jerry Sandusky was arrested on Wednesday afternoon after two more victims came forward and accused him of sexual molestation, bringing the count to ten victims. One of the new accusers has stated that Sandusky forced him to perform oral sex on him, and when Sandusky attempted to anally rape him, he screamed. Even though Sandusky’s wife was upstairs at the time, she did not come down to help him. A lawyer for Sandusky’s second new accuser says Sandusky got his client drunk with liquor, although this was not mentioned in the grand-jury report.
Sun, sand, celebrities and Saadi: How Gaddafi’s son planned escape to lost Mexican refuge, http://natpo.st/udY7Vy
The Mexican government says it foiled a plot to smuggle Saadi el-Gaddafi and his family to Puerto Vallarta on the Pacific coast. A Canadian woman named Cynthia Vanier allegedly opened fake bank accounts, prepared false documents, and purchased property in Mexico. Meanwhile, private security contractors were offered $1,000 a day to help get Gaddafi and his family there safely. The plot, however, was foiled in September, and Mexican officials arrested Vanier and her alleged accomplices last month. Gaddafi has since gone to Niger, where he has received asylum.
Newt Gingrich’s gay sister backs Obama for 2012, http://bit.ly/tdP7ND
Candace Gingrich-Jones, the gay half sister of GOP presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich, does not agree with her brother on the issues of gay rights, and for this reason, she will be voting for President Obama in the 2012 election. “He is definitely on the wrong side of history when it comes to those issues,” Gingrich-Jones said. She also said that she will work hard to ensure that the President is re-elected, no matter who the Republican candidate is. Gingrich is known for his socially conservative views and has said that he opposes gay marriage. Gingrich-Jones, a director at the Human Rights Campaign, says her brother did not attend her wedding.
Obama administration refuses to relax Plan B restrictions, http://wapo.st/rL0DUl
For one of the first times, the Department of Health and Human Services overruled the Food and Drug Administration, vetoing the FDA’s decision to make the Plan B contraceptive available without any restrictions. The FDA says it is scientifically acceptable to allow women of all ages to purchase Plan B, the morning after pill, off of supermarket shelves. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said she had concluded that data submitted by the drug’s maker did not “conclusively establish” that Plan B could be used safely by minors. The veto means that instead of being able to buy Plan B off of store shelves, girls 16 and younger will still need a doctor’s prescription to obtain the drug. Women 17 and older can buy the pill without a prescription but must show proof of age to a pharmacist.
Elizabeth Warren soars 7 up over Scott Brown, http://bit.ly/vODrvG
In Massachusetts, Democrat Elizabeth Warren has opened up a lead against Republican incumbent Scott Brown for the first time in their U.S. Senate showdown. At 49-42, it’s her largest lead yet in the race.
CULTURAL
Fareed Zakaria says “Obama’s economic speech shifts the focus from deficits,” http://wapo.st/sniqkL
Karl Rove gives us “Gingrich’s Organization Deficit Disorder,” http://on.wsj.com/tDs60Y
Report: Albert Pujols to sign with Angels for 10 years, $250 million, http://wapo.st/szHD7A
NBC Courts Seacrest for ‘Today’ http://on.wsj.com/scPPYV
Alec Baldwin: My Flying Lesson, http://huff.to/uVKGfH
Coldplay Announce 2012 North American Tour, http://on.mtv.com/rLRdAR




