Posts Tagged
‘iran’

By: coral@rockthevote.com

NEWS ROUND-UP: THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2011

Thursday, October 13th, 2011

In today’s news, Congress passes free-trade agreements; the NYPD admits to fabricating charges to fill arrest quotas; the Tea Party goes after Occupy Wall Street; and Barack Obama has raised 70 million dollars this quarter. In other news, Ron Paul loses an eyebrow during Tuesday night’s GOP debate, and Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello will play at Occupy Wall Street.

Coral + Caitlin

CRUCIAL

Obama gets win as Congress passes free-trade agreements, http://wapo.st/rfTk3U
On Wednesday, Congress passed free-trade agreements with South Korea, Columbia, and Panama. The deals with Columbia and Panama will have limited impact; however, the deal with South Korea is the biggest agreement since the North American Free Trade Agreement between America, Canada, and Mexico in 1994. This agreement has the potential to create as many as 280,000 American jobs and boost exports by more than $12 million. “Tonight’s vote, with bipartisan support, will significantly boost exports that bear the proud label ‘Made in America,’ support tens of thousands of good-paying American jobs and protect labor rights, the environment and intellectual property,” President Obama said.

We fabricated drug charges against innocent people to meet arrest quotas, former detective testifies, http://nydn.us/quUcjV
A former NYPD narcotics detective, Stephen Anderson, has admitted to planting drugs on innocent people in order to fill arrest quotas. Anderson, testifying under a cooperation agreement with prosecutors, was arrested for planting cocaine on four men in a Queens bar in 2008. Anderson said he did so to help out fellow cop Henry Tavarez, whose arrest activity had been low.

Tea party goes after Occupy Wall Street, http://politi.co/r2fRNp
Big Tea Party organizations are unhappy about Occupy Wall Street being called the left-wing Tea Party. As a result, it has launched an attack on the Occupy protests. Some members are looking for evidence of extremists or bad behavior such as evidence of union ties, fringe rhetoric, arrests, recordings of incendiary speeches, tales of littering, drug use and debauchery. Tea Party members have started posting their “evidence” on the internet. “The left is trying to create a counter force to the tea party, but it’s almost laughable that anyone is comparing the two, because they’re totally different,” said Sal Russo, chief strategist for the Tea Party Express.

Prosecutors drop attempted rape complaint against former IMF head, http://bit.ly/qk8Oqq
International Monetary Fund head Dominique Strauss-Kahn was accused of attempting to rape a French journalist when she went to his home for an interview; however, the charges have been dropped because the prosecutors say they do not have enough evidence. The journalist pressed charges after Strauss-Kahn faced charges for sexually assaulting a hotel maid in New York City.

Gunman kills 8 at Seal Beach salon, http://lat.ms/oeXZ17
On Wednesday, a gunman who was apparently enraged by a recent custody battle, entered a Seal Beach, CA hair salon where his former wife worked and opened fire. He killed 8 people and critically wounded another person in the deadliest shooting in Orange County’s history. The attacker peppered Salon Meritage with gunfire and continued his rampage outside where he shot one man who apparently tried to flee in a Range Rover.

(via Bloomberg) Pandit Says He’d Be Happy to Talk With Wall Street Protesters, http://buswk.co/o8cxgK: Vikram Pandit, chief executive officer of Citigroup Inc., said he would be happy to talk with Occupy Wall Street protesters, calling their sentiments “completely understandable.” “Trust has been broken between financial institutions and the citizens of the U.S., and that is Wall Street’s job, to reach out to Main Street and rebuild that trust,” Pandit said. Pandit said he would tell the protesters how Citigroup, the third-biggest U.S. bank, is trying to increase lending to small businesses.

Warren Buffett brings tax fight to supercommittee, http://yhoo.it/rfXhwD
Warren Buffett is offering to release his federal tax return if other uber rich Americans do the same. “If you could get other ultra rich Americans to publish their returns along with mine, that would be very useful to the tax dialogue and intelligent reform,” Buffett wrote in a letter sent Tuesday to Rep. Tim Huelskamp, R-Kan. Buffett did reveal new information about his own earnings last year. He wrote that his adjusted gross income, which can exclude some income and expenses, was $62,855,038. Of that, $39,814,784 was taxable. Buffett ended up paying $6,938,744 in taxes.

(via Associated Press) Obama blames plot to kill Saudi diplomat on Iran, http://apne.ws/mX4wr8: President Barack Obama said Thursday that the U.S. will make sure that Iranian officials are held accountable for “reckless behavior” in what he said was their direct role in an alleged assassination plot against the Saudi Arabian ambassador in the United States. Obama said the U.S. will be able to support all of its allegations of Iranian involvement. “Those facts are there for all to see,” he told a joint White House news conference with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak.

Barack Obama Raised $70 Million Over the Summer, http://bit.ly/n7GsCZ
On Thursday morning, President Obama’s campaign announced that it had “raised more than $70 million combined for his re-election and the Democratic party” in the quarter that ended in September. Though the amount is less than the $86 million he brought in the second quarter, it still surpasses the combined total of all GOP presidential candidates’ fundraising. It’s also more than the $55 million target that his campaign staffers set as a goal.

(via PPP) Cain leads nationally, http://bit.ly/qkFeu0: Cain is up 30-22 on Romney with Newt Gingrich sneaking past Rick Perry for 3rd place at 15% to Perry’s 14% with Michele Bachmann and Ron Paul tied for 5th at 5%, Jon Huntsman 7th at 2%, Rick Santorum 8th at 1%, and Gary Johnson 9th with less than 1%. With non-Tea Party Republicans Romney actually leads Cain 29-27. But with the Tea Party crowd Cain is getting 39% with Gingrich at 16%, Perry at 14%, and Romney in 4th place at 13%.

CULTURAL

Raising Eyebrows, http://nyti.ms/oFSyjQ

Tom Morello Set To Perform At Occupy Wall Street, http://on.mtv.com/qpM6kp

Scarlett Johansson Nude Photo Hacker Arrested, http://on.mtv.com/nFPkOA

Miranda Kerr models 2.5 million dollar bra, http://bit.ly/q0Glg0

Whitney Houston Loses Cool on Delta Flight, http://bit.ly/q3HVze

coral@rockthevote.com
Bio: Coral is the Marketing Intern at Rock the Vote

Email the author at: blog(at)rockthevote.com

Tags: Barack Obama, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, eyebrows, Herman Cain, iran, Jon Huntsman, miranda kerr, Newt Gingrich, nypd, occupy wall street, President Obama, rage against the machine, Rick Perry, rick santorum, Ron Paul, Scarlett Johansson, seal beack shooting, stephen anderson, Tea Party, vikram pandit, Warren Buffett, Whitney Houston
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By: coral@rockthevote.com

NEWS ROUND-UP: MONDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2011

Monday, October 3rd, 2011

In today’s news, the Koch brothers made illegal sales to Iran; Amanda Knox insists she is innocent; New Jersey Governor Chris Christie may have changed his mine about running for president; and ABC and Yahoo are teaming up to try to boost traffic to their news’ sites. In other news, Arrested Development announces new television episodes, and Seth Rogen ties the knot.

Coral + Caitlin

CRUCIAL

Koch Brothers Flout Law With Secret Iran Sales, http://bloom.bg/pbcrFy
An investigation reported in Bloomberg Markets Magazine says the billionaire Koch brothers allegedly made a great deal of money from sales of petrochemical equipment to Iran. Koch Industries avoided the U.S. trade ban using foreign subsidiaries. The company allegedly engaged in illicit payments in Africa, India, and the Middle East; and, from 1999 to 2003, it had to pay more than $400 million in fines. An employee of Koch Industries says that managers taught them how to steal and cheat and called the methods of doing this the “Koch Method.”

TransCanada Pipeline Foes Allege Bias in U.S. E-Mails, http://nyti.ms/nR65s8
The Obama administration is about to decide whether or not to build a pipeline to take crude oil from Canada’s oil sands to the United States Gulf Coast. Emails were released that reveal an overly friendly relationship between lobbyists for the company that is building the billion-dollar pipeline and officials in the State Department, the agency that has final say over the pipeline. Some emails even show members of the States Department inviting officials of the lobbyist group to holiday parties.

Amanda Knox: “I am innocent,” http://bit.ly/pkSxQR
After spending four years behind bars, Amanda Knox pleads with the Italian appeals court, saying she did not kill her British roommate. Knox and co-defendant Raffaele Sollecito were convicted in 2009 of sexually assaulting and murdering Meredith Kercher, who was stabbed to death in her bedroom. “I did not kill. I did not rape. I did not steal. I wasn’t there. I wasn’t there at the crime,” Knox said.

Americans Raid Byways of Haqqani Insurgents in Afghanistan, http://nyti.ms/qq2sfu
The Haqqani network is saying it had nothing to do with the the assassination of Afghan peace-talks leader Burhanuddin Rabbani, but the U.S. does not believe it. Since Osama bin Laden was killed, the U.S. military’s mission in Afghanistan is to shut down the byways that allow Haqqani insurgents to pass between Afghanistan and Pakistan. With U.S. troops set to be mostly out of the country by 2014, that doesn’t leave a lot of time. The goal is to take on Haqqani fighters while boosting the ranks of Afghan troops and police in the most contested areas. The Haqqani network also worked with al Qaeda and the Taliban to murder U.S. informants.

Megrahi says his Lockerbie role exaggerated, http://reut.rs/n9ggoq
Abdel Basset al-Megrahi, the man convicted of the 1988 Lockerbie bombing that killed 270 people, said his role in the attack had been exaggerated, and the truth about what really happened would emerge soon. Lockerbie was convicted of bombing a plane going from London to New York. No one on the plane survived, and 11 on the ground were killed from falling wreckage. However, Lockerbie vaguely stated his role was strictly administrative and that hopefully in the next few months the truth will come out.

(via Reuters) Nobel prizewinner dies before announcement, http://reut.rs/nB5bQf, After using his discoveries to prolong his own life Ralph Steinman, a scientist who won the Nobel prize for medicine on Monday for work on fighting cancer, died of the disease himself just three days before he could be told of his prize.

House Sets Up Battle on Funding Social Programs, http://nyti.ms/qUGqHd
House Republicans are starting another battle with President Obama over spending and domestic policy with a bill that would cut some of his favorite health and education programs, tie the hands of the National Labor Relations Board and eliminate federal grants for Planned Parenthood clinics. The bill, which finances the Departments of Labor and Education and Health and Human Services, would prohibit President Obama from spending more money to carry out the new health care law until all legal challenges to the law were resolved.

New State Rules Raising Hurdles at Voting Booth, http://nyti.ms/qX30Uz
Everyone has heard about the new voting laws that will affect students and minorities through requiring photo ID and decreasing the number of early voting days. The Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law has tried to tally just how many voters stand to be affected. They said the laws, “could make it significantly harder for more than five million eligible voters to cast ballots in 2012.” Michael Waldman, the executive director of the Brennan Center said, “It is the most significant rollback in voting rights in decades.”

Christie Decision Expected “Within Days,” http://slate.me/mZGp9x
Sources told ABC News that New Jersey Governor Chris Christie will make a decision in a few days about whether or not he’s entering the 2012 GOP primary race. It would be difficult for Christie to jump into the race this late. He would have very little time to launch a national campaign and to raise the tens of millions of dollars that other candidates have.

ABC News and Yahoo News Announce Deal to Share Content, http://nyti.ms/qQ5smm
On Monday, “Good Morning America” announced that ABC News will partner with Yahoo News to share videos and stories. ABC News has been ranking fairly low on the list of most visited news sites, but the new partnership with Yahoo may have the ability to change that. Each Web site will have editorial independence, but the news organizations will share content, co-produce coverage of some news events and have “integrated bureaus” in New York, Washington and Los Angeles.

CULTURAL

Howard Kurtz goes, “Inside Obama’s Populist Makeover” http://bit.ly/r1Z67G

Gary Rivlin wants, “The Starbucks Stimulus” http://bit.ly/nohiNU

Leonard Pitts gives us, “Some thoughts on a half-baked idea” http://trib.in/oePjs5

New show, movie for ‘Arrested Development’ fans, http://bit.ly/nqRNsk

Rooney signs off on “60 Minutes” but “not retiring,” http://reut.rs/qNed89

Seth Rogen Weds Writer Lauren Miller, http://on.mtv.com/os2LIK

Mike Myers Welcomes Son Spike, http://bit.ly/qA3PDh

Taylor Swift Surprises Atlanta Crowd with Rap Duet, http://bit.ly/nSlmAB

coral@rockthevote.com
Bio: Coral is the Marketing Intern at Rock the Vote

Email the author at: blog(at)rockthevote.com

Tags: 60 minutes, ABC, Amanda Knox, andy rooney, arrested development, brennan center, Chris Christie, gary rivlin, haqqani, Howard Kurtz, iran, koch brothers, leonard pitts, lockerbie, megrahi, meredith kercher, mike myers, noble prize, Seth Rogen, Taylor Swift, transcanada pipeline, yahoo
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By: coral@rockthevote.com

NEWS ROUND-UP: WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2011

Wednesday, September 28th, 2011

In today’s news, 20,000 surface-to-air missiles have gone missing in Libya; the Obama administration is suing over the potential release of photos of Osama bin Laden’s corpse; Rick Perry’s wife may be behind his support for the HPV vaccine; and Mitt Romney meets with former Obama supporter and current JP Morgan Chase CEO, Jamie Dimon. In other news, Ashton Kutcher may have recently cheated on Demi Moore, and Andy Rooney is retiring from 60 Minutes.

Coral + Caitlin

CRUCIAL

Iranian Navy Sending Ships Near U.S. Waters, http://bit.ly/oLB8SO
According to an Iranian newspaper, Iran plans to pull some of its warships out of the Persian Gulf and put them in the Atlantic near the maritime borders of the United States. “We’ve been pushing freedom of the seas for years and the Iranian Navy can go wherever it wants,” said Pentagon Spokesman Capt. John Kirby. However, Iranians may have a hard time refueling its ships unless it does so in Venezuela. The presidents of Venezuela and Iran have been long-time companions.

20,000 Heat-Seeking Missiles Reportedly Feared Missing From Libyan Warehouse, http://fxn.ws/pOSduX
20,000 heat-seeking missiles have apparently gone missing from an Army warehouse in Libya. This recent discovery magnifies the ongoing worry that weapons from Libya’s war are ending up in the wrong hands. “Matching up a terrorist with a shoulder-fired missile, that’s our worst nightmare,” Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., has said. The U.S.has officials working with the new Libyan government to locate the missing weaponry.

CDC confirms 13 dead in listeria cantaloupe outbreak, http://on.today.com/nokLR2
On Tuesday, federal health officials stated that across 18, states there have been 13 dead and at least 72 people sick from the recent outbreak of Listeria in a cantaloupe crop. This is the deadliest Listeria outbreak in over a decade.

Obama to court: Keep bin Laden photos secret, http://usat.ly/pSs2Cy
The Obama administration is asking a court to keep photos of Bin Laden’s corpse a secret. Officials say that revealing the pictures could cause grave consequences to national defense and foreign affairs in the United States. Also, Obama told Steve Kroft of 60 Minutes, “We don’t trot out this stuff as trophies. We don’t need to spike the football.”

7 Long Island Students Charged in SAT Scheme, http://nyti.ms/oEOT0k
On Tuesday, a prosecutor said a Long Island college student was paid by at least a half-dozen high school students to take the SAT for them. The six students of Great Neck North High School are said to have paid college student Sam Eshaghoff, 19, $1,500 to $2,500 dollars to take the test for them. Eshaghoff has been arraigned on charges of scheming to defraud, criminal impersonation and falsifying business records.

Protesters disagree with Pileggi’s electoral vote plan, http://bit.ly/o40LLe
A small group of protesters gathered outside of state Sen. Dominic Pileggi’s Chester office last week to express disapproval of a plan he is proposing that will change how Pennsylvania awards its electoral votes in presidential elections. Pileggi, R-9, of Chester, wants to replace the system of awarding all of the state’s electoral votes to the candidate who wins the statewide election. This plan would cause the number of Pennsylvania electoral votes to shrink from 21 to 20 in the 2012 election, reflecting the loss of one U.S. House seat because of the state’s sluggish population growth.

Florida moves toward January primary, http://wapo.st/oGyza6
Florida state House Speaker Dean Cannon (R) says his state is likely to set its primary for Jan. 31. With Florida moving its primary up, Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Nevada are likely to move theirs up as well. In 2008, Iowa was the first to have their caucus, holding it on January 3rd.

A Political Wife’s Influence on an Issue, http://nyti.ms/mPwdCq
Presidential Candidate Rick Perry has been criticized for his attempt to have every sixth grade girl in Texas receive the HPV vaccine. Opposing candidates wonder if his decision was based on his relationship with pharmaceutical companies; however, Perry’s wife may have actually been the biggest influence on his support for the vaccine. His wife, Anita Thigpen Perry, a nurse, country doctor’s daughter, and career-long advocate for victims of sexual assault has been a vocal proponent of immunizations.

Jamie Dimon, Former Obama Bromancer, Flirts With Mitt Romney, http://bit.ly/rd4s9v
JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon met privately with Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney on Tuesday. Dimon was a huge supporter of the 2008 Obama campaign; however, his relationship with the President has faltered since Obama put Dimon in the category of “fat-cat bankers.” Romney has so far raised twice as much money as Obama has from Wall Street. At least 100 donors who backed the president in 2008 are claiming to switch sides.

GOP Congressmen Propose Plan To Forcibly Deport Undocumented Domestic Abuse Victims, http://bit.ly/n2M4QY
According to immigrant advocates, a new immigration enforcement bill being considered in Congress would undermine existing immigration law by removing prosecutorial discretion and deferred action – two components that protect undocumented victims from domestic violence.

(via DailyBeast) Amazon Tablet Costs $199, http://bit.ly/oFWYdE: The new Amazon Fire will cost less than half of its Apple counterpart. The tablet has a 7-inch display and will run on a customized version of Google’s Android operating system.

CULTURAL

Suzy Geers gives us her take on, “FOX and Google’s GOP Debate,” http://bit.ly/q5x4yz

Kal Penn says, “It’s time to ignore the paralyzing cynicism and get engaged,” http://huff.to/owuWCp

The Chicago Tribune thinks we’re, “Selling our souls to Mark Zuckerberg,” http://trib.in/qGSPxv

Did Ashton Kutcher cheat on wife Demi Moore during the weekend of their wedding anniversary? http://bit.ly/qkmmEH

Heidi, Germany’s celebrity cross-eyed opossum, dies at 3 1/2, http://wapo.st/qLcL4e

Justin Bieber Drops ‘How To Love’ Acoustic Remix, http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1671648/justin-bieber-how-to-love-remix.jhtml

Andy Rooney Retiring from 60 Minutes, http://bit.ly/mU1Qrc

coral@rockthevote.com
Bio: Coral is the Marketing Intern at Rock the Vote

Email the author at: blog(at)rockthevote.com

Tags: 60 minutes, amazon tablet, andy rooney, anita perry, Ashton Kutcher, bin Laden, cantaloupe, Demi Moore, florida primary, germany opossum, heidi germany, how to love, hpv, iran, Iran Navy, jamie dimon, justn bieber, kal penn, Libya, listeria, Mark Zuckerberg, missiles, Mitt Romney, obama bin laden, pileggi, Rick Perry, sat scheme, Suzy Geers
Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

By: Katie Scholick

News Round-Up: Friday, July 29, 2011

Friday, July 29th, 2011

President Obama says that Democrats and Republicans are not far apart on a debt ceiling agreement, there has been no vote on Boehner’s deficit reduction plan, a soldier admits to planning another attack on Fort Hood, the U.S. believes that Iran has an alliance with al Qaeda, conservatives are angry over the Pell Grant funding in Boehner’s debt bill, and the 2012 London Olympic medals have been unveiled. Also, Tiger Woods will return to the green, and the Seattle Police Department tweeted nearly every emergency call it received this past Tuesday.

In Rock the Vote news: today is Katie and Perry’s, our wonderful interns, last day! Everyone at RTV wants to thank them for doing such a great job on the press clips all summer!

Caitlin, Katie, + Perry

CRITICAL:

(via POLITICO Breaking News) President Barack Obama said Friday that Democrats and Republicans are not far apart on an agreement to raise the debt ceiling, but they must work together to forge a bipartisan compromise that can win approval in both the House and Senate. “There are plenty of ways out of this mess, but we are almost out of time,” Obama said in a brief statement at the White House.

(via POLITICO Breaking News) There [was no] vote [last night] in the House on Speaker John Boehner’s deficit reduction plan, as Republicans were unable to come up with the votes to pass the bill after hours of arm twisting and vote whipping.

AWOL Soldier Condemned ’09 Fort Hood Shootings, http://abcn.ws/nCsin0
After previously condemning the ’09 Fort Hood shootings, it’s been revealed that Pfc. Naser Abdo had planned an attack on Fort Hood. After a tip from a gun shop where he bought 6 pounds of smokeless gunpowder, three boxes of shotgun ammunition and a magazine for a semi-automatic pistol, Abdo was found and arrested. He had a bomb in his backpack and weapons stashed in his motel room.

U.S. Sees Iranian, al Qaeda Alliance, http://on.wsj.com/qgm7ys
The U.S. believes that Iran has an alliance with al Qaeda. Specifically, the U.S. suspects Iran of allowing al Qaeda to use its land to move money, arms, and fighters to Pakistan and Afghanistan. Officials at the Iranian mission in New York called the allegations “totally baseless,” but the U.S. has suspected an alliance for years.

Eric Cantor’s glaring conflict of interest, http://bit.ly/mxRlL6
The No. 2 Republican in the House, and the GOP’s chief debt ceiling negotiator has thousands of dollars invested in a fund that would skyrocket if those negotiations failed. The trust “aggressively” shorts Treasury bonds, essentially betting against the country’s debt.

Conservatives angry over Pell Grant funding in Boehner debt bill, http://bit.ly/pRSGXJ
One of the reasons Speaker Boehner’s debt ceiling bill had been unceremoniously postponed last night was the supplemental Pell Grant funding it preserved. Some Republicans called the college aid money “welfare” for people who “don’t have to graduate from college.”

2012 London Olympic medals unveiled, http://bit.ly/qcl1ev
In exactly one year, the Olympic opening ceremonies will begin in London. The Olympic committee has marked the occasion by unveiling the medals, which are the biggest ever at 400 grams. The front of the medal has the traditional image of the Greek goddess of Nike; the back shows the controversial 2012 logo over a ribbon that represents the River Thames.

It’s back to work for Tiger Woods, http://yhoo.it/n5H5FH
The ups and downs of the world’s best golfer have been widely publicized; he’s had affairs, undergone knee surgery, fired his caddie, missed tournaments and plummeted in the rankings. But yesterday Woods tweeted that after an 11-week break, he will return for the Bridgestone Invitational.

Twitter as Police Scanner Draws Feedback in Seattle, http://nyti.ms/ogvYQo
For 12 hours this past Tuesday, the Seattle Police Department tweeted nearly every emergency call it received. The 478 tweets, or 40 an hour, were meant to show the public what an average day was like for the city’s police force. The wave of tweets made some Twitter users angry enough to unfollow @SeattlePD.

CULTURAL:

Amy Winehouse family fear she was killed by giving up alcohol, http://bit.ly/pSmHcM

Movie Review: Crazy, Stupid, Love All Kinds of Crazy, Stupid Fantastic, http://eonli.ne/prNl2q

The Good, the Bad, and the Slimy, http://slate.me/qM5o6q

Teen Moms’ Graduation Triumph, http://bit.ly/rl0mcO

Katie Scholick
Bio: Duke University, Class of 2013 Majoring in Psychology, Certificate in Markets and Management.

Email the author at: blog(at)rockthevote.com

Tags: Afghanistan, al Qaida, Amy Winehouse, AWOL, Barack Obama, Crazy, Eric Cantor, fort hood, iran, John Boehner, London Olympics, Love, Obama, Olympics, Pakistan Minister, Pell Grant, President Barack Obama, President Obama, Seattle, Seattle Police Department, Speaker Boehner, speaker john boehner, Stupid, Teen Mom, Tiger Woods, Treasury, twitter
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By: Katie Scholick

News Round-Up: Thursday, June 16, 2011

Thursday, June 16th, 2011

The White House maintains that Obama did not violate the War Powers Act, Ayman al-Zawahri takes officially over al Qaeda, Iran sends a monkey to space, and Weiner will resign. Meanwhile, the Republicans worry about their 2012 candidates, Facebook may create its own app store, Prince Harry takes his second tour in Afghanistan, and Crystal Harris calls off her wedding with Hugh Hefner.

Rock the Vote President Heather Smith discusses the fact that states’ voting systems are failing young Americans, and explains why they deserve better in an Op-Ed for The Hill: http://bit.ly/lRVnkI. In Montana, KPAX talks about the state’s #4 ranking on the Rock the Vote Scorecard: http://bit.ly/mx1DfI.

Caitlin, Katie, + Perry

CRITICAL:

White House Defends Continuing U.S. Role in Libya Operation, http://nyti.ms/jNaDOK

The White House maintains that President Obama had the authority to continue the military operations in Libya without Congressional approval, as the limited American role does not require authorization under the War Powers Act. The administration believes that the United States action in Libya does not constitute the “hostilities” imagined by the War Powers Resolution.

Bin Laden deputy Zawahri takes over as Qaeda leader, http://yhoo.it/jMp99F

Osama bin Laden’s number two man, Ayman al-Zawahri has taken command of al Qaeda. Zawahri has vowed to continue al Qaeda’s mission against the United States and its allies. The FBI is offering $25 million for information regarding his whereabouts, although he is suspected to be hiding along the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Iran plans to send monkey into space, http://bit.ly/iuaPhW

Iranian state television reported today that plans are on track to launch a live monkey into space sometime this summer. Last year Iran sent a rat, turtles and worms into space aboard its Kavoshgar-3 rocket. The US and its allies fear that ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads could be next.

Weiner Tells Friends He Will Step Down, http://nyti.ms/jwlmim

Sen. Weiner may not last much longer in the Senate. After being pushed to resign by Nancy Pelosi and President Obama, Weiner has told confidants that he will leave the Senate.

Montana ranks 4th in youth vote survey, http://bit.ly/mx1DfI

Rock the Vote has ranked Montana #4 on its Voter Scorecard. Had the governor not vetoed a photo ID law passed by the Legislature, Montana’s score would have severely suffered.

Kindergarten GOP, http://bit.ly/ls0Rg0; http://gaw.kr/jTIo9R

Stephen Colbert satirically explains how the GOP can win the youth vote, exploring a Conservative’s tactic of creating a horror film that is targeted towards young people and laced with values usually aligned with the Republican party.

The GOP’s unfavorite son primary, http://politi.co/mebUAb

Most GOP presidential candidates are losing home state popularity, making many Republicans worry about their 2012 prospects. While states used to fully back their candidates’ national aspirations, 2012 hopefuls do not have this same support.

Facebook going Spartan to take on Apple?, http://cnet.co/ir65C9

Apple users have downloaded 14 billion apps. In turn, the company has paid developers $2.5 billion, but that’s only after Apple takes its share of those profits. Facebook is looking to compete with Apple’s App Store by creating its own app system.

CULTURAL:

Prince Harry Prepares for More Afghanistan War Duty, http://eonli.ne/j0fPDj

Hugh Hefner & Crystal Harris — The Wedding is OFF!!!, http://bit.ly/kAK1XS

Cable Show: Oprah Says Of OWN Launch ‘I’d Probably Do It Differently’, http://bit.ly/jE8f1H

Teacher In Massachusetts Suspended For Showing Eminem Video to 7th Graders, http://bit.ly/lq7RIh

Jimmy Henchman’s Lawyer Calls Dexter Isaac A ‘Liar’ Over Tupac Claims, http://bit.ly/jPQznR

Katie Scholick
Bio: Duke University, Class of 2013 Majoring in Psychology, Certificate in Markets and Management.

Email the author at: blog(at)rockthevote.com

Tags: Afghanistan, al qaeda, America, Apple, Apple App Store, Ayman al-Zawahri, Barack Obama, bin Laden, Crystal Harris, Eminem, Facebook, FBI, GOP, hostilities, Hugh Hefner, iran, Jimmy Henchman, Kindergarten GOP, Libya, monkey, Montana, Nancy Pelosi, Oprah, Osama bin Laden, Pakistan, photo ID, President Barack Obama, President Obama, Prince Harry, Republican presidential candidate, Sen. Weiner, space, Stephen Colbert, the United States, The White House, Tupac, Tupac Shakur, Voting Scorecard, War Powers Act, War Powers Resolution, Weiner, white house, young voters, Zawahri
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‘iran’