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    ‘Jay Z’


    By: Liza Dee

    News Round-Up: Monday, April 8, 2013

    Monday, April 8th, 2013

    In today’s news, the U.S. plans a potential response to North Korea’s aggressive provocations, Margaret Thatcher dies at 87, and six Americans are killed in the deadliest day for Americans in Afghanistan this year, Meanwhile, Chris Brown and Rihanna call it quits, Jay-Z and Beyonce are criticized for vacationing in Cuba, and ACM award winners celebrate victories.

    Caitlin + Liza

    CRUCIAL: 

    U.S. Designs a Korea Response Proportional to the Provocation, http://nyti.ms/ZcORZU
    The United States and South Korea have prepared “counterprovokation plans” to respond to any attacks from North Korea in the most limited way possible so as to prevent escalation into a broader war. Officials say the plan would call for an immediate, proportional “response in kind” to hit North Korea with similar weapons in the event that North Korea makes good on its military threats. Tensions are still on the rise as North Korea has decided to cut off any cooperation with the South and continues to provoke the United States.

    Margaret Thatcher, Britain’s first female PM, dead at 87, http://bit.ly/11IMyS8
    Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, the only woman ever to hold the position of Prime Minister in Great Britain, died after suffering a stroke Monday morning at the age of 87. Thatcher gained the position of Prime Minister in 1979, leading for 11 years with a signature fierceness that gained her the nickname “The Iron Lady.” A stroke prompted Thatcher to retire from public life in 2002, and she had maintained a low profile in recent years as she continued to suffer strokes.

    Public phase of immigration debate set to begin as Senate negotiators finalize deal, http://wapo.st/16Hygk6
    The Senate’s “Gang of Eight” who have been working on a highly anticipated immigration bill hope to finish their work this week, opening the measures to a heated public debate. The controversial bill includes provisions to secure the border, allow tens of thousands of foreign workers into the country, and grant eventual citizenship to around 11 million immigrants currently living illegally in the U.S. The “Gang of Eight” includes Democratic Senators led by Chuck Schumer of New York and Republicans led by Arizona’s John McCain. “There will be a great deal of unhappiness about this this proposal because everybody didn’t get what they wanted,” McCain said, alluding to the long road of debate the bill is likely to face.

    Six Americans, including three civilians, killed in attacks in Afghanistan, http://wapo.st/16FZycI
    Six Americans, including three civilians and three U.S. troops were killed in two attacks in Afghanistan on Saturday, marking the deadliest day for Americans in Afghanistan this year. The attacks highlighted the continued danger in Afghanistan as the U.S. moves forward with its plan to withdraw its remaining troops within the next 20 months and leave security in the hands of the Afghani army. Among those killed was Anne Smedinghoff, the first State Department diplomat to be killed in Afghanistan since the war began. Smedinghoff, 25, was traveling to deliver books to a school when a car bomb exploded.

    Kerry Said to Revive 2002 Arab Peace Plan During Israel Talks, http://bloom.bg/Y7iUpS
    U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Israel Monday with hopes of reviving stalled 2002 peace talks between Israel and Palestine. Kerry discussed with leaders of each nation the 2002 Arab League-endoresed plan, which called to normalize relations with Israel in exchange for withdrawal from all lands occupied by the 1967 Mideast War. Kerry met with President Abbas of Palestine, who said he will not negotiate until Israel stops construction in the West Bank. Kerry is currently making his third trip to the region this month.

    China rebukes North Korea, says no state should sow chaos, http://reut.rs/10FycR5
    China’s president issued warnings this weekend to North Korea, scolding its regional neighbor for raising regional tensions with threats of nuclear attack on the U.S. and war against South Korea. “No one should be allowed to throw a region and even the whole world into chaos for selfish gain,” President Xi Jinping said. The comments were China’s strongest response yet to the threats of aggression from North Korea that have marked the past month. China, North Korea’s sole financial and diplomatic backer, has expressed frustration with the nation’s positions in recent years.

    CULTURAL: 

    Chris Brown and Rihanna Call it Quits, Says Source, http://eonli.ne/XzwUJD

    Jay-Z, Beyonce Taking Heat for Cuba Trip, http://eonli.ne/Y891nF

    Kardashians Sue Former Stepmom, http://thebea.st/ZcBSay

    ACM Awards 2013: See the Winners Here, http://bit.ly/14YUrX1

    Liza Dee
    Bio:

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

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    By: Caitlin Maguire

    News Round-Up: Friday, March 15th, 2013

    Friday, March 15th, 2013

    President Obama unveils a new energy plan; Republican Senator Rob Portman reverses his stance on gay marriage; Syria and Lebanon move closer to war; a new Senate report shows JPMorgan Chase deliberately hid the bank’s wrongdoings; Mitt Romney gets the “b-list” treatment at CPAC; a grand jury is investigating Senator Robert Menendez; and more mothers say they prefer to work full-time. Meanwhile, a salt-stained violin emerges as The Titanic’s most important artifact; Judge Judy is sued over china and flatware; and Justin Bieber says he doesn’t need to go to rehab.

    Caitlin

    CRUCIAL:

    JPMorgan Faulted on Controls and Disclosure in Trading Loss, http://rtvote.com/12VXmj4
    A new 300-page report from the Senate shows that JPMorgan Chase, the U.S.’s biggest bank, deliberately altered documents and ignored internal controls as they built up trading losses. The report also reveals that Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan Chase’s CEO, lied to regulators in order to cover up the bank’s wrongdoings. The report was released one day before the Senate will question leading bankers and regulators at a hearing. “While we have repeatedly acknowledged significant mistakes, our senior management acted in good faith and never had any intent to mislead anyone,” said a spokeswoman for JPMorgan Chase.

    Mitt Romney gets B-list treatment at CPAC, http://rtvote.com/12VVzKO
    Mitt Romney will give his first public speech since the election to the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Friday. Sources say that Romney has been receiving the “B-list” treatment at the conference. “He’s kind of last year,” said former New Hampshire state representative Laurie Pettengill. Republicans in attendance say that their snubbing of Romney is not meant as punishment, but rather a signal that the party is ready to move on.

    EU rejects Franco-British push on arms for Syrian rebels, http://rtvote.com/ZN40ls
    Syria’s foreign ministry issued a stern warning to the Lebanese government Friday, saying that they will not tolerate Lebanese rebels hiding near the border and sneaking into Syria. The foreign ministry said that these rebels have little regard for its country’s people or laws. The Syrian government has kept silent on the issue for a while, signaling that it could be ready to strike soon.

    Grand jury investigating Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), people familiar with probe say, http://rtvote.com/15QFUdv
    A grand jury is currently investigating Democratic New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez’s relationship with his confidant and major donor Dr. Salomon Melgen. The incidents in question include a port-security contract in the Dominican Republic that Menendez may have helped Melgen secure, as well as the Senator aiding the doctor in Medicare fraud. Earlier this year, Menendez was accused of allowing Melgen to pay for his trips to the Dominican Republic, where he allegedly met with prostitutes. Sources tell The Washington Post that the grand jury has subpoenaed Melgen’s financial records.

    More Moms Say Full-Time Work Is Ideal, http://rtvote.com/15QDCLj
    A new Pew Research survey reveals that 37% of mothers would prefer to work full-time, up from 21% in 2007. The poll shows a “strong correlation” between financial security and the amount mothers would like to work, with around 47% saying they “don’t have enough to meet basic expenses.” Surveyed women who were wealthy from means other than their jobs preferred to work part-time or not at all.

    Obama Seeks $2 Billion in Research on Cleaner Fuels, http://rtvote.com/12W0203
    President Obama will reveal a “blueprint for a clean and secure energy future” on Friday. The plan would ideally be funded from $2 billion from federal oil and gas leases over the next ten years, with the money going towards research on clean-energy vehicles. White House officials say Obama will present the plan as a piece of “all-of-the-above energy strategy,” which includes increased oil and gas development, research and development for clean-energy sources, loan guarantees for new nuclear plants, and research into long-term alternatives for fossil fuels. The president will work to implement his strategy piece-by-piece instead of trying to pass climate-change legislation through Congress.

    CNN Exclusive: One conservative’s dramatic reversal on gay marriage, http://rtvote.com/12VWL0I
    Republican Ohio Senator Rob Portman, who co-sponsored the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, told The Cincinnati Enquirer on Thursday that he has had a “change of heart” on the issue of same-sex marriage. “I’ve come to the conclusion that for me, personally, I think this is something that we should allow people to do, get married,” Portman said. Portman’s reversal of opinion happened when his son Will told him that he was gay. As a result, the Senator now views the topic “from the position of a father.”

    CULTURAL:

    Rafael Nadal crushes Roger Federer to make semi-finals at Indian Wells, http://rtvote.com/16xakmk

    Musician’s salt-stained violin emerges as the most important relic from the Titanic, http://rtvote.com/15QFbcb

    Lawsuit says Judge Judy conspired to buy $500,000 worth of jointly owned china and flatware for a pittance to hurt a co-worker’s estranged wife, http://rtvote.com/16xcSkv

    Justin Bieber lashes out at press, denies rehab rumors, http://rtvote.com/16xsPa8

    Jay-Z confirms Great Gatsby executive producer role, http://rtvote.com/ZNmp1v

    Caitlin Maguire
    Bio: Caitlin is the Marketing & Operations Manager for Rock the Vote
    @caitlinmagu
    Email the author at: blog(at)rockthevote.com

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    By: Liza Dee

    News Round-Up: Friday, February 22, 2013

    Friday, February 22nd, 2013

    Oscar Pistorius is granted bail set at $113,000; Russia accuses the U.S. of holding double standards with Syria; U.S. troops set up a drone base in Niger; and Google introduces a touch screen laptop. Meanwhile, Justin Timberlake and Jay-Z announce the dates of their summer tour; Wiz Khalifa and Amber Rose welcome their newborn son; and Prince Harry and his girlfriend come out as a couple.

    Caitlin + Liza

    CRUCIAL: 

    Oscar Pistorius granted bail ahead of murder trial, http://nbcnews.to/VALzkz
    Oscar Pistorius was granted bail set at $113,000 on Friday, despite protests from the prosecution. Pistorius, the double amputee and former Olympic track star, is accused of “premeditated murder” of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, but maintains he mistook Steenkamp for a robber in his home. Though prosecutors had worried Pistorius would flee the country if granted bail, defense lawyers maintained he is not a “flight risk.” “What kind of life would Pistorius lead if he flees, given his protheses?” questioned Chief Magistrate Desmond Nair.

    Russia accuses U.S. of double standards over Syria, http://reut.rs/W7xYnq
    Russia accused the United States of having double standards on Syria, citing that the U.S. had blocked a UN Security Council statement condemning Thursday’s car bomb attack in Damascus as terrorist action. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the U.S. was threatening international unity in the “war on terror” by blocking a statement about the “terrorist attacks”. A U.S. representative at the United Nations denied that the U.S. had blocked the statement. The U.S.’s relationship with Russia has worsened since Vladimir Putin returned to the presidency last May, and new Secretary of State John Kerry will have his first meeting with Lavrov next week.

    U.S. troops arrive in Niger to set up a drone base, http://wapo.st/UR7ftz
    President Obama announced on Friday the creation of a drone base in the West African nation of Niger, where 100 American troops will be deployed to spy on members of al-Qaeda in the Sahara. The opening of the Niger drone base marks the addition of another U.S. military operation against al-Qaeda to join those in Afghanistan, Yemen, and Somalia. U.S. troops in Niger will also support the France’s military operation in Mali, where al-Qaeda members and other militants have founded a refuge. “This is purely an intelligence gathering mission,” a U.S. defense official said.

    Las Vegas Strip Shooting Launches Multi-State Manhunt, http://abcn.ws/W6Gpzj
    Three people were killed in a drive-by shooting on the Las Vegas strip on Friday, launching a multi-state manhunt for a group of men in a black Range Rover responsible for initiating the attack. Following an argument at the Aria resort and casino, the group of men shot at two people in a Maserati, prompting a multi-car crash resulting in a taxi exploding. The driver of the Maserati died from gunshot wounds, as did a driver and passenger who were inside the taxi. Nevada, Utah, California, and Arizona have all put authorities on alert for the Range Rover, which is carrying an unclear number of men and is considered armed and dangerous. “Clearly the suspects in this shooting have no regard for the lives and and safety of others,” Las Vegas Metropolitan Sheriff Doug Gillespie said.

    FBI battling ‘rash of sexting’ among its employees, http://bit.ly/VzqYx9
    CNN obtained FBI reports detailing a variety of misconducts inside the agency including sending nude pictures, paying for sex, and a “rash of sexting cases.” The incidents were detailed in a quarterly report issued to FBI employees as a way to deter such behavior in the future. Employees were found to have used government-issued devices to send many of the lurid messages. “We’re hoping (that) getting the message out in the quarterlies is going to teach people… you can’t do this stuff,” FBI assistant director Candice Will said. “When you are given an FBI Blackberry, it’s for official use.” Between 2010 and 2012, the FBI disciplined 1,045 employees for various violations.

    Obama: Voting Rights Act Provision Should Be Kept, http://huff.to/13twcLc
    The Supreme Court is set to hear a challenge on Wednesday to a key section of the voting rights law which requires local and state governments with a history of racial discrimination to get Justice Department approval before they make changes affecting elections. The Alabama appellate will argue that such a requirement is no longer necessary because areas with histories of racism have made such progress. President Obama defends the law, holding that ending federal oversight would make it harder to help people who believe their voting rights have been violated.

    Google Introduces a Touch-Screen Laptop, http://nyti.ms/157OjJh
    Google moved further into the laptop business on Thursday with the introduction of the Pixel, the newest version of Google’s Chromebook laptops, which store everything online in the cloud. The Pixel’s trademark will be a touch screen that is brighter, taller, and of a higher resolution than most other laptop screens. Analysts say the big question for the Pixel will be whether buyers are ready to do the majority of their computing in the cloud, using Google Docs and Gmail rather than software like Microsoft Word. The introduction of the Pixel marks a major shift by Google toward competition with Apple and Microsoft to sell high-end devices.

    CULTURAL: 

    Justin Timberlake, Jay-Z Tour to Launch This Summer, http://bit.ly/W86zld

    Wiz Khalifa and Amber Rose Welcome Son Sebastian Taylor, http://bit.ly/WW9Ocu

    Prince Harry Let Secret Out After Heavy Night, http://thebea.st/12VLug5

    Megan Fox, Michael Bay Team for ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’, http://huff.to/XunWYu

    Oscars 2013: And the Winners Will Be…?, http://bit.ly/135H6uI

     

    Liza Dee
    Bio:

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

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    By: Maureen Dolan

    News Round-Up: July 2, 2012

    Monday, July 2nd, 2012

    The Eastern U.S. has been hit by devastating heat and storms; chimps maul a Texas man in South Africa; and four kidnapped European aid workers were freed today. Meanwhile, Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise are getting divorced, and Jay-Z, Kanye West, and Beyonce dominate the BET Awards.

    Maureen + Caitlin

    CRUCIAL:

    Eastern U.S. hit by heat wave, power outages, http://bre.ad/11eawv
    It’s been a rough weekend for the eastern United States. Fatal thunderstorms have killed at least 15 people, more than 3 million have lost power, and the blistering summer heat is relentless. Several cities have hit record high temperatures and some have declared a state of emergency. Some of the hardest-hit areas, like Charlotte, N.C., reached 104 degrees this weekend, and power outages from storms could take up to a week to fix.

    Chimp Attack Victim Was Standing in Restricted Area, http://abcn.ws/N3Zp6w
    Andrew Oberle, a graduate student from Texas, was left with serious injuries to his entire body after being mauled by two chimpanzees at a South Africa chimp sanctuary. Oberle had been studying at the Jane Goodall Institute Chimpanzee Eden near Johannesburg, and was apparently standing in a restricted zone when he was pulled under an electric fence and attacked by the two primates. After six hours of surgery, the 26-year-old is stable but suffered a broken arm and torn ligaments and muscles, and lost fingers, toes, and one testicle.

    Abducted aid workers freed in Kenya, http://bit.ly/MOXTrQ
    Four European aid workers were released today after they were kidnapped from Kenya’s Dadaab refugee complex near the Somali border last week. Two were injured and their Kenyan driver was killed. It is unclear whether their kidnappers were members of Al-Shabaab, an al Qaeda–affiliated group that’s been blamed for other recent kidnappings of tourists and aid workers from Kenya. The Norwegian Refugee Council announced the release of their colleagues on their website, but have given few details about what happened.

    CULTURAL:

    Katie Holmes Afraid Tom Would Ship Suri To Radical Scientology Org, http://bre.ad/150z57

    BET Awards 2012 winners: Jay-Z, Kanye West, Beyonce dominate, http://bit.ly/Moibeq

    Alec Baldwin & Hilaria Thomas Are Married! http://bit.ly/Ne0vOS

    Karen Klein Bullies SLAPPED With One-Year Suspension, http://bit.ly/MojB8E

    Maureen Dolan
    Bio: Maureen is the Marketing & Communications intern for Rock the Vote.

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

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    By: Caitlin Maguire

    News Round-Up: Monday, May 14th, 2012

    Monday, May 14th, 2012

    A plane crash in Nepal leaves 15 dead; JPMorgan’s CIO resigns after $2 billion in losses; Cyprus’ president will not run for re-election; a new poll shows that most americans support same-sex unions; and the Obama campaign launches a Bain Capital attack ad. Meanwhile, the most popular baby names of 2011 are revealed; Jay-Z will announce a two-day music festival in Philadelphia; and ‘Modern Family’ start Sarah Hyland discusses her recent kidney transplant.

    Caitlin

    CRUCIAL:

    Plane crash in northern Nepal kills 15 people, http://bbc.in/IRf3lR
    Fifteen are dead after a small aircraft carrying 21 people crashed into a Nepalese hillside Monday. A majority of the passengers were traveling to Muktinath temple, a religious site in a mountainous region of Nepal. The plane was attempting to land as it crashed into a muddy slope. Plane crashes involving small aircraft carriers are all too common in the mountainous terrain of Nepal. Among those who survived were two Danish passengers and two Indian infants.

    JPMorgan CIO chief Drew quits after trading loss, http://reut.rs/JOZ5rN
    Ina Drew, JPMorgan’s Chief Investment Officer, resigned Monday after it became clear that she approved trades that led the company to $2 billion in losses. Two of Drew’s subordinates are also expected to resign. JPMorgan’s CEO said in a statement that Drew’s “vast contributions to our company should not be overshadowed by these events.”

    (via Bloomberg) Cypriot President Christofias Says He Won’t Seek Re-election, http://bloom.bg/IRuJpb
    Cypriot president Demetris Christofias said he won’t seek reelection when Cypriots hold presidential elections in February, saying his main task of uniting the divided island hadn’t been accomplished. “The Cyprus issue hasn’t been resolved and I don’t see any definitive progress in coming months,” Christofias told reporters in Nicosia today. “I won’t seek to be re-elected as president. The government will continue according to the constitution with its tasks until it handovers to the new government.” Cyprus has remained divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded its northern part in response to a Greek inspired coup. The two communities failed to make any progress toward reunification in talks which resumed in 2008, four years after Greek Cypriots rejected a United Nations sponsored settlement plan which Turkish Cypriots accepted.

    Poll: Most Americans support same-sex unions, http://cbsn.ws/JASuDk
    One week after President Obama announced his support for same-sex marriage, a CBS News/New York Times poll shows that 38% of Americans believe in same-sex marriage while 24% believe in same-sex civil unions. 33% of Americans believe that there should be no legal recognition of gay couples. The poll results are evidence that support for gay marriage rights has increased over time and is strongest amongst young people. 53% of 18 to 44-year-olds said same-sex couples should be allowed to get married.

    Obama campaign airing first ad critical of Romney’s role in private equity firm, http://wapo.st/J4uf2q
    In an ad released today, President Obama’s campaign takes a negative look at Mitt Romney’s time at Bain Capital. The ad shows GST Steel, which was acquired and then closed down by Bain Capital while Romney was there. “They made as much money off it as they could and they closed it down, they filed for bankruptcy, without any concern for the families or the communities,” says former GST employee Joe Soptic in the ad. “It was like a vampire. They came in and sucked the life out of us.” The ad will run in battleground states like Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Colorado.

    (via The Associated Press) Greek parties try to form government, stocks tank, http://bit.ly/Jqs6zm
    Fierce political rivalries kept Greece from resolving its leadership crisis as an anti-bailout party refused Monday to return to power-sharing talks.
    For the ninth straight day, Greek party leaders were struggling to form a coalition government, riven by differences over the harsh austerity measures demanded by international creditors in return for rescue loans. The impasse means the debt-stricken country is facing the prospect of another national election next month after holding an inconclusive ballot May 6. Talks led by President Karolos Papoulias failed Sunday to break the impasse, and he invited party leaders back Monday evening to try again. The turmoil in the eurozone nation took a toll on markets across Europe, with shares on the Athens Stock Exchange down 4.4 percent at 584.29 in afternoon trading.

    Panama fisherman adrift at sea sues Florida cruise line for not helping, http://on.msnbc.com/JdzZla
    Eighteen-year-old Panamanian fisherman Adrian Vazquez is suing Princess Cruises after one of its cruise ships did not pick him and two others up while they were stranded at sea for 16 days. Vazquez and his two companions were stranded for two more weeks after the liner passed them by. During these two weeks, Vazquez was the only one to survive. He was eventually found near the Galapagos Islands. According to Princess, passengers did not notify the captain about the stranded fishermen.

    CULTURAL:

    Jay-Z set to announce 2-day Philly music festival, http://on.wsj.com/KmuSVy

    Jacob, Sophia top 2011′s list of most popular baby names from United States, http://cbsn.ws/JPKLzg

    ‘Modern Family’ Star Sarah Hyland Reveals Kidney Transplant, http://bit.ly/Jw2n5F

    ‘Avengers’ Star Chris Hemsworth Welcomes Daughter India, http://on.mtv.com/JPLVen

    Memphis soul bassist ‘Duck’ Dunn dies, http://bit.ly/JA2Pik

     

    Caitlin Maguire
    Bio: Caitlin is the Marketing & Operations Manager for Rock the Vote
    @caitlinmagu
    Email the author at: blog(at)rockthevote.com

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