In today’s news, Iranian students stormed the British Embassy chanting “Death to England”; American Airlines file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy; a Georgia business woman is accusing GOP hopeful Herman Cain of having a 13 year affair; Newt Gingrich says he is a lot more conservative than Mitt Romney; and Facebook plans to file an ISO. In other news, latest Catwoman, Anne Hathaway is engaged to Adam Shulman and Michael Jackson’s doctor is to be sentenced today.
Coral + Caitlin
CRUCIAL
Iranian students storm British Embassy in Tehran, http://bit.ly/rASWkX
On Tuesday, Dozens of Iranian students stormed the British Embassy in Tehran. The students took down the British flag while chanting “death to England” and replaced it with an Iranian one. The incident comes just two days after the Iranian Parliament passed a bill that restricts diplomatic relations with Britain. Iran is unhappy with Britain’s support of the U.S.’s upgraded sanctions on Iran. There was no immediate casualty count, and officials still are not sure how many embassy employees were inside at the time of the assault. However, it occurred after business hours had ended.
Egypt vote continues after big turnout on day one, http://bbc.in/sDpDY5
On Tuesday, Egyptians continued a second day of parliamentary voting, after a huge turnout on Monday. The first day of voting was surprisingly peaceful even though there had been fear of violence from protesters who are against the interim military rulers who replaced Mr Mubarak. The protesters have boycotted the vote because they fear the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces led by Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, which is overseeing the transition to democracy after decades of authoritarian rule, is trying to retain power.
American Airlines Parent AMR Files for Bankruptcy, http://bloom.bg/u1trHk
American Airlines’ parent company, AMR Corp., filed on Tuesday for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The filing came after the airline failed to secure cost-cutting labor agreements and sat out a round of mergers that dropped it from the world’s largest airline to No. 3 in the U.S. Now, with this recent decision all the major U.S. airlines have sought court protection under Chapter 11. “It’s painful but probably necessary,” John Strickland, an aviation analyst at JLS Consulting in London. “They will have to go through the whole process that their peers have gone through.”
Coach stays silent, http://bo.st/s5SCht
Jim Boeheim has been keeping a low profile since the university fired his longtime assistant Bernie Fine on Sunday after he was accused of sexually abusing three boys. Boeheim even ran a closed practice on Monday. Allegations against Fine began on November 17th, and Boeheim attacked the accusers, saying they were probably seeking money. He later came out saying that he regretted what he said for being “insensitive to victims of abuse.” Victims’ groups are now calling for Boeheim’s firing. “I think Jim Boeheim should be fired or resign as well,’’ President of Road to Recovery, a support group for victims of sexual abuse, said yesterday. “These boys were members of the basketball program. Jim Boeheim’s responsibility is to oversee that program, and the children were not safe on his watch.’’
Stalin’s daughter Lana Peters dies in US of cancer, http://bbc.in/vTvnML
Only daughter of Soviet dictator, Josef Stalin, Svetlana Alliluyeva, also known as Lana Peters, died of colon cancer at a care home in Wisconsin last week. Peters left the Soviet Union in 1967 and wrote four books, including two bestselling memoirs. After moving to the United States, she burned her passport in defiance of communism and her father. She called her dad “a moral and spiritual monster.” She accused him of exiling her first love to Siberia.
Iran: explosion in Isfahan reported, http://bit.ly/uJu9Jn
Widely conflicting press reports are out after an explosion was heard Monday in the Iranian town of Ifsahan, where the country’s nuclear facilities are located. The explosion was originally reported by Iran’s semi-official news agency Fars, but the article was later removed from its website. Also, a source quoted in the original Fars article as having heard the blast later told another semi-official news agency, “I have heard no sound whatsoever in Isfahan.” He also said that he had never spoken to the newspaper. Other residents told the Guardian that they heard an explosion that rattled their windows.
(via The Guardian) Peter Hain warned computer may have been hacked by private detectives: ‘The former Northern Ireland secretary Peter Hain has been told by the Metropolitan police that they are investigating evidence that his computer, and those of senior Northern Ireland civil servants and intelligence agents, may have been hacked by private detectives working for News International.’ http://bit.ly/u3tD9C
Psychiatric evaluation finds Norway killer insane, http://bit.ly/rtbB4R
Prosecutors said Tuesday that the Norwegian man, Anders Behring Breivik, who confessed to the mass murder of 77 people in a bomb and shooting rampage was insane at the time of the massacre and should be sent to a psychiatric ward instead of prison. The report was written by two psychiatrists that spent 36 hours with Breivik must be reviewed by a panel of forensic psychiatrists before the court will make an official ruling.
Campus Connection: Major efforts afoot to help students navigate voter ID law, http://bit.ly/uXmO11
Wisconsin’s spring primary is about three weeks away, and the University of Madison is gearing up to educate students on the new voter laws. “While the law is not a positive in terms of helping students vote, I think it has spurred a sense of motivation and determination that will hopefully allow us to spread the word to students across Madison about what they’ll need to do to be able to register and then vote next year,” says Sam Polstein, a UW-Madison junior. Polstein says the Madison Student Vote Coalition is kicked off a voter awareness week on Monday.
Georgia Woman Claims 13-Year Affair with Herman Cain, http://bit.ly/uGHEXq
An Atlanta businesswoman, Ginger White, is claiming she has been involved in a 13-year-long affair with Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain. “I’m not proud,” White said. “I didn’t want to come out with this. I did not.” White said that it was not a complicated situation. She knew that he was married, and that she was in an inappropriate relationship. Herman Cain appeared on CNN to shoot down the rumors. Cain acknowledged that he knew her and considered her a friend, but denied any possibility that they had inappropriate relations. Just like another Cain accuser, White has a history of financial trouble. She filled for bankruptcy in the 80′s and received an eviction notice for not paying her rent just two weeks ago.
Gingrich: I’m ‘a lot more conservative’ than Romney, http://bit.ly/tR9G21
GOP presidential hopeful, Newt Gingrich, told an audience in Charleston, South Carolina on Tuesday. “I don’t claim to be the perfect candidate. I just claim to be a lot more conservative than Mitt Romney.” Without saying Romney’s name, Gingrich attacked politicians who take “radically different positions” on issues. “I wouldn’t lie to the American people,” he said. “I wouldn’t switch my position for political reasons.”
Facebook Targets Huge IPO, http://on.wsj.com/vdlMzA
Facebook is planning on filing its long-anticipated initial public offering sometime between April and June. The social-media giant hopes this will value the company at more than $100 billion by raising more than $10 billion. Mark Zuckerberg’s net worth would jump to $24 billion. Facebook is allegedly discussing dates with the SEC, though Mark Zuckerberg, has not made any final decisions.
(via Reuters) Amazon Kindle sales heat up, stock jumps: ‘Amazon.com Inc said on Monday it saw a surge in sales of its Kindle devices, helped by its new Kindle Fire tablet, on the crucial “Black Friday” shopping day after Thanksgiving. Consumers bought four times as many Kindles on Black Friday as they did on the same day last year, when the company sold only e-readers, the largest Internet retailer reported.’ http://reut.rs/rVG5va
(via Politico) WPP buys Glover Park Group: ‘The Glover Park Group, one of Washington’s fastest growing firms specializing in strategic communications and government relations, announced Tuesday that it has been bought by London-based WPP, the world’s largest communications-services company.’ http://politi.co/vzsiI6
CULTURAL
Dana Milbank says, “Supercommittee death brings Rob Portman new life” http://wapo.st/tS3NoG
Mark Udell believes, “Defense bill gives military too much responsibility for detainees” http://wapo.st/t0a8ta
Bill Frist and Cory Booker think, “Obesity fight good for profits” http://politi.co/vZGpPq
Jeff Greenfield asks, “Which Newt is the good Newt?” http://politi.co/sqmfSJ
Kate and William shine at sophisticated Palace party ahead of Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, http://bit.ly/uwJWB4
Michael Jackson Doctor To Be Sentenced Today, http://on.mtv.com/sytOmN
The Sing-Off Winner: Revealed! http://bit.ly/ssdGmF
R.I.P. Ken Russell, http://p4k.in/uiT9D5
Anne Hathaway Engaged To Adam Shulman, http://on.mtv.com/tqcPUi
