The DePaulia

Nation & World

NSA leak rocks American privacy debate

The now infamous National Security Agency leak revealed countless information about the agency’s policy on collecting phone and Internet data.
Student loan interest earned $5.7 billion more than Exxon Mobil

An impending government deadline will increase student loan interest rates in July if an agreement in Congress is not reached.
2 comments
Political lightning rod Michele Bachmann retires

Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann announced Wednesday that she will not seek a fifth term in Congress when her current post ends in 2014.
This week in world news

The DePaulia takes a look at this week's international news. Please refer to the colored boxes that match with each story.
Guantanamo prison hunger strike surpasses 100th day

Hundreds of accused prisoners have been captured and detained in the United States' Guantanamo Bay detention camp as a means for fighting terrorism for more than 10 years.
Obama administration hit with multiple scandals

The Obama administration has faced an onslaught of scandals that began May 8, when a congressional hearing into the Sept. 11, 2012 attacks on the U.S. embassy in Benghazi, Libya, became an emotional roller coaster.
Tumblr fans not shouting "Yahoo"

Yahoo buying Tumblr for $1.1 billion meets with some backlash.
Russia and Japan seek agreement to end WWII

While World War II fighting has been over for about 67 years now, there are many diplomatic holes that exist and disrupt a formal end to the war. One of those holes lies in the relations between Japan and Russia.
Justice Department secretly obtained press phone records

The Associated Press (AP) revealed Monday, May 13, that the U.S. Justice Department obtained two months of telephone records from a list of reporters and editors associated with the AP.
As death toll climbs in Bagladesh, focus turns to west

The death toll from the Bangladesh garment factory that collapsed April 24 surpassed 1,000 this weekend.
Venezuela election drama: Replacing Hugo Chavez proves to be a difficult task

Henrique Capriles Radonski, the opposition candidate in the April 14 Venezuelan presidential election, submitted papers to the Supreme Court challenging the results of the extremely close election May 2.
U.S. reconsiders opposition to arming rebels

The Obama administration is rethinking its opposition to arming the rebels who have been locked in a civil war with the Syrian regime for more than two years, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Thursday.
This Week in World News

The DePaulia takes a look at this week's international news.
Hope for progress remains after devastating earthquake in China

Lightning is not supposed to strike twice in the same place, but the same doesn’t go for earthquakes. A 6.6 magnitude earthquake hit near the city of Ya’an in Sichuan province in central southwest China April 20, the same province where a 7.9 magnitude quake hit in 2008.
Boston investigation continues

As the nation catches its breath after a chaotic week, investigations begin into the Boston bombings.
Deadly spring avalanche in Colorado

Six men who set off on a backcountry tour in mountains west of Denver had avalanche gear, had scanned an avalanche forecast, and were hiking toward a safer area to snowboard when they felt a collapse and heard a "whumpf."
Serbia and Kosovo reach historic agreement

The European Union has recently increased its pressure on Serbia to recognize Kosovo, a southern part of the country that is mostly ethnically Albanian, as an independent nation.
Pork and drones: politicans seek testings sites

Despite the controversy surrounding the use of drones, the United States is continuing to build even faster and more powerful models.
Deadly letters sent to Capitol Hill

Along with all the other emergencies that transpired last week, a lethal poison, ricin, was sent in letters to President Obama and U.S. Senator from Mississppi Roger Wicker.
Iran and Pakistan hit with historic earthquakes

Last Tuesday, an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.8 struck Iran and the bordering Pakistani provinces.
Boston boming suspect 2 captured alive

More information the Boston bombings.
West, Texas devastated by fertilizer plant explosion

Flames engulfed a fertilizer distributor April 17 in West, Texas, causing an explosion that killed as many as 15 people and injured approximately 160 others.
Commentary: Boston will catch its breath

Only after something so horrible has happened to disrupt such a tradition do we stop to take notice and realize the special joy these days bring us.
Anonymous targets North Korea

As tensions on the Korean peninsula continue to escalate with new threats of nuclear war coming from North Korea almost daily, Anonymous Korea, a hacktivist organization affiliated with Anonymous, has decided that now is a good time to launch an operation to oust North Korean leader Kim Jung-un.
The oil spill you probably did not hear about

Exxon Mobile’s Pegasus pipeline ruptured Friday, March 29, spilling thousands of gallons of oil into central Arkansas.
Changing tides: more leaders show support for marriage equality

Amidst two historical Supreme Court cases, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) – the United States’ largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender advocacy group – launched a movement by simply making their logo red.
AP: Pope makes Easter pleas for world peace

VATICAN CITY (AP) - Pope Francis marked Christianity's most joyous day with a passionate plea for world peace, celebrating his first Easter Sunday as pontiff...
Who owns your food?

Monsanto, a company that genetically modifies seeds that hold 10 U.S. patents, is suing Indiana farmer Vernon Hugh Brownman for copyright infringement.
Baby in Mississippi has been HIV-free for a year

The medical world is celebrating over a recent case in which a baby from Mississippi has been cured of the HIV virus, a startling development that could potentially have major implications in the world of healthcare.
The budget blues hit close to home

Leaders across the country are bracing for extreme budget cuts, known as the sequester, that began Friday, March 1.
Suburban district shoots blanks in halls

Two gunshots rang through the halls of Cary Grove High School on Jan. 30, but they were not in crisis.
1 comment
Equal Rights Amendment: ratification failed

This may seem like an alarming oversight, but the 13th Amendment is not the only landmark amendment that hasn’t been ratified by all states.
Countries' credit: Moody lowers UK's score

The United Kingdom’s credit rating was downgraded last week from its top AAA rating to AA1 by the Moody credit rating agency.
Palestinian hunger strike calls for Israel to release prisoner

Eight-hundred Palestinian prisoners refused food for a day Feb. 19, in order to stand in solidarity with Samer Issawi and his 211th day of hunger.
Chinese government linked to hacking

Last Tuesday, Feb. 19, Mandiant, a cybersecurity firm for private companies, released a detailed report that claims the Chinese government is behind a series of online hacking attacks on private companies worldwide, primarily in the United States.
EU debates Hezbollah's role in Bulgaria bombing

The July 18 bombing of a tourist bus in Bulgaria has not yet been forgotten. The bombing occurred on Bulgaria's Black Sea Coast, killing five tourists and wounding 30 people.
United States addresses sex trafficking

Last Wednesday, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) launched a report focusing on a worldwide issue that the international community must pay more attention to: human trafficking.
Online ads: a multi-billion dollar industry

Microsoft reported in their yearly earnings release that their online advertising revenue grew 15 percent in 2012.
Obama rearranges cabinet, names Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense nominee

This winter, two newcomers will fill the positions most directly related to the President’s role as head of state and Commander in Chief — recently confirmed Secretary of State, John Kerry, and pending Secretary of Defense, Chuck Hagel.
Seeking child support reform in Illinois

About two years have passed since the Illinois Child Support Advisory Committee recommended that Illinois change the way it calculates child support.
2 comments
Boy Scouts reconsidering membership morals

The Boy Scouts of America announced Jan. 28, that they are considering repealing the controversial law that bans homosexuals from membership or leadership roles.
Is North Korea just crying wolf?

North Korea has made an alarming threat against the United States and its allies that continues a long history of aggression.
Military women now allowed to step to the front lines

Outgoing defense secretary Leon E. Panetta announced Thursday that the military will be lifting a 1994 ban on women in combat.
Vaportini from Helsinki

In Helskini, Finland's capital city, Chicago native Jessica Palmer experienced a new way to consume alcohol and she is bringing it back to the city.
Belgian twins legally euthanized

Identical Belgian twins Marc and Eddy Verbessem, who were born deaf and with spinal problems, were diagnosed with incoming blindness. Upon this diagnosis, they decided that their lives were not worth living anymore, and were legally euthanized Dec. 14.
Chris Coleman talks about his experience at the inauguration

The DePaulia interviewed DePaul stuident Chris Coleman about his experience at the inauguration.
Casey Clemmons talks about his experience at the inauguration

The DePaulia sat down with SGA Vice President Casey Clemmons to discuss his trip to President Obama’s inauguration in Washington D.C. earlier this week.
Greenlights without a Green Card

Illinois is set to become the third state to allow illegal immigrants to obtain temporary driver’s licenses with the passing of SB 0957 by the Illinois House, Jan. 8.
Battle over budget continues on Capitol Hill

Less than a month ago, the country feared that disagreement in Congress would lead to a fiscal crisis. A bill was approved by Congress at the last minute that prevented the high increase in taxes that most Americans were worried about.
Turning out the lights on traditional light bulbs

The United States government has implemented phase two of a 2007 law that makes it illegal to manufacture or import traditional incandescent light bulbs. The first phase was put into effect in 2012 and essentially banned 100-watt bulbs, phase two affects 75-watt bulbs and 60-40-watt bulbs will be nixed at the start of 2014.
1 comment
Twenty-seven dead in Connecticut elementary school shooting

A shooting occurred at around 9:40 a.m. this morning at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., about 60 miles northeast of New York City.
Egyptians question President Morsi’s loyalty

Earlier this year, Mohamed Morsi Al’ayat, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, became the first democratically elected president of Egypt. Morsi made history, and became a man whom the world looked to, expecting a fierce and precise thought-then-action democratic control of a broken Egypt.
Behind the scenes on Election Night

Election night has a different feel when it is experienced behind the scenes in the main media pit. At Obama’s Election Night event at McCormick Place, a huge projection screen in front of the pit streamed news coverage from around the country.
Obama’s Third Culture

One of the biggest hurdles President Obama faced during his run for presidency was the doubt surrounding his nationality as well his faith. During the 2008 elections many white middle class Americans assumed he was Muslim simply because of his foreign sounding name: Barack Hussein Obama.
1 comment
How the major news networks covered the election

After what felt like many endless months of news cycles on election coverage, the day finally arrived for all of the news anchors to put their election skills to the test. After many projection polls and predictions, the real results were laid down.
Is a vote for a third party candidate a wasted vote?

It's often perceived that a vote for a third-party presidential candidate is a wasted vote. While it is true that these candidates likely will not win, some people cannot vote for a candidate that they do not agree with.
1 comment
Still deciding? Here's where each candidate stands

As America heads to the polls to decide the next president, it’s important to remember where the candidates stand on key positions in this election. The hot topics for this election season, especially jobs reports and deficit reduction, are two topics that have weighed heavily on voters since the Bush administration.
Why your vote matters

Students feel like their vote doesn’t matter, that their voice is insignificant to the masses. Students around Chicago especially feel like they can just sit this one out, because Obama will win the long-running democratic state of Illinois anyway. What about students from states that do matter?
1 comment
Superstorm Sandy sweeps through the East Coast

Superstorm Sandy made landfall yesterday with the eye of the storming hitting Atlantic City around 8 p.m. The storm was downgraded from a Hurricane to a post-tropical cyclone with winds as high as 80mph. Storm surges in New York City peaked at about 13 feet, higher than many expected. As of 12:30 p.m., Sandy’s death toll was 35, according to the Associated Press.
States find unique ways to get out the vote

Elections are a time for the people to have their say, and individuals from around the United States are putting their personal twists into urging people to vote, from as far as Hawaii to as close as Illinois.
Young Pakistani activist inspires DePaul students

Malala Yousafzai, a 14-year-old activist from Pakistan, just wanted to get an education. She spoke out against the Pakistani Taliban that was prohibiting girls' education by writing diary entries to the BBC’s Urdu (which features Urdu language specific content) under a pseudonym.
A summary of the final presidential debate

Monday night was the final debate of the 2012 presidential race. After two debates, most topics had already been discussed between the two candidates, so some of the same talking points from previous debates were simply recited.
1 comment
A Storify of the final presidential debate

A Storify of the third and final presidential debate..
LIVE COVERAGE of the third and final presidential debate

Check out our live coverage of the debate starting at 7:30 p.m.
Michelle Obama campaigns for Barack in Ryan territory

Michelle Obama campaigned for the President in Mitt Romney’s running mate, Paul Ryan’s territory Friday morning. Racine, Wisc., a city of around 80,000 that voted for Obama in 2008 and re-elected Paul Ryan to Congress in a landslide election in 2010, is considered a big city to land in the swing state of Wisconsin.
European Union wins the Nobel Peace Prize

The European Union was awarded the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize last week for its history of and commitment to maintaining peace in Europe.
Iran faces tougher sanctions from the EU

Iran faces new sanctions targeting its economy from the 27 member countries of the European Union. The sanctions, imposed last Monday, intend to place restrictions on Iran’s access to international banking networks, ban its ability to export natural gas to the European Union (EU) and take away crucial EU imports to the nation such as metals, software and materials used for ship-building.
The second presidential debate: a summary and commentary

The second debate between Mitt Romney and Barack Obama was set up as a “town hall” format, with the audience asking the questions and a more relaxed atmosphere with the candidates not glued to a podium or a chair. Though less formal, it made for a better performance all around.
1 comment
LIVE COVERAGE of the second presidential debate

Check out our live coverage of tonight's presidential debate starting at 8 p.m.
2 comments
Cell transformation earns Nobel Prize

About a week ago, the Nobel Prize winners in medicine were revealed as Sir John B. Gurdon and Shinya Yamanaka for their work in cell research.
The varying role of the vice-president

As the public profiles of the presidential candidates grow in magnitude with each passing week, another huge component of the race cannot be forgotten: the vice presidency.
Mitt Romney announces foreign policy plan

Last Monday, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney gave a speech to the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Va., to present his position on foreign policy.
Storify of the vice presidential debate

A Storify of Thursday's vice presidential debate.
LIVE COVERAGE of the vice presidential debate

Stay tuned and check us out at 8:00 p.m. tonight for live coverage of the 2012 vice presidential debate.
The first debate: sorting out fact from fiction

Instead of spending last Wednesday evening with his wife on their 20th anniversary, President Barack Obama stood in a room with Gov. Mitt Romney discussing his vision for the United States for the past, present and future.
Commentary and wrap-up of the Oct. 3 debate

The first presidential debate between Mitt Romney and Barack Obama came with some surprises last night. The first surprise was Obama’s performance, which left even some of his most loyal supporters slightly disappointed.
Live coverage of the first presidential debate

Stay tuned and check us out at 7:30 p.m. tonight for live coverage of the first 2012 presidential debate.
Presidential debate season kicks off with focus on economic crisis

The first debate between President Obama and Mitt Romney is scheduled for this Wednesday. As DePaul students, and eligible voters, it is our duty to obtain as much information as we possibly can to help guide our decision-making process.
Economy suffers as student debt rises

The Pew Research Center released a study that revealed one in five United States households are burdened by student debt.
Experts say climate change will kill 100 million by 2030

Climate change will kill an estimated 100 million people by 2030 and cost the global economy 3.2 percent of its potential output annually according to a report from humanitarian organization, DARA.
China and Japan clash over control of islands

Japan and China’s historic dispute regarding ownership of a chain of islands in the East China Sea has recently resurfaced. The islands, referred to as Diaoyu in China and Senkaku in Japan, began to be a source of tension in the 1970's when oil resources were discovered in the area.
One-year anniversary of the Occupy movement

Activists fed up with the growing income disparity between the rich and the poor formed the Occupy Wall-Street movement, a year ago. Their goal was to change the scope of politics and America’s capitalist system.
Helping students apply for deferred action

In June, President Obama announced a policy called “deferred action” that would temporarily permit certain undocumented youth to stay in the country. Deferred action will remain valid for two years and can be renewed at the end of those two years if the policy is still in place.
Bloomberg bans politicians from 9/11 memorial

The anniversary of 9/11 last week was met with the usual remembrance and mourning, but this year it lacked one commonality: politicians. According to The Huffington Post, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, along with the National September 11 Memorial and Museum, decided to bar politicians from speaking at the anniversary ceremony.
Students react: Nation thirsty after summer draught

The excruciating heat and humidity in the past three months affected everyone and everything across the nation. The National Climatic Data Center ranked the drought of 2012 as one of the worst in history due to its persistence.
Romney chooses Paul Ryan as running mate

Only a few weeks ago, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney announced Wisconsin senator Paul Ryan as his running mate. Now he will campaign with Ryan in hopes of securing the White House in November.
Students react: NASA lands exploration rover on Mars

Earlier in August, NASA successfully landed a rover on Mars appropriately-named Curiosity. The rover, according to NASA, is capable of staying on the red planet for at least 687 days.
Students react: Mass shootings shock the nation

Two mass shootings occurred this summer, shocking the entire Nation.
Shooter identified in attack near Empire State Building

Today at 9:03 a.m. ET, a disgruntled former employee of Hazan Imports fired gunshots outside of 10 W. 33rd Street in New York City, around the corner from the Empire State Building. Officials have identified the man as Jeffrey Johnson, 53.
Egypt's President and military struggle toward democracy

Tunisia was the spark that ignited the Arab Spring, but the revolts in Egypt immediately after set the fire ablaze. When Egyptians removed former President Hosni Mubarak from power, all eyes were on them. Since then, Egypt has endured through frustration with the military regime and various attempts at progress, marking the beginning of a complex transition.
Sikhism 101

Correctly pronounced ‘sik-h’ with a slightly aspirated h. However some people, especially in English speaking countries, purposefully mispronounce it as ‘seek’ to avoid confusion with ‘sick.’ The Five K’s: Both men and women are supposed to adhere to wearing the Five Ks at all times. Typically, all items aside from the Kara remain hidden under clothes.
Nation argues over Wisconsin's wolf hunt

Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources is currently accepting applications for its inaugural wolf hunting season. Until January 12, 2012, wolves remained on the state’s protected species list, but it only took until April for the Madison to pass Act 169; which allows for hunting and trapping of wolves as a means of population reduction and management.
Balfour receives multiple life sentences for Hudson family murders

CHICAGO (AP) — The man convicted of gunning down the mother, brother and nephew of Jennifer Hudson will spend the rest of his life in prison.
The Dark Night Rises premiere shooting shocks the nation

A Storify of the Aurora Colorado shooting at the Dark Knight Rises premiere 7/20.
Egyptian President Morsi's powers remain in question

For the first time in history, the people of Egypt have democratically elected their president. However, due to changes implemented by the military while still in power, it remains to be seen what the new presidency will mean for the country.
GlaxoSmithKline pays $3 billion in healthcare fraud settlement

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), the British pharmaceutical company behind the drugs Paxil, Wellbutrin, and Advair, pled guilty to federal charges of misconduct in the marketing of its products, July 2. The company will pay out $2 billion plus a $1 billion criminal fine, amounting to the largest health care fraud fine in history.
Obama administration will not deport certain youth

The Obama administration took a step forward on immigrant rights this month after announcing that it would stop deporting some young, undocumented immigrants. In order to be eligible, youth must have came to the United States under the age of 16, have lived in the country for five years, and currently be under the age of 30.
AP: High court upholds key part of Obama health law

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the individual insurance requirement at the heart of President Barack Obama's historic health care overhaul.
Pew Center: Growing support for gay marriage

President Obama made headlines recently after revealing in an ABC interview that he supports same-sex marriage, making him the first sitting president to publicly endorse gay nuptials.
Film shows China’s rising influence in South America

A cow falls from the sky in the opening shot of “Un cuento chino,” or “Chinese Take-out,” in this year’s Chicago Latino Film Festival, and it’s raising some unexpected questions, like what does China have to do with Buenos Aires?
NATO sticks to 2014 Afghanistan withdrawal, pledges future support

World leaders met today on the second day of the NATO summit to discuss the future of Afghanistan, including the transfer of security responsibilities to Afghan forces and the need for future international support in maintaining stability within the country.
What does NATO summit mean for Obama campaign?

President Obama helped bring the NATO summit to his hometown Chicago, a significant event near the end of his first term in office. The question that many are asking is if it will impact his electoral prospects when voters go to the polls this November.
9/11 suspects begin trial at Guantanamo after 4-year delay

Four years ago the trial for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four other alleged 9/11 conspirators was postponed at Guantanamo Bay amidst widespread criticism of its legitimacy. Several weeks ago, military commission hearings began for those five defendants in a process that is expected to drag on for years.
Ex-Rutgers student gets 30 days, probabtion for Clementi suicide

A former Rutgers University student who used a webcam to spy on his gay roommate was sentenced Monday to just 30 days in jail — a punishment that disappointed some activists but came as a relief to others who feared he would be made a scapegoat for his fellow freshman's suicide.

Nation & World

Most Popular

Most Commented

Are you in favor of public online teacher/course evaluations?