Roland S. Martin's Blog, page 257

Obama Dinner With Republicans Signals Shift In Approach

Source: CNN The dinner between President Barack Obama and a group of Senate Republicans on Wednesday – described by different attendees as “honest,” “interactive,” and “cordial” – launched the latest attempt by the chief executive to cultivate alliances with rivals who have stood opposed to his policy proposals. On Thursday, Obama invited Rep. Paul Ryan [...]

North Korea Vows Nuclear Strike Against U.S.

Source: CBS News SEOUL, SOUTH KOREANorth Korea on Thursday vowed to launch a pre-emptive nuclear strike against the United States, amplifying its threatening rhetoric hours ahead of a scheduled vote by U.N. diplomats on whether to level new sanctions against Pyongyang for its recent nuclear test. An unidentified spokesman for Pyongyang’s Foreign Ministry said the [...]

Hugo Chavez Cause Of Death: Heart Attack Killed Venezuelan President, General Says

Source: Fabiola Sanchez / AP / The Huffington Post CARACAS, Venezuela — President Hugo Chavez died of a massive heart attack after great suffering and inaudibly mouthed his desire to live, the head of Venezuela’s presidential guard said late Wednesday. “He couldn’t speak but he said it with his lips … `I don’t want to die. [...]

DirecTV Could Possibly Pull NFL Sunday Ticket Package From Its Service

Source: Ethan Grant / The Bleacher Report If you are currently using DirecTV and NFL Sunday Ticket as a means to watch your favorite out-of-town professional football team, the following information could affect you—and your television-service provider—in the near future. On Wednesday, DirecTV CFO Pat Doyle told reporters (via The Hollywood Reporter) that his company would consider [...]

Some 9/11 Families Angry Over Loosened TSA Rules On Knives

Source: CBS News NEW YORK – Some family members of Sept. 11 attack victims are speaking out against new airport security rules that permit small knives on planes. The Transportation Security Administration announced Tuesday that people will be allowed to carry folding knives with blades 2.36 inches or less onto planes. The new rules, to [...]

New Hampshire Bill Would Posthumously Free Slaves

Source: AP / The Huffington Post CONCORD, N.H. — When 20 slaves petitioned New Hampshire two centuries ago seeking their freedom, lawmakers decided the time wasn’t right and delayed action. Now, 233 years later, legislators in one of the nation’s whitest states have decided the time is right to consider the request. A Senate committee [...]

Best Buy Ends Work-From-Home Program

Source: Julianne Pepitone / CNN Money Marissa Mayer might be a trendsetter. Just one week after the Yahoo CEO banned telecommuting at her company, Best Buy is ending its own flexible work program. Unlike Yahoo’s blanket policy, Best Buy (BBY, Fortune 500) said some of the 4,000 non-store employees who took advantage of its work-from home program still may [...]

Senate Republicans Open To Gutting Voting Rights Act, Despite Scalia’s Analysis

Source: Ryan Grim and Sabrina Siddiqui / The Huffington Post WASHINGTON — Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia argued last week that the court may need to reject the key element of the Voting Rights Act because political pressures would prevent Congress itself from doing so. “I don’t think there is anything to be gained by any senator to vote [...]

Zimmerman Defense: No Need For Stand Your Ground Hearing

Source: Scott Hiaasen / Miami Herald Lawyers for George Zimmerman on Tuesday canceled an expected hearing to try to have his murder charge dismissed under Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” self-defense law — all but ensuring that Zimmerman will go to trial in June for the shooting death of Miami Gardens teenager Trayvon Martin. Zimmerman, the neighborhood [...]

Priest Abuse Victims’ Group Blacklists 12 Cardinals For Pope

Source: Richard Allen Greene, Laura Smith-Spark and Hada Messia / CNN Rome – A group representing survivors of sexual abuse by priests named a “Dirty Dozen” list of cardinals it said would be the worst candidates for pope based on their handling of child sex abuse claims. Their presence on the list is based “on their actions and/or [...]