For-profit colleges have increased their lobbying efforts considerably in the face of proposed new financial regulations, reported ProPublica. The industry says the regulations, which would create a two-part test intended to stop some career schools from “saddling students with debt they cannot afford in exchange for degrees and certificates they cannot use,” in the words of Education Secretary Arne Duncan, could put it out of business. Members of Congress who signed the legislation received nearly $94,000 from the for-profit college sector between the start of 2010 and late July.
Palestinians Mark Anniversary of Sabra and Shatila Massacres; Israelis Carry Out Attacks in Occupied Territories
Palestinian refugees in Lebanon are marking the 28th anniversary of the Sabra and Shatila massacres, in which up to 2,000 Palestinians were killed on September 16 and 17, 1982, when a Christian militia attacked the camp.
As peace talks between Israel and Palestine continued, Israel launched military attacks inside the West Bank and Gaza Strip today. Earlier in the day, Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian commander of the armed wing of Hamas in the West Bank, and on Thursday, fighter jets bombing two weapons storage facilities killed a Palestinian man and wounded three. Democracy Now! reported that Israel carried out the Gaza attacks in response to Palestinian mortar fire from Gaza.
Independent Oil Refineries Fight for California’s Prop 23
The controvery surrounding California’s Proposition 23 ballot measure has become a niche fight for independent oil refineries. The measure seeking to repeal the state’s law that limits greenhouse gas emissions is sponsored by Texas independent oil refineries, and is opposed by environmental groups. Big oil companies have remained silent on the fight for some of the strongest state-based legislation passed so far in light of the failure to pass a comprehensive national environmental bill, which the Wall Street Journal reports may be because bigger companies would profit from the demise of smaller ones.
Stewart and Colbert to Hold Competing Washington Rallies
Comedy Central’s Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert are taking their mock battle of ideologies to the streets in October. Stewart said he will hold a “Rally to Restore Sanity” on October 30 at the National Mall, while Colbert called for a “March to Keep Fear Alive” on the same day. Stewart said his show had filled out the necessary forms to reserve the National Mall. The rallies will come less than a month after Fox News talk show host Glenn Beck’s “Restoring Honor” rally in Washington, reported CNN.
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