January 27, 2012

Featured Report

Youth Volunteerism

Should schools require students to perform public service?

After Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005, Tulane University made volunteering for community projects in the ravaged city, such as restoring parks or tutoring grade-school students, a requirement for graduation. Since then, applications to Tulane. . . .

The Issues

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Debate

Should AmeriCorps be eliminated?

Pro

Doug Bandow
Senior Fellow, Cato Institute. Written for CQ Researcher, January 2012

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Con

Shirley Sagawa
Visiting Fellow, Center for American Progress; Founding Managing Director, Corporation for National and Community Service. Written for CQ Researcher, January 2012

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In the News

The Republican-controlled Indiana House of Representatives on Jan. 25 approved legislation banning unions from collecting mandatory fees from workers. The measure is expected to pass the Republican-controlled Senate and be approved by Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels. See "Public-Employee Unions," CQ Researcher, April 8, 2011.

The Syrian government on Jan. 23 denounced an Arab League peace proposal calling for President Bashar Assad to relinquish power to his deputy. Officials said the plan infringes on Syrian sovereignty. See "Turmoil in the Arab World," CQ Global Researcher, May 3, 2011.

The Supreme Court on Jan. 20 instructed a Texas lower court to re-examine redistricting maps it drew to replace maps the state legislature had drafted. The Texas court had said the legislature’s maps unfairly favored Republicans. The justices said the lower court did not defer enough to the legislature’s choices. See "Redistricting Debates," CQ Researcher, Feb. 25, 2011.

The Obama administration released a draft of the nation’s first National Alzheimer’s Plan, which sets 2025 as a target year for finding proven ways to delay or prevent the disease. See "Treating Alzheimer's," CQ Researcher, March 4, 2011.

The NCAA has delayed a decision on whether student-athletes will be eligible for a $2,000 stipend in addition to any scholarships they receive. The association’s board of directors supports the plan but asked for a working group – including several university presidents – to review it. See "College Football," CQ Researcher, Nov. 18, 2011.

Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani fired Defense Secretary Naeem Khalid Lodhi, accusing the former general of “gross misconduct and illegal action.” Lodhi was replaced by a civilian aide, Nargis Sethi. See "U.S.-Pakistan Relations," CQ Researcher, Aug. 5, 2011.

Struggling Internet giant Yahoo! appointed a new CEO. Scott Thompson was previously president of PayPal, an online payment service owned by eBay. Analysts say his technology background can help Yahoo! compete with Google and Facebook. See "Google's Dominance," CQ Researcher, Nov. 11, 2011.

The Labor Department is expected to report a rise in manufacturing jobs in 2011, marking two years of gains. Until 2010, manufacturing employment hadn’t risen since 1997. See "Reviving Manufacturing," CQ Researcher, July 22, 2011.

The Supreme Court refused to put new limits on the use of questionable eyewitness testimony at trials. The justices ruled 8-1 that such limitations would be too big a change in criminal law. See "Eyewitness Testimony," CQ Researcher, Oct. 14, 2011.

Did You Know...?

…that during President Saparmurat Nyazov’s regime, newscasters in Turkmenistan had to begin their nightly newscasts by pledging that their tongues would shrivel if they defamed Turkmenistan or Nyazov. Learn more from "Emerging Central Asia" -- CQ Global Researcher, Jan. 17, 2012.

This Week in History

Jan. 25, 2002 – Four months after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks Congress overhauled the U.S. intelligence-gathering system, but some said they feared the reforms would be ineffective and others said they could infringe on civil liberties. Read the full report from the CQ Researcher Archive, “Intelligence Reforms.”