With the new semester in full swing, it may take awhile to get back in the habit of going to school after a (hopefully) couple of months of freedom. Between getting situated in new dorms and filling in our agendas for upcoming events and assignments, some of us busy Collegiates may be left out of the loop when it comes to newsworthy events and trending headlines. Lucky for us Her Campus gals, we don’t have to go far to see what we might have missed in last week’s headlines.
National News
Last week, the Democratic National Convention took place in Raleigh, North Carolina Sept. 4th – 6th with delegates and speakers gathering to support President Barack Obama’s in his presidential campaign. Speakers focused on issues such as Medicare and Medicaid, women’s health, the economy and more with key speakers: Michelle Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, former president Bill Clinton, and the president himself. Using their tagline “moving forward”, the Democrats delivered both heartfelt and emphatic speeches, giving President Obama an overall six point lead against opponent Senator Mitt Romney in an election poll by CNN. The convention kicked off a few days after Romney and fellow Republicans hosted the National Republican Convention in Tampa, Florida.
World
The Syrian military bombed the Aleppo and Damascus provinces in an airstrike killing at least 178 civilians on Saturday, September 8th, 2012. The LCC, Syria’s opposition group, claim the state was targeting the provinces’ water supply lines, accusations which were later denied by the state. On the homefront, U.S. Sen. John McCain called out President Obama for lack of support for Syrian opposition groups – a call which has sparked controversy between the two political parties since the beginning of Syria’s recent uprising.
Entertainment
The box office soared last week with the release of three hit movies which racked up millions in profit. Coming in at number one was horror flick, “The Possession” making over $9 million. Directed by Ole Bornedal and starring, Natasha Calis, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Kyra Sedgwick, the film is based on the true story of a young girl who becomes possessed after purchasing an antique box from a garage sale. Coming in second at $6 million was the drama-filled “Lawless”, a movie directed by John Hillcoat, starring Shia LaBeouf, Tom Hardy, and Guy Pearce. And lastly “The Expendables 2”, the action-packed sequel directed by Simon West, starring Sylvester Stallone, Liam Hemsworth and Randy Couture with earnings just shy of $5 million.