Beyond the Bubble
International News
In response to the Mexican government's endorsement of the "morning after" pill, the Roman Catholic Church issued a warning of excommunication of anyone who uses or assists in its usage.
"They are called contraceptives, but when they cause an abortion, it's murder," Mexico City Cardinal Norberto Rivera said in an article from the San Jose Mercury News.
Outrage from the church was sparked by the Mexican government's decision to describe the drug as an acceptable form of birth control in last week's edition of the government's official Journal of the Federation.
The policy change now allows the drug to be distributed in government health clinics and hospitals.
Advocates of the drug say making it available to the Mexican public will help decrease occurrences of illegal and unsafe abortions. Abortions are illegal in Mexico except for in cases of rape or in order to protect the health of the mother.
Rocio Galvez, head of the private group Pro-Vida, a pro-life organization in Mexico, denounced the drug in an article for the Contra Costa Times saying: "If we don't defend life at all times, then we will become a genocidal nation like the United States and those in Europe."
National News
Six U.S-bound flights were canceled this weekend after the U.S. government received new warnings regarding al Qaeda attacks that could involve commercial airplanes.
Three U.S. officials told the Washington Post that intelligence had received warning of attacks with the use of chemical, biological or radiological weapons on board a plane. Undetectable biological agents such as smallpox or anthrax were also a concern. However, the cancellations this weekend didn't indicate any specific threat.
"We continue to receive threat reporting that indicates al Qaeda's desire to target international aviation," Brian Roehrkasse, spokesman for the Homeland Security Department, said in an article for CBS News.
Roehrkasse said that despite the flight cancellations, there was no reason to increase the national security warning, which is currently at yellow, according to CNN.com.
College News
The University of Georgia recently discovered a breech in their network system that made the personal information of more than 31,000 applicants and undergraduates vulnerable to hackers.
School officials say the hackers that broke into the system were using it to probe other national and international computers.
In an interview with CNN, School spokesman Tom Jackson said that there was no reason to believe that anyone's personal information has been used.
Possible stolen information includes parental information, credit card numbers, social security numbers, birth dates and contact information. Federal and state authorities are currently investigating the situation.
School officials continue to research who may have been at most risk and warning them accordingly so that they can make the necessary notifications to credit card companies. The university has also set up a Web site warning students and applicants of the server breech.
Jackson told CNN that the school's system is up to date and that there was virtually no way they could have prevented the system's unwarranted infiltration.
Entertainment News
Dozens of hip-hop artists such as Erykah Badu, Ice Cube and Master P took time out from the pre-Super Bowl festivities to educate the youth of Houston on issues of politics, hip-hop culture and music, as well as the importance of voting.
The Hip-Hop Summit Action Network organized the event in hopes of registering 10,000 people to vote, but more than doubled that goal, according to Russell Simmons, founder of the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network and Def Jam Records.
"This was the best Hip-Hop Summit yet," said Simmons in an article from the Seattle Times.
The theme for the Summit was empowerment, as the hip-hop artists discussed how they found success through hard work and dedication.
-Compiled by Lance Dwyer