Giffords Announces She is Resigning Congress
This week, Arizona Congressional Representative Gabrielle Giffords announced that she was resigning from Congress to spend time focusing on her recovery. She received wounds from an assassination attempt in January 2011. Giffords received injuries to the left side of her brain, which controls her speech and communication abilities. She was hosting a meet-and-greet outside a grocery store in Tucson, Ariz. Giffords returned to the house chamber in August, the first time since her injury. Although some officials were hoping that she would recover enough to run for re-election, Giffords has made large strides in her recovery and is continuing to improve. Giffords posted a video to Facebook explaining why she was resigning from Congress. "I have more work to do on my recovery. So to do what's best for Arizona, I will step down this week," she said.
JFK Library to Release Secret Tapes
The library of former President John F. Kennedy announced this week that 45 hours of privately recorded materials would be released soon. A report from Fox News described a few of the tapes, which range from secret Vietnam conflict discussions to re-election strategies for the 1964 presidential election. The newly released tapes are the last in a plethora of more than 250 hours of recordings that the assassinated president made over his short tenure as president. In what will prove to be an eerie twist, Kennedy is heard discussing a meeting on the day that would be his funeral in one of the recordings. "Monday?" the president asks a staff member. "Well that's a tough day." The staffer replies, "It's a hell of a day, Mr. President." The JFK Library and Museum began reviewing tapes in 1983 to release to the public.
Rescue Efforts Continue in Italy after Costa Concordia Collision
Rescuers are still finding bodies more than a week after the Costa Concordia cruise ship crashed off the Isola del Giglio in Italy. The latest find brings the number of dead from the incident to 16, according to Fox News. Officials also said Tuesday that the number of people missing also stands at 16. While high, that number is out of some 4,200 people that were on board the ship at the time of the collision. A number of divers have been called in to assist in the fuel siphoning exercise that should start by next week. Admiral Ilarione Dell'Anna said it would take nearly a month for the entirety of the fuel to be removed from the ship that is currently resting just off shore. According to residents on the Isola del Giglio, rescuers said they would continue rescue efforts but that the risk to the surrounding environment is great due to the vast amount of fuel that could damage this area that relies on tourists.
McDonald's All Smiles After Earnings Report
The U.K. Telegraph reported Tuesday that the company responsible for Happy Meals netted a 12 percent turnover with $27 billion and an 11 percent net income increase, a total of $5.5 billion. The increase is the ninth consecutive for McDonald's, which had U.S. sales increase by 7.1 percent in the last quarter of 2011. According to chief executive for the fast-food chain Jim Skinner, "As we begin 2012, we are intensifying our efforts toward the global priorities that represent our greatest opportunities under the Plan to Win – optimizing and evolving our menu, modernizing the customer experience and broadening accessibility to our brand." The earning news comes amid a bit of sad news for kids that arrived last December. The chain will begin charging 10 cents for toys in Happy Meals at some locations. This comes amidst new legislation that is targeting the chain for tempting children to eat unhealthily for toys.
Starbucks to Sell Spirits in Three States
If coffee does not tickle your fancy at Starbucks locations, fear not. The coffee chain announced this week it would begin selling wine, beer and premium foods at a number of Atlanta, California and Chicago shops. According to USA Today, the coffee giant began to tinker with the idea at its headquarters in Seattle in October 2010. Beer and wine can already be found on the menu at five stores in Seattle and one in Portland, Ore. There are no reports out yet of whether or not the company has seen an increase in customers thanks to the new menu addition. Company representatives have said though that the choice has been popular among consumers. Starbucks said spirits would not be available until the afternoon hours to attract evening goers and appeal to a different customer base.
