STATE
President Barack Obama rallies in Columbus with Jay-Z and Bruce Springsteen
President Obama finished off his Ohio campaign with a rally at Columbus’s Nationwide Arena, bringing Bruce Springsteen and Jay-Z with him. After short sets from each artist, including an altered version of “99 Problems” that took shots at Romney, Obama addressed the audience. In front of a crowd of 15,500, the president criticized Republicans for betting on cynicism, responding, “Ohio, my bet’s on you.” The president acknowledged that while the changes he promised have not come as quickly as he hoped for, a vote for Romney is a vote for the failed polices of the past.
Source: Cleveland.com
NATIONAL
Man successfully climbs 103-floor tower using mind-controlled prosthetic leg
31-year-old Zac Vawter, who lost his right leg to a motorcycle accident, made history Sunday, Nov. 4 when he became the first person to climb the 103 floors of Chicago’s Willis Tower using a mind-controlled prosthetic leg. Vawter’s climb was a part of “SkyRise Chicago,” an annual event where participants climb stairs in order to raise money for the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. The bionic leg is designed to act on electrical impulses from Vawter’s hamstring by responding through movement. This was the first trial that the prosthetic leg has undergone in the public eye. “Everything went great,” said Vawter. “The prosthetic leg did its part, and I did my part.”
Source: huffingtonpost.com
INTERNATIONAL
Civil war continues to surge in Syria with 130 deaths on Monday
At least 50 Syrian soldiers were killed by a suicide bomber on Monday at a checkpoint in Hama province. These 50 deaths are included in the 130 person death count from Monday alone, which included two citizen journalists. This bombing was a continuation of the Syrian civil war which has taken more than 33,000 lives since it broke out in March 2011. The suicide bomber was reportedly from the al-Nusra Front, a group that has been responsible for suicide attacks in the past. News sources are currently struggling to confirm government and opposition reports out of Syria because the government is restricting journalists’ access.
Source: CNN.com