Recently in National Category

A controversial bid has come to Congress proposing the establishment of national parks in three US regions that once housed top-secret research sites for the Manhattan Project, according to NPR.

The Manhattan Project, a WWII operation responsible for the creation of the atomic bomb, largely took place in Los Alamos, N.M., Oak Ridge, Tenn., and Hanford, Wash. Both Hiroshima and Nagasaki were bombed soon after the first atomic bomb was tested at the N.M. site in July of 1945.

The New York Times reports that national parks are being pushed in order to preserve the historical remnants of the sites, including a small log cabin in N.M. which served as an administrative base where it was discovered that splitting atoms could harness enormous amounts of energy.

NPR reports that construction crews at Los Alamos National Laboratory are already doing historical restoration on site buildings. But, if parks were to be established, visitors likely wouldn't have direct access to "restricted sites" where weapon research is still underway.

House Speaker John Boehner and House representatives came up with a counter-proposal in response to President Obama's latest offer to avert the upcoming "fiscal cliff", according to CBS News.

The proposal would cut $2.2 trillion from the deficit by cutting $900 billion in social spending with programs like Medicare and Social Security. It would additionally raise $800 billion in tax revenue due to tax reform, without raising the tax rate on the upper 2 percent as proposed by Obama, according to CBS.

As reported by the New York Times, offers from both sides stuck close with earlier bipartisan budget proposals, making the potential for a fair compromise slim.

The GOP remains set on refusing tax increases, which translates in its proposal through implementing tax breaks by closing loopholes and ending deductions. With this offer, tax revenue would reach $800 billion over 10 years, according to the Times.

A player for the Kansas City Chiefs killed himself at the team's practice facility Saturday morning after allegedly murdering his girlfriend at their home, according to Sports Illustrated.

The player who shot himself is 25-year-old fourth-year linebacker Jovan Belcher. CBS News reports that police received a call around 8 am from a woman saying that her daughter, 22, had been shot multiple times in her home.

Belcher then drove five miles to the team's practice facility and shot himself in his car after allegedly speaking with coach Romeo Crennel and team manager Scott Pioli, according to SI. Belcher and his girlfriend had a three-month-old child.

Four military veterans were killed in the town in West Texas Thursday when a freight train crashed into a parade float at an event honor them, according to the New York Times.

An additional 17 people were injured in the accident. Two of the men, Gary Stouffer, 37, and Lawrence Boivin, 47, were pronounced dead at the scene. The other two, Joshua Michael, 34, and Williams Lubbers, 43, died after being taken to a local hospital, according to the Times.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of the crash, which took place at a railroad crossing around 4:30 p.m. There were 26 people aboard the float when it was struck by the train, mainly military veterans and their wives.

NPR reports that wounded veterans were to be awarded with an all-expenses-paid deer-hunting trip after the parade. The events has been cancelled.

After recent allegations were made of an extra-marital affair involving Director of the Central Intelligence Agency David Petraeus, new developments have arisen to suggest that the affair was more than just physical, according to the New York Times.

Soon after admitting to the affair, Petraeus's sudden resignation Friday sparked questions among lawmakers as to the details of the relationship with his biographer Paula Broadwell. According to CNN, the affair came to light a few months ago when a string of "jealous" emails were sent from Broadwell to a woman close with Petraeus.

While FBI officials were notified of the affair over the summer, no one outside of the bureau was notified until last week, according to the Times. The delay was a result of an incomplete investigation, with initial concerns about possible security breach appearing unjustified.

Sudden concerns on national security arose after a video posted Sunday on YouTube went viral, involving Broadwell presenting to University of Denver students. She states that there was a possibility that the Libyans responsible for the attack were attempting to free captive Libyan militia members reportedly being held in an annex within the consulate.

As to where Broadwell received this information is the key to concern. After news of the affair emerged, many speculate that it was Petraeus who gave her the classified information. While CNN reports that an extra-marital affair involving a CIA officer is not automatically a security breach, it says that concerns have been raised about possible security leaks.

The recreational use of marijuana was legalized in both Colorado and Washington Tuesday, signaling a dramatic shift in state legislature to invest more value in the voices of the voters.

"The voters have spoken and we have to respect their will," Colorado's governor John Hickenlooper said, as reported by CNN.

The amendment states that any citizen above the age of 21 will be able to legally purchase and possess up to one ounce of marijuana, but local news sources report that it is still shaky as to how this will correspond with federal law, where pot remains illegal.

The Coloradoan reported that, while the amendment successfully passed, it will take time to nail down state laws and legislature regarding distribution and regulation of pot. The amendment suggests "special stores" eventually where pot will be sold, but beginning December 6 residents can grow and smoke their own pot.

The Chicago Sun-Times reported that, after the amendment is officially regulated, the legal pot industry is estimated to bring in hundreds of millions of dollars a year in tax revenue.

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With slow recovery already causing frustration for thousands of displaced residents, the Northeast is experiencing power outages once again as a fierce winter storm sweeps the coast, according to the Associated Press.

Utilities in New York and Long Island report that the "nor'easter" that hit Wednesday knocked out power for 48,000 residents who had just gotten it back after Sandy hit a week ago.

"I can see us actually moving backwards," said New Jersey governor Chris Christie, reported in the New York Times.

The storm, which has produced rain, snow, and high winds, threatens to derail what progress has been made in restoring normalcy for those affected by Sandy. According to the Times, the storm was blowing down power lines faster than repair crews could keep up with.

"It feels like it can't get any worse," said 19-year-old Nicole DeGorter, student and life-long resident of a Brooklyn neighborhood that has seen a vast amount of damage with the storms.

The landscape of New York City and the surrounding areas post-Hurricane Sandy is a scene of unprecedented destruction. The mental and physical toll on the residents is estimated to require extensive recovery, according to the New York Times.

Among the areas with the most damage in NYC is the Queens neighborhood of Breezy Point, where a rampaging fire destroyed over 100 homes. The Times also reported explosions and fallen power lines that left the lower part of Manhattan and 90% of Long Island in the dark.

As reported by the Wall Street Journal, the extensive damage to the subway system could make storm recovery difficult.This is the most damage the system has seen in all of its 108 years, and Mayor Bloomberg estimates another four days until it is up and running again.

President Obama approved federal disaster assistance for New York and New Jersey, assuring "all available resources for recovery", according to news sources.

Appearing on the "Tonight Show" Wednesday, President Barack Obama addressed the recent controversial comments made by Illinois GOP Senate candidate, Richard Mourdock.

Mourdock spoke Tuesday, saying that rape-induced pregnancies were something that "God intended to happen." This set off a firestorm of angry reactions among women, as well as a race among both presidential campaigns to win over the female voters, according to CNN

Obama, speaking with host Jay Leno, opposed Mourdock's comments. "Let me make a very simple proposition: rape is rape", he said.

He went on to reiterate his support of fair health care for women, and chastised male political leaders who have tried to pass legislature against contraception. "Women are capable of making these decisions in consultation with their partners, with their doctors", he said to large applause.

Romney has released a statement expressing his opposition with Mourdock's comments, but has maintained his overall support of the Senate candidate, according to Politico.

Lance Armstrong, cancer survivor and seven-time winner of the Tour de France, was forced to step down as the head of his charity Livestrong on Wednesday, according to the New York Times.

With the recent evidence that he has been doping over the past decade, Armstrong's endorsement has been dropped by several major companies, most recently Nike. A statement released by Nike Wednesday morning said that the evidence against Armstrong was so overwhelming that they had no choice but to drop the partnership, as reported in the New York Times.

Livestrong was founded by Armstrong in 1997 as a charity to raise money for cancer research, after he recovered from advanced testicular cancer. Reported in USA Today, the foundation released a statement Wednesday announcing his departure as chairman, but assuring that he would remain involved in foundation events.