1. ROMNEY AND OBAMA ESCHEW POLITICS ON 9/11 ANNIVERSARY
President Obama and Mitt Romney are steering clear of politics on the 11th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, with both candidates temporarily taking down their negative ads on Tuesday. Obama has scheduled a moment of silence at the White House and a visit to the Pentagon, the target of one of four planes that al Qaeda hijacked during the brazen attacks in 2001. Romney will be in Nevada on Tuesday to address the National Guard, whose members were sent abroad as part of the U.S. response to the attacks. [Associated Press]
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2. CHICAGO TEACHERS STRIKE ENTERS DAY 2
Negotiations between Chicago's teachers union and the country's third largest school district did not result in a deal on Monday, leaving more than 350,000 children without a classroom for a second day. Tens of thousands of teachers went on strike on Monday, for the first time in 25 years. Mayor Rahm Emanuel is pushing for sweeping changes, including a longer school day and year, and a new system for evaluating and paying teachers. [Chicago Tribune]
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3. U.S. REPORTEDLY KILLS AL QAEDA'S NO. 2 IN YEMEN
Yemen officials said a U.S. drone strike has killed al Qaeda's number two leader in Yemen, in what's being seen as a big blow to the Arab nation's terrorist network. Saeed al-Shihri, a Saudi national who fought in Afghanistan and spent six years behind bars at the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, was killed by a missile while leaving a house in his car. Six other traveling with him were also killed. [Associated Press]
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4. TALIBAN ATTACKS BAGRAM AFTER U.S. HANDOVER
At least three Afghans have been killed in an attack on the Bagram air base in Afghanistan, just hours after the U.S. handed over control of a controversial jail there to the Afghan government. Five missiles were fired into the base, destroying a helicopter belonging to the NATO-led forces. Several people were wounded. The Taliban took credit for the assault. [BBC]
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5. TRENTON MAYOR ARRESTED ON CORRUPTION CHARGES
Tony Mack, the mayor of New Jersey's capital city of Trenton, was arrested Monday on corruption charges, after allegedly accepting bribes during an undercover operation. Authorities said Mack, his brother, and a business associate were involved in a kickback scheme to sell city-owned land to investors for much less than the assessed value. Mack was released on $150,000 bail. "The evidence appears to be, at this point, weak as far as Mayor Mack is concerned," Mark Davis, his attorney said. "The complaint is just full of allegations, that's all they are." [CNN]
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6. ANDY MURRAY WINS U.S. OPEN
Scotland's Andy Murray won the U.S. Open on Monday, beating out defending U.S. Open champ Novak Djokovic in a marathon match. The match lasted five sets and more than five hours, with the final score 7–6, 7–5, 2–6, 3–6, 6–2. Murray's U.S. Open victory makes him the first British man to win a Grand Slam in 76 years. "Relief is probably the best word I would use to describe how I'm feeling just now," Murray said. "You do think: Is it ever going to happen?"[ESPN]
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7. NEW IPHONE COULD BOOST U.S. GDP
The much-anticipated iPhone 5 could be a major boon for the U.S. economy. JPMorgan is predicting Wednesday's release of the new Apple product could significantly boost GDP growth. JPMorgan's Michael Feroli said the launch could add up to 0.5 percent annualized economic growth in the fourth quarter. Apple anticipates that at least 8 million iPhone 5s will be bought over the next three months. [CNN]
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8. STUDY: MARIJUANA TIED TO TESTICULAR CANCER
A new study shows that young men who smoke marijuana recreationally are twice as likely to be diagnosed with testicular cancer compared to men who have never used the drug. The study was published in the journal Cancer. Researches said the link appeared to be specific to a type of tumor called nonseminoma. [Reuters]
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9. TAX HIKE LOWERS TOBACCO CONSUMPTION
A big federal tax hike on tobacco has resulted in a historic drop in smoking, especially among teens, poor people, and those who depend on government health insurance, according to a USA Today analysis. Under Obama, the federal cigarette tax spiked from 39 cents to $1.01 a pack. As a result, three million fewer people smoked last year. [USA Today]
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10. NICKI MINAJ: I DIDN'T ENDORSE MITT ROMNEY
It looks like Nicki Minaj won't be endorsing Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney after all. Rumors started flying about the rapping diva's political preferences after she made a cameo in a Lil Wayne song, rapping that "I'm a Republican voting for Mitt Romney." When President Obama was asked if he thought Minaj was endorsing his rival, Obama said "I'm not sure that's actually what happened. I think she had a song on there, that... a little rap that said that. But she likes to play different characters." Minaj gave kudos to Obama on Twitter. "Ha! Thank you for understanding my creative humor & sarcasm Mr. President, the smart ones always do…" [New York Times]
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