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Here’s what’s brewing in the news:

U.S. military ends ‘don’t ask don’t tell’

At the stroke of midnight, the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell” went into effect, allowing gays to openly serve in the military.

Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said Monday that the military was prepared for the end of the 1993 law that allowed gays to serve as long as they did not openly acknowledge their sexual orientation. Commanders were not allowed to ask.

In preparation for today’s repeal, all branches of the military have spent several months training personnel and updating regulations. The Pentagon announced yesterday that it has already begun accepting applications from openly gay candidates, but officials said they would wait a day before reviewing them.

Lifting the ban halts all pending investigations, discharges and other proceedings that were begun under the old law. Existing standards of personal conduct, such as those pertaining to public displays of affection, will continue regardless of sexual orientation.

QUESTION: Do you think that lifting the ban will in any way diminish the military’s ability to fight?
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Lester Holt named ‘Dateline’ host

Lester Holt will replace Ann Curry as the host of Dateline NBC when the newsmagazine returns for its 20th season this Friday. The news of Holt’s promotion comes at a time when major news networks have faced increased scrutiny for the perceived lack of African-American hosts. The long-time veteran news anchor and reporter, who became a regular with the NBC family in 2000, will keep his job as co-anchor of the “Weekend Today” show. (Read more)
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Study: Welfare ruins marriage

It’s no secret, being broke can wreak havoc on your marriage, but according to a new study your chances of filing for divorce or feeling trapped and unhappy are higher if you are on welfare or state assistance.

The study, released by Dr. David Schramm - a researcher and professor at the University of Missouri, found that couples living in poverty who don’t receive assistance fare better than their counterparts who do. Schramm suspects that there may be a correlation between seeking assistance and male feelings of inadequacy. QUESTION: Why do you think welfare ruins marriages? (Read more)

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