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February 09, 2012 | | CRACKDOWN As the U.N. mulls a new plan for intervention, Syrian troops have launched an unprecedented wave of violence on the city of Homs, raining down bombs for almost a week. The Daily Beast’s Katie Paul and Rana Riziq talk to the poorly armed activists trying to defend their neighborhoods from the assault. PAYBACK The five largest banks in the U.S. are close to finalizing a $25 billion settlement for the roles they played in the mortgage meltdown, according to state and federal officials, and could announce the deal as early as Thursday. More than 2 million Americans could reap financial benefits from the settlement, which would be the largest of its kind in history and the biggest civil-action suit ever against the housing industry. All 50 state attorneys general started working on the deal in late 2010 amid outrage over the corrupt mortgages. Though billions are laid out in the agreement, the money will likely help only a relatively small portion of borrowers facing foreclosure, depending on how effectively Washington manages the deal. GANGBUSTERS It’s the Santorum surge! A campaign spokesman said that presidential hopeful Rick Santorum has raised $1 million after his surprise hat-trick victory in Colorado, Minnesota, and Missouri Tuesday night. Eighty percent of the money was from online donations—which even crashed the website. Good signs for Santorum: website traffic was nearly twice as heavy as on the day after the Iowa caucuses (though it’s important to remember Santorum wasn’t declared the winner in the state until later). While this sum is still far behind Mitt Romney’s numbers, it’s a sign that Santorum may be gaining momentum. RADIOACTIVE More than 30 years after the Three Mile Island accident, The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is set to approve two new nuclear reactors. The two plants will be built in Georgia, about 170 miles east of Atlanta, where two older reactors are already running. The last new reactor started operating in 1996, but the NRC hasn't issued a license to build a new one since 1978, a year before the accident at Three Mile Island. EQUAL RIGHTS Following California’s ruling to lift a ban on gay marriage, Washington state passed a bill approving gay marriage on Wednesday and is poised to be the seventh state in the country where same-sex couples can wed. The Washington House approved the measure by a 55–43 vote after it passed the Senate last week, and Gov. Chris Gregoire is expected to sign off on the legislation next week. However, it will take 90 days for the law to go into effect, and opponents are vowing to push through a ballot measure that would put it on hold until the November election. But if they don’t garner enough votes, gay couples in Washington could begin walking down the aisles in June. | | 
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