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Facebook IPO: Six key dates in its debacle

Facebook's first week as a publicly traded company will go down as a terribly botched corporate launch, perhaps one of the worst in recent history for such a highly visible entity. Eight days ago, it was the tech world's most highly anticipated initial public offering in eight years. Now, the social media company faces mounting legal woes and serves as an embarrassing example of how not to run an IPO. Despite rising insider pessimism about its growth prospects, Facebook kept boosting its asking price and the number of shares it would sell. The result: billions of dollars in losses; investigations by two congressional committees, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), an industry watchdog, and the state of Massachusetts; at least 13 class-action lawsuits; and thousands of resentful shareholders who days later still were unsure how many Facebook shares they had or at what price. Here are six key dates in Facebook's unfolding IPO disaster.
Briefing
Facebook IPO: five things to know before buying the stock

About 1 out of every 8 people on the planet have a Facebook account. Now, with the arrival of a public stock offering, all those people have a chance to be part owners of this social hub. Should you buy? Here are five things to consider.
Briefing
Gay marriage laws around the globe

There is no national gay marriage legislation in the pipeline in the US, however, numerous countries around the globe already recognize same-sex marriage or the right to civil unions. Here’s the breakdown by region.
Mitt Romney's five biggest assets as GOP nominee

Typically, an election with an incumbent president on the ballot is a referendum on him. But President Obama is trying to turn the election into a choice, saying in effect that America's problems will get much worse under the other guy. So what does Mitt Romney bring to the table? Here are five assets.
6 men alleged to be LulzSec hackers

Tuesday saw the news that the FBI had identified and charged six men allegedly behind the hacktivist group LulzSec. Who are the men that the FBI says are behind LulzSec's mayhem?

All Content

Boy played dead to survive Syrian massacre

Ali el-Sayed fell to the floor and soaked himself in his brother's blood as gunmen linked to the Assad regime murdered his family.
Obama to Romney: congratulations on winning the nomination

President Obama called GOP nominee Mitt Romney on Wednesday to congratulate him for winning enough delegates to secure the Republican nomination.
With nomination in hand, Romney turns focus on Obama

His win in Texas on Tuesday put him over the top in the delegate count, and now the entire GOP establishment is focused on November.
French journalist released by FARC says captors were respectful

Romeo Langlois, who was captured by FARC 33 days ago and released today, criticized the rebels for using his release as propaganda, but also empathized with their plight.
Spelling Bee: The final 50 will compete for $30,000

The youngest competitor this year is 6-year old Lori Anne Madison. The winner of the 85th Scripps National Spelling Bee gets $30,000 in cash. Second place: $2,500.
Facebook opens office in Dubai

Facebook established an office in the Middle East for the first time on Wednesday, in Dubai's Internet City.
Decoder Wire
Mitt Romney has won the nomination. What next? (+video)

Mitt Romney's sweep of the Texas primary gave him 105 delegates, pushing him over the top for the nomination. His campaign now turns to the central theme of the campaign, economic competence.
Tony Parker leads San Antonio Spurs to 20th consecutive NBA win (+video)

San Antonio Spurs beat Oklahoma City Thunder 120-111 to take a 2-0 lead in the NBA Western Conference finals. Tony Parker scored 34 points. Game 3 is Thursday night in Oklahoma City.
Financial aid on a debit card? Students hit with extra fees.

Financial aid can be cheaper to administer when colleges hand it off to debit card companies. But a new study finds students are getting hit with hefty fees.
Woman rescued from rubble after earthquake in Italy (+video)

A woman in Cavezzo, Italy, was pulled alive from the rubble of her home Wednesday. The death toll from Tuesday's northern Italy earthquake has risen to 17.
Syrian massacre: diplomats expelled from Western nations

The US, Britain, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Bulgaria all expelled diplomats in response to revelations that more than a 100 people were brutally killed in Houla, Syria, by Assad strongmen.
It's official: with Texas win, Romney is the nominee

The GOP candidate clinched the nomination with more than the 1144 delegates required to win the nomination.
US intervention unlikely in Syria

The administration expelled Syrian diplomats after last weekend's massacre, but ruled out military action.
Serena Williams loss at French Open, an unprecedented stumble (+video)

Serena Williams entered the day with a 46-0 record in first-round matches at Grand Slam tournaments. Serena Williams lost Virginie Razzano of France 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3 Tuesday at the French Open.
With talks, another chance at peace for Sudan and South Sudan

Just a day after South Sudan accused Sudan of attacks inside its territory, the countries send negotiators to Addis Ababa to try to resolve disputes over border, security, and oil revenues.
Powerful Italy quake leaves at least 15 dead (+video)

The 5.8 magnitude quake added to the misery being felt in the Emilia Romagna region of towns north of Bologna, one of Italy's most agriculturally and industrial protective areas.
Family vacation: Airlines asked to cut fees for seating together

Family vacation might be cheaper if Senator Charles Schumer succeeds in getting airlines to allow families with young children to sit together without paying extra for window and aisle.
Maria Sharapova: A 'double bagel' in French Open win

Maria Sharapova, the No. 2 seed, easily beat Alexandra Cadantu of Romania 6-0, 6-0 in the first round of the French Open. With a French Open victory, Sharapova would notch a career Grand Slam.
Tropical storm Beryl gives South hurricane prep test

Tropical storm Beryl dumped much needed rain in the South, and caused some power outages. Jacksonville, Fla. officials say Beryl was a 'dry run' for the hurricane season which starts Friday.
Terrorism & Security
After massacre in Syria, Annan travels to Damascus to push peace plan

Kofi Annan's visit follows a massacre in Houla, Syria, that left 108 dead, most of them 'summarily executed,' according to the United Nations.
Romney has big lead over Obama among military veterans

A new Gallup poll shows Mitt Romney leading President Obama by 24 points among military veterans, essentially accounting for Obama's 'gender gap' among men. But as the number of vets declines, the GOP's advantage here may dwindle.
Typical CEO made $9.6 million last year

The head of a typical public company made $9.6 million in 2011, according to an analysis by The Associated Press. The typical American worker would have to labor for 244 years to make what the typical boss of a big public company makes in one.
US faces surge of new vets seeking disability

America's newest veterans are filing for disability benefits at a historic rate, claiming to be the most medically and mentally troubled generation of former troops in US history. The troubled economy may be a factor.
What's an American Indian? Warren case stirs query

Native Americans have a high rate of intermarriage with other groups. Many are not identifiable by appearance, which has made it possible for almost anyone to assume a Native persona. That seems to have been the case with US Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren.
Facebook IPO: Six key dates in its debacle

Facebook's first week as a publicly traded company will go down as a terribly botched corporate launch, perhaps one of the worst in recent history for such a highly visible entity. Eight days ago, it was the tech world's most highly anticipated initial public offering in eight years. Now, the social media company faces mounting legal woes and serves as an embarrassing example of how not to run an IPO. Despite rising insider pessimism about its growth prospects, Facebook kept boosting its asking price and the number of shares it would sell. The result: billions of dollars in losses; investigations by two congressional committees, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), an industry watchdog, and the state of Massachusetts; at least 13 class-action lawsuits; and thousands of resentful shareholders who days later still were unsure how many Facebook shares they had or at what price. Here are six key dates in Facebook's unfolding IPO disaster.