Topic: U.S. Congressional Research Service
Top galleries, list articles, quizzes
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Briefing
US gun industry by the numbers
As the debate over gun control rages on, the firearms industry in the United States is thriving. Here are seven key figures.
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Gas prices fact check: Six ideas in Congress, but can they work?
Soaring gas prices have also shown a consistent and significant ability to push members of Congress over the deep end. Here's the experts' take on 6 ideas floating through Congress.
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East Asia's top 5 island disputes
Many of the island territories are small, isolated from the countries’ mainlands, and sparsely populated. But strategic interests and abundant natural resources make them valuable.
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Out of options in debt ceiling talks? Nope, here are five.
How many ways are there to resolve the debt ceiling crisis? Frustration is mounting in both political parties as an Aug. 2 deadline looms to avoid default on America's debt obligations and deficit-reduction negotiations are gridlocked. Still, at least five options for handling the matter have been discussed in recent days and months. Other possible solutions may emerge, but here’s the state of play on the options to date.
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Top 5 overlooked stories of 2010
Here are five 2010 developments that probably didn't get as much attention as they should have, given their potential import to America in the years ahead.
All Content
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Decoder Wire
What does it mean when the federal government shuts down?With snow continuing to fall on Washington Wednesday evening, it looks likely that most government workers will get a longer 'snowcation.' The longest weather-related shutdown lasted a week in 1996. This one is at 3-1/2 days and counting.
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Global News Blog
At London Afghanistan conference, US, allies target strategy and cost to buy off TalibanThe US and its NATO allies in Afghanistan are moving toward a greater commitment to making peace with the Taliban, including paying some of them off and finding a home for others in the Afghan security forces.
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China stalls UN effort to sanction Iran over nuclear program
The United States is expected Saturday to push for more sanctions against Iran, as Tehran refuses to discuss its nuclear program. But China signals it will resist the idea, especially if new sanctions will be targeted at agents clamping down on the Iranian protest movement.
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Global News Blog
How much aid has the US given Haiti in past crises?Haiti was in the top 10 countries receiving US aid in 1998, but by 2008 conflict-ridden countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq, and Sudan topped it.
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Global News Blog
US says no plan to cut Israel loan guarantees, but it's been tried beforeUS Mideast Envoy George Mitchell hinted over the weekend that the US could withhold loan guarantees from Israel to pressure the Jewish state back to peace talks with Palestinians. Aid has been used to try to change Israel's behavior in the past, with mixed results.
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Is Al Qaeda in Yemen connected to Al Qaeda in Somalia?
In the wake of the Christmas Day Northwest airlines bombing attempt, some are wondering if the Al Qaeda branches in Yemen and Somalia are linked. Most experts don't see evidence of coordination – not yet.
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North Korea talks: US envoy trip shows difficulty of getting to yes
US envoy Bosworth says North Korea talks in Pyongyang were 'useful.' But the North has not committed to returning to six-party talks on its nuclear program.
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Obama's Afghanistan war plan: How will he pay for it?
It will cost an additional $30 billion a year. Some antiwar Democrats in Congress talk of a 'war tax,' but the most likely option to fund Obama's Afghanistan war plan is to keep borrowing.
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The roots of Iran's nuclear program
It's quest to develop a nuclear program has taken a circuitous path through history – and includes early cooperation with the US.
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North Korea can now build one more nuclear bomb
North Korea said Tuesday that it has reprocessed 8,000 nuclear fuel rods – perhaps enough to build another nuclear bomb. US officials say this was a violation of North Korea's commitments to nuclear disarmament talks.
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Iraq: US military contractor burns recyclables, violating contract
KBR was contracted to recycle cafeteria waste at Forward Operating Base Warhorse. Such spotty accountability is coming under new scrutiny; an Oct. 30 report reveals that transactions worth $10.7 billion are being audited.
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America in the midst of two major 'national emergencies'
Terror threat plus H1N1 flu emergency could test Constitutional protections.
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The Monitor's View: Senate Finance Committee bill's soft spot: health care insurance mandate
Americans must be aware of how mandates might impinge on their choices – and how vulnerable Obama's plan might be to court challenge.
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How to cut unemployment: tax credit for employers who hire?
A tax credit to spur hiring can help trim unemployment, say experts, but comes with a heavy price tag. The revenue loss for a 1977 scheme was $5.7 billion.
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Iran's secret site is the missing piece in its nuclear puzzle
If Iran plans to make nuclear weapons away from the prying eyes of the international community, it would need a secret facility like the one Obama revealed Friday.
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Contractors in Kabul accused of 'lewd and deviant behavior'
Security guards at the US Embassy in Afghanistan indulged in hazing and nudity, the Project on Government Oversight says. It calls for Pentagon oversight.
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US use of private contractors in war hits record high
They make up 57 percent of Pentagon's personnel in Afghanistan, report shows.
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Briefing: How Mexico is waging war on drug cartels
Who are the most powerful cartels, what are the risks of using the military to confront them, and how much progress has Mexico made so far?
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Could a North Korean missile reach Hawaii?
North Koreans on Thursday tested several short-range missiles, but their track record on longer-range missile technology has been poor.
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In India, a mandate and a test
Repeat win by United Progressive Alliance shows faith in party on economy and security.
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To probe detainee abuse, Congress leans toward outsourcing
Success of the 9/11 commission means lawmakers often punt toughest investigations to independent bodies – despite some internal resistance.
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Terrorism & Security
Taliban announce 'countersurge' in AfghanistanThe militants have vowed to launch a new offensive against US and its allies, which are preparing to increase troop levels.
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'First real trial' about Katrina under way
A lawsuit claiming that the Army Corps of Engineers made the flooding worse starts today.
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Why the US didn't intervene in the Rwandan genocide
After a disastrous peacekeeping mission in Somalia, the US vowed to stay away from conflicts it didn't understand.
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Will killing of oil workers harden China's Darfur policy?
At least three Chinese oil workers were killed by Darfur rebels Monday,according to the Sudanese government.
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