Topic: United States

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Spurs and Thunder star in NBA’s Western Conference Finals: 10 extra dimensions

The clash of the Spurs and Thunder in the NBA’s Western Conference finals may fly a bit under the national radar when it opens Sunday. Here are 10 factors that make this showdown intriguing.
Major gay marriage cases in federal court and where they stand

Battles over same-sex marriage have been raging in the federal courts for several years. Two could reach the US Supreme Court within a year: one challenging California's ban on gay marriage under Proposition 8, and the other seeking to invalidate the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Here are the cases to follow.
From Willie Horton to windsurfing: Five top political attack ads

Political attacks ads: love 'em or hate 'em, but they’re here to stay, and this election year stands to be a watershed moment in their use. Here's a look at what are considered to be some of the most memorable and effective attack ads utilized over the years.
6 factors that will determine concessions from Iran

Can war with Iran can be avoided? In recent talks with the West in Baghdad, Iran showed some greater flexibility about its nuclear program. But Iran has a history of trickery in the nuclear arena. Whether Tehran will cooperates with Western demands depends on the following six factors.
Could 'fiscal cliff' push US into recession? Five questions answered.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) warned in a report Tuesday that if Congress does not deal with a raft of fiscal measures by Dec. 31, the US could enter another recession. So what is this fiscal cliff and what is Congress doing about it?

All Content

Bob Dylan: 20 best lyrics on his birthday

For legendary singer-songwriter Bob Dylan's birthday, here are our picks for his 20 best lyrics of all time.
Mitt Romney's voucher-like education overhaul (+video)

Romney, who has been reluctant to stray far from the economic issues at the core of the presidential campaign, was outlining the proposal during a speech Wednesday at the US Chamber of Commerce.
Horizons
SpaceX launch, a strong start for commercial spaceflight

With Tuesday's launch of the Dragon space capsule aboard the Falcon 9 rocket, SpaceX made a strong case for the viability of commercial spaceflight. But the craft still has quite a few tests to pass for its mission to be a success.
4 noteworthy new novels: What happens when a past love reappears?

These four new novels all feature the specter of a past relationship.
Death of Russian-born boy in US reignites adoption debate

A 9-year-old Russian boy adopted by US parents died in a house fire last week, reminding Russians of several incidents of poor treatment of Russian orphans adopted by Americans.
Decoder Wire
Obama loses 42 percent of Kentucky, Arkansas primary vote. Should he worry? (+video)

No and yes. The key issue here may be whether the Kentucky and Arkansas primaries are a portent of trouble for President Obama in North Carolina, a crucial swing state.
Gordon Brown: Europe needs a global rescue

The G8 summit at Camp David failed to find a plan for economic growth in Europe and to deal with a euro crisis that goes beyond debt. It may seem strange to propose that the world’s second-richest continent needs a global rescue. But today’s European consumers are too fearful to spend.
Modern Parenthood
Tom Brady's dad has big concerns about safety of youth football

Tom Brady's dad says he would be hesitant to let his son  play football if he were making the decision today. His concern: the long term physical impacts of the game, even starting at the youth football level.
Donald Driver wins 'Dancing with the Stars.' Five lessons you can learn.

Donald Driver was crowned "Dancing with the Stars" champion Tuesday night. Over the 14 seasons of "Dancing with the Stars," many contestants have talked about the life-transforming benefits of ballroom dancing, including weight loss, increased self-confidence, a sense of pride in accomplishing something they’ve never done before, and, importantly, joy. Here are five business lessons the ballroom world has to offer everyone.
Bestselling books the week of 5/24/12, according to IndieBound*

What's selling best in independent bookstores across America.
Terrorism & Security
US drone strike in Pakistan highlights divergent interests of US, Pakistan

An end to the US drone campaign has been a key demand of Pakistan in exchange for reopening NATO supply routes, highlighting the differences the US and Pakistan have to overcome.
Pakistani doctor who helped US find Bin Laden is jailed

Physician Shakil Afridi was accused of operating a fake vaccination effort which aided US intelligence in tracking the late Al Qaeda leader.
Oil prices fall to seven-month low

Oil prices edge down below $91 a barrel as tensions ease over Iran nuclear program. London's Brent crude oil prices fall to $107.
Horizons
Google finally (officially) buys Motorola Mobility. Now what?

Motorola Mobility now officially belongs to Google, CEO Larry Page announced this week. 
Romney still finding his legs on Bain attacks

He has yet to develop a coherent, consistent response to the President's attacks.
Facebook stock still slipping as investors grow wary

The company has slipped to $91 billion in total valuation from its opening at $104 billion.
US Airways jet makes unscheduled landing after passenger acts suspicious

Flight attendants heard a woman claiming to have something implanted in her skin, and the flight - bound for North Carolina from Paris - landed in Maine.
SpaceX rocket on its way to outer space (+video)

This is the first privately-funded spaceflight to the International Space Station; it launched Tuesday after a scrubbed mission over the weekend.
Iran nuclear talks: why optimism could be different this time

The meeting in Baghdad will discuss Iran’s nuclear program. The US and some of its partners are speaking more hopefully about prospects for these talks than at almost any point in the past.
Decoder Wire
Is Congress broken? Startup Act shows what can work.

The Startup Act is a modest piece of pro-business legislation unveiled Tuesday. It won't change the world, but that's why it may pass. In a partisan Congress, 'good' may be better than 'perfect.' 
Latin America Monitor
Look who got a US visa: Raúl Castro's daughter

Mariela Castro, daughter of Cuban President Raúl Castro, will travel to California this week on a US visa to attend a conference. But many Cuban scholars were denied entry, writes a guest blogger.
Pakistani official: Position to soften on NATO supply line

An assistant to the Prime Minister says the country will show flexibility on the issue after NATO clearly expressed its displeasure in Chicago.
Two harrowing US military rescues offer haunting portrait of Afghan war

Rescue pilots in Afghanistan describe flying five to 10 combat missions a day, on constant alert. Describing one mission, for which he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with Valor last week, Col. Christopher Barnett says: 'It was like the Alamo.'
Filipinos back government on China dispute, but want more diplomacy

While most Filipinos say that their government should not yield to to Chinese pressure in the South China Sea, others say that Manila could improve its diplomatic efforts to resolve the issue.
The Daily Reckoning
Leave Facebook's Eduardo Saverin alone

Eduardo Saverin's timely renunciation of his American citizenship is no reason to keep him out of the US. People should be able to move where they want, when they want, for any reason.