What’s happening in the Middle East and why it matters
It’s not like this uneasiness is concentrated only in one country, or all for a common reason. There’s Islamic extremism, political turnover, faltering oil prices and, let’s not forget, age-old…
Tag: states
CDC: Flu still hitting hard in most of U.S., but spread seems to be slowing
For the week ending January 17, based on pneumonia and influenza mortality surveillance, the season is still above epidemic levels, as is typical during flu season. Epidemic means that the…
Rubio moving towards 2016 bid
READ: Rubio ‘down to the last decision’ on 2016 He’s also planning to miss votes in the Senate next week to take a fundraising trip through California, and will visit…
Sony: Hack so bad, our computers still don’t work
The film has brought in at least $46 million to date. On Tuesday, Netflix (NFLX, Tech30) announced that the Seth Rogen comedy will be made available to its subscribers in…
Europe Puts Its Money on the Table
After more than a year of speculation, Mr. Draghi, the never-predictable head of the European Central Bank, has given global investors what they have clamored for, with an extra twist:…
Obama Says He Hopes The Supreme Court Will Rule In Favor Of Gay Marriage
WASHINGTON, Jan 22 (Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama said on Thursday he hoped the Supreme Court would issue a ruling that would prevent states from banning gay marriage when…
Yemen at Risk of Fragmenting, Posing Challenge for U.S.
WASHINGTON — Only months ago, American officials were still referring to Yemen’s negotiated transition from autocracy to an elected president as a model for post–revolutionary Arab states. Now, after days…
Mike Huckabee: States Can Ignore Supreme Court On Gay Marriage
WASHINGTON — Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee disputed what he called the “notion of judicial supremacy” on Tuesday, arguing states would have the final say on gay marriage regardless of…
Cuba Fast Facts
Area: 110,860 sq km (slightly smaller than Pennsylvania) Population: 11,047,251 (July 2014 est.) Median age: 39.9 years Capital: Havana Ethnic Groups: white 64.1%, mulatto and mestizo 26.6%, black 9.3% (2012…
Obama makes historic ‘transgender’ reference in SOTU
Obama: ‘Tonight, we turn the page’ – “I’ve seen something like gay marriage go from a wedge issue used to drive us apart to a story of freedom across our…
Polish court to consider U.S. request to extradite Polanski
U.S. officials have repeatedly tried to bring Polanski back to the United States to face sentencing in the decades-old case. Polanski pleaded guilty in 1977 in California to having unlawful…
Student Testing: Deciding When Enough Is Enough
WASHINGTON (AP) — Do students take too many tests? Given the complaints about a high-stakes testing culture in classrooms, some states are reviewing the quality and quantity of the tests…
China denies suggestions it stole designs for new U.S. fighter
“Cyber attacks are hard to trace back and are usually committed across borders. This complexity means that it is extremely difficult to identify the source of the attacks.” – Der…
Pope adds New York and Washington to U.S. trip
The trip will be the popular pontiff’s first visit to the United States as Pope. CNN’s Justin Lear and Daniel Burke contributed to this report.
The New Yorker Shares Its ‘Dream Of Reconciliation’ With Striking MLK Cover
Channeling the iconic image of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. linking arms with fellow civil rights activists during the march from Selma, Alabama to the state’s capital in Montgomery, The…
5 killed as ice, snow glaze highways across Northeast
Winter storm warnings are in effect through the morning for upstate Vermont and portions of New Hampshire, Maine and western Massachusetts. In Vermont, there could be between 3 and 7…
Unraveling the myth of the American West
When he turned 17, Richmond headed to the United States, where he spent three months hitchhiking his way through the Western states. “I just wanted to see things like I’d…
Migration From Cuba Surges Amid Rumors Of End To ‘Wet Foot, Dry Foot’ Policy
The number of Cubans attempting to cross the 90-mile stretch of water separating the island from the United States has risen sharply following the two governments’ agreement to resume normal…
Peak-bagging for couch potatoes
This story is about humbler summitssome of them aren’t even hillsthat beckon hikers in largely flat, low-lying parts of the country. They have modest names like Charles Mound and Hoosier…
States where taxes hit the poor hardest
“No-income-tax states like Washington, Texas and Florida do, in fact, have average-to-low taxes overall. However, they are far from ‘low-tax’ for poor families,” the report notes. In Illinois, there is…
Iran’s Nuclear Capabilities Fast Facts
Timeline:1957 – The United States signs a civil nuclear cooperation agreement with Iran. 1958 – Iran joins the International Atomic Energy Agency. 1967 – The Tehran Nuclear Research Center, which…
New Obama rules aim to slash methane emissions
The rule will call for between 40% and 45% reduction of methane emissions from the oil and gas industry by 2025. Methane accounts for 10% of the United States’ total…
Vietnam vet loses clemency appeal in death penalty case
Brannan’s attorneys had hoped his sentence would be found unconstitutional. His defense attorneys claim Brannan, who served in Vietnam in the early 1970s, was suffering from post-traumatic stress and bipolar…
Vietnam vet hopes to be spared looming death penalty because of PTSD
In a petition filed Monday with the Butts County Superior County, Brannan’s attorneys are requesting the Brannan’s life be spared because it violates the U.S. Constitution. The appeal states that…
Mad Cow Disease Fast Facts
The official name of mad cow disease is bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). BSE lesions are characterized by sponge-like changes seen under an ordinary microscope. Eating contaminated meat or other products…
Can Obama’s community college plan get through Congress?
His plan is to partner with states and fund the first two years of community college for Americans “willing to work for it.” The White House will work to push…
U.S. slaps new sanctions on North Korea after Sony hack
The White House said a new executive order targets leaders in North Korea’s government, preventing them from accessing property and entering the United States. The isolated nuclear regime, which has…
West Nile Virus Fast Facts
Those who become ill may develop West Nile encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain. There is no vaccine or specific treatment for West Nile virus. According to the CDC, only…
Christmas Fast Facts
Christmas is celebrated on January 7 in some Eastern Orthodox countries, such as Russia. The real date of Jesus’ birth is not known. – The United States Post Office is…