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In a tight race, former U.S. senator Rick Santorum and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney are battling for each vote in the days leading up to Michigan’s February 28th Republican primary election. Although Michigan is the state in which Mitt Romney was born, he is having difficulty winning the support of social conservative voters rallying behind Rick Santorum.2
Women's access to birth control pills has emerged as a hotly-debated topic on Capitol Hill and in the 2012 U.S. presidential campaign. The Obama administration fueled the debate by proposing that all employers -- including religious institutions such as hospitals and universities, but not churches -- be required to offer health insurance plans to their employees that include free contraception.3
Academy Award-winning American actor George Clooney was arrested in Washington Friday during a protest over the humanitarian crisis in Sudan.4
African ministers say water is vital to improving health and economic development on the continent. Africa placed high on the agenda at the 6th World Water Forum in Marseille, France, March 12-17.5
Reuben Kyama | Nairobi, Kenya6
More than a dozen sanctuaries across Africa shelter chimpanzees rescued from poaching, war, and other traumatic situations. Major efforts are being made to protect the endangered species.7
Americans like to give names to generations. We call those who lived through World War II, the "Greatest Generation;" those who came of age reading the beatnik poets of the 1950s, the "Beat Generation;" those for whom the reckless investors in the 1970s were role models, the "Me Generation;" and those who grew up disaffected and cynical at the end of the 20th Century, "Generation X."8
In the wake of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant disaster in Japan a year ago, experts have been questioning whether nuclear power can be developed economically and managed safely in the face of unpredictable natural events.9
It took more than one year and a high-profile court case to see the release of Country star Tim McGraw's new album, "Emotional Traffic."10
U.S officials say an agreement to resume international talks on Iran's nuclear program is meant to prevent Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon and head-off what might then become a regional arms race.11
When Catherine Wyatt-Morley tested positive for HIV, she was told she had six years to live.12
The U.S. Federal Reserve is staying the course on monetary policy, taking no action and leaving interest rates at historically low levels. This, despite a steady improvement in economic conditions in the U.S. and around the world.13
In an unlikely alliance, egg producers are teaming up with animal rights activists to back a plan requiring larger cages on chicken farms.14
On February 28, voters in Michigan took part in a crucial Republican Presidential election primary. But the many Arab-Americans who live in that state are unhappy with their place in the American political process. The immigrant community, which once identified closely with the Republican Party, is now leaving it in large numbers, less willing to vote for a party they say has abandoned them.15
This week’s attack on the Vatican website comes on the heels of U.S. federal indictments against an international group of alleged computer hackers affiliated with a shadowy group known as Anonymous.16
A grown man who still lives in his mother's basement and his married older brother help each other through difficult times in the new comedy from the filmmaking Duplass brothers. Here's a look at Jeff, Who Lives At Home.17
Seattle-based glass artist Ginny Ruffner was at the peak of her career when a car accident almost took her life.18
Development funding was a major topic at the BRICS Summit in New Delhi. Leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa moved a step closer to forming their own development bank. However, they did not indicate they wanted to replace the work being done by the World Bank.19
Brazil, Russia, India and China have become powerful engines of global economic growth over the past decade. The economist who first named these diverse emerging economies the "BRIC" nations, says their growth will continue, and may spread to some other emerging economies.20
Guitarists Paul Brown and Peter White are smooth jazz giants, each having played alongside some of today's best and brightest stars. Their latest solo offerings, feature some familiar names from the past.21
The proposed sale of an ancient Cambodian statue at Soethby’s auction house in New York has raised new questions about the legality of selling looted ancient artwork. ’s Daniel Schearf visited the statue’s original location in Koh Ker and spoke to residents about the loss of their antiquities.22
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is battling what is believed to be an aggressive cancer, but he has vowed to continue running for a third term in office. The election is set for October 7. Chavez has endured two surgeries since being diagnosed last year and traveled to Cuba again last week for a series of radiation treatments.23
The centennial celebration of Washington’s cherry trees is in full bloom this week with Cherry Blossom Festival events well underway.24
China's National People's Congress opens its annual legislative session in Beijing Monday, which is also the same day Mao designated "Lei Feng Day," to honor an an orphaned soldier and altruistic hero who died 50 years ago.25
China is waging a diplomatic offensive to mend ties with Arab countries, especially those that were angered by its veto of a United Nations resolution condemning the violence in Syria.26
As China's National People's Congress holds its annual deliberations on new government policies, there is intense focus on the country’s quickening urbanization. Artist He Chongyue turns his camera in the opposite direction - away from the cities to villages - to document how issues like old age and poverty are ravaging the Chinese countryside.27
A court hearing into Apple Inc.'s trademark battle with Chinese tech company Proview Electronics concluded Wednesday in the Chinese province of Guangdong. Proview insists it holds the rights to the iPad name in China, even though Apple claims it purchased ownership of the trademark in 2010. The copyright battle comes at a crucial time for Apple.28
The Tuareg rebellion in northern Mali has pushed tens of thousands of people across the border into Niger. The refugee crisis has intensified a looming food crisis in the region.29
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu comes to Washington next week to discuss his country’s heightened concern over Iran’s nuclear program. Israeli officials have warned of a possible preemptive strike on Iranian nuclear facilities, but the U.S. is trying to dissuade Israel from such action. An attack would present formidable obstacles for Israel and might only bring a temporary halt to Iranian weapons-related nuclear activity.30
Cowboy Culture Takes Over America's Fourth-Largest City31
Russians again elected Vladimir Putin president on Sunday. But his third term as president promises to be very different than his first two. Russia's rapidly expanding Internet is piercing the Putin image as a 21st century czar.32
Washington, D.C., is always a popular tourist destination, but it's even more attractive this time of year. Literally. The spring Cherry-Blossom Festival is in full swing, and nature has cooperated. A profusion of pretty, pink blossoms rings the Tidal Basin of the Potomac River.33
Rising oil prices are having an impact on the world economy and, by driving up gasoline prices, becoming an issue in the U.S. presidential election campaign. Tensions in the Middle East, turmoil in Africa and rapidly rising demand in China are driving oil prices higher. But experts see many positive developments in the world energy sector.34
Despite Ups and Downs, US Economy on Track to Recovery35
As the world population rises, the demand for meat, eggs and airy products is soaring in developing countries. The Worldwatch Institute warns that without safeguards the demand could strain the environment and pose public health risks.36
Some 21st century technology has come to the aid of 2000-year-old religious dietary laws. Orthodox Jewish rabbis in New York recently called in DNA experts to help them answer an unusual question: are worms found in a sardine can kosher? Let's say one day you're opening up a can of sardines and you come across a worm. It is not as unusual as you might think.37
A panel of leading economists at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace says whoever wins the 2012 election has his work cut out. Whether President Barack Obama wins a second term or Americans decide change is necessary, the economists say the next administration faces an uphill challenge. Among them are persistently high unemployment, a surging national debt and the inability of political leaders to agree on very much.38
Washington, D.C., is full of grand tributes to U.S. presidents who are judged to have made remarkable contributions to the nation and the world.39
U.S. car company General Motors has made some tough business decisions regarding its electric-powered Chevrolet Volt. Some analysts are wondering what this means for the future of electric cars in America.40
Emergency aid is being sent this week to about one thousand people – mostly children – stranded in a remote area of Chad. The International Organization for Migration says the Chadians fled violence in neighboring Nigeria between government forces and the militant group Boko Haram.41
Joe DeCapua42
When you think of the American suburbs, what comes to mind?43
First Lady Michelle Obama has spent the past three years campaigning against childhood obesity and encouraging increased physical activity for children. This week, she got some help from the wife of the British Prime Minister, at a children’s event keyed to the upcoming 2012 summer Olympics.44
The former president of Somalia's Transitional Federal Government has died at a hospital in the United Arab Emirates at the age of 77 following a long battle with liver disease. Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, a former warlord, was elected president in 2004, but had few friends left in Somalia by the time he resigned four years later.45
Sixty scientists worked over five years to sequence the genome of a single female lowland gorilla, the study published in Nature, confirms that humans and chimps separated from a common ancestor six million years ago, while gorillas split off from that common ancestor four million years before that.46
As donor countries tighten budgets to reduce debt, organizations like the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria are feeling the effects. The fund announced last November it would not make any new grants until 2014. A recent meeting in Washington brought together U.S. and fund officials, NGOs and big business to discuss the fund's future.47
Singer and guitarist Heston Francis, known simply as Heston to his fans, brings a touch of the Caribbean to his latest album, Warm Human, Cold World.48
Demand for water is growing along with population, especially as the demand for food increases.49
Mary Ellen Taylor sells her produce at weekend farmers markets near Washington, D.C. The heads of lettuce, still attached to their roots, are popular and she has many repeat customers.50
In its first verdict since it was set up 10 years ago, the International Criminal Court in The Hague has found Thomas Lubanga guilty of recruiting child soldiers during the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo.51
There is an old saying that money is the lifeblood of politics. But in this year's U.S. presidential election the body politic appears to be drowning in money thanks to the influence of independent fundraising groups known as Super PACs (political action committees that are aligned with specific presidential candidates). In addition to the various campaigns, the Super PACs have independently raised tens of millions of dollars and are having an impact on the 2012 race for the Republican Party's presidential nomination.52
President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are to meet in Washington next week, amid global concerns about Iran's nuclear program and possible pre-emptive action by Israel.53
Footnote, a film by Israeli director Joseph Cedar, deals with the rivalry between two Talmudic scholars. One is withdrawn and has spent his whole life analyzing obscure details in the ancient texts. The other is an extrovert. He sees the texts as windows into the periods when they were written. They are father and son and their tenuous relationship threatens to derail when one is awarded the most prestigious national prize.54
It has been nearly a year since the huge tsunami hit northern Japan, killing tens of thousands of people and destroying entire settlements. Many survivors are struggling through the winter in shelters or temporary housing. In the town of Ofunato reconstruction efforts well underway. But there is wide uncertainty among the survivors about the future of their hometowns.55
Kenyan authorities are hunting a British woman suspected of supporting terrorists on two continents. The search is getting new attention after British media linked her to the 2005 London subway bombings.56
U.S.-led coalition forces are racing against the clock to train a new local police force in one vital Afghan town. But it is not easy convincing eligible men to enlist.57
Cambodia has never won an Olympic medal, but at this year's games in London, the country will try to break the streak with some Korean help.58
The Hunger Games novels by author Suzanne Collins are international best-sellers, and now the first film based on that trilogyis poised to become a worldwide hit, propelling lead actress Jennifer Lawrence to superstardom.59
This Wednesday is a very special day for some people around the world. They were born on February 29, Leap Day - the extra day in February that only comes around every four years. Our reporter spoke with some of them about what it's like to be a leap day baby.60
Houston's annual Livestock Show and Rodeo features big name entertainers, rodeo contests, livestock auctions and a carnival, among other offerings, but it also helps educate an urban public about farm and ranch life and agriculture in general. Animals are the stars of this show.61
A new report says land acquisitions in Africa, Southeast Asia and Latin America have sharply increased since the 2007/2008 food crisis. Some fear the investments by foreign countries and private corporations could lead to regional tensions over water rights.62
An American entrepreneur says there is a link between conservation and human rights. Gregory Carr says that's why he pledged $40 million to rebuild Mozambique's Gorongosa National Park..63
Apple's New iPad went on sale Friday. While the improvements are not revolutionary, technology experts say the upgraded device is poised to become another hot seller. Consumers around the world waited in line for hours to be among the first to own Apple's newest tablet computer. Not everyone is impressed, however, with the way Apple does business.64
Millions of Americans return from long-distance trips by air, but their luggage doesn't always come home with them.65
Almost two years ago an explosion on an offshore drilling rig killed 11 men and sent 4.9 million barrels of oil gushing into the Gulf of Mexico. The result was the worst environmental disaster in United States history. Of all the local businesses affected by the spill, Louisiana's once-flourishing oyster industry is probably in the worst condition. Oysters are still scarce and consumers are still afraid to eat them.66
Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney won the crucial battleground state of Ohio, the major prize on the so-called “Super Tuesday” of the Republican Presidential Primary campaign.67
The Lord's Resistance Army is stepping up attacks in Central Africa, displacing thousands of people. The U.N. refugee agency, UNHCR, says LRA attacks have been on the rise since January in both the Democratic Republic of Congo and Central African Republic.68
The new film by Swedish director Lasse Hallstrom stars Ewan McGregor as a British fisheries expert who signs on to an unusual project in a Middle East desert. Here's a look at Salmon Fishing in the Yemen.69
It's said that one person's trash is another's treasure. That is certainly true for Debby and Joel Arem. Twenty years ago, the couple started creating jewelry and office products from recycled computer circuit boards. Today, they have a full line of "green" products.70
Maryland has become the eighth U.S. state to legalize same-sex marriage. But opponents of the new law are vowing to get it overturned by bringing the measure to a referendum and letting the voters decide in November. Maryland is not the only place where same-sex marriage laws are being challenged.71
Ted Landphair72
Muddy Waters or Mud Morganfield? It's almost impossible to tell. Of course, nothing would please Mud more than hearing people say he sounds just like his late father "Muddy Waters" on the track "Loco Motor" from his new album Son Of The Seventh Son.73
A medical aid group says the spread of multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis is much greater than previously thought. Doctors Without Borders calls the situation alarming. MDR-TB is a form of tuberculosis that does not respond to standard treatment and can kill in a matter of months.74
In July, the world's largest AIDS conference will be held in Washington, D.C. About 20 thousand delegates from 200 countries and more than two thousand journalists are expected to attend AIDS 2012. This will be the first time the event has been held in the United States since 1990. In the lead-up to the conference, the director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has given an update on the epidemic at home and abroad.75
North Korea has agreed to temporarily suspend nuclear tests, long-range ballistic missile launches and other nuclear activities, including enrichment of uranium. U.S. and North Korean officials announced the surprise breakthrough after talks in Beijing.76
New guidelines have been released to help HIV infected people get on treatment and stay on it. The recommendations appear in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The 37 guidelines were developed by a panel of experts at the International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care or IAPAC.77
As the world marks International Women's Day, one organization is giving women in Afghanistan a safe place where they can connect to the world. 's Afghan Service on Thursday was at the opening of the first-ever, women-only Internet cafe in the Afghan capital.78
A new report says African agriculture can contribute to sustained global economic growth. But it says there must first be greater investment in farming, markets and social development.79
A global alliance of public and private health experts is marking this year's World TB Day March 24 by launching human clinical trials of a new anti-tuberculosis drug regimen in South Africa, Tanzania, and Brazil. Senior government officials in the United States have welcomed the trial, which promises to help control a disease that is becoming increasingly resistant to existing treatments.80
President Obama has nominated Dartmouth College President Jim Yong Kim to be the next World Bank president. Since 1944, an American citizen has always led the institution. But with the growing strength of emerging economies, more countries want to influence how the World Bank does business.81
A development organization says the 21st Century has brought an increase in urban disasters. It's calling for a new approach to relief efforts as the world's urban centers continue to grow.82
Shiek Aminu Daurawa is commander at Kano State Hisba board, which enforces Islamic law in the state. His organization works with the group called the Voice of Widows, Divorcees and Orphans of Nigeria, or VOWAN to find potential husbands.83
Figures released March 9 show the United States' jobless rate held steady at 8.3 percent last month. The nation added more than 200,000 jobs in February, and recent economic growth has encouraged many people who had given up on seeking work to return to the job market. In New York City many job seekers are finding a new source of help, public libraries.84
President Barack Obama said Tuesday that unilateral military action by the United States against the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad would be a mistake. He made the comments Obama’s first news conference of the year also addressed Iran, Afghanistan, immigration and the U.S. economy.85
Next week, the U.S. Supreme Court hears arguments on legal challenges to President Obama’s signature health care reform law. The court’s ruling, expected in June, will be of immense importance to Americans and a president seeking re-election in November.86
President Obama is preparing for the second Nuclear Security Summit next Tuesday in Seoul. The president and other world leaders hope to better secure stocks of nuclear weapons and make nuclear energy safer.87
President Barack Obama says he believes there is still time to achieve a peaceful solution to the Iran nuclear issue, but that Iran's leaders need to make a decision to forsake pursuit of nuclear weapons. Mr. Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed Iran, troubled Israel-Palestinian peace efforts, and the Arab Spring during a meeting at the White House.88
The Occupy Wall Street movement is once again seeking a physical presence in New York City, following its dispersal by police from a lower Manhattan park in November. Our correspondent reports the attempt renews tensions between protesters and law enforcement.89
Occupy Movement Turns Anger Towards Individual Corporations90
Hundreds of orchids from around the world are now on display at the U.S. Botanic Garden in the nation's capital. This year's orchid exhibit is dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Japan's gift of cherry trees to Washington DC.91
Owners Can't Overstay Welcome at Trendy Condo Hotels92
Mexican artist Frida Kahlo is known for her colorful self-portraits.93
Pope Benedict XVI concluded his first official visit to Cuba after meeting with former President Fidel Castro and holding a mass before a multitude gathered in Havana's Revolution Plaza. During his trip, which included a stop in Mexico, the pope called on Cuba's government to reconsider Marxism and urged the people to embrace the faith of their elders.94
Davy Jones, lead singer of the made-for-TV band The Monkees and first crush of millions of girls worldwide, died of a heart attack in Florida Wednesday. He was 66 years old.95
Earl Scruggs, whose distinctive style of bluegrass banjo picking influenced countless players and helped to shape the sound of modern country music, died in a Nashville hospital Wednesday, March 28. He was 88 years old.96
Experts say Africa needs agricultural market reforms if it's going to overcome food shortages and high prices. A new report outlines what it calls high payoff, low-cost solutions.97
A humanitarian group says if women farmers had the same rights as men much more could be done to reduce world hunger. Bread for the World says equal access to agricultural resources would help ensure food security and boost economic growth.98
Researchers say a drug commonly used to treat malaria and rheumatoid arthritis has also proved effective in treating some aggressive cancers. When scientists administered hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malarial drug, together with known cancer drugs, they found it stopped the growth of cancerous tumors in two-thirds of the patients.99
World Water Day is being marked in Kenya by events and awareness campaigns across the country, but in many Nairobi slums, today’s focus on water is the same as yesterday's -- and every other day's.100
Years of conflict and political struggle have caused massive human and animal migrations in the Middle East and North Africa. Now a new study blames these upheavals for the spread or re-emergence of a variety of tropical diseases - some previously eliminated or controlled - affecting an estimated 65 million people.101
Global airfares are on the rise just as many travelers are set to begin their Easter and seasonal vacations. The higher cost for an airline ticket is being blamed on rising crude oil and jet fuel prices.102
Romney Leads Republican Race as Long Battle Looms103
Republican presidential candidates are campaigning in the midwest state of Illinois ahead of the March 20th primary election. Republicans have been holding a series of contests to choose a nominee to face President Barack Obama, a Democrat, in the November presidential election. While the biggest city in Illinois - Chicago - accounts for a large bloc of voters, people in the rural and more conservative parts of the state could play a major role in determining who wins the Republican primary. The economy and government spending are the biggest issues on the minds of voters as they head to the polls.104
Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney took another step toward clinching the Republican Party's presidential nomination Tuesday with a convincing win in the Illinois primary. Romney defeated his main rival, former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum, by a 12 point margin and padded his lead in the all-important delegate count in his quest to be the Republican nominee.105
Rotavirus is the most common cause of severe diarrhea in babies worldwide. The pathogen kills more than 500,000 children each year, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. A vaccine against rotavirus was in wide use until it was pulled from the market a few years ago because of safety concerns. A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association examines the safety and effectiveness of another rotavirus vaccine now being used.106
As people around the world observe International Women’s Day on March 8th, public health officials are calling on policy makers and global donors to empower rural women by supporting health and wellness programs. Officials say prime targets for these investments should be the treatment of tropical infections and improving women's access to reproductive health services.107
Russians are choosing a president for the fifth time since the collapse of the Soviet Union, 20 years ago. Opinion polls indicate Vladimir Putin is considered the leading candidate for a job that could keep him in the Kremlin through 2018.108
In recent months there have been eye-catching campaigns by women's groups in Saudi Arabia over issues such as the right to drive. And there have now been some minor changes in the women's employment picture. But that does not necessarily indicate the first stirrings of a Saudi "Arab Spring."109
The U.S. is helping to save an elusive and endangered species of gorilla in West Africa. The Fish and Wildlife Service and the Wildlife Conservation Society have developed a five-year plan to ensure the survival of the primate.110
A medical aid group says every day about one thousand women worldwide die in childbirth or from complications related to pregnancy. Doctors Without Borders says most of those deaths can be prevented. It's released a new report on the problem to coincide with International Women's Day, March 8.111
Two scientists in Scotland have developed a pocket-sized device to check whether whiskey is fake, using equipment originally developed to examine blood samples. They hope the techniques won’t just help the whisky industry clamp down on fakes which cost it hundreds of millions of dollars a year - but will also save lives.112
Mind-altering compounds, such as LSD and psilocybin, stirred controversy in the 1960s. As the counter-culture's psychedelic drugs of choice, the widespread use - and abuse - of hallucinogens prompted tougher anti-drug laws.113
Despite the large role women play in agriculture in the developing world, experts say they continue to face discrimination, gender inequality and a lack of access to credit. A global partnership is campaigning to secure rights for women farmers.114
Voters in Senegal go to the polls on Sunday, despite ongoing opposition protests against the candidacy of President Abdoulaye Wade. The normally-stable West African nation is experiencing unprecedented turmoil over the 85-year-old president's refusal to set aside his controversial bid for a third term.115
Protest rallies and marches continue across the United States with calls for legal action in the shooting death of an unarmed African American teenager by a white, Hispanic neighborhood watch volunteer a month ago. Police did not arrest the shooter or charge him with a crime. The U.S. Justice Department is investigating possible hate crime charges in connection with the shooting and a state grand jury plans to meet April 10 to consider all the evidence in the case.116
A Thai software company says it has developed a smartphone application aimed at overcoming language barriers among businesspeople in Asia.117
2012 is a presidential election year in the United States, and so far, much of the focus has been on the lengthy and divisive race for the Republican Party nomination between former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney and former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum. But President Obama has plenty of challenges of his own as he prepares for a re-election contest in November.118
The Dadaab refugee camp has been home to refugees fleeing conflict and famine in Somalia for more than 20 years. But a recent string of attacks in the area has left many feeling just as insecure as in the home they left. Our reporter visited the camp in Kenya.119
When it comes to singing jazzy love songs, Steve Tyrell is at the top of his game. On his latest ode to love, I’ll Take Romance.120
The case against a U.S. soldier who is accused of killing 17 civilians in Afghanistan has focused attention on the mental health problems some soldiers experience after years of combat. War veterans with a condition known as post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, were twice as likely to be on high-risk drugs as those with no mental health issues.121
A Sudanese artist from the restive Blue Nile region is using art and activism to promote the plight of people caught between borders and conflict.122
A movie version of Suzanne Collins' popular series of novels, "The Hunger Games," opens in U.S. theaters this month. It is expected to provide an even bigger boost to what has become one of the most lucrative segments of the publishing market: Young Adult Fiction. While book sales overall have dropped by five per cent, sales of these novels - many of which feature romance with a supernatural twist - have gone up more than 80 per cent.123
Although fighting ended in Liberia in 2003, the country remains on a long road to recovery from civil war. Poverty, a lack of development and little health care are among the challenges facing the government. But a group of volunteer surgeons has visited this week Liberia to provide services rarely seen in that country.124
Residents and business owners along a new subway line in New York - which has been under construction since 2007 - say the ongoing project is making their lives miserable and costing them money.125
Syrians of all ages are trying to flee their country to escape the violence there.126
Syrian government forces shelled at least four neighborhoods of Homs Saturday, as the International Red Cross appealed to Syrian authorities to allow aid workers to enter embattled city's devastated Bab Amr district.127
With the violence in Syria showing little sign of ending, Syrian nationals visiting the U.S. are worried about having to return to Syria once their American visas run out. The Obama Administration is considering a special protection status for Syrian nationals that would allow them to remain in the U.S. - until it’s safe for them to return home.128
The Syrian National Council says its decision to form a military council and unify the opposition will help get weapons from outside sources. The U.S. says all options on the table in Syria, but has not commented on whether to arm the opposition.129
In our interconnected world, global languages like English, Spanish and Chinese are increasingly dominant.130
A new production has opened at the Houston Grand Opera in Texas that tells the story of an Iranian exile family. The opera, called The Bricklayer, is based on a short story by Houston-based Iranian-American writer Farnoosh Moshiri, who also wrote the libretto for the work. The story is one that reflects the experience of many people forced into exile, from Iran and elsewhere.131
The Democratic and the Republican Parties are not the only political entities in the United States. But these two parties are the ones the overwhelming majority of Americans identify with and cast ballots for.132
You probably like at least some sort of music. Tunes that you pick out.133
A leading civil rights organization in the United States is urging African-Americans to vote in November's presidential election - as a means of countering state laws the group says threaten gains that blacks and other minorities have made over the years.134
One year after the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan, U.S. energy experts are drawing critical lessons from that country's ordeal, especially since the Pacific coast of the United States and Canada is prone to the same kind of earthquake.135
Philip Graitcer | Darien, Georgia136
A spike in gasoline prices has U.S. motorists angry and economists worried about damage to the nation’s fragile economic recovery. Petroleum price volatility also is providing ample political fodder in an election year.137
The U.S. military has filed murder charges against Army Staff Sergeant Robert Bales in connection to the killings of 17 Afghan villagers, including nine children.138
All but the tiniest of roads have to have names so they can be located on a map, and so people can ask directions to them. Bridges less so, but Americans name a lot of them, too.139
On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court will take up a case that will have a lasting effect on American laws and virtually every American's access to health care. For three days, the justices will hear arguments regarding the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act - a medical insurance overhaul that the U.S. Congress passed two years ago.140
The United States wants Iraq to stop Iran from using Iraqi airspace to ship weapons to Syria.141
Despite tensions between Washington and Islamabad, Pakistan remains a major recipient of U.S. foreign aid, including efforts to boost the earning power of women. One such program is helping thousands of embroiderers market their garments and manage their businesses. A mother of seven has quadrupled her monthly income since taking part in the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Entrepreneurs Project.142
In the futuristic drama, The Hunger Games, based on Suzanne Collins' best-selling young adult novels, filmmaker Gary Ross offers up an exciting, fast-paced movie without sacrificing the weightier aspects of the story.143
Who should take over as World Bank president is being debated by government officials, economists and development experts. Some say it is time to end the custom of always picking an American to lead the global lender intended to help developing nations. Some people are literally betting on continued U.S. dominance of the World Bank.144
The U.S. Defense Department recently announced it intends to open 14,000 more military job opportunities to women. But in an environment that has traditionally been male-dominated, what incentives could make more women want to join the military?145
The process of selecting the next head of the World Bank is taking some unusual twists and turns, but may end up following the tradition of putting an American in charge.146
The World Bank says significantly better HIV prevention efforts are needed in Africa. It says a slow global economy and uncertain donor aid make preventing new infections a necessity.