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Geopolitics

World Leaders React To U.S. School Shooting

PARIS – World leaders expressed their shock and condolences to U.S. President Barack Obama and the victims of Friday’s mass school shooting in Connecticut that left 27 people dead, including 20 children… AUSTRALIAPrime Minister Julia Gillard: “We share America’s shock at this senseless and incomprehensible act of evil.” U.K.Prime Minister David Cameron: “I was shocked […]

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Eyes on the U.S.

After Connecticut School Massacre, A Town And Nation Search For Answers

NEWTOWN (Reuters) – Residents of the small Connecticut community of Newtown were reeling on Saturday from one of the worst mass shootings in U.S. history, as police sought answers about what drove a 20-year-old gunman to slaughter 20 children at an elementary school. The attacker, identified by law enforcement sources as Adam Lanza, who once […]

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Eyes on the U.S.

At Least 28 Dead At Elementary School In One Of Worst Massacres In U.S. History

Twenty of the victims are reportedly children. The gunman, a son of a kindergarten teacher at the school, killed himself.

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Society

“The Hobbit” Review – Heavy-Handed Peter Jackson Trades In Faux Virtuosity

-Film Review- PARIS – Since December 2001, movie fans all over the world have been divided into two categories. On one side, you have the Peter Jackson fans – the “chosen ones,” possessed by an unwavering and somewhat disturbing faith, and on the other side, you have the heretics, pagans and other trolls of the […]

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Future

Starry, Starry Night: Watch Geminid Meteor Shower’s Crazy Celestial Show

LA STAMPA (Italy), BBC (U.K), NASA, CHRISTIAN POST, LATIN TIMES (U.S.A.) Worldcrunch HUNTSVILLE– Every year around this time in December the real Christmas lights, aka the Geminid meteors, come out to light up the night sky. The BBC explains that the celestial shower occurs as the Earth passes through the path of an asteroid called […]

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Society

Paul McCartney To Join Nirvana Reunion Show – We Have The Setlist!

Worldcrunch NEW YORK – Former Beatle Paul McCartney will perform with Nirvana’s Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic at 12.12.12 benefit gig for Superstorm Sandy. Here is an imaginary mashup setlist of the songs they might play tonight in New York: 1- Smells Like The Walrus 2- Come As Lady Madonna 3- Lucy In The Sky […]

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Geopolitics

“A Big Step” – Obama Recognizes Syrian Opposition

ABC NEWS, CNN (USA), BBC NEWS (UK), Worldcrunch WASHINGTON – US President Barack Obama has recognized the leading Syrian opposition coalition as the legitimate representative of the country’s people. “We’ve made a decision that the Syrian Opposition Coalition is now inclusive enough, is reflective and representative enough of the Syrian population that we consider them […]

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Economy

Hey Grandpa, You’re Rockin’ It On Facebook!

Seniors Demographic Reaches Social Media Tipping Point.

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Society

Washington State Joins World’s Stoner Havens: See Where Marijuana Is Legal

Worldcrunch SEATTLE – Possession of marijuana became legal Thursday in the U.S. state of Washington, a month after voters opted for decriminalization. Source:Facebook Anyone aged 21 and over is now allowed to carry up to 1oz (28.4g) of cannabis. Smoking cannabis in public will remain illegal. Though legal for medicinal purposes in other states, the […]

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Geopolitics

Obama’s Historic Error: The Irony Of A Nobel Laureate Opposing Palestinian UN Bid

-OP-ED- PARIS – Israel and Palestine, two states living side by side in fair and sustainable peace. This is, for any genuinely pro-democracy advocate – be they Jewish or Arab – the deeper meaning and the real political impact of the vote that took place Thursday at the United Nations General Assembly. Yet this upgrade […]

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Eyes on the U.S.

From Bismarck To Bill Clinton, History Helps See The *Real Petraeus Story

-OpEd- BERLIN – The resignation of David Petraeus as head of the CIA means that we can once again play that great political guessing game that measures the gap between what’s being said and the real reasons behind what’s happened. It is apparent yet again that moving out of public office is almost as difficult […]

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Geopolitics

How The Boom In American Fossil Fuels Could Reshape The Century

-Analysis- NEW YORK – Not long ago, China replaced the United States as the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases on the planet. And now the International Energy Agency (IEA) is predicting two things: the first is that the U.S. will be the world’s biggest oil producer in the next 10 years. The second is that […]

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Future

Republicans’ Mega Tech Disadvantage Could Sink Them Again In 2016

The Republican Party’s losses in last week’s election have brought about a moment of reckoning for conservatives, as GOP leaders, grassroots activists, and political strategists try to make sense of their defeat and figure out how the party can rebuild itself before the next election cycle. By most accounts, Republicans were stunned by the election […]

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Eyes on the U.S.

New Twist To Petraeus Scandal: Emails From Another Top US General To Florida Woman

THE WASHINGTON POST, LOS ANGELES TIMES (U.S.) Worldcrunch The Pentagon announced early Tuesday that the scandal surrounding departed CIA chief David Petraeus has apparently ensnared General John R. Allen, Petraeus’s successor as commander of U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan. According to the Washington Post, an anonymous senior defense official announced Tuesday that the FBI […]

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Eyes on the U.S.

The Obama Coalition: America’s Changing Economics, Ethnicity And Electoral Math

Barack Obama’s victory on Tuesday was very different than his win four years ago. In 2008, he won the White House with a powerful message of change; a fresh start for the nation. Charming a majority of Americans back then was a young, black senator, breaking both the political status quo, and longstanding racial barriers. […]

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Eyes on the U.S.

Obama Adds Florida, Turns Focus To Fiscal Cliff

THE MIAMI HERALD, WASHINGTON POST, REUTERS (U.S.) Worldcrunch WASHINGTON – Fresh from his election victory and emotional Thank You’s (see below), Barack Obama will turn back to the gritty business of trying to turn the U.S. economy around. The first order of business will be a Friday appearance to address the so-called “fiscal cliff,” a […]

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Eyes on the U.S.

It’s The Demographics, Stupid! Brazilian Eyes On Republican Woes

To say that the U.S. is more divided than ever has become a cliché. The country has been largely divided down the middle ever since Ronald Reagan’s runaway victories in the 1980 and 1984 elections, when the Republican candidate won respectively 44 and 49 out of the 50 U.S. states. What Americans call “a landslide” […]

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Eyes on the U.S.

Obama’s Miraculous Escape From Economic Brink To Election Victory

-Analysis- Barack Obama’s reelection to a second term in the White House is in spectacular contradiction to the trend in Western politics since the beginning of the current economic crisis. One after another, Western leaders have been dumped by voters who have made them pay for the effects of the crisis and the austerity measures […]

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Eyes on the U.S.

Obama Wins Historic Second Term With 300-Plus Electoral Votes

Worldcrunch Four more years. Barack Obama has been re-elected President of the United States, defeating Republican challenger Mitt Romney and defying odds for an incumbent candidate running in the face of persistent economic problems. Winning at least 303 electoral votes, he swept the battleground states of Colorado, Iowa, New Hampshire, Ohio, Wisconsin and Virginia Tuesday […]

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Eyes on the U.S.

So What If They Call It “Socialism” – A European Agenda For Obama’s Next Term

-Editorial- MUNICH – Obama’s victory is not a shining victory. The president stays president. But Americans did not re-elect Barack Obama because they thought his first four years were so grand and convincing. America’s voters were perfectly prepared to fire him – they just weren’t ready to vote Mitt Romney in to replace him. The […]

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Eyes on the U.S.

US Election, Around-The-World Edition: 15 Front Pages From Six Continents

EUROPE CORRIERE DELLA SERA (Italy) “Obama: Trust Me, Again. Romney: It’s Me Tomorrow” DIE WELT (Germany) “Two Men, Two Visions” LIBERATION (France): “Double or Nothing” ABC (Spain): “A Duel Until The End” ASIA/PACIFIC THE HINDU (India): “U.S. Presidency Poised On Razor’s Edge” MANILA STANDARD TODAY (Philippines): “Still Too Close To Call” THE AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL REVIEW […]

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Eyes on the U.S.

To The Presidential Victor Goes The Spoils: A Broken Washington

WASHINGTON D.C. – As the campaign draws to a close, the American people have been hit by a barrage of promises of a better, more civil future. The two candidates have vowed, even sworn, that they will work harder with the opposition. Mitt Romney mentioned it first in one of his advertisements and confirmed it […]

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Eyes on the U.S.

President As Enigma: The Seven Mysteries Of Barack Obama

PARIS – Naive or arrogant? Daring or cautious? Four years after he entered the White House, Obama remains an enigma. Naive or cunning?“I never saw someone so competitive. What is the only thing that Barack Obama hates more than losing? Losing twice,” confides Robert Gibbs, his former press advisor. But Obama wants to win fair […]

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Eyes on the U.S.

The Planet’s Eyes On U.S. Campaign: A Worldcrunch Special

PARIS – Happy Election Day, America! Happy American Election Day, World! Still undecided? Still hungry for poll numbers?? Still there??? Worldcrunch is here to help. In particular, with our news partners from around the world, we have kept a close eye on how non-Americans have been covering the U.S. campaign: from the Italian correspondent trying […]

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Eyes on the U.S.

The World Eyes Northern Ohio: Will Joe The Plumber’s Neighbors Decide The Election?

SPRINGFIELD – Whenever he has half an hour free, Joe goes into the yard of his little house to split logs. “It’s fun for me. It’s the only thing that really gets my mind off the election.” In the living room there is a pool table, a bearskin on the wall, and his tools. “I […]

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Eyes on the U.S.

When The Middle Class Decides: The Economics Of Obama vs. Romney

NEW YORK – In the focus groups he organizes to understand American voters, Democratic Party pollster Stan Greenberg says lately participants have actually broken down emotionally when answering questions about their lives. “Three-quarters of the population are struggling. Families are overwhelmed, salaries have decreased by 20% and health benefits are falling,” Greenberg, co-author of the […]

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Eyes on the U.S.

U.S. Election: Five Things To Know For Final Stretch Before Nov. 6

POLITICO, WASHINGTON POST, BUSINESS WEEK, NEW YORK TIMES (U.S.) Worldcrunch Sure, it may come down to a few undecided voters in some sleepy town in Ohio, but U.S. presidential elections are also by now very much global events. So as the world prepares to follow the final countdown to Tuesday’s showdown between President Barack Obama […]

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Eyes on the U.S.

America’s Third World City: Meet The Pioneers Reinventing Detroit

DETROIT – An old woman stands in front of a one-armed bandit with a half-lit cigarette between her lips. She takes tokens out of a bucket of popcorn and slides them endlessly into the same slot. You can tell she has been doing this for years. Further in, at the blackjack table, two young men […]

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Eyes on the U.S.

American Politics’ Fifty Shades Of Sexism

WASHINGTON – As Mitt Romney would say, it’s a particularly well-stuffed “binder full of women.” The 2012 vintage of candidates for public office is one of the best — at least in terms of quantity. More women are running for Congress this year than ever before. The newspapers are comparing it to the 1992 so-called […]

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Eyes on the U.S.

Less Than A Week From Vote, New Polls Show Obama-Romney Dead Heat

THE NEW YORK TIMES, THE WASHINGTON POST, CNN (U.S.) Worldcrunch With less than a week until election day, President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney remain in a virtual dead heat, according to latest poll figures. The latest Washington Post-ABC News tracking poll tips Romney with 49% and Obama at 48%. There has not been one […]

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Eyes on the U.S.

Superstorm Sandy By The Numbers, Five ‘Wow’ NYC Photos

CNN, NBC NEWS, NYT (USA), BBC (UK), INSTAGRAM Worldcrunch As superstorm Sandy continues to wreak its deadly destruction over the Northeast, here are the latest developments, by the numbers: • 16: number of reported deaths caused by the storm in the U.S. • 68: number of lives claimed outside the U.S., including 51 in Haiti […]

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Society

Pussy Riot? Lance? World Headlines Can Help With Halloween Costumes

Worldcrunch Wait a minute. Ok, so Sandy is on its way and the race for the White House is up for grabs, but the rest of us are fretting about our Halloween costumes. We global news types naturally look for inspiration from other events that have been happening around the world over the past few […]

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Eyes on the U.S.

Sandy Set To Clobber Eastern Seaboard

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE, WUNDERGROUND.COM, BALTIMORE SUN, STRATFORD PATCH (U.S.), INDEPENDENT (U.K.), STERN (Germany) Worldcrunch NEW YORK – As day breaks, Hurricane Sandy is bearing down on the east coast of the United States, with schools, stock exchanges, airports, subways and a presidential election on lockdown, as residents and rescue personnel brace for what may be […]

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Future

Hurricane Sandy Headed For New England After Killing 21 In Caribbean

LE NOUVELLISTE (Haiti), CNN, THE MIAMI HERALD (US) Worldcrunch Hurricane Sandy has torn across the Caribbean, leaving 21 people dead in its wake, and is expected to make landfall in New England early next week. Forecasters warned that the late-season storm could wreak havoc along America’s east coast, making landfall sometime before Halloween, provoking many […]

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Eyes on the U.S.

A Question From China For Obama And Romney: Why Are You Ignoring Asian-Americans?

-Essay- Chinese-Americans account for 1.5-2% of the population in the United States, while Asian-Americans taken altogether account for 6%. In comparison, Jews account for only about 2%, but the positions that the two ethnic groups occupy in the eyes of American politicians are not comparable. Rudolph Giuliani, the New York mayor, once rushed to the […]

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Society

Why The New York Times Could Get Swept Up In BBC Sex Scandal

NEW YORK TIMES (US), THE TELEGRAPH (UK), REUTERS Worldcrunch An unfolding sex abuse scandal at the BBC risks spilling over to another premier global news source across the Atlantic. The New York Times’ public editor, Margaret Sullivan, has questioned whether former BBC chief, Mark Thompson, who has been tapped to be the new Times CEO […]

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Society

Armstrong Stripped Of Tour De France Titles, Fall From Grace Complete

UCI (Switzerland), LE FIGARO (France) Worldcrunch GENEVA – The International Cycling Union (UCI) said it will recognize the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA)”s sanctions against Lance Armstrong, thus stripping the former champion of his seven Tour de France titles and banning him from cycling for life. International Cycling Union president Pat McQuaid revealed Monday that […]

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Eyes on the U.S.

Battle Of The Zingers – Obama And Romney Trade Jokes At Charity Dinner

WASHINGTON POST, LOS ANGELES TIMES (USA) Worldcrunch NEW YORK – President Barack Obama and Republican candidate Mitt Romney took a break from the presidential race on Thursday night to trade jokes and roast each other at charity dinner, reports the Washington Post. Every four years, the Alfred E. Smith Dinner, the Catholic Archdiocese of New […]

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Eyes on the U.S.

Obama Bounces Back In Second Presidential Debate

NEW YORK TIMES, CNN, CBS (U.S.) Worldcrunch After his dismal performance in the first debate, President Barack Obama rebounded Wednesday night with a feisty performance in his “town-hall” style face-to-face against Republican challenger Mitt Romney. Democrats appeared widely pleased with an Obama who appeared much more focused and forthright against Romney compared to his overly […]

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Eyes on the U.S.

Clinton: I’m Responsible For Benghazi. Will It Take Heat Off Obama?

CNN (U.S.), AFP (France) Worldcrunch Republican Senator John McCain has praised U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for taking responsibility for the security failure in Benghazi, Libya, last month that led to four American deaths. After Clinton’s statements in a CNN interview Monday night, AFP reports that McCain issued a joint statement with fellow Republican […]

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