Month: March 2011 Page 3 of 5

Here is your R&D for March 15th:

Tokyo Shares End Day Down 11% from the Wall Street Journal
The Nikkei Stock Average plunged 11% today after new explosions at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power complex.  The market has been plagued by panic selling since Japan was rocked with an earthquake and tsunami last Friday.

North Kosovo: Dual Sovereignty in Practice from the International Crisis Group
This International Crisis Group report discusses the situation in the disputed state of Kosovo, where Serbs in the northern part of the country refuses to be part of Kosovar policy.  Extempers should make sure to print the full report, as well as the summary, from this site.

N.R.A. Declines to Meet With Obama on Gun Policy from the New York Times
President Obama is seeking to draft new gun laws, but the National Rifle Association has refused the President’s invitation to meet with gun control supporters.  The NRA’s actions may doom legislation because of its clout with both parties in Washington.

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Here is your R&D for March 14th:

‘She’s becoming Al Sharpton, Alaska edition’ from Politico
Conservative intellectuals are bashing Sarah Palin for representing a brand of identity politics that the Republican Party has long detested and some, like George Will, warn that if her presidential bid succeeds it will destroy the intellectual basis of the conservative movement.

Obama:  Rewrite No child law before next school year from the Washington Post
President Obama has called for Congress to rewrite the No Child Left Behind law before the fall, but it’s unclear whether Congress will satisfy the request.  A new education debate could open the door to controversial subjects like merit pay, charter schools, and equity of educational facilities.

Japan battles to stop nuclear catastrophe from the Financial Times
Japan is trying to ward off a nuclear catastrophe as the country is struggling to cool several of its nuclear reactors.  International assistance has been provided by private and public sources in an effort to avert major problems from the reactor failures.

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Here is your R&D for March 11th:

Gaddafi takes key towns as Nato squabbles over Libya action from the Guardian
Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi’s forces are reclaiming territory from rebel groups as NATO is divided over imposing a no fly zone.  The United States and Germany are not in favor of the move, while France and Great Britain are proponents of it.

Planned day of protests key test for Saudi Arabia from Reuters
Today is the day protesters are planning to launch a “day of rage” in Saudi Arabia.  Oil markets and international observers will be carefully watching the protests to see how the Saudi monarchy reacts and if they create instability in the country similar to what Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen, and Libya have experienced.

Amazon Takes Action in Illinois as War on Sales Taxes Continues from the Wall Street Journal
Illinois Governor Pat Quinn continues to make headlines as he signed a law requiring online retailers that work with affiliates in the state to collect sales taxes from Illinois residents.  Amazon.com has cut ties to its 9,000 Illinois affiliates in response.

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Here is your R&D for March 10th:

Several states consider union limits from Reuters
After Wisconsin’s Senate found a way around a Democratic boycott of the state legislature yesterday, their efforts are being mirrored by other states as they attempt to reduce or eliminate the collective bargaining rights of public employees.

Dalai Lama set to resign. What role will he play then? from the Christian Science Monitor
The Dalai Lama announced today that he will no longer be the leader of the Tibetan exile movement.  This article discusses what the Dalai Lama will do in the future and how his departure will impact the movement.

Emotions run high at hearing on US Muslims from the Agence France Presse
Republican Peter King’s controversial hearings on homegrown Islamic terrorism began today in the House.  King alleges that Muslim leaders are not doing enough to stop homegrown terrorism, while opponents of the hearings allege that it is creating an atmosphere of Islamophobia in the United States.

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Here is your R&D for March 9th:

Quinn expected to sign death penalty ban from the Chicago Tribune
Illinois Governor Pat Quinn is expected to sign legislation today that would ban the death penalty.  The decision would impact fifteen Illinois inmates that are currently sitting on death row.

Cuban state layoffs move slowly, workers uneasy from Reuters
The Cuban government is seeking to lay off 500,000 state employees, but it is slow going as the government is trying to provide alternative avenues of employment and deal with worker anger.

Lack of GOP Front-Runner for 2012 Is Atypical from Gallup
Gallup polling indicates that the Republican presidential primary in 2012 is wide open, which is unusual because there is usually a clear front runner for the nomination.  Only two candidates, John McCain and Barry Goldwater, emerged late to win the nomination, and both of those candidates were slaughtered in the general election by their Democratic opponents.

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