Month: May 2011 Page 1 of 4

Here is your R&D for May 30th:

Greece set for severe bail-out conditions from the Financial Times
European leaders are currently negotiating a deal that would allow international involvement in tax collection and privatize state assets in exchange for a new set of loans for the Greek government.  Segments of the Greek population has not favored auserity measures taken so far by the sitting government.

Thaksin from a distance from the Economist
Former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who currently resides abroad, is hopeful that his party can win a plurality of seats in parliamentary elections this summer, but some observers believe that the sitting government may prevent elections from going forward.

U.S. Military Personnel, Veterans Give Obama Lower Marks from Gallup
A new Gallup poll shows that Americans serving in the military and veterans have a low opinion of President Obama.  Their views of the president tend to be lower than others in their age group.

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Here is your R&D for May 27th:

Supreme Court upholds Arizona illegal-worker law from the San Francisco Chronicle
The U.S. Supreme Court by a 5-3 margin upheld an Arizona “business death penalty” law that requires employers to check with E-Verify before hiring new workers.  The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and President Obama formed an unusual alliance in opposing the law before the Court.

Christians worry Egypt being hijacked by Islamists from Reuters
Egypt’s 80 million Christians joined the country’s majority Muslim population in calling for the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak earlier this year, but now they worry that Islamists may be taking over the government and reducing their rights.

Seoul gives Lagarde bid for IMF job a boost from the Financial Times
South Korea’s finance minister endorsed French finance minister Christine Lagarde for the the International Monetary Fund’s top job.  The BRIC nations have questioned Lagarde’s candidacy because of how a European has traditionally been in charge of the organization.

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Here is your R&D for May 26th:

Romney, Palin Lead Reduced GOP Field for 2012 from Gallup
As the GOP presidential primary field shrinks, Mitt Romney and Sarah Palin are at the front of the pack.  Romney leads with 17%, with Palin trailing by two points at 15%.  The other notable candidate is Herman Cain, who is not as well known as other challengers, but debuted with 8% support.

Corporate profits fall, jobless claims up from Reuters
Latest figures suggest that the economy recovery may be slowing, as corporate profits fell for the first time in more than two years in the first quarter of this year and the number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits rose last week.

Suspect in Shooting of Giffords Ruled Unfit for Trial from the New York Times
A federal judge ruled yesterday that Jared Loughner, who shot Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in January, killed six, and injured twelve others, is not competent to stand trial.  This ruling does not allow the court proceedings to go forward while Loughner gets treatment for schizophrenia at a facility in Missouri.

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Here is the final part of a special CFL nationals R&D:

Homeland Security Issues

Senate votes to extend Patriot Act from the Los Angeles Times
The U.S. Senate voted to extend expiring provisions of the USA Patriot Act on Monday for four years.  These provisions include the power of the government to use roving wiretaps, investigate “lone wolf” terrorists, and conduct expansive searches of personal records.

US, India to discuss counter-terrorism strategy from the Agence France Presse
America’s anti-terror strategy extends abroad and Homeland Security head Janet Napolitano is in India to discuss anti-terror cooperation.

Senate debates president’s power during cyber-attack from the Washington Times
The Obama administration is pushing for Congress to give it sweeping authority over electronic communications in the event of a cyberattack on the United States, but Congress is wary of giving the administration too much power over the Internet.

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