United States

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Hey, America, Figure Out What the World Thinks of You

'Guardian' columnist thinks nation should pay attention

(Newser) - Well, it looks like DC lawmakers will pull off an 11th-hour rescue to avoid an embarrassing debt-ceiling lapse, so calamity averted? Not quite, writes Timothy Garton Ash in the UK's Guardian . "Politically, in the eyes of the world, the 'full faith and credit' of the US has...

Americans Read and Math Bad
 Americans Read and Math Bad 
Oct 8, 2013 9:00 AM CDT

Americans Read and Math Bad

New study shows US adults are lagging in crucial skills

(Newser) - You've probably heard that test scores are lagging badly for America's youth, but it turns out they're just chips off the old blocks. A sweeping new study has found that American adults are below-average when it comes to literacy, basic math skills, and "problem-solving in technology-rich...

The World Hates America Again
 The World Hates 
 America Again 
OPINION
Sep 18, 2013 12:36 PM CDT

The World Hates America Again

Even in 2 very different nations, Germany and Egypt: Russell Berman

(Newser) - As a candidate, Barack Obama gave a well-received speech in Germany in 2008. As president, he gave another in Egypt the following year. And yet today, those two very different nations have something in common—anti-American sentiment is soaring, writes Russell Berman at Real Clear Politics . This is worrisome because...

Al-Qaeda Head to Militants: Think Smaller

Al-Zawahri likes the idea of attacks 'by one brother'

(Newser) - In a speech disseminated yesterday (a day after Sept. 11, points out Reuters) , al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahri pushed militants to think smaller. He asserted that attacks "by one brother or a few of the brothers" would have a big effect, explaining that "we should bleed America economically by...

Syria Plan: 'Sham' or Legit Path to Peace?

Pundits make their case

(Newser) - Might John Kerry's offhand comment lead to a genuine resolution of the Syrian mess? Some of the opinions:
  • It's a 'sham': That's the view of Michael Doran of the Brookings Institution as quoted in the Washington Post . "This is a dishonest ploy by Russia and
...

Teen Birth Rate Hits Historic Low

Report: And the overall number of US births may be leveling off after years of decline

(Newser) - After falling four years in a row, US births may finally be leveling off. The number of babies born last year—a little shy of 4 million—is only a few hundred less than the number in 2011, according to a government report released today. That suggests that lately, fewer...

Wikipedia's Most Fiercely Edited Topic: George W.

Oxford researchers study 'edit wars'

(Newser) - If you've ever wondered about the most controversial topics on Wikipedia then you have that in common with Oxford University researchers. They've turned their interest into a full-blown study , analyzing millions of articles from 10 language editions of the site, the BBC reports. Rather than look at subjects...

1 in 4 Humans Paid a Bribe Last Year

Global corruption survey finds widespread bribery

(Newser) - Roughly 27% of people worldwide have paid a bribe to a government agency in the last 12 months, according to the latest Global Corruption Barometer report from Transparency International. The survey covered more than 114,000 people across 107 countries, the Wall Street Journal reports, and on the bright side,...

Did Washington Name Our Country?

Aide's 1776 letter calls it 'United States of America'

(Newser) - It makes sense that the father of our country would have named it, too—and new evidence suggests that may just be the case. History hasn't quite settled on who coined the term "the United States of America," though in 1998, experts announced that it was Thomas...

2nd Dust Bowl Headed for American West?

 2nd Dust Bowl 
 Headed for 
 American West? 
new study
Jun 14, 2013 12:38 PM CDT

2nd Dust Bowl Headed for American West?

Dust storms on the rise, study finds

(Newser) - The American West might be in for another Dust Bowl as massive dust storms are on the rise, according to a study out of Aeolian Research . While the area is known for its often dusty visage—think all the Westerns you've ever seen—drought and high winds are causing...

Want Paid Vacation? Ditch America

But those lucky Austrians get 153 days off per year

(Newser) - Here's a depressing statistic: A quarter of Americans don't get paid vacation—and the US is the only wealthy country that doesn't guarantee it. We're also the only one without a promise of a paid day off for official holidays, observes the Center for Economic Policy...

US Kids Seriously Sleep-Deprived

Experts say smartphone use at night may contribute to sleep deprivation

(Newser) - The US has the most sleep-deprived pupils in the world, and the late-night glow of smartphones and laptops is probably contributing to a lack of slumber. A study out of Boston College finds that US students are sleep-deprived at a rate almost 30% higher than the international average, with 73%...

US, EU Start Shopping for Massive Free Trade Deal

Hope to start talks by June, but big issues could loom

(Newser) - The United States has 20 free trade pacts ranging from big neighbors to tiny allies, but today Washington set its sights on a far grander prize: the entire European Union, reports Reuters . The two powers announced that they hoped to start talks on a free trade deal by the end...

North Korea Posts Video Fantasy of US in Flames

Set to Michael Jackson's 'We Are the World'

(Newser) - If you think North Korea harbors a not-so-secret desire to obliterate the US—while backed by a Michael Jackson song—you'd be sort of correct. The country's official website uploaded a truly bizarre YouTube video on Saturday in which a slumbering man dreams of a rocket blasting a...

UN to Investigate US, UK Drone Attacks

Critics say drone strikes hit civilians, violate int'l laws

(Newser) - In the face of mounting criticism about US and UK drone strikes , the United Nations is going to investigate the use of drones in targeted killings in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, and Somalia, reports the Guardian . The investigation will look at drone strikes in Mali and those made by Israel into...

White House to Texas: No, You Can't Secede

Texas, 7 other states told they're staying in the union

(Newser) - White House to Texas: You're staying in America. The Obama administration has officially rejected a petition signed by more than 125,000 people demanding that the Lone Star State be allowed to leave the union, the Houston Chronicle reports. Similar petitions from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, South...

Guns Driving Down Life Expectancy in America

Violence not more common in US, but is more deadly

(Newser) - With six violent deaths per 100,000 people in the United States, by far the highest rate among the world's richest countries, the prevalence of guns—especially unsecured guns—in America is lowering its life expectancy rate, according to a new report by the National Research Council and the...

New US Population: 313.9M
 New US Population: 313.9M 
Dec 20, 2012 1:11 PM CST

New US Population: 313.9M

That's up less than 1% as growth remains flat

(Newser) - The US Census Bureau now pegs the US population at 313.9 million people, up a scant 2.3 million, or .075%, from last year, reports USA Today . Small as it is, the increase actually reverses five years of slowing growth, notes the AP , though we're still at a...

Euro Court Slams CIA for Sodomy, Torture of Innocent

Meanwhile, Senate committee OKs report on CIA's interrogation program

(Newser) - The European Court of Human Rights ruled yesterday against Macedonia for allowing the torture of an innocent German man of Lebanese origins by the CIA in 2004—but the real brunt of the ruling hit the CIA's post-9/11 "war on terror" strategies, with the court explicitly calling them...

Now All 50 States on Secession Bandwagon

And more from the group leading Texas' charge

(Newser) - An online Texas petition to secede from the union is nearing 100,000 votes now, giving the group leading the charge its 15 minutes. Politico interviews Texas Nationalist Movement leader Daniel Miller:
  • On Obama: Election Day "was a catalyzing moment," but this isn't just about the president.
...

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