Protesters Force Israel to Grapple With Wealth Gap - NYTimes.com

Protesters Force Israel to Grapple With Wealth Gap - NYTimes.com: "But these days, the handful of wealthy families who dominate the Israeli economy are assuming a new role: one of the chief targets of the tent-city protesters who have shaken Israel in the past month.

The “tycoons,” as they are known even in Hebrew, are suddenly facing enraged scrutiny as middle-class families complain that a country once viewed as an example of intimate equality today has one of the largest gaps between rich and poor in the industrialized world."

U.S. trucking funds reach Taliban, military-led investigation concludes - The Washington Post

U.S. trucking funds reach Taliban, military-led investigation concludes - The Washington Post: "The unreleased investigation provides seemingly definitive evidence that corruption puts U.S. transportation money into enemy hands, a finding consistent with previous inquiries carried out by Congress, other federal agencies and the military. Yet U.S. and Afghan efforts to address the problem have been slow and ineffective, and all eight of the trucking firms involved in the work remain on U.S. payroll. In March, the Pentagon extended the contract for six months."

Iowa forges newest star in Michele Bachmann - Ben Smith - POLITICO.com

Iowa forges newest star in Michele Bachmann - Ben Smith - POLITICO.com: "The recent history of the Iowa caucuses is studded with stunning choices — whether propelling Barack Obama toward the White House, or surprising the GOP with the rise of Mike Huckabee or Pat Robertson — and the Ames Straw Poll strongly suggested Saturday the state might do it again."