Are the Wheels Coming Off of Formula One?

Formula One racing is a bit like evolution governed by an appeals committee: Winning races has long been relied on engineering innovations that give a race car that extra microsecond advantage, while the teams left in the dust cry foul and demand that the sport’s governing body, the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile , rule those innovations out. FIA supremo Max Mosley had hoped to tamp down what he calls the sport’s “financial arms race” by imposing a $66 billion annual spending cap on teams, but instead he appears to have provoked a walkout that could see some of the sport’s major names, such as Ferrari and McLaren, create a rival championship with fewer restrictions — and take the sport’s lucrative TV audience with them.

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The Incredibly Shrinking Democrats

“This election,” Bill Clinton said in the hours before the Pennsylvania primary, “is too big to be small.” It was a noble sentiment, succinctly stated, and the core of what Democrats believe — that George W. Bush has been a historic screwup as President, that there are huge issues to be confronted this year. But it was laughable as well

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Analysis: Iran’s conservative leadership divided amid unrest

There are signs that the ongoing protests against last week’s presidential election results may be starting to divide Iran’s conservative leadership. Iran’s influential parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani on Thursday blamed the Interior Ministry for a bloody crackdown on civilians, including students at Tehran University, after Monday’s protests

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Iranian-Americans say history is at hand

Some Iranian-Americans, watching the post-election unrest in Iran, say the tug-of-war between the people and their hardline government has come to a head after three decades. “I am absolutely convinced that what we are witnessing is a turning point in the history of the Islamic Republic,” said Dr. Hamid Dabashi, professor of Iranian Studies and Comparative Literature at Columbia University in New York City.

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Finally, a British Inquiry into the Iraq War

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair resisted public pressure for a comprehensive inquiry into the Iraq war. On June 15, his successor, Gordon Brown, raised the white flag, informing the House of Commons that he had ordered an inquiry even before British troops complete their withdrawal from Basra this summer. “Thanks to our efforts and those of our allies over six difficult years, a young democracy has replaced a vicious 30-year dictatorship,” said the Prime Minister.

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U.S. pledges $73 million in aid to Zimbabwe

The United States will provide $73 million in aid to Zimbabwe, President Obama announced Friday after meeting with Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai at the White House. “I obviously have extraordinary admiration for the courage and tenacity that the prime minister has shown in navigating through some very difficult political times in Zimbabwe,” Obama said. “There was a time when Zimbabwe was the breadbasket of Africa, and [it] continues to have enormous potential.

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Can once-cool MySpace stage a comeback?

In the brief history of Web sites, there are few if any second chances. Remember Friendster? That’s why it’s difficult for some industry observers to see a comeback for MySpace, the large online social network that has seen its popularity flatline and its hipness surpassed by younger sites like Twitter and Facebook in recent months.

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Viewpoint: The Case Against Omar al Bashir

Friday is a defining moment in the history of justice. The members of the United Nations Security Council will be presented with the results of the International Criminal Court’s Darfur investigation — an investigation that they requested. Their response will determine whether there is going to be an international standard of justice that holds perpetrators accountable for the worst crimes in the world

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