| The deeper meaning of the Roy Moore saga Posted: 14 Nov 2017 02:07 PM PST ![The deeper meaning of the Roy Moore saga]( "The deeper meaning of the Roy Moore saga") Few stories illustrate the zeitgeist of American politics and culture more clearly right now than that of the Republican Senate candidate in Alabama, Roy Moore, who is battling accusations of sexual misconduct with teenage girls. "I don't see how this ends well for Mr. Moore," says Sen. Lindsey Graham (R) of South Carolina, who is one of a growing chorus of senators calling on Moore to drop out of the Dec. 12 special election. What should be a safe seat for Republicans is clearly in jeopardy, with the latest state polling showing Moore now slightly behind Democrat Doug Jones, although within the margin of error.
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| A petrostate’s path back from the debt brink Posted: 14 Nov 2017 01:19 PM PST ![A petrostate's path back from the debt brink]( "A petrostate's path back from the debt brink") The country with the world's largest proven oil reserves was declared to be in a debt default by Standard & Poor's this week. Like many petrostates, once-rich Venezuela has squandered its natural wealth, mainly by a poverty of democracy. To fix the debt crisis will now require that its socialist dictator, President Nicolás Maduro, return the country to democratic ideals, starting with a presidential election slated for next year.
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| Why Shiite pilgrimage to Karbala had special meaning this year Posted: 14 Nov 2017 01:07 PM PST ![Why Shiite pilgrimage to Karbala had special meaning this year]( "Why Shiite pilgrimage to Karbala had special meaning this year") For Iraq, guaranteeing the safety of millions of Shiite faithful on their annual pilgrimage to the shrine of a revered saint in Karbala has always been a monumental challenge. The march, the largest annual religious pilgrimage on earth, is in defiance of Iraq's chronic insecurity and the frequent attempts by Sunni militants – including, recently, Islamic State (ISIS) fighters – to derail this event with violence. This year, the pilgrimage to the shrine of Imam Hussein held special resonance, as ISIS in Iraq has been all but defeated in recent months by Iraqi security forces – supported by Iran-backed Shiite militias and a US-led bombing campaign.
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| What’s the real story behind Hillary Clinton, Russia, and uranium? Posted: 14 Nov 2017 11:44 AM PST ![What's the real story behind Hillary Clinton, Russia, and uranium?]( "What's the real story behind Hillary Clinton, Russia, and uranium?") President Trump calls it the "real Russia story": allegations that as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton approved the sale of 20 percent of US uranium supplies to Rosatom, the Russian state nuclear company. The sale was greased by $145 million in contributions to the Clinton Foundation from Canadian executives who benefited from the sale, according to these allegations. Prosecutors at the Justice Department are now reportedly considering the appointment of a special prosecutor to look into the transaction.
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