Politics

Before “American Idol,” before “[Country] Has Talent,” there was Eurovision. More than five decades after its inception, its frothy pop music and messy political backdrop live on.

A Georgia state senator wants to offer school vouchers to all students; in doing so, he has entered the larger national debate on choice in education.

Pope Benedict has arrived in Israel for a long-anticipated visit. Opinions differ as to whether he is fostering peace or creating fresh conflict.

A teacher at a Pueblo County high school in Colorado infuriated parents when she tasked students with inventing a terrorist plot by a foreign power.

Only a small fraction of the 475 people who registered to run for president in Iran will be allowed to, illustrating the Supreme Leader's power.

Gov. John Lynch has previously voiced opposition to gay marriage; will he sign New Hampshire’s gay marriage bill, or passively allow it to become law?

The trial of a Muslim gang leader accused of kidnapping and murdering a young Jewish man has revived racial and religious tensions in the suburbs of France, reminiscent of the infamous 2005 riots.

Nevada officials have charged the organization and two former employees with nearly 40 felony counts for allegedly encouraging fraudulent voting practices; ACORN denies the allegations.

Retiring Supreme Court Justice David H. Souter was appointed by conservatives, but actually voted “liberal” for much of his time on the High Court. What’s next for the justice and the ensuing vacancy?

Specter, a Republican senator representing Pennsylvania for 29 years, is allegedly making the switch because of poor poll performance for next year's Pennsylvania Republican primary.

Mary Ann Glendon is declining Notre Dame’s Laetare Medal due to the university’s decision to name President Obama as its commencement speaker.

The Indiana Department of Agriculture and the NRA have come out against Humane Society-backed legislation to regulate dog breeding in two states.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry sparked some controversial ideas about secession recently at a tax day tea party, but his state isn’t the only one coping with the possibility.

Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who is facing charges of fraud, racketeering and extortion, must remain in the United States, a judge has ruled.

The government bailout and other federal directives have many concerned about states' rights, prompting discussion of the 10th Amendment and what it truly entails.

The U.S. Supreme Court has said it will hear a case determining if a 1999 federal law prohibiting depictions of animal cruelty violates the First Amendment.

The Pope has publicly endorsed the UN Racism Conference, saying it encourages unity; meanwhile, the U.S. and others maintain their boycott.

A new stem-cell therapy popular in the horse racing community will soon be tested in humans.

A German warrant demands the return of alleged concentration camp guard John Demjanjuk, but his family says the 89-year-old is too ill to comply with the deportation order.

Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich could make $80,000 a week as a reality TV star—if a federal judge will let him travel to Costa Rica.

In Moldova, opposition parties plan to reject Thursday’s recount of the highly contested April 5 election results, which provoked violent protests in the country.

Many pesticides effective at killing bedbugs, such as DDT, are banned in the United States. Will the EPA approve emergency pesticides to quash the rise in bedbug outbreaks?

Positive financial and business headlines today include an uptick in U.S. homebuilders’ and U.K. surveyors’ numbers; there’s also cheaper money to be lent between banks, which means more consumer access to funds.

In the spirit of the 1773 Boston Tea Party, protesters of the president’s policies on taxes and spending have planned more than 700 events in all 50 states.

In separate speeches, President Obama and Federal Reserve Chief Ben Bernanke point to indications of economic turnaround; good news about Dendreon’s cancer vaccine helped to pull up other pharmaceutical stocks.

Bo, the Obama family's new Portuguese water dog puppy, is the latest on a long list of White House pets. Although White House residents often choose a dog for a companion, some presidents have favored alligators, sheep and other unusual pets.

After the U.S., Japan and South Korea publicly opposed North Korea's rocket launch last week, the UN has agreed to reinstate sanctions against the country.

As of Friday, Pacific Island nation Fiji has a new leader, but no constitution or courts, after President Iloilo deposed a military government installed by the country’s fourth coup in 20 years.

The latest UNESCO Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger shows more than 200 languages are extinct; researchers work to reverse the trend.

Tonight Barack Obama is hosting what is believed to be the first Seder attended by a sitting president at the White House.