Can an overloaded Congress get to immigration reform?

Six months after the Haiti earthquake, what progress?

Six months after the 7.0 Haiti earthquake caused one of the worst humanitarian disasters in modern times, the worse-case scenarios have been avoided. Yet tens of thousands still live in camps.

• Haiti earthquake: Six months later, are relief efforts dragging?

Libya's path from desert to modern country – complete with ice rink

Libya, a one-time global pariah whose leader's son is sponsoring an aid boat to Gaza this week, has seen dramatic economic progress since the lifting of sanctions for funding terrorism, nuclear proliferation. Is this a model for Iran and North Korea?

Somalia's Al Shabab claims responsibility for Uganda bombings

The Al Qaeda-linked Al Shabab militant group says it carried out twin Uganda bombings that killed at least 74 people and wounded scores more during the World Cup final Sunday. It's Al Shabab's first attack outside of Somalia.

• Terrorism & Security: Uganda bombing: Al Shabab suicide bombers attack during World Cup final

In New Orleans, Gulf oil spill anger turns to Obama

Criticism of Obama for his handling of the Gulf oil spill, though still muted, sounds much like that of President Bush after Katrina.

• The cap is off: why that is not a disaster in Gulf oil spill
• Six lessons from the BP oil spill
• BP oil spill: an unexpected laboratory for deep-sea disaster
• Gulf oil spill: The story so far

Japan's new prime minister stumbles over consumption tax

In Sunday's upper house parliamentary elections, Japanese voters turned against the ruling Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ). Prime Minister Naoto Kan's plan to double the consumption tax to 10 percent is behind the backlash, say analysts.

Will Libya aid ship force more changes to Israel's Gaza blockade?

The Libya-sponsored Almathea is the latest of several attempts to break Israel's Gaza blockade since a fatal raid killed nine pro-Palestinian activists on May 31.

• Libya's Qaddafi latest to challenge Israel's Gaza blockade

Why North Korea Cheonan sinking gets wrist slap from UN

North Korea agreed to its first talks with the US in a year, and is signaling interest in restarting the six-party talks about nuclear disarmament.

Could a $1.50 marijuana joint doom Prop. 19 in California?

Legalizing recreational marijuana use would make it a lot cheaper and drive up consumption, according to a new study. This could doom Prop. 19, even in happy-go-lucky California.

Russian spies: Hollywood's version vs. real-life espionage

When spies become news – as they did this week with the swap of US and Russian spies – there is often a disparity between real-life espionage and the images spun by popular film and fiction.

• US, Russia spy swap: Why London is a hotbed of spies

Obama administration walks tricky political line on gay marriage ban

President Obama has pledged to overturn the federal Defense of Marriage Act, which bars the federal government from recognizing gay marriage. But his Justice Department is defending the law’s constitutionality in court.