Family members of murdered soldier Lee Rigby (L-R) his mother and stepfather Lyn and Ian Rigby, his wife Rebecca Rigby and her mother Susan Metcalfe, react as his stepfather reads a statement at a news conference at the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers headquarters in Manchester May 24, 2013. REUTERS/Dave Thompson/POOL

British security services in spotlight after soldier attack

LONDON - Britain's security services faced questions over whether they could have done more to prevent the murder of a soldier hacked to death in a busy London street after it emerged that his suspected killers were known to intelligence officers.  Full Article 

Durable goods orders rise, point to factory resilience 9:17am EDT

WASHINGTON - Orders for long-lasting manufactured goods rose more than expected in April, a hopeful sign that a contraction in factory output could soon run its course.

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe delivers a speech at a dinner during the 19th International Conference on "The Future of Asia" in Tokyo May 23, 2013. REUTERS/Yuya Shino

The deeper agenda behind 'Abenomics'

TOKYO - Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is riding a wave of popularity, spurred by voters' hopes that his prescription for fixing Japan's economy will end two decades of stagnation. But "Abenomics" was a late addition to his platform.   Full Article 

Traders work at their desks in front of the DAX board at the Frankfurt stock exchange May 24, 2013.  REUTERS/Remote/Marte Kiesling

German economy to pick up, but slowly

BERLIN - Germany's economy will recover from a bout of winter weakness but fall well short of the dynamic growth rates of previous years as euro zone recession and global slowdown stunt exports and investment.  Full Article 

A demonstrator puts on a prison-style jumpsuit as she joins a protest beside a mock drone at the gates of Fort McNair where President Barack Obama will speak at the National Defense University in Washington May 23, 2013. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

Obama seeks end to perpetual 'war on terror'

WASHINGTON - Twelve years after the "war on terror" began, President Barack Obama wants to pull the United States back from some of the most controversial aspects of its global fight against Islamist militants.  Full Article 

Jennifer Tyrrell who was removed from her position as a den leader in 2012 for being gay, kisses Zach Wahls (L), executive director of Scouts for Equality, a pro gay group, after a resolution passed to allow openly gay scouts in the Boy Scouts of America at the Boy Scouts' National Annual Meeting in Grapevine, Texas May 23, 2013. REUTERS/Michael Prengler

Century-old ban on openly gay scouts lifted

GRAPEVINE, Texas - The Boy Scouts of America voted to lift a century-old ban on openly gay scouts in a major victory for gay rights activists, but the decision means a sea of change for an organization that depends heavily on faith-based groups.  Full Article 

Syrian government agrees 'in principle' to Geneva conference

May 24 - The Syrian opposition mulls over a proposal to hold a U.S.-Russian conference on Syria, as Russia announces Damascus’ willingness to participate 'in principle'. Sarah Sheffer reports.

David Rohde

Changing Assad’s calculus

Even as the international community discusses 'grand strategy,' Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is taking decisive action.  Commentary 

Chrystia Freeland

Some cracks in the technocrat cult

We are living in the age of the technocrats, but there are sound reasons why not to rely mechanically on technocratic solutions. That’s why it is worth reading a new paper by Daron Acemoglu of MIT and James Robinson of Harvard University.  Commentary 

Nicholas Wapshott

Lessons of the London butchers

The cases of the butchers of London and the Boston bombers raise an even more fundamental question: What exactly is terrorism? Since 9/11, the central management of al Qaeda’s operation has been defeated and the duty to continue the Islamist fight has passed to individual jihadists.  Commentary 

Anatole Kaletsky

The many interpretations of Ben Bernanke

The reaction to Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's tediously familiar statement, and release of the equally repetitive minutes of the last Fed meeting, was some of the wildest gyrations seen in the world’s financial markets for months.  Commentary 

Michael O'Hanlon and Sean Zeigler

Civil wars and Syria: lessons from history

Removing Assad would no more end the Syrian conflict than overthrowing Saddam Hussein in 2003 brought stability to Iraq. The U.S. must create a more integrated overall strategy, argue Michael O'Hanlon and Sean Zeigler.  Commentary 

David Rohde

Prosperity without power

Across the BRIC nations, frustrated members of the middle class are demanding change, but traditional power holders from Russia’s Vladimir Putin to India’s large political parties remain entrenched.  Commentary