Here is your R&D for December 14th:
Berlusconi May Expand Majority, May Resign To Do So from the Wall Street Journal
After surviving a vote on no confidence in the lower house of the Italian parliament, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has kept his political career alive. However, Berlusconi has announced that he may formally resign in order to expand his parliamentary majority in new elections.
Obama officials warn of ‘devasting consequences’ if mandate struck down from the Hill
After a Virginia judge struck down the individual mandate in President Obama’s healthcare reform law yesterday, the Obama administration issued a warning that the ruling could hurt the ability of the law to control healthcare costs.
Deutschmark redux from Press Europ
As the European financial crisis continues, calls are rising in Germany for a return to the Deutschmark. Although economists worry about the impacts on Germany’s exports if it were to leave the euro, they concede that Germany could pull off the move if it wanted.
New direction for US in Afghanistan following Richard Holbrooke death from the Guardian
The sudden death of Richard Holbrooke, who was America’s special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, has left a void for America’s policy in the region. Some observers are predicting a greater role in the region for the United Nations.
Black segregation in US drops to lowest in century from the Boston Globe
A report by the U.S. Census Bureau shows that Americans of different races began living closer to one another over the last decade, but that segregation is still persistent in some areas.