Best look inwards Mr President

Whilst the US president lectures Europeans on how they need to get their economic houses in order, he would be well advised to consider the financial plight of a large percentage of his people.

"Nearly half of all Americans lack economic security, meaning they live above the federal poverty threshold but still do not have enough money to cover housing, food, healthcare and other basic expenses, according to a survey of government and industry data.

The survey, released on Tuesday by the advocacy group Wider Opportunities for Women (WOW), found that 45 percent of U.S. residents live in households that struggle to make ends meet.

That breaks down to 39 percent of all adults and 55 percent of all children, the group found."

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Robert Fisk's predictions for the Middle East in 2013

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Mahler's Prodigal Son

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