Socialist and other leftist parties have a bad time of it in the recently concluded European elections. I'm not an expert on modern European politics, but it seems to me that there is a great deal of discontent across the Continent and in the British Isles, much of it driven by the economic downturn, but some of it driven by a growing Muslim immigrant population and the cultural backlash that it creates.

The European Parliament election results, as well as local election results, are putting more pressure on British Prime Minister, and Labor Party leader, Gordon Brown. Paul Krugman says Brown and Labor are feeling the backlash generated by the recession.

A North Korean court sentences two female American journalists to 12 years at hard labor. It may be a negotiating ploy to extract concessions, but these women may be in for a hard time, as the President considers the possibility of stopping and searching North Korean ships as part of an ant-proliferation program. Previously, the North Korean government announced such activity would be considered an act of war.