Americas

Twice a year, New Yorkers are able to witness a popular phenomenon known as "Manhattanhenge" where the sun aligns perfectly with the city streets resembling the same occurrence as England's Stonehenge.

The term "Manhattanhenge" was actually coined by astrophysicist and director of the American Museum of Natural History's Hayden Planetarium Neil deGrasse Tyson back in 2002. He coined it because the light cascading down the west-east streets mimicked the light that shines through the stones during the summer solstice in the Salisbury Plain in England.

"Manhattanhenge" usually happens around the summer solstice and not on the solstice itself because of the way the streets were arranged. more >>

Actor and devout Christian Kirk Cameron is being a bit mysterious in asking his fans to join an online community of like-minded people "who believe anything is possible if we love God and do the right thing over the long haul."

On Saturday, the former "Growing Pains" TV show star, posted to his more than 267,000 Facebook followers who "Like" his page that he wants fans to sign-up for his "Cameron Connection" newsletter. In return, subscribers will receive an exclusive, sneak peek trailer for a movie planned for release in March of next year.

"Hey everyone! It's me, Kirk. For a long time now I've been wanting to create an online, central base for like-minded people like you and me that contains movies, books, music, ideas, and concepts that can radically change the world," he wrote. "…My new feature film is coming out in March, 2013 and I can't wait to show it to you! It's super secret, under wraps, and not even leaked to the press yet. I want you to be the first to see it. I want you to be a part of it. I've made an exclusive, sneak peek trailer…" more >>

Lori Anne Madison, spelling bee contestant, is unique in that she is the youngest ever contest for the Scripps National Spelling Bee, earning a chance to compete at only six years old.

Lori Anne Madison is more than a spelling bee contestant: she's an extremely gifted youngster. Reading her very first book, Dr. Suess' "Hop on Pop," at only two, she's steadily progressed to being a force in the upcoming spelling bee- and she isn't worried at all.

"I just do as much as I can," the bubbly Virginia girl told The Washington Post. "I don't stress out about it. Plus, I'm 6. I can always go back next year." Her goal is to win by the time she is eight or nine. more >>

Mitt Romney will no longer be called the "presumptive" GOP presidential nominee after Tuesday's Texas primary, which will enable him to secure the 1,144 delegates required to clinch the official title.

While Texas has 155 delegates to offer, the former Massachusetts governor requires just 60 more to reach the threshold, according to The Associated Press tally.

After a long roller coaster ride with other GOP candidates threatening his nomination, Romney's campaign will now focus on defeating President Barack Obama in November. Most Republicans are now rallying behind the candidate. more >>

Presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney shared the stage with his 2008 presidential campaign rival Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) today at the Veterans Museum and Memorial Center in San Diego, where they observed Memorial Day and Romney spoke about the need for a strong U.S. military.

Romney noted the threats posed by Iran and its nuclear ambition; China and its military superpower aspiration; and Mexico and its drug-related violence, and said that the U.S. has chosen to maintain a strong military not only to win wars, but to prevent them.

"Because a strong America is the best deterrent to war that ever has been invented," Romney said to a crowd of some 5,000 people, the Los Angeles Times reported. more >>

Nearly half of all Americans have a close friend or relative who has given his or her life while serving in the military, according to a national survey by Rasmussen Reports released in time for Memorial Day.

The survey shows that 45 percent of Americans said they have had a friend or relative who died while serving the country. It also found that 40 percent of Americans have close friends or relatives currently serving in Afghanistan.

"While those that gave their all are our heroes, I have this feeling that it is the loved ones of our fallen that are our true heroes, the ones that have to endure the sacrifice of one of their own. Our children, parents, grandparents, or friends, it is not easy to accept the loss when it happens," wrote John Kubicek in his blog post, "The Flavor of Freedom," on Sunday. more >>