In the U.S., consumers were less confident in May than the previous month, according to the Conference Board.

WSJ: Dow Finishes Up 125 Points

The WTO failed in its plan to launch a round at its previous ministerial conference in Seattle in the US in 1999.

BBC: Key trade talks in the balance

Vermont, which also trailed at the half in its two previous conference playoff wins, put together another surge to start the second half.

WSJ: Albany tops Vermont 53-49 for America East title

However, the Conference Board's measure dipped to 105.4 in October from 105.9 the previous month.

ECONOMIST: Overview

But again, that goes to the previous question about motivations and machinations within the House Republican conference.

WHITEHOUSE: Press Briefing

However, some conservative House Republicans oppose Boehner's debt ceiling measure, setting up a possible repeat of previous votes in which the speaker failed to get enough support from his GOP conference to push through a bill.

CNN: January 22, 2013 -- Updated 2328 GMT (0728 HKT)

Middle Tennessee lost in the semifinals of the Sun Belt Conference tournament after winning the regular season title, which in previous years might have been enough to knock them out of the NCAAs.

NPR: Louisville Top Overall Seed In NCAA Tournament

Ms Warrior, the firm's chief technology officer, was on her way to an industry conference in Cannes with her boss, Ed Zander, who had taken over the previous month and was due to give a presentation.

ECONOMIST: Face value