13 February 2009: Morning

Buy a house in the U.S., get a visa: Can immigration alleviate a recession?

Numbers shows sexual desire rises during recession, but plummets when it comes to going through with the act.

Mr. Khalil said Gaza used to export as many as 40 million flowers a year. Israel allows one shipment of flowers to leave Gaza for Valentine's Day.

Video: Israeli soldiers shooting at farmers, human rights workers.

We're in full-on dress rehearsal now. Iraqi interpreters are wearing more masks these days.

Audio: Twenty years ago, the Ayatollah issued the fatwa against Rushdie; those who debated the issue then reflect on what's happened since.

It awoke significant numbers of white Americans to truths about discrimination of which they had been unaware or had denied. Three Quarks Daily digs up Black Like Me.

Are you ready for the Rooster? More Tournament of Books news next week--for now, here are the T-shirts.

But let us enjoy some of the words new for this edition: "petrolhead," "builder's bum." A new British slang dictionary may be from another planet.

Video: Cab driver Sal Lupo makes a spy movie.

Once known for stingy employee benefits, Wal-Mart is now an innovator in providing affordable health care to its workers.

A consideration of postal service 2.0, a legally delivered email method.

Happy Valentine's Day: Go the extra mile. Anyone can rub a genie's lamp, but a thoughtful master will buff and polish it.