State and National News

Jeffrey Bell, director of policy of the American Principles Project, is author of The Case for Polarized Politics: Why America Needs Social Conservatism.

Yesterday's overwhelming approval of a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage and civil unions by the voters of North Carolina underlines the growing likelihood that the issue will be a major factor in the 2012 presidential election. Consider the following circumstances:

— The vote came two days after the endorsement of gay marriage by Vice President Joe Biden on Meet the Press.

Richard Kim is the executive editor of TheNation.com.

Allo Darlin' crafts quirky, personal rock, driven by lap steel, ukulele and charming four-part harmonies. The band formed in 2009 under the guidance of singer-songwriter Elizabeth Morris, whose voice meshes beautifully with those of Paul Rains, Bill Botting and Mikey Collins. Together, they spent two years touring in support of their gorgeous 2010 debut.

It's incredible enough that Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton hit four home runs in one game Tuesday night — something that's only been done by 15 other major league players.

Think you're safe from norovirus, the nasty bug behind the stomach flu, if you steer clear of someone who has it?

Think again. Researchers in Oregon investigating an outbreak of stomach flu among some young soccer players learned the virus can hitch a ride on those reusable plastic bags many of us have gotten accustomed to carrying to and from the store.

Singer-songwriter Teitur makes his third appearance on Mountain Stage, recorded live on the campus of the University of Georgia in Athens.

One of the most infamous ships still sailing can't dock at its final resting place just yet.

India's Supreme court has ruled that the Exxon Valdez (now called the Oriental Nicety) cannot enter a scrap yard in the western state of Gujarat until its owners can prove the tanker has been cleaned of mercury, arsenic, asbestos, residual oil and other potential contaminants.

Jacob Heilbrunn is senior editor at the National Interest.

Ari Berman is the author of Herding Donkeys: The Fight to Rebuild the Democratic Party and Reshape American Politics.

As predicted, Richard Lugar lost his primary challenge to Tea Party challenger Richard Mourdock, 60 percent to 40 percent. His defeat signals the end of moderate Republican internationalism in the U.S. Senate and the GOP more broadly.

"A Sukhoi SuperJet 100, the first new Russian passenger plane in more than two decades" has gone missing while on a "demonstration flight" in Indonesia, Bloomberg News writes.

Russia's RT News adds that "hijacking and a high-altitude crash into a mountain have not been ruled out." A search is underway.