Combine that enlightening declaration with some sentimental sweeping strings, the predictable key change mid-way through, plus a lot of vibrato and you have the usual ingredients for a formulaic hit.

BBC: US Idol's pass�� pop

U.S. officials say a letter sent tothe European Union's foreign-policy chief represents one of the least equivocal offers to negotiate Iran has ever made a declaration that it is ready to talk with the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany, the group the outside world has designated to handle talks.

WSJ: Iran Emerging as Election-Year Wild Card

The Summit of the Americas, the largest gathering of leaders from the Latin American and Caribbean states plus the U.S. and Canada, ended last week in Cartagena, Colombia with no joint declaration or statement.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: The Summit of the Americas: A Major Disappointment