Briefing

‘When did the government get into the business of defining … the extent of our ministry?’

1. TIMOTHY DOLAN, Archbishop of New York, arguing that President Obama’s contraception-coverage plan undermines Catholic-affiliated organizations’ ability to provide services according to their faith

‘The flames of war will reach you everywhere.’

2. ANSAR AL-SHARIA, militant group affiliated with al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, which claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing in Sana’a, Yemen, that killed nearly 100 people

‘It was both sad and happy because no one ever leaves SNL.’

3. FRED ARMISEN, Saturday Night Live cast member, deadpanning about the departure of Kristen Wiig, who left the show after seven years

‘Not spending more than you collect–it’s astonishing that this simple fact leads to such debates.’

4. ANGELA MERKEL, Chancellor of Germany, insisting that indebted countries such as Greece and Spain implement austerity programs to fix their finances

‘If I thought that call was coming, I would disconnect the phone.’

5. MITCH DANIELS, Republican governor of Indiana, when asked if Mitt Romney had contacted him about being nominated to serve as Vice President

4

Weight, in tons, of marijuana found bobbing in bales off the California coast; it has a street value of more than $3.6 million

50.4%

Percentage of U.S. births from July 2010 to July 2011 that were of minorities, according to new census estimates; it was the first time minority births were the majority in the country

222

Bottles of water consumed per person in the U.S. in 2011, an all-time high

2,080

Height, in feet (634 m), of Tokyo’s new Skytree broadcasting tower, the world’s tallest, which opened May 22

Sources: CBS; Reuters; New York Post; NBC; Fox News