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September 27, 2012 | | LIFE AFTER POTTER In her first novel for adults, Harry Potter’s creator abandons the PG precincts of kids’ lit for a black comedy about small-town heartlessness. After reviewing The Casual Vacancy, The Daily Beast’s Malcolm Jones says one thing hasn’t changed: Rowling still knows how to write an insanely compelling page-turner. TOUGH TALK Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to push for a “red line” on Iran’s nuclear program—and deny differences with Washington. Netanyahu will address the United Nations General Assembly one day after Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad gave a speech in which he insisted his country will defend itself from an Israeli attack. Some Israelis were reportedly disappointed after U.S. President Obama did not impose any deadlines on Iran in his speech to the U.N. on Tuesday, although Obama did warn Tehran that time is “not unlimited” to reach a deal. HUCKSTERS With Obama’s lead in several swing states becoming insurmountable, the right has begun to panic—by denying reality altogether. The Daily Beast’s Michael Tomasky explains why the GOP is running out of excuses. CRISIS Tens of thousands marched in Madrid on Thursday as expectations rose that Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy will ask for a bailout. He will meet with ministers to come up with a plan on how they will cut the deficit by 18 billion euros. Three people were arrested Wednesday night and three injured as demonstrations continued near the site of the Spanish Parliament—but Rajoy insisted that a “immense majority” of Spaniards are not taking to the streets. A stress test of the country’s banks is set to be released on Friday, while Spanish stock slightly rebounded in early trading on Thursday after falling sharply on Wednesday. IT’S OVER Looks like that Seahawks game could be a distant memory. The NFL’s regular referees will be back on the field Thursday after their union and the NFL reached a tentative deal at midnight to end the lockout. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said the regular refs will work the Browns-Ravens game in Baltimore on Thursday night. But the tentative deal must be ratified by 51 percent of the union’s 121 members, who are set to vote on it on Friday and Saturday. The deal comes after a disputed call by a replacement ref on Monday night resulted in a victory for the Seattle Seahawks—a call that former President Bill Clinton said on Wednesday that he would “not have called that last play” the way the replacement refs did. | | 
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