Iraqi Kurds take oil city as militants push forward
ERBIL, Iraq — Iraq’s fracturing deepened Thursday as Kurdish forces poured into the strategic northern oil city of Kirkuk after government troops fled, while emboldened Sunni militants who seized two other important northern cities this week moved closer to Baghdad and issued threats about advancing into the heavily Shiite south and destroying the shrines there, the holiest in Shiism.
Cantor forgot Virginia roots, voters contend
GLEN ALLEN, Va. — Here in the place that Rep. Eric Cantor calls home, few voters seemed to recognize him as one of their own. Despite Cantor’s rise to the second-most powerful member of his party in the House and for a time a leader of its angry right flank, Republicans here seemed in agreement with Cantor’s challenger who toppled him from power by tarring him as insufficiently conservative on issues including immigration, the federal budget and crony capitalism.
Storms to soak Boston area
The Institute will get wet today as a storm system that caused wind damage in several locations in the Mid-Atlantic moves northward over our region. Rain showers will move through the area throughout this morning and this afternoon, bringing with them the occasional heavy downpour, gusty wind, or rumble of thunder. Fortunately, these storms have weakened since striking the Mid-Atlantic on Wednesday, so significant damage or dangerous conditions are not expected. In all, less than an inch of rain should accumulate today — a much more manageable amount than was received on this day in 1998, when intense storms drenched eastern Massachusetts in over 5 inches of rain, and caused over 5 million dollars in property damage.
In Brazil, jeers and cheers for government and FIFA
SÃO PAULO — Protests erupted on the streets of Brazil’s largest city Thursday just hours before the opening of the World Cup soccer tournament, with the police dispersing demonstrators with tear gas and rubber bullets near the stadium where Brazil was to play against Croatia.
Shorts (right)
Jill Abramson, the former executive editor of The New York Times, will teach undergraduate courses in narrative nonfiction at Harvard this fall, the university announced Thursday.
Private health care exchanges enroll more than predicted
Employers are moving more quickly than forecasted to offer health insurance to their workers through private exchanges, according to new data from Accenture, a consulting firm.
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BEIRUT — President Bashar Assad of Syria on Wednesday celebrated his overwhelming victory in a deeply disputed election, asserting his confidence and defiance in the Syrian conflict as supporters savored his success in thwarting the United States.
White House on defensive over prisoner swap
WASHINGTON — The White House argued on Tuesday that the “unique circumstances” presented by the opportunity to return Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl gave President Barack Obama the authority to lawfully bypass a federal statute requiring the Pentagon to notify Congress a month before he transferred the five Taliban detainees necessary to complete the deal.
Germany begins inquiry in US surveillance case
BERLIN — Germany’s federal prosecutor announced Wednesday that he had begun a formal investigation of what he called “unknown” members of U.S. intelligence agencies on suspicion that they had eavesdropped on one of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s cellphones.
Mostly dry weekend for commencement and reunions
As MIT welcomes the families of students and alumni for commencement and class reunions, the Boston “weather machine” is showing its notorious variability. A strong low-pressure system moved through the area yesterday, bringing heavy rain. During commencement this morning, the tail end of this system is pushing through the region. Conditions will be mostly cloudy. Showers are possible, with the weather models predicting about a 20 percent chance of rain. The likelihood of rain diminishes later in the day Friday and into Saturday.
Civilians killed by the U.S. in Yemen tied to al-Qaida
SANAA, Yemen — The kidnappers pulled up in a pickup truck outside the Taj barbershop in an upscale neighborhood here in the Yemeni capital. One held an AK-47 assault rifle and the other carried a stun gun. As the men went inside, nearby shopkeepers heard shots.
Occupy Wall Street inmate visited by Russian protesters
NEW YORK — Most people disappear from the headlines into the gray anonymity of Rikers Island jail after they are found guilty in state court in Manhattan.
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The three Detroit automakers announced vehicle recalls Friday, though they said none of the defects had resulted in accidents or injuries.
Disease of Pakistan’s poor now worries the affluent
KARACHI, Pakistan — Until recently, polio was considered a poor man’s problem in Pakistan — a crippling virus that festered in the mountainous tribal belt, traversed the country on interprovincial buses, and spread via infected children who played in the open sewers of sprawling slums.
Shorts (right)
WASHINGTON — In a rare venture into foreign policy, Michelle Obama on Saturday condemned the abduction of more than 200 Nigerian schoolgirls by terrorists and said that she and President Barack Obama had been personally touched by what she called an “unconscionable” act.
Pfizer continues to defend takeover bid for Astrazeneca
Pfizer on Saturday continued to press its case for a $106 billion takeover of AstraZeneca, the British drugmaker, in the face of mounting resistance on both sides of the Atlantic.
Two found dead after balloon catches fire
The authorities searched a wooded area in Virginia on Saturday for a third victim who was believed to have been killed when a hot air balloon caught fire Friday night and crashed at a festival.
Spring warmth pauses for chilly and cloudy weather
As you were heading out to campus this morning, you may have wondered why we’ve traded this weekend’s sunny skies and warm temperatures for today’s cool and cloudy weather. These unseasonably chilly conditions are thanks to what meteorologists call a “back door” cold front. Typically, cold fronts in the U.S. approach from the west or northwest. In the Northeast during springtime, however, it’s fairly common for cold fronts to approach from the north or northeast on the backside of a high pressure situated to our north. Winds behind such a cold front are from the east or northeast, allowing cool maritime air to filter in and replace warmer continental air. This is precisely the setup for last night and early this morning, which is why temperatures will top out at a mere 56°F (13°C) this afternoon.