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A suspected Taliban suicide bomber shot his way into the Ministry of Information and Culture in central Kabul on Thursday, then blew himself up, leaving at least two others dead and severely damaging a kindergarten, officials and witnesses said.
Economy Shrinks as Spending Drop Underlines Woes
Less than a week before Americans go to the polls to select a president, the government reported Thursday that the economy contracted from July through September. In a stark indication of widening national distress, consumer spending dipped for the first time in 17 years.
As Somali Pirates Flourish, The Country Withers
This may be one of the most dangerous towns in Somalia, a place where you can get kidnapped faster than you can wipe the sweat off your brow. But it is also one of the most prosperous.
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A series of apparently synchronized explosions tore through four towns in the troubled state of Assam in northeastern India on Thursday, killing at least 64 people and leaving more than 210 wounded, according to witnesses and the police.
Close Finish in Presidential Race Could Keep Ohio Busy
If the outcome of next week’s presidential election is close, this precariously balanced state could be the place where the two parties begin filing the inevitable lawsuits over voting irregularities, experts say.
Judge Orders U.S. to Yield Papers on Detainee
A federal district judge, saying he questioned the government’s claim that a Guantanamo Bay detainee had planned a radioactive-bomb attack in the United States, ordered the Justice Department on Thursday to give the detainee’s lawyers documents on his treatment.
A Calmer Halloween
This year, the New England region will enjoy relatively mild weather on Halloween, with sunny skies and temperatures in the high 50s.
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A suicide attacker in a police uniform blew himself up inside a police station in the northern Afghan province of Baghlan on Monday, killing two American soldiers and an 8-year-old boy, Afghan officials said.
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Google, the Internet search and advertising giant, is increasingly eyeing the energy sector as a potential business opportunity.
Tension Grows Over Role Of Kurds in Iraqi City
A new Iraqi military offensive is under way in this still violent northern city, but the worry is not only the insurgents who remain strong here. American commanders are increasingly concerned that Mosul could degenerate into a larger battleground over the fragile Iraqi state itself.
Yen Surges, Fueled By Abrupt End of Borrowing Scheme
Tumbling stock markets and falling currencies are causing global concern, but the Japanese yen is generating high anxiety for rising too much. The yen surged as much as 10 percent against the dollar last week. In the last month, it has gained an astounding 34 percent against the euro.
Candidates Aim for a Balance Between Confident and Cocky
Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain have been ever vigilant in recent days for signs of an unseemly affliction in the realm of presidential medicine: January Fever.
Alaska Senator Convicted On Felony Ethics Charges
Sen. Ted Stevens, Alaska’s dominant political figure for more than four decades, was found guilty on Monday of violating federal ethics laws for failing to report tens of thousands of dollars in gifts and services he received from friends.
U.S. Special Forces Raid Into Syria, Kill Iraqi Militant
A raid into Syria on Sunday was conducted by U.S. Special Operations forces who killed an Iraqi militant responsible for smuggling weapons, money and foreign fighters across the border into Iraq, U.S. officials said Monday.
I See You’re Eyeing Those Snow Boots
Well, I’m sorry to get your hopes up; Boston just isn’t far enough inland for that delightful white fluffy stuff. We get rain. Sorry. I feel your loss, really: after half of a semester of Experimental Physics 1, I’m more than ready to throw snowballs at all my friends. So, why are we not getting snow? It’s simply not cold enough here yet; remember how unseasonably warm it was on Sunday with a high of 66°F? The source of today’s storm is a low that strengthened as it moved from off the middle Atlantic coast to New England. It has enough moisture to give us anywhere from a quarter to a half inch of rain today in Cambridge (grab your umbrellas!), and drop anywhere from a few flakes to a few inches in the Berkshires and at other high altitudes far inland. Don’t worry too much though about your missed snowball fights; we’ll get our wintry weather soon enough.
IMF Mulls Credit to Stem Crisis in Developing World
With the financial crisis engulfing developing countries from Latin America to Central Europe, raising the specter of market panic and even social unrest, Western officials are weighing coordinated action to try to stabilize these economies.
Greenspan Concedes Flaws In His Hands-Off Approach
For years, a congressional hearing with Alan Greenspan was a marquee event. Lawmakers doted on him as an economic sage. Markets jumped up or down depending on what he said. Politicians in both parties wanted the maestro on their side.
Lagging, McCain Can Still See Several Victory Scenarios
Sen. John McCain woke Thursday morning to what has become a fairly common greeting in these tough last weeks of his campaign. A raft of polls showing him well behind. Early post-mortems on his candidacy. Even Republicans speaking of him in the past tense.
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The City Council on Thursday cleared a path for Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg to run for re-election next year, voting to revise a term limits law twice approved by voters.
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Half of all American doctors responding to a nationwide survey say they regularly prescribe placebos to patients. The results trouble medical ethicists, who say more research is needed to determine whether doctors must deceive patients in order for placebos to work.