Tribal Militias Walk a Tightrope in Fighting Taliban
Two tribal elders lay stretched out in an orthopedic ward here last week, their plastered limbs and winces of pain grim evidence of the slaughter they survived when a suicide bomber blew himself up in the midst of their tribal gathering.
Say It Ain’t Snow
The mere mention of snow sends people flocking to get sweaters, gloves, scarves, and occasionally every last loaf of bread and gallon of milk in supermarkets as well. We’re approaching that time of year when the flakes will begin to fall and cover the ground in a serene white. On average, the first snow arrives in Boston around Nov. 4, and the first inch of accumulating snow doesn’t usually occur until the first part of December. However, some years are curveballs, including 2005. On Oct. 29 of that year, 1.1 inches (2.8 cm) of slushy snow coated the still changing leaves.
Bush Decides to Keep Guantanamo Bay Facility Open
Despite his stated desire to close the American prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, President Bush has decided not to do so, and never considered proposals drafted in the State Department and the Pentagon that outlined options for transferring the detainees elsewhere, according to senior administration officials.
Shorts (left)
Four months after the Supreme Court ruled that the Second Amendment protects an individual right to possess guns, its decision is under assault — from the right.
Hate Groups Stay Mostly Quiet During Election
A tall, extra-hot mocha in his hand and a .380-caliber pistol on his hip, Bill White sat near the window of a Starbucks in Roanoke, Va., last month and discussed his political predicament as the leader of one of the nation’s more established neo-Nazi groups.
Frozen Credit Markets Begin To Thaw Around World
After weeks of extraordinary efforts by the world’s governments and central banks, the frozen flow of credit began to thaw on Monday.
Shorts (right)
As the price of oil roared to ever higher levels in recent years, the leaders of Venezuela, Iran and Russia muscled their way onto the world stage, using checkbook diplomacy and, on occasion, intimidation.
Federal Reserve Chairman Endorses New Stimulus
The chairman of the Federal Reserve, Ben S. Bernanke, said on Monday that he supported a second round of additional spending measures to help stimulate the economy.
Mugabe Blocks Zimbabwe Opposition Leader From Talks
Zimbabwe’s main opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, missed talks in Swaziland on the crisis in his country on Monday, after his rival and negotiating partner, President Robert Mugabe, refused to give him a passport.
Autumn Weather to Continue
Suddenly, summer warmth feels like a distant memory. Yesterday morning, Logan Airport recorded its first sub-40°F (4°C) temperature since April 16. The recent cold nights are not a great anomaly: average daily minimum temperatures are currently 45°F (7°C), and quickly fall by about 8°F (4°C) for each of the next 3 months.
Presidential Rivals’ Visions Differ on Sparking Innovation
For decades, the United States dominated the technological revolution sweeping the globe. The nation’s science and engineering skills produced vast gains in productivity and wealth, powered its military and made it the de facto world leader.
A Senator Takes the Witness Stand
Sen. Ted Stevens took the witness stand in his own defense on Thursday, asserting that he had never engaged in any scheme to file false disclosure forms in the Senate.
Shorts (left)
Switzerland extended urgent help Thursday to its storied banking industry as the government acknowledged that even the world’s biggest wealth haven needed protection from the tumult gripping the global financial system.
Oil Price Falls Beneath $70 in Rapid Descent
Oil prices dropped below $70 a barrel for the first time in 14 months on Thursday, prompting the OPEC cartel to call for an emergency meeting next week to establish some stability in prices that have swung wildly along with the stock market this year.
Debate Puts ‘Joe the Plumber’ in the Spotlight
One week ago, Joe Wurzelbacher was just another working man living in a modest house outside Toledo, Ohio, and thinking about how to expand the plumbing business where he works. But when he stopped Sen. Barack Obama during a visit to his block last weekend to complain about taxes, he set himself on a path to becoming America’s newest media celebrity and as such suddenly found himself facing celebrity-level scrutiny.
Shorts (right)
The crusading investigative judge Baltasar Garzon opened Spain’s first criminal investigation into Franco-era executions and repression with an order Thursday to open 19 mass graves, including one believed to contain the remains of the poet Federico Garcia Lorca.
Omar Churns in Atlantic as Boston Cools Down
Although fall is in full swing, the annual hurricane season stretches through the month of October, and the Atlantic has been home to some recent cyclone activity in the form of Hurricane Omar.
Airstrike in Afghanistan Threatens to Anger Populace
A NATO airstrike Thursday on a village near the embattled provincial capital of Lashkar Gah killed between 25 and 30 civilians, Afghan officials in the area said.
Struggling for Religious Identity in A More Modern, Secular Turkey
High school hurt for Havva Yilmaz. She tried out several selves. She ran away. Nothing felt right.
Shorts (left)
The Sudanese government has arrested one of the most wanted men in the country, a notorious janjaweed militia leader charged by an international court with orchestrating mass murder in Darfur, Sudanese officials disclosed on Monday.