Pakistani President Remains as Army Chief Despite False Claims
Pakistani government officials denied Thursday that the country’s president, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, had agreed to resign as army chief before presidential elections, contradicting statements a day earlier by Benazir Bhutto, an exiled former prime minister.
Iran Nuclear Technology Report Reveals U.S., U.N. Policy Discord
A report released Thursday showing a slow but steady expansion of Iran’s nuclear technology has exposed a new divide between the United Nations arms inspectors and the United States and its allies over how to contain Tehran’s atomic program.
Senator Accused of Solicitation Forced From Admin. Positions
The political career of Sen. Larry E. Craig of Idaho appeared to be collapsing Wednesday as fellow Republicans called for his resignation and party leaders ousted him from his committee leadership posts amid the fallout over his arrest in a men’s room and his guilty plea in the case.
Weather Prophecy
A very interesting article by K. Pennessi in the July issue of the <i>Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society</i> discusses some of the intricacies of the communication of meteorological forecasts (in the case of the article, it was the communication of seasonal forecast to Brazilian farmers).The author wanted to know what was deemed important to farmers when facing the official forecast agency as well as the prophecies of the local rain prophets.
Market Nearly Recovers From Record Losses, Buoyed by High Energy Prices
The stock market recovered almost all of its losses from Tuesday’s sharp sell-off as investors went bargain-hunting on Wednesday at Wall Street’s equivalent of a late summer sale.
Iraqi Shiite Cleric Announces Ceasefire Following Skirmish
The radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr ordered his militia to suspend activities for six months in announcement issued a day after dozens were killed during firefights between his fighters and a rival Shiite group during a religious festival in Karbala.
Musharraf to Resign as Army Chief, Plans For Re-election Bid
The exiled former prime minister Benazir Bhutto said Wednesday that Pakistan’s president, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, had agreed to resign as army chief as part of a nearly completed deal that would allow him to serve another term as president if he is re-elected and allow her to return to Pakistan to run for prime minister.
Shorts (left)
White House officials said Wednesday that the search for a successor to Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales would probably last at least several days. The officials said they were trying to strike a conciliatory tone with Senate Democratic leaders who will control the confirmation.
U.S. Weapons, Missing in Iraq, Are Found on Turkish Black Market
Weapons that were originally given to Iraqi security forces by the American military have been recovered over the past year by the authorities in Turkey after being used in violent crimes in that country, Pentagon officials said Wednesday.
Shorts (right)
Bringing a six-week hostage ordeal closer to an end, the Taliban released 12 of 19 remaining South Korean hostages on Wednesday. The seven still in Taliban custody were widely expected to be released Thursday.
Mother Nature Complies
As summer fades into fall, the days will get shorter, the weather will become more changeable, and the Red Sox magic number will continue to shrink. Despite the chaotic nature of the atmosphere and Terry Francona’s bullpen usage, I can say all of those things with near certainty. Furthermore, I can be very confident that Mother Nature will comply with most, if not all, of our plans as the recent nice stretch of weather continues. The week won’t be without changes (as always), but thankfully we will not see temperature extremes like the 55°F to 96°F jump we saw from last Monday to Saturday.
Foreign Investors Call For More Oversight of American Markets
Politicians, regulators and financial specialists outside the United States are seeking a role in the oversight of American markets, banks and rating agencies in the wake of recent problems related to subprime mortgages.
Shorts (right)
Each year since Sept. 11, 2001, Rudolph W. Giuliani has spoken at New York City’s commemorations of the attacks. At past ceremonies he has read off the names of some of the dead, given readings by Lincoln and Churchill, and recited poetry.
People Direct Criticisms at Greek Leaders Over Forest Fire Handling
The fires that tore omnivorously through scores of villages and olive groves here may now also be changing Greece’s political landscape: The government of Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis, facing national elections next month, came under increasing criticism Tuesday, not only over its handling of the fires but also over whether it stoked Greeks’ fears about who might be to blame.
Iraqis Who Aided United States Have Trouble Attaining Refugee Standing
Despite a stepped-up commitment from the United States to take in Iraqis who are in danger because they worked for the U.S. government and military, very few are signing up to go, resettlement officials said.
Shorts (left)
The resignation of Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales does not mean an end to several investigations into his actions and truthfulness during his tenure at the Justice Department, with congressional Democrats vowing on Tuesday to press ahead with their inquiries.
Clash Between Shiite Groups Result in At Least 50 Deaths
A power struggle between rival Shiite groups erupted during a religious festival in Karbala on Tuesday, as gunmen with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades fought street battles amid crowds of pilgrims, killing at least 50 people and wounding 200, Iraqi officials said.
Observant Muslim Voted In as Turkey’s Newest President Tues.
An observant Muslim with a background in Islamic politics was voted in on Tuesday as president, breaking an 84-year grip on power by the secular establishment and ushering a new religious middle class from Turkey’s heartland into the center of the staunchly secular state.
Wind and Weather
Wind is an important parameter in determining the weather. Not only is the wind strength a factor (as it turns out, Boston is the windiest major city in America), but so is the wind direction. As you might expect, when the wind blows from the north or south, the temperature becomes colder or warmer, respectively.
Gonzales Resigns Following Criticism, Perjury Accusation
Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales announced his resignation on Monday, ending a stormy tenure at the Justice Department that was marked by repeated battles with Congress over whether he had allowed his intense personal loyalty to President Bush to overwhelm his responsibilities to the law.