Pakistan suspends Taliban peace talks over killings
Peace talks between the Pakistani government and the Taliban were suspended in acrimony Monday, as a government committee refused to meet with Taliban representatives in the aftermath of the reported killing of 23 paramilitary soldiers in militant captivity.
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SAN FRANCISCO — Apple released on Thursday its supplier responsibility report, and the company said its hardware factories did not use any tantalum, a metal commonly used in electronics, from areas engaged in warfare.
Groups warn of ethnic cleansing in Central African Republic
DAKAR, Senegal — Tens of thousands of Muslims are being forced by Christian militias to flee the Central African Republic in what human rights groups and a top U.N. official characterized Wednesday as de facto ethnic cleansing.
One in five insured under new health law did not pay on time
WASHINGTON — One in 5 people who signed up for health insurance under the new health care law failed to pay their premiums on time and therefore did not receive coverage in January, insurance companies and industry experts say.
Cable TV merger would also join Internet giants
On the face of it, the merger of the two largest U.S. cable companies would seem like a non-starter, given its steep regulatory hurdles and skepticism from consumer watchdogs.
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China’s recent moon launch was to be a testament to the country’s technological prowess as it joined Russia and the United States in the exclusive club of countries sending successful “soft landing” missions that allow them to explore the lunar surface.
Chobani: Yogurt intended for Olympians to be donated
In the Cold War over yogurt, America blinked.
Study: methane leaks negate climate benefits of natural gas
WASHINGTON — The sign is ubiquitous on city buses around the country: “This bus runs on clean burning natural gas.”
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Helen of Troy has suggested it would return money to investors, but it wasn’t interested in selling itself, despite calls from an activist investor.
At polls, Tokyo rejects a plan for curbing nuclear power
TOKYO — Tokyo voters chose the governing party candidate to be their next governor Sunday, rejecting a former prime minister who had tried to turn the local election into a public referendum on the future of nuclear energy in Japan.
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WASHINGTON — The House will vote Wednesday to extend the government’s borrowing authority into 2015 in exchange for reversing a cut to the pensions of working-age military veterans that Congress approved just two months ago to try to trim the budget deficit.
Farm Bureau report finds need for immigration overhaul
WASHINGTON — Immigration reform that focuses solely on enforcement would cut agriculture production and cause a sharp rise in food prices, according to a new study released Monday.
Talks on Syrian conflict resume in Geneva
GENEVA — As fighting raged unabated in Syria, government and opposition representatives met in Geneva on Monday for a second round of peace negotiations in hopes of moving away from the inconclusive and often fractious exchanges in the first round that ended 10 days ago.
Today, tomorrow will be better for opening doors
We have now entered the frozen heart of winter, where freezing is more frequently a daily high than a daily low. Unlike many days of the previous week, however, no extra snow shall fall until the day after tomorrow, so for these two days, the winter invites you out if you want to build a snowman. Still remember to dress appropriately, as highs will be in the twenties.
North Korea balks again at bid to free American
SEOUL, South Korea — For a second time, North Korea has rescinded an invitation for a special U.S. envoy to visit Pyongyang, the capital, to seek the release of Kenneth Bae, a Korean-American Christian missionary held in the country for more than a year, the U.S. State Department said Sunday.
Michael Sam may become the first publicly gay player in the NFL
Coaches at the University of Missouri divided players into small groups at a preseason football practice last year for a team-building exercise. One by one, players were asked to talk about themselves.
Trial brings new scrutiny of self-defense laws
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Nearly seven months after a jury acquitted George Zimmerman, whose shooting of an unarmed black teenager made him synonymous with Florida’s so-called Stand Your Ground law, the state’s latest drama involving a fatal burst of gunfire and a claim of self-defense began to play out Thursday in a courtroom here.
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Twitter’s stock plunged Thursday, dropping 24 percent to close at $50.05 a share, after a fourth-quarter earnings report Wednesday showed significant declines in usage and a slowdown in the growth of the new users.
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KIEV, Ukraine — A Ukrainian protest leader who vanished for a week and then emerged from a forest late last month saying he had been “crucified” gave his first full account of his ordeal on Thursday.