As Putin puts off meeting Obama, analysts consider future
WASHINGTON — The first meeting between President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir V. Putin as the leaders of their respective countries was supposed to be an ice-breaker, a moment for two outsize figures to put behind them some of the friction that surrounded the Russian elections two months ago.
House approves $310 billion in cuts, shifts savings to Pentagon
WASHINGTON — The House on Thursday approved sweeping legislation to cut $310 billion from the deficit over the next decade — much of it from programs for the poor — and to shift some of that savings to the Pentagon to stave off automatic military spending cuts scheduled for next year.
Sunny skies to return this weekend
After a couple days of clouds and rain, the sun will return just in time for the weekend. As a low pressure system exits the region today, lingering showers should be limited to this morning with the skies clearing as we move into the evening hours. Tomorrow, an upper level ridge and surface high pressure will build over New York and the off the mid-Atlantic coast, respectively.
Chinese economy losing some of its sizzle, import growth halts
HONG KONG — As China’s leaders have been preoccupied with a political struggle leading up to a once-in-a-decade leadership change this autumn, there are increasing signs that the Chinese economy may be running into trouble.
Shorts (right)
KABUL, Afghanistan — An attack by six Taliban infiltrators in the eastern province of Paktika on Thursday killed three police officers but was put down before it reached the government offices that were its target, Afghan officials said.
Greece suffering from political chaos, faces possible new elections
ATHENS, Greece — A day after Greece’s two dominant parties collapsed at the polls, the leader of the center-right New Democracy party announced Monday that he had failed to form a governing coalition, pushing the mandate to the second party amid growing uncertainty about Greece’s political stability and staying power inside the eurozone.
Shorts (right)
JERUSALEM — Israel’s Supreme Court on Monday rejected appeals for the release of two Palestinian prisoners who have been on a hunger strike for 69 days to protest their incarceration without formal charges, sharpening concern for their lives and raising the specter of widespread unrest in the event of a death.
Shorts (left)
MADRID — Rodrigo Rato, executive chairman of Bankia, Spain’s largest real estate lender, resigned Monday before an anticipated government recapitalization of the company, which is sitting on 32 billion euros, or $42 billion, in troubled assets.
Changes in Paris may better fit economic conditions in the US
WASHINGTON — With the victory of the Socialist candidate, Francois Hollande, in the French presidential election, the White House has lost one of its closest allies on the Continent, but perhaps gained one with economic policy beliefs more closely aligned with its own.
Amid protests, Vladimir Putin returns to presidency in Russia
MOSCOW — In the lustrous, vaulted throne room of the czars who came before him, Vladimir Putin on Monday reclaimed the Russian presidency. A 30-gun salute cracked over the eerie quiet of the city, and Russia’s defense minister returned to Putin the black suitcase that contains the controls to a vast nuclear arsenal.
Europe focuses on growth, but is divided on path ahead
BERLIN — In the volatile aftermath of raucous elections, which nearly destroyed the political establishment in Greece and ended 17 years of conservative reign in France, the emphasis across Europe, even in the austerity heartland of Germany, has shifted to the very real problem of growth for the stagnant Continent.
Obama hands Congress a five-point economic to-do list
WASHINGTON — With a polarized Congress already on the defensive, President Barack Obama on Tuesday will outline a five-point “to do” list for lawmakers that packages job creation and mortgage relief ideas he has proposed before, administration officials say.
Unsettled weather moving into the region
An area of high pressure sitting just off Cape Cod last night will drift away today. Rainy conditions from an approaching low pressure system will move in from the West, bringing an end to the sunny weather of the past two days. The rain, however, will stick around for a while, perhaps until Friday as the associated warm and cold fronts stall over the area by mid-week.
France and Greece poised for crucial votes on Sunday
PARIS — France and Greece vote Sunday in elections that will be closely watched for the future of the European Union and the euro. The votes will once again highlight the emerging crux of the euro crisis: Will democratic politics offer a solution to the economic crisis or just make it worse?
Brazil increasing military presence along Amazon borders
RIO DE JANEIRO — Brazil is deploying more than 8,500 troops to the far reaches of the Amazon rain forest this month in an operation aimed at cracking down on drug smuggling, gold mining, and illegal deforestation, officials said.
Leaving presidency, Russia’s Medvedev fights for relevance
MOSCOW — President Dmitry A. Medvedev spent last Friday trying to persuade the grandees of United Russia that he is a conservative who can lead the party to victory. But many looked at him and saw Prime Minister Vladimir V. Putin’s liberal sidekick, who emboldened the opposition and supported the West in Libya.
Shorts (right)
BARCELONA, Spain — Ahead of crucial elections this weekend in France and Greece, Mario Draghi, the president of the European Central Bank, warned governments Thursday against the “easier road” of raising taxes to fill public coffers, saying it would not solve Europe’s economic problems.
Shorts (left)
MEXICO CITY — The bodies of three photojournalists were found dismembered Thursday in the eastern state of Veracruz, days after a crime reporter for a national magazine was killed in her house there.
Cambridge weather finally ‘seasonable’
The cold damp weather that has plagued the Cambridge area for the past few days will persist into Saturday. Expect rain today with daytime temperatures in the upper 50’s. Saturday will be a bit better, with scattered showers and temperatures reaching the mid 60’s. By Sunday, expect to see the sun come out and temperatures remain in the 60’s, which is close to the average value for this time of year.
Study finds concerns regarding readiness for cyberattacks
WASHINGTON — A study commissioned by President Barack Obama to assess the nation’s ability to respond to terrorist attacks and man-made and natural disasters has found that state and local officials have the most confidence in their public health and medical services but are the most concerned about whether agencies can respond to cyberattacks.