Dozens killed in wave of attacks across Iraq
BAGHDAD — A string of deadly explosions and other attacks shook Iraq on Thursday, with bombings in Baghdad and the northern city of Kirkuk resulting in the most fatalities.
Big investor to oppose re-election of a Goldman Sachs director
In the latest rebuke of eye-popping pay packages on Wall Street, a major institutional investor is taking the rare step to oppose the re-election of a Goldman Sachs board member who approves compensation for many of the bank’s top executives.
With elections days away, Sarkozy’s outlook grows dim
PARIS — The candidate — energetic, bold, indefatigable — is sure he will win, aides say, as he pulls energy from his big crowds.
UN chief says Syria is failing to adhere to peace plan
BEIRUT — The secretary-general of the United Nations gave a dark appraisal of the Syria conflict Thursday, accusing its government of failing to carry out nearly every element of the peace plan that took effect a week ago, obstructing work by an advance team of cease-fire monitors and doing nothing to alleviate an intensifying humanitarian crisis on the ground.
Unusual warmth easing toward cool, rainy weather
Dry, warm weather will continue for New England through today. Temperatures, however, will not be as abnormally high as they were earlier this week. While many probably thought last Monday’s weather was pleasant, runners in the Boston Marathon were probably less satisfied. According to USA Today, roughly 2,500 of the over 20,000 participants sought medical attention for heat-related illness. Although humidity levels were moderate that day, high temperatures reaching the upper 80°F (30-32°C) were the main concern for the athletes.
British police arrest three in phone hacking inquiry
British police arrested three people Thursday as part of an inquiry into accusations of bribery stemming from the news gathering and corruption scandal that has engulfed Rupert Murdoch’s media empire, police said, bringing to 46 the number of arrests during more than a year of investigations.
Slow first quarter in China, but recent signs of growth
China’s economic growth slowed sharply in the first three months of this year, but recent efforts by policymakers to jump-start its economy, the world’s second largest, appear to be bearing fruit, with industrial and retail activity both rising during March, new data released Friday showed.
Shorts (left)
In one of the first tests of its willingness to show its muscle, the new agency created to protect consumers declined Thursday to put up a fight.
North Korea launches rocket, but it appears to fail
SEOUL, South Korea — Defying weeks of international warnings of more censure and further sanctions, North Korea on Friday launched a rocket, a belligerent act that the United States called a cover for developing an intercontinental ballistic missile that one day might be able to carry a nuclear warhead.
Raymond Aubrac, leader of the French resistance, dies at 97
Raymond Aubrac, who took that nom de guerre as a storied leader of the resistance effort in Nazi-occupied France during World War II, died Tuesday in a military hospital in Paris. He was 97
Germans’ anti-Israel whispers grow louder over poem
BERLIN — To judge by the outpouring of comments from politicians and writers and from the newspaper and magazine articles in response to the Nobel laureate Gunter Grass’ poem criticizing Israel’s aggressive posture toward Iran, it would appear that the public had resoundingly rejected his work.
Warmer weather ahead
After yesterday’s showers, the next few days look to bring some nice weather to the Cambridge area. Today will be partly cloudy with a high around 60°F.
Shorts (right)
In his first interview since ending his presidential campaign, Rick Santorum said Thursday that what pushed him out of the Republican race was his campaign’s dwindling bank account.
Day in court and new lawyer for defendant in Martin case
SANFORD, Fla. — A tall, lanky red-headed lawyer named Mark O’Mara appeared in court here Thursday, standing next to his newest client, George Zimmerman, one of the most recognizable defendants in the country but a man he had met for the first time only the night before at the county jail.
Shorts (right)
KUROSHIO, Japan — The simulations shocked this sleepy community nestled on the tip of Japan’s Shikoku island: A huge undersea quake could bring a tsunami as high as 112 feet here, a government-appointed expert panel said.
Seasonable weather will continue this week
After a historically warm winter, and a spring that featured temperatures upwards of 80°F in its first few days, the Boston area has returned to more seasonable temperatures for the past two weeks. This trend will continue this week, with daily highs and lows expected to be within a few degrees of their normal values.
Shorts (left)
The global gold rush in technology patents gained pace Monday when Microsoft agreed to pay more than $1 billion for 800 patents held by AOL.
Food prices push rate of inflation up in China
HONG KONG — The China inflation rate edged up in March, data released Monday showed, in a development that may dampen, but not eliminate, the chances of Beijing’s announcing added steps to prop up the flagging pace of growth.
Tunisia cracks down again on protestors defying a ban
CAIRO — The 6-month-old government of Tunisia cracked down with tear gas and batons Monday on thousands of protesters who filled a central artery of the capital in defiance of a new ban on demonstrations there.
Facebook buys popular photo app Instagram for $1 billion
SAN FRANCISCO — Facebook took steps Monday to bolster its mobile strategy, acquiring popular photo-sharing application Instagram for about $1 billion in cash and stock.