Iran sends mixed signals as nuclear talks near
LONDON — A senior Iranian official hinted Monday that Iran would consider limits on its home-grown stockpile of enriched uranium, offering what seemed a modest compromise to partly meet Western concerns ahead of the planned resumption this week of nuclear talks with a group of six global powers.
Shorts (left)
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration on Wednesday announced its most significant moves yet to open relations with Myanmar, lifting the travel ban on its senior leaders and easing some sanctions that have starved the country of most American investments for more than two decades.
Energy Department to rouse a loan guarantee program
WASHINGTON — Six months after the expiration of a federal loan guarantee program that backed $16 billion in loans to solar, wind and geothermal energy projects, the Energy Department has decided to offer a smaller set of similar guarantees by tapping another pot of money appropriated by Congress last year.
Seasonable in Cambridge; severe weather in the South
In Cambridge, expect mostly clear skies with seasonable temperatures for today and tomorrow as a high pressure system dominates the region. Starting on Sunday, moisture from distance ocean storms may result in clouds and slight precipitation.
Syrian government assures cease-fire despite reports of widespread violence
BEIRUT — Spasms of fighting convulsed parts of Syria on Thursday, with clashes reported only miles from the capital. The leader of the United Nations said the conflict was getting worse — contradicting the Syrian government’s assurances to a special envoy that it was complying with his cease-fire plan.
Stock prices in China rise due to push to increase investment
HONG KONG — Stocks in China rallied on Thursday, helped by the country’s newly announced decision to open its markets to more foreign investment and expectations that Beijing might soon take additional steps to bolster flagging economic growth.
Low growth in corporate earnings is expected
Corporate profits have been among the brightest lights of the economic recovery, helping to lift the stock market more than 25 percent since October.
Shorts (right)
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — The Pakistani government and opposition on Thursday united in criticism of a newly announced $10 million U.S. bounty for Hafiz Saeed, a militant leader accused of orchestrating the 2008 Mumbai attacks, during a heated session of Parliament in which lawmakers demanded that Washington provide proof of Saeed’s terrorist credentials.
Presidential rivals Sarkozy and Hollande trade attacks
PARIS — The French presidential election finally began to heat up on Thursday, less than three weeks before the first round of voting, with President Nicolas Sarkozy accusing his Socialist rival, Francois Hollande, of “promising a festival of new spending that no one knows how to pay for” and risking turning France into Greece or Spain.
Federal regulators seek to fine eight more firms in foreclosure inquiry
Federal regulators are poised to crack down on eight financial firms that are not part of the recent government settlement over home foreclosure practices involving sloppy, inaccurate, or forged documents.
Shorts (right)
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Monday ruled by a 5-4 vote that officials may strip-search people arrested for any offense, however minor, before admitting them to jails even if the officials have no reason to suspect the presence of contraband.
Shorts (left)
MOSCOW — Ukraine’s general prosecutor announced Monday that the jailed opposition leader Yulia V. Tymoshenko can receive medical treatment outside the prison camp where she has been incarcerated since December, a step that may aim to quiet Western criticism of the politically tinged case.
N.Y. workers rushed to sign up for pensions before cuts
ALBANY, N.Y. — Thousands of public employees across New York state scrambled to sign up for pensions over the last several weeks, seeking to lock in generous retirement benefits before cuts approved by the state Legislature took effect Sunday.
Noncitizens file lawsuits due to U.S. gay marriage rules
Five legally married gay couples filed a lawsuit Monday to challenge the 1996 law that bars the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages, arguing that its impact is particularly harsh on couples that include a U.S. citizen and a foreigner.
Pakistani court orders the Bin Laden family to be imprisoned, then deported
ISLAMABAD — A Pakistani court Monday ordered three wives and two adult daughters of Osama bin Laden to complete six weeks in prison for illegally entering the country and then be deported, the family’s lawyer said.
JOBS Act has good intent, but may hurt investors’ safety nets
Maybe President Barack Obama should have bought shares in Groupon’s IPO.
US relaxes some restrictions for counterterrorism analysis
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is moving to relax restrictions on how counterterrorism analysts may retrieve, store and search information about Americans gathered by government agencies for purposes other than national security threats.
Major stock indexes fall, euro falls against the dollar
FRANKFURT, Germany — A key indicator of business sentiment in Europe unexpectedly fell deeper into recession territory Thursday, compounding concerns about the global recovery following signs of slowing manufacturing in China.
Record-breaking warmth ending over the weekend
New England has experienced warm, tranquil weather over the past week. High temperatures have been able to climb into the 70s°F (21-25°C) for most days this week, breaking records on Sunday and Monday. Yesterday’s high of 83°F (28°C) also broke a record of 72°F (22°C) for that day. These highs are actually Boston’s typical temperatures for late June! Today, the Boston area has yet another chance of seeing highs reach near 75°F (24°C).