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Thousands of processed foods — from soups to hot dogs to dips — contain a flavoring ingredient contaminated with salmonella, but government food safety officials say most affected products are safe because cooking, either before or after sale, eliminates the risk.
Brighter weekend ahead
A series of slow moving storms has affected Boston’s weather for the past week. Overcast skies, breezy conditions, and intermittent precipitation have dominated the recent weather. These storms have also caused continuous flooding along the east coast of Massachusetts. The combination of ocean swells and high astronomical tide has put some coastal roads underwater. However, the ocean flooding and dreary weather should end by the start of the weekend. For today, residual precipitation will linger as the nor’easter over the west Atlantic finally begins to depart. In its wake, an area of high pressure will arrive in the northeastern U.S. A pattern of clear skies and warmer temperatures is in store by Saturday and into the middle of next week. This should keep the mythical and meteorological March “lion” under control for now!
For districts policing failing schools, Obama backs reward
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama said Monday that he favored federal rewards for local school districts that fire underperforming teachers and close failing schools, saying educators needed to be held accountable when they failed to fix chronically troubled classrooms and curb the student dropout rate.
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ISTANBUL — The detention of top military officers in Turkey last week was nothing less than a quiet piece of history. The military, long considered untouchable in Turkey, was pushed from its political pedestal with startling finality.
Despite readiness for quake, Chile struggles as rescue efforts continue
ANGOL, Chile — Chile’s government, after initially waving off outside aid, changed course Monday as the devastation from the powerful earthquake sunk in and the nation’s pressing needs became clear.
In California, a divided Republican Party smells blood
BURBANK, Calif. — If Republicans are to have a serious chance of capturing control of the U.S. Senate in November, they must win in traditionally Democratic states like California, where Sen. Barbara Boxer, a three-term Democrat, is showing signs of vulnerability.
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The Iranian authorities on Monday closed two major opposition publications, among the last to remain in circulation as the government has suppressed its opponents’ communications in recent months.
‘Hero of Ukraine’ Bandera splits nation, both inside and out
STARYI UHRYNIV, Ukraine — Half a century after his death at the hands of the KGB, Stepan Bandera, a World War II partisan, has not lost his ability to rally Ukrainians against Russia — and against each other.
Grey haven
With weather more reminiscent of the Pacific Northwest, we’ve been mired in clouds with intermittent rain and snow for the better part of a week. The wind and rain storm Thursday evening sent gusts roaring over 60 mph (97 kph) from Boston to Concord, NH knocking down trees, tearing off roofs, and even sending a shed full of snow tubes flying across I-495. While we got the brunt of the wind and rain, New York City experienced its fourth largest snow storm on record with 20.9 inches (53 cm) in Central Park. The higher elevations of the Green and White Mountains in northern New England received more than 3 feet (91 cm) of snow, a boon to ski resorts which have been desperate for natural snow.
Data shows Toyota Camrys not recalled also had problems
Toyota has recalled 6 million cars in the United States over concerns about sudden acceleration. But an analysis of government documents shows that many Toyota Camrys built before 2007, which were not subject to recalls, have been linked to a comparable number of speed-control problems as recalled Camrys.
Democrat seeks attention in Florida senate race
ORLANDO — Rep. Kendrick B. Meek, the leading Democratic candidate for Florida’s open Senate seat, listened quietly last week to tales of woe: a college student who nearly ended up homeless because her mother had lost her job; a laid-off mother who paid for health care with credit cards; an electrician struggling to get unemployment benefits.
Intentions of whale in killing are debated
MIAMI — Homicide investigators in Orlando said Thursday that the death of a trainer at SeaWorld on Wednesday occurred when the theme park’s largest male Orca whale grabbed the trainer by her hair while she stood in shallow water, and dragged her into a deep pool.
Despite pressure, China still resists Iran sanctions
WASHINGTON — Despite intense public and private pressure by the Obama administration, China has not yet shown any sign that it will support tougher sanctions against Iran, leaving a stubborn barrier before President Barack Obama’s efforts to constrain Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
Greek debt and a weak job sector weigh on investors
A tense day for Wall Street ended with a tinge of hope, as a rise in commodity prices helped temper anxiety about Greek debt and the American jobs market.
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A lackluster report on durable goods on Thursday resurrected doubts about the sustainability of a recovery for manufacturing. In addition, the number of people filing unemployment claims touched a three-month high, and a barometer of home prices unexpectedly fell.
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The sickly housing market was socked with another dose of bad news on Wednesday when the Commerce Department reported that new home sales fell in January to the lowest level since record-keeping began in 1963.
Coastal storm pounds northeast
A major coastal storm has again hit the Northeast, bringing snow and rain as well as high winds to the I-95 corridor from Washington, D.C. to Boston. The same storm that brought rain and snow to the Midwest earlier this week has now moved off of the coast of the Mid-Atlantic. After moving over the ocean, the storm began to rapidly strengthen, resulting in additional precipitation and high winds for much of the Northeast region. As of Thursday evening, the National Weather Service had issued winter storm warnings, high wind warnings, and flood warnings up and down the coast in anticipation of dangerous conditions created by the coastal low.
A new plan envisions U.S. contracts as a wage lever
The Obama administration is planning to use the government’s enormous buying power to prod private companies to improve wages and benefits for millions of workers, according to White House officials and several interest groups briefed on the plan.
Five Republicans break ranks to help advance jobs bill
WASHINGTON — Five Republican senators broke ranks with their party on Monday to advance a $15 billion job-creation measure put forward by Democrats, a rare bipartisan breakthrough after months in which Republicans had held together to a remarkable degree in an effort to thwart President Barack Obama’s agenda.
Apple bans some iPhone applications for sexually suggestive content
Apple has started banning many applications for its iPhone that feature sexually suggestive material, including photos of women in bikinis and lingerie, a move that came as an abrupt surprise to developers who had been profiting from such programs.