Iraq Arrests Police Officers and Soldiers After Bombings
Iraq announced Thursday that it had arrested dozens of police officers and army soldiers responsible for security in the neighborhood where car bombs killed and wounded hundreds of people outside government buildings this week.
U.S. Economy Grew in 3rd Quarter, First Time in a Year
The United States has emerged from the longest economic contraction since World War II.
69 On Halloween
A tight pressure gradient will be in place this weekend between a high pressure system off the coast of Nova Scotia and a strong low pressure system over southwestern Ontario. This will cause a strong flow from the southwest, bringing hot, steamy air to our region. High temperatures on Saturday will top out around 69°F (21°C), well above average, so no need to cover up your Halloween costume. The remainder of the weekend will be dry with the next chance for rain on Sunday night.
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House Democrats on Thursday unveiled their bill to remake the health care system and said they had the votes to pass it. But Republicans said gimmicks had been used to hide the measure’s long-term costs.
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The NFL and its doctors have consistently dismissed independent studies showing unusual cognitive decline in former players. They insist that a long-term study by the league’s committee on concussions, expected to be published in several years, will be the authoritative analysis.
Pilots Who Missed Airport Cite Computer Distraction
Any employee at a company that has gone through a merger knows how distracting it can be when the new owner imposes new rules. That distraction, not a nap, was what two Northwest Airlines pilots insist caused them to fly far beyond the Minneapolis airport last week, federal investigators reported Monday.
Ex-Chief of AIG Is Busy Building a New Venture
Maurice R. Greenberg, who built the American International Group into an insurance behemoth with an impenetrable maze of on- and offshore companies, is at it again.
Senate Leader Vows to Pursue Public Option
The Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, sided with his party’s liberals on Monday and announced that he would include a government-run insurance plan in health care legislation that he plans to take to the Senate floor within a few weeks.
Iraq Blast Toll, Worse Than Feared, Includes Children
Iraqi officials reached a tentative agreement on a new election law on Monday, even as workers continued to recover more bodies from the wreckage of Sunday’s bomb attacks, including an uncertain number of children from two day care centers.
Engaging in War Is Now Part Of Germany’s Afghan Mission
Forced to confront the rising insurgency in once peaceful northern Afghanistan, the German army is engaged in sustained and bloody ground combat for the first time since World War II.
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The two-decade erosion in newspaper circulation is looking more like an avalanche, with figures released Monday showing sales down about 10 percent since last year, depressed by rising Internet readership, price increases, recession and papers intentionally shedding unprofitable circulation.
Peak Color
The end of October is usually when the Boston area sees the peak autumn colors, and this year is no different. Aided by the recent chilly nights, the transition to the colorful landscape that New England is so famous for has accelerated in recent days. It appears that peak color in the urban areas is approaching, and these next 7–10 days will likely feature the best combination of color and minimal leaf drop. If you have a chance, be sure to enjoy the colors before they fade. Popular spots that are a short distance from campus include the Arnold Arboretum, Middlesex Fells, and Blue Hills.
To Curb Risk, Fed to Track Banks’ Top Paychecks
The Federal Reserve announced Thursday that it would crack down on pay packages that encouraged bankers to take excessive risks, but officials acknowledged that the plan might not reduce the biggest paychecks on Wall Street.
Behind War Between White House and Fox
Late last month, the senior White House adviser David Axelrod and Roger Ailes, chairman and chief executive of Fox News, met in an empty Midtown Manhattan steakhouse before it opened for the day, neutral ground secured for a secret tete-a-tete.
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A short midlevel cleric, with a neat white beard and a clergyman’s calm bearing, Mehdi Karroubi has watched from his home in Tehran in recent months as his aides have been arrested, his offices raided, his newspaper shut down. He himself has been threatened with arrest and, indirectly, the death penalty.
Senate Votes to Expand Hate-Crime Protection
The Senate voted Thursday to extend new federal protections to people who are victims of violent crime because of their gender or sexual orientation, bringing the measure close to reality after years of fierce debate.
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Stocks moved upward on Thursday, riding momentum from stronger-than-expected earnings reports despite a round of jobless figures that showed persistent weakness in the labor market.
Another Rainy Weekend
The past week has been a terrific example of how variable fall weather can be. While last weekend was cold and rainy (and even a bit snowy on Sunday!), the last few days have been warm and sunny. This variability continues over the next couple of days. Today should be significantly cooler than the past couple days. The temperature will only make it to around 50°F, and brisk winds from the north mean it will feel even cooler. The next low pressure system will move into our area late tonight.
Pressed, Sen. Reid Says Health Bill May Have Public Option
Under immense pressure from the liberal wing of his caucus, the Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, has told colleagues that he may include a government-run health insurance plan in a health care bill he will soon take to the Senate floor, Democratic senators said Thursday.
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Apple, in its recent history, has overcome nearly every obstacle thrown its way. Now it has surpassed another: the burden of high expectations.