U.S. announces more sanctions against Russia over Ukraine
WASHINGTON — The United States on Monday imposed additional sanctions against Russian government officials and companies deemed close to President Vladimir Putin, accusing Moscow of failing to live up to its agreement to defuse the crisis in Ukraine.
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PARIS — Same-sex marriage has been gaining acceptance in France a year after a law allowing such unions was passed following vociferous public opposition and heated debate in Parliament.
FCC could allow fast lane on web in net neutrality policy shift
WASHINGTON — The principle that all Internet content should be treated equally as it flows through cables and pipes to consumers looks all but dead.
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Hundreds of thousands of Syrians have no access to medical supplies because the warring sides in the country’s civil war are blocking humanitarian relief, according to a report from the United Nations secretary-general.
Panel recommends ditching plagued Oregon health exchange
WASHINGTON — With encouragement from the Obama administration, an Oregon panel recommended Thursday that the state scrap the website for its beleaguered health insurance exchange and use the federal marketplace instead.
Dual setbacks for Obama on a strategic Asian tour
TOKYO — President Barack Obama encountered setbacks to two of his most cherished foreign-policy projects Thursday, as he failed to advance a trade deal that undergirds his strategic pivot to Asia and the Middle East peace process suffered a potentially irreparable breakdown.
Wind dies down before rainy weekend
Though yesterday was notably windy, today will come to be a nice normal Spring day, with dispersed clouds. Afternoon temperature today should peak above 60 Fahrenheit.
Apple, Google, Intel, Adobe settle hiring collusion suit
SAN FRANCISCO — Four major Silicon Valley companies, including Apple and Google, settled a high-profile suit Thursday over charges that they conspired not to hire one another’s workers, according to a court filing Thursday.
Lawmakers push to raise wages at biggest chains
NEW YORK — A group of Democratic lawmakers from New York City on Wednesday announced a new push to raise the minimum wage for many low-paid workers, calling for a $15-an-hour “fair wage” for employees of McDonald’s and Wal-Mart and other businesses with yearly sales of $50 million or more.
UN Council considers human rights abuses in North Korea
The United Nations appeared to move a step closer on Thursday to holding North Korea’s government accountable for what an investigative panel has called a history of crimes against humanity and egregious human rights abuses, as the Security Council convened a special session to hear the panel’s views on what should be done.
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WASHINGTON — Outside political groups, long known for their darkly negative advertisements, are trying something new this campaign season: a pivot to the positive.
One more day of abnormal cold before return to typical April
Bostonian weather took a vigorous ascent from its frigid March into spring-like conditions this early April, culminating at a high of 76°F (24°C) on April 14, after a CPW of wonderful weather. Since the 14th, it has taken a slight dip back down, but today will be the last day of that dip. Tomorrow, expect again highs breaking the 60s Fahrenheit, and a return to partly cloudy skies and occasional April showers.
Study: no evidence of Heartbleed attacks before bug was exposed
SAN FRANCISCO — Ever since the Heartbleed bug was exposed last week, the question everyone has been asking is: Did anyone exploit it before a Google researcher first discovered it?
Study chides U.S. over loan default by solar business
WASHINGTON — Long before the Energy Department lost $68 million on Abound Solar, a manufacturer that went bankrupt two years ago, it should have known that the company’s chance of repaying the loan it had guaranteed was deteriorating, according to a report by the department’s inspector general.
Big labels take aim at Pandora on royalties
NEW YORK — The music industry has opened a new front in its war against Pandora Media: royalties for songs made before 1972.
Militants defy Ukrainian site occupation deadline
SLOVYANSK, Ukraine — A deadline set by the Ukrainian government for pro-Russian militants in the country’s east to vacate occupied buildings passed Monday without signs of an effort to enforce it.
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WASHINGTON — Stepping into a heated debate within the nation’s intelligence agencies, President Barack Obama has decided that when the National Security Agency discovers major flaws in Internet security, it should — in most circumstances — reveal them to assure that they will be fixed, rather than keep mum so that the flaws can be used in espionage or cyberattacks, senior administration officials said Saturday.
Return of rain and cooler temperatures
After a brief glimpse of summer, cooler temperatures return today and remain the rest of the week. Freezing rain tonight may turn to snow early tomorrow morning, although there will be little accumulation. Skies will clear up Wednesday afternoon and remain mostly sunny the rest of the week.