Two states win court approval on voter rules
PHOENIX — A federal judge in Kansas on Wednesday ordered federal election authorities to help Kansas and Arizona require their voters to show proof of citizenship in state and local elections, in effect sanctioning a two-tier voter registration system that could set a trend for other Republican-dominated states.
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PARIS — Global financial markets on Monday ignored the anticipated Russian annexation of Crimea, as stocks rose strongly on Wall Street and in Europe, and currencies and energy futures traded calmly.
Something went ‘very wrong’ at GM, chief says
Mary T. Barra, General Motors’ chief executive, announced another round of wide-ranging recalls Monday, a sign that the company was moving with a new sense of urgency on safety problems after it disclosed a decadelong failure to fix a defect tied to 12 deaths.
China releases plan to integrate farmers in cities
BEIJING — China has announced a sweeping plan to manage the flow of rural residents into cities, promising to promote urbanization but also to solve some of the drastic side effects of this great uprooting.
Gender inequality in Morocco continues despite changes in laws
When Zineb lost her father at the age of 15, her grief was compounded when she learned that she had to share his inheritance with an older half-brother unknown to her or her mother and sister.
Are Massive Online Open Courses right for you?
As part of the latest wave of online learning platforms, Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs) have gone viral. They can be useful for certain students, although those interested in changing or enhancing their careers should consider their more intensive sister, distance learning.
Billionaires with big ideas are privatizing American science
Last April, President Barack Obama assembled some of the nation’s most august scientific dignitaries in the East Room of the White House. Joking that his grades in physics made him a dubious candidate for “scientist in chief,” he spoke of using technological innovation “to grow our economy” and unveiled “the next great American project”: a $100 million initiative to probe the mysteries of the human brain.
Winter lingering except for a few nicer days
After a tantalizing glimpse of spring last weekend, cold weather returned to New England. Expect it to warm up into the high 40s Wednesday through Friday, then rain and snow again over the weekend. Unfortunately, the 10-day model runs do not make next week look any more promising, so try to get some sun before it cools down again!
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Dorian Satoshi Nakamoto, the man identified by Newsweek magazine as the founder of Bitcoin, has hired a lawyer and issued a written statement Monday denying any involvement with the digital currency.
Wall Street bonuses go up as the number of jobs goes down
NEW YORK — On Wall Street, profits are down and the number of workers is shrinking.
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SAN FRANCISCO — Amazon announced Thursday that it would raise its annual shipping fee by 25 percent, right up to — but not over — the psychologically important $99 level. It had originally said it would increase the fee as high as $119, which prompted grumblings among some customers that they might rebel.
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DENVER — A Colorado law that allows adults to legally possess and use marijuana may now allow some people found guilty of minor marijuana crimes to challenge their convictions in court, a state appeals court ruled Thursday.
Eric Holder endorses proposal to reduce drug sentences
Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. is endorsing a proposal that would reduce prison sentences for people convicted of dealing drugs, the latest sign of the Obama administration’s retrenchment in the war on drugs.
Normal temperatures make a return this weekend
Over the next two days, we will see a slow return to slightly warmer conditions. Following Thursday’s storm, Boston had a fresh dusting of snow and temperatures were 10-20 degrees below normal. Yesterday night, this low pressure system moved off the Canadian coast. Slightly warmer air has moved over us in its place: today’s highs will be in the 30s, and highs on Saturday will be in the 40s and 50s.
General Motors air bag failures linked to 303 deaths
As lawmakers press General Motors and regulators over their decadelong failure to correct a defective ignition switch, a new accounting of federal crash data shows that 303 people died after the air bags failed to deploy on two of the models that were recalled last month.
Premier of Ukraine makes plea at the United Nations
UNITED NATIONS — Ukraine’s interim prime minister, seeking to rally support for a Security Council resolution criticizing the Russian takeover of Crimea, took pains on Thursday to say that his country wanted a peaceful resolution to the crisis.
McDonald’s workers in three states sue, claim underpayment
McDonald’s workers in California, Michigan
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TOKYO — One of the authors of a study that was claimed to have discovered a simple way to make stem cells said Monday that he was no longer sure of his team’s conclusions, and he called for the study to be retracted.
Speculation widens over missing jet’s fate as search area expands
WASHINGTON — Watching a seat-back display with a plane-shaped icon gliding across the map, it is easy to forget that in true scale, the airplane is very small and the route very large. As the hours and days drag by with no trace of the Malaysia Airlines flight that disappeared over the Gulf of Thailand early Saturday, the world is getting a reminder that if something goes wrong on a jet five miles up in the sky, traveling at 10 miles a minute, it can cover a lot of ground — or water — before it comes down to earth.