Which Way the Wind Blows
This time of year, one can often figure out how warm or cold it will be based only on whether the wind is blowing from the ocean. The water is still a chilly 55°F (13°C) in Boston Harbor. If there is no sunshine and a strong wind out of the east, as there was last Wednesday when it felt more like the beginning of April than mid-June, our air temperature will be very close to the water temperature in the harbor. If instead of clouds we have the strong June sun, the marine air will absorb heat from the sun-drenched ground as it moves towards campus, resulting in afternoon temperatures near a comfortable 70°F (21°C). With the prevalence of more clouds than sun today, we’ll likely fall short of 70°F (21°C), but it will still be warmer than the past couple of days.
US May Leave Gaza to Hamas, Supporting Fatah in West Bank
Bush administration officials said Thursday that they had been discussing the idea of largely acquiescing in the takeover of Gaza by the militant Islamic group Hamas and trying instead to help the Fatah party of the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, retain its stronghold in the West Bank.
Clintons Sell Millions in Holdings To Escape Any Political Liability
Concerned that their personal finances might become a political liability once again, Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton in April sold the millions of dollars of stocks held by their blind trust after becoming aware that those investments included oil and pharmaceutical companies, military contractors and Wal-Mart, among others, their aides said Thursday.
151–45 Vote Shuts Down Amendment To Outlaw Same-Sex Marriage in MA
Same-sex marriage will continue to be legal in Massachusetts, after proponents on Thursday won a months-long battle to defeat a proposed constitutional amendment to define marriage as between a man and a woman.
Shorts (left)
A federal judge refused Thursday to delay the start of the prison sentence for I. Lewis Libby Jr. in the CIA leak case while he appeals his conviction, meaning he could be ordered to surrender within two months.
Shorts (right)
Violence increased throughout much of Iraq in recent months, despite a security crackdown in Baghdad that at least temporarily reduced sectarian killings there, according to a quarterly assessment of security conditions issued Wednesday by the Pentagon.
US Pushes Missile Defense in EU Despite Putin’s Proposal
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates made clear Thursday that the United States would not alter plans to deploy parts of a missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic, despite an unexpected proposal by President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia to use a radar base in Azerbaijan instead.
As Bounty of Low Rates Fades, Leaner Times May Be Imminent
The unusually low interest rates of the last three years have been an enormous boon to almost every corner of the U.S. economy.
China to Revise Its Regulations To Better Food and Drug Safety
Responding to growing international concerns about tainted food and counterfeit drugs, China has announced that it is overhauling its food- and drug-safety regulations and will introduce nationwide inspections.
Protestors Foil Some Security Measures at Summit Meeting
They lurked in the woods, 50 strong, wearing black hoods and bandannas, and wielding tree limbs. At a signal given by one of their number, they sprang forward and threw their debris across a road here, creating a barricade that brought traffic to a screeching halt.
FDA Issues Its Strictest Health Warning on Two Diabetes Drugs
The government's top drug regulator told a packed House hearing Wednesday that the agency had recently decided to put the agency's most serious safety warning on two diabetes drugs — Avandia and Actos — whose health risks have become a focus of congressional concern.
Technique Raises Hope For Easing Ongoing Debate on Stem Cell Use
In a surprising advance that sidesteps the ethical debates surrounding stem cell biology, researchers have come much closer to a major goal of regenerative medicine, the conversion of a patient's cells into specialized tissues that might replace those lost to disease.
Shorts (left)
Bucking a ritual for Republican presidential candidates, former New York Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani and Sen. John McCain announced Wednesday that they would not participate in what has been a significant early test of candidate strength, the straw poll in Ames, Iowa, this August.
Shorts (right)
Applying a new genomic technique to a large group of patients, researchers in Britain have detected DNA variations that underlie seven common diseases, discovering unexpected links between them.
Senate Signals Support For Provisions Of a Comprehensive Immigration Bill
The Senate signaled support for major provisions of a comprehensive immigration bill on Wednesday by rejecting many proposed amendments, including one that would have made it much harder for many illegal immigrants to achieve legal status.
Al-Qaida Calls Hunt For Three Abducted U.S. Soldiers Useless
The search for three missing American soldiers abducted after an attack south of Baghdad continued Monday as the al-Qaida group that claimed responsibility for the ambush said the soldiers would never be found.
Cooler Weather on the Horizon
The past weekend's pleasant weather won't last for too much longer. A local high pressure system is keeping our skies clear for today, but will be swept offshore later in the afternoon. It will be replaced by a broad cold front, accompanied by strong storms. The front will reach us by tomorrow morning; as the boundary passes Boston, expect temperatures to plummet.
Shorts (left)
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Monday that while Russia and the United States were going through a period of uneasy relations, the problems fell far short of those of the Cold War and that the two countries continued to cooperate in a number of important areas.
Iran Is Enriching Uranium on Large Scale, Inspectors Say
Inspectors for the International Atomic Energy Agency have concluded that Iran appears to have solved most of its technological problems and is beginning to enrich uranium on a far larger scale than before, according to the agency's top officials.