Storm lashes northern Europe, stalling travel in parts of Britain
LONDON — One of the most powerful storms in Europe in years left at least 13 people dead, hundreds of thousands without power and many stranded Monday when trains, planes and ferries were canceled after high winds battered the northern part of the Continent.
Japanese autos lose ground in consumer reliability ratings
After results of Consumer Reports Annual Auto Reliability ratings were released Monday, there appeared to be a crack in the dominance of Japanese brands over automotive reliability. Two of America’s most popular cars, the V-6-equipped Honda Accord and the Nissan Altima, no longer have the consumer advocacy publication’s coveted “Recommended” rating, according to the report.
Chilly fall temperatures continue
It certainly felt more like fall this past weekend, with daily high temperatures in the mid 50s°F (10s°C) and winds gusting close to 30 mph, thanks to the jet stream over the eastern U.S.
Shorts (right)
SEOUL, South Korea — In an surprise move that could help ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula, North Korea said Thursday that it would release six South Koreans it has been holding in detention, according to South Korean officials.
Cold and dry weekend ahead for Cambridge
Unusually cold temperatures will remain in Cambridge over the next week. A high pressure system brings with it clear skies. The days will be sunny but the mornings will be cold because of high levels of radiative cooling at night.
Shorts (left)
SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea has increased activity at its main underground nuclear test site, digging new tunnel entrances in what could be preparations for another nuclear test, a Washington-based research institute reported Thursday.
Credit Suisse to streamline and shrink its operations
Credit Suisse said Thursday that it planned to shrink its investment bank and other businesses as it grappled with stricter regulatory requirements and a challenging fixed-income market.
Drone politics take the center stage, even as strikes decrease
LONDON — For years, U.S. drone strikes in Pakistan’s tribal belt have been the subject of what might be termed a wink-and-keep-moving approach between the leaders of both countries.
Civil war creates increased hardships for Syrians
DAMASCUS, Syria — Some 5 million Syrians are now refugees in their own country, many living hand-to-mouth in vacant buildings, schools, mosques, parks and the cramped homes of relatives. Others are trapped in neighborhoods isolated by military blockades, beyond the reach of aid groups. Already desperately short of food and medicine as winter closes in, they could begin to succumb in greater numbers to hunger and exposure, aid workers say.
Accusation of spying on Merkel puts Obama at crossroads
WASHINGTON — The angry allegation by the German government that the National Security Agency monitored the cellphone of Chancellor Angela Merkel may force President Barack Obama into making a choice he has avoided for years between continuing the age-old game of spying on America’s friends and undercutting cooperation with important partners in tracking terrorists, managing the global economy and slowing Iran’s nuclear program.
FDA endorses tighter control for painkillers
The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday recommended tighter controls on how doctors prescribe the most commonly used narcotic painkillers, changes that are expected to take place as early as next year.
Panama preparing to free most of freighter’s North Korean crew
The authorities in Panama said Monday that they would release 33 of the 35 North Korean crew members of a rusting freighter that was impounded more than three months ago for carrying a secret stash of Soviet-era Cuban military gear hidden under bags of brown sugar.
US official: Al-Qaida affiliate weakening Syria peace efforts
PARIS — A senior State Department official said Monday that an al-Qaida-affiliated rebel group was undermining the chances for a successful international effort to end the war in Syria.
Shorts (right)
MOSCOW — A suicide bomber attacked a bus in Volgograd, Russia, on Monday, killing at least five people and wounding more than 25, officials said, a case in which the violence of the turbulent North Caucasus apparently spilled into the Russian heartland.
Shorts (left)
J. Michael Evans, a Goldman Sachs executive once seen as a possible candidate to succeed Lloyd C. Blankfein as chief executive, is leaving the Wall Street firm.
Student kills math teacher, then himself, at Nevada middle school
A Nevada middle school student shot and killed a math teacher on Monday, then fatally shot himself in front of children who were gathering for class at the beginning of the school day, the authorities said.
Medicaid expansion is set for Ohioans
COLUMBUS, Ohio — As a Republican chairman of the House Budget Committee in the 1990s, John R. Kasich wielded a ferocious budget ax. On Monday, as Ohio’s governor, Kasich defied his party’s majorities in the state Legislature to push through a multibillion-dollar expansion of Medicaid under President Barack Obama’s health care law.
Chilly weather finally arrives
This October has been characterized by incredible autumn weather. It has been warm, sunny, and dry. To date, Boston has recieved only 0.50 inches of precipitation, which is over 2 inches below normal. Additionally, much of October saw high temperatures above average, except for October 9-14, which saw high temperatures right around average. The overall monthly average temperature through Oct. 20 is 60.5°F, which is 4.8°F above the climatological average.
Keystone pipeline opponents plan widespread civil disobedience
PITTSBURGH — Opponents of the Keystone XL oil pipeline outlined new plans for persuading President Barack Obama to reject the project at a conference for young climate activists here over the weekend. And while most organizers continued to express optimism that the administration would not allow TransCanada to complete the 1,700-mile pipeline from Alberta’s oil sands to Gulf Coast refineries, they are preparing for the likelihood that the project will win approval.
Seasonable sunshine in store
A mostly sunny, seasonable weekend is in store after two consecutive days of above-average temperatures. Yesterday’s high temperature at MIT was 73°F, well above the mean value of 61°F normally recorded at nearby Logan Airport. Likewise, southerly winds will keep a warm, moist air mass in place early this morning, allowing temperatures to approach the 70-degree mark for the second day in a row. This time, however, a cold front will pass through the area during the morning hours, resulting in increased windiness, a drop in humidity, and the arrival of cooler air from our north and west. That cooler air mass will continue to move in over the next couple of days, creating the a more seasonable weather pattern, with highs near 60°F and lows around 45°F by the beginning of next week.