Shorts (left)
BRUSSELS — The man who represents the 27 leaders of the European Union warned Thursday of widespread opposition to steps that may be necessary to keep Britain as a member of the bloc.
In a first, experiment links brains of two rats
In an experiment that sounds straight out of a science fiction movie, a Duke neuroscientist has connected the brains of two rats in such a way that when one moves to press a lever, the other one does, too — most of the time.
Voting law decision could sharply limit scrutiny of rules
WASHINGTON — If the Supreme Court strikes down or otherwise guts a centerpiece of the Voting Rights Act, there will be far less scrutiny of thousands of decisions each year about redrawing district lines, moving or closing polling places, changing voting hours or imposing voter identification requirements in areas that have a history of disenfranchising minority voters, voting law experts say.
Riots in Bangladesh follow death sentence for Islamic leader
DHAKA, Bangladesh — Violent clashes between angry mobs and security forces erupted across Bangladesh on Thursday, leaving at least 35 people dead, after a special war crimes tribunal handed down a death sentence to a fundamentalist Islamic leader for crimes against humanity committed 42 years ago, during the country’s 1971 war of independence from Pakistan.
South Korean president warns North against nuclear pursuits
SEOUL, South Korea — The country’s new president, Park Geun-hye, was sworn into office Monday, facing far more complicated fissures both within South Korea and with North Korea than her father did during his Cold War dictatorship, which ended with his assassination 33 years ago.
Shorts (right)
LAGOS, Nigeria — A French family kidnapped last week on the Cameroon-Nigeria border appeared on a video posted on YouTube Monday, with one of the hostages and a gunman claiming that the family is being held by Nigerian Islamist extremist group Boko Haram.
Republicans sign brief in support of gay marriage
WASHINGTON — Dozens of prominent Republicans — including top advisers to former President George W. Bush, four former governors and two members of Congress — have signed a legal brief arguing that gay people have a constitutional right to marry, a position that amounts to a direct challenge to Speaker John A. Boehner and reflects the civil war in the party since the November election.
Shorts (left)
ALMATY, Kazakhstan — Talks between Iran and six world powers over its nuclear program resume here on Tuesday after a break of eight months, but there is a general atmosphere of gloom about their prospects for success, even if narrowly defined.
Obama urges Congress to find compromise on budget cuts
WASHINGTON — With automatic budget cuts set to hit by the end of the week, President Barack Obama on Monday again warned of dire consequences and urged Congress to find a way to compromise in the next four days.
Blizzard in Great Plains brings Tech great rains
The same winter storm that yesterday brought blizzard conditions to parts of Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Kansas will reach our area tomorrow. However, warm temperatures will likely preclude us from experiencing similar conditions, as most of the precipitation is expected to fall as rain. Still, the weather will be relatively unpleasant during the storm, with gusty winds accompanying rain that will become heavy at times. Furthermore, the track of the storm will cause its effects to linger for the remainder of the week. Fortunately, sunshine should return in time for Saturday and Sunday.
Senate set to test support for vote on Defense nominee Chuck Hagel
WASHINGTON — The Senate is scheduled to vote Tuesday on whether to cut off debate on the nomination of Chuck Hagel as defense secretary, testing whether there is support for a final vote to confirm President Barack Obama’s embattled nominee.
For Obama and team, calm, not crisis, in fiscal battle
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is just seven days away from the first significant test of his second term as deep spending cuts loom, yet inside the White House a clear sense of confidence stands in contrast to the air of crisis that surrounded previous fiscal showdowns with Republicans.
Scandal darkens doorstep of Spain’s royal family
MADRID — The website of the Spanish royal family features pictures of the king, Juan Carlos I, in a blue sash, his bejeweled wife, Queen Sofia, and the couple’s three glamorous children. But most of the photographs of the dashing Duke of Palma, the king’s son-in-law, were scrubbed from the site last month.
Shorts (right)
SAN FRANCISCO — Hewlett-Packard might have gained running room, but it remains unclear whether it can leap successfully to technology’s new post-PC world.
Coastal storm to bring a weekend rain/snow mix
Today’s clear skies will transition to a wet and soggy weekend as an area of precipitation over the southeast U.S. spins into a low pressure system. The system will move northeast along the coast and quickly deepen once it moves out over the ocean and passes New Jersey Saturday night. Rain will begin late Saturday afternoon, and should mix with snow after nightfall. Greater Boston could receive around an inch of snow, if a relatively cold period sets up early Sunday. However, western Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire will receive 6–12 inches of snow, since colder temperatures will remain more inland. Winds will strengthen into Sunday across the whole region, but should only be around 20–30 mph.
Business, labor leaders urge visa system for low-skilled
WASHINGTON — In an effort to avert the bitter and public feuding between business and labor organizations that helped kill a broad immigration overhaul in 2007, representatives of the two groups released a statement on Thursday outlining shared goals designed to show that, at least for now, they could reach a basic level of compromise.
GOP Senators urge Hagel withdrawal as Democrats move to vote
WASHINGTON — A group of 15 Republican senators insisted Thursday that President Barack Obama withdraw the nomination of Chuck Hagel to be defense secretary, the latest move in a contentious battle to block the confirmation of their former colleague.
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President Barack Obama’s chief of staff said Sunday that the White House had “grave concern” that national security was at risk, given the Senate Republicans’ delaying tactics in confirming both a new Pentagon chief and a director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
Obama plan sets up long wait for citizenship for illegal immigrants
WASHINGTON — A plan by President Barack Obama for an overhaul of the immigration system would put illegal immigrants on a path to citizenship that could begin after about eight years and would require them to go to the back of the line behind legal applicants, according to a draft of the legislation that the White House has circulated within the administration.