‘Progress made’ on Farc hostages
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Venezuela says it has taken the first steps towards securing the release of three hostages held by Colombian Marxist rebel group, the Farc. Read more
LOVE WARMER AND LIVE LONGER
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LOVE WARMER AND LIVE LONGER By CATHY BURKE February 10, 2008 — The key to wedded bliss may also open the door to a longer life. A study of Midwestern couples found those who felt free to express their feelings lived longer than couples who were always angry at one another. The study was published [...]
Want to Send a Thank-You Note to Edwards? Mitt?
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Want to Send a Thank-You Note to Edwards? Mitt? We know many of you are still hurting over the departure of John Edwards from the campaign. So why not send him a thank-you note? You know, like one of those your most annoying co-worker makes you sign for the dork in the next cube? Well, [...]
Turkish law-makers: Let them wear headscarves!
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In Turkey, heated debate about the wearing of the traditional, Muslim headscarf for women is back – or maybe it never really went away. In Ankara, after a first round of discussion of the issue, Turkey’s parliament has voted “to approve a constitutional amendment allowing female students to enter universities wearing Islamic headscarves.” This is [...]
Snow in Baghdad
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Children in Baghdad squealed with delight yesterday morning when they awoke to see snow flakes falling on their city for the first time in memory.Gazing in wonder at the sky, many people also hoped that the surprise, white shower was a sign of peace for their war-wrecked country. “This is great! I wanted to play [...]
Days of The Rat: Predictions for 2008
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[Tokyo, late December, the blackest hour of the night. At the door of my apartment, a feeble, scratching knock. Outside stands a man so ancient that it is impossible even to guess his age. His dark skin is papery and wrinkled, his eyes are brown pools, and his earlobes hang loose from the weight of [...]
Bobby Fischer v. Boris Spassky, from The Times
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Bobby Fischer’s legendary 1972 world title match with Russia’s Boris Spassky became an expression of the Cold War tensions of the time and began his reign as the only non-Soviet or non-Russian world champion in the latter half of the 20th century. Tim Jones, Times journalist, recalls his time reporting on the event in the [...]
Time to Talk to Iran
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Regardless of what one thinks about the National Intelligence Estimate‘s conclusion that Iran stopped its nuclear weapons program in 2003 — and there is much to question in the report — its practical effects are indisputable. The Bush administration cannot take military action against Iran during its remaining time in office, or credibly threaten to [...]
Prison to Playhouse: Director Hopes To Bring N. Korean Exposé to U.S.
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To get “Yoduk Story” produced, the director had to put his kidney up for collateral. Read more
Gates Challenges European Military Leaders on Afghanistan
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MUNICH, Feb. 10 – Defense Secretary Robert Gates challenged the European military leaders and lawmakers Sunday to revive flagging support for the international mission in Afghanistan, warning that if members of NATO were no longer willing to shoulder the burdens of war equally, it “would effectively destroy the alliance.” Read more
Top Associate Of Pol Pot Faces Victim In Courtroom
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PHNOM PENH, Cambodia, Feb. 8 — A Cambodian genocide victim confronted a former Khmer Rouge leader in a courtroom here Friday, demanding to know who was responsible for the “hellish regime” that killed about 1.7 million people, including her parents. Read more
Romney And McCain, ‘Hispanic’ Candidates?
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When Bill Richardson canceled his presidential bid, wags in the Latino blogosphere did not mourn the lack of other Hispanic contenders. They still had the “Mexican-American” and the “Panamanian” vying for the GOP nomination. Read more
Bolivia’s Irresistible Reserves
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LA PAZ, Bolivia — When President Evo Morales took state control of Bolivia‘s energy sector nearly two years ago, critics warned that investors would abandon the country’s gas fields and ultimately sink the industry. Read more
Canada’s Mulroney, Back in a Bad Light
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VANCOUVER, B.C. — Ask Canadians under 30 about the name Mulroney, and chances are they will think not of the former prime minister, Brian Mulroney, but of his son, Ben, the Ryan Seacrest of the North, host of “Canadian Idol.” But that was before the elder Mulroney came storming back into the national spotlight in [...]
Audit of U.N.’s Sudan Mission Finds Tens of Millions in Waste
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UNITED NATIONS — The United Nations has wasted tens of millions of dollars in its peacekeeping operations in Sudan over the past three years, according to the findings of U.N. auditors examining the financial practices of the global body’s overseas missions. Read more
Diary of an Insurgent In Retreat
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BAGHDAD, Feb. 9 — On Nov. 3, U.S. soldiers raided a safe house of the insurgent group al-Qaeda in Iraq near the northern city of Balad. Not a single combatant was captured, but inside the house they found something valuable: a diary and will written in neat Arabic script. Read more
Blast Kills at Least 25 At NW Pakistan Rally
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ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Feb. 9 — A powerful bomb killed at least 25 people at an opposition party rally in Pakistan‘s turbulent northwest Saturday, according to government officials. Read more
Turkish parliament lifts university headscarf ban
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ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkey’s parliament lifted a ban on Saturday on female students wearing the Muslim headscarf at university, a landmark decision that some Turks fear will undermine the foundations of their secular state. Read more
McCain reaches out to conservatives but only so far
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WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Republican front-runner John McCain is trying to gain his party’s presidential nomination by convincing conservatives he is one of them, without hurting support from moderate voters who have propelled his candidacy. Read more