U.S. eyes options for Afghanistan after Congress cuts aid
By Missy Ryan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration is considering ways to ensure future financial assistance for Afghanistan after U.S. lawmakers halved development aid to the country. In a massive spending bill signed into law on Friday by President Barack Obama, lawmakers provided…Reuters'Perplexed' India says U.S. probably still most important ally
By David Brunnstrom WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The case of the Indian consul arrested and strip-searched in New York last month was handled "appallingly" and needs to be resolved, but the United States remains probably India's most important ally, the Indian ambassador to Washington said on Tuesday. …ReutersRussian police kill Islamist militant leader before Olympics
Police have killed a senior Islamist militant in Russia's North Caucasus ahead of the Winter Olympics in Sochi, where security forces searched on Tuesday for a woman they fear is planning an attack during the games. Eldar Magatov, a suspect in attacks on Russian targets and alleged leader of an…ReutersCalifornia drought: Scientists puzzled by persistence of blocking 'ridge'
The unseasonal balmy but dry weather is the result of an equally unprecedented high pressure ridge lurking offshore and blocking the typical winter storms needed to drop precipitation all along the West Coast. This ridge has persisted for 13 months and the longer it lingers, the less likely it is…Christian Science Monitor41 years after Roe v. Wade, abortion foes undaunted
On the eve of the 41st anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling that legalized abortion nationwide, opponents of abortion are undaunted. A wave of state laws in recent years has added new regulations to the practice of abortion, mostly in Republican-leaning states, as well…Christian Science MonitorDocuments offer rare inside look at Chicago priest sex abuse
Some 6,000 documents from the Archdiocese of Chicago posted online Tuesday offer an unprecedented look into the internal discussions and actions of a major branch of the Roman Catholic Church as it dealt with past clerical sexual abuse of minors. The documents include letters from parishioners…Christian Science MonitorUniversal pre-K: What Cuomo-de Blasio tussle means for Democrats' identity
New York’s alpha Democrats, Gov. Andrew Cuomo and NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio, both want universal pre-Kindergarten for their constituents’ children. Mayor de Blasio, the new dog on the political block, made the issue a centerpiece of his meteoric rise to lead the nation’s largest city, promising to…Christian Science MonitorCOUTURE: Tardy Kim Kardashian causes media fight
PARIS (AP) — Fashion has its fair share of personalities as seen in Tuesday's high-octane Paris haute couture shows.Associated Press51 mins agoObama, Francis to meet amid shared economic view
WASHINGTON (AP) — When President Barack Obama meets Pope Francis in the Vatican in March, both men will speak a common economic language rooted in similar views about poverty and income inequality, giving prominence to an issue that the U.S. president wants to be a central theme of his second term.Associated PressState of emergency begins in Thailand
BANGKOK (AP) — Protesters vying to overthrow Thailand's government stayed on the streets Wednesday despite the start of a state of emergency in the capital that was imposed to cope with the nation's increasingly violent political crisis.Associated PressNew videos of Toronto mayor emerge
TORONTO (AP) — A new video of Mayor Rob Ford emerged Tuesday that shows him swearing and slurring his words while apparently trying to imitate a Jamaican accent.Associated PressBrutality of Syria war casts doubt on peace talks
BEIRUT (AP) — Syria's conflict was sparked by an act of brutality — the detention and torture of schoolchildren who spray-painted anti-government graffiti in a southern city. In the three years since, the conflict has evolved into one of the most savage civil wars in decades.Associated PressSyria peace talks: Hyped as crucial, downplayed
MONTREUX, Switzerland (AP) — In nearly the same breath, the world's most powerful diplomats have talked about the importance of this week's peace conference on Syria and downplayed expectations for a breakthrough.Associated PressRogue US leaker Snowden says he 'acted alone'
Edward Snowden has rejected suggestions he was a Russian spy, saying he acted alone in exposing US surveillance programs. In an interview the magazine said was carried out by "encrypted means" from Moscow, the 30-year-old said he "clearly and unambiguously acted alone, with no assistance from…AFP22 mins agoBomb targets Pakistani police patrol, kills 7
PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — A Pakistani police officer says a bomb rigged to a bicycle has hit a police patrol on its way to guard a polio vaccination team, killing six policemen and a boy.Associated Press29 mins agoAustralia rejects claims that navy mistreated asylum seekers
By Matt Siegel SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia on Wednesday rejected claims by a group of asylum seekers that they were beaten and suffered burns while being returned to Indonesia by the Australian navy under a policy that has strained ties between the neighbors. The Australian Broadcasting…Reuters
