On Doorways, a Jewish Custom Inherited by Gentiles

On Doorways, a Jewish Custom Inherited by Gentiles


On Doorways, a Jewish Custom Inherited by Gentiles

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 09:46 AM PDT

Jews have left their mark on every aspect of New York life, but perhaps none so ubiquitous as the palm-length encasements attached to countless doorways.


Wealth Matters: Insurance for the College Life (Grades Not Included)

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 11:58 AM PDT

Many parents may be as uninterested in talking about insurance as their children, but their policy options are numerous.


Presidential Hopefuls Rally the Right

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 12:50 PM PDT

Potential 2012 presidential candidates denounced President Obama at the annual Values Voters Summit.


Clinton seeks Iran humanitarian gesture on hikers

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 12:54 PM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Iran should free two remaining U.S. citizens held on suspicion of spying as a "significant humanitarian gesture" after releasing one this week on bail, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Friday.


Return of the shrew - 'new species' found in Africa

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 09:14 AM PDT

A mystery animal with a long snout is discovered in a remote African forest, and scientists say it may be a new species of elephant shrew.


U.N. seeks $2 billion aid for Pakistan flood relief

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 12:49 PM PDT

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United Nations on Friday asked member states for $2 billion to help Pakistan recover from the massive floods that have displaced millions of people, making it the largest natural disaster appeal in U.N. history.


Obama appoints consumer adviser

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 12:06 PM PDT

President Barack Obama names Elizabeth Warren as a special adviser to oversee the creation of a new consumer agency.


Spending to Fix Campaign Spending

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 11:47 AM PDT

As a House panel considers a measure to encourage grassroots fund raising, the bill's backers plan a $100,000 ad campaign.


S.E.C. Proposes New Rules on Debt Maneuvers

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 11:10 AM PDT

The measure addresses the practice of temporarily trimming company debt at the end of quarters to make financial statements appear stronger.


IMF Sees No Need to Assist Ireland

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 11:49 AM PDT

The International Monetary Fund said Friday that it doesn't think Ireland will need financial assistance from the institution.


Swedish Anti-Immigrant Party Steals Vote Limelight

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 11:54 AM PDT

A Swedish anti-immigrant party is expected to win its first-ever parliamentary seats in elections Sunday, the latest example of rising anti-immigrant sentiment in Europe.


Taliban Move to Disrupt Vote

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 01:06 PM PDT

The Taliban stepped up their campaign to disrupt Afghanistan's parliamentary elections, kidnapping two candidates and several electoral workers across the country a day ahead of the Sept. 18 vote.


US pair held in 'nuclear spy bid'

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 12:55 PM PDT

A husband and wife team of former nuclear contractors are charged in the US with attempting to leak nuclear secrets to Venezuela.


Gang attack teenager at bus stop

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 11:21 AM PDT

A 15-year-old boy is seriously injured after being stabbed at a bus stop in Glasgow by a group of up to four teenagers, police say.


Taliban Claim Kidnappings Tied to Afghan Vote

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 11:49 AM PDT

Officials confirmed most of the kidnappings of 30 people involved in the parliamentary election in Afghanistan.


Cuba to free four more political prisoners

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 11:25 AM PDT

HAVANA (Reuters) - Cuba is preparing to free four more political prisoners and send them to Spain, bringing to 36 the total released so far in a deal between the government and the Roman Catholic Church, the church said on Friday.


Sarkozy draws Germany into Roma row

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 11:12 AM PDT

BERLIN (Reuters) - A European row over France's repatriation of Roma escalated on Friday, pitting President Nicolas Sarkozy against Germany's Angela Merkel, who was forced to deny his assertion Berlin also planned to clear camps.


Obama Picks Warren to Set Up Consumer Bureau

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 12:41 PM PDT

President Obama announced on Friday that Elizabeth Warren would oversee the establishment of the agency.


Drill hole reaches miners in Chile

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 11:10 AM PDT

Hole must now be widened so that 33 miners trapped since early August can be brought out safely.


Afghan Elections: Kidnapping, Fraud, Warlords and Donkeys

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 10:49 AM PDT

Saturday's parliamentary elections in Afghanistan are plagued by the same troubles that hung over the August 2009 presidential election.


Philippine president reviews bus hijacking report

Philippine president reviews bus hijacking report


Philippine president reviews bus hijacking report

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 12:53 AM PDT

MANILA, Friday 17 September 2010 (AFP) - Philippine President Benigno Aquino was Friday reviewing a report calling for charges to be laid against those behind the bungled response to a bus hijacking that left eight Hong Kong tourists dead.

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One dead as street violence flares in Indian Kashmir

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 12:52 AM PDT

SRINAGAR, Friday 17 September 2010 (AFP) - Indian police shot dead a protester in Kashmir on Friday as crowds defied a strict curfew to pelt security forces with stones in the latest unrest to flare in the disputed Himalayan region.

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Maoist leader withdraws from race to be Nepal PM

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 12:51 AM PDT

KATHMANDU, Friday 17 September 2010 (AFP) - The head of Nepal's opposition Maoists withdrew Friday from the race to become prime minister to pave the way for fresh talks on forming a national consensus government, his party said.

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Cybercrime is world's most dangerous criminal threat

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 12:50 AM PDT

HONG KONG, Friday 17 September 2010 (AFP) - A crime epidemic is silently sweeping the globe as criminals turn our ever-increasing dependence on computers against us, and even the head of Interpol is not immune.

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Life term sought for S.Korean who killed Vietnamese bride

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 12:49 AM PDT

SEOUL, Friday 17 September 2010 (AFP) - South Korean prosecutors Friday demanded a life sentence for a mentally ill man who stabbed his new Vietnamese bride to death, a case that led to curbs on international matchmaking agencies.

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China's central bank warns economy still faces challenges

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 12:48 AM PDT

BEIJING, Friday 17 September 2010 (AFP) - China's central bank warned Friday that the world's second-largest economy still faced challenges and uncertainties, pledging to maintain current policies to ensure stable growth.

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Key Australian MP upset over reforms row

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 12:47 AM PDT

SYDNEY, Friday 17 September 2010 (AFP) - A key Australian independent MP Friday voiced dismay that new parliamentary reforms looked in danger despite a "group hug" designed to show goodwill between the major parties.

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Hearing of Anwar's appeal to strike out charge on Monday

Posted: 16 Sep 2010 11:59 PM PDT

The hearing of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's appeal on a High Court's refusal to throw out his sodomy charge has been rescheduled to Monday.

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Japan PM rejigs cabinet, juggles yen, debt, economy

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 12:28 AM PDT

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan kept allies in key posts in a cabinet reshuffle on Friday, signalling he plans to press ahead with efforts to curb a huge public debt as he struggles with a strong yen and weak economy.


Karachi shuts down after politician killed in London

Posted: 17 Sep 2010 12:28 AM PDT

KARACHI (Reuters) - Pakistan's biggest city Karachi shut down on Friday after a senior politician belonging to the city's dominant Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) was stabbed to death in London.


China group says no protest planned over Japan boat row

Posted: 16 Sep 2010 11:40 PM PDT

BEIJING, Friday 17 September 2010 (AFP) - A Chinese patriotic group said Friday it had no plans for weekend anti-Japanese demonstrations as tensions between Tokyo and Beijing over a maritime confrontation continued to simmer.

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Australian pupils probed after kangaroo beaten to death

Posted: 16 Sep 2010 11:31 PM PDT

SYDNEY, SFriday 17 September 2010 (AFP) - Three Australian pupils have been suspended from school as authorities investigate whether they beat a kangaroo to death with a metal pole, police and their principal said Friday.

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Japan PM rejigs cabinet, eyes economy

Posted: 16 Sep 2010 11:57 PM PDT

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan kept political allies in key posts in a cabinet reshuffle on Friday, signalling he plans to try to press ahead with efforts to curb the country's huge debt.


Imam designs 'mosque in a box'

Posted: 16 Sep 2010 10:22 PM PDT

Muslims in Paris who find themselves too busy to pray have been given a new option, thanks to a Tunisian businessman.


Rwanda genocide allegation denied

Posted: 16 Sep 2010 08:19 PM PDT

Rwandan President Paul Kagame has described as "absurd" allegations that Rwandan troops may have committed genocide in the 1990s.


Young Afghans embrace election

Posted: 16 Sep 2010 11:00 PM PDT

People in Afghanistan go to the polls on Saturday for only the second parliamentary elections since the fall of the Taliban in 2001.


Designer creates spray-on clothes

Posted: 16 Sep 2010 10:18 PM PDT

A Spanish fashion designer has come up with the concept of "spray-on clothing", thanks to some help from chemical engineers at Imperial College London.


How do you host the Pope?

Posted: 16 Sep 2010 03:50 PM PDT

Sangita Myska visits St Mary's University College in Twickenham to find out how they are preparing to host an event for the Pope.


Malaysia's loss, Singapore's gain

Posted: 16 Sep 2010 11:17 PM PDT

Whatever obstacles preventing own talents from staying home or returning to serve the country should be identified and resolved, or the brain drain will continue to be an unceasing outward flow.

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Indonesia’s underperforming MPs provoke public ire

Posted: 16 Sep 2010 11:15 PM PDT

JAKARTA, Sept 17 — Indonesia's legislators may be among the worst performing in Asia in terms of passing laws promptly, but nobody can accuse them of not going the extra mile when it comes to expensive research trips abroad. They have passed only seven out of 70 bills targeted for 2010, placing them far behind their counterparts in Malaysia, with ...