News

Detroit Touts Clean, Efficient Diesels, But America Isn't Sold

3:07pm January 16, 2014

by Sonari Glinton

Hybrids and battery-powered cars are all the rage, but some car companies are investing in an older technology: diesel. The newest vehicles are cleaner and more powerful, and some drivers report getting up to 50 mpg. So what's keeping U.S. customers from switching pumps?

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Arts

Oscar Nods Go To 'American Hustle,' 'Gravity,' '12 Years A Slave'

3:07pm January 16, 2014

Nominations for the 86th annual Academy Awards were announced Thursday. American Hustle and Gravity got 10 nominations each, including nods for best picture, best director and best actress.

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German farmer Rudolf Buehler and other opponents of the Transatlantic Free Trade Agreement protest with 17 pigs in front of the chancellor's office building in Berlin on Wednesday.

World News

German Farmers Fear For Europe's Bacon With U.S. Trade Deal

9:12pm January 15, 2014

by Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson

German farmers protested Wednesday against a free trade deal with the U.S. that could lift restrictions on American meat sold in Europe. The farmers say they are worried not just about poor quality meat but about unfair competition.

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National

Months After 'Blackfish' Release, Controversy Over SeaWorld Grows

9:11pm January 15, 2014

by Greg Allen

An anti-SeaWorld movement has unfolded online and on social media in the wake of the documentary about the death of an orca trainer at the park. Musical acts and schoolchildren have boycotted the theme park — but it's still drawing big crowds.

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Senate Committee Lays Blame For Benghazi With State Department

7:44pm January 15, 2014

by Tom Gjelten

The Senate Intelligence Committee has released a new bipartisan report on the 2012 Benghazi attack. The report finds that the attack was preventable. According to the committee, fault lies with the State Department for failing to provide adequate security or heed warnings about a deteriorating security situation. The committee claims that individuals associated with al-Qaida affiliates participated in the attack, but it stops short of saying the attack was pre-planned. The report also does not implicate the "core" al-Qaida leadership.

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Why The GOP Is Winning The Statehouse War

6:18pm January 15, 2014

In an increasing number of states, one party controls both chambers of the legislature and the governor's office. While both parties have contributed to the trend, the Republicans have had a lot more success with it. Reporter Nicholas Confessore credits the foresight of GOP strategists.

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Game Over For Nintendo? Not If Mario And Zelda Fans Keep Playing

5:09pm January 15, 2014

by Laura Sydell

Some analysts say that Nintendo's days are numbered because sales of its new console, Wii U, have been lackluster. But since Nintendo still offers some of the most popular game franchises, the love of Zelda and Mario may keep the company going for a long time.

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Janet Wertheimer does a back hyperextension exercise at Boston Sports Club in Wellesley, Mass. Regular exercise has helped control her chronic back pain.

Pain In The Back? Exercise May Help You Learn Not To Feel It

4:56pm January 15, 2014

There's evidence that many standard treatments for back pain — including surgery, spinal injections and painkillers — are often ineffective and can even worsen and prolong the problem.

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Sharon, flanked by Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert (left) and Cabinet Secretary Yisrael Maimon, reads a statement during the weekly Cabinet meeting at Sharon's office, on June 13, 2004, in Jerusalem.

World News

Ariel Sharon, Whose Life And Career Shaped Israeli History, Dies

12:09pm January 15, 2014

by Mike Shuster

The former prime minister, who had been in a coma after suffering a massive stroke in 2006, died on Saturday. Sharon's career spanned the birth of the nation and most of its essential turning points. Israelis had a love-hate relationship with him that was beginning to soften only shortly before his death.

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In a $16 billion deal this week, Japanese beverage giant Suntory announced it plans to purchase Beam Inc., maker of Jim Beam and owner of other popular bourbon brands, including Maker's Mark.

Soon To Be Big In Japan, Jim Beam's Roots To Stay In Kentucky

10:48am January 15, 2014

by Rick Howlett

In a deal worth some $16 billion, Japanese beverage giant Suntory is buying Beam Inc., maker of Jim Beam bourbon and owner of well-known American brands such as Maker's Mark. Industry leaders say it's a reflection of bourbon's exploding popularity in Asian markets, but some wonder if the new owners will preserve bourbon's Kentucky heritage.

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