At dawn Wednesday, Jews around the world celebrated the Blessing of the Sun, an event that happens once every 28 years.
Jews celebrate Blessing of the Sun
Tag Archives: island
Analysis: United States-Cuba relations begin the long thaw
"It’s time to talk to Cuba." That frank assessment from Rep. Barbara Lee, D-California, has resonated loud and clear from the island of Cuba — 90 miles from the southernmost point of Florida — to the halls of Congress
Three Mile Island at 30: Nuclear Power’s Squandered Potential
If the Three Mile Island atomic reactor near Harrisburg hadn’t melted down 30 years ago this Saturday…well, there probably would have been an accident somewhere else. The entire U.S
Trial of Taiwanese ex-president begins
The corruption trial of former Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian began Thursday, a case that has gripped the island nation for months and one in which a conviction can bring life imprisonment. The trial is the first for a former head of state in Taiwan. Chen has denied wrongdoing and has said the charges are politically motivated
Woman gives birth on airliner, leaves baby in trash
Fate, police say, saved baby Grace from being tossed out with the trash. Were it not for a cleaning lady who chanced upon the newborn waving a feeble arm from a blue trash bag in an airplane bathroom, Grace would have met the fate her mother apparently intended for her, authorities said. On Wednesday, police in New Zealand charged the 29-year-old woman with abandonment and assault — for giving birth to the child on an international flight and then leaving her, without alerting anyone, in a toilet bin amid bloodied paper towels
African group rejects Madagascar’s new leader
A regional body comprised of several southern African nations is refusing to recognize Madagascar opposition leader Andry Rajoelina as the island nation’s new president, an official said. The Southern African Development Community group, which met Thursday in Swaziland, has “completely rejected the legitimacy” of Rajoelina, the organization’s executive secretary, Tomaz Salomao, told CNN.
Red Cross fears for Philippines aid workers
The International Committee of the Red Cross has said it is "extremely worried" about the fate of three aid workers kidnapped in the Philippines in January.
Madagascar military hands power to opposition leader
Madagascar’s military handed over the reins of the island nation to opposition leader Andry Rajoelina on Wednesday, ending a two-month long political crisis — but apparently creating a constitutional one. Rajoelina, a former disc jockey turned mayor of Madagascar’s capital, declared himself president of a transitional government and his supporters pledged to hold elections in two years. But Rajoelina, at 34, is six years too young to be president, according to the country’s constitution.
Reykjavik’s Best Cellar
When the Vikings arrived in Iceland, their culinary concerns revolved around food preservation, not flavor. That led to distinct specialities — still enjoyed by Icelanders today — such as hrútspungar and hákarl . Thankfully, the advent of refrigerators, along with abundant natural fisheries, has decreased dependence on such idiosyncratic fare, and visitors today will be able to peruse an Icelandic menu without too much trepidation
N. Ireland: Two more held over killing of officer
Police arrested two more men in connection with the killing of policeman Stephen Carroll in Northern Ireland last week, bringing the total number of people in custody to seven, the Police Service of Northern Ireland announced Monday. A 31-year-old man and a 27-year-old man were arrested Monday in Craigavon, the town where Carroll, 48, was shot dead a week earlier, the police statement said. Police have also recovered a gun and ammunition in connection with the killing, the first murder of a policeman in Northern Ireland since 1998.