A pioneer, a preacher, an activist and an athlete were among 16 people who President Obama honored Wednesday with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor. “This is a chance for me and for the United States of America to say thank you to some of the finest citizens of this country and of all countries,” Obama told the audience assembled for the ceremony at the White House. “At a moment when cynicism and doubt too often prevail, when our obligations to one another are too often forgotten, when the road ahead can seem too long or hard to tread, these extraordinary men and women, these agents of change, remind us that excellence is not beyond our abilities, that hope lies around the corner and that justice can still be won in the forgotten corners of this world,” the president said.
Tag Archives: world
Typhoon survivors find sanctuary in school
In the foothills of the Central Mountain chain in southern Taiwan, a rescue helicopter lowers itself onto an athletic field in the town of Nei Pu. The helicopter doors open and eight typhoon survivors stumble out with their belongings in plastic bags. It is a scene that plays out all day.
India’s Airline Industry Goes From Boom to Bust
A few years ago, India’s airline industry was flying high. A booming economy made India one of the fastest growing and most competitive aviation markets in the world.
Eunice Kennedy Shriver dies
Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the sister of President John F.
13 missing on Papua New Guinea flight
A plane carrying 13 people — including nine passengers from Australia — went missing on its way from Port Moresby to Kokoda in Papua New Guinea, the Australia Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.
Reports: Typhoon triggers China landslide
A massive mudslide unleashed by Typhoon Morakot spilled into a coastal China town, crushing a half dozen buildings and burying an unknown number of people, state-run media reported Tuesday. The mudslide occurred at about 10:30 p.m. (2:30 p.m
PayScale: Ranking Colleges Based on Alumni’s Salaries
Americans are suckers for a good ranking. Give people a copy of the annual U.S. News & World Report on the country’s best colleges and you’ll have them gloating, sulking and arguing over the results for hours.
Gym shooter a classic mass murderer, experts say
George Sodini, the man who killed three women and wounded nine others before killing himself Tuesday at a Pennsylvania fitness center, showed in his writings typical characteristics of a mass murderer, experts say. “What distinguishes the mass murderer who takes his own life afterwards from the person who just commits suicide is the externalization of blame,” said James Alan Fox, a Northeastern University professor and author of six books on mass murder.
New phone apps seek to ‘augment’ reality
Blair MacIntyre imagines a world where tiny clouds of information — Facebook statuses, business cards, Twitter posts — float above all of our heads. In some ways, it’s not that far from reality
U.S. eyes Russian submarines off East Coast
Two Russian attack submarines have been cruising in the Atlantic off the East Coast of the United States, a senior defense official said Wednesday. Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said their presence is not causing alarms to go off.