Afghan Opium Cultivation and Production Seen Rising

Afghan Opium Cultivation and Production Seen Rising
Aid Groups in Philippines Fear Finding More Devastation
At $142.4 Million, Triptych Is the Most Expensive Artwork Ever Sold at an Auction
Theater Review: Beckett’s ‘All That Fall’ Opens in New York
House Stalls Trade Pact Momentum
DealBook: U.S. Reaches Preliminary Deal in American-US Airways Merger Lawsuit
Chinese Leader Gets More Sway on the Economy and Security
As the Living Receive Aid, Bodies Remain Uncollected in the Philippines
Obama in Bind Trying to Keep Health Law Vow
Distress Grows for Philippine Typhoon Victims Who Can’t Get Aid, or Get Out
Kennedy Is Sworn In as Japan Envoy, a Post Long Held by Political Notables
Bloomberg Says News Service Did Not Kill Articles on China
Private Donors’ Funds Add Wild Card to War in Syria
Algiers Journal: Born in Protest, a Soccer Team Hailed by the People and the Government
Czech Politician Faces Claims of Aiding Secret Police
Israeli Move Over Housing Poses a Threat to Peace Talks
Bits Blog: In Europe, Thousands of Requests for Facebook Data
Bits Blog: Twitter Introduces Tool to Make Collecting and Sharing Tweets Easier
Afghan Companies With Insurgent Ties Still Receive U.S. Contracts
Pressure Is on Germany to Narrow Its Trade Gap
Books of The Times: ‘A Colossal Wreck’ Is Alexander Cockburn’s Take on America
T Magazine: Art Matters | A Medieval Romanian City With Major Art Talent
One World Trade Center Is Ruled Tallest Building in U.S.
U.N. Appeals for $301 Million for Typhoon Response in the Philippines

Posted: 12 Nov 2013 10:01 PM PST

Poppy cultivation and production hit record levels this year, and programs to counteract them have floundered, a new United Nations study said.

Aid Groups in Philippines Fear Finding More Devastation

Posted: 12 Nov 2013 09:51 PM PST

Relief organizations began ramping up their efforts Wednesday, facing daunting obstacles in areas where the scale of Typhoon Haiyan's destruction is unknown.

At $142.4 Million, Triptych Is the Most Expensive Artwork Ever Sold at an Auction

Posted: 12 Nov 2013 07:45 PM PST

The 1969 triptych, "Three Studies of Lucian Freud," sold for $142.4 million at Christie's, described as the highest price ever paid for an artwork at auction.

Theater Review: Beckett’s ‘All That Fall’ Opens in New York

Posted: 12 Nov 2013 07:00 PM PST

With Eileen Atkins and Michael Gambon in the leading roles, Samuel Beckett's "All That Fall" comes to the New York stage.

House Stalls Trade Pact Momentum

Posted: 12 Nov 2013 06:52 PM PST

Nearly half of the members of the House of Representatives have signed letters signaling opposition to "fast track" authority for a trade pact with Pacific Rim nations.

DealBook: U.S. Reaches Preliminary Deal in American-US Airways Merger Lawsuit

Posted: 12 Nov 2013 06:49 PM PST

The Justice Department reached agreement on its antitrust fight with American Airlines and US Airways over their proposed merger, according to a court document.

Chinese Leader Gets More Sway on the Economy and Security

Posted: 12 Nov 2013 06:31 PM PST

President Xi Jinping wants to shift the economy away from heavy polluting industries, volatile social divisions and state-driven infrastructure spending.

As the Living Receive Aid, Bodies Remain Uncollected in the Philippines

Posted: 12 Nov 2013 06:18 PM PST

Although the authorities have been criticized for not doing more to collect remains, the dead were not considered carriers of germs that can infect the living.

Obama in Bind Trying to Keep Health Law Vow

Posted: 12 Nov 2013 05:54 PM PST

White House officials are struggling to make good on President Obama's promise that Americans can keep their insurance coverage without undermining the new health law or adding unaffordable costs.

Distress Grows for Philippine Typhoon Victims Who Can’t Get Aid, or Get Out

Posted: 12 Nov 2013 05:52 PM PST

International officials expressed worry that bottlenecks and delays could prevent emergency supplies from reaching millions of victims for days.

Kennedy Is Sworn In as Japan Envoy, a Post Long Held by Political Notables

Posted: 12 Nov 2013 05:43 PM PST

Caroline Kennedy, the daughter of John F. Kennedy and one of President Obama's most prominent supporters, was sworn in during a ceremony at the State Department.

Bloomberg Says News Service Did Not Kill Articles on China

Posted: 12 Nov 2013 05:37 PM PST

Bloomberg News, a unit of the company owned by Michael R. Bloomberg, was accused of withholding articles that were unflattering to Chinese officials.

Private Donors’ Funds Add Wild Card to War in Syria

Posted: 12 Nov 2013 05:16 PM PST

The flow of millions of dollars in private money to extremist fighters has added an unpredictable factor to the war, analysts say, exacerbating divisions in the opposition.

Algiers Journal: Born in Protest, a Soccer Team Hailed by the People and the Government

Posted: 12 Nov 2013 05:00 PM PST

Mouloudia, founded nearly 100 years ago and Algeria's most popular soccer team, was a force in the war for independence from France and is a powerful political tool.

Czech Politician Faces Claims of Aiding Secret Police

Posted: 12 Nov 2013 04:40 PM PST

Andrej Babis, a billionaire who was a surprise kingmaker in recent elections, denies allegations that he was an agent for the reviled Czechoslovak secret police.

Israeli Move Over Housing Poses a Threat to Peace Talks

Posted: 12 Nov 2013 04:32 PM PST

The lead Palestinian negotiator said the talks would end if Israel did not withdraw its call for new plans for housing in West Bank settlements.

Bits Blog: In Europe, Thousands of Requests for Facebook Data

Posted: 12 Nov 2013 04:11 PM PST

The company received 8,500 requests from the European Union affecting 10,000 user accounts during the first six months of this year, according to a Facebook director of policy.

Bits Blog: Twitter Introduces Tool to Make Collecting and Sharing Tweets Easier

Posted: 12 Nov 2013 03:25 PM PST

Twitter introduced a tool, called custom timelines, that allows users to easily collect and share tweets on any subject they want.

Afghan Companies With Insurgent Ties Still Receive U.S. Contracts

Posted: 12 Nov 2013 03:06 PM PST

Despite the advent of blacklists and other rules during the Afghanistan war, American investigators have uncovered a case casting doubt on the military's ability to weed out suspicious contractors.

Pressure Is on Germany to Narrow Its Trade Gap

Posted: 12 Nov 2013 02:29 PM PST

The huge German trade surplus could lead to tougher European Union scrutiny.

Books of The Times: ‘A Colossal Wreck’ Is Alexander Cockburn’s Take on America

Posted: 12 Nov 2013 01:29 PM PST

In "A Colossal Wreck," Alexander Cockburn puts forth his searing opinions on America.

T Magazine: Art Matters | A Medieval Romanian City With Major Art Talent

Posted: 12 Nov 2013 12:25 PM PST

The Eastern European university town has emerged as a creative hothouse, fostering artists who display a distinctive brand of pragmatism, cynicism and dark wit.

One World Trade Center Is Ruled Tallest Building in U.S.

Posted: 12 Nov 2013 09:23 AM PST

An official arbiter declared a mast part of the building, making the tower higher than the Willis Tower, formerly the Sears Tower, in Chicago.

U.N. Appeals for $301 Million for Typhoon Response in the Philippines

Posted: 12 Nov 2013 06:32 AM PST

The appeal for emergency assistance came a day after the top United Nations relief official flew to the Philippines to help lead the global response.