Karzai gets new term after second round of voting is scrapped, and dubious congratulations flitter down. News events to anticipate for the week ahead. Taliban assessment: can't be flipped against al Qaeda, and fully aware the U.S. will soon depart. Profile of Perimeter, the not-exactly-autonomous
Without support from Merkel and Sarkozy, Blair sees chances slip of becoming Europe's super-president. Digging into the dealings of Blair, Inc. France wants to fist-bump across the Rhine to seal a European power-play, but Germany's not yet persuaded. Among rich countries, the more
Summary of the Army's shock-and-awe campaign in Afghanistan--against the C.I.A. Reading Gorbachev's fears of humiliation in Afghanistan in light of U.S. policy. Examples of Chinese graffiti discouraging whistle-blowing. New take on grief says it's not work, you
Ahmadinejad appears set to sign an I.A.E.A. proposal to ship its enriched uranium abroad. China faces its own health care woes; the nation's reformed care still leaves citizens depleted. U.N. torture expert turned away at Zimbabwe border, despite an invitation from its prime minister.
Ecuador will drill for oil in pristine Amazon rainforest unless the world pays it $3 billion. Trib investigation finds Illinois nursing homes keep the peace by overdosing residents on psychotropics. Chris Ware's terrific Halloween-themed gatefold comic in this week's New Yorker. The deadline is tonight
Maine is gay marriage's new battleground; if the law's upheld, the movement gains its first ballot-box victory. Instpaper for the commute: Invoking Stalin in today's debates is frivolous, and it disrespects his victims. Friedman: We can't afford 20 years of rebuilding
Ex-A.I.G. chief builds a competitor that may impact A.I.G.'s means to repay taxpayers. Interview with a man who trains rats to detect landmines. Dementia experts dismiss N.F.L.'s future analysis of players' cognitive decline. Numerical evidence proves Derek Jeter
Bush is back, this time as a softshoe motivational speaker. Op: Torturing dogs or humans engenders compliance, not truth-telling. Comedian jokes about amputee soldiers; pols and editors outraged on soldiers' behalf; soldiers laugh, distrust pompous pols and editors. Political activists fulminate because it provides "so many of
Times reporter David Rohde's Afghanistan kidnapping account could serve as a guide for how best to deal with the Taliban. How the Red Cross delivers letters to hostages. By effectively cornering the market on anti-Administration animus, Fox News has had a robust 2009 so far. Some researchers
Obama weighs outcome of Afghanistan war game; watchers wait for McChrystal to fly to D.C. Op: Obama's surveillance tools are the same as Bush's: served with glib assurances. At-home cosmetic lasers gaining popularity, and plastic surgeons everywhere are worried. Interior decorating with Augusten Burroughs.
