Dec 30 El Salvador volcano stays active after mass eruption .embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; padding-top: 30px; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; height: auto; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } El Salvador's Chaparrastique volcano erupted… Continue reading
Dec 30 Veterans Affairs reduces disability claims backlog by one third since March The Obama administration's secretary of veterans affairs, Eric Shinseki, said the agency's made progress with its initiative to eliminate the disability backlog by 2015. Photo courtesy of Department of Veterans Affairs The Department of Veteran Affairs said Monday that… Continue reading
Dec 30 Having a ball: The history behind American New Year's Eve celebrations By Ellen Rolfes Every year as the clock nears midnight on Dec. 31, the eyes of the world turn to the dazzling lights and bustling energy of Times Square. But why do Americans drop a ball on New Year's Eve? It started off… Continue reading
Dec 30 Will Congress retroactively renew 55 tax breaks that are scheduled to expire? In an almost annual ritual, Congress is letting a package of 55 popular tax breaks expire at the end of the year, creating uncertainty - once again - for millions of individuals and businesses. Lawmakers let these tax breaks lapse… Continue reading
Dec 30 Connecticut gun owners rush to register firearms before the new year Photo by Gettyimages Starting Jan. 1, 2014, certain firearms and ammunition magazines will become illegal for Connecticut residents. With only two days left until the new gun law goes into effect, gun owners are scrambling to turn in… Continue reading
Dec 30 Is Social Security contributing to the deficit? By Laurence Kotlikoff Social Security is contributing to the deficit, says Larry Kotlikoff; it's just not showing up where readers may have been looking. Photo courtesy of William Thomas Cain/Getty Images. Continue reading
Dec 30 Democrats focus on minimum wage strategy for 2014 Flickr user WisconsinJobsNow Democrats are putting raising the minimum wage on top of the legislative agenda for 2014, the New York Times reports. Continue reading
Dec 30 Journalists arrested in Cairo for broadcasting news 'that harms domestic security' Al Jazeera reported Monday that four of its journalists were arrested late Sunday night in Cairo. Security forces are holding them in custody for being in possession of Muslim Brotherhood publications and making "live broadcasts of news that harms domestic… Continue reading
Dec 30 China bans government officials from smoking Smoker in Nanjing, China. Photo by Flickr user J. Unrau. The Chinese government has banned its officials from smoking in public as part of an effort to limit smoking throughout the country. China has the largest number… Continue reading
Dec 30 What we're watching Monday By News Desk A second bomb in 24 hours killed at least 14 people on a Russian trolley in Volgograd on Monday. Video by Associated Press. Suicide bomber kills 14 and wounds 28 people on electric bus in the Russian city of Volgograd… Continue reading