With nod from Putin, Ukraine rebels defy peace deal with 'pseudo-election'
The elections, scheduled for Sunday, would deviate from a Sept. 5 peace deal between Ukrainian and Russian leaders. Experts say the elections will bring new uncertainty to an already fragile truce in eastern Ukraine.
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Millennial poll: Why the youth vote now leans Republican
Among 18-to-29-year-olds who say they will 'definitely' vote on Nov. 4, 51 percent prefer a Republican-led Congress, while 47 percent want the Democrats in charge, a survey by Harvard University’s Institute of Politics finds.
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Why is Pentagon quarantining troops who had no contact with Ebola patients?
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on Wednesday signed off on a policy of 21-day quarantines for all troops deployed to West Africa on Ebola-related missions. It speaks to the military's 'ultra-cautious' culture.
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Terrorism & Security Iraqi Kurds, Syrian rebels join fight against Islamic State in Kobane (+video)
Two hundred Free Syrian Army fighters entered the besieged Syrian border town Wednesday. Turkey is also allowing Kurdish peshmerga fighters from Iraq to transit through Turkey to Kobane.
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Hawaii volcano: Will flowing lava force evacuations?
As creeping lava threatens the village of Pahoa, Hawaii, officials are preparing to evacuate the area.
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Indians stashing 'black money,' beware. High court wants your name (+video)
Supreme Court in Delhi tells lawmakers that a list of secret foreign bank account holders that may be hiding illegal funds must be handed over Wednesday.
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Wisconsin governor's race: Can Obama's visit tip the outcome?
Gov. Scott Walker's race is tightening, as President Obama makes a rare appearance with a Democratic candidate in the 2014 campaign cycle. But it's not clear whether his presence will help or hurt challenger Mary Burke.
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Update: Rocket explosion destroys NASA cargo bound for space station (+video)
The Antares rocket was carrying 5,000 pounds of science experiments, hardware, and crew supplies for the International Space Station. No injuries or fatalities resulted from the explosion.
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Decoder Buzz Your 30-second guide to 2014 midterms
Here's the bottom line: Republicans are likely to take control of the Senate and keep control of the House, but only if lots of registered voters who don't want that to happen sit out midterm elections, as they have in the past.
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Latin America Monitor As Day of the Dead looms, families of missing Mexican students hold out hope (+video)
Four new suspects in the case of 43 missing college students pointed Mexican authorities toward a mass grave this week. A month after the students' disappearance, families still have no answers.
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The New Economy US home price growth slows in August. Time to buy? (+video)
Home prices in 20 US cities rose 5.6 percent year-over-year in August, according to Case-Shiller's monthly home price index. The price slowdown is contributing to a housing market that should look more and more appetizing to prospective buyers, but are most in a position to take advantage?
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In Syria refugee crisis, Palestinian legacy weighs on Lebanon
Even as a conference in Germany seeks to support nations hosting Syria refugees, Lebanon fears the Syrians will follow the path of Palestinians, whose refugee communities became entrenched, and radicalized, over time.
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Backchannels Captive John Cantlie is a propaganda prop for Islamic State (+video)
Using John Cantlie, whose friend and colleague James Foley was beheaded by the group two months ago, is one of the Islamic State's lesser crimes. But it's still a crime.
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Fortress Israel: Can people make peace when they don’t talk?
As Israelis grow skeptical about achieving peace, they have walled themselves off from their Arab neighbors.
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To spank or not to spank: Corporal punishment in the US
A pro football player uses a switch on his child, and an American cultural divide between races, regions, and religions is exposed.
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The whale savers
A decades-long quest to save the north Atlantic right whale is helping revive a species that is a bellwether of the health of the oceans.
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The rise of 'redneck TV'
Why TV's plunge into backwoods family, danger, and colloquial wisdom transfixes America (and the world). Do the shows depict caricatures or gritty authenticity?
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Fracking in the US: The story of one man's oil well
A writer from liberal Massachusetts goes to Texas to deal with a family oil well. What he learned about fracking, salt domes, and America's energy future.
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Climate change summitry's force of nature: Christiana Figueres
How UN climate change chief Christiana Figueres became a fierce crusader to lower Earth's thermostat, through a visceral connection to the planet.
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Decoder Buzz Why Sarah Palin really might run for office again
Sarah Palin says all the criticism from 'those haters out there ... invigorates me.' A majority of Americans say they've heard enough from her, but she has a base of committed supporters, and even some Democrats say they want her to run.
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Kentucky Senate race: Grimes brings in Clinton, McConnell releases the hounds
With only days left before midterm elections, Alison Lundergan Grimes and Sen. Mitch McConnell are hauling out their most powerful weapons. For Ms. Grimes, that’s Hillary Rodham Clinton. For Senator McConnell, it’s bloodhounds.
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Wisconsin governor's race: Can Obama's visit tip the outcome?
Gov. Scott Walker's race is tightening, as President Obama makes a rare appearance with a Democratic candidate in the 2014 campaign cycle. But it's not clear whether his presence will help or hurt challenger Mary Burke.
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Terrorism & Security Iraqi Kurds, Syrian rebels join fight against Islamic State in Kobane (+video)
Two hundred Free Syrian Army fighters entered the besieged Syrian border town Wednesday. Turkey is also allowing Kurdish peshmerga fighters from Iraq to transit through Turkey to Kobane.
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Backchannels Captive John Cantlie is a propaganda prop for Islamic State (+video)
Using John Cantlie, whose friend and colleague James Foley was beheaded by the group two months ago, is one of the Islamic State's lesser crimes. But it's still a crime.
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Terrorism & Security British hostage John Cantlie is face of Islamic State propaganda from Kobane (+video)
Turkey's prime minister told the BBC that the US-led coalition against Islamic State must broaden its mandate to target the overthrow of Syria's president. The battle for Kobane on the Syria-Turkish border is ongoing.
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Change Agent Corinne Hindes helps those in need enjoy Warm Winters
As a teen she founded Warm Winters, which has worked with ski resorts, Girl Scouts, and high school ski teams to donate more than 5,000 items of warm clothing to 2,500 homeless people.
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Change Agent Public art in Detroit builds safer, stronger neighborhoods
Detroit artists Gina Reichert and Mitch Cope bought vacant homes and converted them into a multi-faceted artistic community, including a performing arts center and recording studio.
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Change Agent Goats take on a notorious invasive species
Hungry goat herds could replace toxic herbicides, controlled burns, and even bulldozers to eliminate invasive phragmites that choke off native vegetation.
Photos of the day 10/28
Miss China winners He Wenqian (from l. to r.) , Liu Zhongqing and Yang Xue pose for pictures with Giant Panda triplets at the Chimelong Safari Park in Guangzhou, Guangdong province.
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