Gays in Pakistan Move Cautiously to Gain Acceptance

Max Becherer for the International Herald TribuneHIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT Ali, a gay man who lives in Lahore, is in a support group for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Pakistanis. “The gay scene here is very hush-hush,” he says. LAHORE, Pakistan — The group meets irregularly in a simple building among a row of shops here that close in the evening. Drapes cover the windows. Sometimes members watch...

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Bits Blog: Data Shows Twitter Posts That Resonate With Electorate

In Florida, voters responded most when Mitt Romney posted about education and when President Obama did the same about foreign affairs. In Ohio, Mr. Obama’s posted about gay rights, more so than any other topic, held the most traction. For Mr. Romney, it was his posts about the economy.Twitter introduced an interactive map on Thursday showing which of the candidates’ tweets drove the most engagement...

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Second Illness Infects Meningitis Sufferers

Just when they might have thought they were in the clear, people recovering from meningitis in an outbreak caused by a contaminated steroid drug have been struck by a second illness. The new problem, called an epidural abscess, is an infection near the spine at the site where the drug — contaminated by a fungus — was injected to treat back or neck pain. The abscesses are a localized infection,...

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Second Illness Infects Meningitis Sufferers

Just when they might have thought they were in the clear, people recovering from meningitis in an outbreak caused by a contaminated steroid drug have been struck by a second illness. The new problem, called an epidural abscess, is an infection near the spine at the site where the drug — contaminated by a fungus — was injected to treat back or neck pain. The abscesses are a localized infection,...

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In Election-Night Party Planning, Flexibility Is a Must

Isaac Brekken for The New York TimesFrank Roskowski, director of technical services at the Aria Resort in Las Vegas, says it's difficult to determine the contours of an election-night party. Isaac Brekken for The New York TimesA sign points to an early-voting site in Las Vegas, a city well suited to election parties because many of its ballrooms can expand or contract to accommodate victory...

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Erdogan Says He Plans a Trip to Gaza Soon

Bernat Armangue/Associated PressTwo Palestinians walked on the beach near Rafah, the southernmost city of Gaza. The Turkish prime minister announced Friday that he would visit the tiny Palestinian enclave. JERUSALEM — The prime minister of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said Friday that he planned to soon visit the Gaza Strip, a move that would significantly enhance the legitimacy of the Hamas-controlled...

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Sony, Sharp and Panasonic Report Significant Losses

TOKYO — After years of bets gone wrong and lost opportunities, three of Japan’s consumer electronics giants are showing some signs of faltering. In the most dire warning, Sharp forecast on Thursday a 450 billion yen ($5.6 billion) full-year loss and warned that it had “material doubts” about its ability to survive. On the same day, Panasonic’s shares lost a fifth of their value in...

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Urban Athlete: Discover Outdoors Offers Mountain Fitness Class

Willie Davis for The New York TimesRey Soriano, foreground, holding himself on suspension trainers in a workout run by Discover Outdoors. I HAVE spent a small fortune over the years on gym memberships. But all you really need to get in shape, I now know, are a few granite paving stones, some sandbags and a backpack full of water jugs. Willie Davis for The New York TimesDavid Tacheny,...

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Urban Athlete: Discover Outdoors Offers Mountain Fitness Class

Willie Davis for The New York TimesRey Soriano, foreground, holding himself on suspension trainers in a workout run by Discover Outdoors. I HAVE spent a small fortune over the years on gym memberships. But all you really need to get in shape, I now know, are a few granite paving stones, some sandbags and a backpack full of water jugs. Willie Davis for The New York TimesDavid Tacheny,...

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E.P.A. Finds Hyundai and Kia Overstated Gas Mileage

DETROIT (AP) — Hyundai and Kia overstated the gas mileage on 900,000 vehicles sold in the past three years, a discovery that could bring sanctions from the U.S. government and millions of dollars in reimbursements to car owners. The inflated mileage was uncovered in an audit of test results by the Environmental Protection Agency, which ordered the Korean automakers to replace fuel economy...

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Technology Is Changing How Students Learn, Teachers Say

Nancy Palmieri for The New York TimesLisa Baldwin, a chemistry teacher, works with her students to fight through academic challenges. There is a widespread belief among teachers that students’ constant use of digital technology is hampering their attention spans and ability to persevere in the face of challenging tasks, according to two surveys of teachers being released on Thursday. ...

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Ameridose Announces Recall Amid Questions About Drugs’ Sterility

A drug producer linked to the pharmacy at the center of a national meningitis outbreak announced a recall of all of its products Wednesday after federal regulators found that it had not provided enough assurance that all the medicines it made were sterile. Cj Gunther/European Pressphoto AgencyAmeridose’s sister company is the source of steroid medication linked to 29 meningitis deaths....

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Ameridose Announces Recall Amid Questions About Drugs’ Sterility

A drug producer linked to the pharmacy at the center of a national meningitis outbreak announced a recall of all of its products Wednesday after federal regulators found that it had not provided enough assurance that all the medicines it made were sterile. Cj Gunther/European Pressphoto AgencyAmeridose’s sister company is the source of steroid medication linked to 29 meningitis deaths....

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Withdrawal of a Congressional Research Report on Tax Rates Raises Questions

WASHINGTON — The Congressional Research Service has withdrawn an economic report that found no correlation between top tax rates and economic growth, a central tenet of conservative economy theory, after Senate Republicans raised concerns about the paper’s findings and wording. The decision, made in late September against the advice of the agency’s economic team leadership, drew almost...

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