In the Afghanistan war’s 2015 and 2016 fighting seasons, Taliban insurgents made significant gains, capturing the provincial capital Kunduz each year before losing it again, and seizing an increasing number of district centers. The systematic Taliban advances also threatened a number of other provincial capitals, as their reach extended across one-third of Afghanistan, a setback for American aims in the longest war in United States history. Recommended: How well do you know Afghanistan?

Fri, 20 Oct 2017 15:34:22 -0400

When Dan Barker was a Pentecostal minister in California, he knew he could exclude his clergy housing allowance from his income tax returns, taking advantage of an IRS benefit that the federal government grants to “ministers of the Gospel” – though not to anyone else. Back then, he didn’t give much thought to this special social benefit, which today gives American ministers a tax break worth some $800 million a year. In the 1970s, Mr. Barker was never that concerned about the nitty gritty of social policy.

Fri, 20 Oct 2017 14:42:43 -0400

On a sunny Saturday at the Nevins Farm MSPCA animal shelter in Methuen, Mass., dozens of hopeful adopters turn out to meet a new batch of puppies. Eight dogs rescued from hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico arrived at the shelter last week looking for their forever homes. When natural disasters strike, animal shelters in the affected areas quickly become overwhelmed as facilities already full of adoptable dogs attempt to handle incoming loads of displaced pets.

Fri, 20 Oct 2017 10:11:50 -0400

The online retailing giant Amazon set Oct. 19 as the deadline for applications from cities wishing to host the company’s second headquarters, its “HQ2,” as the company is calling it. The prize for the winning city indeed will be golden: 50,000 new jobs with an average wage of $100,000, Amazon says. Amazon, based in Seattle, has set out a few prerequisites for bidders: The metro population should be more than 1 million, the airport should have direct flights to key US and international cities, and the mass transit system should be top-notch.

Fri, 20 Oct 2017 09:05:02 -0400