NEWS In a pair of major victories for the gay rights movement, the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that married same-sex couples were entitled to federal benefits and, by declining to decide a case from California, effectively allowed same-sex marriages there. Adam Liptak reports from Washington.
President Obama’s aspirations for changing Africa have been strained by mounting security threats, spotty human rights records and by his notable absence from the continent where his father was born. Michael D. Shear, Nicholas Kulish and Lydia Polgreen.
The South African government is struggling with the issue of how to reconcile the voracious, concern-driven appetite for news of Nelson Mandela’s health with the deep sensitivities ofSouth Africans for whom he is much more than a simple leader. Declan Walsh reports from Johannesburg.
The Europe-wide scandal surrounding the substitution of cheaper horse meat in what had been labeled beef products caught the most attention from consumers, regulators and investigators this year. But in terms of food fraud, regulators and investigators say, that is just a hint of what has been happening as the economic crisis persists. Stephen Castle and Doreen Carvajal report.
Ecuador signaled it may take its time with Edward J. Snowden’s application for asylum, raising the possibility that Mr. Snowden, the fugitive former security contractor wanted in the United States, could spend weeks in legal limbo. David M. Herzenhorn and Rick Gladstone report.
ARTS A district court in Amsterdam has ordered the Anne Frank House to return a collection of archives to the Frank family foundation. Scott Sayare reports.
“The Springtime of the Renaissance†at the Palazzo Strozzi in Florence explains the development of painting and the other arts in Florence during the period. Roderick Conway Morris reviews the exhibition.
SPORTS On one of the strangest days at Wimbledon, Roger Federer lost to a 116th-ranked player, Maria Sharapova was defeated by a qualifier, and several players dropped out because of injuries. Nila-Jean Meyers on tennis.
