Morsi Urged to Retract Edict to Bypass Judges in Egypt

Tara Todras-Whitehill for The New York TimesA demonstrator takes a breather during protests in downtown Cairo on Saturday. More Photos »CAIRO — The association of judges here called Saturday for courts across Egypt to suspend all but their most vital activities to protest an edict by President Mohamed Morsi granting himself unchecked power by setting his decrees above judicial review until the ratification...

Read More..

Gadgetwise Blog: Having a Beer With a Smartphone

Drinking beer used to be simple. But the exploding popularity of craft beer over the past several years has changed that, giving beer drinkers a new world of possibilities — and a range of hard decisions. Predictably, the ever-expanding roster of oatmeal stouts and vanilla porters has been accompanied by the creation of dozens of beer-related apps. These include local guides to the best pints,...

Read More..

New Zealand Wants a Hollywood Put on Its Map

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — Standing by his desk in New Zealand’s distinctive round Parliament building, known locally as the Beehive, Prime Minister John Key proudly brandished an ornately engraved sword. It was used, he said, by Frodo Baggins, the protagonist of the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, and in the films it possesses magical powers that cause it to glow blue in the presence of goblins. ...

Read More..

Scientists See Advances in Deep Learning, a Part of Artificial Intelligence

Hao Zhang/The New York TimesA voice recognition program translated a speech given by Richard F. Rashid, Microsoft’s top scientist, into Mandarin Chinese. Using an artificial intelligence technique inspired by theories about how the brain recognizes patterns, technology companies are reporting startling gains in fields as diverse as computer vision, speech recognition and the identification of promising...

Read More..

Scientists See Advances in Deep Learning, a Part of Artificial Intelligence

Hao Zhang/The New York TimesA voice recognition program translated a speech given by Richard F. Rashid, Microsoft’s top scientist, into Mandarin Chinese. Using an artificial intelligence technique inspired by theories about how the brain recognizes patterns, technology companies are reporting startling gains in fields as diverse as computer vision, speech recognition and the identification of promising...

Read More..

Protests Erupt After Egypt’s Leader Seizes New Power

CAIRO — Opponents of President Mohamed Morsi were reported to have set fire to his party’s offices in several Egyptian cities on Friday in a spasm of protest and clashes after he granted himself broad powers above any court declaring himself the guardian of Egypt‘s revolution, and used his new authority to order the retrial of Hosni Mubarak. Maya Alleruzzo/Associated PressEgyptian protesters...

Read More..

State of the Art: Nokia Lumia 920 and HTC Windows Phone 8X Are Great, and Yet

Thanksgiving, is it? I’ll tell you what I’m thankful for: competition. Because competition drives innovation. Innovation leads to improvement. Improvement begets happiness. In the tech world, some companies do their most innovative work when their backs are against the wall — especially Microsoft. Last month, it took the wraps off Windows Phone 8, the most polished edition yet of its...

Read More..

David Taub, Introducer of Pinot Grigio Wine, Dies at 72

When David Taub co-founded his wine importing company in 1977, most Americans knew about two kinds of Italian wine, and those mainly by their packaging: Chianti, for its straw-covered flask, and Soave Bolla, which came in a tall, elegant, rocket-shaped bottle. Palm Bay International.¤David S. Taub, a wine importer who helped introduce Pinot Grigio to the United States. ...

Read More..

Recipes for Health: Pear Clafoutis — Recipes for Health

Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times NYTCREDIT:If you don’t want to make a crust but want something tartlike for your Thanksgiving dessert, a clafoutis, which is something like a cross between a flan and a pancake, is a great choice. It’s a very easy dessert, yet it’s always impressive. 2 tablespoons pear eau-de-vie or liqueur (optional) 2 tablespoons...

Read More..

Recipes for Health: Pear Clafoutis — Recipes for Health

Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times NYTCREDIT:If you don’t want to make a crust but want something tartlike for your Thanksgiving dessert, a clafoutis, which is something like a cross between a flan and a pancake, is a great choice. It’s a very easy dessert, yet it’s always impressive. 2 tablespoons pear eau-de-vie or liqueur (optional) 2 tablespoons...

Read More..

With Cease-Fire Joy in Gaza, Palestinian Factions Revive Unity Pledges

GAZA — A cease-fire that halted eight days of lethal conflict between Israel and Hamas brought jubilation to Gaza on Thursday as thousands of flag-waving residents poured into the streets and competing Palestinian factions sought to use the moment to revive their efforts to unify. In Israel, where the mood was more cynical and subdued, troops deployed to the border began pulling back. The...

Read More..

Gadgetwise Blog: App Smart Extra: A Few More Must-Try Apps for iPad

App Smart this week recommended apps to help new iPad owners make the most of their tablet PCs, whether they have an iPad 4 or a Mini.But there’s space to talk about only a certain number of apps, and Apple still leads its competition in the number it offers, including ones tailored for tablet screens.If the column-based interface of the Jasmine YouTube app that I mentioned in App Smart...

Read More..

Tool Kit: Online Shopping Tips for the Holidays

Some people may be looking forward to leaving Thanksgiving dinner before the pie is served to join the Black Friday rush, which will begin during dinnertime Thursday, earlier than ever, at stores like Sears, Walmart and Lord & Taylor. But for those who prefer to stay for the pie course, avoid the lines and freezing temperatures and shop from the comfort of their homes, there are just...

Read More..

Recipes for Health: Apple Pear Strudel — Recipes for Health

Andrew Scrivani for The New York TimesThis strudel is made with phyllo dough. When I tested it the first time, I found that I had enough filling for two strudels. Rather than cut the amount of filling, I increased the number of strudels to 2, as this is a dessert you can assemble and keep, unbaked, in the freezer. Filling for 2 strudels: 1/2 pound mixed dried fruit, like raisins, currants,...

Read More..

Cease-Fire Between Israel and Hamas Takes Effect

CAIRO — Israel and Hamas agreed to a cease-fire on Wednesday, the eighth day of lethal fighting over the Gaza Strip, the United States and Egypt said after intensive negotiations in Cairo. The cease-fire, which took effect at 9 p.m. local time (2 p.m. E.S.T.), was formally announced by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Foreign Minister Mohamed Amr of Egypt at a news conference...

Read More..

Gadgetwise Blog: Tip of the Week: Have Your Phone Take a Memo

A voice recorder app for your smartphone is one way to quickly capture sudden thoughts on a device you are likely to have with you when inspiration strikes. Some phones have built-in recorders; the Voice Memos app in Apple’s iOS system for the iPhone lets you record, edit and e-mail your dictated thoughts as sound clips. If your phone does not include a voice or sound recorder with the operating system,...

Read More..

Airlines’ On-Time Performance Rises

Rich Addicks for The New York TimesDelta Air Lines employees monitor ground traffic from a tower at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. ATLANTA — Next time you dawdle at the duty-free store or an airport bar, thinking you have a few more minutes until your flight is set to go, know this: the plane’s doors might have already closed. Rich Addicks for The New York TimesA customer...

Read More..

Recipes for Health: Pear Cranberry Galette — Recipes for Health

Andrew Scrivani for The New York TimesI used Bartlett pears for this juicy galette, but pretty much any variety will work, as long as they’re not overly ripe. 1 dessert galette pastry (1/2 recipe) 2/3 cup dried cranberries 2 pounds pears, ripe but not too soft, peeled, cored and sliced (about 8 to 12 wedges per pear, depending on the size; if the pears are very large, cut the...

Read More..

Recipes for Health: Pear Cranberry Galette — Recipes for Health

Andrew Scrivani for The New York TimesI used Bartlett pears for this juicy galette, but pretty much any variety will work, as long as they’re not overly ripe. 1 dessert galette pastry (1/2 recipe) 2/3 cup dried cranberries 2 pounds pears, ripe but not too soft, peeled, cored and sliced (about 8 to 12 wedges per pear, depending on the size; if the pears are very large, cut the...

Read More..