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For The First Time, Palestinians Rocket Jerusalem

Credit Oliver Weiken / EPA /LANDOV

Palestinian militants fire a rocket from the northern Gaza Strip toward southern Israel on Thursday. For the past decade, Palestinians in Gaza have been shooting short-range rockets into southern Israel. But Palestinians fired a much longer range rocket that landed just outside Jerusalem on Friday, a move seen as a major escalation.

Credit Ilia Yefimovich / Getty Images

Israel's anti-rocket system, known as Iron Dome, is shown in action on Thursday, Nov. 15, near Beer Sheva, in southern Israel. The system is designed to shoot down incoming rockets launched by Palestinians in the nearby Gaza Strip.

By editor

Originally published on Sun November 18, 2012 9:26 am

Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip have fired thousands of rockets into southern Israel over the past decade. Yet the one that landed harmlessly in an empty field south of Jerusalem on Friday could be as significant as all of the rockets that came before.

With that lone launch, the Palestinians demonstrated for the first time that they now have the capability to send a weapon the roughly 50 miles from the Gaza border north to Jerusalem.

1:39 pm

Fri November 16, 2012

African-American Faces Of The Civil War

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Credit Collection of Andrew Chandler Battaile

This rare portrait shows an identified Confederate noncommissioned officer, Sgt. Andrew Martin Chandler (left), and his named slave, Silas Chandler (right). It is the only Confederate photograph in the book by Rod Coddington, African American Faces of the Civil War. Born into slavery, Silas "was one of thousands of slaves who served as [body servants] during the war," writes Coddington.

Credit Courtesy of Ron Coddington

After an initially frustrating search for identifiable Civil War portraits, Coddington finally came across this image of William Wright of the 114th U.S. Colored Infantry. That find inspired his continued hunt for similar images.

Credit Collection of the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University

Corp. Wilson Weir was a slave when he joined the Union army at age 21. "My initial attraction to old photos was purely aesthetic, and this still continues to be the dominant motivating factor," writes Coddington. "This carte de visite meets and exceeds my criteria. ... He wears his hat at a jaunty angle, perhaps reflective of his character."

Credit Collection of Paul Rusinoff

Jeremiah Saunders was born into slavery, but when his master died, he joined the Union army and was eventually promoted to corporal.

Credit Collection of Tim Kernan

John and Isaiah Owens. "An absolutely wonderful cased tintype of two brothers who served in the same company in the 60th U.S. Colored Infantry," writes Coddington. "The story of the Owens brothers is poignant. Both died during the war. Isaiah succumbed of disease, and John fell from a transport and drowned in the Mississippi River."

Credit Collection of the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University

Sgt. Alexander Herritage Newton (left) and Sgt. Daniel S. Lathrop. "After obtaining permission to publish [this]," writes Coddington, "I discovered Newton's autobiography, Out of the Briars. This honest and able account of his life experiences is one of the best personal Civil War narratives that I have read."

Credit Collection of the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum

Sgt. George Mitchell's company (Company K of the 62nd U.S. Colored Infantry) was, according to Coddington's research, the last to fire arms in the Civil War.

Credit Collection of the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum

1st Sgt. Octavius McFarland was a slave from Missouri. "My favorite photograph in the book, and it graces the jacket," writes Coddington. "McFarland stares away from the camera with quiet confidence and dignity, proudly wearing his Union uniform with the chevrons of a first sergeant."

Credit Collection of the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum

Corp. Henry Gaither. "One of the few free men of color in this book when the war began, Gaither and his regiment, the 39th U.S. Colored Infantry, fought as hard as any white organization in the Union army," writes Coddington. "This is one of my favorite images in the book."

Credit Collection of the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University

Sgt. Kendrick Allen was born a slave in Anderson County, Ky., and joined the Army at age 19, enlisting in the 108th U.S. Colored Infantry.

Credit Collection of National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C.

George William Commodore was born free and raised in Baltimore. At about age 39, he joined the Navy. "He must have taken some ribbing," Coddington writes in his book, "his surname being the same as a high naval rank."

By editor

Originally published on Fri November 16, 2012 4:02 pm

The impulses to collect and to doodle have always been in Ron Coddington's blood. As a kid, it was baseball cards. As a teen, he took an interest in old flea market photos — and simultaneously became "obsessed," he says, "with learning to draw the human face."

1:25 pm

Fri November 16, 2012

FHA Announces Moves Designed To Avoid Taxpayer Bailout

Credit Win McNamee / Getty Images

HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan in May of 2012.

By editor

Originally published on Fri November 16, 2012 2:40 pm

The Federal Housing Administration is on track to run out of money next September and may need a taxpayer bailout, an audit released today found.

Responding to the audit, however, the Obama administration announced a series of measures that they hope will raise enough revenue to keep the agency from seeking government help.

The Wall Street Journal explains:

12:24 pm

Fri November 16, 2012

Twinkies' Hostess Brand May Die, But The Iconic Snack Cakes Never Will

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Credit /

By editor

The Hostess brand, home of the Twinkie, Sno Ball, Ding Dong, and those fun cupcakes with the swirly lines on top and filling in the middle, is shutting down, as our colleagues over at The Two-Way blog report. The purveyor of iconic calorie-rich but nutrient-poor snacks says a labor dispute has forced it to go out of business.

11:59 am

Fri November 16, 2012

Fire On Oil Rig Off Gulf Of Mexico Leaves At Least Two Dead

By editor

Originally published on Fri November 16, 2012 1:33 pm

Update at 1:26 p.m. ET. No Confirmed Deaths:

The U.S. Coast Guard tells WWLTV that 11 people have been sent to hospital but no deaths have been confirmed in a oil rig fire off the coast of Louisiana.

WWLTV, KHOU and Reuters were reporting two deaths earlier.

Our Original Post Continues:

A fire on an oil rig off the coast of Louisiana has killed two people, Louisiana's WWLTV is reporting.

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1:48 pm

Fri November 16, 2012