Meet the man who runs the much-cited Syrian Observatory for Human Rights from his home in the U.K. As the body count rises, his hopes for his country fades.
Mali’s Militiamen: A Country Split in Two Readies for War
In the districts abutting Mali’s vast north, war looms. In 2012, locals and others forced to flee the conquest of Mali’s north by rebel factions and Islamist groups linked with al-Qaeda are readying to be part of an offensive to …
Europe Faces a Multi-National General Strike Against Austerity
For the first time, continent-wide labor organizations are throwing their weight against austerity. Will it change the E.U.’s policies?
Must-Reads from Around the World
Denmark’s fat tax is repealed after one year, eBay enters the Chinese online market, and Afghanistan gets both a boost and a suspension when it comes to aid
Syria’s Opposition Wins Western Backing, But What About Western Weapons?
Syria‘s new opposition leadership structure announced in Qatar on Sunday could mark a turning point in the stalemated 20-month old rebellion against the Assad regime. But it could just as easily prove to be another chimerical …
Venice’s Hungry Tide: Floods Hit 70% of Italian City
The tourist mecca of Venice experienced a dramatic bout of acqua alta — or high water — flooding this Sunday, brought on by heavy rains that led to much of the coastal, historical city of bridges and canals getting swamped
China’s Leadership Transition: The Communist Party Shuffles the Deck
Scenes from the halls of power in Beijing, where China’s authoritarian government is in the midst of a once-in-a-decade changing of the guard
Mali’s Looming War: Will Military Intervention Drive Out the Islamists?
As the West and regional partners scramble to launch an offensive to reclaim Mali’s north, will the Islamists and rebel factions there budge?
Crisis at the BBC: Britain’s Public Broadcaster in Turmoil
Its Director General has resigned; some of its most senior staff have stood aside. Who is left to give the BBC the leadership it so badly needs?
Must-Reads from Around the World
The Philippines Congress will decide on the fate of a reproductive health bill, an Iranian blogger was found dead after being arrested for his activism, and the BBC crisis goes from bad to worse.
Ireland’s Abortion Debate Heats Up
A heated abortion debate, both in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, is symptomatic of the island’s rapid transformation in recent decades
As Tibetans Burn Themselves to Protest Chinese Rule, Communists in Beijing Stress Happiness in Tibet
On Nov. 9, thousands of Tibetan students gathered in the historic monastery town of Rebkong to protest Chinese rule over the restive Tibetan plateau, where nearly 70 Tibetans have lighted themselves on fire since March 2011 in …
A Smart Car Dream in Israel—Not So Smart, After All?
Better Place, an ambitious electric car enterprise, pinned its hopes on Israel—but the smart car revolution imagined there has fallen flat.