Samoa, Kiribati, and Christmas Island were the first to usher in 2013. Watch as new year’s eve celebrations around the world …
The West Bank’s 2012: The Year of the Israeli Settlement
At the start of 2012, the Israeli advocacy group Peace Now, which seeks a two-state solution, warned that the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was building Jewish settlements on the West Bank at a pace that, if
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Destination Kurdistan: Is This Autonomous Iraqi Region a Budding Tourist Hot Spot?
Kurdistan in northern Iraq — an autonomous region that retains a considerable amount of political freedom from Baghdad — is by far the safest and most accessible area of Iraq to visit
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Three of China’s most populous regions will ease school entry restrictions for children of rural migrants and the use of torture in Mexico reached a peak during the ex-president’s tenure.
The Hunt for the Vicuña: Can This Andean Creature Be a Cash Cow?
Jhonn Gonzales etches the attack plan into the dirt. His lookout gives a nod from behind binoculars, and the troop fans out silently across the parched plains. Then, commotion as the target appears: one dozen sprinting vicuñas …
France’s 75% Income Tax on the Rich Overturned as Unconstitutional
Socialist President François Hollande’s promise to create social “justice” by raising taxes on France’s wealthy overturned on constitutional grounds–for now.
India Demands Change as It Mourns Gang-Rape Victim
The brutal rape of a student has flamed violent protests across New Delhi, where people – especially youths — turned out in droves to demand justice for the girl, whose identity is being kept under wraps by authorities.
Syrian Kurds Find Refuge in an Erstwhile Homeland
Tens of thousands of Syrian Kurds have fled their country’s brutal and increasingly sectarian civil war for refuge across the border in the autonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan. The conditions at the Domiz camp may be squalid, …
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The Last Harvest: South African Vineyard Yields Much More Than Grapes
A vineyard in South Africa has deep roots in the country’s past—and offers hope for the future.
What If America’s Best Ideas Were Behind It?
Tyler Cowen, a professor of economics at George Mason University, warns that innovation in the U.S. has reached a plateau and a long period of stagnation awaits.
France’s Colonial Hangover: Apologizing Abroad, Ignoring Injustice at Home
French President François Hollande took strides to heal wounds between France and Algeria, but his recognition of “unjust” colonial history overlooks continued prejudice Algerian descendents still face in France.
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A surge in “honor killings” in India highlights a national scourge, Ireland’s carbon taxes deliver results and a 115-year-old Japanese man is the world’s oldest man.
Vietnam’s Blogosphere: The Battleground for Rival Factions of the Ruling Communists
Vietnam’s ruling Communist Party is not looking back on a good year. The country’s economy is in trouble; the authoritarian leadership is split; and what appear to be rival Communist Party factions, seeking to rouse the …