Latest Editions


Why One Researcher is Documenting the Damage to Syria’s Archaeological Sites

The ruins of Afamia in Syria. (Photo courtesy of Emma Cunliffe)

As the fighting has raged on in Syria, there have been reports about Syrian archaeological sites damaged in the conflict. The scope of that damage has just recently started to come out, thanks largely to one diligent graduate student in northern England.

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One Immigrant Muslim’s Battle with Alcoholism in the US

A Muslim man closes his eyes in prayer during Ramadan at the Islamic Center of Southern California, in Los Angeles. (Photo: Bear Guerra)

Some Muslim immigrants in the US struggle with alcohol problems and it is hard for them to find culturally sensitive programs to deal with it.

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Uproar in China over Xinhua’s Twitter Account

Xinhua News Agency's Twitter account has enraged Chinese people.

Xinhua, the official news agency of China’s communist party, has its own Twitter account and many Chinese are outraged about it.

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British Based Banks Agree to Historic Settlement to Avoid US Prosecution

HSBC (Photo: REUTERS/Mike Segar)

HSBC and Standard Chartered are together paying over two billion dollars to the US government, to avoid charges of money laundering on a massive scale, and violating sanctions against countries like Iran.

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Art & Music as Alternatives to Violence in Medellín, Colombia

Graffiti artists in Medellín paint pillars sustaining the city's elevated train metro while a crowd looks on. (Photo Shannon Young)

Colombia’s second largest city was once dominated by the drug cartel of Pablo Escobar. Violence in the city has decreased since those days, but crime remains high, as does the impact on Medellin’s young people. Which is why several groups in the city are determined to provide peaceful alternatives for young people through art and music.

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As Hugo Chavez Undergoes Cancer Surgery, talks of Succession in Venezuela

A woman holds a figurine of Venezuelan President Chavez, as she attends a mass to pray for Chavez's health in Caracas (Photo: REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins)

Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez underwent cancer surgery Tuesday in Cuba. Over the weekend, he designated his current vice-president, Nicolas Maduro, as his successor.

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European ‘Brew’ – haha Over Raising Beer Taxes

The seven Trappist beers (Photo: Robin Vanspauwen/Bram Weyens)

Tuesday’s Geo Quiz is all about the beer. We’re looking for the name of the European country that wants to raise taxes on beer by 160 percent.

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The World’s DJ Picks: Favorite Recordings of 2012 Part I

Ablaye Cissoko & Volker Goetze 'Amanke Dionit' CD cover (Credit: Amazon.com)

Three of our DJ’s around the globe offer their favorite recordings from 2012. Monday’s list includes a Syrian-American hip hop artist and a mirba player from Zimbabwe.

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PRI’s The World: 12/10/2012 (Latvia, Germany, Italy)

As protests continue, fears grow that Egypt is slipping backwards toward autocracy and military rule. Young atheists in India struggle to change policies and laws that exclude them. And China wants to charge Tibetans who set themselves on fire with murder.

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Egypt President Morsi and Opposition Show No Signs of Backing Down

National Salvation Front spokesman Hussein Abdel-Ghani addresses a news conference (Photo: Magdy Samaan)

A national referendum on Egypt’s controversial draft constitution is set for Saturday. Opposition leaders reject the referendum and are calling for big demonstrations on Tuesday.

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Washington’s Tepid Response to Drama in Egypt

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Egypt's President Mohammad Morsi meeting in Cairo last month. (Photo: REUTERS/Egyptian Presidency/Handout)

The US response to the crisis in Egypt has so far been tepid, a simple plea for no more violence. Middle East expert Michael Hanna explains why Washington is so quiet to anchor Marco Werman.

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Thousands Still Missing in Post-Revolution Libya

Hundreds gathered in Misrata's City Stadium for a funeral prayer last month. (Photo: Marine Olivesi)

There are still thousands of people missing in Libya since the revolution. The Ministry of Martyrs and Missing People has the job of tracking them down. Many of the missing have been turning up, mostly in mass graves.

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Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti Resigns, Silvio Berlusconi to Run Again

Italy's Prime Minister Monti gestures at the World Policy Conference in Cannes ( Photos: REUTERS/Eric Gaillard)

Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti, who took office in November 2011, announced this weekend he would resign, after Silvio Berlusconi’s party said it could no longer support Monti’s government.

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Jenni Rivera: Queen of Banda is Remembered

Mexican-American singer Jenni Rivera performs during the 2012 Billboard Latin Music Awards. (Photo: REUTERS/Andrew Innerarity)

The Mexican-American singer and actress Jenni Rivera died after her plane disappeared early Sunday morning. She had just given a concert in Monterrey, Mexico.

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China’s Latest Efforts to Stop Self-Immolation Protesters

A Tibetan woman offers prayer to the portrait of their spiritual leader Dalai Lama (Photo: Reuters)

Since 2009 more than 90 Tibetans have set themselves ablaze to protest China’s rule of the Tibetan plateau. China has accused the exiled Dalai Lama of stirring up the unrest. And now China wants to prosecute people who attempt to self-immolate.

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