The Eiffel Tower in mourning, 14 November 2015. (EPA/Etienne Laurent) Freedom of expression and liberty are cornerstones of French heritage. While it is important to express one’s sentiments and opinions on social media, it’s also imperative that people understand...
After the Paris attacks, politicians are combative. But what if Islamic State’s goal was an escalation of conflict and Western boots on the ground? French President François Hollande declared the attacks in Paris an “act of war.” Angela Merkel...
It’s an age-old tactic, but experts say terrorist attacks have recently grown in breadth and intensity. Most recent attacks have occurred in five countries. Flowers at the scene of a shooting in Sousse, Tunisia, 27 June 2015. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) (We...
By Alistair Lyon Islamic State has claimed the coordinated attacks by gunmen and suicide bombers on bars, restaurants and a concert hall that killed at least 127 people in Paris, the bloodiest assault in Europe since the Madrid train bombings in 2002. French President...
The U.S. central bank — the “Fed” — is expected to raise interest rates soon, the first monetary tightening in years. Here’s why it matters to all of us. (Wikimedia Commons) The Federal Reserve — the U.S. central bank — is...
The Pew Research Center, a U.S. think tank, has produced a report on attitudes around the world toward climate change. It is an extraordinarily detailed compilation of data, presented in Pew style — user friendly — and well timed, coming just ahead of the...
By Djenab Conde The question “Where are you from?” is ubiquitous in modern society, and it is becoming harder and harder for me to answer in a nice, clean way. My mother is from Beijing, China. My father was born in Kankan, the second-largest city in...
(All photos by Sarah Watson) By Akinyi Ochieng I knew it was used in cosmetics. But chocolate and medicine? Before I started working with the Global Shea Alliance in Accra, Ghana, I was familiar with shea as a cosmetic product. So I was surprised to learn that shea...
This article is part of a News-Decoder series of “decoders” that explain crucial background to big issues. For more decoders, click here. By Pauline Bock Islets, reefs and shoals in a vast stretch of sea almost twice the size of the Mediterranean may...
It grew out of the Cold War. Now the NATO alliance faces fresh challenges as Russia flexes its muscles in Eastern Europe and Syria. U.S. President Harry Truman speaks at the signing of NATO treaty in Washington, 4 April 1949 (AP Photo) This article is part of a...