Search

The article presents information on Taliban attacks in Afghanistan as the country prepares for the presidential and provincial elections that begin April 5, 2014. Topics include the Taliban's attack on Farhad Seddiqi, a member of Afghanistan's parliament, at the Serena hotel in Kabul, Afghanistan; the withdrawal of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) troops; and the popularity of the democracy in Afghanistan.

The article presents information about U.S. fears that Huawei Technologies, the Chinese global telecommunications company, might present a security risk to American communications networks, which were attacked by Chinese hackers in 2013. It focuses on concerns that using Huawei equipment in U.S. networks could possibly give the Chinese government access to vulnerable computer or telecommunications systems. Topics include Ren Zhengfei, the founder of Huawei, Huawei's relationship with China's People's Liberation Army (PLA), and who helped Zhengfei to grow the company.

The article discusses the economic and social conditions in India as of October 2012, focusing on the federal government's promise that the nation's rural citizens will receive 100 days of employment each year under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) which became effective in 2005. Guaranteed wages, the right to work, and the Indian Constitution are also addressed.

The article discusses the nation of India as of October 2012, focusing on an analysis of the country's economic potential and its ability to transform the lives of its citizens through social and economic reform measures. It states that the middle class has grown in India, yet close to one-third of India still lives in poverty. Foreign investments in India from firms such as the automobile manufacturer Hyundai are also addressed.

The article focuses on Japanese female soccer player Homare Sawa. The author notes that Sawa, who scored the winning goal in the 2011 Women's World Cup for team Nadeshiko to defeat the U.S. team, is one of Japan's most famous athletes. Topics include the growth of women's soccer in Japan, how the victory has changed the way women's soccer in Japan is viewed, and the impact of the World Cup game on Sawa's personal and professional life.

The article discusses Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as of July 2012, focusing on India's slow economic recovery in the wake of the Global Financial Crisis of the early 21st century, as well as Singh's potential re-election troubles in 2014. There has been some reported growth in India, but it is largely concentrated in the nation's white collar information technology (IT) sector.

The article discusses unemployment among young people in 2012 and offers suggestions for job creation. It states that the global financial crisis of the early 21st century and the subsequent Great Recession have limited the employment options for millions of people worldwide, including young people in Greece, England, and the Middle East. According to the article, excessive labor protections, high birthrates, and a lack of training and skills are contributing factors to the high unemployment figures.

The article profiles Kim Jong Un, the Supreme Leader of North Korea and son of late Supreme Leader Kim Jong Il, who died in December 2011. The repressive, autocratic regime in North Korea is described. Topics discussed include the U.S. State Department's hopes to include North Korea in talks about disarming the country, biographical information about Kim Jong Un provided by a former regime chef, and beliefs that Kim Jong Un is being ruled by Kim Jong Il's sister Kim Kyong Hui and her husband Jang Sung Thaek. How Kim Jong Un will deal with North Korea's nuclear arsenal and whether he will liberalize the country's economy are considered.

The article examines the potential for youth in Japan to save the country following the destruction caused by the 2011 Sendai Earthquake and subsequent tsunami. The economy of Japan has allegedly been in a state of recession since the 1980s, and the author attests that this has made many Japanese youth underemployed and withdrawn from society. However, following the earthquake, many of them are volunteering their time, money, and social-networking knowledge to coordinate aid efforts and reunite family members. Politics and bureaucracy in the nation are also discussed.

The article examines the impact of the Sendai earthquake and tsunami of March 11, 2011 on social conditions in Japan. The country's extremely high level of disaster preparedness, particularly its earthquake and tsunami warning systems, is discussed. The social cohesion displayed by victims of the disaster is considered. The inability of the government's emergency management operations to provide disaster relief in keeping with the scope of the disaster is examined, particularly crisis communications failures. Volunteer efforts in disaster relief are considered.

The article presents information on what the author believes to be the 50 best inventions of 2010, including the Sony Alpha A55 Camera, a solid oxide fuel cell electricity generator called the Bloom Box, and an exoskeleton prosthetic for paraplegics called eLegs. INSET: Correction.

The author reports on organic food. Topics discussed in the article include the price of organic food, steps that have been taken in the U.S. to keep food prices low and the eating habits of people in locations throughout the world including the U.S. and Europe. The impact that a cow's diet can have on the nutrition of its beef is mentioned. INSET: Organic vs. Conventional.

The article focuses on international refugees and persons seeking political asylum. The scope of the issue, with an estimated 16 million persons officially designated as refugees or asylum seekers in 2009, is considered. It is noted that most refugees are living in either Asia or Africa, where governments are less equipped to deal with the problem. The reluctance of those countries to create resettlement programs or even temporary housing for refugees is discussed.

The article lists and discusses the so-called 50 best inventions of the year that include the Ares 1 rocket developed by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the company Clean Seas' development of landlocked tank breeding of southern bluefin tuna in Arno Bay, Australia, and Philips Electronics' development of a 10-watt light emitting diode (LED) bulb that substitutes for a 60-watt household incandescent bulb and last 25 times as long. INSET: Flying Lessons.

The article discusses Iceland's hope that geothermal energy will power the country and its economic future. The question of whether advancements in Iceland's energy industry can be duplicated in poorer countries is addressed. Icelandic officials are said to be looking for economic investment from multinational companies such as Alcoa Inc. and Google Inc.

The article reports on how the beaches of Cambodia will be the site of the world's plushest eco-resort, featuring palm trees and solar-powered bungalows. The beaches of Cambodia have been avoided by developers because of their reputation as the killing fields of the Khmer Rouge rebels. According to Som Chenda, the Cambodian minister of tourism, the beach resorts and the tourists they will bring are needed to feed and employ the locals.

The article discusses coconuts and the sustainability of the fruit's global supply chain as of December 2012, focusing on an analysis of the use of coconuts in products such as coconut water beverages and skin oils. It states that there is a strain in the local supply chains in Brazil, Kenya, and Indonesia where a majority of the world's coconuts are harvested. Farmers are reportedly not replanting additional coconut crops since the money they are paid for their crops does not justify an increase in production. Fair-trade programs are also mentioned.

The article the rise of Korean popular music in 2012. Topics include how Korean pop music (K-pop), is becoming known around the world, how wireless Internet access and video streaming website YouTube in South Korea have contributed to the success of bands like Big Bang, Girls' Generation, and 2NE1, and why English-speaking musical groups are being considered more seriously for positions in the K-pop musical training system.

The article reports on the demand for female labor to perform domestic and caregiving duties in countries such as Italy, that has led women from the Philippines to leave children and husbands in search of work. These women send back remittances worth $17 billion, but officials are concerned about the generation of children that will grow up without mothers. Nongovernmental organizations like Atikha have been teaching the country's young that emigrating for work can be unpleasant.

This article reports on the efforts of Western Cattle Company in the U.S. to supply enough beef to China. Kevin Timberlake of Western Cattle is teaching Inner Mongolians how to raise cattle American style. Beef consumption in China has risen 31 percent in five years and by raising the cattle in Mongolia, Western Cattle gets around the ban on American beef in China. The economy of the area benefits from the feedlots.

The article presents quotations, statistics, and world news briefs on various topics as of November 18, 2013. Canadian singer Justin Bieber was reportedly seen leaving a brothel in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil covered by a bedsheet. Toronto, Ontario Mayor Rob Ford is quoted about his use of crack cocaine. Radio France Internationale journalists Ghislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon were apparently abducted and killed while working on an assignment in northern Mali.

The article presents world news briefs as of January 21, 2013. Demonstrators gathered outside a courtroom in India to see the six criminal suspects who have been arrested in relation to the rape and beating of a 23-year old woman. Computer company Google Inc.'s chief executive officer Eric Schmidt traveled to North Korea with former United Nations ambassador Bill Richardson. French actor Gérard Depardieu traveled to Sochi, Russia in search of citizenship.

The article discusses 14 year old Pakistani blogger Malala Yousafzai who was shot in the head by the Taliban terrorist group on October 9, 2012, focusing on the reaction of fellow Pakistanis to the terrorist group's attempt to kill a young girl because of her advocacy for education and the rights of children. Islamist groups such as the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl organization claim that the hundreds of civilian deaths by U.S. drone attacks in Pakistan should be addressed.

The article reviews the Chomrong Cottage Guest House in Chomrong, Nepal. The owner of the cottage serves chocolate cake and other specialty foods to hikers making their way to base camp on Annapurna I, the world's tenth highest mountain.

The article focuses on the taste of buffalo mozzarella cheese attributed to the rich milk of water buffalo that were originally taken to Italy from Asia.

The article, in a section on heroes of the environment, discusses lawyer Syeda Rizwana Hasan who heads the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association. It notes efforts she is making to protect workers in high-risk ship demolition from injury and death. Also noted are her efforts to ban the entry of ships that carry carcinogens or other toxic substances.

The article discusses arrangements that agriculturally-challenged countries are making with other countries to grow food for them. Affiliations have been made between Saudi Arabia and Indonesia, Qatar and Cambodia, and South Korea and Sudan. This is a boon for the agricultural countries being contracted, but a potential concern for agricultural countries like Cambodia and Laos where food crops are in short supply for inhabitants. Countries are looking to make these agreements win-win deals.

The article reviews the hotel Hope Springs, located on the outskirts of Los Angeles, California.

The article lists the ten best scientific discoveries of 2007 according to "Time" magazine which includes the brightest supernova by California and Texas Astronomers, the world's oldest living animal found near Iceland, and research on genome based medicine.

The article discusses the work of Amrita Patel as the head of India's National Dairy Development Board as of November 2013, focusing on the Mother Dairy consumer brand and the Indian government's oversight of the nation's dairy cooperatives. According to the article, Patel launched a 15-year scheme to expand India's milk production. Economic growth and nutrition in India are examined, along with the impact of milk production on the lives of residents in India.

The article discusses the culture of violence against women in India as of January 2013, focusing on an analysis of several gang rapes and beatings involving Indian women, as well as an examination of the societal views towards females in India. Aman Deol, the general secretary of a women's-rights organization in Punjab, India, states that Indian women are considered to be possessions. The Indian government's attitudes towards legal reforms and the nation's antirape laws are also mentioned.

An obituary is presented for musician Ravi Shankar.

An essay is presented in which the author discusses political and economic reforms in India. She examines initiatives from Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh designed to increase foreign investment in retail, create more jobs, and decrease prices that were met with protests by those angry over increases in diesel prices and reforms that could take jobs from traders. In addition, sanitary conditions and the lack of toilets in India are also covered.

The article suggests that residents of the Japanese island of Okinawa anticipate an ongoing presence of the U.S. military on the island and in the South and East China Seas. As China grows more assertive in its claims on the area, surrounding countries are caught between economic dependence on China and political ties to the U.S. Other topics include oil and gas resources in the East China Sea and the tenuous relationship the U.S. military has had with civilians in Japan.

This article reports on doctor Takeshi Kanno as one of the 100 most influential people of 2011, discussing his efforts to rescue patients at the Shizugawa public hospital in Japan following the March 11 Sendai earthquake and tsunami.

The article discusses steps that have been taken in an attempt to increase the shark population, such as countries passing laws prohibiting the hunting of sharks.

The article discusses the advantages of using geothermal heat, which is being done by the furniture and home goods store Ikea in its store in Colorado.

A review is offered for L'Hotel in Pietra located in Matera, Italy.

This article profiles Marina Rikhvanova, a scientist from Baikal, a Siberian city in Irkutsk. She is an environmentalist and co-founder of the organization the Baikal Environmental Wave (BEW). BEW is known for it's efforts to save Siberia's lakes from pollutants from the Bikalsk pulp and paper mill. The article describes the resistance the BEW and Rikhvanova have encountered from Russian authorities.

The article utilizes scenes from the cult film "101 Reyjavík," by filmmaker Baltasar Kormákur, to describe tourist attractions in Reyjavik, Iceland. 101 is the postal code for the city's downtown area which features vibrant nightclub life, diverse shopping areas, outdoor hot springs, and inviting cafes.

A restaurant review is offered of Duke's Burger, located in Hong Kong, China.

The article focuses on the popularity of Santa Catalina Island, as a filming location and also a tourist destination. Catalina Island has been the location of over 300 films, while at the same time being a popular place for families to visit. The article describes many popular places on the island including its bed and breakfasts, golf courses, and golf cart tours.

This article presents a list of the ten most important retirements during 2007. Number one is the departure of prime minister Tony Blair from British politics. Other notable politicians on the list include Jacques Chirac and John Howard. People in other fields include Stanley O' Neal of Merrill Lynch and actor Paul Newman.

The article discusses team-building strategies at Cathay Pacific Airways. Company chief executive Tony Tyler has stressed teamwork as a means of achieving goals in customer service and satisfaction. By stressing service and employee harmony, Cathay has been able to maintain competitiveness and control costs in an unstable market.

This article reports on the precarious state of the world's coral reefs. Reefs are vital centers of oceanic ecosystems and provide several anticancer drugs as well. In August 2007, researchers at the University of North Carolina released the world's first comprehensive study on coral in the Indo Pacific region, home to 75% of the world's coral reefs. The report was dire and scuba diver Gregor Hodgson of Reef Check is trying to raise awareness of the danger.

The article discusses visiting saunas while traveling in Helsinki, Finland. Finnish society has a long history of using saunas for everything from curing meat to delivering babies. However, these activities are no longer allowed. But, locals still repair to saunas for everything from daiquiris to doing the laundry. Contact information for a variety of saunas in Helsinki is presented.

The article reports on Icelandic President Olafur Grimsson and his plans for carbon dioxide sequestration within basalt rock. The country of Iceland is profiled as a leader in stopping global warming. Due to its location, resources and limited population, theories can be tested effectively in Iceland.

The article presents obituaries for the week of April 9, 2007. Former University of North Carolina Tar Heels' mascot, Jason Ray, passed away after being struck by an SUV. Walter Turnbull, founder of a musical organization known as the Boys Choir of Harlem. Physicist Paul Lauterbur, helped develop MRI technology.