All Global News Blog
North Korea's special guests: First a Google executive, then Dennis RodmanThe fact that North Korea is getting to host well-known personalities from abroad is a PR plus for the regime, say analysts.
Friends forever: Rodman warms to North Korean dictatorFormer NBA bad boy Dennis Rodman declared North Korean leader Kim Jong-un his 'friend for life' after watching the Harlem Globetrotters in the isolated country today.
Benedict XVI pledges support to successor on his last day as popeSome 118 cardinals will commence a closed door gathering to select the next pope in the coming weeks.
Good reads: the meteors we miss, Tesla's frigid review, car-buying woes, bionic eyesThis week's round-up of Good Reads includes a look at what crashes to Earth every year, a tiff over a Tesla review, why car dealers seem so manipulative, and a new technology that could help individuals dealing with blindness.
Good Reads: Ideas for Obama, the creep of capitalism, millionaire count, work at the topThis week's round-up of Good Reads include foreign policy advice for President Obama, how entrepreneurs are slowly revitalizing North Korea, a look at what makes a millionaire in the United States, and a dizzying visit to the window washers who clean the nation's highest buildings.
Can South Africa's justice system handle the Oscar Pistorius case?The lead detective in the Oscar Pistorius murder case has been replaced. But can the South African police force recover from the mistakes made to date?
India on high alert: Twin bike bombs kill at least 11 in southern Indian city of HyderabadThe explosions, which injured scores of market goers, come amid ongoing tensions in India over its recent execution of convicted terrorist Mohammad Afzal Guru.
Is historical claim behind the mystery group of (armed?) Filipinos in Borneo?Malaysian troops are negotiating with about 100 men from the Philippines who have identified themselves as the 'royal army' of the Sulu Sultanate, which has a historic land claim to the area, say police.
Pope Benedict XVI and the road not takenAt one point, the young Joseph Ratzinger looked like a budding church reformer. By the time he abdicated as pope this week, he had become one of the stoutest defenders of Catholic tradition.
Good Reads: A family in isolation, Pakistan's difficult present, Africa's biggest gameThis week's good reads includes a profile of a Russian family that lived in isolation for 40 years, a young professor's return to Pakistan from the United States after 13 years, and efforts to end big game hunting in Africa.
Pope Benedict's legacy: More influential than Pope John Paul II?Pope Benedict's legacy may be a willingness to let liberal Catholics leave in favor of a more orthodox church in the US and Europe.
Palm oil casualty? 14 pygmy elephants fall prey to pesticides in BorneoMalaysian wildlife officials say 14 dead pygmy elephants were found last month in Borneo, apparently poisoned by chemicals used by farmers on the country's massive palm-oil plantations.
China tensions with Japan sell fireworks?Some manufacturers of New Year fireworks are profiting from strong anti-Japanese sentiment related to territorial disputes. Just check out the names of certain pyrotechnics for sale on Beijing streets.
- North Korea video: Welcome to theater of the bizzare
North Korea posted a strange video about an attack on New York City, accompanied by the tune 'We are the World.' Why you shouldn't worry.
Good Reads: Women in crime, democracy's era, digital mapping, a history in heelsThis week's good reads include an interview with a photographer who documented female prisoners in Mexico, debunking theories about which nations are 'ready' for democracy, how smart phones disorient their users, and the surprising history of high heels.
In West Bank, a space for tutus and pirouettesRamallah Ballet Center owner Shyrine Ziadeh decided not to leave the West Bank to study dance, but instead opened a space to cultivate talent and hope among local youth.
- What's behind Mexico's silence on immigration debate?
Mexico has a lot at stake, but its government says it does not want to interfere in the domestic decisions of the US.
Good Reads: Mexico City cleans up, avoiding 'truth,' and a rare visit to North KoreaThis week's good reads include Mexico City's bike-sharing and walkways, the gap between information and understanding, outsourcing personal chores, and a young American's insights on the 'hermit kingdom.'
- New record for the biggest wave ever surfed?
Garrett McNamara may have set a new world record for the largest wave ever surfed. Garrett McNamara surfed a wave off Portugal that was about 100-feet high.
Putin eyes trip to Antarctica, shuns elder imageThe Russian president has insisted on a full slate of his traditional macho stunts this year, including scuba diving and possibly a trip to the way down under.
