News & Issues

Articles Index

South Sudan's Declaration of Independence

Though territorial disputes remain in Abyei and South Kordofan, questions remain about shared oil revenue from the mineral-rich south, and various tribal factions are in a tug-of-war over representation, South Sudan formally declared independence on July 9, 2011.

UN Resolution on Syria

In February 2012, after a year of bloodshed in Syria at the hands of Bashar al-Assad that showed no signs of stopping, the United Nations General Assembly voted in favor of a resolution condemning the violence and calling for an end to human-rights violations.

London Summer Olympics Schedule

Selected back in 2005 to host the 2012 Summer Olympics, London will become the first modern city to host the Olympics three times when the opening ceremonies usher in the Games on July 27, 2012. Here's a guide to the action.

Osama bin Laden's 1998 Fatwa

In 1998, while based out of Afghanistan, al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, No. 2 Ayman al-Zawahiri, and other militant leaders issued a fatwa against the United States and its citizens.

What They're Saying About the Norway Shooting Spree

On a July day in 2011, a right-wing extremist named Anders Behring Breivik went on a bombing and shooting spree in Norway that left 77 dead, many of them teenagers attending an island summer camp. As he went to trial in April 2011, many feared that the court would be a forum for his extremist views; Breivik claimed "self-defense" in the murders from the stand that he was trying to save Norway.

What They're Saying About Islamism in France

On March 22, 2012, 23-year-old Algerian Islamist gunman Mohamed Merah was killed by police bullets after a 32-hour standoff at his home in Toulouse. Reportedly inspired by al-Qaeda, Merah had gone on a killing spree that took the lives of three Jewish children, a rabbi and three soldiers. The murders only intensified the debate over extremism in French society, and about what role Islamism plays in the western European country. Here are some of those voices in the debate.

Trayvon Martin Shooting

On Feb. 26, 2012, 17-year-old Trayvon Martin was walking through his father's gated community in Sanford, Fla., returning from 7-Eleven with Skittles and iced tea. Soon afterward, he was dead from a gunshot wound to the chest, but his killer was not arrested. The details and controversy behind this case.

What They're Saying About the Trayvon Martin Shooting

On Feb. 26, 2012, 17-year-old Trayvon Martin was walking through his father's gated community in Sanford, Fla., returning from 7-Eleven with Skittles and iced tea. A 28-year-old self-appointed neighborhood watchman, George Zimmerman, followed Martin. A confrontation ensued in which Zimmerman shot the teen once in the chest, killing Martin. After no charges were filed against Zimmerman, the case erupted into a controversy across the United States and beyond the following month.

Syrian National Council

The Syrian National Council pulls together Syria's myriad populations in an effort to ensure that there isn't a political vacuum after the fall of Bashar al-Assad.

Greek Debt Crisis Timeline

Greece is caught in a destructive cycle of debt that is met by new, violent rioting every time legislators attempt austerity measures to keep the country afloat. But just how did the Greek debt crisis get this bad? Here's a timeline of key moments in the crisis.

What the World is Saying About Syria Uprising

Inspired by other Arab Spring movements, protests began against the brutal rule of Bashar al-Assad on Jan. 26. 2011. The ongoing protests escalated to an uprising in March 2011, with thousands taking to the streets in numerous cities to demand the ouster of Assad. The protests have been met with brutal government force, including tanks and sniper fire, with thousands killed. Here is what the international community has been saying in response.

Kenji Nagai - Japanese Journalist Killed in Myanmar

Dedicated correspondent becomes the story as his shooting emphasizes the brutality of the Myanmar crackdowns.

Khmer Rouge

On April 17, 1975, Phmon Penh, Cambodia, fell to the Khmer Rouge. Just days later the communists began their deadly experiment of forced agrarian revolution.

Al-Shabaab

The Harakat Shabaab al-Mujahidin, commonly known as Al-Shabaab and various other variations, is a militant youth movement dedicated to the overthrow of the government of Somalia.

The Story Behind Iraq's Mass Graves

As we neared the fifth anniversary of the Iraq war, yet another mass grave was discovered in a country that is pocked with crude burial sites dating back to Saddam Hussein's Baathist rule that began in 1979.

Notorious Arms Trafficker Seized

Renowned arms dealer Viktor Bout was arrested in Bangkok in a joint U.S.-Thai sting operation.

Khmer Rouge Torture Chief Weeps at 'Killing Fields'

Duch, now 65, is one of five Khmer Rouge kingpins facing charges of crimes against humanity under the joint U.N.-Cambodian effort.

Women's Rights in Saudi Arabia

Much attention has been drawn to the plight of women in Saudi Arabia thanks to both social media campaigns waged in order to attain greater rights and by King Abdullah's efforts to buck the more conservative religious elements by incrementally allowing women more rights. But what is women's place in Saudi society as deemed by law and custom?

China's Military Might

The People's Republic of China may be renowned for growing into an economic power, but Beijing has never lost sight of building the communist nation into a military giant.

Gadhafi Criticizes the Arab League

Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi condemned fellow leaders at the March 2008 Arab League summit in Syria.

Murdoch Media Empire

Rupert Murdoch entered the media business with one newspaper in Adelaide, South Australia. The media mogul, ranked as one of the wealthiest, most powerful and influential people in the world, has expanded his empire in the United States, United Kingdom and Asia. Here are the holdings for the chairman and CEO of News Corporation.