archive
Thursday, December 27, 2012
The Two-Way
After Apparent Abduction, Miniature Pony Returns To Circus
December 27, 2012 Sighs of relief were breathed in Austria today, after a missing pony made it back to his circus after an apparent horse-napping. While it might seem difficult to steal, and then conceal, a horse, consider that the animal, named Fridolin, is only about two feet tall.
Gerard Depardieu's Tax Flight Stirs Fierce Debate In France
December 27, 2012 The film actor is moving to neighboring Belgium to avoid a new 75 percent tax on the superwealthy. This has touched off a war of words with the prime minister, and the public seems deeply divided.
Europe
A Showdown In Italy Over A Polluting Steel Plant
December 27, 2012 The city of Taranto is heavily dependent on a steel plant, the largest in Europe, which provides some 20,000 jobs. A court has ordered a partial shutdown because the factory spews carcinogens into the air, but the government has rejected the court's ruling, saying the economy needs the jobs.
The Two-Way
Putin Signals He Will Sign Law Banning U.S. Adoptions Of Russian Children
December 27, 2012 Angered by an American law barring some Russian officials from entering the U.S., parliament members in Moscow have retaliated. Putin has now said he sees no reason not to sign the adoption ban. More than 60,000 Russian children have been adopted by Americans since 1992, the State Department says.
Latin America
Mayas Struggle With Poverty, Honoring Their Roots
December 27, 2012 The Mayan people in Latin America received a lot of attention when word spread their ancient calendar had predicted the world would end on Dec. 21. The tourists that came to visit Mayan sites have gone home, and the modern-day Mayas go on with their lives marked by high rates of poverty and a dependence on migration.
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Middle East
Syria's War Leaves Its Scars On The Children
December 26, 2012 Many Syrian children have lost family members and are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. Even those who have fled into neighboring Turkey have not been able to leave the trauma behind.
Asia
Jakarta's New Governor Seen As A Rising Star
December 26, 2012 Most Indonesian leaders have been generals or bureaucrats who came to power by building patronage networks, not by providing services to citizens. But Jakarta's new governor, who has been in office only a few months, has already won widespread popular support.
