On August 8th, 400 protesters ripped out seedlings of a new genetically modified plant called golden rice at a testing ground in the Philippines. Genes from bacteria and corn have been added to the rice to make it a source of vitamin A. Vitamin A deficiency can lead to blindness and weakens the immune system, […]

A town in northwest Burma was lit aflame by rampaging Burmese on Sunday. The rioters carried swords and sticks and attacked Muslim homes and businesses; dozens of buildings were burned to the ground but no one was injured. Rumors that a Muslim man had assaulted a young Buddhist woman sparked the violence. According to some reports, […]

It’s no secret that a number of cities employ lobbyists to assist them with their work in state legislatures. But what is surprising is that many of these municipalities these lobbyists full state pensions—despite the fact that these lobbyists are not employed directly by the state.ABC News reports that lobbyists in over 20 different states—some […]

Emerging market jitters that have thrust India, Indonesia, Thailand and Brazil into the news lately have been battering South Africa as well. Stagflation is a very real concern there—growth is anemic and inflation is high. The rand has been one of the worst-performing emerging market currencies this year, and it has fallen to four-year lows in […]

Just as things were starting to look better across the Eurozone, a bit of unwelcome news reared its head from the south: Greece appears to not be done with getting bailed out quite yet. Greek finance minister Yannis Stournas piped up over the weekend, indicating that the his country may possibly need a teensy, weensy bit more […]

It’s looking less and less likely that Obama can stay out of Syria.BBC: “The UN Security Council has called for immediate access for UN investigators on the ground in Damascus,” Downing Street said in a statement.“The fact that President Assad has failed to co-operate with the UN suggests that the regime has something to hide.”It […]

A leftist NYC radio station is facing a serious problem: too much government. The Times reports on the financial crisis facing WBAI, “radio for the 99 percent” that only reaches “0.1 percent of the New York radio audience.” Struggling with massive losses for years now, the station has just laid off 19 out of its 29 staff members, […]

News from Asia this week was dominated by the trial of Bo Xilai, who surprised observers by denying the charges against him and claiming before the court that he was framed. Yet despite the initial shock it appears the the Communist Party still has the situation under control. Elsewhere, Chinese President Xi Jinping continued his […]

AUGUST 22: A firefighter from the Colorado based Long Canyon Fire Department monitors a back fire while battling the Rim Fire on August 22, 2013 in Groveland, California. The Rim Fire continues to burn out of control and threatens 2,500 homes outside of Yosemite National Park. Over 1,000 firefighters are battling the blaze that was […]

In three years, Kenya hopes to add oil to its already strong exports of coffee and tea. A British-based oil firm hit it big in the East African country’s South Lokichar basin last year, and now Nairobi is hoping to ramp up production—potentially to more than 5,000 barrels a day—and begin exporting its oil.To do […]