ISIS has ordered Christians in Mosul to convert or pay a tax—or die. Christianity in the Middle East is becoming increasingly imperiled.

They both resent American power, and they both have Marxist roots. But can China and the Latin American lefties play nice? Negotiations may be bumpier than expected.

The International Energy Agency’s chief economist warned that “thirty million jobs are in danger” in Europe, as petrochemical manufacturers eye greener grass in shale-rich America.

China has eased its one child policy, but few people are taking advantage of the change. Without the expected baby boomlet, the country’s demographic problems look even more serious.

Extra European sanctions are likely to arrive faster, and they may even be more robust. But beyond that, there are real hard limits to how far the West will go in the aftermath of the Malaysia Air disaster.

Putin cannot be happy about this latest, tragic turn of events. After all, things were going more or less according to plan up to now.

It’s Thursday, which means its time for a few quick links to odd and amazing tales. Here are our favorites from the week.

Liberal wonks may think the British NHS is a better health care system than we have here, but we’re all facing the same long-term budget crisis. Innovation, not price controls, is the ultimate answer.

Patent trolls, companies that manufacture nothing but exist simply to sue productive corporations, now account for two-thirds of all patent lawsuits filed in the US. A major drag on innovation is getting worse.

Moderate Syrian rebels are under assault by both Assad’s forces and ISIS. They cannot be expected to hold out much longer.