The simmering tensions in Odessa could well usher in full-blown civil war to Ukraine in the coming days. It’s also as clear a signal as we have of how far Putin is willing to escalate the standoff—and of how expansive his geographical ambition is.

A group of scientists recently urged the UK energy secretary to cut subsidies for biomass energy. Harnessing biomass energy is a nice way of saying burning wood, and the scientists say it’s not as green an energy source as many in Europe claim.

Students get no rewards for completing a MOOC, so it’s no surprise that many of them drop out, says Robert Wright. Low completion rates are no reason to dismiss MOOCs altogether.

A recent opinion piece in Der Spiegel traces similarities between Putin’s recent actions and the hallmarks of fascism. The charge of fascism might not be entirely justified, but there’s enough evidence to warrant a closer look.

Boko Haram released a video claiming credit for the abduction of more than 200 Nigerian school girls. The Nigerian government is still struggling to come up with an effective response.

In word and even in deed, Vladimir Putin is acting a lot like Slobodan Milosevic in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It seems to be working for Putin. But then again, for a time it seemed to be working for Milosevic as well.

China leaks its plans for dealing with North Korean officials and refugees if the regime implodes.

Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi has alienated certain BJP leaders on his way to the top, and some have even resigned.

Local officials in a city on China’s south-central coast have knocked down a Protestant church and demolished several Catholic statues. The moves fit into a pattern of official unease with the rapid growth of Christianity in China.

Scientists have found a way to reverse aging in mice. If it works in humans, too, youth-hungry baby-boomers may soon be hunting for millennial blood.