Ashes to ashes, dust to dust? Not always. Human remains can also be manufactured into diamonds, drugs and fertilizers. Or, in some very special cases, vinyl discs.
Author: Worldcrunch
Essay: Why was Rome the only place where the global “Occupy” and “Indignados” protests turned violent? La Stampa editor Mario Calabresi sees Italy’s troubled historical relationship between social protest and v
High waters in the country’s central plains used to protect the Thai people from their attackers. But today, the natural ally has become a scourge, killing more than 330, though poor leadership from new Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra may also be to bl
A new survey of small and medium-sized Chinese enterprises reports that rising costs of labor and raw materials are posing serious challenges as China’s boom shows first signs of backfires.
Charred bones and teeth found in a campfire in a remote part of Nuku Hiva, a French Polynesian island, may be all that’s left of a missing German man. Details of case remain murky, but already some suspect the 40-year-old world traveler was not o
Op-Ed: The “Occupy” protests that took this past weekend across Europe could very well be here to stay – in large part because the David vs. Goliath standoff that is brewing on both sides of the Atlantic is neither typically right-wing nor typically left-
Shock is spreading across Austria where allegations are emerging of systemic violence, sexual abuse and child prostitution dating from the 1970s in Schloss Wilhelminenberg, a Vienna foster home. Some Austrian leaders want to change the statute of limitati
Italian doctors complain that the prevalence of medical information on the Internet has led a large number of people to come down with imaginary illnesses, some of which they attempt to treat themselves prior to arriving at the doctor’s office. B
Weather problems and growing health concerns in the United States about the dangers of high-fructose corn syrup have led to a global sugar shortage. For consumers, the result has been a bitter increase in prices for the classic sweetener.
A R A B I C A ارابيكا By Kristen Gillespie REGIME AND REFORMJordan’s Muslim Brotherhood, the country’s leading opposition movement, cautiously welcomed the appointment of a new prime minister on Monday, Awn al-Khasawneh, a former judge at the International Court of Justice. “The appointment of al-Khasawneh is a positive sign as he is a […]
Essay: The OECD rated China at the bottom of its “How’s Life” survey. Though China is behind in living standards, the findings are questionable. Still, the survey itself is a reminder that Chinese are missing the real means of judging their lives: free el
The winner of the Socialist party primary Sunday will face Nicolas Sarkozy for the French presidency in the 2012 election. Hollande is not only a DSK rival, but also the former companion of Ségolène Royal, who lost to Sarkozy in 2007.
In both Germany and Austria, real-life female farmers pose for a pin-up calendar that has become an annual affair for the local farmer’s association. It may not change the plight or perception of the agricultural lifestyle, as they aim to do, but
Germany has just unveiled the Euro Hawk, a prototype drone that vacuums up data – cell phone conversations, text messages, you name it – and can fly to New Zealand without refuelling. The German military is so excited about the Hawk it now wants five of t
Exiled for the past 11 years in Germany, Syrian-born Sondos Sulaiman is an open critic of the repressive Bashir al-Assad regime. But her activism comes at a price. Sulaiman receives regular threats, and fears constantly – with good reason – for the safet
Welcome to Guangxi Province, a land of karst mountains, rice farmers and – rock climbers. Yes, the famous karst mountains of Guilin in the south of China can now be climbed.
Europe’s financial stability agreement of 2010 is safe for now. But protecting the top credit ratings of the two biggest economies of the euro zone is the only way to ensure common currency’s survival.
Its alumni include Manuel Noriega and a long list of other dictators and strongmen turned drug traffickers. The School Of Americas (SOA) has tried to change its image, but leaders in both North and South America are calling for its demise.
Protests linked to America’s “Occupy Wall Street” movement are scheduled to take place this weekend in several German cities. Are the bank-bashing demonstrations about to go global?
The effects of global warming are very real for this tropical haven, where ocean waters threaten a delicate ecosystem. A closer look two years after Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed pledged to reach carbon neutrality with solar and wind power.
Public officials have been caught repeatedly in usury-related scandals in the wealthy southeastern city of Wenzhou. Not only is it a betrayal of public trust, it exposes an economic system that too often relies on illegal money lending.
Officials believe the drug, which is a mix that includes codeine and paint thinner, has arrived in Germany. Sold as a heroin substitute, “Krokodil” users only realize much later that they have consumed a substance that results in extreme
The rivalry between painters Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso is at the heart of an exhibition entitled “The Stein Family,” currently showing at the Grand Palais in Paris, through Jan. 16.
Borrowing from a long tradition of Russian protest music, well-known singer Andrei Makarevich has just released a satirical song on YouTube that pokes fun at the country’s powerful prime minister, Vladimir Putin.
Plans to build what would be South Korea’s largest naval base have divided public opinion and put Gangjeong, a small fishing town, at the very center of the conflict. A recent peace festival held alongside the town’s port drew 1,500 protesters – and 1,000
Oil continues to wash ashore along New Zealand’s North Island following last week’s grounding of a Liberian-flagged cargo ship. The prime minister promises to clean the area’s pristine beaches “no matter what the cost,” but among locals, frustration is mo
A R A B I C A ارابيكا FAIR ELECTIONSA coalition of Bahraini opposition groups issued what it called the “Manama Document” on Wednesday demanding the ruling Al Khalifa family implement reforms to allow for elected government and fair elections. The coalition of five associations (political parties are banned) includes Islamists and secular movements. The […]
Tucked in between Beijing and Tijanjin is a “village” with all the trappings of Rome, Florence and Milan combined. Welcome to Florentina Village, an Italian-themed outlet mall that’s already drawing upwards of 25,000 visitors per day.
A recent court decision will force Gol, a Brazilian carrier, to plant trees around its hub in Guarulhos. The ruling stems from a suit filed by the city government in Guarulhos, which is choked by pollution from the adjacent Sao Paulo airport, Latin Americ
Analysis: This year’s revolutionary wave in the Arab World has already toppled several dictators. But as the “Arab Spring” turns to Autumn, incidents like last weekend’s attack on Coptic Christians in Cairo offer a grim reminder that the region’s troubles
The head of the French Immigration service recently concluded a visit to Bucharest, where he made a first-hand inspection of Ferentari, the city’s principal Roma neighborhood. France’s goal this year is to send up to 30,000 Roma back to their countries of
Tourism operators are beginning to take note of an increasingly outspoken niche market: would-be travelers who think holidays and screaming kids don’t mix. In Germany, several hotels have taken the bold step of instituting “no children allowed” policies.
After a Russian soccer fan was killed following an argument with an Azerbaijani, ultra-nationalists held a rally near Red Square in Moscow that led to 100 arrests. Soccer stadiums are increasingly the bastion of xenophobic movements in Russia.
France is also seeing its baby-boomer generation reach retirement age. And many new French retirees, with the time and money to spare, are opting to take the RV route. Still, they could still have trouble down the road finding places to park.
Liang Wengen, founder of industrial giant Sany, will stand as a candidate for the Communist Party Central Committee. It is a sign that the status of the entire group of Chinese private entrepreneurs is rapidly changing.
Currency structures are wobbling perilously as U.S. investors unload foreign holdings. The recent dramatic reversal of flows in the capital markets could bring the global economy to a screeching halt.
A new study shows ever more devout Jews are joining the Israeli military, and some wonder if the situation has reached a tipping point that could further push an already edgy region toward a religion-fueled showdown.
Sicilian tax collectors are cracking down on a large, underground industry: weddings. Because many weddings services on the Italian island are done off the books, newlyweds must name the suppliers of their dresses, cakes and photos — and whether they han
A R A B I C A ارابيكا By Kristen Gillespie DEATH TOLLThe London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says 31 people were killed in Syria on Sunday, 17 of whom were soldiers said to have been killed by the Syrian Free Army comprised of military defectors in Homs, Hama, Daraa and Idlib. A video […]
Analysis: the first-ever open Socialist party primary has injected new life into France’s center-left opposition. But of the two candidates who survived for next Sunday’s runoff, François Hollande and Martine Aubry, whoever emerges faces