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Profiles Of Suspected Dhaka Attackers Surface

The Monday edition of Bangladeshi newspaper The Daily Star features photos of the suspected attackers of the Gulshan café siege in the capital Dhaka that killed 22 people, including 17 foreigners. In this second day of a two-day national mourning in Bangladesh, the newspaper published the photos of the suspected attackers that have were first […]

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Eyes on the U.S. Migrant Lives

Latin America Also Pays For A Broken U.S. Visa System

Restrictive U.S. entry requirements deprive talented people of work opportunity but also drag down the competitiveness across the Americas.

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Ukraine Winter

Eastern Roots For Western Duo Staring Down Moscow

The path of the EU and the U.S. on Ukraine is defining not only the West’s long-term interests but also the key geopolitical players involved. A Russian look at two key diplomatic players.

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Economy

Why 9 Of 10 Chinese Businesses That Go American Fail

A new study says some 90 percent of investments by China’s businesses in American operations don’t succeed. Chinese experts explain.

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Geopolitics

Iranian Nuclear Talks And Rouhani’s Window Of Opportunity

GENEVA — The resumption of talks this week on Iran’s nuclear program will provide a clear opportunity to verify Hassan Rouhani’s true intentions. During his charm offensive at the United Nations General Assembly at the end of September, the new Iranian President, a moderate religious figure, surprised many by meeting with French President François Hollande, […]

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Economy Geopolitics

Can Russian Giveaways Of Old Weapons Keep U.S. Shut Out Of Central Asia

BISHKEK — Russia has reached a deal with the leaders of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to provide military aid to the two Central Asian nations. Though the details are still being hammered out, Moscow appears to have netted a deal with potentially major geopolitical implications. “We have agreed with our colleagues regarding the delivery of weapons, […]

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Economy

Global Economic Crisis Deja Vu? Why 2013 Looks Like 1934

PARIS — Five years after the collapse of Lehman Brothers, it seems that we are passing through an unprecedented layer of thick fog. We see one country suddenly accelerating while its neighbor suffers a “sudden stop.” But this isn’t the first time. The world was consumed by the same sort of uncertainty five years after […]

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Food / Travel

Slow Travel, Cheap Travel – A Low-Cost Honeymoon To Conquer The World

VERONA — One honeymoon. 90,000 kilometers. 321 days. Two rules: 1) never take an airplane, and 2) never pay more than 15 euros for a meal for two. Elisa Bocca, a 32-year-old interpreter, and Alessandro Bocca, a 37-year-old photographer, are the Italian stars of this global honeymoon. They travelled through the United States, Mexico, South […]

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Geopolitics

EU Lifts Arms Embargo On Syria, Russia On The Defensive

FRANCE 24 (France), ITAR-TASS (Russia), BBC NEWS (UK), RT (Russia), LE MONDE (France) Worldcrunch BRUSSELS – European Union members decided not to renew the arms embargo on the Syrian opposition early Tuesday, in one of the strongest actions taken to date by the West against the regime of Bashar al-Assad. “Tonight EU nations agreed to […]

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Geopolitics

Australian Spy HQ Allegedly Compromised By Chinese Hackers

REUTERS, BBC NEWS (UK), SBS, ABC (Australia) Worldcrunch CANBERRA – Australia’s Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that Chinese Hackers allegedly stole the digital blueprints of a $630 million spy agency headquarters, according to an ABC report. The news comes on the heels of the US reporting that classified military designs were compromised by Chinese hackers on […]

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Eyes on the U.S.

Small Texas Town Hit By 16 Twisters In Deadly Tornado Rampage

REUTERS, CNN (US) Worldcrunch GRANBURY – For seven hours overnight, at least 16 different twisters ripped through the town of Granbury, Texas, killing six people and leaving at least seven others missing. Sixteen injuries, some serious, were reported. CNN reports that the search for survivors is still ongoing in the central Texas town of 8,000: […]

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Geopolitics

Israeli Air Strikes, Chinese Pushback, Chemical Weapons: Stakes Rise In Syria

HAARETZ, JERUSALEM POST (Israel), NEW YORK TIMES (U.S.), REUTERS, AFP, BBC Worldcrunch DAMASCUS – The situation in Syria has gotten both more dangerous and more complicated over the past 72 hours. On Monday, Chinese officials indirectly criticized Israel’s weekend strikes in Syria, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu began a five-day visit to China. During a […]

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Geopolitics

“Kissinger Cables” Released On WikiLeaks

ESPRESSO (Italy); BBC, THE GUARDIAN, THE INDEPENDENT (UK) Worldcrunch LONDON – Whistleblowing website WikiLeaks is back making worldwide waves, publishing 1.7 million United States government records, covering diplomatic and intelligence reports on virtually every country in the world on Monday morning. The vast collection spans from the beginning of 1973 to the end of 1976, […]

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In The News

U.S. Private Schools All The Rage For China’s Booming Middle-Class

BEIJING – On March 9 and 10, many Chinese families were disappointed. It was on those two days that American private high schools announced their admission results for foreign students. For those who have just been through the one to two year enrolment process that includes cramming for tests, sending application forms and recommendation letters, […]

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Geopolitics

North Korea Threatens “Merciless Nuclear Attack”

KOREA TIMES, YONHAP (South Korea), KCNA, (North Korea), AP, U.S. Military (USA) Worldcrunch SEOUL – Thousands of North Korean students and soldiers turned out for a rally in Pyongyang on Friday to support their leader’s call to arms, adding fuel to rising nuclear-charged tensions with South Korea and the United States, reports the AP. The […]

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Society

From Sands Of Normandy, A Long Journey Home For American GI’s Lost Dog Tag

Occasionally, D-Day artifacts still wash up on the beaches of Normandy. But these days, it is rare for someone in France to be able to trace them back to America’s Greatest Generation.

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Eyes on the U.S.

Disgraced Former German Defense Minister Is “Distinguished Statesman” In US

Two years after a plagiary scandal turned him into a pariah in his own country, Karl-Theodor Guttenberg is thriving in the United States. A profile in contradictions.

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Geopolitics

Venezuela To Launch Inquiry Into Chavez Poisoning By “Dark Forces”

TELESUR (Venezuela) Worldcrunch CARACAS – Venezuela has launched an inquiry to determine if late President Hugo Chavez’s cancer was caused by “foreign enemies.” Acting President Nicolas Maduro told teleSUR that Venezuelan officials were convinced that “Chavez was poisoned by dark forces that wanted to be rid of him.” “He had an illness, a cancer that […]

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Geopolitics

The First Victim Of Moscow’s Adoption Ban? Disabled Russian Orphans

Would-be parents in the US are more likely than any other nationality to adopt children with disabilities. The issue is heating up again after the death of a Russian boy in Texas.

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Geopolitics

North Korea Raises Stakes Again, Calls Sanctions “Declaration Of War”

GLOBAL TIMES, XINHUA (China), BBC (UK) Worldcrunch PYONGYANG – For the second straight day, North Korea has lashed out at its enemies, raising the stakes in the showdown over its nuclear program by warning Friday that new UN economic sanctions would amount to a “declaration of war.” The KCNA North Korean news agency, relayed a […]

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Geopolitics

North Korea Says U.S. “Targeted” In New Round Of Nuclear Rocket Tests

KCNA (North Korea), REUTERS, RT NEWS Worldcrunch PYONGYANG – North Korea raised its bellicose rhetoric to a new high Thursday, declaring that it now possesses enough fissile material to mount enriched plutonium on rocket heads, and is ready to test those nuclear missiles that would be “targeted” to reach the United States. “We are not […]

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Geopolitics

Cuba’s New Travel Measures And The Future Of US-Cuban Relations

-Editorial- BUENOS AIRES – There is much to criticize the Cuban government about, but its decision to allow its citizens to travel abroad without the infamous “white card” exit visa, deserves applause. Since January 14, Cubans are allowed travel abroad, just like citizens of any other democratic country – with a valid passport and a […]

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Eyes on the U.S.

Hillary Clinton Hospitalized After Exam Finds Blood Clot

AP, U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT (USA) Worldcrunch WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was admitted to a New York hospital on Sunday, after the discovery of a blood clot stemming from a concussion she suffered earlier this month, reports the AP. #SecClinton is being treated for a blood clot stemming from a concussion sustained […]

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Geopolitics

The Anti-American Anger Driving Russia’s Ban On U.S. Adoptions

President Vladimir Putin’s announcement that he will sign the so-called “anti-Magnitsky” bill into law is just part of the widespread anger toward Washington.

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Economy

Global Markets Drop After ‘Fiscal Cliff’ Talks Collapse In Washington

WALL STREET JOURNAL, CNN (USA), REUTERS Worldcrunch European stocks and U.S. stock futures fell Friday after Republican House members canceled a vote on a tax bill intended to avert a massive budget crisis, reports the Wall Street Journal. Republican lawmakers have rejected party leader John Boehner’s proposal designed to win concessions from President Barack Obama […]

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Geopolitics

“A Big Step” – Obama Recognizes Syrian Opposition

ABC NEWS, CNN (USA), BBC NEWS (UK), Worldcrunch WASHINGTON – US President Barack Obama has recognized the leading Syrian opposition coalition as the legitimate representative of the country’s people. “We’ve made a decision that the Syrian Opposition Coalition is now inclusive enough, is reflective and representative enough of the Syrian population that we consider them […]

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Eyes on the U.S.

From Bismarck To Bill Clinton, History Helps See The *Real Petraeus Story

-OpEd- BERLIN – The resignation of David Petraeus as head of the CIA means that we can once again play that great political guessing game that measures the gap between what’s being said and the real reasons behind what’s happened. It is apparent yet again that moving out of public office is almost as difficult […]

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Society

Tijuana Sunset: Shifting Sands, Rising Walls At US-Mexico Border

TIJUANA – There is a party going on across the wall. You can hear the sounds of families and friends, and good fun. Adriana walks towards the fence and explains that further away, some kids are flying kites. But the wind is blowing in the opposite direction. From where we stand, we won’t be able […]

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Eyes on the U.S.

So What If They Call It “Socialism” – A European Agenda For Obama’s Next Term

-Editorial- MUNICH – Obama’s victory is not a shining victory. The president stays president. But Americans did not re-elect Barack Obama because they thought his first four years were so grand and convincing. America’s voters were perfectly prepared to fire him – they just weren’t ready to vote Mitt Romney in to replace him. The […]

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Eyes on the U.S.

The Planet’s Eyes On U.S. Campaign: A Worldcrunch Special

PARIS – Happy Election Day, America! Happy American Election Day, World! Still undecided? Still hungry for poll numbers?? Still there??? Worldcrunch is here to help. In particular, with our news partners from around the world, we have kept a close eye on how non-Americans have been covering the U.S. campaign: from the Italian correspondent trying […]

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Eyes on the U.S.

When The Middle Class Decides: The Economics Of Obama vs. Romney

NEW YORK – In the focus groups he organizes to understand American voters, Democratic Party pollster Stan Greenberg says lately participants have actually broken down emotionally when answering questions about their lives. “Three-quarters of the population are struggling. Families are overwhelmed, salaries have decreased by 20% and health benefits are falling,” Greenberg, co-author of the […]

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Eyes on the U.S.

America’s Third World City: Meet The Pioneers Reinventing Detroit

DETROIT – An old woman stands in front of a one-armed bandit with a half-lit cigarette between her lips. She takes tokens out of a bucket of popcorn and slides them endlessly into the same slot. You can tell she has been doing this for years. Further in, at the blackjack table, two young men […]

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Eyes on the U.S.

A Question From China For Obama And Romney: Why Are You Ignoring Asian-Americans?

-Essay- Chinese-Americans account for 1.5-2% of the population in the United States, while Asian-Americans taken altogether account for 6%. In comparison, Jews account for only about 2%, but the positions that the two ethnic groups occupy in the eyes of American politicians are not comparable. Rudolph Giuliani, the New York mayor, once rushed to the […]

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Geopolitics

Signs Of A New US-Russia Spy War?

VOICE OF RUSSIA, KOMMERSANT (Russia) HOUSTON PRESS, (US) MOSCOW – Russian authorities are staying mostly mum since the United States accused 11 people this week, all from countries in the former Soviet Union, of illegal export of high-tech military equipment and money laundering. Moscow-based daily Kommersant reports that seven of the 11 accused were arrested […]

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Eyes on the U.S.

Instant Reaction Polls Give Romney Big Debate Victory

CNN, CBS, NEW YORK TIMES (US) Worldcrunch Instant reaction polls, conducted late Wednesday night, showed Republican candidate Mitt Romney won the first presidential debate in Denver, in a performance expected to raise GOP hopes just one month before the election. According to a CNN/ORC poll of 430 people who watched the debate, 67% of registered […]

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Eyes on the U.S.

Romney Called Russia No. 1 Foe, But Was Busy Investing There

KOMMERSANT, RT (Russia) Worldcrunch MOSCOW – Mitt Romney turned heads in both Moscow and Washington diplomatic circles last month when he called Russia the “No. 1 geopolitical foe” of the United States. Despite ongoing tensions between the two countries, the assertion surprised many in light of other, more hostile standoffs around the world. But now, […]

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Geopolitics

Suicide Bomber Targets Foreigners In Kabul As NATO Suspends Joint Operations In Afghanistan

CNN (USA), AL JAZEERA (Qatar), BBC NEWS (UK) Worldcrunch KABUL – Up to 12 people are reported to have been killed in a suicide bomb attack, which struck a bus near the Afghan capital, report BBC News. A 22-year-woman is believed to have driven a car filled with 300 kg of explosives into a mini […]

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Geopolitics

New US Military Bases In Central Asia? Guess Who Isn’t Happy

TASHKENT – Fundamental changes are afoot in the relations between the United States and Uzbekistan — and Russia isn’t happy. Until recently, the central Asian country was on the U.S.’s black list of human rights offenders to whom it was forbidden to provide any sort of military technology. But with a special decree, Secretary of […]

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Geopolitics

US Drone Strikes Kill At Least 12 In Pakistan

REUTERS (UK), DAWN (Pakistan), AFP (France) Worldcrunch A US drone aircraft killed at least 12 people in Pakistan’s North Waziristan region on Friday. Reuters reported that the attacks targeted three walled compounds, which are suspected to be militant hideouts used by insurgents crossing the nearby border with Afghanistan. Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper reported the identities of […]

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Economy

US Authorities Investigate Deutsche Bank Over Secret Iran Transactions

Deutsche Bank may have done business to the tune of billions with Iran and other countries, violating U.S. sanctions. Sanctions were imposed on Iran by the international community because of its nuclear weapons program. British bank Standard Chartered, which is said to have violated Iran sanctions, now faces payment of a $340 million settlement after […]

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