Conflict
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UN seeks Day of Peace for world at war
This week saw the tenth ever International Day of Peace – but in low-level conflicts around the world, the fighting continued. Will humanity ever achieve a real global ceasefire?
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Violence is a thing of the past, says professor
In a major new book, Harvard professor Steven Pinker says that when it comes to violence, we've never had it so good. Is killing part of human nature?
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Tragedy in paradise as Somali pirates strike
A 56-year-old woman kidnapped by pirates faces an unimaginable ordeal this week, after seeing her husband shot dead. Her story is part of a wider tragedy – that of the whole of Somalia.
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Cairo attack fuels global alarm over Israel
An embassy stormed and a desperate weekend of diplomatic pressure have turned the spotlight on Israel and the imminent threats it faces to its increasingly precarious future.
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Ten years on, 9/11 conspiracy fears still flourish
For millions around the world, the official story of 9/11 is the world's biggest lie. So-called 'Truthers' say the attacks were are a plot – carried out by the US government.
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Noose tightens on Gaddafi as new Libya takes shape
Rebel forces are now in control of over two thirds of Libya. As the search for Gaddafi intensifies, the world is looking to support and strengthen its fledgling government.
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Somali food crisis worsens to official famine
Two regions of Somalia were yesterday officially classified as in famine. UNICEF's chief says this story should get more space than the hacking scandal. Is he right?
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Longest war winds down after decade of bloodshed
The NATO campaign in Afghanistan is finally drawing to a close, as officials hand control of safe areas to Afghan troops. Is this transfer a victory – or a humiliating retreat?
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Amid war and poverty a new country is born
South Sudan declared independence from the North this weekend after years of war. Does independence hold the answer to the region's many problems?
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REFUGEE WEEK: Burden of help falls on poor nations
A new report shows that four out of five refugees are in developing countries, while anti-refugee feelings grow in the rich world. With numbers on the rise, how can we share the burden?
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The new campaign to ban the bomb
Nearly 70 years after the invention of the atom bomb, an international summit meets this week in London in pursuit of a nuclear-weapon-free world. Could this dream ever become reality?
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Hope and fear for Afghans as US withdrawal looms
Barack Obama is preparing to announce his plans for the departure of US troops from Afghanistan. American voters want their soldiers home, but some Afghans fear they will be abandoned.
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‘A Gay Girl in Damascus’ is kidnapped
A lesbian blogger famous for her criticism of President Assad's autocratic rule is arrested. Meanwhile, the Syrian town of Jisr al-Shughour faces oblivion.
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NATO turns up the heat on Colonel Gaddafi
French officials say that attack helicopters will soon be deployed in Libya. It's a major escalation of the assault on Gaddafi – but has NATO gone too far?
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Rivalries and rifts behind Syria’s agonies
This week, the Syrian army has launched a bloody crackdown against democracy protesters. Foreign leaders are appalled. But religious and ethnic conflicts muddy the waters.