More than 110 heads of state are expected to arrive in Denmark this week, as diplomats try to bridge enormous disagreements over a new climate deal. Developing countries want rich countries to raise their pledges for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Full Story »
Over the past four years, more than 18,000 African asylum seekers have made their way from Egypt into Israel in search of a gateway to Western countries. But Israel has taken an increasingly hard line, asking Egypt to do more to stop the refugees from crossing the desert border. Asylum seekers say Egyptian security forces frequently open fire on them as they try to cross the border. Full Story »
A right-wing candidate for president of Chile got more votes than the nominee of the ruling left-wing coalition Sunday. But the conservative billionaire didn't get a majority, so a runoff will be held in January. If the conservative candidate wins, it could end 19 years of rule by a left-of-center coalition that gave Chile prosperity and democracy following a brutal dictatorship. Full Story »
For years, critics accused Brazil of emphasizing development over the environment. Rampant deforestation made Brazil a major producer of greenhouse gases. But in one town, farmers are now replanting native vegetation in a new initiative that could be replicated across the country. Full Story »
Nearly a year since Israel's winter offensive into Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, Palestinians are still suffering. Thousands of homes and buildings were destroyed in the fighting. One of the coastal enclave's biggest problems, residents say, is overcrowding and the stresses that it is putting on families. Full Story »
For the first time, Pentagon planners in 2010 will include climate change among the security threats identified in its list of priorities. But the new attention to climate concerns does not mean the Pentagon and CIA have taken sides in the debate over the validity of data on global warming. Full Story »
In London, a poem by the first century B.C. poet Catullus has been the focus for lawyers trying to prove that investment banker Mark Lowe illegally dismissed one of his female employees. Mary Beard, the eminent professor of classics at Cambridge University, discusses the story with host Guy Raz. Full Story »
An attacker hurled a statuette at Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, striking the leader in the face at the end of a rally on Sunday and leaving the stunned 73-year-old media mogul with a bloodied mouth, police said. Full Story »
The murder conviction in Italy of the American student outraged many in the U.S. Some denounced it as a miscarriage of justice. However, much of the coverage on both sides of the Atlantic was distorted by cross-cultural misunderstandings. Full Story »
There are many players involved in climate talks at Copenhagen, but one country has a vested economic interest in the outcome. For the last three decades, much of Japan's economy has been geared toward inventing energy-saving appliances and machinery — technology that Japan is hoping the rest of the world will want to buy if a deal is reached in Copenhagen. Full Story »
