With Withdrawal Looming, U.S. Troops Shift Their Aim
U.S. and other NATO troops are spending less time fighting the Taliban and more time making local Afghan governments self-sufficient. It's a slow process.
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Obama Team Stops Saying 'Global War On Terror' But Doesn't Stop Waging It
When President Obama took office, he changed the rhetoric from the Bush years. But he never abandoned the idea of global war — a concept with profound legal implications.
In Japan, Food Can Be Almost Too Cute To Eat
In Japanese culture, how food looks can be as important as how it tastes — a lesson children learn from a very early age. From children's television and toys to school lunches, the visual delights of food are never far from sight.
For Some Conservatives, It's Homecoming Week
Despite disappointment at the polls, attendance isn't expected to dip much at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference near the nation's capital. But there has been an uproar over who's invited to CPAC this year — and who's not.
Once On Death Row, He Now Fights To Defeat The Death Penalty
Kirk Bloodsworth was the first person in the U.S. to be exonerated by DNA evidence after receiving the death sentence. Convicted in Maryland, Bloodsworth is now one of the strongest advocates of abolishing the death penalty in the state.
Solitary Confinement: Punishment Or Cruelty?
An estimated 80,000 American prisoners spend 23 hours a day in closed isolation units for 10, 20 or even more than 30 years. Now, amid growing evidence that it causes mental breakdown, the Federal Bureau of Prisons has decided to review its policies on solitary confinement.
Palestinians Still Feel The Squeeze Of The Restrictions On Gaza
Local builders in Gaza say they can't find everyday items like cement and gravel. Yet Israeli officials say they have widened the categories of items allowed into Gaza.
Career Suicide Or Lifesaver? Why A Professional Foodie Went Vegetarian
Washington Post food editor Joe Yonan took a bit of a professional risk this week by publicly declaring his vegetarianism. He's not alone: Many Americans say they've cut back on meat in recent years, and like Yonan, they cite health as a primary concern.
Venezuelan Oil Subsidies Still Buoy Neighbors, For Now
Late President Hugo Chavez helped out ideological peers in Latin America, as well as key U.S. allies in the Caribbean. But with Venezuela's own financial challenges and an upcoming presidential election, many of those countries are worried their vital oil lifeline is about to be shut off.
Past Century's Global Temperature Change Is Fastest On Record
In the past 100 years, average temperatures on Earth have changed by 1.3 degrees. Previously, that large of a swing took 5,000 years. That's the word from researchers who pored over temperature data going back to the end of the last ice age.