Cornel West, the firebrand of American academia for almost 30 years, is causing his hosts some problems. They are on a schedule but such things barely move him, for as he saunters down the high street there are people to talk to, and no one can leave shortchanged. Everyone, "brother" or "sister", is indeed treated like a long lost family member. And then there is the hug; a bear-like pincer  [ ... ]

As you contemplate the ongoing violence in Syria, here are the three things to keep in mind. First, the United States undoubtedly possesses the wherewithal to topple the regime of Bashar Assad. On this score, the hawks are surely right. Whether acting alone, with allies, or through proxies, Washington over the past decade or so has demonstrated an impressive capacity to overthrow governments. [ ... ]

Dawn is still two hours away and for those on the outside, beyond the reinforced concrete walls and coiled barbed wire, the good life in Guantanamo Bay has stilled temporarily. McDonald's has closed, the numerous bars, restaurants and Caribbean beaches that make this shameful prison colony such a coveted posting for fun-loving American servicemen and women have emptied, and the temperature h [ ... ]

Rescue workers in Bangladesh freed a woman buried for 17 days inside a prayer room in the wreckage of a collapsed garment factory building. The amazing rescue took place Friday as the death toll from the disaster raced past 1,000, making it one of the worst industrial tragedies in history. The rescuers discovered the woman Friday afternoon in the wreckage of the basement of the building and  [ ... ]