Is Google Street View the New Nature Documentary?

Google

Google announced Thursday that they've taken their Street View cameras on a hiking trip around the Galapagos islands — above ground, and under water.

By David Wagner

Feb 1, 2013

Look How Fake Iran's Space Monkey Was

Iran made a pretty big deal about their supposedly successful attempt at launching a monkey into orbit and returning him safely to Earth. But looking closely at evidence from the mission, experts have easily called Iran's bluff.

Comments | 8,954 Views

By Dashiell Bennett

Feb 1, 2013

A Truck Full of Fireworks Sent Cars Flying Off This Chinese Bridge

A huge truck filled with fireworks exploded on an elevated highway in China on Friday, destroying a large section of the road, and sending vehicles plummeting nearly 100 feet to the ground.

Comments | 1,355 Views

By David Wagner

Feb 1, 2013

Today's Best

Five Best Friday Columns

Jonathan Tobin on how Hagel blew it, Chris Cillizza on why Hagel will still get confirmed, Flynt and Hillary Leverett on the need to accept Iranian power, Paul Krugman on the search for austerity successes, and Ron Fournier on covering Hillary. 

Comments | 2,804 Views

By Alexander Abad-Santos

Feb 1, 2013

Here's the North Korean Nuclear Site That They're Trying to Hide From the World

Want one more sign that North Korea is getting closer to their third nuclear test? They've started to camouflage and cover the entrance to an underground nuclear testing tunnel at the Punggye-ri facility so that no one can see what they're doing. 

Comments | 5,518 Views

By Dashiell Bennett

Feb 1, 2013

Bomb Explodes Outside the U.S. Embassy in Turkey

A bomb exploded outside the entrance to the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, on Friday in an apparent suicide attack that killed two people.

Comments | 1,724 Views

By Adam Clark Estes

Jan 31, 2013

Nobody Knows Why a Skyscraper Just Blew Up in Mexico City

Fourteen people are dead, up to 100 injured and another 30 remain trapped beneath the rubble, after an explosion tore through the Mexico City headquarters of the state-owned Pemex oil company.

Comments | 3,557 Views

By Adam Clark Estes

Jan 31, 2013

Now Is Not a Good Time to Vacation in Damascus

A Russian judge recently thought it would be a good idea to take his holiday in Syria and pretend to be a war correspondent. And guess what happened: he got shot in the face and almost died.

Comments | 862 Views

By David Wagner

Jan 31, 2013

Today's Best

Five Best Thursday Columns

Matthew Yglesias on the stupidity of sequestration, Caroline Baum on Paul Ryan's deficit elimination plan, Daniel Gross on the GDP report, Erick Erickson on Rubio's immigration play, and Rory Carroll on Venezuela's post-Chavez void. 

Comments | 2,414 Views

By Dashiell Bennett

Jan 31, 2013

Iran and Syria Threaten Retaliation for Israeli Strike

Both Iran and Syria are ramping up the rhetoric this morning, not-so-subtly threatening Israel over its attack within Syria's borders on Wednesday.

Comments | 982 Views

By Alexander Abad-Santos

Jan 31, 2013

Don't Look Now, but Iran and North Korea Are Upping Their Nuclear Games

There are two countries in this world that we'd rather not see tinker with nuclear energy: Iran and North Korea. And it just so happens one of those is now prepping for a nuclear test, while the other is bragging about how it's putting its own program into overdrive.

Comments | 2,720 Views

By Adam Clark Estes

Jan 30, 2013

Whatever's Happening Between Israel and Syria, It's Not Good

More details about Israel's air strike on Syria emerged from around the world Wednesday evening, and while many mysteries remain, everyone seems to agree that this situation could get very, very messy.

Comments | 4,761 Views

By Adam Clark Estes

Jan 30, 2013

Those Tragically Torched Manuscripts in Timbuktu Weren't Torched After All

Good news, history fans: Researchers revealed on Wednesday that the vast majority of the 300,000 ancient manuscripts that had supposedly been burned by Malian rebels are actually "safe and sound."

Comments | 1,668 Views

By Alexander Abad-Santos

Jan 30, 2013

Israel's Attack on Syria-Lebanon Border Said to Target Military Research Hub

After morning reports of an overnight incident as Syria's war may spill over the border, Syrian state TV is now reporting that the Israeli warplanes bombed a military research center. Confirmations from U.S. officials are also spilling in.

Comments | 4,373 Views

By Alexander Abad-Santos

Jan 30, 2013

South Korea's Satellite Is Not Going to Go Over Well in North Korea

South Korea has successfully put a homegrown satellite into orbit for the first time in the country's history, officials say. Now, who's going to break the bad news to their big bad neighbors to the North?

Comments | 5,488 Views

By David Wagner

Jan 30, 2013

Today's Best

Five Best Wednesday Columns

Doyle McManus on immigration reform's moment, Ezra Klein on how immigration policy affects the economy, Matt K. Lewis on Twitter's overcrowding, Chris Murphy on the new NRA, and Sanjay Kumar on India's cultural emergency.

Comments | 2,242 Views

By Alexander Abad-Santos

Jan 30, 2013

Meanwhile, in Indonesia, Wild Monkeys Ransacked a Town

A pack of 10 monkeys went on a rampage in the town of Toddang Pulu in Sendenreng Rappang, Indonesia, on Tuesday. In their wake, they've left seven people injured—one critically—and one shaken village.

Comments | 2,414 Views

By Adam Clark Estes

Jan 29, 2013

Luggage Washing Ashore Is Not a Good Sign for the Missoni Rescue Mission

As over three weeks have gone by since Vittorio Missoni's plane went missing, it's probably safe to say that most people have given up hope of finding the Italian fashion legend alive.

Comments | 1,186 Views

By David Wagner

Jan 29, 2013

Today's Best

Five Best Tuesday Columns

Bill Richardson on immigration reform, Michael Tomasky on Republican efforts to attract minority voters, Andrew Ross Sorkin on the next head of the SEC, Jeffrey Toobin on activist judges, and Tim Padgett on Brazil's nightclub fire.

Comments | 2,414 Views

By Alexander Abad-Santos

Jan 29, 2013

British Troops Are Going to Mali, Despite What David Cameron Said

Today, the U.K. announced that it would be sending around 350 troops to support the French operation in Mali, which means Prime Minister David Cameron has some explaining to do

Comments | 1,379 Views

By Alexander Abad-Santos

Jan 29, 2013

North Korea and Its Gulags Are Now on Google Maps

Thanks to citizen cartographers, Google was able to fill in what was what one of the last blank spaces on earth. And now we can see things like North Korean mass transit routes, the Pyongyang's  parks and of course, the country's gigantic gulags.

Comments | 5,844 Views

By Dashiell Bennett

Jan 29, 2013

Egyptian Hotel Live Tweeted an Angry Mob Storming Its Lobby

Normally, having a luxury hotel just steps from the cultural heart of a major international capital is great for business. Sometimes, it's an invitation for disaster, as the Semiramis InterContinental in Cairo found out last night.

Comments | 1,856 Views

By David Wagner

Jan 28, 2013

Obama's Failed Promise to Close Gitmo: A Timeline

On the same day that the September 11th high-jackers returned to court, word came that the office responsible for closing the prison has itself been closed, adding another entry to the long list of scuttled attempts to shut down the detention facility.

Comments | 3,698 Views

By Dashiell Bennett

Jan 28, 2013

U.S. Drone Base Would Make Africa the New Home of the War on Terror

The New York Times reports today that the Pentagon is planning to install drone base in Niger, a move that almost certainly guarantees a long-term U.S. presence in North Africa.

Comments | 1,816 Views

By Dashiell Bennett

Jan 28, 2013

Morsi's Emergency Law Only Makes Matters Worse in Egypt

President Mohammed Morsi declared a state of emergency in parts of Egypt, as two competing strains of violence merged to create a nation overrun by chaos.

Comments | 169 Views

By David Wagner

Jan 28, 2013

Today's Best

Five Best Monday Columns

Bob Woodward on why Obama chose Hagel, Paul Krugman on so-called takers, William Lloyd George on Eritrea's teetering dictatorship, Gordon Chang on Chinese air, and Albert Hunt on Republicans' electoral vote shuffle.

Comments | 4,478 Views

By Alexander Abad-Santos

Jan 28, 2013

Was the Brazilian Night Club Disaster Made Worse by Its Bar Tab Policy?

As Brazil and the city of Santa Maria prepare to bury the 233 people who died in a nightclub fire, we are slowly getting more information on what really happened early Saturday morning.

Comments | 5,111 Views

By Dashiell Bennett

Jan 28, 2013

Mali Rebels Torch Priceless Ancient Manuscripts Before Fleeing Timbuktu

French troops managed to seize the famous town of Timbuktu over the weekend, but not before feeling rebels continued their assault not just on the people, but on the very culture and history of the region.

Comments | 2,320 Views

By Alexander Abad-Santos

Jan 28, 2013

Juvenile Accused in Delhi Gang Rape May Only Get Three Years

The Indian Juvenile Justice board ruled Monday that one of the suspects in a fatal gang rape last month will be tried as a juvenile—and if convicted, the worst sentence he can face for the will be three years in a detention facility. 

Comments | 690 Views

By Alexander Abad-Santos

Jan 28, 2013

North Koreans Reportedly Turn to Cannibalism Due to 'Hidden Famine'

News out of North Korean is notoriously unreliable, but food shortages in the country have gotten so bad and people so desperate that there are now reports of men murdering their own children for food.

Comments | 19,596 Views

By Dashiell Bennett

Jan 28, 2013

Iran Sent a Monkey Into Space

Iran claims that it sent a living organism into space for the first time ever, without help from any other countries, and brought it back alive.

Comments | 2,329 Views

By Adam Clark Estes

Jan 27, 2013

France Literally Went All the Way to Timbuktu to Stop the Malian Rebels

People in northern Mali celebrated on Sunday night after French troops won a series of key victories over the Islamist rebels who've been terrorizing the region for weeks.

Comments | 2,138 Views

By Connor Simpson

Jan 27, 2013

Former Israeli Leader Shows Signs of Consciousness After Seven Years in a Coma

Former Israeli Prime Minster Ariel Sharon has spent the last seven years in coma, but doctors say he's starting to show "significant brain activity."

Comments | 2,137 Views

By Connor Simpson

Jan 27, 2013

Hundreds of Teenagers Killed in Brazilian Nightclub Fire

After a band member decided to let off a firework inside a crammed Brazilian nightclub early Saturday morning, the packed venue quickly caught fire and a fun night out turned into something much more terrifying. 

Comments | 3,176 Views

By Connor Simpson

Jan 26, 2013

Soccer Riot Sentencing Sparks More Riots in Egypt

After 21 people were sentenced to death by an Egyptian court for their roles in deadly soccer riots last year, violence erupted outside of the Port Said courtroom and resulted in ever more deaths.

Comments | 944 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Jan 25, 2013

Here's Video of Crocodiles Being Handcuffed in South Africa

With as many as 10,000 on the loose after a massive flood, authorities and crocodile farmers on the hunt, with locals wrestling crocs to the ground and essentially handcuffing them. 

Comments | 10,518 Views

By Dashiell Bennett

Jan 25, 2013

Scenes from Tahrir Square: Tear Gas and Tears at a Revolution, Two Years On

Today marks the second anniversary of the start of the Egyptian Revolution, but two years later, the fight looks like it's only just beginning.

Comments | 862 Views

By David Wagner

Jan 25, 2013

Today's Best

Five Best Friday Columns

Dexter Filkins on women in combat, Ron Fournier on Obama's great liberal expectations, Malcolm Potts on fighting terrorism through education, Jonathan Weil on Caterpillar's missing millions, and Jim Yong Kim on climate change.

Comments | 2,428 Views

By Dashiell Bennett

Jan 25, 2013

White House Now Connecting Al Qaeda to Algeria Attack via 'Mr. Marlboro'

The Obama administration says it believes that the militants responsible for the recent terror attack were working with "elements of Al Qaeda," as they attempt to solidify the bigger link between Algeria, Mali, and the worldwide fight against extremists.

Comments | 172 Views

By Adam Clark Estes

Jan 24, 2013

How Many Times Does Al Qaeda's Number Two Need to Die?

Big victory in the war on terror, folks: A previously unreported air strike in December killed Said al-Shihri, al Qaeda's number two in command. This is third time he's been reported dead.

Comments | 3,793 Views

By Jake Adelstein

Jan 24, 2013

Silence Is the Cost of Freezing a Yakuza Group's U.S. Assets

The U.S. Department of Treasury on Wednesday announced sanctions against Japan’s third-largest crime syndicate the Inagawa-kai and its leaders.

Comments | 2,069 Views

By David Wagner

Jan 24, 2013

Today's Best

Five Best Thursday Columns

Margaret Carlson on Hillary Clinton's Benghazi testimony, Susan Crawford on speeding up America's Internet, Alex Pareene on electoral vote rejiggering, E.J. Dionne on Obama's Reaganisms, and Amy Davidson on child-abuse victims.

Comments | 2,242 Views

By Dashiell Bennett

Jan 24, 2013

Britain Says There's an 'Imminent Threat' to Westerns in Benghazi

The British Foreign Office has issued a travel warning to Westerners who might be in Benghazi, urging all its citizens to leave the city immediately.

Comments | 622 Views

By Alexander Abad-Santos

Jan 24, 2013

Meanwhile, in South Africa, 15,000 Crocodiles Escaped from a Farm

The good news is that some of the 15,000 crocodiles that escaped after recent South Africa floods have been recaptured. The bad news is that there are at least 7,500 missing crocodiles still out there somewhere.  

Comments | 4,828 Views

By Dashiell Bennett

Jan 24, 2013

U.S. Navy Ship Runs Aground Off The Philippines

A Naval minesweeping ship is turning into an environmental hazard after it was heavily damaged when it struck a coral reef off the coast of Palawan in the Philippines.

Comments | 2,835 Views

By Alexander Abad-Santos

Jan 24, 2013

Spanish Paper Duped by Fake Hugo Chavez Hospital Photo

The world and Venezuela are anxiously awaiting for Hugo Chavez's first public appearance since fleeing to Cuba for cancer treatment last year. That's why the Spanish paper El Pais decided to run a picture of what they thought was an intubated Chavez.

Comments | 2,017 Views

By Dashiell Bennett

Jan 24, 2013

Mali Rebels Split in Two, Then Ask For Peace Talks

A splinter group of Islamic militants have broken away from the main force of rebels in Mali and now says it wants peace talks with the government.

Comments | 1,897 Views

By Adam Clark Estes

Jan 23, 2013

North Korea's Plan to Target the U.S. in a Nuclear Test Sounds Horrifying

Late Wednesday night, North Korea's National Defense Commission announced that it planned several more rocket launches as well as a nuclear test. It also threatened a "full-fledged confrontation" with the United States.

Comments | 12,697 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Jan 23, 2013

Chart of the Day

You, Too, Can Now Play with the Wealth of Billionaires

With 80 billionaires in Davos this week, why not explore the numbers on some of the richest people in the world?

Comments | 971 Views

By David Wagner

Jan 23, 2013

Did Davos Steal Its Theme From an Author Who Hates Davos?

The vague idea guiding this year's World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, sounds a lot like another vague idea forwarded in Davos-hating Nassim Taleb's book Antifragile

Comments | 6,035 Views

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