17 photo stories from 2017

As 2017 comes to a close, 15 photographers and contributors reflected on the images they captured for The Washington Post over the past 12 months. From South Sudan to the Philippines, from Boko Haram escapees to hurricane refugees, here are their highlights. February: Whitney Shefte reports on the legacy of Rwanda's genocide “Hearing the stories of mothers […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/31/17-photo-stories-from-2017/

NBA apologizes for calling Palestinian territories ‘Palestine — occupied’

The National Basketball Association’s website is a mishmash of things: “Old school” power rankings. LeBron James retrospectives. Box scores. And a helping of international political incidents. The controversy comes courtesy of a list of nations tucked deep in the NBA website. On the site, fans can nominate their favorite players for the all-star team. Afterward, voters are invited to fill […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/30/nba-apologizes-for-calling-palestinian-territories-occupied/

Berlin sets up New Year’s Eve ‘safe zone’ for women amid sexual assault concerns

BERLIN — As thousands celebrate New Year's Eve at Berlin's iconic Brandenburg Gate on Sunday night, a team of medical professionals in a white tent only yards away will be standing by, waiting for possible victims of sexual assault and harassment to seek their help. After mass sexual assaults occurred on New Year's Eve in several German cities two […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/30/berlin-sets-up-new-years-eve-safe-zone-for-women-amid-sexual-assault-concerns/

The most bizarre stories from around the world in 2017

It’s been a chaotic year, and a strange one. So much of what’s happened seems scary, or at least unsettling. But it wasn’t all bad. Here are some of our favorite chronicles from 2017: ‘Adorable children crash a live BBC interview to bother their apologetic dad’ It was supposed to be a staid and serious […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/30/the-most-bizarre-stories-from-around-the-world-in-2017/

It’s feels colder in parts of Canada than on Mars

On Thursday, the temperature on Mars hit -20 degrees Fahrenheit. That might have felt positively balmy to some Canadians, who are shivering through a frigid cold snap. This week, temperatures across the country dropped way, way, way below freezing. In Edmonton and Yellowknife, it felt like -40 degrees. Things felt just about as cold in Saskatoon and […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/29/its-feels-colder-in-parts-of-canada-than-on-mars/

Airstrikes in Yemen kill dozens of civilians in one day. But that’s just part of the country’s misery.

In one day this week, at least 68 Yemeni civilians were killed by airstrikes, according to the United Nations. The first struck a busy market in Taiz province in southwestern Yemen, leaving 54 people dead, including eight children, and 32 injured. The second killed 14 members of the same family in Hudaydah province, just to the north […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/29/airstrikes-in-yemen-kill-dozens-of-civilians-in-one-day-but-thats-just-part-of-the-countrys-misery/

An asylum-seeking Zimbabwean family has been stranded at a Bangkok airport for months

2017 was filled with many tragic tales of those seeking refuge, but it took until Christmas for one of the most striking cases to emerge. For about three months, a Zimbabwean family with four adults and four children has been stuck at Bangkok's main airport, with no imminent solution in sight. Thai immigration authorities confirmed the family's legal […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/29/an-asylum-seeking-zimbabwean-family-has-been-stranded-at-a-bangkok-airport-for-months/

The Germans are determined to take all the fun out of fireworks, too

BERLIN — To many, New Year's Eve is the time they commit to living a healthier life in the next year. They could start by not leaving their homes that night, German authorities say. Officials there issued a stern warning this week over extreme pollution during the upcoming New Year's celebrations, saying that within only a few hours, fireworks were expected to spread […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/29/europeans-would-breathe-a-lot-less-toxic-air-if-they-skipped-new-years-eve-fireworks/

A top Church of England bishop scolds U.S. evangelicals for ‘uncritical’ support of Trump

Should Christians always support President Trump? A senior bishop with the Church of England says no. Liverpool Bishop Paul Bayes attacked American evangelicals for their “uncritical support” of Trump, suggesting that “self-styled evangelicals” needed to think harder about their faith and values. Some “people who call themselves evangelical in the U.S. seem to be uncritically […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/28/a-top-church-of-england-bishop-scolds-u-s-evangelicals-for-uncritical-support-of-trump/

Chechnya’s leader just got kicked off Instagram because of U.S. sanctions. Why only him?

MOSCOW — Until this week, Chechen strongman Ramzan Kadyrov's rants, wishes and selfies were there for all to see on Facebook and Instagram. He posed with actor Gerard Depardieu and boxer Floyd Mayweather. He posted videos of him beating up his sports minister in a boxing ring. He showcased a humiliating apology from a political opponent in Siberia. He cursed […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/28/chechnyas-leader-just-got-kicked-off-instagram-because-of-u-s-sanctions-why-only-him/

Trump’s unpredictable handshakes baffled world leaders in 2017. They soon adapted.

When Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel looked back at 2017 during a talk show this week, the incident which appeared to be most noteworthy to him was his handshake with President Trump. “I was not trained, but I had prepared myself mentally,” he recalled in what appeared to be half serious, half joking guidance on Trump's often-unpredictable handshake […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/28/trumps-unpredictable-handshakes-baffled-world-leaders-in-2017-they-soon-adapted/

The America of 2017, and 4 other global stories that shaped this year

  In this occasional series, The Washington Post brings you up to speed on some of the biggest stories of the week. This week: Reviewing and updating the biggest stories of the year. The biggest story: The story of America in 2017 Few had expected Donald Trump to win the 2016 U.S. presidential election. When he was inaugurated, critics […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/28/the-america-of-2017-and-4-other-global-stories-that-shaped-this-year/

Opioid abuse in the United States is so bad it is lowering our life expectancy. Why hasn’t the epidemic hit other countries?

For the second year in a row, life expectancy in the United States has dropped. It is not hard to understand why: In 2016, there was a 21 percent rise in the number of deaths caused by drug overdoses, with opioids causing two-thirds of them. Last year, the opioid epidemic killed 42,000 people, more than died of AIDS […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/28/opioid-abuse-in-america-is-so-bad-its-lowering-our-life-expectancy-why-hasnt-the-epidemic-hit-other-countries/

The world’s 500 wealthiest people got $1 trillion richer in 2017

The world's richest people got a whopping $1 trillion richer, according to a new report from Bloomberg News. That's about four times the gains they made last year. That data comes courtesy of the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, which tracks and ranks the world’s 500 richest people. It attributes much of the economic growth to the stock […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/27/the-worlds-500-wealthiest-people-got-1-trillion-richer-in-2017/

Israel’s transport minister wants to name a new Jerusalem train station after Trump

JERUSALEM — Israel’s minister of transportation wants to name a new train station set to be built in the next few years in Jerusalem after President Trump. And it’s not just any old station. If all goes according to plan, the station will sit close to the Western Wall and ferry the faithful — and about […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/27/israels-transport-minister-wants-to-name-a-new-jerusalem-train-station-after-trump/

17 of 2017’s most visual stories from around the world

2017 has been the year of the unrelenting news cycle. If it had a soundtrack, it would be the staccato dings of news alerts popping up on cellphones. If it had a color, it would be that hazy blue-ish white hue you see when your eyes start to unfocus after staring at a screen for […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/27/17-of-2017s-most-visual-stories-from-around-the-world/

A German nursing home tries a novel form of dementia therapy: re-creating a vanished era for its patients

DRESDEN, Germany — On a recent winter morning, Gertraude Bauer and Gerda Noack went shopping in communist East Germany. “Here we have a lunchbox,” said Carmen Mesech, who appeared to be a sales assistant at the Intershop store, an upscale communist-era establishment where the women were examining merchandise. “This used to be so popular,” Bauer responded with a smile. “And the […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/26/a-german-nursing-home-tries-a-novel-form-of-dementia-therapy-re-creating-a-vanished-era-for-its-patients/

Its ‘checkmate’ for Israelis barred from international chess tournament in Saudi Arabia

JERUSALEM — Saudi Arabia is hosting an international chess tournament this week, and the fact female players are permitted to play without sporting the traditional head coverings is a first, and a nod to the kingdom’s attempts at modernization and reform. But these liberal steps appear to extend only so far. Seven Israeli professional chess players […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/26/its-checkmate-for-israelis-barred-from-international-chess-tournament-in-saudi-arabia/

North Korea declares latest U.N. sanctions ‘an act of war’

North Korea said sanctions imposed by the United Nations last week are an “act of war” and has vowed to bolster its nuclear force in an outright rejection of the resolution. “We define this 'sanctions resolution' rigged by the U.S. and its followers as a grave infringement upon the sovereignty of our Republic and as […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/24/north-korea-declares-latest-u-n-sanctions-an-act-of-war/

Ukrainian interpreter accused of spying for Russia participated in Trudeau talks

OTTAWA — The government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau prides itself on its close ties with Ukraine. Canada has signed a free-trade agreement with Ukraine, it is providing 200 soldiers to train their Ukrainian counterparts, and it recently decided to allow sales of automatic weapons to Ukraine’s army. So it is unlikely Trudeau was thrilled […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/23/ukrainian-interpreter-accused-of-spying-for-russia-participated-in-trudeau-talks/

Trump’s ambassador to the Netherlands just got caught lying about the Dutch

Just perfect. Dutch journalist to new US Ambassador: you said there were 'no go zones' in Netherlands, where are they?Ambassador: That's fake news, I didn't say thatJournalist: We can show you that clip now.Ambassador: Err pic.twitter.com/8ohIOzmYAc — Sunny Hundal (@sunny_hundal) December 22, 2017 A Dutch journalist just asked new U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra why he […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/22/trumps-ambassador-to-the-netherlands-just-got-caught-lying-about-the-dutch/

Italy fears that a neighboring country may be stoking Europe’s next secessionist crisis

BERLIN — This was the year Europe's secessionist movements stalled, defying many predictions: Scotland's pro-independence party suffered electoral losses, and Catalonia's secessionists have so far mainly divided their own region instead of Spain. But as Catalonia headed into regional elections this week — ultimately empowering pro-independence parties with a slim majority on Thursday, even though secession remains unlikely — another country in the south […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/22/italy-fears-that-a-neighboring-country-may-be-stoking-europes-next-secessionist-crisis/

The story of America in 2017, if it happened somewhere else

Want smart analysis of the most important news in your inbox every weekday along with other global reads, interesting ideas and opinions to know? Sign up for the Today's WorldView newsletter. The leader likes to be praised. Close to the end of his first year in power, the presidential office circulated a memo that featured Cabinet ministers […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/22/the-story-of-america-in-2017-if-it-happened-somewhere-else/

Australian sailors vanished into a fog during WWI. A century later, we found out where they went.

Just minutes after crew members aboard the Australian submarine signaled about diminishing visibility, the vessel disappeared into the fog. During WWI, Australia's first submarine, HMAS AE1, along with its sister ship, AE2, were used to capture German New Guinea. It was a Sunday in September of 1914 when the vessel helped secure the surrender of Rabaul in East New Britain, according to the Royal Australian […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/21/australian-sailors-vanished-into-a-fog-during-wwi-a-century-later-we-found-out-where-they-went/

One million people have caught cholera in Yemen. You should be outraged.

Recently, the story of Yemen has been told in statistics: A brutal campaign of air strikes by Saudi Arabia has killed 10,000. Eight million people -- one-third of the population -- are teetering on the brink of famine. Eighty percent of the country lacks access to food, fuel, clean water and health care. Even so, this number stands out: The International […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/21/one-million-people-have-caught-cholera-in-yemen-you-should-be-outraged/

2017: The year even the U.N. human rights commissioner gave up on human rights

  Zeid Raad al-Hussein isn't afraid to speak his mind. The U.N. high commissioner for human rights has taken on some of the most powerful countries in the world. He has compared populist movements in Europe to the Islamic State, and he called the European Union "inhumane" for its policy of helping the Libyan coast […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/21/2017-the-year-even-the-u-n-human-rights-commissioner-gave-up-on-human-rights/

What made North Korea’s weapons programs so much scarier in 2017

Just a few years ago, North Korea's weapons program was treated like a bad joke, better known for its duds, misfires and fakes than its ability to threaten the United States. But in 2017, the North Korean weapons program stopped being funny. Instead, Pyongyang's persistent pursuit of ballistic missile and nuclear weapons technology led to serious talk about […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/21/what-made-north-koreas-weapons-programs-so-much-scarier-in-2017/

Eco-terrorists threatened to put hydrochloric acid into supermarket products in Greece

Greek supermarkets were forced to withdraw several food and beverage products from their shelves this week, after a group threatened to contaminate them with acid as part of an environmentally-influenced protest of Christmas consumerism. Authorities urged residents in Athens and the city of Thessaloniki not to buy or consume certain types of Coca Cola, a Greek […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/21/eco-terrorists-threatened-to-put-hydrochloric-acid-into-supermarket-products-in-greece/

The dark, political side of digital currencies, and 5 other global stories you might have missed

In this occasional series, The Washington Post brings you up to speed on some of the biggest stories of the week. This week: The U.S. declares North Korea carried out massive WannaCry cyberattack. The biggest story: The dark side of digital currencies The Trump administration publicly acknowledged that North Korea was behind WannaCry, the cryptocurrency-linked […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/21/the-dark-political-side-of-digital-currencies-and-5-other-global-stories-you-might-have-missed/

Rome paid $57,000 for a very sad Christmas tree that locals nicknamed ‘toilet brush’

It sounded like a tree Strega Nona would love: a sprawling 70-foot beauty, shipped straight from the Italian alps. Instead, it's become an eyesore and a joke, a droopy metaphor of decay and dysfunction in Italy's capital city. Roman officials paid $57,000 to transport the tree from the Dolomites, in northern Italy. They decked it out […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/20/rome-paid-57000-for-a-very-sad-christmas-tree-that-locals-nicknamed-toilet-brush/

Uber was just dealt a major blow by the European Union

Uber is a company that people use to hire drivers who transport them from place to place. Even so, the tech giant has long maintained that they’re not, in fact, a transportation company. The company’s leaders argue that they’re simply providing a platform for people to connect with other people, who just happen to want to […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/20/uber-was-just-dealt-a-major-blow-by-the-european-union/

What’s behind the feud between Saudi Arabia and Iran? Power.

On Tuesday, the Middle East grew a little more tense. For at least the second time in as many months, Saudi Arabia announced that it had intercepted a missile fired by Yemen's Houthi rebels at Riyadh. No one was injured. Even so, Saudi Arabia suggested the attack was tantamount to an act of war by […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/20/whats-behind-the-feud-between-saudi-arabia-and-iran-power/

Sweden proposes tough sexual assault law amid #MeToo movement and fear of immigrants,

When three men raped a woman in Sweden on Facebook Live earlier this year, the shocking incident made headlines worldwide. Now, Sweden is planning to change its sexual assault legislation to make it easier to prosecute offenders, the government announced this week. The changes are partially in response to the #MeToo movement which has exposed sexual assault […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/20/amid-metoo-movement-and-fear-of-immigrants-sweden-proposes-tough-sexual-assault-law/

Long journeys and unforgettable encounters: Foreign correspondents share their most memorable tales

The Washington Post has 17 bureaus around the world and 24 foreign correspondents. This year, they traveled far and wide — covering subjects as diverse as the refugee crises in Syria and Bangladesh and voting in Nepal. Here are their most powerful stories from 2017: ‘I hope this helps the outside world to see North Koreans as human […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/20/long-journeys-and-unforgettable-encounters-foreign-correspondents-share-their-most-memorable-tales/

Catalonia’s latest election may have no winners

Want smart analysis of the most important news in your inbox every weekday along with other global reads, interesting ideas and opinions to know? Sign up for the Today's WorldView newsletter. Catalonia is getting ready for another surreal election. On Thursday, a bit more than two months after the region's local government staged an incendiary independence referendum, […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/20/catalonias-latest-election-may-have-no-winners/

12 cruise ship passengers dead after bus crashes in Mexico

At least 12 people died after a bus carrying cruise ship passengers from South Florida to the Mayan ruins in eastern Mexico flipped over a highway early Tuesday, according to the Associated Press. The nationalities of those who died have not yet been confirmed. Among those injured were seven Americans and two citizens of Sweden, Quintana Roo state […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/19/12-cruise-ship-passengers-dead-after-bus-crashes-in-mexico/

K-pop star’s suicide note reveals depression that ‘consumed’ him, pressures of fame

An apparent suicide note left by K-pop star Kim Jong-hyun — the SHINee singer best known by his stage name, Jonghyun — revealed the depth of his struggles with depression before he died Monday. The music idol’s death left millions of fans around the world in shock and forced a spotlight on mental health in […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/19/k-pop-stars-suicide-note-reveals-depression-that-consumed-him-pressures-of-fame/

Israelis call her ‘Shirley Temper.’ Palestinians call her a hero.

النبي صالح #فيديو قوات الاحتلال اعتقلت الفتاة عهد التميمي 17 عاما من قرية النبي صالح في رام الله بسبب طردها جنديين اسرائيليين من أمام منزل عائلتها Posted by Shehab News Agency on Monday, December 18, 2017   JERUSALEM — Israelis call her ‘Shirley Temper’ and say she epitomizes ‘Pallywood,’ or Palestinian propaganda attempts to discredit Israel. […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/19/israelis-call-her-shirley-temper-palestinians-call-her-a-hero/

Belgium to be first country to post a female ambassador to Saudi Arabia

Belgium will become the first nation to send a female ambassador to Saudi Arabia next year, with the government telling public broadcaster VRT that appointing a woman to be its top diplomatic representative in the conservative country will send a “clear signal” about its ideals. Dominique Mineur, currently the Belgian ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, will move […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/19/belgium-to-be-first-country-to-post-a-female-ambassador-to-saudi-arabia/

Trump’s tough talk can’t hide the incoherence of his foreign policy

Want smart analysis of the most important news in your inbox every weekday along with other global reads, interesting ideas and opinions to know? Sign up for the Today's WorldView newsletter. On Monday, President Trump delivered what his administration billed as a landmark address on national security, outlining once more the tenets of his "America First" doctrine. Nothing […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/19/trumps-tough-talk-cant-hide-the-incoherence-of-his-foreign-policy/

K-pop fans ‘devastated’ after SHINee singer Jonghyun dies in possible suicide

Kim Jong-hyun, the lead singer of the popular South Korean boy band SHINee, died Monday in what police are calling a possible suicide, devastating fans of the megastar best known by his stage name, Jonghyun. SHINee's record label, SM Entertainment, confirmed the 27-year-old singer’s death in a statement Monday. “We are sorry to deliver such heartbreaking and […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/18/k-pop-fans-devastated-after-shinee-singer-jonghyun-dies-in-possible-suicide/

Who is Cyril Ramaphosa, South Africa’s probable next president?

History awaits Cyril Ramaphosa. On Monday, delegates from South Africa's ruling African National Congress party elected him as their new president, paving the way for Ramaphosa to become the country's next leader. Ramaphosa, 65, was active in the revolutionary struggle against apartheid that set his country on the path of democracy and greater racial equality — and brought […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/18/who-is-cyril-ramaphosa-south-africas-probable-next-president/

Uber driver with a criminal record killed British Embassy worker in Beirut, authorities say

BEIRUT — Lebanese police have arrested a man suspected of killing a British woman who worked for her country's embassy in Beirut. Younis Awdi, an adviser for Lebanon's defense minister, told The Washington Post on Monday that a man named Tarek Harb has been arrested in the death of Rebecca Dykes. Dykes's body was found several […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/18/uber-driver-with-a-criminal-record-killed-british-embassy-worker-in-beirut-authorities-say/

This London borough has a message for President Trump: You’re not welcome here.

  LONDON — If President Trump visits Britain in 2018, he won't be welcome in the Royal Borough of Greenwich. During a meeting last week, the Labour-held borough in southeast London called for the government to abandon plans for a Trump visit. A formal motion passed by the borough's councilors vowed that Trump “would not be […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/18/this-london-borough-has-a-message-for-president-trump-youre-not-welcome-here/

It’s not just Trump’s administration that bans words, European nations have done it too

When policy analysts at Atlanta’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) met with senior budget officials last week, they were told that seven words or phrases could no longer be used in official documents  being prepared for next year’s budget, including “vulnerable,” “entitlement,” “diversity,” “transgender,” “fetus,” “evidence-based” and “science-based.” According to my colleagues Lena H. Sun and Juliet […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/18/its-not-just-trumps-administration-that-bans-words-european-nations-have-done-it-too/

In 2017, the world let a ‘genocide’ unfold

Want smart analysis of the most important news in your inbox every weekday along with other global reads, interesting ideas and opinions to know? Sign up for the Today's WorldView newsletter. The volume of utterly horrifying stories emerging from Burma can feel overwhelming. Since late August, more than 626,000 ethnic Rohingya have fled what seemed to be a systematic […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/18/in-2017-the-world-let-a-genocide-unfold/

The Oxford Dictionaries word of the year is a word nobody actually uses

LONDON — The Oxford Dictionaries Word of the Year 2017 has been revealed and the winner is . . . “Youthquake.” Confused? You may not be the only one. The word is defined as meaning  “a significant cultural, political, or social change arising from the actions of influence of young people.” It represents the awakening of millennials striving for […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/15/the-oxford-dictionaries-word-of-the-year-is-a-word-nobody-actually-uses/

The Jangmadang Generation: New film shows how millennials are changing North Korea.

From the outside, it might look like North Korea hasn’t changed much over the last seven decades. But from the inside, a fundamental shift has been taking place: an economic revolution lead by a generation of millennials who grew up as capitalists in a theoretically communist state. They are the “Jangmadang Generation,” and they have […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/15/the-jangmadang-generation-new-film-shows-how-millennials-are-changing-north-korea/

The inescapable politics of ‘Star Wars’

Want smart analysis of the most important news in your inbox every weekday along with other global reads, interesting ideas and opinions to know? Sign up for the Today's WorldView newsletter. Last year, ahead of the release of the “Star Wars” film “Rogue One,” Disney chief executive Bob Iger made an emphatic claim when asked […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/15/the-inescapable-politics-of-star-wars/

Aid group says at least 6,700 Rohingya killed in Burma in first month of ‘ethnic cleansing’

The international aid group Doctors Without Borders has released the first survey-based estimate of how many Rohingya were killed during the first and bloodiest month of a military crackdown that began  Aug. 25 in Burma's Rakhine State. The organization said that by its “most conservative estimates,” 6,700 Rohingya were killed between Aug. 25 and Sept. 24, including […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/14/aid-group-says-at-least-6700-rohingya-killed-in-burma-in-first-month-of-ethnic-cleansing/

Royal family attends memorial for Grenfell Tower victims, six months after massive five devastated Britain

London --  They stood clutching white roses. Some held photos of their loved ones, others wore tee-shirts with the word 'Grenfell' printed in a heart across the front. Six months on from the devastating fire that shocked and outraged Britain, hundreds of mourners gathered to honor the victims of Grenfell Tower. Hundreds lost their homes […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/14/royal-family-attends-memorial-for-grenfell-tower-victims-six-months-after-massive-five-devastated-britain/

U.S. sanctions against Russia are also hurting Germany — a lot

BERLIN — As the West tightens its sanctions against Russia, the target appeared to be clear: Russia. But a new study by European economists released on Thursday shows that the West is also paying a hefty price for its sanctions due to retaliatory measures, the inaccessibility of loans and a more general perception of a loss of trust. […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/14/u-s-sanctions-against-russia-are-also-hurting-germany-a-lot/

How France’s Macron is becoming the world’s climate change leader, and 4 other global stories

In this occasional series, The Washington Post brings you up to speed on some of the biggest stories of the week. This week: Amid increasingly urgent warnings, world leaders still seek viable solutions to fight climate change. The biggest story: Warming of the Arctic is ‘unprecedented’ “The Arctic is going through the most unprecedented transition in human history, […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/14/how-frances-macron-is-becoming-the-worlds-climate-change-leader-and-4-other-global-stories/

Two journalists covering Rohingya crisis in Burma arrested for possessing ‘secret papers’

Reuters journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, who in recent months have covered the military crackdown on the Rohingya Muslim minority in Burma, were recently invited to meet two police officers over dinner in the country's largest city, Rangoon. Their driver dropped them off at Battalion 8's compound around 8 p.m. Tuesday, and the journalists and […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/13/two-journalists-covering-rohingya-crisis-in-burma-arrested-for-possessing-secret-papers/

3 big questions about North Korea and no-precondition talks

Over the past year, tensions between North Korea and the United States have increased dramatically because of Pyongyang's frequent weapons tests. With fears of a nuclear conflict growing, outside experts have called for direct talks between the two nations to defuse the situation. There was a major stumbling block, however: a long-standing U.S. insistence on North Korea […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/13/3-big-questions-about-north-korea-and-no-precondition-talks/

Alabama election result seen as ‘miracle’ in a Europe horrified by Trump

BERLIN — Roy Moore’s defeat on Tuesday evening may have come as a relief to liberal Americans, but in Europe it was taken as a sign that the United States has not totally lost its moral compass. Last year’s election victory of President Trump, who is deeply unpopular across Western Europe, appears to have severely damaged […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/12/13/alabama-election-result-seen-as-miracle-in-a-europe-horrified-by-trump/