* Never before has the world been as close to war with Iran. * Insurgency will continue in Afghanistan, but by muddling through, there's optimism and growth. * Introducing the Muslim Brotherhood's deeply theocratic Tea Party-like offshoot. * Copenhagen plans to open government-run marijuana shops to combat gangs.
* Anders Breivik was cold and calculating, but calling him insane lets him off easy. * On Africa's real chance to follow in Asia's footsteps. * Change in Libyan leadership doesn't mean 200-year-old remains of American sailors closer to returning home. * Ambien and its generic
* U.S. unemployment rate falls to 8.6%, lowest since March 2009 * Men commuting to work with women's legs. * Germany's Merkel rules out rapid fix to Europe's debt crisis. * Yet another wealthy person asks to be taxed in order to reward true job creators.
* After 18 months of no government, Belgium appears ready to appoint a French-speaking socialist as PM. * Nearly half of a German city evacuates for the defusing of a WWII-era bomb. * Comedy theorist claims "sense of humor is the lure that keeps our brains alert for the gaps
* White House decides Obama will offer no formal condolences to Pakistan. * Study finds racial animus cost Obama three to five percentage points in the national popular vote in the 2008 election. * Britons will be worse off in 2015 than they were in 2002. * Story of the blind CIA agent—also
There you are, post-Black Friday competitive shopping, convalescing in St. Moritz. The doctors are pleased with your progress, though you wish you had something to transport your mind far away, out of the body cast—some kind of distraction. You eye the morphine drip, but wouldn’t you rather
* As recently as 1996, a political candidate's sexual affairs weren't mainstream news fodder. * Print news has come full circle now that the "future of news" is print. * Richmond Tea Party prepares for an audit after complaining about paying for a park used freely by
* Biggest strike in 30 years disrupts UK; 58% of schools closed. * Obamas take their daughters book shopping; the girls buy the President Everyone Poops. * Professional lobbyist Gingrich splits hairs over being a lobbyist. * Free speech rights of federal employees to be decided soon. * Audubon's Birds of America now
* Iranian students storm British embassy in Tehran; semi-official news agency says protesters "conquered." * Dahlia Lithwick profile of Justice Kagan after a year on the bench. * John Stuart Mill, dead thinker of 2011. * Arab revolutionaries top Foreign Policy's list of top 100 global thinkers. * Stories you
* Korea's president channels Carter and dons long underwear to conserve energy. * Patagonia ad urges customers to buy less of its clothing, less in general. * Kenya yet to wipe out jihadist militia in Somalia. * Gingrich's Belgian Congo dissertation mashed up with Tintin au Congo. * Keith Gessen, n+
