Kafka's never-before-seen manuscripts create ownership dispute between his supposed inheritors and Israel. Account of the advantages of the beauty bias in every aspect of life. Analysts try to crack the identity of whoever bought all the cocoa beans in Europe. Judge upholds right to falsely claim
Activists fight law requiring jailed women to be shackled during birth. Female Afghan governor rejects idea that women should "be sacrificed" in return for a deal with the Taliban. Outstanding: Unedited rushes of everything shot by the BBC in Afghanistan over the last 30 years. Factory pot farms
How the pound sign--aka the "number key" or the "hash"--got its name. Scientists say cooking is responsible for brain development. Ben Folds and Nick Hornby collaborate on "Levi Johnston's Blues." From the attic: "The Secret Journal of Levi Johnston&
Last month was the warmest June on record globally; extreme heat boils the United States and Europe. France did not say it would reimburse Haiti for its independence fee, says France, repudiating hoax. Gallery director explains why Berlin is more serious than other cities and there's no reason
University of Texas to rename dorm named after KKK member, cuts down sign for now. Researchers find Facebook appears to aid, not lower, GPAs. Why distant Facebook friends have the most positive influence. See also: The politics of Facebook. Sociologist believes the MySpace-Facebook exodus is a white flight. He&
Running from violence, 40,000 people have fled their homes in DR Congo since June. Afghans to form local forces--"not militias"--to fight Taliban insurgents in remote areas. Argentina becomes first country in Latin America to legalize gay marriage. Alabama's Tacky Jacks preps for its
Analysis of chatter suggests Middle East indirect talks are not going well. Instapaper: What "sanctions against Iraq" really meant on the ground. Fighting Russia's heatwave with vodka and swimming, 233 people drowned in Moscow last week. Distrust numbers in the news; even rigorous-seeming statistics conceal
A trillion is a lot, especially when you consider the billions of dollars we're throwing at Afghanistan. The arresting quality of hearing angry women speak, and what Obama could learn. The good news is that someone still wants to spy on us. The bad news is that it&
Violence and riots continue for a third night in Belfast after controversial parades. Soldiers in Fort Bliss, Texas, are statistically at greater risk at home than while deployed in Iraq. China's People's Daily says the Taliban is training "monkey terrorists" to kill Americans. No
It took BP a decade of hubris and near-misses to become the second largest in the industry--then came Deepwater Horizon. Op: When caught, drunk drivers can expect jail time--let's set that precedent for reckless CEOs. An inquiry into human fairness, and why its pursuit causes
