Topic: Australia

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College rankings: Which countries have the best education systems?

A new higher education ranking focuses on evaluating quality by countries as a whole, rather than specific academic institutions. Here are some of the findings:
Briefing
Gay marriage laws around the globe

There is no national gay marriage legislation in the pipeline in the US, however, numerous countries around the globe already recognize same-sex marriage or the right to civil unions. Here’s the breakdown by region.
Briefing
Top 3 reasons why Al Qaeda is more dangerous than ever

On the one-year anniversary of Osama bin Laden’s death, defense analysts say that there are plenty of reasons to think that a resurgence of the perniciously resourceful Al Qaeda is not out of the question.
Anders Behring Breivik on trial: A roundup of global opinion

A roundup of opinions on the Anders Behring Breivik trial and the attention it has received from Norway and around the globe.
3 spring novels journey to foreign lands

From China to Australia, Korea to Michigan and other journeys, these novels show protagonists trying to navigate new territory.

All Content

Africa asks itself: Where is the aid money?

African nations pledged five months ago to do more to help each other when famine and disaster strike. But so far, they haven't come up with the promised cash.
Backchannels
Graphic images flood out of Syria. Why no world uproar?

Grainy videos depict the violence that has killed at least 6,000 Syrians, but the prospects for international intervention appear dim. Is the world inured to the ubiquitous images?
Is the cyberwarfare arms race for real? Survey of world experts says it is.

A majority of the word's top cybersecurity experts surveyed say a cyberwarfare arms race is in full swing. US readiness lags behind that of some smaller countries, the survey found.
Scientists reveal secret of humongous mammals

How did some mammals get so big? A new study calculates the rate at which mammals evolved from mouse-sized to elephant-sized.
Stocks fall. Greece weighs on markets.

Stocks are down in Asia and Europe ahead of a key European summit. S&P futures are also lower. Investors shun stocks as concerns linger about Greece's long-term solvency.
The Circle Bastiat
Beware of China's housing bubble

The housing frenzy has driven prices so high, so fast, that a crash on the scale of the real estate collapse in Japan in the 1990s is a virtual certainty in China
The Daily Reckoning
Economic tales from the Southern Hemisphere

South Africa and Australia are booming, but the gap between rich and poor is vast.
Somali pirate captors move US hostage after SEAL raid

After the US Navy SEAL rescue of American and Dane hostages this week, Somali pirates say they will move other hostages around, and will kill hostages if they are attacked.
Titan: mile-wide dunes on Earth's frozen twin intrigue scientists

Some dunes on Titan – a Saturn moon seen as a chillier version of early Earth – are huge. Scientists now have suspicions about what's going on, but they don't yet know how Titan's version of sand formed.
Rafael Nadal tops Roger Federer in Australian Open semifinal

Nadal will have the opportunity to capture an 11th major title on Sunday night when he plays the winner of Friday's semifinal between defending champion Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray.
Australia Prime Minister Gillard rescued amid rowdy aboriginal rights protests

Some 200 supporters of indigenous rights had surrounded a Canberra restaurant while Gillard and opposition leader Tony Abbott were inside, prompting the secret service to whisk them away.
'A Separation' probes Iranians' conflicted love for their country, says director

Using a failing marriage as a metaphor, the acclaimed film 'A Separation' juxtaposes Iranians' great love for their country with growing despair that they may be forced to leave it in search of a better life.
Latin America Monitor
Is Brazil about to experience a second golden age of immigration?

New immigration policies in Brazil might soon open the door to fast-track visas for skilled workers. My own experience indicates just how badly reform is needed.
Nadal, Federer, Wozniacki all advance at Australian Open

Roger Federer didn't have to play to advance, while Rafael Nadal and women's No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki had short matches to move on.
10 best picture books for children

In "100 Best Books for Children," Anita Silvey recommends picture books for children ages 2 to 8. Some of these titles have excited the eye for decades, while others are more recent additions to the canon. But all make excellent bedtime reading.
Taiwan and China to grow closer with Ma's reelection

The reelection of Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou heralds closer ties with China, leaving one less trouble spot in East Asia for the US.
Taiwan election sees China-friendly presidency continue

Taiwan election: President Ma Ying-jeou won re-election in the tight race. Ma is expected to continue his China-friendly policies that have Beijing and Washington smiling, but some in Taiwan getting increasingly concerned about Taiwan's de facto independence.
North Korea ranks last for nuclear weapons security

In a new report from the Nuclear Threat Initiative, North Korea bottoms out in a ranking of 32 countries thought to have nuclear materials.
Laura Dekker close to completion of solo round-the-world sail

Laura Dekker set sail on her own back in 2010. Now on the final leg of her journey, Laura Dekker is scheduled to finish on the Caribbean island of St. Maarten.
Academics and spiritual progress

A Christian Science perspective.
Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi confirms run for parliament seat, legitimizing elections

Myanmar's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi run for parliament in the country's highly anticipated April by-elections, potentially giving her a voice for the first time in parliament.
Global News Blog
Whale wars victory: Japan to release three activist stowaways

The promised release of three activists who boarded a Japanese whaling ship a few days ago signals a victory for behind-the-scenes diplomacy with Australia.
Africa Monitor
Oh snap! Bungee jumper plunges into Zambezi River at Victoria Falls

The Australian survived, but tourists who assume that extreme venues in Africa are safe may be fooling themselves.
Global News Blog
World reacts to Obama's new military focus on Asia

Chinese newspapers call on China to assert itself, while India and African nations ponder the implications of becoming 'strategic partners' with the US. 
Cowboy culture in suburban Bavaria: 'Wilkommen pardner!'

In suburban Bavaria, cowboy culture is greeted with a howdy -- and a German twist.