Topic: North America

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14 acting legends over 70

Some say Hollywood may be ageist, with careers fizzling for most after they become senior citizens, but these actors and actresses buck that trend. Check out our list of 14 actors over 70 who haven't lost their touch.
Beyond the 'fiscal cliff': 6 reasons to be optimistic about America's future

As Americans take stock of 2012 and gear up for 2013, it's tempting to adopt "decline think" about the country, especially since there is still no deal to avoid the "fiscal cliff" of steep budget cuts and tax increases. But here are six reasons Americans should still be optimistic about their future.
3 new novels about young people on a mission

Characters wonder if they're the right ones for the job in these talked-about new novels.
23 of the best new and upcoming cookbooks/food books for the holidays

A list of the best new and upcoming cookbooks to diversify your own culinary repertoire or offer as holiday gifts.
Companies we love in 8 industries we hate

A trip to the bank doesn't have to be a nightmare. Here are the customer service winners in eight industries that customers hate, from airlines to cable companies.

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In Gear Toyota, Honda, Nissan recall 3.4 million vehicles for faulty airbags

Toyota, Honda, Nissan, and Mazda have issued global recalls of 3.4 million vehicles for faulty airbags that come from a single supplier. The recalled airbags could deploy with too much force, potentially causing fires and endangering passengers.
Africa Monitor The social (studies) network: Africa's cellular education revolution

Africa is the fastest-growing market for cellphones in the world, and they're increasingly being used to power the continent's educational breakthroughs.
Fasten seatbelts, air passengers. Climate change ahead.

Transatlantic flights will be bumpier by 2050 because of rising CO2 emissions, a new study finds. Turbulent episodes could double and the average strength of turbulence would also rise 10 to 40 percent.
Energy Voices Is the future of oil in Tunisia?

Oil industry veteran John Nelson talks to OilPrice.com about the developing interest in Tunisia's energy resources. New bid rounds and forced relinquishments have created an opportunity for new companies to take interest in Tunisia's oil resources.
Why North Korea's US attack plans are nutty (+video)

US analysts play down threats from North Korea. Photos from Pyongyang that show the paths of possible missile attacks on the US appear to ignore the fact that North Korean missiles won't reach that far.
Energy Voices Despite public support for Keystone XL pipeline, activists step up criticism

The Keystone XL pipeline draws support from two-thirds of Americans, according to a new Pew poll. Activists plan protest at Obama fundraiser in San Francisco as they press on with efforts to block the Keystone XL pipeline.
Change Agent How Ontario is putting an end to coal-burning power plants

Ontario is on the verge of becoming the first industrial region in North America to eliminate all coal-fired electrical generation. Here’s how Canada’s most populous province did it – and what the US can learn from it.
At a West Bank seder, Jews commemorate a modern quest for freedom

For Jews living in the West Bank, a Passover seder is an opportunity to discuss how one of history's most famous liberation stories can apply to freedom struggles today.
Apple CEO apologizes to China for repair policies

Apple CEO apologizes after Chinese government media attacked Apple repair policies in the country. Some Chinese consumers mocked the government's attacks but Apple CEO apologizes nonetheless.
Latin America Monitor Knowing neighbors through art: Rio houses new Latin American art museum

Rio de Janeiro’s Latin American contemporary art museum aims to spark dialogue among artists across the diverse region.
Energy Voices Pipelines can't keep up with North American oil boom

The oil boom in North Dakota and Western Canada is overwhelming pipeline capacity, Graeber writes. Shipping more oil by rail could help ease the glut.
Chapter & Verse Pope Francis's book 'On Heaven and Earth' will be translated into English

Pope Francis first wrote his book in Spanish in 2010, and the title will now be released in English for the first time this May.
Energy Voices Behind the oil boom lurks oil well depletion

Recent oil discoveries sound large, Cobb writes, but, when put into the context of how much we consume, they won’t extend the oil age by much. Current oil wells are constantly being depleted.
Will Jesuit identity help Pope Francis repair 'fractured church'?

The Catholic Church is getting not only its first Latin American pope, but its first Jesuit leader. He hails from an order known for outreach and fresh thinking.
Stocks up; Dow on longest streak since '96

Stocks closed up on Wall Street Wednesday with the Dow Jones industrial average notched its ninth gain in a row, giving the index its longest winning streak in more than sixteen years. Demand for stocks has been propelled this year by optimism that the housing market is recovering and that companies have started to hire.
Best airport named: Indianapolis airport tops the list again

Best airport named: Indianapolis International beat out airports in Ottawa and Tampa. Indianapolis also was named the top North American airport in 2010.
Estonian austerity, Paul Krugman, and Twitter: All the elements of an opera?

An American expatriate writer and a Latvian economist-cum-composer have turned an online tiff between Estonia's president and Nobel-winning economist Krugman into high art.
Africa Monitor Why an African pope might not signal change of course for the church

There have been popes from Africa before and Catholicism on the continent is currently characterized by deep social conservatism.
An American pope? What could help, or hinder, two cardinals' chances.

The US cardinals' experience dealing with the sex abuse crisis is seen alternately as a strength and a weakness. But other factors make any American a dark horse candidate to be the next pope.
Camels evolved in the Arctic, say scientists

The ancestors of modern camels roamed forests in northern Canada, a new fossil discovery suggests.
Energy Voices Are environmentalists wrong about the Keystone XL pipeline?

Whether the Keystone XL pipeline is or isn’t approved, the real story here is the world’s growing demand for oil, Rapier writes. The only way to stop it is to curb demand, he adds, not try to cut off the Keystone XL pipeline and other supplies.
Humongous camels once roamed the Arctic, say scientists

Paleontologists in Canada's northernmost province have unearthed the shinbone of what they say was a giant camel.
Will ships sail through the North Pole by 2050?

Melting Arctic ice will create new sea routes, a new study says, including the potential for light ice-breakers to reach the North Pole. New Arctic shipping routes would still be seasonal rather than year-around.
Latin America Monitor Desperate for cash, Honduras to hawk bonds

Honduras is broke, writes a guest blogger, and despite a recent credit downgrade it is now trying to privately place over $750 million in bonds.
Readers Write: The advantages of a decreasing Western birth rate

Letters to the Editor for the March 4 weekly print issue: A growing birthrate adds to the problems of global warming, hunger, disease, and warfare; Human population should be managed; Since technology is replacing people, why do we need more kids who will grow up to face fewer jobs?