Life
How moms in America compare to moms elsewhere
The U.S. is tough on moms
Where's the best place to be a mom? Not the U.S. Among developed nations, places like Estonia outshine us. Overall, the U.S. doesn't even crack the top 20. Check out the data......
Exiled Libyan psychiatrist returns to heal the hidden wounds of war
Widespread grieving and anxiety lift stigma on mental health care in Libya
Dr. Omar Reda fled Libya for the U.S. after being threatened by the Gaddafi regime. Now he has returned from Portland, Oregon to help a country deal with the psychological trauma of war ...
U.S. gourmet raw food craze hits Belgium
Making "taste bombs" without cooking
Established in Europe as a health diet a century ago, vegan raw foodism returns to the old continent as an American fad ...
From Kentucky to Korea – have a bourbon!
Free Trade Agreement opens lucrative Korean market to good ole country bourbon
World demand for bourbon, a "distinctive product of the U.S." seems unstoppable. In Brazil demand has increased fivefold over the past 10 years and now South Korea is open for business. The distillers of Kentucky are smiling. ...
Around the Globe in 37 plays
The Q Brothers from Chicago bring hip-hop beats to "Othello"; actors from newly independent South Sudan evoke the revolutionary spirit of "Cymbeline." Just two of the unconventional interpretations of the Bard wowing London audiences. ...
Every last cute Japanese baby will be gone by 3011
If current birth trends continue, Japan has a future without children. Plus, Mayan apocalyptic skulls in Germany, and words from the mouths of corpses. ...
The wide world of Beastie Boy Adam Yauch, from Brooklyn to Tibet
Yauch provided a rough and aggressive rumble that roared through the speakers. But his Beastie persona obscured the person who spent the last 20 years as a committed Buddhist and helped make "Free Tibet" a rallying cry for cyncial Gen-xers....
Dads across world fight laws: “We’re not deadbeats!”
In the UK, dads cut off from their children by the courts have scaled tall buildings and thrown a purple condom at Tony Blair in protest. In the U.S., a backlash builds against locking up fathers for not paying child support....
Picture This: Huger-than-life kings, dictators, and leaders
This week's photo gallery features mundane, profane and insane portraits of leaders. ...
The digital world reshapes the physical one
Sure, computers are everywhere. But these ideas take the digital world into whole new realms. ...
Mitt, the Mormons, and a controversial temple in France
As Mitt Romney continues to work toward his goal of replacing Barack Obama one aspect of his past - his missionary work in France - is achieving success. French Mormons are about to break ground on the construction of their first ever temple. It's been a long road to get to this point. ...
Cinco de Mayo: America’s made-up Mexican fiesta
The U.S. fascination with Cinco de Mayo puzzles Mexicans. They, in contrast, don't throw a big party for, let's say, the Battle of Saratoga. Whatever the case, a round of margaritas apparently are in order! ...
What’s worse – Chinese tiger farms or “pet” tigers in Ohio?
One crazy incident in Ohio could change our relationship with big, dangerous animals, especially tigers! ...
Picture This: May Day occupies the globe
In the U.S., violent protests marked this year's May Day. Elsewhere, leftists greeted the day with cheers and jeers (for capitalism, anyway)....
From Georgia to India: traveling 9,000 miles for heart surgery
The biggest, most efficient cardiac care hospital in the world is in India. Americans already go there. Will we flock to it when it sets up shop in the Cayman Islands?...
New York wineries have image problems with…New Yorkers
Bet you didn't know New York is the second biggest wine producer in the U.S. But it's more popular with international tourists than with New Yorkers. That might be changing. ...
Belief in God dips, but not everywhere
A respected pollster finds that depending on where you live, you may be less likely to believe in God than you were 20 years ago. But there are a lot of exceptions to that rule....
A real-life Barbie raises questions about ourselves
From a wannabe Barbie to plans for a candlelight vigil: whether news happens in Ukraine, California, Seoul or Great Britain, things have a funny way of being connected. ...
Can you limit problem gambling? Norway thinks so
In response to our story about slots in Australia and Massachusetts, one Latitude News reader wonders if there is any country where pre-commitment, goverment imposed limits on betting, works. Latitude News investigates....
From Derby to dinner table
Horse doping poses problems for horses, international horse competitions, and foodies in the U.S. and elsewhere....
Hollande will add sauce to U.S.-France relationship
Nicolas Sarkozy was America's BFF as French president. Francois Hollande probably won't be....
Want to lower your stress levels? Try forest bathing
It lowers stress hormones, enhances the immune system and can relieve anger and depression. And that's just what researchers have discovered so far about Shinrin-yoku or the Japanese practice of “forest bathing.” ...
Those who don’t know tattoo history are happy to repeat it
Tattoo culture always crossed borders. Now it's drawing inspiration from its own past....
U.S., Muslim superheroes meet at first Middle East ComicCon
Make room, American superheroes. Superheroes from the Middle East are also fighting to save the world. ...
Blood and guts on ice, but compared to others is hockey just a sissy sport?
Fighting in the NHL playoffs was described by one player as "out of control" this week but ice hockey doesn't make the top team in a worldwide comparison of all-things-violent. Take a soccer match, for instance, and then there's bull running ...
Amsterdam research gives insight into U.S. sex trafficking debate
It's just classifieds says Village Voice Media, about adult services ads. That's what many thought in the Netherlands about their red light districts. But when the Dutch realized how many girls had been trafficked into the sex industry they did something about it ...
Picture This: Happy birthday, Charlie Chaplin – Love, India
Indian Chaplin fans honor the comedian on his birthday. Honestly, how could we not post this story?...
Who controls the Internet and why it matters to you
Whether you're in China, America, Australia or the Netherlands, what you can do on the Internet probably isn't what it used to be. Companies, governments and activists wage pitched battles over free exchange of information. ...
Massachusetts adds slot machines as Australians debate “pokie” problem
Slot machines produce tax dollars and jobs. But experts say they are dangerously addictive. As Massachusetts prepares to open its first slot parlor, we look at Australia, where "pokies" are a part of everyday life - and a serious problem. ...
Mass-murder trial begins in Norway – will the global press get it wrong?
Anders Behring Breivik goes on trial today for the murder of 77 Norwegians. As the world watches, one Norwegian wonders if the we'll continue to misinterpret the tragic story. (Photo: Reuters/Heiko Junge)...
Mitt Romney points, chicken to go and tattoo regrets
What Mitt Romney has in common with Kim Jong-Il, why KFC crossed a line in Thailand, and the trouble with tattoos in Belgium ...
Can Canadian kids handle more foul language than American kids?
Whether you see the version of Bully with three F-bombs or six, the context is far more offensive than the language. ...
Ozzie Guillen: the fish dies by his mouth
Even longtime, die-hard fans of Guillen in Venezuela now have their doubts about this sports icon -- and that includes a doorman in Caracas...
Confronting bullying: One drumbeat at a time
Take an odd-looking former school bus, open the doors and let the drumbeat take you away. Programs in places as different as the desert Southwest and countries Down Under are using drumming to help youths beat bullying. It seems to be working....
Faithful in Philippines embrace Christ and his crucifixion
Say 'Easter,' and Americans think of baskets and bunnies. In the Philippines and Trinidad, Christians take a more literal, and painful, approach....
Weird World Roundup: pandas, Russian patriarchs’ bling and lots of snakes
It's a weird, weird world, and every Saturday we bring you a few of the strangest stories we've come across this week...
Hindi pop star turns American teenagers into insane dancing freakazoids
A Hindi pop hit has become an Internet phenomenon. Beware: the gyrations of Daler Mehndi are very, very addictive....
In Russia, a lack of men forces women to settle for less
This fact profoundly affects relationships in Russia. Men have a monopoly on power that they wield with impunity. From my own experience dating a Russian man, I found out for myself just how much....
Research reveals more about autism’s origins; French cling to wet blankets
There's lots to argue about when it comes to autism. What causes it, for one. And whether it's on the rise, or just being diagnosed more broadly. New research seems to raise as many questions as it answers. ...
San Diego’s Iraqis react to a murder of one of their own
Muslims and Catholics have fled Iraq for the beauty of San Diego. They haven't always been treated well. In the wake of the Shaima Alawady murder, a diverse community hopes for justice. ...
Joseph Kony’s new enemy, “Buy My Face,” and the Koch brothers
The African Union grows up, college students use a clever approach to getting rid of debt, and Al Jazeera takes a look at the Koch brothers...
Bus monitors in Cairo empowered as computer whizzes
It was their own Arab Spring. Several women in Cairo unhappy with their low wages as bus monitors made the bold move of complaining to the school board. They were lucky that Rana el Kaliouby was there to hear them -- and to do something about it....
The Pope faces flocks, fires in Mexico and Cuba
Mexico is staunchly Catholic. Cuba is avowedly Communist. Both countries have mixed feelings about the Pope's visit.
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International condemnation over Trayvon’s killing
A nighttime stroll for Skittles and iced tea shouldn't end in a dead 17-year-old. Trayvon Martin is gone, but the self-appointed "policeman" who killed him remains free and armed. That's drawing scorn upon the U.S. from inside and outside its borders....
Lin Who? Marbury red-hot on Chinese courts
Can a former NBA bad boy become a superstar in China? Maybe. But if nothing else, he is creating a stir among Chinese fans. After one hotly contested game, they rocked the bus he was in for an hour....
Unlike Netherlands, U.S. gives no shelter to sex trafficking victims
Hundreds of thousands of American children are being sex trafficked in their own backyard. Yet victims of international human trafficking get more protection in the U.S. than our own residents. Can we take a cue from the Netherlands?...
Photo Gallery: East Timor votes in peace
The U.S. would love to see vibrant democracies bud in the wake of the Arab spring. The Pacific-island nation of East Timor shows that the road to democracy is filled with bumps....
Rutgers case stirs debate in Indian community
Dharun Ravi was convicted of a bias crime. Was he himself discriminated against? That's the view of many Indian Americans. ...
Back to Kenya to champion traditional crops
Would you go from sunny San Diego to a two-room mud hut in Kenya? American Amy Lint and her Kenyan husband are doing it. Their Grow Strong foundation wants to preserve and enhance traditional crops and methods. ...
Paying billions for sports shrines
(Almost) everyone likes sports, right? But should taxpayers' money be used for a new super-stadium when there's a war going in Afghanistan. One woman in Minnesota, a Vikings football fan, wonders about whether more important issues should take precedence....
In Beijing, a fledgling indie rock scene takes off
Rock music was slow to grow in China, but seven Chinese bands will play SXSW. A look at D22, China's leading rock club, opened by a former Wall Street trader....
Over 27 and unmarried? In China, you’re an old maid
Over 27 shouldn't mean over the hill. But in China, women who don't get married by then find their prospects slim, even though the country has more men than women. What's a successful girl to do?
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Photo Gallery: Uruguay’s Wild Rodeo
La Fiesta Patria Gaucha is an annual festival celebrating rural traditions. The main attraction: cowboys riding wild horses. ...
Mixed messages from the Catholic Church on contraception
Based on your comments, Latitude News investigates how the Catholic Church wields its influence over public policy on contraception in the world's "most Catholic" countries. ...
Ghana’s economic boom leaves tradition in place (photos)
Gold, oil and other valuable commodities have put Ghana among the world's fastest-growing economies. But much remains the same, as the country needs to invest in infrastructure and other basics....
Egypt: where have all the police gone?
What would you do if cars drove down the wrong side of the road? If your walk home meant dodging random street vendors? Cairo is unstable in a thousand small ways....
Underage drinking from Algeria to Zimbabwe
A citizen asks: How do different countries deal with underage drinking? Latitude News listens, then responds....
Even in the era of gay marriage, a spouse can be deported
If your partner is illegal, he or she can't fly in a plane, so neither can you. Your partner can't open a bank account, so all accounting is done under your name. And, of course, there's the constant fear that one day, your partner is going to be arrested and deported....
Lady Gaga launches fight against bullying: will social media help or hinder?
On the day Lady Gaga launches her Born This Way Foundation here in our home town of Cambridge, MA, we get the lowdown on what cyberbullying is, whether it's growing and how young people in the UK are using technology to combat it. ...
Tech and Society: French say ‘oui’ to breathalyzers
France will soon require drivers to keep a breathalyzer in their car. Add 'alcootest' to your guidebook. ...
Ireland’s brains drain to Australia
In response to our story about Polish immigrants going back to Poland, one Latitude News reader wonders if the same is true for the Irish. Latitude News investigates....
Bullying: a 21st century problem?
Half a century ago, schoolyard bullies were just an unfortunate part of growing up. Now bullying is regularly in the headlines. This week pop mega star Lady Gaga will launch a foundation to fight the problem. Has bullying really become worse in the 21st century? ...
Islam and tolerance: the view from South Africa
A young Muslim writer from South Africa argues the Prophet would have been appalled by the violence over Salman Rushdie's "Satanic Verses"...
Angler hooks orca, mapping trenches and an Indian surf festival
A fisherman accidentally hooks a killer whale in New Zealand, India hosts its first surf competition and scientists shine light on the world's deepest spot - our look back at this week's unusual stories. ...
New York’s “Little Poland” losing its Poles
Unlike most of its European neighbors, Poland is upbeat: its economy is growing. Many Polish immigrants in the U.S. are smelling the coffee: they're going home. What does this mean for places like Brooklyn's "Little Poland", Greenpoint? ...
Mormon Latinos conflicted over Romney
Romney should be able to count on the votes of Latino Mormons. Many are conservative on social issues and would like to see a Mormon in the White House. But Romney risks alienating them with his immigration policy, which is even harsher than his Republican opponents....
A run to save olive trees in Palestine
Would you run an ultra-marathon to save some olive trees? One Michigan store owner decides that fair trade means replacing olive trees damaged and uprooted in the West Bank. ...
What country has the most bullies?
To mark our collaboration with BULLIED: TEEN STORIES FROM GENERATION PRX we've put together a map of which countries have the most bullies and which have the fewest. You may be surprised. ...
After Carnival, Lent
Doughnuts, satirical floats and eco-fasting - the build up to the Christian season of Lent from Trinidad to Turkey. ...
Soccer, stray dogs and love songs
A clash of heroic myths at Africa's Cup of Nations. How the Indian city of Kashmir is under attack from stray dogs. And a sad case of convoluted lyrics at Italy's San Remo Song Festival. Top picks from the world's media ...
Top Do’s and Don’ts for cross-border couples
Love always comes with wrinkles, and love across borders creates extra things to iron out. Read how some couples applied steam to their romance, and others applied too much starch....
Photo Gallery: Valentine’s Day around the globe
Angela Merkel blushes, Thais kiss for two days and some Indians protest Valentine's Day. ...
Love and the Libyan Revolution
"Marriage for a Libyan woman is an essential part of taking control of her life." But these days, in the aftermath of the revolution that killed 30,000 men, it's not that easy to find an eligible mate. The first in a Latitude News series on international love and marriage ...
Mormon missionaries create a melting-pot church
With his all-American looks, presidential hopeful Mitt Romney lives up to general expectations of what Mormons should look like. But, in fact, the church has expanded far beyond its American roots. ...
The image that shocked China
Two images of dying Chinese have gone viral on the Chinese web. Our correspondent, Lin Gu, reflects on an introspective China. ...
San Diego urban farm grows food and self esteem for refugees
She broke new ground with an urban farm for refugees in California. Now, Amy Lint's off to Kenya, to share what she's learned with farmers there ...
Happy Anniversary, Egyptian Revolution
Faces in the crowd from Cairo’s Tahrir Square on the first anniversary of the Egyptian revolution...
The global fight against bullying
There is a growing awareness around the world that bullying is a critical issue. How people deal with it is another matter...
Poland tokes doobie, Holland harshes mellow
Amsterdam, known for its free-wheeling drug culture, tries to rein in drug tourism. Poland, meanwhile, loosens up its pot laws. Somebody's smoking something......
Buddhist prayers jolt Chinese
One Chinese journalist explains why a photograph of an anonymous monk has become a morality tale ...
U.S. nuns take on the Vatican
Many nuns in America have become strident activists, even taking on controversial issues like gay rights and immigration. But a Cardinal's plan to rein them has sparked a backlash....
Christmas in Egypt with checkpoints and protests
The Coptic Christmas celebrations this weekend come at a time of unprecedented political upheaval. What will the Islamist victory at Egypt's elections mean for the Middle East's largest Christian community? Two Copts tell us what they are going to do. ...
Europeans thirsty for US craft beers
US beers were the butt of jokes in Europe just 20 years ago. Now, they're being called 'inspirational,' 'pioneering' and 'irreverent'. ...
In Guatemala, NY pizza and a desire to return to US
Salcaja, a city in Guatemala, has a statue of a man walking north. At his feet a large sign reads, “Homage to the Salcajeno Migrant.” But with US deportations hitting record levels, the town is now full of Super Bowl parties and NY-style pizza.
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Taking on Libya’s gun culture
The story of how one Libyan businessman and doctor put together an initiative to shame people into giving up their guns. ...
A journey into a lost Indian past
An Indian-American reporter traces her distant past in her family's footsteps......
In Seattle, Ethiopians turn grief to action
Seattle's Ethiopian community responds to the death of an adopted girl by setting up a formal support organization......
The whole world in a kitchen
A window on one bustling restaurant kitchen, where an international staff prepares a Thanksgiving feast for Washingtonians. ...
Culture clash in Massachusetts
After Matthew Denice is killed by an Ecuadorian drunk driver in Milford, Massachusetts, town leaders call for a crackdown on illegal immigrants....
Pittsburgh offers a safe haven for writers-in-exile.
For writers from all over the world, Pittsburgh offers a safe haven from conflict and persecution....
Kids look outside the U.S. to make gardens grow
The story of a farm in the mountains of Honduras is enthusing a school in south Boston ...
The man who loved American tripe: a Bulgarian story
How one Bulgarian musician made his fortune with American tripe ...
Chinese-style parenting under attack…in China
The murder of a woman migrant worker by a music student at an elite school has triggered a debate on how one should parent...
A call for forgiveness resonates in China 20 years on
Most Chinese backed the death penalty for a music student who fatally stabbed a migrant worker earlier this year. For those wanting mercy, an American letter from 1991 provided inspiration ...
From Brooklyn to Tehran: the House of Hope
A film maker in Brooklyn uncovers the stories of the House of Hope - an unusual therapy center for women in Teheran ...
A Latitude News exclusive: Yasmine’s upcoming single
The lyrics of Yasmine Gustaffson's soon to be released single - about bullying. ...
