What We’re Reading
Preeti Aroon The Genographic Project, on National Geographic‘s website. Do you ever wonder where you really come from? Genetic studies suggest that we all descended from a group of Africans who left their continent 60,000 years ago. The atlas on this site traces the journey of different genetic markers. You can even contribute your DNA ...
Preeti Aroon
Preeti Aroon
- The Genographic Project, on National Geographic‘s website. Do you ever wonder where you really come from? Genetic studies suggest that we all descended from a group of Africans who left their continent 60,000 years ago. The atlas on this site traces the journey of different genetic markers. You can even contribute your DNA to this project, which is mapping how humans populated the world.
Christine Chen
- How the CIA Used a Fake Sci-Fi Flick to Rescue Americans from Tehran, by Joshuah Bearman, Wired, May 2007. Most people are familiar with the story of the 52 hostages held at the American embassy in Tehran for 444 days from November 1979 to January 1981. But early on during the crisis, six American diplomats managed to escape and hide out in Tehran for several weeks, thanks to the help of their Canadian friends. With the assistance of the Canadian government and some Hollywood hotshots, the CIA gave the diplomats aliases as members of a Canadian movie crew, scouting the Middle East for locations for a fake science fiction movie. All six were smuggled out safely.
Blake Hounshell
- Larry Summers asks questions about Boris Yeltsin, at Berkeley economist Brad DeLong’s blog. Summers, FT columnist Martin Wolf, and DeLong are discussing various facets of the overarching question: Where did U.S. policymakers go wrong in post-Soviet Russia?
Prerna Mankad
BEHROUZ MEHRI/AFP
- Palestinian Mothers who Become Suicide Bombers in Time. Tim McGirk examines the profile of female Palestinian suicide bombers, and why they get involved in suicide terrorism. Female suicide bombers are often less introverted, older and better educated than their male counterparts. While some of these women are likely to be driven by revenge, some of them are also motivated by promises of paradise. But perhaps even more are not voluntarily “martyred” for religious or political reasons, and instead are compelled by manipulating recruiters or by their families for personal reasons.
Kate Palmer
- The Time 100: “The Most Influential People in the World.” Hillary Clinton, King Abdullah, and the pope are there. But no George W. Bush? I guess someone had to make way for John Mayer. Maybe next year, George.
More from Foreign Policy
At Long Last, the Foreign Service Gets the Netflix Treatment
Keri Russell gets Drexel furniture but no Senate confirmation hearing.
How Macron Is Blocking EU Strategy on Russia and China
As a strategic consensus emerges in Europe, France is in the way.
What the Bush-Obama China Memos Reveal
Newly declassified documents contain important lessons for U.S. China policy.
Russia’s Boom Business Goes Bust
Moscow’s arms exports have fallen to levels not seen since the Soviet Union’s collapse.
Sign up for World Brief
FP’s flagship evening newsletter guiding you through the most important world stories of the day. Delivered weekdays.
By submitting your email, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use and to receive email correspondence from us. You may opt out at any time.
