ICARDA Helps Farmers Worldwide Keep Crops Growing
Wheat farmers in the United States can have their entire crop wiped out by a pest. In Morocco, drought conditions have made growing food difficult. Extreme weather in Ethiopia has resulted in challenges meeting the food demands of the country’s population. The International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas, or ICARDA for short, […]
Witch Hysteria and Modern Movements for Justice
There is a history of witch hunts that terrorized early modern societies, but those persecuted by these events are often misremembered or forgotten. How did these societies become inflicted with hysteria and what has been done to correct the historical record and obtain justice for the falsely accused? A Brief History of Witch Hunts In […]
Anniversaries of the Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Seventy-five years ago last week, the United States dropped atomic bombs on two Japanese cities: Hiroshima (August 6, 1945) and Nagasaki (August 9, 1945). This decision was largely credited with speeding the end of World War II. But it also caused enormous devastation to Japanese civilians. Here, btw takes a closer look at the impact […]
Happy 800th Birthday, Magna Carta!
If there were a Hall of Fame for historical documents, the Magna Carta would be its most valuable player. It is considered one of the most influential pieces of writings in all of history. This past weekend marked the 800th anniversary of the signing of this historic document of governing principles. To mark this milestone […]
The Economics of Terrorist Groups
Last month, btw published news of “cultural vandalism” committed by the Islamic State (which is variously referred to as IS, ISIS, and ISIL). The extremist group appeared to have destroyed ancient artifacts in the Middle East because the objects were viewed as religiously offensive. However, there is growing evidence to suggest that ISIS has been […]
Anne Frank: The Enduring Power of a Single Voice
Maybe you have read Anne Frank’s Diary of a Young Girl. If so, you will know that it chronicles the lives of the Franks, an upper-middle class Jewish family who fled Germany for Amsterdam. They went into hiding to avoid capture by the Nazi’s, who were forcing the Jews into concentration camps where many were […]
Remembering the “Forgotten War”
The Korean War, which took place between 1950 and 1953, is significantly less known compared to other wars that involved the United States, like World War II and the Vietnam War. It is sometimes called the “Forgotten War.” July 27 marks the 61st anniversary of National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day, so, let’s shed some […]
Making a Difference 67 Minutes at a Time
Last December, btw reported on the death of world leader Nelson Mandela and the impact his legacy will surely have for generations to come. July 18 (the date of his birth) will mark the 4th annual Nelson Mandela International Day. This commemoration began as a proposed resolution brought before the General Assembly of sixty-fourth session of the […]
Pranks a Lot!
Have you ever pulled off a really good practical joke or totally fallen for a flat-out hoax? What is it about a prank that is so satisfying to the prankster and catches the prankee off guard nearly every time? With a designated day marked for such shenanigans you’d think we’d be less gullible and more […]
Understanding Apartheid
Last week, btw reported on the death of Nelson Mandela. He was a prominent world leader and South Africa’s first black president. But he is perhaps best known for his fight to successfully end apartheid in his country. So What Is It? South Africa has a long history of racial tension going back to its […]