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 […]
Where Was Putin?
Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi on March 5, and then wasn’t seen or heard from again for eleven days. This is highly unusual because the Russian leader typically maintains an almost-daily presence in the lives of the Russian people. News of his visits, meetings, and general daily activities are […]
Examining the European Debt Crisis
The overall economy of Europe is in big trouble. For the past three years, the European countries bound together by economics have been engaged in ongoing talks over the best way to solve current problems and devise solutions for the future. To understand what is happening, btw brings you a big-picture view. The Brief History […]
Crisis in Nigeria (Updated with video content)
Amid news of deadly terror attacks and threats across Europe, the people of Nigeria, located in West Africa, face ongoing atrocities at the hands of the extremist group, Boko Haram. Over the span of five years, the insurgency have massacred close to 10,000 people, many of them children, women, and the elderly. Who are these […]
Deadly Attack on French Newspaper
Between January 7 and 9, two armed gunmen stormed the offices of the satirical publication called Charlie Hebdo, located in a high-traffic area of central Paris. Two days later, a third gunman took hostages in a grocery store, demanding the release of his associates. Seventeen people were killed in total, making it the deadliest terror […]
Landmark Deal on U.S.-Cuba Relations
Cuba is a country made up of islands located around 90 miles south of the tip of Florida. While it is a close neighbor of the U.S., relations between the countries have been non-existent for more than 50 years due to political and economic clashes. Last month, President Obama announced new foreign policy shifts toward […]
Violent Acts Rock Canada
Last month, Canada, recently ranked the seventh “most peaceful nation” by the Institute for Economics & Peace, faced two unrelated but public acts of violence. What Happened? On October 20, in the city of Saint-Jean sue-Richelieu, Quebec, 25-year-old Martin Couture-Rouleau rammed his car into two Canadian Armed Forces soldiers in a mall parking lot, killing […]
The Government’s Latest Actions Against Ebola
The news and rumors and misunderstanding about the Ebola disease in the United States is continuing to change. The Obama administration has been working this past week to keep informed about the story and develop the guidelines that are needed to keep citizens and health care professionals safe. On the White House blog page, a […]
Don Quixote: Its Impact and Influence
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, let’s take a look inside one of the most influential books of all time. Written by Spaniard Miquel de Cervantes in 1605 (with a Part Two published in 1615), El Ingenioso Hidalgo Don Quixote de La Mancha (commonly known as Don Quixote) is also considered by many to be […]
UPDATED: Scotland’s Declaration of Independence?
At the height of the British Empire, England had rule over one-quarter of the world’s population. In the years since, some of the countries under their rule either won their independence through war (the United States and India) or through diplomatic negotiations (Canada, Australia, and New Zealand). Of its remaining fourteen territories, the citizens of […]