When Commodore Matthew Perry opened Japan to the west, he took American and British missionaries along. In addition to translating, they also helped with education.

This video just gave us the best news we've heard out of the Middle East in a long, long time -- Iraqis are beginning to laugh at their leaders.

George W Bush, lambasted as the destroyer of peace in the Middle East, may preside over the most welcome development there since the Second World War.

It is claimed that this boat runs on biodiesel made form the crew's fat and that it is carbon-neutral. But how is that calculated?

By taking this preposterous action, the CIA has provided a signal service.

It's the teddy bear being insulted, by being given such a disreputable name.

Unlimited money, unlimited visibility, unlimited clout - what could possibly go wrong?

Somehow, we have reached the point where we view democracy and elections as ends in themselves. But they aren't.

Contrary to Al Gore's predictions, our current lack of hurricanes is causing significant problems.

It does seem slightly odd that the famous Nobel Peace Prize should go to someone who is famous, more or less, for talking loudly.