civil strife

Kashim Shettima, the Governor of Borno state in northeast Nigeria, addresses a protest rally by Nigerians demanding the release of the school girls abducted from the remote village of Chibok. U.S. surveillance aircraft are flying over remote areas of nort

Besides hashtags, what can the US do to help Nigeria's kidnapped girls?

There's hashtag activism, and then there's actually figuring out how to rescue the Nigerian girls kidnapped last month by the Boko Haram. The latter is proving difficult and is revealing the limits of American power and the tensions in Washington's relationship with Nigeria.

Besides hashtags, what can the US do to help Nigeria's kidnapped girls?

Taiwan's students head to the streets with sunflowers to protest closer ties with China

Taiwan's students head to the streets with sunflowers to protest closer ties with China

Thousands mourn a Turkish teenager who was on his way to buy a loaf of bread

Thousands mourn a Turkish teenager who was on his way to buy a loaf of bread
Anti-government protesters throw missiles during clashes with riot police at the Independence Square in Kiev, Wednesday.

Violence continues in Ukraine as the government launches an 'anti-terrorism operation'

Violence continues in Ukraine as the government launches an 'anti-terrorism operation'
Escaping Homs

Many of those trapped in the Syrian city of Homs are finally getting out

Many of those trapped in the Syrian city of Homs are finally getting out
A car burns as anti-government protesters clash with police in Sarajevo.

Why Bosnians are so angry at their government

A week of unrest has shaken Bosnia-Hercegovina. Nearly 20 years after the end of the civil war there, people have had enough of government corruption and incompetence.

Why Bosnians are so angry at their government

Ukraine waits in suspense, and China blocks embarrassing details of secret bank accounts

Ukraine's protesters suspend clashes to negotiate with President Viktor Yanukovich, while China's leadership scrambles to block the web and keep their secret offshore bank accounts from being revealed to Chinese citizens. Curling gets fancy at the Sochi Olympics and South Korea welcomes Canadian hockey players in its bid to qualify for the next Winter Olympics. All that and more, in today's Global Scan.

Ukraine waits in suspense, and China blocks embarrassing details of secret bank accounts
Leaked pictures from a man who allegedly served as a military police and was tasked with photographing the dead bodies brought to the military hospitals controlled by the Syrian regime during the civil war.

Investigators say the photos from Syria show industrialized, systematic killing

New evidence was released this week of alleged war crimes by the regime of Syrian leader, Bashar al-Assad. The evidence took the form of photos taken by the regime itself to document 11,000 deaths. They indicate widespread torture, starvation and execution of prisoners.

Investigators say the photos from Syria show industrialized, systematic killing
A now-iconic picture of a Turkish riot policeman using tear gas against "the woman in red," at an anti-government demonstration in Taksim Square, in the heart of Istanbul.

You think American politics is a mess? Check out Turkey

Turkey has democratic institutions, but they aren't working well at the moment. There is a corruption scandal, popular protests and concerns about an increasingly authoritarian government. Turkish author Elif Shafak says the problem is that Turks are conditioned to seek a strong father figure who can save them.

You think American politics is a mess? Check out Turkey
An Egyptian man shows his ink-stained finger after voting in Cairo in the referendum on a new constitution.

In Egypt's constitutional referendum, only the turnout is in doubt

On Tuesday and Wednesday, Egyptians are voting on a new constitution. H.A. Hellyer of the Brookings Institution says the vote is really a referendum on the military, opposition to the Muslim Brotherhood and other issues. And those who turn out will almost certainly vote "yes."

In Egypt's constitutional referendum, only the turnout is in doubt
Jacob Atem in 2012 with his step-mother in the village of Maar, South Sudan.

Sudan's 'Lost Boys' get caught in their country's violence once again

Nearly 20,000 boys in southern Sudan were displaced or orphaned during the country's long civil war. Many were resettled in the US, starting in 2001. Jacob Atem was one and he recently returned to the new country of South Sudan, only to be caught in the renewed fighting there.

Sudan's 'Lost Boys' get caught in their country's violence once again
A boy holds up his Kalashnikov rifle on the streets of Ramadi, Monday. He's part of a tribal militia being raised to take part in the fighting between the Iraqi government and al-Qaeda linked militants. His militia appears to be on the government side at

A former US military leader has advice for Iraq on fighting al-Qaeda in Fallujah

Violence is spreading in Iraq's western Anbar province engulfing two key cities — Fallujah and Ramadi. Many Americans remember Fallujah and Anbar province as places where US soldiers fought and died. Retired US Army Colonel Peter Mansoor knows the area well and says the US government should re-engage.

A former US military leader has advice for Iraq on fighting al-Qaeda in Fallujah
A displaced man at the UN 's Tomping camp, where some 15,000 displaced South Sudanese are sheltered.

Peace talks started in South Sudan, but quickly hit a roadblock

Government and rebel forces in South Sudan threaten to plunge their young nation into civil war. Today, the two sides sat down to peace talks, and the US is working behind the scenes to support the talks.

Peace talks started in South Sudan, but quickly hit a roadblock

It's so cold that __________ (fill in the blank)

It's cold. So cold, in fact, that all sorts of seemingly improbable things have become probable, and we share a few of them. Meanwhile, around the world, life goes on. In Turkey, police and politicians are locked in a power struggle. And in Syria, an al-Qaeda affiliate has shocked many with their quick rise to power. All that and more, in today's Global Scan.

It's so cold that __________ (fill in the blank)
Fighters of the 'Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria' parading through the Syrian town of Tel Abyad, last Thursday. The next day ISIS fighters were surprised by a concerted attack by other Syrian rebel groups. Dozens were killed.

A powerful al-Qaeda group is fighting in both Iraq and Syria

It's been quite a week for an al-Qaeda spin-off called ISIS. Last week, ISIS took over Fallujah in Iraq. But it seems some of the local Sunni tribes abandoned the group and have joined government forces fighting against al-Qaeda. Then, rebel groups in Syria combined to attack ISIS there. Borzou Daragahi of the Financial Times explains the politics that work for and against ISIS.

A powerful al-Qaeda group is fighting in both Iraq and Syria