Mary Kay Magistad

A police car is seen smashed and overturned as demonstrators protest against the construction of a waste incinerator in Hangzhou, China.

What makes people overturn police cars in authoritarian China?

Environment

China has a trash problem. Its landfills are brimming, often with wasted food. So the government is trying to attack the problem with a “clean plate” campaign and more incinerators. But burning the waste has people up in arms.China has a trash problem. Its landfills are brimming, often with wasted food. So the government is trying to attack the problem with a “clean plate” campaign and more incinerators. But burning the waste has people up in arms.

The World's Marco Werman makes a call out to our #YourWorld hashtag.

Here are The World newsroom’s favorite stories and conversations of 2013

Arts, Culture & Media

Beijing’s pollution defies measurement, but not history

Environment

As Mayan ‘end of the world’ nears, Chinese especially interested in preparing

Remembering and forgetting Tiananmen Square

An estimated two-thirds of organ transplants in China come from executed prisoners

Officials in China’s Ministry of Health admit they harvest organs from death row inmates for the majority of transplants in the country. It is estimated that two-thirds of the country’s total organ transplants come from executed prisoners.

Rwanda’s President responds to genocide accusations

Paul Kagame, the President of Rwanda, briefly responded to accusations that he shot down a plane that triggered the Rwandan genocide.

Africans want fair shake from Chinese investors

China’s investment in Africa is vast and growing, but in Zambia many are critical of China’s approach and are concerned that they’re not benefiting from investments.

China’s house slaves and real estate bubble

Home prices are skyrocketing in China, leading to a class of people calling themselves “house slaves.” But is this overheated market a bubble ready to burst?

Chinese county encourages smoking

Health & Medicine

A county in south central China isn’t encouraging people there to stop smoking; in fact, it’s ordering public workers to smoke.