Back to the Farm

Staff / Truthdig Jun 3, 2008 Humankind's steady migration from fields to cities may have to take a slight detour. There are a lot of people in the world now and feeding them is becoming a problem. U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon told world leaders we face a "historic opportunity to revitalize agriculture," warning that production would have to go up by 50 percent over the next 20 or so years. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Mugabe Ripped for Food Trip

Staff / Truthdig Jun 2, 2008 Zimbabwe's president plans to stop by Rome for a food summit sponsored by the United Nations, a fact that Australia's foreign minister finds "frankly obscene." He's not alone in his disdain for Robert Mugabe, who has transformed Zimbabwe from one of Africa's bread baskets into a place of chronic hunger. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Rome’s New Mayor Strikes American Celebs From VIP List

Staff / Truthdig May 6, 2008 Hollywood stars like Leonardo DiCaprio, George Clooney and Nicole Kidman are now personae non gratae in Rome, according to the Italian capital's new mayor, Gianni Alemanno, a former fascist who thinks American stars shouldn't be hyped at Rome's annual film festival at the expense of Italian actors and directors. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Discovery Resurrects Rome’s Founding Myth

Staff / Truthdig Nov 22, 2007 The revered myth holds that Rome was founded by the twins Romulus and Remus, rescued and raised as infants by a she-wolf. Now, scientists say they have discovered an ornate cave that ancient Romans believed to be the wolf's lair. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

And Bush Fiddles While the Icecaps Melt

Staff / Truthdig Jun 11, 2007 Cullen Murphy joins Stephen Colbert to compare and contrast the American and Roman empires. For all the old empire's glory, its rampant poverty, disease and corruption, combined with endless war, make for an unwelcome comparison. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Hail and Farewell: the End of the American Empire

Gore Vidal / Truthdig Apr 16, 2007 The iconic author, historian and patriot suggests that perhaps there's a more sinister explanation for the president's fiascos than mere incompetence: He's out to destroy the American empire. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Madonna ‘Crucified’ in Italy, Angering Vatican

Staff / Truthdig Aug 7, 2006 The pop queen staged a mock crucifixion in a stadium a mile away from Vatican City, ignoring accusations of blasphemy by the Catholic Church, and even inviting Pope Benedict to come and watch. Of course, Madonna has been fending off Vatican blasphemy accusations since 1989 -- in the pre-"covering up for child molestors" era, when many people still felt the Catholic Church held the moral high ground. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

‘Forgers’ of Niger Uranium Contract Named

Staff / Truthdig Apr 9, 2006 Remember the uranium ore that Hussein supposedly purchased from Niger? A contract documenting the sale was used as evidence of the need to invade Iraq and was included in a 2002 U.S. State Department fact sheet on Iraq's weapons program. Remember how the IAEA denounced the documents as fakes shortly before the invasion of Iraq? Well, according to the Times Online, the forgers have finally been named. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )