This publication is now archived. What is a “dirty bomb”?A “dirty bomb,” also known as a radiological weapon or a readiological dispersal device (RDD), is a conventional explosive packaged with radio…

The Department of Homeland Security has changed the way it awards funds to cities. The question now is whether the new program will make America’s cities safer.

This publication is now archived. What is at stake in France’s vote on the EU constitution?A great deal. Most experts say if France votes "no" on the European Union constitution in its May 29 referen…

The United Nations has frequently cited East Timor as a model nation-building project. But new unrest in the tiny Asian state indicates that the international community has again failed to show the s…

The U.S. patent system has generated growing debate over whether it helps foster innovation or stifles it through unnecessary protections, as this Backgrounder explains.