| A borderless world in curbing corruption Posted: 18 Apr 2017 02:02 PM PDT ![A borderless world in curbing corruption]( "A borderless world in curbing corruption") The worldwide push to root out corruption has achieved a new landmark. For the first time, the International Monetary Fund has insisted that a country set up a special court to deal with anti-corruption cases as a condition for receiving financial aid. In 2007, for example, Guatemala outsourced its anti-corruption fight to a United Nations-backed investigative agency.
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| As historic drought ends, Californians vow to retain water-saving habits Posted: 18 Apr 2017 09:28 AM PDT ![As historic drought ends, Californians vow to retain water-saving habits]( "As historic drought ends, Californians vow to retain water-saving habits") Cooper Olson was relieved when he first heard that California Gov. Jerry Brown had declared the end of the state's drought this month. Drought has marked six of the 15 years he's lived in the state, he says, and it was uplifting to know that the recent rains had restored life to the parched lawns and dusty hillsides.
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| As global famine aid comes up short, Somalis abroad step up Posted: 18 Apr 2017 09:04 AM PDT ![As global famine aid comes up short, Somalis abroad step up]( "As global famine aid comes up short, Somalis abroad step up") Long before major international pleas for anti-drought funding in Somalia began, or images of the gaunt and hungry started to circulate in the world's newspapers, Amir Sheikh knew exactly what was happening. To stop them from tipping over into catastrophe, the agency's humanitarian chief said, it needed to raise $4.4 billion by July.
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| Turkey’s potential shift on mosque and state Posted: 18 Apr 2017 06:55 AM PDT ![Turkey's potential shift on mosque and state]( "Turkey's potential shift on mosque and state") For nearly a century, Turkey's political history has been one of largely secular rule over a mostly Muslim people. The vote itself remains contested because of a crackdown on dissent since last July by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. In Turkey, President Erdogan has promised to "raise pious generations," a goal he could soon pursue by dictate.
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| Sultan Qaboos has been everything for Oman. But has he secured its future? Posted: 17 Apr 2017 09:16 AM PDT ![Sultan Qaboos has been everything for Oman. But has he secured its future?]( "Sultan Qaboos has been everything for Oman. But has he secured its future?") Sultan Qaboos, Oman's ailing leader, is this small but wealthy nation's prime minister, foreign minister, defense minister, head of state, and commander-in-chief, all in one. The largest mosque in every major town is named after Qaboos – a distinction many Muslim communities reserve for the deceased. Nearly every Omani has a story of when the sultan visited their town or village, aided their father, or personally opened a school or water plant.
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