Early History Much of Burma's earliest history is unrecorded but by the ninth century the country was already ethnically diverse and roughly divided into two territories along the great Irrawaddy River. The Mons, who came from central Asia, dominated the lower basin, and the Burmans and Thais, who migrated mostly from China and Tibet and are the largest ethnic group, settled in the upper basin. For the next 1,000 years these and other migrants fought to protect and expand their Buddhist...

Toronto is North America's fifth-largest city, known for its pristine streets and relaxed multicultural atmosphere. But last summer, the city was abruptly awakened when news broke of a suspected homegrown terror plot to bomb prominent targets in the city, including government buildings. In the largest security operation carried out under Canada's Anti-Terrorism Act, more than 400 police officers swarmed neighborhood homes, and 17, mostly young, Muslim men were arrested. An uncomfortable...

Reactions In a corruption case that has spanned multiple countries and more than two decades, BAE Systems, Britain's largest defense contractor, has pleaded guilty to two criminal charges and agreed to pay several hundred million dollars in penalties. In settlements announced simultaneously in Washington and London, the defense giant and a major contractor to the Pentagon, agreed to pay $400 million in the U.S. and nearly $50 million in Britain. BAE will plead guilty to conspiring to make...

The Progress & Freedom Foundation Thursday releases its latest report on how state governments are shaping up for a technology-enriched future. The Digital State, an annual report from PFF, grades each state's use of digital technology in the areas of education, business regulation, taxation, social services, and law enforcement. The study also looks at the level of "digital democracy" – which states are allowing constituents easy access to legislators and information on government issues in...

In a UK sweep, government officers visited 50 estate agents suspected of unregistered trading – a benchmark violation in fighting dirty money flows. Property and money laundering have become regular bedfellows and estate agents have been hit by impromptu inspections in a week-long crackdown of the property sector, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has revealed. HMRC officers visited 50 estate agents across England suspected of trading without being registered, which is required under UK money...