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Standing In The Shadow Of Valentino

Earth's population crossed the 7 billion mark Monday. The growing population has been the subject of doomsday scenarios, but Colum Lynch worries that the U.S. and other wealthy countries will soon have too few citizens. He predicts the world population will decline by the end of this century.

Just before a big playoff weekend, the sports website Deadspin published an open letter by former Minnesota Viking Chris Kluwe, titled "I Was An NFL Player Until I Was Fired By Two Cowards And A Bigot." Kluwe, a straight man, says his outspoken support of same-sex marriage cost him his job.

Japan's Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant hasn't been rocked by major incident in a couple of days. But the situation hasn't really improved, either. Are we in a "race against time," as the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog put it, or can we start to breathe easier as time goes on? The answer seems to be: It depends.

American consumers still talk a lot on their smart phones, but one key function consistently falls short — voice quality. Recent studies by Consumer Reports and others find that it hasn't kept pace with advances in screen display, Web browsing and battery life.

Smugglers trying to deliver medicine, communications gear and weapons to the opposition in Syria now are facing stricter scrutiny from Turkish border guards. The activists and smugglers say Turkish guards are confiscating phones and other nonlethal gear that was once permitted to pass freely.

Egypt brokered a cease-fire agreement between Israel and Palestinian militants, after eight days of fighting in the Gaza Strip and southern Israel. The Israeli blockade continues, both parties remain implacably opposed and talks on the fundamental issues appear no closer.

British, French and Israeli officials say they have evidence that the Syrian government repeatedly used chemical weapons against civilians. Though the U.S. hasn't confirmed the allegations, the Obama administration previously said that the use of chemical weapons could provoke a stronger response.

The agreement, announced in Brussels by the alliance's secretary-general, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, will allow the U.S. to hand over command and control of part of the international operation, as it has been eager to do. But it appeared that some NATO members balked at supervising attacks on targets on the ground.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez died Tuesday after struggling with cancer for nearly two years. The polarizing leader will be remembered both as a champion of the poor, and as a leader who consolidated power in his office. New Yorker staff writer Jon Lee Anderson talks about what life was like during his nearly 14 years in power.