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Oakland made headlines recently when protests against the fatal shooting of an unarmed black man by a white police officer escalated into violence. But as cities everywhere grapple with a tough economy, racial tension isn't the city's only problem. Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums tells how he's working to keep his city stable.

The Jewish community finds itself uniquely affected by two of the biggest stories currently making the news — the alleged Bernard Madoff Ponzi scheme, and the deadly conflict in Gaza. Author and Rabbi Brad Hirschfield, of the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, says even with violence overseas and the sting of the Madoff scandal, hope can be realized.

Although just in its sophomore year, the festival has a maturity about it. Maybe you get that feeling from the level of conversation at the panel discussions. Last year I had the honor of being part of a panel following a screening of

Colombian troops have rescued three American Defense Department contractors and former Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt after years of captivity by leftist guerrillas in the jungle, a Colombian official said Wednesday.

The United States Supreme Court hears arguments today as Exxon appeals $2.5 billion punitive damages from the 1989 Valdez spill in Alaska. Patience Andersen Faulkner, an Alaska native, explains why she thinks the oil company should pay.

Nineteen years ago, the supertanker Exxon Valdez ran aground in Alaskan waters, resulting in the most notorious oil spill in modern times. The Supreme Court weighs Exxon Mobil Corp.'s claim that it shouldn't pay billions in punitive damages.

The Teatro Alla Scala says it will never allow tenor Roberto Alagna sing on its stage again, after Alagna left the stage during a performance of Aida Sunday night in Milan, Italy, in which he was booed by the audience at La Scala. Robert Siegel speaks with Enrico Girardi, a music critic for the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.

Ian Fleming's Casino Royale

Beppe Severgnini is a newspaper columnist who's been helping fellow Italians make sense of U.S. culture for years. Now, he is turning his wisdom and wit toward his homeland, exploring the nuances of life in modern Italy. For instance, Severgnini says, traffic laws are interpreted a bit different in Italy.

Recent events have revealed problems that Muslims have in their relationship with secular western culture. In Europe, millions of first- and second-generation Muslims are struggling to define their identity. Some Muslim intellectuals are charting a new course, presenting an alternative that isn't often heard.