Much attention has been spent on the candidacy of Keiko Fujimori to be president of Peru. After all, she is the daughter of a controversial former president who now sits in prison. However, according to polls, she is running neck-and-neck with Ollanta Humala, a political figure who evokes as much controversy and, at times, hatred as the Fujimori family does. Humala, 48, is a retired lieutenant colonel in the Peruvian Army. The military was his life for 20 ...

The capital of Syria has the illusion of calm. But do not trust appearances. In fact, trust is a very precious commodity in Damascus nowadays. The city, according to residents, is swarming with secret police. Nobody dares speak out against the government. In central districts of the capital, the number of street peddlers seem to have quadrupled. The scuttlebutt is that the extra sales force are being employed by the government to spy on and even beat ...

The last time Syrians took on their ruling Ba'athist regime it was 1982. The protesters then were Islamists from the Muslim Brotherhood. Hafez al-Assad was president. And there was no such thing as a camera phone. Assad mercilessly crushed the revolt in the city of Hama, killing perhaps 10,000 , and according to local lore, turning one mass grave into a car park, such being his contempt for those who dared defy him. In 2011, Hafez's son and ...

If you retraced the footsteps of Angelina Jolie and Marilyn Monroe, George Clooney and Charlie Chaplin, their paths would cross at Paris' Htel le Bristol, lebristolparis.com. Situated just two blocks from the Elyse Palace on the chic Rue du Faubourg St.-Honor, it has for generations attracted celebrities, diplomats and the world's most well-heeled travelers. They visit to indulge in amenities that include the city's largest bathrooms and a sixth-floor pool with sweeping views of the Paris ...

Justine Henin is following in the footsteps of fellow former world No. 1 Kim Clijsters by returning to competitive tennis. The 27-year-old, who retired 15 months ago, announced on Belgian television on Tuesday evening that she will compete on the WTA Tour next year. Henin, who has won seven Grand Slam titles, ended weeks of speculation by confirming rumors that she was ready to make her comeback. "I'm really happy and deeply moved to be able to announce tonight that ...

Peruvians have gone mad for the boxer Kina Malpartida, an unlikely sports figure in this South American country where soccer, even if not played well, is king. You see, Malpartida is a woman but she is idolized by the traditionally macho men of Peru because there is no equivalent male athlete in the country. Malpartida, known as "Dynamite" to her fans, is the World Boxing Association's female super featherweight champion. On June 20, she successfully defended her world title ...