Recently its prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has also engaged robustly in Middle Eastern diplomacy, mediating between Syria and Israel, talking to Iran and keeping a beady eye on the aspirations for self-rule of the Kurds of northern Iraq.

ECONOMIST: America, Europe and Turkey

That said, it would be wrong to suggest that the two countries see eye-to-eye on all or even most big issues, or to rule out a dangerous falling-out in the future.

ECONOMIST: America and China

That might not make much difference: Mr Morales's predecessors turned a blind eye as 40, 000 families took advantage of the one-cato rule.

ECONOMIST: Coca and cocaine in the Andes

Before founding his school in the rough neighborhood of South Atlanta, Clark taught in Harlem, where he penned "The Essential 55, " a rule-book for educators that caught Oprah Winfrey's eye.

CNN: Bringing song to Obama's inauguration, students savor fame