Five great sources of international news

Looking to keep your eyes--or ears--on the wider world, even when you're curled up safe at home? Here are five great places to start.

• The Economist: This venerable, London-based magazine may be a bit stodgy for some, but there are few better consumer publications when it comes to covering just about every corner of the world. Not surprisingly, given the title, there's a strong business focus, but you'll also find articles on science, books, the arts and more.
• Dispatches: I've raved about this Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) radio show before, but it's still one of my favourite ways to get a glimpse of the world each week. If you miss the broadcast, catch the podcast.
• The Globe and Mail: One of the last newspapers to maintain a network of superb overseas bureaus, this Canadian newspaper provides stories and insights you won't find anywhere else. In particular, I'm a huge fan of foreign correspondent Stephanie Nolen, who recently moved from Africa to India and is now writing a blog about the latter called Subcontinental.
• PRI's The World: I just discovered this one-hour daily radio show, a co-production of Public Radio International, the BBC and Boston public radio station WGBH (all three are also great sources of international news, by the way). Also available as a podcast.
• New Internationalist: Lefty? It sure is. But I included The Economist, so I thought it only fair to also include this feisty publication from the other end of the political spectrum, where you'll find lots of articles about various social justice campaigns in developing countries. And, yes, there's a podcast, Radio New Internationalist.