The last American troops are coming home from Iraq this month, and President Obama is marking the occasion with a series of events to commemorate the conclusion of the war. On Wednesday at Fort Bragg, N.C., he and the first lady will thank troops for their service.

Growing evidence suggests that kids who are allowed to drink in the home are at greater risk of developing alcohol-related problems. That's unwelcome news in France, a nation known for its love of wine that's now grappling with a binge-drinking problem among teens.

By all appearances, China has been one of the countries least affected by the global downturn in recent years. But the Chinese government stepped up spending to keep its economy going, and many local governments now face serious debt problems.

Producer Laura Krantz experiences the abundance of potatoes in Russian cuisine along her trip on the Trans-Siberian railway.

Last week, a 16-year-old British schoolgirl became the youngest person to ski to the South Pole. Amelia Hempleman-Adams was part of a nine-person party that slogged 97 miles to the bottom of the world. Host Audie Cornish takes note of Hempleman-Adams' feat.

America's biggest trade partner, Canada, sailed through the economic downturn almost unscathed, with low unemployment, no mortgage crisis and not a single major bank failure. As part of WBEZ's Front and Center series, Brian Mann reports on how Canada emerged as one of the world's most stable and prosperous economies.