Canadian troops have served alongside Americans and others in Afghanistan for years, with 2,700 currently posted primarily in Kandahar.

The combat Afghanistan represents the most intense fighting Canadian forces have seen in decades, since the country fought in Korea. Since 2001, 111 Canadian soldiers have lost their lives in Afghanistan — a higher casualty rate than other international forces given the size of Canada’s force.

Canada is scheduled to withdraw its combat troops by 2011, a plan supported by about 65 percent of Canadians. The government estimates that the Afghanistan mission could cost $18.1 billion by 2011, or $1500 per Canadian household.

Below, explore a timeline of Canada’s involvement in Afghanistan by scrolling or pressing the play button. Also, click on the “video” icons to view scenes from on the ground.

Photos courtesy of Flickr users under a Creative Commons license. Footage courtesy of Canadian Forces Combat Camera.

Watch an interview with Peter Coy of Business Week magazine about the effects of the price plunge.

On Dec. 17, Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Companies (OPEC) is scheduled to meet to assess the international oil market situation. OPEC slashed oil production by 1.5 million barrels per day on Oct. 24, attempting to stabilize free-falling oil prices.

With resources dwindling, energy dominates many political and economic debates. Our Interactive map illustrates worldwide distribution and consumption of natural resources like oil, natural gas, biofuels and water. It answers some fundamental questions about global energy:

Which countries use the most resources?
Which countries produce the most?
What countries are exploring the use of biofuels?

For instance, each day the U.S. produces 7.46 million barrels of oil — more in volume than that of the Empire State Building — but this production provides for only 30 percent of America’s oil consumption.

So, where does the rest come from? North American neighbors Mexico and Canada are also top oil producers, shipping much of their oil to the U.S. A “click” around the world shows that the greatest producer of oil is Saudi Arabia — another major source of American oil.

Click on Japan and you’ll see that it’s a top consumer of oil, natural gas and freshwater, but does not have significant reserves for these resources. Which neighboring countries have the resources Japan needs? Which countries may be competing for these resources?

The map is interactive, which means you can click on its countries and resources. Use the arrows or click and drag to move around the globe, or click on the home icon to return to the full world map. For more information about the icons and coloring, visit the “key” located in the lower left-hand corner.

The tainted milk has left four children dead and thousands ill in China. A reported 1,500 dogs also died after eating food laced with the chemical.

The Chinese government has admitted partial responsibility in the scandal, and several dairy companies have apologized.

Nonetheless, the health scare questions the ability of the Chinese government to effectively regulate. Officials admitted that Sanlu — a dairy company in China that was one of the largest offenders — was exempted from inspection. Sanlu also asked the Chinese government for help in covering up the extent of the crisis.

Read our previous Blogwatch on bloggers’ responses to the initial scandal.

Below is a map detailing the spread of the contamination and countries’ responses to the scare. Click on the country to see the effects of the milk scandal and the actions taken against Chinese dairy products. Use the arrows to navigate the world.

A billboard in Havana, Cuba features the likeness of Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez and proclaims “We will make the dream of Bolívar and Martí a reality.” Venezuelan Simón Bolívar and Cuban José Martí were 19th century leaders.

This week, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez welcomes over 200 intellectuals from 66 countries to an international forum called the World Meeting of Intellectuals and Artists in Defense of Humanity.

Intellectuals from Europe, North America, the Middle East and Latin America will discuss the social and political movements in their nations, including gender equality, media, democracy and socialism.

Chavez recently landed from his annual world tour, which stopped off in Cuba, China, Russia, Portugal and France.

According to Chavez, the purpose of the world tour was to build international relationships and sign exchange and cooperation deals on economic, social and cultural matters.

As Chavez made his rounds in Asia and Europe, a Russian warship set sail for Venezuela. The warship is scheduled to arrive in Venezuela next month to participate in joint military exercises.

Below is a map of Hugo Chavez’s recent travels — detailing his growing international interests and ties to foreign nations.

Click on START to begin, and CLICK on each plane to fly to Chavez’s next destination.

Photo courtesy of Flickr user svet under a Creative Commons license.