The death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who ruled his nation with an iron fist for nearly 37 years, raised the prospect of chaos and a power vacuum in an already turbulent region. El Mencho’s brutality ...

For 50 years, Patricia Finn kept to the background and told other people’s stories. Now, in “The Golden Boy,” she’s finally telling one of her own. By Elisabeth Egan Twelve recommendations for young ...

Amanda Smith is a freelance journalist and writer. She reports on culture, society, human interest and technology. Her stories hold a mirror to society, reflecting both its malaise and its beauty.