Europe

Benedict XVI Leaves The Vatican, Headed To Retirement

12:04pm February 28, 2013

The first pope to retire in centuries will stay at the papal retreat at Castel Gandolfo until an apartment for him at the Vatican is renovated. Meantime, preparations for electing a new pope are under way.

Queue Listen Now

A waiter carries beer mugs during the 2012 Oktoberfest in Munich.

Germans Are Drinking Less Beer These Days, But Why?

5:57pm February 27, 2013

by Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson

Despite Germany's long association with beer, it looks like its citizens are imbibing less of their celebrated beverage now than they did a generation ago. Some cite the economy as a factor; others, the rise of health consciousness.

Queue Listen Now

The Hermit Pope Who Set The Precedent For Benedict XVI

9:15pm February 26, 2013

by Philip Reeves

Pope Benedict XVI leaves office this week, the second pope to resign voluntarily. The first was Celestine V, a hermit who quit in 1294, after a brief and disastrous stint. Some scholars say Dante damned Celestine as a coward in his Inferno. Yet his example, legally and spiritually, played a major role in Benedict's departure.

Queue Listen Now

World News

'Time Is Ripe' For U.S. To Support Syrian Opposition

9:44am February 26, 2013

by Michele Kelemen

As John Kerry undertakes his first foreign trip as Secretary of State, the challenges before him are great — especially the war in Syria. He holds a town hall meeting Tuesday in Berlin, which will give us a look at his style and public-diplomacy skills — areas where his predecessor Hillary Clinton excelled.

Queue Listen Now

World News

Irish Women Emerge From Shadows Of 'National Shame'

12:45pm February 25, 2013

by NPR Staff

Thousands of women were taken into Magdalene Laundries, run by the Catholic Church, and forced to work without pay. The practice went on for decades after Ireland's independence, with the last one closing in 1996. For the first time, the state has acknowledged and apologized for its role in facilitating the practice.

Queue Listen Now

World News

Corruption Reigns In Spain; King's Son-In-Law Accused Of Embezzling

10:26am February 22, 2013

by Lauren Frayer

Spain has had more than its share of corruption stories, and they have the added sting of coming at a time of economic crisis. The king's son-in-law, accused of stealing millions in public funds, faces a judge this weekend.

Queue Listen Now

Comedian-turned-politician Beppe Grillo addresses supporters at a rally on Feb. 12 in Bergamo, Italy. Many pollsters say his populist Five Star Movement could come in third in this weekend's election.

World News

'The Real Jiminy Cricket': Unlikely Candidate Upends Italian Elections

8:24am February 22, 2013

by Sylvia Poggioli

Comedian-turned-politician Beppe Grillo's populist Five Star Movement is soaring in the polls ahead of elections this weekend. His rallies have attracted tens of thousands of Italians tired of a poor economy, widespread corruption and political patronage. But there are concerns that no one knows what Grillo's movement stands for.

Queue Listen Now

Italy Edges Out Election Pollsters

9:41am February 20, 2013

Pollsters still do surveys for private clients, but are banned from publishing any results. Some websites have found coded ways to report survey results. A gambling site reports polls disguised as fake horse racing results, with horses named after political parties.

Queue Listen Now

Museum-Goers Strip Down To View Nude Exhibit

9:41am February 20, 2013

An exhibit in a Vienna Museum titled "Nude Men" from 1800 to the present drew a group of 60 men who stripped down to view it. In a special after-hours tour, they viewed the exhibition in nothing but socks and shoes. The tour guide was dressed.

Queue Listen Now

People read newspaper headlines in Athens. In 2009, there were 39 national dailies, 23 national Sunday papers, 14 national weekly papers and dozens of TV and radio stations for a population of 11 million.

Greece's Economic Crisis Reveals Fault Lines In The Media

7:05pm February 18, 2013

by Sylvia Poggioli

A system of favors among Greek media outlets, politicians and banks helped produce one of the most inflated media sectors in Europe. But the media have been hit hard by the country's massive austerity drive, and have taken a huge loss in terms of credibility.

Queue Listen Now