World

Some of the products on sale at Umesh Sonia's boutique in Mumbai include bottles of distilled cow urine, soap made from cow dung, floor disinfectant made from cow urine, under-eye gel and toothpaste made from cow excrement. This is part of a growing retai

In India, Ayurveda Is A Booming Business

8:03am April 28, 2019

Ayurvedic products and treatments based on ancient Indian healing practices are part of a multibillion-dollar industry. A yoga guru with ties to Prime Minister Narendra Modi has built a retail empire.

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What Happens During Hostage Negotiations

5:14pm April 27, 2019

NPR's Michel Martin speaks with Mickey Bergman, vice president and executive director of the Richardson Center for Global Engagement, about his work freeing hostages from hostile states, including Otto Warmbier.

The toy company Lepin was raided by Chinese authorities in Shenzhen, China last week for allegedly manufacturing fake Lego products.

World News

Everything Is Not Awesome For Chinese Company Busted For Selling Fake Legos

4:56pm April 27, 2019

by Gabriela Saldivia

In an apparent move to crack down on intellectual property infringement, Chinese authorities raided a company that was allegedly manufacturing and selling $30 million worth of counterfeit Legos.

World News

Activist On Women's Rights In Saudi Arabia

10:53am April 27, 2019

NPR's Scott Simon speaks with Saudi activist Manal al-Sharif. She drove across the U.S. to bring attention to the state of women's rights in Saudi Arabia.

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World News

ISIS Families Hope For Return Of 'Caliphate'

8:41am April 27, 2019

by Jane Arraf

In an overcrowded and desperate detention camp in Syria, thousands of wives and children of ISIS fighters are languishing and wishing for the Islamic State to regain power.

World News

Japan's Emperor Prepares To Abdicate The Throne

8:41am April 27, 2019

by Anthony Kuhn

Emperor Akihito of Japan will abdicate Tuesday. He is 85 and will be the first Japanese monarch to retire in over 200 years.

Far-right party Vox supporters wave Spanish flags during a campaign rally in Seville, Spain, on Wednesday, ahead of Sunday's general election.

World News

In Spain's Election, Far Right Could Win First Seats In Parliament In Decades

7:01am April 27, 2019

by Lucia Benavides

It's not a front-runner, but the Vox party is predicted to win some legislative seats, giving Spain its first far-right lawmakers in about four decades.

Two Syrian refugees, Narwal Alakayleh (left) and Lina AlAlssantin (right), prepare for a pop-up dinner of Levantine food at Newcomer Kitchen.

Why A Classic Levantine Dish Is Sailing From Canada To Syrian Refugee Camps

7:00am April 27, 2019

by Jack Allen

Refugee women from a group called Newcomer Kitchen are cooking traditional Levantine food for their community in Toronto — and have found a way to share it with displaced Syrians in the Middle East.

Police officers patrol the area around Dawatagaha mosque ahead of prayers on Friday in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

World News

Sri Lanka's Military Reports 15 Deaths In Shootout During Search For Bomb Suspects

11:43pm April 26, 2019

by Laurel Wamsley

A spokesman says bodies, including children, were found in a house where soldiers pursued suspects tied to Islamist militants. The U.S. government urged Americans to reconsider travel to Sri Lanka.

Giant concrete pylons rise from the Mekong River north of Luang Prabang, where a bridge is under construction.

World News

In Laos, A Chinese-Funded Railway Sparks Hope For Growth — And Fears Of Debt

10:02pm April 26, 2019

by Ashley Westerman

The more than 250-mile, $6 billion railway is set to cut through the northern part of Laos and is primarily financed and built by the Chinese. So far, the project has mostly employed Chinese workers.

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