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With Robocalls, Eritrean Exiles Organize Passive Resistance

5:27pm May 02, 2013

by Gregory Warner

Dissent is not tolerated in Eritrea, so exiles from the African nation had to get creative when it came to organizing opposition. They are now relying on robocalls that tell Eritreans to stay home Friday evening, the night traditionally devoted to going out.

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Casual clothing detail fashion background made in the USA

Ethical Fashion: Is The Tragedy In Bangladesh A Final Straw?

4:05pm May 02, 2013

Since a garment factory collapsed last month in Dhaka, killing more than 400 people, ethical fashion has been in the spotlight. Elizabeth Cline, author of Overdressed: The Shockingly High Price of Cheap Fashion, explains the economy that created this tragedy and what we can do to fix it.

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President Obama speaks at a news conference Tuesday. He addressed the use of chemical weapons in Syria and said he's weighing his options.

How Will Obama Make His Case On Syria?

10:09am May 02, 2013

by Don Gonyea

When it comes to the U.S. role in Syria's civil war, President Obama says he's weighing all options. Whatever he decides, he'll have to make his case to a public that hasn't been paying close attention.

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Ahead Of Obama Trip, Mexico Alters Cooperation Agreements

10:09am May 02, 2013

by Carrie Kahn

President Obama heads to Mexico Thursday for a three day trip south of the border that includes a stop in Costa Rica. The president says he plans to focus on trade and economic opportunities between the U.S. and Mexico during his visit. But the timing of the trip comes just as Mexico is altering cooperation agreements between the two countries in the fight against drug trafficking.

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Investigators work at the site of a bombing in the Dagestan capital, Makhachkala, last year. The blasts near a police post killed at least 15 people. The southern Russian republic has seen persistent violence.

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Investigating The Boston Bombing ... In Southern Russia

9:59pm May 01, 2013

by Corey Flintoff

Suspected Boston Marathon bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev traveled to Dagestan in southern Russia twice in recent years, and investigators want to know whether that experience led him toward a radical and violent form of Islam.

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Afghan President Hamid Karzai acknowledged a report this week that the CIA has regularly been sending him money. Afghans seem to have mixed feelings. The president is shown here speaking at an event in Kabul on March 10.

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Secret Cash To Afghan Leader: Corruption Or Just Foreign Aid?

7:48pm May 01, 2013

by Sean Carberry

Afghans are expressing mixed feelings on CIA cash payments to President Hamid Karzai. Many say the practice is wrong and symbolizes the widespread corruption in the country, while some see it as just another form of foreign assistance.

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S. African Leader Under Fire After Awkward Visit With Mandela

7:48pm May 01, 2013

by Ofeibea Quist-Arcton

Nelson Mandela had a bewildered look and was largely unresponsive when President Jacob Zuma stopped by earlier this week. After the visit was televised, some South Africans began criticizing the president, saying the images were disrespectful to the iconic figure.

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Soldiers with the British Machine Gun Corps wear gas masks in 1916 during World War I's first Battle of the Somme.

World News

Why Chemical Weapons Have Been A Red Line Since World War I

7:48pm May 01, 2013

by Larry Abramson

The use of chemical weapons has been taboo since World War I, when poison gas inflicted a million casualties. Despite the destruction of large stockpiles, controlling or destroying remaining weapons remains tricky.

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In 2011, a company hired by Wal-Mart to inspect a factory in Bangladesh found numerous worker, safety and environmental issues that violated the retail giant's terms for suppliers.

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Deal To Protect Bangladeshi Factory Workers Still Elusive

7:48pm May 01, 2013

by Steve Henn

After deadly disasters in clothing factories, labor activists are trying to persuade at least two more retailers to agree to improve working conditions in Bangladesh. Two retail giants have already signed onto a proposal that would mandate that fire and safety inspections be made public and require retailers to pay for needed factory repairs.

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"War" by Touka Neyestani: Neyestani received a degree in architecture from Tehran's Science and Industry University, and has been a cartoonist for more than 30 years.

Iran's Political Scene Is Sketchy For Cartoonists

12:32pm May 01, 2013

by NPR Staff

Political cartoons have a long history in Iran and give voice to critics of the authoritarian regime. Lately cartoonists have been increasingly persecuted for their work. A recent book, Sketches of Iran, pairs 40 political essays with cartoons depicting life in Iran today.

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