World News

The Kumbh Mela is one of the rare times that sadhu nagas make themselves known. Many of these ascetics live in forests and villages, and have little contact with ordinary Indians. Their population is dwindling, as young devotees prefer not to pursue a lif

Seeking A Glimpse Of Immortality In The Waters Of India's Holy Rivers

1:19pm February 25, 2013

by Julie McCarthy

Hindus in India are celebrating the 55-day-long Kumbh Mela, the world's biggest religious festival. An estimated 100 million pilgrims are expected to gather, pray and bathe in the waters at the confluence of three sacred rivers.

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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.

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The Nordic design exhibit includes a lava rock, which Jukka Savolainen, director of the Design Museum in Helsinki, says reminds him of a gnome. The collection showcases the region's design roots, which include references to Bauhaus and 20th century modern

'Nordic Cool' Illuminates D.C.'s Kennedy Center

1:18am February 25, 2013

by Amy Walters

From the Danish modern furniture of the 1950s to the omnipresence of Ikea, Americans have long been attracted to the austere design of Nordic countries. Now a massive festival in Washington, D.C., showcases artists and designers from the very top sliver of the globe.

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A Ford Focus electric concept car with a home charging unit on display at the 2013 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Mich., in January.

Flipping The Switch: What It Takes To Prioritize Electric Cars

10:48am February 24, 2013

by Dana Farrington

Estonia now has the world's first nationwide electric car charger network. What would the U.S. have to do to make a similar leap?

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A West Bank Story, Told Through Palestinian Eyes

8:49am February 24, 2013

by Larry Abramson

Palestinian Emad Burnat got a video camera to document his son's childhood. But he has spent the past several years filming the conflict between Palestinian residents of his village and Israelis who are building a separation barrier. His work is now up for an Oscar.

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People walk down a market street in Eastleigh, a predominantly Muslim Somali neighborhood in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2009. The neighborhood has come under scrutiny as the U.S. cracks down on terrorism financing.

Fighting Stream Of Terrorist Capital, Kenya Cracks Down On Somali Businesses

10:26pm February 23, 2013

by Gregory Warner

U.S. counterterrorism efforts include choking off the flow of cash to extremists and urging friendly countries to help. But in places like the Nairobi neighborhood of Eastleigh, where Somali refugees have flocked, it's hard to distinguish between tainted money and honest cash.

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Obama's Meeting With New Japanese Leader Focuses On China

6:47pm February 22, 2013

by Ari Shapiro

President Obama met with the new Japanese Prime Minister Shinzu Abe at the White House on Friday. The two nations have common concerns about what they regard as provocations by North Korea and China.

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Damascus Dragged Into Syrian War With Latest Wave Of Bombings

6:47pm February 22, 2013

by Deborah Amos

Central Damascus had remained largely on the sidelines of the Syria war, but now the ancient city has been dragged into the battle with a wave of bombings on Thursday that left close to 100 people dead. Many military analysts say President Bashar al-Assad can't win the war, but he's a long way from losing. In the meantime, Syria may cease to function as a state, and the spillover is escalating in Lebanon, as evidence mounts that Hezbollah is playing a larger role in the fighting.

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Engineers from China and Myanmar work to bury an oil pipeline outside the Myanmar city of Mandalay. Chinese media reports say the 700-mile-long oil and gas pipelines will be completed in May.

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After Long Isolation, Myanmar Now Has Suitors

6:47pm February 22, 2013

by Anthony Kuhn

Myanmar's contacts with the world are now expanding rapidly. President Obama's visit last November was a sign of that shift. And China is building major oil and gas pipelines that link the two countries.

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Is China's Military Behind Cyberattacks on U.S.?

1:03pm February 22, 2013

A new report released by an American security firm alleges the Chinese military is linked to extensive cyberattacks against American corporations and government agencies. Is China engaged in cyberwarfare? How should the Obama Administration respond to cybersecurity threats?

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