World News

Cardinals Elect Argentina's Jorge Mario Bergoglio As New Pope

2:27pm March 14, 2013

Cardinals at the Vatican chose Argentine cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio as the new pope. He will take the papal name Francis and is the first pope from South America. NPR's Neal Conan talks with guests about the significance of the event around the world.

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Ahmad "Harvester" Heidar is a computer software engineer whose work for the Syrian rebels includes sweeping the hard drives of detained anti-government activists, and trying to develop a robot that will help extract sniper victims in Syria. Turkish offici

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Syrian Cyber-Rebel Wages War, One Hack At A Time

8:27pm March 13, 2013

by Deborah Amos

A 28-year-old computer wizard known as the Harvester, along with his online rebel friends, have hacked into a pro-regime TV station as part of their ongoing battle against the government's electronic army.

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The New York City Zara store on Fifth Avenue.

World News

The Reclusive Spanish Billionaire Behind Zara's Fast Fashion Empire

8:18pm March 12, 2013

by Lauren Frayer

Amancio Ortega has just bumped Warren Buffett off his No. 3 spot on Forbes' list of billionaires. The Spanish entrepreneur's clothing chain has become highly popular around the world, but do you know the man behind the label?

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In Upcoming Venezuelan Vote, Hugo Chavez Looms Large

5:17am March 12, 2013

by Juan Forero

With Chavez gone, his handpicked successor is in the spotlight. Nicolas Maduro has adopted Chavez's style and anti-imperialist rhetoric. That should help boost his appeal as he faces opposition leader Henrique Capriles in a special election April 14.

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The U.S. military is increasingly focused on helping the Afghan government and security forces become self-sufficient. Here, U.S. Army 1st Lt. Phillip Baki visits with an Afghan police officer, Abdul Karim, at a checkpoint overlooking the Dahla Dam in the

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With Withdrawal Looming, U.S. Troops Shift Their Aim

5:36pm March 11, 2013

by Sean Carberry

U.S. and other NATO troops are spending less time fighting the Taliban and more time making local Afghan governments self-sufficient. It's a slow process.

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Venezuela To Display Chavez Body For Perpetuity

4:32pm March 11, 2013

Funeral services will be held Friday for Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who died this week after a long battle with cancer. Dozens of presidents and dignitaries are in Caracas, including the leaders of some pariah countries that are adversaries of the United States.

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Japan's Broken Coast Struggles To Recover

3:53pm March 11, 2013

Two years after a massive earthquake hit the East Coast of Japan — causing a tsunami and a meltdown at the Fukushima power plant — 300,000 people still live in temporary housing. Many believe they will they will never be able to return to their villages.

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Hannari Tofu is a character who shows up on a range of plush merchandise.

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In Japan, Food Can Be Almost Too Cute To Eat

11:49am March 11, 2013

In Japanese culture, how food looks can be as important as how it tastes — a lesson children learn from a very early age. From children's television and toys to school lunches, the visual delights of food are never far from sight.

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When Insects Go Biblical: Swarms Head Toward Israel

8:47am March 10, 2013

A plague of locusts has recently moved from the Sinai Peninsula into southern Israel. Host Scott Simon talks with NPR's Larry Abramson about the swarms that have arrived just a few weeks ahead of the Passover holiday.

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A Palestinian laborer works at the site of a residential construction project funded by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, on Mar. 21, 2012.

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Palestinians Still Feel The Squeeze Of The Restrictions On Gaza

8:43am March 10, 2013

by Larry Abramson

Local builders in Gaza say they can't find everyday items like cement and gravel. Yet Israeli officials say they have widened the categories of items allowed into Gaza.

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