Europe
2:52 pm
Thu March 1, 2012

Students, Police Clash As Spain Reaches Boiling Point

Spain's austerity measures have begun to spark clashes, and a high school in Valencia — Spain's most indebted province — has become a flash point for nationwide rallies.

Last month, police arrested 25 demonstrators there, where cellphones captured video of heavy-handed beatings and parents were shocked to see their children on TV, pinned down by police.

The skirmish was a possible sign of what's to come as the conservative government pushes through more spending cuts and people settle into a period of sacrifice in hopes of economic recovery.

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The Two-Way
2:09 pm
Thu March 1, 2012

Student Protesters Shut Down UC Santa Cruz Campus

Students at the University of California Santa Cruz have shut down most of the school by blocking off entrances to the campus.

The protests are part of a nationwide campaign called "Occupy Education," which is endorsed by the Occupy Wall Street movement. The demonstrators are protesting against budget cuts to higher education.

The AP reports:

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It's All Politics
2:07 pm
Thu March 1, 2012

Late Conservative Blogger Breitbart Had Impact On Right, Left

In life, Andrew Breitbart was the conservative blogger and provocateur whose sometimes controversial efforts against his ideological adversaries, both real and imagined, made him one of the most polarizing figures on the contemporary political scene.

In death, however, it was clear Breitbart had earned the respect not just of conservatives but of some progressives, too, who may have disagreed with his political views and tactics, but admired his energy and the entrepreneurial spirit with which he waged his campaign.

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Middle East
1:55 pm
Thu March 1, 2012

In Iran's Election, Not All Candidates Are Welcome

Originally published on Thu March 1, 2012 5:10 pm

Iran holds parliamentary elections on Friday, the first since the disputed, and many believe fraudulent, presidential election in 2009.

But unlike that presidential poll, candidates seeking to take on the country's conservative rulers will not be taking part Friday; they are mostly under house arrest or have been in prison for years now.

The focus will be on which conservatives end up on top and how many votes are cast.

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The Two-Way
1:03 pm
Thu March 1, 2012

Ariz. Sheriff Arpaio Will Release Findings On Obama's Birth Certificate

Credit Ross D. Franklin / AP
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio in 2011.

You might have thought that with the feds knocking on his door over what they say are numerous violations of civil rights, Maricopa County (Ariz.) Sheriff Joe Arpaio would be busy planning his defense.

Instead, the controversial sheriff is taking the fight to them. Arpaio announced that he was ready to release the findings of his investigation into the authenticity of President Obama's birth certificate.

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NPR Story
12:52 pm
Thu March 1, 2012

'Beautiful Souls': Unlikely Resisters Inspired To Stand

Credit Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Beautiful Souls explores why four brave individuals choose to stand up for what's right.

In Beautiful Souls: Saying No, Breaking Ranks, And Heeding The Voice of Conscience In Dark Times, journalist Eyal Press writes about "unexceptional people who took great risks" to help others.

The book profiles four individuals — a Serbian solider, a financial whistle blower, a Swiss police officer and an Israeli soldier — all unlikely resisters who end up going to great lengths to challenge authority.

Press talks with NPR's John Donvan about the things that inspire ordinary people to take a stand.

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Author Interviews
12:50 pm
Thu March 1, 2012

Trading The Road Of Anger For The Path To 'Patience'

Credit Tarcher
In Patience, meditation instructor Allan Lokos says peacefulness is an art that you can practice, develop and build.

Patience is a virtue that can be hard to recover when you're trapped in rush-hour traffic or stuck in a long line at the bank.

In Patience: The Art of Peaceful Living, Allan Lokos explains the importance of abandoning anger and unhappiness and walking the path to patience.

Lokos, founder and guiding teacher at The Community Meditation Center in New York, talks with NPR's John Donvan about how to master the art of patience.

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The Two-Way
12:35 pm
Thu March 1, 2012

Russia, China Join Call For Syria To Let U.N. Human Rights Official Visit

In what Israel's Haaretz.com is referring to as a "rare move" by longtime supporters of Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime, Russia and China today joined other members of the U.N. Security Council in calling on Syria to let U.N. humanitarian chief Valerie Amos see what's happening inside that nation.

Syria so far has not allowed Amos to visit.

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Europe
12:30 pm
Thu March 1, 2012

As Election Nears, Russians Express Frustrations

Cars decorated with white ribbons and carnations drove around Moscow's Garden Ring Road in a wet snow this past Sunday, honking cheerfully to the thousands of demonstrators on the sidewalk who formed a human chain around the city.

Elena Korobova was a link in that chain.

"I want to get rid of Putin, because I don't like his policy, I don't like what he's doing for Russia," she says of Vladimir Putin, Russia's current prime minister.

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The Salt
12:17 pm
Thu March 1, 2012

States Crack Down On Animal Welfare Activists And Their Undercover Videos

Originally published on Thu March 1, 2012 2:00 pm

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