WVAS

Bashar Assad: A Political Solution In Syria Is 'Unreal'

Eyder Peralta — Sat, 18 May 2013 19:22:00 +0000

Syrian President Bashar Assad essentially dismissed attempts by the United States and Russia to bring the civil war in the country to a political solution.

"Believing that a political conference will stop terrorism on the ground is unreal," Assad said in an exclusive interview with the Argentine newspaper El Clarin.

Afghan Parliament Halts Debate On Women's Rights Bill

Eyder Peralta — Sat, 18 May 2013 16:55:00 +0000

After protests from some MPs and after only about 15 minutes, the Afghan parliament halted debate Saturday on a bill aimed at curbing violence against women.

As the BBC reports, the bill would have solidified a law passed by presidential decree in 2009, which banned "violence against women, child marriages and forced marriages."

Supporters of the bill wanted to bring it before parliament to make it more permanent.

'Scandal': Preposterous, Unmissable, Important

Gene Demby — Sat, 18 May 2013 15:44:00 +0000

OK, let's get this out of the way: Scandal is a ridiculous show.

The hit ABC drama about a Washington "fixer" named Olivia Pope just wrapped up its second season with one of its trademark cliffhangers.

(Assume spoilers, y'all.)

Scandal's plot arcs aren't really arcs so much as straight vertical lines or curlicues.

WATCH: NASA Spots Brightest Lunar Explosion Ever Recorded

Eyder Peralta — Sat, 18 May 2013 14:43:00 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYloGuUZCFM

Russian Official Names CIA Station Chief In Moscow

Eyder Peralta — Sat, 18 May 2013 13:31:00 +0000

Breaching protocol, a Russian official let a name slip during an interview with Interfax, the state news agency.

The interview was with a representative of the FSB, the Russian security agency, and the name he made public was of the person Russia believes is the CIA station chief in Moscow.

The Guardian explains:

"The US embassy declined to comment .

The Unsafe Sex: Should The World Invest More In Men's Health?

editor — Sat, 18 May 2013 12:38:00 +0000

On average, men aren't as healthy as women.

Men don't live as long, and they're more likely to engage in risky behaviors, like smoking and drinking.

But in the past decade, global health funding has focused heavily on women.

Programs and policies for men have been "notably absent," says Sarah Hawkes from the University of London's Institute of Global Health.

She and a colleague published a commentary in The Lancet o

North Korea Fires Three Short-Range Missiles, Says The South

editor — Sat, 18 May 2013 11:33:00 +0000

After a relatively calm few weeks, North Korea fired three short-range missiles Saturday, a South Korean Defense Ministry spokesman said.

NPR's Louisa Lim reports that North Korea fired the missiles in defiance of international sanctions.

Highly Charged IRS Case Pulls In Political Agendas

Peter Overby — Sat, 18 May 2013 11:23:00 +0000

NPR's Peter Overby reports on the Congressional testimony of IRS officials in response to the scandal over special scrutiny of tea party groups. Underneath all the politics, there's a policy question that hasn't been addressed.

Author Elliott Holt says: 'Go West, Young Woman'

editor — Sat, 18 May 2013 11:12:00 +0000

In Elliott Holt's beautifully subtle debut novel You Are One of Them, the protagonist, an American in her 20s, moves to Moscow shortly after the Cold War. After a few months, she returns to the U.S. a changed woman.

Holt, who is 39, also lived in Moscow where she worked as a copywriter at an advertising agency, as well as in London and New York. Currently, she resides in Washington, D.C., and writes full time.

I asked Holt to make a list of her favorite books about living abroad and then called her to interview her about her choices.

Plum Baby

editor — Sat, 18 May 2013 10:24:00 +0000

There isn't enough time in this world to grow your own tree. That tree is a plum baby still, never mind it's tall as the house those men are taking from us. It grew up with me. I say this to Mama Lee as she rests her hand on my shoulder like another shoulder. She nods and nods some more. She's been nodding all day like she's got two weights, one in her chin and the other in back of her skull that can't lie at rest.

We're standing in the yard facing the house in the dewy grass.