The Israeli prime minister is facing criticism for spending $127,000 of public money to outfit an El Al jet with a double bed plus a wall around it so he and his wife could rest well on a flight to London last month. The scrutiny comes as the government is considering cuts to defense and social programs.

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Single moms have faced a tough time in Mexico for generations. But as in the U.S., the number of households headed by a woman has been rising, and now accounts for a quarter of all families in Mexico.

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A bill making its way through the Louisiana Legislature would let Cajun citizens celebrate their ancestry by customizing their driver's license, adding the phrase "I'm a Cajun" below their photograph.

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Young entrepreneurs are revitalizing parts of the city, starting up businesses in what were once empty warehouses. They're creating buzz and enthusiasm. But in a city where the population is declining and the tax base is crumbling, there are doubts about how much impact their efforts will have.

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Sweden-based H&M and Inditex were joined by other brands in saying they would sign a legally binding pledge to fund safety improvements at Bangladesh garment factories.

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Now we know why it takes astronauts three hours to get into their spacesuits.

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Parents should talk to their children about avoiding alcohol long before they try that first drink. But how? Some scripts and talking points could make the task easier.

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A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed against the NHL by the family of hockey enforcer Derek Boogaard, who was 28 when he died from an accidental overdose of alcohol and oxycodone in May of 2011. The suit accuses the NHL of being negligent and with supplying the painkiller to Boogaard.

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The Philadelphia abortion provider was found guilty of three charges of first-degree murder for illegal late-term abortions he performed at his clinic. He faces a possible death sentence.

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Facebook is expected to pay out $20 million in a settlement over its "Sponsored Stories" advertising service, after placing user images in personalized ads. But the settlement doesn't stop the service, and a legal expert says Facebook's option to let users opt out creates more problems.

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Demand for rhino horn, used in traditional Chinese medicine, is fueling a slaughter of the animals in Africa. In Vietnam, the sought-after commodity is fetching prices as high as $1,400 an ounce, or about the price of gold. There, many believe ground horn can cure everything from hangovers to cancer.

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A massive 2008 temblor in Sichuan province killed some 90,000 Chinese and pointed to the poor construction practices in China. The rebuilding effort was supposed to showcase modern China. But today, many survivors are angry over what they say is official corruption, ranging from poor construction and unpaid workers to bribes and improper compensation for seized land.

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From NPR's reporters around the globe, our new blog will look to make sense of a big, messy, confusing world.

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Pyongyang's top military commander, who is thought responsible for deadly attacks on South Korea, is replaced by a relative unknown.

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SARS burst on the scene in 2003 after one man infected travelers staying on the same floor of a Hong Kong hotel. Now that a new virus with similarities to SARS has spread from person to person, public health officials are urging hospitals to be on guard.

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Two men have been arrested in connection with the murder of Malcolm Shabazz, the grandson of civil rights-era leader Malcolm X who died Thursday in Mexico City. The men, who work at a bar Shabazz visited, reportedly face charges of homicide and robbery.

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The administration's critics, though, say revelations about changes made to accounts of what happened at the U.S. consulate raise questions.

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Retailers are under pressure after a building collapse killed more than 1,100 garment workers in Bangladesh. But global demand for inexpensive clothing shows no sign of abating. The New York Times' Steven Greenhouse and Elizabeth Cline, author of Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion, unravel the prospects for improved safety in the garment industry.

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The debate continues over the handling of the September attack on the U.S. compound in Benghazi, Libya. But retired Marine Col. Gary Anderson says some important lessons have already been learned about strengthening diplomatic security and inter-agency communication.

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The trial of Jodi Arias, convicted of murdering her boyfriend, has become a national media sensation. Former Law and Order producer Robert Nathan and authors Laura Lippman and Walter Mosley explore why Americans are so drawn to real-life courtroom dramas.

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