A Visit to India’s First Wal-Mart (a.k.a. Best Price)

Amritsar lives in many centuries at once. This holiest city of the Sikhs is home to their most revered shrine, the mystical and awe-inspiring Golden Temple, where nihangs — members of an armed Sikh order — live on in traditions dating back centuries, sporting distinctive electric blue tunics and a panoply of weapons, even speaking a unique martial dialect of the Punjabi language. Other parts of this prosperous merchant city wears Levi’s, hanging out at cafes or following the latest diet fad or carrying the latest iPod

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Iran media: Former editor, Moussavi supporter arrested

The former editor of the semi-official Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA), who had ties with Iranian opposition leader Mir Hossein Moussavi, was arrested Tuesday, Iranian media reported. By examining the DNA from a simple cheek swab, scientists at Shanghai Biochip Co., one of China’s largest biotechnology companies, say they can uncover a person’s natural strengths and weaknesses with 99 percent accuracy. They test eleven genes that they say correspond to memory, swiftness, thinking, comprehension, emotion, adventure, braveness, focus ability, perseverance, vigor and physical strength

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Ruling due in British assisted suicide case

A British multiple sclerosis sufferer who hopes to die one day by assisted suicide will learn Thursday whether she can die with her husband by her side. Debbie Purdy, 46, has been waging a lengthy legal battle to clarify Britain’s ambiguous laws on assisted suicide. Her battle reaches its end Thursday afternoon when Britain’s highest court, the Law Lords, issues a ruling on her appeal

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In Peru Sports, Men Bumble, And Women Shine

Peruvians have gone mad for the boxer Kina Malpartida, an unlikely sports figure in this South American country where soccer, even if not played well, is king. You see, Malpartida is a woman but she is idolized by the traditionally macho men of Peru because there is no equivalent male athlete in the country. Malpartida, known as “Dynamite” to her fans, is the World Boxing Association’s female super featherweight champion

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African couples urged to get HIV ‘love test’

Couples in the African kingdom of Swaziland are being urged to get tested together as part of a HIV "love test" campaign. The nationwide initiative — funded by the United States government and implemented by global charity ‘Population Services International’ (PSI) — is aimed at couples because tests can be useless if partners are not aware of the others’ HIV status. “If partners get tested separately, they may not disclose the results and not get the support they need,” Dominic McNeill, spokesman for PSI Swaziland, told CNN.

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Michelle Obama Finds Her Role on the World Stage

Barack Obama and his wife flew to London together. They have been staying together at Winfield House, the sprawling American ambassadorial residence in Regent’s Park, and are photographed together regularly, boarding and leaving planes and helicopters, walking from cars, meeting with the Queen and assorted world leaders. But they move in completely different worlds

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