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The Obama administration is trudging ahead with policies designed to protect the integrity of scientific research. But critics of the process say the policies that have been released so far don't do enough to prevent political manipulation of science.

The funeral of former North Korean leader Kim Jong Il is expected to begin Tuesday night, East Coast time. NPR's Anthony Kuhn is watching events from South Korea, and speaks to host Robert Siegel from the capital, Seoul.

At Lake Superior State University, college officials have been releasing a list of banished words since 1976. Words that you're not allowed to say this year include "baby bump" and "occupy." It's a list destined to receive some "blowback."

For poor families in the Philippines, electrical bills are a huge burden. But an old soda bottle, filled with water and bleach, can be turned into a 55-watt bulb with the help of the tropical sun.

Japan has long been a friendly place for smokers. Despite tens of billions of dollars in cigarette-related health costs and damages, anti-smoking initiatives have always had trouble gaining traction.

Russia's prime minister finds himself in the unusual position of being on the defensive after protests claiming widespread fraud in recent parliamentary elections. But a definat Putin spent more than four hours Thursday responding to critics on a TV call-in show.

All I want for Christmas is some toffee and navel oranges. Dry-aged steaks wouldn't be bad, either. NPR's science desk denizens share the mail-order foods they'd be happy to see land on the doorstep this week, from traditional to outrageous.

A steady stream of voters showed up Wednesday at polling centers in Suez and in eight other governorates in Egypt. Suez has suffered since the revolution, and some voters are turning to Islamists for help.

Retailers will soon start selling Lego Friends, the Danish toymaker's latest effort to boost sales to girls. But is Lego encouraging girls to build more, or is it simply reinforcing gender stereotypes?

In 1887, Julius Petri invented a simple pair of nesting glass dishes, ideal for keeping specimens of growing bacteria sterile--the 'Petri dish.' Science historian Howard Markel recounts the history of this ubiquitous lab supply, and the serendipitous discovery of the stuff in it, agar.