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Environmentally friendly funerals are catching on in some areas of the U.S. as an alternative to traditional burials. So-called "green burials" eschew embalming and fancy caskets in favor of a more biodegradable, natural return to the earth.

South Africa's ruling African National Congress began voting in a leadership election. It's expected to be won by Jacob Zuma and that would put him on track to become the country's president in 2009. A Zuma win would block President Thabo Mbeki from a third term as ANC leader.

South Korean voters are set to go to the polls to elect a new president. But unlike most elections over the past 20 years, North Korea and its nuclear weapons are not a major issue. That's because of the Sunshine Policy which has included 10 years of engagement with North Korea.

Can endorsements help a campaign? Hillary Clinton is in a three-way dogfight in Iowa, and John McCain is struggling to revive his campaign, which is flagging in Iowa. Both candidates were endorsed by the Des Moines Register over the weekend. In addition to the Iowa paper's endorsement, McCain got a nod Monday from Independent Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut — the 2000 Democratic vice-presidential nominee. That endorsement might not help McCain in Iowa but could help win over independents in New Hampshire.

Baseball fans at the ESPN Zone sports bar in Washington, D.C., McGillycuddy's bar in Milwaukee, and the Student Center at the University of Missouri, St. Louis, react to the Mitchell report on the illegal use of steroids and other performance-enhancing substances by players in Major League Baseball.

The Federal Reserve Bank moved Wednesday morning to ease a global credit crisis, announcing a plans to offer $40 billion in emergency funds to banks through an auction process. The move was coordinated with other major central banks and is designed to increase liquidity around the globe.

After 10 years of liberal government in South Korea, the political pendulum is about to swing the other way in the country's presidential election Wednesday. The former mayor of Seoul, the conservative standard bearer, leads a field of 12 candidates, but he has been tainted by financial scandal. Still, his principal challenger, a former minister in President Roh Moo-hyun's Cabinet, admits that it will be a miracle if he wins.

A political suspense thriller is unfolding in Kenya. No fewer than nine candidates are running for president, but from nearly every angle, it is a two-man race between Raila Odinga and Mwai Kibaki.

Arrests and protests have followed last week's declaration of martial law in Pakistan. Journalist Ahmed Rashid, a regular guest on Fresh Air, tells Terry Gross that president Pervez Musharraf's latest gambit could encourage more civil strife — and greater territorial gains by the Taliban.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said Thursday that he expects the U.S. economy to "slow noticeably" in coming months as the housing slump intensifies. Bernanke also said the economy has shown considerable resilience and should rebound next year.