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Images from Italian luxury cruise ship accident.

Muslim groups want the Indian-born author of Satanic Verses to be denied entry into the country. Rushdie is due to attend the Jaipur Literary Festival there later this week.

Some of the survivors of last week's shipwreck off the Italian coast described the rescue effort as chaotic and disorganized. A maritime workers union called the disaster a "wake-up call" highlighting long-standing safety concerns — like ships getting too large to evacuate quickly — and lax regulation.

Critics accuse the prime minister and his conservative Fidesz party of pushing Hungary backward. The European Union says aspects of the country's new constitution violate EU law and treaties. But a government spokesman says the ruling party is merely fulfilling its election mandate.

The twin ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have some of the dirtiest air, thanks to thousands of old diesel cargo trucks that pass through each day. But new emissions standards just went into effect banning those old trucks. Neighboring communities are breathing a sigh of relief, but the restrictions are taking a toll on low-wage truck drivers.

It's been one year since the uprisings began that led to the Arab Spring, but one country is proving particularly resistant to the forces of change. Ten months of protest by Syria's people, haven't convinced President Bashar Assad to step down.

Gary Locke is Washington's ambassador to Beijing. He took over the post after Jon Huntsman left to run for president. Locke is the first U.S. ambassador to China to have ancestral roots in that country. Ambassador Locke talks to Steve Inskeep about his impressions of China and its government.

Wikipedia, Reddit and Boing Boing are among the popular websites that will be dark Wednesday to protest a pair of bills making their way through Congress. Hollywood studios say tougher rules are needed to protect their intellectual property from online piracy. But Silicon Valley companies say the bills would encourage censorship and harm innovation.

William Francis Blankenship was handcuffed at the time he allegedly stole a police car. He radioed police, asking for help in finding the handcuff keys. He said the cuffs made it hard to steer. Blankenship has been recaptured.

Lancaster is not social networking, but it is fighting crime with real tweets by birds. The city's mayor tells The Wall Street Journal that birds put residents in a "better place." And though police say the causes are many, crime in the city is down.