National

This time of year, many are thinking about giving to one charity or another and wondering just how much good their donations will do.

Despite a slowdown in U.S. consumption, coal is poised to replace oil as the world's top energy source — possibly in the next five years, according to the International Energy Agency. The rise will be driven almost entirely by new energy demands in China and India, the IEA says.

NPR is not identifying the author, a Syrian citizen, for security reasons.