Europe

Pope Francis Meets Head Of Russian Orthodox Church In Havana

7:42pm February 12, 2016

by Tom Gjelten

Pope Francis and the Russian Orthodox patriarch met in Havana, Cuba, on Friday. It's the first time a pope has met with a Russian patriarch since eastern and western Christianity diverged in the 11th century and have since evolved somewhat independent of each other.

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Russian Escalation In Syria Narrows Options To Help Civilians

6:42pm February 12, 2016

NPR's Kelly McEvers talks with Brian Katulis, a senior fellow for Middle East policy at the Center for American Progress, about negotiations for helping civilians caught up in the violence in Syria. He says Russia has in effect created a no-fly zone for themselves there, which has made it almost impossible to do anything without Russia's cooperation.

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People gathered during a candlelight procession to honor the memory of Giulio Regeni in his hometown of Fiumicello, Italy, on Sunday.

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As Questions Swirl, Italy Mourns Death Of Italian Student In Cairo

3:43pm February 12, 2016

by Sylvia Poggioli

A funeral is being held Friday in Italy for Giulio Regeni, a doctoral student allegedly tortured and killed in Egypt. Thousands have demanded an independent probe into Regeni's death.

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Swedish Police Officer Docked For Slacking Off On Friday

7:13am February 12, 2016

A Swedish cop chose not to arrest a driver suspected of smuggling alcohol across the border. "It's Friday afternoon," he told his superiors "and we have not intended to work late."

Kerry, Lavrov Agree On Need For Cease-Fire In Syria

10:42pm February 11, 2016

by Michele Kelemen

At a meeting in Munich Thursday, Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, agreed they would try to implement a cease-fire and allow humanitarian aid into Syria.

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Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (left) and Secretary of State John Kerry (second from left) attend the International Syria Support Group meeting in Munich, Germany, on Thursday along with members of the Syrian opposition and other officials.

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Progress In Munich Talks: What That Means For Syrian Peace Process

9:08pm February 11, 2016

by Merrit Kennedy

Crucial international talks are underway in an effort to rev up the stalled Syrian peace negotiations. Here's what you need to know.

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NATO To Deploy Warships Between Greek Islands And Turkey

6:39pm February 11, 2016

NPR's Ari Shapiro interviews Ivo Daalder, former ambassador to NATO and currently president of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, about how NATO can help the migrant crisis in the Aegean Sea.

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Secretary Of State John Kerry Meets Russian Counterpart In Munich

6:33pm February 11, 2016

by Michele Kelemen

As the U.S. blames Russia for undermining attempts to end the Syrian civil war, Secretary of State John Kerry meets his Russian counterpart in Munich on Thursday. It's looking like a key moment in the effort to deal with the war.

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NATO Ships To Crack Down On Migrant Smuggling Networks

4:29pm February 11, 2016

by Joanna Kakissis

NATO is sending warships to patrol the waters between Turkey and the Greek islands, hoping to stop the activities of smugglers moving migrants into Europe. But those smugglers almost never leave the Turkish coast, and many people in Greece see the move as a public relations exercise aimed at assuaging German public opinion.

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Elderly Former Nazi Death Camps Guard On Trial In Germany

2:49pm February 11, 2016

by Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson

A 94-year-old former Auschwitz guard is on trial in Germany for 170,000 counts of accessory to murder. Reinhold Hanning admits to being a guard at the camp but denies he was involved in mass murder.

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