Europe

A vigil is held against violence in Cali, Colombia. The country has seen some 1,090 homicides this year.

Death Comes In Many Different Ways. And Some Are A Bit Surprising

8:55am December 19, 2014

by Marc Silver

A new report looks at the top causes of death in 188 countries. Infectious diseases are less of a threat than in 1990 — but please, look both ways before you cross the street.

Great-Great Grandmother's Gift List Keeps Growing

8:22am December 19, 2014

Mary Scholey, 82, of Sheffield, England, begins her Christmas shopping in early November. She has 80 grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren to buy for.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin at his annual news conference in Moscow on Thursday, where he blamed Western sanctions and falling oil prices for his country's economic troubles.

Putin: Sanctions, Falling Oil Prices Causing Ruble's Tumble

8:32pm December 18, 2014

by Scott Neuman

In a year-end news conference, the Russian president said the worst-case scenario for his country's economy would involve two more years of unease.

World News

Putin Remains Defiant On Crimea, Ukraine At Annual Press Conference

6:32pm December 18, 2014

by Corey Flintoff

Russian president Vladimir Putin gave his annual press conference on Thursday. He defended his actions in Ukraine, but failed to offer a strategy to cope with the looming financial crisis.

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Damaged olives hang in the grove belonging to Augusto Spagnoli, an oil producer from Nerola, near Rome. Producers and experts declared Italy's 2014 olive harvest the worst in history, due to adverse climatic conditions that helped the olive fly proliferat

World News

Olive Oil Producers In 'Crisis' From Weather, Pests And Disease

6:15pm December 18, 2014

by NPR Staff

Global olive oil production is down. Italian groves have been especially hard hit by a disease that killed 1 million trees. Audie Cornish speaks with Curtis Cord, publisher of the Olive Oil Times.

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Michael J. Garcia, head of FIFA's investigatory chamber of the ethics committee, resigned Wednesday in protest.

FIFA Begins Meeting After American Lawyer's Angry Resignation

11:22am December 18, 2014

by Krishnadev Calamur

Soccer's governing body will, among other things, discuss preparations for the 2018 World Cup. But it's the resignation of Michael Garcia over his corruption report that is likely to draw attention.

Obama Expected To Impose New Sanctions On Russia

9:15pm December 17, 2014

by Scott Horsley

Aides say Obama will sign a bill authorizing new economic sanctions against Russia in retaliation for its ongoing interference in Ukraine. Russia's economy is reeling from earlier western sanctions.

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German Government May Say 'Nein' To After Work Emails

2:46pm December 17, 2014

by Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson

In a country that strives to protect work-life balance, there are calls to ban employers from sending work email after business hours. Some big companies are already doing that.

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Ruble's Troubles Tied To Falling Oil Prices, International Sanctions

2:46pm December 17, 2014

by John Ydstie

The world benchmark for oil fell below $60 on Tuesday. Russia's Central Bank hiked interest rates in a bid to support the plummeting ruble, but had little success.

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Vatican Tries To Mend Fences With American Nuns

2:46pm December 17, 2014

by Sylvia Poggioli

The Vatican issued a report praising the work of U.S. nuns — a relief to those worried that a probe started in 2008 would be critical of a perceived liberal streak among American nuns.

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