Europe

World News

The Fear That Drives Russia's Support For Syria's Assad

2:11pm March 27, 2013

Russian President Vladimir Putin has consistently supported President Bashar Assad through Syria's violent crisis. Fiona Hill, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, argues that Putin's support is linked to Russia's own history.

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Winter Olympic Organizers Worry About Snow Shortage

7:15am March 27, 2013

In Russia, they've started stockpiling snow for 2014 after an unusually warm winter in the city of Sochi. The snow is being stored high up in the mountains, and coated with a "special thermo seal" to prevent it from melting.

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5 People Jailed In Britain For Movie Tax Scam

9:57am March 26, 2013

They intended to make a movie to secure millions in tax credits from the British Film Commission. When they were discovered, they pieced together a low-budget film with real actors to cover their trail. It was appropriately titled, A Landscape of Lies.

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National

Amanda Knox May Face Retrial After Italian Court Ruling

9:57am March 26, 2013

In a surprise ruling, Italy's highest court ordered a retrial of American student Amanda Knox and her former boyfriend for the murder of British student Meredith Kercher. The ruling overturned the 2011 acquittal of the two defendants after they had spent four years in jail.

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World News

Exiled Russian Oligarch's Death Launches British Probe

8:34am March 25, 2013

by Philip Reeves

Russian tycoon Boris Berezovsky died over the weekend in London. The oligarch made a fortune when the Soviet Union broke up but after disagreements with Russia's president, he sought and received asylum in Britain in 2003. In Britain, there's intense speculation over whether the Kremlin wanted him dead.

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Pope Calls To Cancel His Newspaper Subscription

8:34am March 25, 2013

The pope called a Buenos Aires newspaper kiosk to cancel his subscription. The shocked owner thought it was a joke until his holiest customer said, "Seriously. I'm calling you from Rome."

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The Ripple Effects Of Cyprus' Financial Crisis

2:42pm March 19, 2013

Cyprus lawmakers rejected a $13 billion bailout package that included controversial taxes on bank deposits. The proposed tax would have helped to pay for the bailout of crumbling banks. NPR's Marilyn Geewax explains how the events in Cyprus could affect the global economy and what may happen next.

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Installation Mass Launches Pope Francis' Papacy

10:42am March 19, 2013

At a mass in St. Peter's Square, the pope appealed to political leaders of the world to protect the environment, the poor and the marginalized. Representatives of the world's major religions were present, as well as some 132 delegations from all over the world.

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World News

Cyprus Proposes Exempting Smaller Deposits From Tax

10:42am March 19, 2013

The government of Cyprus is trying to ease fears over a proposed tax on bank deposits. Newly proposed legislation would exempt savers with smaller accounts. It's part of a bailout plan for that Mediterranean country, negotiated with the E.U. and IMF over the weekend.

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EU Bailout Tax Sparks Bank Run In Cyprus

10:08am March 19, 2013

Citizens of Cyprus did not react well to the news that their government wants to allow the European Union to take nearly 10 percent of their savings deposits in exchange for a $13 billion bailout. Banks are closed through Tuesday after worries over bank runs. Depositors stood in long lines to withdraw money over the weekend.

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