Middle East

Obama Urges Congress To Authorize Use Of Military Force Against ISIS

7:44pm December 07, 2015

by Susan Davis

In his address to the nation on Sunday, President Obama asked Congress to authorize the use of military force against the Islamic State. The ongoing U.S. military campaign against ISIS in Iraq and Syria is being conducted under the same legal authority Congress granted the president to combat terrorism after the September 11th attacks. It hasn't been updated since.

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The U.S. Is A World Leader In Gun Deaths

6:20pm December 07, 2015

by Anders Kelto

In just about every region, the United States ranks high — with one exception.

Is the U.S.' Counterterrorism Message Working?

4:38pm December 07, 2015

David Greene talks to Alberto Fernandez about U.S. efforts to defeat ISIS. Fernandez used to run the Center for Strategic Counterterrorism Communications at the State Department.

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OPEC oil ministers met Friday in Vienna but failed to agree on whether to set new production limits.

Falling Oil Prices Hit Levels Not Seen Since 2009

3:40pm December 07, 2015

by Jim Zarroli

OPEC's failure to agree on production cuts last Friday has sent prices down further.

World News

Syria Says U.S.-Led Coalition Targeted Its Military, Killing 3 Soldiers

9:19am December 07, 2015

by Eyder Peralta

It is the first time the regime of Bashar Assad has accused the U.S. and its partners of attacking its forces. The U.S. denied the accusation about a strike on a Syrian army camp Sunday.

Obama Calls On U.S. To Come Together, But Is Unable To Bridge Partisan Divide

10:38pm December 06, 2015

by Jessica Taylor

Using a rare Oval Office address, the president called last week's deadly San Bernardino shooting "an act of terrorism" and outlined how the U.S. is working to combat the growing threat from ISIS.

An interior view of the plans for the Gaza children's cancer treatment center.

In Gaza, Kids With Cancer Have 'Virtually No Care.' One Group Hopes To Help

6:41pm December 06, 2015

by Noor Wazwaz

If children in the Gaza Strip need to get treatment for cancer, they face a bureaucratic morass — and a trek outside Gaza. One nonprofit hopes to fix that by building a pediatric cancer center there.

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World News

Women Gain First-Time Rights In Saudi Arabia Elections

7:54am December 06, 2015

NPR's Rachel Martin and Deb Amos talk about upcoming elections in Saudi Arabia, where for the first time, women are allowed to run for office and vote.

A Vast Archive, Long Closed, Opens Its Doors Again In Jerusalem

5:44pm December 05, 2015

by Dalia Hatuqa

The century-old Khalidi library holds the largest private manuscript collection in Jerusalem. It closed shortly after the Six-Day War. Now the Khalidis have decided it's time to reopen.

Left: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attends the COP 21 United Nations conference on climate change, in France on Monday. Right: Gollum in the 2012 film Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

One Meme To Rule Them All — And Maybe Get A Man Tossed In Prison?

11:35am December 05, 2015

A man in Turkey is on trial for creating a meme that compares the character Gollum to Turkey's president. Michael Drough, a Lord of the Rings scholar, talks about whether Gollum is a true villain.

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