World

Some Ukrainian-Americans are fearing the worst for their families back home

4:58pm February 07, 2022

by Anna Savchenko

Chicago has one of the largest concentrations of Ukrainians in the U.S. and many of them maintain strong ties to their home country — are bracing for the worst amid Russia-Ukraine conflict tensions.

President Biden and German Chancellor Scholz discuss possible sanctions on Russia

4:41pm February 07, 2022

President Biden met with new German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the White House Monday. The two leaders are trying to show they're on the same page on how to sanction Russia if it invades Ukraine.

What Germany, France and Britain are doing to deter a Russian invasion of Ukraine

4:26pm February 07, 2022

NPR correspondents in Berlin, Paris and London talk about escalating tensions between Russia and the West over Ukraine.

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Alpine skiing at the Beijing Winter Olympics is off to an unpredictable start

4:26pm February 07, 2022

by Tom Goldman

Two of the Olympic Games' most popular events were decided on the same day: the men's downhill and the women's giant slalom. High winds have led to postponements of several mountain events.

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Vincent Zhou won a silver medal in the figure skating team event. But he's been knocked out of the competition for a men's individual medal after twice testing positive for COVID-19.

U.S. skater Vincent Zhou drops out of Olympics after his 2nd COVID test is positive

2:03pm February 07, 2022

by Jaclyn Diaz

"The enormity of the situation ... the pain of it all, is pretty insane," Zhou said in an emotional video posted to Instagram. A silver medalist in the team event, he was to compete again on Tuesday.

Ireen Wüst of Team Netherlands skates on her way to setting a new Olympic record in the women's 1,500 meters at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games.

Dutch speedskater Ireen Wüst is the 1st athlete to win individual gold at 5 Olympics

1:31pm February 07, 2022

by Bill Chappell

"Age is just a number. It's just about how you feel. I'm not thinking like, 'I'm 35, I'm too old,' hell no," Wüst said after her latest Olympic feat.

A plane sits at Melbourne Airport in December, ahead of the Australian Open. The country will reopen its international borders to visa holders and fully vaccinated travelers on Feb. 21.

Australia will reopen to fully vaccinated travelers in 2 weeks

1:03pm February 07, 2022

by Rachel Treisman

Doubly vaccinated travelers will be welcomed starting Feb. 21, nearly two years after it first closed its border. The move is seen as relief for its tourism industry.

Demonstrators opposed to the Canada's COVID-19 mandates block the streets of Ottawa as they continue to protest on Saturday.

Ottawa declares a state of emergency over truckers' growing anti-government protests

12:47pm February 07, 2022

by Rachel Treisman

The mayor called the situation "the most serious emergency our city has ever faced." Police are ramping up enforcement as the standoff continues.

A skier takes a selfie on a course covered with artificial snow at the Yanqing National Alpine Skiing Centre in Yanqing.

No snow? No problem. How Beijing made the white stuff in time for the Olympics

8:12am February 07, 2022

by Jaclyn Diaz

The Beijing Games are just the latest winter sporting event to use nearly all human-made snow for competitions. Winter sports experts say this is just the new reality.

This combination of file photos shows tennis player Peng Shuai of China (L) during her women's singles first round match at the Australian Open tennis tournament in 2017; and Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli (R) during a visit to Russia in 2015

Peng Shuai, the Chinese tennis star, denies sexual assault by government leader

11:33pm February 06, 2022

by Emily Feng

In a carefully-managed interview with a French magazine, Peng also said she was retiring from tennis and said her private life should not be brought up in politics or sport.