World News

How the Chinese mafia came to control much of the illicit marijuana trade in the U.S.

1:26pm March 21, 2024

by Terry Gross

Marijuana has been legalized in some states, but ProPublica's Sebastian Rotella says there's still a thriving illicit market, dominated by criminals connected to China's authoritarian government.

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Vaughan Gething poses for a portrait at the Cardiff University Spark building on March 16, in Cardiff, Wales. He has taken the Welsh government's leadership post as first minister.

World News

Meet Europe's first Black head of government — in Wales

11:24am March 21, 2024

by Lauren Frayer

"I have the honor of becoming the first Black leader in any European country," he said upon taking office.

The battle for technological dominance between China and the U.S. rages on

6:42pm March 20, 2024

by Jackie Northam

Experts say Washington's recent move on Tiktok is just the latest in a race between the U.S. and China for technological dominance.

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Humanitarian groups scramble to provide aid in Gaza as famine is 'imminent'

5:28pm March 20, 2024

NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with Médecins Sans Frontières Secretary General Chris Lockyear about the view from Gaza, and how the organization is operating there.

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A woman and a boy attempt to hitch a ride during a scheduled power outage in Bauta, Cuba, Monday. The island is facing an energy crisis, with waves of blackouts worsening in recent weeks.

World News

Protesters in Cuba demand food and electricity as shortages bring hardship

5:09pm March 20, 2024

by Emily Green

Hundreds of people have taken to the streets in recent days in the city of Santiago.

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Prime Minister of Ireland Leo Varadkar arrives to attend a European Union summit on Feb. 1 in Brussels, Belgium.

World News

Ireland's prime minister, Leo Varadkar, has resigned

3:49pm March 20, 2024

by Lauren Frayer

Leo Varadkar announced he will step down as taoiseach, or prime minister, within weeks as soon as his Fine Gael party chooses a successor.

A man carries a cardboard box of food aid provided by nonprofit organization World Central Kitchen in Rafah, in southern Gaza, on March 17, amid the conflict between Israel and the militant group Hamas.

World News

People in Gaza are starving to death. 5 things to know about efforts to feed them

1:38pm March 20, 2024

Family clans in Gaza are being called on to help distribute aid to a starving population. Here's why it matters and how it could shape postwar security.

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Vietnam's President Vo Van Thuong addresses a joint press conference with Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo, Japan, Nov. 27, 2023. Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong resigned after a little over a year in the position, state media VN Express reported. His resignation takes place amid an intense anti-corruption campaign that has hit the highest echelons of the Communist Party.

World News

Vietnam's president resigns amid an intense anti-corruption campaign

11:41am March 20, 2024

by The Associated Press

Vo Van Thuong is the second president to resign in two years, a worrying sign for political stability in Vietnam, a country that plays a key role in the middle of U.S.-China competition, analysts say.

World News

The Philippines' top defense secretary talks about tensions in the South China Sea

6:41pm March 19, 2024

by Emily Feng

Amid tensions in the South China Sea, NPR sat down with Philippines' Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro. He has accused China of "gutter talk" and "propaganda" in its territorial claims.

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U.S. officers recall the chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal in hearing on Capitol Hill

6:07pm March 19, 2024

by Tom Bowman

On Capitol Hill, two retired senior officers recalled the withdrawal from Afghanistan, and the advice they gave and the advice that was rejected by the Biden administration.

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