World News

Morning News Brief: A New White House Chief Of Staff, Russia Expels U.S. Diplomats

5:21am July 31, 2017

by Tamara Keith

President Trump's new chief of staff is sworn in today, Russia expels hundreds of American diplomats and Venezuelans vote on their country's future.

Members of Argentina's Venezuelan community protest against the election for a constituent assembly on Sunday, in Buenos Aires, as Venezuela holds the controversial vote.

Several Countries Reject Venezuela's Election To Rewrite Constitution

11:43pm July 30, 2017

by Emma Bowman

The controversial vote has culminated in more violence between protesters and police, with at least 10 deaths Sunday. Opposition activists see the election as a power grab by President Nicolas Maduro.

A view of the newly-erected wind turbine on Tilos, Greece, part of a microgrid that, along with a solar park and a renewable battery system, will power the island.

Why Greece Has Been Slow To Embrace Clean Energy

9:09pm July 30, 2017

by Joanna Kakissis

With its famed sunshine and sea winds, Greece should be a clean energy hub. But it's been slow to abandon coal and embrace renewable energy. That's changing on one small island.

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Venezuelans Opposed To President Maduro Boycott Elections

6:35pm July 30, 2017

With the current elections, Venezuela president Nicolás Maduro hopes to gain enough power to rewrite the country's constitution. NPR's Noel King speaks to Reuters reporter Girish Gupta in Caracas.

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After 45 Years, Late Anti-Apartheid Activist Could Get Another Chance In Court

6:35pm July 30, 2017

by Peter Granitz

Anti-apartheid activist Ahmed Timol died in police custody. Next week, a South African Court will consider reopening investigations into police misconduct from that era.

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Putin Responds To Sanctions Against Russia With Expulsion Of U.S. Diplomatic Staff

6:35pm July 30, 2017

Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to expel 755 American diplomatic and technical personnel. NPR's Noel King talks with journalist Charles Maynes in Moscow about power plays between the countries.

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How Much Can A Vision Of Your 'Future Self' Motivate You To Achieve?

6:35pm July 30, 2017

by Alix Spiegel

Invisibilia co-host Alix Spiegel introduces us to a young man whose sights were set far beyond the Syrian orphanage in which he spent part of his childhood.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting to discuss the Ukrainian peace process at the German federal Chancellery on Oct. 19, 2016 in Berlin, Germany.

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Putin To Expel 755 U.S. Diplomats And Staff From Russia In Response To New Sanctions

6:00pm July 30, 2017

by Camila Domonoske

Russia's Foreign Ministry had signaled on Friday that the U.S. personnel would be ordered out of the country, as retaliation after new sanctions on Russia were approved by Congress this week.

Police at the scene of overnight terror raids in Surry Hills on Sunday in Sydney. Counterterrorism police raided five properties in the city's suburbs on Saturday night and arrested four men over an alleged terror plot that involved blowing up an aircraft

World News

Australian Police Arrest 4 Men Allegedly Plotting To Bomb Airplane

10:30am July 30, 2017

by Laurel Wamsley

In a series of raids on five properties in Sydney's suburbs, police made the arrests and reportedly found a homemade bomb. Officials say they believe the plot is "Islamic-inspired terrorism."

World News

Venezuela Prepares For Controversial Vote

8:00am July 30, 2017

In a controversial vote in Venezuela, President Nicolas Maduro could further imperil the state of democracy. NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro speaks with Alexandra Ulmer, Venezuela correspondent for Reuters.