World News

Thousands of Muslims have resorted to hiding in mosques or even churches, afraid of being killed by Christian militias. Many are asking for help crossing the border, but the United Nations is hesitant to support the minority's exodus.

President Obama used to say that he wanted to rely more on career diplomats to serve as U.S. ambassadors. But he's been opting for political appointees who are big donors with limited international experience.

The Syrian peace talks in Geneva are in deep trouble. Representatives of the opposition met a delegation from Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime several times this week. But the two sides can't agree on an agenda.

Team Russia — led by Alexander Ovechkin — and its fans talk constantly of the 1980 "Miracle on Ice" and the team's loss four years ago in Vancouver. On Saturday, they'll meet a young and "hungry" Team USA.

Chinese immigrants adapted their cuisine over time to appeal to American palates. So Americans looking for familiar dishes in China won't find many. But a new restaurant in Shanghai hopes to change that — offering expats a taste of home and introducing locals to foreign treats like fortune cookies.

American snowboarder Shaun White had hoped to win his third consecutive gold in these games. Instead, he's going home empty-handed. Not a single member of team USA was on the podium for the snowboard halfpipe event.

In a major address, Hassan Rouhani mocked U.S. military threats. But he also used the 35th anniversary of the Islamic revolution to say that negotiations with the U.S. and others offers the best path for Iran.

NBC says its coverage of the Winter Olympics has drawn more than 100 million viewers over its first weekend. That indicates lots of interest in the games, which will fill 1,539 hours of coverage across NBC's broadcast network, cable channels and online. We have some suggestions for watching the Sochi Olympics — from the regular network broadcast to cable to the Internet.

The housing bubble in Afghanistan was created by the influx of international organizations and their thousands of workers over the last 12 years. As countries pull out of Afghanistan, rent prices are tumbling, vacancies are soaring and sales have flatlined.

About 1.2 million people die prematurely every year in China from exposure to outdoor air pollution. Smog has dogged the country as it grows at an explosive rate and burns huge quantities of fossil fuels. But there are signs that the government is beginning to take the issue more seriously.