With Withdrawal Looming, U.S. Troops Shift Their Aim
U.S. and other NATO troops are spending less time fighting the Taliban and more time making local Afghan governments self-sufficient. It's a slow process.
World News
Venezuela To Display Chavez Body For Perpetuity
Funeral services will be held Friday for Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who died this week after a long battle with cancer. Dozens of presidents and dignitaries are in Caracas, including the leaders of some pariah countries that are adversaries of the United States.
Japan's Broken Coast Struggles To Recover
Two years after a massive earthquake hit the East Coast of Japan — causing a tsunami and a meltdown at the Fukushima power plant — 300,000 people still live in temporary housing. Many believe they will they will never be able to return to their villages.
In Japan, Food Can Be Almost Too Cute To Eat
In Japanese culture, how food looks can be as important as how it tastes — a lesson children learn from a very early age. From children's television and toys to school lunches, the visual delights of food are never far from sight.
When Insects Go Biblical: Swarms Head Toward Israel
A plague of locusts has recently moved from the Sinai Peninsula into southern Israel. Host Scott Simon talks with NPR's Larry Abramson about the swarms that have arrived just a few weeks ahead of the Passover holiday.
Palestinians Still Feel The Squeeze Of The Restrictions On Gaza
Local builders in Gaza say they can't find everyday items like cement and gravel. Yet Israeli officials say they have widened the categories of items allowed into Gaza.
Venezuelan Oil Subsidies Still Buoy Neighbors, For Now
Late President Hugo Chavez helped out ideological peers in Latin America, as well as key U.S. allies in the Caribbean. But with Venezuela's own financial challenges and an upcoming presidential election, many of those countries are worried their vital oil lifeline is about to be shut off.
Displaced Syrians Bring Life To Ancient 'Dead Cities'
Millions of Syrians who have fled their homes are finding refuge in unimaginable places. In the northern province of Idlib, displaced Syrians have found shelter in ancient archaeological ruins that until recently were frozen in time. In some cases, the living share space with the dead.
Hagel Travels To Afghanistan On First Trip Abroad As Defense Secretary
Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel arrived in Afghanistan on Friday, his first overseas trip as the new Pentagon boss.
Police Officers Caught In The Middle Go On Strike In Egypt
There is a growing strike by police officers in Egypt. Long accused of brutality before and after the fall of the Mubarak regime, police commanders say they are ill-equipped to handle the ongoing protests, many of them violent, in Port Said and other cities. They are demanding the ouster of the new Interior Minister, appointed by President Mohammed Morsi. The strike comes amid fears of more violence on Saturday when a court in Cairo is scheduled to hand down a second group of verdicts and sentences in connection with a soccer riot that left 70 dead last year.