World News

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton delivers a speech at Dublin City University in Ireland on Thursday. She also met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to discuss Syria.

World News

U.S., Russia Try To Find Common Ground On Syria

6:40pm December 06, 2012

by Michele Kelemen

The Americans and the Russians have been at odds over Syria since the fighting began 20 months ago. But there's a sense of urgency now as the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad looks increasingly unstable.

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French President Francois Hollande (left) and German Chancellor Angela Merkel take part in a bilateral meeting at the EU headquarters in Brussels on Nov. 22 as part of a European budget summit.

What Should The U.S. Learn From Europe's Woes?

4:21pm December 06, 2012

by Tom Gjelten

As President Obama and lawmakers try to find a formula for spending cuts and tax increases, they might look across the Atlantic for insights from those who have been wrestling with budget problems. The first lesson from Europe's "fiscal consolidation" experiences: It will hurt.

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A woman walks by the Grand Mosque of Djenne on market day in Djenne, Mali, on Sept. 2. The UNESCO World Heritage-listed town is among the Malian tourist sites suffering from a huge drop in visitors after a coup took place in March and Islamist rebels seiz

World News

Why No One's Going To Timbuktu These Days

10:41am December 06, 2012

by Tamasin Ford

The coup in Mali earlier this year and occupation of the north by al-Qaida affiliates have devastated the economy, especially the tourism sector, the country's third-largest revenue generator. Tourist arrivals have plummeted, and all Malians, from river guides to tailors, are suffering.

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World News

Perfume Evokes Smell Of Pizza Box Opening

7:09am December 06, 2012

When you crack open a pizza box, the heat's released and you get that scent from the dough and cheese and sauce. Pizza Hut in Canada has released that scent in a bottle of perfume. The company made 110 bottles and distributed them to its Facebook followers.

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Though it is a capital offense to leave the country, more people attempt to flee North Korea each year.

Fleeing North Korea Through 'Asia's Underground Railroad'

3:21pm December 05, 2012

by NPR Staff

North Korea remains one of the most isolated and repressive countries in the world. Each year, a brave few attempt an escape to freedom through China. In Escape from North Korea, writer Melanie Kirkpatrick tells the harrowing personal stories of North Korean defectors and their quest for freedom.

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World News

A Rebel Fighter Sees Islamic Law In Syria's Future

8:18pm December 04, 2012

by Kelly McEvers

Islamist rebels are among the groups fighting to topple Syrian President Bashar Assad, raising concerns in the West about what their role would be in a Syria without Assad. NPR's Kelly McEvers recently spent some time with these Islamist fighters in the embattled city of Aleppo.

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A stray cat rests at the Torre Argentina ruins in Rome in October. Officials say a cat shelter that sits adjacent to the site must be shut down.

World News

Cat Fight In Rome: Beloved Shelter Faces Closure

10:23am December 04, 2012

by Sylvia Poggioli

Stray cats prowl freely among many of the city's ancient monuments. At the Torre Argentina ruins, a cat shelter has been caring for felines for two decades. But archaeological officials now say the shelter, built in the foundations of an ancient temple, must be closed.

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Baby On The Way For Britain's Royals

7:38am December 04, 2012

Renee Montagne talks to Ingrid Seward of Majesty magazine about the announcement there will be a new person in line for the British throne. It was announced Monday that Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, is pregnant.

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Egyptian protesters hold a banner depicting Morsi as a pharaoh, during a rally expressing opposition to Morsi's decrees, in Cairo, on Nov. 23.

World News

Is Morsi Morphing Into Authoritarian He Opposed?

6:08pm December 03, 2012

by Leila Fadel

Once referred to as the Muslim Brotherhood's "spare tire," Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi has proven much more formidable than many Egyptians expected. But critics say his latest moves, including one to push through a hastily drafted constitution, could tear Egypt apart.

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Egypt's Draft Constitution Divides Nation

5:12am December 03, 2012

President Mohammed Morsi is facing the biggest rebellion against his rule since assuming power in June. It started with a set of controversial decrees by the president that put him above the law until a constitution is in place. The move has polarized the country and every judge in the country is on strike. Critics say the president is pushing through an illegitimate constitution.

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