World News

World News

Obama Tells Pentagon To Plan A Full Afghan Departure

7:43am February 26, 2014

by Tom Bowman

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has refused to sign a security agreement that would keep U.S. troops in his country. Despite the pressure, Obama is giving Afghan officials more time to finish a deal.

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Political Crisis Deepens Ukraine's Dire Economic Conditions

8:06am February 25, 2014

As Ukraine steadies itself, a first order of business is to fix its economy. Renee Montagne talks to Simon Johnson, former chief economist for the IMF, who is now a professor at MIT.

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Sochi Olympic Flame Is Extinguished

7:00pm February 23, 2014

The last big games of the Olympics, including the gold medal hockey game and four-man bobsled, concluded Sunday. After the closing ceremony, thousands headed for Sochi's tiny airport. NPR's Robert Smith provides a roundup of highlights.

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U.S. Looks To Bobsledder Steve Holcomb To Add To Medal Count

12:11pm February 23, 2014

by Robert Smith

The U.S. has the best bobsledder in the world, Steve Holcomb. He races in the two-man on Monday.

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Lucy Skrine, 11, is part of a group of activists who gathered about 64,000 signatures pressing Hong Kong's government to destroy its stockpile of 28 tons of ivory.

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Hong Kong To Destroy Ivory Stockpile, But Will It Curb Demand In China?

12:11pm February 23, 2014

by Frank Langfitt

Over the next two years, Hong Kong plans to burn 28 tons of ivory. Many conservationists hope destroying stockpiles will dampen demand in a country where many wealthy Chinese are buying ivory statues and carvings as investments. Others worry that it may have no effect at all.

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Anticipation Grows That U.S. Ice Dancing Duo Will Win Gold

12:11pm February 23, 2014

by Tamara Keith

Americans Meryl Davis and Charlie White are favored to win gold in ice dancing. The pair took silver in the last Olympic Games in Vancouver, and expectations are high that they'll do even better in Sochi.

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U.N. Calls On Syria To Allow Access To Humanitarian Aid

7:18pm February 22, 2014

The U.N. Security Council adopted a resolution Saturday to boost humanitarian aid access in Syria. More than 9 million people need food, water and medicine, according to the U.N.

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Notorious Mexican Drug Trafficker Arrested

7:18pm February 22, 2014

Mexico's No. 1 drug trafficker has been arrested. Joaquin " El Chapo" Guzman was arrested Friday night in his home state of Sinaloa. There are multiple U.S. federal indictments for Guzman and a $5 million reward. NPR's Arun Rath speaks with correspondent Carrie Kahn in Mexico City.

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Australian Police Wait For Suspect To Unload Rare Diamond

9:29am February 21, 2014

The diamond worth $180,000 was swiped from a jewelry store by a man who fled on a bicycle. They're pretty sure he swallowed the loot. But they need firm evidence.

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Life In Syria's Capital: A 'Bubble' Squeezed By Violence

12:10pm February 20, 2014

Reporter Anne Barnard writes about Damascus in the March issue of National Geographic. She tells NPR's Arun Rath there's a lot to learn from life in the capital about the future of the Syrian state.

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