AP - 2/4/2012 3:22 PM
CAIRO (AP) -- Their kidnappers gave them tea and dried fruit, and talked about religion and tribal rights. The California women were allowed to bring their Egyptian tour guide with them. One even put out his cigarette in the car when a hostage said the smoke was bothering her....
AP - 2/4/2012 3:21 PM
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AP - 2/4/2012 1:56 PM
UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- The U.N. Security Council failed again Saturday to take decisive action to stop the escalating violence in Syria as Russia and China blocked a resolution backing an Arab League plan that calls for President Bashar Assad to step down. The double-veto outraged the U.S. and European council members who feared it would embolden the Assad regime....
AP - 2/4/2012 1:28 PM
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) -- London's tabloids and British leaders are depicting Argentina as dangerous and belligerent 30 years after its invasion of the Falkland Islands. Argentines say Britain should consider its own history of waging war around the globe, and acknowledge that the islands and seas around them rightfully belong to Argentina....
AP - 2/4/2012 1:22 PM
BEIRUT (AP) -- Russia and China vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution aimed at ending Syria's bloodshed, despite international outrage Saturday over a devastating bombardment of the city of Homs by President Bashar Assad's forces. Activists said more than 200 were killed in the bloodiest episode of the nearly 11-month uprising....
AP - 2/4/2012 1:10 PM
CAIRO (AP) -- Egyptian security forces on Saturday fired tear gas from armored trucks at protesters demanding an end to military rule, as anger over a deadly soccer riot fueled a third day of clashes that have killed at least 12 people....
AP - 2/4/2012 1:04 PM
GUACHOCHI, Mexico (AP) -- It's been months since Maria Luisa Gonzalez and her husband have been able to harvest anything from their drought-parched land or catch fish in a lake that's become little more than a muddy puddle....
NPR - 2/4/2012 12:00 PM
- World
NPR's Corey Flintoff reports from Moscow where tens of thousands of demonstrators braved bitter cold to rally for and against Vladimir Putin today. With just one month before a presidential election, the opposition is making a big push for a fair vote, and the government is responding with counter-demonstrations.
NPR - 2/4/2012 12:00 PM
- World
The U.N. Security Council failed again Saturday to take decisive action to stop the escalating violence in Syria as Russia and China vetoed a resolution backing an Arab League plan that calls for President Bashar Assad to step down. NPR's Michele Kelemen reports the veto drew intense criticism from the U.S.
NPR - 2/4/2012 12:00 PM
- Middle East
The Syrian government today unleashed some of the worst violence against protesters since the uprising there began. Activists report that more than 200 people have been killed in the city of Homs. NPR's Kelly McEvers has been following the story from neighboring Lebanon and has the latest on the uprising.
AP - 2/4/2012 11:52 AM
ROME (AP) -- Romans bewildered by their city's first big snowfall in 26 years used government-issued shovels to clear sidewalks, and kitchen utensils to clear windshields Saturday....
AP - 2/4/2012 9:24 AM
MOSCOW (AP) -- Their frozen breath rising in the brutally frigid air, tens of thousands of protesters marched through downtown Moscow on Saturday to keep up the pressure on Prime Minister Vladimir Putin one month before a presidential election that could extend his rule for six more years....
AP - 2/4/2012 9:03 AM
HAVANA (AP) -- Fidel Castro spent six hours presenting a two-volume memoir to an audience at a Havana convention center, state media said Saturday. It was a rare appearance for the retired and increasingly reclusive former Cuban leader....
NPR - 2/4/2012 6:25 AM
- Science
Russian researchers in Antarctica are on the verge of piercing a hole through two miles of ice into an ancient lake, untouched by the light of day for some 20 million years. But it'll be a delicate process to break through without disturbing the pristine waters. Guest host David Green speaks with Antarctic researcher John Priscu about the process.
NPR - 2/4/2012 5:28 AM
- Middle East
In Syria, the death toll is rising after what activists and opposition leaders are calling a massive offensive by pro-government troops in the city of Homs. Activists say at least 250 have been killed in what may be the single most violent day since Syria's anti-government uprising began in March.
NPR - 2/4/2012 5:00 AM
- Europe
Opponents of Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin marched through the streets of Moscow Saturday in another large demonstration against alleged voting fraud. The protest is seen as a test both for the opposition and Putin, ahead of March's presidential election. Guest host David Greene gets the latest from NPR's Corey Flintoff in Moscow.
NPR - 2/4/2012 5:00 AM
- Asia
Residents of a Chinese village who rebelled against corrupt local officials have been choosing an election committee. Some observers are highlighting the unusually open and fair voting process, but there are villagers who think their struggle is far from over. Guest host David Greene checks in with NPR's Louisa Lim in Beijing.
NPR - 2/4/2012 3:14 AM
- Europe
Yulia Tymoshenko went from being Ukraine's prime minister to a prisoner, convicted of abuse of power last October. But her supporters say she is the victim of a political vendetta, and her daughter came to Washington, where she had access to top government officials as she fights for her mother's release.
NPR - 2/3/2012 1:26 PM
- Middle East
Fighting between rebel forces and the Syrian government has been taking place in many areas, including the eastern suburbs of Damascus. The rebels actually took control of some suburbs, but a visit by a journalist found that the government forces had regained control after fighting that caused considerable damage.
NPR - 2/3/2012 12:18 PM
- Afghanistan
The surprise announcement that the U.S. and the Taliban could soon begin peace talks in Qatar may have increased the chances of a negotiated settlement in Afghanistan. But some Afghans wonder whether such talks are about stabilizing Afghanistan ? or just helping U.S. troops leave.
NPR - 2/3/2012 12:00 PM
- Middle East
Violent protests continued for a second day in Egypt in response to the deadly riot at a soccer match earlier this week. Many of the protesters claim authorities chose not to stop the soccer riots as retaliation against fan groups ? known as Ultras ? who had a hand in the country's political uprisings last year. Melissa Block talks with Adel Iskandar, Lecturer in media studies at Georgetown University, about the role of the Ultra football fan clubs in Egypt's politics.
NPR - 2/3/2012 8:03 AM
- The Two-Way
NBC News and al-Jazeera are reporting that police in Egypt say two American women and an Egyptian tour guide have been released by gunmen who kidnapped them earlier today near the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.
NPR - 2/3/2012 5:20 AM
- The Two-Way
Many Egyptians are angry about authorities' failure to prevent a riot after a soccer game earlier this week. Meanwhile, gunmen in the Sinai peninsula are reportedly demanding ransom for two American women.
NPR - 2/3/2012 4:15 AM
- The Two-Way
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned of retaliation if Israel tries to hit Iran's nuclear sites. His comments followed word that Defense Secretary Leon Panetta believes there's a strong likelihood of such action by Israel this spring.
NPR - 2/1/2012 8:50 AM
- Europe
Two decades after communist rule ended in Russia, dissatisfaction with Vladimir Putin's ruling United Russia party is growing. Now, the Communist Party is trying to capitalize on the political ferment, especially among the young. But some say the party's Soviet-era leader is an impediment.