World News

Sports Fixing: When Gambling And The Game Collide

2:30pm February 12, 2013

European officials say players and referees have fixed the outcome of hundreds of soccer games in recent years. The scandal has exposed the organized crime rings that cash in on cheating and has heightened scrutiny of the ethical questions that arise at the intersection of gambling and sports.

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Looming Cuts Could Mean Big Changes For U.S. Military

2:01pm February 12, 2013

Without a deal by March 1, across-the-board federal spending cuts will kick in — including deep cuts to the nation's defense budget. Michele Flournoy, former undersecretary of defense for policy, and NPR's Tom Bowman discuss what sequestration might mean for the U.S. military.

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Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at a town hall meeting on Tuesday in Washington, D.C. She officially leaves her post on Friday.

Hillary Clinton Leaving The Stage — At Least For Now — And On A High Note

11:26am February 12, 2013

by Mara Liasson

The secretary of state ends her tenure Friday as a respected national figure with sky-high approval ratings. "I don't see myself getting back into politics," she says. But that hasn't slowed speculation about a 2016 presidential bid.

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World News

North Korea Admits It Carried Out Nuclear Test

6:06am February 12, 2013

North Korea confirmed on Tuesday that it had successfully conducted a third nuclear test. It's an important step toward North Korea's goal of building a bomb small enough to be fitted on a missile that could reach United States.

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After Pope's Surprise Resignation, A Flood Of Speculation

3:40pm February 11, 2013

Pope Benedict XVI, the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, unexpectedly announced Monday that he will resign at the end of the month. With his resignation comes speculation about his tenure, potential successors and the future of the Catholic Church. Rocco Palmo, who runs the blog Whispers in the Loggia, explores the pope's legacy and what's ahead for the Catholic Church.

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Pope Benedict XVI, who announced his resignation Monday, was an ardent defender of Catholic tradition. For a quarter-century before he become the pontiff in 2005, he served as the chief enforcer of Catholic orthodoxy.

Pope Benedict XVI: A Champion Of Catholic Tradition

1:52pm February 11, 2013

by Sylvia Poggioli

Pope Benedict XVI, who announced his resignation Monday at age 85, was a deeply conservative pontiff who sought to strengthen the church's core beliefs. But he also faced a number of difficult issues in a rapidly changing world.

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The China Twist by Wen-Szu Lin chronicles the author's (ultimately unsuccessful) attempt to bring Auntie Anne's pretzels to China.

Auntie Anne's Pretzels In Beijing: Why The Chinese Didn't Bite

11:41am February 11, 2013

by Frank Langfitt

It's the entrepreneurs' dream: tapping into China's market of 1.3 billion people. That dream fueled the efforts of two Chinese-American MBAs to take the soft-pretzel franchise — a staple of U.S. shopping malls — to China. Cultural and financial barriers, however, led to a far more challenging reality.

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Pope Benedict XVI To Resign Feb. 28

11:41am February 11, 2013

Pope Benedict announced Monday morning he is retiring at the end of the month. He will be the first pontiff to step aside in six centuries.

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Vatican 'Surprised' By Pope's Resignation Announcement

11:41am February 11, 2013

Pope Benedict XVI announced Monday that he will resign on February 28 because he no longer has the strength to fulfill the duties of his office. For more details, Renee Montagne speaks with journalist Josephine McKenna in Rome.

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After Pope's Resignation, What's Next For The Church?

11:41am February 11, 2013

Pope Benedict XVI announced Monday that he will resign on Feb. 28. For more on what his resignation means for the future of the Vatican leadership, Steve Inskeep talks with Mathew Schmalz, a professor of religious studies at College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass.

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