News

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro (right), shown at a summit in Cuba in October, and Cuban President Raul Castro are close allies. Both have been highly critical of the U.S., but Cuba and the U.S. announced they now plan to normalize relations. Venezuel

World News

Which World Leader Had The Best And The Worst Year In 2014?

5:22pm December 29, 2014

by Greg Myre

Vladimir Putin got off to a great start, then it all turned sour. Bashar Assad looks to be better positioned today than back in January. Perhaps the pope had the best year of all.

World News

British Health Care Worker Tests Positive For Ebola

5:07pm December 29, 2014

by Krishnadev Calamur

The patient, who had worked in an Ebola clinic in Sierra Leone, arrived in Glasgow, Scotland, late Sunday via London and Casablanca, Morocco. This is the first Ebola case diagnosed in the U.K.

For more than 30 years, Marion Downs pushed for newborns to be screened for hearing loss soon after birth.

Remembering The Pioneering Audiologist Who Tested Hearing At Birth

4:03pm December 29, 2014

by Becky Sullivan

Until the early '90s, young children often weren't tested for hearing loss until they had already missed out on a critical period for learning language. Dr. Marion Downs was determined to change that.

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Cadets stand during the New York Police Department graduation ceremony at Madison Square Garden on Monday.

New York City Mayor De Blasio Heckled At Police Graduation Ceremony

1:50pm December 29, 2014

by Eyder Peralta

Bill de Blasio and his city's police department have been at odds over the mayor's words about the Eric Garner grand jury decision.

National

Finding A Jury Of Your Peers Actually Is Pretty Complicated

1:05pm December 29, 2014

by Emily Green

Prospective jurors can be dismissed for lateness, the financial burden of taking off work, or any number of other reasons. Add race as a consideration and jury selection can take weeks to complete.

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2 Los Angeles Police Officers Attacked By Gunmen

12:23pm December 29, 2014

by Eyder Peralta

Authorities say two suspects fired at a patrol car with a rifle. Both officers survived without injuries. One suspect was arrested.

Low Gas Prices Predicted For 2015 And Beyond

12:13pm December 29, 2014

by Jeff Brady

Prices at the pump have dipped below $2 a gallon in some parts of the country this month, with average prices more than one-third lower than this summer. Analysts say that trend is likely to continue.

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National

How 'The Interview' May Change How Big Studios Do Business

12:13pm December 29, 2014

by Ina Jaffe

Sony's release of The Interview via streaming Internet services and in theaters at the same time is unprecedented for a major studio film and raises questions about the economics of future releases.

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Florence Allen Jones, right, is part of the education ministry's classes-by-radio team.

Where Ebola Has Closed Schools, A Radio Program Provides A Faint Signal Of Hope

12:13pm December 29, 2014

by Ofeibea Quist-Arcton

1.5 million children are out of school in Liberia. It's possible kids may not return to class until spring.

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World News

For Venezuela, Drop In Global Oil Prices Could Be Catastrophic

12:13pm December 29, 2014

by John Otis

The South American nation is home to the world's largest oil reserves and earns most of its foreign reserves from oil. It faced a deep economic crisis even before petroleum prices began their plunge.

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