U.S.

President Trump walks on the South Lawn of the White House on Thursday. In the same week as his address to Congress, Trump faced a new controversy — over his attorney general's contacts with the Russian ambassador to the U.S.

Trump's New Tone Wins Praise, But Only For 24 Hours

7:43pm March 03, 2017

by Scott Horsley

Trump got generally positive reviews for his address to Congress. But then, the good news was overtaken by more revelations of contacts between Trump associates and Russian officials.

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In the White House's letter to the Office of Government Ethics this week, there's something potentially far more interesting than the administration's response to Kellyanne Conway's Nordstrom comments.

Experts Say White House's Conway Response Raises Major Ethical Questions

6:14pm March 03, 2017

by Danielle Kurtzleben

In the White House's letter to the Office of Government Ethics this week about Kellyanne Conway, there's a passage that is potentially far more significant than a clothing endorsement.

Farmer Georges Kouamé Koffi holding two cocoa pods. Chocolate is made from the almond-sized cocoa beans contained in the pods.

A Dip In Global Prices Creates Cocoa Crisis For Ivory Coast's Farmers

4:46pm March 03, 2017

by Alex Duval Smith

Ivory coast is the world's largest cocoa producer. But a bumper crop combined with a fall in the global demand for chocolate and a dip in cocoa prices are hurting the country's cocoa farmers.

Week In Politics: Sessions Recuses Himself From Campaign Investigations

4:46pm March 03, 2017

NPR's Audie Cornish talks to political commentators, E.J. Dionne of The Washington Post and Brookings Institution and David Brooks of The New York Times. They discuss Trump's speech to Congress.

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A Reddit subgroup has been busy discussing the benefits of eating oranges in the shower. We asked three NPR journalists to investigate whether the act is as life-changing as some people claim.

Do Showers Make Oranges Taste Better? NPR Investigates

4:46pm March 03, 2017

The Internet is full of things, including a Reddit subgroup devoted to the act of eating an orange in the shower. We gave it a shot ourselves.

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St. Louis Man Arrested For Threats Against Jewish Community Centers

4:46pm March 03, 2017

by David Schaper

Federal authorities charged a St. Louis man with making a handful of the bomb threats against Jewish community centers and other institutions in recent weeks. But they say this was a jilted lover trying to pin those threats on an ex-girlfriend, and Jewish leaders worry anti-Semitic threats and hate crimes will continue.

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Immigration Authorities Arrest Dreamer Despite Lawyers' Reassurance

4:46pm March 03, 2017

NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with lawyer Abigail Peterson about the rules governing the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Peterson is representing 22-year-old Daniela Vargas, who was arrested by immigration authorities this week after previously receiving protection under DACA.

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Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff Calls On FBI To Release Information On Russia Probe

4:46pm March 03, 2017

NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with California Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff, ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee. He says the FBI director has been withholding information related to the probe of Russian contacts with the Trump campaign.

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In a 2015 YouTube video released by al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, commander Nasr al-Ansi claims responsibility for the attack on the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. The U.S. military has stepped up attacks on the group in the past month.

U.S. Ramps Up Its Fight Against Al-Qaida In Yemen

4:46pm March 03, 2017

by Greg Myre

The U.S. military has been waging periodic drone strikes against al-Qaida in Yemen for years. A series of airstrikes and a ground raid have intensified the campaign over the past month.

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The Culprit In Rising Western U.S. Smog Levels: Asia

4:46pm March 03, 2017

by Rae Ellen Bichell

U.S. emissions of smog-forming pollutants have dropped, but smog levels in the western U.S. have increased each year. Now, researchers say, they've found out why — it's wafting from across the Pacific Ocean.

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