World News

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's Cabinet says it is scrapping the controversial law against insulting foreign heads of state.

World News

Germany Is Scrapping Law That Bans Insulting Foreign Leaders

8:18pm January 25, 2017

by Merrit Kennedy

Justice Minister Heiko Mass called the law "obsolete and unnecessary." Last year, the law was invoked in a controversial case against a comedian because of a lewd poem criticizing Turkey's leader.

An Afghan detainee is held at the Parwan detention facility near Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan in 2011. A document circulating in Washington suggests the Trump administration might reactivate secret CIA "black sites" for terrorism detainees around the wo

CIA 'Black Sites' Order: A Real Plan Or Just Politics?

6:59pm January 25, 2017

A draft presidential order that could open the door to reviving "black sites" might be as much political messaging as a true plan.

A worker stands in a construction project in a favela, or shantytown, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The government has helped drive down income inequality by investing in basic services like health care, education and pensions.

What The Stat About The 8 Richest Men Doesn't Tell Us About Inequality

5:05pm January 25, 2017

by Malaka Gharib

It's a shocking statistic about global inequality that's made worldwide headlines. But some economists don't think it tells the whole story.

World News

Six Years After Mubarak, Crackdown On Dissent Continues In Egypt

4:28pm January 25, 2017

by Jane Arraf

This week marks the sixth anniversary of the ousting of former President Hosni Mubarak in Egypt. The crackdown on activism and dissent continues, even as a few are released from prisons.

World News

Former DEA Agent: Sinaloa Cartel Likely To Remain Strong Without 'El Chapo'

4:28pm January 25, 2017

NPR's Ari Shapiro talks to Mike Vigil, who worked as DEA agent for more than 30 years, about the state of Sinaloa Cartel and the war on drugs in Mexico after the extradition of kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman.

Aging Giants Of Tennis Reach Australian Open Semi-Finals

4:28pm January 25, 2017

NPR's Ari Shapiro speaks with Sports Illustrated senior writer Jon Wertheim about the performances of Roger Federer and Venus Williams at the Australian Open.

Jamaica's (left to right) Asafa Powell, Nesta Carter, Usain Bolt and Michael Frater celebrate their gold medal after the men's 4x100-meter relay final in Beijing in 2008. With Wednesday's announcement, the team will have to return those medals.

Usain Bolt Loses A Gold Medal After 2008 Teammate's Failed Test

4:06pm January 25, 2017

by Colin Dwyer

Bolt left Rio with a perfect triple-triple, having won three golds in three consecutive Olympics. But his record unraveled after a re-analysis found his Beijing relay teammate used a banned substance.

World News

These Monks Have A Calling: Making Fresh Italian Cheese — In India

3:44pm January 25, 2017

by Aarthi Gunnupuri

Cheese is gaining popularity in this South Asian country, but it is mostly imported and expensive. An Indian-based monastery with Italian roots is trying to change that — by making it themselves.

President Trump, shown here in an ad for a Chinese magazine in Shanghai, continues to attack the integrity of reporters who challenge him — even as he keeps making false claims.

For Journalists Who've Worked In China, New White House Tactics Seem Familiar

1:00pm January 25, 2017

by Frank Langfitt

China tries to discredit the press and to convince citizens not to believe their own eyes. Trump's White House seems to favor similar tactics, writes Frank Langfitt, NPR's former China correspondent.

Dutch lawmaker Geert Wilders talks to reporters at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland in July. The Dutch press has dubbed Wilders "the Dutch Donald Trump" because of his rhetoric against immigrants.

World News

For 'Dutch Donald Trump,' A Surge In Popularity Before March Elections

11:28am January 25, 2017

by Lauren Frayer

Geert Wilders wants his country to return to its white, Christian roots, shut down mosques and exit the EU. He's favored to win March elections, though unlikely to become prime minister.

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