President Obama is calling todays talks between US officials and Iranian diplomats concerning the countrys disputed nuclear program a constructive beginning, though the president also said Iran must match its promises of cooperation with deeds. And
Plenty of excitement in Rio de Janeiro today, though not so much in Chicago, Tokyo or Madrid, the three other cities that had been in the running to host the 2016 Summer Olympics. Rio beat out surprise finalist Madrid to host the Games after Chicago
Finance ministers from the US and the rest of the G7 wealthiest nations meeting in Istanbul say the global economy is growing again, but the recovery remains fragile, threatened in part by rising unemployment. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner say
Insurgents in Afghanistan killed eight American soldiers and two Afghan police officers in a brazen daylight attack in the eastern part of that country this weekend. But President Obama's National Security Advisor, retired General James Jones is dis
President Obama made another pitch for his health care overhaul plan today, this time to a group of doctors. Speaking to physicians in the White House Rose Garden, the president said that no one has more credibility with the American people on this
A White House meeting on Afghanistan between President Obama and congressional leaders has wrapped up. The president invited more than thirty members of Congress from both sides of the aisle to discuss current US strategy in the region. Emerging fro
The Senate Judiciary Committee has passed a revised version of the USA Patriot Act. Three provisions will sunset at the end of the year if the law is not renewed. NPRs Ari Shapiro reports. The committee voted eleven to eight in favor of the revision
According to congressional budget experts, the price tag of the Senate Finance Committee's proposed health care overhaul plan will be 829 billion dollars over the next ten years. The Congressional Budget Office also said today it projects the latest
President Obama says he's humbled at being selected the winner of this year's Nobel Peace Prize. He said he doesn't believe he deserves the award, but will accept it as a call to action for all nations. The Nobel Committee cited Mr. Obama for what i
Pakistan's military is struggling to defuse a hostage standoff at the country's army headquarters which was attacked today by insurgents wearing military fatigues. At least six military personnel were killed, and gunmen are now holding up to 15 peop
The top UN official in Afghanistan Kai Eide is acknowledging that there was, what he called, widespread fraud in the country's recent presidential election. But Eide would not be more specific about how much fraud occurred. Any specific figure at th
There are fresh signs the Senate could move forward with climate legislation in the next month or two. That would help the Obama administration negotiate an international climate deal in December. NPRs Richard Harris reports. Democrat Barbara Boxer
President Obama's effort to restructure the nation's health care system got a major boost today. The Senate Finance Committee voted to send its overhaul measure to the full Senate. One Republican, Maines Olympia Snowe, was among 14 committee members
Better-than-expected earnings reports from a couple of key sector companies help to send the most closely-watched stock market index above 10, 000 for the first time in more than a year. The upbeat assessment's pushing the Dow Jones Industrial Avera
The House of Representatives has approved a bill to allow foreign terror suspects at the Guantanamo Bay to be sent to the U.S. for trial. The measure passed 224 to 193, only one Republican voted for it. Opponents said transferring suspects to the ma
President Obama is praising a new Treasury Department plan to rein in executive compensation by 50%. The seven largest companies had received billions in taxpayer bailouts. Speaking at the White House, the president said that many Americans were not
The FBI has arrested a Boston-area man for allegedly conspiring to kill prominent US politicians and attack shoppers at a mall. NPRs Dina Temple-Raston reports. Tarek Mehanna was arrested at his parents house in Sudbury Massachusetts in an upscale n
In Vienna today, the head of the United Nations nuclear agency said talks with Iran to move most of its enriched uranium out of the country are off to a good start. From Vienna, NPR's Eric Westervelt reports. Following an afternoon of close-door tal
White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel says President Obama will not commit any more American troops to Afghanistan until questions about that countrys government are resolved. Get a government that is seen as legitimate to the people and has a cre
Pakistan has launched a major ground offensive against militants in the border area near Afghanistan. The BBCs Shoaid Pasan reports the army is meeting fierce resistance from the militants. The screws upturning in what appears to be the toughest tes