At least three people were killed today when a car bomb exploded near a bus for pilgrims in the Shiite holy city of Najaf. Insurgents are blamed for dozens of other deaths in the Iraqi cities in the run-up to tomorrow's national elections. Hundreds o
The Justice Department has unsealed terrorism charges against the man who has been linked to a Somali terrorist group called Al-shabaab. Authorities say he had bomb-making instructions in his possession when he was arrested. NPRs Dina Temple-Raston r
The Senate is taking a key vote on legislation extending jobless benefits to Americans. It's a procedural vote. The legislation includes dozens of tax breaks for individuals and businesses that expired in 2009. Congress has previously passed several
President Obama welcomed Haitian President Rene Preval at the White House today. Preval is in the US thanking Americans for their help after Haitis devastating earthquake in January. Mr. Obama says the quake was one of the most devastating incidents
Democratic leaders are working today to unite the party behind a healthcare overhaul bill. They're hoping to push through Congress before the break. There was talk of a March 18th vote in the House, but the president's spokesman Robert Gibbs says law
President Obama is putting off next week's trip to Indonesia, his first overseas trip of the year to stay close to the latest action on healthcare. Democratic leaders in the House are looking to pass an overhaul bill this month, but President Obama i
A series of explosions including suicide blasts is blamed in at least 27 deaths in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar today. Authorities say more than 50 people are wounded. The biggest attack was on a prison. Officials believe insurgents may have
The State Department is warning Americans to be extra careful about traveling to Mexico, the day after three people, two of them US citizens, were gunned down in Ciudad Juarez. NPRs Sonari Glinton has the story. Drug cartel violence, especially along
President Obama is seeking to build public pressure on lawmakers in advance of a vote on healthcare overhaul legislation by putting a personal face on the issue. The president speaking at a senior center near the Ohio hometown of Natoma Canfield toda
President Obama is on a quest to get skeptical Americans on board with new health care law. In Portland, Maine this afternoon, the president echoed key selling points of that law: greater accountability for insurers, coverage for millions more Americ
From NPR News in Washington, Im Lakshmi Singh. President Obama says jobs market is beginning to turn the corner, encouraged by the Labor Departments March report out today showing 162,000 jobs added to the economy. Thats biggest gain in three years.
Several Afghan soldiers are dead as a result of friendly fire by German forces in Afghanistan. Brigadier-General Eric Tremblay says the troops were mistaken for insurgents. A German patrol became under contact, probably under a very complex attack by
From NPR News in Washington, Im Rebecca Sheir. This year, Easter falls on the same day for the Eastern and Western churches. Thousands of Christian pilgrims celebrated the holiday in Jerusalem today. NPRs Lourdes Garcia-Navarro was there. Im standing
The White House is strongly condemning todays attack by extremists on the US Consulate in Pakistan. Suicide bombers and gunmen tried to breach the perimeter of the heavily fortified compound. Sound of explosions and weapons fire sent people scramblin
The Obama administration has released its Nuclear Posture Review, the guideline for how nuclear weapons fit into the nations defense plans. Defense Secretary Robert Gates says its designed to make clear states like Iran and North Korea all options ar
The longest-serving justice on the Supreme Court is retiring. Justice John Paul Stevens is ending 35 years of service on the bench, effective this summer when the court finishes its work. President Obama praised Stevens as an impartial guardian of th
In Warsaw, bells toll for fallen leaders on one of the darkest days in Polands history. President Lech Kaczynski, his wife, and dozens of civilian and defense chiefs were among 96 people killed today in a plane crash in Russia. Clusters of lit candle
President Obama is holding meetings with world leaders on the eve of a nuclear security summit in Washington, D.C. One notable absence from this weeks conference is the prime minister of Israel. Benjamin Netanyahus recent decision to keep expanding s
President Obama is set to give an official welcome to open an nuclear summit in Washington. The focus of the gathering: to get participating nations to secure enriched uranium and plutonium stockpiles, to keep the potential bomb-making material out o
President Obama is urging world leaders whore meeting in Washington today to act and not just talk about safeguarding nuclear materials. NPRs Scott Horsley has more. President Obama called nuclear terrorism one of the greatest threats to global secur