mdash

In the throes of a vicious drug war, Mexico's border city of Juarez — with its endless wave of kidnappings and executions — has become one of the most violent places on earth.

The city is shouldering unfathomable sorrow, and its mothers are the most public face of that suffering.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

Remember those complicated bonds full of home mortgages? The ones that almost brought down the economy? A team of reporters with NPR's Planet Money used $1,000 of their own cash to buy a tiny piece of one — and plan to track it until it dies.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

A high school in Wayne County, N.C., has a student population that is poor and 99 percent black. That's not the case at other public high schools in the same county.

The disparity has prompted a civil rights inquiry — and complaints about what one leader calls "re-segregation."

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

Some aspects of campaigning for parliament in Iraq are familiar like billboards and television ads. Others stunts are a bit more daring, and in fact some of them have the potential to spiral into violence.

Iraq's prime minister announced he would re-instate thousands of officers from Saddam Hussein's amy — while one of his rivals said he'd further purge the army of Hussein's supporters.

The Winter Olympics are basically a TV show — and a successful one. Lindsey Vonn and other U.S. medal winners even helped NBC's telecast win a ratings battle with American Idol.

But the whole spectacle could shift to ESPN by the time we get to Sochi in 2014.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

Expectations are high for the military offensive in Marjah, the informal beginning of President Obama new strategy to turn around the increasingly deteriorating situation in the country.

Analysts say the Obama administration must show tangible success to keep the American public — and possibly NATO allies — on board.

The Winter Olympics get under way Friday night in British Columbia, Canada — and it's a good thing the ceremony is inside, because the weather outside has been far from ideal for winter sports.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us