Awaken ! on PNN

The latest stories from the World section of the BBC News web site.

Updated: 24 Feb 20:34

24 Feb 20:06

Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi tells state TV that Osama Bin Laden and his followers are to blame for the protests racking his country.

New Zealand quake victims named

24 Feb 19:58

Officials in New Zealand release the first names of the 103 confirmed victims of Tuesday's earthquake in the city of Christchurch.

EU urged to share asylum burden

24 Feb 19:25

Countries in southern Europe urge the EU to share out the burden of accepting migrants from North Africa as a new influx is predicted.

Algeria ends state of emergency

24 Feb 19:24

Algeria's state of emergency is lifted after an official notice is published in the state newspaper limiting the power of the military to get involved in politics.

Saudi held on Texas terror charge

24 Feb 19:10

A 20-year-old Saudi living in Texas is held on charges of trying to make a bomb and scouting targets including George W Bush's Dallas home.

NPR Topics: World

NPR world news, international art and culture, world business and financial markets, world economy, and global trends in health, science and technology. Subscribe to the World Story of the Day podcast and RSS feed.

Updated: 03 Mar 04:02

Two U.S. Troops Shot Dead In Germany

02 Mar 23:12

Two U.S. troops have been shot dead in Germany. They died when a gunman opened fire on a bus carrying U.S. military personnel at Frankfurt airport. NPR's Eric Westervelt is at the scene, and he speaks with host Melissa Block.

Did The Father Of Microfinance Just Get Fired?

02 Mar 22:40

Muhammad Yunus Bangladeshi economist, Nobel laureate, father of microfinance may or may not have been fired this week.

Nobel Winner Removed From Bank He Founded

02 Mar 21:56

The government of Bangladesh is trying to remove Nobel Prize winner Muhammad Yunis from the bank he founded nearly three decades ago to help the country's poorest people. Grameen Bank pioneered the use of micro-loans to give the poor an opportunity to start small businesses or make other sound investments in their future. These loans are almost always repaid in full and on time. The government says Yunis has violated laws setting a mandatory retirement age of 60. But many suspect the government is merely trying to gain full control of a politically powerful organization, which serves some 8 million borrowers, most of them women. Some critics also suggest that authorities are punishing Yunis for his outspoken criticism of government corruption. Grameen is expected to challenge his dismissal in the courts.

Pro-Gadhafi Forces Strike Back Against Rebels

02 Mar 21:50

Forces loyal to the Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi launched ground and air attacks on a rebel-held town on the Mediterranean coast not far from the rebel stronghold of Benghazi. The battle for Brega lasted much of the day. When the fighting subsided, the rebels appeared to control most of the town after losing ground earlier in the day. NPR's Lourdes Garcia-Navarro was in Brega during the battle and talks with host Melissa Block about what she witnessed.

Yemen Unrest A Worry For Counterterrorism Experts

02 Mar 21:28

Protesters in Yemen have been calling for President Ali Abdullah Saleh to step down and the Obama administration has had to tread a delicate line, as the leader has been aiding U.S. anti-terrorism efforts. Al-Qaida's arm in Yemen has been one of the terrorist group's most active affiliates.