The U.S. urged NATO allies and other nations during the Chicago summit to make a long-term commitment to Afghanistan once combat forces withdraw in 2014. But many of the European member nations are reeling from the grinding debt crisis, making it hard to justify development and training programs in Afghanistan. Continue reading →

World leaders are gathered in Chicago for a two-day NATO summit starting Sunday morning. This is the third time the U.S. has hosted a NATO summit since the alliance was formed, and the first time it's being held in a city other than Washington, D.C. As NPR's Jackie Northam reports, the agenda will center on a theme: Afghanistan. Continue reading →

The NATO summit in Chicago is meant to showcase a unified, long-term commitment to Afghanistan after the 2014 troop drawdown. The U.S. already signed a strategic security pact with Afghanistan, pledging support for the country until 2024. The Obama administration is looking for other nations to commit as well during the summit. Continue reading →

Enlarge Musadeq Sadeq/AP A NATO soldier aims his weapon during a gun battle in Kabul, Afghanistan, in April. NATO is holding a summit in Chicago this weekend, and discussing the future of the alliance is on the agenda. Musadeq Sadeq/AP A NATO soldier aims his weapon during a gun battle in Kabul, Afghanistan, in April. NATO is holding a summit in Chicago this weekend, and discussing the future of the alliance is on the agenda. This weekend, about 60 heads of state and government, and thousands of others will descend on Chicago to attend a NATO summit. The gathering will focus on the alliance's involvement in Afghanistan — and ensuring a long-term commitment to the country. But the meeting comes at a time of tension ... Continue reading →

Special envoy Kofi Annan says unacceptable levels of violence and abuse are continuing in Syria. He said military activities have declined somewhat but that the level of violence is still too high. Annan warned about the devastating repercussions if the fragile peace plan failed. NPR's Jackie Northam reports. Continue reading →

Enlarge Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda speaks during a reception at the Japanese embassy in Washington Sunday. At the White House Monday, Noda will hold a bilateral summit with President Obama. Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda speaks during a reception at the Japanese embassy in Washington Sunday. At the White House Monday, Noda will hold a bilateral summit with President Obama. President Barack Obama holds a bilateral summit with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda at the White House Monday. It's the first bilateral summit between U.S. and Japanese leaders in three years. Political turmoil in Japan has led to a constant turnover in leadership. There have been six prime ministers in as many years. "This will be his fourth ... Continue reading →

Earlier this month, Pakistan's parliament recommended the U.S. be prohibited from launching drone missile attacks on Pakistani soil. The drone program has been successful in killing militants in Pakistan, many of whom were launching attacks against American troops in neighboring Afghanistan. Analysts say it's unlikely the U.S. will agree to stop carrying out missile strikes from the unmanned aerial vehicles. The question is what happens now? There is some talk of creating a joint command center in Pakistan, where officers from both sides can oversee the drone program. But it's a proposition riddled with problems of trust and capability. Continue reading →

Jim Yong Kim, 52, who immigrated from Korea at age five, is currently the president of Dartmouth College. He faced an international campaign challenging his nomination to lead the massive global development bank. Kim's selection continues a decades-long tradition of having a U.S. citizen lead the World Bank. Continue reading →

Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Images South Koreans watch a TV showing a graphic of North Korea's rocket launch, at a train station in Seoul on Friday. North Korea launched a long-range rocket that disintegrated soon after blasting off. North Korea's decision to launch a rocket early Friday drew swift and widespread condemnation by the international community. The White House suspended a shipment of 240,000 tons of food aid to North Korea, and the U.N. Security Council, which quickly met, called the launch deplorable and said it violated two council resolutions. Though the rocket's failure shortly after launch may have revealed serious technical flaws, the fact that the launch took place at all underlined the international community's inability to prevent the country's authoritarian regime from carrying out such ... Continue reading →

The World Bank is expected to announce its new president in the next several days. For the past six decades, the bank has been led by an American. President Obama has already nominated Jim Yong Kim, the president of Dartmouth College, for the job. But for the first time in its more than 60-year history, there is serious international competition for the job. Continue reading →