Nov 4th, 2005 · Both Congress and human rights groups are accusing the Bush administration of softening its position on Sudan. A letter to Secretary of State Condoloeezza Rice from lawmakers says the United States appears to be acting conciliatory at a time when violence in the western region of Darfur grows worse.
Jul 25th, 2005 · Top U.S. and North Korea negotiators hold a rare one-on-one meeting before six-nation talks about North Korea's nuclear weapons program resume. The discussions in Beijing, stalled for more than a year, show evidence that both North Korea and the United States appear to have softened their approaches.
Jun 8th, 2005 · A report in Wednesday's New York Times alleges a Bush administration science policy official altered government reports on climate change to "soften" words and phrases linking greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide emissions from power plants, to global warming. The official, Philip A. Cooney, was once a lobbyist for the American Petroleum Institute and has no scientific training. Madeleine Brand speaks with the author of the report, New York Times reporter Andrew Revkin.
Aug 27th, 2004 · The winner-take-all approach to competition at the Olympics dates back to the ancient Greeks, but was softened by the Victorian revival of the Games. In many ways, modern athletes' gold-or-nothing attitudes and occasional boasting reflect the original Olympic spirit. NPR's Tom Goldman reports.