Reverbiage: Stories from NPR tagged 'fragile'

Gov. On Auto Bailout: 'Not Just About Michigan'

Sun, 21 Dec 2008 10:04:00 EST

After the Bush administration approved a short-term bailout plan, Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm issued a statement that called the loans "a recognition by the administration that the nation's fragile economy simply cannot sustain the human and economic toll of further massive job loss."

New Voices From South Asia Share Hope, Concerns

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 11:23:00 EST

A new generation of Indians and Pakistanis are now dealing with their countries' fragile relationship. Indian writer Sonia Faleiro and Pakistani filmmaker Mehreen Jabbar say they understand why mistrust persists.

Excerpt: 'The Ginseng Hunter'

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 10:50:00 EST

High up in the coniferous forest, the redwoods, with bodies as straight as a neck of ginseng, look down on me; their fragile, pale green leaves bow from stubby arms.

India, Pakistan Relations Hurt By Mumbai Attack

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 06:00:00 EST

India's fragile relationship with Pakistan has been badly damaged by the attacks on Mumbai. Indian officials say the gunmen who invaded that city, killing nearly 200 people, arrived by boat from Pakistan, and that the only surviving gunman is a Pakistani. Indian politicians are demanding that Pakistan's government act decisively to get rid of the violent Islamist extremists operating on Pakistani soil.

Refugees In Congo Desperately Need Aid

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 06:29:00 EST

Tens of thousands of civilians have been displaced by fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo. U.N. peacekeepers are protecting an aid convoy that's heading to a town in the rebel-held zone of east Congo. The town was captured last week by rebels loyal to renegade Tutsi General Laurent Nkunda, who is participating in the fragile cease-fire.

Quake Further Endangers China's Giant Pandas

Thu, 22 May 2008 15:25:00 EDT

Found only in China, the giant panda is threatened by extinction, and researchers in southwestern China have devoted themselves to saving the species. The May 12 earthquake in Sichuan province has exacerbated the challenges facing the already fragile population.

NPR's Fragile City Bat Survives Country Rehab

Thu, 15 May 2008 07:31:00 EDT

A tiny silver-haired bat was found in the crevice of a wall near NPR's Washington, D.C. headquarters. Days later, Bat Mitzvah disappeared. Now, after months of eating meal worms and making practice flights, the bat has been set free again.

Delicate Cease-Fire Holding in Sadr City

Mon, 12 May 2008 06:00:00 EDT

The fragile cease-fire in Sadr City, the large Shiite section of Baghdad, appears to be holding. But people there are cautious because the matter at the root of the violence hasn't been resolved.

Fragile Ceasefire Takes Hold in Baghdad Slum

Sun, 11 May 2008 11:39:00 EDT

A tenuous ceasefire is in place in Baghdad's Sadr City on Sunday. The Iraqi government and militia members loyal to the anti-American cleric Muqtadah Al-Sadr temporarily agreed to lay down arms. Fighting has been raging in the Shiite slum for the last six weeks, and more than 1,000 people have been killed.

The Missed Connections: 'Some Girl, Some Bar, Some Other Time'

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:02:00 EDT

When Brooklyn, NY singer-songwriter Amelia Marzec set out to write and record an entire album in February, she decided to keep the songs short, simple and sweet. Gesture Sketch is a collection of ten, very spare, lo-fi songs Marzec says she recorded "secretly in (her) bedroom." It features the fragile, moody track "Some Girl, Some Bar, Some Other Time."

Tibetan Sovereignty Has a Long, Disputed History

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 10:12:00 EDT

For Tibetans, a fragile independence was lost to China more than five decades ago. Robert Barnett explains why the communist republic has staked what it maintains is a "sacred" claim to the tiny mountain province.

No End in Sight to Sadr City Battles

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 16:00:00 EDT

Fresh fighting in the Baghdad slum of Sadr City puts new strains on an already fragile cease-fire ordered by radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. U.S. casualties are mounting as fighting spreads.

Petraeus: Iraq Progress 'Fragile, Reversible'

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 16:00:00 EDT

Gen. David Petraeus, the top American commander in Baghdad tells a pair of Senate committees that a troop surge in Iraq has been successful, but that the success is fragile. Ambassador Ryan Crocker echoes Petraeus' concerns.

Warring Shiite Militias Threaten Cease-Fire in Iraq

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 06:00:00 EDT

Iraq is facing the gravest challenge to its fragile security in more than a year. Shiite militiamen loyal to anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr are fighting Iraqi government forces for control of the southern city of Basra.

Violence in Gaza Threatens to Overshadow Talks

Fri, 08 Feb 2008 17:25:00 EST

Violence in the Gaza Strip threatens to damage the shaky peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians. Meantime, pressure is growing within the Palestinian Authority leadership -- now confined to the West Bank -- to open a dialogue with its bitter rival, Hamas. But those talks could jeopardize the already fragile talks with Israel.

Tensions Mount Between Iraqi Kurdistan, Iran

Thu, 27 Dec 2007 16:51:00 EST

In Iraqi Kurdistan, the American military's recent detention of a visiting Iranian has upset the fragile relationship between the region and Iran.

U.S. Troop Surge Quells Violence in Iraq

Fri, 21 Dec 2007 09:31:00 EST

There's a lull in the fighting in Baghdad as the surge in American troops helps to stabilize the capital. The U.S. military struck deals for peace with Iraqi militias on all sides and in the process gave up on religious reconciliation. That creates a fragile sense of calm.

Hopes Rise for Improved U.S.-Syria Relations

Thu, 13 Dec 2007 00:01:00 EST

Syria and the United States are weighing a new relationship after years of mutual distrust. The fragile opening came last month, when the Bush administration invited Syria to attend a U.S.-sponsored conference to revive negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis.

'In Our Talons,' a Homemade Gem

Mon, 30 Jul 2007 09:51:00 EDT

In Bowerbirds' outstanding "In Our Talons," the pumping accordion and creaky guitars feel as fragile as the bending branches and creeping beetles the song carefully describes. But as its message becomes plainer, the song morphs into a more straightforward lament.

Rebels Threaten Nigeria's Oil Industry

Tue, 29 May 2007 06:00:00 EDT

For the first time, Nigeria is making a transition from one elected government to another. But the fragile democracy faces a challenge from anti-government rebels who are trying to sabotage the oil industry.

Italians Protest Expansion of U.S. Base

Sun, 18 Feb 2007 12:24:00 EST

Opponents of a U.S. military base expansion in Italy take to the streets of Vicenza. The Pentagon wants to double the size of the base. Italy's fragile coalition government has approved, but the issue is caught up in the war in Iraq and Italy's role in NATO's presence in Afghanistan.

U.S. Nudges Somalia Toward Moderate Islamists

Fri, 26 Jan 2007 07:50:00 EST

Despite recent air strikes on Islamist extremists and al-Qaida operatives, the Bush administration is urging Somalia's fragile government to work with moderate Islamist factions, says Jendayi Frazer, the State Department's assistant secretary for African affairs.

Rice Plans Mideast Summit in Coming Weeks

Mon, 15 Jan 2007 20:11:00 EST

Traveling in Egypt, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice she will bring the Israeli and Palestinian leaders together in the coming weeks for a summit dedicated to exploring ideas for an eventual Palestinian state. Rice has been meeting with U.S. allies in the Mideast for the past three days to shore up support for the fragile Iraqi government.

Somalis Divided on Presence of Ethiopian Troops

Wed, 03 Jan 2007 06:00:00 EST

Diplomats from the U.S., Europe and Africa meet in Brussels to discuss how to keep Somalia's fragile government going. One possibility is to deploy an all-African peacekeeping force to replace the Ethiopian troops. Those troops are the biggest issue of debate under the new government in Somalia right now.

Lebanon Still Rattled by Gemayal's Murder

Sat, 25 Nov 2006 08:00:00 EST

NPR's Scott Simon talks to professor Fawaz Gerges about the assassination of Lebanese politician Pierre Gemayal and its impact on the country's fragile coalition government.