Mike Shuster http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=2101176&ft=1&f=2101176 Award-winning journalist Mike Shuster is a foreign correspondent for NPR News. When not traveling abroad, Shuster covers issues of nuclear non-proliferation, weapons of mass destruction, terrorism, and the Pacific Rim. en Copyright 2013 NPR - For Personal Use Only NPR API RSS Generator 0.94 Fri, 09 Nov 2012 15:02:00 -0500 http://media.npr.org/images/npr_news_123x20.gif Mike Shuster http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=2101176&ft=1&f=2101176 To Combat Sanctions, Iran Buys Up Gold Iran's economy has been hit hard by U.S.-led sanctions that have targeted its oil exports and its banking system. In response, Iran appears to have gone on a gold buying spree as it attempts to halt the downward spiral of its currency. Fri, 09 Nov 2012 15:02:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2012/11/09/164709549/to-combat-sanctions-iran-buys-up-gold?ft=1&f=2101176 http://www.npr.org/2012/11/09/164709549/to-combat-sanctions-iran-buys-up-gold?ft=1&f=2101176 Iran's economy has been hit hard by U.S.-led sanctions that have targeted its oil exports and its banking system. In response, Iran appears to have gone on a gold buying spree as it attempts to halt the downward spiral of its currency.

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]]> Signals From Iran Indicate Willingness To Talk Reports over the weekend said the U.S. and Iran had agreed to face-to-face negotiations, but both countries deny that's the case. Still, symptoms of economic and social instability may be pushing Iran toward the negotiating table. Mon, 22 Oct 2012 04:29:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2012/10/22/163363573/signals-from-iran-indicate-willingness-to-talk?ft=1&f=2101176 http://www.npr.org/2012/10/22/163363573/signals-from-iran-indicate-willingness-to-talk?ft=1&f=2101176 Reports over the weekend said the U.S. and Iran had agreed to face-to-face negotiations, but both countries deny that's the case. Still, symptoms of economic and social instability may be pushing Iran toward the negotiating table.

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]]> Russia To Go It Alone On Nuke Disarmament Russia announced this week that it would no longer work to disarm nuclear and chemical weapons under the U.S. program known as Nunn Lugar. This was a very successful program that reduced Russia's stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction over the past 20 years. U.S. money and expertise drove the program, but now the Russians believe they have plenty of both to continue the job on their own. NPR's Mike Shuster reports. Sun, 14 Oct 2012 08:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2012/10/14/162884789/russia-to-go-it-alone-on-nuke-disarmament?ft=1&f=2101176 http://www.npr.org/2012/10/14/162884789/russia-to-go-it-alone-on-nuke-disarmament?ft=1&f=2101176 Russia announced this week that it would no longer work to disarm nuclear and chemical weapons under the U.S. program known as Nunn Lugar. This was a very successful program that reduced Russia's stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction over the past 20 years. U.S. money and expertise drove the program, but now the Russians believe they have plenty of both to continue the job on their own. NPR's Mike Shuster reports.

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]]> Panic Rises In Iran As Currency Plunges To New Lows Crowds of anxious Iranians are flocking to foreign exchange offices as the rial continues to plummet; it lost about one-third of its value in just a day. Tough economic and banking sanctions, and an oil embargo, are at the heart of the crisis. Tehran is blaming outsiders, and seems unable to stop the free fall. Tue, 02 Oct 2012 16:46:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2012/10/02/162156785/panic-rises-in-iran-as-currency-plunges-to-new-lows?ft=1&f=2101176 http://www.npr.org/2012/10/02/162156785/panic-rises-in-iran-as-currency-plunges-to-new-lows?ft=1&f=2101176 Crowds of anxious Iranians are flocking to foreign exchange offices as the rial continues to plummet; it lost about one-third of its value in just a day. Tough economic and banking sanctions, and an oil embargo, are at the heart of the crisis. Tehran is blaming outsiders, and seems unable to stop the free fall.

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]]> As Sanctions Take A Toll, Debate In Iran Heats Up Talks on Iran's nuclear activities appear to be at a halt, but there is action behind the scenes. Iran's public position hasn't changed. But privately, debate is growing over whether the nuclear program is worth the economic pain of harsh banking and oil sanctions that continue to do their work. Mon, 17 Sep 2012 17:50:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2012/09/17/161277116/as-sanctions-take-a-toll-debate-in-iran-heats-up?ft=1&f=2101176 http://www.npr.org/2012/09/17/161277116/as-sanctions-take-a-toll-debate-in-iran-heats-up?ft=1&f=2101176 Talks on Iran's nuclear activities appear to be at a halt, but there is action behind the scenes. Iran's public position hasn't changed. But privately, debate is growing over whether the nuclear program is worth the economic pain of harsh banking and oil sanctions that continue to do their work.

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]]> Report Finds Iran Still Prepping To Enrich Uranium A new report from the International Atomic Energy Agency says Iran has stepped up its program to enrich uranium. It reports the country is installing more centrifuges in a heavily-defended underground site. Fri, 24 Aug 2012 15:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2012/08/24/160010684/report-finds-iran-still-prepping-to-enrich-uranium?ft=1&f=2101176 http://www.npr.org/2012/08/24/160010684/report-finds-iran-still-prepping-to-enrich-uranium?ft=1&f=2101176 A new report from the International Atomic Energy Agency says Iran has stepped up its program to enrich uranium. It reports the country is installing more centrifuges in a heavily-defended underground site.

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]]> IAEA Suspicious Of Iran's Parchin Military Base The International Atomic Energy Agency believes Iran has something significant to hide at Parchin. The suspicion is that Iran used the site to test explosions involving uranium metal, which is used in developing a nuclear weapon. Talks with Iran on its controversial nuclear program are set to intensify in the coming days. Thu, 23 Aug 2012 04:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2012/08/23/159902752/another-round-of-iranian-nuclear-talks-to-begin?ft=1&f=2101176 http://www.npr.org/2012/08/23/159902752/another-round-of-iranian-nuclear-talks-to-begin?ft=1&f=2101176 The International Atomic Energy Agency believes Iran has something significant to hide at Parchin. The suspicion is that Iran used the site to test explosions involving uranium metal, which is used in developing a nuclear weapon. Talks with Iran on its controversial nuclear program are set to intensify in the coming days.

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]]> From All Sides, Iran Under Siege Iran is facing its most serious challenge since the war with Iraq in the 1980s. Abroad, the Syrian uprising is threatening to oust the Assad regime, Iran's sole Arab ally. At home, the EU oil embargo and U.S. banking sanctions are hurting the economy. And domestic criticism is growing. Thu, 16 Aug 2012 14:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2012/08/16/158831342/from-all-sides-iran-under-siege?ft=1&f=2101176 http://www.npr.org/2012/08/16/158831342/from-all-sides-iran-under-siege?ft=1&f=2101176 Iran is facing its most serious challenge since the war with Iraq in the 1980s. Abroad, the Syrian uprising is threatening to oust the Assad regime, Iran's sole Arab ally. At home, the EU oil embargo and U.S. banking sanctions are hurting the economy. And domestic criticism is growing.

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]]> In Pakistan, Sounds Of A Different Kind Of Drone The thought of bagpipes usually conjures up images of Scottish men in skirts — not auto-rickshaws and South Asian spices. But no country manufactures more bagpipes than Pakistan, and no place in Pakistan makes more of them than Sialkot, a bagpipe-crazy city near India-administered Kashmir. Thu, 26 Jul 2012 04:09:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2012/07/26/157356034/in-pakistan-sounds-of-a-different-kind-of-drone?ft=1&f=2101176 http://www.npr.org/2012/07/26/157356034/in-pakistan-sounds-of-a-different-kind-of-drone?ft=1&f=2101176 The thought of bagpipes usually conjures up images of Scottish men in skirts — not auto-rickshaws and South Asian spices. But no country manufactures more bagpipes than Pakistan, and no place in Pakistan makes more of them than Sialkot, a bagpipe-crazy city near India-administered Kashmir.

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]]> It's Deja Vu As Pakistan's Political Crisis Deepens Pakistan's Supreme Court has given the prime minister until Wednesday to ask Swiss authorities to reopen an old corruption investigation of President Asif Ali Zardari. The premier has refused, and the court is threatening to find him in contempt of court and remove him — as it did his predecessor. Mon, 23 Jul 2012 15:50:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2012/07/23/157232361/its-deja-vu-as-pakistans-political-crisis-deepens?ft=1&f=2101176 http://www.npr.org/2012/07/23/157232361/its-deja-vu-as-pakistans-political-crisis-deepens?ft=1&f=2101176 Pakistan's Supreme Court has given the prime minister until Wednesday to ask Swiss authorities to reopen an old corruption investigation of President Asif Ali Zardari. The premier has refused, and the court is threatening to find him in contempt of court and remove him — as it did his predecessor.

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]]> The Cost Of Women's Rights In Northwest Pakistan Earlier this month, a young woman who ran a women's rights group was shot and killed near Peshawar. She'd been warned several times about her work. Her death isn't the first of its kind in northwest Pakistan. Still, despite the dangers, such work continues. Thu, 19 Jul 2012 03:06:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2012/07/19/156992642/the-cost-of-womens-rights-in-northwest-pakistan?ft=1&f=2101176 http://www.npr.org/2012/07/19/156992642/the-cost-of-womens-rights-in-northwest-pakistan?ft=1&f=2101176 Earlier this month, a young woman who ran a women's rights group was shot and killed near Peshawar. She'd been warned several times about her work. Her death isn't the first of its kind in northwest Pakistan. Still, despite the dangers, such work continues.

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]]> 'Hard Questions' Remain In U.S.-Pakistan Relations Pakistan reopened border crossings last week for U.S. and NATO convoys heading into Afghanistan, resolving a seven-month-long dispute. But other challenges remain, including disagreement over U.S. drone strikes inside Pakistan and the pro-al-Qaida Haqqani network. Wed, 11 Jul 2012 03:39:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2012/07/11/156578951/hard-questions-remain-in-u-s-pakistan-relations?ft=1&f=2101176 http://www.npr.org/2012/07/11/156578951/hard-questions-remain-in-u-s-pakistan-relations?ft=1&f=2101176 Pakistan reopened border crossings last week for U.S. and NATO convoys heading into Afghanistan, resolving a seven-month-long dispute. But other challenges remain, including disagreement over U.S. drone strikes inside Pakistan and the pro-al-Qaida Haqqani network.

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]]> Pakistan Will Reopen NATO Supply Lines Pakistan has agreed to reopen supply routes to Afghanistan for NATO convoys. The agreement came after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed regret for the deaths of 24 Pakistani soldiers killed in an errant American airstrike last November. Wed, 04 Jul 2012 04:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2012/07/04/156239340/pakistan-will-reopen-nato-supply-lines?ft=1&f=2101176 http://www.npr.org/2012/07/04/156239340/pakistan-will-reopen-nato-supply-lines?ft=1&f=2101176 Pakistan has agreed to reopen supply routes to Afghanistan for NATO convoys. The agreement came after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed regret for the deaths of 24 Pakistani soldiers killed in an errant American airstrike last November.

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]]> Iran's Nuclear Fatwa: A Policy Or A Ploy? Iran's supreme leader has repeatedly cited his own fatwa, or religious edict, that nuclear weapons are a sin and that Iran doesn't want them. Many in the West are skeptical, but U.S. officials are calling on Iran to live up to the fatwa. Thu, 14 Jun 2012 05:05:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2012/06/14/154915222/irans-nuclear-fatwa-a-policy-or-a-ploy?ft=1&f=2101176 http://www.npr.org/2012/06/14/154915222/irans-nuclear-fatwa-a-policy-or-a-ploy?ft=1&f=2101176 Iran's supreme leader has repeatedly cited his own fatwa, or religious edict, that nuclear weapons are a sin and that Iran doesn't want them. Many in the West are skeptical, but U.S. officials are calling on Iran to live up to the fatwa.

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